The Index Vol. 113, Issue 3

Return of the New Student Welcome, page 2

Avian Apparel: More than just a business,

page 9

Showgirls return to dazzle Stokes stadium, page 15 Bulldogs survive thrilling game, page 16

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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STUDENT ARRESTED FOR BOMB THREAT RACHEL BECKER Editor-In-Chief

The Adair County Courthouse, where Akins’ trial will be held. The threat was made on Sept. 11 and was directed towards Centennial Hall. Photo by Rachel Becker

A Truman State University student was arrested Sept. 11 and will plead not guilty to a third-degree misdemeanor terroristic threat charge.

Sara Seifert, director of the Department of Public Safety, said during the early hours of Sept. 11, around 1:30 a.m., a post was made on YikYak, an “anonymous” social media platform that is becoming increasingly popular with college students.

According to court documents, the post said, “Boutta bomb the fuck outta Chall on Tuesday, don’t come to Chall.”

Seifert said she received emails from Truman students concerned about the post, but no one called an officer on duty or 911 concerning the post.

Because no call to emergency services or DPS was made, it wasn’t until the next morning Seifert saw the concerned emails. Seifert said she immediately attempted to contact YikYak through their legal services.

She said she was able to contact them by email and phone and worked with their tech team to get the phone number of the account that made the post.

YikYak was open to giving Seifert the phone number the post was made from, she said. Once she had the phone number, Seifert said she went through IT Services at Truman to attempt to track down the owner of the phone number YikYak had given her. Seifert said IT confirmed the number did belong to a Truman student and that it was Patrick Akins’.

Seifert said YikYak was a wonderful partner, and they immediately answered her calls and emails. They had already noticed the threat and banned Akins from the site because of the threat, Seifert said.

Seifert said the post was taken down Sept. 11.

See AKINS page 6

Kirksville prepares for Family Day KENNEDY COOPER Staff Writer

Truman State University will host Family Day Oct. 2, 2021. There will be many events throughout the weekend across campus and the Kirksville community.

The events will begin Friday, Oct. 1. The men’s and women’s soccer teams will both play against the University of Southern Indiana, with the men playing at noon and the women playing at 2:30. Both games will take place at the Truman Soccer Park.

After the soccer games, the Statesmen Marching Band will perform on the Quad at 4:30 p.m. Visitors will be able to go to the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium at 6 p.m. for “Final Frontier Friday: Race to the Moon.” Both of these events are free.

The Truman theater department will perform “Van-

ya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” by Christopher Durang. Performances will take place Friday, Oct.1, and Saturday, Oct. 2, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online and are $8 each. The performance will take place at the James G. Severns Theatre.

The final event on Friday will be a performance from the jazz bands in the Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

This event will take place at 7:30 p.m. and is free.

Saturday, there will be the Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival in the Square, as well as events on Truman’s campus.

The Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival will be in downtown Kirksville from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Linda Treasure, Kirksville Arts Association president, estimates that there will be 75-100 vendors at the event from all over the midwest.

See FAMILY DAY page 5

Students and their families attend the Red Barn festival. Red Barn will be held on Oct. 2 this year. Photo from TMN Archives

University Classes transition back incentivizes to in-person format vaccines GABE SMITH Staff Writer

ANAKIN BUSH Managing Editor

Truman State University announced an incentive program aimed to increase both the response rate and vaccination rate among campus groups.

The President’s Office announced Sept. 17 through an email the updated vaccination rate as reported by an optional survey sent to the campus community. 66% of faculty and staff responded to the survey. Of the 66%, 97% are vaccinated, with 3% remaining unvaccinated.

The response rate of students was lower at only 53%. Of those who responded, 93% are vaccinated, with 7% remaining unvaccinated.

“While these numbers are promising, we need more people to complete the survey and get vaccinated,” the President’s Office email stated.

Truman offered two surveys. The first survey consisted of two questions, asking if you were fully vaccinated. If you answered no to the first question, the survey asked if you had begun the vaccination process.

See VACCINES page 3

VOLUME 113 ISSUE 3 © 2021

With the number of in-person classes on the rise, students, professors and administrators reflected on the biggest changes they underwent during the first half of the fall semester.

Even though the transition to the classroom has been difficult, it also reflects a slow return to normalcy on Truman State University’s campus. This year, Truman is offering a total of 1506 sections, with 184 of those classes being administered fully online. The

12.22% of classes offered fully online does not include courses administered in a hybrid format.

Janet Gooch, executive vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost, was tasked with helping the university find the best way to deliver curriculum during the pandemic. Gooch and her staff were forced to navigate the inherent uncertainty surrounding course delivery during fall 2021.

“When we were making decisions about the fall, things were still very unknown,” Gooch said. “We didn’t have a vaccine when we were considering classes last year.”

See CLASSES page 6

A band class wears masks while not playing their instrument. In-person classes continue to require masks. Photo by Emily Collins

The Index

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Return of the New Student Welcome

Tables and booths from local businesses were set up at the event. The event was moved from the Square to the Armory this year because of construction at the court house. Photos by Rachel Becker

Kirksville chamber of commerce brought back the annual event GENNA TLUSTOS Features and Opinions Editor Being new to a college and a city, especially during COVID-19, can be overwhelming. In Kirksville, one way the city helps connect students to the community is through the Downtown Student Welcome.

At the Downtown Student Welcome, took place Sept. 12, local businesses and organizations set up tables, with many handing out flyers or various free giveaways for students. Some businesses or organizations had games for students to play or drawings students could enter. Kraft Heinz, a first-time participant, provided hot dogs. Hy-Vee managers grilled the hot dogs and provided hot dog buns and water, while Community Opportunities and Hightower Wholesale provided chips. Local restaurant Kababesh served free food to students as well.

Last year, the event was canceled because of the pandemic. Though it was able to take place this year, several factors related to COVID-19 affected the attendance at the event.

Senior Jennifer Pham said the event was smaller because of COVID-19 and more spread out because of the location change. The Downtown Student Welcome is usually on the Square, but because of the courthouse construction, it was moved to the Armory. Typically the Square is packed with students during the event, Pham said, but there were fewer people this year.

Sandra Williams, executive director of the Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce, also said there were fewer busi-

nesses and students than usual. There were 60 businesses and organizations in 2019, Williams said, but this year there were 30.

Many businesses didn’t have the staff to send people to the Downtown Student Welcome, Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said. However, he said the event was a success, considering the circumstances of the pandemic.

“Even if the turnout is lower than usual, just having a venue again for local businesses and organizations to connect new residents in the community is a great thing, no matter what the turnout is,” Young said.

Williams, who has been attending the Downtown Student Welcome since 2007 and helping plan it since 2009, said the event has traditionally been on Sunday nights, so they can provide food for students when the dining halls are closed.

Though the dining halls are now open on Sunday nights, the time still works out for both students and businesses.

Sophomore Jessie Coleman said the Armory was a great location to have the event and that it was nice that they provided food since most people don’t want to cook on Sundays. She wasn’t aware of many of the businesses and organizations present at the event.

Williams said the Downtown Student Welcome is a great chance to help students make meaningful connections, which is important because they will be living in Kirksville for several years. These connections could introduce a student to a future employer or organization to volunteer for.

William Robb, executive director of Take Root, participated in the Downtown

The event was moved to the Kirksville Armory this year. Local businesses handed out freebies to students.

Student Welcome to help make students aware of the cafe and the volunteer opportunities. At the Take Root tent, Robb and several others were handing out free cookies to students. Though Take Root’s physical location closed several months ago, the business still exists in various forms in Kirksville, such as community dinners and the farmer’s market. Robb said he hadn’t been to the Downtown Student Welcome in Kirksville before so he wasn’t sure what to expect, but that the event was going well so far.

Young said he has been attending the event on behalf of the city or previous companies he worked for since 2007. He said the City of Kirksville is proud to participate in the event and is excited that students choose Kirksville to be their home.

The City wants to be a part of the event to welcome students into the community. “[We hope students get out of it] increased awareness and familiarity with our

local businesses,” Young said.

President Sue Thomas also attended the event and said it was nice that the event could be spread out this year. She hoped students would find out that there is a lot more available in Kirksville than they might think.

The event is also a good chance to get connected for sophomores who couldn’t attend the event the previous year since it was canceled or get very involved in the community due to the pandemic, according to Thomas.

“Sometimes people think a small rural town, there’s not much,” Thomas said.

“This gives them a chance to see all the things available in Kirksville, and I think it’s always good when Kirksville people get to meet Truman students. They get to see how bright and talented our students are, and how excited they are and how willing they are to give back to the community…”

Graduate student Ally Noll, senior Claire Vost and senior Isabelle Periuns all transferred during the pandemic. The event was open to all students.

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Becker Managing Editor: Anakin Bush Features, Opinions Editor: Genevieve Tlustos Assistant Features Editor: Alyssa Rzany Sports Editor: Steven Findley Jr. Copy Chief: Sami Harris Assistant Copy Chief: Brooke Barnes Designers: Heather Beard, Cee Spiller, Izzy Juan, Jinyu Li Podcast Editor: Trevor Grandin

Photo Editor: Emily Collins Photographer: Oliver Malone

Copy Editors: Quinn Sloan, Gillian Burks, Jessica Robinson, Leighya McNeely, Aidan Grantham, Joshua Guiot Staff Writers: Seth Jarvis Savannah Kluesner, Jack Ratliff, Andrew Holder, Cory Price, Matt Frank, Gabe Smith, Kennedy Cooper, Joey Dougherty, Sydney Ellison

Adviser: David Price

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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VACCINES| The University’s new incentive program seeks to increase the lower than wanted response, vaccination rate Continued from page 1 If yes was answered to either question, respondents were required to either upload a picture of their vaccination card or present it at the Student Health Center.

The second survey had eight questions. This survey was sponsored by Truman’s Faculty Senate COVID-19 Working Group.

This survey sought to see how students felt about the current state of COVID-19 and their mental health. Results were only available to the Working Group.

The University reevaluated the mask policy and announced in the email from the President’s Office that it will remain in place as it currently is. The mask policy will be reevaluated again by Nov. 5.

The email stated one of the factors of the policy remaining the same is the current amount of COVID-19 cases in Adair County. As of Sept. 27, there are 61 active cases with 3,492 cases total.

The Adair County Health Department released a press release Sept. 24 announcing the total COVID-19 case number for Adair County has reached 3,480 cases. 66 cases are currently active.

The Health Department continues to urge all residents to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The Adair County Health Department recommends that all county residents ages 12 and older get vaccinated against COVID-19 and the Delta variant,” the press release stated.

As of Sept. 28, Truman had one active case on campus.

To increase the vaccination rate and survey response rate among the University, Truman announced an incentive program Sept. 20 through Truman Today. This program will reward eligible groups with cash rewards. Student organizations, athletic teams and residence halls are included in the program.

The cash reward will be given out if 85% of the group can provide proof of their vaccination. Vaccination status can be verified by filling out an online Google form or presenting the vaccine card to the Student Health Center. If someone has already completed this process, it does not need to be completed again.

Groups under 10 members will receive $50. The max amount that can be earned is $300 for groups of 30 or more members.

The incentive program also impacts employees. If 75% of employees get vaccinated, Nov. 23 will be added as a paid day off. If 85% of employees get vaccinated, Nov. 22 will additionally be added.

Nov. 1 is the last date incentives can be earned.

University President Sue Thomas said

Junior Allison Oligschlaeger takes notes in the library. Students are still required to wear masks while inside campus buildings. Photo from TMN Archives the incentive program is in response to the lower than wanted response rate to the vaccination survey. Thomas said she was hopeful for a large response rate, but was unsure as to what the actual rate would be.

“Generally, those are some really good response rates,” Thomas said. “It’s just for us to have the most accurate sense of where we are with verification of vaccination status that still leaves a lot of room.”

The University held a vaccination panel Sept. 9. The purpose of this panel was to provide information to students about vaccines and encourage them to get vaccinated. The people on the panel were Nancy Daley-Moore, Cassidy Dobson and Stephanie Fore.

Truman held a vaccination clinic on campus Sept. 2. Andrew Fajkus, manager of Outreach Services for Complete Family Medicine, said 18 students preregistered for the event, and 14 showed up. Some of the students received their second doses of the Moderna vaccine, but the majority received their first dose. This clinic was done in partnership with Kirksville Pharmacy.

Fajkus said a vaccination clinic was held during Truman Week for new students. Not enough students pre-registered, so the event was cancelled.

“Obviously we were hoping the Truman Week event and the one we did on

COVID-19 testing equipment at the Student Health Center. Both Adair County and Truman hold vaccination clinics. Photo by Emily Collins the second would have been a little more heavily attended, but also if students are vaccinated that’s great,” Fajkus said.

Fajkus said a vaccination event last semester administered about 365 vaccines. This clinic was partnered with Hy-Vee. A second clinic was held last semester where 55 vaccines were given out.

The Food and Drug Administration vaccine advisors voted in favor of emergency

authorization use of COVID-19 booster shots in limited circumstances. Those who are 65 and older or are part of a high risk group can receive booster shots.

The FDA voted Sept. 17 against allowing anyone 16 or older to receive the vaccine booster. Some members of the FDA were concerned about the safety of a booster shot in younger people, as well as a lack of data about the long term efficiency a booster shot would provide.

The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration made an Emergency Temporary Standard requiring all businesses with over one hundred employees to ensure their employees are fully vaccinated. If businesses have employees not fully vaccinated, they will have to get weekly COVID-19 tests.

Businesses that do not comply with the ETS could be fined up to $14,000 per violation.

University President Sue Thomas said it currently appears that Truman does not fall under the ETS. “It’s all pretty technical, but it’s our understanding that we would not fall under that mandate,” Thomas said.

The Adair County Health Department will hold a curbside Moderna clinic Sept.

30. The annual drive-thru flu clinic will be held Oct. 6 at the NEMO Fairgrounds.

Anyone 12 years or older can get the vaccine. Vaccines are available at several locations throughout Kirksville. Hy-Vee, Walmart and Walgreens all offer the vaccine. Truman will hold another on-campus vaccination drive before Nov. 1.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Blackboard is confusing for students and needs work HEATHER BEARD Designer

So far, one of the worst parts of my college experience hasn’t been the classes, professors or due dates. It has been trying to figure out how Blackboard works.

The transition to the platform from Google Classroom, the system my high school used, has been a rough one for several reasons, mainly the lack of consistency and the confusing user interface. Making the switch to Blackboard Ally might help, but it seems to fail to address the key issues I’ve been having with the website.

The biggest problem I have with Blackboard is that all of my professors use it differently. There is no consistency between classes, as each one might as well be its own website. One of my professors keeps

all of their assignments in the tab on the side of the screen, and because I had no idea it would be any different from other classes, I missed two assignments and had to turn them in late. Another failure on Blackboard’s part is that, despite me having it set to send me reminder emails about assignments, I have yet to receive one. Google Classroom automatically sends emails the day before an assignment is due, which I found to be very helpful in high school. I made sure that Blackboard would do the same, but it has yet again disappointed me.

When I went to the grade book to see the assignments, another problem arose. Blackboard showed the total number of points that I had earned, which was 20.

I thought I had 20 percent when really I had earned the maximum number of points. Now, with even more grades logged, I can’t tell what percentage my grade is. I have yet to find a way to change the point total to a percentage.

After using the website for over a month and trying to find a way to do this multiple times, this is something that I don’t think Blackboard provides. If it is, they shouldn’t have it so hidden that it is impossible to find.

Family weekend and small businesses Family Weekend is Oct. 1 at Truman State University. There will be events happening on-campus and within the downtown district of Kirksville.

We, The Index Editorial Board, see this weekend as an opportunity to invite family to Kirksville or celebrate with your Kirksville family. In this issue, Kennedy Cooper explains what community members can expect from different Family Weekend events.

One of these major off-campus events is the Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival, held on the Square Oct. 2 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Unfortunately, this part of Family Day was missing last year because of the pandemic, but the festival has been brought back this year.

Even though the Kirksville Arts Association, who hosts the Red Barn Festival, has not publicized a mandate for vaccinations, masks or social distancing, we still recommend such precautions when attending the festival.

Such innovations in the pandemic have made it safer for families to visit and interact with the local event this time around.

The Student Government body was excited to jump into action for fall 2021.

One of the first orders of business was looking over a resolution brought forward by the Health, Wellness and Safety Committee. Resolution 121.002, “A Resolution Encouraging a COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate at Truman State University and Supporting an American Association of University Professors Petition” was unanimously voted on and approved Sept. 6, 2021.

Student Government was excited to add new members following the fall 2021 elections, which started Monday, Sept. 20 and closed Thursday, Sept. 23. The

Blackboard Ally is a proposed solution to Blackboard’s problems. An informative video put out by the website states that Ally addresses accessibility issues on the website in three key ways. The first being that it will automatically provide alternative formats for course content, such as HTML, ePub, audio and electronic Braille, without needing anything from professors or the institution. It would also check the course content for disability issues with a machine learning system and then give the professor feedback on how to make it more accessible. Along with that, take data from these analyses and turn them into an institutionwide report that would provide administrators with data about how to further improve accessibility.

While this looks great to have for disabled students who do need these improvements, it does fail to address more basic problems that stem from a poorly designed and overly customizable user interface. The last thing I need as a college freshman is a confusing, cluttered website.

This festival is an opportunity for families and students to view some local art vendors and to support small business. Many small businesses owners struggled financially during the pandemic, even as federal aid was given to those populations. The welcoming back of events like Red Barn and Family Weekend is the perfect opportunity to support the local Kirksville economy. In this issue, Alyssa Rzany spoke with Christian and Fletcher Ferguson. They are small business owners themselves, as they created a clothing brand while in college. This weekend work to support not only small businesses owners, but the community as well.

We feel that student interaction with the Kirksville community forms a stronger tie between our communities, which is beneficial to everyone.

After 2020’s isolation, in-person gatherings like this are good for mental health and fulfilling social needs. Outside of these events, we also believe that Family Day is a great way for the student body to relax and feel supported as the semester ramps up.

For those who are not inviting family or are not able to be with them for Family Weekend, take time to be with your friends and still enjoy what the day has to offer. Oftentimes as students, we have to keep ourselves encouraged with a friend support system while away from home, and it is not far-fetched to call these systems our families. Family Weekend is not just for biological families, but the ones you make here in Kirksville too.

Another major event for students and families is the Family Day football game that kicks off at 6 p.m. on Oct. 2. Athletic events will be going on all weekend, and supporting our athletes with fan attendance is a great way to uplift the hard work they put in as student athletes.

body was able to add five new voting senators, Sara Klamm, Alexis Cook, Blaine Smallwood, Luke Rascher and Adam Bishop, four new incoming senators Colleen O’Reilly, Abby Knabe, Trevor Carey and Owen Hamill and one new senior senator, P.J. Wuennenberg.

Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, Student Government held their biannual retreat for the new and returning members of the organization. The intention of the retreat was to help new members learn about the different committees on the body and their roles moving forward. The student body can look forward to Student Government partaking in events such as National Coming Out Day and Sustainability Week soon!

The Student Government body holds weekly meetings, usually at 5 p.m. on Sundays in the SUB Conference Room 3000. All students are welcome to come and see the body in action or contact us at studentgovernment@truman.edu for more information about the organization.

SUBMITTED BY Alex Crawford, Student Government PR director

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Greek Life changes name MATT FRANK Staff Writer Greek Life at Truman State University has changed its name to Fraternity and Sorority Life to distinguish itself from other organizations.

The idea of changing the name to Fraternity and Sorority Life began during spring 2020. The change did not happen at that time, however, because

of the pandemic. It was not until this past summer that the department revisited the idea of changing the name.

The name change had various reasons behind it. One of the reasons for the change was to distinguish the social organizations within Fraternity and Sorority Life from the honorary societies and academic fraternities on campus, which also use Greek letters in their names.

The new name also reflects that the

Alpha Sigma Alpha poses for a photo after a recruitment event. Several other universities have changed their Greek Life program names. Photo by Emily Collins

department is not of Greek heritage.

The title of Fraternity and Sorority Life reflects that fraternities and sororities make up the department rather than individuals of Greek descent.

Another reason is that if non-Greek-lettered chapters of fraternities or sororities were to be founded at Truman, they would not align with the name Greek Life.

It is not just Truman that has changed the name for their fraternity and sorority departments. According to Laura Bates, the director of the Student Union and campus activities, many universities have been making this change lately.

“We’ve been seeing a shift, for several years now, where communities have been shifting to that terminology,” Bates said. “So we were just overdue for [the name change].”

Along with officially changing the name to Fraternity and Sorority Life comes the task of rebranding all associated materials.

This task requires members of Fraternity and Sorority Life to have all materials across all departments that mention Greek Life to be reworded.

“Sometimes I will go from depart-

ment to department and say ‘Hey, we aren’t this name anymore. Can you change it, so it’s up to date and the incoming students know the proper name to call it?’ and they have been super responsive to it,” said Chuck Perry, Fraternity and Sorority Life team lead.

Official materials that still have the Greek Life name are in the process of being changed to align with the new name, such as the domain name of the Fraternity and Sorority Life website.

The organizations that operate within Fraternity and Sorority Life have also had to make some effort to make this name change more effective. This is because the members of the various fraternities and sororities on campus will be using the new name as well.

“We have big chapter meetings, where everybody is all together, so [when the name change happened], I took some time to explain the update from the Panhellenic Council, that we won’t be going by the name Greek Life anymore, and with the reasons why,” said Kyndall Penyweit, president of Sigma Kappa.

FAMILY DAY| The Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival will be held same weekend as Family Day Continued from page 1 There will be booths that start at the Sue Ross Arts Center and wrap around the town square. The festival will feature live entertainment, food vendors, a Kids Korner and more. Some of the live entertainment will be groups from Truman, including the True Men, Sweet Nothings and Minor Detail.

The Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival began during 1974 and sees around 5,000-6,000 people annually. It has been held every year since 1974, except for 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, it is back for the 46th time, and the event organizers are taking extra precautions because of the ongoing pandemic. These precautions include having booths be further apart and requesting that visitors and vendors wear masks. The festival will be requiring volunteers to wear masks in the Kids Korner and the Sue Ross Arts Center.

Back on campus, there will be many activities on Saturday.

From 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., there will be a welcome tent on the Quad, where families will be able to receive a gift and a schedule of activities for the day. Also on the Quad, the Student Activities Board will be sponsoring a mosaic wall from 11:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.

There will also be tours of Pickler Memorial Library available from 10:00 a.m.-noon. Visitors will be able to see the items housed in the University’s Special Collections Department.

The Art Gallery will also be open from noon-4:30 p.m. Visitors can view “New Work” by Truman faculty members Rusty Nelson, Matthew Derezinski and Aaron Fine. This exhibition will be in the main gallery in Ophelia Parrish room 1114. Another exhibit, “Recording Place” by Marcie Miller Gross, will be available in the Charlyn Gallery.

After this, the Student Activities Board will be sponsoring a Speed Painter Performance from 4:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

Then, visitors will be able to see the football game against Lindenwood University at 6:00 p.m. at Stokes Stadium. Tickets are required to attend and may be purchased online or at the gate.

There will also be a show at the Planetarium at 6:00 p.m. The show is “Stellar Saturday: Satellites.” Tickets for this show are five dollars and are available for purchase online.

At 7:30 p.m, the University orchestra will be performing in the Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall, and the Truman State University Observatory will be open for an “Evening at the Observatory,” weather permitting.

Sunday, Oct. 3, the men’s and women’s soccer teams will be playing McKendree University, with the men playing at noon and the women playing at 2:30 p.m.

There will also be a Wind Symphony concert at 2:00 p.m. in the Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

Family Weekend events are open to anyone affiliated with the Truman community.

OUR 2021-2022 WAITLIST IS NOW OPEN!

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

AKINS| A bomb threat was made on anonymous app YikYak Sept. 11 and taken down the same day Continued from page 1 Seifert said the post was taken down Sept. 11.

“Once we located where [Akins] was living, we went over to Delta Chi, a fraternity, and talked with [Akins] and let him know that he was under arrest for making the terrorist threats,” Seifert said.

According to registrar records, Akins was living at the Delta Chi house at the time of his arrest.

Steven Zak, president of the Truman Delta Chi chapter, via an email statement to The Index, said the fraternity was made aware of the allegations and pending police investigation against the former member.

“As the investigation is ongoing, we will have no further comment at this time,” Zak said. “We continue to encourage complete cooperation with law enforcement during the investigative process.”

He added the chapter does not condone any behavior that contrasts their 11 basic expectations, particularly their third basic expectation that calls on members to protect the health and safety of all human beings.

Braden Leuthauser, president of the InterFraternity Council, declined to comment on the Akins case.

Seifert said during the arrest, she read Akins his Miranda Rights, and he agreed to talk to police voluntarily.

“At which time he first said he really didn’t remember making the statements.

He was sure he did … and Patrick said he didn’t mean anyone any harm,” Seifert said. “He did admit to drinking alcohol at a friend’s place, which may or may not have played a part in it.”

According to court documents, at first, Akins stated he did not remember making the post. He stated he first learned of the post when a friend texted him a screenshot of the post the following morning. According to court documents, Seifert asked Akins if anyone else had his phone the night the post was made, and he said no.

Seifert said Akins was booked, processed and left on a 24-hour hold for making a terroristic threat.

According to court documents, Akins had a hearing Sept. 15. He was released on Two students walk by the Delta Chi house. The threat was made on the social his own recognizance and promised to appear in court Oct. 13. networking app YikYak. Photo by Rachel Becker Students in Centennial Hall were never

notified of the bomb threat through email or an emergency notification system.

“That was because of the timely arrest of the suspect, him admitting that he had done it and that he didn’t mean any harm by it. There was no ongoing threat to the University, so we didn’t feel that we really needed to alert anyone,” Seifert said.

Seifert said in hindsight, she wishes concerned individuals would have immediately called either 911 when they saw the threat or talked to a DPS or Kirksville police officer.

She said this case worked out, partially attributing it to the threat being set for next Tuesday rather than a more immediate time frame.

Seifert said if you ever see something suspicious, tell your Residence Life staff or call the police.

“You know, this is kind of one of those things that’s uncharacteristic of Truman,” Seifert said. “Truman students, most of our students are pretty academically driven and are pretty focused on their goals of graduating and getting out and making a difference in the world.”

She said even though a site says it’s “anonymous” or it feels okay to make statements or threats behind a screen, everything you do on the internet leaves a footprint.

“I don’t know of any site that’s truly anonymous,” Seifert said. “So, you know, just be mindful of what you’re doing.”

Mark Williams is the attorney representing Akins. The Index was not able to reach Williams at the time of publication for comment.

Akins’ trial is scheduled to continue Oct. 13.

CLASSES| Professors reflect on the positives and negatives of online learning Continued from page 1 Despite the difficulties with online course delivery, Gooch emphasized the lessons Truman has learned through the pandemic.

One of the most important lessons, Gooch said, was realizing the value of online education.

“I think there’s a place for online and in-person learning on our campus,” Gooch said. “We’ve been recently developing graduate programs that are intentionally all online because Truman sees value in offering programs to different audiences than we were once able to offer them to.”

In addition to online graduate programs, many professors teaching in-person classes have also integrated the technology we used during the COVID-19 pandemic into their classrooms. Heather Cianciola, McNair project director and assistant professor of English, said she still plans on utilizing online tools to provide more accessibility and flexibility for students.

“I prefer in-person classes, but I still feel like you can have meaningful conversations, discussions and there are even a lot of great resources to help us generate content,” Cianciola said.

The educational ramifications of online learning are not the only long lasting effects of the pandemic. Cianciola said she has noticed a sharp decline in students’ energy and emotional wellness, even with the re-introduction of in-person classes.

She also suggested that students have tended to not participate as much as they did before the pandemic.

Similar to Gooch, Cianciola sees significant value in the virtual elements that are now part of our inperson learning experiences.

“I hope that we don’t go back to a non-virtual world. Tools like Zoom

Students study in the library. Some professors continue to offer online courses, while others offer hybrid options. Photo by Emily Collins and online courses, even with their formidable barriers, enable greater educational access overall. At the end of the day, that is what Truman is all about,” Cianciola said.

Jesse Wren, a senior at Truman, echoed Cianciola’s preference for in-person learning.

For Wren, navigating the pandemic was made easier by relationship building, extra-curricular engagement and Truman’s tight knit community.

However, Wren drew attention to the logistical difficulties that being in-person brings with it. Wren was able to play an active role in

several committees because of their virtual nature, but being in person has forced him to make significant adjustments to his schedule.

“Now that we’re in person, I can’t just jump on back to back meetings anymore,” Wren said.

In an academic sense, Wren and Cianciola see significant value in the conversations and experiences that the reintroduction of in-person classes has brought along with it.

From a student perspective, Wren doesn’t feel that the pandemic spoiled his college experience because of the non-educational aspects that Truman’s faculty and campus provide.

“I found that what you want out of the college experience is what you get,” Wren said. “I have still found a way to build community in multiple different organizations, stay connected with my peers and professors, so the only thing that is really different is that I’m wearing a mask now.”

Going forward, Gooch said the number of in-person classes should continue to rise. However, she was reluctant to make any firm statements because of the ever-changing nature of the pandemic, variants, vaccination rates and other complications.

David Gillette teaches an economics course. Some professors continue to offer hybrid or online classes for the fall semester. Photo from TMN Archives

detours

etours Delta Omicron Mu: A bond that can’t THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

7

be broken, even after 40 years

detours detours

detours Several Truman alumni and fraternity members met at the DuKum Inn Sept. 10. They have been reuniting annually for the past 40 years. Photos by Rachel Becker

Truman alumni from across the country reunite and just didn’t fit with the people who were right out of high school,” Van Dolah said. “It didn’t mean we were any better than they were or worse than they were, it was just that four or five or six year age How long will you continue meeting up gap — it just wasn’t going to work.”

Van Dolah was 23 when he started with your college friends after you graducollege and said his first three semesters ate? Five years? 10? What about 40?

That’s how long Truman State Uni- were miserable, especially the first seversity’s Delta Omicron Mu fraternity mester. He remembers the other, youngmembers have been annually reuniting at er students would ask him what he got the DuKum Inn. Most recently, they met on assignments or tests, he would just at the DuKum Inn Sept. 10, with many tell them he passed.

Some of the DOM members, includspending the weekend in Kirksville.

The fraternity, which started meet- ing Christie, were still in the military ing in 1969 according to member John reserves so they could make some extra Christie, was made up of mainly Viet- money. Since they were veterans, they nam veterans. Members served in the also qualified for a G.I. bill, which was military in many different capacities. $180, or $320 if you were married.

“My wife and I went to school here and One DOM brother was a combat medic and another was in the Ground Navy, on got married — not smart,” Christie said.

Swift Boats patrolling rivers. Many of “Two years later still in college [and] have a baby — even more not smart.” the alumni graduated in the early 70s.

Christie’s wife graduated in 1973, a There was also a sister group to the fraternity. Many of the women from that year after Christie.

Tuition at Northeast Missouri State group were also Vietnam veterans, with one of them retiring as a major and sev- College was $15 a credit hour, according to Van Dolah, which sounds cheap, eral working as nurses in the military.

Christie, who graduated in 1972, said, but it was not 50 years ago. The tuition “Nothing against fraternities or anything was still cheaper than other colleges. like that, but we wanted to have something For example, Van Dolah said the cost to do that we could relate to combat and was $30 or $35 a credit hour at Missouri talk to each other about. So we started a University. The lower price was the group, Delta Omicron Mu, and it blos- reason many students chose Northeast Missouri State College, so they could somed from there.”

The group was founded by seven mem- still afford it and eat Hamburger Helper bers, two of which were Christie and Jack every week or so, Van Dolah said. EvLohse. Christie said starting the group helped eryone had two to three jobs, includthem find people who could relate to each ing Van Dolah, who would work a few other, especially at a time when little was hours whenever he had time.

Christie, a criminology major, said known about post-traumatic stress disorder.

Many of the brothers were older than he worked as a police officer in Kirksother students at Truman, then called ville while in college and later became a Northeast Missouri State College. Mike highway patrolman in Arizona. This was Van Dolah, DOM member who graduated how they were able to get through school in 1977, said you had to be 21 years old — with no debt.

Just because they worked a lot didn’t with two or three exceptions — to become mean they weren’t having fun. They an active member. “[DOM members] were older. These would often meet at DuKum on Friday guys were, for the most part, in their 20’s and Saturday nights. The DOM members have been meeting at DuKum since around 1964, Van Dolah said, though the first time he went was in 1968. The DOM members would often go to DuKum to hang out together while they were still students as well. Van Dolah said the bar would be so crowded that there was only standing room, and it looked a lot different. There was shuffleboard, the floor was linoleum and the space was smaller. Van Dolah said the fraternity brothers were big drinkers since they were of age and didn’t have much else to do.

“That was when alcohol became excessive,” Van Dolah said. “But This sign was recently discovered by a DOM alum member. we didn’t have that gym thing, that Lohse said the Greek text translates to “Don’t send a boy fitness center. I to do a man’s job.”

RACHEL BECKER AND GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Editor-in-Chief and Features and Opinions Editor

VOLUME 113

ISSUE 3

tmn.truman.edu

thought, Geez, it’s too bad we didn’t have that then, I’d have saved a lot of money. Wouldn’t have spent it at the DuKum Inn.” Many of the buildings that were a part of Truman’s campus in the 70s still exist, though most have been drastically renovated and expanded. Van Dolah said he remembered the buildings Ophelia Truman alumni talk around a table at the DuKum Inn. After Parrish, Violette not meeting last year because of COVID-19, Truman fraterHall and the newly nity members were able to meet in person. built General Services building in cult for the smaller businesses to provide addition to a small science building and what students are looking for, specificalthe Laughlin house. All the nice build- ly the students who are used to shopping ings weren’t there, Van Dolah said. None at big malls. The Square has died a slow of the buildings except Violette Hall had death, and the once prolific nice stores air conditioning, but it wasn’t much of are all gone now. a problem since most people grew up in Another change is that there was less homes without air conditioning. crime in Kirksville when Van Dolah atToday’s most notorious residence hall tended the University. He’s not sure what lacking air conditioning was actually the has changed, but he thinks it may be consite of some crazy antics, according to nected to the lack of role models for kids Van Dolah. In Centennial Hall ‘67 and in their formative years.

‘68, the girls used to lean out of the winChristie said overall, the school’s been dows and throw their panties, and many nice to them, and he likes what they’ve people would yell and holler. done with it. He said it looked nice.

The college was quite the party spot Christie said the members still have a back in the day, according to Lohse. strong bond as fraternal brothers and sisters, Two DOM alumni met with the Kirks- a bond that can’t be broken. ville police, who “It’s like a famsaid they don’t ily now, you know, have parties here ‘cause after that like they used to, long, there are no Lohse said. secrets anymore Van Dolah said ‘cause you know the fraternity had them all, and it a tradition called just becomes like “come as you another famare,” where active ily that you have,” members would Van Dolah said. get pledges from “It’s kind of neat their rooms late though, and we’re at night and how just kind of lucky they were dressed that this thing has when they anlasted this long and swered the door we still have these was how they get-togethers.” went. They were On the wall of allowed to put the DuKum Inn, clothes on if it was there’s a toilet cold outside, but seat with the letonce they came ters “DOM” that inside, they had has been there for to come off. They about 15-20 years. would drink some Craig Shorten, the beer and then were owner of DuKum free to go.

Inn, said the origiThough they might have done some nal got lost, so he had a copy made. wild things, don’t think that the fraterShorten said he appreciates his bar nity members weren’t smart. Van Dolah being the place of choice for many said when he graduated in 1977, their alumni groups to meet and recognizes fraternity had the highest GPA of any that you can’t buy history. As an alumfraternity. Many successful professionals nus of Truman himself, he appreciates have come out of DOM, including den- getting to see people who come to the tists, doctors, etc. Many of the members bar that he wouldn’t have gotten to see are still in touch, whether through email otherwise. As far as the DOM alumni, or phone calls. he said they are one of three groups that One aspect of Kirksville that is dif- have been meeting annually since he’s ferent is the downtown square area. Van owned the bar.

Dolah said it was kind of sad to think “There’s nobody at Truman today back at how busy and popular the square that will be able to say they came back was compared to how it is now. for 35, 40 homecomings in a row, you “The downtown was full of retail mer- know, just that camaraderie is there — I chants and things like that, and it was just can tell you that,” Shorten said. beautiful — it really was,” Van Dolah said.

Some locals have said that it’s diffi-

“It’s like a family now, you know, ‘cause after that long, there are no secrets anymore ‘cause you know them all, and it just becomes like another family that you have.”

-Mike Van Dolah, DOM alum

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

8

What we’ve been

Watching

The Suicide Squad gets 3.5/5 King Sharks JOEY DOUGHERTY Staff Writer During 2016, the supervillain team-up film “Suicide Squad” was released to theaters, marking the debut of live-action comic book characters Harley Quinn, Killer Croc and more.

The film was ravaged by critics and audiences alike, largely criticized for its erratic editing and uneven character interactions. RogerEbert.com’s Christy Lemire called the film a “slog [...] massive, messy and noisy,” and gave the movie one-and-a-half out of five stars.

Five years later, “The Suicide Squad” comes to theaters — and HBO Max for a limited release — ditching several of the squad’s members while bringing an array of new characters into the fold.

Veteran superhero film director James Gunn helms the ambitious reboot, carrying over his aesthetic flair signature of “Guardians of the Galaxy,” allowing him to fit that aesthetic to a more villain-centric venture.

“The Suicide Squad” borrows several beats from its predecessor. The ambitious Amanda Waller heads the creation of a task force of supervillains designed to execute top-secret missions. Waller has planted an explosive device in each team member’s head to incentivize cooperation, believing that a sense of teamwork might develop among the aptly named Suicide Squad. Harley Quinn is back, taking on a far more pivotal role than her previous escapade given the absence of Will Smith’s Deadshot. The chaotic clown queen of crime, alongside new additions such as the patriotic

Peacemaker and the battle-worn Bloodsport, must travel to the island of Corto Maltese to unearth the fictional nation’s darkest secrets. Their goal: infiltrate an impregnable base and retrieve a hard drive containing information on an alien species the Corto Maltese government is rumored to have in custody.

Such a simple, gung-ho plot allows the film’s colorful cast to thrive as they move from set piece to set piece.

Opening the film with the storming of a beach was an excellent decision, serving as a parallel of what’s to come and introducing the audience to the film’s caliber as an action movie. The final sequence at the Corto Maltese compound is likewise thrilling as the squad’s teamwork reaches its climax while the concrete walls literally crumble around them. As for characters, Harley Quinn’s macabre enthusiasm as she mows down a squadron of soldiers pairs brilliantly with Gunn’s choice to depict each blood splatter as an explosion of flowers cascading from the exit wounds.

King Shark’s adorable likeness and

gentle attitude clash hilariously with his gruesome desire to consume human flesh. By the same token, Polka-Dot Man’s ridiculous powers prove helpful at almost every turn. Overall, Gunn’s directorial decisions enhance his characters and make for a constantly entertaining film by its satisfying visuals and unexpected character turns. In many pivotal ways, the film is anything but by-thenumbers.

Where “The Suicide Squad” falters is, ironically, in some of its character moments. While mainstays like Harley and Bloodsport play out their arcs in a satisfying fashion, several more minor squad members meet their ends seemingly as a joke or quick gag. Not to be named for the sake of avoiding spoilers, one character is crushed to death the moment it could be argued they had overcome their weakness, as if, now that that box has been checked, they serve no further purpose. Several other minor characters are taken out as

“It is clear that the film is meant to be fun before anything else, an obvious apology to fans for the original’s dour selfseriousness and attempt at gravitas.”

such, a decision unfortunately reminiscent of 2016’s “Suicide Squad.”

Furthermore, the film’s finale is rather clichéd, as the unlikely heroes must team up for one final push against a new big bad. Regardless, this familiar formula allows the squad members to come into their own as anti-heroes, and while you’ve surely seen it before, it makWes for a satisfying third act.

At the end of the day, “The Suicide Squad” is a film about characters — a team of wild cards that might do some good. Margot Robbie continues to impress in her third outing as Harley Quinn, dominating every scene with her deadly humor and contagious personality. Idris Elba as the stoic Bloodsport plays his role with grace, making for a more nuanced character than first expected. John Cena as Peacemaker is appropriately over-the-top, providing a consistently engaging character. Finally, Daniela Melchior as Ratcatcher 2 and David Dastmalchian as PolkaDot Man breathed life into what could have been unremarkable roles.

In all, “The Suicide Squad” is a blast and, as a result, kind of a mess.

That being said, this mess is never uneven and, probably, the goal of Gunn and his crew. It is clear that the film is meant to be fun before anything else, an obvious apology to fans for the original’s dour self-seriousness and attempt at gravitas. “The Suicide Squad” leans into this messiness, making for a piece that feels more like a Saturday morning cartoon than anything in recent memory.

The Suicide Squad Released: Aug. 6, 2021 Directed by: James Gunn Starring: Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena

VOLUME 113

ISSUE 3

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

9

Avian Apparel:

more than just a business

ALYSSA RZANY Assistant Features and Opinions Editor According to the Small Business Administration, over 627,000 new small businesses start each year, and subsequently, 94% of those close the same year. One small business that defied the odds is Avian Apparel, created by Truman State University senior Fletcher Ferguson and alumnus Christian Ferguson.

Christian was sitting in his room in Missouri Hall when he came up with the idea to create a hat with a printed feather.

Little did he know, this idea would kick-start a business with his brother that has grown to sell nearly 60 products.

“We didn’t have too much to go off of when we started,’’ said Christian. “It definitely blew up way bigger than we thought it would.”

Fletcher, Christian’s brother and co-founder of Avian Apparel said Christian was inspired by the idea of birds and how they aren’t bound by anything.

They then began to shape their entire brand around this idea. The brand’s main goal is to motivate their customers and encourage them to “take flight” and do the things that scare them the most. “[Christan] liked the idea of unlimited potential,” said

Sebastian, Christian and Fletcher Ferguson wearing Avian products. They said they are excited to contiue persuing this business. Submitted photo

Fletcher. “Now we want to promote the idea to never settle and to always try to achieve more.”

Once Chrisitan shared this new business idea with his friends and family, he said they all were ecstatic and supported them throughout the journey.

Fletcher and Christian said they were excited to start the brand, but they had a lot to learn. Neither of them knew how to code, nor did they know how to build a website to promote their business. Fletcher said that he and Christian watched some videos and learned everything themselves.

Through watching videos, the brothers created a website, advertised and gained exposure on many fronts.

During this process, they sold their product to several family members, friends and strangers, Christian said. Many aspects of the business were rewarding, like selling a product to someone in the Netherlands.

“I couldn’t have done it without Fletch and I don’t think we could have done this without each other.”

-Christian Ferguson Truman alumnus

Early in the process of creating Avian Apparel, Fletcher and Christian got tickets to a Quinn XCII concert where they ended up meeting the singer backstage. They gave him their first product, a hat with a printed feather, and Quinn XCII wore it for the whole concert.

Fletcher and Christian agreed that it was incredibly rewarding to see a big name singer wearing their new product. They also brought more hats and gave them out to the band who also wore them during the concert.

“He wore it [the hat] for the whole concert that night and posted pictures of him wearing it on Instagram,” said Fletcher.

“That is one thing that I’m most proud of.”

While starting the business, the brothers faced some difficulties. With Christian recently graduated and Fletcher still being in college, finding time to work on Avian Apparel was a difficult task.

They also faced motivational issues seeing that this was a hobby for them while at work and school. Even though they created the business to sustain itself, they needed to update products which proved difficult while living nearly three hours away from each other.

“Some days we won’t feel like it … but we have to always think about how Avian motivates us as well to keep going,” said Fletcher.

Christian echoed these sentiments and explained how they are both passionate about the business and want to see it flourish.

They have since created hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, crewnecks and more. Christian mentioned that they went as far as researching color psychology to better represent Avian Apparel’s motto of motivation and inspiration.

They are looking forward to the potential they think this business will reach as well as continuing to work together.

“I couldn’t have done it without Fletch and I don’t think we could have done this without each other,” said Christian.

Fletcher and Christian have a 12-year-old brother who is said to be the “co-co-founder” of Avian Apparel and he is excited to hop on board with his two older brothers.

They all have enjoyed creating the brand, and they said they want their customers to realize that Avian Apparel is more than just a clothing brand. They said they want to advertise that it’s about achieving what was originally thought of as impossible.

Both Fletcher and Christian said, “take flight and reach your maximum potential.”

A movie that made us

A 35th anniversary celebration of “Labyrinth” SAVANNAH KLUESNER Staff Writer This September marks the 35th anniversary of Jim Henson’s “Labyrinth,” a quirky but fun film starring David Bowie and Jennifer Connelly. The story follows Sarah, portrayed by Connelly, as she struggles to get to the center of the labyrinth to rescue her baby brother from the Goblin King, portrayed by Bowie, making friends and learning a thing or two about life and herself along the way.

While “Labyrinth” is famous for a lot of distinct characteristics — not least among them Bowie’s star-studded talent or the sheer amount of puppeteering skill that the movie requires — perhaps one of the most enduring and charming aspects of the film is its playful but important message of loyalty and dedication to loved ones. The film is widely regarded as a cult classic and has had a pervasive, if subtle, influence on the lives of many, and this influence has touched students at Truman State University.

One of those students is senior Emma Loesing, who said one of her favorite things about the movie was the special effects. Citing the scene in which a brick wall, apparently solid, becomes a passageway deeper into the labyrinth, Loesing compared the effects present in this film with other films that came out around the same time.

“I love the special effects ‘cause it’s like, you can look at cheesy 70s fantasy movies and see how terrible the effects are, but the effects for the “Labyrinth” still hold up,” Loesing said.

One of the reasons that Loesing believes the effects in “Labyrinth” stand the test of time is that they are practical, discussing the lack of CGI as an example. One of the examples of practical special effects that Loesing cited was the use of sparkles on trees, which

created a grittier, dirtier aesthetic.

However, the appeal of the movie went beyond its technical elements for Loesing.

She also described how she and her friend had bonded over “Labyrinth” and watched it any time she would sleep over at her friend’s house.

Over time, they began to create jokes about the movie and would emulate their own version of “Mystery Science Theater,” where they would chat about the movie.

These talks led to many inside jokes and memorable moments.

“It’d be fun to watch again” and to “relive those memories and admire the special effects again,” Loesing said.

Senior Connor Shelton also reflected on the power of reminiscence that “Labyrinth” wields. He said that the movie was a family favorite, and watching it was a bonding experience. “[It’s] one of those rare movies that, you know, me and my family, kind of when we watch it, we just all feel like children,” Shelton said.

For Shelton, one of the most striking elements of the film was Bowie’s role. He said the music itself is enjoyable and unforgettable.

He also cited the importance of Bowie’s performance.

“Every time he’s on screen, it’s just so captivating and hypnotic,” Shelton said.

Senior Grace Stringer mentioned being a fan of Bowie was one of her reasons for enjoying the movie, as well as being a fan of “The Muppet Show” as a child and the memories that are tied to the experience of watching the movie.

Stringer discussed how the movie reminds her of her father, who has passed, and that the movie is symbolic of many important people and experiences from childhood.

“It’s a big nostalgia movie for me …

We used to watch it all the time when I was little … It really is like a comfort

movie to me,” Stringer said.

Stringer also discussed one memory that was especially important to her, describing an unenjoyable summer camp trip. The trip to Colorado caused her to experience altitude sickness.

She told the story of how she wrote to her parents, discussing her wish to be home and watch “Labyrinth” with them.

“That was what we did, the first thing I did when I came back. We all came together and we watched ‘Labyrinth,’ even though my parents had seen it a million times. But they didn’t mind watching it with me again …

It’s just like a broughtus-all-together sort of thing,” said Stringer.

For Stringer, however, the importance of “Labyrinth” goes even beyond her personal family as more people become aware of it.

Although the movie originally catered to a very specific audience, it is becoming more well-known.

“I think it’s kinda cool that it’s becoming a bit more popular … It was a … diamond in the rough that no one really knew about ‘cause it’s also, like, a little weird, but you know, I think a lot of people are embracing being weird more,” Stringer said.

I, too, am a huge fan of “Labyrinth,” and I admire it for all of the reasons mentioned above. For me, “Labyrinth” means family.

My siblings all grew up in the 80s, and for decades my family has been quoting lines back and forth at the dinner table of family gatherings or while chatting about life. From the time I was eight, I

learned to perfect the caterpillar’s accent. I know exactly what someone means when they claim that a particularly unpleasant smell is reminiscent of “the bog of eternal

stench.” At any time, I am prepared to launch into song whenever anyone in my family states, “You remind me of the babe.”

In the past few years, my family has undergone many changes and struggles, but I knew immediately that we would always be held together by a special bond when my cousin tagged me in a post about a “Labyrinth” themed rug.

As the characters of “Labyrinth” and the people you enjoy watching it with, would say, we’ll always be there “Should you need us.”

10

The Index

Jamming with Jack

“DONDA IS UNINSPIRED AND DOWNRIGHT LAZY” JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer Kanye West is a man that elicits strong emotions from just about anyone remotely in touch with popular culture. Heralded by some as a musical genius and virtuoso, to others, he is a symbol of celebrity arrogance and controversy. While others view him as an Icarus figure that fell from rap superstardom to wearing the infamous red hat. West has no problem with controversy, seeming, at times, to revel in it. In recent years, the spectacle and hype surrounding West has seemed to overshadow the man himself. His recent shift toward Christian themes in his music has alienated some listeners and drawn in new ones.

Kanye West’s new album, “Donda,” is named after his late mother. Plagued by delays and constant rewrites, with three live listening sessions and three different versions of the same album, “Donda” disappoints. The album feels more appropriate as a rough draft, with 27 tracks clocking in at one hour and 48 minutes. Four of the songs are merely remixes of songs that appear earlier on the album.

Some listeners had high hopes and expectations for the album. After witnessing West’s apparent shift toward Christian music, many were interested to see how his lyrical themes would deal with his well-documented past. Everyone loves a redemption story, and many were looking forward to hearing how West’s faith changed his life. The opening track, “Donda Chant,” features a woman chanting the name of West’s mother, allegedly to the tune of her heartbeat as she passed away. The swirling rumors gave the expectation that the album would be rich in lyrical content, with Donda West serving as the unifying theme.

Instead, “Donda” is a bloated and uninspired album from Kanye West. The album seems to contribute more to the overall spectacle of Kanye West than being a good album. The constant delays and thirst for controversy are classic Kanye. The album features collaborations with Marilyn Manson, who has multiple sexual assault allegations against him, and DaBaby, who has come under fire for homophobic comments. In an album dedicated to one of the most influential women in his life, West’s inclusion of these collaborations diminishes the impression that the album is dedicated to his mother.

Furthermore, it simply seems like a controversial move just for controversy’s sake. The album also feels like a draft of what should be a final product, feeling unfinished and uninspired.

The album does have some positive moments. “Hurricane” is a beautiful song, with the Weeknd absolutely killing his part. “Jail” has an anthemic, arena-filling sound as well as a guest appearance from Jay-Z. However, these are the only high points of the album. In fact, the highest points on the album come from West’s many collaborators, showing a ‘Ye in decline.

“Donda” is uninspired at best and downright lazy at worst. One or two of the songs on the album may achieve radio airplay, but it is unlikely that any of them will become classics. Kanye West seems to be intent on making himself a larger-than-life figure, more myth than man. “Donda” contributes to this, not because of its greatness, but because of its perfect illustration of the man that wrote it: a once-great artist that succumbed to the pressures of fortune and fame to become an uninspired figure that is not taken seriously. If you are thinking of listening to “Donda,” do yourself a favor and don’t.

Send music review suggestions to jlr2323@truman.edu.

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

What brought you to Truman?

Nicole Dorn, junior

Caitlin Mueller, senior

“Definitely the academics, I know they have good academics, and it’s really good for my major, biology. They have a really good biology program. I got recruited to play basketball and so I fell in love with the basketball team. I wanted to come here. I originally just met my team but I fell in love with them, they’re all just nice. It definitely has [met my expectations]. All my teachers are super nice and I love the small class feel and my team and I just keep growing closer so it’s been awesome to be here.”

“Financial aid [brought me to Truman], and I liked the history department, even though I hadn’t declared history yet as a major. We went to a new major seminar thing and I met some of the people there and talked to some of the professors and I just thought it would be a good fit. I liked the wide range of electives and how each professor has their own specialty, which I think that’s not necessarily common to Truman, just how specialized each one is and the extensive research professors have done. I had a professor two semesters ago who had written a book and so that was just really interesting and I know several of them have on their specialized topic, which that’s not something I knew about them [at the time], but in growing with it, I was right about the history department.”

Battleground of Clumsy Thoughts

You know how when you’re taking a test, Your hand pressing knowledge into the page So hard it aches, And no matter how you’ve studied, Reading, rereading, taking notes, flash cards, So many back-of-the-book quizzes You’re buzzed, half-drunk on your own wisdom, And still your palms sweat?

And you’re sitting there, leg tapping, twisting locks of hair, Hand resting on the page for bubble-filling balance, And the paper crinkles, dimples.

It’s just a wrinkle or two, a paper pockmark, A hideous misconfiguration of adolescent memorization, The scent of your fear left behind.

And the astute, well-trained nose of your professor Smells it a mile away.

SAVANNAH KLEUSNER Staff Writer

The smooth white of paper, untarnished with clumsy thoughts, Becomes a battleground strewn with half-formed connections and theses, Halting, stuttering with pencil marks, The shaking poor penmanship of exhausted muscles Gouging paper-thin skin, intelligence bleeding out In the form of erasures, silvery grey scars of revised thoughts The only trace of your ineptitude left behind.

I haven’t taken a true test in two years.

Thank God, I’m an English major.

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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ATHLETE o f t h e w e e k

Jaylen Jefferson, senior, is from St. Louis, Missouri. Jefferson was first team all-GLVC for special teams last season, an honor bestowed upon the best special teams players in the conference. Jefferson has 359 return yards with two kickoff return touchdowns so far this season. His longest return was 96 yards, and the senior will look to continue his stellar season this weekend against Lindenwood University.

Jaylen Jefferson

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The Index

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

Swim Teams Get Their Feet Wet Before The Season STEVEN FINDLEY JR. SPORTS EDITOR The Truman State University swim teams participated in their Alumni Meet and their Intrasquad Meet this past weekend.

Because of COVID-19, the Alumni Meet was cancelled last year.

Jerod Simek, head coach for both teams, is entering his sixth year at Truman. Simek elaborated on what the Alumni Meet entails.

“The alumni that just graduated usually like to come back and visit the program,” Simek said. “This is an opportunity for current underclassmen to meet some great alumni.”

Simek said this is a relaxed meet, where the alumni choose events to participate in for the night.

Something that was missing from the Natatorium last year was fan attendance. With COVID-19 regulations, fans were not allowed to attend meets last season.

“This year, the stands will be open for fans. Since it is indoors, people will have to be masked up in attendance,” Simek said.

Simek said the parental support for the team is strong and their return to the stands will energize the Natatorium this year.

Simek said he is looking forward to seeing his swimmers implement their off-season work ahead of the season.

“One of the things we really wanted to emphasize is turn work. We want to hit these turns with energy and not coast into them,” Simek said.

Simek followed up with some season goals, which include sending more swimmers to nationals and having overall team finishes in the upper half of the conference.

Senior Emma Brabham is the only returning swimmer who made nationals the previous season and is serving as captain for the women’s team.

“I am a lead by example type of leader,” Brabham said. “I try to be someone that the younger members of the team can look up to.”

Brabham placed 26th at nationals last year and the senior said she maintained her work ethic in the off-season with her club team.

“I am a lead by example Getting to nationals is no small feat, but Brabham said she has no intention of backing type of leader, I try to down from her goals this season. be someone that the “My personal goal is to break the school record for 100 meter backstroke,” Brabham said. younger members of the “I’m about half a second off currently, which is team can look up to.” still a bit of a gap for a swimmer to make up.”

For Brabham, the Alumni Meet is great for seeing former swimmers and to get back into a -Emma Brabham, racing mode for the season.

Senior Connor Neils said he was also excited Senior Swimmer for the Alumni Meet and said that it is always his favorite part of the season.

“One of the things I love about this team is how close we are,” Neils said. “Every year we form a tight-knit group, and that extends into those who have graduated.”

Team practices started on schedule this year compared to last, and Neils said this was a benefit for the team.

Neils said, last year, COVID-19 affected his mid-season training for the conference meet which forced him to miss 10 days of practice leading up to the conference meet.

“My main goal this year is to make it to nationals,” Neils said. “Last year was a setback for me, but this year I’m looking forward to swimming my best.”

The swim teams will travel to the Show Me Showdown in Columbia, Missouri, Oct. 1 for their first official action.

COVID| Players see fewer COVID-19 restrictions than last season Continued from page 16 With fewer COVID-19 restrictions, unvaccinated athletes continue to get tested for COVID-19, and everyone is still required to wear masks indoors.

Because of last year’s COVID-19 restrictions, the team could not have any spectators attend meets. However, with new COVID-19 guidelines in place, fans can return to the stands this upcoming season.

“As far as guidelines for spectators, fans will have to be wearing a mask and social distance accordingly,” Simek said.

Outdoor sports have fewer COVID-19 restrictions than indoor sports.

Mike Cannon, head coach of the women’s soccer team, says the team is more relaxed and prepared for this season.

“We’ve had no complaints during practice this year. The players and coaches aren’t wearing masks “The team definitely anymore on the field, everyone seems more comfortnoticed a missing able, and that seems to be sense of collectiveness the biggest difference from last year,” Cannon said. during COVID, and As far as dealing with they’ve understood the COVID-19 this year, Cannon says the teams have takimportance of getting en the correct precautions, that back.” were able to learn from last year and aren’t too concerned about the threat of a -Jerod Simek team outbreak. said his goals Head Coach forCannon the season were to win the conference title, win the tournament and stay healthy.

The next time we can see women’s soccer in action is Oct. 1, at home, kicking off at 2:30 p.m.

According to the Truman Athletics site, ​​all fans will be permitted to attend all outdoor sporting events without face coverings,

Redshirt freshman Izzy Fultz rears back on a throw-in. Masks are not required outside during games. Photo by Oliver Malone but are asked to continue to follow social distancing. Fans attending home indoor athletic events will be required to wear masks, regardless of their vaccination status. According to the website, along with wearing face coverings at indoor sporting events, fans will also be asked to remain socially distanced.

The swim team will also be in action Oct. 1 at their first meet in Columbia, Missouri.

Senior Ellie Kaat springs up to the ball for an attempted spike. This season, masks are not required for indoor competition. Photo by Oliver Malone

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

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Showgirls return to dazzle Stokes Stadium viduals on and off the field, the allure for other girls to become part of the team is strong.

Freshman Cynthia Willcox hails from Kirksville, The Truman State University Showgirls dance team and said she has had dreams of becoming a Showhas been honing their skills behind the scenes despite girl member since her childhood days.

“I grew up going to Truman games since the restrictions they faced during this pandemic.

I was five,” Willcox said.

Senior Olivia Catlin has been “I’ve always been ina member of the Showgirls for all spired to try out for the four years of her college career, “This program has team ever since.” and was appointed as captain for helped me form some of Willcox went the team this year. through this sea“It has been one of the most rethe closest friendships son’s virtual tryout warding things I’ve taken on in my process, she said beI’ve ever had.” career,” Catlin said. “I’m so lucky ing able to re-record to lead a team that works so hard.” helped produce her COVID-19 caused dance teams to adapt their normal tra-Olivia Catlin, best audition for the team. ditions, but they found alternate Senior Showgirl Willcox said meeting ways to recruit new members. the team for the first time was Tryouts this year were coma nerve-racking experience. pletely virtual, and potential new “I am thankful that they welcomed me in dancers were tasked with submitting videos ranging and have become like my sisters already,” from dance routines to personal introductions.

“During a normal year, we’d be able to travel Willcox said.

Sept. 18 was the first “normal” and recruit from various places,” Catlin said. “Our social media was critical to sharing information home football game since Nov. 2, 2019, as Stokes Stadium was roarabout the team.”

The senior captain specified that typically the ing with a full crowd.

The Showgirls returned to team likes to retain between 10 and 15 members, and normally between two and three new members the field after their hiatus from Stokes Stadium, and join each year.

Catlin expressed how the tryout process proved performed with the band to be a challenge for those wanting to join, but also during halftime.

“I’m so incredibly said that the reward of joining the team was worth it.

“This program has helped me form some of the proud of the team at this past Saturday’s game,” closest friendships I’ve ever had,” Catlin said. crowd Catlin also said the performance aspect of being Catlin said. “Keeping the on the team and the thrill of taking the field during entertained and supporting the football team are our top goals, and I strongly feel that halftime are also rewarding.

Showgirls’ advisor Joyce Carnes has served as ad- we accomplished both of those goals.”

The Showgirls will return to Stokes Stadium viser to the Showgirls for three years while maintainOct. 2 for a Family Day matchup against Lindening her position on the University admissions staff.

“Watching the girls come together as a team is wood University. great, but watching them also participate in other organizations and bettering themselves as people is truly special,” Carnes said.

Because they’re such a tight-knit group of indiSTEVEN FINDLEY JR. Sports Editor

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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2021

BULLDOGS SURVIVE THRILLING GAME ANDREW HOLDER Staff Writer The Truman State University football team returns home this weekend for Family Day to play Lindenwood University. The Bulldogs are coming off of a big away win against Tiffin University, the 16th ranked Div. II football program in the country according to the latest American Football Coaches Association poll.

The game started out bleak for the Bulldogs with Tiffin scoring on four of their first five drives during the game. Going into halftime Truman was facing a double-digit deficit, down 28-17 as quarterback Nick Watson and the Tiffin offense put on a performance nothing short of clinical.

Even Truman fan Chuck Nichols noted the need for Truman to flip a switch following the first half.

“The defense needed to step up and the offense needed to start making plays for us to win the game,” Nichols said.

Head coach Gregg Nesbitt echoed this sentiment, saying that the defense needed to find a way to limit the aerial attack of the Tiffin offense and Watson. Watson threw four touchdowns in the first half.

However, something clicked on defense and those four touchdowns he threw for in the first half would be the only ones he had all game. N e s bitt attributed this to the fight of the Truman defense.

“We had no answer for [Watson] in the first half,” Nesbitt said. “At halftime we talked about getting “If we win this week back to the basics and fundamentals.

We had to find something to get him against Lindenwood, I off his rhythm.” think the nation should Nesbitt continued, mentioning the pressure defensive lineman Peywatch out.” ton Carr got on Watson in the third quarter that got Watson rattled for -Chuck Nichols, the remainder of the game.

“I thought that play broke his Bulldogs Fan rhythm … sometimes quarterbacks can get back into it and sometimes they can’t; so once we got him out, we seemed to pick up our aggressiveness and confidence,” Nesbitt said.

Senior defensive lineman Michael Neisler also referenced some shifts Truman made on defense, such as dropping another man into the secondary and converting to a three-man rush for the majority of the second half.

This adjustment was made to take away options for Watson and prevent the risk of the deep ball that was gashing the Truman defense for the majority of the first half.

For Nesbitt, he said it is all about managing the stress that comes with the game and the environment.

“The big thing is not adding stress on game day, you already have enough stress from the competition, especially if things are not going as well early on,” Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt also said it’s all about trying to cheerlead, and helping his players maintain confidence and remain persistent.

Tiffin scored at the start of the third quarter to make the score 35-17, but Truman went on to come back in the game and only allowed Tiffin to go for a total of 27 yards in the final five drives of the game.

Following this victory, Truman progressed to 4-0 on the season. How-

ever, neither players nor the coaches are ready to celebrate.

“You don’t want to shy away from big picture goals whether it’s conference championships or national playoffs,” Nesbitt said. “With where we’re at with our culture right now … we aim small, miss small. If we want to have a good season we have to have a lot of good todays, and the surest way to improve is to focus on today and improve from yesterday.”

Neisler and offensive lineman Jon Saxbury reflected the attitude of their head coach, emphasizing the importance of treating every game as an attempt to go 1-0 on the season and not 5-0 which they will be shooting for this weekend.

This innate desire to improve week in and week out does not take away from the excitement fans have about the rest of the season.

“If we win this week against Lindenwood, I think the nation should watch out,” said Nichols. “I think that winning our conference would be a good goal to have this year and we’ll see what happens from there.”

It is worth noting that the Bulldogs began their 2019 campaign in a similar way, starting 5-0, getting knocked off by Lindenwood in the sixth week of the season following a series of dominant victories.

Nichols mentioned that a victory against Lindenwood would serve as revenge for the derailing of the Bulldogs season two years ago, a chance to rewrite history.

The performances of the Truman football team over the past couple years have also served as a catalyst for increased school spirit.

“It’s great for school pride and I know we’re small but we had a great community for the first game and I think we’re 4-0, so we should be able to build a community around this team and get a big win this week,” Nichols said.

Nichols expects Truman fans to show out en masse on Saturday to support the home team in their bid for a 5-0 record on the season against Lindenwood University.

The game will begin at 6 p.m. at Stokes Stadium and will also be streamed on the GLVC network and 88.7 KTRM.

The offensive line prepares for the next snap. Truman allowed two sacks against Tiffin University. Photo by Oliver Malone

Players cope with COVID-19 regulations CORY PRICE Staff Writer Truman State University athletic teams’ schedules suffered from cancellation because of COVID-19 last year. This season players have seen a somewhat return to normal, however teams are still being required to follow some COVID-19 safety precautions.

The NCAA released a document of regulations for the resocialization of collegiate sports for fall 2021 training and competitions.

According to this document, all players must wear a mask during team travel and other athletic activities. Social distancing must be maintained during team meetings and other athletic activities.

Players who are unvaccinated cannot participate in team training or competition until antigen tests are negative. During the competition season, unvaccinated players must continue three-times-a-week antigen testing.

Jerod Simek, head swim coach, said team chemistry is already starting to show improvement compared to last year’s season.

“We had really good team chemistry before COVID started, and last year, with limits in the weight room and having limited practice sizes, we weren’t able to get that. Smaller groups were great for individual attention, but it took away from that team comradery feel,” Simek said.

“The team definitely noticed a missing sense of collectiveness during COVID, and they’ve understood the importance of getting that back,” said Simek.

See COVID page 14

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