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KU junior pursues passion for personal training
Tennis drops both decisions in ITA kickoff to Tennessee and California
Monday, January 27, 2020
WHAT’S NEW AT KU News on deck at kansan.com
The Student Voice Since 1904
Vol. 140/Issue 3
Legend lost KU community mourns death of NBA all-star Kobe Bryant
'Meet KU's authors'
The Hall Center for the Humanities and the Lawrence Public Library have launched a new lecture series in which University faculty talk on their recently published books. Hall Center Director Richard Godbeer will speak in the first lecture on Jan. 29 at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence Public Library.
Stauffer-Flint holds grand reopening
The William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications celebrated the reopening of StaufferFlint Thursday after nearly eight months of renovations brought student-run media organizations together into one building.
Emma Pravecek/UDK
KU Natural History Museum exhbit
Undergraduate research assistants Colleen Buchanan and Elizabeth Liu traveled to the Southern African country of Namibia over winter break. During their expedition, Buchanan and Liu took photos of the different organisms they studied that are now on display at the KU Natural History Museum.
On the horizon
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Jayhawks to tip off against the Cowboys
Kansas men’s basketball heads to Stillwater, Oklahoma, to face Oklahoma State Monday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m.
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Kobe Bryant watches on the sideline with Team USA in Manchester.
Jack Johnson
@JohnyJ_15
Jakob Katzenberg @KatzWritesSports
Sports fans across the globe reeled Sunday, Jan. 26 as they mourned the sudden death of one of basketball's greatest icons, Kobe Bryant, 41. Multiple outlets confirmed that the former Los Angeles Lakers' star and his daughter Gianna, 13, died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California Sunday. KTLA in Los Angeles confirmed that nine people were on board when the
helicopter crashed. There were no survivors, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. ESPN Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Bryant was on his way to a travel basketball game with his daughter. University of Kansas freshman Landyn Welch from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, says Bryant's influence impacted many people. "It's so hard to see someone so special and influential to not only basketball, but the world in general go down," Welch said. "He will be dearly missed."
Bryant was a five-time NBA champion and an 18-time NBA All-star. He was the leagues MVP in 2008. Meet Kapadia, a junior from India who moved to Colby in 2009, said basketball is his "favorite sport of all-time because of him." He said he remembers watching Lakers games as a kid with his brother in India. "I've been watching [Bryant] since [2006]," Kapadia said. "During those times the Lakers' games were the only ones that came on TV for us."
In the midst of some wicked winter weather, students at the University of Kansas are looking forward to three things: temperatures above 60 degrees, flowers blooming, and, most importantly, baseball season. This upcoming 2020 baseball season is approaching quickly, so here’s the lowdown on everything you need to know. This season will be head coach Ritch Price’s 18th season with the Jayhawks, and both newcomers and returning players are bringing a lot of potential to the table. Last season finished with a 32-26 record. Be on the lookout for senior infielder Benjamin Sems’ final season as a Jayhawk. Sems, a senior infielder from Chesterfield, Missouri, ended last season with a team-high batting average of .305. He started in the 56 games, knocking four home runs and driving in 39. Zac Cox, a freshman from Manhattan, is a new infielder to keep your eye on throughout the upcoming season. In high school, Cox finished with a .400 batting average, and 25 RBI. Steve Washilewski, a junior pitcher from Dyer, Indiana, will be returning for the 2020 season. His earned-run average
last season was 3.75, with 57 2/3 innings pitched. Washilewski will be alongside some veteran Jayhawk pitchers this season, including Daniel Hegarty from Leawood and Stone Parker from Kailua, Hawaii. The departure of catcher Jaxx Groshans brings plenty of room for players this season to step up. There are two new catcher additions to the 2020 roster: freshman Anthony Tulimero from Temecula, California and junior-transfer student Logan Williams from Kailua, Hawaii. Tulimero was named 2019 San Diego High School County Player of the Year and could split his time between infielder and catcher. Williams played in 47 games
Nicole-Marie Konopelko @NicoleKonopelko
The City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas will review proposals from various electric scooter companies to contract with the city for a shared e-scooter pilot program, Director of Transportation Services Donna Hultine said. The proposals will be reviewed some time between Feb. 1 and Feb. 15. Though it will ultimately be the city’s contract, the University will allow e-scooters on campus through a Memorandum of Understanding with the city, Hultine said. “Anything that offers another mode of transportation is a good thing,” Hultine said. “I think that the bicycles are a little bit of a challenge because of hills, so I think scooters could help address that.” The Lawrence City Commission approved a recommendation to consider authorizing staff to issue a Request for Qualifications for a shared e-scooter pilot program at its meeting on Dec. 17, 2019. The passed recommendation proposes a pilot program start date of April 1 and end date of Oct. 1. The city staff anticipates selecting up to two vendors for a pilot program to provide 500 Continue on page 2
Continue on page 7
KU baseball preview: Players to look out for in 2020 season Emerson Peavey @Emerson_Peavey
Lawrence, KU to review e-scooter pilot program
at Yavapai Community College and finished his time with the Roughriders with a .311 batting average and 29 RBI. These new Jayhawk catchers will accompany senior Brooks Asher, and junior catcher/first baseman Nolan Metcalf. Brooks played in 22 games last season, and had 37 plate appearances. Metcalf spent last season as a first baseman, but has experience as a catcher from high school. With only three short weeks left until the opening of the season on Valentine's Day, and almost a month until the home opener on March 4th, keep an eye out for these players and get excited for what the 2020 season has in store for the Jayhawks.
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Senior infielder Benjamin Sems catches a fly out against Creighton.
Sarah Wright/UDK
KU students add entrance made of recycled materials to local park Ben Winfrey @SacksForBacks Architecture students at the University of Kansas collaborated with various sponsors to design and build the Emergence Pavilion and a limestone entryway for John Taylor Park in North Lawrence. Last semester, Architecture 509, taught by assistant professor of architecture Keith Van de Riet, was tasked with creating a structure that would help define and enhance the entrance and public area of the park. The Emergence Pavilion is a shade structure made of wood, steel and limestone and is meant to act as an anchor that pulls the entrant through the park, Van de Riet said. The limestone entryway is a tower that consists of a stack of multiple slabs of limestone. “When people enter a park, having certain visual cues helps them move through it and wayfind,” Van de Riet said. “The entrance we created is meant to draw people towards the public area.” The pavilion is also meant to compliment the other structures Continue on page 4
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NEWS MANAGEMENT Editor-in-chief Nichola McDowell Managing editor Corey Minkoff
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Monday, January 27, 2020
Student Senate seeks higher education funding from state Nicole-Marie Konopelko @NicoleKonopelko
A resolution urging Gov. Laura Kelly to increase earmarks for higher education funding for the next fiscal year passed through Student Senate’s University Affairs Committee Wednesday night. The resolution also calls for state representatives to lower the cost of tuition for students attending Kansas Board of Regents institutions, citing dropping enrollment in Kansas institutions, the state’s ranking of 17th in highest student debt and the 59% of KBOR graduates with debt. The resolution says that despite Kansas’ freeze on in-state tuition and a $28.4 million increase to higher education funding, the state of Kansas is still far behind 2009 restoration levels. “The point still stands that we have seen a massive erosion in
our financial treatment of these institutions at the state level and we would like to see that change,” Senate Chief of Staff Zach Thomason said. Student Body President Tiara Floyd said the passage of the resolution is a part of a greater movement. All student body presidents of KBOR schools are sending resolutions from their respective institutions to urge lawmakers to raise the funding for higher education, Floyd said. “Despite the increase we got last year and the freeze on in state tuition this year, Kansas as a state is very far behind state restoration levels and students are still having to leave the University of Kansas because it’s too expensive,” Floyd said. “I just want to send Laura Kelly a message, in solidarity, as well with other KBOR Student Body Presidents.” Kelly asked Kansas legislators
to consider an additional $11.9 million for state universities to start the Kansas legislative session, Chancellor Douglas Girod said in an email to all University students, faculty and staff. “We look forward to working with her and legislators to ensure KU has the resources to pursue its mission and maintain affordability for students and families,” Girod said in the email. The resolution also cites the University’s low ranking of social mobility in a U.S. News and World Report. Last semester, Senate created an ad-hoc committee to find solutions to increase the University’s retention of Pell Grant students. “There should be an effort to make higher education accessible to those who wish to pursue it,” according to the bill. The resolution will go through full Senate on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
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General Manager Rob Karwath The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The paper is paid for through student fees. The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-4967) is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year except fall break, spring break and exams. Coming soon: The University Daily Kansan app to be available on iOs and Android. Have feedback? Email editor@kansan.com.
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Week in Crime Lucy Peterson
@PetersonxLucy
Disorderly conduct at Downs Residence Hall An unknown suspect discharged a fire extinguisher in a hallway at Downs Residence Hall on Friday, Jan. 24 at 1 a.m. This investigation is ongoing. Trespassing at Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center and Watkins Health Center A person was found trespassing at the Ambler Student Recreation Fitness Center and Watkins Health Center on Friday, Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. Property crime at Wescoe Hall A person criminally damaged a glass door in Wescoe Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 21 at 12:45 a.m. They were also found in possession of a fake driver’s license and were fined $500. The case was closed by arrest. Property crime at Stouffer Apartments A person criminally damaged $280 worth of someone else’s property in the Stouffer Apartment North building on Sunday, Jan. 19. This case was closed by arrest.
Copy chiefs Lauryn Green
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Student Body President Tiara Floyd gives her officer report on Sept. 4.
E-scooters From page 1
scooters, according to the document. Adding e-scooters to campus was one of Crimson+Blue’s platforms during the 2019 Student Senate Elections. Senate Chief of Staff Zach Thomason said coalition members spoke at city commission meetings to advocate for the measure. “As a short distance fix, e-scooters can absolutely provide a benefit to students, and they’re obviously not super high cost,” Thomason said. “There are students who can’t afford an automobile, and they won’t be able to while they’re in college. But, if they’re trying to get down to [Massachusetts] Street and they don’t want to wait for a bus, hop-
ping on an e-scooter is only a few minute ride, and that can be an acceptable solution for them.” VeoRide, which the city currently has a right of way agreement with, provides bikes for University students. The city’s decision to review a request for qualifications (RFQ) submittal was driven by VeoRide’s request to renegotiate its right of way agreement with the city to provide e-scooters in April 2019, said Porter Arneill, the director of communications and creative resources for the City of Lawrence, in an email to the Kansan. “The city recognizes the popularity of shared scooters,” Arneill said. “With this RFQ and pilot program, the city intends to better understand these types [of ] e-scooter programs and, if feasible, how best to implement them.” The city’s Multi-Modal Trans-
portation Commission created a Micromobility Subcommittee to study electric vehicles. According to the agenda document, the subcommittee narrowed its focus to e-scooters and found pros, including reduced congestion parking demand, as well as cons, such as public safety and enforcement challenges. City staff used input from the subcommittee to outline requirements and expectations in their request for qualifications. Hultine said Bird — an e-scooter rental service — brought an e-scooter to the University for students to demo during former Student Body President Noah Ries’ administration. Despite the demo, Hultine said there was no demand for the e-scooters until the Crimson+Blue coalition took office. “At the time, there was not really any push for it,” Hultine said. “And
Theft in Oswald Hall A person damaged and stole property in Oswald Saturday, Jan. 18, resulting in a loss of $180. This case is still open.
then I learned that this current governance, that was a part of their platform. I knew that the city was already looking to engage a contract, so I thought no matter what, we would tag along to that contract.” Hutline said the University will likely develop a scooter policy in conjunction with the KU Public Safety Office to determine where the scooters can operate and what speed they can operate at. In addition, the city staff will likely present an ordinance to the City Commission to define the local laws for e-scooter use for the pilot program, according to the agenda document. At the conclusion of the sixmonth pilot program, the city will determine whether e-scooters will stay in Lawrence through public engagement and program evaluation.
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KU creates new photography minor Paul Samberg @PhSam16 The University of Kansas’ School of Architecture and Design announced the creation of a new photography minor. The school felt this was an important discipline to add given photography’s role in today’s world, Photography Program Director Elise Kirk said. Previously, the school only offered a photography major.
“This minor could be a critical addition to many majors during a time when, around the world, humans are producing and sharing over a billion photographs every day,” according to the school’s website. If interested in pursuing this minor, students must take PHTO 200 as a prerequisite. Additionally, applicants must submit a short essay, a 10-image portfolio and a PDF of the student’s advising report.
Students must also complete a minimum of 18 credit hours. Six classes are provided to adhere to this requirement, ranging from the history of cameras to understanding photographs. “The study of photography and related media fosters visual literacy and conceptual and critical thinking skills, while preparing students for fields as diverse as arts and design, media and communications, marketing and advertising, and the humanities
and social sciences,” Kirk said. While the photography minor is new, the University has offered it as a major for more than 10 years. However, it is felt that photography is a valuable skill to have for any course of study, which played a role in the creation of the minor, Kirk said. “[Photography] is a valuable addition to any student’s major course of study,” Kirk said. “We look forward to including a range of perspectives in the classroom
alongside our current photography major students.” Sam Motew, a freshman studying visual arts, said he believes the minor will prove “extremely useful” to future students at the University. “It definitely can help me in my future career, while not having to take a full course load of a second major,” Motew said. Applications for the minor will be due in the Spring according to the school’s website.
Senior Abby Liudahl looks at her work during the 2019 BFA Photography Exhibit held in Chalmers Hall April 2019.
Chance Parker/UDK
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Arts & Culture
Monday, January 27, 2020
kansan.com
Drug incident inspires KU junior to become personal trainer
Maggie Gould/UDK
KU junior Kefrene Zakpa teaches proper lifting techniques.
Alana Washington @AskAlanaLovely After a five-day hospitalization his sophomore year at the University of Kansas, Kefrene Zakpa had to return to his home in West Africa to make his full recovery. Now, the international student is using his experience to fuel his newfound desire to change others lives for the better as a personal trainer. His sophomore year at the University, Zakpa said he consumed a psychedelic mushroom and immediately regretted his decision. Afterward, he was unable to speak
English and returned to his native language of French. “I had no more sense of who I was or where I was,” Zakpa said. “I was very frightened and broken. I remember refusing to speak to anyone in English because I wanted to feel secure.” Zakpa became progressively violent after the incident, he said. While staying at The Reserve on West 31st Street Apartments, he said he harassed other residents verbally and smashed his apartment window. “I felt like I was in hell,” Zakpa said. “I felt like God was punishing me for my decision because I did
not originally want to take it, but everyone else did. He was teaching me how to stand my ground.” According to medical records, police escorted Zakpa to Lawrence Memorial Hospital July 24, 2018. The hospital transferred him to Osawatomie State Hospital, a psychiatric facility, after one day. Dominique Zakpa, Kefrene’s mother, said she was devastated by the news. “He called me saying he was going to hell, and he wanted to speak to his sister before,” Dominique said. “It was a deep pain — as if someone stabbed me. I cried for days and started fasting and praying.” After being in the hospital for five days, Kefrene said he decided to return to his hometown, Abidjan, a city on the southern Atlantic coast of Ivory Coast. During this time, he turned to his religious views and asked God for advice on how to move forward, Kefrene said. “After I prayed and got answers, I started doing pushups the next day,” Kefrene said. “I felt like I needed to actively work towards getting better. That happened dramatically because I believed I was conquering my situation and
not letting myself be defeated.” Kefrene said he’s always been interested in health. Before the incident occurred, he received CPR and first aid certification. He then decided to pursue a certificate in personal training during his break from the University. ”I would read every day and then go to the gym so I could understand the concept of fitness from a personal level so I could train anyone,” Kefrene said. Upon returning to the University in the fall of 2019, Kefrene said he made a vow to himself to listen to the voice of God and not allow others to influence his actions. Kefrene now has more than 700 followers on Instagram and is a personal trainer at Omni Fitness. He uses Instagram to give health, fitness and motivational advice. Kefrene posts content that includes workout tutorials, advice videos and client progress pictures. Lexci Kimball, a senior from Haskell Indian Nations University, has been training with Kefrene for five months and said he has improved her physical and mental health. “My personal goal was to gain weight and build muscle, and he’s really helped me with that,”
Kimball said. “I struggle with depression and anxiety, and sometimes that causes me to lose my appetite or get into these moods where I don’t want to do anything. But, he’s really helped me see the bigger picture in life.” Kimball said she feels confident when investing in herself and relying on Kefrene for professional help. She said self-discipline is another concept of personal training that’s improved her life. “He has really pushed me to show up on time and not skip days,” Kimball said. “When we do workouts, he says, ‘10 sets is good, but 12 is great. Which one do you want to be?’” Kefrene said he offers personalized programming, online coaching and personalized meal plans. His training sessions usually last an hour, and he creates a workout routine correlating with the client’s strength, endurance, movement patterns, flexibility and cardiovascular endurance. Kefrene is now focusing on building his clientele and receiving his bachelor’s degree in global and international studies. He said he plans to continue encouraging others to be vulnerable, to better themselves and to achieve their goals.
Campus Couture: Sophomore draws inspiration from ‘90s Alicia Marksberry @AliciaMarksb Walking across campus in the bitter cold on the third day of class, Ethan Haskins, a sophomore from Olathe, still shows off his style. He’s dressed in a black faux fur coat, a leopard print mock turtleneck and eye-catching bright red pants. Haskins said he gets a lot of his inspiration from pop culture, including Marilyn Monroe,”The Nanny,” “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” and “Clueless.” As a design student, he said he feels like his major influences his style, and he tries to dress up every day. “I wouldn’t be caught dead in sweats in public unless I was at the gym,” Haskins said. “It just makes me feel more comfortable.” Haskins isn’t afraid to cross boundaries with his fashion and feels that his willingness to do so sets him apart from others. “I feel like I really like breaking
gender roles in a really tasteful way, and I like wearing stuff that is not trendy, but classic,” he said. Haskins’s favorite materials and patterns to look for when shopping are velvet, faux fur and animal print. He said he likes putting together solid color outfits where every single item of clothing is the same color. Haskins said he shops at thrift stores in Lawrence and Olathe to be more frugal and sustainable. “I feel like I’m too broke to accessorize correctly right now,” Haskins said. “Because honestly, my fantasy is just like, dripping in jewels.” Campus Couture is a weekly feature that spotlights one University student, faculty or staff member who is dressed to impress. Check Kansan.com weekly to see who’s featured in upcoming installments. Know someone who you think should be featured in Campus Couture? Tweet us at @KansanNews or @aliciamarksb.
Alicia Marksberry/UDK
Sophomore Ethan Haskins sports his ‘90s fit in the first Campus Couture installment of 2020.
The “Emergence Pavilion” is made of recycled wood, steel and limestone.
Emergence From page 1
and landmarks in the park, Van de Riet said. Those include a sensory garden with sculptures by artist Nick Miller, and a dirt mountain for children to play on. Van de Riet said the students got the idea for the pavilion while researching the garden and how pollination works. They were inspired by the metamorphosis of a butterfly and how its transformation is similar to the act of pollination. The structure itself is supposed to look like the two wings of a butterfly taking flight. “This transformation of life really captivated the students,” Van de Riet said. The pavilion and limestone
Contributed by Keith Van de Riet
entryway was created almost entirely from recycled and donated materials, he said. The steel and wood both came from Evergy’s Green Team, a power company. The steel is from old transmission towers, while the wood came from old power poles. The limestone was donated from the Kansas Union at the University. “It’s good material that would otherwise end up in a landfill,” Van de Riet said. “It’s also free for us.” The rest of the materials came from the “Kaw Pavilion,” a project Van de Riet and a previous classes worked on,” which was funded by a grant from the Douglas County Community Foundation and donations from sponsors. Van de Riet said the goal of the project was to give students experience on what it takes to bring
a real-world project to fruition. Over the course of the semester, they worked with shaping stone, masonry, mortar and more. Students each had their own roles that reflected their expertise. John Hardie, a third-year architecture student, whose job was to create the plans and construction documents, said he learned a lot about this skill during the construction of the pavilion. “I hadn’t done a lot of detailed construction documents before this,” Hardie said. “That was really helpful because that is what I am doing for my career.” Van de Riet and his class still have plans to continue adding to the pavilion. In the spring, Van de Riet said they plan to add bench seating made of donated stone to the structure.
THINGS TO DO AT KU Art
Food & Dining
Movies & TV
Music
Theater
Kansas Day at the Natural History Museum on Wednesday, Jan. 29 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The garbo burger at the Burger Stand located at 803 Massachusetts St.
“Sex Education” released on Netflix on Jan. 17
“The Neon Skyline” by Andy Shauf released on Jan. 24
“Dueling Decades” at Theatre Lawrence on Saturday, Feb. 1
For the latest arts and entertainment coverage, visit kansan.com
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cheek.” “That’s not how I roll... I suck dick.” “Close your eyes and open your mouth.”
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I think.”
Opinion columnist Jamie Hawley argues if Democrats want to keep Trump out of office they must stand behind the candidate who wins the nomination.
OPINION
“It’s fine if I die, as long as I find a good tiktok to set it to.” “Is the boom boom room a speakeasy?” “I can’t take my foot out in public.” “Sex is a good thing. Good sex is a godly thing.” “He’s a good communicator- he just lies.” “No night is a no calculus night.”
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“I got tased like 3 times tonight
Monday, January 27, 2020
Jamie Hawley @OnlyNarrative
On Tuesday, the Hollywood Reporter published an interview with Hillary Clinton that had been kept in a time capsule since 2016 — or at least that’s what it reads like. In the interview, Clinton viciously attacks current Democratic front-runner and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, saying “nobody likes him” and he’s a “career politician.” While these are certainly biting words from someone with the last name Clinton, they are also the latest blows dealt in the Democratic civil war that will have many, many casualties.
Primary seasons are exhausting. This one has felt 10 years long and included dozens of candidates, with 16 Democrats still in the race. At this point, my vote is going to whoever’s Twitter annoys me the least. But while campaigns are always tiresome, there are only so many times you can stomach the same ad, even if you like the candidate. This season has been made worse by the ever-increasing amount of party infighting, not only by the supporters of Democratic candidates, but by the candidates themselves and party elites like Clinton, who just want to watch the world burn. I understand this is a competition. The United States’ electoral process has been gamified past all recognition. The point is to win, and to win a popularity contest,
you have to prove you’re better than your opponent. But this isn’t a comparison of policy or experience. This is Clinton attacking Sanders for his likability. This is Sanders and Warren fighting over a year-old quote. This is Twitter wars over whether moderates or progressives have a better shot at winning the White House, all predicated on the ridiculous fact that there were voters in 2016 who thought to themselves, “Hillary Clinton isn’t progressive enough for me, so I’m going to vote for Gary Johnson, who wants to eliminate the Department of Education.” Donald Trump is poisonous. His presidency has resulted in pain and suffering for thousands of people, and his actions in Iran are a sign of much more suffering to come. His presidency has a death count. It is crucial that we remove him from the White House. But here’s the thing: All presidencies have death counts. We live in a country that consistently puts the well-being of its elites above the well-being of the rest of the world’s population, and the presidency has as much to do with the perpetuation of this atrocity as any other aspect of government. There is never going to be a perfect candidate. There is never going to be someone who checks
all your boxes and shares all your ideals. But there will always be a better candidate. We can always take one step closer to the light. That’s what we have to do in November, and we’re going to do it by voting for the Democratic nominee — even if it’s Joe Biden.
Donald Trump is poisonous. His presidency has resulted in pain and suffering for thousands of people. I’m begging all Democrats to cool it. Chill for two seconds. Don’t listen to the Clintons, the clickbait or the bots. Debate the ideas that matter: ideas of policy and morality. Support the candidate who speaks to you, the one who you believe has the best shot at doing the best things. If that candidate isn’t nominated in July, then support the one who is. Jamie Hawley is a senior from Salina studying English, political science and communications.
“I can’t wall twerk in the newsroom anymore.” “How do I politely tell someone they are an idiot?” —Start with, ‘with all due respect’” “I can’t be woken up by
Beware fake news, work to avoid it OPINION Brett Knepper
anything but fear at this point.”
@KnepperBrett
“This is like a porno gone bad…
Journalism, once held in high stature by the public, has been facing sharp public criticism recently. The emergence of journalistic criticism and general mistrust stems from the recent emergence of the term “fake news,” most commonly associated with the president in his political tirades against journalists. The term is often associated with inaccuracy or misreporting, but what really is fake news? Hong Vu, assistant professor at the William Allen White School of Journalism, differentiates between what he refers to as “real” fake news and “fake” fake news. “Real” fake news is “created by chatbots with an intention to deceive people,” Vu said. “It looks like news, but all the information in there is either fake or made up.” On the other hand, what most people consider fake news is really “the kind of news that you don’t like and just call it fake news,” Vu said. This “fake” fake news has been brought to the public eye by political attacks on news media. As students studying in higher education, we have a responsibility to keep ourselves informed, but with so much access to fake news, that becomes more of a problem. While students continue to garner information about the world around them from social media, the facts show that this may not be the best way of processing news. As recently as last October, Mark Zuckerberg openly ex-
no wait, gooood.” “Well if he doesn’t like it, he can just go fly a kite… in hell.” “Let’s get drunk and play Mao.” “I really can’t fit a lollipop in my mouth and it’s disappointing.” “Knowing that people wanna do you? — changes your life.” “We really just ordered 450 chicken wings...” “So apparently my backpack somehow ended up in Kansas City.”
Contact us Sarah Grindstaff sgrindstaff@kansan.com Grace Fawcett gfawcett@kansan.com Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Sarah Grindstaff, Nichola McDowell, Corey Minkoff and Grace Fawcett.
pressed that Facebook was not going to police political speech on the platform. This was made out to seem as an upholding of free speech, but in actuality it allows for more clickbait websites to find their way into users’ Facebook feeds. “The fake news creators make money from your clicks,” Vu said. “They want you to click on the story as much as possible so they can generate some revenue. In order to do that, they have to create a headline or pictures that will draw people’s attention.” In circumstances such as Facebook’s, headlines that draw people’s attention tend to be political articles that can be targeted at certain individuals who then share those stories with their friends, which creates a misinformed public. Meanwhile, fake news continues to bring in a profit. “Fake news is usually customized to the political ideology and any kind of need you have for information. [Websites] want to customize the data for whatever information they can get out of you,” Vu said. Vu said confirmation bias comes into play on the part of the readers. “You want to read the information you agree with,” Vu said. “So that’s where fake news creators come in.” Vu explained that, through social media platforms, fake news sites can learn more about a person and therefore develop and create more fake news for their preferences, thus further spreading fake news. While I cannot express the importance of free speech enough, one can’t help but wonder the point of free speech if what is spo-
Associated Press
Facebook was under fire for failing to rein in fake and biased news stories that some believe may have swayed the 2016 presidential election.
ken is false. Perhaps people may try and seek other news sites that are credible, but it is impossible to know how many sites aren’t. Melissa Zimdars of Merrimack College began compiling a list of sources which are “False, Misleading, Clickbait-y and Satirical.” Zimdars’ list can be extraordinarily helpful for the many news consumers who aren’t experienced enough to determine the credibility (or lack thereof ) of certain websites, but this list compiles only a few of the numerous sources providing false information. But how can a person congest news without taking in fake news? That’s where the newspaper comes in. As a source, there is nothing more honest than a newspaper with substantial history behind it. “[Newspapers] have professional writers who work for them. They have a long tradition in
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terms of credibility as well,” Vu said. “The easiest thing is to take the sources that you know well and have a long tradition in the news media.” Given how overwhelming it can be find sort through so much digital information, people often choose to read from random, unchecked sources they find online. Vu said a better way to filter through the information is by finding those several sources which you identify with and know are credible. And what better way to get behind the curtain of digital information — which may or may not be fake — than by involving yourself in a medium that has a history with credibility and is doing everything it can to report the facts? Brett Knepper is a sophomore from Newton studying English creative writing.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Sports
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The University Daily Kansan
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Azubuike thrives in four-guard lineup Jakob Katzenbeg @KatzInHatz10 In Kansas men’s basketball’s 74-68 victory over Tennessee on Saturday, the Jayhawks were forced to play almost exclusively four-guard lineups, with junior forward pair Silvio De Sousa and sophomore David McCormack suspended, senior center Udoka Azubuike played as the only true post presence in the game- a role he’s thrived in all season. With four guards around Azubuike, the big man had much more space to operate compared to Kansas’ usual starting lineup with McCormack alongside him. Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said Azubuike is one of his favorite players to watch on film and noted the difficulty of stopping him. “In some ways, when they have those four guards out there around [Azubuike], they are a really difficult team to guard,” Barnes said. “They can drive the ball well, [they’re] unselfish with it.” Azubuike finished as the Jayhawks’ second-leading scorer with 18-points (6-of-7 shooting) and 11 rebounds, but his impact on the game stemmed beyond that. The Nigeria native recorded the highest plus minus on the team with a +19. One of the common themes of the Jayhawks all season, as Kansas coach Bill Self has said numerous times, has been their lackluster passing ability. Azubuike has been virtually unstoppable on the low block, as he currently leads the nation in field goal percentage at 78.1%. Self said he still wants his team to get the ball to Azubuike more. “Even when you look at it, he got post touches but he still only shot the ball seven times,” Self said. “I wish that number was 10 or 11, I think we’d be a lot better.”
With no real answer for Azubuike and 4:31 remaining in the game, Tennessee tried the ‘hacka-Shaq’ strategy to send him to the charity strip – where he was shooting a career 39.8% heading into the game. On the next possession, the massive center got low-post positioning and junior guard Yves Pons fouled him to prevent the easy layup. In that stretch, Azubuike, nailed 3-of-4 free throws. Barnes explained this strategy in the post-game press conference. “We said before we let him do that, if we’re close, we’re not going to let him get [the shot] up,” Barnes said. “How many shots did he miss today?” “One,” the media replied. “I think he’s missed fifty on the year, right? I don’t know if I’d call it ‘hack-a-Shaq,’ I’d call it playing the percentages. He’s not going to miss [dunks]. I mean, he’ll put you and the ball in the basket.” Playing as the only big on Kansas’ team, Azubuike had to shoulder a huge load. At the 8:26 mark of the second half, the center picked up his fourth foul of the game. One more and he was done for the game. Azubuike totaled 27-minutes, and then played the rest of the game after being subbed in with 4:30 left. “I think he lost some aggressiveness when he got in foul trouble defensively and didn’t rebound like he was. But, overall it’s very obvious we are not the same team with him not in the game,” Self said. Winded down the stretch, Azubuike gave up an easy layup that cut the Kansas’ lead to 69-66 with 2:15 left to play. After the play, the big man walked down to the other end of the court with his arms down to his side and pant-
Johnny Meehan/UDK
Senior center Udoka Azubuike makes a rebound against the Tennessee Volunteers Saturday, Jan 25.
ing. Self recognized that and quickly called a timeout. The contest, for Azubuike and Self, became a game of picking and choosing his breaks to allow the big man to catch his breath. Azubuike’s teammate, sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji, said time management was a huge factor as to how Kansas ultimately won the game.
Better 3-point shooting key to tournament run Jack McGarr @Mcgarr_Jack
Kansas men’s basketball, while looking to receive a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, are starting to show its true colors when it comes to three-point shooting. Inconsistent shooting has weighed the team down behind some other tournament favorites. Despite a 60% three-point shooting outburst from freshman guard Christian Braun, the rest of the Jayhawks managed to shoot a dismal 3 of 16 from behind the arc for the rest of the bout against in-state rival K-State. Although the team sported a 34.6% from three-point range in the Sunflower Showdown, that percentage would have been lowered to
a mere 18.75% if Braun hadn’t bolstered the team’s three-point percentage. This discrepancy in three-point shooting will end up being a main concern heading into March Madness. Kansas currently ranks 87th in D-1 in three-point percentage, shooting 35.4% this season, which has been boosted thanks in-part to great shooting performances from Braun and senior guard Isaiah Moss. Braun is currently shooting 41.9% from deep while Moss is shooting 38% from downtown on the season. Besides these two options, the Jayhawks don’t have a dependable shooter on their roster that can compete with some of the hotter
shooting teams that will be entering the tournament come March. Although Kansas has relied on inside scoring and defense, the Jayhawks have been able to maintain a 16-3 record on the year. The Jayhawks will need to look at other players to step up and shoot more from behind the arc. Players such as sophomore guard Devon Dotson and junior guard Marcus Garrett will need to raise their percentages from long-range if the Jayhawks will want to compete with some of the potent offenses that they will play in the tournament. Dotson holds a 29.3% and Garrett shoots 31.3% on the year. Both guards will need to be more efficient shooting from downtown if the team wants to succeed down the stretch. With junior forward Silvio De Sousa and sophomore forward David McCormack suspended, Kansas will need to play with a guard-heavy lineup. Now more than ever, the Jayhawks will need to rely on shooting from outside to expand their offense.
Next Game
Emma Pravecek/UDK
Freshman guard Christian Braun shoots the ball against Kansas State Tuesday, Jan. 21.
Oklahoma State on Jan. 27 in Stillwater at 8 p.m.
“When we had Azubuike in the game, obviously, we were at our best offensively and defensively. I mean, he had a big impact. We needed him in the game – subbing him in and out was key” In the final 4:05 of the game, Azubuike tallied three blocks and a steal. The final block essentially sealed the deal. After rejecting Pons with 40-seconds left to play,
the center wagged his finger in the air while smiling cheek-to-cheek as Allen Fieldhouse showered him with cheers. When initially asked about the play, Azubuike – a man of few words – said “it was fun.” “We needed a stop, so I was glad I was able to get that stop,” he said. “I just kind of wanted to pump the team up.”
Kobe Bryant
was drafted out of Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th overall pick in 1996. He was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers where he spent his entire 20-year career.
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From watching Bryant scoring 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006 to winning the NBA Finals in 2009 and 2010, Kapadia reflected on watching Bryant’s through the greatest moments of his decorated NBA career. “He was really like the first thing or person that introduced me to America,” Kapadia said. “He was the first American person I knew. Former and current Kansas basketball players reacted to Bryant’s death via Twitter. Kansas basketball paid tribute to Bryant, as well. Junior Evan Satlin, who is from Los Angeles, said calling Bryant his hometown hero “is an absolute understatement.” “People have to take his love for [basketball], his work ethic, his love for his family, appreciate that and really apply it to themselves,” Satlin said. “It’s times like this this that should bring you closer to the people around you because that’s what Kobe would want.” Freshman Jake Niefeld from Minneapolis, Minnesota, says Bryant will be remembered forever. “{Bryant} was the reason people my age began to watch basketball,” Niefeld said. “He was a true legend of the game and his impact will last for years to come through the people who watched him.” Born in Philadelphia, Bryant
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“He was a true legend of the game and his impact will last for years to come” Jake Niefeld Freshman
He averaged 25.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 1,346 regular season games. Although he doesn’t know him personally, Kapadia says the passing of Bryant “feels like like losing part of the family.” “Him being part of my life, watching him teach me something I didn’t know,” Kapadia said. “Watching him made me fall in love with basketball. It feels like it’s closer than it actually is. It feels like a family member is gone.” Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa, 37 and three daughters: Natalia, 17, Bianka, 3, and Capri, 7 months. This story is ongoing and will be updated with new information as necessary. Jack McGarr (@mcgarr_jack) contributed to this article.
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Sports
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, January 27, 2020
Kansas tennis loses both decisions in ITA Kickoff Sam Lance
@SamLance_
The 19th ranked Kansas tennis team dropped both of its decisions during the ITA Kickoff weekend at the Jayhawk Tennis Center. On Friday, Kansas squared off against the No. 22 Tennessee Volunteers and came up short with a decision of 4-2. The Jayhawks struggled the most in their doubles matches. The tandem of freshman Luniuska Delgado and sophomore Malkia Ngounoue (No. 93) fell to the Tennessee team 6-2. Freshman Carmen Roxana Manu and senior Maria Toran Ribes also dropped their doubles match 6-1. In singles, Kansas had a little more success against Tennessee, winning three out of the six matches. Sophomore Sonia Smagina (No. 63), defeated Tennessee’s No. 72 ranked Kaitlin Staines 6-4, 7-5. Other Jayhawks victorious in singles were freshman Vasiliki Karvouni and senior Maria Toran Ribes. (No. 93) Ngounoue, the only other ranked Jayhawk in singles, was taken down by sophomore Rebeka Mertena (No. 76). On the other side of the bracket, No. 20 Virginia faced off against the No.17 California Golden Bears. With Virginia’s 4-1 win, a matchup is set for the two losers in constellation play: Kansas and
California. The Jayhawks fared well in doubles against California. Ngounoue and Delgado won their match 6-4, and the duo of Ribes and Julia Deming also got a victory of 6-2. Their doubles play was good enough to give Kansas the 1-0 lead heading into singles. The lead for Kansas was extended to 2-0 after Ribes defeated California’s Jessica Zeynel 7-5, 6-0. The Golden Bears managed to get themselves on the board after freshman Haley Giavara (No. 21) dominated Ngounoue 6-3, 6-2. Kansas was then up 3-1 in the match scoring, but the Golden Bears ended singles with three set wins in a row to nab the victory 4-3. Going down in these last three matches for the Jayhawks were Manu, Smagina and Delgado. After this hard-fought, yet disappointing weekend for the Jayhawks, they now move to 2-2 on the season.
Next Game Tennis vs. No. 24 Wake Forest on Jan. 31 at 5 p.m.
Chance Parker/UDK
Sophomore Sonia Smagina shows her excitement against Tennessee. The Jayhawks fell to the Volunteers 4-2 Friday, Jan. 24.
QUICK HITS Baseball
Women’s Basketball
Men’s Golf
Returning catchers this season
Home wins this season
Rounds for the fall season
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