January 31, 2024 by SDSU Collegian

News

sdsucollegian.com

January 31, 2024

STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

New clubs approved, two new resolutions passed KENNETH REBELLO News Editor South Dakota State University Students’ Association approved the constitution of three new clubs and voted on two resolutions at the weekly Monday night meeting in the Lewis and Clark room. Open Forum Senators approved constitutions of the Lamb and Wool Club, Rock Band Club and Golf Club. Feminist and Equality Movement Club (FEM) addressed the senators on becoming a college affiliated with the planned parenthood club. FEM is dedicated to educating students on campus and the Brookings community on topics such as feminism, sex education, healthy relationships, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases and much more. Goals of FEM include gender equality by spreading awareness of social, political and economic issues that affect everyone and support people of all genders about their sexual health and safety. The Lamb and Wool Club aims to gain student interest in the lamb and wool industry by providing opportunities to develop leadership skills and to interact with professionals in the agricultural industry. The club also aims to demonstrate how to season and cook lamb as well as educate students on characteristics of wool and its uses. The Rock Band Club started as an idea from a music appreciation class and further initiated to create a band. The purpose of the club is to gather members to form bands and organize concerts both on and off campus. Rock band club currently consists of around 20 members with five different bands such as the country music band, the rock band and indie music band. The Golf Club seeks to provide opportunities for students on fundamentals using personal training through experi-

enced golfers and allow improvement by participating in competitions. The Golf Club is sponsored through the National Collegiate and Club Golf Association (NCCGA) and aims to participate in regional tournaments hosted by the NCCGA. Committee & Staff Reports SA Adviser Kimberly Grieve urged students to take the Campus Climate Survey. Communications Chair Hannah Dayaget informed senators about the “Vote today, impact tomorrow” slogan to promote upcoming general elections. Unfinished Business Government Affairs Chair Michael Garofalo moved to strike Resolution 235-R and amended the agenda by adding Resolution 23-6-R. Senators voted on the amendment of Resolution 23-3-R. The resolution initially stated SA’s support for bed sharing traveling policy. However, senators amended the resolution to support an Opt-In traveling policy. Sen. Rylee Sabo for College of Nursing felt the need to encourage the university to make the bed sharing policy an opt-in option. The current proposed policy of bed sharing would double Special Allocation Funds for lodging for student organizations. Chief of Staff Benjamin Connor spoke in opposition of the resolution, discussing that financial burden may not be as large as implied. Connor discussed dangers of bed sharing and supported the single bed usage for each student. The amendment was taken to a roll call vote and approved with majority votes. Senators voted on Commemoration 23-6-C. The SA commemorated Tom Manzer for his dedication and service to South Dakota State University’s football program. Tom Manzer has served as the public address announcer for Jackrabbit foot-

MICHAEL GAROFALO

HADEN BENTZ

ball since 1979 and announced for 270 Jackrabbit football games in his 44 years with Dec. 15, 2023 semifinal game being his last. “The only thing I would say is that it is always so good to be on the field and hearing ‘The Pride is Back’ (in Manzer’s voice),” said Vice President Hayden Bentz. Senators also voted on Resolution 236-R. The resolution aimed at SA opposition to House Bill 1178. HB 1178 seeks to “prohibit the Board of Regents or any institution under its control from using state resources for obscene live conduct.” Garofalo explained that the committee saw the similarities in this bill as compared to HB 1113 and HB 1116 as an attempt to bully student organizations. Garofalo added that a policy has been placed in effect with the Board of Regents on how to keep minors away from events that may be perceived as too adult for them. Garofalo believes that the committee does not want to burden student organi-

zations with more regulations in accordance with HB 1178. He further asked to support the resolution and described the bill and its language to be vague. Sen. Grace Barnett, discussed the vague language used in the bill and its effect on Hobo Day. “If this bill passes, we could get into legal trouble for Hobo Day,” Barnett said. “The way language is phrased and different terms like how we dress for Hobo Day and the word ‘Hobo’ is something people are deeply offended by and the law talks about a lot of language about being offended and that’s where we start to touch issues.” The resolution was taken to a roll call vote and approved with majority votes while six senators abstained. Announcment The Martin Luther King Rally and Marade is scheduled to take place on Feb. 19 and Feb. 20.

sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

New branding, communication policy causes concern for faculty and students

GRETA GOEDE Editor-In-Chief A new policy that limits what university units and employees can include in their email signatures that went into effect Friday, Jan. 25 has led to concerns from faculty and students that including pronouns could violate the policy. South Dakota BOR created the new branding and communications policy during their board meeting in Brookings in December 2023 after it was discussed internally and at the campus level in the months prior, according to Shuree Mortenson, director of communications for SDBOR. “Institutions are responsible for establishing and enforcing the branding and communication standards for employees and registered student organizations,” Mortenson said in an email to the Collegian. Mortenson also said many institutions already have campus guidelines and this policy just helps create uniformity throughout the BOR system. Contact information is limited to the following: -Name of originating employee (may include educational credentials or degrees earned); -Job title of originating employee; . Name of unit; - Email address for originating employee; - Email address for unit (if applicable); -. Physical address; - Mailing address; - Telephone number(s); - Weblinks to oﬃcial institutional websites or social media platforms (if applicable); - Primary institutional logo; - Institutional motto The purpose of this policy, according to policy manual, is to create standards and expectations for institutional communications and brand management.

JEREMY DANIEL

SHUREE MORTENSON

to preserve and protect a cohesive message and image. This policy applies to all university employees, which include students who work for the school. B, a member of the Gender and Sexuality Alliance executive board for said it’s “unfortunate” some students cannot share this information in their signatures. “There are some of us who do use they/ them pronouns that are nonbinary, and we prefer to use those pronouns in our signage,” B said. B said GSA is looking into it further to see if they can do anything to take action against the policy. If an institutional unit or registered student organizations fail to follow the new policy, it “may result in the removal or revocation of authorization or license to utilize an institution’s graphical marks,” according to the policy manual. If departments, colleges or even oﬃces on campus don’t follow this policy they could lose the right to communicate on behalf of their institution, according to Jeremy Daniel, Faculty Senate president. “There are potentially substantial repercussions for not following this policy,” Daniel said. The new policy was discussed at the January Faculty Senate meeting. Daniel said they gathered feedback from sena-

tors and heard concerns some people have expressed to them. “We are certainly taking a deeper look

at that and seeing how those initial conversations go, and then evaluating further action that we plan to take,” Daniel said. There have also been concerns about this policy coming from faculty, according to Daniel. “I know from the faculty side of things, I’ve received some emails personally with concerns,” he said. “Some of those concerns question free speech, some of them question action that is representative of SDSU’s values.” Daniel said faculty does care about this policy and how it impacts students, and they are taking a deeper look into what they can do about it.

UPD Daily Crime Log

The following were included in the University Police Department daily crime log from JAN. 21 to JAN. 26 SUNDAY, JAN 21

•

12:45 a.m., 6TH ST, DUI/Fictitious License/Purchase of Liquor/Posession

TUESDAY, JAN 23 • •

10:30 a.m., Enrollment Services Center, Terroristic Threats 2:34 p.m., Avera Health & Science Center, Harassment

THURSDAY, JAN 25 • • • •

9:26 a.m., Young Hall, Intentional Damage/Vandalism 11:38 a.m., Binnewies Hall, Intentional Damage/Vandalism 2:24 p.m., Binnewies Hall, Intentional Damage/Vandalism 2:46 p.m., Performing Arts Center, Credit Card/ATM Fraud

FRIDAY, JAN 26 • • •

2:43 a.m., Binnewies Hall, Tampering/Petty Theft/Intentional Damage/Vandalism 8:59 a.m., Young Hall, Intentional Damage/Third Degree Vandalism 11:35 a.m., Young Hall, Intentional Damage/Third Degree Vandalism

sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

January 31, 2024

SDSU’s School of Design chosen to propose new dinosaur park Chamberlain, SD seeks to build a new park with the help of the School of Design

BROOKE BURNETTE Reporter SDSU’s School Of Design was chosen to propose a master plan for a new park design in Chamberlain, SD last spring. Chamberlain is located in the middle of South Dakota along the Missouri River, attracts many tourists and is the largest town within a 25-mile radius. The idea for a new park in Chamberlain came about from residents of the town in 2014. They wanted the park to encapsulate South Dakota’s history of dinosaur fossils and to also help increase tourism. In that same year with funding, they were able to purchase a Mosasaur, which is a dinosaur that they found the fossils of in that region. Since then, the city has purchased other dinosaur replicas but had no plans for the park yet, until this past spring. The city of Chamberlain and the nonprofit organization South Dakota Dinosaur Park Inc. reached out to the SDSU’s School of Design to help make this park a reality. Professor Jeremiah Bergstrom and senior landscape architect student Riley Stueber took on the project. “We came up with a plan to meet with them, visit the

project site, get some ideas about what they are thinking, and we worked over the summer to develop a proposal,” Bergstrom said. Their proposal included a baseball park, pavilion, picnic shelter, a fictional hunting scene of dinosaurs, playground, dog park, bridges, a wetland system, and an open lawn space with dinosaur replicas scattered throughout the park. “ It was a fun project. Lots of random scribbles on trace paper, later it developed into something really cool,” Stueber said. They started moving forward with the park after the endorsement of residents of Chamberlain, its town council, and the mayor. The town has signed a contract with a local engineering firm, Houston Engineering, and landscape architect Josh Johnson to begin the site survey and site engineering. The two are very excited about the project coming to fruition. Struber shared his favorite part about working on the proposal for the Chamberlain Dinosaur Park. “Getting to figure out a real-world project, and being able to look at when it is built and being able to say that this one is mine, I am excited to do that.”

Photos courtesy of sdstate.edu

sdsucollegian.com

OPINION

January 31, 2024

A list of bad songs on good albums: PART 1

JACK MCCARTY Entertainment Editor Everyone makes mistakes, right? Pobodys nerfect! Even the greatest musicians have the occasional slip-ups, and that is what I am going to be chronicling here. I want to quickly lay out some of the rules I set for myself to make the list a bit more concise. The first rule is that I only put one song per artist. The second rule is that I wanted to avoid joke songs and transition songs. For example, “Stop” by Pink Floyd and “Iron Gland” by Alice in Chains are both songs I would consider to be transitions and I don’t think it’s fair to judge them on the same level as their other songs. An example of a joke song that I nearly put on the list would be “All by Myself ” by Green Day. It’s a bit hard to tell the difference between a serious song telling an unfunny joke and a song that is a joke, so I used my best discretion. Also, for the record, I used the internet to research and refresh my brain, but all the songs are songs I don’t like off albums I do like. I’m not just regurgitating other people’s opinions. For example, I saw a lot of people bring up the songs “Mother” by the Police and “Mamacita” by OutKast, and I don’t mind these songs. I think “Mother” is an interesting experiment that I can appreciate, and “Mamacita” has a chill and relaxed beat that I can groove with, even if the song goes on for a bit too long. With that out of the way here is part one of my ranking for the worst songs from good albums. “Lonely Day” by System of a Down – Hypnotize: Admittedly I’m starting the list off on a bit of a controversial pick, but I just never liked this song. SOAD is one of my favorite bands, and every album that they put out is a banger, but I just never understood the admiration for this song. It was even nominated for a Grammy for best hard rock performance, so obviously I am in the minority. I think my main issue is the lyrics. They are just way too on the nose. That combined with Daron’s nasally whine makes the song sound sarcastic, and that’s the last thing you want from a heartfelt ballad about loneliness. Maybe they intentionally wrote the lyrics “The most loneliest day of my life” to be ironic, but it just doesn’t land for me. It feels awkward and armature. The reason this song is so high on the list is because I think the bridge is nice and that guitar solo is undeniably killer, but it isn’t worth listening to the rest of the song to get to it. Daron, when you go, I don’t want to go with you. This song sucks. I’m sorry. “Welcome to the Machine” by Pink Floyd – Wish You Were Here: I am a little obsessed with this record. I have the album art as my phone lock screen and tried to recreate it in a high school photography class, I learned

Photo by Columbia Records

Photo by Roadrunner Records

the tragic story of Syd Barrett inside and out, and “Have a Cigar” is one of my top three Pink Floyd songs. There is just one blemish on this nearly perfect record, and I was in denial about this for a long time, but I hate “Welcome to the Machine”. Waters’ overwrought vocals bring the band as close to pretentious as they have ever come, and that’s coming from a guy who’s listened to Ummagumma. It just drones on and on, and the subject matter just makes it worse. Songs about the music business just don’t really land for me. The reason I love “Have a Cigar” so much even though it’s about the same subject is because the lyrics are extremely witty and ruthless. On top of that the groove in that song is undeniable. “Welcome to the Machine” just sounds like noise to me. It’s loud and obnoxious for no reason and never seems to go anywhere. I appreciate the welcome, but I’ll show myself out. Tattered & Torn by Slipknot – Slipknot: I was debating putting this on here not because I don’t think that the song is bad, but because I wasn’t sure if I thought the album was good. I am a huge Slipknot fan, but even I can acknowledge that their debut album is the definition of frontloaded. The first five songs (six if you count the intro) are some of the best songs the band put out and might be some of the best metal ever recorded. “Eyeless,” “Wait and Bleed,” “Surfacing” are all absolute bangers, but past that there isn’t a lot to write home about, or so I thought for a long time. Upon thoroughly listening to the second half, I can say there is some good stuff there. A lot of the tracks on the second half sound like they were sowing the seeds for what would become their sophomore album, IOWA, which is, in my opinion, their

Photo by Columbia Records

best and most consistent. Even songs like “Me Inside” are good on their own and make the second half of the album worth listening to... except for one track. True story: I was driving my mom somewhere and had my music on shuffle. When this song came on my mom immediately thought there was something wrong with the car. It’s that kind of song. This song sounds like what people who hate Slipknot think they sound like. Just random abrasive noise for no good reason. It’s structureless and messy, and not endearing in a way like some of their other songs. I was torn on whether I should include this song, but it’s so tattered that I had to.

NEWS

January 31, 2024

GREAT BEAR SKI VALLEY CELEBRATES SEASON OPENING

GRACELIN BJORDAL Reporter Located just shy of 60 miles from SDSU’s campus, Great Bear Ski Valley is a good place to get away from campus for a while. With 220 acres of land to ski, snowboard and tube, Great Bear offers the potential of an adventurous day outside spent with friends and family. After pushing back opening day twice because of the warm weather, Great Bear is now able to welcome guests of all ages and skill levels. The park officially opened all runs and the tubing hill Jan. 18. “The thing that affects us the most is the lack of winter weather. The snowfall is nice and reminds people that it is winter and is good free publicity, but ultimately, we just need the cold temps,” Kyle Vanderberg, Great Bear’s snowmaking manager, said. With the influx of cold weather that moved in recently, the park was able to make enough snow to open. To open the park, the standard amount of snow on the ground is 18-24 inches. But, with limited precipitation and unusually warm weather the region received early this winter, Great Bear has struggled to make that expectation a reality. “I try not to set any crazy expectations as to when we get things 100% open, I generally just go with my gut,” Vanderberg said. The communication team aims to be transparent, but also optimistic, when delivering updates about the status of the park. Great Bear Ski Valley strives to create a welcoming and inviting environment for all ages and skill sets. On the hill, you will find guests from all walks of life

Photos courtesy of Great Bear Ski Valley.

celebrating the weather and sports that come with it. “We have more challenging terrain for the advanced skiers and snowboarders as well as a terrain park for the more adventurous guests,” Great Bear’s General Manager Dan Grider said. There is also a tubing hill for nonskiers and groomed cross-country trials for Nordic skiers, Grider mentioned. Great Bear oﬀers ski and snowboard lessons at an additional cost of $60 per 90-minute lesson.

The ski park is working with the Sioux Falls Park and Recreation Department to include it in the city’s future master plan development. Items of discussion include developing additional ski and snowboard terrain, upgrading the lodge facility, and creating an ice-skating rink as well as a mountain bike trail. Since Great Bear is owned by the city of Sioux Falls, the park is ever-changing. It is a partnership that works out great for everyone, including the community, said Alexa Jerstad, Great Bear’s director

of communications. Lift and tubing tickets can be purchased online or at the customer help desk for various prices depending on the day of the week. Great Bear also oﬀers a discounted rate to students with proof of a valid ID. After the expansion this year, the discount is now valid Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays after 5 p.m. Children under 5 years also receive free admission with the purchase of an adult lift ticket.

sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

CAPERS

PHOTO SUBMITTED

SYDNEY HOIER Reporter

GREAT BEAR SKI VALLEY PRICES

• • • • • • •

• • • • • •

LIFT TICKETS LESSON RATES Monday Madness $16.50 from • 1 person $60 3-9 pm • 2-3 people $50 per person Tuesday-Thursday $33 from 3-9 • 4-6 people $45 per person pm SEASON PASS Friday $38 from 12-10 pm • Ski & Snowboard $330 Saturday/Holiday – FULL DAY • Additional $240 for rental $38 from 9 am–9 pm equipment (optional) Saturday/Holiday – EVENING $33 from 5-9 pm RENTALS Sunday $38 from 9 am-6 pm • Skis, Boots & Poles $31 Park opens exclusively for • Snowboard & Boots $31 season pass holders on Sunday • Skis/Snowboard Only $20 night from 6-8:30 pm • Helmet $12 STUDENT DISCOUNT • Boots Only $15 Tuesday-Thursday All Day • Poles Only $7 Saturdays after 5 pm 5 & Under Skis, Boots Must Show Proof of a Valid Student ID • Kids & Helmet $10 Tubing $9 Lift Tickets $20 Equipment Rentals $20

Alpha Psi Omega, SDSU’s theatre fraternity, hosted the annual production of Capers last weekend at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center. “Capers is a student variety show that’s written by, produced by, directed by, and cast by students,” APO Adviser Corey Shelsta said. “It’s all done by the members of Alpha Psi Omega.” This year’s production, titled Capers: Goes to the Movies, featured sketches based on popular ﬁlms including “Finding Nemo,” “Twilight,” “Barbie” and various Disney princess movies. “I play Ariel in the Princess Divorce Club,” Kirynn Engelbrecht theatre major said. “We’re all talking to a therapist and trying to get through our problems with our husbands, or future ex-husbands… We go one by one and say our problems, and they don’t even get solved, but it’s fun. People laugh.” This was Engelbrecht’s ﬁrst year of Capers, but others have been taking part in this tradition for years. “In the past two years I was in Capers and I just love the environment and the people in it,” Eric Luong, a junior from Sioux Falls double majoring in communications and criminology, said. Despite being fun, Luong

says that the biggest challenge was putting the production together in only three weeks. “We had APO members, choreographers and other important people missing for a week,” Luong said. “We technically only had two real weeks of rehearsals.” Shelsta said, “It’s a quick turnaround but it’s fun and it’s real low pressure.” Over 60 students were cast from a variety of majors and backgrounds, plus the members of APO and State University Theatre faculty who pitched in to make the performances happen. “I would say that anyone should do it, even if you’re not a theatre major. It’s just so much fun,” Engelbrecht said. Whether students are interested in dancing, singing or acting, all were welcomed to audition and participate. “I’m just really proud of watching the students come together to make this work and everybody helping each other out and collaborating together,” Shelsta said. “It just seems like this year’s cast had more fun.” Some students are already eager for next year’s Capers experience. When asked if she would be participating again, Engelbrecht said: “Oh, 1 million percent. I’m already thinking about it, I can’t wait.”

NEWS

January 31, 2024

LUCRATIVE FUNDRAISER Dairy Club makes $87,000 in cheese box sales

SUBMITTED PHOTO SDSU Dairy Club members display cheese blocks placed in boxes shortly before selling them. Members gathered at the Davis Dairy Plant and cut down 20 pound blocks of cheese into 30 chunks.

SAM MOSER Reporter

DSU’s Dairy Club sold over 8,000 pounds of cheese and recorded a two-year high gross income during its annual cheese box fundraiser. The fundraiser began earlier than previous years with sales opening in mid-October and closing Dec. 1 so people could have their boxes delivered before Christmas. This was the first year the fundraiser had preset boxes for people to choose from; Hobo Spice, Jackrabbit Classic, Campanile Cheddar and Jacks

Favorites. “That was faster for us and it didn’t affect sales,” said Briana Maus, a junior dairy production major. “I think this helped our sales because this year we grossed $87,000 which is more than the past two years,” said Allison Wright, a junior agricultural communications/animal science major and Dairy Club president. The student-run fundraiser is known nationwide, and SDSU Cheese was sold and shipped to all continental states by the club. Many of the people and businesses they sell to become repeat customers. One customer has been buy-

ing SDSU cheese since the 1970s because of the high-quality product and customer service they receive. Mildred Huggins, a Brookings resident for over 70 years, is one of the club’s loyal customers. She and her husband, Earnest J Huggins, moved to Brookings after they finished college. He then worked as a professor in the biology department at SDSU. Their initial plan was to live here for a few years and then move back to her husband’s home state, Texas. 70 years later, Mildred is still in Brookings and a “loyal Jackrabbit.” A few years after her husband’s passing, Mildred began buying cheese boxes from the dairy

DAIRY CLUB What: Cheese Box Sales Number of Members: 70 Gross Sales: $87,000 Pounds of Cheese: 8,000 Number of Boxes: 2,257 States Sold In: 48

NEWS

January 31, 2024

club to send to her family in Texas. “I wanted the Texans to realize that good cheese could be purchased in South Dakota,” Huggins said. To package and box up all of the cheese, the club hosted cheese cutting nights in the Davis Dairy Plant until all 2,257 boxes were filled. Each box held four blocks of cheese, each weighing three-fourths of a pound and sold for $30 a box plus shipping. The club cut about 8,000 pounds of cheese which took 800 hours in total to complete the process. On a given ‘cheese cutting night’ members of the dairy club would gather at the Davis Dairy Plant and cut down 20 pound blocks of cheese into 30 chunks. From this point, they sealed the chunks and put a sticker on each piece. Once orders started coming in, the club began packing the individual boxes. Davis Dairy Plant plays a key role in the success of the cheesebox fundraiser. “We wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the dairy plant,” Wright said. “They’re really willing to help us because

we help them get their cheese out, it’s a symbiotic relationship.” The plant sells the cheese to the dairy club at wholesale cost and allows students to use the facilities for free. For many students, they get to watch the process come full circle as they work in the plant and make the cheese. The club works as a team to cut, package and sell the cheese. The fundraiser was a yearlong process for Wright, Maus, Randall Winch and members of the cheese box committee. Wright was the chair for the committee and has worked since last fall to make this sale possible. She helps make decisions and look over details. Maus was trained in food safety protocols by the dairy plant staff so the club could use the facility. Winch oversaw customer orders, shipping and other finances. According to Maus, cheese for next year’s sale is already being made in the Davis Dairy Plant so it has enough time to age and pass inspection. The money raised from this event is

used to sponsor club events and trips. Each summer, the club typically hosts Jackrabbit Dairy Camp for 9 to 17 year olds. The participants learn more about showing and raising dairy. Members of the club plan and facilitate the two night, three day event. The club also goes on a spring trip and industry tours that are made possible through cheese box sale profits. Last, the money is awarded back to students who are members of the club in the form of scholarships. Dairy club offers four scholarships to its members, two for dairy majors and two for non-dairy majors. The Dairy Club comprises over 70 members and welcomes students of all different agricultural backgrounds. “We have so much to offer,” Maus said. “No matter if you’re interested in dairy, communications, planning, community relations, advertising, or media, there is something for you to do with Dairy Club.”

Top Right: Hobo Spice, Jackrabbit Classic, Campanile Cheddar and Jacks Favorites cheese placed in storage bins. Bottom Right: Cheese placed on hangers at the Davis Dairy Plant. Left: Members of Dairy Club seal cheese blocks at the Davis Dairy Plant.

Volume 138 • Issue 15

The Collegian is the independent student newspaper at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D. The Collegian is published by and for South Dakota State University students under the First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press. Opinions expressed on these pages are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty, staff or administration. The Collegian is published weekly on Wednesday during the academic year of SDSU.

Greta Goede Editor-in-Chief

Kenneth Rebello

Brayden Byers Managing Editor

Anna Lockrem

Evan Patzwald

Joclyn Haven

Jack McCarty

Jordan Roemeling

Design Editor

News Editor

Assist. News Editor

Entertainment Editor

Marshall Minihan

Bosten Morehart

Natalie Dean

Sports Editor

Assist. Sports Editor

Zachary Simon

Ad Sales Representative

Copy Editor

Shelby Lang

Ad Sales Representative

Photo Chief

Assist. Entertainment Editor

Nadia Pinos

Social Media Manager

Madelyn Murphy

Ad Sales Representative

Letters to the Editor Send letters to Editors@ sdsucollegian.com or to USU 069 Box 2815, Brookings, S.D. 57006. You can also post comments online at www.sdsucollegian.com. Please keep to less than

Main line: 605.688.6164 Newsroom: 605.688.6166 Editor-in-Chief: 605.688.6178

sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

January 31, 2024

Cats on campus

A10

Roaming felines spur worry on SDSU’s campus JORDAN ROEMELING Asst. Entertainment Editor Students have frequently seen cats roaming around campus every semester. Whether they are emotional support animals (ESA), feral, or domesticated, the cats certainly grab the attention of students and passersby. Each year, as the colder season sets in though, students sometimes take it upon themselves to pick up the cats and turn them into animal shelters for fear for the cats need help, even the cats that have owners. Isabella Vree, a community service officer for Brookings Animal Control, receives many calls for this very reason. “People are more likely to call in a cat that they see when they’re cold because they think, ‘Oh, no, I’m cold, so that cat must be cold. I have to call it in,’ Vree said. “Rather than if they see a cat in the summer, more people will typically say, ‘Oh cute cat,’ and move on.” Vree says many of these cats are strays that were once owned by students but are released out to campus or the city when they can no longer keep the cats as pets. “People either have to move home or they can’t decide who gets to keep the pet,” Vree said. “Or their parents say they can’t have it, or wherever they move for a new job when they graduate, or a new house they’re renting doesn’t allow pets and unfortunately a lot of times, they just release it around campus or in the city, which causes a very, very large stray-cat problem.” A senior student at SDSU, who asked to remain anonymous, due to online criticism, is the owner of a well-known and domesticated cat, named Rodney, that used to roam around campus. The owner said Rodney was a stray cat when she first found her last summer. The owner said she had a “chaotic experience” of letting her cat roam outdoors freely. Rodney was able to be tracked by her owner using a microchip, and because students around campus took pictures of her and posted her spottings on social media

Submitted photo Rodney the cat has caught the attention of both students and Brookings Animal Control while he roamed campus for several semesters.

platforms such as Snapchat and YikYak. “She was a big adventurer,” her owner said. “But it was just chaotic not knowing where she was sometimes or like keeping up to date with her on Snapchat stories, knowing that she was by Hyde Hall an hour ago, but now she’s by Pierson Hall.” This became a problem when people would pick up Rodney and take her into their dorm rooms for the night. Eventually, Rodney’s owner ended up bringing her to her parent’s house in her hometown where the cat currently lives. Danicah Capitonoff, a sophomore resident of Binnewies Hall, said she saw more cats roaming last year, but has heard a few cat stories about this year, including Rodney. “I’ve definitely heard of Rodney, she’s famous,” Capitonoff said. “But I don’t think I saw Rodney because she looks kind of like a rabbit, but I’ve definitely seen her on the Snapchat stories.” Vree said that allowing cats roam about campus poses dangers to cats because they are at risk of being hit by

cars, exposed to diseases and suffering attacks from skunks, opossums, and raccoons. Also, they can potentially harm wildlife. “Outdoor domesticated cats can be very detrimental to local wildlife,” Vree said. “Oftentimes, they like to play with birds or mice or moles or voles or things like that and just decrease local populations of things like pollinators, without necessarily having to eat them. So, not only is it a danger to themselves running out in front of cars and such, but also can hurt the environment around them.” If a student wants to adopt a cat, the city requires pets to be licensed, which can be bought from the Brookings Police Department for $5. If pets are picked up by animal control without a license the owners pays a fee. “In general, unless it is a barn cat or a mouser cat, it is really favorable to keep the cats indoors,” Vree said. “Especially on campus, we do get a lot of calls that people hit a cat or they find a cat in the road that we have to come take care of. So, it is much better and safer for a pet cat to stay inside.”

A11

SPORTS

SPORTS BRIEF

Equestrian MARSHALL MINIHAN Sports Editor South Dakota State’s equestrian team lost to Delaware State and SMU in Texas over the weekend. Against Delaware State, SDSU barely inched behind as the girls came short by a single point, ending the competition at an 8-7 loss. Though leading with an advantage of a point, DSU came from behind and grabbed the last three points of the matchup. Paige Wellendorf, a junior, had a narrow victory at 72.5-71.5 against Aniela Cortina in horsemanship. The junior from Missouri also won reigning with teammate Shelby Cochran at 73 and 72 respectively. Julia Werkhoven (81) and Sophia Kregoski (78) gave South Dakota State a jump with a point in flats. Cali Karbler won fencing by scoring 82 with junior Hannah Steele following close behind with a score of 80. Against SMU, South Dakota State lost 17-1. Adding to their impressive week, SMU also took down Delaware State earlier that weekend 15-4. Shelby Cochran lost to SMU’s Nya Kearns in horsemanship with a final of 77-75.5, which was the highest score for SDSU in that event. The sole point scorer for the Jacks was Werkhoven, who edged out a Mustang rider in their head-to-head fences matchup winning 75-72. Paige Butterfield got a draw against her opponent in reigning, while Cochran vs Taylor Zimmerman ended in the same fashion. The equestrian team will be back home Feb. 10 against Minnesota Crookston.

Track and Field

Both SDSU track and field teams took home the gold as the men’s finished with 131 points and the women’s finished with 165.5 points. Pierre Lear took first in the men’s 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.98. Carter Johnson (8.44) and Gunnar Gunderson (8.72) finished in the top 10 with Lear, placing fifth and eighth respectively. 1:22.41 time earned Andrew Moeller the silver in the 600-meter over the weekend with freshman Sean Murphy taking ninth in his running debut. Freshman Jackson Dutcher took first in the men’s 800meter at 1:55.72.

HORSES AND RIDERS Paige Wellendorf- Bobby and Tuf Shelby Cochran- Shirley, Tuni and Austin Julia Werkhoven- Chester, Punch, Cali and Emil Sophia Kregoski- Tokyo, Bravo, Hardy and Punch Cali Karbler- Hardy, Cotton, Tokyo and Zulu Paige Butterfield- Tberg Hannah Steele- Cali, Captain, Rosie and Charlie Also taking first was Isaac Flanegan in the triple jump with a marked spot of 42-04.75. Rylan McDonnell snagged second in the long jump with a spot at 22-06.50, a personal best for the freshman. Connor Powers sat second in the high jump at 6-01.00 with Matt Katz also taking second in the pole vault as he cleared 15-03.25. For the women, Laci Leverty cleared 11-11.75 and all but four other women vaults in Jackrabbit history, earning her second in the meet. Apryl Adderley also earned the silver but in the long jump, she snagged a new personal best marked at 17-10.25. Similar to the men, SDSU’s women also won the 60-meter meter hurdles with Brielle Dixon crossing the finish line at 8.45. In the 60-meter dash, Jackrabbit Jenna Johnson took second with a time of 7.88 with teammate Rich-Ann Archer behind her in third, finishing with a time of 7.89 seconds. Both girls finished in the same spots in the 200meter dash with times of 25.51 and 25.82 respectively. The Jackrabbits took two in the 400-meter dash thanks to a 58.95-second finish from Maggie Madsen. Three Rabbit runners finished in the top 4 of the 600meter, Claire Beckman in first (1:34.43), Harley Fischer in third (1:37.22) and Reese Luze in fourth (1:37.29). The Jackrabbits will compete in their next meet in rival territory in Fargo, North Dakota for the Bison Open while also traveling to Ames, Iowa for the Iowa State Classic this Friday and Saturday.

January 31, 2024

Assistant AD earns communications award Assistant AD for Athletic Communications Jason Hove has received a professional award by the College Sports Communicators for his dedication to sports information for over 25 years. Hove, an alumni of South Dakota State didn’t start his communication career through the athletic department. The Minnesota native served as a reporter, sports editor and then editor-in-chief of The Collegian during his time in Brookings. The job of a SID, or sports information director is to provide stats, game and player notes, along with other information regarding the college sports teams to other members of media and the general JASON HOVE public. After graduating from SDSU, Hove interned at the Mitchell Daily Republic, the local newspaper in Mitchell, South Dakota for over two years before coming back to South Dakota State. While still fresh on the scene in the athletic department, Hove witnessed the jump to the Division 1 level firsthand. “I think a lot of us viewed it as a great opportunity. Twenty some years later now, it’s proven to be a great decision for our university and our athletics program,” Hove said in a press release on GoJacks.com. South Dakota State successfully made their jump to Division I in the 2008-09 academic year after a fiveyear process. Some requirements that needed to be met before the jump were meeting the minimum financial aid and contest scheduling limits, engaging in a rules compliance review and successfully completing the athletics certification process. In his 25-plus years of service to the athletic department and South Dakota State as a whole, Hove has seen the campus grow to new heights with the addition of the Sanford-Jackrabbit Athletic Complex, the Frank J. Kurtenbach Family Wrestling Center and the Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium. Currently, Hove works as the sports information director for Jackrabbit football, wrestling, baseball, equestrian and swimming and diving, while being the head of the athletic communications office.

A12

SPORTS

January 31, 2024

Jacks wrestling beats Air Force, hits the road for two weeks

BOSTEN MOREHART Assistant Sports Editor The Jacks finished the stretch of home duals with a win over Air Force, evening the all-time dual record between the two. South Dakota State handled Air Force in the matchup, winning all but two of the matches. Head coach of the Jacks Damion Hahn gave props to the Air Force team for how they wrestled. “Were they outmatched in a handful of weight classes? Absolutely, but their guys fought the entire time,” Hahn said. He feels that is the type of wrestling the team needs to see as they get deeper into the season and competition. Starting out the dual for the Jacks, Tanner Jordan pulled out a win in a close match against Tucker Owens winning 5-3. The backup 133-pounder Logan Graf added to his perfect record beating Brenden Barnes 4-3. Following Graf’s win, teammate Clay Carlson fell behind early in his match against Garrett Kuchan but took control of the match with a seven-point second period to win 10-7 at 141 pounds. Alek Martin kept it rolling for the Rabbits as he won by major decision over Joe Fernau at 149 pounds. Extending his winning streak to six, Cael Swensen handled Brooks Gable winning by technical fall 17-2 ending the match 23 seconds into the third period of the 157 pound match. In the following match, the Jacks suffered their first of two losses in the dual, with a loss at 165 pounds. Air Force’s Giano Petrucelli put his team on the scoreboard with a 5-0 decision win over Tanner Cook. South Dakota State kept the ball rolling after this match with three more bonus-point wins of their own all in a row. These bonus-point wins would come at the weights of 174, 184 and 197 pounds. Starting off the three bonus-point wins, Cade DeVos earned a win by major decision over Gage Musser 14-4. The following match between SDSU’s No. 13 Bennett Berge and No. 7 ranked Sam Wolf was one to watch. Berge was heavy on his offense and scored the first takedown of the match with 30 seconds left in the first period. These would be the only points scored until the third period where Wolf chose a neutral start. This choice would end up hurting Wolf as Berge continued with his offense scoring his second takedown,

Photo by MIRANDA SAMPSON/SAMPSONSNAPSHOTS South Dakota State’s Alek Martin raises his headgear after winning his match against his opponent from Northern Colorado during the dual between the two teams Jan. 19, 2024.

putting him up 6-0 in the third. With Berge adding two back points to that takedown, the match ended 8-0 with Berge winning by major decision. Tanner Sloan proved his dominance on the mat once again earning his 99th career victory with a first period fall over Air Force’s Calvin Sund. Along with earning his 99th career victory, Sloan improved his dual win streak to 33. The Jacks’ second and final loss of the dual came at heavyweight where No. 2 Falcon Wyatt Hendrickson ended the dual with a fall over Luke Rasmussen of the Jacks. Coach Hahn wants the guys to keep improving and staying consistent not only in the practice room but outside of it too, taking care of themselves. This is important to become prepared for the upcoming Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. “This next string of matches we have coming up; they are going to test us. They are going to test us on the road, they are going to test us at home and again it’s all preparation,” Hahn said. The Jacks will hit the road this week heading to Wyo-

ming and Utah. They will dual Wyoming Thursday, Feb. 1 and Utah Valley Saturday, Feb. 3.

sdsucollegian.com

NEWS

January 31, 2024

A13

JACKS WIN IN FROST; LOSE IN TULSA First place SDSU to host rivals NDSU, USD Thursday, Sunday

JON AKRE Sports Reporter The SDSU men’s basketball team returns home this week for back-to-back rivalry games against South Dakota and North Dakota State. “Super excited to be back in Frost Arena,” head coach Eric Henderson said. “Obviously we know we’ll have our hands full, a couple big games this week with the Bison coming to town on Thursday and the Yotes on Sunday.” The Jackrabbits remain atop the Summit League standings at 5-2 after splitting last week’s games against Kansas City and Oral Roberts. Kansas City With just over 17 minutes to go in the second half, SDSU made it a 15-point lead, their largest lead of the game, off a layup from senior Luke Appel. “You know you get up 15, and we’ve talked about it with this group a little bit,” coach Henderson said. “You can’t relax, the game is only 40 minutes for a reason.” Over the next 11 minutes, the Roos outscored the Jacks 33-17, taking a 64-63 lead with just under six minutes to play. With momentum quickly shifting towards Kansas City, the Jacks defense went on an impressive run of their own. SDSU would allow just 2 points in the final 5:53 of the game to take home a 75-66 victory. Four players finished in double figures for the Jacks. Luke Appel led the way with a season-high 19 points, Matt Mims also with a season-high of 15, William Kyle III put in 13, and Charlie Easley added 11 more with 12 rebounds. Oral Roberts Following Thursday’s victory, the Jacks hit the road to Tulsa, OK to take on the defending Summit League champion Golden Eagles in a Saturday evening matchup. It was a back-and-forth contest in the early going but a late scoring run to end the first half by ORU gave the Golden Eagles a 37-26 lead heading into halftime. But the Jacks weren’t going away easily, as they were able to cut the lead back to two just over five minutes into the second half. Over the final 15 minutes ORU played outstanding basketball, maintaining the lead for the remainder of the game.

Collegian photo by JOCLYN HAVEN SDSU’s Charlie Easley drives down the lane during a men’s basketball game against USD at the Sanford Coyote Sports Center in Vermillion, S.D. Saturday, Jan. 20, 2024. Easley finished with 19 points shooting 9-of-12 from the floor against the Coyotes.

The Jacks were never able to get control of the game and fell just short to the Golden Eagles by a score of 87-82. Zeke Mayo led the Jacks in scoring with 23, Kyle III added 16, Kalen Garry had 15, and Nate Barnhardt, and Easley added another 12. ORU’s DeShang Weaver scored a season-high 32 points in the victory for the Golden Eagles. North Dakota State The Jacks now enter a big rivalry week that starts with the Bison of North Dakota State. Tip-off inside Frost Arena is slated for Thursday at 7 p.m. on the Summit League Network. NDSU comes into this matchup sitting towards the bottom of the Summit League standings. The Bison are 9-12, 2-4 in conference play, and have lost eight of their last 10 games. In their six conference games, NDSU is middle of the pack in terms of scoring, averaging just over 76 points. However, the Bison have struggled defensively, giving up 81 points per conference contest, second worst in the

Summit League. Boden Skunberg is the leader in scoring for the Bison at just over 15 points per game. The senior guard also averages over five points per game, the most on the team. South Dakota The Jacks will end their week in another rivalry game, a home rematch with the South Dakota Coyotes on Sunday. The Interstate Series showdown tips off Feb. 4 at 4 p.m. The Coyotes are 9-13, 2-5 in the Summit League to begin their season, and are at the bottom of the conference standings. USD has also lost 10 of their last 12 contests. USD has struggled to find a rhythm on offense, averaging less than 70 points per game in conference play. Defensively, the ‘Yotes give up an average of 79 points per game, the third highest in the Summit. Kaleb Stewart leads the Coyotes in scoring at 15.56 points per game, with 6-foot-10 senior Lahat Thioune not far behind at 13.57 points and nine rebounds per contest.

A14 Sports

JORDAN RADDATZ Sports Reporter

sdsucollegian.com January 31, 2024

Women extend streak to nine, prepare to visit Bison and Coyotes

South Dakota State extend their win streak to nine games after a crushing win over Kansas City and Oral Roberts as they look ahead to their next two contests on the road at North Dakota State and South Dakota. at Kansas City When junior guard Lisa Thomas made the three-pointer at the first quarter buzzer, the Kansas City Roos thought they had momentum going into the second quarter. They held the lead by two points. But the Jacks shut the Roos down in the second, as they were not able to replicate the success of the first quarter buzzer beater going into the halftime break. Despite a slow 3-for-13 start on shots, the Jacks rebounded to finish with 42% of their shots converted. Two fouls against the Roos to start the second half aided the Jacks to open up the half with a 13-2 scoring run. They ended the third quarter by scoring more points than they had in all of the first half. By the fourth quarter, the lead topped out at almost 30 points. The Roos closed the gap in the fourth, but it was too little, too late, as the Jacks won 72-49. Tori Nelson and Paige Meyer led the Jacks in scoring with 14 points each. Madysen Vlastuin helped in the threepoint department as she was responsible for three of the team’s five three-pointers. The Roos were not as fortunate, finishing under 33% on their shots. No player for Kansas City put up double digit numbers, as the highest scorer was junior guard Nariyah Simmons with nine points. “[Our team is] just a really good defensive team,” head coach Aaron Johnston said, “I thought it took us a little bit to handle their pressure and get comfortable, and as we did, our offense really kicked in.” vs. Oral Roberts Just like in Kansas City, the opponent made a buzzer beater: this time graduate guard Hannah Cooper at the end of the

Photo by Evan Patzwald Paige Meyer works to set up the Jacks’ offense in their 96-80 victory over Oral Roberts in Frost Arena Jan. 28, 2024. Meyer had the most assists in a game by a Jackrabbit since around the 2009-2010 season with 11.

third quarter. The Jacks, already with a considerable lead, didn’t seem shaken about it. It was an even start for both teams in the first quarter. Brooklyn Meyer was responsible for seven points in the first five minutes to keep the Jacks close to the Golden Eagles. The game remained tied after two quarters at 37 each. Once the second half got underway, the Jacks began to pull away with the lead. Four players put up double digits as the third quarter came to an end, allowing the Jacks to pull away with a 92-77 victory. After the game, six Jackrabbits had

double digit numbers, most notably Brooklyn Meyer with 27, who earned herself a weekly accolade on Monday. SDSU converted 58.7% of their shots. Four Golden Eagles put up double digits. Redshirt sophomore guard Jalei Olgesby led the team with 23 points, tied for her second-most points in a game this season. ORU converted 50% of their shots. “We struggled with [turnovers] early, but as we settled in, I thought our offense got much better,” Johnston said. The Jacks turned the ball over 22 times. at North Dakota State Off to Scheels Center, the Jacks will face

Highest scoring Jacks this season Brooklyn Meyer: 308 Paige Meyer: 245 Madison Mathiowetz: 218 Tori Nelson: 169 Madysen Vlatsuin: 143

A15

SPORTS

the Bison team that has won four of their last ﬁve games. They are 11-8 and second place in the Summit League. Their last game was a win over St. Thomas. Two Bison scored at least 20 points: sophomore guard Elle Evans with a career-high 29, and senior guard Heaven Hamling with 22. Evans leads the team in scoring, averaging nearly 15 points a game, with Hamling a close second at 14.3 points a game. The game is scheduled to tip-off on Thursday at 7 p.m. The game can be watched on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus. at South Dakota Following the Bison game will be a trip to Vermillion to face South Dakota. They are on a two-game win streak as they sit at 15-7 overall and fourth place in the Summit League. Their last game ended with a win at home over Kansas City, Saturday, Jan. 27. They hit the road to play North Dakota on Thursday, Feb. 1 before the Jacks come to visit. Junior guard Grace Larkins led the Coyotes in scoring with 21 points in the 72-62 victory over the Roos. She leads USD in scoring, averaging over 16 points a game. Larkins is also shooting over 50% this year, one of only two Coyotes to achieve this mark with at least 100 shot attempts. The game is scheduled to tip-off on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. The game can be watched on Midco Sports Two and on the Summit League Network through Midco Sports Plus.

“It’s been fantastic to see the growth, the development and the confidence our team shows and what they are doing individually, but also collectively. That confidence goes a long way showing confidence on the court.” - Head Coach Aaron Johnston

January 31, 2024

Photo by EVAN PATZWALD Madison Mathiowetz drives passed a defender oﬀ of a screen into the lane. The sophomore averages 10.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.3 assists and .9 steals per game.