WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1896 Feb. 15, 2024
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Volume 128 Issue 20
PLANNING AHEAD
Administrators warn faculty, staff that budget cuts loom unless graduate school enrollment picks up BY TRINITY RAMM
decrease in the College of Health Professions.
resident Richard Muma and Provost Shirley Lefever said in an email to faculty and staff on Feb. 5 that Wichita State is facing a $2 million gap in its budget following drops in graduate student applications “both domestically and internationally.” The university’s current operating budget is $774.5 million, a $168 million increase from last year’s $606.3 million budget. The email, with the subject line “Enrollment is everyone’s responsibility,” comes after the university touted all-time high enrollment numbers for fall 2023 at Wichita State and WSU Tech in their spring 2024 alumni magazine, which came out on Feb. 6, the day after Muma and Lefever’s email. In an email to The Sunflower, Lainie Mazzullo-Hart, director of communication for Strategic Communications, said that it is not an “apples-to-apples” comparison between graduate and overall enrollment. “The message the president and provost sent out last week was just about graduate school applications, which are currently trending downward, though WSU is working to reverse that trend as best as we can,” Mazzullo-Hart said. Between fall 2022 and fall 2023, the number of graduate students across the university fell by nearly 300 students. The biggest offender in this drop-off was the College of Engineering, which saw a 24% drop in graduate enrollment. The College of Engineering opened its master’s of computer science program in fall 2021, and graduate enrollment as a college nearly doubled between fall 2021 and fall 2022. Aside from the engineering college, the only other drop in graduate enrollment from fall 2022 to fall 2023 was a 7%
INTERNATIONAL GRADUATE ENROLLMENT
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During a public forum at the Student Senate meeting on Feb. 7, David Miller, the university’s budget director, spoke about the university’s financial “challenge” in regards to international graduate students. Miller said that credit hours generated by graduate students fell by “about 11%” in the fall of 2023. Graduate students pay a higher tuition rate than undergraduate students, and international graduate students “pay an even higher rate,” he said. “That (graduate student enrollment) is something we are going to have to wrestle with in this next upcoming budget cycle because if we don’t start growing more on the graduate side, we’ll have to figure out how to make up those revenue losses,” Miller said. According to the president and provost’s email, closing that gap will manifest “in the form of budget cuts.”
COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM CONCERNS
In an informal statement to the Faculty Senate on Feb. 12, John Hammond, a senator and senior educator of mathematics, spoke about increased enrollment in a graduate College of Engineering program in relation to the graduate enrollment issues the university has previously expressed concerns about. In fall 2022, the master’s of computer science program admitted 900 students, according to Hammond. He said these students were largely “underqualified” and “lacked any mathematical skills for graduate work in CS (computer science) and practical skills in programming for the program.” During this same academic year, there were 358 academic integrity
violations, with 242 being committed by graduate students, and 281 of the violations occurring in the College of Engineering. Hammond said that math faculty, who took on computer science teaching responsibilities after computer science faculty left prior to the semester, were “harrassed” by some students about grades. “Our department has had to make new policies surrounding these (computer science) courses, directing any meeting with more than two students be handled in the main math office in order to protect our faculty,” Hammond said. “If harassing faculty is not enough, one of the undergraduate TAs was accosted at Dillons in fall 2022 by students demanding a change to the way their papers were marked.” While he agreed with the idea of enrollment being everyone’s responsibility, Hammond emphasized that the university must “responsibly enroll students.” “I support WSU to be a leader in engineering in the world,” Hammond said. “But I don’t want us to be a cash vacuum for underprepared, dishonest and bullying people. I would rather see a $2 million budget cut than admit their likes again.”
“MEASURES” TO ADDRESS ENROLLMENT
In the Feb. 5 email to faculty and staff, the administration laid out its “measures” to “bolster applications and admissions” in graduate programs at the university, which include: • Removing the GRE requirement for admissions • Making the Intensive English program’s tuition “more competitive” • Setting enrollment goals for programs with deans, which, if not met, “further interventions will be implemented” In addition to this, graduate coordinators now are required to attend weekly meetings to discuss how to increase graduate enrollment.
Infographic by Thy Vo / The Sunflower
NEWS
2 | Feb. 15, 2024
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Staff Senate president joins leadership center, reflects on 17 years at Wichita State BY GENESIS MERRIETT genserudition@gmail.com
Jason Bosch enjoys spending time with his family, grilling outdoors on sunny days and coaching young people in leadership, the last of which he will do at his new position at the Kansas Leadership Center, starting Feb. 9. “I will spend a lot of my time teaching, training and facilitating in KLC’s custom programs,” Bosch said. “They also do a lot of custom work with specific nonprofits, companies, community organizations, where they might go in and have a longer-term engagement and teaching and training within that organization or community.” Bosch, the current Staff Senate president and assistant dean for student success in the College of Engineering, said that, although he is sad to leave so many great people at WSU, he is excited to embark on this new journey. “I find that I get really energized anytime that I am teaching or training or coaching, so I’m just really excited,” he said. “I’ve been passionate for a long, long time about helping people build their leadership skills (and) build their capacity to lead.” Bosch shared that one of his greatest accomplishments during his 17 years at WSU was the team he worked with and cultivated along the way. “I’m really proud of the team that we’ve built here in the Engineering Student Success Center,” Bosch said. “I get to work with a team of people who are incredibly dedicated to student success and really go above and beyond every day to support students.” His proudest accomplishment is the foundation of the Spirit Strong First Generation Scholars
Staff Senate President Jason Bosch (right) laughs at the Clash of Colleges event on Aug. 25, 2023. | Photo by Shelby DuVall / The Sunflower
Program, which helps up to 40 first-generation freshman engineering students with financial needs each year. “The students who come into that program are moving on in their degree programs at a higher rate than other first gen, limitedincome students, so that program is showing some success,” he said. “I’m very, very proud of (the) work we’ve done to provide that opportunity.” Bosch hopes that it will continue to grow and expand after he’s gone. “My hope is that, going forward, the college will be able to identify some ways to scale that,” he said. “Just because of the current
resources we have available, we have to restrict the program to 40 freshmen each year. There’s a lot more students in the college who I think could benefit from the program.” Bosch said the most important lesson he has learned at WSU has been to put people first. “Nothing at this university, or nothing in any organization, happens without people,” he said. “I think the best organizations, the most successful organizations, understand that their people are their most valuable asset, and they prioritize the people above all else.” He plans on implementing this while coaching young adults in the
future. “My hope is to model that (putting people first) through my work at the Kansas Leadership Center by enabling people to exercise leadership from wherever they sit within the organization,” he said. “Leadership is very different than having a title or having power or having authority. Anybody in an organization or community can lead.” He also shared a personal mantra of his that guides his approach to work, advice he gives to students each year while teaching an adaptive leadership course. “You are creative and capable, and the world needs you to be
confident and courageous.” Bosch said people often underestimate their ability to make a difference in the world, leading to a lack of confidence. “If we can start to get out of our own way and be more confident … we can create that change,” he said. “There’s a lot of problems going on in this world that are waiting for people to step up and lead.” Bosch said he experienced his hardships and triumphs, as everyone does, but he has enjoyed his career here. “I’m also leaving with some really fond memories, some really great relationships and overall, a positive experience at WSU.”
NASA partnership led by Wichita State to increase space manufacturing BY LOREN AMELUNKE loren.amelunke@outlook.com
NASA’s new Artemis III mission plans to land the first woman and the second man on the Moon in 2026. Colonizing the Moon is the finish line. Still, there are numerous factors to consider when discussing humans living on the Moon. Wichita State University is leading a project addressing one of those challenges. The project is a collaboration between WSU and several institutions, including the University of Kansas, Kansas State University, the NASA Ames Research Center, and the NASA Marshall Flight Space Center. It is funded by a $750,000 grant from NASA. WSU’s Wujun Si, an assistant professor of industrial, systems and manufacturing engineering, and Atri Dutta, an associate professor of aerospace engineering, are currently working on the first stage. “We can see this very huge potential and very real need for in-space manufacturing in the very near future,” Si said.
BEHIND THE PROJECT The project is titled “PhysicsInformed-AI Enabled Smart Electrospinning of Nanofiber
Membranes Towards In-Space Manufacturing.” In-space manufacturing (ISM) opens up the possibility of building factories, parts and places to live — all without having to rely on Earth. The ability to manufacture in space increases the rate of in-space development as it reduces the need for resupply missions back to Earth. It also saves the materials from having to withstand the rocket launch from Earth. The International Space Station (ISS) has a 3D printer to manufacture parts and tools in space. A 3D printer builds its products layer-by-layer — a technique called additive manufacturing. In 2014, the first object to be made in space was manufactured. From 2016 to 2019, the Additive Manufacturing Facility on the ISS produced 155 products, with more since then. ISM research is currently centered around additive manufacturing. In the aerospace industry, additive manufacturing makes it possible to build geometrically complex objects efficiently to save on materials. In additive manufacturing, the materials fed into the processor to create a product is called the “feedstock.” The feedstock could be in the form of a paste, liquid,
wire or powder. Throughout the process, the feedstock is fused and melted, often by a laser, in order to consolidate the parts. While additive manufacturing transcends traditional manufacturing in terms of creative versatility, there are disadvantages. Additive manufacturing is not always able to consistently produce reliable products. The process of additive manufacturing is also dependent on gravity. “If we have no gravity … we cannot print layer-by-layer using the traditional 3D printing technology,” Si said. The atmosphere in space has little to no gravity and no atmospheric pressure acting on objects. Because of this, Si said “the manufacturing paradigm is totally different.” The WSU-led, in-space manufacturing project is testing how electrospinning can complement additive manufacturing. Si said that the currently available research on electrospinning is “sparse,” and the project will test the capability. Electrospinning is powered by electrons and does not need gravity. To begin, a polymer solution is contained — usually in a syringe and pumped through a blunt needle. When the electricity
Illustration by Makenzie Miller / The Sunflower
makes contact with the needle, the liquid droplets form a cone. The high voltage causes the solution to violently whip around the interior, creating solid fibers. To create nanofiber membranes, the existing electrospinning device is used with additional setups to produce nanolevel materials. Si said the current materials they are working with are the size of the edge of paper, whereas additive manufacturing results in macroscale materials. The project is divided into three tasks: lab testing and development, lab testing and material characterization, and the
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integration of the previous tasks. The final process is theoretical work to develop the new machine’s algorithms. Si and Dutta are also working on subsequent proposals. Due to competition within the industry, they cannot reveal specific details on future projects. The professors said that while the current project is testing basic materials, the next projects will use data from Artemis II and III in order to build more complex materials that will fit the Moon’s conditions. “This is just a starting point,” Si said.
CONTACT US The Sunflower, founded in 1896, is the student-run newspaper covering Wichita State University. The print edition is published Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The staff publishes daily online at www.thesunflower.com.
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HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Sports editor, Melanie Rivera-Cortez sports@thesunflower.com
Destiny Masters, one of Wichita State’s track and field athletes, does a practice jump at Wilson Invitational on Jan. 25. Masters won in the high jump with a jump of 5’10.75”.| Photo by Cheyanne Tull / The Sunflower
Destiny Masters motivated to place at nationals BY TALIYAH WINN
tmwinn03@gmail.com
Track and field redshirt junior Destiny Masters draws motivation from setting goals, and this year her goal is to place in the top three at the NCAA nationals. “I know that’s where I want to be,” Masters said. Recently in Manhattan, Masters broke the Wichita State record for the pentathlon with a total of 4,211 points. She currently leads the American Athletic Conference in the indoor pentathlon and is ranked No. 5 in NCAA Division I rankings. But in high school, Masters wasn’t planning on being a collegiate athlete at all. “I only did it my sophomore year, and I only did it my junior year at regionals and state,” Masters said. Support from her high school and college coaches has pushed her to where she is today. “If I didn’t have (Director of Track and Field Steve) Rainbolt here with me, I would’ve quit year one,” Masters said. The transition from high school athletics to the collegiate level was tough for Masters. “It kicked my butt,” Masters said. “But now I’m in year five, and it’s like, ‘Oh my god, I only have one year left.’ That’s crazy to me.” Masters likes to keep to herself. She said she appreciates her teammates and the track community but is generally self-motivated. “I’ve always had issues with leaning on people too much,” Masters said. “I can’t count on other people to be there.” Masters said her mindset has improved a lot throughout this season. At the Kansas Triangular last month, Masters placed second in the high jump at 1.85m/6’0.75”. It was the second-best mark in WSU history. “I didn’t think I could be good,” Masters said.“After making the six-foot bar outdoors at KU, it was like, ‘Oh, dang, I can do better than I thought.’” The high jump comes easy for her because it’s been her main event since high school, but mind over matter can be a struggle when going for a goal she’s never achieved before. “There’s a mental block for me … when it starts to feel painful and hard,” Masters said. “It’s like I want to back off but in the 800-meter you have to push forward and go harder, then back off.” When she’s in the middle of a race, the words of her coaches are what pushes Masters forward. “I do tend to think about what (assistant track and field coach Kirk) Hunter says,” Masters said. “Once you start feeling the pain, run harder.”
Jayla Murray, a redshirt sophomore out of Missouri, attempts to put back a rebound against Khia Miller of East Carolina. Murray grabbed eight rebounds in the afternoon loss on Feb. 4. | Photo by Trinity Ramm / The Sunflower
Women’s basketball bullied by South Florida BY JACOB UNRUH
assistantsports@thesunflower.com
By the end of the first quarter of the Wichita State women’s basketball team’s matchup against South Florida on Tuesday night, the game was functionally over. The Bulls ran out to a staggering 25-6 lead in the first quarter, and nothing the Shockers could do after that point would make a substantial difference in the sizable deficit. Wichita State eventually fell on the road, 79-57 on Feb. 13. With this, the Shockers dropped to 7-18 overall and 3-10 in the American Athletic
Conference (AAC). South Florida is 7-6 in the AAC. The Bulls scored the first 11 points of the game until freshman guard Salese Blow finally hit a 3-pointer for Wichita State nearly five minutes into the first quarter. The shot didn’t stop the bleeding, as South Florida proceeded to go on a 10-1 run immediately afterward. Wichita State shot a miserable 2/14 in the first quarter with five turnovers. The second quarter didn’t start any better for the Shockers, as the Bulls opened the period with a 6-0 run, extending its lead
to 31-6. South Florida preserved the 25-point advantage, going into half leading 45-20. Yet again, the beginning of the third quarter saw an immediate South Florida 6-0 run. Late in the third, the Bull’s lead was expanded to 35, 66-31. In the final four minutes of the game, Wichita State went on a 12-2 run to make the score appear closer, but the game’s result was never in question. Three Shockers scored 11 points in the game: Blow, redshirt sophomore forward Jayla Murray, and senior forward Sierra Morrow, with Morrow’s tally
coming in only 13 minutes. Aside from Blow, the Wichita State guards struggled to make baskets. Seniors Tre’Zure Jobe, DJ McCarty, Aniya Bell, and Jeniah Thompson and junior Raissa Nsabua combined to shoot 5/25 (20%) from the field. Sophomore forward Daniela Abies nabbed eight rebounds, but Wichita State was out-rebounded 46-28 as a team. The Shockers will attempt to turn around its bad form on Saturday, Feb. 17, when they host the University of Tulsa. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
Women’s bowling team prepares for NCAA jump BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com
When Holly Harris, head coach for the women’s bowling team, got a call from Athletic Director Kevin Saal saying that women’s bowling would become a varsity sport for Wichita State, she began to cry. “This has been something that we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” Harris said. “We’ve kind of been asking for quite a few years.” In fall 2023, Wichita State’s athletic department announced that women’s bowling would make the big move from being an intercollegiate team to an NCAA sport. Harris has held the head coach position for four years. Before that, she was part of Wichita State’s bowling program during her college years, joining in 2010. “I think the college me wanted
that to feel a little fulfilled, and then I’m just super excited to get to do it with the (team),” Harris said. Harris said she looks forward to her new role. She has never looked at coaching as anything less than trying to win. “I’m still coaching bowling, and we’re still throwing a ball down the lane and trying to knock over as many pins as we can,” Harris said. “I really think that the coaching part of it stays the same. We’re not just trying to be the best in the club, we’re trying to be the best in the country.” Mary Orf joined the team three years ago and said she is excited about all the resources that will be available. “I did not expect the NCAA thing when they announced it to us. It was a big shock,” Orf said. Women’s bowling will have access to strength conditioning
and academic, nutrition, and mental health support. Harris said the team will be able to focus more on bowling with the added resources. She said in the past few years, it has been harder to recruit bowlers because many of them have been looking for an NCAA team. “We’ve seen a big shift in probably the last five to 10 years in women’s bowling in general, and a lot more of the better players (are) going to the NCAA,” Harris said. Women’s bowling had an open program where student-athletes could show up and try out, but they are now shifting into a more limited recruiting process. As of right now, women’s bowling is required to have a minimum of 10 bowlers to compete, but there is no limit to how many they are allowed. “It’s really just making sure
that we have enough resources and time for everybody that we want to have with us,” Harris said. Orf said the team has already seen some NCAA teams in intercollegiate sectionals. “Some of their points qualify them for sectionals, but it’s just going to be completely different seeing the bigger, better schools even though we’re just as good,” Orf said. Harris said moving to the NCAA makes the team feel more legitimate. “Knowing that they’re going to get recognized with other athletes and be treated like athletes and like a real sport on campus — I couldn’t be more excited for them,” Harris said. Women’s bowling is now in its final postseason run as an intercollegiate sport. They will fully transition into the NCAA by summer 2024.
The Basketball Tournament to return to Charles Koch Arena BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com
Conner Frankamp gives fans high-fives after the TBT Wichita Regional final. AfterShocks won 70-69 against Bleed Green on July 25, 2022. | Photo by Thy Vo / The Sunflower
The Basketball Tournament (TBT) announced on Monday morning that it will call Wichita its home for the regional and quarterfinal locations in July. Charles Koch Arena has served as the tournament’s longest-running location for 11 years. This will be the fifth year the Roundhouse has hosted the 64-team, $1 million winner-take-all event tournament in regionals and the third hosting the
quarterfinals. Last summer, Wichita State set a single-game record with 7,202 fans showing up to the arena to show their support of the Wichita State alumni team AfterShocks in the quarterfinal game. The AfterShocks have been one of the most successful teams in TBT since joining the tournament in 2019. Since then, they’ve won three regionals in Koch Arena, had two runs in the quarterfinals, and made a seminal appearance.
John Robert Simon and Garrett Stutz will return as the co-general managers. Zach Bush will repeat as the team’s head coach for the fourth straight summer. The AfterShocks roster will be announced at a later date but currently includes Conner Frankamp and Markis McDuffie. The Wichita Regional will be played from July 20-24, and the quarterfinal will be on July 30 in Koch Arena. Tickets for the 2024 regional will go on sale later this year.
SPORTS
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Feb. 15, 2024 | 5
Bijan Cortes prepares to pass the ball to a teammate during the game against UTSA on Feb. 7. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
Men’s basketball plummets on the road at FAU BY MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com
On Super Bowl Sunday, Wichita State men’s basketball was bested by Florida Atlantic in overtime, 95-82. After ending 74-74 in regulation, the Owls crushed the Shockers with an early six points in the extra period to coast the rest of the game. “At the end of the day, we’ve got to figure out how to close out games,” junior guard Xavier Bell said. Wichita State now sits 10-14 overall and 2-9 in conference play. The Shockers came onto the court with energy following their last win against UTSA. Wichita State made eight of its first 12 field goal attempts to take a 21-16 lead.
The Shockers created their largest lead of the night, 26-20, but the Owls would respond with a 7-0 run to take the lead, 27-26. Florida Atlantic held onto the lead going into halftime, 38-36, despite only shooting 38% from the field compared to Wichita State’s 58%. The Owls came out swinging in the second half, furthering their lead 55-48, which prompted a Wichita State timeout. A shot from redshirt junior Colby Rogers put the Shockers just two points from tying the game, but the Owls responded with a 9-2 run to snatch its largest lead of the day, 68-59, at the 10:17 mark. Following a Florida Atlantic dry spell, Wichita State produced
a 7-0 run to make it a two-point game, 68-66 with four minutes to go. In a play where the shot clock appeared to expire, Wichita State players stopped playing while the Owls got an uncontested layup. The Shockers stopped playing to celebrate with fans after hearing the buzzer. Bell said the shock-clock violation caused the momentum to shift, but the team has to stay aware on the court. “Stuff hasn't gone our way from time to time, and it is what it is, but we can't really control that,” Bell said. “We control how we're reacting to the situation and continue to play.” Head coach Paul Mills rivaled Bell’s statement, saying,
“Sometimes, it’s things you can’t even control.” “That's a shot clock violation,” Mills said. “Officials miss calls. Don't know that you can miss that one. You blow your whistle, and you go back and review it." Following the violation, junior center Quincy Ballard fouled Florida Atlantic’s Bryan Greenlee inside the paint, giving the Owls a pair of free throws to take back the lead, 74-72. The next offensive effort saw Bell at the free throw line with two free throws, which he made to tie the game 74-74 with 17 seconds of regulation left. The Owls tried to win it all with the ball on their court but a turnover gave the Shockers some hope. Pohto would attempt to
win the game beyond the arc but ultimately fell short sending the game into overtime. Florida Atlantic had no mercy going into overtime, scoring six uncontested points in the first minute of play, including a basket right from the tipoff. Florida Atlantic head coach Dusty May said that he understands what Wichita State is going through after his team was in the same situation of failing to close games just a few seasons ago. "This Wichita State team is a little bit snake-bitten in these close games,” May said. Up next, Wichita State will seek redemption on the road against East Carolina on Thursday, Feb. 15. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
Illustration by Preston Caylor / The Sunflower
Shocker Sports Roundup: What you missed over the weekend BY JACOB UNRUH assistantsports@thesunflower.com
SOFTBALL
Craig Porter Jr. dribbles the ball in the game against Tulsa in the 2023 AAC tournament. | Photo by Madeline Bell / The Sunflower
Former player Craig Porter Jr. signs deal with Cavaliers BY JACOB UNRUH assistantsports@thesunflower.com
Former Wichita State men’s basketball guard Craig Porter Jr. signed a four-year deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday night. Porter, who was not selected in the 2023 NBA Draft, has been a member of the Cavaliers on a two-way contract since the beginning of the season. He has played in 32 of
Cleveland’s 52 games this season, starting in six of them. The Cavaliers, who are 35-17 this year and 2nd in the Eastern Conference, completed a standard conversion of Porter’s contract from a two-way to a four-year deal, signifying that the team views the guard as a part of their long-term plans. On the year, Porter is averaging 6.5 points, 2.8
assists and 2.5 rebounds per game. On Nov. 19 against the Denver Nuggets, Porter set a career-high with 21 points in a win. Porter played three seasons with the Shockers from 2020-2023. He was a member of the Wichita State team that made the NCAA tournament in 2021 and started 30 of 31 games in 2022-23, averaging 13.5 points.
The softball team kicked off their season in Huntsville, Texas, for the Bearkat Classic on Friday, Feb. 9. The Shockers played a doubleheader, beating Stephen F. Austin, 7-4, in the morning and winning in extra innings, 7-3, against Sam Houston in the afternoon. Wichita State collected only five hits against Stephen F. Austin, and three of them were home runs. Graduate student CC Wong and freshman Sydney Zenon hit solo homers in their Shocker debuts, while redshirt senior Lainee Brown smacked a three-run shot in the first inning. In the second game, senior Addison Barnard delivered two home runs, including one on the first pitch of the game. The game went to an extra
eighth inning, 3-3, where the Shockers collected four runs to secure the win. Wichita State was initially scheduled for three more games over the weekend, but the remainder of the trip was canceled due to inclement weather.
TRACK AND FIELD On Feb. 9, track and field competed in the Ichabod Invitational at Washburn University. Ten Shockers won events, with junior Destiny Masters claiming three first-place trophies in the 60-meter hurdles, high jump and 60-meter sprint. The men’s and women’s relay teams won their race and set top-10 times in school history. In the 3000-meter, Wichita State women placed first through fourth, with junior Lucy Ndungu in the top spot. The Shockers are set to compete at the Arkansas
Qualifier on Friday, Feb. 16.
WOMEN’S TENNIS Women’s tennis lost against Kentucky, 5-2, on Feb. 9 but turned around to beat Tulane, 4-3, at home on Sunday, Feb. 11. The Shockers are now 4-3 on the season. Wichita State won the doubles point against Kentucky, but aside from a win by freshman Xin Tong Wang on court two, the other singles players fell short in a tightly-contested match. Against Tulane, Wichita State won the doubles point again in a tightly-contested affair. The overall result came down to the final match on court six, where freshman Giorgia Roselli clinched the overall win for the Shockers by beating her opponent in two sets. The Shockers will travel to UT-Arlington to compete on Thursday, Feb. 15.
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OPINION
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Opinion editor, Sascha Harvey opinion@thesunflower.com
The Rhatigan Student Center Starbucks on June 15, 2022. | File photo by Mia Hennen / The Sunflower
Boycott Starbucks for the benefit of its workers, not for Palestine Jacob Unruh
assistantsports@thesunflower.com
OPINION
Think of a restaurant chain that sells coffee and materially supports the Israeli government. They are listed on the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) list, have stores operating in Israel and local franchises that have sent meals to the Israel Defense Forces. If you’re thinking of Starbucks, you’d be wrong. The company has no stores currently in operation in Israel and are not identified on a BDS list. Moreover, neither Starbucks nor owner Howard Schultz have any known ties to the Israeli government or defense forces. The company in question is McDonald’s. Yet, despite McDonald’s operating stores in Israel, it’s Starbucks who has received the majority of backlash for perceived support of Israel during its brutal bombing campaign that has already killed over 25,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The controversy surrounding Starbucks can be tied back to Starbucks Workers United, a union that represents around 9,000 employees of the coffee giant. On Oct. 7, the day of a Hamas attack on Israel that killed more than a thousand people, the union posted “Solidarity with Palestine” on their X social media account, alongside an image of a Hamas-operated bulldozer tearing down a fence in Gaza. In an Oct. 11 statement, Starbucks attempted to distance themselves from the union, saying, “We unequivocally condemn these acts of terrorism, hate and
violence, and disagree with the statements and views expressed by Workers United and its members.” The coffee chain sued the union, not for expressing proPalestine views, but for copyright infringement — the union was using the Starbucks name and a logo reminiscent of the company. Only time will tell where the legal battle will go from this point. However, it should be clear that Starbucks’ actions are a far cry from funding genocide, contrary to what the numerous examples of graffitied stores with messages such as “blood on your hands,” “you make drinks 4 genocide” and “this company supports genocide” might suggest. To be clear, there are many valid reasons to support a boycott of Starbucks. The company has repeatedly been accused of violating the National Labor Relations Act and have a robust history of firing workers who lead unionization efforts, union busting with coercive measures and broadly mistreating workers through unfair schedules and poor pay. The boycott over Palestine distracts from Starbucks’ true crimes and is counterproductive from a strategic perspective. If the goal of a boycott is to force a company to change its policies through financial pressure, a boycott attempting to change a policy that never existed cannot succeed. Starbucks cannot make changes to “stop supporting genocide.” They never were to begin with. There is no quid-pro-quo. Make no mistake, the boycott movement is failing. While Starbucks’ stock value has
dropped somewhat, it’s hard to tell whether the stagnation is due to the boycott or rising prices. Meanwhile, McDonald’s, the company that actually materially supports Israel, is seeing record highs in the stock market. It is deeply concerning that online activists have taken to the streets to protest and vandalize based on accusations they never bothered to do the bare minimum amount of research to verify. Beyond that, the Starbucks boycott is harmful to the overall pro-Palestinian movement. But don’t take it from me. Take it from the BDS website. They say, when listing the recommended boycott targets, “We must strategically focus on a relatively smaller number of carefully selected companies and products for maximum impact. We need to target companies that play a clear and direct role in Israel’s crimes and where there is real potential for winning.” “Many of the prohibitively long lists going viral on social media do the exact opposite of this strategic and impactful approach. They include hundreds of companies, many without credible evidence of their connection to Israel’s regime of oppression against Palestinians. Many do not have clear demands to the companies as to what we expect them to do to end the boycott, making them ineffective.” If you want to boycott for Palestine, boycott companies whose financial pain will actually make a difference for the Palestinian people. If you’re going to boycott Starbucks, do so with clear demands on behalf of the workers they are mistreating, not the Palestinians they are not.
WHO’S BEING BOYCOTTED? BY SASCHA HARVEY
opinion@thesunflower.com
The following companies are companies common in American markets and are included in the boycott proposed by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. Their relation to Israel ranges from direct support of the Israeli government to occupying territory in Israel.
1. CONSUMER BOYCOTT TARGETS The BDS movement calls for a boycott of these brands due to the company’s history of complicity in Israeli apartheid. Avoid purchase or endorsement of these products and brands. • PUMA • SodaStream • RE/MAX • Products of Israel
2. DIVESTMENT TARGETS The BDS movement wants to pressure governments and institutions to divest from these companies due to their business in Israel’s illegal settlement, according to the UN database. Individuals are called to campaign against these companies to further isolate Israel. • HD Hyundai • Volvo • Intel • Chevron
3. PRESSURE (NONBOYCOTT) TARGETS The BDS movement calls for pressure campaigns against these
brands due to their complicity in Israeli apartheid. For strategic reasons, BDS has not called for a boycott but instead for supporters and institutions to pressure them to end their complicity in Israel’s apartheid and support of the Israeli government. Lobbying and social media pressure are the preferred methods for this list, as alternatives can be hard to find. • Google • Amazon • Disney • Airbnb • Booking.com • Expedia
4. ORGANIC BOYCOTT TARGETS The BDS movement did not initiate boycotts of these brands but is in support of the boycotts due to their support of Israel in the genocide of Palestinians. Many of these companies have Israeli branches that have directly supported Israel or the Israel Defense Forces. • Domino’s • McDonald’s • Burger King • Pizza Hut • Papa John’s • Wix Starbucks does not appear on any BDS list. The call to boycott stems from Starbucks filing a lawsuit against Starbucks Workers United, a union, for using the Starbucks name and a similar logo. The lawsuit came after a post on X from Starbucks Workers Union declaring “Solidarity with Palestine!”
By wing, paw or flipper, keep warm with animal hats Lydia Steeby
steebylk@gmail.com
OPINION
We humans don’t have the best adaptations for surviving the cold, so when winter comes around, and animals start growing thicker fur, we start layering jackets, gloves, and hats. Hats are important to wear because our heads are very exposed, and we lose heat easily from an unprotected head. That being said, many choose not to wear hats or use very common
hats like hoodies or beanies, and almost everyone overlooks the glorious fashion opportunities of the animal hat. Animal hats are a unique form of self-expression and a bold fashion statement. In a world of beanies and hoodies, you could be the proud wearer of a llama hat. Imagine walking around the Wichita State campus or town and seeing adorable renditions of anything from monkeys to blobfish or even a fantastical creature. That world seems like a brighter and more imaginative place to me. Because animal hats aren’t too popular yet, wearing them is a
great way to distinguish people in crowds. It’s easier to spot your friend’s neon green lizard hat than just another black beanie. This could be beneficial when going to events or activities with friends, especially if you get separated. Animal hats also serve as great conversation starters. I am the proud owner of a few animal hats, one of which is very cute and people often compliment it, but my favorite thing about it is how no one (including myself ) knows what animal it is. It’s always fun to talk to people as we debate what it could be. Another reason animal hats
are wonderful is because of the wide variety they come in. If your favorite animal is a frog, there’s a hat for you. A squid? You bet. I have a hat of a monkey wearing its own hat. There are so many different animal and creaturethemed hats out there that you’re bound to find one for you. Some types of animal hats are even made to have moving ears, wings, and arms. But if you’re not into loud hats or fashion in general, it’s easy to find more subtle animal hat options, too. I know as college students, there is a lot of pressure to grow up, and animal hats seem childish.
The truth is, they are, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. There’s lots of research out there that demonstrates the benefits of having stuffed animals on anxiety and depression in adults, and I believe animal hats can have similar benefits. Just because we’re ‘grown-ups’ doesn’t mean we can’t wear fun hats that make the world just a bit more playful. Ultimately, animal hats are a unique way to keep warm in the cold winter seasons that allow your individualism to shine. Why not take the opportunity to get or make one yourself and brighten the world (and your outfit) a bit?
HAVE A STORY IDEA? Contact the Arts editor, Salsabila Attaria arts@thesunflower.com
ARTS & CULTURE
Feb. 15, 2024 | 7 www.thesunflower.com
Sticky Bird offers options for gluten-free chicken lovers Jacinda Hall
podcast@thesunflower.com
REVIEW
Ellen Mosiman and Dustin Youngman pose for a photo at Fairmount Coffee Co. Mosiman and Youngman were graphic design majors at Wichita State and have continued working in the industry. The two got married in July of 2023. | Photo by Monique Bever / The Sunflower
WSU graphic design alumni find love, collaboration after graduation BY MONIQUE BEVER monibever@gmail.com
W
ith a graduation date two years apart, Ellen Mosiman and Dustin Youngman completed their bachelor’s in graphic design at Wichita State as virtual strangers, with a brief encounter in between. Mosiman volunteered to review other students’ portfolios and got randomly assigned to Youngman. “I went home at the end of that day after reviewing, and I was living with my parents at the time,” Mosiman said. “I told them like, ‘Oh man, there was one guy who had a really great portfolio.’ And it was Dustin.” The two didn’t see or hear from each other for over a year.
After reuniting as coworkers at Gardner Design in 2021, comradery and romance blossomed out of their partnership. The pair got married in July, and the rest is history. “When I talk to a lot of people, they were like, ‘Oh god, why would you work with your significant other? Don’t you get tired?’” Youngman said. “I never got tired of seeing Ellen. We sat very close to each other. It was nice always having her near.” Youngman left Gardner Design to freelance a few months ago and is adapting to working without Mosiman, who still works at Gardner. Still, the pair still collaborate frequently, rolling ideas and constructive critiques off each other. They find they each have complementary design styles and influence the
other’s work. “It’s a lot of sitting on the couch and being like, ‘Look, what I made,’” Mosiman said. “I feel like we have different styles, but they also mesh together really well.” Mosiman and Youngman collaborated on a show at Art House 310 in early February, where their artwork is featured and will be displayed through Feb. 18. “You can definitely tell what I made versus Dustin,” Mosiman said. “But there were people like, ‘We can tell that you’re also moving and working off of each other.’” Mosiman said she and Youngman were both “really excited” after leaving the first Friday of the art show and hope to do more art shows. Despite their careers being
enveloped in design, Mosiman and Youngman take time to embrace their interests outside of graphic design. The couple enjoys running, swimming and exploring the outdoors. “It’s like you get in a group with designers, and all they talk about is design. And it’s not so fun,” Youngman said. “You will hit a point where you burn out on design, and if you don’t have other interests, you burn out your entire personality.” The pair also finds that having a relationship with another designer pushes them further in their career. Both design for fun in their free time and feed off each other’s love for designing. Mosiman said, “It’s been really nice to marry another designer because I feel like we do push each other to be better.”
Palen Music Center replaces Senseney Music, aims to support community musicians BY SHELBY DUVALL
shelbyd306@gmail.com
Palen Music Center, just off of I-135, recently opened in Wichita and hopes to support local musicians. While Palen Music Center has a long history of helping provide musical materials to students and adults alike, this particular Palen location has a vibrant history tied to Wichita. The store, formerly known as Senseney Music, was owned by Lori Supinie before it became a Palen location. Senseney, founded by music educator Denny Senseney, was in operation for nearly 40 years before becoming Palen Music Wichita. For 15 years, Senseney was under the direction of Supinie. After Supinie died, those at the new Palen Music Center named their Lori Supinie Recital Hall for her. The recital hall often hosts the Senseney Community Band, as it did before becoming Palen Music Center. Those in charge of the music center hope to live up to the
reputation of Palen’s 61 years of service alongside honoring the former owner “We want our store to be the happiest spot in our city,” Marla Ritchie, sales floor manager at Palen Music Wichita, said. “We want to create new ways for students to experience music … for our lessons program to develop world-class musicians … and to put instruments in the hands of the less fortunate. We want to be a destination for people.” While the common perception of Palen Music is to rent musical instruments and tools to elementary and high school kids, it also provides resources for musicians of all ages, including instrument accessories, method books, how-to’s, lessons, instrument maintenance, and new or used instruments for purchase. The store’s instrument selection also expands beyond just band or orchestra instruments, with guitar, bass, and keyboard also being available options. “We have people of all levels and age ranges,” Ritchie said.
Palen Music Wichita, formerly Senseney Music, recently opened its doors on Nov. 6, 2023. The music center offers a variety of instruments and equipment, as well as music lessons for all ages. | Photo by Shelby DuVall / The Sunflower
“We also have expanded guitar and gear sections.” Palen Music Wichita has already begun helping Wichita State students with their music needs, including aiding audio engineering students with instrument rentals, and plans to do more. “We will be involved with WSU,” Ritchie said. “We already have things in the works with the band department.”
Palen Music Wichita managers also plan to host monthly events for the community. While they’re still working on a calendar to be posted on their website, they recommend following their Facebook page to keep up with any upcoming events. One of their upcoming events is an open mic night, happening on March 1. “We’re excited for the future,” Ritchie said. “And we’re just getting started.”
Wichita Art Museum to hold free College Night for WSU community BY AINSLEY SMYTH
ainsley.smyth3@gmail.com
Next week, university-goers have the chance to listen to live music, make their own art and see the Wichita Art Museum’s featured exhibit at an event for college students. College Night, starting at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16, is free to all students, staff and faculty with a university ID. Several students from Wichita State and Friends University are helping with the event by sharing information about some of the art on display. One of these WSU students is Aly Horn, a studio arts graduate student.
“I was interested in being able to see the art as well as possibly talk to some of the public or other students about it,” Horn said. Horn will talk to guests about the abstract paintings in the “(im) permanent collection” exhibit. “(im) permanent” showcases some of the 10,000 art pieces in the museum’s permanent collection. At the event, visitors can purchase drinks at a pop-up bar and listen to music performed by the Friends University jazz bands and Wichita State graduate piano student Anne Yap. Students and faculty will be able to create their own art using various materials provided by the
museum and then turn their art into buttons to take home. A faculty reception will occur from 6 to 6:30 p.m., where faculty can learn about the museum’s education resources, tours and events. Registration is required for the reception, and faculty can sign up using the form here or find it at wam.org. Faculty registration includes appetizers and one free drink. Faculty and students can also get in free to the spring featured exhibit “Making American Artists: Stories from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts,” according to Molly McFerson, the Wichita Art
Museum’s director of learning, engagement and partnerships. “Making American Artists,” which combines some of the most recognizable work from American artists with lesser-known and underrepresented artists, will be at the museum until April 21. “What we wanted to do was kind of create a night that was special for college students to really highlight that,” McFerson said. “But WSU students can come anytime that we’re open, show their ID card to the welcome desk, and they’ll get a wristband, and that gets them into the exhibition.”
Like any other kid at heart, chicken tenders and french fries are my go-to comfort meal, and they have been for quite some time. When my mom was diagnosed with celiac disease in May 2023, I was saddened that I couldn’t go to places that served chicken tenders and french fries with my family anymore due to the high risk of cross-contamination. That was until we were told about Sticky Bird. Sticky Bird Addiction Chicken is a restaurant on Tyler Road that offers chicken served in various ways, including fried, grilled and specialty sandwiches. The restaurant also gives you the option to customize seasonings and dipping sauces to pair with your order of chicken tenders. Sticky Bird is allergenfriendly to those with a gluten intolerance or celiac disease. If you request your meal to be gluten-free (chicken and all), they will fry your french fries in a completely separate fryer basket and serve your tenders grilled in your choice of seasoning, also tossed separately to avoid cross-contamination. The regular chicken tender meals include fries, coleslaw, sauce of your choice, a drink, and cinnamon cake pops. The gluten-free meals include the same items except for the cake pops. The prices for the combos vary depending on the number of chicken tenders you order. The three-piece is $11.50, the five-piece is $14.50, and the seven-piece is $16.50. It’s a good deal for the amount of chicken you get, plus the other sides as well. When I visited Sticky Bird, I got the Sticky Finger combo tossed in a garlic parmesan rub and rooster sauce for my dipping sauce. The chicken was definitely my favorite part of the meal. The tenders were crispy and crunchy without being greasy, which was amazing. I am a big fan of anything garlic parmesan flavored, and the rub didn’t have an overpowering garlic flavor, but it wasn’t super cheesy either, which made for a well-balanced flavor. I also really enjoyed the rooster sauce. It reminded me of the Cane’s Sauce from Raising Cane’s back when I tried the well-loved restaurant last summer. The cinnamon cake pops were my second favorite part of the meal because, first, who doesn’t love a little sweet treat after their meal? Second, the dessert tasted like an oldfashioned cake donut mixed with funnel cake batter coated with cinnamon sugar. The cake pops were sweet, crunchy and doughy all at once, and it was the perfect dessert to balance out the savory meal. The restaurant serves the cake pops on the side with vanilla butter cream. For the Disney people who love the whipped pineapple Dole from the parks, they serve the creamy dessert here for $4.50, so now you don’t have to travel out of state and wait in long lines to get one. The only downside to my visit was I ended up sitting outside to eat on a windy and slightly chilly day due to the limited indoor seating the restaurant had. Regardless, if you’ve been looking for a new chicken restaurant that’s also allergenfriendly, try Sticky Bird.
ARTS & CULTURE
8 | Feb. 15, 2024
DANCE ‘TIL YOU CAN’T Country music singer Cody Johnson visited Wichita on Friday, Feb. 9 to perform at Intrust Bank Arena.
www.thesunflower.com
UPCOMING EVENTS MENTAL WELLNESS AND PREVENTING SUICIDE TRAINING THURSDAY, FEB. 15 3 - 5 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center
SPEED FRIENDING
THURSDAY, FEB. 15 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center
WRITING NOW READING NOW: POETRY READING BY BRIAN TURNER THURSDAY, FEB. 15 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Ulrich Museum
ENTREPRENEURSHIP RESEARCH LUNCH & LEARN: MARKET RESEARCH FOR STARTUPS
FRIDAY, FEB. 16 Noon - 1 p.m. | Ablah Library
FRIDAY NIGHT AT THE DINER
Dillon Carmichael leans over the crowd during his second song on Feb. 9 at Intrust Bank Arena.
FRIDAY, FEB. 16 5 p.m. | The Lord’s Diner
CASINO NIGHT
FRIDAY, FEB. 16 8 - 10 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center
LADIES (& LITTLES TOO) DAY SATURDAY, FEB. 17 12:30 - 2 p.m. | Charles Koch Arena
NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL SHOWCASE SATURDAY, FEB. 17 6 - 9 p.m. | CAC Theater
JCPENNEY SUIT-UP EVENT
Justin Moore sings his third song of the night. Moore was the opening act for the first concert at Intrust Bank Arena in 2010.
SUNDAY, FEB. 18 3 - 6 p.m. | JCPenney at Town East Square
ENGINEERS WEEK KICK-OFF / DEAN MEET & GREET S MONDAY, FEB. 19 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | John Bardo Center
WSU CONCERT CHORALE, WUCHOIR, AND SHOCKERCHOIR Guitarist for Dillon Carmichael plays during the first song of the Feb. 9 concert at Intrust Bank Arena. Dillon Carmichael was the first opening act of the night.
MONDAY, FEB. 19 7:30 - 9 p.m. | Wiedemann Hall Cody Johnson plays his guitar during his opening song on Feb. 9. Johnson performed at Intrust Bank Arena as part of The Leather Tour. | Photos by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower
BLACK WALL STREET: MAKER’S MARKET
TUESDAY, FEB. 20 - WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center
VISION BOARDS WITH COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING ACADEMIC ADVISORS TUESDAY, FEB. 20 2 - 4 p.m. | Partnership 2
THE POWER OF SERIES TUESDAY, FEB. 20 6 - 8 p.m. | Woolsey Hall
ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5TH GRADER? The crowd claps and sings in the pit as Dillon Carmichael performs. As part of The Leather Tour, the three country music singers performed in front of a nearly sold out arena in Wichita.
Cody Johnson walks to the front of the stage during his second song of the night.
TUESDAY, FEB. 20 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Woolsey Hall
WSU WIND ENSEMBLE | DR. TIMOTHY SHADE, CONDUCTOR
TUESDAY, FEB. 20 7:30 - 9 p.m. | Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center
FULLY DIMENSIONAL CONVERSATION WITH ULRICH CURATOR JO REINERT Cody Johnson’s bassist and violinist play during the second song of the night.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21 10 - 11:30 a.m. | Ulrich Museum
Justin Moore sings his second song on Friday night.
ENGINEERING WEEK CARNIVAL AND STUDENT ORGANIZATION FAIR WEDNESDAY, FEB. 21 7 - 9 p.m. | John Bardo Center
HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED? CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com A fan in the front row holds a sign for the second opening act Justin Moore.
Dillon Carmichael points to the crowd as he performs his third song of the night.
The bassist plays before Justin Moore comes onto the stage.
CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com