THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
INSIDE
SPORTS
Laura Kelly visits McClain’s Market on the campaign trail for governor
Quarterback controversy continues after Carter Stanley’s promising start
Alumni indie rock band gains Spotify following p. 3
against Oklahoma State The University Daily Kansan
vol. 137 // iss. 13 Mon. Oct. 1, 2018
SEE FOOTBALL • PAGE 8
p. 2
Read more at Kansan.com
Structural Integrity Chance Parker/KANSAN
In April, the School of Architecture and Design quietly paid a faculty member $125,000 to retire. In June, Dean Mahesh Daas removed two department chairs in what faculty say is a concerning trend for the future of the school, its staff and students. Editor’s note: These stories contain anonymous sources with connections to the School of Architecture and Design. The Kansan uses anonymous sources only in extreme cases, in accordance with the Kansan style guide. The sources in these stories were granted anonymity due to concerns they would be retaliated against or their jobs would be in danger if their names were divulged.
An unclear trail to a $125,000 settlement CONNER MITCHELL @connermitchell0
On April 30, employees in the University of Kansas School of Architecture and Design were told in an email that the school’s director of external affairs was retiring, effective that day. In reality, the University agreed to pay Charles Linn — who had been in his position since 2012 — $125,000 to publicly say he retired to spend more time with his family in lieu of a court fight over his disputed termination, according to a settlement document obtained via a Kansas Open Records Act request. $100,000 of that payment came in a check from the University of Kansas Center for Research dated May 4, 2018, according to a separate document obtained by the Kansan. The entity is a financial arm of the University that authorizes funds for research grants and proposals. However, when the Kansan asked where the money came from, a KUCR accountant said the payment was authorized through an account controlled by the Provost’s Office. Numerous University officials would not respond to questions about which account paid Linn $100,000 or
who in the Provost’s Office authorized the payment. The payment came at a time when the office was transitioning between outgoing provost Neeli Bendapudi and current interim provost Carl Lejuez. A representative at the University of Louisville, where Bendapudi is now the president, said in an email that since she is no longer at the University, “it would not be appropriate for her to comment on this matter.” Lejuez did not respond to requests for comment. The other $25,000 of Linn’s settlement was paid “via direct deposit,” a member of the University’s General Counsel office told the Kansan in an email, declining to elaborate further on the source of funding. The circumstances which led to Linn’s disputed termination are murky. He joined the school after a 20-year stint at “Architectural Record,” the foremost architecture magazine in the country. And for years, the school faculty knew of little other than that Linn was performing at a satisfactory level. “The next thing I heard he’d been dismissed, locked out of his office, and unable to collect his belongings for 5 months,” one faculty member said. “I have a feeling that it may have
been disguised in some way.” When reached, Linn, 62, said he could not comment for this story. The best that faculty members can tell, Linn’s employment became contentious after the school hired an assistant to help with Linn’s job duties without his knowledge or input. Two faculty members told the Kansan that shortly after Linn’s assistant was hired, they believe a complaint was lodged against Linn, saying he “acted improperly.” Erinn BarcombPeterson, a University spokesperson, did not address direct questions about Linn’s employment, the settlement or where the payments came from. “The matter is resolved,” she said in an email, declining to comment further. The settlement itself gives little detail about anything related to the end of Linn’s employment. It is signed by Linn and Mahesh Daas, dean of the School of Architecture and Design, and says only that the $25,000 paid to him via direct deposit is for “disputed claims for wages and back-pay.” The $100,000 payment, however, is for “alleged personal physical injury and sickness, medical damages, emotional SEE SETTLEMENT • PAGE 2
Students, staff worried after ‘radical’ changes CONNER MITCHELL @connermitchell0
When Katya Jones was a freshman, she said it was clear that there were programs in the School of Architecture and Design that weren’t as competitive as they needed to be with other universities. But thanks to faculty members and department chairs who Jones says fought to better the school’s industrial design, photography, and illustration programs, the school seemed to be on the right track, and Jones said she was full of hope. Now, as a senior, she’s simply frustrated. “We have so much potential but we can’t get there because of people, like Dean (Mahesh) Daas, who are trying to make sure that doesn’t happen,” she said. “He talks this big game about things he said that were going to happen. They never did.” Any progress made in the school since Jones arrived on campus, she said, came from advocacy by department chairs Andrea Herstowski and Jae Chang. Daas removed them from their chairships in late June. In a memo to faculty and staff obtained by the Kansan, Daas cited budget cuts as the driving reason for the change, as the two positions cost the school a combined $35,193. The memo also says Herstowski and
Kansan file photo Mahesh Daas has been the dean of the School of Architecture and Design since 2015. Chang would be replaced by two members of Daas’ office — for no extra pay. “(Herstowski and Chang) would have taken it for no money or less,” Jones said. “Seeing it, it also looks really sketchy, as if he just doesn’t want them to be fighting for what they’re supposed to. For him, it’s an easy way to save money [and hassle] because he can just do whatever he wants.” Daas did not respond to repeated requests to be interviewed for this story. Faculty say the problems Jones is seeing from a student perspective are actually far more pervasive. Removing department chairs, they say, takes away a position that is the face of a school, and works to advocate for what students and professors need. “We are a professional school. When you start stripping out the significance of a department chair, that person represents us to
the dean’s office,” one faculty member said. “He or she is not the voice of the dean’s office, which is what we have now with his new appointments.” Even more concerning to faculty are apparent behind-the-scenes efforts from Daas’ office to dissolve the design department as part of a “reorganization” of the school. Nine design school faculty detailed those concerns in a May 25 memo to Daas. “Our identity as a design department is substantial and well earned … These accomplishments were not the cursory work of a few, but the determined collaboration of many,” the memo reads. “Therefore, we will not support any administrative effort at the School level that leads to a dissolution of the KU Department of Design.” Daas responded to the memo in an email the same day, saying SEE CONCERNS • PAGE 2
2
news
NE WS
Monday, October 1, 2018
staff NEWS MANAGEMENT
Editor-in-chief Shaun Goodwin
Managing editor Conner Mitchell
Digital operations editor Emily Cox
Audience engagement editor Grant Heiman
Associate audience engagement editor Arman Alhosseini ADVERTISING MANAGEMENT
Business manager Baylee Parsons
Sales manager Mitch Tamblyn SECTION EDITORS
News editor Lara Korte
Associate news editor Hailey Dixon
Sports editor Braden Shaw
Associate sports editor Maddy Tannahill
Arts & culture editor Courtney Bierman
Associate arts & culture editor Josh McQuade
Opinion editor Rebekah Lodos
Visuals editor & design chief Huntyr Schwegman
Photo editor Chance Parker
Copy chiefs Raeley Youngs Savanna Smith ADVISER
General Manager Rob Karwath
The University Daily Kansan is the student newspaper of the University of Kansas. The first copy is paid through the student activity fee. Additional copies of The Kansan are 50 cents. Subscriptions can be purchased at the Kansan business office, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue, Lawrence, KS., 66045. The University Daily Kansan (ISSN 0746-4967) is published on Mondays and Thursdays during the academic year except fall break, spring break and exams. It is published weekly during the summer session excluding holidays. Annual subscriptions by mail are $250 plus tax. Send address changes to The University Daily Kansan, 2051A Dole Human Development Center, 1000 Sunnyside Avenue.
KANSAN MEDIA PARTNERS Check out KUJH-TV on Wow! of Kansas Channel 31 in Lawrence for more on what you’ve read in today’s Kansan and other news. Also see KUJH’s website at tv.ku.edu. KJHK is the student voice in radio. Whether it’s rock ‘n’ roll or reggae, sports or special events, KJHK 90.7 is for you.
K ANSAN.COM
K A N S A N .C O M / N E W S
Laura Kelly visits KU campus HAILEY DIXON @_hailey_dixon
Senator Laura Kelly visited Lawrence on Sunday afternoon to speak with Jayhawks about her campaign for governor of Kansas. Kelly, a Democratic state senator from Topeka, spoke to a packed room of more than 30 individuals at McClain’s Market at the corner of Naismith Drive and Crescent Road. Kelly is running against Republican Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who in August beat out incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer for the party nomination. According to a poll taken Sept. 13 by Public Policy Polling, Kobach is one percentage point ahead of Kelly. Prior to answering attendees’ questions, Kelly discussed some of her campaign platforms, including the expansion of healthcare for residents, as she hopes to make healthcare accessible for “hundreds of thousands more Kansans.” “But also to expand our economy, and grow more jobs,” Kelly said following an applause from the crowd. “Louisiana did that two years ago; they expanded Medicaid.” Kelly also discussed her support for legalization of medical marijuana in Kansas, following a question from the audience asking her stance on the subject. In addition, a University student asked Kelly about the current voting identification laws
Senator Laura Kelly greets individuals at McClain’s Market on Sunday afternoon. during the event. She said she is pushing for sameday voting registration to make it easier for voters on election day. “We’ve got work to do,” she said. Another student inquired about abortion and women’s rights. Kelly answered, saying she will protect and “fight hard” for the rights of women if elected as governor in November. “We take away women’s rights, watch what happens,” Kelly said during the event. “That would be a complete disaster.” In addition, Kelly said during and after the event that she wants to
On-campus rapes double, report says CONNER MITCHELL @connermitchell0 The University of Kansas in 2017 saw a sharp increase in the number of rapes reported on campus, as well as the number of drug-related arrests, according to the annual safety report released Friday evening. Every university that receives federal education funding is required each year to release crime statistics under the Jeanne Clery Act that was enacted in 1990. After reporting six on-campus rapes in 2016, the University reported that 12 of the 14 total rapes for 2017 reported took place on campus. The number of fondlings reported increased from six in 2016 to seven in 2017.
The University reported 99 drug law arrests, up from 78 the previous year. Alcohol violations dropped in 2017, as 32 arrests were reported and 480 violations resulted in disciplinary action, down from 39 and 729, respectively. For the first time since 2015, the University also reported two hate crimes that took place on campus. One, according to the report, was for racially-based intimidation, and the other was for intimidation in a campus residential facility that related to another’s sexual orientation. There were no reported violations of weapons law. This is the first year the University has had to report weapons violations since the implementation of concealed carry took place.
2000 Dole Human Development Center 1000 Sunnyside Avenue Lawrence, Kan., 66045
editor@kansan.com www.kansan.com Newsroom: (785) 864-4552 Advertising: (785) 864-4358
Kansan File Photo
Chance Parker/KANSAN
lower the sales tax for Kansans. “We need to wait until probably the middle of next year to have a clearer idea of where we are,” Kelly said after the event. Kelly concluded her answer by saying she hopes to significantly lower the sales tax. Following the event, Kelly said she hopes to gather experts such as law enforcement officers, educators, parents and students to discuss state gun policies, specifically campus carry. “About two years ago, I voted for an amendment that would’ve banned guns on campus,” Kelly
said after the event. “I actually did that again this past year.” In addition, Kelly said she wants to continue to unite Kansans, from Democrats, to moderate Republicans to Independents. “I think if you look at our campaign, we’re already starting to do that, as I have far more than just Democrats’ support for me,” Kelly said. “It is the way that I operate, and have for 14 years in the Senate working across the aisle, and forming relationships with my moderate Republican friends and colleagues and working with them.”
Zoya Khan, a senior from Overland Park, introduced Kelly at the beginning of the event as a nonpartisan individual. Khan said she thinks Kelly understands diversity across the state. “I think it’s really powerful that she was not only willing to come to campus, but more than willing to engage with students, and answer their questions and concerns,” Khan said. “Because at the end of the day, if a candidate isn’t willing to build policy from the concerns from actual people, then they’re clearly missing the mark.”
CONCERNS • FROM PAGE 1
tinction is important,” the faculty member said. “There is no precedent for something like this. And I would not be putting that at risk.” Since Daas was hired in 2015, administrative positions in the school have increased by 18 percent, full-time architecture faculty has decreased by 10 percent, full-time design faculty has decreased by 12 percent, while 16 adjunct professors have joined the school, records show. “There is a general recklessness associated with these changes,” one faculty member said. “Personally, I think he’s here to make a name for himself and get another position. I can’t make sense of it. Why would somebody who wants to be here for the long term be imposing changes so radically and in an
ill-conceived way?” Students, Jones said, have taken notice of these efforts to dissolve the departments in the school. She is working on a petition that would put Daas up for a full early review under University governance procedures. Daas has agreed to go under a review, which the Provost Office is currently conducting in the form of a climate survey, one faculty member said. “My most concerning thing is that Dean Daas doesn’t have the best interests for both design students and architecture students,” Jones said. “I’m really worried that eventually the design school is just going to be put aside, forgotten and pushed away, even though we’re thriving right now.”
confidential University information or publicize any negative comments about the School of Architecture and Design that “might cause an individual to reasonably question the integrity, quality, competence or diligence of the School, or its administrators, faculty and/or staff.” If Linn violates the part of the settlement prohibiting him from
publicizing negativity about the School, he is liable to the University for damages totaling $5,000 plus attorney’s fees. Linn is now studying at the Washburn Institute of Technology in Topeka and is searching for a new career field, a source familiar with the situation said.
the same day, saying he acknowledged their concerns, and hoped they could continue discussions about how to best continue the mission of the school “in the rapidly changing (and increasingly challenging) context of KU, Kansas and the world today.” Those discussions haven’t happened, faculty say. One faculty member told the Kansan that any effort to dissolve school departments would be “unprecedented,” at least among 60 architecture schools they had reviewed. The move could impact the school’s accreditation, and would eventually affect the programs’ ability to be competitive with other universities. “Accreditation and disSETTLEMENT • FROM PAGE 1 distress, embarrassment, humiliation, anxiety, injury to reputation and indignity to his person,” according to the settlement. Daas did not respond to repeated requests for comment. As part of the settlement, Linn agreed not to release any
K ANSAN.COM
arts & culture Monday, October 1, 2018
ARTS & CULTURE
3
K A N S A N .C O M /A R T S _ A N D _ C U LT U R E
Theater, dance programs reflect on merger RACHEL GAYLOR @raegay18
Before the semester started, the theater and dance programs merged to form one department. Students and faculty were excited about the opportunities that could arise from the merger, but how has it played out? Extremely well, according to Michelle Heffner Hayes, the co-director of the Department of Theatre and Dance. “So far, I think students are really excited,” she said. Heffner Hayes said an “unprecedented” amount of people auditioned for the University Dance Company, and auditions for the theater productions were encouraging for their goal of diversity and inclusion. “We were able to be really inclusive in our casting. That has been a big effort in terms of commitment from the department,” she said. “We’re just really excited. And we’re figuring it out.” Ty Skillman, a junior from Burlington studying theater performance, thinks the merger is going well overall, but the programs are still getting used to each other. “I think things are kind of a bit awkward between the two departments,” Skillman said. “We heard about it at the last second before the year was out.” Heffner Hayes said that any merger is going to have an adjustment period because there are
Contributed photo University students perform a scene from “A Fine Romance” by faculty choreographer Jerel Hilding. two cultures to mix. “Habits run deep,” she said. “Everyone is in the habit of solving a problem in a specific way. Now that we are a merged department, we have two separate habits to integrate. And it’s almost like an intercultural experience.” While most aspects have remained unchanged, the department cut two plays from University Theatre’s semester lineup, going from eight to six shows. Heffner Hayes said the cut was due to overall department budget constraints
rather than due to the merger itself. The shows were cut to give more money to each individual show, instead of trying to stretch the budget to fit all eight shows. Jillian Armstrong, a senior from Paola studying dance, said she has enjoyed the merger because it’s given her the opportunity to meet new people and learn different styles of performance. “I’ve gotten to know a couple more of the theater people, and they’re all really awesome,” Armstrong said. “It feels like the community that I
was a part of just got that much bigger, but it’s been really nice.” Skillman said he sees how both sides can help each other in their respective fields, with theatre providing skills to the dancers and vice versa. “For dance majors, understanding more of the motive behind the scenes — I think it could really improve the acting and getting into the moment of their dances,” Skillman said. “And for theater majors, if you’re in musical theater, you have to know how to dance.
Having that talent can help.” Heffner Hayes stressed that inclusion and diversity are the department’s focus and expanding the student body is one step toward their goal. “We’re really focusing on our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and trying to live that commitment every day,” she said. “There’s a lot to look forward to.” Armstrong said she is pleased with how things have turned out, and both she and Skillman agree that pushing for involvement is a way to
bring both sides closer. “A lot of people might not be aware that we have merged,” Armstrong said. “I think promoting the dance classes to the theater department and the theater classes to the dance department I think would help a little bit to mold everyone together.” University Theatre’s first production of the year, “A Man of No Importance,” premiered Friday, Sept. 28 at the Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall. It runs through Oct. 7.
KU alumni band reaches over 200,000 Spotify plays TAMIAH COFFEE @kissmy_melanin Note: Cooper Scott, lead singer of Jean Claude and the Eclairs, is a former Kansan sales manager. From late-night jam sessions to a Major League Baseball stadium, the members of Lawrence-born indie rock band Jean Claude and the Eclairs said they didn’t expect the success they’re seeing now. “We kind of just wanted to play to play,” said Cooper Scott, lead singer of the band. “Then we realized that it’s a lot of fun just to play with your best friends and not really do anything else, but play with your bros.” 2018 KU graduates, Scott, lead guitarist Steve Seyfarth, drummer Quinn Maetzold and 2017 graduate and bassist Garrison Krotz all started out at the University as students in 2014. Scott, Seyfarth and Maetzold worked as sorority house boys, where they routinely cleaned, set up tables for dinner and other chores around the house. “We got free food, which was the best part,” Maetzold said. Krotz, a freshman at the time, was best friends with Seyfarth. Heavily influ-
Contributed photo Lawrence-founded band Jean Claude and the Eclaires is made up of KU graduates Cooper Scott, Steve Seyfarth, Garrison Krotz and Quinn Maetzold. enced by rock, they competitively played riffs and chords together to see who could play better. Later, Scott was introduced to the newly-formed group as the lyricist. “I remember when Cooper came in I was a little jealous. I was thinking he was taking my friend,” Garrison said. “But then quickly we all became friends and started jamming. He
was kind of the creative juice. He kind of brought it all together to solidify something really special.” After multiple jam sessions the band eventu-
ally moved into a house off-campus along with Scott; Jean Claude and the Eclaires was born. From there they began playing in select venues all
“There’s no feeling like having someone sing the lyrics of the song you wrote.” Cooper Scott lead singer
throughout Lawrence. The band was met with an overflowing amount of support and opportunities. Playing at places such as Bullwinkles Bar, a Student Union Activities fashion show, block parties and Pearson Scholarship Hall’s RockA-Thon, they were able to build a local audience and fan-base — their popularity earning them a spot at Battle of Busch at Busch Stadi-
um in St. Louis earlier this year. The band’s first Spotify single “Enzymes” has reached over 200,000 plays since its release in November of 2017. “There’s no feeling like having someone sing the lyrics of the song you wrote,” Scott said. “Everyone just kind of knows the lyrics. We played ‘Enzymes’ and it was amazing. We didn’t have to do anything — they just kind of took it away.” The band’s most recent single “Crazy For You,” ranked number two on their Spotify account, and was inspired by a woman Scott met while studying abroad in London — who later became his girlfriend. “I had this riff in my head and I met this lovely, beautiful woman that I’m now dating,” Scott said. “Honestly, I just kind of wanted to write a love song. I wrote it and thought, ‘This is stupid as hell. Why are we playing this?’ I brought it up [to the band] and it was taken well.” Jean Claude and the Eclairs will perform at The Rino in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, Oct. 19th with an EP dropping in early 2019.
4
ARTS & CULTURE
K ANSAN.COM
Freedom, Love, Gold
Christina Hodel met the son of Frederick Tarnay in a karate class. His family is the subject of her in-progress documentary about love and espionage in World War II-era Hungary. LACEY GREGORY @laceymgregory How do we live with each other and not against each other? That is the question University graduate and filmmaker Christina Hodel aims to answer with her newest documentary “Freedom, Love, Gold.” Hodel’s upcoming documentary follows the story of Frederick and Katherine Tarnay, along with their three children, in the final days of World War II. According to Hodel, Hungary’s treasury and 500 of the treasury’s family members were spared from destruction at the hands of Nazis due to the actions of the Tarnay family. The three Tarnay children, now adults living in Southern California, star in this true story of surviving the three-month-long, 350mile journey on the “gold train” from Budapest, Hungary, to Spital am Phryn, Austria. “The goal of this film is to better understand how any nation — whether in the past or present — can be so politically divided,” Hodel said. “The significance of the film is that it offers a blueprint for unity.” Hodel attended the University from the fall 2011 to the spring 2016, officially graduating in spring 2017. During her time at the University, she was a PhD student in the Department of Film and Media Studies, and earned a graduate certificate in Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies. Hodel said she often finds herself looking to make films about strong female characters. This fascination with such personas led her to the story of the matriarch of the Tarnay family. While Frederick stayed behind in Budapest to manage what was left of the
Contributed Photo Frederick Tarnay looks at the skyline from the Fisherman’s Bastion in Budapest, Hungary. Tarnay is the subject of University graduate Christina Hodel’s in-progress documentary. bank, Katherine was left on the train to organize 500 women and children, three of her own children and the contents of the Hungarian Treasury. When Frederick would get permission to tell his wife to move the train forward, he would do so via coded love letters. Katherine would decipher the messages and alert the train engineer when and how far to move the train on the next leg of the trip. “Hollywood doesn’t make enough stories about women like Mrs. Tarnay,” Hodel said. “Her stories and others like it have not only have been proven to sell, but they are stories that show women’s power, strength, and multiplicity — something that the world needs more of.” “Freedom, Love, Gold” is Hodel’s fifteenth film and fourth documentary. This piece is unprecedented for
Hodel in that she does not make an appearance. “Ordinarily, I write, direct, produce, edit and star in my own fictional films,” Hodel said. “This time, however, I do not even make a cameo appearance or voiceover. In addition to not appearing in the film, the subject matter is different than what I usually tackle, but shares some similarities to my past work.” After taking a karate class under the direction of one of the Tarnay brothers, Hodel found herself sharing family immigration stories with him. She said this initial discussion sparked her interest in making the documentary. “Once I heard the story and read the accompanying text, I knew I had Hollywood gold in my hands: perfect three-act structure, intense drama, romance, exotic locals, heroes, action,
happy endings,” Hodel said. “Everything needed for a big screen hit was there.” Among the most challenging aspects of the films’ production has been narrowing down what footage to use, according to Hodel. “I shot a lot of beautiful images both in the states and abroad,” Hodel said. “However, figuring out which images to choose and when to use them has kept me in the editing room for a while. I want the audience to feel the excitement, adventure, love, and fear the subjects felt when they were on the train.” Hodel credits her understanding of cinematography to KU professor Matt Jacobson, who teaches basic video production and cinematography courses, in which Hodel served as graduate teaching assistant. “I learned a lot from being a GTA in his courses and
assisting him in classes got me interested in lighting and lenses,” Hodel said. “I am currently a Professor of Digital Filmmaking at Bridgewater State University and was awarded the University’s most prestigious grant to make ‘Freedom, Love, Gold.’ The first thing I did with my funding was purchase a set of prime lenses.” One characteristic of Hodel that Jacobson said made her especially enjoyable to work with was the attention she paid to her choices in cinematography. “Cinematography is key to the entire cinematic experience — it’s the thing that makes movies movies,” Jacobson said. “It’s the ability to create a narrative visually.” Jacobson said he is glad to hear Hodel has kept up with production, as it gives her an edge in teaching she
would not have if she focused solely on film study. “She was very interested in incorporating production, even when she was working on her final paper as a graduate student,” Jacobson said. “I think Christina really has the ability to teach either or both.” Hodel is currently in her second year of her assistant professorship at Bridgewater State University, which she said she finds rewarding. Hodel said she will likely continue further down her current path in the future, never straying too far from filmmaking. “I have some ideas I’m developing for other documentaries and am finishing a feature-length screenplay that I plan to direct,” Hodel said. “For now, I will enjoy my new career in academia as I keep one foot in Hollywood’s door.”
After accident, student finds new love in poetry RACHEL GAYLOR @raegay218
Jeff Griffin knew he wanted to be an artist. Before 2005, he thought he would be a visual artist — a sculptor. Then, after an accident damaged his hand, he found another medium for expression: writing. The current creative writing PhD student at the University of Kansas was in his native Nevada at the time of his accident. He was working wood sculpture when his hand got sucked into the blade while trying to clean it out. He lost part of his pinky finger and damaged his ring finger on his right hand. After more than five surgeries and months of recovery, Griffin returned to sculpting, but found the love he had for the art form had changed. He was more focused on the linguistic aspects of art, and discovered his love for writing and poetry. Poetry brought him to the written art form, Griffin said. “I didn’t know it at the time,” he said. “I was really interested in the weird ways language could be
twisted and bastardized. It was so absurd, I thought it was lovely.” Griffin applied to 17 master’s programs for writing, and was accepted into four, including the University of Iowa. It was there where he published his first book, “Lost and.” “Lost and” compiles lost artifacts from Griffin’s journey through the desert of Nevada and southern California. Charts, drawings, letters — all perfectly arranged to create a book of poetry. The project started as Griffin’s master’s thesis, but grew as time went along. “That’s the project I’m most proud of,” Griffin said. He didn’t call himself the author of the novel, but the curator instead because he placed these artifacts together like a puzzle. His next project that he hopes to publish will be in his voice. Megan Kaminski, associate professor of English at the University and Griffin’s faculty adviser, said Griffin has a special voice that is clear in his writing. “He has tremendous appreciation for and
Rachel Griffard/KANSAN Jeff Griffin, a published author and graduate student in creative writing at the University, is working toward finishing another piece of writing. sense of place in his writing and all of his emotions that are tied to places and can be evoked through language,” Kaminski said. Griffin is two years into the five-year program and chose the University because it was one of the few to offer a PhD program for creative writing. He also fell in love with the city of Lawrence. “I’m a big fan of small college towns,” Griffin said. “It has everything you need and nothing you don’t. It’s nice where
I can just drive a few minutes out of town and be in the country.” Griffin also gave Kaminski credit for why he chose the University. He said his adviser made him feel like Lawrence and the University were his home from the moment he met her. “She was a big reason why I came here,” he said. “I knew when I visited, she made me feel very welcome, and she really wanted to study with me and for me to be here, and that’s a great feeling.”
Kaminski said Griffin’s experiences with sculpting have given him a voice and an understanding of art that makes him a natural artist. “He definitely has an appreciation for sensory experience and embodied experience — to what it physically feels like to be in the world,” Kaminski said. “He’s very talented at conveying that in his writing. I think that being any kind of an artist, whether a visual artist or literary artist, kind of trains you or helps you
develop appreciation of the world and developing different ways to see the world.” Griffin said the defining moment came not when he held a physical copy of his book, but when his book became available for purchase on Amazon. “I could search for my name and my book and it would be there,” Griffin said. “To see that I was up there — that was surreal. To see it getting good press and reviewed and to see that it was being received as I had intended it to, and that I hopefully had done what the anonymous authors of these collected papers justice meant a lot to me.” The plan for Griffin is to publish a second book, graduate with his PhD and become a tenured professor within five years. Kaminski said she has no doubt he will be successful in whatever endeavor comes next. “He provides a really unique and different perspective in the classroom,” Kaminski said. “I think students can really benefit from that and learn from him.”
K ANSAN.COM
PUZZLES
Cryptoquip
ARTS & CULTURE
5
Sudoku
Crossword
?
F IND THE A NSWERS AND OTHER GREAT C ONTENT AT
KA NSA N.COM
H AV E A N Y I D E AS FO R UPDAT I NG T H E PU ZZLE PAGE? E M A I L E D I TOR@ K A NSA N.C O M W I T H I D E AS FOR NEW GAM ES, ST Y L E C H ANGES, AD D I NG A N SWERS, ETC.
6
opinion
OPINION
Monday, October 1, 2018
Text your Free For All submissions to (785) 289-8351
FFA of the Day: not going to lie i love the udk but also just used it as a sheet to nap outside of blake “Can you be president” -my mom late night in the phog: 30 minutes of entertainment and 2 hours of staring at an empty court Why doesn’t my FFA ever get published?!?! It’s not that I don’t think places should give out free condoms, I just feel like we should all be able to get a free vibrator as well, ya feel? I just need Ted Cruz to lose and Beto O’Rourke to win and then my depression will be cured. David Beaty needs a juul “My favorite pastime was to light fields on fire after it rained.” “I’m a slut for mango.” I randomly projectile vomited a little bit earlier, how’s everyone else’s day going? My hot take is that Kamala Harris will be president before Booker Now would be a good time to register to vote :) Are you spoofin a disco biscuit? Believe Survivors “I’m like a house plant. If you don’t pay attention to me, I’ll shrivel up and die” After rewatching Breaking Bad, I have come to the conclusion that the real enemy is privatized healthcare and the fact that meth is illegal. “Whoever’s using the charging station to charge your Juul, I hate you.” sometimes i think god is real, and sometimes I don’t so it’s a confusing time for me lmao “I’m always humble. Actually, I hate myself.” List of people who could coach better than Beaty: 1. Anyone i’m 22 and I can’t spell menstruel menstal menstrual
K ANSAN.COM
K A N S A N .C O M /O P I N I O N
Dismissal is a survivor’s nightmare REBEKAH LODOS @rebekahlodos I have a recurring nightmare. Situations and characters vary, but it goes like this: I’m in some sort of misery, either emotional or physical, and I’m trying to reach out to someone very close to me — maybe my mom, maybe my significant other. I scream, I cry, I get angry and I punch walls, but no matter what I do, I am inevitably ignored. There’s always something going on that’s more important, and no raging dream text message or dream threat can make those close to me pay any attention. I’m invisible. On Thursday, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee about a sexual assault she suffered in the 1980s so damaging to her mental health that it merited discussion in therapy three decades later. Unfortunately for her, the trauma she experienced is being choked mercilessly by the ugly, moralizing politics surrounding the hearings. She recounted her story to us, all of us, knowing that whether or not she screamed, cried, tore open her personal life or described with agonizing precision every second of her assault, she would be vilified and dismissed. But being
Chance Parker/KANSAN Protesters march into downtown as they cross the intersection of 11th and Massachusetts on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018. vilified means someone at least heard what you were saying. Dismissal hurts the most. Women know dismissal intimately. Around the country, women who have been touched, abused, catcalled, forced into uncomfortable situations and stripped of their agency are not just feeling the pain of the slander and humiliation directed at Dr. Ford. President Donald Trump knows slander and humiliation. They’re feeling the pain of
powerlessness. A study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology this year demonstrated through controlled experiments that participants who felt themselves in a position of powerlessness tended to express less direct anger than those in a position of power. The powerful assumed a burst of anger would incite fear in the target, whereas the powerless assumed a direct display of anger would only make the
target angrier, rather than afraid. This study sheds a bit of light on why women may not always fight back, report or confront an instance of sexual abuse. If powerlessness trains us to believe we will never inspire fear, then why should we try? We know the utter despair of shouting something no one hears, so, truly, it does not matter that you think the president’s Supreme Court nominee is being treated unfairly, or that
you think this is political. For centuries we’ve screamed into a vacuum, and last week we did again. Perhaps you know what that’s like. If not, ask a woman. But this is not a political scolding. Let me end these glum, heavy few paragraphs by speaking directly to the hundreds of Dr. Fords and Anita Hills roaming our university’s campus: keep bloody screaming. Rebekah Lodos is senior from London studying journalism and political science.
A feminist defense of “My Favorite Murder” SAVANNAH DIAZ @diasven Murder is a word that typically incites strong responses. One of the more unexpected responses to it, though, is excitement. But for avid listeners of the true crime comedy podcast “My Favorite Murder,” this is a common reaction. Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff, two lively and witty women, are the hosts of this intriguing and wildly popular podcast that draws up to 19 million mostly female listeners per month. Why is that? Why are women so fascinated with murder? According to a 2010 study, more women are drawn to the genre of true crime than men for a few different reasons. First, since women are more likely to be the victim of domestic and sex-related crimes, they appear to be using crime stories as a sort of “how to” manual for self-defense and protective tactics. The second reason is psychological: women, on average, were more likely to read true crime novels that detail the killer’s motives. This may relate back to the first point of learning to avoid becoming a victim. Interestingly, the study showed that women were
more likely to read true crime material featuring female victims than men. This seems odd. Why would women actively read about gruesome murders in which the victims are also women? This is where the podcast “My Favorite Murder” comes into play. With millions of listeners a month, this podcast creates quite a large community, both on and offline, for women interested in true crime. Hardstark and Kilgariff use their podcast as a platform for addressing these fears by telling tales of serial killers, murders, and monsters while using biting banter and inside jokes for comedic relief. What’s interesting about this community is that they demonstrate a phenomenon called “tend and befriend” — the antithesis to “fight or flight.” Tend and befriend is the biological tendency seen amongst females under acute stress. In layman’s terms, while men tend to exhibit a fight or flight response under stress, women tend to band together and face stresses and challenges as a group. So, in response, the overwhelming coverage and history of violent crime of mostly females victims, women are now
how to submit a letter to the editor
LETTER GUIDELINES: Send letters to editor@kansan.com. Write LETTER TO THE EDITOR in the email subject line. Length: 300 words
The submission should include the author’s name, year, major and hometown. Find our full letter to the editor policy online at kansan.com/letters.
Photo Illustration by Chance Parker/KANSAN Over 19 million individuals, mostly females, listen to the “My Favorite Murder” podcast, which is hosted by Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgariff. taking an active role in their narrative. And their listeners love it. Women today can embrace the darker reality of the dangers and risks they are exposed to simply by knowing they can face it as a community. Hardstark and Kilgariff are able to be the voices of a community of millions, while being the conduit for other followers of this podcast to find each other. What this podcast has done is facilitated this female phenomenon on a world-wide scale in response to the rise of the true crime genre. “My Favorite Murder”
has also inspired the creation of dozens of similar crime comedy podcasts such as “And That’s Why We Drink,” “Crime and Wine,” and “Crime Junkie Podcast.” Hardstark and Kilgariff — beyond creating a wildly popular podcast archetype — have opened the floodgates of true crime comedy consumerism. Women are the main consumers of true crime material in all its forms, which seems to stem from society’s shift in allowing women to speak about the grimmer forces that affect their daily lives, as seen in
contact us Shaun Goodwin Editor-in-chief sgoodwin@kansan.com
Baylee Parsons Business Manager bparsons@kansan.com
the #MeToo movement, the Time’s Up movement, and of course, crime in general. Women are now able to speak up and speak out on these subjects with unabashed interest and intrigue that was previously relegated to hushed, backroom gossip. Podcasts like “My Favorite Murder” are here to stay, and from a woman’s perspective, that’s a good thing. Savannah Diaz is a junior from Würzburg, Germany, studying microbiology.
editorial board
Members of the Kansan Editorial Board are Shaun Goodwin, Conner Mitchell, Rebekah Lodos and Baylee Parsons.
K ANSAN.COM
SPORTS
7
COLUMN
Young talent will revive Kansas City sports
JACK JOHNSON @JohnyJ_15
The year was 1995. Major League Baseball was recovering from a league-wide strike which led to the cancellation of both the 1994 playoffs and World Series, pushing back the start of the 1995 season. In total, 948 games were cancelled due to the dispute between club owners and players. Two 24-year-old athletes, separated by the American and National League, were partaking in polar opposite seasons in terms of success. Pat Mahomes, a struggling pitcher for the last place Minnesota Twins, and Raul Mondesi, a future star in Hollywood for the Los Angeles Dodgers, were not familiar with one another nor had any reason to believe they ever would be. Fast forward 23 years, and it's their sons who are developing into the next generational stars — in different sports — across a parking lot in the same sports complex. This past Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the San Francisco 49ers for the home opener at Arrowhead Stadium with a promising 2-0 record. At the same time, the Royals were finishing up their final road trip of the season in Detroit, closing on a season in which they've eclipsed 100 losses. There was no denying that all eyes were fixed upon a second year quarterback, Patrick Mahomes II, the first quarterback drafted by the Chiefs in the first round of the NFL Draft since 1983, who was just three touchdown passes shy of the NFL record for the most through the first three games of the season. At just 23 years of age, Mahomes, who had just three career NFL starts to
Contributed by Rishawna Gould Adalberto Mondesi (left) rises from Kauffman Stadium, Patrick Mahomes (right) rises from Arrowhead at the Truman Sports Complex. his name, was taking the league by storm, already regarded as an MVP frontrunner. Mahomes was coming off a performance in Pittsburgh where he threw more touchdowns than incompletions. He had thrown 10 touchdowns without a single interception in the first two games. He was not only exceeding expectations, he was obliterating them. About 763 miles northeast of Arrowhead Stadium, a baseball game was being played at Comerica Park in Detroit. It isn’t a stretch to assume that less than five percent of Kansas Citians tuned into to watch a Royals team that had secured the second overall pick in next year's MLB draft. In a season that began with beloved players such as third baseman Mike Moustakas and relief pitcher Kelvin Herrera
being dealt to other organizations, countless losing streaks and a dumpster fire of a bullpen, you can’t blame fans for choosing to watch the first place Chiefs over the last place Royals. Nonetheless, there is a glimmer of hope for the future for the Royals. After beginning the season with one of the oldest teams in baseball by average age, a new youth movement has taken over, led by shortstop Adalberto Mondesi, son of Raul. After struggling to find footing in the big leagues after two full seasons, shuffling between Triple-A Omaha and Kansas City, the reality of breaking records has come to fruition sooner than expected for Mondesi. In the sport’s 149 years of existence, Mondesi is the only player to hit more than 10 home runs and steal 25 bases in less than
250 plate appearances. One can evaluate Mondesi’s numbers from this year and extrapolate them over a full 162game season. The results would be staggering: 30plus home runs, 60 stolen bases and playing goldglove caliber defense at shortstop. Although a small sample size, these projections would’ve been scoffed at two years ago, but are attainable for the prized prospect today. Neither Mahomes or Mondesi have yet to experience a full season in their respective leagues, but that’s exactly what makes their recent performances that much more intriguing, with both of the young stars breaking records from the start. The maturity that came with growing up in professional clubhouses has not only prepared both of them for the glow of
the bright lights, but has given them the confidence to handle the success that inevitably will come and has come already. In the case of Mahomes, it isn’t unusual that he is receiving a tidal wave of national attention for the historic start to his career, but that he is receiving it while doing so in Kansas City, a team that hasn't been to an AFC Championship game since 1993. If the Chiefs can get a win Monday night against the Denver Broncos, it’s possible Kansas City could not only solidify themselves as the favorite to clinch the AFC West, but Mahomes could also further establish himself as the leader of this team for the next 10 to 15 years. On the baseball side of things, Mondesi is a potential future star in this league without a doubt. But, unlike Mahomes, who
was given the keys to the best offensive weapons in the NFL, Mondesi currently lacks that type of support. The Royals look to be a couple years away from being a contender, but the idea of Mondesi becoming the talk of baseball on a playoff-bound team is a real possibility. Due largely in part to the popularity of the NFL, all signs point to Mahomes becoming the more recognizable household name of the two. But, with the Chiefs and Royals enjoying simultaneous winning Septembers, the flames are turning from a low simmer to an explosion of exuberance in Kansas City. So, enjoy the growing pains and the development of these two players, because for the first time in a long time, Kansas City may have something special brewing at the Truman Sports Complex.
nual Late Night in the Phog, the crowd inside of Allen Fieldhouse erupted, watching as the final member of the Kansas men’s basketball team, senior guard Lagerald
Vick, danced his way onto the court. Despite having announced that he would forego his final season as a Jayhawk to pursue a professional career in
April, Vick elected to return to Kansas for the 2018-19 season, making him the lone senior on the Jayhawk roster, and consequently the star of Late Night. As the Jayhawks took center stage earlier in the night alongside the Rock Chalk Dancers for a performance, Vick was positioned front and center at his fourth and final Late Night. “It means a lot, just being back,” Vick said. “Being back with my family.” The senior’s leadership on the court quickly became evident during the scrimmage, as Vick ripped down a rebound with authority on the very first possession of the game, pushing the ball down court to assist in an alley-oop to freshman guard Ochai Agbaji for the opening points of the game. Vick finished the night 4-for-7 from the field, including a 2-for4 mark from behind the
three-point arc, totaling 10 points on the evening, outscored only by redshirt sophomore guard K.J. Lawson's 11 points Having played in 94 games as a Jayhawk, including 41 starts, Vick brings critical experience to an otherwise young roster. Impressed by Vick’s performance so far since his return, Kansas coach Bill Self expressed confidence in the senior’s ability to take on a leadership role this season.
and humble and those intangible things, I think he’s gonna have a really, really, really nice senior year.” To end the evening, Vick, wrongfully introduced as a captain by the announcer, very briefly addressed the crowd, thanking them for coming out for the event. When asked about the announcer labeling him a captain, Vick explained that he does see himself in a captain’s role, but Self later clarified that he does not officially designate players as captains. “We have captains, but it’s kind of, you know, determined over time,” Self said. “We don’t make a big deal out of it.” Regardless of a “captain” label, Vick’s veteran experience was apparent in his performance at his final Late Night, displaying his transition into a leadership role for his senior season as a Jayhawk.
Lone basketball senior takes center stage at Late Night MADDY TANNAHILL @maddytannahill As “a senior guard from Memphis, Tennessee” boomed over the speakers at the 34th An-
Chance Parker/KANSAN Senior guard Lagerald Vick dances during Late Night in the Phog on Friday, Sept. 28.
“It means a lot just being back, being back with my family.” Lagerald Vick senior guard
“Lagerald I think has been our best shooter, his attitude has been terrific. He’s played in big games that none of the other guards really have,” Self said. “I think that if he can stay focused, hungry,
SPORTS
sports
8
Monday, October 1 , 2018
K ANSAN.COM
K A N S A N .C O M /S P O R T S
Stanley impresses in first start of season JACK JOHNSON @JohnyJ_15
In a game that could have been much closer with better defensive play from the Jayhawks, Kansas football fell to Oklahoma State 48-28 during Saturday's homecoming game. After the wishful thinking that sparked from back-to-back wins for the first time since 2011 were dashed by a beat down at the hands of a mid-tier Baylor team, the patience of the fans for coach David Beaty is quickly fading away again, and rightfully so. Aside from the productiveness of freshman running back Pooka Williams Jr., Kansas lacks in nearly every other category. However, the most exposed issue has been the quarterback play — until Saturday. For the first time this season, it was junior quarterback Carter Stanley taking the snaps to start the game and, for the most part, he looked like the most efficient quarterback that has taken the field for the Jayhawks this season. It remains an utter mystery as to what led Stanley to earn a demotion to third-string to begin this season after having considerable starting experience dating as far back as his freshman year in 2016. For fans who can’t recall, he was the starter for Beaty’s only Big 12 win of his career, coming at home against Texas. Even after Stanley got the start Saturday, Beaty is still hesitant to name a consistent starting quar-
Junior quarterback Carter Stanley throws the ball downfield in the game against OSU. terback. “We will go back and look at the tape,” Beaty said. “It would be premature of me to make that decision off of just one game." Although Stanley isn’t miles ahead of either senior Peyton Bender or sophomore Miles Kendrick in terms of actual talent, the tangibles that he brings to the offense fit the offensive mold much better than the latter two. However, to the credit of the other quarterbacks, turnovers have
yet to plague them. But, where that would result positively for most teams, with Kansas, it simply is due to the fact there are no chances being taken in the passing game that considers itself to be an 'air raid' offense. Heading into Saturday's game, Bender was the leader in passing yards, with 490 yards and four touchdowns. To put it into perspective, Texas Tech freshman quarterback Alan Bowman surpassed Bender’s season total in one game against Houston
Hagan. “We create lots of chances," Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "We got at them a lot from out wide today but really did not get much off those crosses. We’re not giving up much defensively, but we’ve just got to be more efficient with the chances we have, we have to be more clinical.” Kansas was able to put seven shots on goal, but an impressive night from Cyclones goalkeeper Dayja Schwichtenberg kept the game rather close. The Jayhawks tried to adjust around Schwichtenberg
needless turnover. “There were a lot of mishaps today and usually we’re a pretty technical team," Francis said. "We just weren’t as sharp as we have been." Francis blamed the miscues on the weird week, playing on Saturday rather than the typical Friday and Sunday matchups. “We have to be conscious of adjusting the schedule and the length of time that we actually train," Francis said. Another common theme for Kansas has been its disparity in intensity levels in both the first and second half. The Jayhawks put up just four shots in the first half, followed by 13 in the second half. Kansas also only had one corner kick in the first half, compared to the seven in the second. “We take into account what coach says at halftime and we put those
with 605 yards two weeks ago. So, the bar was not set exceptionally high for Stanley running the offense, but he wound up displaying exactly why he will be the one taking those shots down the field. “We wanted to get Peyton in the game at some point,” Beaty said. “It just ended up not working out that way, we liked the match-up we had with Carter in there." Stanley by no means torched the Oklahoma State secondary during his
first start of the year, but the numbers shown in the final box score were the best output from any of the three quarterbacks to take the field in the first five games. It’s safe to assume his 247 yards, going 24-for-32, on Saturday were not likely the numbers Beaty and his staff envisioned when they slotted him near the bottom of the depth chart back in August. “We saw some of this during fall camp,” Beaty said. “I will attribute his success to grinding every
Chance Parker/KANSAN
day and getting snaps every day in practice." The outlook on this team is starting to look awfully familiar to the previous seven in terms of record. However, they may have found a starting quarterback that has proven himself in the three years with the program. If Stanley stays healthy, he could potentially prove to be a turning point for Kansas, possibly helping to get this team into a bit more of an offensive rhythm.
Soccer struggles with recurring problems LOGAN FRICKS @LoganFricks
Despite walking away with a 1-0 victory over the Iowa State Cyclones on Saturday, Kansas soccer was exposed and, entering its most important part of conference play, the Jayhawks have very little time to fix their mistakes. In Saturday night’s match-up, Kansas put up 17 shots and won eight corner kicks, but only walked away with a single goal. The Jayhawks failed to capitalize on a single corner, and their lone goal came off a shot from
“There were a lot of mishaps today and usually we’re a pretty technical team.” Mark Francis head coach
the top of the box by sophomore midfielder Ceri Holland, which was set up by senior forward Grace
athletes of the week
and create passes, but on multiple occasions the ball was played into empty space, resulting in a
Rachel Griffard/KANSAN Senior Grace Hagan fights past Iowa State towards the goal. Kansas defeated Iowa State 1-0 on Sept 29. into practice pretty well, I think that definitely helps in the second half," Holland said. On the season, nine of the Jayhawks’ 18 goals have come in the 60th minute or later. Kansas’ inability to start the game with a quick pace was
Sharon Lokedi Cross Country
After finishing another outdoor track season as an All-American, senior Sharon Lokedi kicked off her cross country season at the Rim Rock Classic on Saturday, Sept. 29. Lokedi led the race the entire way, finishing in her routine position of first place with a time of 19:49 in the women’s 6,000-meter race. The senior also helped pace the Kansas women to a second consecutive first-place team finish to start the season.
rather apparent against Iowa State, as the Cyclones came into the game 2-8-2, and allowing 21 goals on the season. The Jayhawks struggled against a weak Iowa State back line, and are now moving into the heart of the Big 12 schedule.
Rachel Langs
Although Kansas walked away with a win, there is a lot of work needed to be done as it moves forward in conference play. Kansas will next travel to play Kansas State on Friday, Oct. 5. Match time is set for 7 p.m.
Volleyball As Kansas volleyball continues its march through Big 12 play, freshman middle blocker Rachel Langs led the Jayhawks to a 3-2 victory over Oklahoma on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Langs recorded a double-double in the match, her first of the season, with 10 kills and 14 blocks. Those marks are season-highs for the freshman, including the 17 points that she scored against the Sooners.