Oct. 21, 2020 by SDSU Collegian

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October 21, 2020

For the field and stands, check out the hats, apparel and gear at Jackrabbit Central today! jackrabbitcentral.com

CHARGED THC felony law leads to UPD issuing charges to students

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Collegian photo by EMILY SEATON (She/Her)

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HOBO DAY EVENTS The week of Hobo Day changes up traditional events for the health and safety of the community.

COVID-19 DATA Editorial: The Collegian collected COVID-19 data from April until now to show the severity of the cases statewide.

SDSUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S STUDENT-RUN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1885

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NEWS

October 21, 2020

Students’ Association vice president moves to remove senator GRACIE TERRALL News Editor (She/Her)

SUBMITTED PHOTO SDSU Student Association Vice President, Reis Bruley moves to initiate the removal proceeding for Senator Christopher Svarstad.

During the Oct. 19 Students’ Association meeting, Vice President Reis Bruley moved to initiate the removal proceedings for Sen. Christopher Svarstad for violating item three of the South Dakota State University Students’ Association Code of Ethics. Item three of the Code of Ethics states that senators must “discuss professional matters, especially those concerning col-

leagues, in a professional manner.” The removal proceedings follow the Oct. 5 Senate meeting, during which a dispute broke out between Svarstad and Communications Chair Blake Pulse over the postponement of Resolution 20-11-R, which Svarstad sponsored. “Him and I have a verbal agreement and he said he would co-sponsor this and at the last minute, he pulled out,” Svarstad said. “He didn’t communicate with me and then he ran to somebody else. I don’t know why he thinks

that he wants to postpone it.” President Hattie Seten reminded Svarstad that debates must remain germane and attacks against other members of the Senate are prohibited; however, Svarstad continued. “Blake Pulse violated my due process, he is being pretty dishonest to tell you the truth,” Svarstad said. According to Article V, Section three of SA’s bylaws, after a senator seconds the motion to initiate removal proceedings, in this case Government

Affairs Chair Zebadiah Johnson, within three days the chair must send written notiﬁcation to the Senator that removal proceedings have been initiated against them. Svarstad’s removal hearing will be held during next week’s SA meeting Oct. 26. Svarstad will have the opportunity to defend his statements and explain the situation before the Senate body. There must be a threefourths majority vote for the removal to become oﬃcial.

Mondays at 5pm

WANT TO WRITE FOR THE COLLEGIAN? Located in the Walder Room in the Union Zoom attendance is also welcome

Announces the 25th Annual

Bob Bartling

Hobo Day 5k Run Saturday, Oct. 31 at 8AM

Pre-register by Oct. 30 at the link on www.prairiestriders.net for $25 Start at Taco Johns (6th Street and Medary Avenue Brookings). Please arrive at Taco Johns in time to pick up your race number and mug on Hobo Day!

Contact Steve Britzman at 697-9058 with any questions

For entry forms, enter at the link on www.prairiestriders.net

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NEWS

October 21, 2020

Changes to homecoming events provide a safe way for celebration

MEGAN BERTSCH Copy Editor (She/Her) After a year of continuous planning and re-planning, the Hobo Day Committee has taken COVID-19 challenges head on and is excited to bring South Dakota State University a Hobo Day celebration unlike any other. “Back when school s t a r t e d , t h ey ke p t reminding students that

we’re gonna reevaluate this in 30 days and there’s a chance that we could go home. So the fact that we’re still able to be on campus and together in a socially distant manner, is just very exciting,” the 2020 Grand Poobah Kylee Donnelly said. The untraditional Hobo Day celebration will kick off with BumOver starting Wednesday, Oct. 21. from 5 to 9 p.m. Typically held in the University Student Union,

the event will be taking place outside on the Jackrabbit Green this year, snow and all. There will be a Hobo fashion show, so dressing up is encouraged. The Bum Band will also make an appearance, playing SDSU and Hobo Day tunes. “Students can get a group of their friends together, whoever they want to hang out with, and build cardboard shanties,” Marie Robbins, assistant poobah of parade, said.

Collegian photo by MUNNU MORRISH (She/Her) Oasis performing during the Hobo Day Parade at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday Oct. 5, 2019

The committee will also be hosting Give-aMeal instead of Bum-aMeal, which will be running all week long. “ Wi t h COV I D - 1 9 restrictions, it’s hard to gather people together and you’re not able to give out food as part of the JacksRBack protocols, so we’ll be doing Give-aMeal where you can just donate non-perishable items, and it’ll go to the Jacks Cupboard,” Robbins said. Other events are simply going virtual, like the One Month Club judging and Hobo History Kahoot Night held Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. on Facebook Live. “Even in a COVID-19 world, we’re still able to have some of those kinds of celebrations. That Kahoot is going to be another fun online one because everybody loves Kahoot,” Colton Riley, a Hobo Day marketing committee member said. There will also be

socially distanced events like Spooky Hobo Movie Night, Mr. and Ms. Homelycoming, Jacks Got Talent and Hobo Night Live. The biggest difference in this year’s Hobo Day will be the lack of the parade, but the committee has been working hard to still make the official Hobo Day Oct. 31 special. “We’ve been working on putting together a Hobo Day celebration video that’s going to be released Oct. 31 in the morning. It’ll just be on our social media pages,” Robbins said. “So hopefully we can get a lot of people to watch that we’ve got some pretty cool speakers in it from SDSU.” The committee has interviewed a variety of students and staﬀ to feature in their video honoring Hobo Day, showing what Hobo Day and the many memories associated with it mean to the community at large.

“We know we can’t do the parade, but this is what we can do and we’ve had so much support from the campus and the community,” Donnelly said. “I think it just goes to show that SDSU, Brookings, all of us care so deeply about Hobo Day and that’s what’s helped it prevail for the last 108 years. And I feel like especially this year, students need something exciting like this to look forward to.” After the Hobo Day Parade was canceled in August, the team had only 10 weeks to come up with alternative solutions. Donnelly is proud of her team’s resilience in pulling oﬀ a last minute, socially distanced Hobo Day in uncertain times. “I think it would have been very easy for us to throw in the towel and say ‘oh, we’ll try next fall,’ but that was never anyone’s mindset. It was always ‘okay, what can we do?’” Donelly said.

NEWS

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October 21, 2020

GSA educates campus with a month of LGBTQ history GRACIE TERRALL News Editor (She/Her) The passage of Resolution 20-09-R officially recognizes October as LGBTQ History Month at South Dakota State University. Amanda Jensen, the Gender and Sexuality Alliance representative for Students’ Association, was sitting in on the meeting when the Senate voted. “It was truly a rollercoaster of emotions,” Jensen said. “There was a time when I really didn’t think it was going to pass, but when it ﬁnally did, I felt like I was going to cry.” Resolution recognizing LGBTQ students has been in the works for awhile at South Dakota State University. Last year, it was proposed to recognize June as Pride month on campus; however, it was not passed. This year, the resolution was recognizing October as a month dedicated to education about the historical civil rights activism within the LGBTQ community. “The main focus of this resolution was to show our students who fall within the definition of LGBTQ whether SDSU is inclusive for the LGBTQ community, so if they come here, will they feel appreciated, will they

Collegian photo by OMAR IMRAN

feel safer?” prime sponsor and Senator-At-Large Mosharraf Hossain said. Since the resolution passed in October, GSA has prepared events. Throughout the month, GSA has played multiple historical films and posted on their Facebook page about different historical LGBTQ figures and their contributions to the community.

“Queer representation is important because not a lot of people are educated or know about certain historical civil rights landmarks,” GSA President Bailey Beigler said. “We’re trying to make sure people understand that queer people exist.” They have partnered with the Black Student Alliance to host Zaylore Stout and the

Latin American Student Association to host Yosimar Reyes, both speaking about their experiences with the intersectionality of being both people of color and queer. “It is important to realize that this is not all just white people,” Jensen said. “LGBTQ spans over all cultures. Between being non-white

and being LGBTQ, these people are feeling more oppressed than ever. Hopefully, this resolution will allow them to feel like they’re welcome.” While there are no more events planned for the remaining days of October, GSA will continue to have club meetings on Wednesday nights. For LGBTQ months in

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future years, GSA hopes to have booths in the University Student Union and further educate people about the hardships and paths paved by gay icons. “A lot of people, even in the queer community, just don’t know the history,” Beigler said. “It is good to remind others about the important people who sacrificed things to get where we are today. We want to do more educational talks to the public, because if queer students don’t know, then the public doesn’t know either.” October was first recognized as LGBTQ History Month in 1994. In 2009, former President Barack Obama declared it a national history month. Since then, local colleges like Black Hills State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln and North Dakota State University have come to celebrate and recognize LGBTQ History Month over the years. “While June is a super important month for the queer community, I think it is important to have a month like this on campus for students who are queer,” Jensen said. “We’re gonna be prideful, but this month is about the history behind what has happened in the past and why it is important.”

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sdsucollegian.com October 21, 2020

LIFESTYLES

Collegian photos by FRANKIE HERRERA (He/Him) Junior Matthias Kunerth (left) plays table football , one of the various events at the Mini Fall Festival Saturday Oct. 10, 2020.

Mini Fall Festival attendance proves strong despite restrictions JORDAN RUSCHE Lifestyles Editor (She/Her) Those walking by the Da n a J. Dy k h o u s e Stadium Saturday, Oct. 10 may have heard the music, talk and laughter signaling another sponsored fall event for students. The Mini Fall Festival included sports challenges with prizes, food trucks and a movie shown inside the stadium. “I’ve had a pretty good time,” Matthias Kunerth, a junior agriculture business major who attended the event, said. “I wish more people would have come out … I’ve had a lot of fun so far.” The event, hosted by the Office of Student Activities, was assisted by both the University

Program Council and other South Dakota State University students like freshman cheer team member Ally Palugyay, who helped run the football toss game. “I knew it wasn’t really advertised much, so I’m glad that people came to this,” she said regarding attendance to the event. The Mini Fall Festival was one of several events this semester that these two programs have offered to SDSU students this fall. Despite the new challenges of hosting events due to COVID-19, UPC President Abby Mikel says that turnout to their events has been “the same if not better.” “We’ve had some virtual events over Zoom, or we’ve done a concert through Facebook Live stream,” she said.

“Especially outdoor events, people have been able to come for those.” She attributes much of this to an increased use of social media to boost events. “We’ve got to rely on social media a lot,” she said. “We’re finding creative ways to promote.” Kate Stock, assistant director for student activities, agrees that some events, like bingo and trivia nights, have been more popular this year. Still, she wants to continue getting more students involved in future events. “I hoped that we could get a lot of students interested in getting out of their rooms and attending unique events—some of which we’ve not done on campus before now—in a fun and safe way,” she said.

There have been other difficulties hosting events so far this year. Mikel explained that UPC and the Office of Student Activities have certain protocols they must conform to due to the pandemic, which can make organizing events much more difficult. “We follow all the South Dakota Board of Regents protocols. For outdoor events, we put up signs that say, ‘social distance and masks are highly encouraged’,” Mikel said. “And then, obviously, with things inside buildings, you have to follow everything through the university: social distancing, we don’t move around chairs.” T h e Ja c k s R B a c k committee established many of these protocols at the beginning of the

semester to allow events to continue without putting anyone at risk. Getting the word out has also been a struggle at times, as organizations like UPC are not allowed to promote themselves along Main Street of the University Student Union. “I don’t know if I’d say it’s challenging, but it’s just been different having people do captioning for each event, because that’s required for virtual options, and finding ways for people to RSVP to an event so we know if we are going to exceed that capacity,” Mikel said. Despite those restrictions, virtual events this semester have proven very popular with students. The Common Read Student Panel Oct. 5 that UPC helped to promote maxed out the Zoom call

with 300 attendants. Both UPC and the Office of Student Activities have more upcoming events planned up until the end of the semester. Some of these include ghost stories at the McCrory Gardens, a gingerbread-house-making contest and a virtual event featuring a caricature artist, among others. Mikel says she’s most looking forward to the Hobo Day events scheduled for the end of October, such as Mr. & Ms. Homelycoming pagesnt and Jacks Got Talent. “It’s really fun to see it all come together,” Mikel said. “A lot of people come out to see those, so it’s fun to be a part of that.”

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From A1

THC

THC leads to felony drug charges Any amount of THC concentrate in the state of South Dakota results in a class 5 felony charge, even on first offense ARYN LOOYENGA Reporter (She/Her) This past February, the laws regarding possession of drugs and controlled substances have changed to account for THC, an increasingly popular substance that can bring with it some serious legal consequences. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a compound within the cannabis plant. THC content in concentrates is higher than the flower itself, allowing the user to get higher faster. Many people are drawn to concentrates because it is easy to conceal, and they can smoke without the lingering smell. “I know people who have been caught with marijuana and THC. They were irresponsible and disobeyed the laws, so they had to face the punishment,” Landen Kuecker, a freshman at South Dakota State University said. According to Dave Erickson, Brookings chief of police, having drug paraphernalia, objects used to complete a specific task such as smoking, is considered a class 2 misdemeanor, similar to a speeding ticket. An arrest for possession of marijuana two ounces or less is a class 1 misdemeanor, compared to a DUI or assault. Possession of THC, edibles or a controlled substance

results as a class 5 felony. Ingestion of drugs has a follow-up procedure, resulting in a class 5 or class 6 felony. “Criminal cases involving the use or possession of THC are handled like any other illegal drug prosecution,” Brookings County State’s Attorney Dan Nelson

on felony cases involving THC,” Nelson said. “When a suspended imposition is granted by the judge, that person’s criminal record is sealed, so moving forward that person is not considered a convicted felon.” While in some cases a person’s record is sealed, there are unsuccessful

“Most individuals arrested for felony offenses involving the use or possession of THC are between the ages of 18 and 25.” DAN NELSON Brookings County State’s Attorney said. “The investigating agency submits a report to the State’s Attorney’s office, and we determine whether the facts, as investigated, constitute a violation of state law. If we determine a violation of law occurred as presented by the facts, a criminal prosecution is initiated.” While both misdemeanors and felonies stay on a person’s record permanently, felonies have harsher punishments: longer jail time, higher fines and fewer freedoms as a result of the charge, like voting, owning firearms and serving in a jury. In some cases, however, records can be sealed. “Many adults who have no criminal history receive a suspended imposition of sentence

instances in which a person will try to hide what they have, whether it be in their car, in regular objects or in body cavities. “There’s guys that specialize in ﬁnding drugs,” Erickson said. “They do training and there are techniques that they use to try to discover the presence of these drugs in either the person’s possession or that the person has already ingested.” Some surrounding states have legalized marijuana and THC, which has created easier accessibility to South Dakotans. Because it is more readily available, Erickson said that there has been an increase in arrests in Brookings County. Nelson, however, has not noticed an increase in

the number of felonies. “Our case volume regarding THC felonies is similar to last year,” he said. “Most individuals arrested for felony oﬀenses involving the use or possession of THC are between the ages of 18 and 25.” Brookings County does not separate the statistics as to how many oﬀenses occur on campus. According to SDSU’s crime log, 38 students have been charged with the following since the beginning of the fall semester: the possession of marijuana two ounces or less; the possession or use of drug paraphernalia; the possession of controlled drug or substance; the ingestion or inhalation of substance to become intoxicated; the ingestion of controlled drug or substance as felony; the distribution or manufacturing of controlled drug; the possession with intent to distribute marijuana any amount. T h e d r u g l aw s in South Dakota are important to know, but many have to learn the consequences the hard way. “I know of a few laws that relate to marijuana and THC substances, but not enough. Having a felony on my record would restrict me from doing a lot of things later on in life,” Kuecker said.

October 21, 2020

NEWS

Collegian graphic by EMILY SEATON (she/her)

sdsucollegian.com October 21, 2020

LIFESTYLES

LASA wraps up Hispanic Heritage Month with Latina speaker LESLY ABARCA Reporter (She/Her) To celebrate the last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, Oct. 15, South Dakota State University hosted Mayra Olivares-Urueta, a Latina scholar and activist, who shared her experiences with students. Students and staff gathered via Zoom and in-person at Jack’s Place in the University Student Union. The event proceeded with an introduction from the Multicultural Latino R e t e n t i o n Ad v i s o r, Florencio Aranda. Olivares-Urueta is the co-founder of “Mamis on the Move,” a group that seeks to empower women pursuing higher education, and vice president of Student Development Services at Tarrant County College. She was born in Eagle Pass, Texas, a town on the United States and Mexican border. She then lived in Monterey, Mexico, until she was 10 years old. “Being a border child, growing up visiting the border, having been born on the border, has impacted how I see myself and the work that I do,” Olivares-Urueta said. Attending school in Texas was not easy for her.

Volume 136 • Issue 7

After getting over a language barrier, she found out in high school that her mother could not afford to send her to college. “So, now that I’m grown up, knowing that she made $35,000 a year for a family of four is pretty crazy, because we have a family of four now, and we would not survive,” Olivares-Urueta said. She stayed determined and knew that pursuing a higher education was the best decision for her and her family. After being accepted to the University of Oklahoma, Olivares-Urueta had to apply for loans and obtain a job while in college to afford her education. Eventually, she was able to earn a Ph.D. in philosophy, and now works to help students that come from a lower income family and promote racial equality. One area of this is helping to promote the success of Latino students through “infusing anti-deficit narratives into higher education about all minoritized students,” according to the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. Olivares-Urueta mentioned that many Hispanic and Latino people are raised with humility and

taught to be small. So, at first when she was asked to be a speaker, she felt like she was unqualified, but then changed her mind set and realized that her hard work and accomplishments as a Latina scholar are what makes her qualified. She wanted to let students of Hispanic and Latino descent know that they are capable of success, no matter what their income or first language is. Success comes from determination, positivity and networking. That is why Olivares-Urueta strives to make every student feel welcome and provide them with the resources to reach their success. Members of the Latin American Student Association like Vanessa Valadez mentioned how they are happy with the fact that SDSU is willing to acknowledge their heritage. “It’s a great thing that they’re doing this, because it brings more awareness to us, and not a lot of us know that there are more Latinos and Latinas here,” Valadez said. “With these types of events it does bring people out.”

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.

Collegian photo by CORA HARRIS Mayra Olivares-Urueta speaks Thursday, Oct. 15 at Jack’s Place to wrap up Hispanic Heritage Month.

Emily Seaton Editor-in-Chief

J. Michael Bertsch Managing Editor

Jordan Rusche

Gracie Terrall

Andre Gary-Mack

Frankie Herrera

Omar Imran

Hollie Leggett

Lillie Albers

Megan Bertsch

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Elise Heesch

Lifestyles Editor

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Opinion Editor

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sdsucollegian.com October 21, 2020

OPINION

EDITORIAL

Issue: We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves

The Collegian 10/28/20 Crossword

ollegian 10/21/20 Sudoku

SUDOKU To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Contact sdsuadvertising@gmail.com to sponsor this puzzle!

Solution

CROSSWORD

PuzzleJunction.com Across 1 Coral ridge 5 Faction 9 Bullets, e.g 13 Before 15 Balm ingredient 16 Utah nationa park 17 Profit or loss, e.g. 19 Land measure 20 Compass point 21 Is no longer 22 Prowler 24 Carotene beginner 25 Trio 26 Biz VIP (Abbr.) 28 Lady's man 30 Hall of Fame's Willie 32 Weather condition 34 Bubble source 36 Away's partner 38 Garish 39 British ___ 41 Supreme Court count 42 Commercials 43 The Matrix hero 44 Shells out

46 Ancient colonnade 49 Extinct flightless bird 51 Possesses 52 Ouzo flavoring 54 Civil wrong 56 Gas clouds in space 58 Pillbox, e.g. 59 Health resort 62 god of love 63 Vocalizations 66 Chill 67 Advertising sign 68 Minimal 69 Little ones 70 Field of study 71 Venezuela copper center Down 1 Bumpkin 2 Son of Seth 3 Diminutive suffix 4 Hale 5 chip condiments 6 Certain Ivy Leaguer 7 Interpret 8 Choppers, so to speak

Across 1 Coral ridge

5 Faction 9 Flowering shrub 9 Bullets, e.g. 10 Knockout drops 13 Before 11 "Encore!" 15 Balm ingredient 16 Utah national 12 Humdinger park 14 Most inferior 17 Proﬁt or loss, 18 "Welcome" site e.g. 23 Branch 19 Land measure 24 Curve 20 Compass point 21 along Is no longer 26 Moves 22 Prowler 27 Stevedore 24 Carotene 29 Ice house beginner 31 __of25time Trio 26 Biz VIPstte (Abbr.) 32 Okeecobee's (Abbr.) 28 Lady’s man 30 Hall of Fame’s 33 Go astray Willie 35 Editor's pile, for 32 Weather short conditions 34 Bubble source 37 __gestae 36 Away’s partner 40 Academic term 38 Garish 41 Colorful salaman39 British ___ der 41 Supreme Court count 45 Entrance 42 Commercials 47 Burdens 43 The Matrix 48 Suffer hero 50 Acropolis figure 44 Shells out 53 Hot 46 spot Ancient 55 Propel, colonnade in a way 49 Extinct 56 Orderly ﬂightless bird 57 Hence 51 Possesses

PuzzleJunction.com

24 28

40 44 49

45 51

42 47

65 68 71

Stigma 5959 Health resort 6 Certain Ivy Baja bread 6260 God of love Leaguer 6361 Vocalizations 7 Interpret Nick and Nora's 66pooch Chill 8 Choppers, so to 67 Advertising sign speak 64 Foot part 68 Minimal 9 Flowering shrub 65 School org. 69 Little ones 10 Knockout drops 11 “Encore!” 70 Field of study 71 Venezuela 12 Humdinger 14 Most inferior copper center 18 “Welcome” site Down 23 Branch 24 Curve 1 Bumpkin 26 Moves along 27 Stevedore 2 Son of Seth 3 Diminutive 29 Ice house 52 Ouzo ﬂavoring 31 ___ of time sufﬁx 54 Civil wrong 32 Okeechobee’s 4 Hale 56 Gas clouds in 5 Chip state (Abbr.) space condiments 33 Go astray 58 Pillbox, e.g.

35 Editor’s pile, for short 37 ___ gestae 40 Academic term 41 Colorful salamander 45 Entrance 47 Burdens 48 Suffer 50 Acropolis ﬁgure 53 Hot spot 55 Propel, in a way 56 Orderly 57 Hence 59 Stigma 60 Baja bread 61 Nick and Nora’s pooch 64 Foot part 65 School org.

A10 OPINION

sdsucollegian.com October 21, 2020

Why Men Love Bitches: An assertive self help book COLETTE GANNON Reporter (She/Her) When one of my favorite YouTubers and podcasters, Shallon Lester, the self-declared “queen of the girls,” and proponent of conﬁdence, self-esteem and “feminine feminism” recommended that all of her listeners read “Why Men Love Bitches” by Sherry Argov, I was immediately intrigued. In her podcast, Lester cites the book as “the bible,” saying “This book has truly changed my outlook on dating and even friendship and even just how I move through the world.” After putting off buying the book for months, I finally had a bout of inspiration and ordered the book from

Barnes & Noble for $22.30, a respectable sum for a college student who tries to avoid spending unnecessary money at all costs. Clearly, Lester’s recommendation had its inﬂuence. I was ready to soak up the life-changing advice that this book supposedly contained. The sacred package arrived on a Monday morning. Despite my usual dedication to schoolwork during the weekdays, I enthusiastically made my way to pick up the book that, in the opinion of Lester, was going to change how I advance through the world. I opened the package before I even made it back to my dorm room, throwing the box in the recycling as I walked through the entrance of my residence hall. There

it was: “Why Men Love Bitches” by Sherry Argov. On the cover, the word “bitches” was made to look as it was written in red lipstick. I knew I liked the book already, and I hadn’t even opened the cover. Someone who isn’t familiar with the lingo of figures like Shallon Lester might misunderstand what the word “bitch” implies. In popular culture “bitch” refers to “a malicious, spiteful, or overbearing woman,” according to the MerriamWebster Dictionary. In the introduction of the novel, Argov immediately distinguishes between what popular culture deﬁnes the word as and her own definition of the word, saying, “An important distinction should be made between

the pejorative way the word is usually used and the way it is used here. Certainly, I’m not recommending women to have an abrasive disposition.” Argov goes on to redeﬁne the word: “The bitch is an empowered woman who derives tremendous strength from the ability to be an independent thinker ... This woman doesn’t live someone else’s standards, only her own. This is the woman who plays by her own rules, who has a feeling of conﬁdence, freedom and empowerment.” Upon reading those words, I felt them resonate within me. They applied to dating, sure, but even more than that, they applied to how I have had to learn to live my life. Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

How being broke in college can be a good thing LORNA SABOEWOUNDED HEAD Guest Columnist (She/Her)

What does it mean to be financially broke? How does the lack of money to just buy a snack from a vending machine feel? When you are out of money, do you find yourself craving and wanting everything you see, even if you wouldn’t normally want it? Unfortunately, it is human behavior to feel left out or have a sense of loss when we don’t have money like the people around us. When we have

money, we can choose to spend or not spend. It may seem like there is no choice when we don’t have money. But we do have a choice. That choice is about what we can do when we are broke. Here are a few strategies for how to be in control when you don’t have money. Experiment with low-cost recipes Cooking at home costs less. Have a craving for tacos? Make tacos at home! Rice and beans may seem boring, but if you add your favorite sauces and seasoning, you might invent a real tasty dish.

Invite your friends over for a pizza night. Have everyone bring their favorite topping, you provide the crust. Google low cost recipes with few ingredients. Recipes with fewer ingredients are going to cost less. Take stock of the food in your cupboard and use what is there until you have some cash coming in. Your meals may not be fancy, but for a short period of time you may need to just focus on having enough to eat, not on what you are eating. Pasta and other grain products are going to be the least expensive foods.

Meat and dairy products are more expensive. Frozen vegetables can also be very economical and pair well with grain products. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Inventory what you already have rather than buying something new. You may have to use creative problem-solving to complete the task, but in the end, you may ﬁnd there are things you can live without. Try challenging yourself to cut costs in interesting places to test what you need. For example, try to not drive your car for a week. This will save money on

gas or at least stretch the tank of gas. Go through your closet to find clothes you haven’t worn for a while. Your friends will think you have a new outfit. Clean your room or apartment to find items that you don’t use. Either sell or donate, you will get some extra cash or at least a less cluttered feeling in your living space. Spend Time with Friends There is nothing like passing the time with your friends. After you have made the pizza, find a movie on one of those streaming services that someone in your group

has. Make a point of planning this time with friends so you have something to look forward to. Shared experiences bring people together. If you are comfortable, talk about your financial situation. You may be surprised to ﬁnd that one of your friends is having the same experience. Share ideas for how to get by with not a lot of money. You may be surprised how understanding your friends are about your situation.

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SPORTS A11

October 21, 2020

New radio show ﬁlls void of fall sports SYDNEY SMITH Sports Reporter (She/Her)

While fans may be waiting for Jackrabbit athletes to return to the ﬁeld or court for some action, they can also turn to Tyler Meriam for updates on Jackrabbit alumni. “Keeping Up with the Jackrabbits” is a weekly radio show hosted by the associate athletic director for media where he interviews former or current people who have been a part of South Dakota State University’s athletic department. The idea for the show came during a time when any and all sporting events were barred from happening, leaving fans without their usual Jackrabbit sports. “We in the athletic department wanted to do

SUBMITTED PHOTO

something when the pandemic started,” Meriam said. “We were constantly looking for diﬀerent ideas and ways to get the word out about Jackrabbit athletics and keep our fans in tune.” T h a t ’s h ow t h e idea for the “brief little 10-minute interviews”

with Jackrabbit alumni, athletes and coaches came about. “This became a way to get something out there that wasn’t specific to a game result or event, so it was just an easy way for us to hopefully bring a smile to somebody’s face, but more importantly catch

up,” Meriam said. S i n c e i t s s t a r t, “Keeping Up with the Jackrabbits” has seen guests like head golf coach Casey VanDamme, former women’s basketball player Macy Miller and strength and conditioning assistant Andre McIntyre. Having conversations

with people from the athletic program, whether former or current and from all parts of the department, is something that the host really enjoys most. “It’s a chance to talk to them in a diﬀerent light. Sometimes ... you know somebody, but you’re

talking more about the business at hand and schedules or upcoming events,” Meriam said. “But now, here’s an opportunity to catch up in a diﬀerent light and maybe learn something you normally wouldn’t have.” Meriam added that it’s been interesting to talk to people from all “diﬀerent walks of Jackrabbit life” on the show, and there are more members of the department that he has in mind to have on the show if they agree to do so. Though the show originally started as something to fill the blank space that COVID-19 left in the sporting world, Jackrabbit fans may be able to look forward to it becoming a regular thing. Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

Scrimmage moved to fall to prepare for spring football SKYLER JACKSON Sports Reporter (He/Him) Despite postponement of the football schedule, the Jacks will be on the ﬁeld for Hobo Day. Traditionally, the football team holds a scrimmage game amongst the players each spring. This year, the scrimmage match will be Oct. 31. According to a tweet by the Argus Leader, “some fans will be allowed, with season ticket holders and students given priority.”

Though this year is far from normal with South Dakota State’s fall football season canceled, players are working to make sure they’re ready when they get their opportunity to compete again. As strange as it sounds, they’ll get their chance this coming spring. The Missouri Valley Football Conference announced in August that its teams will compete in an eight-game spring schedule starting in February. The Jackrabbits open the season Feb. 20

at Southern Illinois and host their first home game March 13 against Youngstown State. Despite the postponed schedule, players are working to keep a positive attitude and view the pandemic setback as an opportunity to get better. “Really quickly we realized that this is just a big source of adversity in our lives right now and with that adversity comes opportunity,” senior offensive lineman Wes Genant said. “We get six more months to train and

get stronger and better with our oﬀense before we start the season.”

Home schedule   

March 20 vs. Western Illinois March 27 vs. Indiana State April 10 vs. South Dakota

The season will include four home games. In addition to the home opener against Youngstown State, the Jackrabbits will face

Western Illinois, Indiana State and University of South Dakota. Senior linebacker Seven Wilson said the lost fall season was tough to take initially, but he’s in a better place now. “It took me a little bit to adapt, but everything’s going back smooth,” said Wilson, who finished second on the team with 83 tackles in 2019. Despite having to wait until the spring to play, the team is staying positive, according to Wilson. Coach John

Stiegelmeier, who will enter his 24th season as SDSU coach this spring, credited the team’s senior class – including Wilson and Genant – for setting strong examples on and off the field in this less than ideal time. “It would be easy to be negative in a time like this and cry about not wanting to be out here, but I just kind of lead by example,” Wilson said. Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

A12

October 21, 2020

sdsucollegian.com

SPORTS

South Dakota gets first professional women’s football team RYAN WARNE Reporter (He/Him) A group that includes a South Dakota State University alumnus is looking to bring the first professional women’s tackle football team to Brookings – and South Dakota, for that matter. The South Dakota Pheasants will be part of the Women’s Tackle Football League and hopes to kick off in April. Owned by Terry McGriff, the WTFL is not only in South Dakota: McGriff is also the CEO for the North Florida Pumas in Jacksonville, Florida. The Pheasants will be joining a number of already established teams, including Minnesota, Kansas City, New Orleans, Detroit and more. Tryouts and team practices have already begun as the team aims to fill the roster. The first tryouts were Oct. 11 at Pioneer Park in Brookings. Brian Finch, the director of operations and an SDSU graduate, and executive director Cheyenne Ackman are among the group of people looking to start the team. Question (Q): How did this league come about? Cheyenne Ackman (CA): “(McGriff ) and I were in the same league a couple of years ago. I played for the WNFC [ Wo m e n’s N a t i o n a l Football Conference], and then we left that and he started his own league … We wanted a league that

would allow the girls to be able to be themselves and have fun with it.” Q: What do you two both do for the team? CA: “I kind of oversee Brian, the coaches and Jackie (Salzman), who is our general manager. I’m also trying out for the team, so I actually lose all my managerial duties. So, they’ll be in charge.” Brian Finch (BF): “I am the director of operations. I’m the righthand man. So, when (Cheyenne) is on the field playing and at practice, I’m the one that’s helping her coordinate. I’m behind the scenes. I do a lot with the sponsors. Then, on game day, I will be the voice of the Pheasants, I’ll be the (radio) announcer.” Q: Where will that be broadcast? BF: “We’re not sure yet which station will pick it up, but we know Brookings Radio will be doing a Coach’s Corner on Monday mornings for sure.” Q: Will the team be based out of Brookings? CA: “It will be in Brookings. We are actually moving (to Brookings). We always wanted to bring it to Brookings because Sioux Falls has everything.” BF: “Why should Sioux Falls get everything? (laughs)” Q: Will the players and staff get paid? CA: “When I played in the WNFC, the players and coaches were paid, but with this being our first season, we’re working on getting enough spon-

sorships to be able to do that. But it’s not a for-sure thing. Down the road that’s the plan.” BF: “They’re not going to get, like, Aaron Rodgers’ salary or anything like that. We wish they could!” Q: Where will the games be held? CA: “A lot of (other teams in the league) play at the major local high school. We are actually working on either doing it at Mickelson Middle School or at the (Dana J.) Dykhouse (Stadium at SDSU).” BF: There’s a couple teams that actually play in the smaller college stadiums. Q: Who all can try out? Is there an age limit? CA: “Any woman that wants to. There is no age limit. The minimum is that we have to get parental consent for the 15 year olds and 16 year olds … We have a 15 year old over there (on the field) right now who’s going to be trying out.” BF: “Yes, and this comes down from Terry McGriff. Our mission is to empower women and raise the bar for women’s sports. It’s our job to  mold them into future  full-time players. There’ll be a scholarship involved from the girls who want to go on to SDSU for rugby or even intramural sports … There’s a small schol-  arship with the league to empower women to go to school and hopefully someday we’ll have SDSU Jackrabbit men’s football, and SDSU Jackrabbit women’s football.”

Q: When will the first game be? CA: “So, our schedule … actually worked out really well with the whole COVID-19 situation. SDSU isn’t playing this fall, they’re playing in the spring. Their last game is April 17. And our first home game is April 10.” BF: “The last thing we want to do is compete with SDSU. Cheyenne was actually contacted by SDSU’s rugby coach.” CA: “Yeah, the main thing was if we were going to have the college girls play, that it didn’t aﬀect their scholarships. That was the main thing we were worried about. The head coach said that it wouldn’t affect their scholarships if they were able to play.” BF: “And he’s not worried about injuries either because they know how to take care of themselves.”

SUBMITTED Cheyenne Ackman, executive director of South Dakota Pheasants.

Read full story online at sdsucollegian.com

TRYOUT INFO Date: November (TBD) Contact Info: Email cheyenne.sdpheasants@gmail.com or look them up on Facebook at thesouthdakotapheasants $40 will get you a T-shirt and the chance to tryout for the S.D. Pheasants women’s football SUBMITTED Brian Finch, director of operations of South Dakota Pheasants.