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KU Hillel plans trip to Israel for students with varying religions p. 2

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Toppers kicks off fundraiser involving 240 custom pizza boxes Toppers Pizza is kicking off its new ownership with a fundraiser for a local school.

KU baseball rebounds to salvage series split with SC Upstate Kansas baseball split its first series of the season with South Carolina Upstate, losing the nightcap 6-4 and winning the final game 5-3.

Senate develops website to report issues on campus Student Senate is in the process of developing a website that makes it easy for students to report issues they find on campus.

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Sharing stories of LGBTQ Kansans RYLIE KOESTER @ryliekoester

The stories of LGBTQ Kansans and their fight for acceptance told in C.J. Janovy’s book “No Place Like Home,” will now be shared in a documentary.

“I got about 50 pages into the book when I knew this was a documentary,” said Sam Zeff, the producer of the film and colleague of Janovy’s at KCUR. Janovy, a journalist for KCUR and former editor for The Pitch, published the book “No Place Like Home: Lessons in Activism from LGBT Kansas” in the University Press of Kansas in January 2018.

The book examines why LGBTQ Kansans choose to stay in a stereotypically “red state” and take up the call of activism.

The documentary is a Do Good Productions film, a nonprofit Kansas-based production company, and is directed by Kevin Willmott, professor of film and media studies at the University and current Oscar nominee.

The team recently released a trailer for the film, which Zeff produced.

The trailer shares the story of Sandra Stenzel, the former director of Economic Development in Trego County, who was fired shortly after speaking publicly against a proposed amendment to ban gay marriage.

“As soon as I started reading Sandra Stenzel’s story, I knew that this could be a very powerful film,” Zeff said. “The characters in the book are unbelievable. The stories that they tell are poignant — they’re important even

Contributed photo C.J. Janovy, a journalist for KCUR and former editor for The Pitch, published the book “No Place Like Home: Lessons in Activism from LGBT Kansas” in the University Press of Kansas in January 2018. in contemporary politics.”

Janovy said she and Stenzel have stayed in close touch since they began talking for the book in 2013, so their oncamera interviews were just another conversation of which they’ve had many, Janovy said.

“I know how powerful her story is, and she told it so well on film that I think she’s getting a whole new round of attention because the trailer’s out,” Janovy said.

Janovy said the documentary will pick up where the book left off. While they plan to interview some people

included in the book, Janovy said they will incorporate additional reporting she wasn’t able to add in the book, such as the

“Kansans have a really powerful story to tell when it comes to the LGBTQ movement.”

C.J. Janovy journalist and author

election of Sharice Davids, the first openly LGBTQ Kansan elected to Congress.

City may adopt ‘SafeBar’ program

NICOLE ASBURY @NicoleAsbury

Following a nearly two-hour long discussion between members of the public and the Lawrence City Commission on Tuesday, the commission moved to revise an ordinance that would mandate all cereal and malt beverage licensees participate in a training to prevent sexual violence.

The motion by Vice Mayor and Commissioner Jennifer Ananda pushed for a specific time frame for the training to be mandated, further specifications in who would provide the training and a way for the commission to fund the training. Further, the commission moved to explore limiting the mandated training specifically to the management of a business, rather than full staff.

The original ordinance, written by Assistant City Attorney Maria Garcia, mandated all liquor licensees within city limits have to go through a form of

Opinion: Attending KU was the best decision I’ve made

“My hope is that the film will introduce viewers to some of the people in the book — we can’t tell every story — but then show how that foundation of activism has really moved forward in the last couple of years,” Janovy said.

The film doesn’t have an official expected release date, but Zeff said they have a goal of finishing it by the end of this year or early next year.

Zeff said they’ve shot a few interviews and plan to shoot more, but they plan to focus their current efforts on fundraising for the film.

“Fundraising for this film — because it’s so

Q&A with ESPN writer, columnist DEASIA PAIGE @deasia_paige

Maggie Gould/KANSAN Mary Costello, manager of the Granada, speaks to the Lawrence City Commission in support of sexual violence prevention training being mandated. sexual violence prevention training, though in which way remained vague.

Should it have passed in its original form, it would have affected nearly 200 businesses within Lawrence city limits.

“I think I’ve heard some concern from folks who are stating that sexual assault in bars isn’t a problem because of the statistical data of sexual

assaults that might occur within a bar,” Ananda said.

“I think that there can be concern when there is an unknown. It’s [SafeBar] teaching us how to be responsible citizens who are responsible and helpful regarding the safety of other folks who might be in danger.”

Ananda previously worked in the University’s office of Institution of Op-

portunity and Access, the office on campus which investigates cases of sexual misconduct. She said during her time at the University as a Title IX investigator, the office received hundreds of complaints, and in cases of sexual misconduct, alcohol was used in more than half of them.

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important, because it is so compelling — won’t be impossible,” Zeff said.

The trailer ends with “Home is a Complicated Place,” which Janovy discusses in her book. The LGBTQ Kansans could have gone anywhere, but they chose to stay in their home state.

“Kansans have a really powerful story to tell when it comes to the LGBTQ movement,” Janovy said. “Being such a stereotypically red state, being home of the Westboro Baptist church, it takes an especially tough person to live here and be active here.”

The fifth annual Power of Sports symposium is set to take place this Thursday at 6 p.m. in the Burge Union. The event is designed to raise awareness on the intersections between sports, race, gender and culture featuring guest speakers and a moderative conversation with former athletes at the University.

This year’s keynote speaker is Kavitha Davidson, a New York-based sportswriter and columnist whose work primarily focuses on how sports reflects the society in which we live.

Davidson has written for Bloomberg, ESPN The Magazine and espnW through which she highlights the very same issues that are the focal point of the symposium. Davidson spoke with the Kansan in a phone interview ahead of the event to share her thoughts on women journalists and sports fans, the recent Colin Kaepernick news and her

excitement for visiting Kansas for the first time and going to the Negro Leagues Museum.

The following interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

KANSAN: How did you get started in sports journalism?

Kavitha Davidson: I’ve been a sports fan since I was probably six or seven years old. My parents came to this country from India in 1981 and my mom fell in love with the Knicks, which was a good time to actually be a Knicks fan.

I grew up in New York in the 90’s, which was also a good time to be a New York sports fan, but I couldn’t really afford to go to games.

My first live sporting event was a class trip in 1996 when I was in the second grade. It was the home opener, and it was the Yankee Stadium, and I just kind of fell in love with it.

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Hillel takes non-Jewish students to Israel NICOLE DOLAN @nikkidolan279 For the first time in University of Kansas history, Jewish students at KU Hillel, along with 79 other universities across the nation, are taking non-Jewish students on an all-expenses paid trip to Israel.

Throughout the years, Hillel has always taken two different trips for Jewish students: the birthright trip and the student leadership trip — a trip for students who had already gone on the birthright trip.

Hillel Executive Director Suzy Sostrin said this summer’s trip has been kept in mind for KU Hillel since it has hosted abroad trips over the course of 12 years. This year, an anonymous donor who works with the center brought the opportunity to all University students.

Toward the end of this coming May, Hillel will be taking 20 non-Jewish students to Israel, touring and discussing the country from different perspectives, Sostrin said. The trip will be led by five students from Hillel.

“So often when we table on campus non-Jewish [people] say, ‘We’d love to go to Israel,’ and this is the first time that we have the opportunity to say, ‘Yes, you can come too,’” Sostrin said. “So, we are very excited to take non-Jewish students to Israel and experience it.”

This new trip will be different from the student leadership trip as more of the tourist-oriented areas will be visited. More concrete details regarding the

Nicole Dolan/KANSAN University alumna Melanie Edwards, left, and Rabbi Neal Schuster, right, hope that students bring back their experiences on the trip to campus. trip will not be released until the end of February.

Hillel has the flexibility to curate the experience to reflect the group of students. As an example for curating a personalized trip, Sostrin said if there were students who wanted to attend Catholic mass, the group would be able to find a Catholic mass service in Jerusalem and take students there.

The only things students are required to pay for is getting to the airport and a few meals once arriving in the country. Hillel will take care of the airfare to Israel, the hotels and most of the meals.

Applicants must be involved in a student leadership position to go on the trip.

“We know that traveling abroad, students learn so much more when they’re in a community and being able to talk to people and

ask questions,” Sostrin said.

“This is 20 students from KU who might not normally know each other and build their own community of leadership. We want to see what they can do together as a cohort.”

groups about everything they learned,” Chargo said.

University alumna and Hillel’s Engagement and Innovation Associate Melanie Edwards went on the student leadership trip when she was in school.

“It’s powerful to see the impact it has on students.”

Rabbi Neal Schuster senior Jewish educator of Hillel

Special Projects Coordinator for KU Hillel Abby Chargo said with this summer trip hosted by Hillel, she hopes all students will form their own opinions on Israel based on the facts they gain firsthand.

“I especially hope that students come to understand that Israel is a complicated, yet simple place, and they feel excited to come back to campus and educate their student

Since 1999, birthright trips have been offering Jewish students an allpaid trip to Israel. Edwards teamed up with Rabbi and Senior Jewish Educator of Hillel Neal Schuster to lead the birthright trip to Israel in December.

“It had been a while since I had seen things for the first time, and getting to seeing that experience through the students, seeing them experience that

for the first time, was really meaningful and really powerful,” Edwards said. “It’s why I am very excited for this summer trip.”

Edwards said that the summer trip contrasts from the previous trips hosted

by Hillel as it goes beyond a Jewish lens, as Israel is home to Catholicism, Islam and Judaism. The trip instead will be an opportunity for students to encounter multiculturalism within the country and bring back that experience to campus.

Having lived in Israel in his past and attended other trips to Israel, Schuster said as he led his first birthright trip 10 years ago, he was skeptical in how deeply students will be impacted from it. When coming to the University, Schuster made an effort to shape the trip to fit the students at the University and an educational vision.

“It’s powerful to see the impact it has on students,” Schuster said. “I think a lot of them think ‘Oh it’s a fun trip, it’s free,’ and they get there and they discover that they’re having a really profound experience. ” Schuster said he hopes the experience will push students to grow from all the interactions throughout the trip.

“I think it’s going to be an experience that really will challenge people and inspire, stimulate people to explore who they are, what their sense of self is and filled and fraught with meaning. It’s going to be impossible not to grow and really explore who you are and that’s a fabulous thing,” Schuster said.

SAFEBAR FROM PAGE 1 “We are talking about the fact and the reality that a majority of women experience sexual assault or sexual misconduct at some point in their lives — men do as well,” Ananda said.

“This is a simple program that we as a city could bring forward to reduce the impact that sexual assault has on our community.”

The original plan, when first discussed with the Commission on Oct. 16, 2018, would have the training be done through SafeBar, a program run through the Sexual Trauma & Abuse Care Center in Lawrence. The program involves in-person training with staff members to help teach intervention techniques and recognize potentially unsafe situations quickly.

felt considering their budget and high staff turnover, they would not be able to effectively pull it off.

Theatre Lawrence is one of the businesses that would be affected if it were mandated, despite alcohol sales being less than 3 percent of its operating budget. Steve Fendt, who was elected by the board for Theatre Lawrence to represent it at the commission meeting, said there are 900 volunteers for the business, 400 of which are active, who would all have to go through the training despite possibly working for just one night.

“That’s a lot of volunteers to have to be able to train. We don’t say that this is not a good program, but we do have to take into consideration some of the aspects of other community businesses that are not main focus (sic) of serving

“This training helped empower my staff in creating ongoing conversation in what it means to see harassment and to deescalate it.”

Ryan Bowersox Bon Bon general manager

While licensees in attendance were in agreement about the importance of the training, many told the Commission they

alcohol,” Fendt said. “We present this as a courtesy to our patrons so that they can enjoy the performance and also a cocktail at the

Kansan file photo Jayhawk Liquors offers a wide selection of alcohol ranging from beer to wine to liquor. same time.“ Licensees said through a survey and two meetings conducted in January they’d prefer a video or webinar to show their staff instead, since it would be more at their convenience.

However, members of the Sexual Trauma & Abuse Care Center said video and webinars weren’t as effective as in-person training.

“While we certainly understand the ease of using those kinds of mediums, the essence of the SafeBar training is really the in-person, face-to-face context.

That is what all the feedback we received about this program is about,” said Kirsten Watkins, president of the board of directors for the Care Center. “That is what we believe contributes most significantly to the success of the program and to the mission of changing a culture that contributes to sexual violence.”

Ninety-nine percent of staff who have been trained through SafeBar reported they learned something they didn’t know before, said Kelsey Hunter, who has been at the helm

of developing SafeBar. Bon Bon is one of the 18 bars or restaurant that went through the training previously. After finishing the training, Ryan Bowersox, the general manager of Bon Bon, said SafeBar should be mandatory for management staff during the meeting.

“This training helped empower my staff in creating ongoing conversation in what it means to see harassment and to de-escalate it,” Bowersox said.

The next city commission meeting is scheduled for Feb. 26.

KANSAN.COM

arts & culture Thursday, February 21, 2019

ARTS & CULTURE

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K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S _ A N D _ C U LT U R E

KU libraries celebrate government transparency RYLIE KOESTER @RylieKoester KU Libraries is celebrating its 150th anniversary of publicly accessible government information with a “For the People” exhibit that opened Feb. 19 in Watson Library.

“It’s really quite an honor to have been a federal depository library for 150 years,” said Sarah Goodwin Thiel, the Haricombe Gallery Exhibits coordinator. “It’s really set a precedent for KU, and I think built a foundation for KU as a leader in openly available information. It’s an ongoing role that KU libraries has taken, and it’s exciting to be able to celebrate it right here with this anniversary.”

The “For the People” exhibit will be on the third floor of Watson Library in the Haricombe Gallery and will be up until Aug. 29.

The exhibit will feature a variety of government information and resources, such as a video screen with government comics, photos from NASA, military field manuals, among other documents and information.

“We wanted to give people a taste of the wide variety of resources that the government publishes,” Goodwin Thiel said.

Goodwin Thiel said the exhibit will also highlight the work that government information librarians do at the University because they are important in assisting with anyone who wants to access that government information.

Goodwin Thiel also

said many scholars at the University use the government information to conduct research.

“We’re trying to show people all these different things to give people a sense of how important this information is to KU and to our scholars,” Goodwin Thiel said.

The exhibit will start with an opening reception that is free and open to the public on Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in Watson Library near the Haricombe Gallery. The event will also feature a panel presentation at 6:15 p.m. facilitated by Reggie Robinson, the vice chancellor for public affairs, and four Lawrence residents who have served as witnesses at congressional hearings.

“The government information is in many ways, I think, foundational to further analysis that’s layered on top of it by academics.”

Neal Axton librarian

The panel will focus on congressional hearings because the University libraries were one of four libraries chosen nationwide by the federal government to be a preservation steward, which means the libraries have agreed to preserve government publications, specifically a set of congressional materials and hearings.

The University libraries

Johnny Meehan/KANSAN Watson Library is the oldest and biggest KU library, it has quiet and group areas in addition to over 80 free to use computers. maintain about 2 million pieces of hard copy government information, most of which are stored in Anschutz Library, according to Neal Axton, a government information librarian at the University.

The University libraries also maintains information stored online in databases and catalogs that is accessible to the University community. As a government information librarian, Axton helps in maintaining the government information collection along with assisting anyone who wants to access that information and helping them make sense of it.

Axton said as a major research university, many students use the government and census information to conduct

research at the University.

Axton said the census information in particular is foundational for studying statistics, such as population density and key demographics, among other statistics.

“The government information is in many ways, I think, foundational to further analysis that’s layered on top of it by academics,” Axton said.

Axton said he also works with many graduate students at the University on their research and helps make them aware of government information that could be helpful to them in their research.

“I think the added value that KU has added for 150 years is that we also have expert librarians who can help people quickly find the information

that’s relevant to them because when you get to over 2 million pieces of hard copy and countless websites,” Axton said, “it

becomes a very daunting task to find it even with a tool as powerful as Google.”

(Buscemi) to not end the world by accomplishing great miracles to prove that Earth still has a lot of promise.

It’s hard to say this show is trending down, because there are many positive parts of the premiere.

Radcliffe and Viswanathan have solid onscreen chemistry, and the cast of newer talent brings solid and committed performances.

Buscemi’s performance as God isn’t without its comedic moments, and he plays the perfect burnout.

With that said, in today’s world where people seem divided on nearly every issue, it’s hard to want to laugh at a God who doesn’t care about humans anymore. The show might be worth the watch for the two leads, but the sum of all its parts might turn off some viewers.

spinoff of the recently successful DCEU venture “Titans” continues the growing franchise’s gritty representation of its heroes, only this one adds a much-needed comedic twist.

The pilot presents short vignettes for each character that act as background origin stories for Robotman (Fraser), Mr. Nobody (Tudyk) and the other “heroes” found and often rescued by Niles Caulder (Dalton). It also acts as less of an inciting incident sort of episode and more of a character study that gives the main characters time to flesh out their qualities and interactions with each other.

The entire cast bounce off each other well, and their character traits allow for them to make light of their current situations and powers. This show will perhaps end up as the oddest small-screen superhero show yet — especially due to the fact the only hero in this show who really has any notoriety is Cyborg (Jovian Wade). Everyone fits in their role well though, and this premiere shows a lot of potential for the series moving forward.

TV Stock: Angels, supernatural take over television GUS HUNNINGHAKE @gushunninghake What a week for shows based on angels and obscure superheroes. This week’s stock has all the necessary insight into the important things coming from Netflix, the DC Extended Universe and new comedy from TBS. But be warned! For not all that is new is good. Here’s a look at the best and worst of the week the small screen had to offer.

THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY TRENDING UP Based on the Dark Horse comics of the same name and featuring an ensemble cast (including the likes of Ellen Page), this new Netflix show takes the dysfunctionality of the characters in the written series and increases it tenfold.

After the death of their adoptive billionaire father, a misfit group of siblings comes together for the first time in years. Their deeply disturbing origins slowly unfold in the premiere, including the im-

Contributed Photo Netflix’s upcoming series “The Umbrella Academy” is based on the comic books of the same name. maculate conception and simultaneous child births they were all a part of in the late 1980s. When Number Five (yes, that’s his name) returns from the future to tell them of the world’s impending doom in eight days, these siblings must band together to help save the world and uncover their mysterious origins.

The show tries balancing heavy doses of dark family drama and humor.

And while it slips up on occasion in its premiere

with poor pacing in certain scenes, the chemistry between the siblings, sleek production value, a solid music soundtrack and ambitious balancing acts in tone promise a binge-worthy and off the wall take on the superhero genre flick.

MIRACLE WORKERS TRENDING DOWN Another series this week comes from a written

piece of work by Simon Rich, who also acts as creator, writer and executive producer on the show. It features another ensemble cast of new and promising comedic talent like Geraldine Viswanathan and Karan Soni, as well as established names like Daniel Radcliffe and Steve Buscemi.

The show follows a group of low-level angels (Radcliffe and Viswanathan) who try to convince a burned out and lazy God

DOOM PATROL TRENDING UP If you haven’t caught on yet, all of these shows feature pretty damn good ensemble casts. This DC website series includes Alan Tudyk, Brendan Fraser, Dianne Guerrero and Timothy Dalton. This

KANSAN.COM

4 ARTS & CULTURE

‘Happy Death Day 2U’ uniquely bends genres GUS HUNNINGHAKE @gushunninghake In a world where sequels drive the horror market, seeing a film with a premise as intriguing as “Happy Death Day” get its own sequel was alarming. It was hard to see where the film could really expand away from its slasher origins. But trailers and premises online promised less of a horrific retread and more of a continuation of the original story.

and multiverse theories that force her to relive the day she died so many times before. This time, she’s not looking for a killer. She’s looking to save her world.

Rothe puts on another wonderful performance as Tree. She takes the comedic notes from the original film and amps them up to a level that often lands and produces more laughs. She also has a distinct ability to shift her character through the emotional roller coaster of the story. Her

This time, she’s not looking for a killer. She’s looking to save her world.

Christopher Landon returns to the director and writing chairs for “Happy Death Day 2U,” a science fiction-tinged sequel with hopes of rounding out the series in ways fans could never see coming.

Picking up where “Death Day” left off, the narrative places us in the day of Ryan (Phi Vu) and the roommate of Carter (Israel Broussard), who’s now been kicked out of his room two nights in a row. When he starts getting killed by a masked menace, only to wake up in the same day, he turns to Tree (Jessica Rothe) to help him solve this case. This sends her down a rabbit hole of scientific world-bending

plotline’s tough decisions give her a lot of room to flex her ability to project the necessary emotions.

The secondary cast of misfit student scientists (including Vu and Broussard) brings a lot to offer in their respective arcs, short though they may be. Their scientific discovery storyline, offering an explanation as to why Tree has to relive the same day seems legitimate enough to at least buy into the movie.

And they all have solid comedic chemistry with each other, making their relationships interesting and unique.

Landon’s screenplay relies heavily on the mixing of multiple genres but less on

horror, compared to the previous film. This focus on the more dramatic and comedic aspects of having to get killed repeatedly on the same day felt fresh.

That said, there are still some issues with Tree and her relationship choices.

Her love for Carter, while wholehearted at times, still seems a bit hard to believe with the short span of time the story deals with. Everyone makes decisions based on love and affection, despite only knowing each other for about two weeks. And for the people who aren’t Tree, it’s only been one day.

The film also still leaves out important answers to certain questions raised back in the first film.

Questions like how Tree can continue surviving but reveal she’s actually dying with each reset?

Is there a reason for the slow breakdown of her physical being? Why do the resets only reset her mind and her exterior appearance?

If interpretation to these questions was on the table, it would make sense to leave them open-ended.

But the answers are important to knowing just what Tree experiences each time she dies, so not getting better answers makes it seem like the writers might have written into a corner and hoped these questions wouldn’t be asked.

In the end, “Happy Death Day 2U” marks another fun genre mashup flick. It doesn’t

Contributed photo Universal Pictures’ “Happy Death Day 2U” is the followup to the 2017 horror comedy “Happy Death Day.” require much thinking to get behind the characters, and the plot flows seamlessly enough,

despite being aimless at times. It won’t change the way we view genrebending films, but it still

entertains more often than it doesn’t. And that makes the movie more than worth a watch.

Davidson: A lot of fans are able to stick to sports. Good for them.

That’s absolutely their prerogative because sports might be purely entertainment and escapism for them, but there’s so many of us who can’t do that. You know, I wanted to not talk about Colin Kaepernick in the speech for as much as I’m going to end up having to because of the news that dropped today. There’s so many who can’t watch football and not think about those things. It’s just impossible, and the idea that that is new is a complete lie because sports have always, in some way, been political or reflected society since we’ve had sports.

where women’s issues are covered properly. It is difficult to be a woman in this industry. It’s difficult to be a female sports fan in general. You know they could be sitting at a bar, and instead of being able to just strike up the causal conversation about whatever game is on, they immediately get tested on their sports knowledge.

From a media perspective, the challenges range from trying to give more of a voice to women sports in general. Then, outside of that, there are the obvious women’s issues like domestic violence and sexual assault and equal pay, and I think that’s when you get a lot of pushback.

and that doesn’t mean denying that we have a point of view. In that work that I do, I hope people will see that while it might take one side over another, I always try and consider both sides of an issue. I’m not necessarily trying to sway you one way or another.

I’m just trying to get you to look at things the way people outside of your own demographic might look at these things.

that with black athletes through at least three of the four major sports throughout the history of the country. I’m definitely going to go into some of those dynamics. As far as the gender issues, I think Serena [Williams] is the perfect case study for a lot of women’s issues, especially in terms of the way we talk about black women’s bodies and female athletes’ bodies. There are also the hierarchy dynamics, like the lack of black coaches and networking bias — that I’ll also talk about.

KANSAN: Some of your work, especially your articles for espnW, focus on putting women at the forefront of sports coverage. Based on that, would you describe yourself as a feminist? If so, is it hard being a feminist sports fan in such a sexuallysegregated and maledominated realm?

KANSAN: What are some things that you hope people get from reading your work about these issues?

ESPN WRITER Q&A

Contributed photos Kavitha Davidson has written for a number of sports new sources, including ESPN The Magazine and espnW. KANSAN: What made you decide to have the intersection of sports and culture be the basis of your writing?

Davidson: I interned in lots of different capacities in sports.

I did sports analytics and advertising data for Nielsen. I worked on the media communications side for the Staten Island Yankees, and I kind of just realized that I have more of a critical and skeptical mind.

If you work in a front office or the marketing side of things, you kind of see how the sausage is made, so to speak.

And I came out of those experiences, while they

were good experiences, with a lot more questions.

I took a graduate level class at Columbia called the socio-historical foundations of American sports, and it really brought into context for me all of these issues that I cover now within the context and within the lens of the games that we love. For those of us who are people of color and for those of us who are women, or both, these games aren’t just games, they’re very much a reflection of our society.

KANSAN: It’s a common misconception that sports are just an escape from societal issues.

Davidson: I would definitely describe myself as a feminist. I don’t understand why people are reticent to use that word. The work I do for espnW is really important to me because there really isn’t a lot of space

Davidson: As an opinion columnist, which was my role at ESPN and Bloomberg, I face a lot of criticisms that my pieces were biased, and I think that we need to be able to delineate between bias without research and facts and a fact-based opinion. If your job is to have an opinion and to have a take on an issue, then that’s your job.

In journalism, especially, we do our best to maintain objectivity,

KANSAN: What are some things that’ll be highlighted during your talk?

Davidson: I’m still formulating it, actually.

The Kaepernick news really changed some things for me. There was definitely a time where ethnic white minorities weren’t thought of as being fully white, and it was through workingclass sports like baseball that they’ve kind of assimilated a little bit more. We’re seeing that with Latino immigrants right now, and we’ve seen

KANSAN: What are you most looking forward to?

I’m Davidson: honestly looking forward to visiting KU’s campus because I’ve never been there before. I’m super excited to visit the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City. I’ve been on this diet for a month, and to be honest, I’m also looking forward to eating some really good barbecue there.

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opinion

OPINION

Thursday, February 21, 2019

Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351

FFA of the Day: are you really a college student if you don’t have a life crisis daily “I’ve decided to quit drinking... on the weekdays” how do you politely tell your cousin for the third time you don’t want to join her arbonne team? Asking for a friend just remembered i have double the finance homework tonight so if anyone needs me, i’m jumping off a bridge Oh my god i’m sitting at mclain’s and the couple sitting next to me just broke up I love when students w children bring their kids to class like you go girl get that degree and also your child is SO ADORABLE it makes my day “If I was elected to office, I wouldn’t swear in on the Bible- I’d swear in on this book of gnomes I have at home. I think gnomes are gneat.”

“Friendly reminder that Humpty Dumpty straight up died.”

“I double dog dare you... to think about what you’re proud of and what uplifts you.” celery is crunchy water instead of confronting my problems I’ve decided I’m just going to screech until I die “too bad he decided to die last year” “I don’t want to celebrate president’s day until we get a new one” “You have nice eyebrows what are you talking about. At least you have eyebrows.” my boyfriend just upgraded our Valentine’s Day dinner plans from chickfila to Texas Roadhouse bc he found a coupon in his glove box. True love.

A guy in my spanish class just turned around to me and said, “I’ve never heard someone type so fast in my life.” lol turning a paper in at 1:30 a.m. and the prof is still online. i respect the grind. “you know i think i may finally be losing weight,” i say before i start to eat an entire half of a box of cookies

KANSAN.COM

K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N

Choosing KU was my best decision AISHA MOHAMMED @aishaomolayo

Home to more than 199 million citizens and 250 ethnic groups, Nigeria is a country bursting with different cultures and traditions that Nigerians have integrated from various tribes into their daily lives.

It’s not unusual to see different cultures emerge from one individual like a Yoruba woman using phrases from the Igbo culture to accurately describe how she feels. It’s even evident in our music, with different musicians incorporating different Nigerian languages in their songs.

This is the Nigeria I grew up in, this Nigeria is my home. It’s why selecting where I would study for the next four years was a big decision for me.

I wanted to be close to my aunt so I had family around me and could still appreciate Nigerian culture from miles away, so I selected Kansas. After deciding the state I wanted to be in for the next few years of my life, I had to decide which university I wanted to study in, and I immediately fell in love with the University of Kansas. The pictures of the buildings and the different activities the students were taking part in were something I wanted to be a part of.

So off I headed to Kansas in the summer of 2018 — I was leaving my family, home and friends I had known all

Sarah Wright/KANSAN International students proudly display the flags and names of their home countries. my life. I was excited for this new adventure. I spent my first week in Kansas with my mum and aunt, mostly shopping for school supplies and making sure all my documents were ready.

our way there, I noticed the large fields of wheat and sunflowers and was immediately taken away by the beautiful scenery. I thought to myself, “Kansas is beautiful.” My level of excitement had increased

...Having someone smile at you at least once everyday reassures you that you are in a place where people care about you.

Come August, it was finally time to go to school, and I was ready for the 45-minute drive from my aunt’s home to my new university. On

now that I knew I was going to live in such a lovely location.

When I got to campus I realized although the strangers I walked past did

not say anything to me, they would always smile. I know a smile might not mean much to most people, but having someone smile at you at least once everyday reassures you that you are in a place where people care about you.

Another reason I am in love with this beautiful state is the people. A lot of people I know and talk to are eager to learn about the different Nigerian cultures and are even open to eating the different Nigerian meals I make.

In addition, the professors make it their priority that students learn the material and actually understand it,

and although I am not the biggest fan of having homework after every class, I actually appreciate it because I understand the teachers really have our best interests at heart.

They are always welcoming at office hours and do not mind going over material over and over again to make sure I understand it.

A year ago I was very scared I might not love where I end up after secondary school, but as I look back I realize I have made one of the best decisions in my life. Rock Chalk!

Aisha Mohammed is a freshman from Lagos, Nigeria, studying human biology.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

KU Info deserves to be funded, prioritized HANNAH BOLTON, JESSIE PRINGLE, STEPHONN ALCORN, KAIT PERRY AND ERIC PAHLS KU Info, founded in a time of strife during late-1960s riots, is at serious risk of shutting its proverbial doors due to funding cuts. KU Info is known for answering any question on any topic, including funny facts and University trivia. But, KU Info does much more.

KU Info serves as the gateway to navigating the bureaucratic behemoth that is the University of Kansas. Student employees serve as peer-to-peer guides, making the first step to solving a problem less intimidating. This is crucial at a University with dismal freshman retention, and a reputation for being distant and impossible to navigate.

KU Info gives folks a voice to talk to when they call the University, and fields countless questions and anxieties from future Jayhawks and parents about applying to the University.

KU Info provides a high

Sarah Wright/KANSAN The KU Info desk, located inside the entrance of the Kansas Union, is facing the threat of being shut down due to a lack of funding. return on a relatively low investment — especially when compared to the dizzyingly low return on investment over the last decade from our beloved, yet floundering, football team.

Many students view the University as impersonal, feeling that they are viewed as just numbers and dollar signs.

They feel they won’t get help from someone who cares about their experi-

how to submit a letter to the editor

LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line.

Length: 300 words

The submission should include the author’s name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.

ence. Having someone to answer the phone, listen to their concerns, answer their questions, and give a friendly smile is vital to retaining those students, and to supporting their success, which should be the primary concern among administrators — not just their bottom line.

KU Info is managed by Curtis Marsh. We cannot think of someone who loves, has given more, and

means more to the University and its students than Curtis. He greets everyone with a smile, intentionally makes each student’s experience at the University a positive one, and has a deep passion for his work.

KU Info has served as a crucial service for nearly half a century. Upon the announcement that it may be eliminated, an outpouring of nostalgia, disappointment and

contact us Shaun Goodwin Emma Greenwood Editor-in-chief Business Manager sgoodwin@kansan.com egreenwood@kansan.com

frustration with the KU administration erupted across social media. Eliminating this important asset will tarnish the memories of many alumni and deprive future Jayhawks of their ability to interact with the University on a personal level.

We are disappointed University officials have chosen to deprioritize such an important part of the University. We call on the Student Senate, the Union and University Administration to work together to continue to fund and secure longterm funding for KU Info, because KU students, alumni and future Jayhawks deserve to navigate the University with ease.

Hannah Bolton, Student Body President (SBP), 2012-2013 Jessie Pringle, SBP, 2015-2016, KU Info Employee Stephonn Alcorn, SBP, 2016-2017 Kait Perry, ‘13, former KU Info Employee Eric Pahls, ‘16, former KU Info Employee

editorial board

Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Shaun Goodwin, Savanna Smith, Aroog Khaliq and Emma Greenwood.

KANSAN.COM

SPORTS

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Baseball salvages split in opening series DYLAN CUNNINGHAM @dc_cunningham South Carolina Upstate took advantage of a struggling Kansas bullpen with a three-run seventh inning on the way to a 6-4 victory in the nightcap of Saturday’s doubleheader.

Redshirt freshman starter Eli Davis got off to a rocky start as he surrendered two runs in the first inning, but eventually settled in and struck out nine batters in six innings in his first career start for Kansas.

The Jayhawks (2-2) held a 4-3 lead after Davis’ strong outing but were undone by a three-run seventh inning in which freshman right-hander Kahi Bisho threw a wild pitch and failed to record an out. Despite senior transfer reliever Zack Engelken and sophomore reliever Steve Washilewski finishing off the rest of the game without allowing a hit, Kansas could not muster up enough offense to overcome the deficit.

Junior catcher Jaxx Groshans continued to find ways to manufacture runs as he drew two walks and scored a run in Saturday’s nightcap despite not recording a hit. Junior shortstop Benjamin Sems, sophomore third baseman Skyler Messinger, and freshman right fielder Casey Burnham each contributed an RBI to lead the Kansas offense.

After Sunday’s postponement due to rain, the Jayhawks came ready to play on Monday as they picked up a gritty 5-3 win to salvage the series split in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Kansas relinquished a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth after Upstate infielder Drake Harris tied things up with a twoout, two-run single, but the Jayhawks made their breakthrough in the eighth inning when senior center fielder Rudy Karre drew a bases-loaded walk to force in the go-ahead run.

Shortly afterward, redshirt freshman Dylan Ditzenberger came through with a clutch, two-out RBI single to give Kansas a much-needed insurance run that sealed the victory for the Jayhawks.

Groshans was efficient as ever in the series finale, finishing 1-1 with a RBI and a career-high three walks. Karre led the charge offensively for Kansas as he posted two RBIs and scored a run, while junior second baseman James Cosentino hit his first home run of the season on a solo shot. Redshirt sophomore Jonah Ulane shut the door on the Spartans with his first-career save, allowing just one hit and retiring four batters to finish the game.

The Jayhawks will next travel to Melissa, Texas, to compete in a four-game series with Texas Southern Feb. 22-24.

Chance Parker/KANSAN Freshman pitcher Steve Washilewski pitches the ball against Missouri State on Tuesday, Mar. 27. Missouri State defeated Kansas 12-2 at Hoglund Ballpark.

Women’s golf finishes strong at Moon Golf Invitational HENRY KLINE @henry_kline_ After a rough first day, Kansas women’s golf rallied for an 11th-place finish at the Moon Golf Invitational on Monday and Tuesday in Melbourne, Florida.

The tournament didn’t start out how the Jayhawks had hoped as the team finished the first day in 14th out of 16 teams competing.

Their total score of 594 (18-over-par) was well off the pace set by joint leaders Louisville and Central Florida at 569 each.

Despite the slow team start, sophomore Sera Tadokoro picked up where she left off in the fall season, shooting 147 over two rounds at the course.

Tadokoro finished the day tied for 39th in the competition and was Kansas’ highest finisher for the day.

Senior Chomchana Phuchanbanchob started the day off strong as well, shooting a 71 in her first round to go one-underpar. In her second round, however, a run of four bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine resulted in an overall score

of 80, the worst round of the year for Phuchanbanchob.

Phuchanbanchob’s issues on the greens highlighted a team weakness in day one of the Moon Golf Invitational.

“Overall, we hit the ball well but our putting and our mental game is where we gave shots away,” Kansas coach Erin O’Neil said, according to a Kansas Athletics press release.

Indeed, the team’s putting was a major concern on the first day of competition. Kansas led the 16team field in holes parred

(122 total holes), but with inconsistent putting and an overall rough day on the greens, the team was unable to make a run to-

Oklahoma, finished third, giving the team insight into how they might play come the Big 12 championships.

“Today was definitely more in line with how we are capable of performing.”

Erin O’Neil Kansas women’s golf coach

ward the top of the leaderboard.

Kansas’ only Big 12 rivals in the competition,

Savanna Smith/KANSAN Then-sophomore Yi-Tsen Chou competes at the Marilynn Smith Invitational in Manhattan on Sept. 16, 2017.

Nevertheless, day two at the Moon Golf Invitational was a stark improvement for Kansas. As a team, the Jayhawks shot 286 in their final round, their best of the twoday tournament. The low scores helped boost the team to an 11th overall finish, three spots above their day one finish.

The day was highlighted by below-par performances from senior Ariadna Fonseca Diaz and junior Yi-Tsen Chou.

The team also continued an amazing run of holes parred, finishing second in the category with a total of 188 holes.

This is mark of 69.63 percent of holes parred was

topped only by Texas A&M. “We were very pleased with how we played today,” O’Neil said, according to a Kansas Athletics press release. “Today was definitely more in line with how we are capable of performing. We made twice as many birdies in the final round compared to our 36 hole total the day before and we played our par 5’s under par.”

Tadokoro, who was the team leader on Monday, continued her strong play on Tuesday, finishing at even par. The team as a whole was more comfortable on the second day with the highest round total for the day being just 73 (plus-1).

Despite the strong performance on Tuesday, the Jayhawks still finished the invitational at 16-over-par, far from their best golf. Going into the spring season, the Moon Golf Invitational proved that there is still work to be done.

Kansas women’s golf will next compete at the Briar’s Creek Invitational in South Carolina on Monday, March 18.

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sports

SPORTS

KANSAN.COM

Basketball Gameday Thursday, February 21, 2019

K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S

Kansas at Texas Tech, Saturday, Feb. 23, 7:00 p.m.

Brooke Boyer/KANSAN Sophomore guard Chris Teahan goes into the game with a few minutes left in the second half at home against West Virginia on Saturday, Feb. 16. The Jayhawks beat the Moutaineers 78-53.

MADDY TANNAHILL & JACK JOHNSON @KansanSports

Beat Writer MADDY Predictions: TANNAHILL

73-71

KANSAS 20-6 (9-4 BIG 12)

65-61

TEXAS TECH 21-5 (9-4 BIG 12)

Dedric Lawson

Jarrett Culver

★★★★

★★★★

sophomore guard

redshirt junior forward

The leading scorer for the Jayhawks this season, Dedric Lawson has catapulted his name into the National Player of the Year discussions. With his 19.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game, the junior from Memphis, Tennessee, could become the first Kansas player to average a double-double since Thomas Robinson in the 2011-12 season.

The key offensive contributor for the Red Raiders, Culver has averaged 17.7 points per game on the season. However, when Texas Tech was thumped 79-63 in Allen Fieldhouse earlier this month, the Jayhawks limited the sophomore to 10 points, his second lowest output in Big 12 play. The Jayhawks will again look to limit Culver in hopes of thwarting a dangerous Texas Tech team at home.

K.J. Lawson

Matt Mooney

★★★

★★★★

redshirt senior guard

redshirt sophomore guard The sudden emergence of Dedric Lawson’s brother, K.J., has been a welcomed addition to the suddenly surging Jayhawks. Collecting double-digit minutes in his last three outings, K.J Lawson is coming off a team-high 15 points on 71 percent shooting, including two three-pointers, against West Virginia.

Ranking second in the conference in steals, Mooney has swiped 46 on the year for the Red Raiders defense, averaging 1.8 per game. A threat on both ends of the court, the redshirt senior averages 10.7 points per game. Kansas has been plagued by turnovers on the road all throughout the season, so Mooney’s ability to produce a spark on the defensive end could prove a problem for the Jayhawks on Saturday.

David McCormack

Davide Moretti

★★★

★★★

McCormack has seen quite a jump in minutes since entering the starting lineup in place of senior guard Lagerald Vick during his leave of absence. Averaging 4.6 points and 18 minutes per game in three starts, the freshman from Norfolk, Virginia, was barely seen on the court in the first matchup at Allen Fieldhouse.

The Red Raiders’ most lethal perimeter shooter, Moretti knocks down a lights-out 43.5 percent from beyond the arc, landing him fifth in the Big 12. The Bologna, Italy, native proved to be the biggest problem for Kansas on Feb. 2, recording a team-leading 14 points, including a 3-of-5 mark from three.

senior guard

freshman center

quick hits

JACK JOHNSON

SWIM & DIVE

WOMEN’S GOLF

MEN’S BASKE TBALL

TR ACK & FIELD

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Members to receive Academic All-Big 12 First Team honors

Birdies recorded by the team at the Moon Golf Invitational

Points that Kansas beat Texas Tech by in first matchup

The women’s team’s national ranking after improving six spots

KANSAN.COM/SPORTS

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KANSAN.COM/SPORTS