The Lumberjack -- February 10, 2022

THE LUMBER JACK FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022

PRIORITIZING HEALTH PAGE 14

ONLINE AT JACKCENTRAL.ORG

FROM THE EDITOR

M

y college career is nearing its end. I didn’t believe anyone when they said the next four years of my life would go by in the blink of an eye, yet here we are. It’s odd thinking that I only had three “normal” semesters before the world flipped upside down. However, I made the best of each moment — or at least I tried to.

Looking back on the last four years, I’ve realized there are definitely some things I probably should have done differently. For example, joining The Lumberjack my freshman year instead of sophomore year. Despite that, I truly feel like I’ve found a home here at The Lumberjack. Our adviser, David Harpster, as well as the many former editors I’ve worked under, have helped me hone in on my passion for journalism during my time here. Words cannot describe how KATELYN thankful I am for each of them and the guidance they’ve provided me with on RODRIGUEZ this journey. I’ve also met some of my best friends here, which freshman me CULTURE EDITOR wouldn’t have thought was possible.

In my last letter from the editor, I mentioned some of the struggles I faced during the months after I turned 21 in January, as well as the stress of being a senior in college. Well, I just turned 22, and while some of the uncertainties of post-college life are ever present in my mind, I’ve come to a place in my life where I am genuinely happy and in love with the idea of my future. I credit this to my support system (you know who you are), my peers at The Lumberjack and coming to the phase in my life where I finally have self-acceptance.

Since this is our wellness issue, I should probably mention that focusing on my own mental and physical wellness during the last four years, and especially over the last 12 months, has benefitted me immensely. Whether it be taking time out of my busy schedule to read, exercise, bake, listen to my favorite album or do a facemask — very basic, I know — I’ve managed to develop a routine that has kept me balanced when I feel like everything around me is falling apart.

Overall, I’m excited to see what this next chapter in my life has to offer. While I’m going to miss this mountain town I’ve called home during the most pivotal moments of my life thus far, I know the best is yet to come.

Thank you for reading

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 113 ISSUE 4

Editor-in-Chief MacKenzie Brower Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Managing Editor Camille Sipple Print Chief Lauren Gomez

Director of Marketing Lydia Nelson

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Late first half surge not enough for NAU in loss to Northern Colorado, 82-60 Continue reading on jackcentral.com

ONLINE AT ISSUU.COM Latest Edition & Archive

SOCIAL MEDIA

Copy Chief Kylie Soto Director of Digital Content and Social Media Emily Gerdes

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Mark Fabery Asst. Op-Ed Editor Jessie McCann

Asst. Culture Editor Haylee Sorensen Director of Illustration Brittani Poeppel

Senior Reporter William Combs III

Asst. News Editor Daisy Johnston

Online News Editor Josh Ostby

Op-Ed Editor Marley Green

Features Editor Hannah Elsmore

Asst. Features Editor John Chaffeur

Culture Editor Katelyn Rodriguez

Asst. Sports Editor Will Hopkins

Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Director of Photography Brian Burke

Asst. Dir. of Photography Megan Ford-Fyffe

Sports Editor Brenden Martin Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

Senior Photographer Madison Easton

Senior Photographer Jonah Graham

Asst. Print Chief Lian Muneno

ON THE COVER Illustration by Brittani Poeppel|The Lumberjack

CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email MacKenzie Brower at msb389@nau.edu.

TRIGGER WARNING: Needle and homophobic speech on page 7

2

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

PoliceBeat Jan. 31 At 1:27 p.m., a parent reported a student with an injury at Gabaldon Hall.

NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department (FFD) and Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) responded.

The student was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

At 8:03 p.m., a McConnell Hall RA reported finding stolen property. NAUPD responded and two students were criminally deferred for possession of stolen property.

At 10:54 p.m., a nonstudent reported a student being harassed in Allen Hall.

Upon the officer’s arrival no criminal activity was witnessed and information was provided.

Feb. 1 At 5:51 a.m., Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) requested assistance with an ongoing investigation at SkyView apartments. NAUPD responded and assistance was provided.

At 8:58 p.m., a student reported a group of people At 11:43 p.m., a Tinsley smoking cigarettes outside Hall RA reported the theft Allen Hall. NAUPD responded of an exit sign. NAUPD but no contact was made. responded and took a report.

Feb. 2 Feb. 5 At 9:58 a.m., a NAU staff At 1:32 a.m., NAUPD member reported damage to reported initiating a traffic their vehicle in lot 46. NAUPD stop at the intersection of San responded and took a report.

Francisco Street and Mountain View Drive. One student was At 1:42 p.m., a Centennial cited and released for underage Building staff member reported consumption of alcohol and fraud. NAUPD responded and issued a civil citation for a stop took a report. sign violation.

Feb. 3 At 12:04 a.m., a Pine Ridge Village resident requested medical assistance for their roommate. NAUPD, FFD and GMT responded. The student was transported to FMC. At 9:15 a.m., an officer reported an audible alarm at Hilltop Townhomes. The area was searched; the alarm was caused by facility maintenance staff.

At 2:08 p.m., a nonstudent reported the theft of their bicycle outside of Cline Library. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 6:44 p.m., a student reported a suspicious person outside SkyView apartments.

NAUPD responded and one non-student was identified and given a public assist ride off campus.

At 4:56 p.m., a Mountain View Hall resident reported an audible alarm. An officer responded and learned the alarm was caused by burnt food. The alarm was turned off and Fire Life Safety responded.

Feb. 4 At 12:49 a.m., a Hilltop Townhomes resident reported a loud party. NAUPD responded and told the students to end the party to which they complied.

At 5:25 p.m., a student reported a non-student with a possible dislocated shoulder at the Health and Learning Center (HLC). NAUPD, FFD and GMT responded, but the non-student refused medical transport.

Compiled by Mark Fabery

At 5:28 p.m., a Gabaldon Hall resident reported the theft of their wallet. NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 9:53 p.m., a Phoenix Crisis Hotline requested a welfare check on a student inside the Engineering building. NAUPD responded, and the student requested transportation to The Guidance Center. Assistance was provided and Counseling Services was notified.

Feb. 6 At 2:41 a.m., a Mountain View Hall resident reported a person that walked into their room. NAUPD responded and took a report.

COCONINO COUNTY STATISTICS COMPILED BY ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES Total Number of COVID-19 VACCINE DOSES ADMINISTERED: 213, 363 TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH ONE DOSE OF COVID-19 VACCINE: 94,105 Percent of eligible people vaccinated: 67.6% PERCENT OF PEOPLE VACCINATED: 63.9% NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO ARE FULLY VACCINATED AGAINST COVID-19: 83,089

At 9:05 a.m., FPD requested assistance with a runaway juvenile at Sechrist Hall. NAUPD responded and assistance was provided.

At 11:20 p.m., a Reilly Hall RA reported smoke in the building. NAUPD and FFD At 7:53 p.m., a Health responded. The cause of the and Learning Center staff smoke is unknown and FFD member reported a non- cleared the building as safe. student with suicidal ideation.

Officers responded, and provided the non-student with a public assist ride to The Guidance Center.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

The LJ Express is the weekly newsletter curated by the staff of NAU’s student newspaper, The Lumberjack. Subscribing allows the best stories of the week to arrive directly in your inbox.

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

3

NEWS

Fentanyl overdoses increasing in Flagstaff Daisy Johnston

N

ew data recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that fentanyl overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans 18 to 45 years-old, outranking car accidents, COVID-19 and suicide.

Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) Lt. Ryan Darr said Flagstaff is experiencing the same trend locally.

In 2020, Flagstaff’s METRO Narcotics task force seized 22,222 fentanyl pills with an estimated street value of $659,330.

The number of pills seized by the Metro Unit in 2021 increased to 688,320 pills, in addition to 2,267.96 grams of powdered fentanyl. Combined, the estimated street value for fentanyl seized in Flagstaff during 2021 was $18,438,803.

Darr is in charge of Criminal Investigations. Darr said FPD, NAUPD and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office have been working alongside community groups to combat the fentanyl health crisis.

“Every quarter we meet with these groups and review local overdose cases, searching for solutions to lowering the number of overdose fatalities,” Darr said. “Our officers carrying Narcan and the free naloxone program at the County Health building have come from these meetings, but it is an ongoing effort.”

Darr said the number of fentanyl overdoses in Flagstaff is concerning from a public health standpoint.

“Just to compare, we have 13 fatal overdoses in 2020 and 20 fatal overdoses in 2021,” Darr said. “We do not see homicide rates or vehicle fatalities at these levels in this area.”

To combat the level of overdoses, all local police officers have been issued Narcan — a naloxone medicine designed to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Already, Darr said, the nasal spray has saved several lives. While Darr spoke on the benefits of Narcan, he added that people who suspect someone is experiencing an overdose should always call 911 to get the victim immediate medical attention.

Since the passing of Arizona’s Good Samaritan Drug Law, a person who seeks medical attention for someone experiencing a drug related overdose cannot be charged for possession, use of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia. The statute was amended in 2018 after it was reported the most common reason people who witnessed an overdose did not call for help was due to a fear of punishment by law enforcement.

NAU graduate Jalen Redhair does outreach with Sonoran Prevention Works, a grassroots group working to reduce vulnerabilities faced by drug-impacted communities in Arizona.

As a Harm Reduction Outreach worker, Redhair is responsible for distributing free kits with condoms, literature and naloxone to people who use drugs in Flagstaff.

“I engage people where they are at in their lives,” Redhair said. “We have no judgment towards people who use drugs, and if they decide on their own that what they are doing isn’t what they want to do anymore then I can provide them with peer support, guide them towards resources and accompany them to support meetings.”

Working at Sonoran Prevention Works, Redhair said, he has seen first hand the inaccurate and sometimes unhealthy stigmas surrounding people who use drugs. Redhair added that his time there has changed his vocabulary.

“We don’t even say the word ‘addict’ and instead say ‘people who use drugs,’” Redhair said. “Prior to this outreach job, I wasn’t too concerned with my word choice, but now I think about what

4

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

I am going to say because I know how powerful our words can be.”

Moreover, Redhair explained the importance of keeping naloxone readily available. If people are going to continue using drugs, it is important they have sterile equipment and education about safer use practices, Redhair said.

To further address the local fentanyl crisis, on Feb. 3 Liminal Flagstaff hosted an event with Coconino County’s Opioid Overdose Prevention Program which provided locals with free naloxone and training. Overdose prevention kits with two doses of Narcan nasal spray were given to those in attendance.

Tate, an Aspiring Diné Herbalist from Navajo Nation, attended the event Feb. 3. Tate said they believe everybody should carry Narcan.

“The other day we stopped and found someone on the side of the road that had passed out and we were trying to figure that out,” Tate said. “That’s a situation where I would like to have been prepared with Narcan.”

Tate said the individual was eventually OK. They added you never know when someone will be put in a situation where they may have to save a human life.

While some harm reduction groups continue to encourage people to carry naloxone, others have raised the argument that popularizing overdose treatments enables more drug use.

On this subject, Tate said it just comes down to giving a person another chance at life rather than leaving them to die.

“It’s about giving people the dignity of saying you deserve to live no matter what,” Tate said.

Certified Alcohol and Drug Addiction Consultant Amanda

Shumow owned and operated Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers for 20 years. Shumow said she has seen deaths and overdoses due to people taking drugs they did not know were laced with fentanyl.

“I work with teens 12-18 mostly so the effects have typically been most evident with the alumni clients ages 18-25,” Shumow said. “I would say in the last year we have been notified with more than seven deaths from overdose and about three from suicide from those who did not quit.”

Shumow said the behavior of clients who take fentanyl is similar to those who use opioids. This includes signs such as weight loss, frequent flu-like symptoms and irregular sleep patterns.

Shumow explained the topic of drug use is relevant to most college campuses.

“I believe that at least one-third or more college kids binge drink,” Shumow said. “The impacts are issues with brain development, missing classes, being vulnerable to assault, financial issues and conflict with friends and family. There are statistics that say almost one in seven young adults have substance abuse issues.”

Shumow said she believes it should be law for public places to have naloxone on site. There is no reason, Shumow added, to not have Narcan in all public arenas, schools, dorms, large stores, all rehab facilities and sober living spaces.

Hygiene kits, Narcan, safer drug-use kits and fentanyl test strips are still available for free at Liminal Cafe. Additionally, naloxone can be obtained for free from the Coconino County Health Department at 2625 N. King Street.

Kristal Herrera, Americorps Health Educator and Opioid Overdose Prevention Program organizer demonstrated how to use Narcan to community members at Liminal Cafe, Feb. 4. Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

NEWS

A look into at-home COVID-19 test kits

A Flowflex and two iHealth COVID-19 Home Tests are depicted in front of a first aid kit on a countertop, Feb. 4. Taylor McCormick| The Lumberjack

Emma Long

A

s of Jan. 19, every home in the United States is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests are rapid antigen tests that can be self-administered and taken anywhere that produce results within 30 minutes.

This comes after at-home tests have been difficult to purchase — they typically sell out within hours, Walgreens Pharmacy Technician Haylee Baugh said.

“My coworkers and I keep tally about how many people ask us for COVID-19 tests sometimes, because it seems to be everyone’s question,” Baugh said.

David Engelthaler, the director and associate professor of the Pathogen and Microbiome Division at Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), has overseen the development of TGen’s own FDA-approved COVID-19 diagnostics tests.

Engelthaler, himself has voiced support for the government’s efforts to provide at-home testing free of charge.

“It’s really kind of putting the power into the hands of the individual,” Engelthaler said regarding the at-home tests.

Junior Maureen Murphy lives at Fremont Station Apartments and is one of many who have ordered at-home test kits. Murphy said people living in apartments have had to put more time and effort into receiving tests.

Murphy explained that although she attempted to order the tests as soon as they became available, it took her several days to actually place her order. This was, in large part, due to receiving

a notice that one of her roommates had already placed an order, when in reality they did not.

She tried for several days to work out her problem online, but ended up calling the help number provided on the website.

Murphy said this call took approximately 20 minutes, and eventually she was able to order her tests over the phone.

“We are having a problem with multi-housing communities,” Murphy said. “They are still working out glitches since the website is pretty new.”

Glitches like these were expected by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, who said the administration was expecting “a bug or two” following the early launch of the website.

Although Engelthaler approves of the government’s response to provide test kits for households, he strongly urges that people should not waste their test kits when they do not know if they have been exposed to the virus.

These resources, Engelthaler said, are best used in cases where an individual knows they have been exposed, or when traveling to a high-risk relative. The government website also explains that individuals should only test if they are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.

In the case of a known exposure it is recommended to test between three to five days after, regardless of vaccination status, Engelthaler said.

Although U.S. residents have the option to receive athome COVID-19 test kits for free, many pharmacies are still encountering irritated customers due to the lack of stock. When Baugh tells customers they have no tests, it is not uncommon for

people to become upset, sometimes yelling at the staff.

The lack of available tests have led to Baugh’s pharmacy not able to accept walk-in test appointments and, most recently, unable to do PCR or rapid tests.

In spite of the fact that at-home COVID-19 tests have been applauded by Engelthaler, there has been a disconnect with individuals reporting a positive at-home test. This is because when someone gets tested at a testing site, individuals give their contact information, which allows them to be contacted with their results.

Individuals who test positive are also informed when they can come out of quarantine. However, Engelthaler said the idea is to give some of this responsibility to the individual.

“The goal here is not necessarily to overwhelm, say, the public health system with a bunch of new quote unquote ‘new cases,’ because people can really take care of themselves,” Engelthaler said.

When monitoring illnesses such as COVID-19, the public health system never sees every case, but rather a representative sample. If they were to radically change the way they collect data, it could skew the numbers, Engelthaler said.

“We don’t need to track all of those through the public health system or the healthcare system at this point,” Engelthaler said. “If we did, it could artificially inflate the numbers.”

At-home COVID-19 tests can be ordered through the United States government website, or students and local residents can schedule a free test at the University Fieldhouse.

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

5

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Spirituality: A capitalist hoax?

Nazreen Ali

Let’s give social media a rest

W

hile we can’t literally unplug our phones anymore, we can undoubtedly ignore social media notifications for a few days. It might seem contentious — but if Bo Burnham’s commentary on the internet has taught us anything, it’s that having the world in the palm of one’s hand isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be.

Social media outlets are crafted to garner temptation in the latest news MARIA update, Reddit forum, scandalous post, RODRIGUEZ Instagram photo, Snapchat story or TikTok video. It’s become an essential part OP-ED WRITER of daily life to check social media. Just ask one of over 4.6 billion people who use social media platforms — essentially over half the global population — with more than 10 billion hours combined spent on social media in a day.

During the pandemic, people have relied on social media to keep in contact with one another and stay informed about COVID-19 related news. Nonetheless, internet burnout is a real problem.

Social media can take up much of the average person’s day and, to be frank, it’s not the best for mental health to spend hours scrolling through our phones to see what everyone has to say all the time.

According to a study by the International Journal of Computer Sciences and Engineering — which analyzed positive and negative effects of social media — authors W. Akram and R. Kumar wrote excessive social media usage “has many adverse impacts on the physical and psychological wellness of students, making them lazy and unmotivated to make contact with the general population.”

Detox diets and cleanses have always been popular, but we can treat ourselves to a social media break to give our brains a rest. That also includes not checking socials right before bed in order to get a good night’s sleep.

Constant access to the internet in general can be problematic. A 2017 study concluded that people who consistently use the internet show a “greater increased systolic blood pressure and greater increased heart rate” in a quick 15 minute session compared to people who use the internet less.

Let’s consider putting social media on pause for a weekend and focus on living in the present — it can drastically improve mental and physical wellness in the long run. Instead of private messaging a friend over Instagram, try texting them. Although the intention might not be to scroll through posts for over an hour, it’s a slippery slope.

Everyone deserves to take a break. It’s not too late to switch up a daily routine.

6

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

I

n today’s world, people have everything at their fingertips.

Fast food chains give immediate access to food; health companies give “immediate result” weight loss pills at any time; same-day delivery has us on our feet ready to get our package from across the country in a few hours.

Capitalism is progressing, and it is spreading to all aspects of the world. Spirituality is plagued by the most capitalistic schemes that I have ever seen.

The combination of tradition and modernity is constantly changing. Those who have been practicing spirituality and religion for generations deserve some respect.

Spirituality methods such as energized crystals, tarot cards, spells, singing bowls and more have originated from Buddhist culture. Evil eye-like symbols are coveted as spiritual and cultural symbols among different ethnic groups around the world. Using any of these without understanding their true meaning, especially in public places, is rude and offensive to those who have the symbol in their hearts.

For example, the chakra system, which originated in India around 1500-1000 BC, is commonly used by people who don’t really understand it. However, a quick Google search will return hundreds of videos, articles, blog posts and even podcasts full of instructions on the system and how to navigate it. This is usually considered useful; the problem is that not all of this information is accurate.

People tend to keep track of this false information, which ultimately leads to diversion.

A classic example of this is on TikTok. Some creators disseminate false information about magic, tarot card reading, crystal use and paganism. They tell followers falsehoods about spirituality that are not completely true simply for likes.

One is forced to recognize that appropriation happens for the sake of capitalism. So why are all these self-help and spirituality sellers growing by the minute? Their schemes are like any other type of marketing machine; they invent both problems and solutions.

Often the problems are created by these sellers offering fakes and scamming people into buying second-hand products.

They elicit fear and trauma in our lives to make a profit.

Advertisers who sell spirituality tools and practices are slowly but steadily changing our understanding of what spirituality is. Research shows that we will eventually make it as insignificant as just another consumer good. This would mean

removing the history of human experience and discoveries. The success-failure system and endless pursuit of achievement isn’t worth losing our connections. This is not only an ugly way to interact with customers, but this also removes the spiritual experience of all kinds of depth and effort, and only presents it as an easy way to reach your goals.

Local crystal shops, like Crystal Magic in Downtown Flagstaff, are the best places to shop — t­ hey rarely sell counterfeit crystals. They offer education through books and classes as well, but at some point, you’ll want to buy crystals online at a low price.

Unfortunately, many people report receiving fake crystals.

Scams are common, and consumers should be wary of these online marketplaces.

Many people buy crystals from Amazon, Etsy, eBay, AliExpress and Wish, which is very risky when it comes to scams.

These marketplaces are as unreliable as the individual vendors that offer them.

When it comes to crystals, Etsy has proven to be the most reliable shopping outlet. This is because only 12% of people received counterfeit products, compared to 91% of Wish buyers who received counterfeit products at least once. False crystals refer to many things. Replica glass, similar stones and even plastics or resins are used by these large companies to make replicas. With true research, many can find duplicates on their own.

All of this is a little intimidating and can make you want to stray away from the spiritual world, but spirituality is all about healing and protecting yourself.

Those who have practiced religions for years are justified in asking that people educate themselves more on the traditions they borrow from.

There is a difference between appropriation and appreciation.

It’s not about whether you should pay for spiritual teachings. The real question is whether spiritual teaching should be treated as a profession, or if it is a multidimensional life path that includes more than just work.

Interestingly, it is not the teacher who can answer this question. In our manufactured reality, the consumer decides. You make a choice whether you pay for spiritual teachings or not — and if you do, what kind of teachings they are.

How do you differentiate between authentic spirituality and a cleverly packaged product? I can only share one tip: If you consider yourself an honest spiritual seeker, don’t pay for anything that isn’t from an honest company. We can look up the ethics of a store, or even listen to a podcast on what stores are the best in your area. It’s easy to be lazy when it comes to consumerism, but there are so many resources out there if you take the steps to look for them.

Illustration By BrittanI Poeppel

OPINION-EDITORIAL

The FDA continues to fail gay men Marley Green

B

lood donation is vital to helping patients with cancer or blood disorders. Those who suffer traumatic injuries and accidents often need blood. Plasma donation can even help burn victims. Even if humans cured cancer tomorrow, injuries and accidents would occur — blood will always be necessary for human wellbeing.

On account of that, it is extremely concerning that the American Red Cross announced earlier this year it is facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade.

The organization’s website says that approximately a quarter of blood donations in 2019 were from students on college or high school campuses, but since the pandemic, campus blood drives are far less frequent. Aside from that, regular blood drive appointments are often canceled “due to illness, weather-related closures and staffing limitations.”

Of course, problems that have resulted from the pandemic, weather and staffing are out of the Red Cross’ control. The situation is tragic, and will have adverse effects on patients across the United States if not properly addressed.

However, I can’t help but think about a certain demographic who might love to help aid the situation but can’t: Men who have sex with other men.

The FDA requires gay and bisexual men to abstain from sex for three months if they wish to donate blood.

This may seem like a reasonable requirement to someone who is not familiar with HIV-related discrimination gay and bisexual men face to this day. It may not seem like the rule is even meant to discriminate.

Some may think three months without sex is not too long a time, and since it appears to be in the name of reducing HIV transmission, the rule seems reasonable.

But the fact is this: The FDA guidance is based on an archaic, homophobic perception that HIV is a gay disease. All blood donations undergo testing to check for infectious disease, because any illness can come from any person, regardless of who they are or who they are having sex with.

There is no substitution for human blood; it can’t be manufactured. As far as supply goes, there is only blood available when people are willing or able to give it. This is precisely what makes it so infuriating that sexually active gay men can’t offer help.

“A straight man can have sex with 100 different women on 100 different days, then walk into a blood drive and donate blood, no questions asked. A gay man with one partner would be turned away,” Instagram creator Matt Bernstein wrote in a post.

The stigma surrounding gay men and disease is not new — during the height of the AIDS crisis in the 1980s, gay men were the center of public paranoia and were believed to cause the spread of the deadly disease.

“Britain threatened by gay virus plague,” read a headline from The Mail on Sunday in the ‘80s.

The blatant discrimination doesn’t end there.

“I’d shoot my son if he had AIDS, says vicar,” read another from The Sun in 1985.

As one can imagine, it’s an understatement that it was not easy to be a gay man in the 1980s.

In fact, the reason the “L” comes first in LGBTQ+ is because lesbians became primary caretakers of AIDS patients when most

everyone else was too afraid to be near them.

The FDA placed a lifelong ban on blood donations for any man who has ever had sex with another man in 1985, ameliorating the stigma.

President Reagan did not say the word “AIDS” in public for four years. No matter the almost 90,000 people dying of AIDS during his presidency, he chose to be negligent for the sake of his reputation.

Gay men were treated unspeakably awful during the AIDS crisis by the media and by government officials who did not do anything because they deemed their lives not worth saving. They were treated horribly by family members who did not want to accept they were gay, and by healthcare professionals who were too afraid to treat them.

The types of concerns people had surrounding gay men and AIDS have long been disproven. We know that anyone is susceptible to HIV and that it is not a “gay disease.”

Given this information, it is crystal clear that this homophobic policy is deeply upsetting and offensive to gay and bisexual men. It is a reminder of a time when their community was intensely demonized, and lives were lost because of it. To rub salt in the wound, the policy is not even based in science — only homophobia.

When I was a kid, my dad donated platelets to the American Red Cross monthly. He’d come home from work with a bandage on his arm and tell me about how there was someone waiting for his blood at the hospital.

I thought it was such an incredible act of service — even at a young age, I understood the gravity of blood donation and how it saves lives. I couldn’t have articulated it then, but his regular donations made me proud to be his daughter. Today, it is one of my favorite characteristics to share about my dad.

Now, the ability to donate blood means even more to me than it did then, because I know I’ll never understand the indescribably tragic history with disease and blood donation gay men live with.

If more of us do not step up and donate, the blood shortage will pose a serious threat for healthcare patients across the U.S. The FDA has the power to solve the crisis by updating their outdated guidelines — but if they do not, it is unfortunately up to those of us who are not men having sex with men. I implore readers to consider donating if they are eligible; it is a privilege to be free of the stigma that has persisted for so long.

Illustration By Kaeley Collins

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

7

OPINION-EDITORIAL

The blasphemous Biden blunder John Chaffeur

S

ince the beginning of 2020, the prominence of COVID-19 has incited a call to action among political leaders.

The call in question is to end the ruthless pandemic that has killed thousands of Americans daily — nearing millions of deaths in the United States.

This prolonged situation is due to a complete and utter failure of a pandemic response plan that the Trump administration only halfheartedly implemented.

Trump refused to have a formal federal lockdown and publicly told Americans the virus would just disappear.

Clearly, that was a lie.

During his run for office, President Joe Biden ran on the position of bringing an end to the pandemic and making it more livable for a vast majority of Americans.

“I’m never going to raise the white flag and surrender,” Biden said in a campaign speech in 2020. “We’re going to beat this virus. We’re going to get it under control, I promise you.”

Once Biden was inaugurated, plenty of Americans waited on standby and hoped for an optimistic approach to the containment of the pandemic.

Despite his promises, there have been flaws in the Biden administration’s policy approach, as well as falsehoods that have been propelled into the forefront of the media.

A vaccine mandate, which would save the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans, was turned down by the Supreme Court in January.

Although this isn’t a direct action from Biden, this comes from the failure of the White House — it has failed to push accurate information about the vaccines and COVID-19 to the American people.

The president also went back on his word about lockdowns, in order to save the economy and to play softball politics with his friends on the other side of the aisle.

Last year, his COVID-19 policy did not include lockdowns or expansions of federal vaccine mandates.

He has also said he would alleviate the stress of the virus by any means necessary.

“I would be prepared to do whatever it takes to save lives,” Biden said in a 2020 meeting.

I assume he merely changed his mind and decided to do nothing.

In late 2021, a new variant of COVID-19 took the international stage. The omicron variant, a more viral strain of the virus, but less lethal, was found in South Africa. For scientists and the public health community, this was bad news.

Although the omicron variant is far less lethal than the delta variant and others, there is still a large population of Americans that remain unvaccinated.

This leads to a cascading effect, causing a large number of COVID-19 positive people to flock to hospitals that still are compensating for the lack of medical infrastructure and hospital beds. In some cases, medical professionals even have to devote

8

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

scarce resources to patients who have the highest probability of surviving.

The strain soon spread to the United States like wildfire, maxing out hospital capacities and causing the death toll to reach around 3,000 people a day.

That is equivalent to one 9/11 every day all across the nation.

The omicron variant alarmed the White House, causing them to act quickly but not effectively.

First, the administration decided to send out at-home tests to Americans due to the increasingly high rates of infection across the country. This was a sincere, last-ditch effort to mitigate the damage to the economy and the populace.

There were a few initial misconceptions about the tests.

Households can only sign up to receive two packages of tests; each package has two tests. This means the initiative covers only two people.

According to the U.S. census, the average American family is 3 people or more; therefore, there weren’t even enough tests for a whole family. There has yet to be a word on when families and households can receive more tests.

It is also completely possible for families to get as many tests as they need if the federal government pays for it. However, that is not a price they are willing to pay.

They would prefer funding wasteful practices, like the extrajudicial drone strikes in the Middle East that kill

families and billionaires receiving subsidies.

Under Biden, there also was a change in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol with returning to work. The period was shortened without any scientific citations or studies. This was a blatant attempt to throw American workers at the COVID-19 chopping block to save the economy, ignoring the wellness of the workers that make up that very same system.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the president’s chief medical advisor, also believes that workers need to get back to work, even if they may be sick.

“With the sheer volume of new cases that we are having and that we expect to continue with omicron, one of the things we want to be careful of is that we don’t have so many people out,” Fauci said.

This decision was met with a fistful of criticism from the scientific community, since this decision directly puts workers’ and consumers’ lives at risk even more.

The continued absence of transparency from the government points toward the lack of care these officials actually have for the wellness of citizens. The same people who make up that economy they are failing to save.

President Biden also upheld the Trump-era Title 42, which expedites the expulsion of migrants and asylum-seekers, citing the reason that these people might bring in omicron.

The situation is the same, just with a different face saying different lies behind the podium.

Both presidents share the same view of the virus: the economy is more important than lives lost. They look at the death rates and they just see the numbers, not the hundreds of thousands of families that have lost loved ones.

If Biden really wanted to help the nation and promote health and safety, the administration would send weekly tests, apply more political pressure for vaccines and revoke the CDC’s rule change to “save the economy.”

If these changes were applied, it would uplift the overall wellness of the American population, making for happier, safer workers and providing more for the coveted economy. A more accessible testing program would save thousands of lives and give families a future with their loved ones.

Without a clear and consistent government response to the pandemic, we are left to fend for ourselves. Wear your mask in public areas, get vaccinated and boosted after consulting with your doctor and be hyperaware of the misinformation that is pushed for political agendas.

It is vital to stay isolated if you are feeling ill. As we are approaching a new phase of the pandemic, it is always best to protect your fellow human and stay home and healthy.

Biden and Trump alike do not care about how this seemingly immortal virus will hurt the average citizen — they just chose to virtue signal to their fans for political gain.

Illustration By Tonesha Yazzie

ILLUSTRATION

Illustration By Tonesha Yazzie

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

9

FEATURES

Reassessing the NAU meal pla Brisa karow

A

s part of the college dining experience, students expect to get well-rounded meals for the price they are paying. At $12 a meal, for the least expensive plan, many students feel they are not getting their money’s worth.

While it is easier for many students to have a meal plan their freshman year, it is not always convenient for others. Food becomes one more thing to worry about, and a daily stress factor for many.

“The main reason why meal plans are mandatory for first-year students is that dining is an integral part of the student experience at NAU,” Kimberly Ott, associate vice president of communications, said.

There are growing complaints regarding the state of the food at NAU, many of which come from freshman with specific diets.

Individuals with dietary restrictions struggle to maintain a nutritious diet as well as enjoy their food. It takes trial and error to create a meal regimen that works for them. Food at college is often very different from what students are used to at home, and it takes time to adjust to this unfamiliar dining experience. This is especially true for those who are vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, lactose intolerant, etc.

Students with dietary restrictions have expressed that NAU Campus Dining is lacking diversity and creativity when it comes to food for

those with dietary restrictions. While it is more difficult to cater to the abundance of different diets and needs these days, it is not necessary to require all students to eat on campus. NAU has not progressed enough in food innovation to do so. In turn, students with abnormal diets feel as though their already small budgets are going down the drain.

Freshman Laura Morris is especially frustrated with Campus Dining. As a vegan, Morris found a way to adapt her eating habits to better fit her diet. She chose the cheapest meal plan – which she was required to purchase – and planned to cook for herself occasionally.

Referring to NAU’s website, she was excited for vegan options. Yet when she came to college, she expressed dissatisfaction regarding the way she was eating.

“I feel like I’ve been eating the same foods on repeat for the last several months,” Morris said.

Morris reluctantly uses her meal plan, even though she feels she doesn’t receive enough nutrients or protein. Given the option to avoid purchasing a meal plan altogether, Morris said she would jump at the opportunity.

NAU’s freshman packing list encourages students to bring a microwave, given enough room. Students have more than enough options to cook for themselves if they choose to do so.

Communal kitchens are highly accessible and kitchen utensils are available for checkout.

Grocery stores, such as Sprouts and Target,

Though there are healthy options on campus, students said they want more variety, especially when it comes to vegetarian dishes. Jacob Handley | The Lumberjack

10

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

are less than a mile from campus; many more restaurants and grocery stores in Flagstaff are accessible by bus, bike or foot.

Unsatisfied with the portions she receives from her meal plan, Morris has become a selfsufficient cook, focused on making flavorful, inexpensive and nutritious meals.

She typically prepares two meals that last a week and buys her groceries from Fry’s and Sam’s Club, cheaper grocery alternatives. She only uses five to seven of the 10 meals a week she purchased. Instead, Morris said, the money wasted on unused meal swipes could be going toward her grocery purchases.

The lack of food variety has provoked frustration and leaves Morris feeling malnourished. She said the website was misleading and has false information regarding the reality of food availability at NAU. Other individuals also said they believe there are discrepancies between the options promised online and the reality of NAU dining.

The Campus Dining section on the NAU website advertises ample plant-based options, luring in prospective students. A 2019 Vegan Report Card from PETA gave NAU an A+ rating. However, the student reviews are few and far between, as well as mostly negative, and contradict the high rating.

One student reviewer even warns others who are considering NAU to save themselves the trouble and choose another school due to the lack of dietary options.

“I would like to see daily rotating vegan and vegetarian options at each restaurant and dining hall on campus.”

– freshman laura morris The Campus Dining plant-based food guide advertises supplemental options for vegan and vegetarian diets. Due to closed locations, low quantity and mislabeled dishes, these options are not always available. Often, only the same few vegan dishes are offered.

“I would like to see daily rotating vegan and vegetarian options at each restaurant and dining hall on campus,” Morris said.

Freshman Bella Rowland is gluten and dairy free and faces many limitations when it comes to her food choices.

At NAU it is next to impossible to find appetizing food that meets her restrictions, Rowland said. She has practically stopped using her meal swipes because she can’t eat much at the all-you-care-to-eat locations. Optimistic for a variety of options, Rowland signed up for the 19 meals-a-week platinum plan for her first semester — much to her disappointment — and has now switched to the 10 meals-a-week plan that comes with $400 worth of dining dollars.

Students said the dish options offered on campus became repetitive quickly.

Jacob Handley | The Lumberjack

FEATURES

an requirement My first burrito

T Individuals said the ample plant-based options displayed on NAU’s website is false advertising.

Jacob Handley | The Lumberjack

Rowland said she would probably consider purchasing dining dollars next year because some of the on-campus restaurants actually do have options that accommodate her diet such as Cobrizo, Qdoba, Jamba Juice and Burger Confusion. However, Rowland said she will certainly avoid another meal plan that is an inconvenience to her.

It is not an option for freshmen to solely purchase dining dollars.

Freshman Stella Cronin, a pescatarian, said she agrees that the required meal plan is not ideal for all students. With limited choices, she eats frequently at Star Ginger because tofu is offered there. There’s a catch, unfortunately: Star Ginger is only open during the weekdays.

Operational hours are another factor students run into when deciding where to eat.

On the weekends, only about half the oncampus restaurants are open. The options are limited even more — and students must turn to alternative options — like fast food or shopping for their own groceries.

“I feel like I spend a lot of money shopping for food or with my dining dollars outside of the meal plan,” Cronin said.

Students said they feel the on-campus grocers are another trap for college students’ money. Prices at the Eat Food Market and the Wedge Pizza and Market are extremely high. A 16 oz jar of Jif peanut butter costs $6.49 at the Wedge. At Fry’s, the same product is $2.49.

Cronin said she is looking forward to next year when she can spend more of her money going out to eat in Flagstaff. The meal plan — for now — puts a dent in those plans.

For freshman Tommy Wells, the meal plan requirement is not an issue. His purchase is well worth it, and he tends to use all of the 14 meals in his platinum plan.

“I use all of them and then I just make breakfast in the morning,” Wells said.

However, he does not have any dietary restrictions and can choose to eat anything the HotSpot or Dub offers, as well as dine at any of the on-campus restaurants. Nevertheless, Wells said he still wishes for more variety when it comes to the food served.

NAU implemented LeanPath in 2012 — a program that tracks food waste — but has struggled to keep it at the forefront of operations since the pandemic started. LeanPath is a way for NAU’s culinary teams to determine what changes need to be made to lessen the amount of food that is wasted.

“Campus Dining is currently restarting programs focusing on operational efficiencies and waste reduction, including LeanPath, but the continued variations in service delivery and demand due to COVID-19 has slowed our ability to make systemic progress in streamlining production and reducing waste,” General Manager of NAU Campus Dining, Casey Fisher, said.

With LeanPath starting back up, it may lead to a better variety of food served on campus.

For those interested in sharing their voice on NAU Campus Dining, Food For Thought meetings are held monthly. The next meeting is Feb. 23 from 4-5 p.m. upstairs in the University Union, Walnut Room.

he stars have finally aligned! On a cold windy January night, I decided, for the first time in my life, to try a burrito. Well, I didn’t decide, that part wasn’t up to me. About twenty minutes earlier I was thrown into the passenger seat of a Honda Accord, sitting right next to a girl I only met a few weeks before on Tinder. She was armed, not with a gun, but a booklet filled with BOGO deals! I was nervous, feeling as if the Ben & Jerry’s started to make its entrance in my digestive tract. Famous for being indecisive, she showed me the coupon that she quickly ripped out of the booklet. The flimsy paper read: Buy one, get one free burrito at Someburros!

I was puzzled, burritos? I’ve never had one!

MARK Trying to save face, we went on the road to the nearest Someburros. We FABERY pulled into the storefront, and I started to feel queasy. I couldn’t tell if it was NEWS EDITOR from all of the dairy I consumed earlier or if it was the fear of confronting my fears: Burritos. We hastily exit her car as the wind blows hard, and my mind starts racing.

“What do I order?” I recall asking her.

“I think you would really like the Carne Asada,” she quipped.

I nodded my head in agreement and I approached the counter and made intense eye contact with the man behind the register. I was star-struck! I was surely trying to take in the experience, when he interrupted me.

“So, what can I get for you tonight?” he asked.

“Oh, I’ll just take a Carne Asada burrito,” I said quickly.

“Yeah, I hate to break it to you, but we are currently not able to make Carne Asada,” he said.

I was hit with a wave of shock. What am I going to do? I hastily ordered the Pollo Asada, not even knowing what “pollo” means.

Now I waited.

Ten minutes passed after we ordered our burritos, and the man behind the counter presented me with my Pollo Asada. I was awestruck, so much so, I couldn’t comprehend how I was supposed to take my first bite.

I contemplated taking a bite from the sides, but I was urged not to, out of fear that I would come off as a psychopath.

After minutes of deliberation, I took my first bite. I was hit with a feeling of ecstasy, something I hadn’t felt since Pilot Pete’s season of “The Bachelor” ended. I wanted to keep chomping down on my burrito, but I was stopped.

The girl I was with grabbed my hand, and she whispered: “You need to try their hot sauce.”

I nodded, and agreed to her recommendation out of fear of appearing to be a picky eater. I grabbed the hot sauce and I poured a little on my burrito, and I took a bite. It was euphoric. My brain cells that I once lost came back to me. I felt like a new man, so much so, I continued to chomp down on my burrito until there was nothing left.

And that, kids, is how I had my first burrito.

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

11

ILLUSTRATION

Illustration By Daisy Castaneda

12

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

ILLUSTRATION Illustration By Diana Ortega

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

13

CULTURE

Yoga at your desk: Peaceful practices Paige Springstead

Warner’s Nursery unites coffee and plant lovers

F

rom the outside, Warner’s Nursery and Landscape Company is a beautifully lit building with hundreds of windows revealing healthy greens through the glass. However, if one continues inside, they will find much more.

I had the opportunity of trying Dottie’s Garden Coffee Shoppe, located inside the nursery. I was greeted with smiles and loads of hospitality. I trusted the barista’s recommendation of an iced lavenderHAYLEE vanilla latte, and was not disappointed.

SORENSEN The latte was made right in front of me. I watched the barista grind the espresso beans and ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR tamped them into a circular puck. He pulled the shot over the colorful syrups and added ice-cold milk. He handed my drink to me with a smile and I was excited.

I was pleasantly surprised by the coffee. My tastebuds were met with the strong flavor of lavender, but it was equally balanced by the vanilla.

It was on the sweeter side, but that is how I prefer my drinks. The shot was smooth and the milk blended it all to make it very satisfying. I cannot remember the last time I sat and enjoyed a coffee instead of simply indulging in my caffeine addiction.

They offer many other types of drinks including Dotties Brew, mochas, chai teas, Italian sodas and kids steamers. They also provide a wide variety of syrups and milk alternatives. Other popular drink flavors include the Bees Knees, a honey and almond combination, and Dottie’s Special which includes cherry and mocha.

Even though the coffee was excellent, I was more attracted to the atmosphere. Laughter rang throughout the nursery by both customers and staff. I sipped on my coffee while sitting at one of the many seating areas.

It is a great place to think and enjoy the sweet aromas of fresh oxygen. As I was admiring the gardens, a chill soundtrack lightly played throughout the greenhouse. It added to the simple but fun aesthetic. The shop was covered with blossoming terrariums, potted plants and carefully crafted signs and murals.

I have a curse of aiding plants’ demise. However, the nursery had helpful guides and tools to help first-time plant owners facing intimidation.

They had ranges of plants from succulents fitting into one’s palm to towering trees and tangled vines hanging high above one’s head. My favorite was the mammillaria elongata ‘pink flower,’ which was a tiny cactus with little pink blossoms. Once one finds their new friend, there are mini shopping carts for customers to push their potential purchase in.

Beside plants and coffee, the shop offers pots, seeds, gardening tools, landscaping services, home decor and bird feeders. I, personally, enjoyed glancing at the vibrant Talavera pots. The shop supports local businesses as they showcase artists and creators, and they donate all tips from the coffee stand to other local organizations. They are also animal friendly as I made friends with a beautiful lab while I appreciated the surroundings.

Warner’s Nursery and Landscape Company and Dottie’s Garden Coffee Shoppe are local businesses with friendly faces that put care into their plants and their coffee.

14

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Y

or standing up.

“It is the perfect midday moment to wake up your body and relax your mind,” Carey said.

While COVID-19 is still affecting what the world used to consider “normal,” it has also led to an increased number of mental health issues, especially when the lockdown began in March 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention discusses both stress and mental illness on its website and the best ways to deal with the hardship — one of the first coping mechanisms listed is meditation. As the world is still battling COVID-19 variants, the CDC website also lists resources to help people who are struggling.

“It can be really hard to make time for self-care as students … I admit that I sometimes struggle too,” Caprario said. “Keeping the classes to 30 minutes, online, with no special clothing or equipment required is meant to make this really doable in the middle of the day.”

Yoga has gone through many studies and has since proven to show how it can help reduce anxiety, depression and stress. Caprario said yoga has helped her relieve stress, focus on tasks better, and has helped her through challenging situations. Yoga teaches compassion, resilience and discipline. It teaches one to be aware of all things around us, to be fully present in our lives, Caprario said.

In comparison to last semester, Caprario said there has not been much attendance. However, she said last semester’s sessions brought mindfulness into the daily routines of participants.

Amy Ulibarri, assistant manager of benefits at Human Resources, and an attendee of Yoga at Your Desk, said she feels more in tune with her emotions. When using Caprario’s breathing techniques, Ulibarri said she felt less stressed.

“When things get hectic, I can do some of the quick breathing techniques or stretches to get back to a calm center,” Ulibarri said.

By using the breathing techniques and the light stretches that are a part of the half hour program, attendees can practice wellness physically, mentally and emotionally.

“There are innumerable lessons from yoga that translate to life off the mat,” Caprario said. “Some of these lessons are immediately apparent, and others develop over a lifetime of practice.”

For more information on how to join Yoga at Your Desk, visit the NAU Events calendar.

oga is a spiritual form of meditation that can connect you to your mind, body and soul all in one. It brings a sense of peace to the inner self that can help a person relax and center oneself.

That is one of the many things Marcella Caprario, a graduate student in applied linguistics, teaches during her free 30-minute sessions every Wednesday from 12:30-1 p.m. Caprario has been practicing yoga for 20 years, but has only virtually practiced yoga with others since spring 2021.

“Last spring, I submitted a proposal to NAU’s Employee Development Day to teach an online yoga workshop,” Caprario said. “I had never taught yoga online before, but people seemed to enjoy the workshop and I enjoyed teaching it.”

Caprario started holding online yoga sessions in spring 2021 for all students and faculty. The workshop’s attendees suggested making this a recurring event. By August 2021, the program then became a regular event that all NAU campuses could take part in. Yoga at Your Desk is a virtual event, so it is easy to do it from anywhere.

The three main points Caprario teaches in each of her classes are breathwork, mindfulness and movement.

The sessions are meant to inform all those who attend that yoga can be implemented into everyday activities, and can be seen through health and wellbeing.

“On a more practical level, I hope attendees learn how to use the techniques we practice on their own to relieve stress in mind and body,” Caprario said.

By implementing mindfulness into the session, Caprario uses relaxing breath techniques which helps participants ground themselves and focus on nothing else but their breathing.

Pia Driessen-Knittle, an attendee of the class and an academic advisor for the W.A. Franke College of Business, said she finds herself using the breathing techniques when she feels stressed out and uses some of the techniques when she can’t sleep at night.

Kate Carey, another yoga attendee and senior executive assistant to the chief Human Resources officer and vice president of Human Resources, said the exercises Caprario teaches can be in work clothes and at your office space, sitting down Illustration By Diana Ortega

CULTURE

HLC aims to improve physical and mental health

Student instructor Valeria Liera dances on a makeshift stage in front of an audience of Zumba participants in the Health and Learning Center, Feb. 3. Madison Easton | The Lumberjack

Lauren Gomez

N

AU’s campus recreation offers a wide variety of fitness classes, but what students may not know is that these classes are offered weekly with no extra charge.

The Health and Learning Center (HLC) at NAU is home to a two-story recreation facility encompassed by a full-size gym including an indoor track, rock-climbing wall and multiple exercise suites that offer group fitness classes throughout the week.

One of the group fitness classes offered, a stationary bike class more commonly referred to as “cycle,” aims at challenging an individual’s cardiovascular endurance according to NAU’s campus recreation website.

Senior Allexxis Swain, a part-time cycling instructor, said group fitness classes are a great way for students to get involved with something that is convenient to them.

“Having the classes on campus makes it easy for students who live in the dorms,” Swain said. “Off-campus recreation is not bad, they are just not affordable for a student who is not making a lot of income.”

According to the campus recreation website, NAU charges students a health and recreation fee that is included in their charges for the fall and spring semesters. The $275 fee

provides students with full access to campus recreation and services offered by the HLC, including mental health services.

Ben Aguila, personal trainer and group fitness instructor for the campus recreation center, said there are several reasons why students are encouraged to get involved with on-campus recreation while they still have the chance. One of those reasons is how the classes are taught.

“The group fitness classes offered here at NAU are a great way to become more active and improve fitness habits,” Aguila said. “The classes are also mainly led by other NAU students – allowing for a less intimidating environment.

Students are required to pay the campus recreation fee anyway, so they might as well check it out.”

According to its website, aside from cycling, other group classes offered through NAU’s campus recreation include yoga, Zumba, high intensity interval training (HIIT), meditation and more.

While these classes offer students the opportunity to create healthier habits, some are concerned about the safety of attending these classes during the pandemic. According to an article from The New York Times, improving precautionary measures such as ventilation, wearing masks and distancing participants, lowers the risk of catching COVID-19 while

participating in a group fitness class.

NAU President José Luis Cruz Rivera recently issued a statement which kept in place mask requirements in all campus recreation indoor spaces. These conditions will be reevaluated after Feb. 7, according to the campus recreation website.

Though these changes by Cruz Rivera were just recently announced, Swain said adjustments to campus recreation and group fitness classes began at the start of the pandemic.

“Prior to the pandemic, we had fuller classes [and] did not have to worry about social distancing, and now it is the opposite,” Swain said. “Students are required to sign up for the classes, I try to space out the bikes as much as possible and make sure everything is properly cleaned well.”

Sign-ups for group classes became a new initiative implemented by NAU campus recreation to ensure the safety of the class participants by limiting the number of students allowed in each class.

While students may have concerns with working out in a group setting during the pandemic, that has not been the only struggle associated with working out. Wearing masks while participating in cardiovascular endurance workouts has also become a concern for some, according to Swain. However, Swain said she

encourages students to partake in the classes, regardless.

“Having masks required while participating in a group fitness class changes the whole game,” Swain said. “I think that is why some people do not come to these classes, but I think anyone could do anything they put their mind to.”

Aguila said finding the right motivation to work out is the first step in creating healthier habits. Participating in a group setting allows for the individual to not only feel as though they are a part of a community, but also working toward a common goal.

Swain said she feels the same way about group classes bringing a community together.

The classes relieve any stress individuals may have for figuring out what workouts they should participate in, she said.

“You don’t feel that pressure to come up with a workout on your own and perform it by yourself,” Swain said.

Group fitness classes will continue to be offered to students on a weekly basis throughout the semester, Swain said. To find more information about the fitness classes offered, class descriptions and schedules, visit the campus recreation website.

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

15

SPORTS

Rooney Rule is hurting Black coaching candidates

T

he NFL is riddled with issues surrounding race and diversity.

From the treatment of Colin Kaepernick to the actions of recent head coaches like Jon Gruden, the league has struggled in diversifying areas on the field.

The case of former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is just another example of the league’s preference to keep BRENDEN Black people to just playing on the field MARTIN and not elevate them to larger roles within the league and its 32 teams.

SPORTS EDITOR On Feb. 1, Flores filed a lawsuit against the NFL, alleging racism in its head coach hiring practices. The lawsuit claims the New York Giants, a team that was looking for a new head coach this offseason, interviewed Flores despite already picking a candidate — former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll.

The reason for Flores’ interview despite New York already having made a decision is quite disturbing and points to an issue the NFL has neglected to fix since its implementation in 2003: The Rooney Rule.

The Rooney Rule, as written at the time of Flores’ lawsuit, requires teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach and one for general manager positions.

In Nov. 2020, team owners approved an addition to the rule to reward teams with draft picks when minority candidates they developed were hired by other teams. If a team has a minority employee move to another team for a promotion, that team gains a compensatory third-round pick in the NFL draft.

The Rooney Rule is a fabricated quota system that forces teams to consider minority candidates as if they are inherently worse than white candidates. Teams will have a preconceived notion that they are only interviewing minorities to check a box.

When Flores was fired by the Dolphins Jan. 10, both fans and media lambasted the move to let go of a coach who did so much for a floundering organization. The lawsuit alleges team owner Stephen Ross offered Flores $100,000 for every loss during the 2019 season to better the team’s draft position.

Flores declined the offer and Ross denies making the offer.

Tanking has been a major issue in the NFL. The team with the worst record automatically gets the first overall pick. To counter tanking, the NFL needs to adopt an NBA-like lottery system where there is a chance for other teams to get better picks.

This would decentivize tanking, and avoid putting coaches like Flores in positions where they are fired for following the integrity of the game. As of last week, there was only one Black head coach in the NFL. Last season there were three.

16

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

Recent game Scores

Upcoming Events

Men’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

NAU @ Sacramento State Thursday, Feb. 3, 8 p.m.

Sacramento, California The Nest Final: NAU 62 - Sacramento State 61

NAU @ Montana State Saturday, Feb. 12, noon Bozeman, Montana Worthington Arena

NAU vs Northern Colorado Saturday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAU 71 - Northern Colorado 74

NAU @ Portland State Thursday, Feb. 17, 8 p.m.

Portand, Oregon Viking Pavilion

NAU @ Northern Colorado Monday, Feb. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Greeley, Colorado bank of Colorado Arena Final: NAU 60 - Northern Colorado 82

Women’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball NAU vs Sacramento State Thursday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome Final: NAU 62 - Sacrmento State 76 NAU @ Northern Colorado Saturday, Feb. 5, 2 p.m.

Greeley, Colorado bank of Colorado Arena Final: NAU 77 - Northern Colorado 71

NAU vs Montana State Saturday, Feb. 12, noon Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome NAU vs Portland State Thursday, Feb. 17, 6 p.m.

Flagstaff, Arizona Walkup Skydome

Men’s Tennis NAU @ UArizona Saturday, Feb. 12, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Tucson, Arizona Lanelle Robson Tennis Center

SPORTS

COMPARING NAU’S COVID-19 RULES TO OTHER IN-STATE SCHOOLS Sonia Leyva & Payton Romney

N

AU has implemented more COVID-19 protocols and regulations since the pandemic began — the school’s policy is on the “Jacks Are Back” website. It states that face coverings are required in settings where physical distancing may not be possible.

Masks are required in classrooms, teaching and research labs, public transportation offered by the university and other indoor and outdoor settings.

When it comes to athletic events at NAU, the protocols and social distancing regulations are not enforced but strongly recommended. On the NAU Athletics website, no COVID-19 athletic event policy can be found for fans attending NAU events..

NAU Athletics announced a fan attendance policy for last year’s spring football season, but there was no mention of COVID-19 safety protocols or regulations to keep fans safe while attending sporting events. These releases offer little to no guidance on how NAU will keep fans safe and healthy.

NAU’s COVID-19 policy is more lenient and has no concrete rules about fans attending sporting events. ASU and UArizona both have policies to keep fans and student-athletes safe while attending. The COVID-19 policies of the two schools aren’t exact but are quite similar. NAU is stricter when it comes to enforcing masks in the classroom, but as for sporting events, it is more relaxed.

“Not a mask in sight, some people on the field were wearing masks but a majority of the people in the stands weren’t wearing any type of facial coverings and it really makes you think if the university even cares about the health of people attending the games since there are more COVID-19 recommendations over requirements,” junior Hillary Salazar said after she and her family attended a football game at NAU. “My family and I came prepared and we even took it upon ourselves to social distance and sit on the opposing team’s side since more seats were empty on that side.”

Conversely, UArizona has developed a clean and organized page for all of its game-day guidelines to keep fans and players safe. UArizona’s game-day COVID-19 policy website has both of its sporting venues and the different rules between them. The McKale Center, used for men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball and gymnastics, is slightly more strict than the Arizona Stadium which is used for football.

The difference between the two venues is that the McKale Center is an enclosed arena and Arizona Stadium is outdoors. The McKale Center requires masks from entry to the end of the event.

Arizona Stadium requires fans to show their mask upon entry, but they don’t need to keep it on unless moving around the stadium or indoors.

Fans are warned that if they do not follow the university’s guidelines, they can be asked to leave the event. Both stadiums highly encourage fans to be vaccinated and to have tested negative for COVID-19 prior to the event.

Event workers for UArizona are required to wear a face covering, regardless of their vaccination status. They must have a mask over their nose and mouth indoors and outdoors.

The university is also strict about contact with its athletes. UArizona has prioritized its athletes feeling safe around staff members and media alike. All media personnel are required to wear a mask at all times on or off the field and court. The site also shows signage displayed across campus that distinguishes if masks are required or recommended in certain areas.

“I mean I don’t know if our guys are gonna get COVID-19 from a fan not wearing a mask,” UArizona men’s basketball head coach Tommy Lloyd said in a press conference. “Our guys are gonna get COVID-19 from college kids on a college campus. I don’t think I need to be in the business of people’s personal decisions. I’ll let you guys and administration and university leadership deal with that.”

As much as Division I schools try to make and enforce guidelines to keep everyone safe, there will always be instances that slip through the cracks and individuals who push back. When it comes to stadium or site guidelines, they are more for fan safety than player safety.

UArizona’s guidelines in its classrooms differ from NAU’s strict mask policies no matter the density of seating.

“I feel like UArizona has progressively given up over just this [fall] semester alone,” UArizona junior Nina Heins said. “We started really strict, but as the semester went on they became more chill and slacked on policies.”

UArizona sporting events correlate with its relaxed approach to mask mandates.

“I love going to most of the big games and we definitely hate masks and don’t wear them much at the games,” UArizona senior Bethenny Capehart said. “When me and my friends travel to other schools for our games, we usually have to be in masks at their games and we hate it.”

In comparison to UArizona, ASU’s athletic COVID-19 policy website was much harder to navigate. NAU and UArizona made their COVID-19 guidelines extensive and easy to find.

ASU’s fan policy page is only a few sentences that don’t offer much insight at all.

ASU’s policy website may differ from UArizona, but the way the program handles masks is about the same. UArizona has extensive websites filled with information and FAQs, but it has the same result as ASU, with classrooms and athletic events not having policy rules enforced.

ASU has a COVID-19 Announcement Archive website. The website has every announcement and change in policy listed by date, which provides a noticeable change of pace from the other sparse information offered by the athletics department.

“Arizona State University will comply with President Joe Biden’s recent executive order that requires all employees of federal contractors — which includes all employees of the university — to receive COVID-19 vaccinations,” the latest update on the website states.

In addition, face coverings are required in certain indoor settings where distancing may not be possible.

Moreover, consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, face coverings may be recommended in selected outdoor settings or activities where distancing cannot be attained.

ASU stays consistent with NAU in the fact that it says that all classrooms will be required to wear face coverings, as opposed to UArizona, where mask requirements differ based on classroom sizes and amounts of students. Even though the university states that they are requiring masks in all classes, the question of the enforcement of those policies remains.

“There are some professors that are pretty strict about it, but the school as a whole isn’t,” ASU student Mallory Brown said. “I obviously don’t know the stats, but if I had to guess I would say 75% of students don’t wear them in the classroom.”

Brown’s statements don’t align with what the university’s classroom guidelines entail. From her interview, it seems to align more with how UArizona is handling COVID-19 vs. NAU’s strict policies.

Masked and unmasked attendees do the YMCA cheer against Northern Colorado at the Walkup Skydome, Feb. 5. Jonah Graham | The Lumberjack

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

17

SPORTS

Big Sky rescheduling challenges N Brenden Martin

A

full season in any sport, no matter its length or level can be grueling both physically and mentally.

NAU women’s basketball has dealt with a season unlike any the program has ever seen. Through COVID-19 outbreaks, rescheduled games and a revolving door of players, the Lumberjacks have battled hardships on and off the court.

NAU head coach Loree Payne detailed her team’s season and how the program promotes mental health and academic stability.

“It has been probably the most challenging season of my coaching career,” Payne said of what is her 12th year as a head coach and fifth with NAU. “I thought last year would have been.

I feel like this year is what we expected last year to be.”

Payne was the head coach at Puget Sound for seven years where she compiled a record of 130-58 (.691). She made the jump to NAU in 2017 and has gradually helped the team improve nearly every season. However, when you throw COVID-19 in the mix, it has done more than affect players’ physical health — it has had ripple effects that reach players’ minds.

Last season, before vaccinations were available to the public, NAU battled through a season where it played each of its conference opponents in back-to-back games. Most of these scheduled doubleheaders took place at one venue while a couple were split with each team hosting a game.

Doubleheaders in the schedule were made to limit travel and play a whole season. NAU finished the season 15-14 with a 1010 conference record and advanced to the quarterfinals of the Big Sky Conference Tournament as the No. 7 seed.

“Last year we were in a bubble,” Payne said. “We had a lot of ways to kind of manage together and I think with just everything that COVID-19 brought, it made this year really, really challenging.”

The 2021-22 season has hit the Lumberjacks with multiple punches that have kept the team stumbling. Multiple reschedulings for each team across the conference have jumbled the schedule as the Big Sky frantically aims to reschedule games as soon as possible before the regular season ends.

On Jan. 4, the conference adjusted its game rescheduling policy with one of the provisions being that teams cannot play games on back-to-back days.

The cancellations NAU saw were caused by COVID-19 issues within its own program as well as others. Many Lumberjacks have been in and out of the lineup while undergoing COVID-19 protocols. After its first outbreak, NAU returned to the court with only seven players against Idaho in a game the Lumberjacks won despite being shorthanded.

Ever since the team’s first foray with COVID-19 protocols, NAU has had issues keeping a reliably full roster.

“We’ve had to mix and match lineups, and kids who haven’t been getting minutes all of a sudden are getting minutes and it’s tough,” Payne said.

The shifting schedule took the Lumberjacks away from the Walkup Skydome for extended periods of time. COVID-19 protocols and manufactured road trips had NAU play a total of

18

Senior guard Lauren Orndoff drives to the basket against Northern Colorado, Jan. 31 Rhianna Kahley| NAU Athletics

just three home games over the course of 44 days from Dec. 17, 2021 to Jan. 30.

While the length of time away from home is certainly of concern, it is the timing of long stretches on the road that makes them even more concerning. NAU had a home game against Southern Utah Jan. 8, the Saturday before the start of the spring semester.

The Lumberjacks didn’t have a game in Flagstaff until they were defeated by Northern Colorado, 61-49, Jan. 31 as NAU entered its fourth week of the semester.

Student-athletes already have to find a balance between their commitments to their team and the classes they need to graduate and remain eligible for NCAA sports. Now, add games that are postponed and rescheduled on a whim, players have to take that into account on top of living as college students.

“I think last year with everything being online it made that piece a little bit easier for travel,” Payne said. “This year with inperson classes they are really trying to balance that and it was tough having to be on the road for those first couple of weeks.

There was a lot of school that they missed. We try to give them a lot of time to study on the road as well. Being a student-athlete at this time is very challenging and it takes a lot of toughness, mental and physical.”

Payne laid out how travel occurred during the road trip.

After NAU’s first road game, in what became five in a row, the Lumberjacks encountered COVID-19 issues within its program for the second time this season. The team returned to Flagstaff and practiced with about seven players before hitting the road

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG

again.

By the time NAU returned to play against Montana State, much of the team had not yet played a full practice since exiting COVID-19 protocols.

Players have been hit with the brunt of the effects of the season rescheduling. Senior guard Lauren Orndoff discussed the struggles this season has provided.

“It’s been tough to be completely transparent, especially having taken last year off,” Orndoff said. “It’s been tough, and especially with COVID-19, everything is unpredictable so you kind of have to be on your toes all the time.”

Orndoff opted not to play at all last season due to the respiratory effects of COVID-19. In the middle of her sophomore season, Orndoff suffered from spontaneous pneumothorax, causing a collapsed lung.

This season, she returned to the court and was viewed as a key piece to this Lumberjack puzzle. Now with COVID-19 once again inserted into the season, Orndoff quickly became a player worth keeping an eye on.

“That’s kind of what we signed up for knowing that COVID-19 is a thing while we’re playing,” Orndoff said.

The NCAA granted players an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19’s effects last year, but as of now no provision for the same rule this year has been announced.

The personal lives of players, like in Orndoff’s case, have been drastically affected due to COVID-19’s resurgence paired with the very long road trips that NAU has in the Big Sky. Schools in the conference are anywhere as far as Washington and Montana

SPORTS

NAU women’s basketball mentally

NAU women’s basketball gathers in a huddle after the first quarter against Sacramento State, Feb. 3. Wes Salonen| NAU Athletics

— certainly quite the trek from Arizona.

Orndoff’s life is similar to many student-athletes who have a commitment to their teams and have to put them first.

“The time we got hit with COVID-19 this season was during Christmas time and unfortunately I have some high-risk people at home and I just didn’t want to risk it, especially with multiple people testing positive within our team,” Orndoff said.

Orndoff said she missed Christmas the year before as well due to COVID-19. While she was able to get gifts mailed to her, she said it was not the same as being with her family.

The physical toll this season has taken on Orndoff and her teammates certainly should not be understated, but the mental exhaustion that comes from having to constantly move games and be on the road for weeks on end can easily go unnoticed by observers.

“This season has been like no other that I’ve competed in,” Orndoff said. “Our schedule hasn’t played out like anyone thought it would. You prepare all summer and you prepare all preseason to be playing certain games at a certain time and to be traveling certain days. It not only sets you back mentally but physically, and also in the school sense as well. Missing classes you didn’t expect to miss and all that stuff wrapped into one can be pretty overwhelming.”

As a Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Award recipient the past three years, and a Big Sky All-Academic selection for the past two years, Orndoff has been able to work out a balance between school and sports.

On top of all that, there is still a social aspect of college that student-athletes have to weigh as well. With all the commitments players have, it can be hard to find time to simply unwind.

“On our off day I try, not in a mean way, I try not to see our team,” Orndoff said. “I just try to decompress by myself. I really try to take advantage of my alone time just because we are always around people and sometimes I’m not in the space to socialize and it can be hard because you kind of have to fake it in that environment.”

All student-athletes at NAU can get mental health services at any point.

Traditionally, Payne said she tries to give her players days off on Sundays, which can be difficult given that many Big Sky basketball games have been rescheduled to Mondays.

It’s a balancing act for players. Due to extended team travels, Orndoff said she was unable to attend class until week three of the semester. Moreover, she was only able to attend three of her in-person classes.

“I personally have tried my best to sign up for as many online classes as I can just knowing how busy we are,” Orndoff said. “If I do have a class in person, it depends on the professor if they’re willing to meet through Zoom or whatnot. I think those changes, like NAUFlex, have really helped us a lot.”

Virtual classrooms have allowed student-athletes to attend classes in forms that weren’t widely available before the pandemic.

Orndoff, who completed her bachelor’s degree in psychology and is working towards her masters degree in communication,

said she has had several professors that were previously student-athletes; they were therefore very understanding and accommodating to her situation.

The five-game road trip, paired with the team going through COVID-19 protocols a second time stunted the team’s growth for a while. In the first two games back from the trip, NAU struggled mightily against Northern Colorado and Portland State.

Players returning from quarantine was a major factor in the team getting back up to speed.

“We traveled that first week of the semester and then the second week a few of us, including myself, got COVID-19, so that put me out of class for a week as well as basketball,” Orndoff said. “Then that third week we also traveled.”

After lengthy travel days, Orndoff mentioned the team has to wake up extremely early the morning after a game just to catch a flight to its next destination and arrive with enough time to prepare for its next opponent. In some cases, the team has to wake up as early as 2 a.m.

As the season begins to reach its end, NAU’s schedule is starting to even out — all rescheduled games have already been played. The Lumberjacks will be amid a three-game homestand before hitting the road for three more games. The team will conclude the regular season with a pair of home games before traveling to Boise, Idaho for the 2022 Big Sky Basketball Championships from March 7-12.

FEB. 10, 2022 – FEB. 16, 2022 | THE LUMBERJACK

19

Illustration By Kaeyley Collins

20

THE LUMBERJACK | JACKCENTRAL.ORG