The Index Vol. 112, Issue 10

Last issue of the semester!

Check out our seniors’ farewell columns on page 11

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

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Newly elected candidates reflect on election KENNEDY COOPER Staff Writter

Signs indicate where Adair County residents can vote. An election was held on April 6. Photo from TMN Archives

The April 6 elections had good rates of voter turnout, especially for a local election, Sandy Collop, Adair County Clerk said.

“I was hoping for 15% [voter turnout], and when I found out that we had 20%, I thought we did really good,” Collop said.

For the Kirksville City Council, there were four candidates for a single open position, which will last for a three-year term. The candidates were Kevin Alm, Kabir Bansal, John Gardner and Dana (Danny) McDowell.

There were 1,748 votes cast and Gardner won with 982 votes.

“I’m extremely pleased with the results,” Gardner said. “I was able to make a strong connection with many voters and

that shows in the election outcome. I’m excited to go to work serving the Kirksville community as we focus on unlocking Kirksville’s potential and making Kirksville a place where all belong.”

For the Kirksville R-III school board, there were five candidates running for two positions. Each position lasts for a two-year term. These candidates were Nick Billington, Pamela Barnett, Michael Bishop, Angela Caraway and Jaimee Miller. There were six candidates listed on the ballot, but one candidate, Bret Davidson, dropped out of the race.

Voters could vote for two candidates, with a total of 4,451 votes cast. Angela Caraway won a seat, with 1,181 votes cast in her favor. Caraway has 27 years of experience in mental healthcare and has three children who graduated from Kirksville Highschool.

See ELECTION page 3

TRUMAN HOLDS VACCINE DRIVE

COVID: A year in review GABE SMITH Staff Writer

With vaccinations becoming widely available and COVID-19 numbers beginning to diminish, a return to normalcy seems to be on the horizon. For many Truman State University students, especially freshmen and seniors, returning to normalcy more closely resembles an entrance to the unknown.

Freshman Maylon Rodriguez said that he doesn’t think he has fully experienced what it’s like to be a college student.

“I definitely feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of things,” Rodriguez said. “I always hear about the cool things that happen on campus during regular years, but that’s just not the case now.”

Though Rodriguez doesn’t prefer online learning, he said that professors have done well to adapt and improve their classes throughout the semester.

A student receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Truman’s vaccination clinic. The event was held April 7 and was open to Truman faculty, staff and students. Photo by Tim Barcus

University holds first on-campus COVID clinic RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief

A COVID-19 vaccination clinic was held on campus for the Truman State University community April 7. 360 doses were administered at the event.

In a survey conducted by Nancy Daley-Moore and Scott Alberts, 644

VOLUME 112 ISSUE 10 © 2021

students said they have already been vaccinated, and with the addition of the on-campus vaccination clinic, about one-fifth of Truman’s student population has been vaccinated.

Hy-Vee Pharmacy administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on campus with the help of nursing students and public health students. Brenda Higgins,

associate vice president for student health and wellness, said the nursing students helped to draw up vaccines and to monitor patients for side effects.

Public health students helped register students and helped with escorting them from station to station.

See VACCINES page 5

A Truman student studies in Pickler Memorial Library. Truman has had COVID-19 policies in place for a year.

Photo by Bidan Yang See COVID page 3

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The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

Sing your heart out SAB hosts outdoor All-You-Can-Sing event

Above: Freshmen Emily Burkhardt and Indigo McClain sing a duet at the All-YouCan-Sing event. Masks and social distancing were required at the outdoor event.

Photos by Bidan Yang

Left: Senior Valerie Winkler sings lyrics off of her phone.

The All-You-Can-Sing event is also had mocktails for students to drink.

Right: Sophomore Katie Whaley and junior Xoe Zuber sing to each other on the stage. Students were encouraged to attend this event and relieve stress.

Crime Reports staff Serving the University community since 1909

Editor-in-Chief: Rachel Becker Managing Editor: Anakin Bush Features, Opinions Editor: Genevieve Tlustos Copy Chief: Sami Harris Assistant Copy Chief: Brooke Barnes Designer: Norah Grojean Podcast Editor: Trevor Grandin Photographers: Emily Collins, Bidan Yang Oliver Malone

Copy Editors: Quinn Sloan, Gillian Burks, Jessica Robinson, Leighya McNeely

DPS & KPD 4/6 Suspicious activity reported at the 1100 block of East Harrison St. 4/6 Suspicious activity reported at the 2800 block of North Baltimore St. 4/7 Trespassing reported at the 1100 block of Country Club Dr. 4/8 Vandalism reported at the 500 block of South Davis St. 4/8 Hit and run reported at the 500 block of North Baltimore St. 4/8 Property damage reported at the 1900 block of East Hamilton St.

Staff Writers: Allison Maschhoff, Savannah Kluesner, Ari Klokic, Jack Ratliff, Andrew Holder, Ethan Hewett, Matt rank, Ben Orshio, Gabe Smith, Taylor Herndon, Kennedy Cooper, Steven Findley Jr. Joey Dougherty, Jenna Manzelli, Laura Gainza, Alyssa Rzany

4/8 Theft reported at the 300 block of East McPherson St.

Adviser: Don Krause

4/9 Domestic disturbance reported at the 800 block of East Jefferson St.

4/9 Loud party reported at the 800 block of Bluewing Dr. 4/9 Hit and run reported at the 300 block of North Baltimore St.

4/9 Missing person reported at the 30 block of Devlin Pl.

4/9 Theft reported at the 120 block of North Mulanix St. 4/9 Suspicious activity reported at the 700 block of East Harrison St. 4/10 Loud party reported at the 20 block of Overbrook Dr. 4/10 Missing person reported at the 100 block of East McPherson St. 4/10 Loud party reported at the 300 block of South Franklin St. 4/11 Loud party reported at the 1400 block of Baird St. 4/11 Hit and run reported at the 2300 block of North Baltimore St. 4/11 Fire reported at the 500 block of South First St. 4/11 Trespassing reported at the 800 block of West Jefferson St. 4/12 Theft reported at the 900 block of East Orchard St.

4/12 Theft reported at the 2100 block of North East St.

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

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ELECTION| Citizens vote in new city council member, two school board members, three board of trustees members Continued from page 1 “I started my journey with several areas I am passionate about,” Caraway said.

“My first objective is to be an active team member to support the administration on a solid recovery plan to maintain a safe environment for students and teachers, evaluate educational challenges and promote wellness throughout the district.”

Billington also won a seat with 996 votes cast in his favor. Billington is a service technician, with five kids in the Kirksville R-III school district.

“I appreciate the support, thank you all who voted for me,” Billington said. “My plans for the future on the school board is help keep Kirksville students in seats full time, hopefully put COVID in the rear view and get to focusing on other important issues our district faces: retaining a well-balanced budget but also improve our facilities on campus.”

Another seat on the ballot was for the Adair County Health Department Board of Trustees. There were three open seats on the board, each for a four-year term. There were eight candidates on the ballot, with 7,372 votes cast. The candidates listed on the ballot were Kylene Puckett, Robin Jones Darr, Curt Platz, Sharon Tuttle, Theresa Hewitt, Brenda Higgins, Lance Ratcliff and Jason Soseman.

Brenda Higgins earned a seat on the Adair County Health Department Board of Trustees with a total of 1,472 votes.

“I felt it was important that people with public health knowledge be on the Board,” Higgins said. “Also, with my upcoming retirement, I felt that I would now have more time for public service and that this was an area where my expertise and experience could be most useful.”

Higgins has volunteered with the Health Department to give COVID vaccinations since the process started. She said she will continue to assist them in that way if needed.

Curt Platz also won a seat on the board with a total of 1,165 votes.

“I want to thank the citizens of Adair County for supporting me,” Platz said. “As we move forward, it is my goal to build unity, confidence and trust within our community and the Adair County Health Department.”

The final open seat on the board was won by Robin Darr, who received 1,096 votes.

The Index reached out to Darr and has not heard a response as of April 13.

There was also a proposition on the ballot for an Adair County Capital Improvement Sales Tax. This proposition would raise sales taxes throughout the county by 0.25%. The additional revenue would be spent on improving the Adair County Courthouse. There were 2,885 votes cast and the proposition was supported by the voters, with 1,609 votes in favor.

COVID| Truman students reflect on their pandemic experience one year later Continued from page 1 Despite this, Rodriguez said there are some educational elements that online learning doesn’t account for, but couldn’t go into detail because of his limited experience at Truman.

Benedict added that online classes might be here to stay, but they aren’t able to replace the experience of being in person with a professor and other students.

However, Rodriguez and Benedict said, the most devastating impact has been on their social lives.

“Before COVID, everyone was pretty outgoing. Everyone would hang out together, get together on the weekends,” Benedict said. “Since COVID, I think everyone has isolated and become reclusive to their own social groups.”

Benedict said he sympathizes with freshmen because they didn’t have pre-established social groups when they came to Truman.

Sophomore Lilly Ward said being forced to move out of the dorms during the onset of COVID put a severe strain on her friendships.

“When we first got sent home, it was hard because we were still in the midst of making friends; it was frustrating,” Ward said. “I feel like being on campus gives us more opportunities to meet with our professors and interact with peers.”

Ward emphasized the importance of seeing your peers and having friends to hold you accountable for attending class and turning in work on time.

The three students, Rodriguez, Benedict and Ward, said they were the most worried about their future after the pandemic.

“COVID-19 definitely influenced my decision to go to graduate school.”

Benedict, a graduating senior, said.

“Employers seem to be a little more finicky with their hiring, which made it a really easy decision for me.”

Though Benedict decided he won’t enter the workforce after graduation, he said he thinks outgoing seniors will be fine because of Truman’s strong regional reputation.

Rodriguez, a freshman, is more concerned about the impact that COVID will have on Truman.

“I’m worried about enrollment declining… I’m trying to live out the college experience, and I’m concerned that some of our best students and faculty won’t be here when I’m a senior,” Rodriguez said.

With a heightened level of anxiety about future employment and the already-declining enrollment at Truman, students are having to ask themselves serious questions about the future.

Ward said even though there is a high level of anxiety and isolation on campus, Truman did an excellent job considering the unfamiliar circumstances.

Right: Students sit on The Quad doing homework. Many students have struggled with COVID on campus.

Photos by Bidan Yang

Sophomore Geemma Brom and Senior Sami Richardson sit outside of the Student Health Center. Students have been social distancing and wearing masks for almost two full semesters.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

Be up front about policy decisions Truman State University adopted a new policy establishing regulations on substantial classroom interaction and engagement the first week of classes. Based on federal regulations that require students and faculty to engage in regular, substantive interaction, the University’s new policy will be applied to both in-person and online courses starting this summer interim semester. For an in-person course, attending the class within the first calendar week of class is required. For online classes, the instructor must initiate an activity for students to engage with during the first calendar week of class.

The common argument supporting this new policy from the administration is that it will ensure students are getting the most out of their tuition dollars. That somehow, this policy protects students from wasting money by signing up for courses they don’t intend to actively participate in.

We, The Index Editorial Board, find that narrative to be a bunch of BS. How, we ask, does a policy that requires students and faculty to engage in substantive classroom engagement within the first week of classes ensure that students are making the right course selection decisions and allowing them to immerse themselves in the class before making a judgment?

The first week of classes is never that educationally substantial anyway, so this policy effectively adds extra barriers and preparation work for students and faculty, especially those utilizing an online format.

Students and faculty should have the freedom to manage their time and class engagement independently, not have it regulated by the University. As most faculty use the first week of classes to step through the syllabus and get students acclimated to the structure of the course — possibly starting with an introduction to content — it seems safe to say that the first week is not your money’s worth, so we shouldn’t hold it to a higher standard than the rest of the semester.

With the new policy going into effect this summer, the University is also presenting some conflicting messaging. Advertising for summer courses routinely promotes their convenience and flexibility, however, this new policy is actively working against that by requiring students and faculty to place a greater emphasis on making the first week a substantive, engaging experience. With this policy, Truman is encouraging a more rigid schedule for online course delivery, which is a step in the wrong direction.

We, The Index Editorial Board, ask the University to consider this topic further and be frank with its faculty and students in its messaging on this policy. We don’t see this as an inherently beneficial step for Truman’s remote course delivery options or students. The policy seems to be more geared toward cleaning up course rosters and settling classroom numbers than anything else, and that puts students at risk of losing scholarships and course credit because of a single tough week.

Truman should take climate action

During 2018, we began the Truman Climate Initiative campaign to encourage our university to address the climate crisis, a global, existential threat to civilization and the biosphere’s integrity. The initiative asked the University community to endorse the following statement.

“Climate change imperils the integrity of the biosphere and so threatens not only humans but all other living things with which we share the world. As members of a community dedicated to deep, careful and critical thinking about our nature and circumstance, we need to fully embrace the profound challenge humanity faces in coming to terms with the global and unprecedented crisis we have created.

To this end, we, the undersigned, urge our fellow Truman students, staff, faculty, administrators and friends to work toward achieving carbon neutrality by 2030 in accordance with the goals articulated in the Paris Accord.”

We solicited support by lobbying faculty members, either individually or in department meetings, to lend their support by signing the document. Although we were unable to contact all faculty, about 80% of approximately 200 endorsed the initiative. Following this, we took the initiative to Faculty Senate on April 23, 2019, where a unanimous voice vote supported the initiative. Additionally, we were grateful for several student activists who gathered hundreds of student signatures endorsing the initiative. Ultimately, the activists used these to successfully lobby Student Government to also support the effort.

In response to this compelling support, President Thomas charged the President’s Sustainability Action Committee to begin making the initiative’s goal a reality. While PSAC met in good faith several times in Fall 2019, they have met seldom, if at all, since the new COVID reality.

So, what happened? It has been more than two years, and it is unclear what action, if any, has been taken. Maybe concrete implementations have begun. Maybe intentions fell by the wayside. In either event, the University community deserves to know.

Submitted by: Pete Goldman, Professor Emeritus, Biology Christine Harker, Professor, English and Linguistics Will Henrickson, President, Student Climate Union

KTRM spotlights Missouri musical artists SAVANNAH KLUESNER, CONNOR SHELTON AND STEPHEN POINDEXTER Staff Writer, Contributing Writers

Uncanny Valley Hailing from Hillsboro, Missouri, Uncanny Valley might just be the most unexpected thing to come out of rural Missouri. They’re a pop-punk band who have played together since high school and have ambitions of hitting the big time. Though they haven’t released any music yet, Uncanny Valley have honed their skills at crafting catchy, accessible pop-punk, which harkens back to the early 2000s with their previous band, Proceed From Afar. That group might have been a bit too unkempt for some people’s tastes, but Uncanny Valley seems to have eschewed the raw angst of their previous band in favor of playful professionalism. For proof of this, look no further than the band’s Instagram posts.

They’re putting out wry, behind-the-scenes promotional videos and band member bios that are of a level of quality seen by more seasoned rockers. If these videos are any indication of how the music will turn out, I think it’s safe to say we’ll get some highquality pop-punk in the near future.

Maximum Effort Unhinged, vulgar and impassioned.

These are three words that neatly describe the St. Louis garage punk outfit that is Maximum Effort. Uncompromising in their approach, the band has a quasi-shock rock element present in their music, given how suddenly they go from mid-tempo grooving to screeching intensity. This might be anxiety inducing for the faint of heart, but for the initiated, this is everything you could ask for — raw, punchy guitar music at its finest.

as quirky creators with its eclectic mix of rockabilly, show tunes, honky-tonk and indie rock. The fact that they can make all these disparate styles work together is a testament to their skills as musicians. With an EP set to be released sometime this year, now might just be the perfect time to familiarize yourself with the Melodibots and the fictional future they live in.

Have you ever felt like there are too many choices when trying to get into new music? Of course you have. It’s one of life’s minor inconveniences. And like many inconveniences, there are numerous ways The Wandering Found to combat the issue. You could ask your Based in Springfield, Missouri, The friends what they’re listening to. You could Wandering Found consists of six members go online and search for “hot new artists.”

Blue False Indigo that began working together after Thomas You could even surf through Spotify and An all-female band based in Kansas Yonke, the lead singer, was inspired by the see what they recommend. All of these City, Blue False Indigo is composed of three book “All the Bright Places” by Jennifer options are available, and they might yield friends whose bond is the only thing stronger Niven and began to write the songs for some success, but there’s also a strong posthan their harmonies. They are a mix of Laura their first album. Although every member sibility that none will work. For example, Marling and The Staves and refer to themof the band is connected to one another the people that write articles like “10 Musiselves as pioneering “spooky folk,” which, through their Christian roots, the band’s cal Artists You Should Be Following Right for some reason, has been an underutilized sound and lyrics better reflect an alternative Now” are probably older than you and genre for the past 100 years. They have an or indie vibe. The themes of their songs are have different perspectives on life, your album and EP under their belt, but it’s their accessible to everyone. Their two albums friends might have wildly different tastes in most recent work, in which they collaborated to date, a self-titled installment and “The music than you, and Spotify is more likely with The Wires, that shows their maturity as Great Manifesto,” both consist of numto push established, well-known artists songwriters. “The Cold Reminds Me” is the bers that range from delicately passionate rather than people who deserve a chance in Rae Fitzgerald best track they’ve released so far, but their to brash and insistent, and their willingthe spotlight.

If you’re looking for moody, introspective journey is just getting started, and we can’t ness to try on a variety of genres makes it Knowing all of this, you might wonder wait to go along for the ride. difficult to expect what you’ll hear next. how a bunch of undergraduates from a small indie-pop music, then Rae Fitzgerald is the Our personal favorites are “The Wedding college radio station could do any better? It’s artist for you. Based in Columbia, Missouri, Fitzgerald’s atmospheric music contrasts The Melodibots Table” from the self-titled album as well as a fair point. Although KTRM might be an wonderfully with the urban hub that she calls With an aesthetic heavily derived from “Skin” and “Ultraviolet” from “The Great indie/alternative station, we as individuals home. Her songs are sparse, melancholic and 1950s and early 1960s science fiction, the Manifesto,” although “To Remain a Memocome from many different backgrounds and Melodibots might just be the most distinct ry” from that album is an incredibly clever have very eclectic tastes. It’s what makes the tend to communicate universal sentiments like love and betrayal in the most intimate group on this list. They’re “an Atompunkpatchwork of all the songs that came before station so special. And it’s because of these fashion. This is perhaps best seen in the song themed musical duo that combines pantoit and deserved honorable mention. eclectic tastes and various backgrounds that “I’ve Got a Vision,” which Rae called “her mime, humor and heart with a toe-tapping fuwe believe we can provide a well-rounded favorite song she’d ever written.” With an sion of modern indie-rock and oldies tunes.”

No matter what type of music you like, group of musicians you might enjoy. So, album and EP to her name, there’s no telling In other words, pure performance art. Though there’s bound to be something on this list for that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going how she’ll evolve as an artist, but we can’t the Melodibots only have a concept album to you. So what are you waiting for? You’ve to help you find some hot new artists to wait to see more from her. their name, the band has already proven itself got some Missouri musicians to support! listen to, starting with: EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

SAB leaders reflect on COVID challenges RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief Socially distanced lines formed to get into the Baldwin Auditorium as hundreds of students prepared themselves for the Welcome Back Comedian, Ryan Kelly.

Student Activities Board President Jessica Rood thought starting the semester with little planning would never end in such success. Planning events for hundreds of students has been a struggle for the organization, but the group said the student response has been exciting.

Rood said when she first heard about the COVID-19 regulations being implemented in the fall, she was not looking forward to the challenge.

“I distinctly remember [a] chair meeting with Madeline [Hensley, former SAB vice president] and she just [said], ‘Jessica ... You gotta do it.’ And then my committee ended up spending the most money on our event, so it was a big turnaround,” Rood said. “We were in uncharted territory, so I was a little nervous.”

Jaycee Mudd, vice president of SAB, said her experience last spring was a little different. SAB usually plans its events a semester in advance, so when students were sent home last spring, it put all planning on hold.

At the time, Mudd was in charge of publicity for the organization, so it was a waiting game to be able to publicize any events.

“I mean, this is what we do. You pour your heart and soul into these events until you’re ready,” Mudd said. “The thought of planning them and they’re not going to happen or the University suddenly having to shut that down was scary, so it was hard to get started back up. But once we did, we hit the floor running and things turned out really well.”

Rood and Mudd said former SAB President Josh Jay and Hensley were incredible, and they were the driving force that the organization needed to be able to chart this unknown territory.

“They were going to fight for every single one of us. They were ready to take it all,” Mudd said. “I think that was probably the biggest thing we were willing to try more than

anything and just adapt as we needed.”

One of the biggest events hosted by SAB this year was their welcome back comedian, Ryan Kelly. Mudd said it was daunting to plan an event with a crowd of 200 people in one room.

Overall, that event turned out to be a success with socially distanced lines and seating. The Baldwin Auditorium, where the comedian performed, was filled to a COVID-safe capacity. Rood said they had to end up turning students away from the event, and while that is unfortunate, it is a good indicator of student interest in events.

SAB also put on a series this year called “Take and Make,” where crafts were pre-packaged so students could take the craft home and do it on their own.

“I’ve been shocked by the amount of participation, especially at our craftier events,” Rood said. “People could just come by, grab it and then go do it in the comfort of their dorm room or with their friends on The Quad. It allowed them a lot more freedom. We had a really great turnout for that.”

Mudd said even at SAB’s in-person A hot air balloon carries students events, the Truman community has been at an SAB event. SAB had to adapt really understanding. Students are pa- events this year due to COVID-19. tient when asked to wait, sanitize or sign Photo from TMN Archive waivers, Mudd said.

Even within the organization itself, SAB has been understanding of pandemicrelated stressors. Members of SAB recently attended a mini-retreat where one of the topics of discussion was mental health.

“I feel like we have a really great culture within SAB but also trying to reach out to students, especially since we got sent home and a lot of us were separated from our friends and our support groups,” Rood said. “SAB, it’s been a huge lifesaver for me, a reason to get out of bed and interact with people and the events that we planned. We really do try to hit as many people in Truman’s campus as possible.”

Mudd said she thinks students see the environment SAB creates and it makes people more willing to participate in events. The in-person events give students the chance to safely interact with people inside and outside their pod.

Looking back on the year, Rood said she wishes she would not have been so scared early on.

“I wish I would have had more faith that we were going to do it and do it well because clearly, we have,” Rood said. “We’ve exceeded so many expectations.”

Rood said she is proud of all the organization has been able to accomplish this year, and she is excited about next fall.

As of right now, SAB is erring on the side of caution when it comes to the COVID-19 regulations at next fall’s events. Mudd said activities will probably look similar to what the University has seen this semester, but SAB is willing to adapt to new restrictions as the administration releases them.

VACCINES| University holds on-campus vaccination clinic for faculty, staff, students Continued from page 1 Junior Dylan Barclay got the vaccine at the on-campus clinic after looking for a way to get a vaccine for a while. He said the on-campus option was convenient as he could go right after his job.

“Overall, I’d say the experience was very good,” Barclay said. “While I had a lot of side effects from it and was sick for a few days, I’m still glad that I can be a bit safer, especially considering I’m close to a few people who are high-risk. It was pretty efficiently organized as well; everyone seemed to go through pretty quickly and I always had someone who was helping direct me.”

Barclay said social distancing was enforced, everyone was wearing masks and it wasn’t crowded at the event, all those factors together made him feel comfortable at the clinic.

Barclay said he was really glad the University had the pop-up clinic, as it made getting a vaccine quick, easy and convenient.

Higgins said Truman originally had 1,600 doses planned, but after opening up the first 400 and not filling all of those, they canceled the other planned event.

At this time, Higgins said she is not planning another vaccine clinic on Truman’s campus because it seems that all the people who wanted to be immunized were able to do so at the first clinic.

The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have now recommended a “pause” in

the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine in order to allow investigation into a potential link between the vaccine and a rare blood clotting disorder in six recipients.

The on-campus clinic administered 300 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

In an email to the Truman community April 13 Higgins wrote, the Emergency Use Authorization was not revoked, and the pause is being utilized as a precaution to allow further evaluation prior to proceeding with vaccinations.

Higgins also wrote that anyone who received this vaccine should be reassured that nationally only six individuals out of more than 6.8 million who received the vaccine have developed clotting disorders.

So, though serious, the adverse effects are extremely rare. Higgins wrote the COVID-19 virus is much more likely to cause clotting disorders than the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

Higgins said the email was to advise anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to watch for the symptoms of the rare clotting disorder and to notify your healthcare provider if you notice symptoms.

Complete Family Medicine is one location in Kirksville to get vaccinated. Other local locations include Hy-Vee, Walgreens and Walmart. Photo by Ryan Pivoney

The Index

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

New policy addresses classroom engagement MATT FRANK Staff Writer Truman State University has instituted a new policy regarding class engagement that will begin this summer.

The new policy stems from federal regulation 34 CFR 600.2 that require both faculty and students to engage in regular and substantive interaction/ engagement. Truman has decided to implement the new policy for both inperson and online classes.

This policy requires that a student attend an in-person class within the first calendar week of class. Online classes require the instructor to initiate an activity for the student to engage with during the first calendar week of class.

Online interaction could be the completion of a small introductory assignment, such as a discussion board.

“A lot of universities decided we could implement this as solely an online thing, or we could do it for everything so it’s consistent and the students know what to expect,” Associate Provost Kevin Minch said. “And that’s the approach we decided to take.”

The federal regulation is clear that the interaction must be initiated by the instructor, and that interaction initiated by the student does not fall under substantive interaction. An example of interaction initiated by the student could be a request to attend office hours.

Freshman Madelyn Wahby and junior Mutiara Schlanker do homework in Pickler Memorial Library. The new policy takes place over the sumer.

Kafi Rahman teaches a User Interface Design class. Students are now required to engage with classes within the first week of class. Photos

by Bidan Yang The new policy outlines instructors must include a clear statement in the syllabus of the course describing the policy. The description must include the engagement requirement and the consequences of not engaging.

If the student does not engage with the instructor by Friday of the first calendar week, the instructor will be required to contact the student by the following Monday. If the student does not respond to the instructor by that Wednesday, the student can be removed from the class. “[The policy] is not intended to be punitive, it’s intended to protect the students from having to pay more or have an F show up later on their record later on because they’re in a class they never intended to complete or got so far behind that they couldn’t complete,” Minch said.

There is acknowledgment in the policy of the possibility of extenuating circumstances that students might face. In those situations, students should contact the instructor and explain the circumstances as to why they are unable to engage during the first week. The instructor can then stop the process of removing the student from the class.

The policy was passed by the Faculty Senate in the fall. It was decided, however, to not put the policy in place until the 2021 summer session so that students would have enough time to be made aware of the new policy.

“The goal in the end is to make sure that students are getting what they’re paying for,” Minch said. “And that they are participating in a way that will help them succeed.”

Greek Week goes outside

Social organizations hold trivia contest on The Quad

Above left: Students sit at tables waiting for trivia to begin. Greek Week was held this year after being cancelled last spring. Photos by Emily Collins Above: A student holds a flag at the trivia contest on The Quad. Students competed with their sorority or fraternity.

Left: Students read trivia questions and run the event. The event was held outdoors on the Quad.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

detours magazine then and now ANNA MERCER Former Detours Editor-In-Chief Detours Magazine is no stranger to change; from a print magazine to a fully-digital publication, Detours has adapted to reflect its readers’ ever-changing needs. In a time that has required so much change and adaptation, Detours recognizes its need to change formats again and will be merging into the Index’s features section.

Founded by a communication professor and a group of students in 1995, Detours provides student journalists an opportunity to explore feature content. As a travel magazine, Detours covers getaways and experiences local to Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. Throughout the 25 years since its initial publication, Detours has highlighted a variety of destinations. From state parks to tourist towns and up-and-coming restaurants, the magazine has reported many of the experiences that define the Midwest.

Elizabeth Clark, dean of the School of Social and Cultural Studies, came to work at Truman in 2001. By this point, Detours had become an established entity, publishing multiple issues each year.

Clark said she remembers looking forward to the release of new issues of Detours and still has a collection of print copies in her office.

“I really enjoyed seeing the new Detours editions come out,” Clark said. “They were so visually appealing; the images, as well as the writing, were so well done, and they were a nice magazine to have around when you just wanted to sit and read something to relax.”

As the needs of Detours’ audience changed, the magazine began to publish some stories online and eventually moved to an exclusively online format.

“The platform has definitely changed,” Clark said. “When people want to learn more about visiting this place or that, they’re much more likely to turn to an online resource than they are to try to pick up a travel magazine.”

The last print issue of the magazine was published during 2015. Titled “Best of Detours,” the issue contained 12 of Detours’ most-read stories. Those stories were also accompanied by updates to give readers modern context.

One of the professors supporting Detours’ transition to digital was Marilyn Yaquinto. A Pulitzer-prize winning journalist, Yaquinto said Detours was one of the things that pulled her to Truman in 2007.

When the magazine decided to go digital, the majority of readers were not local to Kirksville. Printing and shipping a physical magazine was becoming too expensive to maintain, so Melissa Bradford, 2014-2015 editor-in-chief, decided to cease printing.

“Going digital was my wish for a while,” Yaquinto said. “But Melissa, at the time, really said, ‘Given the realities of being an editor, I don’t have any money to keep printing it out — it’s sucking up all of my money, and the product isn’t fresh.’’”

Yaquinto said despite their understanding of budgetary limitations, the 2014-15 staff of Detours was hesitant to go digital. When the decision was made, Yaquinto said the writers were unsure of the new work the digital realm might introduce. Where a story and a few pictures used to suffice, now videos and multimedia elements were possible.

After moving to a fully digital format, Detours was able to experiment with new technologies. One of these projects included a podcast, started by Bethany Spitzmiller, 2018-19 editor-in-chief. Spitzmiller said she wanted to do something that would introduce multimedia elements to Detours and work with the other branches of the Truman Media Network.

“I think the podcast was really helpful in the element of convergence,” Spitzmiller said. “It gave Detours an excuse to be in the KTRM studio and mingle more with the people who were on the radio side of the Truman Media Network.”

The Detours podcast (now called Roundtrip) featured Spitzmiller and Rachel Fechter, the executive editor at the time. The podcast episodes also acted as a promotion for stories, and staff writers provided a behind-the-scenes look at the process of feature writing.

One of the most recognizable aspects of Detours — the biannual photo contest — will be continuing through The Index. This contest, which originated in 2006, followed themes like “New Perspective” and “Perfect Timing” and featured amateur photographers’ pictures. The photo contest was Detours’ first venture into reader participation. The popularity of social media and the switch to online made it easier for readers to interact with the magazine. In both the magazine’s print and digital era, winners were awarded the opportunity to publish their photographs.

This transition for Detours from a stand-alone magazine to a part of The Index provides it with the staff and structure to continue publication. The mission of Detours to report on regional and local destinations remains unchanged, and with the support of The Index, Detours stories will reach a wider audience. Detours was founded to add a new type of journalism to the student media landscape at Truman, and merging into The Index’s features section allows this opportunity to continue.

As I wrap up two years as the editor-in-chief of Detours, I can’t help but reflect on my first story about Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage. I spent hours perfecting my words and even got ambitious enough to make a short video. Three years later, I am so proud to play a role in helping the magazine adapt to the needs of its audience. I know it is natural to resist change, but I believe this move is in the best interest of Detours and the Truman Media Network. Detours has been such a transformative part of my life — it allowed me to work with a group of immensely talented people and improve my knowledge of journalism and leadership.

I have so much confidence in the future of Detours within The Index, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next!

VOLUME 112

ISSUE 10

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The Index

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THURSDAY, APRILl 15, 2021

Please, Dukum Inn ANAKIN BUSH Managing Editor Last March, nobody knew the COVID-19 pandemic was about to change everything. Within a month, businesses closed and people were staying home more than ever.

Kirksville’s DuKum Inn was one local business affected by the pandemic. On Saint Patrick’s Day in 2020, owner Craig Shorten and his daughter Chade Shorten were forced to close their doors as a result of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines and increasing coronavirus cases in Kirksville.

Almost a full year later, the DuKum Inn has finally reopened for in-person business.

During the almost year-long in-person closure, DuKum was offering takeout service from a limited menu.

It was also taking this time to renovate the building and improve it.

Chade said even though closing was far from easy, she was happy she got to spend more time with her family.

“I think we were in a lucky spot where we get to work together as father and daughter,” Chade said.

“Last year wasn’t easy on anyone, and it definitely wasn’t easy on us. But I really enjoyed being able to work with my family.”

Chade said the DuKum Inn installed several new safety measures during the renovations. These include touchless urinals and toilets, touchless soap dispensers and touchless hand sanitizer dispensers placed around the restaurant.

After reopening, several things remain different around the restaurant. Occupancy has been reduced to allow for social distancing among groups and the business is not operating with a full staff at the moment.

Craig and Chade said they are slowly reopening to make sure they do it right.

“We’re not fully operational yet,” Craig said.

“We’ve just been taking bites of it at a time. We’re not fully staffed, the kitchen isn’t 100% yet, we have a limited menu, bar hours are reduced. We’re at a point where we would rather not do something than do it and not do it right.”

“Last year wasn’t easy on anyone, and it definitely wasn’t easy on us. But I really enjoyed being able to work with my family.”

Chade Shorten, Manager

Customers sit at Dukum Inn. Dukum had to close for almost a full year because of the pandemic. Photos

by Anakin Bush

The current hours of operation for DuKum are Wednesday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

The kitchen is open from 5-9 p.m. The limited kitchen menu currently includes chicken strips, tenderloin and DuKum’s “Second Best Burger.”

Craig also owns WrongDaddy’s, a local nightclub and bar. This business also recently reopened with many of the same COVID-19 precautions as DuKum. WrongDaddy’s is not open every weekend but has been successful when it has been open. WrongDaddy’s is operating on a reduced schedule of Friday 10 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. and Saturday 9:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Like DuKum, WrongDaddy’s requires customers to wear a mask when entering and going up to the bar.

Dukum Inn recently reopened for business. The bar and grill is not fully operational yet.

Craig and Chade said there have not been any major challenges with reopening either location.

“People ask: ‘have we had any issues with people not wearing masks?’” Chade said. “Honestly, everyone has been really kind and understanding. I have not had any issues like that.”

Craig and Chade have no specific timeline on when things will be back to “normal” at either location. They said they do not want to rush anything and want to make sure all their customers can come to a safe environment. Craig said they will continue doing business unusually, but they are okay with that.

Craig said he thinks the future is looking positive for the DuKum Inn. He thinks if they get through the next six weeks without a regional or national COVID-19 outbreak, they will be in a more comfortable position.

“We wouldn’t be afraid to close the doors again if we absolutely thought it was the right thing to do,” Craig said.

Dukum Inn requires customers to wear masks when entering the restaurant. Chade said there have been no issues enforcing the mask policy.

Quite the a-fair: Know-Your-Health Fair educates students GENEVIEVE TLUSTOS Features Editor Health science student Madelyn Mahurin was thinking about how her mom had recently been diagnosed with adultonset asthma when she began to wonder if she was at risk as well.

This thought gave her the idea for her senior capstone project: a Know-YourHealth fair where Truman students could learn more about common disorders and their different risk factors. The event took place April 5 and featured three speakers on the topics of eating disorders, addiction and anxiety.

Mahurin worked on the project with her partners, fellow health science students Esobel Moore and Kurt Bryning.

Bryning handled the public relations and advertising side of the event. Mahurin applied for funding for the event with the assistance of her partners. Moore assisted with decorating and keeping the event within the guidelines for the class assignment. Mahurin said they worked really well together, and she was grateful to have them as partners.

The speaker for the first topic, eating disorders, was Amanda Dietz, an advanced practice registered nurse and nurse practitioner. Jordan Palmer, a

doctor at Complete Family Medicine in Kirksville, gave the second presentation on addiction. Joe Hamilton, assistant director of University Counseling Services, gave the final presentation on anxiety. Dietz gave her presentation virtually, while Palmer and Hamilton’s presentations were pre-recorded.

The speakers outlined their assigned disorder; the different genetic, behavioral and environmental factors that influenced the risk of having the disorder, and different resources to help with the disorder. At the end of the presentations, a survey adapted from screening tools to approximate risk was given to the attendees, and they were given a report of how at-risk they were for the disorder.

Mahurin faced several challenges in trying to find presenters for the fair. Her original plan was to find presenters at UCS, but because it is currently merging with Complete Family Medicine, employees were less accessible.

“Finding the presenters was honestly the most challenging part,” Mahurin said. “I’d say that out of all of the things that were put into this project, if I could just have a little more time on one thing, it would be that.”

She was eventually able to find Palmer and Hamilton through UCS and Dietz through a personal connection.

The Know-Your-Health-Fair was held April 5 in Violette Hall. Students were educated about the risk factors for different disorders. Photos by Genevieve Tlustos

There was originally supposed to be another speaker, but there was confusion surrounding the date of the event.

Mahurin said she was happy with the qualifications of the speakers and the presentations were phenomenal.

The other main challenge Mahurin faced was getting the word out about the fair. She attended classrooms, and Bryning made an Instagram account.

Mahurin said students don’t like to go to events, but she tried to make it interactive and provide incentives like snacks and a raffle for gift cards.

They also planned to put up posters around campus but had issues with funding. They applied for funding from Missouri Partners in Prevention and the Student Public Health Association, with both initially granting funding. However, with the Complete Family Medicine transition, “Partners in Prevention at Truman State University” ended up allocating less money than originally stated, Mahurin said.

The new chair did not inform them of the funding change until a week and a half before the fair, Mahurin said. Because of this funding cut, they were unable to make the posters they designed.

“I think that recruitment via poster was something that we were really hoping for, and when that didn’t happen, it was kind of a mad scramble,” Mahurin said. “So that’s definitely a lesson, to be implementing multiple channels of recruitment at a time, in case one fails, have a backup plan for each of them.”

In general, Mahurin said she learned a lot about having foresight and anticipating how the event could go wrong.

She said she hopes students left the event knowing more about their health.

Junior Ashley Staab found out about the Health Fair from Mahurin, who is her suitemate. She said she understood it was difficult to put on events in person with the pandemic and that it probably affected turnout. She thought it was an important event to have and said it was helpful for her.

“It’s definitely good to learn as much as we can, and I appreciate that they covered some of the big things that they knew would be prevalent in college students and college-aged people,” Staab

A virtual presentation is given in Violette Hall. Mahurin said finding presenters was one of the most diffiuclt challenges. said. “It definitely covered everything I was expecting, and I think it’s a good event overall to have because college students need more stuff like this.”

Staab said her only constructive criticism was that sometimes it can be overwhelming or scary to learn about mental health issues. While the presentations provided resources for students, Staab said she wished the presentations had focused more on solutions and ways students can improve their health.

Staab said she still appreciated the fair, especially at a time in life when most students are just recently living on their own and still trying to learn about their own health.

“I’m proud of it, honestly,” Mahurin said.

“I think that as with life, there were a lot of things that were working against us, but I’m proud of the work that we did and the effort we put into it. I think people came, I think they enjoyed it and I think that we set out what we wanted to do.”

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

9

KENDRICK LAMAR’S NARRATIVE OF

G R O W T H: GOOD KID, m.A.A.d CITY

JACK RATLIFF Staff Writer What makes an album great? Is it simply whether the number of good songs outweighs the number of bad songs? Is it whether the album fits coherently together? Is it how the album tells a story and communicates with the listener exactly what the artist intended? Kendrick Lamar’s “good kid, m.A.A.d city” not only meets the above criteria — it surpasses them. “good kid, m.A.A.d city” is, quite simply, a work of art. Lamar masterfully paints the picture of what it means to be a young man living in a lower-income neighborhood; in this case, the notorious neighborhood of Compton.

On their own, some of the songs appear to be nothing more than the cookie-cutter rap formula: lyrics featuring anger, swagger, bravado, violence, drugs, alcohol, sex and sometimes misogyny over a beat that makes people go nuts in a club. However, in the context of the entire album, the songs paint a larger picture — a story of personal growth from an immature teenager to a seasoned adult.

The second album from Lamar is linear, meant to be experienced beginning to end.

Through its songs, it tells the story of the artist’s life. For the duration of his story, we are not only given a front-row seat to an autobiography, but we are also reminded of what it was like to be in high school. We are reminded of young love — or lust — in “Sherane,” the cockiness of teenage youth in “Backstreet Freestyle” and how friendship can push you outside of your comfort zone in “The Art of Peer Pressure.”

ALYSSA RZANY Staff Writer

The album also details common life events — such as the realization of substance dependency and the loss of loved ones in “Swimming Pools,” a religious or philosophical epiphany that causes us to change our course in life in “Sing About Me, I’m Dying of Thirst” and our ultimate maturation into adulthood in “Real.”

Through his brilliant use of lyricism, Lamar allows the listener to not only understand his life story and the story of many other impoverished youths living in Compton, but also draw miniature parallels — whether you come from a low-income neighborhood in St. Louis or a wealthy suburb in Columbia.

While it is important to help the listener relate, the album is ultimately about Lamar’s life: the trials, tribulations, success and suffering he endured and how they converged to make him the man he is. This album is exceptional not only because each song is incredible on its own but also because of how they fit into the larger picture of the album as a whole.

After each song is a spoken word “skit” of sorts that both introduces the next song and helps tell the narrative of the album itself. The listener witnesses the main character’s father transform from a misogynist more concerned about the whereabouts of his dominoes than his son to a dad passing on life lessons of what it means to be a man. The listener witnesses the main character’s group of friends go from cocky, troubled teenagers to heartbroken friends as one of their own is cut down in a shooting to Christian converts.

There is not enough praise that can be heaped onto this record. It is a masterpiece, one that will inspire you and make you laugh, cry, sing along and reflect. Through his brilliant lyricism and rapping prowess, Lamar gives the listener insight into what it means to be a good kid in a m.A.A.d city.

The light at the end of the tunnel

The days of stockpiling toilet paper and bingewatching “Tiger King” are nearing an end. After over a year of isolation, social distancing and disappointment, a glimmer of hope was emailed to Truman State University students, faculty and staff with news of a mass COVID-19 vaccination event Wednesday, April 7.

This long-awaited event was open to anyone on Truman’s campus who wanted a vaccine, prompting several hundred students, faculty and staff to sign up.

In a survey conducted by Nancy Daley-Moore and Scott Alberts, 644 students responded saying they had already been vaccinated. With 360 doses administered at the event, about one-fifth of the students attending Truman have now been vaccinated. Brenda Higgins, associate vice president for student health and wellness, said this means that hopefully, by the fall semester, life will start to go back to normal.

“I always tell people that if the community responded in the same way as [Truman] students, we would be in great shape,” Higgins said.

Kirksivlle’s Hy-vee Pharmacy was able to provide the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Higgins

said the department did this in the interest of the students and in respect of their time.

Higgins said a lot of planning went into this event, and every base was covered, down to how many pens should be on the tables. She said all of this planning was time-consuming and there were many people involved to make this event possible.

Senior nursing student McKenzie Snyder said nursing students were able to volunteer and draw up vials, as well as oversee the waiting area after people were vaccinated. She said they were excited to see the event succeed without any issues.

“We hadn’t had any bad reactions or anything like that,” Snyder said. “It all went really smoothly.”

Now that this event has taken place, Snyder thinks there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Higgins said she was excited to announce that as long as students, faculty and staff continue to make responsible choices, the idea of going back to “normal” is increasingly possible.

Freshman David Bradshaw said he is excited for sports events and other campus activities to be in person. He explained that being at Truman for only two semesters has been disappointing for him as none of his extracurricular activities have been in person.

“Having a vaccination event got me really excited about the prospect of going to sports games and hav-

ing other events in person,” Bradshaw said.

Not only will campus-wide events have the potential to be open to the public, but Snyder thinks there is now an opportunity for a stronger sense of community.

The pandemic caused many large campus events to be postponed or canceled. Snyder said she thinks the sense of community at Truman has dwindled, but after the vaccination event, there is hope.

Higgins said that Adair County’s health officials are hopeful that the restrictions will loosen and things will get back to how they used to be.

In order to have the exciting prospect of normalcy back on campus, Higgins urged students, faculty and staff to take on the responsibility of getting vaccinated and continue to follow the public health announcements that are put in place.

“I don’t think [Truman] will require the vaccine, so it’s important that students realize the more of them that get vaccinated, the better the possibility is to get back to normal,” Higgins said. “The goal is to get beyond the pandemic and get back to normal.”

Soon, having a full stadium cheering on the Bulldogs during football season won’t be a memory of the past. Nothing is promised, but Higgins said she thinks that taking the necessary precautions can allow for a more familiar life.

End of Semester Hallucinations ALLISON MASCHOFF Staff Writer I woke up on the plains, the grass up to my hips, wearing a dress I had never seen. It was white and strapless, with ruffles that wrapped around my shoulders and a loose bodice, the skirt cut just below the knee. Of course, with the warm blades of grass pushing against me, I felt the cut of the dress more than I saw it.

I was not as worried about the fact that I did not remember how I got there as I was about the fact that there was an old-fashioned shotgun in my hands.

As if I was in a movie where the audio lagged behind the video, once I noticed the gun, the sound of gunshots suddenly filled the air. I hadn’t realized how quiet it was before that moment.

I threw my arms into the air, shotgun in both hands, barrel balanced parallel to the sky, trying to surrender. Bullets

struck my forearms and I yelled out in pain as blood began running down my arms. The dress was turning red and suddenly I was sinking, sinking, sinking . . . until the earth swallowed me up and everything went dark. All I could feel was the shotgun slipping out of my hands as it refused to come with me and the strange sensation that nothing was beneath my feet . . .

I land in a new world convinced I must be in Wonderland. That is until I see a faded yellow brick road stretching out before me.

There’s really nothing to do besides start walking down the path. What else does one do when faced with a yellow brick road?

Mist made the air heavy around me and trees reached up and over on either side of me. There was no sky. There was just gray and black and white and the yellow of the road. My dress had mysteriously returned to its original color, all signs of blood gone.

I walked for ages without any change in scenery. Unnerved by the eerie quiet, I called out for the familiar residents of Oz, but no one replied. All the world was quiet until suddenly I was at the edge of the ocean. The bricks just disappeared into the waves without so much as a sign. I couldn’t even hear the gentle cries of the water hitting the shore until I was less than a yard away.

Without hesitation, I walked into the water and let it swallow me up just like the earth had done.

When no portal opened, I tried to move my arms and legs, my lungs beginning to burn, my mind racing from the realization that perhaps the magic had run out, perhaps the rules of reality were going to suddenly start applying and in that case, I most definitely could not breathe underwater — but my body had become frozen, my limbs heavy as lead.

I sunk down, down, down, unable to do

anything, even to stop my mind from spinning with the terrifying truth of — I wake up in a cold sweat, panting and gasping for air.

I’m at my desk.

I’m in my dorm room.

My usual t-shirt and jeans have replaced the dress. My hair is dry. My arms and legs are uninhibited and no wounds mar my flesh.

Suddenly, the dream seems so absurd.

Then I look down at my desk and remember exactly why I hadn’t fought or questioned the dream: the alternative was three presentations, two papers and the test that my professor is squeezing in right before finals.

When the room starts filling up with water, I don’t fight it. Honestly, I’m not even surprised. I just watch my notes crumple and my laptop sputter and close my eyes for the next adventure.

The Index

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

In Perspective Narratives from the campus community

What are your goals for the rest of the semester?

Samantha Hawkins, junior “I was supposed to be in Costa Rica this summer. Actually, I was supposed to have already gone on last year’s summer study abroad, but clearly those plans were overhauled by the ongoing pandemic. As a little bit of a consolation prize as well as a carrot on a string to get us through this year, my best friend and I decided we would make our stereotypical, grand road trip across the country this summer instead of sitting at home all summer long. We are still in the planning stages, but we want this trip to be about spending time together with no other worries, … [just] relaxing and enjoying nature and the beauty in the world around us.”

Rebekah Nelson, freshman “This summer I’m mostly going to be working at a local smoothie shop in my hometown. I also want to make sure I have time with friends and spend lots of time outside. My family will be taking a trip down to Florida in August to go to Sanibel Island. I can’t wait for beaches and sun!”

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The Index

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1,000 hours ELISABETH SHIRK Former Managing Editor

Thanks for your support RYAN PIVONEY Former Editor-in-Chief

They say brevity is the key to journalistic writing, so I will keep this short. I will always be grateful for my time at The Index. I made so many meaningful connections interviewing for news articles and sharing the engaging stories of students, faculty, staff and administration at Truman State University and members of the local community. It brought so much happiness to my time in college and provided a sense of belonging like nothing else.

I want to thank everyone who has supported and guided me through these last four years.

Emma and Reece, thank you for listening to my constant newspaper ramblings and helping deliver the occasional print newspaper; that’s more helpful than you probably think.

Erica, Francesca, Julie and Cara, your time at The Index made it a genu-

inely welcoming and sunny experience in every way possible. Thank you for bringing joy to the newsroom and dedication to your craft. I can’t wait to see what you all accomplish.

Beth, thank God you stuck around after that long, awkward walk to City Hall in the rain on your first day of training with me. I couldn’t have picked a better person to grow with, struggle and triumph with, and lead The Index with. Your passion for communication is inspiring, and I’m cheering you on every step of the way at Syracuse University.

Don, thank you for being my mentor through it all. When I came to Truman, I really didn’t expect a professor would know my name so quickly, but by my sophomore year I think we were meeting at least three days a week. In addition to teaching me just about everything I know about journalism — I have to give some credit to Mark Smith and Jay Self — you have shown me the utmost patience and respect as I navigated new leadership roles at The Index. Thank you for igniting my flame of journalistic curiosity as I head out into the real world of reporting.

Rachel, I can’t tell you enough how excited I am to see The Index grow and prosper under your leadership. Since your first day at The Index, I’ve been your editor, and I knew quickly you were going far. I’m so happy to have shared an office with someone as excited by and dedicated to news as you are. Good luck next year!

Take your college experiences in stride ERICA LINDSAY Former Features, Opinions Editor

With most of my work at The Index being completed in a rush of adrenaline and deadlines, I can’t think of a more fitting way to conclude my time here than finishing my last column three hours after it’s due. Although I can’t sum up all my experiences here in 500 ish words, I will try to explain what it all has meant to me.

Joining The Index wasn’t exactly in my plans when I came to Truman. As a naive freshman whose only personality traits were running and being from Maryland, I figured I could get by with those credentials. Several injuries and some homesickness later, however, I found myself wanting more out of the college experience.

I became a Student Advisor my sophomore year in hopes of getting more involved at Truman. Interacting with residents each day exposed me to so many different backgrounds and stories that fascinated me. Though SAs often dread the end-of-the-night duty log, I loved being able to bring students’ daily adventures to life through writing.

After a while, I realized this passion could serve a deeper purpose across our campus.

That drive to bring people’s narratives to life is what eventually brought me to The Index. When I first walked into our newsroom my junior year, I warned staff members that I was pretty busy with Res Life and running, looking to maybe write a couple of pieces here and there. Little did I know I would soon be devoting many late nights, early mornings and weekends to

writing, editing, designing and interviewing.

But when I think about The Index, that isn’t what comes to mind. Instead, I reflect on the undeniable aura of encouragement, determination and excitement that radiates during each production night. I remember the random office debates, slap-happy 3 a.m. conversations and puns — oh, so many puns. Most of all, I’m reminded of the endless potential we all have through the process of creativity and collaboration.

Despite the occasional lack of sleep, interview anxiety and hassle of Associated Press style, this organization has given me so much joy. People often ask why I put so much effort into a scholarship job, and admittedly I do too, sometimes.

But every time I walk back into that newsroom, the reason returns. The combination of fun and focus keeps me coming back, each time more motivated to produce a great paper with fantastic people.

To our editorial staff, thank you for putting up with my off-topic rants and procrastination tendencies.

To Ryan, your calm demeanor has kept us afloat through even our most stressful nights. To Beth, I’ll always appreciate your love for wordplay … and your valiant attempts to use chiller font. To Julie, your eye for precision (and headline talent) has helped our staff so much over the past year. To Rachel, you’re going to make an amazing editor-in-chief next year with the mix of dedication and humor you bring to any situation. To Genna, I’ll miss all our design plunders and getting hysterical over InDesign issues, but you’re going to do awesome things as features editor. To Anakin and Sami, I’m glad we were able to work together on this last paper, and I can’t wait to see what you accomplish next year. To our copy editors, we couldn’t do any of this without your attention to detail and helpful suggestions. To my writers, I am always so impressed with the work you put into every story, column and review. You all make this whole experience so worthwhile.

And to anyone thinking about working at The Index — take the chance. You won’t regret it.

Imagine working from 5 p.m. to 4 a.m. and thinking, “I’m going to miss this.” Imagine sending eight emails only to have two people reply to you and being excited about those two replies. Imagine spending three hours creating a design only to decide it needs to go in a completely different direction, but that’s okay because the end product is worth it.

While these might be difficult for some people to imagine, I don’t have to because these are all my experiences working at The Index.

I owe an incredible debt to this organization, but more importantly, I owe an incredible debt of gratitude to the people with whom I’ve had the privilege of working. The people I’ve worked with don’t have to imagine these experiences either.

I’ve had the most amazing editors, coworkers and staff I could have ever asked for.

Ryan, you are the best damn journalist I’ve ever met, and I’m so grateful for the friendship we have and for the experience of being your coworker and managing editor. I can’t imagine anyone more suited to journalism than you. It’s been my honor to work

with you and learn from you. I’m not sure anyone understands The Index experience more than you, and that’s something we will always share. I look forward to seeing where you and your byline go.

Don, thank you for all of the long talks and great advice. Every time I design or write something, I wonder, “What would Don say about this?” and what I create is always better for it. You gave me the support I needed to learn that I am smart, skilled and capable of taking on whatever lies ahead.

Erica, Julie, Francesca, Sami, Brooke and Genna, you all will never know how much it’s meant to me to work with all of you. I’ve loved watching you all grow and become even more amazing people and professionals. No matter how far apart we all are, I’ll always be cheering you on!

Rachel and Anakin, you both have an inspirational passion for the work you do. I know The Index is in good hands with you two, and I’ll be eagerly anticipating future publications. I hope you will go confidently into the future, knowing Ryan and I fully support and believe in you.

Words have now escaped me in trying to sum up my time at The Index, so I’m going to end this column with some numbers. I’ve spent seven semesters working at The Index. In the beginning, I worked about four hours per week as a staff writer, and now, I work approximately 20 hours a week as an editor. Even if I estimate low, over 1,000 hours of my college experience has been dedicated to The Index. Imagine dedicating over 1,000 hours of your life to something and wishing you had just a little more time.

Detours are worth taking ANNA MERCER Former Detours Editor-in-Chief

Of all the gifts I’ve ever been given, the book of quotations my aunt gave me when I turned 16 holds a top spot.

It is not inherently special — a retired library book, printed in 1965 and weathered from nearly six decades of use. The exterior is ordinary, but the best part of a book should never be visible until it is opened and read. I believe literature is a gift to the world unlike any other. In the pages of a story or lines of a poem, experiences are shared and meaning is created.

Journalism and literature are inseparably linked. Like novelists or poets, journalists do so much more than record and distribute facts. Literature is not a mere description of the world — it gives life to language and pulls meaning from strings of words. In the retelling of events, journalists are called upon to tie words together in ways that encapsulate emotion, convey context and achieve accuracy.

This is no easy task. To accomplish these ideals as a journalist at the height of one’s career is impressive enough — but to accomplish them as a student?

That is nearly unheard of. Yet as I look around at the individuals that make up

The Index, I feel so honored and unworthy to appear beside them. These students have accomplished so much in four short years. The emphasis they have placed on producing the highest quality reporting echoes the standards of top newspapers.

What is even more remarkable to me is how they have managed this unceasing responsibility while being some of the kindest people I know.

Ryan always asks me how I am, and he waits for me to answer — even when it’s a Tuesday afternoon, and the paper is at its most stressful part of production. Beth is one of the most dedicated people I know, and she inspires me to actually come to class prepared. Rachel takes on extra projects because she knows it will make someone else’s life easier. Erica waves at me every time I see her at Barnett’s doors and makes everyone feel comfortable and included. Trevor always responds to my frantic texts and has been invaluable as a coworker and as a friend. Genna, you are my parting gift to The Index — I see so much talent and kindness in you. It is beautiful to work with beautiful people, and dozens of others show their kindness to me daily.

I can’t find the right way to say goodbye, so I suppose I will let someone else do it for me. In my treasured book of quotations, one from Ernest Hemingway means a great deal to me: “The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for, and I hate very much to leave it.”

My friends in student media — the best advice I can leave you with is to find what makes your world a fine place worth fighting for and then fight for it. If that is journalism, great! Fight every day to be the best journalist you can be. If it is something else, that is just as well. Fight for what matters to you, and when you must leave it, go

The Index would like to say “thank you” to all of its seniors!

The Index

12

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

SPORTS CALENDAR Softball • • • • • • • • • •

At University of Illinois-Springfield at noon Saturday, April 17 At University of Illinois-Springfield at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 17 At Quincy University at noon Sunday, April 18 At Quincy University at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 18 At William Jewell College at noon Sunday, April 25 At William Jewell College at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 25 Vs Rockhurst University at noon Saturday, May 1 Vs Rockhurst University at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 1 Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Sunday, May 2 Vs Southwest Baptist University at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 2

Baseball • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Vs Southwest Baptist University at 3 p.m. Friday, April 16 Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Saturday, April 17 Vs Southwest Baptist University at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 17 Vs Southwest Baptist University at noon Sunday, April 18 Vs Drury University at 3 p.m. Friday, April 23 Vs Drury University at noon Saturday, April 24 Vs Drury University at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 24 Vs Drury University at noon Sunday, April 25 At Rockhurst University at 5 p.m. Friday, April 30 At Rockhurst University at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 1 At Rockhurst University at 4 p.m. Saturday, May 1 At Rockhurst University at noon Sunday, May 2 Vs Missouri S&T at 3 p.m. Friday, May 7 Vs Missouri S&T at noon Saturday, May 8 Vs Missouri S&T at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 8 Vs Missouri S&T at noon Sunday, May 9

Football:

• At Missouri S&T at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 15 • Playoff game at TBD Saturday, April 24

Golf

• At GLVC Championships Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25

Volleyball

• At GLVC Championships against Lewis University at 9 p.m. Friday, April 16

Tennis • • • •

Vs Rockhurst University at 2 p.m. Friday, April 16 Vs William Jewell College at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 17 At Drury University at 2 p.m. Friday, April 23 At Southwest Baptist University at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 24

Men’s Soccer

• At Drury University at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 16 • At GLVC quarterfinals tournament TBD Monday, April 19 • At GLVC semifinals, finals tournament TBD Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25

Women’s Soccer

• At Drury University at 5 p.m. Friday, April 16 • At GLVC quarterfinals tournament TBD Monday, April 19 • At GLVC semifinals, finals tournament TBD Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25

Track and Field • • • • • •

At Dewey Allgood Invite at 10 a.m. at Missouri S&T Saturday, April 17 Vs Truman State Twilight Thursday, April 22 At William Penn Open Saturday, May 1 At GLVC Championships at Missouri S&T Thursday, May 6 through Saturday, May 8.

At Last Chance Meet Saturday, May 15 At NCAA Championships Thursday, May 27 through Saturday, May 29

Yancy, seniors lead ’Dogs with technique ETHAN HEWETT Staff Writer The Truman State University volleyball team has seen many exceptional student athletes and leaders come through the program in recent years, and this season was no exception.

The Bulldogs were led by a trio of seniors, whose Head Coach Ben Briney was quick to praise for their leadership that helped bring the Bulldogs to a Great Lakes Valley Conference tournament berth.

Left side hitter Sam Yancy is one of those seniors. Both Briney and Yancy said the success they have found this season has been because of their focus on technique.

Yancy elaborated by saying Briney always tells his players that volleyball is really a simple game if you stay disciplined to the fundamentals and force the opponent to make plays.

Yancy said this was especially noticeable in their two weekend wins against Lindenwood University and Maryville University.

After the two late-season victories, Yancy finished the regular season second on the team in kills with 163 and first with 2.8 points per set.

However, Briney said Yancy brings a lot more than kills and points to the team.

“Sam brings a lot of passion to the court,” Briney said. “She’s someone that comes in every day in practice and is going to give you 100% … she brings that fire and passion that motivates everybody on the court.”

Briney added Yancy is willing to put in the work and make the sacrifices needed to make both herself and her teammates the best they can be.

Yancy said the passion she has for the sport stems from her family as her mother played volleyball in her college career as well.

Yancy said her mother is from Brazil which is surrounded by volleyball and soccer, and her mother’s passion for the game spilled over into her.

Yancy said she started playing in the fifth grade and much of her life has somehow been connected to the sport.

“Some of the greatest friendships I’ve made over the course of my life are attributed to volleyball,” Yancy said. “It’s been the method that I use to cope with a lot of

stress and other things going on.”

Yancy explained that getting to be on the court is her chance to get away from everything else in the world and gives her some sense of peace.

In terms of the season, Yancy said the biggest difference was the move to the spring. However, she said the opportunity to play in her final season has changed her outlook on the sport.

“Over the last year, I’ve learned to cherish every moment that I’ve gotten to play volleyball,” Yancy said. “There’s just a whole new appreciation I have for the sport.”

Yancy said she originally thought she wouldn’t get to play after hearing there wasn’t a fall season. However, learning of the spring season made Yancy appreciate the opportunity to play even more.

Left side hitter and senior Ellie Kaat said the leadership styles between herself, Yancy and right side hitter Emma Berthold worked well together to create a cohesive unit to lead the Bulldogs.

“I let [Yancy and Berthold] do a lot of the talking,” Kaat said. “My strongest trait as a leader is going out on the court and working hard and doing what I’m supposed to do.”

Kaat is going to be returning next fall after the National Collegiate Athletic Association granted their student athletes an extra year of eligibility and hopes to take on the more vocal role with the departure of Yancy and Berthold.

Yancy said even if there aren’t any fans in the stands, it still gets loud in the gym, and she takes pride in having that voice that can cut through the noise and communicate when her teammates need it most.

Kaat said a big motivating factor for herself and her teammates is simply the idea of having a chance at a conference ring. While there isn’t an NCAA Division II tournament, Kaat said the conference tournament has certainly given the team something to compete for.

However, it hasn’t been all about volleyball for Yancy. As for most Truman students, academics demand a lot of attention.

Yancy said she has always been told to take academics seriously whether it be from her mother or Briney.

“My mom was an immigrant and came in not knowing any English,” Yancy said.

“So she always told me to hold academics

The volleyball team looks to return a play in a game earlier this season. The team features three seniors taking on leadership roles. Photo by Oliver Malone to the highest pedestal.”

Yancy said Briney also tells his players that they are here for school and that he is constantly checking in with them and their professors in regards to their academics.

This mentality and upbringing have allowed Yancy to be named multiple times to the Academic All-GLVC team in 2017 and 2018.

The bonus, Yancy said, of being a student athlete is that it has forced her to be organized in everything she does.

Yancy continued by saying that each week she goes down the list of everything that needs to be done and “keeps her ducks in a row.”

In reflecting on her time as a Bulldog, Yancy found it difficult to name the select few who have helped turn her into the person she is today. Yancy said nearly everybody she has come into contact with within the volleyball program has affected her in a positive way.

Whether it was Kaat, who is also her roommate, helping guide her in her faith, or fellow outside hitter Morgan Smith who has motivated her to be the best player she can be.

This past weekend featured Yancy’s,

as well as Berthold’s, final two regularseason home games. These two games were also going to decide the fate of the Bulldogs season.

Yancy said this past weekend was about whether or not they were going to be heading back to practice or not on the following Monday.

Going into the weekend, Yancy said Briney came to the team and told them they were playing for Yancy and Berthold.

“I think everyone took that to heart and left their entire being out on the court and all that they had,” Yancy said. “It really showed how amazing we could play together as a team.”

Yancy said the wins showed the potential that she and her teammates have going into the conference tournament.

Briney said it has been a full team effort this season, but it has been a blessing to have three seniors who have helped guide the Bulldogs.

Yancy and the Bulldogs are set to take on the No. 1 ranked Lewis University in the first round of the conference tournament April 16.

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THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

The Index

13

ATHLETE of the week

Senior outfielder Kory Carter set multiple career highs with four hits, two home runs and four RBIs against William Jewell College in the four-game split series this weekend. Carter was also named the GLVC’s Player of the Week for baseball this week. He is the first Bulldog baseball player to receive the award since Jason Priest in 2017.

Kory Carter

Volleyball bounces back from quarantine rut LAURA GAINZA Staff Writer The Truman State University volleyball team had a COVID-19 outbreak at the end of March. Five of the 15 players tested positive, and only four players were not in quarantine. The timing couldn’t have been worse with so many games coming up and the team’s hot streak.

Sophomore setter Rachel DeFries was

one of the players who had to quarantine for 10 days.

“We focused on getting mentally tough so that we would be prepared to push our bodies when we go out to practice,” DeFries said.

DeFries said the team used an app called “MindSport” for meditation and visualization. This helped all of the players during quarantine.

After 10 days without playing volleyball,

Outside hitter Ellie Kaat spikes the ball over the net. The volleyball team recently came back from a 10-day quarantine. Photos by Oliver Malone

DeFries was ready to focus on her technique and work as a team to compete in the upcoming games.

Meanwhile, only four players, including outside hitter Ellie Kaat, were able to continue practice. With only four players at practice, Kaat said it was noticeably different not having the rest of the team to get in shape or go over strategies and techniques with.

“Nothing gets you in volleyball shape as playing volleyball [does],” Kaat said.

After leaving quarantine, the Bulldogs had only one day to train before their game against University of Missouri-St. Louis. Getting back on track was hard for the team as the break had a huge hit on their momentum.

This was reflected in the following four games the team played after their break.

The game against UMSL ended with a loss for our Bulldogs 0-3. The next game against Lindenwood University saw the team defeated 0-3. A day later they had another loss against Quincy University 1-3 and another loss five days later against UMSL 0-3.

Fortunately, the team was already having a good season before its quarantine. The ’Dogs were in a position to be able to drop some matches and still have a chance to compete in the postseason.

The players never gave up and improved their physical and mental strength, and it paid off with the two wins this past weekend.

With a 3-0 win against Lindenwood University and another win of 3-0 against

Maryville University, the team saw their confidence come back.

Head Coach Ben Briney said the team was able to see what it can do when the players focus on their side of the net and the fundamentals of the game.

“We played some of the best volleyball we have played all year,” Briney said. “It really gave us some great momentum going into the conference tournament this weekend.”

Going into the conference tournament, the team will be playing No. 1 Lewis University this Friday, April 16.

Middle blocker Ainsley Heise hits the ball over the net. The team scored two wins over the weekend.

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14

THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021

MAKING THE SEASON COUNT

The Bulldogs run the ball in a game against the Wayne State Warriors last season. The football team has won both of its games so far this season and will play one more before the conference playoff April 24. Photo by Rachel Becker

Bulldog football picks up first two wins of shortened season STEVEN FINDLEY JR. Staff Writer The Truman State University faithful can finally cheer on another fall sport that got delayed until this spring, as the Bulldogs’ football season officially kicked off April 1.

The Bulldogs opened the season with a road victory against Southwest Baptist University, with a final score of 38-20.

Cody Schrader is a running back in his sophomore year returning to play after such a long layoff.

“It’s just great when you get to be back out there with your brothers, your teammates,” Schrader said The idea of a team has become more flexible, in the way that a team prepares for a new season.

One positive aspect that Schrader noticed is that incoming players had more time to study film and learn the system.

“We lost a lot of big name seniors last season,” Schrader said. “It was almost like a blessing in disguise to give our new guys all that time to prepare.”

Although reviewing film and learning playbooks was made easier with the extended time, other aspects presented a challenge.

Like most collegiate sports this season, weekly COVID-19 testing is mandatory for the football team.

“We do weekly tests every Sunday afternoon,” Schrader said. “I think Truman State [University] has given us a great opportunity to be able to play.”

Another COVID-19 related challenge, Schrader said, was finding ways to stay in shape with so many gyms closed over the summer.

Despite the setbacks presented this season, the team still managed to pick up its previous season success and bring it to 2021.

“I feel like we were firing on all cylinders [Thursday], but we still have a lot to work on as well,” Schrader said.

Although the players were elated to return to the field, Head Coach Gregg Nesbitt was even more enthusiastic about putting his team on the field.

Nesbitt was coming off of a 10-2 record last year and capped the great season off with a bowl victory as well.

“Personally speaking, it was an awesome feeling,” Nesbitt said regarding playing Thursday.

However, the head coach described that it was most important for the players to get back to doing what they love.

It was a sweet return to the field, but even Nesbitt acknowledged the challenge of acclimating new talent into the program.

“It’s a challenge, pandemic or not, with getting new guys situated,” Nesbitt explained. “It still is a lot of fun every time [I] get to do it, though.”

Nesbitt has been coaching for over 10 years, and hasn’t had a season riddled with this kind of universal hindrance.

The veteran coach still hasn’t given up his nose-to-the-gridiron mentality, however, and Thursday’s win was just the first step.

“Each week, our organizational goal is to go 1-0,” Nesbitt said. “We don’t apologize for it, but we take each game as its own.”

Nesbitt also elaborates on the idea of unforeseen events that can’t be game planned, stating that there are ‘no do-overs’ in sport.

With this way of thinking in mind, the Bulldogs have turned their attention to their home game April 10 against William Jewell College.

“Our guys will be tremendously excited to play anywhere, but certainly at home,” Nesbitt said.

The Bulldogs will trudge through this bizarre season after their 34-15 victory over William Jewell.

They will be in action Thursday against Missouri S&T.

Former quarterback Jaden Barr shuffles into the endzone in a game last season. The Bulldogs had a 10-2 season last year. Photos from TMN Archives VOLUME 112

ISSUE 10

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