Prior to the start of the 2021 season, the last time senior forwards Anna Arato and Tori Huggins played a college basketball game was Feb. 29, 2020 — a couple of weeks before the pandemic abruptly terminated their sophomore season. At the height of the pandemic, their coaches were prohibited from mandating basketball-related activities and Emory’s indoor campus facilities were closed. 

So to preserve team culture and camaraderie, Arato and Huggins took action, designing conditioning workouts for the team, purchasing a group guest pass to LA Fitness and donning gloves and jackets to sweep outdoor courts clear of debris for pickup games in the middle of winter. 

Staying in shape and keeping their skills sharp over the past couple of years was important, but Arato said the biggest challenge was initiating essentially two freshman classes into the team’s culture, since the current sophomores were robbed of a normal first-year experience.

“Last year, obviously, was very hard,” Arato said. “There’s so few of us [upperclassmen], so we have to be leading by example, doing everything right. It took a lot longer for [the underclassmen] to really get it, to get the ‘why’ behind why we do something.” 

The team has a dearth of freshmen and sophomores, who claim nine spots on the 15-player roster. Huggins, however, feels that the team’s commitment to adhering to their normal practice schedule as much as possible has prepared all the younger players to meet the standards of Emory basketball.

“A big part of our sophomores stepping into this year being ready was the fact that we did a lot of workouts on pretty much the same schedule we would have done in a regular year, just outside of [an Emory] facility,” Huggins said. “We wanted to set an example as soon as they came into the program.”

Head Coach Misha Jackson, who is in her third season at the helm, praised the upperclassmen for prioritizing team gatherings and practices in far from ideal conditions.

“They took to heart last year staying together,” Jackson said. “It just shows the dedication to their craft and to their sport. Maybe we weren’t practicing like we were wanting to, but they were still going to make sure they spent time with one another. That aspect has been huge because it pays off on the court for us chemistry wise.” 

Their efforts certainly appear to be paying off, as the Eagles have compiled a 6-4 record as of Jan. 8. Jackson said the underclassmen’s preparedness has been essential to the team’s success, as she can rely on 10 to 12 players seeing action in any given game. 

“That’s something we were always excited about as coaches because we knew how much depth and talent we had,” Jackson said. “With our style of play of playing up-tempo, it’s very important [to have depth] because we want to be playing a lot of players. It’s exciting.”

The juniors and seniors may be outnumbered on the Eagles squad, but they are the players most often appearing on the stats sheet. Junior guard Claire Brock leads the team in scoring (15.1 points per game) and free throw percentage, going 27 out of 28 from the charity stripe. Despite being a smaller player, Brock said she doesn’t hesitate to have a “shark mentality” when driving to the basket because she knows her team supports her being aggressive. 

“Hearing your teammates have confidence in you and then hearing your coach have confidence in you, that helps you play looser and not as tight,” Brock said. “I know that anytime I’m going in there to shoot, that [my teammates] are going to have my back and they’re going to get my rebound.”

Ironically, while Brock’s bread-and-butter has become the layup, Huggins, who stands at 6’1”, has been deadly from three-point range. Huggins’ team-best 8.2 rebounds per game are hardly surprising for a player of her stature, but her ability to shoot 55.6% from beyond the arc is impressive. She said the team’s encouragement keeps her confidence high, allowing her to be an offensive threat from anywhere on the floor.

“We create the type of chemistry on the court where every three I take, I know that my teammates have my back and they want me to be shooting that shot,” Huggins said. “I have all the confidence in the world that when I’m taking good shots, we’re gonna get the results that we want.”

Brock and Huggins have both seen a noticeable increase in playing time, but Arato has logged the most minutes of anyone on the team at 28.8 per game. She is also scoring 12.6 points per game and has started all 10 of the Eagle’s contests this season. Although Arato welcomes the opportunity to play more, she said that her increased presence requires that she pace herself physically and “play smarter,” namely by avoiding picking up too many fouls early in the game. 

“I’m going to definitely have to prepare my body,” Arato said with a laugh. “There was a big difference from my sophomore year when I was younger and fresher and averaging 20 minutes a game to now. I don’t think it changes my mentality a whole lot . . . I think it just goes back to confidence. If you’re on the court, it’s for a reason.

In the 2019-2020 season, the Eagles finished UAA play tied for second with a conference record of 10-4, but were not selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Their last berth was in Arato and Huggins’ freshman year in 2019, when the Eagles suffered a heartbreaking 57-54 first-round loss to Trine University (Ind.). Arato, Brock and Huggins all agreed that part of their leadership role is cultivating a “championship culture” that will carry the team to a NCAA title, a sentiment with which Jackson wholeheartedly agreed. 

“We want banners,” Jackson said. “When you’re at Emory, you’re not here to be mediocre. Winning seasons aren’t good enough. You see our hallways, you see the trophies, you see All-Americans on those plaques. That’s the expectation for Emory Athletics, and so we have those same expectations for ourselves.”

Jackson, who led the Eagles to the Sweet Sixteen as a player in 2013, emphasizes to her players that championship-caliber teams perfect the finer details and take the season day-by-day. As long as the Eagles focus on the small victories — running drills in practice without a hitch, keeping the energy high, diving for loose balls in games — everything else will fall into place. 

“When you play against pretty much every team we play against, you have to execute, you’ve got to do your job,” Jackson said. “I write on the board before every game: ‘Keep it simple and do your job.’ If we do those things, and those are all really small things, the winning takes care of itself. It’s a byproduct of those things.”

The Eagles kicked off conference play on the road against the University of Rochester (N.Y.) on Jan. 8, losing in overtime 71-66 despite double-doubles from Brock (10 rebounds, 12 points) and Huggins (10 rebounds, 10 points). They will return home to face Washington University in St. Louis (Mo.) on Jan. 14 and reigning UAA champion University of Chicago (Ill.) on Jan. 16.

Former Emory basketball player Erin Lindahl backs down a Carnegie Mellon player in the post in a 2019 matchup. The Eagles are ready for the start of UAA in the 2021-22 season. (Sarah Taha/Former Staff)

The post First season since pandemic onset brings same ‘championship culture’ for Women’s Basketball appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

RSF reduces capacity, requires face coverings starting Jan. 18

David McAllister /Senior Staff

Following the surge of the omicron variant, the RSF plans to implement measures intended to reduce spread of COVID-19.

The Recreational Sports Facility announced Friday afternoon that cardio and weight capacities will be reduced and that face coverings will be required at all times starting Jan. 18.

Brigitte Lossing, assistant dean of students and director of recreational sports, said in an email that N95, KN95 and KF94 face coverings are “strongly recommended,” and that the RSF was making these changes due to the transmissible nature of gym spaces. 

“Because the RSF is a gym environment, the spaces promote an increased opportunity for viral-loaded aerosolized droplets to escape due to exhaustive breathing during physical exercise and working out,” Lossing said in the email. “For this reason, Rec Sports is taking these extra steps at this time and sincerely appreciate and thank you for your patience, support, and understanding.”

The change comes following the university’s announcement that instruction for the spring 2022 semester will begin remotely amid the omicron variant surge and another announcement that stated students must also receive a booster shot before Jan. 18 once they are eligible. 

Christopher Ying is the city news editor. Contact him at cying@dailycal.org, and follow him on Twitter at @ChrisYingg.

The Daily Californian

Department of Public Safety Assistant Chief David Carlisle will serve as interim chief for the department effective Thursday, Associate Senior Vice President of Safety and Risk Assurance Erroll Southers announced in a campuswide email Wednesday. 

Carlisle will replace former Chief John Thomas, who worked with DPS for 15 years and served as chief for nine.

“I consider it an honor that the University had the confidence in me to take on this challenge,” said Carlisle in an interview with the Daily Trojan Wednesday. “I’m following in the footsteps of a great leader, and that was my friend, colleague, John.”

Southers, who was appointed to his new role Jan. 3, will work with USC senior leadership and a search committee that includes “faculty, staff, students, and community stakeholders” in a nationwide search for Thomas’ permanent replacement.

Robin Tilley, the most tenured member of the DPS Command Staff who joined DPS in 1988, was appointed interim DPS Executive Officer and will report directly to Carlisle. Thomas will remain with the University as an adviser reporting to Senior Vice President for Administration David Wright, working with the DPS Community Advisory Board Implementation Team and aiding his successor’s transition. 

In an interview with the Daily Trojan Thursday, Southers said he looks to find a new chief who understands the community, is committed to the One Safety Vision — the advisory board’s recommendations to create “community safety” for all — and will “reimagine public safety.”

“This is not about, if you will, ‘law enforcement,’” Southers said. “This really is about community and public safety. We want a person who’s going to embrace those kinds of values going forward, much as Chief Thomas did in the past.”

During his nine-year tenure as chief, Thomas oversaw the creation of the Community Advisory Board and took part in the DPS Cadet Program, where first-generation students from the surrounding community learn about crime prevention and work with USC officers. 

Thomas said the seriousness of the advisory board, its emphasis on community oversight and input on public safety contributed to his decision to retire because of his confidence in the program.

“I don’t think I would have retired when I did, had it not been for the work that I see with the [Community Advisory Board] that will be the catalyst for pushing the department forward in a very progressive way,” Thomas said. “So that gave me a sense of comfort.” 

Thomas said Carlisle brings more than 40 years of experience, knowledge of institutional and historical perspectives and awareness of the “ups and downs” within DPS. 

“[Carlisle] loves USC,” Thomas said. “He understands some of the challenges of keeping the community safe. He understands some of the challenges of working in concert and collaboration with the surrounding non-USC affiliated community, so I think it worked out perfectly.”

Christina Chkarboul and Kacie Yamamoto contributed to this report.

The post New DPS interim chief appointed appeared first on Daily Trojan.

(Creative Commons/ DonkeyHotey)

In the aftermath of Election Day last year, Democrats performed worse than expected in key races in New Jersey and Virginia. As the 2022 midterm elections approach, the results of last November’s elections call Democrats’ ability to maintain control of Congress into question, as the party in power historically loses seats. If the Democratic Party wants to hold on to power, they need to focus on winning over moderate voters, rather than moving further to the left. 

The gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia show how moderate voters will be key. These states have voted for the Democratic candidate in each presidential election since 2008. However, this year, when incumbent Gov. Phil Murphy (D-N.J.) ran for re-election against Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli, it was a very tight race, although Murphy did end up winning. The Virginia governor’s race resulted in a huge upset, with Republican Glenn Youngkin beating former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Republicans capturing the state House of Delegates. Both of these states have a significant portion of suburban voters that likely played a role in deciding these elections. 

In modern American politics, moderate suburban voters are the key to winning elections. Between 2016 and 2020, the Democrats increased their lead among moderates from 12 to 30 points. In the shadow of 2020, Democrats had hoped to use widespread disapproval of former President Donald Trump to their advantage once again. However, there’s a faction of the Republican Party that is thwarting this plan by disassociating from Trump, such as Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wy.). By distancing themselves from the former president, they hope to reinvent themselves as a centrist alternative that will appeal to moderates. 

Unlike Democrats, Republicans are succeeding at gaining more votes by campaigning on issues that are relevant to suburban voters. This demographic tends to be middle-class, white voters with college degrees. In Virginia, Youngkin succeeded at targeting these voters by focusing his campaign on education, a topic that matters to college-educated parents. Similarly, by centering his campaign in the New Jersey race on taxes, Ciatrelli was able to target a similar demographic of voters who are more affluent than other Democratic voters. Republicans will continue to win back votes from the moderate, anti-Trump segment of their party. 

While progressivism is on the rise in some urban districts, most of the voters that swing elections still tend to be suburban moderates. While progressives make up about half of Democratic voters, Democratic candidates do not need to waste time winning over their votes. Even if a moderate Democrat runs, progressives are still going to vote for them over the Republican alternative, which would be even further from their ideology. 

The Democrats may have hoped that they had won over the suburbs for good in the aftermath of the 2016 election, but they only succeeded in fostering antipathy toward Trump, rather than all Republicans. Now that Trump is not on the ballot, Democrats can no longer rely on the strong opposition to the former president to win. Instead, they need to run on platforms that appeal to swing voters. These voters tend to fall in the center of the American political spectrum, and many switched to voting for Biden when they felt that Trump had become too extreme. Democratic policies that are often viewed as too far to the left include Medicare-for-All and the Green New Deal, so candidates who do not support them are more likely to win over moderate votes. 

The Democratic base will still vote for Democrats campaigning on relatively moderately platforms, but moderates won’t be won over by what they see as extremely progressive policies. For most liberals, any Democrat is better than a Republican, even if the Democrat is more moderate than they are. On the other hand, moderates could be easily persuaded to vote for a Republican candidate, especially if they feel the Democratic alternative is further to the left. Politicians who are often labeled as progressive, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), often campaign on positions that suburban voters dislike, such as their stances on taxes. Even though over the past 25 years liberals have become the majority of the Democratic Party, recent winning campaigns, such as Joe Biden’s, still get more votes from moderates than from liberals. 

This November, the Democratic trifecta is on the line, and in-fighting will only increase the likelihood of losing the House or Senate. By supporting and working with moderates, the progressive faction of the party can ensure that Democrats maintain power. Appealing to the moderate base will demonstrate how the Democratic Party is committed to compromising and finding a middle ground that satisfies the majority of Americans. When an elected official is put into office, they don’t just represent the party they are a part of, but rather all their constituents.

Moderate policies often contain a lot of compromise and room for bipartisanship, which may be the key to successfully legislating. For example, as long as the Senate keeps the filibuster rule, bipartisanship will be the only way to get things done, and moderates are the key to having enough votes. If the Democratic Party wants to continue to be effective in Congress, embracing moderates will be crucial. 

The gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey should be setting off alarms for the Democrats, who are facing a tough upcoming midterm season, with the House and the Senate both on the line. In 2022, the Democrats must focus on winning back the moderate voting block, by running on platforms that appeal to and avoid alienating them. 

Maya Rezak (25C) is from Plainview, NY.

The post Democrats should run on moderate platforms in 2022 appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

The University of Utah gymnastics team’s season just got underway last Friday, yet the No. 4 Utah Red Rocks are already about to compete in one of their biggest meets of the entire season, as they host the No. 3 Oklahoma Sooners Friday night at 7:30 at the Huntsman Center. This meet is enormous in the world of gymnastics, so much so that it will be nationally televised on ESPN 2. To put this into context for the casual college sports fan, this meet is the equivalent of Duke playing Kentucky in men’s college basketball, or Alabama playing Michigan in a Week 2 football matchup featuring the College Gameday crew.

Utah and Oklahoma are two of the most storied programs in all of college gymnastics. Utah holds the second most NCAA national championships with nine and is coming off a third-place finish at nationals in 2021. 

Oklahoma, on the other hand, is a modern-day dynasty, having won national championships in 2014, 2016, and 2017, with their latest national championship coming in 2019. The Sooners also finished in the top three at nationals every year since 2013, including finishing a mere one spot ahead of the Red Rocks with a second-place showing at the 2021 national championships.

“It’s exciting because I feel like when we saw them last year it was kind’ve an unknown situation and we were a little weary,” Utah junior Maile O’Keefe stated when asked about facing Oklahoma. “This year I think we’re going into it with, I wouldn’t say a more confident, but definitely overall better mindset.”

In their season opener, Oklahoma topped the No. 6 ranked University of Alabama by a score of 197.400-195.875. This included an impressive performance from sophomore Audrey Davis, who posted a 9.95 score on bars which helped contribute to a total score of 39.325, good enough for the all-around title in the Sooners’ opening meet.

On the Utah side, the Red Rocks are coming off a victory against in-state rivals BYU, Southern Utah, and Utah State in the Rio Tinto Best of Utah meet last Friday. In their season opener, Utah won all four events and hit 22 of 24 routines. The Red Rocks saw impressive performances from freshmen Grace McCallum, Amelie Morgan, and Kara Eaker, all of whom scored a 9.875 on beam. Senior Christal Isa won the meet’s MVP award with 9.90 scores on bars and beam.

From a head-to-head standpoint, Utah comes into Friday with the upper hand on beam and vault, as the Red Rocks are ranked third in the country on beam(49.375) and fourth on vault(49.325), compared to Oklahoma who is ranked seventh on beam(49.175) and fifth on vault(49.300). Oklahoma, on the other hand, is favored on bars and floor, where they are ranked second(49.475) and third(49.450), respectively. Utah is ranked seventh on bars (49.225) and eighth on floor (49.175).

It will certainly be an electric atmosphere at the Huntsman Center on Friday night. Utah broke the NCAA gymnastics average attendance record in 2020, the last season with fans in attendance, with an average crowd of 15,273 fans per meet. This ranks higher than the average attendance of two MLB teams and four NHL teams in 2019 and 2020. A Friday night, nationally-televised meet with two top four teams, combined with one of strongest fanbases in college gymnastics should ultimately create an experience that any sports fan could appreciate.

Tomorrow night is also fan appreciation night, and the first 1,500 fans will receive an American First Credit Union fan t-shirt. Get your tickets now to come support the Red Rocks tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. MST.

c.mullin@dailyutahchronicle.com

@Chase_Chat

The post No. 4 Utah Gymnastics Faces No.3 Oklahoma in Heavyweight Matchup on Friday appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Jiselle Santos/The Cougar

University fees, living costs and school supplies typically require budgeting to balance out, something that many college students have never been taught to do. Personal finance classes need to be taught in high school so that people can be prepared and financially literate as they enter college as well as the workforce. 

While many high schools across the United States require an economics course in order for students to graduate, these courses usually do not cover personal finance. 

According to College Board’s description of the AP Macroeconomics course, the class is described to be a general overview of the U.S. economy, one that analyzes the role of government and other strategies used by the Fed to run economic markets.

Microeconomics focuses more on the individual market areas found within the industry of the U.S. The problem is that neither of these courses teaches students how basic economic concepts will affect their individual lives as they begin working and enter college; it only introduces them to the functions of the economy in general. 

Even if students take a normal economics class, these classes often do not teach personal finance nor budgeting, but just basic economic concepts like the AP classes.

A study by the Council for Economic Education found that only 21 states across the U.S. teach a separate personal finance class as a requirement for graduation. 

Because public schools don’t tend to teach personal finance, the only way that most high school students then learn about budgeting is from their parents teaching them. But it’s inefficient to just hope parents will teach their kids these complicated topics. Additionally, many parents may not even know how to budget or handle their money. 

Embarrassment surrounding financial standing and financial mistakes can often make parents shy away from a conversation regarding budgeting and finance with their children, according to financial education instructor Monica Eaton. Because of it not being taught in school or by parents, many high schoolers are clueless on how to deal with their personal finances when they graduate.

Once someone turns 18 and graduates high school, they are considered an adult. While their family may still support them financially after this, it’s important to know how to deal with money.

Many high schoolers actually want to learn about personal finance and a lack of financial knowledge accounts for about 40 percent of retirement wealth inequality. Teaching people how to handle money can improve their future.

A personal finance class should be required for graduation in all U.S. public high schools. This can help alleviate financial illiteracy among young adults as well as improve their chances of upward mobility and success.

JJ Caceres is a political science freshman who can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

—
“Personal finance classes should be taught in high school” was originally posted on The Cougar

RuPaul’s ‘MAMARU’ proves energetic, clever, fracking good

RuCo.Inc/Courtesy

Grade: 3.5/5.0

Throughout her career of more than 40 years, RuPaul Charles has undoubtedly left a prominent mark on the worlds of pop culture, music and beyond. Bringing queerness and the art of drag to mainstream audiences has been a running theme throughout Charles’ life, from her 1992 hit “Supermodel (You Better Work)” to the creation of the ever-growing television spectacle “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Never outdated and always eye-catching, it is easy for one to forget that the iconic artist is nearly 62 years old, proving both the longevity and widespread appeal of her lighthearted, love-centered ethos.

In the recent past, however, RuPaul has found herself in hot water: From accusations of transphobic casting practices on “Drag Race” to the hilariously outlandish discovery of her Wyoming-based fracking operation (yes, you heard that right), she often faces the brunt of wide-ranging criticism. Hoping to move past these controversies with the release of her latest album MAMARU, RuPaul returns to the music scene in order to remind listeners of her overarching — and sometimes overlooked — significance within queer and pop culture.

Starting the album off strong with “Just What They Want,” house synths and upbeat drum machines back RuPaul as she flaunts her magnificent lyricism. With incredibly smart rhyme schemes such as, “Fire resides inside her, the fever/ Got an open mind but she always keep her/ Eyesight set on the limelight/ Hides the shine by day, highness by night,” the track’s unequivocal highlight is RuPaul’s iconic rap stylings. With off-the-charts production quality and a super fun, danceable instrumental, the song is a shining star off the LP, building the listener’s expectations for the tracks to come.

The following track, “Catwalk,” featuring the New York-based producer Skeltal Ki is similarly impressive. With an encapsulating soundscape of pulsating synths, spliced vocal samples and a laid-back beat, the track can be thrown on repeat without ever growing old. With a grand vocal performance from RuPaul, lyrics such as “Hit ‘em with your catwalk/ Everywhere you go, everybody knows/ You’re somebody, the way you work that body” make for an entertaining, enjoyable listen. Paired with an entrancing lip-sync performance on the season 14 premiere of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” audiences were treated not only to a great song but a glimmering — albeit rare — performance from Mama Ru herself.

“Blame It on the Edit” is one of the most, if not the most, endearing songs on the LP. A diss track targeted at “Drag Race” alumni who blame the show’s production for their own missteps — a phenomenon that RuPaul has expressed her own distaste for in the past — the song is both hilarious and easy to listen to. With the earwormy chorus of “Blame it on the edit/ Go on and take the credit/ B—, you the one who said it/ Oh, so you now tryin’ to regret it?,” RuPaul holds nothing back as she reads the contestants to filth, all while creating a club hit in the process.

Although impressive overall, the LP is by no means without its flaws. On the track “Pretty Pretty Gang Gang,” the lyrics feel a bit vapid and the production sounds messy, with unneeded distortion overtaking what could have been a perfectly fine instrumental. Similarly on “Smile,” the hyperpop-inspired instrumentation and the overly-autotuned vocals feel a bit insincere coming from a literal senior citizen. While such letdowns by no means ruin the record, they remove the listener from the otherwise fun atmosphere of the rest of the authentic album.

MAMARU shows audiences young and old that RuPaul is still in her prime nearly half a century into her career. Incredibly fun to listen to — with some tracks definitively worth putting on your hype playlist — the album is impressive even with its occasional blunders. Combining grade-A production and unmatched lyrical cleverness, the record is a cheery listen that is certainly worth the 30-minute time investment.

Contact Ian Fredrickson at ifredrickson@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

Cal Performances requires proof of vaccination for performance attendance

Erin Haar/Staff

Maria Young is the university news editor. Contact her at myoung@dailycal.org, and follow her on Twitter at @maria_myoung.

The Daily Californian

I’ve always had a slight obsession with sleight of hand magic tricks. The moment of disbelief in someone’s eyes when they’ve successfully been tricked is insanely satisfying. For a split second it’s like they believe in a fantastical world where magic is real. Guillermo Del Toro takes this feeling and runs a marathon with it in his latest feature “Nightmare Alley.”

Del Toro over the years has cultivated an expectation of the fantastic in his films. From the Pale Man to the humanoid amphibian, supernatural monsters are often lurking in the dark corners of Del Toro’s dark realities. “Nightmare Alley” expertly plays with this expectation as we come to realize that the true monsters aren’t supernatural at all.

A Thrill to Watch

The film follows the gritty Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Cooper) as he learns to transform his talent for reading people into a mentalist act. He is aided in the tricks of this trade by a group of seasoned carnival workers — each talented manipulators in their own right. Carlisle slowly descends into madness as he uses his talent to fly too close to the sun.

Masterfully, Del Toro guides us through the stylized settings of carnivals and mansions. Everything is glossy and externally beautiful but hiding within is filth and darkness. The cinematography is purposeful, precise and an absolute thrill to watch. Each item and actor on screen begs for attention and it truly feels larger than life. This feeling is aided by an absolutely stellar ensemble cast: Toni Collette, Willem Dafoe, Ron Perlman and Rooney Mara provide incredible atmosphere as carnival workers who are experts in their trade.

I was absolutely taken with the carnival setting and the characters found there. So when the film moved to new settings in the second act I felt as though it took a hit. However, it is in the unfamiliar territory of big ballroom shows that we meet psychiatrist and expert exploiter Dr. Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett). Blanchett, of course, provides a powerhouse of a performance which is so good that Cooper struggles to keep up.

A Slow Burn

While the scenes between Ritter and Carlisle are masterclasses in acting performances they are often a touch repetitive. Watching the two characters scheme and compete to get the upper hand on one another is interesting but it slightly overstays its welcome.

At times “Nightmare Alley” becomes dry as we anticipate its next move, filled with a few predictable reveals that are given more buildup and anticipation than is earned. That being said, “Nightmare Alley” has stuck with me every second since exiting the theater. It’s a thrilling, slow burn of a character study that I can’t seem to get out of my head. There is so much to chew and dwell on that the further I am away from the credits the better I think the movie was.

At its heart “Nightmare Alley” is a wonderfully dark film which shows us that no matter how good of a snake oil salesman we are there is always someone better out there. It reminds us that if something seems too good to be true it probably is. “Nightmare Alley” will happily tell you that everything’s terrible and everyone’s a monster. Happy New Year from Guillermo Del Toro.

luke.jackson@dailyutahchronicle.com

@__lukejackson

The post ‘Nightmare Alley’ is a Wonderfully Dark Reminder that Everyone is Horrible appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

As reported cases of the highly transmissible Omicron variant continue to rise across the country, Emory University President Gregory Fenves announced on Dec. 28 that spring semester classes would begin in a remote format for undergraduate, graduate and professional school students. The University is hoping to return to in-person learning on Jan. 31. 

Emory also made several changes to their COVID-19 policies in preparation for students’ return to campus. These changes, which came just two weeks before the start of classes, left students with unanswered questions about logistics of the shift, some of which were addressed during a Jan. 6 virtual town hall.

During the town hall, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Ravi Bellamkonda said the surge of Omicron cases is expected to decrease at the end of January, so students should still plan to return to in-person learning by Jan. 31. 

“Under President Fenves’ leadership, we are very, very committed to having our campus open, our libraries open, to be fully functional,” Bellamkonda said. “We have zero intention, unless absolutely, absolutely, absolutely mandated by some safety concern, to extend this any further.”

The Emory Wheel reached out to Executive Director for COVID-19 Response and Recovery Amir St. Clair, Executive Director of Student Health Services Sharon Rabinovitz and Dean of Student Life Enku Gelaye for answers to some of the most pressing questions students asked online and in class group chats. 

The below Q&A includes a combination of email and live interviews. It has been edited for clarity and length.

After Emory University President Gregory Fenves announced on Dec. 28 that spring semester classes would begin in a remote format for undergraduate, graduate and professional school students, many in the Emory community questioned the decision. (The Emory Wheel/Gabriella Lewis)

The Emory Wheel: Why did the University choose to make classes virtual if there was little to no on-campus transmission in previous semesters?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: National projections point to a significant increase in cases in the United States over the coming weeks, with regional forecasts predicting a COVID-19 surge in Georgia during January due to the highly transmissible Omicron variant. The decision to move to remote instruction, even with requirements for vaccines and previous evidence of low on-campus transmission, is due to the anticipated COVID-19 surge that the highly transmissible Omicron variant presents across our community. While we do not anticipate serious illness among our students given high vaccination rates and the booster requirement, we must be prepared for a large number of infected students due to Omicron’s high positivity rates.

Given these conditions, the primary driver of Emory’s decision is to allow for academic continuity of our students. The temporary shift to remote classes, we believe, is the best way to ensure our students have continuity in their classes and progress academically. If classes were in-person during this surge, students testing positive — and we have to plan for many positive cases — would be unable to participate in-person, which would be more academically disruptive than temporarily beginning the semester with remote classes.

TEW: Will the University refund students for dining plans/housing if they indicate they aren’t coming back on campus until classes start in person?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: Students will continue to receive course credits and make academic progress toward their Emory degrees, and there will be no changes to tuition and fees as a result of moving to a remote format. For questions about student accounts including tuition, fees, and room and board, please contact the Emory Student Accounts and Billing Office.

TEW: How will the quarantine process change?

St. Clair: The first change in the isolation quarantine is that we will reduce the isolation period down to five days for those who are asymptomatic on day five. 

The second change is largely dependent on creating new quarantine guidelines based on an individual’s booster status. The short of it is, if you are boosted, you will not need to undergo a quarantine period. Lots of caveats still. It’s not a catch all. 

The third change is that Emory will begin to layer in isolate-in-place protocols to help supplement its isolation procedures. For students who live on campus and test positive, there will now be two different types of isolation procedures. We will still have the Emory Conference Center Hotel be an isolation location for those students who have severe symptoms or are at high risk, and we will still move students in the hotel so we could provide them that necessary and important medical and support services. But we will also now be implementing isolate-in-place procedures for all other students who have mild or no symptoms.

TEW: Can you clarify what “isolation in place” means? 

St. Clair: Isolate-in-place means that for students who live in our residence halls, they would be asked to basically isolate in their location. We will provide them very clear instructions and guidelines as to what that means, what we want them to do and what we ask them not to do, where they can go and where they shouldn’t be going during this period of isolation … Their roommate will not need to isolate-in-place. If they’re not COVID positive, if they’re not demonstrating symptoms, they will still be able to have a normal kind of activity and routine.

TEW: Has the Omicron variant’s lower hospitalization rates, particularly for vaccinated individuals, influenced Emory’s decision to remain virtual or in-person?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: The decision to move to remote instruction is due to the COVID-19 surge that the highly transmissible Omicron variant presents and to allow for academic continuity for our students. Such a drastic increase in cases, even though our community is largely protected from severe illness, would significantly disrupt academic continuity, overwhelm important resources dedicated to maintaining our mission, and threaten our ability to protect our most vulnerable campus members. 

TEW: What is the reasoning behind canceling in-person classes but keeping the dorms open? 

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: By having campus open but moving to a largely remote format for courses, it allows students to remain engaged and keep pace academically while avoiding the likely inevitable disruption to their academic continuity that beginning the semester with in-person courses would bring. 

Making this temporary shift to a remote start allows us to reduce density through a protracted return to campus and implement important modifications to our COVID-19 response model that will better serve the academic mission and campus experience in the future.

TEW: Will the University ramp up its COVID testing facilities in preparation for a potential spike?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: Emory University will continue to offer both asymptomatic screening and diagnostic testing services for its campus community.

All asymptomatic students, faculty and staff are encouraged to utilize Emory’s free asymptomatic screening testing, with hours and locations posted on Emory Forward. Information on diagnostic testing for those who are sick or exposed can be found on the “What Do I Do Page” on Emory Forward.

Unvaccinated students moving into the residence halls will also be required to test upon arrival to campus. Within 24 hours of moving into campus housing, unvaccinated students will need to conduct a screening test on campus, and then again 3-5 days later.

Unvaccinated students, faculty and staff will continue to be required to conduct weekly COVID-19 screening testing. Anyone unvaccinated, who will not be on campus during a given week(s), must fill out a testing exemption form.

TEW: Would you recommend fully vaccinated students sign up to get themselves tested regularly, or would that be using up resources that need to be allocated for unvaccinated students?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: We continue to encourage anyone who is asymptomatic, student, faculty or staff member, to utilize Emory’s screening testing sites. We have a robust capacity to be able to support members of our community who want to get a test.

TEW: During virtual learning, which facilities will be open? Gyms? Libraries? Shuttles?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: Campus remains open and services such as the libraries, shuttles and other campus resources will be available. Please note, some facilities and services may be making modifications during this period of remote learning, so students should review the websites for these spaces for further information and instructions.

TEW: What criteria will the University use in deciding if to extend online longer, and if it is extended, when will we know?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: Our plan is to resume in-person classes on Jan. 31, and we have high confidence in being able to do so at this time. Emory’s decision making will continue to be informed by prevailing public health guidance as well as the COVID-19 metrics and indicators listed on Emory Forward. The COVID-19 pandemic, though, has taught us that no certainties exist and plans are subject to change based on health conditions, so we must leave open the possibility that this surge lasts longer than projected.

TEW: Why isn’t Emory doing a vaccine clinic for boosters like they did for the first doses?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: Vaccine distribution at both the national and regional levels are much different than what we experienced in early 2021 as part of the initial vaccine rollout. Supply of the booster shots are more readily available across a wider range of distribution sites, with more options afforded to members of our campus community than before.

And in addition to the community resources available to campus members, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters for students can be obtained through Student Health Services in limited capacity. We are also exploring hosting booster clinics on campus in the near future and hope to be able to share more information in the coming weeks.”

TEW: Will there be an option to go remote full-time after the start of in-person classes?

St. Clair, Gelaye and Rabinovitz: There is no plan at this time to have an option for full-time remote status after the start of in-person classes.

TEW: Should students remain home for virtual classes?

St. Clair: We know that some students need to return to campus and we’re able to support those students that need to. But for really everyone else, we’re encouraging all students to remain at home if they’re able to do so for this period of time, and then to really use their own risk assessment to evaluate when is the appropriate time for them to return back to campus if it needs to be before the end of this remote period.

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