He's 'New in Town'
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
1 www.fsutorch.com Single Issue Free, Additional Copies 50 Cents Week of Sept. 23 - 30, 2020 HERE’s wHAT’s INSide Ferris State University Preparing for the worst Acknowledge the movement What factors would lead to Ferris Ferris basketball players talk about closing back down? Is the university the NBA’s movement to support TORCH prepared for this possibility? social justice efforts. Truth, fairness and accuracy since 1931 News | Page 2 Sports | Page 10 He’s ‘New in Town’ SNL actor and stand-up comedian John Mulaney coming virtually to Big Rapids for annual homecoming show Alyssa Hubbard Q&A and will be available to watch News Reporter live through an unlisted YouTube link,” Steffke said. “Students can Ferris announced on Wednesday, ask questions to be submitted Sept. 16, that John Mulaney will be through the link in the Bulldog Con- this year’s homecoming comedian nect event.” and it will be an interactive virtual The homecoming event commit- event. tee knew that Mulaney was a fa- John Mulaney has an immense vorite among students. It became a number of accreditations from, mission to make sure he was avail- writing on multiple seasons on the able for this online opportunity. long-running improv show Saturday Night Live (SNL), to having three Netflix specials. Mulaney started his career at the “...he’s an insightful Comedy Central office in 2004 after person and a great graduating from Georgetown Uni- versity. After working four years at comedian. I can’t Comedy Central he continued on to audition for a spot on the SNL cast. wait to see him here Sadly, he did not make it on the at Ferris.” cast, yet he was offered a spot on the writing team. Mulaney wrote for SNL for four Nicholas Smith is the coordinator seasons and from there he he of activities at the Center for Lead- started to gain traction. He wrote ership, Activities, and Career Ser- and performed around the United vices and he helped with the final States doing stand-up comedy spe- decisions for hiring a comedian. cials, got his own television show, “Since the show will be virtual, which only lasted a season, and this created an opportunity to get wrote a kids-musical for Netflix. Mu- a larger performer than would be laney also has three Netflix comedy available for an in-person show,” specials: The Comeback Kid, Kid Smith said. “John Mulaney has Gorgeous at Radio City and New in come up before as a suggestion Town but was never a realistic possibility. Over the years Mulaney has won This year, it became a real option.” two Emmys, one for outstanding There are many factors to consid- music and lyrics for the 2011 Justin er when choosing and contacting Timberlake monologue on SNL, and potential performers for university the other for outstanding writing for events like this. a variety special in 2018 for his spe- “For Ferris, a lot of research goes cial Kid Gorgeous at Radio City. into a performer selection,” Smith Ferris managed to acquire Mu- said. “We look at cost and availabil- laney’s talent by working with Enter- ity, reviews from other performanc- tainment Unlimited. es, if they have performed at other EU has been in the process of colleges and how those shows have finding a homecoming comedian gone.” since March 2020. The COVID sea- Entertainment Unlimited re- son was not going to stop home- ceived an overwhelmingly positive coming events from happening. response after their comedian “We wanted the students to have announcement. Ferris students something exciting to come back to showed a lot of excitement on var- this year with all the changes hap- ious social media platforms. pening,” EU president and home- “I’ve been a fan of John Mulaney coming committee president Lane for quite a while now,” digital ani- Steffke said. “Although the comedy mation and game design junior Jar- show will look different this year, it ed Ebels said. “I’ve seen all of his will still be a very fun event for the Netflix specials and think he’s an Ferris community.” insightful person and a great come- This year, the comedy show will dian. I can’t wait to see him here at look a little different. It’s a Q&A with Ferris.” Mulaney as opposed to a traditional John Mulaney will be performing show and students can watch from 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. More de- Promotional photo their own space. Students can sub- tails are available on the Bulldog John Mulaney will be “coming” to Ferris online for the annual homecoming comedy show. mit questions for Mulaney through Connect website. Bulldog Connect. “The event will be a moderated Got news? Let us know. Like us on facebook Follow us on Twitter Add us on instagram Watch us on youtube Email: [email protected] Ferris state Torch @fsutorch fsutorch Fsu Torch Phone: 231.591.5978 Connect with us on social media - Read articles online at www.fsutorch.com 2 2 News Week of Sept. 23-30, 2020 Ferris State Torch NEWS Ry Rodriguez | News Editor | [email protected] Preparing for the worst Re-entry committee discusses the possibility of Ferris closing Veronica Mascorro working hard on providing proper alterna- News Reporter tives for students. “The college has a backup plan in the With campus remaining open for approx- event we have to move to advanced simu- imately four weeks now, some students lation technologies and other alternative are wondering if Ferris will make it to the deliveries. We are committed to seeing our Thanksgiving break. students through graduation,” said Mishler. Ferris computer information systems se- A big thing that Ferris cannot promise nior Justice Higgins is a student questioning based on the current executive orders is it, based on what she’s seen from other uni- having an in-person graduation ceremony versities. for December. “I honestly am really surprised we haven’t “As it stands right now, we are still oper- closed yet,” Higgins said. “My sister goes to ating under Executive Orders that limit our Grand Valley and with it currently on quar- ability to host large, indoor, in-person events. antine and everything going so downhill I If those orders are still in place, we will not can see the same thing happening at Ferris. be able to host an in-person graduation cer- I wouldn’t be surprised if we closed before emony in December,” said Rasmussen. the thanksgiving break. I think we’ll be lucky As of now Ferris plans to continue with if we make it that far.” delivery in-person, online, and HyFlex course What exactly would cause Ferris to close deliveries in the spring. its campus again? Communications officer, “The guidelines we have now may or may Michelle Rasmussen, who is on the univer- not be in place, depending on what the sit- sity’s Re-entry Committee, talked about the uation warrants,” said Mishler. “We would different factors that would go into making continue to follow all local, state and nation- this decision. al guidance and directives.” “A decision like this With the news of would be based on returning back to a variety of factors, campus next semes- including our posi- “I wouldn’t be surprised if ter ,students are glad tive COVID-19 cases that they will receive and clusters, and the we closed before the thanks- the chance to learn growth of those two in person, but many factors; the availabil- giving break. I think we’ll be would like to see a ity of our quarantine change in the way and isolation space on lucky if we make it that far.” testing for COVID-19 campus; case manage- is being conducted. ment capabilities; the Higgins disliked capacity in our community for testing and that only a percentage of the student body hospital space; and any and all guidance/ were tested during the move in week. actions taken by the health department and “I don’t feel like the number of confirmed our governor,” said Rasmussen. cases at Ferris is super accurate especial- Based off of the different factors, Ras- ly towards the beginning because they only mussen also covered the plan that Ferris tested students living on campus and not has set in place in case the university clos- commuters which is a huge part of Ferris’s es again. student base,” Higgins said. So, I feel like “We are ready and prepared to pivot back it’s probably half of what the number proba- to remote instruction, as we did last March, bly actually is.” Photo by: Benjamin Totten | Torch Photographer should conditions warrant,” said Rasmus- Mishler said that the way they are con- sen. “The university has already planned to ducting COVID-19 testing is changing as The University Center is open for students to study at socially distanced work spaces, separated by pivot to remote instruction where possible they gather new information. glass. after the Thanksgiving break and will con- “Our testing and surveillance monitoring ing environment possible for our students ing a difference on our campus, and not only tinue this method of course delivery through strategy is ongoing and does include both as long we are able to manage and mitigate keeping yourself safe, but those around you finals week.” on- and off-campus. It continues to evolve the risks related to COVID-19. We are moni- as well,” said Rasmussen. A few programs would be heavily affected as we move forward, depending on what we toring our situation carefully, working along- Students can find updates regarding by this since a big portion of their programs know now and the availability of tests,” said side public health experts, and continually COVID-19 at ferris.edu/coronavirus or check rely on in-person classes such as Nursing Mishler.