On Monday, April 24, ODU announced the featured speakers for the 138th commencement, which will be on May 5 and 6. The undergraduate ceremony on May 6 will feature Gov. Glenn Youngkin as speaker, and the faculty speaker at the graduate ceremony will be ODU professor Dr. Nina Brown, who has taught at ODU for 55 years. 

The announcement of Youngkin as an undergraduate commencement ceremony speaker has been met with backlash from the student body. Several hours after the announcement, ODU alumna Rachel Clifton started a Change.org petition to prevent Youngkin from speaking.

“…I am appalled at Old Dominion’s decision to make Youngkin the honorary speaker. Youngkin’s stance on transgender rights, the black community and women’s rights go completely against what ODU “claims” they stand for,” said Clifton. “It is a travesty that ODU will allow Youngkin to speak on behalf of these graduates when he has done nothing but harm to their communities.”

In an announcement, ODU applauded Youngkin’s tax cuts, business expansions, and education budget.

“We are looking forward to celebrating the academic achievements of our newest Monarch alumni as they transition to the next phase of their personal and professional lives,” said President Brian Hemphill. “We are equally excited to be joined by family members and loved ones for this milestone, as well as Governor Youngkin who will provide an inspiring message, which will be driven by his passion for service and success in business.”

On the petition, Clifton pushed against the decision, calling it “offensive”.

“How could a man who has gone against [the] constitutional rights of Virginians give an “inspiring” message to these graduates?” she said. “Why are we prioritizing “success in business”  rather than the safety and overall health for students at ODU? Is this truly the message ODU wants to leave for graduates and students alike?” 

Other signers list Youngkin’s ban of critical race theory and removal of protections for transgender students as some of the reasons for their opposition. 

Rachel Wilson, a criminal justice major who is graduating in 2025, signed and commented on the petition. 

“This man actively has been trying to eradicate the teaching of critical race theory and is invited to speak at a graduation of a school that has an immense number of BIPOC students and has degree options that teach and are based in CRT,” she said. “He has no business speaking at our school for the class of 2023. The president of ODU is tainting their graduation with a man who has been actively fighting against its students.”

“As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, I feel disgusted that my graduation will be marred by a governor who wishes nothing but harm to people like me and my friends, said Darcy Liebell, who graduates this May. “We deserve a graduation free of hate, as do POC and other communities that Youngkin stands against.”

Other commentators point out that Youngkin’s political priorities are distinctly out of line with ODU’s educational values. 

“The university’s commitment to diversity is in conflict with this choice,” said Keith Demarah, a junior.

“Glenn Youngkin actively campaigns against a big part of the community at ODU,” said Hayden Dauphin, an astrophysics student. “It’s ridiculous that he would be invited to give a speech trying to inspire the very people he detests. Trans rights are human rights; Black Lives Matter. I’m not even graduating this year, but I don’t want him tainting my friends’ ceremony.” 

“We deserve to feel safe at our school”, another student said.

Commenters also discussed the potential for a walk-out, and said that if ODU doesn’t remove him as speaker, he will likely be booed. ODU’s Dominion Rock was spray painted Tuesday with this link: https://youngkoff.carrd.co/.

“We want to use this platform to make our stance known,” said the anonymous students who created the site. “Sign the petition so that when the commencement gets news coverage, the number of signatures is high enough to send a message. Don’t stop there, talk to student orgs on the side of racial justice and trans rights, show up to schoolboard meetings, and figure out how to get involved.”

The petition had received over 1,500 signatures as of Wednesday afternoon. You can find it online here.

The University of Utah’s School of Music Opera Department stunned audiences with a Puccini double bill this past weekend, April 14 and 15.

Let’s Go to the Opera

Though the thrill of the opera may sound like an oxymoron to many young people, the passionate music of iconic composer Giacomo Puccini is enough to convince any doubter of opera’s unique power. Sitting in a dark theater surrounded by dozens of fellow aficionados dressed to the nines, watching the curtain rise to reveal captivating sets and intricate costumes, suddenly hearing a woman belt out a note you never would have imagined a human voice could manufacture, I felt like Cher in “Moonstruck,” shedding a single tear at the sheer beauty. 

Everybody Loves Puccini

The double bill presented in Kingsbury Hall included performances of two Puccini one-acts, “Suor Angelica” and “Gianni Schicchi.” “Gianni Schicci” is a comedic opera that is based on a small section of Dante’s “The Divine Comedy.” Fighting over a will and a wedding, “Gianni Schicci” contains one of Puccini’s most popular arias, “O Mio Babbino Caro,” performed Saturday night by Emmalyne Parke, an undergrad at the U studying vocal performance. 

“Suor Angelica,” on the other hand, tells the tale of a nun who was banished from her noble family after birthing a child out of wedlock. She suddenly learns that her son passed years before and becomes extremely distraught, leading to the tear-jerking aria “Senza Mamma.” Nadia Englund, a first-year doctoral student at the U’s School of Music, gave an impassioned and gifted performance as Sister Angelica Saturday night, garnering an abundance of applause and leaving hardly a dry eye in the audience. 

Showcasing the U’s Talent

Each one-act was performed by a different set of performers on Friday and Saturday night respectively, allowing audiences the opportunity to enjoy a wide variety of the U’s vocal talent. Not to mention the incredible orchestra performing live in the pit, conducted by doctoral student Brandon Horrocks and School of Music professor Barbara Scowcroft. 

The U’s opera department provides a space for students of all educational and musical stages to show the community their exceptional talent. The Puccini double bill was also one of the dozens of free or subsidized events made available to students through Arts Pass. Students could watch this extraordinary performance free of charge, but the general public could also buy tickets for a relatively low cost. Opera has long been considered a rich man’s game, but the School of Music and Arts Pass makes the magic of the opera accessible to everyone. 

Use Your Arts Pass!

Though you may have missed Puccini this time, the U’s School of Music is constantly hosting musical performances that students and community members alike can partake in. Check the School of Music’s events page for upcoming shows. 

e.raines@dailyutahchronicle.com 

@ed_edd_n_edie

N.K. Jemisin, a Hugo Award-winning and New York Times-best-selling author, visited Coffman Union on April 18 for a special lecture supported by the Department of English.

The event was the 42nd Esther Freier Endowed Lecture in Literature, which honors Freier, who spent her entire four decade-long academic and working career with the University. This year, the lecture reached capacity and was moved to the great hall in Coffman Union to accommodate the high demand.

N.K Jemisin is the first and only author to win the Hugo Award for best novel three years in a row with her “Broken Earth” trilogy. The Hugo Award is considered the premier award in science fiction literature.

Jemisin visited Coffman Union in promotion of her most recent book, November’s “The World We Make,” which completed her “Great Cities” duology. The urban fantasy duology is about New York City as it becomes sentient and the humans who must face an otherworldly enemy to protect it. However, “The World We Make” took on a tone that Jemisin had not envisioned for the series.

“‘The World We Make’ is a darker book than I wanted it to be,” Jemisin said at the lecture.

Writing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the author struggled to complete the series, deciding to make it a duology instead of the original trilogy.

“I decided to kind of cut my losses,” Jemisin said in a November Rolling Stone interview.

The expedited ending was noticeable to some critics.

“Several interesting developments — revelations about Manhattan’s family history, Brooklyn’s bid for mayor — feel marched to conclusion instead of being explored,” wrote Canadian poet Amal El-Mohtar in her November New York Times review.

However, the lecture highlighted the overwhelmingly positive reception to Jemisin’s works, especially her earlier books.

“If you are new to her work and eager to be devastated, you should start with ‘The Broken Earth trilogy,’” Megan Giddings, the moderator of the event, said. During her introduction, the audience broke out into cheers at the recognition of the trilogy.

Jemisin started the event with a reading titled “Give Me Cornbread or Give Me Death.” Originally published in 2019, the story describes dragon attacks, attempts to control the public and the importance of collard greens.

“It is an absurd story, it’s okay to laugh,” Jemisin said to the crowd before she began.

After the reading, Jemisin answered questions from Giddings and the audience.

The author was asked about her creative process, specifically how she developed the human avatars that represented New York’s different boroughs in her “Great Cities” duology.

Jemisin said she usually starts with the most recognizable aspect of the place she’s writing about. She asked the crowd for descriptors of Minneapolis and received several shouts of “Minnesota Nice!” in response.

Jemisin said if she were to write about Minneapolis, she would then start her avatar-development with Minnesota Nice. Using that foundation, Jemisin said she would then try to bring in more aspects of the city to avoid stereotypes and to give the character depth.

Jemisin also said she has sold the rights to all her books for television and movie adaptations.

After “Black Panther” came out in 2018, Jemisin said she experienced a dramatic increase in interest for Black science fiction stories. She sold the rights to some of her books two or three times over. However, none have reached fruition.

Her most recent deal with Sony’s TriStar Pictures is for “The Broken Earth” trilogy, which she will be adapting herself. At the lecture, Jemisin discussed writing her first script for the screen.

You can buy N.K. Jemisin’s “The World We Make” at Barnes & Noble, Amazon and more.

UH grabbed five wins on track at the J. Fred Duckett Twilight. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

UH track and field hurdlers dominated the competition in the J. Fred Duckett Twilight on Saturday at Rice University.

The Cougars took three of the top four spots in the men’s 400-meter hurdles led by senior DJ Akindele’s time of 51.64 seconds to win the event. Junior De’Vion Wilson finished just .03 seconds behind Akindele to take second and sophomore Dillion Leacock ran a 52.38 to place fourth.

On the women’s side, senior Sydni Townsend took first in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 57.53 seconds. Sophomore Destiny Smith won the 100-meter hurdles.

sports@thedailycougar.com

—
“UH track and field hurdlers shine at J. Fred Duckett Twilight” was originally posted on The Cougar

Editor’s Note: All opinion section content reflects the views of the individual author only and does not represent a stance taken by The Collegian or its editorial board.

If you attend in-person classes at Colorado State University on a regular basis, witnessing students listening to music on their commutes to and from class is extremely common. Seeing that CSU is a fairly large campus containing nearly 4,800 acres, it makes perfect sense that people implement music into their daily lives to make the little moments more enjoyable.

The way each commuter chooses to listen to their music varies. There are many different types of headphones and speakers to choose from that students use to enhance their audio experience. Although, if you are one of those people who listen to music on campus with a blaring speaker, please stop. It is very annoying.

Headphones seem to be the undisputed, most popular and polite way to listen to music in public. With that said, a lot can go into the process of choosing the right pair of headphones to suit one’s individual needs. Color, connectivity, quality, in-ear, over-ear, brand, style, affordability and how loud you can get them without the noise leaking out to the person next to you are just a few things to consider when choosing the ideal headphones.   

That said, nothing pales in comparison to which headphone style and brand is currently trending and seen most often among peers on campus and beyond. 

“Over-ear headphones offer flat-out better quality. You will hear less ambient sound, which is pleasant in noisy environments like public transportation or the classroom and office. Additionally, over-the-ear headphones don’t press on your ears or inner ears, making them more comfortable and easier to wear for longer periods of time.” 

Trends come and go. Remember skinny jeans? They were once all the rave, and now it appears the baggier the denim, the better. With headphones, it is no different. In-ear headphones were once the go-to option, but now, over-ear headphones are taking the throne in terms of popularity. 

Here at CSU especially, it seems over-the-ear headphones are in and here to stay for the foreseeable future. AirPods and other in-ear headphones are still a popular, strong choice, but over-the-ear headphones are appearing more and more frequently on the heads of students on campus. But why?

Is it no longer enjoying the feeling of in-ear headphones? Is it the quality? Or just plain trendiness and what everyone else is wearing? It seems to be a solid mixture of all the above. 

For starters, over-ear headphones offer flat-out better quality. You will hear less ambient sound, which is pleasant in noisy environments like public transportation or the classroom and office. Additionally, over-the-ear headphones don’t press on your ears or inner ears, making them more comfortable and easier to wear for longer periods of time. 

Most importantly and above all else, over-the-ear headphones are trending due to Apple’s newest AirPods Max headphone release, which offers quality sound and several different colors to show off and stand out on campus. The various color choices paired with quality audio technology leave little opportunity for competitors to keep up.  

Apple has been the front-runner for headphones ever since they got in the game, at least in terms of trendiness. Every time a new Apple product is released, it immediately becomes the most popular in its field, and the headphone release has proven that fad once again. 

In fact, one Statista study asked over 4,000 American adults about their personal headphones, and 34.4% said they use Apple products, followed by 15.3% who said they use Beats by Dre headphones, a company owned by Apple.

So it is quite clear why over-the-ear headphones — especially those made by Apple — are trending right now and the superior choice for listening to music. They are better quality, more comfortable, bolder and just so happen to be Apple’s latest product release. 

Who’s to tell when over-the-ear headphones will go out of style again? For now, why not fit in while enjoying a supreme music listening experience and pop them on before it’s too late? That is, if you really want to fit in with the trends.

Reach Callum Burke at letters@collegian.com or on Twitter @burkec0621.

The Daily Trojan features Classified advertising in each day’s edition.  Here you can read, search, and even print out each day’s edition of the Classifieds.

Click the Classifieds icon to download the PDF of today’s Classifieds:

To place an ad, please contact an ad representative:

(213) 740-2707

USC Student Publications Student Union – Room 400

Los Angeles, CA 90089-0895

http://dailytrojan.com/ads

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On Saturday afternoon the University of Maine football team held their 17th annual Jeff Cole Memorial spring game. In the game, the Black Bear offense scrimmages the defense as a way to end the spring camp. The game serves as a way to get players and coaches in a competitive game-like scenario while being able to not have the pressure of a game and having more of an instructional sense. 

This game is as useful for returning key players and starters as it is a first preparation before training camp in the summer. It is also a great experience for younger players looking to rise through the depth chart by showing what skills they possess and get more reps. A spring game is also a very useful experience for incoming freshman recruits. They have been practicing with the team for the month-long session but have never experienced anything of this magnitude yet.

Photo by Liv Schanck

This was also the first time the new captains were announced to the public with fourth-year quarterback Derek Robertson, grad student tight end Shawn Bowman, grad student offensive tackle Kevin Jones and third-year linebacker Vince Thomas being given the honor.

As for the game itself, both sides of the ball had some very bright moments as well as some points for improvement. Both offense and defense were pretty even all day as both units made some big plays, but neither conclusively beat the other side. One of the premier stars of the day was fourth-year running back Tavion Banks. 

The tough back seemed to be the Black Bears’ best offensive player as he had three touchdowns and many bruising runs and showed very good agility and ability to read a hole. He and fifth-year running back John Gay will look to be the top two ball carriers when fall comes. Gay had a solid day as well. 

Photo by Liv Schanck

The best defensive player of the day was definitely second-year defensive tackle Shymell Davis. He recorded four tackles (all for a loss) and a would-be sack if the quarterbacks were allowed to get hit. Davis was a menace in the interior of the D-line and he started the game with a ritual that I found quite heartwarming. 

His mother, Melanie Capers, met him at the fence separating the field from the stands and they embraced each other. She gave him a kiss on the top of the helmet before he ran back onto the sidelines to join the team. This tradition goes back years to when Davis was a child and this was the first time it has happened at a collegiate level. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Mrs. Capers and she explained the whole story to me and I thought it was just a great moment.

Photo by Liv Schanck

Another player who stood out during yesterday’s game was the tight end, Bowman, who made some impressive catches in tight coverage and blocked well additionally. The connection Robertson and Bowman developed was the bread and butter of the passing attack. Robertson had a decent day but did have some overthrows, and also had some really nice throws in small windows on intermediate range. 

As the day progressed, the starters would periodically come out of the game and reserve players were able to make an appearance in the game. The team showed they are very deep in all position groups, especially the quarterback room. All four guys came out and made some really nice plays. 

UMaine had a tough 2022 season, finishing with a 2-9 record, but if the spring game is any indication, it looks like the team is on the right track for the 2023 season and beyond.

The Associated Students of Colorado State University convened April 19 for the 27th session of the 52nd senate.

After three new senators were sworn into office, senate moved directly into confidence business and entered Committee of the Whole, allowing the legislative body to edit legislation on the floor. 

Senate was prompted to enter into Committee of the Whole after accessibility concerns were raised when senators noted the proposed bills sent in the weekly ASCSU email did not include the most recent versions of the legislative documents, which included edits from the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Affairs Committee. 

Bill 5220 “CSU Temporarily Disabled Student Transportation Program Funding” was first discussed. 

The bill seeks to use funding granted from the Senate Discretionary Fund totaling over $5,500 in order to fund a program designed to provide transportation for temporarily disabled students across campus. 

“This is a beautifully written bill and it will help a lot of students,” University Affairs Committee Chair Sammy Trout said. “This is just the beginning of so much more within (the Off-Campus Life) office and I’m very excited for this to be the first thing.”

The program will employ hired staff to operate a rented golf cart to facilitate student transportation.

The bill passed by way of a 21-0 vote, with one abstention.

Lex 5208 “Collaboration and Diversity Amendment” was also considered.

The legislation intends to promote increased cooperation and diversity of opinion on future pieces of legislation by mandating legislative authors include senators from both College Councils and Student Diversity Programs and Services Offices more completely during the legislative process.

The lex’s authors hope the legislation will work to repair strained relationships within ASCSU and prevent future hostile senate sessions as observed throughout the 52nd senate.

In strong opposition to the legislation, Constitution Caucus Chair Parker Doyle cited concerns surrounding the potential risk for further division within senate and the precedent the passing of the legislation would set for future senate members. 

“What we need in senate is to not divide ourselves, but come together and recognize that if we put in the work, we can come together for those common goals,” Doyle said. “There is no need to divide us.”

Because constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority vote, the legislation failed by way of a 10-9 vote with six abstentions.

ASCSU Senate will resume April 26.

Reach Sam Hutton at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @Sam_Hut14.

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The University of Minnesota Board of Regents elected two regents to serve as co-vice chairs and discussed President Joan Gabel’s transition out of leadership at its special meeting Monday afternoon. 

Over the last month, University administration has seen significant changes, including Gabel’s departure from the University and former board Chair Regent Ken Powell’s resignation from his leadership position on the board.  

New board Chair Janie Mayeron assumed Powell’s position after his resignation, leaving the vice chair role vacant. 

Regents Mike Kenyanya and Doug Huebsch were elected by the board to serve as co-chairs until June 30. They were nominated by Regent Kodi Verhalen, who brought a motion to suspend the board’s bylaws to allow for the temporary creation of co-vice chair positions. The motion passed 9-3. 

Verhalen said she made the motion so that board leadership would have additional support during the University presidential transition period. 

“It will give, not only you Madam Chair, the opportunity to have colleagues in leadership, but also this board the opportunity to have full leadership at this time when we have an outgoing president and an incoming interim,” Verhalen said.  

At the special meeting, the regents initially planned to elect one member to fill the vice chair role by voting to suspend a section of the board’s bylaws. The bylaws state members need a 10-day notice of a chair’s resignation before they can elect a new vice chair. In a 7-5 vote, the motion failed. 

Before the board took a vote on the co-vice chair positions, Huebsch accepted his nomination. 

“I’ll work hard, I promise that,” Huebsch said. “I love the University of Minnesota, I’ll do whatever I can to help it along.” 

Kenyanya also accepted his nomination. 

“It’s not just in the absence of the chair, it’s supporting while the chair is there and that’s kind of what we’ve seen in this dialogue is that that’s what is needed more than ever,” Kenyanya said. 

The board will elect a permanent vice chair after June 30. 

Presidential transition plans, Gabel’s possible bonus 

The board discussed the rest of Gabel’s time at the University and how she will carry out the duties of her role in her last months as president. 

The board has not officially decided on Gabel’s last day at the University. In a special meeting Thursday, board members said her final day could be before June 9. However, during Monday’s meeting, the board discussed the interim president officially taking over on July 1. 

If Gabel stays at the University through June, she could be up for an extra $260,000, according to her contract. She would be eligible for up to $100,000 as a performance bonus and $160,000 in supplemental retirement funds. 

Regent Darrin Rosha called a motion during Monday’s meeting for the board to hire an external attorney to review the specifics of her contract as they finalize the presidential transition process. The board voted 9-3 to indefinitely postpone this motion after several board members said they felt they did not have enough information to make this decision at this time. 

The board still expects Gabel to complete a majority of her final tasks in May. 

Gabel will present a tuition pricing model to the board, along with University Provost Rachel Croson  during the board’s May meeting as well as her recommended candidate for the University of Minnesota-Morris chancellor position to the board. The board is scheduled to meet May 11 and 12. 

She will also attend the annual American Indian Advisory Board meeting on May 4 and present the President’s Recommended FY24 Operating Budget to the board’s Finance & Operations Committee during its June meeting. The board is scheduled to meet June 8 and 9. 

Governor Walz at Eastcliff 

University Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations Myron Frans presented a proposal to allow Gov. Tim Walz to stay at the University’s presidential residence, Eastcliff, for a year starting July 1 while the governor’s mansion in St. Paul undergoes renovations.  

The board unanimously approved this real estate transaction.

“We have an opportunity to put this publicly owned asset to use during a time of transition,” Frans said during his presentation to the board. “This will be the first time that we will have a governor and first lady in residence at Eastcliff.” 

The rental period will be about 15 months, ending in September 2024, but there is room for the lease to be extended a few months. It will cost $4,400 a month and the state will be responsible for direct costs involving utilities, snow removal and lawn care. Rent will be significantly less than the home on Sunfish Lake, which was $330,000, that Walz initially planned to stay in.