The Oakland Post 11.16.22

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIJON STIGGER

Oakland

Payton

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

Christopher Estrada Photo Editor cestrada@oakland.edu

Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu

Arianna Heyman Features Editor aheyman@oakland.edu

Gabby Gappy SciTech Editor gabriellegappy@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

Summer

OU hosts several events for Veterans Week

PAYTON BUCKI Campus Reporter

From Nov. 7-11, Oakland University hosted a variety of events for Veterans Week, providing a way for students to learn more about the experiences of veterans and celebrate their service.

The week kicked off on Nov. 7 with a “Mess Hall Monday” meal, provided by OU Veterans Support Services (VSS) in the Oakland Center (OC). VSS staff members dished out plates of eggs, hash browns and coffee to students.

At the event, which was free to the public, attendees were able to learn more about VSS and its role on OU’s campus. Students were also able to chat with OU veterans to learn about their experiences in the service.

On Nov. 8, community members were invited to join the Student Veterans of Oakland University (SVOU) on a one mile road march across campus. Attendees were encouraged to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry.

The SVOU also held a card making event on Nov. 9 in the Douglas Overlook Room of the OC. Participants were able to meet VSS staff while crafting cards for veterans living in the Michigan Veteran Home of Chesterfield.

On Nov. 10, SVOU hosted a bonfire for student veterans and their families. S’mores and refreshments were provided at the family-focused event for all attendees.

Veterans Appreciation Week concluded on Nov. 11 with a Veterans Recognition Luncheon and Military Appreciation Night at the OU Men’s Basketball Game.

At the luncheon, attendees listened to a speech from keynote speaker, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Douglas A. Merritt, Jr.

At the luncheon, numerous OU student veterans were awarded scholarships sponsored by Magna, the David N. Sokol Scholarship for Veterans and Northwestern Mutual/Wilshire Benefits Group. The scholarship winners were displayed on a wall within the OC, which noted the branch they served within the military.

“As a transfer student, I appreciate OU’s value of their students and staff, as it shows in their investments in quality professors, programs and infrastructure,” scholarship winner Buffie Magee said.

Magee, who served in the Navy, is currently a junior working toward her bachelor’s degree in social work. She said she believes OU is doing an excellent job of fostering a distinguished environment of acceptance, support and camaraderie.

“I enlisted in the Navy immediately after I graduated high school in 1999, and ended up serving for 20 years,” Magee said. “Being a part of the OU family and such a well-established organization continuously motivates me to excel academically, personally and professionally.”

After the luncheon, the veterans were given free tickets to the OU Men’s Basketball game against Bowling Green for Military Appreciation Night. At half-time, the veterans were given special recognition

for their service.

Students can find more information about Veterans Support Services at OU by visiting their website. In addition to Veterans Week, OU has recently been awarded Gold-level status on the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency’s 2022 list of veteran-friendly schools, the sixth consecutive year they have earned this distinction.

American Red Cross Club offers students free Narcan training

PAYTON BACKI Campus Reporter

On Nov. 10, the American Red Cross Club at Oakland University hosted a free, virtual Save a Life Narcan Training. This event was conducted to educate students about Narcan, a medication that can be used in response to opioid overdoses.

Steve Norris — the director of recovery, support and harm reduction at the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities — conducted the training. He explained the mission of the Alliance is to strengthen the community through education and prevention.

Norris began the training by educating students about the prevalence of drug overdoses. He referenced a statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which states over 100,000 drug overdose deaths happened in the U.S. this past year.

“Overdoses from opioids and synthetic opioids increased by thousands this past year,” Norris said.

In response to the growing opioid epidemic, Narcan has been proven to be an effective, lifesaving antidote for reversing opiate overdoses. It causes immediate withdrawal when used on an individual who has an opioid present in their system.

“In an overdose, opioid receptors are overloaded, which results in the slowing and then stopping of breathing,” Norris said. “Narcan reverses the effects of an overdose by knocking opioids from the receptors for a short period of time.”

Besides the uncomfortable experience of withdrawal, Narcan does not cause any psychoactive or addictive effects. Additionally, it will have no effect on an individual if an opiate is not present.

“Narcan is routinely used by EMS in situations of opioid overdoses,” Norris said.

Training attendees were also educated on the signs of opioid use. The main symptoms were identified as pinpoint pupils, drowsiness and alarming or unusual changes in behavior.

Another portion of the training discussed the most common overdose fatalities. Individuals who experience a decrease in tolerance after a period of abstinence are most at risk for overdose.

Furthermore, individuals that use high potency or long acting opiates have a high likelihood of experiencing overdose. It was also cautioned that the use of multiple types of drugs at once is an extremely dangerous practice that should be avoided.

All student attendees at the training were given a free Nasal Narcan Save a Life Kit. Students were instructed to use the items within the kit to provide treatment in cases of opioid overdoses.

“Each kit contains two doses of Nasal Narcan, sterile gloves, a reference card, a community resource guide and a Fentanyl testing strip,” Norris said.

After teaching students about the symptoms of opioid use and the signs of overdose, the Alliance provided free Narcan materials to ensure students are prepared if they ever experience an overdose occurring.

In order to learn more about the Alliance of Coalitions for Healthy Communities, visit their website. Individuals can request Narcan materials or refills by emailing the Alliance at narcan@ achcmi.org.

Students who are interested in participating in Narcan trainings can visit the Families Against Narcotics website, www. familiesagainstnarcotics.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF @OAKLANDUVSS ON INSTAGRAM SVOU’s one mile road march on Nov. 8.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DETROIT FREE PRESS Narcan nasal spray.

Dr. Sam Srauy appears on ‘The Toys That Built America’

AUTUMN

OKUSZKA

Features Reporter

Dr. Sam Srauy’s study of video games led to a television appearance on The History Channel’s “The Toys That Built America” series. The associate professor of communication at Oakland University has thus become proof that an interest in video games doesn’t only ever have to be a pastime, even if that’s how his relationship with them began.

Srauy and his family moved to the United States in 1982, a time when video games were growing in popularity. “Sega” and “Atari” became household names — the latter being Srauy’s first gaming console, which he recalls as being a “cultural phenomenon.”

“I just fell in love with it, and I’ve played it ever since,” Srauy said. “It honestly was just a pastime. It wasn’t anything remotely valid as a career choice until I got to my dissertation planning stage.”

After graduating from Temple University in 2014 with a PhD in mass media and communication, Srauy began teaching at OU. His study of video games went on the back burner until his friendship with a colleague set him on a path he never would have anticipated.

“[The colleague and I] would tweet back and forth, sort of like a quasi-professional friendship,” he said. “Then she reaches out [and] she goes, ‘The History Channel reached out to me and I really don’t know anything about this particular period that they’re looking for, and I know this touches on your very research —

would you be interested?’ And I said, ‘sure.’”

Srauy’s knowledge of video games was put to the test as he traveled to and visited New York City for his shoot for The History Channel’s “The Toys That Built America,” a show described as bringing “new products and nostalgic toys to the forefront as driving forces behind untold cultural and economic shifts.”

As Srauy is more comfortable behind the camera, the process was intimidating at first. He felt more at ease when he realized the shoot was taking place at a remote studio that worked for The History Channel rather than within a fancy corporate office.

“That was [when I realized] — at least I know this is going to be a cool, chill shoot,” Srauy said.

The producer helped Srauy feel more at ease by giving him a list of questions so he would be prepared before the cameras began rolling. If Srauy stumbled on his words — or if he was nervous or misspoke — there was always a chance to reshoot. Srauy experienced this firsthand when he couldn’t pronounce a certain word due to his invisalign.

“I couldn’t say Famicom [Family Computer],” he said.

Srauy’s first appearance on “The Toys That Built America’’ aired on Oct. 30, 2022 in the second episode of the second season, titled “The Birth of Video Games.” He said it was cool but also weird to see himself on television, although it was very exciting for his children.

“They were asleep [when it aired], so the next day I queued it up to the moment [of my appearance] and

said, ‘hey, who’s that?’ and they were like, ‘dad!’” Srauy said.

Srauy is open to other television opportunities if they ever come along. He relates his experience on “The Toys That Built America” to his career as a professor as he has the ability to get his work out into the world outside of academics.

“The reason why I’m a professor is because I really want to spread knowledge,” he said, “and any way I get to do it is awesome.”

Catch Srauy in the upcoming “Console Wars” episode of “The Toys That Built America,” which airs on The History Channel Sundays at 9 p.m. and streams on their website the following day.

Professor Sam Srauy appearing on “The Toys That Built America”

Young voters repulse ‘Red Sea’ in US midterm election

GABRIELLE ABDELMESSIH

Editor-in-Chief

Generation Z, the most well-educated, racially and ethnically diverse generation yet, repulsed the “red wave” many were anticipating in the 2022 midterm election by being another force of nature entirely.

With the 2022 election likely having the secondhighest youth turnout rate for a midterm election in nearly 30 years, the estimated 27% of people between the ages of 18-29 who turned out to vote made an impact throughout the nation in key races, according to day-after estimates from the Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) at Tufts University.

CIRCLE figures also estimate that youth voter turnout may have even been higher (31%) in battleground states like Georgia, Michigan and Pennsylvania where exit poll data is available. However, totals may shift as outcomes are still being finalized.

In the highly-publicized Pennsylvania Senate race between Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman and celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz, 70% of voters between the ages 18-29 cast their ballots for Fetterman, the Democratic Senate nominee.

Nationally, 63% of young voters opted for Democrats in the House of Representatives race, while 35% voted for Republicans, an Edison Research National Election Pool exit poll found.

Gen Z also combatted the “red wave” in the Senate, helping Democrats keep their majority in 2022.

The exit poll indicates that voters under the age of 29 were the only cohort with a large majority supporting Democrats, with older voters primarily opting for Republicans and voters between the ages

of 30-44 largely splitting their votes along party lines.

Florida’s 10th congressional district also made history on Election Day, electing Democrat Maxwell Alejandro Frost, 25, as the nation’s first Gen Z U.S. representative.

“History was made tonight,” Frost said in an election night tweet. “We made history for Floridians, for Gen Z, and for everyone who believes we deserve a better future.”

In a press conference on Nov. 11, President Joe Biden praised young Americans for casting their vote.

“I especially want to thank the young people of this nation, who –I’m told, I haven’t seen the numbers – voted in historic numbers again and just as they did two years ago,” Biden said. “They voted to continue addressing the climate crisis, gun violence, their personal rights and freedoms and the student debt relief.”

In Michigan, all of these priorities were a focus of the midterm election for young voters.

At Oakland University, an institution listed in the Washington Monthly’s list of America’s Best Colleges for Student Voting and host of the final gubernatorial debate between Democratic incumbent Governor Gretchen Whitmer and Republican challenger Tudor Dixon, five students shared their reactions to midterm results.

“This election proved that most of us approve of progress instead of regression,” Tara Coker, a sophomore majoring in elementary education, said. Education and the differing views of the gubernatorial candidates on the subject were also important to Coker when casting her vote.

“I know for myself and other education majors, tuition and affording the demands of student teaching are major concerns, so I have more security in my future knowing the person who championed these applications is still going to be governor while I’m completing my degree in elementary education at OU,” she said.

Environmental sciences student Chiara Nava was happy to see that Whitmer will continue her climate agenda.

“I am pleased to have a governor who believes in science and is working to combat climate change within Michigan,” she said.

Nava also shared she woke up with a sense of relief after hearing that Proposal 3, the constitutional amendment to enshrine reproductive rights into the state constitution, had passed.

“As a woman, reproductive freedom is an essential human

right, so I woke up relieved to the news that this is a protected right for all of us,” Nava said. “The decisions made in this election will ensure I have the right to choose what I want to do with my body.”

Sama Joseph, a senior majoring in biomedical sciences, reflected on how Proposal 3 will impact her future career in medicine.

“Proposal 3 would probably affect me as a future physician,” she said. “No matter what the decision is, it will affect the way I practice medicine either way, because I will always have to keep in mind the laws and regulations when making a life-altering decision for my patients.”

Human resources management and sociology student Maris Ferguson described her personal take on the election results as “pretty satisfying.”

“The issues and races of most value to me went as I hoped, and I think on both a state and national level we have been set up for great progress,” she said.

For political science and philosophy student Jeremy Johnson, election-denying candidates losing their races should be taken as a lesson for sustaining American democracy.

“Election-denying candidates losing in this election, especially in Michigan, is huge for 2024,” he said. “I hope it teaches candidates that you cannot be anti-democracy and expect to win elections. Of course, some election deniers won elsewhere, but the victories were not as nearly as ubiquitous as expected, and that should be a lesson.”

DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER

DESIGN BY THE OAKLAND POST

Whitmer wins reelection – What lies ahead in the next four years?

RACHEL YIM Science and Technology Reporter

Following her victory in the recent election against Republican challenger Tudor Dixon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer delivered a celebration speech at the Motor City Casino in Detroit on Nov. 9.

Whitmer: “I told you four years ago that we would focus on the kitchen table issues – drinking water, affordable healthcare, education, and of course, fixing the damn roads. What I did not anticipate, which none of us could have, were the historic challenges we would face over the four years.

“Over the next four years, let’s build a Michigan where every person is treated with dignity, can enjoy their personal freedoms and chart their own path toward prosperity.

“I promise to be a governor for all of Michigan. I promise to work with anyone who wants to get things done and compete and win against anyone. We’re gonna move this state forward, and I am excited about the work we will continue to do together.

“So, I thank all of you for a great opportunity ahead of us. Michigan’s future is bright, and we are about to step on the accelerator.”

With democrats now in control of the State House and the Senate, Whitmer and Lieutenanet Governor Gilchrist said they’re focused on continuing the progress they’ve made over the last four years and making education more accessible as a path to a better future.

Gilchrist: “We talk about the foundation we laid with making higher education more affordable for four-year colleges, for making community colleges and skills training tuitionfree available. We want to build on that progress because that makes more space for more people to see their role in their place in the future of the economy in the state of Michigan.

“This is about making the government more accountable and more effective. That’s what Proposal 1 was about — it was about making sure everyone has free, flexible access to democratic process.

“Proposal 3 was about letting every person in Michigan find their family, their future as they see fit and not have the government get in their way of choices. We really think that frankly represents our values here, and we want to be able to get things done and be able to dictate how we do it.”

So, what kind of changes should we expect to see in Michigan under the Whitmer administration over the next four years?

Whitmer’s major campaign issues included energy and environment, which she outlined well before the election in her Michigan Healthy Climate Plan. This plan responded to the rapidly changing climate by establishing aims to cut climate pollution 28 percent by 2025 and 52 percent by 2030, in order to reach the target net-negative emissions.

During her campaign, she also emphasized the importance of recovering the economy and education in the state of Michigan following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Whitmer: “Michiganders want leaders who stay focused on the fundamentals — not wage culture wars, but want to solve problems, get our economy on track, get our kids back on track. We’ve made great strides when it comes to investing in education, landing future economy-type jobs that can support a family.

“As we think about individualized tutoring, as we think about the possibility of repealing the retirement tax — these are the ways that we can help people get ahead that we’ve been focused on, and now I think we’re gonna have a much better shot at getting it done.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DETROIT FREE PRESS Whitmer at the Motor City Casino in the early hours of Nov. 9.

New OUWB body donor program gets community support, gifted mausoleum

GABRIELLE ABDELMESSIH

Editor-in-Chief

Medical education requires a partnership to come to fruition. Someone has to be willing to learn, someone has to be willing to teach and someone has to be willing to be learned on. Every component of this three-legged stool is required for the continuity of healthcare delivery globally.

If you’ve ever had surgery, a physical examination, an x-ray or countless other medical procedures, you owe a debt of gratitude to somebody who, as their final service to humanity, allowed medical students to learn from the single most common feature of the human experience: our physical anatomy.

On Oct. 28, it seemed fitting that the beauty of nature was on full display as representatives from the Oakland William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB), Rochester community and Pixley Funeral Homes gathered to show respect and gratitude to the individuals who allowed medical students the opportunity to observe and learn from another of nature’s perfect forms: the human body.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was hosted at Mount Avon Cemetery, located near downtown Rochester, for the new OUWB Mausoleum and Receiving Vault donated in-kind by the city of Rochester with a redesign overseen by Pixley Funeral Homes.

“I’m excited about having the opportunity to be supportive of OUWB, to continue and enhance the relations with the city and utilize a very cool structure that exists in the cemetery for such a great purpose,” Vern Pixley, Dignity Memorial senior managing director, said.

Through the recently launched OUWB Body Donor Program, the medical school will be able to secure its own donors, and the generously donated vault will house the remains of those who donate

their bodies to medical education.

“We are grateful to the Pixley family for partnering with us to support our medical student education, research and the university,” OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz said. “This heartfelt gift-in-kind will impact our medical students and students studying other professions, such as physical therapy or biological engineering.”

As a part of their education, OUWB medical students get the fundamental experience of learning human anatomy through a body donor, often working with the same one throughout the school year.

“Our students recognize that these donors are their first patients, and treat them with great respect and reverence,” Dr. Duane Mezwa, Stephan Sharf Dean, OUWB, said.

Joseph Solomon, a first-year medical student at OUWB, spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony of his appreciation for the donors and his excitement

for the new program.

“For me, it was important to represent our class and show appreciation to Rochester and the Pixley family to let them know that we really care about honoring the donors who have given themselves to our education and our future careers as physicians,” Solomon said.

In the past, OUWB partnered with other universities to secure body donors. As a part of the partnership, donors were returned to the organizations, which then handled care of the remains.

Now, that responsibility and privilege belongs to OUWB — and they’re ready to get started.

“The real heavy lifting begins as the [body donor] team develops call scripts and engages with the community to register donors for our program,” Mezwa said.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROB HALL

DISCOUNTS

students can get locally, nationally

The holiday season is just around the corner. While that can be a comfort for students looking forward to spending time with friends and family, it can also be stressful to find gifts for them at a reasonable price. The holiday season is the per fect time for students to take advantage of student discounts. Holiday shopping or not, student discounts can help students save money that could otherwise be spent on learning ex penses, such as tuition and books. Whether they are local for OU students only or available to all students nationwide — below is a list of discounts that cater to retail, dining, enter tainment and everything in between.

RETAIL

Eddie Bauer — Village of Rochester Hills, 388 N. Adams Road, Rochester, MI 48309: Save 15% on purchase of $50 or more

Brooks Brothers — Great Lakes Crossing Outlets, 4076 Baldwin Road District 2, Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 15% off full-price merchandise

Vineyard Vines — Somerset Collection, 2801 W. Big Bea ver Road J 208, Troy, MI 48084: 15% off DINING

Red Ox Tavern — 3773 E. Walton Blvd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 10% off

Burgrz — 3204 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309: 10% off

CoolYo Frozen Yogurt — 2602 N. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48426: 20% off Mondays, 10% off Tuesday-Sunday

Buddy’s Pizza — 2612 N. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 15% off

Cold Stone Creamery — 3026 Walton Blvd., Rochester Hills, MI 48309: 10% off

Dairy Queen — 3053 E. Walton Blvd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 10% off

The HUB Stadium — 2550 Innovation Dr., Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 15% off food and beverage

You, Me, and Bubble Tea — 3395 Auburn Road, Suite C, Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 10% off

Subway — 2500 S. Adams Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48309 (inside Walmart): 10% off any sub (not to be combined with other offers, coupons or discount cards)

Buffalo Wild Wings — 1234 Walton Road, Rochester Hills,

MI 48307: 10% off

Sweet Island Yogurt — 402 S. Main St, Rochester, MI 48307: 10% off

MISCELLANEOUS

OSI Service Window — Oakland Center, 312 Meadow Brook Road, Rochester MI 48309: offers discounted theater tickets

Quality Lube Oil Change & Auto Repair — 3450 E. Wal ton Blvd., Auburn Hills, MI 48326: $3 off oil change, $10 off select mechanical work

Fantastic Sams — 2594 N. Squirrel Road, Auburn Hills, MI 48326: $2 off regular price haircut

Majestic Salon Nail & Spa — 2747 University Dr., Auburn Hills, MI 48326: 10% off Club Pilates — 131 S. Livernois, Rochester Hills, MI 48307: 10% off memberships and a free introduction class

Updog Yoga — 210 W. University Dr., Rochester, MI 48307: 15% off Acapulco Tan —139 W. Auburn Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48307: 10% off

Title Boxing Club — 55221 Shelby Road, Shelby Twp, MI 48316: 10% off

Batteries Shack — 44478 Mound Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48314: 20% off batteries and electronics repair

HUBworX360 — 360 E. Maple Road Suite A, Troy, MI 48083: $10 off day pass

Fortson Dentistry — 27347 Southfield Road, Lathrup Vil lage, MI, 48076: free exam and x-rays

Platinum Imagery Headshot and Portrait Studio — 1602 Rochester Road, Royal Oak, MI 48067: 50% discount on headshots

NATIONAL DISCOUNTS

Amazon Prime — free six month trial, then $7.49 per month

Apple Music — $6 per month

Spotify Premium — $4.99 per month, includes Hulu and Showtime

SiriusXM — $1 for three months, then $4 per month

Paramount+ — 25% off and a free Fire TV Stick Lite

Adobe Creative Cloud — $19.99 per month

Student Beans and UNiDAYS — many businesses go through Student Beans and UNiDAYS to provide student discounts

STORY BY AUTUMN OKUSZKA | DESIGN BY MEGAN PARKER

Potential ‘tripledemic’ winter: Flu, RSV and COVID-19

GABRIELLE GAPPY Science and Technology Editor

If you were to ask someone if they knew anyone sick right now, they would probably say yes. Although we are not in the midst of peak COVID-19 cases like we were in the past few years, other illnesses have been appearing in significantly large amounts.

Flu and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) cases have been quickly on the rise this season. This may be attributed to the shift from mask wearing that has been present over recent years, which not only protected individuals from COVID-19 but from other viruses as well.

According to the Washington Post, flu season began six weeks before normal, with a severity greater than it has been in over a decade.

“There have already been at least 880,000 cases of influenza illness, 6,900 hospitalizations and 360 flu-related deaths nationally, including one child,” Fenit Nirappil said in the Washington Post.

Several hospitals in San Diego have been hit so hard by flu cases that they resorted to creating tents in parking lots to handle the influx of patients, according to the LA Times. Doctors at these hospitals believe it will be a harsh winter and that this will continue through February.

RSV causes mild cold-like symptoms in adults, but can be potentially life-threatening in children if it goes on to cause pneumonia or bronchitis, according to NPR. Children’s hospitals and emergency rooms are seeing unprecedented numbers of cases and are

struggling to efficiently manage them in terms of spacing and resources.

The increase in RSV cases is also thought to be in part due to how many young children were not as exposed to different viruses that help build a strong immune system as a result of quarantine and the pandemic.

As of Nov. 10, 2022, the Detroit Free Press reported 86% of pediatric ICU beds were filled. At the University of Michigan Health’s C.S Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor, patients face wait times spanning long hours while at 100% capacity.

Meanwhile in Grand Rapids, at The Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, there were 42 ICU patients with only 24 beds in the unit. The result is some patients being treated in chairs in hallways. There is no current vaccine available for RSV.

Despite the rising number of cases, vaccination rates are lower than last year for the flu:

According to the CDC, for the 2022-23 season, for adults 18 and older:

An estimated 18.7 million flu vaccinations were administered in pharmacies as of the week ending Oct. 15, 2022, compared with an estimated 19.9 million at the same time in Oct. 2021.

An estimated 10.7 million flu vaccinations were administered in physician medical offices as of the week ending Oct. 15, 2022, compared with an estimated 14.7 million at the same time in Oct. 2021.

Flu vaccines are available at the Graham Health Center, pharmacies in stores like CVS and Rite Aid and at doctor’s offices and hospitals.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND POST

Cullen’s scandal: Netflix produces yet another true crime documentary

LETICIA CEZÁRIO SANTOS

Marketing Director

After releasing “The Good Nurse,” Netflix returned with “Capturing the Killer Nurse.” Launched on Nov. 11, the documentary further explores the story of Charlie Cullen.

If you didn’t watch “The Good Nurse,” you might want to stop here and go do so. But in summary, both productions tell the story of Cullen, a nurse convicted of 18 life sentences for murdering healthy people through overdoses of substances added to their IV fluids.

The main point of this story is the lack of ethical morals and honesty in the nine hospitals where Cullen was employed, which all covered evidence and let Cullen avoid being sued and losing profit.

“The business of health care was one that Charles Cullen was perfectly suited for,” case investigator Tim Braun said.

The main question is — is it worth it to watch both “The Good Nurse” and this new documentary?

It is noticeable that recently, true-crime documentaries or series have become the top genre on Netflix. So, is “Capturing the Killer Nurse” worth watching, or is it just one more cliché crime documentary?

“Directed by Tim Travers Hawkins, ‘Capturing the Killer Nurse’ doesn’t pretend to be an especially far-reaching or complete documentary,” Owen

Gleiberman said in Variety.

This time, the story is told through direct-tocamera testimonials from the real people involved.

The production counts on a mix of dramatic recreations and audio and images from the original case files, in addition to authentic recordings of the many interviews that Charles Graeber, the author of the book “The Good Nurse,” conducted with Cullen.

“While ‘The Good Nurse’ examines the larger social and personal problems that allowed serial killer Charles Cullen to murder dozens of patients in multiple hospitals — frequently arousing suspicions without getting arrested — Tim Travers Hawkins’ doc is more conventional true-crime fare, laying out the facts in clinical detail,” Noel Murray said in the Los Angeles Times.

Even if the productions have different approaches to the same story, not many details are added to the case when both are compared.

“Hawkins has an opportunity to expand upon the story and more intently examine how a health care system nurtured and enabled a serial killer –likely the most prolific in history – while ignoring its own moral commitments to the greater good of society,” John Serba said in Decider. “But the documentary is content to loosely piece together a timeline of events you could just as easily read on Wikipedia, instead of digging deeper into the larger implications of the story.”

Ultimately, the documentary gives the impression that it exists only as a piece of “The Good Nurse,” not as an addition.

Regarding such an important subject, there was a lot to explore and discuss from this case, but “Capturing the Killer Nurse” seems only a historyvs.-Hollywood compare-and-contrast production.

The only important information this documentary brings to the viewer is the law passed in May 2005 in response to Cullen’s serial killings. Officially known as the Health Care Professional Responsibility and Reporting Enhancement Act, the new law was firstly called Cullen’s Law.

Cullen’s Law requires healthcare professionals or entities to notify the division when they have information regarding the incompetence, impairment or negligence of a healthcare worker who could endanger patients. It also mandates criminal background checks for healthcare professionals seeking New Jersey licensure.

The law has been defined as “good in its intent but harmful in its execution,” and has been under review since then.

Besides this, the documentary only retells what you already know from a different approach.

Final review: there is no need to watch both. Choose the documentary if you like a more direct and technical explanation of events. If you prefer a more artistic and human representation, watch “The Good Nurse.”

Satire: Phoebe Bridgers & Paul Mescal’s thirst tweet turned love story

OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Reporter

TORI COKER Content Editor

At a time where Elon Musk’s leadership continues to propel Twitter impossibly further into a nosedive, the news that singer songwriter Phoebe Bridgers and actor Paul Mescal are reportedly engaged gives us good reason to reflect fondly on the good ole days of this decaying hellsite.

The rumored engagement is not only beautiful news from the perspective of those with a parasocial connection to Bridgers after religiously interpreting her lyrics for years (a description which does not at all fit anyone behind this here keyboard), it also resembles a win for all the thirst tweeters out there embarrassing themselves on main for a long shot at their favorite celebrity. Confused? Not as terminally online as the two authors of this article? Allow us to catch you up.

May 12, 2020: Mescal replied to what we have to imagine has gone

down as one of his favorite reviews of his Hulu series “Normal People,” a short but thoroughly candid tweet from Bridgers which read, “Finished Normal People and now I’m sad and [redacted] oh wait.”

May 23, 2020: Bridgers and Mescal interview each other over Instagram live for Wonderland Magazine, after appearing on alternative covers of the same issue.

July 2020: Bridgers and Mescal were reportedly spotted out galavanting together through the latter’s home country of Ireland — with the only evidence compiling to a select few tweets of Irish mams being all, “Saw ole Paul Mescal with an artsy girl in the pub xx.”

Nov. 28, 2020: Mescal confirms he’s in a relationship to GQ magazine (but with whom, Paul?!)

Dec. 8, 2020: Mescal stars in the music video for Bridgers’ song “Savior Complex.” Does that mean…?

Nov. 6, 2021: Oh yeah, it does mean. The pair make their red carpet debut, seemingly confirming their relationship. We’ve never seen a micro mullet and picnic blanket look this good!

Dec. 10, 2021: Instagram official, baby.

Two years and some months after that original tweet and here we are with a reported engagement (which, after The 1975 frontman Matty Healy’s accidental reveal on Twitter last month, we’re pretty confident is fact.)

It’s difficult to say what exactly set this ship asail where so many other flirtatious social media exchanges wind up sinking. Perhaps Bridgers caught wind early on that Mescal was prepared to strap her pug to his hip on her world tour and had no choice but to mastermind Taylor Swift-style to snag the best dog sitter.

Now, don’t get your hopes up too quickly. The simple act of being a celebrity and sending a targeted thirst tweet will not guarantee your success. See Doja Cat’s blunder with a newly famous Eddie from Stranger Things — you don’t want to end up with headlines like “Doja Cat Regrets Asking a 17-Year-Old to Play Wingman,” but I digress.

If at any point Bridgers and Mescal feel like writing the book on how to take your crushes on Twitter mutuals from the timeline to the altar (or at

least confirming their engagement to give us some validation for writing this article), we’re waiting like a dog with a bird at their door (which reads super creepy if you haven’t heard Bridgers’s “Moon Song,” but also, if you haven’t heard “Moon Song,” who are you to judge?)

Photo courtesy of Today Mescal and Bridgers sporting said micro mullet and picnic blanket at the 2021 LACMA Art + Film Gala.

Anticipated winter reads

D’JUANNA LESTER Arts Reporter

It’s officially time for the cold months to hit us. With the holiday season approaching, it’s once again time to make my list of anticipated reads for the winter. This list will include some upcoming books from 2023.

“Whiteout” — Nov. 8, 2022

An enchanting anthology of Black love written by six amazing authors known for the “Blackout” anthology

Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk and Nicola Yoon — will drop in November. Set in Atlanta, this story follows twelve teens as they help a friend pull off a grand apology in the middle of a storm. I’m excited to read the next story by this super group — after reading their first anthology, I know we’re in for a treat.

“Briarcliff Prep” — Nov. 5, 2022 Debut author Brianna Peppins dropped her coming-of-age story this month. Protagonist Avielle LeBeau is starting her freshman year at Briarcliff, a Historically Black Boarding School. Everything comes to a head when she discovers a disturbing secret about her sister’s boyfriend. The book explores themes of sisterhood and the complicated emotions surrounding the longing someone feels to fit in.

“A Thousand Heartbeats” — Nov. 29, 2022

Kiera Cass is back with another heart stopping novel. This enemiesto-lovers story follows a princess preparing for an arranged marriage, and a rebellious outlaw trying to reclaim the throne from her. Against all odds, their paths collide with each other. I’m excited for my next guilty pleasure read — let the chaos ensue.

“The Davenports” — Jan. 23, 2023

Fans of “Bridgerton” and “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” are sure to love this historical fiction story by Krystal Marquis. The first in a new YA series, this

1910’s Chicago-based story follows the Davenports, an entrepreneurial African American family.

The book depicts four women — Olivia, the eldest Davenport sister, Helen, the younger daughter who doesn’t want to find love like her sister, Amy-Rose, their childhood friend with a forbidden love and Ruby, Olivia’s best friend who’s in love with Olivia and Helen’s brother.

“Cool. Awkward. Black.” — Jan. 10, 2023

Another anthology for the list! With a huge lineup of acclaimed Black authors, this anthology explores the facets of Blackness and geekiness. Covering multiple genres, this Young Adult (YA) anthology has stories in the genres of fantasy, sci-fi, historical, contemporary and realistic. I am really excited to see Black geeky characters being their authentic selves.

“Promposal” — March 3, 2023

RaeChell Garrett’s debut book drops later on in the winter season. A snappy rom-com with an overachieving main character is sure to be filled with romance and drama.

High school senior Autumn Reeves is applying for college. One problem: she’s been waitlisted. In a desperate effort to stand out, she starts a business on running promposals after one she planned for a friend goes viral.

Autumn joins the Young Black Entrepreneurs group, crossing paths with Mehki — a dark glimpse of her past. This sounds like an enemies-tolovers story in the making, and I am here for it.

I’m falling for ‘Falling For Christmas’

D’Juanna Lester Arts Reporter

In the first of what is sure to be a holiday jam-packed with fun and festive rom-coms, Netflix has offered us a great way to start off the holiday season. “Falling For Christmas” dropped on the streaming platform on Nov. 10, 2022.

The film follows main leads Sierra (Lindsay Lohan), a wealthy socialite, and Jake (Chord Overstreet), a ski lodge resort owner, as their paths collide shortly before Christmas when Sierra is left with amnesia after Jake rescues her from a rough fall during skiing.

Sierra is with her fiancé, Tad (I hate him), a social media influencer, when she falls from the mountain and hits her head. After rescuing her, Jake brings her to his ski lodge to revive her memories. There, she starts to bond with him, his daughter and her grandmother.

My favorite parts of the movie were the scenes where we got to watch the core characters bond over the holidays, such as the snow globe scene where Sierra and Jake had their cute moment while discussing Sierra’s quest to regain her memory. Overstreet and Lohan have a strong sense of chemistry that makes this movie all the more fun to watch.

Tad was the only annoying part of the film. Can we stop putting wannabe influencers as characters in movies, please? I don’t think anyone asked for the rising number of “influencer” characters in movies to be a thing in the first place.

Tad has no personality besides, “Can I record this?” And only exists to be a driving conflict between Jake and Sierra. Let the influencer character archetype die, I’m begging.

Every character (besides Tad the Terrible) served a role in the story, so I was invested in more than just

the main leads and their romance. Jake and his daughter bonding over the holiday season and helping Sierra was adorable to watch. I usually hate little kid characters in these kinds of movies, but this was an exception.

Sierra was a spoiled, privileged figure at the start of the movie. What made her tolerable, and even sympathetic, was how she was as a character. Being rich wasn’t her only purpose — she had goals and aspirations outside of her father’s company. It was a nice way to make the doesn’t-know-how-to-take-careof-herself character refreshing, and I ended up liking Sierra because of it.

Jake is a sweetheart, and I wish we got more leads like him in these Netflix films. He was sweet and only wanted to help Sierra. I liked how everyone in the movie acknowledged how great of a guy he was, and how he went out of his way to help others instead of himself.

Overall, this movie was an adorable watch that made me excited for the holiday season. It’d be great if we got more of this world, even though Netflix is Netflix and will probably ignore this great film for something not nearly as entertaining. At the very least, I hope Overstreet and Lohan star in other projects together.

Rating: 5/5 stars

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

DESIGN BY EMILY IATROU

Oakland drops epic high-scoring duel to Bowling

BROCK

HEILIG Sports Editor

On Friday, Nov. 11, the Oakland University men’s basketball team welcomed the Bowling Green Falcons to the O’rena for an early season nonconference matchup. It was a high-scoring affair, but Oakland ultimately fell short, 87-82.

The loss followed a 92-27 demolition of Defiance College in the season opener, in which 10 different Grizzlies saw the floor. The Golden Grizzlies brought back star point guard Jalen Moore, who missed the season opener with an apparent ankle injury.

Moore scored 18 points in 38 minutes in his season debut on Friday night, but it wasn’t enough as Oakland came up five points short.

The two teams traded buckets in the early going, and neither squad was able to establish more than a six-point lead until a 3-pointer by Bowling Green’s Kaden Metheny gave the Falcons a seven-point lead with 90 seconds to play in the first half.

Trey Townsend connected on a free throw late in the first half to trim the lead to six, and Oakland found itself trailing at halftime against a familiar MAC opponent.

Bowling Green held Oakland off for much of the second half, but the Golden Grizzlies fought back and tied the game at 68 with a Moore 3-pointer with 8:30 left to play.

Just a few minutes later, a pair of Townsend free throws gave Oakland a 72-71 lead with 7:03 left

to play. Townsend was clutch down the stretch, and Oakland held a one-point lead with less than a minute to play.

However, Oakland’s 82-81 lead would be their last, as the Golden Grizzlies failed to score in the game’s final minutes and the Falcons came away with a win.

Townsend led the way with a career high 23-point performance in 32 minutes on the floor. The thirdyear player shot an efficient 8-10 from the floor, including 7-10 from the free throw line.

Moore was the team’s second-leading scorer, while Rocket Watts and Blake Lampman finished with 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Keaton Hervey finished one point away from a double-double. The senior leader hauled in 11 rebounds, but finished with nine points in a strong effort.

After head coach Greg Kampe raved about his team’s depth heading into the season — which is something it didn’t have in years past — Oakland’s five starters carried much of the workload in the loss.

The aforementioned Townsend played 32 minutes, and Lampman had 32 as well. Hervey finished with 34, Watts with 35 and Moore with 38.

Chris Conway, Osei Price and Will Shepherd all played as well, albeit very sparingly.

Oakland developed its first losing streak of the season in the following game with a 91-62 defeat at the hands of the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Golden Grizzlies are currently 1-2 on the season. Ironically, their 1-2 record is the same as last season, so Oakland has been in this situation before.

The next two games consist of an away game against Toledo and a home game against Eastern Michigan. Following those two games, the team will head to the Bahamas to compete in the 2022 Nassau Championship.

BY STANLEY TU

OU falls to Oklahoma State, establishes first losing streak of s eason

BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

On Sunday, Nov. 13, the Oakland men’s basketball team welcomed the Big 12’s Oklahoma State Cowboys to the O’rena. Unfortunately for the Golden Grizzlies, the Cowboys came ready to play, and knocked Oakland off 91-62.

Oakland looked to build off its 56-55 thriller over Oklahoma State on Nov. 12 of last season, but the Golden Grizzlies didn’t come anywhere close.

Oklahoma State basketball alum and current Detroit Piston Cade Cunningham was in attendance for the showdown, and Cunningham’s Cowboys made him proud.

The Golden Grizzlies jumped out to a slight, early lead. Trey Townsend connected on a layup, and Rocket Watts made two free throws to give Oakland a 4-0 lead.

However, that would be about the only good thing that happened for Oakland in this one. The Cowboys went on an ensuing 17-2 run, and put the Golden Grizzlies behind by double digits less than 10 minutes into the game.

Oakland had a few small runs and cut the lead to six, but Oklahoma State did an excellent job of keeping the Golden Grizzlies at a distance. The Cowboys led 42-27 at halftime.

A big storyline in the first half was Oakland’s poor 3-point shooting. The Golden Grizzlies shot just 1-13 from distance, which equates to 7.7%.

This shooting percentage from behind the arc isn’t going to equate to many wins, and that certainly was proven true on Sunday.

One bright spot from the first half was that the Golden Grizzlies converted on eight of their nine free throw attempts. Oklahoma State was 2-3 on their free throw attempts, so Oakland was plus six in that category in the first half.

The second half didn’t fare any better for the Golden Grizzlies, though. Oakland was outscored 49-35 in the second half, and the Cowboys walked

out of the O’rena with a 29-point stomping of Greg Kampe’s squad.

Keaton Hervey led the way for Oakland with a 15-point, 11-rebound double-double. Lorne Bowman finished with 14 points in just nine minutes of play, which was good for an efficiency rating of 19.0, tied for second best on the team.

Townsend finished with 12 points, and Blake Lampman added 10 in the losing effort. No other Golden Grizzly finished with more than four points on the afternoon.

Oakland will hit the road for the first time of the season this week, as it will head to Ohio on Nov. 16 to take on the Toledo Rockets. The Golden Grizzlies will then come back home for a star-studded duel with Eastern Michigan on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3 p.m.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles boast one of the most highly touted high school players ever in Emoni Bates. Bates is a 6-foot-9 guard who spent one season at Memphis before transferring to Eastern Michigan in the offseason.

In the Eagles’ most recent game, Bates poured in 30 points in a remarkable effort against the University of Michigan at Little Caesars Arena. Following the matchup with Toledo, Oakland will have quite the task on its hands when Bates and the Eagles come to town.

PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRIZZ GANG’S WEBSITE

Oakland women’s basketball starts season on high note

SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The Grizzlies took down the Akron Zips by a score of 74-67 on Monday, Nov. 7 in the O’rena.

Kennedie Montue had a great accomplishment on opening night, getting her career high of 21 points under her belt. She is a sharpshooter indeed.

Her great 3-point shooting was on display, and that fired everyone up. Montue might be a sophomore in college, but she was playing like a pro, adding five rebounds, as well.

The Grizzlies’ ability to execute and make good plays definitely showed the first two quarters of the game. Alexis Johnson with the cross-over, right into a spin move, just flew past her defender with the soft touch at the rim.

This was the move everyone loved out of the transfer student from the Marshall Thundering Herd. She ended the game with 12 points.

Freshman Brooke Daniels wasn’t looking like a newbie to the team, either. She played her point guard role well, and it is clear that she has already built such great chemistry with her teammates. She is super quick and can get to the rack easily, with pretty finishes.

The Zips came back from half only down two. It was clear that they had revitalized their game plan. Their key players, Rachel Martindale and Layne Ferell, carried their team on their backs.

They were still shooting the ball well. Toward the end of the game, the Zips started to catch up. Oakland’s largest lead of the game was 14 and it eventually came down to just a one possession game at 67-65.

Akron’s coach would call two timeouts, but it was all in Oakland’s hands from that point. The Zips couldn’t pull it through.

There was a big time rebound by Breanne Beatty with 30 seconds left. She is a well-rounded player

who is always locked in on defense, especially during such crucial moments of the game. She also scored 11 points, along with seven rebounds. The Grizzlies won the season opener by seven.

After a great night from Montue, she had some things she had to say on how she felt being back in the O’rena and back to playing the game again in this type of environment.

“I love to be here — I love OU,” Montue said. “I love the black top, and for me to hit those 3’s tonight and hear the crowd cheering, I love to hear it. My team knows how to find me in those open spots and they’ll always hit me, and they know I can knock it down.”

The Grizzlies are ready for more. After two straight wins in a row, with the second against Central Michigan University on Nov. 12, they are now ready to head out to the Breslin Center to face Michigan State.

That game will tip off on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. Following the bout with the Spartans, the Golden Grizzlies will take on another Big Ten opponent in Illinois. It will be a special game for sophomore Aaliyah McQueen, who transferred away from Illinois after one season.

That game will tip off at 8 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 21.

Men’s basketball breezes through season opener, 92-27

SUMMER WEATHERS

Sports Reporter

The 2022-23 men’s basketball season began with an easy home opener win at the O’rena for the Golden Grizzlies against Defiance College on Monday, Nov. 7. The game ended with a 92-27 victory.

There wasn’t much the Yellow Jackets could do against this dominant Oakland University team. Within 30 seconds of the start of the game, Trey Townsend would get things going with a nice slam to the hoop that would get the O’rena fired up early.

It all was too easy for Townsend. He had four huge dunks and ended the game with 12, along with six boards.

Rocket Watts, the transfer out of Mississippi State, showed his top-notch finishing skills and his ability to receive the ball and knock down 3-pointers. Defiance really struggled to guard him. Quality offense was exhibited by Watts for the first regular season game, as he ended the night with 15 points.

With 21 fast breaks by the Grizzlies, they were too much to handle. The 6-foot-3 guard, Blake Lampman, did some great things as well down the stretch, with a nice 3-pointer assisted by Watts.

Lampman had 13 points, but not only was his shooting all so effortless, he played big on the defensive end as well. He contributed three steals to the stat sheet — which is his career high.

On the other hand, the transfer out of Missouri

State, Keaton Hervey, reached his Oakland career high with 19 points.

“It feels great, especially for the season opener, to have all the fans out here,” Hervey said. “Hopefully we showed you guys that we have something special cooking up this year, so coming out and supporting — that means a lot for us.”

He also shared what he thought worked so well in terms of chemistry between him and his teammates.

“We are a little undersized, so we have a lot of versatile players who can kind of move pieces around,” Hervey said. “I feel that plays in our favor a lot, and then the fast pace that we play, as well.”

Moving forward, Hervey believes the key to keeping up momentum is simple.

“It’s just about being locked in,” Hervey said. “You know we didn’t take Defiance lightly, so it’s just the same thing with Bowling Green, having those intense practices and being locked in and getting after it.”

Coach Greg Kampe also added in his thoughts about the blowout win for his team.

“It feels great — all wins are good,” Kampe said. “We’re really pleased to start this way and I’m really pleased with the way we defended and the way we kept our intensity. Instead of acting like we were way better than them, we went about our business as if we were playing Oklahoma State. We never lost our intensity, and that’s what I liked the most.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIJON STIGGER

The Oakland women’s basketball team had a victorious season opener against Akron on Nov. 7, 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BIJON STIGGER Townsend dunking during the Golden Grizzlies season open er against Defiance College on Nov. 7.

The rising trend of collegiate esports

JOE ZERILLI Campus Editor

It’s Christmas morning in 1972 — boys and girls all across the country are plugging in and playing games like table tennis and football on their new Magnavox Odyssey. This marked the beginning of the world of video games.

Fast forward to 2022, where consoles like the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X are more powerful than ever, while computers are getting stronger every week.

People have been playing video games competitively for as long as they have existed, but 20 years ago the act of watching competitive playing from the comfort of your own home emerged. This became even easier in 2011 when the streaming platform Twitch launched, giving esports athletes a new platform to showcase their hard work and talent.

Today there are over 300 esports teams, and that number is constantly growing. What has led to this sudden explosion of collegiate esports, and where is it heading in the future?

Oakland University (OU) Director of Athletics Steve Waterfield says the interest has always been there — colleges are just now providing an opportunity for student athletes to engage in their interests at a varsity level.

“People have played these games and as they get older they get to college,” Waterfield said, “and one of the things college does is, it provides opportunities for community in a setting.”

The trend has only grown during the COVID-19 pandemic, creating more opportunities for the gaming community to gather. This pandemic-borne surge in playing has translated into colleges picking up on the trend, as well.

College sports is a huge part of American culture, and with the addition of esports, it reaches entirely different generations. Gen-Z and Millennials are not only playing games, but watching them, as well.

It’s clear colleges are starting to add varsity esports programs to their itineraries — but why is it so important for them to do it now? For OU esports head coach Carl Leone, it comes down to three things: marketing, recruitment and retention.

“You reach a lot of students that you would

never reach — students who’ve never heard of Oakland University — through college esports,” Leone says.

Leone said when students come to a university, follow through with their degree and graduate, it not only helps them, but helps the university they attend. Some students come in for a year and leave, but esports can assist in keeping them around longer.

“The varsity esports program helps give those students a sense of purpose, a team belonging, team identity and to give them something that — in addition to academics — helps to grow them as well-rounded individuals, and something to give them a lot of excitement,” Leone said.

The emergence of the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) gave collegiate esports a home. NACE assists colleges and universities with bringing these varsity programs to college by providing things like scholarships and increasing eligibility.

NACE was given this opportunity when the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) voted against becoming the governing body of collegiate esports in 2019. While NACE formed in 2016, it was this declaration by the NCAA that really propelled them to being the collegiate esports juggernaut they are.

“Esports is almost the model — they’ve talked about power five football breaking away, having its own thing, but esports already got there,” Waterfield says. “NACE stepped in and it’s done a very good job filling that void and offering those opportunities.”

With NACE being solely focused on esports, it can support those involved and give esports its undivided attention while the NCAA has to worry about its wide array of collegiate sports. NACE also partners with Twitch, which gives them access to the largest streaming platform for games as a bonus.

What the future holds

Esports is a relatively new concept for colleges, but for Leone, it means more staffing jobs for varsity programs.

“Typically, there’s one head coach or director of the program as a full-time staff member, then outside of that there’s a bunch of volunteers,” he said. “You probably wouldn’t have one person coach soccer, basketball and tennis. You also wouldn’t have one person coach Overwatch, Rocket League and Smash Brothers.”

Leone said there are probably less than 10 programs which have full-time staff for each title, as with funding and budgeting for esports being relatively low, they just aren’t there yet.

As for Waterfield, he believes NCAA not picking up esports was best for collegiate esports and is interested to see how the structure continues to evolve.

“What I don’t know — and it will be fascinating — is, do you start to see some of the conference consolidation like you do now at the Division 1 level, where you start having fewer conferences with more teams?” Waterfield said.

With esports, the consolidation may look slightly different, as many teams have a variety of games they play competitively. With each different game, there is a different tournament and championship game.

When you look at other collegiate sports, each unique sport has one championship. For example, in football you have the College Football Playoff, while basketball has the NCAA Tournament.

One idea Leone said NACE and colleges should consider is having one grand event to host all of the big titles at one time. He feels this will help propel collegiate esports to the next level, along with better supporting high school esports.

“They generally have less infrastructure — lower budgets, less staff — than the college program,” Leone said. “Once we get the high school programs to be fully funded and supported by the college programs, then parents will start to see the value, and then they will be invested in it.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY LATROU

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS