THURSDAY, OCT. 7, 2021 VOLUME 96 ■ ISSUE 8
LA VIDA
SPORTS
Read mo r e vi gn et t es abo ut notable figures on game day in “What time does their game day starts?”
ESports is coming to Texas Tech as a partnership with the College of Media & Communication. Read about what is to come.
Read about how there is a need for self-responsibility when it comes to bathroom etiquette.
OPINIONS
ONLINE Be on the look out for the publication’s coverage of Homecoming parade, pep rally and game.
PG 2
PG 5
PG 4
ONLINE
PROFILE
Mason on being 2020 Miss Black Texas Tech reign, future plans
INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU
2 5 4 6 7 7
SPIRIT
Football asking fans to blackout the Jones stadium By ARIANNA FLORES Sports Editor
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
Third-year biochemistry major from Houston, Aleeza Mason was awarded the title of Miss Black Texas Tech in April of 2021. She will now represent Black Student Association as their homecoming queen nominee. After a thorough selection process, the 2021 queen will be announced at the game on Saturday, Oct. 9 versus Texas Christian University.
By TOLUWANI OSIBAMOWO Copy Editor
In her first year at Texas Tech, Aleeza Mason said she lived under a rock. She was a biochemistry student and a cello player in the orchestra, but she felt isolated from the Black community at Tech in her largely white friend group. Over a year later, she found herself on stage with four other women competing to represent the Black Student Association at Homecoming and in the Tech community. Mason said on the day of the pageant, she freaked out. “I’m very, like, into my studies, I don’t really put myself out there a lot, and so it was just really taking me out of my comfort zone,” Mason said. “And, yeah, I cried. A good, like — I was shaking the whole time, shaking.” Mason won the 2020 Miss Black Texas Tech pageant this past April after the competition was postponed due to COVID-19. According to BSA, the Miss Black Texas Tech pageant began decades ago when women of color were not allowed to serve on the Homecoming court, leading BSA to form its own pageant for the Black community. To this day, only two Black women have been crowned as homecoming queen in Tech history: Sharon Moultrie Bruner in 1981 and Dr. Sonya Miles Sloan in 1992, according to BSA records. “And I think a lot of people think that it’s, like, it’s not going
on anymore (discrimination), like it’s just, ‘Oh, this is normal, this is a colorblind campus,’ but it’s not, like, we experienced things, (no matter) how minuscule they are, we experienced them,” Mason said.
I’m very, like, into my studies, I don’t really put myself out there a lot, and so it was just really taking me out of my comfort zone. ALEEZA MASON MISS BLACK TEXAS TECH The pageant was discontinued for some time until its revival in 2015. Categories include a group dance, a walk showcasing the contestants’ future careers, a talent showcase and evening gown walks with a question and answer segment. But winning the title is not just about pageant performance. The winner is awarded a $1,000 scholarship and must serve a key role in the Black community at Tech. After the Black Lives Matter movement came to a head in 2020, Mason said she felt she had to take a stand and make a name for herself in the Tech community. After some convincing from her friend Zaria, she decided to join the running for the pageant.
“It was so informal, like, legit, Zaria was like, ‘Do you want to join?’ And I was like, ‘OK, fine,’” Mason said. Zaria Sumling is the BSA event coordinator and this year’s director of the Miss Black TTU pageant. Sumling and Mason met when they were 12 years old at the church they attended in their hometown of Houston. Sumling said Mason was always outgoing and outspoken. “We knew each other through our church’s huddle groups, and every time we were in our huddle group or whatever, she would always just talk about — she would always — if there was no one speaking in the room or whatever, when we were talking about something, she was always the person that would speak up and put her idea, or her mind, whatever’s going on in her head, up forward first to get the conversation started,” said Sumling, a third-year interior design student. Malcom Montgomery, a thirdyear political science and sociology student from Houston and the membership chair for BSA, met Mason through a high school friend and said he immediately clicked with her. He said he immediately picked up on her caring nature. Montgomery was not yet on the BSA executive board when he tuned into the pageant, but he already knew several of the other competitors personally.
Student Senate offers solutions for COVID-19, health concerns By BENJAMIN DWORIN News Reporter
Mason’s passion and detail-oriented nature, Montgomery said, made her stick out as a winner. “I think sometimes Aleeza just have that aura that just comes with her that is sort of like, you see the passion that she wanna make, you see the change, the passion behind the change that she wanna make,” Montgomery said. Though Mason’s reign as Miss Black Texas Tech was shortened because of the pandemic, she said she has several plans for how BSA can increase its outreach to the community.
SEE PROFILE, PG. 3
What time does the Voice of the Goin’ Band from Raiderland start his game day? Opinions Editor
A professor of vocal music during weekdays, Gerald Dolter is the voice of the Goin’ Band From Raiderland announcer on game days. His schedule depends on the bands schedule, he said. “If it’s an 11 am game, my day will begin. I’ll probably wake up around at six in the morning. But I wake up at six in the morning, everyday anyways,” he said. “We have to be there about two and half hours before kickoff.” Dolter said there is other preparation that goes into the performance of the band before game
days. Dolter attends rehearsals along with the Goin’ Band. He said
With the voice that I have, I could have easily gone into multimedia, but I love music way too much.
GERALD DOLTER
VOICE OF THE GOIN’ BAND while he does not rehearse as much as the students do, it is still important for Dolter to work alongside the band to ensure a successful halftime show.
Dolter said he has a script given to him prior to the game. Allowing him to rehearse the lines. However, it does not always remain GERALD DOLTER the same on game days, as he can get switch ups in the press box. “Sometimes the script changes,” he said. “There’s some last-minute thing that needs to get inserted and they’ll hand it to me and I’ll need to read it or figure it out where it should it go in the announcement.” Dolter said this is his 27th year teaching at Texas Tech and what
SEE SPIRIT, PG. 5
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
VIGNETTE
By CHYNA VARGAS
At Jones AT&T Stadium, the Texas Tech football team will face Texas Christian at 6 p.m. for its homecoming and “blackout the Jones Stadium” event. Fans are asked to wear black during the evening game to support the football team in hopes for a second conference win. “The challenge for us this week is to come out and prepare and practice with the same amount of urgency and determination as we did last week so we can go out Saturday night in the Jones at six o’clock … wearing throwback uniforms,” head coach Matt Wells said. “All our fans wearing black will create that magic.” Players will wear the throwback uniforms for the homecoming game, Wells said. Senior defensive back Adrian Frye said he remembers his first time participating in the blackout the Jones tradition during his freshman redshirt season at Tech.
would have been his fourth year announcing for the band if COVID-19 had not permitted the band from performing a halftime show. Dolter said that this role was brought to him by his collogues as it seemed to be a great fit for him. With his experience projecting his voice in opera, Dolter has had more than enough experience telling a story through his voice. “I’ve done these kinds of things before,”Dolter said. “With the voice that I have, I could have easily gone into multimedia, but I love music way too much.” @ChynaVargasDT
SEE MORE VIGNETTES, PG. 2
Senators Junia Lee and Ahmad Altabaa from Student Government Association Student Senate authored Senate Resolution 56.14 regarding the need for further collaboration between Texas Tech, the Texas Tech System Health Policy and the Public Health Think Tank. Senator Lee, a second-year business management and premed double major from Flower Mound, said there is a need for continued collaboration between Texas Tech and public health think tanks. “Since the Tech University System is one of the largest systems in the state, that brings a lot of responsibility,” Lee said. “Because the campus and the system is so diverse, it would be ideal to bring in a public health think tank.”
And I think they need to take it much more seriously to even get back to the point where things can be normal again. HALEY OTT THIRD-YEAR POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR The Tech Health Sciences Centers in Lubbock and El Paso both serve underrepresented and underserved groups, Lee said. The pandemic enlightened a lot of issues, such as not having infrastructure for easy access to personal protective equipment. This think tank would bring conversation and connection between local leaders and healthcare providers and keep students in the loop on what happens, Lee said.
SEE SENATE, PG. 7
Page 2 Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021
VIGNETTE
LA VIDA
@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com
What time does your game day start? By ASHLEY TO
Staff Writer As a senior feature twirler at Texas Tech, Abigail Morgan, a fourth-year biology major from Gonzales, Texas, said she starts her day on game days at 9:30 a.m. to have brunch with her parents before the day’s events. After brunch, Morgan then goes back home to begin the getting ready process for game day. “My mom does my bun for me. That’s a thing she’s been doing since I was 11,” said Morgan. Towards the afternoon, Morgan said all the twirlers meet at the band hall in the student union building to do final touches. Such as putting on their red lipstick, the double T on their cheeks and the big double T in their hair. Once ready, Morgan and the twirlers begin their fan performance. “So, fan performance starts around 4pm, and so we do our entire halftime show and pregame show on the band pad as kind of a practice,” Morgan said. This performance also allows parents and alumni to see what the twirlers will be doing before the actual performance begins. After the fan performance, Morgan said they all put on their sparkly costumes and begin the march over. “March over is around five o’clock then, and the entire band goes together and plays music and cadences as we go through the university,” said Morgan. “I get to lead march over with the other feature twirlers and our two drum majors.” Once she marches to the stadium with the band and other twirlers, Morgan puts on her dance shoes and does her final stretches on the sidelines. Morgan said she then watches as the clock hits the exact time pre-game starts, then walks out onto the field
By TOLUWANI OSIBAMOWO
Copy Editor From tailgating to getting the perfect TV setup, each student has their own way of preparing for a Texas Tech football game. Spencer Roberson, a firstyear human sciences student from Castle Rock, Colorado, went to Tech’s game against Florida International University on Sept. 18. Roberson said in the week leading up to game day, he and his friends prepared their tailgate plans, such as where to meet and what to wear. “Recently, I like going to the concerts that they’ve had, like with Shaq and — I don’t know the last person, I forgot his name — but those, that was really fun to go to since there’s a lot of stuff to do and all that,” Roberson said.
SHELBY FOSTER/The Daily Toreador
Waka Flocka Flame drenches the crowd at Raider Alley while performing on Sept. 18, 2021, at the Green Space next to Jones AT&T stadium. He said he recommends that students attend football festivities with others for a more fun experience. As for Tech’s performance on the field, Roberson said there is still time to see how fans will react for the rest of the season. The best part of being at the
game itself, Roberson said, are the score celebrations. “I like when they get a first down, and it’ll be, like, the guns up, I like the cannon going off every touchdown and the fireworks going off after a win as well,” Roberson said. @TOsibamowoDT
By TANA THOMPSON
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech Feature Twirler, Abigail Morgan cheers on the Red Raiders on Sept. 11, 2021, at Jones AT&T Stadium. and begins pre-game. “The game, I guess, will end at like 10-10:30. We have to file down onto the field, wait for 450 people to get out of the stands and we load up and get back into our marching block. We have plenty of time to hang out and take pictures before we get into that block,” said Morgan. “Then we march back with the entire band, do the same thing we did coming over, play songs and cadences.” At the end of game day, things begin to calm down as Morgan said the twirlers and band will have their talk with
the Band director about how everything went. A tradition towards the end that Morgan said she enjoys, is when the Goin’ Band will perform the Matador Song, while everyone sings along. “At the very end, all of the senior musicians of the Goin’ Band play the matador song. Then the entire band sings the Matador Song. Which is the most gorgeous matador song I’ve ever heard,” said Morgan. “The pitch is just so beautiful. So, we end it with the Matador Song.” @AshleyTo_DT
Staff Writer As a member of The Saddle Tramps, Brandt Schneider said he starts his game preparation at 6 p.m. the Thursday before a football game day, where Saddle Tramps tend to their weekly traditions on home game days. “We start wrapping Will Rogers on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to about 1 a.m. and then once we’re done with that, we’re up early for classes, and we go throughout the rest of our day Friday,” Schneider said. The Saddle Tramps are busy all week during homecoming week, especially the last few hours leading up to kickoff, he said. He said for Homecoming week, the Saddle Tramps participate in events like S.O. Sing, the pep rally, the parade and the annual bonfire. “Saturday, we start building the bonfire at like 5 or 6 a.m.,” Schneider said. “We’re busy all day until the homecoming
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
A member of Saddle Tramps raising their Guns Up at the Texas Tech vs. Stephen F. Austin game on Sept. 11 at Jones AT&T Stadium. parade is done.” The Saddle Tramps focus on making sure they are all ready to tackle the day as a group, Schneider said. After their events, he said they prepare to attend the game by getting in the right mindset. He said it is important to keep high energy throughout the game. “We probably have to be
there two and a half hours before the game starts,” Schneider said. “So our game day starts anywhere from three to four hours before the game day and then we’re at the stadium until an hour after the game ends.” He said the organization is really excited for this football season and for Homecoming week in general. @TanaThompsonDT
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LA VIDA
OCT. 7, 2021
3
MASCOT
Fearless Champion represents Tech spirit, culture By TOLUWANI OSIBAMOWO Copy Editor
The Masked Rider has been an iconic image for Texas Tech for decades. A less widely recognized aspect of that image is the horse the Masked Rider travels on. Fearless Champion, a large black horse, has been the companion for several Masked Riders since 2013. Sam Jackson, associate professor in the Department of Animal and
Food Sciences, coordinates all horse-related activities within the Masked Rider Committee. Jackson entered the program shortly after the death of the Masked Rider horse Double T in 1994. At this point the Masked Rider and their horse used to run in full gallop across the football field, but at a 1994 game, Double T slid into a wall and died instantly. “And so, yeah, there were a lot of changes that were implemented to try to provide
a safer environment,” Jackson said. “We have a lot less risk for the horse, the rider and also the people in the stadium because there’s a lot going on.” The process of choosing the Masked Rider every year is a rigorous process that relies largely on their chemistry and experience with horses, Jackson said. Riders must be consistent and know a significant amount about Tech as well. “And so that’s the most important thing, and then after
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
Fearless Champion and the 2021-2022 Masked Rider, Ashley Adams, lead the Texas Tech football team onto the field on Sept. 18, 2021, at Jones AT&T Stadium. The iconic mascot has served Tech since 2013.
PROFILE
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Mason said she felt inspired by the association’s push for the Black Cultural Center set to open in January 2022 and was honored to be the figure-
head for that change. Mason is studying to become a neonatologist, a doctor who treats newborn babies with illnesses or disorders. She also participates in Tech Music Med, where student musicians perform for patients in nursing homes.
Mason said she seeks to integrate the mission behind Tech Music Med with BSA and the rest of campus as the association’s liaison. “I think BSA is very strong on its own, but it can be stronger with, you know, all these other orgs that are doing great
they begin to ride the horse and learn about the horse and he learns about them, then they establish this bond, but it’s the fact that they’re an accomplished rider that allows them to pretty seamlessly, you know, communicate with that horse in a pretty short period of time,” Jackson said. Ashley Adams, the current Masked Rider, said she first met Fearless around 2016. Adams was roommates with Desireé Snider, the now-wife of Charlie Snider, the Masked Rider at the time. Adams said she would go with the couple to feed Fearless over winter break, and in the following years, she attended to Fearless while helping the Masked Riders. “His personality, like honestly, he is the funnest horse to be around, he’s the sweetest horse, he’s the kindest horse,” Adams said. “It sounds cheesy to say, but just him, like, there’s something, there’s something about him, when you go to an appearance, and kids come running up to him and they’ll hug him goodbye, and, I mean, just how kind and gentle he is and just how amazing he is at his job.” Adams said an important aspect of the job that goes unnoticed by the inexperienced public is that the Masked Rider is responsible for every aspect of Fearless’ care, from feeding to grooming to health, though she has a team of assistants on the Masked Rider committee who help her with these things. “I’m in charge of his — feeding him, of his daily care, of water and cleaning stalls, exercising him, getting him to and from appearances, so
Fearless Champion and the Masked Rider cheer on the Red Raiders from the sidelines at the football game on Sept. 11, 2021, at Jones AT&T Stadium. there are some days where I leave my house at five o’clock in the morning and don’t get back home till nine o’clock at night and I’m with him the whole day, and so, not a lot of people realize that he, he is my responsibility,” Adams said. Despite the early mornings and long hours, Adams said the best part of being the Masked Rider is going to appearances across campus and Lubbock where people get to meet Fearless. Adams and Fearless visit everything from elementary schools to alumni events. “It means a little more when they (children) see you driving down the road, because then the kids will be like, ‘Oh, I’ve met that horse, he came to my elementary school,’ and it’s, it’s so cool — and I’m
talking like, if you run into this different, like, the same people at different events, like, they’ll say, ‘Oh, you came to my elementary or my church or my fall festival’ or ‘We met you at baseball or we watched your run at football,’ it’s just amazing to see those kids being able to remember when riders came, like, years ago.” Adams said the Masked Rider experience goes by faster than one might expect. To the next Masked Rider, she said not to take it for granted. “Welcome to the most amazing job. You get to have the most amazing year, for the most amazing university with, with a horse that is worth his weight in gold,” Adams said.
things, but I don’t think we communicate enough to where it’s like a bigger force on campus,” Mason said. “I definitely want these orgs to have more power on campus.” As of Oct. 5, Mason is among the top 10 contestants for homecoming queen. The 2021 Miss
Black Texas Tech pageant will be hosted on Nov. 6, a day before the 40th anniversary of Sharon Moultrie Bruner’s homecoming queen win. Reflecting on her time as titleholder, Mason said she has realized that being a doctor is not enough to accomplish her
goal of helping people. She said the next Miss Black Texas Tech must realize that the Black community will never stop fighting for change. “Reign with passion and grace and determination,” Mason said.
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
@TOsibamowoDT
@TOsibamowoDT
OPINIONS
Page 4 thursday, Oct. 7 2021
COLUMN
@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com
Self-responsibility important for restroom cleanliness
T
he general act of sharing can sometimes be a difficult task. Lending a classmate an extra pen when they may have forgotten one, is a small but kind example of sharing. However, when you first arrive in college, there is a lot more you have to share than just a pen. In most cases, incoming students going to college usually share a living space with other new students. Whether the student’s living space is a dormitory on-campus or an apartment near campus, you’re sharing that space with other people. One area where it is crucial to keep clean and tidy is the bathroom space that you share with others. The bathroom is where you start your day, to freshen yourself up in order to look
Henry Marginot is a first-year English major from Marfa.
presentable and professional throughout the rest of your day. Though from recalling past experiences and currently sharing a public bathroom so far in college, it is easy to attest they are often always taken for granted. Having spent nearly two months in a public dormitory, there has been a clear disregard for keeping the bathrooms as clean as possible by some individuals who use the bathroom provided in the dorm. On any given day there is toilet paper spread across the bathroom floor, toilets that have not been
flushed and excess soap all along the area by the sink. This has also been a prominent problem for all bathrooms around campus, not just specifically dormitories. The problem of unclean bathroom environments seems to be well known in most of all public places, but is beginning to become a noticeable issue in college settings. Maybe the most obvious and important reason why it is important to be responsible after using a public bathroom is that people need to be safe. The truth is, the more frequently a bathroom is messy and unkempt, the higher chance of unwanted infections. It also is just a very easy way to ruin the space of which you are sharing. If the space of the bathroom is continuously unclean,
then the faster the area will become unsanitary and harder to turn back into its original space. Another important aspect to touch on is what an unclean bathroom shows to the people who are hired to maintain its cleanliness. Even if the people who clean the public bathrooms on and off campus get paid, it is still extremely important to give them respect. Having a custodial job such as mopping or vacuuming a dormitory floor can be tough, but rigorously cleaning a shared public bathroom can be even tougher. We should show these workers respect by not making their job harder by creating an unhealthy and messy bathroom environment. Having the task to clean a public bathroom is also a
type of job that almost no one wants to do, let alone do in the worst conditions. That is even more impressive for the people who do want to take charge and get the task of cleaning a public bathroom done.
There has been a clear disregard for keeping the bathrooms as clean as possible... No matter what it is, sharing a public space with other people can sometimes be difficult. The only space most students had to be with people was their own house with their family. Now, as students become
adults and start to settle in the college environment, they have to share a space with complete strangers. A space that is very important to keep manageable and clean is a public bathroom. Even if it isn’t a bathroom a student uses everyday like one in a dormitory or apartment, it is still important to do so. When you take care of a public bathroom and make sure to use it the way it is supposed to be used, it makes a world of difference. You keep the space clean and others safe by eliminating harmful germs and bacteria to surround the bathroom. Most importantly, you show others that you care. You treat the people who not only use the bathroom but the ones who clean it respectfully. @HMarginotDT
COLUMN
Appreciation needed for Tech judging teams Texas Tech University prides itself in having some of the best and most diverse extracurriculars and student organizations and athletics. Tech student organizations make up such a large community at Tech and it is crucial that all the members and teams putting in such hard work are able to fully receive the recognition they deserve. However, I do not believe that this is always the case among all of Tech’s teams and extracuriculars. Tech judging teams in particular are a group I believe deserve more recognition for the amount of work that goes into their craft. The livestock judging
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Stephanie Ghandour is a first-year CMI major from Lubbock.
team has won a myriad of national championships since 1934. That was the first year a national championship was won by the Tech team. The horse judging team also competed recently and even brought home a thirdplace award. Our meat judging team won its 15th national championship in 2020 and is continuing to perform phenomenally in competition. These, however, are not the extracurricular activities that are talked about around campus. In fact, for teams that perform so well at competition, they receive
News Editor Mateo Rosiles news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor Téa Mcgilvray features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Arianna Flores sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Chyna Vargas opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Katie Perkins photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Zach Richards online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Toluwani Osibamowo copy@dailytoreador.com Editorial Assistant Bishop Van Buren bvanburen@dailytoreador.com
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and animal sciences. In fact, a large portion of the country’s cotton production comes from West Texas. Because of this, our teams in the agriculture field and all types of livestock, meat, horse or wool judging, contain members who have worked tirelessly for years to master their skills in such a competitive field, especially that of West Texas. The judging teams normally consist of juniors and seniors of any major who are looking to further their knowledge in the field of livestock and agriculture. These programs are meant to prepare students who go on to pursue careers in the agriculture field ranging from horse judging to livestock judging, to even wool judging. These students go on to work for some of the biggest
corporations in the agricultural and production industries. I believe it is important that they begin to be more recognized for the tremendous work they do both in and outside of competition.
It is crucial that all members and teams putting in such hard work are able to receive the recognition they deserve. I think a part of the reason that they are not recognized on a large scale in comparison to some of the other student organizations that Tech has to offer is because these teams make up such a small population of Tech as a whole. With
their increased championships and awareness, however, these teams are growing in popularity among the Tech and Lubbock Community. Tech even provides intermediate level teams available to freshman and even high school students looking to get more experience and preparation for the field. The Tech community should urge students, faculty and all Tech fans to relay the same support to the judging teams as they do to our sports, arts and other extracurricular activities and student organizations. With this added support, then our judging teams will continue to do well and to bring home championships to the Tech community for years to come. @StephanieGhanDT
COLUMN
Stricter background searches needed to identify predators
EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Mateo Rosiles (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com
some of the least amount of recognition in comparison to some of Tech’s other student organizations. While there isn’t a large number of members on the judging teams, they still deserve the same amount of recognition given to organizations such as Greek life, Student Government Association, RISE, etc. In fact, the livestock judging team has 18 active members, the meat judging team has 17 and the wool judging team has 14 members. Nonetheless, these teams continue to outperform judging teams from all over the United States. It is especially crucial that these teams receive the admiration they deserve in a city like Lubbock. Lubbock is West Texas’ hub for all things agriculture, viticulture as well as plants
Faith Dolan is a second-year English major from Midland.
One of the scariest and most alarming parts of society is the prevalence of child predators. Perhaps what is even scarier is society’s view and understanding of how a child predator presents themselves. When picturing a pedophile, most imagine a stranger, usually a man, on a street corner wearing a black hoodie. It is usually the opposite as pedophiles are not easily identified. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that nine out of 10 children who are sexually abused knew the abuser, which should raise a multitude of concerns for our society. Instead of a hooded man on a street corner, pedophiles hide themselves amongst the shadows of a child’s trusted adults. Predators almost always present themselves as someone who, if rightfully accused, would receive comments along the lines
of disbelief and doubt that the predator would ever do something so horrendous. Another devastating issue is that the cunningness of child predators creates a major flaw within employment systems. Many individuals address this issue by suggesting background checks for employees who work with children. Hypothetically, this would be the most effective way to keep pedophiles away from children. However, the awful reality is that an overwhelming and shocking amount of child predators pass background checks. Pedophiles function on a fake image that includes a perceived innocence by coworkers, parents and even the child victim. A contributing factor to the production of this image includes looking harmless, innocent and clean on any type of personal record. Sadly, many caregivers and parents experience a survivorship bias when evaluating their child’s likelihood of being a victim of abuse. The evaluation of even a slight suspicion is sometimes clouded by the parent’s instinctive desire for their child to be
safe and protected. It is important to know that this bias should not be something to create shame as parents understandably avoid thinking about worst case scenarios. However, parents and caregivers should be aware that predators often note subtle changes in a parent’s behavior towards them and act accordingly. The disgusting fact of the matter is that predators quickly dissipate any concern arose by a caregiver by pretending to be equally concerned as the parent, thus providing a false sense of security for the child’s caregiver(s). To simply put it, pedophiles often utilize manipulation and even gaslighting techniques to gain trust of the parents. The term for this, grooming, is often overlooked due to the initial clean background check. As the Advocacy Center reports that one out of three girls and one out of boys will be sexually abused before they turn 18, the issue of grooming and sexual abuse becomes even more personal. Even though this issue is daunting and quite ter-
rifying, parents and caregivers can find comfort in advocacy for the protection of their children and other children as well. Readers should know that preventative measures can be taken to ensure the safety of children and adolescents.
Perhaps what is even scarier is society’s view and understanding of how a child predator presents themselves. These measures include, but are not limited to, training for staff who work with children, education, participation in child abuse awareness month, and parents having discussions with their young children. By talking to his or her child, caregivers can instill a resource in their children that allows the child to feel safe and respected in the event that he or she has concerns with an adult. In addition, parents should be expected to talk to their children about safe touches and bad touches
using language that is appropriate for their age. Discussions between parent and child, especially those that rely on trust and reliability, are one of the most effective ways for preventing sexual abuse or stopping repeated sexual abuse. This method is not 100 percent effective, which brings the need for even more education and preventative measures within organizations that work with children. Within organizations, certain rules should be put into place to guarantee an appropriate, professional relationship between employee and child. This includes limited physical contact and the implementation of a rule that prevents a child being alone with an employee in a room with the door shut. Although this topic is unpleasant to talk about, it is necessary to have discussions that promote further education and sensitivity that can work to raise awareness for child sexual abuse and prevent child sexual abuse from occurring. @FaithDolanD_T
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Student taken into custody hours after Texas shooting An 18-year-old student opened fire during a fight at his Dallas-area high school on Wednesday, injuring four people and then fleeing before being taken into custody
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hours later, authorities said. Timothy George Simpkins was taken into custody without incident, the Arlington Police Department tweeted. He was booked in
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the Arlington jail on three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was being held on $75,000 bail. One person was in critical
condition, another was in good condition and a third person was treated for minor abrasions and was scheduled to be released from the hospital later Wednesday,
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police said. A fourth person was hurt but did not require treatment at a hospital. Police said earlier that three of the four injured were students.
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FOOTBALL
SPORTS
Page 5 Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021
Tech set for TCU, Homecoming game By ARIANA FLORES Sports Editor
The Texas Tech football team will face Texas Christian University in its Homecoming game at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium. The Red Raiders will return for their fourth game of the season while at home after a two-game road trip, according to Tech Athletics. While on the road, Tech first lost to Texas in a 70-35 loss but came back and defeated West Virginia 23-20, according to Tech Athletics. “College football is a week-to-week deal, and now we are coming off a big win and get to come home,” head coach Matt Wells said. The Horned Frogs travel to Lubbock with an overall 2-2 record and are 0-1 in conference play, according to TCU Sports. TCU’s only conference loss this season was to the Texas Longhorns, where they fell 32-27, according to Big 12 Sports. The two teams have faced one another 63 times
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
During the game against Florida International, Kaylon Geiger Sr. dives to catch the ball in the end zone but is unable to complete the pass on Sept. 18, 2021, at Jones AT&T Stadium. in history and Tech holds a losing 32-28-3 record, according to TCU Sports. During the shortened 2020 season, the Horned Frogs defeated the Red Raiders 34-18, according to Tech Athletics. “They kicked our tails last year in special teams, it was maybe one of the biggest differences in the ballgame last year,” Wells
said. “[TCU is a] very tough challenge for us [this week], but I think all our guys are excited to work.” Sonny Cumbie, the offensive coordinator for the Red Raiders was also apart of the coaching staff during his tenure at TCU. Read our sidebar written by Bishop Van Buren about their connection as coaches. Senior wide receiver
Kaylon Geiger said he is expecting a win this week to help boost his and his fellow Red Raiders’ confidence with an overall 5-1 record. “We expect to win, I mean, we are going into this game 4-1, you know, we expected to go to West Virginia and win, and we did that, so now it’s just going onto the next step,” Geiger said. “Personally, I
have never been 5-1, and I have been playing football since I was 3 years old.” For this homecoming game, fans are asked to wear black to “Blackout the Jones.” “Because we were able to win last week, we would love for the students to turn out just like they have, you know, for our previous two home games,” Cumbie said. During the Longhorn game, several starters missed the Big 12 opening game due to injuries. Players such as junior wide receiver Erik Ezukanma, sophomore running back Tahj Brooks and senior offensive lineman Dawson Deaton were missing from the Red Raider roster. Most of these players are “day-to-day,” according to Wells. Senior quarterback Henry Colombi will start for the second time this season after leading Tech to a win against West Virginia, according to Tech Athletics. Former starting quarterback, junior Tyler Shough will remain on the sidelines
with a broken collarbone until the middle of November, according to Wells. After the win against
College football is a week-to-week deal, and now we are coming off a big win and get to come home.
MATT WELLS HEAD COACH
The Mountaineers, senior kicker Jonathan Garibay and senior linebacker Colin Schooler both earned Big 12 weekly awards. Schooler earned Defensive Player of the Week while Garibay earned CoSpecial Teams Player of the Week, according to Big 12 Sports. Fans can watch the game on ESPN+ or purchase tickets at TexasTech.com. Follow The Daily Toreador for live coverage as well. @AriannaFloresDT
KATIE PERKINS/The Daily Toreador
The student section of the Jones AT&T Stadium at the first home game of the 2021 season on Sept. 11. This was the first time the stadium was allowed full capacity since the 2019 season.
SPIRIT
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “We played OU when they had Kyler Murray and all them,and there’s a blackout crowd I think it just stands got filled up,” Frye said. “I think we sold out (the) crowd that year. And it was crazy, I remember the swag surf thing pregame, all that. It was a wild night.” During that game, the Red Raiders fell 51-56 to Oklahoma Sooners and after that fell in a three-game slump to close out the 2018 season. “I remember my first year playing in the 2018 season, we were 5-2 to start the season off...we kind of had a slump after that. But I feel like with this team, we get to 5-1, which
is gonna keep that ball rolling, there’s gonna be like a snowball effect to bring us out as the winner,” he said. The average student attendance for Jones AT&T Stadium is 11,249 students, according to a Tech Athletics report from 2013. Senior wide receiver Kaylon Geiger Sr. said he is excited for the crowd turnout and loves the traditions he has seen while donning the scarlet and black. “Tortillas. That’s been pretty crazy for me experiencing that since I got here,” Geiger said. “Just seeing the tortillas flying around all over the field.” Offensive coordinator, Sonny Cumbie said he believes the energy students bring in turn helps the players efficiency while on the field. “It’s a deal where the
students and then us as a team really play off one another and create a home field advantage,” Cumbie said. “People really do not want to come and play us.” This Saturday’s game will be the first conference match at home this season, according to Tech Athletics. The Red Raiders who are 4-1 overall, are undefeated at home so far this season, with victories against all its non-conference opponents, according to Tech Athletics. The Horned Frogs will be the first Big 12 opponent the Red Raiders will face this season while at Jones AT&T Stadium. “We will look back and say ‘The Jones AT&T Stadium crowd helped us win that game,’” Wells said. @AriannaFloresDT
6
SPORTS
OCT. 7, 2021
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ESPORTS
Tech eSports Association partners with COMC By MICHAEL ALVAREZ Sports Reporter
Tech eSports Association has partnered with the College of Media & Communication to build a new eSports facility open to all students. Megan Condis, facility adviser for Tech eSports, said Tech eSports is not just a competitive gaming association; it is also a place that provides a community for students who want to have fun and participate in the non-competitive events. “Tech eSports is a student organization that is one hundred percent governed and run by students here at Texas Tech,” Condis said. “Students decide what games we’re going to be competing in and who will be representing the university in intercollegiate competition. They also set up kind of community events for people who don’t think of themselves as hyper competitive, too.”
The facility is scheduled to be done by mid-October, Condis said. By then, the painting, wiring, walls and windows will be furnished, allowing the workers to move all the furniture and equipment in.
Tech eSports is a student organization that is one hundredpercent governed and run by students here at Texas Tech. MEGAN CONDIS TECH ESPORTS ADVISOR “The lab is designed to have full floor, ceiling and glass walls, giving you the ability to look in and watch players while they’re practicing or playing,” Condis said. “We are having to order specialized furniture, because if
you are playing eSports, you cannot be in a tiny place, you have to have a large desk. With that room you can get a nice big monitor with a fast refresh rate.” Cooper Peacock, vice president and social media manager for Tech eSports from Justin, said the biggest community gathering place is in the group’s Discord, where people stay connected. “Pretty recently our Discord was at 840 members, which is up from 370 at the beginning of the semester,” Peacock said. “So this semester, we have more than doubled our membership, so as far as the community itself, we are at over 800 members. The community Discord is open to more than just students, but as far as the actual club it is limited to students only.” For this upcoming year, Tech eSports wants to focus on content creation and each individual person over the club as a whole, said Pea-
cock, a third-year creative media industries student. “For a long time, Tech eSports has been about the club itself, and with this year, along with help from the new expansions, (we) want to make it a lot more about the individuals,” Peacock said. “After all this is built, we will be able to bring in all our people into one place.” Robert Peaslee, associate professor and department chair of journalism and creative media industries, said the department hopes to accomplish more than a big facility with expensive equipment. “We certainly want to support Tech eSports, you know, a student organization in our community that brings positive awareness of our university and of our college,” Peaslee said. “We also want to support the students who are increasingly coming into our college who want to do something in eSports or eSports-adjacent careers,
beyond being an eSports athlete.”
Students decide what games we’re going to be competing in and who will be representing the university in intercollegiate competition. They also set up kind of community events for people who don’t think of themselves as hyper competitive, too. MEGAN CONDIS TECH ESPORTS ADVISOR This expansion also puts Tech in the category as one of the only schools in the nation who has made this big of a commitment to the eSports industry, Peaslee said. This type of attraction will not just bring
in more people to eSports and the College of Media & Communication, but attract more people to Tech itself. “It puts us at or near the top of Power Five schools nationally who have committed to a space like this and who have made a commitment in terms of infrastructure to eSports competition and eSports coverage,” Peaslee said. “I think it will help not only Tech eSports recruit players who are interested in playing and competing, but it will help the university recruit students, whether they matriculate as majors in our college or not.” The goal is to let students into the structure by as early as the end of this semester, Peaslee said. “With that estimate, Tech eSports will use the semester break to work out any issues the building may have and allow students full access by the spring semester,” Peaslee said. @MichaelAlvarezDT
FOOTBALL
Cumbie faces familar opponent against TCU By BISHOP VAN BUREN Editorial Assistant
In his first season as Texas Tech football’s offensive coordinator, Sonny Cumbie has led the Red Raiders’ offense to a scoring average of over 35 points
per game on their way to a 4-1 record so far this season, as well as a secured position atop the Big 12 in passing yards (1470) according to Big 12 Sports.
Cumbie spent his previous seven seasons with Big 12 rival Texas Christian University, who the Red Raiders will host on Saturday for this year ’s homecoming game. Both coordinators spoke with the media on Tuesday, Oct. 5. “It’s always weird, when,
you know, (you are) the coach and you relate to the people, you know, that’s challenging,” Cumbie said. “But at the end of the day, my responsibility is to prepare Texas Tech.” Now he will face off against his former head coach Gary Patterson and
a TCU defense that has allowed 28.2 points per game to opposing offenses, according to Big 12 Sports, behind only Kansas (43.8) and Tech (30.8). The man who will be in charge of reducing that figure for the Red Raiders is defensive coordinator Keith Patterson, who said he always seeks advice from Cumbie ahead of game days. “I always pick Sonny’s brain, we used to call it ‘across the hall,’” Patterson said. “It just makes sense, especially with Air Raid people, I’d be crazy not to talk to the guy.” Cumbie said although he has a lot of experience with TCU and knows a lot about its roster, the Horned Frogs currently have a lot of unfamiliar faces playing on defense. “I know a lot of the guys obviously really well, but on defense they’re playing with a lot of newer guys,” Cumbie said. “Coach Patterson’s gonna have them ready to go, he’s gonna have them coached up, they’re gonna be flying around. I know that they’re going to be prepared really, really well.” Tech will be looking to improve to 5-1 on Saturday when they host TCU for this year’s homecoming game, and Cumbie will be looking to get his first win over Gary Patterson. “Part of my maturation as a coach I’ve really owed to him, and a lot of the lessons I’ve learned from him,” Cumbie said. “I’m very appreciate of Coach Patterson … He took a chance on me, really stood behind me a lot.” @BishopVB_DT
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DEPARTMENT
Tech wind energy starts year-long prep for competition By ZACH RICHARDS
Digital Content Manager Select members of Texas Tech University will travel to San Antonio to represent the school in the Department of Energy’s annual Collegiate Wind Competition. But as competitive as the three-day long competition will be, it is also a chance to raise awareness and collaborate with others about the importance of wind energy on a national scale. Tech will be one of over one dozen universities attending, including California State University, Northern Arizona University, Penn State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Washington State and several more. Along with the universities, there will be several companies and other leaders in the field. “I’m looking forward to communicating with people who have a lot of experience in the field … It is definitely a networking opportunity,” said Heather Aggen, a senior wind
SENATE
CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 “We just don’t have a specific institution for PPE or conversation or connection with these groups,” Lee said. “So that’s what we wanted to do across this West Texas region and the university system as a whole.” Public health think tanks have already had a positive impact on the Texas Tech and Lubbock community during the pandemic, Lee said. The think tank has made PPE for faculty in hospitals, distributed information about vaccines and suggested the vaccine incentive program to in-
File Photo /The Daily Toreador
The blades of the wind turbine rotate at fast speeds because of the strong winds at the American Wind Power Center and Museum, located at 1701 Canyon Lake Dr. The team will be research, design and build a turbine on changing climate. energy student from Tyler. The event has grown each year in line with the development and popularization of renewable energy sources as a whole. Dating back to the late 20th century, wind energy has been on a rapid rise each year. According to the National Department of Energy, there was more wind energy installed in 2020 than any other energy source. The wind energy sector alone houses over 115,000 jobs nationally, and
the number is growing. “As the population grows, there will be more demand for electricity and energy,” said Matt Miller, a senior wind energy student from Aledo. “Meeting that demand with renewable energy sources, I think, is going to be very beneficial.” The global draw to this event in itself is reflective of the importance of wind energy’s development, but it also serves as a marketplace of
crease vaccination rates among Tech students. Caden Harris, a third-year political science student from Austin, said he has some concerns about how Tech is handling the COVID-19 pandemic this semester. “This semester, I think, is poor,” Harris said. “I mean, it’s has been running through the campus pretty hard, and last I heard, Lubbock’s vaccination rate wasn’t great, and also just Texas as a whole isn’t great. So I think they definitely should have stepped up.” According to data provided by the City of Lubbock Health Department, 129,046 of the around 300,000 Lubbock residents are fully vac-
cinated as of Sept. 29. Hayley Ott, a fourth-year political science student from Frisco, also joined in Harris’ sentiments about Tech not combating COVID-19 on campus. “I mean, I think they’ve done a poor job,” Ott said. “And I think they need to take it much more seriously to even get back to the point where things can be normal again.” Te c h ’s h e a l t h p o l i c y doesn’t go far enough to protect students, Ott said. “Most of the classes aren’t even offered to have hybrid, and you’re putting people at risk, that don’t even have a choice, you know, to be able to stay home or be online or what-
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ideas, the event’s overall goal. “This competition really gives me a chance to put all of the pieces together and fully design a project,” Miller said. The competition is to research, design and build a turbine for deployment in ever-changing circumstances. Over the course of the season, it will be a process of submitting projects and research in exchange for scoring points, said Papa Badu, a senior wind energy student from Houston. This year will be a debut year for the competition in welcoming an offshore turbine project, Aggen said, which has typically been onshore. In line with technological advancements throughout the years, offshore wind turbines have gradually become more popular in an industry that was dominated by onshore projects early on. “A lot of the preparation has changed, now we have to worry about a foundation as well as completely different electrical,” Aggen said. But the difference between
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task, togetherness is at the forefront of their success. “We enjoy each other’s company a lot. There’s multiple people on the team I consider friends of mine,” Aggen said. On the other hand, the core of Miller’s decision to join the team came from the desire to actually meet his classmates in person after a large chunk of time was spent learning online, he said. “Being able to work on this group project in person and bounce ideas off other people has been really great.” said Miller. On campus, though, the team still has an inherent mission to gain more members and to continually raise awareness and support for not only wind energy, but renewable resources in general. “We like to welcome any and everybody to the team. It’s a great experience for people of all majors and contributes to an overall great goal.” said Badu. @DailyToreador
ever,” Ott said. “I actually got tested for COVID last week, and I had to way to go to class or even like, you know, sit in or try to call in or something like that, there was no response to helping that.” Ott said she was supportive of the idea to implement a think tank of public health professionals to guide the Texas Tech system’s public health policy. “The more professional people you have, the higher the likelihood of implementing masks or just stuff like that,” Ott said. “When it comes to health stuff, it should be professionals doing that decision making.” @DailyToreador
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this competition and most others is that the month of May will serve as a time to show what the team has done throughout a year of work. “By the time we go to San Antonio we will have it all the way designed, all the way down to price per megawatts,” Miller said. “It will be a full design from every possible angle.” The competition does, however, have a timely element built in as well, where the team will have two days to complete a similar project, Miller said. Practices are well underway and meshed with overall learning of the topic. Aggen said the group dedicates about three to four hours together as a group, and if a deadline is approaching, the number rises to six or seven hours a week which will still see an even higher increase as the group begins developing more, and interacting with more prototypes. In a climate which requires such constant communication with peers facing a daunting
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Continuing education provides students benefits By NALLELY LOPEZ News Reporter
With 259 Recruitment Fellowships awarded last year, Texas Tech’s Graduate School continues efforts to equip students to be successful in the workforce. Mark Sheridan, Dean of the Graduate school, said graduate education is critical because students who get advanced degrees bring greater knowledge and skills to the workforce. “(Graduate) students are generating the new knowledge and the innovation that will lead to new technologies and other things that are contributing greatly to improving the human condition,” Sheridan said. This advancement of education helps fuel the economy, create jobs and improve the social structure of society. Graduate degree holders acknowledge significant personal benefits because they receive higher annual and lifetime earnings and increased job security, according to the Graduate School website. Sheridan said the school is working with a task force that was commissioned to
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Students speak with representatives from the Texas Tech Health Sciences Center School of Health Professions about graduate and professional education opportunities on Sept. 8, 2021 at the Graduate and Professional School Fair. The Tech Graduate School provides students opportunities to expand their knowledge and skill set after graduation. develop a comprehensive, professional career development program that complements career training. The goal, Sheridan said, is to have students have an opportunity to develop and hone professional and career development skill sets, so they are better positioned to not only succeed here, but also in the work field. “In doing research with other universities, I think Texas Tech offers the most comprehensive programs,” Mari Baeza, assistant director of the Graduate School, said. “We try to hit
different things including critical thinking, communication, how to lead and manage teams by offering a wide variety of workshops.” Baeza said in any given year the Graduate School offers between 400 and 500 different workshops that students can attend to help them prepare for the workforce. “Ultimately, we want well rounded students,” Baeza said. “We want them to have all the tools that they need to be successful in the workforce. I think attending the workshops even if (students) don’t think
they need them now is a good opportunity for them to learn what skills they will need in the future.” Brianna De Leon, a graduate architecture student from Brownsville, said graduate school has benefited her by providing her with experience that she did not get during her undergraduate years. “I’m a research assistant right now for a Latin American Urban design lab,” De Leon said. “I have two professional work experiences and a research assistantship under my belt before I go into the work force,
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rather than going straight in with the one (experience) that I had in undergrad.” According to the Graduate School website, their strategic priority is to expand the scope and impact
of their graduate programs. The strategy plan includes developing a recruitment plan at the university and unit levels. @DailyToreador
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Judge orders Texas to suspend new law banning most abortions AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday ordered Texas to suspend the most restrictive abortion law in the U.S., calling it an “offensive deprivation” of a constitutional right by banning most abortions in the nation’s second-most populous state since September. The order by U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman is the first legal blow to the Texas law known as Senate Bill 8, which until now had withstood a wave of early challenges. In the weeks since
the restrictions took effect, Texas abortion providers say the impact has been “exactly what we feared.” In a 113-page opinion, Pitman took Texas to task over the law, saying Republican lawmakers had “contrived an unprecedented and transparent statutory scheme” by leaving enforcement solely in the hands of private citizens, who are entitled to collect $10,000 in damages if they bring successful lawsuits against abortion providers who violate the restrictions.
The law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in May, prohibits abortions once cardiac activity is detected, which is usually around six weeks, before some women even know they are pregnant. “From the moment S.B. 8 went into effect, women have been unlawfully prevented from exercising control over their lives in ways that are protected by the Constitution,” wrote Pitman, who was appointed to the bench by former President Barack Obama.
“That other courts may find a way to avoid this conclusion is theirs to decide; this Court will not sanction one more day of this offensive deprivation of such an important right.” But even with the law on hold, abortion services in Texas may not instantly resume because doctors still fear that they could be sued without a more permanent legal decision. Planned Parenthood said it was hopeful the order would allow clinics to resume
abortion services as soon as possible. Texas officials swiftly told the court their intentions to seek a reversal from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which previously allowed the restrictions to take effect. The lawsuit was brought by the Biden administration, which has said the restrictions were enacted in defiance of the U.S. Constitution. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “a victory for women in Texas
and for the rule of law.” The law had been in effect since Sept. 1. “For more than a month now, Texans have been deprived of abortion access because of an unconstitutional law that never should have gone into effect. The relief granted by the court today is overdue, and we are grateful that the Department of Justice moved quickly to seek it,” said Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.