4-29-2021

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THURSDAY, APRIL 5

THURSDAY, APRIL 29

VOLUME 114, ISSUE 42

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

FAREWELL

INSTALLATIONS

SOFTBALL

NEWS PAGE 2

CAMPUS LIFE PAGE 4

SPORTS PAGE 6

Executive Editor Emma’le Maas bids farewell to the Northern Iowan.

The Interpreter’s Theatre presents installations showing startling statistics.

The UNI Panthers take down Drake Bulldogs 13-5 at home.

Panther Plot pauses, possible return SARA QUALLEY

Staff Writer

UNI has decided to discontinue the Panther Plot student-run garden located south of campus on College Street.

UNI Presidential Scholars opened the Panther Plot in 2013 “to allow for local food growth while also providing students the opportunity to gain experience working in horticulture and food sciences,” according to a UNI STEM article about the garden. Panther Plot produce has been sold to UNI dining services and local restaurants such as Farm Shed and Rudy’s Tacos. It has also been donated to the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. A student organization called Green Project UNI managed the garden.

Ana Davis, a first-year graduate student in the mental health counseling program, ran the Panther Plot during the summer of 2019, overseeing students and Americorps volunteers.

She explained that a lot of work goes into the Panther Plot.

Gardeners till, plan planting patterns and spend hours watering, composting, planting, weeding and harvesting. Vegetables, herbs and pollinator plants line the garden beds.

“It is a greenspace on campus for all people to appreciate,”

Davis wrote in an email to the Northern Iowan. “There are walkways and benches all throughout the garden to encourage people to come in, relax, and enjoy an outdoor getaway.”

Davis heard about the Panther Plot from her friends Lily Conrad and Gabi Ruggiero, who’ve also managed the garden.

“I have a deep-seated passion for environmental welfare and was taking classes called Environmental Ethics and Introduction to Sustainability the year before I took the position,” Davis said. “In the course of those classes, I decided to put my action where my passion was and to find a way of becoming more involved in the practical side of environmental work.”

Volunteers have dedicated themselves to the garden even during difficult times.

When campus shut down due to the pandemic, Panther Plot volunteers didn’t have access to the campus greenhouse where the garden seeds are started each year.

“With everyone working to create safe guidelines for campus involvement, the garden didn’t get its normal start,” Davis said.

“Fortunately, in the early summer months of 2020, Americorps volunteers took over the garden

PANTHER PLOT/Courtesy Photos

Conversations regarding the Panther Plot’s future are ongoing as NISG president Samantha Bennett gauges interest.

and maintained the land. They did a great job keeping the spirit of the garden alive in a difficult situation.”

Michael Hager, senior vice president for Finance and Operations at UNI, said the Panther Plot is closing because it hasn’t proven to be sustainable.

“Despite the good intentions of people over multiple

attempts, after seven years the space has never been able to take off as a self-sufficient operation,” he wrote in an email. “The garden has needed staff oversight and university resources to remain viable.

UNI has tried a number of initiatives to increase student involvement, none of which have had lasting results.”

The Panther Plot isn’t linked to an academic program, and most work for the garden occurs during the summer while there are few classes and students on campus. The garden also lacks a student leadership model since most volunteers only remain for 1-2 years.

Following the news that Provost Jim Wohlpart will leave UNI in June to become the next president of Central Washington University, the Provost Search Committee has spent the spring semester reviewing applicants.

Now, they are ready to welcome the four finalists to the UNI campus, albeit virtually.

Two candidates have so far been announced, with information on the other two to come next week.

The first candidate, Vandana Kohli, Ph.D., participated in a virtual public forum at 2:30 p.m. on April 28. Kohli serves as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at California State University, Channel Islands.

According to Kohli’s let-

ter of introduction, available on the provost search website (provost-search.uni.edu), she holds a doctoral degree in quantitative sociology and has taught courses in demography, social services, public health, the African diaspora, research methods, demographic theory, quantitative sociology and cultural geography.

Since 1991, Kohli has worked at “small, medium, and large universities” throughout the California State University system. She has experience in program development and review, as well as budget administration and grant writing, and has held many administrative positions, including chair and vice-chair of the Faculty and

Academic Senate and Graduate Program Coordinator.

“I like working with people to arrive at decisions because I believe that different, diverse perspectives actually improve outcomes,” she wrote. “Most colleagues characterize my style as consultative but I appreciate that leadership is expected to make decisions after listening to the input of all stakeholders.”

The second candidate, Kelly Burke, Ph.D., will participate in a virtual public forum at 2:30 p.m. today, Thursday, April 29.

Burke is the current vice provost and ean of the Graduate College at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.

See PANTHER PLOT, page 5

First two provost candidates announced ELIZABETH KELSEY News Editor

As the semester is winding down, the search for the next UNI Provost is just heating up.

KOHLI, BURKE/Courtesy Photos

Kohli and Burke are the first two candidates that have been announced.

The remaining two candidates are set to visit virtually in the begining of May.

See PROVOST, page 2

PAGE 2

APRIL 29, 2021 |

ELIZABETH KELSEY

NEWS

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

News Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

Executive editor bids farewell to NI EMMA’LE MAAS

Executive Editor

When I first came to UNI, I didn’t have much of any purpose. I had no clue what I wanted to do and was mostly going through the motions that had been expected of me. In the middle of my freshman year, I received an email from Sydney Hauer, the executive editor of the Northern Iowan. She was reaching out about possible interest in writing for the paper, and I decided to respond.

I remember the first story I did I was so nervous I nearly threw up in the bathroom at the venue. Every time I turned something in, there was even more panic and doubt that I wasn’t good enough to keep doing it.

When the fall of my sophomore year came around and I didn’t receive any emails from the NI, I assumed I was fired and was devastated. After a month or so went by, I emailed the new executive editor, Gabby Leitner, and asked what had happened. She explained that it was just a transition issue and I wasn’t fired, which was a big relief.

That year, I started writing a lot more and got more and more interested in the profession. For the first time in my entire life, I wasn’t going through the

motions; I was actually living for myself and my future. I felt like I had finally found my purpose. I wanted to tell stories and make an impact on the people who need it most, and through the NI I did just that.

At the end of my sophomore year, I applied for executive editor convinced I wasn’t going to get it. I was only a sophomore, I had maybe 15 articles to my name, and I didn’t really feel connected to anyone there. I was so convinced, I even made my schedule for the fall without worrying about the executive editor schedule. Then, a week after my interview I got the email that changed my life: I got the position.

When I first started this position, I was so scared. I had never edited before, there was no training because of COVID19 and I had no clue how to manage or supervise people.

The first few weeks on the job, I would go home and cry because I thought I wasn’t good enough, and I dreaded coming into office thinking my peers knew I wasn’t.

That being said, after those first few weeks, I saw just how perfect this position was for me, as well as the support I actually had from my team. I cannot thank my editing team for how incredible they’ve been this year, between the long nights and

EMMA’LE MAAS/Courtesy Photo

Executive Editor Emma’le Maas prepares to graduate and say goodbye to UNI and the Northern Iowan.

breaking stories, the random car breakdowns and software issues. We came into this school year with no idea what it would be like, but I think we did a pretty good job making sure the UNI community felt informed.

Over the course of my time at UNI and the NI, I’ve covered immigration forums, homecoming pageants, NISG scandals and just recently, the George Floyd memorial. Through the NI, I found my passion for news, and quite frankly my passion for living, which I’ll always be grateful for.

N.I. en Español: ¡Trabaja con nosotros en el año que viene!

NIXSON BENITEZ

El equipo de editores de 2020-2021 ha traído un capítulo exitoso al Northern Iowan. Con la adición de Northern Iowan en Español, el NI ha comenzado con éxito a traer el contenido y la traducción en español a la comunidad.

Esto no hubiera sido posible sin Elizabeth Kelsey, Emma’le Maas, Mario Alberto Mendez Aguilar, Nixson Benítez y el

Dr. Juan Carlos Castillo del Departamento de Lenguas y Literaturas.

El Northern Iowan en Español continuará informando y comunicando las oportunidades que ofrece la universidad para los lectores de inglés y español. ¡Para hacerlo, estamos buscando escritores y traductores del español en el año que viene!

El Northern Iowan también está buscando más escritores de deportes, fotógrafos de deportes

y creadores de contenido.

Estamos disponibles para hablar en su aula para informar a los estudiantes sobre nuestra contratación. El trabajo es flexible, y estás interesado en formar parte del equipo o si conoces a alguien que lo haga, póngase en contacto con la nueva editora ejecutiva, Nixson Benítez (benitezn@uni.edu).

Read the English version of this article on our website (northerniowan.com) under the N.I. en Español tab.

NORTHERN IOWAN

EDITORIAL STAFF

PRODUCTION STAFF

GABI CUMMINGS

KARLA DE BRUIN

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor witheaab@uni.edu

GABI CUMMINGS Production Graphics

Spanish Writer/Translator

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 319.273.6826

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor debruik@uni.edu 319.273.6420

CHRIS MARTIN

Northern Iowan Advisor christopher.martin@uni.edu

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

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CIRCULATION DESIREE CHANEL Circulation Manager

I know my team will go on to do amazing things, but to Karla, Elizabeth, Anthony, Erin, Gabi and Colin: don’t ever forget the year we spent in the Maucker Union basement, and know you’ll always have someone in your corner, just like you were in mine.

To Gabby, thank you for the continued support you’ve given me since I first came in your office in December 2019. We had no idea what was coming, but I still consider you to be one of the first people in my major I could call my friend, let alone

PROVOST

continued from page 1

According to Burke’s letter of introduction, she is a professional clarinetist who has performed for 30 years as principal clarinet of the Greensboro Symphony.

She has experience in music performance, music pedagogy and academic leadership and was involved with several program launches and redesigns at UNCGreensboro, including the merger of the School of Music with the Departments of Dance and Theatre.

“My leadership embraces the tenets of shared governance, which in turn embodies the shared pillars of academic freedom and academic responThe 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.

the paper.

To all my wonderful staff, I know some of us never got to meet in person, but know that I am so appreciative of all the amazing things you have done and continue to do for this paper.

To Nixson, the new executive editor, you will do incredible things in this position. On paper, it all seems a little daunting, but you are more than capable of changing this paper and university for the better — in many ways you already have.

Never forget I’m just a call or text away if you ever need anything.

To Chris, our awesome advisor, thank you for being the first person at UNI who I felt truly believed in me. All of your little check-ins and advice emails went so much further than you’ll ever know. As a professor you are truly remarkable, and the way you care for your students shows beyond words.

Without your support and guidance, I wouldn’t be half the journalist I am today.

Finally, to UNI and the NI itself, thank you for the best three years of my life. I will never forget the times I’ve spent here, and I can’t wait to continue my journey as a journalist knowing I had the greatest experience possible to help me get there. sibility,” she wrote. “I have a well-established history as a visionary leader who knows how to engage stakeholders. I have a reputation for getting things done with creativity, integrity, strong listening skills, and gentle humor.”

The remaining two candidates will visit virtually on May 3-4 and May 5-6. Information about each will be made public 24 hours before their visit.

The Northern Iowan will not provide coverage of the rest of the candidates, as today’s issue concludes our printing for the 2020-2021 academic year.

However, the new editorial staff plans to publish an article in the fall introducing the new provost, who will assume office on or before August 2021.

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

APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

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

Vaccine distribution across the world MOHAMMED RAWWAS

Opinion Columnist

As Leigh Phillips notes in Jacobin, it does not seem that efficacy of vaccine distribution seems to correlate well to any dominant political system. Countries that have done well in vaccine distribution include the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel, while countries that have been much slower in distributing vaccines include Canada, much of the European Union and east Asian states such as China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and Vietnam.

In some of the latter cases, it should be noted that vaccine distribution is less pressing given the small number of cases still active in those countries, such as in China and Vietnam.

Nevertheless, on the surface it seems that more explicitly “capitalist” states such as the U.S. have done a better job at vaccine rollout than more centrally-coordinated states such as China and Vietnam, or even states with supposedly more socialized medicine such as Canada.

This seems to cut across the results that we might expect, given that a more centralized state would seem to have an easier time coordinating a vaccine rollout

than otherwise. Phillips argues that dichotomizing healthcare systems into capitalist and socialized is too reductive and that Canada’s failures in vaccine distribution have nothing to do with the fact that their healthcare system is free at the point of service, but rather due to decades of privatization.

To start, Canada has no domestic capacity for vaccine production, due to the privatization of medical manufacturing facilities in the 1980s. These tie into larger trends of global consolidation of vaccine manufacturers, leading to a situation where the only (private) vaccine manufacturers in Canada are headquartered elsewhere. The government certainly has no control over the decision-making processes of these corporations.

Merely analyzing medical infrastructure purely from the standpoint of public access misses the extent of privatization (or not) that happens at all other levels, especially as it relates to research and development, and manufacturing.

The problem for the European Union, on the other hand, seems to come from the fact that their process of medical regulation, overseen by the European Medicine Agency, must har-

monize the internal regulations of over a couple dozen member states of the EU. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which would handle vaccine regulation in the United States, is much more command-and-control.

The European Union’s authority is actually quite diffuse, as it simultaneously needs to maintain the sovereignty of all of its member states. This is not unlike the problem of federalism or states’ rights in the United States, which could cause problems for nationwide programs such as questions regarding the safety and distribution of a vaccine. Thankfully the Food and Drug administration has federal oversight and autonomy in this respect.

For vaccine rollout for the European Union, it was necessary to be approved by every member state before it could be distributed, which delayed the process, rather than allowing a single body to assert control over the situation.

In this sense, it is the lack of centralization and governmental or institutional power that has led to poor vaccine distribution in the EU. The EU also merely does not have the power to intervene in the market,

PEXELS

Mohammed Rawwas examines vaccine distribution across the world.

unlike the U.K. which negotiated more closely with vaccine producers.

Clearly, the solution is more bureaucracy, more state power, in order to ensure a more efficacious vaccine distribution program.

Finally, suffice to say that public development and production of the vaccine would have been even more efficient than private development and production. It would have also sidestepped the issue of governments or governmental entities negotiating separately with each

vaccine manufacturer, the current disparities between richer and poorer countries and their ability to purchase vaccines.

As Matt Stoller has pointed out, the success of “vaccines for all” distributed for free, is perhaps the best case for Medicare for All that has actually been instituted in the United States in the recent past. However we also need to fight privatization at every other level of the medicinal supply chain, not only at the point of service.

Anti-transgender athletics bills harm everyone EMERSON SLOMKA Opinion Columnist

Approximately 65 bills aiming to limit or ban transgender individuals from participating in athletics have been introduced within the past few months.

According to Freedom for All Americans, bills have been introduced in 31 states, with two being introduced in Iowa. Many bills require athletic teams to be separated by assigned sex, requiring transgender athletes to compete as a gender they do not present or identify as.

Most of these bills target transgender women specifically (such as ME LD926 – “An Act To Ban Biological Males from Participating in Women’s Sports”), by implying that transgender women have a natural advantage over cisgender women. However, not only is the reality much more nuanced, but such bills harm more than just the transgender community and can often target cisgender and intersex women as well.

First, it’s important to deconstruct the argument that transgender women have a natural advantage over cisgender women athletically. This comes from the idea that elevated testosterone increases muscle mass. However, hormones are complex and vary from person to person. Many cisgender women have elevated testosterone levels, whether naturally or due to medical conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). It should also be considered that transgender women undergoing hormone replacement therapy will experience some level of muscle loss and typically will not be as naturally strong as they were before HRT. General advantages in athletics are also important to consider. When one considers successful athletes, they may be surprised to find that a majority of them have attributes that give them an upper hand. Usain Bolt, for example, possesses a large supply of a gene known

as ACTN3 that makes him naturally fast, and free diver Tom Sietas has lungs 20% larger than the average man. Should such individuals be banned from athletics due to their biology, or should natural advantages simply be something to be expected in the world of athletics?

Dr. Eric Vilain, a pediatrician and geneticist, believes that the entire concept is more complex.

“I would say that every sport requires different talents and anatomies for success. So I think we should focus on celebrating this diversity, rather than focusing on relative notions of fairness. For example, the body of a marathon runner is extremely different from the body of a shot put champion, and a transwoman athlete may have some advantage on the basketball field because of her height, but would be at a disadvantage in gymnastics. So it’s complicated,” he said.

As previously mentioned, it’s not just trans women who are harmed by such bills. Cisgender

Emerson Slomka tackles the controversial transgender athlete bills.

women with non-traditionally feminine bodies or high testosterone, gender non-conforming women and intersex women can all potentially face scrutiny and harassment. One particular bill in Idaho permitted anyone to question a student athlete’s gender, thus forcing them to verify their sex via testing. While this bill thankfully did not pass, it stands as evidence that the entire concept of restricting sports based on sex is invasive,

PEXELS

especially in relation to student athletes.

While segregating sports based on assigned sex may make sense in theory in regards to fairness, the reality is that all athletes have advantages and disadvantages, and expecting all athletes to perform identically is an unrealistic notion. Beyond performance, these bills serve to demonize and ostracize transgender people.

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CAMPUS LIFE APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

Interpreters Theatre hosts social change display EMMA KOEHLER Staff Writer

UNI Interpreters Theatre was set up in Lang Hall for the evening of April 27 to showcase four student-driven installations of interactive media, props of items and human actors, statistics and interactive performances.

These installations presented four startling statistics that aim to present the issues as if participants were dealing with it first-hand.

Along with sexual assault, other installations presented topics of climate change, human trafficking and gun related suicide.

Interpreters Theatre Director and Communication and Media Professor Joshua Hamzehee recalls acknowledging all of the deaths related to COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic and recognizing other recent social changes that have become topics of conversation.

He also realized the importance of a live performance as well as utilizing the performance space available to the Interpreters Theatre. The brainstorming was opened up to his students, where they were able to choose topics and statistics they felt they needed to share.

“I wanted us to help put a face and context to these numbers that seem overwhelming while also allowing the audience to come up with

their own interpretations,” he said.

The sexual assault installation involved the interpretation of a sitcom setting with a sofa and old-style countdown timer projected onto a wall. The timer is set to 73 seconds, as every 73 seconds is the time between how often sexual assault occurs in America. The actors in the performance all laugh in unison to represent the role of bystanders in these situations.

Parker Schnell, one actor in the performance and a sophomore majoring in communications, explained that the entire installation speaks for the way actors in media play a role of advancing onto other actors or showcasing characteristics of sexual assault within a plot line but all for the purpose of comedy.

Following the sexual assault installation, participants could jump into the path and track a hurricane while holding a cold piece of ice. Within the spiral track of the hurricane was shocking statistics of climate change.

As participants followed the spiral, they felt the shock of holding the cold ice and reading of the current fate of the world.

In reference to recent laws and concerns, another topic expressed the issue of gun-related suicide. Within the installation, nets were hung from the ceiling that held statistics, faces of those impacted by gun-related sui-

cide and quotes.

The nets framed a heightened walkway that led to a mirror at the end to put the participant in the perspective of a victim who faced gun-related suicide. A projector casted the entire installation with the glow of a timer representing the statistic of a gun-related suicide happening every 11 minutes.

“We wanted to focus on guns and what it means by making guns so available to people and the consequence of that,” explained Patten Tody, a senior majoring in communications with a minor in family services who contributed to the gun-related suicide installation. “Once you pull the trigger, you can’t un-pull it. You’re gone, you’re gone.”

The other installation utilizing live actors was the topic of human trafficking. Three actors were placed within other props and statistics illuminating the dangers and horrific stories of individuals who had been trafficked.

Within eerie colored lights, one actor represented a child hidden in a corner holding a stuffed animal and shaking with fear. Another held a mirror that read the words “Help me.” The last was laying on a bench with words associated with human trafficking and organ trafficking written across her bare stomach and thighs while her hand was held to her neck.

The event was set up as a socially-distanced museum

Emma Koehler/Northern Iowan

UNI’s Interpreters Theatre displayed four installations presenting important social topics.

walk but with live features.

Attendees could freely move from installation to installation and interact with live visuals and actors to become fully immersed in the topic.

“Because of (COVID-19), I was a little uncertain in what our attendance would be,” said Hamzehee. “I was

hoping for about 40 people over that two-and-a-half hour period, and we almost doubled that, proving there is a need and desire in the Cedar Valley for experimental performance and experiences about social, political and urgent topics that we often relegate to numbers on a page or a politician’s mouth.”

UNI Opera students present “In The Studio” CAROLINE CHRISTENSEN Staff Writer

UNI Opera, in collaboration with the UNI Gallery of Art, presented their online video performance “In the Studio” on Tuesday, April 27 over livestream under the direction of Richard Gammon and vocal coach Korey Barrett.

Although COVID-19 has limited performances this semester, students, staff and faculty involved with UNI Opera were all happy to have a performance opportunity before the end of the semester.

“I am extremely excited that UNI Opera is able to offer performances despite the restrictions due to COVID-19,” Gammon said.

“The opera program would not have been able to do so without the immense support of the faculty and staff and most importantly

the courage and determination of the students.”

The program consisted of 16 arias from contemporary operas performed by graduate and undergraduate students. Each artist was asked to choose a piece from the Gallery of Art and pair it with their aria. UNI Gallery of Art Director Darrell Taylor then led each artist in an interview with the artist so they could explain their pairing.

The program consisted of many beautiful works, but Gammon in particular was looking forward to an aria by composer Jorge Sosa and librettist Cerise Lim Jacobs from an opera that premiered in 2019 entitled, “I am a Dreamer Who No Longer Dreams.”

Although COVID-19 has impacted the opera program, they have adapted and provided unique opportunities for their students.

UNI Opera/Courtesy Photo

Students in the UNI Opera department presented a virtual performance on Tuesday, April 27.

“COVID-19 has allowed the opera program’s work and training to be intensely centered on the individual,” Gammon said.

“Students were offered

the opportunity to discover more about themselves and their identity as artists while being immersed in text work and character analysis.”

CAMPUS LIFE

ANTHONY WITHEROW Campus Life Editor

APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

|

PAGE 5

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

An Oscars to remember for the wrong reasons HUNTER FRIESEN Film Critic

Fitting for the year 2020, the 93rd Academy Awards was something that had never been seen before. Instead of taking place in the usual Dolby Theatre, the in-person and maskless event was hosted by Los Angeles’ Union Station.

Instead of ending things on a high note, the show’s finale – in a move that can be interpreted as cruel and exploitative – left a bad taste in everyone’s mouth.

But before I dive deep into what cemented this as one of the worst Oscars ever, let’s back things up to the beginning.

Regina King kicked off the show in a cinematic long take that followed her from the red carpet to the intimate social setting within the train station hub.

Shot in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio and 24 FPS, both standard technicals for feature films, the ceremony had a much different feel to it compared to other live events. This was one of several choices made by producer Steven Soderbergh (director of the “Ocean’s” trilogy and “Magic Mike”) that led to the show’s otherworldliness feeling.

Emerald Fennell was the first winner of the night as she was awarded best original screenplay for her film “Promising Young Woman.” Following her win, in a slight upset, Florian Zeller’s adaptation of his play “The Father” won best adapted screenplay. So far, so good.

It was Daniel Kaluuya’s win for best supporting actor that signaled that things were starting to go downhill. The producers decided that speeches were going to be unrestricted

and not be played off at the standard 60-second mark.

This allowed for several winners, like Kaluuya, to ramble for what seemed like hours.

Another decision that derailed things was the lack of clips being shown for the nominees. In a year where the majority of people watching are unaware of the nominees, the clips play a vital role in getting people interested in a movie.

Along with honoring the best in film, the Oscars are an advertisement for those nominated. This makes it frustrating when the nominees for a category like best costume design or best cinematography, categories literally judged based on what a movie looks like, don’t show any of the work.

After the middling first 30 minutes, things ground to a halt for the next two hours. Predicted winners, like “Mank” winning best production design and “Sound of Metal” winning best sound, added to the mundane feeling that this ceremony was nothing special.

There was also a strong lack of energy within the room. None of the nominees were smiling or looked to be enjoying themselves.

This is supposed to be a celebration, not a funeral.

The omission of the best original song performances sounded like a good idea to streamline everything, but in hindsight, those performances would have given this downbeat show the revitalization it desperately needed.

In fairness, there were some upsets in the technical categories that garnered excitement. Eric Messerschmidt won best cinematography for “Mank,” his first feature film. He beat out the favor-

Tribune News Service

Film critic Hunter Friesen gives his thoughts on the 2021 Academy Awards.

ited “Nomadland.” Singer/ songwriter H.E.R pulled off a wild upset by winning over heavy competition in best original song. “The Trial of the Chicago 7” went home empty-handed after losing best film editing to the surging “Sound of Metal.”

Then everything came crashing down with the power of a thousand suns.

In a ludicrous decision, best motion picture, the culmination of every other category, was moved from its finale spot to being in front of the leading acting awards. Just using simple logic, one could see this was a dumb move that strips the award of its gravitas and sends a message that actors are more important than the movies they appear in.

While “Nomadland” was the heavy favorite to win, it is still an atypical Best Picture winner that deserves the spotlight just like every winner before it. But that sin wasn’t the most unforgivable one.

Best actress went to Frances McDormand in a pretty shocking fashPANTHER PLOT

continued from page 1

Green Project UNI/Courtesy Photo

UNI has elected to discontinue the Panther Plot garden after eight years.

Hager said that students who are interested in gaining gardening experience have alternative options, such as volunteering for the Cedar Falls Community Gardens or the Creekside Harmony Garden at UNI. Samantha Bennett, a junior actuarial science major and president of NISG, is advocating to keep the garden open. Bennett learned about the Panther Plot during her freshman year while attending a tabling event hosted by

ion. This is her third lead acting Oscar, putting her in elite company with the likes of Daniel Day-Lewis and Bette Davis. Like the movie she appears in (and produced), her role as Fern in “Nomadland” is not the usual one that is rewarded by the Academy.

The final category of best leading actor was what the show (erroneously) led up to. It can’t be confirmed, but I suspect the producers wanted to end the show with this category because the posthumous Chadwick Boseman was the predicted favorite to win and his widow would have made a nice speech like she had all season.

You should never bet the farm on the Oscars, as you never know what’s going to happen. So, when Anthony Hopkins – who wasn’t present to accept the award – was announced to be the winner, everybody felt sick to their stomach. The show quickly ended and rolled to credits as everyone tried to process what we had just seen.

The Oscars are sort of like church, where you stick to tradition because it’s always been done this way and it’s always worked. It’s laughable that none of this would have happened if they had not tried to reinvent the wheel.

The producers exploited Boseman to build up tension, and they have nothing to show for it.

If I were to give a grade to this show, it would be a D. The 2021 Academy Awards will go down in history as one of the most memorable, but for all the wrong reasons. The ratings were down more than 58% from the prior year, and for good reason.

From the insanely misguided and downright stupid production decisions to the jarring lack of fun, this year’s Oscars was an event that even I wished I had skipped. No one knows what the future of award shows looks like, but if they replicate anything close to what this was, I’m sure they’ll go the way of the dinosaur much sooner than later.

Green Project UNI as a way to advertise their annual Harvest Festival.

“It couldn’t have been a more picturesque introduction to the Panther Plot – the sun was out, there was live music, yummy food made from the harvested produce and the fence surrounding the garden was lined with sunflowers that were in full bloom,” Bennett shared in an email. “It couldn’t have looked any prettier, and I fell in love with the plot immediately.”

Her appreciation of the garden grew as she learned more about it and spent time there. She believes UNI is

lucky to have a resource like the Panther Plot.

“It has truly remarkable potential to help teach students about food sovereignty, and to help combat food insecurity within our community,” Bennett said.

Bennett stated that conversations regarding the garden’s future are ongoing.

She has reached out to a number of campus groups to gauge interest in the Panther Plot.

“Our hope is that we can find a sustainable model for the garden to operate on,” she said. “We are still collaborating to figure out what that looks like.”

PAGE 6

SPORTS APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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COLIN HORNING Sports Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

SOFTBALL

Panthers stay hot, clobber Drake 13-5 DAVID WARRINGTON Sports Writer

On Tuesday, April 27, the UNI Panthers softball team hosted the Drake University Bulldogs at the RobinsonDresser Sports Complex in Cedar Falls. The Panthers entered this game with a record of 24-16 on the season, whereas the Bulldogs entered 14-26. The two teams met a week prior to this matchup on April 20, a doubleheader that the two teams split. In this game, UNI got off to a slow start, but the offense exploded in the later innings, allowing the Panthers to come away with a 13-5 victory in six innings.

The game started with a bang for the Bulldogs when Libby Ryan led off the game with a solo home run to give Drake an early 1-0 advantage. The Bulldogs put up two more runs in the inning, one from an RBI single and the other from a walk, taking a 3-0 advantage entering the bottom of the first.

After going scoreless in the first and second innings, UNI finally got the offense going in the bottom of the third.

Daryn Lamprecht drew a

walk with the bases loaded to drive in the first run, and Kamryn Shaffer hit a two-RBI double to drive in two more, tying the game at 3-3 heading into the fourth inning.

After again holding the Bulldogs scoreless in the top of the fourth, the UNI offense

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI’s Sammey Bunch has led the Panther offense the whole season, breaking her own school record for most home runs in the regular season with 19.

exploded in the bottom of the inning. Adara Opiola, Brooke Snider and Madison Parks all had RBIs in the inning, driving in a combined four runs. However, none of them would have the biggest hit of the inning, as that honor would go to Shaffer. Stepping up to the plate with the bases loaded, Shaffer sent the ball over the right field fence for a grand slam, driving in four runs. In the inning, the Panthers scored eight runs to take an 11-3 lead.

The Bulldogs got back on the board in the fifth, scoring two runs, while also holding the Panthers scoreless in the bottom half. In the sixth inning, needing just two more runs to end the game via run rule, Opiola stepped up to the plate with runners on first and second base. She sent a line drive into right field that scored the two runs and ended the game, with UNI coming away with a 13-5 victory in six innings.

Shaffer had a fantastic game for the Panthers, driving in a team-high six runs including the grand slam.

Opiola also had a nice game, driving in four runs including the game ending double.

Toni Fortmann/Northern Iowan

UNI defeated their in-state rivals Drake on Tuesday, led by a strong offensive showing.

Samantha Heyer had a strong pitching performance, allowing only three hits with two runs in her five innings of relief.

With the win the Panthers improve to 25-16 on the season. Next up will be a three-game series against the Illinois State Redbirds in Normal, Ill on Saturday,

May 1 and Sunday, May 2 (the Redbirds currently sit in first place in the MVC with the Panthers in second). They will then complete their regular season with another three-game series at home against the Southern Illinois Salukis on Saturday, May 8 and Sunday, May 9.

NFL DRAFT

2021 NFL draft preview: what to expect on Thursday NICHOLAS SCHINDLER Sports Writer

Since 1936, the NFL has had an annual draft of the best and brightest amateur players. This year, the 86th NFL Draft will take place in Cleveland, Oh. from Thursday, April 29-Saturday, May 1. It will be in parts of downtown Cleveland, FirstEnergy Stadium (home of the Browns), Great Lakes Science Center and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

NFL fans and the media like to speculate about who will be selected with the first overall pick but this year is almost an unanimous agreement. For the last three years, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been the gen-

eral consensus No. 1 pick in 2021, even as a true freshman.

The Jacksonville Jaguars finished with the NFL’s worst record this past season and will have the first overall pick this year, almost guaranteed to take the highest-rated quarterback in years. According to NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper via USA Today, “Lawrence is at No. 4, trailing only John Elway, Andrew Luck and Peyton Manning,” in terms of best quarterback prospects in NFL draft history.

At No. 2 it is believed the New York Jets will be taking BYU quarterback Zach Wilson. He seems to be their top choice and can’t be swayed to take anyone else. After the first two picks is where the draft really becomes a mys-

tery. It will be interesting to watch it play out throughout the night.

The debate starts with the 49ers selection at the third overall pick, which they traded up in the draft to land.

Head coach Kyle Shannahan said, “we felt we needed to get a starting quarterback this year and add that to our team.”

Initially it sounded like the 49ers were going to let current starter Jimmy Garoppolo play one more year and develop a quarterback behind him, but now it sounds like they want to get a starter for this season. When pressed about the current quarterback Garoppolo (who has been hurt in half of his games in the NFL) Shannahan said, “I can’t

guarantee that anybody in the world will be alive Sunday, so I can’t guarantee who will be on our roster on Sunday.”

That is not exactly a glowing endorsement of their current quarterback.

The 49ers are rumored to be interested in quarterback Mac Jones out of Alabama.

The knock on him is that he is not very mobile, but Shannahan has had lots of success with pocket-passer quarterbacks like Matt Ryan, Kirk Cousins and Garoppolo.

The general manager of the 49ers, John Lynch, is rumored to like quarterback Trey Lance out of North Dakota State. He is more of a “project,” meaning it will take a few years for him to reach his full potential. Lance is very

mobile and is rumored to be one of the smartest players in this draft. It sounds like head coach Kyle Shanahan calls the shots so expect Jones to be the third overall to San Francisco.

As for the rest of the draft, questions still remain where standout quarterback Justin Fields from Ohio State will land. He could potentially go fourth to the Atlanta Falcons, or perhaps fall in the draft to a team like the New England Patriots at the 15th pick.

Another star player to watch is tight end Kyle Pitts out of the University of Florida. He is the best tight end prospect in over twenty years and with rumors the Falcons could take him with their fourth pick have led to rumors about other teams looking to trade for a generational talent like Pitts.

The entire NFL Draft lasts for three days. Much of the excitement of the draft is on the first day, which is just the first round. Rounds two and three take place on Friday and the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh rounds end the draft on Saturday. It will be televised on ESPN, ABC and the NFL Network.

FUN & GAMES

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

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49 “Gotta split!”

Down

Across

1 Barber’s “Adagio for Strings” is in it 11 Hits with a charge 15 Kerry Washington’s “Scandal” role 16 Jukebox opening 17 Sang 18 Villa-studded Italian lake 19 Salon boards 20 One taking things literally?

22 Angry 23 Part of a football game-ending tradition 24 Rear attachment 25 Worked together 26 Nailed, test-wise 27 “Rabbit ears” antennae, e.g.

28 Pixie and flip 29 Wheat whackers 30 Poor 33 Washington team 34 Goat-man of myth 35 Rocks below bridges?

38 Cabinet member under Dubya 39 See 43-Across 40 “Clown Prince of Hiphop” Biz __ 41 Boards around the house 42 Rocky Mountain rodents 43 With 39-Across, “Listen up, lads” 44 Ones sniffing out trouble 46 Reactor meltdown site 47 Old cooking show with a Creole theme 48 Outcomes

1 Unthinking, as a mistake 2 Spanish steps?

3 Fruity refreshments 4 Staved off 5 Larger, as a sum 6 Like gnus 7 Draft choices 8 __ de guerre 9 Macbeth and Otello 10 Puts down new roots 11 Standard deviation measures 12 Baseball family name 13 Salon stuff 14 Hopped-up 21 Johnnycakes 23 Retailer specializing in youth fashion 25 Impromptu competition 27 Golfer’s yardage book data 29 Bar food 30 “There’s no doubt about this” 31 Hearing-related 32 River to the Black Sea 33 “Why, sure!”

34 Conventional writing method 35 “Uh-uh” 36 “Little House” antagonist Nellie __ 37 Digital camera insert, briefly 38 Steve of “Foxcatcher” 40 Craze 42 Like wetlands 45 Alumni newsletter word

Visit our website for more articles! northerniowan.com

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

PAGE 7

PAGE 8

GRADS

Congrats to some of our staff on graduating!

They have been amazing this year, and we wish them the best!

APRIL 29, 2021 |

NORTHERNIOWAN.COM

Gelase Magnificat Staff Photographer

Darien Gordon Staff Writer

Major: Media Production

Favorite thing about the NI: "Variety of events to cover."

Plans after NI: Work and grad school

|

Major: Communications Studies, with an emphasis in education Favorite thing about the NI: "Hearing about events that I normally would not have heard about."

Plans after NI:

Sara Qualley Staff Writer

Major: Digital Journalism Minor: Communication Studies Favorite thing about the NI: "I've loved covering so many different topics, growing as a person and writer, and having the opportunity to meet fellow peers and faculty members. Everyone I interviewed is so passionate and cares about the UNI community. It's meant a lot to be entrusted with people's stories!"

Puzzle Answers

Plans after NI: A reporter or communications specialist in the Midwest.

Anthony Witherow Campus Life Editor

Major: Digital Journalism

Favorite thing about the NI: "Sharing a newsroom with a fun, determined staff twice a week."

Plans after NI: Looking at jobs in the journalism or marketing field.

Gabi Cummings Art Director

KARLA DE BRUIN Managing Editor

VOLUME 117, ISSUE 54

Shawn Burrage Staff Writer

Al Maier Opinion Columnist

Major: Political Communications

Major: English, Creative Writing, Film Studies

Favorite thing about the NI: "Creating content to educate/ inform fellow students!"

Favorite thing about the NI: "Getting to write and share my work with the campus!"

Plans after NI: Moving to Tucson, Arizona, to pursue a Masters in Global Journalism from the University of Arizona.

Plans after NI: Working to Hampton, Iowa as their Newspaper Editor.

Emma'le Maas Executive Editor

Major: Graphic Technology and Interactive Digital Studies

Major: Digital Journalism Minor: Creative Writing

Favorite thing about the NI: "Spending Sunday and Wednesday afternoons with the other editors."

Favorite thing about the NI: "I found my love for news and purpose at UNI through the Northern Iowan, and I'm super grateful for that.

Plans after NI: Stay in Cedar Falls or Cedar Rapids area doing digital design work.

Plans after NI: Multimedia Journalist and Producer for KWWL in Waterloo, Iowa.

Congratulations Graduates!

CROSSWORD

SUDOKU ONE

Elizabeth Kelsey News Editor

Major: TESOL (non-teaching) and Spanish.

Minor: Digital Journalism and Spanish-English translation Favorite thing about the NI: "I could never choose just one! This job has strengthened my confidence and enriched my skills as a writer, editor and interviewer, while also offering so many laughs and sweet memories of hours spent in the NI office."

Plans after NI: Full-time regional reporter at the Telegraph Herald newspaper in Dubuque, Iowa.

SUDOKU TWO