The Oakland Post 2.7.2024

A Trusted Source of Independent Student Journalism since 1987.

DR. MARK RIGSTAD

Remembering a beloved professor PAGE 5

BOT MEETING

New degree in data science introduced PAGE 10-11

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

Volume 49 l Issue 14 l February 7, 2024

OXFORD TRIAL

Jennifer Crumbley takes the stand PAGE 15

2 | FEBRUARY 7, 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 GOLDEN GRIZZLY SPIRIT The Oakland University Swimming & Diving team showed their school spirit at the recent men’s basketball game on Feb. 3.

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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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 Adrian Jimenez Morales Reporter Evan Blanchard Reporter Kaylah Snell 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

CAMPUS The ever-growing excitement of Casino Night ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES Campus Reporter

On Feb. 3, the Oakland Center (OC) turned into Hollywood’s Casino Night. Alongside Tom Holland and Margot Robbie, students in semi-formal attire enjoyed many casino classics and excitingly new games at one of Oakland University’s most emblematic events.

Harry Styles was the first of many Hollywood stars to welcome attendees on the red carpet. Students were greeted with a deck of cards, a Casino Night glass, a drawstring bag and casino chips.

What used to be the main floor of the OC transformed into Sunset Blvd. and Hollywood Blvd., with two crowded photo stands as an epicenter to kick the event off. Gold Room A dimmed its lights to become a neon mini golf course while the banquet rooms housed sixty prizes and almost three times the players for speed bingo games.

The main attraction was the approximately 20 casino game tables at the Ballrooms. Dimmed lights and WXOU playlists accompanied blackjack players, poker competitors, roulette enthusiasts and the University Housing Resident Assistants (RA’s) dealing the cards.

Student Program Board (SPB) President Matthew Murray explained that aside from new attractions, the decoration and atmosphere were a crucial aspect of the night.

“This year we definitely put a lot more emphasis on the decorations,” Murray said. “We haven’t really decorated this well before and also, we had a

bingo hall this year.”

Hollywood Walk of Fame stars adorned the way to the game rooms. A caricature stand, oxygen bar and mocktail stand were among the attractions livening up the boulevards where Marilyn Monroe and Chris Hemsworth greeted attendees.

Sophomore Jillian Jones celebrated the emphasis on detailed decorations and the diversity of games.

“I like the decorations this year, they’re really good,” Jones said. “The minigolf, the flipbook — I don’t remember there being bingo last year.”

The prizes were as diverse as the games, ranging from an air fryer and mini-fridge to Taylor Swift’s vinyl pack and Lions’ Jerseys. A 50-inch TV and PlayStation 5 were among the most coveted prizes.

Murray said the changes in different attractions,

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prizes and games this year in comparison to prior years were due to coordination challenges.

“The hardest aspect is probably all the preparation ahead of time,” Murray said. “It’s really hard to get everything going but once you get it going, the ball starts rolling.”

Murray also pointed out that the ratio of campus residents to commuter attendees at SPB events is skewed towards residents. Casino Night is the exception.

“A lot of SPB events aren’t well attended by commuter students,” Murray said, “That’s something we always try to do better with, but this has always been more of a commuter event.”

The event has grown so popular among commuters that large quantities of Michigan State University (MSU) students also drive to Casino Nights.

“We did have bingo at the beginning of the year, but nothing too crazy like this,” MSU freshman Rida Akhtar said. “[MSU] is too big to have events like this.

There’s, like, smaller events, but they’re not central like this,” MSU junior Carina Abbasov said.

Now a tradition at OU after almost 12 years, Casino Night was considered a fun success both for organizers and attendees, bringing an ever-growing community together.

“That’s always important — to see everyone come together, that’s huge,” Murray said. “Thank you to WXOU, SPB, university housing and the RAs.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF SPB

Campus Food Committee hosts first meeting of 2024 CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) and the Student Activities Funding Board (SAFB) hosted their first Campus Food Committee (CFC) meeting of the year on Jan. 29 in room 125 of the Oakland Center (OC).

This is the first time the committee has been in place since the COVID-19 pandemic began. OUSC’s bylaws indicate that the CFC can be reinstated if found necessary.

“The Campus Food Committee (CFC) acts as a communication forum between students, faculty, staff, and campus food service representatives. The CFC facilitates an avenue for the campus population to respectfully share feedback and concerns to members of Chartwells leadership,” Article VIII of the OUSC bylaws reads.

OUSC President Murryum Farooqi said she decided to reimplement the committee following concerns over reduced dining hours during the Fall 2023 semester.

“We were getting a huge influx of student concerns.

We’re always meeting with Chartwells… but a lot of students were reaching out to us,” Farooqi said.

“This is just trying to show that obviously, students care and just providing a platform for students.”

The reduced dining hall hours were once again addressed at the committee meeting. Hillcrest Dining Hall’s hours were expanded by one hour. It is now open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

OC Director Chris Reed said that there are currently no plans to increase the dining hours further at present.

“When Hillcrest opened, we had two dining halls,

but we also had a lot more students on campus, so it was a different dynamic,” Reed said. “We’re now serving fewer students out of the two dining halls than we served out of Vandenberg prior to Hillcrest’s opening. So we’re trying to balance that part of it.

“The main issue that we run into is that, yes, more students are able to use their swipes at Hillcrest, but here’s not more money coming in. Food service is already being subsidized to operate on campus,” Reed added. “Adding more hours increases that cost and increases the burden on the university to subsidize it.”

The committee also discussed the cashless state of campus dining.

“When you’re working with cash, there’s more staff, more time that you put into that. It’s an added expense that could have negative impacts on other things, not that we want to discriminate against individuals who may have cash and might not be able to use a card,” Reed said.

Students who do not have access to a card can load cash onto their GrizzCard by the OC’s front desk or at ID Card Operations. The card can then be used to pay for food at any on-campus dining location.

Reed announced that the coffee shop in Elliot Hall is now fully functional for the first time since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve been working on that for a while, but we finally got it open, and it’s fully functional now.

At first, we didn’t have the espresso machine, but that’s up and running now,” Reed said. “We’re really excited to get that back open.”

The committee also suggested topics to talk about further in the future, including alternative meal plans, allowing students a grace period at the beginning of semesters to change meal plans,

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHN D’ANGELO

managing food costs when market prices are increasing and an additional restaurant in the OC. Anita Hicks, Associate Director of the OC, said the administration takes students’ concerns and suggestions seriously.

“Sometimes we see things and hear [things] that you don’t realize that we do. So a lot of this we are already aware of and just working behind the scenes on. We can’t promise everything, but we want you to have a great experience,” Hicks said.

“We appreciate you reaffirming some of the things that we’ve already heard, so thank you.”

Students can submit their concerns to be addressed at CFC meetings through a Google Form. To stay up to date on OUSC’s events and initiatives, visit their Instagram.

CAMPUS ‘FAFSA Fridays’ helps families complete the FAFSA

4 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024 CHLOE KUKUK Campus Editor

Following the recent changes made to and subsequent delays with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Oakland University’s Student Financial Services (SFS) is hosting “FAFSA Fridays” every Friday in Feb. between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. in North Foundation Hall (NFH), Room 120.

The U.S. Department of Education did not release the 2024-2025 FAFSA application until Dec. 2023 instead of the standard Oct. 1. due to changes made per the FAFSA Simplification Act. “Because this was such a new experience for students, we wanted to be as accessible and available to students as we possibly could be to help them through the process,” Nicole Boelk, Director of Student Financial Services, said. “Of course, our office is always available to help students with FAFSA completion, but we wanted to bring focus and dedication to the FAFSA process this year just because of how much it has changed.”

Some of the changes to the application process include the necessity of contributors’ consent to have their federal tax information transferred from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), students or parents now having to invite contributors to finish their sections and fewer questions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ACCESS WEALTH

“The FAFSA in general is supposed to be simplified for students to be able to submit,” Boelk said.

Additionally, the methodology for determining financial aid eligibility has changed, allowing more students to receive more aid. An additional $1.8 billion of federal aid will be available.

“With every new change, there’s of course going to be speed bumps along the way,” Boelk said. “We want to be a resource so that if a student is struggling or a family is struggling with the new FAFSA process, we might be able to navigate that FAFSA process in a little bit different way based on the experiences that we have to help families complete the form and get them past those speed bumps.”

Due to the delays, OU will not be able to release financial aid offers to students by Fall 2024 registration in March.

“We are going to be well into the spring timeframe before we’ll be able to produce financial aid offers for students because we need the FAFSA data to give out offers,” Boelk said. “Until that mid-March timeframe, if students need to make any types of corrections to an already submitted FAFSA, they won’t be able to. The Department of Education first needs to process their initial FAFSA before corrections can be made.”

Students are encouraged to bring what was previously known as their FSA IDs and their 2022 federal tax returns when attending FAFSA Fridays in case information needs to be manually entered.

Additionally, students are encouraged to attend FAFSA Fridays with any contributors — parents and spouses — as each contributor must fill out their section. High school seniors who are planning on attending OU in the fall are also encouraged to seek assistance from SFS. No appointment is required for assistance during FAFSA Fridays. Students who are not available to attend during those periods can schedule virtual appointments with SFS for assistance. For more information about SFS, visit their website.

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 5

Remembering Dr. Mark Rigstad, associate professor of philosophy GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

Associate Professor of Philosophy Dr. Mark Rigstad passed away on Jan. 17, 2024, at the age of 58.

Rigstad received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Utah, graduating in 1989. He went on to get his master’s in 1995 and doctorate in 2001 at Johns Hopkins University.

Rigstad had taught at Dowling College, California State University, Los Angeles and the California Institute of Technology before coming to Oakland University in 2002.

At OU, Rigstad served as a department chair for nine years and was known for his leadership in his department. Over time, he was successful in creating new programs and branching different courses to facilitate the growth of knowledge.

Erika Luft, a junior at OU, only had Rigstad as a professor this semester. She was also on the Ethics Bowl team for the past four years when Rigstad was coaching.

“One of the first things that I said about Dr. Rigstad after his passing was that he was a reservoir of knowledge,” Luft said.

Not only did Rigstad make a huge impact on his students for so many years, but he also influenced many different faculty members over the years.

Rigstad’s genuineness and intelligence are what people noticed most about him. He also wanted everyone around him to be heard and important.

Mark Navin, professor and chair of philosophy at OU, worked by Rigstad’s side for 15 years.

“Professor Rigstad was my colleague, mentor and friend,” Navin said.

“He was very bright and well-spoken,” Navin added. “He had fantastic political intuitions and knew how to get things done.”

Rigstad had a passion for philosophy.

“He loved philosophy — not just as a content area, but as a way of life,” Navin said. “His teaching aimed always at helping students learn to make their own minds about the most important questions we all face.”

“His chosen career as a professor of philosophy implies that already, but he truly knew something about everything,” Luft said.

Rigstad’s teachings consisted of topics such as the philosophy of law, political philosophy and philosophy on war and peace. He was also a scholar of historical and contemporary political thought.

During Rigstad’s time as a scholar, he had been best known for his research into the ethical dimensions of contemporary political questions.

Some questions included topics such as human rights and war.

“Professor Rigstad was a great conversationalist, especially when the topic was philosophy,” Navin said. “Best memories of him are of conversations we had, either one-on-one or with the full department.”

Outside of his teaching and scholarly work, Rigstad was also an Ethics Bowl coach. He continued to spread his knowledge and helped lead his teams to many regional wins and even went on

to compete for national championships.

He had an impact on many outside of his students and fellow faculty members. His friends and family said that he was very compassionate about the people most important in his life like his wife, children and parents.

“I will miss him terribly,” Navin said.

(Continue on our website)

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

2024 Keeper of the Dream Award recipient: Tuger Xiong NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Raised in sunny Sacramento, California, Tuger Xiong found a passion for the performing arts at an early age. Once Xiong auditioned for Oakland University’s Musical Theatre program, the rest became history. Xiong is now a BFA musical theatre major and a 2024 Keeper of the Dream Award recipient.

“I came here and I didn’t have any friends or family that lived here, so it was like a clean new slate,” Xiong said. “I started off pretty well. In the musical theatre major, everyone is really close with each other, so I was able to fit into the program and really felt a sense of community.”

During their sophomore year at OU, Xiong co-founded the event, Kaleidoscope Cabaret, which eventually transformed into a full student organization.

“My friend and I started a student organization for students of color in the theatre department called Kaleidoscope Theatre,” Xiong said. “It first started off as Kaleidoscope Cabaret, but this year, we’ve been focusing on more than just a cabaret by doing events and workshops.”

Xiong plans on growing Kaleidoscope Theatre further before they graduate.

“My personal goal here at Oakland University is

to keep growing Kaleidoscope Theatre into an even bigger student organization that’s able to support itself,” Xiong said. “I want to be able to come back and visit Oakland University in 20 or 30 years and still feel that Kaleidoscope Theatre is still thriving.”

Xiong explains how they came across the Keeper of the Dream award through one of their friends and role models.

“The Keeper of the Dream Award was something that I actually wasn’t really aware about,” Xiong said. “One of my friends who worked at CMI, Aurora Ave-Lallemant, told me it’s something that you should apply for because of all of the work in breaking down racial barriers.”

Another role model that impacted Xiong’s journey in applying for the Keeper of the Dream Award was

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OAKLAND PRESS

a past professor of theirs.

“My past professor, Rachel Stevens, was a really good role model,” Xiong said. “She really pushed me and a lot of my friends to champion breaking down racial barriers and having deep conversations about our place and making sure that we have a voice.”

Xiong explains the opportunities that the scholarship opens up for them.

“This award has opened a lot of opportunities for me,” Xiong said. “I have connected a lot more with the other recipients, and I have connected with past award recipients as well. There’s a big Keeper of the Dream family and it’s a really proud and happy family. I would also say just having that award and I mean, to me really establishes who I am, what I’ve accomplished, and what I can accomplish with my work.”

Xiong is planning on continuing to pursue performing arts once they graduate from OU. They have set their sights on becoming a big name in the performing arts industry, specifically in the role of a producer. Xiong dreams of being able to produce a show, welcoming people who have been marginalized, including their race or gender.

FEATURES

6 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

International Education Director Alex Zimmerman discusses study abroad opportunities DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

The world is a place of endless opportunities. Oakland University students can explore these opportunities through a study abroad program.

Alex Zimmerman, the director of international education at OU, sat down with The Oakland Post to educate the student community on study abroad opportunities.

“We serve students from all over the university,” Zimmerman said. “We have programs for just about every program, so every student here can study abroad.

We’ll work with you to find out what program is right for you.”

The Office of Global Engagement aims to mitigate

PHOTO COURTESY OF MALAENA CALDWELL

barriers prospective student-abroad participants face.

The financial implications of departing for and living in another country are the most common barrier for students interested in studying abroad.

“There’s all sorts of scholarships that are available,” Zimmerman said. “Students who have a financial aid package here can generally use all of their aid, it’s applied automatically.”

Outside of government aid, the Office of Global Engagement makes efforts to keep study abroad programs affordable for students of varying backgrounds.

“For those 80 [summer program students] who turned in applications before February 1st, I’m planning to distribute $55,000 in scholarships just for study abroad,” Zimmerman said.

For Zimmerman, another barrier – health insurance – is personally relatable. Any student who studies abroad through OU will have international health insurance through the university.

“I’m diabetic too. It can be a complication for sure [referencing chronic illnesses and insurance abroad], but with our insurance, as you’re going through Oakland, you won’t need to worry about the cost,” Zimmerman said. “It’s going to cover all of your supplies.”

With the logistics of the trip covered by the university or its external partner programs, students can decide where to call home for whatever period they choose to be abroad. Several destinations stand out above the rest.

“The most popular destinations are probably England

and Italy,” Zimmerman said. “A lot of our students want to go to Western Europe but we have programs all over the world.”

Those programs span from the aforementioned Western Europe to the depths of Ghana and even Thailand, just to highlight a few. Overall, the university provides over 300 international programs.

Personal testimonials from students render the true efficacy of the program. Zimmerman was able to call back to some anecdotes to provide context.

“We’ve had students who went back to France and were teaching in France for a full year after graduating,” Zimmerman said. “We had a student who studied abroad and then went and got his master’s from Harvard, and is now working for the government. One studied public health in Africa and is now working for the CDC in Atlanta, specifically on academics.”

Students looking to apply for the study abroad summer programs can expect to have their applications due between March and April. Likewise can be said for students looking to study abroad for a single fall semester. Winter semester applicants should be set going into the preceding October.

Students can learn more about learning and studying abroad at the Office of Global Engagement’s Study Abroad Expo on Feb. 7 at The Habitat in the Oakland Center. Alternatively, students can contact Zimmerman via email, azimmerman@oakland.edu.

Furry Makers Club: Providing students a space to express themselves DAYSHAWN FIELDS Features Reporter

The Furry Makers Club strives to destigmatize a fandom that has long been shrouded in negativity. The club’s founder, Evelyn Van Camp, aims to create a safe space for Oakland University community members who enjoy the furry fandom.

“We’re not trying to convert anyone that is not already a furry. The way I see it, people already have interests, they just haven’t explored it,” Van Camp said.

The club arose from Van Camp’s desire to fill a hole and a niche that was not already present at the university.

“I am a member of the furry fandom and there was no space for furries to build relationships at Oakland,” Van Camp said. “So I figured if I wasn’t going to do it, no one was.”

Students can expect a range of activities to engage in during their time in the club. Drawing fursonas, sculpting fursuit heads and marketing are just a few of the endeavors club members will explore.

According to Van Camp, the club’s mission is to give fursuit makers, musicians and members of the furry fandom a place to learn new skills, make friends and explore business opportunities related to

the furry fandom.

The club will serve as a welcoming space for newcomers, as well as a comfortable environment for established members of the furry fandom.

Van Camp has amassed 7.5k followers on X (formerly known as Twitter) with her fursona Azure the Electroshark. Along with her X following, Van Camp writes furry-adjacent music, which can be found on YouTube and Bandcamp.

If students find themselves to be not as artsy as others, they can still find a place within the club.

“As for the future of the group, I see it becoming a collective of creators and art appreciators, “ Van Camp said. “Just letting people express themselves more.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

The club, while having its mission and goals found, is still working on formalities. The location of the club’s meetings has yet to be finalized.

“We have considered Wilson Hall because they do have some open spaces but we have also thought about doing the Oakland Center and renting one of the rooms,” Van Camp said. “But we’d have to get in contact with the appropriate people, but that’s next.”

When the place of meeting is finalized, the club will, along with its mission, be tasked with taking down the stigma and negative perceptions first mentioned above.

“The furry fandom is associated with a couple of things. The first thing is not-safe-for-work content.

The club is completely safe for work,” Van Camp said.

“We’re cutting all of that stuff out, it’s not happening.”

Along with the NSFW stigma, lots of people’s quarrels with furries stem from ignorance.

“As for the negative perceptions, some people think it is creepy or uncanny,” Van Camp said. “Well, it comes from not having much exposure to it which is why we want to have a club that has this going.”

As the Furry Makers Club gets closer to finally commencing, prospective club members can contact the club through its page on GrizzOrgs.

FEATURES

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 7

Varner Hall soundproofing issue: New renovations, same old problem NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Varner Hall, Oakland University’s building dedicated to the School of Music and various departments within the College of Arts and Science, has recently undergone renovations over the 2023 summer break to fix major problems.

The biggest issue addressed during the renovation process was the poor soundproofing throughout the building, a problem that has yet to be solved.

While professors on the fourth floor of Varner Hall attempt to get work done in their offices, students on the third floor are in classes, playing and practicing instruments. Due to the poor soundproofing, faculty such as Dr. Peter Trumbore, the political science department chair, can hear the third-floor performances with clarity, as if they were practicing in the fourth-floor offices.

Despite measures being taken, professors have found no noticeable improvements in the soundproofing issue.

“It is a drag that the initial thing that we were told was that it would be resolved by the end of December, that we were told that it would be resolved over break,” Trumbore said. “Then, here we are now. It’s the first of February and we’re still having problems.”

Another issue found was sound traveling between the offices on the fourth floor. Trumbore noted that he can hear his colleagues from two doors away,

talking to students or hosting an online meeting.

“I have heard my counterpart, the chair of the history department, having conversations with his colleagues, and some of those conversations have been about sensitive matters,” Trumbore said. “We should never be privy to that kind of stuff, and that information should not be shared with us.”

While the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) has tested sound levels to make sure the sound does not surpass OSHA thresholds, Trumbore does not see that as an issue for the building.

“It’s never going to be loud enough to approach unsafe levels for us,” Trumbore said. “The bigger issue is that it would be like trying to work while somebody else is carrying on a conversation behind you that you’re not involved in. It’s loud enough to be disruptive and distracting. And it’s constant enough that it makes it hard for folks to be able to do their work here.”

The professors do not blame those on the third floor for the sound issues. However, the lack of adequate soundproofing has become such a nuisance that some only use their offices when necessary.

“Some faculty will come into the office just to teach their classes and go home,” Trumbore said.

“They can’t do their research. They can’t focus on reading and class prep. They can’t focus on grading papers and things like that. It’s just too disruptive.”

After finding out the disappointing news of the renovations failing to meet expectations, Trumbore

has contacted those in Wilson Hall and the Office of Provost. Despite the failure of the recent renovations, there still seems to exist an intention to fix the problem.

“They’re acknowledging that the problem does exist and has not been resolved,” Trumbore said.

“There’s an intention to fix it, I just don’t know when that’s going to happen or what that fix is going to look like.”

PHOTO BY LINDSEY SOBKOWSKI

FEATURES

8 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Student Congress donates to the OU Counseling Center’s emergency fund to receive four free visits to the on-campus counseling center located in the Graham Health Center. After Political Reporter those sessions are exhausted, students may purchase On Feb. 1, The Oakland Post sat down with up to eleven sessions of services. Each session costs Student Congress President Murryum Farooqi and twenty dollars.

OUSC believes that it is necessary to assist students Vice President Maris Ferguson to discuss the state of Oakland University’s Counseling Center and the efforts who face financial barriers in accessing mental health OUSC is making to improve the condition of the center. care. The counseling center’s emergency fund will In terms of priorities, both agreed that the first order either cover the cost of a student’s sessions entirely or of business was to ensure OUCC’s mental health at least provide relief and ease the cost so that the center services were accessible and available for students in is as accessible as possible.

According to Farooqi, OUSC originally set the need. OUSC leadership decided the best way to reach this goal was to gather a large sum of money and put it stipend to $10,000. As the team went through towards the counseling center’s emergency relief fund. the drafting process, however, the allocation As it stands currently, all OU students are eligible increased as additional unused funds were located in OUSC’s budget.

“The bigger the number, the bigger of a statement it makes to the university. We want to attract attention,” Farooqi said.

The hope is that the money can be used to help the counseling center continue providing mental health services to students in need. OUSC continues to work on securing administrative support for a more longterm plan to “catch up” to the rest of the state in terms of funding for the counseling center.

“Over the last semester, we’ve heard from

KAYLAH SNELL

administration meetings, from Dr. Schwartz, that we are the lowest funded counseling center in Michigan,” Farooqi said.

The money comes just in time. According to Vice President Ferguson, the counseling center recently received a one-time $7,000 grant that has nearly been exhausted. For the legislators, the money needed to go to OUCC as the center typically sees a rise in visits during the winter months.

Moving forward, Farooqi and Ferguson say that Student Congress will be working to push for administrators to take over the upkeep of the counseling center. They have already begun initiatives amongst the legislature to increase community awareness on the topic.

“Vice President Macintosh says that President Pescotovitz is aware of the problem. She is looking into a slow and incremental plan to help solve this issue,” Farooqi said.

In the future, Farooqi and Ferguson want to raise awareness about the needs of the counseling center and garner support from the student body. For students who wish to help, you can find the Student Congress office in the basement of the Oakland Center, where students are encouraged to drop in and ask questions.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

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Feb. BOT meeting:

New data science B.S., nursing simulation laboratory and “Aspire. Advance. Acheive.” fundraising campaign closure

Oakland University’s Board of Trustees (BOT) held its first Winter 2024 semester meeting on Feb. 2.

The creation of a data science undergraduate program, the renovation of a nursing simulation laboratory and the distribution of almost $151 million raised were some of the topics covered.

OU President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz opened the meeting with a minute of silence in memory of Professor of Philosophy Mark Rigstad, who passed away on Jan. 17.

“He offered compelling perspectives on ethical issues related to armed conflict.

Today, and every day, we remember Mark, as a loyal and trusted friend,” Pezcovitz said.

President’s Report

Pescovitz began the president’s report by celebrating many “OU moments of pride.” The first was the OU campus ranking as the safest college campus in Michigan and seventh in the U.S., thanks to increased security funding.

“We added, thanks to your support, $655,000 in additional security measures and this was such a significant accomplishment that the Detroit Free Press on January 18 reported this in a front-page article,” she said.

Pescovitz also updated on Honorary Degree Recipients during the Fall Commencement of 2023. Wendall A. White, Walt Young, Donna Young and Glenn Ellis were the Honorary Degree Recipients.

“We are really proud that at Oakland University we confer honorary degrees to people whose noteworthy accomplishments have made a major impact on their communities, on their industries and in making the world a better place,” she said.

Pescovitz set the stage for the Dean of the School of Nursing Christopher Lance Coleman who delivered a report on the School of Nursing.

With an increase in student enrollment in pre-nursing and nursing programs, Coleman gave an overview of metrics regarding all nursing programs.

“Three hundred accelerated second-degree BSN students attend class weekly at the West Campus,” Coleman said. “Our bachelor of science in nursing program is the largest state-funded program in Michigan and has over a 90% retention rate and in 2023, 464 BSN graduates entered the nursing workforce.”

He also celebrated OU’s Forensic Nursing program, the only graduate program in the world that meets the AACN recommendation of 500 practice hours while meeting the requirements for certification as an Advanced Forensic Nurse by the Forensic Nursing Certification Board.

Coleman also congratulated the diverse efforts at the School of Nursing to support and ensure student success and mental health.

“Unique to the School of Nursing is we have a dedicated faculty member [as a] student success coach who works with nursing students on specific content, as well as student success strategies to ensure retention rates are 90% or higher on the undergraduate programs,” he said.

Also highlighted were the community engagement programs that increase student retention, and preparedness while diversifying clinical experience and job placement. Oakland Community College, Henry Ford Health and Corewell Health were the three major partners.

“To help meet the critical demand for nurses in Michigan, we have partnered with community colleges and health systems,” Coleman said. “We proudly have 624 affiliation agreements with a variety of community and clinical agencies all over the region.”

Coleman closed his presentation by listing future initiatives at the School of Nursing. The establishment of a National Institutes of Health research portfolio, a nurse scholar speaker series and the fortification of administrative infrastructure and research training were prioritized.

Vice-president Micahel J. Westfall offered an overview of the “Aspire. Advance.

Achieve.” fundraising campaign, which surpassed the campaign goal by raising more than $151 million in six months ahead of schedule.

Among the key milestones were the 25 principal gifts of $1 million or greater and the seven national “Prime Officer” award winners from OU. “Each year, Blackbaud software provider analyzes data to recognize the top 15% of university fundraisers nationally,” Westfall said. “In fiscal year 23,

the most recent year, we set a new OU record by having seven members of our director of philanthropy team honored with this national award.”

Westfall also listed some of the projects funded by specific donors. He explained that the Ted Lindsay Foundation’s donation would be used for Autism Outreach services, Corewell’s gift would be used for the nursing simulation lab expansion and money raised during Oakland University Fund Drive would be used to establish 42 endowments.

Westfall thanked donors, the BOT, faculty, staff and the University Advancement team for the coordinated effort in the successful campaign.

“This campaign journey has been long, has been winding and ultimately successful due to your individual and collective efforts,” Westfall said. “Your greatest gift has been your resilience, no matter the challenge, you have always, always risen to the occasion.”

Proposal to create a Data Science Bachelor of Science

The BOT unanimously approved the School of Engineering and Computer Science’s proposal to create a new Bachelor of Science degree in data science.

Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs Britt Rios-Ellis explained the need for such a program at the national level while highlighting the fact that there are no public institutions in Oakland and Macomb counties providing such a degree.

“The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates a nationwide surge of 35.8% in data science job opportunities over the next decade,” Rios-Ellis said. “The sixth highest rate of expansion among all professions, accompanied by a median annual wage of $101,000 for data scientists.”

Associate Professor Debatosh Debnath explained that the new four-year program would offer students the preparation for local entry-level job opportunities with flexible specializations and possible multi-disciplinary double major programs.

For Oakland University, the first-year investment would also yield a higher net revenue, making it profitable.

“Our projection is that the university will make a profit from this program for its first year of operation,” Debnath said. “That demonstrates or highlights that this is not only a program that has academic viability, but also that it will be financially successful.”

School of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Expansion

The BOT unanimously approved the School of Nursing Simulation Laboratory expansion.

Coleman returned to the stage to explain the need for the renovation of an underutilized computer lab in the Human Health Building.

“The space will consist of approximately 1651 square feet, which houses three new simulation rooms, including an operating room lab, two multipurpose labs and a control room with two-way communication between the facilitator and the students,” Coleman said.

Coleman explained that such a facility would comply with the “competencybased education standard” in which state-of-the-art mannequins are used for nursing students to practice real-life scenarios.

“The expansion will ensure the [OU] School of Nursing remains the university of choice for nursing education across all academic programs, provide additional learning space, decrease reliance on external space and expand interdisciplinary learning,” Coleman said.

New Items for Consideration/Action

Graduate Assistant for the Gender and Sexuality Center Joey Colby requested to commend and recognize Professor Tanisha Moir, Dr. Betty Tonui, and Dr. Angineh Djavadghazaryans.

He also requested that the OU administration and BOT incorporate and establish initiatives for hiring professors of color.

“I ask that the Board of Trustees please make stronger efforts to employ women of color into tenure track positions as well as into the administrative cabinet.

We can and we must do better.”

The meeting was adjourned without any further comments from the public.

STORY BY ADRIAN JIMENEZ MORALES DESIGN BY MEGAN JUDY PHOTO BY CHARLES CONANT

ARTS

12 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

The Grammy Awards 2024: The winners, the drama and Taylor Swift’s big night CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

On Sunday, Feb. 4, the 66th annual Grammy Awards took place. However, the majority of the awards were given out during the pre-ceremony — a trend that has been escalating within the last few years. This year the spotlight was on the musical performances and the general field categories.

The awards given during the awards ceremony were Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Best New Artist, Best Pop Solo Performance, Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Música Urbana Album, Best Country Album, etc.

The show was hosted by Trevor Noah for the fourth year in a row and made jabs at cultural events including the NFL and Taylor-mania, Universal Music Group pulling their music off of TikTok and Doja Cat’s monstrous hit single “Paint the Town Red.” The first award of the night was Best Pop Solo Performance, which was won by Miley Cyrus for her song “Flowers” — which won over Doja Cat’s aforementioned single, Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero” and Olivia Rodrigo’s “Vampire.”

After the first award, Luke Combs took the stage with Tracy Chapman to perform “Fast Car,” an iconic cover of a truly iconic song that took over the charts in 2023.

For the next award, Karol G won Best Música Urbana Album in a stacked field that included Rauw Alejandro and Tainy.

A spur of iconic performances occurred at the Grammys Sunday night. SZA danced and weaved around combatants with katanas, the sibling duo of Billie Eilish and FINNEAS performed “What Was I Made For?” from the “Barbie” soundtrack and Olivia Rodrigo’s blood-suckingly amazing performance for “Vampire.”

Best Country Album went to Lainey Wilson for “Bell Bottom Country,” she beat out high-profile modern

country legends including Brothers Osborne, Zach Bryan and Tyler Childers.

The award for Best R&B Song went to SZA for “Snooze,” beating out a high-profile nominee, Victoria Monét for “On My Mama.”

Best Pop Vocal Album went to Taylor Swift for “Midnights,” where she also announced her new album, “The Tortured Poets Department” — out April 19. This surpise shocked the internet and Taylor’s fanbase as many people were expecting a “Reputation (Taylor’s Version)” announcement.

The in-memoriam section of the Grammys really surprised me as a multitude of artists did tributes and covers, including Jon Batiste, Annie Lennox and Stevie Wonder — as well as a tribute to Tina Turner by Oprah Winfrey and Fantasia.

Song of the Year went to Billie Eilish for “What Was I Made For?” from the “Barbie” soundtrack.

After, Joni Mitchell performed live for the first time ever at the Grammys. A performance that was built up to be the best performance of the night — and frankly it was. It was a solemn yet heartfelt achievement in songwriting and for the human spirit.

Mitchell has overcome so much and this triumphant moment not only for the Grammys but for her career as a whole really showed the power of a great song. “Both Sides Now” stands the test of time.

Travis Scott performed next, and it was a true rager as he rapped and sang his verse on “FE1N” with Playboi Carti climbing onto the stage as a surprise performer.

Scott threw and broke folding chairs on stage, all while flames shot up and engulfed his surroundings — some speculating his aggression came from losing the Best Rap Album award to Killer Mike.

One of the final awards of the night went to Victoria Monét for Best New Artist, in a totally stacked category with new country powerhouses: The War and Treaty, Jelly Roll and Noah Kahan — as well as Ice Spice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VALERIE MACON

The final awards for Record of the Year and Album of the Year were highly anticipated and in two extremely tough categories.

Miley Cyrus walked away with a total of two Grammys for the night — including Record of the Year — both for her single, “Flowers.”

The biggest award of the night, Album of the Year, went to… Taylor Swift for “Midnights” — making her the singular artist with four Album of the Year awards.

Taylor’s acceptance speech was incredibly classy and humble, thanking Jack Antonoff, Lana Del Rey, Sam Dew and others. This award capped off her monumental 2023 not only as a recording artist but as a musical icon.

Let’s see if 2024 will be an even bigger year for music.

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FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 13

Golden Grizzly Jazz Singers visit Pontiac Little Art Theatre MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Oakland University offers many exclusive clubs to fulfill creative wishes of students — one of which being the Golden Grizzly Jazz Singers.

The Golden Grizzly Jazz Singers visited the Pontiac Little Art Theatre in downtown Pontiac on Thursday, Feb. 1, to give their group of singers a chance at the stage.

The Pontiac Little Art Theatre, also known as the PLAT, offered an intimate yet elegant backdrop for the singers’ performances. The venue, first created in 1868, holds deep roots within the city of Pontiac, and it’s great to see university students within it.

The show opened up with students and professors alike performing on a xylophone-like instrument from Ghana called a Gyil. Beautiful mixes of sound came from the percussion instruments and was informative for anyone who had no knowledge of the instrument.

Singers went up one by one to perform a solo and get comfortable with the stage. It was a very fascinating scene to see the students and pianist Professor Scott Gwinnell work out their song and tempo onstage just seconds before their performance.

“It’s no big deal, we’re just having fun up here,” Gwinell said as the show began.

One of the first students who went up onto the stage was OU junior Zachary Andrews who had been in band before joining the group.

“I joined just because I already knew what I

thought was enough, but I’ve learned so much more since then. I got more interested and learned about so many more musicians and styles. I would tell someone to do this and to learn more jazz in general,” Andrews said.

The group offers the stage to anyone who wants it but also furthers their learning and understanding of music as a whole.

“If you like any sort of modern music, jazz is the origin for pretty much any sort of modern American style of music. From rock to pop, to whatever you could think of, its origins are usually jazz,” Andrews continued.

Another student who participated in Thursday’s show was OU freshman and trained classical pianist

Martyna Gogolkiewicz.

“It’s really fun. It’s not only work, it’s mostly work combined with just having fun and making new friends, it just kind of feels like family.

Concerts are the best part of it all. Once we have the concerts it really shows how hard we worked,” Gogolkiewicz said.

That truly reflected during the performances. It felt like a hang-out session some really talented group of friends just so happened to be at.

Songs like “Blue Moon,” “Lullaby of Birdland” and “Orange Colored Sky” were performed and felt amazing to sit through.

The PLAT held a jam session after the students finished their performances — and holds one every Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

If you would like to attend future events with the singers, the OU Golden and Blue Grizzly Jazz Singers Ensemble will be performing in Varner Hall on Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m. You can find details and tickets on the OU events calendar.

OUy also has other jazz bands including those of Latin jazz. Any student is welcome to attend these events, and I encourage them to do so.

PHOTO COURTESY OF WSCOTTJAZZ

‘Mean Girls:’ The spectacle that overshadowed the film MOE DEL ROSARIO Arts Reporter

Buzz surrounded the much talked about revamped “Mean Girls” movie musical after its release on Friday, Jan. 12 — both positive and negative.

Released exactly 20 years after the original movie from 2004, audiences assumed the new “Mean Girls” would simply be another Hollywood remake with updated humor to fit that of today’s generation, but were mistaken.

One of the first sparks of controversy was that the film wasn’t advertised as a musical, which caught many audiences off guard in theaters. This led to audiences flooding social media to report on crowd boos and groans as the first song began.

Fans who knew of Reneé Rapp’s Broadway adaptation of “Mean Girls” seemed to be the only few who knew, but that didn’t stop Rapp from flourishing in popularity after the film’s release.

The singer and actress’s popularity seemed to spark just before the movie’s release, although her first big acting breakthrough occurred when she was cast in Mindy Kaling’s “The Sex Lives of College Girls.” Rapp’s off-Broadway singing career began with the release of her first album “Snow Angel” in 2023.

Although her acting career has taken off recently, Rapp has stated that she has no desire to continue acting and instead wants to focus on her music career.

“I go back and forth, because I get so anxious on sets and I feel s— about myself, so I feel like

I shouldn’t put myself back in that environment,” Rapp said in an interview with LA Times.

Aside from Rapp’s performance, audiences have also been praising Avantika Vandanapu’s performance as Karen Shetty. Her performance of “Sexy” has been circulating on social media since the release of the movie.

“I grew up admiring Kyle’s choreography and his work, and so being able to now learn something from him directly and have him guide me throughout the whole process was really a dream come true for little me,” Vandanapu said about working with “Mean Girls” choreographer Kyle Hanagami in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Audience and critic reception have been mixed — with added criticism because some of the original songs from the Broadway musical were changed to better fit the movie format.

It’s no secret that one of the biggest victims of this was “Stupid With Love,” sung by Angourie Rice. If you’ve been on TikTok recently, chances are you’ve heard this rendition of the song once or twice on your page — and for good reason.

The song was changed to be softer and more of a ballad than what it was in the musical. Content creators have created comparison videos of both versions, and the contrast is clear.

Rice — and the film as a whole — has also been the target of criticism for the camera angle used during “Revenge Party,” and how weird it was that it looked as if Rice had to film on a phone angled to her chin.

Another standout performance was Auliʻi

Cravalho as Janis ʻImi’ike. It wasn’t a surprise that Cravalho would be a standout, as her previous musical role was Moana. Her take on Janis being queer was a change for the better, and I’m glad she could make the character hers.

Whether you liked the movie musical or not, the spectacle of the event seemed to outweigh the actual release of the movie. It was a fun moment in pop culture, and one that we’ll probably not remember in a few years, but it was entertaining to be a part of.

PHOTO COURTESY OF VARIETY

14 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Taylor Swift ‘furious’ over explicit AI pictures GRACIE MURRAY Features Reporter

Taylor Swift is one of the biggest stars in the world, but she is also just another human being.

Over the several weeks, explicit AI-generated photos have surfaced of Swift. According to the Daily Mail, the pop star is “furious” and heavily considering taking legal action.

AI images are images that are generated, and the “artist” is not human.

The images started appearing on a deepfake shady porn site. The site surpasses cybercrime squads.

Within the past year, Swift began dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and was seen supporting Kelce from the private suites at recent games.

Due to the buzz surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs, there are now pictures of Swift in their apparel performing sexual acts located in the Kansas City Stadium.

Once those images were released from the site, the photos made it to other social media platforms.

Platforms X and Reddit began to delete the pictures that were appearing. The X account that had released the pictures has been deleted.

Taylor Swift fans — the “Swifties” — are likewise furious and started the hashtag #ProtectTaylorSwift.

Fans went after accounts that were sharing the deepfakes of Swift.

Before the photos and accounts were deleted, one AI picture of Swift had been seen over 45 million times.

The post was live for 17 hours.

This has gathered so much attention that even the White House is disgusted. The conversation had

circled its way around to the Congress, requesting that someone act.

“While social media companies make their own independent decisions about content management, we believe they have an important role to play in enforcing their own rules to prevent the spread of misinformation, and non-consensual, intimate imagery of real people,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said to an ABC News correspondent.

With the usage of rapid AI images growing more and more, many have stated that some things need to change fast. AI deepfake images are considered by many to be sexual abuse.

“When you have figures like Taylor Swift who are this big [targeted], maybe this is what prompts action

ARTS

from legislators and tech companies because they can’t afford to have America’s sweetheart be on a public campaign against them,” he said. “I would argue they need to make her feel better because she does carry probably more clout than almost anyone else on the internet,” Ben Decker, CEO of digital investigation agency Memetica, said.

Swift’s spokesperson refused to comment when asked about the discussion.

“Posting Non-Consensual Nudity (NCN) images is strictly prohibited on X and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards such content. Our teams are actively removing all identified images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting them. We’re closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed. We’re committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all users,” X safety account posted.

Any type of search about “Taylor Swift AI pictures” now comes up as a “404 error page.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF INC. MAGAZINE

Billy Joel releases new single, “Turn the Lights Back On” AUTUMN OKUSZKA Editor-in-Chief

In 1993, Billy Joel, the “Piano Man” whose music has transcended genres with hits like “You May Be Right,” “Uptown Girl” and “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” released his last studio album, “River of Dreams.” On the last song on the album, “Famous Last Words,” Joel sang, “These are the last words I have to say,” seemingly closing the book on his songwriting career.

However, Joel also sang, “There will be other words some other day,” and on Feb. 1, 2024, those words arrived in the form of “Turn the Lights Back On,” thirty years after the release of “River of Dreams.”

Rumors of a new single began circulating after Joel stated, “We got a little something we’re working on” during a concert at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 19, 2023. After the new year, rumors continued to grow as fans began noticing the Spotify Canvas had changed on his most streamed songs, with a photo showing a potential lyric, “Did I wait too long...”

The rumors weren’t officially proven true until Joel announced a new single would be coming out on Feb. 1, titled “Turn the Lights Back On,” with a video teasing the song’s first few notes. It was also revealed that Joel collaborated on the song with songwriters Freddy Wexler, Arthur Bacon and Wayne Hector, this being only the second time Joel has collaborated with others on a song throughout his lengthy career.

Wexler, who has also collaborated with artists such as Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber and The Jonas Brothers, noted Joel is his greatest songwriting inspiration. When

the two first met, Joel did not realize it would turn into anything other than a one-off encounter with a fan.

“I’m thinking, yeah, we’re just going to shoot the breeze, and that’ll be the end of that. And we ended up getting into some deep stuff just right off the bat.

We hit it off, and I realized this guy knows what he’s talking about,” Joel said in an interview with Jim Kerr of Q104.3.

Wexler asked Joel if he had any unfinished songs from his past and if he would allow him to finish them.

Having developed a relationship with Wexler, Joel stated that he had a catalog of unfinished songs from the 70s and 80s, and after being given the opportunity to work on a few, “Turn the Lights Back On” was born.

“He had this idea for a song, and he played for me, and I said, “That’s not bad. That’s pretty good, and it would’ve been something that I could’ve come up with, that I would have thought I might have written musically and lyrically,’” Joel said.

While it was already difficult for Joel to hand over some of his unfinished material to Wexler, getting Joel to agree to sing on “Turn the Lights Back On” proved nearly impossible. “[Wexler] wanted me to come to his house where they have a recording studio… and maybe try singing [‘Turn the Lights Back On’],” Joel said. “And I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure, yeah, I’ll come to the studio.

I’ll listen.’ And then I went to the studio, and they’re all set up. And [Wexler] says, ‘Okay, ready to sing?’ Sing?

I’m not gonna sing, I’m just here to hang out. He was relentless, this guy.”

Even so, Joel agreed to sing on the track and thus began his return to the music scene and the Billboard

charts. “Turn the Lights Back On” debuted at No. 11 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

Joel also performed the song live for the first time at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 4 to a standing ovation. He said Wexler helped him find the joy in songwriting again.

Joel may be worried if he waited too long to turn the lights back on. Nevertheless, I believe it’s never too late to return to something you fell out of love with once someone or something reminds you of why you fell in love with that thing in the first place.

It’s too early to tell if this new single is only a one-time thing, a minuscule footnote in Joel’s illustrious career, or if it will lead to more music or even a new album.

After listening to “Turn the Lights Back On,” I hope Joel keeps the lights on, at least for another encore.

“Turn the Lights Back On” is now available on all major streaming platforms.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BEST CLASSIC BANDS

POLITICS

Jennifer Crumbley goes to trial MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

On Thursday, Feb. 1, Jennifer Crumbley, mother of Oxford High School shooter Ethan Crumbley, faced the court in her trial for manslaughter. The trial continued into Friday for her cross-examination.

In 2021, Ethan killed four students and injured several more in the shooting. This incident left a devastating mark on the Michigan community as schools all around the state came together to support Oxford.

During Jennifer’s legal trial, she was questioned about her poor parenting leading to her son’s actions.

Jennifer’s personal romantic relationships were used as evidence of her lack of parental support.

Her reasoning behind her poor parental support towards Ethan was justified by an affair she was having with Brian Meloche. Meloche had an affair during the months leading up to the shooting. He came to the trial and admitted on the stand that he had been having an affair with her. They met on an app called “Adult Friend Finder.”

“She depicted herself as having one extramarital affair for six months where she met with him one time a week. That was her testimony,” Assistant Prosecutor March Keast said.

Jennifer along with her husband James Crumbley have both been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. The prosecution has argued that their personal relationships with their son were connected to the shooting. Both parents have pleaded guilty. James is set to go on trial in March.

Jennifer also revealed that she gifted the gun used at the Oxford shooting to Ethan. It was intended to be used at a shooting range. The family regularly enjoyed trips to the range and used guns for this purpose.

Jennifer also testified that her son never talked to her about his mental health and didn’t ask for professional help. His journal entries were used as evidence during this trial. These journal entries show the opposite side of her testimony.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the f****** school… My parents won’t listen to me about help or a therapist,” Ethan Crumbley wrote in the journal found in his school backpack.

The prosecution also questioned her about text messages shared between her and her son. The subject matter of the conversation included Ethan texting her about seeing demons. Jennifer explained that that specific conversation was a joke and not intended to be viewed in a serious light.

Jennifer is also under fire by the prosecution for attempting to flee and hide from officials after the shooting. She was found in a studio space in Detroit by the police soon after the shooting. She testified that she was sleeping, but the prosecution found text messages that were sent through her phone when she was allegedly asleep.

She also testified that she was willing to turn herself in, but evidence shown at the court suggests otherwise. Financial records show her and her husband taking large sums of money out of the bank in cash after hearing about their son.

As for Ethan Crumbley, he was sentenced to

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 15 life in prison. He pleaded guilty to one charge of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder and 19 other charges. The defense pleaded that his life was still salvageable and that less severe sentences should be considered.

Ethan openly admitted to his wrongdoings and took the blame for the entire shooting.

“I am a really bad person. I have done terrible things that no one should ever do,” Ethan said at his trial.

Ethan is the first minor — aged 15 at the time of the shooting — to receive a lifetime sentence with no parole after a Supreme Court ruling in 2012.

SCOTUS held that life without parole violates the 8th Amendment. Only rare exceptions can be made — Ethan is an example of a rare exception.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOX 2 DETROIT

Border politics: Texas introduces razor wire to the U.S.-Mexico border NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

In another string of measures taken by the Texas state government to stop undocumented immigration, Texas law enforcement officials have begun placing razor wire across the southern border.

The land in this region has been fundamentally altered by Texas’s construction to make the border harder to cross.

On top of the damage the razor wire causes to the environment, the wire has maimed and killed dozens of immigrants who have attempted to cross into the United States.

The U.S. federal government has taken issue with Texas’s actions for several reasons.

The major concern for the federal government is that Texas’s actions on the border seem to overstep the federal government’s authority on border security. Immigration control and border security have strictly been the purview of the federal government since the United States v. Arizona case in 2012.

The other concern of the federal government is the harm Texas’s border policy is doing to asylum seekers coming to the United States. Texas has ordered its state troopers to turn large groups of migrants away, forcing the migrants back toward Mexico through water and other hazards.

Texas’s actions have led to multiple migrant injuries, which has alarmed the federal government.

Texas has been arguing that the razor wire and

other measures are a necessity because of the large number of asylum seekers coming to southern border states. Texas’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott, has framed the migrants as hostile invaders. In its attempt to control border policy, Texas invoked the invasion clause to justify its actions.

The invasion clause gives states the right to defend themselves in the case of invasion from another state or foreign country. Texas claims that migrants coming to the United States constitutes an invasion and, thus, they argue that Texas is allowed to invoke the invasion clause.

However, this argument is is highly dubious because the migrants do not constitute a foreign army nor is there any proof they are being sent to the U.S. by any nations.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court decided against Texas’s border policy. The Court ruled that federal border agents are allowed to remove the razor wire and other obstacles that impede the work of border patrol. Despite the lack of legal legitimacy to Texas’s border policy and the documented harm it has caused, Abbott insists the razor wire will remain and will be increased, putting more lives at risk and going directly against the Supreme Court’s ruling.

Twenty-five Republican Governors have endorsed Texas’s actions, which has put the country in a very precarious bind.

The federal government must either act on the Supreme Court’s decision and stop Texas from controlling the border or the federal government must let Texas get away with its policy. The former would anger Republicans, and the latter would lead

to more harm and a dangerous precedent that could unravel the federal-state government relationship.

While the Supreme Court decision refutes Texas’s legal claim for their actions on the border, it does not address Abbott’s material arguments: that the migrants coming over are criminals, terrorists, violent, that they steal jobs from legal Americans and that they are a strain on the economy.

The rhetoric from Republicans is baseless as data suggests that undocumented immigrants commit far fewer crimes than native-born citizens.

Republicans regularly claim that terrorists are crossing the U.S.-Mexico border. However, there is no evidence of a terrorist attack happening by undocumented immigrants from the southern border.

Setting the record straight on undocumented immigrants is important because negative rhetoric can have a very powerful impact on people’s actions, voting behavior and policy decisions that will significantly harm undocumented immigrants.

POLITICS

16 | FEBRUARY, 2024

Tagged for testimony MALLORY WALIGORA Political Reporter

On Jan. 31, the tech giants of the world were humbled.

Mark Zuckerberg, best known for creating Facebook, attended a hearing in the Senate to address concerns over the linkage of mental health issues of children with exposure to social media. Along with Zuckerberg, several other leaders in the social media industry faced the Senate and answered questions about children’s safety on the internet. Key issues such as online predators and harassment were brought up at the hearing.

While at the hearing, Zuckerberg gave a heartfelt apology to those affected by the negative aspects of his creations.

“I’m sorry for everything you have all been through.

No one should go through the things that your families have suffered and this is why we invest so much and we are going to continue doing industry-wide efforts to make sure no one has to go through the things your families have had to suffer,” Zuckerberg said.

Lawmakers in the Senate posed questions about child safety online and measures put in place to protect children on the internet. Congress currently has legislation in progress that is set to protect material posted by minors on social media. Many advocates of these bills have cited risks of depression and suicide being linked to social media usage.

Senator Amy Klobuchar has been a prominent voice in advocating for new legislation.

“I’m so tired of this. It’s been 28 years... since the start of the internet. We haven’t passed any of these

bills, because everyone’s ‘double talk, double talk.’ It’s time to actually pass them,” Klobuchar said.

Notably, the Cooper-Davis Act has emerged with bipartisan support from the Senate. This act requires social media platforms and messaging apps to report sightings of drug trafficking. Under these rules, social media companies must report any signs or information related to illegal dealings immediately.

CEO of Snapchat Evan Spiegel endorsed his support for the act at the hearing. Spiegel remains the only CEO of those at the hearing to proactively work to produce legislation and meet with victims of illegal dealings.

Shou Zi Chew, CEO of TikTok, willingly agreed to testify in front of the panel. GOP Senator Tom Cotton repeatedly asked if Chew had any ties to the Chinese

Communist Party. The CEO is Singaporean. The parent company of TikTok ByteDance is Chinese-based.

Many U.S. officials have voiced concerns over American user data being housed in a Chinese platform that is easily accessible by the Chinese government.

Some legislators have pushed a complete ban on the app.

Relations between China and the United States remain tense. China poses a major threat economically to the U.S. in terms of exports and production. Recently, the development of Chinese military capabilities and weapons has posed complex challenges to international security.

Relations have stabilized this year, but the U.S. remains cautious. Last Nov., Joe Biden held a summit with President Xi Jinping. The two leaders had a civil discussion and emphasized their individual values while also discussing common ground.

In addition to the rapid expansion of social media into the public sphere, the future of artificial intelligence rapidly expands as well. Humans are becoming more interconnected with the internet and technology every day, and the future of the younger generations remains unclear. How will an increasingly connected digital world affect future generations and their dependence on technology?

PHOTO COURTESY OF WINNIPEG FREE PRESS

Biden consolidates support among unions while Arab Americans protest in Michigan NOAH THOMASON Political Reporter

On Feb. 1, President Joe Biden visited Michigan union autoworkers to consolidate support among unionized working-class Americans. This visitation is one step in Biden’s effort to secure a second victory in Michigan in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

The visit is important because support from the working class will be significant in determining which candidate Michigan chooses for president. Former President Donald Trump won Michigan by 0.3% in 2016 while Biden won Michigan by 2.8% in 2020. It is likely that each candidate’s perception as pro-working class played a role in both candidate’s respective victories.

Biden met with United Auto Workers (UAW) workers and Union President Shawn Fain, who recently had a significant victory for unions in their strike against the Detroit “Big Three” automotive companies: Stellantis, Ford and General Motors. The strike secured major victories for union workers.

Biden previously appeared and voiced support for union workers during the UAW strikes. Even since then, the UAW has made it clear their intentions to support Biden throughout his 2024 presidential campaign.

“Wall Street didn’t build the middle class. Labor built the middle class, and the middle class built the country,” Biden said when speaking to UAW workers.

A tweet from the official Democrats Twitter account, on the same day as Biden’s meeting with union workers, encapsulates Biden’s commitment to being the prolabor and union candidate for working-class people in

Michigan and the rest of the country.

While Biden has successfully garnered the support of many unions and working-class people, Biden has struggled significantly with gaining the support of Arab and Muslim Americans in recent months. On the same day, Biden met Michigan union workers, he was met with protests from Arab and Muslim Michiganders who strongly opposed Biden’s unconditional support of Israel in their invasion of Gaza.

Ever since the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel by Hamas and the subsequent invasion of Gaza, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed. As of now, Biden and his administration have done little to dissuade Israel’s escalatory actions, which has caused many individuals to refuse to support Biden in the 2024 election.

Abed Hammoud is a Dearborn attorney and former federal prosecutor who helped to establish the Arab America Political Action Committee in 1997.

Hammoud has been vocal in his opposition to Biden.

“I’ve always voted Democrat,” Hammoud said.

“But there is no way Biden is going to get my vote.

It’s not going to happen because Biden is complicit in genocide, Biden is complicit in a war that makes no sense. He should just stop this war.”

This is a sentiment shared by many Arab Americans, especially those in Michigan, and it could cost Biden a victory in Michigan. Arab Americans in Michigan make up about 5% of votes in Michigan which is far more than the margins that either Biden or Trump have won Michigan by in the past.

It appears that many protestors hope their voting power can sway Biden to force a ceasefire from Israel and potentially end the war.

While Arab Americans fed up with Biden’s actions regarding Israel have made it clear that none of them have any intentions of voting for Trump, the loss of their support could cost Biden a victory in Michigan.

So far, Biden seems intent on avoiding the issue of support among Arab and Muslim Americans dropping in the hopes that support will rebound near the election.

However, the current direction of support among these demographics suggests this might not happen.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MANDEL NGAN

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 17

Brock’s Thoughts: For Oakland men’s basketball, the time is now BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

Thirteen years ago, the Oakland men’s basketball team made it to the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Greg Kampe was in his 28th season as the head man of the Golden Grizzlies, and the team was led by Keith Benson and Larry Wright.

Nothing was significant about that season other than the fact that it was the last time the Golden Grizzlies made it to the NCAA Tournament.

Although 13 years may not seem like such a long time, things have changed drastically since the last time Kampe took a team to the Big Dance.

Oakland was the regular season and conference tournament champions of the Summit League — which OU isn’t a part of anymore — the last time it was featured in the NCAA Tournament. The league consisted of teams such as North and South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Centenary and Oral Roberts, a team that just recently made NCAA Tournament history.

Anyone with any smidgen of knowledge surrounding Oakland basketball and the nowHorizon League would be able to identify that the previous paragraph doesn’t even come remotely close to describing the current state of Oakland basketball in 2023-24.

North and South Dakota State, Southern Utah, Centenary and Oral Roberts almost never appear on Oakland’s schedule nowadays, and the Golden Grizzlies’ road trips are now more efficiently limited to just the midwest region.

Rather than making mid-season trips to the Dakotas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Louisiana and Utah — Kampe and his team got the full United States tour back in the day — Oakland remains in the comfy confines of no farther west than Wisconsin, no farther east than Pennsylvania and no farther south than Kentucky for its home games.

Of course, this isn’t a history lesson on the adventures of the 2010-11 Golden Grizzlies.

Rather, the historical context serves as an indicator of just how much the sport has changed since the last time Oakland was playing for a national title 13 years ago.

Guard Reggie Hamilton was eligible to play for the 2010-11 season after sitting out the 2009-10 season due to rules that no longer exist in today’s game.

Thirteen years may not seem like a long time between NCAA Tournament appearances for a mid-major program, but now in its 11th year in the Horizon League, the time is now for Oakland.

Since Oakland joined the Horizon League just before the 2013-14 season, six teams have won the conference tournament and gone on to the NCAA Tournament. None of those six teams were Oakland.

Northern Kentucky, Wright State, Cleveland State, Green Bay, Milwaukee and Valparaiso — a team that isn’t even in the league anymore, again, showing how much things have changed — have all won a conference tournament title in that time frame.

Meanwhile, Oakland has been constantly treading water with its head just barely above the surface.

But this year seems different.

The Golden Grizzlies have won nine of their last 10 games dating back to New Year’s Eve. They sit in a tie atop the league standings with a solid 10-3 conference record.

What’s ironic about the team winning nine of its last 10 games dating back to Dec. 31 is that the 2010-11 team had won 18 of its last 19 games heading into the NCAA Tournament before losing to No. 4 seed Texas in the opening round.

Now, will this year’s Oakland team go on to run the table and put together a lengthy win streak like the team did in 2010-11? Probably not.

Although the upcoming schedule is favorable, the Horizon League is much more balanced than the Summit League was 13 years ago.

If Oakland does manage to defy the odds and win out, it will have won the conference tournament and be on its way to the Big Dance, having won 19 of its last 20 games.

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

Again, it’s unlikely, but nothing is impossible.

But this needs to be the year Oakland finally breaks through and makes it to the NCAA Tournament. Guards Rocket Watts, Blake Lampman and Jack Gohlke will all be taking the next step in their respective basketball journeys after this season, and senior Trey Townsend will have to decide if he wants to return for his fifth and final year of eligibility.

This isn’t to say an NCAA Tournament appearance in the near future would be impossible, but losing three or four key components during the offseason could put the Golden Grizzlies back in a rebuilding phase.

Oakland has the pieces to do this. It’s clearly established itself as one of the best three teams in the conference, and it’s healthy and playing great basketball when it matters most.

As it unfortunately goes in the mid-major conferences, the body of work put together in the regular season is largely moot by the time March rolls around. Sure, regular-season records play into seeding for the league tournament, but after the seeds are given, all bets are off.

Detroit Mercy, which is 0-24 this season, could catch fire late into the year and roll into the conference tournament as the No. 11 seed and win the whole thing. Now, the odds of all OU professors canceling classes for the rest of the semester are higher than the odds of Detroit Mercy winning the conference tournament, but the possibility is there.

But this is it for Kampe and Oakland.

Oakland is likely headed for a top-three seed in the league tournament, which means it will need to win three games to go dancing.

Win a home game against a middle-of-the-pack team.

Go to Indianapolis as one of the four best teams in the league.

Win two games there, and you’re going dancing for the first time since 2011.

It can happen, and with this team, it needs to happen.

SPORTS

18 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Oakland women’s basketball falls to Wright State in 80-68 defeat SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

The Oakland women’s basketball team suffered a defeat against the Wright State Raiders at the Nutter Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, with a final score of 80-68.

First Quarter Oakland was off to a hot start, credited to Markyia McCormick scoring their first five points as Oakland established a 5-0 lead to start this game off. Defensively, Oakland employed a full-court press, causing two Wright State turnovers.

After the first media timeout, Wright State came in with a different mindset and were able to score back-to-back buckets to finally get them on the board, but the Grizzlies extended their lead to 17-4, showing a balanced scoring effort, including impactful 3-pointers from McCormick and Linda van Schaik, and were already three of four from beyond the arc. The Raiders eventually started finding success working inside the paint.

Kennedie Montue, though, checked in and was already on a hot shooting spree when she knocked down a tough triple with less than five seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Golden Grizzlies dominated the first quarter, leading 28-14.

Second Quarter In an attempt to replicate their same offensive groove in the second quarter, the Raiders caught on and tightened up defensively. Wright State went on a scoring surge and overcame a 14-point deficit to take a 34-33 lead with 2:14 remaining in the second.

Alexis Hutchinson helped the Raiders overcome

their slow start and was having her way at getting to the basket, and they went into intermission, holding onto their one-point advantage over the Grizzlies, 39-38.

The team overall shot a higher field goal percentage of 48 percent to 45 percent. Oakland, though, dominated the boards with 17 rebounds compared to Wright State’s 15.

Third Quarter The Raiders carried their momentum from the second quarter into the third and had gone up a total of 10 points off a 10-3 run. Efforts from Brooke QuarlesDaniels’ floor general passing to Montue’s crucial makes provided them a run as the Grizzlies looked to get the momentum back in their favor, but the Raiders still could not be stopped.

Fourth Quarter The Grizzlies showed signs of picking up the tempo, but Wright State had open looks and was successfully moving the ball in transition. The Golden Grizzlies never let up and stayed right with them as the score lingered at 68-65. However, as soon as Wright State stopped the scoring drought, they began to get back on track with Hutchinson’s continued contributions, allowing them to secure the 80-68 win.

Kennedie Montue went 4-8 in shooting from the field, giving her 13 points. Linda van Schaik mirrored this and also had 13 points, along with six rebounds.

Quarles-Daniels displayed an all-around performance with 13 points, along with seven assists and four rebounds. Adding to the scoring effort was Maddy Skorupski, who contributed eight points.

What’s Next?

The Golden Grizzlies will head back to the OU Credit Union O’rena to play Youngstown State University for Equity and Inclusion Night on Feb. 8. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. Following that, they will then stay at home and host the Colonials of Robert Morris on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Moving pieces: Detroit Pistons trade deadline preview KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

The NBA trade deadline is one of the busiest and most exciting days to witness as an NBA fan, as nearly every team in the league looks to either bolster their roster for the playoffs or flip players for young assets to utilize later down the road.

Considering that every team made a trade last season, except for the Chicago Bulls, this year, the Detroit Pistons will likely be active on Thursday, Feb. 8, the day of the deadline.

As it relates to the Pistons, we first have to look at which players the team is not willing to give up. Commonly called untouchables, the Pistons will likely refuse to trade away Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Jalen Duren, or Ausar Thompson at this year’s trade deadline.

PHOTO COURTESY OF RICK OSTENTOSKI

Despite not being in the market to trade away the players mentioned above, some other players on the Pistons may be on the move.

Bojan Bogdanovic | SF/PF | 20.5 PTS, 3.3 REB, 2.6 AST Bogdanovic, the Piston’s second-leading scorer this season, has been on teams’ radars since arriving in Detroit in 2022.

Despite this, time and time again, the Pistons have had no interest in trading Bogdanovic during his tenure. However, considering how terrible the season has been for the Pistons, there is no better time to move on from Bogdanovic.

At age 34, Bogdanovic isn’t getting any younger, and by the time the Pistons turn things around and start consistently winning games if they ever do, Bogdanovic will be long past his prime.

Alec Burks | SG | 12.3 PTS, 2.4 REB, 1.6 AST What makes Burks the right fit for teams that want to compete is his ability to hit 3-pointers at a consistent rate, especially as the season has progressed.

In Burks’ last 10 games, he has knocked down 33 of his 75 3-point attempts, for a rate of 44 percent. Among the NBA, Burks’ high 3-point percentage makes him a top 60 3-point shooter.

In addition to bringing a team consistent buckets, Burks knows his role as a veteran guard in this league.

Notably, Burks has come off the bench in all 41 games for the Pistons this season.

It’s important to note that the asking price for Burks would be at an all-time low. Burks’ contract expires after this season, so if the Pistons do move on from him, they will likely just receive a player that matches Burks’

salary, who isn’t as good, and some future draft capital.

Monte Morris | PG/SG | 5.0 PTS, 1.6 REB, 1.6 AST Although Morris has missed most of this season with a quad strain, the veteran guard is another name that the Pistons may move at this year’s trade deadline.

One of the league’s premier ball distributors, Morris, tied for the best assist-to-turnover ratio last season, cashing in 5.4 assists for every turnover. So it’s no surprise that teams around the league could be interested in making a deal for the Flint native.

Initially an acquisition in the off-season, it’s clear that the investment in Morris won’t pay off for the Pistons.

So, the decision to trade for a return on that investment is not out of left field, especially since Morris’ contract will be up by the end of the season.

As Pistons fans hold their breath this Thursday, the front office’s decisions will undoubtedly leave a mark on the team’s trajectory. After all, it can’t get any worse after tying the longest losing streak in NBA history.

FEBRUARY 7, 2024 | 19 SPORTS Oakland rides 3-point shot to 87-72 win over RMU EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

Oakland came out on top over the Robert Morris Colonials 87-72 in their first matchup of the season, behind Blake Lampman’s 26 points. The fifth-year senior tied his career high, with 20 of those points coming in the first half.

First Half The Golden Grizzlies came out of the gate with an onslaught of 3-pointers led by Blake Lampman, who scored Oakland’s first 12 points all off of triples.

Despite the early barrage, the Colonials held their own and were down 12-7 at the first media timeout.

Rocket Watts chipped in two jumpers of his own and a free throw to go along with a Lampman layup to take a 19-14 lead. Balanced Robert Morris scoring and a tenacity on the glass kept them in the game, as guard Justice Williams had five points of his own. Oakland’s Buru Naivalurua put in early work on the boards, snatching four in the first nine minutes of the game.

The Grizzlies broke the game open with an 18-9 run to go up 37-23 at the four-minute mark. Jack Gohlke was fouled on a 3-pointer and made all three free throws, followed by two more 3s from Blake Lampman. Oakland guard D.Q. Cole added five of his own points, much to the liking of Pontiac Middle School’s basketball team in attendance to cheer on alum DQ. Robert Morris was kept alive by Markeese Hastings scoring seven of his team’s nine points in the six-minute span.

Despite the strong run, the Colonials clawed their way back into the game with two layups by Stephaun Walker and a triple by Justice Williams to bring the game back within 10 points, only down 40-30.

Second Half Robert Morris came out of halftime with a vengeance, drawing up a back-door alley-oop to Markeese Hastings that he hammered home.

However, it was Gohlke’s turn to catch fire, as he hit two three’s to force Colonials head coach Andrew Toole to call an early timeout. Oakland was committed to playing inside out more in the second half. Chris Conway and Trey Townsend each had a layup of their own to take the lead back to 13.

The Grizzlies were able to extend their lead all the way to 20 behind another Gohlke 3-point foul and layups from Townsend and Cole. Robert Morris was able to hang around and responded with a 12-0 run of its own. Guard Jackson Last nailed a 3-pointer and knocked down three free throws as Oakland went on a near four-minute scoring drought.

It was Rocket Watts that was able to end the drought with a step-back triple to reassert the Grizzlies, going up 62-51. Robert Morris big man Hastings wouldn’t go quietly, hitting two jumpers of his own to bring the game back to a seven-point deficit at 64-57 with eight minutes to go.

Out of the media timeout, it was winning time.

Gohlke and Lampman combined for three more 3s to regain an 11-point lead. Oakland was able to close the game out with stout defense and strong free throw shooting, along with another pair of 3s from

Cole and Golhke. The final score stood at 87-72.

Takeaways Oakland looked dominant in their win over Robert Morris as they head into a key rematch against Cleveland State Saturday at 1 p.m. The Grizzlies look to avenge an early-season loss to the Vikings.

Lampman made a career-best eight 3-pointers to help Oakland, as a team, make 15 3-pointers for the second consecutive game.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

Oakland prevails over IUPUI Jaguars in hard-fought battle SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

Oakland’s women’s basketball team was victorious at The Jungle on Jan. 28 against the IUPUI Jaguars.

The Golden Grizzlies finished strong in a nailbiting fourth quarter. The game proved to be a continued, intense battle, with each possession being an opportunity to hold on to the momentum.

The fourth quarter started with a stellar jumper from Maddy Skorupski, expanding Oakland’s lead to 46-43. However, IUPUI responded with a layup from Faith Stinson.

The Jaguars tried to be a challenge for the Grizzlies defensively, but it wasn’t anything that Kennedie Montue couldn’t handle as she contributed a critical jumper in the paint. Both teams looked to gain the upper hand in the final moments, but a series of fouls and turnovers intensified the game. Skorupski stepped up to the free throw line and sank two shots, but the Jaguars’ Katie Davidson had an answer that kept the score tight at 50-49.

As the clock ticked down, Oakland’s Madison Royal-Davis, who ended the night with seven points, made a significant move with such a powerful andone layup, giving Oakland the 53-50 advantage with 5:40 remaining in the fourth.

IUPUI kept the pressure on, reducing the deficit, until there was a late-game surge that saw multiple Golden Grizzlies, Skorupski, Linda van Schaik and Montue all making valuable plays, both in field

goals and free throws.

Despite IUPUI’s efforts, it was unable to close the gap completely, and a final steal from Brooke Quarles-Daniels ended the game, and the Grizzlies secured the win with a final score of 65-59.

Skorupski led all scorers with 13 points, to go along with her two steals and five rebounds. Acting head coach Deanna Richard had nothing short of positive things to say about the guard.

“The one thing I can say about Maddy is her growth throughout the season,” Richard said. “The

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN GRIZZLIES

one thing we’ve talked about with her is letting things go when she makes a mistake. She’s doing a tremendous job of that, and I think that really helps her on both ends of the floor — shooting the ball, getting steals, and doing what she does on defense.”

Following Skorupski in points was Markyia McCormick, who had 12 points. Quarles-Daniels had 10 points and four rebounds. The Grizzlies executed their game plan, and great things happened in what was a hard-fought battle.

“Our takeaway from tonight and our focus from tonight was commitment — just commitment to everything we’ve done, to the scouting, and committed to execution,” Richard said. “You know, we had some ups and downs and rollercoaster moments in the game, but you know, overall, we finished the game, and we pulled it out.”

What’s Next?

The Golden Grizzlies will head back to the OU Credit Union O’rena to play Youngstown State University for Equity and Inclusion Night on Feb. 8. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. Following that, they will then stay at home and host the Colonials of Robert Morris on Saturday, Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.

As things currently stand, Oakland sits in a tie for seventh place with Youngstown State. Both teams hold a 5-8 record.

SPORTS

20 | FEBRUARY 7, 2024

Amidst unconventional distractions, Oakland secures win over CSU KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

On Saturday, Feb. 3, the Oakland men’s basketball team defeated the Cleveland State University (CSU) Vikings with a final score of 83-71 at the OU Credit Union O’rena.

However, the men’s 10th conference win of the season wasn’t won alone, as members of Oakland’s swim and dive team, who showed up shirtless in speedos with body paint, distracted the Vikings by shaving their heads every time CSU made it to the free throw line.

“I bet Cleveland State has never seen anything like that,” Trey Townsend said. “They were probably rattled. They [Cleveland State] were tripping in the layup lines every time they missed… That was definitely a huge factor.”

The shaving distraction paid dividends for the Grizzlies. Notably, CSU only went 8-13 from the charity stripe the entire game. Meanwhile, OU made it to the line 26 times and did not miss a single free throw.

“Everyone kind of loves each other here. It’s a cool thing to see,” Blake Lampman said. “To see them come out, and they were shaving their heads in the stands, what are we doing, boys? That was awesome.”

Besides the shaving and the speedos, Lampman was a critical factor in the Grizzlies’ win. Lampman tied his career-high in points, scoring 26 in total, with 12 coming from deep. In addition to the scoring outburst, Lampman tallied five rebounds and three assists.

Along with Lampman, Townsend also had a big afternoon for the Grizzlies. Townsend shot 66.7 percent from the field, scored 18 points and grabbed nine

rebounds. Additionally, Townsend was a presence on defense, finishing the game with two blocks and a steal.

The Vikings started the game hot, converting on all three levels of the court their first four possessions.

OU was able to keep up the pace with CSU on their offensive possessions but fell behind early in the first half, 9-4.

Despite the early deficit, the Grizzlies battled back and eventually took their first lead midway through the first half. Minutes later, a 9-0 Grizzly run propelled OU ahead of the Vikings, 27-18.

CSU was able to cut their deficit to a single point with less than five minutes remaining in the first. However, an electrifying Chris Conway alley-oop was the highlight of a 14-4 OU run to close out the first half. Heading into

halftime, the Grizzlies led the Vikings 44-32.

At the start of the second half, OU continued to succeed on both sides of the court, expanding their double-digit lead to 59-40 by outscoring CSU 15-8 in the first six minutes of the second.

Although the Vikings were down big, the team slowly started to bring themselves back into the game halfway through the second half. CSU came within 10 points of the Grizzlies with 5:17 remaining in the half.

Despite the late resurgence of the Vikings, the Grizzlies remained composed and ultimately won the game. Notably, this game is the last OU will see of the Vikings in the regular season. With the win, the Grizzlies tied their series with the Vikings this season 1-1.

“The team has grown, and we’re really starting to become a good offensive team,” head coach Greg Kampe said. “If that continues, the sky’s the limit for this team because we can win any way you want to play, and that is a really good feeling as a coach.”

Up next, the Grizzlies will play the Northern Kentucky Norse on Thursday, Feb. 8. The game against the Norse marks the first of a three-game road stint for the Grizzlies.

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

The Month before the Madness: February in the Horizon League EVAN BLANCHARD Sports Reporter

As I write this on Jan. 31, Horizon League men’s basketball teams have anywhere between eight and ten games left to play. A champion will be crowned on March 12 after the tournament in Indianapolis, granting them an automatic bid to play in March Madness.

So how is the league stacking up as the season nears its end? Let’s break it down.

Note: All teams play each other twice for a total of 20 games.

The Top Dogs Green Bay, 9-3: The Phoenix sit atop the Horizon League, with their biggest conference wins being over fourth-place Wright State (twice) and a split with second-place Oakland. They are led by Noah Reynolds, who leads the league in total scoring. First-year head coach Sundance Wicks has seemingly transformed the program overnight, taking Green Bay from the cellar of the league to the very top. They also boast the best defense in the league based on average opponent points per game (ppg). (Sports Reference). Two games against Youngstown State will test the Phoenix greatly.

Oakland, 8-3: The Golden Grizzlies enter the final stretch of league play a half-game behind Green Bay. Oakland is led by preseason all-Horizon League firstteamer Trey Townsend (per HoriZone Roundtable).

Townsend and Chris Conway lead Oakland in the post, matched by Jack Gohlke and Blake Lampman’s shooting on the perimeter. In coach Greg Kampe’s 40th season at Oakland, the Grizzlies hope to win the Horizon League tournament for the first time. Oakland

has two huge games remaining against Wright State.

Youngstown State, 8-3: The reigning regular season champs are back near the top with a resounding 11-1 record at home. The lone loss came to Oakland in late December. Ziggy Reid leads their scoring with 14.2 points per game but is joined by three other double-digit scorers: Brandon Rush, Brett Thompson and D.J. Burns.

Burns leads the league in rebounds per game at 9.4. The Penguins sit second in the league for defensive points per game and third in offensive points per game. Youngstown State’s remaining schedule is daunting, with two games against Green Bay and some difficult road trips.

Wright State, 7-4: The Raiders are statistically the best offensive team in the league, leading in offensive points per game, 2-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage. They’re led by Trey Calvin, averaging a league-best 20 points per game, and supported by Tanner Holden’s 16.6 points per game.

Their Achilles’ heel is their league-worst defensive points per game. Their season will rest on two games against Oakland and home games against Youngstown State, Purdue Fort Wayne and Northern Kentucky.

The Next Four Cleveland State, 6-5: Tristan Enuruna leads the Vikings with 18.5 points per game and 6.5 rebounds per game. They will likely finish near .500 in the league as they tread water with top-end talent but minimal depth.

Northern Kentucky, 6-5: The 2023 conference tournament champions have experienced a hangover season. The Norse lost second-leading scorer Sam Vinson to a torn ACL just a few games into the year. They also lost significant contributors from last season’s team that pushed No. 1 seed Houston to the brink. Marques

Warrick leads the team with 19 points per game.

Purdue Fort Wayne, 5-5: The Mastodons have the league’s second-best offense, with four players averaging over 13 points per game. However, they barely escaped having a winless month in January by beating Northern Kentucky on the road. This losing streak was punctuated by losses to lowly Robert Morris and IUPUI. Milwaukee, 5-5: Preseason darling Milwaukee suffered early season turmoil with Markeith Browning II’s dismissal from the team and star B.J. Freeman’s injury.

They’ve stayed afloat behind a healthy Freeman and guards Pratt and Pullian, but much like Youngstown State, the Panthers suffered two nail-biting defeats to Oakland.

Oakland Opponent (bold is home) Date Robert Morris 2/1 Cleveland St. 2/3 Youngstown St. 2/8 Wright St. 2/10 Purdue Fort Wayne 2/14 IUPUI 2/17 Robert Morris 2/22 Wright St. 2/25 Detroit Mercy 3/2 The Cellar Robert Morris, 4-6 - IUPUI, 2-10 - Detroit Mercy, 0-11: The Colonials aren’t quite as bad as the likes of IUPUI and U of D. Detroit Mercy is one of two remaining winless schools in college basketball at 0-22.