The Index Vol. 112 Issue 8

JED Program leads to change at Truman page 6

In search of jobs, hope,

page 7

Local wine bar attracts Truman students, page 8 Bulldog basketball heading to postseason, page 14

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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ADAIR COUNTY LIMITS CONTACT TRACING

Meanwhile, Truman State University continues contact tracing efforts KENNEDY COOPER AND RYAN PIVONEY Staff Writer and Editor-in-Chief The Adair County Health Department has recently transitioned to only contact tracing within households, but Truman State University has continued contact tracing for all close contacts.

The Adair County Health Department has two contact tracers and is refocusing its efforts because of the decrease in COVID-19 cases.

When the Adair County Health Department is notified of a positive case, it investigates the patient’s household contacts. Household contacts live in the same

house or share a bathroom, kitchen or living space.

After determining who a person’s household contacts are, the Health Department encourages them to quarantine for 10 days. The Health Department also requests that those who test positive ask their other close contacts to quarantine for 10 days.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends that close contacts quarantine for 14 days.

Adair County has changed its strategy because of a decrease in the number of positive COVID-19 cases.

See ADAIR page 3

Truman faculty Campus reflects on demand vaccines pet-friendly hall ANAKIN BUSH Assistant News Editor

Truman State University’s American Association of University Professors chapter and other teachers across Missouri are requesting higher prioritization for the COVID-19 vaccine.

Missouri’s current COVID vaccination plan has been broken into phases.

Phase 1B Tier two is the current phase, which includes those 65 or older and those with underlying health conditions.

Pre K-12 faculty and staff and those who work in childcare are included in Phase 1B Tier three. Higher education faculty and staff are included in Phase 2.

Truman’s AAUP is requesting Gov. Mike Parson move higher education faculty and staff to Phase 1B Tier three with K-12 faculty and staff.

“For the sake of the students of today and productive citizens of tomorrow, we call upon Governor Parson to address

JENNA MANZELLI Staff Writer Truman State University’s pet-friendly housing in Dobson Hall is nearing the end of its first academic year and has been a success in the eyes of Residence Life staff and residents.

Professor David Gillette lectures ECON 205 Principles of Economics.

Higher education faculty and staff are not eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine yet. Photo by Bidan Yang this clear inequity by placing Higher Education faculty and staff in the same vaccination tier as K-12 teachers and employees,” Truman’s AAUP chapter wrote in an online statement.

See VACCINES page 5

Alumna Rachel Hillman and her fiance Kaleb Wischmeier take their dog on a walk through The Quad. Truman started offering pet-friendly housing in 2020. Photo by Rachel Becker

This new special housing option allowed Truman to reopen one floor of Dobson Hall, which closed for the 2019-20 academic year.

Truman first announced pet-friendly housing last year and Residence Life allocated Dobson Hall’s first floor as the location for this community. The policy, application and resource guides related to pet-friendly housing are available via the “Pet-Friendly Housing” link on the Residence Life website.

Some of these policies include paying a non-refundable pet fee of $50 per semester for dogs and $25 for smaller animals like cats, gerbils, hamsters or rabbits, submitting documents such as veterinary records for applications and restrictions on allowed dog breeds.

To reside in pet-friendly housing, pet owners must complete an application and attach all required documents.

See DOBSON page 5

Spring Break brings COVID concern GABRIEL SMITH Staff Writer

Truman State University administration recommends students plan their Spring Break following COVID-19 guidelines. Students are asked to not travel, but there is no regulation on travel. Photo from TMN Archives

VOLUME 112 ISSUE 8 © 2021

On Friday, March 5, many Truman students will be on their way home for the long-awaited Spring Break. In line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s calls for staying home over break, school officials continue to urge students to take health and safety precautions if they decide to travel.

Sara Seifert, director of the Department of Public Safety, is asking students to follow best practices by not attending large social gatherings and protecting their belongings while they are away from campus.

“Just be aware that motor vehicle thefts are on the uptick and the pandem-

ic is causing a lot of people hardships and money issues,” Seifert said.

DPS has published a series of directives and advisories related to keeping individual belongings safe while students and faculty are away from campus. Most practices are common sense, Seifert said, but an extra level of precaution this year could be useful considering the current economic recession.

Seifert said she recommends taking a picture of the serial numbers on electronic devices as a solid last line of defense for students forced to leave personal or valuable items in Kirksville.

See BREAK page 3

The Index

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Admissions changes directions

After bringing in a new director, the department shifts gears MATT FRANK Staff Writer The Truman State University Admissions Office is implementing new projects, such as expanding the marketing of the university’s graduate program.

Truman appointed a new Director of Admissions, Ryan Myzak, who began Nov. 30, 2020, who has been heading these changes. There are several projects that Myzak and the Admissions Office have been working on, such as the marketing for the graduate programs and changing how prospective students learn about Truman during the pandemic.

Myzak has over 10 years of experience in higher education recruitment. His expertise spans from athletics recruitment to traditional undergraduate recruitment and overseeing transfer and articulation admissions.

Myzak’s most recent position was at the American University of Rome as the assistant director of United States admissions operations, which he began March 1, 2020. Because of the pandemic and international lockdown, he returned to the United States.

Myzak also worked at California University of Pennsylvania as the Director of Undergraduate and International Admissions.

Myzak said a professional contact at the Missouri Commission of Community Colleges recommended Truman.

“He said Truman would be a really good fit for me,” Myzak said.

“That’s actually how I came and found Truman. I came here and had an incredible interview experience. I was very impressed with the executive leadership. I’ve worked at schools with very weak executive leadership, and it makes all the difference when you’re trying to institute change.”

Myzak said the Admissions Office is trying to increase enrollment in Truman’s graduate program by targeting students who have finished their undergraduate schooling at other institutions. The marketing of the graduate program used to be done solely by the academic departments. The Admissions Office is now connected to the marketing of the graduate programs.

Myzak said he has also been working on changing how Truman communicates with different marketing strategies. One of the strategies Myzak has been using is drip marketing, which provides drips of information that pushes behavior and activities.

“If we know a prospective student is coming in and they want to be a math major and study abroad, we can talk a little about math and study abroad, and change how we send that message to really meet what the consumer is looking for,” Myzak said. “At the end, there is always a call to action, like ‘Hey, you should come visit us’ or ‘Hey, we have an event.’”

Myzak said he has also been looking at how to change the visiting experience Admissions Director Ryan Myzak during the pandemic. He said he has been was hired in November 2020. He trying to take the typical messages and said he wants to focus on chang- experiences during a college visit and modify them to be done safely. ing marketing strategies.

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Pivoney Managing Editor: Elisabeth Shirk News Editor: Rachel Becker Assistant News Editor: Anakin Bush Features Editor: Erica Lindsay Assistant Features Editor: Genna Tlustos Assistant Opinions Editor: Brittany Morrow Copy Chief: Julie Thomassen Assistant Copy Chief: Brooke Barnes Digital Director: Francesca Valente Assistant Digital Director: Maddie Harris Digital Assistant: Ryan Slaughter Designer: Norah Grojean Podcast Editor: Trevor Grandin Photographers: Emily Collins, Bidan Yang Copy Editors: Olivia Sloan, Gillian Burks, Jessica Robinson, Sami Harris, Leighya McNeely

Staff Writers: Allison Maschhoff, Savannah Kluesner, Ari Klokic, Jack Ratliff, Taylor Herndon, Kennedy Cooper, Jenna Manzelli, Joey Dougherty, Steven Findley Jr. Andrew Holder, Ethan Hewett, August Volton, Matt Frank, Ben Orshiso, Gabriel Smith

Adviser: Don Krause

Sophomore Kit Cork walks on campus amid the snow. The Admissions Office is not only working on freshmen enrollment rates, but retention rate and graduate school enrollment. Photos by Emily Collins One of the ways this has been done is by creating an app that allows prospective students and their families to watch a prerecorded student ambassador giving a tour of the various buildings across campus.

Tyana Lange, vice president for enrollment management and marketing, said part of why Myzak was chosen for the director of admissions position was because of how well he researched the market of Kirksville, Truman and Truman’s competitors. There was a pool of 40 to 50 applicants for the position and four applicants were chosen from that pool to come to campus for an interview.

“One of the things from my point of view that I also found to be incredibly exciting is that every challenge that the University has, he sees as an opportunity,” Lange said. “He understands that we control our own destiny and that we can’t change things overnight, but that we can work towards changing them long term and get to where we need to be.”

02/12 Theft reported at the 600 block of Dodson Street

02/19 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 2200 block of East Normal Avenue

02/13 Fire reported at the 700 block of North John Street

02/19 Vandalism reported at the 300 block of South Franklin Street

02/13 Harassment reported at the 2400 block of South Baltimore Street

02/19 Vandalism reported at the 600 block of North High Street

02/14 Attempted suicide reported at the 30 block of Devlin Place

02/19 Attempted suicide reported at the 200 block of East Porter Street

02/14 Shoplifting reported at the 1000 block of North Osteopathy Street

02/19 Domestic disturbance reported at the 700 block of West Hickory Street

02/14 Runaway reported at the 1400 block of South Boundary Street 02/15 Domestic disturbance reported at the 300 block of East Burton Street 02/16 Theft reported at the 2300 block of South Baltimore Street 02/16 Burglary reported at the 800 block of North Elson Street 02/16 Runaway reported at the 1400 block of South Boundary Street 02/17 Burglary reported at the 700 block of North High Street 02/17 Missing person reported at the 30 block of Devlin Place 02/17 Loud party reported at the 100 block of Valley Forge Drive 02/18 Fraud reported at the 1700 block of East Laharpe Street 02.18 Motor vehicle theft reported 2400 block of East Illinois Street 02/19 Burglary reported at the 900 block of West Locust Street

02/20 Burglary reported at 700 block of West Hickory Street 02/20 Loud party reported at the 400 block of East Jefferson Street 02/20 Loud party reported at the 500 block of East Scott Street 02/20 Runaway reported at the 1100 block of South Jamison Street 02/20 Theft reported at the 1500 block of Don Street 02/20 Theft reported at the 1200 block of East Illinois Street 02/20 Theft reported at the 400 block of West Pierce Street 02/20 Loud party reported at the 500 block of South Davis Street 02/21 Domestic disturbance reported at the 800 block of East Harrison Street 02/21 Runaway reported at the 1100 block of South Jamison Street

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

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ADAIR| Local health department reduces contact tracing scope Continued from page 1 “If you look at our positive cases right now, we’ve seen several things happen,” Jim Lebaron, Adair County Health Department administrator, said. “I would say that our people in isolation right now are probably half of what our high was, as far as people that we had in isolation at one time, and as of [Feb. 16] we’ve got approximately 55 people that are in isolation and so that’s about half of where we were, so that’s really good. The other thing is that we are seeing a decline in the number of people 65 and older that are positive and that’s another good thing.”

As of Friday, Feb. 19, there were 35 active COVID-19 cases in Adair County.

At Truman, Nancy Daley-Moore, assistant professor of health and exercise science, leads the contact tracing process. The group of about 20 people, consisting of volunteers and paid staff, are continuing to do contact tracing outside of just household contacts.

“We are a little different than Adair County because Adair County is just doing households and I talked to Adair County and I was like, ‘We can’t do that,’ so we’re doing household contacts and outside of the household,” Daley-Moore said. “So this includes anybody that you’re not living with is still being contacted at Truman.”

Daley-Moore said Truman will continue contact tracing both within and outside the household because it is still considered the gold standard recommended by the CDC. Daley-Moore said the University also has the means to do the more extensive contact tracing, which is beneficial for the kind of spread occurring at Truman.

“I am concerned as a public health person if we don’t start getting those people, then we’re going to have more spread because I do have data to show people who aren’t household contacts are also testing positive,” Daley-Moore said. “So I think just from a campus safety perspective, we need to do that as long as we can.”

Daley-Moore said the number of cases last week has been lower than in the past, as have the number of contacts for each positive case. This semester, she said most positive cases have about one to three contacts that are traced and contacted.

The number of active cases on Truman’s campus has decreased to 14 cases as of Feb. 23. Contact tracers on campus have usually been investigating cases and close contacts within 24 hours. This efficiency has contributed to the slower spread of COVID-19 on campus.

In the fall semester, Daley-Moore said the University contacted roughly 1,000 people at least once.

If a Truman student tests positive for COVID-19, they are interviewed by the University’s contact tracers. The individual that tests positive is asked if they have been in contact with anyone for 15 minutes and within six feet unmasked. Daley-Moore said if the contact was close to these measures, maybe 11 minutes instead of 15, they will also be contacted.

“We typically contact them every day or every other day to follow up with them, and that’s usually by phone or email, so it involves a lot of just leg work, especially now that we dropped down to the 10-day [quarantine] — and part of being able to do a 10-day quarantine is staying asymptomatic so really trying to get in touch with them is really important,” Daley-Moore said.

The 10-day quarantine is only available for individuals that test positive but are asymptomatic. If any symptoms develop, that individual is required to quarantine the full 14 days. While symptoms typically develop before 10 days, Daley-Moore said it is possible for symptoms to develop on day 14.

Daley-Moore said part of the reason for the move from a 14 to 10-day quarantine is issues with compliance, as well as fewer contact tracers in Adair County, community support for decreased quarantine times and declining rates in the county.

“The local health department has the authority, and so when they went down, I had to go down as well,” Daley-Moore said. “It’s to help with compliance and recognize the burden that quarantine is. And we do have issues with compliance — it’s hard to convince some people to quarantine.”

Daley-Moore said she gets a report about once per

week that someone is not complying with quarantine or is having some difficulty staying isolated.

She said some people prematurely leave quarantine because of a misunderstanding of their release date, while others leave because they grow tired of the process or don’t believe it is real.

“I try not to fault them too much because I understand it’s difficult and people are making these choices, so it’s more of a how can I negotiate with you to quarantine,” Daley-Moore said.

The number of cases and contacts varies each week, which makes scheduling contact tracers more difficult, Daley-Moore said. Truman saw its highest number of cases during the last week of January. Daley-Moore said they had 16 cases reported on a single day that week, which was the most in a single day. She said since then, cases have decreased, so there are some days no cases are reported at all.

Daley-Moore said she has noticed a lot of spread within households from the data gathered from contact tracing. She said this semester, more contacts have been testing positive as well.

Daley-Moore said she is concerned about Spring Break and its potential for spreading the virus after seeing the number of cases the University had after winter break. She said she recommends safe decisionmaking and planning before leaving the University and before returning.

Even though there has been a decrease in cases, residents of Adair County and the Truman community members are still encouraged to remain vigilant and continue to take preventative measures.

Truman students walk to class. Adair County has about 2,302 COVID-19 cases to date and 16 deaths. Photo from TMN Archives

BREAK| Administration asks students to stay cautious on break Continued from page 1 Students should also consider having trusted neighbors check on their place of residence once or twice a day, Seifert said.

Any practice that involves the flow of people in and out of a residence will reduce the risk of crime, Seifert said.

While there are plenty of challenges facing

students on a safety front, taking precautions to slow the spread of COVID-19 over break remains a top priority for Truman’s health officials.

Brenda Higgins, associate vice president for student health and wellness, said although the last two weeks have seen a decrease in reported cases, the possible cause for the decrease could be from lower testing rates.

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Higgins said college students usually only have mild symptoms that could be confused for a common cold or allergies.

“We want to ask students to be as responsible as they possibly can, to think about others as well as themselves,” Higgins said.

Spring Break brings complex challenges to preventing the spread of COVID-19. If students decide to travel against CDC recommendations, Higgins said she advises students to create quarantine arrangements one to two weeks prior to traveling and to get tested upon or before their return to campus.

Higgins said one of the concerns weighing most heavily on faculty is that students are rapidly fatiguing and beginning to stray away from the University’s recommendations.

Concerning Spring Break, Seifert re-emphasized the no travel advisory. Despite this, she said she also recognizes the need for a mental health break.

“Students and faculty are so tired of this, but the more we can adhere to those guidelines, the quicker it will be over,” Higgins said.

Higgins said Truman students and faculty, with the exception of isolated incidents, have dealt with the regulations and mask-wearing guidelines very well.

Higgins also said it’s too early to shift behavior into a more relaxed pre-coronavirus mindset.

“I think telling students ‘Don’t do this’ and ‘Don’t do that’ is not the way to go,” Higgins said. “We also need to recognize what a great job most students are doing.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Stay safe over break As reported on the front page, most of Truman State University’s faculty and staff have not yet been vaccinated for COVID. Simultaneously, most of the decisions surrounding class format in the midst of Kirksville’s notorious winter-advisory warnings have been left on the shoulders of our professors — forcing them to choose between ideal learning conditions and personal safety. So while Truman’s professors continue to be burdened with much of the responsibility and risk of holding in-person classes, they are left unvaccinated and thus, unprotected. As we get closer to Spring Break, the risk of contamination exponentially increases as students plan their vacations, while rarely mindful of the consequences that may befall their educators and community.

There are several faculty members considering moving their in-person classes online for the two weeks after Spring Break, to protect themselves and students from possible contamination.

Given the uncertainty regarding students’ safety precautions, this might be a necessary decision for some at-risk professors. In the face of these extra burdens on our faculty, we, The Index Editorial Board, urge our fellow students to make smart Spring Break decisions to minimize the risk to our professors and community upon return to classes March 6.

We express our support of the Truman faculty getting their

vaccinations sooner rather than later. As Pre K-12 faculty and staff are included in the Phase 1B Tier 3 of vaccine distribution, we support the request by Truman State University’s American Association of University Professors that higher education faculty and staff be given the same prioritization.

With the realities of vaccination distribution in mind, there are some specific actions the student body can take to prevent further spread of the coronavirus.

As for the student body, in order to be mindful and diligent about our week-long break, we suggest students follow the guidelines and advice of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as University health officials, to maximize their efforts. We encourage students to push aside socially glorified risky behaviors — such as large gatherings, parties and binge drinking — in lieu of taking this break to focus on mental health. Truman is an academically challenging university on an average basis — not to mention the stresses of attending college during a global pandemic — so try taking this week off to mentally recharge and recoup. Sleep in, read a book, binge-watch a TV show, explore your creative side or even learn a new skill. Minimizing individual exposure and limiting travel will not only keep you safe but will also help keep our alreadystressed-enough professors from contracting COVID.

Campus changes are concerning GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Assistant Features Editor

Four residence halls at Truman State University are being partially closed for the 2021-22 academic year, leaving only two residence halls completely open.

The closures have been quite a topic of discussion among many of those living in the residence halls. However, it seems like many older students, especially those living off campus, don’t seem to know or care about the residence hall closures.

While it’s easy to see these floor closures as just the latest of many budget cuts, it’s important to stop and think about their impact. These closures are a concerning sign of the more deeply-rooted issues at Truman.

Enrollment has been down for the past four years. From fall 2019 to fall 2020 enrollment fell from 5,213 to 4,655, according to the Fall 2020 Enrollment Report. For the 2017-18 academic year, 6,272 students were enrolled, meaning the fall 2020 enrollment is down over 25% from a mere three years ago. A 25% decrease in three years is not a statistic that can be simply swept under the rug, it’s a significant and concerning trend.

Not only is enrollment down, but more and more programs, resources and buildings are being cut. With budget cut after budget cut, it seems like the University is struggling to stay afloat.

Men’s tennis was cut after the spring 2018 semester. After the spring 2019 semester, the wrestling program was

cut. Dobson was shut down completely for the 2019-2020 academic year. Majors such as Russian, athletic training and interdisciplinary systems have been cut. Early retirement incentives were offered during 2018 to prevent layoffs.

Cutting programs and shutting down areas of buildings by themselves aren’t necessarily red flags. Additionally, it’s hard to tell how many of these issues are because of the pandemic and statewide budget cuts. However, other state colleges aren’t dealing with the drastic enrollment issues that Truman is. For example, the University of MissouriColumbia had an enrollment rate for the fall 2020 semester that was 3.5% higher than the fall 2019 semester.

Missouri State University’s enrollment was up by 0.1% from fall 2019 to fall 2020, not a significant increase but not as worrisome as the decreases seen at Truman.

There are several strategies being employed by the Admissions Office, such as on-campus tours, increased communication with potential students and a test flexible option for students applying to the University. However, it remains to be seen if these strategies will be effective, as many of these were also in place last year.

The residence hall closures lead to important questions for students and administration. Why is enrollment so low? How many more majors and programs are going to be cut? How many more buildings will be closed? What is the future of the University?

While it might be easier for older students to brush off these questions, as a freshman with three more years at Truman, these questions feel important.

These residence hall closures shouldn’t be the hot topic of the week until bigger news comes along, they should be a potential warning sign. While there’s no need to panic or be pessimistic, there is certainly a need to be aware, and there might be a need to be concerned. Right now, the Truman administration needs to be asking themselves: What needs to change?

Campus mental health demands more outreach BRITTANY MORROW Assistant Opinions Editor

It is well known that Truman State University students face mental health issues, and COVID-19 is having an undeniable effect on students’ mentality. While there are multiple efforts to improve campus mental health, one

effort that seems to be lacking is the University’s outreach to students.

Perhaps the biggest efforts in outreach are during Truman Week, but that’s not enough. Occasionally during Truman Week, it is mentioned that the University offers counseling sessions to students and makes the suicide hotline number well known.

This could be enough in a normal time, but in the midst of a pandemic, Truman could be doing more for its students.

Because mental health issues are already so prominent at the University, why is there not more of an outreach to the student body? Generally, the most “outreach” that students get is being randomly selected to take part in a mental health survey. That is not the best form of outreach that can be done if the goal is to educate students on the signs of stress, anxiety

and depression, which are all more common when students generally do not have much free time or many activities to use as an outlet.

Many students are not able to just take a day off for self care and relaxation to prevent a situation from snowballing into a bigger problem, so they continue to overwork themselves and get little choice in what they can do to relax when the time comes.

Professors can be a part of outreach by being required to include mental health information in their syllabi. Mental health is an important issue that should be covered on syllabus day alongside the other important pieces of information faculty are required to give students. Syllabi could include information about campus counseling services and signs of over stressing, anxiety and depression. It would be a good way to start

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outreach.

Truman can also reach out to students through a personalized email or stressing mental health more during Truman Week to show students what depression looks like, as well as emphasizing the importance of awareness to all students. This could make it easier to pinpoint when someone needs help. Reaching out to emergency contacts to make sure that students are doing well from another perspective is another step that could be taken. The University could even do better about informing students of the services that University Counseling Services provides.

Mental health needs to be taken more seriously at Truman, especially when there is a pandemic that is affecting most of the population’s mental health. A good first step is to amp up the outreach.

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5

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

VACCINES| Professors call for vaccines for faculty, staff Continued from page 1 Truman’s AAUP endorsed a petition with seven other universities from Missouri and Kansas to request Gov. Parson move higher education to the priority tier. The petition currently has over 600 signatures.

The petition also requests Kansas higher education faculty and staff be included in Phase 2.

“Seventy-two percent of the nation’s states afford higher-education employees the same vaccination status as preK-12 employees,” the petition states.

AAUP chapter officer Bill Alexander said he thinks it is a gross oversight that higher education is included in Phase two.

He said this is a more considerable oversight for large schools with many students in a class, such as the University of Missouri or Missouri State University.

“These schools have hundreds of people in a classroom,” Alexander said.

“They can’t get back to normal without this type of vaccine.”

Alexander said he is not sure if any change will occur, but he thinks it is worth a shot.

The AAUP has brought about change before. In July, they requested faculty endorsement of measures such as requesting a mask mandate and sanitation protocols.

“It’s got a better shot than doing nothing,” Alexander said. “If we did nothing, we wouldn’t be vaccinated until probably the summer at the earliest.”

Student Government also passed a resolution Feb. 7 calling upon the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Bureau of Immunization to categorize higher education faculty and staff in Phase 1B Tier three.

The resolution also encourages other public universities in Missouri to pass

Professor David Gillette teaches in person. Even in classrooms students and professors are required to stay socially distanced and masked. Photo by Bidan Yang similar resolutions. this resolution to officials at all levels six days,” Murray stated. “If these states Kiren MacLeod, student government of government as well as other public can prioritize vaccinating educators to external affairs committee chair, brought universities across the state, so we hope resume full in-person instruction safely, forward this resolution because the cur- to make sure that other groups work to why can’t Missouri?” rent phase goes against Centers for Dis- advocate on this issue,” MacLeod said.

Five recent Missouri Teachers of the ease Control and Prevention guidelines Jim LeBaron, Adair County Health Year also sent a letter to Randall Wiland there is a lack of explanation.

Department administrator, said Mis- liams, Missouri Department of Health MacLeod said the resolution itself souri is currently not vaccinating any and Senior Services director, asking for does not make a policy change, but it teachers. He has been asked by the state education faculty and staff to be includcalls upon the Missouri Government to to not continue to Phase 1B Tier three ed in the current vaccination tier. change its policy. yet and to wait for the state to move as The letter states that 94.49% of Mis“That being said, we are sending a whole. souri state-funded schools are offering LeBaron said he is unsure why higher in-person learning options. education faculty and staff are not includThree out of the five teachers who ed with pre-K-12 in Phase 1B Tier three. wrote the letter contracted COVID, with “My guess is that transmission with the letter stating that exposure at school students and them living with their fam- was the likely cause. ilies is a factor why higher education is “Twenty-six states are choosing to not listed in this tier,” LeBaron said. vaccinate educators immediately, inThe Missouri National Education As- cluding seven of our eight bordering sociation, a professional teachers asso- states,” the letter states. “Policymakciation, sent a letter to Gov. Parson call- ers and community leaders have asked ing for teachers’ current vaccination, school buildings to be open. Missouri as it will support a return to in-person teachers and support staff are doing teaching. what has been asked of us. We ask that Missouri NEA President Phil Mur- you now do the right thing.” ray states in the letter that teachers in Williams responded in a statement, Missouri have worked hard to continue stating that Missouri is continuing to foteaching students during the COVID cus on senior citizens, healthcare workpandemic. Still, it feels like they are be- ers, first responders and those who have ing neglected. underlying health conditions.

“Arkansas, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky and Nebraska are all currently vaccinating educators, with Oklahoma announcing they will begin doing so in

DOBSON| Residence Life staff, residents reflect on living with pets in Dobson Hall Continued from page 1 Truman’s pet-friendly housing has been flourishing in its first year from the perspective of Residence Life staff, Dobson student advisors and the students who reside there.

“We’re having a number of students express interest in living there without a pet … there are folks that are excited to live in buildings with pets without owning one themselves,” Residence Life Director Jamie Van Boxel said.

Maggie Carlson, a student advisor in Dobson, reported that students have not

had complaints related to pet-ownership thus far.

Carlson is a pet-owner herself and takes care of her cat, Poppy, in her dorm.

“People are really responsible and respectful with their pets, which I really appreciate,” Carlson said.

Currently in pet-friendly housing, there is one small dog, several cats and some smaller animals like rabbits and hamsters, Carlson said. Some residents in Dobson reside without pets, but the majority are pet-owners. Both Emotional Service Animals and pets currently reside in Dobson Hall.

“One of my favorite aspects of our community is our unplanned ‘meetings’ in the hall,” Carlson said. Residents are able to hear Brody in the hall because of his tags, so quite often I’ll open my door to pet him, and half my residents are in their doorways or in the hall petting Brody. Sometimes we are out there for a few minutes and other times it can last over an hour,” Dobson Hall resident Camilla Wilkerson said the floor’s student advisors help to ensure residents are taking care of things such as cleaning litter boxes regularly and disposing of pet waste outside.

Wilkerson said residents often socialize with each other and their pets in the Dobson lounge; her pet rabbit often socializes with other pets in Dobson. Wilkerson said she hopes more students will be interested in Dobson so more people can experience living in a pet-friendly community.

“Having my rabbit with me has definitely made my experience at Truman better,” Wilkerson said. “She has helped me to make so many friends and spending time with her is always something I can look forward to at the end of a long school day.”

The Index

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

JED Program leads to change at Truman Students, faculty reflect on the program’s effect

Vieker, also the director of retention and student success, described various ways the Center for Academic Excellence helped students get through this odd year.

The CAE assisted students last semester by increasing the number of Any Josie Wagner, Anas Alhassani, Anthony Time, Any Student Warnings that were Whalen and Abby Hobold also contributed to sent. Any Time, Any Student Warnings are sent to students by the CAE per this article as contributing writers.

Truman State University has been part their professors’ request when a stuof the JED program, a mental health ad- dent has not been participating in class. vocacy program, since 2017 and will soon These warnings’ language has also been tweaked to allow for a kinder, more welgraduate from it.

University Counseling Services, the Center coming message to be sent to students.

The number of Any Time, Any Student for Academic Success and faculty have been working with the JED committee to work to Warnings sent to students increased last semester, reaching over 700 sent out by Nov. 4. better Truman student’s mental health.

Evonne Bird, instructor in the exercise The spring semester of 2020 saw 559 warnhealth department, is co-chair for Truman’s ings sent and the fall semester of 2019 saw JED Committee said the JED committee had 565 sent. Vieker said that this increase is by done several events since the program started design.

“That has been the idea,” Vieker said, “To in 2017. A Town Hall meeting was held in February 2019 to discuss the results of the make it a little bit easier for faculty to send Healthy Minds Survey sent to the student these and to make it so that when students body. A course offered last semester was “The receive them, they’re maybe a little bit more Science of Happiness,” a course sponsored likely to take action and less to feel like they’re by the JED Committee and taught by Adam in trouble.”

Another service the CAE is providing is Campbell. The “You Matter” campaign is anwalk-in Zoom hours during regular business other JED committee effort.

On Truman’s campus, the JED Cam- hours Monday through Friday. While the pus is one overarching committee with CAE typically provides advising for first-year smaller, more specialized subcommittees students, Vieker said it is also open to supporting upperclassmen. falling under it.

“We’re trying to kind of provide additional Jonathan Vieker, chair of the policies and protocols subcommittee, explained that his support to meet that elevated level of student subcommittee was tasked with looking at stress,” Vieker said.

University Counseling Services has been certain Truman policies in terms of how they faced with an unforeseen semester of meeting could affect mental an increase in demand health. amidst new COVID-19 Vieker said that precautions. the most important Counseling services thing he thinks his were utilized at a higher subcommittee acrate in fall 2020 than the complished was previous year, even with their involvement a shortened semester. in moving the add/ As of Nov. 3, 2020, drop class cutoff date 288 students were profrom week 10 of the vided counseling sersemester to week 12. vices by UCS, with a “Those two projected 50-60 more weeks would be really important in Jonathan Vieker, students added to that total by the end of the fall terms of how you’re subcommittee chair semester, according to doing in a class and UCS Assistant Director whether you might Joe Hamilton. get to drop or change [to] Juniors have been the largest users of councredit/no credit,” Vieker said.

Vieker’s subcommittee is no longer active seling services, with 30.6% of UCS use comor meeting regularly. The JED organization ing from the class. Seniors were the second helped the subcommittee create a list of items largest users of services last semester.

With the increased use of counseling serthat would help benefit student mental health concerning current policies. Vieker said the vices last semester, UCS staff had to adjust to subcommittee took care of the most immedi- take on heavier workloads with fewer counate actionable items first and that some long selors.

Only three-and-a-half counselors were on term items will be completed in an extended staff because of counselor Madeline Nash’s period by other groups.

The JED Committee has talked to several halved hours. This figure is before counselor other schools with JED programs on campus Erin Storm returned from maternity leave.

Temporary counselors have also been about what they are doing. JED hosts online webinars where JED schools can join to dis- brought in part-time to help with the student cuss with a large group of others and receive overflow, yet Hamilton said some students advice. Truman participates in these webinars have gone to outside mental health services to receive help and tips on how to get the most because of the wait times for UCS appointments. out of the JED program.

RACHEL BECKER, ANAKIN BUSH, TREVOR GRANDIN, STEVEN FINDLEY JR. AND ETHAN HEWETT News Editor, Assistant News Editor, Podcast Editor and Staff Writers

“We’re trying to kind of provide additional support to meet that elevated level of student stress.”

Juniors Jordan Baez and Zac Dwyer work on laptops at Pickler Memorial Library.

Professors were asked to push due dates from midnight to earlier in the evening to improve student mental health. Photo by Bidan Yang While UCS has seen an increase in usage and decrease in counselor availability, the quality of counseling has not been affected greatly, senior Emma Kanerva said.

Kanerva has used services provided by UCS since her freshman year and said that her experiences in the fall semester have been slightly different from previous semesters.

The biggest difference last semester was that all of her counsel sessions have been online, Kanerva said. Kanerva also said that she had to switch counselors after her previous counselor of two years moved on to a different job.

Since she has been using services provided by UCS for some time, any wait times or potential hold-ups in having an appointment haven’t been hindered greatly, Kanerva said.

However, Kanerva did recognize that students might be struggling to get in for their first-time appointments.

Despite Kanerva’s experience, some students aren’t able to get what they expected out of UCS. That was the case for senior Kaitlyn Owens.

Owens had been using UCS’s services for six semesters but decided not to use them last semester.

“I just felt I wasn’t receiving enough help from them,” Owens said. “I had been bounced around a lot between counselors and no one seemed quite sure what to do.”

Like Kanerva described, Owens said that she had to switch counselors multiple times due to either preference or one counselor moving away. Retaining counselors seems to be an issue for UCS, Owens said.

Despite the lack of progress with UCS, Owens said that everyone involved was very friendly and willing to help. However, Owens said UCS counselors seem to be more acquainted with mental health issues pertaining to school and less with chronic conditions.

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While her experiences with UCS weren’t particularly helpful for her, Owens did say that she encourages anyone who feels they need some form of counseling to not be afraid to use the resources available to them, including UCS. UCS will still be able to utilize JED resources once Truman graduates from the program. Bird said once Truman graduates from the JED program, the University will still have access to all of JED’s resources. An annual JED survey has to be completed every year post-graduation.

Once Truman reaches JED graduate status, the JED committee will be handing off a lot of their work to the revitalized Wellness Committee. Bird said they will continue some of the JED committee’s work while also starting new projects.

The Wellness Committee will be led by statistics professor Scott Alberts, history professor Kathryn Brammall and Janes Dreamweaver, director of fitness-wellness.

Brammall is currently the Undergraduate Council’s chair and was one of the faculty that called for a dedicated wellness committee.

The committee will include members from student affairs, staff council, faculty and administration.

The committee will not focus entirely on JED. Instead, they will focus on wellness as a whole but will include some of the ideas and initiatives that the JED committee pushed.

Brammall said that she believes the partnership with JED has been a net positive for the University.

“Given the fact that many students defer to faculty, it was important for us to acknowledge that our campus culture was not healthy,” Brammall said. “That we were putting far too much emphasis on a particular kind of success and in doing so, we were encouraging students into unhealthy practices, whether those were physical, mental, economic, financial, whatever the case was. Even though I, a single faculty member, cannot solve the problem myself, we can be part of the solution.”

JED provided professors with information and suggestions on improving harmful habits among students and changing unhealthy campus culture. Brammall said that although she cannot speak for all professors, she thinks that she and her colleagues have made more of an effort to remind students just how important healthy habits are for future success.

Brammall said if she can affect individual students’ mindsets, then she can eventually, more widely, change the campus culture for generations to come.

“Success is not just earning an ‘A’ in class,” Brammall said. “I don’t want to hear [that] five years down the road that a student, who we embraced and we helped, has ended up committing suicide because the stress was just too much. And so if I am going to want success for my students, I want that success to be broad …

I care about my students and that means I care about the whole student.”

life

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

In search of jobs, hope

Navigating a COVID-19 job landscape Planning a career path has become more complicated with COVID-19 changes. However, Truman’s liberal arts education can help students prepare.

Photo from TMN Archives. example, she recommends students begin actively searching in January or February.

There are, however, a few new things Nuhn said the Career Center has emAnyone who has ever been a college senior understands the stress that phasized for job seekers during this pandemic. In resumes and cover letters, comes with the last semester, preparing for graduation and searching for a job. she noted that it might be helpful for applicants to highlight their resiliency, A pandemic and economic recession on top of that have many in the class of time management and ability to work remotely.

“If you can prove that you have a track record of doing that successfully, 2021 wondering how they’re supposed to find a job right now.

According to the Household Pulse Survey conducted by the United States that’s going to make you a much better candidate than someone that’s maybe Census Bureau in conjunction with other federal agencies in 2020, young been out of the world of work for years, who is not as comfortable with maadults living alone — specifically, 18 to 29-year-olds and 30 to 44-year-olds neuvering through remote work or utilizing platforms and tools like we are — have reported significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression than right now,” Nuhn said during a Zoom interview.

Nuhn said focussing on those transferable skills is extremely valuable. She older adults.

“It’s hard for people not to have additional stress right now,” Jenni Nuhn, noted that while technology or cybersecurity are some of the easiest fields in Career Center assistant director, said. “The upside of my job is helping some- which to find jobs right now, one doesn’t necessarily need to have a technological major to find a job in those fields. one think through alternative ways to work through something.”

Positions in Marketing, Public Relations and Human ReNuhn said the Career Center often sees an influx of sesources, for example, can be found within any field. In this niors during the spring semester before graduation. She explained that many of these seniors come in without any idea “There’s definitely hope. way, Nuhn said, people with communication, English or art majors could also be valuable at a technology company. of what they’re going to do after graduation.

Associate Provost Kevin Minch echoed Nuhn’s sentiNuhn said seniors this year, however, seem to be in a less The reality is that in ment, noting that he thinks Truman students in any major stressful position than the class of 2020.

“This group of graduating seniors have had an opportu- a liberal arts environ- can succeed in the fastest-growing fields right now, which include healthcare, technology and sales. nity to let the job market sort of settle in and organizations Part of Minch’s job is to develop academic programs, figure out how to do things virtually and to make changes to ment, majors are really particularly graduate and online programs based on data and their business to make it work more efficiently,” Nuhn said.

Despite being in a less stressful position, Nuhn explained important, but so are inferences about job trends.

He said software company Burning Glass Technologies that there is usually an uptick in stress surrounding the Career Expo, which is being held today in a virtual format. She the skills that you are mines data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System which collects enrollment data from colleges said networking is already a generally uncomfortable thing to do, but there is added pressure with COVID-19 and find- learning across those across the country, and merges it with information from sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics and job posting a job as a new graduate. ings on the internet to make inferences about job trends.

David Shah, a student worker at the Career Center, is different disciplines.”

Right now, Minch said these trend lines run all the way out among the seniors set to graduate this spring. Shah is also an to 2028. international student from Nepal, but he is currently search“What we’re seeing is … there are certain jobs that are ing for a job in the United States. emerging important, but honestly, they were already Shah said one effect the pandemic has had on his job Kevin Minch, emerging asasimportant,” Minch said. search is his awareness and openness to remote work. He Associate Provost While jobs in healthcare, technology and sales are among said before the pandemic, during his junior year, he considthe fastest growing right now, Minch explained that they ered moving to Texas or Colorado for the job opportunities were leading before the pandemic as well. in his field of business finance.

In addition to tracking high-demand jobs and job fields, Minch also looks “But now, since we are in Kirksville … It’s very cheap, so if some company gives me the opportunity to work remotely and still live here, I would choose into what the most desirable skills are within job postings.

“Every time I do a search related to skills, the topics that come up the most that option,” Shah said.

Nuhn noted that even before the pandemic, workers began to show more often as desired skills are communication, team building, budgeting, project interest in work-life balance, so opportunities like remote work were already management and critical thinking,” Minch said. “You get those in all liberal arts majors.” gaining popularity, but the pandemic propelled that trend.

In fact, Minch noted, every program that Truman currently offers is showThe Career Center has been following these work-environment trends for the past couple years, Nuhn explained, and much of the advice she and other ing a positive growth rate for jobs through 2028.

While not all of these programs are expecting huge growth — some proCareer Center employees give to students now isn’t different than advice givgrams’ growth rates are only within the one to two percent range — Minch en before the pandemic.

“We talk a lot about transferable skills and that’s the backbone of our of- said the key takeaway is that there will be job growth coming out of this curfice, so that message hasn’t changed,” Nuhn said. “It’s even more valuable rent economic slump.

“There’s definitely hope,” Minch said. “The reality is that in a liberal arts now with COVID.” Additionally, Nuhn said the Career Center still recommends that seniors environment, majors are really important, but so are the skills that you are begin their job searches early. If they are looking to have a job in May, for learning across those different disciplines.”

ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor

Sophomore Julianne Amato works on a laptop. Students can access Career Center resources online at career.truman.edu. Photo by Bidan Young VOLUME 112

ISSUE 8

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7

The Index

8

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Wine on Washington Local wine bar attracts Truman students with mature, laid back atmosphere GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Assistant Features Editor With simple and classy decor, lots of seating and occasional live musicians, Wine on Washington presents a cozy and warm atmosphere to drink coffee with friends in the morning and afternoon or wine in the evening.

The wine bar now features a coffee shop that is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, where they serve lattes, boba tea and pastries.

Owner Donna Brown is a certified event planner by trade. She and her husband started a wedding planning business 15 years ago with the intention of eventually incorporating a wine bar into their business. A year and a half ago, they decided to make the intention a reality.

The space, located on 107 W. Washington Street on Kirksville’s Square, started as an event center available to be rented for receptions, bridal showers or other events. The wine bar opened New Year’s Eve 2019. Brown said the wine bar had great reception and support from the community and was busy every weekend until COVID-19 caused it to close for five weeks.

“Five weeks we had to struggle and figure out what we’re going to do to keep our bills paid here,” Brown said. “We had to get creative, so we sold a homemade wine cocktail to go in mason jars. The sangria mix that we made we sold every week … and that kept our bills paid.”

Brown said it took a while for customers to feel safe coming in after those five weeks, and she wasn’t sure business would pick back up.

However, people started coming more often, and wine specials were resumed at the wine bar. Live musicians also started to fill the air with lively beats again. play again.

Brown, a Kirksville local, said for the 23 years she’s lived in the area the location was a coffee shop of some sort until she bought it.

Local community members kept asking if the restaurant served coffee or if it would ever be a possibility. Brown said serving coffee in addition to wine was part of the plan all along but COVID-19 did not allow her to make that plan possible until recently.

Gabrielle Reed, a Wine on Washington regular, said the coffee bar was able to fill the void the last coffee shop left in Kirksville when it closed down. The location is a nice escape from Kirksville sometimes, Reed said.

The coffee bar became available Dec. 8, 2020. Brown said the decision to expand to in-

A.T. Still University students play a game at Wine on Washington. The students described the place as chill and versatile. Photos

by Genevieve Tlustos.

clude coffee during December was because of she appreciates how the coffee is not as exslower business since students were on break, pensive as some mainstream coffee shops. so there was more time to train staff.

While students have been the main demo“So we just kind of jumped into it and graphic for the coffee shop, customers are typilearned about how to run cally older students or other a coffee shop during the local community members month of December,” “It’s way better be- during the evenings.

Brown said. “Then, stuBrown said she thinks dents started slowly com- cause it’s chill com- Wine on Washington would ing back in, Truman State pared to other places be a great place for Truman University and medical students over 21 years old students, and so that’s in town, so if you want to come drink wine, hang been our base. Our cusout and listen to live music. tomer base has been the a quiet evening, this is She also appreciates student population.” younger students coming the place to go.”

Crystal Eschbach, A.T. in during the coffee hours, Still University student and but it’s important that they Wine on Washington reguTyler Eschbach, buy something and support lar, said she enjoys coming the business.

Customer It’s been an issue that to the coffee bar and studying in addition to coming students will either bring in the evenings. She said their own food or buy nothing while studying at the location for many hours at a time, Brown said. While she said she knows Wine on Washington is a great place to study, it’s important that the business makes money, otherwise it might not survive.

Eschbach said she went to the wine bar with friends about once a week last semester. She said she likes Wine on Washington because there is more space, and it is quieter than other bars in town.

“I like it too because it’s good for a oneon-one date night or a friend group playing games,” Eschbach said. “It’s very versatile.”

Eschbach said she likes to go with friends on live music nights as there is a variety of musicians. She said they’ve had fun every night they’ve gone, regardless of the music.

There are also a variety of events. Upcoming events include “Wags and Wine Night”, The exterior of Wine on Washington on the Kirksville Square. The wine bar has been where customers can bring their dogs, and a mediumship demonstration. in business for almost a year and a half.

TOP [5]

by Jack Ratliff, Kirksville explorer

Kirksville Spring Break Ideas

Spring Break in college is stereotypically seen as one of the big events of the school year, with massive parties, copious amounts of alcohol consumed and lifelong memories. Last Spring Break, we went our separate ways and were overjoyed when we thought we would get our break extended by a week. It goes without saying that a lot has changed since last year’s Spring Break, and as a result, this Spring Break will likely look very different because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Here are some safe activities for you to do if you choose to stay in Kirksville for the break.

5. Hike at Thousand Hills State Park There are few better places to unwind than the great outdoors. After long months obsessing over deadlines, page lengths and the dreaded Times New Roman 12-point font, it is refreshing to escape to a place where the world just seems to slow down. Take some friends with you, or take in the scenery by yourself as you explore this beautiful local state park.

“It’s way better because it’s chill compared to other places in town, so if you want a quiet evening, this is the place to go,” Tyler Eschbach, A.T. Still student and Wine on Washington regular, said.

On average, Crystal Eschbach and her friends stay about three hours and have almost always been able to find enough seating.

Brown hopes that once it is safer for more people to congregate and go places, more of the community will come to the wine bar, and it will be full of people. While the wine bar has had plenty of business, she wants it to grow and be more successful by raising awareness.

“We just want people to know we’re here,” Brown said. “I think once students are on campus, they don’t go off the campus very much, so people may just not know we are here.”

The interior of Wine on Washington is calming and well decorated. The business recently expanded its menu to include coffee.

3. Explore the Truman Campus with a Friend After a certain point in your college career, most of your classes will likely be in just a few buildings. There are some you might never set foot in during your time here, so try to spend one day wandering through the halls of buildings around campus. Go see the reptiles in Magruder or the gallery of Ophelia Parrish. Watch the sunset from a campus bridge in McClain or Pershing.

Try to get lost in some of the twists and turns in the buildings, and enjoy yourself!

2. Activities on the Quad The possibilities for enjoyment on The Quad are endless. You can toss around a football or Frisbee, play laser tag with your friends — highly recommend — have a picnic, read a book or relax in a hammock. Whether you choose to spend your time on The Quad by yourself or with friends, it is guaranteed that you will have a good time.

4. Support Local Businesses Downtown Kirksville is packed with dozens of small businesses, each offering a diverse blend of wares. Each store boasts items that you are unlikely to find in larger, chain retail stores, such as my treasured Donald Duck keychain from a local flea market. Small businesses have borne the brunt of hardships during the pandemic and it is the least we can do to help keep them afloat. It is easy to spend a day getting lost in the numerous small stores that Kirksville offers. By shopping at small businesses, you are not only filling one of your days off with a fun activity, but you are also supporting fellow Kirksville residents.

1. Relax at Home Do nothing! You’ve constantly been working and worrying, stressing about school. You deserve to spend your break relaxing, not concerned about a thing. Binge watch a show, scroll through Instagram for hours, read a book that isn’t for school, watch the squirrels from your window, stare at the ceiling blankly for hours! Spring Break is for you, so spend it however you like. Sometimes the best way to unwind and relax is to simply stay at home.

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

9

“Judas and the Black Messiah” is an important, impactful exploration of Black history JOEY DOUGHERTY Staff Writer Up-and-coming director Shaka King released “Judas and the Black Messiah” on HBO Max Feb. 12 to critical and popular acclaim. The film could not have been released at a more important time, when the struggles and tribulations of influential activists like Fred Hampton, the “Black Messiah” himself, are as relevant today as they were in the late 1960s.

During Black History Month, we consider those men and women who gave their energy and often their lives for an equality that has yet to be attained.

King’s “Judas and the Black Messiah” exists in homage to Hampton — the struggles he faced day to day and the betrayals he bore from within and without.

The narrative follows Bill O’Neal, a young Black man who hustles cars but, in one particularly daring instance, is caught red-handed sporting a phony badge. Arrested for impersonating a police officer, O’Neal is brought before FBI Agent Roy Mitchell, who, in place of prison time, makes a counteroffer — infiltrate the revolutionary Black Panther Party and report on the actions of Party Chairman Fred Hampton, all at the behest of Director J. Edgar Hoover.

O’Neal complies, choosing cooperation over almost seven years in a cell.

O’Neal then meets Hampton, a charismatic revolutionary with a penchant

for public speaking and dreams of a socialist society where men and women of all colors are treated equally. The film largely follows Hampton through O’Neal’s eyes as O’Neal grows closer with the party chairman and his compatriots and more reluctant to collude with the FBI — a conflict appropriately dubbed as a battle for O’Neal’s soul.

Also brought to the fore is Hampton’s relationship with Deborah Johnson, a new recruit he quickly falls for. When Johnson becomes pregnant, Hampton must decide how much he’s willing to risk for his dreams. This relationship serves to flesh out Hampton’s character beyond his existence as the face of a revolution.

While the central drama between O’Neal and Hampton works for the most part, there are some problems concerning its pacing. For much of the film’s runtime, O’Neal seems absolutely committed to whichever side he is on in the particular moment. When he’s with Hampton and the other Panthers, he unfailingly echoes their cries for justice. When he’s reporting back to Mitchell and, ultimately, Director Hoover, he surrenders whatever information is requested of him. While it is understood that much of the conflict surrounding O’Neal is internal, a level of explicitness would have been appreciated. It is only in the film’s final third or so that O’Neal shows remorse, making it difficult to sympathize with him as it was

so easy to condemn his actions for the majority of the film.

These pacing problems do not carry over to LaKeith Stanfield’s acting, however. Stanfield consistently plays O’Neal as the character’s been written — a sordid double agent who ultimately sympathizes with the cause he was forced to infiltrate and help undermine. When remorse is required of him, Stanfield brings that remorse with tangible force.

He provides a performance that gives one pause, inviting them to consider the heft of the situation.

Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton is likewise stellar, embodying the revolutionary’s distinct personality and mannerisms with ease. Hampton’s many speeches throughout the film are made more powerful through Kaluuya’s portrayal of a character who never cracks under the pressure of his influential movement. Witnessing Hampton deliver a speech to his Rainbow Coalition — a multicultural alliance encompassing numerous previously separate organizations — was enthralling and dramatic, especially in a crowd where an individual would just as likely sport a Confederate flag as they would a raised fist.

Finally, Jesse Plemons delivers another strong performance as Roy Mitchell, the almost sympathetic but ultimately complacent FBI agent responsible for overseeing O’Neal’s infiltration of the BPP. He is essentially the embodiment

of what Martin Luther King Jr. described in his Letter from Birmingham Jail as the “white moderate,” someone “who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice,” whose “[l]ukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.” In so many of his roles, Plemons brings an aura of awkwardness that elicits an almost overbearing sensation of unease. He manages to be threatening but not provoking, striking this balance by way of a particularly unnerving mildness.

That aura is in full swing here.

“Judas and the Black Messiah” is a brutal but important film. King provides an angle of history that so many know little to nothing about. Before watching this film, many could not have told you who Fred Hampton was or what the Rainbow Coalition represented. Before watching this film, many knew nothing of the FBI’s corruption in the late 60s or of Director Hoover’s vendetta against Black revolutionaries. In these ways, King’s film works doubly as a reenactment of a significant movement in American history and as an exposé of the American institution that tried to and effectively succeeded in smothering it. Although there are some problems with the execution of its character-to-character drama, “Judas and the Black Messiah” knows the importance of its message and provides a ruthless portrayal of timelessly relevant events.

LaKeith Stanfield and Jesse Plemons star as Bill O’Neal and Roy Mitchell, respectively. In the movie, Mitchell oversees O’Neal’s infiltration. Photo by Warner Bros. Media

No lemon, no melon ALLISON MASCHHOFF Staff Writer You know how some people have things they just really love? Like the guy from “Looking For Alaska” who loves last words or your weird uncle who collects guitars he can’t play? The people who never threw away their baseball card collections and never returned all the rocks they collected from their mom’s front yard?

I’m one of those people — but not about last words or guitars or baseball cards or rocks. I like palindromes. You know, like “a man, a plan, a canal, Panama?” Read that backwards and it still says the same thing. You wouldn’t believe how many cool palindromes there are out there. It’s kind of a rabbit hole once you get into it. Believe it or not, it led to me learning some Latin.

Well, you see, the palindrome rabbit hole led me to the concept of the bilingual palindrome. As far as people know today, there seems to be only one sentence that is sensical in one language going forwards and then in a different language going backward. What’s even better is that the sentences are, like, Shakespeare level — which is how I ended up dating a poet for three months.

You see, this cute guy started coming regularly to the coffee shop I work at, and I really wanted to talk to him, but all he ever did was sit there reading poetry. So, one day, after he caught me watching him and asked if I knew anything about poetry, the only thing that came out of my mouth was—

“Anger? ‘Tis safe never. Bar it! Use love.”

And suddenly, he thought I was a poet who wrote this because he’d never heard it before because the average person doesn’t go around memorizing bilingual palindromes.

So, of course, the next thing my brain jumped to was that “Anger? ‘Tis safe never. Bar it! Use love,” backward is “Evoles ut ira breve nefas sit; regna!”

Which is Latin for “Rise up, in order that your anger may be but a brief madness; control it!”

And when I said that, my credibility as a poet was pretty much solidified in this guy’s mind, his eyes wide with wonder. Plus, I was a barista who knew how to make trendy beverages, so I was basically this guy’s dream girl.

It was a pretty great three months. We went to parks and laid in the sun while he read to me aloud like we were in a Nicholas Sparks movie or “Pretty Woman” or something.

But as the three-month mark rolled around, he started questioning why I didn’t have any new poetry. He didn’t like the idea that someone caught up in a whirlwind romance such as ours would be battling writer’s block. Emotions feed creatives or something like that.

I don’t know, guys, I’m a business major dropout.

Anyway, when I couldn’t hold out anymore, I couldn’t think of any poetry that he wouldn’t recognize and what ended up coming out of my mouth was— “A man. A plan. A canal. Panama.”

So, yeah, that’s the story of how I got picked up by and dumped by a poet, all because of my love of palindromes.

The Index

10

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

In Perspective Narratives from the campus community

How do you plan on relaxing this Spring Break?

Brian Hare, freshman

Ryley Wilson, senior

“Over spring break, I am looking forward to going home to Kansas City and seeing my family and my cat. We don’t plan on doing much, but I want to start a couple projects. I want to learn how to code and I want to practice photography.

I want to go down to the lakes near my house with my brother and take pictures of the lakes at sunset.”

“For spring break, I plan on going home a little early for a doctor’s appointment, and from there going to my grandma’s farm and spending a weekend down there. It is a mile from a road and is quiet and peaceful, and if the weather is nice it will be peaceful. We camp there and can hunt and hike there. Going to Thousand Hills is an easier drive than making the drive down there, but I will have time over break. For the actual week of break, I will hang out with my family and work at my mom’s school.”

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The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

11

SPORTS CALENDAR

Men’s Basketball • • • • •

Vs Rockhurst University at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 Vs Southwest Baptist University at 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 GLVC Conference at TBD Wednesday, March 3 through Sunday, March 7 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at TBD Friday, March 12 through Tuesday, March 16 NCAA Division II Championships at TBD Tuesday, March 23 through Saturday, March 27

Women’s Basketball • • • • •

Vs Rockhurst University at 5:15 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25 Vs Southwest Baptist University at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 GLVC Conference at TBD Wednesday, March 3 through Sunday, March 7 NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at TBD Friday, March 12 through Tuesday, March 16 NCAA Division II Championships at TBD Tuesday, March 23 through Saturday, March 27

Men’s Soccer • • • • • • • •

Vs Missouri University of Science and Technology at 2:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 At Maryville University at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 Vs Lindenwood University at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 5 Vs University of Missouri-St. Louis at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 7 At McKendree University at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 12 At University of Southern Indiana at noon Sunday, March 14 Vs University of Indianapolis at 3:30 p.m. Friday, March 19 Vs Lewis University at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 21

Women’s Soccer • • • • • • • •

Vs Missouri University of Science and Technology at noon Friday, Feb. 26 At Maryville University at noon Sunday, Feb. 28 Vs Lindenwood University at noon Friday, March 5 Vs University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Sunday, March 7 At McKendree University at 5 p.m. Friday, March 12 At University of Southern Indiana at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 14 Vs University of Indianapolis at 1 p.m. Friday, March 19 Vs Lewis University at noon Sunday, March 21

Tennis

• Vs Grand View College at 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 • At Coe College at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 • At Doane University at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20

Golf

Softball • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At Washburn University at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26 Vs University of Central Missouri at Washburn Invitational at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 Vs Wayne State College at Washburn Invitational at 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27 Vs Fort Hays State University at Washburn Invitational at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 Vs Missouri University of Science and Technology at noon Friday, March 12 Vs Missouri University of Science and Technology at 2 p.m. Friday, March 12 At Maryville University at noon Sunday, March 14 At Maryville University at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14 Vs Wayne State College at noon Tuesday, March 16 Vs Wayne State College at 2 p.m. Tuesday, March 16 Vs Lindenwood University at noon Saturday, March 20 Vs Lindenwood University at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 20 Vs University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Sunday, March 21 Vs University of Missouri-St. Louis at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 21

Baseball • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At Lindenwood University at 1 p.m. Friday, March 5 At Lindenwood University at 1 p.m Saturday, March 6 At Lindenwood University at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 6 At Lindenwood University at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 7 At Missouri Western State University at TBD Wednesday, March 10 Vs University of Sioux Falls at 1 p.m. Friday, March 12 Vs University of Sioux Falls at noon Saturday, March 13 Vs University of Sioux Falls at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 13 Vs University of Sioux Falls at noon Sunday, March 14 At University of Indianapolis at TBD Friday, March 19 At University of Indianapolis at noon Saturday, March 20 At University of Indianapolis at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 20 At University of Indianapolis at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 21

Track and Field

• At Central Methodist Open at TBD Saturday, March 20

Volleyball • • • • • • • •

Vs Lewis University at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 Vs Drury University at 6 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28 Vs University of Indianapolis in Liberty, Missouri, at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 6 At William Jewell College at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 6 Vs Southwest Baptist University in Evansville, Indiana, at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 13 At University of Southern Indiana at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 13 Vs Rockhurst University at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20 Vs McKendree University at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 20

• At Emerald Coast Classic Sunday, March 14 through Monday, March 15 • At Midwest Intercollegiate Invite Monday, March 22 through Tuesday, March 23

MENS SOCCER| Bulldogs look for a winning season after long rest Continued from page 14 “Whether it’s scoring goals or being more of a defensive player, I try to provide what my team needs from me,” Brennan said.

The dynamic midfielder finished with three goals and three assists in 2019, with nine shots on goal in total.

Brennan described his expected role on the team as a player who can contribute to both ends of the pitch.

“Coach knows that I will fulfill either role that is asked of me, but I expect to be involved more offensively in our attack this season,” Brennan said.

The team this year features just three seniors on the pitch,

creating leadership opportunities to be fulfilled by the junior class.

Brennan expressed that the juniors on the squad have started to shoulder some of the leadership roles, and this will be pivotal to the team’s success.

Center back Will Clayton, also a junior, has been a stable part of the starting lineup in his first two seasons.

Clayton has had the top minutes played the past two seasons for Cochran, being the solidified defender for the team.

“I look forward to using my experience at my position to be a strong defensive player,” Clayton said. “My role also extends to keeping our team in-

formed on the pitch.”

The layover between seasons was certainly not ideal for the team, but Clayton explained how the extra time allowed for the team mesh.

Team morale is high, Clayton said, and the freshman class has also fit in well with the rest of the team.

“The time off gave us a chance to really establish our goals for the season,” Clayton said. “Everybody is buying into the idea of being a strong team.”

The Bulldogs’ hopes and aspirations will be on the table beginning Friday at 2:30 as they take on Missouri University of Science & Technology at Bulldog Soccer Park.

The men’s soccer team features just three seniors this season.

The Bulldogs are coming back from an extended break. Photo from TMN Archives

WOMENS SOCCER| Team set to hit the field for first time in 473 days Continued from page 14 “Last spring when everything got shut down we hadn’t been able to play any other team yet,” Peterson said. “And then we came back in the fall and weren’t able to practice until October.”

Peterson said it was almost like having two short offseasons.

Head Coach Mike Cannon said practicing indoors, especially this spring, has been different. He explained time restrictions and playing surfaces vary because several sports are in action right now.

Cannon said basketball courts don’t match up to the grass soccer field they play and usually practice on. Due to the indoor courts’ size, Cannon explained they haven’t been able to have full team scrimmages, and the ball moves quite differently.

Cannon said the situation would be like telling the basketball team to play on half the court but replace the hardwood with grass or turf.

Despite the challenges this offseason and preseason, Cannon said he and his team are ready to put their best foot forward for the spring season.

Cannon is entering his 28th season as the head coach of the women’s soccer team and has had his fair share of success. Cannon said he attributes the majority of the success to his players.

“We get good kids, I think all of our sports do,” Cannon said. “You know our kids are pretty focused, they work hard in the classroom and that translates onto the field.”

Cannon added his players all want to contribute to the team, be successful and still get the best grades in their classes.

Cannon said with the amount of time he has been at Truman, he has established a consistent pro-

gram to get players involved and doesn’t intend to leave the program any time soon.

Peterson said having a coach like Cannon is valuable because he has so much knowledge of the game.

“Everything he says you just want to soak in and listen to because you know he knows what he’s doing,” Peterson said.

Having been here so long and having had so much success, whether he’s telling you to work on something or explaining something, you should be listening, Peterson noted.

Peterson explained that Cannon is a great person to work with and be around. Peterson noted that this also gives her and her teammates the motivation to win for Cannon.

Douglass echoed this sentiment.

While Cannon possesses a wealth of knowledge, he still keeps that positive family environment within the program, Douglass said.

“He really treats us like we’re his kids, like we’re all a big family,” Douglass said. “He always checks in on us to see if we have injuries or how school’s going.”

Douglass said Cannon brings lots of positivity and cares about his players both on and off the field.

Going into this season, Cannon said the biggest goal is to finish the season and stay healthy. Cannon continued by saying you don’t have to look far to see a decent amount of postponements or pauses.

“Obviously not just Truman sports, but you look at professional sports, college sports and all the teams that are going into quarantine,” Cannon said. “We’re going to try and avoid that if we can.”

Cannon said while they can’t control everything, they’re going to do their best to avoid any pauses in the season.

Cannon said the team wants to be successful and win games, especially for the seniors who usually would be focusing more on post-college life at this point. Cannon added that his seniors have all stepped up as leaders on the team despite the abnormal senior year.

Cannon said the seniors are giving their best to the team, and he wants to make sure he and the rest of the team provide the seniors with the best possible season.

One of those seniors, Peterson, said one of the team’s big goals is to gain momentum early in the year.

Peterson said last season the team got off to a slower start but hopes they can get off to a strong one this season.

“Even though we haven’t gotten to play any other teams in a year and a half, it’s just to try and start

strong so we don’t have to play catch up later in the season,” Peterson said.

Peterson said she hopes this can help the team work toward the ultimate goal of winning the conference.

Douglass and Peterson both said making sure the team plays simply is something they’ve focused on during the extended preseason.

Douglass said playing simply has resulted in a lot of their success in recent years. Douglass noted this style of play results in fewer free kicks and ultimately better results.

Peterson said sticking to their playstyle is important as is moving the ball around quickly to force their style onto the other team.

“It’s just trying to play that ball when it’s on, but also not force it and make my teammates run or

give the ball to the other team when we could just play it around the back again or swing it out wide,” Peterson said.

Peterson said ultimately this is to help keep possessions longer and avoid what she said Cannon calls the home-run pass.

Despite the areas of improvement on the team, Peterson said it’s going to take more than just that to achieve their ultimate goal of winning the conference. Peterson said there is a lot of uncertainty for this season and they will have to try finding some form of consistency.

“I think it’s just trying to push through and keep a positive outlook and just stay consistent,” Peterson said. “Because whoever wins is going to be the team that can adapt the best to everything going on right now.”

The women’s soccer team celebrates after a game last season. Gaining momentum early in the season is one goal for the team as they return to the field. Photo from TMN Archives

The Index

12

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

Softball goes 2-4 on opening weekend RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief The Truman State University softball team went 2-4 at the 2021 Kelly Laas Memorial Softball Invite.

The Bulldogs faced off against three opposing teams twice for a total of six games. The softball team won its first two games of the season against the University of MinnesotaCrookston, then lost the next four games — two against St. Cloud State University and two against Southwest Minnesota State University.

The season began Feb. 12 with a 6-4 win over the Golden Eagles. The ’Dogs then moved to a second win with a 7-3 victory over the same team.

The softball team then lost its next two games against the St. Cloud State University Huskies the next day. The Bulldogs suffered crushing shutouts as the Huskies scored 17 points in their first game and eight points in the second.

On the final day of the tournament, the softball team narrowly lost to the Mustangs with game one ending 4-5 and game two ending 7-8.

Top: The Truman State University softball team won the first two games of the season against the University of Minnesota-Crookston. The team then lost its next four games. Photos by Truman Athletics Below: After its initial success, the softball team was downed by St. Cloud State University and Southwest Minnesota State University. The Bulldogs will be looking to bounce back at the Washburn Invitational

The softball team’s next game is at 4 p.m. on Friday at Washburn University. The team will play four games in three days.

BASKETBALL| Both men’s and women’s teams head to GLVC Tournaments Continued from page 14 “If you’re out there I expect you to give me your all, but I also expect you to let me know when you need a break,” Dean said.

Going into the postseason, Dean said he thinks this break might be good for the players and he expects the team to eventually get back in the groove and be rejuvenated going forward.

The women’s team has not had a lot of run-away games this season, which Dean said is fortunate because the team has become accustomed to battling back and holding its defense strong.

“We’ve had a lot of those close games … so I expect us to come out with a lot of fight and I expect us to play with a chip on our shoulder,” Dean said.

“Whatever that result is, I’ll be okay with it as long as we’re doing everything we’re supposed to do.”

Forward Maya Mouton dribbles the ball in a game last season. The women’s basketball team is 12-3 this season. Photo from TMN Archives

Forward Cade McKnight attempts a shot in a game against William Jewell College earlier this season. The men’s team is 16-1 this season. Photo by Truman Athletics

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

The Index

13

Bulldog baseball to start March 5 ANDREW HOLDER Staff Writer The Truman State University baseball season starts March 5 as the team faces off against Lindenwood University in a 4-game series in St. Charles, Missouri.

Last season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic that swept the nation. The Bulldogs began last season 4-14 dropping their last series against Lindenwood University, 0-4.

The last game they played was on March 8 against the University of Indianapolis. They won that game 4-3.

After not playing for almost a year, the Bulldogs are excited to get back onto the field.

“It’s going to be awesome,” Outfielder Brendan Kelly said. “We’ll have a lot of the seniors from last year back so it will be great to give them a full season.”

Head Coach Dan Davis, in his 14th season with the team, mentioned that, although there are some obstacles that come along with the COVID-19 pandemic, this season shouldn’t be much different than any other year.

“Everybody else is in the same boat so it’s not like it will be any different for us,” Davis said. “I feel like we have a pretty experienced club … we need to go out and play, and do the best we can. In my opinion, it’s a non-factor for us.”

Davis said he is excited for the success of the team this season. He said this is one of the most talented teams, in terms of ability and athleticism, he has worked with in his 14 seasons with the team.

“The biggest strength for this team is on the mound,” Davis said.

He also mentioned that this is one of the strongest offenses he has worked with as well. Although there aren’t many pow-

er hitters on the team, they are going to try to play the gaps and use speed to their advantage to put pressure on opposing defenses, Davis said.

The key for the Bulldogs this season is going to be finding consistency and taking care of the baseball, Davis said.

“Across the board, pitchers need to command the zone, defenders need to make the routine throw and we need to be able to throw it and play catch,” Davis said. “It’s no different than any other year, standard baseball things that need to be worked on everyday.”

Right Handed Pitcherher Ben Fugitt, who has not seen the field in almost 2 years due to an elbow injury he suffered in 2018, talked about his expectations for himself this season.

“I’m really just excited to get back onto the field and compete,” Fugitt said. “But my biggest hope for myself is that when I’m out there on the mound I can give my team the best chance to win.”

Fugitt was quick to praise the rest of the pitching staff as well.

“I’m really excited for the [pitching] depth we are going to have this year,” Fugitt said. “This is probably the highest number of quality pitchers we’ve had since I came here.

There are a bunch of guys who can compete for us and help us win this year.”

Truman only garnered 31 points in the preseason poll, landing the Bulldogs at 8th in the GLVC Green Division.

However, the team has expressed confidence that it has the talent and drive to surprise the conference.

The team’s series at Lindenwood from March 5 to March 7 will be a test of the work the players put in during the offseason as Lindenwood has been selected to win the GLVC Blue Division with 92 points in the preseason poll.

Outfielder Jack Darwin prepares for a pitch in a game last season. The baseball team has its first game after a year long break on March 5. Photo by Truman Athletics

“ It’s going to be awesome.

We’ll have a lot of the seniors from last year back so it will be great to give them a full season.”

Brendan Kelly, Outfielder

Former Bulldog Adam Stolley prepares to run in a game last season. Head Coach Dan Davis said this season’s team is one of the most talented yet. Photo

by Truman Athletics

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14

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2021

BASKETBALL TEAMS HEAD TO POSTSEASON

Forward Alex McQuinn scores in a game against Quincy University last season. After an uncertain season, both the men’s and women’s basketball teams have secured a spot in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Photo from TMN Archives

Men’s, women’s basketball clinch spots in GLVC Tournaments ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor For the past several months, athletes across the country have been wondering what their seasons are going to look like or if they’re even going to have a season. Truman State University men’s and women’s basketball players pondered these questions just a few short months ago and after a season riddled with uncertainty and pandemic-related adversity, both teams are about to head into the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.

The men’s team is currently the No. 1 seed for the tournament with a record of 16-1. The women’s team is currently sitting at a record of 12-3, but its official seeding has yet to be announced.

The GLVC tournaments are scheduled to take place March 3-7.

The men still have two more games to play before the tournament — one tonight against Rockhurst University and the other Saturday against Southwest Baptist University. With the top conference spot already clinched, Assistant Coach Austin McBeth said the team is not worried about these last games in re-

gard to the conference tournament, but hopes strong performances tonight and Saturday will help Truman’s seeding in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament March 12-16.

“I think sometimes you get to the postseason and think you have to be the Space Jam version of yourself to be successful and my hope for our guys in the postseason is that they just continue to be the team they’ve been all year,” McBeth said.

This season, the men’s team has dealt with multiple players going into quarantine at various times, but McBeth said this team is resilient.

McBeth explained that the team feels fortunate to be able to play and is not taking any games for granted.

“It’s just been really cool to see, in a time when it seems that the world is upside down, we’ve been fortunate enough to do what we love and stay together as a team to enjoy the freedom of playing this game,” McBeth said.

As the men’s team now reflects on its personal experiences with COVID-19, the women’s team is currently dealing with multiple players who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are now in quarantine.

Guard Katey Klucking explained that the loss of these players, for the time being, has made practices a little different. She said the team has been working more on shooting and screen drills as opposed to scrimmage-based drills.

While the team hasn’t been able to practice all together, Klucking said this time is an opportunity for each available player to focus on and improve their part in the game in preparation for the GLVC Tournament.

“Going into postseason, I think it’s going to be nice because we haven’t played in a while so we’re all going to be pumped up and driven and building up to play, and I think that’s going to help us in bringing that energy once we have everyone back,” Klucking said.

Women’s Head Coach Theo Dean said he is proud of his players for working through the adversity and keeping their minds locked in on both school and basketball.

Dean noted that COVID-19 affects each person differently and playercoach communication is especially important right now.

See BASKETBALL page 12

Guard Katey Klucking dribbles the ball in a game last season. Klucking said the team is focused on improving individual skills while some of the team is in quarantine. Photo from TMN Archives

Women’s soccer set Men’s soccer to start to return to field new spring season ETHAN HEWETT Staff Writer

The Truman State University women’s soccer season kicks off this Saturday as the Bulldogs host the Missouri University of Science & Technology Miners at Bulldog Soccer Park.

It has been 473 days since the team took the field in a competitive setting after the Great Lakes Valley Conference moved the 2020 season to this spring in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the players and coaches are grateful and excited they get to finally play a season.

“I think everyone’s really excited to play a game against another team other than just scrimmaging against ourselves in practice,” Forward Chance Douglass said.

Douglass said having the chance to get back on the field has been a big motivation for herself and the team.

Douglass mentioned one of the most significant differences between this past offseason and the preseason was the absence of scrimmages. Typically, the team plays a couple of scrimmage games against other teams. However, in response to COVID-19, the team resorted to in-house workouts.

Midfielder Paige Peterson said the team focused more on lifting and conditioning during the time off. Peterson added that the offseason was a lot different due to the timing of the pandemic.

See WOMENS SOCCER page 11

The Bulldogs will take the field again this Saturday. After over a year without play, the women’s soccer team will face Missouri University of Science and Technology. Photo from TMN Archives VOLUME 112

ISSUE 8

tmn.truman.edu

STEVEN FINDLEY JR. Staff Writer Fall sports are starting to bloom in the winter season as men’s soccer is set to officially kick off Feb. 26.

The Truman State University Bulldogs finished with a 7-8-2 record last season, and have not played a match since Nov. 3, 2019 which was a victory against Lindenwood University.

Head Coach Duke Cochran is entering his 16th season at the helm, and the grizzled veteran coach laid out the season plan for his team.

“To make the top half of our conference is no easy feat,” Cochran said. “However, the expectation is finishing with a winning record.”

The men’s program has not produced a winning season since joining the GLVC in 2013, but the head coach is no stranger to winning.

Cochran said the team has great chemistry and energy flowing ahead of its season opener.

“I’m excited to let this group play against someone other than themselves,” Cochran stated. “This team is ready to make its mark and produce a winning season.”

Cochran said outdoor practices are as socially distanced as possible so masks are not mandatory, but indoor practice requires a mask at all times.

COVID-19 protocols are in place for the @TrumanIndex

GLVC’s level two sports, which revolve around outdoor athletics, to keep games as safe as possible.

Midfielder Andy Brennan is entering his third season at Truman State University, coming off of 15 starts in all 15 appearances last season as a junior.

Brennan described what he expects to achieve this season, citing team success as the focus.

See MENS SOCCER page 11

Midfielder and forward Ryan Stites guards the ball in a game last season.

The men’s soccer team takes the field on Friday. Photo from TMN Archives @TrumanIndex

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