2-25-2021

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

N.I. en ESPAÑOL

TEACHER FAIR

VOLLEYBALL

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 6

TheatreUNI va a producir una película que se llama “Dream with Me.”

UNI Teacher’s fair will take place virtually on Wednesday, March 3.

The UNI Panthers come out on top against the Southern Illinois Salukis.

Students dissatisfied with dining SARA QUALLEY

Staff Writer

UNI freshmen Annahlee Huspen and Madison Mason have taken to the Facebook group “UNI Class of 2024” to advocate for more dietary options at the UNI dining

centers and a partial refund for meal plans.

Both Huspen and Mason noted that UNI is known to have the best college food in Iowa. While they enjoy the food offered by the university, they feel it is unfair for students who are

required to have all-access meal plans to pay full price for what they feel is a limited number of options. This spring, the university did make a one-week adjustment to reduce the rates of the all-access and Weekly 5 meal plans.

CATHERINE CROW/Northern Iowan

Students speak out about not being satisfied with the options available in the dining centers.

After speaking with fellow students, Huspen and Mason learned that options are further limited for students who are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or practice certain diets due to religious beliefs or health reasons.

“I had no idea that people with these specified diets were really struggling this hard,” Huspen said. “That really upset me.”

Mason, a music education major, posted a video in the “UNI Class of 2024” group showing a lack of food at Piazza at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday, during late breakfast. She posted the video, she said, to raise awareness and to spark a conversation among group members.

Mason, who is required to have an all-access meal plan due to where she lives on campus, said that due to her class schedule, she is unable to eat at dining centers when most of their food is available.

By the time she can sit down and eat, she is limited to a few options like pizza, salad and cereal. She wishes UNI allowed students who are required to have all-access plans to change their plans to more affordable ones.

Huspen, a graphic design major, joined the conversation in the Facebook group and offered to write an email to UNI administrative and Housing & Dining staff to address students’ concerns.

Huspen, who is also required to have an all-access meal plan, is a rugby player and also has a job.

She said it can be difficult for her to find a variety of food at the dining centers outside peak serving times.

Her email advocates for more dietary options and partial refunds and includes six anonymous statements from fellow UNI students.

NISG election results announced ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

For the second year in a row, the results of the Northern Iowan Student Government (NISG) presidential election were something of a foregone conclusion.

Following the withdrawal last Friday of opposing ticket Butt and Hussain, Samantha Bennett and Alisanne Struck ran unopposed for the presidential and vice presidential positions, respectively. They

followed in the footsteps of last year’s ticket, Elle Boeding and Rachel Greene, who also ran unopposed.

Like Boeding and Greene, Bennett and Struck weren’t exactly surprised by the election results, which were announced by the NISG election commission in Maucker Union at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

However, it was nonetheless an exciting moment for the two friends when their victory was made official.

See DINING OPTIONS, page 5

“Even though we knew the results, it still hadn’t sunk in,” Bennett said after the announcement. “Before, it was kind of an abstract idea that we’ll have these roles. Now it’s finite (and) we know. I’m just really excited.”

Struck thanked the various members of their campaign team, including fellow students Kendall Doerr, Max Tensen, Hailey Hirsch and Luigi Lopez, for their work.

See ELECTION, page 2

GABI CUMMINGS/Northern Iowan

Samantha Bennett and running mate Alisanne Struck have been elected as NISG president and vice president for the 2021-2022 school year.

PAGE 2

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NEWS |

ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

N.I. en Español: TheatreUNI producirá “Dream with Me” NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

ELECTION

continued from page 1

Los profesores del departamento del teatro Jim Bray y Gretta Berghammer son los directores de una película que se llama “Dream with Me.”

durante meses. Es el grado de diferencia. Estamos utilizando estos titulares y construyendo esto a medida que avanza el semestre y la historia que quieren contar.”

Ahora, estos estudiantes, muchos de los cuales son nuevos en el mundo del teatro, están tomando sus titulares y convirtiéndolos en una película para compartir no sólo con los educadores, sino también con los estudiantes.

Muchos de los componentes de esta película utilizarán componentes como el teatro del oprimido, el teatro hip-hop, el teatro documental y la palabra hablada. A lo largo del proceso, habrá invitados especiales que ayudarán a dirigir estos varios componentes.

Uno de los invitados que los directores han convocado es Rickerby Hinds, un dramaturgo, guionista y productora nacional que dirigirá una clase de hiphop.

“Rickerby Hinds está dirigiendo nuestra clase de hip-hop en una videollamada,” dijo Bray.

“Enseña las cuatro tendencias del hip-hop, que son el grafiti, el maestro de ceremonias (MC), el baile y el DJ.” Bray y Berghammer también han tendido la mano a varios

otros invitados a hacer beatbox, bailar y mostrar algunos movimientos.

El escenario está siendo construido por el director técnico Ronald Koinzan y el profesor adjunto Mark A. Parrot. Bray dijo que es “visualmente emocionante.”

Berghammer y Bray esperan que esta película llegue a los educadores y a los estudiantes, y que se expongan y exploren diferentes componentes del teatro en este collage de movimiento. Esperan que esta película haga que los futuros estudiantes piensen en TheatreUNI en su lista de escuelas.

“Mi sueño es que los estudiantes vengan al teatro y no sólo vengan, sino que participen con nosotros,” dijo Bray. “El teatro es una comunidad; vengan al teatro y formen parte de él. ¡Venid, el agua está muy fresca!”

Berghammer estaba de acuerdo.

“Todo que dijo Jim, y también, descubrimiento,” ella dijo.

El departamento del teatro todavía no tiene una fecha de lanzamiento cuando esta película será visible para el público, pero para más información, visite la página de Facebook @ TheatreUNI o envíe un correo electrónico al profesor james. bray@uni.edu.

“I’m really proud of our campaign. I just think we ran a really solid, classy campaign,” she said. “My gratitude goes to Sam, obviously, and to our team and to every student who has voted for us and supported us.

It just means a lot to know that people have our back, because we hope to have theirs in every way possible.”

Also announced on Wednesday evening were the winners of Senate seats from the various colleges.

From the College of Business, Sam Ferguson was elected, with three seats left open. Senator-elects from the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (CSBS) were Rocio Castrejon, Sam Caughron, Caroline Christensen and Nawal Rai. In the College of Humanities, Arts and Sciences (CHAS), Salima Diallo, Jonah Eldridge, Micaiah Krutsinger, Muhammad Raza and Turner Sperry were elected, with one seat left open.

The College of Education currently has four open seats, the Graduate College has three and the Other/Interdisciplinary College has two.

Bennett said she, Struck and their team are ready to “do the legwork” necessary to fill the many open positions. They plan to reach out to various campus organizations to promote the opportunities NISG offers.

“We want to be approachable and accessible to students,” she said.

After her petition urging UNI to reconsider an in-person graduation ceremony garnered over 2,000 signatures in about a week, senior digital communications major Mili Saliu has written a letter outlining a plan to safely hold an in-person ceremony. Saliu provided the letter to President Mark Nook and Provost Jim Wohlpart, along with a printed PDF of the signatures on the petition.

The letter includes a three-

step process consisting of “relocation, (COVID-19) precautions, and disinfection.”

Saliu suggested the ceremony be split into three ceremonies and relocated to the UNI-Dome, which holds approximately 16,000 people in non-pandemic times. At a 15% capacity rate, about 2,400 seats would be available for guests of the approximately 1,500 graduates.

“If we were to split the graduating class into the three respective ceremonies, COE, CSBS, and then CBA and

CHAS, estimating that approximately 500 students would be present at each ceremony, at a minimum, each student would be able to safely choose two guests to attend the ceremony,” she wrote. “(This leaves) us with approximately 1,500 people in attendance, leaving us with an estimated value of a 9.2% capacity rate, which (is) well under the number of seats that are allowed for an athletic event.”

Saliu also emphasizes the importance of social distancing and wrote that there will be an additional 1,000 seats left in this

plan, giving faculty, staff, students and guests plenty of room to spread out.

“I’m not really asking them to change the entire graduation process; I’m just asking them to give students the graduation they deserve,” Saliu said in an interview with the Northern Iowan. “All they want to do is walk across a stage with a couple of family members present, and I don’t think that ask is a difficult one.”

Saliu’s letter cites other universities, like Grand View University in Des Moines,

which held a successful and safe 2020 commencement on Aug. 15 at Wells Fargo Arena featuring guests and guest speakers. Shenandoah University in Virginia also held an in-person ceremony in October 2020 with reduced numbers, and Texas Tech plans to hold an in-person ceremony on May 14.

Saliu is scheduled to have a meeting with Provost Wohlpart and administrative assistant Amy Kliegl this Friday, Feb. 26, where she will explain her plan for an in-person ceremony.

NORTHERN IOWAN

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

GABI CUMMINGS

KARLA DE BRUIN

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor witheaab@uni.edu

GABI CUMMINGS Production Graphics

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.

NIXSON BENITEZ Spanish Writer

“Dream with Me” (en español, “Soñar Conmigo”) es una película ideada por los estudiantes del departamento de teatro aquí en UNI. La película explora algunos de los temas expuestos por COVID-19 que eran fáciles de ignorar.

Los profesores del departamento del teatro Jim Bray y Gretta Berghammer están trabajando como los directores de la película. Ellos compartieron algunos de los componentes importantes del proceso de crearla.

La primera semana del semestre, Berghammer y Bray pidieron a sus estudiantes que trajeran un acontecimiento de 2020 que les hubiera impactado personalmente de alguna forma.

Los dos profesores también asignaron a los estudiantes que trajeran un titular que le relaciona con ese acontecimiento.

Una buena parte de los estudiantes trajeron titulares que ni siquiera estaban conectados con COVID-19.

“La muerte de Kobe Bryant impactó a uno de mis estudiantes,” dijo Berghammer.

“También otros estudiantes no han podido ver a sus familias

THEATREUNI/Courtesy Photo

Student drafts plan for in-person commencement CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

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

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PAGE 3

OPINION

EMMA’LE MAAS Executive Editor

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

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

The Trump in sheep’s clothing MOHAMMED RAWWAS Opinion Columnist

A $2,000 stimulus check provided through a COVID-19 relief bill, a $15 federally-mandated minimum wage, cancelling student debt for all, up to $50,000, an end to weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, U.S. support for the genocide in Yemen and a moratorium on deportations for 100 days. With the possible exception of student debt, all of these are either promises that the Biden campaign made or that the Biden administration has explicitly told us that they have done.

Student debt cancellation was floated as an idea by Chuck Schumer that dominated the news cycle following Biden’s election and inauguration. Yet the stimulus check became not only reduced to $1,400, but was also limited in the recipients who would receive it, regressing even from the Trump stimulus checks, and has not even been passed yet (as of publish time).

Biden has now lied and claimed that a $15 minimum wage cannot be guaranteed through the process of reconciliation. Biden has also lied in claiming that he does not have

the executive authority to cancel student debt up to $50,000, though he somehow believes he does have the executive authority to cancel student debt up to $10,000. An end to supporting Saudi Arabia in its offensive war against Yemen has turned into an enthusiastic support for Saudi Arabia in its defensive war against Yemen (as if this does not amount to the same thing), and he has already sold weapons to Chile.

Hundreds of immigrants have already been deported, and there have even been recent reports of ICE officers turning fans on in detention facilities in Louisiana and Texas to sadistically torture detained immigrants, including juveniles and children, already cold due to lack of heating during the recent winter storms that has devastated the southern United States. What were termed “concentration camps” under Trump have merely continued under the Biden administration, but have only been met with a muted liberal reaction. And speaking of the Texas storm, while many have rightly criticized the Republicans in Texas for their failure to act, the Biden administration and the federal government writ large has not nearly provided adequate sup-

Tribune News Service

Columnist Mohammed Rawwas examines the Biden administration’s progress one month into office.

port, given the severity of the conditions there.

Finally, with the recent announcement of Mitt Romney’s child allowance program, which provides more money than Biden’s plan and is also not doled out through tax credits, given that one-thirds of children in poverty do not have parents who file taxes, meaning that Romney’s program would reach many more poor children than Biden’s would, it is a fair

question to ask: who are the Democrats for? We have seen no policy difference between the Trump and Biden administrations, and in fact, we can see that mainstream Democrats are even more hesitant to provide welfare, whether in the form of stimulus checks or child allowance programs. It is not merely that Biden is unable to carry out policy change, but that he is unwilling, and explicitly and vehemently opposed to progres-

sive legislation, whether it is student debt relief or universal healthcare.

With Democrats’ unwillingness to remove the filibuster in the Senate, it is unlikely that any major legislation will pass, despite a majority in both chambers of Congress and control of the Executive branch. All we can expect is the continuation of the same cruelty of the Trump administration, just under a different name.

Illinois just eliminated cash bail – here’s why it’s a big deal

Opinion Columnist

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill on Monday abolishing cash bail payments for jail releases, making Illinois the first state in the country to do so. Known as the “Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act,” this is only one facet of HB 3653, which overhauls criminal justice practices and attempts to address police brutality.

The bill calls for new police training standards, banning chokeholds and requiring body cameras for all officers. The bill was also sponsored by the Legislative Black Caucus, predominantly inspired by the murder of George Floyd and other cases of police misconduct.

In a statement, Khadine Bennett, Director of Advocacy and Intergovernmental Affairs with the ACLU of Illinois elaborated on the necessity of HB 3653: “In the wake of the last summer’s protests against police violence and the EMERSON SLOMKA

responses to the release of the video showing the humiliation and harassment of Anjanette Young, there is little doubt about the strong support for additional police accountability and criminal justice reform.”

The bill has been heavily criticized by law enforcement and Republican lawmakers, many of whom consider it “anti-police.” Energy Police Chief Shawn Ladd argues that “safety and justice lose and criminals win.

No cash bail will essentially equate to a catch and release scenario for many crimes.”

However, when analyzing the cash bail system and its flaws, we can begin to see the major fallacies in Ladd’s argument.

When a person is detained pretrial (approximately three out of five people in U.S. jails – around 500,000 people), they may have the option of paying a cash bail, which allows the person to be released from jail, while also serving as collateral to ensure that the person appears in court to attend their trial.

This system allows those

Tribune News Service

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a controversial bill into law on Feb. 22 that addresses police brutality and discrimination.

with enough money to do so to leave jail, while those unable to afford bail have no other option but to remain until trial, which may result in the loss of jobs or custody of children. Studies also show that pretrial detention is experienced disproportionally by people of color – according to the Department of Justice, as

of 2002 about 69% of those jailed pre-trial were people of color. Research suggests that Black defendants are over 25% more likely to be held pretrial than white defendants, and that Black men receive bail amounts 35% higher than white men.

Does the cash bail system actually work? According to a study by the Stanford Law

Review, it doesn’t. Pre-trial detention actually tends to increase one’s likelihood of rearrest. A system that perpetuates a cycle of rearrest and incarceration is not only inefficient, but immoral and unfair. A majority of those experiencing pretrial detention are accused of nonviolent offences – three out of four of such cases being for misdemeanors that would result in fines and/or less than a year of jail if convicted. So why suspend the presumption of innocence?

Such a bill has been long overdue, and while it will not be sufficient in remedying the deep-rooted systemic issues related to the criminal justice system, it is a massive step in the right direction.

As D.C. Superior Court Judge Truman Morrison states, “There is no evidence you need money to get people back to court. It’s irrational, ineffective, unsafe and profoundly unfair.”

HB 3653 will be effective July 1, 2021, with the Illinois Pre-Trial Fairness Act becoming active Jan. 1, 2023.

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CAMPUS LIFE FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

Panther PORTRAIT: Craft night with sorority life

ANTHONY WITHEROW

Campus Life Editor

Tuesday, Feb. 23 saw multiple sorority chapters come together to give students an opportunity to make crafts, meet new people and learn

about the opportunities Sorority Life comes with.

If you would like to learn more about Fraternity and Sorority Life or join a chapter, you can find more information at studentlife. uni.edu/fsl.

Catherine Crow/Northern Iowan

UNI students were given the chance to let their creativity run free at Sorority Life’s craft night in Ballroom A of Maucker Union.

2021 Teacher Fair to take place virtually TEHYA TOURNIER Staff Writer

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven to be a hindrance to many things across the world, but it will not stop UNI from helping future educators find their first job out of college. Normally an in-person event, the 2021 UNI Teacher’s fair will be held virtually on Wednesday, March 3 from 4-7 p.m., powered by Handshake.

A total of 80 school districts from across the United States will have an opportunity to engage with students who are wanting to participate and become educators themselves. The event is open to all Pre-k through 12th grade educators seeking new opportunities for the

2021-2022 school year.

According to Kayle Bedard, Director of Overseas Teaching, soonto-be graduates and other educators looking for new opportunities in education will be able to meet different school districts in both group sessions and one-on-one sessions as well.

When registering for the fair, students will have access to the list of schools and sessions they’d like to attend and be a part of.

“Group sessions are more geared towards letting them know about their district and opportunities in the schools, and the one-on-one sessions are set up like a pre-interview type of setting or to get more insight on what they’re both looking for,”

Bedard said.

Although the fair is targeted towards those looking for a job for the 2021-2022 school year, Bedard said those who are education majors and are not ready to graduate can still register. They are encouraged to sign up for the group sessions to listen and get a feel for what they are interested in.

“It really is used to network, connect and learn more about other schools and districts,” she said.

UNI is known and valued for the College of Education. The main goal of holding this fair is to continue to build those connections, maintain the partnerships held within the community through UNI and the educators in the Cedar Valley and ulti-

NI Archives

For the first time, UNI’s Teacher Fair will be taking a digital approach due to COVID-19.

mately get new educators ready to teach in the fall.

“It’s to keep that connection and keep education strong at UNI. We want our great teachers to be a part of other great schools,” Bedard said.

Those who are inter-

ested in attending the UNI Teacher Fair can find more information and the registration link on the UNI Career Services website under “events” or email kayla.bedard@uni. edu with any questions.

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

CAMPUS LIFE FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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PAGE 5

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

‘I Care a Lot’ is devilishly fun HUNTER FRIESEN Film Critic

Have you ever stopped to think about how we treat our elderly in America? Once they reach a certain age and things start to get more difficult, we ship them off to a glorified daycare that they never return from. It’s a process we never want to think about as it gives us a guilty conscience.

That exact feeling of guilt and shame is something that writer/director J Blakeson wants you to confront in his new film “I Care a Lot,” a part social satire, part crime thriller.

“I’m not a lamb, I’m a (expletive) lioness,” says Marla Grayson as she opens the movie shunning us, the audience, for thinking we’re good people when we enable her to do so much evil.

Marla is a state-appointed legal guardian who looks after elderly people that are deemed too unwell to care for themselves. Marla swoops in, ships the person to a secure retirement home and seizes all their assets for herself. It’s a lucrative occupation that is buoyed by an American public unwilling to care for their own.

“I Care a Lot” is as dark as a dark comedy can be. There is not one single nice character within this whole movie, and not one single nice deed is done. It’s two hours of theft, manipulation and in some

cases, murder.

The first half of the film dives deep into the scandalous nature of retirement care, which is treated as a crime ring. The process starts as Marla uses her doctor contact to scout patients that are both wealthy and healthy enough to be a perennial cash cow.

In exchange for a monetary sum, the doctor recommends to a judge that Marla be the patient’s guardian.

Marla then auctions off the patient’s belongings, using the funds to pay herself and the exorbitant retirement home fees she’s negotiated under the table with the manager. It’s a grueling process that becomes harder to stomach as time goes on, but Blakeson doesn’t want us to look away; he wants to see what we’re complicit in.

Rosamund Pike plays Marla in a role she was born to play. Sporting a sharp blonde wig, stunning suits and taking huge drags from the world’s largest vape pen, Pike commands the screen every second she’s on. It’s a towering performance similar to that of her Oscar-nominated role in “Gone Girl.”

Pike is certifiably crazy, extremely ambitious and scary as hell. She has already been Golden Globe nominated this year for “Best Performance in a Comedy,” which is ironic since the only kind of laughing I did while watching this was nervous laughter.

Tribune News Service

Flim critic Hunter Friesen reviews the new film “I Care a Lot” starring Rosamund Pike, Eiza Gonzalez and Dianne Wiest.

With the second half, Blakeson takes a sharp turn from social satire into an increasingly wild crime thriller. Marla has taken a “golden goose” under her care, someone named Jennifer Peterson (a perfect Dianne Wiest) that has no living family and a lot of money to spend on medical fees. The predator quickly becomes the prey, however, as it is discovered that Jennifer isn’t who they think she is. It turns out she’s connected to the Russian mafia, run by a sadistic Peter Dinklage.

This is the part of the movie where you will either throw your hands up in disgust or gleefully delve into

DINING OPTIONS

continued from page 1

“We as a student body demand compensation for the lack of effort proven to us throughout the Dining Halls, Convenience Stores and Maucker Union,” part of the statement in the email reads. “At minimum, we expect a half refund on our meal plans for the Spring 2021 semester.”

The statement expresses disappointment in changes like the closing of Maucker Union Food Court and Schindigs, reduced hours at Chats and Essentials and fewer menu options at the 23rd Street Market.

“This was infuriating to those of us that are left on campus,” the statement reads. “We are now forced to spend our dining dollars on the over-priced convenience stores, which also provide limited options.”

The anonymous statements also pose several concerns. One student shared that they have lost

Catherine Crow/Northern Iowan

UNI students voice their displeasure of changes made to the campus’ dining centers.

weight due to the lack of food.

Another questioned why UNI does not allow students to use to-go meals after eating in a dining center, which would give them something to eat when they cannot make it to a dining center during its peak serving hours. University Housing & Dining says that to-go meals are available but does not share why students cannot use one immediately after eating in

a dining center. Instead, they are asked to come at a separate time when they are not planning to eat in the dining center and fill a to-go box then.

Another student expressed concern regarding limited hours since students flock to dining centers at one time, something they said is dangerous during a pandemic.

One student wrote they were promised gluten-free meals when attending UNI

the chaotic mess. The second half is inferior to the first as it trades its bite for conventional plotting. It also tests your connection with Marla as you instinctively root for her to win against the mafia even though she clearly is the villain in the grand scheme of things.

At times you wonder who is worse between the two of them. Even then, there is a lot of fun to be had watching her get out of this deadly situation. You do have to suspend some disbelief, but what movie doesn’t make you do that?

The score by Marc Canham takes a lot of inspiration from

the Safdie Brothers’ “Uncut Gems.” Like the tonal shift of the plot, the synthesized music starts playful but gets darker as Marla descends into the criminal underworld.

“I Care a Lot” is a pitchblack comedy in the similar vein of “Gone Girl” and “Uncut Gems.” It’s both a scathing satire on the retirement system in America and an entertaining crime thriller boasting a terrific performance from leading lady Rosamund Pike.

“I Care a Lot” is available on Netflix.

and that they could order food if they didn’t see any.

Despite this, the gluten-free food available offers little variety: chicken breast with a side of potato or rice.

The student says the rice is sometimes mushy or crispy and the potatoes charred or raw.

“There was one night specifically that I came to the dining center at 5:35 p.m., 35 minutes after the dining center had opened for dinner, and there was no gluten-free food left for me,” the student wrote.

“After asking if there would be more the chef just said, ‘I don’t know.’ I asked what he expected me to eat for dinner and he said, ‘I don’t know.’ I was so upset that I went without dinner that night.”

The student ended their statement with, “Unfortunately, if I don’t see any changes I will not be back next year. I refuse to give money to a school that will not be inclusive and accommodating to all disabilities. Whether you

believe it or not, celiac disease is a disability and it needs to be taken seriously.

I strongly believe that UNI is not taking it seriously.”

Huspen sent the email relaying her and fellow students’ concerns on Friday, Feb. 19, and has received one reply from a UNI staff member thus far. She hopes staff are discussing the concerns posed in the email, and she plans to continue being part of this conversation going forward if changes aren’t made.

Fellow freshmen have offered to help Huspen take a stance if necessary, and she encourages other students to express their concerns with the dining centers if they have them.

Mason plans to take a step back from speaking up but hopes students continue to advocate for the dining centers to make accommodations.

“It’s just not a normal semester,” Mason said, “and the students understand that, but you can’t charge them as if it still is.”

PAGE 6

SPORTS FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

|

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

VOLLEYBALL

UNI goes 2-0 versus SIU, wins thrilling second game COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

With the unorthodox spring volleyball season now in full swing, the UNI Panthers volleyball team hit the road for their third Missouri Valley Conference matchup of the season, taking on Southern Illinois at the Davies Gymnasium in Carbondale, Ill. Coming into the matchup, the Panthers were 3-3 in the MVC and 3-6 overall, with their opponents coming in at 1-5 in conference play and 2-6 overall on the season. UNI was in control for much of the two-game set, defeating the Salukis 3-0 on Sunday and 3-2 on Monday.

The visiting Panthers had no trouble handling the Salukis in game one on Sunday afternoon. In the first set, SIU got out to an early 7-5 advantage before the Panthers scored six unanswered points, taking an 11-7 lead, one which they wouldn’t revoke the remainder of the match. The second set was a hard-fought, back-and-forth affair between the MVC rivals. With UNI clinging to a 20-19 advantage, Southern battled back with four consecutive points, three of which came on attack errors on the UNI side. With the hosts now holding a 23-20 lead, the Panthers fought back themselves, scoring the final

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI rallied back for a thrilling 3-2 victory in the second game of their weekend series against Southern Illinois. The final three sets of the game were decided by the final point.

five points of the set en route to an exciting 25-23 victory.

The third set would prove to be the final set of game one; however, Southern Illinois did not go down without a fight.

The Salukis gained a 16-15 advantage before the momentum dramatically shifted in favor of the Purple and Gold.

UNI scored eight in a row to take a commanding 23-16 lead in the set. Southern had a mini-rally of their own and outscored Northern Iowa 5-2; however, it wouldn’t

be enough as the Panthers capped off the sweep in game one with a 25-21 win.

Leading the Panther women in kills were junior Inga Rotto and sophomore Kaylissa Arndorfer, who had 11 and nine, respectively.

Emily Holterhaus and Taylor Alden lead UNI with four aces each, and Alden leads the way with 36 assists. Alden was also named MVC Freshman of the Week for her weekend performance.

Game two took the entirety of five sets to decide the

victor, with UNI ultimately coming away with the 3-2 win. The first two sets were controlled by Southern, however, as they defeated the Panthers 25-18 in the first set and 25-19 in the second.

UNI could not seem to string any momentum together in the first two sets and were prone to giving up large runs from the Salukis and were unable to answer back. With Southern holding a strong 2-0 set lead heading into the third, things looked bleak for UNI. The Salukis

started out strong, leading 15-7 at one point in the third set and were in the driver’s seat to put this one away.

UNI rallied back to score nine of the next 12 points, trimming the Saluki lead to 18-16.

The Panthers then picked up eight of the next 10 points and needed just one more to complete the comeback, leading 24-21. SIU rallied again, scoring the next three and knotting the third set at 24 apiece. Needing to win by two, the extended time saw both teams trade points until the Panthers finally were able to score twice in a row, completing the thrilling comeback and winning 29-27.

Both the fourth and fifth sets went the distance as well, with UNI holding off SIU 25-23 in the fourth and 15-13 in the fifth. The three victories were all in dramatic, hard-fought fashion.

Rotto again led the team in kills with 14, and Alden led the way with 44 assists.

Arndorfer and Carly Spies both had four blocks a piece for the Panthers.

The two-game sweep puts UNI at 5-6 overall and 5-3 in Missouri Valley Conference play. They will return home on Feb. 28 and March 1 for a two-game series against Indiana State.

Both games will be held in the McLeod Center.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Panthers split with Loyola in weekend series DAVID WARRINGTON Sports Writer

This past weekend, the UNI Panthers women’s basketball team hosted the Loyola-Chicago Ramblers for a Missouri Valley Conference two-game series at the McLeod Center, playing on Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20. The two games had very different outcomes, as the Panthers secured a blow out win on Friday, while losing a heartbreaker in overtime on Saturday.

In the first game of the series, the Panthers had as good of a start as you can ask for, with junior guard Kam Finley knocking down a three-pointer on UNI’s first possession, just 25 seconds into the game. After a few minutes of back-and-forth play, UNI caught fire, going on a 15-4 run to finish the opening quarter with a 25-12 advantage. After a second quarter in which the Ramblers out-

scored the Panthers by two points, the two teams went into the break with UNI leading, 39-28.

The Ramblers looked determined coming into the third quarter, immediately going on a 9-2 run, getting them within two points.

However, Nicole Kroeger would step up and hit a timely three-pointer to return the momentum to the Panthers.

UNI entered the fourth quarter with a 54-44 advantage. In the final frame, the Panthers dominated throughout, outscoring the Ramblers 24-7 in the period. After this lopsided fourth quarter, the Panthers walked away with an impressive 27-point victory, 78-51.

Three Panthers scored in double figures. Cynthia Wolf was the leading scorer, finishing with 13 points to go along with a team-high 12 rebounds. Kam Finley and Nicole Kroeger both finished with 11 points. Karli Rucker had a team-high seven assists, as well as six points.

The second game of the series started out much like the second and third quarters of the previous day’s game, with both teams going backand-forth without too much separation. After one quarter of play, the Ramblers led 11-9. Loyola went on an 11-0 run to end the second quarter, taking a 27-16 lead into halftime.

In the third quarter, the Panthers fought hard to get back into the game. UNI scored five points in the final 20 seconds of the quarter, and this burst of offense got the Panthers within six going into the final quarter, trailing 41-35. With just four seconds remaining in the game and trailing by two, Emerson Green knocked down a jumper in the paint, tying the game at 55-55 and sending it to overtime. In the overtime session, the Panthers had a chance to force double overtime.

Unfortunately, Karli Rucker’s shot was off the mark, and the Ramblers came out on top,

66-64.

Four Panthers scored in double figures in this game, with Karli Rucker and Emerson Green both finishing with 13. Rucker also added a team-high nine assists.

Megan Maahs poured in 12 points, while Nicole Kroeger added in 10 points as well as five rebounds.

After splitting the series with Loyola, the Panther move to 10-10 on the year, with a 7-6 record in MVC play. They will stay at home for their next three games, hosting the Drake Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 24 and hosting the Evansville Purple Aces on Saturday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 28.

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI’s Karli Rucker drives in against Loyola’s Ellie Rice in the second game of the team’s weekend series. The Panthers dropped the second game in overtime.

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

FUN & GAMES FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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69 Exchange jabs

Down

1 [You can’t mean that!]

2 Wasatch Mountains resort 3 __ grapes 4 Some Chrysler engines 5 Around-the-clock 6 Half a Daily Planet byline 7 __ Antonio 8 Texting interjection 9 Tacks on 10 “Phooey!”

11 __-cheap 12 Like some JFK flights 13 Lid issue 18 Verbal jab 21 Cassis apéritif 23 Penitent 24 Mirage site 25 Knitter’s coil 26 Family reunion attendee 27 At all 29 A pass may cover one 41 Colorado tributary Across 30 Brief rules?

42 Massey of old films 1 Bad cut 31 City in New York’s 44 Thoroughbred’s dad 5 And Mohawk Valley 45 “Git!” 9 __ Ababa 32 Stalin-era prison 46 One with a lot to learn, 33 Dramatic outpouring 14 Natural skin soother perhaps 15 Good earth 35 Policy __ 16 Datum in a forensic data- 49 Obstruction 40 Readied, as leftovers 50 Pushed the doorbell base 43 Puncture consequence 51 Night school subj.

17 Impediment 47 Court figures, for short Scandinavian bar 48 Ensenada pronoun 19 Neighborhood gathering 53 exchange 20 Outcasts 52 Velcro alternative 57 Corrode 21 Boiling point?

53 Nose-in-the-air sort 61 Local anesthesia effect 22 “No seats” sign 54 __ Ration 62 Device with pulleys 23 Score after deuce 55 Guesstimate phrase 64 Words in some English 56 With, on le menu 25 Beach application 28 Billion-dollar pharma- resort town names 57 Do landscaping work 65 Major fit ceuticals 58 Dr. Johnny Fever’s fic66 First name in homespun tional station 34 More than suspect 36 Early 20th-century tour- humor 59 Soprano Gluck 67 Word aptly represented 60 Sommelier’s concern ing cars by four black squares in this 62 “__ you out of your 37 Part of a joke puzzle 38 Lingering effect mind?”

68 Watched carefully 39 Not as dotty 63 “All opposed” reply

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

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CLASSIFIEDS FEBRUARY 25, 2021 |

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KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 36

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