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Utah State University, Logan, Utah
Week of December 4, 2023
Page 2 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
Aggies fight to keep DEI programs By Malory Rau NEWS REPORTER
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n 2022, Sen. John Johnson of Utah’s 3rd District proposed a bill prohibiting funding for diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, in higher education. Utah State University students seek to stand against this bill with the Voices of Aggies project. Bills similar to this have been making their way across the U.S. in states such as Florida, Texas, North Carolina and South Dakota. The bill aims to prohibit programs, jobs, clubs and events in higher education that fall under the DEI. The bill could impact the following organizations at USU: the Inclusion Center, the Interfaith Initiative, the Latinx Culture Center, the Disability Resource Center, the Queer Student Alliance and the Veterans Resource Office, as well as others. “My degree could be heavily impacted,” said Beau Jenson, coordination director for the Government Relations Council, also referred to as the GRC. Jenson is a double major in political science and history; his major is one of many that could be impacted by this bill. He explained anti-DEI legislation affects a lot in higher education, including classroom curriculum. Programs at USU such as the intersectional gender studies minor, the sexuality studies minor and the inclusive leadership certificate program could all no longer exist. Student events put on by organizations like the Inclusion Center would also be prohibited by this bill. Most notable is Utah State’s Drag Show — a free stu-
dent event put on by the Inclusion Center this year and in the past has been put on by Residence Life. “Higher Ed has lost focus,” posted Sen. Johnson on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a promotional poster for this year’s drag show. Starting in 2019, USU’s Drag Show happens every November. The performers are students and alumni who usually lip-sync to popular songs, such as “I’m Just Ken,” which was performed by one of the show’s drag kings this year. “To suggest that, everything that the university does, has to be outrightly educational is not particularly fair,” Jenson said in response to Sen. Johnson’s post. “There’s more that a campus is about than just education.” Utah State is also the number one employer in Cache Valley. If the DEI bill were to pass, certain jobs and positions would be removed, including the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Education and Learning, a position USU is currently hiring for. “Not only does this affect students because they’re the people who get these programs, but it affects real people’s jobs,” Jenson said. Other jobs that would be affected include but are not limited to those who work at the Inclusion and Latinx centers, as well as the Disability Resource Center, a program designed to help accommodate courses to fit the needs of students with disabilities. For positions that do not fall directly under DEI, there will still be some change. As of now, all USU employees have to go through DEI training. Jenson explained DEI training aims to teach employees how to respect those who are different from them
in all aspects, whether that be of race, gender identity, belief or other topics. DEI training also aims to create a safe campus at USU. “The DEI trainings have a lot to do with sexual assault and violence prevention,” Jensen said. Alex Garces, USUSA’s diversity and organizations executive director, could potentially see his funding and title change if the DEI bill is passed. “I see diversity as differences we can use to unite for a common goal,” Garces wrote in an email. “We often view it through an ethnic or gender lens which is important but not the only lens there is. There’s a large misconception that occurs from viewing diversity in that light. It drives people away rather than unites them.” With the amount of change this bill will bring to USU, the GRC is working with Tyson Packer, USUSA’s student advocate vice president to start the Voices of Aggies project. Aiming to advocate for DEI, Voices of Aggies will have tables stationed around campus where students can learn about DEI and share their opinions, during the last few weeks of this fall semester. Voices of Aggies will also be collecting student letters at the Student Advocate Office, located on the third floor of the TSC. “We’re trying to create an opportunity for students to be able to voice how they feel about some of the things that the Capitol is trying to do,” Packer said. The GRC, along with other students, will be traveling to the Capitol in early 2023 to share the opinions brought on by the Voices of Aggies project. “As the student advocate, I’m here for the students and there are tons and tons of students who really find their place here at Utah State through diversity, equity and inclusion,” Packer said If students want to be involved in advocating for DEI, they can reach out with their MyVoice located in the MyUSU app, as well as follow the GRC Instagram.
Malory Rau is a sophomore studying social media, public relations and marketing. When not skateboarding with friends, she is usually thrifting, reading or seeing the latest movie.
The Inclusion Center, a holistic and inclusive student-centered program, has signs and stickers outside their window as seen on Nov. 30.
PHOTO BY Heidi Bingham
— m.rau@usu.edu
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By Justin Brewster NEWS REPORTER
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n Wednesday, Oct. 25, the NourishTank competition hosted by the USU Hunger Solutions Institute was completed. The winners were graduate students Saydee Longhurst, Macey Bunn and Lisa Hunsaker, with their proposal of Farm 2 Fork Goes Mobile. The design of the NourishTank competition was based on the TV show Shark Tank, in which contestants provide innovative and sustainable solutions to help combat both hunger and food insecurity.
SUBMITTED PHOTO Winners of the NourishTank competition pose for a photo after the competition on Oct. 25.
The two goals of Farm 2 Fork are to provide nutritional and fresh produce that students may lack, and to help provide said students with the tools needed to make good nutritional and dietary choices in the future. Using trucks that will pick up donations of food produce from private citizens’ fruit trees and gardens, they will then in turn be taken to elementary schools. Students there will be taught reci-
pes that include the fruits and vegetables donated, which will be paired with a small nutritional lesson; students will be sent home with both the recipe and some of the produce given. Many of these recipes and produce are seasonal, due to the nature of them being collected via donations from private gardens. For example, one of the recipes was sauteed butternut squash, due to an excess of squash in the fall months. This helps make the food items more accessible. Planning has begun to discuss food preservation, as fresh produce tends to be much harder to access cheaply during the winter months. This includes methods such as canning, drying and freezing food items; these are good ways to preserve food and maintain high degrees of nutritional value in said foods. Not to mention that good recipes can still be made with such preserved foods — for example, smoothies can be made with frozen fruits. One of the often under-discussed parts about hunger that Farm 2 Fork addresses is that of transportation. Food deserts are areas in which most residents do not have easy access to affordable nutritious foods. Bunn said these issues occur in areas that lack good (or any) public transportation. This led to the idea of using trucks, so that the aforementioned nutritious foods can be taken to such areas. This results in people in food deserts being able to worry less about where to find nutritious food. Another key issue addressed by the program is food waste. Bunn said many people who own fruit trees and personal gardens would frequently eat what they can, and then leave any remaining produce to rot. This led to the idea of collecting said food items with the trucks, to then be used in all the aforementioned programs, both reducing food waste and providing nutritious food to food insecure families. Lisa Hunsaker hopes this program will help bring the community together. “We have a group that we’re trying to help with food insecurity but yet also helps bring the community together,” Hunsaker said. Both Macey and Lisa note that there are still details that need to be worked out. This is why the program is expected to start within the next two years, though there is hope it will be sooner. The program will start in the Provo City School District, but they hope this program can expand to the rest of Utah. Provo was chosen due to a large proportion of food insecure students. “Fifty-eight percent of the students there suffer from food insecurities,” Hunsaker said. The choice to focus on schools, specifically elementary schools, was very intentional — Bunn said people tend to develop both eating habits and food preferences around this time. Therefore, by starting younger, this can help avert kids from having a preference towards foods that might be higher in calories or have high sugar contents. The earliest these trucks will begin driving around and asking for donations might be summer of 2024, with the latest being within two years, though both Hunsaker and Macey stated that they hope for it to begin rolling out sooner rather than later. — a02343781@usu.edu
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Page 3 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Farm 2 Fork Goes Mobile; winners of the NourishTank competition
Page 4 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
USU certifies its first medical interpreters she passed a bill providing Utah State University with funding to begin a translating and interpreting program, according to López-González. The first cohort who graduated was part of the free community classes taught by the program’s co-director, Elsa Pérez. These classes cover the same material USU students will be able to learn in classes next semester. The next class will be held on Jan. 13. To receive a certificate, 40 hours of training are required. Within two days of enrollment being opened, 60 people had signed up, according to López-González. He had to close registration because they do not have enough faculty to assist more people. “It has become a very popular program for our students here as well as PHOTO BY Claire Ott the community,” Pérez said. “I’ve been Elsa Perez, assistant professor for translation and interpretation, speaking with attendees after the Spanish Healthcare club meeting on Thursday, Nov. 16. receiving emails from people in BYU Idaho and Weber State. They want to By Andie Allen come every weekend to receive our courses here.” NEWS REPORTER According to Pérez, their program is better suited for orld Languages & Cultures Department Head students and individuals who would like practical applifor Spanish, Crescencio López-González’s cations for their multilingual talents. dream became a reality on Oct. 28 when 12 “I think our program is more skill-based. That means individuals from the community received their certifithat as soon as the students take our courses, they can cates for medical interpreting. actually start working right away. So that’s an advan“When I took on this job, they asked me what I wanttage. It is less theoretical and more practical,” Pérez ed to do for the department, as department head, and said. I clearly said that my number one goal was to create a Next semester, USU will begin offering classes to pretranslation interpretation program. And if the faculty pare students for their certificate while earning univerwas okay with that, I was going to pursue that,” Lópezsity credit for healthcare, legal, and business interpretaGonzález said. tion and translation, according to Pérez. López-González saw a need in the Utah community Sofía Monzón Rodríguez is an assistant professor in for more medical, business, and court interpreters. Utah the department, and she will be teaching the legal and State Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla saw the business classes next semester. same need, as she used to be a medical interpreter, and “The beauty of this program is everyone, no matter
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TE UTAH STA
POLICE
BLOTTER
10/8/23
- Officers responded to a Keep the Peace request on campus and the situation had been resolved when they arrived. - USUPD worked with Logan City Fire Department in the evaluation of an individual in need of medical assistance in the central campus area. They monitored the individual until a responsible party arrived.
11/9/23
- An officer assisted an individual with concerns about possible harassment from another party. The officer responded to the complainants questions, and offered resources.
11/10/23
- An officer responded to an elevator alarm reported to police at 1:38 a.m. at the Fine Arts Center. Upon arrival the officer found the elevator to be in working condition. - An individual contacted USUPD concerning a lost wallet in the area of 820 N 1200 E. The officer gathered information on the description and contents of the wallet and advised the individual to contact their financial institutions as a preventative measure.
what your major is, can come and we’ll give you those skills,” Monzón said. “We’ll train you to put those language skills into use. You go on, and you can be anything that you want to be plus a translator and interpreter. There’s a really high demand for this.” Along with learning the basics of interpreting and translating, the classes will provide instruction on terminology, code of ethics, how the healthcare system works. They will also provide practice scenarios through materials they are developing. “The more skills they have, they have better pay and more benefits,” Pérez said. Not only does Pérez believe this certificate will benefit the students and individuals who come through the course, but she also sees this as a need in the community. “We have a lot of immigrants in our state. And also, there’s more coming, you know, from Ukraine and other places as well. So we need to be prepared for those to bring them the services they need,” Pérez said. The course is not open yet, but there are students who are trying to get in, according to López-González. “Everyday I have ten more emails asking to be in the program,” Pérez said. As of now, the courses are being taught in Spanish, but there are plans to add Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Navajo, French and Farsi.
Andie Allen has spent the last four years studying English and journalism at USU since she is too short to be a Disney princess. — andie.allen@usu.edu
11/16/23
- The possible theft of an article of clothing from the Industrial Science building was reported to police. A description of the item was taken by an officer who attempted, but was unable to locate its whereabouts.
11/18/23
- Officer Zoomer, USU K-9, conducted a routine sweep of buses and belongings prior to their arrival at Maverik Stadium for the football game.
10/7/23
- USUPD and Logan City Fire Department responded to a cooking fire at a residence hall. The responders assisted with opening windows to clear smoke and left when assistance was no longer needed.
COMING SOON L
By Sydeny Lyman NEWS REPORTER
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ots of things in life are unavoidable. For many people, conflict is one of them. But the Utah State University space-makers are here to ensure students don’t have to navigate it alone. The term space-maker is used to define a group of people who have been trained to navigate conflict and facilitate meaningful conversations. The program, created by senior lecturer Clair Canfield, aims to change the perception of conflict and empower students to use conflict to uncover their personal values. “It’s a driving force for creating the change we want within ourselves in our relationships and communities,” Canfield said. “Conflict is an opportunity to see what is most important to us and to work towards the changes we want.” Now, after significant success on the Logan campus, the program is expanding. Virtual space-making appointments are now accessible statewide to all USU students. Canfield is excited about the recent expansion of the program. “As we’ve been offering these appointments and seeing the impact they’re having on students, we very much wanted to offer them not just here at Logan but to students across the state,” Canfield said. “We were very excited by the opportunity to expand to them through working with Statewide Leadership.” Space-makers do not offer advice; rather, they try to pose questions that prompt introspection. All space-makers are required to take specific classes to become certified. Kylie Rice, a space-maker and student at USU, described how she aids students. “A lot of it is about active listening, how to ask questions, how to ask follow-up questions, how to pay attention to what somebody’s saying,” Rice said. “Not only that, but paying attention to their body language and how to react to that in order to create a space where they feel safe enough to express what’s going on in their life.” Rice said the process isn’t always perPHOTO BY Heidi Bingham fect, but the tools she has learned work. Clair Canfield, Space-Makers creator, poses for a headshot “We love it for a reason and because outside of Old Main on Nov. 21. it’s worked for us,” Rice said. “It creates a way for us to connect with ourselves and connect with our needs, connect with our values, and connect with others.” Space-making differs from talk therapy because space-makers do not diagnose mental illness, nor do they make recommendations or treatment plans. Canfield said therapy is primarily focused on healing, and though conversations with space-makers can often feel healing, it is not their sole purpose. “So we differ from therapy in some really important ways. We give people a space where they can be seen and witnessed and make choices for themselves. I think that does, at times, feel really healing and helpful for people.” Appointments are exclusively virtual. Students on any campus wishing to make an appointment can visit the space-makers website. Sydney is a junior studying political science, journalism and anticipatory intelligence. When she’s not chasing the latest scoop, you can find Sydney hiking amd turning stress into delicious baked goods — sydney.lyman@usu.edu
Page 5 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Space-Makers statewide
Page 6 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
USU hosts first disability week to create accessible, aware campus By Lacey Cintron LIFESTYLES REPORTER
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On Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. there will be an accessible recreation night in the ARC where students can watch and play alongside professional wheelchair basketball teams. “I am super excited about accessible recreation night. I actually just solidified that we’re going to have the Wheelin’ Wildcats, which is a pro basketball wheelchair team in Ogden,” DePew said. “They’re going to come and teach us how to play wheelchair basketball then play a little scrimmage with us.”
tah State University is set to host its first disability week Dec. 4-8. The Academic Belonging and Learning Excellence Committee of the President’s Cabinet has been preparing a week of fun and informative events to end the fall semester. LeiLoni DePew, a second-year student with a double emphasis in recreation administration and event management, is the director of ABLEC. “The two major focuses that we wanted to have this year was expanding the Honors program and letting students know more about those specific opportunities,” DePew said. “Also working with the Disability Resource Center to increase student accessibility and allow students with disabilities to get involved more.” DePew is spearheading the planning and direction of the upcoming event. After speaking with counselors at the DRC about disabilities day on Dec. 3, DePew realized there was a lack of events geared towards students with disabilities. “The DRC asked us if we were going to do anything for disability day, and so a couple days later I went to my committee and I was like, ‘Hey, this thing is coming up. Do we want to plan something?’” DePew said. “We started planning an event and so I’m there to facilitate.” Ronan Spencer, a first-year student studying political science, is an active member of ABLEC. Spencer is working alongside DePew to bring disability week to fruition. “We were deciding what’s something that we can do to help students, but also what’s something we can do to show that we’re actually making progress,” Spencer said. “I was like, ‘Let’s have an event,’ since it’s a physical thing that we can represent.” DePew and Spencer have emphasized the importance of student input on what the events should look like and ensuring disability week happens. “I’ve been helping plan with LeiLoni and a few other people, and we’ve been making sure that everything in PHOTO BY Claire Ott the event runs smoothly during this week,” Spencer said. Ronan Spencer, member of the president’s cabinet, poses for an interview on “Also what we can do and what are the specific things that Thursday, Nov. 16. students will want to see out of this week.” DePew has experienced what having a disability is like on The week will consist of two events geared towards stuthe Logan campus. dents with disabilities. The events are open to everyone, “I have autism, and because of my autism I have a million and will kick off with deaf cinema night on Dec. 4. “One of the events that we’re really excited about is deaf other things,” DePew said. “Auditory processing disorder, cinema night,” Spencer said. “I’m excited that we’re going depression and anxiety are the biggest ones. I think that to be able to play some short films representing the deaf the biggest challenge being a disabled person on campus is just advocating for myself, especially as somebody with experience, as well as some short films using ASL.” Spencer hopes this event will give people insight into the a service animal.” Students and faculty with a disability face a variety of intricacies of deaf culture and proper ASL usage. unique challenges in the classroom. “I’m fluent in ASL, and there’s a lot of things I’ve learned “Advocating for my needs and accessibility in classes, like in ASL classes that a lot of people wouldn’t necessarily consider when they think of how to interact with a deaf being able to use a captioning device or being able to see person,” Spencer said. “What’s respectful or not respect- my professor so I can read their lips are all challenges,” DePew said. “But I have found that the university is often ful, and especially in deaf cinema it’s really interesting.”
happy to work with me and listen to my feedback. That’s what we are hoping for with this event, that this will continue raising awareness for faculty as well as students.” DePew hopes events like disability week will help students learn proper ways to interact with others who have disabilities. “Disability week can help educate people on the fact that individuals with disabilities are just like anyone else,” DePew said. “We just have these barriers in society that we have to break through sometimes. Others can help us break through those barriers to create a more accessible environment for everyone.” Spencer said many students are uncomfortable reaching out for the resources they need or are unaware these resources exist. As part of the discussions around disability week, solutions to issues such as these were brought up. “We were talking about possibly in the applications when you’re applying to USU, putting in a checkbox showing that you’re interested in receiving emails from the DRC about accommodations,” Spencer said. “For most students, they have to be the ones reaching out and that’s difficult for a lot of disabled students.” Spencer said a lack of knowledge seemed to be the biggest issue at USU, and this could be rectified by providing students with information about disability culture. Widely known basic ASL was one example of ways the community could make USU more accessible. “I feel like there’s sometimes cultural changes that need to happen on campus,” Spencer said. “There were some things on campus that we were seeing mostly due to people not knowing how to deal with people from different backgrounds.” DePew and Spencer said they want disability week to be the first step towards a more accessible, aware campus in order to create long lasting change at USU. “I would really love it if disability week became an annual thing that keeps evolving to fit the needs and interests of the students on campus at the time,” DePew said.
Lacey Cintron is majoring in psychology. She loves learning about the human mind, sharing stories and naps. — a02388032@usu.edu
selves,” Hutchinson said. “It’s going to be a runaway process in order to keep up.” AI is changing fast, even week to week. “He talked about super interesting things,” Peifer said. “He went down the philosophy behind the definition of intelligence and how it’s kind of hard to quantify. It’s super interesting. It felt like a TED Talk.” According to Peifer, the technology is coming, regardless if people choose to adopt it. “It gives you a tool, like having a keyboard before you or a pencil and paper,” Peifer said. “I think students have been using it quite a bit, especially for research gathering purposes. Writing code is also super helpful. It can also be used as a personal tutor to break things down.” As for the future of the AI club, the members hope to have many more speakers to teach them about business, marketing and artificial intelligence. DESIGN BY Annie Zaug “We want to work with some actual companies and get some real data, and then try creatBy Sam Goodman ing AI systems for them eventually,” Peifer said. “We’d LIFESTYLES REPORTER rtificial intelligence technology is and will con- like to create a competition with the marketing departtinue to be a big part of upper division educa- ment where we can have an on the fly, create a compation at Utah State University and all over the ny through AI in five minutes.”
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country. Preston Peifer is the president of the USU Artificial Intelligence Business Integration Club, where they discuss the future of AI technology and how it will continue to be integrated into society. “We started this year — our first semester as an official club — and our main focus is really just showing people how ChatGPT works,” Peifer said. “New current AI tech as it comes out and getting a general understanding of how we can use this tech as a tool to better enable them.” As president of this club, Peifer has been able to host speakers to attend their meetings, such as Sharon Jones and Luke Hutchinson. Hutchinson has a background with Google and does freelance AI work with an extensive history in computer science. “AI is not intelligent,” Hutchinson said. “Our brain is doing something probably at the quantum level, which gives us more power than the computer.” AI technology is developing rapidly and is consistently used in business and schooling. “We’ll get to the singularity, which is the point where AI is innovating itself faster than we can innovate our-
Hi! My name is Rosalind (Ros for short), and I do the Fixation Feature Every Friday at 2. For my hour of airtime, I make a playlist that scratches the itch on my current hyperfixations or a theme that fits the vibe of the time!
The Graduate The Arcadian Wild
Library Magic The Head And The Heart
We’re Going To Be Friends The White Stripe
Good Life Sammy Rae & The Friends
Sam Goodman is a junior studying journalism with an emphasis in print. — a02401436@usu.edu
New Invention I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
Page 7 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
AI club discusses the future of technology in business
Page 8 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
CAPS provides insight for better sleep ment, said she gets seven-and-a-half hours of sleep nightly. “I have much more clarity, much more emotional bandleep is one of the most important processes the hu- width,” Diamond said. “I love being able to be engaged man body experiences, yet a concerning amount and really help problem solve with people who need it.” To help shed light on this issue, Utah State University’s of people don’t get the proper amount. Whatever Department of Counseling and Psychological Services held the reason may be, this can be detrimental, as establishing good sleep habits is a crucial part of bolstering overall a Zoom meeting called “Improving Your Sleep” on Nov. 14. The workshop was intended to help students and faculty health. Despite this, over 70% of university students report they learn the risks and disadvantages of poor sleep as well as fail to get eight hours of sleep a night, which is the recom- tips, habits and routines to improve sleep schedules. One of the first things discussed was the four stages of mended amount for teenagers and young adults. Additionally, up to 60% of all college students say they suffer from sleep, and why each of them are important. They can be broken down into two categories: non-REM, or “N” stages, poor sleep quality, heightening the issues. Physical and mental symptoms of sleep deprivation in- and REM sleep. N1 is the first stage, sometimes called transitional sleep. clude irritability, impaired concentration, increased stress and slowed reaction time. Going 24 hours without sleep – This is when people physically feel themselves falling or, pulling a single all-nighter – has a similar effect on the asleep, and it’s also when those random “falling” sensations occur. It typically lasts about 5-10 minutes, and the brain as having a blood alcohol content of 0.1%. One reason students stay up is to complete assignments sleeper can easily be awoken. N2, or light sleep, is the second stage. This stage is when or study for exams. Yet more than 80% of university stuthe body truly begins to settle into rest. Body temperature dents say they suffer academically from losing sleep. Tanner Layton, a first-year student majoring in communi- cools, heart rate slows and the brain produces sleep spincation, said he gets an average of six hours of sleep every dles; these are brief spikes in neural activity assisting with several processes in the brain, including the secretion of night. “Sleep affects my studies, so it directly affects my grades,” sleeping hormones like melatonin. The NA stage lasts for Layton said. “I know that if I started getting more sleep, about 20 minutes. N3, or deep sleep, is the third stage. By this point, the my studies would improve.” On average, professors seem to get a bit more rest. An- body is well asleep, and it may take a while to be woken drea Diamond, an adjunct professor in the English depart- up. This stage is very important for physical health. Muscles relax, breathing rates and blood pressure lower and the body begins to heal itself from the wear and tear of daily life. This is the part of sleep where the body repairs injuries and fights illness. It typically lasts 20-40 minutes. REM, or rapid eye movement sleep, is the final stage. As the name suggests, the eyes move rapidly during this stage. REM sleep is crucial for psychological health, as this is when things like memory consolidation and emotional processing happens. During this stage the brain releases gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine, hormones which act as a paralytic to prevent the body from acting out dreams. The first REM stage may only last a few minutes, but later stages can reach an hour. After REM sleep is finished, the body returns to N1, and the cycle continues. CAPS also discussed many of the reasons for insomnia, as well as how to combat it. An unsuspecting source is simply spending too much time lying in bed. Bed pairing happens when your brain makes connections between your bed PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY Claire Ott and non-sleep activities.
By Asher Schroader LIFESTYLES REPORTER
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When you study, eat or lie awake in the bedroom, the body begins to falsely recognize the space as a place to be awake, leading to a struggle to fall asleep once it’s time. The solution? If you’re not trying to sleep, leave the bedroom. Similarly, CAPS recommended students should avoid using electronic devices in the bedroom. The light from electronics increases the alpha wave activity in the brain, preventing the release of melatonin by tricking the eyes into thinking the blue light emitted from screens is the daytime sky. This could mean moving a TV from the bedroom to the living room, reading books on paper instead of online or charging phones in a separate room. Turning off electronic devices 30 minutes before bedtime allows the effects of the blue light to dissipate. After all of this, if you still find yourself unable to sleep, there is hope. If you are still lying in bed after 15-20 minutes, get up and do something. Try to avoid turning on electronics because doing this can exacerbate the issue. Picking an activity such as reading a book or reviewing notes can be helpful. Professor Diamond also shed some clarity on how to balance a college education with the body’s needs. “Do the work you need to do in the day, ask for help when you can’t get it done, shelve the things that you can do later and use tools like writing, meditating and breathing,” Diamond said. “Support yourself as a human.” According to CAPS, the most important thing to keep in mind is that sleep is essential for both the mind and body, and establishing good habits will allow students to be healthy and more successful.
Asher Schroader is a first-year exploratory student at USU. With a focus area in humanities and arts, he is passionate about writing, art and graphic design, and making music. In his free time, Asher enjoys reading, playing Cities: Skylines and spending the weekends with his boyfriend. — a02415522@usu.edu
Page 9 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Annual physics November demo inducts electricity, entertainment
“She said, ‘Hey, you’re the demo guy. We come to your show every year. It’s or some, the last week of school before Thanksgiv- a tradition now.’” Wendel said her favorite part of ing means planning trips, buying food and getting as much homework done as possible. For others, it helping is watching the audience’s reaction to the demos. means it’s time for the Physics November Demo Show. “Even if I’ve seen a demo 100 times, James Coburn, the demonstration specialists for the Dethere’s something so magical about partment of Physics at USU, put on the first demo show seeing someone else see it for the first 16 years ago. “I wanted to share physics demonstrations with the pub- time,” Wendel said. This year, the theme for the demo lic,” Coburn said. “I like it when people learn something show was electromagnetic induction. new and when they see something that they think is really “Every year on the night of the demo cool.” Coburn said he was inspired by the Christmas Lectures at show I go home, and that evening I the Royal Institution in London, England, a physics show pick the topic for the next year,” Coburn said. which has been going on for almost 200 years. So, what is electromagnetic induc“Since our students are gone at Christmas, I decided to tion? do it here at Thanksgiving time,” Coburn said. James Coburn presents at the Physics Demo Show on Nov. 17. In “Faraday’s Law of Induction,” BriMaryanna Wendel, Coburn’s daughter, has been helping According to Coburn, a lot of this help comes from his tannica defines it as the measurable relationship showing with the demo shows since the beginning. family, like Wendel. “The November demo show is a free event to help get the that a changing magnetic field can create a current in a “My family helps me present the show,” Coburn said. “I public excited about physics,” Wendel said. “My dad has circuit. It was discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831 when he like that it’s a family event. Lots of families come.” Wendel said she’s continued helping Coburn with the attached a conducting wire to a device to measure the show because she enjoys hearing about his passion while circuit’s voltage. he presents. Faraday found that a current was produced when a “Isn’t it kind of fun to hear someone talk about something moving conductor was placed in a stationary magnetic passionately?” Wendel said. “And I really never get tired of field, or a stationary conductor was placed in a moving the demos myself.” magnetic field. Coburn said the demo show continues because of its popAs he continued experimenting, Faraday was able to determine what setups garnered the most electromagnetic ularity. “I think the students like to see physics come to life,” Coinduction. burn said. “To see things that they’ve learned about actuFor example, the more a wire is coiled around a device, ally happen.” the greater the voltage. Also, the faster the magnetic field It’s not just USU students and the Cache Valley communiis changing increases the voltage as well. ty that loves the demo show. Coburn said he really enjoys According to Britannica, in “Faraday’s Law of Inducthe work he does for the demonstration each year. tion,” other principles, such as Lenz’s law, Biot-Savart law “Physics is a search for the fundamental answers of how and Ampere’s law have all gone on to influence electroeverything works,” Coburn said. “I like to know how things magnetic induction as we know it today. According to Wendel, physics is sometimes seen as bor- work, and I like to share that with others.” For more information about the Physics November Demo ing, or inapplicable to everyday life. Show and the past demonstrations, visit usu.edu/science/ “Physics kind of tends to get a bad rap,” Wendel said. However, electromagnetic induction is the foundation events/physics-november-demo-show. “See you next year,” Coburn said. “The Friday before behind many technologies people use. Thanksgiving.” AC and electric generators work on the basis of electromagnetic induction. The wireless power transfer seen in Ella Stott is a first-year devices like cell phones uses this principle as well. student studying English and Furthermore, computer hard drives operate on electroPHOTOS BY Jack Burton magnetic induction, and the future of vehicles uses these journalism because she hates James Coburn does a demonstration of electric current with magnets at the ESLC money. When she’s not writphysics laws to advance hybrid and electric options. on Nov. 17. ing, she’s watching sitcoms, With the importance of electromagnetic induction in eating Greek yogurt and mind, Coburn felt confident in his choice of theme for this an amazing way of making it fun.” admiring Nebraska corn. The demo show attracts between 300 and 500 people year’s demo show. “I spent a year researching, planning, building and buyeach year, despite the weather. Coburn said he loves hear— ella.stott@usu.edu ing demos,” Coburn said. “I get a lot of help during the ing from the different people who come to the show. demo show and sometimes with building new demos.” “I met a woman a couple of weeks ago,” Coburn said. By Ella Stott LIFESTYLES REPORTER
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Page 10 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
Ice cream is better with Sprinkles and so is USU Basketball By Rylan Bean SPORTS REPORTER
E
very time the USU Men’s Basketball team scores 80 or more points in a home game, everyone in attendance gets a free scoop of ice cream from Culver’s. Although it has only been two games, so far the men’s team has eclipsed the 80-point mark in both home games, which are also the first two home games for the first-year head coach Danny Sprinkle. The USU HURD caught on quickly and the new tradition of “Ice Cream with Sprinkles” was born. Danny Sprinkle was announced as the 29th coach in
Danny Sprinkle coaches his team on the sidelines during the game against the South Dakota Mines on Nov. 6.
Utah State’s history this April replacing Ryan Odom. Sprinkle is a native of Montana through and through. His dad was born in Great Falls, Montana and his mom is also from the state and was born in Butte. Sprinkle himself grew up in Helena, Montana where he attended high school. Sprinkle was a multi-sport athlete participating in basketball, football and track. Ultimately he went on to play Division I basketball for Montana State University. “I was very fortunate at Montana State, you know, they kept their word on their scholarship offer. And so I went there for basketball and you know, had the best four years I could ever ask for,” Sprinkle said. After his four years at MSU, coach Sprinkle got into coaching, getting his first job at Cal State Northridge and then following up at Cal State Fullerton. After six years at CSF, he had the opportunity to return to his alma mater at Montana State, this time as their head coach. During his time at Montana, he led the team to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances and Big Sky Championships. “It was awesome. I mean, it was absolutely awesome. I mean, there weren’t too many jobs that were going to lure me out of there. And, you know, I mean, the team that we would have had coming back, it’s easy to say but we would have won it again,” Sprinkle said. Coming to USU is an opportunity that coach Sprinkle is excited about, but the transition was a tough one for him and his staff. “I moved down here with the staff and it was so busy because we had to sign an entire roster and then all of a sudden by the time we finally got our last piece, which was Ian Martinez, we just finished camp, and we were right into summer practice with our team. And so there was absolutely no break until mid-August, you know, and really, we only had about a week there before we had to come back for fall semester,” Sprinkle said. Despite the transition, Sprinkle is excited about USU basketball and continuing the traditions of success here in Logan. “The Cache Valley’s been awesome. I mean, the support you get here and how important you know, all of you know Aggie sports is awesome. That’s cool. And the people are about as friendly as any place in the world,” Sprinkle said. “The best thing about our fan base is they know good basketball, so you can’t cheat the game.” Being true to the game is something that coach Sprinkle prides himself on and is what he wants to do to continue the success of Aggie basketball. When talking about his plan to be successful, Sprinkle kept it simple. “Offensively, play fast, but move the ball. You know, we don’t need to be taking crazy shots, take care of the basketball. And then defensively, we got to be tough, like we got to be gritty. Well, if there’s a loose ball, like we got to have three, four guys on the floor, you know, and that’s what Utah State fans expect. And you know, and that’s why they’ve had success for so long — obviously they’ve had great players but those great players, you know, they were disciplined and tough and played the right way.” Coach Sprinkle has had a major impact on many players throughout his tenure as a coach and the same can be said for Utah State’s current leading scorer, Great
PHOTOS BY Heidi Bingham Head coach Danny Sprinkle makes a game plan with the team in a timeout against the South Dakota Mines on Nov. 6.
Osobor. He is a junior from Bradford, England who spent his first two years playing for Sprinkle at Montana State and transferred when coach Sprinkle got the job here in Logan. “It was an easy decision for me; once I left I was like, ‘If I’m leaving Montana State, I’m going to Utah State,’” Osobor said. The primary reason is his respect and relationship with Sprinkle. “He’s really invested in this and he cares, he really cares. Coaches might say they care or tell people they care and you can see it through his actions and through his passion. Every single game he makes you want to run through a wall for him” So far what both Osobor and Sprinkle have said has been true with the Aggies off to a hot start going 5-1 and coming off a midseason tournament championship at the Cayman Islands Classic. The Danny Sprinkle era is just beginning in Logan. Through coach Sprinkle, his staff and team, USU basketball fans are continuing to see a high level of success and continuing to keep Aggie basketball alive and well. Aggie Nation look out, because there are many more nights of Ice Cream with Sprinkles to come.
Rylan Bean is a sophomore studying business management. He loves to be a part of the HURD, play sports, hike, bike and spend time with friends and family. — rylan.bean@usu.edu
By Brian Krik SPORTS REPORTER
U
Kuehn scored a third goal for the Aggies, which was a result of good combination play from teammates Voss and Jackson Ferry that broke through the defense and into the net. The score would remain 3-0 going into the first intermission. In the second period, USU wasted no time as Ethan Tarver connected with Sanborn for a breakaway goal at the 18:42 mark. Aggie Zach Pires earned a five-minute major penalty and a game suspension for a spearing call. Pires missed the remainder of the game. This penalty would end up being downgraded by the referees to a cross-check penalty, and the suspension would be lifted. Farr scored a fifth goal deep from the blue line for the Aggies at the 2:45 mark. Ryan Trainor scored for the Lumberjacks with only 38 seconds to go to make the score 5-1. This would end the
mark after he took advantage of a rebounded shot by Ferry. SU Hockey played four games this weekend in The goals kept coming as Kuehn recovered a missed the Beehive Showcase. The event, which invites shot by Young and slotted it home with 9:56 left to play schools from surrounding states to come and in the game. compete, is the longest-running showcase in the AmerThe Aggies would finish the game a man down after ican Collegiate Hockey Association. The Aggies played Nolan Gifford was sent to the box on a tripping call at hard and ultimately ended the showcase with a 2-2 the 1:55 mark. record. After a timeout, ASU’s Ethan Bellettini capitalized on Game 1 the power play by scoring just six seconds after play reGame 1 for the Aggies was a 4-3 loss against the sumed to try and spark a final push for ASU. But it came Loyola Marymount Lions on Thursday night in a shottoo late, as the Aggies held on to claim the 3-2 victory. for-shot affair between the two teams. “It was a hard-earned win. It was fun,” said Aggie capDillon Hale opened the scoreline at the 8:47 mark of tain Ben Carlson, smiling. “Everyone bought into their the first period with a well-placed shot to the top-left roles. We did our jobs, it’s a W.” corner of the net. Sam Voss had the assist. Game 4 Matisse Hawthorne equalized for the Lions with 1:33 The final game of the showcase was a 3-2 loss against left in the first period. Hawthorne recovered a reboundthe Providence Argonauts. ed shot from Alexander Skenderian. Despite the fatigue, Ferry opened The score would remain 1-1 into the the scoring for the Aggies after a first intermission. calculated pass from Hale through the The second period kicked off as crease. Aggie forward Sean Johnston scored The scoreline would remain 1-0 into a powerplay goal at the 15:45 mark. the first intermission. Johnston said Johnston recovered a rebound and slid their fatigue was showing. it past Lions goaltender John Profaci. “We need to wake up. We need to The Lions re-leveled the score about be more attentive in the (offensive) four minutes later while being a man zone and get a few more goals,” Johndown. Connor Kaczmarek capitalized ston said. on a poor pass by the Aggies and conThe Argonauts were the ones who verted a breakaway attempt. responded in the second period as Jon USU’s George Kuehn scored the final O’Brien took advantage of a breakgoal of the second period at the 9:05 away attempt and leveled the scoremark. Kuehn recovered a shot attempt line at 1-1 at the 16:58 mark. by forward Caleb Sanborn and slotted Elliott Venini scored a similar goal the shot past Profaci. The scoreline at the 4:42 mark to give Providence was 3-2 in favor of the Aggies going the lead. The scoreline would remain into the second intermission. 2-1 into the final intermission. Will DeLaForest took a shot from the At the 12:22 mark in the third, Hale Lions’ offensive blue line that found its PHOTO BY Jack Burton connected with Ferry on the edge of Nolan Gifford turns sharply with the puck and dodges a Boise State player at George S. Eccles Ice Center on Friday, Oct. 13. way into the back of the net, leveling the net to score the Aggies’ second the scoreline at 3-3 with 9:20 left to play. goal, leveling the score at 2-2. The Aggies earned a penalty for too many men on period. Adam Husli scored a backhand shot that sneaked the ice with 1:26 left to play in the game. Hawthorne The third period would not see any goals from either under Anderson to give Providence a 3-2 lead with 9:25 punished the Aggies, scoring a game-winning goal that team. Both teams played a strong third period on the de- left to play. pushed the final score to 4-3. fensive end. When the final buzzer sounded, the Aggies The pace of the Argonauts proved to be too much for Game 2 were 1-1. the Aggies as the scoreline remained 3-2 at the final Game 2 was a 5-1 rout over the Northern Arizona UniGame 3 horn, leaving USU 2-2 in the Beehive Showcase. versity Lumberjacks. Game 3 was a late decisive 3-2 victory for the Aggies The Aggies won’t see any action again until Dec. 1, as “There is a little bit of bad blood with them, so it is against Arizona State University. they take on Maryville and Lindenwood in a three-game sure to be a fun game to watch,” said USU goalie Titan It was a strong defensive effort from both teams as weekend. They’ll return home in the new year facing the Anderson before the game. neither squad could find the back of the net through two University of New Hampshire on Jan. 19. The action was instant as forward Ben Tschida scored periods. Much of the credit belongs to both of the Aggie for the Aggies just 13 seconds into the game in his regoaltenders, Kale Samuels and Hayden Manning. turn from a collarbone injury. The first goal of the game The Sun Devils struck first at the 16:56 mark in the Brian Kirk is a sophomore studying broadcast was followed by the annual Teddy Bear Toss. All stuffed third period as Rhains Enevoldsen scored quickly off of a journalism. He is a connoisseur of the finest metal animals thrown onto the ice are donated to local Cache faceoff in their offensive zone. music and tacos. He loves dogs, and most of all his Valley children. Farr responded quickly for the Aggies as a shot from hot wife. Mason Mulneaux would add to the lead two minutes the left-side circle found its way into the ASU goal, later at the 17:19 mark, guiding in a rebound from deleveling the score. fenseman Trace Farr. Brogan Young gave the Aggies a 2-1 lead at the 12:45 — A01698251@usu.edu
Page 11 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Aggies split wins and losses in the Beehive Showcase
Page 12 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
G
et ready for an exciting transformation as USUSA
the same platform used to purchase tickets for The Howl.
vious Mardi Gras event – “Viva Las Logan!”
ter which the price will rise to $20. Tickets for the public
Student Events unveils a replacement of the pre-
I have loved serving as the USUSA Activities director this
year and am thrilled for the lineup of events next semester.
My committee and I are eagerly preparing for Casino Night and End of Year Bash!
I wanted to ensure that the names of our events accu-
rately represent what each event actually includes. The
previous Mardi Gras event didn’t focus on the true celebra-
tions utilized in Louisiana. By shifting the focus to “Casino Night,” it incorporates all of our casino tables and broadens what activities fit under the theme.
This year, the event promises to be even bigger and bet-
ter than ever before! “Viva Las Logan” is expanding into the Fieldhouse, which allows an increased capacity of over 1000 more attendees!
Guests can try their hand at classic casino games such as
poker, blackjack, roulette, and craps. There will also be a
dance, silent disco, live entertainment, drink bar, airbrush tattoos, and more!
“Viva Las Logan” will be held on February 9th, 2024, from
8 p.m. to 1 a.m., and tickets are only a tap away! They will be available for purchase using the Transact App, which is
Student can buy their tickets for $10 until February, af-
will also be for grabs starting Monday, priced at $20. More information about the ticket process and the event can be found at casino-night.usu.edu.
So, make sure your poker faces are ready – “Viva Las Lo-
gan” is on its way and promising a night where the dice roll, cards shuffle, and memories are made!
Jamie Parry is the current USUSA Activities Director. She is studying political science with minors in anticipatory intelligence and nonformal community-based education. She enjoys dabbling in magic, Phoebe Bridgers, and planning events for USU students! —activities.ususa@usu.edu Letters to the editor can be hand-delivered or mailed to the USU Student Media office in TSC 118. They can also be emailed to editor@usustatesman.com For more information about Letters to the Editor, visit usustatesman.com/opinionpolicy.
Page 13 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Page 14 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202
A G G I E S on C A M P U S
Cameron Carnes is a journalism and English major. She’s most known for her love for Taylor Swift, Percy Jackson and the beach! — a02420680@usu.edu
Sudoku puzzles are provided by www.sudokuoftheday.com.
Page 15 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 2023
Last week’s solution:
PHOTO BY Jack Burton
Page 16 - The Utah Statesman, December 4, 202