2-22-2021

FACEBOOK.COM/NORTHERNIOWAN

WWW.NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN IOWA CEDAR FALLS, IA

CEDAR FALLS, IA

TWITTER: @NORTHERNIOWAN

THURSDAY, APRIL 5

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

COVID-19

UNI DM

FOOTBALL

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 6

COVID-19 numbers remain steady on the UNI campus.

SDSU Jackrabbits edge UNI Panthers 24-20 in first game of the year.

UNI Dance Marathon adapts to comply with COVID-19 restrictions.

Amid harassment allegations, Butt withdraws from NISG race EMMA’LE MAAS

Executive Editor

Following social media uproar and allegations of harassment and sexual misconduct, Muhammad Shamir Butt has withdrawn from the 2021-2022 NISG presidential race, along with his running mate Bilal Hussain. Running now unopposed are Samantha Bennett and Alisanne Struck.

In an interview with the Northern Iowan on Friday, Feb. 19, Bennett chose not to focus on Bennett’s withdrawal, instead expressing her excitement for the road ahead.

“I firmly believe that if you’re a good person, and if you work hard, then that’ll come through in what you do, and people will know this, and that’s what keeps me hopeful,” she said.

Butt declined to comment following his withdrawal.

The accusations against Butt began circulating on

Thursday, Feb. 18, when current NISG President Elle Boeding posted a statement on her personal website asking students not to vote for Butt due to his alleged history of harassment and sexual misconduct.

“Speaking truth to power is scary,” Boeding wrote.

“But, the thought of not speaking my truth and not doing all I can to protect and inform UNI students is far scarier.”

Boeding wrote about personal experiences with Butt, spanning back to her own campaign in 2020. She described how she was campaigning in Maucker Union when Butt interrupted her explanation of their ticket’s plans for equity-based issues to ask, “Don’t you think students of color make everything about diversity?

Don’t you think Black students think they should get all the attention?”

SAMANTHA BENNETT AND ALISANNE STRUCK/Courtesy Photo

Bennett and Struck now run unopposed after Butt and Hussain withdraw from the NISG presidential race.

Boeding also focused on the campus environment which she feels enabled Butt.

“I am sad that our campus has rewarded his behavior and ‘leadership,’ when in reality he has been the farthest thing

from a leader,” she wrote. “I do not even hate him; really, I am indifferent towards him, but I am not indifferent towards this cause. For far too long on this campus, we have let bad men take and

take and take — with no accountability. Shamir is a symptom of a system that is long broken, and this ends with me.”

parts of the ceremony could be eliminated, including the processional, the shaking of President Nook’s hand, the distribution of diploma covers and the platform party or grand marshals. In addition, many faculty members who are typically involved with the ceremony who are at high risk for COVID19 complications would be unlikely to participate.

The UNI-Dome was discussed as a possible venue for the ceremony, as there are no outdoor venues large enough to accommodate the event.

Although athletic events have been held in the UNI-Dome, the university has concerns about holding commencement there, as they discussed in a statement for KWWL. “The total capacity for the UNI-Dome is currently limited to 2,600 people,” the

statement reads. “If graduation were moved there, even if we limited each of our graduates to just one spectator, we would already be over capacity. If we split the event into multiple days/times we would still need to limit the number of guests.”

The athletic events held also required extensive COVID19 cautionary procedures that would not be possible to execute for commencement.

“Due to the number of participants, a commencement ceremony requires a larger number of employees to be involved and increases the health risk to our employees,” the statement reads.

“As part of NCAA requirements, many of the employees involved in our athletic events are required to follow strict testing and quarantine protocols that we cannot

require of other employees.

It is not likely that many of our employees will have been vaccinated by the time of commencement.”

Other worries addressed by the committee included concerns that eight to ten thousand people may be brought into Black Hawk County as a result of the ceremony, resulting in the spread of COVID-19 cases.

The continually changing regulations from the governor and the CDC may also result in last minute changes to the ceremony.

Finally, they discussed how to enforce mask wearing and social distancing, as well as addressing how students may be disappointed with the experience since it will not be normal.

See WITHDRAW, page 4

In-person commencement bill introduced CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

In response to backlash against UNI’s decision to hold spring commencement online, the Commencement Committee (which consists

of students, faculty and staff) held an emergency meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 16 in order to discuss possible alternatives to a fully online ceremony.

The committee noted that to hold a safe in-person ceremony, many traditional

CARTER NORDMAN/Courtesy Photo

UNI alumnus and newly elected Representative Carter Nordman introduces new bill that would require in-person spring commencements.

See COMMENCEMENT, page 2

PAGE 2

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NEWS |

ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

COVID-19 on campus: rates constant NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

The prevalence of COVID-19 on the UNI campus remained consistent last week, according to data released Friday, Feb. 19 at noon by the UNI Student Health Center.

The 57 tests conducted from Feb. 15-21 through the Student Health Center resulted in less than six positive cases, for an 8.77% campus positivity rate, virtually unchanged from last week’s rate of 8.33%.

The positivity rate may also decrease slightly today when the Student Health Center updates last week’s data to include any tests conducted on Friday. Since the end-of-week updates only include data collected through Thursday, Friday numbers are added to the weekly total by noon on the following Monday and are

GABI CUMMINGS/Northern Iowan

This graphic depicts the positivity rate and number of COVID-19 cases on campus as well as other statistics regarding the ongoing pandemic.

therefore not included in the NI’s weekly analysis.

The university also

reported four self-reported student cases of COVID-19 from Feb. 15-21, with no

UNI public relations manager Steve Schmadeke emphasized the importance of safety in regard to an in-person ceremony.

“Graduation is the pinnacle of a student’s academic career, and the University of Northern Iowa is incredibly proud and supportive of the accomplishments of our graduates,” Schmadeke said.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we must be mindful of protecting the health of our students, employees and community. A large number of considerations went into the decision, but the foremost goal is keeping students, their families and loved ones safe.”

Although no final decision has been made by the committee, a new bill introduced at the Iowa state legislature by newly elected Representative Carter Nordman (a UNI alumnus) would require Iowa’s three

Regent universities to have in-person spring commencements and allow at least two guests per graduate to attend the ceremony.

“What prompted me was the concerns and the frustrations with a lot of the students not only at the University of Northern Iowa, but at Iowa and Iowa State as well,” Nordman said. “I wanted to write the bill in order to ensure that they felt they were being heard, and that their frustrations were being understood and well taken.”

Nordman believes graduating classes can have in-person ceremonies while also maintaining COVID-19 regulations.

“These students have made tremendous sacrifices in this pandemic already, and with that I don’t think a PowerPoint presentation does them justice,” Nordman said. “At the end of the day, I believe that if (commencement) can be done in a safe and effective manner, they deserve that opportunity.

That opportunity they only get to do once in their life.”

Nordman met with UNI President Nook on Thursday, Feb. 18 to discuss spring commencement.

“I think the university is trying their best to accommodate every side that they can, while ensuring the safety of their students, faculty,

NORTHERN IOWAN

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

GABI CUMMINGS

KARLA DE BRUIN

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor witheaab@uni.edu

GABI CUMMINGS Production Graphics

COMMENCEMENT

continued from page 1

L011 Maucker Union Cedar Falls, IA 50614 www.northerniowan.com northern-iowan@uni.edu 319.273.2157

EMMA’LE MAAS Executive Editor maase@uni.edu 563.210.8768

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor debruik@uni.edu 319.273.6420

CHRIS MARTIN

Northern Iowan Advisor christopher.martin@uni.edu

Art Director cummigaa@uni.edu

COLIN HORNING Sports Editor chorning@uni.edu ERIN KAMP Copy Editor kampe@uni.edu ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor kelseye@uni.edu

Webmaster Graphic Artist

CIRCULATION DESIREE CHANEL Circulation Manager

self-reported cases from faculty. However, these self-reported cases may also be staff and guests,” Nordman said. “We may have disagreements on how that should be conducted, but I do commend President Nook for taking the time to meet and listen to all sides of this issue.”

A petition asking the university to reconsider an in-person commencement ceremony created by senior

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 © 2020 by the Northern Iowan and may not be used without permission.

counted in the Student Health Center weekly totals and therefore, the numbers cannot be combined for a grand total.

Also last week, the first public COVID-19 vaccination clinic on campus was launched on Monday, Feb. 15.

The Black Hawk County Health Department provided first doses of the PfizerBioNTech vaccine to 121 staff and students who were eligible under state guidelines in phases 1A and 1B. The health department also provided training to Student Health Center workers who will be preparing and administering vaccines.

In an email to campus, the COVID-19 Response Team reiterated that the Student Health Center will distribute the vaccine to students, faculty and staff based on guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health as supplies become available.

digital communications major Mili Saliu has received over 2,000 signatures. Saliu has scheduled a meeting with the provost on Feb. 26 in order to discuss spring commencement further.

For more information, students can reach out to the Office of University Relations at ur@uni.edu.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letters must be less than 300 words in length and are subject to editing. Not all submissions will be printed. Send submissions to maase@uni.edu.

SEND US STORY IDEAS

Tell us what’s happening on campus. Email submissions to northern-iowan@uni.edu.

Do you want to have an event listed here? Email us at northern-iowan@uni.edu with information about the event to have it featured.

PAGE 3

OPINION

EMMA’LE MAAS Executive Editor

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

Disclaimer: The following opinion articles featured do not reflect the opinion of the Northern Iowan newspaper or staff as a whole.

Rush Limbaugh passes, will be replaced TYLER MONTGOMERY

Opinion Columnist

With the passing of Rush Limbaugh, who will replace his time slot of racist, homophobic and offensive content? Well, this is America, so go ahead and take your pick. Right-wing conspiracy theorists won’t be going away anytime soon.

What is probably going to happen is the conspiracies are going to be cranked up and out of control. If Fox News can report President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden’s “love” is an act, then it’s open season for conspiracy theorists.

One person who sticks out is Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. A broadcast about “Jewish Space Laser” is clear-

ly what America needs right now. The issue at hand is even if one conspiracy theorists withers away, 10 more shall rise to take their place.

One important lesson is even if one major homophobic, racist and sexist talk show host dies, the conspiracies keep on spinning.

Verbal and physical actions will always remain in the public domain; even though Limbaugh can’t spread more of his hateful rhetoric around, this just opens up room for more insane theorists to take a shot at the big leagues. When Bill O’Reilly was finally taken off the air, it did nothing to stop the right from peddling their agenda.

Hearing about the Biden’s love being called an “act” is

telling of how far the right is willing to lie. It shouldn’t be a surprise, especially after events such as PizzaGate, fake birth certification planned out decades ago, deceased voters and the coup at Capitol Hill actually being led by Antifa, somehow. If Americans are allowed to voice such abysmal opinions, then nothing will stop the right from ruining or attempting to ruin future elections. One way of guaranteeing the end of hurtful/ hateful rhetoric is by becoming a new voice.

Everyone has someone or several people in their family who probably listened to Rush Limbaugh. It’s the conversation everyone avoids with them but keeping the peace between family and now

Rush Limbaugh passed away on Feb. 17, 2021.

friends is no longer the issue.

If right-leaning individuals keep immoral thoughts alive, then the truth will turn into lies, at least to a majority of people. According to The New York Times, around 80% of Republicans don’t believe Biden was elected fairly. Of course, it took mul-

Tribune News Service

tiple right-leaning individuals to spread misinformation around, but how many does it take to spread factual truth? Take the time out of your day to approach someone who has been misguided and figure out how to lead them back from the depths of conspiracy thinking.

Gov. Reynolds needs to bring back the mask mandate AL MAIER Opinion Columnist

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds has lifted all of the restrictions that had been put in place to combat the spread of COVID-19 on Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. She has now declared that all bars, restaurants and several other businesses will no longer be requiring customers to wear masks or face coverings as they enter into the premises.

Similarly, social distancing practices have also seemed

to be thrown to the wayside as the restrictions are pulled back. Other states have done the same, but most of the United States is still under a mask mandate as well as the implementation of maintaining social distancing at six foot spacing.

Despite the fact that there are still so many cases of the virus and there have even been reports of the U.K.’s new strain that has officially made it to Iowa, Gov. Reynolds does not seem to understand that we still

really need to be able to keep restrictions in place.

The vaccine for COVID-19 is slowly making its way out to Iowa residents, but that does not mean that we should be heading out back into the world as though the pandemic has ended. There are still new cases being reported every day and while the numbers might be trending downward, they are not trending down as fast as expected. So many other states are still requiring masks and social distancing that it is concerning to see

Gov. Reynolds leaving the mandate so soon. She had originally put the mandate into effect back in November of 2020 making Iowa one of the last states to enact the law, yet one of the first to retract her decision.

We can still make a difference and a positive impact on Iowa and COVID-19 if we wear masks and social distance despite what Gov. Reynolds has said. Wearing masks and keeping our distance from others while the vaccine is distributed is the

fastest way to beat this virus.

So many people are now grocery shopping and going out to local businesses without masks, so let us be the ones to set a good example and keep masking up.

These truly are unprecedented times, but as residents of Iowa, all it takes is respect and taking the necessary precautions to crush the curve.

Together, we can and we will get through this if we keep wearing masks and respecting the six foot distance while going about our daily lives.

Detox your news and social media feed COLIN HORNING Opinion Columnist

Keeping up with current events is something that everyone should be doing.

Knowing what is going on in the world around you is critical to make informed decisions when it comes to voting, making purchases and just being in the know about what is happening.

But recently, I’ve grown into the opinion that constantly being connected with the news can be more detrimental than beneficial in many ways. It has adverse effects on one’s mental health, wellbeing and general outlook on the world.

Since around last summer, I have more or less completely stopped following the news cycle. It began to feel like a treadmill that was going faster and faster

and eventually became too hard to stay on, so I jumped off altogether. For the most part, I’ve noticed that I haven’t missed a story of importance. Generally speaking, if a news story is truly important enough to you, then it will have its way of finding you instead of you having to actively seek it out (for example, COVID-19 would have found you even if you didn’t follow the news cycle).

But actively seeking out the news causes damage to one’s mental health. A study from the American Psychological Survey back in May of 2020 found that for most people, “news consumption has a downside.” The study discovered that more than half of Americans reported feeling stressed or anxious from the news, yet nearly one in five Americans check their social media feeds “constant-

ly,” which exposes them to the latest headlines even though they might be seeking the latest viral videos.

The constant connection to the news equates to a constant connection to one’s mental health, as the study would suggest.

I believe that a study isn’t even necessary to prove that the news cycle is bad for mental health. Upon deleting all of the news apps and unfollowing most news profiles on my social media, I’ve noticed improvements in my mental health. I don’t feel the need to constantly find out what is going on in the world, and usually I’ll still hear about an important news story through word of mouth or general buzz going on. I’ve realized that most news stories on cable news or online are really not important information to know and

are instead just used to fill up time on the air or to place content on websites. While there are of course important things to know, such as the results of elections or weather, most things on the news can be done without.

Along with that, most news stories are incredibly negative and depressing. Think about coronavirus updates.

Every single day, there is a higher death toll and case count. Constantly having that information wired to your brain day in and day out over the span of several months is too much to handle. It’s no wonder why constantly filling your head with negative information can lead to adverse effects on your mental health.

The same goes for social media consumption. In general, it’s where most people get their news, so the two

go hand-in-hand. The debate about social media and mental health is a whole different story, but limiting one’s use of Facebook and Twitter will make you feel better about things. Constantly checking updates every single hour of every single day leads to an overall decline in mental health, especially over a long period of time.

I’m not advocating to completely seal oneself off from the news. Instead of always feeling like keeping up with the latest hourly updates, try and keep it to a minimum. Like I said, I only follow a couple news outlets on social media, along with limiting my social media use in general. Doing so will increase your outlook on the world positivity, and you will notice staunch improvements in your mental health by detoxing the news cycle.

PAGE 4

ANTHONY WITHEROW

CAMPUS LIFE FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

Dance Marathon sees changes amid COVID-19 KARLA DEBRUIN

Managing Editor

Every spring, UNI Dance Marathon participants dance for 24 hours.

They wear their brightest orange shirts, paint their faces and dance to raise money for children who are in the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital, but this year things are looking different.

Typically the Big Event is held late February to early March. This year, Dance Marathon have not publicly released their plans for the event, but Marking Director Nicole Hassenstab said they do have a date in mind.

This year, all the money they raise will go towards the hospital’s library.

They don’t have a specific goal in mind; they just want to raise as much as they can for the kids.

For the Big Event, “Miracle Kiddos” and their families are invited.

WITHDRAW

continued from page 1

Boeding also shared a call to action for students.

“I implore you to consider what you are looking for in a leader and evaluate carefully,” she wrote. “My values do not elect leaders who have crossed boundaries to make women feel unsafe. My values do not elect leaders who publicly claim social justice values, but in conversation disparage those advocating for change. Your vote matters. Your voice matters.”

In conclusion to her post, Boeding added the hashtag # S u p p o r t S u r v i vo r s U N I , which received high attention from UNI students in the coming hours and days. At press time, the original tweet featuring Boeding’s post had over 108 retweets.

Several other students posted about their own experiences with Butt. These included opposing 20212022 presidential candidate Samantha Bennett, who took to her own social media to recount harassment she had experienced in the past by Butt.

“I had an encounter with Muhammad Shamir Butt last year at an eating establishment on the Hill,” she wrote.

“He was seated near the entrance, noticeably intoxicated, and upon seeing me immediately began to detail in crude language how he could get me to sleep with him if he wanted me to.”

Bennett wrote that she

NI Archives

With COVID-19 putting mass gatherings on hold, some have been wondering what will happen to Dance Marathon’s Big Event.

Due to COVID-19, participants have not been able to see them in person.

“As an organization, safety is our top priority, so we have been adapting to the COVID-19 guidelines,” Hassenstab wrote in

an email to the Northern Iowan. “Not being able to see (the Miracle Kiddos) in person has been hard, but we have been fortunate enough to be able to host virtual family events, have families speak to

was “extremely uncomfortable” and immediately corrected Butt and declined his invitations. He asked for a hug, and even when she refused and stepped away, he got up and attempted to grab her.

“I had to walk around a table to put distance between us as he was not taking no for an answer,” Bennett wrote.

“He then gave up in his pursuit shortly after and left, leaving me shaken up from the encounter.”

Following her statement, Bennett discussed her feelings while campaigning against Butt in this election.

“Since he entered this NISG race, I haven’t been able to enjoy the experience of running for Student Body President like I had hoped,” she wrote. “I am devastated that I have had to lose a part of this special experience…

I am heartbroken for all the other individuals who have suffered because of this man as well. It will never be fair he has done this to us.”

Several campus groups, including the university’s Greek life organizations, responded to Boeding’s original post with statements supporting survivors of sexual assault and harassment.

NISG also released a statement Thursday evening outlining resources for survivors of assault and harassment, as well as their support for those who have spoken out.

“Northern Iowa Student Government has been made aware of recent allegations

regarding a person involved in the election process. NISG strongly condemns sexual misconduct and commends those who have been speaking out and sharing their stories,” the post read. “We remain committed to the welfare of our students, although it is clear that we still have a long way to go to effectively combat sexual violence on campus and in the surrounding communities.”

Butt and his team have not responded to the allegations, but withdrew from the race on Friday, Feb. 19.

Although Bennett and Struck are now unopposed for the presidential and vice presidential positions, they still encourage students to vote, and vote for other positions as well.

“A lot of good can come from the people who hold these roles,” Bennett said.

Following Wednesday’s debate, Struck and Bennett had a message for students as well.

“We truly care about every single student here at UNI,” Struck said. “We care about their experience and we can make them feel valued and cared for, but most of all, we can help them find a sense of belonging at UNI… We want students to feel completely cared for and represented.”

Struck also focused on the importance of representation and inclusion.

“It’s so important to Sam and I that we create an inclusive space, a space that students can just get a warm

dancers over Zoom and continue to reach out to the kiddos and their families to see what they need and how we can best support them.”

Dance Marathon has helped change lives for

many families. Hassenstab stated, “For me personally, Dance Marathon has changed the way I think about the little things in life. Dance Marathon proves how one person can make a huge difference in the life of a family you may never even meet.”

She continued, “Even the smallest of sacrifices like giving up your morning coffee and donating that money instead can add up to help fund life saving research, equipment or facilities.”

What can you do if you’re not involved in Dance Marathon already?

You can still register. Go to their website unidancemarathon.com to register or donate to the cause.

“Everyone has a place in this organization because we are stronger together and the stronger our organization is, the more miracles we can make happen for the kiddos who need it the most,” said Hassenstab.

Courtesy Photo/Bennett and Struck

NISG candidates Samantha Bennett and Alisanne Struck share their stories of harrassment.

hug when they come to campus, because we want UNI to feel like somewhere students can look at and call their home,” she said.

Bennett wants to let students know their platform “is not set in stone,” and encourages students to reach out to them about the issues they’re facing.

“If there’s something students want to see on (the platform), we’re absolutely open to that,” she said.

As one of several UNI students who shared their stories of sexual harassment at the hands of Butt, Bennett has expressed the difficulty of campaigning against him in this season’s elections.

She and Struck both said their campaign had its low points, but their bond has kept them strong throughout the process.

“In the past few weeks, it has felt like sometimes Sam and I have been through the wringer and back,” Struck

said. “Every time (we) need to step back, and just take a moment, every time we pick ourselves up out of what we’re going through, we always remember we are running because we love UNI and we want to show our service to students.”

“We have had our points where it is hard, and you do maybe get a little nervous and a little scared about what’s coming, but I think what has kept me hopeful despite those challenges is I know we have really put our hearts into this,” Bennett agreed.

She continued, “We have been working really hard on this for a long time because we know UNI deserves the best and we want to give that to them.”

The NISG elections will take place from Tuesday, Feb. 23 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24 on MyUNIverse.

Results will be released Wednesday around 7 p.m.

PAGE 5

CAMPUS LIFE

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

The show goes on for UNISTA’s cabaret ANNA ALLDREDGE Staff Writer

Saturday, Feb. 20 saw the UNI Student Theatre Association (UNISTA), along with students of all majors, demonstrate some of the best Broadway has to offer at the Best of Broadway Virtual Cabaret via YouTube.

Prior to COVID-19, the Best of Broadway Cabaret has been an annual live event aimed at showcasing theatrical talents from UNI students. This year, as with most community-oriented live events, UNISTA had to figure out a way to transition Best of Broadway into something safe and socially distanced. As they say, the show must go on – and on it went.

The hosts, theatre majors Marcus Buttweiler and Kyle Chizek, playfully introduced performers before each act. Their short skits and clever jokes attempted to keep the show moving at an easy-to-follow pace while offering a warm sense of community difficult to pull off in a virtual event.

Despite being virtual, the show managed to attract an audience comparable to that of years prior with around 75 viewers throughout the stream. Though Chizek and Buttweiler expressed regret at not being able to have a live show, they expressed their optimism that in-person gatherings will be safe in the near

future.

According to Zoella Sneed, director of Best of Broadway and marketing director of UNISTA, one of the biggest challenges when approaching this event during a pandemic was ensuring that students and everyone involved were participating safely. They were able to do so with a diligent combination of physical distancing, masks and face shields for those who were not actively being recorded performing.

Despite these guidelines, adapting the show to fit COVID-19 guidelines came with its challenges; some unexpected advantages may have also come into play.

Sneed wrote in an email to the Northern Iowan, “I think the most positive outcome of putting on Best of Broadway during COVID is the fact that we were able to accept auditions from performers who aren’t currently in Cedar Falls!”

She continued, “There’s an English education major, Kaitlyn Vasey, who is currently in the Des Moines area for her Level 3 student teaching experience before graduation. She was able to participate by sending in a video to us, which I think is so lovely! We even had some talent from the Twin Cities area send in a piece, so I think that opportunity to participate despite distance is quite wonderful.”

This year’s show featured renditions of songs

from Broadway new and old – from “Pippin” to “Hamilton” to “Frozen” – and showcased an array of solos, duets and even a trio dance number.

A memorable and sultry performance of “Our Lady of the Underground” featured Cece Bartemes.

Concluding a night of performances was a show-stopping rendition of “Defying Gravity” from Lily Gast.

“I have been directing this show for the past three years and it never fails to surprise me how much a performance can grow in just a few short rehearsals,” Sneed wrote. “I am so proud of the artists this year, and have... confidence that they will love their performances!”

Even in the midst of COVID-19, UNISTA is still striving to “provide the

Courtesy Photo/UNISTA

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic did not stop UNISTA, who hosted their annual “Best of Broadway” cabaret on their Youtube channel this past Saturday.

best experiences for those who do need the safe space and escape from reality that theatre is so well known for,” according to Sneed.

If you happened to miss

the show or just want to rewatch your favorites, the entire video is posted on UNISTA’s YouTube channel.

Panther|Preview Ethical data management & presentation

zoom discussion of jeanne/joan of arc

jazz combos concert

craft night with sorority life

brand education session

monday, feb. 22 2 - 3:30 p.m.

tuesday, feb. 23 7 p.m.

tuesday, feb. 23 7:30 p.m.

tuesday, feb. 23 7:30 - 9 p.m.

wednesday, feb. 24 10 a.m.

virtual

ballroom a, maucker union

zoom

zoom

zoom

PAGE 6

SPORTS FEBRUARY 22, 20201 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

FOOTBALL

Panthers lose heartbreaker to SDSU in season opener NICHOLAS SCHINDLER Sports Writer

The UNI football team played their season opener this past Friday night after the season was pushed to the spring due to the coronavirus. The past year has been extremely abnormal, so it would be fitting to have several differences in this football season. With the game being played on a Friday night instead of the usual Saturday for college football, and the fact that the UNI-Dome was at limited capacity, the kickoff to the season was definitely out of the ordinary.

“The feeling was like wow, we are finally getting to play so it didn’t matter the time of the year... The stands looked more full than I thought they would be so that was nice… (and) it was nice to see a big group of students behind the bench,” said UNI linebacker Riley Van Wyhe.

UNI was matched up with MVFC foe South Dakota State in a matchup of top-5 ranked FCS teams. The Panthers ended SDSU’s season last year in the second round of the playoffs, defeating the Jackrabbits 13-10.

Many expected a close, competitive game, and this one was tight between the two teams the entire time.

The Jackrabbits struck first with a 24 yard field goal after an eight-play, 72 yard drive. The Panthers answered on the ensuing drive with a touchdown to take the lead off of a Will McElvain seven yard scramble.

SDSU answered back in the second quarter with two touchdowns, the first being a six yard pass from true freshman quarterback Mark Gronowski to Jaxon Janke.

UNI had their punt blocked on the next possession, giving SDSU the ball on the five yard line and allowing them to punch it in again, taking a 17-7 lead at halftime.

The Panthers came out of the second half with lots of adjustments made and cut into the Jackrabbit lead.

Sophomore kicker Matthew Cook booted a 43-yard field goal on a nine play, 41 yard drive to make the score 17-10.

With the UNI defense staying strong and stopping the Jackrabbits, they regained possession and added another field goal from Cook, making

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI graduate transfer running back Dom Williams carries the ball with offensive lineman Erik Sorensen leading the way. Williams, a transfer from the University of Kansas, ran for 35 yards in the Panther’s 24-20 loss to SDSU last Friday.

the score 17-13.

With six minutes left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Will McElvain threw a touchdown to freshman Tysen Kershaw, giving the Panthers a 20-17 lead and their first lead of the night.

SDSU regained possession following the UNI score. With good clock management and consistent ball movement, the Jackrabbits were able to

march down the field and take the lead off a touchdown pass from Gronowski to running back Pierre Strong with 19 seconds to play. The game ended with SDSU on top, 24-20.

UNI had done well on adjusting on defense in the second half, according to Van Whye: “Defensively it was getting adjusted to the speed of the game from not playing so long; it

took us a few series to get adjusted. Then tackling is always a big concer n for the first game because during practice (we) don’t have opportunities to do live tackling.”

The Panthers travel to Youngstown, Ohio to play Youngstown State next Saturday, Feb. 27. They return home to the UNIDome on March 6 against Illinois State.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UNI loses to Drake in final home game of the season DAVID WARRINGTON

Sports Writer

On Wednesday, Feb. 17, the UNI Panthers men’s basketball team hosted the Drake University Bulldogs in the final home game of the year.

Usually, senior players would be recognized ahead of their final game at the McLeod Center. However, NCAA rules state that all players will receive an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID19 pandemic, so all seniors are eligible to return next season. The Panthers entered this game with a record of 7-14, while the Bulldogs came in with a record of 20-2. UNI played well but ultimately fell to a talented Drake team, 77-69.

The Panthers got off to a fast start, making five of their first seven shots and getting out to an early 11-8 lead. The Bulldogs would not take their first lead of the game until there was 6:55 remaining in the first half, when they took a 24-23 lead. The teams wentback and forth in the final few minutes of the half, with a layup from Drake’s Garrett Sturtz 32 seconds before the

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

The Panther men’s basketball team fell in their final home game of the 2020-21 season, losing to in-state rival Drake by the score of 77-69.

break giving the Bulldogs a 31-30 advantage heading into the locker rooms.

Early in the second half saw more of the same, with both teams trading buckets. However, the Bulldogs managed to put together a 12-2 run, giving themselves a 10-point lead with 9:41 remaining in the game. UNI kept things competitive the

whole way, with a jumpshot by senior guard Trae Berhow getting the Panthers within six points with 3:37 to play.

However, they couldn’t get any closer, and ended up falling to Drake, 77-69.

Austin Phyfe was the leading scorer for the Panthers, finishing the game with 19 points while making eight of his 12 shot attempts. The

junior forward also grabbed four rebounds and had three assists. “It felt like some things were flowing better than usual. We were able to get some shots to fall, a little energy, and then it just came down to the little things.

Giving up those second chance opportunities that they capitalized on,” Phyfe said after the game. “Those are things

that we have to capitalize on to take that next step.”

Three other Panthers scored in double figures. Trae Berhow finished with 13 points while freshman guards Nate Heise and Bowen Born finished with 12 and 10 points respectively. Sophomore Noah Carter scored seven points to go along with a team high nine rebounds.

After the game, UNI head coach Ben Jacobson discussed what he saw from his team. “I thought we were pretty consistent.

In the first half we played good basketball. I thought we did a good job defensively, and we kept them out of the paint a little bit.”

He continued, “We played a better game today than we did last Wednesday.”

With the loss, the Panthers fall to 7-15 on the season. They will now have over a week off before they finish their regular season in Normal, Ill. against the Illinois State Redbirds on Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1. The MVC conference tournament will begin on Thursday, March 4 in St. Louis, Mo.

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

PAGE 7

FUN & GAMES FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

Find us online!

@NorthernIowan /NorthernIowan

northerniowan.com @northerniowan & Northern Iowan

Sign up for our weekly newsletter, sent to your email every Friday!

PAGE 8

CLASSIFIEDS FEBRUARY 22, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

Across

!

Puzzle Answers CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ONE

SUDOKU TWO

|

1 Spinal segment 5 One without a permanent address 10 What sit-ups strengthen 13 College World Series home 15 Offer one’s two cents 16 Burst 17 Cara cara or Washington fruit 19 Poirot’s street 20 “Open: An Autobiography” subject 21 Blintz topping 22 Actress Meyer of “Saw” films 23 Hue 24 Where I-30 and I-40 meet 27 Tonsillitis-treating doc 28 IV units 29 Roman goddess of agriculture 30 __ Moines 31 “Down Came a Blackbird” country singer McCann 33 Committee leader 34 Traveler’s rest 36 Boat filler 38 Passed-down tales 39 Convened 42 Pool table slab

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 35

43 Part of Q&A 44 Pub potable 45 Actor who appeared in nine films with Sydney Greenstreet 49 Pierce player 50 Crew pair 51 Poet’s preposition 52 Cubs pitcher Jon 54 “Suits” TV network 55 Therapy technique ... and a hint to what’s hidden in 17-, 24-, 34- and 45-Across?

57 Liberal arts maj.

58 Battery terminal 59 Car opening?

60 Compass pt.

61 Parsonage 62 Light shirts

11 Bar employee 12 Represents, with “for” 14 Gore and Michaels 18 Original Pennsylvania headquarters of Quaker State 22 Journal subject 25 “__ of Dogs”: 2018 animated film 26 Reverberated 28 Well-off, after “in” 32 Free Clear detergent maker 33 Ithaca campus 34 Partners 35 Laugh good and loud 36 “The Hustler” actor (1961) 37 Grind 39 Soup cracker Down 40 Ristorante request 1 Gave 41 Riot squad’s supply 2 Picture 42 Partner, perhaps 3 Learned ones 46 Hotelier Helmsley 4 Trunk 47 Sweater fabric 5 Country partly in the 48 Clarinetist’s supply Arctic Circle: Abbr.

49 So far 6 Tricky genre 53 Sound catcher 7 Annual North Dakota 55 More than bump into State Fair site 56 With 9-Down, river of 8 Mike Trout, notably the Carolinas 9 See 56-Down 10 Like some knowledge