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KU men's basketball defeats No. 1 Baylor using pick and roll strategy
Monday, February 24, 2020
WHAT’S NEW AT KU News on deck at kansan.com
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KU raises $1.7 million in One Day One KU event
The Student Voice Since 1904
Vol. 140/Issue 11
Out of how many? KU disciplined 4 students for sexual misconduct in 2019, but the number of reports to its Title IX office remains unclear
Johnny Meehan/UDK
Sexual assault
A resolution calling for the formation of an ad hoc committee to investigate sexual assault on campus passed through Student Senate's University Affairs Committee and will go through Full Senate Wednesday, Feb. 26.
Vice provost search
Four candidates for the vice provost for undergraduate studies search will be coming to the University of Kansas in February and March to make presentations to students, faculty and staff.
UDK file photo
Jayhawk baseball
Baseball traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to play the Bucaneers on Feb. 22. They split the four-game series with Charleston Southern, losing 1-2 and 0-1, then winning 13-4 and 9-1.
On the horizon
Mike Gunnoe/Kansas Athletics
Jayhawks vs. Sooners
Women’s basketball hits the road to face Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma Wednesday, Feb. 26
UDK file photo
The University of Kansas disciplined four students in 2019 for violating its sexual harassment policy.
Lucy Peterson
@PetersonxLucy
The University of Kansas disciplined four students for sexual misconduct after investigations from its Title IX office in 2019, according to data released by the Office of Student Affairs. Three students were expelled and one student was placed on probation in 2019. The data is part of a longer list of 69 sanctions the University has placed on students for violating its sexual harassment policy since 2012. The policy prohibits rape, sexual battery, sexual harassment and other forms of sexual violence on campus. The data doesn’t include how many reports were filed to the University’s Title IX Office in 2019, or any information on how many faculty, staff or third party individuals were disciplined by the
University. Campus leaders believe it’s part of a larger transparency problem at the University surrounding sexual misconduct.
“It’s a lot harder to force people to be accountable when we’re just struggling to figure out who they’re talking about in the first place.” Grant Daily Student senator
In December, Student Senate called on University administrators to reopen a sexual assault task force formed in 2014-15, writing in part that the University was one of the “least transparent large, educational institutions in the nation regarding sexual violence.”
“It’s a lot harder to force people to be accountable when we’re just struggling to figure out who they’re talking about in the first place or the issues we’re talking about,” said Grant Daily, a College of Liberal Arts & Sciences student senator who authored the resolution. The sanctions from Jan. 1, 2019 to Dec. 31, 2019 were as follows: • Probation (two years), education/training, counseling, no contact • Expulsion, campus ban (five years), transcript notation • Expulsion, campus ban (five years), transcript notation, conditions on re-enrollment • Expulsion, campus ban (10 years), transcript notation Each sanction spurred from an investigation from the University’s Office of Institutional Opportunity & Access — the entity on Continue on page 2
Domino's Pizza no longer takes Dining Dollars Allicyn Burns @AllicynBurns
Domino’s Pizza is ending its partnership with KU Dining Services after it determined it could not meet the needs of University of Kansas students, Jim Schilling, the director of KU Dining Services, said. Beginning in the fall 2019 semester, KU Dining Services introduced its partnership as an added option for students included in the new dining plan. Following the start of the second semester, students soon learned Domino’s was no longer accepting KU Dining Dollars. Schilling said the termination of the University’s partnership with Domino’s came as a surprise. “The demand for meal plan pizzas, peaking during the Super Bowl, exceeded Domino’s ability to meet Lawrence needs,” Schilling said. Schilling said Domino’s determined it could no longer fulfill dining plan orders and first let customers know as their orders came in. Domino’s later contacted KU Dining about its decision to stop accepting meal plan orders. The company's inability to keep up with the demands of students on campus was evident throughout the fall semester, some students said. Freshman Melisa Martin Del Campo, a resident in Down’s Hall, Continue on page 2
KU softball takes home championship title in Texas Jack McGarr
KU gospel group gets funds to travel to national retreat for first time in 10 years Tatum Goetting @TatumGoetting
For the first time in a decade, the University of Kansas Inspirational Gospel Voices student group will attend the 75th annual Diamond Jubilee Session of the National Baptist Student Union Retreat. IGV has been fundraising for months and recently received funding from Student Senate for the convention. The retreat will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from March 19 to 21, and IGV will be combining its current choir with a University alumni choir for the trip. IGV Adviser Takisha Clark said the organization has continued to be a safe haven for students of all backgrounds and has given them another family for 44 years. “[IGV] is like a home away from home,” Clark said. “Some students who aren’t really local don’t have any connection to Lawrence or that community, so we offer that safe haven, that family.” IGV has not been able to attend
Contributed photo
Inspirational Gospel Voices will travel to the 75th Annual Diamond Jubilee National Baptist Convention for the first time in 10 years.
this retreat for the past 10 years due to difficulties with funding the trip. Student Senate’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee recently voted to help fund registration and hotel costs for the convention. “We have been doing fundraising since November, so we’ve
raised most of the funds ourselves,” Clark said. “To get that last portion from Senate was amazing because it’s been a long journey.” Clark said the extra funding the group needed was to make sure students won’t have to make any out-of-pocket purchases. Before Continue on page 3
@McGarr_Jack
This weekend, Kansas softball traveled to Arlington, Texas, to play in the Boerner Invitational where the team picked up four wins in five games. Kansas sealed its championship victory with a 3-2 win over Rutgers. Game 1 In the Jayhawks' first game of the tournament, they squared off against the San Antonio Roadrunners and were defeated 8-7. Freshman shortstop Taylor Medina carried the load for the Roadrunners, where she drove in seven of eight runs. Kansas redshirt sophomore shortstop Sydnee Ramsey went 2-of-4 on the day and added three RBIs for the Jayhawks. Redshirt sophomore catcher Shelby Gayre also added two RBIs. The Roadrunners were able to secure the comeback win with a grand slam from Medina to make the score 8-7. Game 2 Kansas was able to split its first day of the tournament 1-1 on Friday with a 10-1 win over Rutgers. Sophomore first baseman Morgan Wynne led the way for the Jayhawks with two home runs and six Continue on page 10
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News
The University Daily Kansan
NEWS MANAGEMENT Editor-in-chief Nichola McDowell Managing editor Corey Minkoff
SECTION EDITORS News editor Lucy Peterson
Monday, February 24, 2020
One Day One KU brings $1.7 million in donations
Associate news editor Emma Bascom Sports editor Jack Johnson Associate sports editor Jakob Katzenberg Arts & culture editor Rylie Koester Associate arts & culture editor Liam Mays Opinion editor Sarah Grindstaff Visuals editor & design chief Philip Mueller Photo editor Sarah Wright Associate photo editor Rachel Griffard Copy chiefs Lauryn Green Brianna Wessling Audience engagement editor Natalie Gibson Social media editor Emily Doll
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UDK file photo
The third annual One Day, One KU fundraiser, which took place Thursday, Feb. 20, brought in over $1.7 million, surpassing last year’s total by nearly $700,000.
Stef Manchen @SaManchen
In just 24 hours, the University of Kansas raised over $1.7 million to fund 36 separate departments across campus. One Day. One KU. raised a total of $1,771,185 — surpassing last year’s total of $1,084,062. In addition, the event brought in 3,240 gifts. This year, there were 110 established challenges and matches before the event even began to encourage Jayhawks everywhere to donate. “The fundraiser is a really great way for the University to showcase its priorities and then also all the resources available to students,” Student Body President Tiara Floyd said. “I think it also
shows that we have a strong alumni base and how many people are willing to keep KU strong via their own monetary donations.”
“Social media played a larger role in creating awareness and providing channels for giving.” Valerie Gieler KU Endowment Publications director
Students of past and present, faculty, staff and Jayhawks across the country gave back to their departments during the fundraiser. “Our alumni are the most
generous in the state, and we see their commitment to the University through their actions as well,” Student Body Vice President Seth Wingerter said. “The alumni of Student Senate have a great connection and it honestly unites us through generations, so seeing people with different paths at KU share in that same sense of passion and community is really great.” The day-long marathon is held annually on Feb. 20, the same day a bill was signed allowing construction of the University to begin back in 1863. Throughout the day, there were posters and signs across campus to raise awareness, as well as social media promotions leading up to the event. “Marketing efforts have in-
creased,” KU Endowment Publications Director and alumna Valerie Gieler said in an email to the Kansan. “This is year three and donors know it’s happening and can plan gifts; the number of matches and challenges increased, which helps increase the number of gifts.” One advancement to this year’s event was the use of Instagram. Donors were able to give through links on social media platforms, which made the process of giving a lot more user friendly. “Social media played a larger role in creating awareness and providing channels for giving,” Gieler said. “It was a collaborative effort involving all campuses.” The event even got Chancellor Douglas Girod and his wife Susan Girod involved, contributing to the most notable Twitter Hashtag Challenge. The challenge required the hashtag #OneDayOneKU to be tweeted a total of 2,020 times, and was exceeded by 126 extra tweets, unlocking $5,000 to give students resources to overcome unforeseen challenges to ensure academic goals are met. “Jayhawks everywhere have once again shown their tremendous generosity for One Day. One KU,” Girod said. “Not just in helping unlock the Chancellor’s Challenges for student support, but in pushing this campaign to new heights and setting a record for giving in 24 hours. Thank you.”
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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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Sexual assault
‘A systematic failure’
From page 1
campus that reviews cases of discrimination and harassment. There is no data for how many complaints were filed to IOA. Generally, the University has charged the Kansan nearly $700 for the number of complaints filed to the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access. The Kansan obtained the data after making a request to University spokesperson Erinn Barcomb-Peterson. The request was initially declined. Barcomb-Peterson said generally the University doesn’t update it “when the new data set is small enough — as in fewer than 10 — that releasing it could potentially present identifiable information and possibly constitute a FERPA violation,” under guidance from the University’s Office of the General Counsel.
“Our efforts in this have not waned, and in fact, have grown stronger through changes in policy, procedure and staffing.” Douglas Girod KU Chancellor
FERPA is the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, a federal law designed to protect student privacy. The Kansan reached out to one of the lawyers from the general counsel’s office to understand how releasing the data would violate federal law. Shortly after, the University changed its position and released the data.
Despite a call from student government to re-evaluate the institution’s sexual violence procedures through the task force, Chancellor Douglas Girod said he didn’t believe doing so was necessary. Girod said the creation of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center and policy changes grew stronger after the original task force completed their investigation. “As you know, Chancellor Gray-Little created a task force in 2014 that empowered KU to significantly enhance our efforts to prevent and respond to sexual violence,” Girod said in an email to student senators. “Since then, our efforts in this have not waned, and in fact, have grown stronger through changes in policy, procedure and staffing.” The task force’s final report, released in 2015, recommended the University release its data in a model similar to Yale University. Yale, along with John Hopkins University, releases annual data detailing the different reports of sexual violence, how each case was assessed, and the policy and procedures in place for these cases publicly. The University releases annual crime statistics through the Jeanne Clery Act, which includes statistics of reports of sexual assault on campus and an itemized list of sanctions placed on students. Student leaders, such as Daily, say the current procedures aren’t enough. “I think it’s a systematic failure on the University’s part,” Daily said. “How could it not be?”
Maggie Gould/UDK
Domino’s Pizza ended its agreement with KU Dining due to its inability to keep up with orders.
Domino’s From page 1
said Domino’s had very poor customer service. Martin Del Campo recalled waiting an hour after placing her order to find out there was no record of her call to begin with. She said she was then put in contact with a manager who spoke to her in a condescending tone as he told her a new order would be ready in two hours. After agreeing to wait, Martin Del Campo said the manager put her student ID number in their card machine, and after leaving her on hold for five minutes, told her their machine was not working anymore. With hopes to avoid instances like this in the future, Schilling said KU Dining plans to introduce a national pizza brand on campus as early as fall 2020. “This would enable us to provide another branded option for the campus and students with
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dining plans,” Schilling said. For freshman Catherine Magaña, this would be a great addition to KU dining. Magaña recalled ordering Domino’s at least two to three times a week with her roommate last semester. “I feel like it will be much harder for some people to spend their dining dollars, which is unfortunate since not all of the money on your dining plan will roll over to next year, so you just lose what you can’t spend,” Magaña said. Until a new deal is reached with another franchise, KU Dining will provide alternative accommodations for students living in the residence halls. “We now offer students the ability to order large pizzas for carryout from KU Dining locations across campus through our self-branded pizza concept, Jay’s,” Schilling said. The offering has been well received with most of the sales happening through The Studio on Daisy Hill.”
Monday, February 24, 2020
Arts & Culture
kansan.com
The University Daily Kansan
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Senior fights against bullying with fitness and social media Alana Washington @AskAlanaLovey
Contributed photo
Senior Libby Christensen runs a fitness and lifestyle Instagram account that has over 95,000 followers.
After being bullied for expressing herself through social media, Libby Christensen, a senior at the University of Kansas studying communications, now has over 95,000 followers on her fitness and lifestyle Instagram account. During elementary school, Christensen uploaded videos to YouTube as a hobby. She would post product reviews, vlogs and entertainment videos. In middle school, students started to bully her because of her content, she said. “All of these kids started pulling up my YouTube videos, and they would embarrass me in class, so I deleted them all,” Christensen said. As a child, Christensen was very skinny, she said. Students would tease her about her weight, so she began to weight lift her senior year in high school with her boyfriend J.J. Holmes, a former football player at the University. She now uses her Instagram as
a fitness and lifestyle page. “It started as an accountability account, but I’ve always been comfortable sharing myself with an audience, so my engagement skyrocketed,” Christensen said.
“Social media encouraged me to be proud of my appearance ... ” Libby Christensen University senior
Christensen’s feed features workout routines, skincare regimens and other sponsored content. Recently, she signed on as a Gymshark athlete and now has a manager in the company. Christensen has also partnered with the Kansas City Chiefs, Levi’s and Bowmar Nutrition. “She’s one of the hardest working people I know,” said Holmes, a 2019 University alumnus. “She has a lot on her plate with school, work and social media but she makes it all work.”
Christensen said she believes finding your niche and being authentic is the best way to grow a social media following. Finding her voice and knowing her identity is very important to her, she said. “My sister and I were adopted,” Christensen said. “I grew up in an all white family, and I didn’t see anyone who looked like me. Social media encouraged me to be proud of my appearance and speak on topics.” Christensen receives daily messages from women of color who are inspired by her journey. “They say it makes them happy to see someone who looks like them in fitness ads,” Christensen said. Christensen is developing her own brand and plans to become a personal trainer after she graduates in December 2020. “I want to create programs, prescribe workouts and do online coaching,” Christensen said. “I also see myself coming out with a product that aligns with my image.”
Inspirational Gospel Voices From page 1
receiving help from Senate, they had only acquired funding for van rentals, gas and food. Angela Wright, a senior studying strategic communications and a member of IGV said the group is very tight-knit and has given her an outlet to relieve stress and make new friends.“During stressful weeks, I just look forward to going to choir and singing that away,” Wright said. At the retreat, students will meet different gospel choir groups from around the country and members of the gospel community, like Richard Smallwood. Wright said this is a once-in-alifetime opportunity for the club.
“During stressful weeks, I just look forward to going to choir and singing that away.” Angela Wright KU senior
“We’re just going to have a lot more exposure to people from other gospel choirs and be able to connect with them,” Wright said. “We’re going to be able to bring that home to Lawrence as well as just bonding with our own group.” The group has received support from different organizations in Lawrence, including the Victory Bible Church. Leo Barbee, a pastor at Victory Bible Church and a former member of IGV, reached out to the club after they posted about the retreat on Facebook. “I believe that students have
Contributed photo
Inspirational Gospel Voices has been a club at the University of Kansas for 44 years.
great potential in terms of making an impact in our communities, state and nation,” Barbee said. “We as adults want to do all we can to be an asset in helping them get their feet on the ground and get a good perspective of life.” Barbee said he believes in the community and that the younger generations have great potential. “I think IGV is just a beautiful organization,” Wright said. “I think it’s amazing how inclusive everyone is, and as more people get involved, we’re going to have an even more wonderful organization.” IGV meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Murphy Hall. The group is accepting donations via Facebook.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN PRESENTS:
CHALK MAGAZINE is a student-run, KU-focused lifestyle magazine covering culture, life and kansan.com/chalkmagazine experiences in Lawrence. THINGS TO DO AT KU
Art
Food & Dining
Movies & TV
Music
Theater
Artist Talk: Stephen Powers at The Commons on Feb. 26 at 7 p.m.
The Chai at The Bourgeois Pig located at 6 E. Ninth St.
“Emma.” released to theaters on Feb. 21
Destroyer performs at The Granada on Feb. 28
“As You Like It” shows on Feb. 28, 29 and March 1 at Crafton-Preyer Theatre
For more Arts and Culture stories, visit kansan.com
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Puzzles SUDOKU
CRYPTOQUIP
CROSSWORD
Want to peek? Answers can be found at kansan.com
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Monday, February 24, 2020
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Monday, February 24, 2020
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Arts & Culture
Illustration by Abigail Miles/UDK
This weekly column brings you advice based on the stars from the app Daily Horoscope.
Yasi Farahmandnia @AyeItsYasi
Whether you are a believer in astrology or just like to read it for fun. Here’s your Feb. 24 to March 1 weekly horoscope reading: Aries As you trail through this week, keep in mind that adventure doesn’t have to mean travel alone. Exploring new ideas and getting to know someone who intrigues you is all part of an adventurous life. Taurus This week, distance yourself from sources of negativity and meet new people. Whether single or taken, this week is for you to interact and let positivity take the wheel. Gemini You have your priorities right, and building a strong financial foundation is on the top of your list. Take fresh advice from trusted perspectives and let the week determine your future. Cancer Try to find the balance between carelessly wishing and making realistic decisions. The positive forces of the universe are supporting you, but do not let impulse disguise itself as ambition. Leo A new week brings new excitement for you. Remain focused and upbeat and remember these words during the week: accomplish, enjoy and accept.
Virgo Don’t be afraid to be assertive this week. Your judgement is to be trusted. You have been asked for advice before — now it’s time to listen to it yourself. Libra Someone in your life has been working you hard lately. This pressure is not all negative, dear Libra, you have been performing at your highest. Stick with what you have, and the results will surely be to your liking. Scorpio Get to know yourself this week. There are good and bad vibrations surrounding you, and now is the time to dip your toes into the gray area and know how you’re being influenced. Sagittarius Big changes have been unfolding for you lately. You expect the best and you will achieve it, but not after experiencing hardship. There is light at the end of this week’s tunnel. Aquarius The time has come to mend a broken relationship. Do not be resentful. Rid yourself of hatred and open your ears. Do not doubt your intellect. Pisces People of your sign need an area to be creative in. If your mind is motivated to create, find an inspiring space to let it roam free.
For more fun, visit kansan.com
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Monday, February 24, 2020
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Opinion
The University Daily Kansan
Go watch movies made by women
FREE FOR ALL Text us what you hear around campus to (785) 260-0518, and we’ll publish the best stuff. FFA of the Day: “I only drink coffee socially.” “I’m gonna.... maybe graduate. Then I’m gonna run away.” “Whoever gives the best head gets to go home.” “I keep having this vision where I touch the TV screen and it just shatters.” “Are swans the same as geese?” “I was today years old when I
Sarah Wright/UDK
accidentally went into the men’s restroom of the fifth floor union bathroom to throw up after a
Columnist Wyatt Hall argues the best way to support female directors is to watch female-directed movies.
OPINION Wyatt Hall
hangover.”
@TheWyattHall15
“Oh yeah is that the problem that Jared Kushner has?”... “Ohhh no Jared Kushner has LOTS of problems..” “I was just trying to stalk a friend through the peephole in their door and this is the thanks I get?!” “Crisp water. In other words, ice.” “Just witnessed a KU Dining van drive by blasting ‘Juicy’ by Doja
OPINION
“Ghosting men is feminism.”
Leo NiehorsterCook
“I’m a classy drunk. Except for when I’m not.”
@MxLeoNC
“At first glance it looks like penis.” “It ain’t real if you’re not willing to propose at karaoke.” “I’d rather have cilantro than immortality.” “I’m only a perv for you.” “It’s not a trip to the bull unless
high school.”
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.
If you’re not a movie enthusiast, trying to name more than one or two female directors off the top of your head is a difficult task. For male directors, it’s significantly easier; you’ve got well-known filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese that are household names. Why is there such a drastic difference in recognition between men and women who make movies? This is a question I ask myself every time I see beautiful works of art such as Greta Gerwig’s “Little Women” and Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell.”
Only five women have been nominated for Best Director in the entire 92-year history of the Academy Awards. Only one of them won. That’s not for a lack of talent. You could easily make a list of quality films created by women that far surpass the works of their male counterparts, but are simply overlooked. I’ll even give you an example. Explain to me why Greta Gerwig (“Little Women”) wasn’t nominated for Best Director in the latest Oscars when Todd Phillips (“Joker”) was. Look at the consensus from critics on these two movies, or simply watch them both, and you can see a clear gap in craftsmanship. It’s not purely a lack of recognition, but also a lack of industry support.
In 2019, only 12 of the top 100 grossing films were directed by women. The ratio of men to women in speaking roles from those same 100 films was almost two to one. Hollywood is still overwhelmingly male, and while slight progress is being made, it’s not enough. The fact that the Bechdel Test even exists is a statement to how bad things have been and still are. There’s plenty of reasons as to why this is happening, but it all comes down to one giant issue, and that’s unconscious (or unfortunately in many cases, completely conscious) gender bias. Male Hollywood executives generally prefer hiring men, especially for big budget projects, and as a result, moviegoers go see more films made and led by men. Don’t even get me started on
how much worse it is for queer women or women of color, because that’s a whole different conversation entirely. So what can you do to help reverse this problem that’s plaguing cinema? It’s rather simple actually — go watch movies made by women. There’s a plethora of different movies with female directors and more are coming out all the time. Just in the last year you could find a quality movie from almost any genre. Looking to laugh? Go watch “Booksmart” by Olivia Wilde. Want more of a tearjerker? You could watch “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” by Marielle Heller. Want something a bit more intense? “Queen and Slim” by Melina Matsoukas. One of the best performances of the year was by Jennifer Lopez in “Hustlers,” directed by Lorene Scafaria. I could go on and on. The point is, there’s plenty of great content for viewers of every background to enjoy that are made by women that don’t get as much support as they rightfully should. Support these women and start conversations about their work. The more money and publicity these movies get, the more the culture will begin to shift. So let’s say you’re going out to the theater with some friends this weekend to watch a movie and unwind. Maybe instead of going to see a bunch of men fighting a blue CGI speedster in “Sonic the Hedgehog,” go see the highly rated, women-led “Birds of Prey.” You’re still getting plenty of action-filled fun on the big screen — the difference is that you’ll be seeing women kick ass this time around. Wyatt Hall is a sophomore from Bonner Springs studying business analytics.
Memes are our generation’s political cartoons
Cat.”
you see someone from your
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In 2020, nothing can escape being turned into a meme. Social media platforms like Facebook are riddled with meme groups about any given topic — sports, pop culture, school stress and especially politics.
Political memes are often derided as immature or disrespectful, but that point of view misses an important outlook Political memes are often derided as immature or disrespectful, but that point of view misses an important outlook — memes are a form of self-expression that extend beyond a quick laugh. They’re the perfect medium for exploring the absurdity of the world in quick, bite-sized messages. Politics can be depressing, but
satire has been a form of critique since time immemorial. Political cartoons have been a way of voicing public opinion since at least the fifteenth century. They were used at great length to criticize King George III during the American revolution. Since then they’ve become a staple of political life. Today, you can find them at the head of opinion columns in the New York Times, including in articles about our aggression against Iran (which we should cease) and its growing nuclear program. That’s not a bad thing either. The cartoons make real points in an easily-digestible and engaging way. Memes are no different, except for the fact that the barrier to entry is lower. They allow young people to relate to each other, even if they don’t have any artistic skill. They’re a socially acceptable way of expressing things often left unspoken. Oftentimes, the most ridiculous, violent and apparently nonsensical memes get the largest reaction because they most clearly represent the feeling of helplessness in a reality that seems more like fiction every day. It’s a way of releasing stress and connecting to people. I know that personally, when the sense of nihilism and alienation starts to kick in, a news feed full of guillotines and “OK boomer” reminds me that there are other people out there feeling the same way. It re-
Photo illustration by Philip Mueller/UDK
Opinion columnist Leo Niehorster-Cook argues that memes are the political cartoons of Generation Z.
minds me that not everyone is OK with living in a country that regularly commits international war crimes, allies itself with farright dictatorships and wages war endlessly. Memes can also be informative. Let’s be honest, most of us don’t follow the news as closely as we could. There are lots of people, especially young people, that simply won’t learn about things if they’re not put in their news feed, displayed in a format that’s entertaining and low-commitment. That’s not new either. As mentioned above, political cartoons have always served to educate a public that might not have the attention span for a full article. It’s easy to say that people just should read the news, but they
won’t, and the idea that everyone has a responsibility to is frankly elitist. Of course, nobody has a monopoly on memes. A quick google search will reveal troves of bigoted, derogatory, or straight-up fascist memes. People can use any medium to communicate hateful ideas, or simply to be inappropriate and insensitive. But they can also use any medium to inform and connect with friends. There’s no good reason to write off memes. Leo Niehorster-Cook is a senior from Leawood studying philosophy and cognitive science.
To learn more about what our University of Kansas community is talking about, visit kansan.com
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Opinion
Monday, February 24, 2020
kansan.com
Changes to KU football staff spark hope COLUMN Emerson Peavey
@Emerson_Peavey Kansas football is undergoing some major renovations for the 2020-21 season. With coaching changes and commits galore, this upcoming season appears to be promising. Coach Les Miles is attempting to perform a full face-lift on the Kansas football staff in hopes that next season will bring more success than the last. Running Backs Coach Tony Hull announced he was leaving Kansas on Feb. 13. Hull was hired by former head coach David Beaty and was a four-year assistant who was known for getting Kansas popular recruits from his homestate of Louisiana. Kansas was able to bring in key players such as former safety Mike Lee, former wide receiver Daylon Charlot, and junior running back Pooka Williams Jr. Hull’s presence will be missed during recruiting, as he has accepted a position at the University of Hawaii as an offensive assistant. Jonathan Wallace will be taking over Hull’s place as running backs coach and special teams coordinator. Wallace played as a quarterback and receiver for the
Auburn Tigers, and has history working with offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon at Bethel University. Wallace’s experience includes coaching tight ends at Air Force in 2019, and as the wide receivers coach and director of football operations at Bethel. Wallace found success at Air Force, leading it to the Cheez-It Bowl and an 11-2 overall season. His tight ends played a large part in their success, leading Air Force to finish the season in the national top 25 rankings for the first time since 1998.
We’ll all find out soon enough whether or not these staff alterations bring the Jayhawks a winning season in 2020-21. Miles is confident about what Wallace will bring to the table. “[Wallace] is a detail-oriented coach, who is also a dynamic recruiter,” Miles said in an interview with KU Athletics. “He has experience with a championship caliber football program as both a player and a coach and knows the intricacies of the offensive scheme we want to run. Additionally, he has a strong understanding of what we want to accomplish in all phases of the kicking game.”
Softball
bottom of the third inning on a solo home run.
From page 1
Game 3 The Jayhawks started off Saturday with an 8-3 win over Texas-Arlington. Wynne and Ramsey both continued their hot streak, each knocked in two RBIs off one hit. Freshman infielder/catcher Madison Hirsch also singled home another run in the top of the fourth inning to add on to the Jayhawks five fourth-inning runs. For the Mavericks, junior right
RBIs. Kansas scored seven runs in the first two innings to pull away from the Scarlet Knights. For the second consecutive game, Sydnee Ramsey drove in multiple runs, giving her five RBIs across two games. Rutgers was held to only two hits during the game. Senior shortstop Kiana Workman scored the lone run for Rutgers in the
Emma Pravecek/UDK
Wide receiver Andrew Parchment runs before a play. Kansas lost to Baylor 61-6 on Nov. 30, 2019.
Another change in the coaching staff is the addition of Kevin Wewers. It was announced last Tuesday that Wewers will be joining the squad as senior offensive analyst. Wewers spent the past two years at Bethel University, with one year as the offensive coordinator and the other as a co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Wewers worked under Brent
Dearmon while Dearmon was a head coach. Wewers also has experience as an assistant coach and graduate assistant at Arkansas Tech. There are also six new Kansas recruits that enrolled this spring. Those players graduated early and include receiver Lawrence Arnold, tight end Will Huggins, offensive lineman Garrett Jones, linebacker Alonso Person, cornerback Karon
Prunty and defensive lineman Caleb Taylor. Their early arrival will allow them to get accustomed to the Lawrence lifestyle. We’ll all find out soon enough whether or not these staff alterations bring the Jayhawks a winning season in 2020-21. The start of the spring practice schedule is right around the corner.
fielder Madison Miller brought home two runs while freshman center fielder Reagan Hukill knocked in the other run.
bottom half of the inning. Gayre hit a solo home run later in the game. Jackson tallied two hits and a run, and senior right fielder Sam Dellinger also knocked in a run.
in the fourth inning to make the score 3-1. Freshman center fielder Taylor Fawcett added another home run in the top of the sixth inning to make it 3-2. Freshman pxitcher Tatum Goff was able to shut the door on Rutgers recording the first save of her career. The Jayhawks will play next in the Reveille Classic in College Station, Texas Friday. The first game will be against Southeastern Louisiana at 3 p.m.
Game 4 With a spot in the championship game on the line, the Jayhawks met the Mavericks again and won 4-1. The Mavericks scored first off a Kansas error in the top of the fourth inning. The Jayhawks responded with a Wynne RBI, as she singled home junior center fielder Brittany Jackson in the
Championship Game In the championship game, Kansas collected a 3-2 win over Rutgers. Sydnee Ramsey started the Jayhawks off with a two-run shot in the first inning. Rutgers first baseman Gabrielle Calloway knocked in a run in the top of the third to make it 2-1. Hirsch hit a solo shot
Freshman pitcher Tatum Goff winds up to throw. The Jayhawks went 4-1 in the Boerner Invitational Friday, Feb. 21 to Sunday, Feb. 23.
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Contributed by Kansas Athletics
Monday, February 24, 2020
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11
Pick and roll offense paves way to revenge win against No. 1 Baylor
Jakob Katzenberg @KatzWriteSports
In Kansas men’s basketball’s 64-61 revenge win over Baylor in Waco, Texas, the Jayhawks’ effective use of the pick and roll ended up being the difference maker. After spotting Baylor five points to start the game, the Jayhawks’ screens enabled them to get easy looks and answer back with a 14-2 run. In this stretch, nearly every scoring play started with a ball screen. Kansas went straight into the screen and roll with junior guard Marcus Garrett and senior center Udoka Azubuike for its first points of the game. After setting the pick, the Nigeria native crashed to the rim before Garrett hit him for an easy dunk. Two possessions later, Kansas went back to its bread and butter. This time, Garrett set an off-ball screen on Azubuike’s defender, redshirt senior forward Freddie Gillespie, before running it. When this happened, sophomore guard Devon Dotson flew to the rim for a smooth left-handed finger roll. The Jayhawks also used their screens to free up shooters. At the 13:24 mark of the first half, Azubuike set Dotson a pick, which gave him just enough space to step behind the arc and drill a 3-pointer. Later in the half, Moss did the same thing. With Azubuike as the on-ball screen, Moss’s defender went under the screen, and the Iowa transfer connected on a pullup jumper from midrange.
Several times throughout the game, Azubuike’s picks led to highlight-reel alley-oop flushes. At the 9:37 mark of the first half, Garrett used Azubuike’s screen to give him enough space to lob the ball up to the towering center for a ferocious two-handed dunk with Gillespie helplessly trying to defend him.
The Jayhawks went on to win 64-61. This win snapped Baylor’s record setting 23-game winning streak. When Kansas fell to Baylor on Jan. 11, Kansas’ tandem of Dotson and Azubuike combined for only 15 points — the lowest total of the season. It took only 16:58 of game time for the two of them to surpass that total in the second game. The Jayhawks’ duo combined for 36 of Kansas’ 64 points. Azubuike finished as the game’s leading scorer with 23 points (11of-13 shooting), 16 of which came from dunks, as the Jayhawks went on to win 64-61. This win snapped Baylor’s record setting 23-game winning streak. Kansas will look to keep building on this win next Monday, Feb. 24, as the Jayhawks host Oklahoma State. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. on ESPN.
Contributed by Caleb Boren/Baylor Roundup
Junior guard Marcus Garrett drives the ball against Baylor. The Jayhawks defeated the Bears 64-61 in Waco, Texas Saturday, Feb. 22.
KU track and field breaks more records over weekend Kylie Hanna
@KylieHanna4
Kansas track and field wrapped up the regular indoor season at the Arkansas Qualifier in Fayetteville, Arkansas on Friday, Feb. 21. The Jayhawks notched seven topfive finishes and 11 new personal
records. To qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship, athletes needed to rank in the top-16 of their event or in the top-12 of a relay. Kansas qualified 23 entries. The women’s 4x400 meter relay was composed of seniors Mariah Kuykendoll, Zantori Dickerson,
Jedah Caldwell and junior Honour Finley, who earned the No. 7 spot in K indoor history. Sophomore Treyvon Ferguson placed second in the men’s triple jump with a mark of 15.42 m Ferguson became the No. 7 performer in Kansas history in the event when he jumped 15.78 m at the Tyson Invitational. Junior Kyle Rogers vaulted 5.20 m and placed third in the men’s pole vault. Rogers scored the same as the second-place competitor, sophomore Vincent
Hobbie of Central Missouri. In the women’s triple jump, a trio of Jayhawks placed in the top five. Freshman Victoria Gorlova placed second with a jump of 12.28 m, also earning a new personal record. Sophomore Saudia Heard placed fourth, jumping 11.83 m, while freshman Lorielle Daniel followed closely behind in fifth with a jump of 11.69 m. The Jayhawks will prepare for their next competition at the Big 12 Championship in Ames, Iowa from Feb. 28 to 29.
UDK file photo
Then-freshman Treyvon Ferguson competes in the long jump at the Kansas Relays on April 20, 2019.
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To qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championship, athletes needed to rank in the top-16 of their event or in the top-12 of a relay. Kansas qualified 23 entries.
Sports Men’s Basketball Gameday
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The University Daily Kansan
Monday, February 24, 2020
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Kansas vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys, Monday, Feb. 24, 8 p.m.
Emma Pravecek/UDK
Sophomore guard Ochai Agbaji lays the ball in the net. Kansas won 91-71 to Iowa State Monday, Feb. 17.
Jakob Katzenberg @KatzWriteSports
Jack Johnson @JohnyJ_15
Beat Writer Jack Predictions: Johnson
83-66
Kansas Jayhawks
Jakob Katzenberg
78-61
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Udoka Azubuike
Cameron McGriff
Senior center
Senior forward
The seven-footer leads the Big 12 in field goal percentage (74%), rebounding (10.1), and double-doubles (12). Through 27 games, he’s averaged a double-double at 13.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. If he can maintain those numbers, he would become the second straight Jayhawk to average a double-double in a season with Dedric Lawson being the last.
One of the most athletic players in the Big 12, McGriff is currently leading the Cowboys in points (11.4) and rebounds (6.8). The Texas native enters Allen Fieldhouse hot, scoring double figures in eight straight games. He is also coming off a career-high 28-points versus Oklahoma.
Isaiah Moss
Lindy Waters III
In his third straight start, Moss tallied 11 points and three rebounds in 31 minutes of play against Baylor. Additionally, the Chicago native knocked down two free throws with seven seconds left to put the Jayhawks ahead by three points. In the last meeting with the Cowboys, Moss turned in 13 points on 3-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc.
Joining McGriff as one of five seniors on Oklahoma State’s roster, Waters has been a key piece to his team for several seasons. Last season, he posted the second-highest three-point percentage in the conference (44.8%). However, that number has taken a tremendous dip this season down to 31.8%.
Christian Braun
Yor Anei
Though Moss has taken back the starting spot from Braun, the freshman has continued to provide valuable minutes off the bench for Kansas. On Feb. 17 against Iowa State, Braun led the reserves with 13 points on 83.3% shooting in 22 minutes. In the win over No. 1 Baylor, the 6-foot-6 freshman collected four points and one steal in 21 minutes of action.
Coming in at 6-foot-10, 235 pounds, Anei is Oklahoma State’s biggest player. The forward from Overland Park struggled in the last game with Kansas, recording only four points on 1-of-6 shooting from the field. He now faces a tough match, as he will likely be matched up with Kansas’ massive big man, Azubuike.
Senior guard
Senior guard
Freshman guard
Sophomore forward
QUICK HITS
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Track and Field
Men’s Golf
Women’s Basketball
Men’s Basketball
Second place finishes at Arkansas Qualifier
Rounds under par for Andy Spencer in fall season
Points for Zakiyah Franklin in loss to West Virginia
Rebounds for Udoka Azubuike in win at Baylor
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117 Football
Fourth-quarter points last season