WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12, 2022 VOLUME 96 ■ ISSUE 16
NEWS
OPINIONS
LA VIDA
With the semester starting, COVID-19 remains a factor in everday life.
PG 2
INDEX
SPORTS
Responsibilities studens should consider before adding a furry friend to their family.
Texas Tech changes its quarantine guidelines for students, prompting questions about need for campus vaccine mandate.
A bowl game win, an upset against ranked opponents and more occurred over winter break.
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PG 4
PG 7
LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU
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PATH TO THE PRESENT
Black community opens doors for future Techsans By ARIANNA FLORES T.J. Patterson was en route to Lubbock to pick up a red Plymouth Fury convertible to get to Memphis, to walk with Martin Luther King Jr. in the several marches at the time. Life had other plans for the young black man. His aunt Lucille ‘Sugar” Graves became the first Black student to enroll in a once all-white Texas Technological College. Patterson soon followed, continuing to pave a path for students of color throughout his years with the university and Lubbock. “My dad often says little threads of cotton make mighty big rope, and for me, that means if we’re working together we can take whatever it is that we have and put it together and make some strong and some sturdy things happen,” his daughter and Lubbock City Councilwoman Shelia Patterson Harris said. “Not only for ourselves but for those around us as well.” Many like T.J. Patterson continued to open doors for the modern generation. Lynn Whitfield, the university in the Southwest Collection/ Special Collection Library said several people in Tech’s history were the key to giving future children of color the opportunities of success. “We have these people who’ve been able to achieve these wonderful things and they, in turn, can be role models for people who come after them,” Whitfield said.
Graphic by: Téa McGilvray
Editor-in-Chief
“
My dad often says little threads of cotton make mighty big rope, and for me, that means if we’re working together we can take whatever it is that we have and put it together and make some strong and some sturdy things happen.” Shelia Patterson Harris Lubbock city councilwoman
“I think that’s why so many of the early diversity students went on to become educators (because) they had opportunities, and they wanted other people to have the same opportunities.” In 1969, George Scott became the first Black administrator assistant dean of students in the
Division of Student Life. There he worked to improve the daily lives and culture of Black students and more. In 2006 he established a scholarship in remembrance of the late Scott, and his contributions to the university was honored by Chancellor Kent R. Hance.
Stella Courtney Crockett followed the path of history makers after being the first Black student to complete all four years and receive her bachelor’s degree from the university. After pursuing higher education at Michigan State, Crockett went on to be a special education teacher, accord-
ing to a Texas Tech Today news release. History 4340 was the first Black history course taught at Tech, and was recorded as a full-capacity class with 35 students. According to the Southwest Collection timeline, if one were to attend the class, only one student of the 35 was Black. Patterson Harris said seeing other people who look like you and share similar life experiences can give one the motivation to succeed. “The opportunity is there,” Patterson Harris said. The vice president of the Diversity and Inclusion office, Carol A. Sumner, said Tech has grown since the era of Martin Luther King in performative practices to include culture and celebrate people’s differences. “It has allowed intuition to make different decisions about how we reflect inclusive practice and some of that comes with cultural shifts in society,” Sumner said. “Some of that comes with local knowledge and experience. I think one of the important things that has happened at Tech is this continued commitment to awareness.” With their education and commitment to themselves, these historical figures were able to make change and give others a chance to succeed beyond their own imagination. “Information is knowledge— knowledge is power. Power is the ability to make change,” Sumner said. @AriannaFloresDT
Key Black Milestones at Texas Tech 1961 Lucille Sugar Graves is first Black student at Texas Technological; later establishes first Black private school in Lubbock
1969 George Scott Jr. is first Black administrator at Tech (assistant dean of students)
1963
1964
1965
1967
Board of Directors approves integration in athletic programs and facilities, paving the way for Black student athletes
Ophelia PowellMalone is first Black student to earn bachelor’s degree from Tech
Stella Ruth Crockett Courtney is first Black student to finish four years at Tech and earn bachelor’s degree
Danny Hardaway becomes first Black student athlete to receive athletic scholarship at Tech
1970
1973
1981
1993
T.J. Patterson becomes assistant to dean of College of Business Administration
Hazel S. Taylor earns doctorate, teaches in College of Education
Sharon Moultrie is first Black homecoming queen
Bernard A. Harris Jr. is first Black Board of Regents member, later first Black astronaut to walk in space
Source: Southwest Collection/ Special Collections Library
NEWS
Page 2 Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
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COVID-19 remains prevalent in community By CHYNA VARGAS Managing Editor
It will soon mark two years since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is still a prevalent issue today. New variants have developed since 2020 such as Delta and Omicron according to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention. As Texas Tech plans to continue to have in person classes and normally scheduled events, doctors and Tech safety organizations inform the Tech community about how to stay safe in these conditions, especially against Omicron. Dr. Kenneth Lindemann from The Woodlands, is a consultant for Corporate Medical Advisors that talks about COVID-19 and it’s development over the years. “We could say there are many thousands of different strains that have already been identified and will continue to be identified. That’s what viruses do. They wrap. They’re constantly mutating,” Lindemann said. Due to this virus constantly mutating, its mutations have been labeled as variants or variants of concern Lindemann said. This means they are potential risks to the public, which is why there have been Delta and Omicron variants of COVID-19. Lindemann said that the biggest difference between
the two variants is the level of infection. This means how the virus attacks the cells and what effect it has on the body. While Omicron is more contagious, it has shown to have less severe side effects to the
So the rationale for vaccination is to try to create a level of immunity so that when you see the virus, it will be as though you had seen it before. Dr. Kenneth Lindemann Medical Advisor body than previous variants. “All the data we are getting so far pretty consistently shows that for the vast, vast majority of people it’s a relatively mild illness,” Lindemann said. Dr. Lindemann said it is not much of a surprise for this outcome as these are Coronaviruses. As it is a family, the virus has been around since the early 1960s and now has the same effects of the common cold. While it is not certain, Dr. Lindemann says that it is hoped that for SARS COV, it will eventually settle into the same positions as previous Coronaviruses and will
witness another common cold virus evolve in front of us over the next few years. In the meantime, the vaccine is an option for those to protect themselves from the current effects of the virus. “So the rationale for vaccination is to try to create a level of immunity so that when you see the virus, it will be as though you had seen it before,” Lindemann said. The vaccine does not contain the virus for which a person creates immunity. Dr. Lindemann said that there is a piece taken from the structure of the virus that is duplicated into a vaccine. The virus is like a tapestry, Lindemann said. A part of the tapestry is taken and created to develop a vaccine that it used to create antibodies. “So we don’t need the whole virus, the functional virus isn’t necessary for us. And of course, again with some of the newer vaccine technology that we’ve now been able to advance in the threat of SARS COV,” Lindemann said. For those who have had COVID-19 previously and are wondering if getting the vaccine will have any effect, it doubles as another layer of protection, Lindemann said. People may develop immunity from contracting the virus previously, but by getting the vaccine, it will produce more antibodies.
It does not mean however that people should wait to get infected in order for their bodies to create natural antibodies, Lindemann said. “There’s no problem between having been previously infected and then getting vaccinated and in fact, the data is very clear. That individuals who have been previously infected naturally developed a natural immune response and then get vaccinated have a far greater level of protection, lower risk of the health consequences that we’re really concerned about so the combination of a natural infection plus vaccination is actually a very good combination,” Lindemann said. While vaccinations are important to keep in mind as a tool to combat the virus, that is only part of the equation in order to best protect oneself, Lindemann said. Self responsibility goes beyond getting the vaccine or wearing just a mask. The “Swiss Cheese Model” is an example of what that means, Lindemann said. Additional measures have to be taken into place in order to truly reduce the risk of being infected or being infectious, Lindemann said. “One of those many layers of Swiss cheese when you look at this model is masks use and it is an important means of reducing transmission risks to you and from you,” Lindeman said. “When you look at the picture, you’ll see there are many other layers in there that we need to pay attention to.” In order to help students create those layers of protection at Tech, resources from student organizations and campus will be available. Ashley Marino, program for manager communications marketing and design for the Risk Intervention and Safety Education from Lubbock said RISE is there for students. Marino said that the last semester was more relaxed for students as precautions were taken more lightly. However, with the Omicron variant creating another
Abbey Douglass/The Daily Toreador
spike in cases, old habits must be revisited. “We launched our Masked Raider campaign and that included a pledge, stickers and a lot of education. We have resource sheets still in our office about the virus throughout the duration of the campaign,” Marino said. “Or throughout the duration of COVID.” RISE is up to date on their social media in order to inform students about many COVID-19 resources Marino said. From mask policies, to at home versus in person testing, RISE takes that information and breaks it down to students to stay up to date and easily understand it. Marino said that students can also keep up to date https:www.depts.ttu.edu/ communications/emergency/ coronavirus/ website. For this semester, it has been updated and is the best resource for students to get the most up to date information Marino said. “We’ve been doing this for two years, but that’s
two years in comparison to years and years and decades of people going to college before us. “So it’s definitely a different experience,” Marino said. “There are ways to enjoy it safely.” On January 5th, Texas Tech, Office of the President announced that for Spring 2022, students may expect their colleges to adapt in response to the rise in cases according to the release. If there are any changes to a students schedule or modality of course, it should be communicated by the instructor. Resources about testing, mental health and/or guidance on what a student can do during this time is available on the Tech COVID-19 website. President Lawrence Schovanec wishes everyone a successful spring semester, and students and their families a healthy and prosperous new year according to the announcement. @ChynaVargasDT
COVID-19 Testing Resources on campus • • • • •
Free COVID-19 testing is available on campus at Sam’s Poolside at the Urbanovsky Park entrance to the outdoor leisure pool MondaySaturday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Self collected, shallow nasal PCR test Results within 1-2 days
Source: Texas Tech
Page 3 Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
MONEY
NEWS
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Professionals, students share opinions on student debt By TANA THOMPSON la vida editor
From taking out student loans, to not living within their means, a number of college students face student debt at some point in their four years, and after. James Zugg, the graduate student assistant at Red to Black, said he believes 75 percent to 80 percent of students face problems with student debt. Red to Black is a studentstaffed program that helps other students gain knowledge when it comes to their finances. “We work with a lot of students who don’t know how to budget and or they get a credit card and they’re maxing out their credit cards and don’t have a way to pay them off,” Zugg said. “I would say another one is taking out more in student loans than what students actually need definitely causes them a lot of sdress and it can impact their lives later on down the road.” Zugg said he also works for a credit union, and has
ERIN DIGIACAMO/The Daily Toreador
Students can visit the Student Financial Aid office in West Hall to learn more information about student debt. Student debt is something that most people believe they can’t live without. helped people with their student loans. “When one of the couples that came in they had just paid off their house, and her husband did not know that she had taken out student loans,” Zugg said. “They had
REC CENTER HOURS
to take out another mortgage to pay off her student loans after they just paid off their house (because) her student loans were due and they needed to pay them off.” Dayton Ahlsted-Barnes, a second-year agriculture eco-
nomics student from Abilene, said students get into debt in many ways, including getting credit cards and letting the balance snowball. Being in debt can bring students a multitude of problems, Ahlsted-Barnes said.
“I think there are problems that students face when it comes to debt,” Ahlsted-Barnes said. “It can stop you from furthering your education, lower your credit score and put a lot of stress on the student as debt doesn’t just go away.” Tech, along with other outside sources like Dave Ramsey, can help students with their debt, AhlstedBarnes said. Tech offers scholarships, loans and grants for students. “Red to Black is a great source. We help students budget and learn to manage their money better,” Zugg said. “The Financial Aid Office is another great resource. Definitely seek out as much free money as you can. There’s a lot of great opportunities at Texas Tech for scholarship opportunities. And you know, don’t take out more loans than what you need.” Ngoc Tran, a first year pre-med student from Wichita Falls, said he is working on paying for school through loans and his merit scholarship.
Only being a first year student, Tran said he cannot foresee if he will take out a loan in the future. However, Tran said if he were to borrow money and be in debt, he would pay as much as he can during school, then pay the rest after graduation. “Some tips I would give for students after college that regard student debt would be to not stress too much about it,” Tran said. “Depending on the loan you get, most loans will let you start your payments six months after you graduate. Even then if you manage to accumulate a large amount in loans. Once you have your degree and start your career you’ll realize that it takes no time to pay off your loans.” Ahlsted-Barnes said he already has a payment plan set into place to pay off his student loans every month. According to the Tech financial aid website, it costs around $27 thousand per year to attend as an undergraduate student. TanaThompsonDT
BALLIN’ AROUND
The Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center is free to students and offers ways to excerise, play sports and hang out with friends.
Monday: 6 a.m - midnight Tuesday: 6 a.m - midnight Wednesday: 6 a.m - midnight Thurday: 6 a.m - midnight Friday: 6 a.m - midnight Saturday: 8 a.m- 10 p.m Sunday: noon - midnight EMILY KNEPP/The Daily Toreador
Students play basketball at the Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation Center on Jan. 6, 2022. The Rec Center will be open at full capacity for the Spring 2022 semester with all amenities open for students to enjoy.
DAILYTOREADOR
Page 4 Wednesday, Jan 12, 2022
COLUMN
OPINIONS
NEW YEAR, NEW PARTY
Audience misses main message in new Netflix movie Chyna Vargas is a second-year journalism major from San Antonio.
The message was obvious and clear in the new Netflix movie “Don’t Look Up,” however it may not be clear enough or gone over many heads. The movie uses satire and clever jokes to poke fun at the world’s response to major disasters. A thing that we can all understand amidst living in a pandemic for two years is global disasters. The film is about two scientists trying to warn the world that the world is ending. There is enough time to fix the issue, however, it is so low on anyone’s radar. A comet that is coming to destroy earth just gets closer and closer, without anyone trying to stop it. It seems like a ridiculous fictional situation as there is no way the world would let that happen. But, the movie brought up good points as to why it’s actually a realistic fiction. Which is why this movie may have gone over people’s heads. I cringed at some scenes because of how people were portrayed through the film. I see the same reactions to a global pandemic in a fictional movie making fun of the human species. They were supposed to be jokes,
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but the only thing I found funny was that the director and writers of the movie were spot on. Elements of the movie were exaggerated but if I were to watch it again, I could match the personalities with people I see today in the media. I understand the goal of the movie and maybe the director tried to give people a subtle message about our society, but I believe that he should have dumbed it down even more.
It seems like a ridiculous fictional situation as there is no way the world would let that happen. But, the movie brought up good points as to why it is realistic fiction. Which is why this movie may have gone over people’s heads.” We are living in a global crisis and people still do not get it. People are continuing to live their lives as if there are not 4.9 million cases of COVID-19 in the US according to the New York Times. There is no difference between the society in the movie and in real life. This film was not about the pandemic nor was it about one subject. It was about how any global issue is being ignored to this very day. Climate change, war or world hunger, whatever it may be, selfish tendencies overshadow the big picture. The movie basically hit way too close to home and yet I fear that it may just be pushed down on people’s radar just like in the film. To really push the narrative, it would have been better if the film lost the comedic factor. A film can still be just as entertaining with comedic
elements, but the message is missed if all there is humor. At some points, it was nice to relieve the tension of bad news, but the entire movie was supposed to be serious but covered in a joke. That’s great to have in a film but the fact is, when you are trying to get an important message across, it should not be diluted with humour. The film used it to gloss over the fact that the world could be in the same predicament not long from now. While the film is not about the pandemic, it shows a reflection of the reaction of the pandemic accurately. I believe that this movie did not consider the audience. Those who would have watched it would have watched it but not taken anything from it. When it was meant to be a call to action, I do not believe it was enough or correspond as such. The people who watch the film are not the problem. It is those who do not watch it. The movie is on a platform for people to casually watch it, but for those who can make the impactful decisions that change the fate of the world, I doubt they will give the movie a glance. Which is actually mocked in the movie as well. What was an attempt to wake up society and change our way of life continues was overshadowed by the constant comedy. Although, it was an effort that only a few directors make. The movie has only been out for a few weeks and who knows what impact it could make in the future. It is a small step to change the future for the world and I praise those who use their creative talents to make a difference in our world. I hope that after those who watch the film and see past the irony, realize that we have a lot of work to do in order to ensure the world is a better place for the future. @ChynaVargasDT
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COLUMN
Texas Tech should mandate vaccines Julianne Cervera is a third-year English major from Grand Prairie.
With a current surge in COVID-19 cases and the introduction of new variants Delta and Omicron, the spread of COVID-19 finds itself as a common worry among people. As of 2021, multiple vaccines have been created to combat the virus. In further development, the vaccine has been approved for everyone five years of age and older. The COVID-19 pandemic, seeing light in 2019, still holds many mysterious effects of the virus. The unknown long-term effects on contracting COVID-19 pose a serious threat to the health of those previously and currently infected. The idea of a life-saving vaccine should bring relief, however to many, the vaccine holds skepticism. Under the Biden administration, vaccine mandates are being pushed to help protect U.S. citizens from the virus. Even more so, certain businesses require employees to be vaccinated in response to staff shortages as workers call in sick or positive for COVID-19. Many countries, including the United States require proof of vaccination for travel. Moreover, some foreign countries are seeing strict vaccine mandates and lockdowns implemented by their official governments.
The U.S. is among the countries with the highest number of cases, Texas being among the highest cases statewide. When evaluating opposition surrounding the vaccine, many question its effectiveness. No vaccine is 100%, however, the COVID-19 vaccine shows effectiveness in lessening the chance of hospitalization and even death. In an article published by The Conversation, author Dr. Nicholas Johnson of emergency medicine and critical care at Haborview Medical Center states that over 95 percent of COVID-19 patients are unvaccinated. This has also been claimed by other doctors online as well. Although vaccinated patients can get the virus, they are less likely to be hospitalized than unvaccinated individuals. The requirement of vaccines is not a new occurrence in education. Each state in the U.S. decides mandated vaccines for enrollment in childcare facilities and schools. Though not mandated federally, the implementation for vaccines such as the HPV and chickenpox vaccines are seen as necessary for educational and safety purposes. On Jan. 5, Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and Provost Ronald Hendrick released a COVID-19 update regarding spring semester. The statement addresses the opportunity to offer in-person, hybrid, or online classes based on instructor choice. Furthermore, additional testing and vacci-
nation sites will be available. Along with this, the Texas Tech Office of Communications & Marketing strongly recommends all employees to be vaccinated, seen on their website page concerning COVID-19. Following this recommendation, Tech should focus on implementing vaccine mandates for eligible students and faculty. The importance of health and safety outweighs skepticism and false narrative surrounding the vaccine.
The idea of a lifesaving vaccine should bring relief, however to many, the vaccine holds skepticism.” The start of a new semester is a clear breeding ground for the virus to spread, which can be opposed by the increase of vaccinated people at Tech. Protecting students and faculty from hospitalization or death can be done by vaccine mandates through Tech. The chance of education should be done without fear of illness. Mandating the vaccine will allow students and faculty to exist at Tech in peace, alleviating the stress of getting sick. In today’s pandemic world, taking the necessary precautions through vaccines and safety measures to help oneself and those around is vital in keeping a healthy world. @JulesCerveraDT
COLUMN
Empathy needed for the autistic community Our society thrives on making abnormal individuals “normal.” This is the case with Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy, which is a normalized, widely-accepted form of prejudice against autistic children. ABA is founded upon the principle of making an autistic child “normal.” Julia Bascom, the Executive Director of the Autism Self-Advocacy Network states that “the… end goal of ABA is an autistic child who is ‘indistinguishable from their peers’—an autistic child who can pass as neurotypical. We don’t think that’s an acceptable goal.” In its early stages, ABA used shock therapy to discourage repetitive behavior in autisitic children, such as hand-flapping. According to Autism Speaks, a well-known organization that openly encourages Applied Behavior Analysis,“The ban on electrical stimulation devices (ESDs) to treat aggressive or harming behaviors, typically in children and adults severely affected by developmental disorders including autism, has been in place since March 2020.”
LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,
Faith Dolan is a second-year English major from Midland.
Although it ended nearly two years ago, ABA and its supporting organizations (Autism Speaks) should still be held accountable. Using punishment to discourage an autistic behavior is problematic. Autistic children were not born with a neurotypical brain and not wired to function like a “normal” person. Autisticmama.com writes that “many autistic adults have shared how they struggle with compliance, consent and body autonomy even as adults. It’s hard to be taught for 20-40 hours a week that your body is in someone else’s control, only to then shut that off and take control of your own body.” Autistic people use behaviors, such as hand flapping, to help them process outside stimuli. Punishing such a skill is punishing a person for being autistic. Research shows that autis-
signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.
tic people who suppress their need for stimming (tapping foot, flapping hands and spinning) have much higher rates of depression and anxiety than those who do not. Chloe C. Hudson, PhD, a Clinical Fellow in Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School concludes that “autistic individuals are four times more likely to be depressed than non-autistic individuals.” Organizations that practice Applied Behavior Analysis thrive off of euphemisms to deceive non-autistic individuals into believing that ABA simply helps autistic individuals develop tools and resources. If this were truly the case, then ABA would not be problematic. However, since ABA does not truly help autistic individuals and instead punishes them in an attempt to make them “normal.” Autistic individuals should be able to learn how to effectively use tools and resources through a lens that respects and celebrates their unique way of thinking and behavior. Applied Behavior Analysis seems to work at surface
level, it really just molds autistic individuals into what is acceptable and convenient for everyone around them. Simultaneously, the autistic individual feels lost, discouraged, and uncomfortable in their own skin. In summary, ABA just trains autistic people for the idea of making everyone around them comfortable. Unfortunately, this perceived comfort derives from an ableist society who think that one can only enjoy life if they are as “normal” as possible. Why is it widely accepted to put an autistic child through such brutal “education?” Why does our society have such a hard time not punishing autistic people for being autistic? Why do some feel comfortable with subjecting autistic individuals to pain and discrimination? Autistic people do not need to be fixed, cured nor infantilized. Autistic people are human and are just as worthy of respect. Autistic people are entitled to live a life free of discrimination or other people forcing them to behave a different way. Unless one is harming others, they should
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be able to live a life without others judgement. It is not an autistic person’s job to fit in with other people whose brains are fundamentally different. Yes, autistic individuals may need support. However, the need for support is not an invitation for prejudice.. Autistic people should receive support that does not attempt to change or dehumanize the individual. This does not constitute forced eye contact or suppressed stimming. Any parents of autistic children should not feel ashamed by these findings. Parents do not hold the responsibility of knowing about the hidden, secretive aspects of Applied Behavior Analysis. Again, Parents are not responsible for the damage from this kind of therapy. Ethical support for autistic individuals and their families can be found at autisticadvocacy.org. Autistic people need empathy. Autistic people need understanding and instead be embraced for who they are, not who others think they should be. FaithDolanDT
EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.
Page 5 Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
LA VIDA
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Greek life offers student rekindling By TÉA MCGILVRAY
Digital Content Manager What used to be org fairs, recruitment events, and social get-togethers soon became isolation, zoom calls and online learning for students attending university during the COVID-19 pandemic. With students struggling to make easy inperson connections, many choose to not get involved with their university at all beyond their classrooms. Now entering what people hope could be a ‘new normal’, some students feel like they have missed their opportunity to get involved or are not sure where to start. For certain students though, greek life fraternities and sororities are the connection they need to get more involved both with the campus and the community. “Part of being in college is academics- that’s the number one thing, but I also think being involved in campus is really important,” Kimberly Thornton, Senior Director at the Center for Campus life, said. “In a student organization, we have over 500 organizations and a wide variety at that, and I think it’s important because you get to make memories. You get the experiences of college outside of the classroom.” Thornton was a member of a sorority during her undergraduate years and has been working with greek life and other student organizations for almost 20 years, she said. Now, she oversees fraternity and sorority life at Tech. Greek life organizations offer many benefits that look great on a resume such as leadership experience and philanthropic opportunities, but Thornton said one of the biggest aspects she got out of her experience
is lifelong friendships. “The members you meet in any organization to include fraternities and sororities are definitely something you never forget,” Thornton said. “I had the benefit of the sisterhood aspect. My very best friends who were in my sorority still are to this day, my best friends.” Senior marketing major from Dallas, Fasil Fitta said he became a member of Kappa Alpha Psi in his third year of college in search for the brotherhood aspect of fraternal organizations. Kappa Alpha Psi was founded in 1911 at Indiana University as the first incorporated Black fraternity in the United States. Fitta said the organization was founded in a time where Black people were heavily oppressed and today it thrives alongside many of the other multicultural greek organizations across the nation. “I only have one sibling and we have a big age gap. So I definitely wanted to experience a more, you know, family environment slash brotherhood environment around me, as well as just being in a leadership position and being able to be somebody for younger people that I didn’t have,” Fitta said. “I didn’t have male guidance at least in my age group, you know. So I wanted to be the person that I didn’t have for myself.” Kappa Alpha Psi, like many greek organizations, works with the campus and community in a variety of capacities, he said. This Fraternity works with the Boys and Girls club, hosts food and clothing drives and operates highway clean-ups. Karsyn Smyth, a freshman health management major from Hamilton is a member of the Pi Phi soror-
FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador
Members and new members of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority pose for a picture on Bid day during August of 2019. Sororities and fraternities host Bid day after rush week during both the fall and spring semesters. Bid day is for current members to announce their “little.” ity. She said her sister had been a part of Greek life and she wanted to follow in those footsteps, like many she found that being involved on campus gave her a sense of direction and community. “It was a lot easier to start off school having been in a sorority. Of course, it was super hard. The whole recruitment process was really lengthy and tiring,” Smyth said. “But starting school, one thing that we do is on the first day of class, you have a specific shirt you wear and so you walk throughout all the halls on campus, and you see those shirts and it gives you a sense of not being alone on this huge campus.” The best way for anyone to join greek life, or any organization is to go in with an open mind, Thornton said.
When looking for the right fit, she said students should do some research about what the organization values and what the student values and try to find something that fits your personality. Smyth said one of the largest reasons she chose Pi Phi is because the sorority offers opportunities for building her faith such as hosting bible studies. “They were the only sorority on campus that had ever mentioned anything about Bible studies, anything about religion, anything about that, and so I felt like that’s where God was calling me during the process,” Smyth said. Smyth said she also appreciates the organization’s focus on academics and philanthropy opportunities such
as donating books to lower income schools. Getting involved with any organization does require a certain level of time management and responsibility, said Fitta. Fitta has taken on several leadership roles within his organization from assistant to vice president to president where he works alongside the National Panhellenic Council to manage the fraternities members, events, and keeping the organization in good standing. “We have to cater to 330 million people and it’s kind of hard to get every single person’s opinion, what they want,” Fitta said. “Sometimes it’s a matter of compromise and coming to a middle ground.” Thornton said the experi-
ences she gained during her time in a sorority transferred into valuable life skills that she could carry with her into adulthood and recommends that students take advantage of the opportunities available within their university that can add to their resume. The center for campus life is available for students to find student orgs which fit their interest whether that be joining greek life, a religious group, a sports team, or even creating your own organization. “We want you to come get involved whether you’re a transfer student, you’re a second year student, Junior Senior graduate, we want you to get involved whenever you’re ready to, we’re happy to help you find what’s right for you,” Thornton said. @DtMcgilvray
Page 6 Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
LA VIDA
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Students search for perfect pet options By TÉA MCGILVRAY
Digital Content Manager From active athletes to homebodies, people and their pets come in a variety of lifestyles. College students are often busy individuals managing school, work, maintaining their social lives and for some students taking care of a smaller and furrier friend. Lubbock Animal Shelter (LAS) associate Steven Greene said taking on a pet is a big responsibility and it is important that students consider their lifestyle before committing to an animal. “You need to think about everything instead of just seeing a cute little posing face that you want to take home. There’s a lot of responsibility,” Greene said. “You have some animals that are very energetic and need a lot of exercise whether it’s jogging or walking. Other older pets may not need as much exercise. So if you’re really athletic, you may want to have an animal that fits your lifestyle.”
While the LAS takes in many types of animals they primarily work with dogs and cats. Greene said in the last year the shelter took in over 8000 animals and about half of those were adopted locally and the rest were transported to other states to be adopted there. Senior biology major from San Antonio, Jesse Toon adopted his dog, Kayden from the animal shelter said the responsibility of having a pet is actually motivating. “College can be hard especially if you work and go to school full time like I do, but having Kayden really motivates me to stay strong, and if I’m stressed out or having a hard day, I know I have a best friend to come home to and I couldn’t ask for a better companion,” Toon said. Greene said being around animals can be therapeutic and simply petting one can release positive endorphins. Ariel Henson, a junior speech language and hearing sciences major from Amarillo works as a Community Advisor on campus. Henson said
she lives on campus with her cat which is registered as a Emotional Support Animal (ESA) which helps with stress and anxiety. “Having her around really just helps when I’m stressed out about a test or like there’s a lot of stuff going on in CA world because of course a lot of stuff happens in the dorms,” Henson said. “So it’s just nice having this little calming influence around, like she doesn’t care about tests she just cares about getting her next treat.” Greene said that being a pet parent is a full time responsibility and between food and veterinary visits there are financial responsibilities that some students may not be prepared to take on. Base veterinary costs can be roughly $100 a year and depending on the size of the animal food can be upwards of $40 a month, he said. With the addition of registering an animal as an ESA, that can add hundreds of dollars on top of typical pet costs. Owning a pet is not temporary, Henson said, this
is why it is so important for those considering adopting to find the right pet for them. “I had to think about the fact that I wouldn’t be able to walk a dog as much as they’d want to and the dog would probably be in a cramped space. That’s why I got a cat instead, because she’s really good in small spaces,” Henson said. “Just make sure that you’re giving them the best quality of life possible.” Greene said a good pet owner is one willing to return the unconditional love that pets give their owners, someone willing to commit their time, energy, money and comply with the rules and regulations of the city. Students who find themselves desiring that connection with animals but cannot afford the responsibility still have opportunities in the community, Greene said. Students are the largest volunteer group at the shelter, with opportunities to walk and play with the animals before they find their forever home. @DtMcgilvray
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Sugar, a Dachshund-Yorkshire mix sits on a student’s bed while Sugar relaxes over the break on Jan. 5, 2022. Sugar is 5 years old.
High Riders share goals, memories, traditions By TANA THOMPSON L a Vida Editor
In 1976, Nancy Neil, Lynn Morris and Kathy Pate founded a student organization that supported women’s athletics. Today, that organization has 40 active female members that spend their time at women’s athletic events cheering, ringing bells and doing what the founders intended. The Texas Tech High Riders is a student organization and spirit group that takes part in athletic events, community service and sisterhood, McKenzie Cameron, the High Riders president, said.
“I would definitely say our five pillars are spirit, sisterhood, service, leadership and tradition,” Cameron, a fourth-year accounting student from Highlands Ranch, Colorado, said. “We’re somewhat of a faith based group as well. I know we do prayers at every meeting. I think that’s helped our sisterhood because I think we can share on a more personal level more than other groups can.” The High Riders have worked hard to uphold Tech’s traditions like Carol of Lights, homecoming parade and Arbor Day, all while building memories and relationships, Zoe Wall, the High
Riders vice president said. “So we believe in supporting each other and kind of bringing everyone together around common goals,” Wall, a fourth-year architecture student from Frisco, said. “I think our official motto is only we are as high as our lowest members. So we like to uplift everybody, and kind of bring girls from all different kinds of majors together to support athletics and the community.” Lila McPherrson, the High Riders social chair, said the High Riders go through recruitment in the fall and the spring. However, McPherrson, a
second-year communication studies student from Leander, said the High Riders are always looking for new members. “We’ll make stuff and try to recruit and spread the word about what we do. And then from there, there’s about a one week open rush process, and we just ask girls to come to typically two of those events,” McPherrson said. “Then we’ll do a closed rush with everyone who attended the open portion like new member recruitment. I feel like we are always recruiting. I’ve talked to several girls at football games and basketball games.” Each member of the High
Riders has their own favorite memories and traditions. McPherrson said her favorite Tech tradition is the ringing of the bells. “I didn’t fully understand what was so special about ringing the bells. This past year was the first time I’ve ever heard the bells ring,” McPherrson said. “So then I realized I was like that’s actually a really cool thing that we do. I got to hear it from a fan’s point of view. I think it’s just so cool to partake in that.” Cameron said her father was an intern when they built the United Supermarkets Arena, which
has helped her choose her favorite tradition. Cameron said her favorite tradition is the pink out basketball game, ‘PLAY4KAY.’ This annual game recognizes the late Kay Yow, women’s basketball head coach at North Carolina State. “I really enjoyed the streamer drop. I mean, it’s really scary up there. But it’s really cool because not a whole lot of people get to experience it,” Cameron said. “Hey, if my dad can do it, I probably can. Being able to get up there and get to see the stadium in pink is really special.” @TanaThompsonDT
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SPORTS
Page 7 Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022
WHAT YOU MISSED
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Athletics sees success during winter break By BISHOP VAN BUREN Sports editor
Fall finals ended on Dec. 8, meaning students left the Texas Tech campus for just over a month. This was a change from the fall 2020 semester, when student did not return to inperson classes after Thanksgiving break but instead students were forced to watch multiple sporting events from home. As the spring semester begins, here’s an overview of what took place during the holiday break.
Dec. 13 Despite starting December with a loss to thenunranked Providence, who has since risen to No. 23, an upset win in overtime against No. 13 Tennessee (now No. 22) put Tech in AP Top 25 Poll for the first time this season, ranking them No. 25 for Week 6 on Dec. 13. Tech spent the entirety of last season as a top 25 team under head basketball coach Chris Beard, the first time in program history a team has spent a whole season as a member of the poll.
Dec. 14 Tech announced the signing of three transfer prospects to the football program the first transfer portal additions of new head football coach Joey McGuire’s young career as Tech’s next head football coach. The three transfers announced in December were wide receiver Brady Boyd (Minnesota), linebacker Dimitri Moore (Missouri State) and defensive back Tyler Owens (Texas). Boyd played high school football at Southlake Carrol and Owens graduated from
Plano East, both high schools located in Texas Moore played at Cedar Hill High School, the same school McGuire coached at and built his legacy that would eventually get him in the Texas High School Coaches Hall of Honor. McGuire landed commitments from multiple more transfers, an offensive lineman in Cade Briggs (New Mexico), and two two receivers from Big 12 rivals, Joshua Moore (Texas) and Jordan Brown (Kansas).
SEE SPORTS, PG. 8
New head football coach Joey McGuire leads the Raider Power chant at the men’s basketball game on Nov. 9, 2021, in the United Supermarkets Arena. During the break, McGuire signed several players to his first recruiting class. KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
PROFESSIONAL SOCCER
Matadors to host open tryouts prior to first season By BISHOP VAN BUREN Sports Editor
The Lubbock Matadors, an expansion team that joined the National Premier Soccer League in December, will host open tryouts session for the inaugural season on Jan. 22. The tryouts will be conducted at Lubbock Christian University Soccer Stadium from 10 a.m. to noon. The club will compete in the South Region in May and is looking for local athletes to represent Lubbock against teams such as the NPSL National Champion Denton Diablos and the rest of the NPSL Lone Star Conference. According to the minor league team’s website, the
Matadors have a limited number of available for the open tryout. It costs $50 to take part in the open tryout, and all participants will receive two T-shirts worth $40 each and two tickets to a 2022 Matadors home game. The Matadors coaching staff is made up of two Lubbock Christian University coaches and one from Texas Tech. Paul Gilver, head soccer coach at LCU, will assume the same position with the minor league team after he led LCU to be a finalist spot in the Lonestar Conference Tournament. Gilbert not only brings his LCU assistant coach Yuriy Sadula to fill the same role, but he also added 2006 Tech alumnus
Gibbs Keeton to his staff as associate head coach. According to Tech Athletics, Keeton oversees the Red Raider goalkeepers and defense in addition to helping with recruiting and other aspects of the program. In his first year as a fulltime assistant (2013), the Red Raiders went 18-2-3 and set a new school record for wins. Gilbert was named the fourth head coach in LCU program history in January 2016, and subsequently posted (two) 5-11-2 records in his first two seasons, according to Tech Ahletics. In 2018 Gilbert led LCU to nine wins for the first time since 2014 (9-7-3). He led the Chaparrels to
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SPORTS
JAN. 12, 2022
SPORTS CONTINUED FROM PG. 7 Dec. 15 Just a day after making the transfer-signings official, McGuire announced the signing of 16 high school prospects, including 15 three-stars and one four-star according to 247 Sports. According to Tech Athletics, McGuire was a 2020 inductee into the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor. Twelve of his 16 high school additions were from the Lone Star State. Also, McGuire made sure to well-equip new defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter with Tech’s signings. Ten of the 16 high school additions will be playing defensive positions. Dec. 28 The Texas Tech football team defeated the Missis-
sippi State Bulldogs and former Red Raiders coach Mike Leach by a score 34-7 in the 2021 Liberty Bowl. Interim head coach Sonny Cumbie led the Red Raiders to their first bowl game appearance since 2017 and their first bowl win since 2013, both times coached by former Red Raider and current Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury. Cumbie has since left for a head coaching position at Louisiana Tech. Defensive coordinator Keith Patterson also left to become Abilene Chrisitan University’s next head coach. Sophomore quarterback Donovan Smith threw for 252 yards and a touchdown in the win. He also rushed for 30 yards and another touchdown. For more on Tech’s Liberty Bowl Victory, read Arianna Flores’ recap on The Daily Toreador website.
Jan. 5 After Tech’s men’s basketball team had their Big 12 opener postponed from New Year’s day to Jan. 13 due to health and safety protocols, they instead kicked off inter-conference play, taking on No. 11 Iowa State in Ames, Iowa on Jan. 5. Before the game, Tech announced that five players were unable to make the trip due to health and safety protocols, leaving head basketball coach Mark Adams with only seven available players. Guards Terrence Shannon Jr. (back s p a s m s ) , K e v i n M c C u llar Jr. (ankle), and Mylik Wilson (knee) missed the game as they recovered from injuries. Just a few hours after
the men’s team tipped off against Iowa State, Tech’s women’s basketball team defeated No. 9 Texas by a score of 74-61 in its first game of the season against a ranked opponent. According to Tech Athletics, the Lady Raiders’ victory was their first against a top-10 foe since 2011. Senior guard Vivian Grey, a 2020-21 First-Team All Big 12 selection, scored a game-high 23 points and junior guard Bre’Amber Scott added 21 points. Jan. 8 Mark Adams secured his first Big 12 win as Tech’s head coach with an upset win over No. 6 Kansas by a score of 75-67 on Jan. 8, defeating the conference’s highest scoring team that averages 83.1 points per
WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM game, according to Big 12 Sports. Bryson Williams scored 22 points in the win over the Jayhawks, tying his seasonhigh from the Red Raiders opening game against North Florida. In addition to leading Tech in scoring, Williams recorded a game-high eight rebounds, according to Tech Athletics. The only player who scored more than Williams was KU’s Ochai Ogbaji with 24 points. Ogabi currently sits atop the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 20.5 points per game, and his 287 total points are 23 more than the runner up (Taz Sherman, WVU). Jan. 10 After going 1-1 in a challenging beginning to Big 12 play against two ranked opponents, the Red Raiders finally improved from No. 25 to No. 19 in the AP Top 25 Poll, leaving the spot they had held for the last
four weeks. On the same day, Tech officially announced the addition of Jaylon Tyson to the men’s basketball 2022 signing class. Tyson signed with Texas Tech in November 2020 before deciding to attend Texas and play for Tech’s former head coach Chris Beard and the Longhorns. After scoring 14 points in only 55 total minutes of playing time, 11 of which coming in Texas’ season opener against Houston Baptist University, Tyson decided to leave the Longhorns mid-season and entered the transfer portal on Dec. 27. Tyson’s decision to open up his recruitment led to his recommitment to the Red Raiders program. He’ll spend the upcoming Spring semester practicing with the team and preparing for next season. @BishopVB_DT
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Adonis Arms prepares to throw the ball to his teammate in the game against Kansas at the United Supermarkets Arena on Jan. 8, 2022. Following their 75-67 victory over the Jayhawks, the Red Raiders moved up to No. 19 in the latest AP rankings.
Bryn Gerlich plans her next move against Georgia as she dribbles the ball at the United Supermarkets Arena on Dec. 2, 2021. During the winter break, the Lady Raiders secured an upset victory over then No. 9 Texas, winning 74-61 in Austin.
For full coverage of these events, visit www.DailyToreador.com for our recaps breaking down games and news.
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Forward Bryson Williams grabs the rim while dunking against Kansas’ David McCormack at the United Supermarkets Arena on Jan. 8, 2022. Tech defeated the Jayhawks 75-67 and gave Mark Adams his first Big 12 win as head coach.