On May 5, three days after commencement, 139 graduated seniors were elected to the University’s Phi Beta Kappa chapter, wrote Julie Plaut, assistant dean of the college & director of Engaged Scholarship and the chapter’s secretary, in an email to The Herald. Phi Beta Kappa is considered the oldest academic honors society in the United States, founded in 1776, and “encourages intellectual distinction among undergraduates by recognizing outstanding academic accomplishment,” according to the University’s website.

Each academic year, the University’s chapter usually holds three elections: one in February to elect juniors, one in April to elect seniors and another in May to elect seniors who transferred to the University as juniors.

But this year, all elected seniors were notified of their status before the list of juniors was finalized by the chapter. Plaut said the delay in junior elections is due to the chapter board’s decision to assess “its eligibility guidelines and election procedures with a diversity, equity and inclusion lens,” leading electors to reconvene later in the summer to finalize the list of elected juniors. She added that the results of the senior election already reflect their commitment to elect more students than it typically has in the past. Last year, 110 seniors were elected in the spring, and in 2019, the chapter elected 109 seniors.

According to the election procedures for the Rhode Island Alpha of Phi Beta Kappa chapter, no more than one sixth of the University’s graduating class can be elected. While 1,563 seniors graduated earlier this month, the chapter elected just under one eleventh of the class, or roughly 121 fewer students than the maximum number.

The University’s chapter also changed their eligibility criteria for its elections this year by removing the requirement to offset every “C” grade with an “A” and no longer requiring seniors to have been enrolled for consecutive semesters, according to chapter president Richard Rambuss. Students still must have completed a minimum of twenty-eight courses over seven semesters and have received at least twenty-three grades of “A” or “S with distinction” by the end of their seventh semester, according to the chapter’s election procedures. Rambuss added that changing the chapter’s requirements to be more inclusive is something they are “deeply committed to and will continue to work on.”

Many students were surprised to hear about their election to the Phi Beta Kappa chapter following their graduation.

Joe Sciales ’21 was convinced he hadn’t been elected after not hearing any news about it sooner.

“I knew my transcript wasn’t perfect, so it was really a surprise,” Sciales said, adding that he felt that his election showed that you can still achieve Phi Beta Kappa status after a “less than ideal start” at Brown.

Marlon Sherman ’21 had not been actively working towards Phi Beta Kappa status but was “humbled and honored” when receiving the news. “With the whirlwind spring semester it was kind of in the back of my mind but after graduation came and went, I wasn’t really expecting it,” he said.

Eliza Edwards-Levin ’21 was pleasantly surprised to find she had been elected, since she “always focused on doing the best she could in college.” While she doubts she will attend any of the organization’s networking events, Edwards-Levin wants to be able to officially list the honor on her resume in anticipation of graduate school applications.

For Evie Hidysmith ’21, the award did not seem like a worthwhile symbol of her growth and learning at Brown, and she doesn’t plan to accept the invitation to join the chapter. “I think the point of school is to learn, not to put something fancy on my resume,” she said. “(School) is supposed to change the way I think about my reality and give me the power to change it, and Brown gave me all those things — I don’t need to be part of a society to get that.”

Those elected are as follows:

Sara Alavi ’21
Samahria Alpern ’21
Melissa Alvarez ’21
Melanie Anaya ’21
Sarah Ashe ’21
Morgan Awner ’21
Matthew Bailey ’21
Roxanne Barnes ’21
Isabelle Belleza ’21
Hughes Benjamin ’21
Jeremy Berman ’21
Ivy Bernstein ’21
Zsofia Biegl ’21
Luqmaan Bokhary ’21
Ilana Brandes-Krug ’21
Dalia Bresnick ’21
Alanna Brown ’21
Khail Bryant ’21
John Calvelli ’21
Isabella Cavicchi ’21
Christopher Chiah ’21
Mea Chiasson ’21
Marian Chudnovsky ’21
Keiko Cooper-Hohn ’21
Abigail Creighton ’21
Alexander Dorosin ’21
Eliza Edwards-Levin ’21
Nathan Elbaum ’21
Jeanne Ernest ’21
Annelise Ernst ’21
Marysol Fernandez Harvey ’21 (former Herald staff columnist)
Benjamin Fink ’21
James Flynn ’21 (former Herald staff columnist)
Halle Fowler ’21
Ethan Franzblau ’21
Natalie Fredman ’21
Lucas Fried ’21
Samantha Gable ’21
Anh-Lise Gilbert ’21
Eleni Gkini ’21
Rowan Gledhill ’21
Madeline Greenberg ’21
Clara Greider ’21
Claire Heiden ’21
Evie Hidysmith ’21
Rebecca Ho ’21
Ava Holl ’21
Carlie Houser ’21
Kristin Howell ’21
Kyra Hu ’21
Annabelle Hutchinson ’21
Niharika Jhingan ’21
Jinette Jimenez ’21
Maia Johngren ’21
Paul Kalandiak ’21
Abigail Kelly ’21
Nalini Khurana ’21
Audrey Kim ’21
Chihye Kim ’21
Claire Kim-Narita ’21
Zachary Kligler ’21
Kathryn Kovarik ’21
Alina Kulman ’21
Emma Kumleben ’21
Leah Lam ’21
Grayson Lee ’21 (former Herald senior staff writer)
Dylan Letellier ’21
Nicholas Lindseth ’21
Matthew Litman ’21
Claudia Liu ’21
Jacob Lockwood ’21 (former Herald special projects coordinator)
Miya Lohmeier ’21
Elisabeth Lualdi ’21
Laura MacKenzie ’21
Caitlin Malimban ’21
Divya Maniar ’21 (former Herald senior staff writer)
John Mazlish ’21
Ava McEnroe ’21
Emely Medina ’21
Kahini Mehta ’21
Sandra Moore ’21
Sarah Nathanson ’21
Cal Oberlander ’21
Isabelle Olive ’21
Andrew Olivo ’21
Olusemilore Oloko ’21
Charlotte Oster ’21
Emily Papiez ’21
Junewoo Park ’21
Anna Katherine Pasnau ’21
Julia Pew ’21
Stefan Peyron ’21
Nhu Phung ’21
Melanie Pincus ’21 (former Herald special projects coordinator)
Sofija Podvisocka ’21
Joseph Reindl ’21
Daniel Ritter ’21
Adriana Rodriguez ’21
Ella Rosenblatt ’21
Oscar Rousseau ’21
Elise Ryan ’21 (former Herald senior editor)
Francesca Sabel ’21
Yelena Nicolle Salvador ’21
Vaishnavi Sankar ’21
Sarah Saxe ’21
Allison Schaum ’21
David Scherrer ’21
Gabriel Schillinger-Hyman ’21
Joseph Sciales ’21
Harry Seabrook ’21
Nikita Shah ’21
Audrey Shapiro ’21
Marlon Sherman ’21
Olivia Siemens ’21
Ryan Simpson ’21
Emily Skahill ’21
Nicholas Smith ’21
Adam Stein ’21
Sumera Subzwari ’21
Kitri Sundaram ’21
Qiao Lyn Tan ’21
Sofia Thompson ’21
Sunil Tohan ’21
Lucien Turczan-Lipets ’21
Cal Turner ’21
Jillian Turner ’21
Erika Undeland ’21
John Van de Walle ’21
Sarah Van Horn ’21
William Walk ’21
Yashi Wang ’21
Zoe Weiss ’21
Abigail Wells ’21
Maeve Wiesen ’21
Rebekah Yang ’21
Parker Zane ’21
Yudu Zang ’21
Bryan Zhang ’21
Filippo Zinni ’21

The University will require that all employees and all students engaged in on-campus activities receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine by July 1, according to a May 20 letter sent to the Brown community by President Christina Paxson P’19. 

The new requirements accelerate Brown’s initial timeline, which mandated that all students and staff be fully vaccinated by the fall semester in order to participate in on-campus activities. The University’s priority is to have “near-universal levels of vaccination — 90 percent or greater — in the Brown community,” Paxson wrote in her letter. 

The July 1 deadline applies to all on-campus students — including those engaging in education, jobs and research — as well as all employees, including faculty, intermittent staff, postdoctoral scholars, visiting researchers and lecturers. Students currently away from campus but planning to return for the 2021-22 academic year must be vaccinated by this fall semester. 

Any one of the three vaccines — Moderna, Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson — that have received Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration will satisfy the vaccine requirement, according to the FAQ page provided by the Healthy Brown website. Vaccines in the World Health Organization Emergency Use Listing also qualify. 

Those with medical and religious exemptions to receiving the vaccine will be granted “reasonable accommodations,” according to the FAQ. Students who refuse to get vaccinated and do not qualify for exemption will be required to study remotely without access to Brown’s campus. For employees, requests for remote work will be channeled through the Alternative Work Assignment process. Refusal to get a vaccination, however, is not a valid criterion alone to be considered for an AWA, according to the FAQ page.

Currently, all individuals 12 years and older in Rhode Island are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine for free, regardless of insurance. The University is providing shuttle service for students to the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, where vaccinations are provided with no appointment required. This week, the University hosted its first on-site vaccine clinic offering first doses of the Moderna vaccine, The Herald previously reported. After receiving the vaccine, employees have been asked to verify their status before July 1 by uploading their vaccination card to Workday, while students should upload their vaccine cards to the Health and Wellness Portal.

Why I love baseball games even though I don’t like baseball

Isabella Ko/File

Walking into Dodger Stadium on a warm summer night has to be one of my favorite feelings in the whole world. I love the rush of being with thousands of die-hard fans, yelling and cheering, everyone excited to see the beloved Los Angeles Dodgers. From the overpriced food to the bright splashes of blue scattered everywhere, the atmosphere is unmatchable. I walk into the stadium, and suddenly I have an inexplicable sense that I would legitimately die for this team.

But I don’t even really like baseball. I enjoy watching baseball when it’s the bottom of the ninth inning and closing pitcher Kenley Jansen stares down the batter with two strikes and two outs, everyone freaking out. But other than that, it’s pretty much the same thing over and over again: men with tight pants running around a diamond shape in a patch of dirt, with a tiny ball flying all over the stadium. 

Nevertheless, I love going to these games. I love stuffing my face with food, watching the crazy fans scream until their voices give out. Although I’m not always that interested in the game, I think the people and the camaraderie are what make it so fun. I absorb and internalize the excitement of being a part of something much bigger than myself. To feel like I’m a part of something provides me with a sense of satisfaction that is too often lacking — the sense of feeling like I belong somewhere. I’ve never felt quite connected to my home of Los Angeles, but when I’m at the Dodger Stadium, a somewhat irrational devotion overcomes me. We all come together Friday or Saturday night, people of completely different walks of life, to share in each other’s interest and love for the same thing. I find that beautiful. I will probably never see the people sitting to the left of me again, but when we high-fived and cheered after that home run, they practically felt like lifelong friends. 

The environment feels intoxicatingly magical, but maybe this is just my nostalgia talking. I just can’t get over the fact that you’re surrounded by strangers, but somehow they feel like family; you feel protected, loved and supported by them. I can’t explain why we as humans innately form little communities, but I find it to be wonderful. I’m not even a sports person, and I wouldn’t ever really watch a baseball game on TV. But take me to a baseball game, and suddenly, I’m on cloud nine. 

Contact Paloma Torres at ptorres@dailycal.org.

The Daily Californian

The University of Utah football program struck gold this week as they received a transfer commitment from a top safety prospect in Brandon McKinney. McKinney, who entered the portal in early April, has spent four seasons at the University of Washington but will spend his final season of eligibility as a Ute. He announced his intention to transfer this afternoon via his Instagram story. 

McKinney’s talents and play-style significantly upgrade the Utah secondary as he brings a much-needed level of experience to a fairly young group. While players like Clark Phillips III and Faybian Marks showed a lot of promise last year, the two have yet to play an entire season at the collegiate level due to COVID-19 shortening the 2020 schedule. Additionally, while the program will see the return of senior Vonte Davis, who had a breakout season last year, they will look to fill minutes that originally would’ve been played by RJ Hubert as he suffered a potential season-ending injury during spring camp and Nate Ritchie, who is currently serving a two-year LDS mission.

In four years at Washington, McKinney recorded 40 tackles, 25 of which were solo. He also had one tackle for loss, one pass defended and one forced fumble. While McKinney hasn’t seen a lot of in-game experience, he has been a part of one of the top schools in the Pac-12 and even was a part of the 2018 squad which won the conference. Additionally, McKinney is a talented athlete, possessing a lot of speed and agility to help lockdown receivers no matter the scheme.

While Washington may be ranked higher than Utah in the early polls, McKinney is joining an incredibly talented team with their eyes set on securing their first ever Pac-12 Championship. He will also play beneath a talented coaching staff which has produced several high-level secondary defenders over the last few years, many of whom are now making strides in the NFL.

Once McKinney finds himself in Salt Lake City for fall camp, he’ll have to earn his minutes despite his experience and seniority. Utah is a program devoted to rewarding hard work and efforts, demonstrating on multiple occasions that they aren’t afraid to start sophomores or even freshmen. However, with his experience and talents McKinney could easily find his way into a starting position come fall.

c.bagley@dailyutahchronicle.com

@bagley_cole

The post Utah Football Lands Commitment From Washington Safety Transfer Brandon McKinney appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Suspect arrested by Berkeley police, charged with stalking, shooting a vehicle

Google Maps/Courtesy

The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office charged a suspect Friday with stalking and shooting a vehicle in Berkeley.

On April 22, the suspect — a 34-year-old Pleasanton resident — allegedly stalked and threatened another man with a gun in the area of Fairview and Adeline streets, according to a city of Berkeley press release. Although the man escaped, the suspect allegedly shot the man’s parked vehicle.

The suspect was arrested in Pleasanton by Berkeley Police Department officers with the East County SWAT team assisting in the arrest, the press release added.

On May 14, the suspect was charged with stalking and shooting a vehicle, according to the press release. He was also charged with vandalism, possession of a firearm as a felon, concealed carry and performing criminal enhancements on a firearm.

Tarunika Kapoor is a deputy news editor. Contact her at tkapoor@dailycal.org, and follow them on Twitter at @tkapoor_dc.

The Daily Californian

For Salt Lake City’s 512 chronically homeless individuals, certainty doesn’t exist. They don’t know when their next meal will be, where they’ll spend a cold winter night or how they’ll be able to replace their worn-out pair of socks. When your daily needs are this difficult to meet, planning for the future becomes nearly impossible. Dave Durocher, the executive director at The Other Side Academy, knows this from experience, which is why his organization is working with Salt Lake City to create The Other Side Village. The village would consist of tiny homes fully equipped with a bathroom, a kitchen and, most importantly, as Durocher says, “a community where they’re safe, have a roof over their head, and have people living there that are going to help them through a lot of their issues.” Durocher’s right: the Other Side Village has the opportunity to be a meaningful and empowering home for Salt Lake City’s unhoused population, and it also could serve as a valuable asset to the Salt Lake community at large, if we let it.

The Other Side Village will be an amalgamation of the best aspects from different tiny home villages across the world, including the Community First! Village in Austin, Texas. Similar to Salt Lake’s efforts, Community First! greatly emphasizes the importance of community building within its residents. They do this by creating shared spaces and providing various services and activities like an amphitheater and workshops that encourage community bonding. Additionally, Community First! Village is almost entirely run by its community members. Whether it be janitorial duties, running the farmers’ market or working in the car service shop, they manage it all. As a result, each resident can work and pay for their housing while attaining a deep sense of pride and purpose.

Eden Village, another village Durocher and the city visited, differs from Community First! as it prioritizes independence before community. Unlike Community First!, Eden provides each resident with their own bathroom and kitchen, an aspect that The Other Side Village finds important. While the team plans to visit Spain later this year to look at another tiny home village, they’ve already deemed both the autonomy found at Eden village and the collectivism found at Community First! as goals for The Other Side Village. The homes should be “something we would be willing to live in ourselves,” Durocher said. With multiple tiny home villages already in existence, Salt Lake has the advantage of “not reinventing the wheel, just trying to make it a little rounder.”

Salt Lake City still hasn’t decided on a location for the proposed 30-40 acre community, yet the success of the project, in many ways, hinges on that decision. While the people living at The Other Side Village will be residents of the village, it’s important to remember that they’re also Salt Lake City residents. That said, the goal of The Other Side Village is not to have residents move out of the village; they should still be able to have meaningful interactions with others in the community at large. An important aspect of integrating into the greater community is proximity and familiarity with the area. The most obvious locations for the village places it on the outskirts of town, where acres of undeveloped land can be easily found. But without access to cars or public transportation, residents of The Other Side Village will have no way to travel to other parts of the city, and vice versa. The community will remain just as ostracized, stigmatized and forgotten as our homeless population is today.

Instead, a central location, within the bounds of the city, would facilitate a deeper connection between the homeless population and the rest of the Salt Lake City community. By opening up The Other Side Village’s farmers’ markets and artisan shops to everyone, not only will people be able to provide financial support, but they will start to recognize the instrumental and inherent value of the village as a whole. Rather than being subsidized by the state government, The Other Side Village would act as a self-sustaining project that gives more than it receives.

While The Other Side Village is an ambitious plan to house 400 to 500 of Salt Lake’s most vulnerable individuals, it is not the only solution needed to fight the battle against homelessness. Poverty is complex and multifaceted. It cannot, and will not, be solved by even the most successful initiative. In a world marred by uncertainty, the only thing that is certain to address homelessness is to afford those experiencing it the respect and dignity that we all expect. To create a more equitable, livable Salt Lake, we need to look at our homeless population not as a nuisance but as an asset that’s valuable to our community. The Other Side Village is the first step.

w.shadley@dailyutahchronicle.com

@shadleywill

t.soter@dailyutahchronicle.com

@SoterTheadora

The post Shadley & Soter: Salt Lake City Can Help Our Homeless Community appeared first on The Daily Utah Chronicle.

Emory Police Department (EPD) Chief Rus Drew is stepping down from his position on May 18, according to an email announcement that day from Chief Financial Officer Christopher Augostini. Augostini did not provide a reason why Drew is resigning.   

Former Deputy Chief of Police Cheryl Elliott will assume the position of Chief starting Tuesday. 

Drew has served in this position since 2016 and has over 35 years of experience in “various law enforcement roles,” according to the email. Before coming to Emory, Drew served as Chief of Police at Agnes Scott College (Ga.) from 1985 to 2002, Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Campus Safety at Oglethorpe University (Ga.) from 2002 to 2006 and Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety and Chief of Police at Columbus State University (Ga.) from 2006 to 2016. 

Rus Drew | Courtesy of Emory News

A previous Wheel investigation found that Drew presented an award in 2015 to a Columbus State University police officer who shot and killed Zikarious Flint, an allegedly armed Black man. 

Under Drew’s leadership, EPD launched a statistics dashboard detailing the status and findings of EPD investigations, reestablished a community advisory board and made pertinent EPD policies publicly accessible on its website. Following George Floyd’s death, the EPD banned the use of chokeholds and created a new requirement for EPD officers to intervene if another officer uses excessive force. 

Elliott, who also has over 35 years of “campus law enforcement experience,” retired from her role as deputy chief of police in 2017 and maintained involvement in EPD until 2019, serving as a “consultant and special assistant to EPD,” according to the email. 

Elliott served as a Dialogue Leader for Emory’s Transforming Community Project from 2006 to 2010. The project, which formally launched in 2005, developed a forum to “explore the history and experience of race and racism at Emory and elsewhere.” Additionally, Elliott was on the University Sexual Assault Advisory Board, Intimate Partner Violence taskforce, the President’s Commission on the Status of Women and the task force that developed the Emory Open Expression Policy. 

“I am confident in Cheryl’s ability to lead the department during this time of transition,” Augostini wrote in the email.

The post EPD Chief Resigns Abruptly appeared first on The Emory Wheel.

Within the blink of an eye, the NBA has gone from a shotgun start on December 22, 2020, just 72 days after the Lakers won their 17th championship in the Orlando bubble, to the controversial play-in tournaments, which began on Tuesday night.

A truncated 72 games in a 145-day schedule has many NBA teams looking like M.A.S.H. units with the playoffs scheduled to start on Saturday, May 22. Injuries played their usual role this season, but “health and safety protocols” also caused their fair share of missed games throughout the season, throwing awards season into chaos. Since nobody seems to be able to agree on many of the individual NBA awards, us The Daily Utah Chronicle sports desk members Cole Bagley, Ethan Pearce and Brian Preece offer up our selections and the reasoning behind them.

Most Valuable Player

Brian

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Steph Curry

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Two-time defending MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has seen his numbers improve nearly across the board this season, but voter fatigue is real. Steph Curry has been sublime this year, leading the league in scoring at 32 ppg and dragging a depleted Warriors team to the doorstep of the playoffs. All of that is great, but Nikola Jokić is on a tier of his own this season. Across 72 games played, Joker averaged 26 points, 8 assists and nearly 11 boards, leading the Nuggets to No. 3 in the west.

Ethan

1. Steph Curry

2. Nikola Jokić

Giannis Antetokounmpo

As the resident Warriors fan, I’m obligated to choose Curry here. Jokić will likely run away with the award when everything is said and done, and he is a worthy candidate. However, Curry’s job carrying this depleted Warriors roster while debatably performing better than he did during his unanimous MVP season a few years back deserves serious recognition. He’s broken multiple of his own three-point records this season and brought Golden State into the play-in tournament on his back. If not for a tailbone injury that caused him to miss a few weeks, this team may have been a top five seed (they were 2-7 without him), which would knock out the argument of his team not being good enough for him to win the award.

Antetokounmpo’s numbers aren’t as good as his past two MVP seasons and it’s been an unspoken agreement all season that he won’t win it, but he still deserves consideration. Jokić played in every game and gave Denver the third seed in the Western Conference, which will win over many voters. Chris Paul, Joel Embiid, Julius Randle, Kawhi Leonard, Luka Dončić and Damian Lillard all have compelling cases as well, but to me, this is a two-horse race. When faced with Jokić and Curry as my finalists, I’ll be a biased fan and pick Curry.

Cole

1. Nikola Jokić

2. Steph Curry

3. Chris Paul

When it comes to MVP, in my mind that award should be given to the player who has not only been a critical part of the team’s overall success, but without them, it would be a completely different storyline. Jokić, Curry and Paul all had that level of impact as the three of them have not only had impressive individual seasons, but their teams would be nowhere without them.

For the year, Jokić averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game. Additionally, the Nuggets finished third in the West and had to finish the final quarter of the season without Jamal Murray, easily the second most important and skilled player on the team.

Curry, on the other hand, was God-like this season, winning the scoring title at 32 points per game and at times hitting more threes than entire opposing teams all while being triple-teamed. Notably, the Warriors finished eighth in West without the contributions of Klay Thompson, who was out with an injury all year.

Finally, Paul’s seasonal numbers don’t jump off the page, averaging just 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game, but his presence to the team seemed to unlock the secrets of the Phoenix Suns and took them from finishing tenth with a 34-39 record in 2020 to 51-21 and second in the West for 2021. Value doesn’t always show up on a stat sheet, and Paul is the best example of that.

Defensive Player of the Year

Brian 

1. Rudy Gobert

2. Draymond Green

3. Ben Simmons

An in-shape Draymond Green will always be one of the best defenders in the NBA and it showed all season in the Golden State. Ben Simmons brings unparalleled defensive versatility with the ability to match up with nearly anybody in the league. But the answer is Rudy Gobert, by a mile. What Gobert does to protect the basket on a team with zero perimeter defense outside of Royce O’Neale is transcendent. Nearly every metric reflects this, and even Vegas favors Gobert to such a degree that some books need $10,000 to win $100.

Ethan

1. Ben Simmons

2. Rudy Gobert

3. Draymond Green

I would really love to have a co-Defensive Player of the Year award to hand out to all three of these guys, but I have to split hairs and separate them somehow. Green is incredibly versatile with a high motor and the best defensive IQ in the league. He may not be at the same level as he was a few years ago, but he has been absolutely key to Golden State’s top five defense.

Gobert is the best rim protector in the league who influences the opponent’s willingness to even touch the paint just by existing. However, Simmons wins me over by being the most malleable defensive player on this list. He guards all five positions with effectiveness and quickness. He switches effortlessly, has great size, and is incredibly tough to game-plan for. Simmons fits in any system, against any system. 

Cole

1. Rudy Gobert and nobody else

Yes, I am a die-hard Jazz fan, but the gap between Gobert and everyone else is so massive that it doesn’t make any sense whatsoever to put anyone else’s name on the list. He is doing things that have rarely ever been done before as the Jazz are 11.9 points per 100 possessions better defensively when Gobert is on the court compared to when he’s not. That is the best differential in the last 15 years and has only been accomplished by one other player during that time: Draymond Green in 2015-16.

That stat alone should bring home the trophy, but just to drive home the point, he also leads the league in real plus-minus, dunks and threes, defensive estimated plus-minus, post-ups defended, total blocks, and several other defensive stats. Someone should tell Ben Simmons he’s not actually going to win DPOY — maybe it should be Matisse Thybulle since he’s actually the best defender on the 76ers.

Sixth Man of the Year

Brian

1. Joe Ingles

2. Jordan Clarkson

3. Miles Bridges

If you asked me this on Feb. 1, Jordan Clarkson wins this award going away. Clarkson averaged over 18 ppg with a legitimate chance to break into the 50/40/90 club. Nagging injuries, defensive adjustments and a regression to the norm caused Jordan to slide a bit. For me, another Jazzman, Joe Ingles, has surpassed Clarkson for a few reasons. Ingles is the consummate pro that does whatever is asked of him and excels at everything. Averaging 12.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg and 4.7 apg, Ingles has been the better all-around player and shown more consistency than Clarkson. 

Ethan

1. Jordan Clarkson

2. Derrick Rose

3. Carmelo Anthony

There are tons of guys worthy of consideration for this award. Rose and Anthony are veterans contributing on solid playoff teams, both of whom deserve recognition for being willing and ready to come off the bench at this stage of their career after both were superstars in years past.

Clarkson is the runaway choice for first place, in my opinion. Yes, there have been moments of inconsistency and inefficiency, but the raw numbers playing for the best team in the league are impossible to argue against. I’m hesitant to include two players from the same team on my ballot because it sort of goes against the definition of “sixth man”, so that’s why I left Ingles off here. Clarkson will win this award and he deserves to; he’s been a huge part of the Jazz’s success this season. 

Cole

1. Jordan Clarkson

2. Joe Ingles

3. Miles Bridges

Much of what Utah has been able to do this season can be attributed to Clarkson and Ingles. The two are easily having the best season of their careers as Clarkson is an absolute offensive flamethrower, averaging 18.4 points per game (career-high) with Ingles having the best all-around seasonal performance, averaging 12.1 points (career-high), 3.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists while shooting 48.9% from the floor (career-high) and 45.1% from beyond the arc (career-high). However, you’ve got to give it to Clarkson as he has come off the bench every night, whereas Ingles has started nearly half of the season.

Coach of the Year

Brian

1. Monty Williams

2. Quin Snyder

3. Tom Thibodeau

I could see this vote going in any direction because COY is a narrative-driven award. Personally, I wish I could give it to Coach Q, but I believe Monty Williams and the Suns exceeded preseason expectations just a little more than the Jazz did. What Tom Thibodeau did with the New York Knicks, leading them to the four seed in the east, has been incredible but it pales when compared to both coaches out west. Leading the only two teams to finish the season with 50+ wins, it’s got to be Williams and Snyder 1-2. 

Ethan

1. Tom Thibodeau

2. Monty Williams

3. Quin Snyder

I picked Williams to win this award prior to the season, and I have so much respect for what he and the Suns have done this year. However, you cannot ignore the fact that the New York Knicks were projected by nearly everyone to be one of the worst teams in the league this season, and instead, they have home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Thibodeau is the clear choice here, with Williams second, and Snyder grabs third for coaching the team with the best record in the league, even if they were projected to be better than both New York and Phoenix in the preseason. 

Cole

1. Monty Williams

2. Quin Snyder

3. Tom Thibodeau

This award could go to any one of these coaches and I would not be surprised, nor would I complain. Williams and the Phoenix Suns have been absolutely incredible, going from a tenth place finish last season to second in the West and the second-best record in the league. While the organization did add Paul in the offseason, Williams had to correctly formulate a game plan that would produce results and he has done just that.

Snyder also exceeded expectations, leading the Jazz to their first-ever league-best record. Notably, the Jazz had to finish the last 14 games without star Donovan Mitchell and yet he still put together lineups that got the job done and finished at the top of the NBA. When the season started, the New York Knicks were overlooked just like any other year. However, they proved to be a formidable opponent as they finished 41-31, earning the No. 4 spot in the East and their first playoff berth since 2013.

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The sun smiled fondly on Salt Lake City as 10 artists from around the country proudly stood surveying their work. They beamed as the members of the Salt Lake community gathered around their murals, in absolute awe of the artworks’ size and beauty.

The walls of buildings on West Temple between 2100 S and Oakland Ave are home to Salt Lake’s Mural Fest 2021. Each year, hundreds of artists apply to have their work featured, but only a few are chosen. Behind the artists is the South Salt Lake Arts Council and the Utah Arts Alliance. They work closely with the artists and the building owners to ensure both parties’ interests and passions are boldly shown on their buildings to bring color, community and warmth to what would otherwise be a drab, cold and industrial area.

Creating Community

In a year where the warmth of community seemed miles away, it is unsurprising that many of the artists were inspired to create art that deals with themes of healing, togetherness and love. Seeing these themes presented in a larger-than-life fashion is truly a beautiful and profound experience.

I had the opportunity to speak with five of the ten artists featured in this year’s festival. While each brought their own personal flair and charm to the scene, it was George F. Baker III who truly encapsulated the feeling of community Mural Fest brought.

When I first saw him, George stood at the far corner of his piece with an intoxicating grin. Vibrant purples, pinks, yellows and blues exploded off the building. Smiling characters share anecdotes in large, white font: “be who you want to be!” and “life is a dance / make your move.” This beautiful mural was started and completed in only eight days and gave off contagious energy.

When asked about his inspiration for the piece, George said, “Mainly I was inspired by what happens when you have a community of people around you. Always giving you good ideas, good things and good messages.” George also made it very clear that this mural was for people who felt alone; he wanted them to know that no matter what, they would always have a community right there on his wall.

I only had a few moments with George before he was whisked away by others, wanting to bask in his energy. However short my time with him was, I felt that he eloquently summarized the feeling that each mural artist this year was striving to create.

Healing Through Art

As the return to life as we once knew it is on the horizon, I couldn’t think of a better way to usher in this long-awaited reunion than Mural Fest. Surrounded by smiling faces, I eagerly took in the sights of a community beginning to heal together. While these murals may fade as time passes, the vibrant feelings they emit will no doubt stand the test of time.

If you and your loved ones have about an hour, I encourage you to walk the route provided here. Take in the sights of the murals and allow their messages and healing to warmly embrace you. While the artists may be gone, no doubt working on their next masterpiece, their work and passion are alive and thriving on these walls. Trust me, it’s well worth checking out.

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Face coverings will no longer be required on the UH campus after Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order prohibiting government entities from mandating masks. | Juana Garcia/The Cougar

UH’s COVID-19 policy that required students, faculty, staff and visitors to wear face coverings on campus has been rescinded, effective immediately, after Gov. Greg Abbott signed an order prohibiting government entities from mandating masks on Tuesday afternoon.

The mask policy was put into review last week after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines saying those who are fully vaccinated can go maskless in most situations.

Although the policy, which began more than a year ago in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, will no longer be enforced, UH is still encouraging mask-wearing, “especially for individuals who are not fully vaccinated,” said UH spokesperson Shawn Lindsey.

With cases dropping around the country, the University has already set plans for 80 percent of classes to be in person next fall and “for the UH community to return to normal during the next few months,” President Renu Khator said in a statement on May 5.

New COVID-19 cases within the UH community have also fallen drastically since the height of the pandemic.

An average of 0.71 new daily cases has been reported within the past seven days, compared to early January when the figure hovered above eight.

For more of The Cougar’s coronavirus coverage, click here.

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“UH mask policy rescinded after Gov. Greg Abbott’s order” was originally posted on The Cougar