The Oakland Post 9.27.23

Volume 49 l Issue 3 l September 27, 2023

A Trusted Source of Independent Student Journalism since 1987.

CIVILITY IN POLITICS?

Former Governors Blanchard and Snyder exchange views at OU PAGE 7

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT HALL

WOLVERINES FALL

“WILL YOU BE MY FRIEND?”

PAGE 19

PAGE 12

OU men’s soccer upsets University of Michigan 2-1

OU student pens book depicitng his experiences with autism

2 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

EDITORIAL BOARD Arianna Heyman Editor-in-Chief aheyman@oakland.edu Autumn Okuszka Content Editor aokuszka@oakland.edu Megan Parker Managing Editor meganparker@oakland.edu

EDITORS

Lindsey Sobkowski Photo Editor lsobkowski@oakland.edu Brock Heilig Sports Editor brockheilig@oakland.edu Payton Bucki Features Editor paytonbucki@oakland.edu Olivia Chiappelli Arts Editor oechiappelli@oakland.edu

R&B NIGHT WXOU played the best rhythm and blues at SPB’s R&B night on Sept. 21.

MARKETING

PHOTO BY LINDSEY SOBKOWSKI

Evelyn Gandarilla Marketing Director evelyngandarill@oakland.edu

DISTRIBUTION Rory Strachen Distribution Director Zachary Oberdier Distribution

oaklandpostonline.com

COPY & VISUAL

ADVERTISING

REPORTERS

ADVISING

Courtney Blackett Photographer

Brian Einowski Ads Director

Chelsea Bossert Reporter

Garry Gilbert Editorial Adviser gjgilber@oakland.edu 248.370.2105

Katie Reid Photographer

Barret Schettler Graphic Designer

Christopher Udeozor-Nweke Graphic Designer Sean Whitaker Graphic Designer Megan Judy Graphic Designer

ads@oaklandpostonline.com Talia Agee Ads Assistant

Chloe Kukuk Reporter Kurt Szymanski Reporter Summer Weathers Reporter Noah Francis Reporter Noah Thompson Reporter

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

Don Ritenburgh Business Adviser ritenbur@oakland.edu 248.370.2533

CAMPUS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 3

OU Housing in the heat: Investigating air conditioning disparities NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

After a hot day on Oakland University’s campus, some OU Housing residents return home to a cool and refreshing room where they can rest comfortably out of the heat. For other campus residential communities, students endure uncomfortable temperatures throughout the day and night.

The difference is the air conditioning (AC) --- or lack thereof --- for students residing in Hamlin Hall and Vandenberg Hall, and those attending Varner Hall and Hill House.

In Hillcrest Hall and Oak View Hall, students have access to a thermostat in their campus residence common areas that work well. Students from both communities highly regard both systems, referring to them as effective and easy to control.

Looking at these two buildings, the AC units seem to serve their purpose. However, the conditions of Vandenberg Hall and Hamlin Hall are a much different story.

In Vandenberg Hall, the rooms have an air vent and a heating and cooling dial somewhere along the walls. While the dials give the appearance of an AC system in the building, they are inoperable.

Charlotte Pierce, a student living on the fourth floor of Vandenberg Hall’s east side, recognizes the odd dial system and points out hers is defective.

“Last year, it didn’t seem like the air conditioning worked that great,” Pierce said. “We didn’t even know where the air conditioning knob was last year.

It was hidden behind one of the beds. When we tried to use it this year, we tried to move the knob and it was stuck in heat. We can’t turn it to the cooling.”

While Vandenberg gives the facade of a fully functional heating and cooling system, Hamlin Hall, a building full of first-year students, has no such confusion. There is no AC in Hamlin Hall.

Samaya Davis, a communications major residing in Hamlin Hall, explains the living conditions she and her friends go through each day.

“The AC has been terrible,” Davis said.

“Especially for somebody who has asthma, it’s been really hard to breathe, especially with the humidity on top of that.

“My friend, she lives on the lower level [third floor], and she ended up having to come up to the fourth floor because this is the only place where it’s cool. She basically stayed up there for a couple of hours because she couldn’t stay in her room. She couldn’t breathe in her room.”

When asked why the third floor was so horrible, Davis referred to Hamlin Hall’s air quality.

“The air is incredibly thick and it’s really hot.

It’s like you can feel yourself breathing in, and you struggle to really get any type of oxygen,” Davis said.

With living conditions such as these, one would expect OU to provide a disclaimer to the freshmen who have to stay there for the lack of AC, yet Davis says otherwise.

“They told us that there wasn’t any AC, but they said, ‘just bring a fan with you, it’ll be fine,’” Davis said. “It was way worse than they had explained it to us. The way that they told us was like, ‘Yeah it’s hot, but if you bring a fan you’ll be fine, and it’s kind of hot in the winter because they turn on the heater,’ but this is beyond what I was prepared for.

“I have to go out and buy a whole other fan. I have three fans going in my room currently and it’s still hot.”

In light of these concerning living conditions, Robert King, the senior director of housing at OU, sheds light on the university’s views on the situation.

After recounting the experiences of Vandenberg Hall residents, King explains the purpose of the dial-based air control.

“Vandenberg is one of those places that doesn’t have AC,” King said. “So if you were trying to fiddle with the system, it might not be working because the heating isn’t flowing into the system.

That’s how that system is set up.”

The main reason why Hamlin and Vandenberg don’t have AC, according to King, is due to both buildings being built before AC was included.

“It’s just that air conditioning wasn’t included when the building was built, much like Hamlin, and other places across campus,” King said. “The cost to do updates of that sense for those buildings is pretty expensive, especially considering the window of time where air conditioning might be appropriately used.

“Once the temperatures drop a bit, which is pretty customary in this part of the country, the air conditioning is less efficient if you run it while your temperatures are in the 50s and 60s. In terms of air conditioning, there’s no major plans to update those buildings in terms of air conditioning.”

While King makes it clear these conditions aren’t changing any time soon, he speaks of another way students can avoid the heat while living in the older buildings.

“So, typically to avoid a stuffy room, you open a window,” King said. “The windows are functional, so the students can open the windows to get some air in some spaces. In fact, when the windows are open, it keeps the space pretty cool based on how the windows are designed.”

King spoke further about other ways students have managed their spaces despite the lack of AC. “I can’t really speak to any specific challenges that students might be facing,” King said. “Partly because we continue to have the students in the summers, so camps and conferences have actually gone, and those visitors stay in those spaces during the summer.

“Temperatures are way higher than they are right now. Typically what folks do is they bring fans, and fans generally provide most of the cooling I think needed in the spaces. So generally, having a fan keeps folks pretty cool during the hottest parts of the summer.”

With AC out of the question, students want to take matters into their own hands. However, OU’s Housing prohibits personal AC units. King gives students two main reasons why they are prohibited.

“Early students here didn’t come to school with electronic appliances,” King said. “They didn’t come to school with computers, cell phones, multiple devices and all of that stuff, so the power loads in the rooms were different in how each electrical outlet was set up.

“The air conditioning in these spaces, the infrastructure will have a real strain on what’s already strained from different devices, so that’s one of the reasons. The second one is the window type since the windows weren’t necessarily designed for most cost-effective AC units.”

AC units do not seem to be coming to Vandenburg Hall and Hamlin Hall any time soon. With no plans to update the older buildings and portable units being prohibited, students may purchase fans or open their windows to manage the heat.

Students may contact the University Housing Office at housing@oakland.edu with questions or concerns.

PHOTO BY THE OAKLAND POST

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Grizz Fest 2023 introduces clubs, organizations to students AUTUMN OKUSZKA Content Editor

On Sept. 12, students, clubs, organizations and Oakland University community members gathered at Elliott Tower to kick off the new school year with Grizz Fest — a yearly celebration helping students connect with their university.

The festivities began with welcome remarks from Senior Vice President for Student Affairs and Chief Diversity Officer Glenn McIntosh. He encouraged those in attendance to forget the past and look toward the future.

“Whatever happened last academic year is history,” McIntosh said. “What happens now? It doesn’t have to be a mystery — it can be the beginning of a new history.

That’s why I’m excited about this new academic year.

The possibilities, the potentials — we can do anything that we want.”

Robert (Bobby) Schostak, chair of the Board of Trustees (BOT), spoke next. As an alumnus of OU, Schostak is pleased to witness the campus community grow year after year.

“I graduated [from OU] in 1978,” Schostak said. “It was — I think a dream that one day we’d have this many students, this many programs, have a tower here, have a central place to gather… I’m really pleased to welcome you and to be here with you.”

Schostak then invited President Ora Hirsch Pescovitz to speak at the podium. After being escorted to the stage by The Grizz, Pescovitz spoke about an exciting energy she hadn’t felt on campus since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I just think that the energy on this campus is

overwhelming — I like to say that we’re on fire,” Pescovitz said. “It is just so exciting to see what’s been happening here.”

Pescovitz emphasized the importance of Grizz Fest as an opportunity to get involved at OU, stating learning, exploring and staying engaged is the key to a healthy campus. She then invited Becky Lewis — who leads OU’s healthy campus initiative — to speak about the strides OU has made regarding promoting the campus community’s health.

Lewis echoed Pescovitz’s sentiments and said the OU community needs to take care of their mental and physical health while also looking out for others in order to be a healthy campus. The Bandana Project, Lewis says, is one way to do so.

The Bandana Project is a mental health awareness and suicide prevention campaign that uses green bandanas as a symbol of support for peers who need help with their mental health. Lewis asks for those who have a green bandana to wear or display it, letting those in need know they are someone who can offer assistance.

OU is one of two universities in Michigan to be a licensed bandana project school. Through the project and other health initiatives the university has in place, Lewis is confident OU will continue to be a healthy campus other institutions want to model.

“Practice self-care and look out for your friends, colleagues, peers and students,” Lewis said. “Learn about the resources [OU has] available to help yourself and others… Get involved and utilize the programs and services [OU has] that can help you with your personal well-being.”

With that, Grizz Fest officially commenced. Those in attendance began exploring the many clubs and organizations at OU, and the clubs and organizations

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

met the many attendees who wanted to learn more about what they had to offer.

Student Program Board (SPB) Marketing Director Kelly Cassette — like Pescovitz — felt a sense of excitement in the air as she met with people interested in her organization. She cited previous Grzz Fests she was a part of, saying they didn’t feel as alive as this year’s.

“There’s so many people and so many tables,” Cassette said. “It makes it feel like we’re finally back to pre-COVID times. It’s just great seeing everybody out wanting to get involved.”

Freshman Ben Lopes enjoyed seeing all of the clubs and organizations available on campus in one place.

Knowing what is now at his disposal, he is excited to begin his college journey. “[I’m excited to] discover different things, try out new things, figure things out as I go,” Lopes said.

University Advancement hosts Grateful Grizzlies Day CHLOE KUKUK Campus Reporter

On Sept. 20 and 21, Oakland University Advancement hosted Grateful Grizzlies Day in Oakland Center Gold Rooms A & B for students to express their appreciation to OU donors, faculty and alumni.

The event — the first of its kind — was held in accordance with World Gratitude Day, which took place on Sept. 21.

Students were able to express their appreciation for scholarships, programs, facilities and more through video messages, photographs and handwritten notes.

The University Advancement team then matched the

PHOTO BY KATIE REID

notes and videos with the donors of what the students expressed gratitude for.

Lea Herweyer, stewardship coordinator at Oakland University Advancement, said she wanted to provide students with a space to express their appreciation and get students thinking about the contributions that make their college experiences possible.

“Sometimes students don’t understand how impactful donor dollars are on campus, and what they actually fund for students beyond scholarships with different programs or resources that normally aren’t in the budget,” she said.

“Donors believe in the success of our students, and they want to do all they can to help our students reach their highest potential,” Herweyer added. “As often as they hear thank yous from our staff and leadership at OU, they really just want to hear from the people who matter most to them — the students. We wanted to give this opportunity to help make that connection for them.”

Herweyer said she hopes University Advancement can continue hosting this event or something similar based on student feedback.

“We would love to continue doing it, and we want to evolve as we go to see what students really gravitate towards,” she said. “[We’re looking at] what gets the best reception from our students so that we can work

with whatever they need.”

Student Esha Tiwari wrote her note thanking the donors of the organizations and events hosted on campus.

“I just wrote a thank you note for the amount of clubs here. I really love the clubs here,” Tiwari said. “I love the amount of what they do on campus, like how many events they have, and there’s always more to do here.

“I want to make people feel that I’m thankful for them doing these kinds of things,” Tiwari added. “If my friend does something nice for me, I would want to let them know that they’re very nice for doing that.”

Elenore Friedsberg-Luft recently transferred to OU from Oakland Community College and wrote her thank you note to the individuals who made her transfer and acclimation with her new school possible.

“I’m very grateful for [the donors for] supporting my education,” Friendsberg-Luft said. “In the first few weeks here, I have found a wonderful place that is so incredibly supportive of students, and it’s a blessing.

“I feel secure and safe like I found where I’m supposed to be. And I’m really grateful to the people who have made this possible.”

Any individuals who would like to give a thank you message can contact Herweyer at ljherweyer@oakland. edu to schedule an appointment.

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OUSC hosts period poetry reading

Career and Life Design Center rebranding

Chloe Kukuk

Payton Bucki

Campus Reporter

Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) recently hosted its first-ever Period Poetry event in the Oakland Center Habitat on Sept. 20.

The event was hosted as part of an initiative to promote and celebrate the success of OUSC’s free menstrual product initiative, which aims to provide products in every public restroom on campus.

Recently, OUSC received approval to purchase 89 menstrual product dispensers — a number allowing all women and gender-neutral bathrooms to have dispensers. Previously, the dispensers were only present in certain bathrooms.

“It’s a huge, huge amount that we’re purchasing, and they’re going to be pretty much everywhere on campus, which is really exciting,” OUSC President Murryum Farooqi said. “This is really a celebration that we’ve accomplished this huge thing.”

Attendees were able to read their original writing or share a story related to their experiences with menstruation.

Professor Jo Reger gave a short presentation regarding the history of menstrual activism. Reger said that the initiative is an important step on campus.

“When we control the way people feel about their bodies, they can feel shame, they can use products that are dangerous, ” Reger said. “It’s a much bigger statement than, ‘We need to take care of this one health issue.’

But it’s really about how we learn to think about bodies and how we learn to think about who controls those bodies. Is it corporations, or is there a way for us to retain control?”

Emily Briggs, president of OU’s chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), said the addition of 89 dispensers is a “huge accomplishment.” “[These products] are not a luxury.

They are essential and need to be treated as such,” Briggs said. “I’d like to thank you guys again for starting this, and to those who have stepped forward here and their continuous support towards a more inclusive and reliable future.”

Additionally, Briggs added that AAUW’s annual menstrual product drive will occur during the week of Sept. 24. Students are asked to contribute pads, tampons, pain relievers and menstrual cups to the Office of Student Involvement. Items will be donated to OU’s food pantry.

Maris Ferguson, OUSC vice president, read her poem “Power and Progress.” Ferguson said the event was important because of its “creative activism” component.

“Hosting an event like this helps work towards ending the stigma in general,” she said. “Oftentimes, issues like this are ignored because it’s stigmatized and because people are uncomfortable talking about it.

“Being able to open [the conversation] in this public forum and having people speak to their own stories, allowing them the space to do that and creating that space really helps to break down any kind of embarrassment.”

Farooqi said she hopes that hosting events like this will help the OU administration see the importance of providing menstrual products for free in university restrooms. Presently, the products are provided by OUSC, but the goal is for the initiative to be paid for by the university.

“This is not only to celebrate this accomplishment we made but also to keep it on the administration’s radar, [to show] that this is something that students care about, that people will come out and speak about,” Farooqi said.

“It’s to create momentum and add to the existing momentum,” she added.

PHOTO BY COURTNEY BLACKETT

Features Editor

The Oakland University Career and Life Design Center, formerly known as Career Services, opened its doors to students, staff and faculty with a grand opening ceremony on Aug. 31. With the newly-adopted motto “Explore. Discover. Connect,” the center offers an array of modernized professional readiness services to OU students.

“Our goal with this rebranding is to provide modernized tools that meet the needs of all students,” Kelly Dorner, director of Career and Life Design and Campus Partnerships said. “The beauty of the career and life design model is that we tailor our services to meet students where they are at.”

The rebrand of Career Services has been years in the making. Dorner emphasized staff members involved in the rebranding process wanted to give students a personalized experience.

One unique service the Career and Life Design Center offers is the AI technology resume review. Students can bring their current resume to the center’s Career Studio to be processed

by Big Interview AI software. Then, a Career Ambassador will assist the student in reviewing the suggestions given by the AI program.

Although the Career and Life Design Center has modernized its existing services, the center has kept its foundation consistent.

“We are still sticking with tradition, offering similar services and programs to students,” Dorner said. “The goal of the rebranding was to elevate our tools

and make them more accessible.”

The center plans to continue holding drop-in hours at its Career Studio.

From Monday to Thursday, students can meet with Career Ambassadors in the Career Studio at any time from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to receive assistance with anything from resume preparation to interview advice.

As in years past, the Career and Life Design Center will host career fairs, allowing students to network with employers in their field. The center will host its annual Fall Career Fair on Sept. 26 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the Oakland Center. Students can register for the event on Handshake.

Jordan Smith, an OU sophomore, is excited to return for his second year as a Career Ambassador at the center.

“At the grand opening event, I was responsible for educating staff and faculty about the center and the services we offer to students and alumni,” Smith said. “I think the rebranding will benefit OU in the long run, as it centralizes a wealth of professional development opportunities.”

President Ora Pescovitz has nothing but good things to say about the rebranding of the Career and Life Design Center.

Pescovitz recognized OU’s high achievements in various collegiate ranking reports at the most recent Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting on Sept. 11.

Pescovitz pointed out Oakland ranks second in Michigan for preparing students for careers.

She also recognized that 89% of seniors report having at least one internship throughout their academic career at OU. “This new center will enable students to design their lives with purpose and strive to achieve their full potential,” Pescovitz said.

To learn more about the Career and Life Design Center, visit the center’s webpage. For questions related to the services offered by the center, email careers@oakland.edu.

PHOTO COURTSEY OF JOHN McTaggart The Career and Life Design Center’s grand opening took place on

CAMPUS Sept. BOT meeting: Pescovitz’s contract extension, etc.

6 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

CHLOE KUKUK Campus Reporter

The first Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting of the academic year took place on Sept 11.

Among the topics discussed were OU’s national recognition, the funding for a basketball training facility and a contract extension for OU president Ora Hirsch Pescovitz.

The meeting began with an acknowledgment of the 22nd anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center. Robert Schostak, chair of the BOT, asked any active members or veterans of the military, first responders and OU police to stand for recognition.

“This is obviously a day of significance in our history of America,” he said. “We all like to recognize your contributions to our society.”

President’s report Pescovitz kicked off the meeting with a celebration of OU’s recent accomplishments, including stabilized enrollment, a sharp increase in freshmen enrollment and OU’s success in national collegiate rankings.

“It is so exciting to have all of you back here on campus,” Pescovitz said. “Our students are back on campus with pre-pandemic energy and excitement, and you can just feel it in the air.”

Additionally, OU had success with the state legislature as part of the “Strive for 45” initiative, which aims to increase the amount of public funding the university receives per student. In Fiscal Year 2024, OU has received an additional $11.5 million and a 19% increase in year-over-year state funding.

Additionally, Pescovitz discussed the Wall Street Journal’s 2024 Best Colleges in the U.S. report.

OU ranked 189th overall — above many Michigan universities such as Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan University.

In Michigan, OU was ranked first for enhancing students’ social mobility and 91st nationally. In Michigan, OU was second only to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor regarding how well students are prepared for careers.

Pescovitz added OU’s new Career and Life Design Center shows OU’s commitment to students’ futures.

Pescovitz also celebrated former Stephan Sharf Dean of Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, Duane Mezwa, M.D., following his retirement. Additionally, she welcomed the new Stephan Sharf Interim Dean Christopher Carpenter.

Finally, Pescovitz closed her address with an invite to the State of the University address, which will occur on Sept. 28 at 11:30 a.m. at Varner Recital Hall. Key initiatives and priorities for the upcoming year will be discussed.

Basketball Training Center funding The BOT voted in favor of allocating $5 million to an independent basketball practice facility to be built on OU’s west campus.

Stephen Mackey, vice president for finance and administration, said the west campus suits the facility’s needs due to the space availability, proximity to the main campus and collaboration opportunities with other programs.

Steve Waterfield, director of athletics, noted many of OU’s recruitment competitors — including the University of Toledo and Central Michigan University — have their own facilities, posing an issue for recruiting and retaining athletes to the program.

Additionally, he said increased success in basketball translates into success for the university.

“It increases pride, elevates the reputation of the university and enhances and strengthens institutional identity,” Waterfield said.

Waterfield added studies show what basketball success can do for institutions. He cited “Cinderellas” — double-digit seeds that won two games in the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) tournaments — saw a 6.3% increase in new student enrollment after tournament appearances and a 15.2% increase in applications.

Tentatively, construction for the main practice area is expected to be completed at the end of next year. The full building is anticipated to be completed in 2025.

Extension of Pescovitz’s appointment The BOT unanimously approved a contract extension for Pescovitz until June 30, 2031.

Schostak added although Pescovitz and her cabinet had to contend with incredible stress on their budget, reserves and staff during the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in reduced enrollment, the university has made major strides under her leadership.

“Somehow, you have continued to provide the best in higher education possible,” he said. “Not only have you met those challenges, we as a university have achieved new levels of excellence [making] strides in areas including setting new expectations by your cabinet for the highest standards for OU.” Schostak cited many reasons behind extending Pescovitz’s contract. He says Pescovitz has made strides in diversity, equity and inclusion, has found success in her “Strive for 45” campaign — which allowed OU to acquire a minimum of $4,500 in funding per student — and her donations of $1.8 million to the university since becoming president.

“That is an unusual show of commitment to a university,” Schostak said. “This Board of Trustees desires to secure our university with what we believe to be one of the finest university presidents not only in Michigan but amongst all universities in

the United States.”

Pescovitz said serving as OU’s president is “the privilege of a lifetime.”

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity to serve this university, our remarkable students, our outstanding faculty and exceptional staff,” she said.

“What [Schostak] referred to as our extraordinary track record is really due to the accomplishments of the team.

“We have a lot to do if we want to get to where we’re going to go. We’re not going to sit back on our laurels. You have our pledge that we’re going to work diligently to achieve our full potential.”

Honorary degree recipient Chairman of the Board of Direction for the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Eugene Gargaro was honored with an honorary doctorate of humanities.

Among Gargaro’s accomplishments are his involvement in a $160 million renovation and expansion of the DIA, the oversight of a $230 million millage initiative to support DIA and his experience as a member of the board of trustees for the University of Detroit Mercy and board chair of the Michigan Manufacturers Association and Citizens Research Council of Michigan.

“It’s a great pleasure to be here today, and in particular to receive this recognition from the board of trustees,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words how I feel. You’ve heard the word team used a lot here today — I represent a great team in those various capacities that I’ve served, and they should all be up on this podium with me for this recognition.”

The meeting closed with an additional request for consideration from Associate Professor Richard Stamps for additional university archival space.

“We live in dynamic, changing times,” Stamps said. “[The university is] growing up… Adequate archives will help us document where we came from, what we are doing and where we plan to be in the future.”

PHOTO COURTSEY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY NEWS

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SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 7

Governors Blanchard, Snyder discuss political discourse and the importance of civility AUTUMN OKUSZKA AND ARIANNA HEYMAN Content Editor and Editor-in-Chief

On Monday, Sept. 18, The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) hosted former Governors Rick Snyder and James Blanchard at the inaugural event in The Dennis Muchmore Public Policy Series, “Breaking the Barrier: The Importance of Civility and Improving Political Discourse.”

Moderated by Chuck Stokes of WXYZ-TV/Channel 7, the governors spoke at length about the current state of the American political landscape. Their comments are as follows: Thoughts on the state of American politics today?

Gov. Blanchard: “What I watched on January 6 –– people go there and trash the Capitol. Calling for hanging the Vice President and thinking of harming our police and convinced that we didn’t have a free and fair election –– It was the most disheartening thing I had seen.

“Earlier in the year, I watched men basically go on our Capitol lawn in Lansing with assault weapons, claiming they’re boycotting or opposing the governor’s mask mandate and even going into the Capitol brandishing these weapons in the legislature. I thought, ‘Where are we? We are on a different planet, a different time.’”

Gov. Snyder: “The last several years I was governor in almost every talk I would give, I would include an addition talking about civility, and that hasn’t changed, I hate to say. Actually, it’s only gotten worse and I ask people, and I tell people, ‘What’s the greatest threat to the United States?’ The greatest threat to the United States is us. If you just step back and look at it.

“We’re fortunate we live in the greatest country in the world. It’s incredible. But how can you maintain that status if you can’t get along with yourself? You simply can’t. It doesn’t work, folks. So something does have to change. And then when you step back and look at it, think about how we behave in politics and when I say we, all of us collectively. And then think about how we behave with our family and the rest of our lives.

And ask yourself the question, how can we behave

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT HALL

like this in this sphere, that we’d never accept, we’d never tolerate in our family or with our friends? But somehow it’s okay. We need to step back and put things in perspective and look at it in that context.”

What is the cause of political discourse?

Gov. Blanchard: “I remember in 1979 when a young member of Congress named Newt Gingrich took the Florida houses and began demonizing everybody — his own leadership, Bob Michel, who was the leader.

And he was using this after hours when no one was on the floor of the house, it was on closed-circuit, it was on cable TV –– C-SPAN, demonizing everyone and everybody and calling them criminals, and cowards, and pathetic. The rhetoric changed radically in Washington at that point. You can read books about burning down the house or the destructions, and you’ll see the tone really changed there in Congress, and it got more and more negative.

“You add to that — cable TV where everybody can self-select what they want. The abolition of the Fairness Doctrine in the FCC, we’re going to need some version of the Fairness Doctrine going forward. That’s important. The Supreme Court allowing anonymous, unlimited contributions to campaigns by corporations or organizations instead of limiting it to individuals.

So, between the runaway campaign money — which is used to demonize each side — the lack of the Fairness Doctrine, and then social media — they make a fortune through their algorithms, telling people what they want to hear. And oftentimes, it’s the worst things about the worst people.”

Gov. Snyder: “In my view, social media has been an incredible thing connecting us in ways we weren’t able to connect before. But how many people do you know, and if I ask this audience, I’m sure you can name people that write things, type things on social media that they would never say to someone’s face. So social media is part of this, and then the people feeding on itself, this whole cycle of social media, that flywheel effect in a negative context really grows in praise momentum that has no correlation to reality or facts. I think the media side of things, and again — it’s not a criticism of people in the media because citizens have brought this on — we’ve asked for it. And it goes back to cable, streaming, all this — people now watch the media sources that reinforce what they want to hear.”

How can citizens create more civility?

Gov. Blanchard: “The one thing we can all do is be involved locally on improving our communities and getting to know each other, and that’s where, you know, it’s not ideology anymore. It’s better schools, it’s better streets, it’s better recreation, it’s better senior living, whatever it is. Getting people more involved locally, young people love to be involved locally as well.”

Gov. Snyder: “The local thing is a great way to start

because it’s right in front of you. And you’re talking to people, you’re not just typing to them, you’re not just in front of them, they’re your friends, your neighbors. So I think locally is one of the best ways.”

How can a better relationship between the executive and legislative branches be established?

Gov. Blanchard: “One of the issues is civic awareness.

I’m chairman of the National Archives Foundation, it’s a nonprofit that supports the archives. We help raise resources and give them money on their exhibitions because it’s a museum as well as archives. And we are — along with a lot of other groups, are trying to organize a national campaign that deals with civic responsibility and not just the teaching of government.

Which is not done enough places, and when it’s done, not done very well. So that people do understand that we actually have three branches of government, and they do need to work together or things don’t get done, and how that works, how sausage is made.”

Gov. Snyder: “I think a lot of it is — and I had to learn a lot of this because I’ve never held public office until I became governor and I had a Republican legislature all eight years I was there. But a lot of it is learning that you’re just not telling people what to do. You have to listen to the legislators and legislators are good, smart people. They mean well from both sides of the aisle and a lot of it is again, not looking at it as binary, it wasn’t win-lose. How do we win together? How do you compromise? In many cases, I would go — say we’d go ask for something and they say you’re not gonna get it. Okay, well, what can I get and what do you need to help make sure this works well? And as long as it’s in the best interest of everyone, it makes sense. That’s good governing.”

Will the U.S. Constitution hold?

Gov. Blanchard: “Yes, it’s gonna be important for all of us to support our election officials. They have a very tough job. All those people volunteered, every city and county clerk’s office, township clerk, they need our support and our understanding and they need to be respected and not demonized because they’re all in the system together. Definitely, the Constitution will hold.”

Gov. Snyder: “Yes, the U.S. Constitution is a fundamental bedrock of who we are. And for people not caring, not participating, if the U.S. Constitution becomes the line, we all have to stand up as Americans, forget what party label you got. We got to be Americans when it comes to the Constitution.”

Protests took place before and after the event, which faced controversy due to the inclusion of Governor Rick Snyder. Political reporter Noah Thomason addresses the protestors’ thoughts in his article, “OU community reacts to Governor Snyder’s inclusion in civility panel.”

8 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

FEATURES

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 9

Maximizing college: The key to finding success and fulfillment at OU PAYTON BUCKI Features Editor

On Sept. 14, the Oakland University Student Congress (OUSC) hosted a “Maximizing College” event to change the culture at Oakland University.

Lance Markowitz played the lead role in organizing the event. The OU junior spent his summer months developing the program to assist his peers in finding and accessing student support resources after noticing a lack of involvement on campus.

“I was influenced to design the Maximizing College event after attending a faculty discussion regarding student engagement in the classroom,” Markowitz said. “Professors were concerned about students not being interested in engaging in active learning activities. This made me question whether I could do something to fix this problem.”

Markowitz believed a student event could help address this issue. He began organizing an event to mitigate feelings of complacency many students experienced.

“We oftentimes see a high emphasis on memorization in college classes,” Markowitz said. “Instead, college students should be more focused on getting something out of every class and maximizing our experiences on campus.”

The event focused on providing students with resources to advance their academic, social and professional goals.

When the day of the event arrived, OUSC representatives assisted in checking students in.

Markowitz then took the podium to give a slideshow presentation to students.

“I came to the event because I am a first-year student looking to meet new people and get involved on campus,” Ashley Batarseh, an OU freshman, said.

Markowitz began his presentation by detailing his experiences playing one of his favorite games, Spikeball.

“I enjoy playing Spikeball so much because after every point --- win or lose --- the action you take is the same. You go over and high-five your teammate,” Markowitz said.

Students were then informed about various services and student organizations on campus.

Markovitz told students about academic services such as the OU Writing Center and the Academic Success Center. He also mentioned students could receive pre-professional assistance from the Career and Life Design Center.

GrizzOrgs and the OU RecWell portal were also reviewed for students looking to get involved in student organizations, Club Sports, or Intramural athletics.

After providing a wealth of information about the support services available, students were challenged to mingle with their peers and answer icebreaker questions.

When asked what they were looking to get out of this event, many students admitted they were simply first-year students looking to get involved on campus.

“This is my first year in college, so I am just looking for ways to maximize my experience,” Julia Carlisle said. “I was a little nervous to go to college, so this event made it a lot easier for me

to build relationships with other students and learn more about what there is to do here.”

After the event, students were invited to join two group chats --- one for socializing and another for those looking for study partners.

Markowitz is currently compiling a virtual presentation similar to the one given at the event so students who were not in attendance can access the information. To access this virtual presentation and to get involved with the social community created at the event, email Markowitz at lmarkowitz@oakland.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OUSC

The OSI: Supporting students in maximizing their college experience NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Across Oakland University’s campus, there is an abundance of clubs and organizations students may pursue. From creative clubs, academic clubs, sports clubs and many more, OU is home to over 300 student organizations --- all organizations are managed by one office, the Office for Student Involvement (OSI).

The OSI is in charge of managing, supporting and training each club to learn and follow OU’s rules and creating a system of procedures all clubs must abide by.

The OSI is primarily run by young adults --- as many student workers run the front desk, answer the phones and are there to answer any questions students may have about joining student organizations. Tiana and Briana Chapman, twins who work the front desk at the OSI, explain what their jobs entail.

“We work at the desk here at the OSI,” Tiana said. “We just answer emails and phone calls, sort out packages and guide people into what clubs or organizations they’re interested in.”

Briana added to their list of responsibilities, explaining student office workers in the OSI also help with organizing events and with the Golden Grizzlies Pantry.

“I will also say that a lot of people do ask about the Golden Grizzlies,” Briana said. “We now have perishable

PHOTO COURTESY OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

items as well. So, we have a fridge back there now.”

Briana explained the OSI’s purpose in her own words.

“We try to guide students in the right direction to make sure Oakland is a great community as a whole,” Briana said. “We try to help them find their people basically. With all of the organizations we have, we can help them find a community to be a part of and not feel so alone in college, and if you find an organization that speaks to you, then you find forever friends and family that way.”

When students go into the OSI, they are likely there to ask a question. The twins spoke about the

questions they are usually asked.

“I would say quite a few people come here to ask questions, but a lot of people mainly ask questions during phone calls,” Tiana said. “If they are asking questions to the office, they usually ask questions like where’s the bookstore, or how do we start an organization. Then we also have free stamps, so people ask for stamps as well.”

According to Briana, the two most asked questions are how to become more involved with organizations and how to start a club. Briana also includes the runner-up top questions.

“Do we have discounted tickets at the service window, or will you guys have certain plays or concerts at a discounted price [are common questions],” Briana said. “Most of the questions are about locations, like where are certain classrooms or the bookstore.”

Students with questions about the OSI or those who would like to learn more about its services can visit the office in the basement of the Oakland Center in room 49 or email osi@oakland.edu.

With the new school year beginning and fall quickly approaching, students on Oakland University’s campus are signaling this autumnal shift with their wardrobes. After weeks of uncomfortably scouring campus, I finally have some throughlines to present regarding students’ sartorial choices.

As New York Fashion Week serendipitously coincided with OU’s first week back, I made it my mission to see if the trends from this season’s runway shows might have been reflected in the fashion choices of students on campus — whether consciously or subconsciously.

One of the major waves among this year’s designers dealt with playing with contrast — with black and white being a dominant colorway across many fashion houses. Designers like Tanner Fletcher, Gabriella Hearst, Brandon Maxwell, Dion Lee and more debuted collections largely consisting of black and white looks.

“I’m interested in experimenting in androgynous styles, like mixing more masculine pieces with feminine. It’s all about balance,” junior Lin Grib said.

Grib’s choice to layer a slightly oversized black sweater over a more light and airy tiered white skirt is a prime example of mixing contrasting pieces, with her choice to pair the look with dark combat boots adding even more dimension to the outfit.

While moto and biker style boots have already taken over street style looks, Grib’s pairing of more masculine boots with a more feminine skirt is especially reminiscent of Dion Lee, whose collection paired black chunky knee high-boots with almost every look.

While continuing this line of black and white contrasting pieces, New York Fashion Week also embraced a sense of femininity on the runway, with playfully placed ribbons and bows becoming a common decorative choice by designers.

“A common thread with my outfits is that they are all very feminine. Skirts are, by far, my most worn clothing item,” sophomore Thy Hoang said.

Hoang’s long black satin skirt, white blouse and black vest were elevated by details like a large flouncy bow tied around her neck and a gilded broach clasping her skirt together.

This play on mixing workwear-type pieces with more feminine pieces was a common theme in Tanner Fletcher’s Spring 2024 Ready-to-Wear collection, with Hoang’s bowadorned blouse having the same essence as Sandy Liang’s distinctive bow motif.

“I would say that I am most inspired by styles popular in Asia. The styles are usually very young and girlish and playful, which is not as celebrated in the U.S.,” Hoang said.

While New York Fashion Week’s runway collections can be a great touchstone for predicting and recognizing trends, the street style exhibited by those leaving the shows is arguably just as important.

“For many of my outfits I wear I’m very inspired by hip-hop dance. Sorta like New York streetwear,” senior Amon Orr said.

When observing the street style of New York Fashion Week, Harper’s Bazaar’s Fashion Commerce Editor Halie LeSavage observed “a preference for chocolate, camel and espresso tones.”

Orr’s choice to juxtapose the richer chocolate brown color of his corduroy pants with the lighter tan color of his crew neck was a unique play on more traditional monochromatism.

This juxtaposition can also be displayed in terms of silhouettes, with younger generations often pulling from decades of the past to achieve their style.

“I’m mainly influenced by 1960s and 1970s rock, like John Lennon and David Bowie. I like to mix tight shirts and flare pants, mixing proportions,” freshman Dakota Malott said.

Even with Malott’s more 90s-inspired skater look — with layered shirts and baggy pants — his affinity for mixing proportions shines through.

“I mainly get my clothes thrifted. I thrift jewelry from antique stores, and I try to look for some good Penny Lane coats,” Malott said.

This is where the most overarching fashion “trend” among younger generations becomes clear — an appreciation for vintage.

Thrifting has allowed people to combine style inspirations from the many different decades of their nostalgic desires, resulting in the formation of a unique personal style — one that truly transcends any seasonal trend cycle of today.

STORY BY OLIVIA CHIAPPELLI | DESIGNED BY MEGAN PARKER AND BARRET SCHETTLER

FEATURES

12 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

OU sophomore Grant Harrison pens children’s books detailing experiences with autism PAYTON BUCKI Features Editor

Grant Harrison wanted to do something special for Autism Awareness Month.

So, the Oakland University sophomore decided to write a children’s book depicting his personal experiences as a child growing up on the autism spectrum.

“Will You Be My Friend? Based On A True Story Through The Eyes And Ears of Autism” recounts a significant moment from Harrison’s elementary school years.

The book tells the story of an elementary school talent show. Before the talent show, Harrison remembers feeling incredibly shy and out of place.

“In elementary school, I was very timid. I got encouraged to compete in the school talent show, which was something that I knew would take a lot of bravery,” Harrison said.

Harrison describes being treated with kindness and support when he decided to play percussion in the talent show.

“I chose drumming as my talent in the show because it is a hobby of mine,” Harrison said. “By entering the talent show, I was able to connect with my peers and make a lot of new friends.”

The school’s supportive environment

was a big reason Harrison decided to write his book. He wanted children everywhere to understand the importance of inclusion.

“Including everyone, regardless of their disability, is something that is very important to me,” Harrison said. “I grew up in a home where everyone respects one another. I want everyone to be able to feel that love and acceptance.”

Harrison has come a long way since his elementary school talent show --the college sophomore currently plays percussion in OU’s Pep Band.

“For Pep Band, we play at OU alumni nights and basketball games,” Harrison said. “I’ve made a lot of great friendships in the band. All of the musicians are unique in their own ways.”

In addition to his passion for music, Harrison has a great love for the outdoors. The young author is currently working on his second children’s book, which focuses on his experiences at summer camp.

“My second book, ‘Dad, Please Don’t Go!’ tells the story of a young boy who is going to summer camp,” Harrison said.

“This is the first time the boy will be away from his parents, so he is really nervous.”

Harrison is excited about the release of this book because it incorporates many of his experiences in the Boy Scouts

organization. Boy Scouts provided a space for Harrison to learn new skills while creating lifelong friendships.

Once Harrison publishes a story, he always looks forward to reading reviews and hearing personal testimonials from

individuals who have read the book.

“The coolest part about hearing feedback is that it gives people more hope in the kindness of others,” Harrison said.

When Harrison is not writing books, he is working hard at school.

The OU sophomore is pursuing an interdisciplinary studies degree with a minor in computer science.

“My experience as an Oakland University student has been great so far,” Harrison said. “I’ve been getting involved in a lot of activities on campus and making some great friends along the way.”

To stay updated on Harrison’s life as a young author, follow his Instagram account @fetchtheswell_autism, where he regularly posts updates on his writing and life experiences.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GRANT HARRISON

The Golden Grizzlies Pantry offers perishable food to students in need PAYTON BUCKI Features Editor

Oakland University’s Golden Grizzlies Pantry has expanded its services, further advancing its efforts to ensure all OU students have access to basic necessities.

As the name implies, the Golden Grizzlies Pantry offers food and drink resources. However, the pantry supplies more than just groceries --- it also distributes toiletries, sanitary products and cleaning supplies to any student in need.

Visitors to the pantry may also browse the Grizz Garments clothing selection. The Grizz Garments clothing closet provides business professional and

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

business casual wear to OU students, free of charge.

Recently, the pantry received a grant from Swipe Out Hunger. The money from this grant was used to purchase a refrigerator, which means the pantry can now distribute perishable food items.

“It has been my goal to get a fridge for the Golden Grizzlies Pantry since I began working here,” Bella Levitt, the manager of the Golden Grizzlies Food Pantry said. “I am very happy that we were able to make perishable food distribution a reality.”

So far, the addition of perishable food to the pantry’s list of offerings has been an incredible success. Levitt emphasized the demand for perishable items is high.

Sometimes, the fully-stocked fridge will empty in just one day.

“We have received a lot of support from our campus partners like the Campus Student Organic Farm [CSOF],” Levitt said. “Following their [the CSOF’s] weekly farmstand, CSOF workers donate their remaining produce to the pantry.”

The CSOF’s Thursday donations fill the pantry fridge with various varieties of vegetables, herbs and fruits.

Levitt regularly maintains a stock of eggs and dairy products as well.

“A steady flow of students come into the pantry throughout the week,” Maggie Quinn, a student assistant at the Golden Grizzlies Pantry, said. “We are constantly restocking our shelves and the grab-and-go snack cart.”

Despite the financial support provided by the Student Emergency Relief Fund and generous donations, the pantry struggles to keep up with the high demand for its services.

“We love to promote the pantry so every student knows about our services and is informed about how they may access them,” Levitt said. “However, we are reliant on community support to maintain our service offerings.”

Levitt encourages OU community members to donate non-perishable food items to the donation box outside the pantry. Individuals who want to donate perishable items may contact Levitt via email at iglevitt@oakland.edu.

The pantry also provides volunteer opportunities for community members who would like to donate their time.

Those interested can find information on how to volunteer by accessing the Golden Grizzlies Pantry webpage.

“My ultimate goal with the pantry is to combat basic needs insecurity by expanding our services and offerings,” Levitt said.

Located in room 42 on the lower level of the Oakland Center, the operating hours of the Golden Grizzlies Pantry are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, except on Tuesdays when the pantry opens at 11 a.m.

The pantry is available for any student in need.

Students are encouraged to visit the Office for Student Involvement (OSI) if they want to use the pantry’s services outside operating hours.

For frequent updates on Golden Grizzlies Pantry needs and offerings, visit the pantry’s Instagram or contact the pantry through email at oupantry@oakland.edu.

FEATURES

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 13

What it takes to be an RA: A leadership opportunity for OU Housing students NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Students at Oakland University have several opportunities for leadership positions around OU’s campus. From being part of an e-board for a club or even Student Congress, OU offers many ways to get involved in leadership roles.

The Resident Assistant (RA) is a leadership position open to all students who have resided in Oakland University Housing for at least one

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

semester. The job of an RA entails assisting students living on campus through group activities and events and occasional one-on-one chats.

Koda Montgomery, a first-year RA, talks about their main draw to the RA lifestyle.

“The main thing that made me want to be an RA is the benefits,” Montgomery said. “Free housing is a massive benefit of course -- but also I want to build my resume because I’m hoping to go into higher education and clinical counseling, so it’s a great way to be like, ‘I did this for years.’”

Montgomery explains how to help other new students work out their work-life balance.

“Keeping a calendar is my best friend,” Montgomery said. “I actually work --- including this job --- four jobs on campus. So, I’m just making sure that I have space in between. It’s actually been like probably one of my most balanced years, surprisingly.”

As Hillcrest RA Andrew Deacon enters his second year in the position, he sheds light on how he views his residential duties.

“My main duty as an RA is to be the point of contact for residents in need of help or support,” Deacon said. “Yes, policy enforcement is a part of the job, but RAs are in the buildings first and foremost to help connect residents to the proper resources around campus, whatever the issue may be.”

Deacon provides advice for new RAs or anyone looking to be an RA in the future.

“You get as much from this position as you put into it,” Deacon said. “You will gain a lot of valuable experience and learn more if you put effort into

connecting with your residents and programming.

Plus, it’s just more fun that way.”

Deacon lastly remarks on his favorite part about being an RA. “I have had conversations with residents who brought situations to me feeling scared or hopeless, but left feeling supported and comfortable in handling the issue,” Deacon said. “I think the fact that just one person can be the difference in making a resident’s experience better here at OU is huge.”

To learn more about being a Resident Assistant at OU, please visit OU’s housing website or contact housingjobs@oakland.edu for more information.

A conversation with the friendly faces at the Oakland Center help desk NOAH FRANCIS Features Reporter

Oakland University’s Oakland Center (OC) is full of helpful resources all students have access to.

From the OU Bookstore to the Pioneer Food Court, there is something for everyone, starting right when students walk through the front doors.

The OC’s help desk is run by students, helping visitors find specific rooms, answering questions and setting up rooms for events. Madeline Kraemer, a student who has worked at the OC front desk since 2022, explains her experiences and more about her position.

“I mostly do a lot of directing people and answering questions about the OC,” Kraemer said. “There are so many events in this building.

It’s something like 8,000 or 9,000 events a year happening just in the OC, and I direct people and oversee what’s happening and make sure nothing’s on fire.

“I also direct people to where they need to go and answer any questions about the OC or about Oakland in general. I mostly do a lot of directing people and answering questions about the OC.” With students, staff and faculty constantly walking throughout the OC, students are bound to walk over and ask the help desk questions. Kraemer talks about how many visitors come up to her each day.

“I’m here from 12 to 5, so I probably get 100 questions if it’s really busy,” Kraemer said. “It gets really busy during lunchtime, so I’d say a fair

amount, especially if there’s like a really big event going on.”

Whether it’s human interaction or keeping individuals informed about campus happenings, working the front desk can be a gratifying experience. Kraemer explains her favorite aspects of working at the help desk.

“I love knowing what’s going on,” Kraemer said.

That’s without a doubt my favorite thing about working here, and it has definitely made my entire experience at OU better just because I’m overly involved in all of the events that are happening every single day on campus.”

While Kraemer works the day shift, Tyler Liberty sheds some light on his duties involving the night shift.

“At the end of the night, I just ensure that everyone’s out when I lock up the building,” Liberty said. “Sometimes I’ll do some extra cleaning before and after big events like Casino Night. Casino Night is such a big night for us because we do, like, so much cleaning after and we do table arrangements.

Sometimes, I’ll help the custodians set up rooms with tables and chairs and stuff like that.”

Liberty explains that he gets asked questions less during the evening, while also talking about his most asked questions.

“Per day, I probably get about 50 [questions],” Liberty said. “I often get asked where the Rec Center is and how to get to the Rec Center from here.”

Liberty also divulges what their favorite part about working the help desk is.

“It’s just so relaxed and still professional,”

Liberty said. “Everyone’s very friendly to each other. There has never been any drama between employees. We have the same employees as we had for the last three years, so everyone is super chill.”

For more information on the OC’s help desk, call the desk’s phone at (248) 370-3245, or visit the OC website.

PHOTO COURTESY OF OAKLAND UNIVERSITY

ARTS ‘Remains, Remnants, Reliquaries:’ OU’s new art exhibit

14 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

On Friday, Sept. 8, at 5 p.m. in the Oakland University Art Gallery, Wendel A. White and Kenya Tyson participated in an open talk hosted by OU Art History Professor Claude Baillargeon.

Baillargeon opened the gallery to several excited participants, art fans, faculty and students. He introduced the speakers, the artist, Professor Wendel A. White of Stockton University and Kenya Tyson, the senior associate provost at Dartmouth College and the executive director of the Black Massacre Project.

“Remains, Remnants, Reliquaries” is an exploration of black lives, whether it be directly through the lens of a camera, newspaper clippings, or photo-editing technique. The exhibit contains four works: “Schools for the Colored,” “Red Summer,” “Manifest” and “Small Towns, Black Lives.”

“It began with me at the time of the George Floyd murder,” Baillargeon said. “I realized that I was not doing enough.”

On sabbatical leave a year and a half ago, Baillargeon was writing a proposal to determine what he wanted to research when he remembered attending a talk by Wendel White.

White specializes in photography, with all of the pieces in “Remains, Remnants, Reliquaries” using the camera as the chosen medium to dive deeper into the struggles of black folk.

Arguably the most powerful work, “Red Summer,” is a juxtapositional collage that takes modern photographs

of sites where lynchings took place and surgically places black and white-run newspaper clippings reporting on the events.

“He’s bringing out a part of the history that is being suppressed,” Baillargeon said. “The vast majority of the sites that he went to photograph showed no evidence, no markers, no acknowledgment that the events took place.”

At the open talk, Tyson and White’s discussion revolved around White’s personal history, sources of inspiration and the central meaning of his works.

Often, Tyson and White brought up W. E. B. Du Bois’s metaphor, “the veil.”

“For me, [the veil] specifically came out in the souls of black folk,” White said. “[DuBois] lived in the world that was outside the white world and in that world is

PHOTO COURTESY OF WENDEL A. WHITE

obscured by the veil.”

“The veil” metaphor often comes across in White’s work, especially in works like “Red Summer” and “Schools for the Colored” — where photo editing techniques like focus, white balance and frame of reference take center stage.

Tyson also discussed the importance of having guest artists and speakers of color at OU. “I think it’s critically important in all situations for every institution to have, you know, external writers and thinkers and artists and thought leaders coming into this space,” Tyson said.

“This is the first time we’ve had a solo exhibition, in the last twenty years, of an African-American artist,” Baillargeon said — echoing the same sentiment about the exhibit’s importance.

In recent history, OU has made efforts to implement diversity, equity and inclusion in all aspects of education at the university, including in the arts.

“Having a space like this on campus can be really enlightening to a lot of people,” sophomore Nicki Gursin, an employee at the OU Art Gallery, said.

Those interested can visit the OU Art Gallery Tuesday through Sunday from 12-5 p.m. in room 208 of Wilson Hall until Nov. 26.

ARTS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 15

‘Scarlet:’ All of Doja Cat’s different shades CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

Doja Cat’s newest album “Scarlet” — released on Friday, Sept. 22 — is a mixed bag.

On the album, Doja ditches her more traditionally pop soundscape — like “Say So” and “Kiss Me More” — and goes almost entirely in a hip-hop direction.

Her rap tracks can be separated into two categories --- chill and high-energy.

The “chill” tracks vary immensely in quality, with songs like “Paint the Town Red” and “97” being chores to get through, while “Skull and Bones” and “Can’t Wait” guide the audience through incredibly smooth pop-rap tracks with catchy choruses and great production.

The “high-energy” tracks, on the other hand, are either offensively bad — like “Demons” and “Wet Vagina” — or intently sharp like “Attention” and “Shutcho.”

Tracks that do not fall directly into any of these categories exist in a vacuum, with the composition and production of songs like “Balut,” “Gun” and “Go Off” failing to be definitive enough to stand out.

The lyrics on Doja’s album are referential, with the artist calling out rapper Roddy Ricch, mentioning singer Billie Eilish and using the outdated “What are those!” meme.

Doja also mentions her new haircut, which is a stark contrast to her established style from the past couple of years. Her shaved head is used as a metaphor for her newfound personal freedom from

the expectations that come along with fame.

“Lookin’ good, but now they all sayin’ that I’m ugly/Boo-hoo, my n*gga, I ain’t sad you won’t f*ck me,” Doja raps.

Doja’s rapping ability is a lot more confident on this album, and it shows in tracks like “Love Life.”

She effortlessly repeats the “I love” motif, rattling off things she adores while also passiveaggressively taking shots at things that make her upset.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB WEBSTER

“We all gon’ make mistakes and it’s cool, I love how you grew/You offer me tools that make my life feel simple/I know it, that you lovin’ me down/Man, I love y’all big and I love it when my life’s like this,” Doja raps.

Among the other lyrical references on the album, Doja also brings up her recent controversies involving bashing her fans, as well as the prevalent news coverage that followed.

“I don’t give a f*ck what you think about my personal life I never have and never will, goodbye and good riddance miserable hoes,” she replied in a Twitter thread.

It could be said “stan culture” in itself is toxic, however, Doja herself is just adding fuel to the fire.

“Girls don’t let girls live, but that ain’t killin’ me/ Now f*ck you, ho, you need a cookie ‘cause you hatin’,’” Doja raps in “FTG.” Her lukewarm attacks on her fans, haters and herself do not detract from “Scarlet,” but rather play into the album’s mediocrity.

Doja’s tendency to create an attention-grabbing spectacle usually results in each era of her musical career being exciting, however “Scarlet” appears to be the exception to this rule.

“Scarlet” is not offensive, it is not shocking, it is not cathartic, not sexy, not chaotic, not anything special. There are highlights on the album, but they are ultimately overshadowed by the monotony of other tracks.

Whatever Doja does next, I hope it will serve as a transitional piece for her next genuinely eyecatching era.

Rating: 2.5/5 stars

‘The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We:’ Beauty in the bad times CHELSEA BOSSERT Arts Reporter

Mitski’s musical journey has always been an odd one to me. She started with smooth singersongwriter balladry, then transitioned to noisy slacker-rock, then to chaotic new wave.

All of this bouncing around through genres might throw most people off, but for me --- I see it as someone trying to fit into her skin — one that is constantly changing.

On Friday, Sept. 15, Mitski dropped her seventh full-length record, “The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We.” The album is a step up from Mitski’s previous two efforts and her best record since the beautifully cathartic “Puberty 2” — released in 2016.

The album starts with the first single, “Bug Like an Angel,” a seemingly guitar-driven track that transforms into a booming gospel, overtaking the audience with a new feeling that a Mitski record has never produced for me before — awe and wonder.

Track three, “Heaven,” is a waltz-like ballad with a country twang, incorporating strings and flutes to create a serene atmosphere.

According to Mitski’s Bandcamp write-up, “The album incorporates an orchestra arranged and conducted by Drew Erickson, as well as a full choir of 17 people.”

This incorporation of chamber instrumentation and vocals is a step in the right direction for Mitski,

who in her last two projects, opted for a more electronic sound, which did not pan out entirely in her favor.

The stripped-back, guitar-led sections paired with incredibly dense orchestral parts make a much more sonically mature Mitski — a change that I was super excited to hear unfold.

The beautiful “My Love Mine All Mine” tackles themes of self-love and what we, as people, truly want out of life. “‘Cause my love is mine, all mine/I love, mine, mine, mine/Nothing in the world belongs to me/But my love, mine, all mine, all mine,” Mitski croons.

This is not the first time Mitski has given us lyrics that deal with topics like this. However, when paired with incredibly smooth instrumentation, they tend to pack more of a punch this time around.

The penultimate track, “I’m Your Man,” is arguably Mitski’s most powerful song written to date. The song features a solemn guitar, subtle drum work, a deep-voiced chorus and dogs barking in the background near the end of the track — with that “dog” motif being a key part of the song in multiple ways. “You’re an angel, I’m a dog/Or you’re a dog and I’m your man,” Mitski sings.

She also sings about “hounds” in the song, saying that she will “meet judgment” by them. Mitski paints a picture of doom in this track --- it is somber, bittersweet and just like what makes her previous work so powerful — it is poetic.

While the album is stunning, at times it does not feel like a complete and thought-out work

conceptually and thematically, which makes sense given that the album was written in chunks and bursts over the past few years — according to Mitski’s Bandcamp page.

The songs on “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” feel like little blurbs of Mitski’s past mixed with how she views herself in the present, yet there is no grand theme or message that would make this anthology connect or be consistent.

Despite this, I cannot state enough the impact that Mitski has on her audience — including myself. These songs are incredibly powerful. I can see songs like “The Deal” and “I’m Your Man” standing among all-time Mitski classics like “First Love/Late Spring” and “I Bet on Losing Dogs.”

Mitski, now stronger and more confident sounding than ever, could proudly hang up the mantle of “sad girl queen” if she wanted to, but it does not seem like she will anytime soon.

She said it best herself in an interview with NME, “what it came down to was, I have to [continue making music] even though it hurts me because I love it. This is who I am.”

Rating: 4/5 stars

POLITICS

16 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

OU community reacts to Governor Snyder’s inclusion in civility panel NOAH THOMASON Politics Reporter

On Sept. 18, a teach-in called “Why Justice is More Important than Civility” was hosted by the Oakland University Community Concerned about Civility and Justice. The event was organized in response to “Breaking the Barrier: The Importance of Civility and Improving Political Discourse,” a panel discussion hosted by the OU Center for Civic Engagement featuring former Michigan Governors James Blanchard and Rick Synder.

One of the main points of contention was because the event promoting civility in politics hosted former Republican Governor Snyder, who had negatively impacted the lives of many Michiganders with his subpar response to the Flint water crisis. The teach-in provided an opportunity for victims of Snyder’s actions to let their voices be heard.

The main focus of Snyder’s actions centered around emergency managers created under the Snyder administration by Act 436. These emergency managers were tasked with managing the finances of cities in debt.

While some cities did run a deficit during this time, it was partly because of the way city taxes were collected.

Some cities received large lump sums once or twice a year instead of a reliable stream of income.

It seems the emergency managers were sent to fix a problem somewhat overblown. However, the unempathetic and racially biased way the emergency managers interacted with communities caused immense harm to many citizens.

“Putting emergency management in cities eliminated democracy at the local level by replacing locally elected officials with an emergency manager who was accountable only to Snyder, essentially a dictator,” Dr. Rebecca Cheezum said.

The Act 436 law was repealed in 2012 --- however, an

almost identical law was put in its place that was made to be “referendum proof,” according to the Michigan ACLU. This destruction of democracy in cities was not the only harm done by Snyder or the emergency managers, according to the OU Community Concerned about Civility and Justice. “[Synder and the emergency managers were responsible for] asset stripping, the undermining of public education, attenuation of public services and youth recreation facilities, mass water shut-offs in Detroit and city-wide lead poisoning in Flint,” Dr. Alan Epstein said.

The selling of city assets would be done with the official intention of making up for the debt and deficit of the cities but had the unintended effect of hurting the property values of the people in these cities even further.

This damage to property values was especially apparent in Flint, where major amounts of lead poisoning happened due to emergency manager involvement, switching the water the city used from the Detroit River to the more chemically toxic Flint River, corroding the lead pipes in the city.

Flint residents came to the event to speak about how harmful Synder’s emergency managers were to the city.

Bishop Bernadel Jefferson --- a Flint resident --discussed how Flint children were poisoned by the contaminated water. The water poisoning resulted in significant learning disabilities that affected the lives of many individuals.

Jefferson says the state and emergency managers were aware of some of the harm the new water source was causing. However, instead of letting Flint residents return to the Detroit River water source, the government only let major corporations switch back.

A focus of the teach-in’s talk on emergency managers was the way the appointment of them was racially biased, as the cities that had them put in place accounted for around 50% of people of color in Michigan. This was important due to the undemocratic nature of the

emergency managers who replaced locally elected officials, meaning 50% of people of color in Michigan had their right to democracy overwritten.

Other issues were discussed, such as Snyder’s decision to keep the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline open despite its age and risk of breaking, which could lead to a severe oil spill in the Great Lakes.

The concern about a massive breakage in the pipeline has been heightened by its history of oil spills.

There was particular anger over Snyder’s decision not to shut down the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline as the Pipeline Safety Advisory Board recommended he do so. This advisory board was created under his administration through executive order, so the decision to go against their advice led some to feel Snyder was kicking the issue down the road rather than addressing it.

The civility in politics panel was harshly criticized by those who organized the teach-in.

“When these systems harm people who are systematical excluded from power and the oppressed complain, they are often ignored,” Dr. Rebecca Cheezum said. “When they become frustrated and get loud or use civil disobedience techniques or disruptive protest techniques, they are told they are not practicing civility.”

Because of the harm caused by Synder during his time as governor, many felt it was wrong to give such a platform to him without providing representation for the people his actions victimized.

“The only way the panel could have been remotely acceptable as an effort regarding civility is if trusted community members and activist representatives of the people who suffered the effects of Snyder’s policies were invited to be at the table and given freedom to talk.

Anything less is sheer insult and travesty,” Dr. James Perkinson said.

Major takeaways from the Vladimir Putin-Kim Jong UN summit NOAH THOMASON Politics Reporter

On Sept. 13, Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un met for a five-hour meeting at Russia’s Vostochny Cosmodrome — a new site that may allow Russia to domestically launch its own probes.

Putin and Jong Un came to this meeting to discuss contemporary issues affecting both nations. The Ukrainian invasion has forced Russia to face the grinding reality of the war, which has created shortages in their ammunition supplies.

To combat this shortage, Putin is seeking to find suppliers for ammunition. To this end, Putin is seeking these negotiations to acquire ammunition from North Korea.

While both sides of the Russian Invasion of Ukraine have struggled with ammunition shortages, Ukraine has relied on support from the U.S. and NATO, who have had their own issues maintaining enough supplies to Ukraine. At the same time, Russia has had to rely on the few options for suppliers available to them.

With acquiring enough ammunition — specifically artillery shells, which have seen some of the greatest shortages — is the primary goal for Putin in this meeting, a deal was struck that would see ammunition sent from North Korea to Russia. It’s unclear when North Korean ammunition will make it to Russia or how much ammunition North Korea has to give.

Jong Un sought better ballistic weapons and space technology from his meeting with Putin. Jong Un hoped to gain expertise, allowing North Korea to launch satellites and possibly people into space.

While North Korea’s ballistic and nuclear weapons programs often garner considerable public attention, the country has also shown an interest in space, with two failed attempts at launching spy satellites.

It is uncertain how much Russia can or will assist North Korea’s ballistic missile and space program, especially since such aid could violate multiple U.N. resolutions.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKHAIL METZEL

Russia and North Korea have very few friendly countries with the means to help them. Many countries that would have the means to help have sanctions on Russia or North Korea or both.

Jong Un had much to say regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the meeting.

“Russia has risen to a sacred fight to its sovereignty and security against the hegemonic forces,” Jong Un said at the meeting, according to ABC News.

While Ukraine or the U.S. was not directly mentioned, Jong Un’s statement seems to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Jong Un’s verbal support for the Ukrainian War shows a geopolitical alignment between Russia and North Korea. While only one calls itself communist, they both seem more concerned with stopping what they see as the expansionism and hegemony of the West.

“The Russian army and people will certainly win a great victory in the sacred struggle for the punishment of a great evil that claims hegemony and feeds an expansionist illusion,” Jong Un said, according to Reuters.

This statement indicates an alliance of material interest and benefit from this partnership rather than a strong ideological commitment to one type of societal structure.

Regardless of what this meeting means for the invasion of Ukraine or North Korea’s ballistic missiles and space program ambitions, we know the ties between North Korea and Russia are strengthening for now.

POLITICS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 17

‘One Earth, One Family, One Future:’ A recap of the 2023 G20 summit NOAH THOMASON Politics Reporter

From Sept. 9 to Sept. 10, the G20 Summit for 2023 was held in New Delhi, India, with a theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

The nations in attendance at the summit included Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union (E.U.).

The G20 is a group of states with the largest world economies. The G20 was founded in 1999 and had its first summit in 2008.

These countries mainly discuss international economic issues such as corporate taxation. They also discuss timely issues different countries are interested in, such as a debate on creating a partial cease-fire in Syria in 2017.

There are some important takeaways from this year’s G20 Summit. The first concerns India’s track record of handling press freedom, which had been further restricted this year as journalists were not allowed to cover the meeting between U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This restriction was abnormal even for India’s tough policy on journalism.

India ranks 161 out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom. The restrictions on the press at this year’s G20 by India is concerning for those interested in preserving press freedom.

The next major takeaway from the G20 is that the African Union will be joining the G20 as an official member state. This is monumental as it makes the A.U. the first new member state added since the G20 was created. The addition of the A.U. to the G20 means representation for the 55 states that make up the A.U. Previously, South Africa was the only state to be a member of the G20 in Africa. Thus, the A.U.’s addition is a huge step towards African representation on the global stage.

This third major takeaway relates to collective action on the issue of climate change. While there were some agreements to increase renewable energy capacity by 2030, there was little progress in terms

PHOTO COURTESY OF LUDOVIC MARIN

of large-scale agreements on climate change.

While the G20 summit is not specifically an event focused on climate change, some may be disappointed more agreements about climate change solutions were not made.

This low commitment to action on climate change is mirrored by the lack of direct criticism of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. While there was a consensus declaration calling for states to not take the territory of other states, it never directly mentioned Russia or the invasion of Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine was a serious point of contention for some countries at the G20. The U.S. and other Western countries advocated for a strong condemnation of Russia, while other states sought a peaceful agreement.

The last major point to cover is an agreement by the U.S., India, Saudi Arabia, the E.U. and others to create a rail and shipping corridor. President Biden recognized this agreement as a big deal for trading purposes.

This agreement would provide a shipping lane from India to the Middle East and Europe, which could massively boost economic traffic and investment in the Middle East and India.

For the U.S., this agreement would be a step towards large-scale economic investments in developing countries, like China has been doing with its Belt and Road Initiative.

18 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

Oakland Athletics: A week in review (Sept. 17-23) BROCK HEILIG Sports Editor

It was an exceptionally busy week for Oakland’s sports teams. Men’s golf was in Kansas, and volleyball and men’s soccer were in Indiana. Here’s a full breakdown of a week that featured an upset over an in-state foe.

Men’s golf The men’s golf team was in Kansas last weekend to compete in the Kansas State Invitational. Competing at a Big 12 school like KSU, it would be expected there would be solid competition — maybe even some other Power Five schools at the event, but there wasn’t.

It seems Kansas State invited a long list of smaller schools out to its golf course to get shown what a Power Five golf program looks like.

Luckily for the Wildcats, they took care of business.

For Oakland, the Golden Grizzlies finished tied for ninth place out of 15 teams.

Oakland came out on fire to open the event, and it had all other teams on notice early on. OU’s five-man team of Ellis Kinnaird, Robert Burns, Ben Willis, Luke Kelly and Edward Rowe posted a -9 for the round, which was good for first place after the first round.

The Golden Grizzlies led second-place Kansas City by two strokes entering the second round, but the winds picked up, which caused Oakland to stumble. The Golden Grizzlies shot 25 strokes worse in round two than they did in round one, and they dropped to ninth place.

Then in round three, Oakland shot a 301 to stay put in a tie for ninth place.

Overall, Oakland finished tied with Northern Colorado and ahead of Boise State, South Dakota, Omaha, Houston Christian and Texas A&M-Commerce.

Kansas State, Southern Illinois, Grand Canyon, Kansas City, North Dakota State, Creighton, South Dakota State and Drake.

Next up for Oakland is the Tom Tontimonia

Invitational in Westlake, Ohio on Oct. 2-3.

Women’s golf Things didn’t go as well for the women’s golf team at the Mary Fossum Invitational in East Lansing over the weekend. The Golden Grizzlies competed against nine Power Five schools, including six Big Ten teams.

Oakland came in 15th place out of 15 teams, finishing two strokes behind Grand Valley State.

Bridget Boczar led the way for the Golden Grizzlies with a team-best +16 over the three-round event.

Olivia Hemmila (+19), Grace Boczar (+20), Lily Bargamian (+28) and Savannah Haque (+29) all finished in the top 83 as individuals.

Oakland will now set its sights on the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational in Ypsilanti on Oct. 2-3.

Women’s soccer It was an odd week for the women’s soccer team, which had two conference matches. First, the Golden Grizzlies battled Purdue Fort Wayne at the Oakland Soccer Field, but the two teams played to a draw in the league opener.

An Oakland error led to an own goal scored in favor of PFW in the 20th minute, giving the Mastodons the early 1-0 advantage. Luckily, in the 76th minute, Macey Wierenga found the back of the net for OU, tying the match at one goal apiece.

Neither team scored after that, and Oakland opened Horizon League play with a draw.

Then, on Thursday, the Golden Grizzlies hosted their second conference match of the week, taking on Northern Kentucky.

Again, Oakland fell behind and scored a goal late — this time in the 88th minute — to come away with a draw.

OU is now 0-0-2 in conference play and will visit Wright State on Saturday, Sept. 30.

Volleyball With three matches this week, the Oakland volleyball team won seven of the 10 sets it played. The week

SPORTS

started in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where the Golden Grizzlies disposed of the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons in straight sets.

Set two was a runaway in Oakland’s favor but sets one and three were close as OU cruised to a leagueopening victory.

In the second match of the week, Oakland fell to Youngstown State at the OU Credit Union O’rena.

The Golden Grizzlies were only outscored by eight points all night, but critical late-set execution from the Penguins led to a 3-1 win for the visitors.

Then, on Saturday, in the last match of the week, Oakland improved to 2-1 in conference play with a straight-sets win over Robert Morris.

The Colonials were no match for the Golden Grizzlies, which outscored the visitors by 23 points over the three sets.

Men’s soccer There is perhaps not a more inconsistent, confusing team than the Oakland soccer team. This week, the Golden Grizzlies had matches against Michigan and IUPUI. Oakland went 1-1, but not in the way almost everyone would have expected.

The Golden Grizzlies upset U-M at the Oakland soccer field on Tuesday by a score of 2-1. Second-half goals

by Malik Sylvester and Donovan Phillip propelled the Golden Grizzlies to a win over the Wolverines.

However, any possible momentum that could have been gained from upsetting a Big Ten team wasn’t harnessed because Oakland dropped its ensuing match to IUPUI, falling to 1-2 in the conference.

An upset over one of the top universities in the state will make for great stories and memories, but if Oakland has hopes of a successful season, it will need to become more consistent from match to match.

Oakland volleyball dominates in 3-0 victory over Robert Morris KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

The Oakland University volleyball team defeated the Robert Morris University Colonials at the OU Credit Union O’rena on Saturday, Sept. 23, with a final score of 3-0.

“I think it was a really big win for us after kind of struggling last night,” assistant coach Kyle Stahl said.

“We did some good video review today, and going into the match, I think we had a good game plan, and we stuck to that. We were very disciplined — that allowed us to do some very good things.”

Oakland opened the match by scoring first, thanks to a kill from Patti Cesarini. Two possessions later, Cesarini followed up with another kill, and the momentum shifted towards the Grizzlies side as the team went on a 3-0 run.

After trading points, the Grizzlies continued to expand their lead with a quick 3-1 run, giving OU a six-point lead at 14-8, the largest lead of the set. Some more back and forth ensued before RMU called their first timeout.

The Colonials brought a lot of energy coming out of their first timeout as they trimmed the Grizzlies’ lead down to just three points, leading to an OU timeout.

Following their timeout, the Grizzlies shifted the pace back in their favor and went on another 3-0 run, bringing back their six-point lead at 21-15, culminating

in RMU calling their second timeout of the evening.

“I think we were just really intentional with what we were talking about in those timeouts and what we could do to affect the game coming out of those timeouts, and we just executed really well,” Stahl said.

After RMU’s timeout, OU kept up their momentum, finishing out the first set as winners with a score of 25-19.

The second set opened with a block from Cesarini, and RMU responded with their point as the set started tied at 1-1. However, following a kill from Ainsley Guse, the Grizzlies went on a 3-0 run, securing a quick lead of 4-1.

PHOTO BY OP ARCHIVES

Despite the quick OU lead, RMU fought back, scoring two straight points and cutting the Grizzlies lead down to one point. The Grizzlies responded promptly, going on a 4-0 run and a 5-1 run following a Colonial timeout, giving OU their largest lead of the night at 13-4.

Following OU’s run, the Colonials scored six straight points, trimming the OU lead down to 13-10. After an OU timeout, the Grizzlies came back rejuvenated, pushing their lead to 15-10. After the teams traded away more points, the score sat at 19-14 before the Colonials cut the lead down to 19-17.

Despite the late resurgence from RMU, the Grizzlies pulled away toward the end of the set, scoring three straight points to win the night’s second set with a score of 25-18.

Come the third set of the night, the Grizzlies left the Colonials no chance at a comeback. OU took a quick lead at 8-2 before increasing it to 15-6. Minutes later, the Grizzlies went on a 3-1 run, expanding their lead to 18-7, the largest lead of the night.

Although RMU put up a good effort, the Grizzlies ultimately came away as winners of the set and the game, with a final set score of 25-15.

The Grizzlies will next take the court on Friday, Sept. 29, where they will face off with the Wright State University Raiders on the road. The next home game will be on Friday, Oct. 6, at the OU Credit Union O’rena against the Cleveland State University Vikings.

SPORTS

SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 | 19

OU men’s basketball team to compete in Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship JOSEPH POPIS Sports Reporter

The Oakland University men’s Basketball team is set to partake in the Baha Mar Hoops Nassau Championship in November.

According to BahaMarHoops.com, “In only its second year, “Baha Mar Hoops” will play host to the largest event in the sport of college basketball when 20 men’s and women’s teams play this Thanksgiving at Baha Mar, the leading resort destination in The Bahamas. The 10-day slate of games includes Oklahoma State, DePaul, UCF, and Santa Clara playing in the men’s Baha Mar Hoops “Bahamas Championship” and five NCAA Tournament women’s teams participating in the Baha Mar Hoops “Pink Flamingo Championship.”

In total, 24 games will be played across three events Nov. 18-27 at the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center.”

The Oakland Grizzlies will be playing in the Nassau Championship with teams that include the University of Vermont, Ball State University, Missouri State University, University of North Carolina Wilmington, University of North Texas, San José

State University and California State University, Long Beach.

The Grizzlies will face Long Beach State at 8 p.m. on November 25.

BahaMarHoops.com mentions, “Firstround games will be played on Friday, November 25, with four games each day on Nov. 25-27. All 12 games of the Nassau Championship will be broadcast on FloHoops.”

Last year in November, the Grizzlies won the Gulf Coast Showcase, defeating the University of Vermont, Rice University, and the University of Delaware in a three-day span. This time the Grizzlies are headed to the Bahamas to obtain the same result as the previous year.

In addition to this tournament, the Grizzlies will face some nonconference opponents such as Syracuse University, Michigan State University and Oklahoma State University. The combination of the tournament and power five opponents will prepare the Grizzlies for Horizon League matchups.

Returning players such as Jalen Moore, Trey Townsend and Blake Lampman, along with incoming transfers Lorne Bowman II, Rocket Watts, Keaton Hervey, and Choul Deng, should make for a competitive

and successful roster.

With any roster, some players leave and new players come in. The fit and how well those athletes play and work together determine the outcome of the team’s season. Head coach Greg Kampe will have some sorting out to do to ensure the pieces fit.

Nonetheless, between the returning production, the new talent added and veteran leadership, the Grizzlies have what they need to go up against their conference and nonconference schedule.

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

Hail to the Grizzlies: Men’s soccer defeats University of Michigan KURT SZYMANSKI Sports Reporter

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, the Oakland men’s soccer team took care of business at the Oakland Soccer Field, triumphing over the University of Michigan Wolverines, 2-1.

“We dominated all game,” senior Shawn Slater said. “We had a lot of shots on goal --- on the eye test, we were the better team. At the end of the day, the better team prevailed.”

This win brings the Grizzlies’ season record to 2-4-1. Notably, this is OU’s first win against the U-M men’s soccer team since 2017.

The Wolverines began the game with possession, attacking quickly and early. However, the Grizzlies maintained their composure on defense, not letting the Wolverines get a single-shot attempt off.

Fifteen minutes into the match, the defensive effort by both teams continued to dominate. U-M was still unable to get a shot off, and the Grizzlies only got a lone look at a goal in the ninth minute of play.

Things would eventually change for the Grizzlies.

As the 19th minute came and went, the team started to break through the Wolverine defense, attempting three shots in eight minutes. Unfortunately, all shots were wide of the goal.

In the later part of the first half, the Grizzlies and the Wolverines continued to put up a defensive show. Despite equal control of the ball among the teams and both teams having solid chances at a

goal, nothing could come to fruition.

The Grizzlies got a multitude of shot attempts in the final minutes of the first half but failed to convert on all of them. Despite not scoring any points, an OU goal felt on the cusp as the team held superior control of the ball towards the end of the first half.

OU opened the second half of the game with possession and continued to be aggressive on both sides of the pitch.

In the 52nd minute, defender Malik Sylvester put it in the back of the net for the Grizzlies, scoring the first goal of the match and bringing the score to 1-0.

Sylvester was assisted by forward Donovan Phillip.

Sylvester’s goal marks his first as a Grizzly and his first of the season. Additionally, the assist from Phillip is his third of the season.

Despite the solid defense the Grizzlies displayed throughout the first half, U-M midfielder Joao Paulo Ramos would find the back of the net for the Wolverines in the 64th minute, tying the game up 1-1.

Following a blocked shot from U-M goalie Isaiah Goldson, an OU shot attempt sailed just above the net, leaving the game still tied with only 14 minutes to go. After the miss, the Grizzlies picked up the intensity on offense, hunting for their second goal.

Luckily, an answer would come from the Grizzlies. With six minutes left in the game, the crowd erupted in noise as Phillip scored his second goal of the season, shifting the score back into OU’s favor at 2-1.

The Wolverines would get one last look at a goal with less than a minute left but failed to convert thanks to Grizzlies goalie Finn Jurak. Seconds later, OU walked off the field victorious.

“Amazing win,” Phillip said. “We were the better team --- we put everything together, we practiced on the training ground and we came away victorious.”

Next, the Grizzlies will appear at home on Saturday, Sept. 30, against the Milwaukee Panthers.

Following that, they’ll hit the road and play the Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons on Saturday, Oct. 7.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOLDEN_GRIZZLIES ON INSTAGRAM

SPORTS

20 | SEPTEMBER 27, 2023

Coco Gauff wins U.S. Open, becomes youngest female winner SUMMER WEATHERS Sports Reporter

This young tennis star has just become the champion of this year’s 2023 U.S. Open. Her name is Coco Gauff.

At only 19 years old, Gauff’s sensational path to conquest at one of the most illustrious Grand Slam Tournaments in the world is nothing short of extraordinary.

A rising star Coco knew tennis was the sport meant for her to pursue at a very young age. Her odyssey began when she joined the New Generation Tennis Academy in Delray Beach, where she had the opportunity to gain valuable insights and train with her coaches, and she soon after made a name for herself.

She was inspired by her parents who were athletes and tennis stars Serena and Venus Williams. She knew with hard work and dedication, she could reach the top in the sports world.

Being a little girl in the stands to becoming the U.S. Open champion Eleven years ago, she was filmed dancing in the crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium at the U.S. Open in New York.

This bittersweet moment foretold her promising future ahead. This is the same

young girl who dreamed big and has now fulfilled her dream as the U.S. Open tennis champion after an incredible 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Aryna Sabalenka.

“I’ve been coming to this tournament.

My dad took me to this tournament.

Sitting right there, watching Venus and Serena compete. So it’s really incredible to be on this stage,” she said during her on-court interview.

What makes Coco Gauff so special is the way she carried herself throughout the match with unwavering tenacity, successfully navigating the U.S. Open match with grace and poise that channeled her inner champion and mounted an extraordinary comeback.

She has been knocking on the door to greatness for a while, even when facing the toughest adversaries.

Coco Gauff is the face of tennis Now, she is representing as the youngest U.S. champion since Serena Williams. Her triumph at the U.S. Open is not only an astonishing achievement but an inspiring story on so many different levels to all, especially for the next generation of tennis players. Gauff is a reflection of the true saying that anything is possible, exemplifying the essence of a champion.

“It means so much to me. I feel like I am a little bit in shock in this moment.

You know that French Open loss was a heartbreak for me, but I’ve realized, you know, God puts you through tribulations and this makes this moment more sweeter than I can imagine. I’m so blessed in this life, so I’m just thankful for this moment – like I don’t have any words for it to be honest,” Gauff said during her celebration ceremony.

Coco Gauff is just getting started.

As she continues to astound the tennis world, the future holds limitless possibilities for the tennis star.

PHOTO COURTESY OF GARRETT ELLWOOD