G R A N D VA L L E Y L A N T H O R N
Free speech or hate speech? Sidewalk sermon sparks debate
Bed bug cases on campus
NEWS | A3
GV Brew serves up boba and bubbles LAKER LIFE | A14
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A2 | NEWS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONFLICT
Ottawa County budget meeting ends with slashed funds, legal uncertainty BY GRACE SMITH LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
After weeks of deliberation, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners reached a decision about the budget for the Ottawa County Department of Health for the upcoming fiscal year. While the meeting was happening, the Chair Commissioner Joe Moss electronically served Health Officer Adeline Hambley’s legal team notification of his filing for her removal. During the seven-hour session that lasted until nearly 1 a.m. on Sept. 27, county representatives spent over two hours listening to residents’ opinions on the budget cuts. Many of these commenters came directly from a community rally against the cuts which occurred outside the health department prior to the meeting. The final budget passed several hours later in a 7-to-3 vote, a figure $1.6 million lower than the initial general fund request from the health department of $6.4 million. With the finalization of the budget, the culmination of efforts from the health department’s administration and the community to save the health department’s funding were felled, leaving Hambley trying to salvage the department’s programming while legally defending her own position. Hambley filed a lawsuit against county commissioners after they voted last January to demote her to Interim Health Officer and hire Jamestown resident Nathanial Kelly for the position. The court of appeals case to determine Hambley’s role as the interim or official Health Officer is set to occur Oct. 11. Commissioners Board Chairman Moss and now Vice-Chair Sylvia Rhodea are founding members of the “far-right fundamentalist group” Ottawa Impact that formed in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic after they “unsuccessfully sued the previous board and county health officer over COVID-19 mitigation mandates in 2020 and 2021,” according to the Holland Sentinel. As Commissioner Moss sat in the public forum Tuesday night, his legal representation, David Kallman of Kallman Legal Group, informed Hambley’s legal team of Moss’s intention to move forward with her removal from her position in court. “Commission Chair Moss plans to file the Notice and Changes with the County Clerk at 10 a.m. on Thursday, September 28th. I wanted to reach out and see if there is any interest from your client to resolve all of her disputes amicably with one global resolution where parties can go their separate ways,” according to Kallman’s communication with Sarah Riley Howard of Pinsky Smith. Riley Howard told Kallman her client has no interest in coming to a mediation that would ultimately result in Hambley’s resignation. “(The county commission has) made very clear that basically a resolution in their mind is her quitting, and not being the health officer, and that’s what she’s not willing to do,” Howard said. “She has bent over backwards in my opinion, and worked pretty hard to compromise with them and give them the benefit of her experience. They have not wanted her there since day one. They’ve wanted to fire her and replace her with their own candidate, which is not how the health officer works under state law.” Hambley feels there is no room for compromise with the board of commissioners, especially when
that compromise would sacrifice necessary services for the community, affecting her ability to uphold her duty to the community as health officer under the law. She feels the commissioners would also not want to “find middle ground” with her either based on previous social media posts from Moss. “There’s matching requirements and all these things in the budget that we work with fiscal to develop earlier in the year and we put into our system in May and so there isn’t a lot left that we’re able to compromise on,” Hambley told the Lanthorn. “We’re already at that bottom line. And ultimately, if they’re asking to compromise in a way that makes me not in compliance with the requirements of the law or statute, as I’m required, then it’s not a compromise that can be made.” As for what the laws and procedures look like, Howard elaborates that the county commissioners must prove that Hambley demonstrated incompetence, misconduct, or failure to perform duties under due process of law to justify her removal. In the filing, Moss claims Hambley fits this criteria, “making false representations about the budgetary scenarios, falsely claiming she was not included in the budget process, failing to cooperate in the budget process, and making false claims that encouraged and caused confusion, anxiety, fear and panic in the community.” Moss’s accusation against Hambley was made following several public comments and media postings from Hambley regarding the commission. Following her posts, the administration terminated of her access to the department’s media accounts. However, Hambley indicated in a press release response to the budget approval she believes much of the data provided by Commissioner Moss is inaccurate. She explained the county is downplaying the severity of the budget cuts by taking credit for other city incomes they are not inherently providing to the health department. The health department is anticipating around $507,100,000 more coming from the state for essential services, which Hambley states the county commissioners are including in their claims of financial contribution. However, the commissioners office only contributes the money allocated to the general fund directly to the health department, and the funds received from the state for essential operation should not be included because it is an unfair characterization. The chart published within Hambley’s response shows the exact amount of money in the general fund dating back to 2001, and is hardly the second highest of all time, as commissioner moss claimed. Howard said Hambley aims to first speak with the commissioners privately, however, traditional means were not “getting very far” which lead her to speak out via social media and other means. “She (Hambley) tried really hard at the beginning of her tenure with this county commission in January, to give them information about budget things they’d want to keep in mind. But she didn’t get a lot of response from them and then they hacked up her budge so she decided she had to go to the public directly and report this,” Howard said. Hambley said the programs that will take the largest hit from the lack of funding are the health education and nutrition programs, receiving almost a 50 percent cut from last year. Hambley said in many cases, these are resources that could be utilized by GVSU students and student organizations.
For example, the Suicide Prevention Coalition provides resources for suicide prevention and education that students may utilize. Other areas students might experience the effects of the limited budget include various community trainings, and limited hours or closing health department locations. The depleted general fund forces the health department to find outside grants to support some programs. Hambley expresses concern for this due to previous incidents in which the commissioners board declined sources for funding because they didn’t agree with the programming those funds will be allocated to support such as immunization, family planning or STD prevention. “When they (the commissioners) don’t believe that those things should exist or don’t believe in the science behind them it makes it a challenge to even attempt to find external funding or to maintain some of that programming,” Hambley said to the Lanthorn. “That’s concerning, what that means for public health and for our community (especially with the health department’s presence) forbidden at places or events that (the commissioners) personally don’t agree with. That is not good governance, and that’s not how public health should work.” Previously, commissioners have expressed scrutiny for the health department’s involvement in some programming among GVSU and the surrounding community, specifically regarding sex education on campus and LGBTQ health. Hambley claims the commissioners have targeted many of her efforts as health officer since early January, stating their “revenge politics” cause a negative impact on the communities overall health care. She worries the commissioners political views could step on the overall health needs of the community. “The people in our community that end up paying the price for, sort of, the political machinations or retaliation, the revenge politics that are occurring here are the most marginalized in our community,” Hambley said. “Those are the people that are usually the least able to advocate for themselves, to have a strong voice.” Hambley said her role as the health department officer shouldn’t be jeopardized because of the board’s political agenda. She defends her position as something that is not political and by law is based entirely on serving the health needs of the community. “I shouldn’t be susceptible to the politics of whatever the board has. It should be valid for science and good solid public health principles and doing what’s best for the community to protect the community,” Hambley said. Hambley’s removal hearing is set to occur Oct. 19. In light of this, her legal representation has since filed an emergency motion to expedite the case with the court of appeals, pending a final decision. Hambley advocates for a strong public health officer in Ottawa County. Not only is it in the “best interest for compliance with the law” but it’s also important to have a health officer that “follows good science” and “good health practices” for the well being of the community, she says. “They have a duty requirement under the law and the authority granted to do what’s right to best protect the health environment of the community, even if you know that is not in agreement with the majority board population or a majority board opinion,” Hambley said.
A3 | NEWS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
CONTENTS CONFLICT
| A2
EXPOSURE
| A4
EXPENSES
| A5
OPINIONS
| A6
EDITORIAL
| A7
NEWS
| A8-9
MOVIE
| A10
EXHIBITION
| A11
BOATING
| A12
RACING
| A13
CHANGES
| A14
FOOTBALL
| A15
SOCCER
| A16 VOL. 58
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Videographer MUSA DOVE
N O. 4
Layout Editor REV BRONOWSKI Layout Designer CARLIE SHERWOOD PROMOTIONS Promotions Manager ELISE RAPEYKO ADVERTISING STAFF Advertising Manager LAUREN SCHOENHERR Advertising Design MORGAN MANN BUSINESS STAFF
PEST
Bed Bugs cases on GV campus BY ELIZABETH SCHANZ & ABIGAIL JONES LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Bed bugs are a common household pest that one in five Americans report having or hearing about. Grand Valley State University is not exempt from this statistic, with two confirmed cases in on-campus housing this year. A GVSU Sophomore, who requested anonymity to avoid embarrassment, was one of the students affected by the bed bug incidents in Niemeyer Living Center. They first noticed the bed bugs in their sheets on a Saturday, Sept. 9, put in a work order that weekend and emailed their living center director to follow up. However, with it being the weekend they did not get any responses until Monday. “On Monday someone from housing services called me and set up a time to come to my apartment and check out the situation. On Wednesday we got the date for the exterminators to come,” the student said. The exterminators would not come until Friday. “There were no other rooms GV could put us in for that week until our room got treated, so I had to keep sleeping in my bed that had bed bugs in it,” the student said. They then faced not only the discomfort of bed bug bites but also the discomfort of being displaced as GVSU Housing handled the situation. “On Friday the exterminators did a heat treatment on the apartment from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and we had to be out of the room that whole time,” the student said. “The day we got our heat treatment it was just annoying having to get out of the room before any of our classes started and having to find places to rest between classes since we couldn’t go home.” The student said they had to bag up their possessions and label the bag with their electronics to make sure that the exterminators would not accidentally heat treat them in the process. They said the stress of having bed bugs in their unit, on top of additional classes and commitments was a difficult experience. Adam Tate, Facilities Manager for Housing and Residence Life at GVSU explained the procedure for any case of bed bugs found on campus is designed to be the least taxing for students as possible.
“When we do confirm treatment is necessary, we use a third-party pest control vendor to heat treat the unit. We have found this to be the most effective method to get rid of the issue, and it also does not require as much prep work from the student as other methods,” Tate said. Oftentimes bed bug cases are reported as flea incidents first. Only 16 percent of bed bug cases are correctly identified. The issue is not uncommon with about 20 percent of U.S. homes and hotels experiencing the problem. Additionally, bed bugs can be present on college campuses, especially when so many students are moving in and out of a small area in a short amount of time. “It’s not uncommon to have a couple (bed bug cases on campus) at the beginning of the year, and we typically only see four to five cases yearly,” Tate said. The start of the school year is especially common because people are coming from home or traveling. Traveling increases your risk of getting bed bugs, with 68 percent of bed bug cases being reported in hotels and motels. Some of the states with the most bed bugs include New York, California, Ohio, Florida, New Jersey and Maryland, so travel through or from these states can increase the risk for transmission. The reports of bed bugs being more common early in the school year can be attributed to the bed bug season lasting from June to October. Bed bugs can live up to nine months, though they hibernate in the winter. Bed bugs burrow under or around mattresses and feed on human hosts at night. They bite people and then release antihistamines and anticoagulants so they can feed as long as possible. Their feeding duration spans from three to ten minutes. They’re even known to adapt to their host’s sleeping habits so they can maximize feeding periods. The bugs repopulate quickly and easily become a problem, living in mattresses and crevices and so forth, and are hard to identify. There’s a common misconception that bed bugs are indicative of dirty environments. Bed bugs are not attracted to “dirt, decay, or decomposing materials” and are only attracted to blood. If you suspect a case of bed bugs, please report it to your building’s manager or student services.
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TREATMENT: Two bed bugs cases have been confirmed in Neimeyer Living Center. The university did not provide any alternative sleeping arrangements due to the capacity of on-campus housing and were unable to offer treatment or solution until 6 days later. GVL | SYDNEY LIM
A4 | NEWS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
EXPOSURE
GVSU professors speak on importance of academic freedom
WGVU: Professors Michael DeWilde & Andrew Spear were guests on WGVU’s Shelley Irwin Show surrounding discourse of academic freedom in higher education. GVL | SYDNEY LIM BY CHLOE SCHRAM LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Grand Valley State University’s Koeze Business Ethics Initiative (KBEI) Director Michael DeWilde and philosophy professor Andrew Spear were guests on the Shelley Irwin Show on WGVU. The segment took place on Sept. 27 at 9:30 a.m. for a conversation on the current state of academic freedom. Both people stressed the importance of academic freedom in universities and other institutions. They presented reasons to why academic freedom is at risk. “The two of us, along with many of our colleagues, not just here, but across the country, have watched as academic freedom has increasingly come under threat both from legislators. Look at what’s happening in Ohio, Texas, Florida, kind of repression of restraint on what professors can and can’t do in the classroom,” DeWilde said. “It’s how we produce knowledge. It’s how we talk to one another, and there cannot be any unreasonable restraints on a professor’s ability to pursue research no matter how difficult or controversial the issues might be.” DeWilde is also a professor of management at the Seidman College of Business at GVSU. He has taught previously in GVSU’s philosophy department, offering courses on human nature, eastern philosophy and service learning. Spear added to DeWilde’s ideas surrounding
academic freedom and helped define it. “Academic freedom is focused around the goals of pursuing knowledge, generating knowledge, or reexploring knowledge, and also of educating students and assisting in the education of students. Their academic freedom is crucial if we’re going to maintain the distinction between indoctrination and education,” Spear said. Both Spear and DeWilde want people to know how important education is, and advocate for the ability to educate without partisan politics coming between necessary information. They want students to be able to learn from the university and use their own thoughts to understand and legitimize their learnings on their own without the influence of a specific point of view. “Indoctrination is imposing fixed products on students saying, ‘here’s what you will believe no matter what you, you know, think or how you feel.’ It’s just getting people to accept it. Whereas education is a process whereby they (students) internalize capacities for thought and reflection that helps them to formulate and criticize and commit themselves to believe on their own autonomously,” Spear said. Spear is on the executive board of the GVSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors and teaches courses covering the history of analytic philosophy, epistemology (theory of knowledge) and logic, as well as courses, focused on knowledge, politics, social media and ethics of digital cultures. “Professors have a responsibility to make sure when they’re in the classroom that what they’re
teaching, the way they interact with students is aimed at the goals of knowledge developing students critical, pedagogically sound,” Spear said. DeWilde said there are many factors that allow educational freedom to thrive and other factors that cause it to face challenges. “Well, again, you think about the progressive knowledge base, sophisticated, democratic culture, what’s required to keep that going to sustain it, people who can do exactly what Andrew is talking about now. One of the reasons it’s under threat is because of the perception that the university has been ‘overtaken’ by a particular ideological point of view,” DeWilde said. Spear stresses the importance of professional ethics and the collaborative process of course development in higher education when considering academic freedom. “I really want to stress this, academic freedom doesn’t just mean that the professor goes into the classroom and says whatever they want. Classes are developed by shared governance by experts working together to think through what the most valuable and important way to set up our curriculum is,” Spear said. “Expertise is not possessed by politicians typically, by the way, and we are accountable to our peers in that process. So with academic freedom, there is professional ethics. And there is the shared governance process and those are real and substantial at universities here in Michigan and across the country.”
A5 | NEWS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS EXPENSES
Examining the state of GR housing market BY JOSEPH POULOS LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Students looking to find affordable housing in the Grand Rapids area are struggling more than ever, especially in the last few years. With one of the youngest populations in the nation, the Grand Rapids area suffers from high rent and living costs. Paul Isley, the Associate Dean of the Seidman College of Business, is still optimistic that a young student can afford housing in Kent County, albeit only under certain conditions. “It is still feasible here in the Midwest,” Isley said. “And it might be that they need to not look in their favorite place. They should be looking at a more rural area farther from the city center.” Kent County’s unique problem is a higher representation of younger people than most other counties in the country. This leads to a high demand for housing with a relatively low supply. “Kent County is unique in that we have more people in their 30s than over the age of 65,” Isley said. “That’s not the case for the United States, and that’s not the case for Michigan.” For the millennial generation, many people are reaching the age and time when they are ready to start looking for
a more permanent living situation. Isley believes that this, coupled with high-interest rates, which don’t seem to be coming down anytime soon, is the crux of the problem. “Millennials are reaching that point in their lives where they want to buy a house,” Isley said. “So that’s creating some upward pressure. We have less supply of housing because as the interest rate went up, the current occupants can’t even sell their homes if they wanted to.” Given the upcoming presidential election, the economy under the current administration is especially visible. Many citizens may be optimistic that a change in office would signal a more positive direction for the housing market. Isley believes otherwise. “I don’t believe elections have a lot of effects on the economy,” Isley said. “Consumers and businesses affect the economy.” As far as what the government can do to alleviate this issue in Kent County, Isley believes there are several crucial things to keep in mind. “So, the real issue right now is we need more housing available of the type that a student would want to live in,” Isley said. “We have restricted geographic locations on where that can be, and we have alternative uses for that land that might provide a better return, so it’s a little bit complicated.”
The high quality of new apartments being built in Kent County has led to a runaway price increase in rent, but Isley thinks adjusting the quality of these places may be a good first step in allowing students to comfortably afford rent. “There are a lot of attempts right now to get non-market-rated things going,” Isley said. “This will help alleviate competition for that level, and that will make things better off.” Still, Isley said he believes the Grand Rapids area’s concentrated youth populations are a positive sign, and things might change soon. “Remember, it’s really, really good that we’re healthy, and we have lots of young people here,” Isley said. “Those millennials are starting to get older, and now the Generation Z group will start buying houses, and as that starts to happen, it will start to take some pressure off housing prices.” Isley believes post-election is a more realistic timeframe to see real change in the housing market but also thinks it is just a natural consequence of certain generations getting older and making bigger decisions. “In the next five years, we expect to see a little more weakness on the bottom end of the market and that could be very helpful to students,” Isley said
OUT OF REACH: Associate Dean of Seidman College of Business Paul Isley says creating housing that students would want to live in could be a solution. GVL | ANNABELLE ROBINSON
A6 | OPINIONS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
Dating in the ‘Dale
BY ELIZABETH SCHANZ LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
When it comes to dating in college there are a lot of factors to think about. Do I use dating apps? Am I attracted to him, or is he just my friend? If I go out with the kid from my 9 a.m., will it make class more unbearable than it already is if it goes poorly? The minefield that is navigating romantic relationships in your late teens and early twenties is almost as difficult as finding your way through campus as a freshman— except it’s even more difficult because there is no map to get you there. I decided to start to outline a sort of “map” to guide you through “dating in the ‘Dale,” a.k.a. Allendale, and to paint the picture of the Allendale dating scene
from my experiences and my friends’. The entire process of dating in Allendale, and college, is surprising from start to finish. Especially as a freshman, guys will ask to take you out for a meal… then, take you to the dining hall and use a meal swipe, not even dining dollars. Often they’ll bring you to Kleiner, not even the “hot commodity” places like Panda Express, and make sure that you are choosing the option that works in their “14 meals a week plan” that, more than likely, their parents paid for. While the start of relationships and dating as a freshman in college seems rocky, the end of relationships and dating as an upperclassman proves to be no better. For instance, one of my friends went through a rather tumultuous break-up with her boyfriend, the kind where you are absolutely shocked and aggravated by the crazy conversations you are having. As she walked out the door following the emotionally draining break-up discussion he said to her, “This is a serious question, do you want some of this fish?” He has recently been fishing in the Grand River and truly thought the appropriate goodbye was to offer a fat piece of salmon. She then had to drive home “pondering the ridiculousness of that question.” While these stories show the bleak and disappointing sides of the dating scene, the world of dating can also be interesting and insightful. My advice is don’t take anything too seriously when you’re in silly situations. The experiences make an interesting story, and without that, I wouldn’t have a column. They are learning experiences that really show us what we do want and do not want.
I know that we can’t always predict when someone will attempt to give you fish post-break-up but we can observe the patterns that could lead us to that point. From there, we can establish new standards for our dating lives based on what we notice. Dating is similar to a lab in college. There are trials and sometimes you have an “error,” and you hope the margin of error is as small as it can be. The unfortunate part about entering the dating scene is that with every bit of “living:” going up to people in public, entering the talking stage and going on dates, leads to a whole lot of “learning:” getting rejected, ghosted and unfortunate outings. However, there are many successes we as single people can look forward to when we enter the world of dating: flowers on the first date, charismatic conversations and the moments when you blush and smile without meaning to. Unfortunately, the map to dating in the ‘Dale is not as simple as plugging an end location into your GPS. It is more similar to a wrinkled, ripped map that has been in the glove compartment of your car since the ‘90s. What’s comforting is knowing that everyone else is just as lost in the process of navigating as you are. However, it is up to us to continue to move forward and explore dating even with the uncertainty. Then we can begin to fill in the blanks of our own dating maps as best as we can, so we can continue to work to find the love we want and deserve
2023 Fall season must haves
BY MADDIE ZIMMERMAN LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
With fall on its way to Michigan, there are several things you can do to romanticize the gorgeous fall season. Although I am talking about fall essentials, you also want to keep in mind your consumption. You don’t have to get $400 worth of Target fall decor and you don’t have to spend a ton of money on clothes you will only wear during fall. Instead, use things you have had in the back of your closet and thrift. I have found so many gems thrifting that you could never find in stores anymore. Here are some of my favorite fall essentials. First, starting with fashion and clothes are UGGs. Now you don’t have to have the brand UGG, but boots that look alike and have fur inside are crucial. Not only are they super cute with any outfit, but they are SO comfortable. I have never owned a pair of shoes more comfortable than my brown UGG boots. I also recently purchased the platform Tazz UGGs, and they are super cute. The UGG boots are still my favorite. They are a timeless classic and although the name brand is an investment, they really do last forever. I have been wearing the same pair of brown UGG boots since sixth grade.
Some fashion that never seems to fade out are big chunky scarves. A few years ago infinity scarves were all the rage now the trend is chunky scarves. If you don’t want to buy one you can easily make one. Crocheting a scarf was my first crochet project, which is also a cute and cozy hobby perfect for fall. Another fall fashion trend is sweaters. There are an abundance of beautiful hand-knit sweaters at Goodwill. My biggest tip is to go to the men’s section before the women’s because they tend to have the more oversized look that I see all over TikTok and Pinterest. The next category of fall essentials is home decor. I love decorating my apartment for fall and Halloween. My mom used to decorate every Halloween when my sister and I were at school and surprise us with it when we got home and off the bus. This is where my love of fall comes from. Goodwill, once again, is lowkey killing it with the fall and Halloween decor. It is super cheap and affordable. Target also has cheap fall decor. They have certain throw blankets and decorative pillows for only $10. My last fall tip is an activity, not an item: going to a pumpkin patch and or apple orchard. You are probably reading this like, “Um duh, that screams fall.” I wanted to remind you to go before it gets too cold out and the colorful leaves fall. This costs little to nothing (unless you buy a ton of pumpkins and donuts like me). My favorite pumpkin patch in Allendale is Post Family Farms. It is a few miles away from Grand Valley State University, and they make the BEST donuts I’ve ever had. They are homemade and freshly made several times a day. There are tons of pumpkins to choose from to find the perfect one to take home with you. They also have my personal favorite… goats. You can pay 25 cents and feed them food pellets. They are super cute and fun to pet and hang with. They also have horses, cows, chickens and pigs. If you go at certain times they have
baby cows and pigs which are too cute. Fall is the perfect time to get cozy and spend time with the color-changing nature. Don’t let the pressure of social media influence you that you need a ton of things to make fall feel like fall. Get out your favorite decor, turn on some Gilmore Girls, light a candle and eat that pumpkin-glazed donut from the pumpkin patch, girl!
OPINION POLICY 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 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 500-650 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: 0051 KIRKHOF CENTER GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY ALLENDALE, MI 49401 616-826-8276
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
A7 | EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
Due dates, deadlines and do they even care? BY LANTHORN EDITORIAL STAFF LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
In the age of technology, online assignments and sporadic weekly due dates have become the norm for most college students. The use of online assignments has seemingly emerged to an even greater degree since the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Let us tell you, things are getting a little out of hand when it comes to turning assignments in from home. Grand Valley State University uses a learning management system called Blackboard Ultra to organize class details, homework assignments, tests or quizzes, among other things related to the academic work students do here. Many students make a necessary habit of checking Blackboard multiple times a day to see what assignments professors have uploaded to the site. During the pandemic, classwork and assignments turned completely virtual. Students no longer worked on printed worksheets or brought their finished papers to class as hard copies, instead, everything shifted to be handled through Blackboard. We believe the shift into the digital world changed the academic landscape negatively for students. We have noticed a steady increase in workload, even after we have become accustomed to in-person learning again. During the pandemic, many students did not have jobs, so they had a significantly larger
amount of time to focus on school. However, many students are back to working one or, more commonly, two jobs to pay for school, and we feel like there has not been an adjustment to account for this change back to in-person schooling. rofessors now often assign weekly assignments to be due on days outside of class, including days that are supposed to be dedicated to personal time- a.k.a. the weekends. We feel that this is a drastic change from the previous structures, where assignments were typically due the next class period. Majorly, this brings up the issue of less time to work on assignments. In pre-pandemic format, it was commonplace to have things due at the beginning of the next class period. For example, for a Tuesday/ Thursday class, a professor might have assigned something Thursday to be due next class period, which would be the following Tuesday. This gives the student roughly five days to complete said assignment. Often many professors lean towards Saturday and Sunday due dates, effectively cutting the students’ work time down by multiple days in some cases. Why is this? The reality is the emergence and prior necessity of online schooling have changed the way that many professors view assigning work to their students. Those professors no longer feel that it is an unreasonable ask to make an assignment that was given in class due the following day or two. It is something that we are growing ever more weary
of as students who struggle to balance the difficult relationship of work, school and life itself. College is becoming increasingly expensive as tuition rates have increased at an astounding rate, so the sacrifice leans increasingly in favor of work over school, which is an unfair compromise that students are forced to make. In our opinion, by utilizing unconventional deadlines, students are positioned at a disadvantage. While some professors check in with students regarding assignment progress and utilize flexible deadlines, weekend assignments and deadlines in such a way that disservice students. Some professors need to be more considerate of their students when it comes to assignment deadlines on days that class is not being held. Many professors constantly express they are on the students’ team and want to ensure they will reach success at the end of their college careers, but forcing students to choose SCHOOL-work over work and their mental health does not feel very “team-like” of professors. For students to reach their highest potential, we think it is necessary to adjust coursework layouts and deadlines to reflect students’ struggles that professors claim to be understanding of- when balancing college life, coursework and due-dates.
GRAND VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY: Students feel pressure of college inside and out of classes. Stressors from deadlines can heighten these feelings, COURTESY | ZEN CHUNG/PEXELS
A8&9 | NEWS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLNEWS
LGBTQ students targeted by “street preachers” Despite the university’s Disorderly Conduct Policy, the individuals preaching on the lawn near the clocktower are protected because the area is considered a zone for “expressive activity.” The street preachers feel that by confronting students who have “sinned” they are doing their part to follow the word of God. Zaphire Arvizu, a volunteer with Christ Forgiveness Ministries, was on campus with LaCroix preaching Christianity and salvation for students. Arvizu does not share the same ministry as LaCroix but shares the sentiment for “being biblical.” “Things like sin, though, don’t get you into heaven, so we are calling out sins that don’t get you into heaven and elaborating on what sin is more so people can understand, and yes it’s, like, causing some controversy because it’s personal when people are actually doing those sins,” Arivzu said. “Ultimately we are just planting the seeds of the lord. (LaCroix) wants everybody to know the truth so they can be saved, and yes, the truth hurts, but it hurts a lot more in hell.” Arvizu didn’t seem to have a personal connection to LaCroix and Team Jesus Preachers. It was unclear how many other ministry organizations were involved, and many declined to provide a direct comment. Although the area is considered a place where people can outwardly express their opinions, a social climate elevated with conflict could put students’ safety at risk, in which case the university should be called to respond. Raquele Ayres a sophomore student at GVSU was stopped by a crowd of students on the way from class. Ayres expressed frustration with not only the street preachers but also with the lack of action from campus.
“People like this is why people are so scared to come out and it just, it doesn’t make it any easier because this should be, like, an inclusive campus where everyone can come, and I don’t think people like this should even be allowed to preach this stuff.” “Nobody is out here telling this man (LaCroix) to leave. And I mean he is creating a distraction, but it’s still like why doesn’t anyone care?” Ayres said. “They were here for hours and hours. All day. So, just, GVSU needs to do better. That’s it.” Additionally, LaCroix settled a lawsuit against the city of Fort Myers, Fla. that was elevated to the federal level regarding the freedoms of an individual protesting in 2022, particularly with regards to the First Amendment. The suit against the city pertained to citations LaCroix received while protesting that he claimed violated the First Amendment among other legislation in Florida. The district court concluded the Ordinance’s ban on portable signage was contentneutral, “laws that apply to all expression without regard to the substance or message of the expression,” so the city of Fort Myers was justified in issuing citations. However, the case was raised federally to
the Eleventh Circuit who reversed the judgment, concluding the Ordinance’s ban was in fact contentneutral, but LaCroix’s action was protected under the First Amendment and that the city could not fine him. The city of Fort Myers paid LaCroix more than $66,000 to drop the suit. LaCroix and Team Jesus Preachers did not provide a statement to the Lanthorn, despite multiple attempts of communication. Many students are fed up on how the university handled the situation, asking why GVSU hasn’t taken further action to protect their students. “This is just really frustrating because we go to a university, and I feel like everyone should be able to feel safe. It’s just frustrating that people are allowed to come on our campus and spew hate like this,” Aryes said.
PROTEST AND COUNTER-PROTEST: Grand Valley State University students gather in response to preachers speaking against LGBTQ individuals at the center of campus. GVL | EMMA ARMIJO BY EMMA ARMIJO LANTHORNEDITORAL@GVSU.EDU
A group of religiously motivated individuals gathered around the Cook Carillon Tower at Grand Valley State University to preach to people passing by about Christian salvation, specifically targeting LGBTQ and anti-abortion issues on Friday, Sept. 21. A crowd of students gathered around the group, responding to the “street preachers” with shouts and homemade signs and pride flags showing their support for the communities under fire. The street preachers were mostly concerned with individuals who identify within the LGBTQ community, calling out to passing students saying their actions and life choices have condemned them to a “life in hell.” Many students found this extremely disruptive, offensive and unnecessary. Adam LaCroix, the leading member of the preaching group, set up a microphone and multiple
tripods to livestream for his ministry’s YouTube Channel TeamJesusPreachers. Team Jesus Preachers is a religious organization based in Fort Myers, Florida that travels around the country to stand on street corners and college campuses “to spread the gospel.” “God the Father’s ears are not heavy that it cannot hear–but your sins have separated you from your God. Your hands are stained with blood, your hands,” LaCroix said, gesturing to a student in the crowd. “Your lungs are stained with tar. Please, I am preaching straight out of Isaiah. Straight true, straight facts.” GVSU student Emily Papesh was riding her bike through campus when she came across the crowd of students surrounding LaCroix and the other street preachers on the lawn. Papesh expressed her frustration towards the street preachers, saying the group had no place to pick apart students’ identities on their own campus. “People like this is why people are so scared to come out and it just, it doesn’t make it any easier because this should be, like, an inclusive campus where everyone can
come, and I don’t think people like this should even be allowed to preach this stuff,” Papesh said. “Especially if Grand Valley preaches about inclusivity and diversity, this man shouldn’t even be on this f–ing campus right now.” Students expressed confusion surrounding how the group was permitted on campus without any intervention from the university. The street preachers arrived on campus around 11:30 a.m. and continued to preach completely uninterrupted until their departure at 4 p.m. If the subject is creating a threatening or toxic environment for students of the university, many are left to wonder why no campus representatives were able to step in and mitigate the situation. GVSU’s policy prevents interfering with actions considered under the First Amendment. Due to the United States’ specific legislation protecting freedom of speech, there are many implications for any entity trying to interfere or prevent it, meaning that people outside the university are legally able to come onto campus grounds and exercise those rights.
SPEECH: The conflict between students and the preachers have lead to discussions about freedom of speech versus hate speech on campus and the university’s response. GVL | EMMA ARMIJO
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLARTS
A10 | ARTS
MOVIE
GV students debut collaborative short film
BY DYLAN HOFFIUS LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
A short film created by Ravines Film Collective, a film production organization at Grand Valley State University, was released on the organization’s YouTube channel on Sept. 15. The short film titled “Threshold” blends elements of science fiction and surrealism to bring the story to life. The work originated from GVSU film student Tanner Hamilton and his brother Tate Hamilton’s ideas, and the film draws from works like “The Matrix” and “Spirited Away.” The film follows the character of Ian Forsythe, an office clerk who helps customers “cross” into different realities or “thresholds.” Trouble begins when a mysterious figure with a dark cloak and reflective face starts pursuing Forsythe in the office and eventually into the woods. While in the woods, Forsythe discovers an eerie tunnel that alters his journey and leads him somewhere unexpected. The short film allowed the brothers and their friends to collaborate to make the story come to life visually. “The point was to make something fun together with my friends and Tate,” said Tanner Hamilton. “Everyone brought their own personality and input to the project.” Tanner Hamilton said that inspiration for his projects often comes from physical locations where he can see a story taking place. The idea for “Threshold’’ began when he sent Tate Hamilton a picture of a tunnel
located in the woods at Provin Trails Park located in Grand Rapids, Mich. Tanner Hamilton asked him to write a script based on what he saw. As a result, the same tunnel and woods are featured in the short. After weeks of discussing the script with his brother, Tanner Hamilton started to assemble his crew to begin the filming process during the Fourth of July weekend. He reached out to GVSU film student Hannah Dunaway to serve as the production designer– a position responsible for the film’s visuals. As the production designer, Dunaway was responsible for the art and creative visuals in the film, which included props, hair, makeup, costumes and special effects. When starting the project, Dunaway discussed the script with Tanner Hamilton scene-by-scene and looked for what they needed to be prepared for. “We had a pretty small budget, which is typically the case for these types of projects,” Dunaway said. “We (had) to find creative solutions to create the director’s vision.” One of the creative solutions Dunaway has to come up with is how to create the look for the entity that chases Forsythe. Dunaway said she acquired a used bridesmaid dress that she “flipped upside down” and made alterations to for the entity’s cloak. Joel Potrykus, an Assistant Professor of Film & Video Production at GVSU, said he tells his students that budget restraints should never dictate the scope of a film. He noted that filmmaking is about working around certain restrictions that come about during the creation process.
“Solving problems with your brain rather than your wallet is the most important thing an independent filmmaker can do,” Potrykus said. “Getting in the trenches and on set is what separates those who think they know how to make a movie (from) somebody who actually knows what they’re doing.” Tanner Hamilton said he is waiting to hear back from 10 different film festivals that “Threshold” was submitted to, most of them being local festivals. Announcements regarding the festival runs for “Threshold” will come throughout the next year. Potrykus also highlighted that film festivals provide incredible opportunities for GVSU film students to expose their work to an audience. The students in Potrykus’ FVP 321 and FVP 421- “Fiction Filmmaking” courses can debut their work at showcases that occur at the end of the fall and spring semesters. GVSU students are encouraged to attend these showcases at the Charles W. Loosemore Auditorium located on GVSU Pew Campus to support student filmmakers. Tanner Hamilton said that since the release of “Threshold,” support has been overwhelmingly positive. He hopes that GVSU student filmmakers can use “Threshold” as an example of what students can do when they try something new and use their creativity. “Grand Valley is a creative community,” Tanner Hamilton said. “If people are inspired by this (“Threshold”), then that’s incredible, but I also hope that people just have fun watching it.”
CINEMA: Ravines Film Collective is an organization at GVSU that creates visual media, documentaries and photography. Their newest release, “Threshold,” is available on YouTube, is a science fiction story that follows the journey of an office clerk into different realities. The movie’s crew is waiting to hear back on submissions to local film festivals. GVL | SAM NELSON
A11 | ARTS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLARTS
EXHIBITION
GV alumna’s painting showcased in ArtPrize BY RACHAEL GAGE LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Grand Valley State University alumna and artist Randi Ford recently had a painting showcased in ArtPrize 2023. She hopes its presence at the competition brought beauty and spiritual healing to those who need it and inspired young artists. ArtPrize is an annual event and competition in Grand Rapids that features local and international artists with a wide range of experience and pieces in any medium. The event began on Sept. 14 and ended on Oct. 1. It included a variety of art that the public and featured artists could vote on for an immersive and interactive experience. Ford’s ArtPrize submission, “Perfect Creation,” depicted Northern Michigan’s Pictured Rocks’ shoreline in acrylic paint. Ford was drawn to the natural, untouched area and hoped that the rhythmic flow of the painting would inspire beauty, peace and harmony. “I think that people can get lost in darkness in the world and be clouded by destructive things,” Ford said. “With painting, I am bringing people back to the purity and beauty within nature.” Ford values the locations she paints and has
partnered with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan to bring awareness to the importance of preserving and restoring natural areas. “Natural conservations are so awe-inspiring and untouched like the Garden of Eden,” Ford said. “Those are the places (where) I feel most alive and welcome to the spiritual essence in nature.” Ford graduated from GVSU with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2012 before returning in 2017 to work as an adjunct professor in 2-D Design for three semesters. Jill Eggers, an associate professor in the GVSU Department of Visual & Media Arts (VMA), remembers Ford as a remarkable student, committed and self-directed, with ambition that she developed into an art career. “Randi is a really good (representation) of our students,” Eggers said. “Her skills grew from her education here, and she pushed them into a direction that’s very uniquely her own.” VMA aims to create a strong sense of community. Often faculty members like to keep in touch with and encourage their former students’ careers and successes. “We (VMA) are really proud of her (Ford),” Eggers said. “I keep an eye on her work because it is really lovely, and I am happy to see her success.” After her time teaching with VMA, Ford moved
to Northern Michigan to continue her work as a fulltime artist and expanded her small business through gallery involvement and art shows. Through this, she has won multiple awards and has been recognized by artistic publications for her landscape paintings that share an artistic style similar to Van Gogh. Ford hopes her story and paintings can inspire young artists to follow their innate desire to experiment and create art without comparing themselves to other artists. “There are a lot of different art markets out there,” Ford said. “At fine art festivals, I keep hearing that we need to get younger people into these events or else (the) events are going to end up dying in the future.” Ford said a strong portfolio is all an artist needs to begin applying to different art festivals and events. She encourages young artists to create and expand on their artistic mediums. “I hope that other young artists can know that they can make it as an artist,” Ford said. “It takes a lot of dedication and faith but you can do it.” Ford’s paintings can also be found in two Northern Michigan galleries– Somebody’s Gallery in Petoskey and Synchronicity Gallery in Glen Arbor.
LANDSCAPE: Randi Ford, an artist and GVSU graduate, had her acrylic painting “Perfect Creation” displayed at ArtPrize 2023. Her artwork spotlights nature, and she has partnered with the Land Conservancy of West Michigan. Ford encourages student artists to continue developing their portfolios and experiment with different artistic mediums. GVL | AIDA DENNIS
A12 | LAKER LIFE
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE
BOATING
Sailing class offers students unique opportunity to embrace MI waters BY SARA BAGELY LANTHORNEDITORAL@GVSU.EDU
12 Grand Valley State University students in FIT 153- “Sailing” had the unique opportunity to go sailing out on Lake Michigan aboard “Serenity,” a schooner owned by Sailing Saugatuck, a boat tour agency based out of Douglas, Mich. The newly returning six-week, one-credit course offered this semester is a sailing class that provides students the chance to learn about boating principles, boating history, safety protocols out on the water and how to command real sailing vessels. Nancy Giardina, one of the professors for this course, was one of the individuals who helped to create the sailing class in 2005 while working as the chairperson of the Department of Movement Science. Giardina has been passionate about sailing for a long time, noting her sailing experiences at the University of Rhode Island, and wanted to integrate her interests into the GVSU education. “It’s interesting how your own life can be integrated into teaching,” Giardina said. “It just seems appropriate that we would have classes that take advantage of being on Lake Michigan.” While the course may seem unusual to some people, Giardina said that’s just one of the things that makes the class so appealing to students. Giardina said sailing is set apart from other fitness courses. “It’s totally different than a typical sports or fitness activity,” Giardina said. “The fact that we do live here and our university is so close to Lake Michigan (makes the course extra relevant) and I know also some students are interested and encourage others to come along.” Though Giardina was part of the original planning for the class, she didn’t teach the course at the time of its creation. Making the course happen has been a collaborative effort between many resources and faculty across campus. Some people involved in the course include AP FIT Course Coordinator Karol Tiemersma, Sally Ross the Movement Science department unit head, Facilities Services and the Pew Faculty Teaching and Learning Center. Additionally, the course draws on outside resources including the ongoing collaboration with Sailing Saugatuck, that gives GVSU students the chance to truly sail. Since sailing is not an easy activity to complete every week, Giardina has found an alternative for students to explore sailing: remote-controlled model sailboats. By using the remote-controlled sailboats, Giardina found a way to give students an early shot at captaining by floating the boats on Zumberge Pond, located on the Allendale Campus, during classes over the past three weeks. “We match up students in the classroom and on the pond,” Giardina said. “We figure out who’s gonna be the captain and the first mate, and they switch roles. In sailing, it’s really important that one person is in charge but takes advice from the crew at certain points in time.” She said the activity not only allows students to learn about safety protocols for watercraft, but they also get to experience intensive collaboration. Students’ ability to work together in the captain and first mate model determines whether or not they will be able to handle a sailboat successfully and safely. Additionally, this class provides a unique opportunity for students to put multiple scientific concepts into practice. “Through sailing, there are so many principles of physics applied. It draws on science from many disciplines,” Giardina said. Giardina said there is a lot of information that students are presented within the class, ranging from navigational skills to sailing history, but she
ON THE LAKE: Students gear up for their first sail of the semester on Lake Michigan. COURTESY | EMILY ROELANT
still prioritizes students’ enjoyment. “We all have stress; we all have issues,” Giardina said. “We can control whether we plan on having some fun.” Emily Roelant, a marketing major and senior at GVSU enrolled in the sailing course to try something new and enjoyable. “I have really enjoyed the class so far,” Roelant said. “The class is made up of twelve girls, so it has been fun getting to know them and all learning together about the basics of sailing.” She said each class is structured with some in-class activities to learn about sailing rules and information, while the other part of the class is spent at Zumberge Pond sailing the small remote-controlled model sailboats. Since sailing is so weather-dependent, she and her classmates never know what to expect for the day. This training gave Roelant the chance to learn how to navigate many different situations and prepare for
her chance to sail on the open water of Lake Michigan. On Sept. 21 Roelant and her classmates had their first sailing experience. They spent two hours on the open water, with the wind challenging students to learn “figure eight” techniques and how to steer through waves. “I was able to be captain and sail the boat from Lake Michigan back to the port which was a really cool experience. It was cool to take everything we’ve learned in class and apply it to real sailing,” Roelant said. Giardina acknowledged that most students may never have sailed before, but that shouldn’t deter them from trying it. “Students who plan to live near the water for any length of time should try sailing. It’s a fun activity, and it’s a new challenge every time you go out,” Giardina said. Roelant has no concrete plans for sailing in the future. However, she said she takes in every moment to embrace the class. “This class has allowed for all of the students to have a good time while also learning about the basics of sailing,” Roelant said. “Although I do not think I will ever be a first mate or captain on a sailboat, I think all of the skills and knowledge I have learned so far will be helpful to know in the future.”
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN
A13 | LAKER LIFE
@GVLLAKERLIFE
RACING
Simulation to speedway: the journey of GV’s formula racing team BY SARA BAGELY LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Grand Valley State University’s formula racing team Laker Racing has sped head-on into its ninth year on campus. Started in 2014 by students Bert Vossler and Chris Clark, the organization gives student the opportunity to design, build and race. The Formula Racing Program at GVSU allows students to compete, form community and to create. Eric Whiting, current president of the team, said the process of building the cars is quite long, tedious and starts before the school year begins. The team first builds the cars virtually in Computer-Aided Design (CAD) programs. They use computer simulations and multiple tests to make sure each part of the car they have designed works as intended before sending the designs off to manufacturing companies. Once the parts come back from the manufacturers, the team begins the long process of building the car. “This (designing and building the car) is the longest step and takes place over the winter. Lots of our time is spent working on the car and trying to improve it,” Whiting said. “The goal is to have a running and driving car by late spring.” Though Laker Racing is primarily student-led, faculty advisor and associate professor of electrical engineering Nicholas Baine provides assistance and guidance for the organization. “I consider my primary concern to be ensuring the safety of the team,” Baine said. “A close second is helping the team to find the resources and support needed to do what they want to do.” Baine is happy to give feedback about designs made by
the team, assist with fundraising and sponsor relationships and provides transportation to events and competitions. Every two years, the team attends the Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (Formula SAE) at the Michigan International Speedway in Lenawee County. This competition involves 120 teams from around the world. Annika Matson, a mechanical engineering major who serves as the aerodynamics and composition lead for the racing team, said these racing events are her favorite part of being part of Laker Racing. “This experience is the most fun part of the team, we grow closer as a team through it and really begin to work together on the whole car, rather than just focusing on our separate sub-teams,” Mattson said. Aside from the major Formula SAE event, the club also attends some smaller competitions taking place in the fall after the big race. Two of these include the Furrin Group Autocross that takes place in Allendale, Mich., and the Lawrence Tech Grand Prix in Southfield, Mich. “The experience of these events is unmatched, we always love to represent Grand Valley and Laker Racing,” Whiting said. Building and racing are only part of what the Laker Racing team members focus on. Chris Pearson, a supply chain operations and marketing double-major said it is very important for the team to have sponsors. As the business lead, Pearson works to procure funding and maintain relationships with external sponsors. “These connections are often formed by our members interning and co-oping at companies in the area and being able to directly talk with higher-ups in these companies,” Pearson said. “Often sponsors find that the team can be a great resource for finding interns, co-op students and future employees.” Pearson said members’ connections to their
family members or local business owners are a huge form of support for the team. Since the car is student-built, the team spends a lot of time problem-solving and troubleshooting. However, this is not all the team does together. “A lot of the members become friends outside of the team and hang out,” Mattson said. “We have had watch parties in the past for (professional) Formula One races. We also host drive days where we get to bring the car out to one of the parking lots downtown and do any testing we need on it.” Overall, the team members come from many different majors and levels of experience, but all together, they work as a “well-oiled machine.” “I have had the pleasure of forming very strong relationships with many students who have been on the team and continue to stay connected with many of them,” Baine said. “Each year, I watch as the team becomes like a family and work to help one another when needed. I firmly believe that there have been multiple students who stayed in engineering and completed their degree who would not have had it not been for the team supporting them and giving them a sense of belonging.” The Laker Racing team has many different roles that students can get involved with to best offer their skills and interests: engineering-based subteams, business roles and social media positions. “We are actively recruiting dedicated members that want to work on the car and see it become the best it can be,” Mattson said. “Whether that be designing it, manufacturing it or, most importantly, looking for ways to fund it, we could use you on our team.”
ENGINEERING: The GVSU Formula Racing Team works hard throughout the semesters to prepare for the bi-yearly race at the Michigan International Speedway in Leanwee County. The team prepares by running simulations and testing our their car. The team also attends other competitions to test out the car they have made. COURTESY | GVSU FORMULA RACING TEAM
A14 | LAKER LIFE
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLLAKERLIFE
CHANGES
GV Brew serves up boba and bubbles
CAMPUS DINING: With the recent additions to the menu at GV Brew, the menu boards get a fresh and colorful revamp to highlight the new items available. GVL | ALENA VISNOVSKY BY ANNE DAVEY LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Coffee is a staple for many college student’s lives, both to get the day started and to push through long study sessions. A campus staple to Grand Valley State University students, staff and visitors is GV Brew, located in the Mary Idema Pew Library. The convenient location makes it easy for students to grab a quick study snack or drink during their time at the library or on their way to and from classes. GV Brew took on big changes for the new school year. Previously, GV Brew was affiliated with the popular franchise Starbucks and sold Starbucks-branded coffee and drinks. Coming into the new year, Laker Food Co. decided to disaffiliate from Starbucks and its menu, curating its own brand and offerings. The decision to discontinue the Starbucks affiliated partnership was made along with the new additions of boba and bubble tea to the menu. “Laker Food Co. wanted to create a destination for students where unique products could be offered. It was all about bringing Boba and Bubble Tea to campus,” said Deb Rambadt, a staff member of Laker Food Co.
Rambadt said there are no negative feelings towards Starbucks, and Laker Food Co. is pleased with the Allendale and Pew campus Starbucks locations, both of which are also popular places for students. The decision to disaffiliate came mostly from the want to diversify their menu options. The menu now includes pre-fixed lemonades and tea with boba, as well as the option to customize a drink based on flavor preferences. Despite dropping the Starbucks affiliation the cafe still sells traditional coffee drinks, chai, Thai tea and mochas as well. This menu addition creates a variety of menu choice options for students to try. Laker Food Co. said the additions required little change to GV Brew and aimed to invoke a positive reaction from the student body. “We’ve had a positive response and we believe that as more students become aware of GV Brew inside the library, the popularity will grow,” Rambadt said. Kanyha Johnson, a student employee at GV Brew, said the training for the new menu has been easy to adjust to and not too overwhelming. Johnson said she prefers GV Brew now because she feels the location has “better customer service and quicker drinks”
compared to when it was affiliated with Starbucks. Johnson said her favorite thing about the new changes is when customers ask for her opinion on what to try. She enjoys helping customers find a boba drink that will please them. Johnson, a fan of tropical fruity flavors, recommends the hibiscus berry tea with fruity boba. “I love my iced, vanilla caramel latte, but I really do like the strawberry lemonade bursts at the same time,” Johnson said. In addition to the new menu items GV Brew now supports the Thrive Farmers international beverage program, a program that creates sustainable income opportunities for farmers. The location will be replacing the usage of Starbucks branded products with products from Thrive Farmers such as tea and coffee grounds. Maintaining their location in the library will also allow Laker Food Co. to continue to serve as many students as they can. The addition of boba tea is not the only change coming to establishments managed by Laker Food Co. this year. The week of Oct. 2 Einstein’s Bagels will be opening inside the DeVos Center on Pew Campus. Laker Food Co. anticipates another positive reaction from the students with this new addition.
BARISTA: Student workers at GV Brew learn to navigate the changes in the menu with specialized training focused on learning how to make the new drinks. GVL | ALENA VISNOVSKY
A15 | SPORTS
OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
FOOTBALL
GV Football takes huge 55-14 victory in Battle of the Valleys BY TEDDY SEIDENBERG LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
Grand Valley State University’s football team came out with a huge 55-14 victory over Saginaw Valley State University in the “Battle of the Valleys.” The instate Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC) rivals faced off this Saturday, Sept. 30 at Harvey Randall Wickes Memorial Stadium in Saginaw, Mich. coming off of a bye week for the Lakers. GVSU’s run game has continued to dominate opposing defenses week in and week out. The Lakers ran for a net total of 248 yards, relaxing the job of their star quarterback Cade Peterson. Peterson’s night was solid, throwing for 156 yards on seven completions. The Lakers’ head coach Scott Wooster saw a terrific outing in all facets of the game. “A completely dominant performance by the defense,” said Wooster. “Just the complete synergy between all three units.” The Lakers struck first with a one-yard touchdown, punched in by redshirt freshman running back, Khalil Eichelberger, after a 46-yard passing touchdown to junior tight end Gavin Cossou who was called back on a holding penalty earlier in the drive. GVSU would get the ball back with five minutes left in the first quarter before Josh Gorball knocked in a 38yard field goal to take a 10-0 at the end of the first. The Lakers kept a quick tempo on their first drive of the second quarter with Peterson finding wide receiver Donovan Johnson for a 38-yard completion to put GVSU in the redzone. From SVSU’s 12-yard line, Peterson would then connect with Cossou for a touchdown, giving the Lakers a 17-0 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the half.
GVSU’s next possession resulted in a pick-six, giving the Cardinals their first score of the game to draw closer at 17-7. The Laker offense responded quickly after nine plays, pushing them to the red zone in the final moments of the half. Gorball hit another field goal, this time from 36 yards, giving GVSU a 20-7 lead entering halftime. SVSU started the half with the ball but was intercepted by GVSU defensive back Ian Kennelly at the Lakers’ twenty-yard line. The Laker’s offense, however, was slow to start the second half and stalled out on the ensuing drive. The Cardinals then scored a three-yard rushing touchdown late into the third quarter, shortening the Lakers’ lead to 20-14. For a moment, SVSU appeared to be back in the game, but GVSU wide receiver and star kick returner Kellen Reed had other plans. Reed exploded for a 94-yard kick return touchdown, fueling GVSU’s domination over the next 18 minutes of regulation. “The guys did an unbelievable job setting that return up. Some absolutely incredible blocks,” Wooster said. “He’s a football player that has track speed. He’s a football player that people bounce off of. He’s tough, he can see things. His growth and maturity will be exciting.” Reed was named the GLIAC conference special teams player of the week in week three and will likely make a case for the title in week four. “He’s (Reed) the definition of a big play guy. He’s got speed unlike I’ve ever seen,” Peterson said. The Cardinals were down 27-14 with three minutes left in the third quarter before a punt would lead to another touchdown, this time returned by GVSU wide receiver Darell Johnson, increasing SVSU’s deficit to 34-14 heading into the fourth quarter.
“We’ve been really working on punt returns. It’s something that early in the season had cost us and now it’s becoming not just a break even, but a weapon for us,” Wooster said. SVSU’s next possession went no better with a fumble recovery by GVSU defensive lineman Colton Hybel after linebacker Tommy Barnett forced it on a sack. “When your defense plays like that you’re going to win games,” Peterson said. GVSU found themselves in the red zone once again, this time finding running back Syone UsmaHarper for a two-yard run, giving the visiting Lakers a 41-14 lead early into the final quarter. SVSU failed to make any adjustments before a 44yard pick-six by GVSU defensive back Luke McClean pushed the lead to 48-14. Which Wooster said was “a completely dominant performance by the defense.” GVSU scored another rushing touchdown in their next position, this time from 87 yards out for wide receiver Kyle Nott. The Lakers finished the game with an impressive 55-14 victory. Despite GVSU having a below-average performance passing the football, it did not matter on Sept. 30. In their current three-game win streak, no defense has had an answer for the unstoppable Laker offense when it is in full force. With two touchdowns on special teams plays and an unbreakable defense down the stretch, GVSU showed no signs of slowing down. “I don’t think this team is very shakeable, we can handle a lot of adversity,” said GVSU linebacker Abe Swanson. The Lakers improved to 3-1 on the season following their bye week and will invite Kentucky State University to Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, Mich. on Saturday, Oct. 7.
DOMINATION: The Grand Valley State University football team stretched their lead from 20-14 to 55-14 in the final 18 minutes of the Battle of the Valleys. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS
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OCTOBER 2, 2023 GRAND VALLEY LANTHORN @GVLANTHORN @GVLSPORTS
SOCCER
#13 GV women’s soccer chugs along in conference competition BY MAKAYLA LAUB LANTHORNEDITORIAL@GVSU.EDU
The #13 Grand Valley State University Lakers’ women’s soccer team (5-1-3) traveled to Marquette, Mich. to face the #18 team in the country, the Northern Michigan University Wildcats (6-1-2), leaving with a 0-0 tie in a hard-fought match. Following the 1-0 win against the University of Wisconsin-Parkside on Sunday, Sept. 24, GVSU remained undefeated in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC). The Lakers’ head coach, Katie Hultin, characterized the game against Parkside as “gritty” and “a good offensive performance.” Senior forward Taylor Reid broke down the Lakers’ win over Parkside. “Sunday’s game was definitely a battle. We had a lot of shots on goal, however, struggled to score. It was very exciting that we had that many chances,” Reid said. “Overall, I’m pretty happy with the weekend and excited to play in the upcoming games.” Last season GVSU won their first match against
NMU with a score of 2-0 and ended their second with a 0-0 tie. This year, both teams played a similar style of game that had a major emphasis on defense. GVSU currently ranks as the number 13 team in the nation as NMU trails close behind at No. 18. On paper their similar records and national rankings showed that this would likely be a tight game, and the tie confirmed that. Beginning the first half NMU started quickly with four early shots as the Lakers had just five of their own on the game to the Wildcats’ 12. While the Wildcats may have led in shots, GVSU’s redshirt freshman goalkeeper Isabel Imes stood up strong, making a career-high five saves in total. Imes was jumped on early by the NMU attack as she had to ward off a shot just moments into the game. “The first save was the first play of the game in the first few seconds,” Imes said. “The ball came from wide space and was laid off to an attacker at the top of the box who hit it first time to the right corner. I dove and parried the ball into the wide space where we were able to regain the ball.” Imes and the Lakers were tested by a Wildcats
team that was looking to bounce back coming off of their first loss of the season, a 1-0 game at Saginaw Valley State University on Sunday, Sept. 24. “We always know this game will be a great game. Northern is a very good team and we know we have to bring our absolute best,” Hultin said. “I think we just need to keep focusing on the details and finding more ways to threaten in behind.” The tie was the Lakers’ second of GLIAC play, after a 1-1 tie to SVSU a couple of weeks prior. “I would say that today was a hard-fought game from both sides. Northern is a very good team, and we knew that it would be a challenge. We play them again in about two weeks, so we are hoping that we can get the win then,” Reid said. GVSU stays static at 5-1-3 as the Lakers continue their season on the road for the next week. The final games of the away stretch are against Michigan Technological University (Oct. 1) and Davenport University (Oct. 6), before they head back to Allendale, Mich. to play their first home game in nearly three weeks on Friday, Oct. 13 at 7 p.m.
TIES: The GVSU women’s soccer team (5-1-3) has not lost since the season opener versus Ashland and has ended three games in a tie this season. COURTESY | GVSU ATHLETICS