Oct. 12, 2022 | The Reflector

IN SB 1 temporarily blocked

Indiana Congress passes legislation banning abortion, state judge temporarily blocks enforcement

By Kassandra Darnell EDITOR-IN-CHIEF & CO-ONLINE EDITOR

Indiana became the first state to approve abortion restrictions on Sept. 15, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June. However, after a lawsuit was filed by Indiana abortion clinic operators claiming that the new law would strip the rights of those seeking abortion care, according to AP News, the law is now on hold. A preliminary injunction was issued by Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon that essentially prevents the law from going into effect until the lawsuit is complete, according to Politico.

The law, which went through the Indiana legislature as Senate Bill 1 (SB 1) during a special session over the summer, makes changes to when during a pregnancy an abortion can be performed and terminates the licenses of abortion clinics in the state, according to the text of SB 1.

The bill content outlines that a pregnancy can be terminated in cases of rape or incest and serious health risks that complicate a pregnant person’s medical condition (not including psychological or emotional conditions). Within these conditions, an abortion may be performed within 20 weeks of pregnancy if it is to prevent serious health risks or death to the pregnant person or if the fetus is diagnosed with a lethal fetal anomaly. An exception is made within 10 weeks after fertilization if the pregnancy is a result of rape or incest. Additionally, the state health department will only

license and regulate hospitals, ambulatory outpatient surgical centers and birthing centers to provide abortions, as long as they fit the criteria outlined in the bill. Abortion centers are no longer permitted to terminate pregnancies when this law is in effect.

State Senator Jack Sandlin, R - District 36, voted in favor of SB 1 and said he thinks giving unborn babies the opportunity for life is a good thing. He and his wife identify as pro-life and have interacted with other pro-life people in the community, as well as contributed to charities and non-profits that support teen mothers. Sandlin said he thinks there are a lot of people in the Indiana community that are opposed to terminating pregnancy.

“It's not about my personal belief, but it's about where public policy comes down,” said Sandlin. “And there are arguments for and against exceptions for rape and incest. And I think that the bill, the way it came down. . . induced me to vote for it, quite frankly. And I thought the amendments that were offered were reasonable…I think that having the exceptions that are in the bill reflects the state,” Sandlin said.

With the issuing of a preliminary injunction, SB 1 has been halted until the lawsuit is complete, meaning that for the time being, abortion access is the same as it was prior to passing the bill, according to Politico.

Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, Indiana has become an important regional hub for abortion care, according to an email statement from the spokesperson for Planned Parenthood Great Northwest Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana and Kentucky Nicole Erwin.

She said the organization will continue to see an influx of out-ofstate patients as other states begin to pass abortion restrictions as well.

“We’ve been preparing for this moment, so months ago we began a thorough evaluation of our patient needs, operations costs, and the future of care in each of our health centers,” Erwin said. “We’ve invested in our patient navigator team so that we can stay close and help guide patients through the process of getting care out of state, connecting with abortion funds, and providing follow-up care in their home states–this preliminary injunction is more critical than ever in making sure Hoosiers and patients outside of Indiana have access to time-sensitive, basic care.”

City-County Councillor Ali Brown of Indianapolis District 5 has been focused on advocacy work for abortion rights protection since the Supreme Court’s decision was announced in June.In July, she authored a resolution that Indianapolis supports the

right of persons to choose what happens to their bodies, and she said it was written with the intention of showing constituents that the city’s beliefs do not always line up with what is coming from the statehouse. The resolution passed along party lines.

“I have been working with different departments inside of Indianapolis, talking with organizations across the country, talking with other councillors in similar positions–Blue [predominantly Democrat] City [inside a] Red [predominantly Republican] State kind of thing–and talking about what we can do…,” Brown said. “I hope to have a couple of more protections for pregnant people inside of our county limits, hopefully before the end of this year, passed or at least introduced.”

Brown’s main focus right now is pushing through legislation that could help pregnant people, she said, and is doing her best to advocate as a private citizen and using her political podium. She said she has been working to register people to vote in the upcoming midterm elections and is raising money and knocking on doors to help more prochoice candidates get elected.

“Democratic voices are underrepresented; pro-choice voices are underrepresented. We know like 80% of the state is prochoice. And that's not reflected in our legislature,” Brown said. “So everything we can do–we're going to call for every vote for everything, and we're going to hold them accountable every which way we can. . . . We're not going to make this easy for them.”

UIndy Methodist Church affiliation

as Christians on campus, Gibbs said that it is important to continue the tradition of supporting these people, as well as to connect them with likeminded students.

The Interfaith Scholars, a group of students that are mentored by staff, attend retreats and design regular campus programming to fulfill the second goal: promoting Interfaith, according to Gibbs. These students have worked with the Ecumenical and Interfaith staff to provide religious services and framework for every student on campus, Gibbs said, regardless of their traditions. An example is the Resident Assistant (RA) chaplains on campus, who serve primarily in freshman dorms. They work to provide representation in their resident buildings for every student’s religious traditions by providing support to students, according to Gibbs.

calendar is an extensive, collaborative effort.

While the calendar is being completed, Lynch said that she does not want students to miss out on having information regarding holiday observances. For example, in response, an email was sent out by the Office of Inclusion and Equity on Sept. 26 informing the UIndy community about the Jewish religious observances for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, which Lynch helped prepare as a preliminary look into what the calendar will be like.

Gibbs said that it is important to recognize observances for holidays

in some cases, just be able to give the students the space to be able to observe their various holidays [at UIndy],” Gibbs said.

Giving students the facilities to advocate for themselves and for their needs is incredibly important, especially for students in minority religions, Gibbs said.

Lynch said it is important to understand students of different faiths. She said that the more people learn about people of various cultures other than their own, the more open society will be able to be. To Lynch, one of the most interesting things about interfaith is finding ways to connect across differences.

By Olivia Pastrick STAFF WRITER

The University of Indianapolis has been affiliated with the United Methodist Church since 1968, according to UIndy’s website. Despite 50 years passing, the university continues to maintain the relationship, according to UIndy’s University Chaplain Reverend Jeremiah Gibbs.

With the new dedication of the University Chapel on Sept. 30. Gibbs thinks it is more important than ever for students and faculty alike to understand how UIndy continues to work with and for students, regardless of whether or not they are Christian.

Gibbs also said that it is because of UIndy’s Methodist affiliation that the university is able to provide a robust interfaith effort.

"Because of our United Methodist affiliation, we have that full-time staff of four in my office that our entire job is to help facilitate the religious lives of students, including students of other religious traditions,” Gibbs said.

Working to support UIndy students and providing them a more fulfilling religious life while on campus takes form in two trajectories, according to Gibbs. One of these directions is the Ecumenical side, which seeks to provide opportunities and support to Christian students on campus. With a large portion of students who identify

“The interfaith programming has been primarily about creating a structure so that our students who are religious, but not Christian, have opportunities to get the support that they need, but also to be able to create conversations across religious traditions,” Gibbs said.

One of the key projects that the interfaith program has been working on is a virtual interfaith holiday calendar, Associate Chaplain Reverend Arionne Lynch said. She has been working with the Interfaith Scholars on this project in order to make an easily accessible calendar available online to students, faculty and staff that highlights different holidays across various religious traditions. The

across different religions. One year, Yom Kippur fell on the same day as UIndy’s homecoming. In the Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is a day of mourning and grief, so to have conflicting celebrations going on at UIndy at the same time was significant, said Gibbs. The interfaith holiday calendar will provide a good educational opportunity for the UIndy community to learn about a diverse variety of upcoming holidays they may not be aware of.

“We really wanted to be able to give the campus information that would allow them to be able to celebrate with the students who celebrate, or,

“As a chaplain, it doesn’t [matter] what my faith is versus yours, it’s how can I show up and be a supportive presence for you regardless of your beliefs… How can I support you? How can I help you navigate the world that you’re in, that we’re all in? And for people to not feel alone, that’s one of our biggest goals for students,” Lynch said.

Both Lynch and Gibbs said that there are ways in which everyone on campus, beyond just the staff at the chapel, can be a system of support for students of different religious traditions.

“I think the most important thing that people can do, that the average student or faculty or staff members can do, is to make sure that they extend hospitality to [all of] the folks here [at UIndy],” Gibbs said. “I just encourage folks to recognize the ways in which the church affiliation allows us to be able to have the support that folks need, not as an impediment.”

CLINTON BREAKS TWO RECORDS CELEBRATING DIWALI

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Photo by Kalenga Juma

University Methodist Heights Church Pastor David Neuen prays at the pulpit during the University of Indianapolis' chapel dedication. The dedication ceremony was on Sept. 30.

...for people to not feel alone, that’s one of our biggest goals..."

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UIndy Football player Toriano Clinton broke two school records recently.

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behind

Graphic by Hannah Hadley

By Hannah Hadley NEWS EDITOR

I love working at the University of Indianapolis. I adore my job. I love my supervisors. I love my co-workers. I love the satisfaction of being able to help my fellow Greyhounds and their families. The one thing that isn’t the best? The pay. I am paid a little over $9 an hour, even when some days there is not a moment to rest.

Well, isn’t $9 over the $7.25 federal minimum wage? Yes—but I am more fortunate than other students who work at UIndy.

The base tuition cost for a fulltime, undergraduate student at UIndy is $33,252 per year, according to the university’s website. That means that regardless if a traditional undergraduate student lives on-campus, off-campus or is a commuter, their tuition is over $33,000—plus the $860 in nonnegotiable fees per semester, or an additional $1,720 per year. Now, the price increases if a student chooses to live on campus. A basic room (two residents) in Warren Hall costs $3,066 per semester, or $6,132 per year, according to UIndy’s website.

Anything above the basic dorm halls will cost more.

Don’t get me wrong, I love UIndy dearly. The community, the professors, the staff and my peers are amazing. Additionally, I am one of five people in my family who has graduated/is currently attending UIndy. But students pay a lot of money to go here, and being paid the government-minimum by the institution that they pay thousands to is, honestly, disappointing.

According to the UIndy Student Employee Handbook, “For each academic year, student employment positions are paid, at minimum, the federal minimum wage.

Wages per hour (above minimum wage) are decided upon by the hiring and budget manager for the office or department hiring a student employee.”

The handbook also limits students from working more than 19 hours a week during the school year.

Students who are not able to travel for a job that does not cap their weekly hours may find themselves struggling to make ends meet. Why can’t we standardize a higher university minimum wage when the cost of attending and cost of living has increased (see The Reflector “Student life affected by inflation”)?

The different, respective offices and departments of UIndy use the job application site, “Handshake,” to post open student positions. Here are some examples of available, on-campus jobs and hourly pay rates on “Handshake” as of Sept. 28, 2022 at nine in the morning:

• 2022-23 Resident Assistant (RA), $7.25

Tennis Center-Front Desk, $7.25 Engineering Learning Assistant,

$8.00

University Events Event Staff, $8.50 Chemistry Tutor, $9.00 Student Assistant, Departments of Mathematical Sciences & Physics and Earth Space Science, $9.00

• Grounds Student Assistant, $10.00

The list does not include all of the jobs available—just a selection to reflect the range of pay. Overall, I calculated the average pay by hour for the 18 available positions to be around $8.80.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average hourly wage for education and health services was $32.04 in Aug. 2022. Now, I’m not saying that we need to be paid over $30 an hour for a student-level job; however, I am saying that one-half ($15) or even three-eighths ($12) of the national average would be appropriate

(and considerate).

On-campus jobs need better pay Students need secure public storage

Data from National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) shows that the number of full-time and parttime, undergraduate college student workers has been decreasing. In 2000, 53% of undergrad students had some type of employment, on or off campus. Statistics from 2018 show that there was a 10% decrease from the number of employed, undergrad students in 2000. The trend for part-time, undergraduate student employment follows a similar, yet more mild, trend with 85% employed in 2000 and 81% in 2018.

So, what could help reverse the trend of decreased college student employment? (Again, recall that UIndy has 18 active job postings, some with urgency). Pay student-workers more— that will show that the university values them, not only as paying attendees, but as people, too.

By Kamau Ransom & Mia Lehmkuhl STAFF WRITER & OPINION EDITOR

Early in the semester, residents staying in University of Indianapolis residence halls have had to deal with missing items and groceries because of others taking belongings from unprotected common areas. According to the UIndy website, in every dorm, there is a kitchen space on each dormitory floor containing a stove, refrigerator, microwave and multiple cabinets for all residents of that floor to use. This common space, reserved for the floor, should be a safe place for students to store their belongings.

Cameras are placed by the entrances and exits of all residence halls on campus, but unfortunately that is where the camera usage ends. Students who have had items stolen have not been able to find out who took their belongings because they were not seen by anyone or by any video surveillance.

Senior Monique Honyak, who lives in East Hall, had her belongings taken when she used the fourth floor’s shared kitchen after her refrigerator broke. Honyak expressed her frustration several times on the UIndy app.

“I bought groceries, forgetting my refrigerator broke, so I put everything in the community fridge. They basically stole half of the groceries that I had in the community fridge. I had a Post-it note on it that said my name and my room number, and they took it,” Honyak said. “It happened again because I had something in the freezer…. And they left the note but took only one of the things that I had in the freezer. And then they took a couple of my kitchen utensils…. it just got really, really annoying.”

Watchdog alerts falling short

By Lindsey Wormuth DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Concerns have surfaced that Watchdog alerts may not be as effectively reporting potential threats to the campus community as they should. The Watchdog system, according to the UIndy website, is a communication service used to reach the campus community quickly with urgent notifications to people’s phones or emails. According to the website, “whenever there is a health or safety threat to the campus,” the system should send out, “rapid and widespread

notification.” However, recent complaints have been posted on the UIndy app that a number of crimerelated incidents in the campus area, that potentially could have posed a threat to students, have not triggered Watchdog alerts.

Although I agree with what some students have posted, not every crime in the area surrounding the campus can be reported immediately. Some notification eventually should be sent out about the situation, though,

... I do not feel Watchdog is a failure, I do think it can improve.

to ensure that students do not feel the university has neglected to tell them. Some incidents this semester have not triggered a Watchdog alert. Last year, on multiple occasions, Watchdog alerts were sent out right away after incidents happened. This semester, the alerts seemed to slowly dwindle, or they did not clarify what happened. Students need to be aware of what is happening. They are paying to go to school here and need to feel safe on campus.

One way to improve Watchdog would be to ensure that crime-related incidents around Carson Heights and University Heights trigger alerts. That would ensure notifications about the areas around both the north and south sides of the campus. While I do not feel Watchdog is a failure, I do think it can improve in making the students at the university feel safer.

Students can sign up to receive Watchdog alerts on the Watchdog website, under “Register My Account”. Students also can register their parents, guardians or spouses, if they have agreed to receive the alerts.

Stigma alleges that video games induce violence

By Mia Lehmkuhl OPINION EDITOR

Former President Donald Trump “called for a crackdown on violent video games and reforms to mental health laws, arguing that ‘mental illness and hatred pulls the trigger, not the gun,’” according to Time Magazine. All throughout my life, the stigma that video games lead to violence has loomed over my favorite pastime.

Ever since I was a kid, I had a controller or a mouse in my hands. Games are the source of my favorite memories with those I love. My dad introduced me to my favorite game of all time, “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” when it came out in November 2011. I have been playing “The Sims” franchise since I could read, starting off by watching my mom over her shoulder as she played. I played “World of Warcraft” with my dad, aunt and grandpa all throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” got me and my high school friends through the March 2020 lockdown and virtual learning. Video games shaped my life, and I still play when I feel overwhelmed and need an escape, a virtual reality to find comfort in and be anyone I want to be for a few hours.

According to the Dana Foundation, “a private philanthropic organization based in New York dedicated to advancing neuroscience and society”, video games were supposedly tied to the gunman who killed 22 people and

injured 24 in an El Paso, Texas Walmart because he made a “fleeting reference” to soldiers he saw in video games. As a result of this, “...many politicians were quick to blame video games for this and other mass shootings. Yet it seems clear that the El Paso gunman was primarily motivated by ethnic hatred,” the Dana Foundation said. This rhetoric that associates video games with violence harms all players who do not exhibit violent, disturbing behavior. While there are some studies that highlight that video games can increase aggressive behaviors, The

Guardian reports, “A review of the science in 2020, which looked at and re-evaluated 28 global studies of video games and violence, found no cumulative harm, no long-term effect and barely even any short-term effect on aggression in the real world.”

Video games are also proven to have many benefits for players, especially those in younger demographics.

According to the American Psychological Association (APA), “...one widely held view maintains that playing video games is intellectually lazy, such play actually

may strengthen a range of cognitive skills such as spatial navigation, reasoning, memory and perception….” Even video games categorized as containing violent content may boost children’s learning as well as health and social skills, the APA states.

While not all children should pick up the first gory, violent video game they see (there are certainly games out there that contain macabre content), playing these games will not turn them into violent individuals. It is common, even from my personal experience, to get into the game and lose sight of anything other than victory. I cannot put a number to the times I have been angry at a game, that I have “trashtalked” someone in competitive banter and have had my competitive nature triggered. That can be categorized as aggressive behavior, but the fact remains that the players who exhibit this behavior and act on it in the real world, outside of gaming, are the minority.

I know for myself and so many others that I have bonded with over games that this rhetoric about gaming, or, especially gamers, is harmful to what video games actually seek to do. Video games are for leisure, for fun and act as a way to connect with other people. There are many flaws in video gaming communities that do promote what I would equate to bad sportsmanship, but, in the end, the game itself is not at fault for the actions of others.

Students should not have to deal with this when using common areas. Something should be done to protect students’ belongings. Placing cameras in the common areas, such as the kitchens and laundry rooms, would protect students’ personal belongings. More cameras would be able to identify the people responsible and hold them accountable.

“There’s a camera on the first floor, and I think they should have them on every floor,” Honyak said. “I did go to my RA [resident assistant] and RD [residence director] about it and they basically said, ‘we really can't do anything about it.’”

The common spaces are advertised to prospective and current students as features of the residence halls. Utensils, cookware and bakeware belonging to students should stay in students’ own rooms, in theory, but the cost of storing their own perishables can be difficult for some students. The safest option is to purchase a personal room refrigerator, but a mini-fridge can be expensive (around $200, according to Walmart), and the price is even higher if a freezer is included. Instead, measures should be put in place so students can use the spaces the university advertises without losing their belongings. If food or other items are stolen those measures would ensure accountability. Without cameras in these areas, there is little prevention, and problems like these are likely to happen again.

Corrections

The Reflector acknowledges its mistakes.

When a mistake occurs, we will print corrections here on the Opinion page.

If you catch a mistake, please contact us at reflector@uindy.edu.

In our Sept. 28 issue:

In our story about the 35th anniversary of the Etchings Literary Magazine, we spelled former English teacher Alice Friman's name incorrectly. We spelled it 'Firman,' but the correct spelling is 'Friman.'

In our infographic about student loans, we wrote that applications for loan forgiveness were due Oct. 1. Those applications are actually due in early October.

What do you think?

Send your letters to the editor or other correspondence to:

Players advocate that gaming is beneficial despite the negative stereotype

Graphic by Breanna Emmett

Graphic by Gabe Eastridge

Opioids and Narcan in Indiana

Opioid

By Hallie Gallinat FEATURE EDITOR

According to the American Addiction Center, the number of people using illicit drugs in the 19 to 28 age range increased from 32% in 2006 to 44% in 2019. And, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), death rates from opioid overdoses in the United States in particular had risen from 46,802 in 2018 to 68,630 in 2020. Luckily, a drug has been released to help those who have overdosed on opioids, known as Narcan.

NIDA says Naloxone, most commonly known by its brand name Narcan, is a drug that can halt the effects of an opioid-related drug overdose. Narcan is commonly administered through a nasal spray, according to Hackensack Meridian Health. University of Indianapolis Associate Adjunct Professor of Public Health Carolyn Runge said that Narcan also used to be administered through an injection.

“ … When [Narcan is] administered, it basically can bring someone back from the dead. It blocks the opiates that the person has ingested in one way, shape or form from completely shutting down the system,” Runge said. “It's a bit of a miracle, really.”

According to Runge, if someone were to find a person who has overdosed, they can administer Narcan to them through the nasal spray. The effects of Narcan wear off after 60 to 90 minutes, according to GoodRX, and those who have dependence on opioids may experience withdrawal symptoms, according to NIDA. Emergency services should still be called after the medication is administered, Runge said.

“It can look like it works right away, but it may not necessarily work right away. It may take a few seconds. It may take up to a couple minutes. If the person has overdosed quite a bit, you may have to give them two doses,” Runge said. “Quite often what tragically happens is someone will have had so much opiates in their system, and someone will bring them back to life. And then if it's a parent that sees their child, and then instead of calling the ambulance, would go back to the kitchen or go in the living room or whatever, and then return again to then find the person [had] overdosed again. So, it buys you time, but you still need to seek emergency care.”

Runge said that Indiana is facing an opioid epidemic. She said that around ten to 15 years ago, there was a large suppression on doctors prescribing opioid pain medicine. However, those who were already addicted to opioids before the suppression of prescriptions lost easy access to them.

“The problem with taking pain medication, of course, is it is addictive. And so these are not people that chose to go become drug addicts… Yes, [there is] a tremendous epidemic as a result of

trying to correct a wrong and prescribe fewer pain meds. But, absolutely, we are in the throes of an epidemic.”

According to Bridges of Hope, an adult substance abuse rehabilitation program, Indiana is one of the only states that has implemented Narcan

vending machines. Runge said that at UIndy, she teaches the class KINS 420: Drugs and Social Involvement, and the nonprofit organization Overdose Lifeline distributes Narcan to the class. She said Narcan is also available at pharmacies for, according to GoodRX, upwards of $38. UIndy’s Chief of Police David Selby said that police officers are trained to use Narcan and carry it in their cars in the form of an Epipen.

“If somebody calls dispatch, 911, they dispatch us out to a person [experiencing an overdose]... So, when [authorities] get there, they have to assess the person. And as we [the police] go, of course, we've already called the medics, so the medics are on their way,” Selby said. “And then if we have a suspicion [that there has been an overdose], [if] we get there fast enough, [if] we have reason to believe [they have overdosed] or have

information [supporting the diagnosis of an overdose], probable cause, and believe that this person is [in] an opioid overdose, then [authorities] would give the Narcan.”

There has been debate surrounding Narcan regarding whether it should be more easily obtainable or whether it encourages or enables repeated drug use. According to the Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization, Narcan can be enabling to drug users and can be frustrating for officers who have revived the same person repeatedly in the past.

Runge said Narcan is like another tool in a toolbox that can be used to help people on their road to recovery.

“What we need to ask ourselves as a society is, ‘Do we care about each other?’’’ Runge said. “‘What does that look like and how do we work for the greater good?’ ‘And what are some of these things that can facilitate our

Travel abroad opportunities

By Grace Lichty STAFF WRITER

The University of Indianapolis Study Abroad Program allows students to continue their education journey by earning course credits, participating in an internship and/or serving in the local community, according to UIndy’s website. With this program, students get to immerse themselves in a new culture and experience something once in a lifetime, according to UIndy’s Director of Global Education Ghina Sadek.

According to Sadek, the program will start advertising upcoming opportunities coming soon. Professor of International Relations and Political Science Milind Thakar said that trips, usually lasting

a week to two weeks, are available during spring term and summer break. The specific length of the trip varies depending on the location.

“It changes your perspective. You see things differently. You might appreciate your country much more and say, ‘Hey, it’s so much easier to do this,’ or you might say, ‘We could do a little bit more of this.’ It’s also the way you explore stuff with your friends, or people that you meet out there,” Thaker said.

Sadek said that before registering for a trip, it is important to get in contact with the trip leader and get any questions answered. There are important callout meetings that will be posted for each trip. Once a student is set on going, they will need to submit a deposit to their trip leader in order to secure their spot,

according to Sadek.

Before traveling abroad, Thakar recommends reading about the destination in guide books, or on TripAdvisor.com, to learn about the language, social etiquette and currency. Sadek says the first step before traveling abroad is to get a valid passport as soon as possible. For students looking to travel abroad, but are concerned about the price, there are resources available and steps to make it more affordable.

“There’s a couple [grants] at UIndy and I can help guide them through what they are eligible for, and there’s some ideas on how to fund the study abroad experiences on our study abroad web page,” said Sadek.

Thakar recommends reaching out to community businesses for sponsorship

through writing them a letter. He also says to contact family members and see if they could donate to you.

“I tell everybody, if it were up to me I would require every single person to get out of here and go get that experience,” Sadek said. “It’s not required, but I really, highly recommend it, and I would want them to know that it doesn’t matter if they’ve got a job here, if they don’t want to be away from their family for too long, if they’re student athletes, if their major is very stressful and needs them to be here throughout the semester. If they want to go abroad, we can talk about finding an international experience that’s a good fit for them, regardless of all that other stuff. All they gotta be is a UIndy student who's interested in studying abroad and I can make that happen.”

Sadek recommends planning your trip abroad at least six to nine months in advance in order for less stress and an ideal trip. For further information on the program and trips, students can visit the UIndy Study Abroad website at UIndy.edu, or follow the UIndy Study Abroad Instagram @uindystudyabroad. Students can also sign up for the UIndy Study Abroad Newsletter through the website. Fliers on specific trips will start to be passed out in Schwitzer Student Center coming soon.

Thakar says he is more than happy to answer any questions anyone may have. His email address is mthakar@ uindy.edu.

According to Sadek, current approved trip destinations for this year include: - Austria, Germany and the Netherlands - Denmark, Norway and Sweden - Belize - Costa Rica

Cyprus - South Africa - South Korea - Italy - Scotland - Dominican Republic

Midterm elections approaching

By Steven Pagel STAFF WRITER

As 2022 nears its end, midterm elections approach. The deadline to register to vote in-person has passed, but there are still options to vote before General Election Day on Tuesday, Nov. 8. With the election underway in under a month, there are many things that voters can be aware of regarding the voting process.

According to University of Indianapolis Associate Professor of Political Science Laura Merrifield Wilson, students can register to vote in Indiana regardless if their permanent residence is out of state or not. Students are also able to request an absentee ballot, which is also known as voting by mail. Absentee ballots are an option for people who do not want to change the state they are registered to vote in. To request an absentee ballot, voters must fill out the Application for Absentee Ballot (ABS-Mail), located on the State of Indiana’s website.

“I'd encourage people to go to their Secretary of State's website for their particular state, because that's the person in charge of elections for the state,” Wilson said. “That would give all the deadlines, the forms and the process.”

In Indiana, several national, state and local positions are up for election, according to Ballotpedia. With numerous offices open, Hoosiers may have more things to consider before casting their votes. Several current issues may affect college students, especially, according to Wilson.

“Most importantly, [there is] the college loan forgiveness policy just came about this past year under President Biden,” Wilson said. “[Also], in Indiana, they passed an abortion law over a special summer session that essentially outlawed [the procedure]. There's since been a court injunction, so at the moment, it is still legal. So, understanding that [current, debated issues] will still play out in the court system [is]an important [thing] for college students [to understand], too.”

UIndy Assistant Professor of Communication Stephanie Wideman said voters should be aware of misinformation, especially concerning election results. Conspiracy theories serve to disturb the process of democracy, she said.

“[The] long-term, the potential [extreme] detrimental effects to democracy as a whole is [misinformation] serves to delegitimize elections for candidates,” Wideman said.

Wideman suggests Snopes.com as an effective site for voters to fact-check sources and information. Ballotpedia is another informational website for voters, according to Wilson. Wilson emphasized the importance of voting. She said that voting is an opportunity for citizens to express their opinions and influence the government.

“If you don't like what [politicians are] doing, you [can] vote them out,” Wilson said. “And if you like it, you [can] vote them in… I think [voting] is the bare-minimum duty, in terms of patriotism, that you have as an American. To vote twice, every four years… [Voting is] an important responsibility that doesn't take very long [and] there are a lot of different ways you can do it. Sometimes people say, ‘We protest’ or, ‘We write letters,’ and those are very important [things] that can impact how [governmental representatives feel. [However], it doesn't impact whether or not they keep their job as an elected official. [Voting] very much does.”

Extended information regarding upcoming dates involving voting can be found on the State of Indiana’s Election Calendar or the City of Indianapolis’ website.

Graphic by Olivia Cameron

Graphic by Hannah Hadley

...it can basically bring someone back from the dead."

Tennis doubles claim regionals

The University of Indianapolis doubles teams in mens and womens win ITA Midwest Regionals

By Connor Mahoney SPORTS EDITOR

Competing for the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Midwest Regional, the University of Indianapolis men’s and women’s tennis teams both played in the ITA, advancing a men’s doubles team and a women’s doubles team to the ITA Cup for Division II in Rome, Georgia, according to UIndy Athletics. On Sept. 19, UIndy crowned its first regional champions: senior Tom Zeuch and sophomore Edgar Destouet according to UIndy Athletics.

“I think it [the feeling] was just joy, actually, because at the end of the day, I hate losing. “I hate losing more than winning, so we were just super excited to have this good one,” Zeuch said. “And after that match point, it was a little bit of relief because it’s a long tournament. It’s three days you play like four or five matches every day, so it was pretty tough physically, so it was a lot of joy when we won that tournament.”

The majority of the matches that the Greyhounds competed in were held at Center Grove and Clark Pleasant schools facilities before being moved for the final day indoors at the UIndy Tennis Center, Director of Tennis Malik Tabet said he shared his thanks to Center Grove schools for allowing the team to use their facilities. With the home court advantage, the duo was also successful because of their ability to make smart decisions, Tabet said.

“[Destouet and Edgar] complement each other…,” Tabet said. “They are able to re-adjust into any situation that is given to them. They play some very good [high] IQ tennis, and that’s what makes them good.”

Additionally, the lady Greyhounds tasted victory, but this one was a regional championship in the ITA for the women’s tennis team, according to UIndy Athletics. The winners were graduate assistant Anna Novikova and senior Sofia Sharonova, claiming victory in the ITA Midwest Regional on Sept. 26, according to UIndy Athletics.

“I was so excited after the final,” Novikova said. “It wasn’t my first final and regionals, but I was most excited for Sofia, my doubles partner. I really want her to go to nationals… especially [with] both of us playing our last seasons, so I think it will be a good experience for both of us.”

The women’s side competed in Grand Rapids, Michigan where they were victorious, according to UIndy Athletics. Tabet said that both players compliment each other well.

“They [Novikova and Sharonova]

are using their strengths,” Tabet said. “Novi[kova] is a hard hitter, [Sharonova] is a touch player, so they do complement each other really well.”

In addition to the winners, sophomore sports management Lea Cakarevich was undefeated through two days, but fell short in the final, according to UIndy Athletics. Meanwhile, Cakarevich put in a bid to be in the ITA Cup with her teammates and was just announced a spot to compete.

“I proved myself I could play and play very well against those players,” Cakarevich said. So, it keeps me motivated to improve even more in practice.”

As a whole, the competition was some of the best in the nation, according to Tabet. Additionally, the tournament was an opportunity for the players to compete against the best possible players, especially coming up in the final in Georgia, Tabet said.

“You’re competing against the best players in the country [and] you have about four matches against potentially top 10 players in the country, Tabet said. “So, the competition is extremely high.”

For the doubles teams, if they win the ITA Cup for Division II as a small school they will advance to the Super Bowl, where they will play the best from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), Division III and Junior College (JUCO), according to Tabet. If they win there, they will compete in the ITA Nationals with Division I schools Tabet said.

Cakarevich, Novikova and Zeuch all have one thing in common which is their joy for the game, according to Cakarevich, Novikova and Zeuch. Novikova said she likes the feeling of the match from the moment she steps onto the court.

“I like [the] feeling [of being] on the tennis court,” Novikova said. “You feel so free there…; everything depends on you but also on your opponent. And I feel that every point is different and you can create a lot of things on the tennis court.”

Both doubles teams felt strongly about their wins; both Novikova and Zeuch said their wins could not have been done without their partner.

“I’m really proud of [Sharonova], she played amazing, especially in the final I was the one who was tight… when I was trying not to show her this, but she just got the game in her hands,” Novikova said. “And she was guiding the team, especially at the beginning of the match, and I’m really happy that we’re so focused on the final that [will] also show a really good level of tennis.”

The fall season for tennis typically comprises this tournament before

the spring when their regular season goes into full force. Zeuch said that the tournament is more individual with having large impacts on a players rankings.

“[The tournament] has [a] huge impact on our rankings, so if you play decent in these tournaments, you get better rankings, which will kind of put a little bit of fear to the different schools knowing, ‘Okay, those guys [are] beating a lot of schools, beating a lot of opponents…,’” Zeuch said. “So coming into the spring, it obviously gives you [a] confidence [and] a little bit of reassurance too.”

The 2023 spring season for Tennis will begin soon allowing for the tournament to be a way to see what needs to be worked on, according to Tabet. This allows for the team to figure out who is playing where ,Tabet said.

“We’re starting to build on preparing for spring, these tournaments that we’ve played kind of give me a map of what I want to produce in the rest of the season, until January,” Tabet said. So, for me watching them play, I pick up on a lot of things that we need to improve to better our tennis, and that’s kind of what we work on throughout the fall

season.”

The Greyhounds will compete in Georgia in October, according to Tabet. Additionally, Zeuch said the final holds a lot of importance.

“The biggest thing is probably competing at the highest level of Division II tennis,” Zeuch said. “You go to Georgia, you play the best school in the country; doing that with my friend Eddie is definitely something I look forward to. And also [showing everyone] a school to let everybody know how good actually UIndy tennis is, and how good we can be.”

Women’s soccer play mid-season game

By Quinn Malcolm STAFF WRITER

The University of Indianapolis Women’s Soccer team is in midseason in their 2022 season with an overall performance of 3-3-4 as of Reflector press time. The Greyhounds recently won against Lewis University, with a standout performance from freshmen Sukhmani Shergill scoring her first collegiate goal, according to UIndy Athletics. UIndy’s women’s soccer team has 12 freshmen players, led by fifth year Kiki Sauceda, who is a California native and wanted to attend UIndy because she wanted to play for a winning program.

“A lot of the freshmen came in and started playing right away… it is tough when you don’t have any college experience,” Sauceda said. “And I feel like they’ve done a great job of adapting from high school to college.”

This year, Sauceda is one of the top goal scorers on the team, according to UIndy Athletics. Sauceda said the team has had a tough start after a 3-3-4 record, but are looking to improve.

“[If we start] applying what our coaches are telling us and continue to do that, I could definitely see us pulling ourselves out of that hole,” Sauceda said.

Although the Hounds are off to a start they did not anticipate, Head Coach Holly Cox said that in the meantime there are things the team can improve on.

“[We need to be] more consistent with our execution, and what I mean by that is, you play a certain shape, you play a certain style, and we do a lot of

builds,” Cox said. “We do a lot of how we progress the ball from our defensive third through our middle to the attacking third and I think we’ve just got to be more consistent with how we replicate that come game time.”

When it comes down to training, Cox said that her team works well, but sometimes can struggle to translate practice to the game along with the energy and effort to win.

“We do a really good job in training, but that’s got to transfer over onto the soccer field, and I think that

comes with having confidence and trusting in the shape and trust in the build and then, but it comes to game time, executing,” said Cox.

The team consists of 29 women from all over, according to UIndy Athletics, Cox said a large roster can cause some challenges, but that doesn’t mean it will stop the Hounds from getting the outcome that they want.

“I feel like it’s a whole new group this year. 12 young freshmen, which is, you know, almost half of our roster, so it is a new dynamic,” Cox said.

“It’s a new group of ladies [and] with such a young group, I think sometimes as a head coach, I have to be a little of an enforcer and hold them to high standards and expectations.”

With having high standards and expectations for the Hounds, Cox is preparing them for success on the field and outside of UIndy.

“I want to make sure I push these ladies to a point where maybe they didn’t think they could get to [and] maybe they didn’t think

that they could achieve this type of play or this type of mentality and grit…,” Cox said. “We’re not only preparing them for battle come game time on the soccer field, but I also like to think we’re preparing them for success after they leave here as well… To have success on the soccer field is that team chemistry and that team culture us as coaches try to build, but it’s really down to the ladies enforcing that and wanting to be around one another, wanting to spend time with one another.”

Photo contributed by UIndy Athletics

Photo contributed by Jacob Walton, UIndy Athletics Malik Tabet, Anna Novikova, Sofia Sharonova and Alfredo Barcelo pose for a photo celebrating the doubles win for Novikova and Sharonova in the ITA Midwest Regional. The doubles team will be competing in future matches competing in Georiga later this month.

UIndy’s doubles team of Tom Zeuch and Edgar Destouet celebrate their win with an embrace after winning the point for the ITA Midwest Regional. The duo will compete in October in the ITA Cup in hopes of advancing to the Super Bowl, which is only for doubles.

I pick up on a lot of things that we need to improve to better our tennis.”

Photo by MaKenna Maschino University of Indianapolis women’s soccer player Sukhmani Shergill looks to beat her defender at Key Stadium. Shergill scored this year in a match against Lewis University.

Photo by MaKenna Maschino University of Indianapolis women’s soccer player Kiki Sauceda brings the ball up the left wing for the Greyhounds. UIndy won this match against Truman State University 1-0.

By MaKenna Maschino

Toriano Clinton sets new records No decision made for future of athletics

Graduate student and starting running back for the University of Indianapolis football team, Toriano Clinton, can now add two more records to his resume after his performances during the Greyhound’s 44-38 win over Ohio Dominican University on Sept. 24 and the 44-17 win over Southwest Baptist University on Oct.1 according to UIndy Athletics.

Clinton ran for 179 yards during the game against the Panthers, according to UIndy Athletics, allowing him to break the school record for the most career rushing yards. With at least five games left in the season, Clinton has collected 4,427 yards and is the current leader in career rushing yards in all Division II, as of Reflector press time, according to UIndy Athletics.

In the Greyhounds Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) opener against the Bearcats of Southwest Baptist University, Clinton ran for 207 yards and three touchdowns, naming him the all-time career-touchdown leader, currently with 52 touchdowns in his total, according to UIndy Athletics.

Records are anything but new to this running back, as last season he earned the top spot for both rushing yards in a single game and single season rushing yards, according to a previous article in The Reflector. However, Clinton did not know he claimed another record until after the game against Ohio Dominican.

“I didn’t even know that was the play that broke it,” Clinton said, “I didn’t even know they caught that play on film until I saw it on Twitter….”

Clinton said he does not get caught up in the records because he does not want to become a player that is self-absorbed, and he credits his team for allowing him to be so successful.

“Without those guys, without my linemen, tight ends and receivers, I’m nothing,” Clinton said.

Clinton’s running back coach Spencer Crisp said when he joined the coaching staff last season, his first impression of Clinton was that he was very down to earth and someone that cares about the people that he is around.

“[The record] doesn’t change anything for him,”Crisp said.“The week leading up to it in practice, he was the same and now that he’s broken the record everything is the same as well. We just want to prepare and win everyday.”

Crisp also said that Clinton brings his teammates up with his work ethic, his skill and by being a vocal leader.

“He works really hard so the people around him want to work hard,” Crisp said.“He’s a really good athlete so if others are going to be working out or running next to him or anything like that they want to compete with him.”

Clinton has all the confidence in this year’s roster to go far in the postseason. He said that the chemistry between his teammates stands out compared to years prior.

“There’s something really special about this team this year that goes beyond football,” Clinton said. “I’ve witnessed change with how we encounter each other, we’ve always been close since I’ve been here, but something about this team this year, we ride or die for each other….We don’t get discouraged, we don’t get lost in our heads, we stay together. I think that’s what makes us so much stronger, I love this

team.”

Clinton advises younger athletes to not lose track of why they are playing their sport and to let that motivate them. He said that there are many distractions but it is important not to lose sight of their purpose here, saying sacrifices have to be made, but the sacrifices will not hurt in the long run if they really care about their goals.

“College can really take [away] the love of the sport if you allow it to,” Clinton said. “I’ve seen it, it’s almost happened to me…. Remember why you started playing, always have a ‘why,’ and let your ‘why’motivate and drive you.”

Family is one of Clinton’s “whys.” He said that he owes his family the world. His father got him into football when he was younger and he says that his family inspires him to continue playing

today. He says they help keep him focused on his goals and help him see all that he has the potential to become.

“I have a really big support system,” Clinton said. “My mom, dad, stepdad, grandfather, grandparents, my grandparents in general. All my family are behind me. They help keep me focused.”

One of Clinton’s goals for the future is to play in the NFL. The running back says that he is not yet ready to stop playing the game

of football.

“The type of personality I have, I can’t sit at a desk, I need to be there and that’s why I started playing football,” Clinton said. “I started playing because I was just a kid who wanted to play football and I kind of just try and embody that.”

With now four records to Clinton’s name, Crisp said that Clinton’s talent pushes him to become a better coach, and he also said that Clinton separates himself from other players by his preparation.

“I think it’s always a challenge to make people better, but it’s a tougher challenge to make people that are already good better,” Crisp said. “… He has created a role for himself where if you’re going to be a running back in this offense then part of your job is to help lead the team.”

By Connor Mahoney SPORTS EDITOR

The University of Indianapolis Athletics has been in the process of trying to determine its future. At the moment, UIndy athletics is part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) for Division II. Recently, the UIndy Board of Trustees met to discuss the fate of the athletic programs. However, in an email from The Office of the President on Sept. 30 the Board of Trustees announced that there has been no decision on what division or conference athletic teams will be competing in next season. The email from Interim President Phil Terry announced that sometime in the next few weeks the board will provide the public with more information.

“It [the decision of athletics] did request the timely development of a collaborative plan for Academics, Enrollment Management, Finance, Diversity and Inclusion, Athletics and Advancement to assure coordinated and effective attention regarding opportunities and needs that may arise as we go forward with the search for our next president,” Terry said via email. “In the weeks to come, we will communicate with you about that plan’s progress.”

The email revealed that athletics will play a large role for the future of the university. Additionally, Terry said that the world of athletics is always changing and is calling for community input.

“Evaluation on this topic will continue as both the environment at UIndy and the landscape of the The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) changes over time,” Terry said. “Importantly, this process will continue to include opportunities for [student] input and involvement, should [students] wish to participate.”

One of the options UIndy has is to advance to the Division I level, similar to teams such as Lindenwood University and the University of Southern Indiana, according to a previous article in The Reflector. However, the impact of a change could result in harder requirements to meet in academics for student-athletes, according to the NCAA.

The NCAA website said that Division I student-athletes have to meet a 2.3 grade point average (GPA), in comparison to the Division II requirement, which is a 2.2 GPA. Additionally, there are more differences when it comes to the amount of years in core classes, such as English and math. These differences could impact the decision, but Terry said in his email that he is excited for what is to come.

“I look forward to working with you to build the best experience— now and in the future— for the University of Indianapolis,” Terry said.

Interim AD position has been claimed

Mary Beth Bagg takes over as Interim Athletic Director after Scott Young leaves UIndy Athletics

By Mia Lehmkuhl OPINION EDITOR

In mid-September of this semester, UIndy Athletics announced the resignation of former Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Scott Young, who had served in the position, as well as athletic director, for two years. Associate Provost and Interim Athletic Director Mary Beth Bagg has temporarily assumed the positions left vacated.

“It’s always interesting when somebody leaves and you’re in an interim period,” Bagg said, “... and so my being here is also really because I have worked at the institution for a long time. I know the systems, I know the people and that’s a good thing for us right now, to have somebody who really can work with our system and understand it.”

A lot of what goes into the

responsibilities of these positions is keeping athletics moving forward, making sure operations are running smoothly, and overseeing things like the budget and problem-solving, according to Bagg. Students-more specifically student-athletes-remain her priority during her time in athletics.

“... I hope they will see in me a person who is an advocate for them and for this department,” Bagg said. “I hope they [students] will see that the most important thing to all of us is our students on this campus, period.”

The hiring process of who will replace Young permanently is still in the works and is being led by Interim President Phil Terry, who said that the hiring process is challenging because of uncertainty in the athletics department.

“The uncertainty we have in athletics at present, we’re still wrestling with where we think this university ought to be long-term in

terms of whether it [UIndy Athletics] should be Division I, Division II, stay status quo, make

first decide as a university where we think we best fit and then that should help inform us on who the right person is for AD [Athletic Director].”

The positions left vacated have left a large task set in front of Terry: finding the right person to do the job. Terry elaborated that UIndy is looking for someone with excellent character, integrity, intelligence and ambition to take the reins.

“If you’ve got someone with character, integrity and intelligence and ambition, you can give them everything else they need to be a success,” Terry said.

The future athletics director is also tasked with setting the standard for UIndy Athletics as an organization beyond any administrative tasks they complete on a day-to-day basis, according to Terry.

Terry said, “But I think, like with any leadership position, the primary role of that person is to set the tenor for the organization, to set the standard for the organization….”

With whoever will take the lead in athletics, UIndy students are Bagg’s priority and that’s the reason she goes to work every day, she said.

Terry said, “I think that’s the biggest challenge is to

some changes,”

“The athletic director is the leader for the whole department…,”

“I always used to say my two favorite days of the year were freshman move-in day because you just see all these students who are excited, they’re nervous. They’re wondering what these next four years or however many it is, are going to be,” Bagg said, “And commencement day when I see all the students who walk across the stage and their smiles are so grand because they did it… all of us who can be a part of enabling that success for students—that’s why we’re here.”

PHOTO EDITOR

Photo by Gabe Eastridge UIndy running back Toriano Clinton is handed off the ball as he makes a run getting through the defensive line of the Truman State defensive line. In this game, Clinton broke the record for the most touchdowns by a player in program history with winning the game.

I started playing because I was just a kid who wanted to play football.”

Photo by Gabe Eastridge Toriano Clinton breaks a tackle as he gets blocking from his offensive line against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats. Clinton broke another record this game, as well as his other records that he broke the game before. Clinton is in his senior year for the Greyhounds.

Diwali: The Festival of Lights

UIndy spreads knowledge, awareness about celebration of Diwali, which is celebrated Oct. 24

By Hannah Biedess STAFF WRITER

Over five days, members of the Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism faiths celebrate the festival

to celebrate are different in each religion, according to Brandeis University, and this year, it is being observed on Oct. 24.

Diwali is the largest festival celebrated in the Hindu faith, according to Community Liaison for the Hindu Temple of Central Indiana Anita Joshi.

She said Diwali is derived from the word Deepavali, with “deepa” meaning light and “avali” meaning row, translating to row of lights. Because Hindu festivals are based on the lunar calendar, dates change, and thus this year Diwali is being celebrated on Oct. 24, she said.

Joshi said Diwali is about light dispelling darkness, knowledge dispelling ignorance and good triumphing over

evil. She said that there are many reasons for why Diwali is celebrated, with different stories behind each. According to Joshi, in her home country of the northern region of India, one retelling of the story behind Diwali involves a king being exiled from his kingdom for 14 years, before returning after a series of trials. The day that he came back from his exile is now the day that Diwali is celebrated, Joshi said.

“It is the returning of the light to the kingdom, returning of the goodness to the throne, returning of all of the knowledge and kindness that we sort of value in Hinduism,” Joshi said. “The story goes that [the] habitants were so excited to have him back that they lit rows of lamps along all the roads guiding his way home.”

Joshi said Diwali is celebrated over five days, with the first two days spent preparing and decorating the house and cooking food. The last day, often called Bhai Dooj, is about celebrating the love between brothers and sisters, according to Joshi.

“The tradition was the lamps, nowadays, it’s all candles. People often do the same Christmas lights that we use at Christmas time, we put [them] up at the house during Diwali to decorate the house with lights,” Joshi said. “So

it’s really about light, it’s not necessarily about just the lamp or the candle or the way the light is given off, it’s about the light itself. Things have modernized, we get electrical lights now for things, electric candles, all kinds of good stuff, so the same ideas.”

She said that Diwali worships the goddess Lakshmi who represents fortune, the goddess Saraswati who represents knowledge and the god Ganesha who represents the remover of obstacles. Members of the Hindu faith worship them to create a positive path forward for the year, Joshi said.

“[Diwali is] important to the Hindu faith for many reasons, but it’s important most because we really do believe in this idea that knowledge and light and goodness really are the ways that we need to proceed in life in order to advance our spiritual progress,” Joshi said.

The University of Indianapolis is trying to help spread knowledge about Diwali. On Sept. 22, there was an event run by Associate Chaplain Reverend Arionne Lynch that talked about what Diwali celebrates and when it’s celebrated. According to Lynch, it was recorded and put on YouTube for anyone to watch. In addition, Lynch said that the discussion about Diwali is part of a new series to talk about holidays such

time with friends and family.The reasons

Blossoming of Friends cultivates friendships

By Max Shelburn & Hallie Gallinat STAFF WRITER & FEATURE EDITOR

The Blossoming of Friends club joins together for their club meetings in the basement of the University of Indianapolis Schwitzer Center. This club offers the opportunity for neurodivergent and neurotypical students to create friendships, according to senior finance major and club president Zach Schankerman.

According to senior criminal justice major Carter Sternberg, the club was founded by alumnus Brooklyn Robertson. He said she started the club to help mend the gap between neurotypical people and neurodivergent people. Once a month, the club will meet and host parties for anyone to attend, where there will be activities and games.

“So, once a month, we will have an event. They're not meetings, per se, they're parties for anyone,” Sternberg said. “For example, this month we’ll have a Halloween party on the Friday before Halloween, and then in November, we still have to plan that, but it’s going to be something like Friendsgiving. And then December will be a holiday themed party.”

Senior creative writing major Liza Harris said that originally, the idea was to have people assigned to one another. However, she said that the idea never worked out, so now members hang out together during meetings.

“I think it helps people understand,and it gives people who are neurodivergent the chance to be social and work, we push out of their comfort zones..,” Harris said. “Our hope is that we can kind of understand each other.”

Schankerman said he hopes that other students can gain a better understanding of their peers that experience neurodiversity. He said that building relationships in school is a huge part of his college experience.

“I hope that other students on campus are more aware of the challenges that neurodivergent people face, and I hope that we just have a greater understanding for each other, are able to build friendships and that's a really important part of college to me,” Schankerman said. “… Being able to develop not only your academic self, but your personal self and I think having both pieces [is] huge for all students.”

Schankerman said he took over as president this year when Robertson graduated. He said that if anyone is interested in joining, they can reach out to him at schankermanz@uindy.edu.

“I think that the club has gone well throughout the time I have been a part of it,” Schankerman said. “One of my hopes is that we continue to grow, and that we get more neurotypical people in the room, so that there is a better understanding of perspectives.”

as Rashashan and Ramadan to educate students.

“…We’re hoping to have one that looks at Hanukkah, one that looks at Ramadan and a few other holidays throughout the academic year, to just sort of raise awareness…,” Lynch said. “And hopefully [it will] build connection[s] or relationship[s] across our campus so that we have a greater understanding of one another.”

Lynch said that the Interfaith Programs hope to work with the Office of Inclusion and Equity to send summaries about Diwali out to students and staff. She said that the first step to raising awareness about Diwali was hosting the event on Sept. 22. Lynch said that the event had a good turnout and Joshi said the event was fun.

“… I think that helping fellow students to feel good on a day like [Diwali], wishing them a happy Diwali, giving them a chance to take a break and do something fun is a really nice thing for the university to be able to do,” Joshi said.

The Hindu Temple of Central Indiana is celebrating Diwali this year. Any and all students are welcome to join them, even if they are not officially Hindu, Lynch said.

Graphic by Olivia Cameron

The Code creates community

By Arrianna Gupton EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The University of Indianapolis strives to build a campus that provides opportunities and inclusivity to all its students, according to the UIndy Office of Inclusion and Equity. One of the ways this is offered is through various clubs and organizations that students of different racial, ethnic and sexual identities can join to find a sense of community. Senior psychology major and founder of the Black Male Initiative (BMI) Antonio Toliver has helped found The Code, a new organization that serves as a connector to BMI.

According to Toliver, whilst BMI’s mission is to help promote student retention within the black male student population through events like “Black Men Don’t Cheat” and “Business Tuesdays,” The Code is meant to be the place where black male students can let loose and be themselves.

“Black Male Initiative is now an

initiative that focuses on the professional development of black men on campus; it also helps with retention rates and different things like that. So, not only do we come to college, but it also ensures and makes sure that we get to the end and actually graduate,” Toliver said. “That’s kind of the difference between the two. I would say that The Code is more-so like the relationshipbuilding and bonding, like the fun side of things, where we actually get to know each other on a more personal level.”

Junior supply chain management major and board member of BMI and The Code Jimmy Filsaime said he hopes that The Code is able to help build a strong foundation for community amongst black young men around campus.

“I'm all about the community and a good set of individuals to be around and meet. We're just building that up. Especially for new people coming in

because they don't know,” Filsaime said. “We want this big [group] of the right people to hang around so we're creating that for them.”

According to Filsaime, The Code hopes to add an even deeper connection between students who participate in activities that BMI holds by providing them with even more resources to better themselves and their college experience. Toliver said that events like

“Dear PWI,” which was a collaboration event held on Sept. 20 with UIndy’s registered student organization (RSO) Project Regalia, allowed minority students a safe space where they can air their grievances and just be themselves. He said that The Code offers a place where he can be himself.

“The Code is essentially, we’ve heard about the bro code and different things like that, so it's kind of just something like that. We have unspoken rules or codes that we kind of just live by. And

we've also established codes within the organization and things that we want to keep up with our peers [and] with our brothers,” Toliver said. “Basically some of the things [are] never leaving another person behind, don't leave another brother behind. If you see something, say something, and basically just any way that you can [to] just be a helping hand to each other. And that's kind of what it means to me, just being able to be there for somebody… being a resource and being an aid.”

Although geared towards black and minority men, Toliver said there is room for support from anyone on campus who wants to reach out.

“You don't have to be black or male to support or want to see the advancement of the organization. I think that's something that a lot of times doesn't really get said,” Toliver said. “A lot of people feel like they can't come to our events or different things like that, but… our open general events, that's for everybody so if you just want to get to know us and really just bro with us as well, it’s open.”

Student reads tarot cards

By Lauren Erickson ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

The past, present and future; tarot cards can help interpret all three of these for someone. However, those cards cannot be interpreted unless someone knows how to read them. For the past six years, junior studio art major Cj Sparks has been able to read and interpret tarot cards for those who want to know what their life holds.

“It sounded fun and I was interested in it in a vague way,” Sparks said. “I was on a trip to Chicago and I was in a Goodwill. I found a deck [of tarot cards] in the children’s section and I was like, ‘Okay, I’ll pick it up and start learning.’ I spent one summer learning and then my stepmom invited me to [her vendor] at [Indy Pride]. That was my first time reading professionally.”

That invitation from Sparks’stepmom would prove to be the start of their career in reading tarot cards at festivals.

According to Sparks, they have read for hundreds of customers at festivals such as Indy Pride and the Irvington Halloween Festival.

Sparks said that even though they have been learning how to interpret tarot cards for years now, they are still memorizing the cards' meanings and learning new interpretations. According to Sparks, they still use a cheat sheet for some readings.

Since tarot cards are meant to be left open for interpretation, readers typically all have a different routine on how they go about the reading, according to Sparks. Some readers may choose a deck of tarot cards that best fits the customer, while readers like Sparks let the customer choose the deck themselves.

“I have a lot of different cards. I

let [customers] choose which [deck] they feel drawn to. Everyone has a different process of doing that,” Sparks said.“Some people like to run their hands over [the decks] and see which one they feel the energy from. Some people like to [ask] ‘Which one do you think reads best?’ I have an opinion on that, of course.”

According to Sparks, the decks of tarot cards have different personalities to them. When read from, certain decks of tarot cards tend to be straightforward and blunt with their interpretations.. However instead of being straightforward, some decks like to omit potentially upsetting details of their interpretations or dance around the truth, Sparks said.

They said they typically get hundreds of customers when they have a vendor at festivals, so they try to make the readings as efficient as possible to ensure that everyone at the festival who wants to can have their tarot cards read to them. Sparks said they typically only do three card readings since it is typically the quickest way to get through hundreds of customers. They said that they also found social and financial benefits when it came to professionally reading tarot cards at festivals.

“It’s an easy way to make money. It’s also a really easy way to meet people. All kinds of people want their tarot [cards] read,” Sparks said.

Sparks said, in certain perspectives, tarot cards are viewed as a device that can help give advice or help give a glimpse into what the future may hold for someone. In other perspectives, Sparks said that tarot cards are simply viewed as a fun activity to do at a festival.

“It can be something that’s really deep and really impactful, or it can be something that’s just fun and lighthearted

depending on how you approach it,” Sparks said.

Not only does Sparks read and interpret tarot cards as a business, but they also make hand-made journals. According to Sparks, to make the journals, they typically take items that would normally be thrown away such as old books or hair-dye boxes and turn them into covers. For some journals, Sparks also handmakes paper to use as pages.

At the Art & Design Student Sale, Assistant Professor for Art and Design Katherine Fries said she found the perfect gift for a family member in a hand-made journal from Sparks.

“…One of the things that drew me to [the journal] was [that] it was quite small and stature and I bought it for a family member who loves miniature things,” Fries said.

Fries said that buying handmade projects from students helps develop

their professional skills. She said one of the enjoyable aspects of the student sale is seeing a student’s finished final product.

“I was really proud of Cj, I thought they did a really good job of putting [the journal] together, of taking their interest of bookmaking and doing it in various different ways and interjecting their own kind of stylistic approach by choosing really cool colors,” Fries said.

According to Sparks, they have found a new sense of freedom within their business and use it as an outlet for their creativity. To get in touch with Sparks about booking a tarot reading or buying something from their business, contact them through their business Instagram @SeeJaySparksStudios.

“… I feel very independent and that I don’t have to rely on a 9 to 5 job or anything. It’s really freeing in that way. With my creative business, it lets me make things I love…,” Sparks said.

Photo by Lauren Erickson

Junior Studio Art major Cj Sparks sits with a deck of tarot cards outside of Krannert Memorial Library. They said they began reading tarot cards professionally six years ago.

... The Code is more like relationship-building and bonding...."

Playing music for memory loss

Center for Aging and Community organize Musical Memory Cafés for Dementia Friends Indiana

By Steven Pagel STAFF WRITER

The Center for Aging and Community along with the Department of Music at UIndy have paired with Dementia Friends Indiana to host three Musical Memory Café events on campus. According to their website, Dementia Friends Indiana is an initiative aimed at spreading education and awareness around living with dementia. The Musical Memory Cafės are events held in front of the Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center where the UIndy Jazz ensemble played jazz music for people living with dementia and their caregivers.

According to Project Assistant for Center of Aging & Community Becky Fee, the idea behind a musical memory café is for a welcoming environment to be created for people with dementia to gather around and socialize. Somewhere where outside noise is minimal or where the people living with dementia can be free of worry. Fee said the café’s are meant to be very relaxing wherever they are.

There were three Musical Memory Cafés at UIndy on Sept. 29, Oct. 3 and Oct. 11. All concerts are held from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on those dates.

Musical Memory Cafés at the university are made musically possible by the UIndy Jazz Ensemble. The jazz ensemble, which will also include the pep band during some performances, is responsible for performing the music. Assistant Professor of Music Mark O’Connor helps coordinate this event and said he happily endorses the cafés.

“We’re absolutely glad to be a part of this program.” O’Connor said. “… It’s been our privilege to do our part in supporting what this organization

does.”

According to O’Connor, the music played during the events are usually jazz pieces chosen to fit the interest of the crowd.

“I try to tailor it to the music from or at least styles that are associated with that more popular music and period of jazz,” O’Connor said.

According to Fee, there is a reason for playing a certain kind of music, particularly jazz music, because of the value it may provide for the people who attend. Depending on the situation, music can help listeners remember things they may not have, especially if they shared prior value with the music.

“…We encourage [the ensemble] to play older music because most of the people coming are older adults who are living with dementia…,” Fee said. “…Research has shown that music is something that your brain continues to remember and if you play music that they knew from the past, it’ll lighten up their day.”

Anyone could come to the events, as they are free to the public and require no forms to be filled out, according to Fee.

“I just want them to know that this opportunity is out there,” Fee said. “… Anyone: a student, faculty or anyone who knows someone who is living with dementia, I want them to know this is available, and they can call and find out when the next ones are and sign up for them. It’s not required that anybody signs up for them. But if they do, then we make sure we have enough food there.”

This is just the second time these events are being held, courtesy of the Center for Aging & Community.

“This is really the first one since COVID [-19]…,” Fee said. “We’re hoping that every year we can just get the word out more and more and have more people come.”

Graphic by Hallie Gallinat

Alumni Recital

By Olivia Pastrick STAFF WRITER

There are several traditions that are typically associated with homecoming: football games, tailgating and school spirit events. Among these things, the University of Indianapolis has a unique tradition—the annual Alumni Recital.

According to Associate Music Professor Mitzi Westra, who has been at UIndy for over 20 years, this event is an opportunity for alumni to come back and relive their history as a UIndy student.

as mentor relationships between professors and students.

“The music department is a really tight family. The students who are in the department are with each other all the time…,” Westra said.

As an adjunct instructor at UIndy, Bridgham often performs in the Faculty Artist Series concerts. However, they said that this was the first time that they would be performing as part of the alumni recital, which is something they believe is special in comparison to other opportunities.

By Breanna Emmett ART DIRECTOR

Nine Lives Cat Cafe, located just off of Shelby Street and Orange Street, is a spot for any cat-loving Greyhounds to work on assignments, reduce stress or adopt a new feline companion.

The cafe is colorfully filled with cat-themed decor and displays paintings for sale made by local artists. The menu offers gluten-free and vegan options to support customers with dietary restrictions. Psychology major and senior at UIndy Haley Hammonds visits Nine Lives Cat Cafe (NLCC) at least once a month and describes the atmosphere at NLCC as warm, welcoming, homey and cozy.

“Because it’s a cat cafe, they have a really nice dining area where you can order drinks and sit down and there’s a bar area where you can actually watch the cats while you drink,” Hammond said.

In addition to watching the cats while you enjoy a coffee and pastry, NLCC also offers the opportunity to enter into the cat room and visit with the many free-roaming cats and kittens.

“You’re actually allowed to order food and drink to be delivered to you when you’re in the cat area,” Hammond said. “Which is always really fun because the cats are all over you at that point.”

NLCC gives students the

opportunity to destress by visiting and playing with the many cats that they foster in the cat lounge, according to the owner of Nine Lives Cat Cafe and founder of IndyAdopts! Kelley Niiyama.

“Even if people don’t recognize it,” Hammonds said. “I think if you just spent some time with a kitten, it just helps you de-stress and it helps you take a break from everything that’s going on in your life, and you can just sit there and have some cuddles with a cat.”

Niiyama said.

NLCC is not only a place for study and relaxation, it also offers adoption services. If a student and their mental health care providers decide that an emotional support animal (ESA) is the best option for their mental health, Nine Lives Cat Cafe’s adoption services would be a great place to search for their comfort companion, according to Niiyama.

“We’re a good place for [adopting] ESA, and our shelters know how to deal with that,” Niiyama said.

Niiyama said that while she is proud of her work with Nine Lives Cat Cafe, she takes the most pride in helping the cats find their forever home.

“[The alumni] might not get to perform like they did when they were here,” Westra said. “They might not have a reason to dust off their instruments.”

Westra said that there is a legacy within the Department of Music that goes way back, and that people are able to see in the Alumni Recital. She said that it is easy for students to be tiedup in the cohort that they go through school with, but through this recital they can realize how much history there is behind the Department of Music and behind the people who have graduated from there.

“…It feels special, and so to perform for a recital that recognizes myself as an [alumnus] is definitely a point of pride and I’m excited to do it,” Bridgham said.

Niiyama emphasizes these mental health benefits as well.

“We did a survey recently and there were a number of people who said they came here because they wanted to destress with cats or reduce stress,” Niiyama said. “I think it’s a really important thing.”

Niiyama said that if she ever feels stressed or overwhelmed while accomplishing her work at the cafe, she will find herself visiting with the cats to offer herself a mental and physical break.

“In the working world it’s really important if you wear a lot of hats to have these bubbles that you go in and out of, and you need to take a physical break during that,”

“When an adoption happens, you see these people’s faces light up,” Niiyama said. “They’re getting this cat, and it’s the most amazing and wonderful thing.”

Hammonds said that what sets NLCC apart from other adoption centers is the fact that a potential adopter can get to know and interact with the cats before choosing which one they would like to adopt.

“It’s really nice to have that experience, because if you go to your local pet center, you just see these cats that are stuck in some kind of crate, and you don’t really get to have that experience with them,” Hammonds said.

To encourage UIndy students to try out the experience for themselves, NLCC is offering UIndy students 10% off drinks with proof of their student ID.

Faculty adjunct and alum Meadow Bridgham will be performing at this recital as well. Bridgham said that this recital is important since it allows current music students to see that all of the effort they are putting in as a student is not something that only lasts in college, but rather something that they will carry with them forever.

“It’s something that’s a lifelong treasure that you search for and gain at the end of the experience and you share that with your friends and the next generation,” Bridgham said.

Westra said that a benefit of this recital is to see that there are many different opportunities that can come from a music degree.

“Musicians have to be so creative when they get out in the field and [students] can see some things that others of our alums have done,” Westra said.

Westra said being able to maintain the connections with alumni that were made in their time at UIndy is a benefit of the recital. She said that there are some really deep friendships developed between students, as well

Bridgham will be playing a piece of music that they composed at this recital titled “Responses.” This piece is a collection of responses to 2020 and everything that happened that year, according to Bridgham. This started as a project with the Westben Composer Performer Residency, which Bridgham was invited to attend in 2020, but had to attend virtually instead due to COVID-19. The goal of these compositions was to spark conversation regarding the different feelings and subjects that recurred frequently in 2020, according to Bridgham.

“We each chose a word or a concept to explore, and my word was unrest because I summarize 2020 as the year of unrest, and so I explored that in my own way,” Bridgham said.

Westra said the alumni recital has been an annual event for years now, but only recently, before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it became associated with Homecoming at UIndy. According to Westra, this recital is a part of the culture of UIndy and is a great opportunity to have a representative of the arts culture on campus amidst the more traditional homecoming events.

“We do get so caught up with Homecoming equals football game, but there’s such a great culture on campus with the arts as well,” Westra said.

With the Alumni Recital now being part of the annual Homecoming festivities, Westra said she hopes that it will open students’ eyes to what’s happening with the arts, and in the Department of Music, specifically.

...it helps you take a break from everything that’s going on in your life....”

Photo by Gabe Eastridge

Junior Mace Chope intensely focuses on playing notes as the song intensifies. Professor of Music Mark O’Connor said that he tailors the music played at the café s to match what the crowd may have typically listened to in their past and the popular music back then.

Photo by Gabe Eastridge

Three saxophone players, Samantha Fletcher (left), Michael Parker (middle) and Kenvae Tarver (right) of the UIndy Jazz Ensemble all play together in the first of three Musical Memory Café s on Friday, Sept. 30th. They are all performed for Dementia Friends Indiana.

honor of The Reflector's 100 year anniversary, each issue this year has one page dedicated to looking back on past front pages and the history within them. This issue features the front page from Sept. 21, 1928.

The retiring of UIndy's yearbook

Discontinued in 1998, "The Oracle" created insight into the lives of UIndy faculty and students

By Olivia Cameron MANAGING EDITOR & CO-ONLINE EDITOR

For 89 years, the University of Indianapolis had a yearbook. It was titled “The Oracle” and was the university’s very first student publication, according to an article from The Reflector’s archives. The Reflector often updated students on the status of the yearbook’s production, writing in an issue from Sept. 21, 1928 that, “It is planned to make this year’s Oracle the best that any graduating class has prepared.”

Beginning with its first edition in 1909, “The Oracle” documented one full academic year at the university. It always included photos of the students, sorting them by their academic standing (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior) and often included photos of the faculty as well. Special attention was paid to student activities, with plenty of pages being dedicated each year to the different societies, clubs and organizations on campus.

It is safe to say that the yearbook was a valued publication at the university.

In a 1969 issue of The Reflector , the editor of “The Oracle” at the time, Paul Thomas, described the yearbook as “more than just historical records as it reflects the emotions, the ideas, and the special moments of the students… For the freshmen, the past Oracles can

be a sneak preview of their first year in college.”

“The Oracle” received many awards and accolades over the years. In a printing of Alumni News from 1965, it was documented that the 1964 “Oracle” was awarded an excellent rating by the National School Yearbook Association.

In 1991, The Reflector reported that “The Oracle” placed first in the state among schools with less than 7,500 students at the Indiana Collegiate Press Association Conference.

It has now been 24 years since the last edition of “The Oracle” was printed in 1998. According to former chair of the Department of Communication Pat Jefferson, there were many reasons for the discontinuation of UIndy’s yearbook.

The issues began when The Reflector and “The Oracle,” which were previously under the jurisdiction of the Office of Advancement, became the responsibility of the Department of Communication, specifically the journalism department.

These publications that had been more akin to clubs or student organizations became classes, and it was incredibly difficult to find people that could teach them both, Jefferson said. She said “The Oracle” did not have the staff and resources it needed to put together a good publication. When she found out that at other universities, such as Ball State University, the yearbook was not under the jurisdiction

of their journalism department and that yearbooks were beginning to go out of fashion, she proposed that “The Oracle” be discontinued.

While it is unfortunate that UIndy’s yearbook came to an end, the hard work of the students and faculty that were able to make it happen for so many years lives on. UIndy’s archives contain 68 editions of “The Oracle,” both in print editions available at Krannert Memorial Library and online

in PDFs. Looking through the pages provides a glimpse not only into the culture of American college students at the time of each printing, but into the accomplishments and attachments made by UIndy’s alumni during their time here as well.

From the foreword of “The Oracle’s” 1944 edition: “It is the hope of the staff that with the passing years this Oracle might become a symbol of friendships formed, and the many happy days

spent here. Perhaps in idle moments it will be comforting to permit the mind to wander back on these scenes of pleasant memories. You may look through this volume and be carried on the wings of time back to your college days, reliving and reacting the events which will forever be prized and dear. If in coming years the value of this book increases in your estimation and becomes a cherished reminder of your college days, we shall be content.”

Shelby Street's UIndy history

By Michael Harrington BUSINESS MANAGER

On Sept. 21, 1928 the University of Indianapolis was looking forward to the future development of Shelby Street.This 1928 issue of The Reflector reported that Shelby Street would span off of Madison Avenue into Fountain Square, making the district accessible to students and University Heights residents alike. The Reflector reported that the street, which was funded by the city and Fountain Square business owners, was expected to be completed by Nov. 15. It connected local businesses, infrastructure and Garfield Park, which was favored by the local students.

Shelby Street still serves as an integral part of student life 98 years later, despite recent construction blocking a more accessible route. Just like it did long ago, Shelby Street hosts local hot spots for students, supplying recreation and conveniently placed services.

Garfield Park, which is connected to University Heights via Shelby Street, attracts many students and residents with its amenities. Since its feature in 1928 in The Reflector, it has developed features such as an amphitheater, a greenhouse, picnic spaces and more. Students, like freshman pre-nursing major Maya Singh, have found the park to be a good place to unwind after a long day of studying.

"I go to Garfield Park during the fall when it cools down after classes," Singh said.

Students frequent the Fountain Square area when going down Shelby Street. The district offers a variety of small shops, restaurants and a historic fountain that attracts UIndy students. A particular place that has been mentioned by students is the Nine Lives Cafe. This cafe allows guests to come in for coffee with the additional benefit of playing with adoptable cats. Overall, Fountain Square has seen a recent resurgence in student interest over the years from students like freshman Pre-Art Therapy major Sophia Haven.

"I used to not go around [Fountain Square] when I would visit Indy, but now I’ve been going there more," Haven said.

The culture surrounding Shelby Street not only involves restaurants and recreation but also conveniently located, yet essential, services for students. Aldi grocery store, Speedway and Shell gas stations are all within walking distance of the university and are connected from the street. As a result, gas stations and grocery stores were frequently mentioned by students.

Shelby Street has become an important part of UIndy culture, just as The Reflector predicted 98 years ago. With even more features, such as the IndyGo bus' Red Line, it has firmly rooted itself in the livelihoods of students throughout the decades.

Photo Illustration by Arrianna Gupton

Photo by Hannah Hadley

The intersection of Shelby St. and Wesley Drive

quiet

St. has grown