University Daily Kansan, Thursday, May 2, 2019

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SPORTS KU baseball splits series with win over

The University Daily Kansan

What’s New at

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vol. 138 // iss. 28 Thurs., May 2, 2019

Local bistro Bon Bon to finish renovations this month p. 3

Air Force

KU tennis deserves its No. 14 ranking in the NCAA tournament p. 8

SEE BASEBALL• PAGE 8

Read more at kansan.com

Meet the ‘Unicycle Guy’

SOPHIA BELSHE @SophiaBelshe NICOLE ASBURY @NicoleAsbury

Read these stories and more at kansan.com

Engineering professor to retire following this semester The University of Kansas professor who told an international student to “learn English” is set to retire following this school year, as originally expected prior to the incident.

Mavis Staples to speak at Liberty Hall R&B and gospel singer Mavis Staples will speak about her career in August.

KU Crime Alert: Gun pulled in parking lot off Iowa Street KU PSO received a report of an aggravated assault and battery that occurred between April 26-27.

On the horizon

NCAA Tennis Championships Kansas will take on Denver in the first round Friday, May 3.

Brooke Boyer/KANSAN Junior William Elliott rides his unicycle on campus outside of Anschutz library.

BROOKE BOYER @brookeboyer422 Middle school boys are always comparing who’s better.

When University of Kansas junior William Elliott was in middle school, a classmate claimed his superiority because he could ride a unicycle and Elliott and his friends could not.

“I was like, ‘Dang, I want to beat this kid at his own game,’” Elliott said.

After a lot of practice and watching YouTube videos, Elliott, also commonly known as “Unicycle Guy” around campus, has mastered the activity.

“That kind of started the desire and then the desires changed over

time,” Elliott said. “It’s more to just bring smiles and happiness to other people.”

Now, the 23-year-old rides his unicycle to and from class and around Lawrence. He takes it to river trails and other dirt tracks.

“Random people will shout, ‘I love Unicycle Guy!’” William Elliott junior, unicyclist

“It’s funny when you ride, you get to meet everyone else that rides,” Elliott said. “I know there’s at least six people at KU that know how to ride.”

Contributed photo Spencer Lott controls and provides the voice of “Sesame Street” character Samuel, Julia’s neurotypical and supportive brother.

Even though he knows of these individuals, he said he is the only one who rides regularly. Because of the one-wheel vehicle, Elliott has become a recognizable figure on campus.

“Random people will shout, ‘I love Unicycle Guy,’” Elliott said.

Elliott is an industrial design major at the University. He spends his free time swing dancing in Kansas City.

He also works for VeoRide. His boss, Spencer Dickerson, sees him as an essential part of the team.

“If we were a bag of M&M’s, Will would be the logo on the candy coating,” Dickerson said.

“Without him, we are just a bag of generic, candy

coated, chocolate morsels.”

Elliott posts about his daily life on his Instagram account, @ku_unicycle. Elliott said he uses the platform to attempt to bring joy to his fellow classmates. Almost all of his posts are accompanied by a motivational quote, some about getting over obstacles or never giving up.

“I figure I’ve already created a platform where people are following it, and so I want to be able to cause a difference other than just people looking at funny videos of some guy riding a unicycle,” Elliott said. “If I could lift people or help them in some way that’s a bigger motivation.”

TORI HILL @torioreo32

versity. President of the Alumnae chapter Helen Townsend-Beteet said the sorority was created at the University when the 1978 graduate chapter decided to start an undergraduate chapter.

The chapter became part of the National Panhellenic community at the University in 1979.

While in Lawrence, the

Spencer Lott wanted to be a puppeteer from a young age, but little did he know that one day he’d be on “Sesame Street,” working on one of the show’s most impactful initiatives.

On April 10, 2017, Julia was introduced as the first character on the autism spectrum as part of “Sesame Street and Autism: See

Amazing in All Children” initiative. Since then, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, especially after she was featured in the 2018 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Two years after Julia’s introduction, “Sesame Street” is expanding that initiative by introducing a few more characters: a family for Julia.

Lott, an alumnus of the University of Kansas, plays Samuel, Julia’s neu-

rotypical brother. He’ll be in charge of both Samuel’s puppetry and voice.

“It’s a huge responsibility and a huge honor.

I want to make sure I do it with honesty and joy so that they can see a little bit of themselves and their families on the show,” Lott said. “It’s something that I take very seriously.”

READ MORE ON PAGE 3

Interim Provost Carl Lejuez shared the specific details of the new budget model with faculty, staff and students during his latest budget conversation on Wednesday, May 1.

The new budget model, which will be implemented in fiscal year 2021, is a hybrid model.

It partially bases how much money academic units and academic service units will be allocated on how many students are enrolled in a class, and whether those units are in line with the University’s priorities — like diversity and equity, research and more.

When Lejuez announced the University of Kansas would be rolling out the new model in the fall, only the bare bones of the model were unveiled.

Faculty, staff and students have been asking Lejuez for the more specifics of how the University would be evaluating the component of the model that evaluates units on whether they are following the University’s priorities.

“It’s important to know that this is not just something that came up in conversation,” Lejuez said. “In any given week, deans, vice provosts and directors of our units are talking through the important issues. Every unit READ MORE ON PAGE 2

KU Zeta Phi Beta founders celebrate 40th anniversary After many years apart, seven of the eight founding members of Zeta Phi Beta sorority at the University of Kansas reunited on April 27 for their 40th anniversary.

Zeta Phi Beta was chartered in 1920 by five women at Howard Uni-

KU grad joins ‘Sesame Street’ autism awareness initiative

WYATT HALL @thewyatthall15

Budget update

Contributed photo The founding members of the University of Kansas Zeta Phi Beta chapter visit their sister, Eunice Stallworth-Ebert, who died at age 50.

seven women visited the grave site of their sister, Eunice Ebert-Stallworth, who died in 2009 at the age of 50. They attended a gala at the Edwards campus and met with the current members of Zeta Phi Beta at the University. The women also observed the differences on campus and of the Lawrence community since they graduated.

“Rock Chalk Jayhawk, go KU. It has my heart, I know that,” said Janice Loney-Johnson, a member and 1980 University graduate.

The women spent the weekend reminiscing on their lives as college students and as Zeta Phi Beta members. Kim Witherspoon, a 1981 University graduate, said some of her favorite memories at the University were football games even though they were “more conversation than football.”

Norma Wilson, a 1980 University alumna, made READ MORE ON PAGE 2

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NEWS

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Thursday, May 2, 2019

staff NEWS MANAGEMENT

Editor-in-chief Shaun Goodwin

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Investigations editor Nicole Asbury

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K A N S A N .C O M / N E W S

Lejuez talks new budget model FROM PAGE 1

has somebody at the table.”

Academic service units will have 65% of their money allocated based off student credit hour, 20% will be determined by the research that unit produces, 10% will be determined by student success, and 5% will be determined by other strategic priorities.

The other strategic priorities for academic units include diversity, equity and inclusion; faculty and staff development; collaboration (internal, local and global); fundraising and alumni engagement; and efficiency.

Each of these areas receives one percent of the overall academic unit allocations.

The portion of the budget model based off student credit hour will be even further divided: 75% of money goes to the academic unit instructing the course, and the other 25% goes to the academic unit of the student’s major.

“This is not the final model.

We’re open to revising things.”

Carl Lejuez interim provost

Courses taught by graduate students will be weighted higher to support the higher cost of instruction, Lejuez said.

The student success component will be based off the degrees awarded by each unit, the time

Lucy Peterson/KANSAN Interim Provost Carl Lejuez shares the specifics of the University’s new budget model during a budget conversation Wednesday, May 1. The plan is set to officially be implemented in Fiscal Year 2021. increased transparency and resources from administration.

“We felt this was necessary because some of your admins have become increasingly hostile to public records

and union information requests,” one of the GTAs said.

The budget for FY20 will use the old model, but will serve as a shadow year for the new model.

FY21 will be the first

it takes for a student to obtain a degree, the student’s placement post-graduation, teaching and mentoring quality, and efforts to expand learning outside of the class such as study abroad, research and internships.

The 49% of unit allocations not going to academic units goes to academic support units.

Academic service units will have their money determined by whether they are meeting their individual units’ fullservice responsibilities.

Each unit already has a set of goals it is supposed to meet annually.

Several questions during the questionand-answer portion of the presentation came from members of the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition.

Members pushed for

Lucy Peterson/KANSAN A member of the Graduate Teaching Assistants Coalition asks Interim Provost Carl Lejuez a question during the budget conversation Wednesday, May 1.

Phi Beta sorority.

Through the years, the Zeta Phi Beta sorority has been involved with many organizations, including the March of Dimes foundation. Wilson said the sorority’s relationship with the March of Dimes is one of the longest standing relationships between a sorority and a foundation on campus.

To w n s e n d - B e t e e t

said the chapter was the first sorority to have a constitutionally bound brother fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma. The Zeta Phi Beta’s inspired the graduate chapter of Phi Beta Sigma to create an undergraduate chapter following its success in becoming an undergraduate chapter, she said. Phi Beta Sigma fraternity is still on

ZETA PHI BETA FROM PAGE 1 scrapbooks before she graduated, allowing the women to see old pictures and flyers from their years as active Zeta Phi Beta members.

Additionally, they wore blue shirts when they visited Lawrence that said “Blutiful since 1920.” Blue is the color for the Zeta

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campus and is celebrating its 40th anniversary in October. The sorority was one of the only chapters to have a male interest group.

Loney-Johnson said Zeta Phi Beta was one of the first biracial sorority’s and one of the first groups to have a chapter outside of the United States in Africa.

Wilson said one of the things she loves about the sorority is that she can find a brother or sister almost anywhere she goes. Wilson went to teach college in Savannah, Georgia, following graduation and when she arrived she already had brothers and sisters there.

Witherspoon said she enjoys that the women can always pick up where they left off. Although

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budget using the new model.

“This is not the final model. We’re open to revising things,” Lejuez said. “We’re open to continuing to talk through these things.”

Contributed photo Current Zeta Phi Beta members visit with seven of the eight founding members on April 27 to celebrate 40th anniversary.

2030 Burge Union | Jo Hardesty, Director

they are apart in distance, they all stay in contact with each other and find ways to meet when they can.

The women said they are proud of their sorority and all of the things it has accomplished. Zeta Phi Beta currently has eight members at the University.

“We are proud that this chapter is still here and doing big things,” Wilson said.

Some of the other founding members that visited were Yvonne Lillard, Falicia Hooks and Sheryl ArmstrongHearns, all graduates of 1981.

The Zeta Phi Beta sorority will be celebrating their 100th anniversary in 2020 in Washington, D.C.

KANSAN.COM

arts & culture Thursday, May 2, 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

Bon Bon opens in May with new menu RYLIE KOESTER @RylieKoester

After undergoing renovations since November, Bon Bon will open in late May with a new kitchen and menu.

The restaurant, located at 804 Pennsylvania St. in East Lawrence, previously cooked out of a food truck because it occupied a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s been home to Bon Bon since October 2016.

Cooking out of a food truck presented problems for Bon Bon’s staff. In the summer, the kitchen in the food truck became too hot.

“It just became a hindrance to our creativity,” Ryan Bowersox, general manager, said. “We found ourselves at a plateau with it.”

The renovations will add a kitchen and more dining space to the restaurant. The added space, what Bowersox said they call “the greenhouse,” will be made of glass panels and have two garage doors that can be opened during nice weather. “The greenhouse” will have plants inside to create a natural

Brooke Boyer/KANSAN Assistant Manager of Bon Bon Steph Goetz makes a “Game of Thrones”-themed cocktail. feeling.

Along with the renovations, Bon Bon has also hired a new chef, Devin Campbell, who has cre-

ated a new menu for the restaurant. The restaurant is currently operating a kitchen behind the bar, using a small-plate

tapas menu inspired during the renovations.

Campbell has also created a new food menu for when renovations are

Brooke Boyer/KANSAN

The Frosé is one of Bon Bon’s most famous drinks.

complete. Bon Bon will also start serving brunch about three weeks after its re-opening.

Steph Goetz, the assistant manager and bar director, has created a new drink menu for Bon Bon’s re-opening.

The new drink menu ties in with the change of season and is also meant to incorporate locally-sourced ingredients.

Bowersox said Campbell and Goetz match each other in their creativity, knowledge and experience, which will show in the new food and drink menus.

“I really feel like Lawrence is in for a treat to see what they come up with together,” Bowersox said. “I’m constantly impressed with them every day.”

Bowersox said the restaurant has used the renovation time to retrain staff and continue doing what they’ve always done — be an inclusive space that provides an enjoy-

able dining experience.

“I want people to be like, ‘Lawrence has good food, but this place Bon Bon, it feels different — there’s something different about it,’” Bowersox said.

be happy,” Buchanan said.

“Sometimes when you feel different, it’s hard to give yourself permission to love what you have because it doesn’t feel normal. This helps families like mine love themselves more and find that happiness.”

It’s not just another job for Lott — doing work that has a positive significance in how it affects people is something he’s passionate about.

“Inclusivity is not some cool and fashionable word, it means really asking yourself ‘How do I go out of my way to include someone that needs to be included?’” Buchanan said. “For the entire time I’ve known Spencer, he’s been figuring out how to do this kind of work that brings joy to people and makes the world a better place. When I found out that this was the work

he was going to be doing on ‘Sesame Street,’ it just made sense.”

As for future plans, Lott is working on additional projects, including the upcoming film “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” starring Tom Hanks, but also intends to continue contributing to the autism initiative to make as much of an impact as possible.

“I’m helping craft this with the rest of the team, but there’s a lot of very intelligent people behind this character and this autism initiative. The potential for impact here is enormous and we’re going to see over time how many ways the impact is felt both big and small,” Lott said. “There’s going to be a lot of fun new stories, songs, and adventures that this family is going to have around ‘Sesame Street.’”

“I want people to be like, ‘Lawrence has good food, but this place Bon Bon, it feels different.’”

Ryan Bowersox general manager

The restaurant will remain open throughout the renovations. Its current hours are 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. After renovations are complete, the restaurant will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to midnight; and Saturdays and Sundays for brunch.

SESAME STREET FROM PAGE 1 Lott was originally introduced to “Sesame Street” puppetry at a workshop in 2006. Since then, he has grown in his ability and experience, with some help along the way.

“I have wonderful friends and mentors at ‘Sesame Street’ that have guided me and hired me for jobs, bringing me along the way and training me up,” Lott said.

Lott’s role as Samuel is a very important one within the family, with the relationship of children with autism and their siblings being an important part of their lives.

“Many times a brother like Samuel is a best friend to a sibling with autism.

They’re an interpreter, a confidant, and a support

system,” Lott said. “In every scene, I’ve got my big brother hat on and am looking out for Julia while bridging the world between the neurotypical characters and her.”

This isn’t Lott’s first time working with children with autism. Part of what led him here was his work with an organization called Trusty Sidekick Theater Company, which puts on performances specifically built for the children.

“Through these projects, I’ve met so many different versions of Julia and Sam and their family,” Lott said.

“It’s been really incredible and fulfilling to work with these people.”

Amy Buchanan, a friend of Lott and fellow class of 2010 alumna, said these initiatives are personal to her, as she grew up around an older broth-

“In every scene, I’ve got my big brother hat on and am looking out for Julia.”

Spencer Lott KU alumnus, puppeteer er with Down syndrome.

“It was always hard for me because it was just a truth of my life that there weren’t a lot of people in my community that had a family like mine,” Buchanan said. “It was really easy to feel separate and different.”

Part of this project is to give these families more representation on a national platform. It’s a small part of creating a culture that’s more loving and accepting of people on the autism spectrum.

“We as a culture only accept things when they’re put in front of our face constantly, especially when it

comes to any kind of diversity,” Buchanan said. “The more you have access and exposure to something, the more natural it feels.

Getting to children when they’re so young and experiencing the world for the first time allows them to learn that this is normal.”

It goes beyond just showing representation to the general public. TV shows and other forms of entertainment introducing characters like Julia and her family also allow people affected by autism to relate and feel included.

“It tells you that you’re not alone and it’s okay to

KANSAN.COM

4 ARTS & CULTURE SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW

Spin-offs, live-action remakes top the list RACHEL GAYLOR @raegay218

As the semester comes to a close and your free time increases, check out my picks for the top movies you should check out this summer. To be eligible, the films must premiere in theaters after the semester ends but before the new school year begins. Two films were included in our 2019 preview but have been updated with trailers.

ALADDIN - MAY 24 The live-action adaptation of Disney’s beloved cartoon hits theaters Memorial Day weekend. I don’t know what it is, but this seems like the most promising of the live-action remakes. It looks to stay authentic to the original cartoon. Guy Ritchie’s take stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Naomi Scott as Jasmine and Will Smith as Genie.

Tom Holland returns as the titular superhero in this summer’s “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”

BOOKSMART MAY 24 Olivia Wilde’s directorial debut screened at South By Southwest festival last month and currently holds a rating of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. While it’s still early, the film looks to be an

honest take on graduating and moving on from high school — much like Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird” provided in 2017. The movie features duo Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein in the lead roles.

THE DEAD DON’T DIE - JUNE 14 An apocalyptic comedy, the film is set in a small town that is suddenly overrun by the undead. Our main characters must band together to stop the undead from their invasion. The cast list is massive with Adam Driver, Bill Murray, Chloë Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Steve Buscemi, Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Rosie Perez, and Carol Kane all starring.

MEN IN BLACK: INTERNATIONAL JUNE 14

Contributed photo Margot Robbie stars as Charles Manson victim Sharon Tate in Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

“Thor: Ragnarok” costars Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth team up as Agent’s M and H in the newest installment of the “Men in Black” franchise.

I don’t know how the film will do, but as soon as Kumail Nanjiani’s character called Thompson a queen in the trailer, I knew I had

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to see it. Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson (another queen) also star.

YESTERDAY JUNE 28 The film stars Himesh Patel as Jack — an Englishman who gets hit by a bus and wakes up in a world where The Beatles never existed. He accidentally capitalizes on that and becomes a successful singer/ songwriter — performing songs by one of the greatest groups ever. The Danny Boyle/Richard Curtis production also stars Kate McKinnon, Lily James and Ed Sheeran.

SPIDERMAN: FAR FROM HOME JULY 2 After the emotion-fest of “Avengers: Endgame,” the world needs this sequel to help kickstart the new era of Marvel.

While on a school field trip to Europe, Peter Parker (Tom Holland) must battle Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio while also keeping his identity a secret. Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders reprise their Marvel Comic Universe roles as Nick Fury and Maria Hill.

THE LION KING JULY 19 Another live-action adaptation of a beloved cartoon, this film features an all-star cast of Beyoncé, Donald Glover, Alfre Woodard, Chiwetel Ejiofor, James Earl Jones, John Oliver, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD - JULY 26 Quentin Tarantino’s crime thriller comes almost 50 years after the Manson Family Murders — the backdrop for the film. With the casting of Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, the movie should be a chilling reenactment of the brutal end to the golden era in Hollywood. The film also stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Damian Lewis, Al Pacino, Dakota Fanning and Luke Perry in his final film role.

FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW - AUG. 2 The “Fast & Furious” franchise spin-off features Dwayne Johnson as his character Luke Hobbs and Jason Statham as Deckard

Contributed photo

Shaw. The two team up to stop a new global threat with the typical banter of a buddy cop movie. The film also stars Idris Elba, Vanessa Kirby, Eiza Gonzalez and Helen Mirren.

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK - AUG. 9

Based on the book series of the same name, the Guillermo del Toro produced-film translates the stories from the book to the big screen. Most of the cast are relatively unknown except for Dean Norris and Lorraine Toussaint. Norwegian André Øvredal directs the film.

GOOD BOYS AUG. 16

Seth Rogen produced this film telling the story of three 12-year-olds trying to make it to a party to achieve their first kisses. I don’t know if it’ll be good, but it comes from the minds of “Superbad” and “Neighbors,” so do with that what you will. Jacob Tremblay, Brady Noon and Keith L. Williams star as our three main characters with Will Forte, Lil Rel Howery and Retta also starring.

SAY HELLO TO SUMMER

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OPINION

Thursday, May 2, 2019

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

FFA of the day: it’s course eval season. i’ve been preparing for months. no one is safe. my specialty is emailing people in the same room as me while not acknowledging them “i know i’m addicted to sex AND alcohol, but you’re addicted to sugar, so...”

“Society is a scam” anyone else just hate learning what other people’s middle names are i feel like i am literally dying from the inside out but ordering hawaiian bros is the cure right???

“YOU JUST JUULED AND I THOUGHT MY TURKEY WAS BURNING” i tend to work best solely when wu-tang is involved in some way the closest I get to being a vampire is that one tooth is so sharp it keeps poking holes in my retainer “Asher Roth was a pioneer for consent in hip hop” really praying my last brain cell keeps it together in these last three weeks kylie jenner lied to me 2019 is the year of Realizing Things i’m watching this guy in front of me drop all his classes and browse army recruiting pages I’m in first place in my GoT death pool does this mean that I get the iron throne? i just tried to crack into what I thought was a hard boiled egg. turns out it was, in fact, raw. so that’s how my day is going “What if I submit the script of Mamma Mia! 2 as my scholarship essay” “I’m an old person. I’ve got a yard and I care about it.”

Random student: “If they make more money then they probably had a better education” Entire class: “eeeehhhhhhhhhhhh” Earlier today I saw a helpless worm being swept down the sidewalk by the rain and that’s my end of the semester mood “i don’t know how much I can do for you, I’m saving my stalking efforts for when I get hired by the FBI”

KANSAN.COM

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

Which crises deserve attention?

RHEA MAHESH @rheam_

The Notre Dame Cathedral is perhaps one of the most recognizable French symbols: in the heart of Paris, the Gothic architectural marvel towers above the skyline as a testament to more than 800 years of history.

On April 15, a fire broke out at the cathedral, causing extensive damage to the roof and collapsing the spire.

Luckily, the stained glass windows and many artifacts ended up unharmed.

The nine-hour fire was heavily documented, with uploads of pictures, videos and livestreams allowing for second-by-second updates around the world.

This most likely influenced the vast amount of money raised in the aftermath.

France’s second richest man, Francois-Henri Pinault, was among the first to donate, pledging 100 million euros. Bernard Arnault, France’s richest man, followed suit by pledging 200 million euros.

To date, about 850 million euros (equivalent to more than $960 million) have been raised worldwide. Even the White House has offered to help with reconstruction.

The Notre Dame undergoing such damage at this point in its history is tragic, especially considering the fire happened a week before Easter.

I empathize with the people of France for suf-

fering such a blow to one of their most treasured symbols, and I applaud the speed (and magnitude) at which the money was donated.

It makes me wonder how we decide which issues we end up caring about in a world where so many exist.

No one can tell those with money and power what merits financial support, but it is shocking to see how easily money can stack up when the uber-wealthy decide to get involved.

Other problems perhaps deserve more pressing attention: especially those impacting real people, and not just (as in this case) a very important building, but a building nonetheless.

Around the time of the fire, France was experiencing the Yellow Vest protests, in which protesters claimed the French government is ignoring low-income French workers.

These protests have been going on since November, with no significant progress.

Also going on around the same time was a fire at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, which garnered little attention, despite the mosque being the “third holiest site in Islam” and analogous in devastation to Muslims as the cathedral was to Catholics.

And even with the White House offering to help with restoration — what about Flint, and its five-year water crisis? Or

Contributed photo The Notre Dame cathedral caught fire in Paris, France, on April 15. Kansan columnist Rhea Mahesh ponders why certain tragedies garner more public support than others.

Puerto Rico?

We cannot expect French billionaires to care about these issues, but the American donations and support are a bit harder to justify when there are so many problems back home.

Maybe it is possible to care about multiple things at once in theory, but in practice, it seems otherwise.

All of the issues mentioned are important, but the fact of the matter is that some are more

pressing than others, and governments as well as private citizens should be more discerning.

Rhea Mahesh is a freshman from Lenexa studying molecular, cellular and developmental biology.

KU favors STEMM over humanities buildings JERIKA MILLER @MillerJerika STEMM majors require funding and resources that may not be necessary in other fields. The labs must have specialty materials and equipment alongside state-of-the-art buildings and esteemed professors.

In recent years, the University of Kansas has made efforts to improve its facilities for STEMM students, including a new business school, integrated science building and newly-renovated engineering complex.

However, little attention has been paid to renovating and rebuilding any of the humanities buildings that are in desperate need of upgrades.

Anyone who has stepped foot into Murphy Hall can tell you that it is falling apart. The building is in an unacceptable state for the many music students that spend hours a day in it.

The library books are covered in protective plastic tarps because of roof leakage, bug problems and temperature variation.

According to music

Nicole Asbury/KANSAN The cast of “Dead Lines” rehearses in the Baustian Theater within Murphy Hall on July 18. Music students have lamented the building’s problems such as roof leakage and bug infestation. therapy student Lissa Peloquin, she has to take special precautions to work in Murphy.

“I can’t wear sandals anymore because I’ve had beetles, spider centipedes, and roaches crawl into my shoes. The people and teachers are really nice, the building is just outdated, leaks water, and is overall just a hole of depression.”

She also spoke about how the practice rooms are the size of a small closet

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and feel claustrophobic.

Summerfield Hall was recently granted a renovation to house film students, but the building does not show much difference.

This isn’t to say that work wasn’t done, but maybe that the appearance and overall feeling of the classrooms in that building are just as dismal and unwelcoming as they were before.

I understand the need

for renovations and upgrades to our buildings in the STEMM field, especially those that are always using new technology. But is it necessary to have a 300,000 square foot building built for integrated sciences or could some of the features be spared and money be reallocated?

Does Capitol Federal Hall really need a 65-piece original art collection and antique book collection to display? Could there be

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

some push from the University for donors to help get the rest of campus up to date before beginning these huge projects?

It doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility for those who deal with alumni to inform them of projects on campus that need funding instead of just taking money for any new project, no matter how necessary it is.

Science, technology, engineering, and business are all integral to the University, our community and our world. But literature, art, film, humanities, political science, law, journalism, music, theatre, design, architecture, and so many other fields also fuel our world and enrich our lives.

After all, there is a reason the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is the biggest and most encompassing college. I think it is past time we start doing our part as a University to give all students the same respect and conditions to improve collaboration and innovation.

Jerika Miller is a junior from Aurora, Colorado, studying English and secondary education.

editorial board

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

KANSAN.COM

SPORTS

7

COLUMN

KC Chiefs need to release Tyreek Hill FULTON CASTER @FCaster04

About five months ago, I wrote an article on former Kansas City Chiefs and current Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt after a video surfaced of him kicking a woman during an altercation in a hotel.

In that article, I emphasized the necessity to draw our own lines on forgiveness and second chances and explained how I came to a place where I was willing to give Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill a second chance, as he has a history of domestic violence.

Third chances, though, are never on the table.

Following the child abuse accusations and released audio between Hill and his fiancée Crystal Espinal, the time has come for fans and the NFL to take a firm stand.

Hill needs to be released from the Chiefs immediately and banned from the NFL. Sports are not a place where repeat offenders of abuse should be tolerated, no matter how talented you are. Outside of those sentiments, those in power in these leagues need to be the ones to implement radical change.

As fans and human beings, we can do what we can to voice our displeasure and anger at players who commit these crimes. At some point we need to shift that anger and displeasure and direct part of it toward the

ownership who continue to employ these players.

Players like Hill need to be made an example of.

Abusers do not deserve to play professional sports.

Far too often when a player is absurdly talented, a cheek is turned to their off-the-field issues.

This must end.

Players like Hill, Greg Hardy, Adrian Peterson and many others do not deserve these opportunities they are given time and time again.

I gave Hill a second chance because I felt he was remorseful and that it was a mistake he made as a young man. I was wrong, as were many others, and now I support his removal from the NFL at the cost of any success the Chiefs may have with him on their future roster.

Once again, I implore you to draw your own line. Decide who to give a second chance to on your own merits and ideals.

Third chances, on the other hand, are a courtesy that should not be given unless somehow they earn the right.

But Hill will never deserve one.

He had his opportunity and threw it away at the expense of the health and safety of his son, his fiancé and his unborn child.

Make the right decision NFL, and make it quick. The longer Hill sits on an NFL roster, the more you take away any faith the public still has in you.

Contributed photo Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Steven Nelson fails to stop wide receiver Tyreek Hill from trying to make a catch during an NFL football training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri.

KU softball prepares to face off with Cyclones

Ramsey’s ability to get on base and set the table for her teammates will be the key if Kansas is to wake up offensively.

Kansas leads Baylor by one game in conference play after the Bears did not play a conference opponent last weekend.

This weekend, Baylor will play Texas on the road in a two game series.

The Jayhawks need big wins against Iowa State to not only keep pace in the race for the tournament’s final spot, but also to try and claim the fifth spot and avoid a first round matchup with the dominant Oklahoma squad.

JORDAN VAUGHN @JVSmoove14

Following a disappointing series against Texas that saw Kansas get swept on senior weekend, the Jayhawks still find themselves clinging to a one-game lead for the sixth and final spot in the Big 12 tournament as they wrap up the conference and regular season against Iowa State this weekend.

The Cyclones currently stand in fifth place with a 4-11 conference record as they were swept at home against No. 1 Oklahoma last weekend.

Kansas will need to find an offensive groove this weekend after managing just three runs over the course of three games against Texas.

Following Kansas’ 3-0 loss on Friday in which it had just two hits, coach Jennifer McFalls was displeased with her team’s performance and wanted to see more out of at-bats with runners in scoring position.

Brooke Boyer/KANSAN The Jayhawks huddle on the field before the bottom of the seventh inning against the Texas Longhorns Friday, April 26, at Rock Chalk Park. The Jayhawks fell to the Longhorns 3-0.

“The main thing is timely hits,” McFalls said. “The two times we had runners in scoring position we had strikeouts, and we can’t let that happen.”

Since the Jayhawks’ upset win at Texas Tech two weeks ago, in which Kansas put six runs on

“The main thing is timely hits.

The two times we had runners in scoring position we had strikeouts, and we can’t let that happen.”

Jennifer McFalls Kansas softball coach

the board, the offense has not scored more than two runs in a single game.

Iowa State is a dangerous team that, despite getting swept, were able to score five runs on Oklahoma over the weekend, whereas the Jayhawks could not push across a single run in their series.

Senior Brynn Minor pitched very well in her two starts against Texas but will need to give just a bit more with the offense struggling.

To give herself the best chance of picking up a win, Minor will need to keep the Cyclones at two runs or fewer.

Redshirt freshman Sydnee Ramsey led the Jayhawks with four hits

against Texas and is a major part of this offense in the lead-off spot.

next game

at Iowa St Fri., May 3 4 p.m.

sports

SPORTS

8

Thursday, May 2, 2019

KANSAN.COM

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

KU tennis boasts home-court advantage ANALYSIS

BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real

Kansas tennis is riding the hot hand right now.

Coming off a thrilling Big 12 tournament championship last weekend, the Jayhawks were given an automatic bid and the No. 14 seed in the NCAA tournament Monday night. This is the fourth-straight trip to the NCAA tournament, but this will be the first time they’ve hosted tournament matches since 1997.

And that’s key here, as the Jayhawks are 14-0 at home this season, anchored by veteran leadership and a newfound clutch gene. Look no further than junior Maria Toran Ribes, who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Big 12 tournament after coming up big in the semifinal and championship rounds. Her winning points sealed the team’s victories against Oklahoma State and Texas.

But all season, Kansas has made a name for itself on the national scale, sitting at 19-4 on the season. The Jayhawks have been ranked as high as No. 7 in the ITA poll, and have

been ranked in the top-20 for 14-straight weeks.

Seniors Janet Koch and Nina Khmelnitckaia are the No. 3-ranked doubles pair in the nation, and were ranked No. 1 earlier in the season.

There have been jokes that Kansas is now a “tennis school,” and while it’s funny to think about given the history of the men’s basketball program, there’s merit to being excited about what’s going on at the Jayhawk Tennis Center.

“I remember when we were All-Americans for the first time, and no one even knew what Kansas was and all of a sudden our senior year and everyone is coming to us like, ‘Oh Kansas is a really big school,’ and it gives us a lot of confidence, because people actually know us now,” senior Anastasia Rychagova told the Kansan on Monday.

Rychagova, who is currently the No. 17 ranked singles player in the nation, has also been a key piece to the puzzle for this Kansas team.

But what Rychagova is alluding to — respect on a national scale — is becoming more and

“I remember when we were AllAmericans for the first time, and no one even knew what Kansas was.”

Anastasia Rychagova senior

Natalie Hammer/KANSAN Senior Anastasia Rychagova answers questions during a post-selection show interview. Kansas will play Denver on May 3. more apparent with each match. The Jayhawks have played 15 matches against schools who have been ranked in the ITA poll at some point this season (Northwestern, Illinois, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, TCU, Baylor, Arkansas, Air Force, Tulsa, Rice and Wichita State).

Even with that regular

season success, though, Kansas is looking to make noise in the postseason against a familiar foe in Denver, the No. 47-ranked team in the NCAA tournament. This will be the second-straight year these two sides have faced off, with the Jayhawks prevailing 4-3 in the first round of the 2018 NCAA

tournament. “[Denver has] a lot of players returning from last year’s team, and so do we,” Kansas coach Todd Chapman said in a Kansas Athletics press release. “It will be a matchup both teams are familiar with; we know we will have our hands full and it will be a great test.”

next game NCAA Championships Fri., May 3 1 p.m.

KU baseball splits series with win over Air Force DYLAN CUNNINGHAM @ByDylanC

After dropping the series opener on Tuesday, Kansas baseball’s bats came alive to take down Air Force by a score of 11-6 on Wednesday.

The Falcons got the scoring started early with a four-hit, two-run second inning that was immediately countered by RBIs from senior center fielder Rudy Karre and junior second baseman James Cosentino.

Karre and Cosentino led the Jayhawks with two RBIs each on the day.

Kansas used a total of nine pitchers as redshirt senior starter Ryan Ralston was chased early after just two innings.

Redshirt junior reliever Nathan Barry (3-0) earned the victory after getting out of a jam, allowing just one hit over two total innings.

“To come into the game with the bases loaded and a two-ball count, I thought it was a fabulous job to get out of that inning,” Kansas coach Ritch

quick hits

Emma Pravecek/KANSAN Sophomore pitcher Steve Washilewski pitches against Creighton. The Jayhawks fell to the Blue Jays 6-5 Wednesday, April 24.

Price said in a Kansas Athletics press release.

A throwing error in the bottom of the fifth put the Falcons up 5-4, but the Jayhawks’ offense wasn’t quite finished. In the top of the

seventh, Groshans drove in Cosentino with a double, sophomore Tom Lichty knocked in Groshans with a pinch-hit single and Lichty scored on a fielder’s choice by sophomore first baseman

Conner VanCleave.

This four-run outburst gave Kansas a lead which it never relinquished.

“Obviously, it was awesome to watch — to see Cosentino, Groshans and Vosik all hit on the same

day — it was fabulous,” Price said. “Look what it does to our lineup — the number of runs that we scored and the number of hits that we had.

The Jayhawks added three more insurance

runs in the top of the ninth as Karre, Lichty and junior left fielder Brett Vosik each drove in a run.

Redshirt sophomore closer Jonah Ulane continued his strong season as he closed out the Falcons in the ninth inning, allowing one earned run in the process. Air Force’s Joe Martinez took the loss after allowing five hits and four earned runs over two innings.

Now after a slight break, the Jayhawks will head back into conference play against Texas.

“There’s no doubt it’s a step up in competition, there’s a step up in talent you’re competing against, there’s a huge step up in the velocity of the pitching staffs in the Big 12,” Price said in the release.

“You have to be at the same level every day.”

next game

vs Texas Fri., May 3 6 p.m.

TENNIS

TR ACK AND FIELD

WOMEN’S BASKE TBALL

TENNIS

14

328

5

6

Seed that Kansas tennis earned in the NCAA tournament

Number of days since junior Bryce Hoppel lost an individual race

Number of seasons that assistant coach Aqua Franklin coached at Kansas

Number of Kansas players that earned All-Big 12 honors

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