THURSDAY, OCT. 1, 2020 VOLUME 95 ■ ISSUE 7
LA VIDA
SPORTS
TTUHSC Doctors weigh in on ‘twindemic’.
Trio of Red Raiders set for MLB Playoffs.
Presidential debate: a global embarrassment.
OPINIONS
ONLINE Follow us on social media for photo and video coverage of events around campus.
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ONLINE
INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU
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PROFILE
Tech student shows collection at Fashion Week By AMANDA HAMPTON Staff Writer
Fashion designers typically have to wait until they are well into their career to have a collection in New York Fashion Week. Jillian Hackett already is about to accomplish this milestone as she begins her career. Hackett, a Texas Tech freshman apparel design and manufacturing major from Montgomery, said she got an invitation to show a collection at New York Fashion Week of September 2021. The invitation was offered by Oxford Fashion Studio, a company who specializes in providing young designers the opportunity to display their designs on a global stage. The company told her they appreciated the work she already had designed, and they were interested in seeing what else she could create. “That’s something that was really surprising to me, that they just saw something that I had done, and they wanted to see more,” she said. Lindsay Duke from Montgomery
said she was Hackett’s fashion design teacher in high school. “It’s just an awesome opportunity to really kind of put her name out there as a new designer and a young designer,” Duke said. Hackett got her inspiration to pursue fashion from her mom, she said. Her mom frequently would make her handmade clothes and costumes as a kid and was the first person to teach her how to sew. Hackett will be showing an eight-look collection at Fashion Week. The collection will focus on blending evening wear and readyto-wear clothing, which allows for each piece of clothing to be interchangeable, she said. “You can create more than just the eight looks that are going to be presented,” Hackett said. “I like being able to change things up, and that’s something I really want to be apparent in my collection.” Hackett gets inspiration for her designs from nature and the world around her, she said.
SEE FASHION WEEK, PG. 2
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Jillian Hackett, a freshman apparel design major, will be showing her collection of designs at New York Fashion Week in September of 2021.
FOOTBALL
Loss to Texas provides learning opportunity for Tech By ZACH RICHARDS Sports Editor
The Red Raiders completed their first conference game of the 2020 season last Saturday in an overtime thriller against in-state rival, Texas. Despite the loss, the Red Raiders proved to the nation they could compete against top-tier competition. The high-scoring, 63-56, affair in favor of the No. 8-ranked Longhorns yielded program records on either side of the ball. In fact, Tech’s 56 points was the most they have ever scored against Texas in 69 total matchups between the two teams, according to Tech Athletics. But, regardless of the score, numerous sports news sources, such as ESPN, CBS and others, predicted Tech would not even be in contention. Collegefootballnews predicted Texas would win in a 20-point blowout 44-24, and SportsJaw chose Texas to win 45-13. ESPN predicted the Longhorns had a 92.1 percent chance to win prior to the game, and six out of seven CBS panelists predicted a Texas victory. Not only were the Red Raiders underdogs, but they were predicted to be completely domi-
FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador
Redshirt freshman wide receiver Erik Ezukanma is brought down by the opponent during the game against The University of Texas on Nov. 29, 2019. The Red Raiders fell to the Longhorns last Saturday, 63-56. nated by Texas long before the first snap, according to numerous sports platforms. Coming out of a one-score first quarter by the Red Raiders, it looked as if the predictions were on par with the performance, as Texas controlled the game through the first frame. However, as the game
went on, Tech matched, and in the third quarter, even outplayed the No. 8 team in America. The game against Texas shows the Red Raiders have multiple players ready to play on a big stage. Sophomore wide receiver Erik Ezukanma led the game with 91 receiving yards on seven receptions,
according to ESPN. Sophomore running back SaRodorick Thompson led the game on the ground with 16 carries for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Ezukanma and Thompson were integral to Tech’s ability to compete with the Longhorns, but they were just part of the bigger picture for
the Red Raiders. Junior wide receiver KeSean Carter and senior wide receiver T.J. Vasher combined for four touchdowns and 151 receiving yards, according to ESPN. They rounded out a versatile air attack for Tech, one that could contribute to success this season. “We pride ourselves on making plays and being the playmakers of the room,” Vasher said. “When the ball touches our hands, we’re not looking to go down, we’re looking to stretch the field and go score. That’s just the mentality.” As of Sept. 30, Carter ranks seventh in the nation in receiving touchdowns, according to NCAAStatistics. Eukanma ranks 22nd and Vasher also holds a place in the top 50. Tech’s three receivers in the top 50 outranks any other school in the Big 12. On a number of series, sophomore quarterback Alan Bowman looked to have poise in the pocket, on others, he seemed rushed, and his throws were a bit off. Under center, Bowman had a five-touchdown, three-interception game with 331 passing yards, according to ESPN.
SEE FOOTBALL, PG. 6
SATELLITE CAMPUS
Tech Costa Rica satellite campus continues all-online learning By ADÁN RUBIO News Editor
While members of the Texas Tech community in Lubbock practice health precautions to learn in-person or in a hybrid format, one Tech campus continues to utilize all-online learning: Costa Rica. The community at the Tech Costa Rica campus located in San José has faced different obstacles regarding education amid the COVID-19 pandemic. With the campus being in a different country, one may wonder how its current education delivery differs from that of the Lubbock campus. Tech Costa Rica Dean Jeffrey Belnap said the campus, which is designed to bring American-style higher education to the region, is closed because of governmental regulations in the country. There were plans to open the campus, but the Costa Rican government’s attempt to assure the virus did not spread prevented it from opening. Because of the outbreak of COVID-19, Belnap said the
Costa Rica campus closed in mid-March and moved to online instruction within three days’ notice. Unlike the Lubbock campus that had one week off for spring break and another week off for faculty to prepare online courses, the Costa Rica campus did not get the same amount of time to prepare. “The faculty were basically champions,” he said regarding how quickly faculty and students adjusted teaching and learning activities to synchronous video conferences. The country, which is a regional center for innovations in technology and manufacturing, has implemented a variety of regulations to mitigate the spread of the virus, Belnap said. “The country itself has been very regulated in managing social distancing and in modeling and sort of assuring that there isn’t unnecessary human contact,” he said. “There are different levels within the country of opening and closing, and so we are, as a local institution, obligated to follow those requirements.”
SEE COSTA RICA, PG. 3
Photo Courtesy of Juliana Rohrmoser
The Texas Tech Costa Rica campus has moved to all-online learning to comply with government regulations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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NEWS
OCT 1, 2020
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CAMPUS
Tech staff addresses Fall 2020 enrollment By HANNAH ISOM Staff Writer
Despite issues the COVID-19 pandemic posed for colleges across the nation, Texas Tech recently hit a long-time goal of over 40,000 students enrolled during Fall 2020. The exact total student enrollment for the fall semester is 40,322, according to the Tech Institutional Research Factbook. This was an increase from the 38,742 total student enrollment in Fall 2019. In Fall 2020, undergraduate student enrollment is 33,269, graduate student enrollment is 6,635 and law school student enrollment is 418, according to the Factbook. Each of these sections increased from Fall 2019, which has undergraduate student enrollment of 32,125, graduate student
enrollment of 6,213 and law school student enrollment of 404. Tech’s total full-time student enrollment for this fall is 33,252 and parttime student enrollment is 7,070, according to the Factbook. In fall 2019, full-time enrollment was recorded as 32,124 and part-time was 6,618. Additionally, the total female population on the Tech campus this fall is 19,986, the total male population is 20,209 and the total number of genders not reported is 127, according to the Factbook. Last fall, the female population was 18,992, the total male population was 19,633 and the total genders not reported was 117. Regardless, meeting the total student enrollment goal with 40,322 students consisted of years of effort
from members of the campus community. Jamie Hansard, vice president of enrollment management at Tech, said it is important to keep in mind that all face-to-face recruitment efforts halted at the end of March beginning of April last Spring. There was a three-week period where students were not applying for admissions and they When the university realized the campus closure would last longer than a couple weeks, Hansard they immediately started to examine ways to move recruitment efforts online. All recruitment events were online within 10 days. Hansard believes enrollment continued its upward trend, despite the circumstances, because Tech was very honest and was as transparent as possible throughout the process of moving online last spring and determining the fate of fall semester, she said. Additionally, Tech was extremely accessible during that time, specifically asking what questions students and families had. Tech immediately called all students who applied for admission or who had been admitted and reached out to campus community partners as well to update them on what was happening as much as they could, Hansard said. The university wanted to make sure incoming freshmen would be able to have that freshmen experience, after having their senior year of high school ripped away. “We were working together as a campus not
only to recruit the students, but to ensure when these students arrived to campus that they were going to be able to have as much of a first-year experience as we could provide in a safe environment,” she said. There was a true emphasis on having as many hybrid and face-to-face classes on campus for the first-year students, Hansard said. However, Hansard said it is important to note the journey to reach over 40,000 students enrolled did not start this year but has in fact been going on for the past decade. Rob Stewart, senior vice provost at Tech, said the over 40,000 goal was established a few administrations ago, and 2020 was the year to reach it by. Retention and recruitment were key to the success of the university reaching its goal, and achieving the goal was a combination of many efforts within the university, Stewart said. Colleges on the Tech campus initiated their own recruitment efforts, Stewart said. Also, the Raider Roadshow travels to metropolitan areas to reach an audience that have possibly never considered Tech as an option before. “People are better informed about Texas Tech and what we can do here,” Stewart said. The goal is to continue to recruit high-quality students, have high-quality programs and to retain students until graduation, Stewart said. Retaining students and enrolling new, high-quality
FASHION WEEK
ings with all the people who are in charge of the runway show,” Hackett said. She will get to meet the person who invited her to fashion week, the creative director for Oxford Fashion Studios and other designers. She will also have model fittings to see how the clothes look before they go down the runway, Hackett said. Hackett has set a couple goals for the collection she is designing and what she hopes to gain after showing her designs. She would love to catch the eye of a designer who can give her an internship or have a retailer offer to manufacture and sell her collection in stores, she said. In addition,
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “A lot of the time, I will just look at something and then imagine how it would look as a piece of clothing,” Hackett said. For example, she will look at how a plant moves, what the color palette is and how the light hits it, she said. Then, she brainstorms how she can translate those characteristics into her designs. Hackett has multiple exciting opportunities awaiting her in New York for Fashion Week. “I think I’m most excited for the day before, because that’s when I have the meet-
students are some of the most important strategies in increasing student enrollment, Patrick Hughes, Tech vice provost for Student Success and Retention, said. This year, Hughes said the university broke the first-year retention rate record with an 87.6 percent retention rate of firstyear students. There were other important factors that pushed the student enrollment rate upward as well, Hughes said. In times when certain sectors of the economy are down, universities and colleges tend to see an increase in enrollment. This increase in enrollment typically comes from people re-
turning to school to acquire a new skill. Additionally, Hughes said Tech’s strong foundation for distance learning was leveraged by the pandemic, only growing stronger and gaining more flexibility over time. Overall, Hughes said he thinks if Tech keeps doing things to increase retention rates and recruit high-quality students, the university will continue to see a healthy increase in the future. For more information on the different trends of Fall 2020 enrollment numbers, visit the Tech Institutional Research Factbook.
she wants to focus on ensuring women feel empowered and comfortable when wearing her designs.
of Hackett’s designs are how she makes them unique by designing them with the needs of the person wearing them in mind. “She’s able to see the vision of what the person wants and fit it to them,” Ochoa said. When planning the future of her brand, Hackett hopes to make evening wear and ready-to-wear clothing, she said. She also hopes to have a bridal collection come out once a year. “I hope by the time I graduate, I have learned the ins and outs of the industry to where my brand can grow and flourish, to where I can be completely self-sustaining,” Hackett said.
A lot of the time, I will just look at something and then imagine how it would look as a piece of clothing. JILLIAN HACKETT FASHION STUDENT Paola Ochoa from San Diego, California said she is a friend and colleague of Hackett’s. Her favorite parts
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NEWS
OCT. 1, 2020
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TTUHSC doctors weigh in on ‘twindemic’ By HANNAH ISOM Staff Writer
With COVID-19 raging on, and flu season quickly approaching, the threat of what some are calling a ‘twindemic,” is getting closer to becoming a reality. The “twindemic” people are referring to is an outbreak of both COVID-19 and influenza at the same time. Dr. Tammy Camp, a pediatrician at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, said this is a tricky time, as the two illnesses look similar, as both have symptoms, such as a fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose. “We are hoping for the best, but I think all of us are anticipating that if we had an outbreak of both at the same time, that could be very difficult,” Camp said. The main precaution people can take is getting a flu shot, Camp said. This will help decrease the disease prevalence and leave hospital beds open for those who might have COVID-19.
COSTA RICA
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Costa Rica classifies different areas as either an Orange Alert zone or a Yellow Alert zone, according to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica website. Under Orange Alert, there are restrictions on business operating hours and restrictions on which businesses can operate. Under Yellow Alert, most businesses can operate normally with some restrictions on operating hours. Laura Barrera, marketing and recruitment manager at Tech Costa Rica, said the country’s Ministry of Health will not allow faceto-face classes. “So we’re waiting for the new communication to see when we can open the university,” she said. With the current health precautions, learning at Tech Costa Rica could be impacted in different ways.
Since there is a vaccine that can help decrease morbidity from flu, Camp said people should take that opportunity. Dr. Steven Berk, executive vice president for clinical affairs at the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center and infectious disease physician, said it is important to note free flu shots will be provided at various locations including the Tech HSC, Walgreens and Walmart. People providing shots at these locations will be socially distanced and following all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, Berk said. “We don’t want people worried that they can’t get an influenza vaccine because they’re worried about getting COVID,” Berk said. Additionally, Camp said it is very important for children to come get their routine care, so they stay updated on shots for other contagious illnesses. Dr. Jacob Nichols, an assistant professor for the Tech HSC Department of Internal Medicine, said it is
important people get the flu vaccine to help control the outbreak Lubbock usually sees in January and February. However, he said it would be interesting to see if flu rates are lower this year because everyone is wearing a mask. Regarding the co-infection of both COVID-19 and the flu, Nichols said it is possible to have both. Other respiratory viruses also circulate during this time that have the same symptoms as COVID-19 and the flu. In addition to getting a flu shot, there are other steps one could take to stay healthy. It is important to eat healthy, exercise regularly and get an appropriate amount of sun exposure to boost one’s immune system, Nichols said. It also is encouraged to wear a mask, wash hands regularly and social distance. Regardless of the different health precautions, COVID-19 could pose different risks for people. There is not much to be
optimistic about regarding COVID-19 because people see dramatic increases each day in Lubbock, Berk said. Berk’s biggest worry is young people testing COVID-19 positive and giving the infection to someone who could potentially get very sick from
it. He said that while it is true that young people are mostly asymptomatic or have mild symptoms, if they are not taking proper pre-cautions, they will spread it to people who are immunocompromised. “No one in the ICU is a college student,” he said. “They’re
all older people.” For more information regarding how to stay safe amid COVID-19 and the upcoming flu season visit the Tech HSC website https:// www.ttuhsc.edu/safe/default.aspx.
Faculty at the campus are doing everything they can to keep students engaged, Belnap said. Instead of using asynchronous online learning, there is a focus on synchronous video conferencing. “The challenge, I think, is the challenge that all students all over the world are facing, which is it’s very difficult to stay engaged with virtual learning when you’re basically in the same place and not seeing your friends all day,” he said. “So there’s certainly a serious social cost.” Instruction at Tech Costa Rica is doing better than other types of learning and teaching taking place in the region, Belnap said. The campus models the best kind of educational experience that is available through video conferencing instruction. In addition to working with Tech Costa Rica students, Belnap said faculty at the campus work with mem-
bers of the Tech Lubbock campus. Deans and department chairs from the Lubbock campus oversee Costa Rica classes, particularly in science and engineering where there are labs. “The expertise of the Lubbock campus provides a major resource for assuring that not only our classes meet a high international standard and follow the Lubbock guidelines, but also that all of the innovation going on in Lubbock to support virtual learning also manifests itself here,” he said. Amid the pandemic, everyone is in the same boat, even if the Lubbock campus is not fully engaged in remote learning, Belnap said. Whether one is in a nearby room or on a campus in a different country, he said the distance factor when working with the Lubbock campus does not matter, as most people already are
working remotely. “So, I think it kind of shines a light on the reality of, you know, what the postpandemic world is going to be, meaning video conference collaboration is the new normal,” Belnap said, “and even though we will go back to being face-to-face, I think, because hundreds of millions of people have now been socialized to video conference work, lots and lots of business is going to be done in this modality that was before done face-to-face.” Student life professionals at Tech Costa Rica also are making an effort to reach out to students in and out of the online classroom, Belnap said. Gabriela Echandi, student services and affairs manager at Tech Costa Rica, said she works closely with student services departments at the Lubbock campus to bring certain services to Costa Rica.
“But regarding student services, I would say the most difficult part has been getting students engaged, and still having that sense of belonging and community,” she said. After online classes, Echandi said it is hard to get students involved in other activities. Another issue that arose is students feeling stressed about having to manage their time and schoolwork amid distance learning. Hosting a virtual mental health workshop is one example of providing resources for the students, Echandi said. In addition, multiple virtual town halls aimed at reaching out to students and their parents were hosted. “To get a more clear picture, what we did was we divided the students into groups, so that we could talk closely with each one instead of being all the students trying to talk at the same time,” she said regard-
ing the town halls, which had more participants than she expected. Parents appreciated being taken into account at the virtual town halls, Echandi said. Families in Latin America are more engaged with their child’s university than families in North America, Belnap said. Because of this and the fact most of the students attending Tech Costa Rica are locals, he said the staff has tried to maintain engagement with students’ families. “And so, keeping our students’ families very close to us is part of what we do in the sense we like to keep them informed appropriately and make them understand what we’re all about,” he said. The pandemic impacted student outreach and engagement at Tech Costa Rica in a variety of ways.
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OPINIONS
Page 4 Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020
COLUMN
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Presidential debate: a global embarrassment T
he first presidential debate for the 2020 election was a disaster beyond measure. The only true winner of the debate was those who did not watch the debate, being that they saved themselves from seeing grown men argue instead of participating in a civil debate. Both candidates did not look respectable nor presidential, making the American people who are on the fence about the upcoming election decision even more hard than it already was. Separating the candidates from their political parties and their election platforms, both candidate’s performance was abysmal. From the get-go, the whole debate was pointless. The first topic they were to talk about was the recent
Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock.
announcement of Amy Coney Barrett to be nominated for The Supreme Court and within the first ten minutes, the debate was not a debate but rather two people having an argument. Candidate's can be passionate about what they are talking about, but when it becomes one talking over the other, then it’s simply not helpful to any candidate. Trump was the main cause of this, as he would not let Biden or the moderator, Chris Wallace, speak. There was even a point where Trump was not de-
bating with Biden anymore but instead he was debating with the moderator. This prompted the moderator to remind the president he was the moderator of the event. However, Wallace also had to step in several times with Biden, asking him to let the president finish what he was saying. I honestly feel sorry for Wallace, because watching the debate was stressful enough. I can’t imagine moderating the event. Now, we come to the name-calling and snarky comments from both candidates. Biden calling the president a “clown,” and the president using his nickname for Senator Warren made me feel like I was watching kids fight on the playground.
In my eyes, both candidates lost all of my respect for them when they started name-calling but more so when they made snarky comments. It all just felt high school drama and was very mentally draining for the audience.
The true loser of the debate was America’s reputation and her citizens. I don’t want to begin to talk about the ending arguments where Trump started talking about one of Biden’s sons, Hunter Biden, and his record with Moscow and the allegations against him. Biden turned
it around and made it seem that the president was bringing in his other son, Beau’s former drug addiction and recovery. In all honesty, this argument should have not played out on the stage during the debate and should have just stayed in the realm of the media outlets. Like I said, it was not a debate whatsoever, just a bunch of school children fighting. Only after reading the transcript from USA Today could I follow what the candidates were saying and semi-understand where they were going. I just hope that the next presidential debate is more of a debate than whatever this was. The future of our nation is at stake, and I would like to see the candidates to realize that before the
next debate. This year is already draining for most Americans, and the last thing we need is our presidential candidates make a mockery of America. No candidate outperformed the other candidate in any form or fashion, Trump didn’t let anyone talk and Biden started name calling. Therefore there was on winner of the debate and the true loser of the debate was America’s reputation and her citizens. As I said, those voters who are on the fence face a harder decision than they had before this debate. The next two presidential debates are scheduled for Oct. 15 and 22. The vice presidential debate is set for Oct. 7. @MateoRosilesDT
COLUMN
Personal time necessary for a balanced mindset In recent years, mental health has been brought into the limelight more and more. Years ago, mental health was rejected, looked down upon or just flat out ridiculed. Fortunately, that attitude has mostly changed, and many healthy dialogues surrounding the topic have popped up. Many of which discuss experiences, share stories and comfort each other, knowing that there are other people out there who feel like they do. I hold mental health to great importance, and therefore would like to share opinions on the matter. Things such as how
Evan Ray is a junior DMPC major from Sugar Land. much of a constant battle mental stability can be and why all aspects of our life, environment and lifestyle can help or hurt said stability. One of the first things to discuss, is self-love. A common misconception about self-love, is that once you learn to love yourself, it’s a sort of check mark, forever fulfilled. Self-love is something that everyday many people struggle with, and some days are better
than others as a result. This is directly correlated with your mental health and is crucial for stability. Selflove could best be described as, recognizing internal and external flaws, as well as strengths, and accepting who you are, while striving to always be the best version of yourself and loving who you are the whole way. For many people this is easy, and they don’t even need to delve into selfreflection. For others, it is a constant battle that proves to be such an emotional and mentally draining task. Speaking of self-reflection, it is critical to note that days of introspective discussion or thoughts can
prove very useful. This can manifest in many different ways, such as “me days”, meditation, spending time with a significant other or close friends, just to name a few.
Taking a step away form life’s stress, even for a bit, can go along ways. These days are especially important for those of us currently doing large amounts of class hours, while juggling a job, extra curriculars, searching for
internships, figure out what to do in life while trying to maintain a social life. Mental stability is a trying task to be sure, and in addition, there are specific things that may add on to cause stress in our lives. One thing that is coming up rather soon is the presidential election. For some people, the outcome and the politics surrounding this current political climate are mentally draining. It is important to remember, that while remaining politically active is a fairly important thing in our lives, it is equally important to our mental health to take a step back and focus on ourselves.
This past year, has proved to be trying both politically, socially and economically. Taking a step away from life’s stress, even for a bit, can go along ways to help our health. These days we have been looking out for our physical health quite a lot, but that doesn’t mean we should put our mental health to the backseat. Through various methods of reliving stress and avoiding stress filled events and activities, it can be done while maintaining all other aspects of our life. Supporting one another in these trying times is something we can all do with a little. @EvanRayDT
COLUMN
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Argument for a balanced Supreme Court Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock.
A few weeks ago, news broke about the passing of Justice Ruth B. Ginsburg, and in doing so, the issue of when to appoint a new associate justice has made its way to being an election issue. In all honesty, we need a balanced Supreme Court now more than ever which begs the question, if Amy Coney Barrett is the right one to be appointed? A quick review of the court and its constitutional powers is that it was created from the United State Constitution in Article 2 Section 1, the President appoints the justices, and they are the highest court in America with the power of judicial review. I am not advocating for any political party to win this election, I just believe in a balanced court. When Ginsburg sat on the court, it was not a perfectly-balanced court, but it was as balanced as it could be. On the liberal side sat Ginsburg, Sotomayor, Breyer, and Kagan. On the conservative side sat Thomas,
as to trying to portray the court as being bipartisan. Even when appointed, justices do come in with hardest ideology but work with each other in determining what the constitution says and putting America first.
Taking a step away form life’s stress, even for a bit, can go along ways. Some justices have even swung to the opposite side in monumental decisions because they put the country first instead of their ideology. My fear is that if the Senate decides to either confirm now or wait until after the election, the court might swing too conservative and/or liberal, which will disrupt the sanctity of the court. We must remember, justices serve for life; meaning they either have to retire or die or be impeached to leave office, they have the highest job security in America. And the last time a justice was impeached was in 1805, being Associate Justice Samuel Chase, but was acquitted by the Senate. Therefore, if Barrett
was to be confirmed, she would serve for decades and dramatically shift the ideology of the Supreme Court. This is not what America needs right now, we need unity and for our government officials to put their own agendas aside and work for the greater good for all Americans. However, you may still ask yourself, “Why is it still important to have a balanced court?” Laid out in Article 2 Section 2 of the Constitution are the powers the court is granted, judicial review being the biggest one. The court's sole purpose is to make sure laws are being passed and the actions of the government are within their powers laid out in the Constitution. There are many ways justices can interpret the Constitution, but the two of the most popular ways are either by understanding what the writers of the Constitution were trying to say and applying it to the law, also known as originalism or textualism. The other way is reading the Constitution exactly how it is written with no grey area in between, known as strict constructionism or non-textualism. Right now, the court uses originalism to determine
most of its cases and try to understand what the writers were trying to mean when writing the document. Barrett has come out saying that she will read the Constitution as it is written. This is unnerving due to the fact that if the constitution says the government has no constitutional power on creating certain laws, then she will strike it down if it comes to court. That means the court’s rulings on previous cases can come back and be reversed. Some helpful rulings of laws that make American lives easier, could end up on the chopping block and be considered unconstitutional by the court. America is severely divided, and instead of coming together and working for Americans who put them into office, government officials from both parties are pushing for their own agendas. We need unity. Amy Coney Barrett, is a strong judge within her own right, and it would be nice to see her appointed as the fifth female Supreme Court Justice, but is she truly the type of justice we need right now? As Abraham Lincoln once said, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”. @MateoRosilesDT
POLITICAL
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Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, and Alito. Chief Justice Roberts has been known to side with the conservative bench but however, has tried to remain as bipartisan as possible. If Barrett is to be confirmed by the Senate, the court will swing conservative, which isn’t a bad thing. However, America needs a government that works together, not one where either party dominates any of the branches in our government. We all have varying opinions on how Congress acts and who is controlling the country, but most people agree that the Supreme Court was bipartisan before Ginsburg’s death according to a study done by the Pew Research Center. Even by precedent, the court has tried to remain as bipartisan as possible which can be seen at events as the State of the Union address. The justices don’t clap with congressmen and women when a president of either party speaks. But when they do stand up and clap, it is calculated and in a way that shows bipartisanship or what on a topic most Americans can agree on. This speaks volumes to the character of the justices
Mateo Rosiles is a junior journalism major from Lubbock. IG: dailytoreador @DailyToreador
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SPORTS
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BASEBALL
Page 5 Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020
Trio of Red Raiders set for MLB playoffs By ZACH RICHARDS
Sports Editor Since the program reshaped in 2013 after the head coaching transition from Dan Spencer to Tim Tadlock, Red Raider baseball has been successful on the national scale for nearly half of a decade. In 2014, Tadlock’s second year as head coach, the program went from a 26-30 record (8th in the conference), to a 45-19 spot which rocketed them to fourth in the conference, according to Big12sports. In the same year, Tech made a historic trip to the NCAA College World Series. Winning became a regularity under Tadlock, and led by him, the Red Raider baseball program has yet to dip below fifth in the conference since he took the reins. Since 2014, the Red Raiders have sent 45 players to the professional stage through the MLB Draft, according to baseball-reference. Most recently, Clayton Beeter (Dodgers) and Bryce Bonnin (Reds) were drafted. The duo completed the 2020 draft class for Tech. In 2019, the Red Raiders sent seven, and in 2018, they sent a program-high eleven players, led by Grant Little, who was drafted with the 74 overall pick by the Padres. In line with the major league success of former Red Raiders, there are three standouts that will be participating in the MLB Playoffs starting on Wednesday on both the player and coaching level. It could have been another, but former Red Raider pitcher Robert Dugger and the Marlins were short of the playoff mark. Dugger moved to Tech in 2016 after two seasons of pitching a Cisco Junior College. At Tech, Dugger made 30 appearances as a junior, where he went 6-1 with a 2.67 ERA, according to baseballreference. Dugger recorded just over 60 relief innings. After his junior season at Tech, he was drafted
His career earned him a Tech Hall of Fame induction in 2016. At Tech, Bard and the Red Raiders won a Big 12 title back-to-back, according to TexasTech. They also went to NCAA Regionals all three seasons he was there, while earning Big 12 freshman of the year and All-Big 12 first team honors twice. He is one of two players in the history of Tech Athletics to be given the honor twice in his Red Raider career. Former Red Raiders’ playoff schedule
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Texas Tech baseball head coach Tim Tadlock holds his guns up for the fight song at the end of the Texas Tech vs. Southern game on Feb. 25, 2020, at Dan Law Field in Rip Griffin Park. Texas Tech defeated Southern with score of 13-2. in the 18th round by the Mariners. He played for the Mariner’s minor league team his inaugural season as a pro. He went on to play for eight minor league teams in three years. Dugger pitched 431.1 innings in the minor league, according to MLBPlayerIndex. He totaled a 3.84 ERA and had 26 wins and 24 losses through 91 total games, and 72 games started. Last season, in 2019, Dugger got called up to the Miami Marlins, where he still plays. Josh Tomlin, who was drafted in 2006 after his stint at Tech, is now an 11 - y e a r v e t e r a n i n t h e major leagues.Tomlin was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the 19th round, and signed with the team. He was one of seven players drafted in 2006. He will be pitching for the second year in a row for the Atlanta Braves, who boast a No. 2 seed for the playoffs. Tomlin has been a steady
hand for the Braves, having pitched 39.2 innings, which is second on his team, according to Tech Athletics. Heading into the playoffs, Tomlin has a 2-2 record to go along with a 4.76 ERA, which is higher than his career average. Prior to the Braves, Tomlin spent the brunt of his career in Cleveland with the Indians, where his nine-year tenure saw him with 61 wins and 53 losses. He also pitched a 4.77 ERA, according to baseball-reference. Tomlin and the Braves will welcome the Cincinnati Reds at 11 a.m. on Wednesday for their first playoff game. The match will be televised on ESPN. Another former Red Raider, Stubby Clapp, will be taking his talents to the playoffs as a coach. As a Red Raider, Clapp set records for triples in a season, runs in a game, strikeouts in a game and walks in a game for Tech, according to ESPN.
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Bard was drafted in the third round of the 1999 MLB First-Year Player Draft by
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In 1998, Clapp played for the Arkansas Travelers, a Double-A team. He led the league with 86 walks and 139 games played, according to baseball-almanac. Clapp ,drafted in 1996 by St. Louis, did not play his first professional game until 2001 with the Cardinals. He played both second base and left field for the organization. Now, nearly two decades later, Clapp is a coach for the same organization. Clapp and the No. 5-seeded Cardinals will play against the Padres at 4 p.m. on ESPN 2. This will be the first time Clapp has appeared in the postseason as a coach. The third Tech graduate to appear in the playoffs is another coach, Josh Bard. Bard, who attended Tech from 1997 to 1999, was a catcher for the Red Raiders. In fact, statistically, Bard was one of the most elite catchers in Red Raider history during his time in Lubbock.
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the Rockies. His selection was the highest a Tech pitcher had ever been drafted, according to Tech Athletics. He played 10 seasons in the MLB before ending his career as a Dodger. Now, he serves the organization as a bullpen coach. As part of the Dodger staff, his team is sitting atop the league with a 43-17 record heading into the playoffs, an MLB best. He will make his playoff debut at 9 p.m. on Wednesday against the Brewers on ESPN. As a whole, the Major League Baseball posteason will host the Wild Card Series schedule beginning on Wednesday. Due to the games being played at parks of higher-seeded teams, there will be no breaks between games, and they will all be played in succession, according to the MLB. The league’s postseason has already caught traction, as the Astros began by defeating the twins.
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6
SPORTS
OCT. 1, 2020
FOOTBALL
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “The interception, the throw to T.J. (Vasher), was off just a little bit,” Wells said. “Just make a better throw. We’re not going to over-coach that. That’s exactly what happened.” Bowman had interceptions on multiple possessions that were sparked off of Texas turnovers, and on two occasions, his interceptions resulted in Texas scores. However, Bowman is getting big chunks of yardage while on the field. In fact, Bowman ranks sixth nationally, and first in the conference in passing yards with 755, according to NCAAstatistics. The Red Raider offense is seventh nationally in passing offense behind Bowman and his barrage of receivers. On the opposite side of the ball, the Red Raiders made sound improvements on defense. This also could stem from the return of multiple
COSTA RICA
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 There used to be a lot of in-person events on campus, but now, virtual events are being utilized, Barrera said. Another example of virtual engagement is the webinar series for students
players, including sophomore defensive lineman Tyree Wilson, senior linebacker Colin Schooler and sophomore defensive lineman Jaylon Hutchings, who played their first games of the season against Texas. “I think Tyree (Wilson) was a bright spot … I think Colin Schooler was also a bright spot,” Wells said. Wilson earned his first career sack for the Red Raiders, according to Tech Athletics. Schooler had seven total tackles and four solo tackles on the game. “That pass rush always helps,” senior linebacker Riko Jeffers said about Wilson. “We could rotate more … Having fresh legs coming in and rushing off the edge is huge.” The secondary also was improved for Tech. Against Houston Baptist, the Red Raiders allowed the opposing quarterback to go for 567 yards and four touchdowns. Against No. 8 Texas, with Heisman-hopeful Sam
Ehlinger as quarterback, they allowed only 262 passing yards with five touchdowns and an interception. Although, Tech, is not perfect on defense, they made a stride in the right direction. “There’s still room to improve, but improvement was definitely made, and it was noticeable,” Wells said about his secondary. Despite the offensive and defensive strides against Texas, the third party is what fueled the Red Raiders. The special team unit of Tech gave them a lot of extra possessions throughout the game. Immediately following a scoring drive, Trey Wolff recovered his own onside kick to give the Red Raiders another possession. Across the way, on the punting team for Tech, Xavier Martin pressured and forced a Texas fumble, which he recovered for a touchdown. The special teams unit had a lot of success against the Longhorns. Now, Tech will have to
put it all together against a momentum-filled Kansas State team on the road. The Wildcats most recently had one of the biggest upsets of the season, as they knocked off No. 3-ranked Oklahoma. Led by head coach Chris Klieman, who won Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week, Kansas St. made up over half of the weekly conference awards alone. Their quarterback, Skylar Thompson, won offensive player of the week, their defensive back, Jahron McPherson, won defensive player of the week, and Deuce Vaughn, their running back, won newcomer of the week. The Wildcats are 1-1 on the season, but the defeat of Oklahoma has raised eyebrows on a national-scale. The Red Raiders will hope to take another stride towards their first conference win at 2:30 p.m. on the road on Saturday as they face Kansas State.
and their parents to get more information. “So, I think that the webinar series that we created for them is really useful to keep that retention,” she said. Some virtual webinars that will be hosted consist of bringing together a Tech Costa Rica and Tech Lub-
bock faculty member with a professional in a certain industry, Belnap said. These webinars will be geared toward high school students and college students. For each of these career webinars, Belnap said an industry leader and a faculty member will come together
to discuss their leadership experience and use of skills to pursue a career. “And what we’re trying to do is help students learn about how other professionals, who are now maybe mid-career, got to where they’re going, so that students can see themselves in
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TOP: Redshirt freshman wide receiver Erik Ezukanma makes a catch during the game against Texas Christian on Nov. 16, 2019, at Jones AT&T Stadium. BOTTOM: The Red Raiders run onto the field prior to the game against Texas Christian on Nov. 16, 2019.
the professional life story of other people,” he said. Amid the pandemic, a student may not have the opportunity to learn about different careers and educational fields. “So, I guess what I would say is that we are doing everything we can to keep our students and the larger community of young people in Costa Rica enthusiastic about the future,” Belnap said, “because everyone is feeling a little bit discouraged.” Regardless, the pandemic could pose multiple issues for students wanting to grow their skills, whether that be in Costa Rica or another country. Being connected with the
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students despite the pandemic prompting people to interact remotely is a task Echandi said is important. “I think part of college is feeling that you’re part of something bigger, and I think students don’t feel motivated or encouraged if they just feel that they are going to class and then staying quarantined at home,” she said. “I think these social connections are important also, even for your mental health, so, to have students connected and engaged is very important for us, so that they have that social part of their life that they had when they could come to campus.” @AdanRubioDT