Feb. 19, 2020 | The Reflector

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FEBRUARY 19, 2020

A divided church considers split United Methodist Church proposal to be considered at the church's general conference in May

By Shayla Cabalan

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT A long-brewing debate over samesex marriage and LGBT+ clergy in the United Methodist Church may finally conclude following the announcement of a proposal to split the church earlier this year.

The proposed separation, which was signed on Dec. 17 by 16 church leaders from around the world, would divide the United States’ third-largest religious denomination into one traditionalist sect, and one that is more progressive and centrist, according to Michael Cartwright, University of Indianapolis vice president for university mission and associate professor of philosophy and religion. University Chaplain Jeremiah Gibbs said that since UIndy is an UMCaffiliated institution, the university is a part of this debate.

The traditionalist sect would oppose same-sex marriage and continue to refuse the ordination of LGBT+ clergy. In contrast, the progressive and centrist sect would, for the first time in the church’s history, allow same-sex marriage and LGBT+ clergy, he said.

“Treasured values are in conflict with one another. We have a strong tradition about what marriage is, and we have a strong tradition about what citizens’ rights are, and those are coming into conflict,” Cartwright said. “I think we don’t always know how to make sense of that.”

Every four years since 1972, the UMC has held a general conference to discuss and determine rules and regulations for the church. The proposal for the split, according to Gibbs, will be voted on at the church’s 2020 general conference in May. If approved, the traditionalist sect would separate from the UMC. Gibbs said as more time had passed, the more split the church became on the issue. In the last eight years, the UMC has had

roughly a dozen proposals that have tried to resolve the dispute, he said.

“This most recent one got a lot of publicity because it probably was the most truly negotiated compromise,” Gibbs said.“If there's ever been a proposal that could get passed that would split the United Methodist Church, this is probably it.”

The official proposal, titled “Protocol of Reconciliation & Grace through Separation,” was signed on Dec. 17, but was not released publicly until Jan. 3.

According to the agreement, $25 million would go to the new “traditionalist” denomination. In exchange, the new denomination would drop any claims to UMC assets. In addition, the agreement said that $2 million would go to any other new denomination that wishes to split from the church. Furthermore, the agreement calls for $39 million to ensure that communities “historically marginalized by the sin of racism” can still be supported.

Despite tensions within the church, senior pastor at University Heights United Methodist Church David Nouen said he has hope for the future.

“To hear the word ‘United’ and then to go through something where it’s breaking apart … there’s some grief, of course,”Nouen said.“You’re grieving, but at the same time … there’s a little bit of optimism. Regardless of what side you are on the issue, both sides see the future with hope that they can really invest in what they want to.”

The proposal’s announcement came amid new sanctions in the church that would have punishments for UMC pastors who officiate same-sex weddings harsher. These sanctions went into effect on Jan. 1 and included a one-year suspension without pay for the first wedding and total removal from the clergy for any wedding thereafter.

Predictions about how UIndy could be affected by this potential split are dangerous, considering there is

no solid guarantee of how the vote will turn out in May, according to Universit y President Robert Manuel.

He said that regard less of whether the split

happens, the university will have to take a look at its values and the decisions in thoughtful and inclusive ways.

“We'll be brought to the table for us to look at [those decisions] and say, ‘Are these the values that we relate to—the values that drive and motivate our history and our tradition?

And where do we find our connections > See UMC on page 8

Graphic by Daniela Gomez

TeamIMPACT changes lives at UIndy

By Cassandra Lombardo MANAGING EDITOR

When seven-year-old Colton Darst was born, the doctors told his family that he would never be able to walk.

Darst was born with a condition called arthrogryposis, which is multiple contractures of the joint, according to Colton’s mother, Amber Darst.

However, Colton proved the doctors wrong by walking at the age of three and a half. Amber said that in his lifetime, Colton has undergone 10 surgeries, hip reconstruction and has had over 80 casts. Because of Colton’s condition, the University of Indianapolis wrestling team welcomed him as a member of their team on Nov. 26, 2019 according to UIndy Athletics, through an organization called TeamIMPACT. According to the TeamIMPACT’s website, “TeamIMPACT connects children battling serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming lifelong bonds and lifechanging outcomes.” Regional Director of Programs Kiernan McGeehan, who has been a part of the TeamIMPACT organization since 2016, is responsible for matching families with collegiate athletic programs within the Midwest region.

This was how Colton was connected to UIndy wrestling.

“As a program, we work with a lot of different kids, with a lot of different medical backgrounds and diagnoses,” McGeehan said. “One thing that we really focus on, and one thing that we have learned as an organization is that most, if not all of the kids in our program are going through the same social, emotional challenges or anxieties that may be brought on by their diagnoses.That social piece is the common denominator that we see in connecting these kids with their teams.”

According to McGeehan, TeamIMPACT is looking to offer the child a safe space and an environment where they can make and maintain

ACE site to transition to new platform

By Noah Crenshaw NEWS EDITOR

Photo by Jacob Walton

The University of Indianapolis' wrestling team had a draft day with TeamIMPACT on Nov. 25 for Colton Darst, 7, where he signed his letter of intent and officially became an UIndy wrestler. The event mimicked a press conference with the team asking Colton questions.

and he just fits so perfectly with this meaningful relationships between the wrestling team,” Amber said. “He never student-athletes and coaches that they has known anything about wrestling at all, are paired with. but he met with them and he didn’t know “When we first got started,we got super how it was gonna go and I was worried. into the idea that these student-athletes But I am so glad he got matched up with and coaches could impact the child’s the wrestling life as much team because as possible,” these kids are McGeehan amazing with said. “But, we “It's not just us giving him.” really see from back....he brings a lot of Aside from our athletic Colton and contacts and energy with him...” his family our athletic attending participants wrestling that these kids matches, the team spends time with are having just as much of an impact, if Colton outside of those matches. Amber not more [on them].” said that some of the wrestlers went trick Amber said when Colton talks about or treating with Colton last year and came the wrestling team, his face lights up. She over after to play video games and bake said that Colton is just one of the boys. cookies. Head Wrestling Coach Jason “[Colton’s] personality is so infectious

Warthan, who has been with UIndy for 10 years said that this is their first time with a TeamIMPACT kid. He said that once Colton came, it was awesome and he is a special little guy.

“We want to help him and make him feel a part of things and what we have seen is that it’s had a positive effect on our guys too,” Warthan said. “It’s not just us giving back, he brings a lot of energy with him and to see that our guys are happy when he’s around. I think it brings perspective, too, that we have God-given talents that we’re able to use and develop and he’s not going to have those same types of opportunities with his condition, but it hasn’t stopped him from living life to the fullest.”

According to McGeehan, UIndy currently has two teams connected > See IMPACT on page 5

The University of Indianapolis will be switching learning management systems for ACE by the end of the 2021-22 academic year, according to Ellen Miller, associate provost of research, graduate programs and academic partnerships and executive director of the Center for Aging and Community.The new system UIndy will use is Desire2Learns’ Brightspace.

The current learning management system is provided by Sakai, which the university has used since 2011, according to The Reflector archives. Before using Sakai, UIndy used Blackboard.

The contract for Brightspace was signed in January, Miller said. Brightspace was an unanimous choice that was selected following a review of UIndy's needs.

Brightspace is an intuitive, easy-to-use platform, Miller said. It will allow faculty to create engaging learning experiences and has built-in analytics software that UIndy will use to continue to improve learning and teaching experiences.

There will be an early adopter program for some faculty and staff for limited use of Brightspace in the fall, Miller said.The majority of courses will still be published in ACE, however.

Throughout the 2020-21 academic year, both systems will be used for training and development, Miller said.

Regular updates will be provided by IT and the Faculty Academy during the process, she said.

The transition to be completed sometime during the 2021-22 academic year, Miller said. UIndy’s name for the Brightspace platform has not yet been finalized, she said.

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OPINION

THE REFLECTOR

Has advertising gone too far?

By Meg Copeland STAFF WRITER

Planters introduced “Baby Nut” Feb. 2, after the brand’s original mascot, Mr. Peanut, died at the age of 104. The ad campaign’s introduction of Baby Nut was originally postponed due to the untimely death of former Lakers player Kobe Bryant, according to the HuffPost.While for some, this may seem unethical when it stems from popular culture, changes in advertising strategies is absolutely necessary to a company’s survival and relevancy in a society that is constantly moving to the next best thing.

Brands lie in uncertainty if consumers will purchase their products if they are not advertised to fit current trends. So far in 2020, Disney’s series “The Mandalorian” brought “The Child” to popular culture which has been unofficially labeled as “Baby Yoda.” Numerous memes and references have dominated the internet since, and it appears Planters has embraced this cute child trend to create the new face of the company, Baby Nut. The company seized this advertising opportunity, and as a result, Baby Nut hashtag trended on Twitter, according to the HuffPost, as well as having thousands of reactionary tweets for and against the character.

Consumers expect companies to keep up with the times, and because change occurs rapidly, companies feel pressured to make changes that appeal to consumers. According to Brandfolder, one of the most important company rebrands, or advertising strategy, in the past year was Taco Bell. Not only did Taco Bell switch its logo from bold purples and yellows to a refined design and neutral color scheme, it changed its storefronts as well. Now, the interior design of almost all Taco Bells is simpler and more modern. If Taco Bell had not rebranded by changing its design and updating its menus, it most likely would have been lost in the world of fast food.

Consumers see a snippet of what company rebranding looks like every single year in February, even though it might be temporary. Some companies change their advertising strategy for the holidays to get people to buy from them during the seasonal rush. During this time, companies include heart icons and push people to pop the big question using their gifts in quite literally everything they put out. If a child sees a gigantic box of candy with their favorite non-fictional or fictional character on it, they probably want it. While this may not be ethical to child favorites, it can boost sales.

Advertising directed at children is an ethical dilemma that many advertisers ignore. It is unethical to advertise to

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Grieving in the age of social media Timely empathy should be provided

By Jayden Kennett

Graphic by Ethan Gerling

children because it takes advantage of a child’s innocence, according to alana.org. Children are still developing, so often they do not recognize the way advertisers try to persuade people to buy their products. According to alana.org, because children are still developing, they do not know how to question the value of products, and just accept the advertisements at their face value: Children cannot see the different layers that companies have, or decide fully if they should make the purchase and support them.This can often be damaging to young children because it could cause them to over-consume advertisements.

While advertising may not be necessarily ethical, it is necessary in order for a company to survive in the consumer-driven world we live in. If companies cannot trend on Twitter for a day or put out brand new menus or logos, then they inevitably will lose a portion of their buyers to competing companies. It’s a dog-eat-dog market out there, and companies have to compete to

survive. It has come as an expectation for companies to update their output: If consumers do not see companies updating their products or the way the companies advertise their products, the consumers lose interest. One could argue the companies are doing the driving of the competitive market, that they are creating their own issues by trying to outsell competitors. The consumers are ultimately the ones who are dictating the survival of companies. As Taco Bell’s situation displayed, rebranding can positively affect their media presence; Taco Bell was named one of the healthiest fast-food chains in America and met with praise because of the rebrand, according to Brandfolder.

While Baby Nut has been enjoying its moment on the brains of the masses, another company has been figuring out how to advertise to get their five minutes of fame. The circle will always continue, at the expense of taking advantage of popular trends and the ever changing reality.

There may be some potential problems in fostering animals, such as animals who are not housebroken destroying the person’s belongings, but fostering can be an opportunity to teach these animals better behaviors, making these animals more likely to be adopted.

Another potential problem is the person

According to hsjc.org, “ Your willingness to foster an animal could mean the difference between euthanasia and the time needed to find a

society, we should take a step back and think about what it would be like to be EDITOR-IN-CHIEF that family member learning about the death of a loved one via social media.

The afternoon that my best friend There is no right way to deal with Layla passed away was an afternoon that death on social media, but there are some I will never forget. I remember a close etiquettes to follow. Announcements of friend calling to tell me that Layla had someone’s death should be left up to their been in an accident. I knew about the closest family, and their closest family accident already and maybe I had not only. Family members should have the accepted or understood how bad the prerogative to decide when, where and accident was until that friend told me how to tell others about the loss. This that Layla had died. will ensure that the family is notified Like that, within minutes, social beforehand and ensure respect from your media posts flew up. News outlets were end. Your social media post can wait. Let spreading around the scene. Immediately, the deceased person’s family and friends I called a friend, and drove to another grieve, even for just a minute, although friend's house to break the news. But it they deserve as long as they need. was too late. By the time I made the 20 If you did not have a close connection minute drive, she already had seen a post to the deceased, you probably should from someone on social media, someone stick to condolences on a family’s post, who barely knew my friend Layla. instead of making one of your own. I The posts and news articles began an come from a small town so when Layla avalanche of “R.I.P.” and “heaven gained died, everyone was posting about her. But an angel” posts I knew that not that I couldn’t everyone who escape,all while was posting her family and had a deep There is no right way f riends were re l a t i on s h i p to deal with death still trying to with her. Some process that posts were on social media. she was gone. f rom people It seemed as who merel y though people had passed her who had barely known Layla had to claim in the hallway between classes. To see her death as their own personal loss and those posts felt so unfair and revolting. I let everyone else know that they were knew some came from good intentions, somehow affected by it. Her friends and but it felt so wrong to see posts from family were not given time to breathe, let people who did not have to live with alone take in the news, before social media her death for the rest of their lives. Even posts surged through every platform. sharing a loved one’s post or a news article And to those of my friends who found can be impactful and more thoughtful out about her death on social media, the than a “R.I.P.” post. situation was not fair. Imagine scrolling I know tragedy can be hard to through Twitter to see a “R.I.P.” post understand. Often we don’t know how about someone you love, and this is the to console those in grief. But please, keep first time you have heard the news. As a the posts off of social media for a while.

Consider fostering to save animals' lives

By Whitney Black STAFF WRITER

Many animals wait alone in shelters every year. Every day, they watch people walk by, hoping for a bit of attention.

Some animals get played with and still do not get taken home. However, during the cold winter months, people tend not to think about the animals in shelters who are waiting for a warm loving home.

Although not everyone is ready to adopt a pet, fostering animals can be a good alternative. This gets animals out of the shelter for an extended period of time and helps them gain skills that adopters are looking for.

Animal shelters are almost always overcrowded. If people can, they should help the shelters for the animals. Animals deserve loving homes and at least a chance to live. Some of the benefits of fostering include making the animals feel loved, possibly the first time in their lives and reducing the overcrowding in the shelter, which means better care for the animals that cannot get adopted.

Some may be concerned that fostering animals will not get adopted because they are not in the shelter when potential adopters visit. However, the potential adopters can see the animals before committing to adopting them. The animals are still actively shown on the shelters’ websites.

may get attached to the animal, and the animal may get attached to the person. But this, too, can be positive.The person who fosters an animal can adopt that animal he or she really wants to. Either way, fostering or adopting, the reward is in knowing the animal survived another day in their journey to a forever home.

loving animal a permanent home.”

No animal deserves to be euthanized, especially when overcrowding or the inability to find a home is the reason. There are many places where people can make arrangements to foster an animal, such as Indy Humane, the Humane Society of Johnson

Graphic by Jayden Kennett

Count y and others. The great thing is that you people can foster animals when they want and however many they want, in respect to each organization’s guidelines. The organization is

flexible about people’s schedules.

Fostering can be vital to animals’ survival.

During the winter months, according to The Daily Star, which is based in New York, the shelters are so busy taking in animals because it is so cold outside, so they need somewhere to put them. The animals deserve to be in a warm loving home rather than a cold and lonely cage. Being a part of the Greyhound community should make the students, faculty, staff and alumni of the University of Indianapolis even more. Imagine Grady being stuck in a cage with only a bed and food and water. Animals in shelters do not get to go out and play as often as pets at home. All animals deserve to be loved and cared for the way Grady is.

After the winter months, animals still need and deserve to be fostered. The animals are there for cuddles, to play with and are always excited when the person comes home. To foster, a person has to be at least 18-years-old and I highly recommend fostering to anyone who loves animals and has the space to care for them.

These animals may require a lot of patience because they have been in a shelter for a long time, are close to being euthanized or interact poorly but each deserves a chance at a real life. We can help make the world a better place, four paws at a time.

NEWS

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Preparing for the worse

THE REFLECTOR

Chief of Police, Dean of Students discuss the university's contingency plans

By Hallie Gallinat

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Disasters can arise at any time and any place and whenever they do arise, it is always best to have a plan. In case such an incident does emerge, the University of Indianapolis has contingency plans that cover a wide range of incidents, such as fires, tornadoes, power outages, bomb threats and active aggressors.

If an emergency does happen on campus, Kory Vitangeli, vice president for student and campus affairs and dean of students, said she advises students, faculty, and staff to react calmly, pay attention to Watchdog alerts and comply with requests if they are asked to go to a different location. She said she wants students to know that there is a team of people assessing the emergency situation and figuring out how to proceed.

In the case of a fire, students, faculty and staff should calmly evacuate through the nearest emergency exit, according to the emergency desktop guide that can be found on myUIndy. When evacuating, students and faculty should not use any elevators and instead use the stairs.

If there is smoke, crouch down to the ground and move towards the exit.

If there is a tornado, students, faculty and staff are to take shelter underground and stay away from windows. If outside, one should find the nearest building or sunken area of ground. Students and faculty should avoid taking shelter in auditoriums or gymnasiums, according to the emergency desktop guide.

In the case of a technological disaster, such as a power outage, students, faculty

take all bomb threats seriously and follow and staff should remain calm and find an police instructions in case of evacuation. area with emergency lights. Usually, the In the case of bomb threats, students, power is restored quickly and evacuation faculty and staff should let UIndy Police is not needed, according to the emergency know by calling (317) 788-3333 or dial desktop guide. However, in the event 3333 from a campus phone. In the case of an evacuation is required, students and an active aggressor, call 911 immediately. faculty should stand by for evacuation Chief of Police and Director of instructions from emergency personnel.

Campus Security David Selby says The emergency desktop guide advises reporting emergencies is important and students and faculty to have a small if an emergency is happening, alert the flashlight in case of a power outage. police right away.

If there is an active aggressor, students, “If you see a fire, if something's going faculty and staff should follow lockdown on, you need to call [the police],” Selby procedures. If in a room, lock all doors said. “If there's an emergency, [call] 911 and windows and stay calm. If a building [and] get ahold of us. The struggle we or campus lockdown occurs, where all have is I'll get an email that said, ‘Hey, students, faculty and staff are moved into you know, a week ago, I saw this person buildings, stay inside the building until in a parking lot the lockdown and they were is over. acting really Students, staff and faculty “If there's an emergency, strange.’That's a little too late. can also assess [call] 911 [and] get We need to the situation be told when and follow the a hold of us.” s om e t h i n g ’s Run, Hide, happening.”

Fight response Watchdog if there is an is mostly used to alert students, faculty active aggressor. If there is an escape and staff to a threat or incident on route, leave all belongings and run to campus, according to Vitangeli. However, the nearest exit with hands in the air to emergency beacons placed throughout signal to police you are not a threat. If campus and Alertus desktop notifications hiding is an option, hide away from the are also used to alert students and aggressor’s sight, silence all cell phones, faculty to an emergency on campus. In and block the entry to the hiding place. addition, according to Selby, a speaker The fight option should only be used as outside Schwitzer Student Center a last resort, but if it is the only option which looks like a birdhouse has also left, try to incapacitate the aggressor. been implemented to alert students and If there is a bomb threat, let faculty to disasters. an instructor or supervisor know All of UIndy’s plans for emergencies immediately and do not try to find the can be found on the myUIndy homepage device. Students, faculty and staff are to

under the Protect UIndy/Public Safety button. There, students, faculty and staff can find information such as rally points and members of emergency control committees for each building in case of an evacuation, a comprehensive emergency management plan and other resources.

“We hope that there's a lot of great information out on the police channel of the myUIndy site,” Vitangeli said. “If people want more information about our emergency plans and lots of tips for how to handle emergencies, we certainly would refer people to that because the more prepared people are, and just knowing the information, the better we'll all be during any situation that we have to deal with.”

While UIndy Police talks about this information at events such as at freshman orientation, Selby advises students to look at and educate themselves on these plans online.

“We used to try to get a lot of information out to [the] public safety website,” Selby said. “Students come to school and they're so busy and they count on all of us to keep them safe, which we take seriously too. But, I think getting the word out that that information is there for you if you want to look at it.”

Emergency plans allow the university to be proactive in planning for scenarios, Vitangeli said. In addition, it is important to identify people on campus who can figure out how the campus should move forward, she said.

“At the end of the day, we have to keep the university running no matter what happens,” Vitangeli said. “We have to keep our campus community safe, that's our number one priority.”

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

NEWS BRIEFS EVENTS Black History Month events continue

Black History Trivia Night will be hosted on Feb. 19 from 8-9:30 p.m. in UIndy Halls B and C in Schwitzer Student Center. On Feb. 26, the Legacy of Excellence Dinner will take place from 6-8:30 p.m. in UIndy Hall A in Schwitzer Student Center. The dinner will celebrate Black History Month, along with the students and staff who identify as African American or of African descent, according to Intercom.

Bill Nye the Science Guy to visit in September Bill Nye will visit UIndy on Sept. 19 as part of Family Weekend 2020, Vice President for Student and Campus Affairs and Dean of Students Kory Vitangeli announced in an email on Feb. 6. The headlining event, “A Conversation with Bill Nye,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. in Nicoson Hall. The conversation is sponsored by the Penrod Lecture Series and the University Lecture Series. Tickets will go on sale in late March.

CAMPUS School of Business students work on sustainability project Students in the Quantitative Methods course taught by Assistant Professor of Operations and Supply Chain Management Craig Seidelson worked with Facilities Management and Ray’s Recycling for a sustainability project.

For the project, students calculated how much trash UIndy’s campus generates and how much recycling happens on campus.

School of Nursing’s online graduate programs move up in national rankings The School of Nursing’s online master’s program made the U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 Schools in 2020, moving up 57 places from 118 to 61.

UIndy’s program was one of 1,200 programs that were surveyed and only the regionally accredited institutions whose programs are offered mostly or entirely online were evaluated by U.S. News & World Report.

Graphic by Tony Reeves

UIndy receives 2020 Carnegie Community Engagement Classification In January, the Carnegie Foundation announced that UIndy would be one of 119 institutions to receive their Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, an elective designation that indicates an institution’s commitment to community engagement. The classification has been the leading framework for institutional assessment and recognition of community engagement in higher education in the United States for the past 14 years, UIndy said in a press release.

Library Perk to have new hours beginning March 16 Perk III, which is located in the Krannert Memorial Library, will have new hours after spring break. Starting on March 16, Perk III will be open from 7 a.m. - 12 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays. The hours for Fridays and Sundays will remain the same, with the Perk III being open from 7 a.m.- 3 p.m. on Fridays and 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. on Sundays. Perk III will continue to be closed on Saturdays.

UPCOMING The next issue of The Reflector comes out on March 4. Don’t forget to pick up your copy!

NATION

4 THE REFLECTOR

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Families sue to block transgender athletes Connecticut families take steps to prevent transgender students from participating in girls sports

By Dan Brechlin & Shawn McFarland

THE HARTFORD COURANT HARTFORD, Conn. (TCA) — The families of three female high school runners have taken another step toward trying to prevent transgender athletes from participating in girls sports in Connecticut. Months after filing a federal Title IX discrimination complaint, the families filed a federal lawsuit on Feb. 12.

The lawsuit seeks to reverse a Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference rule that allows high school athletes to compete in sports corresponding with their gender identity.

If successful, the lawsuit would require athletes to compete based on their birth sex and could result in changes to state record books.

The Title IX complaint filed last year is still pending, which led to the filing of this lawsuit. In addition to asking for the policy to be overturned, there is a motion to put the policy on hold for the spring high school sports season.

Selina Soule, of Glastonbury High, Alanna Smith, of Danbury High, and Chelsea Mitchell, of Canton High gathered at the state Capitol on Feb. 12, along with members of the conservative Christian nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom, arguing that they have been deprived of track titles, scholarship opportunities and positive public recognition.

“No girl should have to settle into her starting blocks knowing that you don’t have a fair shot at winning,” said Mitchell, who was named the 2018-19 All-Courant female athlete of the year for her success in track and soccer.“That’s the situation I’ve faced over and over in my high school career.”

The lawsuit alleges that transgender girls are displacing girls who are cisgender (someone who identifies with their birth sex) as the runners compete in the postseason, denying the cisgender girls spots in the State Open and New England championships. Not competing at those

events could prevent the cisgender girls from showcasing their talent in front of college coaches or competing against higher level competition.The lawsuit calls for changing the high school record books to remove transgender athletes from girls competitions, effectively changing the results and winners of some competitions.

The lawsuit is filed against the Connecticut Association of Schools, which oversees the state’s governing board of high school athletics, the CIAC. It is also filed against the school districts of Glastonbury, Danbury, Canton, Bloomfield and Cromwell; the latter two each have transgender runners who have seen significant success in recent years.

Bloomfield’s Terry Miller, now a senior, holds the outdoor track and field State Open records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes and won two New England track titles in 2018. In 2019 she won the 200-meter dash at the New England event and helped her school to a 4x400 relay win. As a freshman, Yearwood won Class M titles in 2017 in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash during the outdoor track and field season.

In 2018, she finished second to Miller at the State Open in the 100-meter dash. During the indoor season in 2019, Yearwood finished second to Miller in the 55-meter dash.

Glenn Lungarini,the executive director of the CIAC, said the organization is aware of the lawsuit and that it believes the current policy is appropriate under both Connecticut law and Title IX. “The CIAC is committed to equity and providing opportunities to student athletes in Connecticut,” Lungarini said. “We are now aware that there is an intention to challenge the policy regarding transgender participation.

CIAC takes these matters seriously. We will cooperate fully in any legal matter.”

Policies on transgender athletes vary by state, with New England states, New York, Pennsylvania and several others having similar policies to Connecticut.

There are 12 states identified as having “harmful, exclusive or invasive” policies according to GLSEN, an LGBTQ

Kassi Jackson/Hartford Courant/TNS

Canton High School senior Chelsea Mitchel speaks during a press conference with Alanna Smith, Danbury High School sophomore, to her left and Selina Soule, Glastonbury High School senior, to her right at the Connecticut State Capitol on Feb. 12 in Hartford, Conn.

advocacy group that focuses on equal rights in schools. Those states have policies that outright deny transgender athletes from competing against the gender they identify with, don’t provide equal opportunity or do not protect trans athletes under HIPPA or FERPA. The CIAC policy differs f rom rules set up by USA Track and Field, which requires transgender athletes to undergo hormone therapy. The USA Track and Field rules, which mirror the International Olympic Committee regulations, are used at colleges in the U.S. The lawsuit also argues there are biological differences between cisgender boys and girls, which could give transgender athletes an advantage. It uses the differences in boys’ and girls’ race times as evidence.

Chase Strangio, the deputy director for Trans Justice with the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project,“is a dangerous distortion of both law and science in the service of

excluding trans youth from public life.”

“The purpose of high school athletics is to support inclusion, build social connection and teamwork, and help all students thrive and grow,” Stangio said. “Efforts to undermine Title IX by claiming it doesn’t apply to a subset of girls will ultimately hurt all students and compromise the work of ending the long legacy of sex discrimination in sports.”

Stangio added that the lawsuit “deliberately misgenders transgender youth” and is “a threat to the privacy and equality of all students.”

The policy, however, has caused stress for Mitchell, who has been “physically sick” before races knowing she may not win, the lawsuit states. Soule has “suffered depression” after not being in the state finals.The lawsuit states that if Miller and Yearwood were disallowed, Soule would have been able to compete in the finals.

“That (policy) changed everything,” Soule said. “Now when we line up in

front of our blocks and the starter calls for us to get into position, we all know how the race will go. We can’t win. We’ve lived it, we’ve watched it happen.”

Alliance Defending Freedom lawyer Christiana Holcomb said the complaint and lawsuit are strictly based on competition.

“Ask any one of these female plaintiffs up here on this stage; it’s absolutely not about the lifestyle,”said Holcomb.“What it is about is fundamental fairness is women’s athletics. It’s ensuring that the promise of Title IX is carried through, and that girls are able to compete and experience the thrill of victory that Title IX was designed to provide them when passed nearly 50 years ago.”

——— ©2020 The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.)

V isit The Hartford Courant (Hartford, Conn.) at www.courant.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

150,000 county and state employees and contractors. Phishing victims unwittingly click on emailed links designed to get personal information, such as passwords.

“It’s about working outside your comfort zone and forging relationships,” said Erik Avakian, Pennsylvania’s chief information security officer. “We think this is really the path forward for all states.

It’s something they should be looking at.”

Cybersecurity remains a serious issue for state governments, as sophisticated hackers and cybercriminals are constantly scanning computer networks looking for vulnerabilities. Those networks contain information such as Social Security numbers, birth certificates, bank account details and credit card numbers of

That’s a 150% hike over the previous two-year period, she said.

In fact, the majority of publicized ransomware attacks in the United States last year targeted local governments, according to the report by the governors’ and state IT officers’ associations. Cities and counties provide essential services to residents and need access to their data to function effectively.

Ransomware hijacks government computer systems and holds them hostage until their victims pay a ransom or restore the system on their own.

In October, the FBI issued a public service announcement, saying state and local governments “have been particularly visible targets for ransomware attacks.”

Those attacks can be devastating.

Democratic New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell declared a state of emergency in December after a ransomware attack hobbled the city.

Officials had to shut down more than 4,000 computers and close municipal courthouses. The attack has cost the city at least $7 million.

Nearly two dozen Texas cities were targeted in a ransomware attack in August that led Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to order a “Level 2 Escalated Response,” which is just one level below the emergency management division’s highest alert. The state led the response and helped the cities restore their systems.

And Baltimore was hit by a ransomware attack in May that crippled thousands of computers and left workers unable to access online accounts and payment systems for weeks. City officials transferred $6 million from a parks and recreation fund to pay for cyber protections. In total, restorations and repairs cost $18 million.

Preventing and responding to attacks can be complicated when efforts involve jurisdictions that generally operate

independently of one another.

“Some cyber incidents are truly becoming emergencies. (State and local IT officials) shouldn’t be exchanging business cards at that point,” said Maggie Brunner, cybersecurity program director for the national governors’ group. “ They should be doing it ahead of time. We’d love to see state CIOs know every single local IT director.”

In Pennsylvania, IT security chief Avakian said his agency held quarterly meetings with county IT officials to build relationships and find out about their cybersecurity needs.

“The fact that we’ve cracked this nut across jurisdictional boundaries is significant,” Avakian said.

Because of the collaboration, he said, the state was able to buy licenses for the phishing training exercise in bulk. The larger number of users lowered the cost per unit and saved the state and its 67 counties a considerable amount of money.

He wouldn’t say how much.

“Now that we’ve done this, more people want to come onboard — school districts, cities,” Avakian said. “It’s kind of taken off.”

Michael Sage, chief information officer for the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, called the cyber training and relationship the counties have developed with the commonwealth “a fantastic effort.”

“It has bolstered awareness and helped the counties understand where the threats are coming from, so they can stay vigilant,” Sage said. “The more we can collaborate and share, the better off we’re going to be.”

——— ©2020 Stateline.org Visit Stateline.org at www.stateline. org Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

States help cities fight back against cybercrime

By Jenni Bergal STATELINE.ORG

WASHINGTON (TCA) — When the computers of the city of Lodi, Calif., got hit by a ransomware attack last April, the strike disabled phone lines, forced police officers to write reports by hand and prevented workers from sending out utility bills.

City officials refused to pay the ransom of 75 bitcoins — about $400,000 — and instead turned to their cyber insurance company, which sent in a legal team and security experts to investigate and help return the system to normal.

“It took a lot of our energy and ended up consuming a great deal of time,” recalled City Manager Steve Schwabauer.

“We ultimately filed a claim of about $250,000, and it’s not fully closed yet.”

State legislators later gave Lodi, a city of about 67,000, a half-million-dollar grant to upgrade cybersecurity.

As cybercriminals increase their attacks against local governments— hundreds of municipalities and county agencies were hit in the past two years— some states are helping cities and counties better protect themselves.

S tates have offered election cybersecurity, responses to ransomware attacks that take computer systems hostage, training and other programs, according to a recent report by the National Governors Association and the National Association of State Chief Information Officers.

“It’s the right thing to do,” said Meredith Ward, the latter group’s policy and research director. “Cybersecurity is a team sport. States and local government and the private sector all have a role to play.”

But while 65% of states report that they provide some cybersecurity services

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to local governments, the scope varies widely. And other states aren’t doing anything to help, saying they don’t have jurisdiction over local governments or they lack money to spare.

“It ’s very hard for most local governments,”said Alan Shark, executive director of the Public Technology Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that provides training and other support to local government information technology executives.

“They lack the resources to adequately protect themselves. Yesterday’s fixes don’t work today. The cybercriminals are encouraged.”

But Shark said more states are starting to assist local governments in restoring their systems.

T h e s t a t e s c om m i t t e d t o collaboration are on the right track, the report by the governors’ and IT chiefs’ groups found. Among them: — Illinois created a program that helps local election officials improve their cybersecurity readiness and conduct risk assessments. It hired IT specialists to help local election offices beef up their security.

— Iowa is using a federal grant to offer counties cybersecurity vulnerability scanning and to pay for hardware and anti-malware tools. It also is piloting cyber projects with schools, cities and hospitals.

— North Carolina developed a partnership with the state’s National Guard and emergency management division to help local governments, school systems and community colleges recover data compromised during a cyberattack and provide training to help prevent future incidents.

— Pennsylvania partnered with the county commissioners’ statewide association to provide security awareness training and phishing exercises for all number, which will be verified. Letters are subject to condensation and editing to remove profanity.

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“Now that we've done this, more people want to come onboard....” millions of individuals and businesses.

But it’s especially hard for local governments. Just last month, for example, a small school district near Austin, Texas, with 9,600 students, disclosed that it had lost $2 million in a phishing email scam.

Local governments saw a spike in cyberattacks in 2019, and experts say it doesn’t look like they’re going to abate any time soon.

In the past 24 months, at least 370 cyber incidents affecting local governments and public safety agencies were publicly reported in 47 states, according to Aubrey Larson, a marketing manager at SecuLore Solutions, a Maryland-based cybersecurity company.

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SPORTS

5 FEBRUARY 19, 2020

THE REFLECTOR

Track and Field jumps to top ten ranking

By Luke Ostenson STAFF WRITER

Photo Contributed by UIndy Athletics

Senior and junior guards Mickey Sasson [left] and Shira Sasson [right] during their time in the Israeli Army and Navy. They enlisted in 2015 and were discharged two years later.

Photo by Jacob Walton

Junior guard Shira (left) and senior gaurd Mickey (right) Sasson in the game against Lindenwood Univeristy. They combined for 21 points and 9 assists in the Hound’s win.

A life of basketball

Mickey and Shira Sasson’s trip from Ashdod, Israel, to Indianapolis, Indiana

By Jacob Walton SPORTS EDITOR & CO-PHOTO EDITOR

A 6,000 mile journey from Ashdod, Israel to Indianapolis, Ind. to play basketball is the reality for senior and junior guards Mickey and Shira Sasson who have spent the majority of their lives playing basketball together. The two have played together on several teams, served in the Israeli military and now, after attending separate colleges their freshman year, they are players for the University of Indianapolis women’s basketball team.

Mickey and Shira were among the founding members of their school’s firstever women’s basketball team. According to Shira, the team consisted of seven girls and in their first season, they made it to the finals of their high school league, which was broadcast on national TV. Meanwhile, the sisters also played in the professional world by making the roster of the Israeli National Team.

According to Shira, they competed with hundreds of other women from across Israel for 12 spots on the team. Shira said her favorite memory from playing on the national team was when she realized

front and competing against big teams that both she and Mickey had made the in Europe: Spain, Serbia, Montenegro, team together.

Russia-stuff like that,” Mickey said. “It’s “I think the happiest day of my life absolutely amazing … and you get to was when we were 13 and the pressure represent your country.” was on. I remember one day we finished At the age of 18, the sisters served practice and whenever they call someone their mandatory two years of service, aside to the conference room, you know enlisting in the Israeli military in 2015. they were letting them go,” Shira said.

Mickey went into the army as a tank “I looked around for my sister, to see if engineer, and Shira went into the navy she’s still around. And I said, ‘They’re not talking to me; they’re not talking to her.’ for logistics.

“I didn’t have the best experience. The That’s all I cared about. I just wanted both two years [in of us to make it the military] to the final 12.” was kind of The team “Then when I knew I was rough. But I competed with other countries coming here, I didn’t think managed to get through around the twice about it...” that with the world. The help of family t e a m s we re and f riends, divided into and time management and basketball Division A and Division B for the definitely helped,”Shira said.“Then when European championships, according to I knew I was coming here, I didn’t think Mickey. She said that when the team beat twice about it. I just acted so fast. We the Latvia National Team and moved were discharged from the military July, up from B to A, that made history for [and] I was here August. It was really Israel because it was the first time the fast, and the transition was very hard for women’s basketball team had been able me, harder than I would like to admit.” to accomplish that. She said that was one After her service, Mickey played of the greatest experiences of her life. one year of basketball at the College “You feel so proud wearing the of the Sequoias, according to Women’s uniforms that just say Israel on the

Basketball Head Coach Kristin Wodrich.

This caused Mickey to arrive at UIndy one year after Shira. Shira said that being separated for that year was difficult.

“It was initially kind of a disaster. We did everything together, but it’s not like we weren’t independent people. We were.

But I felt like something was missing,” Shira said. “It was really weird talking to people here and making friends and having to explain who Mickey is …. I learned a lot about myself being without her and having to do my own thing.”

Since Mickey’s arrival at UIndy, the two have been playing better, because of their chemistry, Shira said. Wodrich said that their chemistry makes them stronger on the court together and that their experience overseas has helped them succeed.

“I think on the defensive [end] and they really bring a lot [to the team] and they play well together. So when they’re in there together, we’re able to pick up full court and trap and be able to do different things,” Wodrich said. “And they’re two different positions: Mickey plays point guard, and Shira can play anything from a three through five [forward through center]. Being able to be versatile and use them both in different ways has been really helpful.”

IMPACT from page 1

Photo by Ben Zefeng Zhang

Fourteen-year-old Braden Tamosaitis orginally applied to TeamIMPACT, hoping to become part of any team, to then pair with the UIndy Men’s Soccer team. Braden was drafted with the men’s team on Feb. 26, 2014 and has been with them ever since, now acts as a coach. According to Braden’s dad, Kevin Tamosaitis, the boys treat him like their little brother.

with TeamIMPACT, men’s soccer and wrestling. In the past, other teams such as baseball, men’s basketball and men’s golf have been matched with kids from TeamIMPACT. McGeehan said that from a programmatic lens, the kids are with the team for two years, but after those two years, the child technically graduates from the program. However, they leave it open to the family and team to carry on their relationship beyond the boundaries of TeamIMPACT. One of the kids who has carried on that relationship is 14 year old Braden Tamosaitis. Braden has been a part of

the UIndy men’s soccer team for over five years, according to McGeehan.

Braden’s dad Kevin, said that Braden has spina bifida and has had more than 30 surgeries to date.

According to Kevin, they first heard about TeamIMPACT when they saw a story in The Reflector about the baseball team and their past TeamIMPACT kid.

Kevin said they already had connections with UIndy when Braden threw the first pitch at a baseball game and did the coin toss before a football game.

This led them to eventually apply for TeamIMPACT and get paired with the

mens’ soccer team.

“During our first season, we were really unsure what to expect. Coach Higgins and the university from day one told us any meetings, any practices, any games, anything that Braden wanted to be at, he was a part of the team as much as anybody else,” Kevin said. “They even had Braden do a version of a fitness test and he got access to his locker that they gave him and all his UIndy gear, it was actually a really cool experience that first time.”

To this date, according to Kevin, Braden has had five collegiate starts

with the UIndy soccer team and Coach Higgins has lettered him every year as well. Kevin said that the coaching staff, the sports administration and the school administration have treated them like family.

“The boys are there for Braden when he has surgery. The coaches, I’ve watched some of their kids grow up over the years, become friends with all of them. We’ve traveled with the soccer team, we were able to experience the final four with them this past season,” Kevin said. “They’ve done nothing but support everything with Braden. Hats off to them.”

The University of Indianapolis Women’s Track and Field team has wasted no time in asserting itself as one of the nation’s premiere teams. They are currently ranked 8th in the nation, as of Reflector print time after jumping over 40 spots.

Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Scott Fangman said that this came as a surprise because he was not expecting such an emergence of talent on the women’s side.

According to Fangman, there are a number of reasons for the jump in ranking. One primary factor is the physical shape of the athletes when they returned after the summer.

“The physical fitness that they came in [with] this year is probably the best we’ve ever had,” Fangman said. “I think it might just be a lifestyle for them now.”

Fangman said he is pleased with the widespread dedication to fitness, as well as the number of women who stepped up in their individual events, ultimately leading to great success for the whole team.

While emphasizing that the success is due to the depth and contributions from women across the board, he said there are a few who have done particularly well this year.

Fa n g m a n s a i d t h a t j u n i o r distance r unner Lauren Bailey has exceeded expectations. She is second in the nation for the 3000 meters after running a time of 9:28:24 at the Meyo Invitational on Feb. 9.

She is also second in the nation for the 5000 meters after running a time of 16:17:70 in the 5000 meters at the Grand Valley State University Holiday Open on Dec. 6.

Fangman said that high jumpers junior Taylor Strnad and senior Deju Miller also have performed well, in addition to hurdler Keri Ertel, a rising conference leader, and pole vaulter sophomore Brittney Clark, who is ranked 14th in the nation.

Although there have been many returning contributors to this year’s women’s track team, sophomore sprinter Sheniya Brown from University of Southern Indiana and so phomore distance runner Berenice Cleyet-Merle from California Baptist University are two who are providing benefit to the team, according to Fangman.

He said they have been a pleasant surprise.

Brown broke a 17 year school record in the 60-meter on Jan. 1, posting a time of 7.72 seconds, shaving .12 seconds off the record set by Tiffany Turner in 2003, according to UIndy Athletics.

She said she did not think she would break the record this early in the year.

She said that prior to this race, she was feeling great physically and was confident she could break the record during that meet. She also said that she likes to keep a clear mind, prior to and during her races to help her perform to her best ability.

According to Fangman, CleyetMerle’s contributions have proven to be helpful because she currently holds the fastest mile time in the nation.

Her top spot in the country was earned on Jan. 25 when she ran a 4:46.06 mile at the Tom Hathaway Distance Classic.

Since then she has shaved off another 6 seconds, running a 4:40:49 mile just 2 weeks later on Feb. 9 at the Meyo Invitational.

Cleyet-Merle credits her success in part to her unique training background, in comparison to the training regimen of her competitors.

She said that while living in Europe, she made sprint training on a regular basis a priority, as opposed to longdistance runners in the U.S., who train almost exclusively in long distances.

In addition to long-distance training, she said her sprint training has given her extra speed.

Although the women’s team is off to a hot start, they have their eyes focused on the big picture.

Cleyt-Merle said that if the entire team performs well it has the ability to win the national championship. According to Fangman, the expectations for this team are clear.

“Our expectations have never changed.

We expect the expectations to be what they have been historically,” Fangman said. “My goal is always to finish nationally in the top 10%, I really prefer top 5% and then for the conference, we have to be first or second.”

They will compete at the GLVC championships Feb. 29 at the UIndy Arc.

FEATURE

6

Celebrating black history THE REFLECTOR

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

UIndy students, staff reflect on impact, importance of Black History Month in the community

By Madison Gomez & Cameron Blankenship OPINION EDITOR & STAFF WRITER

February holds different connotations to different people.

For some it may be just another month on the calendar, for others it is a time to celebrate heritage and learning. On campus and within the University of Indianapolis community, students and staff have opened up about their feelings towards Black History Month.

Amber Smith talks diversity and importance of BHM

In 2014, before she was hired at UIndy, Vice President and Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer Amber Smith said she took a group of University of Arkansas at Little Rock students on a trip around Spain and Morocco. In Morocco, the group had planned to stop at an orphanage, play with the kids and teach them about art and music. Smith said when the group had to leave a few hours later, many students were in tears. Those moments where they experienced the company of those children were the most impactful part of the entire trip.

The focus this month is turned to that of coming together to celebrate America’s history, Smith said, because black history is American history, it is just not as well documented as the other. No matter how one celebrates Black History Month, Smith said, there is no wrong way to do it, as long as “the spirit in the space is of honor and reverence.”

The amount of money or days on the calendar does not negate what the celebration means, because like in her 2014 trip, the things that mean the most cost nothing, Smith said.

The conversations or events that take place this month can mean so much to people, and that does not have to cost anything.

“We stand on the backs of greatness and many of these opportunities that we have would not have been realized had people not come before us,” Smith said. “I think Black History Month is a time to remember, reflect and honor those with such an important legacy.”

For Smith, Black History Month is about recognizing that figures in the history books are not the only ones to be remembered and thankful for during Black History Month.

Smith said black history is her great-grandmother. She said she put a quilt together for Smith before she was born so she could be wrapped in it. Even the history of quilt making dates back to the time of the Underground Railroad, Smith said, where quilts and blankets were hung in windows to “dry” when in reality they were used as a sign of direction to those traveling to safety.

While this is her first Black History Month at the UIndy, before her hire Smith had held an interactive event during February called the Overground Railroad at her previous occupation. It was an exploration of black history from the African kingdoms, to the capturing of slaves to Jim Crow laws and finally Obama’s inauguration, according to Smith.

She said while she was not part of the planning for this year’s events, Smith hopes to plan something similar in the future.

“I think there’s something to having audiences move through [history], they enjoy that,” Smith said.

Smith said that celebrating black history should not be limited to just one month, but months like Black History, Hispanic Heritage and Women’s History Month are times to say thank you to the people who have made strides for the sake of others. Smith said that this month is a great time to discuss these topics, even though they can be had throughout the entire year.

Black Student Association and campus celebrations

For sophomore social work major and secretary of the Black Student Association Tylyn Johnson, this month makes for an important time to have conversations about race and the world’s history with it.

“I like the social structures of [Black History Month] … but [also] how we’ve separated people and how that’s influenced our history. Because I feel like most of the year we don’t talk about it, or if we do, it’s very fight or flight as opposed to celebratory,” Johnson said.

The world has benefited greatly from black history, so this month should be important to all, Johnson said. They have influenced modern technology by kickstarting the industrialization of the world from farms and even vogue fashion culture, Johnson said, as it was Latinos and black people who started that type of fashion.

With BSA’s events, Johnson said he hopes that people who come to them will take away a sense of community and respect for history, including the past, present and future of the history that people are making. Out of all the events, Johnson said that the Legacy of Excellence dinner, which is being held on Feb. 19, is probably the most important. “[The dinner] is a huge reflection as a community about this in a way that’s much more broad and very ceremonial in a way,” Johnson said.

The ceremonial aspect, according to Johnson, comes from the formal attire, listening to the speakers and the atmosphere of the event. Johnson said that this ceremony is a school tradition.

It is not only special because it is a tradition, it is also symbolic for the black community, Johnson said.

The Legacy of Excellence dinner is supposed to shed light on the black faculty and students who are making moves and

strides on campus, sophomore communication major and vice president of BSA Lauren Wright said. Another event she said she likes is the Trivia Night because it is very educational for everyone involved.

“I really like [the trivia] because it’s really a part of the learning we kind of lack in schools,” Wright said. “Growing up I didn’t really learn too much in textbooks about black heroes and so doing this trivia gives us some insight on some of those things that we would have never imagined.”

“Hidden Figures” the movie tells the story of Katherine Johnson and her work behind the scenes at NASA for helping put the first man on the moon. Wright said Katherine has been a figure that she has always admired because she went years without her work being noticed and she never pushed an agenda of being seen. Katherine carried herself like a true queen would, Wright said.

“I think she inspired me to pave my own path… but I think seeing the dynamic and different range of black women can do, I learned that from her,” Wright said. “Because black women are not just homemakers…. We can do anything.”

For Johnson, the black women around him, whether that be his family, friends, professors or supervisors, have talked highly of him. According to Johnson they have all said he was something special, that he can do something they just have to put effort into helping him. Johnson said this inspiration and backing helps him become a better version of himself.

“It really cements for me my passion for social justice issues and wanting to be an advocate for people because I feel like I’ve had a lot of people advocate for me,” Johnson said. “But not everybody has those people so to honor that support, I want to make sure other people can get support in some kind of way.”

Constantly pushing to better versions of themselves, Wright, Johnson and Smith said they think UIndy does a good job at celebrating Black History Month, but there could always be room for improvement for it as well.

Johnson said he feels safe on campus to express who he is all times of the year, but there are times when he feels he needs to calm down on vocalizing, using certain dialects or discussing black history. If the university was able to spread the black history appreciation throughout the year, he said that would be beautiful and would help a lot of students of color not feel isolated on a predominantly white campus. According to Johnson, a longer celebration would be fine to him, as long it would not turn into tokenizing black culture.

For minorities all over campus, Wright said that UIndy could do more to celebrate all of them, not just during their respective months. Wright said she is “black 365 days of the year” and she thinks that others should stand boldly in their blackness throughout the year as well. “[Being bold] is what is going to bring attention and really encourage people to want to know better and be better and really honoring our blackness,” Wright said. “I think that if we do that all year around, our voices will be heard.”

Carter Woodson: The Father of Black History Month

After starting the tradition of celebrating black history in 1926, Dr. Carter G. Woodson has been known as the father of Black History Month. According to the Dr. Carter G. Woodson African American Museum’s website, the black history celebration started as the second week of February in honor of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass’ birthdays, and was originally known as “Negro History Week.”According to the museum’s website, Woodson began spreading awareness of black history when he formed the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1912, which has since been changed to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Woodson’s vision for Negro History Week according to ASALH was, “The study of more than two great men (Douglass and Lincoln) but the study of a great race.”

Overtime, the push for public knowledge of black history began making its way into public schools during the 1940s, according to ASALH. Teachers secretly brought it into the classroom as a part of the curriculum.The ASALH website reads that as a part of the civil rights movement, this eventually led to black history being incorporated into classes out of secrecy.

Since its origin, the 1960s are known by the general public as the biggest decade for the civil rights movement. Various events that occured in the 1960s include the Greensboro Sit-ins, protests across the southern states, the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream’’ Speech and the first appointed African American Supreme Court judge Thurgood Marshall, according to NPR’s Black History Month Timeline.

With much of this occurring in 1963, it led to the biggest part of the civil rights movement, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, according to the National Park Service’s website. The act ended segregation in public places, banned employment discrimination and discrimination in all parts of daily American life, according to the NPS website. The civil rights movement during the 1960s brought with it the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968. In solidarity for King Jr.’s assassination, the NPS website states that there was rioting in 125 cities across the United States.

Today, the 2020 Black History Month theme, set by the ASALH, is “African Americans and the Vote.” Black History Month observers are also celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 15th Amendment being ratified, giving men of all races the right to vote. It is also the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the same undeniable right to vote.

Graphic by Justus O’Neil

ENTERTAINMENT THE REFLECTOR

Intimate play challenges actors

By Sophia Atkinson & Justus O’Neil

STAFF WRITER & FEATURE EDITOR University of Indianapolis theatre students have been working with Director and Adjunct Faculty Ron Johnston since November 2019 for their upcoming production of “In The Next Room (or The Vibrator Play).”

According to Johnston, the themes of the play revolve around problematic gender and intimacy dynamics in the Victorian period. Johnston said that the play follows the story of an American doctor, Dr. Givings, and his wife as he tries to find a cure for hysteria through a form of therapy using vibrators.

Playing the role of Dr. Givings is sophomore theatre and communication double major Kyle Jeanor. He said that he has been acting since his freshman year of high school and “In The Next Room” is his fifth production with the UIndy Theatre Department. According to Jeanor, Dr. Givings is a character that has a complicated and non-intimate personality.

“My character is very analytical,” Jeanor said. “He looks at things with a very black and white perspective and not a lot of gray, which is very different from me as a person and that has been

a fun challenge.” so I really wanted that role.”

According to Jeanor, when Heugel said that one of her unpacking the play a little bit challenges throughout the more, he began to realize that rehearsal process is dealing the vibrator aspect of the with the reality of Mrs. play was not nearly as Givings’ emotions. important as its coloquial She said that title might allude to. during rehearsal, Jeanor said that the the emotions that play’s importance lies she acts through in the physical and Mrs. Givings sexual separation feel like they that Dr. and are her own due Mrs. Givings to the intensity experience. of the scenes, S e n i o r but she is able theatre major to differentiate Destiny Heugel after rehearsal was cast in the role of ends.

Mrs. Givings. Heugel “ I t ’s r e a l l y has been acting since emotional and she her sophomore year [Mrs. Givings] pretty of high school, and much never leaves the she has performed stage,” Heugel said. and directed “There’s a lot of really several plays at emotional parts and UIndy, she said.

I don’t get a break.”

According to Some scenes in Graphic by Shayla Cabalan Heugel, she enjoys the play are intimate, playing the role of Mrs. Givings due to and to help actors and actresses approach the character’s complex persona. these scenes, the Theatre Department “I liked that character [Mrs. Givings] hired Intimacy Director Samantha the most,” Heugel said. “She is very Kaufman. Intimate scenes in the play frustrated and sad, but also very funny… include kissing, orgasms and more

according to Johnston. Heugel said that having Kaufman as an intimacy director helped put the actors and actresses at ease when practicing for those kinds of scenes.

Kaufman said that one of the challenges she faced when directing the intimate scenes was getting actors to feel comfortable. As an intimacy director, Kaufman said that she assists with actors and actresses that are in heightened emotional states on stage.

“True consent only occurs when there is the availability of ‘no,’” Kaufman said.

“It’s [part of ] making sure that, when they [actors and actresses] do say yes, they have all of the necessary information.”

Many of the cast members had already been through intimacy workshops, Kaufman said. This allowed her to get into the essence and the deeper meaning of the play much more quickly, she said.

Heugel said people should see the play because it is a good show that brings awareness to women’s sexual needs. According to Johnston, “In The Next Room” brings awareness to people getting locked up in technology, making it difficult to learn how to do the hard work in relationships.

“The play is really about intimacy and connection,”Johnston said.“Even though [the play] is taking place almost a century and a half ago, the author is talking about issues we have today.”

ISM exhibit sheds light on crisis

Indiana State Museum debuts an interactive experience on the opioid crisis

According to Mancuso, the opioid “How can we be useful to people? crisis has been one of Indiana Gov. Eric How can we be relevant to their Holcomb’s five day-to-day life pillars of action. rather than just Mancuso said a place where that because of you get to see “...the more people that those reasons, some old stuff ISM or a place to have good information, the t h e see some art?” less power the crisis has...” wanted to use its platform Mancuso said. as a means to “A l o n g s i d e discuss this that, we have topic. The FIX exhibition features this crisis that’s out there in the states interactive quizzes, lesser-known facts and we’re one of the states that’s really about the opioid crisis, as well as recorded affected by it.”

interviews with individuals who recount their experience as victims inside the crisis. “‘FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside our Opioid Crisis’ really does take you through that heartbreak and hope,” Mancuso said. “We start with a little bit of a linear experience… then the exhibit really opens up.”

Mancuso said that he wanted the exhibit to encourage patrons to experience what they wanted to experience. He said that FIX is unique because instead of being guided through portions that were not engaging for some individuals, it has an open concept that makes it easy to explore aspects of the exhibit that spark curiosity in each visitor.

A large brain sits in the center of the gallery where patrons can enter and learn about the biological changes that occur when experiencing opioid use disorder.

According to Mancuso, the exhibit gives a lot of space to remind people that recovery is possible and, while it is hard work, recovery is for everyone.

“What I do know from our experience going through this is that it cuts through every aspect of society,” Mancuso said.

“It is not special to one group… it’s everywhere and pervasive and something people need to have a really good solid understanding of.”

According to President and CEO of ISM and Historic Sites Cathy Ferree, museums are considered to be one of the most trustworthy places for people to get information, which gives them a foundation to explain a crisis that is very misunderstood. She said that museums are also an environment that encourages curiosity and asking questions to learn new information.

“Yes, it is a crisis and yes, there are solutions. We have been here before in other healthcare crises,” Ferree said. “We have learned that the more people that have good information, the less power the crisis has over us.”

only one side of the menu that showed what they had to offer. Half of the page was food, half was drinks. They had a good variety of options for serving bar food. The only thing I did not like was the lack of wing flavors, as there were only two: lemon pepper and buffalo. For advertising their $1 Wing Wednesdays, I expected more options. Although, it was nice that they had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as an option on the menu, it was very strange in that atmosphere.

I ordered the Jailbird Cheeseburger.

If the restaurant staples its name on a menu item, of course I have to try it.

It should give a good overview of what their food is like. My friend ordered the lemon pepper wings, and she let me try a few.

There were no combo meals so I had to order a side separately, and I chose curly fries. As for the cheeseburger, it was a tiny bit better than a burger from Steak ‘n Shake. For $9, I figured I could have ordered something more special to get the bang for my buck.

As for the wings, the seasoning was good for being lemon pepper, but the wing itself had essentially no meat on it.

for myself. Jailbird is a little building on Shelby Street by the train tracks, but it is not hard to miss with their name painted in bright yellow on the outside.

My friends and I walked in, hungry and ready for a drink after the long week we had. We sat ourselves at a high top table in the middle of the bar, sitting down on stools. Decor covered the walls from top to bottom and although it was all very different, somehow it all worked together. Our server greeted us almost immediately, handed us menus and said he would be back for our drink and food order. As I looked at the menu, I noticed it was pretty casual. There were items as simple as hot dogs and curly fries, but something not as simple was a hamburger with peanut butter and jelly, which isn’t a menu item seen too often.

The drinks were similar to a typical bar. So, for those non-beer drinkers, like myself, they had a list of mixed drinks.

Something unique was that two of them were named based off of Jailbird’s location, like the Southside Fizz and the Greyhound. I ended up ordering the Greyhound, which was just vodka and grapefruit. As soon as I took a sip, I liked

Photo by Brett Pinna

“FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside our Opioid Crisis” opened on Feb. 1 and it will run through Feb. 7, 2021. This piece in the exhibit displays the affects of opioids on the brain. Visitors were able to interact with multiple exhibits like this to learn about the opiod epidemic.

By Justus O’Neil FEATURE EDITOR

The Indiana State Museum is currently host to four exhibitions including the 7000 square feet “FIX: Heartbreak and Hope Inside our Opioid Crisis” experience. The FIX exhibition will occupy the space over a full calendar year from Feb. 1, 2020 to Feb. 7, 2021, according to ISM Vice President of Experience Brian Mancuso. He said that FIX is a response to a few different factors for the ISM.

REVIEWS Jailbird RESTAURANT

Vivid lights hit your face, music fills your ears, Jailbird is hopping with energy the moment the door opens.

With the classic decor filling the eatery side of the bar, the energy was matched at the bar with a retro fridge, Christmas lights and a lettered sign like the ones where you have to put in letters one by one, which was the drink menu.

My friend and I sat ourselves and a server came over promptly. There was

They were almost a bit over-cooked. But the blue cheese dipping sauce that came with it helped ease my dry mouth. The curly fries had no seasoning, not even salt.

This place is not really about the food, of course. It’s a bar, meant for drinking and good fun. The joint was cute, the food wasn’t great, but that’s what you get when you go to a bar and you’re underaged.

Madison Gomez • Opinion Editor

I’ve followed Jailbird on Instagram for a while since they opened the bar near campus a while back, knowing it was somewhere I wanted to visit eventually. After talking to people and hearing all good things, I decided to grab a few of my friends and try it out

7 FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Professor breaks art barriers

By Noah Fields

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Ac c o rd i n g t o U n i ve r s i t y o f Indianapolis Associate Adjunct of Art Steve Garst, having creative outlets outside of a profession gives people fuller lives. As such, one of Garst’s teaching goals is giving students an enjoyable experience with art, he said.

Garst attended Ball State University as an undergrad, according to his website.

He said that BSU is where he first became involved in art. However, Garst began college as an architecture major, he said. “[Architecture] is something that

GARST requires six years of school, and as an 18-year-old, that sounded like a scary thing,” Garst said. “So, I switched over to graphic design.”

Garst said he credits a visiting artist at BSU, Art Hazelwood, as his introduction to letterpress and printing. According to Garst, Hazelwood’s works such as stamping and bookbinding reminded Garst of his childhood love of reading, which excited him to be able to create his own prints. Garst said he began letterpress and printing in 2005 and began teaching workshops around 2007. He began teaching across various Midwest institutions in 2009, he said.

According to Garst’s website, he owns and operates his own printing studio called Happy Camper Press in Fortville, Indiana. Garst tries to work in the studio three-to-four days a week, he said. JimViewegh, associate professor and chair of the UIndy Art and Design Department, said he hired Garst as an adjunct faculty in 2018. Viewegh said Garst is a professional, communicative professor who always does an amazing job when favors are asked of him.

“We have a course that’s called Community Immersion in the Arts,” Viewegh said. “I had to get somebody up to speed and teaching the class within the time of winter break.... Steve talked to the former person who was more than happy to help, [the professor] got [Garst] up to speed on what was going on, and [Garst] just jumped in and took off with [the class].”

Garst now teaches a variety of courses, Garst said.These courses include Community Immersion in the Arts, Art Appreciation and some non-major classes, he said. To explain the value of hobbyist artistic experiences, Garst said that the word ‘amateur’ comes from the Latin root of amor, which means love.As such, amateur means trying to let people have things that they can love, which is what Garst hopes students take away from his classes, he said.

“It’s one of those things where I’m trying to give [students] a very relaxed experience with [art], where we can break down some of those barriers of art and just enjoy looking at it and hopefully understand what’s happening with it,” Garst said. it. As for food, I ordered the snack size buffalo wings.

As my friends and I were sitting there enjoying each other’s company, our food came out and we were able to eat. I was excited because chicken wings are my favorite and I can say that these definitely did not disappoint.

Since I’m from the Midwest, I can eat ranch with almost anything, but with wings, it’s a must. I didn’t even have to ask for ranch, they just brought it out.

The ranch surprised me because it was a spicy-jalapeno flavored ranch, but I really liked it.

I’m glad that I was finally able to make it to Jailbird. Although $7 for four wings is a little pricey for me, it will not stop me from going back and trying out their other menu items. Jailbird is a really good idea for anyone who wants to eat and hang out and not have to go too far from campus.

Cassandra Lombardo • Managing Editor Graphics by Noah Fields

NEWS

8 THE REFLECTOR

FEBRUARY 19, 2020

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Dr. Brian Lee, middle, emergency department medical director at St. Joseph Medical Center in Orange, Calif., on Feb. 12. Hospitals are stocking up on gowns and goggles and holding refresher courses in infection control.

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS

A Coronavirus health advisory posted in the emergency department at St. Joseph Medical Center in Orange, California, on Wednesday, February 12, 2020.

U.S. hospitals prepare for coronavirus threat

By Soumya Karlamangla LOS ANGELES TIMES

(TCA) — U.S. hospitals are stocking up on gowns and goggles and holding refresher courses in infection control amid a growing outbreak of a novel strain of coronavirus that has already killed more than 1,360 people in China.

Since it began spreading last year, the coronavirus now known as COVID-19 has prompted the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency, caused U.S. officials to strongly advise against travel to China and led some experts to predict a worldwide pandemic.

In the United States, just 14 people have been diagnosed with the coronavirus as of Feb. 12, though officials say they expect those numbers to rise. Hundreds of people have already shown up at American health care facilities with symptoms of the virus, forcing staff members to don face masks and put patients in isolation rooms while awaiting test results.

In addition to the 14 people confirmed to have the virus in the U.S., 413 others have been tested for it; 347 tested negative, and results are still pending for 66, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The virus’ symptoms, such as fever and cough, resemble those of the flu, which is in the height of its season in the U.S. So far, the virus does not appear to be any more contagious than the flu or a cold, though scientists are learning

more as cases mount. Because of the ever-evolving situation, the CDC is recommending that doctors and hospitals adopt a “cautious approach”when treating coronavirus patients in their facilities.

This is how that approach would play out if you visited a hospital to be treated for the coronavirus.

STEP 1: TRIAGE Patients suspected of having the coronavirus are required to wear face masks and be placed in a separate room away from other patients while they await treatment. Because the virus can travel up to 6 feet in the air when someone coughs or sneezes, the CDC recommends maintaining at least that distance between the patient and all others to prevent the spread of infection.

“If you have traveled to China, please let us know immediately, even before you walk into a crowded waiting room,” said Dr. Brian Lee, emergency department medical director at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, Calif. “We can’t read minds.”

A doctor then interviews the patient about their symptoms and travel history.

Patients must meet specific criteria to qualify for testing, including travel to China in the last 14 days.

Patients are typically admitted to the hospital for treatment while they await results of the test, which is usually done through a nasal swab. In some cases, patients with mild illness can selfquarantine at home.

STEP 2: ‘NEGATIVE PRESSURE’ ISOLATION ROOMS

Admitted patients are placed in “negative pressure” rooms, which keep air from seeping out into the rest of the hospital.The air from these special rooms is eventually released outside instead of being recirculated through the hospital.

Such rooms are typically used for patients with diseases such as tuberculosis and measles. They are standard in hospitals, unlike the special chambers some facilities set up to handle Ebola cases in 2014.

“To the patient, it looks exactly like any other treatment room,” said Dr. Michael

“We're using what the CDC likes to call an abundance of caution.”

Mesisca, emergency department medical director at Riverside University Health System Medical Center in California.

The Riverside hospital, which has been receiving people quarantined at March Air Reserve Base, has tested patients for the coronavirus but has had no tests come back positive, he said.

STEP 3: KEEPING STAFF SAFE All health care personnel who interact with infected patients wear gowns, gloves, goggles and masks. Though the coronavirus isn’t believed to be more contagious than the flu, scientists don’t know everything about it yet.

“We’re using what the CDC likes to call an abundance of caution,” said Dr. Shira Doron, an infectious disease specialist at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

In San Jose, Calif., five health care workers at Good Samaritan Hospital were put on two-week leave after public health officials determined they had contact with a confirmed coronavirus patient.

With suspected and confirmed coronavirus patients, staff members who can enter the room are limited to the patient’s doctor and nurse. Staffers keep a log of everyone who enters the room.

Patients aren’t allowed visitors and are encouraged to communicate with their loved ones by phone or video chat.

Hospital workers don’t typically wear face shields or goggles when treating flu patients, but otherwise the precautions are not too different from caring for people with seasonal influenza. Many other diseases that hospitals regularly treat require these precautions, Doron said.

“This isn’t something very out of the ordinary for us,” she said.

STEP4:TREATINGTHEPATIENT There aren’t any treatments specific to this novel coronavirus, so doctors do what they can to alleviate a patient’s symptoms, which could include administering IV fluids and monitoring lung function. More severe cases may need to be put on a ventilator to help them breathe.

Positive test results do not change a patient’s treatment plan because doctors

are already treating the symptoms, they say.

STEP 5: CALMING OTHER PATIENTS Hearing that coronavirus patients are in the hospital can be scary for other patients and their families.

At Rady Children’s Hospital San Diego , a 3-year-old girl and her father were admitted as suspected coronavirus cases after they fled China a few weeks ago. Both have since been cleared and discharged.

Dr. Nicholas Holmes, the hospital’s chief operating officer, said staff members emphasized that they were following proper hygiene protocol and doing everything possible to limit the spread of the virus. He said they also reminded patients and their families that the flu is a bigger concern than coronavirus.

“We always have to address those concerns for parents,” he said. “It’s really educating the families about what coronavirus is, as well as what are the other infectious diseases in the community at large.”

Lee agreed that the flu remains a larger threat than coronavirus for Americans and requires more hospital resources as influenza patients continue to seek treatment.

“Our main ask to the public is: Don’t panic,” he said.

——— ©2020 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Student publishes short story AG Barr speaks out Savannah Harris' "Ataraxy" was published in December

By Hallie Gallinat

DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Savannah Harris, a junior creative writing major at the University of Indianapolis, had her short story “Ataraxy” published in the Penultimate Peanut Magazine. The Virginia-based magazine published her story in their December 2019 issue.

“Ataraxy”is a story about an unnamed female character who falls asleep in her yoga class. She wakes up in an empty room, realizing that no one had woken her up when class was over. Harris said her own narcolepsy, a condition that causes a person to easily fall asleep during relaxing situations, served as an inspiration for the plot.

“I wrote [“Ataraxy”] during my fiction writing workshop class and so there was also that helpful deadline of, ‘Hey, you've got to get something in,’”Harris said.“My professor's been super helpful about ... keeping me on track. ” The class, English 371, is designed to advance the craft of fiction writing and is focused on reading and taking apart stories, according to Assistant Professor of English Dan Vice. The class is formatted as a workshop, where everyone in the class reads a student’s story and discusses it with the class. When Harris’ story was being discussed, the class spent a half an hour talking about it, Vice said.

UMC from page 1

in whatever pieces come out of the end result of the congregation?,’” Manuel said.

The university decided a long time ago that it would be an “inclusive institution,” according to Gibbs. For Gibbs, if the split does not happen, the university will have to grapple with its policy on inclusivity and how that falls in line with traditionalist beliefs. If the split does happen, Gibbs said, he sees the university having no trouble heading toward a more progressive route. In any case, he said, there will be some growing pains. Gibbs said that 10 years down the

Harris said she chose the Penultimate Peanut Magazine to publish her story because it was a smaller publication and because she has family ties to Virginia.

She said she also enjoys the personal touch smaller publications give.

“The editor herself reached out to me and was like, ‘Hey, we really want to publish this rather than just some big conglomerate company email,” Harris

said. “I felt like they really read my story and understood it and accepted it as it was, even though it might not have been perfect.”

Vice said he was happy when he heard Harris’ story was published. He said believes it was good encouragement and recognition for her.

“She sent me an email saying that it had been accepted... and I thought it was great,”Vice said.“She was somebody

who always had a lot of promise, but also seemed to need a nudge of encouragement from somewhere else. It's a big decision to decide that what you're going to do with your life is write stories because we live in a culture where people don't necessarily read stories.”

Originally, Harris said the name for her story was “God Doesn’t Care for Yoga Mats,” which she then changed it to “The Yoga Mat Story.” However, she changed the final title to “Ataraxy” after seeing the word on her friend’s word of the day email. “[She] and I were talking one morning and she opened up in her email the dictionary word of the day and it happened to be ataraxy, which is a sort of sense of serene, zen, peaceful calmness,” Harris said. “I was like, ‘That's my story title. That's it.’”

According to Harris, the original rough draft of “Ataraxy”was rushed due to its deadline having passed. She said that after the story was critiqued by people in the workshop, she revised it during NaNoWriMo, a month-long writing challenge that happened last semester.

Harris said that she was happy with the final product and that she decided not to tell anyone about her submission and expected it to be rejected. According to her, rejection is an important part of learning. However, when she received her acceptance letter, she said she was happily surprised.

road that there will be a new normal and that UIndy will have to figure out how to operate in that new reality.

Regardless of the university’s policy on inclusivity and acceptance, however, one thing is clear for Cartwright, Gibbs, Nouen and Manuel: the split is a deeply polarizing issue, one that may leave church members at a crossroads between faith, f riends and moral values.

“No matter how this is going to go, some colleagues that I respect and appreciate are going to end up in a different place than I am,” Gibbs said.

“There’s some grief in that. I do think, in the end, the result is a church that … will be able to have more healthy, clear directives about who they are and what they want to be.”

According to Cartwright, there are four different types of churchrelated colleges: orthodox, critical-mass, intentionally pluralist, and accidentally pluralist. From about 1945 to 1970, UIndy was considered a critical-mass institution, meaning the school was more heavily influenced by the religion that founded it. However, over the past 40 years, due to shifting university presidents

HARRIS

on Trump's tweets

By Michael Gartland

(TCA) — Attorney General William Barr complained about President Donald Trump’s tweeting habits on Feb. 13, saying on national TV that the tweets “make it impossible for me to do my job.”

Barr then quickly doubled down on his criticism, adding that, as head of the Justice Department, he wouldn’t “be bullied and influenced by anybody"— whether it’s Congress, the media or the president himself.

“I’m going to do what I think is right,” he said during an interview broadcast on Feb. 13 on ABC News. “I cannot do my job here at the department with constant background commentary that undercuts me.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., did not hesitate to back Barr, saying on Fox that “maybe the president should listen to the attorney general.”

Barr leavened his criticism by saying that the president “has never asked me to do anything in a criminal case.”

W h i t e H o u s e s p ok e s wom a n Stephanie Grisham said on Feb. 13 that Trump “has full faith and confidence” in Barr to do his job, though if past is any

indicator that may not bode well for Barr’s job security.

Trump said the same of former Attorney General Jeff Sessions before repeatedly criticizing him in public.

Sessions ultimately resigned from the post.

The Barr interview on ABC came after four Justice Department prosecutors stepped down in response to the reversal of their sentencing recommendation for Roger Stone, a political adviser and confidant of Trump who was convicted of lying to Congress, obstruction of justice and witness tampering.

Barr rejected his own agency’s recommendation that Stone serve up to nine years behind bars. That rejection came after Trump tweeted about the case, raising concerns about Barr’s independence and integrity. “ The thing I have the most responsibility for are the issues that are brought to me for a decision,” Barr said.

“And I will make those decisions based on what I think is the right thing to do, and I’m not going to be bullied and influenced by anybody.”

——— ©2020 New York Daily News Visit New York Daily News at www. nydailynews.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

and educational programs, the university has become a more intentionally pluralist institution, with a more diverse set of influences.

For faculty and staff who may require support as the UMC continues to grapple with LGBT+ inclusion, one major source is the Bridge-Builders Group. According to Cartwright, the group fosters conversations between the LGBT+ community and people in the UMC. For Cartwright, these conversations are important because of the overarching message that a split like this could send to the LGBT+

community.

“Those of us like myself … who have been deeply disturbed about this over the years are in particular concerned about … somebody in a youth group [telling] a 14-year-old kid that homosexuality is an abomination,” Cartwright said.

“There are kids who have committed suicide because they've internalized that. Churches really do need to take care of business with making sure that people are not recklessly quoting the Bible in a way that leads people to draw conclusions that they aren't worth living.”

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS