Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu
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PHOTO BY SAMANTHA SCHIHL
October Board of Trustees Meeting
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Editor
The Oakland University Board of Trustees (BOT) held the first Fall 2024 meeting on Oct. 18 to discuss new initiatives in the Department of Political Science, review the Investment Advisor’s Report and approve the Science Complex Innovation project.
OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz began the meeting by congratulating the Executive Legal Secretary, Carolyn Moss Hogan, retiring after 35 years of working at OU. An artistic performance by lecturer and percussionist, Justin Lamb, followed.
President’s Report
Pescovitz listed the Grizzly Moments of Pride beginning with Grizzfest, an increase in fall enrollment and collaborations with Oakland Community College.
“Our current undergraduate students have surpassed our new undergraduate enrollment goals for the third consecutive year,” Pescovits said. “We’re excited that admission applications for new undergraduate students for Winter are up 34%.”
To further support the growing student body, Pescovitz also announced the awarding of various grants.
“On October 7, we received a very important award, a $482,000 grant, a college success grant,” Pescovits said. “The second award that we received is called the Green Initiative and the purpose of these grants is to improve graduation rates for firstgeneration students.”
OU student Marcus Johnson’s growing popularity, five on-campus ribbon cuttings and a plan to increase graduation rates finalized the meeting’s moments of pride.
Diplomacy Lab and Center for Civic Engagement
Since the beginning of the year, OU faculty and students have become part of the Diplomacy Lab, a public-private partnership between the US Department of State and academic institutions, to conduct research on global problems.
“We get, from the Diplomacy Lab, sort of a menu of project requests,” Peter F. Trumbore, professor and chair of the Political Science Department, said. “The idea is to create opportunities for students like ours to directly engage with the State Department, with fundamental questions of public policy, to have a role in the decision of an agency that we often think of as disconnected from the world.”
Some of the projects that OU students have been working on are understanding the resurgence of military coups in West Africa, strategizing microlearning modules and the impacts of ecotourism in local industries.
“[The Department of State] has all that curriculum, they just don’t have anybody who can put it into a deliverable format so what they’re going to provide to our team is sort of the raw information that they want boiled down into these micro-learning modules,” Trumbore said. “The folks that are doing the project on West Africa, they are looking at French language resources from the countries in the region, and they’re doing a deep dive into some of the theoretical arguments about colonial legacy.”
Distinguished Professor of the Political Science Department, David A. Dulio spoke on the initiatives of the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) during the election season.
Serving as a convener of conversations, the CCE hosts a variety of events and public discussions of civic life. Dulio highlighted the latest event on the Dennis Muchmore Public Policy series, All Eyes on the Great Lakes State: Michigan’s Importance in the 2024 Campaign, featuring Karl Rove and Donna Brazile, on Oct 30.
“There is a growing number of organizations who are interested in this work and who have invited us to partner with them earlier this year,” Dulio said. “We worked with the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments and their Metropolitan Affairs Coalition on an evening of civility health.”
Dulio touched on the relevance of Michigan as a decisive state in the presidential election as “small shifts in support can have such an incredible impact on the outcome,” he explained. He listed Arab American voters, the youth vote and the perspectives on crisis management such as that of Hurricane Helene as key points of interest as the election gets closer.
Investment Advisor’s Report
Vice President of Finance and Administration, Stephen W. Mackey, introduced speakers from the financial services company UBS and Common Fund to speak about OU’s endowment and operating assets.
“We serve as a fiduciary to the university for the management of the endowment. We make sure that we oversee and follow directly the Investment Policy Statement,” UBS Senior Vice President, Becky Swanson said. “We actually started back about 15 years ago.”
The $47 million that has been put into the endowment by OU allowed UBS to add equities, private equities and private credit within the investment policy, Swanson said.
“The performance brought you to about 152 million —excuse me, that was the end of June — And right now we’re at about 160 million,” Swanson said. “For the tenure —that’s 10 years — you’ve averaged 7.8% net fees, on a five-year average that’s been 8.8. Your performance for the one year ending June 30, are up 13.96% and actually up another 5% or so since then. So very good, strong performance.”
Steve Snyder, manager director at Common Fund, OU’s outsourced chief investment office for working capital funds congratulated the university for achieving two milestones in their 35-year partnership.
“Your portfolio was up 9.7% net of fees, which is a little bit unheard of for operating assets,” Snyder said. “Just in 2024 alone, you started the year with $268 million in these operating reserves, you took roughly $11 million out in net cash flows, but through market appreciation of investments held on your behalf, we saw 23.9 million in appreciation.”
The goal of these partnerships is to manage OU assets to preserve liquidity and make sure that returns grow and appreciate over time, Snyder explained, thus managing them conservatively.
Trustee Kramer presented the university’s financial statement finalized at the committee an hour before the BoT with the auditors and recommended the board to accept them as audited by the public accounts.
Science Complex Innovation Project
Mackey also presented the Science Complex Innovation Project aiming to renovate Dodge Hall’s laboratories and classrooms. First seeking
authorization in February 2024, the two-year project is scheduled to begin in June 2026, taking into account ADA compliance renovations, sustainability initiatives and a construction schedule during the academic semesters.
“The budget for the building project is $40 million — $30 million coming from the state of Michigan, and 10 million coming from Oakland,” Mackey said. “The capacity is going to stay about the same, but the contents are going to change. So right now, we have activities in there that are not wet lab-based research. We’re going to be moving those out so we can expand our wet lab research areas.”
Roof and window leaks that flood crowded labs, lack of fume hoods, poor ventilation, inconveniently located chemistry safety closets and outdated classroom layouts were listed as reasons for the renovation.
“What we’re going to be doing is new and modern style labs, this is very technical but it is all modular, everything is on the ceiling so it can move around, and desks are all on wheels; they can change and reconfigure the space,” Mackey said. “And our classrooms, we just have a different type of classroom now our pedagogy doesn’t match our physical footprint — our physical footprint actually hurts the pedagogy.”
A motion and a vote to approve the project’s $40 million budget was passed in favor alongside the motion and vote to approve a $30 million contract for Frank Rewold & Sons for the project.
OUAAUP-OU contract agreement ratification
Vice President for Human Resources, Joi Cunningham, sought approval of the contract agreement between OU and the OUAAUP. The fiveyear tentative agreement was ratified by the union on Sept. 25 with almost 80% of the membership approval. No changes to retirement or healthcare benefits were included in the new contract. A detailed rundown of the agreement can be found in the BOT Agenda.
There were no new items for consideration or action items discussed. The meeting was adjourned with no further comments from the public.
PHOTO BY LEVAIRUS HALL
OU AI Day: Integrating artificial intelligence into campus
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Editor
On Oct. 15, Oakland University explored the possibilities of integrating artificial intelligence into the academic sphere with a day-long exposition of guest speakers, university projects, discussion and education on AI.
“What we’re dealing with in 2024 is an evolution of artificial intelligence, not least the emergence of large language models with the capability of incredible processing tasks,” Dean of the Honors College, Graeme Harper, said. “[AI] has an incredible power to do processing that we’ve not seen before in every single part of our lives and in every single industry and throughout education of course.”
OU AI Day began with, higher education consultant and AI researcher, Dr. Derek Bruff’s presentation on teaching and learning in the age of generative AI.
“Large language model-based tools speak but don’t think they put words together in clever ways, in sensible ways, but they don’t actually know things,” Bruff said. “I like to think of them as wordsmiths, not oracles.”
Bruff’s first argument regarding AI was that teaching with and about artificial intelligence is an equity issue.
“The students that are the kind of minoritized
students that we have in our classes are less likely to have access to these tools and less likely to have know-how around these tools,” Bruff said. “If jobs are increasingly looking for the skill set, then I think it’s on us to help provide that thoughtful skill set for all our students.”
Bruff compared the free version of ChatGPT to the paid version as well as the prompts imputed by an AI literate individual and an AI illiterate individual to reflect upon the equity problems around AI.
Changing learning goals, evaluation methods, exam tools, grading rubrics and career focuses have become central discussion in universities across the world, Bruff explained.
“We switched from assessing the final product, such as an essay, to evaluating the writing process itself,” Bruff said. “We’ve decided that it isn’t important whether or not our students are using AI to write their papers. In fact, we encourage them to use AI so we don’t write our rubrics about whether the student has good grammar or whether the work is organized.”
In Computer Science, a shift in focus from code generation to code evaluation would be a proactive use of AI, Bruff said. Similarly, in creative fields, AI would eliminate the ‘struggle’ of the creative process, something beneficial for mass marketing but not for creative development.
“‘Why would I pay all this tuition to learn to
write and then have a chatbot do it for me?’ That was a student paying her way through a prestigious journalism school. Someone else then put their hand up and said, ‘The students in my composition course see the course as an obstacle, not an opportunity,’” Bruff said, recalling a past conference. “I want to acknowledge that teaching the struggle is going to be easier in some cases and in other cases.”
This was only the introduction to the developing idiosyncrasy of humans interacting with exponentially rapid AI developments. Breakout sessions took place after the presentation to discuss how disclosing the use of AI would look in a classroom, how to restrict and integrate it into the course curriculum and how to avoid misinformation as AI advances.
Students and faculty exploring the use of AI in education had poster presentations by noon, followed by a final panel discussion on the strategies to further advance the integration of artificial intelligence into higher education.
“Understanding the concepts of photography is going to help you learn the buttons on your camera and what they do, but I would argue that it also works the other way,” Bruff said. “As you’re playing around with different settings and taking photos in different situations, you’re starting to get a better sense of those conceptual skills associated with photography, and that’s where I’m really excited about the use of AI.”
On Oct. 16, the Dean of Students Office at Oakland University partnered with the Secretary of State (SOS) and OU Student Congress (OUSC), inviting students to enjoy Don Armando’s Taqueria’s Mexican food and to inform them about voter registration for the upcoming election.
The SOS mobile office helped students register to vote and informed them of the candidates and key issues on the ballot in preparation for the Nov. 5 election.
“The reason I kind of came, obviously not just for the wonderful tacos, but to kind of talk with members of the state and see what voting would look like for me,” Victoria True, a graduate assistant for the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion said.
“Especially in the political climate that we’re in right now, I think that it’s so important for people to vote for what they think is best,” True said, holding her free order of chorizo tacos.
Though the weather was a bit chilly, the event was held at the entrance of the OU Credit Union O’rena, a high student traffic location where those exiting the Recreation Center could enjoy some freshly made quesadillas and tacos from Don Amrando’s food truck.
“Food connects everyone,” Carolina Valdes said after expressing her love for Mexican food. “I think [Taco
‘Bout Voting] should be done more often, honestly.”
Dr. Aura Casarez, assistant Dean of Students and director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, was one of the main organizers of the Taco ‘Bout Voting get-together.
“The Secretary of State’s mobile office is here today to answer any questions about voting, registering to vote, and the ways that people can make their own plan to vote,” Casarez said. “The Klein Center University housing was definitely involved in helping us get access for students who live in the residence halls.”
The event is part of the campus-wide efforts to
increase youth voter registration which have harnessed success at OU as the university maintained an 88.5% voter registration rate in 2022. The National Study of Learning, Voting, and Engagement (NSLVE), reported that nearly 57% of OU students voted, a 10% increase from 2018.
“A lot of times, people, if they are in other counties or maybe other states, don’t know how voting works when you live on a college campus, And so that was the goal today,” Casarez said.
Casarez highlighted the importance of including college students in these events because “college students are in a formative age where everything that’s being decided at any given time, whether it’s a local, state or federal election impacts [them],” Casarez said.
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE), the For Michigan chapter at OU, and political student organizations have also been hosting events in collaboration with other on-campus and offcampus groups to inform and encourage grizzlies to vote.“Anything that has to do with your access to support systems certainly is your right, and our goal really is for people to be engaged so that you can make an informed decision when you decide to vote,” Casarez said.
For more information on voter registration, visit the Michigan Department of State website. To stay up to date with civic engagement events at OU visit the OU Events Calendar.
PHOTO BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
50 Years of OU Archeology and Anthropology Departments
MATILDE RABAJOLI Campus Reporter
On Saturday, Oct.19, O’Dowd Hall hosted a vibrant celebration for the 50th anniversary of the Archeology and Anthropology Departments at Oakland University. Event organizer and OU professor, Rich B. Stamps, invited old friends and new to join in the festivities.
The event included light refreshments and a raffle while attendees visited the various stands set up. Publications and artifacts from the department’s excavations in Israel, and in Michigan’s locations such as the Ft. Michilimackinac, Ft. Gratiot, Thomas Edison’s boyhood home, Wisner Ice House, Austin Farm, Troy parsonage, Oliver Williams House and some Native American sites were displayed by those who conducted and participated in the projects.
“Today has been a wonderful day. If you enjoy your job, it’s not work, and I was so blessed to have a job doing archeology that I enjoy,” Stamps said.
Many alumni attended, such as Mike Pytlik, Jon Carroll, Suzanne Spencer Wood and many more. It was an event where old friends, students and professors could reconnect with one another and reminisce of the time they spent together while in the department.
“I’ve been able to stay in touch with some of these
students from the 70s, and we still get together, and we go out for dinner every other month, and we go to a history lecture at OU or go to a museum or something. So, this has been a special time because [we] get to see old friends,” Stamps said. “It’s also important because we need to learn from the past, live in the present, plan for the future.”
“It was a very, very good experience,” Margaret Dooley, a previous student of Stamps, said. She had helped organize the event and was the first person to
greet attendees as they first arrived. Regarding the event itself and the experience in the Anthropology Department Dooley highlighted the importance of her studies “Especially the anthropology — you use it every day,” Dooley said.
The event held various publications of local excavations and findings, but Stamps highlighted the importance of knowing Oakland University’s as well.
“It’s important to preserve some of our ancient remains, even here on Oakland’s campus, that’s why I’m a champion for saving the stone walls, saving the foundations, saving all of the remembrances of the old Meadow Brook Farm and the Meadowbrook estate,” Stamps said. “Then the John Dodge experience, then when he dies and his widow lives here. And then when Matilde says … I’m going to give it [the farm] to the state of Michigan to make a university. And here we are, here we are today, thanks to the gracious philanthropy of Matilda Roush Dodge Wilson.”
The departments of Archeology and Anthropology of Oakland University continue to do more excavations and hands-on research inviting more and more students. They invite many to help faculty collect data and go on international trips or participate in study abroad programs.
For more information on future events, visit the department’s website.
Tercer Jueves Networking Day follows Hispanic Heritage Month
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Editor
Oct. 17 was far from a regular Thursday at Oakland University as it became the Tercer Jueves Networking Day to commemorate the end of Hispanic Heritage Month and the empowering community of Latinx business owners in Michigan.
Organized by the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (MHCC), the networking event brought MHCC members, business professionals, corporate representatives, students and faculty together at the Oakland Center’s Gold Rooms to strengthen connections within the Latinx community.
“We are a business association, a nonprofit business association…with the purpose of continuing to make connections between businesses in the business-to-business space,” Mark Moreno, MHCC executive director, said. “[MHCC] began having conversations with OU over a year ago, and tonight is the night that it has all come to fruition.”
After an hour of networking, the “If you can see it, you can be it” panel discussion began with local Latinx leaders talking about representation, perseverance and the place of culture in the building of a business community.
Laura Cazares, assistant Dean of Students and director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at OU, opened the podium discussing the importance of DEI efforts.
“We had one thing in mind and really took it into account: how can we have our events with intention and social justice behind them?” Cazares said. “It’s about not just what we’re doing here today, but what we can do within our professions. So as we mentor people, or as we are mentees, always remember where we came from, so that can be our guiding light.”
Cazares explained that cultural humility is the understanding that our lived experiences within a culture do not encapsulate the entirety of that culture, thus empowering those with whom we engage in conversation to take an active role in informing and decision-making. She emphasized cultural humility and empathy through the learning process as key strategies to support DEI efforts.
“I know that in the courtroom, seeing individuals within the Latino community came into my office, and I was sometimes the only person between them and the thing they feared the most,” Judge of the 52-3 District Court in Oakland County, Laura Polizzi, said. “For them to have that confidence in me and for me to understand not only the words that they’re saying but understand their culture and understand how that can impact their family, it makes me fight for them even harder.”
Bruno Alejandro Olivera Diaz, Head of North America Diversity Supplier Development at Stellantis, exemplified the potential of networking programs like Tercer Jueves.
“I started with the chamber when I was a senior in high school, and now I’m on the board. I’m part of the Board of Directors now, but I met someone from the Hispanic Heritage Foundation in one of these events who gave me my first internship,” Olivera Diaz said. “I also had somebody here in the audience, Aura, who was my counselor at the time, and she explained to my parents exactly what I needed to do to make sure that I graduated from college.”
After the panel discussion, OU students resumed networking with the local Hispanic enterprises and the Mexican Consulate in Detroit.
“We have developed a very good relationship with Oakland University, we have a lot of things to work with [students] at the university,” Roberto Nicolas Vazquez, consul of Mexico in Detroit said. “For us, it’s very important that the Hispanic community is visible all around the student body, or all around the society of Michigan — the more visible the Hispanic community the better.”
MHCC echoed the importance of student involvement in state nonprofit business associations and multicultural networks.
“Latinos are the future of this country, we are almost 20% of the total US population,” Moreno said. “We want to share stories with you to encourage and to inspire you to move forward in your trajectory, whether it’s as a business owner, as a professional in the workplace, as a mom, whatever it may be.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY
Chiaoning Su: How fashion choices can alter a politician’s public image
MADISON SIEWERT Contributor
With her upbringing around politics back home in Taiwan, Professor Dr. Chiaoning Su says fashion choices can easily become a crisis for politicians.
With the U.S. presidential election around the corner on November 5, every little thing the candidates are doing is being analyzed by the public — the things they say, their social media presence and even the fashion choices they make.
Their styles ultimately send out a message, sometimes good and sometimes bad.
“What you wear wrong will be a crisis,” Su said. Su grew up in Taiwan in a political family and the oldest of her three siblings.
Her father, Su Tseng-chang, is a former premier and party-leader in Taiwan and one of the country’s leading political figures. Her sister, Su Chiao-hui, is an elected legislator there.
Given Su’s life experiences around politics, her work in political crisis management and her expertise in public relations as a whole, she has developed an understanding of what can make or break someone’s image.
Su worked at a public relations agency in Taiwan, which led her to move to the U.S. to study public relations further.
Even after moving to the U.S. to get her Ph.D., Su continued to help her father with political campaigns all while being across the globe.
“I remember one time I suggested him to wear a pink shirt, just to soften his image a little bit and to get more support from female constituents,” Su said.
Su emphasized the importance of color theory and how different colors can psychologically mean different things.
Many good politicians are aware of this and choose colors carefully.
Kamala Harris’ shift from wearing bright colors like purple and pink to darker colors like navy and dark gray once she began running for president was to help her look more professional.
“It’s that level of seriousness she wants to offer,” Su said.
Su says it isn’t surprising that the second U.S. female presidential candidate’s fashion choices are under constant scrutiny.
“As a woman, we have more choices in what to wear — you can wear a skirt, a pantsuit, you can wear colors, accessorize yourself with jewelry,” Su said. “So there is more room for us to be creative, but also more room for criticism.”
People don’t realize how much the public pays attention to outfits and accessories until it becomes a controversy.
A simple thing, such as a pair of pearl earrings, can cause so much attention.
Harris wore Tiffany & Co. South Sea Pearl Earrings at the presidential debate on September 10, which caused false claims regarding the earrings being an audio earpiece. These claims that went viral across social media were intended to undermine Harris’s credibility.
Women in politics often see more backlash in terms of outfit choices. In 2018, Melania Trump was seen wearing a jacket with the words “I don’t care, do u?” while visiting the New Hope Children’s Shelter in McAllen, Texas.
At the time, it seemed as though she was saying she didn’t care about the children who had been separated from their parents.
“That was such a confusing message that people were like, ‘What is she saying?’” Su said.
Su puts an emphasis on how important it is to always send out the right message.
“You want to make sure that you are making the right choices in terms of your outfit,” Su said. “Wearing the wrong thing can turn into a crisis you have to manage.”
Outside of political fashion controversies, politicians can really be influential as far as professional attire. Harris has opened a door for the intersection of fashion and politics with her recent cover of Vogue.
Harris being on the cover of one of the top ranked fashion magazines helps shed light on political style.
Su’s personal favorite politician’s style is Michelle Obama — she says she’s bold yet elegant.
However, with Su’s background, especially in crisis communication, she says there is a need for overall awareness and making sure each outfit politicians are wearing sends out the right message.
“I don’t think wearing something will earn you a vote, but wearing the wrong thing might be a dealbreaker,” Su said.
OU’s distinguished political science professor: David Dulio
NATALIE PRITULA
Contributor
Teaching and preparing for his classes usually keep Professor David Dulio busy this time of year. However, this semester is different. Due to the upcoming presidential election, he is spending more time outside of the classroom.
The presidential election has kept Dulio busy, taking up much of his extra time. He plans and hosts election-related events for the Center for Civic Engagement and talks with news outlets, such as WXYZ-TV Detroit, Fox 2 Detroit, and CBS Detroit. The news media might email him or schedule a call for Dulio to provide recaps about recent debates or the state of the election. On top of that, Dulio needs to stay up to date on current events through reading and watching the news.
Dulio is the director of the Center for Civic Engagement on campus, which was founded in 2018. The CCE was created because Dulio was “inspired by a mentor at American University, where they had created something similar.”
The Center for Civic Engagement focuses on public discourse and civic literacy, key points Dulio is passionate about.
“We wanted to make Oakland University known as this convener of conversations about issues of public
importance,” Dulio said. “But not to just do that willynilly, but to have those conversations in the right way: civil, respectful, and at the same time, respecting and inviting multiple perspectives.”
Dulio became an assistant professor of political science at Oakland University in 2002 and has since advanced, eventually becoming a distinguished professor at OU in 2023. A distinguished professor is selected by the Provost and the Distinguished Professor Advisory Committee based on being outstanding in scholarship, teaching or public or professional service.
Students admire his approach to teaching and engagement outside of the classroom.
Muhammed Smidi, Treasurer of the College Republicans, said that Professor Dulio has significantly impacted his engagement in the upcoming election cycle.
“He has inspired me to get more involved in the political process and has emphasized the importance of engaging in civic activities, such as working at polling locations or participating in debates,” Smidi said.
The CCE will host the last town hall of a threepart series on Tuesday, October 29 with WDIV Local 4 News. This ongoing series has focused on misinformation regarding the 2024 election.
Others might be nervous about participating in an event streamed live to the local news stations, but this is nothing new to Dulio. He is often contacted for
media interviews or to provide statements, especially during a busy election season like this.
Brian Bierley, media relations director for Oakland University, started working with Dulio on media stories nearly 11 years ago.
“Professor Dave Dulio has steadily built a local, then regional and now national (and growing international) reputation with media members from around the county,” said Bierley, in response to an email inquiry. “He is trusted by the media at all levels in all formats. His interviews provide an unbiased view of politics, supported by facts.”
Although Dulio mentioned his colleagues are also contacted for media statements and interviews, he finds himself frequently talking to news outlets.
“I’ll talk to them at 9 p.m., no big deal,” Dulio said.
“I’ll get up early in the morning and do a Zoom with a TV station, no big deal. It’s really about helping journalists do their job.”
Being director of the CCE, talking with news outlets, and staying on top of current events during the election season can take a lot of time and energy.
Dulio said he probably doesn’t disconnect from social media and the news as much as he should, but “likes to turn on a ball game.”
“You just got to find a way to zone out and take your mind off it. Find a good show to binge-watch,” he said.
Meeting Rose Smith: OU’s ambitious College Democrats President
ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES
Campus Editor
It’s an early Tuesday morning, in a small, stuffy conference room that could be compared in size to that of an old telephone booth.
Here, the College Democrats of Oakland University are having an E-Board meeting discussing their current objective: To educate voters on the entire 2024 presidential ballot from top-tobottom with the election less than one month away.
The time crunch has the president of the College Democrats, Rose Smith, burning the midnight oil. The time for action is now.
With most of the Oakland University student body already registered to vote, the group needs to pivot into another direction. Their new strategy is to hold Ballot Workshops “EVERY single Wednesday until the election,” Smith stressed to the members of the group.
“We need to be on our A-Game,” Group Treasurer Brendan DeVore said emphatically.
The goal of the workshops is to “further educate people on which candidates match up with their beliefs and who is actually representing them,” said Smith.
An issue for Smith is reserving space for these events. “The OC Reservations Office normally wants us to reserve rooms at least two weeks in advance, in politics that’s just not an option sometimes.”
Oakland University has roughly 315 other groups and organizations on campus according to the University’s GrizzOrgs website. Many of them are fighting for the same limited spaces and rooms.
Smith is no stranger to pressure; she overcomes the challenges of hate and insensitivity directed towards transgender folks, as well as other members of the LGBTQIA+ community experience, every single day.
Smith received attacks online based on her lifestyle after being interviewed by local media outlets, who were covering a watch party hosted at Oakland University for the presidential debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“I got so much hate from it, even death threats,” said Smith. Though, she does not let that stop her from staying productive. “The solution I found, is just focusing on the goals ahead of me. Play it one day at a time.”
Smith has hosted many “Coming Out Day” events on campus for students to actively spread awareness, the most recent being Oct. 11, 2024. She has been stretched thin this election season,
with roughly 30 hours of her week split between being President of the College Democrats, working for Disability Support Services, a member of Student Congress, as well as working at Carrabba’s Italian Grill.
Smith manages the workload, all while still being a student taking classes and maintaining her academic performance.
SAFB Chairperson and OU communications
major Gio Liotti spoke to Smith’s work ethic,
“During the summer we worked a lot in person together, she was only getting paid for four hours a week and was here all the time getting stuff done. It’s really admirable,” Liotti said.
Smith was not always a Democrat. “I used to be hyper-conservative,” she said. “I grew up in a conservative area.”
She became more aligned democratically as she got older, more confident in her own opinions and beliefs.
The political science major, who’s only in her second year at OU, started the organization after
being invited to the Michigan College Democrats shortly before starting classes at Oakland. She decided to advocate for Oakland’s own chapter which was established in July 2023.
Smith finds fulfillment through “building a community” and makes it easy for new members to join their organization. The club is now up to over 50 members and growing.
Nia Matthews, a film student at OU and SAFB co-chairperson, spoke to Smith’s leadership style while working with her in Student Congress.
“Rose is a no B.S. type of person. She doesn’t care how you do it; she just wants it done,” Matthews said.
Matthews went on to say, “Rose is one of the main reasons why OUSC has a financial manager again, we haven’t had one in five years.”
The 2024 presidential election is among the most controversial we have ever seen. Smith’s goal is to “retain democracy.” She cites both former President Donald Trump’s resistance to being fact checked and Senator Vance’s controversial comments about creating stories for media attention as “abhorrently dangerous.”
She stays as active as she possibly can with the organization, handing out flyers, tabling in the Oakland Center on campus, as well as representing OU at the Michigan College Democrats convention.
“There’s so much on the line in the general election,” Smith said.
What makes our country unique, is the fact that everyone’s vote has the same worth. From the president themself, to a janitor or unemployed student. Part of what makes you an American is your ability to vote, do not squander it.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSE SMITH
PHOTO COURTESY OF RYAN CRAIG
Passion to Politics: OU Professor Valerie Palmer-Mehta’s drive to educate students
MADISON JANABET Contributor
Questions, questions, and more questions. That’s what fuels Oakland University communication professor Valerie Palmer-Mehta.
“At home my nickname has always been Questions because I have a lot of them,” Palmer-Mehta said.
Her strong passion for questions and answers has always been the driving factor in her career. And she’s not just an educator at OU, she’s an innovator. Besides teaching, she has developed numerous courses, including Feminist Rhetorical Theory, Women, Power and Persuasion and, her newest — Political Communication.
In its inaugural semester, Political Communication — COM 4204 — focuses on the power of persuasive communication in campaigns through things like advertising and debates. It also examines how these forms of communication affect decision-making. Given the current political situation, Palmer-Mehta felt it was the perfect opportunity to offer this class.
“This class focuses on political campaign communication and presidential communication, especially on ethical standards that individuals look for in political candidates,” Palmer-Mehta said.
When developing this class it was crucial for the professor to create a comfortable environment for her students to engage. Growing up, her parents did not align with a political party. She believes this was beneficial for her development as an educator as it helped her become more well rounded. By being able
to see the value in all perspectives she is able to better relate to her students and she uses this philosophy to guide her teaching.
In order to build the constructive and comfortable classroom atmosphere she always strives for, PalmerMehta had her students develop a list of core values that are used to guide class discussion. Examples of these values include being respectful of opinions and active listening.
“The biggest takeaway for me was day one of the class. She had us set ground rules for each other, and one that stuck out was that we didn’t have to agree with each other’s views, but we had to agree to listen,” said political communication student Cheyanne Kramer.
“That agreement to listen to one another has stuck with me, even beyond the classroom.”
Palmer-Mehta said she has always been interested in the complexities in life, especially related to politics. She has devoted her research to investigating the complexities of political communication and most recently focusing on the rhetorical strategies of women in political positions.
“I have studied a range of women’s political rhetoric, from pro-democracy dissident Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma to second-wave U.S. feminist Andrea Dworkin to the rhetoric of Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders,” Palmer-Mehta said.
She said she has always been intrigued by how women use the resources of persuasion and language to navigate cultural obstacles and influence public culture.
When it comes to political alignment, she explained that she thinks some people are in silos and they don’t interact. She feels it’s vital to break down those walls and stop seeing each other as enemies. This philosophy is what drove her to develop the political communication class and is what fuels class discussion.
“I really enjoy Palmer-Mehta’s teaching style and find it very engaging. I appreciate how she encourages open discussions and critical thinking in class,” said political communication student Jacob Gilbert.
Palmer-Mehta believes in the power of communication to build worlds and transform lives.
“People underestimate the impact of their messages and they are so wrong. Everything we say or do makes an impact on others.”
Professor Jared Edge: Animal psychology researcher at OU
DANIELA CESARIO
Features Reporter
At Oakland University, psychology professor and graduate student Jared Edge stands out for his academic achievements and his passion for animals, particularly his research on their learning behaviors. Born and raised in Alaska, Edge’s unique background has significantly shaped his career and approach to psychology, especially in his work with birds and other animals.
“I always knew I wanted to work with animals to some capacity for a long time,” Edge said. “I found I could work with them by doing psychological work with them — specifically their ability to learn complex behaviors very quickly. A lot of my early work was with lab rats and zoo animals.”
Initially, Edge was interested in becoming a veterinarian but ultimately found himself more drawn to research, particularly after realizing the emotional challenges of veterinary work. Instead, he shifted his focus toward studying the cognitive abilities of animals.
“The community of research psychologists was much smaller in Alaska,” Edge said. “I got to work more one-on-one with a couple researchers. I had to do basically all of the networking for my undergrad senior thesis on my own, just because there aren’t
many resources for that type of research in Alaska.”
Alaska’s small academic community presented both challenges and unique opportunities. With limited resources and a lack of research-focused psychology programs, Edge had to be resourceful and independent.
“A lot of my work I am very independent about,” Edge said. “So having that experience early on definitely helped. I was also offered to teach the human sexuality course because of my expertise in sexual topics with asexual individuals.”
For students interested in psychology and research, Edge emphasizes the importance of actively engaging in hands-on experiences as early as possible.
“It’s important to pay close attention to what opportunities there are,” Edge said. “If you are in any way interested in researching psych, look for research opportunities that you can take part in. My own lab is an animal focused one, we are always looking for people to help code our videos.”
Edge’s passion for research and teaching comes through not just in the classroom but in the advice he gives to students eager to start their own academic journeys. Whether through hands-on experience in a lab or by connecting with faculty, Edge believes that early engagement is key to success in the field of psychology.
“Helping with research looks amazing,” Edge said. “I highly recommend identifying professors whose work you like, reach out to them, and see if they have
opportunities for you to help them with their work. They pretty much always appreciate it, and it is a great opportunity to see what research is actually like, and to put something down on your own resume.”
Edge’s dedication to both research and teaching reflects his belief in the power of discovery — not just for knowledge’s sake, but for the impact it can have on shaping the future. He is driven by the potential for research to make a difference in the field of psychology.
PHOTO COURTESY OF VALERIE PALMER-MEHTA
PHOTO COURTESY
Pop stars and politics
The impact of celebrity endorsements on the election
As election day approaches, many celebrities have come forward to endorse either Donald Trump or Kamala Harris.
While Trump has the backing of Kid Rock, Hulk Hogan and Elon Musk, Harris has the support of Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Billie Eilish.
You may wonder why there’s a crossover between pop stars and politics, and if these endorsements actually have the power to influence the outcome of the election.
Celebrities endorsing political figures isn’t a new concept. In fact, celebrity endorsements have dated back to the early 20th century and have been around ever since — examples include Frank Sinatra endorsing John F. Kennedy and Oprah endorsing Barack Obama.
However, the development of social media has rapidly increased the power of influence that these public figures hold. With the strong divide between these two candidates, many celebrities have been encouraged to pick a side. As far number of endorsements and status, Harris seems to have the upper hand.
Minutes after the first presidential debate, Taylor Swift released a statement supporting Kamala Harris — this was considered a win for the Harris campaign. In a post on Instagram that now has 11.3 million likes, Swift praises both Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for their views on LGBTQ+ rights, IVF and abortion. She encouraged her followers to do their own research and register to vote. Within 24 hours of her announcement, more than 337,000 people visited the vote.gov link she shared with her Instagram followers.
This prompted the creation of “Swifties for Kamala” groups across social media platforms. Taylor Swift superfans came together and raised up to $150,000 for the Harris campaign. Trump seemingly replied to Swift’s endorsement by posting “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT!” on his platform Truth Social.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has been consistently endorsing Trump on X, while quietly contributing $75 million in donations to his campaign. He also spoke at Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania, stating that Trump is the “only candidate to preserve democracy in America.”
Trump has used this endorsement to his advantage, joining Musk for a public conversation on X, which focused on the July assassination attempt, illegal immigration and his plans to cut government regulations. It seems that Elon Musk has become a key contributor and spokesperson for the Republican campaign.
Trump has also appealed to the likes of younger voters, making appearances on Twitch streams, podcasts and inviting Tik Toker’s to speak at his rallies.
A study conducted by Harvard found that these celebrity endorsements do more than create online buzz — they may actually influence the outcome of the election. The study said that in terms of shifting this culture, celebrities are “uniquely positioned to empower everyday Americans.” Online voter registration and poll volunteer rates both increased when a celebrity promoted them.
Celebrities and pop culture seem to have more influence over elections than many of us realize. You can find this either discouraging or beneficial, but either way, it’s why you should get out and vote. Make your voice heard in this election. Early voting ends on Nov. 3, and general election polls take place on Nov. 5 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visit vote. org to locate your local polling place.
Celebrity endorsements do more than create online buzz — they may actually influence the outcome of the election.
Story by Morgan Warneke
Design by Megan Judy
Photos Courtesy of Nathan Laine Bloomberg / Getty and Luke Johnson / The Seattle Times
Liam Payne dead at 31: The lasting legacy of the One Direction pop superstar
CHELSEA BOSSERT
Arts Editor
On Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, Liam Payne fell from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The exact cause of Payne’s death is currently unknown, but an investigation is ongoing.
At the time of his death, Payne was actively and publicly struggling with alcoholism and drug addiction. According to CNN, the staff of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel called the police shortly before his death, describing Payne as an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Liam Payne’s legacy was celebrated on X shortly after news spread about his death. In a joint message, the remaining members of the pop group One Direction paid tribute to Payne on the band’s Instagram page.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly.”
Other celebrities, including Rita Ora and Charlie Puth, shared their condolences on X and Instagram. The remaining members of One Direction also posted individual statements about Payne’s death.
Liam Payne was born on Aug. 29, 1993, in Wolverhampton, England. With a passion for singing, he auditioned for The X Factor at fourteen and was accepted onto the show two years later. Eventually, Payne and four other contestants were formed into a boy band, thus creating One Direction.
Payne’s death marks a significant moment in pop music history. In 2015, Zayn Malik, one of the key members of One Direction, quit the band and went solo. Soon, the other members of One Direction
— while not fully abandoning the band — went on to have successful solo careers, including Payne. Releasing LP1 in 2019 and most recently the single “Teardrops” in March of this year, Payne had a promising pop-music career in front of him.
Hits like “Strip That Down (feat. Quavo),” “For You (feat. Rita Ora)” and “Polaroid” demonstrated Payne’s commitment to making songs that would stick in the public consciousness long after his music career would end.
In addition to battling addiction, Payne also struggled with his own mental health, particularly substance abuse and chronic loneliness.
“There’s times where that level of loneliness and people getting into you every day. Just every so often, you’re like, when will this end?” Payne said in a candid moment during a 2019 concert. “That’s almost nearly killed me a couple of times.”
Payne was also facing mounting legal troubles and allegations of abuse during the time of his death. His ex-fiancée, Maya Henry, had sent a cease-anddesist letter accusing Payne of harassment.
While the cause of Payne’s death is still unclear at the moment, one thing is certain: the lasting legacy of the 2010s pop-sensation that was Liam Payne will live on in his music and in the memories of those close who knew him.
Bon Iver discusses the complexity of change in new EP ‘SABLE,’
MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter
Indie folk band Bon Iver released “SABLE,” on Oct. 18, 2024 — their first new project in five years. The extended play included 4 new songs from the band.
Bon Iver was formed in 2006 and currently consists of main vocalist and founder Justin Vernon, Sean Carey, Matthew McCaughan, Andrew Fitzpatrick, Mike Lewis and Jenn Wasner.
The three lyrical songs were written on tour between 2020-2023. All were written by Justin Vernon and pay tribute to his debut album “For Emma, Forever Ago” released in July 2007.
The album begins with “...”, an 11 second high pitched instrumental. While the song is short and no words are said, listeners can feel a sense of longing and dread. It felt like a flashback scene in a movie and is a perfect way to encapsulate the theme of the album: loneliness and regret.
“THINGS BEHIND THINGS BEHIND THINGS” is the second song on the album. The song depicts how trauma is dealt with and that even if you unpack it, there will always be more hiding in the back.
The song plays with repetition of several lines including the titular sentence. Because of this, there is a sense of desperation. It’s as if Vernon was trying to explain the feeling and chooses to use this metaphor in hopes someone could understand.
“I think we were talking about the metaphor of
pain and trauma that we all possess, it’s like a garage with too much shit in there and there’s ‘things behind things behind things,’” Vernon said during a concert at North House Folk School in Minnesota.
Slow and soft playing instruments accompany Vernon’s voice — adding a sense of rawness to the performance.
“S P E Y S I D E” follows with the continuing theme of intimacy. The song features Vernon’s voice alongside a soft guitar as he sings about
his experiences with people and how he ends up destroying anything he loves.
In this song, he ponders how to address those who he has hurt and asks himself why he keeps doing so.
“When I made this song, I was feeling a lot of guilt, which is an important emotion to have. It’s also an important emotion to put yourself past,” Vernon said during a concert at Ovo Arena Wembley.
While the beginning seemingly shows no solution and feel helpless, towards the end he pleads for forgiveness. He doesn’t know what is wrong with him, and he can’t just fix any mistakes he’s made in the past few years, but he hopes he can still be a person by the end of it.
The fourth and final song of the album “AWARDS SEASON” begins with a confession of feeling overwhelmed, but in the same line contradicts itself and the singer admits he can handle all of it — even if he didn’t think so at the start.
The song deals with the feeling of change — an anxiety-inducing thought for a lot of people. Change can be bad, but it could also be great. It could be a sign of growth.
There’s a feeling of drowning during the middle where there is an instrumental break, and while there’s not a solution, there is a sense of ease within the singer by the end. He knows that things change, but not memories.
A beautiful EP through and through, “SABLE,” makes listeners truly evaluate their life decisions, but in a way that will hopefully give them the feeling that everything will be okay in the end.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK
PHOTO COURTESY OF BON IVER
SPB hosts Silent Disco
MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter
Oakland University’s Student Program Board — also known as SPB — hosted OU’s very own silent disco in the Oakland Center banquet rooms on Oct. 16, 2024.
Contrary to a traditional disco, the silent disco allows attendees to choose what music they dance to with three different options of radio hosts playing at all times.
The disco was highly anticipated this year — and for good reason.
“Silent Disco is a great release, especially during this time when a lot of kids have midterms,” said Hailey Chisholm, technical director of SPB and this events coordinator. “It’s nice to get lost in the headphones and shake off some tension from the school year.”
Students were greeted with a variety of disco gear including glasses, necklaces and rings to incorporate into their party outfits. Glow sticks — staple for the event — were also given out to party goers.
“Decoration would emphasis cool lighting, kind of matching how the headphones glow with the color of you chosen channel,” Chisholm said.
Attendees picked up a pair of wireless headphones to begin their experience. From there, they got to pick between three different stations playing blue, green and red.
Everyone had a chance at catching their favorite tunes with songs ranging from party classics like “Cupid Shuffle” by Cupid to “Tití Me Preguntó” by Bad Bunny and even “Party in the U.S.A.” by Miley Cyrus.
Throughout the night, different hosts held call and response segments between songs and encouraged crowd participation.
One of the unique differences between this and a normal disco is that if you were tired or simply needed a break, slipping off the headphones offered a relief.
Along with this, it was also entertaining to hear a
$17 ticket: The case for indie shows
CHELSEA BOSSERT
Arts Editor
The year is 1993 and Kurt Cobain, in an interview with his other bandmates in Nirvana, was just told that Madonna charges $50 to $75 for concert tickets. Kurt is — understandably — distraught at this news. For context, Nirvana charged $17 for concert tickets in 1993. In this interview, Cobain’s face when he heard the prices of Madonna’s tickets is very funny, but at the same time, sad.
Cobain took his own life in 1994, and Nirvana ended as a band, with drummer Dave Grohl and bassist Krist Novosleic going their separate ways. No one will ever know how much Nirvana would charge for ticket prices if they were still around today, however, Kurt’s disgust with prices in the 90s still lives on.
Enter Ticketmaster: a concert ticket buying-andselling entity which existed in 1993 and still exists — haunting consumers — to this very day. Taylor Swift, one of the biggest artists of our time, has ticket prices that go for an average of $1,088 according to stats from StubHub.
It is inexcusably getting harder and harder for the average person to witness their favorite artist live. This is due to an increase of two things: scalpers being more prevalent and an excessive increase in demand to go to these shows.
Scalpers, in short, are both internet bots and real people poised to nab concert tickets for their original prices and re-sell them for an exorbitant upcharge. The increase in demand is due to a myriad of things, including people wanting to go to concerts again after the 2020 lockdowns and the increase in the popularity of concerts due to platforms such as Tik Tok.
So, what now? Do we have to suck it up and pay outrageous prices and fees to see our favorite artists live? Well for now … yes.
There are efforts from the United States Congress to keep companies like StubHub and Ticketmaster in check by making certain concert fees and price gouging illegal. But longshots like these are, well, longshots. We do not know whether these late-to-theparty intervention by our federal government will work or not.
In my personal opinion, I think the government should stay out of this one. I say let it burn. In my own selfish way, I think that because this concert ticket situation is so undeniably unstable — we should maybe just not buy tickets to these shows.
What is the solution? It is pretty simple … SUPPORT LOCAL AND INDIE ARTISTS FOR GOODNESS SAKE.
No one ever thinks to support small artists anymore. Much like ticket prices, it is similarly more and more expensive for smaller artists to go on tour nowadays. They hardly make any money from the venue or
call and response without being on the same channel or hearing the ooo’s and ahh’s to certain songs without knowing what they were beforehand.
All of this doesn’t happen without extensive planning by SPB’s E-Board.
“Most of our events have large lead time. We started planning Silent Disco in mid-June,” said Matthew Murray, president of SPB. “It involves contacting vendors, ordering supplies, and planning the layout for the event.”
As the crowd dwindled down and the DJ’s were slowly saying goodbye, the night of dancing was over. Aside from the entertainment and glamor of it all, the disco is also a great opportunity for first years to branch out and explore events around campus.
“It opened my eyes to all the fun opportunities there are on campus, which is a great way to find your place as a freshman,” Molly Kilpela, a freshman attendee, said.
The Silent Disco was a great night for first years and upperclassmen alike with a good mix of music, food and friends to fill a night’s worth of entertainment.
For more events hosted by SPB such as GrizzHunt, which begins on Oct. 24, Onigiri Action for charity on Oct. 29, Haunted Hallways in the Oakland Center on Oct. 31 and more, you can visit their GrizzOrgs or their Instagram at @spbou.
performing, so the majority of the money small artists make on tour comes from merchandise sales.
According to L’Rain, an indie musician from New York, venues sometimes mooch off of merch sales as well — making it even harder for smaller artists to turn a profit.
“…oftentimes the venue will also take a cut of the merch sales even if they are not selling it” L’Rain posted on X.
What can the consumer do about all of these issues? The simple answer — yet again — is to unconditionally try to support smaller and local acts live on stage by buying tickets and merch — lots and lots of merch.
For me, my rule is that I never spend more than forty dollars on a ticket. A lot of the best concerts I have ever been to (Black Midi, Underscores, Ethel Cain and L’Rain) cost me less than 30 dollars per ticket — often on the lower side.
As well as costing less, these artists usually interact with the audience on a more intimate level, making the show more personal to the viewer. You sometimes even get to talk to these artists after their show and get to know them better. Some of my favorite people I have talked to at shows have been the artists themselves.
So please, instead of buying that $300 Charli XCX, Foo Fighters, Metallica or Coldplay ticket — support the little guy. Who knows, you might even like them better.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPB
Elissa Slotkin fights for votes in Michigan Senate debate
MALLORY WALIGORA
Political Editor
On Oct. 14, Elissa Slotkin and Mike Rogers met in Southfield, Michigan at WXYZ-TV to discuss key issues for the upcoming election on Nov. 5. During the debate, Slotkin highlighted her past work as a former CIA analyst and her bipartisan collaboration with both Democrats and Republicans in office, working under both President Bush and President Obama. During the hour-long debate, Slotkin affirmed her stances on topics such as the economy and abortion.
Economy
Slotkin began by acknowledging that the cost of living and inflation are the number one issues she hears from citizens. Her plan to tackle inflation included bringing manufacturing jobs back to the U.S., lowering the cost of healthcare and promoting a tax policy that supports the middle class.
“We got to attack the costs that are major parts of our budget: health care, prescription drugs, and childcare. Think of housing — how much people pay on those things. We got to attack those costs,” Slotkin said.
Foreign Affairs
Slotkin emphasized the importance of America having a strong leadership role in the world. She also urged the need for a ceasefire in Israel and the release of hostages. In terms of the Ukrainian conflict, she explained America’s responsibility to
defend Ukraine so it can push back against Putin.
“I work for Democrats; I work for Republicans. But the one thing that was consistent is the idea that there should be a strong American leadership role in the world. Obviously, what’s going on in Israel right now is deeply, deeply painful. We need a ceasefire,” Slotkin explained.
Abortion
Slotkin began by affirming her stance that she did not support the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade. She also criticized Roger’s past voting record supporting restrictions on abortion.
“I am so sick of people who don’t understand women’s health, who don’t understand reproductive rights, who don’t understand that this is about the rights of our grandchildren having the same rights as their grandmother,” Slotkin said.
Immigration
Slotkin added ethos to her position by explaining her past experiences as a CIA officer and Pentagon official. She enforced the need for the U.S. to secure its border and claimed that Republicans want to see this as a political issue more than wanting to get real work done about it.
“What’s going on at the southern border is a symptom of a broken immigration system … Every country in the world has the right to know who’s coming in its borders. We’ve got to do more to secure it,” Slotkin argued.
Gun Violence
Slotkin began by explaining how her dad taught
Mike Rogers: Michigan Senate Debate
NICHOLAS KABLAK
Political Reporter
Michigan Senate candidates Mike Rogers (R) and Elissa Slotkin (D), met for their final debate on Oct. 14. Rogers asserted his beliefs and stances in an attempt to appeal to Michiganders.
The two candidates had a minute to respond to each question with the opportunity to dispute. Let’s break down some of the key issues discussed and Rogers’ stances on the economy, foreign affairs, abortion, immigration, gun violence, education and financial stability.
Economy
Rogers attributed economic hardship to the Biden-Harris administration. He claimed government spending was to blame for rising prices and proposed some solutions. He also commented on stopping EV mandates and instead pursued hybrid vehicles as policy.
“You have to do a few things — energy independence — You have to undo the regulation— $1.6 trillion of new regulation in the last four years, and you have to make sure that we curtail spending to get our economy back on track,” Rogers said.
Rogers also claimed that using nuclear energy and letting the market decide would help the environment.
Foreign Affairs
Rogers emphasized that Iran was the main focus and enemy. Rogers also declared his overall support for Israel.
“I would make sure that we support Israel,
our great ally in the region, to be able to defend themselves. I would do a lend-lease program with Ukraine,” Rogers said.
Abortion
Rogers promised to respect the decision Michiganders made in uncodifying abortion rights in the state constitution.
“This is the most heart-wrenching decision a woman would ever have to make, and I think it’s best made with her family, with her partner, with her faith and with her doctor in where she lives,” Rogers said.
Immigration
Rogers supported the Remain in Mexico policy, which would keep immigrants at the southern border in Mexico until they are legally admitted into the U.S. Rogers also stated that he will make it easier for immigrants to get into the country legally.
Gun Violence
Rogers supported enforcing the current gun laws but did not call for any further gun restrictions. Instead, Rogers linked the gun violence crisis to deteriorating mental health in the U.S.
“We’re going to have to come together on how we get ahead of these problems. Banning guns isn’t going to do it,” Rogers said.
Education
Rogers pointed out the poor state of reading levels in the U.S. and focused on this point as an area to improve.
“We support reading reclamation programs where they go into the school, they take these kids out an hour a day … and get kids reading back at
her to shoot and how she carried a Glock during her tours in Iraq. However, she argued that it is the responsibility of leaders to protect children, specifically when it comes to gun violence.
“All you need to know is gun violence is the number one killer of children under 21 in our country. Are you going to do something about it, or are you not? My opponent doesn’t want to do anything about it,” Slotkin said.
Education
Slotkin solidified her position that it is the Federal government’s responsibility to ensure that schools get fully funded, specifically touching on how teachers are leaving jobs due to low pay. Slotkin also showed her support for public schools and criticized Betsy DeVos for her previous support for private schools.
“It’s the responsibility of any leader to make sure that the next generation gets educated. Everyone has equal access to education no matter where you live … For me, I believe in strong public schools,” Slotkin explained.
Financial Stability
Slotkin argued that all Americans deserve access to affordable healthcare and prescription drugs. She also touched on her recent vote to allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices down.
“I believe that in the United States of America, all people deserve access to healthcare they can afford, and prescription drugs are way, way out of people’s price ranges,” Slotkin argued.
grade level,” Rogers said.
Financial Stability
Rogers commented on healthcare costs and claimed the U.S. was taking the brunt of the world’s healthcare research and cost.
“We’re going to make sure we do average sales price, including international to bring their prices up and our prices down,” Rogers said.
On the topic of financial safety nets, Rogers stressed bipartisan action. He also supported a program that would incentivize citizens with student debt to serve in critical areas like school counseling or the military in exchange for forgiving college debt.
BY
PHOTO
COURTNEY BLACKETT
Post-debate thoughts from Michigan Senate candidates
MALLORY WALIGORA Political Editor
Following the debate between Mike Rogers and Elissa Slotkin on Oct. 14, both candidates answered questions regarding the upcoming election and policies brought up during the discussion. The race for the Michigan Senate seat is vital for the future of the swing state. In addition to both candidates sharing their thoughts, Senator Debby Stabenow highlighted her support for Slotkin, as this is her last term. Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist II also showed up in support of Slotkin.
What’s your message for Oakland University students?
“If you’re worried about your future, if you’re worried about your ability to buy a house, to get a job, then I’m your guy. So, if you look at all of the costs, all of the big-size government, all of the intervention and the mandates that came in is causing a real hurdle for your generation and those students generation to actually get jobs, move up, have better opportunities,” Rogers shared.
For undecided voters, talk about the biggest differences between yourself and your opponent
“The issue I was really glad came out today that didn’t come out in our last debate, is gun violence
and gun safety. The district that I represent and the district that he used to represent, has had two mass shootings since he left ... to me this is an issue. The number one killer of children in America under 21 is gun violence. I feel passionate about it,” Slotkin said.
“We’re an automotive state. We have about 1.1 million workers who are employed by building something related to a gas engine. Ford said 40% less labor on EV mandates, that’s 400,000 jobs ... I worked on an assembly line. I know how important this work is. They’re [automotive workers] afraid for their future ... I’m going to look out for automobile manufacturing and all manufacturing in the state,” Rogers said.
Given the recent damages in Florida and Congress asking for more money, where do you stand with FEMA [Federal Emergency Management Agency]?
“First thing they have to do is stop spending money that’s at Homeland Security that is designated for FEMA on illegal immigrants. Some $700 million got diverted — that could have gone into FEMA … they have got to get their head right. They’ve got to secure the border and stop spending money on illegal immigrants,” Rogers responded.
Thoughts on tonight’s performance
“Congresswoman Slotkin actually has a solution
and response for the number one killer of children. Mike Rogers accepts that children should just die from gun violence. He had nothing to say and no plan and no responsibility … that is ridiculous and offensive to me as a parent and to everyone who believes that children should be able to live free in the fear of gun violence,” Gilchrist said.
Congresswoman Slotkin told us last week that she thinks Senate Democrats haven’t been proactive enough on abortion, and if she was elected to the Senate, she would come up with a five-year plan to restore federal abortion rights. Do you feel like her criticisms of Senate Democrats are fair?
“I think we have pushed very hard on this issue, bringing up a vote on IVF, bringing up reproductive freedom, bringing up issues to protect birth control, but she’s right, that there’s more that needs to be done, and frankly, to do that, we need to end the filibuster, which Congresswoman has indicated she wants to get done,” Stabenow shared.
Are you going to miss working as a Senator?
“I have to say I have loved; I truly love representing Michigan in the United States Senate. For me, I’m feeling good about maybe knowing that Elizabeth Slotkin will continue on the good fight from Michigan … She has the right values,” Stabenow said.
Catholic outrage at Governor Whitmer’s Chips Act Dorito video
NICHOLAS KABLAK Political Reporter
Governor Gretchen Whitmer recently appeared in a video in which she hand-fed a Dorito chip to a podcaster. Michigan Catholic bishops disavowed the video as offensive, drawing connections between it and Holy Communion.
The video released on Liz Plank’s Instagram showed Whitmer standing in front of a kneeling Plank, with her mouth open and sticking out her tongue. Whitmer then placed a chip into Plank’s mouth, followed by a camera pan to Whitmer, who stared blankly into the camera.
The video released by Plank is based on a popular TikTok trend in which a friend hand-feeds another food. The Michigan Catholic Conference released a statement condemning the video as offensive and distasteful.
“The skit goes further than the viral online trend that inspired it, specifically imitating the posture and gestures of Catholics receiving the Holy Eucharist, in which we believe that Jesus Christ is truly present,” President and CEO of the Michigan Catholic Conference Paul Long said.
A rally was held outside the governor’s home, where the Catholic attendees prayed the rosary and demanded religious respect following the video. Whitmer recently apologized for the video, saying that she never intended to insult anyone’s
faith. Instead, Whitmer mentioned how the video intended to show the importance of the CHIPS Act, thus making it a play on words.
So why is Gov. Whitmer receiving so much backlash? There are a few important aspects of Catholicism to consider.
What does it look like?
The Catholic Sacrament of Communion is performed every Sunday at Catholic Mass. Often the Eucharist, what Catholics hold to be the body of Jesus Christ, is administered by being placed on the tongue of a kneeling Catholic during Communion.
This image is familiar to many Catholics. Thus, a conclusion was drawn that the similar posture in Whitmer’s’ video was in reference to the Catholic Communion.
“Whether or not insulting Catholics and the Eucharist was the intent, it has had an offensive impact,” Long said.
What is the Eucharist?
The Catholic belief in the Eucharist is a core aspect of the Catholic faith and is a central point of the denomination that differentiates Catholic beliefs from other Christian denominations.
According to the Catholic faith, the Eucharist is how Catholics gain eternal life and is thus a key component of salvation, the Christian concept of being saved from the consequences of sin.
When Catholics kneel during Communion and receive the Eucharist, they believe that they are
receiving the literal body of Jesus Christ. This makes kneeling during Communion one of the most sacred moments in the Catholic Mass.
The Catholic vote
Recent polls indicate that Catholics in swing states, including Michigan, favor Trump. This naturally puts the Catholic vote at odds with Whitmer.
The Catholic falling out with the Democratic party is interesting considering that Catholics have been evenly split in recent years and voted consistently Democrat in 20th-century elections.
The recent divide is hardly surprising considering the stark differences between Catholic beliefs and parts of the Democratic agenda — most notably abortion.
According to The Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion ... Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law.”
Additionally, the Catholic Church has also affirmed its stance that it considers homosexuality immoral. While the Catholic Church believes in the dignity of LGBTQ+ individuals, it is still opposed to the angle the Democratic party has taken on this issue.
The Catholic vote in the U.S. is an essential electoral block that could swing future elections.
Coaches Chat: Greg Kampe and Dusty May share insights ahead of exhibition game
EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter
Just a few days before Oakland and Michigan basketball clash at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday, Oct. 20, the programs’ respective head coaches met on a Zoom call to answer questions from the media.
Head coach Greg Kampe of Oakland and new head coach Dusty May from the University of Michigan fielded questions from many reporters, from Big Ten Network announcers Matt Shepherd and Rapheal Davis to local college reporters.
Both coaches seemed very excited to play each other, especially at Little Caesars Arena. Kampe and May worked hard to make the event happen to benefit Forgotten Harvest, a non-profit food rescue organization.
“I’m just really pleased that Dusty decided to play the game. We had a conversation when he got the job,” Kampe said. My thing was that, this will be the first time that Michigan fans get to see his team play, and why not do it in the Mecca of basketball in the Detroit area?”
May echoed that sentiment, saying, “From our point of view, we are excited to see our team play. They [Oakland] play a different style, which will prepare us for Big Ten play, some of the teams in the league to play zone.”
That unique Oakland style was something that May was eager to see in the exhibition game.
“When we’ve played exhibitions, we’ve always tried to play teams that are a little bit different than
everyone else,” May said. “We thought the zone, obviously, they do a great job of getting you out of rhythm.”
Reflecting on the roster for this upcoming season, Kampe made it known he was surprised by the Horizon League preseason poll.
“We’ve had a first-team all-league player for 18 consecutive years. Our all-league preseason team came out the other day and we didn’t have one on the first team, and I was a little surprised DQ [Cole] wasn’t on the first team. I think he is an all-leaguelevel player.”
Kampe also pointed out that Allen Mukeba, Buru Naivalurua and Jayson Woodrich could be allleague players.
A significant point of attention was the type of team that May built in his first year at the helm at Michigan. May mentioned how close the team has already gotten.
“They’ve been very intentional with each other as far as developing relationships, as far as how to communicate with each other, and also just earning each other’s trust and by being reliable, by being dependable,” May said.
May emphasized that this focus on relationshipbuilding extends beyond the court and influences their team-building strategy.
“And so we have to recruit players that want to be students at Michigan, that want to represent this place and fall in line with the culture here,” May said. “And so as far as us as a staff, we need to be around guys that are high achievers. They want to be the best they can be. They want to achieve
greatness, and they want to chase that every single day on the court, in the classroom.”
Additionally, Kampe reflected on how he has changed as a coach and how the game has changed. Remarkably, this season marks Kampe’s 41st season as Oakland’s head coach.
“The advent of the transfer portal, the advent of the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), has completely shifted college basketball and college athletics in a greater, seismic shift than anything that’s ever happened in my 47 years in college basketball,” Kampe said. “I’d like to think I was, you know, a Sparky Anderson, my way or the highway guy 25 years ago, and now I’m probably more laid back.”
Interestingly, former Michigan coach John Beilein has influenced May early on in his tenure.
“I was always a Coach Beilein fan even before I knew him. I followed his teams. I studied the way he did things offensively, defensively, his tactics, and then just seeing how invested he is in Michigan and how much this program means to him. And he’s been a great resource, whether it’s learning new things or just reaffirming what we already thought,” May said.
Near the end of the call, the conversation touched on whether Michigan and Oakland can develop the type of relationship that Michigan State and Oakland have, where the two teams play each other yearly. Both coaches seemed enthusiastic about it.
“We’ve talked about it… those conversations will be had... I think both Dusty and I agree that this makes sense and would be a cool thing to do,” Kampe said.
Kampe sees room for growth after Oakland falls to Michigan in exhibition
KURT SZYMANSKI
Sports Editor
The Oakland men’s basketball team opened their season with a tough 92-48 loss in an exhibition matchup at Little Caesars Arena against the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday, Oct. 20.
Although the Golden Grizzlies were able to hang with the Wolverines early on in the game, offensive struggles began to mount. Miss after miss started to pile up for Oakland, especially from the threepoint line, and an overpowering Wolverine offense started to pile up.
Graduate student Jayson Woodrich provided an early spark, connecting for two threes in the game’s first seven minutes. However, from that point on, the Golden Grizzlies missed the rest of their threepoint attempts, finishing the game with a 6.7% conversion rate from deep.
“So if my math is right, that’d be 27 consecutive misses,” head coach Greg Kampe said regarding missed threes. “It’ll probably be 41 more years that I’ve coached before I see that again, so I’m not worried about any of this.”
Despite the showing, Kampe remained optimistic about the rest of the season and believes in his
team’s ability to move forward.
“So it’s great teaching, great learning experience for us. You know, we take it for that,” Kampe said. “We want to play these games for this reason. We want to see teams do things like that against us so that we have film, and I can take 11 new guys and teach them. You know, this is what happened, and now we fix it.”
Woodrich, who led the Golden Grizzlies in scoring with 18 points and played the most minutes, shared the same sentiment. For Woodrich, it was less about the result and more about growing together as a unit.
“I mean, we have 11 new guys, so this is our first game ever playing together in a big atmosphere,” Woodrich said. “So, you know, it was a great experience for us, but it’s just something that we’re gonna learn from.”
Looking ahead at the rest of Oakland’s nonconference slate, Michigan isn’t the only formidable opponent the Golden Grizzlies will face. A minimum of four more Power Four opponents, including Illinois, Kansas, Michigan State and Arkansas, await. However, this demanding non-conference schedule is done for a reason: to make the team better.
“If we play, you know, division six teams and win 105 to 70 or 50 or 30, we’re not going to get better.
And then we go to Kansas or those places, we’ll run into this,” Kampe said. “By playing here tonight and experiencing this, we’re going to get better.”
Additionally, this isn’t the first time the Golden Grizzlies have had a disappointing start to their season in an exhibition game or against a Power Four opponent.
Just last season, Oakland lost to Walsh College in their first exhibition game, 75-69. Notably, Walsh College competes in Division II, yet the Golden Grizzlies went on to have one of their most successful seasons since entering the Horizon League in the 2013-14 season.
In the 2004-05 season, the Golden Grizzlies lost their first six games, four of which came from Power Four opponents. That same season also marked the first time Kampe led Oakland to the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.
“I think we have a chance to be really good, really good,” Kampe said. “Not good, really good.”
Next on the agenda, the Golden Grizzlies will play their final exhibition against Rochester Christian University on Friday, Oct. 25, on the road. Oakland’s official start to the season will come on Monday, Nov. 4, against the Defiance Yellow Jackets at the OU Credit Union O’Rena at 7 p.m.
Golden Grizzlies Go Golfing: Oakland University golf at Motor Ci ty Match-Up
EVAN BLANCHARD
Sports Reporter
On Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 14 and 15, the Golden Grizzly men’s and women’s golf teams competed in the Motor City Match-Up, hosted by Central Michigan University (CMU) at the Birmingham Country Club.
Oakland, CMU, Detroit Mercy and Green Bay made up the field. CMU and Green Bay played on Monday, with the winner advancing to play the winner of Oakland and the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM). The competition was played in match style, where each hole could be won instead of counting the total strokes at the end. The player with the most holes won at the end wins the match and earns a point for their team.
First Round vs. Detroit Mercy Titans, Monday, Oct. 14
The morning began with OU junior Luke Kelly tying with UDM’s David Swab, earning both sides half a point. Even though Kelly beat Swab in strokes 69-70, the match was a tie as they won an equal number of holes.
Overall, the women played better against their competition than the men. Sophomore Robert Burns and freshman Brennan Sullivan tied their respective competition, while junior Ellis Kinnaird lost by four holes with three left to go.
Fortunately, the men’s team had Jack Zubkus to pick them up with their first win of the day. Zubkus defeated Titan Vinny Levesque by two holes with one to go.
Senior Bhavneet Sohal had the most impressive showing of the day for the men’s team, dominating his matchup by going up six holes with four to go. Bohal was respectful of the weather, acknowledging the difficulty of playing in the wet and windy conditions.
“I think that’s the beauty of the Midwest. You get used to it and kind of just shrug it off,” Sohal said. “I’m from Australia, so it’s definitely different, but by being a senior, I’ve got some experience under my belt.”
Bohal’s experience certainly helped him in the harsh conditions.
“I was really able to take advantage of my distance off the tee to dominate both matches very early on,“ Sohal said.
In total, the men accounted for 3.5 points.
The Grizzly women owned the Titans all morning, winning five of their six matchups.
Sophomore Olivia Hemmila, senior Nateda Her and graduate student Savannah Haque all had terrific days. All three of them won by five or more holes. Hemmila, in particular, focused on “not letting the club get too long at the top of [her] backswing” and how she uses a drill in her practice swings to help with this.
“We are coming to an end of our fall season, and so far, it’s been great; we’ve all grown from each competition,“ Her said. “For the spring season, I want my team and I to finish strong in each tournament phase and win as much as we can.”
Junior Grace Boczar and sophomore Lily Bargamian also took care of their matchups. Boczar finished up one hole while Bargamian handled Gabriella Tapp, winning by four holes with three left to play.
The women’s team outgained the men’s team by five points to 3.5. Their combined 8.5 points were enough to push them past UDM (3.5 points) to the championship round.
Championship vs. Central Michigan Chippewas, Tuesday, Oct. 15
Oakland got off to a great start in the championship match, with Sohal and Haque leading off for the men and women, respectively. Sohal took care of CMU’s Jeffrey Sager by four holes, while Haque had no problem dispatching Chippewa Lauren Davis with a ridiculous victory by nine holes.
Sohal’s main goal this season is to strengthen the team’s winning, championship culture.
“Coach Pumford always stresses to us that playing good doesn’t make you a leader or an example to follow, but your habits do,“ Sohal said. “As one of the two most senior guys on the team, it’s paramount that we consistently do the right things to set the standard.”
The momentum began to swing the Chippewas way as Orlando Coons earned a tie against Zubkus before Alexis McMurray defeated junior Paige Scott by two holes. OU held the advantage at 2.5 to 1.5 a third of the way through the meet.
Sullivan won an incredibly close match against Nicolas Kilgore; neither golfer led by more than one hole all game. By the time the final hole came around, the score was tied. Luckily, Sullivan managed to secure the win by finishing the hole with five strokes to Kilgore’s six.
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