Vol86Issue10

M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955

Vol. 86 Issue 10

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October 30, 2019

LGBTQ

Ragtag Film Society ending sponsorship with The Crossing leads to discussion about gender identity, partnerships, free speech Kevin Smith gave a sermon many considered to be transphobic, which led to public outcry for Ragtag Film Society to cut ties with his church.

ALEX FULTON

University News Assistant Editor The Ragtag Film Society, which includes the True/False Film Festival, will end its sponsorship relationship with The Crossing church after Co-lead pastor Keith Simon delivered a sermon about gender identity and dysphoria. The organization announced the ending of the relationship in a statement on Oct. 18.

This decision comes after several members of the community created a petition calling for the organization to cut ties with the church.

True/False Film Festival has received $35,000 from the church and an additional $8,000 for Ragtag Cinema, according to the Change.org petition.

In the Ragtag Film Society’s statement, the organization said that the values expressed during Simon’s sermon have created an “unbridgeable difference” between the two.

“Most of the message we want to convey is in the statement itself,” True/False co-conspirator David Wilson said. “It speaks to the partnership and the history. It speaks to why we reached a moment where it felt untenable to continue that

partnership with The Crossing. It speaks to the LGBTQ community of Columbia who were so hurt by the pastor’s words.”

During discussions of whether or not to end the partnership, The Crossing posted a Q&A on its website to answer questions about the church, its stances on transgender issues and the sermon.

“We have never had a problem having partnerships with people who have different beliefs than we do,” Simon told The Missourian.

“But we understand that in today’s world, that’s becoming more and more difficult.”

Simon did not respond for further comment on the matter.

To view and listen to Simon’s sermon visit The Crossing’s website.

The Process The Ragtag Film Society began to hear from members of the community on social media and through email the Monday following the service.

Then management began to formulate a temporary statement to release within 24 hours.

After that, the executive committee of the board of directors met with the Ragtag Film Society executive leadership to discuss a recommendation for the board of directors. At the end of the meeting, the executive committee voted to recommend ending the relationship with The Crossing. That night, the board of directors met to discuss the recommendation and voted unanimously to end the relationship and approved the official

LGBTQ

Keith Simon, the Co-lead Pastor of The Crossing Church, delivered a controversial sermon on Oct. 18, 2019 discussing gender identity and dysphoria. | COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @THECROSSINGCOMO

statement to be released immediately after the meeting.

FILM | Page 4

CRIME

Columbia shootings raise Columbia City Council votes unanimously to ban conversion therapy MU students’ fears Andrea Waner, chair of Columbia’s Commission on Human Rights, says she hopes Columbia will set an example for other cities.

CAITLIN DANBORN

Student Politics Reporter

Columbia City Council voted Oct. 7 to ban conversion therapy for minors, making it the first city in Missouri to do so.

Conversion therapy is a scientifically discredited process that involves using therapy in order to convert LGBTQ people to heterosexuality or traditional gender

expectations.

Caitlin Cunningham spoke at the City Council meeting to represent anonymous youth voices to protect the teens’ safety.

Cunningham works at Prism, which is a teen LGBTQ group run through The Center Project in Columbia. She pointed to the harm of conversion therapy on LGBTQ youth, especially as they are disproportionately represented in homeless populations as well as in youth suicide rates.

“So often I think that people think that conversion therapy is this very almost aggressive, insidious, violent, disgusting therapy,” Cunningham said. “But in fact what it oftentimes ends up being is just a very gaslighting approach to convincing

CITY | Page 4

There were more homicides in September than in the rest of 2019 combined and the trend has continued into October.

WICKER PERLIS

University News Reporter When 13-year-old Dajion Harris was shot and killed on Oct. 19, it was a story that had become all too familiar for many Columbia residents.

From the months of January to August, there had been four homicides involving firearms. Then, a string of shootings during September started when five people were shot and killed over a 10-day span. That number is equal to the total number of shooting deaths reported in the city in 2018.

Since those deadly 10 days, there have been at least four

FEAR | Page 4

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INSIDE THIS THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955

Vol. 86 Issue 10 2509 MU Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com

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Online this week: A science journalist speaks at MU, an event about colorism and more at themaneater.com

JOURNALISM

Lack of information from advisers creates confusion for journalism students with new curriculum To avoid schedule and class conflict, students are advised to keep themselves informed.

ALEX FULTON

University News Assistant Editor

LAUREN HINES

University News Staff Writer When sophomore Connor Clary met with his adviser, he was told to either take Journalism 2100 and 2150 at the same time next semester or drop out of the journalism program entirely.

The problem was that advisers don’t normally allow the courses to be taken concurrently, at least under normal circumstances.

Since the old curriculum will not be offered after next spring, Clary would have had to take two of the most difficult journalism prerequisite classes next semester: 2100: News - Writing Intensive and 2150: Fundamentals of Multimedia Journalism.

Clary’s advisor said it would be possible to take the new courses that replace 2100 and 2150 next year, but it would have made Clary a year behind.

“I wish there had been a way I could have taken 2150 and 2100 in two different semesters,” Clary said. “Maybe if I did decide to keep doing journalism, I would have had more options, and it wasn’t really me being forced to change degrees based on that and more of my own choice.”

Clary planned on specializing in public relations, so he dropped 2150 after realizing it was too journalism focused. After deciding to drop the

journalism program altogether, Clary is now majoring in social work.

“It was frustrating because it kind of ruined all of the ideas of what I could do and changed it all around,” Clary said. “It made me very confused as to where I was going.”

With revisions made this year to the journalism curriculum for freshmen, like adding new required courses and eliminating previous ones, several students are caught in the middle of these changes.

Transfer student Cassie Pabst started at MU with an associate degree, the equivalency of 60 credit hours. Despite this, her adviser told her to enroll in Journalism 1200 and 1300, two courses in the new journalism curriculum. These classes are about the basics of visual and written journalism and strategic communication.

“I feel like I’m a freshman all over again, basically, because I’m taking classes with all freshmen, and I feel like I’m behind even though I’m two years ahead of them technically,” Pabst said. “I understand why I need to take them, but I also feel like I’m not a sophomore.”

In addition to requiring enrollment in the new courses, Pabst’s adviser did not explain that the classes were under the new curriculum or show her a course audit.

“I knew walking into Mizzou that I was going to have to take some pre-interest area classes before I could get into the journalism school,” Pabst said.

“I didn’t expect to immediately go into the junior level classes, but it is a little frustrating because I feel a little set back by the situation just because I want to be able to graduate in four years like what

LIBRARY

everybody else does.”

Approximately 50 transfer students enrolled in the School of Journalism this semester, according to Lynda Kraxberger, associate dean for undergraduate studies. Usually, transfer students and those who are sophomores and higher take the old curriculum, but Pabst’s case was different.

“We make decisions based on what’s in the best interest of the student with the available resources we have at the time,” Kraxberger said. “So, the change that we are making in the curriculum is to provide max[imum] flexibility to students in the future.”

When asked about Pabst’s curriculum and why she, a transfer student, isn’t taking old curriculum classes, Kraxberger said advisers look at each student individually.

“Again, it’s a case by case basis so without seeing her and understanding exactly what she was taking, I wouldn’t have any idea why she was put in the new ones as opposed to the old ones … that doesn’t ring true to me,” Kraxberger said.

When asked if many students were caught in the middle of these changes, Kraxberger wanted to reframe the question to focus on the “ample opportunity” of the old curriculum and the “different thought process” of the new curriculum to prepare students for the professional level.

Kraxberger later found out why a transfer student would take the new curriculum.

“If a transfer student came in with a course

pabst | Page 5

#METOO

RSVP center advocates to As MU libraries modernize, more books to be housed off-site change rape culture norm While the MU library administration plans on continuing its expansion of resources and space available to students, it comes at the cost of moving its vast print collection.

COLIN MCELDUFF

Student Politics Reporter As the on campus student population continues to grow, the MU library system is looking to revitalize its spaces with more study rooms and tech integration.

For years, efforts have been underway to relocate The State Historical Society of Missouri from its residence in the east wing of Ellis Library. In August, this became a reality when the new Center for Missouri Studies was unveiled and became the headquarters for the organization.

Now, SHSMO’s former location in Ellis Library will be transformed into the new Student Experience Center as a part of MU’s

five-year capital plan and will replace the Student Success Center on Lowry Mall.

This project is part of the MU library system’s collective effort to connect students directly with resources and centralize their location on campus, according to Shannon Cary, communications officer of MU Libraries.

“When it comes to space, we tend to be talking about student space and what’s the best use of our space so that they can be successful in learning at the university,” Cary said.“I think really as we look at spaces moving forward a lot of what we’ve discussed is flexibility of space because there isn’t one type of student doing one type of work.”

Surveys conducted by the library system have shown that students want a balance between quiet study spaces and group meeting rooms, according to Cary. Group spaces in particular have grown in popularity over the years, which has led to an increase in reservable study rooms across campus.

Additionally, library administration is

BOOKS | Page 5

The epidemic of rape culture has only recently begun to change after the #MeToo movement went viral in 2017.

LUKAS PARRISH

Student Politics Reporter One in every four women will be sexually assaulted at MU before graduation.

This statistic came from a study conducted by The Association of American Universities regarding sexual harassment on the MU campus. These numbers continue to be high despite the two-year existence of the #MeToo movement.

To better inform students, the MU Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Center held a meeting about rape culture on Oct. 16. This meeting fulfilled citizenship requirements for freshmen at MU. Rape culture is when sexual harassment and assault are normalized due to certain societal attitudes toward gender and sexuality. Promoting rape culture could be anything from making an inappropriate joke about a co-worker to committing, or condoning rape.

RSVP | Page 5

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FILM

Looking Back at It The Crossing member Erin Smith said that since the sermon, the church has let families know they are available to discuss gender identity with them.

Smith attended the church service on gender

identity.

“It sounded [like] a pretty standard message,” Smith said. “One of the things they try to do is convict Christians and making sure we’re being loving and continuing to follow our journey of life from a following Jesus standpoint … I thought it would convict some people not to [make jokes about transgender people], because it’s not what we’re called to do.”

Senior Noel Jerrell, a transgender man, first heard about the matter when he saw the article in a newspaper when he was at work and immediately read all he could about it.

“Do I think that The Crossing is somehow a hate organization? No,” Jerrell said. “Do I think that this pastor when giving his sermon had any kind of malevolent or evil intent? No. Do I think he’s an evil person? No, I don’t think that at all. He probably had good intentions, for lack of a better phrase, when giving that sermon.”

Jerrel said that as a political science major he understands the issue can be complicated.

“That language, no matter its intent, is dangerous and harmful,” Jerrell said. “It’s harmful to every trans person involved in film festivals. It’s harmful to every trans person in the Mizzou system. It’s harmful to every trans person in Columbia. The things said in that sermon are exactly what people cite when they deny transgender people medical care, when they deny us housing, when they deny us work, when they beat us, when they kill us.”

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

people who are queer that it’s something they can change ... that kind of hate sinks itself Continued from page 1 into the soul.”

Andrea Waner, the chair of Columbia’s Commission on Human Rights, said the commission looked at the need to ban conversion therapy through a medical lens, as the practice is highly discredited by reputable scientists.

“It goes against what you should be doing as a medical provider,” Waner said. “This is something

that we’re seeing as a national trend sort of across the country in municipalities.”

She said the Human Rights Commission began talking about the ban in February 2018 when the national Human Rights Campaign released a municipal equality index. While Columbia performed well, Waner said the commission saw banning conversion therapy as a way to improve.

She pointed to Columbia’s proximity to Jefferson City, where work could be done on the state level to nullify the municipal ban.

“While it’s exciting to be the first it’s also quite terrifying because there’s a lot of risk associated

with that,” she said.

Waner hopes to see other cities in Missouri as well as across the country start to write their own conversion therapy bans.

“My hope as the chair of Human Rights Commission is that this gives people in other communities a path forward to say ‘Okay, this town did it, they weren’t a huge city, they decided to take this stance of leadership and we can do it too,’” she said.

Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com

more deadly shootings in Columbia, including the death of Harris.

According to court documents obtained Continued from page 1

by KRCG, a woman was approached by a friend of Harris who told her that he believed he had shot and killed someone. The woman said he admitted to her that he and Harris were using drugs together and he was showing Harris his two guns.

She recounted his story to the police.

“We were just playing with them and he said ‘Hey shoot me, man’ and I just did,” the woman recalled the shooter saying, according to KRCG. The alleged shooter was arrested and initially charged with involuntary manslaughter. The charge has since been upgraded to second-degree murder.

The shootings have caught the attention of many MU students. Lifelong Columbia resident and MU freshman Will Travis said he has never seen anything like this.

“I usually see Columbia as a very peaceful town,” Travis said. “I think this violence deserves even more attention than it is getting.”

While he has been shocked by the violence, he has never felt unsafe on MU’s campus or in the surrounding area.

“I still feel safe on campus because most of the shootings happen in areas of town that are off campus,” Travis said.

Travis is right that most of the shootings occurred in the city’s northeast neighborhoods, but other students do not take as much comfort in

that fact as he does.

Another Columbia resident and MU freshman, Luke Bouchard, said it can still lead to a sense of fear and panic in the city as a whole. Bouchard said that he got texts last week about a shooting downtown, even though police records confirm that there were none reported.

“It shouldn’t be happening, and it makes me slightly uncomfortable living in my own hometown,” Bouchard said.

Travis and Bouchard both said they hope the community can come together and make the necessary changes for the safety of everyone in the city and on campus.

“I haven’t heard of a time that was as bad as it is now,” Travis said.

In a press conference on Sept. 25, Columbia Mayor Brian Treece asked for help from the community in stopping the violence.

“Police cannot arrest their way out of this problem,” Treece said. “This is a community problem. Each and every one of us has a community responsibility to find ways to stop this cycle of violence, which continues to rob our community of our youth and their potential.”

In the same press conference, Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones said his department is understaffed, and that with the spike in violent crime, many officers have been working significant overtime hours.

Jones also echoed Treece’s statements, calling to the community for help in these cases, specifically the killings of Antonio Houston and Danielle Marine. One month later, police are still asking for assistance from the public in finding the killers.

Future Funding In the 2019 fiscal year, the Ragtag Film Society received Continued from page 1 $400,000 from sponsors for the festival and Ragtag Cinema, according to Jeremy Root, past president of the board of directors in an email.

Wilson said it is too early in the process to know if this decision will have any effect on other sponsors. On Oct. 21, The Missourian published an article with the headline “Ragtag: No replacement yet for The Crossing funding.”

“That’s true, but that also sounds very alarmist,” Wilson said. “It’s significant, and while there’s work to be done, it’s hard to say exactly what that looks like right now.”

Wilson said there have been internal discussions within the organization for months about the matter, which have been heightened since the controversy.

Discussions will continue to address what kind of partnerships the organization wants to go into in the future.

Role of Free Speech Ragtag’s decision to cut ties with The Crossing comes after the MU Department of Theatre announced in a letter that it will not allow the festival to use its facilities if it were to continue its sponsorship with the church.

When MU administrators saw the letter, the university said in a statement the theater department was in error and “inconsistent with

CITY

FEAR

[MU’s] value of free speech.” The statement went on to explain that the involvement of the university with True/False “does not signal either endorsement or dispute for the viewpoints of its other sponsors.”

“The Department of Theatre was in error when they put the statement out,” Christian Basi, director of the MU News Bureau said. “The decision that they described would have discriminated against an organization for a viewpoint, and that goes against the First Amendment of the Constitution.

It is not the university’s position. It is the position of the Constitution of the United States.”

A group of MU administrators and the UM System Legal Counsel, a team of legal representatives acting on behalf of the UM System, met to discuss the matter once the letter was published. Basi said they immediately knew the letter was not correct and they had to correct the situation.

“There is no facility on campus that is a specific facility of a particular department,” Basi said.

“All the facilities that are within the university’s community are facilities of the University of Missouri. While a particular department or area may have responsibility for maintaining them, all of our facilities are subject to all of our rules and regulations as well as laws, regardless if those are state or federal.”

| GRAPHIC BY JACOB LAGESSE

“Someone knows who committed these murders,” Jones said. “Those who committed these murders crossed the line and, for the safety and well-being of our community, must be held accountable.”

Treece said this is not an issue that is just focused on one neighborhood or one group of people.

“If we want to see a healthier Columbia, we need all Columbians to step up,” Treece said.

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

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PABST

equivalent to one of our prerequisite core Continued from page 3 courses such as J1100 Principles of Journalism in Democracy, J2100 News or J2150 Multimedia Reporting, they would have been placed in the old curriculum,” Kraxberger said in an email. “Without any of those course equivalencies, we would most likely have placed them in the new curriculum.”

To be more informed on scheduling and class

BOOKS

requirements, Kraxberger suggests these students meet with their academic adviser, be on the Canvas undergrad advising page and work with the Office of New Student Programs. If students have any extra questions, she suggests making an appointment to see her.

“I could speak for the people I know here and say we're all here for the benefit of the students,” Stacey Woelfel, chair of the curriculum committee, said. “We try not to do it as faceless evil bureaucrats to make changes with no regard for the students. The changes in the curriculum

looking to integrate more technology and related resources throughout these spaces.

Continued from page 3 “The digital media lab is one of the big things we’ve added in last just year or two so that we have spaces for video recording, podcasting, software for editing, VR technology,” Cary said. “That’s something that we’re moving towards and increasing availability of that type of technology.”

While journalism students have often had access to resources like these, this push is designed to give all students greater access to multimedia technology that is often incorporated into classes. However, in order to add all of these modern features to the library system, one thing has to go: the books.

For years the MU library system has been quietly relocating large portions of its collection to an off-campus site located on Lemone Industrial Boulevard.

These print materials are still available upon request but have been relocated as the circulation of print materials has declined.

Library administration has also been working with the architecture firm Shepley Bulfinch on potential ways to remodel pre-existing spaces. There has been, however, some pushback to removing print materials from the libraries.

Some students and faculty have voiced concern to housing large portions of the libraries’ collection off-site and would prefer to keep them located on campus.

“My preference of a library is how I described: rows of books and little

RSVP

The meeting was run by Peyton Flewelling and Continued from page 3 Katryna Sardis, two RSVP Center employees. “[Rape culture is] a culture in which sexual violence against [people] is common and in which prevalent attitudes, norms, practices and media condone, normalize, excuse or tolerate sexual violence,” Sardis said.

The meeting focused on the normalization of rape culture. Whenever an inappropriate comment is labeled as locker room talk or just guys being guys, it makes it seem like the comment is okay.

MU sophomore and attendee of the meeting Kyle Smith agreed this language should not be normalized.

“Minimizing sexist language can lead to a different attitude towards victims, which can reduce or eliminate sexual assault on our campus,” Smith said.

The Rape Culture Pyramid puts normalized aspects of rape culture at the bottom. At the top, it has the actions that are actually illegal. According to Flewelling and Sardis, reacting to the bottom of the pyramid with the same outrage as the top would go a long way to ending rape culture.

Another very common instance of rape culture brought up by Flewelling and Sardis is victim blaming. They argued that telling people, particularly women, to dress in a certain way or act in a certain way contributes to rape culture.

Smith disagrees.

“I disagree about the steps needed to take to prevent rape,” he said. “The instructors implied that victims should do absolutely nothing to keep themselves out of danger.”

have been made very much for the benefit of the students.”

Each student’s college career is a “case-by-case basis” as Kraxberger said. The best way to avoid curriculum conflict is to stay informed.

“What we’re attempting to do for every student is to ensure that we know what your career goals are and how we can best meet them and not create artificial barriers on getting there,” Kraxberger said.

Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com

nooks to study in and not so much open tables,” freshman Bailey Martin said.

“If they’re getting rid of books and putting them someplace else just to have another coffee shop or more comfortable seating or more computers then I think it’s no longer a library; it’s just a place to study.”

Recently, the MU Sustainability Office tweeted a link to an article from The Atlantic aimed at promoting discussion about the modernization of college libraries. The article reveals how many college students just want the simple, traditional features of a library without new amenities or tech integration. Additionally, it touches on how the advent of the internet has brought back concerns on the longevity of print materials.

However, the MU library system is still committed to upholding its primary roles. While the off-site depository of print materials will likely expand, the library system would still retain relevant and timely print materials for students and faculty, especially with subject areas in which print materials are invaluable. Additionally, the libraries would still assist in locating materials and providing research help, but potentially moving it online through chats.

“We’re going to work with our space planners, we’re going to work with administration, and we’re going to talk to our students and then we’ll make a decision on what works best for our students,” Cary said. “But I imagine that we will continue to do a lot of the traditional things while providing new technology and new spaces.”

Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com

Flewelling and Sardis want the emphasis to be on prevention, not risk reduction. Instead of telling people how to dress, bystanders should find ways to intervene. They recommend learning and using the Green Dot Prevention Strategy, something MU has implemented since 2013.

Between 2010-2013, research conducted on three campuses regarding Green Dot showed interpersonal violence victimization rates dropping 17% on the campus implementing Green Dot’s technique as opposed to the two other campuses that did not implement it.

Green Dot’s goal is for bystanders to intervene during situations that could lead to sexual assault. “[Our program] relies on the premise that if everyone does their small part and commits to individual responsibility, the combined effect is a safe campus culture that is intolerant of violence,” reads their website.

Even if all attempts to prevent sexual assault fail, Flewelling and Sardis wanted to emphasize that it is never the victim’s fault. Not even if they stay silent. They talked about the media’s role in keeping victims silent with victim shaming, pointing to specific examples like the Brock Turner case.

Turner was a swimmer at Stanford University.

In 2016, Turner was charged with three counts of sexual assault and served six months in prison. A common lead in stories regarding this case looked like: “In March the former swimming star was found guilty of three counts of sexual assault and last week he was sentenced to six months in jail,” according to the presentation.

Flewelling and Sardis argued the focus on Turner gave him more attention than he deserved.

The RSVP Center is an organization dedicated to decreasing the prevalence of rape, sexual assault, relationship violence and stalking by creating a campus culture that does not tolerate violence. | PHOTO BY PHOTO EDITOR TANNER BUBECK

Some of that attention was even positive, like referring to him as a “former swimming star.”

Changing the perspective in the media from the perpetrator to the victim could go a long way in ending rape culture for good.

Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com

6 | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER NICOLE GUTIERREZ

CULTURE

MCC hosts night of design, discussion with Culture Couture fashion show Culture Couture, hosted annually by the Multicultural Center, offered entertainment and education as students learned the harm caused by cultural appropriation.

MADDIE SCHUCK MOVE Culture Staff Writer Fashion is one of the many elements that set

cultures apart from one another. People often find

a sense of identity through the styles they wear and the history behind them. The Multicultural

Center’s production of Culture Couture showcased these ties.

The event was held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Oct.

22 in Stotler Lounge of Memorial Student Union.

Officers of the organization, including host Alexis Currie, opened the event with some welcoming remarks.

The evening had an underlying message beyond

the elaborate fashions. Currie began by defining

the difference between cultural appropriation and appreciation. She asked guests to keep these

themes in mind throughout the show and in

the coming days, especially as they decide on

Halloween costumes.

“With things like Halloween coming up we see a lot of appropriation and not appreciation,” Currie said to the crowd.

With a sense of awareness established, the show began. First, a model displayed a Middle Eastern style of dress that would typically be worn to weddings or other celebrations. She explained the significance behind her long gown and colorful accessories.

Next, the audience was transported to the Caribbean as a model sported a dress bearing the colors of the Dominican Republic, paying tribute to where she’s from. The red, white and blue gown is the typical style worn by women for the nation’s Independence Day celebration.

Two different styles representative of Iran were showcased, highlighting the diversity that can be found among the country’s provinces. The first was a long colorful dress with a patterned scarf covering the ears and shoulders. Later, another long dress worn with a cap, vest and shawl spoke of the culture in the northern part of Iran. Both garments were inspired by trends dating back 4,000 years.

A traditional purple and gold sari was modeled for the crowd by Bini Sebastian, a fourth-year doctoral student in the counseling psychology

program. She spoke of the importance of her culture to her as she adjusted to life in Texas as a child.

“Seeing the lack of brown people made me wonder, ‘What does it mean to be Indian?’”

Sebastian said onstage. “This [dress] allows me to feel like a freaking goddess. But I don’t want to be fantasized.”

This statement by the last model tied the event back to its main purpose: analyzing cultural appropriation in today’s society. Between each outfit, the audience was asked to decide whether images shown on the screen were appropriation or appreciation. The discussion led to varying points about where to draw the line and those that may be harmed or offended by this act.

“We can’t lose those cultures as we go on,” freshman Sydney Wilson said. “I think there is a lot of history and a lot of stuff we can learn from them.”

All of the models were brought back on-stage for a final round of applause. Members of the Multicultural Center thanked everyone for coming and closed with a reminder to continue thinking about the cultural consequences of their clothing choices.

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

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HALLOWEEN

Five horror flicks to check out this spooky szn Staying in this Halloween? Here’s some ideas for a terrifying movie night.

JOE CROSS

MOVE Angles Editor There’s nothing quite like watching a horror movie right as fall approaches. Leaves begin to change color, the sun goes down earlier and “directed by John Carpenter” becomes the most beautiful phrase in the English language. Here are some of MOVE’s horror recommendations to watch this Halloween.

“Phantom of The Paradise” (1974) This musical/satire/loving homage to horror history is my favorite movie of all time. The plot takes elements from “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” “Phantom of The Opera” and the legend of Faust and throws them into a blender, while the soundtrack from Paul Williams (who later was nominated for an Oscar for writing “Rainbow Connection” from “The Muppet Movie”) is infectious. The movie is beautifully designed and filled with delightful sight gags and satire, and any fan of the similar “Rocky Horror Picture Show” would be remiss to skip it.

“Phantom of The Paradise” is available to stream on Shudder and for rental on Amazon.

“The Fog” (1980) Save for the obvious “Halloween,” horror master John Carpenter doesn’t have a more autumnal film than “The Fog.” The plot is a bit silly on a surface level — the ghosts of leperous pirates seek vengeance on the residents of a town whose founders sunk their ship 100 years before — but the film’s atmosphere is undeniable. Taking place almost entirely at night and with Carpenter’s sleepy electronic score and soundtrack of jazz classics, watching “The Fog” feels like being told a ghost story by a campfire.

“The Fog” is available to rent on iTunes and YouTube.

“Candyman” (1992) This underseen ‘90s horror flick is ahead of its time. Following a sociologist who explores an urban legend and accidentally ends up becoming a part of it, the film tackles socioeconomic issues like gentrification and racism in an incisive way that feels influential on modern filmmakers like Jordan Peele. Phillip Glass’ beautifully chilling score adds even more to the film’s eerie, unsettling atmosphere, making it a perfect fit for a cold October night.

“Candyman” is available to stream on Netflix.

“Jennifer’s Body” (2009) Misunderstood by critics upon its release in 2009, “Jennifer’s Body” now has been reclaimed as a feminist horror classic for the pop-punk era. The film has all of the best high school and horror movie tropes, while also featuring a possessed Megan Fox devouring emo boys. Writer Diablo Cody’s dialogue is snappy and hilarious, while the film’s ensemble cast of Amanda Seyfried, Amy Sedaris, J.K. Simmons, Adam Brody and more is a delight.

“Jennifer’s Body” is available to rent on iTunes and YouTube.

“Climax” (2019) A dance party on a cold winter night goes horribly, horribly wrong in the recent arthouse horror film “Climax,” which is not for the faint of heart. The film doesn’t have much in the way of plot, instead mostly serving as a showcase for extremely impressive choreography and cinematography. The constant pulsing dance music and bright neon lights throughout make the film feel akin to an actual nightmare, albeit one that makes you want to dance.

“Climax” is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

The movie poster for the 1974 film, “Phantom of the Paradise.” | COURTESY OF IMDB

The movie poster for the 1980 film, “The Fog.” | COURTESY OF IMDB

ART

Artist in Residence program allows students to learn from experts in artistic fields The upcoming program Artist in Residence will have professionals in the classrooms starting spring 2020.

CATHERINE POLO

MOVE Culture Reporter

Announced in February 2018, the Artist in Residence program is a collaboration between a collection of art departments that plans to bring in experts to teach students. The program launched this fall and will bring experts into the classroom in the spring 2020. According to the program’s website, MU will have these artists in residence for varying amounts of time, from a few days to a whole school year.

Program coordinator Marie Hunter, who was brought onto the project early on, said that while MU already has a vibrant arts community, there is always room for more work to be done.

“This isn't just for people who are studying music or theater or visual art,” Hunter said.

“It's definitely for those students and for those professors, but it’s also for students who might not be studying the arts at all. The ability to connect the arts to other disciplines is really important to the program … The funding is going to allow

As a part of the Artists in Residence Program, artists Chris Carlson (left) and Nate Baranowski discuss their project to a Context and Culture in Visual Arts journalism class on Sept 20. | COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOU

for MU to bring some expertise to campus that they may not be able to budget for otherwise in existing art department budgets.”

Documentary filmmaker, writer and artist Alix Lambert is one of the many artists currently set to teach a class through the program. Lambert will be teaching one seminar class about the representation of crime nonfiction and fiction in different projects and mediums. She will also be editing a feature documentary that she has been working on.

“I think the programs are super important both to the artists and to the students,” Lambert said.

“It just really allows me to support and time and space [and] resources to focus on my own work also be involved in the community … And I think for students, programs like this bring artists and musicians, journalists, whatever the discipline is, in who might not be able to be there full time, might not be able to teach more than a semester … it just seems like an opportunity for the students to work with voices that they might not otherwise have connections to.”

The new Artist in Residence program brings with it many great opportunities for students to connect with professionals in their field and gain unique insight from their expertise.

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

8

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THEATRE

‘Ease on down the road’ to Rhynsburger Theatre The MU Theatre

‘Wizard of Oz’ but soulful,” Slater

Department will perform

said. “It’s kind of showing the black

“The Wiz” starting Oct. 31.

ELIZABETH PRUITT MOVE Culture Writer

many

different

story.”

The cast and crew have worked tirelessly

to

make

this

a

great

performance. Director Joy Powell

The MU Theatre Department puts on

experience and how you view the

performances

every year. During the first two weeks of November, the stage will light up as the department puts on its performance of “The Wiz” at Rhynsburger Theatre.

Originally created in 1978 and directed by Sidney Lumet, “The Wiz”

said the cast and crew have all had fun while working together on this project and can’t wait for people to see it. She has loved to see this cast of performers improve during this time. Powell also said that this cast will be the largest cast of color the MU Theatre Department has ever seen.

“One of our goals at Mizzou

is a different take on the classic

Theatre is to create a place that’s

“The Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy, played

safe for everyone and where all kinds

by sophomore Dacia Slater in the

of voices can resonate,” Powell said.

MU production, finds herself in the

“I feel like with this show we’ve

Wonderful World of Oz and has to

really been able to do that in lots of

find her way back home to Harlem.

different ways.”

“‘The Wiz’ is kind of like the

However, it hasn’t been completely

| GRAPHIC COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @MIZZOUTHEATRE

easy. Slater said her role as Dorothy

culture

and

uplifting

hasn’t been a smooth journey. She’s

atmosphere are what draw many

had a lot of fun bonding with the

people to watch the musical. “The

cast, but she had difficulties when

Wiz” tackles many positive aspects

reaching certain aspects of her role.

of black culture not a lot of people

“The biggest obstacle for me is

fully understand and brings them to

that this part is really challenging,”

the light with joy and soulful tunes.

Slater said. “Dorothy’s a little bit

Powell explained this show will be a

more in-depth than what people see.

record number of tickets sold at the

She also sings really high which has

box office for a musical in the theater

also been a really big challenge for

department.

me.”

“We anticipate a full sellout,”

The musical is a very memorable

Powell said. “We’ve had the largest

one for a lot of people. What makes

presales we’ve ever had. We’ve

this musical special is the diversity

already sold thousands of dollars of

and appreciation of black culture.

tickets and we don’t open for another

“It’s important for me because

The cast of the MU Theatre production of “The Wiz” performs a preview of its show on Oct. 22.

The show will be performed at the Rhynsburger Theatre starting Oct. 31. | COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @MIZZOUTHEATRE

The

four or five days. Don’t wait.”

being at Mizzou, we kind of have a

“The Wiz” will be a show well-

rocky history,” Slater said. “But it’s

anticipated by the MU student body.

important for me now, just so people

Cast members hope many people

get the experience that we have so

will come and see the show they’ve

people can enjoy and see how we

worked hard to put on.

live, how we do things and just to share our culture.”

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

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9

STUDENT LIVING

What living in a small space can give students With more and more people attending college, students and architects have had to learn how to make the best of small spaces.

GEORGE FREY MOVE Culture Reporter At MU, and most American colleges, dorms are typically comprised of concrete or brick tower blocks speckled in various individual complexes.

Generally, college residence halls have a reputation design-wise as being gray and intimidating with unforgiving structures. It is only in recent years that dorms have been made more comfortable, as opposed to the overarching strategy of making them more about function over fashion. The goal, in retrospect, is to pack in as many students as humanly possible.

For the thousands of students at MU living in these blocks, space has been a challenge. The architects of the dorms have had a history of creating

| GRAPHIC BY NICOLE GUTIERREZ

painted cinder block walls, low ceilings and narrow spaces. What is changing,

that perpetuated their design for so long is now being put to the test at MU

however, is not just dependent upon the architects, but also the students themselves.

At MU, out-of-state students have had to make do in taking with them only what they need and using the space they have. Even for students who are used to sharing a room, like freshman Brenna Donnelly, figuring out how, where and what to store was a challenge. Especially since she is now living with someone new in a smaller space.

Donnelly, a journalism and music major from Wichita, Kansas, shared a room with her sister growing up, until she moved to MU in August. Donnelly, who now lives in Schurz Hall, has had to figure out new ways to use the space she shares with her roommate Kristina Essig.

“This space is very small, but it works for the way in which we set up our room,” Donnelly said. “This was my first time getting to see the room … I didn’t know what my setup was besides the fact that I had three drawers, so I knew I had to put all my clothes there … I made my bed the tallest it can go so I can put storage underneath that. I have these two big buckets above my closet which I can put random stuff in.”

In an effort to make dorms more spacious, students can look toward minimalism in small spaces as inspiration. Kirsten Dirksen, a writer at faircompanies.com, has captured various people living in small spaces, including apartments with less than 90 square feet. Residents from around the world have been able to construct incredibly versatile spaces despite their lack of that aforementioned space.

Inhabitants of these tiny spaces, like Manhattan-based author Felice Cohen,

and around the country. Dorms like Gateway Hall have upped the standards of dorm design with large windows, solar power and a rain garden.

At Emerson College in Boston, dorms have become somewhat of an interior design experiment to figure out how to make the best dorm in the smallest amount of allocated space. The way in which halls are constructed can vastly depend on their surroundings, and with Emerson for example, the university is located in downtown Boston, meaning that there is less space to work with. Therefore, architects, like students, have had to use small spaces to their advantage.

Boston-based architectural firm Elkus Manfredi was tasked with the project and was able to create a 375-bedroom residence at Two Boylston Place. The goal is not only to make dorms at Emerson into spaces for living, but also to make them enjoyable spaces for students “We’re bringing lessons learned from mixed-use retail to the college campus, so it’s not just a dorm standing there, lonely, with a bunch of Chiclet-size bedrooms,” Elkus Manfredi principal architect Elizabeth Lowrey told Architectural Digest in 2018. “It’s really about creating community and connections and drawing students out of their rooms to be with others.”

For Donnelly, living in a small space has taught her how to use what she has and that sacrifices can be necessary for living happily in a space that is not as large as her room at home. But at the same time, having a cooperative roommate is essential.

“I can’t have as many books as I meant to bring, you can only fit as many

have had to think outside the box, literally, when it comes to using the space

as your little shelf can have,” Donnelly said. “We talked a little bit before we

they have. Cohen, for example, has created a space that is punctuated by

moved in and I’m very particular about having other people touch my stuff,

various shelves and storage spaces and has found unconventional ways to

it’s just don’t touch unless you have permission first … my roommate is very

keep things organized in her 90 square foot studio.

respectful. She’s very nice.”

“Organizing this space was a challenge, but one I was happy to take on,”

In essence, small spaces can change vastly depending on not only the

Cohen told Dirksen in a 2010 Fair Companies interview. “I just got rid of

actions of the architect, but also the interior designer and resident living in

everything, and I knew you had to go up when organizing in New York City,

a small space. It means more freedom when it comes to not only maintaining

so that’s what I did … in New York City, most people store their laundry in

the space, but also incentivizing one to explore the world outside.

their stoves anyways.”

In looking back at college residence halls, the barebones, no-frills mentality

Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

We want to hear your voice.

Submit a letter to the editor by emailing editors@themaneater.com.

EDITORIALS REPRESENT THE MAJORITY OPINION OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD.

THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED BY THE MANEATER COLUMNISTS DO NOT REPRESENT THE OPINIONS OF THE MANEATER EDITORIAL BOARD.

EDITORIAL: Columbia’s conversion therapy ban is a victory for LGTBQ rights, rest of Missouri lags behind Columbia’s City Council voted to ban conversion therapy for minors to protect LGBTQ youth.

Still, the state legislature leaves them vulnerable to abuse and discrimination.

On Oct. 7, Columbia’s City Council voted to ban conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors. Conversion therapy is a practice that claims to change one’s sexuality or gender identity to fit the mainstream. Banning the practice is a victory for tolerance within the city and an enthusiastic denunciation of bigotry.

The history of conversion therapy is steeped in misunderstanding. At its core, conversion therapy revolves around the incorrect idea that homosexuality, along with queer identity, is a condition that can be reversed.

Cornell University compiled studies on the effects of conversion therapy. Of the 13 studies that included primary research, 12 came to the conclusion that the procedure is ineffective and/or harmful. These studies found that this practice could lead to mental health problems,

including depression and anxiety, along with a decreased capacity for intimacy. One study found that conversion therapy could be effective in altering sexual orientation in a minority of participants. This study, however, is of questionable significance, as it relied on self reporting of religious participants.

Sexual orientation is not medical, though as recently as 1973, the American Psychological Association classified homosexuality as a “mental illness,” according to the Human Rights Campaign. Conversion therapy uses this outdated view of science to justify doing extensive damage to minors in an effort to reinforce heterosexuality as the “correct” sexuality.

Subjecting minors to conversion therapy is irresponsible, and likely harmful. While adults are able to consent to conversion therapy, children are left vulnerable to abuse from parents and religious leaders.

Banning the practice helps protect LGBTQ minors from this abuse.

Roughly 20,000 American LGBTQ youth between the ages of 13 and 18 will undergo conversion therapy from a licensed health care professional, according to a study by the Williams

Institute at UCLA. Another 57,000 youth will receive it from religious or spiritual advisers. The study also found that nearly 700,000 Americans received conversion therapy in the past.

Though the City Council deserves praise for their support of LGBTQ rights, the inaction of the state government is cause for concern.

Columbia is the only city in Missouri that has banned conversion therapy for minors and there is no state law prohibiting the practice. Only 17 states in the country have a law protecting minors from conversion therapy, according to the HRC. All of the 17 states are traditionally blue or swing states, and most lie on the coasts.

LGBTQ minors in middle and Republican America deserve the same legal protections that those in Democratic areas enjoy. While the vote is great for Columbia, there is still work to be done to protect those outside the city limits.

Many of the same states that allow for conversion therapy of minors, Missouri included, have similar views on other LGBTQ protections. In Missouri, all private sector employees can legally face discrimination on the

basis of gender or sexual orientation.

Similarly, Missouri has no state law prohibiting housing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Missouri could take influence from federal legislation currently stalled in congress.

The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act was introduced to both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate in June. The act would have the Federal Trade Commision consider conversion therapy a fraudulent medical practice. The Equality Act would introduce protections on the basis of sexual and gender orientation in areas such as employment, education and housing. The act passed the House of Representatives in May, but has not passed the Senate.

Ensuring that LGBTQ youth are protected from abuse and discrimination should be a top priority of Missouri’s legislature. The Columbia City Council should be commended for their commitment to LGBTQ protections, but we need to realize that LGBTQ Missourians outside of Columbia are vulnerable.

Edited by Zoia Morrow zmorrow@themaneater.com

SOFI SAYS

COLUMN: Community college versus traditional university: Which educational path is best?

Save up or ship out. This is a decision that each and every college student has to make and it’s not exactly an easy one.

SOFI ZEMAN

Sofi Zeman is a first-year journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about interpersonal growth and interaction.

Young adults often have clashing opinions about different educational paths. While some choose to leave the house and move on to a traditional fouryear university, others opt to stay home, save up and attend community college. Although many of us at MU have already made this decision, the decision is never permanent. This leaves the burning question of which path is better than the other.

Perhaps the largest attraction of a four-year university is the traditional college lifestyle that comes with it. Swapping out a house with homemade food for a dining hall and dorm life is a staple aspect of this transitional phase in life.

To many people, college is about the experience.

Football games, greek life, parties and memories that are sure to last a lifetime often assist in students’ decision to take the more traditional route. College living also introduces students to new people from a myriad of backgrounds.

This not only has the potential to form positive relationships, but can also create multiple new perspectives and ways of thinking.

Educationally, attending a four-year university can be helpful. The working world revolves around the use of networking. Larger universities serve as a major outlet to form business connections and acquire internships early on, proving that it doesn’t hurt to know people. Whether ethical or not, it’s been proven that a student’s choice of school has an impact on where they end up in terms of employment. More often than not, those who attend recognizable universities have a better chance at receiving a job offer.

Price is the number one reason people opt to attend community college instead of getting an education at a university. With national student loan debt reaching the trillions, it makes sense to want a clear way to avoid adding to the statistic, according to The Economist. For this reason, it’s understandable why some would rather save the

money they have.

To some, the college lifestyle and potential connections simply aren’t worth the money. Some simply prefer to live at home, in nicer conditions, rather than spend money to have to deal with the horrors of a communal bathroom. Staying home is a way to get some separation between school and everyday life instead of living at school.

It’s clear that both paths have their own advantages and drawbacks, which is why it’s illogical to assume one is simply better than the other. Different people aspire to different things in life. It’s as simple as that. Some want the authentic college lifestyle and others feel that it’s simply not worth the money. It’s also important to note that choosing both college paths is an option as well.

Many also transfer to a university after completing two years of community college. This allows students to save up for a few years as well as get a feel for the college experience. Regardless of where a student stands on the topic, it’s important that this stance is being made based on what they truly want.

Edited by Bryce Kolk bkolk@themaneater.com

11

T H E M A N E AT E R | O P I N I O N | O CTO B E R 3 0, 2 0 1 9 ROGER THAT

COLUMN: Each pop culture rant is an opportunity to listen Caring about your friends means investing in their interests a little bit.

ABIGAIL RUHMAN

to enjoy.”

Friendships are active relationships that require

The three expectations people have for their

attention and time. People want someone to talk

friends are all linked to how the friend makes

to, depend on and enjoy, but that doesn’t just

them feel. When people think of friendships, the

happen without effort. In order to maintain the

act of giving back and participating in the other

desired benefits, you have to give something to

is exploring what they find interesting outside of

someone a place to discuss their passion can

your relationship.

deepen the connection you have with that person.

Abigail Ruhman is a sophomore journalism person’s life can be put on the backburner. While the relationship. major at MU. She is an Even if it’s something you don’t enjoy, giving opinion columnist who you may share commonalities with the friends writes about student life, politics and social issues you surround yourself with, part of being a friend it a shot is worth the effort. The impact of giving for The Maneater.

Sometimes it can be easy to forget that friendships take time and effort to build. Even though society recognizes a certain level of work for romantic relationships, platonic relationships tend to lack the same level of commitment despite the fact that they are vital to people’s overall health.

As a social species, there are components of our lives that depend on other people. The concept of friendship exists because we want information and resources. It sounds less warm and fuzzy than the friendships society pushes us for, but it is the main reason people want that connection. The emotional payoff is worth the awkwardness of making friends, so people put up with it.

The lack of value society places on

Beyond showing that you care about the things

As much as society values romantic relationships,

they enjoy, it also shows that you want a deeper

friendships allow you to find emotional support in

understanding of your friend. A friendship may

different areas with different people. In order to

have blossomed out of a mutual need to study

establish the emotional relationship that benefits

or because you both like the same TV show,

you, you have to show that you are worth the

but in order to create a deeper, more fulfilling

benefits. Everyone is worthy of love, but you

relationship, you have to be willing to invest in

can’t just take advantage of someone’s emotional

some of their interests.

support without providing them similar support.

This doesn’t mean that you have to become

Just investing in something they enjoy shows

the biggest fan of what they like, but putting a

that you want to be an active part of the

little effort into understanding it can go a long

relationship. The delicate balance of a relationship

way. If they’re really into a webcomic that’s not

means that each person has to give something in

your favorite thing, just reading it can mean the

order to get something. Paying attention to their

world to them. Putting effort into their interests

interests is just one important way to show that

shows that you want to invest in that relationship.

you care about them.

Listening to them rant about

friendship isn’t balanced with how they

whatever they’re passionate about

are treated. William Rawlins, Professor

shows them that you truly care about

of interpersonal communication at Ohio

what they love. You may hate the

University, explained to The Atlantic,

book or movie they’re talking about,

“I’ve listened to someone as young as

but you love them. In the grand

14 and someone as old as 100 talk about

scheme of things, what is one hour

their close friends, and [there are] three

spent talking about “Love Island”

expectations of a close friend that I hear

compared to the friendship they give

people describing and valuing across

to you?

the entire life course. Somebody to talk to, someone to depend on and someone

Edited by Bryce Kolk | GRAPHIC BY EMILY MANN

bkolk@themaneater.com

Online this week: Women's basketball, men's basketball and more at themaneater.com FOOTBALL

'A lot of lessons learned’: how Jordan Elliott became a defensive force for Missouri The redshirt junior’s progression to being one of the top defensive linemen in the SEC began with a redshirt season.

WILSON MOORE

Assistant Sports Editor Daniel Santacaterina took the snap out of the shotgun. He had three receivers lined up wide but only had time to look at one of them because of pressure up the middle. Jordan Elliott easily shed his blocker and Santacaterina had no choice but

program as a transfer to spearheading one of the top defenses in the nation.

He first made a name for himself in football the same way many have: by being bigger and stronger than everyone else in high school.

“In high school he was a man,” Barrow said.

“He was just a force. People would run to the other side. They would change their whole offensive plan just to try to stay away from Jordan.”

As advanced as Elliott was physically, he had the intangible qualities that would allow him to succeed as well, although he didn’t always use them in the way he did his physical gifts. He showed flashes of leadership in high school, but

Elliott, however, made himself impossible to ignore.

His junior year he recorded 78 tackles, 31 for a loss, and 12 sacks. Even more eye-popping than his statline was his 6-foot-4, 296-pound frame during his senior season.

“It was almost like he was a man playing with a bunch of little kids,” Barrow said.

It didn’t take long for the offers to start rolling in.

Hometown universities Texas and Houston both offered scholarships, as did most Southeastern Conference schools. Alabama’s Nick Saban and LSU’s Les Miles both personally came to Westside to

Redshirt junior D-lineman Jordan Elliott hits Southeast Missouri State quarterback Daniel Santacaterina. Elliott has 28 tackles this season. | PHOTO BY ANDREW MOORE

to throw to a partially-covered receiver on the left side of the field.

He released the ball just as Elliott arrived. The pass fell incomplete, but Santacaterina had other problems to worry about as 315 pounds of NFL prospect defensive tackle lifted him up and came crashing down on top of him.

When Elliott hits a quarterback, he hits hard.

“I’m just trying to affect the quarterback any way I can,” he said. “I’m a big guy, so when I hit people it hurts.”

Elliott has been affecting quarterbacks for a long time. He’s also been a big guy for a long time, big enough for his high school defensive coordinator, Mike Barrow, to describe 15-yearold Elliott as a man-child. But for all the qualities Elliott has hung onto since his high school days, just as many have changed for the redshirt junior captain who has gone from entering Missouri’s

his generally reserved demeanor prevented him from fully embracing the role.

“You could see it in him when he was here, but as a coach, you’re always trying to get the kids you know are going to be leaders, you’re trying to get them to lead,” Barrow said. “Sometimes, they just don’t want to. Not because they don’t know how; they’re just kind of afraid to.”

Tucked just inside the western city limits of Houston, Westside High School isn’t exactly a football powerhouse. The school was formed in 2000 as a result of overcrowding at nearby Margaret Long Wisdom High School, called Robert E. Lee High School at the time. Elliott’s sophomore through senior year, the team went 15-18, never ranking higher than No. 305 in the state. Players there generally don’t receive as much attention from college recruiters as those at schools deeper into the city.

give Elliott their respective pitches. Michigan was one of the most aggressive recruiters. Defensive line coach Greg Mattison was in Houston almost every weekend trying to gain an edge on the coveted four-star prospect.

Multiple assistant coaches from the University of Memphis were on hand for Westside’s spring game Elliott’s junior year. They watched as he lifted up a ball carrier and and planted him on the ground in a maneuver that might have been commonplace in a professional wrestling ring.

“Get the head coach on the phone,” Barrows remembers one saying. “We gotta offer this kid now.”

The visits, the offers, the constant attention from coaches and ultimately the decision was a lot of pressure for a teenager. Elliott had difficulty

elliott | Page 14

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13

FOOTBALL

Missouri loses second consecutive game in flat performance at Kentucky Once again, the Tigers couldn’t get the job done on the road, dropping to 0-3 away from Faurot Field.

WILSON MOORE

Assistant Sports Editor LEXINGTON, Ky. — Facing third and eight from its own 27-yard line, Missouri had a choice as the clocked ticked down to 30 seconds left in the first half. It could hand the ball off, keeping the time running and head back to the locker room down by 15 points, or it could call timeout, pass, and try for a first down and take one last shot at scoring before halftime.

Missouri chose the second option. The result was disastrous.

Kentucky defensive end Jordan Wright came off the line and hit quarterback Kelly Bryant from behind, jarring the ball loose. Wright hopped on the fumble to set Kentucky up in the red zone, leading to a 10-yard touchdown rush by quarterback Lynn Bowden Jr. shortly after. It was a backbreaking sequence as Missouri’s (5-3, 2-2 SEC) hopes to bounce back after its second loss of the season unraveled into an ugly, rain-soaked nightmare. Kentucky (4-4, 2-4 SEC) won 29-7.

“I wanted to give it an effort there to get some points,” Missouri coach Barry Odom said. “That obviously, looking back now, shouldn’t have taken [the timeout].”

Both offenses started the game conservatively, throwing for a combined 16 yards in the first quarter while running for 90. Kentucky had its first play longer than 10 yards early in the second when Bowden hit receiver Bryce Oliver over the middle for a 44-yard connection. The Wildcats got on the scoreboard two plays later when redshirt

freshman running back Kavosiey Smoke dove over a pile of linemen to poke the ball over Missouri’s goal line.

The UK offense got right back to work on its next possession. Taking advantage of good field position, a result of an 18-yard punt return by freshman receiver Josh Ali, Kentucky used seven plays to go 45 yards, punctuated by a touchdown run by sophomore running back Asim Rose from 20 yards out.

Missouri’s attempt to respond was derailed by dropped passes. Receivers Jonathan Nance and Kam Scott both saw passes bounce off their hands.

Those kinds of misplays were an issue all night for the Tigers, with a slippery ball, a result of heavy rain throughout the game.

“It was just a little wet,” sophomore running back Tyler Badie said. “It made it a little difficult to catch the ball, but it’s no excuses. We need to catch the ball.”

Kentucky kicked a field goal on its next drive, getting into range on a 46-yard run by Bowden.

The converted receiver threw for just 54 yards, but ran for 204 and two touchdowns.

“We got out of our gaps sometimes from here and there,” sophomore linebacker Nick Bolton said. “Some parts of the game he had a couple big runs that kind of helped that, but I give the most respect to them. They came in here and executed at a high level.”

Incredibly, despite being outplayed in every quantifiable way in the first three quarters, Missouri found itself not completely out of it as the fourth quarter began. Having gotten on the scoreboard in the third quarter on a 74-yard screen pass to Badie, Missouri stopped Kentucky on third and seven, seemingly set to get the ball down 22-7. It could have been only a two possession

difference if Missouri could score two touchdowns with one two-point conversion.

The Tigers never got the chance. As the Missouri punt team ran down the field to set up its blocking, Kentucky punter Max Duffy took off into a wideopen abyss of a right side of the field for 26 yards and a first down. The fake extended a drive that fittingly ended with a 33-yard Bowden touchdown run.

“Great play by them,” Odom said. “Bad design by us.”

As the Missouri offense took the field midway through the third quarter, Bryant remained on the sideline. He had grabbed his hamstring after a first quarter run. The prized graduate transfer insisted to Odom for the next two quarters that he could play until it became apparent that he “couldn’t move the way he needed to, to function,” Odom said.

Redshirt sophomore Taylor Powell finished the game, completing four of 10 passes for 34 yards in his limited action.

“Obviously [there’s a] difference in dual-threat quarterbacks,” redshirt junior tight end Albert Okwuegbunam said. “Taylor’s not as athletic, not as many QB-designed runs, but other than that, I think Taylor did a pretty good job.”

The loss is Missouri’s second consecutive and third straight on the road. After an undefeated fivegame homestand, the Tigers now find themselves reeling with No. 10 Georgia looming after a bye week.

“I’m not gonna make excuses,” Odom said. “It’s not gonna be easy. We’re 5-3 and we’ve earned 5-3, and it’s not where anybody wants to be. But right now that’s who we are.”

Edited by Leah Glasser lglasser@themaneater.com

VOLLEYBALL

No. 25 Missouri sweeps Mississippi State Bulldogs The Tigers now have four consecutive SEC wins.

SHANNON BELT

Sports Reporter

On Sunday, Oct. 27 in the Hearnes Center, No. 25 Missouri (14-4, 6-2 SEC) faced off against Mississippi State (12-10, 1-9 SEC). Coming off of a three set win against Arkansas, the Tigers continued their perfect performance ending the week with another sweep.

In the first set, the Tigers produced 16 kills compared to the Bulldogs’ eight. While seven errors did occur throughout the first set, regrouping was a recurring theme for Missouri. After eight tied scores and six lead changes, the Tigers pulled away and ended the first set 25-19.

“We were consistent from the get-go today,” coach Joshua Taylor said. “All five of our primary attackers hit above .340 today and four of those players hit .430-plus.”

Mississippi State attempted a comeback in the following set applying pressure which caused Missouri to commit seven more errors. The Tigers kept their composure and continued to produce on offensive hitting .438 and coming away with 21 total kills. After three set points for Missouri, it took away all hope for a comeback from the Bulldogs. The set ended with a score of 27-25.

The Tigers brought the broom out in set three. With juniors Kylie Deberg, Leketor Member-Meneh and Tyanna Omazic leading the offensive attack the Bulldogs couldn’t adjust enough to recover from dropping the first two sets.

Deberg produced 14 kills, six digs, three total blocks and one ace. MemberMeneh was lights out against the Bulldogs tallying 13 kills out of 17 total attempts and hitting .765, a career-high for her. Omazic followed with 12 kills and three total blocks.

Missouri has now won four consecutive matches in Southeastern Conference play and been victorious in six of the last seven conference matchups. With this win over Mississippi State, the Tigers conclude the weekend perfectly.

Junior Tyanna Omazic prepares for a serve during Missouri’s win over Tennessee on Oct. 20. | PHOTO BY ANDREW MOORE

“I was pleased with our offense’s consistency all weekend long,” Taylor said in a press release. “We got so many players doing great things at the moment. A true team effort.”

The Tigers will return to the Hearnes Center Wednesday in the evening to face off against No. 13 Florida. The first serve is scheduled for 8 p.m. CDT. The top 25 matchup will be broadcasted live on ESPNU. Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com

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ELLIOTT

Continued from page 12

handling it all. He committed to

wouldn’t say necessarily physical things, but just mental things, and how I

and decommitted from Baylor,

interact with people, the people I should hang around with, things like that.

Houston and Michigan in less than

That was a year of growth, and a year where I gained a little bit of wisdom.”

a year.

“I was young,” Elliott said. “It’s overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be.

It just depends on how you go about it. I was immature and trying to do it on my own.”

He ended up at the University of Texas with coach Tom Herman. Elliott had previously pledged to Herman at Houston before his second decommitment.

“I thought he was a very powerful, flexible, athletic defensive lineman,” then-Texas and current Missouri defensive line coach Brick Haley, one of Elliott’s primary recruiters, said. “He had a lot of quick-twitch … I thought he could bend well, a lot of flexibility. So all those things were traits that we thought were gonna make him a really quality football player.”

Texas proved to be a mistake. Elliott was steady when he saw the field, playing six games, but by the end of the season it was clear he wasn’t in the right place, saying shortly after he left he “never really enjoyed” Texas.

He announced his decision to transfer on May 18, 2017 and committed to Missouri eight days later.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I got here,” he said. “I just knew I was going to work and whatever was meant to be, I was gonna embrace that role.”

The announcement surprised Haley, who had left Texas for Missouri himself earlier in the offseason.

“I never knew Jordan was coming to Missouri until I saw it on Twitter,” Haley said. “It said ‘CoMo bound.’ I had no clue … I thought it was great, and I said ‘maybe a little heads-up would have helped me, though.’”

Per NCAA rules, Elliott had to redshirt his first season as a Tiger. Without a chance of getting on the field, he got to work in the weight room.

Elliott had lifted some in high school and at Texas, but he wasn’t able to fully dedicate himself in the gym until he arrived in Columbia with few other priorities.

“It’s a lot of early morning workouts,” he said. “I attacked it with the right mindset of just getting better, not really looking at it as ‘I’m up this early.’ I really appreciated the work that it was. I embraced it and took it on fully.”

The work paid off. At the end-of-season team banquet, he was awarded Lifter of the Year. More importantly, he was stronger. The dedication in the gym, coupled with an overhaul of his diet, had made him a nightmare for offensive linemen.

“I thought he was a little bit overweight at times when he first got here, maybe even his first year, and he’s transformed his body,” coach Barry Odom said. “He’s transformed, more than anything, his motor and his willingness to do it. He’s a talented guy that’s gonna play ball for a long time.”

As he worked on developing his frame, the time off from football gave Elliott the chance to slow down. After the whirlwind of the last two years — the recruiting process, three decommitments, his decision to transfer from Texas — the gameless season allowed for a period of quiet growth.

“Just a lot of lessons I learned as far as about myself,” Elliott said. “I

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Elliott played all 13 games of the 2018 season at defensive tackle. His stats weren’t spectacular: 24 tackles, 8 for a loss and 3 sacks, but they didn’t tell the full story. Elliott was consistently a presence up the middle, occupying double teams, disrupting plays and making his teammates’ jobs easier. Pro Football Focus, which uses a more advanced analytical approach to evaluation, ranked him as the top player on the Missouri defense.

“Just his presence up front, he controls the line of scrimmage,” defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said. “He’s active. He sets the tone for us right there in the middle of our defense and he causes havoc in on the pass game.”

Elliott also began to be more vocal with his teammates on the defensive line. He had a lead-by-example style of leadership dating back to high school, so his transition into a more talkative leader wasn’t a natural one.

“It was a long journey,” he said. “It still is. There were times where I necessarily didn’t want to be the vocal leader ‘cause I thought my actions alone could be enough. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized sometimes people need vocal leadership, especially when it’s from a person that they respect.”

His leadership was enough for his teammates to vote him as one of five captains for the 2019 season.

Haley, who has known Elliott since high school, has seen his transformation from quiet, indecisive teenager to captain of one of the top defenses in the country. Haley cited maturity, discipline and work ethic as Elliott’s biggest areas of improvement.

“The things that he’s done to reshape his body and his mind and just working at it every day with a constant goal in mind and that’s to be as good as he can be,” Haley said. “And [I have] been really pleased [with the] progress he’s made.”

On the field this year, Elliott’s anchored a unit that’s allowed an average of just over 18 points per game and kept opponents under 14 points four times.

He’s recorded 28 tackles, seven for a loss and a sack, almost equaling his output from last season in eight games while providing the same disruption and contributions that don’t show up on the stat sheet.

“I’m expecting exactly what you’re seeing right now, and he’s lived up to every expectation we have,” Walters said. “It’s because of the way he works.

He works really hard and so it’s no surprise that you’re seeing the level of play and the style of play on game days. We see it every day in practice.”

Elliott took a unique path to college football stardom. Transferring and having to sit out a year is never ideal, but he has no regrets of how things played out.

“Just finding myself and realizing that if you can persevere through this, you can persevere through anything,” he said. “I feel like that’s a part of my mentality now and part of my philosophy in life.”

Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com

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