Campus felines: The Signpost 1/19/23

SARA STAKER

By SKY MUNDELL Reporter

Drug bust

On Jan. 8, shortly after midnight, a WSUPD officer responded to a complaint made by RAs at University Village Building 5. The RAs told officers that they had smelled the odor of marijuana coming from one of the apartments as well as the sound of an air-freshener being used from within the apartment before the officer had arrived. Though the odor of marijuana was not initially noticed upon entering the apartment, a sweep of the apartment uncovered drugs, drug paraphernalia and alcohol. The drugs and drug paraphernalia were collected to be destroyed and officers confiscated the alcohol.

The last straw

On Jan. 9, an unhoused individual who was not a WSU student was reported to be yelling at individuals in the Stewart Library using obscenities. Responding officers have continually dealt with this individual since December and knew him to have problems with paranoia and narcotics usage. This same individual was found only days prior suffering from a meth overdose at a bus stop. Officers helped him get transported to McKay-Dee Hospital for treatment. Due

to the subject’s actions and previous dealings, WSUPD officers ensured that the man is banned from all WSU property.

Scents of cannabis and lavender

On the night of Jan. 10, WSUPD responded to a drug violation after an RA from Wildcat Village Residence Hall 3 reported that they detected the smell of marijuana coming from the third floor of the building. The responding officer investigated the area, but only encountered the smell of shampoo and body wash. The showers are located at the end of the hallway, so this was determined to be the origin of the scent. After knocking on nearby doors and finding nothing, the officer left.

Splash!

On Jan. 11, a vehicle was observed to be accelerating at a high rate of speed in the parking lot of the WSU LDS Institute building at around 1:00 a.m. The vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and was pulled over by WSUPD. Upon speaking to the responding officer, the driver of the vehicle admitted that he was accelerating to hit a water puddle and intentionally ran the stop sign. The driver was let off with a verbal warning.

You forgot something…

On Jan. 11, WSUPD was dispatched to

conduct a motorist assist by Ogden Police Department (OPD) because a child had been locked in a car. The child was successfully rescued from the car unscathed and was confirmed to not be in distress.

Mother Nature’s wrath

On the evening of Jan. 12, a WSUPD officer responded to a complaint in the A10 parking lot. The complainant explained that he had returned to his car after work only to discover that his rear window had been smashed, though noted that nothing from inside had been taken. It was found upon further investigation that the damage had occurred due to the recent weather conditions. The wet and cold weather that day had aggravated pre-existing damage, leading to the window shattering.

You can run but you can’t hide

On Jan. 13, just after 1 p.m., WSUPD responded to a hit and run involving a parked car at the Dee Events Center. No note was left by the offending driver, who left a dent in the parked car before leaving the scene. The driver of the offending vehicle has yet to come forward or be identified.

Love sucks

During the afternoon of Jan. 13, WSUPD and a member of staff at WSU housing re-

sponded to a welfare check in Wildcat Village Residence Hall 1. The subject of the welfare check was then confirmed to be of no danger to herself or anyone else and was talked to about her options in overcoming a recent breakup.

Wait, this isn’t my room

Just after midnight on Jan. 14, a student was found unconscious and highly intoxicated in a public bathroom stall in Wildcat Village Residence Hall 2. The student was transported to Ogden Regional Medical Center for treatment and has since recovered. The offending student was not given a citation, but will face consequences from WSU.

Shots fired

On Jan. 16, at around 5 p.m., two individuals were found to have been shooting at targets with a .22 rifle near Gibbons trail head by an old water tank. WSUPD made sure that the firearm was legal and not part of any ongoing investigation. Upon completing the check, the firearm was found to be legal and registered. The two individuals were informed that they weren’t allowed to use firearms in this area and were let off with a warning.

Pixabay

By ADAM RUBIN Reporter

Birch Avenue has been permanently closed with the hope that it will make transportation for Weber State University students around campus easier.

Parking on campus can be hard to navigate, especially for new students to the WSU Ogden Campus.

Crystal Taylor has been the director of Parking Services for 21 years and says she is excited for the coming changes for parking at WSU.

Some aspects that excite Taylor most about the recent changes with Parking Services include free parking at the Dee Events Center and new W parking being constructed on

Birch Avenue.

Taylor said if she ran into a new student on campus, there would be a few things that she would want the new students to know about parking and how it works.

“I would make sure that they knew where they could park for free, without a permit and how to purchase a permit if they were interested in parking on campus,” Taylor said. “I would also caution them to always contact Parking Services to be sure that they have correct information about parking on campus rather than relying on others for valid information.”

Taylor says that if you’re planning to park on campus or are currently parking on campus, there’s some information you should be sure to listen to as far as parking goes.

There are nine W lots, and parking permits can be purchased for $88 for an entire year or $58 for a semester and will give you access to the parking at the Dee Events Center as well as the WSU Davis Campus.

There are 14 A lots, and permits can be purchased for $135 a year or $86 a semester. Individuals have the opportunity to enter a lottery for an A when they are a senior or veteran. Employees also have the option to purchase an A lot parking pass.

“Permits are required in all lots and roadways on campus Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. except the Dee Events Center parking lot,” Taylor said.

According to Taylor, WSU’s new W parking lot is slated to be open later this spring semester. If not, it will be scheduled to be com-

pleted and open during summer semester, which will be close to where the A2 parking lot is located now.

Demolition of the homes located towards the end of Birch Avenue is scheduled to take place in the next two or three weeks, and paving the road will take place in the spring once the asphalt becomes more available, according to Taylor.

“Adding additional W parking greatly benefits students,” Taylor said.

For more information on any and all of the Parking Services ins-and-outs, Taylor suggests students visit the Parking Services’ Rules and Regulations Handbook, which can be found on WSU’s Parking Services page on WSU’s website.

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Veterans, you have a dedicated space at WSU Davis!

VETERANS STUDY LOUNGE

Study, print for free, get a snack, and get tutoring and academic support.

“Road Work Ahead” signs line the streets around campus and nearby neighborhoods to help direct people away from the closed Birch Avenue.

ANNA KUGLAR | The Signpost

STAR NEIL The Signpost

Birch Avenue has been permanently closed in order to make space for a new W lot on Weber State’s campus. This map helps illustrate which routes are still open surrounding campus.

Left: The microphone setup for recording inside of the podcast studio. Right: Headphones on the windowsill of the podcast studio for use during recording in the studio.

By BRISA ODENTHAL Reporter

After the social and political turmoil of 2020, some members of Weber State University’s faculty joined together to create the “Wildcat Conversations” podcast. The podcast, which is on its third season, aims to educate their listeners on global issues and how they affect the people of WSU. The podcast was started by associate professor James Zagrodnik as “a forum for discussing and learning about significant issues in the world our society is currently working through.”

The podcast’s first season dealt with creating conversations, the second season dealt with healing and the third season is tackling transformation.

As of right now, the podcast is hosted by assistant professor Andrea Martinez, clinical supervisor Juancarlos Santisteban and assistant professor Ryan Zimmerman. The podcast also receives technical and artistic aid from many other people on and off campus.

In season one, the podcast was hosted by Zagrodnik, Martinez and Zimmerman, but as

the podcast has grown and continued, hosts have come and gone.

The podcast’s focus on social issues has a different personal significance to each of the hosts, which has helped the podcast become an important project to each of them.

“A lot of my work has been working with students and I think I was coming from a district to now being a university professor, and when I saw this idea, it was something that was hitting me at home,” Martinez said. “I self-identify as Chicana Latina, but I’m lighter skinned, but my spouse he’s darker-skinned indigenous from Mexico and all of our lives here in Utah have been very much racialized. It really resonated in often feeling othered here in Utah and feeling like ‘how do I belong?’”

The hosts and creators of the podcast want to raise awareness of social issues that affect people attending WSU.

“We want everyone. We want superstars. We want people that are a part of really making the change and making the decisions in the legislature. Every time we think of people to interview, we have such a broad range because there are people in the state of Utah

who are already a part of making a change,” Zimmerman said.

In efforts to identify WSU as a Hispanic Serving Institute,the podcast included an interview in Spanish, about a mother’s experience having a hispanic daughter at WSU. The University is 12% hispanic as of 2020 according to Data USA.

The podcast is meant to make WSU students think about the different aspects of the society around them and to consider other perspectives.

“I guess my hope is that they utilize it as a tool to expand their ideas and perspectives and to meet amazing individuals that are on our campus, and to listen to their story and tell their narratives,” Martinez said.

“Wildcat Conversations” is used in classrooms by the professors involved in the podcast and is available to be streamed through on the WSU web page on “Wildcat Conversations,” as well as Apple Podcasts and wherever podcasts are available.

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WOMEN’S CENTER

ANNA KUGLAR | The Signpost

ANNA KUGLAR | The Signpost

By SKY MUNDELL Reporter

Going into a new semester with a new set of classes can quickly become an overwhelming and stressful situation for college students of any aptitude. Taking advantage of study spaces around campus is one of the ways Weber State University students can combat that stress in order to optimize their academic output.

Campus study spaces are designed to provide comfortable, easy-to-access spaces for students to focus on completing classwork and studying for upcoming quizzes or exams.

Lian Ulbrich-Hughes is a microbiology student at WSU. She is a student who is particularly grateful for WSU’s study spaces.

“I’m of the mind that I don’t like doing homework at home unless I’m doing something like pulling an all-nighter,”

Ulbrich-Hughes said. “Bringing that stress home with me is really hard because our apartment is really small so it’s hard to separate those degrees of ‘this is work’ and ‘this is home.’”

Students looking for a quiet, fairly secluded space to dial in on their studies should check out the Stewart Library and its ample study spaces. In addition to having no shortage of desk space and computers for students to utilize, the Stewart Library also provides students with the option to reserve individual study rooms where they can hold group study sessions.

For students looking for a casual, secluded place to study, the Stewart Library also comes in handy with a number of chairs and tables that are meant for individual use. These spots often come with a serene view looking out toward the Stewart Belltower.

However, some students also like to

study in an environment that hosts a relative amount of liveliness. For students that fit that description, the Shepherd Union plays host to a couple of study spaces that allow students to complete their schoolwork in a more sociable environment.

Just a few steps from the Shepherd Union’s eating area on the second floor is the Fireplace Lounge. Here, students can be found relaxing in comfy chairs and listening to peers playing the piano, which serves as the space’s focal point. Students should utilize this space if being in a cozy, laid-back environment improves their studying experience.

On the Shepherd Union’s third floor is the Belltower Lounge. Here, students can find seating at a bar that looks out towards the belltower, sit in plush couches or utilize chairs that have foldout desks built into them. The Belltower Lounge is always teeming with life and

is well-lit with natural light thanks to the lounge’s array of windows that look out towards the belltower.

Lastly, for students who are seeking a study space somewhere between the quiet and focused environment the library provides and the lively spaces at the Shepherd Union, Tracy Hall is a great place to turn to.

Featuring both secluded booths and more open communal spaces, students can use Tracy Hall to best suit their studying needs at the moment. Students with a lot of science courses find studying at Tracy Hall especially useful because they can easily access their professors should they need assistance on a subject or assignment.

Students at WSU should explore each of these spaces and see which one works for them best. It can be refreshing and really productive to study on campus.

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From right to left, Bridger Murdock, Ed Thomas, Kate Gehmlish and Jake Bouwhuis use Tracy Hall for a quiet time of studying.

KENNEDY CAMARENA

Reportero

POR NATHANAEL STOUT Traductor

Empezar el nuevo semestre con un nuevo conjunto de clases puede ser algo abrumador y estresante para los estudiantes de cualquier aptitud. Aprovechar los espacios de estudio ubicados en campus es una manera de combatir el estrés para optimizar el éxito académico.

Espacios de estudio en campus se diseñaron para proveer espacios que son cómodos y fácil de acceder para que los estudiantes puedan enfocar en completar tarea y estudiar para los exámenes venideros. Tener los espacios de estudio es beneficioso para los estudiantes porque proveen lugares que son relativamente silenciosos y les dan una oportunidad de separar la vida escolar de la vida del hogar.

LiAn Ulbrich-Hughes es estudiante de microbiología en la WSU y está especialmente agradecida por los espacios de estudio de la WSU.

“Estoy de opinión que no me gusta hacer la tarea en casa sino que hago algo como quedarme despierto toda la noche,” dijo Ulbrich-Hughes. “Llevar ese estrés a casa conmigo es difícil porque nuestro

apartamento es muy pequeño así que es difícil separar esos grados entre “Tiempo del trabajo” y “Tiempo del hogar”.”

Estudiantes que busquen un espacio silencioso y aislado para aumentar sus estudios deben visitar la biblioteca Stewart y su plenitud de espacios de estudio. También como tener una abundancia de espacio de escritorio y computadoras, la biblioteca provee a los estudiantes la opción de reservar cuartos de estudio individuales donde se puede tener sesiones de estudio grupales.

Para los estudiantes que busquen un lugar aislado casual, la biblioteca también provee algunas mesas y sillas designadas para uso individual. A menudo estos lugares tienen una vista serena que mira hacia el campanario Stewart.

Sin embargo, algunos estudiantes también prefieren estudiar en un ambiente que ofrece un cierto nivel de vivacidad. Para estudiantes así, el Shepard Unión tiene algunos espacios de estudio con ambientes más sociables.

A un par de pasos del área de comer en el segundo piso del Shepherd Unión está el Fireplace Lounge. Aquí, se encuentran estudiantes que se relajan en sillas cómodas y escuchan a otros estudiantes tocando el piano, lo cual es el punto focal del

espacio. Si los estudiantes prefieren un ambiente tranquilo, lo encontrarán ahí.

En el tercer piso del Shepherd Unión se encuentra el Bell Tower Lounge. Aquí los estudiantes pueden encontrar asientos en un bar que mira hacia el campanario. Hay sofás blandos y sillas con mesitas conectadas. El Bell Tower Lounge siempre muestra mucha vida y tiene luz natural gracias a la variedad de ventanas desde que se ve el campanario.

Finalmente, para los estudiantes que busquen un espacio de estudio en un ambiente entre lo tranquilo de la biblioteca y lo vivo del Shepherd Unión, el lugar adecuado es Tracy Hall.

Destacando tanto alcobas aisladas y espacios comunales abiertos, El Tracy Hall se puede adaptar para las necesidades de los estudiantes. Estudiar en el Tracy Hall será especialmente útil a los estudiantes con muchos cursos de ciencia porque fácilmente pueden sus profesores si necesitan ayuda con un tema o la tarea.

Los estudiantes en Wsu deben explorar cada uno de estos espacios para ver cuál funciona mejor para ellos. Puede ser reconfortante y muy productivo estudiar en campus.

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POR SKY MUNDELL

Students line the rows of the Stewart Library located on Ogden campus.

KENNEDY CAMARENA

By SARA STAKER Photographer

According to Insideout Mastery, only 9% of people keep their New Year’s resolutions through the entire year. However, some students at Weber State University are determined to keep their resolutions for 2023.

“It’ll be difficult, but I can make it happen,” Alex Leifheit, a freshman at Weber State, said.

Another student at WSU, Kripa Thapa,

whose resolution is to “create memories, study and seek discomfort,” said she also believes in herself and plans to make her resolutions a reality this year.

New Year’s resolutions have been around for a long time. The first resolutions are accredited to the Babylonians, who would have a 12-day festival in which they made promises to the gods for the coming year. This tradition has developed over the past 4,000 years to become what it is today.

Today, we tend to make resolutions that focus on self-improvements, and the

Weber State University whose resolution is to get a 4.0 this semester. Bottom Left: Weber State senior Ryan Davisio, playing pool. His New Year’s Resolution is to get to the gym more, and get out of the college rut of just staying in to do homework. Top: Alex Leifeit bowling at Wildcat Lanes and Games. His New Year’s resolution is to see his girlfriend more.

Left: Caelyn Hart is a

motivation to reach our goals comes from within rather than from the desire to obtain favor by the gods. However, about 35% of people who fail their resolution credit their failure to losing motivation, so maybe fearing the gods was a positive thing for the Babylonians.

The most common New Year’s resolution in America is to exercise more. Many students at Weber State have resolutions to improve their academic performance. Paige Taylor said her resolution is “to not procrastinate homework.” Dipesh Rawal’s resolution

is to “focus on studies.”

Whether studying more, not procrastinating homework, improving academic performance, or becoming more physically fit or something else entirely, hopefully students at Weber State can make their resolutions a reality and make 2023 their best year yet! The statistics are against us, but statistics for the majority don’t define the individual. We can make it happen.

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PHOTOS & STORY

Top

student at

POR MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA Traductor

BY SARA STAKER Photographer

Según Insideout Mastery, sólo el 9% de la gente mantiene sus propósitos de Año Nuevo durante todo el año. Sin embargo, algunos estudiantes de la Weber State University están decididos a cumplir sus propósitos para 2023.

“Será difícil, pero puedo conseguirlo”,

afirma Alex Leifheit, estudiante de primer año en Weber State.

Otra estudiante de la WSU, Kripa Thapa, cuya resolución es “crear recuerdos, estudiar y buscar molestias”, dijo que ella también cree en sí misma y planea hacer realidad sus resoluciones este año.

Los propósitos de Año Nuevo existen desde hace mucho tiempo. Los primeros propósitos se atribuyen a los babilonios, que celebraban un festival de 12 días en el que hacían promesas a los dioses para el año siguiente. Esta tradición ha evolucionado a lo largo de los últimos 4.000 años hasta convertirse en lo que es hoy.

Top Left: John Cruz is a student at Weber State. His New Year’s resolution is to get better at Spanish, immerse in the Utah culture, pass all his classes and continue becoming a better man. Bottom Left: Weber State student, Phoebe Fuentes, looking at books in the bookstore. Her New Year’s resolution is to pass her classes. Top: Dipesh Rawal, a Weber State student, wants to focus on studying this year.

Hoy en día, tendemos a hacer propósitos que se centran en la superación personal, y la motivación para alcanzar nuestros objetivos procede de nuestro interior más que del deseo de obtener el favor de los dioses. Sin embargo, alrededor del 35% de las personas que fracasan en sus propósitos atribuyen su fracaso a la pérdida de motivación, así que quizá temer a los dioses era algo positivo para los babilonios.

El propósito de Año Nuevo más común en Estados Unidos es hacer más ejercicio. Muchos estudiantes de Weber State se han propuesto mejorar su rendimiento académico. Paige Taylor dijo que su propósito es “no

procrastinar los deberes”. La resolución de Dipesh Rawal es “centrarse en los estudios”.

Ya sea estudiar más, no procrastinar los deberes, mejorar el rendimiento académico, estar más en forma físicamente o algo totalmente distinto, ¡esperemos que los estudiantes de Weber State puedan hacer realidad sus propósitos y convertir 2023 en su mejor año! Las estadísticas están en nuestra contra, pero las estadísticas de la mayoría no definen al individuo. Podemos conseguirlo.

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PHOTOS AND STORY

By BRISA ODENTHAL Reporter

To celebrate students surviving their first week of spring semester, the Weber State University Student Association held a dance party called Light the Night on Jan. 13.

Light the Night took place in the ballrooms of the Shepherd Union from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. The featured activities included a photobooth, music, games, refreshments and danc-

ing. WSU students were given free entrance, while other members of the community were charged a $5 fee.

Attendees were offered temporary tattoos, glow sticks, cornhole and pop-up basketball relay as part of the event. The glow sticks helped to further the “light the night” theme with their neon and bright colors.

WSUSA chose the theme after receiving requests from students.

“When my friends and I heard about it, we said, ‘Why not?’ I’m

glad that I came,” Julia Evans, a new student to WSU, said.

Once students needed a break from dancing, WSUSA provided refreshments for the night, including sweet and savory pretzel bites, flavored punch and water.

WSUSA plans to host other events like this in the future to help bring the community together and lower stress for students.

With about 100 people attending the event during the night, Light the

Night gave WSU students and community members the ability to get to know one another and decompress from the first week of classes.

WSUSA puts on many dances and events for WSU students, faculty and community members. Coming up this semester will be an open mic night on Jan. 18 in the Fireplace Lounge in the Shepherd Union and laser tag on March 24.

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By ALMA BELL Reporter

There are roughly 32 million feral cats roaming the United States. A feral cat refers to any cat that lives outside and has little to no contact with humans, which leads the cat into a more wild, animalistic state.

Weber State University is home to three feral cats: a domestic long-hair named Shadow and two tortoiseshells named Phantom and Smoke. Weber State’s Cat Club is responsible for caring for these cats.

“It’s always just been these three, but they are getting quite old,” Ella Kelly, the Cat Club president, said. “They are at least 12, probably closer to 15.”

Kelly became involved with the Cat Club when she saw them during a tour of campus, and after having to move away from her own cats, was grateful for the opportunity to care for cats again.

The Cat Club is one of the many service clubs on campus and consists of a group of students who rotate on a schedule feeding the cats, along with taking them in for annual vet checkups. The club also gets together to hang out and has recently watched “The Aristocats” together.

With the age of the three cats, there has been some consideration of what will happen to the club after they pass.

Kelly has a dream of creating a study room on campus where students could study or relax with cats. The Cat Club would still be responsible for the cats. Some other groups on campus, like the architecture and interior design students, could help with the creation of this building.

The idea would be to give students a

year-long space where they could interact with animals. An act that can lower cortisol, the stress hormone, according to a Cornell University study.

“I would be interested in getting some other groups on campus together to help the cats,” Kelly said. “I also help at the community garden, and it might be cool to plant catnip.”

Kelly volunteers at Furever Friends Animal Oasis, an animal shelter and adoption facility in northern Utah. Kelly has expressed interest in shifting the Cat Club from caring for just the three feral cats on campus, to volunteering at Furever Friends after the campus cats have passed.

The club is funded by the club money given by the school. In order to raise money to further help care for the cats, the club has started selling Cat Club shirts.

These shirts can be purchased at the cashier’s office and picked up at student involvement.

Individuals interested in helping care for the cats can contact the club by email. They also have an Instagram where They show off the cats and announce any upcoming events they have planned.

For those interested in catching a glimpse at these three cats, they stay near their huts located on the grassy patch behind Tracy Hall, between the engineering tech building and the staircase going up towards the Marriott medical building.

“I think that joining the club is a good way to give back,” Kelly said. “It feels nice to help something so helpless.”

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The black cat, known as Shadow, lives on Ogden campus and is fed by the Feral Cat Club.

One of the campus cats, known as Phantom, with multi-colored fur at Weber State University.

SARA STAKER The Signpost

SARA STAKER

The Signpost

POR MARIANNA LOPEZ-LURITTA Traductor

By ALMA BELL Reportero

En Estados Unidos hay unos 32 millones de gatos callejeros. Un gato callejero es un gato que vive en el exterior y tiene poco o ningún contacto con los humanos, lo que le lleva a un estado más salvaje y animal.

La Universidad Weber State es el hogar de tres gatos callejeros: un gato doméstico de pelo largo llamado Shadow y dos gatos carey llamados Phantom y Smoke. El Club de Gatos de Weber State se encarga de cuidarlos.

“Siempre han sido estos tres, pero se están haciendo bastante mayores”, explica Ella Kelly, presidenta del Club de Gatos. “Tienen al menos 12 años, probablemente más cerca de los 15”.

Kelly se involucró con el Club de Gatos cuando los vio durante un recorrido por el campus, y después de tener que alejarse de sus propios gatos, estaba agradecida por la oportunidad de cuidar gatos de nuevo.

El Club de Gatos es uno de los muchos clubes de servicio del campus y está formado por un grupo de estudiantes que se turnan para alimentar a los gatos y llevarlos a sus revisiones veterinarias anuales. El club también se reúne para pasar el rato y recientemente han visto juntos “Los Aristogatos”.

Dada la edad de los tres gatos, se ha planteado qué ocurrirá con el club cuando ellos fallezcan.

Kelly sueña con crear una sala de estudio en el campus donde los alumnos puedan estudiar o relajarse con los gatos. El club seguiría siendo responsable de los gatos. Otros grupos del campus, como los estudiantes de arquitectura y diseño de interiores, podrían ayudar en la creación de este edificio.

La idea sería ofrecer a los estudiantes un

espacio de un año en el que pudieran interactuar con animales. Un acto que puede reducir el cortisol, la hormona del estrés, según un estudio de la Universidad de Cornell.

“Me interesaría reunir a otros grupos del campus para ayudar a los gatos”, dijo Kelly. “También ayudo en el jardín comunitario, y podría estar bien plantar hierba gatera”.

Kelly trabaja como voluntaria en Furever Friends Animal Oasis, un refugio de animales y centro de adopción en el norte de Utah. Kelly ha expresado su interés en que el Club de Gatos pase de ocuparse sólo de los tres gatos callejeros del campus a trabajar como voluntaria en Furever Friends cuando los gatos del campus hayan fallecido.

El club se financia con el dinero que le da la escuela. Con el fin de recaudar dinero para ayudar a cuidar a los gatos, el club ha comenzado a vender camisetas Cat Club.

Estas camisetas se pueden comprar en la oficina del cajero y recoger en la participación de los estudiantes.

Las personas interesadas en ayudar a cuidar a los gatos pueden ponerse en contacto con el club por correo electrónico. También tienen un Instagram donde muestran los gatos y anuncian los próximos eventos que han planeado.

Para aquellos interesados en echar un vistazo a estos tres gatos, se quedan cerca de sus chozas ubicadas en el parche de hierba detrás de Tracy Hall, entre el edificio de tecnología de ingeniería y la escalera que sube hacia el edificio médico Marriott.

“Creo que unirme al club es una buena forma de retribuir”, afirma Kelly. “Sienta bien ayudar a algo tan indefenso”.

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SARA STAKER The Signpost

By COLLYN COWLES Reporter

Despite leading after the first quarter, Weber State University’s women’s basketball team lost to Montana State University 80–65 on Jan. 14 in the Dee Events Center.

The Wildcats headed into the game after a tough 67–64 overtime loss against the University of Montana on Jan. 12.

Weber State started the first quarter shooting the ball 40% from the 3-point line, scoring two out of their five attempts. Montana State didn’t hold back from shooting the ball either, as they put up a total of 30 shots in the first quarter.

Over the course of the game, the Bobcats had a total of 59 field goal attempts and a total of 22 attempts from beyond the arc.

The game’s momentum started to shift toward Montana State halfway through the second quarter. With 5:48 remaining in the first half, Montana State finished an 8-0 run to go up 21–17. Heading into half time, the Bobcats led 33–27.

The remainder of the game was all Montana State. The Bobcats were able to shoot the ball from beyond the arc with a 40.9% success rate.

Both teams had seven turnovers and 24 points scored in the paint. Scoring 43 points of their own, Montana State’s bench played

a critical role in beating Weber State, whose bench was only able to score 5 points.

The top scorers for the Wildcats were forwards Daryn Hickok and Jadyn Matthews. Hickok scored 24 points, and Matthews scored 16.

“We need to continue to play hard and keep being consistent throughout the whole game,” Hickok said. “We always start the game well, but we need to maintain the same intensity and energy throughout the whole game.”

Bobcat guard Leia Beattie came off the bench and scored 26 points. Beattie shot 60% from beyond the arc, 58% from the field and went perfect from the free-throw

line, shooting six.

“We worked to get back into the game, but we fell back defensively, and we let up three 3-pointers in a row,” Weber State head coach Velaida Harris said. “It was a lack of communication tonight.”

Harris said that the team needs to lock in on their “mental maturity and finish out the game.”

The Wildcats will travel to take on Portland State University on Jan. 19.

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Forward Jadyn Matthews (5) managing to get past a Montana State player on Jan. 14.

KENNEDY CAMARENA | The Signpost

By SIMON MORTENSEN Section Editor

The Big Sky Conference is no stranger to deeply-rooted rivalries. However, few match the history and passion surrounding Weber State University and the University of Montana men’s basketball.

“I took a visit to Montana before I came to Weber this past spring,” Wildcat guard Steven Verplancken Jr. said. “I could feel the rivalry between the two and how we don’t like each other and people know that. It’s not a secret. I knew how much it meant and also just how hard of a game it would be at Montana.”

The two schools’ men’s basketball programs have been competing against each other since 1963, with Weber State winning the first match 89–79. Montana has won 62 games against the Wildcats, while Weber State just captured their 75th win against

the Grizzlies on Jan. 12 after a classic bout.

Playing in Missoula, Montana, the Wildcats were down 57–56 with under five seconds left. Trying to find someone to inbound the ball to, Montana guard Lonnell Martin Jr. scrambled under the basket. Martin tried to connect with forward Dischon Thomas, who scored 11 points that night.

Defending the pass, Weber State forward Dyson Koehler stole the ball and ran to the free-throw line. Falling, Koehler passed the ball out to Verplancken, who was set up beyond the arc.

“You don’t prepare yourself in that specific moment for that,” Verplancken said. “It’s like all the reps that come before that. It’s like all the 5-a.m.’s, all the late nights at the gym in the summer, all the Friday nights at the Dee. It’s the moments that prepare you and make you feel confident.”

With three seconds left, Verplancken’s

jump shot used the back of the rim and rolled down the net for the game-ending 3-pointer, leaving one second on the clock.

“I think that’s like a big skill with all the great players is you have to see yourself doing that at that stage, at that level,” Verplancken said. “I saw Dyson grab the ball out of the air and I just ran to the three and I was like, ‘If I catch it, it’s going in.’ As soon as I caught it, I caught it good, and felt good and I knew it was going in.”

The Wildcats walked out of Missoula with a 59–57 win over the Grizzlies. Verplancken finished the game with 12 points.

“It’s a big win for us,” Verplancken said. “You go through Montana, you at least try to split with Montana and Montana State. To get away from that atmosphere with a win on their home floor, that’s just really good.”

Weber State is currently ranked No. 4 in the Big Sky with a 3–2 in-conference record.

Trying to win their first conference championship since 2016, the Wildcats hit a road bump against Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, with a 67–52 loss on Jan. 14.

Despite a few tough losses, Weber State’s new coach and young roster have shown flashes of greatness this season, proving they’re able to step up during big games.

“We gave ourselves a chance down the stretch at Utah State. We gave ourselves a chance down the stretch and we won. Montana: we gave ourselves a chance and we won,” Verplancken said. “If we compete and I think if we lock in, we can beat anybody.”

Weber State will be back in the Dee Events Center on Jan. 19 to take on Portland State University at 7 p.m.

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Steven Verplancken running towards the hoop for a shot against Saint Martins’s University on Dec. 10.

WSU’s men’s basketball team celebrating at the University of Montana after a buzzer-beater win against Montana on Jan. 12.