3-2-2017

NEWS

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

Oil, gas research will be housed in new science building

Horror-comedy “Get Out” offers insightful commentary

Big first inning drops Kansas baseball

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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 | VOLUME 133 ISSUE 14

THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904

Advocating through experience Jasmine Fillmore, a senator who is deaf and blind, has pushed for actions in Student Senate that support sexual assault survivors and promote student accessibility DARBY VANHOUTAN @darbyvanhoutan

A

s Jasmine Fillmore travels through campus, she carries with her the hardships of being deaf and blind, along with her own memories of a sexual assault. Though these hardships may have turned to fear for some, Fillmore turned them into change as she advocates for other students on campus with similar problems.

Fillmore accomplishes her goals in part through her roles as a student senator and a member of student group AbleHawks and Allies.

Fillmore, who is majoring in social welfare and pre-law, most recently passed a bill to provide AbleHawks and Allies with one of the most basic things necessary to those with access needs involving hearing and sight: interpreters.

Steve Kim, a senior from Overland Park and current president of AbleHawks and Allies, has seen Fillmore’s work turn into real change at the University.

“She points out things that would sometimes be overlooked,” Kim said.

“Also, her work in passing the bill for funding for the interpreters was amazing.”

This bill, which Fillmore authored and presented

last week, will provide funding for interpreters at all AbleHawks and Allies meetings, which passed full senate Wednesday.

Fillmore, who communicated with the Kansan through interpreters and a Braille keyboard she keeps plugged into her phone, said daily communication with students and faculty on campus has proven to be the biggest struggle, but not enough to stop her from staying an active participant at the University.

Her involvement in Senate began well before she became an official senator, she said, with following their actions from afar.

Since starting her role this semester as the AbleHawks and Allies senator, she has worked closely with multiple people, including Connor Birzer, a senior from Ellinwood and current communications director for Senate.

“She is someone who is proud to take up that banner for people who are struggling with accessibility needs at the University,” Birzer said. “We’ve realized a lot of those struggles through her and this process and things we still need to work on.”

AbleHawks and Allies is composed of 63 members,

both with access needs and without. According to Kim, the group shares the main goal of both raising awareness on the topic of disabilities and bringing tangible change to the University.

“We work to raise awareness of the accessibility barrier that exists even on our own campus, and strive to make positive changes so that all students and staff can enjoy the full campus life,” Kim said.

However, Fillmore’s fulfillment of her group’s goal doesn’t stop at writing and passing bills in Senate. An experience at her previous university, which led to her transfer to the University last May, brought Fillmore to find another focus in advocating for issues regarding sexual assault.

“I transferred here after experiencing issues at a previous university, which sadly included sexual assault,” Fillmore said. “I believe part of the strong way to remedy sexual assaults is by continuing school and empowering self with knowledge, not allowing the abuser to win.”

The story of former University rower Daisy Tackett’s alleged sexual assault “horrified” Fillmore upon her arrival at the University. According to

Sarah Wright/KANSAN Jasmine Fillmore, a student who is both deaf and blind, is a member of AbleHawks and Allies.

Fillmore, it’s stories like Tackett’s, as well as her own, that push her to advocate and protect students who have experienced sexual assault.

It’s what led her to recently get involved as a partner on a project, which she said will hopefully be passing through Senate this semester, involving other individuals on campus who have been victims of sexual assault and/or rape. “[AbleHawks and Allies] are one of the groups on campus whom can greatly support those with any access need, students, staff, facility, undergrad and grad level,” Fillmore

said. “I feel we are [of] a vital importance to the fight against campus sexual assault and rape to be there as a support system.”

It has been through her own experiences as well as her ongoing awareness of others’ misconceptions that Fillmore said she has found the biggest obstacles that she wants to address. For example, the approaching expiration on the ban of concealed carry weapons on campus this July serves as a roadblock to Fillmore, she said.

“The even bigger struggle will be with campus concealed carry as I will be the student in most

danger, as I can’t hear or see the weapons commonly used in concealed carry,” Fillmore said.

The progress made on multiple fronts by Fillmore will not stop with her accomplishments at the University so far, Fillmore said.

“My favorite thing to do at KU is continue to work on equal access and safety at KU,” Fillmore said. “It’s worth it with each step and item passed that ensures the safety of all regardless of access need, race, gender or religion.”

Onward coalition accused of slander HALO empties DARBY VANHOUTAN @darbyvanhoutan

Onward, one of the Student Senate coalitions running in the upcoming election, has been accused of slander and will go before the Elections Commission in a hearing for said complaint this Thursday, according to a complaint filed by the commission Monday.

The complaint, which was filed by the coalition KUnited, alleges that comments made at Onward’s campaign launch on Feb. 17 violate section 7.7.2.2.1 of Student Senate Rules and Regulations (SSRR) which states “Coalitions or candidates making libelous or slanderous statements regarding another coalition or candidate shall be fined at least one hundred and fifty dollars ($150.00).”

The complaint claims

that slander was committed by Onward when Ellie Milton, a coalition member, stated while presenting at the launch that Parking and Transit agreed to work exclusively with them regarding any parking changes made on campus.

The comment made by Milton at the launch was included in a Kansan article on the event, which in turn led Parking and Transit director Donna Hultine to reach out to the Kansan to deny the truth of the comment made. The story was then updated to reflect Hultine’s statement.

KUnited’s complaint says, “The original statement creates harm against our coalition because now people in attendance at the event and people who read the original UDK article have false information.”

According to Tomas

INDEX NEWS............................................2 OPINION........................................4 ARTS & CULTURE..........................................5 SPORTS..........................................10

Senate position DARBY VANHOUTAN @darbyvanhoutan

Andrew Rosenthal/KANSAN Student Body President nominee Chance Maginness talks to supporters at a campaign launch event on Feb. 17. The “Onward” coalition launched with Logan Miller as the vice president pick.

Green, the presidential nominee for KUnited, the complaint his coalition filed stands for more than that.

“At the national level, we see the proliferation of half-truths or all-out lies.

I think it’s unfortunate to see some of that happen also at our University level,” Green said in a phone interview. “We want to re-

ally make sure we’re holding ourselves accountable in this process.”

Chance Maginness, the presidential nominee for Onward, said that the complaint to him is a “waste of time” that it will likely see little advancement.

“First and foremost, SEE SLANDER PAGE 2

KANSAN.COM TOP OF THE HILL: Your Lawrence favorites, chosen by you. Vote on Kansan.com.

The Hispanic American Leadership Organization (HALO) resigned its seat in Student Senate in an “act of protest” at full senate Wednesday evening. Along with this resignation, the organization provided a list of six demands to be met before they will fill the seat.

Constanza Castro, a sophomore from Raytown, Missouri, gave up her seat after holding the position for almost three semesters.

According to Castro, the lack of respect shown to Hispanic and Latino students on campus, specifically in Student Senate, has continued on too long to be ignored.

“Our students have been ignored and swept under

the rug for far too long.

They came to us and said, ‘We’re tired of being treated this way’ and as an organization it’s our responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Castro said after the meeting.

According to the press release from HALO, the seat, which has historically had a problem being filled, will remain unfilled until the six demands Castro presented in full senate are met. Judit Guillen-Montelongo, a senior from Independence, Missouri, and current president of HALO, said concerns of being able to accurately speak for the constituents HALO represents is what led the organization to refuse to fill SEE HALO PAGE 2

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News editor Chandler Boese Associate news editor McKenna Harford Sports editor Amie Just Associate sports editor Skylar Rolstad Arts & culture editor Omar Sanchez Associate arts & culture editor Courtney Bierman

KANSAN.COM/NEWS | THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

KS considering legalizing medical marijuana NOLAN BREY @NolanBrey

The Cannabis Compassion and Care Act, a bill that would legalize medical marijuana in Kansas, received a hearing by the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs on Feb. 20.

The bill was introduced

by Sen. David Haley (D-Kansas City), who said his bill was the latest in several efforts to bring medical marijuana to Kansas.

“I think most of Americans now, according to polling, recognize that marijuana used for medicinal use is, overall, not harmful,” Haley said.

Haley said marijuana is a relatively benign and a naturally growing substance that can provide relief to patients suffering from a variety of ailments, such as chronic pain, cancer, glaucoma, seizures and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Likewise, Haley said legalizing marijuana might help decrease cases of prescription-based opioid addiction.

“There’s never been a documented overdose

or death from using marijuana,” Haley said.

“At the same time, pharmaceuticals contribute in the hundreds, in Kansas alone, in death due to overdose or abuse.”

While Haley said he is a strong supporter of the increased regulation of marijuana from “seed to sale” (from the growth of the plant to its distribution), the bill would bring in exponentially more revenue than it would cost to regulate marijuana use in the state, Haley said.

“There’s irrefutable proof [from states that have already legalized marijuana] that the benefits of medical marijuana far, far outweigh the detriments,” Haley said.

The ACLU of Kansas also declared its support for Haley’s bill. Micah Kubic, executive director of the ACLU of Kansas, said it’s a matter of individual freedoms.

“People ought to have the freedom to make those sorts of decisions by themselves without the prevention of politicians and legislators, particularly given the fact that medical marijuana has been proven to have health benefits,

particularly for very debilitating conditions,” Kubic said.

Kubic also said that legislators should leave health care choices to medical professionals.

“The members of the legislature and the politicians, in general, are not doctors,” Kubic said.

The future of medical marijuana in Kansas is still unclear, but University drug/narcotic criminal offenses have increased dramatically, from 32 in 2006 to 186 in 2015, according to a University Public Safety Office report.

However, Michelle Voth, executive director of Kansas Family Partnership, a nonprofit group that seeks to prevent substance abuse in Kansas, said that the bill is flawed in many ways, especially since marijuana has not been approved by the FDA. “It circumvents the very process that is really designed to protect the public from harm,” Voth said. “There is no other medicine that is or has been approved via the legislative process, that I’m aware of at least.”

Voth said without FDA approval, the public does

File photo illustration/KANSAN

not know safety concerns, standard dosage effects or have clarity regarding any toxic effects.

Moreover, Voth said the bill fails to address many important issues. The bill does not require medical follow-ups or monitoring nor are physicians trained on prescribing marijuana in medical school.

Additionally, the science regarding marijuana is not clear yet, Voth said.

Voth also said the bill could unleash many unintended consequences, as have occurred in states that have already legalized marijuana.

In states that have legalized marijuana, there

Opinion editor Vince Munoz Visuals editor & design chief Roxy Townsend Photo editor Missy Minear Copy chiefs Candice Tarver Brendan Dzwierzynski Ashley Hocking ADVISERS

Chief financial officer Jon Schlitt Editorial adviser Gerri Berendzen

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FROM HALO PAGE 1 their seat.

“We want action. We want things to change on campus. We want our students who are Hispanic and Latino to feel supported, to feel that the University cares for them,” Guillen-Montelongo said after the meeting. “They shouldn’t have to worry about school as well as the fear of being deported here on campus. We want them to not only have a voice on campus but to be a voice for them” The six demands, according to the press release, are: 1. Address [President Donald] Trump’s’ executive order on border security and immigration enforcement improvements role with KUPSO in relations to section 10.

2. IOA to provide more support to students affected by incidents of bias and to hold our Jayhawk community accountable for incidents of bias. Changing the campus rhetoric and education of the identities immigrant and undocumented students hold.

3. Acknowledge the struggles of undocumented students and provide institutional support and access.

4. Overall, a statement

FROM SLANDER PAGE 1 the other coalition clearly doesn’t understand what slander and libel are. Slander and libel are supposed to be intentionally malicious and this was just an accidental thing by one member of the coalition.

There was no malice behind this,” Maginness said. “Second, this is clearly a desperate attempt by a campaign to knock down the front runner by filing a frivolous violation that they know

Miranda Anaya/KANSAN Constanza Castro announces her resignation from HALO Student Senate seat, and the group’s refusal to refill it until a list of demands are met.

of institutional support and resources for students affected by current Trump policies from all intersections of identities.

5. Student Senate to be more transparent when incidents of harassment and intimidation of appointed senators occurs, increased representation in the body and in committees across campus, and purposeful outreach when marginalized communities are in pain.

6. From our administration, have the board of Regent support these students within colleges in the state of Kansas.

Castro said these demands were drafted with input from, along with the

current 25 HALO members, both Multicultural Student Government and Dreamers, a student organization that provides safe spaces to students with diverse identities, as well as several other Hispanic groups on campus.

Current Student Senate Chief of Staff Danny Summers said the demands presented by HALO are taken seriously and will likely be addressed and met by Student Senate going forward.

“I think when any group comes into this body with issues that are really tangible real material like that, it’s not just issues that are affecting their educational experiences but their life itself. We’ve been pretty

intentional in our efforts to have programs, to have initiative that aim to remedy lots of these concerns,” Summers said after the meeting. “Regardless their demands are justified and we’re just as committed as ever.”

However, resolutions previously passed by Student Senate don’t negate the concerns organizations like HALO are addressing in their demands, said Guillen-Montelongo.

“There was a statement put out in support of undocumented students but that’s not enough,” Guillen-Montelongo said after the meeting. “I think we’re pretty clear with what we want. We want action.”

isn’t going to go anywhere.”

According to Jon Peters, a journalism professor at the University and expert in First Amendment law, the allegations made in the complaint may be hard to prove on the basis that damage done by the false comment affects constituents more than the coalitions themselves.

Maginness will serve as proxy at the hearing in place of Onward’s election commission liaison Ryan Billups, Maginness said.

Maginness said he has

since had a conversation with Milton along with other coalition members about the mistake made and instructed them to not make similar comments in the future.

“She just didn’t mean to say that; it was a slip of the tongue. We’ve never as a coalition had a conversation to that effect in any capacity,” Maginness said.

“What she said was an accident and she’s aware that she made an accident.”

According to SSRR, the violation of slander, if

proven true, would be a significant one, the second most severe violation out of the three types of violations that the Elections Commission can act on, and can result in anywhere from $100 to $250 fine.

The punishment — if the coalition is found responsible — will ultimately be decided by the commission at the 5:30 p.m. hearing on Thursday, according to Elections Commission Chair Garrett Farlow.

has been an increase in marijuana-related ER visits, car fatalities, pediatric exposure and use by 12- to 17-year-olds, Voth said.

“There’s just a lot of question marks I think the bill opens up for Kansas, and we’re seeing some of the fallout from other states,” Voth said.

If citizens wish to opine on the future of the Cannabis Compassion and Care Act, they can contact members of the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The chair of the committee is Sen. Jacob LaTurner (R-Pittsburgh).

3

NEWS

KANSAN.COM

New science building to focus on oil, gas research KATIE BERNARD

@KatieJBernard15

T

he Earth, Energy and Environment Center, which opens in spring 2018, will bring together the fields of geology and petroleum engineering.

The new buildings, which received large portions of funding from individuals in the oil and gas industry, will be the new home for the departments of geology and petroleum engineering and, although it will be available for use by other programs, will not house the environmental studies program according to Bob Goldstein, associate dean for natural sciences.

Research in the building will focus largely on the intersections of the two fields, much of which is related to oil and gas.

Goldstein said that the collaboration opportunities provided by the building will allow for better research.

“The whole building is about integration, getting people who work on the energy side of things to work side by side with the people who work on the environment side of things,” Goldstein said. “It’ll be a tremendous mix.”

The new research will take place in the new buildings Slawson Hall and Ritchie Hall. Lindley Hall, the current geology and environmental studies building, will be considered part of the complex and will be connected to Ritchie Hall by a covered walkway.

Maija Gierhart, a sophomore studying geology, says the building is in need of an

Baxter Schanze/KANSAN Construction continues on the new Slawson Building. The Earth, Energy and Environment Center is projected to be finished by 2018.

upgrade because it is overcrowded and outdated. “[Lindley] is one of the worst buildings on campus,” Gierhart said.

The research in Ritchie and Slawson will include studies on oil extraction, preservation of groundwater resources and geothermal energy. Some of this research will be done by the Tertiary Oil Recovery Program.

Goldstein said that the research done by this program is particularly important to Kansas.

“If you look at the economy of the state of Kansas, the top two things are energy and agriculture,” Goldstein said. “They help the oil com-

panies find more ways to get the oil out of the ground.”

He also said it was fitting that so much research in regards to the oil and gas industry would be done in the new buildings as they are named after donors from the industry. Slawson Hall was named for Don Slawson, the recently deceased founder of Slawson Companies. Scott and Carol Ritchie of Ritchie Explorations are the namesake of Ritchie Hall. Both companies are oil and gas exploration companies based out of Wichita.

“It made a huge difference having two major donations coming from two prominent families in Kansas both of

which rely on things relating to energy and environment,” Goldstein said. “So it’s kind of fitting that they have their names on the buildings.”

In addition to classrooms, research space and faculty offices, Slawson and Ritchie Hall will have a large outreach center for speakers and conferences, the Robert M. Beren Petroleum Center. The center is an open area that Goldstein said he hopes encourages industry partners to come to the University.

“We wanted to make our campus really welcoming to the rest of the world,” Goldstein said. “So it includes a bunch of facilities for industry partners to come in here,

spend a little time with us, work with our students and it will allow them to come and take part in big meetings.”

Environmental studies student Alex Kohlenberg worries that the inclusion of the word “environment” in the title of the complex is misleading, considering the focus on the oil and gas industry.

“It is, I think, an intentional misnomer to call it the Earth, Energy and Environment center to mislead people about its purpose,” Kohlenberg said.

He said that the name of the complex is particularly concerning because the practices being researched are

potentially damaging to the environment and that these concerns are shared within the department.

“Those buildings are for petroleum engineering which has a pretty significant negative environmental impact,” Kohlenberg said.

Goldstein said the new buildings and resources will be accessible to the environmental studies program which will remain in Lindley Hall. He said ultimately the decision to place geology and petroleum engineering in Slawson and Ritchie had a lot to do with space as well as the donors.

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

KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

Munoz: Vision, not policy, wins votes

Can someone please tell me what the point of mocktails are?

It’s 4:20 make a wish.

The president asks NATO countries to “pay their fair share” while he doesn’t pay taxes to his own country. Smh. I wonder how Tyler Self feels knowing his life will just go down hill from here.

On the weather: “I think the whole world is just sweating.”

“I do steal toilet paper sometimes from public restrooms.” - heard in Wescoe.

Just had a bonding moment in line in the underground with a girl who’s skipping the same class I am right now.

Associated Press President Donald Trump leaves after speech to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017.

The wind just forced me to flash everyone outside Wescoe. How’s your day going?

My professor said “short shorts and platform shoes; i don’t know something that makes me look like a porn star.”

All I want for Christmas is the love of a young Spanish man.

Frogs are hilarious, I mean they’re mostly just a mouth but with just enough leg to throw the mouth at food.

For lent, I’m just giving up.

I was very interested in getting a “pug life” tattoo.

The Bee Movie is a cultural masterpiece in the United States.

I don’t like the person my FB suggested ads think I am.

VINCE MUNOZ @vmunoz_18

F

ormer Secretary of State Jim Baker recently said, “nothing concentrates a mind like being out of power.” I wasn’t so sure of that, but after the president’s economic address to congress, I now understand what he means. If those who oppose President Trump’s agenda want to succeed, they need to unite behind a common creed. They need a vision, and a bold one.

In retrospect, this should have been obvious. It may be ironic to the point of cruelty, but Secretary Clinton’s loss

could have been avoided had she learned from her husband’s first victory.

George H. W. Bush was defeated for not having, in his own words, “the vision thing.” Conservative columnist George Will was more straightforward, “He does not say why he wants to be there, so the public does not know why it should care if he gets his way.” Joe Biden had a similar assessment of 2016. He said, “I don’t think she (Clinton) ever really figured it out… I think it was really hard for her to decide to run.”

Conversely, Trump has a very limited grasp of legal details, saying Monday that he was surprised that healthcare reform is “so complicated.” In his speech before Congress, the president said that, “we should give our great state governors the resources and flexibility they need with Medicaid to make sure no one is left out.” What does that even mean?

But what he lacks in specifics he makes up for in soaring rhetoric.

Monday was no exception.

He brilliantly attacked the policies of his predecessor while managing to conjure an optimistic vision of America (at least for the demographics that supported him with the most enthusiasm).

Trump didn’t just say it; he showed it. His guests included Megan Crowley, a young woman with Pompe disease who beat the odds of her prognosis and is now a student at Notre Dame.

Another was Carryn Owens, the widow of a Navy SEAL who recently died in a special operation in Yemen.

Trump connects with people on an emotional level. This is why the facts carry so little weight in discussions surrounding him. He has vision. And that vision carried him to the Oval Office.

One cannot wonk their way to the White House. The

Cut taxes? Raise spending? Will this be on your card Mr. Trump?...

The Bee Movie is a cultural masterpiece in the United States.

To send in an FFA, text 785-289-8351

READ MORE AT KANSAN.COM

KANSAN.NEWS @UNIVERSITY DAILYKANSAN

likely get a dozen answers.

Ask the same question of Trump and you’ll only get two — contingent upon the party affiliation of the speaker.

“Make America Great Again,” the wall and the Muslim ban all add up to a coherent worldview. One in which certain people are Americans and others are not. It’s as simple as that.

The same can be said of the newfound opposition.

GREYSON HARPER

Idk if I’m attracted to bad boys or if all the guys I like are just literal trash.

/THEKANSAN

“

By the end of the next election cycle, Democrats need to have a vision that any citizen could repeat in five words or less.”

The Women’s March wasn’t about any specific issue; it was about women’s equality. Simple.

The airport protests were not just about the travel ban, they were about the principles behind it. Most protestors probably couldn’t name all seven countries on the list, but they understood what was at the heart of the policy. And they reacted accordingly.

By the end of the next election cycle, Democrats need to have a vision that any citizen could repeat in five words or less. I don’t pretend to have the exact five-word combination, but without it, the “resistance” will fail.

And we’ll all pay the price.

Vince Munoz is a junior from Topeka majoring in political science and strategic communications.

— Edited by Mara Kubicki

Letter to the editor: Teach a kid about KS

USA women’s volleyball tryouts. Our team reppin’

@KANSANNEWS

minutia of policy doesn’t help win congressional majorities. Ask a room full of voters what Hillary Clinton stood for and you’ll

Missy Minear/KANSAN Sunflowers, the state flower of Kansas, bloom at Grinter Farms near Lawrence.

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.

Editor’s note: This is certainly one of the more unique letters we’ve received at the Kansan, and we have to say — we’re big fans. We’d like to encourage our readers to respond to this young student’s request. We know we will.

Dear people of the great state of Kansas, Hello! I am a third-grade student in northern Virginia.

In third-grade, we do state reports, and I have chosen your state! I am very excited to learn more about the great state of Kansas as I work on my report.

Most of the information that we get for our reports will be from books and websites. We also like to get in-

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

Tucker Paine Business Manager tpaine@kansan.com

formation from people who live in the state, too. This is why I am writing to you. I was hoping that you would be willing to send me some items to help me learn more about the best things in your state. It could be things like postcards, maps, pictures, souvenirs, general information, this newspaper article or any other items that would be useful.

You can mail items to the address below. I really appreciate your help!

Sincerely, Greyson Harper

Mrs. B’s Class, The Langley School, 1411 Balls Hill Road, McLean, Virginia 22101

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

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

Aries (March 21-April 19) You’re full of profitable ideas today and tomorrow.

Slow down and avoid accidents and breakage. Find clever efficiencies. Spontaneous actions can have long-lasting consequences.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Check your course before speeding up. You make things look easy over the next two days. Act quickly, without spending recklessly. Appearances can be deceiving.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Slow down and finish things up today and tomorrow. Clarify directions, plans and arrangements.

Record a vivid dream or idea. Consider what would be required.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Rely on your team over the next few days. Plan and organize before launching into action. Spontaneity could get expensive. Define your vision.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Reassess what needs to get done and take charge today and tomorrow. Prepare for examination. Enlist an imaginative partner.

Together, you can achieve amazing things.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Educational seminars, classes and journeys prove valuable today and tomorrow. Take time for long-range planning to avoid expense and risk.

A surprising development requires adaptation.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) You’re more patient with finances over the next few days. Focus on practical objectives. Pay bills and resist the temptation to spend frivolously.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Collaborate to get things done over the next few days. Negotiate and compromise to strike a fair bargain. Navigate unexpected circumstances. Review options before choosing.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Keep your exercise routines today and tomorrow. You’re building long-term strength.

Consider your health from a new angle. Sometimes the best move is standing still.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Relax and enjoy time with loved ones over the next two days. Avoid risky business, despite emotion or temptation. Consider consequences. Let advancement occur naturally.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Stay home and lay low over the next two days. Enjoy a practical, domestic phase.

Conserve your resources.

Make repairs early to avoid unexpected costs.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Write and plan over the next few days. Research and edit. Don’t deplete resources. Organization allows for smooth action.

Something bitter mellows with time.

KANSAN.COM |THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017

Music in Focus: Student pianist searches for heart of a song to connect with audience HANNAH COLEMAN @hecoleman33

music in several different directions. Ono even expressed interest in conducting while in jazz band.

When Ono was doing more conducting, he came across Beethoven’s No. 7 Symphony. Finding the piece to be one of his favorites, he said he decided to uncover what fueled his fascination. Mapping and analyzing music to find meaning has kept Ono in music.

H

e starts with one hour. He dabbles and lets loose at the keys in front of him, working with different sounds and structures. He records the hour’s worth of work and then plays back his progress.

Picking out the fragments that he likes, he then begins hour two. Improvising with what he has, he finds a structure. Then, he maps the structure of the piece first in his head, and then he begins to draw a diagram, organizing the parts of the song.

Once he finds the crux of the song, his favorite moment, he writes the beginning and the end around it and fills in the blanks.

Like a chorus or a verse, he writes in the repetition of the similar phrases. Looking for what keeps the audience engaged, what the audience should be able to be able to recognize and to “just feel,” he said.

Kai Ono, a senior double majoring in piano performance and composition, has been playing the piano since he was five years old, and composing since he was in middle school. Ono has recently won the top prize in the International Great

Baxter Schanze/KANSAN Kai Ono is a senior, double majoring in piano performance and composition. He has won multiple awards for his compositions and performances.

Composers Competition for Best Schubert Performance, in addition to winning the International Bach Competition in Leipzig, Germany.

In the past, he has won the Herb Alpert Jazz composition award from the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).

From Irvine, California, Ono was introduced to the instrument by his parents, who enrolled him at the Yamaha School of Music. The school is a program mainly geared toward teaching students piano and specializes

in training young children in early development of their musical ear through careful practice.

There, before touching a keyboard, Ono was taught how to sing, dance and develop a strong ear for sound. In Ono’s class, everyone had perfect pitch.

The school also emphasized training in improvisation even as a young student.

During his time at the Yamaha School of Music, Ono accelerated far above his peers, which motivated him to continue, he said.

Everything that Ono

played when he was young revolved around classical music, which was primarily what he played up until middle school, when his focus from his classical training shifted to a more varied style of play. With Ono’s improvisational background of picking up pop tunes and playing video game soundtracks, Ono began to experiment with different genres. He even began to write some of his own music.

In high school, Ono began playing jazz, which encouraged him to take his

“

When I play, I want to have some kind of deep connection with the audience.”

Kai Ono Pianist

“Without even knowing at the time, I was just kind of analyzing the piece, and all I wanted to know was just why I liked this piece so much," Ono said. "That whole process I was just analyzing music and trying to understand it deeper. It ended up with me kind of creating a bit a theory for analysis as a little kid.”

Being a composer and player with many varying SEE PIANIST PAGE 7

Third annual Draws for Paws event at Burger Stand will benefit the Humane Society COURTNEY BIERMAN @courtbierman

The Burger Stand at the Casbah will host the third annual Draws for Paws Craft Beer Mixer this Friday, March 3, in partnership with the Lawrence Humane Society. Fifteen percent of profits from beer sales will go to benefit the Humane Society and its efforts to rescue homeless animals in the community.

The event will be from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the Beer Hall in the basement of the Burger Stand.

Twelve breweries from around the region will be represented at Draws for Paws, according to the event’s Facebook page.

Burger Stand general manager Rachel Morrison said the timing was convenient because the Kansas Craft Brewers Exposition is the following day. The breweries participating in Draws for Paws are also participating in the expo.

“We’re always trying to change it up, and it kind of gives the opportunity for people who are already going out and trying other stuff to come in and roll through, and it benefits a better part of our community,” Morrison said.

Kate Meghji, the executive director of the Lawrence Humane Society, said although the Humane Society partners with many local businesses in the Lawrence area, it’s al-

Contributed photo

‘Canvas and Mocktails’ returns for second year LIBBY FLOOD

@libbyflood13

Contributed photo

ways a relief for a third party to plan a fundraising event. “[The Burger Stand is] really supportive of our organization and our mission, and I think when they throw really fun events like this for people to get to try beer and support homeless animals, it’s really a win for everybody,” Meghji said.

Many Burger Stand employees have themselves adopted animals, Morrison said. Morrison adopted her dog, Sky, two years ago from the Law-

rence Humane Society.

She said that the personal connection makes Draws for Paws more rewarding.

“We really appreciate the support of The Burger Stand,” Meghji said.

“They’re awesome animal advocates, and every dollar that they raise for us means we get to help save lives of homeless pets in our community, and we’re really grateful for it.”

— Edited by Erin Brock

Offering a night of art therapy and complimentary drinks served on request by a “mocktender,” Student Union Activities is holding its second annual “Canvas & Mocktails” event Friday, March 3.

While participants sip on their mocktails — nonalcoholic cocktails — an instructor from Painted Kanvas, a family-owned paint and wine studio based in Lawrence, will guide the group in painting individual canvases. At the end of the night, participants will have their own artwork to take home.

“The event was really fun last year,” SUA Culinary Coordinator Maddie Cook said. “It’s fun to see all the different levels of painters and what everyone can do.”

Cook estimated that about 75 people attended last year, bringing with them a wide range of skill levels.

Kate Baier, assistant coordinator of the culinary committee, said that this year will be even bigger.

Event coordinators are

expecting it to reach its 80-person cap.

The committee decided to bring back Canvas & Mocktails after last year's success and the growing popularity of Canvas and Cocktail parties, which are similar in structure but offer their guests wine and other alcoholic beverages.

This student-friendly spin-off is one of many events hosted by the committee. The team is responsible for all things food, including brainstorming, planning and hosting food-related functions, Cook said. Other ongoing events include monthly Grocery Bingo and an Annual Student Recipe Contest.

This event will be held at 7 p.m in Alderson Auditorium. Tickets are $5 for University students and $30 for the general public, and are available at the Union Welcome Center. Drinks, snacks and supplies are all included in the ticket price.

More information for the event can be found on its Facebook page.

— Edited by Frank Weirich

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Contributed photo Daniel Kaluuya stars as Chris Washington in the new horror comedy “Get Out.”

Review: “Get Out” twists horror into racial commentary GUS HUNNINGHAKE @gushunninghake

B

efore coming into the spotlight as a director, Jordan Peele made a name for himself as a man with Comedy Central's sketch comedy show “Key and Peele.” The show featured sketches with mixes of deep social commentary and hard-to-ignore, gut-busting jokes.

Since the show’s end, Peele has turned away from sketches with partner Keegan Michael Key and toward writing and directing films.

His debut film “Get Out,” a horror-comedy, aims to kick-start Peele’s career in an entirely new direction.

“Get Out” stars Daniel

PIANIST FROM PAGE 5

interests, Ono has had to dedicate six or more hours a day to practicing at the piano, improvising and composing. Ono has over 490 soundtracks on his SoundCloud account from his everyday personal improvisation project. Writing and refining a song every day requires tremendous discipline, he said.

“There’s a balance between inspiration and discipline that’s very difficult,” Ono said. “Because discipline is not something that comes from just spontaneous emotional outbursts.

It’s just something that you train yourself and force yourself to do. When you’re training yourself and forcing yourself, it’s very difficult to feel all of that spontaneity.”

Kaluuya as Chris Washington, a run-of-the-mill man who’s been dating Rose Armitage (Allison Williams) long enough for her to invite him to meet her parents.

Chris is hesitant at first, wondering if the fact that he’s black will change how Rose’s parents see him.

Upon arrival, everything seems normal. But, as the weekend progresses, Chris begins to uncover sinister secrets about the family that he never could’ve seen coming.

This movie is deserving of a watch with little to no knowledge. The film is easily one of the smartest, most cerebral horror-comedy films of recent memory. Peele surprises with his

unique directing quality and amazingly thoughtful story.

By the end of the film, it is clear every shot is important. Whether it’s to develop Chris’ character or the overarching narrative, Peele’s direction — that incorporates tensing long takes and close-ups — meshes the skill from behind the camera and in front from the acting.

Speaking of acting, Kaluuya delivers in his role as Chris. It’s difficult to say one can put another actor in his role, and they wouldn't have done well — because that’s how good this film’s script is — but Kaluuya does bring something in his performance that anyone else couldn't have done better.

Kaluuya puts so much

emotion into his body with little verbalization, often leaving his emotions for the viewer to interpret. The small changes in his facial expression and body language are the only ways to read what’s really happening. This performance is a great calling card for the Kaluuya, and it’s something to hopefully see from him again in years to come.

The supporting cast also brings a lot to the table.

Rose’s parents, played by Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener, offer up doses of humor and awkwardness in their roles, and they get just enough screen time for their characters to really get underneath the viewer’s skin.

With the amount of times that Ono practices a piece as a performer, he said it’s at times difficult to remain inspired by the song itself. But when he goes out on stage to perform, he has the intention of inspiring an audience.

“When I play, I want to have some kind of deep connection with the audience,” Ono said. “And when it happens, it’s great.

I do a lot of house concerts back home in California, and these are audiences of 70 or 80 people in a really big living room basically.

The audience is probably like 10 feet away or something, maybe even less. So if I stand up and I want to talk to people, they’re right there, it’s not like I’m separated with an invisible curtain or anything like that, so I like the companionship.”

Professor Scott Smith,

Ono’s piano instructor at the University, agrees that other than Ono’s award winning abilities to compose music and perform at a high level, his emotional connection with the audience is one his most unique talents.

“He has kind of an emotional connection to music that’s kind of hard to put exactly into words,” Smith said. “But you can tell that when he plays or when he composes that he just really has a love of sounds and feelings that the music expresses. And that comes across real clearly to the listener.”

Last summer, Ono lived in New York for two months as a trial run for what he will be doing after he graduates.

In the future, Ono will play for ballet classes, and consistently think on his

feet playing for other singers. While doing steady gigs like these to earn a living, Ono also wants to build up an actual performing career while in New York. “[New York] is the musical center of the world, so every other good musician wants to be there too,” Smith said. “So that’s going to be tough and competitive, but I think he’s going to have a lot of success. He’s been there for one summer already and made some contacts and had some good experiences. So I think he’s going to have his ups and downs just like anybody would, but I think he’s going to be great.”

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the film is smart. Every narrative choice makes sense by the time credits roll, and they had me discussing their merits well after the movie was over.

In all the right ways, “Get Out” lives up to the hype, currently with a 99 percent on Rotten Tomatoes from critics with 149 reviews. It’s full of relevant racial and social commentary, has equal doses of eerie and humor, is a great feature debut for writer-director Peele and is one of the smartest horror-comedy films ever made.

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— Edited by Ashley Hocking

The most surprising performance from the supporting cast comes from Lil Rel Howery as Chris’ friend Rod. Almost every line of his is comedic gold, and he fits in so well with the narrative that it makes his character all the more likable.

Perhaps the best aspect of this film is how smart and socially aware it is. Instead of Chris being the idiotic character that dies right away, this film twists the horror stereotype on its head, making Chris one of the smartest people in the room.

The film also has a lot to say about casual racism. The kind that’s hard to detect, but still ever prevalent in our society. And top of all that,

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Frank Mason III overcome by emotion in final game JORDAN WOLF @JordanWolfKU

F

rank Mason III normally isn’t one to show much emotion. But as he walked off the Allen Fieldhouse court for the final time to a roar of applause, he couldn’t hold back the tears.

He’d just given the home Kansas crowd one last classic performance, a 23-point, six assist showing that propelled the Jayhawks to a comeback victory. As coach Bill Self pulled him and his other two seniors from the last seconds of the game for a final curtain call, Mason couldn’t contain himself as he walked towards the bench.

Tears welled in his eyes as he went down the bench, sharing hugs with the coaching staff and his teammates.

He took his seat at the end, still trying to compose himself as fellow seniors Tyler Self and Landen Lucas gave their speeches.

Soon enough, the time came for Mason to speak.

Once Lucas was finished, Coach Self took the microphone to introduce his longtime point guard, making sure the audience knew how highly he thought of him.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the best guard I’ve ever coached and this year’s National Player of the Year: Frank Mason,” Self said.

Chants of “MVP! MVP! MVP!” broke out throughout the gym. Raucous cheers piled upon each other until the scene was almost deafening. At first, all Mason could say was “wow.” Once the ap-

Missy Minear/KANSAN Senior guard Frank Mason III sheds some tears while walking off the court for the last time.

plause had finally died down, he shared his gratitude.

“What an amazing four years for me,” Mason said. “I couldn’t ask to play at a better University than here at Kansas.”

And what an amazing four years it was. In his time at Kansas, Mason forever etched his name in the team’s history books, being just one of 12 players to ever surpass 1,700 total career points. In doing so, he’s earned praise

like that given by Self, consideration for National Player of the Year and recognition as one of the best players to ever don the crimson and blue.

Even though his career has been arguably more illustrious than any other Jayhawk, Mason is staying humble and keeping the team’s success as his priority.

“That’s all great, but with me, it’s all about the team,” Mason said. “I’d rather win a

Just: Goodbye, Allen Fieldhouse AMIE JUST @Amie_Just

I didn’t cry at my high school graduation, and I doubt I’ll cry when I walk down the hill in May. But I’ll be completely honest, I’ve cried twice in Allen Fieldhouse.

The first time was on March 5, 2016. I was returning to my courtside seat after making a quick pre-tip trip to the media room to grab another soda. When I went to pull out my chair, there lay a handwritten letter from Holly Rowe to my mother. In red ink, Holly wrote to my mom because both of them were fighting cancer.

As I read the words, “Just want you to keep your spirits high despite this DUMB cancer. All my best as we fight together,” I bawled. There was no hiding my tears.

The second time was February 27, 2017 — Senior Night.

Yes, it was Senior Night for Frank Mason III, Landen Lucas and Tyler Self, but I wasn’t shedding tears for BIFM or Bonesaw.

I didn’t lose control of my emotions like last year, but I did tear up when I was interviewing Frank Mason Jr. at halftime. As he grew nostalgic of his son’s career, I became wistful of mine.

My love of basketball was affirmed here in Allen Fieldhouse.

I watched my fair share of Kansas basketball games on TV in middle and high school, but being from Nebraska, I’d never made the pilgrimage until I enrolled as a student.

I camped out near the Phog Allen statue for my first Late Night with one of my

friends, and his dad brought us Dunkin Donuts. Though he put in more effort, starting to camp out at 2 a.m., we had third or fourth row seats.

Even though the game was a glorified scrimmage, in that moment I knew — with my ass hanging off the bleacher — this was where I was meant to be.

I only missed one game that year, and consequently, it was the rare home loss to San Diego State. I didn’t see Kansas lose in the old barn until this season when the Iowa State Cyclones came in and handed the Jayhawks their first home conference loss since 2013.

“

I doubt I’ll cry when I walk down the hill in May. But I’ll be completely honest, I’ve cried twice in Allen Fieldhouse.”

I’d never seen a crowd so deflated. There was no “Rock Chalk Chant.” The cheerleaders didn’t rush onto the court. Everyone just left. It was eerie.

Thankfully, as a student, there were more good times than bad.

I’ll never forget the triple-overtime showdown between Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield and Perry Ellis or when Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart attempted the flop of the century against Wayne Selden. I won’t forget Kansas pulling off miraculous comebacks against Florida in 2014 and against West Virginia just a few weeks ago. Hear-

ing the entire student section chant Perry Ellis’ name as he cut down the nets in 2016 or “We want Tyler” in the closing minutes of 2017’s TCU game brought chills down my spine.

I haven’t sat — or stood, rather — in the student section since I was a freshman, but that hasn’t detracted from my experience. One of the questions I receive the most is: do you miss it?

Truthfully, not really. I’ve been afforded an experience unparalleled by any other.

(Thank you, Dave.) Yes, my college experience has been incredibly different than the average student’s, but I wouldn’t give that up for anything. Even if that means getting elbowed by Greg Gurley from time to time.

60 games. I’ve watched 60 games in this building.

Some days it feels like more, while other days, it feels like less. I’ll remember some of those games more than others, but it’s this last one I’ll treasure unlike the rest.

Thank you, Allen Fieldhouse. I’ve learned more about myself in this place than I have any other.

Thank you, Allen Fieldhouse. I’m humbled to say that you were once my office.

Thank you, Allen Fieldhouse. It’s been an eventful four years.

Here’s hoping I’m fortunate enough to make the pilgrimage back some day.

Until next time.

— Edited by Ashley Hocking

National Championship than be Player of the Year.”

As is customary in Senior Night speeches, Mason had several people to thank for his success.

“I can’t believe that I got a chance to play with the best coach in the world,” Mason said of Self.

“I got you guys’ back for the rest of our lives,” he said to his teammates. “I love you guys.”

“We’re so blessed to play

in front of you guys,” he said to the fans.

Mason was especially grateful for one fan in particular: his 5-year-old son, Amari. It was Amari’s first game in Allen Fieldhouse, so naturally, he wasn’t sure how to react.

Having his son in attendance made his final game that much sweeter.

“It means everything to me to have him here and just experience a game here in

the Fieldhouse,” Mason said.

“Just something I’ll remember forever.”

As he wrapped up his speech, a student cried out “four more years!” After the subsequent laughter settled, Mason poignantly summarized his overwhelming emotion to the crowd one last time.

“If I had the chance to play four more years here, I swear I would,” Mason said.

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Brew: Winston’s fame doesn’t warrant forgiveness RAELEY YOUNGS @raeleyy

O

n a visit to a St. Petersburg, Florida, elementary school that was meant to be encouraging to a group of third through fifth graders, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston provided a message that was just the opposite.

He spoke with a stance on girls and women that has been repeatedly overlooked for far too long.

The Tampa Bay Times reported that Winston said the following to the group of grade-schoolers during a speech, which is supported by video: “All my young boys, stand up. The ladies, sit down. But all my boys, stand up. We strong, right?

We strong! We strong, right? All my boys, tell me one time: I can do anything I put my mind to. Now a lot of boys aren’t supposed to be soft-spoken. You know what I’m saying? One day y’all are going to have a very deep voice like this (in deep voice). One day, you’ll have a very, very deep voice.

“But the ladies, they’re supposed to be silent, polite, gentle. My men, my men (are) supposed to be strong. I want y’all to tell me what the third rule of life is: I can do anything I put my mind to. Scream it!”

This is 2017, right? The stereotypes that Winston painted with his remarks felt like a rewind to the 1950s. The idea that all men must be overtly masculine

Associated Press In this Aug. 15, 2015, file photo, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston warms up before a preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings.

Winston said he made a “poor word choice” in comments about women in a recent talk to students at a Florida elementary school.

and all women have to be dainty and fragile is a social standard that's long gone, which Winston doesn’t seem to understand.

The phrases Winston used were so blunt, I don’t see any way his meaning could have been purely accidental.

His words echoed what we girls are told since we're little: Be silent. Sit down.

And unlike the boys, you can't do anything you put your mind to.

These kids aren’t the NFL football players that

Winston normally hypes up. That was his own foolish mistake to think he could treat the situation anywhere near the same.

This was a dangerous message given to very impressionable children. Not to mention, for some of which, Winston may have been the most famous adult figure they’ve ever had to look up to.

His comments should not only discredit him as an athlete, but also as a respectable man.

Though athletes aren't

always the best role models, they're often forced onto that pedestal as part of their stardom. Being the No. 1 draft pick in 2015, the spotlight is furthermore focused on him and the pressure to act and speak responsibly is heightened as well.

Winston’s supporters claim he has been painted all wrong. They argue that the quarterback shouldn’t receive so much scrutiny for the incident because he's actively worked with numerous community and charity projects since be-

coming a professional football player.

But again, that doesn’t make up for anything.

A quick internet search shows a long list of behavioral problems and criminal allegations. Don't forget his "f— her right in the p—y" remark from 2014. This wasn’t a single incident, it's another piece to add to Winston’s pattern of unjust treatment of not only women, but people in general.

“During my talk, I used a poor word choice that may have overshadowed that

positive message for some,” Winston told the Associated Press. “I was making an effort to interact with a young male in the audience who didn't seem to be paying attention.”

Poor word choice is not an excuse. Claiming that he was trying to keep the boys focused is not an excuse.

There are countless other ways Winston could have regained the young boys’ interest that would not have involved oppressing the girls simultaneously.

Winston’s actions were yet another example of men in sports with unacceptable attitudes in what should be considered "normal" for women.

Gender inequality has been at the forefront of the issues in sports for some time now, but with comments like these from such a high-profile player, it feels like a punch in the gut of the advances and hard work that women in sports have put forth.

From women in sports media to women athletes to all other women involved in this male-dominated field, there is immense disappointment in Winston’s actions, but there is still hope.

The change in attitude must first come from those with mindsets like him, who must reevaluate their ideas of masculinity and femininity before progressing.

Women are strong.

Women can do anything they set their minds to. And Jameis Winston, you will not discourage us.

sports KANSAN.COM/SPORTS | THURSDAY, MAR. 2, 2017

Christian Hardy/KANSAN Sophomore first baseman David Kyriacou fouls off a pitch against Oral Roberts. Kansas lost the game, 12-1.

Five-run first inning deflates Jayhawk baseball MITCH GEORGE @MitchLGeorge

O

n a mild afternoon at Hoglund Ballpark, the Kansas Jayhawks encountered early trouble against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles on Tuesday.

Although the largest amount of runs was scored in the first inning, Oral Roberts hung multiple crooked numbers on the board on its way to a 12-1 victory over the Jayhawks.

Despite getting the nod as the starting pitcher, freshman Ryan Zeferjahn recorded the fewest amount of outs out of the six pitchers that toed the rubber on the day for Kansas. He was able to retire two batters in the first inning, but Oral Roberts sent all nine men to bat en route to plating five runs in the opening frame.

“It kind of buried us,” Kansas coach Ritch Price said after the game. “I could tell right away that his arm

slot wasn’t where it normally was.”

The Jayhawks threatened to answer with crooked numbers of their own in both the bottom of the first and second innings, but they left the bases loaded on both accounts. Freshman second baseman James Cosentino drove a ball into deep center field with two outs in the first, but it was ultimately tracked down by the centerfielder to end the inning.

In an otherwise bleak

contest, junior relief pitcher Blake Weiman was a bright spot for the Jayhawks. After replacing Zeferjahn in the first inning, he continued to pitch through the third.

Weiman worked quickly, efficiently and perfectly as he did not allow a baserunner in the seven at-bats that he was tasked with.

“My role is just to come in and put up zeros,” Weiman said. “I’m always ready to go. Obviously not ideal, but whenever your name’s called you’re going

“

My role is just to come in and put up zeros. I’m always ready to go.”

Blake Weiman Junior relief pitcher

to have to check it in and just do your job.”

In addition to Weiman, junior shortstop Matt McLaughlin also provided positive production. The

San Jose, California, native knocked in Kansas’ lone run with a single in the fourth inning. McLaughlin finished the day two-forthree at the plate with two walks. His two hits bumped his early-season batting average to .355.

The Jayhawks will continue their eight-game homestand against Northwestern State on Friday, March 3 at 3 p.m.

— Edited by Lara Korte

Maicke: Forget the NIT, clear fouls in Big Dance MIKE MAICKE @MJ_Maicke

Caitlynn Salazar/KANSAN Redshirt-junior guard Jessica Washington wears a face-mask during Kansas’ game against Kansas State due to a nose injury. She was scoreless in the team’s final game at Allen Fieldhouse this season.

Despite loss, Washington scores 18 in season finale SEAN COLLINS @seanzie_UDK

Midway through the third quarter, the Jayhawks inbounded the ball and brought it up the court. Every Jayhawk was out of position. Coach Brandon Schneider noticed this right away and his frustration caused him to call another timeout, his second in under a minute.

After a lackluster first half on both sides of the ball, the Jayhawks found themselves down 41-18 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The game was already lost by the time the Jayhawks had returned back to the floor for the second half, but Schneider found this moment to be a good one to teach his struggling team.

The final score Monday night was 73-54 in favor of West Virginia, but Kansas won the second half. It was

the second timeout in under a minute that kick-started a half of cleaner basketball.

“We played much better in the second half in terms of team basketball offensively, I thought we shared it much more,” Schneider said.

Redshirt-junior guard Jessica Washington, the team’s leader, struggled in the first half after not scoring in her last outing against Kansas State. She was frustrated with her own play, but came out of Schneider’s timeout fresh. Washington finished the game with 18 points, but didn’t receive much help.

“You continue to look at stat sheets. Teams that win have three or four guys in double figures,” Schneider said. “Tonight we again only had one player in double figures.”

Washington has been the leading scorer all season long,

averaging 17 points per game.

Lack of offensive firepower has been a heavy detriment to Kansas’ offense.

“We’re not going to turn the corner until we can position ourselves to have more people who can score the ball more,” Schneider said.

Kansas finished the regular season with an 8-21 record (2-16 in Big 12). Its next opponent to start the Big 12 Tournament is Oklahoma State, a team that the Jayhawks have found success against. Last season Schneider got his first Big 12 victory in the first round of the tournament against TCU. He looks to make it out of the first round again, and is prepared for the task.

“We will have to play at a high level in order to give ourselves a chance to win,” Schneider said.

The game against Oklahoma State will be on March 3.

The NCAA is once again calling on its lab rat, the NIT, for another experiment that really shouldn’t need testing.

In another episode of clear college basketball rule fixes, the NCAA has decided that maybe — just maybe — it would be a good idea to reset the team fouls at the 10-minute mark in both the first and second half.

I’ll take obvious improvements for $100, please.

Sorry die-hard college basketball loyalists and fans of 90 percent of the Big 10, but it appears that a new era is rising. An era where, God willing, both teams are not in the double bonus with 14 minutes left.

If it sounds like college basketball is playing quarters while also playing halves, good job! You’ve been following along swimmingly so far. If it also sounds like that makes absolutely no sense and that they should just play quarters like every other form of basketball in every level in the civilized world, then you’re really onto something.

This weird pseudo-half, more like quarter, style is strange and unnecessary (speaking to the two halves, quarters are absolutely necessary), but at least it’s a step in the right direction.

So this is where my true beef comes in.

Associated Press Kentucky coach John Calipari addresses official John Higgins during a game against Vanderbilt on Feb. 28.

Why are we “testing” this so obviously needed and inevitably coming change with a tournament that doesn’t matter? Why can’t the NCAA realize what quite literally anyone with half a basketball-literate mind can understand?

Put this rule into play for the real NCAA Tournament.

It’s not as if these college athletes have never seen a quarter before and would disintegrate upon experiencing such a radical change.

Look, greater Lawrence community, people don’t like college basketball anymore. Personally, I’m an all-things-basketball junkie that admittedly far prefers the NBA, but I’ll still watch at least two hours of college ball per night, which allows me to see the issues.

According to Fox Sports, ratings for the NCAA championship this past season were down 37 percent.

37 percent! Let that sink in.

I can’t believe it’s not more. Think about it, it’s over-coached, over-officiated and horribly set up.

I mean really, what was the biggest story of the year in college basketball nationally? A guard on Duke that tripped a few people? A team in the West Coast Conference that won a bunch of games in a row against high school teams?

People do not want to see a choppy free-throw filled game with large pauses in the action after the sixth whistle of the half, which typically will come no later than the 12-minute mark.

This isn’t a debate for 95 percent of the college basketball-watching world. Make the NCAA tournament fun to watch again: Use the foul reset rule in the Big Dance.

— Edited by Erin Brock