The Oakland Post 1.17.2024

A Trusted Source of Independent Student Journalism since 1987.

LETTER FROM EDITOR Welcome to a new year PAGE 3

BASKETBALL TRIUMPH

The golden grizzlies go to overtime PAGE 10-11

Volume 49 l Issue 11 l January 17, 2024

‘FATHER OF THE BRIDE’

Meadow Brook Theatre’s newest production PAGE 12

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

2 | JANUARY 17, 2024

EDITORIAL BOARD Autumn Okuszka Editor-in-Chief aokuszka@oakland.edu Payton Bucki Content Editor paytonbucki@oakland.edu Megan Judy Managing Editor meganjudy@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Courtney Blackett Photo Editor courtneyblacket@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu Chloe Kukuk Campus Editor chloekukuk@oakland.edu Olivia Chiappelli Arts Editor oechiappelli@oakland.edu WINTER GRIZZ FEST Students had the opportunity to meet different student organizations on campus at Winter GrizzFest on Jan. 9, 2024.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KATIE REID

MARKETING Evelyn Gandarilla Marketing Director evelyngandarill@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION Rory Strachan Distribution Director Zachary Oberdier Distribution

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Katie Reid Photographer

Brian Einowski Ads Director

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REPORTERS

Gracie Murray Reporter

Dayshawn Fields Reporter Noah Francis Reporter

Ana Gjorgjevski Reporter Chelsea Bossert Reporter Moe Del Rosario Reporter

Summer Weathers Reporter Kurt Szymanski Reporter

Noah Thomason Reporter

Mallory Waligora Reporter

CORRECTIONS CORNER: The Oakland Post corrects all known errors of fact. If you know of an error, please email editor@oaklandpostonline.com.

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

Letter from the Editor: New year, new editor-in-chief AUTUMN OKUSZKA Editor-in-Chief

New Year’s resolutions — they are something many people set every year. In fact, according to a recent survey, 34% of U.S. adults said they would make one for 2024, with some of the most popular being to improve fitness, finances and mental health.

In previous years, my resolution would have been to stop drinking Coke from McDonald’s or to read more books, but not this year. This year, my New Year’s resolution is to be the best editor-in-chief of The Oakland Post I can be.

I knew I wanted to be a writer from a young age, but knowing what type of writer was not something I realized until I was sixteen. I joined my high school’s student-run online newspaper in my junior year out of pure curiosity, not knowing it would alter the course of my life forever.

I learned so much in that classroom, aside from AP Style. I learned the people around me, classmates and teachers alike, all had a story to tell, and I wanted to be the one to share it. I returned the following year and became the editor-in-chief.

It was then I knew I wanted to go into journalism.

After graduating, I attended Macomb Community College before officially becoming a golden grizzly in the winter of 2022 in pursuit of my B.A. in journalism. I also began my relationship with The Oakland Post as a contributor that semester before officially becoming a “postie” in the fall of 2022 as a features reporter.

It was nerve-wracking at first. I remember aimlessly trekking around the Oakland Center before I went up to my first student and conducted my first interview. But after that first interview, and the second and the third, it progressively began to feel effortless, and I found myself looking forward to getting to meet and get the OU community’s opinions on various topics.

I also established a relationship with people I never would have connected with had it not been for The Oakland Post. It became an invaluable experience that helped me kickstart my career in journalism and ensured I was making the most of my time at OU. While I felt satisfied with my relationship with the OU community, I knew I wanted to build a better relationship with The Oakland Post staff. When I became the content editor in the summer of 2023, I got to work more closely with staff members and

JANUARY 17, 2024 | 3

see everyone’s talents and passions come to life.

I also spearheaded the program that helped start my connection with The Oakland Post — the contributor program. I got to work closely with students in the same position I had been in only a year prior. It felt like a full-circle moment.

Having established a relationship with the OU community as a features reporter and strengthening my relationship with The Oakland Post staff as the content editor, I am beyond honored to be given the opportunity to take what I’ve learned from both positions and implement them into my role as editor-in-chief in my last semester at OU. Oakland University is fortunate to have access to a newspaper like The Oakland Post. I invite aspiring journalists and the OU community to follow along as our staff strives to provide independent student journalism in the continuation of volume 49 of The Oakland Post.

Most New Year’s resolutions are doomed to fail.

Most people who want to improve their fitness stop going to the gym by February, and I haven’t been able to stop myself from drinking Coke from McDonald’s yet. But this year’s New Year’s resolution? I am determined to keep it.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTEN ELIZABETH PHOTOGRAPHY

CAMPUS

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Winter GrizzFest helps kick off a new year of student involvement CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

Oakland University’s Winter 2024 semester kicked off with its biannual GrizzFest celebration as part of Welcome Week, sponsored by the Office of Student Involvement (OSI).

The event was hosted in the Oakland Center Banquet Rooms from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and featured dozens of student organizations handing out free merchandise, such as mugs, t-shirts and candy. WXOU, OU’s campus radio station, provided music for the event and students enjoyed free snacks.

Student organization leaders said they were excited to build their club and community. One such student organization was the newly-founded Guitar and Bass Club of Oakland University (GBC-OU).

“The guitar professor here and I were having a private session. He told me the idea of reviving the guitar club after 15 years,” GBC-OU president AJ Sherman said.

“I decided to follow through and I made it a reality.”

Sherman said he appreciated the opportunity to spread the word about the club.

“We started right after GrizzFest last semester, so we’re trying to get the word out as much as possible,” Sherman said.

Other student organizations emphasized their desire to build and support communities at OU

and beyond, such as Golden Giving, which emphasizes volunteerism.

“It’s a community thing,” Fernanda Ferraz, the Golden Giving Executive Volunteer Coordinator, said.

“We want to bring other people into the community, maybe show them some of the different issues that are going on in the world, but it’s just a great way to make friends… it’s kind of a two-way thing. You get something, but you also give to a different community.”

At the Gender and Sexuality Alliance’s (GSA) table, students got to make pins out of their drawings. The goal in tabling at GrizzFest, GSA Treasurer Aurora Ave-Lallemant said, is to help students find likeminded individuals.

“The GSA wants to be a welcoming student-ran

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

community for all queer students on campus, as well as all allies who might want to learn more,” Ave-Lallemant said. “In being [at GrizzFest], we want to help people not only feel seen and heard but also help people find like-spirited individuals.”

Although Fall GrizzFest occurs at the beginning of the academic year in September when most new high school graduates begin their college experiences, Senior Director of OSI Jean Ann Miller said that Winter GrizzFest is just as much an important part of getting students acclimated to university life.

“It makes you feel like part of the community and part of OU,” Miller said. “We have brand new students that have started their semester for the first time at OU, so we want to introduce those students to get involved, particularly through student organizations.

“Sometimes, first semester, students are a little hesitant… they don’t know if they have the time and they’re concentrating on their academics first,” Miller added. “Then they discover, ‘I want more to college life than just the classroom experiences.’ This offers them the opportunity to meet, up close and personal, with students that are already involved so they can find out what they’re interested in.”

However, Miller said, the event is important even to students who are not new to campus.

“It’s never too late to get involved,” Miller said.

Students can find more information about student organizations on GrizzOrgs.

Oakland Center’s plan for flooring issues GRACIE MURRAY Campus Reporter

In the heart of Oakland University is the Oakland Center (OC), where students meet friends, talk to others, eat food and pass through to get to classes.

However, in the line of traffic at the OC, the number of reports for the unsafe floor material grows.

Over the years, reports grew about how people were tripping over the floors, but only recently has it been brought to the OU administration’s attention.

OC Director, Chris Reed, has been made aware of these issues and plans to solve the problem.

Reed’s role at the OC is in charge of the entire facility, ranging from the food to the bookstore, to the actual building itself. Reed said he heard about the issue from OU facilities.

“We have had issues with it since it was installed with the expansion of the Oakland Center back in 2018,” Reed said.

The material for the flooring has become loose and warped over the past couple of months. “[We are] deeply concerned, because obviously, we

don’t want anyone to be in an unsafe environment,” Reed said. “Definitely wanted to address it immediately.”

“Walk-off mats have been placed in problematic areas to cover the floor to improve the safety of students until a permanent solution is in place.”

The OC administration has been working on this issue since the end of 2023. One of the associate directors of the facility met with the flooring providers in November to hopefully move toward a safer environment for the students.

“There are areas that, I think we envision, that becomes carpeted and some of that luxury vinyl tile,” Reed said. “We just want to make sure that it’s done right and again it looks intentional because it will be intentional, but it has that continuity and flow to it.”

The OU administration said they would like to have the issue fixed soon. With it being in the middle of the academic school year, the building tends to be a bit busier, which makes it harder to direct the traffic.

“I think we know the solution,” Reed said. “What it comes down to is how quickly the material can get here and how it impacts traffic flow. Obviously, at this time of the year, we have a lot more traffic that comes

through here, so we have to block parts of it, we have to do it in phases so that traffic can continue to flow.”

Reed said he hopes the material arrives by the end of January and that a permanent solution is in place by winter break in February.

Although Reed admitted he is “being aggressive” with the timeline that he hopes for, he wants the students to be in a safe environment.

Additional news regarding the flooring updates will be shared when available. For further information and news, visit the OC’s website.

PHOTO BY SOPHIE HUME

JANUARY 17, 2024 | 5 CAMPUS Oakland University’s updated Medical Amnesty Policy GRACIE MURRAY Campus Reporter

This past year, Oakland University’s Dean of Students reviewed the Student Code of Conduct and updated the university’s Medical Amnesty Policy.

In the state of Michigan, a law was introduced for minors who are seeking help and may need medical care for alcohol intoxication in 2012.

The policy was first presented in a university setting and then continued to grow across the country at different universities and colleges to help students who need healthcare.

In 2016, OU incorporated the law through the

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

Dean of Students to help students who are minors who may need help with alcohol intoxication.

Assistant Vice-President for the Dean of Students, Mike Wadsworth, goes into detail about the Medical Amnesty Policy.

Wadsworth said the policy would assist those under the age of 21 in receiving medical treatment.

“If you are a minor under the age of 21 and you seek help, medical assistance, that kind of thing for consumption of alcohol, drugs, that kind of thing, [law enforcement] will forgo the penalty side and get you the medical help you need,” Wadsworth said.

Wadsworth said he had seen multiple situations where people were scared to come forward and had unfortunate conclusions to those situations. “[The policy is in place] to encourage folks to come forward and seek assistance,” Wadsworth said.

“It was first created in our policy, I believe, in 2016 or 17. That’s when we created the current, what we have as our first student code of conduct,” Wadsworth said.

The change came when the Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) expressed interest in updating the policy to help students feel safe to get help.

“[OUSC] heard from some students that there were some things in the policy that still weren’t making students feel safe or comfortable to come forward,” Wadsworth said.

Although the change had only been two words, Wadsworth wanted to give a clear explanation of the change and what it meant.

Instead of, “Oakland University maintains the discretion to refer the individual for appropriate conduct and educational intervention(s),” the policy now reads, “Oakland University maintains the discretion to refer the individual for appropriate educational intervention(s).”

“Just to make it a little more clear that if somebody qualifies under the Medical Amnesty Provision, we are not going to seek any conduct conclusion,” Wadsworth said.

If you are a minor who wants to seek medical help with alcohol intoxication and/or drug-related issues, the Dean of Students is here to help. The email to reach out to is deanofstudents@oakland. edu. The number to schedule an appointment is (248) 370-3352.

‘Hi Barbie!’ — OU community attends SPB’s Barbie Movie Night CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

The Oakland Center Habitat transformed into Barbieland on the evening of Jan. 11 when more than 200 Oakland University students attended the Student Program Board’s (SPB) showing of “Barbie.”

The event was held as part of Winter Welcome Week, which ran from Jan. 4 through 13.

“We host movie nights kind of frequently. We always try to do it once a semester as a way for students to have something fun to do that’s kind of low commitment and to be able to enjoy a night out, because a lot of people don’t really have the time to get out and go watch a movie,” SPB Marketing Director Kelly Cassette said. “It’s just a way for them to relax.”

“Barbie” was chosen due to its overwhelming and ongoing popularity, Cassette added — the movie was the most nominated project at the Golden Globes and walked away from the award show with two.

“Barbie has just been all the rage since last summer. It’s been nominated for so many awards and won so many awards,” she said. “We’ve seen trend upon trend through the university — OU Housing has made a whole big thing about it. So it’s definitely popular, and we wanted to jump on that bandwagon, and we love to do a theme,” she said.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF SPB

Attendees enjoyed popcorn and a variety of pinkcolored desserts, including brownies, rice krispie treats and cookies. Additionally, attendees who stayed until the end of the movie were entered in a drawing for a pair of pink Beats headphones.

Students were encouraged to wear pink attire to the event as was customary when seeing the movie in theatres in the summer of 2023. As part of SPB’s Hump Day celebrations the Wednesday before, students were able to pick up pink cowboy hats, sunglasses and bandanas.

Students were excited to see the movie — the room erupted in cheers during the opening credits.

Students sang along to Lizzo’s Pink (Bad Day) and

sang and clapped to the rhythm of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” while waving their flashlights in the air.

For many of the attendees, this was not their first time seeing the film. Freshman Bri Moline watched it three times before SPB’s showing.

“It’s my favorite movie in the whole wide world.

My whole dorm room is decorated with Barbie,” she said. “I had to come see it again... I could watch it a million times.”

Freshman Veronica Miller echoed a similar sentiment.

“I actually saw it three times in the theatre. It was that good,” Miller said. “It’s a great movie because it really empowers women… We’re just here for the vibes. We have the pink sunglasses, we got the bandana going on and we’re just having a good time.”

Other attendees cited the opportunity to celebrate with other women and the OU community.

“It’s Barbie. Everyone loves Barbie. I love Barbie.

I wanted to see how many people love Barbie,” senior Christian Huff said. “I wanted to see all the other ‘Barbies’ and enjoy the togetherness that Oakland brings.”

For more information about SPB and its upcoming events, visit SPB’s Instagram or GrizzOrgs page.

FEATURES

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OUCC provides mental health support groups for the winter semester NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Amidst the current staff shortage at the Oakland University Counseling Center, the need for quality, timely student support grows each day. To mitigate service wait times, the OUCC has created several support groups centered around various mental health topics. These support groups are available free of charge to Oakland University students for the winter semester.

Dr. Travis Goldwire, a clinical psychologist skilled in cognitive behavioral therapy, is the group coordinator for the OUCC support groups. Goldwire offers six support group sessions at the Oakland Center each week.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the OUCC offers social anxiety support groups.

“The most widely attended ones are our social anxiety support groups, we call those ‘Adulting 101,’” Goldwire said. “It’s about helping students to go out to meet people and to interact with their peers and to overcome some of the anxiety that typically keeps students from connecting with others.”

While each support group focuses on a specific topic, Goldwire is flexible when it comes to topics not found on the itinerary. Students are free to bring up topics

they would like to talk about, even if they do not pertain directly to the group’s discussion topic.

“I try to repeat some of these subjects because I know sometimes students can’t attend or they missed them,” Goldwire said. “If students have an interest in something that maybe isn’t on the schedule but they just wanted to come, I’m very flexible and if there aren’t many students there, I’ll say yeah let’s talk about whatever you want to talk about.”

In the past, OUCC has used a program known as the stepped care model. Under this model, the counseling center offers an array of mental health support services, other than individual therapy, to ensure that students get the help they need.

The OUCC suggests that students looking to start individual therapy try attending a group therapy session first. Once the spaces clear for individual therapy, the counseling center then assigns those students to individual therapists.

The support groups have been helpful in alleviating some of the pressure off of the OUCC therapists as their caseloads rise throughout the school year.

“It sort of gives us some breathing room,” Goldwire said. “With any counseling center, there’s only so many therapists to go around, and the ratio of students to counselors at Oakland is not the best. The groups really do provide an opportunity for students to be able

to learn self-help, and learn about things that they can do to help themselves that are outside of an individual therapy dynamic.”

While each session is first come first serve due to the size of space available, every session is free of charge. While students can simply walk into a session, registering online is preferred to help the OUCC understand what help you are looking for.

For students interested in learning more about the OUCC support groups, please visit the center’s OU webpage. For questions about the services provided by the OUCC, or those looking to speak with Goldwire, please contact him at his email address, tgoldwire@oakland.edu.

PHOTO BY MAGGIE WILLARD

FEATURES

JANUARY 17, 2024 | 7

OU Alumni Association hosts Georgia Homsany for a goal-setting session NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

As the new year rolls in, many people try to improve themselves by participating in New Year’s resolutions. While some are able to achieve their new goals, many find their resolutions to be too challenging or simply do not have the time to fulfill them.

On Jan. 10, the Oakland University Alumni Association hosted Georgia Homsany, the founder and CEO of DAILY DOSE for a webinar entitled “New Year, New View: Setting Goals that Set You Up for Success.” In the webinar, Homsany not only explains why many people give up on their New Year’s resolutions but also shows how to create stronger goals for the future.

According to Homsany, there are a few key reasons why people tend to fall behind on their New Year’s resolutions. The most common reason why many do not follow through with their resolution is because their goal is too big.

“One example could be, ‘I want to lose 20 pounds,’” Homsany said. “I hear a lot of people talk about weight loss with the New Year. 20 pounds is a lot of weight for most people, so to

just throw out these lofty goals, it’s going to be difficult to go from one extreme to the next. Think about how we can dial back and really break these goals into bite sizes.”

Another reason Homsany gave for why people give up on their resolutions is that it may not be something people actually want to do, such as going to the gym or eating more vegetables.

“If you’re saying I should really eat more vegetables, you’re probably not going to do that resolution if you don’t like vegetables,” Homsany said. “We want to reframe things or pick something that we actually want to do that way we’re excited to do it and it sets us up for success.”

While there are several reasons why people do not complete their New Year’s resolutions, making goals more attainable is a good place to start.

Homsany walked through the steps of creating more achievable goals.

“The first thing I want you to do is to write down everything you want to accomplish this year,” Homsany said. “I want you to pick three of these goals that you wrote on your list that you’d like to focus on.”

Homsany challenged the webinar attendees to decide on one of their three goals to focus on,

PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGIA HOMSANY

encouraging participants to keep in mind which goal would bring them the most joy.

“I want you to think about what’s going to give you the most joy after achieving it,” Homsany said.

“Let’s break it down to what you can achieve in the next 60 days. I really want it to feel feasible. Not so much, ‘I can probably do that,’ but what can you definitely accomplish in the next 60 days because we want to set ourselves up for success.”

For those interested in reaching out to Homsany for more information about goal-setting, please visit her LinkedIn page, or email her at georgia@ dailydose-wellness.com.

Ruth Bergman of the Zekelman Holocaust Center leads a presentation on antisemitism DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

The Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community Engagement hosted Ruth Bergman of the Zekelman Holocaust Center on Jan. 12.

Bergman gave an educational presentation entitled “Antisemitism and What We Can Do About It.” In light of a recent rise in antisemitism incidents, which some attribute to the ongoing Israel-Hamas War, Bergman’s discussion provided insight into a contemporary issue that has marred the fabric of our nation.

The presentation highlighted a centuries-old problem, centered around hate and misinformation.

The meat and potatoes of the night, however, surrounded the idea of antisemitism’s modern expressions and how to identify them.

“This is my definition [of antisemitism] based on years and years of research: Antisemitism is the belief that the ‘Jews’ are an existential threat to humanity,” Bergman said.

Bergman has ample credentials to teach the topic of Jewish studies through her role as Director of Education at the Zekelman Holocaust Center and a certification in Jewish Leadership from Northwestern University. As a Jewish woman herself, Bergman finds it vital to educate those on how to combat antisemitism.

Historically, antisemitism arose from direct teachings by parents, governments, places of worship and schools. As children, it is typical for some to take the words of authority figures

PHOTO COURTSEY OF RUTH BERGMAN

as gospel.

Today, the markers of antisemitism breed in revisionism and denial. Oakland University community members can fight discriminatory rhetoric by disseminating informed, culturally conscious education.

Along with revisionism, the current affairs in Israel make way for antizionism. Bergman sees parallels between antizionism and antisemitism.

“In practice, contempary antizionism is a form of antisemitism. These equivalencies are dangerous because they are false. However you want to talk about an issue, you have to [actually] talk about the issue. The inflammatory language when talking about Israel needs to be talked about properly,” Bergman said.

Hate is something that should not be tolerated in general, but Bergman finds it vital to highlight antisemitism with the recent wave of it on social media. High-profile individuals with large platforms have been perpetrators of antisemitism in the past year. Kanye West, Kyrie Irving and Donald Trump are a few public figures who have outwardly exposed antisemitic sentiments.

“Of course, we want to get rid of hate in the world, and we want to deal with antisemitism on that level. But on that personal level [for Jews], it matters,” Bergman said.

Bergman sees the importance of teaching media literacy so that individuals can discern fact from fiction. Lots of antisemitism is rooted in myth.

“Developing media literacy skills allows us to tell truth from fiction, fact from propaganda. It is easy to listen to the rhetoric that confirms our biases and justifies our prejudices; with social media, it is easy to repeat these lies to an international audience.

Using our critical thinking skills to discover truth is essential for demanding accountability from our leadership and sustaining our democracy,” Bergman wrote for The Times of Israel.

As the evening drew on, the question of what we can do about it remained. Bergman believes the answer to this question involves stepping in and educating on a reactionary basis.

“What you can do is speak up and say something, that’s if you feel safe, of course, always put your safety first. But we have to have these conversations,” Bergman said.

(Continue on our website)

FEATURES

8 | JANUARY 17, 2024

OUSC under the Farooqi-Ferguson administration: A semester in review and a semester ahead PAYTON BUCKI Content Editor

Murryum Farooqi and Maris Ferguson joined Oakland University’s Student Congress (OUSC) not only to raise awareness but also, to bring about change. Since the pair was elected to serve as president and vice president of OUSC in the spring of 2023, Farooqi and Ferguson have advanced various initiatives to better the campus community.

January marks the midpoint of the FarooqiFerguson administration’s one-year term. This article will review the successes of OUSC in the summer and fall semesters under the Farooqi-Ferguson administration and the pair’s goals for the second half of their term in office.

Summer and Fall 2023 Overview When Farooqi and Ferguson decided to campaign for leadership of OUSC, the pair had no shortage of ideas for initiatives. In March 2023, the pair spoke to The Oakland Post regarding their goals if elected.

“A few of our key initiatives include reforming the University Medical Amnesty Policy, expanding our support for the Affordable Course Materials Initiative (ACMI), pushing for better dining hall hours, advocating for the creation of an academic forgiveness policy and expanding our free menstrual products initiative to all bathrooms on campus,” the Farooqi-Ferguson Slate said when asked about campaign goals.

This January, Farooqi and Ferguson provided an update on the status of their campaign promises.

“One of our biggest points of pride and effort was about the medical amnesty policy,” Ferguson said. “There was a huge focus on opening a line of communication with the Dean of Students office and talking about how, first and foremost, it [the previous medical amnesty policy] is a problem.

Once the problem was recognized, the community took a strong position on the medical amnesty reform efforts and we saw a lot of support.”

Ferguson emphasized that OUSC’s efforts for medical amnesty reform brought the whole campus community together to advocate for increased student protection. Multiple resolutions were unanimously in support of the proposed changes to the medical amnesty policy, including the Oakland University Senate.

OUSC’s medical amnesty reform efforts were successful — Ferguson says that the revisions to the bill were akin to the proposed modifications suggested by the Farooqi-Ferguson administration.

Farooqi touched upon OUSC’s efforts to improve the quality of campus food and expand the campus dining hall hours.

“Although they [the dining hall hours] were not expanded as much as we wanted them to be, we at least got the one-hour expansion [for Hillcrest dining hall hours],” Farooqi said.

Last semester, OUSC representatives had many conversations with Chartwells leadership and Oakland University Housing professional staff in an attempt to improve campus meal options and availability. Farooqi explained that limited food options and hours of operation present accessibility barriers to community members who may have dietary restrictions, mobility issues or atypical schedules.

Near the end of the semester, OUSC focused on advocating for the University to provide increased support and resources to the Oakland University Counseling Center. Oakland University’s Counseling Center currently has the lowest faculty-to-student ratio in comparison to all other university counseling centers in Michigan.

To tackle this issue, OUSC representatives wrote letters to the editor which were published in The Oakland Post. These letters detailed the personal experiences students have had with the OUCC and highlighted the importance of quality mental health services.

OUSC’s efforts in amending university policy, improving campus dining and enhancing mental health support services are by no means the only successes the Farooqi-Ferguson administration has seen in the fall semester. OUSC has a team of legislators and directors who work diligently to advance campus sustainability, student engagement and school spirit.

Winter 2024 Outlook OUSC under the Farooqi-Ferguson administration has achieved much success in its initiatives throughout the fall semester. While the group has celebrated its success, OUSC representatives have continued their efforts to enhance OU living, learning and dining.

Farooqi is excited to continue working with Chartwells leadership to increase campus dining options.

“When we [OUSC] hosted the Campus Dining Town Hall, a common complaint we received was a lack of variety [of food options in the dining halls],” Farooqi said. “People were tired of the same salad, the same bagel, and so on.”

Although OUSC has not achieved its major goals

PHOTO BY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY STUDENT CONGRESS

concerning campus dining, Farooqi recognizes that significant progress has been made.

“During Middle Eastern Heritage Week, we talked to the dining halls and they did a special menu for that week,” Farooqi said. “We hope to continue working with Chartwells leadership to introduce a variety of menu options in the dining halls for the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Week.”

Another initiative OUSC is pursuing this semester is increasing recycling on campus.

“We [OUSC] are going to be sponsoring the placement of recycling bins across campus,” Farooqi said. “Our Director of Software and Technology has been working on an app. The app will tell a person if an item is recyclable; all they need to do is scan the barcode of the item.”

Farooqi spoke about OUSC’s plans to promote course markings.

“We want to do a postcard campaign to lobby the state legislature to adopt legislation that requires universities to mark courses when a student registers.

The markings would tell a student whether there is an additional textbook cost associated with the course,” Farooqi said.

To enhance school spirit on campus, OUSC hosts a swag exchange program. To receive a free item of OU spirit wear, students may bring any article of clothing that bears the name of another university to the OUSC office. The exchange program increases the accessibility of OU spirit wear, which tends to be costly when purchased in-store.

Besides the aforementioned initiatives, the Farooqi-Ferguson administration hopes to improve the conditions of campus prayer and lactation rooms.

Further, OUSC plans to continue expanding its free menstrual product program.

For those interested in getting involved with OUSC, contact the group through their email, ousc@oakland.edu.

OAKLAND UNIVERSITY | College of Arts and Sciences

Richard J. Burke Lecture i n Ph i l o s o p h y, R e l i g i o n a n d S o c i e t y Designed to tackle some of today’s compelling issues — from war to religion to sexual ethics — the Richard J. Burke Lecture in Philosophy, Religion and Society sparks serious, thought-provoking discussions between scholars, students and the community.

Join us for this thought-provoking lecture. Admission is free, but reservations are requested.

To reserve your space, email zimmerm2@oakland.edu or call (248) 370-3390.

DAVID CHALMERS discusses

Can ChatGPT think?

March 6, 2024 | 7 – 9 p.m.

Oakland Center Gold Rooms A, B and C Generative AI systems, such as ChatGPT and its many relatives, have taken the world by storm.

They show a variety of impressive abilities that would require intelligence if done by humans.

But is ChatGPT really intelligent? Can it understand what it says? Is it conscious?

Can it think? These are difficult questions that require philosophical analysis.

Chalmers will address some aspects of these questions.

DAVID CHALMERS is a university professor of Philosophy and Neural Science and co-director of the Center for Mind, Brain and Consciousness at New York University.

He is the author of “The Conscious Mind,” “Constructing The World” and “Reality+: Virtual Worlds and the Problems of Philosophy.” He is known for formulating the hard problem of consciousness, which inspired Tom Stoppard’s play “The Hard Problem,” and for the idea of the “extended mind,” which says that the tools we use can become parts of our minds.

ABOUT RICHARD J. BURKE (1932-2012) As the first faculty member hired at Oakland University, Richard Burke watched OU evolve from promising beginnings to a present day filled with possibility. To help bring those possibilities to fruition, he established the annual Richard J. Burke Lecture in Philosophy, Religion and Society.

phl26503/11.23

GOLDEN GRIZZLIES TRIUMPH

IN ELECTRIFYING OVERTIME BATTLE AGAINST NKU

The Grizzlies men’s basketball team took down the Northern Kentucky University (NKU) Norse on Wednesday, Jan. 9, after an exhilarating overtime at the OU Credit Union O’rena.

“If you can win and learn, that’s how you win championships,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “Today was a really good win for Oakland.”

Trey Townsend and DQ Cole led the Grizzlies in scoring with 18 points and 17 points, respectively.

Both players also made contributions on the glass, with Cole pulling in eight rebounds and Townsend snagging seven.

“Everyone played a lot of minutes, but we just love each other, and we want to win for each other,” Townsend said.

In addition to Townsend and Cole, Rocket Watts and Jack Gohlke also had solid contributions. Watts chipped in ten points with three rebounds and three assists, while Gholke provided nine points, three rebounds and an assist.

Both teams opened the game trading baskets, but the points were far and few between, as both teams had issues scoring. Through the first 10 minutes of play, the Grizzlies and the Norse scored a combined 21 points, and NKU led 11-10.

“Northern Kentucky’s a great defensive team,” Kampe said. “What makes them is their zone’s unique. Our zone’s unique; their zone’s unique.”

Although NKU led for a greater part of the first half, the Grizzlies were able to take back the lead late in the half. However, the Norse swiftly recaptured the lead in the next possession and went into halftime with a five-point lead over the Grizzlies at 29-24.

At the start of the second half, the Norse jumped ahead to an eleven-point lead and held the Grizzlies scoreless for the first two minutes. Nevertheless, a Chris Conway jumper initiated a 9-2 Grizzly run, bringing the team within five points midway through the second.

Through the rest of the second, OU stayed within

two possessions of the Norse until Cole hit a crucial three, which gave the Grizzlies their first lead of the half. Even though OU led by as many as six points with two minutes left in the second, a late NKU three from Micahel Bradley sent the game to overtime.

In the opening moments of overtime, OU got ahead of the Norse thanks to two consecutive mid-range jumpers from Watts.

After a couple of empty-handed possessions from the Grizzlies, a deep three-point conversion from Cole would seal the fate of the game, as the Grizzlies bolstered their lead back up to four points with two minutes remaining in overtime.

“It was crazy. I haven’t felt the atmosphere like that ever in my basketball career,” Cole said. “It was crazy to see all the fans going crazy, all the kids loving what they’re seeing; it was definitely a memory I made tonight for sure.”

Although the Norse were able to narrow the game back within two points, Blake Lampman knocked down three straight clutch free throws with under 30 seconds left in the game, which increased the OU lead to 70-65.

Following three straight missed three-pointers from NKU, the Grizzlies walked away victorious. “(We) kinda did everything we could at times to lose tonight, and yet we found a way, and that’s what’s important,” Kampe said. “You grow, and you learn from your mistakes, you figure it out, and you make the next play.”

Next, the Grizzlies will travel to Ohio to take on the Youngstown State Penguins on Wednesday, Jan. 17. After that, the team will take on the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Phoenix on the road on Thursday, Jan. 25.

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ARTS Meadow Brook Theatre presents ‘Father of the Bride’ 12 | JANUARY 17, 2024

MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Whether you know it from the films or the novel, “Father of the Bride” is a classic tale following a father who just wants to make his daughter happy for her wedding, and is also the latest play to hit the stage at Meadow Brook Theatre.

“Father of the Bride” details an everyday dad in the 1950s who hates the fuss made for weddings, but when his only daughter announces her engagement he does everything he can to make her happy — even with his sanity on the line.

This comedic and chaotic tale takes the audience through setting up a wedding from just after the engagement to the very end. Back-to-back wedding planning shenanigans and perfect comedic timing made this such an enjoyable watch.

The entire play takes place in one room — the Banks’s living room — but the story is told in three acts during three very contrasting times of the wedding planning, each with its ups and downs and different levels of excitement for the event.

The play featured incredible performances from the entire cast, especially Edward Juvier as the father and Olivia Kiefer as the bride, Kay. The familial bond between the characters felt real. Seeing Mr. Banks interact with Kay was adorable, and actually felt like a father just making sure his daughter was getting everything she desired.

The main cast did a spectacular job, but I would also like to shout out some comedic side characters like

Tyrick Wiltez Jones as Mr. Massoula — the extravagant employee of Buckingham Catering — and Stephanie Nichols as Delilah — the exasperated, but loving, family maid.

The set design of the play was also incredible. I did not have many expectations as this was my first time seeing a production at Meadow Brook Theatre, but this exceeded anything I had thought of. I also want to note that the lighting was especially well done.

The costume designers did a great job of matching the decade the play was set in, while still making it casual and effective for the cast.

Overall, this production is a must-watch for everyone. Meadow Brook Theatre is an amazing local theater house for Oakland University students and is

worth visiting. You can check out this production now through Sunday, Feb. 4.

“People have been laughing along with this story for over 70 years. I hope that it lifts your heart and lightens your spirit,” director Travis W. Walter said.

Ticket prices for Meadow Brook Theatre’s production of “Father of the Bride” can range from $37 to $46, and those interested can purchase them by calling the Meadow Brook Theatre box office at 248-377-3300 or by visiting www.ticketmaster.com. Student discounts are available at the box office.

Those who are interested can also catch future productions at Meadow Brook Theatre.

“Come join us in February for the Michigan Premiere musical ‘A Little More Alive.’ Then in March, you’ll be lost in laughter with ‘Native Gardens.’ April will have you singing and dancing in your seats with ‘Route 66.’

Last but certainly not least, we will close out the season with ‘Ella, First Lady of Song’ starring Freda Payne,” managing director Cheryl L. Marshall and director Travis W. Walter said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN CARTER PPHOTOGRAPHY

A week in hip-hop: 21 Savage vs. Kid Cudi Arts Reporter

For only being the third week in January, two rappers have definitely made a splash already. Kid Cudi and 21 Savage have been carving their own lanes for a while now.

Cudi has been known to expand on the pro-mental health awareness alternative hip-hop from the late 2000s and early 2010s, while 21 Savage emerged from the blossoming Atlanta trap scene that became mainstream in the 2010s.

Both rappers have also evolved over the years — one more subtly than the other. Kid Cudi has favored more pop rap and trap beats and flows over the last three to four years.

21 Savage has been known for his trap bangers such as “a lot” and “Bank Account,” but lately has been collaborating with artists like Metro Boomin, which has caused his selection of flows and beats to be a lot more creative and unexpected.

Cudi has been teasing his newest studio release “INSANO” for a while now, but on Jan. 12, 2024, he released the massive 21-track, hour-long trap-inspired album.

21 Savage surprise-dropped his third solo studio album “american dream” on the same day as Kid Cudi’s with limited marketing up until the drop, instead relying solely on hype from his recent tour with Drake and a music video teaser starring Donald Glover — also known as Childish Gambino — and Caleb McLaughlin of “Stranger Things” fame.

Critically, Kid Cudi has fared better than 21 Savage, however I think that might change relatively soon because of these records. 21 Savage’s newest effort “american dream” is a fantastic example of how artists can get more personal and evolve over time without leaving behind what has made them hitmakers. Cudi’s album is… not that.

21 Savage starts out the record with an intro narrated by his mother Heather Carmillia Joseph over cinematic production which transitions into the track “all of me” — which was teased in the “american dream” trailer. The song is an instant classic 21 Savage cut with cutthroat verses and a clever chorus.

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Tuesday, January 30 4 - 7 p.m.

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The most anticipated albums of 2024

“Loss of Life” - MGMT (Feb. 23) MGMT’s last album “Little Dark Age” has become sort of a recent TikTok phenomenon, especially with the recent resurgence of MGMT’s 2018 songs such as “Little Dark Age,” “Me & Michael” and “When You Die.” Teasing their newest album “Loss of Life” with the singles “Bubblegum Dog” and “Mother Nature,” MGMT finally confirmed their upcoming fifth studio album in the fall of 2023.

Personally, I hope they continue the low-key yet innovative production and song structures from their last release.

CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

2023 was a fantastic year for music. Monumental albums, singles and tours rocked the year musically and culturally.

Taylor Swift released “1989 (Taylor’s Version)” and put on a dazzling decade and a half spanning “Eras Tour,” cementing her hold on the current pop culture moment. Beyoncé and many others like Drake, The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and Metallica toured stadiums across America.

Olivia Rodrigo released her highly-anticipated sophomore album, “GUTS,” a riveting look at early-twenties Gen Z angst. Doja Cat, Foo Fighters, Lana Del Rey, Boygenius, Zach Bryan, Luke Combs and Morgan Wallen also dominated the culture with their albums and singles that dropped in 2023.

Now we have a new year ahead of us, and that means new singles, tours and, most importantly, albums. Here’s a list of my most anticipated releases of 2024 so far. Some of these are speculative, but others have a tentative release date.

“Saviors” - Green Day (Jan. 19) Starting off with an early release, Green Day’s anticipated 14th studio album looks to take the band back to their glamorous and grandiose pop punk era à la “American Idiot” back in 2004.

The band has released four singles, including the relatively well-received “The American Dream is Killing Me.” We will have to wait and see if Green Day redeems themselves after their universally disappointing 2020 release, “Father of All…”

JANURARY 17, 2024 | 13

PHOTO COURTESY OF GENIUS

“Something in the Room She Moves” - Julia Holter (March 22) Art pop industry veteran and absolute icon Julia Holter is back after a six-year solo studio album hiatus and has recently announced her latest album “Something in the Room She Moves” — which aims to be one of the most experimental yet ethereal pieces of her career.

Her latest single “Spinning” is a textural and spiritual journey through multiple musical aesthetics. Holter mixes a gorgeous yet subtle melodic performance with progressive electronic production. Julia Holter always pushes her artistic and creative limits with each release, and this latest album rollout seems no different.

“Y2K!” - Ice Spice (TBA) Bursting onto the Bronx drill scene in 2022 — with many people calling her a “fad” and a “one-hitwonder”— New York’s very own Princess Diana, Ice Spice, has had nothing short of a tremendously huge 2023.

Her collaboration with throwback-pop artist PinkPantheress “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” and underground banger “Deli” proved her to be an artist with not only staying power but also one with savvy social media and marketing skills.

Her highly anticipated debut studio album “Y2K!” looks to carry Ice Spice through 2024, and maybe propel her to headline her very own North American tour.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROLLING STONE

“LANA” - SZA (TBA) Like Ice Spice, SZA also had a notable 2023. Her sophomore album “SOS” was released very late in 2022, so the record came alive, popped off and lived a full life last year.

Songs like “Kill Bill,” “Snooze” and “Shirt” cemented SZA not only as a great alternative R&B artist but as a blossoming pop artist as well.

SZA teased a new project on X and Instagram with the caption “LANA.” While it is not entirely confirmed what this project is — album, mixtape, B-sides or EP — it is certain that SZA has a grip on the culture right now.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HARPERS BAZAAR

PHOTO COURTESY OF URBAN OUTFITTERS

“Music” - Playboi Carti (TBA) This is the final release I will be talking about, and it is arguably the most frustrating. Atlanta hip-hop artist and rage rap pioneer Playboi Carti announced that his third studio album will be titled “Music” — a truly riveting title.

He has not released any singles so far, and instead has released four music videos including the Travis Scott collaboration “BACKR00MS” and the nocturnal “HOODBYAIR.” Playboi Carti seems to have the hype with him, however, with his tour recently getting postponed again, life may seem to get in the way of Carti fully capitalizing on his success.

14 | JANURARY 17, 2024

‘Anyone But You’ is not the return of the rom-com OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI Arts Editor

Every time a new rom-com is released, it is immediately somehow labeled “the return of the romcom,” and I need to object.

Trust me, we are all well aware of the downfall of the rom-com genre from its 90s heyday that had hits like “Notting Hill,” “10 Things I Hate About You” and “Pretty Woman” — and especially its early 2000s genre solidifiers like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” and “13 Going on 30.”

I have been personally affected by this drought, so I am self-anointing myself as an expert on this topic.

I too have been insatiably awaiting a resurgence of my beloved genre — and I honestly do think we have reached that point in time — but not every new romcom release is deserving of that title.

Enter: “Anyone But You.” The Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney-led rom-com had been the talk of social media ever since its poorly edited teaser trailer on Oct.19.

People were confused about what was even going on — myself included — so I of course turned to the internet. Apple TV described the plot as, “Two college arch-nemeses reunite years after graduation for a destination wedding and pretend to be lovers for their own personal reasons.”

This seemed right up my alley, an enemies-to-lovers trope and a fake dating trope? What more could I ask for?

Substance. I could have really used some substance, context and believability.

When Powell pretended to be Sweeney’s husband

in that coffee shop so that she could get the keys to the “must buy something to use” bathroom, I assumed we were in the present day by what felt like obviously mature aesthetics on both parts.

I was trying to get my bearings with the timeline and thought, “Okay, so he’s helping her out, but now we’re going to get surprised and learn that they have a storied, fiery past!”

That was very much not the case. Sweeney was apparently a college student with an internship, and I was left instantly reevaluating my life.

From that short little Apple TV synopsis I was under the impression that Powell’s Ben and Sweeney’s Bea were going to be these college rivals who were secretly in love with each other and had this intense history, but I was clearly very wrong.

They literally met once. After that coffee shop meeting, Ben and Bea give us an impersonal montage of their day walking around the city before ending up at Ben’s apartment — where we get one snippet of their conversation before they fall asleep talking on the couch.

Obviously, Bea sneaks out and then immediately turns around, wondering why she did that, only to find Ben telling his Pete Davidson personality-variant roommate that she was “no one” after being asked about the stranger who just left his apartment.

I think this is where the root of the problems that plagued “Anyone But You” can be diagnosed: the lack of foundation that we are given about these characters and their connection to each other.

Like, we were supposed to be on board with thinking that Ben was “obviously in love with” Bea because he whipped out his frying pan and made her a grilled

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cheese and said one line about his mom’s connection to a wrench in a display case.

Because of this lack of character development, the exaggerated hatred and scathing back and forth between Ben and Bea — that the movie relied on so heavily — felt unfounded and unwarranted.

They truly did not know each other like that to be believably reading each other so hard at their next chance meeting, so any of their interactions felt so unnatural and contrived to get the plot moving.

Apple TV truly steered me wrong because if I had read the IMDb synopsis before entering that theater, my expectations might have been a little different, but I still wouldn’t buy their “return of the rom-com” worthy connection.

“Anyone But You” did prove one thing to me, however, and that is that Powell’s “Set It Up” remains the reigning champion of “return of the rom-com” contenders.

Rating: 2/5 stars

PHOTO COURTESY OF DON ARNOLD

ARTS

JANUARY 17, 2024 | 15

The Golden Globes 2024: The wins, losses and terrible jokes in between MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Film enthusiasts and casual enjoyers gathered to watch the 81st annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday, Jan. 7. Between the nominations and awkward hosting, it was an eventful night.

The night was a highlight primarily for fans of “Succession,” which took home four awards for Best Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama for Sarah Snook, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama for Kieran Culkin and Best Supporting Actor – Television for Matthew Macfadyen.

The series is officially over, and went out with a bang. I’ve personally never given “Succession” a watch, but the scene where Shiv and Roman have a little sibling slap-fight deserves a Golden Globe on its own.

Another major competitor was “The Bear,” which won three awards including Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy, Best Actor in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for Jeremy Allen White and Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy for Ayo Edebiri.

“I can’t believe I’m in this room with all these people I’ve loved so much, admired so much for so long. It’s unreal. I love this show,” Allen said in his acceptance speech.

As an avid viewer of “The Bear,” I was proud to see White and Edebiri celebrated for their skills that carry the show, but the only question in my mind — and a huge majority of the show’s fanbase’s — was

why is it considered a comedy?

The show is so well made that it makes the audience feel like they’re in the kitchen alongside the characters. It’s stressful.

“Oppenheimer” unsurprisingly had a good run, and won five major awards at the ceremony. Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama went to Cillian Murphy and Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture went to Robert Downey Jr. “Universal went all in on Christopher Nolan, to direct Cillian Murphy with Emma Thomas producing with Emily [Blunt] and Florence [Pugh] and this cast and crew and helped them render a goddamn masterpiece,” Downey Jr. said in his acceptance speech.

Alongside the acting credit, “Oppenheimer” director Christopher Nolan won Best Director – Motion Picture, the film received the award for Best Original Score – Motion Picture for Ludwig Göransson and, finally, the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

Other major awards included Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy for Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers” and Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture for Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “The Holdovers.”

“Beef” won the Golden Globe for Best Limited Series – Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television, “Barbie” won the Cinematic and Box Office Achievement award, “The Boy and the Heron” won Best Motion Picture – Animated and “Anatomy of a Fall” won Best Screenplay – Motion Picture.

Of course, we can’t discuss the Golden Globes

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIE CLAIRE UK

without discussing Jo Koy’s hosting fails that continued throughout the night.

His introduction to the ceremony felt drawn out, and as the camera panned to the actors and filmmakers, viewers at home could tell it wasn’t just an “us thing.” As the night went on, audiences held out hope that his jokes would improve, but they just got more misogynistic.

One of his jabs went to “Barbie” — directed by Greta Gerwig — as Koy completely missed the point of the movie. He was met with glares from Gerwig, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling — among many other actors.

“Oppenheimer is based on a 721-page Pulitzer Prize-winning book about the Manhattan Project, and Barbie is on a plastic doll with big boobies,” Koy said in his monologue.

Despite this, the night went on with its wins and losses — and bad hosting. Hopefully, next year’s ceremony will be an improvement from this one.

Regardless, I will be tuned in.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAGE SIX

POLITICS Claudine Gay resigns as Harvard University’s president 16 | JANUARY 17, 2024

MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

On Jan. 2, Claudine Gay resigned from her role as president at Harvard University. She was appointed as the first black President of Harvard and she became the university’s icon for diversity.

Gay has served the shortest tenure of the university’s history of presidents, emphasizing her unstable career at Harvard.

“It is with a heavy heart but deep love for Harvard that I write to share that I will be stepping down as president. This is not a decision I came to easily,” Gay wrote in her letter to the Harvard Community.

In late 2023, she was exposed for plagiarism in her academic work as journalists began investigating the legitimacy and authenticity of her work. An investigation with Harvard found many instances of inadequate citation.

Although admitting to using improper citations in her work and making errors, she has denied claiming credit for other people’s work. This leads many to be frustrated over her response to the scandal.

Merriam-Webster defines plagiarism as, “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one’s own: use (another’s production) without crediting the source.”

Gay has repeatedly denied any accusations of plagiarism. However, many scholars have said the evidence suggests otherwise.

“It shouldn’t be controversial to call what Claudine did plagiarism. We teach students that it’s plagiarism

all the time,” Stephen Voss, a professor at the University of Kentucky said in an interview. Voss’ academic work was allegedly plagiarized by Gay. Those on Gay’s defense have spoken out, claiming that her plagiarism scandal was an attack by right-wing activists, notably Christopher Ruffo.

Gay’s appointment stands for the principles of diversity, equity and inclusion. Her supporters have argued that this is an attack against her race and what she stands for as the first black president of Harvard.

This debate leads to an interesting discussion on the topics of diversity and academic honesty.

“The clearer our standards, the more sure we are in what we believe in, the less it matters where a complaint or an attack is originating from,” Voss said. “ I reject the idea that an accusation that otherwise would have been taken seriously ought to be fended off because the bad guys are using it.”

According to Harvard’s Plagiarism Policy, “Students who, for whatever reason, submit work either not their own or without clear attribution to its sources will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including the requirement to withdraw from the College.” University faculty, especially the president of Harvard are also held to this level.

The other reason linked to her resignation was due to her handling of antisemitism on campus.

Several universities around the United States have seen protests on the subject of the IsraelHamas conflict. However, Ivy league schools have notably seen the most intense and politically active campuses.

Gay was questioned in front of a panel at a Congressional hearing regarding the subject of antisemitism and hate speech on campus alongside presidents from other institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“At Harvard, does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Harvard’s rules of bullying and harassment?”

Co Elise Stefanik asked at the hearing.

“It can be, depending on the context,” Gay responded.

Following the hearing, Gay apologized for her statement. She has since released press statements condemning antisemitism. In addition to the backlash Gay received following the hearing, UPenn president Liz Magil also resigned.

“Amidst all of this, it has been distressing to have doubt cast on my commitments to confronting hate and to upholding scholarly rigor—two bedrock values that are fundamental to who I am—and frightening to be subjected to personal attacks and threats fueled by racial animus.” Gay wrote in her letter to the Harvard Community.

Gay remains at Harvard University at a lower position. As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, students at universities all around the United States continue to protest, showcasing both ideas of thought. To what extent will university leaders allow antisemitic hate?

Biden makes campaign about the fight for democracy as Trump wavers on the issue NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

On the third anniversary of the Jan. 6 United States Capitol building attack, President Joe Biden gave a speech on the day that supporters of Donald Trump raided through the halls of Congress after Trump’s defeat in the 2020 presidential election.

In a very pointed and specific speech, President Biden asked the audience if democracy is still the “sacred cause of America” that George Washington declared to be in 1777. There is a meaningful difference in the democratic sentiments Biden proclaims in comparison to the attempted power grab by Trump.

Biden’s campaign speech on democracy marked the kickoff for the 2024 presidential election, which is sure to be contentious. In the speech, Biden notes that the preservation of democracy is a foundational element of his campaign.

Both Republicans and Democrats have made bids to convince voters that they are the stewards of democracy.

Some politicians argue that the opposing party is a threat to democracy. This was exemplified during the 2020 presidential election, during which Republicans insisted that they were protecting democracy from voter fraud. These claims were ultimately disproved.

Democrats have been greatly concerned about overzealous voter ID laws, uncredible accusations of voter fraud and Trump’s attempts to attain immunity protections.

At a federal appeals court argument, one of Trump’s lawyers claimed that Trump as a former president would

be essentially immune from prosecution for any of his political actions. The lawyer claimed that a prosecution against Trump could only happen if an impeachment took place.

Many argue that Trump’s claims of immunity are a major threat to American democracy.

Biden’s speech focuses on three major topics, the Jan. 6 riot, Donald Trump’s endorsement of the riot and Donald Trump’s tacit endorsement of political violence in America.

While Biden is making democracy a priority campaign issue, Republican frontrunner Trump looks to avoid discussion of his democratic values.

In a recent Town Hall event on Jan. 10, Trump addressed a largely sympathetic crowd. Trump addressed many issues but there were two topics addressed that related to Biden’s speech on democracy

PHOTO COURTESY OF CNBC

and political violence.

One of the two Town Hall hosts Bret Baier asked Trump how much of his second term would be retribution for past grievances.

“First of all a lot of people would say that’s not so bad, look at what they did. Russia Russia Russia hoax, The FBI Twitter hoax, the 51 intelligence agents hoax.

All of these different hoaxes that they did, I mean you know a lot of people would say that’s probably quite normal. I’m not gonna have time for retribution, we’re gonna make this country so successful again, I’m not gonna have time for retribution,” Trump said in response to Baier’s question on retribution.

Baier asked Trump if political violence is ever acceptable in response to Biden’s Jan 6. speech against political violence within the country.

“Well, of course, that’s right and of course, I’m the one who had very little of it, take a look at wars, again I wasn’t involved in wars, we beat the hell out of ISIS.” Regardless of the validity of this claim, his response did not address the issue of political violence within the U.S. which was addressing the attack on Jan. 6. Trump’s uncertain answer on political violence and retribution is sure to unnerve many people who are looking for a strong and committed stance on upholding democratic values.

While Biden waits to see who his Republican presidential rival will be, Trump must make his case to the Republican voter base first. He will have to make his case in the upcoming New Hampshire election on Jan. 23 and in the upcoming debates if he joins them or hosts more separate town hall events on Jan. 18 and Jan. 21.

JANUARY 17, 2024 | 17 POLITICS Key takeaways from the Jan. 10 Republican debate NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

On Jan. 10, the last Republican debate at the 2024 Iowa caucus took place. The only participants in the debate were Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis as Vivek Ramaswamy failed to qualify for the debate.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump opted to host a Town Hall event on Fox News.

The Jan. 10 Republican debate mirrored previous debates in many ways. From the economy, social issues, immigration and foreign policy, the questions posed to candidates were similar and the candidate responses were predictable.

One unique topic brought up in the debate was mental health. Historically, the topic of mental health has been sparsely discussed by Republican Party candidates. This may be because mental health issues are commonly used as a counter to the gun control movement.

During the debate, the language around mental health felt like some candidates had a genuine personal conviction about mental health. What felt like a positive change in rhetoric became mirky after listening to each candidate’s response.

“We don’t have enough mental health therapists, we don’t have enough mental health treatment centers and we don’t have enough addiction centers, and if you happen to be lucky enough to get one of those three, health insurance doesn’t cover it,” Haley said.

Haley’s speech argues that the main issues

with mental healthcare are a lack of facilities, professionals and affordability.

“Yes we need more people in institutionalized settings, unfortunately, ” DeSantis said in response to a question about restoring federal funding to mental health institutions that were shut down and defunded under Ronald Reagan’s administration.

DeSantis did not clarify which people he believes should be institutionalized nor does he specify whether he would improve funding, oversight and update institution policy to be more in line with modern standards of dealing with mental health issues.

The U.S. state mental health institutions were mostly closed after the loss of funding available under the Mental Health Systems Act, which was repealed under the Reagan administration in 1981.

These mental health institutions were inhumane due to the substandard living conditions of patients and the procedures committed against the patients which were harmful and ineffective.

The candidates seemed to blame the nation’s mental health problems on the COVID-19 lockdowns.

Another big issue that both candidates failed to commit to addressing was climate change. Both candidates spent their time pointing fingers at other countries such as China and India for their emissions while giving no indication that they believe that climate change is a problem.

Both candidates made some commitment to ending climate policies enacted by the Biden administration, with a vague statement that the need for innovation supersedes initiatives addressing climate change.

One last noteworthy moment from the debate was on the issue of the war in Gaza. CNN anchor Jake Tapper asked DeSantis to clarify if DeSantis supports the mass removal of Palestinians from Gaza.

“As president, I’m not going to tell them to do that, I think there’s a lot of issues with that. But if they make the calculation that to avert a second Holocaust they need to do that. I think some of these Palestinian Arabs, Saudi Arabia should take some, Egypt should take some. They’ve never been willing to accept any of these folks in their own neighborhood,” DeSantis said.

What is being described by Tapper is called ethnic cleansing, the violent removal of an ethnic group by another group. DeSantis’s answer indicates that, as president, he would allow Israel to ethnically cleanse approximately 2 million people from Gaza.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW HARNIK

Donald Trump’s criminal prosecution MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

Donald Trump’s legal issues have taken the news by storm in recent months. The front-runner for the Republican party in the 2024 Presidential Race has faced multiple charges on varying subjects in recent months, causing questions about presidential immunity to loom.

Trump appeared in court, along with his lawyers, to argue that he is immune from criminal prosecution. In simple terms, Trump is being prosecuted for trying to overturn the 2020 election.

This trial took place in front of a three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

John Sauer, one of Trump’s lawyers, has argued that Trump’s actions in the election were part of his presidential duties. Additional remarks from the defendant’s argument included the theory that a president must be criminally charged by the Senate first. Trump was acquitted by the Senate in February of 2021.

“If a president has to look over his shoulder or her shoulder every time he or she has to make a controversial decision or after I leave office, if I go into jail for this, when my political opponents take power, that inevitably dampens the ability of the president,” Sauer argued in court.

Trump’s lawyers have also argued that because he was the president at the time, he should be granted certain immunities from being prosecuted.

The immunity theory in general terms argues that the president must make important decisions that will affect the entire country. Having the added barrier of worrying about legal issues produces issues over executive performance — therefore, the theory argues, the president should be granted certain legal immunities to properly perform his or her duty.

The prosecution has used dramatic examples to prove a point. Prosecution has questioned the extent to which presidential immunity can be used.

“Could a president who ordered SEAL Team 6 to assassinate a political rival, who was not impeached, would he be subject to criminal prosecution?” Judge Pan asked during the hearing.

The prosecution has argued that if the court rules in favor of Trump, a floodgate of future legal issues will follow, including severe criminal offenses.

Prosecutors, along with other Americans, grow fearful of the implication of the ruling in favor of Trump. Potentially dangerous acts by a future President could be pardoned under this precedent.

An old legal ruling from the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) from 1982 touches on this subject. In Nixon v Fitzgerald, Nixon, at the time a former president, was sued by Arthur Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald lost his position as an airman for the Air Force. The prosecution claimed that he lost his position in part due to Fitzergerald’s Congressional testimony that was seen as a retaliation.

The court ruled in favor of Nixon at a 5 to 4 vote, arguing that the president has immunity

from being sued for money for his executive conduct. The court ruled that a President has legal immunity from civil damages, whereas a president is not immune from criminal charges. The primary holding of the case states that a president has immunity from liability for civil damages arising from conduct while in office.

The District of Columbia Circuit is likely setting up for Trump to face the SCOTUS, as a matter this important will set a pivotal future precedent for the executive branch. The United States Supreme Court will likely weigh in on this issue before the election this fall.

In similar news, Maine and Colorado have banned Trump from the 2024 ballot. Being the current leader of the Republican candidates, this decision may have pivotal results. In 2020, President Joe Biden won Colorado by a mere 55%. The last time that Colorado voted Republican was in 2004, and it’s unlikely that it will swing to Republican this election.

However, Maine is more devastating for Trump.

Maine has voted Democrat in the last eight elections, but the race was close in 2016. Hilary Clinton prevailed by a mere 3 percent over Trump. Although Colorado and Maine are likely to go for a Democrat this election, it still puts Trump at a disadvantage.

POLITICS

18 | JANUARY 17, 2024

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JANUARY 17, 2024 | 19 SPORTS Brock’s Thoughts: Thirty-two years of history erased BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

Something historic happened on Sunday night.

And not just historic in the sense of something that will be documented for years to come. No, historic in the sense of something that people will remember for the rest of their lives.

Historic in the sense of something an entire city, an entire state rallies around.

Historic to the point that 10, 20, 30 years from now, people will ask, “Where were you when…?”

The storylines wrote themselves. Jared Goff versus Matthew Stafford. Two former No. 1 overall picks — Goff by the Rams in 2016 and Stafford by the Lions in 2009 — squaring off in the first round of the NFL Playoffs.

But what made Sunday night’s matchup between the Rams and Lions so magnificent — must-see TV, if you will — is that neither Goff nor Stafford were playing for the team that originally drafted them.

Three years ago, when Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Goff and a slew of draft picks, no one could have written a better three-year script than the one that concluded in front of over 66,000 fans at Ford Field on Sunday night.

Stafford, after years of heartache and frustration in Detroit, won a Super Bowl in his first season with the Rams. Meanwhile, Goff and the Lions limped their way through a 3-13-1 season.

To a short-sighted onlooker, it appeared the Rams

won the trade by a significant margin.

But Detroit continued to slowly build by stockpiling solid draft picks, and it led to a moment in which the NFC North champion Detroit Lions, led by Goff, the former Ram, hosted Los Angeles, led by Stafford, the former Lion.

Stafford had already achieved his goal of winning a Super Bowl ring, but Goff and the Lions were hungry and on the rise. And on Sunday night, in front of 66,000 along with the entire football world

watching from home, the Lions proved to be the hungrier, more determined team as they won their first playoff game in 32 years.

As Goff and the Lions kneeled out the final seconds of the game, and as NBC toggled from long-time season ticket holders to crying fans, there was a sense of something being lifted.

A curse, maybe, if you believe in such a thing in sports — which, after decades of misery, it wouldn’t surprise me if some Lions fans did.

But it seemed more than just a curse that was lifted.

In some ways, it was the vanquishment of a hopeless generation of football. It was the beginning of something new.

For Lions fans age 31 and younger, this was the first time they were alive to witness a playoff win for their hometown team. And in all reality, it was likely the first memory anyone under the age of 40 has of their team winning a postseason game.

And next Sunday, exactly one week after hosting its first Playoff game in more than 30 years, Detroit will take on either the Philadelphia Eagles or Tampa Bay Buccaneers at home in what will be a chance for young fans to make a second lifelong memory.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAVID REGINEK

Golden Grizzlies fall short against Mastodons SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

The Mastodons had a strong second half that resulted in the Grizzlies coming up short, 79-59, at Gates Sports Center on Wednesday, Jan. 10.

Oakland had the opening possession from the tip, but a quick turnover allowed Purdue Fort Wayne to strike first, getting its first points. Brooke QuarlesDaniels, though, swiftly initiated a 6-0 run.

The Golden Grizzlies were showing that they are at their best when they are able to score in transition, with Alexis Johnson also making a significant contribution. The Mastodons managed to tie the score at 6-6, engaging in the back-and-forth battle.

Eventually, Purdue Fort Wayne saw that their offense was clicking more and began to attack the rim and were finishing through contact as they had the three-point edge, 19-16 to close out the first quarter.

Oakland freshman Jasmine Dupree-Hebert opened the second quarter by burying a 3-pointer that leveled the score at 19. Both teams traded fouls in the early stages of the quarter, and with less than five minutes remaining, defensive intensity picked up that led to a struggle for both teams to convert on shots.

Oakland utilized a full-court press and offensively, used free throw shooting to its advantage, which helped it stay in the game despite Purdue Fort Wayne’s strong efforts. Even though the Grizzlies had 11 turnovers, they still were within reach and trailed

going into intermission by just two points, 35-33.

At the half, Oakland demonstrated a solid shooting performance at 40.6% from the field. In contrast, Purdue Fort Wayne held a slightly higher field goal percentage at 43.3%.

The Grizzlies were also shooting 33.3% from beyond the arc, to the Mastodons’ 25% and the Grizzlies had four more steals with nine, compared to the Mastodons’ five.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Both teams were quiet to start the third quarter, but the Mastodons were first to finally score and continued to build on their lead. Purdue Fort Wayne’s Amellia Bromenschenkel played a pivotal role for their offense and also was their leading scorer with 19 points, going 9-13 from the field.

While she was getting hot, it was Miriam Ibezim who provided a spark for Oakland, completing the and-one play to halt Purdue Fort Wayne’s 7-0 run.

Oakland had to find ways to score the basketball, and Markyia McCormick wasted no time in doing so as well. The Mastodons’ Shayla Sellers had an answer and stepped up with consecutive buckets, and they started to become even more effective with their shooting and were up double digits with 5:33 remaining.

From that point on, Purdue Fort Wayne continued to seize control over the game, leaving no room for the Grizzlies to mount a comeback and secured a 20-point win with a final score of 79-59.

McCormick led Oakland scorers with 17 points, three assists, and accumulated four steals. QuarlesDaniels followed suit and contributed 13 points, five steals, and nine boards. Ibezim concluded the night with 10 points, two blocks, and a major eight rebounds. Linda van Schaik also had eight points.

What’s Next?

The Golden Grizzlies plan to bounce back from this and get ready to host the Milwaukee Panthers on Thursday, January 18th at the OU Credit Union O’rena. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.

SPORTS

20 | JANUARY 17, 2024

Oakland women’s basketball dominates Detroit Mercy in convincing fashion KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

On Saturday, Jan. 13, the Oakland women’s basketball team conquered the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) Titans at the OU Credit Union O’rena in a dominant 89-55 victory.

The victory marks the Grizzlies’ sixth consecutive against the Titans when playing at home and the team’s third conference win. Notably, OU has won 13 of its last 14 matchups against UDM, a stretch that has lasted since the 2017-18 season.

Kennedie Montue led the team in scoring, tallying 20 points in just 19 minutes while shooting an efficient 62.5% from the field. In addition to Montue, four other Grizzlies, Miriam Ibezim, Linda van Schaik, Brooke Quarles-Daniels and Alexis Johnson, contributed double-digit scoring efforts.

In addition to an excellent offensive output from the team, OU also took care of business on defense.

Notably, six different players managed to get steals throughout the game, with Quarles-Daniels leading the way with four.

The strong defense was the catalyst for the Grizzlies in this matchup, as UDM had 21 turnovers while the Grizzlies had 16. OU was able to capitalize on the Titans’ turnovers as a result, scoring 25 points off turnovers compared to the UDM, who registered eight points off turnovers.

OU was electric on offense and exposed some

vulnerabilities in the Titans’ defense at the start of the first quarter. Interestingly, OU’s first points of the quarter were a complete team effort, as all five OU starters were able to score the team’s first 11 points, with a majority of those points coming from inside the paint.

On defense, a Grizzly press thwarted multiple early UDM possessions, as Markyia McCormick and van Schaik each had steals in the first three minutes of the quarter. Throughout the first quarter, the aggressive defense from OU resulted in eight turnovers from the Titans.

In addition to the takeaways, the Titans were disorganized by the time the team advanced the ball up the court. Furthermore, with no counter to the OU press, UDM played most of their possessions with a depleted shot clock, and the Grizzlies finished the first

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

OAKLANDPOSTONLINE.COM

quarter leading the Titans 26-15.

In the second quarter, the Grizzlies continued to find easy buckets in the paint and remained a defensive force. OU held the Titans to a game-low nine points the entire quarter, and the Grizzlies increased their lead to 42-24 heading into the half.

By the third quarter, the Grizzlies ran away with the game and didn’t look back. The team continued to attack the paint with succession and brought down six offensive rebounds. Remarkably, 12 of OU’s 26 points this quarter came from down low.

Meanwhile, the Titans were indescribably lost on offense. The team rarely had any ball or player movement, ultimately butchering UDM’s opportunity to score and chip into the significant OU lead. The Grizzlies held the Titans to just 14 points in the third.

Come the fourth quarter, the Titans showed some life, but it was far little too late, as OU opened the final quarter with a 30-point lead. Additionally, UDM’s offense continued to be stagnant at times, resulting in multiple empty possessions.

Furthermore, with a fresh set of players on the court for the Grizzlies in the fourth, OU remained active on offense. Cameron Grant led the Grizzlies in scoring in the final quarter, accumulating six points, as OU emerged victorious.

Coming up, the Grizzlies will enjoy a three-game homestand at the OU Credit Union O’rena. OU will host the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panthers on Thursday, Jan. 18, before squaring off with the University of Green Bay Phoenix on Saturday, Jan. 20.

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