THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
INSIDE
SPORTS Dedric Lawson earns MVP honors at NIT
The University Daily Kansan
vol. 137 // iss. 27 Tues., Nov. 27, 2018
A doctoral student combines passion for the black experience with issues in education p. 2
Season Tip-Off
Jane Lynch performs at the Lied Center tonight — read her Q&A p. 4
SEE LAWSON • PAGE 7
Read more at kansan.com
Sipping, sledding and sliding
KU students celebrate the first snow day of the year and an extra long holiday break
Lara Korte/KANSAN Jacob Camenzind, a junior from Wichita, launches himself down the hill by the Campanile on Monday, Nov. 26. Many students took advantage of the snow day by sledding on campus.
LARA KORTE & NICOLE ASBURY @lara_korte @nicoleasbury As road crews scraped latent slush from the highways and the rest of campus filtered back into Lawrence on Monday, the students who had made an early return from Thanksgiving break trekked outside to make the most of a day free of classes and full of snow. By 11 a.m., the hill between Strong Hall and Memorial Stadium was bustling with students and locals taking advantage of the steep incline near Potter Lake. The chiming of the Campanile was coupled with the delighted screams of students sliding down the hill in makeshift vehicles.
“We’ve got quite an assortment of actual sleds and not-so-actual sleds,” said Mark Camenzind, a junior from Wichita who was joined by fellow residents of Krehbiel Scholarship Hall. Camenzind said they sent a few “brave souls” out in the blizzard on Sunday to search for sleds, and ended up grabbing a few at Target. Walmart was sold out, he said. Those without a sled had to get creative. Camenzind’s brother, Jacob, launched himself belly-first down the hill on an old cardboard produce box covered in a clear trash bag. Another attempted vehicle was a yellow folding “wet floor” sign nabbed by a resident on the way to the hill. Last year one guy got a concussion, Camenzind
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Students take to the hill behind the Campanile with sleds to celebrate the snow day.
said, so the students took extra precaution on Monday to be safe. “Here’s the Jayhawk buddy system, by the way,” Camenzind said, pointing as two friends, sat front to back, went careening down the hill, a third friend propelling them forward on foot. On the other side of the hill, Tajia Fairbank, a junior from Garden City, was making her way down the hill in a laundry basket. Another student, Shaye Herman, was using a circular trash can lid. “We all met up, because we live in Reiger and Krehbiel schol halls, we met up at our shared basketball court and it was like everyone who wanted to come could come,” said Fairbank, who was with several other girls. “You didn’t necessarily have to have a sled.” “It hasn’t snowed well enough to go sledding in many years,” Herman, a sophomore from Overland Park, said. Winter-essential staff still went to campus on Monday to clear walkways, streets and parking lots of snow and ice, University spokesperson Erinn Barcomb-Peterson said. Staff who support facilities across campus, and in dining centers, still went to work on Monday as well. Among those on campus included officers from the University’s Public Safety Office, who patrolled campus throughout the day, Barcomb-Peterson said. KU Public Safety Office Deputy Chief James Anguiano advised students in
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Students flock to the hill behind the Campanile to sled with friends in celebration of the snow day on Monday. an earlier interview with the Kansan to collect their cold-weather gear — like hats, coats and scarves — when traveling in winter weather, as well as be alert to the exact weather conditions. “Any time the National Weather Service posts a watch or warning, there is potential for the weather to change,” Anguiano said. “Look for possible amounts of snow or ice; if you are walking distances, know how long it will take, and be prepared [as] a sidewalk might not be cleared of snow or ice, so watch out for slips or falls.” For those looking to celebrate the day off, but remain warm, several bars near campus graciously opened their doors to the cold, huddled masses. By noon, both the Jayhawk Cafe and Bullwinkles Bar had started to fill with
students who wanted to make the most of a day off. “I was actually working on homework when I saw there was a snow day,” said one student who was heading to the Hawk with her friends. “I got up and ran around the room and had a dance party and closed my laptop and stopped doing homework.” By the time they went to bed on Sunday, the sophomore girls said their group chats were lighting up with plans for the next day. “Got up, ate lunch, and made our way,” said the student, who declined to be named. Managers at the Jayhawk Cafe declined to talk to the Kansan, but said they would be open until close at 2 a.m. on Tuesday. The group of girls said they were looking forward to the shot special of the day: Snowboard on Acid (a mix of pineapple
juice and rum). Bullwinkles, which is usually closed on Mondays, opened their doors early to celebrate the day off. “It was a snow day and everybody’s kind of looking for something to do,” said Pete Sorrentino, manager at Bullwinkle’s. “So it was a good opportunity to open, people are going to be out today.” Michael Caradine, a sophomore from St. Louis, was sipping mimosas with his friends in the Bull on Monday around 12:15 p.m. He said when he found out classes were canceled, his first thought was ‘I’m going to the Hawk tomorrow.” “The Bull is the pregame and the Hawk is where we go after,” he said, noting that he wasn’t too worried about some last minute-homework he had to do. “I’ll do my homework when I’m drunk.”
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Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2018
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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.
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Making education work for everyone Doctoral student Jennifer Wilmot made it her passion to close the gap between races in education
JULIANA GARCIA @slim_jim09 At the end of Jennifer Wilmot’s email signature, you can find the following Jay-Z quote: “The genius thing that we did was we didn’t give up.â€? It’s a quote from a conversation between Jay-Z and Warren Buffet, in which Jay-Z discussed his upbringing, something Wilmot said she can relate to. She and Jay-Z come from similar backgrounds, from growing up low-income, single-parent households in the hood, she said. “For him to come from there to kind of reach the pinnacle of success that he has — not saying that we can all reach there, we can’t all be BeyoncÊ’s husband, right?,â€? Wilmot said. “But you know, it shows us kind of what is possible.â€? Born and raised in West Philadelphia, Wilmot attended public schools from kindergarten to graduation. Her higher education journey began at Chestnut Hill College in Pennsylvania, where she thought she’d be an English professor one day. Little did she know, her career path would shift entirely. Now, as a University of Kansas doctoral student in the educational leadership and policy studies program, Wilmot studies public school systems like the ones she had been in her entire life. Wilmot noticed educational gaps with her entry-level English literature students during her time as a graduate student at the University of Missouri. She said her students struggled with basic writ-
Madeline McConico/KANSAN Jennifer Wilmot, KU doctoral student, studies public school systems like the ones she grew up in. ing mechanics — after 12 years of schooling and even some seniors with college experience — and it shocked her. “I mean we’re talking about a flagship, state university – a research one institution,� she said. “How could they make it all the way there and really struggle with all these kind of foundational pieces of writing? That is what pushed me into education, honestly.� She combined her newfound passion for education with her number one passion: black experiences in America. Wilmot said she is interested in and passionate about how to ensure black people get an equitable education. Wilmot currently
teaches two courses of “Curriculum and Teaching: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion K-12 in the School of Education,� which discusses multicultural education in classrooms from kindergarten through the senior year of high school. In addition to her duties as a doctoral student and her courses, Wilmot wears the hat of project coordinator with The Project on the History of Black Writing at the University. Between attending conferences and managing staff, Wilmot said she also tries to focus on bringing more attention to Project HBW at the University and in the Lawrence community. Maryemma Graham, director and founder of Project HBW and distin-
guished University English professor, has worked with Wilmot for the two and a half years of her tenure. Graham said Wilmot has instilled a sense of belonging and family within Project HBW staff, and also offers a window into the larger picture of education. “She has a clear sense of where we have failed [with education], where there’s lack of inclusion and how that needs to change,� Graham said. “I think she’s been implementing that plan since day one.� One of the things Graham said she has noticed in Wilmot’s vision for education is that it is “sensitive to gender, class, ethnic and regional differences.� The more diverse public education becomes, Graham said, the more people will have to deal with each other’s differences. From her academic focus to her work with Project HBW and activism, one of the biggest challenges she said she faces is talking about race. Not only does fragility and lack of recognition of privilege play a part in the challenge, she said, but so do stereotypes. “The challenge for me is I’m a black woman,� Wilmot said. “Automatically, perhaps, stereotypes might arise: ‘oh, she’s an angry black woman,’ or ‘why does she always have to talk about race?’� Recently, Wilmot led a discussion at the Office of Multicultural Affairs event ‘Spotlight,’ which features individuals on campus who discuss “social justice and liberation,� according to the event description. Wilmot focused on the experiences of black people at predominantly white in-
stitutions such as the University of Kansas, she said. Although she geared her talk toward black students, faculty and staff, Wilmot said her comments and ideas can be applied to any marginalized person. As a first-generation college student, Wilmot said she tries to be a resource for those who may “struggle with survival� at the University. Graham said self-advocacy is important to Wilmot – and that self-advocacy turns into advocating for those who look like you. Wilmot said she wants to be here for her community, and to help students who look like her or who have experiences similar to her own. “My position, and a lot of people in my position — we’ve gone through this,� Wilmot said. “Let’s just give people the gems that they need to make the journey easier for them.� Upon meeting new people, Graham said she tries to imagine where they will be in five years. She said she imagines Wilmot as the next secretary of education, or at least a major player in changing the nation’s education system for the 21st century. Wilmot said her current plans are to continue her work in academia as an education professor with a focus on anti-racist and multicultural education — despite the difficulties she said come along with conversations about race. “You just have to remind yourself why do you do this and who do you do this for,� Wilmot said. “I do this for my people. I do this for West Philly.�
CAPS aims to improve suicide prevention SOPHIA BELSHE @sophiabelshe After conducting a survey last year, Counseling and Psychological Services is working with a student advisory council to create a five year strategic plan to improve suicide prevention programs. CAPS conducted a webbased 71 to 151 question survey of more than 1,800 students’ mental health in November and December of 2017. The Healthy Minds Survey also asked questions about sexual assault, substance abuse, sleep and a number of other mental health related issues. Data from the survey is still being evaluated, with the official report expected in early spring. The report will include comparisons to the national Healthy Minds Survey data set. Ten schools have been deemed comparable to the University on key factors and have similar demographic data of students who took the survey. “One of the reasons why we chose the Healthy Minds survey was because of this network interface that they enable us to do,� said Kimberly Reyn-
olds, suicide prevention program coordinator for CAPS. Reynolds discussed general findings from the survey Nov. 9 at the Center for Teaching Excellence. This event was a repeat of the Oct. 8 session in order to accommodate interested faculty and instructional staff. “When CTE had asked us to present‌ I was very optimistic that we would get the data sooner and maybe not have some of the validation issues that we’ve had,â€? Reynolds said. Carol Holstead, associate professor of journalism, also spoke at the meeting about her experiences helping students who struggle with mental health issues. “It’s my job to teach to the whole student,â€? Holstead said. The survey was funded by the Garrett Lee Smith Campus Suicide Prevention Grant, which is designed to help universities develop infrastructure to connect the University community and suicide prevention efforts, as well as develop gatekeeper training programs for faculty and staff. The grant was awarded to the Uni-
Hannah Edelman/KANSAN Counseling and Psychological Services in Watkins Student Health Center conducted a survey about student mental health and substance abuse. versity from 2016 to 2019 and has been awarded to more than 100 universities nationwide. “We will not have the ability to apply for additional funds,� Reynolds said. “This is kind of a one shot deal.� The survey serves as a needs assessment for the University’s Suicide Pre-
vention Advisory Council, which is composed of staff and faculty from various departments, as well as representatives from Student Senate, student organizations and community partners. Once the official results are released, the council will help create a strategic plan for the next five years.
“It will be a big part of how they design this five year strategic plan to increase suicide prevention,� Reynolds said. “We really don’t want to hold this close. We want everyone to have this information, and I hope other groups use it to make changes positively.�
340 Fraser | 864-4121 www.psychCLINIC KU EDU COUNSELING SERVICES FOR LAWRENCE & KU
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arts & culture Tuesday, November 27, 2018
ARTS & CULTURE
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Kanye’s polarizing politics
KU students react to the rapper’s ideology, which has changed radically since his career began
Associated Press Though Kanye West has been an influential rapper for millennials, some of his fans have struggled with recent controversy surrounding the artist. DEASIA PAIGE @deasia_paige Kanye West is one of the most important artists of his generation. West entered the rap scene in the late 1990s with his sampleheavy production style that was responsible for classic Jay-Z albums like “The Blueprint” and “The Black Album” (the latter celebrated its 15th anniversary on Nov. 14) and nearly transforming the genre of hip-hop with a decade worth of mindboggling music. However, his politically charged and cringe-worthy television appearances, combined with blatantly inaccurate tweets about slavery, have decreased his value to hip-hop culture to the point of no return for some. For others, West’s political leanings had no
affect on their perception of him as an artist. And, because of West’s influence in Chicago’s hip-hop culture and his significance to black culture, as exemplified by him publicly calling former President George H.W. Bush racist on live television in 2005, the divide between fans about his current political statements are inevitably across racial lines. Haley Cooper, a junior from Wichita studying psychology at the University of Kansas, used to be a West fan. Now she said she’s annoyed by anything that he has to say. “Kanye was definitely one of my favorite artists,” Cooper said. “Things have changed now. I definitely don’t listen to any of his new music, but sometimes if his old music comes
up on my phone, I won’t skip it. It’s to the point where, like, listening to his music irritates me.” That’s why Cooper said she cannot separate West the artist from West the person. She said his current beliefs are the polar opposite of hers, and she doesn’t want to compromise her beliefs for the sake of music. “I’d rather just listen to something where I don’t have that conflict,” Cooper said. “I don’t think you can look really past somebody who is literally emboldening racists. I just can’t support that.” One factor that made Cooper, who’s black, realize she no longer supported West was when he tweeted a picture of himself in a “Make America Great Again” hat last spring. She said she felt betrayed by the rapper, whom she once
held in high regard. “I thought he lost his mind,” Cooper said. “If you listen to what he used to rap about, he talked about issues that black people were dealing with and just important topics, and to see someone who used to be concerned about these things go to supporting Trump, it doesn’t even make sense to me. Saadan Mir, a senior studying economics at the University from Singapore, said he remains a fan of West, although he struggles with accepting some of West’s idea. “It just seems so different than what he was before,” Mir said. “It certainly doesn’t seem like the same person who went on TV and said that George Bush doesn’t care about black people. It seems completely
Samantha Hsu/KANSAN Junior Jack Shea, a Kanye West fan and communications student, sports his “Yeezus” shirt.
“It seems completely antithetical to how he used to act, and now he’s on this whole thing about love. ” Saadan Mir senior
antithetical to how he used to act, and now he’s on this whole thing about love. I just think that’s an excuse that he uses to justify what he’s doing.” Jack Shea, a junior from Kearney, Nebraska studying communications, said West’s recent behavior and affiliations are only a reflection of his cultural influence. Shea, a West super fan, credits West as the reason he listens to music. “He’s sort of a titan of popular culture, in a sense,” Shea said. “It’s not just his music, but the way that he carries himself on Twitter, which is kind of polarizing, but I think it’s intentional, as well as the stuff that he does with stage production, clothes design. He does a lot with music and art together.” Shea said he thinks West became a victim of call-out culture and people were too quick to write him off. “I don’t necessarily support where he was taking his political conversation,” Shea said. “I thought he could do without that, but I think a big reason why he did it was because everyone would’ve expected him to support Donald Trump and speak out against him. So I think that’s what he was honestly doing was just saying that he can support whatever he want, and he does have
that freedom of choice.” Although Shea, who’s white, said he isn’t sure if would have the same sentiment if he were a black person. Regardless, Shea believes West’s actions also have a business element, considering the timing of his tweets aligned with the timing of upcoming projects. “I think he was doing it more for the shock value,” Shea said. “Throughout multiple points in his life, we’ve seen him try to do something different than what everyone else was doing, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. It certainly boosted his album sales.” Mir isn’t so sure about the intention of West’s tweet in which he announced his departure from participating in political conversations. However, he is sure the future of West doesn’t look too bright. “[W]e don’t really know how much he’s going through,” Mir said. “He has a lot of people around him who are enablers, and not really telling him the right way to go. He just has people who are telling him what he wants to hear, and that’s not challenging him at all.”
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ARTS & CULTURE
Q&A: Jane Lynch talks love for music COURTNEY BIERMAN @courtbierman
Jane Lynch has returned to her musical roots. The actress and comedian, best known for her role as the callous coach Sue Sylvester on “Glee,” will visit the Lied Center tonight to perform “A Swingin’ Little Christmas.” Lynch is part of a trio, including Kate Flannery — best known as Meredith on “The Office” — and “Glee” vocal arranger Tim Davis. The three will perform jazzy Christmas songs broken up by cheery banter and jazz band accompaniment. “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” is far from Lynch’s first foray into music. Even before “Glee,” Lynch’s experience included her early career in sketch comedy and Christopher Guest’s 2003 musical mockumentary “A Mighty Wind.” Lynch also had her Broadway debut in 2013 as Miss Hannigan in “Annie.” The Kansan spoke to Lynch last week in a phone interview. This interview has been edited and condensed for brevity and clarity. KANSAN: This is not your first touring gig. The first one was a cabaret show — why is this one Christmas-themed? LYNCH: Tony, our band leader, got the brilliant idea. He said, “Let’s just take a bunch of public domain Christmas songs and let’s arrange them in kind of an old-school, jazzy way or a big-band way, and
then Tony wrote four or five songs and we decided to put them in an album. Two years ago we did four performances in San Francisco, and then last year we did 14 performances around the country, and this year we’re doing 34 performances.
KANSAN: How’s this tour going so far? LYNCH: Great. It’s the same show we’ve done, but it’s always spontaneous and crazy. Kate Flannery is hilarious, and she and I have our little buffooneries, so it always takes on a new life every time we do it. The two shows went great, and it’s good to be going out on this really long tour with a couple of shows underneath our belt to work out the kinks. KANSAN: When I’ve mentioned “A Swingin’ Little Christmas,” people seemed surprised it’s your current project — but it’s not as if singing hasn’t been a part of your resume long before this. LYNCH: I’ve mostly been known as an actor. I’ve always loved to sing, but I wasn’t in a lot of musicals or anything like that. It was something that I would do every once in a while in the comedy sketch show. But now we’re doing in in earnest — we’re doing it big-time. I would now call myself a singer. KANSAN: Do you have professional training as a singer? LYNCH:
No,
and
Contributed photo Jane Lynch and company will perform “A Swingin’ Little Christmas” at the Lied Center tomorrow. neither do Kate and Tim. Tim’s daughter has an amazing voice. She sounds like Adele. She’s wonderful. He said he never wanted her to see a music teacher. He said that voice that she has comes from the depth of her soul. I think if you’re doing something opera or
Contributed photo Jane Lynch is an Emmy Award-winning actor known for her roles in “Glee” and Christopher Guest’s comedies.
something like that where you have to really learn a technique, it’s always better to just kind of let your natural voice come out and see what you’re working with before you start imposing technique and manipulations on it. KANSAN: It’s interesting that you say that, because your vocal performances in this show seem very technically complicated with all the harmonies. LYNCH: That’s true. There are techniques to singing harmonies, and a lot of it is that you try to create one voice, so you have to watch your vibrato and you have to really be listening to each other. But I think the three of us, instead of learning how to do that, I think we have an instinct for that. You can’t really teach a person harmony. It really does have to be something that’s innate, and the three of us are pretty good at it. KANSAN: What’s it like to be reunited with Tim Davis and Kate Flannery? LYNCH: It’s the best. We adore singing together. We get along very well — in fact, the quintet and the three of us are just really good friends. Bringing Tim into our group was a really wonderful thing because he’s so technically good with the harmonies, and he’s got a terrific sense of composition. Kate and I are pretty good harmonizers, so he can teach us something and we’re pretty much able to do it on our feet with just a couple of rehearsals. He vocally arranged that
whole Christmas album, and if you listen to it closely you can hear some of the most beautiful harmonies in there. KANSAN: Did you know Tim before “Glee”? LYNCH: No. We met like the first episode, and we became friends. I just respect him so much. He worked so hard on “Glee” — boy, those people worked hard. KANSAN: How much of the show is improvised? You can probably do it with your eyes closed at this point. LYNCH: This is how it works: Kate is spontaneous and a wild card. I am more precise, and I bounce around freely within kind of a cage. Between the two of us, we make a pretty good duo. KANSAN: Charity work has long been a part of your celebrity, and recently you partnered with the YMCA. How did that come about? LYNCH: I went to the YMCA when I first moved to Los Angeles, and some of the friends I met at the YMCA are still my friends today. I went back for “The Today Show” to do a segment with a really exceptional young guy from the school right next door to our local YMCA. I got to know the YMCA while I was there shooting that segment, and then they approached me saying, “Your story about the YMCA was great. Would you be willing to tell it?” And I said absolutely. They create these
programs where kids whose parents work can drop them off before school, and then they have a safe place to go after school, where there’s adult volunteers who will help them with their homework, they can work out if they want, they can hang out and work on the computers, they can socialize — it’s a really wonderful thing.
KANSAN: You have a lot of new projects coming out this year. How do you have time to do a 34-city tour?
LYNCH: It’s funny because “Wreck It Ralph” is an actor’s dream in that you work maybe a total of four hours. The people who are the animators and the writers, they’re the people who are breaking their butts. “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” I did two episodes and I shot them probably four or five months ago, so that’s been in the rear view mirror for me for quite a while.
You’re KANSAN: from Illinois. Is it nice performing in the Midwest?
LYNCH: Oh yeah. I’m going back to Chicago, too, and we’re doing five shows in Chicago and one in the suburbs. I love going back to the Midwest. I don’t think I’ve been to Kansas. I think this will be my first time.
“A Swingin’ Little Christmas” will be at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 27 at the Lied Center. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Lied Center box office.
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OPINION
Tuesday, November 27, 2018 Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351
FFA of the Day: I just saw Mark Zuckerberg lost $17.4 billion this year, and I smiled a lil bit y’all cyber monday really got me this year to the girl crying at the bull at 3 pm on a monday, same *hits mint juul* “Wow that’s minty. You don’t even have to brush your teeth anymore!” Did you even go to class if you’re not 15 minutes late “Yeah she’s pretty much weaned herself off caffeine, I mean, except for the four lokos” “I’ve never read a Harry Potter book” “you’re dead to me” There’s a lady just... practicing violin in the Underground. I aspire to reach that level of power “How do you curve someone after you eat their ass?” Just learned that my supply chain management professor won the world Powerlifting championships last week. I just saw Mark Zuckerberg lost $17.4 billion this year, and I smiled a lil bit sick mood: taking a short nap before a 3-hour class but accidentally sleeping through 2 hours of it instead “i just want to pet a cow is that too much to ask for” “sorry my best friend NyQuil is calling me I gotta go” Let’s get this bread. Literally. I need some rolls. Anybody want to drop out of college with me and become social justice warriors?
K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N
Mass shootings are being normalized SARAH GRINDSTAFF @KansanNews
When Brett Knepper, a freshman honors student from Newton, was asked how many mass shootings had occurred this year, he replied “probably 100, based on news coverage.” The real answer is far more sinister. In 2018 alone, more than 300 mass shootings have occurred. Three hundred. This staggering number is disturbing because of what it signifies, but also because one would expect the number to be much lower. When freshman Savannah Glaves was asked the same question, she guessed 50 to 100. The fact of the matter is that the U.S. has grown numb to gun violence. When an event happens repeatedly, it becomes a constant in life, a consistency that no longer warrants extreme outrage or action. One of the most recent shootings in California was simply another shooting, rather than a terrible event requiring calls to action. We saw some mobilization and a few state laws passed in the wake of the Parkland school shooting, but the federal government has yet to pass extensive gun legislation. Despite massive youth mobilization efforts after Parkland, overall legislation has been minute, and lawmakers at the federal level have not risen beyond their typical offering of aid in the form of “hopes and prayers.” The nation is currently standing at a precipice. It would be incredibly dangerous to take any more
Kansan file photo An estimated 50 people attend a gun violence protest in South Park on Jan. 2, 2018. Attendees listened to speaker and co-organizer Kristi Kouloukis. steps forward in our current direction toward nation-wide apathy. Swift, extensive measures need to be taken at the bipartisan level, because one day, in the near future, those who take the time to call for action will be far too few to fight institutionalized bureaucratic indifference. Every incident of gun violence, no matter who it impacts, must be taken into consideration by all people. And we mustn’t grow blind to the near-constant reports of gun violence and mass shootings that pop up in our news feeds. This affects all Americans, but the root of the problem is reflected here on campus especially clearly. Gun legislation has progressed by leaps and bounds in foreign countries, yet such fixes have been hard to accom-
plish in the U.S. because of our national culture of freedom over sacrifice. This culture infects all areas of life in the United States, particularly education. When asked about the ethics of the University’s current conceal and carry policy, Political Behavior and International Politics Lecturer Alan Arwine shared his opinion. “As a gun owner who has shot approximately 400,000 rounds of ammunition — likely more than anyone else on campus — I don’t see any positives to having guns on campus. But I see a lot of negatives,” Arwine said. Freshman aerospace engineering student Ethan Wissman was asked whether he felt safe on campus with regard to the University’s conceal and carry policy. “It kind of makes you
think about it sometimes,” Wissman said. “What if someone started shooting right now?” They can, and they have. Three hundred mass shootings. That’s more than one every two days a year. As a nation, we cannot grow numb to the growing death toll, and we cannot stand idly by as children, students, mothers, fathers and unborn children are murdered. Standing by and growing apathetic to these incidents is not what America is about. Yes, the country has it’s right to bear arms, but Arwine said, “there are no absolute rights.” “Take the first amendment right to free speech, for example. You do not have the right to say anything you want. You can’t yell fire in a crowded theatre because your actions may result in people being
litter on campus is appalling, especially considering the vast amount of trash cans and recycling receptacles on campus. The University of Kansas’ campus is beautiful, and it’s a shame that students have to look at ugly litter because others are too lazy to throw away their trash. Litter is not only ugly, it’s also dangerous for the environment and community. Our environment as a whole is in existential
danger, and humans must change their habits in order to reduce pollution. According to The Guardian, “A ‘biological annihilation’ of wildlife in recent decades means a sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is under way and is more severe than previously feared, according to research.” The cause of this catastrophe? “Human overpopulation and overconsumption,” which scientists believe “threatens the survival of human civilization, with just a short window of time in which to act.” No single individual is to blame for this crisis, but all of us must ensure we are doing everything in our power to reduce our waste. While there are always going to be individuals who choose to litter, the University has taken multiple steps to ensure that campus remains litter-free and environmentally friendly. Campus is now tobacco free, and though there are still cigarette butts on the
ground around campus, this initiative will hopefully substantially reduce the amount of cigarette waste in the future. The University also has a single stream recycling program, in which multiple types of recyclable material go into one bin. Recycling is extremely convenient for students, and it’s making a tangible difference on the campus’ environment. According to KU Recycling’s website, “We average about 42,000 [pounds] of material collected every two weeks. That’s nearly 600 tons of material each year that Rock Chalk Recyclers remove from the waste stream.” With all these resources available to us, it’s imperative that students think carefully about how we dispose of our waste. Some exemplary students have taken it upon themselves to make a difference. Trisha Xue, a junior from Overland Park studying applied behavioral sci-
injured or killed trying to escape,” Arwine said. Because of our overextension and abuse of the 2nd Amendment, people are being injured. People are being killed. It’s our job as Jayhawks, as this country’s future and as American citizens, to sacrifice some small freedoms for a greater cause: society and our fellow Americans. The culture around gun use and acquisition in this country must change. Concession and compromise is necessary, but if the government fails to make comprehensive legislation soon, then the country is bound to continue on its path toward indifference. Fellow Jayhawks, failure to take a stance and failure to speak up for those who have been brutally murdered in mass shootings is in itself taking a stance — the stance that maintaining the absolute status quo is more important than human lives. A simple hope and a prayer is not going to bring 14-year-old Parkland shooting victim Alyssa Alhadeff back from the dead. If we fail to take action, we are to blame for the thousands who have passed away this year and for the years to come. If we move toward bipartisan legislation and cultural upheaval, the blood of the victims of the next inevitable mass shooting is on our hands.
Sarah Grindstaff is a freshman from Columbia, Illinois, studying political science.
The KU campus litter problem is on you MOLLY LANDOLT @mollylandolt What do a parking ticket, a cigarette butt, a beer can, a Juul pod and a broken phone charger have in common? I found all these items during a cleanup on and around campus over the weekend. While I was picking up trash, I realized our campus and its surrounding area has a serious litter problem. The amount of
“Dude I really wanna stab you guys” This is the last time we ever have to see Peyton Bender on a football field today is a glorious day Your Juul addiction isnt cool or quirky you all need help I rode up the elevator with Jeff Long and he didn’t know where his suite was.
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Sarah Wright/KANSAN Litter is becoming an increasing problem across campus.
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ence, started a recycling initiative at her sorority house after realizing how students can be environmentally unfriendly. “Everyone leaves a ‘footprint’ behind, whether in the form of a wrapper, plastic bottle or cup, and that is just going to be sitting in our oceans or landfills. Taking the extra ten seconds to find a recycling bin is so worth it,” Xue said. Protecting the environment is not every college student’s first priority, but we all have to share the burden, or deal with the consequences of environmental damage for the rest of our lives. If every student at the University took a few seconds to ensure they dispose of their trash properly, the environment and campus could be a much healthier, lovely place.
Molly Landolt is a sophomore from Labadie, Missouri, studying strategic communications.
editorial board
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Shaun Goodwin, Conner Mitchell, Rebekah Lodos and Baylee Parsons.
K ANSAN.COM
SPORTS
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Washington hits career mark in win over Iowa LOGAN FRICKS @LoganFricks
Defense proved key for the Kansas women’s basketball team on Sunday in taking down the Iona Gaels 75-44 in Allen Fieldhouse. The Jayhawks forced 26 turnovers while also blocking six shots. Junior guard Kylee Kopatich led the way for Kansas with four steals, now boasting six in her last two games. Displaying aggression on the defensive end, the Jayhawks received numerous charging calls while playing a full-court press in spurts throughout the entire game. “Iona is a team that doesn’t have a lot of depth and we felt like today was a game we wanted to play as many guys as we could,” Kansas coach Brandon Schneider said. “[Fullcourt defense] is something we have worked on
Brooke Boyer/KANSAN Senior guard Jessica Washington bringing the ball down the court in the second half against George Mason on Nov. 21 at Allen Fieldhouse. in practice but haven’t done much in games and felt like it would be an opportunity to get some film of it moving forward.” The Jayhawks used their defensive effort to put points on the board
Jessica Washington redshirt senior guard career stats
as they finished the game with 27 points off turnovers. The game also included a coming out party for both redshirt freshman Brittany Franklin and junior transfer Mariane De
Carvalho. In her debut game, De Carvalho scored 12 points but made her biggest impact on the defensive end of the court, using quick hands to send away passes and force offensive players to lose
control of the ball. “I thought [De Carvalho's] play sped up early — she’s excited,” Schneider said. “In the second half she got settled in and it was nice to see her make some plays.” Franklin finished the matchup with nine points, but prior to Sunday’s game, Franklin had not shot the ball once this season. “I thought [Franklin] played hard and played with a lot of energy,” Schneider said. “It’s amazing when you just go out there and play like your hair is on fire, sometimes good things can happen for you. I thought she thought a lot less and just tried to go get every rebound.” When the first shot went down for Franklin, she made sure to not let it get to her head. “The weight lifted off my shoulders, I was like,
‘Okay, you got this, now let’s go get it,'” Franklin said. Offensively for Kansas, sixth-year senior Jessica Washington led the way with 17 points. Heading into the matchup, Washington was 12 points shy of the 1,000 career point club at Kansas, but with a free throw midway through the second quarter, Washington reached that mark. “I think coming here to KU hasn’t done anything but bring positivity to my game and my career,” Washington said. “It’s not even about me scoring, it’s about my teammates getting me those shots.”
next game
at LSU Thurs., Nov. 29 6 p.m.
1,005 288 219 34.7 69.6 POINTS
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Dedric Lawson combines for MVP-worthy 50 points MADDY TANNAHILL @maddytannahill BROOKLYN, NY — With two seconds left in regulation against No. 5-ranked Tennessee, freshman guard Devon Dotson found a not-soopen redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson on the wing. With little time to set his feet, Lawson forced up an off-target jumper to send the NIT Season Tip-Off final to overtime, locked 69-69. “It was a play that we work on a lot,” Lawson said. “I was trying to get to my shot quicker and I just missed.” In what amounted to an 87-81 victory over the Volunteers, the shot meant little for the Jayhawks or Lawson, who ended the night by receiving NIT Season Tip-Off
50 POINTS
MVP honors following a show-stealing overtime performance. Shooting 3-for-3 from the field in a team-leading eight-point overtime production, Lawson capped off a 24-point night following 41 minutes of action. Posting only seven points through the first half, Lawson presented a stronger showing through the second, yet explained that he headed into overtime with a newly aggressive mindset. “Overtime I just wanted to come out and be aggressive,” Lawson said. “I knew it was 0-0 and it was a new game. I really wanted to win. I wanted to win very badly, so I tried to do everything I could to seal the deal.” In an MVP-worthy tournament performance, Lawson put up
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50-combined points between Marquette and Tennessee, fostering a much-need breakout weekend to combat his struggling 9.5 points per game average just last week, including a scoreless night against Vermont. Coach Bill Self, largely underwhelmed with Lawson’s output so far this season, appeared pleased with the redshirt junior’s showing in Brooklyn, New York, poking fun at his inability to score in Allen Fieldhouse last week. “We went through a period of time where Dedric, the only basket he could make is one where he’s sitting on his butt in the lane,” Self said. “But I thought he played great.” Having made noticeable strides on the offensive end of the court,
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Lawson acknowledged that entering tonight’s matchup against arguably the best team they will face this season, he knew it would be important for him to step up. “This is great. This is something that you always dream of, going out there in a top five battle,” Lawson said. “You see it all day on ESPN. You get nervous. You get jitters, things like that, and you just need to get your mind off of it. But once the lights, and they had the lights very bright at that one, once they bright it’s time to show up.”
next game
vs Stanford Sat., Dec. 1 4:30 p.m.
Chance Parker/KANSAN Redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson slams the ball in the net against Tennessee on Friday, Nov. 23. The Jayhawks defeated the Volunteers 87-81.
56.3 72.2 FG %
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Dedric Lawson
redshirt junior forward NIT Tip-off stats
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sports
SPORTS
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
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K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S
Volleyball season ends with Senior Day loss JORDAN WOLF @JWolfAP
Kansas volleyball was unable to send off its two seniors with a win on Senior Day, falling in five sets (18-25, 25-22, 21-25, 25-22, 8-15) to Oklahoma on Saturday to end the regular season at 15-12 and 8-8 in the Big 12. Each frame was closely contested, as both the Jayhawks and Sooners largely played well. The difference, as has been the case many times this season, was simply execution. “You fight that hard, get it to a fifth set and then – it’s disappointing that you just don’t execute and play better,” Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. “Oklahoma’s been on an uptick for the last month, been playing well. They were determined.” A fifth straight loss for Kansas brought a muted end to what at one point looked to be a promising Big 12 season. But the focus after the match wasn’t on the tournament, or the loss, or the losing streak. Instead, it was on that pair of seniors playing in their final match inside Horejsi Family Athletics Center. And even though their careers may not be as illustrious on paper as others in recent memory, they still leave Kansas
having made a significant mark. Senior setter and hitter Gabby Simpson played just one season for the Jayhawks, but her impact on the program is bigger than that may suggest. Simpson came to Kansas in 2017 after playing three years at Colorado. She’s been nothing short of an anchor of the Jayhawk’s offense since shedding her redshirt status, providing a versatile passing and attack option and physical presence up front. And on a team that was as ever-evolving and ever-changing as this one, that was invaluable. “She always stepped up and did whatever we needed her to do, and I’m proud of her for that,” Bechard said. While her stay in Lawrence may have been shorter than others, she’ll forever hold her time wearing the crimson and blue close to her heart. “Thank you guys for helping me be a Jayhawk the last two years,” Simpson said to her coaches and teammates, fighting back tears. Simpson’s departure has been anticipated all season, but Kansas also said goodbye on Saturday to someone whose exit wasn’t as foretold: redshirt junior hitter Patri-
Sarah Wright/KANSAN Senior right-side hitter and setter Gabby Simpson is honored as a part of Senior Day before the final regular-season game against Oklahoma on Saturday. cia Montero. Montero announced earlier this month her decision to medically retire after a string of knee injuries allowed her to play just one and a half of her four years with the Jayhawks. In the time she was able to see the floor, she contributed greatly, even leading the team in kills per set this season before going down. Even though her career didn’t go at all as planned, Montero still deeply cherishes her time
as a Jayhawk. “Thank you guys for making this the most special four years of my life,” she said to the crowd through tears. In the eyes of Bechard, Montero’s career was the definition of “what could’ve been.” He’s seen her at her utmost highs and utmost lows, both on the floor and emotionally. But the fact that she was able to battle back from those lows, no matter how many she was
dealt, is what he will remember most about her. “We just didn’t get to see enough of [Montero] over her career here,” Bechard said. “She was a shining example of how you don’t give up, and how you come back, and how you fight a little harder and how you do what you need to do.” So as the sun sets on Simpson and Montero’s time as Jayhawks, it’d be easy for them to hang their heads. It’s certainly disappointing to go out
with a loss, to not reach the level of success they wanted, to ultimately come up short. But as their feet left the hardwood and crossed into their next chapter of life, wherever that may be, their coach knows they’ll find their way, and that they'll never be forgotten. “They’re both going to move forward and be very successful,” Bechard said.
Lawson brothers show off chemistry in New York BRADEN SHAW @bradenshaw4real BROOKLYN, NY — Once sophomore guard Marcus Garrett was ruled out with concussion-like symptoms from Kansas’ matchup against thenNo. 5 Tennessee, redshirt sophomore guard K.J. Lawson knew his name would be called to step up on Friday night. “I knew I’d play significant minutes,” Lawson said. “I always stay ready since day one, because you’ve got to be ready when your name’s called.” Kansas coach Bill Self said this was also due to Kansas only having five guards and being able to open up the floor for redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson inside, especially with freshman forward David McCormack and junior forward Mitch Lightfoot getting minutes. “Quentin [Grimes] had a rough night, so we decided to play those other four,” Self said. “It’s hard for Dedric to play down there if David or Mitch is down there. That’s one thing we can do to stretch the floor
athletes of the week
Chance Parker/KANSAN Redshirt sophomore guard K.J. Lawson looks for a teammate to pass to. Kansas defeated Tennessee 87-81. a little bit and allow Dedric to work inside one-onone.” K.J. took advantage of his newfound playing time, playing 19 minutes, his longest time on the court since he played 10 minutes against Michigan State on Nov. 6. Not only that, but the Memphis, Tennessee, native recorded eight points, six rebounds and three steals. His brother, Dedric, was possibly the most impressed with his brother’s time in the spotlight.
“He came out there and played with high energy,” Dedric said. “He’s a dog on the floor. He’s a competitor. He got a couple of fouls, so he needs to ease up his aggression, but other than that I thought he played terrific.” Dedric is correct to an extent, as K.J. did pick up four fouls while on the court, forcing him to be subbed out late in both regulation and overtime. But that’s just a minute detail — a mere afterthought of the possibility that K.J. could become a quality role
player this season. “That’s how I like to play,” K.J. said. “I like to play physical. They called a lot of touch fouls on both ends to keep us off each other, but that was an aggressive team and they really challenged us. That’s what I look forward to and I’m just glad I had the opportunity to show you all.” Given the circumstances, Dedric said this moment was even more special for the brothers. “It was great playing a tough game out there
Dedric Lawson Men's Basketball
After recording back-to-back double-doubles against Marquette and then-No. 5 Tennessee in the NIT Season Tip-Off, redshirt junior forward Dedric Lawson earned both Big 12 Player of the Week and tournament MVP honors. Lawson is now the only player in the Big 12 conference to be averaging a double-double. Posting a combined 50 points, 25 rebounds and eight assists, Lawson led the way for the Jayhawks to a fourth NIT Season Tip-Off title.
with K.J,” Dedric said. “It’s something you dream of growing up, playing with your brother in a tough environment. It was a fun experience being here.” Dedric had the best game of the night, dropping 24 points and 13 rebounds, along with four assists, finishing with his secondstraight double-double and was named NIT Season Tip-Off Most Outstanding Player. P e r s o n a l accomplishments aside, this game was a defining moment for the Lawson brothers, even though K.J.
said “it wasn’t special,” referring to the fact that, even though they’re from Memphis, they never strayed over to Knoxville. Nonetheless, both Dedric and K.J. commended each other for their performances on Friday and attributed it to their inherent chemistry. Dedric in particular said that finally playing extended minutes with his brother in New York City, while also defeating a top-five opponent in Tennessee in overtime, is something that has been in the pipeline for awhile, ever since they started to play together at the ages of three and five. “That’s been our game our whole life,” Dedric said. “Going out there competing, I have his back and he has mine. We look after each other. We’ve been playing the game so long, I’m just glad to see my brother go out there and play.”
next game
vs Stanford
Gabby Simpson
Sat., Dec. 1 4:30 p.m.
Volleyball In her 14th match this season with over 20 assists, senior setter and right-side hitter Gabby Simpson recorded 29 assists in a 3-2 senior day loss to Oklahoma. In her final outing in the crimson and blue, Simpson additionally boasted 11 digs against the Sooners, surpassing the 850-career dig mark with 852 in her time as a Jayhawk. After tallying a team-leading 558 assists in her senior campaign, Simpson earned All-Big 12 second team honors on Monday.