1-16-17

NEWS

University making steps toward LGBTQ+ inclusivity » page 3

ARTS & CULTURE

Music in Focus: student composer Alex Lawson » page 8

SPORTS

Sharon Lokedi is running into Kansas cross country history » page 16

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017 | VOLUME 133 ISSUE 01

THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904

Missy Minear/KANSAN Freshman guard Josh Jackson lays in the ball against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14. Jackson had 20 points and 11 rebounds in Kansas’ 87-80 victory over Oklahoma State.

Self challenges Jackson to improve SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports

T

he final minute waned on the scoreboard at Allen Fieldhouse.

Oklahoma State coach Brad Underwood tried to find the only weakness in Kansas freshman phenom Josh Jackson's game.

Underwood's Oklahoma State team led for more than half the game, including an 11-point advantage — Kansas' largest deficit of the season so far — but faced a fifth-straight Big 12 loss to keep the Cowboys winless in conference play.

"Hack Jackson!" the first-year Oklahoma State coach shouted. His players dutifully sent Jackson to the free-throw line, where he finished 10-of-17 on the day.

By the end of Kansas'

87-80 win, Underwood was proud of his team's effort in one of the toughest places to play college basketball.

The "hurt" he saw in the locker room was something he hadn't seen after every game this season.

The admirable effort allowed Underwood to leave Allen Fieldhouse an encouraged coach, albeit a winless one. It was the same type of effort Underwood watched his team lose to, and he lauded Jackson's fight too.

"Josh's stuff is legendary," Underwood said. "He stood out on the AAU circuit, and it's probably a shame because of the culture today, he stood out because he played hard. He's talented, but he stood out because he plays hard, he's motored up.

"We just wrote 'dog' next

to his name, because that's what he is, in the [scouting report]. I appreciate that."

On the other hand, Kansas coach Bill Self chose to focus on what Jackson can get better at. How would the first-overall NBA Draft pick-hopeful get any better if his coach didn't focus on those things?

Despite Jackson's 20 points and 11 rebounds, his fourth double-double of the season, Self focused on Jackson's trouble shooting free throws and his struggle to keep his emotions in check after bad calls.

"Josh got numbers, but he's 10-of-17 from the freethrow line and he's gotta do better and the whole team's gotta shoot them better," Self said.

The 17 attempts Jackson took from the line was the most since former Kan-

sas guard Kelly Oubre Jr. attempted 19 free throws against TCU in March 2015.

Converting 59 percent on free throws brings Jackson's season free-throw percentage to 57 percent, which ranks seventh on a team that primarily plays seven players.

Jackson said he needed to get back in the gym to practice free throws, and he agreed with Self on one more thing, too.

With 14:33 remaining in the second half, Jackson was called for his third foul on a charge. On the other end of the floor, Jackson reacted negatively to the foul, showing some frustration.

He wasn't given a technical, but had in two previous games for similar actions.

On the road against TCU and at home against Kansas State, Jackson was hit with

technicals that forced him quickly into foul trouble.

"I don't really think that I kept my cool," Jackson said. "I think I could have handled it a lot better than I did, actually. Sometimes I just don't agree with the call and it gets to me a little bit.

I'm just glad I didn't get a technical this time."

Self's take on the play was similar. After Jackson received a technical against Kansas State for arguing a foul with the referee, Self said Jackson was gaining a reputation.

"I don't think that he did anything awful, but he didn't act mature," Self said. "The thing about it is, if you're a competitor — part of competing is being able to think next play, and not putting your team at all in jeopardy or yourself in jeopardy more.”

"He didn't do anything wrong, but if you get your third foul and if you do pop off, that's four and it totally changes to complexion of the rest of the game,” he said.

Leading into the conference season, Self has seldom missed a chance to express the same kind of praise for Jackson that Underwood did. Before the conference season began, Self pointed out Jackson's attention to detail when poring over a scouting report and his outstanding vision on the court.

Now, Self thinks Jackson should be able control his drive to win.

"He's one of those guys that after something happens, after he can digest it, he's very rational with his thoughts," Self said.

Spread of mumps virus still a concern for health officials NOLAN BREY @NolanBrey

Hannah Edelman/KANSAN Bill Funk, search executive, speaks at a public forum seeking opinions on qualities needed in the new chancellor.

What’s next in the chancellor search EMILY WELLBORN @em_wellborn

The chancellor search committee has been picked and is starting to meet, but many members of the University are unsure what the committee will be looking for during the closed search. Before starting the search, the committee wants to keep the Univer-

sity as involved and represented as possible.

The 25 committee members were chosen by the Board of Regents after speaking with deans, different organizations on campus, community leaders in the Lawrence area and even current chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little. The committee members were

INDEX NEWS............................................2 OPINION........................................4 ARTS & CULTURE..........................................5 SPORTS.........................................16

announced on Dec. 14.

Many members of the University have raised concerns about being properly represented while the search is closed, but David Dillon, chair of the search committee, feels the committee is large enough to represent all of the UniSEE CHANCELLOR PAGE 2

The nine students at the University who contracted mumps last month have been confirmed by the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, and no new cases have been found.

However, it is possible that new cases may develop.

“We think that there could be a chance that there could be more cases when students come back,” said Mary Beverly, the epidemiology director for the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department.

Beverly said all nine individuals have recovered and are no longer contagious. They will return to campus for the spring semester along with the rest of the student body.

The mumps virus

KANSAN.COM GALLERY: Check out the gallery from Saturday’s game against Oklahoma State on Kansan. com

spreads via saliva, and to prevent the spread of the illness, Beverly encourages students to wash their hands regularly, cover their mouths when coughing or sneezing and to avoid the share of food, drinks, cigarettes or other objects that involve the exchange of saliva. “[The virus] concentrates in the saliva, so we want students to keep their hands clean and cough into their sleeves," Beverly said.

"But it’s primarily going to be in the saliva, so the close contact activities is what we want to stress."

If students experience mumps symptoms — fever, headache, muscle aches and fatigue followed by swelling of the cheeks and/ or jaw — they are encouraged by both the Watkins Health Services and the

Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department to isolate themselves immediately and contact a physician.

Only one of the nine students affected by the virus lives in on-campus housing.

Aramis Watson, the director of residence life for Student Housing, said Student Housing encourages its residents to follow the preventative guidelines disseminated by Watkins Health Services and the Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, and that there is protocol in place for students who may need to isolate themselves in university housing.

A mumps outbreak also occurred at the University in April 2006, when 16 cases were recorded.

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KANSAN.COM/NEWS | MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017

Campus groups hope to encourage activism through MLK Day events CHANDLER BOESE @Chandler_Boese

F

or some students, Monday’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day means one thing: no school. But activists on campus hope events celebrating the civil rights leader will allow the University community to continue his legacy.

The big event of the week will be a candlelight vigil and panel at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. With this event, said Nate Thomas, vice provost for diversity and equity, the University is trying to remember King, as well as apply his work to today’s issues of diversity and equity.

Thomas said he thinks the event, and what it represents, is closely linked with the mission of his office and what they’re trying to do on campus. Thinking about King’s work is not all that different from confronting today’s social justice problems.

“I think it's just a constant awareness when you think about cultural competency, when you think about valuing others, when you think about how we think about social justice, privilege, equity, injustice,”

Courtney Bierman/KANSAN In this January 2016 file photo, students and community members, including Chancellor Bernadette GrayLittle, gather in front of Strong Hall for a candlelight vigil march to the Student Union as part of the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ week-long acknowledgment of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

he said. “We always want to be at the center of thinking about people."

The vigil will begin at the rotunda in front of Strong Hall with a performance by Genuine Imitation, a University a cappella group.

From there, participants will walk to the Kansas Union, where a panel will discuss ways that people today — especially students —

can continue King’s legacy.

“A new generation is coming along that we want to be more inclusive,” Thomas said. “We want them to be thinking about social justice issues, which this millennial generation is doing. I think the future's looking good from that standpoint, so I think it's a slow step to progress in how we are trying to live

out Martin Luther King's dream.”

The panel will be facilitated by Student Senate Director for Diversity and Inclusion Abdoulie Njai, who said he hopes those who attend are inspired to do some of their own activism.

“A big thing with the panel is just trying to look back at Martin Luther King's legacy and what he

was able to accomplish, then kind of connect that to the current climate we have now and speak about how we've come far, but still have a lot more work to do,” he said.

Njai said there are many connections between what King did in his life and the issues that social justice advocates are dealing with today. Many of his questions are geared toward making those connections for the audience members, a move that he hopes will inspire participants to continue their own activism.

“I think it will definitely give people the opportunity to come together, get in a deep dialogue and also think about things,” he said.

But the remembrance of King doesn’t end there. The Office of Diversity and Equity is sponsoring several other events throughout the next week.

“The key piece is that MLK Day is a day on and not a day off, it's all about serving others,” he said.

“That was part of King's dream, that we think about [equity], so everybody has the opportunity at success.”

For a full list of the week’s events, check out Kansan. com or visit diversity. ku.edu/MLK-events

Student Senate looks ahead to spring semester ELLE CLOUSE @elle_clouse

As a new semester begins, Stephonn Alcorn, student body president, and Gabby Naylor, student body vice president, gave a look at future Student Senate happenings.

Near the end of the fall semester, Senate was placed under review by University Senate, per the request of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report. Alcorn said it came as a surprise, but that Senate is looking forward to working with the group.

“That kind of had a sense of a shock factor, it took CHANCELLOR FROM PAGE 2

versity and encourages students and faculty to recommend candidates.

“I can’t think of any category ... that we could eliminate and feel that we had solid representation from all of the communities we serve,” Dillon said. “Anyone that gets suggested to us will certainly be considered.”

The committee wants to be as connected to the University as possible. A public forum was held Jan. 10, where administrators, faculty members and students were asked to address the qualities and values they wanted in the candidates, and what issues were important to tackle in the future. Attendants spoke about topics including diversity, Title IX, funding for research and disabilities.

Dillon said there will be two more forums in the next two weeks. One will be held with student leaders and the other will be an open forum, similar in style to the first event, that anyone can go to.

Once the committee starts to review candidates, members won’t be able to speak publicly, but Dillon said they will keep the University informed on their progress.

a lot of people back, but I think we were already doing a lot of that same work,” Alcorn said.

One of the first major events of the semester for Alcorn will be Higher Education Day, which will be hosted at the Capitol in Topeka. Breeze Richardson, director of communications for the Kansas Board of Regents, said that this year will be different than in the past because it’ll be a day focusing on more than just a few select schools.

“This is the first year where the system as a whole is having a unified Higher Education Day at the Kansas Statehouse, all 32 pub-

lic colleges and universities are going to be at the Capitol,” Richardson said.

Alcorn, who serves on the Student Advisory Committee for the Regents, said that the committee will be using its voices to encourage more stable funding.

“We will definitely be advocating for stable higher education funding. I think if you look at the numbers, higher education has been cut continuously over the past five years,” Alcorn said.

As for the rest of the upcoming spring semester, Alcorn and Naylor intend on focusing on a variety of topics, including diversity and outreach to multicul-

tural groups. Also, toward the end of the semester, sexual assault will be a key focus of Senate.

“We’ll be working a lot with sexual assault with SAPEC’s sexaul assault

awareness month in April,” Naylor said. “That’ll be kind of one of the last things we do before we turn over to the new incoming executive staff.”

Dillon hopes in the next few weeks the committee can decide which characteristics and qualifications are the most valuable in a candidate. Afterward, they can start reviewing applicants.

One qualification brought up during the forum was experience in higher education. This is something committee member Joseph Harrington, a University English professor and current University Senate president, also thinks would be valuable in a potential chancellor.

“It’s very important that they have a background in post-secondary education,” Harrington said. “Also being a senior leader at a university … but also some experience of teaching.”

Harrington said he will be looking for someone who is committed to public education, diversity and cooperation with student governance. He also said he will be looking for someone with a strong, transparent management style.

On the topic of higher-education experience, Dillon said the majority of the candidates will probably have experience in higher education, but it

would not be surprising if a few non-traditional candidates show strong leadership capabilities.

These topics will be discussed by the committee in the next few weeks as they develop a job description for the position. This may take some time because

the committee is relatively large, and may take a while to reach a consensus.

Then, they will start reviewing a pool of applicants, both those suggested by the University community and those provided by R. William Funk & Associates, the head-hunting firm as-

sisting with the search. This step will be followed by candidate interviews.

They will pick three to five top candidates to present to the Regents, who will ultimately make the final decision by the time Gray-Little leaves in July 2017.

Baxter Schanze/KANSAN Student Body President Stephonn Alcorn addresses a full Student Senate on Nov. 16.

3

NEWS

KANSAN.COM

Buttons among many steps toward campus inclusivity EMILY WELLBORN @Em_Wellborn

N

ew buttons being given out by KU Libraries that identify the wearer’s pronouns have sparked national attention, but the libraries aren’t the only organization on campus making progressive strides.

The buttons, part of the “You Belong Here” campaign, are meant to make the libraries feel more inclusive to students.

“We hope that these buttons, as part of larger efforts to make the libraries an open and welcoming place, will make all students at home,” Kevin Smith, dean of libraries, said. “We believe this is an important aspect of facilitating teaching and learning.”

The addition to the campaign was suggested by members of the libraries’ diversity committee and by employees at the information desks.

“We were responding to an expressed need when we included these buttons,” Smith said.

The libraries’ staff is encouraged to wear these buttons and give them out to those that ask for them.

The buttons, which have received national press coverage, feature the pronouns “he, him, his,” “she, her, hers” or “they, them, theirs.” However, Vanessa Delgado, the coordinator for the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity, said this isn’t a new idea at the University.

“It’s cool because the libraries got the national

Ashley Hocking/KANSAN KU Libraries is offering buttons for employees and students to wear that depict their preferred gender pronoun buttons.

attention … but they’re just not the only ones,” Delgado said. “Multiple people on our campus are trying to do this work.”

“

We were responding to an expressed need when we included these buttons.”

Kevin Smith Dean of Libraries

Many organizations and offices, such as the Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity and the Office of First-Year Experience, already offer similar buttons, and the Office of Multicultural Affairs was one of the first units on campus to use pronouns on their name tags. Some administrators and faculty members have even started including their pronouns in their email signature lines.

The University is already more progressive than other schools, Delgado

said. She said it is rare for institutions to have a fulltime position for someone dedicated to issues in the LGBTQ+ field.

The University has also taken new steps to be more inclusive on campus. Some of these steps include gender-neutral bathrooms, such as the ones in Capitol Federal Hall and the DeBruce Center, and making Lewis Hall gender-inclusive in the fall of 2016.

“We’re really a campus that’s trying not to be stagnant,” Delgado said.

Some of the areas the University can still improve on are better data tracking of LGBTQ+ students, renovating older buildings, and creating more welcoming environments across campus, Delgado said.

Delgado said faculty and students who identify with their assumed pronouns should start introducing themselves with their pronouns in the beginning of the semester to create a more welcoming space.

“It’s as essential and important to you as your name

is,” Delgado said. “Your pronouns are equally important to you.”

Delgado also said the Center for Sexuality and Gender Diversity has more resources for gender-fluid and transgender students, including an email template for how to tell a new professor your pronouns to avoid awkward situations on the first day of class. That will be posted on the center’s social media accounts around the beginning of the semester.

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opinion FREE-FOR-ALL ›› WE HEAR FROM YOU

So next year having a gun will be fine, but you’ll get in trouble if you have a beer?

Okay then.

KANSAN.COM | MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017

Liston: President-elect Trump’s attacks on the media threaten First Amendment

Harambe deserved to die I’m at a Christmas party with a bunch of KU grads, including my husband, and they won’t shut up about how great FFA is. #glorydays #makeitstop A family friend asked me when I (single for two years) was going to get married.

I didn’t even say words. I just made noises. “help desk” is an oxymoron The roads might be icy but they’re not as cold as your heart I don’t think my friends spend enough time admiring me I have this really f****** obnoxious coworker if I had to choose between watching a full episode of the big bang theory and being murdered, I would chose murder It takes longer to make ramen than listen to Shape of You DONT TEXT AND DRIVE Gifting coffee mugs to someone who moves six times a year is just asking for trouble did you hear don trump is gonna be prez say what you will about Rex Tillerson’s ties to Russia, lack of diplomatic experience, and potential conflicts of interest, the guy has a great name.

RYAN LISTON @rliston235

F

rom feuding with former Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly following the first Republican presidential debate to tweeting about the “failing” New York Times, President-Elect Donald Trump’s attacks on the media have been a recurring theme since he began his campaign for president. His disdain for news organizations surfaced once again on Jan. 11 at his first press conference since July.

At the press conference, Trump denied CNN’s Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta the chance to ask a question and called CNN “fake news” for reporting that President Barack Obama and Trump received a classified briefing regarding allegations that the Russian government had damaging information about Trump.

The briefing has been confirmed by top US officials including Vice President Joe Biden and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. So no, Trump, CNN is not “fake news.” But such is Trump’s response to reports that have the potential to raise criticisms or concerns regarding him, and this response has dangerous implications.

Columnists including Connie Schultz of Creators and Pete Vernon of the Columbia Journal Review wrote that journalists should have come to Acosta’s aid and backed him up instead of moving on with the press conference. I wholeheartedly agree with these columnists

READ MORE AT KANSAN.COM @KANSANNEWS /THEKANSAN KANSAN.NEWS @UNIVERSITY DAILYKANSAN

“

There will be a veil of secrecy surrounding Trump’s administration, which will protect him from addressing tough questions head on.”

Journalists, politicians and citizens alike need to stand in opposition to Trump’s recent attack on CNN and any other attempts to evade media scrutiny.

Questioning, criticizing and inspecting of the government must be preserved to maintain a truly free press.

At best, failure to do so could leave Trump unchallenged on matters of national concern. At worst, it could lead the country down a path where government officials are no longer held accountable, do not feel obligated to respond to the press and get away with malpractice that has dangerous ramifications for everyone in this nation.

Illustration by Erica Gonzales

Kassebaum: Resolutions should be meaningful

why are the bathrooms in the debruce center nicer than my apartment For Christmas my dad got me a “Making Ramen for Dummies” book, but instead of it being an actual instruction manual he just photocopied the instructions off of the back of ramen and stapled it together with the fake cover. I was honestly impressed with the effort.

and fear that free speech is on the line if journalists do not band together to act as watchdogs over the incoming Trump administration.

In this recent scuffle with the news as in many other cases, Trump has shown that he does not enjoy facing criticism and is willing to strong-arm the press to avoid answering their questions directly if he believes the questions could shed light on unflattering information. If this tactic is allowed to succeed, there will be a veil of secrecy surrounding Trump’s administration which will protect him from addressing tough questions head on. We cannot let that happen.

NELLIE KASSEBAUM @KansanNews

I am a firm believer in the power and helpfulness of resolutions. To form truly insightful resolutions, however, I think you should first look back.

This realization first came to me while watching President Barack Obama’s farewell address from Chicago.

His speech was reflective, but also inspirational. He encouraged citizens to engage in the democratic process, make their voices heard and ensure our democracy remains free and beneficial to

all. Hearing his voice reverberate through McCormick Place, Obama set a perfect example of how to create a New Year’s resolution.

Watching President Obama deliver this address, I saw a man who, like many of us, had created a list of resolutions. He vowed to stay involved in politics and resolved to execute a peaceful transfer of power. He had laid a foundation for these resolutions to have a good chance of success, which is something important for all of us to remember.

We all have an individualized foundation. The choices you make dictate who you become, which in turn build your foundation. It’s generally not encouraged to look back, but I think we can glean valuable information from doing so. While I look back on my last year, I see an immense transformation. New

knowledge, new relationships and new experiences have undoubtedly contributed to this change. If you remain the same person over the course of a year, setting resolutions might be for you.

“

The choices you make dictate who you become, which in turn build your foundation.”

Personally, I love resolutions. I truly think there is something magical in the air around the New Year holiday that especially enhances my will and desire to constantly change and develop for the better. Over the years, my resolutions have

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become more meaningful, more practical. For example, rather than “get a 4.0 GPA,” I resolve to work to understand the materials I’m being taught in class. These new resolutions have proven to enact change, to serve as a catalyst to become a better person.

Looking back also allows you to more carefully craft resolutions. If you see that a resolution with good intentions has failed to impact your life, perhaps your resolution just needs some simple editing. Don’t give up resolutions on the whole just because one fails. President Obama was not successful in delivering on every campaign promise, just as you will likely compromise on some of the things you promise yourself. By making your resolutions more meaningful and with your bigger picture in mind, I believe resolutions

CONTACT US Lara Korte Editor-in-chief lkorte@kansan.com

Tucker Paine Business Manager tpaine@kansan.com

have the power to change your life.

By first looking back, we can see the progress we’ve made. Without further involving politics, my personal reflections have allowed me to see where I’ve been, and help me decide where I want to go. Of course, there are unpredictable, life-altering events that will redirect your path toward your goals, but don’t let them obfuscate it. These events remind us of our bigger picture view of life, who we want to be and how we want to be that person. Resolutions can help you crystallize that version of you we strive towards and remind you how to get there; but first, remember where you’ve been and how far you’ve already come.

THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Lara Korte, Christian Hardy, Tucker Paine and Vince Munoz.

arts & culture HOROSCOPES ›› WHAT’S YOUR SIGN?

KANSAN.COM | MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017

Returning contestant wins ‘Transformations’ JOSH MCQUADE

@L0neW0lfMcQuade

Aries (March 21-April 19) Confusion and chaos could interrupt work. With quick action, grab an opportunity.

Discover a structural problem. Don’t try new tricks... stick to tested routines.

C

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Consider what’s best for those closest to you. A disagreement about priorities requires negotiation. Be patient with a resister. Don’t make assumptions. Better safe than sorry.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Don’t cut corners with a remodeling project. Sometimes the cheap way ends up being more expensive.

Prioritize practical considerations. Make a decision you can live with.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Dig deeper into a favorite subject. Ask questions to tease out the story. Write up a report that considers multiple views. Weigh pros and cons.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Seek a win-win solution for a disagreement. Changes good for you may be tough for somebody else. Address difficult problems. Be willing to give up something.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You’re strong and getting stronger. Formulate your plans before charging ahead. Slow and easy does it. Keep a cash cushion for the unexpected.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Insights, breakthroughs and Don’t be hasty. Pay attention to dreams and subconscious desires. Let your imagination go wild. Rest and recharge your batteries. Relax with hot water.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Parties and gatherings entice with friends and fun opportunities. Share ideas. Stay open-minded with those who don’t agree with you. Take the high road.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Career matters have your attention. Schedule extra for the unexpected. Complications could arise. Think twice before you borrow. Don’t spend money you don’t have.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your wanderlust is getting worse. Things fall into place.

Draw upon hidden resources. Explore the situation.

Assess challenges, and plan your itinerary.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Disagreements spark over stupid stuff. Take a breather if you find yourself losing it.

Handle financial tasks with minimal discussion to avoid fussing about money.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Avoid bickering. If annoyed, take a walk outside. But don’t quit. Finish a tough job before leaving. An older person offers instruction. Listen and learn.

Contributed Photo Amelia Rodrock performs during the 2012 Transformations Charity Gala. Rodrock returned for this year’s gala Saturday night at the Lied Center.

hiropractor Amelia Rodrock spends most of her time treating the residents of Lawrence at her own practice, Rodrock Chiropractic.

But, on Saturday, Jan. 14, Rodrock looked to entertain, and won big for it.

Rodrock participated in the Transformations Charity Gala at the Lied Center along with 12 other participants, each supporting their own charity. At the end of the night, Rodrock was announced the winner, and earned $10,000 for her charity, the local Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center.

Rodrock had worked with the Sexual Trauma and Abuse Center and was looking to support a cause she feels strongly for. The care center was the first rape crisis center started in Kansas, and it promotes consent and provides support to those affected by abuse and sexual trauma, according to its website.

The Transformations Charity Gala in itself was a talent and entertainment show very similar to a pageant, with a twist. Each competitor was given a female impersonator as a consultant whose job is to, Rodrock said, transform the woman.

There was a “drag show aspect to the whole show,”

Rodrock said.

The host of the show was Brandon Eisman, also known by the name Deja Brooks. He has been the host for the six years.

“

It makes me step out of my comfort zone.”

Amelia Rodrock Winning contestant

Eisman said Rodrock has experience with the Transformations Charity Gala in the past, as she was a contestant in 2012 — the first year the event was held. But this year Rodrock returned looking for her first win, as she was unable to secure the victory her first year.

“When I heard that this year Brandon was doing a reunion show I thought it would be fun,” Rodrock said.

“It makes me step out of my comfort zone.”

Rodrock also had the Unity Dance Team from the University as her background dancers.

The reason Rodrock originally competed is all due to Eisman. She was asked to compete the first year it was put on, and loved how Eisman ran the show.

“He puts a lot of time and effort into the show,” Rodrock said.

7 movies to watch for in spring 2017 CAMERON MCGOUGH @cammcgough

2017 looks to be a promising year in film, and these movies could not be coming at a better time. The world is currently undergoing divisive circumstances, and people will be seeking out this medium of entertainment as a means to escape reality.

Check out some great new films hitting theaters this spring.

“The Founder” — premieres Jan. 20 McDonald’s is arguably the pinnacle of the fast food industry, but most people probably don’t know how it all started. “The Founder” is based on the true story of how McDonald’s divisive beginnings ultimately led to a hugely successful business.

The film stars Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman.

“A United Kingdom” — premieres Feb. 10 In a sort of Shakespearean Montague-and-Capulet forbidden love story, “A United Kingdom” tells the story of two unlikely individuals who fall in love despite opposition from their families. To make matters worse the couple, played by David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike, is put under scrutiny by their home governments. As prince of an African country, Oyelowo’s character is in a position of power, and Pike’s character is a citizen of Britain. As an interracial couple in the 1940s, their relationship is seen as an abomination by most.

Associated Press Actor Michael Keaton stars in the new film “The Founder.”

“T2: Trainspotting” — premieres March 3 With all the crazy things that transpired in the first “Trainspotting” film, it’s a wonder any of the characters survived to the start this sequel, “T2: Trainspotting,” which takes place 20 years after the first film. With their characters not having fallen victim to heroin overdose, actors Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller and Robert Carlyle make a long-awaited return. Much like the first installment, “T2: Trainspotting” promises to give the audience a disorienting look into the lives of drug-addicted misfits.

“Beauty and the Beast” — premieres March 17 This film is Disney’s latest live-action take on an

animated classic. “Beauty and the Beast” was originally released in 1991, and this new iteration will include the musical numbers that made the film so popular, unlike Disney’s nonmusical, live-action “Cinderella” in 2015.

“Beauty and the Beast” has a star-studded cast of Emma Watson, Josh Gad, Ian McKellen, Luke Evans and Emma Thompson, among others.

“Life” — premieres March 24 Dramatic space odysseys have been crawling out of the Hollywood woodwork for many years. Most recently, “Prometheus,” “Gravity,” “Interstellar” and “The Martian” have explored the wide expanses of space, not to mention the revival of the “Star Wars” franchise. “Life”

follows a group of astronauts who come across the first sign of life in outer space.

Things go completely awry when the team attempts to get too close to the unknown specimen.

“Alien: Covenant” — premieres May 19 It’s not entirely apparent if this follow-up to “Prometheus” will pick up from where that story left off; Director Ridley Scott has left some questions unanswered in regards to where “Alien: Covenant” lies within the “Alien” world. But, like most films in this franchise, “Alien: Covenant” is about a group of explorers being hunted and used as hosts for the procreation of a deadly alien species. It is likely that more secrets of the aliens’

origin will be revealed in this film.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” — premieres May 26 This film marks the fifth installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

Like many of the previous films, Johnny Depp’s Jack Sparrow is being pursued by those he has wronged in the past. “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” brings along a new villain played by a terrifying Javier Bardem, and marks the return of Orlando Bloom, who left the franchise after the third installment.

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Television shows you need to watch this semester OMAR SANCHEZ @OhMySanchez

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f television in 2016 were a meme, the young guns in Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” FX’s “Atlanta” and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story” would find their way between the summer classic “Damn Daniel” vine and — dare I say it — near “Crying Jordan”-esque levels.

Where will 2017 land us?

It’s tough to say. The year’s slate seems more diverse in content than ever before, but there isn’t necessarily a new HBO’s “Westworld” or USA Network’s “Mr. Robot” that one can pick out now that can pack a punch heavy enough to pull it close to the top of the 2010s television era.

But time will tell. 2017 Golden Globe nominees “The Americans” and “Better Call Saul” were never surefire hits, yet they have become adored over time. Below is a short list of new and established TV series that have the potential for peak binge-worthiness heading into this new year.

HBO’s “The Young Pope” (Premieres Jan. 15) Speaking of memes, it has to be a good sign that your show that hasn’t even premiered yet has trended on Twitter, right?

If you’ve scrolled through your feed and found references to the “young pope,” chances are they’re talking

Contributed Photo Jude Law stars in new HBO series “The Young Pope.”

about actor Jude Law’s new series, which takes a look at the complex and sometimes controversial nature of powerful religious figures. Law plays the fictional Lenny Belardo, the newly-elected Pope Pius XIII, who assumes the role of the first American Pope.

Pius XIII, in the ten episodes, brings a new, off-kilter approach to a traditional church role. Almost as if someone asked Kanye West to assume the role of President of the United States.

The show has intricate cinematography, and it has already received praise from outlets such as The Hollywood Reporter and The Guardian for its use of the

bizarre and absurd. Not unlike the topsy-turvy political climate we have become subject to.

HBO’s “Girls” (Premieres Feb. 12) Soon it’ll be the end of an era for HBO. Flagship shows like “Girls” and “Game of Thrones” that have given the network life, despite faltering seasons, will come to an end within the next two years. It almost feels like the rest of the world has started to move on to newer, fresher commitments, but there’s still a couple reasons to stick around and see the end.

For “Girls,” what was once an astute look into the zeitgeist has at times shifted

too much into the pretentious and meandering, but last year’s season five steadied the ship, particularly with the lauded “Panic at Central Park” that joyfully reflected what made the show so successful in the first place.

Soon thereafter, momentum built toward the final season, which might be a season to catch if anyone 40 to 50 years from now asks you to describe how it felt to live in the 2010s.

FX’s “The Americans” (Premieres March 7) Recently, there’s been no shortage of news involving connections between Russia and the U.S. On the television screen, the Gold-

en Globe nominated series “The Americans” has grown into a bridge between both cultures and been everything between a political thriller and a family introspective as under the radar as a Donald Trump presidency two or three years ago.

Going into season five, the Jennings have just about stepped on every land mine on their way to tracing intel for the Russian government.

Their daughter Paige developed into a pivotal chess piece in season four, and now with their son Henry due for a major plot point, it will surely be a slow burn until either the family or the life around them flames out by series end in 2018.

Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” (Premieres May 21) The 2017 Golden Globe-winning and Donald Glover-created series “Atlanta” has drawn recognition for its surreal connection to its environment and relaxed nature of its storylines. Glover, hyping the series before its premiere early last year, often cited the early 1990s television series “Twin Peaks” as its inspiration — “A ‘Twin Peaks’ with rappers.”

So why is a television series that lasted two seasons and is floating somewhere the bottomless pit of Netflix a key style guide for current shows? The secret is in the sauce.

While we don’t know much on the content of the revival just yet (other than it will be 18 hours of “pure heroin”), many of the original cast members from the show based in the eery fictional town of Twin Peaks, Washington have signed on to return. The original followed an FBI investigation into the the death of the town’s homecoming queen, but its fluidity and ability to own elements of horror, drama and comedy has pushed it to be a “what if” in TV shows cancelled too early to gather anything more than cult status.

With the fandom pushing widely-acclaimed director David Lynch on board to helm the revival, it might quickly become this summer’s “Stranger Things.”

apartments

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Music in Focus: Senior composer inspired by high school experience

Contributed Photo “Penguins Mirror,” by artist Daniel Rozin, is being featured at the Lawrence Arts Center through Feb. 25.

Interactive ‘Penguins Mirror’ exhibition comes to arts center COURTNEY BIERMAN @courtbierman

Baxter Schanze/KANSAN Alex Lawson, a senior from Lawrence, is a music education student who writes choral music in his free time.

COURTNEY BIERMAN @courtbierman

I

t was a school night, and choir rehearsal had been canceled. Alexander Lawson, then a senior at Lawrence High School, was in his basement with friend Cal Young. Instead of rehearsal, they decided to try writing their own piece of choral music.

Long after Young went home, Lawson continued working. The result was a piece titled “Silence and the Star,” written for eight voice parts and now available on Lawson’s website.

Four years later, Lawson is a senior studying music education at the University who writes music in his spare time.

Lawson was in choir all four years of high school, which he said was an extremely formative experience. The music he writes now is an attempt to recreate what he felt as a freshman in high school, when he first fell in love with choir.

“The love that I had found for music in those brief four years of high school alone, it was something that I wanted to be able to share,” Lawson said.

“It was something I wanted

to continue.”

Most of Lawson’s compositions are written with large choirs in mind. In the spring of 2014, when he was an underclassman, two University choirs sight-read Lawson’s original work at the end of a rehearsal. The recording is still available on Lawson’s SoundCloud.

“

The love that I had found for music in those brief four years of high school alone, it was something that I wanted to be able to share.”

Alexander Lawson Senior

At Lawson’s senior recital in December, Young, now a senior studying vocal performance, sang Lawson’s “Amarilli, mia bella,” a reworking of a famous Italian madrigal. Lawson said he wrote the piece with his friend in mind. Young said it was a great experience to sing something written especially for him.

“It sounded really nice,

but it was completely different,” Young said.

Lawson’s creative process is usually jumpstarted when he gets a melody stuck in his head. He then opens his laptop and uses software with different plugins to write the piece. As he begins to compose, he also searches for text to pair with it, often a poem within the public domain.

It’s mostly trial and error, writing notes and trying various instruments until the song sounds like it should.

“The melody is the most important part, obviously,” Lawson said. “But if the harmony doesn’t sound right to my ear, I’ll rewrite it a million times until it just sounds perfect.”

Lawson composes for voices rather than instrumentals because of the freedom the human voice allows. He said the combination of multiple voices and text makes a song more emotionally driven, which is exactly what he prefers.

“The way that the voice acoustically works, there’s something really cool about it and the way it all blends together,” he said. “I think it’s miraculous, for lack of a better term.”

“Penguins Mirror,” by New York City-based artist Daniel Rozin, is one of the more surreal works the Lawrence Arts Center has hosted. One of three exhibitions currently on display, the piece includes 450 motorized stuffed penguins that stand several inches high. The piece is interactive, rotating to reflect the viewer’s movement in silhouette.

Rozin’s work explores the ways an audience can participate with and perceive an image. If there’s not anyone in front of his art, it’s usually “static and boring,” he said. In addition to a series of “mirrors,” often made out of unconventional materials such as pompoms and Troll dolls, Rozin makes prints that display different images, depending on one’s distance from the piece.

“No two people will ever

see one of my pieces the same,” he said.

Rozin said he decided to use penguins this time because they’re cute and their high contrast colors make movement more obvious.

Each figure must be wired individually. The wires are connected to a control box, which is connected to a computer, which is connected to an Xbox Kinect camera to sense movement.

Rozin builds everything himself. “Penguins Mirror” is site-specific, meaning he must travel with the piece wherever it’s installed to set it up. Rozin said installing a piece usually involves two days spent on his stomach connecting wires and making sure everything works properly.

“If someone else would try to create this from scratch immediately, if this was their first piece of art, they might find it complicated,” he said.

“Wooden Mirror,” built in

1999, was the first in Rozin’s “Mirror” series. The piece includes 835 individual wooden tiles that spin to reflect the likeness of whoever stands in front of it.

Ben Ahlvers, the exhibition program director for the Lawrence Arts Center, said although using toy penguins as art may seem silly, they serve as an anchor to give the viewer a unique experience.

“To me [“Penguins Mirror”] elicits a very immediate reaction, because seeing that many objects moving because of what you’re doing, that your actions are manipulating them — where in life does that really happen?” Ahlvers said. “Where you can physically, with your own eyes, see something move with your motion that doesn’t exist on a computer screen?”

“Penguins Mirror” will be on display at the Lawrence Arts Center until Feb. 25.

basketball gameday Kansas vs. Iowa State SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports

AT A GLANCE With the presumed No. 1 ranking, the target will be on Kansas’ back in Ames.

The Jayhawks have the ability to get it done in a tough environment, but the team’s defense will be challenged against the Cyclones. Whether Kansas can step up its defense to another level after some issues in past games will be an important facet of the game.

PLAYER TO WATCH

KANSAS

IOWA STATE

(16-1)

JORDAN WOLF @JordanWolfKU

(11-5)

STARTING FIVE

STARTING FIVE

Frank Mason III, senior, guard Mason went for another 22 points on Saturday afternoon against Oklahoma State. Against Iowa State, he will be tasked with just as much, because Iowa State is a more powerful offensive team than Oklahoma State, and the Cyclones hold the homecourt advantage. In addition to his scoring ability, Mason averages 5.5 assists per game.

Monte Morris, senior, guard Morris entered the season as one of the consensus top players in the Big 12, and has established himself as such this season. He averages 15.5 points per game, just barely second on the team, and also a team-high 5.8 assists per game. Morris and Kansas’ Frank Mason III will be a battle of two of the conference’s best point guards.

★★★★★

★★★★★

AT A GLANCE

Iowa State is both one of the Big 12’s best teams and one of the most experienced – two things that probably aren’t mutually exclusive.

Their five seniors can all the score the ball, and they spread the ball around in doing so, as four of the five average double-digit scoring. With a litany of potential high-impact scorers, tremendous experience across the board and a sure-to-be-raucous home environment, consider the Jayhawks on upset watch as they travel to Ames.

PLAYER TO WATCH

Lagerald Vick, sophomore, guard Lagerald Vick grabbed five rebounds in the win over the Cowboys, but only scored two points and committed three turnovers. It is about time Vick produced at a starter’s level for Kansas, and a quality opponent in Iowa State should force him to do so. A starting role is likely out of the question for Vick at this point, but he can still be a productive bench player.

QUESTION MARK

?

Will lack of depth finally be an issue for Kansas?

Kansas has a couple great options in sophomore forward Carlton Bragg Jr. and sophomore guard Lagerald Vick coming off the bench, but not much else. Bench bigs — junior Dwight Coleby and freshman Mitch Lightfoot —might see some minutes, but that’s all Kansas has. This hasn’t been much of a problem so far, but Kansas hasn’t yet faced a conference opponent like Iowa State.

BY THE NUMBERS

Devonte’ Graham, junior, guard Graham would be another big name in college basketball were it not for Mason and Jackson’s outstanding seasons. The junior from Raleigh, North Carolina, is second on the team in assists with 4.6 per game, and scores 13.5 points per game. The trio of Jackson, Mason and Graham scored over 20 points each against Oklahoma State, and a performance like that is needed against Iowa State.

★★★★★

★★★★★

Josh Jackson, freshman, guard Only a few spots below Mason in the national player of the year conversation is Jackson. Jackson has recorded four double-doubles on the season. As a versatile option for the Jayhawks, Jackson is the reason why a four-guard lineup works.

The 6-foot-8 Jackson can haul in rebounds and score with ease down low.

Matt Thomas, senior, guard A look at the stat sheet makes Thomas out to be solid in most every category, but not very exceptional in any. He’s fourth on the team in scoring, fifth in rebounding and assists, and shoots 43.3 percent from the field.

★★★★✩

★★★★★

Svi Mykhailiuk, junior, guard Unimpressive play off the bench continues to allow Mykhailiuk increased minutes on the floor for the Jayhawks, but that’s not to say Mykhailiuk hasn’t earned the starting spot. He is scoring 10.8 points per game this season and will be set to make his eighth start of the season against Iowa State.

★★★✩✩

3

Naz Mitrou-Long, senior, guard If the Cyclones’ best player isn’t Morris, it’s Mitrou-Long. He holds the team-high scoring mark at 15.7 points per game, and is very efficient in doing so. That’s about all he can do, however, as his rebounding and assist numbers aren’t off the charts, and he plays average defense.

Deonte Burton, senior, guard Burton is listed as a guard, but leads the team in both rebounds and blocks per game. He has a decent three-point stroke (38.9 percent) as well, and is a dependable third option in the team’s offense.

He plays similarly to Kansas’ Josh Jackson. While not as tall as his Jayhawk counterpart. Burton is significantly stockier at 6-foot-5, 250 lbs., so he has the same ability to beat his opponents on rebound attempts despite playing in the backcourt.

★★★★✩

— Kansas has played three road games this season. The team is 3-0 on the road.

Monte Morris, senior, guard Senior guard Monte Morris had a poor performance in the Cyclones’ last game, an 84-77 loss on the road against TCU. In the two games before that, he averaged 26 points, 7.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists.

Frustrated with his team’s loss to the Horned Frogs, expect him to find some of this previous mojo through the energy of the home crowd and potential of the major upset.

QUESTION MARK

?

Will Iowa State be able to slow down Kansas’ big three?

In its most recent conference win, Iowa State defeated Oklahoma State in a shootout, 96-86. That Cowboys team is very similar to the Jayhawks – as seen in Kansas’ narrow victory when the two squared off in Lawrence on Saturday. The primary similarity comes in each team’s offensive attack: the Jayhawks’ senior guard Frank Mason III, junior guard Devonte’ Graham and freshman guard Josh Jackson versus the Cowboys’ Jawun Evans, Jeffrey Carroll and Phil Forte III. When the Cyclones played the Cowboys, the trio combined for 57 points. Going against a slightly more talented bunch on the Jayhawks, the Cyclones will need to do a better job of containment if they want to keep the game close enough for an upset.

4 — Kansas has four play-

ers averaging double digits this season. They are senior guard Frank Mason III, freshman guard Josh Jackson, junior guard Devonte’ Graham and junior guard Svi Mykhailiuk.

50

— Kansas currently shoots 50 percent from the field.

BY THE NUMBERS

1.7 — The Cyclones’ 1.7

assist-to-turnover ratio is Landen Lucas, senior, center Lucas barely missed a fourth double-double in conference season with seven points and 12 rebounds on Saturday. The senior big man is one of the most important pieces on the court for the Jayhawks. Lucas averages 7.6 points per game, as well as 7.6 rebounds per game for Kansas. He will be a key for the Jayhawks to spread scoring around the floor against Iowa State.

Darrell Bowie, senior, forward The lone forward in the Iowa State lineup, Bowie has been decent for the Cyclones this season. His 8.3 points and 5.4 rebounds per game don’t jump off the page, but he’s very efficient on offense with the highest field goal percentage (51 percent) among all starters.

★★★✩✩

best in the Big 12.

2

— Iowa State has won its last two home games against Kansas and three of the last five meetings overall.

3 —Three Iowa State players average at least five rebounds per game.

★★★★★ Beat Writer Prediction

Skylar Rolstad prediction: Iowa State 71, Kansas 69 // Jordan Wolf prediction: Kansas 77, Iowa State 74 // Brian Mini prediction: Kansas 80, Iowa State 75

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MEN’S BASKETBALL GALLERY

Missy Minear/KANSAN Junior guard Devonte’ Graham watches as Oklahoma’s starting five are announced in Lloyd Noble Center on Jan. 10.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Junior guard Devonte’ Graham celebrates after a made basket late in the second half against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14. Kansas won 87-80.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Freshman guard Josh Jackson dunks the ball after a steal in the first half against Texas Tech on Jan. 7. Jackson had 17 points and 10 rebounds in Kansas’ 85-68 victory.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Senior guard Frank Mason III attempts a shot with an Oklahoma State defender in his face. Mason had 22 points, five rebounds and four assists in Kansas’ 87-80 victory over Oklahoma State on Jan. 14.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Junior guard Svi Mykhiliuk dunks the ball in the second half against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14. Mykhailiuk had 14 points in Kansas’ 87-80 victory over Oklahoma State.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Senior center Landen Lucas looks for a basket in the paint against Oklahoma State on Jan. 14. The Jayhawks defeated the Cowboys 87-80.

Missy Minear/KANSAN Sophomore Carlton Bragg Jr., left, and freshman Mitch Lightfoot celebrate a three pointer in the second half against Oklahoma. Kansas won 81-70.

LOKEDI FROM PAGE 16 Kenyan men won all but three Boston Marathons between 1991 to 2012, and Kenyan women have won 12 of the 17 Boston Marathons since 2000. Kenyan men hold nine of the fastest 10-kilometer times of all time, and women hold five of the fastest 10. Kalenjin especially dominate. Seventeen men in American history have run a marathon in under 2:10. But, as David Epstein told NPR, “There were 32 Kalenjin who did it in October of 2011.”

Nearly all of those runners come from Rift Valley, which is not far east from Lokedi’s home, where the elevation is high, diets are simple and runners train barefoot. Outside of farming, running is one of Kenyans’ few options.

The Kenyans winning races were people living next

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SPORTS

KANSAN.COM to Lokedi, or people from the next town over. When she started running in training camps, she would run next to those world-class runners, just trying to keep up. The dream of becoming a professional runner in Kenya — and with it, many times, a big pay day — is oftentimes inescapable.

“So many lives have changed due to running,” said Fred Yego, Lokedi’s uncle who pushed her to run again after high school, eventually helping her land in Kansas. “There are athletes from very poor backgrounds who have made [it], and they encourage the upcoming ones to also work hard in training.”

Lokedi lived at Kapkenda, her secondary school, and trained on a rigorous schedule with other girls who all had aspirations of running

professionally. It was the first time she had trained with a schedule. But running, to Lokedi, was “just a thing you do,” with school coming first.

On most days, there would be a morning run before the sun came up. Eventually, she would get in the routine of waking up at 5 a.m. without an alarm, followed by classes and strict discipline for being late to those classes. Then another run in the afternoon.

All of the runs were long distance.

— There was a period after her four years at Kapkenda, about 18 months, when running completely fell out of the picture for Lokedi.

She stayed home, waiting to join a college in Kenya, and helped her mother with her business and her siblings.

Sometimes she would work on her family’s farm, which

produced crops like potatoes and maize. With no way to train, she prepared for college in Kenya and a life without running.

But there was one more option.

“

So many lives have changed due to running.”

Fred Yego Lokedi’s uncle

Lokedi had heard stories of running in America from the girls who had graduated before her and ran at Texas Tech after school. From the time she was in high school, she knew she wanted to go to America, but it didn’t seem realistic until her uncle told her about her neighbor’s son, Isaac Biwott, who ran cross country and track at Middle

Missy Minear/KANSAN Sophomore Sharon Lokedi leads a pack of runners at the Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence on Oct. 1.

Tennessee State from 2007 to 2011.

“I didn’t know how I would come to America,” Lokedi said. “It was my dream here, but at some point I just thought maybe I should just go to school.”

Once Lokedi knew that running in America was feasible, she removed her name for consideration for Kenyan colleges and with the help of her uncle, found a training camp in Kaptagat, an hour away from her home. That was where Kansas distance coach Michael Whittlesey found her on one of his recruiting trips to Kenya, after Lokedi’s coach sent him her times and forms.

As a freshman at Kansas, two years after she had finished school at Kapkenda, Lokedi was an All-American, with a 10th-place finish in the six-kilometer race at the NCAA Cross Country Championships. Then, in her sophomore season, she shaved 12 seconds off her time and finished fifth.

Lokedi admits that, even now, she still isn’t fully comfortable in America — she might never be. The homesickness hit the most in the first weeks after she arrived for the track and field season in 2015. She had no phone to call home, no friends, and a weak grasp on the English language. She felt lost.

“You couldn’t communicate as well, so sometimes it was hard to get to understand each other, and sometimes you’ll feel lonely,” Lokedi said, looking back almost two years, to her freshman season. “You miss your parents and you just wish you had your friends, people

who can understand you and speak your language.”

There was her wistfulness for home, and then there was the pure cultural adjustment — both of which, she admits, might have affected her performance early in her college career.

In Kenya, to ask for “water” is to really ask for milk.

In Kansas, she stopped drinking milk every day. Instead, she drank more actual water. She adjusted to an American diet — less vegetable-heavy than in Kenya, where corn and maize were staples. She began speaking almost exclusively English.

Less Swahili.

“She was just telling me a story about drinking coffee, and she wasn’t sure about how much sugar and everything else to put in the coffee,” cross country and track and field coach Stanley Redwine said. “It’s just little things that people take for granted that she had to get acclimated to.”

But, despite all the differences, America gave her a new dream and mission: an education — that’s always been her first priority — and a place to run, but also a slow transition to comfort in a new culture. Now she dreams of being an NCAA cross country champion by the time she leaves Kansas.

After that, she wants to run professionally in America, hopefully then adjusted to her American life.

“With time, as it goes by, you know more, you get to understand, you learn a lot,” Lokedi said. “It’s not that easy to just change like that.

I still have a long way to go, but it’s better right now.”

Daily Debate: Who should be the NBA MVP? DEASIA PAGE @DeAsia_Page

JACK NADEAU @jackneds

T

he race to the NBA MVP award is a close one. Currently, it is a two-man race between former teammates James Harden of the Houston Rockets and Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Russell Westbrook While James Harden and his team have climbed their way to the top of the league this season, Westbrook is more deserving of the award.

Westbrook dominates his team every time he steps on the court while giving NBA fans something to look forward to.

Will Westbrook contribute another triple-double?

That is the question fans ponder every time the Thunder play.

Westbrook, who just gained his 19th triple-double, is having a historic season. Currently averaging 30.8 points, 10.7 rebounds and 10.5 assists, Westbrook would be the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season.

Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson was the first to do it back in the 1961-62 season. Westbrook’s triple-double total is the seventh-highest in single-season NBA history, with half the season left to play.

Harden is having an impressive season as well.

However, it is less historic.

The success of Harden and the Rockets has been one of the top stories this NBA season. And Harden’s stellar performances have a part in that. However, that story is not comparable to the one of Westbrook’s triple-doubles.

Another aspect that makes Westbrook more deserving than Harden is the success of their respective teams. Harden is on the better team; the Rockets have a record of 31-11. They currently rank third in the West, while the Oklahoma City Thunder rank seventh in the West with a record of 24-17. This means that if you take Harden off the team, the Rockets would still be a fairly decent team.

They have great leadership in coach Mike D’Antoni and have all the right pieces on their roster. But if you take Westbrook from his team, it would be drastically worse.

Westbrook’s triple-doubles are occasionally not enough to lead the Thunder to a win.

“

Westbrook, who just gained his 19th tripledouble, is having a historic season.”

While Harden is partly responsible for the Rockets’ success, he has better players surrounding him.

Westbrook simply doesn’t have that luxury. Westbrook has had to carry his team to where they are now. And if he keeps it up, his team’s status as playoff contenders will be cemented. Harden has not had that responsibility this season. He did have it last season, though. But now the Rockets have revamped their identity in the league with a new coach and a new playing style. A couple of new players on the team contributes to their new identity as well.

Therefore, Harden has the tools around him to have a great team; the Thunder

Associated Press Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook, rear, shoots in front of Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol during the fourth quarter.

do not. The Thunder are primarily defined by the success of Westbrook. That fact alone makes him more deserving than Harden to be this season’s MVP. James Harden In a league dominated by superstars — and super teams — this NBA season boasts one of the most intriguing MVP races in recent memory. Russell Westbrook is having a banner year, and while his incredible triple-double averages might be chasing history, one can’t overlook the dynamic presence of the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference and the reason for their turnaround: James Harden.

The team that barely

made it into the playoffs in 2016 is on pace for nearly 60 wins, the kind of season a general manager could only dream about, considering no elite talent was brought in during the offseason. This kind of turnaround exemplifies how Harden turned things around in Houston, and is more than deserving of the title of Most Valuable Player.

Harden’s knock has always been his poor defense, which might be phrasing it conservatively. His offensive prowess is what has helped him thrive at the highest level, though, and he is scoring at a near-career best clip.

Between the top two MVP candidates, Harden, and Westbrook, the Rockets’ su-

perstar possesses the ability to stretch the floor and shoot consistently from beyond the arc, adding a dynamic to his game that Westbrook will probably never have. With so many offensively talented players on coach Mike D’Antoni’s squad, it has become easier for Harden to make things happen on the offensive end.

However, while points, rebounds, and assists dominate the discussion, Harden’s defensive metrics aren’t all that far off from other stars and several are higher than Westbrook’s. In terms of defensive rating, which calculates the number of points a player would allow in 100 possessions, Harden’s 107.2 tops Westbrook’s

101.2, while his offensive rating of 114.5 also takes the cake over the Oklahoma City guard’s 100.9.

While there are different interpretations for the MVP award, it is logical to argue that the player should not only be the best performing player in the league, but contribute to his team’s overall success. For this reason, Harden should be a no-brainer. Sure, Westbrook will finish the season with ridiculous individual numbers, but the Rockets’ dominant return makes Harden the face people will focus on, and people should realize what he has done and will continue to do without any all-star caliber talent around him.

MVP? Check.

sports KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | MONDAY, JAN. 16, 2017

From Kenya to KS, Sharon Lokedi keeps running CHRISTIAN S. HARDY @ByHardy

H

er uncle always told her she could be one of the best runners in the world if she kept working, kept running. But at 14 years old, Sharon Lokedi grabbed what she needed — a blanket, a jacket and the clothes she was wearing — and ran for her life.

After the Kenyan presidential election results were released late in the night on Dec. 27, 2007, Lokedi and her family fled to the forest and hid.

Burnt Forest — Lokedi’s home village with a population of about 5,000 — became the nucleus of post-presidential election violence, oft-called the “Kenyan crisis,” primarily because its population consists of conflicting tribes. When the results were announced, most of Lokedi’s family ran from Burnt Forest, except for the men, who stayed back to protect their tribe and their homes.

She escaped to the outskirts of Burnt Forest, where there was no shelter, no steady source of food and no possessions. She didn’t move unless she was sure it was safe. There was no semblance of real life at all.

“You don’t do anything,”

Missy Minear/KANSAN Sophomore Sharon Lokedi was named Big 12 Women’s Runner of the Year.

Lokedi said. “There is nothing.”

For the next month, Lokedi and her family lived in silence and fear. If they were found by the Kikuyu — the rival tribe of the Kalenjin, which Lokedi and her family belonged to — they’d probably be killed.

“

You don’t do anything, there is nothing.”

Sharon Lokedi Sophomore

“You leave everything,” Lokedi said of the Kenyan crisis. “When you start running, you can’t bring anything.”

The month of hiding came eight years before starting her life over again, 8,306 miles from her childhood home, in Kansas, where she

is no longer running out of necessity. A year after coming to Kansas, Lokedi would become a Big 12 cross country champion and, in her sophomore season, already one of the best runners Kansas had ever seen. Just like her uncle believed could happen.

--After the conflict ended, Lokedi returned home safely with her family. Like so many others in Kenya did every day, she started running three to four kilometers to school again (Kikuyu students would join two semesters later, still worried about the conflict). That was the first way she trained herself — run to school, run home, run when she needed to go somewhere in town, rinse, repeat.

It was the last years of primary school, in seventh and eighth grade, when she learned just how good she could be. She consistently found herself near the top of leaderboards, starting in district races and advancing to national races. That was where she began to get interest from high schools known for running, including Kapkenda Girls High School, a school about 40 kilometers from home — 80 kilometers by matatu, or privately owned bus — where she enrolled.

In Kenya, almost every student aspires to become an athlete, and for good reason.

SEE LOKEDI PAGE 15

Dzwierzynski: Matt Ryan is the obvious choice for NFL MVP

Associated Press Photo Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) works against the New Orleans Saints during the first half of an NFL football game, in Atlanta.

BRENDAN DZWIERZYNSKI @BrendanDzw

Consistency, team success and being a quarterback are the three main factors that go into choosing the NFL MVP. Fair or not, you can’t win the award as a nonquarterback unless you’re breaking records a la Minnesota’s Adrian Peterson in 2012, nor if your team isn’t in the playoffs. This is why the top three candidates for MVP this season are New England’s Tom Brady, Atlanta’s Matt Ryan and Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers.

With this in mind, the correct choice is Ryan, and it’s not a particularly difficult decision.

All three players check two of the required boxes: they’re all quarterbacks, and they all play on Super Bowl-contending teams. That leaves just one trait left to be the deciding factor, and Ryan’s consistency trumps the later-season dominance of Brady and Rodgers.

While Ryan, Brady and Rodgers may have comparable counting stats, it’s Ryan’s elite contributions from the season’s opening kickoff to its final whistle which set him apart. Ryan’s passer rating dipped below 100 in just four

of 16 games this year. Brady had four such outings as well, but in just 12 total games, while Rodgers had seven sub-100 rated games, four of which came through Week 6.

“

Ryan’s consistency trumps the later-season dominance of Brady and Rodgers.”

Passer rating is not a catchall statistic, but it’s usually a strong indicator of quarterback success. In this case, it shows Ryan performed better over the course of the season than either Brady or Rodgers. This is not to say that Brady or Rodgers were bad by any means, as all three finished the season with passer ratings above 100. However, when consistency is your deciding factor, you have to roll with the player that put up the steadier numbers.

It’s also important to recognize that having more consistent statistics doesn’t directly correlate to having the best sheer numbers. Ryan had the best rating and the most yards of the group, but Rodgers led the NFL in passing touchdowns and Brady

had the fewest interceptions thrown of the trio.

When you get right down to it, Ryan benefits greatly from playing well in all 16 games this season. Brady’s suspension to open the season and Rodgers’ early-year slump are the disqualifying factors for their respective MVP campaigns.

It’s agonizing that “Deflategate” still hangs on to any shred of relevance, but Brady’s suspension to start the season will prevent him from winning the MVP. You can’t win the top individual award in the game if you only play 75 percent of the season. It also doesn’t help Brady’s case that the Patriots won three of their four games he missed, led by a still-unproven backup and an under-the-radar rookie.

Rodgers was not his normal self throughout the first half of the season. His early struggles drew criticism from every corner of the sports world, with one prominent, long-winded talking head going as far as to say Rodgers is nothing more than “Jay Cutler with a ring.” Of course, Rodgers proved these critics wrong by massacring the Packers’ competition to close the season. But his mediocre play to open 2016 will cost him a potential third MVP award.

Truthfully, you can’t go wrong with any of the three.

You’re choosing between arguably the greatest quarterback ever, arguably the most talented quarterback ever and an elite talent who is perennially underrated. Brady and Rodgers may be more historically significant, but Ryan owned 2016 from beginning to end, making him the easy choice for NFL MVP.

Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN Redshirt junior guard Jessica Washington and redshirt sophomore Mckenzie Calvert defend Baylor junior guard Kristy Wallace. The Jayhawks lost to the Baylor Bears 92-43.

KU falls at home to Baylor SEAN COLLINS @seanzie_UDK

The clock couldn’t tick fast enough for Kansas on Sunday afternoon in their 92-43 loss to No. 2 Baylor.

Even with their starters resting on the bench, the Lady Bears continued to score faster than coach Brandon Schneider’s emotionally defeated team.

On the bench, junior guard Jessica Washington and sophomore guard McKenzie Calvert hid their faces in their hands. The entire bench was clearly demoralized, and the final score represented their frustrations.

“There’s a lot of people that believe that this is the best Baylor team that coach (Kim) Mulkey and her staff have assembled, and that’s saying a lot,” Schneider said.

“I think they are obviously a Final Four favorite-caliber team.”

Knowing Baylor’s size and length would pose problems for a smaller Jayhawks team, Schneider went into Sunday with a goal: hold the Lady Bears to 40 or less

points in the paint.

While the Jayhawks were only six points shy of that goal, the Bears out-rebounded the Jayhawks 53-31. This came down to Schneider’s team being out-hustled on both sides of the ball.

“I think it just comes down to a little bit of heart, or a lot of heart,” senior forward Sydney Umeri said.

“Just some grit. You have to be able to put in the work with them because they are deep and they’ll bring more people in. That’s what I think we were lacking.”

The game was out of reach by the end of the first half, but the Lady Bears never took their feet off the gas. In the fourth quarter, despite resting their starters, Baylor continued to increase its lead. For the game, the Jayhawks shot 20.9 percent, while Baylor shot 56.4 percent.

The 49-point deficit is the largest for the Jayhawks this season, and while there is a lot to learn from a game like this, there is one gleaming problem: the effort.

“I think that we as a team we can take something from them,” Umeri said. “If they can bring that effort every single play we should be able to do that too.”

The “keep scoring” mindset that the Lady Bears played with isn’t new. Continuing to put on pressure late in the game with a double-digit lead isn’t about pouring salt in the wound, it’s about consistency. Consistency is a part of the game Mulkey has all but perfected.

“That’s what we teach.

‘Don’t look at the clock.

Don’t look at the score.’

We’ve got enough depth that we challenge each of them to go out there and keep taking players in that’s the luxury that I have with this basketball team,” Mulkey said. “We are pretty loaded at all positions and have lots of depth.”

The Jayhawks are now focused on moving on to their next game against the Mountaineers. After a demolition like Sunday’s matchup, they don’t have much of a choice.