The Sunflower v. 128 i. 5 (September 21, 2023)

MOWING MACHINE

‘It’s an all around benefit’: Goats visit WSU Campus

LYDIA STEEBY

steebylk@gmail.com

Tall weeds and grass on campus were no match for a fleet of goats unleashed on overgrown plots of campus land last week.

Rex Rutledge and his herd of grazing goats are new to the business scene, and with this being their second summer on the job, he’s hoping to expand throughout Wichita. In the summer, the City of Wichita contracted Rutledge’s business, Restoration Grazing LLC, to clear brush and poison ivy at Sim Park.

“(I’m) just trying to spread the word and get this practice more accepted as a

city, and hopefully, it turns into a wider tool of land management throughout the city,” Rutledge said.

The goats were invited to Wichita State to graze an eight-acre area of land between Woolsey Hall and Innovation Campus as an alternative to spraying herbicide. According to WSU Facilities Services, the goats will be on campus for the next three to four weeks but aren’t scheduled to return this summer.

According to a KMUW article written about Rutledge’s goats, they have a preferred diet of many Kansas weeds, such as poison ivy, multiple types of tree saplings and the highly invasive Chinese

bush clover, and will eat as much as they can.

“(The goats) eat their fill of plants, and they take a sip of water, and then they go lay down,” Rutledge said.

According to Rutledge, the use of goats has many benefits when compared to other land management techniques, such as handling more challenging terrain and being better for the environment.

“You’re not using lawn mowers or combustion engines and cutting all this stuff down,” Rutledge said. “The goats, you know, they eat, and then they poop, and their poop is organic material that

gets incorporated into the soil. You’re going to improve your soil health, you’re going to bring some vitality back to the soil.”

Rutledge explained that improving soil quality boosts water absorption, which creates less flooding and a healthier water cycle.

He also explained that using goats has benefits outside of environmental health.

“It’s cost-effective and entertaining, and it’s just a cooler way to do it than running lawn mowers over it,” Rutledge said. “It gives students something cool to come and enjoy.”

kept those relationships alive for years’: Students, faculty remember emeritus Wichita State professor

MALEAH EVANS

maleah.evans04@gmail.com

Wichita State Emeritus Professor Melvin Kahn had an unconventional style of teaching political science; he would dress up as the historical figures he was lecturing about.

The former professor, who had taught at WSU for over five decades, died of natural causes at the age of 92 on Sept. 13. He was described by colleagues as a dedicated educator and held his students in high regard.

Chris Hex, Kahn’s former student and a Wichita State graduate, described him as an incredibly welcoming person to anyone who had questions or simply wanted to debate something they heard in his classes.

“He was always excited and his office was a train wreck, but if you walked up to his door, he would throw more papers into a pile and talk to you,” Hex said. “He truly had that vibe of ‘my door is always open.’”

Kahn was known for taking his former and current students to lunch, and a few were invited to his home for dinners and discussions. “I had many of those coffee

lunches with Mel and had dinner with him and his wife a few times,” Hex said. “He was just always the most engaged person and curious to hear what was going on (with us).”

Kahn had many lunches with alumni throughout his career.

“He knew students going back decades … He could remember their names and things they told him,” Carolyn Shaw, political science professor, said. “He just kept those relationships alive for years. It’s powerful.”

Kahn also inspired his coworkers. Shaw said she hoped to be like him as an educator, touching students’ lives.

“He helped hire me when I came into the department as a new professor and served as a mentor when I came on board,” Shaw said. “As a new faculty member, I was so jealous – I wanted to know students like he did, and I aspired to that.”

Kahn was well-known for dressing up as historical figures in his classroom, especially in his political theory classes.

“He decided he was going to make history come alive for students,” Shaw said. “And theoretical writers like John Locke

and Plato, they’re very abstract and hard to connect with, so he decided, ‘Well, I’m just going to make this very real and personal.’”

When Kahn dressed up as these characters, he put on a persona and answered questions as they would in their time period. He also took these personas to local high schools, answering questions for students there.

Alongside teaching, Kahn created the WSU Washington D.C. and Topeka Student Internship Program. This program sends students to Washington, D.C. or Topeka to work with various

Two Hands Corn Dogs prepares to open at WSU

MIA HENNEN editor@thesunflower.com

Those looking for Koreanstyle street corn dogs will have a new place to eat this week. Two Hands Corn Dogs plans to open its doors on the Wichita State campus on Friday, Sept. 22.

Founded in 2019, the Los Angeles-based business will include items like corn dogs, fries, tots and elotes with Korean-style twists, in addition to various drink selections.

political figures in Congress, the executive branch or embassies.

Throughout his career, Kahn’s many awards include receiving the Regents’ Award for Excellence in Teaching in 1982, the Carnegie Foundation Kansas Professor of the Year in 1989, the WSU Academy of Excellence Teaching Award in 2007 and the Marquis Who’s Who Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Two Hands joins several others on Braeburn Square, like recently opened Jersey Mike’s Subs.

The restaurant does not offer in-restaurant dining, meaning customers will have to grab their food and go.

For its first day, the restaurant will have special hours, from noon to 7 p.m. Two Hands will also have a celebratory opening on Sept. 23 and 24 from noon to 2 p.m.

Patrons can typically expect the restaurant to be open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

‘He

A goat chews grass from one of the lots by the innovation campus on Sept. 14. The goats were an inexpensive and eco-friendly way to cut down grass in the area. | Photos by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Two goats headbutt playfully by the Innovation Campus. The goats, in a large fenced area near Airbus, spent the day eating grass in a cheaper and more eco-friendly manner than mowing.

A goat chews on grass by the Innovation Campus. There was a total of 140 goats on campus.

As a cheaper and more eco-friendly option, goats were used to “mow” the grass. The 140 goats were able to roam in a large fenced area by the Innovation Campus.

Student Senate approves act that compensates agency presidents

BY MIA HENNEN editor@thesunflower.com

Lively, encouraging atmosphere motivates debate team to break 16

BY GENESIS MERRIETT genserudition@gmail.com

“When I got here, there were three people in the debate team, and right now, we have over 20,” Samuels said.

Samuels said that the growth of the debate team is due to the inclusive atmosphere that he strives to maintain.

“The most important thing to me, as the director, is access,” he said. “I want anybody who wants to do it, who feels like they could be good at it, or just wants to know. I want them to be able to stop by and feel like they have an opportunity to be a part of it all.”

Thomas Babcock, a senior majoring in political science, echoed Samuels comments on the access of the group.

“I think a lot of people are scared of debate because they think that, you know, if they’re new, they can’t get involved or if they didn’t have previous experience,” Thomas said.

The team accepts a variety of members, from inexperienced debaters to veterans.

“Wichita State debate caters to all experience levels,” Thomas said. “We will travel you to any tournament and all the tournaments and place you in divisions with people

who have just as much experience as you, and there’s a lot to gain from that.”

Samuels also said the students contribute to the environment within the debate room.

“(The students) work hard because they want to, so it’s really, like, a really good fun atmosphere overall, and everybody’s welcome,” he said.

Travis Babcock, a senior majoring in political science and Thomas’ brother, said the team celebrates each other and “roots each other on.”

“There’s definitely a good ethic of work for the team,” Travis said.

Prestigious debaters dedicate a lot of their time to the debate team, according to Thomas.

“I’d say on any given average week, Travis, my twin brother, and I probably put in close to 20 hours of … researching for debate, and … another five of doing practice today to practice speeches,” Thomas said.

Thomas said the number of hours goes up, when preparing for a tournament.

Despite the busy tournament hours, junior psychology major Miguel Molina Chavez highlighted the flexibility within debate.

“It can be pretty intrusive in your

schedule, but it’s honestly a really nice break,” he said. “Debate is super flexible in terms of the prep, the preparing for the tournaments, because you can kind of work on your own time and kind of pace yourself,” he said.

The debate team at WSU has been hard at work preparing for the debate tournament in Chicago this weekend.

“I like to think we’re competitive with all the best schools. We have been over the last two years,” said Phillip Samuels, assistant professor and director of debate.

He said there has been a lot of growth in both competition and students since he took over the debate team three years ago.

The debate team as a whole hopes to break the top 16, meaning they will rank 16th place or higher in the National Debate Tournament (NDT) this year. This will top their achievements from last year.

“Last year, we had two teams at the NDT, which is very tough to do,” Samuels said. “It’s the first time Wichita State’s done it in over 30 years, and they both did exceedingly well.”

Samuels said the students are learning what it takes — and doing it.

The Student Government Association will now compensate agency presidents with $2,000 over the course of a year.

Primarily sponsored by Chairperson Aaron Haynes, The Agency President Compensation Act will provide a $2,000 stipend to agency presidents. This act comes after a first read of the bill on Sept. 6, when the amount originally stood at $1,000.

Currently, eight student agencies exist: Black Student Union, Hispanic American Leadership Organization, Asian Student Conference, Spectrum, First Generation Student Organization, Graduate Student Council, International Student Union and Shockers Vote Coalition.

Presidents of these agencies will receive the $2,000 stipend in increments; at each eight-week mark of the semester, $500 will be distributed.

Student Government Association (SGA) adviser Brandon McClain said the idea to do this came from how the organization funds its international students, who are unable to be paid on a biweekly basis and instead receive pay on an eight-week schedule.

“Let’s say ‘x’ president from ‘x’ agency decides to take a leave of absence and vacates their position during the first four weeks of class. We can then prorate (distribute proportionally) that

(eight week) amount, so instead of the proposed $500 installment (for the eight weeks), they would instead receive $250,” McClain said. “So it was a fairly good idea with a fairly simple fix to it.”

The bill had some debate on it but passed with 21 in favor, five not in favor, and two abstentions.

According to McClain, because the bill passed Wednesday evening and was before the eight week mark of the semester, it will go into effect immediately. others and learn.”

New student organizations

Three student organizations visited the Senate in hopes of becoming a recognized student organization. The three organizations — D.R.E.A.M. (Disability Rights, Education, Activism, and Mentorship), the Indigenous Student Collective, and the Jewish Student Alliance — were all approved.

New approved senators

Six individuals came before the Senate to be approved as senators. The new senators include:

Amaya Virden - underserved senator Evelyn Lewis - freshman senator Jacob Burford - freshman senator Promise Johnson - health professions senator Riley Hansen - at-large senator Sophia Walters - business senator

‘I have 17 kids’: 20-year-old teacher loves bonding with students

BY COURTNEY BROWN newsprojects@thesunflower.com

After wrapping up a day teaching her fourth-grade classroom, Matty Schrag does her own assignments in the evenings—for her Wichita State degree.

At 20-years-old, Schrag is the youngest teacher at Haven Grade School. The elementary education major is a participant in Wichita State’s Teacher Apprentice Program and earned her limited teaching license after being a para educator at Haven during her junior year.

Now a senior, Schrag started running her own class this August, a year before her planned graduation in May.

Attending the Haven school district since sixth grade, Schrag first became interested in teaching after taking education classes in high school. Her teacher motivated her to pursue the career.

“She was awesome and encouraged me every step of the way,” Schrag said.

That same teacher also helped Schrag get into Hutchinson Community College. But before

MISSION

leaving high school, Schrag interned at Haven Grade School, observing Cori Krol’s kindergarten class.

“She kind of welcomed me in and made me a part of her classroom and helps me with my schoolwork if I had any questions about anything,” Schrag said. That relationship continues, with Krol still being a “huge help” and checking in on Schrag as a fellow teacher.

Schrag stayed involved with Haven Grade School as a substitute during community college. Coming in with college credits, Schrag graduated a year later in 2022, starting at WSU that summer and becoming a para at Haven that school year.

Her pull toward Haven school comes from the accepting community.

“Coming in sixth grade, I realized how welcoming they are, and even moving up to middle school and high school, they just accept everybody,” Schrag said.

“(All the schools in Haven) can come together and do what’s best for our schools and our teachers and our children, and I found that out my first day when I came to

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tour Haven Grade School, and I have loved it since.”

Schrag decided to complete the Teacher Apprentice Program, thanks to encouragement from another sixth grade teacher on a limited license at Haven.

“I talked a lot with that sixth grade teacher, and she helped me a lot and told me … that is this is totally manageable if you can put the time and energy into it, and so I decided that that’s what I wanted to do,” Schrag said.

Jill Wood, the Teacher Apprentice Program coordinator, said that the program partners with the Kansas State Department of Education, allowing students to earn a limited license. They must have completed one year of WSU-approved courses, earned 60 credit hours and been a para educator for a year, among other requirements. According to Wood, 688 students are enrolled in the program, as of the first week of classes.

“This program was really creating a pathway for any student who wants to have the opportunity to be a teacher to be in a program and work towards

that licensure,” Wood said.

Through the program, Schrag has embraced the opportunity to teach young. Her job offer at Haven came at age 19, and Schrag said her students and their parents know she is 20 and are accepting of her.

“They’re along for the ride, and they don’t even really worry about the age. They just look at it as, ‘you’re young and you’re fun,’” Schrag said. “They just care that I’m doing my job and I’m doing it well.”

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.

EDITOR IN CHIEF Mia Hennen editor@thesunflower.com

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ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Salsabila Attaria arts@thesunflower.com

SPORTS EDITOR Melanie Rivera-Cortez sports@thesunflower.com

OPINION EDITOR Sascha Harvey opinion@thesunflower.com

PHOTO EDITOR Kristy Mace photo@thesunflower.com

PODCAST EDITOR Jacinda Hall podcast@thesunflower.com

A month into her first year of teaching, Schrag juggles her classroom and her online coursework, fitting in grading during her lunch break to give her time for WSU work at home. She also credits her fellow fourth grade teachers, Zaelynn Foth and Joni Allsup, with giving her advice with classroom management skills and strategies to involve the kids. A fan of Haven’s strategies, Schrag said that they have helped motivate the kids and formed connections.

“We have just became quite a little family in here,” Schrag said. “So I love that, and I tell everybody that those are my kids. I have 17 kids, and they’re all my kids. I love them.”

When asked what she was looking forward to during her first year, Schrag said that “there’s so much.” She is especially interested in watching the kids grow as readers, having switched from a math student to a reading person as a teacher.

“It’s so fun seeing how much they can learn,” Schrag said. “So I’m excited to see how far they can come by the end of the year.”

CONTACT US

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EDITORIAL Mia Hennen: 316-978-6906 editor@thesunflower.com

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CORRECTIONS

The Sunflower is committed to accuracy in its publications. If you find an error in any of its publications, please email the editor at editor@thesunflower.com immediately.

Chairperson Aaron Haynes makes the case for the Agency President Compensation Act to the Student Senate on Sept. 20.| Photo by Trinity Ramm / The Sunflower

Debate partners Grace McManus and Neymara Freeman prepare their speech on Afro-futurism for their upcoming tournament on Sept. 23-24. | Photo by Lee Frank / The Sunflower.

Matty Schrag poses for a photo on her first day of teaching in August. | Photo courtesy of Matty Schrag

The men’s cross country team begins their race at the JK Gold Classic on the new course on Sept. 11. |

Photo by Cheyanne Tull/ The Sunflower

Numerous Shockers set personal bests at Greeno/Dirksen Invitational

JACOB UNRUH

jacobunruh333@gmail.com

All of Wichita State’s runners recorded personal-best times at the Greeno/Dirksen Invitational in Lincoln, Nebraska, as the men and women’s cross country teams each placed third out of seven teams in their division.

Junior Lucy Ndungu followed up a first place finish in her Wichita State debut two weeks ago at the JK Classic with a third place finish in the 5K race at Lincoln, running 17:19.7.

Junior Miranda Dick finished eighth in the women’s division with a 17:36.5 time, while senior Lubna Aldulaimi finished in 17:52.3 for 13th place.

In the men’s 8k, junior Zander Cobb paced the Shockers with an eighth place finish of 24:24.9.

Sophomore Cesar Ramirez, senior Iestyn Williams and sophomore Aidan Reyna placed 15th through 17th with times of 24:46.0, 24:52.2 and 24:57.3.

The men’s team scored 97 points, while the women’s team had 66 points. Many of the top men’s runners sat out the meet in preparation for the upcoming Joe Piane Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 29.

Other Wichita State runners will compete in Missouri on the same day in the Gans Creek Classic.

Shockers sweep McLennan Community College at first home game of the season

SHAYLEE

During their first game of the season, Wichita State softball dominated 15-3 against McLennan Community College in a 10 inning game.

Leading the team was junior Camryn Compton, sophomore Sami Hood and freshman Chloe Barber who each hit one home run.

With the loss of several upperclassmen last season, the team filled up with freshmen and transfer students, leading to a greater need to adapt.

“I know we lost like big players last year, but I’m excited to see what these new freshmen and

transfers can do and how they can help our program,” Hood said.

Hood said that she benefited from having a year of college athletics under her belt. Her experience helped her gain the confidence to walk out on the field and do what she knows how to do.

“Just being able to really focus and watch the ball, it felt really good, a lot better than my ending of last year,” Hood said.

Going into her 13th year as head coach, Kristi Bredbenner said the team has a lot to improve on this fall, but for the next few weeks she wants to focus on getting the team experience in order to explore their true potential.

“To get more barrels in the ball,

give more first pitch strikes, to get more lead off outs, all those little things that we’re kind of keeping count of this fall,” Bredbenner said. “Those are the big things for us.”

Compton said that no matter what happens during a game, she will always have her team.

“I think being out here with all these girls, it’s the best feeling whether you have a good or a bad day, you know that they’re there to back you up,” Compton said.

Wichita State softball will be back in action at Wilkins Stadium, facing off against Seminole State on Sept. 22 at 5 p.m.

More information can be found at goshockers.com.

Comeback kids: Shockers take all matches in Northern Colorado Classic after devastating losses at home

JACINDA HALL

podcast@thesunflower.com

After losing two matches at home in the Shocker Volleyball Classic, Wichita State volleyball made their comeback by taking all three matches in the Northern Colorado Classic.

These wins put Wichita State at a 6-4 record for the season so far.

BRADLEY

In the opening match against Bradley, Wichita State swept the Braves (25-21),( 25-17),( 25-22) on Thursday, Sept. 14.

Sophomore right side

Emerson Wilford tied her career high with 13 kills in the opening match.

Senior opposite Sophia Rohling, scored five kills in the first set of the match, three in the second and four in the last set of the match, scoring 11 overall kills in the first match of the tournament.

Senior setter Izzi Strand, helped lead Wichita State in defense with 10 digs and scored 38 assists in the match overall.

Junior middle blocker Natalie Foster scored five kills and added a pair of blocks in just seven attempts against the Braves.

For the Shockers, this makes the 24th sweep and the 29th consecutive win overall against Bradley.

OMAHA

The second match of the tournament was a close call for Wichita State as the final score for Friday’s game came out to 3-2 (2510, Wichita State), (25-19, Wichita State), (25-19, Omaha), (25-21, Omaha), (15-7, Wichita State).

In the opening set against the Mavericks, Foster led the Shocker offense with six kills while the rest of the team added four blocks and an ace putting the Shockers at a 7-1 advantage. During the second set, Rohling scored six kills putting Wichita State at a 10-4 advantage at the beginning. Wilford finished off the second set with a kill of her own bringing the score of the set

to 25-19 with Omaha taking the overall set.

Rohling led the Shockers in the match with 16 kills overall.

Sophomore defensive specialist Gabi Maas, scored the Shockers their first service ace since the first set with 10 digs giving the Shockers a 10-6 advantage and Wilford added onto Maas’ ace with three kills in the final set.

Strand scored 41 assists and set a team record of 13 digs in the match overall.

NORTHERN COLORADO

Wichita State took the overall tournament in the last match in

SHAYLEE JACOBS-WILSON shaeryann2@gmail.com

The extra dedication the women’s golf team has been putting towards practice, workouts and building teamwork could be what sets this season apart from previous seasons.

Two weeks ago, the team began 6 a.m. workouts with a former football conditioning coach. These intense workouts have allowed the team to push through new challenges.

Sophomore transfer Kate Tilma said the intense workouts aren’t something people would assume golfers would need to do but that the workouts have been helpful in teaching the team skills they can use when they condition independently.

“It’s really fast paced, so it’s definitely something to get used to,” Tilma said. “But I think it’s a cool tool to have for when you’re working out by yourself and kind of learning new ways.”

There are five returners on the team, Brooklyn Benn, Sarah Lawson, Madison Slayton, Anna Takahashi and Lauren Thiele and three newcomers including freshman McKenzie Wilson, sophomore Kate Tilma and freshman Hillary Currier.

Head coach Tom McCurdy said that the new transfers bring different experiences from their previous schools.

“With three newcomers, two transfers and one incoming freshman, I’m thrilled with the team chemistry,” McCurdy said.

Tilma wants to focus on lowering her scores from high 70s down to low 70s. She said the extra time the team has put in outside of scheduled practice will help them encourage each other to maintain their skills and help them get better before the spring season opens.

“We’ve been going extra time at practice because we won’t finish the drill until we get it complete,” Tilma said. “Whereas they’ve said in past years, they’ll stop when the time’s up, but this team really has a drive.”

Tilma said that the team always has the potential to win their tournaments if they go out and put out good numbers.

“The coaches were saying it’s one of the most competitive, most potential teams they have just because of the fact that we all want to win,” Tilma said.

Women’s golf will be back in action in the Couer d’Alene Resort Collegiate Invitational on Sept 24.

More information can be found at goshockers.com.

Shocker

four sets against the Northern Colorado Bears (25-15, WSU), (25-19, Northern Colorado), (25-15, WSU), 25-16, WSU).

Wichita State scored 53 kills in the match overall with the help of Foster scoring 14 kills, junior middle blocker Morgan Stout scoring 12, Wilford scoring nine and Rohling scoring eight.

Strand set her career-best attacking match with Wichita State, scoring six times in eight attempts and hitting 39 assists. Wilford hit a career-best of five block assists, and Maas scored 12 digs, tying with Strand for the team record.

More information can be found on goshockers.com.

American rapper Tech N9ne is set to perform at Shocker Madness.

The hip-hop performer has earned three gold records and sold over two million albums. He is also the co-founder of Strange Music Inc., the No. 1, number-one independent hip-hop label in the world.

Shocker Madness is an annual event that allows both the men’s and women’s basketball teams to face off in a scrimmage before the start of the season. It allows fans to see the different styles of play from both new head coaches, Paul Mills with men’s basketball and

The event will take place on Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. inside Charles Koch Arena. The doors will open at 5 p.m.

More information about the event can be found on goshockers. com.

JACOBS-WILSON shaeryann2@gmail.com

MELANIE RIVERA-CORTEZ sports@thesunflower.com

Terry Nooner with women’s basketball.

Lauren Howell points towards catcher Lainee Brown after striking out a McLennan player. Howell is entering her senior season, and had a 18-4 winning record for the 2023 season.

Camryn Compton smiles as she runs towards home plate after scoring her first home run of the season. Compton had five career home runs before the Sept. 16 game against McLennan.

Krystin Nelson picks up a ball from infield to throw to a teammate during the Sept. 16 game. Nelson is entering her junior season with the Shockers, and recorded a fielding percentage of .992 last season.

Freshman Chloe Barber sets up for her home run hit near the end of the Sept. 16 game. Barber was one of three home runs hit during the Saturday afternoon game against McLennan. | Photos by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Sophomore Mackenzie Wilson hits a golf ball on Sept. 13, 2022. Wilson is from Hobart, Australia. | Photo courtesy of WSU Athletics

Women’s golf said to have the most competitive team yet

Madness will feature rapper Tech N9ne

Brooklyn Leggett celebrates with her team after Wichita State scores a point at a match on Sept. 9. | Photo by Kristy Mace / The Sunflower

Forty years later, documentary tells the story of Wichita band, the Embarrassment

BY AINSLEY SMYTH ainsley.smyth3@gmail.com

“We Were Famous, You Don’t Remember: The Embarrassment” tells the story of a band, which, in its heyday of the late 1970s to early 1980s, was one of the most significant things in music to come out of Kansas. The band was composed of four young men brought together by childhood friendships and a chance encounter in a ceramics class at Wichita State University.

Guitarist Bill Goffrier, drummer Brent Giessmann and lead vocalist John Nichols have known each other since elementary school. When Nichols moved into their neighborhood, Giessmann and Goffrier laughed at him for learning to play the trumpet, but by the time they entered high school, the three had become friends.

Goffrier, who lives in Wichita and devotes his time to painting instead of guitar these days, developed an interest in music early on. His father had past experience as a singer in the 1940s, but he didn’t continue this pursuit or pass it on to his son.

His father’s old guitar helped spark the beginnings of Goffrier’s interest in music.

“I just wanted to learn guitar, so I had a little bit of lessons, but that didn’t really seem to go well,” he said.

By the mid-1970s, the punk rock genre was reaching the height of

its popularity. The intense, unpolished sound and a do-it-yourself attitude of bands like the Ramones appealed to the future members of The Embarrassment.

“Later on, when the band decided to start, I was learning rudimentary things as we went. But that was okay because I had the Ramones’ model to follow,” Goffrier said. “So I knew then that if I could master some bar chords for electric guitar, I would be able to struggle through some really basic rock songs.”

Later, Goffrier said they would find precursors to the punk genre in earlier influential rock bands like the Velvet Underground and The Stooges. By combining influences from different decades of rock music, the group began to play together in an early imagining of The Embarrassment.

Goffrier, Giessmann and Nichols entered the College of Fine Arts at Wichita State. They kept playing together on and off with several different fourth members under an assortment of names. That was when they met Ron Klaus.

“Brent, our drummer, was taking a ceramics class,” Goffrier said. “He must have been talking about the band with somebody in there, and Ron Klaus overheard him in the same class and spoke right up and said, ‘Hey, I play bass guitar.’ And that was all it took.”

Complete with four members

but still without a name, they used their connections within the fine arts school to play at parties and exhibit openings. Before playing on KMUW, the university-owned public radio station, the group realized they needed to finalize the band’s name.

During a rehearsal in early 1979, they jotted down lists of potential names until someone suggested The Embarrassment.

“The more we thought about it, I guess it kind of suited all of our sense of humor because we wanted to sort of make people question, ‘What is this? Are these guys serious or not?’ We just wanted to be a bit challenging,” Goffrier said.

After getting their footing in Wichita, The Embarrassment focused their attention on Lawrence, Kansas, where a thriving music scene greeted them. By 1980, they were touring farther from home, and the pressure of maintaining the band alongside other jobs to financially support themselves began to weigh on the members.

“We were pretty desperate to maybe get back to a little bit more of a normal life,” Goffrier said. “We had put a lot of things aside and sacrificed a lot of things, jobs and relationships. At that point, it seemed like it wasn’t really worth it anymore, it just wasn’t enough fun anymore. And it was always meant to be fun.”

In 1983, it became clear

that they had taken The Embarrassment as far as it could go, and the four parted ways, although they would hold several reunion concerts throughout the years.

Goffrier and Giessmann both moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where Goffrier attended school and Giessmann played for the Del Fuegos. Goffrier formed another band, Big Dipper, before moving back to Wichita in 2013.

While living in Boston, Goffrier and Giessmann were contacted by Dan Fetherston, a film director from New York. Fetherston had learned about The Embarrassment while studying film at New York University and was fascinated by the band from Kansas.

“I had at that time never been to the Great Plains, so it certainly held this mystique and this aura,” he said.

Fetherston contacted Giessmann and Goffrier about his idea to make a documentary on The Embarrassment.

“We felt honored and impressed that some guy from Brooklyn, this young guy, how would he even come up with this? It seems so bizarre. But he showed how serious he was,” Goffrier said.

They agreed to the project, and Fetherston drove to Boston and Florida to film interviews with Giessmann, Goffrier and Nichols.

In 2006, the four members of The Embarrassment would reunite

to play in Wichita and Lawrence. Fetherston used the reunion to collect the rest of his interviews.

In the next few years, the former band members would hear less and less about the documentary. Fetherston, intimidated by the production and legal issues of putting together a feature-length film and busy with his own band, Oxford Collapse, had lost momentum with the project.

“I was a little ashamed and embarrassed, no pun intended, that I had not continued work on the documentary,” Fetherston said. The documentary was set aside until 2016, when another director offered to take the project from Fetherston but ultimately gave it up too. Soon after, Danny Szlauderbach entered the scene.

Szlauderbach had listened to The Embarrassment as a teenager and was intrigued by their unique twist on genres and midwestern origins.

“They sounded like this garage band that nobody had ever heard of, but the songs sounded like they could have been hits, so it’s always been this big mystery,” Szlauderbach said.

Like Fetherston, Szlauderbach had his own idea for a documentary about The Embarrassment. He filmed his own interviews in 2016 and hesitated about contacting Fetherston, but in 2019, he reached out about collaborating.

Read the rest at thesunflower.com

ICT Bee Fest educates community with a celebration for pollinators, native plants

BY MONIQUE BEVER monibever@gmail.com

This year, Grassland Groupies hosted the first ICT Bee Fest to bring attention to their cause. The Grassland Groupies is an organization with a focus on conserving pollinators.

“We’re really trying to raise awareness for pollinators and native plants and creating a habitat for them,” Nicole Brown, WSU biology alumna and Grassland Groupies co-founder, said.

Kansas is home to nearly 400 species of native bees who aid in pollination. Hundreds of insects, like butterflies, moths and mosquitoes, help as well.

“There’s a lot of biodiversity here that a lot of people aren’t aware of,” Brown said. “If we plant native plants in our schools, workplaces (and) backyards, that’s a really good way to provide habitat

for them and support them.”

ICT Bee Fest was held on Sept. 16 at the Mid-America All-Indian Center. The event was free to the public and offered activities for all age groups.

Local beekeeper Jerry Mcgrew attended Bee Fest to participate in the educational opportunity the event provided.

The petting zoo only included male bees.

“Boy bees, we call them drones, don’t have a stinger. So you can handle them,” Mcgrew said.

Outdoor activities included insect netting, monarch tagging and a butterfly observation tent. Visitors could also tour a observing native wildflower and pollinator garden.

Art and crafts for children, a bumblebee petting zoo and various vendors were set up inside the center as well.

Grassland Groupies co-founder Rachel Roth managed the bumblebee petting zoo. There were three vendors at the event; Burrowing Owl Native Plants, Hidden River Prairie

Nursery and Bleeding Heart Studios, who retailed bee jewelry.

Burrowing Owl Native Plants is run by Logan Shoup and Brittany Smith. “We specialize in plants that are

native to Kansas or their ecoregion. We’re all about promoting Native Plants and gardening in an urban and suburban landscape,” Shoup said. “We also do a bunch of additional merchandise to kind of promote pollinators and bees.”

Renae Giefer from Hidden River Prairie Nursery spoke to the importance of maintaining native plant life in Kansas.

“They’re natural to our prairie and a prairie is a very intricate ecosystem and without all the pollinators, you know, anywhere from a tiny little ant to, you know, cute butterflies or birds or bigger birds of prey. It’s a chain from the bottom up,” Geifer said. “And to be able to keep that alive and to keep selling things like this that people can take and put in their own garden and have their own little prairie ecosystem. You know, it’s just beneficial to everyone.

Wichita band, The Embarassment, experienced the height of their popularity in the 1980s after meeting as students at Wichita State University. | Photo courtesy of Bill Goffrier

Mitski’s newest album captures the ‘Americana’ tragedy

Monique Bever monibever@gmail.com REVIEW

Did Mitski just make her best album?

On Sept. 15, Mitski released her seventh album, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.” The album features 11 songs and spans 32 minutes.

Her pre-released song “Bug

Like An Angel” features choir backup vocals that set the scene for the album’s narrative perfectly. Mitski draws heavily on the Americana folk, religious trauma themes popularized by her “Sad Girl Starter Pack” sisters Lana Del Rey and Ethel Cain. Mitski revises her melancholic sound with a Southern-inspired twang. I’m reluctant about country western music in general, but Mitski romanticizes it, simply bringing a new genre into her forlorn universe.

THE DEAL

You could spend hours analyzing the pure poetry of Mitski’s lyricism. The power of her writing makes the lyrics fully function as a work of literature. She didn’t sell her soul in “The Deal” — she gave it away.

“I want someone to take this soul. I can’t bear to keep it. I’d give it just to give.”

Regardless of personal interpretation, her vocals are haunting. The song begins with a soft strum and reaches one of Mitski’s signature emotionally charged ballads.

WHEN MEMORIES SNOW

The entirety of “When Memories Snow” is intense

Despite

“And when memories melt I hear them in the drainpipe. Dripping through the downspout. As I lie awake in the dark.“

It’s the shortest song on the album at under two minutes, but unrelentingly powerful. The instrumentals are cinematic and unapologetically grand. Her strong vocal projection heightens the sound; the song ends overwhelming.

MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE

Mitski released a music video and a “behind the song” explanation for “My Love All Mine” on the day of the album’s release.

Mitski explained the one thing she has is her love. It’s devastatingly relatable, no one writes love like she does. She touches on relationships frequently, but it’s never quite romantic. Raw emotions of yearning, sorrow, and anguish are translated through song

“Nothing in the world belongs to me. But my love, mine all mine all mine.”

It’s melodically slow and the country influence is definitely there but subtle.

THE ALBUM

As someone who didn’t fully connect to “Laurel Hell,” this album was refreshing and reignited my love for Mitski’s music.

It’s experimental and fun but has all the magical Mitski elements you can’t find anywhere else. She’s one of today’s greatest singers/songwriters. Give the album a listen and be transported into Mitski’s divine, deranged bible-belt fantasy.

claims, Dining

lacks variety of options

Jacinda Hall podcast@thesunflower.com OPINION

The dining hall is a cheap option for college kids living on campus, but it’s not worth it getting food from there if there isn’t much to choose from.

If you live in Shocker Hall or The Suites, you are required to pay for dining hall plans as mostly freshmen live in these buildings. Being a resident at The Flats makes it an option not a requirement, though.

As I embark on my third year at Wichita State and living on campus, the food options have been hit or miss.

There have been times when I wanted to get food, but the only options they had were chicken strips and burgers, and this would be during peak dining hours.

Usually, the food they have for certain events, like the Day of the Dead, is only served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and most people have classes during that time.

But, if there is a time when I am craving something like chicken strips, the dining hall suddenly doesn’t have it.

Now, giving credit where it is due, the dining hall has done better about serving food for those with allergies as they have the “Food Without _____” menu.

They still don’t have very many gluten-free options. Having gluten-free options is important as there are common

Hall

allergens and diseases, such as celiac disease and gluten intolerance, that affect many students.

The only gluten-free option they have when it comes to carbs is gluten-free pasta, which they don’t serve often. Other options that they have that aren’t carbheavy are salad, seafood, fruit, vegetables and meat.

While these options can be great, they can be problematic. Some of the foods mentioned above can also clash with dietary restrictions because you can have someone with celiac disease, but that same person can also be vegetarian or have a shellfish allergy on top of that.

There’s also the potential that gluten-free pasta could be crosscontaminated, as the dining hall isn’t transparent about how their gluten-free pasta is made.

Not to mention that everything from the pizza ovens to the salad bar is closed after 8 p.m., and the only thing you can eat after then is anything at the grill, meaning chicken strips or burgers.

The university also failed to address a piece of wire being found in the salad bar’s lettuce. When it comes to those living on campus who don’t have a car, the dining hall is one of the only dining options available. Odd hours make it inaccessible and frustrating.

The dining hall needs to do better with variety, accessibility and keeping objects out of their food.

Ranking popular streaming services, with most lacking

MAX: 5.5/10

$9.99+

In my opinion, MAX (formerly known as HBO Max) is the Disney+ for DC Comics fans.

HULU: 6.5/10 $1.99+

Streaming services have taken over regular cable in the modern era, and it seems there are more and more popping up every day. Deciding which services to subscribe to can be difficult, here’s a list of pros and cons for each service along with my personal rankings for them.

NETFLIX: 3.5/10 $6.99+

I’m sure Netflix is what first comes to mind when streaming services are mentioned. In my personal opinion, it shouldn’t be. It has a subpar selection of original content as well as non-original content, but I don’t think it’s worth the pricing or the household rule. When a new Netflix account is created, the service locks the household to the IP address of the Wi-Fi it was created under, and so all new profiles added are in the same household.

There are three plans offered:

1. Standard with ads

- $6.99/mo

- Less content selection is available

- Only two devices are supported

2. Standard without ads

- $15.49/mo

- Only two devices are supported

- You can add one member from outside the account house for $7.99

3. Premium

- $19.99/mo

- Four supported watching devices at time

- Can add two members from outside the account house for $7.99

DISNEY+: 5.5/10 $9.99+

Disney+ is the catch-all Disney platform, with original shows and movies, along with content from Disney-owned companies like Marvel.

It’s the best app for people who are huge Disney fans, but I only use it for the Marvel content, which is less and less these days.

A caveat with Disney+ that could be positive or negative is the fact that there is no plan for just Disney+, the platform only offers bundles. This can be beneficial, though, because Disney+ doesn’t offer much if you’re not a Disney fan.

The bundles include:

1. Duo basic

- Hulu and Disney for $9.99/mo with ads

2. Trio basic

- Hulu, Disney, and ESPN for $12.99/mo with ads

3. Trio premium

- Hulu, Disney, and ESPN for $19.99/mo without ads

A lot of the selection is DC related movies and shows that were previously unavailable due to DC Universe, the DC-specific streaming platform, shutting down.

MAX does have other movies – the horror selection is pretty decent as well as the comedy section. I only had MAX for the direct from theaters option and the Scooby-Doo selection.

The plans include:

1. With ads

- $9.99/mo

- Offers two device streaming

2. Without ads

- $15.99/mo

- Offers two device streaming

- Thirty slots to download content to watch offline

3. Ultimate - $19.99/mo

- Offers four device streaming,

- Immersive Dolby audio,

- 100 slots to download content to watch offline

PARAMOUNT+: 6/10

$5.99+

This is a newer streaming service, only launching in 2021. It is reality TV heavy with shows like “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” “Bar Rescue” and “Jersey Shore.”

The platform also has a full Nickelodeon selection and plenty of classic movies like “Forrest Gump.” I think the overall selection has some to be desired, but it’s a great platform for guiltypleasure reality TV watching. Paramount+ also offer student discounts at 20% off for four years.

The plans:

1. Paramount essential - $5.99/mo

- Comes with ads

- Does not come with local CBS live stream

2. Paramount with SHOWTIME

- $11.99/mo

- Ad free and comes with access to SHOWTIME shows

AMAZON VIDEO: 6/10

$14.99

Prime Video is only accessible with an Amazon Prime subscription, and there is only have one plan. The platform’s original series, like “Good Omens” and “Invincible,” are pretty good, but the other selections are lackluster. There is an option to rent or buy movies, but this can get expensive if done multiple times. There is some content locked behind a required add-on; the score would be higher if this feature didn’t exist.

The sole plan:

- $14.99/mo for both Amazon Prime and Prime Video

I originally got Hulu with my Spotify student bundle, but now it is one of my go-tos for mindless content.

It has a great selection of “adult cartoons” like “Rick and Morty,” “American Dad” and “Family Guy,” but also it has a great selection of Cartoon Network shows like “Adventure Time,” “Regular Show” and “The Amazing World of Gumball.”

It also has a great selection of horror movies, making it my favorite platform for horror movies. The score would be higher if Hulu didn’t have locked content that required an add-on.

The plans:

1. Offers a student bundle with Spotify for $4.99/mo - Has ads

2. Offers a solo student plan for $1.99/mo - Has ads

3. Original plan - $7.99/mo with ads

4. Premium plan - $14.99/mo without ads Offers MAX, Cinemax, SHOWTIME and STARZ add-ons for additional monthly price

- With MAX monthly price is $15.99

- With Cinemax monthly price is $9.99

- With SHOWTIME monthly price is $10.99

- With STARZ monthly price is $9.99

DROPOUT: 10/10

$5.99

Dropout TV is a College Humor owned streaming platform with all completely original, unscripted content.

For D&D fans, it has every season of “Dimension20” and “Adventuring Party.” For game show fans there are several iconic options, like “Game Changer,” “Make Some Noise” and “Um, Actually.”

This is my personal favorite streaming service – it has all a nerd could want, and I have six people on the same account with no lagging issues. Dropout also sends a weekly newsletter with what’s coming out that week. The platform also doesn’t remove any content on short notice, like Netflix does.

The plan: - $5.99/mo, no ads

I think that with the above mentioned streaming services, Dropout, Hulu, and Prime Video are the top three services and the best bang for your buck. These platforms have the most straightforward prices and better deals and can help you make the most out of ditching cable.

Illustration by Wren Johnson / The Sunflower

Photo courtesy of Dead Oceans

TOUR DE ICT

The Wichita community came out for Open Streets ICT over the weekend. The roads were closed and cars were unable to pass through, encouraging individuals to use skateboards, bicycles or to travel by foot.

UPCOMING EVENTS

FINE ARTS CAREER MIXER

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

10:30 a.m. - Noon | McKnight Art Center

THROWBACK THURSDAY

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

PEE FOR PIZZA

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

Noon - 4 p.m. | Steve Clark YMCA & Student Wellness Center

KARAOKE

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

7 - 9 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

WSU SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

THURSDAY, SEPT. 21

7:30 - 9:30 p.m. | Miller Concert Hall, Duerksen Fine Arts Center

JAPANESE YOSAKOI DANCE

PERFORMANCE AND WORKSHOP

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

1:30. - 2:30 p.m. | Heskett Center

FAMILY WEEKEND: FAMILYFEST

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

4 - 7 p.m. | Braeburn Square

NEO NIGHT

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

6 - 9 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

SCHOOL OF MUSIC PRESENTS

A FACULTY ARTIST SERIES

FRIDAY, SEPT. 22

7:30 - 9 p.m. | Wiedemann Hall

WU’S WAFFLE FEED

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL RETREAT

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

11 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

ENGAGING LEADERS

SATURDAY, SEPT. 23

3 - 4 p.m. | Boys and Girls Club of South Central Kansas

CIRCLE OF SISTERHOOD

WEEK: PIE A PC

MONDAY, SEPT. 25 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

MONDAY MELODIES

MONDAY, SEPT. 25 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

ALPHA FEUD

MONDAY, SEPT. 25

6 - 7:30 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

CIRCLE OF SISTERHOOD

WEEK: GIVE BACK AT FAIRMOUNT COFFEE

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Fairmount Coffee

CRIMSON & CRIME

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Rhatigan Student Center

WSU ALUMNI BACK-TOSCHOOL TEACHER BASH

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26

6 - 8 p.m. | John Bardo Center

WSU JAZZ ENSEMBLES TO PRESENT CONCERTS

TUESDAY, SEPT. 26

7:30 - 9 p.m. | Odd Fellow Hall

SAVVY SCHOLAR WORKSHOP: WRITING AN AWESOME

LITERATURE REVIEW

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 27

3 - 4 p.m. | Ablah Library

HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE LISTED?

CONTACT THE ARTS EDITOR: arts@thesunflower.com

CONTACT THE NEWS EDITOR: news@thesunflower.com

A child attending Open Streets ICT waves a flag in downtown Wichita. The event shut down four blocks of Douglas street to allow pedestrians, bikers and skaters to roam vendors and performances freely. | Photos by Garima Thapa / The Sunflower

People at the Open Streets ICT event perform cultural dance in front of the Century II building.

A local roller blades down the streets.

A local shows off his talent during Open Streets. Stand vendors sell lemonade during the Open Streets event on Sept. 17.

United Teachers of Wichita give out free books.

United Teachers of Wichita give out free books to promote education at the Open Streets ICT event.

A chalk drawing on the road to show love for ICT.

Children walk with the national flag given out by a veterinarian booth at Open Streets event on Sept. 17.