G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N
Controversial County Changes New Ottawa County officials rework local gov.
GV welcomes new Dean of Kirkhof College of Nursing LAKER LIFE
DI men’s hockey closes season series T U E S D A Y, J A N U A RY 1 7, 2 02 2 // VO L . 57 N O. 1 8
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SPORTS | A11
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A2 | NEWS NEWS BRIEFS MLK DAY EVENTS AT GV Jan. 16 is the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday and serves as a day to recognize the work and life of the civil rights leader. GVSU is holding various keynote speakers as part of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration held throughout the week. These events aim to explore various experiences and topics in connection with the holiday. On Jan. 17, scholar and chair of the Department of African American studies at Princeton University Eddie Glaude Jr. will speak at Kirkhof Center on the GVSU Allendale Campus. His work explores the American experience. Attendees can participate in the event in person or virtually. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jerry Wallace, a GVSU alumni and current president of Danville Community College will be the keynote speaker on Jan. 18. He made history as the youngest president of the Virginia Community College system at age 38. The event will take place at Kirkhof Center and over Zoom from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. On Thursday Jan. 19, Mary Frances Berry, a civil rights, gender equality and social justice activist, will speak at the Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium on the GVSU Grand Rapids campus. The address will focus on the legacy of MLK Jr. and highlight current issues through the topics of race, protests and politics. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. The keynote speaker will be followed by light refreshments and community conversation.
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONSTRUCTION
Ceiling of Lake Superior Hall falls as repairs are made to roof BY JACK BLAKE NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Located on Grand Valley State University’s Allendale Campus, Lake Superior Hall (LSH) is home to the School of communications. LSH was one of the first buildings to be built on campus during the 1960s. The roof of the building is currently under construction. On Jan. 9, the drop ceiling of Lake Superior Hall began to cave in, causing damage to the classrooms and debris to scatter over the floor in some areas. No students or staff were hurt. “The main classroom that was affected was LSH 233,” said School of Communications Director Richard Besel. Besel saw the damage after a faculty member asked him if there was work being done in LSH 233. “We saw all this debris from the drop ceiling on the floor with addition to a light fixture kind of swinging and a vent,” Besel said. The ceilings in nearby classrooms were also beginning to bow downward.
“We started right away moving sections of classes out of the adjacent room,” Besel said. Professors with classrooms in that hallway were given the discretion of whether to relocate or not. Besel said there was a group of GVSU’s Facilities workers analyzing the ceiling within an hour of its falling in order to find a solution. “We would get some water damage and they would replace the tiles,” Besel said. “Sometimes part of the roof would curl up on the side.” This issue originated from previously noted problems that were in the process of being repaired on the roof of the building. “In the fall of 2022, GVSU Maintenance identified a failure in the roofing system at Lake Superior Hall,” said Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning Karen Ingle. “Facilities Planning and Services immediately began a forensic investigation to determine the cause of the failure.” Ingle said that failure was caused because the roof had delaminated and immediate work was needed.To fix the
issues, all of the roof ’s material has to be replaced. Contractors began to work on fixing the roof in December 2022. “They found that some of the ceiling grid supporting the acoustic ceiling panels had begun to sag in some areas,” Ingle said. This is where the problem with the ceiling originated. Work was halted to reinforce the ceiling in certain areas. Ingle said that the issue with the ceiling was uncovered during the fixture of the roof, as the roof deck fasteners were concealed before this project started. The classroom itself is now back to normal and the project of fixing the roof of LSH has resumed. “It was within a couple days and it was all pretty much fixed (in the LSH 233 classroom),” Besel said. LSH still requires further attention and work. Ingle said a rough timeline for the fixture of the building is one to two months, depending on the cooperation of weather. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
NEW BILL IN THE MICHIGAN SENATE PROPOSES REMOVAL OF RIGHT-TO-WORK LAW Democrats in the Michigan senate proposed the removal of the state’s Right-to-Work law as part of the 2023-2024 year. Democrats said this plan aims to help Michigan workers. The Right-to-Work stops labor contracts from requiring workers to become union members or pay union fees as part of their employment. This law was originally signed in 2012 by Republican Gov. Rick Snyder and was viewed positively by the GOP. Many union members support repealing the current law. Currently, Democrats hold the narrow majority in both House and Senate leaving Republican officials to worry about how the push for removal would play out and many have emphasized focusing on bipartisan issues first. BUILDING: Maintenance on the roof of Lake Superior Hall will strengthen the building while it continues house classes and offices. Lake Superior Hall is located on the “Great Lakes Plaza” near other GVSU buildings named after the famous bodies of water. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
JANUARY 17, 2023
A3 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONTENTS | A2
CONSTRUCTION OPINION
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NETWORK
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POLITICS
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COMMUNITY
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DANCE
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MULTIMEDIA
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HOCKEY
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BASKETBALL
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VOL. 57
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief MARY DUPUIS Associate Editor AUDREY WHITAKER Associate Editor JACOB KIRN News Editor ELIZABETH SCHANZ Sports Editor ANTHONY CLARK JR
Laker Life Editor SABRINA EDWARDS A&E Editor
NO. 18
Videographer ZACH PLISKO Layout Editor DONOVAN LOPEZ Layout Designer REV BRONOWSKI PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager GRACE O’BRIEN
GV adopts new parking verification system BY GRACE SMITH NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University Campus Parking Services recently adopted a new system that utilizes License Plate Recognition (LPR) software attached to the front of the GVSU parking services vehicles. This system converts images of license plates into text. The data is then cross-referenced with the registered license plates in association with parking permit registration. Previously, parking services workers used hand-held scanners and individually scanned each license plate to ensure cars were registered and properly parked in accordance with the GVSU parking pass rules. This was a much lengthier process compared to the new technology. The LPR technology was added to Campus Parking Service vehicles procedures at the end of the fall 2022 semester, where it underwent a trial phase. Parking services said the implementation of LPR was successful because of the system’s ability to provide real-time confirmation of vehicle compliance and efficient use of resources. This system eliminates the use of physical passes and streamlines the
process of locating vehicles improperly located in on-campus parking lots. “We had to use the handheld to scan each plate individually,” said Parking, Transportation and Services Manager Chris Swank. “With the scanners on the vehicles, they read license plates more quickly and efficiently. With the new system, we are able to use the handhelds to focus on just writing violations to vehicles not in compliance.” Adoption of LPR is gaining popularity at colleges and universities across the nation because of its ability to address parking issues. For instance, Ball State University adopted LPR and noted benefits from the technology, including cost-saving benefits because the university will no longer have to print and mail physical passes and increased efficiency and accuracy of parking validation. Swank said parking services anticipates the LPR will cut down on overcrowding of student lots by locating cars that are not properly registered. “We are hopeful we too will see the same results (as other campuses),” Swank said. “We will be able to cover all the lots more frequently so the ability to park without a permit and not get caught will be more difficult.”
Although the system is designed to be more hands-off than its predecessor, Swank said the new technology will not have an effect on the amount of students employed by campus parking. He said parking services still have open positions and are accepting applications from students. Some students may be concerned that the new system could lead to tickets because of blocked license plates. In situations where one may choose to back in or pull through a parking spot, the license plate may not be in view of parking service’s trucks regardless of permit validity. Swank addressed these concerns by saying parking services will not be issuing violations in such situations. “At this time the Parking Ordinance has not been changed to require ‘nose in’ parking,” Swank said. “With regards to a dirty plate, no as well, but every effort should be made by the vehicle owner to ensure the plate is free of mud and snow.” GVSU Parking Services has also created a resource for additional information regarding the LPR which can be found on their website. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager JORDAN GREEN BUSINESS STAFF
EMMA ARMIJO
Business Manager MORGAN JOHNSTON
Image Editor MEGHAN TRIPP
Asst. Business Manager LUKE KREGER
Multimedia Editor
Distribution Manager CAYLI CLARK
JAMES HERRICK
TECHNOLOGY
At the Lanthorn, we strive to bring you the most accurate news possible. If we make a mistake, we want to make it right. If you find any errors in fact in the Lanthorn, let us know by calling 616-331-2464 or by emailing editorial@lanthorn.com. The Grand Valley Lanthorn is published weekly by Grand Valley State University students 31 times a year. One copy of this newspaper is available free of charge to any member of the Grand Valley Community. For additional copies, at $1 each, please contact our business offices.
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TRANSPORTATION: The different parking lots at GVSU are labeled by who is able to park in them. The different passes include commuter, resident, faculty and staff lots. There are also specific spaces in which visitors can pay-to-park for a particular number of hours. Parking Services works throughout the day to make sure that cars are registered with the university. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
A4 | OPINIONS GVL EDITORIAL CARTOON
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN By Abby Haywood
EDITORIAL
MLK Day is more than a holiday
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1/17/23
editorial@lanthorn.com
Damar Hamlin’s injury highlights ugly faces in the NFL and our country
BY MALIK HARVEY SENIOR MULTIMEDIA JOURALISM EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
Damar Hamlin is perhaps one of the more fascinating, uplifting and luminous stories the NFL has garnered in quite a while; so
much so, the light shining from it is illuminating ugly sides of the NFL and price gougers. The NFL and NFL Players Association recently agreed that Hamlin will receive his full salary for this year, regardless of him being placed on injured reserve (IR). Normally, when a player is subject to IR, their salary is cut in half. Hamlin was supposed to make $825,00 this year, but, due to the “standard split” clause in his contract, he would’ve come up $20,555.56 short. I’d bet every vinyl record I own some people read that last sentence and thought, ‘Cry me a river, at least he’s still making
six figures. Meanwhile, I’m trying to afford a life jacket for all the debt I’m swimming in.’ I have a tab with Uncle Sam as well, so I get it. It still doesn’t mean that some of the NFL practices aren’t obviously unethical. If this had been a torn ACL (which around 50 players suffer from each year), said player would’ve had to accept lower wages for the inconvenience put on the team, an inconvenience completely out of that player’s control. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
Column: National Ditch Your New Year’s Resolution Day
BY SAM NOWOTNIK JUNIOR BUSINESS MANAGEMENT EDITORIAL@LANTHORN.COM
We have all created and shared our New Year’s resolution with others, but does anything ever happen after that initial moment? Have you ever given up on your resolution early or never even gave it a try? The conversations around all the resolutions fade as we get busy being students or getting back to work after the holidays. I found it surprising, and at
the same time funny, that there is a national holiday for quitting your New Year’s resolution that falls just about two weeks after the new year on January 17. This day is supposed to serve as a guilt-free chance to back out of what you initially had set for your resolutions. I think resolutions are a great way to meet your goals and aspirations for 2023. Almost everyone can agree on this, yet, it’s largely believed that most people fail to stick to their goals in the long run. Whether you work or are a full-time student, adding in any additional task to your day can be overwhelming - even if adding that thing is intended to better your life or help you achieve a goal. This can make it seem intimidating to maintain a New Year’s resolution, but it all comes down to the way you set yourself up for the new year with your goal. People set themselves up for failure when picking a goal for many
reasons and still tend to feel guilty about not completing their goal. When picking a goal, you have to gauge where you’re at in comparison to where you want to be. You can’t go from zero to one hundred and expect to complete it in a short amount of time. This is a hard rule to follow, especially if you are a beginner at what you are hoping to accomplish throughout the year. Starting small and adding on later as this new activity becomes part of your daily routine is one way to prevent feeling overwhelmed or like your resolution is unattainable. The satisfaction from just completing something, no matter how small, is very addicting and makes you want to keep pushing to complete more goals. When picking a goal, you have to look at the time commitment. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
his year’s obs e r v a n c e of Martin Luther King Day marks the 37th anniversary of the federal holiday, but the meaning behind the day off for government officials, federal employees and millions of students across the country is seemingly lost in the shuffle. The late Civil Rights activist and leader was one of many who sparked the idea of social justice for marginalized and misrepresented groups in the United States. More importantly, MLK was notorious for his decision to lead peaceful marches and encouraged nonviolent resistance from protestors. For just under 13 years prior to his assassination, MLK’s historical rhetoric incited social reform for Black people and other minority groups alike to bring peace, equity and equality for all Americans - including the famous “I Have a Dream” speech given in 1963. When it comes to
MLK Day, it’s more than just a day off for the institutions that recognize it. The purpose of the holiday is to remember that social issues continue to exist in this country. The deeply-rooted discrimination in systems like policing, schools and the government that marginalizes people must be called upon and reformed in order to reach social equality. It’s important to remember MLK Day as a day of reflection of where society’s progression level is at. A more recent time of reflection was in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter movement. Although there were moments of destruction, the progressive moments of peaceful protests, ones that MLK would have approved of, recognize that there is still a lot of social unrest in the country.
OPINION POLICY
or staff. Letter to the editor should include the author’s full name, relevant title and a headshot, along with a valid email address and phone number for confirming the identity of the author. Letters should be approximately 500650 words in length, and they are not edited by the Lanthorn staff except to fix technical errors or to clarify. Reader submissions on the opinion page appear as space permits. To make a submission, email editorial@lanthorn. com or drop your submission off in person at:
The goal of the Grand Valley Lanthorn’s opinion page is to act as a forum for public discussion, comment and criticism in the Grand Valley State University community. Student and columnist opinions published here do not necessarily reflect those of the paper as an entity. The Lanthorn strives to be a safe vehicle for community discussion. With this in mind, the Lanthorn will not publish or entertain any forms of hate speech, but neither will it discriminate against any other views, opinions or beliefs. The content, information and views expressed are not approved by-nor do they necessarily represent those of-the university or its Board of Trustees, officers, faculty
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JANUARY 17, 2023
A5 | NEWS
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS NETWORK
GV Alumni Office holds Alumni Reception event BY ZOË MURPHY NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
On Jan. 6, the Alumni and President’s offices held an Alumni Reception for former Grand Valley State University students in Orlando, Florida. The event was an opportunity for alumni to “mingle” with fellow GVSU graduates and meet President Philomena Mantella. The Alumni Office dedicates its time to keeping former students connected with the GVSU community after graduation. There is an emphasis that all students, past, present or future are “Lakers for a Lifetime.” “Our main focus is keeping alumni connected to Grand Valley and to each other, supporting our alumni through every stage of their life and career,” said Kyle Barnhart, the director for alumni engagement. The Orlando reception brought together alumni who still have a vested interest in
GVSU’s current administration and students. This allows alumni to continue to engage with GVSU and to establish a further network of individuals who have left campus. “Orlando is the home of one of GVSU’s active groups of alumni,” said Jill Craig, the senior director for executive and external engagement. “These groups are made up of former students that are still very engaged in the affairs of the university.” Craig works in the offices of the President and University Development. In this role, she works to help President Mantella engage with the GVSU community through events. “We have some folks that work with me on that, and also strategy behind the Presidential engagement, executive engagement, who should be meeting with groups and how we engage with alumni, that sort of thing,” Craig said. At the Orlando Alumni Event, Jill Wolfe, director of GVSU’s Secchia Military & Veterans Resource Center, was
named Chapter Advisor of the Year by Student Veterans of America. “This award involves over 1,500 campuses represented across the U.S., but Jill Wolfe was chosen out of all the universities and colleges,” Craig said. According to Craig, President Mantella was already traveling down to Orlando when the Alumni Event was to take place. This gave Mantella the opportunity to communicate face-to-face with former students and to present at this conference. The event had over 50 people in attendance. The GVSU Alumni office puts on many events for the community throughout the year similar to the Orlando Alumni Reception. On Jan. 19, GVSU grads will meet for the San Francisco Alumni Reception with President Mantella. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
COMMUNITY: The alumni office works hard to connect current students and admin to past generations of Lakers. COURTESY | GVSU
PREPARATION
GV Career Center workshop helps students prepare for jobs BY JOSEPH POULOS NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
On Jan. 11, the Grand Valley State University Career Center hosted a virtual workshop called “Designing Your Future: Identifying Great Opportunities and New Approaches to Your Job Search.” Hosted by Associate Director of the Career Center Lisa Knapp, the content of the workshop aimed to counsel students on how to best find a job and ways to market themselves to potential employers. One of the first subjects addressed was the requirements listed on job postings, which can sometimes seem unrealistic. “We know that job postings are dream sheets,” Knapp said. “An employer is sitting in their office and they’re talking to lots of people, and they say, ‘If we have the ideal candidate, what would they bring?’” Many students said that they have an overall feeling of anxiety when searching for jobs, especially those fresh out of college. “Often, we don’t feel qualified and it is not a fun endeavor,” Knapp said. Assistant Director of the Career Center Lisa Orlando agreed with the idea that employers’ expectations can sometimes be unrealistic. “It’s like you’re challenged before you even submit,” Orlando said. Knapp said employers realize the discrepancy between applicants’ experience and the necessary require-
ments listed for a job. She said that often, employers are willing to meet students where they are if they show a majority of the qualifications. “A job posting is a wish list,” Knapp said. “Candidates don’t have to have 100% of that wish list. (Having) 75% makes you a great candidate for that position.” Additionally, Knapp emphasized the importance of having clear and concise goals. She stated that individuals should think about what they want from a job and what they can bring to the table as potential employees. “Your goal should be specific, reasonable and attainable,” Knapp said. “When you have something specific, people that are in those areas are more likely to think of you.” Knapp said it’s important to conduct proper research when looking for a new job and that there are many aspects to look into within the process. “75% of our time should be (spent) exploring our options,” Knapp said. “If I want to live in Grand Rapids, my options are going to be very different than if I want to live in a large city like Los Angeles, New York or Chicago.” Knapp said certain websites can be beneficial to do this research such as LinkedIn and Handshake which allow people to network with other people and search for opportunities. Other ways to find jobs include industry-specific websites and organizations which can target the search to an individual field.
“Companies are going to spend their advertising money on where they think they can reach the best candidates,” Knapp said. Knapp also said that networking is key and that individuals who have different connections may be able to get jobs. “Networks don’t have to be 500 people wide,” Knapp said. “There are eight people in my lifetime who helped me develop and move into an opportunity where I could get hired.” The types of questions a job-searching student can ask employers or con-
nections are also important. Knapp emphasized the importance of reflective and open-ended questions which allow the respondent to consider their opinions and experiences before giving an answer. This allows people to talk about what they do every day and open up the conversation. “When people reflect on things, often it changes the dynamic of the conversation,” Knapp said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
WORK: Many students use their time at GVSU to prepare for future career or job ambitions. The GV Career Center gives students resources and help for the future. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS
A6&7 | NEWS
BY PAYTON BRAZZIL NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
On Jan. 3, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners made several changes to the county’s leadership and implemented conservative messaging. Some of their initial actions include dissolving the county’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and changing their motto from “Where You Belong” to “Where Freedom Rings.” Eight of the 11 commissioners are backed by Ottawa Impact, a conservative political action committee that has been campaigning for these changes for two years. The newly-elected board members also voted to immediately replace multiple administrative leaders, such as the county’s top leader and health official. Ottawa County Administrator John Shay was fired and replaced by John Gibbs, who is the former acting assistant secretary under Donald Trump’s administration. In response to these sweeping changes, President Philomena Mantella issued a statement to the Grand Valley State University community via email addressing Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the recent removal of the county’s Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Mantella shared her concern about the efforts to dismantle structures and support for equity and inclusion in Ottawa County. “Inclusion is critical to the economic and societal well-being of the region, and we will engage in discussions with local leaders and others to share this belief,” Mantella wrote. “We expect our campus community, and the people we serve, to be able to thrive in a diverse and inclusive environment.”
She also announced that the GVSU community will be seeing more work from the Inclusion and Equity Activation and Accountability Team (AALT), including new training, surveys and recruitment. Before the statement from Mantella, the College Democrats, a student organization at GVSU, released a statement on their social media in response to the Ottawa County Commissioner’s conservative changes. The student organization stated the changing of the motto “speaks to their intent that diversity is not welcome.” College Democrats’ President Jacob Welch said even though the county’s motto changed, their organization is dedicated to be inclusive of everyone in the community. “What we can do is continue to help make people feel comfortable in Ottawa County,” Welch said. “Regardless of what they might change and say, Ottawa County is still where you belong for everyone and nobody will be able to stop us from achieving that.” According to the board’s resolution passed on Jan. 3, the motto “Where You Belong” was used to “promote the divisive, Marxist ideology of the Race Equity movement” and “used to establish the DE&I Department on the premise that county resident characteristics of being 90% white and largely conservative were problematic for businesses.” Welch expressed his unease for not only the motto change but all of the changes, including the removal of multiple staff members. “The changes are brash and irrational,” Welch said. “The removal of an entire department on their first day and several more experienced civil servants, only to be replaced by their political buddies is, frankly, below the office they serve.” While Welch does not agree with the new changes made by the commissioners, College
Republicans’ Vice Chair Zachary Schmidt does. Schmidt said he agrees with the changing of the slogan, firing the County Administrator and the removal of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion staff. “I believe the changes were made as a consequence of the election that took place last November,” Schmidt said. “Many of the current members of the board ran against the previous board because they did not represent the values of the citizens of Ottawa County, and I am happy to see that the new board members are keeping the promises they made to the citizens of Ottawa County.” Although Schmidt does not think the changes will have a lasting effect on GVSU, he does think “it will save the taxpayers money and is a return to the local government reflecting the values of the people who they govern.” Schmidt does not have a comment on any other potential changes. In contrast, Welch believes the conservative changes can impact the GVSU community, but doesn’t think the Board of Commissioners will directly do anything to the university. However, he does think that this changes the perspective that outsiders have of the GVSU community. “I don’t want us to be the college with a bad reputation simply because we as a community are unwelcoming - that simply isn’t true,” Welch said. “Our Office of Multicultural Affairs and Milton E. Ford LGBT Resource Center are both amazing resources, and something that thankfully, the board of commissioners can’t get rid of.”
A8 | NEWS
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLNEWS COMMUNITY
Grand Rapids plans for new park projects in 2023 BY CHLOE SCHRAM NEWS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Rapids City Parks have announced plans to reshape and upgrade roughly 19 different parks throughout the Grand Rapids area in 2023. Grand Rapids City Parks include 74 parks, which totals approximately 1,634 acres of land across the city. This includes soccer fields, playgrounds, basketball courts, swimming pools, walking trails and more. In 2019, Grand Rapids residents voted to renew a millage for the parks, following a 7-year millage that was passed in 2013. The 2019 millage provides approximately $5 million each year for repair, maintenance and new improvements to pools, parks and playgrounds. On Aug. 13, 2019, the City Commission voted unanimously in support of placing the proposal on the ballot. The Parks Millage proposal provides stable and adequate funding to keep parks and playgrounds maintained by community members. The city of Grand Rapids’ permanent parks millage provided around $3.5 million in funds for park reconstruction, along with $6.7 million from other organizations in order to complete the parks projects in the works during 2022.
Steve Kowalski, Clerks Administrative Specialist, reviewed the votes the proposal received in 2019 in order to move the parks projects forward. “The Grand Rapids city Parks, Pools and Playgrounds millage received 18,164 yes votes and 7,652 no votes,” Kowalski said. The 19 parks and projects that are currently being updated or will be updated this year include Ah-Nab-Awen Park, Ball Perkins Park, Camelot Park, Canal Park, Grand River Edges Trail, Highland sports courts and parking, Lyon square, Midtown Green, Martin Luther King Lodge, Ottawa Hills parking and bathroom, Plaster Creek Trail improvements, Plaza Roosevelt, Richmond playground and parking, Riverwalk upgrades, Sullivan Field, Veterans Park building renovations, park entry signage, Citywide dog park study and Sports courts. Thanks to the parks millage proposal, funding and grants for these capital improvements allow the city of Grand Rapids to make improvements to outdoor spaces for visitors and residents. This was an important proposal for many voters including Kowalski. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
RECREATION: The Grand Rapids park plans will renovate the green space and structures. The improvements are meant to encourage people to continue to use these public spaces. The upkeep reflects what voters wanted to see in their community. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
JANUARY 17, 2023
A9 | LAKER LIFE
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE
LAKER LIFE BRIEFS LEARN ABOUT ESSU
On Tuesday, Jan. 17, the Enterprise Systems Student Union will be hosting a cookies and conversation session for students to get to know ESSU. This group is aimed towards students who are interested in enterprise systems. It works to provide a link between colleges and companies that use enterprise systems. The event will start at 5:30 p.m. and run for an hour in the Seidman College of Business in room 1019. This meeting is open to all students in all degree programs.
GET INFORMATION ABOUT LEADERSHIP
The Peter C. Cook Leadership Academy (CLA) will be holding an information session on Tuesday from 5-5:30 p.m. online. CLA is a program that lets students explore their leadership skills at GVSU and receive one-onone mentorship from leaders in the community. This program is open to all students, regardless of their field of study. The Zoom session will be roughly 30 minutes, sometimes longer depending on questions, and will have current CLA members and staff to answer questions to potential CLA members. The information for the Zoom call is available on Lakerlink. The deadline to apply is Feb. 24.
DANCE
GV prepares for Presidents’ Ball BY SABRINA RIHTARSHICH LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM
The Presidents’ Ball will be returning this year after being canceled due to COVID-19 the past few years. This event is one of Grand Valley State University’s oldest traditions. The ball will be held on Jan. 27 with “A Winter Wonderland: The Night Time Stands Still” as the theme. GVSU President Philomena Mantella will be in attendance. The Campus Activities Board (CAB) is in charge of organizing this event and careful thought has gone into making it a memorable night. CAB Director Aisha Jones said there is always much to do in preparation for the Presidents’ Ball. “Every year, there is a director who basically spearheads it from the student’s point of view, and that was my job,” Jones said. “I was picked as (director) through an interview process that happened at the end of last year.” Jones said choosing a theme was the first task she had to do. The next phase was to plan the performances, choose the decorations and finalize the time and date of the dance with DeVos Hall, the event’s designated location. There are two ticket options available, a dance ticket and a dance ticket that includes a dinner. The cost of tickets have increased since
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the previous Presidents’ Ball. Jones said some of the reasons for this increase are the rising costs of catering and transportation. Students are able to use their own transportation, but there will be buses running from the Kirkhof Center in Allendale to the DeVos Place in Grand Rapids as well. Jones said she hopes students will enjoy their time and appreciate the effort that went into making a formal event like this possible. “A lot of time and effort went into making sure that this is something stu-
dents would enjoy and not just something that is thrown together,” Jones said. “You get to dress up and actually have fun.” The doors will open at 5:30 p.m. with dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. The dance will end at 12 a.m. Jones said students 21 and older will have access to a bar and there will be snack stands, candy stations and multiple spots to take professional photos throughout the venue. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
KCON
GV welcomes new Dean of Kirkhof College of Nursing
On Friday, Jan. 20, GVSU fraternities will be hosting a pick-up basketball match to give potential new rushes a chance to meet different fraternities that they could join. The fraternities included in the Interfraternity Council will be there, those being: Sigma Pi Fraternity International, Delta Tau Delta, Alpha Tau Omega, Theta Chi, Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Epsilon Pi. The games will start at 6 p.m. and run until 8 p.m. on the wood courts inside the Recreation Center.
BY ISABELLE ENGLAND LAKERLIFE@LANTHORN.COM
ROAD TRIP AMERICA AT THE CONNECTION
This week the Connection will be serving a verity of different dishes from across America. The menu will differ every day. On Jan. 17 Rhode Island chili dogs with fries and mixed vegetables will be served. Jan. 18 students can try Old Bay shrimp rolls. Jan. 19’s menu will consist of Cajun grilled chicken with jalapeno mac and southwest style corn. The last meal on Jan. 20 is New England clam chowder and a dinner roll. The meals will be served at different times depending on the day, which can be found online.
SOCIAL: Campus Activities Board has been planning this years Presidents’ Ball that’ll be held on Jan. 27. Tickets are available now online, ranging from $20 to $40. GVL | MEGHAN TRIPP
HEALTHCARE: This semester, Kirkhof College of Nursing welcomed their new Dean, Patricia Thomas. Thomas previously served as the associate dead at KCON before moving to Wayne State University. GVL | SYDNEY LIM
Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof College of Nursing (KCON) was founded in 1973, 13 years after the founding of GVSU. On Jan. 6, KCON welcomed Patricia Thomas, its new acting Dean. Thomas previously served as the associate dean for faculty affairs at Wayne State University’s College of Nursing. Before joining WSU’s faculty, Thomas served as the assistant dean and as an associate professor, then later as associate dean at KCON from 2016-2019. At GVSU, the KCON baccalaureate degree program, the master’s degree program and the Doctor of Nursing Practice program are all accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. KCON is housed in the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health, part of GVSU’s health campus in Grand Rapids. “My experience includes both academic and operational leadership in nursing over several decades,” Thomas said. “Focused on partnerships in health systems, the community and internationally, I have a record of implementing innovative and creative aca-
demic-practice partnerships to enhance the education and preparation of nurses.” Thomas holds an associate degree in nursing from Lake Superior State University, a bachelor’s and master’s degree in nursing from the University of Michigan and a doctorate in philosophy from Walden University. “The college of nursing is a significant contributor to the mission and vision of GVSU in preparing graduates as professional nurses and leaders,” Thomas said. “KCON graduates from the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs contribute to quality care in the greater Grand Rapids, state and national levels.” KCON has over 50 faculty members and offers over seven different courses for degree-seeking individuals. The program also offers job shadows and volunteering opportunities to gain firsthand experience before deciding which track is best for each student’s individual academic aspirations and professional goals. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A10 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ARTS AT A GLANCE GV FACULTY ARTIST RECITAL: DR. SOOKKYUNG CHO
Grand Valley State University’s Dr. Sookkyung Cho is performing a winter recital this weekend featuring different works from Schubert Sonatas & Chopin Etudes. The performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 and Saturday, Jan. 21. in the Sherman van Solkema Recital Hall at the Haas Center for Performing Arts. Parking maps and performance information can be found on the GVSU events page.
GRAND RAPIDS, MI: WINTER JAM 2023
The winter music festival, Winter Jam 2023, is happening at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids this Thursday, Jan. 20. The lineup includes We The Kingdom, Jeremy Camp, Andy Mineo, Anne, Wilson, Disciple, Austin French and Newsong. ‘Pre-Jam’ begins at 6 p.m. on Thursday, before the headliners’ performances. Winter Jam is seeking volunteers to help with the show. Volunteers can find more information on Eventbrite’s website. This event is hosted by Newsong and is open to the public. Tickets are $15 each.
37TH ANNUAL REV. DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COMMEMORATION
On Monday, Jan. 16, Davenport University hosted its 37th annual commemoration dedicated to the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Housed at Fountain Street Church, the theme for the event is “Race and Democracy.” Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, is the keynote speaker for the event. This event is also an opportunity to recognize the winners of the annual MLK Jr. Day essay contest winners. The event will conclude with a silent march. More information can be found on Davenport University’s website.
GRAND RAPIDS: MICHIGAN MUSIC CONFERENCE 2023
The 18th annual Michigan Music Conference (MMC) is taking place this week from Jan. 19 to Jan. 21. This event is held at the DeVos Performing Arts Center in downtown Grand Rapids and features 32 performances, 200 educational sessions and over 100 speakers. The purpose of the Michigan Music Conference is to provide relevant professional development and vibrant musical experiences that support music education for educators and their students. For more information regarding the event, education opportunities and attendance, those interested can visit the Michigan Music Conference website.
GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN
@GVLARTS
MULTIMEDIA
Imaginative art exhibit opens downtown and inspires students BY HAILEY HENTZ ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
“Extremophilia: A G’NATural History,” is an inventive and experimental exhibit on display at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids. The exhibit displays work created by local artists Natalie “G’NAT” Wetzel and GVSU alumni Mark Andrus. Wetzel and Andrus’ exhibition presents the experience of forging a story through a multimedia science fiction film with supplementing artwork. The display intertwines photographs, sculptures and drawings to create an immersive experience full of relics and storytelling. “Inspired by natural history exhibits that weave entangled histories and memories, this project pulls characters apart as psychological projections,” Wetzel and Andrus said. “The work takes time to experience because it has seven projections. This reflects the overarching idea of discovering one’s past.” The project, which began in 2016 as a short film, was recorded during a road trip through Canada, Brooklyn and the Adirondack mountains in northern New York. Later, the duo took filming to countries such as Germany, Czechia and Denmark. “(We) strive to make work that is
DISPLAY: GV alum Mark Andrus worked with FSU prof. to create an artwork collection examining the construction of personalities and psychology in a sci-fi lens. GVL | SYDNEY LIM
both rich in concept and enjoyable to experience,” Wetzel and Andrus said. The exhibit aims to take viewers on a voyage through artwork and storytelling. Wetzel and Andrus said the exhibit’s vast inclusion of artistic mediums garners attention in the Grand Rapids area and artistic community. Wetzel is a transdisciplinary artist and associate professor at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University. She has worked as a designer and performer as well as explored modeling. Working with Andrus, the duo lectured internationally in Copenhagen and Stockholm. Andrus is a graduate of Grand
Valley State University. Focusing on photography, cinematography and producing, his work spans numerous forms. Having shared aspirations to create captivating projects, they launched on an artistic mission. “We initially met through mutual friends, and began working together right away,” Wetzel and Andrus said. The pair runs The Moon, a creative studio based in Grand Rapids. The studio focuses on photo and video production in addition to supporting exhibitions. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
GUEST FACULTY
Alvin Ailey Dance Theater company member comes to GV BY ALISON BAIR ARTS@LANTHORN.COM
Grand Valley State University’s dance department welcomed guest artist Renaldo Maurice for a week-long residency. Renaldo Maurice is a seasoned choreographer and dancer, having gone to a performing arts middle and high
GVSU: MTD DEPARTMENT AUDITION
This Friday, January 20th, is the first audition date for the Music, Theater & Dance Department of the new year. The dance department is holding auditions for new students looking to enroll in the program for the 2023-2024 academic year. Anyone wishing to audition for the dance minor or dance major should visit the GVSU Dance Department website and fill out the online application for the dance program. Scholarships are available, but limited. Email Bridgett vandebri@gvsu.edu with any questions about scheduling or the audition process. Remaining audition dates are Friday, January 20, 2023 (For Fall 2023 entry) Friday, February 17, 2023 (For Fall 2023 entry) Friday, March 17, 2023 (For Fall 2023 entry, no scholarship consideration)
JANUARY 17, 2023
ARTIST: Renaldo Maurice of AADT worked with the Grand Valley dance department to choreograph a piece for students to perform in their Spring Dance Concert. COURTESY | ALVIN ALLEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER
school before getting accepted into the leading university of the arts, The Julliard School. Maurice is currently the co-artistic director of Indiana’s South Shore Dance Alliance and an 11-year company member of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Carrie Morris, GVSU professor and Dance Curriculum Coordinator, said she had received the recommendation to invite Maurice from another faculty member in the department, Professor Edgar Page. “Edgar spoke to his generosity, and I’m always interested in bringing people to campus who are going to be really generous with our students and give them great classes and a great piece but also just be a wonderful resource for them and that is exactly who I think Renaldo is,” Morris said. Morris said Maurice’s expansive background in performing arts made him an ideal candidate to create a piece at GVSU. “I was super interested in him,” Morris said. “He is a dancer with one of the biggest professional dance companies in the
United States (called) Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. I really liked both the breadth and the depth of his background.” Guest artists like Maurice bring plenty of opportunities to dance students. “I think what’s valuable in all of the guest artist opportunities is just like a taste of the real world,” Morris said. “This is someone who is out there doing what some of these students think they want to do. This is an opportunity to see what that life is like.” Maurice said Page was the connecting dot for him to come to Grand Valley State University. He said the vision of the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater has coincided with his own and in a way, inspired collaboration with students for him. “The founder, Alvin Ailey, had a quote that said, ‘Dance came from the people, it should always be delivered back to the people,’ and that’s something that Ailey upholds as a company, they really deliver dance back to the people,” Maurice said. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
A11 | SPORTS
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
QUICK HITS MATT MITCHELL STEPS AWAY FROM GV FOOTBALL HEAD COACH POSITION Grand Valley State University’s former football head coach Matt Mitchell announced in a press release on Jan. 15 that he will pursue another coaching position at the University of Wisconsin. Mitchell began his coaching career with the Lakers in 2004 as an assistant coach for defensive backs. It wasn’t until the 2010 season that Mitchell would be promoted to head coach, and since then the Lakers have clinched seven NCAA DII Playoff berths, won two GLIAC Championships (including the most recent season; 2022) and tallied a 117-31 overall record under his leadership - just one win shy of tying the most wins by a Laker head coach. The GVSU Athletic Department also mentioned in the press release that the university would begin searching for a replacement effective immediately. MEN’S BASKETBALL SPLITS A PAIR IN BACK-TO-BACK HOME GAMES GVSU men’s basketball hosted the Wayne State Warriors (63-72) and Saginaw Valley State University (66-62) this past week to bring their season record to 9-8 thus far. The loss against WSU was within striking distance for the Lakers throughout the majority of the battle as 10-separate lead changes and 11 ties were recorded. GVSU held a slight advantage over the Warriors at the end of the first half with a 39-34 scoreline, but WSU would claw its way back into the game and take the lead for the first time in the second half with just under 15 minutes left in action and would ultimately finish the game with a win as GVSU couldn’t string together a last-minute comeback. Junior forward Marius Grazulis would be the only Laker to score in double figures with 15 points and seven rebounds as redshirt senior forward Isaiah Carver-Bagley (nine) and senior guard Luke Toliver (eight) would be the next leading scorers respectively. A bounce-back effort by GVSU was seen in their second matchup of the week against SVSU as the Lakers’ underclassmen would be crucial to the team’s success. After trailing by three points (29-32) to close out the first half and going down by as much as 10 points just a few minutes into the second half, GVSU didn’t lose hope and slowly inched their way back into the driver’s seat. The Lakers would eventually win the nail-biter against the Cardinals after two clutch free throws were sunk by freshman guard Britain Harris. Sophomore guard Trevon Gunter tallied a game-high 19 points as Harris added 10 and freshman guard Jalen Charity contributed nine points of his own. GVSU is now 9-8 on the season and will play their next game on the road against Northern Michigan on Jan. 19.
HOCKEY
DI men’s hockey closes regularseason series 3-1 against Calvin BY MADELEINE SMITH SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
The Grand Valley State University Division I men’s hockey club made their mark against the familiar Calvin University as they took two wins in a back-to-back matchup against the Knights. Jan. 13 finished 5-3 for the Lakers as the following match on Jan. 14 finished 2-1. These wins bumped their season record up to commanding 23-5 as the Lakers took the season series against the Knights 3-1. During the first game, played at the Griff ’s Ice Arena, GVSU students and families cheered on the team as it was their first game back in just under a month after a successful run in the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame (GRSHOF) Tournament that was capped off in a win against Calvin (4-2 Dec. 10). “Not skating over break until the week of the game put us at a disadvantage that we were able to overcome,” senior defender Andrew Dundas said. GVSU jumped out to a two-goal lead early as junior forward Gage Thrall and (6:29) and senior forward Evan Chomachi (7:39) would put the Lakers up 2-0 for a large portion of the opening period. However, the Knights would respond before the period came to a close to bring the deficit to within one goal with plenty of game left to play. Thrall commented on the importance of the intangibles that don’t necessarily show up in the box score but ultimately play a huge difference on the outcome of matches at any point of
CLOSER: The first of two games against Calvin University came down to GVSU holding off the Knights from scoring in the final period to win 5-3. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
the season. “Getting the puck out and getting the puck deep (to open teammates is important), and not causing any turnover,” Thrall said. “If you have a shot opportunity, take the shot instead of taking the high-risk play.” Even with junior goalie Devin Naidow preventing several shot-on-goal attempts by the Knights, Calvin was able to turn the match around in their favor as they scored two goals to take their first lead of the match. However, the Lakers would tie up the match at 3 goals apiece after Thrall made his second goal for GVSU that was assisted by senior forward Zach Borchardt going into the third and final period. With 20 minutes to play in regulation and the season-series bragging rights on the line, Head Coach Matthew Sekosan described what the huddle sounded like prior to the third-period puck drop.
“(Since) we had some penalty trouble there in part of the second, we faced some short-handed kills,” Sekosan said. “We made some adjustments to our penalty kill and went to a different formation. Outside of that (I told them) to be defensive and responsible, which is something we have preached since day one.” With just under 10 minutes of action played and neither team able to take over the match, Thrall recorded a hat trick as his third goal of the game (9:54) assisted by senior forward Shane Haggerty. The remaining nine minutes and some change would be a grueling effort by both teams as Calvin would eventually call a timeout in a last-ditch attempt to send the match into overtime. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
OVERTIME: The second match of the back-to-back schedule was far less productive on the offensive ends for both teams as the match would ultimately be decided by a shoot out that would end in favor of the Lakers with a score of 2-0. GVL | BETHANN LONG
A12 | SPORTS
JANUARY 17, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
BASKETBALL
Women’s basketball storms past Warriors and Cardinals to remain undefeated in GLIAC BY BREANNA HAMMER SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
The Grand Valley State women’s basketball team dominated the court this week at home in two wins against both Wayne State (81-44) and Saginaw Valley State (71-32). Following the idea that defense wins games, Head Coach Mike Williams said there are two principles that allowed his team to hold both WSU and SVSU to ten points or less in a combined six of the eight quarters played. “We talk about two things in practice: one (is) being ready. You have to be ready to play at all times,” Williams said. “Two: helping your team instead of placing blame when something goes wrong. If you add those two together, you have a really good combination.” This combination is successful in more than one area of defense, as GVSU was able to force 25 turnovers, earn 32 defensive rebounds and steal the ball 14 times against WSU on Jan. 12 - all of which allowed for 36 points off turnovers while also earning 11 fast break points.
The 37-point blowout against the Warriors was led by redshirt freshman guard Nicole Kamin who finished with a game-high 15 points, as senior guard Emily Spitzley tallied 14 points while redshirt freshman guard Lexi Plitzuweit and redshirt sophomore forward Rylie Bisballe contributed 10 points each. GVSU’s momentum from that night carried into an even bigger win in the following match against the Cardinals, marking the seventh conference game for the Lakers thus far. Right off the bat, GVSU started the first quarter full of energy as fast hands-on defense and an effort to fight for every loose ball became quite the challenge for SVSU. In the first quarter alone, the Lakers were able to force two shot clock violations and create a strong lead to finish off the first quarter with a 15-point advantage, 23-8. The defense continued in the second quarter as the Lakers held SVSU to two successful offensive possessions. Redshirt freshman guard Paige Vanstee recorded three boards, a block and a steal in the second quarter alone as the guard capped off the streaking Lakers’
THREADS: In their matchup against Wayne State University, the Lakers unveiled their new ‘616 jerseys’ to compliment their dominant 81-44 victory in fashion. GVL | MACAYLA CRAMER
first 20 minutes of action contributed one of the ten blocks from the game, as well as sealing the second quarter with a pure corner three that laced the net to end the quarter, 32-12. Spectators noticed a more trusting game plan from Williams as GVSU saw more of an exchange of players from their bench to start the second half. Alongside
their strong defense, the Lakers showed versatility as all 15 players saw the floor with 11 Lakers contributing to the offensive explosion. LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE
TRACK AND FIELD
GV track and field dominates in second meet of season BY BRIAN BLOOM SPORTS@LANTHORN.COM
COMPETE: The men’s and women’s side of the program showcased their athleticism in just the second meet of the indoor season which showed promise of a good season. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
The Grand Valley State University men’s and women’s track and field teams competed in the GVSU Bob Eubanks Open this past weekend as many Lakers attained new personal records. With this being their second meet of the season (first since competing on Dec. 9) and resting their long distance runners, Head Coach Jerry Baltes expected the team to have a tougher go at working off the rust on Jan. 14. “You never know where you’re going to be following the holiday break,” Baltes said. “We saw a lot of positives across the board, but we certainly have a lot of work to do.” On the men’s team, Lakers placed in different events, including junior Max Darling who finished first overall in the 60m dash with a time of 6.93 seconds while also placing third in the 200m dash (22.32 seconds). “I’ve been putting in a lot of work in the offseason, just in the dark when no one is paying attention,” Darling said. “When no eyes are on you, the amount of work you put in is the amount of success you can get out of it. Just work hard and the results will
come out how you want them to.” Junior Myles Rhodes also secured a top-three position in the 200m dash as a new personal record of 21.79 seconds would help Rhodes secure first place (400m dash; 49 seconds flat). “I had an indoor PR today (in the 200m), and made really good progress towards my goals,” Rhodes said. “Everything changes and fluctuates, but I was just really proud of the way I competed today and the way a lot of the team competed. It’s a testament to how mentally tough we are.” Two upperclassmen, graduate students Jalen Kyles and Jackson Blanchard, also performed exceptionally well alongside their teammates; Kyles placed fourth in the 60m dash and second in the 200m dash, finishing with times of 7.09 and 21.80 seconds respectively, as Blanchard gained an NCAA Division II provisional mark in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.14. During the field events, GVSU saw freshman Justin Miller win the high jump with a height of 1.98m. Sophomore Caleb Taylor (6.92m) and freshman Luke Jelderks (6.84m) placed first and second respectively as freshman Harold Gee won the triple jump with a distance of 12.54m. The women’s events were domi-
nated by Lakers sprinters as freshman Kate Zang won both the 60m dash (7.79 seconds) and 200m dash (25.23 seconds), sophomore Melia Williams finished third in both the 60m dash (7.93 seconds) and the 200m dash (25.86 seconds) and junior Isabel Abdouch won the 400m dash (58.98 seconds) and finished second in the 200m dash with a time of 25.66 seconds. Junior Lindsey Strutz also shined for GVSU as she finished second in the 60m hurdles with a new personal record of 9.59 seconds, winning the triple jump with a distance of 10.64m and winning the shot put with a throw of 11.95m. While she said her finishing times in all three events were close to her personal records, Strutz knows that training during the off-season and the efforts continued during the course of a long season create the success she saw in the recent meet. “We do a lot of technical work with high jump, long jump, shot put and we do a lot of running and lifting,” Strutz said. “All of the training combined together has just helped me to become successful as a whole.” LOG ON TO: www.lanthorn.com FOR THE FULL ARTICLE