M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955
Jan. 30, 2019
Vol. 85, Issue 17
www.themaneater.com
HEALTH
MSA pushes for accessible feminine hygiene products around campus MSA’s recent push for all accessible feminine hygiene products focuses on placing these items in bathrooms across campus. ZAINIE QURESHI
Reporter
Missouri Students Association plans to implement a $2,500 initiative this semester to increase feminine hygiene product accessibility in bathrooms across campus. The money comes from Bill 58-14, which fulfills funding requests for different MSA sponsored proposals. MSA senate speaker Jake Addington said the funding was a one-time withdrawal from MSA’s reserve funds. “We allocated $2,500 to buying the products and advertising it to students,” Addington said. Freshman Caitlen Boyd said she believes the
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MSA senate speaker Jake Addington discussing a bill during a senate meeting. | MANEATER FILE PHOTO
AGRICULTURE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
Annual agroforestry symposium focuses on fostering the research translation between innovation, application
MU Health Sciences launches new Ph.D. program
The symposium featured a variety of speakers from distinguished researchers to experienced professionals and agencies within the industry. ADELE DU
Staff writer
The 10th annual UMCA Agroforestry Symposium takes place at the Bond Life Sciences Center on Jan. 30 and 31. The symposium is free and open to the public. The symposium was founded by the Center for Agroforestry which was established in 1998. As a world-leading center specialized in agroforestry practices, the center’s core research focuses on intensive land-use management combining trees, shrubs, crops and livestock.
Agroforestry practices can be divided into five main components: forest farming, alley cropping, upland and riparian forest buffers, silvopasture and windbreaks. These components help to fit the agricultural needs of individual landowners and their farms, according to the center’s website. Gregory Ormsby Mori, education and outreach director for the Center of Agroforestry, said the symposium has grown significantly in the past 10 years from the size of the venue to the numbers of departments and colleges involved. He said one of the most important areas of growth is the collaboration across the MU campus and its surrounding community. “We really have increased participation from different sectors across campus as well as a wider public,” Ormsby Mori said. “From state agency folks to people in the industry along with people who are interested
in sustainable agriculture systems in general.” The symposium itself is not only a research-oriented event where researchers and scientists present their papers, but also where speakers, such as Matthew Wood, CEO and founder of Probiotic Holdings, LLC, provide insight from a business perspective. Although these speakers’ presentations might be less technical, they offer a broader insight and perspective on the topic, he said. The theme for the symposium tends to focus on the newest, trendy topics within the industry. Past themes have been soil science and its impact on climate change and the biomass feedback supply chain. This year’s theme is Innovation to Entrepreneurship: Fostering a Culture of Research Translation. This year’s theme is a bit different from the themes
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This Ph.D. program will train students in the fields of rehabilitation so that they are better suited to enter that line of work. WICKER PERLIS
Repoter
Starting this August, MU students will be able to pursue a Ph.D. in health and rehabilitation science. The new program, a part of the School of Health Professions Department of Health Sciences, was approved by the UM System Board of Curators in September 2018 and will be the first of its kind at a public institution in the state of Missouri. The program is aimed at students who wish to pursue careers of research, higher education and leadership in
the fields of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speechlanguage pathology, health psychology, health science and public health. Stephanie Reid-Arndt, associate dean for Academic Affairs, is the founding director of the Ph.D. program. “The Ph.D. in health and rehabilitation science program was developed by faculty within the MU School of Health Professions. Our school has 14 existing undergraduate and graduate programs aimed at preparing students for careers in health care,” Reid-Arndt said. This new program is somewhat different from many of the others within the school in that it is not intended for direct patient care, but rather for research. “A majority of our programs prepare students to provide direct patient care,” ReidArndt said. “To complement
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INSIDE THIS
Missouri’s Frerking had a chance to revisit her alma mater.
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CoMo Shorts packs up Fretboard Coffee
PAGE 13 THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955
Vol. 85 Issue 17 G210 Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 (phone) • 573.882.5550 (fax) editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com
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Editor-in-Chief Skyler Rossi
Opinion Editor Tatyana Monnay
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Online this week:
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CULTURE
Cultural Association of India hosts India Day Celebration Students, staff and community members celebrated the academic and scholarly achievements of those with ties to India along with various aspects of Indian culture. LAURA EVANS
Staff Writer
The MU Cultural Association of India held its fourth annual India Day and Republic Day Celebrations Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. in Jesse Wrench Auditorium. The event celebrated Republic Day, which falls on Jan. 26 and recognizes the Constitution of India’s creation in 1950. The event was split up into two parts, the first containing a series of presentations from the “distinguished speakers” and the “chief guests,” and the second containing the installation of the 2019 CAI office bearers as well as different cultural performances such as dances, a skit and a poetry recitation.
Nobel Prize winner George Smith spoke at The Cultural Association of India during India Day at Wrench Auditorium on Jan. 26, 2019. | PHOTO BY STAFF WRITER LAURA EVANS
The two parts of the celebration were separated by a break where coffee and samosas were offered.
MSA
The event’s chief guests were George Smith, Nobel laureate and a curator’s distinguished professor
emeritus of biological sciences and
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BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The Briefing: BEC announces Documentary to premiere in the U.S. as part election dates, MSA introduces of MU’s Black History Month pre-law diversity measure The premiere of BEC announced a Feb. 21 date for its MSA presidential debate, and the MSA senate’s budget committee will consider funding that would establish a conference for black pre-law students. ETHAN BROWN
Student Politics Editor The Missouri Students Association senate is considering a bill that would establish a diversity conference for MU’s Black Pre-Law Student Association. The bill would provide $2,500 in funding to create the conference, which would introduce careers in law to students from marginalized communities. “This conference will
serve as an entry point for Missouri students interested in the legal field, but also for the University of Missouri community to participate in an event tailored to diverse pre-law students,” the bill stated. The measure, which would draw funding from MSA’s reserve funds, was authored by Campus Affairs Chairwoman Kaitlyn Sawyer and Social Justice Vice Chair Key Banks. Previous BPLSA initiatives have included mock trial and mentorship programs for black students looking to learn more about legal work, according to a presentation on the organization’s OrgSync site. As of Jan. 29, the senate’s budget committee was considering the bill, senate speaker Jake Addington said. MU’s Board of Elections Commissioners announced Jan. 29 on Twitter its
msa |Page 5
“The Many Natalia Bolívar: Art, Utopia, and Religion” on Feb. 1 gives insight into Afro-Cuban religion and its impact on Cuban culture. CLAIRE WILKINS LINA SIMPKINS
Reporters
MU plans to premiere a documentary that explores the life of Cuban cultural figure Natalia Bolívar as a start to its Black History Month festivities. MU’s showing of “The Many Natalia Bolívar: Art, Utopia, and Religion” on Feb. 1, as the first of MU’s Black History Month events, will also be the premiere of the documentary in the U.S. Bolívar is a Cuban woman, raised as an aristocrat, who wound up becoming one of the world’s leading scholars on Afro-Cuban religion.
The director of the documentary, Juanamaría Cordones-Cook, said she works closely with MU’s Black History Month committee to make her documentary premiere one of many Black History Month events. The partnership began in 2012 and, due to the frequency of which Cordones-Cook produces documentaries, she said MU premieres at least one of her films during Black History Month each year. “[The film features] the many sociocultural roles of Natalia Bolívar, an ethnographer and practitioner of Afro-Cuban religions,” according to the university’s Black History Month calendar. MU’s 2019 Black History Month is dedicated to promoting their theme, “Black Migrations: New Destinations, New Realities,” according to MU’s website. Other than the documentary, MU will host different events throughout the month of February to celebrate black history and culture.
Cordones-Cook said she has created 23 documentaries in a nine-year span and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. She said that she has multiple documentaries in production that will be premiering throughout the next year. “[Making documentaries] is something I do with passion,” Cordones-Cook said. “By doing these documentaries I’m creating a historical encyclopedia for the future.” The inspiration was found within Natalia Bolívar, who is a direct descendant of Simón Bolívar, leader of the Latin American Revolution, Cordones-Cook said. Bolívar is a cultural promoter, someone who has amassed many archives and is generous in sharing her collections with anyone who asks. “[Bolívar] has been a consultant for plays, for films, for books,” CordonesCook said. “She is a constant reference for anything that
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accessibility of these products on campus is a needed addition. “I think it’s a really good idea. It needs to be more accessible,” Boyd said. “It’s not always possible to run back home and grab something to handle your situation, especially for those who live off campus.” Solomon Davis, committee chair of MSA’s external affairs, said he came up with the idea on
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they had from the past. He described it as something that is a bit outside of the box, Ormsby Mori said. “We want to fill in the translational space and be able to take discoveries, advances and research innovations and translate them into reallife applications,” he said. The symposium will begin with a presentation by Rodolphe Barrangou, an associate professor from North Carolina State University who is one of the keynote speakers of the event. Barrangou’s lab focuses on the biology and genetics of the CRISPR-Cas immune systems in bacteria, according to a news release posted by the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. The symposium will continue the next day with a varied group of presenters talking about topics, from bioprospecting and natural products development to the role of an incubator in entrepreneurial development. There will also be two panel discussions held by Jaya Ghosh, director of the Coulter Translational Partnership at MU Trulaske College of Business, and Sam Bish, senior licensing & business development associate from MU Technology Advancement Office, who will discuss the connection and impact among university researches and industry partnerships and entrepreneurship. Ghosh will moderate one of the business panels, which will discuss fostering translation of research and entrepreneurship.
his way home one day. He passed an information booth about periods and the idea cemented. “I started having a conversation with them and the opportunity came across for ‘one-time’ funding and I thought it’d be perfect if we could get a menstrual product pilot started,” Davis said. Addington said he sees the initiative as a way for MSA to take positive action on an issue. “I’m hoping this has a huge impact on our campus,” Addington said. “I think it’s important for the student government to seek out needs on our campus and address those in the best way we can.” Davis said the bill is still in its early stages. He hasn’t seen much pushback, and the next step is to
reach out to other organizations and include them in the initiative. “We’re working on reaching out to the LGBTQ [Resource] Center and the Women’s Center as well as anyone else who wants to be a part of the conversation,” Davis said. While the initiative is still starting to materialize, Boyd hopes it will affect the community in a positive way for those who utilize menstrual products. “You can’t always control what happens to your body,” Boyd said. “So it’s nice to have something for you right there when you need it.” Edited by Ethan Brown ebrown@themaneater.com
“A lot of research universities are increasingly emphasizing on research translation,” Ghosh said. “It’s a cultural change when academics start to focus on not just research that results in publications but also research that can be translated into physical products.” Ghosh said the symposium would provide The Bond Life Sciences Center is hosting the 10th annual UMCA Agroforestry Symposium on Jan. 30 a platform for and Jan. 31. | COURTESY OF BONDLSC MIZZOU researchers and professionals from the industry. from different fields to learn more about the “I highly encourage students who might be vast resources available in the Mid-Missouri interested in this field to come to the symposium,” entrepreneurial ecosystem. Ormsby Mori said. “It’s a great opportunity to talk The other keynote speaker, Kelly Sexton, associate vice president for research-technology and network with some of the professionals and transfer and innovation partnerships at the experts within the field who they might not have University of Michigan, will speak about what the chance to interact with elsewhere.” roles universities should take on in the economic Registration can be completed through a Google growth of technological innovations. Form. A live stream will also be available for those A poster session will also take place along the closing receptions and demonstrations. Several who are unable to attend. Edited by Emily Wolf MU students will showcase their research projects and talk to representatives, scientists and agencies ewolf@themaneater.com
PHD
Continued from page 1
these, this interdisciplinary Ph.D. program will prepare graduates to conduct research and advance the science of our disciplines.” MU and the School of Health Professions expect the program to be relatively small, according to Reid-Arndt. “The Ph.D. in health and rehabilitation science is a research-intensive, mentorship-model program in which students are admitted to work with specific faculty mentors,” she said. “Given this model, the MU School of Health Professions anticipates enrolling 5-8 new students each year.” Students who are pursuing careers in physical therapy, like freshman Jack Faris, are excited by this new Ph.D. program. “I think it’s great,” Faris said. “As a hopeful physical therapist I will work with individuals directly, and this program being from the public health and research side will help me do that more effectively.” Junior physical therapy student Jacob Detering echoed the statements by Faris about how
MU health science launched a new Ph.D. program in health and rehabilitation science. | COURTESY OF HEALTHPROFESSIONS. MISSOURI
important this research is.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree with a
“I personally would not apply because I want
preferred GPA of 3.0 and a GRE score of 360. They
important to research the rehab sciences to further
a resume, a 500-word personal statement, an
to be active in direct patient care but I think it is
focus and improve on exercises and recovery,” Detering said.
For students interested in applying for the Ph.D.
program, applications open March 1.
must also submit three letters of recommendation,
example of scholarly work and a faculty interest document. An interview is required as well. Edited by Emily Wolf
ewolf@themaneater.com
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his wife Marjorie Sable, professor emerita and director emerita in the School of Social Work. After receiving the invitation to the event, Smith and Sable were happy to attend, Smith said. “Both of us are fully supportive of the whole idea of diversity of campus and have been activists in one way or another for this,” Smith said. “This is a celebration of diversity, a big theme on campus for the last decade or so, so it was a natural thing for us to come to this event.” During the celebration, Smith and Sable received the angavastram, a traditional shawl-like piece of cloth that can be given to pay respect. The two were also given time to speak before the crowd. Smith’s presence at the event differentiates this year’s celebrations from previous years, Roland Nazareth, CAI president and industrial engineering graduate student, said. “Being from Mizzou, it’s an honor to have someone like a Nobel laureate with us,” Nazareth said. “We were very lucky that we got a chance to host him as our chief guest.” The event’s distinguished speakers included Sanjeev Khanna, professor and director of the Midwest Industrial Assessment Center; Rajiv Mohan, endowed chair professor in ophthalmology and the director of the One Health/One Medicine
Vision Research Center; and Anand Chockalingam, associate professor of clinical medicine. These speakers were selected in order to showcase the scholarly and academic activities of those with ties to India, Shivendra Shukla, a Margaret Proctor Mulligan endowed professor of medical pharmacology and physiology and CAI faculty advisor, said. “Very distinguished speakers from the campus who have recognized research programs, they come together and provide the highlights of their findings and research,” Shukla said. “Most of them have some connections to India or collaborate with India.” Khanna spoke of his developments in engineering materials, such as the creation of explosion resistant glass and stronger metal foam, and shared information about his work in sustainable and efficient energy with the Midwest Industrial Assessment Center. Mohan gave a presentation called “Curing Blindness through Gene Therapy,” where he spoke about his research into corneal wound healing. Chockalingham presented about how a negative childhood mindset can increase risk of cardiovascular disease, and how his Heartful Living program seeks to reduce risks of heart disease by making mindsets more positive. In the cultural portion of the event, the six dances included a classical dance, two patriotic dances, two Bharatanatyam dances and a Mohiniyattam dance. There was also a Shloka recitation, which is a type of poetry, and a Surya
Ramayan skit depicting a scene from a Hindu epic called Ramayana. “The second half consists of cultural performances by kids as well as adults,” Nazareth said. “Through our cultural performances, we have tried to display the diversity in our culture. With India being such a diverse country, it happens that we tend to focus on just one region of the country. So this year, we’ve tried to highlight the culture from all different parts of the country.” For Smith, events like India Day are important to remind us how the U.S. is supported by other cultures. “Our country absolutely depends on the flow of immigrants and the cultures and skills that they bring,” Smith said. “I just think that it’s essential that the United States understands and keeps reminding itself about how important this is for our culture.” The event was also significant in connecting its attendees with Indian culture and history, Nazareth said. “There are very many people who are away from their country for many years, or who have never been to India,” Nazareth said. “I want them to know about the diverse culture of India. We get an opportunity to tell them about the Republic of India, the Constitution of India, why it was drafted and how it came into existence. Basically, they get an idea of Indian history.” Edited by Emily Wolf ewolf@themaneater.com
FILM continued from page 3
many archives and is generous in sharing her collections with anyone who asks. “[Bolívar] has been a consultant for plays, for films, for books,” Cordones-Cook said. “She is a constant reference for anything that has to do with Afro-Cuban religions.” Cordones-Cook’s documentaries were sparked by her frequent trips to Cuba. “Working there for me has been practically a privilege, to be able to delve into that world,” Cordones-Cook said. “It’s a world of the mind and of a creativity that is incredible… That culture and social environment is like oxygen for [artists’] work and I cannot imagine them creating what they have created, without them having lived there.” The next big event planned for Cordones-Cook is a conference and traveling exhibit, which will
MSA
Black History Month events begin at MU on Feb. 1, 2019. | COURTESY OF BLACKSTUDIES.MISSOURI
happen in 2021. Scholars from all around the
Cordones-Cook said. “With each one I open a
the African diaspora.
view of that world.”
world will be brought to MU’s campus to discuss
“For different reasons each [documentary] has
Unlike
at-large
senate seats, which MSA fills throughout each
candidate nominating and debate dates for the
semester,
upcoming MSA presidential election.
senators are elected to
academic
BEC’s
Feb. 5, according to BEC’s tweet. BEC monitors
March elections.
MSA president or referendums. BEC will hold its annual presidential debate
November
Voting
voting opens on March 4.
runs
the
elections
March through
4
and
March
6, according to MSA senate’s OrgSync site.
holders represent the college their major resides
Edited by Anne
in, and there will be 22 seats up for election when
Clinkenbeard
the March election takes place, according to MSA’s
aclinkenbeard@
senate roster.
OU
and
for
senatorial opens
to academic seats this semester. Academic seat
THE SHACK IN THE STUDENT CENTER
THURSDAY, JANUARY 31
MSA presidential and
on Feb. 21, almost two weeks before presidential MU students will also elect MSA senators
ebrown@themaneater.com
MI ZZ
a year-long term during
which allow for ballot placement, by 5 p.m. on any measure that students vote on, such as the
Edited by Ethan Brown
been fantastic because they are all challenges,”
continued from page 3
Candidates must submit nominating petitions,
venue, a window of knowledge and a particular
themaneater.com
GENERAL
INTEREST
M E D MEETING I A SESSION 1 @ 6:00
6 COURTESY OF MEGAN CASADY
FILM
CoMo Shorts celebrates Missouri films, filmmakers CoMo Shorts showcased indie films at Fretboard Coffee to support local filmmakers. CLAUDIA KHAW
High schooler and singer-songwriter Piper Page’s inviting and soulful voice filled Fretboard Coffee on Friday evening. By the time Page finished her performance, the coffee shop had run out of seating, leaving a few audience members standing at the back. Casady,
an uncut one-take. The film follows a young man
genres ranging from satirical comedies to touching
convenience store.
Eight films were showcased in total, with
dramas. The opening film, “Where I’m From,”
the
showcase’s
marketing
director, happily announced that the turnout for their inaugural showcase was beyond expectations as the crew brought out more chairs for the standing patrons. Event director Matt Schacht welcomed everyone and introduced the new film showcase. CoMo Shorts is dedicated to showcasing local talents. Accepting works made by Missourian filmmakers or films shot in Missouri, their mission is to give a platform for such filmmakers to enjoy a live-
who has a bizarre experience trying to shop at a “It’s so relatable,” was Schacht’s comment
set the mood with its powerful and rhythmic
on Ryan Groom’s “Dishes,” a film about a boy
less apparent in their messages but hold deeper
his roommate arguing with him passionately over
spoken word poetry. Other films may have been
Columnist
Megan
audience reaction to their storytelling.
meanings.
“Scraps,” which was the longest film at a little
over 16 minutes, was a very moving short that
personally touched me. The story follows a young
procrastinating his turn to wash the dishes and it. Groom laughed as he shared that dialogue of the film was largely improvised by the actors themselves.
As Schacht thanked the audience for their
homeless woman who is selfless and kind, a little
presence, he reminded them that the eight short
lives and put others above herself. This results in a
at Fretboard Coffee. The weekend screenings had
bit eccentric but endearingly so. She is seen to save bittersweet and heart-wrenching ending.
However, shorter films in the showcase’s lineup
managed to prove that a film’s attractiveness isn’t determined by the length of its runtime. “Dishes,” “Shopping” and “Kiddie” were three films that
films would continue screening over the weekend
Q&A sessions as well, with Saturday seeing the creators of “Where I’m From,” “Ingratiator” and
“Versus,” while those from “Scraps” and “Good Things” made an appearance on Sunday.
The inaugural CoMo film showcase plans to be
induced plenty of laughter from the audience.
an annual event. With the success of Friday night’s
MU student filmmakers behind “Dishes” and
that will be on par with the other film festivals
After the screenings, a Q&A session with the
“Shopping” was held.
John Messer, the director, co-editor and writer
of “Shopping,” shared that the comedic short was
debut showcase, CoMo Shorts seems to be an event that the city of Columbia enjoys every year. Edited by Joe Cross
jcross@themaneater.com
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HEALTH
Experts examine MU’s nutritional impact on new students Nutritional experts and students at MU notice that the quality of dining hall food alters the health habits of students, especially freshmen. ALLISON SAWYER
Staff Writer
Several nutritional experts at MU have noticed a change in diet when it comes to freshmen entering a university. They find that the limited accessibility to foods outside of campus dining as well as the style of serving in the dining halls typically creates a shift in eating patterns and health choices. Catherine Peterson, a nutrition professor at MU with years of experience in the field of dietetics, believes that freshmen are affected most by MU’s nutrition approach. “The habits you develop now will carry with you outside of school, good or bad habits,” Peterson said. “Freshman year is a formative time for adolescents. With buffetstyle eating and seemingly limitless options, freshmen gravitate towards poorer health choices and those habits stick. The weight gain that comes with those habits generally sticks as well.” On the other hand, Peterson finds that having a variety of foods can be a good thing. She noted that the dining halls that serve the same foods
each day is not ideal in comparison to the dining halls that change it up on a daily basis. “Serving the same foods each day violates one of the basic tenets of nutrition, which would be variety,” Peterson said. Kristen Howard, a current MU student in the five-year dietetics program and TA for the intro to nutrition course at MU, also believes the standard freshman diet is less than ideal due to the accessibility at the dining hall. “If you’re a student and you’re 18 and you don’t have a car, then you’re most likely going to eat at places that are walkable,” Howard said. “So freshmen are either eating at ‘all you care to eat’ style dining halls, which often leads to overeating, which then leads to weight gain. Or they’re buying food from Mizzou Market and end up making meals out of snacks.” Freshman Kelly McGurn is an example of Howard’s impression of a typical freshman diet. When she’s not eating at the dining hall once or twice a day, she opts to buy food from the most convenient place. “The dining hall food isn’t as appetizing to me, so I usually just end up buying snacks or frozen meals from Mizzou Market and will have that in my dorm instead,” McGurn said. In terms of students who use the dining hall more frequently, Howard had a food plan this past semester and was able to see how students manage their diet from an inside
perspective. She noticed that most of the freshmen and a lot of sophomores eat mostly p i z z a , b u r g e r s and sugary drinks. Peterson finds that the food c h o i c e s made by students are Mizzou Market is one place on campus to get snacks and other items. | impacted MANEATER FILE PHOTO by their conscious “CDC recommends actions that awareness of the wide range of school districts and schools can take food choices and endless serving to ensure students have access to opportunity. key [school health services] through “Given greater variety, we eat on-site services at schools, or offmore even when we’re satiated,” site referrals to youth-friendly, Peterson said. “So even at the dining community-based health service halls where it’s changed up each day, providers.” students are typically eating more As another means of finding a because there is so much offered and solution to the problem of college you can have as many helpings as weight gain, Peterson advocates for you want.” the use of MU’s nutrition site called Both Peterson and Howard noted Zoutrition. that freshman weight gain has “I wish there was a better way become a significant problem. They for students to hear about the said the problem is significant to the availability of Zoutrition. It’s an point that groups like the Centers excellent resource that can really for Disease Control and Prevention assist students in their diet approach, and the USDA have created programs especially with freshmen,” Peterson designed to intervene with health said. Edited by Janae McKenzie habits of college students. jmckenzie@themaneater.com According to CDC’s webpage,
FILM
Missouri United Methodist Church holds benefit concert for BOLD Various local choirs performed a wide range of gospel tunes to spread unity through the Columbia community. BEN WICHE
Staff Writer
Four choirs became one to celebrate unity at the fourth annual benefit concert on Saturday, Jan. 26. The concert was held by the Missouri United Methodist Church in support of The Black & Brown Opportunity Leadership and Development Academy and to honor the life and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr. The concert was put on by the Choral Arts Alliance of Missouri and was composed of several local community choirs representing a variety of faith organizations. The event started with choir members reciting various quotes by King. Then CAAM Artistic Director Emily Edgington Andrews addressed the concertgoers. “By being an audience member you are a part of a great dialogue for unity,” Andrews said. “We can promote positive conditions through our shared love of music and faith to spread unity through our community.” Andrews then conducted Columbia
Missouri United Methodist Church hosted local choirs for a benefit concert. | COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUDIVERSITY
Chorale in the first set of the night. Composed of various professionals and amateurs from across MidMissouri, the chorale performed gospel songs such as “Ain’t No Grave Can Hold My Body Down” and “Hear My Prayer.” The second choir to perform was the Columbia Kid’s Gospel Choir conducted by Jordan Walker. The choir, in its second year of existence and, according to Andrews, quickly gaining members, performed “There Has to Be a Song” and “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The Legion of Black Collegians Gospel Choir, a choir composed of MU students, performed pieces by Kirk Franklin and Lamar Campbell. In between sets, BOLD Vice President Chrystal Sadler talked about her organization. “The objectives of BOLD are to provide academic support, build self-esteem and self worth, increase exposure to fine art… and connect youth to the community at large,” Sadler said. “There is a saying, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ We
are so grateful for this collaboration, and you are our village.” For some in the audience, this was the first time they had heard of BOLD. Audience member Jaquay Taylor believes BOLD can only do good for the city of Columbia. “I actually had not heard of BOLD before this event,” Taylor said. “I think their work is a wonderful benefit to the community.” Choir Director LaMont Walker then honored Andrews for recently receiving a Progress in the Arts Award from the Columbia Missourian. Walker then took things in a more personal direction by proposing to his girlfriend, Whittley Yasmine, and invited all of those in the audience to his wedding. The Columbia Community Gospel Choir, composed of members of various faith communities, performed the next set. The set was unique in that they had learned their music by ear and not by reading sheet music. They performed “Ride on King Jesus” and “I Know What Prayer Can Do,” among others. For the final set, the choirs combined, culminating in “This is the Sound of Victory,” an uptempo gospel tune that had many people clapping and dancing along with the music. Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com
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MUSIC
Malibu Ken kicks off 2019 with some truly strange hip-hop Aesop Rock and Tobacco merge their own distinctive sounds as Malibu Ken into an album that embodies the notion of “off-kilter.” SPENCER MENDE
Columnist
Few rappers have displayed the same mastery of the English language as Aesop Rock, the Portland-based underground MC who has been cited as wielding the largest vocabulary in hip-hop. Tobacco is the stage name for Tom Fec, frontman of experimental electronic outfit Black Moth Super Rainbow and the other half of the duo. As Malibu Ken, Tobacco lends his dark synthesizers to Aesop Rock’s infamously verbose rapping. Their debut album is an exciting collection of truly bizarre electro-rap gems. The duo first met in 2007, when Aesop Rock and BMSR toured together. Shortly after, the rapper and producer would first collaborate on “Dirt,” a track from the Tobacco’s 2008 debut solo album. On “Dirt,” Tobacco’s jagged production bubbles under Aesop’s rapping, with bursts of synth frequently overflowing into the song’s foreground. The song is glitchy and chaotic and that’s without factoring in the unwaveringly wordy verses that Aesop contributes. A
Malibu Ken’s self-titled album released in early 2019. | COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
fantastic cut? Absolutely, but as a prototypical version of “Malibu Ken,” “Dirt” does not fully anticipate the sounds that Aesop Rock and Tobacco offer on their full-length outing. “Malibu Ken” possesses a surprising sterility. For both artists, the album feels like a very strippedback effort. Tobacco’s production sounds more streamlined and less expansive than it has previously. The beats are overwhelmingly synthdriven, and at a cursory listen sounds like an extension of the similar aesthetic Aesop Rock established on 2016’s self-produced “The Impossible Kid.” While “The Impossible Kid” was characterized by authoritative, percussive instrumentals, the beats on “Malibu Ken” opt for a
slower, more obtuse sound. Instead of technical flourishes and noisy details, Tobacco’s instrumentals have a strong minimalist bent, offering a rigid foundation for Aesop’s rapping that sounds occasionally awkward but never entirely unpleasant. The song “Sword Box” is an excellent track that features some of the album’s more experimental production. The instrumental is frugal, built around sparse percussion and basslines underneath increasing layers of shiny synthesizer. The end of the song is where Tobacco really gets creative, modulating Aesop’s voice and swelling the instrumental to distortion, closing out with a jarring pseudo-breakdown. For his part, Aesop offers a slow, methodical flow that sits perfectly atop the instrumental, riding his partner’s alien soundscape with a dogged tenacity. In fact, much of Aesop Rock’s rapping on “Malibu Ken” seems to be generally more direct than it has on previous releases. His verses are more linear and focused, dealing with more concrete topics. The opening track “Corn Maze” sees the rapper revisiting familiar lyrical ground, discussing his preference for privacy and the impenetrability of his lyrics, and by extension, his lifestyle. “Tuesday” follows “Corn Maze” as a quirky story that doubles down on the consistently eccentric self-image Aesop’s music presents. “There’s
something you should probably know before we go too far/ My neighbor found a mushroom growing inside of my car,” the song opens. The rapper continues to describe the episode, finding a tongue-in-cheek enjoyment in the whole thing. At one point he even points out the irony that he struggles to keep even cacti alive, wrapping up the quip with the darkly humorous line “It’s weird knowing life thrives more when you exit.” Even at his most concrete, Aesop Rock is still far more esoteric than many rappers at their most abstract. Album standout “Acid King” details the 1984 murder of Gary Lauwers by Ricky Kasso, specifically discussing the occult and psychedelic aspects of it. “It’s starting to feel like a nice night/ Hold close to the highs and the white light/ Hold close to the good you are drawn to/ These woods were grown to disarm you,” he repeats at the end of the song. “Acid King” is a dark and unnerving track from a lyrical standpoint, further enhanced by the nervous, spacey instrumental Tobacco crafts. Most importantly, it shows the best that the duo can offer. “Malibu Ken” is a meeting of two artists that revel in their status as outsiders. Both artists jump at the opportunity to create a compelling album that is just as unbalanced, sardonic and challenging as their solo work. Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com
STUDENT LIFE
Social Justice Symposium gathers MU community to discuss belonging This year’s Social Justice Symposium gathered a record number of participants at the MU Student Center. MARIANA LABBATE
Senior Staff Writer
This year’s annual Social Justice Symposium on Jan. 26, put together by MU students and faculty, reached a record attendance of over 100 people. The one-day conference was created in 2012 and it gathers members of the community to discuss and expand on one main topic. The theme chosen for 2019 was “sense of belonging.” The day was divided into breakout sessions of 40 or 45 minutes. In each of these sessions, participants chose between three different speakers who had different levels of discussions: beginner, for attendants with little to no familiarity with the topic, intermediate, for those with some previous knowledge on the subject and advanced, for people who want to deepen their understanding on the theme. The opening speaker of the symposium was Bini Sebastian. The MU Ph.D. student introduced the main theme and gave a few recommendations in order for participants to make the most out of their discussion sessions. “If you know you’re one to be more
quiet, I encourage you to take risks, be vulnerable and share,” Sebastian said. “Because that’s the way that we learn, especially with social justice work.” Considering the sensitive topics being highlighted during the conference, participants had the option to go to the LGBTQ Resource Center or the RSVP Center for a safe space whenever needed. The Social Justice Symposium is an annual conference that brings the MU community together to discuss topics D u r i n g related to diversity, inclusion and belonging. | COURTESY OF ORGSYNC VIA SOCIAL JUSTICE SYMPOSIUM lunchtime, artists from the MU by The Division of Inclusion, Diversity out.” community gathered in the basement & Equity. Sophomore Brandy With a positive turnout and a of the student center to showcase Williams, who is responsible for the successful day of discussion, this their social justice related pieces. logistics in the executive board of year’s keynote speaker was Marshall The duo Brittani Savage and Jade the symposium, said the preparations Allen, an MU 2018 graduate who Thompson, for example, were there representing their crafts and art for the conference started at the talked about diversity and inclusion. beginning of last semester. The Sebastian introduced his session, company Crafting Love. “In crafts, we don’t usually see executive board of the symposium expanding on the concepts of a lot of people of color, let alone is responsible for reaching out to belonging once again. “There’s this individual aspect of trans and queer people selling them sponsors, participants and possible speakers. belonging that has to do with your or being a part of it,” Savage and “We make sure [the symposium] is own self-reflection,” Sebastian said. Thompson said, completing each other’s sentences. “It brings us a lot interactive and actually interesting, “How can we identify with a group of joy, a lot of love, and it does bring and we make sure it’s not super when we don’t really know what we us closer to the people. That’s why surface level,” Williams said. “This value and what we are?” year we had 180 people register, and Edited by Janae McKenzie ‘crafting love.’” The annual event was put together a little over a hundred actually came jmckenzie@themaneater.com
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9
AWARD SHOWS
The Oscars: Six of the biggest nomination snubs From previous nominee Ethan Hawke to Barry Jenkins’ “If Beale Street Could Talk,” these actors and films failed to be recognized at the Oscars. MEGAN ALTSCHU RACHEL PICKETT
MOVE Angles Columnists This column contains spoilers for “First Reformed,” “Eighth Grade,” “Annihilation,” “Widows” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.” When the nominees for the 91st Academy Awards were announced on Jan. 22, many of the nominations were as expected. “Roma” and “The Favourite” lead with 10 nominations apiece, “Black Panther” became the first superhero movie ever nominated for Best Picture and Spike Lee was finally nominated for Best Director for his movie “BlacKkKlansman.” Although the Academy did recognize some fantastic movies, performances and technical work, like always, they ultimately failed to recognize and celebrate some of last year’s best work in the movie industry. Here are the top six biggest snubs of this year’s Oscars. Ethan Hawke in “First Reformed”: Best Actor in a Leading Role Having previously been nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood” and Antoine Fuqua’s “Training Day,” Ethan Hawke is unmistakably not a stranger to the Oscars. His past recognitions show that he has already proven himself to be a brilliant actor, but one of his best — if not the best — performances of his career failed to be acknowledged. In Paul Schrader’s unconventional drama “First Reformed,” Hawke plays Reverend Ernst Toller of the historical First Reformed Church. He’s in the beginning stages of questioning his faith and existence, and that is soon amplified in his attempts to assist Mary (Amanda Seyfried) with her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger). The Reverend counsels and listens to Michael’s urgencies over environmental issues and the drastic effects of climate change, both in which are overtaking Michael’s life and soon his own. The film’s intelligent metaphorical concepts of the loss of faith through environmental themes gained “First Reformed” a much deserved Best Original Screenplay nomination, but Hawke’s impactful execution did not receive the same. ”Eighth Grade”: Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Actress in a Leading Role Famed comedian Bo Burnham and his heart-wrenching coming-of-
age film “Eighth Grade” did not receive any Oscar nominations. “Eighth Grade” follows young Kayla Day (Elsie Fisher) during the week before her eighth grade graduation, capturing her daily events during and outside of her school life. The film’s relatability is so powerful that some of the scenes resonate a little too close to home for many, and even if you can’t personally relate to it, it makes you feel as if you could. Elsie Fisher does a phenomenal job depicting the hardships of fitting in and striving to be “cool” in today’s world, and although every actress in this year’s Best Actress in a Leading Role category deserves their spot, her effortless performance is too genuine to be neglected. As well as writing the stunning screenplay, “Eighth Grade” is also Burnham’s directorial debut, and his craftsmanship and obvious devotion to the film deserves an Oscar nod. The film gained sufficient attention at other award shows, such as the Golden Globes, where it was nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, but the Academy Awards made the mistake of snubbing “Eighth Grade.” ”Annihilation”: Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score After the poor promotion of “Annihilation” from Paramount Pictures and its decision to release the film internationally via only Netflix, it isn’t surprising that Alex Garland’s science-fiction-horror wasn’t featured in this year’s Academy Awards. However, that doesn’t mean the film isn't worthy of nomination. “Annihilation” is truly a breathtaking film, full of bizarre yet beautiful mutations that surround and conquer what is known as “The Shimmer.” The psychedelic, dreamlike effects of “The Shimmer” create uniquely horrifying scenes that, although trippy, feel somehow incredibly real. Ben Salisbury’s and Geoff Barrow’s score mimics those effects perfectly, formulating a haunting soundtrack that builds as the film’s self-destruction theme reaches its astonishing climax. Their 12-minute song “The Alien” that plays throughout the climax progresses with the same unforgetful intensity as the scene itself, and that alone deserves some kind of award. ”Widows”: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress in a Leading Role, Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Best Adapted Screenplay Although “Widows” was simultaneously a riveting heist movie and an examination of racial inequalities, sexism and money in politics, it ultimately failed to get a single nomination for this year’s Oscars. From Steve McQueen, the director of “12 Years A Slave,” the movie centers around three women, played by Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki and Michelle Rodriguez. The
women are forced to p r o t e c t their assets and ensure the safety of their families’ f u t u r e following the death of their criminal husbands. Although the women are determined to succeed in their goal, they are met with obstacles a r o u n d every corner that include scheming politicians, crime bosses and ghosts from their past. Despite it not being the typical m o v i e that gets “If Beale Street Could Talk” is a romantic drama directed by Barry Jenkins. | COURTESY OF IMDB nominated for Oscars, the Academy royally messed up in failing to ”If Beale Street Could Talk”: nominate Viola Davis’ performance, Best Picture, Best Director, Daniel Kaluuya’s performance, Cinematography McQueen’s work as director, Gillian Flynn and McQueen’s work as writers Barry Jenkins, the director who and the movie as a whole. In a year when only eight of the 10 possible had a breakout year in 2016 with slots for Best Picture are occupied, it the Best-Picture-winning movie is a shame that “Widows” didn’t get “Moonlight,” was back again in force this year with the equally beautiful a spot on the list. and touching “If Beale Street Could Talk.” Timothée Chalamet: Best Following Tish and Fonny (KiKi Actor in a Supporting Role Layne and Stephan James), a young For the second year in a row, African-American couple living in Timothée Chalamet has been treated 1970s Harlem, Jenkins transports unfairly by the Academy. Following a the audience into the center of the breakout year in which Chalamet was couple’s sweeping romance and nominated for his role in “Call Me By future plans, which include a baby Your Name,” but ultimately lost to a on the way. Their lives are quickly conventional yet solid performance derailed when Fonny is falsely by Gary Oldman, Chalamet was back accused of rape. The couple, along with vengeance in the heartbreaking with their families, are forced to battle uphill against an unjust system movie “Beautiful Boy.” The movie, which is directed and time that appears to be running by Felix van Groeningen, is based out quickly. While the Academy rightfully on a pair of memoirs by David recognized the ingenuity of Regina and Nic Sheff about the cycle of methamphetamine addiction and the King’s work as Tish’s mother, Sharon, toll that it takes on the addict’s the elegance and eeriness of Nicholas Britell’s score and the brilliant family. Not only does Chalamet completely screenplay adaptation from Jenkins commit to accurately representing of James Baldwin’s novel, it failed to the vicious and unyielding cycle of grasp the beauty of the movie as a addiction — he lost 18 pounds for the whole. In a year when some Academy role — he does it with an uncanny voters made bold choices and amount of grace and empathy toward nominated movies with diverse casts all those whom addiction impacts. and perspectives of the world, the With the youngest nominee in the Academy unfortunately did not make Best Supporting Actor category being that same choice with “If Beale Street 35 years old, 2019 proves to be the Could Talk,” which easily deserved second year in which Chalamet’s nominations for Best Picture, Best brilliance may not be enough to Director and Cinematography. overcome the Academy’s preference Edited by Joe Cross for older actors. jcross@themaneater.com
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THEATER
Guerl-rilla Theatre begins season with ‘Lysistrata’ All-girl group Guerl-rilla Theatre performed ancient Greek play “Lysistrata,” a comedy about a warinspired sex strike. SKYLAR LAIRD Staff Writer Standing in front of a small stage, Meg Phillips Crespy, artistic director and founder of Guerl-rilla Theatre, looked out upon a full house at Talking Horse Productions. When she created the all-female acting company, she had hoped for an audience like this, all here to see her troupe’s free inaugural show, “Lysistrata.” After welcoming the audience to this production, Crespy explained the comparative lack of roles for women versus men in theater that lead her to create Guerl-rilla Theatre. Crespy quipped about how she never would have imagined herself directing a production involving solely female actresses - and strap-on penises. The premise of “Lysistrata” is inherently sexual: According to the summary on Guerl-rilla Theatre’s website, “When the men of ancient Greece won’t stop fighting, the ladies go on a sex strike. Tensions soon begin to rise ... nudge nudge, wink wink.” The original play was written by ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, but Crespy adapted it in the hopes of making it more appealing to a modern American audience. “I tried to not cut anything out entirely, but just to restructure it,” Crespy said. “... I tried to meet audience expectation and that required a lot of work ... I did add some jokes, and some of the jokes that I added landed really well and that was really gratifying.” Crespy asked Joan Hermsen, associate professor of sociology at MU, to give opening remarks about the sociology behind “Lysistrata,” giving Hermsen the opportunity to review the script before it came to the stage. In her comments, Hermsen discussed not only her own personal connection with the play, having seen it in high school, but how it addresses societal issues of power
Guerl-rilla Theatre began its 2019 season with production of “Lysistrata” on Jan. 26, 2019. | COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUWGST
and sex ratios. Afterward, Hermsen took a seat in the front row and watched the script she had analyzed play out in front of her. “It was so fun because I had seen the script, I had read it, and as I was reading it, I was thinking, ‘I wonder how they’re going to make this happen,’ ‘will this be funny for the audience?’ and things like that, so for me to see that happen, it was really great,” Hermsen said. Though the idea for “Lysistrata” came about for Crespy during the fall semester, she announced project Guerl-rilla the summer prior. Crespy hoped Guerl-rilla would be able to create more roles for local actresses in both this group and others. “I’ve been doing theater for many years and it’s always frustrated me that there are always way more women trying out for very few parts ..., so there is just a group of talented women who just does not get enough opportunity to exercise their talents,” Crespy said. “So I created this Guerlrilla Theatre as a way to give women actors more opportunity and then also to help demonstrate to people in the local theater scene that this is viable, that it totally works to cast women in male roles...” “Guerl-rilla Theatre brings drama to life through bimonthly dynamic staged readings,” according to the Guerl-rilla Theatre website. Doing staged readings meant the actresses
did not have to memorize lines before performance night; instead, they moved around the stage holding Kindles displaying their scripts. The idea for this came from a play series Crespy’s husband, David Crespy, did at MU in which actors only had three rehearsals before performing. “One of the things that I knew I needed to do with Guerl-rilla was to keep it sustainable because ... I wasn’t sure exactly how much help I’d have,” Meg Phillips Crespy said. “I knew I wanted to move around a little bit more, so I thought, ‘Well, five [rehearsals], that ought to get us there.’ And I think it did.” This created a unique atmosphere for the actresses involved. Anna Ralls, who played Cinesias and other various characters, said the most challenging aspect of the performance was not the quick turnaround, but instead simply acting in such a raunchy play. “I was raised very conservative, so this is far beyond anything I’ve ever even thought of doing,” Ralls said. “In fact, I specifically told members of my family that they could not come to this show because I knew that it would just not go well. But everyone’s having the same communal experience, which is a really fun thing in the world of theater, so you can just kind of lean into the awkwardness and remember that we’re all in this together and if you don’t believe in it, then it’s just going to be more awkward.”
Ralls’ leaning into the awkwardness worked, Crespy said, as she enthused about how well the play was received, each of its jokes garnering a laugh from the audience. “I could not be happier,” Crespy said. “I think it went splendidly. It’s just so great when you’re doing a comedy to hear laughter in the audience. At some point, somebody behind me not only laughed but clapped, sort of spontaneously at one of the jokes, and I was [so excited].” The audience was able to enjoy this production for free due to MU’s sponsorship. The university bought out Talking Horse Productions for the Guerl-rilla company, allowing them the opportunity to reach a wider crowd and put on their shows for free. “I think it’s fabulous that Mizzou supports community theater,” Hermsen said. “Whatever the show is, [Meg’s] got a great six shows lined up this year and Mizzou’s sponsoring it and that’s fabulous. I think students should take advantage of it. Guerl-rilla Theatre’s next performance, “The Taming of the Shrew,” will be held on March 16 at Talking Horse Productions. Auditions will take place on March 9 at 2 p.m. for any interested femaleidentifying actors. More information can be found at Guerl-rilla Theatre’s website. Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com
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Column: Representation matters, especially within university organizations Although small, the black community within MU is lively and thriving. Unfortunately, recruitment teams such as Tour Team and Summer Welcome do a poor job of representing this. ROSHAE HEMMINGS Roshae Hemmings is a first year journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about civil rights.
My first introduction to MU’s campus was no different than any other student in attendance here. I came to campus during summer break, spent an hour-long walking tour in the sweltering heat, had lunch at Plaza 900 and ended my day with a meeting at the MU School of Journalism. When I finally made the commitment to make MU my home for the next four years, Summer Welcome was the next step in cementing my decision. I spent the day with an enthusiastic Summer Welcome leader and other semi-enthusiastic incoming freshmen as we got further acquainted with campus and took care of some housekeeping items. Fast forward to January — it’s second semester, applications for a new crop of Welcome leaders and tour guides are now being accepted and a somewhat blatant observation has been made. At a meeting for Legion of Black Collegians, one of the only black Summer Welcome leaders and LBC senator briefly spoke about the need for more diversity within the group of leaders. It wasn’t until then that I became acutely aware of the fact that the faces of MU, the people that are meant to make this place seem more enticing, are very… white. In no way am I saying that this is a bad thing or that the coordinators that put together the teams of tour guides and Summer Welcome leaders are at fault. The students that have given me tours in the past have been wonderful, knowledgeable and
integral to my choosing MU. However, not many of them look like me and I can’t help but wonder if that has an effect on the decision of other minorities choosing this institution. If we want more diversity on campus, could it help to make these specific organizations more diverse? The need for more diversity isn’t something that is applicable to only college campuses; the fight for minority representation is one fought in media, politics and the workplace. Whether people choose to acknowledge it or not, there is a comfort and empowerment that comes with seeing people that resemble you in various spaces. Campaigns such as #OscarsSoWhite in 2016 brought the issue of poor minority representation within that year’s Oscar nominations. This resulted in more minority representation the following year. The 2018 midterms saw a projected addition of almost 100 women to the House of Representatives, giving women a voice in a space where female narratives and experiences were lacking. Marvel’s Black Panther gave way to a positive representation of black people and broke records while doing so. While the comparison is much smaller, the intention still stands: People want to see people that look like them. On a campus where 75.8 percent of the student body is white, it is necessary for potential students to see that minorities do exist, and thrive, on this campus. To look at this issue and not mention the 2015 protests would be turning a blind eye to a huge factor in the decline in enrollment of minorities. As of 2017, enrollment among freshmen has dropped 35 percent since the clash and black freshman enrollment decreased 42 percent between 2015 and 2016, according to The New York Times. The history of racial tension on this campus is prominent and deserves to be acknowledged in order for prospective minority students to make an informed decision. With this being said, I have seen what it means
GRAPHIC BY DESIGNER SARA MARQUARDT
to be part of the black community here at MU and the camaraderie that it brings. I’m fortunate to be in clubs and organizations that allow me to be surrounded by the passionate, hardworking, lively and eclectic students that make up MU’s black community. I have heard the stories of hardship, but have seen the community that is forged when those who have been scorned band together and raise their voices. While we can’t erase those events, we can show who we are and what our community has done. And the best way to do that might be to give a tour and let people know that a proud black community exists here.
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12
BRYCE’S BLATHER
Presidential campaigns are exhausting. Let’s shorten them. Lengthy election cycles do nothing to help democracy, while creating division and fatigue among voters.
alone. Candidates
have
nearly two years to raise and spend funds. This puts smaller candidates
BRYCE KOLK Bryce Kolk is a freshman journalism major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about politics for The Maneater.
with little fundraising ability at an immense disadvantage right out of the gate. National
campaigns
tend to overstay their welcome and exhaust
It may feel as though it wasn’t long ago that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton faced off against each other for authority of the highest office in the land. That’s probably because it wasn’t. Several candidates have already announced their candidacy for the 2020 presidential election. Though we’re still nearly two years out from the actual election, the 2020 election cycle is well underway. The length of our campaigns is a problem and it’s getting worse. Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren kicked off the cycle by announcing her campaign on New Year’s Eve, 673 days out. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz announced his candidacy 596 days from the 2016 election, becoming the first major candidate to announce. Our campaigns are a marathon compared to other countries. The 2015 national election cycles in the U.K. and Canada were just 139 and 78 days respectively. In Mexico, the campaign length is set at 147 days by law. Japan’s campaign season, also set by law, is barely even a sprint at just 12 days.
voters. Fifty-nine percent of voters felt worn out by election coverage in July 2016, a full four months before
the
campaign
would end, according to Pew Research Center. Making
a
law
defining the length of our national campaign season is the simplest way to shorten the cycle. Trimming it down to six months could help reduce the fatigue felt by voters, but still maintain their ability to be informed. This six month window would be much closer in duration to local campaigns. For example, Columbia’s mayoral campaign began in late October and will end on April 2, after the election. Moving primaries down the calendar would be necessary to accommodate this time-table. Rather than having
Political pundits and junkies may love the long
the primary season last
American election cycles, but these marathon
from February to June,
campaigns can do a disservice to society as
have it be only the
a whole. When it feels like there’s always an
month of September.
election around the corner, political division never
This
seems to fade.
candidates four months
could
to campaign before the
more divided among party lines than ever. While
first primary vote is
party loyalty is nothing new, that division has
cast and would give the
been pervasive. The rift of a Left America and
full month of October
a Right America is extraordinarily present even
for each nominee to
now — two years into a new administration. It’s
campaign
one thing when the body politic divides, but it’s
General Election.
We also blew $2.4 billion on the 2016
before
Shortening primary
money, on states like Iowa and New Hampshire, because of the increased media coverage of these beginning contests. This would force candidates to see the primary map as a whole. While the jump to a six month election cycle may feel drastic, it’s still longer than most other countries. It would make the process less exhausting for voters, and could force candidates to campaign in every state.
allow
The 2016 election was bitter and left Americans
another when we lose empathy over party lines.
Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren recently announced her campaign for president in 2020. | COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA
the the
season
presidential election. Without an insane sum of
would also lower the
money, it’s nearly impossible to be competitive in
significance of the first
a presidential campaign.
few state caucuses and
Parties in the U.K. are only allowed to spend
primaries. As of now,
$29.5 million total in the year before an election.
candidates spend much
In 2016, Democrats spent $768 million on Clinton
of their energy, and
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Online this week: Men's basketball against Auburn and Vanderbilt, Husker Invitational and more at themaneater.com. BASKETBALL
Matchup against Auburn offers Missouri assistant a chance to reflect on basketball journey From Georgia to Auburn to Sweden and back again, Katie Frerking’s story has been defined by basketball’s many twists and turns. OWEN KRUCOFF
Senior Staff Writer
Katie Frerking’s former Auburn teammates raced up and down the court at Mizzou Arena on Sunday, directed by her former coach. Frerking was happy to see everyone again, but there was a catch this time. After a decorated career in the orange and blue, she now spends her game days with Tigers of a different color. “It was honestly weird,” Frerking said. “It was really good to see everybody… [but] it was just kind of weird sitting over there and watching them play and being on the other side of it.” Frerking is now a graduate student manager for Missouri women’s basketball, and on Sunday afternoon, she helped her new team take down her old companions, 74-65. The confluence of her past and present domains offered a chance to reflect on the journey that brought her from stardom at one SEC school to a new role at another. Frerking came to Auburn in 2013 on the back of a highly successful high school career. A Johns Creek, Georgia native, she led Wesleyan, a small Christian preparatory school, to four consecutive state championships. In her senior season, she
katie |Page 15
Katie Frerking looks to make a pass during Auburn women's basketball vs. Mississippi State on Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017, in Auburn, Ala. | COURTESY OF MADISON OGLETREE, PHOTO EDITOR, THE AUBURN PLAINSMAN
BASKETBALL
Dominant first quarter sets tone for Missouri in win over Auburn The black and gold Tigers never trailed en route to their sixth straight home victory. OWEN KRUCOFF
Senior Staff Writer
Mizzou Arena erupted as the first half came to a close. A buzzer-beating 3 from senior Sophie Cunningham just extended Missouri’s lead to 43-23, and it seemed as if nothing could stop the hosts from running away with the victory. The second half proved much more difficult than the first, but the crowd never lost its enthusiasm as No. 25 Missouri (16-6, 5-3 SEC) pulled out a 74-65 win over Auburn (15-5, 3-4) on Sunday afternoon. The home Tigers struck early and often from beyond the arc, scoring the game’s first 9 points via 3-pointers. MU forced its visitors to battle from behind for the entirety of the game, running the score up to 18-0 before
AUBURN |Page 15
Sophie Cunningham celebrates after scoring against Auburn on Jan. 27, 2019, at Mizzou Arena. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS
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BASKETBALL
Preview: Missouri men’s basketball eyes return of Mark Smith Smith didn’t play in the Tigers’ last two games against Arkansas and LSU. BEN RAMIREZ
Staff Writer
Missouri men’s basketball will escape the subzero temperatures set to hit the state Wednesday, Jan. 30, as the team travels to Auburn, Alabama to face off against another Tigers team on Wednesday night. Missouri (10-8, 1-5 SEC) will look to rebound from an overtime loss Saturday against No. 25 LSU in which Missouri gave up a 14-point lead with 2:14 left in the second half. For coach Cuonzo Martin, it was an experience he wants to get better from. “I don’t know if you ever get over this type of loss,” Martin said. “If you’re a competitive person, you figure out [what you did wrong] so that it never happens again.” A bright spot of the loss was senior guard Jordan Geist, who recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds. He will be going up against Auburn’s guard combination of senior Bryce Brown and junior Jared Harper, who have averaged a combined 32.2 points per game this season. “Brown is a great scorer at all levels,” Geist said. “Harper is one of the quickest guards I’ve ever played against. You have to come in and have a lot of respect for them, but know you’re good enough to play against them and give them your best shot.” While 9-1 at home this season, Auburn (10-6,
2-4 SEC) has lost its last three games. As of Jan. 27, the Tigers of Auburn were not included in the Associated Press Top 25, but received the most votes among non-ranked teams. Wednesday could also see the return of sophomore guard Mark Smith, who leads the SEC in 3-point percentage. He has been out since the win at Texas A&M on Jan. 19 with an ankle injury.
“He didn’t do a lot [Tuesday],” Martin said. “It was probably more precaution, but I think [he’ll play].” Missouri at Auburn tips off from Auburn Arena at 7:30 p.m. on SEC Network. Edited by Adam Cole acole@themaneater.com
Missouri guard Mark Smith cheers after being taken off the court late in Missouri’s 79-63 win over Illinois on Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018, at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo. Smith, who began his college career at Illinois, transferred to Missouri this summer. | PHOTO BY SPORTS EDITOR ADAM COLE
SWIM AND DIVE
Senior Anthony Ashley leads team at 2019 Tiger Invite The invitational serves as “tune-ups” for the SEC Championships, which begin Feb. 19. MAX BAKER Reporter Two years ago at the 2017 Tiger Invite, senior Anthony Ashley had one of the best meets of his life right before the SEC Championships. The next morning, he drove himself to the emergency room and found out that he had mumps, which forced him to stay home for over a week and miss the meet. On Friday, he won the 400 individual medley at the 2019 Tiger Invite with a time of 3:52.48. “The Tiger Invite is like tune-ups for us,” Ashley said. “I’m not going to go as fast today as I would at SEC’s but I want to swim the race the same way. We make sure that we are ready to go fast and do our best there.” Ashley, a captain on the team, also won the 200 IM and 200-yard backstroke at the invite. He was one of seven Missouri swimmers to win their races during the first day of the competition. Although there were no other universities competing at the event, the team used this opportunity to focus on getting ready for the upcoming meets. “This is definitely different than normal meets because it’s just us or another team on the deck,” Ashley said. “It’s very easy to stay focused and positive because you are competing so heavily against other teams. Going into a meet like this,
people will do the same,” Ashley said. On Friday, f r e s h m a n A l l i s o n Bloebaum won the women’s 1650 freestyle, sophomore Devan Sweeney won the women’s 400 IM, junior Haley Hynes won the women’s 50 freestyle, senior Mikel Schreuders won the men’s 50 freestyle, Senior Anthony Ashley swims the breaststroke at the Tiger Invite on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019, at the senior Annie MizzouRec in Columbia, Mo. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER SKYLER NAVARRO Ochitwa won the women’s 200 freestyle you got to make sure everyone focuses on the and freshman Danny Kovac won the men’s 200 process.” freestyle. The Missouri men’s team is ranked No. 16 The team will head to Athens, Georgia for the nationally and the women rank No. 21. SEC Championships on Feb. 19. “In the end, the team goal is always to place “The most important thing as a captain and as high at NCAA’s as possible and high at SEC’s,” something that we all do as a team is build up Ashley said. your teammates and make sure everyone is going Edited by Emily Leiker fast, and if you take the races seriously then other eleiker@themaneater.com
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GYMNASTICS
Missouri gymnastics falls to Oklahoma and Denver, while defeating Arkansas at Metroplex Challenge The Tigers improved their SEC record to 1-2 with a win over the Razorbacks, despite finishing third overall. CAROLINE STIEFBOLD
Staff Writer
No. 15 Missouri gymnastics (4-4, 1-2 SEC) took third in the Metroplex Challenge on Saturday in Fort Worth, Texas. No. 1 Oklahoma won all four events at the meet, while No. 7 Denver took second overall and No. 21 Arkansas finished fourth overall. The Tigers opened the night on beam with a score of 49.925. Senior Britney Ward led the team with a 9.875. Junior Mary Nicholson scored a 9.825, while seniors Allison Bower and Brooke Kelly contributed scores of 9.775 and 9.75,
KATIE
Continued from page 13
was named National Player of the Year by the National
Christian School Athletic Association. Her stardom continued through her college years, where versatility proved to be one of her best assets at Auburn. “Katie was an unbelievable student-athlete,” Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said after Sunday’s game. “She would play any position that we asked her, whatever we needed for her to do. She was just an unbelievable player, and by her senior year became one of the best players in the SEC.” Frerking would finish her Auburn career with three SEC Academic Honor Roll appearances and an All-SEC second team recognition. She became the program’s second player ever to rack up at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 250 assists and 200 steals in her four years. Professional basketball was Frerking’s next step. She suited up for Lulea Basket, a team in Sweden’s highest division, in fall 2017. But it wouldn’t be long before everything changed. “I planned to play for four or five years when I got out of school, and then ... God kind of took me in a different direction,” Frerking said. In December 2017, just a few months into her professional career, Frerking tore the ACL in her right knee while playing for Lulea. With months of
AUBURN Continued from page 13
Auburn responded. Missouri took advantage of Auburn’s 3-point defense, which ranked last in the SEC entering the game, to assert its first half dominance. Cunningham drained seven of her 10 first half 3s as her team shot a total of 11-of-20 from downtown. The rebounding battle was decidedly won by Missouri as well. Mizzou outrebounded Auburn 38-28 and held sophomore Unique Thompson, Auburn’s leader on the boards, under her season average of 10.6. It was a stark contrast to Missouri’s recent losses against No. 19 South Carolina and No. 15 Kentucky. “A lot of it comes back to the effort on the boards,” Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said. “I think that just shows toughness and grit and work ethic and discipline, and that was probably the most disappointing thing in those other two
respectively. Oklahoma started off with a 49.500 on vault, while Denver had a 48.925 on floor, and Arkansas had a 48.925 on bars. Missouri scored its second-highest floor routine of the season with a 49.100. In the second rotation, Oklahoma had a 49.400 on bars, Denver had a 49.250 on vault and Arkansas had a 48.400 on beam. Junior Aspen Tucker, Bower and Nicholson all scored 9.85 on floor. Redshirt junior Morgan Porter and sophomore Gabrielle Gottula earned a 9.8 and 9.75. In the third rotation, the Tigers scored a seasonhigh 49.275 on vault. Tucker posted a 9.9, tying her career-high. Ward and Porter earned seasonhighs on vault with scores of 9.875 and 9.85. Senior Madeleine Huber and Gottula also scored career-highs, both with 9.825. All three opponents had impressive third rotations. Oklahoma scored a 49.500 on beam, Arkansas earned a 49.250 on floor and Denver finished with a 49.225 on bars.
Missouri rounded out the night with a 49.000 on bars. Huber led the Tigers with a seasonhigh 9.9. Kelly also posted a season-best of 9.8. Porter contributed a 9.85 in the final rotation. To finish the night, Oklahoma went 49.575 on floor, Arkansas went 49.250 on vault and Denver went 48.950 on beam. “This was an awesome environment and I was looking to see how we would respond,” coach Shannon Welker said. “It's a postseason-type environment and it was a great opportunity for us to see where we are and how we perform in this type of venue. We had a lot of new people in the lineups tonight, some good performances, showed some toughness and kept our composure very well." The Tigers will be back at the Hearnes Center Friday to take on the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide. Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com
recovery ahead of her, she returned home. Frerking says she always enjoys visits to her alma mater, and it was on such a trip when her next opportunity arose. Two months after her injury, she was in Auburn, Alabama, for a game between Auburn and Missouri. “[I] just ended up talking to [Missouri coach Robin Pingeton] after the game, and she was asking about my plans for next year,” Frerking said. “She just happened to have a [graduate student manager] spot open.” Frerking was already familiar with Pingeton and her staff, having been recruited by Missouri out of high school. While she ultimately settled on Auburn, she maintained contact with Mizzou’s program as an opposing player during her college career. As Frerking’s ACL recovery continued into the summer, it became clear that a return to Sweden for the 2018-19 season was not in the cards. She got back in touch with Pingeton, and before long, she was headed to Columbia to join a new set of Tigers. Frerking’s new position is unlike anything she has experienced in her basketball career. For the first time in years, she is not a prominent face on her team. She spends practices helping out with drills and refereeing scrimmages. During games, she sits on the end of the bench, running the team’s shot chart. But her past career as a player and her ability to relate to the student-athlete experience are what make her an asset to Missouri’s team. “Katie’s been great,” Pingeton said after Sunday’s
contest. “She’s had to work her way to being an SEC player, and as a freshman, her minutes were up and down. She’s got a blue-collar mentality, and she’s an all-SEC player, so she can relate to a lot of our players on different levels about the process.” Frerking is enrolled in MU’s positive coaching master’s program, an online program commonly taken by graduate student managers. She doesn’t yet know if she will make another run at a professional basketball career – she now has an injury history in both her knees after tearing her left ACL in high school – but sports have always been a passion of hers, and she would be happy to do something in the realm of athletics. “I’ve played basketball my whole life, but my favorite sport is football,” Frerking said. “I’d love to stay in sports or do something with that, but I’m definitely not tied down to that.” Williams-Flournoy and Pingeton both praised Frerking for her work ethic and character. As her journey came full circle on Sunday, those qualities shone through as she reflected on what her future might hold. “I’m still kind of in a phase where I don’t know exactly what I want to do,” Frerking said. “I’m open to a lot of different things, so I’ll see what doors God opens, and hopefully be willing to walk through.” Edited by Adam Cole acole@themaneater.com
games.” By shutting down Auburn’s attack early in the game, Missouri was able to take its opponents out of a press-based defensive system. “If we don’t score, we can’t set up the press, and we had 2 points in the first quarter,” Auburn coach Terri Williams-Flournoy said. “So there wasn’t a whole lot of setting up the press that was being done.” Auburn’s defensive frustrations showed as Missouri was consistently able to find open shots in the first half. This offensive momentum engaged the crowd of 5,119, the largest for any of Missouri’s SEC home games this year. “I play best when I’m feisty, and I just want to protect this program,” Cunningham said. “When we’re hitting our shots like that and we have such a great fan base… I just want to get them involved in it because it was so awesome.” Cunningham used her feistiness to perfection, leading all scorers with 30 points and adding four rebounds. “Sophie is Sophie, and Sophie did Sophie things,” Pingeton said. “She plays with so much passion, and we don’t talk about this a lot, but
she knows her time left is limited, and I think she just wants to empty her tank for our team, for our program, for this fan base.” Things changed in the second half as Auburn chipped away at the deficit. Missouri suddenly lost its 3-point stroke, only hitting one deep shot after the break. Turnovers remained a problem for Missouri as well. Auburn exploited Mizzou’s 17 giveaways for 20 of its 65 points, while Missouri only scored a single point off a turnover all afternoon. Junior Amber Smith helped close the door on Auburn, scoring 9 of her 14 points in the second half. After being held scoreless on Thursday in the loss to Kentucky, she bounced back and ended up two rebounds short of a double-double. The win snapped Missouri’s two-game skid and left it sitting in fifth in the SEC standings. The top four teams will earn a double bye at the conference tournament in March. After finishing a busy stretch of three games in seven days, Missouri will enjoy a midweek bye before traveling to Louisiana State on Feb. 4. Edited by Adam Cole acole@themaneater.com
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