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NEWS

News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

(Caio Gomes/The Penn) Chancellor Daniel Greenstein held a virtual forum to all members of IUP Oct. 2 in order to chat, get-to-know and talk about upcoming happenings on campus.

Enrollment, state funding headline Greenstein’s visit to IUP CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) Chancellor Daniel Greenstein held a virtual forum open to all members of IUP community from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Oct. 2 via Zoom.

Greenstein is responsible for the administration of the system as a whole. IUP’s President Michael Driscoll and Department Chancellor Randy Goins Jr., an IUP alumnus, were also part of the forum.

The opening remarks were kept short. Goins explained the logistics of Zoom, and Greenstein thanked all for attending and commended President Driscoll for his work at IUP. Within 15 minutes, they opened the floor for questions.

Most of the questions were regarding the same issue: the well-known struggle with enrollment PASSHE has been facing.

According to Greenstein, many people blame the decline in number of high school graduates in Pennsylvania as one of the causes

News

(Caio Gomes) Chancellor Greenstein shared a presentation to help the members of the forum understand affordability advantage. for low enrollment.

“A lot of people point to the number of Pennsylvania students leaving high school and going to college make about 80 or 90 percent of our enrollments—not quite as high in Indiana [but in the system overall],” he said. “We are getting toward, or at the bottom, of a prolonged decline.”

Instead, Greenstein believes the lack of state support and the critical financial situation that is

faced by the PASSHE is the real reason for the decline in enrollment. He said that Pennsylvania ranks 47th in the nation when it comes to state funding, and as funding from the state declines, the system has to raise the tuition on the students. Thus, this is causing enrollment to decline.

In a graphic shown during the forum, it is evident that in 2009, the average cost of attendance for a Pennsylvania public univer-

October 7, 2020

sity was $12,677, and $21,431 for a private university. Meanwhile in 2018, the average cost for a PA public university was $20,270 (an increase of 59.9 percent) and $22,939 (an increase of 7 percent) for a private university.

Greenstein believes that the decreasing difference in prices between private and public institutions has caused many students to choose attending a private university instead.

However, he does not have low expectations. Instead, he is optimistic when it comes to PASSHE’s future. He believes that the new strategies to make the system more inclusive will help stabilizing the enrollment.

“The number of people who are looking for traditional residentially based education is shrinking, and the people who want that type of education, they really want it, so we should continue to offer it,” he said.

Greenstein also said that there are other students who want a different type of higher education.

“They need our help,” he said.

“They don’t want that traditional residentially based education.

They want online offerings or

maybe hybrid style education.

Or maybe they don’t want degrees, they want short courses.

They want certificates.”

He then turns to the system’s mission to serve all Pennsylvanians who need higher education and said, “shouldn’t we serve those students too?”

When asked if the integration between three pairs of state universities (California with Clarion, Edinboro with Slippery Rock, and Lock Haven with Mansfield) was one of the ways PASSHE was trying to tackle this mission of serving all needs, Greenstein said yes.

He believes that this integration would be a way for the system as a whole to serve all needs, lowering the costs placed upon PASSHE. He believes costs wouldn’t have been much if the system decided to make all 14 schools independently fulfill all their needs.

Greenstein ended the forum by alleviating student’s fears regarding closures in the system.

“Closure is not a reality,” he said. “The quickest way to exhaust our funds is closing a school.”

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October 7, 2020

News

Jamie Martin (left) and Kathryn Morton (right) both answered questions at the APSCUF meeting Sept. 30.

(APSCUF – Emily Loose/The Penn)

Concerns of retrenchment worry faculty, staff, students EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The threat of faculty loss is on the rise for schools in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) as retrenchment is on the rise, and it’s no different for IUP. Other schools seeing retrenchment include California University of Pennsylvania, Clarion and Edinboro.

Members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties (APSCUF) held a “town hall-like” meeting 3 to 4 p.m., Sept 30, via Zoom, to give students a better understanding of what retrenchment entails. It was exclusive to students and student journalists so that they could “have their voices heard.”

There were approximately 30 students and APSCUF members at the event.

“It's a person being dismissed from their position due to no fault of their own,” Jamie Martin, president of APSCUF, said in regard to the meaning of retrenchment Martin taught in the criminology department at IUP for over 20 years. During the meeting, she answered student questions and explained what could ensue if retrenchment does take place and why it was happening.

Chancellor Daniel Greenstein wanted all PASSHE schools to return to faculty-student ratios of the 2010-11 academic year. To get to this goal, schools must cut

professors because of the lower student enrollment.

As a result, IUP may need to cut approximately 120 professors.

“We never had a situation before that had the number of letters and reductions that they are talking about going out,” Martin said.

The current student to faculty ratio at IUP is 14 to 1, but with the possibility of retrenchment, those numbers could change to 20 to 1.

Though this might not seem like too much of a difference, she said it would make a lot of areas of learning more difficult, including getting to know students better. This could make receiving letters of recommendation even harder.

According to Martin, the 201011 year was chosen because it was the highest point in ratio and enrollment.

Kimberly F., a student from Edinboro, had just listened to Greenstein speak at her school earlier that day. She told the meeting that Greenstein had no concern about the difference in ratio. She asked Martin her opinions on his disconcert.

“There absolutely is a difference,” she said. “Some classes need to be smaller for accreditation.”

Some examples include nursing classes, which include certain specialties and testing.

Emma McNeely, also of Edinboro, asked “What has

been done to work against retrenchment?”

Though there is very little that can be done because there is no telling who will be cut, Martin said that professors and administrations were trying to work together. This included seeing what other areas professors could be put in so that they could keep their jobs.

This would still prove difficult, however, since a ratio must be met.

Even though the main cause behind retrenchment is ratios, money was also a possible factor.

Nikki Hewitt of West Chester asked Martin how tuition would be affected. She said that PASSHE schools are already in the closest percentile for education funding.

More information about funding can be found at papromise. org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06 As to when retrenchment will begin, professors do not start learning whether or not they are being retrenched until Oct. 30. Letters will be sent to the retrenched tenured professors that day, and others being sent out throughout the rest of the academic year.

Another concern brought up amid retrenchment was Greenstein’s plan on merging schools together for certain programs.

Martin was asked if his announcement on this was premature.

“Premature doesn't capture how problematic that announcement was,” she said.

Sean Crampsie, director of government relations at APSCUF, said there are many steps that need to be taken before merging between schools could take place.

“All those press releases were a piece of paper,” he said. “It does not change anything.”

In order for merging to be possible, Greenstein would need to present a proposal to the PASSHE Board of Governors and receive a majority vote in his favor.

The members of APSCUF said they hope that the board will be careful and see issues with this plan if it were to happen.

Martin said that both merging and retrenchment were important for all students, even those who will be graduating soon.

Retrenchment could mean full departments being taken away because it was not certain that retrenchment would be spread evenly across departments.

Cheyney student Amir Curry saw this happen to him personally when the school lost its political science department.

“Consider your younger classmates and what would happen to them if they declare a major and then in a year it's gone,” Martin said.

Even if there are very little answers, there are still ways that students can help advocate for their professors.

APSCUF’s Communication Director Kathryn Morton provided students with information regarding future board meetings, which are open to all.

She also said that student journalists could write letters to the editor.

“I understand that you have to cover all angles, but objective coverage is so helpful to us,” she said.

If needed, Morton said she could provide them with more information in the future regarding APSCUF and retrenchment.

She said that APSCUF’s website also has a Google form for those who were PASSHE students during the 2010-11 year. It is for them to provide feedback in regard to how class sizes affected their learning.

However, the most important thing is to cover faculty when reporting.

“If you hear about faculty events, just cover it and pay attention,” she said.

By covering the events, it could bring more attention to their dilemma and get others outside of the school more involved.

Martin said that the students at the effected schools deserved more chances and were being cheated from opportunities that others schools had.

“I don’t see why all of you are less deserving of smaller classes like Pitt or Temple,” she said. “I don’t see why you are undeserving of the same potential.”

Despite the many questions without answers, the members of APSCUF told students to remain alert.

The next PASSHE Board of Governors meeting will take place Oct. 14.

October 7, 2020

News

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Career expo, graduate fair goes virtual this year EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Even in the midst of uncertainty, finding a career is still possible.

This semester, IUP’s Career and Graduate Fair went virtual due to COVID-19. To be included at the event, both students and representatives were to register through Handshake, a website that helps students find jobs and internships.

The event was held Sept. 30 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. If in-person, the event would have been held at the Kovalchick Center.

According to the event’s web page on Handshake, the goal is to offer employers a chance “to speak with candidates, discuss their organizations and conduct brief interviews.”

Students were still asked to be prepared for the event as if it were in-person. This includes dressing in business clothing.

Jan Shellenbarger, the coordinator at the Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC), helped put the event together. She has helped coordinate the career fair since 2009. This year, she worked with CPDC Assistant Director of Employer Engagement Kevin Fleck on the event.

Shellenbarger said that despite a smaller group of organizations, the fair was a success.

“It was a very decent number of representatives who were interested in speaking to IUP students,” she said.

The virtual meetings provided students both opportunities to have sessions one-on-one and in group settings.

There was an array of different companies at the fair such as Amazon, The Peace Corps and PNC. Many of the administration and employers have been part of prior fairs. This includes IUP’s Graduate Admissions program represented by Amber Dworek, the director of the program.

Another representative at the event was Susan Staub, a coordinator at Clarion’s Graduate Admissions program. She said that providing virtual fairs helps universities keep students ahead of track.

“Virtual fairs allow students to narrow their job searches to employers and schools they are interested in applying to,” she said.

Staub also said there were negative sides to students meeting potential employers virtually, including the intimate connection that is

(Facebook) This year, IUP’s Homecoming is a little different than in years past, but it is still a week full of pride.

Homecoming at IUP looks different in 2020 (Facebook) A career fair can help find future employers. made from face-to-face meetings.

Because the fair was virtual, students may have had difficulty knowing what to expect. To help ease their stress, Jill Thomas created a video to help students understand how to still keep a professional look and attitude even if there was no face-to-face contact.

The video is called “How to Rock a Virtual Career Fair” and can be found on YouTube at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=Wm02J54wfLc&feature=youtu.be. Thomas is a representative from Enterprise Rent a Car. In the video, Thomas gives students tips on assessing themselves before the fair so that they know what they are looking for. She also reminds students about the importance of their “elevator speech.”

“How you’d want to tailor this for the career fair is to cover why you are there,” she said.

She said it is important for students to tell the companies their expected graduation dates because it shows whether they are looking for a job or internship.

Shellenbarger said one of the most helpful parts to this year’s event was their work with Handshake.

“Handshake put together a comprehensive virtual career fair package in a very short period of time in response to the COVID crisis.”

The website even provided both organizations and students with ways to prepare themselves, similar to the way in which Thomas helped.

All IUP students have access to a Handshake account at iup.joinhandshake.com. Even if students were unable to attend the career fair, they can still get in touch with an array of employers through this account.

For more information on future career opportunities or events, contact The Career and Professional Development Center through phone at (724) 357-2235 or by email at career-development@iup.edu.

RACHEL FOOR Staff Writer myjv@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Homecoming at IUP will be different this year as the festivities go virtual until Oct. 10.

“We, the Homecoming Committee, know many people look forward to IUP Homecoming experience each year,” Sara Lawer, director of alumni relations at IUP said. “We wanted to keep some of the traditional programs alive, while infusing new programs.

“Knowing that in-person was not possible, Zoom, Twitch, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram are all playing important roles in this year's program.”

Although traditional events such as football games and the homecoming parade have been canceled due to the pandemic, virtual sessions open to the community have been planned. This includes video footage of past parades that will be shown on IUP’s social media channels on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m., which is when the cannon has started the parade in previous years on Philadelphia Street. The video montage will revisit the parades from the last 50 years set to the music of the IUP Marching Band.

“The biggest difference would have to be the virtual presence of our programs on all fronts for both students as well as alumni,” Lawer said. “In the past, Homecoming has been an in-person experience, (i.e. the parade, the football game, the Homecoming concert), which was not feasible right now.”

A virtual show titled “Coach’s Show Special: IUP Homecoming” will begin at 2 p.m. following the virtual parade. This show will feature “the voice of IUP Football” Jack Benedict and former IUP football coach Frank Cignetti discussing the 2005 IUP versus Slippery Rock Homecoming game,” according to an IUP press release.

They will also talk about IUP players who participated in the win, after which the 2005 game will air.

The halftime performance will from the Oct. 3 concert by the 2020 IUP Marching Band.

Spirit Week will also be held from

Oct. 4 to 11 with themes ranging from “Throwback Thursday” to “Where Are You Now” day.

The IUP Office of Alumni and Friends will be offering “Homecoming in a Box” throughout the week.

The box includes an IUP t-shirt, mug and pom-pom among other things meant to help alumni and friends celebrate virtual homecoming. The boxes are available for $40 on the IUP website.

“Imagine IUP Homecoming Wherever You Are has afforded us the opportunity for students both in Indiana and in their hometowns, as well as alumni from around the globe to participate together virtually,” said Lawer. “It also allowed us to broaden the timeframe to a week-long celebration, instead of

just Thursday through Sunday.

“I hope that the community, students, alumni, and IUP faculty and staff can anticipate something for everyone. The Homecoming Committee put forward an extensive list worth of events for individuals to attend.”

STATIC at IUP also has a lineup of events for virtual Homecoming.

“During homecoming, STATIC will host a Netflix Watch Party featuring Hasan Minhaj’s Homecoming King on Wednesday, Oct. 7,” Zachary Clark, STATIC advisor said, “and the IUP Homecoming Concert 2020 featuring D Smoke and Flawless Real Talk on Thursday, Oct. 8.”

For a full schedule of activities and events, visit: www.iup.edu/ homecoming or www.alumni.iup.

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October 7, 2020

News

Abuse, control, are not signs of love October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month KATE POMPA Culture Editor xzgw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP October is Domestic Violence month, and it’s very important to know what organizations are here to help you in a time of need.

The Mission of the Alice Paul House (APH) is to promote awareness of domestic violence, sexual assault and victimization in our community though primary prevention and educational programs to assist and empower all victims of crime.

It is also to provide safety to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, Audia Boyles, executive director said.

These services are provided at no cost to the victim and are completely confidential.

The APH has been providing services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, other serious crimes and juvenile offenders for more than 35 years. The APH was founded March 1, 1982 by Mary J. Banks. The original shelter was run out of Mary’s own home, and from there is expanded into a great com-

Domestic violence affects 10 million men and women. prehensive shelter able to provide services to all victims.

One misconception of the APH is that they are only a women’s shelter.

Historically, the APH was originally a women’s shelter. Now that the organization has grown and has gained a lot of community support through the years, they have been able to provide free and confidential aid to many male survivors who are in need of these services.

“Over the years we’ve grown, we’ve become this comprehensive organization for the LGBTQ and

(Facebook)

trans community,” Boyles said.

“We provide individual services, safe sheltering for people over 18, we provide educational programs, we provide programming to IUP, our counselors are all masters level and provide empowerment for all people.”

When it comes to the IUP community, Boyles warns students that especially with the pandemic currently, social interaction is limited and so is the opportunity to engage with others can be a heightened experience after months of social dis-

tancing. Especially now that there is an almost primarily freshman population on campus, there is a lot if opportunity to engage in unsafe activities as your first experiences without parental engagement.

“I believe in the buddy system,” Boyles said. “IUP students should always engage in social activities with a friend, and to always have that personal pact with a friend,” Boyles said.

She later explains to always have the buddy system, if you come with a certain friend be sure to leave with that friend and maintain constant communication with your friends.

She also recommends to understand the power and control wheel therefore in order to identify toxicity in your relationship. The power and control wheel are a way to gauge your sexual or intimate partners interactions with you. It is broken up into eight sections, all defining possible toxic behaviors someone may have.

For example, one of the sections is listed as “using coercion and threats’ and is defined as making and/or carrying out threats to do something to hurt you, which is broken down into instances such as threatening to leave or commit suicide or making one do illegal things for the offenders personal/ sexual gain.

Being able to actively engage in this wheel will help you form healthy and loving relationships, while also being able to identify toxicity within one’s personal relationships.

As the executive director of the APH, Boyles commends her staff.

“The thing I am proud of most is my staff,” she said. “I have the most committed, dedicated, and knowledgeable staff. Their skill level and knowledge of victimization, the compensation system, and paraprofessional, along with crisis information is outstanding.

“I am very privileged to work with the people who call me their director. I have a board who has been unwavering in our services and help us get some positive press

out there for all the services we provide.”

The APH provides counseling advocacy, where counselors use a non-therapeutic approach involving acknowledging, active listening and empathy of the victim/survivors reality as they are experiencing it.

Education advocacy is where they provide strategies to prevent victimization by focusing on conditions that reduce violence.

Shelter advocacy is a 24-hour service where they provide a crisis hotline that is 24 hours, 365 days a year with holidays included.

Through this, they are able to provide safety planning which serves as a primary intervention tool when working with victims/survivors. It also provides on-call advocacy that offers victims and survivors with a skilled advocate to respond to legal, medical and other various concerns.

The APH provides emergency shelter, which is specialized to short-term emergency shelter and victimization support services. They are available to victims of any age.

Victim advocacy is also offered at the APH. Some of the services provided are legal advocacy where they provide in person, non-judgmental support in a legal setting. The APH will also help with obtaining Protection from Abuse Orders (PFA), which offers a protective “relief” to victims and children for up to three years.

Along with PFA’s, the victim advocacy will also provide victims with the right tools to obtain Sexual Violence Protection Orders (SVPO)/Protections from Intimidation (PFI). They will also be able to provide medical advocacy to provide necessary information about the medical system when making critical decisions.

“You’ve already weathered the toughest,” Boyles said. “Reaching out to us can only help you from the rain, and the brightest skies are ahead.”

The Alice Paul House 24/7 crisis number is (724) 349-4444, and to find any additional information that may help you in your situation is found at alicepaulhouse.org/.

October 7, 2020

News

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Be a WW Teaching Fellow The 1987 march on Washington for LGBTQ+ rights.

(ABC News)

October marks 32 years of first NCOD for LGBTQ+ MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

National Coming Out Day (NCOD) celebrates the anniversary of the March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. Half a million people participated in the march Oct. 11, 1987, according to this article by National Today: https://nationaltoday.com/ national-coming-out-day/.

Though, that was actually the second National March on Washington for Gay and Lesbian Rights. The first one took place in 1979, though with many fewer participants, according to the American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/pi/ lgbt/resources/coming-out-day.

During the months following the march, a group of LGBTQ+ people wanted to commemorate it. Rob Eichberg and Jean O’Leary were the ones who came up with the idea of NCOD. Pennsylvania-born artist and activist Keith Haring created the first logo for NCOD in 1988.

More recently, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) has become a de facto sponsor of NCOD, as it has chosen a “theme” for NCOD for the past 15 years. The first theme came in 1999, “Come Out to Congress.”

“Coming out” or “coming out of the closet” refers to the act of an LGBTQ+ person informing the people around them that they are part of the LGBTQ+ community. Contrary to popular belief, “coming out” is not a singular action. Rather, LGBTQ+ people often “come out” innumerable times throughout their lives.

The reason why they have to “come out” is because the vast majority of the world assumes that every person isn’t LGBTQ+ unless otherwise stated. That view of the world is often

called “heteronormativity.”

The goal of NCOD isn’t so much to pressure LGBTQ+ people to “come out” as it is to raise awareness for the prevailing problem of heteronormativity.

It’s also important to know that LGBTQ+ people who don’t “come out” aren’t necessarily “ashamed” of their identity. Sometimes, they live in environments that would make it dangerous to “come out.”

Another thing to note is that it can be dangerous, or at the very least disrespectful, to “out” someone. If an LGBTQ+ friend of yours doesn’t want someone to know that they’re LGBTQ+, don’t take it upon yourself to tell that person. Respect the boundaries of LGBTQ+ people.

Harassing celebrities to “come out” is also incredibly disrespectful. Coming out, especially when you’re already in the public eye, usually has more to do with coming to terms with your identity than it does “keeping a secret” from the public.

A good way to show your support if someone comes out to you is to thank that person for trusting you. Don’t tell them that you “already knew” or that it was “obvious.” That just goes to show that you fall prey to rampant stereotyping – and as much as you’d like to think otherwise, “gay-dar” isn’t a real thing.

Finally, if you are an LGBTQ+ person, do not feel pressured to “come out” Sunday. Your safety and comfort are worth way more than that.

If you or someone you know are in need of assistance, IUP’s Safe Zone Program is here to help. You can learn more about the Safe Zone at iup.edu/safezone/.

The Counseling Center can be reached via email, counseling-center@iup.edu, or by phone, (724) 357-2621.

Have a safe and joyous National Coming Out Day.

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October 7, 2020

News

(Heather Bair – Caio Gomes/The Penn) Casa Jalisco opened its doors in downtown Indiana and has already seen many customers wanting good food and a place to be with friends and family.

Two is company, three is a party Third Mexican restaurant opens in Indiana despite pandemic CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Casa Jalisco, located on Philadelphia Street just a few blocks away from El Tesoro, is the third Mexican restaurant to open in Indiana.

There is tendency to believe that there will be more to come, which is most likely due to the growth of the Hispanic population in the U.S. The Pew Research Center reported that Latinos accounted for about 52 percent of all U.S. population growth between 2010 and 2019.

IUP is also a driving factor attracting Mexican restaurants to town. According to a federal study by the Institute of Education Sciences, 28 percent of Latinos who graduate high school enroll in public 4-year universities.

A percentage significantly higher than the 10 percent that enrolls in private 4-year institutions.

This raises the question, can a restaurant that already has established competition open amidst a global pandemic and still be successful?”

Casa Jalisco says yes.

Despite some rumors going around, masks are required by

both customers and employees in order to enter in this new restaurant.

Taking the recommended safety measures is probably one of the reasons why, despite opening in mid-September, the new Mexican restaurant has been enjoying a couple of busy nights since its grand opening. This came as a relief to the owners who were rather worried about how COVID-19 would impact their inauguration.

“It was a big challenge,” Armando Saldana, one of the owners, said. “We questioned ourselves, but we decided to go through [with the opening] and open slowly. One step at the time.”

On the other hand, the competition did not scare them off.

“I am friends with the owner

of Tres Amigos,” Saldana said.

“This is one of the reasons why I chose this location. I know him, and I already knew the owner of this building, which was also a

Mexican restaurant.”

Students seem to agree that the competition should not be a worrying factor for Casa Jalisco.

“I think both [Casa Jalisco and Tres Amigos] serve different purposes,” Kendall Gomez (freshman, international relations) said.

“At Tres Amigos, you can defi-

nitely get more food for a slightly better price, so if you just want to go out and eat a lot that’s where you’ll probably go.”

However, if you are looking for more authentic Hispanic food, Gomez said you are better off going to Casa Jalisco.

Authenticity is indeed one of Casa Jalisco’s strongest qualities. The restaurant is decorated with paintings and colorful “Sol Cerveza” flags.

Adding to that are the wooden chairs and upside-down glasses decoration in the bar area. It is a perfect replica of iconic Mexican-style pubs. The song-selection also fitted well with the concept, as only traditional music has been played in the background.

Opening such an authentic restaurant in a place like Indiana was definitely a risky move since this style of restaurant is more so

popular in border states such as Texas, Nevada and New Mexico.

“This is definitely one of our most authentic restaurants around,” Ulysses “Uly” Saldana, one of the servers and the owner’s nephew, said. “We have some other restaurants [in Pennsylvania] that are more-or-less fast-food like, and we only serve tacos there, but here we wanted to serve more traditional food.”

He then adds that despite the growth of the Hispanic population in Pennsylvania, Latinos still aren’t the predominant population in the state. This is why they had to do some adaptations.

“Of course, we can’t be 100 percent authentic because there aren’t that many Latinos around, and not many non-Hispanics are willing to try out new food that to them might sound strange,” he said. “So, we had to do some adaptations. Add some of the things that we know are popular and take some that we know are not.”

If you are interested in having an authentic experience for a moderate price, Casa Jalisco is your place to go. The staff has recommended to go on a Tuesday night because it’s when they have their taco special—only $1.25 a piece.

News

October 7, 2020

9

Opinion

Masking up could save lives, prevent spread of COVID-19 President Donald Trump has COVID-19. Let that sink in for a second, our country’s top position has tested positive for COVID-19.

This is a tragic time for our country and our president whether you love him or hate him.

Trump now enters a list of foreign leaders and politicians including President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson to test positive.

The positive test is not just a case of Trump unfortunately contracting the virus. This is a case of wearing a mask, something that many have downplayed for too long.

Many people speculate that the reason he did test positive was because of his advisor Hope Hicks. She had symptoms of COVID-19 and tested positive. It is believed that President Trump was not wearing a mask when he was in communication with Hicks, which led to his positive test.

There have been a couple events that Trump and his staff have been in the last 12 days as well. One of them has infected at least eight people in Washington. That being the supreme court nomination ceremony for Amy Coney Barrett from Sept. 26.

From a picture taken by the Associated Press, it shows an angle that shows the first five rows of this event. There was zero social distancing and five people out of 73 people wore a mask.

That means seven percent of the people followed one Center for Disease Control (CDC) guideline.

Here we are now. Our president was in the hospital battling a pandemic that we still do not have a cure for and still are possibly months away from finding.

He was released Monday and will continue treatment in the White House.

Some will say it is karma, but this is a virus that many would not wish their worst enemy had.

He will probably want to go back to the debate and what transpired from it when talking about the virus. Trump constantly was at odds with former Vice President Joe Biden the whole

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(Steven Langdon Jr./The Penn) Wearing a mask is not only quick and easy, but it plays a pivotal role in staying safe from COVID-19. night, but now many of the news outlets are using his words against him.

"I don't wear face masks like him," Trump said. "Every time you see him he's got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away ... and he shows up with the biggest mask I've ever seen."

Trump also mocked Biden for holding smaller crowds at rallies saying “because no one wants to hear him speak.” This is referring to the difference between the two during the campaign trail.

There was a rally held outdoors with about 5,000 people in Freeland, Michigan Sept. 10 for Trump. There was visually zero social distancing by supporters.

Biden, however, had a rally in which people had to stay in their cars in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The reason why Biden was holding smaller rallies was because of the pandemic. He wanted to make sure that supporters at them would not become another statistic.

Trump has gone back and

forth between saying people should or should not wear a mask. He has not made it mandatory for people at his events to wear one either.

Wearing a mask should not be a political thing. Why did it become political, because our president made it political. Now look at him, this is the man who has battled back and forth with the CDC against wearing a mask.

This has taught us an important lesson. If a person who routinely gets tested tests positive then why can’t you.

New information has come out about what transpired before the debate as well. Trump and his family were not tested prior to him going on the stage Sept.

29. He arrived late and would not get the results in time.

"Tonight is an example,” said President Trump. “Everyone has had a test and you've had social distancing and all of the things that you have to.”

One of the many lies said at the debate. Once again, it does

October 7, 2020

not matter who you support, but this does show the gross incompetence, which has landed him in the spot he is now.

This is a big hit at the election coming up Nov. 3. Trump’s claims that he is in better shape to run the country and that Biden is too weak is now something to think about more.

Biden has so far tested negative in every test he has taken. If he remains to test negative up to the election then it will be interesting how the undecided voters react to Trump’s health.

Once again, this is a horrendous thing to happen to anyone.

The reports on the health of the president have been mixed.

There was little information said during the first 24 hours.

Now we wait with less than 30 days til the election. How do voters handle this news? Will Biden test positive? If so what happens?

These are questions that are circulating the minds of millions of voters. For those who say masks do not help, or say they should not wear them because they take away their freedom, here are some statistics released by the CDC. There have been over 200,000 people who have died in this country. They predict over 350,000 will die by the end of the year. The CDC did say though that if 95 percent of the U.S. wears a mask that 95,000 or more people will be saved.

We are 27 days away from the election. There are 12 days before registration is over. If you can vote then vote. It does not matter who you are for or against. The most important thing that we could do now is listen to the protocol, and wear your mask.

They are not for just my health, they are for yours as well. Do you want to become another statistic? Ask yourself that question the next time you decide whether or not to wear your mask.

Brought to you by: The Penn Staff Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Katelin Pompa – xzgw@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

(Marty Weaver/The Penn)

The IUP marching band getting ready to perform Saturday at George P. Miller Stadium.

IUP marching band performs concert in Miller Stadium MARTY WEAVER Staff Writer zglz@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP’s marching band, The Legend, performed a Homecoming 2020 show at 3 p.m. Saturday in George P. Miller Stadium.

The show was live streamed on IUP’s Facebook and YouTube pages, the latter of which saw around 400 viewers at the time.

The stream began with a prerecorded video of the marching band director, Dr. David Martynuik, discussing how the band adapted to COVID-19.

“Every play from my usual book of band directing is shot, so everything’s a challenge this year,” Martynuik said. “However, given the challenges of this year, it was fun to write drills with the limitations that follow the social distancing guidelines.”

Normally, marching band shows are 8 minutes, but it seemed silly to livestream only 8 minutes, he said. So, he designed a show with “marching elements” to be more of a “collage-style” program.

Culture

“Hopefully, at the end of the 40 minutes, people just enjoy the fact that music can make them feel good,” Martynuik said.

The stream also featured two assisting officers from the band. “...[In] a lot of our drill[s], we’re spaced out a lot more than we’re used to, certain drill moves that are kind of staples in the band haven’t really been used this year because… [we’re] abiding by CDC guidelines, but it’s obviously better than not being able to have band at all,” Isaiah Buzdygon (music) said.

“The things I’m most looking forward to for the performance is definitely to play ‘Amazing Grace’ at the end,” Mikayla Vangelo (music) said.

“Obviously, to be able to be on the field and perform in general is exciting, but to play ‘Amazing Grace’ for pretty much our last time” After the video, the stream cut back to the field, where the band came marching into a simple drumbeat. Every member of the band and color guard wore a mask onto the field.

The structure of the show

was more like a concert than a traditional marching band show.

Martynuik spoke at a microphone before every song to introduce the new pieces.

“The music and drill are deliberately retro,” Martynuik said after the opening statements.

The first piece was a traditional march, “Orange Bowl” by Henry Fillmore. While introducing the next two pieces, Martynuik made an interesting analogy.

“The show for today was planned much the way you might plan the menu for a family reunion picnic, where everybody brings their favorite dish, and somehow, they all go together, probably because the various dishes are comfort food,” he said. “Comfort food is just that: it provides comfort, a reminiscence or nostalgia for good times.

Music has that same power, perhaps even a greater power to connect us, especially in ways that make us nostalgic for friends and past events.

“So, sit back, relax and enjoy our presentation today” Next came “The Star-Spangled Banner” followed by the first

October 7, 2020

movement of “Symphony in C” by Igor Stravinsky. Then came “Marietta’s Lied” by Erich Korngold; afterwards, the drumline performed a solo piece. All members of drumline wore masks for the duration of the show.

The drumline marched to the front of the field, and after the solo, some members took their places behind a set of steel drums.

“As I mentioned earlier, part of today’s program is to provide some comfortable, feel-good feelings, and it’s tough not to be in a good mood when you’re listening to steel drums,” Martynuik said.

With that, he introduced Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” featuring the Steel Band, which was directed by Dr. Michael King.

Martynuik introduced the next piece with a look into the future of the band. Since 2020 is the 99th anniversary of The Legend, next year will be its centennial.

“In conjunction with the alumni office, we will be hosting the 100th anniversary celebration of the IUP marching band,” he said.

More than 650 former marching band members and guests attended some or all of the events

for the 95th celebration in 2016, according to Martynuik.

After that notification, Martynuik introduced “Land of Make Believe” by Chuck Mangione, which he called “the perfect selection for music that makes you feel good and brings a sense of nostalgia.”

And bringing up the rear was a song that “needs no introduction, as it is the official IUP fight song,” Martynuik said.

The band performed a rousing rendition of “Hail Indiana,” complete with some of the marching band members singing to accompany the instrumental.

And before introducing the final piece, “Amazing Grace,” Martynuik had some favors to ask of the audience, including not to crowd the field after the show and to allow 30 minutes before meeting up with students to reduce crowd sizes and limit contact.

When the band finished the traditional hymn, Martynuik took to the microphone one last time amid cheers from the stadium.

“It is, was and ever shall be The Legend.”

Play on, The Legend.

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October 7, 2020

Culture

STATIC presents “Family Feud” via Zoom

The IUP community getting their game on during Family Feud Thursday.

JULIA ROBINS Staff Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Student Activity Committee (STATIC) hosted a Family Feud event for IUP students to compete against each other on Oct. 1.

The event was hosted by Zachary Clark, the director of Student Activities and Assessment for the Student Cooperative Association.

The “families” were groups of IUP friends. They competing included DaBoys, Harvey, Jamie Gang, Locust, Proud, SAHE and Sith.

The prizes usually consist of money. IUP’s survey questions were created by STATIC in Fall 2019 after surveying 250 students. This year, the survey was repeated, and for every new answer submitted, an old response was deleted.

In the first round, DaBoy’s won against the SAHE family with 129 points. They excelled in the rounds “what is something a female student carries in their purse?” and “why do IUP students skip class?”

The most common answer as to why students skipped class involved students being hungover or intoxicated. Interesting and somewhat concerning is that DaBoy’s answer for “something you do to avoid writing a paper,” in which “dying”

was on the leaderboard. Clark awkthey have never had a day in their “what IUP students look for in a wardly suggested that those who life?” Instead, the common answers relationship.” Being funny, having answered “die” should get help. were car accidents, cigarettes and a good personality and honesty Those who won the first round traffic tickets. where the top answers, which not only received scored signifievent tickets and cantly higher $5 Sheetz gift than hotness or cards, but they body shape. also moved forThe Locust ward to compete family did in the Fast Money good in their round.

Fast Money In the Fast round, winning Money round, with food and one student had cologne for to leave the room “dogs sniff to try to answer people, people new responses sniff,” and hand that their teamand phone for mates did not an“oh no, I just swer before. If the sat on that team earned 200 person’s…”

(Julia Robins/The Penn) points, everyone “Popular The results from “what do you look for in a relationship?” in that team would cartoon shows win $50 Co-Op store gift cards.

It was evident that IUP students from the 90s” and “what do you do What became an issue was that struggle with geography. For every night before bed” were also some answers were so unique that “a state that doesn’t get many questions they did well in. they were not on the leaderboard. tourists,” guesses where Ohio and The final round was the Harvey For instance, the Proud family South Dakota despite their famous family versus the Proud family. Destruggled to come up with anattractions of Cleveland and Mount spite some connection issues, the swers that the student body would Rushmore.

Harvey family won the first round have answered. For “something a Additionally, McDonald’s ended and the follow-up Fast Money woman might hide in her bra,” their up being on the leaderboard for round. submission was a taser. This was not “most popular place to eat on The Harvey family closed the on the leaderboard, and neither campus” despite there not being a night with 241 points, earning them was “coronavirus” or “jail time” for McDonalds on campus. the $50 gift cards. They did well the question, “what do people brag A more serious question was with “something you do at your car

(Julia Robins/The Penn) at a red light,” “something men think they know more about than women,” and “occupation where lots of people have tattoos.”

The evening carried a humorous vibe being that it was less about competition for the money as it was about working as a team and having a great time. Cheers and laughter could be heard many doors down in the residence halls, mostly due to the rather interesting questions.

Many of the answers contained responses of sexual subjects and actions, and quite a few were on the leaderboard. Some of the questions such as “things that are a foot long,” “something people give up but still secretly do,” and “things to do before bed.” Clark pointed out that like it or not, this is part of college culture.

“You have to remember that this was a massive survey that was conducted with IUP students by IUP students,” Clark said. “There is a real reason why we say viewer discretion is advised. [Sex] is part of the student experience.”

The first Family Feud was held in fall 2019 and again in that spring.

STATIC is planning for another Family Feud to happen in spring but they are still unsure if they should be planning for in-person or virtual events.

Follow STATIC’s twitter for more.

Culture

October 7, 2020

Netflix released new show ‘Emily in Paris’ MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer M.Donny@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

“Emily in Paris,” a new Netflix show created by Darren Star featuring Lily Collins, is perfect for anyone interested in traveling abroad.

The show revolves around Emily, played by Lily Collins, who is from Chicago. She gets the opportunity to travel to Paris for a year for a new position at her marketing firm.

Emily leaves behind her boyfriend and her life in Chicago and travels to Paris without any knowledge of the French language.

She immediately faces many challenges as an American in France. Her co-workers come off as the typical French stereotype. They are rude to her and even try to get her to go back to America. She also can’t communicate with her landlord or any of the waiters when she goes to dinner.

As the show progresses, she becomes more immersed in French life and culture. She begins to learn the language, and by the sixth episode, her French speaking is already at the

level of a French 3 college student.

Darren Star used his own experiences from living in Paris for a small amount of time and spoke beginner French, and he used them to put himself into Emily’s shoes.

Personally, this show reminds me of “The Carrie Diaries,” which follows the life of a girl in a new job navigating a huge city. Star is the creator of “Sex and the City,” so it’s no wonder people have been noticing the similarities.

“It is a love story about Paris,” he said.

“Emily in Paris” has some really good humor, and the scenery is incredible. The show was actually shot all in France with an entirely French crew. The crew luckily all spoke English.

The show captures the most beautiful parts of Paris that not all tourists get to see. Though, some people have commented that the show only shows the cliché parts of Paris.

The fashion in the show does not disappoint. They dress Emily in chic, stylish clothes that are similar to Carrie Bradshaw’s style. They even

noted Bradshaw’s well-known tutu in one of Emily’s outfits.

In the show, Emily is big into social media and showing her experiences through a camera lens.

Through the episodes, you get to see her Instagram following grow until she is a full-blown Instagram influencer. She begins being courted by luxury brands as an influencer for their products. Sadly, since she is already doing social media for her marketing firm, she has to stick to only promoting the clients for her firm.

Even though the show hasn’t been renewed for a second season, the show makers and actors already have many plans for another season.

They want to really dig into the characters and give them more in-depth histories and storylines.

In the second season, Emily would be more immersed into the city and be more of a resident rather than a newcomer.

Ashley Park, who plays Emily’s best friend Mindy in Paris, is excited for the second season and hopes that her character will get a love interest in the second season.

“Emily in Paris” aired on Netflix Oct. 2.

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(Nuno_lopes/Pixabay)

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October 7, 2020

Culture

‘Avatar 3’ is nearing final days of production

(moonsword/Pixabay)

“Avatar” was first released in 2009, gardnered 2.79 billion worldwide, a record during the time.

HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

James Cameron, director of “Avatar,” has announced that both sequels are well on their way to movie theatres.

“Avatar” is a hit-film that released in 2009. It takes place in the alien world of Pandora where the Na’vi, a primitive yet highly evolved human-like beings, live.

Human and Na’vi hybrids, called Avatars, link to human minds in attempt to free the planet’s environment of poison that resulted from the colonization of humans for mining purposes.

Main character Jake Sully, played by Sam Worthington, falls in love with a Na’vi woman, played by Zoe Saldana. He must choose between following orders that will result in the destruction of Pandora or battle for the survival of their world.

Cameron recently revealed that “Avatar 2” has now finished filming, and “Avatar 3” is nearly

Visiting the cinema is a great way to spend time. finished with reportedly about 10 percent of the filming left. The two movies were being filmed simultaneously by Cameron and his crew in New Zealand.

In a video call interview with Arnold Schwarzenegger during the 2020 Austrian World Summit, Cameron admitted that they got extremely lucky with their chosen filming location.

“We’re very lucky in that we chose this as our production

(Derks24/Pixabay)

site years ago,” he said. “We made the first film here in New Zealand, and it turns out to be ranking first or second-best country in the world for its COVID-19 response.”

Despite the luck with New Zealand’s strict and effective policy response to the pandemic, filming was still affected, but Cameron remained positive. He mentioned that the coronavirus still hit the films’ progress hard,

and the director estimated that the production team lost about four and a half months of production.

Because of this critical hit on the filming process, Cameron expects to have to add yet another year to the release date of “Avatar 2.” Currently, its release date is set for Dec. 16, 2022 and “Avatar 3” is planned to be released Dec. 20, 2024.

Despite the rollback of the release date, Cameron said that he didn’t expect a break in the continuation of the filming for “Avatar 3” and does not think of it as a reason for himself and his team to slack off.

“Now that doesn’t mean I have an extra year to finish the film [Avatar 3] because the day we deliver “Avatar 2,” we’ll just start working on finishing Avatar 3,” Cameron said.

He also reported that there are possible plans for “Avatar 4” and even an “Avatar 5.”

In his interview with Schwarzenegger, Cameron refused to divulge any secrets,

spoilers or even hints about his latest films, and he was not inclined to share any of the plot points. He blamed his lack of sharing on his belief in the “mystery” and the “great reveal.”

We do know that the second film will still take place in the mystical world of Pandora and have access to early concept art, which depicts some incredible water creatures.

According to film producer Jon Landau, water will play an extremely important role in the second Avatar film.

Jake and Neytiri, the main characters from the first Avatar film, are expected to take center stage again as they grow a family.

Regardless of the first Avatar film blowing viewers’ expectations out of the water in 2009, fans are unsure about whether or not the decision to continue the story is the correct one.

Many believe that Cameron is a fantastic director, but they are uncertain about whether or not the upcoming Avatar films will only be downhill from here.

Culture

Is Apple Cider better than Pumpkin Spice?

(JillWellington/Pixabay) Apple cider and pumpkin spice are perfect for fall.

EMILY LOOSE Staff Writer e.d.loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP As the months change, so do the leaves and the seasons.

Autumn is back again, which means one controversial question also arises yet again. Which is better, apple cider or pumpkin spice?

Coffee shops and cafes across the nation are bringing both beverages back, and social media photos feature both.

Overall, however, Pumpkin Spice Lattes have been more prominently featured thanks to Starbucks and their promotions of the drink.

Although, some may argue that people buy the lattes due to the fad more than the flavor.

To get a better understanding of what people really think based on taste, students at IUP provided their own answers. The results showed apple cider may actually be more popular.

Amber Uranker (sophomore, journalism) said she is annoyed by the trend of pumpkin spice. It is something she said she sees everyone order when going to a coffee shop.

“Apple cider is better,” she said.

“Pumpkin Spice has become such a huge thing that I hate even ordering one. Plus, they aren’t even that good.”

Alicia Smail (junior, biology) agreed that apple cider was better, but did not rule out pumpkin entirely.

“Pumpkin is good in pastries, but the beverages are gross,” she said.

With a similar perspective, Brooke Ippolito (sophomore, English) said apple cider was more

functional overall and gave a better autumn feeling than pumpkin spice drinks. She believes apple cider is better, and pumpkin spice is only good with real pumpkin “It’s good warm or cold, and really feels like fall and home to me,” she said. “Pumpkin spice is okay, but it tastes very artificial.”

Christyn Beichner (junior, hospitality management) also had a problem with the artificial quality of pumpkin spice. For her, the taste of real pumpkin was completely different.

“Apple cider is better,” she said.

“Pumpkin spice is only good with real pumpkin, which the lattes are definitely not.”

Yet again, Madison Weakland (sophomore, nursing) said it was an easy choice.

“The hype given to pumpkin spice was too strong,” she said.

“I do not understand why it ever became a big deal.”

Weakland definitely prefers apple cider.

“It doesn’t get the attention it deserves,” she said.

Even though a majority of students seem to prefer apple cider, the trends of pumpkin spice do not appear to be ending any time soon.

Finding as many places that sell apple cider or apple flavored beverages is more difficult than that of pumpkin spice, but those searching for cider can always find it at a local grocery store.

If one wants the benefits of coffee and apple, some places do combine them. This includes Sheetz and their Caramel Apple Butter line that came out in September.

Whatever the preference, there is a perfect fall beverage for everyone.

The choice is always yours.

October 7, 2020

Carole Baskin eliminated from dancing competition HALEY BROWN

Lead Culture Writer

tbfx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Carole Baskin, as many know her from the Netflix series “Tiger King,” was on Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) but was recently eliminated during week three of the competition.

After her fame skyrocketed with “Tiger King’s” release, Baskin was invited onto the TV series DWTS for the show’s season 29.

During the first two weeks of the competition, she was already clearly having a hard time and even admitted that dancing was certainly not a strong suit of hers. She confessed that growing up, she was told dancing was a sin and recounted that she didn’t even have a first dance with her husband at their wedding.

“I think mostly what it says is, I have the furthest to go,” she said.

“I have to try harder than anybody else. I went to a Christian school, so at home, I couldn’t dance, and at school, I couldn’t dance. “[There] was no part of my life when I was allowed to dance. I was taught that it was a sin, so it was something I tried to resist in every

way, and I think it shows today. I really have a hard time embracing it.”

Despite her obvious discomfort with the dancing, Baskin mentioned that she was willing to put in as much effort as it took to keep herself in the competition for as long as possible, not for vanity reasons, but for the sake of her Big Cat Rescue. Baskin said that she would do whatever it took to keep the big cats in the spotlight.

Not only does she speak out about the need to save the big cats, she dresses for the occasion. In each of her dances during her short three weeks on the show, animal print, faux fur and even lion face paint was used for the overly flamboyant costumes for each of her routines.

She also made sure her music reflected her message and decided on “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor for her first routine, a Paso Doble. In week two her music was Tom Jones’s song “What’s New Pussycat” for her Viennese waltz routine. In her third and final week, she made the obvious choice to dance her Samba to the song “Circle of Life” from Disney’s “The Lion King” for the Disney themed week of DWTS. Baskin and her pro partner, Pasha Pashkov, wore full lion costumes

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complete with lion face paint, and they began their samba with the iconic “Lion King” sunrise as their background.

The dance was slow and painful to watch, and Baskin clearly had trouble and was uncomfortable with the looser, more energetic movements that Samba requires.

The judges were unimpressed at the end of the routine and expressed their disappointment harshly, to the wild dismay of the audience.

Baskin finished her role on DWTS with acceptance and admitted that she did not regret participating in any way.

Her reasoning consisted of having the amazing opportunity and the perfect platform to talk about important issues like Big Cat Rescue.

“I think all of the awareness that is raised from this has been wonderful for the cats,” she said. “That’s been my main reason for being here is to try and end the cub petting and the private possession of big cats.”

Despite her season on DWTS being cut so short, the 59-year-old exited gracefully and gratefully, and she hopes to continue spreading awareness for the sake of the big cats she loves so much.

Bye, all you cool cats and kittens.

October 7, 2020

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Culture

(PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay)

Morbid topics are always a must for Halloween.

Ghostly guests, playful poltergeists, silly spirits to catch this October Heather Bair News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

“If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call?”

We all know the song and movies by heart, but ghosts aren’t such a new novelty anymore. The first ghostly sighting took place in the first century A.D. Since then, there have been over a million sightings reported.

The appearances of ghosts In the first century A.D., Pliny the Younger recorded a ghost sighting in his letters. He reported seeing a specter of an old man with a long beard and the audible hearing of rattling chains. He witnessed the specter in his house in Athens.

After Pliny the Younger’s letters, ghost sightings didn’t pick back up again until 856 A.D. when a poltergeist terrorized a family in Germany. Then, sightings died down for a while.

A ghost-sighting didn’t occur again until the 16th Century when Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII, was executed at the Tower of London. There have been reported sightings of Boleyn in the tower and other locations, including her childhood home in Kent.

Since then, the sight YouGov reports that 45 percent of Americans believe that ghosts exist.

According to the Pew Research Center’s FactTank, in 2009, 18

percent of Americans say they’ve seen a ghost.

Whether it’s an inanimate object moving on its own or a ghostly moan in the middle of the night, it’s hard to deny that there’s just something out there that’s unexplainable.

Ghosts, spirits, apparitions, oh my The term “ghost” is not the only word that has been used to describe the appearance of a deceased person returning.

Ghosts can be referred to as “apparitions,” “haunts,” “phantoms,” “poltergeists,” “shades,” “specter,” “spirits,” “spooks” and “wraiths.” The most commonly term, however, is “ghost.”

A ghost is the spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living. They vary in size and shape, much like humans, whereas some are seen clear as day, almost as if you can touch them, and others are a transparent, fuzzy, wispy shape.

In the Egyptian “Book of the Dead,” which tells of magic spells to assist a dead person’s journey through the underworld, it is said that those in the afterlife appear much like they did in real life, including how they were dressed or did dress.

Hans Holzer, a professor of parapsychology and author of over 119 books on the subject, said that ghosts “are similar to psychotic human beings, incapable of reasoning for themselves.” Spirits, according to Holzer, are surviving

personalities of everyone who has passed, like an animal or human’s soul.

Also, ghosts are usually tied to the location of their death and have an agenda, whether vicious or protective. Think of the movie “Beetlejuice,” when Adam and Barbara try to leave their house after their death, they are met with a sandy desert with no end in sight and a giant snake. They would be considered ghosts, as they are tied to their house and are unable to leave.

Spirits, on the other hand, can come and go as they want. They are considered the soul of a person and they no longer have a host (body) to reside in, so they can wander. Spirits seem to be more positively emotionally charged, whereas ghosts are more negatively emotionally charged A good example is the book and movie, “The Lovely Bones” by Alice Sebold. In it, Susie Salmon, after her death, can move from different places, such as her house or her school, in the real world. She is also able to move from the afterlife to the real world within seconds.

Most of the time, the terminology depends on where you are from. In the southern U.S., ghosts are referred to as “haunts” (pronounced “haints”). In the northern part of the states, it is either “ghost” or “spirit.” In the U.K., they are considered “apparitions” or “ghosts.”

Ghosts in culture There are multiple movies, TV

shows and books focusing on fictional and non-fictional stories of ghosts. From the TV show “Ghost Adventures” to the movie franchise “Ghostbusters,” ghosts have been prominent in culture for decades.

Some of the most well-known ghost movies include: “Ghostbusters,” which focuses on a team of four men who work on saving New York City from ghosts; “Poltergeist,” which follows a little girl and her family as ghosts use their TV as a channel for coming into our world; and the “Paranormal Activity” franchise, which tells the story of a couple living in a haunted house with just a little bit of demonic possession thrown in for good measure.

In each of the fictional movies or shows, ghosts are typically vengeance-filled beings that are hellbent on attacking those they are haunting. They are also usually portrayed as having the ability to possess anybody they choose, using them as a medium for their deeds. This is known as “spirit possession” and is not as common as the movies portray it.

In the reality TV shows, like “Ghost Adventures,” “Paranormal Lockdown,” “Destination Fear” and others, the team that run the show are focused on finding ghosts by visiting haunted locations all around the world.

How do you tell?

The appearance of a ghost can be something that everybody experiences but just writes off as

something with a reasonable explanation. The three best ways to tell if you have a ghost are drastic temperature changes, objects moving on their own and spooky sights.

Temperature in buildings can be set nice and cozy, but if the temperature of a room, or even an area in the room, drops drastically, there’s a good chance you’ve got a ghastly guest. Sometimes, just a certain area in a room is colder than the rest, meaning the ghost probably died in that spot or is tied to it.

Inanimate objects moving on their own is probably the creepiest way to tell if you’ve got a haunting going on. From dolls to jewelry, any inanimate object can be moved by a ghost. This mainly happens with poltergeists, who are child-like spirits and enjoy pulling pranks on their victims. If you put something down and it’s suddenly gone, then appears somewhere else, you’ve probably got a playful spirit.

Spooky sights are one of the most terrifying yet interesting. A shadow in the corner of the room, a burst of air that seems to resemble a person ever-so-slightly, and even a faint change in the scenery can mean you’ve got a visitor who wants to make their presence known.

While ghosts have been around for centuries, one thing is for absolute certain; they aren’t going to go away any time soon and not all of them are as friendly as Casper.

Happy haunting during this Halloween season.

Culture

October 7, 2020

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Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

(nissanstadium.com) The Titans have had 19 players test positive for the virus as of October 5.

NFL needs to change COVID-19 protocols to save season AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Can they win it all? A team like the Buffalo Bills, who are undefeated, could go all the way this season. Is any team going to make it into the last couple of weeks into the season?

Sports keep on rolling by this year with COVID-19 still lingering and making its presence known.

The NFL though has already had games postponed, which is a sign and that is not good for the fans.

The games that have already been postponed were the Tennessee Titans versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Kansas City versus New England, which was played Monday. There is huge potential that more and more games could keep getting the cancel button by Roger Goodell since players were testing positive.

I knew that there was a chance that the whole NFL season may not have been able to be played even though other sports like the MLB, NBA and NHL are close to

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having a champion for the season or already have a champion.

"At the end of the day, the safest teams and the healthiest team this year is going to be the one that's going to be playing in January and February. We can only control what we can control," Tennessee Titans safety Kevin Byard said in August.

Going back to the Titans is a must because they have 19 positive cases already and it is the most out of any NFL team. Not to mention the New England Patriots and Kansas City Chiefs game was delayed because players from both squads, including Cam Newton, have tested positive for COVID-19.

What is the NFL commissioner Goodell doing wrong? Why did the other professional sports organizations have a better finishing season and playoff endings?

It might have something to do that all other sports played in specific locations to finish their seasons. Not to mention some NFL teams have already allowed a specific amount of people to be able to attend the games this

season even if it was only a game or two. Teams like the Chiefs, Jaguars, Panthers and Titans have allowed a limited number of fans in attendance.

There are more teams on the list, but with very different situations such as it’s allowing family members only. Either way, lets emphasize it’s the traveling that all NFL teams are doing right now.

Even with no fans in attendance, traveling can still spell disaster with this pandemic going on. With each NFL team traveling to each game, it is affecting them greatly as we are seeing games slowly getting postponed. At this rate, there might not be a Super Bowl champion.

As mentioned earlier, the Tennessee Titans are the hottest team with the most cases. Sure, every team has to travel to get to their game, but are they all wearing their mask and following safe distance protocols as much as they can?

Apparently, Tennessee is not following these protocols to their best extent.

October 7, 2020

There was a rule put in place that during the bye week this season, no player is permitted to leave their home city. This is a no brainer, because all it takes is one person to get COVID-19. If any player would break this rule, it would lead to a $50,000 fine and some suspension time.

The Titans game against the Steelers has been postponed even later now to the date of Oct. 25, which would be week 7. This will keep happening if Goodell keeps letting fans and travelling occur.

He is the commissioner and has to set the tone for the entire league. How does this make the NFL look? I can tell you if the COVID cases keep climbing, which they most likely will the way they are playing this season. This will put more harm on the potential of next season.

The NFL should really consider doing the following. Eliminating travel to cities and states with the highest COVID rates. They should in their best effort try to mimic the bubble idea from the NHL and NBA.

Why? The NHL finished with zero positive cases at the end of Tampa Bay winning the Stanley Cup. The NBA is almost close to finishing with zero positive cases already.

The NFL is a little different considering the NHL was finishing with less teams playing, so the season was able to finish faster.

“They should look at the NBA and what they did,” said Joey Chrisman (junior, communications). “And they should have stricter COVID-19 regulations and enforce them.”

The NFL could very well extend their season if they had to in order to defeat these upcoming cases. No fans should be allowed the rest of the season.

Like I mentioned, all it takes is one person to start spreading and the Titans have learned the hard way. The NFL has to produce “the bubble effect” or the remaining of the season will be non-existent.

What will it take for the NFL to realize that just postponing games is not going to work?

Hopefully it won’t be too late when they do.

Sports

October 7, 2020

Sports

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NBA Finals leaving fans unexcited this year because of COVID-19. These distracting factors and lack of fans really take away from the experience for the casual NBA fan.

“The finals are just boring this This NBA Finals has been let year,” said Charles Hawn (junior, down in so many ways. This may nursing).

“The lack of fans and sound like a hot take, but it is the competitiveness between these furthest thing from it. This NBA teams has just made the series Finals has been the culmination of poor storylines, and a lopsided irrelevant to me.”

This is a matchup between matchup that should result in a arguably the best dynamic duo in blowout. the league on the Lakers with AnThis NBA Finals has been the thony Davis and Lebron James. lowest viewed since 2003 where Against a Pat Riley Miami Heat the New Jersey Nets and San squad.

Antonio Spurs played each other.

The LA Lakers tower over the What does this NBA Finals have Heat in every way imaginable. in common with the lopsided They led the Western Confer2003 matchup? More than you ence this season with the No. 1 might think. seed, While Miami came into the Aside from the obvious basketeast as the No. 5 seed. ball reasons, which I will get The Lakers have two into, the current world sitall-star/All-NBA players uation has played a role in and Miami is a young this. The finals are competsquad being led by a ing with events like the NFL bench all-star in Jimmy season, MLB postseason, Butler. and the election.

These teams are comNormally the finals have pletely different in their little competition to draw in play styles. viewers because they occur The Lakers are led in the first half of June, but (Pinterest) primarily in the scoring this is not the case this year Jeff Hart

Sports Editor J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

(Sports Media Watch) column and production by their two All-NBA players in Davis and James. They lead their times averaging a combined 52 points for their squad. They rely heavily on their star power and have varying support from their role players.

Miami is on the other end of the spectrum as an entire team effort. They have had emerging stars like Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro come onto the scene this season. While both have had moments of shine, like Herro’s 37-point performance in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

While showing gleams of potential, these players are not ready to take up the mantle right now. This team has had success with their tricky zone defense

this season and have nice players averaging over eight points in the regular season.

While a solid and well-rounded team, Miami is devoid of having the size to guard players like Davis and Lebron. Their biggest player is Bam Adebayo at 6’9.”

Before diving into the lack-luster competition that one might expect from this finals so far, let us get into the lack of storylines.

The only storyline between those two times that I and many members of the media can find is Pat Riley going up against his former player James. These teams have had very different paths to the finals. The expectation for any Lebron James led squad is always a title.

Miami came into the season with little expectation and has exceeded many fans expectations by making it this far. They upset a No. 1 seeded Milwaukee Bucks squad, that has now come up short in the past three postseasons. There are no expectations for this squad.

“They are playing with house money,” according to Stephen A. Smith. On top of having no expectations, there is no obvious rivalry from any members of each team. This Finals is devoid of any major storylines. Much like the 2003 finals.

Most people think Miami should not even be there. Many analysts like Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe thought that this NBA Finals would end in a sweep after game 1.

Former student and active member of the U.S. Air Force Hunter Mitchell said, “I think Anthony Davis and Lebron are hungrier for the title. Jimmy Butler is not enough to beat this squad.”

Maybe that Hunger isn’t strong enough after their loss in game 3.

Story continued on page 20

(Teddy Jeanette/The Penn)

October 7, 2020

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Sports

Boring Finals could have big consequences story continued from page 19 With all this in mind, this brings me to my next point of disgust with this finals, the Lebron being the greatest of all-time narrative (GOAT). An anonymous member of Lebron’s camps said that if he wins this finals, this will make him the GOAT. No doubt James’ 10 finals appearances are impressive, the six losses stand out as an eyesore to many purists like me. I also find it to be unfounded for Lebron fans to make a big deal of this finals that they should win because of the lack of expectations for the Heat.

This is a squad that has no business being in the finals, and you should easily handle your business with the star power and experience that the Lakers have.

But, as per usual, Lebron fans are making a big deal out of something that many would think is unwarranted.

Much like one would expect, the first two games were won rather easily by LA with the first one the Lakers winning by 18 and game two by 10. Things were looking even bleaker for Miami after losing Bam Adebayo to a shoulder injury and Goran Dragic to a torn plantar in game one..

With all of this in mind, the sweep looked inevitable. Jimmy Butler had other plans in mind for this series. In game 3, Butler took over and became the only player in NBA history to put up a triple double in a finals victory.

Butler was unstoppable and put up 40 against this Lakers squad where he was primarily guarded

by James. Butler willed this team to victory and did it all while talking trash to Lebron.

Like I have seen from countless occasions from Lebron, he showed his weak mentality by leaving the court before the game clock was out due to Butler’s dominance.

This will create the false narratives that I have referred to in past articles with Lebron. It will set the stage for him to dominate in game 4 where he will show that his reaction to game 3 was an anomaly and fool fans into forgetting about his “poor sportsmanship and weak overall performance,” as described by Hawn.

In what should have been an easy sweep, Lebron has allowed this Miami squad to steal a win.

This could potentially be disas-

trous because it allows this squad to build confidence and experience on the biggest stage in basketball.

If the Heat even manage to push this series to six or seven games, I think it would be a disgrace to Lebron and his legacy.

If a team that had no evident superstar manages to push the best dynamic duo we have seen arguably since Kobe and Shaq to six games, it will be a disappointment in my eyes for Lebron.

If this does happen, it will be exciting for the NBA fans out there so we can have a competitive series that will draw in more fans. Hopefully, the Heat and Butler can play out-of-their-minds and manage to steal a few more from the Lakers.

If they cannot, this could quite possibly end up being the most flatline and boring finals since 2003. The effects could have a bad affect on the league in ways that may not seem obvious.

The NBA is a league that has slowly grown in popularity in its worldwide appeal in markets like Australia, China, and the U.S. After their recent fallout earlier this year with China in regard to Daryl Morrey’s controversial tweet, the NBA can’t afford to lose fans.

As it stands, fans are not happy with the product being put forward this year. This may cause some of the newcomers or more casual fans to not feel driven to watch future games.

The association has been losing viewership for quite some time now. Since 2016, ratings have been going down for a variety of reasons.

Some are valid like lack of competition in the case of the Golden State dynasty. Others are not very fair because of fallout due to the increased social justice protesting in the NBA, which I am a huge advocate for.

Regardless of the reason, viewership has been on a steady decline over the past few seasons.

The league cannot afford to keep losing viewers.

A lack-luster finals could possibly be the worst thing that could happen for the league right now.

There are a plethora of people like Hawn who have become uninterested in watching much basketball at all because of the lack of competition in the finals.

For the sake of the league, I hope this finals can pick up some competition. There is more at stake than some may realize.

(ESPN.com) Butler looks to lead his squad back from a 2-0 deficit and make history with his new team.

(Teddy Jeanette/The Penn) NBA viewership has been on the downfall; these metrics are according to Christina Gough.