M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955
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Vol. 86 Issue 17
february 19, 2020
SCIENCE
MU assistant professor of psychological sciences recognized in list of 100 most inspiring Black scientists in America Booker joins Black scientists from all over the country in CrossTalk’s list to spread work and talent of minorities in science. JEB GOLDMAN
University News Reporter For Jordan Booker, MU assistant professor of psychological sciences, Feb. 3, was a day unlike any other. It would end up being the day the popular science journal CrossTalk published its list of “100 Inspiring Black Scientists in America,” and he was on it. “This was a blog post from one of the larger journal groups out there,” he said. “It wasn’t something I was totally aware of until some other colleagues had passed it on to my desk.” Though Booker may have played the humble card when asked about his mention on this list, his colleagues will be the first to admit that his naming on the list was well deserved. They said it is always nice to get recognition, which can often be far and few between projects. “I think that Dr. Booker is one of a number of faculty that is really exceptional, and we’re very fortunate to have him,” Jamie Arndt, chair of the Department of Psychological Sciences, said. “I
think one of the things we look for and take pride in is other people recognizing the excellence of our faculty, and Dr. Booker has a lot to offer.” Booker has been at MU for two years now and has dedicated himself and his work to answering questions about concepts like emotional competence and identity development. His recent work revolves around conducting multi-phase studies of mother-adolescent reminiscing and emerging adult reminiscing. For example, how the relationship between a mother and her child may seem one way on the outside, but is really another way when explored deeper. “We’re working with early teens and moms, just getting some different insights about how young folks make sense of their lives,” Booker said. “Things like how they talk about their lives with parents, how [moms are] doing that in some really neat ways compared to when they were kids, and how moms continue to be a really important source of feedback and insight for their young folks.” The root for Booker’s research comes from a seed planted much deeper than the pure study of psychology itself. For Booker, it is all about identity and how people choose to frame such a vital part of themselves. “I am broadly interested in what might be the strengths in people’s lives,” he said. “The
Jordan Booker is an associate professor of psychological sciences at MU. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI.
booker |Page 4
POLITICS
STUDY ABROAD
What makes our elections democratic: MU expert explains
International Humans of Mizzou Vol. 2: domestic, international students share their study abroad experiences
Interim Vice Provost Mary Stegmaier weighs in on election observation. JOY MAZUR
Student Politics Staff Writer As the U.S. prepares itself for the 2020 election, international organizations are focusing on the country’s election process. The 57 member states of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe work to improve the lives of both communities and individuals by resolving global issues affecting common security. As part of its programs, it assesses elections worldwide through the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights and recommends how to improve them in a more democratic manner. Mary Stegmaier, interim vice provost for international programs and associate professor in the Harry S Truman School of Public Affairs at
MU, works as an election observer for the organization. Her credentials include election observation in North Macedonia (formerly Macedonia) and Kyrgyzstan. The OSCE observes elections globally. To do this, it implements long-term and short-term observers that focus on election day, voter registration, candidate registration, dismissed paperwork, media access and public opinion after the election. “There are international agreements and the OSCE countries have agreed to try to adhere to these basic principles of free and fair elections,” Stegmaier said. Member countries of the organization typically invite the OSCE to observe their own elections. This includes the U.S., which the OSCE observed in 2016 and 2018. “What the [OSCE does] in advance of an election, they do a needs assessment,” she said. “Then they will decide, do they recommend a full
vote |Page 4
Lupo and Bhatty share their stories about studying in different countries. ADELE DU
University News Senior Staff Writer Anthony Lupo Lupo is a senior studying economics in the Trulaske College of Business. He studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science for an academic year during his junior year. “I visited London in the summer of 2017 with a friend for a week and half. There were just some characters of the city that I really enjoyed. The fall semester of my sophomore year I underwent a cochlear implantation surgery, and it just changed my life for better. And that change made me want to do something big and different. It was a little bit daunting at first, trying to figure out all these things. It’s like shoot, I don’t have sheets on the first night. Something happened while I was there was the Brexit situation. The original date was set while we were there so that was super interesting. People did and still have strong opinions about it. It was
abroad |Page 4
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INSIDE THIS
ISSUE
THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955
Vol. 86 Issue 17 2509 MU Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com
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page 6 Post Sex Nachos gain popularity in Columbia
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MEDICINE
NEWS
New study links levels of serotonin to dysphagia in mice, could open door to new ALS, Parkinson’s treatment A new study opens the door for ALS and Parkinson’s research but is just a drop in the bucket for this researcher and her team. ALEX ESPINDA
University News Reporter A study recently published by a team of researchers at MU found that there is a positive correlation between the level of serotonin in mice and their lick and swallow ability. This is just a part of the larger research Dr. Teresa Lever and her team have been working on. Lever, an associate professor of otolaryngology at the MU School of Medicine, is the head of a team of researchers dedicated to studying various treatments for aerodigestive disorders such as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease, more specifically a symptom common amongst these disorders called dysphagia.
Dysphagia is a difficulty in swallowing foods and/or liquids, ranging in mild difficulty to complete and painful blockage of swallowing. According to the American Speech-LanguageHearing Association, one in 25 adults in the U.S. will experience swallowing problems in a single year. Lever and her team most recently found that mice lacking serotonin in the brain have dysphagia unlike those who have normal levels of serotonin. This study is groundbreaking, creating a more stable standing for use of serotonin as a viable treatment for dysphagia. “As far as I know, we are the only lab looking at serotonin and swallowing links in people as well as mouse models,” Lever said. “To me, it’s kind of strange no one’s really looked at it.” Dr. Kevin Cummings, MU associate professor and a part of Lever’s team, also believes that this study creates an opportunity for future discovery in the field. “I think it opens the door,” Cummings said. “It’s the first step for future studies … that look to boost
[patients’] serotonin levels to try to eliminate or at least delay the start of their problems with swallowing.” This study is just a small part of the research and innovation in Lever’s lab. Lever is looking at more treatments than just serotonin; she is also looking most notably into electrical stimulation, a targeted shock to specific nerves and brain regions to improve swallowing. The work she has already done has shown promising results, paving the way for future clinical trials for patients with ALS. “Not only do I think [electrical stimulation] will help slow the progression of dysphagia in ALS and extend survival, I think it probably will translate to many other models,” Lever said. “But it’s going to take different stimulus parameters — different intensity and duration and different targeted location of the electrodes.” Lever plans to continue testing different possible
MEDS |Page 5
POLITICS
POLITICS
Our Revolution Mid-Missouri focuses on voter registration for Sanders’ campaign ahead of Missouri primary
Mizzou College Republicans work to support President Trump in 2020 election
The last of campus groups organizing for 2020 Democratic candidates is Our Revolution MidMissouri, which supports Sen. Bernie Sanders.
CAITLIN DANBORN
Student Politics Staff Writer
CAITLIN DANBORN
Student Politics Staff Writer Maren Bell Jones, chair of Our Revolution Mid-Missouri, is focusing on voter registration and doing everything she can to get Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., elected president. Jones is hoping to avoid a repeat of 2016 where she woke up the morning after the election and wondered if she had done everything she could have to get Sanders nominated in the primary. Jones said voter registration is key in this election, especially among college students. She reiterated that
Although the Mizzou College Republicans don’t officially endorse candidates, chapter president Anthony Garcia said the consensus among members is to support Trump.
Our Revolution Mid-Missouri is focusing on direct voter contact to campaign for Sen. Bernie Sanders. | PHOTO COURTESY OF OUR REVOLUTION MID-MISSOURI.
Sanders lost the Missouri presidential primary in 2016 by about 1,500 votes. “That’s like the population of one of the local high schools,” Jones said.
BERN |Page 5
While the Mizzou College Republicans traditionally haven’t endorsed candidates, chapter president Anthony Garcia said the general consensus from members who consistently attend meetings is to support President Donald Trump. Trump currently has about a 43.9% approval rating according to FiveThirtyEight as of Feb. 18. His only party opposition is Bill Weld, the former governor of Massachusetts. Trump’s signature campaign issues include restricting immigration and renegotiating international trade deals. Although media attention has largely focused on the Democratic primary, the Grand Old Party is also holding primaries to solidify Trump’s reelection. Trump has won every Republican primary held so far and is polling with a vast majority over Weld. Personally, Garcia said he supports Trump for re-election because Trump is a man of his word, someone who has delivered on his promises. “I would say there’s kind of always been the status quo of politicians not keeping their promises, and that’s why I originally supported him,” Garcia said. At the time of this writing, Garcia said the Mizzou College Republicans
trump |Page 5
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BOOKER
Continued from page 1
areas that really build them
finding his passion, which is something that Arndt believes makes Booker
up and give them fulfillment,
such an “inspiring” scientist.
purpose and meaning, and I
“I think the passion that he brings to what he studies [is what makes
am also broadly interested in how
him so inspiring].” Arndt said. “There are so many interesting issues and
people work with life stories.”
questions that psychological science is positioned to inform, and what is most
Booker always knew he would be a scientist, but had no idea which kind.
refreshing about Jordan is the passion that he brings to what he studies.”
A student at Virginia Tech, he was not sure what he wanted to do with his
Booker’s passion for his work is only rivaled by his passion for teaching,
life. Like many of the subjects he spends his time researching, he too was
which may sound cliché, but it is easy to feel the authentic desire he has for
searching for his own identity.
his students to succeed. Even in light of this honor he received, he was quick
“I took psychology, took bio, chemistry and all sorts of great stuff,” he
to point out what being labeled as inspirational meant for him.
said. “I was originally thinking something along the lines of med school and
“I want to make sure that I am trying to contribute in a way that is going
psychiatry. I am not good with chemistry, and I’m not great with physics, so
to be supportive of students that are rising scholars in their own rights, trying
that wasn’t going to really work out. I really didn’t come to grips with that
to set up a good foundation for them going forward and making sure that I’m
until my junior year, so I was kind of floundering for a bit then.”
a good colleague for others,” he said.
However, after one of his colleagues presented Booker with an array of
Edited by Alex Fulton
options to explore, he discovered psychology after getting in the lab and
VOTE
Continued from page 1
election
afulton@themaneater.com
observation
But what makes an election democratic?
mission or a limited
Stegmaier cites certain factors.
mission?”
“Secrecy of the ballot is one, that individuals
The OSCE conducted
aren’t turned away for random reasons,” she said.
a full mission on the
“Obviously there are aspects of electoral fraud,
2016 presidential election and a limited mission
counting of the ballots, the right to seek public
on the 2018 midterm election. Both reports
office.”
included recommendations to improve the quality
Election observers fill out a form upon the
of elections.
completion of their observation. This form
After the Iowa caucus confusion and eventual
provides a series of multiple choice boxes to
results, concern is increasing in voters who worry
assess the various parts of the voting process:
about a fair and effective election. The difference
opening, voting, closing and counting and other
in voting laws between states and the long
observations. Evaluations like these help inform
campaign process makes elections more complex.
OSCE reports.
In addition, some states do not allow international
The OSCE has not yet announced if they will
organizations to observe elections.
observe the 2020 general election.
“The U.S. is really complicated in how we hold
“They will inevitably have something here, I
elections because in the United States the election
process is not done at the national level, as it is done in most countries,” she said. “The elections are held by state guidelines, so the rules in each state vary a little bit.”
Among other issues, previous concerns in past
elections include cybersecurity, voting rights,
voter ID laws, campaign financing and candidate
ABROAD
Continued from page 1
would guess,” Stegmaier said. “The challenges Mary Stegmaier is an Associate Professor in the Truman School of Public Affairs at the University of Missouri. | PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI.
registration; the OSCE includes all of these concerns in its public online reports and recommends ways
about higher education overall. In the U.S. we do
you are hungry, almost everything is closed except
this juxtaposition interesting and makes me think a lot of multiple choice tests, while over there it’s
and just enjoy every moment of it. A year sounds
like a long time but it flies by. And there were a couple incidents when I felt down and other silly things. I wish I would tell myself that wait you are in the city you love for years and you should make the most of it.”
how an academically rigorous school like LSE, which results in successful graduates compared to other UK graduates, consistently has lower
Edited by Ben Scott
if [you] want to hangout at 1 a.m. and have tea
One thing I would change is to appreciate everyday
one of the courses I took in LSE, we discussed
caucus votes and concerns about technology.”
scores on the UK National Student Survey. I find
more about how you apply your critical thinking.
on it rather than just the political rhetoric. In
now questioning the counting of the ballots or the
bscott@themeanter.com
there weren’t really right or wrong answers but
interesting to hear the academic standing point
questions, because the candidates are also right
for the process to improve.
a lot more writing intensive. It was very stressful,
Anthony Lupo studied abroad at the London School of Economics and Political Science. | PHOTO BY TEDDY MAIORCA
with the caucuses, this may raise even more
maybe Taco Bell. I moved to a suburban area in St. Louis, which is one of the whitest counties that
you can ever imagine. It took me a while to adjust.
The issue for me is that society is so different. I
changed schools a lot. But it was a lot easier for me to make friends back home than here. People
here clique up really quick, you got the cool people, the nerds. I thought it was something
that was made up on TV but then I saw it in real life. Honestly, I didn’t really have friends until a year and half into school. People here take a lot of pride in their personal privacy. Back home,
Abuzar Bhatty Abuzar Bhatty is a junior studying biology on a
pre-med track. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan.
“I moved to the United States sophomore
year during high school. We moved because the opportunity back home wasn’t the greatest. My parents want us to have a good education. My
outside you can totally do it. While in Missouri, if
hometown
is
densely
populated
and
everything is open till 2 a.m. It is always busy. So
everyone is in everyone’s business. Think about gossip girl but extend it in real life. Funny enough,
when I came to MU, I didn’t really know anyone. But somehow my dad found that someone who he went to medical school with 30 years ago, his son
was going to MU too. And we ended up being very good friends.”
Edited by Alex Fulton
afulton@themaneater.com
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MEDS
having to look frame by frame at the footage. Lever and her team also
Continued from page 3
created an endoscope that stimulates
treatments to see which works best
It blows a puff of air, causing a
the throats of those she is testing.
for each individual patient instead of
systematic and reliable way to close
the blanket treatment used in clinical
the vocal folds and see possible
practice now. She plans to translate
problems with swallowing.
her research with mice to clinical
Lever emphasized that this is not
practice.
only an effort on her and her team's
Some of the problems Lever faced
part, but also an effort of the school
were the sedated pace of analyzing
as a whole.
the video-based data and the fact
“It’s not just me,” Lever said. “It’s
that the instruments she hoped to
interesting to see that my research is
use were built for humans. They were
much too powerful and too large to
| GRAPHIC BY EMILY MANN
use on smaller animals like mice.
“It’s a big bottleneck in our
discovery process,” Lever said. Therefore,
she
had
to
adapt.
Collaborating with MU engineers and others, a tiny endoscope and
X-ray machine among other tools were customized to be able to see
BERN
Continued from page 3
evolving back and forth between the lab and clinic, and it’s because we have the ability on a campus like this
video of the mice swallowing and
long it takes the jaw to open and how
then worked with the MU School of
data unobtainable until now.
veterinary campus and engineering
Science to develop software that
and revolutionized the process by
between.”
of subjective data relating to how
instead of a team of researchers
inside the throat of the animals. She
Electrical Engineering and Computer would provide objective data instead
“It’s just not very many people.”
long it takes vocal cords to close — The
software
also
expedited
analyzing the data within minutes
where we have a medical school and school and meeting of the minds in Edited by Alex Fulton afulton@themaneater.com
Jones said.
Our Revolution Mid-Missouri has 1,742
Jones said this training was essential for Our Revolution members to get
people in its Facebook group and between
comfortable enough with canvassing to bring their energy back to Missouri.
20 and 30 members who consistently show up
Because Missouri’s primary is the week after Super Tuesday, Jones said the
to meetings, Jones said. Group members range
state will likely be neglected by campaign events as campaigns will focus on
from high school students to people in their 70s.
securing delegates from states like California and Texas.
“There’s a huge population within the students who Bernie’s message really seems to resonate very strongly with,” Jones said. “I think he just has a very, very strong coalition within young voters.”
“We’re probably not going to get as heavy hit with campaign events, and so it’s our job to basically be boots on the ground,” Jones said. Above all, Jones said that the candidate who ends up winning the
Sanders is known for his democratic socialism and policies such as
Democratic nomination needs to generate excitement among voters.
“Medicare for All” and a $15 an hour minimum wage. He is coming off a
“Whoever goes up against Trump in 2020 in November, they have got to
narrow win in the New Hampshire primary as well as a close second in the
be able to mobilize excitement because that’s what we’re dealing with on the
Iowa caucus.
other side,” she said.
Our Revolution Mid-Missouri is focusing on direct voter contact, including phone and text banks and canvassing. Like other campaign organizations at
Students who are interested in joining Our Revolution Mid-Missouri can join the Facebook group.
MU, Our Revolution has spent weekends in Iowa canvassing, including the
Edited by Izzy Colon
weekend before the Iowa caucus where they knocked on over 2,000 doors,
icolon@themaneater.com
TRUMP
have
no
direct
ties
Should Trump be re-elected, Garcia would
with the Trump
like to see him focus on keeping the economy
campaign. He said once campaigning picks up in
and military strong as well as continuing to put
the summer he will expect to be contacted by the
America first in international trade deals. He
Missouri Federation of College Republicans. The
would also like Trump to work on improving the
GOP typically reaches out to the Missouri GOP,
prison system in the U.S., which is something
who then contacts the various chapters of the
Garcia feels Trump hasn’t done enough work on
College Republicans in the state.
so far.
Continued from page 3
support anyone we think can win,” Garcia said.
Although a Students for Trump exists at the
“I feel like he’s not a person who genuinely
national level, there is not currently a chapter
flip-flops often,” Garcia said. “I think he’s a man
at MU. Garcia added that many members of the
of his word. I also think he’s willing to do what’s
Mizzou College Republicans work on campaigns or
necessary to put America first.”
for elected officials within the Republican Party. “As far as local campaigns go, we pretty much
Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com
The Mizzou College Republicans have continued their support of President Donald Trump this election season, although the group chooses not to officially endorse any candidates. | PHOTO COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUCRS.
MUSIC
Band members Chase O’Neal (top right) and Sammy Elfy (bottom right) rock out together at one of the band’s practices. O’Neal plays bass for Post Sex Nachos, and Elfy is the lead vocalist. Hunter Pendelton (bottom left) plays drums for the band and Mitch Broddon (top middle) plays guitar. | PHOTOS BY PHOTO EDITOR ANDREW MOORE.
Local band Post Sex Nachos gains following in Columbia music scene The four-piece indie rock band attracts fans with their onstage banter and energetic shows. ANGELINA EDWARDS
MOVE Culture Reporter
Sam Elfanbaum went to college knowing he wanted to start a band. It wasn’t too much longer before he began rehearsing with some friends in a space he describes as no bigger than a closet. Just a few years later, Elfanbaum and his band, Post Sex Nachos, play shows with audiences of over 100 people. Elfanbaum, lead singer and rhythm guitarist, and Chase Mueller, bassist, started playing together in Columbia in 2017. Eager to form a complete band, they began searching for a drummer, which led them to Hunter Pendleton. The trio first played together in a garage, jamming to their adaptation of Childish Gambino’s famous song “Redbone.” This became the first of many jam sessions, taking place anywhere from a garage to a closet. The group added Mitch Broddon, lead guitarist, in 2019, completing the current lineup for Post Sex Nachos. With their passion for music, quirky relatability and strong social media presence, Post Sex Nachos has been able to make a name for themselves in the local music scene. The band describes its music as “rollercoaster rock,” a term inspired by their ability to jump back and forth between moods in their songs. “We like to add a lot of dynamics to our music,” Broddon said. “You can find yourself in one chill
vibe one second, and then the next second you're really nodding your head and it gets a little heavier … tapping your toes to the beat of the drums.” The band cites inspiration anywhere from Broddon’s and Elfanbaum’s past experience in jazz bands to the catchy riffs of indie-rock giants The Strokes. Drawing from many influences, the group is able to create infectious indie-rock music, reminiscent of bands like Hippo Campus. However, their attempts at genre-blending aren’t what Post Sex Nachos believes is their strongest or most unique quality as a band. Unlike many other bands, the members of Post Sex Nachos would hardly claim their music is great at all. The group claims their true strength is their chemistry on stage and their ability to keep the crowd engaged with their banter. “We don’t take ourselves too seriously, which I think is good,” Pendleton said. “It's all about having fun and making somewhat okay music … just entertaining.” At a Post Sex Nachos show, the crowd is constantly engaged. The audience members banter playfully with the band as they tune their instruments in between songs. MU freshman Jacob Mallard, a lover of local music, believes the band’s charm and lighthearted manner make them different than other bands in Columbia. Mallard witnessed the band’s strong stage presence from the front row at their show at Eastside Tavern on Feb. 12. “The energy was electric … I couldn’t stop moving. I couldn’t stop smiling,” Mallard said. “We were singing the whole time with them.” While the band boasts that their strength is their ability to engage crowds, the members still
have chemistry behind the scenes when they write and produce their songs. Their latest single titled “Drive Home” started with a riff Broddon described as sounding like feelings of longing. Before even writing the lyrics, the band agreed on the title of the song. “We knew we wanted to call it ‘Drive Home,’ like a drive home after a traumatic experience, like a breakup or something like that. It’s something you would jam to in sorrow,” Broddon said. To their surprise, the band has witnessed a recent surge in listeners and followers in the past few months. The members attribute part of their success to Columbia’s college town atmosphere that gives new, small bands opportunities to find a place in the community. While the group is very active in the local scene, their music has reached audiences beyond Columbia. Two fans at the “Lonely Heart’s Club” show on Feb. 12 drove four hours from Joplin, Missouri, to see Post Sex Nachos perform. The group brought the two fans onstage during their set and thanked them for coming to the show. “It says something to go see a shitty band. It says something more to go see a shitty band in the snow,” Mueller said onstage. Despite the band’s claim to mediocrity, roughly 160 people attended the show. The group plans to continue growing their fanbase with their quirky “rollercoaster rock” and charismatic performances. Post Sex Nachos hopes to release a complete album by the end of the spring semester. For updates on new releases and shows, follow the band on social media @postsexnachos. Edited by Sophie Stephens sstephens@themaneater.com
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FOOD
Columbia Farmers Market continues to bring fresh food to Columbia’s tables through winter months Under the shelter of its new pavilion, CFM continues to make fresh, healthy and local food available to the community even as the cold weather drags on. MADDIE SCHUCK
MOVE Culture Staff Writer During Missouri’s long, chilly winter months, it’s easy to get stuck in a rut, especially when it comes to fresh eating and cooking. Fresh produce is not as readily available and inspiration is often lacking. Since becoming year-round in 2010, the Columbia Farmers Market has fought against this trend, continuing to bring shoppers and vendors together throughout the winter months. Through recent expansion work, the market has been made more easily accessible year round. The market was temporarily displaced last year as construction of the new MU Health Care Pavilion was taking place. In July 2019, CFM moved back to its home at Columbia Agriculture Park, bringing all of its original customers and more with it. “Things have been insane,” CFM executive director Corrina Smith said. “Our customer attendance since we’ve moved here has increased by 72%.” The pavilion is still being worked on, and it was part of the first phase of construction undertaken by the park to bring more services and experiences to the community. The new sheltered market doubled the average winter attendance, providing better shopping and selling conditions for everyone involved. “I love it,” shopper Nicole Cope said. “You can still have it here all year round; it’s warm inside
and you don’t have to drive somewhere new during the winter.” No matter the time of year or location of the market, CFM offers a list of benefits to the community that regular grocery shopping does not. This unique opportunity is what has recently raised the market’s vendor membership to 80 booths. About 45 of these, including The Veggie Patch, owned and operated by Jim Thies, continue to offer their products throughout the winter. “[It’s about] having a taste that you can’t get any other way because those tastes can’t be shipped,” Thies said. “It’s just the recognition of what fresh really is and making that available in the community.” Over his 26 years selling at the market, Thies has developed methods to ensure that his farm can still offer quality produce throughout the slower growing months. “Normally, we’ll have a lot of typical storage crops – winter squash, potatoes, some onions typically, popcorn, some dehydrated things – and then we always have some green stuff,” Thies said. “We’ve got a hoop house that extends that growing season or gets you an earlier start.” Beyond the opportunity to serve up fresh food all year, other aspects of the market add to its appeal. As the issue of climate change grows increasingly prevalent, consumers and producers alike are searching for ways to become more sustainable. “There’s all kinds of environmental benefits where you’re cutting down on your carbon footprint, using less water [and] supporting local labor,” Smith said. CFM and the Agriculture Park are constantly working to expand their services and their impact on the community. In the coming months, this will take shape in the form of new construction
The Columbia Farmers market has fought through the colder months of the year, staying open thanks to sheltered pavilions. | PHOTO COURTESY OF COLUMBIA FARMERS MARKET.
on the property like a one room schoolhouse and gardening structures. Programs like cooking demonstrations, children’s activities and live local musicians will add to the Saturday morning experience. Those wishing to check out all the winter market has to offer can stop by between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturdays at the Columbia Agriculture Park. The market will return to summer hours in April, opening an hour earlier. Edited by Sophie Stephens sstephens@themaneater.com
THEATRE
Mizzou New Play Series features new plays written by students, community members The MU Department of Theatre hosted the spring Mizzou New Play Series to showcase works from student playwrights to help them develop their new works. ELIZABETH PRUITT
MOVE Culture Staff Writer This spring, the MU Department of Theatre performed 26 brand new plays written by students and community playwrights to get live audience feedback during the Mizzou New Play Series. The plays were conducted in a concert-style, cold reading in front of an audience. The plays were first read at the Missouri Playwrights Workshop before being performed at the Mizzou New Play Series.
The actors, having not seen the script beforehand, performed the plays as a first read. When the play finished, the director and playwright sat with the audience and discussed what needed to be improved and what they liked. Director David Crespy enjoys the fact that these new playwrights and directors are able to get this direct feedback. “It’s very important for the students because a lot of them have never had their play performed in front of a live audience before,” Crespy said. “They’ve never had a play rehearsed, and each play has a director or a dramaturg.” This experience allows these playwrights and directors to show their vision with an audience who has never seen these plays before while also receiving feedback. Dramaturg and playwright Cat Priamos wrote a play called “Speechless,” which was inspired by
her younger brother. It is a play about her brother’s experiences with cerebral palsy and his struggles of not being heard. “I wrote ‘Speechless’ because it’s based on my little brother who has cerebral palsy and is mute, and he’s always struggled that there’s never been a character like him ever on TV that he’s seen and he’s never had a character sound like him and look like him,” Priamos said. “I wanted to create a way for him to live on stage and see that his story is out there and needs to be told.” There are many actors involved in the series, many of who are just getting started in acting. Through participating in the Mizzou New Play Series, the new actors have been able to bond with the cast and crew. Junior Juan Carlos Martinez Jr. has been involved in the Mizzou New Play Series for two years now. “The first time [I ever did] this
before was back when I first changed my major to theatre,” Martinez said. “One of my friends was like, ‘Hey you should try to audition for this play thing where you act,’ and I said, ‘I’m really introverted, I don’t know about that.’ He said, ‘No it’s fine. There’s no costumes, no scenery. There’s just you talking to the audience.’ So I gave it a try and now I’m here.” Being a part of the Mizzou New Play Series is a learning experience for everyone involved. It is especially important to the students who have never written a play or worked with a director and crew before. With the discussion at the end of the play, the playwright and director are able to ask and answer questions, which helps all who are involved develop their skills and take this learning experience with them in the future. Edited by Sophie Stephens sstephens@themaneater.com
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FILM
The Oscars: political debate or award show? The Oscars have long been host to speeches on political and social issues, but are the motivations behind them genuine or just a PR move? ANNA E. WATSON
MOVE Angles Columnist
At the Grammy Awards, we saw Billie Eilish win big. At the Golden Globes, we heard a number of Ricky Gervais jokes, one being how Netflix would win everything. But this year’s Academy Awards brought us sharp political commentary that has us pondering at the whims of hearing these statements, — does this ignite change? Gervais told celebrities over Twitter not to make their acceptance speeches political. He wrote there is no problem with celebrities using their platform to address real-world issues; however, it’s “when they lecture every day, hard-working people, it has the opposite effect.” The Academy Awards hit an alltime low for viewership this year, declining in views by 6 million from 2019. Perhaps, the lack of nominations for women and people of color left a sour impression on Americans. However, this trend of hypocrisy from the Academy, simply based on who gets nominated and who gets snubbed, is nothing new. The social media thread #OscarsSoWhite strives to call out the Academy and fuel conversations about the systemic racism in the film industry. There is a push for the Academy to be more evolved, meanwhile, the award winners have their own agenda. For those audiences who did watch the award ceremony, they witnessed actors like Brad Pitt and
Joaquin Phoenix use their 45 seconds to address criticisms over political controversies, examples including the Republican Party or animal welfare. When it was Joaquin Phoenix's turn to accept his award for best actor in “Joker,” simply thanking his wife or fellow co-stars and director would not suffice. Instead, he rallied behind causes such as cancel culture, veganism and animal welfare. My thoughts on this are that I personally believe it’s difficult for audiences to feel the larger effects of political commentary. This is simply because it's not the central reason why Americans tune in for the evening. Instead of hearing commentary, I believe tangible impact is ignited upon hearing the speeches from winners who have changed history or achieved something by receiving their award. In 2002, Halle Berry became the first Black woman to win the title of best actress for her movie “Monster’s Ball.” The moment she won, audiences could not only see but feel the raw emotion as Berry wept on stage while clutching her Oscar. She dedicated her award to other great women of color in the industry like Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horne. It’s during these moments where audiences feel the power of an art form to not only make history, but also to move our society forward in a positive direction. Seeing the overwhelming joy radiating from Berry is the exact reason why viewers want to watch the Academy Awards. This year, Bong Joon-ho’s four wins for his film “Parasite” was another defining moment for the American film landscape. The film made history as the first-ever foreignlanguage film to win best picture. Instead of remarking on social politics, Joon-ho used his time to specially mention the influence of
| GRAPHIC BY HEERAL PATEL
his idol Martin Scorsese, whose work inspired him to make films. That moment would be known as a great historical achievement for Bong Joon, and rather than discussing political matters, he expressed his gratitude toward another nominee. As a viewer, I found pure happiness in this. It was a moment where Americans watching felt a sense of unity roused by his speech. It doesn't go without saying that not all political commentary is wrong. I must say that it does prove relevant during current times. In 2003, Michael Moore, Oscar
winner for the documentary “Bowling for Columbine,” vocally criticized former President George W. Bush because he announced days before the awards that he was ordering troops to Iraq. It was condemning the promotion of gun violence and it was totally relatable to the subject matter of the film. Therefore, Moore’s speech provided a level of substance; it wasn’t forced or out of place. Perhaps, it even provoked Americans to consider the harrowing effects of gun violence because of the ideas expressed in the film. People watch the awards because they are interested in film or the people who created those films. Over the years, political commentary has made a presence at the award shows; and now, it seems it has become a norm. However, these winners are not focused on just one hot-button issue. There is no narrow end-goal, and instead, celebrities propose ideas that they are personally moved by. Hearing a slate of political commentary, whether celebrities are discussing climate change, animal welfare or the oppression of Native Americans, can hinder the magnitude of its overall effect. The point is, Americans who are invested in the film industry want to see a change in the Academy. It is never so much about what the Oscar winners are saying, but rather it’s about who’s winning. Personally I do not believe all political commentary is inappropriate; however, there needs to be a leveled portion of commentary. Therefore, I suggest to these celebrities to keep pursuing films that propose and emphasize change — and that way we can all eagerly keep watching and learn. Edited by George Frey gfrey@themaneater.com
FILM
South Korean films prove ‘Parasite’ wasn’t one-off winner The best picture winner boasts numerous Korean contemporaries that deserve attention from U.S. audiences. ANNA KOCHMAN
MOVE Angles Columnist The talking point of the 2020 Academy Awards on Feb. 9 was not, as expected, Joaquin Phoenix’s best actor acceptance speech or Eminem’s surprise performance, though those were highlights. It was this year’s best picture winner, “Parasite,” that left Americans reeling — presumably because of our bad track record when it comes to recognizing foreign films at the Oscars. “Parasite” was the first South Korean film ever to claim the best picture statuette in its native language. “In a post-‘Parasite’ world, the best-picture winner can come from anywhere,” claimed a New York Times article Sunday night. And yet, there’s something unsettling about the suggestion that before this particular South Korean film won the big award, we were incapable of recognizing international films as a whole. In fact, “Parasite” was the most recent in a
slew of films directed by Bong Joon Ho, one of the most notable directors of the 21st century. His other films “Snowpiercer” and “Okja” have screened at the Cannes Film Festival, and he is recognized for his unique brand of black comedy, through which he addresses important social issues (namely, “Parasite” touches on class conflict, and “Snowpiercer” brings up climate change). South Korea overall has produced globally significant films for decades. The golden age of Korean cinema in the mid-20th century saw the release of horror-thriller “The Housemaid” and tragedy “Obaltan,” widely regarded as the two best South Korean films of all time. The industry saw a falling-off in the late 20th century and then a resurgence in the past 30 years, shedding light on the genius of Bong and his contemporaries. Chanwook Park, for instance, directed “The Vengeance Trilogy” and is noted for his films’ frequent discussion of heavy subjects. Others like Kim Ki-duk and Lee Chang-dong are known for their films “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter … and Spring” and “Burning,” respectively. This is to say that there’s no shortage of significant, recent projects emerging out of the Korean film scene. Often, Americans cite “inaccessibility” as a reason for not watching international films. But the landscapes of streaming movies and even
theaters are changing. “Parasite” got a theatrical release in America, and Netflix has entered South Korea as a distributor and film producer in hopes of providing new content to American audiences. Despite this Best Picture win for Bong, the Academy continues to display a trend of foreign films receiving Oscar nominations but the actors themselves not receiving any. In fact, other than Taika Waititi’s and Bong’s Oscars, this year’s ceremony felt like a haunting callback to 2015’s ‘#OscarsSoWhite’ controversy. So why watch international (and specifically South Korean) cinema? Not only can we familiarize ourselves with global issues seen through the lenses of actors and directors from different cultures, but frankly, these movies are just… good. We don’t need to use their existence as a sort of diversity token in our awards ceremonies, we need to watch them and enjoy them for their pertinent social themes and overall quality. Instead of patting ourselves on the back for finally giving the best picture Oscar to a film in a language other than English, it’s time to move into the future of the global film world by sharing the spotlight with the South Korean film industry and others. Edited by George Frey gfrey@themaneater.com
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FASHION
Red carpet fashion turns heads at Oscars 2020 Stars pulled out toned-down, reused or stand-out looks for this year’s Academy Awards. CHLOE KONRAD
MOVE Angles Columnist The 92nd Academy Awards were filled with ups and downs — more homogeneous nominations, some pretty all over the place intros and the first movie not in English to win best picture. There was another treasure hidden on the red carpet, though, and that was this year’s fashion. Needless to say, the looks at the Oscars are a lot more classy than flashy. Many celebrities went sustainable this year, recreated old looks or surprised us with some more toned down ‘fits. Here are some of MOVE’s favorite red carpet looks from the 2020 Academy Awards.
Janelle Monáe in Ralph Lauren Monáe showed up in headto-toe sparkles this year, wearing a dress that took more than 600 hours to make. Their dress was covered in 168,000 Swarovski crystals, but don’t worry, they changed before opening the show with a movie-themed performance. Photo courtesy of David Fisher/ Shuttershock.
Kaitlyn Dever in Louis Vuitton Dever wore a custom Louis Vuitton dress. Custom has been done before, but this one was special: it is completely sustainable. The dress is made from eco-responsible silk satin and Swarovski crystals and beads. Others to go sustainable this year, whether reused or responsible, were Saoirse Ronan, Elizabeth Banks, Arianna Huffington, Jane Fonda, Léa Seydoux and Joaquin Phoenix. Photo courtesy of Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images.
Billy Porter in Giles Deacon Porter is not known to hold back when it comes to red carpets, and I think all would agree he stood out this year. His dress included a piece made up of 24-karat gold feathers and a dragon-like, fiery
skirt.
Photo courtesy of Amy Sussman/Getty Images.
Brie Larson in CELINE by Hedi Slimane The “Captain Marvel” actress walked and presented in a very uniform look. She wore an open-back cape that perfectly matched her pink champagne dress, embroidered with silver. Fans loved Larson’s choice of a low-cut neckline and a high slit on the leg. Photo courtesy of Amy Sussman/Getty Images.
Spike Lee in Gucci Lee honored the late Kobe Bryant with his Oscars outfit this year. He worked with Bryant on the 2009 documentary “Kobe Doin’ Work.” Lee wore an all purple and yellow suit, representing the Los Angeles Lakers, with Bryant’s number on it. He completed the look with purple accessories all over and a pair of Nike Kobe 9 Elites.
Photo courtesy of Steve Granitz/ Getty Images.
Natalie Portman in Dior Portman wore a black gown embroidered in beautiful gold. She was draped in a black cape that was embroidered with the names of female directors who were not nominated for any awards. Some of the names were Greta Gerwig, Lorene Scafaria and Lulu Wang. She has been known to call out the Academy before for a lack of female attention. Actress Rose McGowan called the dress “deeply offensive,” saying it simply pointed out the problem instead of doing anything about it. The look also received many compliments from other critics. Photo courtesy of David Fisher/Shuttershock.
Kelly Marie Tran in Schiaparelli The “Star Wars” actress walked in an impressive ball gown and Graziela jewels. This year, she was presenting an award as well as a hopeful for three awards. “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” was up for best visual effects, best original score and best sound editing. Photo courtesy of Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP.
Renée Zellweger in Armani The star of “Judy” was nominated for best actress and certainly dressed to impress in her sequined floor-length dress. She won the award for her role as Judy Garland and accepted in this same dress, shining bright to all Oscars viewers. Photo courtesy of Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP.
Zazie Beetz in Thom Browne Beetz walked the runway in an all-black sequined two-piece with matching pumps. She starred in the best picture nominee “Joker,” a film that really shook up the awards scene this year. Beetz’s dress was definitely one of the edgier looks this year. Photo courtesy of Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Vera Wang Louis-Dreyfus paraded the red carpet in a timeless classic Vera Wang gown. All blue, the dress was perfectly fitting and simple. She topped it
off with a diamond statement necklace. Louis-Dreyfus recently opened up about battling chemotherapy while filming her show, “Veep,” but now, she is officially a breast cancer survivor. Photo courtesy of Jordan Strauss/ Invision/AP/Shuttershock.
Mindy Kaling in Dolce & Gabbana Kaling went simple with her gown choice and still looked utterly stunning. The real showstopper, though, was her jewelry. Kaling wore a necklace comprised of 78.46-karats of marquise-cut diamonds and 46.33-karats of round-shaped diamonds. Supposedly, there was a special security guard at the show just to make sure nothing happened to the necklace. Photo courtesy of Amy Sussman/Getty Images.
Molly Sims in Zuhair Murad Couture Sims, a model-actress, is used to walking a runway, and she definitely turned heads on this one. The gown is metallic and sequined and paired with Christian Louboutin pumps for the ultimate look. It was perfectly monochrome yet still playful. Photo courtesy of Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP.
Edited by George Frey gfrey@themaneater.com
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OPIN ION
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COLUMN: News flash: The Coronavirus outbreak doesn’t excuse racist behavior. As the Coronavirus outbreak has spread, so have offensive and racist memes. Keara Shannon is a first year journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about entertainment and racial issues. On Jan. 24, the world was first informed about the discovery of a new virus related to SARS and MERS as it began to spread around Wuhan, China. It was called the Coronavirus, named after the word “corona” in Latin which means crown, the shape of the spikes on its surface. There is no cure for the virus as of yet, and it is spreading rapidly around not only China but the world as well. Though a majority of the cases have been found in China, those infected have been confirmed in the U.S., Japan, Sweden, Australia, Spain and more according to CNN. It has infected more than 73,000 people worldwide and killed at least 1,800 as of Feb. 18. As the virus becomes a larger threat, panic has begun to ensue and people are taking many precautions. Even at MU, students were sent an email on Jan. 28 informing them that so far, there have not been any cases on campus or in Missouri in general, but it is being closely monitored. As more and more cases are confirmed and the death toll rises, social media has been booming with memes and jokes about this epidemic. This is not the first time that social media has tried to make light of situations as alarming as this. After a U.S. airstrike killed Iran’s Qassem Soleimani and Iran vowed to get their revenge, Twitter, in particular, went insane. “WW3” trended for days on end, but the hashtag was not filled with people panicking, but rather reaction videos and tweets finding the humor in such a situation. People joked about being drafted into the military,
women satirically embraced fitting into the old school housewife role in order for them not to be drafted and people who called themselves feminists “revoked” this status in order to not be enlisted as well. Even then, people debated on whether or not this was appropriate or downright ignorant considering the weight that a world war has and the damage that it could do to the people of the Middle East. Having seen those tweets, I see no problem in trying to make light of a situation that makes many people anxious. However, with situations where people could die, I may chuckle at some things, but ultimately it makes me uncomfortable (let’s not get started on the 9/11 and school shooting jokes Twitter loves to crack at). Since the war was hypothetical, those jokes do not impact me as much as something that does kill people each day, such as the Coronavirus. What makes me even more uncomfortable is the blatant racism and prejudice that Asians as a whole have had to deal with because of it. This brings me back to high school when the Ebola jokes were at their prime and people shunned or taunted those who were from Africa or even traveled to Africa. My peers with darker complexions were more susceptible to those jokes than those with lighter skin tones, and it made me realize how quickly people were to jump on these jokes just to be able to be so racist. Tweets about the Coronavirus that have me scratching my head get thousands of likes and those who like them do not think of their problematic implications. On social media, Asian people are all linked together as immediately having the virus no matter what their country of origin is. South Korean boy group BTS is a subject of many of these jokes. A tweet stating, “Everyone at the Grammys when BTS starts coughing,” accompanied by a clip of reality star Tiffany Pollard
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screaming and trying to run away from something not shown in the frame went viral; it has 22,000 likes and 85,000 retweets and counting. American rapper and songwriter Kash Doll recently came under fire for a recent Instagram post. The post was of a photo of the Disney princesses all wearing face masks except for Mulan, the words “Sorry ‘MULAN’ but we never know” written at the top. She wrote in the caption “In the airport like.” The post has since been deleted. These instances are just a few of the many posts going around on social media. Even if their country of origin is China, it is immensely ignorant and offensive to automatically assume a person has the virus. Ironically, we have a greater chance of contracting and dying from the flu than the Coronavirus. According to the World Health Organization, “Worldwide, the flu causes up to 5 million cases of severe illness worldwide and kills up to 650,000 people every year.”
The Coronavirus is a small road bump compared to other diseases and illnesses found around the world, yet people don’t talk about those as much. Unfortunately, so many people have passed away from this illness, there’s no need to worry. You’ll be okay. Take a deep breath. Anyone who tries to speak up against these jokes is immediately labeled as sensitive or has no sense of humor. People love to use the excuse that joking is how people deal with anxiety, and what I say to that is that there should be a difference between joking and downright being ignorant. When people losing their lives daily is used to discriminate against a marginalized group of individuals, I think that is when we need to step back and reflect on ourselves as humans. News flash: The Coronavirus outbreak doesn’t excuse racist behavior. Edited by Bryce Kolk bkolk@themaneater.com
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THE MARK… NOT ON 5TH STREET
COLUMN: An artist’s guide to MU Express yourself and advertise while beautifying campus.
Mark Curtin is a Senior Film Studies/English major at MU. He is an opinion columnist who writes about local issues for The Maneater. Art makes life beautiful. While not a particularly controversial statement on its face, the claim raises some questions the more one considers it. What is art, for instance? Who gets to decide whether or not it is worth keeping? How can it be spread without being garish or impractical? These inquiries may be fodder for philosophers, but the humble author can hazard to explore them. A lot of things can be considered art. Paintings and the like are only the most obvious. Buildings can be art. The device or newspaper you’re reading this on can be art. “Can” is the important word here. Intention is what matters. If the designer of an object intends for it to have creative value, then it does. Simple as that. This means that contributing to campus culture is easier than one might think. MU fortunately possesses a large number of recognizable statues and sculptures to enhance the environment. From the Beetle Bailey statue by Reynolds Alumni Building to Tiger Plaza to
the busts outside Jesse Hall, our campus features diverse, quirky and unique artwork that highlights our history and characters (both fictional and real) without being distracting. That, I think, is a highlight of good art – it contributes to the environment instead of detracting from it. Students are allowed to contribute to this atmosphere, as well. Chalking, though it includes some stipulations, is a great way to express oneself, as is hanging up posters. I’ve learned about many clubs and events through these methods despite the high-tech world we live in. Anyone can post a notification about a concert or event on the corkboards scattered around campus. Famously, The Shack allows students to carve our names for posterity. With painting the M and everything else, I feel MU has more opportunities for artistic expression than many universities. I’m grateful for that. The only trouble is that they seem to never come down – there’s one particular faded “Students for Rand Paul” sticker on a light post that makes me roll my eyes every time I pass it. While we have great opportunities to express ourselves here, that freedom should be tempered with consideration for future pupils. People who chalk or put up flyers should do their parts to keep MU clean and beautiful by removing their work by the end of the
Jesse Hall lit up in the mid-afternoon sun. | PHOTO COURTESY OF MANEATER PHOTO ARCHIVES.
semester at latest. Oftentimes, I think college students forget the beauty of their own campuses, taking the décor and artwork for granted. It shouldn’t be so, especially when we can contribute to the atmosphere ourselves. If you’re feeling creative, get some warm clothing and a stick of chalk and draw to your heart’s content. Just make sure you don’t within 100 feet of any hospital. Edited by Bryce Kolk
L E T T E R TO T H E E D ITO R LETTERS DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF THE MANEATER OR ITS EDITORIAL BOARD
MU Counseling Center policy is dangerous, misguided July 2019 saw a merger between the Student Health Counseling Center and the MU Counseling Center. The mission of a “Short Term Therapy Model” — in which therapy is limited to twelve or less sessions — has been misappropriated by the MU Counseling Center to deny MU students who have previously secured therapy through the Student Health Counseling Center the right to access to further individualized therapy on campus. While students continue to pay student fees that funds services they no longer have access to, they are increasingly directed away from campus and to community therapists, which are often booked three to six months out and may offer inappropriate therapy models. Is this policy dangerous? Yes, it is. As a fifth-year-PhD student and teaching assistant at MU, I have referred a considerable number of students to therapy services on
campus in good faith that these services would be fair and useful to students. However, the university’s new policies on counseling and mental health services are misguided at best and dangerous at worst. In July 2019, there was a merger between the Student Health Counseling Services (a part the University of Missouri Hospital System) and MU Counseling Center. At that time, a new policy was established that places a cap on the number of counseling sessions students are allowed. Remarkably, this cap considers all sessions previously taken through the University of Missouri Hospital System. Previously, students were allowed three sessions a semester at the SHCS/UMHS and could elect for additional sessions through insurance. Therefore, a student who took advantage of counseling through the Student Health Counseling Services prior to 2019 may no longer be eligible for individualized on-campus therapy services at MU. I was personally quoted by one therapist that the cap (unpublished, unofficial, yet enforced) was 10 sessions. In this consideration, a student who took three free sessions, and an additional seven at their own expenses in one semester, at any point in their career, is no longer eligible for therapy. The new policies are retroactive and exclude students who made the decision to pursue on-campus therapy under an entirely different system. Students seeking to restart their therapy at the Student Counseling
Center now may experience the deeply uncomfortable situation of being paired with a new therapist, rather than the one with whom they've established a previous patient/counselor relationship, for a new intake evaluation. If the student has previously had therapy at either the SHCC or SHCS, they may be told that they may not be a good fit for additional therapy, as they may have already reached their limit. Remarkably, the intake counselor at that time might be unable at that time to tell the student how many sessions they have had so that the student can make an informed decision. A student told that they may “not be a good fit” will then be guided to group therapy — of which I am told there is also a limited number of sessions students can attend — or told to seek therapy off campus at their own expense. Students have complained to me that off-campus therapists that are covered by Aetna Student Health Insurance are either not taking new patients or have waiting lists that are three to six months long. This is while students are still required to pay student fees that fund the SHCC, even if they are no longer allowed to use its services. It is worth mentioning that a source confirmed to me that the the therapists currently working at the MUCS are deeply unhappy with this policy, which they have no choice but to enforce. In particular, I was told there were real concerns about a possible increase in student suicide. It was my impression that
the therapists at the MUCS feel unable to freely and openly protest the situation. Therefore, I will state that it is my concern that MU does not appreciate the ramifications of a policy like this. There are already an incredible number of barriers between wanting therapy and securing therapy. Limiting the number of sessions a student can have to an arbitrary number, and in some cases (in what would seem to be) weeding out students who may need to consistently use the services by retroactively tallying any and all services taken at the Student Health Center, is perhaps the largest barrier to mental health care a school can design into policy. Off campus therapy — if a student can find it — will be cost prohibitive to many if not most students, who often do not have cars, are living on loans, and may come from family situations that are not supportive, or aware of, their decisions to seek mental health care. Policy makers also need to consider how some therapy needs cannot appropriately be met with group counseling. MU’s new policies are unclear and will ultimately dissuade students who need and want therapy from obtaining therapy. 2019 saw a 20-year high in teen and young adult suicides. MU needs to understand that every day these policies continue, they are putting students’ lives at risk.
- KATIE RHODES
Online this week: Men's basketball vs. Ole Miss, women's basketball vs. Vanderbilt, wrestling vs. Iowa State, gymnastics vs. LSU and more at themaneater.com BASKETBALL
SPORTS
Missouri men’s basketball upsets No. 11 Auburn Standout performances from Xavier Pinson and Dru Smith led the hosts to a 85-73 victory. WILSON MOORE
Sports Editor
It was only fitting that a game as bizarre as what occurred on Saturday night ended with Missouri victorious over a ranked opponent, its first such win in over two years. In a game between two teams called the Tigers that featured 56 fouls, two technicals and a play that was initially called a foul on one team before replay review changed it to a flagrant and ejection on the other, Missouri (12-13, 4-8 SEC) came out triumphant in an emotional 85-73 rock fight over No. 11 Auburn (22-3, 9-3 SEC). “I said all the time, ‘You never know when you’ll get your next win,’” coach Cuonzo Martin said. “So you applaud and appreciate it. You get back to work the next day. They earned the right to win.” The bulk of Missouri’s offensive production in the first half came from two sources with vastly different styles. A combination of Dru Smith’s slow, steady and intelligent offensive game combined with Xavier Pinson’s furious manic energy for 33 points in the first half and 56 in the game, many coming in the halfcourt for Smith and on fast breaks for Pinson. “We have a complete understanding of each other,” Pinson said. “I know what he’s like, and he knows what I’m like … We don’t fight on the court. We’ve got a good relationship off the court, so I feel like it’s showing on the court.” Unlike so many games earlier in the year,
Missouri guard Xavier Pinson dunks the ball in an upset victory over No. 11 Auburn. Pinson scored 28 points in Missouri's 85-73 win. | PHOTO BY PHOTO EDITOR ANDREW MOORE
Missouri stayed patient on the offensive end. The home team attempted just 13 3-pointers, instead attacking the basket and scoring many of its points in the paint. “You gotta be able to get downhill, make plays because they put so much pressure up top,” Martin said. “You have to drive the ball. They don’t really allow you to go east-west.” Just as impressive as Missouri’s offense was its defense, holding one of the best teams in the nation to 73 points. The perimeter defense, led by Smith and Javon Pickett, held Auburn to a 1-17 shooting performance from beyond the arc. “I thought we did a good job just kind of giving them different looks,” Martin said. “Our guys did a great job carrying out the assignments from the sideline to the floor, even after timeouts, because [Auburn’s] guards are so talented. They’re really good one-on-one players, so your help pockets have to be ready.” Things started to waver for Missouri in the second half. Auburn began to match Missouri’s offensive aggressiveness, attacking the rim, leading to some baskets and even more fouls. Missouri committed five in the first five minutes of the half, angering the season-high 12,506 fans in Mizzou Arena to the point that the referees briefly stopped the game to keep fans from throwing objects onto the court. That was just a precursor to the madness to come. “We get frustrated all the time,” forward Kobe Brown said. “We just have to keep our head and stay focused on the task at hand.” With 10 minutes left in the game, Auburn’s Samir Doughty missed a 3-pointer from the wing. As Kobe Brown went up for the rebound, Devan
auburn |Page 14
BASEBALL
BASKETBALL
Missouri leaves Jacksonville 2-1 Missouri women’s basketball to start season outplayed in 75-67 loss to Florida The Tigers opened their season with two wins against the Gamecocks in Alabama this past weekend. KAYLEE SCHREINER
Staff Writer
Missouri baseball (2-1) swung into season with a three-game series against Jacksonville State (1-2) this past weekend. The Tigers won the first two of the three games with scores of 10-4, 6-4 and 8-9. In its first game of the season on Friday, Missouri posted 10 runs on 11 hits and only one error. Junior Ian Bedell secured the win for the Tigers with 11 strikeouts during six innings pitched. Five Tigers posted multi-hit games with junior Chad McDaniel and redshirt freshman Seth Halvorsen contributing a home run each. Senior Peter Zimmerman went 1.000 on the day with one hit, three walks and an RBI. "This was a game that was back and forth,” coach Steve Bieser said. “The good thing was seeing our offense continuing to battle, especially in the middle innings. Ian [Bedell] came out today and threw the ball outstanding." On Saturday, a long back-and-forth game saw the Tigers top the Gamecocks in 12 innings, 6-4. Missouri was behind 2-4 in the top of the eighth inning before rallying on four hits, putting the score at 4-4 where it would remain until the 12th inning. Redshirt junior Brandt Belk had the game-winning RBI on a fielder’s choice that scored junior Mark Vierling in the 12th inning while the combined relief
cocks |Page 14
The Gators’ offense dominated the Tigers, despite a late rally from the home team. ELI HOFF
Assistant Sports Editor Engaged in a competitive game against a beatable low-tier SEC opponent, Missouri women’s basketball (6-19, 3-9 SEC) needed to keep pace with a hot opposition offense. Instead, the Tigers put up only nine third-quarter points before a last-minute rally against Florida (14-11, 5-7 SEC), eventually falling 75-67. The final score hinted at a closer game than reality. The Gators’ screen-heavy offense was too much for Missouri to handle. As Florida’s players created wide-open shots again and again around the floor, the Tigers couldn’t stay on pace.
Aijha Blackwell shoots a free throw aganist the Gators. Blackwell finished with 20 points on the night. | PHOTO BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER KIRUBEL MESFIN
gator |Page 14
13
T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | F E B R UA RY 1 9, 2 0 2 0 FOOTBALL
Missouri football strengthens incoming recruiting class with five signees on National Signing Day The Tigers landed
out
cornerback Ennis
who
Rakestraw over Alabama and Kris Abrams-Draine over LSU in a successful National Signing Day.
rates
of
Alabama
247 as
Sports
Missouri’s
second-best
signee.
Abrams-Draine
was
a quarterback during his senior year of high school, which he
JACK SOBLE
spent running circles
Sports Staff Writer
around
opposing
defenses. New football coach Eliah Drinkwitz
The
Tigers
signed five recruits to Missouri on
emphasized acquiring
National Signing Day on Feb. 5,
“touchdown-makers”
raising the Tigers’ national ranking
like Abrams-Draine,
to 50 on 247 Sports and 56 on Rivals.
who projects as a slot
Among those five was Duncanville,
receiver in college.
Texas native Ennis Rakestraw, a
Missouri
cornerback who chose Missouri over
three of its best in
Texas and Alabama on the morning
receiver
Jonathan
of Feb. 6. In a viral video, Drinkwitz
Johnson,
receiver
reacted with shock and ecstasy when
Jonathan
Nance
he found out that he had landed his
and tight end Albert
top target at the position.
Okwuegbunam.
“I was that excited for everybody;
“He’s
has
a
lost
Seventeen players committed to Missouri football on National Signing Day, including 3-star recruit Jay Maclin, son of former Missouri player Jeremy Maclin. Jeremy Maclin was a two-time All-American during his time at Missouri. | PHOTO OF COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUFOOTBALL.
guy
out of Florida. They join the 10 who
before he can see the field.
they just happened to film that one,”
that’s got all kinds of athleticism,”
signed in December, Hazelton, and
If he does, however, his eye-
Drinkwitz said with a chuckle at a
Drinkwitz said regarding Abrams-
Junior College defensive line transfer
popping speed and motor on tape
press conference the afternoon of
Draine. “When the ball is in his
Benjamin Key.
could shine at Faurot Field. Walker
National Signing Day.
hands, the moment is never too
Edwards, a space-eating three-
jumped off the screen with his burst
impressed
big for him. He’s a guy who can
technique who can threaten in pass
off the line of scrimmage and ability
Missouri’s new coaching staff and
create on his own, and when he gets
rush,
to
to bend around offensive tackles.
scouts around the country with his
the ball in space, he’s able to do
Missouri in August, but he came back
It will take a while, but Drinkwitz
length, speed and ball skills. He
something with it.”
in January and immediately bought
could have a steal in the Florida
Rakestraw
has
was
briefly
committed
was named the Dallas Morning News
The Tigers stockpiled receivers
into Drinkwitz’s message. He was so
native, which is what rebuilding
Defensive Player of the Year as a
in the Class of 2020 in Abrams-
sold on it that he tried — successfully
programs like Missouri need.
senior, which helped attract an offer
Draine, Javian “JJ” Hester, Jay
— to bring others to Columbia.
from the Crimson Tide, arguably
Maclin and Damon Hazelton, who
“Montra is a tremendous young
since becoming Missouri’s head coach
the most prominent and annually
transferred from Virginia Tech last
man,” Drinkwitz said. “When he
included zero in-state signees. While
dominant football program in the
week.
right
committed to us, he tried to get other
the new coach remains committed to
country.
away assuming he’s eligible, and
people on board, which led us to the
stockpiling the best possible talent,
“He’s a willing tackler, so he can
the three incoming freshmen add a
Dylan Spencer connection.”
improving in the state of Missouri is
set the edge if we want him to,”
much-needed infusion of young and
Drinkwitz said. “He provides a lot of
athletic talent to the receiver room.
Hazelton
will
start
Drinkwitz’s second signing day
Walker was brought in to jump-
one of his goals for the class of 2021.
start Missouri’s pass rush, but he
“We’re gonna take the people that
positional versatility, and with his
Joining Rakestraw and Abrams-
won’t be able to do so for at least one
we believe can help us win the SEC
length provides us with the ability to
Draine in signing on Wednesday
or two more years. The edge rusher
East,” Drinkwitz said. “We do know
play man to man and match up with
were
Montra
boasts an incredibly lean frame at
that there are great players in this
the receivers in this conference.”
Edwards and offensive tackle Dylan
6’3”, 204 pounds, and will need
state, and we’re coming to get them.”
Also joining the Tigers in 2020
Spencer, both out of Mississippi, and
to spend boatloads of time with
Edited by Wilson Moore
is Kris Abrams-Draine, a receiver
defensive end Johnny Walker Jr.
dumbbells and forks in his hands
wmoore@themaneater.com
defensive
tackle
14
T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | F E B R UA RY 1 9, 2 0 2 0
AUBURN
Cambridge yanked Pickett to the ground. A foul was called on Continued from page 12 Pickett, sending an already agitated crowd into a near-catatonic rage. After a lengthy trip to the replay monitor, the officials determined that a flagrant foul should have been on Cambridge, leading to his ejection. The reversal led to three free throws for Missouri — it made two of them — followed by a 3-pointer from Torrence Watson for a potentially 7-point swing. “That was a big swing for us,” Pickett said. “We were up anyways, but that just added momentum.” The win is Missouri’s first over a ranked team this year and serves as a potential turning point in what’s been an up-and-down season. Tonight, we went out here and competed the whole game,” Pickett said. “That’s what we made sure we did. Made sure we competed for the whole 40 minutes. Made sure we closed out the game. That’s gonna be even more momentum for us in our upcoming games.” Edited by Eli Hoff ehoff@themaneater.com
COCKS
of pitchers Spencer Juergens and Trey Dillard held Jacksonville State scoreless for the last six innings. McDaniel recorded another multiContinued from page 12 hit game against the Gamecocks with two hits, two runs and one RBI. “That was about as hard as you could do it for a comeback win,” Bieser said. “Our guys did an outstanding job of staying the course." Missouri picked up its first loss of the season against the Gamecocks on Sunday, falling 9-8. The Tigers were off to a rough start after the first inning finished, already trailing Jacksonville State 5-1 but evened the score at 5-5 in the top of the
Javon Pickett (right) celebrates with teammate Xavier Pinson (left) after Pinson's and-one. Pinson finished the game with a career high 28 points. | PHOTO BY PHOTO EDITOR ANDREW MOORE
second. The game was back-and-forth for awhile with Missouri possessing a 6-5 lead in the fourth inning. Though they posted a run in each of the final two innings, the Tigers couldn’t pull off another comeback win. Despite losing to the Gamecocks in game three, Vierling went 3-3 in the final game of the series with four runs and two RBIs. Junior Jackson Lancaster went 2-5 and sophomore Tre Morris went 1-3 with two RBIs and a walk. Missouri travels to Corpus Christi, Texas, to play three games in the Kleberg Bank College Classic starting Feb. 21. Edited by Wilson Moore wmoore@themaneater.com
GATOR
Continued from page 12
Missouri coach Robin Pingeton said the blame for the loss, which took place in front of a season-largest crowd of 4,635, rests “a hundred percent on me.” “I didn’t have our girls ready to go,” Pingeton said. “I’ve got to look myself in the mirror and figure out what I did or didn’t do to get these guys ready to go, because I think you’re a direct reflection of your coach. I don’t have an answer, but I’ll continue to try and figure it out.” Missouri was able to mount something of a fourth-quarter comeback, bringing the deficit down to eight with under a minute to go in the game while scoring 26 points in the final six-and-a-half minutes. It was too little too late, especially following the third quarter, when the Tigers were outscored 18-9. Missouri had led briefly in the second, but Florida’s offense was superior. Florida – a team that entered the game shooting 28.5% from 3-point
Hailey Troup guarded by Gator's guard Brylee Bartram. | PHOTO BY STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER KIRUBEL MESFIN
range – made 12 on 28 attempts, good enough for 42.9%. Freshman guard Brylee Bartram made half of her team’s baskets from beyond the arc. Similarly difficult for the Tigers to contain were freshman guard Lavender Briggs, who scored 18
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all around the floor in 36 minutes, and redshirt senior forward Zada Williams, who settled into a doubledouble performance. “We didn’t do a very good job as coaches with our scouting,” Pingeton said. “One of their best 3-point
shooters in Bartram – she got off 11 3’s.” Missouri’s offense suffered from 3-point range as it tried to keep pace with the Gators. Senior guard Jordan Chavis, the team’s leading 3-point shooter, sat out with concussion symptoms, leaving something of a void in the Tigers’ system. Redshirt sophomore Haley Troup was primarily charged with replacing Chavis, but picked up three fouls in the first quarter and only played 19 minutes. “As good as [Chavis] is, I don’t feel comfortable saying that’s why we lost the game,” Pingeton said. “There’s enough out there that we could have controlled.” Perhaps even more glaring was Missouri’s inability to recycle the ball: On 78 possessions, the Tigers grabbed only five offensive rebounds to score just a single second-chance point. Aijha Blackwell led Missouri in scoring with 20 points, the fifth time this season she’s eclipsed 20 points in a game. Missouri visits Vanderbilt (13-11, 3-8 SEC) on Thursday at 7 p.m. Edited by Wilson Moore wmoore@themaneater.com
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15
T H E M A N E AT E R | S P O RTS | F E B R UA RY 1 9, 2 0 2 0 FOOTBALL
Drinkwitz’ offensive mind, energy lauded by Odom commits Maclin, Cook and Jones spoke about why they chose to stay with Missouri.
help Mizzou win football games and
a Missouri football program led by now-fired coach Barry Odom,
many of the Tigers’ commits in the
recruiting class of 2020 have given rave reviews to Odom’s replacement, Eliah Drinkwitz.
The former Appalachian State
football is only for a short time in
Drinkwitz met face to face with
the next year,” Cook said. “I can’t
Players
were
impressed
when
each in-state commit in the days
football.
Despite initially committing to
get stronger on and off the field over
to the table, and our bond will only
and with his knowledge of offensive
Sports Staff Writer
life,’ which means making sure we
help me become a better player.”
immediately following his hiring,
JACK SOBLE
“JJ and Jay bring a lot of talent
The
latter
reason
may
wait to keep working with them and
eventually make plays with them on Saturdays.
Regarding
Odom’s
defensive
explain why eight of Drinkwitz’s first
guys, Drinkwitz couldn’t retain Rock
paper on the Dec. 18 signing day —
Redding, who decommitted from the
10 signees — all of whom put pen to were offensive players, including the top quarterback prospect in Missouri, St. Louis’s Brady Cook.
“Coach Drinkwitz is an offensive-
minded coach, and it seemed like the
Bridge defensive end Jalen LoganTigers and chose Minnesota instead.
He did not express any ill will toward
Drinkwitz, stressing that the new
coach is a “great guy with a vision.”
receiver Javian “JJ” Hester from Young from Tennessee and wide
The top of Missouri’s recruiting
running
back
Elijah
was always my dream.”
receiver Jay Maclin from St. Louis.
class is dominated by skill positions.
and Maclin tweeted his displeasure
and receivers Hester, Maclin, Feb.
fired, but Drinkwitz convinced both
Draine and Virginia Tech graduate
“Coach Drink[witz] is an amazing
Cook was enthused about entering
Hester had reopened his recruitment
It’s led by Young, a running back,
after former coach Barry Odom was
5 signee and receiver Kris Abrams-
to stay on board.
transfer Damon Hazelton.
man,” Maclin said in December. “He’s
Columbia with a strong class of
I can trust him. I believe that he will
an offensive mind at the helm.
very chill and as a player and human,
offensive weapons alongside him and
was able to convince Will Norris,
a linebacker and Logan-Redding’s teammate at Rock Bridge and Tyler
Jones, a safety from Florida, to stay committed. Jones opened up his
recruitment when Odom was fired,
but he ultimately decided to stay with the Tigers.
“When I went back up, it was
like he was very relatable with me
has better opportunities for me
Oklahoma,
the other side of the ball, Drinkwitz
of Minnesota, the city of Minneapolis
coach Odom, but playing for Mizzou
Cook said in December. “I loved
Despite his background being on
great,” Jones said. “What appeals to
Mizzou, I just feel like the University
Odom’s top three commits: wide
our lives.”
“I have nothing bad to say about
right fit for me to play for his team,”
coach was able to sign each of the
are successful after football because
along with culture and diversity,”
Logan-Redding said. “Drinkwitz is
me is how young he is and how I feel
and the players. He is very energetic, so that’s great.”
Young, Maclin and Cook have
determined to be a great impact on
already begun working directly with
impact Mizzou in great ways.”
early at Missouri.
young adults’ lives, and I feel he will
The Gophers’ philosophy on life
Drinkwitz, as all three have enrolled “I also believe that he will help me
after football and the opportunities
get to accomplish my goal, which is
deal for Logan-Redding.
“All of the commits love him and
in the Twin Cities are what sealed the
“I love the coaching staff and of
course PJ Fleck,” he said in December.
“Their focus is being a ‘Gopher for
the NFL,” Maclin said in December. we’re ready to roll.”
Edited by Wilson Moore
wmoore@themaneater.com
WRESTLING
MAC to the future: Young Missouri team wins ninth straight conference championship The Tigers defeated an in-conference opponent for the 22nd consecutive time. JACK SOBLE Sports Staff Writer Missouri wrestling capped off another dominant season of in-conference duals with a 35-7 blowout victory over Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, clinching an undefeated season in the Mid-American Conference and another MAC championship. This was the Tigers’ ninth consecutive conference championship, a streak that stretches back to their
their in-conference competition, even after the
and stockpiling wins throughout the season even
losses of 2019 Daniel Lewis and Jaydin Eierman,
when he might not have had his best moves.
who took an Olympic redshirt and transferred to
Two others from Missouri’s recruiting class
Iowa. They have won 22 consecutive in-conference
of 2018, redshirt freshmen Peyton Mocco and
duals, a streak that dates back to a 2017 loss to
Jeremiah Kent have taken on large roles as the
Northern Iowa.
season has progressed.
Northern Iowa is no longer in the MAC, so
Outside the conference, Missouri hasn’t enjoyed
Missouri has never lost to a current MAC team in
the same success. They have yet to beat a team
its short time in the conference.
ranked in the NWCA Top-25 in seven tries and are
That streak is not likely to end anytime soon,
much less well-regarded nationally than last year’s
as the Tigers are led by a host of young grapplers.
team. The 2020 edition is ranked No. 24, while
Chief among those young grapplers are true
last year’s Tigers finished at No. 5.
sophomores No. 5 Brock Mauller and No. 16
However, the Tigers should return all but one
Jarrett Jacques, who have taken over as the faces
of their regular starters — the one exception
of Missouri’s program.
being redshirt senior Dylan Wisman, whose
days in the Big 12. Coach Brian Smith’s team has
Mauller’s double-leg takedown has moved from
eligibility runs out in March — and should easily
dominant to completely unstoppable, and his
dominate their way to an undefeated conference
spent eight years in the MAC and has won the
reputation as a scrambler is among the best in the
championship season once again.
regular-season championship eight times.
country. Jacques has been excellent in his own
Edited by Eli Hoff
right, becoming known as a bulldog on the mat
ehoff@themaneater.com
The Tigers have had no trouble dispatching
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