The Oakland Post 1.18.23

STUDENT TO

BIRTHDAY

PHOTO

Oakland

Olivia Chiappelli

EDITORIAL BOARD

Gabrielle Abdelmessih Editor-in-Chief gabdelmessih@oakland.edu

Tori Coker Content Editor toricoker@oakland.edu

Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Lindsey Sobkowski Photo Editor lsobkowski@oakland.edu

Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu

Arianna Heyman Features Editor aheyman@oakland.edu

Joe Zerilli Campus Editor jzerilli@oakland.edu

Bella Javier Arts Editor isabellajavier@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION

Sam Poudal Distribution Director spoudal@oakland.edu

Melanie Davis Distributor

ADVISING

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105

Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

Letter from the editor: To use ellipsis is to erase

GABRIELLE ABDELMESSIH

Editor-in-Chief

I can remember the moment down to the last detail: the hot Georgia sun reflecting off of the sky-blue water, the sound of history bellowing through an otherwise deafening silence, and a ubiquitous presence.

This was an autonomous place of reverence, carving space out of a bustling metropolis for reflection and appreciation.

I had never experienced anything like it.

In the summer of 2016, my family and I had the privilege of visiting the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent and Social Change in Atlanta, Georgia — the burial place of Dr. King and his wife, fellow civil rights leader Coretta Scott King.

We also visited the adjacent historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King and his father were once pastors. His famous speeches and sermons echoed through the pews.

It was a stop-you-in-your-tracks, take-yourbreath-away moment. It was history coming off of

the page, seeping into my eyes and ears. A history we as a nation recall every third Monday of January.

But are Dr. King’s words really remembered, or do we get the abridged version?

More often than not, we get the abridged.

You’ve probably seen posts on social media from politicians, businesses, and people in your community commemorating MLK Day.

Are the tributes a quote from Dr. King? Are the quotes just flat-out incorrect? Some paraphrased, more digestible (to some) version with an ellipsis?

More often than not, they are.

It is time we end the omission and recognize the radical truth of Dr. King’s words. It’s more difficult to twist the narrative and hide behind words when we truly look at his goal – when we truly look at his message in totality. In it, you find conscience calls for all of us and a roadmap to achieving true equity.

For every quote that you may see as you scroll through social media, I encourage you to use reputable resources and find out if the quote you are reading is indeed correct or lacking necessary context — to reflect on the message and its sender.

Are we living in the America Dr. King dreamed of? A call to serve others and to honor Dr. King’s legacy is apparent in our university in so many ways. Student leaders, scholars, organizations, and many more put in the work every day. Thank you for your service to our community.

As much as visiting The King Center was a forcible pause for my fifteen-year-old activist self, passionate about racial, ethnic, and gender equity, it was a call to action to serve others that I will do my best to honor.

As I’ve mentioned in a previous letter, words really do matter. Let us dwell upon the words and actions of Dr. King in the fullness of their meaning.

The Post will also be covering the Keeper of the Dream Scholarship Awards Celebration and MLK Day of Service.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Washington D.C. — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressing the crowds surrounding Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington.

BOT suspends formal considerations for East Campus development

JOE ZERILLI

Campus Editor

The Board of Trustees (BOT) came to a decision to cease formal considerations of potential development options for the corner of Walton Boulevard and Adams Road. This decision became public on Jan. 9 in an email sent to the Oakland University community.

The email read as follows:

“Having explored potential opportunities to develop land at the corner of Walton Boulevard and Adams Road and thereby generate additional revenue to support the university, OU Board of Trustees Chair Bobby Schostak has announced that effective Friday, January 6, 2023, the university has suspended formal consideration of development options.

“The Board and university leaders engaged students, faculty, staff and many other campus stakeholders in a thoughtful, collaborative and deliberative consideration process over the last year.

“‘Proceeding with a project at this time is not in the university’s best interests due to the current economic environment and the need for more direct mission alignment,’ Schostak said.

“‘The Board deeply appreciates the considerable time and effort undertaken to explore this potential revenue generating opportunity, as well as the insightful campus community feedback provided throughout the process.’”

The process of finding potential development of East Campus was led by Mike Westfall, vice president of university advancement. He said the process overall was a “very positive experience” and his biggest takeaway was engaging with more people and building relationships.

“What I was given responsibility for was to manage the process and do it to the best of my ability and folks were fantastic throughout; passionate, spirited and very committed, which I respect,” Westfall said.

A market study was completed in early 2021, which garnered some ideas for the potential land development. Some of the markets found in the study were for multi-family housing, hotel/hospitality and an indoor performing arts center.

Over the past year, there have been plenty of opinions shared regarding the development. The Oakland Post received numerous letters from community members in opposition to the development, as well as a petition against the development and a protest during a sustainability rally.

The latest on the development prior to this announcement was during the Dec. 5 BOT meeting where two community members commented on East Campus, as well as Schostak.

It is unknown if there will be future considerations later down the road, but based on the statement, the board did not feel it was the right time.

Westfall said a goal of his was to find out why past attempts at this project did not happen. He also said one of his, the board’s and the president’s main focuses was to be transparent and inclusive.

“If there’s one legacy to this for me personally, it’s that future processes — whether it’s this or other things that impact the campus — hopefully, they will follow closely the process that we did in order to get to this decision,” Westfall said, “because, no matter the decision, I think that folks have felt engaged and involved and I’ve gotten that feedback from many, many people throughout, which I appreciate.”

OU is still tasked with finding solutions to the long-term financial stability of the university, which is currently facing a $24 million budget shortfall, while tying in with its sustainable values.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Near term projects as seen in OU Executive Summary.

Winter GrizzFest returns after a one-year hiatus

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

The annual Oakland University Winter GrizzFest returned to OU’s campus on Jan. 10 and Jan. 11 to provide students an opportunity to discover a variety of resources and organizations available to them. The event took place in the Oakland Center, with dozens of tables lining the main floor hallways and the Habitat.

Representatives from various student organizations handed out flyers and freebies to passing students. Some groups in attendance included Rubik’s Cube Club, Best Buddies OU and the Costume Cosplay Club.

Jonathan Karn, vice president of the Rubik’s Cube Club at OU (RCCOU), assisted in the creation of the group this past year. After realizing that others shared his interest in cubing, Karn worked with the cubers to begin hosting regular weekly meetings each Friday.

“Before I met Jonathon Esbri, I thought I was the fastest cuber named Jon at OU,” Karn said. “RCCOU has allowed me to meet individuals that share similar interests to my own.”

Several community organizations and campus departments were present at the event as well, including the Graham Health Center and OUCARES. At these booths, students were given resources for academic support, health and wellness information and community service opportunities.

Kelly Kalanquin, a representative for OUCARES, attended the event to share information about the program with students. OUCARES provides support services to those with disabilities through a variety of sporting activities and social programs.

“I especially love our Women’s Social Support group because it allows our female members to talk about their experiences in a judgment-free environment,” Kalanquin said. “As an OU Alumni, I am very proud to be involved with this incredible organization.”

OUCARES tabled next to Best Buddies OU, an organization that plans entertaining events and conducts 1:1 pairings for neurotypical college students and community members with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs).

Best Buddies has many events planned for the winter semester. On

Jan. 19, the group will host a free Baked Good BINGO event in the Collaboration Center of Hillcrest Hall from 5:30-7 p.m. to educate OU students about the disabled community and provide resources on campus for individuals with IDDs.

Many Club Sports teams attended GrizzFest as well to promote what

they have to offer students. Some teams in attendance included the Running Club, Men’s Lacrosse and the Ballroom & Latin Dance Club.

Adam Scarchilli, vice president of the Ballroom & Latin Dance Club, attended GrizzFest to educate students about the sport he has fallen in love with. Regardless of their experience or skill level, Scarchilli recommends that students try out the Ballroom & Latin Dance Club at least once.

“Ballroom & Latin Dance Club is an incredibly fun group of individuals of all skill levels,” Scarchilli said. “We practice regularly, host showcase events and also attend competitions throughout the year.”

In order to find more information about student organizations and resources on campus, students can visit GrizzOrgs. To learn more about Club Sports on campus, students can visit the RecWell portal.

SPB’s GrizzHunt II follows up successful fall event

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

After gaining widespread participation amongst the Oakland University student body this past fall semester, Student Program Board (SPB)’s GrizzHunt is returning for a second time this winter.

The competition — officially titled GrizzHunt II: The Grizz Wars — will be held from Jan. 16-Jan. 24. Throughout the duration of the event, students will complete daily tasks in order to earn points while working as either an individual or on a team.

“When SPB decided to put on GrizzHunt last semester, we had no idea what we were getting into,” SPB Treasurer Cameron Roach said. “We had many students participate in the event and received tons of positive feedback.”

Due to the widespread engagement of students during the fall semester’s edition of GrizzHunt, SPB decided to bring the competition back for the winter — with a few minor modifications. The core concepts of the game are still present, but the members of SPB have created new challenges,

modified the event procedures and raised the prize values.

“Last GrizzHunt, we had over 100 teams join in less than 36 hours, and SPB received approximately 6,000 challenge submissions,” Roach said. “For GrizzHunt II, we will be able to accommodate more players.”

Similar to the last GrizzHunt, players will be tasked with visiting landmarks, attending events, solving riddles and answering trivia questions. However, rather than releasing all of the challenges at the beginning of the week, SPB will be releasing new challenges each day.

“We decided to send out the challenges daily for GrizzHunt II in order to add more excitement of the event,” Roach said. “Additionally, we have increased the number of oncampus challenges to accommodate individuals who do not have the means to leave campus.”

Another way GrizzHunt II differs from the previous competition is the prize values and designation of winners. For GrizzHunt II, the top three teams and top individual player — based on total points earned — will win monetary prizes, redeemable for physical items within SPB’s prize catalog.

“Since last GrizzHunt, the prize values have gone up,” Roach said. “The first place team will win $500, with second and third place teams winning $375 and $300, respectively. The first place individual will win $200.”

Winning students can use their money to shop from a prize catalog featuring Amazon products and OU bookstore favorites. Some examples of prizes include OU apparel, AirPods, a Bluetooth speaker and a giant beanbag.

“SPB is very excited for GrizzHunt II. Everyone on the team has put in a lot of work to make this event possible,” Roach said. “I am especially appreciative of Operation Staff Member Joey Z. for his hard work in creating challenges over Winter Break.”

Besides GrizzHunt II, SPB has several exciting events planned for the month of January. On Jan. 19, the organization will be hosting Mental Health Speaker, featuring Patrick McIntyre from 7-8 p.m. in the Oakland Center Gold Ballrooms.

SPB will also host a General Member Meeting and Board Game Night on Jan. 23 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Oakland Center.

PHOTO COURTESY OF @SPBOU

PHOTO COURTESY OF @OAKLANDU

OU community reacts to suspended East Campus development plans

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

East Campus Development has been a hot topic on campus for the past several months. On Monday, Jan. 9, an email was released with a statement from the Board of Trustees (BOT) on the project’s suspension.

From the moment this project was announced, the BOT has been swarmed with backlash from many OU students and staff. Many of the university’s organizations have collectively made an effort to urge the BOT to stop the project, raising concerns about sustainability and safety.

Between statements and petitions, many campus organizations have been very outspoken about the controversial development project. In addition, several students wrote letters to the editor about their concerns.

“The cancellation came by suddenly and surprisingly, but I was overjoyed when I found out it was canceled,” Maris Ferguson, who wrote a letter to the editor in November about the project, said. “It gave me so much hope for the future of OU and our planet. It was a rewarding experience knowing that our voices have power, and we made true impactful change at this magnitude.”

Professor Alan Epstein, a member of The Campus Alliance for Sustainability and the Environment (CASE-OU), commended the efforts of the OU community regarding the project, calling the cancellation announcement from the BOT, “a source of joy and a relief.”

“It was also understood to be the product of a remarkable collaboration in which students played a pivotal role, demonstrating informed, creative engagement and an impassioned defense of their university,” Epstein said. “In as much as the Board’s statement specified a suspension of ‘formal consideration of development options’ at this time, CASE, students and the university community understand that additional projects may be proposed in the future. Should this transpire, CASE is hopeful that they will be supportable.”

Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC)’s Director of Sustainability Chiara Nava expressed similar relief for the suspension of development plans.

“It was great to see how many people came together to voice their opinion against the project,” Nava said. “I’m glad that faculty and the students were given the chance to work together to voice their disapproval.”

In a statement released following Monday’s BOT announcement, OUSC — who introduced a petition against East Campus development plans last October — commended the unified efforts of those opposed to the development plans who banded together over the past several months.

“We are overjoyed to see that the OU administration eventually listened to the community and did the right thing,” OUSC’s statement said. “The cancellation of this project stands as a testament to the power of a community when we stand united.”

“I think we were all just thrilled. I think we were grateful that the project was suspended and the BOT listened to the voices of the community,”

Amy Pollard, executive director of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), said. “We were a little surprised, but very happily surprised. It was really nice to see the OU community sort of, in mass, come together to reject the premise behind why we needed this East Campus Development.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY A copy of the map from their long term vision plan, in the Executive Summary PDF located on the website.

From alumnus to school board trustee: Dontae Walker wins local election

AUTUMN OKUSZKA

Features Reporter

When Oakland University senior Dontae Walker graduated as valedictorian from Mount Clemens High School in 2019, he vowed that he would one day return to help out. He kept his promise three years later after winning the election for Mount Clemens Community School Board Trustee this past November.

Walker grew up in Mount Clemens Community Schools and remembers it as a fun experience. The district is small, which molded an environment where everyone knew one another.

“I really got to know the teachers, because it was easier to connect with the teachers and administration,” Walker said. “I really grew up with it, feeling like the teachers and the staff really had our back and really wanted us to succeed.”

Walker’s motivation to run for school board trustee dates back to his senior year of high school, when the board decided to not renew his principal’s contract — inspiring a protest.

“He was a black man, ex-military,” he said. “That was when we [protested] right after our school board meeting, because we loved to have him in the school building.”

Walker knew if he was going to make a change, he had to do it from the inside. He announced his candidacy for school board trustee in summer 2022, making campaign promises that included building a stronger relationship with the Mount Clemens community, higher student graduation rates and introducing new extracurricular classes to schools in the district.

Walker spread word of his campaign both virtually and in-person, creating a Facebook page and going door-to-door to garner votes. He believes the latter

sincerely helped his candidacy.

“Going door-to-door worked very well for us, because we were kind of the only people who really went door-to-door,” Walker said. “We knew that [the] other people we were up against were actually not knocking [on] doors.”

On election day, Walker went from precinct to precinct in hopes of influencing voters one last time, addressing the problems the Mount Clemens Community School District faced and how he planned to fix them.

“I felt a little nervous, because it was my first time actually running for something,” he said, “but I was very excited to get to the polls. It was great to get out there and go to every single precinct.”

As the polls closed and the anticipation for the results of the election set in, Walker’s fate was in the hands of those who had casted their votes. When the outcome was revealed the following day, Walker was floored.

“I was very excited, because I did not realize that I had gotten the most votes of all the candidates,” Walker said. “I was surprised and also felt really great that I’ll be able to take this opportunity to help out the students.”

Walker was officially sworn in on Nov. 28, 2022, and his work as a school board trustee began soon after. His campaign promises are becoming a reality, as Walker was once a student in the Mount Clemens Community School District and now has a seat at the table.

“It was really a surreal experience of seeing myself going from my valedictorian speech and now being inducted into the school board that I did participate in a protest against,” he said. “I’ll be in the inside at the board table to really create some change.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANTAE WALKER Dontae Walker being sworn in as Mount Clemens Community School Board Trustee on Nov. 28, 2022.

OU defeats Wright State, finishes four-game home stand with

3-1 record

The Golden Grizzlies women’s basketball team was a fun squad to watch defending home court on Sunday, Jan. 15 in their game against Wright State.

Brooke Quarles-Daniels was incredible, scoring a gamehigh 17 points. She was doing it all, making everything look so effortless. A true point guard, indeed.

This team is so good at anticipating the ball. When the Raiders found themselves getting into the groove of things, Aaliyah McQueen would put a stop to this, with a fast break layup off a steal. Great defense and quality offense done by her.

Senior leader Breanne Beatty is such a valuable piece to this team. With no hesitation, she will nail the 3-pointer coming straight into the second quarter.

Kennedie Montue was active on the defensive side, forcing a Wright State turnover. She also contributed 10 points, going 2-6 from the 3-point line.

The Raiders had to regroup. Wright State’s Cara VanKempen eventually tied the game at 36, but Miriam Ibezim answered with a great front, sealing her defender and putting it right up. An assist to Johnson was added to the stat sheet.

Big time block by the defensive stud Beatty wrapped up the third quarter, denying Wright State’s 3-point attempt. Beatty continued to prove why she is the best defender out there.

Not only did Beatty end the third quarter — she also opened up the fourth with a bucket that put them up five.

It was a one possession game with 6:50 to play after a left-handed layup by Wright State.

A tough behind the back move by Quarles-Daniels allowed her to split the defense to find Alexis Johnson in the post, and from there she went to work. Her post moves are very efficient, and she ended the game with 11 points.

Wright State’s Makiya Miller stole the ball, getting to the basket and scoring a wide open layup to give the team their first lead at 64-63.

Linda Van Schaik came alive in the fourth quarter with

back-to-back shots. She played well on both ends of the floor, drawing an offensive foul that sent her to the line for two free throws. She connected both, which was huge.

With 20 seconds left and Oakland up three at 71-68, the Raiders attempted a 3-pointer, but it was no good. Wright State kept it close but it just wasn’t enough, falling short to the Grizzlies by five.

It was a hard fought victory for the Golden Grizzlies, closing out a 68-73 game.

Up next, the Grizzlies will head to Calihan Hall to face their rivals, the Titans of the University of Detroit Mercy on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m.

STORY BY SUMMER WEATHERS | PHOTOS BY GARRETT FORREST | DESIGN BY MELISSA WALTERS

Discover Your Path event provides early knowledge to new students

REPORTER NAME

Joe Zerilli

Career Services and the First Year Advising Center (FYAC) collaborated in hosting “Discover Your Path” on Jan. 11. The event featured drop-in advising at FYAC as well as headshots and resume stations at Career Services, while both offered free prizes for students.

The two resources, which are now next to one another in North Foundation Hall, put on the event to help students with either finding their next career and even beginning their professional journey at Oakland University.

Kate Genord, communication coordinator for FYAC, said the event helps those who may not know where they are or how to handle questions.

“Sometimes it’s hard, if students have a question, to go into an office,” Genord said, “so just being out where students are, they’re more likely to ask the question if they have questions. They can just get a quick answer, and we’re more than happy to help.”

Genord said FYAC wants students to know they can come in whenever they need to, as there is no limit to how often they can visit an adviser. She also encourages students to ask lots of questions and utilize the resources available to them, such as the Gender and Sexuality Center, Center for Multicultural Initiatives and the Academic Success Center.

On the Career Services side, they had the aforementioned headshots and resume stations while also offering general career exploration

help and a resume workshop.

Career Ambassador Sama Joseph said Career Services wants students to find the environment relaxing — a place where they start their career path.

“It’s a process, and we start them with, ‘let’s sit down and see what jobs you are interested in, and then we can move on to working on the resume and cover letter and then actually applying for the job,’ and then preparing them for interviews,” Joseph said.

In addition to services already mentioned, Joseph said an underutilized part of Career Services would be the mock interviews. In addition to helping students prepare to ace general career interviews, the team can also gear the prep toward medical school and graduate school interviews.

Joseph recommends students start as early as possible in their career journey — whether that mean seeking resume help or finding possible employers.

“We always encourage freshmen [or sophomores] to start coming as early as possible, because it’s always better to have those opportunities early on and build that connection so that once they graduate, they already have that experience and that knowledge and they know more people in that field to make their lives way easier when applying [for] their jobs and their careers,” she said.

Career Services has multiple events coming up in the next month, two of which are in collaboration with Rocket Companies. All these events can be found on Handshake or on the Career Services website.

The first event coming up is an imposter syndrome panel featuring Rocket Companies as well as OU faculty and staff which will take place

in the Habitat on Jan. 25 from 12-1:30 p.m. The other event sponsored by Rocket Companies is a networking mixer discussing inclusive workplaces, and it will be held in the Habitat, as well, on Feb. 15 from 4:30-6 p.m.

The other big event Career Services has planned is the Winter Career Fair, which will be held in the Oakland Center banquet rooms and ballrooms on Feb. 8 from 12-3 p.m. The fair will welcome multiple companies and prefers students don professional dress, as well as bringing along resumes.

“We’re encouraging students to go to the career fair and start talking to those employers in person,” Joseph said. “So they could just go and see what’s out there, start talking to employers and show their interest that they want to apply in the future.”

Directly after the fair, there will be on-site interviews from 3-5 p.m.

For anyone interested in becoming a Career Ambassador at Career Services, applications are due Feb. 22 at 8 a.m. with interviews starting in March.

Pelé: A month without the soccer legend

LETICIA CEZÁRIO SANTOS

Marketing Director

For soccer lovers, the last few months have been filled with emotions. First, the FIFA World Cup — which was possibly the last championship for Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi — and most recently, the death of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known by his nickname Pelé.

The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 puts many players in emphasis. With this, their story and soccer history in their countries also come to light.

Brazil was given the highest chance of winning the 2022 World Cup ahead of the tournament. The team has also won the most World Cups of any country, and is the only country to have played at every World Cup. This reputation and passion for soccer in Brazil started with Pelé — a Brazilian professional soccer player who played as a forward.

Any true soccer fan has heard of Brazil’s team and, consequently, of Pelé. He is known worldwide for his talent in the field that started early in his life and revolutionized the sport forever.

“To watch him play was to watch the delight of a child combined with the extraordinary grace of a man in full,” Nelson Mandela said to FIFA.

After a long and meaningful life, the soccer world came to a stop on Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, when Pelé died at the age of 82 in São Paulo, Brazil.

“The Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo said the cause was multiple organ failure, the result of the progression of colon cancer,” Lawrie Mifflin said in The New York Times.

Many news outlets wrote about Pelé’s death, including The NY Times, The Washington Post, CNN, ESPN, BBC, The Guardian, NPR, AP News and others.

Here are some highlights of Pelé’s life: He was included on Time’s list of the 100 most important people of the 20th century in the Icons

category of 1999. The same list includes names like Rosa Parks, Mother Teresa and the Kennedys.

In 2000, Pelé was voted World Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS).

He was one of the two joint winners of the FIFA Player of the Century recognition.

Pelé was recognized two times as a Guinness World Recordist: once for scoring 1,283 goals across his international career, and again for being the only player in the history of the game to win three World Cup medals.

Pelé was appointed UNESCO Champion for Sport in April 1994 because of his outstanding commitment to promoting the sport and helping disadvantaged children.

“I was born to play football, just like Beethoven was born to write music and Michelangelo was born to paint,” Pelé famously said.

There is much to say, read and watch about this legendary athlete. Among many articles published, Netflix launched a documentary about the “soccer king.”

“I think it will be, always, the beautiful game,” Pelé said about soccer in 2011.

When a legacy becomes as significant as Pelé’s did, it lives forever in others.

Students reflect on virtual learning

AUTUMN OKUSZKA

Features Reporter

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the concept of “virtual learning” was hardly mainstream. Today, it is a practice that most households have heard of, and a method of schooling that has become embedded in Oakland University’s culture.

According to a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, 84% of undergraduates in the United States had some or all of their classes moved to online-only instruction at the beginning of the pandemic.

While weekly cases of COVID-19 are decreasing nationally, OU’s current winter semester offers over 600 virtual courses — proving that virtual learning has become a staple that likely won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

Junior Isha Dwivedi admires how flexible virtual learning is, as she can wake up and jump right into a lecture.

“I’ll just be in bed,” Dwivedi said. “If I have an 8 a.m. class, I’ll wake up at 7:50 and it takes about 10 minutes [to get ready]. It’s just really flexible — I love that.”

Like Dwivedi, senior Jewel Gorospe is also a fan of virtual learning and how she is able to learn from the comfort of her bed.

“[I enjoy] being comfy at home,” Gorospe said. “I can just get up and be in my bed [to] attend my classes.”

While Dwivedi and Gorospe enjoy the flexibility virtual learning offers, graduate student John

Snyder cites virtual learning’s convenience as his favorite aspect.

“[I enjoy] the convenience of being able to learn from home,” Snyder said. “I think that’s a big, big factor for [enjoying] virtual learning.”

Senior Adam Lehnert likes how virtual lectures can be revisited through video recordings that are shared on platforms such as Moodle, unlike inperson lectures.

“I like that the lectures are recorded so I can refer back to them,” Lehnert said.

Similarly, senior Sarah Babijaew is partial to virtual learning because it allows her to maneuver through her courses in any way she pleases.

“I like when Moodle has all the PowerPoints and all the information put out,” Babijaew said. “I can kind of go my own pace and instead of going in order, I can jump around, which is really nice because I might think differently than other people.”

Rather than having to attend an in-person lecture at a set time, graduate student Nikita Patel is pleased that virtual learning lets her mold her own schedule.

“[I enjoy] being able to create my own schedule and learning on my own time,” Patel said.

Virtual learning can also ease the anxiety that one might feel from an in-person classroom setting. Freshman Jenetta Justes feels relief that virtual lectures ensure that she will be heard when asking a question.

“I can just unmute and ask a question directly,” Justes said. “In a classroom, people might not hear me.”

She also appreciates that friendships have the

ability to blossom virtually, even without face-toface interaction.

“It’s not just in-person relationships that are possible, but also online [and] over a distance, so that’s really nice,” Justes said.

The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted college students across the world in more ways than one. It has also led to the success of tools such as virtual learning that can aid a student as they follow their journey to becoming a college graduate.

Alberto Ferreira — Bicicleta de Pelé, Maracanã, 1965

PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOOM BLOG.

SPB screens ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ in the Habitat

JOSEPH GORAL

Contributor

Oakland University’s Student Program Board (SPB) held a screening of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” on Friday, Jan. 13 from 8-10:30 p.m. in the Oakland Center’s Habitat space.

Over 100 students greeted SPB members as they entered the Habitat and encountered a table stocked with free-to-take keychains, bracelets, stress toys and fliers for future SPB events. The SPB provided free food for all attending the event, presenting a breakfast-themed spread including pancakes, muffins, potatoes, french toast and hot chocolate.

“We wanted to offer food to students because we know college can be expensive, so being able to offer dinner is nice,” SPB Operations Staff Member Brinkley Drews said. “Most of our events we do are free, and that’s just to get students involved.”

Before the movie began, Drews thanked everyone for coming, encouraged students to attend future SPB events and told everyone to enjoy the show.

“It was nice being in this environment

with Oakland students, because it’s more of an open space where we can react the way we want to compared to being in a movie theater,” student LaTaijah Ford said.

Students could come and go as they pleased, and SPB members stayed at the Habitat’s entrance to greet any students who arrived while the movie was playing. Attendees quietly commented on the film’s key moments with their friends and laughed at the jokes told throughout the movie.

“You also get different perspectives — [for example], the girl that was sitting next to me was so funny,” Ford said. “I just really like SPB events. You really get to know people, and it’s just a good time.”

The movie — starring Letitia Wright and Dominique Thorne — was well-received among students such asArianna Thompson, who used the night as a chance to watch the movie with her friends after seeing it previously. She described “Black Panther” as “the best Marvel movie of all time,” adding that the night was a lot of fun.

Alaya Freeman, another student who accompanied Thompson and Ford, agreed with Thompson that

“it’s just nice to be around friends watching [the movie.]”

Freeman, Thompson and Ford all said they plan on attending future SPB events.

More events SPB plans to host this semester include a Mental Health Fair and Speaker on Jan. 19, a dodgeball tournament on Feb. 3 and Casino Night on Feb. 4. The organization also presents “Hump Day” programming each Wednesday, where students can receive freebies each week at a different time and location.

Students can text @SPBOU to 81010 for more information on Hump Days, and visit GrizzOrgs for more information on future events sponsored by SPB and other OU organizations.

Republicans officially take control of the U.S. House of Represe ntatives

ARIANNA HEYMAN Features Editor

After numerous failed attempts at confirming a Republican Majority Leader, Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., was sworn in as Speaker of the House on Jan. 7. 2023 — and the 118th congress commenced.

The swearing in was delayed by four days after much contention in the Republican party. House Republicans were unable to come to a consensus on who should be the speaker, and therefore incumbent and newly elected representatives were unable to take the oath of office.

The delay was caused by a small faction of Republicans who refused to vote for McCarthy as speaker. Instead, they rallied behind Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.

“House Dems will continue to put people over politics,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said in a tweet condemning the Republican party’s infighting. “Republicans are putting politics over the people. And so America lacks a fully formed Congress for the first time in 100 years.”

President Joe Biden also denounced the discord, calling the failure to elect McCarthy “embarrassing,” but “not my problem.”

“The rest of the world is looking,” Biden added.

The inability to confirm McCarthy was the first time in a century that the house failed to elect a speaker on the first ballot. The last time this occurred was in 1923 with the confirmation of Frederick H. Gillett of Massachusetts, when it took nine ballots to confirm the speaker.

For McCarthy, it took 15 rounds of voting, but at 1:30 a.m. EST, he was finally confirmed and received the speaker’s gavel.

During his remarks, McCarthy asserted his goals and responsibilities as speaker, stating that his ultimate responsibility was not to his party, but his country. He also detailed his party’s plans to cut the national debt, low gas prices and hold government accountable.

“Our system is built on checks and balances — it’s time for us to be the check and provide some balance to the President’s policies,” McCarthy said. “There is nothing more important than making it possible for American families to live and enjoy the lives

they deserve.”

McCarthy also stressed the importance of “fighting” for the country and recognizing that it is a nation worth fighting for.

“Our nation is worth fighting for. Our rights are worth fighting for. Our dreams are worth fighting for. Our future is worth fighting for,” he said.

Following McCarthy’s remarks, Biden released a congratulatory statement and reaffirmed his commitment to work with Republicans.

“Jill and I congratulate Kevin McCarthy on his election as Speaker of the House,” Biden said. “The American people expect their leaders to govern in a way that puts their needs above all else, and that is what we need to do now.”

“As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can, and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well,” Biden continued. “Now that the leadership of the House of Representatives has been decided, it is time for that process to begin.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF WIN MCNAME Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy receives gavel.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISNEY

Meadow Brook Theatre presents ‘Birthday Club’

BELLA JAVIER Arts Editor

The gender distribution of playwrights is extremely disproportionate. As of the 2016-17 season, 75.4 percent of all plays written were by men, according to the Asian American Performers Action Coalition.

While women play a game of catch up against historical disparity, men are writing their stories – one being Meadow Brook Theatre’s (MBT) first show of the new year, “Birthday Club” by Phil Olson.

The story is a relatively simple one: five women make it a tradition to gather and celebrate each other’s birthdays. Throughout the show we see these women grow through their own personal issues with the love and support of her friends. The question I can’t help but shake is whether this story — one of the unspoken kinship among women — is properly communicated when written through the lens of a man.

MBT’s “Birthday Club” cast and production team caught onto this dilemma and did what they could to keep the story authentic to the voices of real women, as opposed to stereotypical female caricatures.

“Amongst the five women in the play, we have found bits and pieces where we said, ‘Okay, this isn’t exactly a female point of view.’ You can kind of feel that,” Debbie Williams, who portrayed the role of Emily, said. “But, we’re all very experienced actors and so we can bring our own womanly spin, if you will, to the words that don’t quite fit our vernacular.”

It’s not only the cast who help make the story ring true to the feminine experience, but the production team who encouraged open conversation about the

more questionable moments in the script.

“There have been many times when what was written on the page brought up discussion about how we as women would do it, how we would frame it and what feels natural to us, as opposed to how things are done in the script,” Sara Kmiec, who played Sarah, said.

I thought it was obvious in the show where the writing fell short of the nature of women, but that’s where I felt the talent and direction saved it. When you watch these actresses work on stage, they are believable depictions of women, despite what their character might look like on paper.

“It’s been a journey taking what he’s written and really grounding it as a cast of women,” Kmiec said. “[The cast discussed] the differences between how we as women would react versus what was initially on the page, and I think — without changing the dialogue —

made it into a very realistic thing.”

Williams admitted that this show was a challenge from an actor’s perspective. It came down to a balance between comedy and truth; it was this practice that helped in keeping the show from feeling like a misrepresentation of women of all kinds.

“You have to find truth even in a comedic, silly, slapstick-y character that’s been blown out of proportion for laughs,” Williams said. “You have to find that truth and it is there, it’s written in. I think that was our job: to look past all the funny and find why this woman is here. [...] Each character has an arc in that way that allows us to connect to what we really believe women are all about.”

While the actresses did a phenomenal job in keeping the show genuine and truthful, there’s still the issue of the male perspective it’s ultimately written from. While I find it controversial, I think that it allows for a healthy conversation about how women are perceived in literature (whether it’s a proper representation or not).

“One of us said it wasn’t his story to write, which is kind of true, but at [the show’s] core I think it really does try to capture and celebrate women supporting women,” Kmiec said.

“Birthday Club” tickets range from $37 to $46 and are available by calling the MBT box office at 248-377330 or purchasing online at www.ticketmaster.com. Student discounts are available at the box office.

Special Ticket Discount: If your birthday falls between Jan 11 and Feb 5, enjoy 1 free ticket to “Birthday Club” with valid proof of your date of birth. All other members of your party are eligible for 20% off tickets. Call the box office to redeem this special birthday discount.

The Golden Globes 2023: A look through fashion

D’JUANNA LESTER

Arts Reporter

This year’s Golden Globe Awards took place last Tuesday, Jan. 10, so naturally I have to comment on the red carpet hits and misses delivered to us by this year’s awards season mix of celebrities.

Unlike most years, I actually was not stalking Twitter for real time updates of the award ceremony’s red carpet arrivals, but I did have the advantage of getting to see who really stood out with their sartorial choices by the night’s end.

Let’s start with the best of the night. The first look that stuck out to me was Jessica Chastain in Oscar de la Renta Pre-Fall 2023. The crystal spider weblike dress had been a popular topic of discussion for all fashion devotees on Twitter for weeks, with guesses about which celebrity would be the first to give the dress life — and Chastain did just that.

Hannah Einbinder delivered perfect old Hollywood glam with a Carolina Herrera Pre-Fall 2023 gown with a flouncy, upside down, tuliplike skirt. To be honest, the look first stood out to me because it was virtually the only dress on the carpet that night that wasn’t horribly wrinkled — share the steamer!

Michelle Yeoh was my personal winner of the night in Armani Privé’s Fall 2022 Haute Couture collection. “Pétillant” — a term usually reserved for sparkling wine — was the touchstone for the designer’s collection, which felt very appropriate

in the case of Yeoh’s sparkling, midnight blue sequined dress, topped with a playfully effervescent layered silhouette.

The last person that I feel is deserving of a shout out is — surprisingly — Eddie Redmayne. Not a man usually known for his red carpet choices, but once I saw him on this night, I could sense a shift.

Redmayne’s monochromatic brown Valentino look — complete with an oversized silk brooch — felt very reminiscent of a Gucci look Harry Styles wore to the Toronto International Film Festival last year, and upon further research I discovered that they now share a stylist. It’s not the same as it was for Eddie (I could not resist).

Now for the worst of the night — these were just exceptionally bad. First up is Heidi Klum in the worst Dancing With The Stars costume you have ever seen by Germanier. It was asymmetrical and sheer and feathery and sparkly in all the worst ways. I honestly do not know why she wore that to the Golden Globes.

And finally, Margot Robbie. I should have known that the taste of freedom felt from her new Bottega Veneta street style was too good to be true, because judging by this red carpet look, it is clear that Robbie is still under the claws of that Chanel contract. Everything just feels off about this look, from the too-short proportions to the way her 2013-esque chevron stripes look like they got shredded by cats toward the bottom. Let this woman go, Chanel!

And that’s a wrap! I could go on, but it would be

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEADOW BROOK THEATRE

really depressing to have to review TikTokers on the red carpet for the literal Golden Globes, and I am not going to do that to myself.

PHOTO COURTESY OF COSMOPOLITAN.COM Actress Michelle Yeoh stuns on the 2023 Golden Globes red carpet.

‘The Menu’: A deliciously dark full-course meal

OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Reporter

I was actually counting down the days until “The Menu” premiered on HBO Max so I could finally see Anya Taylor-Joy’s red hair in action.

Released a few short months after “Glass Onion” in a time where everyone is unabashedly starved for their next “Knives Out” fix, “The Menu” is a delicious mix of horror and comedy.

The film follows a young couple — mysterious Margot (Taylor-Joy) and food devotee Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) — as they travel to a remote, private island for an exclusive dinner at celebrity chef Julian Slowik’s (Ralph Fiennes) restaurant.

With them travels a motley crew made up of arrogant food critics, wealthy restaurant regulars, washedup movie stars, crooked business partners and tired assistants. Everything seems as ordinarily pretentious as you would assume it to be until it is revealed that Margot was not Tyler’s original guest for the evening, throwing an unforeseen wrench into Chef Slowik’s secret plan for that night’s menu.

I do not want to spoil this movie for you all as it was a thoroughly enjoyable ride, but I will say that I think this is the first movie where I assumed there was going to be cannibalism depicted because of the trailer and was genuinely surprised that there wasn’t in the final cut —

a testament to the film’s creativity. Another cannibal movie this year after Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All” would have definitely oversaturated the market for whoever wants to see that, so I applaud the choice.

Another perfect choice “The Menu” made was casting Hoult as the selfishly deceitful, obsequious fan to Fiennes’ “food god,” and after seeing how Hoult is two for two in his perfect portrayal of frustratingly narcissistic, petulant little men after “The Great,” I think he has found his niche.

“The Menu” is an allegory in the most literal sense of the word, and is almost better when it leans fully into that directness. It is a film about the loss of one’s passion for their craft, the commercialization of what once was one’s source of joy and the exploitation of artisans by the ultra rich who consume their creations as a type of currency symbolizing status.

While these themes could have been explored in a more implied way, what I think “The Menu” did right was ending the film as ridiculously on the nose as it could with an amusingly camp final course to an amazingly tension-building tasting menu.

On a side note: finally seeing the scene behind TaylorJoy’s viral feminine rage interview was as satisfying as you could imagine, and could stand on its own as the only reason to see this movie.

Rating: 5/5

is an unbelievable read

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

Prior to its Jan. 3 debut, “Unseelie,” had been on my To Be Read (TBR) list ever since I heard about it. This epic fantasy novel by debut author Ivelisse Housman had me hooked from beginning to end.

“A Young Adult (YA) Fantasy that follows the adventures of changeling Seelie and her human twin as they embark upon the heist of a lifetime for a mystery legacy,” reads the synopsis on Housman’s website. “As they evade capture by both human and fae forces, Seelie discovers more about her own autistic identity, her magical powers and love along the way.”

First off, a fantasy book with an autistic main character? Epic. Writing neurodivergence in fantasy has been a hot topic when discussing diversity in the genre.

Coding characters without outright saying if the character is autistic or has some other neurodivergence is how it’s normally done. Authors typically verify any speculation about the character’s identity following the initial debates among fans.

Housman takes it a step further by exploring how autism fits into the Norse Mythology of changelings. According to Norse Mythology, autism is associated with changelings who were switched at birth with humans. One of my favorite parts about Housman’s writing is how she depicts changelings and ableism in this world — which rang true to real world ableism, even though it’s taking place in a fantasy world.

Chapter eight hit especially hard — I remember having to close the book to process what I just read. Housman rips your heart out with her beautiful writing, this is in part due to how she makes her characters so complex and relatable – we see their insecurities and ambitions, especially Seelie’s.

Seelie is a character you want to root for. Her journey is emotional, fun and humorous.

Raze is a character that oozes charisma. Seelie’s sister Isolde reminds me of Inej Ghafa from “Six of Crows,” for some reason.

Reading about the bond of the core four was also something I enjoyed — the enemies-tofriends cycle of the group doesn’t feel like it’s forced or contrived. Everything about this group makes you want to see them succeed and their backstories really hone in on how interesting these characters are.

The world building in this book — wow. First off, making a magic system is difficult, especially with a cast of magical characters with differing magical capabilities. Despite how ambitious an endeavor it is for a writer, Housman nails this. Her worldbuilding makes this story feel easy to follow, even though it’s complex.

There’s so much to love about this book: from the world, to the characters to the magic. Seelie’s character arc makes the audience more invested in Unseelie. These characters aren’t perfect, and watching their growth gives the story a lot of depth.

Housman does such an amazing job of blending real world social topics and mythological creatures. The book tugs at your heart and brings readers on a fantastic journey. I recommend this book for

everyone who is a fan of YA Fantasy, enemies to lovers and a good heist story.

Rating: 5/5

PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC ZACHANOWICH

‘Unseelie’

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON

Golden Grizzlies catch fire in 69-65 win over Robert Morris

SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The Oakland University men’s basketball team started the new year on the blacktop with a big win against the Robert Morris Colonials.

Blake Lampman’s 3-point shooting was the story early. He had already scored nine of Oakland’s points.

It took Robert Morris nearly six minutes to get on the board. Rocket Watts had a nice hesitation move into a crossover pullup and one 3-pointer on the other end, completing the 4-point play.

Trey Townsend, who won’t give you just post work, has extended his game, banking the 3-pointer as well, adding an assist to Watts’ statline. The Grizzlies were doing damage behind the arc.

Robert Morris cut Oakland’s lead to one with five minutes left, at 25-24. RMU then took the lead off a 3-point foul, putting them on top in their first lead of the game after trailing by 14 at 17-3.

That didn’t seem to be an issue for Lampman, with back to back 3s that were nothing but net. He made five triples, ending the game with 18 points

— his second-highest point total all year.

Tremendous defense by the Grizzlies forced a Colonial turnover, giving Oakland possession and sending the Colonials into the locker room down three, 36-33.

Keaton Hervey had a ferocious dunk in the second half that got the arena hyped up, and the momentum

quickly went in Oakland’s favor. Hervey was also solid and aggressive on the defensive side, staying on the glass and getting those boards that came in clutch in those crunch time moments.

Robert Morris’ Kahliel Spear and Enoch Cheeks were the two players who put in huge amounts of effort to keep their team in it, but not enough against the unstoppable Townsend, who made three straight buckets in a row.

The second half was back and forth scoring between the two teams, but the Grizzlies tightened down defensively.

The Colonials fouled Townsend toward the end of the game, sending him to the line with 40 seconds left. He tied his career high with 30 points to close out the game with two free throws. It was a spectacular performance, marking his third 30-point game.

Oakland had a 6-0 run in the last 1:20. The Grizzlies were relentless and came out with a big win, 69-65. They will now look to apply that same pressure against IUPUI on Thursday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.

Brandon Rush’s performance too much to overcome, ends OU’s five-game winning streak

BROCK HEILIG

Sports Editor

The Oakland men’s basketball team lost its first game of the 2023 calendar year on Saturday, Jan. 14 when it fell to Youngstown State at home, 85-69.

Jalen Moore scored 20, but the outstanding performance of Youngstown State’s Brandon Rush was too much for the Golden Grizzlies to overcome. Rush had a 30-point afternoon on an incredible 1116 shooting, including 7-10 from beyond the arc.

Although it was on a five-game winning streak, Saturday’s game was extremely reminiscent to the non-conference games and early Horizon League games. Like it had in many games early on in the season, Oakland fell behind by a sizable margin quickly.

The Penguins opened up a 13-point lead over the Golden Grizzlies before 10 minutes had passed in the first half, and Oakland had set itself up to play from behind for the majority of the afternoon.

A Keaton Hervey 3-pointer cut the Youngstown State lead to five points with 7:50 to go in the first half, but the Penguins quickly retaliated and regained control of the game.

Youngstown State made four 3-pointers in the final six-and-a-half minutes of the first half as it opened up a 17-point lead over Oakland by halftime.

The Penguins shot an astounding 9-14 from deep in the first half, and that is certainly a winning recipe. Meanwhile, Oakland shot 3-9, which isn’t a terrible mark, but there was plenty of work to do as the teams prepared for the second half.

The Golden Grizzlies came out of halftime ready to put in that work. Blake Lampman and Moore each had dunks to open the second half, and their efforts were followed by a barrage of 3-pointers from Rocket Watts and Lampman to force a Youngstown State timeout.

Watts’ second 3-pointer cut the Penguin lead to seven points, but from then on the Rush show began. Rush scored 19 of his 30 points in the second half, and he nearly single-handedly kept Oakland from making a potential comeback.

All five of Oakland’s starters finished with at least nine points, but the Golden Grizzlies didn’t get a lot of help from the bench. Chris Conway and Osei Price scored four and three points, respectively, as the two were the only players to come off the bench and make scoring contributions.

Oakland will now look to get back on track as it hits the road. Next on the schedule is IUPUI on Thursday, Jan. 19 at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum.

Luckily for Oakland, the Jaguars are, without a question, the worst team in the conference.

IUPUI is 3-16 overall and 0-8 in the Horizon

League. Its three wins so far this season have come against Franklin College, Spalding University and Texas A&M-Commerce.

In their eight Horizon League games so far this season, the Jaguars have come within 10 points of their opponent only twice.

The matchup between the Golden Grizzlies and Jaguars is set to begin at 7 p.m on Thursday and it will air on ESPN+.

PHOTO BY MAGGIE WILLARD

The Oakland men’s basketball team in a huddle during a timeout against UM-Dearborn on Jan. 24.

PHOTO BY GRIZZ GANG’S WEBSITE

The Grizz Gang, OU’s student section, needs to show up at all sports — not just men’s basketball.