M THE MANEATER The student voice of MU since 1955
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Vol. 86 Issue 4
September 19, 2019
CAMPUS
PROFESSOR
Preservation project addresses exterior, interior Jesse Hall dome fixtures
Economics professor surprised with $5,000 award during lecture
The award is given to top professors in the Department of Economics, in order to honor the legacy of former professor of economics Walter Johnson, who taught at MU for 33 years. The renovations to Jesse Hall are expected to be completed by homecoming weekend on Oct. 12, 2019. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER TEDDY MAIORCA
Scaffolding around the Jesse Hall dome went up last spring to repair aspects affected by water damage. ALEX FULTON
Reporter
By homecoming weekend, renovations to the Jesse Hall dome are expected to be completed, including replacing 96 windows, window frames, metal, repairing the roof and interior work and enhancing exterior dome lighting. The Jesse Hall Tower Restoration Project aims to preserve the
right-of-way and all persons who use it,” Bird spokesperson Mackenzie Long said in an email. Members of the community have taken notice of the illegal parking of Birds on sidewalks and ramps around the city, freshman and Columbia resident Thomas Mengesteab said. “They’re often parked places where you have to walk around them or move them,” Mengesteab said. “If you’re in need of one that might be a good thing, but personally I have to walk around
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New Bird policies might cost riders
WICKER PERLIS
Senior Staff Writer
Any person using Bird scooters in Columbia recently found themselves met with a warning — they could face a $100 fine. These fines, implemented by Bird
in cooperation with MU and the city of Columbia, are for illegal parking of scooters by riders. This includes blocking sidewalks, ramps and access to crosswalks. For this reason, in the warning about the potential fines, Bird recommends that riders park their scooters at bike racks. Any fines will be charged directly to the rider through the app. “As a company committed to improving mobility in the cities in which we operate, it is very important to us that our riders and community members are respectful of the public
Staff Writer
When a group of his colleagues and former TAs walked into his 11 a.m. Principles of Macroeconomics class on Thursday, Aug. 29, Economics professor George Chikhladze braced himself for the worst. “It was just a very big surprise — my first thought was, ‘I’m in trouble,’” Chikhladze said. However, what actually happened was nothing like what he expected. Chikhladze’s colleagues presented him with the Walter Johnson Award for Teaching Excellence, a $5,000 gift that is given to professors that the Department of Economics deems exceptional. “Class kind of just stopped,” Chikhladze said. “They talked about the award and talked about me, and my entire class started clapping. And that was it. I was very excited, very honored, and very shocked.” The award comes from the larger Walter L. Johnson Opportunities for Excellence Fund, an expected $25,000
exterior of the building, specifically aspects affected by water damage. “Basically what’s happened is water was getting inside the dome and causing collateral damage in the building, so that was one issue,” Jeff Brown, senior director of Campus Facilities said. “Two, it’s continuing to deteriorate at an accelerated pace if we don’t get ahead of it.” Throughout the years, patches have been added to temporarily repair some aspects of the dome. With this project, those patches are being stripped down back to bare material, then replaced with different materials, either
STUDENT LIFE
Bird has implemented fees for illegal parking, raised prices for rides and put slow zones in place on the MU campus.
HANNAH NORTON
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T H E M A N E AT E R | N E W S | S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 9
INSIDE THIS THE MANEATER The Student Voice of MU since 1955
Vol. 86 Issue 4 G210 Student Center • Columbia, MO 65211 573.882.5500 (phone) • 573.882.5550 (fax) editors@themaneater.com www.themaneater.com
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Reporters for The Maneater are required to offer verification of all quotes for each source. If you notice an inaccuracy in one of our stories, please contact us via phone or email.
page 8
Editor-in-Chief Leah Glasser
Opinion Editor Roshae Hemmings
The Burney sisters are set to perform at Roots N Blues N BBQ festival
Managing Editor Maureen Dunne
Sports Editor Emily Leiker
Production Coordinator Marisa Whitaker
Graphics Editor Emily Mann
Copy Chiefs Caroline Fellows Zoia Morrow
Photo Editor Tanner Brubeck
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Student Politics Editor Ben Scott University News Editor Laura Evans MOVE Editors Janae McKenzie Joe Cross
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Online this week: An investment in the Missouri Agriculture Experiment Station, Google comes to campus and more at themaneater.com
MSA
MSA’s first all-female led administration looks to create a legacy of outreach MSA president, Jennifer Sutterer, and MSA vice president, Mary O’Brien, talk about growing up together and what they hope to accomplish atop the MSA in the next year. LUKAS PARRISH
Reporter
The first all-female Missouri Students Association president/vice president power duo look to bridge the gap between the student body and the MU administration. A small suburb of St. Louis, called St. Charles, housed two girls who would go on to lead a campus of approximately 22,500 students. MSA president, Jennifer Sutterer, and MSA vice president, Mary O’Brien, grew up only five minutes apart. “We went to grade school together, were in band together,” Sutterer said, “[We] both played the flute and the piccolo,” O’Brien added, “[And we] always fought for first chair!” Sutterer said. A short separation in high school did nothing to hurt their friendship. Sutterer attended St. Dominic
High School in O’Fallon, Mo, while O’Brien attended St. Joseph’s Academy in Frontenac, Mo. Sutterer knew this was the path she was going to take all along. Drawing from her experience in high school student government, Sutterer immediately wanted to get involved with the MSA. “I got involved with MSA my freshman year,” Sutterer said. “I was the student body president [in high school] as well. It was such a positive experience. I was able to have a very direct impact on that community and it taught me a lot about leadership and what can be done in those positions.” However, O’Brien took a very different path to her current position in MSA. “I did not want to come to Mizzou at the beginning,” O’Brien said. “ [But] that quickly changed through my Summer Welcome experience. I found some different leaderships and passions that I wanted to do through [being a part of] Panhellenic Counselor[s], student council, safe sisters, etc. Throughout my first three years at this university, I came to fall in love with it. Though grateful for having won, it was not always easy. The campaign trail caused lots of priorities to change. “It was a lot of time commitment,” O’Brien
| COURTESY OF FACEBOOK VIA @SHOWYOURSTRIPESMIZZOU
msa | Page 5
STUDENT POLITICS
STUDENT POLITICS
Vietnamese Student Union starts conversation on authentic identity at Sept. 10 meeting
Investment in Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station highlights cutting edge MU agricultural program
The Vietnamese Student Union holds a discussion where members are encouraged to reflect on their personal identities while fostering connections within the VSU community.
Record-setting investment in Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station will help update and upgrade centers doing cutting edge research.
IZZY COLÓN
Reporter
Members of the Mizzou Vietnamese Student Union gathered over Pandan waffles and card games at the start of their meeting on Sept. 10. Music played as junior Annie T.H. Le, president of VSU, picked out cards from a stack with conversational questions. “If your belly button could secrete any liquid what would it be?” one card read. “If you had to breed two animals to make a new animal which two would you pick?” the next said.
Around the back table in the Multicultural Center, VSU members laughed at the cards and introduced themselves to one another. More members trickled in and out until about 30 minutes into the meeting when Le began the discussion. The meeting focused on authentic identity, a topic Le said she was enthusiastic to start a conversation on early in the year. Le led the conversation as a mixture of posing questions about identity and allowing for small group discussion. Le said she didn’t want to just lecture about identity, she wanted to spark connections. She wanted to create a space for people to explore their identities in their own way. “I want people to question their identity,” Le said. “I’m a firm believer in thinking about where you come from and about what you believe and challenging those beliefs.” The meeting ended with members writing
vsu | Page 5
JEB GOLDMAN
Reporter
The UM System, MU, the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources and MU Extension came together for a $6.5 million investment in the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station. “This is a huge and important investment,”Christopher Daubert, vice chancellor and dean of CAFNR, said. “It’s the single biggest investment the station has ever received and as a result we have a lot of structural needs and equipment needs.” The Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station is not one “station” per se, but rather 17 different centers spread across the state. The centers contain nearly 14,000 acres of land and
invest | Page 5
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whole time,” Brown said. “That one was 90% all exterior all the time.” With the project, Brown aims to minimize the impact on campus Continued from page 1 operations, including instructing workers to avoid noisier tasks until stainless or galvanized metal. Once nonpeak hours. However, because of that is done the metal is then the project, the southwest basement painted and primed. Additionally, interior work entrance to Jesse Hall has been includes replacing wooden ladders fenced off. Although Brown strives to not up to code. However, the most minimize disruptions, some students time consuming repair involves feel affected by the scaffolding replacing a portion of the slate surrounding the dome. roof, including rotten interior 1x4 “It was a little disappointing,” boards that were affected by water freshman Maya Morris said. “At damage. my high school, there would be “A similar project was done construction going on, but I wasn’t about 20 some years ago,” Brown said. “They didn’t go to the detail expecting it to be [going on] at that we are with this project, so college. I thought everything would hopefully this is a 30-year, maybe be put together.” Similarly, freshman Caitlyn Allen 40-year, long term fix to the dome.” noticed the scaffolding once she While minor work like staging arrived on campus during sorority began previously, scaffolding and rush week, which differed from the major repairs started the Monday completed dome she saw when she following commencement last first toured two years ago. spring. Before then, the process “One of the first things I wanted began with an architectural to do when I got here was take consultation through Majid a picture with the quad with the Amirahmadi with International Architects Atelier, which turned columns and the dome in the back,” into documents for a bidding war. Allen said. “I can’t do that, because Prost Builders Inc. won construction it doesn't look nice.” According to Brown, many of for the $2.5 million project through the bidding war, just as they did in the key areas being revitalized could not be seen from a ground 1996. “When we do a project like this, level perspective. Once completed, we have to put out the bid, so Brown believes few will notice the we put together a set of drawings differences, especially if they never and specifications,” Brown said. “If saw the dome from the roof before you’re the low bidder and you meet repairs began. “Our goal is to make it look just all of the requirements, insurance and bonding, and you have the like it did,” Brown said. “[For] expertise, pretty much it’s awarded people that went to MU or are from this area, it means a lot to them, as to the low bidder.” During the construction period, do the columns. Those are things Prost Builders Inc. encountered that are important, that give you a setbacks like weather delays and sense of home. When you’re driving by the columns or the dome you more metalwork than anticipated. “That’s not a project like a house want it to look just like it did.” where once you get a roof on it and Edited by Laura Evans enclose it, then you work inside the levans@themaneater.com
ECON
Continued from page 1
RIDE
them.” What equates to a minor inconvenience for students like Mengesteab can be major for those with disabilities. That concern has long Continued from page 1 been on the minds of politicians and activists. So much so that it was the subject of a Columbia Disabilities Commission meeting in September 2018. “I am hopeful that they will pursue better tracking of where the scooters are parked so they become less of a problem for people on the sidewalks,” commissioner Ann Marie Gortmaker told the Columbia Missourian after the meeting.
An MU student rides past the School of Law on a Bird Scooter. Recently, Bird has announced new regulations to the scooters, including a $100 fine for riders who park illegally. | PHOTO BY PHOTOGRAPHER TEDDY MAIORCA
Bird says that they have done just that, and with fines, they now have a way of enforcing their existing policies. In addition to fines, Bird rolled out other changes to their scooter-share program. Taking a ride still costs $1 to start, but now the charge per minute is 29 cents when it was 10 cents previously. This is in response to regulations placed on Bird by the city of Columbia and MU that charge the company a fee of $1 per day per scooter in service. Other major changes include the implementation of slow zones in certain areas of the MU campus. This change came at the request of the university and is intended to make crowded areas safer for riders and pedestrians, Long said. Mengesteab worries that the increase in cost and potential for fines will discourage people from riding with Bird. “The fines and price increase can make a lot of people, including myself, not use them as much because it eventually adds up,” Mengesteab said. Even in the face of those concerns, Long said that Bird is committed to having a positive and co-beneficial relationship between Bird, the city and MU. “We greatly appreciate the partnerships we have with the city and university, and hope to continue to find ways for our service to more seamlessly be integrated into the city's fabric,” Long said in an email. Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com
endowment
course.
resources
for
I have a lot of real-life examples from my
support,
seeing their faces and then seeing that,
which “provides
“We have several in-class exercises, and
scholarships, program
own life,” Chikhladze said. “It’s about
faculty development and more,” according
oh, it’s clicking for them and they’re
to the Mizzou Give Direct website. Walter L.
understanding it.”
Johnson was an economics professor emeritus
Chikhladze says that he loves his job
at MU from 1965 until 1998 and taught over
because he is able to help students grow.
honors his tenure at the university.
students who have graduated,” Chikhladze
until I won the award; I had absolutely no
me or even just the department, and I hear
40,000 students during his career. The fund
“[I love] hearing the success stories of
“I didn’t know that I had been nominated
idea,” Chikhladze said. “But apparently the department chair had sent out an email telling
everyone ‘this is the award, just don't tell
said. “Some students keep in touch with
George Chikhladze’s colleagues present him with the $5,000 Walter Johnson Award for Teaching Excellence. | COURTESY OF TWITTER VIA @MIZZOUECON
George, because we're going to surprise [him]’ —
Hofmann feels that no one is more deserving of
everyone knew but me.”
the award than Chikhladze.
Chikhladze as a head teaching assistant for his
he always puts his students first,” Hofmann said.
during the 2018-19 school year and as a TA the
to make his subjects interesting and appealing to
Ph.D. candidate Lonnie Hofmann worked under
“He’s a very personable, approachable guy and
Money, Banking and Financial Markets course
“He’s always available for office hours and tries
year prior.
the students. He treats the people he works with
“Normally [Chikhladze] is not flustered at all,
and he’s very in control,” Hofmann said. “So to see him get a little bit flustered because he had no idea what was going on was pretty great.”
really well.” Chikhladze echoes this sentiment in his dayto-day work, emphasizing connections with his students that extend far past one semester-long
about their great careers or the graduate programs they’re in.”
Hofmann is glad that Chikhladze is being
recognized for all the time that he puts into his work.
“It is just sort of gratifying to know that ...
people are noticing the work you’re doing,” Hofmann said. “I know he works really hard,
like balancing all these different classes and still
putting in the same amount of effort into all of them. It’s a cool thing to have people acknowledge the work you’re doing.”
Edited by Laura Evans
levans@themaneater.com
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MSA
said. “I actually was going to take the MCAT in May and then hopefully apply Continued from page 3 and go straight from undergrad to medical school. It was just a huge time commitment for the campaign especially, so I decided to take a gap year and move back the MCAT as a result of that.” Sutterer and O’Brien were crowned the victors by a slim 120 vote margin, but the celebration did not last long. Soon they were hard at work shaping the policies that will define their year in charge. “So a typical day, we get up pretty early, you know, some days we’re here in the CSI working for 12 or more hours,” Sutterer said. O’Brien added, “Yesterday I wasn’t even holding office hours, but I’m always in my office, so a few people came by and talked to me about things.” Student involvement in MSA is very important to Sutterer and O’Brien. Some positions still open are Communications Director, The Board of Election Commissioners chair, Student Court positions, Chancellor’s Standing Committee positions and
At-Large Senate positions. “We spoke to an administrator who said ‘Please, please fill my [Chancellor’s Standing] Committee. I want to know the student opinion, I’m not gonna do anything without student opinion.’” O’Brien said. Policy ideas fill their office’s whiteboard. They hope to stock every residence hall with NARCAN, a nasal spray that can help reverse an opioid overdose and keep the person alive long enough for medical attention. “Something that we discussed a lot throughout the campaign is one student life lost is one too many,” Sutterer said. “We want to make sure that we are doing everything possible to prevent that.” Another big project they are working on is implementing income sharing agreements on campus, in which the university covers a student’s costs initially and the student pays the university back later on. “Half the time it’s not even the loan, it’s the interest rate,” O’Brien said. “The thing about loans is they look at your past, but an income sharing agreement looks at your potential.”
VSU
down their insecurities about their identities and discussing these concerns with small groups. Then members were instructed to cross out Continued from page 3 these insecurities and replace them with words of affirmation. “They are just thoughts,” Le said to the group. “You don’t have to be defined by any of it. You get to choose your identity and you get to choose what you take and what you leave behind.” Le formed VSU after feeling there wasn’t a place to fully embrace Vietnamese American identity at MU. Le said being a part of the Asian American Association during her freshman and sophomore year felt like her
INVEST
play host to “more than 35,000 people each year for field days, extension Continued from page 3 activities, and other field events,” according to an MU News Bureau press release. The money from the investment will be allocated to locations in regard to the demands of each particular center. “We’re going to take a look at what all the priority needs are, and we’re going to try to be as efficient and comprehensive as we can be to distribute those dollars to the large number of needs we have at all the centers and farms,” Daubert said. These centers are proving to be increasingly productive, both for MU and the state of Missouri. Just last year, they produced a new heart-friendly, high oleic soybean through fieldwork done at research locations throughout the state. High oleic soybeans produce a natural, stable oil so the product does not require extra watering. The oil also has enhanced cooking properties like high heat performance. Breakthroughs like the high oleic soybeans helped inspire the investment, but Daubert credits much of the increased interest in the research centers to the field days the centers host. “During the field day season, every one of the centers and farms gets to highlight all of the work that is being done at those centers and farms,” Daubert said. “Often times at these field days, we have members of the university and system leadership. [Vice Chancellor] Marshall Stewart, Chancellor [Alexander] Cartwright and President [Mun] Choi will frequent our events so they know first hand what the needs are and can witness how many of the buildings are needing uplift and renovation. They see the status of these fields and farms.” Choi, who attended the announcement of the investment, has vocalized his support of MU agricultural research. “We must invest in modernizing these centers to perform the cutting-edge research needed to grow Missouri’s global
They are also looking to start holding MSA town
halls. Town halls are events they’ll be hosting with the MSA Senate for students to come discuss ideas, ask questions and hear what MSA has been working on.
“It’s really all about transparency with the
student body and being more accessible to them,” Sutterer said. “Something that we felt was really lacking on campus was MSA’s outreach to the
students directly. Our overall vision is that we
really want to make this campus a place [where] every student feels safe and they feel that they can
be themselves and be accepted. That’s just really important because Mizzou’s given so much to us.”
Sutterer and O’Brien hope to implement those
ideas and more over this next year.
“Well, first of all, I do want to just say it is such
an honor,” Sutterer said. “That is something that Mary and I talk about a lot. We’re just so grateful to be in this position.”
Edited by Ben Scott
bscott@themaneater.com
first home on campus, but there was still a piece of her identity that was missing. Le started VSU as a way to bring together a community at MU that embraced this identity and served as a welcoming community for people of any identity to join. “When I toured [MU] they said there are so many organizations that whatever you can think of they probably have it,” Le said. “Unfortunately, they didn’t have an organization of Vietnamese American students. Even if there isn’t that community, you can create one. You can create the spaces you want to be a part of.” Edited by Ben Scott bscott@themaneater.com
presence in agriculture,” Choi said in a News Bureau release. “Investment in the CAFNR Agricultural Research Center network will stimulate economic development across the state while delivering life-changing advancements to Missouri and the world.” Daubert said that the Missouri farmers and ranchers will benefit greatly from the work that the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station will be able to do now, emphasizing just how important their relationship is. “We started at the end of last year with drought,” Daubert said. “With all the flooding this year it really put our farmers and ranchers in a difficult spot, but science is the answer … Exposing and helping our farmers and ranchers understand more efficient practice in their business and farming operations will help them remain profitable and viable in a changing economic global landscape.” Members of CAFNR such as Daubert would like to see a greater integration of the goods that these centers and farms produce. Daubert believes the quickest way to integrate these products within the college would be through dairy products. “For example, we have a great dairy farm,” Daubert said. “I would see in the not-too-distant future that products from our own MU cows can make it back into the dining halls so that we’re feeding MU students MU milk from MU cows. I would love [for] that to happen.” At the end of the day, these centers are for Missourians, and this investment is going to reflect that. Economists project that the money will garner more than an $11 million return for the state. Daubert believes this community interaction is imperative, and that the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station is essential for the university to connect with rural Missouri. “We can consider these centers and farms to be the front porch to the University of Missouri for rural Missourians,” Daubert said. Edited by Laura Evans levans@themaneater.com
6 SHOPPING
Local thrift store New Beginning Consignment Clothing has a wide inventory with racks of vintage clothing and timeless accessories. | PHOTO BY SENIOR PHOTOGRAPHER BECCA NEWTON
Columbia’s resale scene gives locals more for their money From downtown to online, Columbia-based businesses are full of designer steals and storied garments waiting to be discovered. MADDIE SCHUCK Reporter When it comes to finding great clothes at a low cost, Columbia is the place to be. Whatever the reason shoppers have for seeking deals, local shops and online stores that specialize in thrifted and consigned goods serve all. For the bargain-hunter, The Wardrobe offers an inventory of donated goods. If you’re looking to hunt down high-end vintage gems, check out New Beginning Consignment Clothing. Even online stores, such as @rubythrifts on Instagram are popping up to accompany the growing popularity of resale shopping. Perhaps the most common type of resale, thrifting, is offered at The Wardrobe. The store brings in only donated goods, allowing them to charge low prices for slightly used products. Beyond this benefit to customers is the satisfaction of supporting a local cause through their purchases. “All of the money that we take in through selling the items that are donated goes to buy new school shoes for kids,” Evette Nissen, board chair and 10-year volunteer at The Wardrobe, said. Columbia is also home to a few shops that have a set of standards for their inventory, ultimately offering designer products at a price even those on a student’s budget can afford. “Whenever I’m describing what we take, I tell people we take current, classic and vintage,” New Beginning owner Stacie Allen said. “I like to have things that are timeless. You could wear it this year, or five years ago, or five
years from now and nobody’s gonna point and laugh at you.” Allen’s passion for thrifting started early and eventually led her to consignment, taking ownership of the shop in fall 2014. Since then, she has helped well-loved pieces find new owners that will appreciate them as much as the last. “What we’re trying to do here is level the playing field for people,” Allen said. “Everybody should be able to afford nice stuff.” For those not wanting to leave their couches to snag a deal, Instagram is teeming with opportunity. Freshman Riley Hill, brought her resale business to the social media platform in January hoping to earn money off of her thrifty finds. Since then, Hill estimates that her page @rubythrifts has gained almost 100 followers each month, which has raised awareness for often overlooked benefits of resale in the process. “Fast fashion, it’s really hurting the environment,” Hill said. “It takes thousands of gallons of water to make one T-shirt. If you can try to get just one T-shirt thrifted you’re saving so much.” A highlights story on her page displays infographics about this issue, encouraging followers to reduce their environmental impact through purchasing secondhand clothes. Additionally, Hill worries about the negative impact fast fashion has on workers in the textile industry. “They’ll pay them wages that don’t even feed them,” Hill said. “Then you find cute Forever 21 clothes for like three dollars and you wonder why it’s so cheap. It’s because they’re exploiting workers.” Bringing her business to college and including the Columbia community in sales gives Hill the opportunity to further spread her message and join the already rich resale scene in the area. Shopping secondhand continues to grow in popularity and reveal more payoffs, and shoppers in Columbia are not short on ways to join the fun. Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com
7
T H E M A N E AT E R | M OV E M AG A Z I N E | S E P T E M B E R 1 9, 2 0 1 9 APP
Jeremy Renner’s app was too good to be true The “Avengers: Endgame” actor’s app is one of the strangest stories of the summer. It will be dearly missed. JOE CROSS MOVE Angles Editor The summer of Jeremy Renner has officially
come to an end. After appearing in the highestgrossing movie of all time, a Jeep commercial
campaign and releasing some songs that sound like Jackson Maine from “A Star is Born,” the Renner-aissance has come to a close. Recently, the two-time Oscar nominee announced that his app, simply titled “Jeremy Renner” would be shutting down after it “jumped the shark.”
You’re probably thinking, “Wait, Jeremy Renner
had an app?” This is a perfectly reasonable
response. Few movie stars and Oscar-winners have
their own apps centered around them and their
notifications. On Wednesdays (or sometimes on
collapsed, with people on the app pretending to be
out a push notification reading “Happy Rennsday!”
a matter of time before Renner himself posted a
Thursdays, for some reason) the app would send Like many other modern apps, Jeremy Renner
also offered in-app purchases, called “stars.” Their
purpose was … unclear, to say the least. Basically,
the more stars you purchased, the more likely your comments were to be noticed by Renner himself, or
an intern commenting under his name. You would also be ranked higher on the app’s “Fanboard” that
ranks users according to how many stars they’ve purchased.
Back in 2017, The Ringer reported on ongoing
drama on the app, as Renner’s fanbase was divided over various issues — a contest to visit
Renner on set was called “rigged,” and other fans believed the app was briefly shut down not for
updates, as the app’s developers claimed, but to
erase any critical comments. The great Renner schism of 2017 differs from the recent chaos that erupted on the app, in that dedicated fans weren’t
Casey Anthony, among other things. It was only message on the app about how it had to be taken
down, but not before he sent out a notification saying “App coming down very soon.”
I downloaded the app after being notified of it
by comedian Jamie Loftus, who repeatedly posted
screenshots of the seemingly random notifications
she received from the app on Twitter throughout
the summer. Initially, the app’s bewildering notifications,
combined
with
its
confusing
existence in the first place, made it a good source
of entertainment, and something I could rely on for laughs.
That being said, now that the app has come
down, I can’t help but feel somewhat complicit
in the downfall of perhaps the last bastion of
sincerity on the internet. I am not by any means an avid fan of Renner’s work, as I simply downloaded
responsible, but rather outsiders attempting to
the app for a good laugh, not because I wanted to
The end of an era began in August of this year
Like Four Loko, MoviePass and other fads that
unleash mayhem.
meet fellow Renner fans.
choice to lead the app revolution.
when a post from Renner asked users what their
were too good to be true, the reign of Jeremy
for Renner’s small but passionate fanbase. Upon
user, Deadspin contributor Stefan Heck commented
It was strange, endearingly sincere and it will be
this, Renner, or someone pretending to be him,
useless by its creator and namesake, I won’t be
world. Renner, most famous for playing the oftridiculed Avenger, Hawkeye, seems like an odd
Initially, the app started as a fan community
opening it, one would see a design resembling
Instagram circa 2012, with just one catch: the entire feed is centered around Renner.
In addition to its central feed, the Jeremy
Renner app sent out bizarre, seemingly random
plans to have a “rockin weekend” [sic] were. One
Renner’s app had to come to an end eventually.
“I will be watching porno on my computer.” After
missed. Even though it’s essentially been rendered
responded with “Nasty!! Not Cool.”
deleting it from my phone.
Now it’s somewhat unclear what happened
from this point on, but essentially, everything
Edited by Janae McKenzie
jmckenzie@themaneater.com
MUSIC
Roots N Blues Foundation provides local music education programs The charity that brought Blues in the Schools hopes to bring music education to other places in mid-Missouri as well. BEN WICHE Senior Staff Writer As Columbia prepares for the 13th annual Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival, the festival’s nonprofit arm looks toward the future. The Roots N Blues Foundation has worked to provide music education throughout mid-Missouri since 2013. Through its Blues in the Schools program, the foundation has given students the opportunity to learn and perform with guest musicians, as well as learn about American music history. Anne Kelly Moore, vice president of Roots N Blues Foundation, noted that Blues in the Schools uses music as a way to educate kids on other topics. “They learn about slavery and civil rights and they learn about U.S. history,” Moore said. “They learn about the migration of the blues from the Mississippi Delta to St. Louis, Kansas City and Chicago, so they learn about geography as well”. Mary Wilkerson, president and one of the original board members of the Roots N Blues Foundation, said the foundation is looking to expand its focus beyond the classroom. “We’re going to continue to do Blues in the Schools, but we’re also going to do different kinds of music education programs,” Wilkerson said. “For example, working with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbia to help kids take music lessons [and] providing kids with instruments so they can actually take music lessons.”
Through the Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbia, the foundation hopes to launch the Missouri Roots Songbook Academy in 2020. According to the Roots N Blues website, the academy will educate middle schoolers in American roots music and allow them to apply for a four-year scholarship and mentorship program. Wilkerson sees it as a way to educate children in new and different ways. “In some cases, it might be bringing people to perform,” Wilkerson said. ”In some cases, it may be teaching music classes. In some cases, it might be helping a kid to attend a music school or program. Really, it’s about exposing kids to different forms of music and to develop their own abilities.” Moore says that programs like Blues in the Schools are well-loved by local students. “You see the light in [the students’] eyes and the joy that they have from [Blues In The Schools] and also know that they are truly learning some great reasoning skills, geography, culture and civil rights,” Moore said in a 2016 interview with COMO Living magazine. A change in focus from school programs to extracurricular programs has led to a decline in the amount of Blues in the Schools events supported by Roots N Blues Foundation funding. “This year I think there is just one school participating,” Wilkerson said. “In the past, we’ve had as many as 20 to 28. We hope to get back to that level with some new programs going forward.” The foundation will hold its annual Blues in the Schools Family Fest on Sept. 30 at Stephens Lake Park. Students will showcase some of the musical skills learned through the programs. Locals can also support the nonprofit at this year’s festival by making donations at the box office or at any of the cash wristband stations. Edited by Janae McKenzie jmckenzie@themaneater.com
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Olvia Burney (14, left) picks a banjo while her younger sister Emma Burney (11, right) plays a keyboard in their basement rehearsal space. | PHOTO BY REPORTER TONY MADDEN
MUSIC
The Burney Sisters talk humble beginnings, Roots N Blues, debut album Columbia’s sister musician duo will bring its self-proclaimed “Indiefolk-grass” sound to the city’s famed music and barbecue festival for the second year in a row. TONY MADDEN
Reporter
Fourteen-year-old Olivia Burney first picked up a ukulele at the age of 9, scoring it for just a dollar at a garage sale. It wasn’t much later that younger sister Emma Burney, now 11, felt compelled to pluck the strings of her mother’s old acoustic guitar, which had long been collecting dust. Just five years later, The Burney Sisters have performed alongside folk sensation The Avett Brothers, released two EPs and established their brand as a core part of Columbia’s local music scene. Next week, they’ll perform for the second year in a row at Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival. Homeschooled by their mother April Burney Shafer, the young sisters took after jazz legend Louis Armstrong after studying him when Emma Burney and Olivia Burney were just 9 and 11, respectively. They began busking on the streets of downtown Columbia, eventually finding a lucrative spot in front of Tellers Gallery and Bar. This is when the gigs, including a Lake of the Ozarks store opening and a nursing home, began to roll in. “People would actually come up to us just right there and go, 'Do you want to play this on Saturday?'” Emma Burney said. They went on to record for the first time with fellow local musician Rocket Kirchner, who wanted the sisters to appear on his album after hearing them sing harmonies. They often performed with Kirchner and took on solo performances when he became too sick to perform for a few months. It was then, their mother said, that the Burney sisters’ love for creating music really took off. “I will back you on this,” Shafer told her daughters. “But it's a lot more than looking pretty up there on a stool and getting [a] pat on the back
or accolades for how cute you are. You're going to Burney added. have to learn the business side of it.” Emma and Olivia Burney’s roles in Columbia’s After semiweekly meetings, many of which local music scene do not stop at The Burney Sisters. included guidance from Nate White Palen Music In the past year, the girls have joined forces with Center’s customer relationship manager, The Bryan and Pat Kay as members of local Ozark Burney Sisters set off on their tenure as musicians. stompgrass band The Kay Brothers. The rest of However, it wasn’t always easy, Shafer assured. the Kay Brothers will also make an onstage cameo “We had no money — zero money whatsoever,” she said. “In fact, negative money. We had to ask questions. That's where we started: talking to people and getting information and coming back to meetings. ‘What did we learn? What do we need to get, you know, what do we need to do?’” The Burney Sisters have come a long way since humble beginnings and nursing home performances. On Friday, the sisters released their first single in a year, titled “Make Me Happy.” The track, with heavier rock influence than the sisters have historically Emma Burney (11) plays a simple chord progression on the keyboard while older sister Olivia Burney (14) plucks a banjo in their basement rehearsal space. been known for, is the first | PHOTO BY REPORTER TONY MADDEN single from their upcoming debut album. “I think this new album will sound a lot during The Burney Sisters’ Roots N Blues set. “The people that we're playing with are amazing different than anything that we've ever done,” people and great players,” Olivia Burney said. Olivia Burney said. “I've been using different The sisters are in full preparation mode for the songwriting … listening to a different kind of festival, from ordering exclusive Roots N Blues music, and I think it's definitely super different merchandise to polishing off the live versions of from our first EP.” Olivia Burney is the songwriting genius of the their original songs, as well as a cover of “Silly duo, with musical influences from all corners of Love Songs” by Paul McCartney and Wings. “I think it’s going to be really awesome,” Olivia the music industry making up the duo’s signature sound. These influences range from The Avett Burney said. The Burney Sisters’ music, including their latest Brothers and Phoebe Bridgers to Paul McCartney and Wings, Journey and Queen to Adele and John single “Make Me Happy,” can be found on all Mayer and to various Motown artists, just to name major streaming services. They’ll perform at Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival at 12:45 p.m. on Sept. 29 a few. “We like to call it indie-folk-grass,” Emma on the Missouri Lottery Stage. Edited by Janae McKenzie Burney said. “I never really tried to define our music,” Olivia jmckenzie@themaneater.com
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FILM
‘Hustlers’ is what happens when revenge gives way to greed With a squad like this, how could drugging Wall Street executives go wrong? RACHEL PICKETT
MOVE Angles Columnist This review contains spoilers for “Hustlers.” There have been multiple movies about the woes of capitalism. Whether it is “The Wolf of Wall Street” or “The Big Short,” the financial sector has been thoroughly explored on the big screen. None of these movies are quite like Lorene Scafaria’s razor-sharp “Hustlers.” Jennifer Lopez shines as Ramona, a seasoned veteran in the stripping industry who teaches the ways of the world to newbie Dorothy (whose stripper name is Destiny, played by Constance Wu). Together, the two women rise as some of Manhattan’s most successful strippers. When the Great Recession of 2008 hits, the women find themselves in trouble. The bulk of Ramona and Dorothy’s clients are the same men in news reports who have lost their jobs. This leads to the women separating for a time, both focusing on providing for their daughters during the recession. In an act of desperation, Dorothy returns to the club to continue her career in stripping. The club is not what it used to be, but neither is the American economy. One night while working, Dorothy runs into Ramona for the first time. While the financial crash took its toll on Dorothy, it certainly did not appear to take a toll on Ramona. Ramona informs Dorothy that she has been able to stay afloat through the practice of “fishing,” which is essentially finding wealthy men at restaurants or bars and getting them to spend loads of money at the strip club, without ever telling them that they work at the club. The fishing works
for a while, but Ramona is hungry for more. Ramona ropes Dorothy into a more extreme version of fishing. Instead of just getting their victims drunk, they will drug them with a mixture of ketamine and MDMA. This lowers the men’s alertness to the point where the women will be able to steal their credit cards, social security numbers and bank information, while also wiping their memories. While Dorothy is hesitant at first, Ramona quickly assures her that this is an act of revenge. The Wall Street men they would be stealing from are the same men who caused the financial crisis and received no jail time. This reasoning is good enough for Dorothy and the scheme begins. At first, the women are wildly successful. Aided by the help of Mercedes (Keke Palmer) and Annabelle (Lili Reinhart), Ramona and Dorothy rake in thousands of dollars each night and are successful. As their bank accounts grow, so do their greed, and they eventually decide to outsource the operation. Like the Wall Street men they steal from, the greed of the women is their ultimate downfall. In outsourcing their business, they turn over power into the hands of reckless people and they eventually all get arrested for their crimes. In some ways, “Hustlers” is a deceiving movie. At first glance, it appears to be a Robin Hood story of women getting the justice they deserve on the men who ruined their lives. This is only partially true. While the women do get their revenge, it was also a hollow pursuit. They condemn their clients for their greed and materialism while buying fur coats and penthouse suites in Manhattan. They lament for the people who lost everything during the financial crisis, but never do anything to help them. In a deeper sense, this is a movie about sisterhood rather than revenge. Ramona and Dorothy, along with the supporting characters, have each other’s backs through the good and the
Jennifer Lopez stars as stripper Ramona in the new girl power film “Hustlers”, direced by Lorene Scafaria. | COURTESY OF IMDB
bad. They celebrate each other’s plastic surgery successes and tell each other when it is time to leave their significant others. While their sisterhood may be forged on the commonalities of their greed and shallowness, it ultimately doesn’t matter. “Hustlers” isn’t about money, capitalism or status, it is about the bonds we form with the people we love. Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com
MUSIC
Critically-acclaimed band The New Pornographers will perform at Roots N Blues N BBQ The indie pop superstars are coming to Columbia. JACOB LUEBBERT Columnist The New Pornographers might be indie music’s best known “supergroup,” featuring certified stars like alt-country legend Neko Case, frontman Carl Newman and (formerly, as of now) guitarist/ vocalist Dan Bejar. Their hyper-infectious pop tunes took the music world by storm in the early 2000s, specifically with albums like “Mass Romantic” and “Twin Cinema.” Unusual vocals paired with burly guitar riffs and frenetic, mature instrumentation made those early records massive critical and commercial successes. If Weezer was power pop for the lonely high schooler, The New Pornographers were power pop for when those kids grew up. The band will visit Columbia on Sept. 29, where it will perform at Roots N Blues N BBQ.
The group hasn’t stopped making music since those early days though. In fact, just two days before it performs here in Columbia, the band will release its eighth studio album, “In the Morse Code of Break Lights.” This will be the band’s second record without feature player Bejar, who had a massive role in most of the band’s earlier work. Bejar had been in the band since its formation by Newman in 1997. Newman assembled a group of Vancouver musicians (including Case, Bejar, keyboardist Blaine Thurier, bassist John Collins and drummer Fisher Rose) who began practicing in ‘97, but split soon after to work on separate projects. Newman thought of the name “The New Pornographers” after watching the 1966 Japanese film “The Pornographers.” In 1999, Rose left the band and Newman brought in Kurt Dahle to replace him. Finally the band began recording again in early 2000, and released its wonderful debut album “Mass Romantic” later that year. After a brief return to
their solo projects, the band released “Electric Version” in 2003. In 2005, the band released what is perhaps its most celebrated album, “Twin Cinema,” a cheery indie pop masterpiece. Having already gained notoriety off of the band’s first two releases and Case’s very successful solo career, “Twin Cinema” was highly anticipated. Based on critical reception, it delivered. The album was placed at 150 on music publication Pitchfork’s top 200 albums of the 2000s and was given four stars by Rolling Stone magazine. Since their triumphant 2005, The New Pornographers have released four more albums: “Challengers” in ‘07, “Together” in ‘10, “Brill Bruisers” in ‘14 and “Whiteout Conditions” in ‘17. In 2019, they release “In the Morse Code of Break Lights.” The New Pornographers will perform at the Missouri Lottery Stage at 5:45 p.m. on Sunday. Edited by Joe Cross jcross@themaneater.com
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ROOTS N BLUES
Roots N Blues improves eco-friendly options at festival The sustainability team is working with vendors and attendants to limit waste during the festival this year. SOPHIE STEPHENS Reporter Event planning for this year’s Roots N Blues N BBQ festival focused on more than just creating the music lineup and choosing which local food and craft vendors to bring in. It also included a sustainability team that worked on planning ways to limit waste production during the event and overall be more environmentally friendly. Because Roots N Blues takes place at Stephens Lake Park, a nationally accredited arboretum as of 2017, establishing sustainable practices during the festival is important. Not only does it limit environmental impacts overall, but it preserves the venue as well. Sustainability Director Scout Merry said it’s important to think about limiting environmental impact, especially at festivals where it’s not something people are actively thinking about. “People come to festivals to have a great time, and it’s easy to set a lot of things aside,” Merry said. “Our team is out there to just help people see basically how easy it is to either keep up their habits or hopefully even start new habits.” This is Merry’s second year as the sustainability director for Roots N Blues. After last year’s festival, Merry decided to implement several new sustainable practices for this year’s event, both on the planning side of the festival and on the community side. Merry realized last year that he and his team were using large amounts of zip ties, so he decided to look for cheap, reusable options to replace them. Additionally, the sustainability team partnered with the Columbia Center for Urban Agriculture to compost more during Roots N Blues this year. Food Vendor Coordinator Morgan Williams reported that Roots N Blues will discourage vendors from using styrofoam serving options for the first time this year. In conjunction with the city, food vendors will also be provided paper, glass, plastic and fry oil recycling drop-offs.
| GRAPHIC BY MICHELLE GUTIERREZ
One of the biggest waste contributors at festivals
However, DuCharme said that consumers also
like Roots N Blues are food vendors. For example,
need to be held accountable for doing their part.
the University of San Diego student newspaper
For example, Lakota Coffee uses paper cups which
reported that Coachella produced 107 tons of solid
are recyclable, but it is up to the consumer to
waste per each day of the event. Merry explained
recycle the cup once they have it in his or her
that food vendors create a large amount of waste,
possession.
not only from the food itself but from containers as well. Combined, this can be very heavy.
The Roots N Blues volunteer group, the green team, helps with sustainability on the consumer
Andrew DuCharme, one of the owners of Lakota
end of things. The 75 volunteers on the green
Coffee, a vendor at Roots N Blues this year, credits
team go around the festival, making sure none of
the large amount of waste to a lack of options and
the trash or recycling receptacles are overflowing.
the necessity of being prepared for the crowds.
Also, if they choose to, the team removes recyclable
“When everything’s completely throwaway,
items from trash bins if possible and moves them
it just creates more waste because there’s no
into recycling. The green team is also available to
options,” DuCharme said. “Your cinnamon rolls
go around the events throughout the weekend and
can’t go on a plate, it has to go in a bag, there’s
talk to people about sustainability.
no option. It’s just a lot more waste … There’s not
“We aren’t trying to be recycling police by any
much else you can really do besides just try and
means, but just kind of do a couple of things:
help reduce as much as you can … In a restaurant,
show people that sustainability is important to the
you don’t cook a cheeseburger until somebody
festival, and also … to kind of show that it can
orders a cheeseburger, but in a place like this
be fairly simple,” Merry said. “We’re not trying to
way that other options do and it’s not recyclable.
you gotta have cheeseburgers ready to go during
make people work any harder, we’re just trying to
Plastic cups we can recycle and paper obviously
lunchtime.”
make people a little more aware.”
“We are going to be somewhat lenient if something comes up, but we’re definitely strongly encouraging from here on out no styrofoam,” Williams said. “Styrofoam doesn’t break down the
can be recycled or composted, but styrofoam kind of sticks around forever.”
Vendors have to cater to the customers while also trying to create as little waste as they can.
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.
THE DOUBLE TAKE
COLUMN: Hustle culture needs to end Studies show that hustling hard is less than beneficial. ELIZABETH OKOSUN Opinion Columnist Elizabeth Okosun is a sophomore journalism major at MU. She is an opinion columnist who writes about social issues for The Maneater. As the school year begins, students with loaded schedules filled with difficult classes, extracurriculars and perhaps a job or two, may fall victim to the new phenomenon of “hustle culture.” From “Rise and Grind” ads by Nike to the infamous “hustle harder” hashtag, millions of Americans are buying into the belief that the only path to success is to work themselves to the bone. College is a time meant for honing your skills in order to succeed in your career. That is already difficult enough, so to work extensively on anything else that won’t ultimately be of benefit is almost counterproductive. However, many students are so committed to the “rise and grind” lifestyle that we take on as many things as our time permits, even when it takes a toll on us. According to a study conducted by Dr. Cindy Liu at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, three out of four college students experience stress. To make matters worse, one out of five students have suicidal thoughts, according to the same study. So, if we know that working so hard creates stress for us, why do we continue making things difficult for ourselves? It’s because we’re simply preparing ourselves for the grim realities of the workforce. Even as adults, the need to push ourselves past our personal limit remains intact. Quite often, millennials experience burnout due to high-stress tasks at work. A survey by the Korn Ferry Institute suggests that “nearly two-thirds of professionals say their stress levels at work are higher than they were five years ago.” Still, employers aren’t doing enough to alleviate the anxiety their
employees experience. Having time off gives workers the chance to have a respite from their busy schedules. Results from research by the U.S. Travel Association, Oxford Economics and Ipsos indicates that 768 million vacation days went unused by U.S. workers in 2018. Ample time that employees could be taking to reset and recharge after a working too hard was left untouched in the name of productivity. However, working longer doesn’t actually mean working stronger. Many may think this additional time added to work schedules makes employees more productive. After all, if employees have more time to work harder, their productivity levels will also reflect that, right? However, that simply isn’t the case. Countries like France, Denmark and the Netherlands consistently rank high on the countries with the best work-life balance, according to research done by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. These countries also are known for being stress-free and happy, particularly Denmark and the Netherlands. So, how do we prevent ourselves from getting caught up in the rush of constant hustling and grinding? First, we need to remember that not everything in life, or at school, is a competition. In an interview with The New York Times, David Heinemeier Hansson, author of “It Doesn’t Have to Be Crazy at Work,” stated that “the vast majority of people beating the drums of hustlemania are not the people doing the actual work.” It’s our professors, employers and society in general that pushes us to compete in this rat race orchestrated by the corporate machine, all in order to achieve a limited definition of success. However, it is only up to you to determine what success is and how far you want to push yourself. This also includes learning how to take the necessary steps to reduce stress. As humans, we all have our limits of how much work we can endure. Although it’s very easy to believe that we only have four short years to live our college experience to the fullest, it’s imperative that we implement healthy habits in our lifestyles to try to offset the external stresses that we experience. One of these coping mechanisms is meditation. The Mayo
| GRAPHIC BY NICOLE GUTIERREZ
Clinic says that regular meditation not only helps reduce stress but increases imagination and creativity, which could come in handy if you’re strapped for ideas on a project you’re procrastinating. At the end of the day, we simply can’t cause the impossible expectations of those around us to cease to exist. This is a capitalistic society where employees work
tirelessly without enough time off and students undergo pressure to enter debt, only to get a piece of paper that doesn’t guarantee them a job. The best thing to do for yourself is to understand your limits and take time for yourself. After all, there’s no point in running the race if you’re too tired to enjoy the victory. Edited by Bryce Kolk bkolk@themaneater.com
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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 Pro-environmental Republicans are being heard at MU and in Washington D.C. During the last full week of July, 45 university students traveled from across the country to Washington as student advocates. Each student represented their respective states and the quickly
The U.S. has been a global leader in reducing
our Republican leaders would more strongly
emissions thanks to technological innovation
champion an environmental message knowing
and alternative energy sources. The Center for
they had our support. The results are coming in
Climate and Energy Solutions states that “U.S. net
with new pro-environmental legislation and our
emissions declined 12% from 2005 to 2017 due
officials’ media posts.
to a range of market-and policy-related factors.”
growing American Conservation Coalition Campus. Continuing American innovation will make it I’ve represented ACCC at MU since November
2018 when I was motivated to blend my political and environmental interests. It was exhausting to see environmental conversations ostracize and exclude conservatives.
easier for developing countries to follow America’s lead, and they too can participate in the clean energy economy of the future. At the local level, Missouri can choose between our outdated coal plants or replacing them with
This year’s Washington fly-in mission was to
new energy sources. According to the U.S. Energy
promote an All-Of-The-Above energy approach.
Information Administration, “In 2018, 13% of
The concept uses a wide variety of energy
the state's electricity generation came from the
sources to meet America’s energy consumption,
Callaway nuclear power plant.” Clean energy is
production, and sustainability needs. The All-Of-
not only more efficient, but its rapid growth is
The-Above approach allows free markets to allow
employing many Missourians. The Columbia Daily
a diverse energy market compete. This is most
Tribune reported in April that, “Statewide, all
favorable in a country like ours with its wide
clean energy sector jobs added 1,562 employees in
variety of landscapes and an abundance of natural
2018.” It is clear that Missouri has better options
resources. Rather than government dictating the
than just traditional coal and they should be taken
use of only one or two forms of energy, different
into consideration.
A huge contributing factor to our positive meetings is our positive message. ACCC is one of few environmental groups that have an encouraging outlook. ACCC champions a unifying message of an innovative future that all Americans can contribute to left or right. In my experience as a campus chairman, many left-leaning environmental groups are more inclined to be divisive. During the Columbia Climate Strike in March, many of the protestors hurled explicit insults at many Republican leaders I know and respect. Hearing f-bombs being dropped to express their hatred towards Republicans made me feel unwelcome to help make America green. Contrastly, ACCC’s mission allows for unity by changing the narrative in the environmental conversation. The American Conservation Coalition has reached huge milestones in its first two years. The
regions can choose for themselves. Local areas
During our day of activism, my team spoke
could capitalize on what works best for them.
to the office staff of Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Chuck
The elimination of energy subsidies that tend to
Grassley, R-Iowa, Tom Cotton, R-Ark., John
has a promising future ahead. I am proud to have
favor coal would be a huge first step. Increased
Boozman, R-Ark., Roy Blunt, R-Mo. and Senate
represented ACCC in our nation’s capital and will
investment in innovation combined with consumer
Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. Each
continue to on MU’s campus.
choice will result in significant reductions in
meeting with these Republican legislators was
America’s carbon emissions.
extremely friendly. It encouraged us to hear that
organization and the Republican Party at large
-DALTON ARCHER, MU STUDENT
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Online this week: Cross country's Commodore classic results, soccer and more at themaneater.com NCAA
Q&A: Jim Sterk on NCAA appeal, athletic department debt and more Missouri’s Director of Athletics talked about the state of the athletic programs in an interview. ELI HOFF
Reporter
Missouri Athletic Director Jim Sterk is a busy man. In addition to the regular effort required to lead a Power Five school that supports 20 sports teams, Sterk currently faces the added stress of Missouri’s appeal of NCAA sanctions handed down in January 2019. Amid his tightly packed schedule, Sterk met with The Maneater to discuss the NCAA appeal, funding for Memorial Stadium’s addition and expected revenue from alcohol sales at football games. After losing on the road to Wyoming, how encouraging was it to see the football team win big at home against West Virginia? It was very good. I was encouraged [by] the way they battled back at Wyoming. From having some terrible things happen, the ball bouncing crazy ways and getting three major turnovers, and some other points off the board, I felt like the way they battled back and almost came back was a good indication of how they were going to respond. They were upset, wanted to do better. Hopefully, it helps us avoid any kind of letdowns during the season, where they may be favored to win, this weekend [against Southeast Missouri State] for instance. Then to play the way they did against West Virginia was really exciting, great from the standpoint of “reopening” the stadium when it’s all renovated. The atmosphere was good, the team played even better, so it was great. What’s your expectation for the team this year? It’s always to go to the postseason. Obviously, that’s complicated by the NCAA stuff. If they play well, they can compete with everyone on the schedule. Having that kind of success and winning most of their games is something that we want to see. In sports, people can get injured — things happen. What I like, though, is the character of the team, that they’re going to battle every game. They want to do well and their expectation is probably even higher
STERK | Page 15
On April 16, 2017, the Missouri tennis team won its last SEC victory against Arkansas. The players of this year are confident they can do it again. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS
TENNIS
Remembering victory: two former Missouri tennis players recount program’s last SEC win Missouri tennis hasn’t won an SEC match since 2017. BEN PFEIFER
Reporter
Clare Raley remembers underestimating her competition. No stranger to highs and lows, the Missouri tennis alumni and former five-star recruit didn’t realize the caliber of college tennis players until she stepped onto the court herself. “I remember my freshman year coming up against teams I thought wouldn’t be as strong as we were,” Raley said. “Every match was a fight.” Extreme peaks and valleys are all too common for Missouri tennis. At the dawn of the 2019-20 season, the Tigers are entrenched in their deepest valley yet. The program has finished the past two seasons with a combined 0-26 in SEC play. April 16, 2017, marked Missouri’s last victory in SEC play. It defeated Alabama on the road in its final contest of the regular season. Bea Machado Santos, a senior at
the time, remembers that season well. “At the time we had lost a couple of close ones,” Santos said. “I remember us losing against [Louisiana State University]. We had match point to win and I feel if we had beaten them — they were top 20 — we would have probably been an NCAA [Tournament] team.” Heading towards the end of the season, Missouri was running out of chances to swing the close ones in its favor. The Tigers dropped the first match of their final two-game road trip at Auburn. Tuscaloosa was their final chance to make a late-season push. “It was our last shot at being able to make a run at [the NCAA Tournament],” Santos said. “You never want to leave your chances of getting into the tournament at the SEC Tournament because it’s so tough. While Santos remembers getting on the bus knowing April 16, 2017 would be Missouri’s day, Raley had doubts. “We got down in singles and I
remember looking down from court six and thinking, ‘I’m not sure if we’re going to pull this off’,” Raley said. Raley had just secured the doubles point for Missouri, 6-3, a short time before. Nothing could faze her, not even the fact she had only played with her doubles partner, Tate Schroeder, once before that season. “I definitely wasn’t used to playing with [Schroeder],” Raley said. “However, we were very good friends, and still are off of the court, so we already had chemistry going for us. [Schroeder] plays a really big game and I’m more of a crafty consistent player, so those two different game styles balanced out for us.” Raley and Schroeder clinched the doubles win for Missouri, but the team had more to do if it wanted to leave Tuscaloosa in triumph. Santos then took the court against then-No. 15 senior Erin Routliffe. In the final regular-season match of her MU career, Santos dominated
RALEY | Page 15
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FOOTBALL
A brief look back: blowouts, heartbreakers and upsets in 500 games at Memorial Stadium Coach Barry Odom didn’t think the score of Saturday’s blowout win over SEMO was a coincidence.
Almost a year later, the stadium
until it beat Delaware State 79-0
112 Missouri graduates and students
quarterback Drew Lock threw for 402
EMILY LEIKER
midst of a massive rainstorm.
Sports Editor In its 500th game at Memorial
Stadium, Missouri won 50-0.
Coach Barry Odom doesn’t think it
was a coincidence.
“Maybe big picture, more take
a step back and look on the 500th game at Memorial Stadium to win 50-0, those things don’t just happen and I know,” Odom said.
Construction on the stadium began
back in December 1925 when ground was broken in a valley between
a pair of bluffs south of campus.
was dedicated in memoriam to the who lost their lives in World War I. The Tigers played their first game in
the stadium against Tulane on Oct. 2, 1926 — it ended scoreless in the The
stadium’s
Rock
M
was
dedicated in 1927, when Missouri
went a 4-0 at home to help secure a
Missouri
then-freshman Damarea Crockett and
redshirt sophomore Marvin Zanders both had two rushing touchdowns.
As for heartbreakers? There’s been
a few to take place at Memorial Stadium. Most
recently
was
Missouri’s
15-14 loss to Kentucky last season,
While Paint the M may be the
seconds on the clock following a pass
most
obvious
and
long-standing
Memorial Stadium tradition, since its
yards and five touchdowns, while
Conference
championship.
Valley
on Sept. 24, 2016. Then-sophomore
groundbreaking,
the
stadium
when the Wildcats scored with zero
interference call that resulted in a replay of the down. The
heartbreaker
that
comes
When Colorado called its final
timeout between second and third
down, the chain crew forgot to flip the down marker. In turn, the Buffaloes were given an extra down due to the mistake and scored on “fifth down” to win the game.
The Tigers have been in similar
scenarios on the opposite side of the ball.
In 1973, a No.12 Missouri team
beat No. 2 Nebraska when the Huskers’ final 2-point conversion
attempt was intercepted by defensive
back Tony Gillick. Almost 30 years later, the Tigers beat their first
has hosted many exciting games —
to mind for the majority of Tiger
ever No. 1 opponent when they
The first of such games was against
Down Game of Oct. 6, 1990 when
their homecoming game. It was also
an officiating mistake considered one
was hosted at MU.
blowout, heartbreaker or upset.
Centre College in 1928 when coach
Gwinn Henry’s Tigers won 60-0. It
was the largest margin of victory for Missouri in Memorial Stadium
fans, though, would be the Fifth
defeated Oklahoma 36-27 during
Missouri lost to Colorado 31-33 on
the first time ESPN College Gameday
of the most memorable blunders in
Edited by Zoia Morrow
college football history.
zmorrow@themaneater.com
Missouri’s Faurot Field | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS
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Continued from page 13 than yours or mine.
What’s your expected timeline for a decision in the NCAA appeal? I was hopeful that it was coming earlier, but I just saw that BYU [received a decision] and their appeal had an in-person hearing about a month before ours, so that made me think that ours is probably October, but that’s only a guess — I have no idea. We’ll get about 24 hours notice of what the decision is and then it will be announced. I think in the next two, three weeks it should happen. Is no news good news? They just take time. I think the decision they had with Mississippi State, they went through a little bit different process, but the cases were very, very similar — almost identical. There was a decision there and there was no postseason [ban] as a part of that. That’s where it should be, and it’s not just for Missouri, but the rest of the membership, as far as how it impacts the membership of the NCAA. If it doesn’t fall in line with the Mississippi State case, I think the NCAA loses credibility.
now — baseball and softball are in the spring — but football, I feel like, they are going to have a great season regardless. It’s focusing on having success, creating a great environment for the fans that come and join in the moment, and trying not to worry about what the future holds or what that decision is because it doesn’t impact those games and we have 12 of those to play. I think focusing on those is the most important thing. To what extent could the baseball and softball programs be impacted by the NCAA decision? They could make a different decision on football versus softball or baseball. I think all of them were egregious decisions. Especially with baseball and softball, [it was] one person, one player and to have the postseason [ban] was so out of what it should have been. Football was the same way. If you look at percentages of players and Mississippi State, for instance, we had half the number of players that had received assistance. No postseason [ban] for them, it should be no postseason [ban] for us.
How much communication has there been from the NCAA during this process? There’s none. After the in-person hearing, nothing.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey was in town for last weekend’s game. How much support have you received from him? He’s made a couple statements publicly and in private supporting what we’ve done and what the decision should be. He’s hopeful in the same way we are.
How much of a challenge is it for you personally to operate without knowing what the decision will be? I try to set it aside because there’s a lot to do. People are talking about football right
How optimistic are you regarding attendance for football games? It’s complicated because of culture, what people do and how they view [sporting events]. When I was growing up and in college, the quality
RALEY
of the television broadcast was grainy and you could hardly see the numbers. It was bad. Now you have replays. I think what we’ve done to try to create a better game-day atmosphere with the South End Zone, I think that helps that. With enclosing the stadium in a good way, improving and enhancing the sound system, the video boards, and then the way we engage people: more restrooms and concessions, more club area premium seating — that’s what we were sold out of previously. So we reduce the size but increase the value of the games. How much revenue is expected to come from alcohol sales at football games? It’s kind of unknown. I saw the number: $167,000 or so. If it’s accurate, it’s a gross number. Next year, we’re moving toward metal detectors, and that’s going to be [$750,000]. We think whatever we make in alcohol sales will be funneled into education, safety, and then we’ll be investing in metal detectors. I’d like the net proceeds to be able to help with our program because we were just under as far as balancing our budget. We were at about 107 million; our revenues were about a million and a half short. We need to balance that. We had some reserves to cover it, but we need to balance it in revenue. Hopefully increasing attendance, concessions, all those things help us to drive the revenue that we need. Has the athletic department had to take on any debt to finance the South End Zone? Oh yeah. It’s complicated. We had to get approval from the board of curators … Part of it was raising [money], getting commitments. You want as much cash up front.
Smith Hinton, optimism began to wane. “If there's anyone we would want out there [in that moment], it would Continued from page 13 be [Mackenzy],” Raley said. Middlebrooks lasered an ace on the deuce side out wide, stealing a Routliffe in straight sets (6-0, 7-6 (1). win from the Crimson Tide, 4-3. “That was a pretty good win for Raley remembers bounding onto me as well as to anchor the team,” the court with her teammates, Santos said. struggling to vault a much taller Santos’ upset win over Routliffe Middlebrooks in the air after her was the jolt of confidence the rest of match-clinching ace. the Tigers needed. “There was a gap in the fence “As soon as [the team] saw me where my teammate Amina [Ismail] get off of the court — I think the and I could run straight through first set was 6-0 — [we] were pretty without having to go around. We got confident we could get it done.” to her first and picked her up and Down 3-2 though, Missouri hugged her and we were both a lot found itself one point from another shorter than her.” Raley said. heartbreaking SEC loss. Though Missouri’s 2016-17 season Then-junior Amina Ismail defeated would end with a 4-1 loss in the her opponent in the ensuing set, opening round of the SEC Tournament knotting up the match at 3-3 heading to Ole Miss, Santos remembers the into the final set. Missouri’s star end of her time with the Tigers, freshman Mackenzy Middlebrooks, specifically her last win against would decide the fate of the afternoon. Alabama, fondly. Following the Trailing in her third set against Alabama game, she was optimistic
We had 42 people make pledges [totaling] over $56 million, a significant amount of money. The rest of it is based on the revenue of the premium seating; 70% of it is what I think the number is. It allows us to build something that’s needed. It not only helps the football program, but I was just over in the [Missouri Athletics Training Complex] where now the weight room, the locker rooms, medical training area are not as impacted with the 150 guys that were in there. Now they’re over in the South End Zone. Track and field, baseball, softball, all those sports can access it more and utilize it more. So it’s been beneficial for not only football, it’s benefitted the entire department. What’s next for renovations or new facilities? We’ve met with each of the coaches. [With] baseball, we’ve had artificial [turf] in the infield, we need to do the outfield. We need a hitting facility, a larger space for that where they can take infield too. Softball, they need a hitting facility. Track and field, we need to renovate the track. The cross country course, it’s really going to be great … Indoor tennis, the Green Tennis Center, I thought when we had the snowfall last year it was going to collapse. It stayed up, but it desperately needs to be replaced. We’ve been talking to some community leaders about how we might be able to do that and tag team it. Boy, the list goes on and on. We have over $100 million of facility needs that are high priority for all our 20 sports. Those are the things that we’re tackling. Basketball, we received a $2.5 million anonymous gift as a challenge to renovate the locker rooms and medical training area down below. Each sport we can go through
about the future. “We were hopeful we could win a couple of those and get into the [NCAA] Tournament,” Santos said. “I remember that was an awesome feeling.” Santos fell in the first round of the NCAA Doubles Tournament to California’s top duo. Santos and her partner, Amina Ismail, were the first Tiger pairing to reach the tournament since 2003. “We had gigantic pride in being Mizzou Tigers,” Santos said. “We wanted to leave it all out there and guide our freshmen for years to come.” Some of those freshmen Santos is referring to, now seniors, are no longer with Missouri’s program. Both Middlebrooks and Schroeder transferred to Clemson following two seasons without an SEC win for the Tigers. Despite it all, Raley has high hopes for this year’s squad. “The positive thing about the team this year is that it is a really great
Missouri’s Director of Athletics Jim Sterk. | COURTESY OF MIZZOU ATHLETICS
and there’s some stuff that coaches need to compete at the highest level. Our goal is to be in the top 25 in each of our programs, and each of the coaches want to do that as well. Missouri’s volleyball team is currently ranked No. 21 in the country. What have you seen from the new coaching staff there? It’ll be fun, they’re finally playing here so I’ll get to see them. I haven’t been able to see them play. They have a renovated Hearnes [Center], so they’re really excited about it. There’s a new floor there and video board just since last season. They were playing on Sport Court last year as it flooded, so they’re really excited. [Coaches] Josh [Taylor] and Molly [Taylor are a] great team. They’ve been with the program for three years already and Molly played here, so I think it’s a seamless move forward. Wayne and Susan [Kreklow] did a great job, created a great culture, and I think they can continue to build it and elevate that. Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater
group of girls: they're really hardworking ...They're resilient,” Raley said. “They’ll definitely bounce back from what turned out to be a tough season for them last year.” Some of Raley’s most cherished moments from her time on the team include blasting music in the locker room and bus ride dance parties. She knows the leaders of the 20192020 team will help create similar memories for the younger girls. Raley and Santos remember the thrill of victory. Both believe it is time for the spark of an SEC win to reignite the Missouri tennis locker room. Both know this team has what it takes to get back in the win column. “I know myself and a couple of other alums are really looking forward to seeing the team go back to where we left it and even better,” Santos said. “There’s a lot of ground to cover and a lot of work to be done at Missouri tennis.” Edited by Emily Leiker eleiker@themaneater.com
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