The Index Vol. 111 Issue 16 by Truman State University Index

Men’s basketball plays like it’s 1979 page 12

Student group struggled to find funding,

page 5

“Every Breath We Drew,” page 7 Totta leads Bulldogs with talent, passion, page 14

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

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International student numbers down KIRA HINTZ Staff Writer The Center for International Students at Truman State University is experiencing its lowest recruitment rate ever with a 300% increase in fall 2019 prospective students being denied a student visa. Thirty international students have been denied a student visa, which is the highest amount the CIS has seen since 2004. Prior to that year, the biggest number of students turned away has only been 10. CIS Director Melanee Crist said in a normal school year the CIS would’ve gained 114 international students instead of 94. The CIS always has a goal of 100 or more students, so

Crist said staff can feel disappointed when a student is denied since that recruitment effort can seem emotionally and financially wasted. Crist said the CIS focuses on bringing a diverse group of international students to campus which can be more difficult with a visa denial. The country that denied prospective students visas the most was Nepal, followed by a few rejections from Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and China, Crist said. She said students from European countries aren’t affected as often by visa troubles. Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said fall 2019 enrollment consisted of 374 international students, which make up 7% of Truman’s student body. As far as financial contribution,

Rector said Truman would survive without a bigger international population as there are more in and out of state students. Truman’s 2020 spring semester has 5,231 students, the lowest amount Truman has had in the past ten years, Rector said. While 30 students isn’t necessarily a dramatic drop, Rector said because of the current small Truman student body it would’ve been beneficial to have those 30 students enrolled. If students are initially denied their visa, Crist said the CIS works closely with them to remedy whatever issue happened and help them reapply a second time. “[The CIS] can provide documentation like a letter that talks about why this person is a good match for Truman and Truman’s

STUGOV PROMOTES ELECTION SEASON

reputation,” Crist said. “We come and advise them in a general way about addressing whatever the visa officer said because a lot of times the proof exists [for visa approval], but they just didn’t know what was going to be asked.” Crist said the CIS will only defer a student twice since they don’t believe in a third referal and above. She said the CIS can’t invest the time and the money in an effort that won’t have a beneficial result for either party. Additionally, it’s not beneficial for the student to keep applying as it’s financially and emotionally draining for them, Crist said. See VISAS page 3

Fewer students submit SA applications JOSIE WAGNER Staff Writer

An Adair County resident votes in last year’s election. Student Government is urging Truman State University students to vote in the presidential primary either in Kirksville or at home. Photo by Daniel Degenhardt

Students raise awareness for spring voting ANAKIN BUSH Staff Writer

Truman State University Student Government is spreading information and getting students prepared for the upcoming Democratic primary election for president. The Democratic primary is taking place Tuesday, March 10. Registered voters can vote in the primary election for the Democratic candidate they want to see become the Democratic nominee for president of the United States. That nominee will then challenge the Republican nominee for the presidency. Truman’s Student Government is once again getting involved with the election season. Student Government President Deanna Schmidt said Student Government does a

variety of activities related to the campaigns. Schmidt said spreading awareness for elections is a big goal of Student Government. Student Government used social media to provide information to students about polling places and reminders to vote. “A big part of what we are doing is trying to emphasize to students how important this is, since it’s a presidential election year,” Schmidt said. The election this year is during Truman’s spring break, which raised some problems for Student Government. They have been raising awareness and instructing students on how they can still vote even when students are off campus for break. If you are registered to vote in Kirksville, you can choose to vote absentee in person at the Adair County Circuit Clerk office in

Voters attend a rally for Democratic candidate Elizabeth Warren. The Missouri primary election is Tuesday, March 10. Photo by Ryan Pivoney

Kirksville City Hall until March 9, the day before the primary election. Another option is to vote online. The deadline for registration has already passed for the Democratic primary, but you can register now for the general election. Schmidt said she encourages everyone to register to vote and follow through with the process. She stressed the importance of the election, as students’ four years at Truman are shaped by the people they elect. “I think we are a very diverse microcosm of Missouri, and especially Missouri college students,” Schmidt said. “I think that young people in general have a lot to say in elections, so that’s one reason we really want to get Truman students out.” Emily Smith, External Affairs Committee chair, led the voter registration drive. This activity allowed students a chance to register for the election. Over 50 students turned in forms, which were then taken to the county courthouse. Smith is also working on informing students about the election. She thinks it is very negative that the election falls on spring break this year. She said it is harder for students to get out and go to their polling location when home for break. “It’s a lot easier to vote here in Adair County when we are here at the school, because we have the polling stations in the [Student Union Building] so it reminds kids to vote on the day polls are open,” Smith said. Other student groups on campus are getting involved in the election as well. Griffin Roster, vice president of Political Science Students Association and member of College Democrats, said College Democrats got involved during the Iowa caucus. See ELECTIONS page 5

The number of applicants for the student adviser position was lower than anticipated this semester, and Residence Life extended the deadline to accommodate this. The 2016-17 school year saw the employment of nearly 90 student advisers, while 2019-20 had 75 SAs. The 2020-21 school year SA selection is taking place March 16, but the first wave of applications saw only about 17 applicants. The deadline was then extended and a more aggressive marketing campaign put into place, resulting in around 57 applicants in the second wave. Director of ResLife Jamie Van Boxel declined to share exact applicant numbers, but maintains that the number of applicants is proportionally similar to the number of applicants in other years when compared to enrollment. Van Boxel said because the decline in the number of SA applications is proportional to the declining number of enrolled students at Truman, life in the residence halls will not be affected. The first wave of applications saw fewer than expected, Van Boxel said, which he attributed to poor marketing by the department. “As soon as we were past the deadline we were getting a number of inquiries from students who had just learned about the application — that it was time to apply to be an SA or an apartment manager — and when they went on the website to apply ... they couldn’t because we were passed,” Van Boxel said. After receiving additional interest, ResLife made a quick decision to reopen the form and take more submissions while also increasing publicity for the job. Zac Burden, student life and development coordinator for ResLife, is a member of the committee for hiring SAs. He works with other ResLife staff to review applications and interview applicants. See RESLIFE page 3

Students gather at the dining hall in Ryle Hall. The number of applicants for student adviser positions is lower than its been in the past three years. Photo by Rachel Becker

The Index

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Students greet early signs of spring Students lounge on The Quad. Leap day was last Sunday, where people could enjoy a day that only comes once every four years. Photo by Rachel Becker

Freshman Mingyang Jin studies ouside. Many students enjoyed the good weather by studying for midterms. Photo by Zhihao Jin

Tulip bulbs outside of McClain Hall and Baldiwn Hall begin to sprout. With spring comes spring daylight saving time on March 8. Photo by Rachel Becker

Senior Rachel Hillman and her fiancé Kaeb Wischmeier and their dog Bridgette walk through campus. Some community members took advantage of the warm day to get active by taking walks, riding bikes or playing sports. Photo by Rachel

Crime Reports staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Pivoney Managing Editor: Elisabeth Shirk News Editor: Rachel Becker Features Editor: Erica Lindsay Copy Chief: Cara Quinn Design Chief: Emmett Divendal Photographers: Zhihao Jin, Kara Mackenzie, Bidan Yang Designer: Norah Grojean Copy Editors: Sami Harris, Natalie Wilson, Autumn Dodd-Hinds, Jessica Robinson, Maddie Lee, Mattea Buerge, Kayla Lewis Staﬀ Writers: Siobhan Neely, Gordon McPherson, Allison Maschhoﬀ, Kira Hintz, Josie Wagner, Anakin Bush, Savannah Kluesner Adviser: Don Krause

DPS & KPD 2/24 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 1000 block of Kings Rd.

2/28 Stealing motor fuel reported at the 1000 block of South Baltimore St.

2/24 Third degree assault reported at the 300 block of West Washington St.

2/28 Theft reported at the 2300 block of South Baltimore St.

2/24 Theft of controlled substance reported at the 700 block of West Elizabeth St.

2/29 Loud party reported at the 500 block of East McPherson St.

2/25 Burglary reported at the 1200 block of North Osteopathy St.

2/29 Public intoxication reported at the 100 block of South Elson St.

2/25 Burglary reported at the 1400 block of West Potter Ave.

2/29 Possession of amphetamine reported at the 500 block of North Baltimore St.

2/26 Stealing of a firearm reported at the 100 block of East McPherson St. 2/27 Theft reported at the 2100 block of North Baltimore St. 2/27 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 700 block of West Elizabeth St. 2/27 First degree property damage reported at the 1400 block of North Osteopathy St. 2/28 Loud party reported at the 300 block of South High St.

2/29 Fight reported at the 300 block of West McPherson St. 3/1 Public intoxication reported at the 1500 block of North Franklin St. 3/1 Fourth degree assault reported at the 300 block of North High St. 3/1 Trespasser reported at the 200 block of East Illinois St. 3/1 Fire reported at the 300 block of South Baltimore St.

The Index

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

VISAS| Denied international student visas lead to lowest enrollment rate to date Continued from page 1 Freshman Shuyue Wang said the visa application interview is two minutes long, so it’s important to come prepared with answers to whatever questions are asked. Wang said immigration officers only ask up to three questions and often don’t tell a person why they’ve been denied a visa. This is frustrating since the person doesn’t know what answers or paperwork they need to change if they apply again, Wang said. The student visa cost in China is ¥2,000, which equals $286, so applying several times is a financial strain, Wang said. She said immigration officers can be inconsistent with who they approve or deny since approval can feel like it depends on the mood of the immigration officer. Wang said she remembers going to the American embassy in China and feeling anxious as she waited in a long line of people. “I was really nervous. I even signed the wrong name on my paper,” Wang said. “Before me [in the line] there was a bunch of study abroad groups probably camping and there were about fifteen people. One student was told she couldn’t go there to

America and she was crying. I wondered, ‘Will I be denied?’” Crist said student visa rejection can be affected by whether conditions in immigration law are applied loosely or strictly depending on the current political climate of anti-immigration. She said immigration law states that a person is seen as having immigrant intent until proven otherwise, so when people stay longer in a country than intended, the administration in response might tighten laws and issue fewer visas. Students are also required to prove a closer connection to their home country when applying for a visa, Crist said. This is an important part of the Visa process as she said it shapes the status of the student’s immigrant intent. Crist said she thinks immigration officers might also be wary of students with certain majors, especially when considering what the student intends to do with their degree back home. The staffing of the U.S. consulate changes every three years, so Crist said visa approval can change depending on the attitude of the people hired. Additionally, a political election can also help or harm visa approval since every administra-

tion has its own agenda, Crist said. The worst part about losing international students, Crist said, is that the CIS, the Truman student body and Kirksville miss out on what that student can culturally, academically and socially offer. “We’ll always have international students,” Crist said. “I guess I’m just saying that not having the opportunity to welcome some that we thought would be a good match for Truman is a missed opportunity for the student and for Truman.” Wang said the reason why international students decide to study at Truman is because the education quality is great, the price is affordable, and they get to experience American culture and become more open minded. If immigration laws continue to become stricter in the United States, Wang said students will just choose to study in other countries like Canada, the United Kingdom or Australia. She said Chinese students might also have a harder time applying for a visa now because of the coronavirus outbreak.

RESLIFE| Lower SA interest causes concern for some members of Residence Life staff Continued from page 1 Current SAs were asked to participate in the recruitment of new SAs by identifying and recommending students in their community to consider the job. Students who were recommended would receive an email with their name, the name of the current SA who recommended them and an invitation to apply. Burden said that the department now has a “good size pool” of applicants, and he felt that involving the current SAs in recruitment was effective. While ResLife administration feels that SA applicant numbers are low because of poor marketing and low enrollment, certain SAs have spoken out and feel that the decrease in applicants is because of negative sentiments regarding the job. Senior Caleb DeWitt has been an SA for three years. He used to find his job fulfilling and fun, but now, because of the new ResLife educational model, as well as other changes, he said he feels that he is no longer able to cater to the needs of his specific community. While DeWitt thinks that the decline in SA applicants can be primarily attributed to poor marketing and unpromoted interest sessions, he said there might have been negative feelings regarding the sudden change in the job requirements, which could

have contributed to the lower amount of applicants. “With the high turnover that happened at semester, maybe there was a negative perception that was put out to like prospective applicants with the job and so they didn’t. Not as many people applied because they saw it as a negative job,” DeWitt said. Under the new curricular model put in place last semester, SAs have far more restrictions on what they are able to put out. They no longer make door decorations and their bulletin boards now present assigned, standardized information instead of being up to the SAs discretion. They also no longer put on their own events and are instead encouraged to take their students to other events on campus or put on building-wide events. During the recruitment process, SAs were asked to promote the job, speak positively about it and recommend their community members to apply to be SAs through the utilization of a Google form. “There were some people who, since they did not enjoy the job anymore, would not recommend that job to other people and so they did not participate in the form that was sent out to encourage residents to apply,” DeWitt said.

Student advisers are ResLife staff that work to build community and monitor residence halls. A lack of advertising, among other reasons, has led fewer students to apply for the position. Photo by Rachel Becker

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

ResLife needs a morale boost With Truman State University’s 2020-2021 school year steadily approaching, preparation efforts are in full swing. Organizing, hiring new staff and planning goals are common practices this time of the year for campus offices. One department that has experienced heightened difficulty with the process, however, is Residence Life. This year witnessed record-low numbers of student adviser applications. After a mere 17 applications were sent in by the initial deadline, an extension was granted to allow for about 40 more. Nonetheless, that gradual increase pales in comparison to years past. A formerly consistent surplus of aspiring SAs had previously been met with low demand. Just last year, for instance, the department only had 15 spots available with a majority of SAs coming back, turning down most interviewees. Considering returning SA numbers are in the single digits, ResLife will now have to make up for more than four times that figure. In response, the department has looked to its current student advisers as means of recruitment. Primarily utilizing student referrals, ResLife has largely relied on nudges from its student employees to fill a substantial need. Though no department can completely control low application numbers and higher turnover, new trends concerning ResLife appear to be somewhat alarming. There had been relatively little problem attracting students to the position in years prior. The sudden drop in prospective as well as returning student advisers begs the question: Why now? As with many University problems, maybe enrollment numbers are to blame. With less students coming to campus in recent years, there could understandably be less supply — but it seems that ResLife’s greatest deficiency is in morale. There will always be unpreventable elements contributing to these circumstances, but department leaders should still think about their role in

these matters. A new curricular approach instated by ResLife Director Jamie Van Boxel last fall, for instance, has brought abrupt changes to a once streamlined system. Regardless of the framework’s merits, that quick transition has created an observable burden on many staff members. That intensified workload and apparent exhaustion were reflected in the sweeping resignations of several hall directors last semester. Without that guidance, student staff members were left to fend for their respective houses and buildings largely by themselves, on top of already amplified duties during the curriculum transition. Residents watched as their mentors scurried to find balance between school and work amid the confusion of responsibilities placed upon them. Students notice when those around them are stressed and often look for answers, a consideration that drives many students to become SAs to begin with. When the anxiety residents recognize in their superiors is seen as employment-based, however, that job probably won’t be highly desired. We, The Index Editorial Board, acknowledge the challenges that come with these transitions but believe more could be done to create an appealing environment to work in. While hall directors have been replaced and curriculum is being worked out, there is still a long way to go in terms of recovering from the panic of last semester. ResLife’s heightened emphasis on staff requirements this year has deserted the very public it aims to serve — its residents, who in turn become sources of new staff — making the issue systemic. If ResLife wants to see greater influx in the future, perhaps it should focus less on lifting restrictions for students and instead celebrating the efforts of those who have put in the work to look out for their prosperity. Although such a problem is not likely to be solved overnight, lessening the demand upon ResLife staff members seems like a good place to start.

Diversify campus guests, activities RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief Photographer Jess T. Dugan is known for her ability to capture emotionally intimate images in her works, which were displayed in Truman State University’s art gallery last month. In her Feb. 22 keynote speech, Dugan said she works to ensure her art is a medium for exchanging experience. She said her art can be validating for those in the LGBTQ+ communities and educational for those outside of it. Dugan is an example of the kind of speakers and outside influence departments across campus should be bringing to Truman. This University paints itself as one in support of diversity and inclusion, but the guest speakers and entertainment often don’t reflect those values. Despite diversity and inclusion being popular among the student body and campus community, it seems like many departments and organizations at Truman don’t see the value in bringing people of diverse backgrounds and identities to campus. I can’t begin to imagine the experience many underrepresented groups and people might have, but even as a straight, white man, I’m eager for more diverse speakers and guests to come to Truman. Part of what I valued most about going to college was the variety of people I would meet and the different perspectives I would hear, but unfortunately that has been missing in my time here so far. Truman students have no trouble graduating without hearing other perspectives on campus and learning about diversity, but that’s a problem. They are missing out on important learning and personal growth importunities, as well as an expansive and inclusive outlook on life. I’ve noticed a pattern lately with many events on campus that are supposed to appeal to the campus as a whole. Most noticeably, they’re traditionally western, heteronormative and white. Surely, we can do better. With many students not subscribing to those orthodox perspectives, bringing acts and guests that embody those viewpoints alienates the many students that don’t. I do commend the events and speakers that have worked to make the University a more diverse place. From the Sir Babygirl concert last semester that provided first-rate music in addition to much needed LGBTQ+ representation, to Student Government’s upcoming Diversity Week, there have been multiple cases of varied representation on campus. Even the Global Issues Colloquium speaker series routinely brings a variety of voices to campus. All of these events are also well attended and consistently receive good campus feedback. In addition to their positive reception, underrepresented performers tend to cost less money than mainstream performers. For example, KTRM spent under $2,000 to host Sir Babygirl. In contrast, SAB spent over $20,000 to bring Josh Peck to campus. Spending less money on each campus guest means Truman could likely bring more people to campus, which would help the University continue to diversify its guests and give students more activity options. I strongly urge the rest of campus to incorporate more diversity into events and guest speakers, because anyone who listens to student opinion and considers other voices should know that campus activities need it.

StuGov Buzz| Keep watch for end of semester events Seniors graduating this May should keep an eye open for announcements on how to apply to be a student speaker at this spring’s commencement. Students of any major(s) with a GPA of 2.75 or higher are welcome to apply. Applications will be opening soon. The Academic Accolades Banquet is nearly here and the selection process for the professor to earn this coveted title is underway. Thank you to everyone who nominated influential professors here at Truman! Stay tuned for more announcements to come. Student Government elections are coming soon. If you’re looking for a way to get more involved on campus, consider running for a position on the body. The Student Government represents the students here at Truman and features six standing committees you could serve on as a voting senator: Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Diversity, Health/Wellness/Safety, Environmental Affairs, and External Affairs. There are so many ways to get involved on the body, and everyone can find something they’re passionate about. Election packets will be available from the Student Government office starting March 30, and active campaigning begins April 6! The Student Government body holds weekly meetings which are normally on Sunday at 5 p.m. in the SUB Conference Room room 3000. All students are welcome to come and see the body in action! Our next meeting will be held at 7 p.m. March 15th. Hope to see you there! SUBMITTED BY: Maddie Sarasio Meyer, Academic Affair Committee chair

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

Student group struggled to find funding for Chinese New Year celebration ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor The Society for Sino-American Studies did not receive funding from the Funds Allotment Council for its 2020 Chinese New Year celebration and had to charge attendees for the first time in the event’s history. The event, which happened Feb. 23, was funded by Student Government, the Center for International Students and ticket sales. SSAS President Youxing Yang also started a GoFundMe campaign, but the event still fell short of last year’s budget and attendance. Last year saw over 300 attendees while this year’s attendance reached just over half of that with about 160 people. Yang said Student Government gave $650, CIS gave $200 and ticket sales reached about $960 with each ticket costing $6. He said the biggest cost is

Grace Chang, graduate, plays in The Moon Festival, sponsored by SSAS. While the Moon Festival was not impacted by the budget cuts, other events by the club were. Photo from TMN Archives

typically food, but posters and decorations are a significant part of the event budget, as well. Yang said the email he received from FAC, which informed him that SSAS’s event had not been approved for FAC funding, cited two reasons for the rejection: lack of diversity and lack of available funding. He said he was surprised and angry about the lack of diversity being a reason. “There are people in FAC who have gone to our event and if they remember our event, we usually have about four to six performances and usually only one is a Chinese faculty or student performance,” Yang said. Two organizations received funding this semester for cultural dinners. The International Club received $5,000 for its International Dinner and the Jewish Student Union received $880 for its Shabbat dinner. FAC Treasurer Mary Hansen said she did not send the email that Yang received, but diversity was not a factor in FAC’s decision to deny funding to SSAS. Hansen said when organizations apply for funding from FAC, they must submit an application and then attend a hearing with FAC. At the hearing, FAC members ask organization members what minimum amount of money is needed for the organization to successfully put on its event. If during FAC’s decision making process the amount FAC can fund falls below that minimum, Hansen said they have to deny the organization’s request. “With SSAS in particular, they requested almost $5,000 — a little under — and they said they needed $4,800 in order to put the event on successfully, so by the time we made it to the third round

MARCH 10 Primary election day

Funds alloted by FAC $95,513.35

$$$ $$$ $$$ $41,200.00

$$$

$40,199.99

$$$

FAC BUDGET

AMOUNT REQUESTED

AMOUNT APPROVED

*Each dollar bill represents $12,000 [of deliberation] they had fallen below that $4,800 minimum,” Hansen said. Hansen said it was a difficult decision to deny SSAS’s request because she wonders if the $4,800 was a correct amount, but FAC has to make decisions based on what is written on the application and what is said during the hearing.

Yang said next year SSAS will likely ask for half the amount of what they asked for this year in hopes of increasing its chance of receiving FAC funding, because any amount of money is better than no money.

ELECTIONS| Students weigh the decision to vote at home county or in Adair county Continued from page 1 Members did polling and canvassing in Iowa during the caucus. Members canvassed neighborhoods by knocking on doors to provide information about different candidates. Roster said he does not think the election being over break will be a negative influence for student voters. “They want to represent their community, and I don’t know if Kirksville is really everyone’s community,” Roster said. Roster said he thinks students have a very strong

impact on the election and in politics. He said Truman’s demographic is one of the least mobilized yet largest in population. Roster encourages students not interested in politics to still become informed about candidates and vote. “If we do go out there and vote, our opinion will matter just as much as any other age demographic,” Roster said. “It’s very important that voters go out and speak with their vote.”

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calendar SPRING BREAK TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS Spring break for Truman State University students and faculty will begin March 9 and continue through March 13. No classes will be held.

16 MARCH

MARCH

DIVERSITY WEEK STUDENT UNION BUILDING This annual event from March 16 through 21, sponsored by Truman State University’s Student Government, will focus on intersectionality and feature activities promoting community, inclusion and collaboration.

Kirksville’s annual Saint Patrick’s Day celebration includes a 5,000 meter run, 1,500 meter walk, parade and other themed games and activities. Early registration for the run/walk is $15 and ends at 5 p.m. March 14. Late registration is $20 and continues until 4:30 p.m. on race day.

news in brief

MARCH

SAINT PATRICK’S DAY FESTIVAL 4-6 P.M. DOWNTOWN KIRKSVILLE

17 MARCH

WELLNESS SERIES SOCIAL EVENT 4-4:45 P.M. SUB GEORGIAN ROOM C Truman State University senior Emily Bailey will present on maintaining a healthy school-life balance and how extracurricular activities have impacted her college experience. Snacks and raffle prizes will be available.

MARCH CANVAS PAINTING 4-5 P.M. SUB DOWN UNDER Truman State University students and their friends can paint canvases at this event sponsored by Truman’s Student Activities Board. Those interested can sign up on the SAB website to reserve one of 30 available seats.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

22 MARCH

National health insurance: costs and benefits Truman State University’s department of economics is sponsoring an event centered on healthcare systems across the world as part of its Economics Speakers Series. James Bailey, a professor of economics at Providence College in Rhode Island, will discuss the strengths and drawbacks of single-payer and multi-payer healthcare systems. The event will take place at 7 p.m. March 23 in the Baldwin Hall Little Theatre. DPS spring break hours Truman State University’s Department of Public Safety will be available from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 6, closed March 7-8, open from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. March 9-13, closed March 14 and open from 3-10 p.m. March 15. Regular hours of 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. resume March 16.

City Council in brief City purchases 56 new trees for city parks Kirksville City Council approved a resolution that allows for the purchase of 56 new trees for parks throughout Kirksville. The City received a TRIM grant through the Missouri Department of Conservation that will cover the cost of the trees. The trees will be planted at Spur Pond, North Park Complex and Detweiler Park. The project will cost $11,400, with $3,278.25 coming from the City. Airbnb approved in Kirksville City Council allowed a property owner a special permit to open and operate an Airbnb. The property is located on Jamison Street and was approved by neighbors of the residence. Several stipulations must be met for the Airbnb to remain operational, such as not giving homemade meals to guests and not allowing parties or similar activities.

life

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

“Every Breath We Drew”

Photos by Jess T. Dugan displayed in “Every Breath We Drew” exhibit

Exhibit draws focus through broad lens ERICA LINDSAY Features, Opinions Editor Contemplative eyes gaze ahead as the subject’s partner rests their chin on their shoulder. The aura of self acceptance is disclosed as one proudly holds their protruding stomach. A bare chest reveals scars from top surgery. Photographer Jess T. Dugan is known for depicting these immensely intimate images in her work, which she brought to Truman State University’s art gallery last month. In her keynote speech on Feb. 22, Dugan explained that she aims to use her pictures as a means of exchanging experience. Dugan sees her art as validating for those in the LGBTQ+ communities and educational for those outside. “I believe really deeply in the power of storytelling and sharing your own truth,” Dugan said. “I’ve seen how powerful it can be to share an experience with others in a way that can be meaningful or validating to them, and that this sharing of your own experience can create space [for others] to also share theirs.” Ophelia Parrish’s art gallery often displays work from Truman students as well as wellrenowned or developing artists, which allows local and national works to be featured on campus. Dugan, a St. Louis native, was an addition that fell somewhere in between. Heidi Cook, assistant art professor and University Art Gallery director, suggested that networking is crucial for planning these types of functions at the venue. “I often rely on the connections that our faculty have,” Cook said. “Priya Kambli, who is a professor here at Truman, has known Jess for a while. She meets other young practicing photographers, so Priya was sort of our connection to Jess T. Dugan’s work. She had seen Jess’ work and had seen Jess give presenta-

tions before and was just really enamored with her work.” Truman is able to utilize the space to showcase art derived from a wide variety of backgrounds. A primary objective of displaying Dugan’s exhibit was to represent as well as inform Truman and Kirksville populations. Because these exhibits have the ability to evoke profound emotions from diverse viewpoints, Cook saw the event as an opportunity to spark discussion between an array of perspectives. “The gallery’s mission is complex,” Cook said. “We not only serve the art department, but we serve the broader campus community and then we also hope to serve a broader northeast Missouri community. So when we think about all of those communities, we’re hoping to do two things that are kind of opposite. One is to hopefully help people see themselves reflected in the art, but then we also sometimes want to challenge people, too, and help people see perspectives that are maybe different than their own. I think Jess’ work can provide both of those for different communities.” Though it portrays a multitude of themes and lifestyles, the exhibit is largely aimed toward members of the LGBTQ+ community. Cook reached out to several organizations on campus for gallery usage. One such group was Prism: Truman State University’s Pride Alliance. The club convened at the gallery for “speed friending,” an icebreaker activity to unite LGBTQ+ students in a welcoming environment. Sophomore Ian Rosebrough, Prism social relations chair, said the exhibit was highly impactful on a personal level. “My first reaction was kind of like, ‘Good for you,’” Rosebrough said. “I think once I went in there I would definitely echo that sentiment. It was sort of like, ‘We did this.

We got this far.’ That level of representation — It was almost, not quite pride, but in that same vein, I think.” Cook said there has been good feedback from attendees of the talk as well as those who simply passed through the gallery. Favorable comments have generally stemmed from the impression of advocacy for underrepresented minorities that the exhibit gave. Junior Mika Zans, Prism vice president, said the event was effective in appropriately celebrating the groups it represented. “It felt like a very genuine show of support,” Zans said. “It didn’t feel like, ‘Oh, well you’re here, I guess. We’re gonna just do this for you so that you don’t feel ignored,’ but it felt like, ‘We’re going to represent you through this.’” Though accurate representation can be difficult to achieve, Dugan’s photographs revealed a comprehensive look at gender and sexuality for viewers to relate to and understand. These particularly struck a chord through the lens of LGBTQ+ students and faculty. Zans suggested that this high engagement was perhaps because of the high level of authenticity conveyed. “Seeing each picture definitely gave us the sense of a unique aspect to that individual,” Zans said. “They weren’t all just the same, ‘Oh, I’m going to make you look nice in this way and then take a picture of you so it looks nice.’ They all felt very individual to each person.” Rosebrough further reflected that seeing the LGBTQ+ community represented in a high art context seemed a bit out of place initially. Through discussion, however, the group saw how unfortunate that realization might have been.

Dugan’s deep humanization of photographed subjects led to greater connection among all who came in contact, Rosebrough suggested. “I think a lot of people’s reaction was just that human connection, that human feel when you look at the pieces — sort of the complexity of that person, that there’s an entire individual there,” Rosebrough said. “What’s the word? Sonder … the realization that all people have a life as complex as yours. I feel like that was the feeling wandering through the gallery.” The event was also extended to include the Center for Diversity & Inclusion as well as the Women and Gender Studies faculty to broaden its scope. In effect, several other functions were able to be held at the gallery, including Safe Zone training to teach methods of inclusivity and how to support the LGBTQ+ community. Cook said these collaborations also facilitated higher coverage via cross advertising and better integrated departments. “There were a lot of really positive responses to the conference,” Cook remarked. “I think sometimes it’s hard to get people from outside the art department to come to events because they’re perceived as only for the art department. Partnering with Women and Gender Studies was good because it made the event advertised to other departments, and I think made it more interdisciplinary.” It was important to Cook for the exhibit to encompass a mixture of representation and education, which was carried out through this variety of mediums. In pondering the event’s success, Cook thought back to its original purpose. “I hope people feel like this is a welcoming space that embraces queerness in all of its many forms,” Cook said.

Jess Dugan’s exhibit is displayed in the Ophelia Parrish gallery. Several students and campus organizations have convened here to absorb the images. Photo by Zhihao Jin VOLUME 111

ISSUE 16

tmn.truman.edu

@TrumanIndex

tative student sample, multiple forms of research were prepared and implemented prior to the announcement. “We did a couple different meth-

they wanted to see. Zak and Hinsley said that this system of student input is fairly standard for obtaining higher profile stars. In

They’re also getting compensated, so that helps too.” The event will feature Josh Peck’s endeavors and successes through dis-

The Index

TOP {5}

WAYS Throwback ITEMS FORTO YOURBEAT THE WINTER DORM ROOM YOU MIGHT Road Trip BLUES HAVE FORGOTTEN Songs BySavannah Erica Lindsay, cool jazz player By By Staff WriterKluesner, Travis Maiden pro road tripper

1. Stay active

5. “September” Earth, Wind & Fire Firstit’sAid Kit byduring I know difficult these frigid months,

but physical movement a at proven method to Anmight emergency can springisup anytimeless place It not be mood. September, but this classic improve your The best part is this and anytotime. Be itpumped burns from spring cookingbreak orthatregardis sure get you doesn’t mean you have tofor run in subzero temcuts A from aneven accident, a first aidevery kit less. sing-along classic in the car,with thisthe song will peratures or hit the gym day. Try an get you and your friends dancing (at least as much proper gear can be the diff erence between a online workout video, stretch when you can or as the recovery seat beltliving allows) and— is because sure to set the trymood dance in your when clean and aroom nasty infection. no matter your destination. ing to lift spirits, the goofier the better.

general admission. These can be obtained in the SUB down under through Thursday and the event will be held at 7 p.m. in Baldwin Hall Auditorium.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

3. To Go” by beverages Panic! at the Disco 3.“Ready Drink hot

3. Shower Sandals

Yes, coffee and tea are delicious and make us more If you’vesandals been your breath foralso spring breakantisince productive, butholding did especially you know they contain Shower are important the first day ofcan theactually semester, this is definitely the song for oxidants that make you happier? Whether for community bathrooms. Protectinglead your you. Although the title says Brendon strong or decaffeinated, I loveitaall, rich darksinger roast to stimfeet from various fungi that can be found in Urie’s fantastic vocal performance and the band’s ulate bright ideas when feeling unmotivated. Plus, stunthe ning chord layering provide for toanstaying exciting lightleftover shower wateras is essential cold weather serves an appropriate excuseand to keep hearted tune to add to your playlist. clean and healthy. chugging these warm elixirs.

2. Shore Drive” Aliotta Haynes Jeremiah 4.“Lake Reach tobyfriends Spare Lightout Some days are tougher than others, but any day is a Late atday night if you want see Call in your dorm,back you must good to contact yourtopals. buddies home, This 1972 tune takes listeners back to memories meet upthe with classmates to study or set a coffee turn on bright overhead light with noup way to dimdate it.they didn’t even know they had. With its iscatchy rhythm, alwith an old friend. Companionship a great vehicle Havinghaunting a soft light lamp can help the eyes piano focus and most melodies and incredible features, to dig both yourself and your peers out of the dumps. keepsong the mind studying. Usingadventures a singular, over this will clear bringwhile to mind exciting While coordinating plans can benefit your own social break and summer nights waiting just around the corner. beaming lightlikely will only cause headaches a student health, it will be appreciated on theifreceiving end needs as well.to wake up in the middle of the night and could

potentially bother a roommate.

2.“Shut GetUp creative 4. and Drive” by Rihanna Cleaning Supplies

Is there a hobby you’ve been meaning to get With the nearest Walmart being across town you into? Maybe you remember something fromtitle campus, students to this have liked to do a while agoshould but gotprepare too busy to find The might be self explanatory, but 2008 time for. from Eitherone way, an exciting andistowels, enjoyable addition ofhand pop’s queens perfect for cleaning products on like paper your driving playlist, even going zero to amid 60 isn’t outlet isdetergent crucial for amping your attitude laundry and soapiffor those sticky recommended. winter boredom.

accidents. From food spills to nail polish, there is absolutely no mess you shouldn’t prepared for.

1.5.“Dog Daysout Are Over” by Florence + the Machine Chill Snacks Take this time of discomfort to rejuvenate and reflect. The only creatures stir at 3 a.m. are grasshoppers, Seasonal gloom isthat worsened by stress, so distracting Leave behind theState dog days of only the start thelong. semester owls and Truman University students. few yourself by staying busy will workofWith so Inwith this 2009 hit. With Florence Welch’s powerful vostead, after devoting energy toward some of thetoabove places to visit for a late-night treat, it’s wonderful have cals and experimental rhythms, this song is sure to pump recommendations, celebrate yourthe exertion. Treat youran emergency stockpile when slightany peckish you up for your spring for break, and, with luck, carry self to a passive activity like reading or watching you intoonthe of into the semester. feeling thesecond tonguehalf turns a ravenous hunger. your favorite movie, or simply do nothing. Your refreshed state of mind will thank you.

RINEHART’S| Local entertainment store remains open for 159 years

Nostalgia soars at Moana Sing Along & Disney Trivia

Continued from page 7 Rinehart’s gets a lot of its inventory from estate sales, among other places. The music store also donates a lot of the items it can’t sell to local libraries and charities. Hildebrand said Rinehart’s likely has about $6 million in inventory as of right now. Hildebrand has criteria for what he buys to sell in the store. Items must be in good condition, not a duplicate of something already in the store, somehow media related, and have a “cool” factor. This can include movies, comic books, music and pop culture collectables. Hildebrand said Rinehart’s will always change with the times, but sometimes those changes can take months to years to roll out. He said the store is largely influenced by its owners interests and the market demand. “The music store is still here because I’m still here,” Hildebrand said. “We’re just not going to close it.” Hildebrand said less than 10% of the walk-through

traffic is people associated with Truman or A.T. Still, around 15% is Kirksville residents, 10% is visitors and the remaining 65% comes from people within a 40-50 mile radius of the city. Before the 1970s there would be lines around the block to get the Sunday paper, Hildebrand said, but now students are more interested in online shopping or going home to shop. As a longstanding business owner in Kirksville, Hildebrand said he has seen the city change in numerous ways. One change he said he has noticed is the rising cost of operating a business in Kirksville, making it more difficult for new business owners to start and survive. As for the future, Hildebrand said he thinks Rinehart’s will be in the same place and adapting to new media while still holding on to its roots. “We never get rid of anything,” Hildebrand said. “We may sell out of it, but we never get rid of it and we’re always adding on top of that.”

Top right: Tables filled quickly at the Student Activities Board function hosted Mar. 1 in the Student Union Building as students sought to bond over their Disney obsessions. The event provided opportunities to show off movie knowledge, hang out with friends and enjoy ice cream. Photos by Erica Lindsay The store’s resolution is displayed among several antique items. The document represents its distinction from the Missouri General Assembly for its support of Truman State University, A.T. Still University and the Kirksville community. Photos by Ryan Pivoney

Above: Student Activities Board members coordinate event activities. Round one featured trivia from popular Disney movies such as “The Lion King,” “Alladin” and “The Jungle Book.” Right: Students laugh together while debating trivia answers. The event facilitated several moments like this across the SUB Georgian Room Sunday evening.

“The Invisible Man” is visibly disappointing Owner Karl Hildebrand stands with his extensive collection of inventory. Hildebrand has specific standards for what items are purchased and sold.

GORDON MCPHERSON Staff Writer Despite Leigh Whannell’s inventive direction and a committed performance from Elisabeth Moss, “The Invisible Man” ultimately becomes a shallow exercise in style over substance. As a reminder, horror movies aren’t my cup of tea and jump scares annoy me more than pop quizzes. “The Invisible Man” wasn’t a pleasant viewing experience in the slightest. Unlike Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” and Ari Aster’s “Midsommar,” Whannell prepares viewers for an impactful exploration of abuse, trauma and paranoia — only to squander these themes in a rushed, over the top third act. Nearly everything set up prior is undermined and leaves a troubling aftertaste as a result. In a brilliantly suspenseful opening scene, Cecilia Cass — played by Moss — tries to escape the clutches of Adrian Griffin, her abusive boyfriend, in the dead of night. Griffin, played by Oliver Jackson-Cohen, is a world famous optics scientist with a narcissistic, controlling and manipulative soul. Upon barely evading Griffin’s manic grasp, Cass is left haunted by her past and can barely venture outdoors without having a panic attack. Cass’ best friend James Lanier, played by Aldis Hodge, agrees to let her stay with him and his daughter Syd-

Hildebrand’s cat often wanders the counter to greet customers. Victoria, a calico, is one of the store’s many fascinations.

ney, played by Storm Reid. Two weeks later, that doesn’t use stalking and gaslighting as a Cass’ sister visits and informs her of Griffin’s cheap horror device. apparent suicide. If only Whannell had practiced more reUnfortunately, as Cass begins to reckon straint. Much to my dismay, “The Invisible with Griffin’s death and recover from her ex- Man” often feels like Whannell flouting his periences, she is terrorized by Griffin yet again. showmanship above all else. Even though his This time, Griffin is completely invisible and cinematic techniques are certainly nerve racknobody believes Cass’ side of the story. As the ing and well-choreographed — frequent jump invisible man methodiscares aside — character cally dismantles the lives “Despite Leigh Whan- development and meanof Cass and those close to ingful plotting are dreadher, she must prove Grif- nell’s inventive direction fully sidelined. fin’s continued existence and a committed perforThis is a shame beand end his torment once cause Moss gives a truly mance from Elisabeth lived-in, grounded perand for all. Similar to last issue’s Moss, that makes the “The Invisible formance “Honey Boy,” “The Inproceedings all the more visible Man” targets the Man” ultimately becomes uncomfortable. long-lasting effects of a shallow exercise in style Rather than flesh her abusive relationships out as the courageous, — only “The Invisible over substance.” intelligent woman the Man” is an outright horopening scene portrays ror film from start to her as, Cass becomes a Gordon McPherson, plaything for Whannell finish. As a previous collaborator on the “Saw” staff writer to unleash saddening disfilms, director Whanplays of brutality and psynell was poised to craft a chological destruction. memorable and unnerving experience at the “The Invisible Man” features far too many movies. scenes of Cass being attacked by her invisible This is a disturbing and thought-provoking abuser without the ability to fight back. Compremise for a horror film, without a doubt. It bined with the fine-tuned yet in-your-face also demands a nuanced, empathetic approach camerawork, Whannell obviously loved craft-

ing these scenes — perhaps a bit too much. To make matters worse, the second half of “The Invisible Man” becomes a generic, confusingly plotted revenge thriller. Any hope for character development is literally shot to pieces, and Cass’ final stand comes across as a Hollywoodized sanitation of thorny subject matter. Despite this moral repugnancy, “The Invisible Man” still has some qualities sure to satisfy the horror crowd, of which I’m not a member. I can’t deny the power of the film’s camerawork and voyeuristic elements, and Whannell stages dozens of terrifying sequences in the first half that left me deeply uneasy. The film uses point of view shots to maximize anxiety, forcing viewers to scan their surroundings just like Cass does. In several sequences, the camera plants itself, unmoving, on some corner of Cass’ surroundings. Can you find the invisible man? Where’s Waldo? He could attack at any moment — always with a jarring, aggravating musical accompaniment. Perhaps I could enjoy “The Invisible Man” if it actually tackled its subject matter with knowledge and devotion to the characters at its center. In its current state, the film contains a strong performance and camerawork desperately in need of a well-realized story.

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

The Index

JazzFest incites education, experience ERICA LINDSAY & SIOBHAN NEELY Features, Opinions Editor & Staff Writer Truman State University is home to several music groups, but on Feb. 29, two in particular got their moment in the sun: Jazz Lab Band and Jazz Ensemble, led by faculty advisor Tim AuBuchon. Every year, the music honor fraternity Phi Mu Alpha hosts JazzFest, a weekend-long experience where jazz combos and ensembles can play in front of judges to get specific feedback. The event involves multiple performances from middle schoolers to professional entertainers, culminating with a concert featuring University jazz players and a guest artist. Truman’s Jazz Lab and Jazz Ensemble each encompass 16-18 piece crews, performing respectively with on campus guest artists and at off campus venues. JazzFest gives both the ability to showcase their skills in front of a broad audience of peers, young musicians and experienced composers. Freshman Miranda Lee, a music performance and education major, said she has enjoyed her time playing trumpet in Jazz Lab and explained that she wanted to join because of her jazz band experience in high school. Here at Truman, Lee finds as much joy in the ensemble’s music as its leadership. “Mr. AuBuchon is a blast to work with,” Lee said. “He’s funny and also very knowledgeable.” Also a part of Jazz Ensemble are freshmen Sam Weaver and Connor King, who play alto saxophone and trombone, respectively. Both mentioned how they also wanted to join because of prior jazz band backgrounds. Though his high school jazz endeavors drew him toward the band, Weaver’s section is now what keeps him there. “They’re super fun to be around and talk

to,” Weaver said. There have been several memorable moTim AuBuchon, assistant professor of mu- ments for AuBuchon over the years during his sic and jazz studies, has been involved in coor- time with JazzFest. Each year offers chances dinating JazzFest for several years and always for performance and learning, as well as simienjoys watching the progression of student lar opportunities outside the event itself. jazz musicians he prepares for the event. AuBuchon said he especially enjoys playAuBuchon expressed specifically the sat- ing at the judges jam hosted by DuKum Inn isfaction that comes with watching his band the night before each festival, in addition to the members gradually master the music and un- culmination of each band’s efforts the followderstand it on a deeper level. ing days. “There’s a lot to learn with jazz,” AuBu“It’s always a lot of fun to get to play at chon said. “It’s a pretty deep subject. There’s the DuKum with some of my peers and then a really high degree of rhythmic complexity the guest artist,” AuBuchon said. “It’s a good sometimes, and harmonic time. I enjoy that a lot, complexity. Musically it but I also enjoy the evecan be kind of hard, so it’s ning concert. The perforreally nice to see people mances are the payoff for learn something and have all the work and stress, so that a-ha moment.” those are my favorite.” AuBuchon works with The concert that Authe campus jazz groups Buchon and his jazz featured in JazzFest to groups rehearse for is both practice for the event in conjunction with as well as relate their Tim AuBuchon, JazzFest’s selected guest knowledge and love of artist. This year the fesjazz professor tival introduced Shane the music style to a wider perspective. Endsley, who plays trumWhile it can be fulfillpet and percussion and ing to see students comalso composes. prehending compositions, AuBuchon sugAuBuchon said he appreciated Endsley’s gests it is even more gratifying to watch them less conventional approach to jazz and what apply those principles to their own lives. it brought to those in attendance, in addition “I enjoy just watching them grow and re- to his students. ally learning to appreciate the music,” AuBu“His music is very modern and it incorchon said. “It’s not always the kind of music porates lots of sort of rock,” AuBuchon dethat people have listened to a lot before they scribed. “It’s hard to label music, but I think come to college, and maybe in their free time, his label would be something like a post-rock but I especially enjoy it if they start listening jazz musician. He has a wide range of interwhen I don’t make them, just recreationally ests, and this is really typical of jazz right now. listening to the music. It’s really nice when People sometimes will be kind of delving into they get to that point that they’re interested hip-hop rhythms.” enough to learn on their own. That’s ideal, as a This developing shift in the jazz world was teacher. That’s the ultimate goal.” well-represented at this year’s 52nd Annual

“I enjoy just watching them grow and really learning to appreciate the music,”

JazzFest, AuBuchon said, bringing a new element to the longstanding event. AuBuchon said Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Lab have been in the process of implementing this pioneering style to broaden their skill sets in the genre. “Especially big band jazz people think about the swing era, 1930s, company scene, and that’s great. We do a lot of that through the year. It’s still a large chunk of the big band repertoire, but there’s certainly a lot of other stuff, too.” This additional jazz insight is exactly what Endsley provided to all students at the event. Through performance coordination and clinics, jazz players at all levels were able to take advice from the internationally recognized musician. “I try to get [artists] who are good at teaching,” AuBuchon said. “Watching them interact is always, for me, a great part of the year — having someone there for students to say, ‘This is the real deal.’ They get to play with [the artist] and critique students playing. It’s definitely a unique experience and always kind of a high point for the jazz year.” That year is not over yet for Truman’s jazz musicians. While March is spent planning for subsequent shows and recovering from the last, April is full of events that are open for all to enjoy. Fans can look forward to a Jazz Combos concert for more improvisation and student composition in mid-April, followed by another big bands ensemble like the one this past weekend. The semester will conclude, weather permitting, with a performance on The Quad during the last week of classes. Jazz students and faculty hope events like JazzFest and ensuing performances can act as a springboard to the future and a platform to shine.

Felix & Hazel’s High School Dance Then, during their second dance — the song was “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith — it began to rain. Not just rain, pour. Hazel’s makeup was running down her face, her curls were disappearing and the beautiful corsage that Felix had spent his allowance on was crumpling fast. They ran off to a nearby gazebo to wait out the storm. Hazel looked down at her water-soaked dress, tears welling in her eyes. “My dress! It’s ruined!” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Oh, I must look like a mess!” Without hesitation, Felix grabbed her by the shoulders and began examining her, his face serious and thoughtful. Hazel’s eyebrows furrowed. “What is it?” she asked. Felix looked her right in the eye, still as serious as a heart attack, and said, “You’re the most beautiful girl to ever attend a high school dance.” When Felix and Hazel were 24, Hazel came home. She was getting ready to move to California and went to Felix’s apartment to say goodbye, worried she’d never see him again. According to her mother, he was seeing one of the girls they’d gone to high school with — Hazel never liked that Mindy Mae Brown anyway — and was likely going to marry her. She knocked on the front door. Felix answered within seconds. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her arm, pulled her inside and sat her down on the couch. Then he told her, “Hazel, I’ve been too scared to say any of this for a decade and if I don’t say it right now I might burst.” Hazel’s eyes widened. She nodded for him

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When Felix and Hazel were teenagers, they lived in a town that was big enough for Felix but too small for Hazel. When Hazel was a teenager, her favorite thing to do was take walks around the town and its outskirts, and daydream about the place she’d live when she grew up. When Felix was a teenager, his favorite thing to do was be around Hazel. Ergo, he went on a lot of these walks. Every day it was something different. “When I grow up,” Hazel said, “I will live in a house that’s pink like a cherry blossom.” On another day it was, “When I grow up, I will live close enough to a body of water that I can go and sit on a dock and read.” Hazel watched the houses and the trees, willing the houses to be pastel and the trees to be sand. Felix watched Hazel, wishing he could hold her and that her awe-filled blue eyes spent more time looking at him. When Felix and Hazel were in their twenties, they experienced not living five minutes away from each other for the first time in their lives. When Hazel turned twenty, she was at a university on the east coast and majoring in interior design. When Felix turned twenty, he was finishing up an associate’s degree while working full time at the local grocery store. Hazel was deciding that she might like to live in a big city, maybe move to California. Felix was deciding that he’d like to own his own grocery store one day. But he wanted to do it the old-fashioned way. He wanted a small

shop and to know his regular customers by name. He wanted to employ the future versions of himself, kids who needed to pay the bills without being stopped from accomplishing their dreams. Hazel wrote him letters every Sunday and Wednesday. She didn’t dare ask him to spend the money for a long-distance call. She knew once she started speaking to him, she’d never stop. It’d been too long since she’d heard his voice. So she let her insides spill out onto the page — her plans to see the Pacific Ocean, her shift toward modern design, her newfound love for veggie burgers — and sealed each letter into its envelope with a kiss. And Felix read every single word at least three times, always wishing for the invitation to call. When Felix and Hazel were teenagers, they missed every high school dance. Hazel always tried to make her own dress, but it was never ready on time. There were always more embellishments to be added or last-minute changes to be made. By the time she’d finish the dress, the dance would be long past. So Felix would pack up his boombox and take her to one of the local parks and ask her to dance. Hazel’s favorite “high school dance” was the one when she had made a dress the same cherry blossom pink as the house she dreamed of. It hugged her torso but billowed out into a full skirt that stopped at her ankles. The whole thing sparkled like it was covered in stars. She curled her hair, let it drape over her bare shoulders. Felix had looked at her like he was seeing an angel.

ALLISON MASCHHOFF Staff Writer

to continue. “Hazel, I don’t know if you know this, but I think you’re amazing. I think I would have had a much sadder existence without you and I don’t know what I would’ve done without your letters these last few years. And I know you want to move to California and have a pink house and read on the docks and dance in the rain and decorate every room with fairy lights. And I want you to do it all.” “That’s, um, that’s good to hear Felix, um, because I came to, um, to tell you that —” He interrupted her, “I bought a house in San Diego. It might be the wrong shade of pink, but we can always paint it. The first floor is meant to be a shop, but there are two floors for living above it. And there are public docks within walking distance and parks to dance in and there’s even a gazebo in the nearest park.” Hazel could barely get the words out, “You bought yourself a shop and a house in San Diego?” He shook his head and his face reminded her of that time in the gazebo all those years ago. “I bought us a shop and a house in San Diego. That is, assuming you want this.” And then he got down on his knees in front of her and suddenly there was a ring box in his hands. The ring was rose gold with a beautiful cherry blossom stone in the middle. When Felix and Hazel were in their twenties, they moved to San Diego. And the daydreams became reality and the walks were by the ocean and the kisses were placed on faces instead of envelopes and there was no need for long-distance calls.

The Index

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

In Perspective Narratives from the campus community

What type of community have you worked to build at Truman?

Margo Motes, junior

Maggie Adams, junior

“I am the student adviser for the pre-med hall at [Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall] and there are all freshmen in that hallway. For me, it was kind of a challenge because last year I didn’t have all freshmen. I had a group of upperclassmen and they had already kind of made their own community, so this fall was a cool opportunity for me to try to facilitate that community from the ground level before it even had a foundation. Myself and one of the people I was paired with for Truman Days made it a big priority to try to make those connections during Truman Days. We worked on building those friendships on common interests from the second that they got there, and just making sure that everyone in the hall had somebody and they felt comfortable living here. From there it kind of just took off, and they have continued to grow in those friendships and interpersonal connections. It’s been really cool to see how we may have facilitated that and gave them a place to make those friendships, but they did it all on their own. We were just a stepping stone in the process of them making those connections in college. It was really cool to see them start off college with the nice little community in our hallway.”

“I would describe my community on campus as kind of like a back bone for learning. That probably sounds really stupid but I don’t care. And a real positive environment where I feel like I can ask even stupid questions, which I think a lot of campuses that’s not as okay because class sizes are so large, but at Truman I think small class sizes lead you to make closer bonds maybe a little faster and you’re more comfortable asking these types of questions. It’s a really supportive environment and I feel like I can be myself. I can be creative within that community, ‘cause I’m in the art department.”

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THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

The Index

UPCOMING EVENTS

SOFTBALL

• Vs Drury University at noon Saturday, March 14 • Vs Drury University at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14 • Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Sunday, March 15 • Vs Southwest Baptist University at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 15 • At Lindenwood University at noon Saturday, March 21 • At Lindenwood University at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21 • At University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Sunday, March 22 • At University of Missouri-St. Louis at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 22

TENNIS

• Vs Missouri Baptist University at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 7 • Vs Kaskaskia College at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 7 • At Doane University at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21 • At Concordia University at noon Saturday, March 22

SWIMMING

GOLF

• At University of Missouri-St. Louis Emerald Coast Classic at TBD Sunday, March 8 through Tuesday, March 10 • At Drury Midwest Intercollegiate at TBD Sunday, March 22 through Monday, March 23

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • At GLVC Quarterfinals vs Rockhurst University at 6 p.m. Friday, March 6 • At GLVC Semifinals at TBD Saturday, March 7 • At GLVC Championship at TBD Sunday, March 8

MEN’S BASKETBALL • At GLVC Quarterfinals vs Lindenwood University at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 6 • At GLVC Semifinals at TBD Saturday, March 7 • At GLVC Championship at TBD Sunday, March 8

BASEBALL

• Vs the University of Indianapolis at noon Saturday, March 7 • Vs the University of Indianapolis at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 7 • Vs the University of Indianapolis at noon Sunday, March 8 • At the University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Saturday, March 14 • At the University of Missouri-St. Louis at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 14 • At the University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Sunday, March 15 • Vs Rockhurst University at noon Wednesday, March 18 • Vs Rockhurst University at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 18 • Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Saturday, March 21 • Vs Southwest Baptist University at 3 p.m. Saturday, March 21 • Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Sunday, March 22

• At NCAA Division II Swimming and Diving Championships at TBD Wednesday, March 11 through Saturday, March 14

TOTTA| Sole senior provides leadership to women’s basketball team Continued from page 14 Totta said Truman’s basketball program has given her that ability to flourish, from growth in basketball skills and mentality to learning how to become a better teammate and leader. Totta said she thinks her passion for basketball comes from it being an outlet through which she can constantly improve and be the best she can be. “I just think it’s so fun,” Totta said. “I love playing basketball. You can always

Guard Sloane Totta looks for a teammate to pass the ball to. Totta was honored during the women’s basketball Senior Day Saturday, Feb. 22 as the only senior on the team. Photo by Truman Athletics

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improve and I think that’s what I love about it. There’s always something to work on.” She said basketball has also been a source for many life lessons, like commitment and friendship. Totta recalled missing childhood birthday parties and sleepovers because of her commitment to the game. With many childhood teammates now being GLVC competitors, Totta said she has made many lifelong friends because of the game. Totta said her first official team was in first grade. Because her father also coached basketball, Totta has spent many nights in the gym whether it be watching his team, playing for her own or just practicing with her father. “In high school, between mine and my sister’s games and my dad’s coaching, we would have a game every single night, if not two or three. My poor mother has probably seen a million games in her lifetime.” Totta said she’s had the most fun and is the closest with her team this year than any other at Truman. Each season, however, has had highs and lows, Totta said. While individual games stick out as some of the highlights of her career, Totta said some lows would include the physically brutal preseason each year. Totta said her current ankle injury and missing some preseason games because of minor shin and calf injuries are some of the negative points in her personal career. “Honestly, with any of these lows we look back at — like the mile and half that we had to run or the different things we had to do that seemed outrageous at the time — it’s just so fun to laugh about and say, ‘Wow, I can’t believe we were up at 6 a.m. barfing on the turf and running forever,’” Totta said. “Those aren’t fun in the moment, but they’re definitely bonding situations that are hilarious to talk about later.” Totta said her future plans include going to grad school at Truman and possibly becoming a graduate assistant. Klucking said she thinks Totta has great coaching qualities and would make her successful in that position if she were to pursue it. Dean said that it will be tough not having her on the court next season because she’s been a consistently good player all four years. He said, however, they have had early talks of her being a graduate assistant, and that he would be more than happy for that to happen. “She’s a kid who puts the team first, in all facets, and does whatever she can to help the team win, whether that’s hitting the game-winning shot, making a great assist to her teammate or being the loudest cheerleader on the bench,” Dean said.

The Index

SEASON STATS

MEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL

20-8

BASEBALL OVERALL

3-12

CONFERENCE

0-0

2-2

OVERALL

20-7

SOFTBALL OVERALL

1-3

CONFERENCE

0-0

16-4

HOME AWAY NEUTRAL

11-0 8-6

1-2

CONFERENCE

16-4

HOME AWAY NEUTRAL

9-3 8-3

3-1

TENNIS

HOME AWAY NEUTRAL

0-0 0-0

CONFERENCE

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

HOME AWAY NEUTRAL

0-0 1-0

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

1-3

OVERALL

4-6

CONFERENCE

0-0

HOME AWAY NEUTRAL

0-2 4-1

0-3

MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYS LIKE IT’S 1979 JACK WILLIE Staff Writer The men’s basketball team finished its regular season this past weekend, going 3-1 in its last four games and making Truman State University the co-champion of the GLVC. With its share of the regular season

Guard Brodric Thomas shoots the ball for a 3-pointer. The Bulldogs are heading to the conference championships against Rockhurst University. Photo by Kara Mackenzie

title, it marks the first time since the 1978-79 season that Truman was recognized as regular season conference champs. The four game stretch started on the road against the 18-6 Panthers of Drury University. Truman struggled to hit shots in the first half, going six for 20 from the field for a 30% field goal percentage. On the other end of the court, the Panthers made six 3-pointers to help them jump out with an early lead. The ’Dogs found themselves trailing by 17 at halftime. Truman needed an influx of energy in the second half, however, that energy never showed up for the Bulldogs. Forward Alex McQuinn was the only player to register double digit points for the ’Dogs, tallying a season high 14 points. Turnovers were a large problem for the Bulldogs as they gave the ball away 23 times. The Panthers were able to convert those extra possessions into 35 points of their own. Drury held onto its lead and defeated the Bulldogs by a final of 71-52. Truman’s next game was Senior Day and its final home game of the year against Southwest Baptist University. Offensively, the Bulldogs were sharing the ball, registering 10 assists in the first half. The duo of forward Cade McKnight and guard Brodric Thomas was on full display as they both registered double digit points by halftime. With a lot of help from McKnight and Thomas, the Bulldogs shot 53.6% from the field. Truman was up by nine at the start of the second half and never looked back. Nine different players scored in the second half for the ’Dogs. As a whole, the team kept up its hot shooting as they shot 59.3% from the field, high enough to take down the Bearcats. Truman also only turned the ball over five times, a stark difference from its previous game. The Bearcats weren’t able to get much going offensively, and they

shot 42.3% from the field and 37.5% from 3-point range. “We got back to playing our brand of defense,” McKnight said. “Just making them uncomfortable and forcing them into late clock situations to take tough shots.” The Bulldogs controlled the ball and played tough defense, two of the biggest factors that led them to a win on Senior Day, 83-59. Truman then traveled to St. Louis the following week to face off against Maryville University. Coming into the game, Maryville was ranked last in the GLVC standings with a conference record of 1-17. The Bulldogs outplayed the Saints in every facet of the game. Despite relatively close field goal percentages overall, Truman used its 3-point shooting to build its lead. Maryville made one 3-pointer compared to Truman’s six in the first half, and the Bulldogs would go into half time leading by that 15-point margin. The ’Dogs kept adding on in the second half thanks in large part to their defensive efforts and getting out in transition. Truman forced 16 turnovers and dominated the glass, only allowing five offensive rebounds for the Saints while corralling 27 defensive rebounds. Fast break offense played a big role for the Bulldogs, and they had 24 fast break points and 21 points off turnovers on the night. With the help of 41 bench points, the lead kept growing and the ’Dogs eventually won the game 94-65. For its final game of the regular season, Truman travelled to Rolla to take on the struggling Miners from the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The Miners came into the game in 15th place out of 16 teams in the GLVC, one spot ahead of Maryville. Truman put together their third great half of basketball in a row, using the 3-pointer to gain an advantage once again. Led by Thomas’

hot shooting, the ’Dogs made 54.6% of their 3-point attempts in the half, while the Miners only made 30.8%. Truman took a healthy 11-point lead into the halftime break. The Bulldogs’ shooting only got better in the second half, and they made 53.1% of their field goals and added six more 3-pointers to their first half total. Four different players scored in double figures for Truman, but Thomas carried most of the scoring load with his 34 points, just one point shy of tying his career high. He did set a new career high for 3-pointers made though, making seven of his eight attempts. Truman’s defense stifled the Miners all day, allowing them to only shoot 32.8% from the field for the entire game. After another 11-point margin in the second half, the Bulldogs won the game 89-67. By winning its final three games, Truman finished the regular season with an overall record of 20-8 and a conference record of 16-4. With such a strong conference record, Truman was able to be named the co-champion of the GLVC for the regular season, tying with the University of Missouri-St. Louis. “At the beginning of the year we talked about it and we believed we could do it,” assistant coach Austin McBeth said. “The fact that we accomplished what we set out to do, I think it goes so far, especially because most of these dudes are coming back ... Now they’ve seen it, they know what it takes and that’s how you build tradition.” In the process of capturing the conference title, the ’Dogs also clinched an undefeated home season, winning all 11 games played in Pershing Arena. Next up for Truman is the conference tournament, for which the Bulldogs are seeded third. They will take on Rockhurst University for the third time this season at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 6 in Edwardsville, Illinois.

The Index

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

ATHLETE o f

t h e

w e e k

Center Katie Jaseckas led the Bulldogs in an 84-83 thriller against Maryville University. Jaseckas established new career records with 29 points and 19 rebounds in the game against the Saints. Rebounds were a major factor in the game as the Bulldogs closed an 11-point gap at the beginning of the third quarter. Jaseckas also grabbed a rebound and scored the final shot with three seconds left on the clock. She continued that momentum into the next game against the Missouri University of Science and Technology and scored 23 points, leading the team in scoring again.

Katie Jaseckas

Women’s basketball heads to postseason RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief The women’s basketball team faced four tough opponents in the final stretch of the season but came out with a 3-1 record and secured its spot in the GLVC postseason tournament. Starting with a matchup against undefeated Drury University and former head coach Amy Eagan, the Bulldogs were downed by a score of 77-56. Despite a fight from the ’Dogs, the Drury Lady Panthers dominated the game with a 28-point lead from which Truman State University never recovered. Guard Sloane Totta, the team’s only senior and a key player this season, sprained her ankle in the first half, rendering her unable to play for the rest of the regular season. “I’m hoping to be back by conference, but we’ll see,” Totta said. “I’m disappointed, but my team is good and it’s been fun watching them.” Totta said the game overall was disappointing because she felt excited and prepared going in, but she was unable to play the second half and the team ultimately lost. Guard Katey Klucking said she thought the team felt somewhat lost without Totta on the court. She said the game against Drury was rough, but the team knew going in that it would be a difficult game. “We wanted to beat them but that didn’t happen,” Klucking said. “Sloane went down in the first half, which is kind of difficult when your only senior — who is also not just influential on the floor but just as a leader she’s influential — goes down like that it’s kind of hard to pick up the pieces.”

The following Saturday the team faced Southwest Baptist University for Senior Day. As the only senior on the team, Totta was the only Bulldog to be recognized. The ’Dogs won the season’s last game at Pershing Arena 80-66. Klucking said the Bulldogs picked it back up in the game against SBU. Not only was the team shooting well, she said, but it also found a rhythm that didn’t need to incorporate Totta, who was still out for injury. Without Totta, the team had to learn how to manage offensively without one of its prominent scorers. “We had to learn how to play without her,” Klucking said. “That’s 15 points a game that we didn’t have, but luckily we were hitting our shots and rebounding well and playing good defense. So we got the win there, but obviously we want [Totta] back.” Totta was still present at the game and watching from the bench, which allowed her more time to observe the SBU Bearcats and give insight to the other players. This insight was valuable, Klucking said, as the Bulldogs won the game and set a school record in conference game wins. “They played super well,” Totta said. “They shot lights out so that was really fun watching them on offense. I thought they shared the ball really well. It’s really hard to beat us when we’re shooting that well.” The Bulldogs then travelled to Maryville University to beat the Saints 84-83 in overtime. The team was led by center Katie Jaseckas who scored a career record of 29 points and grabbed a career record of 19 rebounds. Guard Hannah Belanger scored 23 points while guard Tiffany Davenport and forward Hannah Pinkston put up nine and eight points, respectively.

Head coach Theo Dean said he thought the game against Maryville went well. “It was huge for our teams to come together for a tough road game against Maryville, especially without Sloane,” Dean said. “We were able to fight back, and then remain strong in the overtime victory.” Truman then travelled to Rolla, Missouri, to face off against Missouri University of Science and Technology. The ’Dogs ran away with a 62-52 win over the Miners thanks in large part to Jaseckas who scored 23 points. Forward Maya Mouton grabbed nine points for the Bulldogs while Belanger got eight and forward Maddie Re secured seven. “Against S&T, it was another opportunity for our team to go 2-0 against a conference opponent,” Dean said. “That’s a feat that is not easily done, especially with how tough our conference naturally is. Though both games were closer than I would’ve wanted, I did expect us to win both as long as we came out and gave 100% effort.” The women’s basketball team is now heading to the postseason to face No. 5 Lindenwood University at 2:30 p.m. Friday, March 6. Despite being ranked No. 2 in the conference, the Bulldogs are the fourth seed because the rankings were set by a GLVC system that weighs wins and losses and opponents’ winning percentage. Dean said he is excited to make the postseason in his first year. “It’s a great experience for all of our players and something that you don’t want to take for granted,” Dean said. “I think we have a great opportunity to be successful and I will do my job to stress to our players how important it is to give everything they have at this time, because it is truly ‘win or go home.’”

THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2020

n o i s s a p , t n e l a t h t i w s g o d l l u B s d a Totta le RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief As the only senior on the women’s basketball team this season, guard Sloane Totta had to fill a major leadership role on the court. Totta recently surpassed 1,000 career points at Truman State University and leads the team in assists, among other statistics. She has also started in every game she has played since her freshman year, totaling 110 games. Totta said while it was a little awkward and uncomfortable being the only senior recognized on Senior Day, she felt loved and grateful for her team and its efforts to make her feel appreciated. “Considering how disappointed I’ve been just not being able to play, they made me feel super important and loved and made the day as fun as it could be considering everything,” Totta said. “It was another reminder of how selfless my teammates are for them to just make the day so great.” Totta is currently out of play with a sprained ankle sustained in the latest matchup against Drury University. To make Totta feel appreciated, teammates gave thoughtful gifts, made a scrapbook, spoke kind and supportive words, decorated the locker room with inside jokes and guard Katey Klucking gave up her starting position to let Totta start for her final time in Pershing Arena. Klucking said with Totta starting in 110 games throughout her college career, it seemed only right to have her start on Senior Day, as well. Klucking said she wanted Totta to continue her starting record, but also didn’t want to take away freshman guard Alex Wiese’s first opportunity to start. “I didn’t necessarily need to start and I knew that Sloane [has] done so much for the program and it was her Senior [Day],” Klucking said. Klucking said she thought Totta deserved the spot because she has accomplished so much throughout the season and is just a good person overall. Totta was only on the court for a few seconds before returning to the sidelines. “I couldn’t have thought of a better way to end my career,” Totta said. “I’ve just been so grateful for the way that it ended.” As the sole senior on the team, Totta unquestionably fills a leadership role on the team. Head coach Theo Dean said she is often seen as the coach on the floor. Dean said Totta has been with the program for as long as he has, so she could likely teach many offensive and defensive plays on her own. VOLUME 111

ISSUE 16

“She’s a calming effect for her teammates,” Dean said. “She’s seen every opponent more than anyone else on our roster and knows exactly what to expect from the opponents and also some of the tough environments that we play in while on the road. She understands the grind of the season and also what to do in order to make sure you’re playing your best basketball in February and March.” Klucking said Totta does a good job of taking on all the facets of the leadership role, which is usually split between multiple seniors. In addition to leading the team in scoring and assists, Totta is the team’s leader in communicating with teammates and ensuring everyone understands what’s going on, Klucking said. Klucking said despite Totta being on the bench for half the game against Drury University and the game against Southwest Baptist University, she was able to direct players on where to go and which plays to look out for. Off the court, Totta is still a great communicator and friend who’s not afraid to be honest, Klucking said. “She’s not afraid to tell us what we need to hear in any moment, and we don’t take offense to it because it’s coming from Sloane,” Klucking said. “I’m only a sophomore and sometimes you need Sloane Totta to come and tell you to chill out, and it actually really helps.” Totta said a large part of the spirit and culture on the team starts with coach Dean, who took over the head coach position this season after serving as the assistant coach for the past three years. She said he’s always promoting an environment of fun and bonding. While being successful is always a priority, Dean understands that there’s more to the team than just a desire to win, Totta said. “He’s just helped our team bond so much with the culture that he has created,” Totta said. “My teammates, too. Everyone on the team has been so selfless and I think that’s made our team. It’s just one of the best teams I’ve been on and one of the most fun seasons I’ve had.” Totta said Dean has had a large influence on her basketball career and making her successful. She said he always knows what to say, whether it’s about her performance on the court or her self confidence. She said she has never had a coach like Dean who is patient and trusting in his team. “He has so much confidence and assurance in himself and his team, and I lack sometimes in confidence so it’s been really great to go into a game with his ability to be so cool, calm and collected while I’m freaking out on the inside,” Totta said. “It’s really nice because he’s the stable rock.” She said Dean being a constant throughout the rollercoaster of college basketball has been instrumental for her. “Her mom calls me The Sloane Whisperer,” Dean said. “We just have a great player-coach relationship, and, because

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we’ve gone on this four-year journey together, we really understand each other. We know what drives each other and I know which buttons of hers to push. But at the same time, I know how great she wants to be in all areas of life, but especially in basketball.” Dean said it all goes back to the amount of time he has worked with Totta in the gym, but also the important conversations they have had off the court that created a mutual sense of trust. Klucking said it is obvious that Totta and Dean are always on the same page. “He’s definitely The Sloane Whisperer,” Klucking said. “You can tell that they have such a great friendship. He’s not just her coach. They have a friendship where he can say anything to Sloane, and Sloane can say anything to him, and they won’t get offended because they trust each other on that level.” Totta said she chose to play college ball at Truman because she saw it as a place where she could continue to grow and improve herself. “I wanted to become the best basketball player I could be,” Totta said. “I wanted to be a high achiever in school. I just felt like this basketball program had systems in place to help me become the best version of myself that I could be.” Speaking to the ways Truman holds its athletes to a higher standard than other schools, Totta pointed to the study tables the program provides and the rules, like being required to sit in the first two rows in class. See TOTTA page 11

Guard Sloane Totta dribbles the ball past an opponent. Totta is the sole senior on the team and recently surpased her 1,000th career point. Photo by Kara Mackenzie @TrumanIndex