KANSAN FOR THE CURE
Fifty percent of ad revenue for today’s pink paper is going to benefit local breast cancer research groups.
THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016 | VOLUME 132 ISSUE 20
Quality breast cancer care difficult for Native American women to find HAILEY DIXON @_Hailey_Dixon
Ten years ago, Sarah Deer was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer. “I was only 33 at the time," Deer said, "so extremely young for that level of breast cancer.” Deer, a visiting law professor and University alumna, is part of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma. After discovering that she had breast cancer, she had five major surgeries and two minor surgeries. She also underwent chemotherapy for six months. She was "sidelined" for over a year, she said. “My life was not really the same during that first year, particularly," Deer said. "But my second year, I was trying to put it back together.” Deer is now cancer-free. But throughout the process and during her diagnosis, she had access to quality medical help. However, she said this is not always the case with Native American women. In 2009, the AHRQ National Healthcare Disparity annual report found that Native Americans and Alaskan Natives received worse care for about 30 percent of quality measures and had worse access to care than white people. “Most Native American women that experience cancer do not have top healthcare,” Deer said. Deer said she thinks the
Associated Press Women pose with breast cancer awareness signs. The ETC hosted a showing of the film “Pink Ribbons, INC.,” on Oct. 19.
‘Pinkwashing’ subject of Oct. 19 film screening HAILEY DIXON @_Hailey_Dixon
Baxter Schanze/KANSAN Sarah Deer is a visiting law professor from Mitchell Hamline School of Law. She is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation of Oklahoma and a breast cancer survivor.
problem is a result of limited access to health facilities. “Our communities are so isolated and spread out that you may have to drive two and a half hours to a doctor appointment,” she said. “And the only way to address that is more access to treatment facilities.” First Nations Student Association president Landri James, who is a member of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation and the Kickapoo Nation, agreed with Deer that there could be better services on reservations to address health problems. There is a clinic on the Prairie Band Potawatomi reservation, which James is a part of, but she said if something was serious, the patient would be forced to go elsewhere. According to the Amer-
ican Indian Humanitarian Foundation, individuals that live on the Pine Ridge Native American Reservation, which is located in South Dakota, have to travel approximately 120 miles to get to a mid-sized community, Rapid City. There are many Native American communities who face those same difficulties. James said additional programs, like those that teach women to perform self-breast examinations, would improve breast cancer awareness in Native American communities. If a health problem was so severe, clinics on reservations may not be able to have the tools to help the patient if they are in critical condition, James said. Improving the clinics and facilities on reservations is key to having better health
for Natives. “It’s really important for people to become educated about these issues on their own and show concern with their elected representatives,” she said. “In the case of Native women, it is important to notify elected representatives that congress needs to make these changes.” Deer said she wants everyone, not just Native people, to get involved in the effort to improve access to healthcare. “The problem is there's not enough Native people to make political change," Deer said. "We really need non-Indians to understand the issues and make changes so [Native Americans] do not suffer this level of disparity." — Edited by Christian Hardy
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Emily Taylor Center for Women and Gender Equity hosted a showing of the film “Pink Ribbons, INC.,” to shed light on the commercialization of breast cancer awareness. The documentary, screened on Oct. 19, dealt with companies sellling pink ribbon products and how, sometimes, little of the money raised goes toward the cause. “I think that my first thoughts [after watching the film] were that it pushed me into an uncomfortable place to evaluate my own behaviors,” Annie McBride, assistant director for the center, said. “I was frustrated and angry for the companies letting me down.” The film also discussed “pinkwashing,” when a corporation sells a pink ribbon product in support of breast cancer, but still sells items that are correlated with, or can lead to, breast cancer. “Pinkwashing is when a company manufactures products that increase breast cancer, yet are also raising
money for the fight against breast cancer,” said Megan Williams, ETC program coordinator. However, McBride said she wants people to know not all pink products are bad. “I don’t want people to take away that breast cancer awareness is bad,” McBride said. “And that people who donate or participate in walks are bad. I think the philanthropy and the spirit of the American people to make change is amazing. How do we move from awareness to action?” Williams also emphasized action. “I think that the first thing is that awareness is really important to have before action,” Williams said. “So in order to act in a way that can make the most impact, it’s best to become aware about whatever topic you are trying to change.” Williams also said if individuals want to make a difference in fighting breast cancer, there are many options. “Actions would be a letter-writing campaign, [or] boycotting a specific type of product that has carcinogens, yet has a pink ribbon on it,” she said.
Breast cancer is unpreventable, but early detection can help CHANDLER BOESE @Chandler_Boese
While breast cancer is a disease that affects mostly older women, risk factors that increase a woman’s chance of developing breast cancer often come in their younger years. One out of every eight women will develop breast cancer at some point during her life, according to the Susan G. Komen foundation’s website, and fewer than five percent of those breast cancer cases occur in women under 40. Despite its tendency to appear in older women, breast cancer still leads to more deaths than any other cancer in women 20-54. For this reason, the two biggest risk factors for breast cancer are completely unavoidable: being a woman and getting
older. Julie Anno, the lead technician at Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s Breast Center, said yearly mammograms are the best thing women over 40 can do to combat breast cancer. “There’s really nothing you can do to stop from getting breast cancer, but getting mammograms can help with early detection, which means it’s easier to treat,” she said. “And a mammogram can detect breast cancer at its earliest stage, which MRIs and CT (scans) can’t do.” For women with serious risk factors outside of age and sex, though earlier mammograms are encouraged and even paid for by most insurance companies, Anno said. A family history of breast cancer is often influential enough to require
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early mammograms. “Breast cancer can be passed down genetically, so women with a family history are usually able to start mammograms as young as 35,” she said. According to breastcancer.org, having one immediate relative who has had breast cancer doubles a woman’s chance of getting breast cancer. Having two immediate relatives makes a woman five times as likely. Those factors are the most significant, Anno said, but others can signal that a woman has a predisposition to breast cancer, including hormone use, childbearing age and the
start of menstruation. The longer a woman uses hormones, which include many birth control drugs, the more progesterone and estrogen she is encouraging her body to produce, which can
eventually lead to cancer, Anno said. “If you can try to avoid taking birth control for long periods of time during your life, it might slightly decrease your chances of getting breast cancer,” Anno said. Having children after the age of 30 or starting menstruation after the age of 12 can also put women in more danger of developing breast cancer. Most of the risk factors are unavoidable, so there’s very little women can do except to be aware of them, Anno said. “Doing self-examinations of your breasts to check for irreg-
ularities can be good even at a young age,” she said. “And, of course, getting CT (scans), MRIs and mammograms as you get older is the most important thing.” — Edited by Christian Hardy
Illustration by Gracie Williams
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KANSAN.COM/NEWS | THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016
Organizers want to raise legal age to buy tobacco CHANDLER BOESE
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In 2018, students at the University may not only be banned from using tobacco on campus, many of them may be unable to buy it at all. The LawrenceDouglas County Health Department, urged on by the community health coalition of Live Well Lawrence, is putting together a proposal to raise the purchasing age of tobacco to 21 within the county. Dan Partridge, the director of the health department, said the coalition and the tobacco work group within it have been working on the effort for a couple of years. In the coming year, the coalition will make the change its primary focus. While the obvious benefit to raising the purchasing age would be to curb tobacco use in people 18-21 years old, Partridge said the hope is to get fewer smokers in all age groups. “Members of the coalition believe we
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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
“
Photo illustration by Ashley Hocking Due to a recent change in policy, the University is going tobacco-free in fall 2018. Now, some organizers want to raise the age to purchase tobacco to 21.
can decrease the risk of likelihood of developing a smoking habit by keeping tobacco out of the hands of younger people and they believe raising the purchasing age is the way to do it,” he said. Partridge said the coalition and health department have looked at how changing the age has worked in communities who have already raised it — including more than 20 municipalities in the Kansas City area, he said. He said those communities usually see a decrease in
tobacco use across the board. “It not only decreases the tobacco rates among 18-21 year olds, but it also decreases the use of tobacco by minors as well,” he said. One University student, Lauren Atherton, a senior from San Diego, doubts that changing the policy will make a difference. Now 26, she's been smoking since she was 16. “If it had been that way when I was 18, it wouldn't have mattered,” she said. “It would be just like
drinking: Once I turned 21, I stopped really drinking, but before that, I binge drank.” Atherton said, between Lawrence’s lax ID-checking and the ease of getting an older person to buy cigarettes for minors, she didn't see the law having much of an impact. The coalition has gained support from local health organization and businesses, as well as statewide health organizations, according to its fact sheet. These organizations include
It not only decreases the tobacco rates among 18-21 year olds, but it also decreases the use of tobacco by minors as well.” Dan Partridge Director of Health Dept.
“It’s a pretty impressive list of organizations both here and around the state,” Partridge said. Sometime before the end of the calendar year, Patridge said, the coalition would like to sit down with the Lawrence City Commission and discuss the change, but there are currently no solid plans to do so. — Edited by Lexanna Sims
KU moves up 3 spots in sexual health report TANNER HASSELL @thassell17
For the past 10 years, the maker of Trojan condoms and Sperling’s BestPlaces have released a sexual health “report card” showing which universities are encouraging safe sex and HIV/STI testing. The University moved from 83 to 80 of 140 schools on this year's report card, with the University of Georgia taking the number one spot. Jenny McKee, program manager for the Health Education Resource Office (HERO), said the move is likely due to increased opportunities for free HIV/STI testing.
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Every Friday our peer health educators are somewhere handing out safe sex kits, which increases availability to free protection.” Jenny McKee HERO program manager
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Watkins Health Center and the University’s tobaccofree initiative.
@Chandler_Boese
“We used to only do free testing on World AIDS Day; starting last year we began doing free testing during September for campus safety awareness month and in April as a part of our Gaypril programming,” McKee said. McKee said another area of improvement at the University is the “condom sense” Friday programming. “Another thing we’ve started doing in the last couple of years is the condom sense Friday events. So every Friday our peer health educators
are somewhere handing out safe sex kits, which increases availability to free protection,” she said. According to the Trojan website, Georgia was awarded first place for superior sexual health resources, and student advocacy for access to the resources. McKee said the difference between the University and Georgia is the availability of free testing. “The University of Georgia has free testing all the time, which is not something we are able to do at the Health Center, so a program like that is really the difference,” she said. In an email, Bert Sperling, founder of Bestplaces, said schools were graded on 11 categories, which included quality of sexual health information and resources on website, contraceptive availability, condom availability, HIV testing on-site, STI testing on-site, outreach programs, sexual assault programs, overall website quality, hours of operation and availability of drop-in appointments. In the email, Sperling said schools have been very reactive to the report card. “We have received quite a few inquiries from schools on how they have improved and what they can do to improve in the future,” he said in an email. “We are so glad that this is opening the conversation for access to sexual health resources on campuses across the country.” In the specific case of the University, Sperling said in an email Kansas has put up good scores for accessibility of healthcare, testing and contraceptive availability, but could improve on the digital front. “The sexual health
information on the KU website could be stronger,” he said in an email. “Also, other schools have a wider
range of programs and initiatives we classify as ‘extra credit.’ Many schools are providing a number
of creative and effective programs, some of which might be a great fit for the Jayhawks.”
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NEWS
Mental health center requests funding to block guns CHANDLER BOESE @Chandler_Boese
W
hen the University’s campus becomes open to concealed weapons next year, several other local institutions will also have to allow guns — including Bert Nash, Douglas County’s community mental health center. Bert Nash, which is housed in the Community Health Facility on Maine Street, is funded by the city and county — meaning that it’s a public building that has to allow guns beginning July 1, 2017. The only way it can ban guns from any part of the facility is if it provides adequate security measures, such as metal detectors and guards. The center’s CEO, Dave Johnson, said their staff members have serious safety concerns about concealed weapons entering the facility. Because of this, the center and the other agencies that occupy the facility are talking with the city and county about helping them fund security measures for the building. “The building has a lot of people coming in and out everyday, we see over 300 people,” Johnson said. “It’s just a place where what you want to be able to offer is a safe place.” Johnson said the center’s leadership decided to look into security measures after hearing the staff’s concerns and speaking with other local health centers like the Douglas County Health Department. “Overall, concealed carry increases danger when we’re
Contributed Photo The Bert Nash Center, a community mental health center, has requested funding to block guns from its facilities.
dealing with people who are going through a difficult time in their lives,” he said. On Sept. 30, the agencies that occupy the same facility as Bert Nash (the health department and the Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association) sent a letter to the City of Lawrence and Douglas County. They asked the city and county to consider providing security measures for the facility and to push for legislative change. “When we consider that hundreds of Douglas County residents living with incredible stress, uncertainty and
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often poor impulse control visit the Community Health Facility every day we feel action is needed,” the agencies wrote in the statement.
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It’s just a place where what you want to be able to offer is a safe place.” Dave Johnson Bert Nash Center CEO
University psychology professor Chris Crandall said
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in mental health facilities,” Crandall said. But adding security measures will not be an easy task for the facility, Johnson said, due to its multiple entrances. Barbara Ballard, one of Lawrence’s representatives in the Kansas House, said last month that she hopes to present bills in the legislature session that would accomplish just that. Her first priority will be to get an exemption for higher education institutions, and her second would be to exempt community mental health centers. Ballard said she has high-
er hopes for her bills after the primary, given some moderate Republicans who won over more extreme conservatives. Ideally, Johnson would like the law allowing weapons in public buildings to be completely repealed, or at least mental health centers exempted from it. “Perhaps with a different legislature, they’ll repeal the bill for universities and community mental health centers,” he said. — Edited by Missy Minear
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he understands the center’s concerns. “A person carrying a weapon has to be able to rationally make a decision without emotion and irrationality,” he said. “Many of the people who visit Bert Nash are not able to do that.” Crandall said the center’s objection to guns in the facility is probably not about the concept of concealed carry itself, but rather based on what they know about and have seen with mental health patients. “Democracy is not threatened by not allowing guns
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opinion KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016
FREE-FOR-ALL ›› WE HEAR FROM YOU
When an important person calls you in the middle of class and all you can do is stare at your blinking phone and dread the moment they find out you have a Lionel Richie voicemail Who titles a song “Broccoli”? Woke up after 11 hours of sleep and still felt tired. Is it time to graduate yet? The Greeks have Homecoming, I have Halloween imagine if you had nails as nails Hey, editor. If you’re going to rerun FFAs two print editions in a row, can you at least rerun the good ones! Editor’s note: It’s an eternal truth When u pack for a trip and think u have everything but u also think u forgot everything Yesterday we got a guy handing out basketball schedules, today the dudes with Bibles are back. What have we done to deserve this? There are days when I wish KU was a smokefree campus. And those days are Every. Single. Day. Things aren’t going well in this class. Rigged! The whole thing is one big fix! Nothing else can explain my impending defeat. Certainly not my own incompetence. I’m going to need to extend thanksgiving break so I can take in all things Gilmore Girls. how are attendance grades still legal still shook from Harry Styles’ run at the end of Drag Me Down KU vs UT volleyball. Good luck ladies! “Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” (1997) is the greatest horror film of all time. I wonder what’s waiting on the other side of college. Am I living my glory days now, or are things just getting started? I guess we’ll all just have to wait and see.
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Foster: ‘Slacktivism’ fails to create change KAITLYN FOSTER @qreocity
O
n any given day, my Facebook feed will show me several change.org petitions. Save the coral reefs! Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline! Lower the price of a life-saving drug! Each of these petitions voice legitimate concerns. However, they also allow people to feel like they’ve done something to relieve the injustices of humanity when all they’ve achieved is sending out a message saying “this thing is bad” into the vast apathy of the Internet. Change.org has a handy page detailing successful campaigns, like one for establishing a federal Survivor’s Bill of Rights Act for those who have been sexually assaulted. The petition earned over 140,000 signatures, and the bill became law. The people that signed it care about this issue, but the real work to make the campaign a success came from Rise, an advocacy organization founded by the petition’s author, Amber Nguyen. Rise held events and raised money to fight for this bill. They didn’t rely on a random collective of clicks to ensure they reached their goal.
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As a society, we have to become more involved in our communities and our politics.”
Petitions like these, and other forms of passive activism, or “slacktivism,” let people feel they’ve been a part of something bigger than themselves. The benefits stop at the individual level, though. According to a study published in the Journal of
Illustration by Jacob Benson
Consumer Research, people who offer token support like signing a petition are no more likely to engage in more meaningful support like donating time or money than someone who didn’t do so. The most resounding example of passive activism for our age is probably the 2012 Stop Kony movement. A 30-minute documentary asked people to gather and “Cover the Night” with posters to raise awareness. Instead of plastering their cities with Kony posters, thousands changed their profile pictures, perhaps
attached a sentence or two condemning him, and called it good. Needless to say, the campaign failed amid controversy and Stop Kony became a meme. Increasing community involvement means facing numerous challenges. We now work nearly 150 more hours per year than we did in 1979 according to the Economic Policy Institute. Passive activism, like signing a petition or changing your profile picture, are modern equivalents of what Robert Putnam outlines in Bowling Alone as expressive involvement rather
than collaborative. While each type demonstrated a decline over a two decade span beginning in 1973, active, collaborative participation declined at a greater rate, some at quadruple the rate of certain expressive ones. As a society, we have to become more involved in our communities and our politics. When we don’t, we lose our accountability in ensuring our democracy functions well, and people like Donald Trump try to undermine it. Despite the challenges we face, students need to become the model for a more active
citizenry. At the University, students have been registering people to vote around campus and participating in protests for Black Lives and Trans Lives Matter. These two examples demonstrate what our activism should be — not a passive declaration, but an active, collective effort to enact tangible change for the betterment of society — and students should be the driving force behind this transformation. Kaitlyn Foster is a sophomore from Lawrence studying political science and sociology
Letter to the Editor: Speak out against injustice GRADUATE STUDENTS AND INSTRUCTORS IN THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT As graduate students and instructors in the English department, we directly address the mandate we were charged with by our dean, Carl Lejuez, to speak out against injustice. Considering the recent troubling events on campus, as well as national and international events, we affirm that Trans Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, and we fully support safe spaces at the University of Kansas. Safe spaces provide an area or forum for marginalized groups to find solace away from the damaging impacts of marginalization. When safe spaces are under attack, our mission as a university is under attack; when
diversity and inclusion are threatened, so is free and open intellectual discourse.
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We affirm that Trans Lives Matter, Black Lives Matter, and we fully support safe spaces at the University of Kansas.”
Safe spaces are an essential marker of an inclusive campus and therefore, should be protected at all costs. We recognize and agree that safe spaces are critical and necessary components of university culture that support intellectual and academic freedom. We
need mutual respect in order to engage in effective dialogue inside and outside of the classroom. Safe spaces are necessary for the university to be a productive learning space and that is compromised when individuals fear for their well-being — we cannot do our jobs effectively when our students, staff or faculty feel unsafe. Authentic support requires action. In addition to this letter, we are encouraging all faculty, staff and graduate students in the English department to become Safe Zone members. As one of the largest departments serving undergraduate students, we believe it’s vital to provide several safe spaces within our department and to foster an environment in which our students are comfortable
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.
expressing themselves. Once Safe Zone training is completed, we will compile and post a list of certified English Department Safe Zone members so students can have easier access to this information. We recognize that this is merely the beginning of a conversation and not the solution, but we are committed to this ongoing work. We charge other departments with doing the same. Signed, Martha Baldwin, Nick Banach, Alyse Bensel, Divya Bhalla, Brianna Blackwell, Anthony Boynton, Rachel Brown, Matthew Broussard, Danny Caine, Jimin Choi, Nino Cipri, Kris Coffey, Dana Comi, Megan Dennis, Leighann Dicks, Maria Dones, Susan
CONTACT US Candice Tarver Editor-in-chief ctarver@kansan.com
Gage Brock Business Manager gbrock@kansan.com
Lee Duba, Katie DuBois, Claire Echterling, Meghara Eichhorn-Hicks, Gibette Encarnación, Jeff Griffin, Chris Hall, Renee Harris, Jacob Herrmann, Marcus Höhne, Mark Jaskowski, Megan Jones, Casey Keel, Wil Kenney, Melissa Kleinschmidt, Robert Knapp, Sarah Kugler, Mercedes Lucero, Sandya Maulana, Morgan McComb, Dee McElhattan, Charlesia McKinney, Hui Meng, David Miller, Adam Mills, Angela Murphy, Sarah Ngoh, Kate Nygren, Sarah E. Polo, Jason Poole, Kate Russell Charron, Simone Savannah, Hannah Scupham, Amanda Sladek, David Snyder, Rebekah Taussig, Kyle Teller, Stefanie Torres, Mikaela Warner, Hannah Warren, Jessica Weatherford, Lesley Wheeler, Candice Wuehle and Meagen Youngdahl THE KANSAN EDITORIAL BOARD Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Candice Tarver, Maddy Mikinski, Gage Brock and Jesse Burbank
arts & culture KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, OCT. 27, 2016
HOROSCOPES ›› WHAT’S YOUR SIGN?
Aries (March 21-April 19) Negotiate and compromise with a partner over the next two days. A little compassion goes a long way. Show each other respect and kindness. Discuss dreams. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today and tomorrow get busy. Reduce stress by decreasing stimulus. Play gentle music to soothe mind and spirit. Exercise, feed and rest your body well. Create stability. Gemini (May 21-June 20) Love is the goal and the prize. Romance blossoms, given half a chance. Plan something especially fun together. Spend time with someone who shares your passion. Cancer (June 21-July 22) Make your nest cozier over the next two days. Repairs and modifications keep systems operating. Consider long-term plans. A lucky find inspires you. Play with color. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Words flow with greater ease today and tomorrow. Creative expression sparks. Your muses sing to you. Practice painting, writing and music. Capture what you’ve worked out. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) The next two days could be especially profitable. Find a way to increase revenue. Monitor the flow. Use brains, rather than brawn. Stash your winnings securely. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Chase a personal obsession over the next two days, with the Moon in your sign. Your energy inspires another. You’ve got the power to make something happen.
Contributed Photo Connor Dyer with some of her creations. Dyer is a University alumna who creates reliquaries.
Art in Focus: Metal artist Connor Dyer SAMANTHA SEXTON @Sambiscuit
A
n antique silver chain, a dusty photo album or even a stuffed animal can be a reminder of departed loved ones — sacred keepsakes to honor the dead. But what about a necklace made into the shape of a blue frisbee that holds the strands of hair from a deceased dog? Can this object be as sacred as an urn filled with a loved one’s ashes? Metal artist and University alumna Connor Dyer believes so. She spent most of her time while a student in the visual arts department asking what really is sacred. “I spent most of my time working on making reliquaries that were really important to me,” Dyer said. “Historically, a reliquary was something that dealt with something that was sa-
cred and had deep meaning in religions and cultures.” After her dog passed away a few years ago, Dyer wanted something to keep with her as a token of her lost companion. “I started with making a locket with hair inside,” Dyer said. “It was a way to comfort me in my loss, and I realized that the concept of what is sacred and what can be considered a reliquary is really up to the individual.” Dyer continued her introspective journey when a fuchsia plant became the unsuspecting host to a new family of birds. “I had the choice to either water the plant and potentially drown the babies and ruin their nest or let the fuchsia wither in favor of the birds,” Dyer said. “I chose to save the birds, but I think that either decision would have been almost like playing God.”
Dyer made a reliquary for the plant that she had sacrificed. She created an intricate piece of metal work that depicted a fuchsia sprouting from a bird’s nest. “The act of making something and the time that you take making it creates a bond between you and the art,” Dyer said. “Though the fuchsia was not as personally important to me as my dog, the act of creating it I think developed this level of sacredness that is legitimate.” After years of making reliquaries for anything from plants to emotions, Dyer has come up with her own definition of sacred that fits her art best. “Sacredness comes from anything that is emotionally connected to you,” Dyer said. “Anything can be sacred to an individual on a personal level, and nobody can take that connection
away.” Gina Westergard, an associate professor in the department of visual arts, said that she recognized a passion in Dyer almost immediately.
“
It was a way to comfort me in my loss, and I realized that the concept of what is sacred and what can be considered a reliquary is really up to the individual.” Connor Dyer Metal artist and alumna
“Connor combines form, color and often mechanisms to make unique jewelry and vessels that are
quite lovely,” Westergard said. “I admire that not only is her work pleasing to look at, but it also conveys a personal, meaningful story. She wants her work to evoke emotions.” Westergard said she knew Dyer would advance her education after graduation and also said she was proud of where Dyer is today. “She set her goals high and worked hard so she could be accepted at the school of her choice,” Westergard said. “She was a natural at explaining techniques and relating to the students. It is a rewarding experience to watch my student become the teacher.” Dyer wants to become a visual arts professor in the future. She is currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. — Edited by Cody Schmitz
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Let your imagination run wild. Take time for daydreaming and nostalgia tomorrow and today. Relax in a hot tub or sauna, and melt your worries away. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You have more friends than you realized. Get into a social whirl. Make valuable connections and share what you’re learning. Enjoy a party phase today and tomorrow. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) There’s an opportunity for professional advancement over the next few days. Discuss developments with your partner. State your requirements clearly. Work out details. Crazy dreams seem possible. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Get moving! Whether you’re on the road or exploring new terrain through another’s experience, today and tomorrow favor discovery. Things fall into place in your research. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Go over numbers with your partner over the next two days. Handle logistical tasks, and manage accounts. Get aligned on spending priorities. Work together to raise funds.
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Cottonwood to hold exhibition with Lawrence Arts Center ALYSSA HOEDL @ahoedl
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hrough a partnership with the Lawrence Arts Center, Cottonwood, Inc. is producing its 17th annual arts exhibit. The art from the company’s exhibit comes from consumers of Cottonwood’s work-enrichment program as well as its retirement-enrichment program. “These programs are a part of our life-enrichment services which provide support and services throughout the day [for our consumers] to have a meaningful day, whether it is to work in the community or here at Cottonwood,” said Sarah Brown, the retirement enrichment services coordinator at Cottonwood. Many different types of artwork will be displayed at the exhibit, including acrylic painting that is done on paper and canvases, melted crayons and other things
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layered on canvases, canvases with an acrylic background and a favorite picture placed on top, prints that were made in printmaking classes, and more. The exhibit is a compilation of pieces of art that
consumers have made, including art that was made in classes at the center. “The partnership between Cottonwood and the arts center is an important one,” Ben Ahlvers, director of exhibitions at the Law-
rence Arts Center, said. “The classes and workshops the Cottonwood consumers have with arts center artists and faculty is a unique and valuable experience.” Though the arts exhibit has only been at the center
for five years, its partnership with classes has been much longer. “We absolutely love the classes we take at the LAC, the teachers always have a fantastic way that they bring art to our consumers
and they help them develop that passion that they have in class,” Brown said. The exhibit is open to all ages, and college students are encouraged to attend. “It’s an opportunity to learn about people through their art that might not ever intersect with the typical college student experience,” Ahlvers said. The exhibit runs at the center from Oct. 28 at 5 p.m. to Nov. 21 at 9 p.m. Brown said artists will be at the exhibit from 5:30 to 8 p.m. “You can meet most of the artists, and proceeds from the art go to the consumers,” Brown said. “It’s their chance to sell their artwork and it doesn’t benefit Cottonwood or the LAC, it benefits the consumers and what they’ve created.” — Edited by Christian Hardy
Review: ‘Ouija: Origin of Evil’ succeeds in scares GUS HUNNINGHAKE @gushunninghake
Two years ago, Blumhouse Productions released “Ouija,” a poorly directed, scattershot film with virtually no scares. Despite overwhelmingly negative reviews from critics and fans, the film made back its production budget and more in theaters. This prompted Universal Pictures to green light “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” much to the initial dismay of many horror connoisseurs. However, once Mike Flanagan was signed to direct, the film gained a glimpse of hope. “Ouija: Origin of Evil” takes place in 1967 and stars Elizabeth Reaser as Alice Zander, a recently widowed mother who makes her living by pretending to be a medium. Alice’s oldest daughter, Paulina (Annalise Basso), and youngest daughter, Doris (Lulu Wilson), both aid her in pretending to speak to those who have passed to the other side. When her practice needs some spicing up, Alice gives in and buys a Ouija board at Paulina’s suggestion. Soon after buying the board, Alice plays with it alone, and Doris begins to exhibit paranormal behavior. As the behavior turns sinister and Doris starts playing alone, Paulina turns to Father Tom (Henry Thomas) to help
get her sister back from the damned. For starters, this film is fantastic. It’s also deeply frightening. As a director, Mike Flanagan hardly ever uses fake jump scares to get the audience’s heart rate going. Instead, he places truly scary images onscreen without any high pitched musical cues, which allows the tension and fear to flow seamlessly into the film’s narrative. Flanagan’s attention to period detail also adds to the eeriness of the story and makes the movie feel like it came straight out of the 60s. When the film starts, the Universal logo that was used from 1963 to 1990 envelopes the screen. The title card looks as if it was hand drawn in 1967. Little cigarette burns, which used to be put on film to signify the changing of reels from one projector to another, occasionally appear in the top right corner of the screen. These and many other small directing choices prove Flanagan’s commitment and attention to detail while crafting a horror film. All four of the main characters are heartfelt and gripping in their roles. Both Reaser and Thomas do a fine job of portraying the pain and loss that Alice and Father Tom must deal with each day. The most impressive performances, however, come from the two
younger women. Basso perfectly mixes the angst of being a teenager and the sadness she feels from the loss of her father in a powerfully emotional performance, and Wilson is downright haunting as Doris, especially when supernatural forces surface and slowly begin to take over her life. These impressive and surprising performances are in large part thanks to the wonderful script co-written by Flanagan and his frequent collaborator Jeff Howard. These two put a lot of time and care into each main character, which allows them to fit into the story with emotional resonance and a sense of importance. Props to Universal for actually caring enough to hire someone that knows how to write a good character for a horror film. “Ouija: Origin of Evil” is one of the biggest surprises of 2016. Each scene builds on itself to amp the tension and scares up until the credits role. From the meticulous direction, to the well-written script, to the wonderful performances, this prequel did everything right that the first film did completely wrong. This breath of fresh air is well worth the price of admission and is one of the scariest movies in recent years.
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Professor explores Japanese cuisine in new book OMAR SANCHEZ @OhMySanchez
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ith an interest in the intimacy of food culture and how that reflects society, professor and Japanese historian Eric C. Rath goes on an in-depth exploration that combines archival records and on-the-ground field work in his recently published book, titled “Japan’s Cuisines: Food, Place and Identity.” “When we go eat Japanese food in America, we have a very limited menu. We have sushi, the tempura and things like that. Those come to mean Japanese food for us,” Rath said. “One of the purposes of my book is to say, well that is a very limited view of Japanese cuisine.” “Japan’s Cuisines” is the latest in Rath’s published works looking to challenge the monolithic view of Japanese food culture through its cuisine. Previous books of his include 2010’s “Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan.” This time around, Rath looks into the way the Japanese government has projected a particular view of its cuisine. This includes its recent effort to add Washoku, as it is commonly referred as, to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. While this list is a part of UNESCO’s goal of highlighting world practices that are of cultural significance, there are questions about the Japanese govern-
ment’s motivation to work with UNESCO. CNN has described UNESCO as a “UN body in charge of preserving culture and history.” However, in the case of the Intangible Cultural Heritage list, there may be efforts to cement an image of a culture that isn’t indicative of the reality.
“
When we go eat Japanese food in America, we have a very limited menu. We have sushi, the tempura and things like that. Those come to mean Japanese food for us. One of the purposes of my book is to say, well that is a very limited view of Japanese cuisine.” Eric C. Rath Professor and Japanese historian
“It’s a way to project what they call ‘Cool Japan’ globally,” Rath said. “Japanese cuisine is a part of that. The food is perceived as hip and cool, healthy.” “Cool Japan” is a term referring to Japan’s consistent effort, detailed in the global magazine Foreign Policy, to reinvent the nation’s conventional appearance.
In terms of its cuisine, this means concerns of Japan’s food & safety regulations are possibly wrongly mitigated and other aspects of Japan’s food culture are lost in the process. Rath said this includes things like its take on the French cuisine found predominantly in Tokyo. “You can find the best French cuisine there that you can in any other place of the world,” he said. In his new book, Rath looked to uncover this dimensionality. This included, Rath said, going into often obscure, mountainous areas of Japan to find out what their relationship to food was like. Eve Levin, professor and chairwoman of the history department, said this level of study of the Japanese cuisine can profoundly educate the American community. “I especially appreciate his ability to show how aspects of ordinary life — food in this case — are extraordinarily revealing of larger issues of social status and political ideas,” she said. Levin added: “Americans might never go to Japan, never read anything translated from Japanese, never study the history of Japan, but still frequent Japanese restaurants. But because we all eat, we all innately share a common base of mutual understanding, so food provides an accessible entryway into another culture.”
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Kansas relying on Montell Cozart under center SEAN COLLINS @seanzie_UDK
I
n the first seven games of the season, football coach David Beaty has flip-flopped between his two quarterbacks, redshirt junior Montell Cozart and sophomore Ryan Willis. That doesn’t seem to be much of a debate anymore, after Beaty stated that Cozart would be the starter against Oklahoma (5-2) on Saturday after starting against Oklahoma State last week. While the Jayhawks lost to the Cowboys last Saturday, Beaty was glowing in his postgame talk about Cozart. Even when he was splitting reps with Willis during practices, Cozart continued to impress Beaty, and it appears to have paid off. “Number one, [Cozart is] one of the finest character kids I’ve ever been around in
my life,” Beaty said. “So the way he handled the last two weeks, I mean, you would expect nothing different out of Montell Cozart.” The Sooners will be a tough test for the Jayhawks, and playing in Norman will not help. In 2015, the Jayhawks were throttled by the Sooners 62-7 in Lawrence, not providing much insight into how to beat one of the Big 12’s toughest opponents. The Sooners are currently on a four-game winning streak after a shootout against the Texas Tech Red Raiders. While the Sooners have averaged around 44 points per game this season, they have also given up 37 points on average to opponents. Scoring has been the issue for the Jayhawks, and Beaty knows it. Despite Cozart having a strong showing against the Cowboys, passing for 250 yards and a touchdown,
Beaty was upset with points put on the board. “The only stat that matters at the end of the day is the points on the board. We scored 20 points,” Beaty said.
“
Number one, [Cozart is] one of the finest character kids I’ve ever been around in my life.” David Beaty Coach
“Yeah, we moved the ball quite a bit up-and-down the field. But we put 20 points on the board.” In order for Beaty and the Jayhawks to have a chance against the Sooners, they are going to need to score points,
and a lot of them. Turnovers have been a consistent problem for the offense, and that can’t happen against the Sooners. Cozart has proved that he can play with the top teams in the Big 12 — like he did for a half against Oklahoma State. But Beaty’s been clear about this: If costly turnovers ruin good throws, there’s no chance for Kansas to recover. If the turnovers improve, Beaty thinks the team can as well. “Those are the types of things that we’ve got to grow up, because when we don’t, you’re going to have a hard time winning in one of the finest leagues on the face of the planet,” Beaty said. “So we’ve got a long way to go, but we’re getting better. I love the way our guys fight and they stay together. But we’ve still got a long way to go.”
Gracie Williams/KANSAN Redshirt junior quarterback Montell Cozart prepares to throw against Oklahoma State on Oct. 22.
Officials to focus on traveling, restricted area fouls SKYLAR ROLSTAD @SkyRolSports
Gracie Williams/KANSAN A referee discusses a play with Kentucky coach John Calipari and Kansas coach Bill Self.
BIG 12 FROM PAGE 10
As media swarmed the four Kansas players at Big 12 media day — Josh Jackson, Landen Lucas, Frank Mason III and Devonte’ Graham — Freeman’s sentiment of a true one through 10 battle was echoed through the other nine teams in attendance. For Kansas State forward Wesley Iwundu, it’s frustrating when coaches called it a two through 10 competition. And while he sees Allen Fieldhouse as a tough place to play, it’s not necessarily the apex of a different team taking a Big 12 championship from Kansas. “If you ask me, I think the league is pretty much wide open this year. From
one to 10, I think it’s competitive,” Iwundu said. “There ain’t going to be no easy games or anything. Every game is going to be challenging and tough ... Whatever teams end up at the end of the year, we’ll see.” In some ways, Wainright is with his teammates, and the rest of the players in the Big 12 who think this season — when Kansas will chase its 13th straight Big 12 title — is unpredictable. But maybe Wainright is more realistic with his expectations. He’s seen this Kansas team for years — Self’s dominance, Mario Chalmers’ shot. He played with Landen Lucas on a club team before he chose Kansas and has fond memories of watching Brandon Rush play at Kansas. Yet
Changing the way college basketball players approach different facets of the game won’t be easy, but Big 12 Coordinator of Men’s Basketball Officials Curtis Shaw said it’s on the players. “In order to clean the game up, we’re going to enforce things we hadn’t before so everybody learns how to adjust,” Shaw said during a presentation on officiating at Big 12 Men’s Basketball Media Day at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo. Shaw emphasized two things officials will enforce more in the upcoming season: traveling and restricted area play. The goal of these rules changes is to change college basketball in the long term. A year ago, the NCAA introduced key areas for officials to improve upon, along with the change from a 35-second shot clock to 30 seconds. Kansas coach Bill Self acknowledged the rule interpretations when he spoke at media day and said they’ve made his team play differently in the long run. He later expressed some support for college basketball becoming a more translatable game to the NBA. “I think there’s going to be ample talk and studies done to see what we need to tweak
still, even after watching years of Kansas basketball and going to games at Allen Fieldhouse, he thinks his team — and any other team in the conference — has a chance at Kansas. In any case, the Jayhawks, the head honchos of Big 12 basketball, certainly have a target on their back. “Everybody wants to be on top.” Wainright said. “Everybody wants to beat Rocky. Everybody wants to beat Muhammad Ali. Everybody wants to beat (Floyd) Mayweather. And it’s possible.” — Edited by Chandler Boese
to make our game better,” Self said. “I think there’s a lot of nervousness right now.” “As you guys remember a couple years back, all the touch fouls out front. But we actually adjusted to that and got better at that. But I think the incidental contact plays that could be called as fouls can totally, totally not only disrupt rhythm but totally cost some good teams games or put teams playing defensively on defense a lot. I think that needs to be watched and studied.” In Shaw’s presentation, he showed referees will enforce traveling much more in the backcourt. “If we’re not going to allow the defense to come out, put hands on, do the other things we used to do, we cannot let the offensive player get away with steps,” Shaw said. “The Rules Committee foundation for this is it’s our job, coaches and players, to play fundamentally correct.” As for the restricted area, the arc below the basket, Shaw said referees will enforce a foul if a player doesn’t jump when an offensive player with the ball approaches the basket. This is to make sure the defensive player doesn’t illegally impede the movement of the offensive player. Kansas forward Landen Lucas stayed open to adjusting to new interpretations of rules. “It works out for me,” Lucas said. “[Referees] said
just go up, stay vertical and that’s probably the best bet as a big.” Lucas added: “I usually adjust fine to it. I try to pay attention to the adjustments and find ways that I can play my game and still fit into the rule.”
“
I think there’s going to be ample talk and studies done to see what we need to tweak to make our game better.” Bill Self Coach
down, Shaw said the opposite has happened. Seth Davis of Sports Illustrated included the numbers on the matter in his blog in Nov. 2015. “We have to change the way we play the game,” Shaw said. “Basketball was meant to score in the 70, 80, 90 points, not this 55-50 game we had a couple years ago. In order to do that, we’ll have growing pains. But last year we averaged an hour and 59 minutes. We were inside the two-hour window, even though everybody panicked about all the calls. It didn’t happen.”
— Edited by Lexanna Sims
Although these rules have been said to slow the game
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Big 12 still holds challenges for Graham and Mason BRIAN MINI
@brianminimum
B
ig 12 media day featured the surplus of talented guards in the conference. Two of the headliners sat sandwiched between senior Landen Lucas and freshman Josh Jackson. Senior Frank Mason III and junior Devonte’ Graham occupied a third of last season’s Big 12 All-Defensive team. On paper, their job has gotten easier with the departure of Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield, Texas’ Isaiah Taylor and West Virginia’s Jaysean Paige, to name a few. “We want to play against the best, so we actually wish those guys were still in school,” Mason said. “It’s really fun and we’ll miss those good guys.” Hield, Taylor and Paige were first, fifth and seventh, respectively, in scoring last season. In order for the rest of the Big 12 to compete with Kansas’ backcourt, teams will need to find its own standout guards. A prime candidate would be Oklahoma State’s Jawan Evans. Named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year last season, Evans finished with 12.9 points per game, 4.9 as-
sists per game and 47.5 percent three-point shooting. At media day, Evans said he “wasn’t really focused on” the possibility of first team honors, but his freshman season certainly hinted at the possibility. Despite an injury that sidelined Evans for nine games, Evans remains one of the toughest guard defenders in the conference.
“
We want to play against the best, so we actually wish those guys were still in school,” Frank Mason III Senior guard
For TCU, coach Jamie Dixon might have this year’s Evans in freshman guard Jaylen Fisher. “Point guards win college basketball games, and he’s as good as there was available,” Dixon said. “But I think he might be as good a point guard as there was last year, as far as a true point guard.” Fisher was ranked as the 34th best recruit by ESPN and may eventually develop into a threat to Kansas’ dominant backcourt, but
with the loss of leading scorer Chauncey Collins, TCU has a shortage of proven talent to complement Fisher. Meanwhile in Waco, junior guard Al Freeman could continue to build on the promising season he quietly put together last year. Freeman was the leading scorer in Baylor’s loss to Kansas during the Big 12 Tournament and doesn’t see a huge dip in guard talent this year. “The Big 12 has really good guards every year,” Freeman said about the departures of Hield, Taylor and Oklahoma’s Isaiah Cousins. Freeman also cited himself, Evans and Oklahoma State’s Phil Forte as proof that the Big 12 is still deep in guard talent. The Big 12’s depth is undeniable. Even with the conference losing the Naismith College Player of the Year, there’s still a deep list of possible All-Americans that return in 2016. Even with the depth, there’s still a question that even Hield and Cousins weren’t the answer to: Which team can beat Kansas’s talent at the guard position?
Missy Minear/KANSAN Then-junior guard Frank Mason III brings the ball up against K-State in Bramlage Coliseum on Feb. 20.
Kansas faces Emporia State MATT HOFFMANN @MattHoffmannUDK
Christian S. Hardy/KANSAN Bill Self speaks at Big 12 Media Day on Oct. 25 in Kansas City, Mo.
Target on Kansas’ back grows as it aims for 13th-straight title CHRISTIAN S. HARDY @ByHardy
Ishmail Wainright has grown used to this. When the monotony of the Big 12 basketball rankings — with Kansas at the top — is brought up, he looks down and lets out a short breath. Another question about the Jayhawks. His wide gratuitous smile pushes the corners of his mouth toward the small dimples forming on his cheeks. Baylor’s senior guard has seen and heard this over and over again, like clockwork. Wainright knows all about the Jayhawks. He’s lost to them eight times in his three years at Baylor — his Baylor teams have never won. His grandpa played for the Jayhawks from 19541957 and alongside Wilt Chamberlain for two of those years. “I can drive all the way up (to Lawrence) with my eyes shut,” Wainright said sitting at Big 12 media day in Kansas City, Mo., where he grew
up. He spent his first two years of high school playing basketball at Raytown South, about 20 minutes from his neighborhood. “I was born here, so I know all about them … They’ve been a tough team since I was in diapers.”
“
I was born here, so I know all about them … They’ve been a tough team since I was in diapers.” Ishmail Wainright Baylor forward
After 12 straight titles in the Big 12 and being picked by the conference coaches, this is the reality of the Big 12 now. TCU coach Jamie Dixon called the run “unheard of,” and essentially said Bill Self is a future college basketball hall of famer. West Virginia coach Bob Huggins said no one will dethrone the Jayhawks if teams can’t
win at Allen Fieldhouse. That hasn’t been done since Feb. 2, 2013, when Oklahoma State topped then-No. 2 Kansas, 85-80. Maybe the strongest stance on Kansas’ conference dominance came from Wainright’s coach at Baylor, Scott Drew, who nonchalantly said the conference is competitive “two through 10,” but that Kansas is a clear favorite to win the conference. “We don’t look at it like that at all,” said Baylor guard Al Freeman, who averaged 11.3 points last year in his junior season. “We know that Kansas has been winning it every year, so when we step on the court, especially when we play against against them — every team in the conference is coming after them.” Freeman paused for a moment, then continued: “Every team, they want to take it from them. And we want to be the ones to do it.” SEE BIG 12 PAGE 9
On Sunday, the concourses of Allen Fieldhouse will once again fill with fans. Cheese will be melted, popcorn popped and drinks filled. At 2 p.m., basketball returns to Allen Fieldhouse. It may just be an exhibition game against Fort Hays State, a Division II school in northwest Kansas, but the Kansas women’s basketball team is ready to get back on the hardwood. “I think we’re just really excited to build on the momentum we built last year” coach Brandon Schneider said. Last season was Schneider’s first at Kansas, and the team went winless in Big 12 regular season play before its first win in the conference tournament. The team hopes this year will be different. “It’s been that build up of waiting and waiting, we finally just get to play,” senior forward Jada Brown said. Kansas has two exhibition games before the regular season, one on Sunday and another on Nov. 6 against Washburn. These games aren’t the first exhi-
bitions Kansas has played so far, as the team took a trip to France and Switzerland this summer where they played in four additional exhibitions.
“
It’s been that build up of waiting and waiting, we finally just get to play.”
Jada Brown Senior forward
“I was happy with what I saw in team improvement and more importantly in individual improvement,” Schneider said of the trip. Like in Europe, Kansas should have a deep rotation of players on Sunday. Last year, ten different players scored in the team’s first exhibition including two in double figures. The leading scorer in that game, Lauren Aldridge, left the program and transferred to Missouri this offseason. The team will look to replace Aldridge’s play with transfers McKenzie Calvert, a redshirt sophomore, and Jessica Washington, a junior. Calvert isn’t nervous
about putting up big numbers in her first game at Allen Fieldhouse — she just doesn’t want to miss the rim. “I don’t wanna airball or get in foul trouble early,” Calvert said. “Because then I’m going to have to sit out.” Kansas last played Fort Hays State in 2014, a 73-52 victory for the Jayhawks. In that game the Jayhawks shot 43.5 percent from the field and 46.2 percent from beyond the three-point line. Fort Hays State shot just 26.8 percent from the field and just 16.7 percent from three-point range. Senior guard Timeka O’Neal scored six points, the highest of any player still on the current roster. In the MIAA preseason coaches poll, Fort Hays State is picked to finish fourth this year. It is the fourth-straight year Fort Hays State was selected in that position. Washburn, Kansas’ second preseason opponent, was picked to finish third. The regular season gets underway for Kansas on Sunday Nov. 13 against Missouri State, while Big 12 play will begin on Dec. 29 against Oklahoma.
Missy Minear/KANSAN The Kansas women’s basketball team celebrates from the bench during a 2015 regular-season game.