THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
SPORTS
INSIDE Testimony reveals more about the chaotic aftermath of the Oct. 1 shooting
Leaving KU, Laura Kuhn will never forget her time
p. 2
with Kansas volleyball The University Daily Kansan
vol. 136 // iss. 3 Monday, Jan. 22, 2018
Local art gallery hosts open-call galleries for aspiring artists p. 5
SEE KUHN • PAGE 10
Celebrate, support, protest Why more than 1,000 people gathered downtown Saturday in support of women’s rights
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Protestors march into downtown as they cross the intersection of 11th and Massachusetts streets on Saturday afternoon.
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Some protestors march happily with others, celebrating sisterhood during the Women’s March on Saturday afternoon. LARA KORTE @lara_korte Over 1,000 people flooded downtown Lawrence on Saturday afternoon to celebrate a year of activism and to offer a sharp rebuke of President Donald Trump, one year into his tenure. The crowd included men, women, non-binary folk, children and even dogs, many wearing the iconic pink “pussyhats” and bundled up under an overcast sky. With signs, flags and banners, they gathered in a muddy South Park to listen to activists and politicians before marching down Massachusetts Street to Lawrence City Hall. The march was organized by the February Sisters, a Lawrence-based organization named after the women who were active in the 1970s struggle for women’s equality at the University. “We really want to celebrate,” said Christine Smith, 73, a February Sister and one of the organizers of the march. She said over the past year, the country has
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Protestors march toward Massachusetts Street, preaching ideas of love and acceptance.
“There is this air of understanding amongst everyone, that we’re all kind of here for the same reason, we’re here to support each other.” Ashley Philavong Wichita freshman
seen women come out in droves to run for office and work on campaigns. “We’ve done a good job and we need to say to each other ‘Gee, we’ve done a good job.’” The march in Lawrence was one of hundreds happening Saturday across the country in cities such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago. Many of those attending the Lawrence event came from surrounding towns such as Overland Park, Lenexa and Kansas City, which did not hold marches. “There is this air of understanding amongst everyone, that we’re all kind of here for the same reason, we’re here to support each other. I really love it,” said Ashley Philavong, a freshman from
Wichita. Philavong said she thinks the culture shift that has happened in the past year has empowered women to share their experiences. “I fully believe in being visible and being transparent, and I feel like we’re slowly getting into a mindset where we’re allowed to speak about things we believe in and to speak about the different experiences we have,” she said. After listening to testimonies from local politicians, poets and religious leaders, the crowd began marching north toward city hall, hoisting signs that read things like “Still here, still nasty, still voting,” and “Nasty women make herstory.” For some, the march was
a repeat of last year when people around the world gathered to protest Donald Trump’s presidency in light of the sexual assault allegations against him. For others, like Jennifer Hendricks, a freshman from Overland Park, it was their first time marching for women’s rights. “I came out just because I want to support equality for everybody and show that I’m not afraid to stand up,” Hendricks said. It took about an hour for the entire crowd to march from the park to city hall and back again. They marched elbow-to-elbow on the sidewalks, chanting things like “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA,” and “People united will never be divided.” Some, like Andrew and
Meghan Wieten-Scott of Lawrence, brought along their children in hopes of inspiring the next generation. “I think it’s really important for him to see positive energy and to see that what’s going on in our country is not OK,” Meghan Wieten-Scott said of her 5-year-old son, Matthew, who sat atop his father’s shoulders holding a sign that said “Can’t build the wall, hands too small.” By 3:30 p.m. the march began to dwindle as people left the sidewalks and returned to their cars, some milling about South Park talking with one another. Smith said she hopes the march encourages people to find ways to be involved in their own communities. “I want people to go back to wherever they call local, wherever they’re from, and do something,” she said. “I want women to be enthusiastic and want to work together on whatever issues they need to.”
news
Monday, January 22, 2018
staff NEWS MANAGEMENT
Editor-in-chief Chandler Boese
Managing editor Erin Brock
Digital operations editor Brady Maguire
Social media editor Nathan Mize
Associate social media editor Emily Juszczyk ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT
Business manager Baylee Parsons
Sales manager Cooper Scott SECTION EDITORS
News editor Emily Wellborn
Associate news editor Katie Bernard
Sports editor Shaun Goodwin
Associate sports editor Michael Swain
Arts & culture editor Josh McQuade
Associate arts & culture editor Rachel Gaylor
Opinion editor Danya Issawi
Visuals editor & design chief Gracie Williams
Photo editor Missy Minear
Copy chiefs Gabby Cinnamon Emma Green ADVISERS
Chief financial officer Jon Schlitt
Editorial adviser Gerri Berendzen The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 50 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS., 66045. The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-4967) is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year except fall break, spring break and exams. It is published weekly during the summer session excluding holidays. Annual subscriptions by mail are $250 plus tax. Send address changes to The University Daily Kansan, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue.
KANSAN MEDIA PARTNERS Check out KUJH-TV on MidCo of Kansas Channel 31 in Lawrence for more on what you’ve read in today’s Kansan and other news. Also see KUJH’s website at tv.ku.edu. KJHK is the student voice in radio. Whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll or reggae, sports or special events, KJHK 90.7 is for you.
2000 Dole Human Development Center 1000 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kan., 66045
editor@kansan.com www.kansan.com Newsroom: (785) 864-4552 Advertising: (785) 864-4358
K A N S A N .C O M / N E W S
Chaos of Oct. 1 shooting recounted Police officers and doctors testified Friday about the bloody, chaotic aftermath of the triple murder on Massachusetts Street EMILY WELLBORN @EmWellborn The first half of Friday’s hearing covered police and medical response after the Massachusetts Street shooting on Oct.1. Most of the testimony was in regard to the response after the shots were fired, unlike the first day of testimony last Thursday, during which witnesses testified on the events leading up to the shooting. The preliminary hearing is to determine whether or not the Douglas County District Court can move forward with a full trial for the three Topeka men, Anthony Roberts Jr., Ahmad Rayton and Dominique McMillon, who are charged in relation to the shooting. Three people were killed and two were injured in the course of the shooting. Friday’s hearing began started with the testimony of Dr. Khylie McGee, an emergency medical physician at Lawrence Memorial Hospital who had experience treating gunshot wounds. She treated Royelle Hunt, one of the injured victims who was brought to the hospital. McGee testified that Hunt sustained an entry and exit wound to his right calf, but couldn’t determine on which side the bullet entered. “I’m not a ballistics expert, I can’t tell you,” she said. The Douglas County District Attorney’s office then called Lawrence Police Department officers Michael Shanks, Matthew Roberts and Brian Wonderly to the stand. All three of the officers were on patrol and responded to 11th and Massachusetts streets shortly after the shooting. The first to arrive was Officer Shanks. He had previously responded to call of a man with a gun near 9th
Chandler Boese/KANSAN The defendants of the Oct. 1 shooting listen to a witness hearing on Thursday, Jan. 11. and Illinois Streets, but was able to respond within a minute and a half of shots being fired. He described the scene of about 100 people as “chaos,” as the crowd ran in different directions. “It was one of the most chaotic situations I’ve ever been in,” he said. Shanks immediately approached a crowd surrounding something in front of the building that was formerly Englewood Florist, on the southwest corner of 11th and Massachusetts. Shanks testified that at first, he couldn’t tell if the crowd was surrounding the shooter or a victim. He said that the crowd was shouting things such as “He’s here,” “Help him,” “Get him,” and found Colwin Henderson III had been shot in the chest and was laying on his back. Shanks couldn’t accurately detect signs of life from Henderson, since the crowd began “surging in on him.” Other officers had arrived on the scene, but
even the additional support wasn’t enough to stop the crowd that Shanks described as noncompliant and hostile. Many of those who Shanks said wouldn’t move back were filming Henderson on cell phones. Shanks then testified that there wasn’t enough time for Henderson to wait for a paramedic, and given the advances of the crowd, Shanks and other officers moved Henderson to Shanks’ patrol car, so that Shanks could rush him to the hospital. “This would be his only chance of survival,” Shanks said. “I felt like he was about to die.” Shanks testified that Henderson’s wound to his chest was not actively bleeding, indicating that his heart may have stopped, but Shanks thought that Henderson may have tried to stand when Shanks lifted him from the vehicle. Shanks then stayed with, filmed and interviewed people who had gathered in the waiting room.
“He told me he was just standing in the area,” Shanks said. He also told Shanks that he “was in no way involved.” Shanks testified that this was later proven to be untrue, but didn’t specify how. Officer Roberts arrived shortly after the shooting, then was dispatched and attended to two victims on the northwest corner of 11th and Massachusetts. When he arrived, he gave chest compressions to Tremel Dean-Rayton, who had been shot in the chest, and instructed others to attend to the second non-fatally injured victim, Tahzey Rayton, who had been shot in the upper leg. Roberts couldn’t detect a pulse from Dean, but continued chest compressions until paramedics arrived. He then maintained the perimeter of the crime scene until his shift ended at 3:10 that morning. Officer Wonderly arrived at the scene around 1:46 a.m., but went to assist Of-
ficer Shanks at the hospital around 2:15 a.m., since Shanks was the only officer there. When he arrived, he was instructed to keep an eye on Dean while Shanks spoke with Hunt. He helped collect Dean’s personal belongings, including a black jacket. The DA’s office then called Dr. Eric Mitchell, the Douglas County coroner. Mitchell testified that all three of the deceased victims had alcohol in their system, but Henderson and Dean showed signs of marijuana intoxication; however, he could not determine when the two men became intoxicated or how intoxicated they were. Just before the recess on Friday, the DA’s office said that they had about seven more witnesses to call, meaning this hearing may continue on Feb. 9 if they can’t get through all of the witnesses on Friday afternoon.
— Edited by Alexandra Martinez
Details on fight, weapons come to light KATIE BERNARD @KatieJ_Bernard Friday’s afternoon testimony of the preliminary hearing on the Oct. 1 Massachusetts Street shooting shed more light on the events of the night as well as events immediately following. The hearing was on its second day, having gone through several witnesses earlier this month and on Friday morning. After the hearing concludes, the judge will have to decide whether or not there is enough evidence to put the three accused men, Anthony Roberts Jr., Ahmad Rayton and Dominique McMillon, on trial. Toiyote Hunt, who is currently being held for violation of probation, was compelled to testify in the hearing. Hunt, the brother of an injured victim, was named in testimony earlier in the day. Hunt provided
the court with details about an altercation that occurred prior to the shooting as well as the fight that led to the shooting itself. Hunt had come to Lawrence, along with a group of friends to attend a concert by Lil’ Yachty at the Granada. An altercation between Hunt’s friend and another Topeka friend broke out prior to the concert. Hunt describes the altercation as being quick. He walked to his car afterwards before going into the concert. After the concert, while driving on Massachusetts Street with two friends, Hunt said he saw Anthony Roberts Jr., Dominque McMillon and Ahmad Rayton walking across the street near Brothers Bar & Grill. He told officers about a month later that he saw what appeared to be the handle of a gun in Roberts’ pocket. On Friday, Hunt described a later fight that
broke out near the Watkins Museum. He said the fight broke out when Robert Wheeler, who testified last week, spoke to McMillon, who he referred to throughout his testimony as “Demon.” Hunt joined the fight When he saw Rayton, who he refers to as Duke, begin to join the fight. During the fight, Hunt said, Rayton fell to the ground as roughly 15 shots were fired. Hunt saw Rayton reaching for his waist, but did not see a gun, and took off running. He then heard three to five additional shots. He was unsure where the shots were coming from. “I just ran,” Hunt said, “to get out of the way.” He said, based on video from a police car he viewed about a month later, it appeared the second round of shots came from someone in the same spot where Rayton had fallen. Officer Brett Schnei-
der, who was called to the scene that night, said in testimony that he found roughly five 40-millimeter bullet casings in the northwest corner of 11th and Massachusetts streets near Watkins Museum and 15 nine-millimeter shell casings on the north side of 11th Street. Later that night, Officer Ian McCann, who also testified in the afternoon session, reported stopping a car in the 7200 block of 6th Street. Roberts was driving the car. Rayton, McMillon and a witness, who the Kansan will not name for their safety were also in the car that night. Roberts had a nine-millimeter glock handgun on him. Because he was outnumbered, McCann called for backup, and, when Officer Narissa Dunn arrived, the men were asked to exit the car, then they questioned them and searched them for weapons. The men
claimed to have been in Lawrence to visit the unidentified witness’s mother and another witness’s aunt. The department was unable to reach the witness’s mother that night, and the men were allowed to leave without having their car searched or receiving a traffic infraction. Amanda Gibson, firearm and toolmark examiner for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, said Robert’s handgun appeared on a list of those which may have fired a bullet found among victim Tremel Dean-Rayton’s clothing. “We examine the individual characteristics … looking for a pattern and consistencies of two bullets to see if they are fired from the same gun,” Gibson testified. The preliminary hearing will continue on Feb. 9.
NE WS
K ANSAN.COM
3
Study explores first-gen student support
Three KU staffers recently published a study exploring ways public universities can change the way they develop programs for first-generation college students.
Gina Huss/KANSAN Marissa Wiley, Joseph Erba and Angela Gist-Mackey teamed up for research on first-generation college students and the support that the University of Kansas can provide for them. “Part of what we devel- University currently has report from family members,” munication, developed the as they call them. oped was this idea of may- sources for first-generation Wiley said. Gist and Ebra developed study to understand how TAYLOR ANDERSON Although parents pro- be including something students through the Offirst-generation students their study and interviewed @taylor_ando seek out information to 28 FGCS during their first vided encouragement and like an anonymous social fice of Multicultural Affairs While many incoming assist them on their transi- semester of college at the motivation, first-generation media platform where peo- and First-Year Experience, University about their ex- students in the study strug- ple could go to ask their it is crucial that students be freshmen begin their first tion to college. “If they want informa- periences. After enlist- gled with not having any- questions but not be em- made aware these resources year of college armed with knowledge from family and tion about college, since ing the help of Wiley, the one to answer their specif- barrassed by the things exist. friends, some students en- they cannot really ask their scholars noticed a pattern ic questions about college they don’t know,” Gist said. Gist said she wants their ter into higher education parents, they’re more likely of students expressing a and guide them through “We had to think creatively findings to change the way the process. Ebra noted about how to provide infor- universities develop prowithout a clue about what a to turn toward media,” Ebra many students had ques- mation to students.” credit hour is, how financial said. “We were very, very grams for first-generation “You don’t know Wiley also highlighted college students. tions about what a credit aid works or if classes run interested in seeing how what you don’t hour was, how financial aid the importance of getting these students make sense all yearlong. “We hope the faculty know. That’s through to first-generation worked, and whether classof the college world when who read the study will A recent study pubcollege students so they es were yearlong. they cannot ask direct famunderstand their role in lished in Communication just the way it could help others in return. “You really have to try to supporting students that Education by three Univer- ily members.” works.” “A lot of students talkunderstand the perspective After meeting during come from first-gen backsity staff members explored of these students,” Ebra ed about how they wanted grounds,” Gist said. “It’s the challenges first-genera- a faculty orientation, Gist Joseph Ebra said. “You don’t know what to give back, so if the Uni- just important to get that and Ebra discovered an tion college students face professor you don’t know. That’s just versity was better able to story out there, so that peoand how universities can overlap in their research equip these students and ple better understand what the way it works.” areas of interest. While Gist better support them. provide that support, then is this experience that peoGist, Wiley and Ebra often studied social moAngela Gist-Mackey, that’s just more informa- ple go through when they worked to develop new need for social support. bility, Ebra looked at how assistant professor in orgation and more of a support come into this unfamiliar strategies of providing re“They’re coming to cammedia addresses underrepnizational communication; Marissa Wiley, doctoral resented groups, and the pus, they’re trying to navi- sources to first-generation system they can continue environment and are trycandidate and graduate two decided to combine gate this experience, and students, such as mentor- to give on to other people,” ing to navigate it by themselves.” research assistant; and Jo- their work by focusing spe- they’re kind of being led by ship programs or specific Wiley said. All three scholars emcommunication targeting themselves at first because cifically on first-generation seph Ebra, assistant prophasized that while the fessor of strategic com- college students, or FGCS, they don’t have that sup- the students.
KU to purchase tasers for campus police
KALLI JO SMITH @kallijosmith
The KU Public Safety Office plans to equip all campus police with tasers by the end of spring semester, according to University Police Chief Chris Keary. Keary said the department will join the growing number of law enforcement agencies carrying tasers, which the department refers to as conducted electrical weapons, or CEWs. “Most Kansas Board of Regents law enforcement agencies, and most Big 12 law enforcement agencies are carrying them,” he said. “Most law enforcement agencies in the area do, as well. It seems to have become the standard for law enforcement, and some people assume we already are carrying them.” The new CEWs on the KU campus will provide officers with an additional tool to use when lethal force is not appropriate or necessary, Keary said. Keary said the fatal
“We want to make sure that we have the use of force options that the community thinks we should have.” Chris Keary KU PSO chief
shooting of a student by campus police at Georgia Tech University in September is a good example of when a CEW would have been reasonable and effective, rather than using a firearm, but the officer didn’t have the option. The use of tasers on campus have gained approval from University administration, Student Senate, Multicultural Student Government and University and Faculty Senate. Student Body President Mady Womack says she and Vice President Mattie Carter spoke with Keary about their decision to support the addition of the tasers last semester. “We expressed that we supported that decision because tasers provide safer,
non-lethal means to deal with dangerous situations,” Womack said. KU PSO is looking into purchasing the Taser X2 and holsters for all 31 of its police officers, according to Keary. The Taser X2 is a two-shot option CEW that features a backup shot and a warning arc, according to Axon, the company selling the product. “We want to make sure that we have the use of force options that the community thinks we should have,” Keary said. “And that our officers have the tools necessary to protect themselves and the community.” The X2 Taser costs about $1,200 along with $70 per holster. Keary said in addition to the tasers, KU PSO has chosen to get
Andrea Ringgenberg/KANSAN KU PSO is purchasing 31 tasers for the department.
an extended warranty, unlimited training and regular cartridges and batteries for up to 5 years, which has increased the price to about $2,100 per taser. The department will purchase 31 using the KU PSO budget totalling $65,100 out of the departments total $2,031,948 budget. “Since this is a new program with the department, I wanted to make sure we had sufficient support to
fully train all officers with the tasers, and have a quick solution to any issues that came up,” Keary said. For anyone who is tased by the CEW’s, that person will experience what’s called Neuro Muscular Incapacitation (NMI), according to the Taser X2 user manual. Neuro muscular incapacitation will cause involuntary stimulation to both the sensory nerves and
motor nerves. According to the manual, the taser is not dependent on pain and can also be effective on people with high pain tolerance. After a subject is tased, the officer will make sure the situation is controlled before providing medical attention, Keary said.
opinion Monday, January 22, 2018
Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351
K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N
Landolt: USA failed its gymnasts
FFA of the Day: it’s flu season and i did not get a flu shot. i’m ready for god to take me All right my apartment complex needs to SHUT THE F--- UP “I used the check my mom gave me for therapy on groceries.” I feel like college is gradually training my body to replace my water intake with coffee i don’t get why technology hasn’t advanced to the point of being able to log out of life for a few hours Someone just came into my class while the teacher was talking and completely interrupts and asks “does anyone know if I left my juul in here?” And starts searching the room and accusing people of stealing it hahaha yo I just ate tryyaki and i deadass feel 9 months pregnant ok how long do i have to be past high school for it to be ok to unfriend/unfollow literally everyone i grew up with Someone just Iced me virtually by AirDropping a photo of a Smirnoff Ice to me at the Hawk…
MOLLY LANDOLT @mollylandolt While the U.S. women’s gymnastics team has prevailed for years, amidst injury and adversity, a storm has been quietly brewing behind the scenes. Since 1996, USA Gymnastics has failed to protect and empower their female gymnasts in order to preserve a positive reputation. The greedy and corrupt organization deliberately enabled and exposed young women to a predator for years, and attempted to silence young women that bravely came forward with stories of abuse. The national team’s ex-physician, Larry Nassar, has been accused of sexually abusing and assaulting young gymnasts since the early ‘90s. According to Sports Illustrated, over 150 women have accused Nassar of abusing them while under his treatment, and around 100 women are expected to speak at his sentencing this week. Nassar has already been sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornog-
raphy charges, and he is under sentencing again after pleading guilty to 10 counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct. Nassar’s victims are bravely sharing their horrific stories in wake of his sentencing, including Olympic gold medalists McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Simone Biles. In an attempt to salvage their reputation, USA Gymnastics silenced Maroney. According to NPR, USA Gymnastics settled with Maroney for $1.25 million after she sued, and part of the settlement required her to sign a non-disclosure agreement in which she could face a $100,000 fine for speaking publicly about her experience with Nassar. Model and Internet personality Chrissy Teigen announced over Twitter that she would pay Maroney’s fine for speaking in court. After Teigen’s generous offer and outrage surrounding the case, USA Gymnastics announced that they would not charge Maroney with the massive fine if she spoke at Nassar’s sentencing.
Went to the arch in st. louis and this irish guy was mad that it was closed cuz of the government shutdown.
i don’t trust u if u drink four lokos gordon ramsay would be so ashamed of what i consider a meal replying to emails is my hell at this point i would slingshot myself thru the campanile if it meant i didn’t have to go to class tomorrow I saw a sign at the Women’s March that said “Trump should eat a Tide Pod” and that was quite nice my greatest college moment was sprinting my way out of an MIP on dollar night
The way USA Gymnastics handled the case is disgusting and unprofessional. According to Sports Illustrated, the first gymnast vocalized her concerns about Nassar in 2015 to USA Gymnastics. The organization hired a private investigator, but dropped the case after concluding that there was not reasonable evidence that sexual assault occurred. It wasn’t until five weeks later, when Olympians McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman reported their stories of abuse, that USA Gymnastics finally notified the FBI. USA Gymnastics tried to preserve their reputation at all costs before the Rio Olympics. The organization claims they notified law en-
forcement and fired Nassar after allegations of sexual abuse, but they did not publicly refute Nassar’s statement that he was “retiring” from his position with the national team. Furthermore, USA Gymnastics also did not notify officials at Michigan State University, where Nassar continued to practice following his firing from USA Gymnastics. How could one man sexually assault over 150 women in the span of over 20 years and not get caught? USA Gymnastics enabled Nassar throughout his time as a doctor for the national team. The young gymnasts were expected to trust Nassar and his treatment, and when they stepped forward
with allegations, USA Gymnastics slowly, secretly and reluctantly handled the case. USA Gymnastics should have been upfront about the entire situation. They should have notified the public and empowered victims in telling their stories. Listening, believing and taking action, in this case and others, could have saved many girls from experiencing traumatizing abuse. This case must influence organizations to believe the first allegation of sexual assault, rather than attempting to stifle the victim’s voice.
Molly Landolt is a freshman from Labadie, Missouri, studying strategic communications.
Issawi: Feminism will never be uniform
“If you go to the Cave, I don’t want your FFA’s”
“Dystopian fiction is so hot in 2018 hand me that mf tinfoil hat”
Associated Press A victim makes her “impact statement” to Larry Nassar during a sentencing hearing as he puts his head down in district court on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
DANYA ISSAWI @danyasawi The 2017 Women’s March shattered records. It was idyllic, and revolutionary, both theoretically and existentially. Last year, roughly 4 million people took to the streets to fight back against injustice and discrimination — to rally alongside their mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. They gathered to hear feminist powerhouses like Linda Sarsour, Janet Mock and Tamika Mallory give speeches. It would be remiss to say the organization and implementation of the Women’s March was not a massive leap in the right direction for women on a general scale. Since the 2017 march, we’ve seen more women elected into office, the spark and fire that is the #MeToo movement, and an overall awak-
ening and increase in discussion regarding sexual assault and harassment. This past year has been an empowering one for women — a year doused in the unfortunate interconnectedness and solidarity that can only come from living under the same blanket of oppression. But despite these accomplishments and conversations and catalysts of change, what we have continued to neglect, through these movements and through the Women’s March, is intersectionality. Women across the U.S. felt a sense of exclusion, particularly on a local level. They felt that this march and this movement failed to advocate for women of color, transgender women and other members of the LGBTQ community, as well as women who have political ideologies that deviate from what
how to submit a letter to the editor
LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words
The submission should include the author’s name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.
is normalized as the feminist political agenda. Those who identify as women and as feminists often agree on certain goals, such as bridging the wage gap (white women still only earn 83 percent of what men earn), increasing female representation in local and national government, and fighting back against sexual assault and harassment, to name a few. These are considered staples of feminism and pinnacles of harmony among women.
Women across the U.S. felt a sense of exclusion, particularly at a local level. But often, when women begin to branch off into subgroups based off of their non-female identities, such as race, sexuality and lived experience, they are neglected. They become the minority that lacks representation, and thus their goals are overlooked. For example, this year in Philadelphia, march organizers collaborated with local police to increase security, which many potential attendees felt uncomfortable
with. Several local female activists in the area called for a boycott of the march and shared a Facebook post stating the decision to collaborate with the police put those who feel “already targeted by law enforcement,” such as black and transgender women, at risk. And on the other side of the spectrum, women like Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa identify as feminists but deviate from what is considered the political “norm” for feminism. Last year, Herndon-De La Rosa’s anti-abortion group was removed from the Women’s March on Washington’s list of partners. While many within the movement disagree with Herndon-De La Rosa’s ideology, this highlights a serious lack of political inclusion. Feminism is not void of disagreement and should not strive to achieve uniformity. Rather, our political differences should create an environment in which debate, compromise and understanding are tools to further progress feminism. This inadequate presence of diversity within the Women’s March organization is a mere mirror of the world beyond the movement, but an association created by women and for women should be the last place a woman
contact us Chandler Boese Editor-in-Chief cboese@kansan.com
Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com
should expect to be marginalized. It is critical to consider each woman’s lived experience and identity and how it plays into their version of feminism. And with that, it is vital to ensure that these women, whether they be white, black, cisgender, transgender or anything in between, are granted representation, especially among their fellow women. But it isn’t solely up to march leaders. We, on a personal level, simply have to do better. We have to be willing to reach across the table and consider other women’s wants and needs — their desires based off of their identities and intersectionality. In order to advance together as women in the world, we must begin to see that feminism looks and feels different to everyone. We have to work on understanding that our desires for the future of feminism may be different from those of our mothers, sisters, daughters and friends. We have to realize that everyone deserves a shot at representation within this movement. We all deserve a shot at being a feminist.
Danya Issawi is a senior from Prairie Village studying news and information.
editorial board
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Chandler Boese, Erin Brock, Danya Issawi and Baylee Parsons.
arts & culture Monday, January 22, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S A N D C U LT U R E
Missy Minear/KANSAN The Percolator is a non-profit studio located in downtown Lawrence.
Studio fosters art, community, activism NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury Nearly 10 years ago, a group of artists gathered together in a studio belonging to Lawrence muralist Dave Loewenstein, to discuss an alternative way for artists to have their work presented. Those meetings turned into art exhibits hosted by a space that was later named the Percolator. Tucked behind the alley of Rhode Island Street, the Percolator has been active since 2007. Initially, the small building looked a bit like a bait shop, prompting them to add the sign, “The Percolator — Not a Bait Shop,” installed, according to Eric Farnsworth, the current treasurer of the organization. Now, the Percolator has stood for nearly a decade as a bright yellow building amongst duplexes and Massachusetts Street
businesses. Although, according to Walt Ohnesorge, one of the cochairs of the Percolator, it’s commonplace for people to walk in and ask for coffee due to its title, something that has become an inside joke amongst its board members. “Christina Hoxie — one of the original members — came up with the name; things bubbling up was kind of the idea behind it,” Farnsworth said. Though initially a space for local artists to show their work, the Percolator has merged with the Lawrence Corporation for the Advancement of Visual Arts. The original nonprofit organization, which was a separate entity from the Percolator, had an annual show that served as a venue for local artists to show their work. Around 2008, the original group discussed disbanding, but instead
“We’re not a luxury gallery. If you make it in less than fifty bucks, you’ve met your audience here.” Eric Farnsworth treasurer
work — but that’s where aesthetics and activism get a little bit fuzzy in the making process,” Ohnesorge said. “It’s also where we’re a community space. But if an artist needs a place to work and their work rubs someone the wrong way, it’s still artwork.” One of its most controversial showings, titled the Story of Chickens, was by Amber Hansen, a local artist who wanted to show that “people really don’t know anything about the food system,” Farnsworth said. Hansen raised five chickens, bringing them into public spaces in Lawrence. After the community bonded with the animals, a local butcher would slaughter them outside of the Percolator and have the chef make a meal out of them. The show never followed through, according to Ohnesorge, but their social media and email were saturated
with responses about the show. “The discourse around it ended up being the project,” Ohnesorge said. According to Farnsworth, the showing is one of the many non-traditional events the Percolator hosts — the group is open to providing a space for all forms of arts. The organization’s goal is to have an alternative space for local artists to have their work shown. “Most businesses fail right away — not that we’re a traditional business model and none of us make any money — but we’ve been really successful in keeping it going despite of that,” Ohnesorge said. “The margins of this to happen in ‘capitalist’ America are really slender. So to find a place like this, a makerspace, it’s something really special. I hope more and more people recognize that.”
voted in members of the Percolator as members of the board. The board meets once a month, planning upcoming gallery exhibitions. Some of the shows are put on by the Percolator, while others are from community members who send in proposals to the board to utilize the space. It’s upcoming show, the Love Show No. 6, is one of the many open-call exhibits the Percolator hosts throughout the year. “We’re not a luxury gallery. If you make it in less than fifty bucks, you’ve met your audience here,” Farnsworth said. “Just the community aspect of it, it’s like the
Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney movie, where it’s like, ‘I’ve got a barn. I’ve got a timpani. Let’s put on a show!’ Nobody is stopping us, we just do stuff.” Most recently, the Percolator hosted a poster-making party prior to the Women’s March on Saturday, though according to Ohnesorge, the Percolator stays neutral on current events. “Art and activism often happen at the same time, so we’re open to people having art that has a purpose. I think that’s what you’re seeing now with this event, people have some intentions — perhaps some political intention behind their
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Explore and discover new terrain. Expand your understanding of a subject of your fascination. Try new techniques, ideas and flavors. Learn another view.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) With a partner’s help, you can advance quickly. Keep your side of the bargain. Do what you say. Support your team. Cheer and applaud.
SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Enjoy time with family, children and people you love. Romance grows with steady tending. Engage in fun activities, sports and hobbies. Have fun together.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Creativity flows today and tomorrow. Writing projects come together. Communication channels and traffic are wide open. Travel, express and share your views.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Handle financial matters over the next few days. Send invoice and pay bills. Monitor balances and make transfers. Negotiate and bargain.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) Physical action provides satisfying results. Get moving and get your heart pumping! Nurture your health to maximize productivity. Good food and rest recharge you.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Make domestic decisions over the next few days. Home improvements and renovations provide satisfying results. Clean house and feed worker bees. Enjoy home comforts.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) The next two days are good for business. Market your wares and process transactions. Provide excellent service. Keep your customers satisfied.
horoscopes ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) You’re getting stronger today and tomorrow. Go for your heart’s desire. Take action for a personal project. You can make things happen.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Friends and community projects come together over the next few days. Align forces for a common cause. Together, you’re powerful.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Review and consider your dreams, visions and desires for a few days. What do you want? Speculate and investigate possibilities. Make plans and reservations.
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22) The next two days are good for professional decisions. Move on an exciting opportunity. Take action to make things happen. Draw upon hidden resources.
ARTS & CULTURE
6
PUZZLES
Crossword
Cryptoquip
Sudoku
?
FIND THE ANSWER S A ND OTHER GREAT CONTENT AT
KA NSA N.COM
K ANSAN.COM
K ANSAN.COM
ARTS & CULTURE
7
Photo contributed by Zia
Local artist aims to support novice creators DEASIA PAIGE @deasia_paige Local artist Zia wants her creative work to be proof to others that dreams are attainable, regardless of external experiences. Zia, a native of India, said her initial interest in being a visual artist was based on the positive impact art had on her at an early age. “Originally, it was from my own past experience with art that other people had made from when I was young in terms of how meaningful it was for me to view it and have it around and how it made my world a better place,” Zia said. “Later, I felt driven in becoming an artist myself because I wanted to do the same thing and put the same art into the
world in a meaningful way.” The Lawrence-based artist said the same empowerment that she felt through artwork was what made her start her own artist consulting business, Your Artist Self, in which Zia helps other artists tap into and retain their creativity. As a creative coach, Zia said she wants to ensure that artists are well supported and well resourced with the necessary tools to foster the continuity of their artwork. “I really believe very strongly that artists have more than enough challenges,” Zia said. “It’s a pretty harsh environment sometimes and not everyone has that natural ability to withstand that. When you’re challenged in that way it really af-
“When I saw what [art] did for me, I saw that it can be even more powerful for other artists.” Zia artist
fects your ability to create well. So, what I do with the artists with Your Creative Self is to help them create really well.” Zia said she had her own personal challenges that inhibited her creativity and inspired her to start Your Creative Self and help other artists with their own challenges. “I had a ridiculous car accident 11 years ago and wasn’t able to do anything for many years because of the physical challenges,” Zia said. “I had to rebuild my connection with being an artist again, and that’s
when coaching impacted me in a very positive way, and I thought that I wasn’t the only one who needed that kind of support. When I saw what it did for me, I saw that it can be even more powerful for other artists.” Aside from empowering other artists, Zia said she wants to empower viewers and participants that are engaged with her public art. One project in particular, The Grip Project, was established for that purpose. The community-based project that started in Law-
rence during the summer of 2016 engaged participants in gripping their hands in porcelain clay to make their own imprints. “Using the simple gesture, like making a thick mark with porcelain in your hand, so that when you open it you see the impression of your own hand; that’s a very small gesture but it’s very meaningful because it gives you that moment of awareness that your hand can make a mark, no matter who you are,” Zia said. Zia was invited to the Lawrence Arts Center to involve the community of Lawrence in her project. According to a Facebook post from the Lawrence Arts Center, attendees would create hand marks on porcelain clay in order to add each person’s individuality to the collection
of grips. Zia’s work also landed her to be one of the featured artists used to help revamp Lawrence with artwork as a part of the East Ninth Street Project, which was in conjunction with the Lawrence Arts Center. However, Zia said the project has been put on hold. Nevertheless, Zia said she hopes her work continues to inspire viewers to reflect about things in their own life. “I want them to experience themselves in my work,” Zia said. “I want them to experience something within themselves that is already there because my work provokes that.”
—Edited by Britt Redmond
Photo contributed by Zia Zia works on her 2016 project, “The Grip Project.”
ARTS & CULTURE
8
K ANSAN.COM
Stars support Maroney, Pompeo gets deal
Network on Thursday. SpikeTV, owned by Viacom, launched in 1983 and currently airs syndicated shows like “Two and a Half Men,” “Friends,” and “M*A*S*H.” Original programing includes “Lip Sync Battle” and “Cops” as well as sporting events like mixed martial arts, kickboxing, Premier Boxing Champions and other combat sports. Upcoming programs include the miniseries “Waco,” drama “Heathers” and comedy “American Woman.
RACHEL GAYLOR @raegay218
College students barely have time to think about events that don’t pertain to classes or puppies, so it’s hard to keep up with the world of popular culture. Fear not, as the Kansan will now produce a weekly column to let you know about the biggest events in entertainment for the week. We’ll have three important events and three extra events in “The Final Three.” Check out our first edition below.
THE FINAL THREE…
WOMEN SUPPORTING WOMEN Gymnast McKayla Maroney revealed she was molested as a teenager by notorious pedophile Larry Nassar — the former doctor who will spend the rest of his life in prison after being accused of sexual assault by more than 150 former athletes with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Maroney revealed she settled a lawsuit with USA Gymnastics in 2016 for $1.25 million. The lawsuit contained a non-disclosure agreement, and since Maroney went public with the lawsuit, she may have to pay a $100,000 fine. Chrissy Teigen saw the potential of a fine and publicly said she would pay the fine for Maroney. “Parks & Recreation” and “The Good Place” creator Mike Schur joined Teigen and offered to split the fine. Actress
Contributed photo
Erica Baker, left, and Katie Couric participate in the ‘America Inside Out with Katie Kouric’ panel during the Nationa Geographic Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. Kristen Bell has also joined in saying she would help cover the fine as well. USA Gymnastics has said that they will not seek retribution as of now. Maroney released a statement as a response to the gesture.
NEW DEAL FOR “GREY’S” STAR Contributed photo In this Nov. 9, 2017, file photo, Kristen Bell arrives at the 2017 Patron of the Artists Awards at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California. Bell recently offered to chip in on a possible fine that would be assessed to gymnast McKayla Maroney.
Ellen Pompeo, the titular star of “Grey’s Anatomy,” has signed a new two-year contract with ABC Studios that could earn her upwards of $20 million over that time. The show has yet to
be renewed for two seasons, but the contract guarantees that Pompeo will be a part of future seasons, given the green light. Pompeo will also become a producer on the show and earn $575,000 per episode, earning her the title of highest-paid actress on a television drama. “Grey’s Anatomy” is currently in its 14th season on ABC.
NEW NAME, SAME NETWORK The SpikeTV network bid farewell to the name and became The Paramount
Katie Couric, the former “Today Show” anchor, is returning to NBC to cohost the opening ceremony for the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. The ceremony will be streamed live at 5 a.m., but will be shown on delay at 7 p.m. on NBC. The third child of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West was born on Monday via surrogate. The baby is girl number two, and it was just announced Friday that her name is Chicago. 24th Annual SAG awards will be Sunday hosted by Kristen Bell. The ceremony focuses strictly on performances of the actors in movie and television and is voted upon by the Screen Actors Guild. The ceremony will be live on TNT and TBS at 7 p.m.
— Edited by Alexandra Martinez
Exhibit celebrates grassroots activism
NICOLE ASBURY @nicoleasbury
A traveling exhibit from Watkins Museum and the city of Lawrence commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act in Lawrence will be displayed in different locations throughout the year. The decision for the Fair Housing Act in Lawrence came a year before the nationwide Fair Housing Act of 1968. The exhibit is called Power of the People: Lawrence and Fair Housing. The four panels of the display tell the story of how activists in the 1960s pushed for fair housing in Lawrence, something that was “dangerous work,” according to Will Hickox, the public programs coordinator at Watkins Museum. “It was very controversial. A lot of white people supported it, but a lot of white people were against it,” Hickox said. “Through the grassroots effort, [activists] were able to get the Lawrence Human Rights Commission to petition the city government for this ordinance.” Besides detailing the history behind the movement, the display covers steps based on the actions took by activists during the Civil Rightsera to organize a social movement. “We also wanted
Contributed photo People visit the new traveling exhibit currently housed at the Dole Institute of Politics titled Power of the People: Lawrence & Fair Housing. to commemorate how it was brought about. This was a grassroots effort, like many of the campaigns in the Civil Rights movement. The government didn’t initiate this; this was people in the community coming together through churches, civil rights organizations and other groups,” Hickox said. The process for the exhibit began about two years ago. Last year,
“It’s about Lawrence and Douglas County people all taking a stand for what they believed in.” Will Hickox Watkins Museums public programs coordinator
the exhibit officially launched at Watkins Museum. Now, it is located at the Spencer Research Library for display. Those interested
can view it at designated locations free of charge. “It’s about Lawrence and Douglas County people all taking a stand for what they believed
in. Through a number of initiatives and a number of organizations locally, we thought it was ideal as a traveling exhibit,” Hickox said. “Number one, so it could reach the biggest audience possible, but also to emphasize this was a community wide event, not just something that deserves to be commemorated at the local history museum. Everyone should know about this.”
The exhibit has future plans to be displayed in Spencer Research Library, city hall and the Lawrence Public Library. —Edited by Chandler Boese
SPORTS
K ANSAN.COM
9
Swim and dive dominate in dual meet
BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real After a significant break between meets — its last competition was the Kansas Classic on Nov. 17 to 19 — the Kansas women’s swimming and diving team came back strong with a convincing 130-64 victory in a dual meet versus William Jewell on Thursday. The two-month break didn’t seem to slow the Jayhawks down as they earned first-place finishes in 12 of 13 events, highlighted by freshman Lauryn Parrish’s victories in the 1000yard freestyle (10:24.33) and 500-yard freestyle (5:06.45). The team’s break included a trip to Hawaii to train with professional athletes and going through training camp to stay in proper physical shape. Parrish believes that competing while the team is exhausted will help in the long run. “The number one thing you face in every meet is adversity and I think it’s very interesting to host this on a Thursday night,” Parrish said. “It’s the first week of school, just coming off training camp, we’re exhausted by the time change from Hawaii … we’re at our
lowest point and so beat up. If we can start sharpening things from here, it’s going to be even greater later in the season.” Junior Haley Bishop also had a successful night, with first place finishes in the 200-yard medley relay (1:45.97), 200-yard freestyle (1:51.06), 100-yard freestyle (52.27) and the 200-yard freestyle relay, which she raced in with Parrish (1:41.47). With the sound victory, Bishop is proud of the effort and believes that the meet will serve as a building block to finish the season strong against tough competition. “I think everyone is starting to sharpen things up,” Bishop said. “It’s important that we get back into racing and we have three more [meets] back to back to back, which is good because at [the Big 12 Conference meet] you have to continue to get up and go. It’s good simulation for going into conference.” Parrish agreed that this meet helps further prepare the team for upcoming meets. “We have great competition these next two weeks,” Parrish said. “Arkansas and Iowa State are both really
Andrea Ringgenberg/KANSAN Then-sophomore Haley Bishop swims the 200-yard butterfly against Iowa State on Feb. 3, 2017.
strong and if we can race them well it’s definitely going to instill the confidence we need to swim against not only Iowa State again, but Texas, TCU and West Virginia and get ready and show them what the Hawks are made of.” While Bishop agrees with Parrish in that this dual meet will help the
team, hosting the meet also led to the Jayhawks’ success overall. “It was nice to be able to have a meet like this where we kind of own this pool, just so if we have some mishaps or some not wellswam races, we’re able to fix that for when it really is time and we have to be on and sharp,” Bishop said.
Outside of Parrish and Bishop, swimmers with other first-place finishes individually were freshman Crissie Blomquist (200-yard freestyle, 1:54.70), junior Taylor Sieperda (50-yard freestyle, 24.34), senior Madison Straight (400-yard individual medley, 4:28.76) redshirt sophomore Caroline McCleary (1-meter dive,
265.50) sophomore Katy Schlies (100-yard butterfly, 56.93) sophomore Elizabeth Amato-Hanner (100-yard backstroke, 57.58) and senior Nadia Khechfe (3-meter dive, 286.27). The Jayhawks next host a dual meet against Arkansas on Friday, Jan. 26, at Robinson Natatorium with the events starting at 5 p.m.
New players aim to fill Sporting KC’s gaps
Andrea Ringgenberg/KANSAN Sporting Kansas City forward Daniel Salloi celebrates with teammates on the sideline after scoring their second goal of the night during the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final against the New York Red Bulls. Sporting Kansas City won 2-1 on Sept. 20, 2017.
ARMAN ALHOSSEINI @PERSIAsGREATEST As Sporting Kansas City’s preseason gets underway this Saturday in Arizona, the team will look at its new additions to fill the voids of midfielder Benny Feilhaber and forward Latif Blessing, who recently joined expansion team LAFC for the 2018 MLS season. While both Feilhaber and Blessing had premier offensive roles with Kansas City, the team isn’t worried, since young talent acquired
in multiple ways has the potential to fill the holes. Forward Zach Wright, three-year starter from the University of North Carolina, signed with Kansas City last week after being a part of the team’s U-18 Academy as a senior in high school. “It’s kind of like a dream,” Wright said Saturday. “Always wanted to get back here, be around the guys again, so [I’m] excited about that.” The youngest of the newly signed additions, Wright joins former North
Carolina teammate and 2017 SuperDraft firstround defender Colton Storm on the team. “It’ll be easy to blend into things,” Storm said. “It feels good to be back together.” With 15 goals and 28 assists over the course of 79 games at North Carolina, Wright not only adds an attacking presence but a multi-dimensional aspect, as he was in the top three of the ACC leaderboard in assists during his last two years as a Tar Heel. From across the Atlantic
Ocean, Kansas City signed French midfielder Yohan Croizet in December. Croizet’s European experience is a unique but not rare aspect to Kansas City, with Croizet having spent three years in Belgium’s first league, most recently with KV Mechelen. “In Europe, some players want to come play in the MLS,” Croizet said. “For the players like me, we want to try a new experience.” Forward Daniel Salloi, one of Sporting KC’s three European natives, believes that the Frenchman’s style
of play resembles Feilhaber’s the most. “He’s a type of player who is a cheeky player on the field,” Salloi said. Kansas City’s third newly signed addition, forward Khiry Shelton, was acquired from New York City FC last month. Although an injury sidelined him for most of last season, Shelton tallied six goals and 10 assists in his three-year stint for the 2015 expansion team. A member of the youth national team, Shelton adds top-level American ex-
perience at the youth level, a trait Kansas City has been attracted to in recent years. “There’s some new faces here,” Shelton said. “We got to get together as a team and be one unit so that when we hit the pitch … we’re going with a full head of steam.” Kansas City will play seven games in Arizona before it heads to New York City to face NYCFC in its season opener on March 4.
10
K ANSAN.COM
SPORTS
Courtesy of Kansas Athletics Then-associate coach of Kansas volleyball, Laura “Bird” Kuhn talks to then-freshman Zoe Hill during a match against Iowa State. Kuhn is the new head coach of Texas A&M volleyball.
From Lawrence to College Station Despite Laura “Bird” Kuhn’s new title as head coach of Texas A&M volleyball, her relationships in Lawrence will never fade.
ANDREW ROSENTHAL @Rosentrotter After nearly a month of nonstop chaos and negotiations, Laura “Bird” Kuhn finally got a chance to breathe. Late on a Friday night, not even two weeks after officially being named the new head coach of Texas A&M volleyball, she started to pack her car for a trip to San Antonio. It will be her first scouting destination as a coach. While at Kansas, Kuhn would typically go on visits with Kansas coach Ray Bechard. But this time will be a little different. Both of them are hot on the recruiting trail, but for their respective programs as club volleyball season kicks off in the spring. In San Antonio recruiting for two different programs, Bechard and Kuhn will get a chance to catch up for the first time since her initial announcement just before New Year’s Eve. As awkward as it may seem for recruits to see two head coaches socializing with one another, it’s the highlight of Kuhn’s journey. Relationships are everything to Kuhn. If there’s one person that couldn’t have prepared her more for her coaching endeavor, it would be Bechard.
THE RIGHT PICK There’s a strong sense of mutual respect among collegiate volleyball coaches. If you ask any given coach, most would reply that they hold other coaches and assistants in high regard. Taking over a program that hasn’t seen a coaching change in 25 years is some-
thing some would steer away from. Laurie and John Corbelli had a substantial reputation as they led the Aggies, crafting a program that Kuhn always looked up to. “To me, and even with that I was like, ‘That’s a foundation.’ It doesn’t matter the ups and downs, whatever might have happened. That is a foundation that has been laid here, and that is to me a very positive thing,” Kuhn said to a group of reporters at Texas A&M. It’s a given that relationships are a big deal in all aspects of life, but in volleyball, it’s what sets teams apart. Everyone knows everybody, so Kuhn’s pipeline to Texas A&M was just a phone call away. The mission of finding a new coach for the Aggies was tasked to Texas A&M Senior Associate Athletics Director Lori Williams. Williams was formerly an associate athletics director for risk management at Kansas. It was during this position that she first crossed paths with Kuhn. “I’d say we looked at anywhere from maybe five to a dozen that we were really narrowing down and having those conversations, but again initially my first call was to Bird,” Williams said. Williams never let go of her conversation with Kuhn during the recruitment process — she was convinced that she was the top assistant coach in the country. She’d be the first and only to receive an offer. “Because I had an opportunity to work with her briefly at Kansas, we have that relationship,” Williams said. “It was an easy first call to reach out to Bird. And from that conversa-
tion, I hung up thinking, ‘OK, this is different.’” Williams’ regards easily sympathized with Texas A&M Athletics Director Scott Woodward. He said that Chief Financial Officer Jeff Toole had told him, “don’t let her get out of here without hiring her,” right after she arrived on campus. “Everything that she talked about aligned with everything that we are about — giving our kids the first-rate education that they can get,” Woodward said. “Secondly, being able to compete at the highest level and not being afraid of it, and that is what she is about.”
A TRANSITION FOR EVERYONE When Kuhn accepted the coaching position at Texas A&M shortly before the new year, Kansas volleyball was shocked. After seven years, Kuhn left Kansas volleyball after turning down several coaching offers in the past. One by one, Kuhn called her players, and coaching staff to talk to them after the decision had been made. The one person that couldn’t be any more proud was Bechard. “It was shocking and kind of unexpected, [Bechard] has been nothing but supportive though,” Kuhn said. “He’s always wanted me to grow and mentor me.” While at Kansas, and even more so after she had left, Bechard spoke daily with Kuhn about whatever you could imagine when it came to volleyball, or anything else. But the biggest thing she
took away from Bechard’s advice is one of the factors that originally brought her to becoming a Jayhawk. It’s something Bechard calls a “life balance,” or the idea of embracing differences in coaching personalities for the better of the program. “Whenever you hire a staff, you need to find someone who can balance you,” Bechard told Kuhn early in her time with the Jayhawks, according to Kuhn. Seven years later, Kuhn sees how the coaching staff at Kansas worked so well and was so successful. While Kuhn was more energetic, Bechard was always the laid back mind. It was the same mindset Bechard used for hiring assistants Kelly Files and Billy Ebel to replace Kuhn and Todd Chamberlain, who recently accepted an assistant coaching job at Louisville. “We feel Kelly and Billy are a perfect fit for our program,” Bechard said in a release. “They can work together, challenge each other, bring new ideas and create new opportunities for player development.” Presumably so, Kuhn was proud of them herself as she gave a congratulatory phone call after they were hired. “I joke that I’m almost jealous of that staff, I told [Files and Ebel] both that,” Kuhn said. More so, none of the players had experienced a coaching change to this extent before. How would it be possible to go on without one of the people you decided to play for? Now take away the most successful senior class in program history
that included three repeat All-Americans, there was a lot of adversity spurred on Kansas volleyball in a short amount of time. Except Kuhn doesn’t see that as a challenge. While she admits that she sees things completely opposite to what others think, the underlying idea is that change is a chance for growth. “It’s going to be so good for everyone involved. It’s a natural human instinct to get to know each other,” Kuhn said.
MOVING ON FROM KANSAS Still packing for San Antonio, Kuhn took a moment of reflection. Kuhn had spent seven years in Lawrence, almost twice as long as the average undergraduate student. The city would not be an easy goodbye for her. After a pause and moment of reflection, Kuhn landed on her answer of what she would miss most. “From the first time I moved there and when I went recruiting, that feeling I would get when I would land at MCI and then drive over to Lawrence and look over and see [the town], it was the feeling of being home.” Now almost three weeks after she has started her new journey in College Station, Texas, Kuhn is making good on a promise she made to Bechard before she even started considering new coaching opportunities — attending the team’s end of the year banquet. “I’ll probably still feel it when I come there … that’s not going to change,” Kuhn said. “I have such great
friends and group of people almost like family there.” There’s no question that Kuhn has left her mark on Kansas volleyball. Her understanding of human relationships and instincts made athletes recognize their roles and enhance their communication skills. Such are traits that are important in any sport, but in a sense, Kuhn’s wisdom helped prepare soon-to-be graduate Kelsie Payne for her aspirations to play professionally in Europe. “[I’ll take away] a lot of things she taught me about how to be a leader and how to communicate with others and to not only just talk to each other but to listen too,” Payne said. “It’s important to hear each other out because we’re all going through stuff and just know that like we’re all different but we can work together if we communicate. The next time Kuhn finds herself in Lawrence, she will have the same 686mile journey. She intends to return to Lawrence over her time at Texas A&M to recruit girls from the Lawrence and Kansas City areas, home to recent Jayhawk standouts Cassie Wait and Tayler Soucie. In December, Kuhn may have ended her time as a Jayhawk, but she does not plan on saying goodbye to Lawrence anytime soon. “I love KU, I told the girls that I am going to stalk them more than anything, even if we played each other,” Kuhn said. “I love competing but I love seeing people be successful ... and they know that they can call me, I’ll always be their number one fan and help them however I can.”
SPORTS
K ANSAN.COM
11
Jayhawks grind out win for Jo Jo White SHAUN GOODWIN @ShaunGoodwinUDK Allen Fieldhouse isn’t known for being a quiet place. But on Saturday evening before Kansas’ game against Baylor, every Jayhawk, Bear and neutral fan stood in unison. Standing in silence, all 16,300 fans took a moment to pay their respects to Kansas basketball legend Jo Jo White, who passed away earlier this week after a long battle with cancer. The silence came moments after a tribute video played on the Jumbotron, showing highlights of White’s playing career at Kansas as well as his speech in Allen Fieldhouse when his No. 15 jersey was retired. The following cheer at the end of the video may have been the loudest in Allen Fieldhouse all night — even louder than when senior guard Devonte’ Graham rebounded Baylor’s last field goal attempt to all but secure the win. Saturday's game was one in which Kansas fought tooth and nail, first commanding an early 16-3 lead before eventually slipping to a 67-61 deficit with just under three minutes remaining. The Jayhawks eventually pulled themselves out of the hole to win 70-67, thanks to 12 points from Newman in the final 4 1/2 minutes. The gritty determination and fight encapsulated an emotional night for Kansas following the loss of a fellow Jayhawk. Graham, who got 15
Missy Minear/KANSAN The Jayhawks huddle in the final minutes of the game against Baylor on Saturday. The Jayhawks defeated the Bears 70-67. points, eight rebounds and seven assists on the night, had White on his mind heading into the game. “You could say that, definitely,” Graham said, when asked if the game was for White. “We did the moment of silence for him at the beginning, you’ve got to get prayers to him and his family and just wish them the best.” While Graham doesn’t know a detailed history about White, he understands the value that he brought to the program down the years. Kansas coach Bill Self said that, although he didn't recall anyone specifi-
cally mentioning dedicating the game to White before tip-off, he acknowledged it was the kind of thing that Graham thinks of. He too agreed that it was important to acknowledge the impact White had on the program. “If you’ve been around here a long time, you certainly respect tradition and if you’re going to respect tradition, you’ve got to know of and respect Jo Jo,” Self said. “Not only the type of player he was, but he was an A-plus individual.” White played for Kansas from 1966 to 1969, averaging 15.5 points per game over his four-year stretch.
He was also a two-time second team All-American selection in 1968 and 1969, a three-time all-Big Eight conference honoree and Kansas’ Most Valuable Player for three-straight seasons. Drafted by the Boston Celtics as the ninth overall pick in the 1969 NBA Draft, White played 10 seasons for the Celtics, among a few other teams. With the Celtics, White won two NBA Championships, as well as being selected as an AllStar seven times and the Finals MVP in 1976. His efforts mean his No. 10 Celtics jersey hangs retired in the rafters of Boston’s TD
Garden. He also won a gold medal with Team USA in basketball at the 1968 Olympics. His accomplishments eventually earned him an induction into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2015. "I always tried to be the best," White said during his induction speech in 2015. "I had two great mentors at Kansas: Ted Owens and Sam Miranda. I love you. I've had so many wonderful teammates and I want to thank them all." But it wasn’t just his oncourt talents that made him stand out to Self. “He had a great presence about him, so positive and
articulate and sharp,” Self said. White’s legacy will forever live on inside Allen Fieldhouse, with his jersey hanging from the rafters, alongside many other Kansas greats. “You hear all the words that have been spoken about him have just been unbelievable,” Self said. “I think everybody would wish they had the same impact in the time that they’re here as what Jo Jo had.”
Tannahill: Pedigrees bring stars to KU Athletics
MADDY TANNAHILL @maddytannahill
With 1:26 remaining on the clock, a freshman drains a 3-point jumper to extend the Jayhawks’ already dominating lead over the South Dakota State Jackrabbits to 96-63 on Nov. 17, 2017. Allen Fieldhouse explodes with cheers, rivaling those heard during the final minutes of a close game against a ranked opponent. Why? Because that freshman was Chris Teahan and that shot marked his first official points as a Jayhawk. While any freshman scoring his first points in a Kansas uniform elicits excitement from the crowd, Teahan's was particularly monstrous. Hearing “Teahan for three!” boom through the speakers of the Fieldhouse conjures many fond memories within the hearts of long-time Jayhawk basketball fans. The last time that phrase filled the Fieldhouse was in 2012, when the older brother Conner Teahan played his final season as a Jayhawk. During his time at Kansas, Conner contributed to three Big 12 Tournament Championships, four Big 12 regular-season titles, three NCAA Sweet 16's, and, most notably, one NCAA National Championship. For this reason, Chris Teahan entered his freshman season already a fan favorite. The Teahan brothers showcase a common trend
Missy Minear/KANSAN Freshman guard Chris Teahan handles the ball at the top of the key against Pitt State on Oct. 31. The Jayhawks defeated the Gorillas 100-54. seen throughout much of Kansas Athletics: pedigree. An abundance of current student-athletes have parents or siblings that also at one time wore a Jayhawk uniform. For example, junior Dylan Hodgson competes for the University as a distance runner on the Track & Field team. Finishing third in the 2017 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championship in the 3000-meter steeplechase, Hodgson consistently plays a key role in the team’s success. Hodgson’s father David also ran cross country for Kansas.
Dylan has always strived to compete with his father. “Another thing that gets me out the door is my dad. He is yet to tell me what his high school mile PR was, but he says he’ll tell me when I beat it,” said Dylan to kansas-sports.com when asked about his motivations while in high school. “Being a competitive kid, I would love to be the fastest miler in the house!” David’s impact on his son’s career did not stop there, as Dylan soon followed in his footsteps by choosing to run for the University of Kansas.
Senior softball player Erin McGinley exhibits a slightly different experience. Her freshman and sophomore seasons as a left-fielder for the Jayhawks, Erin only had to look across
the field to see older sister Shannon playing in right. Shannon’s senior and Erin’s sophomore season, the two sisters dominated defensively, maintaining a combined perfect 1.000 fielding
percentage, Shannon registering 92 putouts and Erin 37. For much of that season, the pair even held the one and two spots in the batting order. “It gives me more confidence when Shannon goes up to bat and gets a good hit. And if I can bunt her over it’s more energy to feed each other when we move each other around the bases,” Erin told the Kansan in 2016. The ability to learn from one another and pick each other up played a critical role in the successes of each athlete. Both earned 2016 National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-Region Third Team in the 2016 season. Ultimately, whether following in a legacy like Chris Teahan, using as motivation like Dylan Hodgson, or competing alongside like Erin McGinley, many student-athletes share stories of a family tradition of competing in a Jayhawk uniform, portraying the impact of pedigree within Kansas Athletics.
sports
Monday, January 22, 2018
K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S
Basketball Gameday Kansas at Oklahoma, Tuesday, Jan. 23, 6 p.m.
Then-sophomore guard Lagerald Vick attempts a layup on Feb. 27, 2017 against Oklahoma. Kansas won, 73-63. SHAUN GOODWIN & MICHAEL SWAIN @ShaunGoodwinUDK & @mswain97
Beat Writer Predictions: Shaun Goodwin: Kansas 78-74, Michael Swain: Kansas 82-80
KANSAS (16-3, 6-1)
OU (14-4, 4-3)
Malik Newman
Trae Young
★★★★
★★★★★
redshirt sophomore guard Sophomore guard Malik Newman took over against Baylor, scoring 12 straight points to lead Kansas to a 70-67 win over Baylor. 2018 has seen the introduction of a new, more confident, Newman. Long gone are the struggles of early Big 12 play and Newman has made himself an integral part of this Kansas team.
freshman guard
The Oklahoma offense flows through freshman guard Trae Young, testament to his nation-leading 9.7 assists per game. Averaging 30.5 points per game, shooting 370 field goal attempts on the season, both stats leading the nation, his field goal percentage is just 44 percent. While Young is dangerous and can create chances for himself, if his shots are limited, Kansas shouldn’t have a problem.
Devonte’ Graham
Khadeem Lattin
★★★★★
★★★
senior guard
senior forward
Senior guard Devonte’ Graham will have his hardest assignment since having to guard Buddy Hield in 2016. Oklahoma undoubtedly has the best point guard in the nation in Trae Young. Young scored 48 points, albeit on 14-39 shooting, but to be able to get 39 shots is impressive and Graham will need to stay focused on defense for Kansas to leave Norman with a W.
You’re not going to see senior forward Khadeem Lattin outside of the paint much. Doing all of his work inside, the big forward can be a pest for opposing teams, with his agility and strength helping him pull in plenty of boards. When Lattin does go to the rim, there’s always a chance he’ll convert with his 59.8 field goal percentage. Lattin’s only issue is getting into foul trouble, with the senior averaging a team-high 2.7 fouls per game.
Lagerald Vick
Christian James
★★★
★★★★
junior guard
While Malik Newman has turned his season around, junior guard Lagerald Vick has not been the same since the turn of the new year. Vick is only averaging seven points a game since the start of the new year – a far cry from his three straight 20-point performances in late December. Vick will need to find his scoring touch again if Kansas is to go deep in March.
athletes of the week
Missy Minear/KANSAN
Nicole Montgomery Track & Field
Junior track star Nicole Montgomery set a meet record in the 600-yard race during the KU-KSU-WSU Triangular on Jan. 13. This performance led to Montgomery being named Big 12 women’s athlete of the week.
junior guard
When Trae Young isn’t shooting the ball or controlling the game, junior guard Christian James usually is. A lot more efficient than Young when he shoots the ball, James has improved greatly on his sophomore year, now shooting 49.4 percent. In a late-game situation, if the ball isn’t in Young’s hands, keep a wary eye out for James.
Bryce Hoppel
Track & Field Sophomore distance runner Bryce Hoppel led Kansas to eight victories at the Mark Colligan Memorial over the weekend. Hoppel won both the mile and 800-meter and placed fourth in the 4x400 relay.