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FEATURES 6
MILLER’S ‘CIRCLES’ TRANSCENDS RAP
SPORTS 8
REDBIRDS EXTEND LOSING STREAK TO SEVEN GAMES
THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 Vol. 132 | No. 19
videtteonline.com
AFSCME CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS WITH ISU
Fighting chance
ABOVE: Union member Jane Nordine attended the rally as nearly 50 faculty, staff and students gathered at the Nelson Smith building in support of AFSCME local 3236. They continue to negotiate a fair contract with Illinois State University. Alex Gant | Vidette Photographer
‘Frustrated’ union workers rally to budge 17-month talks with university STORY BY GRACE BARBIC News Editor | @gracebarbic
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or well over a year, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees local union 3236 has been trying to negotiate a fair contract with Illinois State University. “We are tired and frustrated,” Trish Gudeman, office support specialist and long-time member of local 3236 said. Nearly 50 faculty, staff and students lined a long hallway of the Nelson Smith building on the second floor before the Human Resources bargaining session with the university Monday afternoon.
Following the bargaining session, university officials requested more time to mull over the union’s proposal. They will meet again for further discussion and to hear the university’s counter on Feb. 6. During the rally Monday, they held up posters and conversed among each other, sharing their concerns. “The university has refused to budge on so many issues,” Gudeman said. “It is disheartening.” Some of the issues include unfair wage, elimination or fixing the hiring range, compression and concerns with respect, social justice and equality.
“The bargaining session with AFSCME local 3236 is part of ongoing talks with the union,” said Director of Media Relations Eric Jome. “Illinois State officials continue to be optimistic that a contract settlement can be reached through this ongoing dialogue.” The local 3236 is made up of clerical staff and healthcare workers. Nearly 80% of the 185 members are women, which is another concern of the union — that they are not being taken seriously, Gudeman said. See FAIR CONTRACT on Page 3
PAGE 2 | NEWS | THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
NEWS IN BRIEF SOC to host resume, cover letter workshop Career consultant Ryan Cashman, Tesla recruiter Gabriela Avila and Chicago Cubs recruiter Bradley Nagel are hosting a resume and cover letter workshop from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday in Fell Hall Room 148. The School of Communication Promotions and Development Team is hosting the event and would like students of all majors to come and learn from current business professionals. The event is being hosted in order to help IF YOU GO students develop WHAT: Resume and proficient, Cover Letter Workshop cutting-edge and construcWHEN: 4-7 p.m. tive writing Tuesday skills that WHERE: Fell 148 boost their hirability in the modern job market. The speakers will focus on not only the importance of resumes and cover letters, but online profiles such as LinkedIn as well. For this event, no RSVPs are needed. However, it is vital that attendees bring a laptop, a resume and three printed job descriptions that either interest the student or are current applications where they are looking to apply. Cashman, an Illinois State University alumnus, is just one of many Communication graduates who has a life-long passion for job searching and professional branding. For five years, he worked as a career consultant and enabled people to attain jobs from the fields of creativity to those in technology. When he was a student at Illinois State, Cashman became a three-time national champion on the Speech and Debate Team. For after-dinner speaking, he became a 10-time national finalist. He earned his master’s from ISU and worked as a speech coach during his time here. Eventually, his work enabled the Speech and Debate Team to reach a top five ranking within the United States. ANASTASIA GUSTAFSON VIDETTE NEWS REPORTER
Artist to give talk in remembrance of Holocaust Artist and tolerance educator Akiva K. Segan will be presenting a talk in honor of International Holocaust Remembrance Day at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Stevenson Hall Room 325. Sponsored by the Department of Languages, Literature and Cultures, anyone within the Illinois State University community is invited to attend the free event. Segan began his magnum opus “Under the Wings” art series in 1991 with his series focusing on victims of the Holocaust and of European fascism during WWII. This series has a total of 71 completed works and includes 10 monumental
mosaic-drawing combinations. He started a second series in 2003, known as “Sight-Seeing with Dignity,” that includes 38 completed drawings. Art in each of his series is intended to be accessible to audiences of all ages. Other traveling experiences consist of Segan going to Israel for seven teaching trips, including three International Conferences on the Holocaust and Education at Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies in Jerusalem.
Angela Rye inspires at MLK Jr. dinner
KELLIE FOY VIDETTE NEWS REPORTER
HCC enters the esports ring with ISU, IWU
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e a r t l a n d Community National Association of ColleCollege joins Illinois State giate Esports (NACE), a nonprofit University and neighbor- organization comprised of over 170 ing Illinois Wesleyan University in institutions. launching a varsity esports team The Hawks Esports varsity team beginning in fall 2020. will consist of 12 students who will The Heartland Board of Trustees play “League of Legends” in compevoted to approve tition with other the addition of NACE collegiate “Having Heartland a competitive programs. online video “The Heartrepresented in the gaming team land esports growing world of online during its meetprogram will video gaming is another offer varsitying Tuesday. Esports is level competiway we are building the term used tion with the community on campus when referring same standards to competitive and throughout our of accessibilgaming. Esports ity, diversity district.” is considered and inclusion Sarah Diel-Hunt, vice president one of the most that are core of Enrollment and student serrapid-growing to our college vices at HCC collegiate team mission,” Sarah activities and is Diel-Hunt, vice offered by more than 600 colleges president of enrollment and stuand universities throughout the dent services said. United States and Canada. “Having Heartland represented “Esports competitors are in the growing world of online technology-savvy, adept at problem video gaming is another way we are solving and must understand how building community on campus both creativity and teamwork lead and throughout our district.” to success,” Skylar Guimond, direcHeartland announced plans to tor of student engagement said. hire a part-time coach for the Hawks “We’re excited to add this coEsports program during the spring curricular program as an option for 2020 semester. The team will start students in our district looking to recruiting esport athletes to complay esports at a competitive level.” pete in the fall of next school year. GRACE BARBIC According to a release, Heartland VIDETTE NEWS EDITOR will compete as a member of the
Photo by Ali Rasper | Photo Editor | @alirasper4
The Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Dinner was held Friday afternoon in the Bone Student Center. The event featured special guest Angela Rye, a Principal and CEO of IMPACT Strategies. Rye spoke on how King’s words are often wrongly romanticized and encouraged attendees to not only quote King’s words, but also take action. “Be honest about the challenges that lie before you but don’t stop there. It is so important that we continue to move forward not only in the power of Dr. King’s message, but of his word,” Rye said.
2019
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THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
Campus events are going green with new zero-waste initiative RAFAEL MENCHACA News Reporter | @kuma_topics_
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anuary has brought the Redbird community a new semester filled with massive events that are meant to be fun, but could also create a large pile of non-reusable waste. That was until the new Zero Waste events were introduced by the Illinois State University Office of Sustainability. Zero Waste events are a way for the university to become more environmentally friendly as it takes a step toward using more reusable or compostable waste, as Office of Sustainability Director Elisabeth Reed describes it. “Zero Waste means that at least 90% or more of the items consumed at an event are either recyclable or compostable,” Reed said. “Occasionally, Composting this compost food on the ISU campus event makes is not a new its way back idea. Dining halls and to ISU. Most catered events recently it across campus implewas spread on have mented this the grounds plan before. The uniaround versity also Redbird Arena benefits from composting, this past as much of summer.” the materials that start out Elisabeth Reed, Office of Sustainability as food end up being used director in a different way. “Occasionally, this compost event makes its way back to ISU. Most recently it was spread on the grounds around Redbird Arena this past summer.” Reed said. Along with composting food, the Zero Waste events involve using more reusable or compostable silverware, plates, cups and serving trays. The events also call to recycle every item that is recyclable and the refusal of Styrofoam cups, single use coffee creamers or plastic stirring sticks. Another way the Zero Waste events push to be more environmentally friendly is by encouraging people to use water pitchers or dispensers instead of the plastic water bottles and to opt for aluminum soda cans instead of plastic bottles. Reed said that so far in the semester some events have already opted to become Zero Waste events. “The International Seminar Series this semester are Zero Waste events, and we hope to see more events on campus choose Zero Waste,” she said. RAFAEL MENCHACA is a News Reporter for The Vidette. He can be contacted at rmencha@ilstu. edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ kuma_topics_.
Photographs by Alex Gant | Staff Photographer
Nearly 50 faculty, staff and students gathered at the Nelson Smith building in support of AFSCME local 3236, as it continue to negotiate a fair contract with Illinois State University.
FAIR CONTRACT Continued from Page 1
Many of these workers make less than a livable wage, having to resort to food stamps just to get by. In some cases, clerical workers have not seen their wages increase in a number of years. As the economy continues to grow, these workers are left the most economically vulnerable. “The minimum wage increase is giving reason for the university to make some moves toward this but it is not enough,” Gudeman said. Another issue being discussed at the bargaining session is the elimination or fixing of the hiring range, which has caused issues for the union members for years, according to Gudeman. “The hiring range is the university’s leverage to acquire high-quality candidates but then once hired in, there is no way to get out of the hiring range,” Gudeman said. This results in compression. Often times, those hired off the street today are hired at a range that is greater than those who have been with the university for five, 10, 15 years or more. But this is not the union’s first attempt to bargain with the university. Back in September local union 1110 signed a contract. “We are not being heard,” Gudeman continued. “The president has not agreed to meet with us despite numerous attempts and the board will not respond to our repeated pleas and requests.” There were 15 faculty members who stood with local 3236, including Barbara Heyl, a retired faculty member. She worked with the university for 30 years and said she remembers when the staff were fighting just to be able to form a union. Heyl compared the current crisis to getting a pay cut each year, which she finds shameful as she recalled the staff being some of the hardest working people at the university during her time here. “Clerical staff are crucial to get stuff done,” Heyl said. “We can’t teach without their support; we really rely on them a lot.” Faculty members and sociologists Tom Gerschick and Frank Beck echoed this testament. “This is an issue of justice,” Gerschick said. “We should not have staff relying on food stamps … we should be ashamed as an institution that this occurs. The university should recognize the loyalty of clerical workers and ensure that they make more than new hires.” For sociology and anthropology professor Richard Sullivan, this was a lesson about social and labor movements. He invited his class to attend the rally to see first-hand what people with little power resort to.
Sullivan noted that one head coach and three assistant coaches for men’s basketball make about $1 million a year. He said that a 2% increase in wages for clerical workers, which is what the union is negotiating, would cost the university about $100,000 to cover all 185 members. “This is virtually nothing in the grand scheme of things,” Sullivan said. One of Sullivan’s students, junior sociology major Jesus Unzueta, said this was not his first time getting involved in a social movement on campus. “If we do nothing, nothing is going to change,” Unzueta said. “Just as important as it is that they are expressing their opinions, it is important that those who are profiting from their work should listen to them as well. As students of this university I feel that we should play a part.” The bargaining session was expected to last about three hours. “This is long overdue,” Renee Nestler, local 3236 staff representative, said as she addressed the crowd that gathered. “We hope to lay a pathway today to bring us to a conclusion so we can start a new chapter.” While the university indicated that they were happy to agree on some smaller issues to keep things moving Monday, they were generally not accepting of the union’s proposal regarding wages and issues with hiring range, according to Gudeman. GRACE BARBIC is the News Editor for The Vidette. She can be contacted at mgbarbi@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @gracebarbic.
Night in Car raises money while bringing awareness to homelessness RAFAEL MENCHACA News Reporter | @kuma_topics_
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fter a difficult day of working or studying, most people would love nothing more than to unwind in their room at the end of the day. However, some people in the community do not have the option of a home, but instead must make do with whatever they can in their vehicle. Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomington and Home Sweet Home Ministries would like to highlight this issue that some face with its Night in a Car event. The event will be 7 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Trinity
Lutheran Church, when all participants are to check in. The purpose of Night in a Car is to replicate homelessness to experience what some individuals must deal with, as well as raising money for those in need. The goal is to raise $1,000 per vehicle to help provide one person with both food and shelter for a month. “People can still sign up and build teams for cars, but for those who don’t want to participate, they can donate through the website” Development Associate LeeAnn Kiper said. This event will give participants an opportunity to have an impact on the community while also facing a challenge with friends and family.
Participants will also have a chance to take on an escape room at 8 p.m. and have breakfast the next morning at 6 a.m. when the event ends. “The escape room is multi-staged with each room simulating different seasons and different aspects of being homeless,” Kiper said. Several safety precautions have been taken. There are security volunteers who will roam the area throughout the night. Alcohol, candles and open flames are also prohibited for this event, but those who need a moment to warm up can enter the church. Restrooms can be accessed throughout the night and there will be snacks available.
Viewpoint
PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE
VIDETTE EDITORIAL
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
Fake News hits peak during election season
D
uring the last democratic presidential primary debate, which was moderated by CNN, the “most trusted name in news” did the opposite of what its slogan states. The CNN moderator had asked Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), “CNN reported yesterday, and Sen. [Elizabeth] Warren confirmed in a statement that in 2018 you told her that you did not believe a woman could win the election. Why did you say that?” The back-and-forth spat, instigated by CNN, gives President Donald Trump’s abhorrent assertions about the news media being “fake news” some truth, but also diminishes the fight against sexism, even if it is in the slightest way. Not only was that question absurd and a clearly biased one directed at Sanders, but also one that has almost zero proof to back it up. The CNN ‘report’ named four anonymous sources who were ‘familiar’ with the discussion. Yet, only Sanders and Warren were in the room together and there is no recording of the conversation. It’s moments like these where people
begin to realize the bias that the corporate news media garners toward candidates such as Sanders and Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii). To reiterate the previous point, it gives Trump more ammo to use as he continues to disparage news outlets. For those who think that Sanders, a person who has proven to be authentic and honest, who has fought sexism and racism in all its forms since he was a young man would say that to Warren, then they need to do some research and reflect back on their judgements. Warren, on the other hand, was a registered Republican up until 1995.
Lest we forget, she was criticized by the Cherokee Nation for her use of DNA testing to determine her Native American heritage and she was heavily criticized by both sides of the political aisle. A Harvard Law School spokesperson even described her as a “minority professor.” The issue of sexism in our country should never be dismissed nor taken lightly. Sexism has and still does play an important factor in most parts of our society and who our elected leaders are. It’s a shame that CNN and Warren would accuse Sanders of such a disgusting thing.
One obvious explanation for the Warren campaign to make such an allegation would be her dropping poll numbers which coincide with the rise in Sanders’ poll numbers. Or it could be in response to the Sanders campaign releasing negative ads about Warren in Iowa. They’re politicians and that is what politicians do. The Warren campaign is simply resorting to nastier tactics. To play devil’s advocate, perhaps Sanders did say something about a woman having difficulty defeating Trump in general election. Not necessarily a sexist comment, but rather stating the difficulties a female candidate may face in November compared to a male candidate. It’s clear that Trump will use sexism to his advantage in November and the sad reality is that a woman would have a harder time beating Trump because of his talent at manipulating almost any narrative to bolster his presidency. If progressives want to win the White House, it would behoove them to not tear one another down with unsubstantiated accusations and insults; it simply adds to the Twitter king’s arsenal.
Editorial Cartoon by Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by ANDREW DOUGHERTY, a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.
An uplifting weight toward progress MY VIEW ELIZABETH SEILS | News Editor
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n the past couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to do something I haven’t done since high school: weight lift. Even in high school, I was certainly no body builder. As a junior I was tiny, and notoriously noodle-armed. By some scheduling mix-up, I had ended up in a strength training class, which was occupied mostly by burly highschool athletes looking to gain some serious muscle.
Leading up to that class, my fears were less about crushing a toe and more about embarrassment. I could imagine the teacher and my classmates looking at me pitifully as I struggled in class, hands on their hips and shaking their heads while I strained with all my might to lift the 10-pound dumbbell. That cartoonish scene haunted me periodically throughout the semester. I remember being so surprised on the first day when I could bench press 60 pounds. I remember thinking to myself that that was two Thanksgiving turkeys, maybe even three. Maybe not a lot by someone else’s standards, but it felt like a lot to me. In my time in the Student Fitness Center lately, I find myself reconnecting to the Lizzie of four
Chicken Doodle Soup by Claire Wagner | Vidette Cartoonist
years ago. But, I know I’m not the same person I used to be. Sure, I may have partially returned to my noodle-armed state, but I’m not as shy, and not as embarrassed as I used to be. While none of my ending weights in that class ever got very high, though I did end up squatting over 130 pounds, which I was happy with, I found that I had more strength than I had given myself credit for. And, I found how invigorating and exciting exercising could be. I had always seen it as a chore, now I see it as a means of improvement. In that same way now I’m chasing that high. I’m looking again to be strong. And for the first time, my fitness goals have nothing to do with weight. A lot of people assume losing weight
means being fit, and that isn’t necessarily true. It’s taken me a long time to deprogram that idea we’re all fed, that a low body weight means a person is fit and healthy. No, for once I’m doing something purely for me, and purely to build strength. I feel like a little junior in high school again, starting small. But every week I add a little more weight, and every week I’m a little less sore than I was before, and that’s good. It’s a small amount of perseverance that makes the greatest amount of difference. ELIZABETH SEILS is a News Editor for The Vidette. She can be contacted at elseils@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @SeilsElizabeth.
THEY SAID IT
“
The bargaining session with AFSCME local 3236 is part of ongoing talks with the union. ISU officials continue to be optimistic that a contract settlement can be reached through this ongoing dialogue.” Eric Jome, ISU media relations director
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EDITORIAL BOARD JONATHAN BARLAS Editor-in-Chief | @janveselybarlas GRACE BARBIC News Editor | @gracebarbic ANDREW DOUGHERTY Columnist | @addough ANDREA RICKER Features Editor | @ ricker_andrea ELIZABETH SEILS News Editor | @SeilsElizabeth
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
The higher the demand, the longer the wait Emergency mental health services still available despite long intake wait times at Student Counseling Services KOURTNEY CUNNINGHAM Features Reporter | @NewsKourtney
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o m e w o r k . Schedules. Snowy weather. Deadlines. A new semester brings new things to worry about and it being the middle of winter is no help to the everyday stress of being a college student. Mental health is not something to be taken lightly and seeking treatment is available to any student at Illinois State University through Student Counseling Services. Students can meet with a professional counselor to talk about, clarify and work through their concerns and can then explore further counseling options as needed. The wait times for intake appointments fluctuate throughout the semester based on demand. Emergency walk-in services are available Sandy Colbs from 10 a.m. until closing if a student cannot wait to be seen to schedule an intake. After the intakes, there is sometimes a wait for ongoing services based on demand as well as other factors like students’ schedule availability and specific requests regarding types of services.
Photo by Jennifer Haiden | Photo Editor | @jen_haiden
With a higher demand for student counseling services, there is an extended wait time for intake appointments. Emergency mental health services are still available every day. Intake appointments are initial appointments that assess need. Wait times for these appointmenst fluctuate throughout the semester. “The more specific or narrow the need, the longer it might take to make an assignment to ongoing care,” Director of Student Counseling Services Sandy Colbs said.
Colbs says the shorter wait times typically are at the beginning of each semester and wait times increase as they move through the semester.
Other parameters contribute to wait times like counselor-tostudent ratios and although the staffing meets industry standards at the university, the increased
demand for services has increased in waiting times. “For the past 10 years or so we have seen a steady increase in the number of students seeking care,” Colbs said. While students always have the opportunity to seek services off campus, Student Counseling Services offers an array of free online self-help tools. For example, WellTrack is offered to all ISU students in conjunction with Student Health Services, Health Promotion and Wellness and Campus Recreation. WellTrack is a self-help program that students can use to address stress, anxiety and depression before these issues get to the point of needing therapy or other mental health services. Mental health is just as important as physical health and sometimes the two can go hand in hand. Student Counseling Services is also collaborating with Health Promotion and Wellness to bring female ISU students The Body Project. The program uses a variety of fun and engaging media literacy and self-awareness exercises, activities and discussions to help establish and maintain a positive body image. Information about online programs is available through Student Counseling Services’ website.
OSF Urgo opens third clinic location in Bloomington-Normal MAIA HUDDLESTON News Reporter | @maiawrites
OSF HealthCare recently opened its third urgent care OSF Urgo clinic in Bloomington-Normal. The new clinic, located at 508 IAA Drive in Bloomington, offers basic services like flu testing, sports physicals, care for minor fractures and upper respiratory infection treatment. Brandi Clark, vice president of on-demand services for OSF Healthcare, said the clinic is a result of OSF’s dedication to improving healthcare access in the area. “OSF HealthCare is constantly looking for new opportunities to provide the best care possible for the residents of central Illinois and beyond,” Clark said. “Any new service offered at OSF HealthCare first requires extensive research, and the demand for access to urgent care was there,” Clark continued. When patients visit an OSF Urgo clinic, Clark said care guides will stay with them throughout their visit. “Each OSF Urgo is staffed by experienced Care Guides, a radiology technologist and one advanced practice provider,” Clark said. Although OSF is based in Peoria, the staff understand the need for access to quality healthcare in more rural areas.
“Access to quality health care services is critical to good health — not only of an individual, but of an entire community,” Clark said. “OSF Urgo clinics are built with that in mind. They are in convenient locations near neighborhoods and shopping areas where, historically, healthcare providers have not been located,” Clark continued. According to Clark, the new clinic is the place to go for healthcare in a hurry. “OSF Urgo is a new concept for modern urgent care designed for patients who want high-quality care in a short amount of time. It’s something new and fresh that allows each individual to access care in a way that fits them in their healthcare journey,” Clark said. Each OSF Urgo clinic is intentionally designed to create a more relaxing experience than a typical hospital provides. “The more modern setting has the feel of a lounge area rather than a traditional doctor’s office. Locations feature amenities including a cell phone charging station and cappuccino machine,” Clark said. MAIA HUDDLESTON is a News Reporter for the Vidette. She can be reached at mkhuddl@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @maiawrites.
Courtesy of OSF
The new OSF Urgo is located at 508 IAA Drive in Bloomington. The clinic offers services like flu testing, sport physicals, care for minor fractures and upper respiratory infection treatments. It is the third location in the Bloomington-Normal area.
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PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
Features
Finding the ‘pot of gold’ for art Melissa Oresky’s ‘Growing Time’ inspired by walks with her mother
REVIEW
Mac Miller’s posthumous ‘Circles’ comes full circle HAILEY BIALAS Features Reporter | @haileybialas
STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY ASHLEY BINKOWSKI Features Reporter and Photographer
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cLean County Arts Center has showcased various and unique exhibitions of art in the past, but none are quite like Melissa Oresky’s abstract art piece. Oresky is showcasing her body of work “Growing Time” until Feb. 14 for the public to see. The show will immerse viewers into a geometric abstract world of plants. Her inventive artistic approach to plants and use of material and bold color is what makes her work so distinctive from others. “I love doing strange things with intense and dim color combiBloomingtonnations and creating Normal artist a sense of impossible Bloomington-Normal artist Melissa Oresky’s “Growing Time” is currently on display at the McLean County Arts Melissa Oresky or contradictory space Center until Feb. 14. and surface happening simultaneously in a painting,” Oresky’s interest in her beloved subject matter came to her during her wildflower hunting walks she would take with her mother in her hometown of Bethesda, Maryland. “It was a little area with a creek running through it tucked between residential neighborhoods in suburban Maryland, about half a mile from the Washington D.C. border.” Oresky said. Nature is one of the biggest inspirations for “We lived around the corner. Still, the artist Melissa Oresky, especially at her current space there felt mysterious, even though exhibit at the McLean County Arts Center. it was almost urban.” Oresky’s creativity is sparked on walks, unpredictable,” Oresky said. Melissa currently resides in Bloomington-Norruns and even in her backyard. The most mundane Research and time are also a part of the process. places like a parking garage where a patch of weed Oresky plans to utilize Illinois State University’s mal where she will work on her ongoing craft. could grow or even a potted plant can be a pot of campus later this year to research imagery of Vasey ASHLEY BINKOWSKI is a Features Reporter gold for her. Herbarium, a collection of botanical specimens. “Some paintings take me a few weeks to comUntil then, she will be traveling to Brooklyn to and Photographer for The Vidette. She can be contacted at asbinko@ilstu.edu. Follow her on plete and some take years. It varies a lot and is create a new edition of prints. Twitter @BinkowskiAshley.
Smile works to help children with cleft lips, palates GRACE CURRAN Features Reporter | @gracejayne
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llinois State University has over 400 student organizations that individuals of all class years are able to join. One of the newer groups on campus, founded in 2015, is Operation Smile. Operation Smile is a national organization that sheds light to Know on cleft lips and palates, which occur when a baby’s lip or mouth does not form correctly during pregnancy. Here at ISU, the group repeatedly fundraises to help provide surgical repair for children with this defect. They tend to hold three to four fundraisers per school year. Their most recent success was a bake sale in October, where they raised nearly $100 after selling for only a few hours in the afternoon. The next event they will hold will either be a Chipotle food fundraiser or a tie dye T-shirt sale. At the end of the year, all proceeds will be donated to the purchase of a cleft lip or palate surgery in hopes of helping families financially, as it can be expensive. “It’s fulfilling [to be a part of Operation Smile] because you see where the money goes at the end of the year. During the last meeting, our executive board takes the money that was raised and
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
RSO
Photograph Courtesy of Illinois State University
Operation Smile is a registered student organization at Illinois State that holds fundraising events to help provide surgeries for children with cleft lips and palates. purchases the surgery,” Hannah McGivney, president of Operation Smile at ISU explained. Though McGivney was not personally affected by cleft lip or palate throughout her life, she and the executive board remain dedicated to this organization knowing that some of their future clients may be affected by this defect, considering they are all speech language pathology majors.
While most of the members are majoring in the Department of Communication Science and Disorders, all students interested are encouraged to join. Upcoming meetings will be 6:30 p.m. Feb. 5, March 4 and April 8 at in Schroeder Hall. GRACE CURRAN is a Features Reporter for The Vidette. She can be contacted at gjcurr1@ilstu. edu. Follow her on Twitter at @gracejayne.
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ate rapper Mac Miller has released a new album postmortem thanks to the help of his producers and family members. The popular artist was working on the album before his unfortunate passing that left fans wishing his talent wasn’t taken so soon. The songs were thankfully finished before his passing but during the mourning the family had many decisions to make regarding his creation. They decided, evidentially, that his talent should still show, even if it is from the grave. The single that was featured from the album, “Good News,” was a must listen the second it was released. The song reflects a somber, yet upbeat, reality of what Miller dealt with as a star. This is regarding his mental health, which was affected by society’s ability to only desire good news, even if that is not reality. The single quickly skyrocketed to his most listened song on Spotify. The entirety of the album, which contains 10 songs total, is an overall reflection of his later works during his musical career. With the album being produced TNS PHOTOGRAPH postmorMac Miller, onstage tem, it is at the Coachella Music and Arts executed Festival in Indio, extremely California, in 2017 well.
Our favorites from ‘Circles’
Songs on the album, not including 1 “Circles” the single, 2 “Good News” also rose 3 “Blue World” to his top five songs 4 “Woods” on Spotify. These songs 5 “Once a Day” include “Blue World,” “Hand Me Downs,” “I Can See” and “Circles,” which is also the name of the album. James Giblin, an avid fan, says, “‘Circles’ flows more beautifully than any project Miller has released before. This album was certainly a tribute to his self-growth while he was obviously struggling through hard times. It feels good to know that he saw a light at the end of the tunnel while he was working on this work of art.” This album gave fans and family alike a sense of closure after the artist’s tragic and sudden death. It was a beautiful capstone to his career as an artist, and an ode to his amazing life. HAILEY BIALAS is a Features Reporter for The Vidette. She can be contacted at hgbiala@ilstu. edu. Follow her on Twitter at @haileybialas.
THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
Redbirds push past Panthers ALFONSO CERNA Sports Reporter | @fonzcerna
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llinois State University women’s basketball (12-6, 4-3 in Missouri Valley Conference) snapped a two-game losing streak after defeating Northern Iowa (11-6, 3-3) by a final score of 65-57 Sunday afternoon. The bounce-back win comes after an emotional 69-67 overtime loss to the Drake Bulldogs (12-5, 4-1) Friday night at Redbird Arena. “I’m really proud of our group and I think you’re really starting to see the character of this team. I thought this was our best defensive effort all year and I think our kids took it personally,” ISU head coach Kristen Gillespie said. “They really wanted to come out and prove something today and it showed.” A combined 49 points between the Redbirds’ big three was key in the victory. Lexi Wallen led all scorers with 20 points while TeTe Maggett finished with 15 points and four rebounds. Juju Redmond also poured in 14 points to go along with six rebounds on the afternoon. There was a lid on the baskets for the first three minutes of play as both teams were held scoreless. Halfway through the first quarter, the Panthers caught fire jumping out to a 7-2 lead. Coming out of a timeout, Maggett drained a three-point field goal and Mary Crompton completed a free throw to knot things up at seven points apiece. Both sides exchanged the lead three times before UNI took a 14-13 lead into the second quarter. The Panthers extended their lead thanks to a four-minute scoring drought by ISU, but the Redbirds’ tough defense kept them trailing only
Alex Gant | Photographer
Illinois State women’s basketball celebrates as they beat Northern Iowa, 65-57, Sunday afternoon at Redbird Arena. BELOW: Tete Maggett aims up a shot from beyond the arc against Northern Iowa.
Alex Gant | Photographer
22-17 with 4:40 left in the first half. Northern Iowa began to pull away and just when the Redbirds needed a basket, Maggett answered with a beautiful stepback three-pointer at the halftime buzzer to keep the ISU deficit at five points, 30-25.
The timely shots continued in the second half when Crompton drilled a three-pointer from the corner to bring the Redbirds within a point, 37-36 at the 3:43 mark in the third quarter. The Redbirds continued to ride the momentum of a 13-1 scoring run capped off by another three-point field goal at the buzzer, this time by Paige Saylor to take a 49-38 lead into the final quarter of play. UNI would keep the pressure on ISU, but the Redbirds had an answer each time they needed one en route to holding off the Panthers for the 65-57 win. The turning point of the contest might not show up in the stat sheet,
Gymnastics rally over Huskies
Men’s tennis defends nest The Illinois State University men’s tennis team defended its home court, winning three matches and dropping one in a long weekend of competition. The Redbirds hosted the University of Illinois Springfield and Eastern Illinois University in back-to-back matches Friday. Then on Saturday ISU hosted Western Michigan and Prairie State. “It means a lot to get off to a strong start at home,” ISU head coach Mark Klysner said. “We feel like we have a huge advantage playing in front of our family and friends.” The Redbirds won both of their Friday matches, beating UIS (6-1) and Eastern Illinois (6-1). The Redbirds swept in doubles play with the pairing of freshman Melker Isaakson and sophomore Brandon Lew, beating the UIS pair
Up next Illinois State will look to carry its momentum on the road for their next matchup Friday against Southern Illinois (12-6, 4-3 MVC). Tipoff between the Redbirds and Salukis is set for 6 p.m. in Carbondale. neers 6-1. The Redbird pairings of freshman Zacharias Rankloo Rasmusson and Isaksson, as well as sophomore Cameron Petersen and Lew, secured the doubles point for the Redbirds. ISU earned four wins in singles action to close out the weekend.
SPORTS IN BRIEFS Career-highs by Angelica Labat and Gabrielle Cooke lead the charge as the Redbirds push past the Northern Illinois Huskies 193.625-193.400. “The meet was very exciting and was back and forth the entire time. I think that after every event the score switched who was ahead. I felt like it was an exciting meet and I am glad we came out with a win, but it could have gone either way. I think the crowd enjoyed it and I do not think anyone realized who won until the score came up at the end,” head coach Bob Conkling said.
but it was the hustle plays that propelled the Redbirds to victory. “Those 50-50 balls, rebounding, and who’s going to play with the greater edge which I thought they did better than us in the first half,” Gillespie said. “So we just challenged each other; without those second and third efforts we don’t win.”
KEVIN KOSKI | VIDETTE
Track continues successful stride over weekend
Ali Rasper | Photo Editor
Angelica Labat being cheered on by her teammates after completing bars. of Alex Chan and Oscar Toro, and, later, the Redbird pair of Diego Le Gal Perez and Isaakson beat the EIU pair of Daniel Hernandez and Christos Kyrillou. The Redbirds dropped their first match Saturday morning in a tough
5-2 loss against the Western Michigan Broncos. The Broncos secured the doubles point and won four sets of singles. The Redbirds won their final match of the weekend against Prairie State, defeating the Pio-
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The men’s and women’s track teams followed up personal bests by Jordyn Bruce winning the pentathlon and Caleb Miedema winning the heptathlon at the Jack Jennett Open by placing third at the Notre Dame invite. Both the men’s (106 points) and women’s (104.5 points) teams beat Missouri Valley Conference foe Loyola-Chicago and Big East competitor Marquette. Notre Dame won the team title on the men’s side followed by second place Louisville, while on the women’s side Louisville took the team title and Notre Dame finished second.
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MULLER Continued from Page 8
So where is the inexperienced narrative coming from? It may be a scapegoat for Muller. This is the second straight team that has underperformed under Muller. Last year the Redbirds were constructed opposite of this year’s team. Headlined by three senior starters in Evans, Fayne and Yarbrough along with Copeland, Chastain and senior William Tinsley rotating in that final starting spot. Despite the experience (Evans, Fayne and Yarbrough all played 30 games at least two seasons) the ’Birds underperformed and disappointed to a 17-16 record, with their lone bright spot a 12-4 home record. With that kind of success at home, it comes as a surprise the ’Birds finished barely above .500. But along with fans in Redbird Arena’s stands, wins on the road have started to disappear. In the last three seasons, the ’Birds have just five wins in 27 road games, not including neutral site games. This includes just two wins in the last 19 road games. Wow. Winning at home is just half the battle. Back-to-back seasons, the ’Birds have not played to their preseason expectations. Last season the ’Birds were chosen to finish second in the MVC but sputtered to a .500 conference record (9-9) for a sixth-place finish. This season the ’Birds were picked to finish seventh in the preseason but are currently in ninth place and making a run at Evansville for the worst team in the Valley. While many people are blaming the players, it seems like even more are coming at Muller and his job. After first showing up last season, the hashtag #FireMuller has begun to show up once again around Redbird Twitter. But Muller getting canned seems like a long shot. Over his seven years, Muller, an ISU alumnus, has had success leading the ’Birds to a 137-96 record with an MVC title (2017). That 2017 season included the MVC Coach of the Year award for Muller along with a No. 1 seed in the NIT Tournament. As a player, Muller was a standout. In his four seasons, the ’Birds won two MVC regular-season titles, two MVC Tournament titles and led the ’Birds to four postseason appearances including back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 1997 and ’98. On the court, Muller was a difference-maker. A defensive standout, Muller was a two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Year and 1998 MVC Tournament MVP. Muller also never missed a game in his four years, playing 128 consecutive games. With a resume like that, it will undoubtedly make it even tougher for ISU to move on. Not to mention a contract that runs through the 2024 season that would cost the university $2 million if it wished to opt out. Muller will likely get extended chances to prove he deserves to stay. Especially with the ’Birds still capable of turning the season around with 11 MVC games remaining. Muller must find a way to motivate and coach the Redbirds to finish conference play with a winning record in hopes of avoiding another Thursday game during Arch Madness. But despite this, there is something wrong with ISU basketball and Muller’s comment. “How about they just play better” is a statement that should not be taken lightly by anyone. It appears to be time to sit down and evaluate Muller’s future as head coach of the Illinois State Redbirds.
Sports
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020
Slump season
REDBIRD RE PORT DePaul sweeps women’s tennis
Alex Gant | Photographer
Abdou Ndiaye, Ricky Torres and Dedric Boyd hanging their heads during the Illinois State men’s basketball 58-55 loss to Southern Illinois. After leading during halftime, the Redbirds struggled in the second half en route to their seventh straight loss.
Southern soars after Redbirds’ second-half collapse JAKE FOGAL Sports Editor | @jFogal5
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he Illinois State University men’s basketball team (6-14, 1-7 MVC) continued its downward spiral with another conference loss. The Redbirds fell to the Southern Illinois University Salukis (11-10 5-3 MVC) by a score of 58-55, giving the Salukis their first victory at Redbird Arena since 2007. Zach Copeland had 24 points on the day, shooting 9-13 from the field, and an impressive 5-7 from beyond the arc. The only other Redbird to score in the double-digits was Jaycee Hillsman who had 11 points. The poor weather conditions did not scare away many of Redbird faithful, as the game had over 5,000 people in attendance to root on the ’Birds. Unfortunately, the narrative of this Missouri Valley Conference season stayed the same. On a day where the ’Birds had one of their better performances of the year, picking up their first win after a six-game losing skid is something any fan would have wanted to see. Through 30 minutes of the game, the Redbirds looked to be on their way to victory, but once again fell apart in the key moments of the game. Copeland and Hillsman were the only two bright spots for the team, as the rest of the Redbirds combined for a horrendous 9-33 from the field throughout the game. “Definitely is difficult when guys don’t play well offensively. It’s difficult when you are missing open shots, a lot of your free throws. We got to have
more consistent scoring from a couple guys,” ISU head coach Dan Muller said. Scoring droughts and a tendency to turn the ball over are still a thorn in the side of the ’Birds. Averaging 14.0 turnovers and a habit to go four to five minutes without making a bucket has cost ISU several games this season. “We just have these stretches of bad play that just kill us. Sometimes its turnovers, sometimes its defense, but that certainly was an opportunity missed,” Muller said. The team had 17 turnovers against SIU, having all but three players commit one. While the kinks are noticeably present for the ’Birds, they took some steps forward against the Salukis. The defensive effort that was put on display by the Redbirds, holding the Salukis to a 24%
Alex Gant | Photographer
DJ Horne fights in a swarm of Salukis for the loose ball.
shooting clip through the first half. As well as dominating on the boards, out rebounding SIU by six, and running away with six steals. Holding SIU to 17 points through the first 20 minutes of play gives off the appearance that this young team is on the same page for the first time in a while. The issue is that a game cannot be won by only playing 20 minutes well. Throughout the second half, SIU scored 39 points, closed the rebounding margin to two and harassed ISU for nine turnovers. At one point in the second half, the Redbirds held a 10-point lead over the Salukis. The devastating struggles from all but two of ISU’s players began the downfall that was the Salukis’ comeback. As SIU took a three-point lead within the final two minutes, many of those in attendance had lost hope and began heading for the exits. Copeland gave them a reason to stay as he hit an off-balance three with 1:35 to go. As SIU began to sneak away with a victory, freshman Marcus Domask missed two key free throws that could have put the game out of reach for the ’Birds. Driving back down the court, Copeland scrambled for the final 10 seconds to heave an awkward shot from the corner with two Salukis pressing him, forcing a bad shot and an SIU win. “Seems like it is something different every game. We have not come up with plays that you need to make at the end of the games to win,” Hillsman said. “We are most likely in it but defensive breakdowns kill us. These are just things you cannot do in a conference game.”
‘How about they just play better’ MY VIEW JAKE SERMERSHEIM | Sports Editor
A
statement from an outof-answers Illinois State University men’s basketball head coach Dan Muller after the Redbirds dropped their sixth straight game to Bradley (75-63) Wednesday. With the latest loss, it is time to ask who is at fault: is it just an inexperienced team or is Muller having shortcomings as head coach? And more importantly: Is it time
to cave into Redbird Twitter and #FireMuller? Look at the facts. The Redbirds sit at 6-13 and 1-6 in Missouri Valley Conference. Over the course of the six-game losing streak, the ’Birds have just one game within double digits. Over the six-game stretch, teams are outscoring the ’Birds 70 to 59.5. The Redbirds’ 59.5 points per game look like a drastic decline after the ’Birds averaged 74.8 points per game over 12 non-conference games. Many people will likely look at the Redbirds’ roster and blame the team’s season on a young and inexperienced team. With just one returning starter, senior guard Zach Copeland, ISU has relied on a lot of first-time Redbirds. Of the 13 players to step on the
court this season, 10 did not play a single game with ISU a year earlier. Just one of those 10, Wichita State transfer Ricky Torres, was on court at all. Only Copeland, junior guard Matt Chastain and sophomore forward Rey Idowu return from last season’s team. With very few holdovers this season, the ’Birds have counted on significant minutes from freshmen DJ Horne and Antonio Reeves, along with transfers Ricky Torres, Jaycee Hillsman, Keith Fisher III and Dedric Boyd. Many argue that the inexperience is the Redbirds’ downfall. With most of the ’Birds playing on court for the first time this season, you can expect a learning curve. Comfortability and experience together can make all the difference in basketball.
But are the Redbirds actually inexperienced? Of the new core, only Horne and Reeves are first-year players. The rest of the new core — Torres, Hillsman, Fisher and Boyd — all had significant minutes with other Division I programs before moving on to ISU. And more importantly, everyone in that group, outside of Torres, was a practicing member of the ’Birds last season. Due to the NCAA’s transfer eligibility rules, Hillsman, Fisher and Boyd had to sit out and redshirt last season and could only participate in practice. While games are different from the practices, these are not young players. These are practically veteran college players. See MULLER on Page 7
The Illinois State University women’s tennis team dropped its Sunday afternoon match against the DePaul Blue Demons 7-0 in Chicago to end its two-match opening weekend. The Redbirds end their weekend with a 1-1 record to kick off the season. The Redbirds did not go down without a fight. Senior Natalia Bravo and sophomore Tara Damnjanovic showed fight in their singles matches but came up short. Lenka Antonijevic wrapped the match up for the Blue Demons in the fifth flight with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Ivon Mihaleva. The Redbirds did not fare much better in doubles matches. The duos of Damnjanovic and Jelena Karla Vujicic and Elena Jankulovska and Mihaleva fell by a score of 6-3. While Bravo and Laura Fitzgerald fared slightly better but still coming up short 6-4. The loss wraps up a two-game opening weekend for the Redbirds where they finished 1-1.
BY THE NUMBERS
9
years since ISU men’s basketball has had a losing streak of at least seven games. During the 2010-11 season the Redbirds lost eight straight games. That losing streak started with a loss against Creighton.
MVC SCORES Saturday Southern Illinois 58, Illinois State 55 Indiana State 61, Bradley 53 Sunday Northern Iowa 67, Loyola 62 Drake 71, Missouri State 69 Valparaiso 67, Evansville 65
MVC WBB STANDINGS
Conf Ovrl
Bradley Missouri State Drake Loyola Southern Illinois Illinois State Northern Iowa Valparaiso Indiana State Evansville
7-0 6-1 5-2 4-3 4-3 4-3 3-4 3-4 0-8 0-8
16-2 16-3 13-6 13-5 12-6 12-6 11-7 11-7 2-18 3-16
UPCOMING Men’s basketball The Redbirds welcome Evansville to Redbird Arena for a 7 p.m. showcase Wednesday. Then the Redbirds hit the road to take on Valparaiso 7 p.m. Saturday.
Men’s tennis The Redbirds open the week on the road against Austin Peay on Friday. Then on Saturday they travel to Tennessee to take on Tennessee State and Belmont.
Track ISU travels to Lincoln Nebraska for the Adidas Classic. Compiled by Jake Sermersheim Vidette Sports