Opinion
Why Using the Writing Center is Important
Writing serves as the foundation of communication and language. Writing fuels critical thinking, creative stories and clear conversations. It’s through writing one can better understand their critical and creative capacity. Luckily, at USD, services to aid students in their critical and creative capacity exist on campus. Students can attend the Writing Center in an […]
Editorial: Be an Informed Voter at the Polls
Yesterday marked election day for some parts of the country. Virginia, Kentucky, Louisiana and Mississippi held statewide elections for governor, executive offices and the state legislature. Most other states held local municipal elections for races such, as school board and city council. While we didn’t have any elections in Vermillion yesterday, the country […]
Bring Back Student ID Admissions for Sporting Events
Last week, I attended the USD versus SDSU volleyball game in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Those who were also there knew it was an exciting game. One thing I couldn’t help but notice was the lack of students at the game. I’ve seen more people at Charcoal Lounge’s Drown. At the beginning of the […]
Cross Country: The Most Character-Building Sport
All athletic involvement has room to shape a person’s character, but cross country tops the list. When I reflect on my years as a competitive runner, I see someone who’s learned the importance of dedication and patience. Its values have the power to follow me on and off the course, and that’s one of the […]
Editorial: How Old is Too Old for Halloween
Halloween approaches fast, just in time for some potential snow as the last vestiges of warm weather disappear. Downtown Vermillion will host a trick-or-treat for kids in the afternoon, but what about us? Are we too old to celebrate Halloween? To answer this question, we need to understand the history of Halloween. Many believe Halloween’s […]
Editorial: ChatGPT Hurts Our Writing Skills
The Volante staff aims to highlight the power of artificial intelligence (AI) generated content by using ChatGPT to write this week’s editorial on why using AI negatively impacts an individual’s writing capabilities. Relying solely on AI for writing comes with a set of limitations and concerns that should give pause to those considering it as […]
Positive Change Starts When Mediocrity Ends
Have you ever thought about why you exist? I know I have. I try to ask myself that question on a fairly regular basis. There was a time in each of our lives when we gained self-awareness, around the age of four or five. Clearly, we all know we exist. I don’t want to kickstart […]
Campus Dining Leaves Much to be Desired
Should we as students expect more from campus dining based on what we are paying for? A common grievance among many students is about the quality of meals on campus, in particular the residential dining cafeteria. Sodexo contracts as the catering company that serves all South Dakota public colleges, a decision made by the South […]
Editorial: Combat Suicide with Meaning
September marks National Suicide Awareness month since its inception 15 years ago. Mental health has continued to make an impact on not only certain groups but entire generations. Mental health arguably ranks as one of the most important issues for Gen-Z. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) lists South Dakota as having the fifth-highest suicide […]
Should USD Bring Back Paper Towels?
When I transferred to USD last year, one of the first things I noticed was the complete absence of paper towels in the restrooms. Instead, USD has hand dryers installed in every restroom. Should the school bring paper towels as an option to dry your hands? In order to answer that question, we need to […]