Issue 7, Volume 116-- October 7, 2020 by The Echo at UCA

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SINGLE COPY PAID FOR BY STUDENT PUBLICATION FEE

WEDNESDAY

OCTOBER 7, 2020 Volume 116 — Issue 7

ucanews.live TODAY’S FORECAST CONWAY

Campus Life:

Entertainment:

Sports:

Jazz Combo: Outdoor performance brought sounds of style and flare.

Sports Feature: UCA women’s soccer player, Morgan Rollow.

New Release : Joji’s album, Nectar, revives anti-pop genre.

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4 page 7

4 page 3

Sunny

85/55 THE NEWSDESK FROM THE ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

I N T E R N AT I O N A L Russian journalist set herself on ﬁre

The EU has called for an investigation into Russian journalist Irina Slavina’s death after she set herself on fire last week. While the news outlet she worked for, Koza Press, confirmed she did set herself on fire, the circumstances surrounding her death have been called into question. Last year Russia passed several internet and media laws and many have criticized for their potential to censor news. Slavina had a number of lawsuits filed against her, and her home was raided by Russian special forces. She left a post online asking people to blame the Russian Federation for her death.

photo courtesy of uca.edu

(from left to right) UCA Interim Vice President for University Advancement Mary Bane Lackie, UCA President Houston Davis, Acxiom Chief People Officer Mary Ward and Acxiom Chief Customer Officer Drew May.

University of Central Arkansas, Acxiom agree on $30-million deal by Ronak Patel Editor

N AT I O N A L California wildﬁres continue to rage California’s wildfires have burned more than 4 million acres as of Oct. 4, passing the milestone for acres burned during a year. Over 33 million acres of California are forestland, and a buildup of dead, driedout vegetation– along with climate change– has caused the state’s wildfire seasons to significantly worsen year after year.

President Trump is positive for COVID-19 Donald Trump returned to the White House on Monday evening after spending the weekend at Walter Reed Medical Center. Trump was given a mixture of medicines including Remdesivir (originally developed for Ebola), Regneron (an antibody cocktail), dexamethasone (a steroid to help with temporarily dropped oxygen levels) and Pepcid, among other things. While his condition has improved, doctors still warn that he might not be entirely out of the woods yet.

S TAT E Arkansas teachers die from COVID-19 complications

Two Arkansas teachers died from COVID-19 last week. Elementary school teacher Susanne Michael, 47, died last Thursday from complications related to COVID-19. She had been hospitalized since Sept. 15. Atkins School District’s superintendent Jody Jenkins, 57, died last Tuesday. The district announced on Sept. 13 that he was in the hospital for COVID-19.

WHAT’S AHEAD

IN OUR NEXT ISSUE How will homecoming look thid year?

Sept. 24, Acxiom and the University of Central Arkansas came to an agreement that will provide UCA $120,000 over the next five years. After finalizing this deal with UCA, Acxiom will now be providing UCA $30-million dollars over the next 30 years to help fund initiatives for the College of Business and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. The initiatives being funded by Acxiom will help these two colleges fund

camps to teach IT, help fund scholarships for students, support organizations within these colleges and create a path for students to get internships and careers with Acxiom. The annual IT camps that Acxiom has helped host has helped to recruit new students to UCA. Every year these camps allow prospective students to see UCA’s campus. According to UCA News, the camp has brought in 400 students since 2007. Once the deal was struck, President Houston Davis told UCA News that this donation

4Students Say

than any other company, more full-time positions for our MIS graduates than any other company, and has been crucial to curriculum enhancements we have made to keep our courses relevant and current,” UCA College of Business Dean Michael Hargis said in a UCA News press release. Axciom is a data management company that helps customers manage and use their data. For more information, visit Acxiom. com or call (888) 322-9466 to reach the Acxiom office on East Dave Ward Drive.

English department virtually celebrates Banned Books Week by Addison Freeman Staff Writer

UCA took part in the nation-wide celebration of Banned Books Week, Sept. 27 through Oct. 3, by encouraging students to participate virtually. In previous years, UCA has celebrated by having public readings of banned books on the steps of Torreyson Library. This year, due to the pandemic, the students were asked to participate in the American Library Association’s #StandfortheBanned Virtual Read-out. According to an email sent to English majors and minors, students could record a video under three minutes long, introducing themselves and the banned book of their choice and reading a small passage. “Banned Books Week is important because we have the constitutional right to free speech, and that includes the right to not have literature censored or banned,” Assistant Professor of English Katherine Willis said. “Free and open discourse is essential to democracy and a cornerstone of our country since its founding.” Books can be banned for a number of reasons. In recent years, books including

the LGBTQIA+ community, sexually explicit scenes or references and conflicting religious viewpoints have been the most challenged. “Banned Books Week is for anyone and everyone who wants the freedom to read what they want without censorship or restrictions. Many people are surprised at just how many books have been challenged or banned, even ones that might seem innocuous,” Willis said. Elijah Barnett, a senior pursuing a double major in history and African American Studies, participated in this year’s digital celebration. The banned book he chose for his submission was Captain Underpants and the Revolting Revenge of the Radioactive Robo-Boxers by Dav Pilkey. “When I researched what banned books were, I saw that Captain Underpants was a banned book and I thought that was so interesting because I’ve read Captain Underpants since I was a kid,” Barnett said. “To see that it was a banned book now is just kind of weird to me.” According to the American Library Association’s website, the entire Captain Underpants series is on the challenged books list due to it being “perceived as encouraging

to UCA News. The donation will fund the Acxiom Scholarship to current UCA students majoring in management information systems and informations systems. Last year’s recipients, Taylor Nguyen and Nato Silue, were both awarded $5,000 by Acxiom. In addition to providing students scholarships, Acxiom has helped UCA students get 400 internships and careers with their company, “Acxiom has provided more internships for MIS and other business students

CENSORSHIP

Index: 4Police Beat 4People of UCA

will continue to build on the partnership between the school and Acxiom, “This gift only furthers the impact of Acxiom on our campus, our students, and our graduates,” Davis said. “Acxiom continues to be one of UCA’s closest and most valued community partners.” Acxiom’s Chief Customer Officer Drew May believes this deal will benefit more than just UCA and Acxiom, “Investment in education and in future talent is so important, both in good and in challenging times, as it ultimately benefits everyone,” May said

6 4Opinion 4Entertainment 7 5, 8 4Sports

disruptive behavior…offensive language and violence.” “Challenges to books tend to come most often from library patrons, parents of school-age children, school boards and political and religious groups. 2019 actually saw a 14% increase from the previous year in the number of challenges and bans,” Willis said. There is a difference between a challenged book and a banned book. According to the American Library Association, when a book is challenged, it is an attempt to remove the material from libraries and schools or to restrict it. When a book is considered banned, it has been removed from libraries and schools altogether. Each year, the American Library Association releases a “Top 10 Most Challenged Books” list. For 2019, eight of the books were challenged because of LGBTQIA+ content. This year, the top 3 challenged books are George by Alex Gino, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin and A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo by Jill Twiss. Banned Books Week was established in 1982. This year’s theme was “Censorship is a Dead End.”

Photo courtesy ala.org

The nation celebrates Banned Books Week Sept. 27 through Oct. 3. Univeristy of Central Arkansas’ English department celebrated by encouraging students to record and submit a video of them reading their favorite banned book.

Social:

Inside:

Opinion:

E-mail: ucaechoeditor@gmail.com @ucaecho

The Echo

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There are 4 greatest players of all time in the NBA.

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2/ October 7, 2020

NEWS

Police Beat

ucanews.live

The following information is compiled from UCAPD incident reports by Assistant News Editor Kaitlin Benight

Man banned from calling UCA

Pike member’s car vandalised

Student finds items stolen from dorm

Charles Moore, 35, is banned from calling UCA after he called UCAPD multiple times asking for information on women’s basketball coach Sandra Rushing and one of the cheer coaches. Moore requested Rushing’s contact information, but his information was passed along to her instead. She called to see what he wanted when Moore claimed he had feelings for her. She said the call had unnerved her and was advised to block his number.Rushing said Moore spoke to her assistants multiple times the week of Sept. 27 in an attempt to speak with her. Moore called UCAPD twice more that night, and once more the next day.

Jackson Carpenter filed a report of vandalism on Sept. 25 after seeing a muddy footprint and dent on the side of his white BMW. Carpenter had parked outside Sig Tau Gamma the night before, where he was greeted with members saying rude and negative comments to him because he is a member of Phi Kappa Alpha. On the Sept. 28, police reviewed a video from the Sig Tau pavilion, where Gannon Winstead is seen walking up to the vehicle, removing a sticker and kicking the front passenger side hood. Winstead agreed to pay $300 in repairs on the vehicle, saying he kicked the car to look like a “bad ass” in front of new members.

Grace Smith reported around $2,550 worth of items stolen from her dorm room on Sept. 22. Smith is the only occupant in her room and stated her door locks automatically behind her every time she leaves. She said she’s only had people over twice, her sister and some friends, and hasn’t allowed anyone else in the room without her being there. Items stolen include an amethyst and silver necklace and earring set, blue-framed prescription glasses and Bose Soundsport wireless earbuds. If you have any information contact UCAPD.

SPRING SEMESTER

UCA considers removing Spring Break by Heidi Mackey Graphic by Elvira Toddy and information provided by Ametican Library Association

SGA

Adminstrators sort out how classes will be executed for spring 2020 by Kaitlin Benight Assistant News Editor

Student Government Association’s weekly meeting on Oct. 5, addressed scholarship requirements, spring registration and other reminders such as National Coming Out Day, the Elliot and Hill debate on campus and National Domestic Violence Month. UCA will be taking away the ACT/SAT scholarship requirement for incoming freshman starting Fall of 2021. Instead, they will look at GPA. Additionally, registration for spring 2020 classes will have indicators telling you whether the classes are in-person, hybrid, asynchronous or synchronous. Administrators are also looking at possibly using different buildings for different classes to try to space students out while still having as many in-person classrooms as possible.

They also discussed that Bears and the Ballot will be in front of the Student Center from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct. 28 for last day of voter registration on campus. Only 51.6% of eligible UCA students voted in the 2016 Presidential Election, even though 83.8% of eligible students were registered. For National Coming Out Day, SGA will have a table outside of the Student Center on Oct. 14 from 10-2 p.m.. They hope to raise awareness about issues and resources and give students a chance to express concerns they have. At the meeting, members reminded students who are struggling with mental illness can use the disability resource center to set up accommodations. A d d i t i o n a l accommodations provided to students on campus is attributed by the Housing and Food Services Committee. They are trying to get RSOs

CPR certified as well as getting automatic external defribullators, epipens and inhalers in all dorm buildings in case of emergencies. SGA member informed the visits of Senator Joyce Elliot and U.S. Representative French Hill who will be debating at UCA at 2 p.m. on Oct. 12 at the Arkansas PBS Studio. A livestream will begin at 2 p.m. and the debate will air on PBS at 7 p.m.. For National Domestic Violence Month, SGA will be posting graphics with information and resources. Conway Symphony Orchestra will have a Christmas performance including music and design from the Transiberian Orchestra at Reynolds this December. The event will take place over three nights in order to accommodate COVID-19 guidelines while ensuring as many people as possible can come.

Staff Writer

There have been many changes and challenges to the academic calendar due to COVID-19 and the next change may be a spring semester with no spring break. Since the virus hit our campus last March, administration has been making changes and adjustments to the academic calendar. These adjustments were a longer spring break, no fall break, a week off for Thanksgiving and potentially now, no spring break in 2021. A small group is currently holding discussions and meetings about the possibility of not having a spring break next semester due to health concerns. This group includes SGA, faculty senate, staff senate, council of deans, academic chairs and the Pandemic Planning Committee, who have all been

a part of these discussions and getting feedback. “Many institutions across the nation have made, or are considering, this decision. Spring Break is currently scheduled for the week of March 21, so making a decision yet this month gives our campus community nearly six months’ notice,” provost and executive vice president of academic affairs Patricia Poulter said. Giving the campus community a six months’ notice would help students avoid booking any trips that normally happen during that weeklong break in March. Announcing a decision now or in the near future would save students money and handle any negative feedback that will happen. The University of Alabama, Florida State University, Illinois University and the University of Miami have all canceled spring break as well as other universities around the nation. As of now, no university in Arkansas has

canceled spring break. UCA is the only university in Arkansas to be outwardly considering shortening or canceling spring break. “As a representative of the student body it is very easy to say that this is not an ideal situation. However, we understand the importance of the university needing to navigate through the pandemic effectively. In order for us to do this we have to work together. I think that eliminating spring break is a compromise we have to make so that we ensure the best to our ability that the UCA community is safe,” SGA President Jamaal Lockings said. It is to be expected that there will be backlash or frustrated students about the possibility of this decision. This decision hasn’t been made official yet but we can expect to hear an announcement by the end of the semester on if there will or will not be a spring break vacation next semester.

Graphic by Elvira Toddy

First webinar series in “Teaching China in the Age of COVID-19” addresses, debunks coronavirus misconceptions by Abby Rich Staff Writer

Leading scholars on Asia and public health from around the nation came together to debunk misinformation about China and origins of the coronavirus in the first segment of a four part series “Teaching China in the Age of COVID-19.” Thursday, Oct. 1 was the first of the free, four-part series in which scholars Anita Sego and Michelle King discussed the origins of the coronavirus and false information about China that have been across the media in the last few months. Anita Sego of the UCA department of health sciences began the hour-long session by discussing some of the essential information about the coronavirus. Sego said that COVID-19 is believed to have zoonotic origins, meaning it is “a disease that can be transmitted to humans from animals.” COVID-19 has close genetic similarity to bat coronaviruses, suggesting it emerged from a bat-borne virus, Sego said. Michelle King of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill spoke about misinformation in the media, such as the claim that China is

at fault due to their wet markets thatsell raw bat meat. King said that American perception of Chinese cuisine is directly tied to the political relationship between the two nations. When former President Nixon created a harmonious relationship with China in the 1970s, many Americans became interested in their food. But, now that relations between China and the United States are not as harmonious, claims about what Chinese people eat has caused the coronavirus to take root in national media, King said. However, King said only the wealthy in China eat bat meat and it is not as common as the media makes it out to be. King also examined an NPR article that covered the wet markets in China and showed images of bat meat being sold. King pointed out that the pictures were taken in Indonesia, which is not part of China. “COVID-19 is the abbreviation for coronavirus disease 2019. ‘CO’ stands for ‘corona’ ‘VI’ for ‘virus’ and ‘D’ for ‘disease,’” Sego said. While there are many types of human coronaviruses, COVID-19 is a new disease caused by a “novel [new] coronavirus,” Sego said. Sego also discussed common terminology associated

with the coronavirus, such as “comorbidity,” “R number,” and “super spreader.” Sego said that there are still many unknown aspects of the coronavirus such as how the virus spreads, whether immunity can be built through infection or vaccination and whether the virus is an acute or chronic disease. Studies show that the coronavirus is mostly understood to spread through large respiratory droplets, but transmission through aerosols have also been implicated, Sego said. Challenges that have risen in response to COVID-19 within the United States include challenges to the political climate, pressure on the CDC, inventory systems, resistance to wearing masks and access to testing, Sego said. The remaining three segments of the “Teaching China in the Age of COVID-19” series will cover the response to the virus within China, its impact on Asian-American communities and the future of the United States-China relations. These segments will be held over zoom on each Thursday in October. To access the zoom link, please register and fill out a form at https://forms.gle/ zi1wpsxkMUg517WJ7.

Campus Life

October 7, 2020

Around Campus: Artist in Residence – Simon Tam 6:00 p.m., Oct. 7, join the School of Communication’s guest speaker Simon Tam to listen to him speak about communication as activism and discrimination against Asian Americans during the pandemic.

School of Communications Alumni Panel X-period, Oct. 6, join the School of Communications via Zoom to listen to alumni from around the country discuss utilizing a communication’s degree after graduation.

Griot Society Meeting 6:00 p.m., Oct. 7, in Student Center room 213, join the Griot Society to learn how you can become a keeper and sharer of west African history.

Walls not Bridges 6 p.m. – 7 p.m., Oct 7, join Hermandad De Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc via Zoom to listen to their keynote speaker Rafael Matos educate students on how to confront bias within their own community.

Photo by Ian Lyle

Senior Vocalist Hope Musser performs in front of a full Amphitheater on Sept. 29. Musser wore a mask to follow precautionary actions in regard to the pandemic despite having to sing.

Jazz Combo dazzles crowd at Amphitheatre by Ian LyLe Opinion Editor

The UCA Jazz Combo performed at the amphitheatre Sept. 29, bringing sounds of style and flare to the outdoor atmosphere on campus. Although some seats were blocked off due to social distancing, numerous students were in attendance, filling the available seating at the amphitheatre. Dazzling the crowd with

multiple saxophone solos, senior Sutton Balch brought lots of sound to the crowd in attendance. Having played saxophone for 12 years, Balch brought his passion of playing jazz music to the stage. “I kind of like not having to go by a specific road map of the traditional way of music like classical music and setin-stone stuff,” Balch said explaining his passion behind playing jazz music. “The

way with jazz is you get some liberty. You get a little bit of freedom. If you mess up, it’s no big deal. You just have more freedom and you can feel more human.” Alongside Balch was senior Hope Musser, captivating the audience with her vocals. Balch and Musser have only been in the Jazz Combo for one semester, but their performance spoke as if they have been in it for much

longer. Explaining why she joined the jazz combo, Musser said, “I really enjoy jazz, but I don’t have much experience with it. I’ve seen them perform before and I was just really excited to do something that wasn’t so formal...and just doing something that’s fun.” Musser said she has been a vocalist for the better part of eight years while really finding joy in performing jazz music. “It’s really fun and

collaborative,” she said explaining why she enjoys jazz. “It’s never the same twice so everyone is just kind of working together to create a unique sound.” Musser said there are currently no upcoming events for the jazz combo, but students can stay informed by liking Jazz at University of Central Arkansas on Facebook.

Career Opportunities in Managerial Accounting 1:40 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., Oct. 8, join the Accounting Club in the College of Business auditorium to explore career opportunities in managerial accounting and apply for a CMA scholarship from the Institute of Management Accountants.

China’s Response 6:00 p.m., Oct. 8 join Zach Smith and guest speaker Dr. Ka Zeng via Zoom to listen to their discussion on China’s response to COVID-19.

Big or Small: Save Them All 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Oct. 12, in Student Center room 213, join Women of Excellence for a breast cancer awareness program.

Jimmy Warren Speaks on Diversity and inclusion 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., Oct. 12, join the UCA chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America via Zoom to listen to Jimmy Warren, Pulaski county government special events coordinator, speak on diversity and inclusion in PR.

Confronting AntiAsian Racism in Communities and Classrooms 6 p.m., Oct. 15, join guest speakers Linda Hasunuma from Temple University and ShaRonda Love the director of the Arkansas Minority Health Commission to listen to them discuss confronting racism in the classroom.

Photo by Abby Rich

Arkansas Senator Joyce Elliott speaks to students via Zoom. Elliot spoke to students about her experience as a minority woman in politics on Sept. 30.

Arkansas senator speaks on experience by Abby Rich Staff Writer

Sen. Joyce Elliott gave advice on how to remain strong and be respectful to young activists on Wednesday night during a panel discussion for the annual Schedlers Honors College challenge week. “Each year we convene a communitywide conversation about a topic of current and lasting significance in this year’s theme of ‘Democracy, Governance and Citizenship’ certainly fits the bill. The year 2020 is the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, a presidential election year and starting this summer, has become a sustained call for racial justice,” Dean of the Honors College Patricia Smith said. The goal of this year’s challenge week was to provide students with that chance for conversation. Ellen Hostetter, associate professor of the Honors College and coordinator of each annual challenge week, said students are encouraged to “take a step back, pause

to take stock, ask difficult questions about American democracy and have productive conversations about where our country has been, where we’re heading, and how to move forward together.” Sen. Elliott, who is currently campaigning for Congress, shared her experience with students over Zoom for Wednesday’s discussion of minority women in politics. She advised young activists to “keep going” and not to lose the passion to stand up for what they believe is right, even when they reach a vulnerable position of comfort. Elliott said that activists commonly stop standing up for what they believe is right when they reach a position of vulnerability and have more to lose, such as when they begin to pay taxes, buy a house or maintain a good position in their job. She said the intergenerational movement is becoming more broad and we need more activists. In regard to the differences, she has seen

with the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and the recent Black Lives Matters movement, Sen. Elliott said that progress cannot be sustained and becomes cyclical “if you wait for each generation to come along and start anew.” Sen. Elliott encouraged activists to “find a way to continue to be that person who continues to stand up and push back and to be pleased with what you do yourself.” She said the way to bring about change is by addressing those who have a different opinion in a respectful manner. She said to remain respectful and encouraged listeners to invite conversation because by inviting a conversation to occur, “you give them the power to teach you something,” and often, they will listen and learn from you as well. Shortly after integrating into her high school when she was 15-years-old in 1966, Sen. Elliott was told that she would not receive good grades because she was African-American. She

faced similar challenges when she began running for legislature.She was told she would not win, because she is an African-American woman running against white men. Elliot said that the emotional toll of discrimination “tattoos a burden on your soul that just does not go away. It can lead to all kinds of diseases such as high blood pressure and ulcers. You end up giving up part of your life as a way of dealing with all this stuff.” Sen. Elliott said that many minority women in politics face similar inequalities. Women, and especially minority women do not get to run for legislative positions until later in their lives, most likely after they have had children and their children have gone through high school. Women and minority women also do not earn and raise as much money while running for legislature compared to white men, Sen. Elliott said. Sen. Elliott said that minority women are expected to work much

harder than men and white men. She said that the same expectations should be held for all people. Expectations between the men and women are “baked into the cake” that is the American system, but Sen. Elliott challenges activists not to place the genders into separate boxes. Sen. Elliott “began her career as a teacher, teaching English and speech for 30 years to public high school students in Arkansas, and ran for office shortly after teaching to ‘expand her impact from students in the classroom to people all over the state,’” Honors Professor Donna Bowman said. She served as a state representative and then state senator for nearly 20 years working to “expand access to affordable health care, improve education outcomes and support working families,” Bowman said. Sen. Elliott is campaigning for Arkansas Congress in this year’s election taking place in November.

4/ October 7, 2020

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CAMPUS LIFE

Theatre department adapts to virus, One Acts are canceled

by MiaWaddell Staff Writer

UCA’s Theatre Department has taken creative approaches in order to engage its students during the time of social distancing and virtual learning. In a video posted on the Department’s instagram, roommates Harlie Gann and Emily Cobb can be seen participating in a fighting-acting exercise notably without masks and not socially distanced. Department Chair Shauna Meadors said that this exercise was made possiblet through a directed study put together by Chris Fritzges, an associate professor of theatre. The two girls are able to participate in a more classic form of learning due to their status as roommates, which allows for them to not socially distance or wear masks as long as they are apart from others who do not live with them, following the UCA’s guidelines from theStudent Guide to Returning to Campus.

Meadors emphasized that the Theatre Department has worked extensively with administration and Dr. Randy Pastor to develop their curriculum in compliance with guidelines set out by Arkansas Health Officials. Dr. Jennifer A Dillaha, an Arkansas State epidemiologist said, “Members of the same household are not required to wear masks or maintain a six-foot-distance from one another and may perform together for a film.” Meador’s said that although this guidance is specifically for film, it also applies to theatrical actors. Dr. Dillaha also stated that in addition to these guidelines, “Performers may be without a face covering if they are 12 feet from other persons.” Meadors said that Professor Fritzges maintained a 12-foot distance from Cobb and Gann, while they participated in the aforementioned

exercise. Dean Prince, a theatre major described his classes as “drastically different.” Prince said that his Introduction to Theatre class, lead by Shauna Meadors, is mostly conducted over zoom but weather permitting, the class migrates outdoors. “The work in the class has definitely had to make a large adjustment due to the pandemic,” Prince said about his theatre class which he feels is slightly more difficult due to the restrictions they must follow. “Acting has, by far, been impacted the hardest, We all sit, six feet apart, in a large circle in chairs provided by the Theatre Department,” Prince said. The inability to do scene work, socially distance, and wear face coverings “puts a wet blanket to the usual roaring fire of emotion that reading a script or participating in a heartfelt scene would bring.” Prince had planned to participate in the One Acts

Festival that was recently canceled by the department “due to the inability to retain production rights for online performances,” Meadors said. Online performances in the age of coronavirus bring about an entirely new set of challenges that the department is attempting to adjust to. Alex Partlow, a theatre major, stated that “it is unfortunate that the One Acts Festival was canceled, but I understand it can be difficult to operate effectively.” Partlow also said that while the new way of learning is frustrating, “at this point it’s the best I can hope for.” Partlow is currently in production for the department’s Zoom play The Rivals. Parlow said auditions were held virtually. The department will hold performances of The Rivals October 29-31st over Zoom. To attend the event RSVP through the link on the department’s Instagram.

Photo courtesy Maddie Henshaw

Senior Maddie Henshaw poses for a selfie in front of a bin full of socks on Oct. 2 from her mom’s home in Little Rock. Henshaw’s Amazon wishlist will be open utntil Oct. 15.

Honors’ capstone collects socks for Students for the Arts community in need broadcast craft-a-long by Sarah Coleman Associate Editor

UCA Students for the Arts along with Conway Alliance for the Arts teamed up to host an unprecedented Arts Fest on Thursday Oct. 1. Arts Fest is traditionally an event that is hosted in person, free for community members as well as students and faculty of UCA. While the event was still free this year, it looked completely different than it traditionally is. Last year, Arts fest was hosted downtown and included events from art exhibits to live music to spoken word and film screenings as well as clay demonstrations. This year, UCA Downtown passed out supplies on Wednesday night in order for the participants to follow along in making the craft via zoom and instagram tv. According to UCA Downtown, one participant showed up to pick up one of

each of the crafts. The rest of the supplies were picked up by Gayle Seymour ---- a professor of art history and Associate Dean of the school of Art. Seymour is also the faculty advisor for UCA Students for the Arts. The Virtual Art Exhibit showcased artists of all ages in Conway. The art was shown in a 3D manor in order to feel like you were visiting the art show by virtual reality. The art show can still be accessed at artsteps.com where there are several pieces that are still for sale. There was also a Black Artists Showcase on Saturday Oct. 3, that was sponsored by Silverlake Design Studio. Conway Kiwanis also participated by sponsoring the children’s art kits in order to make two community art activities. Photos of these community art projects as well as project instructions can be found on Conwayarts.com. For Students Create Conway, @

ucastudents4thearts on instagram posted an instagram live that was both informative and helpful for students. The craft for students this year was a self care box. “Hopefully this inspires and motivates someone today... for students and artists it’s important to know that it’s okay to take time to regroup in order to be able to make beautiful things,” senior and president of UCA Students for the arts Monika Cunningham said. Junior Jillian Bateman created a demonstration of ink blot paintings. “Not only can you use these for just self care but you can also use them for notecards or journaling or scrapbooking, really you can use them for anything you’re into,” Jillian said. “I hope you can find some time for relaxation, some time to make art and some time to just have fun through doing this,” Bateman said.

byElvira Toddy Campus Life Editor Senior Maddie Henshaw is accepting sock donations from Oct. 1 – Oct 15 to complete her honor’s capstone project. “It’s called ‘Socktober’, and it’s a sock drive for our homeless neighbors in the community,” Henshaw said. Henshaw arrived at the idea to conduct a sock drive after she experienced a few setbacks to her original plan because of COVID-19. Henshaw was able to decide on the project with guidance from her honor’s mentor Deanna Rice. “Her and I were brainstorming about what we could do because I still wanted to do something that highlighted an important community that needed some help,” Henshaw said. Initially, Henshaw wanted to raise money for a handicap swing in Conway, however due to disagreement with the Parks and Rec department that plan fell through. She tried to work out a sensory toy drive for children with disabilities, but she decided that during a pandemic it would be too dangerous for children who are already at-risk.

“Socktober was an intuitive that fit Maddie’s passion for community support and inclusion of people with disabilities … Socks are an item that is most requested by homeless shelters,” Rice said. “Socktober” is an initiative created by Robby Novak aka “Kid President” in 2013 to collect socks for homeless communities. “The impact of COVID-19 prompted Maddie to have virtual donations through an Amazon wish list,” Rice said, explaining that using a wishlist has made it easier for students and faculty members to donate. Henshaw said that donators have the option of donating a range of socks from adult sizes to toddler sizes. Once a donator has purchased the socks, they select “Maddie’s Socktober List” as the address and the socks are then delivered to Henshaw’s mother’s home in Little Rock. “I have two big bins set up by the front our front door,” Henshaw said. “Every day she’s just taking in Amazon packages for me and collecting them all.” When Henshaw reaches her

goal, she plans on donating the socks to the Van -- a nonprofit organization in little rock that delivers aid to the homeless directly without stipulation. “The reason I chose them is because they actually go out in the tent communities for our homeless neighbors and find them on the street and offer them that direct assistance,” Henshaw said. “I really appealed to that as opposed to a shelter or a larger organization.” Many homeless shelters and non-profit organizations require their patrons to achieve certain goals or perform certain acts to receive help. Henshaw disagrees with these requirements. “Everyone deserves socks and they shouldn’t have to jump through some kind of hoop or feel like they are obligated to do a certain think in order to obtain them,” Henshaw said. “I think there need to be a lot more services that help uplift out homes communities without requiring so much of them.”

People of UCA: James Bargar By Caden Malott

Staff Writer Music for some is an escape from the hustle and bustle of the world. To others, it is their world. James Bargar is a prime example. “I’m a musician, and I play a lot of different instruments. Mainly trombone...I also practice drums and guitar in my free time. That’s what I love doing,” Bargar said. Bargar is a second-year music education major from Greenbrier, Arkansas. He is a proud member of professors Justin Cook and Chris Sharpe’s trombone studio. After graduation, he has his sights set for teaching music on an academic level, but his exact path is uncertain. “There’s a lot of different ways to make money and succeed as a musician in today’s world. I went into this looking at

becoming a band director for high school, but I’ve also recently become interested in college teaching.” Outside of school Bargar enjoys rock music. His biggest musical inspirations, or “heroes,’’ as he calls them, are Jerry Cantrell, guitarist of Alice in Chains and Mike Mangini, drummer of Dream Theater. In the world of classical music, he looks up to professional trombonist Jeremy Wilson. Barger’s biggest inspirations are his parents, James and Janel Bargar, Jesus and his high school band director, Jennifer Church. “She’s been one of my biggest role models and inspirations for doing what I’m doing,” Bargar said. This school year has certainly brought plenty of stress to college students across the world due to

COVID-19. James is no exception, explaining his new normal as “tedious.” “You might have backto-back classes from 10 to 12. Or ones online, ones inperson, you got to work out that schedule. How am I going to get school in that hour, from 10 to 11, and be there for my 11 to 12 class?” Bargar said. “There’s also stuff like bell covers we’re having to use in the music department to make sure our particles aren’t being spread everywhere. We’re not able to play in rooms for much longer than 30 minutes...It’s tedious,” he said. His sentiments are surely shar ed by many students across campus, students who might be having trouble dealing with the chaos that 2020 has handed them. When asked about how he handles

the stress of modern college life, and if he could offer any advice to students, Bargar relies on the importance of distractions, and advises his fellow students to do the same. “I think healthy distractions are always good. Try and stay away from bad things, like drugs, drinking, going out and partying all the time. Anything that takes you out of focus with your schoolwork, that’s obviously a bad way to handle stress.” The rest of this year looks bright for James. His main goals for this semester are aimed primarily at his schoolwork. “Life kind of flows at its own pace… I’m mainly focused on school, getting better on my instrument, and being a more active and contributing member to my studio.”

Photo by J ames Bargar

James Bargar is a member of the UCA trombone studio. This semester he is focusing on his craft and trying to be a more active member of his music group.

o open fall Tennis season

Sports

October 7, 2020

Upcoming Games Cross Country TBA, Oct.17 @ UALR Men’s Soccer

7 p.m., Oct. 10 @ Georgia Southern University Women’s Soccer 1 p.m., Oct. 11 @ Louisiana Football 2:30 p.m., Oct. 10 @ Arkansas State Univeristy Tennis Oct. 2 UCA 2nd Fall Invitational

Editor’s Take Jimmy Butler will always have a legacy with the Miami Heat By Ronak Patel Editor

Even if the Miami Heat lose this series, Jimmy Butler will still have cemented his legacy as one of the best players of his generation. Throughout his career, Jimmy Butler has been one of the best players in the league, but unfortunately he never had the team around him to make a deep playoff run, until he decided to join the Heat last offseason. When the Heat signed Butler to a max contract, many people felt the Heat made a mistake by signing Butler to a team that already was filled with mediocre players on large contracts. What many people ignored is Jimmy’s ability to elevate the team around him. Throughout his career, we’ve seen a pattern of Butler carrying teams to the playoffs and once he’s gone those teams struggle. Like his current finals’ opponent, Lebron James, Butler’s teams fall apart once he leaves. The Chicago Bulls since he’s left have been a mess, the T-Wolves will be picking number 1 overall in the upcoming draft and the Sixers were arguably the NBA’s biggest dissappointment. With Jimmy, both the Bulls and T-Wolves were playoff teams, and Philly might have faced the the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals if it weren’t for Kawhi’s iconic game winner. Before Butler found his home in Miami, he was traded multiple times and that made many to believe he was a problem for the franchises he previously played for. In reality, the franchises were the problem, not Butler. Watching Butler finally play on a team with a quality costar in Bam Adebayo, shooters and a great head coach makes me wonder, what could Butler’s career have been like if he just played on well-run franchises? Great players need a supporting cast around them for them to flourish and Jimmy finally has that. During this play-off run, we’ve seen Jimmy drop 40 on the reigning MVP and number one seed, game winning free throws and clutch shots to go along with his stifling defense en route to a 12-4 record heading into the Finals, same as the Lakers. After watching Butler’s playoff run, I can’t help but wonder about the career Jimmy could have had if he played with other star players or had a great team around him like many of his peers. Jimmy seems to still have a few years left in his prime and the Heat could possibly land Giannis, so it is possible Jimmy answers that question for us.

Men, Womens’ cross country successful at Cowboy Classic

By Megan Holder Social Media Editor

The University of Central Arkansas men’s and women’s cross country teams ran in Stillwater, Oklahoma at the OSU Cowboy Jamboree on Saturday October 3. The men placed 10th and the women placed ninth. Head Coach Beau Theriot said, “I thought we could have done better as a team. We just didn’t pack run as we normally do and we were really spread out from the start. This course is super tough, super hilly and just a grinder of a course. Overall, the guys had decent times, we just didn’t put it all together.” Sophomore runner Max Nores led the men placing 28th with a time of 25:21.2. Theriot said, “everything has been a bright spot this season for Max. He had a good training block over the summer break and this year he’s done all the things he needs to do as far as nutrition and rest and recovery which led to his performance today. Going that fast on this course is a good showcase and I think when we go to 25 for him which will be big.” Nores said, “it was a good effort. It was a tough course. I didn’t expect to go that fast. I was pretty of Kansas guys in front of me and I stuck with them. It was a good showing for the team.” Junior Jared Touart placed 64th with a time of 26:18.6. Junior Casey Gore led the women with a time of 23:17.4 placing 40th. “I honestly feel like I did pretty well, considering I’ve never really ran a course like this before, especially with the amount of hills. As a team, I think we did very well. We ran a lot better than we did at the UCA XC Challenge. We started out as a pack Theriot said, “I don’t think unless you come out here and run it yourself you actually know, but some of these hills are like going up walls so for Casey to be that close to her

photo courtsey of ucasports.com

PR is amazing.” The men’s 8K and the women’s courses in the nation. The course consists of rolling hills and an uphill

Even though the races were challenging, the men and women still

Theriot said, “By the end of the season I think we’re going to see

On the women’s team, junior Kennedy Timmerman placed 47th

some huge jumps in time. Kennedy Timmerman was a grinder out there today and really pushed it hard and

with a time of 23:26.8.

Bekah ran really hard and excellent

FOOTBALL

so I was just really proud of how those guys ran.” Sophomore Anna Jeffcoat of 23:36.2 The Bears will run in Little Rock on Saturday, October 17.

VOLLEYBALL

photo courtsey of ucasports.com

Bears lose to North Dakota State Volleyball suffers loss against Missouri State

By DJ Jones

NDSU opened the third

Staff Writer

momentum changed after they had that touchdown pass in the fourth

By Ronak Patel

said.

The Sugar Bears picked up a loss against Missouri State, in their

The Bison used 2 plays and scored The UCA football team lost the country, North Dakota State on Oct.3. This gave UCA its’ second The Bears put points on the

lead over UCA. The Bears were able to strike

goal kick by junior kicker Hayden

Breylin Smith to sophomore wide receiver Tyler Hudson, cutting the

Ray gave the Bears three more

Bears were able to score again on

goal, NDSU took a 7 play drive

wide receiver Lujuan Winningham, giving Smith his second passing touchdown of the game and giving

to junior tight end Josh Babicz,

UCA junior linebacker TJ Campbell said they lost the momentum of the game during going back and forth with them scoring wise in the second half. The

Campbell said that the team and not give up big plays during the game. UCA junior defensive back Deandre Lamont said they came out ready to play as a team. “We came out with the right mindset. We weren’t worried about their accolades over the past years and what the sports pages were saying. We came ready to play,” Lamont said. Lamont said as a team, they have to work on small things to close out games. “We have to minimize mistakes and take advantage of every opportunity to get the ball back for the offense,” Lamont said. UCA will play it’s next game against Arkansas State University on Oct.10 in Jonesboro,Arkansas.

Editor

In this game, there were many new faces starting for the Sugar Bears. Senior Amanda Beaton, senior Emily Doss, senior Bailey Waddington, senior Amari Mitchell and junior Ravin Rhodes did not play in Saturday’s game. Their absences Miller, sophomore Anna Williams and freshman Lexie Gregory. In set one of the match, UCA fell behind early as Missouri State

but their run fell short as Missouri The Sugar Bears didn’t fall in a hole early on for set two like they did for set one. This time Missouri

In the third set, UCA was able to pull of a win, thanks in part to their 0.625 hitting percentage. This set was closely contested and was at lead, UCA was able to increase their lead to 12 pts. UCA increased their

the Sugar Bears were unable to ride the momentum from their big set three win. Missouri State closed out With this loss to Missouri State, the season. The Sugar Bears next game will be on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. to play Stephen F. Austin. This game the Sugar Bears. The Sugar Bears will face Stephen F. Austin for the second time this season. In their

the Sugar Bears weren’t able to put

Nacogdoches, Texas. Heading into the game, Stephen F. Austin sits

and then Missouri State made a run

the road.

Opinion

ucaechoeditor@gmail.com

October 7, 2020

The Voice

Everyone needs to take the pandemic seriously

The Echo Staff Ronak Patel Editor Sarah Coleman Associate Editor Delaney Van Wilpe News Editor Kaitlin Benight Assistant News Editor Elvira Toddy Campus Life Editor Ian Lyle Opinion Editor Kennadi Harris Entertainment Editor Mia Waddell Online Editor Megan Holder Social Media Editor Sidney McCoy Cartoonist

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The NBA has four greatest players of all time Over the past decade, the game of basketball and the NBA has become one of the biggest sports and entertainment in the world. As the game grows, the debate about who’s the greatest player to ever play the game grows with it. I believe that answer to that question should only be between four players: Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. The NBA was established during the 1940s, but was called the BAA (Basketball Association of America. Shortly after the start of the BAA, the league joined forces with the NBL (National Basketball League). Since the beginning of time, there has always been the debate of who’s the best player to play the game. When talking about who’s the greatest, it’s important to judge by DJ Jones by certain criteria: Staff Writer Individual accolades, championships, and the level of competition. Kareem Abdul Jabbar is the first of the group to discuss in this argument. Jabbar entered the league in 1969 after being the first overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft. Out of all the players in this conversation, Jabbar may have the best argument for the greatest player. For his career, Jabbar averaged 24.6 points per game, 11.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game. When it comes to individual accolades, Jabbar is almost unmatched. He is a 19-time All Star, two-time NBA scoring champion, six-time NBA champion, two-time Finals MVP, six-time league MVP,

and the 1969-70 Rookie of the Year. Jabbar also has the most points scored by a player in the history of the NBA with 38,387. Jabbar dominated the entire league for almost his entire career with a nearly unstoppable move called the sky hook. When talking about the greatest ever, Jabbar’s name must always be mentioned. Next in this group is Michael Jordan. Jordan is who most people consider the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) and he has a strong case for it. Jordan entered the league in 1984 after being picked third in the NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. For his career, Jordan averaged 30.1 points per game, 6.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game. Jordan is a 14-time All Star 10-time scoring champion, 11-time All-NBA team, 9 time All-Defensive team, 1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, five-time league MVP, and 1984-85 Rookie of the Year. Jordan is fifth alltime in the most points scored in NBA league history with 32,292 points. Although those accolades are outstanding, what separates Jordan from the rest is his six NBA championships and six Finals MVPs. In my opinion, this gives Jordan the edge over everyone in the conversation. Next in this group is my all time favorite, Kobe Bryant. Bryant was drafted 13th overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, before being traded to the most iconic franchise in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant averaged 25 points per game, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.

Skip Bayless owes Dak Prescott an apolog y Mental health is such a despicable obstacle Bayless’s comments are what I consider to that causes much turmoil in the lives of too be reckless. Bayless starts off his response saying many undeserving people. Mental health issues he has “compassion,” yet he later goes on to do not care how old you are, your skin color, contradict that claim in the fact that he showed your profession and the other things that define absolutely zero sympathy for a human being who oneself. is clearly hurting, and hurting for good reason. The more days that go by in my life, the more I hurt for Dak when I saw that disgusting I realize that there is an unfathomable amount of response from Bayless. I was looking forward to people that are struggling with depression and using my platform here to unload on Bayless for anxiety for various reasons. For Dallas Cowboys’ his behavior. Others on social media also used starting quarterback Dak Prescott, depression that platform to show their dismay for the sports has caused struggles for him and he developed personality. these mental health issues due to a terrible turn Shortly after Bayless’ comments had gained of events in his life. attention, the trending hashtag “#skipjobless” Prescott’s mother died became a popular scene on in 2013 in consequence Twitter. The Twitter army, of colon cancer. On April coming to the defense of 23, 2020, just as the the vulnerable Prescott, COVID-19 lockdowns made their opposition were starting to take a toll well known, attempting to on mental health, Prescott’s create pressure on Bayless’s older brother committed employer to make a move suicide. in regards to Bayless’s Prescott recently employment status. Bayless opened up to the public did not lose his job, but if I about his battle with was a betting man, I think depression. His openness Bayless would not make received great support and that same comment if he sadly, some opposition. had the chance to do it by Andrew McMahan Skip Bayless, a well known all over again. Staff Writer entertainment TV sports The bottom line personality, took a very is that just because harsh shot at Prescott just someone is in a position as he began to display this point of weakness in to be successful and make a lot of money, such the form of mental health issues. as a professional athlete, does not mean they are “I have deep compassion for clinical excluded from mental health issues. depression,” Bayless said. “But when it comes We as a society must understand that most to the quarterback of an NFL team, you know everybody goes through some sort of mental this better than I do, it’s the ultimate leadership health issue, and that is normal. Prescott’s goal in position in sports. Because of all of that, I don’t opening up to the public was to help others know have sympathy for him going public with ‘I it is okay to not be okay. got depressed. I suffered depression early in We just need to be nice to whomever we meet COVID to the point where I couldn’t workout.’ in a daily life and think that we do not know the Look, he’s the quarterback of America’s Team.” battles they may be going through.

Precautions in regards to the pandemic shall be taken seriously as every person’s life is at risk. As the virus continues to unfold and the number of cases rise across the nation, Arkansas finds itself amidst the worst region in the United States, the South. Arkansas alone has had over 86,500 cases of COVID-19 and more than 1,400 deaths from the virus. If people do not take the pandemic seriously, these numbers are bound to increase. Sure, the pandemic has lasted long and people may be tired of it, but that gives no excuse to not take responsibility for one’s action in the midst of it. Masks should still be worn. Social distancing should still be practiced. Everyone needs to wash their hands thoroughly. Countless times have people been out in public without wearing a mask, merely neglecting the fact that they could contract the widespread virus. Nonetheless, they could not only contract the virus, but could affect others as well. Sure, a mask may be temporarily uncomfortable or ruining your style, but a casket or ventilator may look even worse on you. Social distancing must be maintained.

If people do not take the pandemic seriously, the number of COVID-19 cases is bound to increase. If students are not wise during this time and do not practice social distancing, cases within the university are bound to arise, which could lead to the campus shutting down. Numerous universities across the nation have shut down or made major news from spikes in cases due to having parties and neglecting social distancing precautions. It would be a shame if UCA were to the next on that list due to mere ignorance and irresponsibility. The parties can wait. The unnecessarily large gatherings can be put on hold. What is important during this time is that people respect the precautions and mandates set in order to protect everyone. Proper hand washing must be practiced. If only we counted how many times we all have seen people not wash their hands after using the restroom, eating, opening doors, working out, you name it. Hands are used on a daily basis for various tasks that require touching other things that others have already touched. If hands go without being washed, this can be a major contribution to the spread of the virus. If you have hands, wash them. It is time to stop being irresponsible in regards to following precautions of the pandemic. It is time to stop being ignorant toward others by not wearing masks, being too close to them or not washing hands. It is time to stop contributing to the noticeably increasing cases in the South, but rather contribute to the decline of cases by changing the culture into a culture of following guidelines set in place by health departments to protect our safety.

Have an opinion? Everyone does. Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoeditor@gmail.com Letters to the editor don’t just have to be about Echo content. If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it. The Echo is printed weekly by The Courier. Decisions about content are made by the student editors. The views published are not necessarily those of the University of Central Arkansas. All material is subject to respective copyrights.

Entertainment

October 7, 2020

New This Week Movies

Oct. 7 — Aggie (NR), directed by Catherine Gund, starring Agnes Gund, Ava Duvernay, and Abigal Disney Oct. 9 — Henchman(NR), directed by Adam Wood, starring James Marsden, Nathan Fillion, Jane Krakowski Oct. 9 — The War with Grandpa (PG), directed by Tim Hill, starring Robert De Niro, Laura Marano, Oakes Fegkey

Music Oct. 9— Playing It Forward- Alexander Zonjic

Deftones drops one of their best albums yet with “Ohms”

KELLY RICO

Staff Writer

Unleashing their signature heavy drums and funk-like bass, Deftones have reignited an energy of rage and inspiration in fans for their ninth full-length album “Ohms”. Revolutionizing their sound over 20 years, the new album follows their 2016 album “Gore” and gives a nod to their “White Pony” and “Diamond Eyes” albums for their older fans to enjoy. It was produced by Terry Date who has produced their first few LPs such as “Eros” and “Deftones” albums. Deftones continuously reinvent themselves, unafraid by the changes in the music industry that are popular and sell. They can easily stick to the genres they had a hand in revolutionizing, but they push themselves to experiment with new sounds. It’s an admirable step in their careers that fans can’t seem to get enough of. In the songs “Urantia” and “Ceremony,” Chino Moreno’s vocals can be heard in harmony, something that he has been working on over the years. His

Oct. 9 -Unearth - Alexia Avena

to notice small details that you wouldn’t hear at first. With the complexities and layers, it helps add depth to their lyrics and the overall concept of the album: Changes are inevitable. They teased their album, on their official website and social media, by blacking out their profile photos. Their website showed a static-like image and their URL defaulted to “deftones.com/0925,” a clue to fans that pointed to the release date. Deftones continued to tease fans by sharing posts on their social media that nodded to their old photo courtesy of www.consequenceofsound.com material such as “One Weak,” Members of alternative metal band Deftone in 2000. The band released their album “Ohms” on September 25, a song from their Adrenaline it is available on all streaming platforms. album, sending their fans on a vocals are straightforward, but easily understood as a question album, perhaps it is a technique “one week” countdown. Because of COVID-19, they can be a little lost when and answer about time and that they used on this album to Deftones postponed their the lyrics are lacking sub-text. decisions people make in their hook listeners. Some of the lyrics in songs, like life. A common theme in most This album could arguably North American Summer tour “Radiant City” and “Ohms,” are artists’ songs. top one of their most popular until 2021 to insure their too obvious and superfluous. The thick guitar tone albums “White Pony” with safety and their fans’ safety. It The lyrics in “Radiant City” by Stephen Carpenter their forceful guitar riffs and would’ve been their first tour are similar to their past albums and the effortless beats of heavy vocals. Sound wise, since their break in 2017. with the conversation that the Abe Cunningham’s drums Deftones outdid themselves With the climate speaker has with themselves illuminates the raw harmonic once again. Yet, it can also surrounding Coronavirus, it of “hey I am sexually and key aspects of previous efforts be argued that lyric wise, it is is uncertain if their 2021 tour romantically frustrated, but I’m made in their past albums. their least interesting album. will happen, but at least the gonna reassure myself and you “Ohms” starts off with a rhythm The more you repeat and listen new album gives fans a chance of this relationship we have.” similar to “Hole in the Earth” to songs, like “Pompeji,” they to escape the craziness of what The song “Ohms” concludes off of their Saturday Night Wrist grow on you and you’re able 2020 consists of. the album and its lyrics are

VOTE

MUSIC

Oct. 9- Dessert- Dinner Party

Oct. 9 - RemedyHannah Grace Oct. 9- Shoes DroppinJesse Wagner photo courtesy of www.slantmagazine.com

Oct. 9 —Give Me Some Truth. Ultimate MixesJohn Lennon Oct. 9- Lil KiiwiKiiara

YouTuber and Japanese singer Joji released his sophmore album “Nectar”. It is available on all streaming platforms

Lo-fi artist, Joji’s, new album is his best project released yet Netflix miniseries makes details of BY

SADIE CLARK

Staff Writer

Oct. 9- Lupin- Lupin

Netflix Oct. 7- Hubbie Halloween Oct. 7- To The Lake

Oct. 9- DeafU Oct. 9- The 40-Year Old Version Oct. 9- Ginny Weds Sunny Oct. 9- The Haunting of Bly Manor Oct. 13- The Cabin with Bert Kreischer

Top 5 underrated female rappers List compiled by Kennadi Harris Entertainment Editor

photo courtesy of www.film.com

Netflix miniseries “Whose Vote Counts: Explained” is available on Netflix.

Joji’s sophomore studio album “Nectar” was released on Sept. 25 and brought life back to the underrated anti-pop genre. Since the release of his previous album, “BALLADS1” in 2018, Joji has mastered the art of emotional expression through music. Throughout the 18 tracks on the album there is a distinct variation of emotions. This aspect is able to draw listeners in because they can feel emotionally attached to some of the songs. Many musicians made cameos on Nectar including names like Lil Yachty, rei brown, Omar Apollo and Yves Tumor. The feel of the album overall can be described as passionate. Feelings of love, desperation, loneliness and sadness take listeners on the journey of a distraught man trying to figure himself out. This album encapsulates the same feeling of “BALLADS1” but has found ways to show his pain through music notes and lyrics. The song “Gimme Love” was previously released as a single this summer. It began as a fast-paced and catchy tune that would be stuck in people’s heads for days. After listening to it all the way through, the ending shifts into a chorus. The shift is not smooth from the two tones in the song but somehow this works perfectly. The angelic voices enhance Joji’s performance and make it seem almost divine. Other songs released early as hit singles include “Sanctuary,” “Run” and “Daylight.”

What is so unique about “Nectar” is how every song is so similar but different at the same time. Each song has its own story that is able to move people in some way or another. Rhythmic lo-fi beats work to almost contradict the sad messages embedded in songs like “Pretty Boy” featuring Lil Yachty. “Pretty Boy,” which was previously released under the name “NOT SONG” months before is a very popular song on the album. While it had a very anti-pop and lo-fi beat, Lil Yachty added a new element to the mix that only made it more enjoyable to listen to. He was able to give a feeling to this song quite like he did in Social House’s “Magic In the Hamptons.” Joji is able to balance many different vocal performances into one moving piece of art. He varies from falsettos to smooth harmonies and back to his signature low and raspy tone. While Nectar is similar to his first album in many ways, this album gave a more intimate look at the artist and how he handles his thoughts. The cover photo, which is a red tint on a partially shown headshot of Joji, is the cherry on top of an aesthetically pleasing album. With this being only the second album of his career, the new and upcoming artist has already blown many away with his unique sound that appeals to a generation of people who deeply relate to his lyrics. The execution of “Nectar” was such a success that it will be difficult for Joji to top it, but I am excited to see what he comes up with.

1. Flo Milli

2. KenTheMan

Flo Milli began getting attention in 2019 for her song “Beef FloMix” circulating on social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok. The 19 year old, Mobile, Alabama rapper stood out from her female counterparts with her feisty and articulate flow. She exudes confidence on tracks and has a siddity attitude that lets you know she’s not to be messed with. Along with her flow, her bars don’t fall short. She delivers clever and cocky lines that you will be rapping along with after a couple listens. Milli has all the talent, beauty, and personality to be the next “It” girl.

A couple years ago Ken went viral on Twitter for a clip of her music video “Deserve” where she rapped about frustrations of dating a guy who was unfaithful. Her ability to flow while telling a story and releasing emotions was very impressive, which caused me to follow her and still keep up with her today. Despite what the vulnerable song might suggest, KenTheMan is not for the weak. Repping Houston, Texas, her later releases unleash a raunchy side that is explicit and raw. She is very versatile in her delivery ranging from aggressive, sassy, sensual, or bossy. Regardless of which side she chooses to display, her rap ability still shines.

U.S. voting system understandable

ALLISON POLSTON

Staff Writer

If the U.S. voting system seems complex or unreasonable to you, dedicate an hour and 24 minutes to watching Vox’s new Netflix miniseries. Netflix released “Whose Vote Counts” on Sept. 28, only five weeks before the Nov. 3 election. I have spent over three years learning about the U.S. electoral system in college courses, yet Vox’s miniseries managed to summarize 244 years of American election history in three short episodes. I already sent it to one of my former professors. The series features conservative, liberal and apolitical commentators to emphasize the nonpartisan importance of voting, along with celebrity voices to narrate the story. In typical Vox style, simple graphics turned complex data into easily understood information. Leonardo DiCaprio narrates the first episode entitled “The Right to Vote”. This episode was all about U.S. voter suppression. Vox did not shy away from the U.S.’s history of poll taxes, literacy tests, and strict

3. Rico Nasty Rico Nasty is what you get when you fuse punk rock,hiphop and a dash of techno-pop. She is a rapper but you could call her a rockstar as well. Her loud and raspy voice over bass heavy beats is enough to catch anyone’s attention. What keeps you interested is her bold, adventures style and her versatile catalog. She has songs where she completely rages over hardhitting beats, songs where she harmonizes catchy melodies over techno tunes, and songs that fall somewhere in between. Rico cannot fall into one category but she comes in high ranks in all the ones she falls under.

voter ID laws. Voting rights activist, Desmond Meade, described his work to gain the right to vote for felons. The second episode chronicles the messy world of campaign finances. Selena Gomez narrates the history of campaign fundraising and ensuing legal battles. Political scientists and historians explained its nuances. This episode is especially important for American voters to watch. It educated me on the mega donors, political action committees, and where my tax dollars might end up. John Legend narrates the final episode of the series, “Whose Vote Counts”. This episode delves into systems in place that can be used to manipulate election results. The Electoral College and gerrymandering are two convoluted concepts that have overridden the popular vote for years. Former governor of Ohio, John Kasich, explained that both major parties redraw districts to increase its chance of winning. I appreciated this project for several reasons. First, the U.S. electoral system has intricacies that many citizens don’t understand, even though

4. CHIKA

CHIKA is another rapper that had a viral moment on Twitter. I first saw her circulating on the app for a clip from her session on the web-series “TinyDesk”. Lyrically CHIKA was impeccable, which is what caught the attention of me and other viewers of the video. She doesn’t have the stereotypical style or look of a female rapper in today’s age but that just makes her more lovable and relatable. Her music is quirky but soulful and inspiring. Her rap ability is also quite flexible, she rap a hundred words in a second or harmonize mid-verse. CHIKA is super talented and her music is a refreshing new vibe.

the government is meant to serve its people. “Whose Vote Counts” untangled the mysteries of our voting system in an easily understandable manner, without being condescending. It’s suitable for anyone who desires to learn more about American elections. Next, Vox enlisted the help of political scientists, elected officials and historians to tell the story. While celebrities narrated the series, they refrained from political or historical comments. They cited data analysis and official research from sources such as the Center for Responsive Politics. Finally, I enjoyed this miniseries for its mission. It was released with the intent to encourage Americans to vote. Four out of ten eligible voters did not vote in the 2016 election. Many Americans don’t think their vote matters, so Vox set out to disprove this. While there have always been speedbumps and roadblocks to a perfect voting system, voting is vital to a democracy. The more citizens use their voice, the better. So, whose vote actually counts? Everyone’s. 5. Tierra Whack Tierra Whack isn’t just a rapper she is an artist. I first stumbled upon her randomly as her visual album popped up in my YouTube suggestions. The whole album was about 15 minutes but every second was crafted beautifully. Her rap ability is crazy, clever, and highly creative. Most of her music is mellow and euphoric but quirky. Her music definitely puts quality over quantity because most of her songs don’t even touch 3 minutes. Nevertheless, each song is a pleasant experience. While she is an amazing artist, she is is a lyricist. Her music as all the right elements for a successful rap record with a twist.

ucanews.live

SPORTS

8/October7,2020

Cross Country Classic

UCA STATS CORNER SPORT Football

OPPONENT

RESULT

RECORD

North Dakota State

37-20 (L)

(2-2)

UALR

2-0 (W)

5-1-1

Oklahoma State

272 pts

10th place

Women’s Soccer

Men’s Cross

Womens Cross Country

Oklahoma State

257pts

9th place

photo courtsey of ucasports.com

FEATURE

Rollow follows soccer dreams on the field By Heidi Mackey Staff Writer

Morgan Rollow is a junior at UCA and plays on the women’s soccer team. Rollow is originally from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma play soccer in college and follow her dreams. Rollow is a health promotion major with a minor in sports psychology and wants to attend physical therapy school after undergrad. “I mainly wanted to play soccer because it’s been a dream since I was little to play at the college level and I love sports. Additionally, as I got older, I realized that it was a very good way to pay for college. Especially, since I wanted undergraduate degree,” Rollow Said. Rollow has been playing sports it has always been a big part of her life. She wanted to take this love and passion and continue it as far as she possibly could. Choosing to play a sport in college comes with more responsibility and rules than most expect. “We do a whole lot more than just practice and competitions. We have hours of meetings, alternate assignments, mandatory seminars, testing, and we do volunteer hours,” Rollow aaid to me about what goes into being a college athlete. Rollow juggles this on top of a job as well. Rollow explained that this isn’t new to her because she has been juggling this kind of workload since she was in high school, so she is used to being busy all the time. It’s all about making sure your deadlines and priorities are in order.

photo courtsey of ucasports.com

This has changed for the soccer team and alerted the way their season traditionally looks. Some seasons are shorter or longer depending on the sport. The season for soccer looks completely different than what it typically does. “Well for soccer we have a completely different set up for our season. Usually we play the bulk

of our games in the fall and only a small amount in the spring, but due

and spring, which means we are in season for a longer amount of time,” Rollow said. Being a college athlete during the pandemic has not been easy. It is an added pressure on athletes to

make sure they are wearing mask and abiding by all social distancing rules. There is more that goes into making sure the players are game day ready. “We have to get tested weekly, screened daily before practices, we have to wear masks during weights, and we have a lot of extra precautionary measure we have

to follow. For me personally, my classes are mostly online so I have been adjusting to that and I have to be extra cautious to stay negative positive due to contact tracing, I can potentially make my teammates and would make our team ineligible to

play,” Rollow said . If you are watching a UCA women’s soccer game, you can see defense in jersey number 8. Rollow has played six games this season and hopes to be able to play more as it continues into the spring.