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CHOICE SGA campaigning began last week, and for the first time in eight years, only one slate was nominated. Now, students are left with a choice — vote for Amplify or vote no confidence.

The Daily News fact checks Amplify’s platform points. 404 Amplify writes to the student body, and The Daily News Editorial Board weighs in on the election. 413

02.22.2018

ballstatedaily.com

@bsudailynews @bsudailynews

DNNews

02.22.18

02

Did you miss it? Catch up on the news from Feb. 16 through 20 on…

BallStateDaily.com McKinley to be closed March 5 and 6

Amplify explains platform points

Successful weekend in Ball State sports

4Feb. 16: Cardinals will not be able to travel down Ball State’s main drag March 5 and 6. The south bound lane of McKinley Avenue between Riverside and Neely avenues will be closed for repairs starting 6 a.m. March 5. The northbound lane will be closed for repairs March 6, starting at 6 a.m.

The lanes will reopen by 7 p.m.

4Feb. 18: While few were in attendance, Amplify encouraged student input in the 2018 Student Government Association elections at the All Slate Debate. Amplify discussed how they plan to create an LGBTQ resource center, implement shuttles on campus, extend library hours and raise awareness about sexual assault.

4Feb. 19: It was another winning weekend for Cardinal athletic teams.

Both men’s and women’s basketball picked up dominating wins.

Additionally, men’s volleyball went 2-0 at home, and track and field placed several athletes at home.

Softball and baseball also picked up wins, and both tennis teams found wins, as well.

ELLIOTT DEROSE, DN

Baker wins MAC Player of the Week

Derby Dames season begins Sunday

Rev. Billy Graham dies at 99

4Feb. 19: William Baker started

4Feb. 20: Muncie’s roller derby

4Feb. 20: The Rev. Billy Graham, who transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday at 99. Graham, who long suffered from cancer, pneumonia and other ailments, died at his home in North Carolina.

his inaugural season at Ball State with a bang. After spending his first two seasons at Fort Scott Community College, the junior outfielder had a .625 batting average and numerous threehit games in baseball’s opening weekend. The team plays again this weekend in New Orleans.

team, The Cornfed Derby Dames, will be open its eighth season of play Feb. 25 at Gibson’s Skating Arena. Doors will open at 1 p.m. with a start time of 2 p.m. The Derby Dames are ranked 123 out of 339 teams in the nation. The group consists of over 40 active members and are split into two teams.

4-DAY WEATHER

VOL. 97 ISSUE: 23 CONTACT THE DN Newsroom: 765-285-8245 Editor: 765-285-8249, editor@ bsudailynews.com

FORECAST THURSDAY

Gabe Prough Weather Forecaster, Benny Weather Group

RAIN

Hi: 47º Lo: 32º

MATT RUDDICK, PHOTO PROVIDED

FRIDAY

RAIN

Hi: 57º Lo: 39º

SATURDAY

RAIN

Hi: 54º Lo: 41º

SUNDAY

RAIN, CLOUDY Hi: 53º Lo: 34º

NEXT WEEK: Rain and above average temperatures continue the rest of this week and into the weekend. Keep the umbrella handy. Temperatures should stabilize in the mid to lower 50s.

4ON THE COVER: EMILY WRIGHT, DN ILLUSTRATION

The Ball State Daily News (USPS-144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Thursdays during the academic year except for during semester and summer breaks. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various campus locations.

EDITORIAL BOARD Casey Smith, Editor-in-chief Allie Kirkman, Managing Editor Brynn Mechem, News Editor Brooke Kemp, Features Editor Kara Biernat, Sports Editor Kaiti Sullivan, Photo Editor Carli Scalf, Copy Editor Garret Looker, Opinion Editor Ryan Shank, Video Editor Nick Williams, Social Media Editor CREATIVE SERVICES Emily Wright, Director Elliott DeRose, Design Editor

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Periodicals postage paid in Muncie, Ind. TO ADVERTISE • Classifieds: 765-285-8247 • Print & Online: 765-285-8256 • Office hours are 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

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JOIN THE DAILY NEWS Stop by room 278 in the Art and Journalism Building.

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CORRECTION The Ball State Daily News is committed to providing accurate news to the community. In the event we need to correct inaccurate information, you will find that printed here.

To submit a correction, email editor@bsudailynews.com.

DNNews

02.22.18

03

Campus

UPD investigating oncampus sexual assault

From

TRUCK

On Monday evening, Ball State University sent students a public safety advisory about a sexual assault. University Police received a report of the assault, which happened in an on-campus residence hall Sunday. According to the advisory, the victim “became acquainted with the suspect through social media.�

to

TABLE

Indiana

407

Sunday carryout sales might come sooner Senate Bill 1 (SB01), which would allow Sunday alcohol sales, passed through the Indiana House of Representatives (82-10) Tuesday.

However, instead of going into effect July 1 like a majority of bills passed by the Indiana General Assembly, it would go into effect immediately.

If passed, SB01 would allow liquor stores, drug stores, grocery stores and convenience stores to sell alcohol from noon to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

Student Government

Senate could remove straws from dining

ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

Straws might be completely removed from dining due to cost, said senator Kaleb Chowning.

Previously, Chowning wrote a resolution calling on dining to use paper straws as a greener alternative for plastic straws. Chowning said he wants straws to be gradually removed from dining due to the high cost of paper straws.

ON BALLSTATEDAILY.COM: DANCE MARATHON RAISES MORE THAN $650,000 FOR RILEY HOSPITAL

DNNews

02.22.18

04

How feasible are Amplify’s platform points? The Daily News fact check For the first time in eight years, only one group is campaigning to be the next executive slate for Ball State’s Student Government Association.

The Daily News spoke with all four members of Amplify to see if their platform points are feasible to complete or implement within the next academic year.

Amplify’s executive slate consists of candidates Isaac Mitchell, president; Matt Hinkleman, vice president; Kyleigh Snavely, secretary; and Jalen Jones, treasurer. Here’s a look at their platform points:

Point: Raise awareness on sexual assault, alcohol abuse Feasible: Maybe Why:

Mitchells said the slate would like to raise awareness on sexual assault and alcohol abuse through educational programs. Hinkleman said Amplify could potentially have an expert speak at freshman orientation.

The slate said they may work with other organizations, though they haven’t yet met with anyone to speak on the matter. However, slate members said they plan on working with Abby Haworth, senior assistant director of admissions and orientation.

Haworth said she has not been contacted regarding this platform point.

“Currently, we do actually have programming on [sexual assault and alcohol abuse], so it isn’t something that is neglected currently in our programs,” Haworth said.

Haworth added that she’s interested in hearing what Amplify wants to expand on, given that programs already exist.

Point: Mental health awareness Feasible: Unlikely Why:

Retiring executive slate OPTiC focused on this point during their term. Now, Amplify would like to allocate more money toward the Counseling Center and make students more aware of the resources Ball State and Muncie have to offer.

In order to do so, they plan to allocate SGA funds to make materials such as posters and brochures to spread awareness.

Current SGA secretary Lizzie Ford said she has spoken with Amplify members and said it is possible to accomplish this point if they work well with university administration.

“It’s hard to know if they can get [funding] done in a year,” Ford said. “Bringing awareness is feasible. I see it as they have been saying that they are amplifying what we [OPTiC] have already done.”

Former SGA executive slate SUMMIT president James Wells said based on his past experiences, giving more funds toward the Counseling Center

KEY TO FEASIBILITY

Isaac Mitchell, campaigning president of Amplify, speaks during the 2018 All Slate debate hosted by SGA at L.A. Pittenger Student Center Feb 18. ERIC PRITCHETT,

Yes: This can be completed/implemented in one year.

Probably: This can be completed/

implemented in one year, given some obstacles and/or some current uncertainties.

Maybe: This can be completed/ implemented in one year, but there are still questions, unseen obstacles and/or some current uncertainties.

Unlikely: This likely can’t be completed/ implemented in one year due to obstacles and/or some current uncertainties.

No: This can’t be completed/implemented in one year.

Unkown: It is unknown if this can be completed/implemented in one year.

isn’t feasible, largely due to the fact that SGA’s budget isn’t the proper place to allocate money.

“What SUMMIT did was bring awareness and partner with the Counseling Center as best as we could to drive the conversation and advocate for changes,” Wells said.

He said SUMMIT’s presentation before the Board of Trustees during his tenure as SGA president played a huge part in the university increasing the Counseling Center’s budget.

“If anything, Amplify needs to do some more research, talk to the Counseling Center, administration and understand how the operating budget and funding is structured for the university. SGA’s budget is a drop in the bucket compared to what it takes to operate the entire university’s services.”

Additionally, Bill Betts, director of counseling and health services, said Amplify has not been in contact with him.

Point: Extend Bracken weekend hours Feasible: Unknown Why:

Hinkleman said because Bracken Library currently closes at 9 p.m. on the weekends, students aren’t able to use the resources the library offers after hours.

Hinkleman said he and Jones spoke with Matthew Shaw, dean of university libraries, about starting a pilot program that would extend library hours until 11 p.m. or midnight in the fall. If the program is successful, he said SGA could then work on legislation to make it permanent in Spring 2019.

Shaw said he did speak to Amplify members, but he wasn’t completely sure of the feasibility of making the program happen: “I simply don’t know the answer yet,” Shaw said.

DN

Point: Expand Student Appreciation Day Feasible: Yes Why:

SGA traditionally holds a student appreciation day once a year, Snavely said. She would like to implement this event once each semester to promote student bonding and recognition.

“So many students here are working their tails off at Ball State,” Snavely said. “We need to appreciate them more, especially SGA.” This event would be completely run by SGA.

Point: More outlets for student input Feasible: Yes Why:

Mitchell said Amplify members want to ensure students can give more input to SGA. Mitchell said this will likely be done on the new SGA website or through polls on social media.

Jones said Amplify members are “100 percent sure this will happen,” but are unsure of what it will completely look like.

Current SGA president Greg Carbó said SGA

has taken steps this semester to build a website in order for students to have access to SGA. “So, our clear objective was to build a website for diversity resources and also for senators to have a portal so they could login and have access to all of our files, and also for students to log in and be able to see all of our stuff as well,” Carbó said.

“Amplify has mentioned that they are wanting to continue the initiatives to communicate [with] students through that way.”

Carbó said this point is 100 percent feasible.

“We, the current SGA slate [has] basically made the backbone of the website, so we kind of have everything up,” Carbó said. “We’re of course missing some bits and pieces here, and it will be done before the year’s end, but having more access to the SGA, and kind of building new things on the website, I think [Amplify is] more than capable to do that.”

Point: ROTC priority scheduling Feasible: Maybe Why:

Mitchell said Amplify wants to implement priority scheduling for ROTC students to help them get their required classes because ROTC members are required to graduate in four years.

05 Last year, OPTiC tried to pass similar legislation that would enable priority scheduling for veterans. However, after passing through SGA senate, the bill died in a university council committee. Hinkleman said Amplify will work with SGA senator Kaylin Armstrong, who wrote the legislation last year, to make new legislation for just ROTC students.

“When you look at the legislation that was written from last year, it wasn’t just for ROTC students, but more veterans as a whole, which is a large community on campus,” said Armstrong, who is also Cadet Battalion Commander of ROTC. “We’re going to rewrite the legislation for a smaller group of people, just the contracted ROTC students, which is only about 30-40 people a year.”

Armstrong said she’s confident the new bill will pass because it is more specific in that it only applies to the current contracted ROTC students. Additionally, Armstrong said she plans to meet with Nancy Cronk, university registrar.

Point: Relocate trash receptacles, recycling bins Feasible: Yes, already the case Why:

Mitchell said his dream would be to place a recycling can next to every trash can on campus — especially outdoors — in order to encourage students to recycle more often.

Jim Lowe, associate vice president for facilities planning and management, said Amplify has not talked to him about this point or any others.

Lowe did say the university currently has recycle bins and non-recycle trash cans in all offices on campus, as well as a similar arrangement along campus sidewalks.

“There may be a few locations where only a trash can is available,” Lowe said.

Due to cross contamination issues, Lowe added that many recycle cans were removed from general purpose classrooms several years ago.

Although Amplify did not did not specifically address recycle cans in classrooms, Lowe said the university would be willing to try another

classroom or two to determine if users would comply with separation: “We welcome the support and would ask for clarity on this opportunity.”

Point: Inform students on what can be recycled Feasible: Yes Why:

Hinkleman said he would like to have informational materials like posters or stickers around recycling bins to help students properly recycle.

Hinkleman said Amplify would like to contact Lowe and the Partnership for Student Sustainable Advancement (PSSA) regarding the matter, but have yet to do so.

Lowe said finding an effective means of communicating the university’s recycling efforts could prove beneficial, and university officials would welcome any and all ideas.

Additionally, if SGA approves the creation of a green council, Hinkleman said it would help accomplish this platform point.

Point: Place hygienic bins in all residence halls Feasible: Unknown Why:

Hinkleman said he would like to implement hygienic bins, similar to those used for disposal of feminine hygiene products, in both men’s and women’s restrooms to increase gender inclusivity.

Hinkleman said they have talked with Residence Hall Association president and SGA senator Kathy Berryhill.

“I think if proper research is done by the end of this school year, maybe something could happen within the year,” Berryhill said. “RHA and SGA would/should work together researching and covering all bases so that, if necessary, a strong piece of legislation can go to RHA’s floor. From there, we’d send the piece to [Housing and Residence Life].”

4See SGA, 23

Kyleigh Snavely, secretary; Jalen Jones, treasurer; Matt Hinkleman, vice president; and Isaac Mitchell, campaigning president of Amplify, during the 2018 All Slate debate hosted by the Student Government Association at L.A. Pittenger Student Center on Feb 18. ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

02.22.18

DNNews

Class challenges writers to cover all walks of life By rethinking a class, Jones taught students to explore and write about multicultural topics.

Andrew Harp Reporter After thousands of magazine downloads and various invitations to prestigious conferences, one Ball State program may still see cuts in funding.

After English professor Darolyn Jones won the Excellence in Teaching Award, an annual Ball State award where teachers are nominated by the students, in 2013, she received a grant to redesign the children’s literature class at Ball State. Now, the class, which is called Rethinking Children’s and Young Adult Literature, challenges students to read and write children’s literature that is multicultural with an emphasis on social justice.

“I’m hoping that like, every two years, I can keep offering this class. That’s really my goal,” Jones said. “There’s an endless amount of topics.”

It gave me a new perspective on literature as a whole.”

- HANNAH WINTERS, Senior English studies major In the fall of 2016, when the Black Lives Matter movement was gaining traction, Jones said she was inspired to challenge her students to understand and analyze the underrepresentation of African Americans in children’s and young adult literature.

The students in the course read and researched up to 50 different children’s and young adult books from all over the world in addition to reading academic studies and articles pertinent to the subject. Some of the books the class read are out of print and had to be hunted down by Jones.

At the end of each course, a digital magazine that exhibits student work and ranges anywhere from 350-500 pages is created through a partnership with Dr. Jennifer Palilonis at the Center for Emerging Media Design & Development. Four issues have been released since 2016, and three students have had their work published and printed professionally since the beginning of the project.

However, Jones said the future of the magazine isn’t certain. Despite the successes, she said funding for the magazine for the next group of students may not be guaranteed. She said the creation of the magazine could be affected if the media studio’s funding is changed.

“I have to be honest, we’re all a little nervous about that,” Jones said. “We will still make it happen.

It will just be in a different format.”

Despite these uncertainties, she said she feels confident for the future. Even if funding for the magazine disappears, Jones said she would shift focus to the website and its design.

In Spring 2017, the class presented the project at

Ball State as well as places across the country such as Indianapolis and Kent State University. At Kent State, the class presented at the annual Virginia Hamilton conference, the only conference in the country focused on multicultural children’s and young adult literature.

“Except for the famous authors who speak, in terms of workshops, ours was the most highly attended at Kent State,” Jones said.

Eileen Porzuczek, a junior creative writing major, said she realized how much of a bubble her hometown of Fishers, Indiana, is in because of the class.

“From that experience, I would take away the fact that it’s so important for everyone to be able to see characters like [those who are underrepresented],” Porzuczek said. “Before I took the class, I knew that there was an obvious underrepresentation, but until I had actually been in the class and done the research.

It’s amazing how much that can affect someone and their growth.”

In addition to writing a book of their own, students also created video logs where they talked about what they learned from the course and how their perspective changed from the first to the last day of class.

Porzuczek said many resources were included for the books they analyzed so they could be easily accessed. She said these African American children’s and young adult books can be difficult to find in a market where they are undervalued.

“If you go on Barnes & Noble or Amazon and look up children’s books, they don’t come up until like page seven or eight or 10,” Porzuczek said.

Hannah Winters, a senior English studies major, was inspired to take the class because her adopted younger brother is African American.

“We struggled finding books that he liked to read, so I thought maybe taking a course like this would give me some ideas on children’s books to give to him,” Winters said.

The story Winters wrote, “You Can’t Play With Us,” is based off an instance her brother had on the school playground due to bullying.

“It gave me a new perspective on literature as a whole,” Winters said. “It definitely just reshaped, kind of, my perspective about diversity in children’s literature.”

Though cuts in funding may or may not happen, Jones is already planning for the next course to focus on rethinking disability representation in children’s and young adult literature. Jones said she also wants to explore all the different types of family structures and whether they’re being represented in young literature.

“I really wanted a class to focus on social and educational justice and underrepresented authors and underrepresented readers,” Jones said. “Young readers are not seeing themselves in literature.”

The digital magazine, which contains all of the stories and video logs, can be accessed through the BSU Now app available on the App Store and Google Play.

Contact Andrew Harp with comments at adharp@ bsu.edu or on Twitter @adharp24.

DNNews

02.22.18

06

SPRING COMMENCEMENT CONTEST win a FREE cap & gown for graduation

direct message a picture of your favorite Ball State memory to @BSUDaily on Facebook

Visit ballstatedaily.com/sponsoredcontent to view contest rules.

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02.22.18

DNNews

From food truck to restaurant, local couple brings barbecue to Muncie Liz Rieth Reporter Sitting inside an old auto repair station, customers are greeted with the aroma of barbecue and the warm smiles of a welcoming couple. Once, this atmosphere was found in a food truck, but now, MT’s Smokin’ BBQ serves its products in a sit-down restaurant.

Travis and Mandy Thorrington, owners of MT’s Smokin’ BBQ, said they never thought they would own a barbecue food truck together, not to mention a restaurant.

In the new restaurant, the couple serves almost all their food homemade, including slow-smoked half-pound sandwiches with a variety of sauces and homemade sides to choose from.

“We give customers the best quality food. We like to smoke everything fresh,” Mandy said.

We give customers the best quality food. We like to smoke everything fresh. We try to not be real expensive — we get a lot of college students and we understand you guys are on Ramen Noodle budgets.”

- MANDY THORRINGTON, Co-owner of MT’s Smokin’ BBQ “We try to not be real expensive — we get a lot of college students and we understand you guys are on Ramen Noodle budgets.”

While the couple is seeing success in the restaurant, barbecue was not their first choice.

When MT’s Smokin’ BBQ started in 2014, Travis originally wanted a hot dog cart. Instead, he ended up with a barbecue food truck.

“It’s what the trailer said, and we said, ‘Well, why not? Muncie doesn’t have a good barbecue place,’” Travis said. “I was going to get something for retirement, but man, this is hard for retirement.

I never done barbecue before.”

Because the couple had little experience with barbecue, they experimented with recipes for the next few months. Eventually, they made a barbecue all their own, Mandy said.

With the truck, they would park at factories, around town or cater at lunches. They served up to 30-50 people a day and even catered up to 200 people.

Space was small, so the menu consisted of mainly brisket and pulled pork. Also, the small kitchen meant getting around was easy.

Travis and Mandy Thorrington started MT’s Smokin’ BBQ in 2014 as a food truck. Now customers can enjoy their meals inside the new restaurant. ERIC PRITCHETT, DN “When you’re in a truck, everything is within a foot and a hand’s reach,” Travis said. “In a restaurant, you have to walk half a block.”

Travis and Mandy ran one of the few food trucks in Muncie, not to mention the only barbecue truck.

“There’s not a lot of food trucks in Muncie,” Mandy said. “But people are more apt to come into a restaurant than a food truck.”

So, when the building became available, they took the opportunity to move in.

“It was by chance this came available,” Mandy said. “We were parked two doors down and we wanted it.”

Now, in a restaurant rather than a truck, they bought a second smoker and serve up to 100 people and cater up to 350 people.

“Our lowest day on Monday is more than what we did max in the food truck,” Travis said. “We’ve

been open two months and we already are running out of space.”

Additionally, the menu has expanded to include daily specials and items like “piggymac,” which is homemade mac and cheese with pulled pork in it.

Because of the routine of the restaurant, the couple said they have made a lot of loyal customers.

Amanda Campbell first tried MT’s Smokin’ BBQ when they catered an event in their food truck. So, when they opened up the restaurant, she and her fiancé became regular customers. She said they even plan to have MT’s Smokin’ BBQ cater their wedding.

“The portion was cheap for how much you get.

And it was so good, it was so tender, it was so juicy.

Even without the sauce, the pork was excellent,” Campbell said. “The selection of sauces was good.

We actually take all the sauces and put it on pieces of the meat to sample all the sauces.”

For other customers, the restaurant has a semblance of home. Jen Fruitt said MT’s Smokin’ BBQ reminds her of the barbecue she had in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee.

“I’m from Memphis, so barbecue is a big deal to me. It’s the only good barbecue place I’ve found here,” Fruitt said. “I’ve never had better barbecue in the state of Indiana and that’s a fact. If you want real barbecue, go here.”

Ultimately, for Travis and Mandy, MT’s Smokin’ BBQ is about more than the reviews or the food; it’s about the customers.

“We try to treat everybody like they are part of our family,” Mandy said.

Contact Liz Rieth with comments at ejrieth@ bsu.edu or on Twitter @liz_rieth.

DNNews

02.22.18

08

One zine gives local artists a place to share original works with community There are currently two editions of SoapBox, each with only 50 copies printed for readers to enjoy.

Brynn Mechem News Editor In the corner of a coffee shop lies a rarity: a lovingly handmade item chock-full of individual works just waiting to be discovered.

The little booklet, printed and stitched by hand, gives anyone who picks it up a glimpse into the local art scene.

The zine — a small-circulation, self-published work of original texts — was created by one Ball State student with a passion for sharing others’ work.

“I think I come from a family of hipsters probably,” said the sophomore who works under the pseudonym Nellie. “I wanted to give a space for people who were creative in the Muncie

That’s what zines are supposed to be. They’re this kitschy hidden treasure. Like you find one, and you’re like, ‘This is one of 50 copies in existence,’ and they’re supposed to be special.”

- NELLIE, Creator of SoapBox community to be able to do the things that they’ve kind of been putting on hold for other projects. “ The zine, titled SoapBox, features poems, photography and art from students and Muncie locals. SoapBox has unique features, such as pull out artwork, lithograph prints and, to top it off, a hand-pressed flower in every edition.

Because of all the special features, SoapBox has a small circulation of 50 copies, but Nellie said the low circulation adds to the character of the zine.

“That’s what zines are supposed to be. They’re this kitschy hidden treasure,” Nellie said. “Like you find one, and you’re like, ‘This is one of 50 copies in existence,’” and they’re supposed to be special. In that way, I want people to pass them around because I want people to be like, ‘Look, I found a copy of SoapBox,’ and then enjoy it for what it actually is.”

Peter Davis, an assistant professor of English at Ball State, has had his work published in various literary zines over a span of nearly 15 years. Davis said one of the best parts about a zine is the finality that comes with having one’s work in a physical object, but he said internet publishing does have obvious advantages.

SoapBox is a magazine that features poems, photography and art from students and people in Muncie. The zine is a small booklet made by hand. BRYNN MECHEM, DN “Online, you have a much huger audience. You know, they’ve got 50 or 60 copies of this thing, and that’s just not that many people that are going to be able to see it, whereas online you might have something that has a few thousand clicks a month,” Davis said. “As a fan of physical objects, I like printed copies of things, but I’m also a fan of having as many people read my work as possible.”

Nellie’s co-worker, a sophomore working under the name Penn, said while he wasn’t initially on board, the low number of circulation builds excitement around SoapBox.

“When [Nellie] first said we were going to do 50 issues, I said, ‘You’re insane. It’s just too small, there’s just too many people,’” Penn said. “You build sort of a scarcity that also makes it exciting to pick up an issue, or to find an issue, or to have an issue given to you by a friend. That’s sort of what we’re banking on, and I think it’s working.”

To encourage people to pass the zine on, SoapBox has a page in every issue called “Sounding Board,” which allows the reader to write his or her thoughts before sharing it with another person.

SoapBox, which has now printed twice, gives

readers a small clue to the theme of the issue with Latin text printed in the front. The first edition note translates to “Greatness from small beginnings,” and the second says, “Counteract good with evil.”

Nellie said the themes allowed for artists to submit pieces on heavier topics such as overcoming addictions, rape, unhealthy love and racial oppression.

“It was a lot of recognizing the evils that have a say in who you are or who you’re perceived to be, and then creating something beautiful out of it anyway,” Nellie said. “There’s a lot of bad things happening, but there are always bad things happening. So it’s about knowing and recognizing there’s struggle, there’s things to be learned from struggle and then, there’s the beauty to be found underneath it.”

While the creators of SoapBox do not use their real names, the artists featured do. Penn said while pseudonyms as an editor are a little unusual in this type of media, using them was almost a no brainer for he and Nellie.

“The reason being is because there’s so much ego around a lot of journalism today — I mean massive, Kanye West-level egos. We keep ourselves anonymous because this zine is not about us,” Penn said. “It’s about the contributors. It’s about the narrative, it’s about the artistry and it’s about the collective consciousness of the Muncie art scene.

“It’s about providing a platform for those other artists who work tirelessly to create beautiful work to be recognized.”

It’s this idea that Nellie said helps keep her motivated to create the zines, which takes a full day and a whole paycheck.

“For the most part, I don’t want people to have to spend money to read things,” Nellie said. “The last two copies I’ve done have been completely out of pocket. I spend a paycheck on it every few months. It’s a moral upholding, I would rather have ads than have people pay for it.”

Davis said as long as zines are going, artists would have a space to test their work and meet like-minded individuals.

“I think it’s really important for you to know what other people are doing, what your contemporaries are doing, what other people are interested in,” Davis said. “Zines are kind of like the club where everyone meets. Zines are sort of where people are hanging out.”

Nellie is planning on putting out another zine this semester, though the theme isn’t set in stone yet. However, she said the edition will probably have a flower and will definitely be waiting in the corner of a coffee shop for an unsuspecting visitor.

Contact Brynn Mechem with comments at bamechem@bsu.edu or on Twitter at @ BrynnMechem.

DNSports

02.22.18

09

Track and Field

IMMEDIATE impact 411

Cardinals compete at MAC Championships

Ball State track and field will compete against the league’s best this weekend in Bowling Green, Ohio, as it enters the Mid-American Conference indoor championships.

The Cardinals are coming off a weekend that had 12 career-best performances.

Basketball

Teague recognized after strong week Men’s basketball player Tahjai Teague earned Mid-American Conference player of the week honors from College Sports Madness. The redshirt sophomore from Indianapolis had an average of 18.5 points and 11 rebounds in the Cardinals’ two games last week.

Baseball

Ball State picked 3rd in MAC preseason poll

REAGAN ALLEN, DN

The Cardinals were voted by the league’s head coaches to finish third in the Mid-American Conference, according to the MAC preseason poll. Ball State (73 points) finished behind both Kent State (98 points) and Central Michigan (86 points) in the poll.

ON BALLSTATEDAILY.COM: BALL STATE SOFTBALL FINISHES UNDEFEATED AT TROY COX CLASSIC

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Men’s Basketball

The vital role of Ball State’s young bench With an eight-man rotation, the freshman duo’s role has increased.

Robby General Reporter Gathering a missed jump shot, Ishmael El-Amin drives down the court, dribbling along press row at Worthen Arena, eventually getting stopped along the right wing.

Trailing him on the other side of the court was fellow freshman Zach Gunn, who caught ElAmin’s pass in transition and immediately put up a long 3-pointer from the left wing, at least three feet deeper than NBA range, right in the face of a Toledo defender.

Swish.

After the shot, Gunn tried to keep his cool, jogging back down the court to Ball State’s bench.

But as Toledo, now down 18 points late in the first half, called a 30-second timeout, El-Amin chased down his teammate, who was smiling at this point, to congratulate him on the shot.

At that point in the game, Gunn had six points — the most he’s scored in a single game since Nov. 22

at Bucknell. He would finish with a career-high 16.

El-Amin also finished with a career-high 18 points in the Cardinals 99-71 statement win over Toledo.

“You know, having a good game really helped because I’ve been struggling,” Gunn said.

“Obviously, I’m not going to have games like that the rest of the season, I wish I could. But I’m focused on playing well and doing all the little things, even if they don’t show up on the stat sheet.”

Coming into the game, Gunn had issues getting anything going offensively, scoring less than three points per game after his mid-season leg injury, which left him sidelined for six games. This came after he averaged 9.2 points per game in the first five contests of the year. He followed up his careerbest performance with four points against Northern Illinois, fouling out in just nine minutes. El-Amin, on the other hand, had zero in the Cardinals 77-68 victory over the Huskies.

So, does the drop-off in scoring production for the freshman make the Toledo game an anomaly?

Not necessarily.

Head coach James Whitford credited El-Amin’s presence on the court Tuesday night, saying the freshman was key in helping the Cardinals go on a 20-6 run midway in the second half, which led to their fifth-straight Mid-American Conference victory.

“Ish, I thought in the half court needed to trade

some of his shots for assists but the one thing he brought for us was a real spark with his pace,” Whitford said. “I thought in that stretch we were

I thought in that stretch we were playing really fast. We were able to get out on offense, and the faster we play on situations like that, the better.”

- JAMES WHITFORD, Men’s basketball head coach

playing really fast. We were able to get out on offense, and the faster we play on situations like that, the better.”

Whitford also said Gunn played “his best defensive game of the year” against Toledo. Against Northern Illinois, the matchup was tougher for

Ball State defeats Toledo for 2nd time Attendance reached 4,824 fans Feb. 17 as No. 2 ranked Ball State’s men’s basketball took on Toledo, who is ranked first in the MAC West. The Cardinals won 99-71 in John E. Worthen Arena. ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

the 6-foot-6-inch freshman, who was tasked with stopping the MAC’s leading scorer in sophomore Eugene German, who continuously drove into the lane off pick-and-rolls, finishing with 25.

Coming off the bench, El-Amin, Gunn and redshirt sophomore Josh Thompson are Whitford’s only consistent options in the current eight-man rotation, with senior Francis Kiapway getting sporadic minutes. This makes the young bench’s role crucial to the Cardinals’ success in the final three games of the regular season and moving into the conference tournament.

And they seem to have the right mindset.

“We need to come in every day to practice and stay locked in,” El-Amin said. “Don’t change what you do, just work. [We] can’t settle for what we did the week before.”

As for Kiapway, there’s always a chance that the senior, who sits third on the program’s career list for 3-pointers made, makes a comeback as well.

“I talked to him and said that I’d be shocked if he doesn’t get back in there at some point,” Whitford said. “You never know and I’m not guaranteeing anything, but think about all the twists and turns our season has been through already. I’d be surprised if there’s not one or two more; there usually is.”

Contact Robby General at rjgeneral@bsu.edu or on Twitter @rgeneraljr.

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02.22.18

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Men’s Volleyball

Freshman Ben Chinnici’s family bond bolsters successful volleyball season Ball State’s star newcomer is strengthened by his family’s support.

Nate Fields Assistant Sports Editor Those familiar with Ball State men’s volleyball know of Ben Chinnici. The Sellersville, Pennsylvania, native burst onto the scene with 16 kills in his first collegiate match, letting the volleyball world know that Ball State landed a bigtime freshman.

The 6-foot-4-inch outside hitter followed up his inaugural performance with a dozen kills in his second match as the team swept its opening weekend behind

My brothers kind of meant everything to my volleyball throughout my whole life ... You just know that your brothers are your best friends and they’re always there to help you on and off the court, so it’s huge for me.”

- BEN CHINNICI, freshman men’s volleyball player the play of its newcomer. Chinnici’s performances earned him Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Offensive Player of the Week in his first week as a collegiate player.

For his mother, Robin Chinnici, seeing her son’s work translate into recognition during his first week of college was surreal.

“That whole thing was just unbelievable,” Robin said. “And now that we’ve seen how tough it can be, it was just an awesome start to his career. Everyone at the D-l level are just really good players, so he played really well. He came out swinging and it was crazy to watch him do that well.”

His showings on the court announced the arrival of a potential star, but the freshman had been working toward a moment like that since he was a child, and he had some help along the way.

Ben’s brothers, Cory, 25, and Ryan, 23, got him into volleyball in sixth grade. That’s when he fell

in love with the game, and he knows having the support from his brothers can’t be undervalued.

“My brothers kind of meant everything to my volleyball throughout my whole life,” Ben said.

“Just to have them always watching, supporting and playing with me in the summer is just an incredible bonding experience. You just know that your brothers are your best friends and they’re always there to help you on and off the court, so it’s huge for me.”

Watching her children develop an unbreakable bond through the game of volleyball meant the world to Robin.

“Just for them to be good big brothers, it’s really nice,” Robin said. “It’s really important that they’re kind and helpful to one another, and that was a big one. Being able to watch them play doubles and stuff in the summer, there’s nothing like it. ... To see all of your kids on the court at the same time is really cool.”

Ball State head coach Joel Walton saw another side of that story, one that shows dedication to success and a different mindset than most players possess at a young age.

Walton said younger kids have to perform at a higher level if they want to be accepted or even allowed to join games with their older brothers.

Ben had that mentality at a young age, and it never wavered. Walton said a mindset like that is rare in young players, and is one thing that separates Ben from most freshmen he’s been around in his 20 years as Ball State’s head coach.

In regard to family, Ben’s brothers aren’t his only supporting cast.

Both of his parents, Robin and Jamie, try to attend every match their son plays, something Ben has become greatly appreciative for.

“It’s just incredible to know that your parents are always there for you no matter where you’re playing and they’re going to come out and make that effort to see me play,” Ben said. “Just to have them in the stands while I’m playing, I know it makes a difference just to have them there watching. And just being able to talk to them, since I don’t get to see them a lot in college because I live so far away. It’s just an amazing experience.”

Robin and Jamie said they want to travel as much as possible to see their son play the game he loves, knowing college lasts only four years.

Walton’s daughter played six hours away from Muncie in college, so he knows it is challenging for parents to make it to all of their children’s matches. He can understand how much it means for the Chinnici parents to see Ben’s dreams come to fruition.

“There are windows of time as you go through life, and right now Ben’s parents are in a window of time where one of their sons is playing collegiate volleyball at a very high level and he’s getting

significant playing time,” Walton said. “So they’re doing everything they can to be in that gymnasium and experience that experience with him.

“For a parent, there are very few moments in life as fulfilling as when you see your child achieving anything at a high level … so, I know it has to mean a lot for his parents to be able to share those experiences with Ben, and for sure for Ben, having that kind of support from his family. Those are just really special things that we experience in life.”

Playing with his older brothers at a young age and receiving so much support from his family has helped Ben get ahead of the curve as a freshman, and although his goals as a player are simple, they reflect a winner’s mentality.

“My No. 1 goal is to stay healthy,” Ben said. “I want to be able to continue to play good volleyball, and just continue to see the court and help the team in any way I can, whether it be on or off the court.”

So far, so good.

Contact Nate Fields with comments at nefields@bsu.edu or on Twitter @NateNada.

REAGAN ALLEN, DN

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OUTSTANDING SENIOR AWARD Nomination forms are available for pick up in the Student Center, Room 133. Applications must be returned to AD 238 by 5 p.m. on Wed., March 14, 2018.

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DNSports

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NCAA Tournament bubble watch See how Ball State stacks up in the current outlook of women’s basketball teams vying for a bid.

Sam Barloga Reporter With just three games left to play in the 2017-18 regular season, Ball State women’s basketball (224, 11-4 MAC) finds itself on the edge of an at-large NCAA Tournament berth.

But there’s one problem: they have company.

In the Mid-American Conference alone, two other teams — Central Michigan (22-4, 14-1 MAC) and Buffalo (22-4, 13-2 MAC) — would also find themselves in no-man’s land if the season ended today.

Of the three teams, Central Michigan is likely on the best footing if it happens to lose in the MidAmerican Conference tournament, likely being a lock as long as it suffers no more than one more loss within the MAC. Buffalo and Ball State, however, are assured of nothing if they don’t win the conference tournament.

That means the Cardinals, Chippewas and Bulls are looking outside of the MAC to see how other teams on the bubble are fairing with their end-ofseason slates.

Purdue, Oklahoma, Nebraska, West Virginia, USC, South Dakota State and Creighton are all vying for the tournament’s final spots along with Ball State and Buffalo, according to ESPN’s bracketology.

The Boilermakers (18-11, 9-6 Big Ten) are arguably the committee’s toughest challenge to judge. Purdue has wins over USC (17-10, 7-9 Pac-12), No. 15 Maryland, Michigan and Rutgers, all of whom will likely find their names called on Selection Monday.

However, Purdue also has losses to Ball State, Ohio, Indiana (twice), Georgia Tech and Nebraska, a group of teams who aren’t necessarily locks in the NCAA Tournament. Purdue hosts Michigan State at 2 p.m. Saturday to close out the regular season.

Nebraska (19-8, 10-4 Big Ten) suffered a tough loss to Indiana over the weekend. The Hoosiers have won seven straight and they could get the committee’s attention with another solid week. Nebraska looks to rebound against Penn State tonight.

USC (17-10, 7-9 Pac-12) failed to get a win over either No. 12 Oregon State or No. 8 Oregon last weekend, which would likely have cemented its place in the tournament. USC must avoid losses to Utah or Colorado this week, which would hurt its tournament chances even more.

Oklahoma (15-12, 10-6 Big 12) and West Virginia (20-8, 8-8 Big 12) are the bubble teams within the Big 12 Conference. The Sooners close

out the season this week, hosting Texas Tech and traveling to No. 6 Texas with a chance for a huge resume-boosting win. WVU hosts No. 25 Oklahoma State and travels to No. 3 Baylor to close its regular season.

Creighton (17-9, 11-5 Big East) and South Dakota State (22-5, 11-1 Summit League) are in a similar spot to the MAC teams vying for a tournament slot.

Both come from smaller conferences; however, the Big East often gets multiple bids in, earning three bids last season compared to the MAC and Summit leagues, who got one bid apiece.

Other mid-majors to watch include Florida Gulf Coast, Drake, Western Kentucky, Dayton, Mercer, South Dakota and Quinnipiac. All the teams in this group currently lead their conferences, but a loss in their conference tournaments would put them right back on the bubble.

As for Ball State, every game is vital at this stage, but Wednesday’s road matchup with Central Michigan is a critical opportunity to show the committee it can beat an elite-level team in its conference, as the Cardinals are 0-2 this year versus CMU and Buffalo.

Contact Sam Barloga with comments at sabarloga@bsu.edu or on Twitter @SamBarloga.

Senior guard Frannie Frazier gets fouled by Northern Illinois’ Gabby Nikitinaite as she goes up for a layup during the Cardinals’ game against the Huskies Jan. 27 in John E. Worthen Arena. Eric Pritchett, DN File ERIC PRITCHETT, DN FILE

MAC women’s swimming and diving championships Here’s how to keep track of the Cardinal swimmers at this year’s league finals.

Ball State women’s swimming and diving finishes up its season this week at the MidAmerican Conference Swimming and Diving Championships.

This year’s conference meet spans over the course of four days — from Wednesday through Saturday — and will feature all eight conference schools.

As a team, Ball State started off the season strong, winning the six-squad Indiana Intercollegiate and beating Illinois State, Tiffin and Grand Valley State.

Against conference opponents, however, its been a harder year for the Cardinals. Losses against Ohio, Toledo, Eastern Michigan and most recently Buffalo on senior night and a sixth place finish at the Miami Invitational tell the story of the team’s conference season.

Last year, the Cardinals placed eighth at the championships, earning 161.5 points. First place went to Akron, who won its fourth MAC Championship in a row with 750 points, and is the favorite to win it again this year. In the 2017 meet, Ball State senior Amanda Kedzierski became the program’s second all-time leader in the 100m

breaststroke with a time of 1:02.94. In the 3m dive, sophomore Rachel Bertram set a personal best with a score of 294.40.

The official heat sheets will not be released until the scratch deadline for each day’s events, but here’s a schedule of the four-day meet.

Wednesday, Feb. 21 Warm-ups 7 p.m. – Championship heat for 200 medley relay, 800 freestyle relay

awards for 3-meter diving, 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 400 medley relay

Saturday, Feb. 24 Prelims 10:30 a.m. – 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke and 200 butterfly

Finals 4:50 p.m. – 1650 free time finals 6:15 p.m. – Senior recognition 6:30 p.m. – Consultation and championship heat, awards for 1650 freestyle, 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle, 200 breaststroke, 200 butterfly, 3-meter diving and 400 freestyle relay Contact the sports section with comments at sports@bsudailynews.com.

Thursday, Feb. 22 Prelims 10:30 a.m. – 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle 2:45 p.m. – 1-meter dive prelims (consolation finals for 9-16th place directly follows) Finals 6:30 p.m. – Consultation and championship heat, awards for 1-meter diving, 500 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay

Friday, Feb. 23 Prelims 10:30 a.m. – 400 IM, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke and 100 backstroke 2:45 p.m. – 3-meter dive Finals 6:30 p.m. – Consultation and championship heat,

Senior Andrea Richter competes in the 100-yard backstroke during the meet against Buffalo Jan. 27 in Lewellen Pool. KAITI SULLIVAN, DN FILE

DNOpinion

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You decide: 2018 SGA Election Letter to the Editor

Our View

Amplify addresses the student body before voting begins

SGA’s Amplify has shaky, unprepared campaign

To begin, we’re going to keep this letter brief. In it, we’re going to explain who we are, what we stand for, and what we hope to accomplish. We are the voice of the students. We are the change the students need. We are the student government that the students deserve. We are Amplify.

Amplify is headed by President Isaac Mitchell, Vice-President Matt Hinkleman, Secretary Kyleigh Snavely and Treasurer Jalen Jones. When we started this campaign, the four of us had one overarching goal in mind. We all wanted to amplify the voice of the students and provide the real change needed by the student body. Throughout this entire process, we have again and again emphasized that we want to hear your concerns. This will never change for our slate. Our top priority will always be to listen to the concerns of the student body and implement the necessary changes that address these concerns.

Our platform covers six categories, each aimed at improving Ball State in one way or another. We look to prioritize student safety, advocate for inclusivity, address student affairs, implement green initiatives, improve transportation and expand service. Our platform covers specific issues ranging from working towards getting an LGBTQ+ Resource Center on campus to bringing back shuttles to home football games. Our platform is not static, however. We recognize that we must continually adapt. Our platform is and will continue to be dynamic, adjusting to the concerns of the student body.

In the coming days, Ball State students will begin voting for the 2018 Student Government Association’s executive slate.

On their ballots, they have two options — to vote for or against this year’s only campaigning slate, Amplify.

It’s been eight years since a slate has run opposed, and we — The Daily News Editorial Board — recognize that Amplify’s lack of opposition has caused some students to raise questions and concerns about this slate’s ability to serve SGA and the student body as a whole.

Over the last two weeks, The Daily News has conducted interviews with members of Amplify, attended election debates, researched platform points and fact checked the slate’s ideas. We also spoke with campus and community leaders who represent areas Amplify has targeted through their campaign.

After taking this deep dive into Amplify’s platform points, we are confident when we say the slate’s lack of competition should not be students’ only concern.

Instead, Amplify’s lack of preparedness and research is what truly stands out and is cause for worry.

When looking back at previous SGA slates, it’s evident that Amplify’s platform points are ill-conceived and unoriginal. Of the 16 points, four are merely extensions or complete replications of past slates’ initiatives, including those of OPTiC and Summit. Additionally, four are currently on the Senate floor, and two have existing resources.

4See OUR VIEW, 14

4See LETTER, 14

Garrett Looker is a junior magazine journalism major and writes “Finding Beneficence” and creates illustrations for The Daily News. His views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Contact Garrett at galooker@bsu.edu

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DNOpinion

02.22.18

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Over The Rainbow

Black Panther is king Following a huge box office success its first weekend, Black Panther shines as a true representation of black people and stands to change society.

Crystal Pennell is a sophomore telecommunications journalism major and writes “Over the Rainbow” for The Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper.

Write to Crystal at capennell@bsu.edu.

Black Panther was everything promised from the trailers and the reviews. Through visuals, character development and Crystal deeper storytelling, this movie Pennell gives people a chance to take a Columnist, Over closer look at American society.

The Rainbow Visually, it provided the action and effects needed to make this movie as successful as it is. Not to mention, the visual experience of the technology that Wakanda has to offer was truly amazing.

Besides the fact this was a superhero movie and the story line sticks close to the comic, there is an underlying message throughout the movie: the concept of unity.

Off the bat, you understand the dynamic of Wakanda: unity under one nation and a love for its one nation. Which is all good and well until the movie goes into deeper layers.

Erik Killmonger is the “villain” in this story; however, his actions show a struggling character attempting to do good but becoming the antagonist through his misguided ways.

You see the backstory of how Killmonger grew up in Oakland, California. In a sense, Killmonger represents the struggle and hardships of African Americans all over the world, but

URTESY IMDB, PHOTO CO

mostly in the U.S. Killmonger’s story represents a regular black kid growing up struggling to survive, to get an education, to get somewhere in life, and the hardships that come with it when you don’t have the resources needed. This living type is relatable to most and recognized by all.

In almost all movies that involve black people, the community is represented as poor and uneducated. They are seen as thugs. But society is changing.

“I think the amount of creativity that could be nourished, whether its intellectual or what have you, I think that young folks and old folks, seeing a film about a character and a family, and a story that is so unique, and really about being black and independent, I think it will change the way people communicate. There’s going to be some barriers broke,” said Christopher Moore, assistant director of Ball State’s Multicultural Center.

This movie is not only a representation for the people in these communities, but an eye-opener for those who are not in them. A conversation could start that has been trying to be heard for years now: one about the equal right to resources and the change that needs to happen in lower income communities.

The character of T’Challa (the Black Panther) is what would be considered the ideal to black people, the equivalent to a Superman or Ironman, except he’s no alien or just a rich/smart guy.

He’s the king. He’s lived his whole life to reach this moment, and everyone in his rule has the resources needed to be great, intelligent, strong.

This movie offers a new outlook on who young black kids can dream to be. As I mentioned before, these young kids are being negatively reinforced into who they are seen as by the world.

But this movie gives children a whole new perspective.

“I think it will help with a positive outlook for kids because he is the king, his sister is the princess and she’s the smartest person in the world; that kind of gives them the outlook that black people can be smart, and they can be royalty. It’s positive and uplifting in the community as a whole,” said Ball State sophomore Alon Moore.

As for future movies, we all hope to see more of the dynamic Black Panther gave us this year: representation of all and a positive outlook for underrepresented communities.

“There is a shift happening, as it relates to appreciating Black Culture and artistship and film.

I don’t know where we need to be at, but we’re getting there,” Christopher Moore said.

LETTER Continued from Page 13

A year ago, none of the four of us could have possibly imagined being where we are today.

Yet today, none of the four of us would rather be anywhere else. Our aspirations for the Student Government Association are boundless. We will

OUR VIEW Continued from Page 13

Members of the slate have not universally reached out to the necessary faculty or community leaders to see their points accomplished. Many of their points, such as allowing students to use their preferred names on all university forms, are vague because they have not been properly researched, and therefore cannot begin the legislative process.

Members of the slate have said their goal is to amplify the voices of students. But has Amplify really taken into account the current climate of the campus?

Given these circumstances, this leaves us with no recommendation other than a vote of no confidence.

work relentlessly on your behalf and give you the effective Student Government Association that you deserve. We would be honored to represent you.

Thank You, Amplify Isaac Mitchell Matt Hinkleman Kyleigh Snavely Jalen Jones

A vote of no confidence starts a fresh election cycle, giving Amplify time to go back and reconsider their positions. This also gives other slates the potential to invite conversation about what students expect from their representatives.

There are more than 20,000 voices that deserve to be heard at this university. In no way is it healthy for a campus this wide and diverse to have only one campaigning slate, especially one that’s so underprepared.

Historically, voting turnouts for SGA executive slates has been low — so low that more students vote for Homecoming royalty.

However, we feel that now, more than ever, students need to vote. The students’ representative voice should not be decided due to the absence of competition. We still have an opportunity to choose what is best for the student body, and as it stands, that choice is a vote of no confidence.

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DNLife

02.22.18

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Organizations

AASA celebrates Lunar New Year

The Ball State community celebrated the beginning of the Year of the Dog Monday with the Asian American Student Association and gained insight into a different culture through crafts and activities. 418

Campus Speaker

Shiza Shahid speaks with students

Memorable characters

Elizabeth Bell recognized for immersive learning book-building project 416

From a young age, Shiza Shahid began volunteering and working toward her goal of helping others and being remembered for being kind. Tuesday, students were able to hear about Shahid’s life and the lessons she has learned. 418

Campus Clubs

Students start first official dodgeball club Kevin Fry, a sophomore biology major, created Indiana’s first college dodgeball team associated with the National Collegiate Dodgeball Association and has seen unexpected growth and interest in the club. 419

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DNLife

02.22.18

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Immersive learning students create bilingual short stories

Allie Kirkman Managing Editor There are books that linger in a person.

Classic stories like “Goodnight Moon,” “The Poky Little Puppy” and “Charlotte’s Web” never grow old and continue to thrill generations of children and their parents.

When Ben Barry thinks about a book that has touched him, he thinks of one that he helped created – “The Return of Michael Jordan.”

As part of his Spanish intermediate composition and grammar class, the sophomore telecommunications major was one of 22 Ball State students who had the opportunity to collaborate and write, illustrate and publish bilingual short stories with first-grade students at Sutton Elementary in Muncie.

“Working on the project was a fantastic experience,” Barry said. “Getting to work with kids is always rewarding, but getting to share language and art with someone whom I never would have met otherwise made it so much more engaging than taking a final or doing an in-class project.”

The immersive learning class, titled Bilingual Short Stories in Muncie City Schools, was an idea cultivated and led by Elizabeth Bell, an assistant professor of Spanish.

When Bell started exploring her vision in Spring 2017, she was aware of the lack of initial funding. But once it was approved by the university, Bell immediately got to work and started contacting different schools throughout the Muncie community. Sutton Elementary was eager to collaborate.

“I wanted the objective for the course to actually be meaningful for my students,” Bell said. “My goal overall was to give my students something to do that would be more than just, ‘Oh, I wrote this story because I had to for class.’ It was actually attached to a real child in a real community.”

Through the project, each pair of college and elementary students was assigned the task of creating their own unique story book from scratch, which Bell said matched perfectly with the elementary

students’ curriculum at the time, as they were learning about fiction, characters, scenes and how to tell a story.

After crafting an idea, the groups got to work. The Ball State student wrote the story, one version in Spanish and one in English, and the elementary student drew illustrations, which would later become the front cover of their books.

Every story was unique. Words and illustrations ranged from main characters being family members to superheroes; in Barry’s case, he was paired with student James Jackson, who loved basketball legend Michael Jordan.

“He drew Michael Jordan playing basketball with Steph Curry and LeBron James during the NBA Finals, which also happens to be what the story was about,” Barry said.

The class partnered with the Book Arts Collaborative in the Madjax building downtown, where they got to hand-sew the pages and build the cover for the books before giving a copy to the children to keep.

Bell said watching the interactions and relationships being fostered between her students and the elementary kids, especially once stories were read to the class in Spanish, was impactful.

“Watching them interact in person was just really adorable,” Bell said. “First graders are so enthusiastic and they want to show off and they want to be silly. The authentic conversations about Spiderman or the Easter Bunny [were] really fun and touching to see.”

The project was even more impactful as the students and Bell were aware of the future of Sutton.

Sutton Elementary, along with Mitchell and Storer schools, permanently closed last academic year after the district decided to make cuts due to an $11 million budget deficit.

“We were all aware of the school’s future and it made it kind of even more poetic in a way,” Bell said. “You know, it’s like we can’t fix the Muncie school system as a group of Ball State students, but we can be that change for the kids.”

Northside Middle School principal Eric Grim said he appreciated the efforts made by Bell and her students during his time as Sutton’s principal.

Elizabeth Bell cultivated and led Bilingual Short Stories in Muncie City Schools. The immersive learning class gave Ball State students the opportunity to create, illustrate and publish stories with first-grade students.

ELIZABETH BELL, PHOTO PROVIDED

“We had many meaningful partnerships with Ball State University,” Grim said. “The Spanish class was a very meaningful … the kids enjoyed the change of pace, learning something new and working with new people.”

The immersive learning class made such an impact that Bell was recently awarded the Immersive Learning Award, which was granted to four professors for “excellence in the creation, mentoring, and execution of immersive learning projects,” according to bsu.edu.

Even though Bell is not teaching the course currently, she is hopeful for more initiatives like this in the future that further connect Ball State with the Muncie Community Schools because of the lasting impact it has on students.

“We both learned a lot from one another working on this project.

He and I are very different people, as I discovered. He’s really athletic and loves to play basketball and baseball; I did theater in high school,” Barry said. “All in all, though, it was a great opportunity for the both of us to learn more about our respective interests. It’s a memory that I’ll definitely be keeping with me for years to come.”

Contact Allie Kirkman with comments at aekirkman@bsu.edu or on Twitter @alliekirkman15.

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DNLife

BSUDM raises over $650,000 Ball State’s annual Riley Dance Marathon took place Feb. 17 in the Field and Sports Building.

The event hosted special guests including a hypnotist, Ball State’s jump rope team and multiple Riley children who shared their stories.

ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

REBECCA SLEZAK, DN

ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

ERIC PRITCHETT, DN

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Shiza Shahid shares her journey, advice with students, community Mary Freda Assistant News Editor Before the journey of life comes to an end, some want to be remembered for the memoir they wrote, the Grammy they won or the legacy they left.

But Shiza Shahid (pronounced Shi-za Shah-id) wants to be remembered as a kind person who did something good in the world.

Shahid grew up in Islamabad, Pakistan, where she began volunteering anywhere she could get her foot in the door.

The then-13-year-old grew up as a social justice activist who spent a majority of her time volunteering at a women’s prison and in relief camps.

It was there Shahid began a life of constant curiosity — something she encouraged students to pursue during her Tuesday night talk in Pruis Hall.

“What I learned in these situations and these interactions, I would never had come to understand had I not set out to understand the world beyond the life I was born into,” Shahid said. “But these interactions in my youth were the beginning of the life of constant curiosity, openness and empathy and how I tried to interact with the world today.”

After spending her teenage years volunteering, Shahid applied to and attended Stanford University in the United States. Despite being in a different country, she often still thought of Pakistan.

And while she spent every night with her phone on maximum volume, waiting for a phone call from home with bad news, it was the female education ban in 2009 that brought Shahid back to Pakistan for the summer.

“I remember sitting in my dorm room thinking, ‘Here I am at Stanford surrounded by all of this access and influence, and girls 300 miles from where I grew up [were] being told they cannot go to school.’ I figured there had to be something I could do,” Shahid said.

So, she did something.

That summer, Shahid went back to Pakistan and started a secret camp for 26 girls from the Swat Valley.

At the camp was 12-year-old Malala Yousafzai, who later became the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

“But what I could have never imagined back then is that one of the little girls I created the summer camp for would go on six years later to become the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner and one of the most powerful voices for change in the entire world. That I could not have predicted,” she said.

But it wasn’t until 2012 that the pair would reunite.

In October 2012, 15-year-old Yousafzai was shot in the head by a member of the Taliban due to her speaking up for female education rights.

When Shahid received the news, she immediately left work to be with Yousafzai and her father. It was there Shahid decided to quit her job and help create the Malala Fund — a fund that strives to create a world where every girl can learn and lead without fear, according to its website.

“I knew that it was now or never,” Shahid said. “So, I quit my job at 22 and stayed with Malala, and I have to say, it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I believe that in our lives, in our careers, in our relationships, in our values, there are certain moments where we have to decide who we are. In those moments, I urge you to listen to your heart

Shiza Shahid, an entrepreneur, technologist and impactful leader spoke at Pruis Hall Feb. 19. Shahid co-founded the Malala fund with Malala Yousafzai herself.

STEPHANIE AMADOR, DN

and to be bold.”

Shahid spent the next two-and-a-half years helping Yousafzai and her father tell her story and the story of the 130 million girls who are denied education. But, after she knew Malala was safe and the fund was growing, she left to pursue her next journey: Now Ventures.

“I knew we had shattered stereotypes about what power looks like, what courage looks like and what girls can achieve if they are just given an education,” Shahid said. “I always knew with Malala safe and healthy and the Malala fund growing in impact, that it was time for me once again to get out of my comfort zone.”

Now, Shahid’s focus is helping mission-driven start-ups like Lucy, a company that wants to make a workplace for working parents.

While the organization might have changed, the mission for Shahid is still the same as it was when she was 13: show up with passion and start helping.

Contact Mary Freda with comments at mafreda@bsu.edu or on Twitter @Mary_Freda1.

Asian American Student Association welcomes the Year of the Dog Melissa Kraman Reporter While some rang in the New Year at midnight Dec. 31 by watching the ball drop in Times Square, the Asian American Student Association, AASA, brought the cultural celebration of the Lunar New Year to campus Monday.

The Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year, is a twoweek long holiday celebrated across Asia that focuses on family, luck, love, wealth, food, fortune and the new year.

“The Lunar New Year is one of the bigger celebrations because of all the planning and celebration that goes into it,” said Isabella Gandy, a junior nursing major. “It’s big for my family. We send each other messages and red envelopes.”

In Chinese culture, each year is represented by a zodiac animal based on the lunar calendar. This year is the Year of the Dog, which means it’s a year of good luck for those born in 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994 and 2006.

Vibrant parades, firecrackers, dances, paper lanterns, intricate dragon costumes and the honoring of ancestors with incense are only a few traditions associated with the event.

“The purpose is to welcome in the new year,” Gandy said. “Many of the traditions that go along with it, like wearing red, giving out envelopes full of money and the parades, are for good luck.

“People who are superstitious will rigorously apply these traditions so they will have good fortune in the new year. The celebration and the handing out [of] money, for me, is making sure we care about our family even though we’re far away from each other.”

Monday, AASA welcomed Asian Americans and others eager to learn about Asian culture to their celebration of the Lunar New Year.

“There’s a lot of international students, like Chinese Americans and Vietnamese Americans,” Gandy said. “[Celebrating cultural events] is paying respect to their culture because we don’t have days off of school or anything.”

The organization decorated Room 301 in the Student Center with gold ornaments, red tassels, red paper lanterns, a handmade dragon head and Asian candies for the event and guests were able to color paper drums, practice writing Chinese characters and discuss their plans for the Year of the Dog. “I most look forward to the food,” Gandy said. “For Chinese [people], there’s a lot of meat and vegetable-filled dumplings and it’s family style. There’s huge trays of handmade dumplings. It’s something I enjoy making with my grandma.”

The organization meets at 6:30 p.m. every Monday in Room 301 of the Student Center to discuss new topics related to Asian culture, whether it be sports, language or traditions. At each meeting, there are always hands-on activities for members to practice and apply what they learn.

“Ball State’s Asian American community isn’t very big,” said Huy Huynh, a senior psychology major and president of AASA. “So this is the only place where our community can come together and actually be who we are and not worry about either being too Asian, or being too American in front of some of the international students.”

Contact Melissa Kraman with comments at mmkraman@bsu.edu. or on Twitter @missy_kraman.

Freshman Bismah Idrees, a cultural exchange student and biology major, laughs with a group of students at a table Feb. 19 at the L.A. Pittenger Student Center. Students decorated plate drum sticks for the 2018 Lunar New Year to celebrate the Year of the Dog at an American Asian Student Association event. STEPHANIE AMADOR, DN

LATE Mon.-Wed. 11 a.m.-3 a.m.

Thur.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 a.m.

Sunday 11 a.m.-12 a.m.

1805 W. University Ave., Muncie

19 02.22.18

DNLife

Dodgeball club provides competition, community Ball State students start the first nationally affiliated collegiate dodgeball team in Indiana.

Ally Johnson Reporter Dodgeball isn’t just for gym class anymore.

Kevin Frye, a sophomore biology major, was inspired to bring dodgeball to Indiana after transferring from the University of Kentucky to Ball State. In August 2017, he founded the state’s first college dodgeball team affiliated with the National Collegiate Dodgeball Association.

Ball State’s Dodgeball Club has more than 20 diverse members who practice and compete together against other colleges.

When the club started, Frye said he was not expecting so many people to join, and he believes that the popularity of dodgeball is growing on campus because of the game’s addictive nature.

“Once people play [dodgeball], it just sticks, and then you have to keep playing,” Frye said. “It just grows on its own.”

Frye describes the twice-per-week practices as relaxed and welcoming even though collegiate dodgeball is more vigorous than what students would be familiar with. “[Collegiate dodgeball] gives more of a competitive edge, but [it] doesn’t lose the fun of it,” Frye said. “With any other sports, something gets competitive, and you lose the fun.”

Cordell Pressler, a freshman social work major and the assistant captain of the Dodgeball Club, found dodgeball through Facebook and said he has found that playing the sport helps him de-stress from college life.

“Everybody just fell in love with the one gym day that all the dodgeballs were let loose, so it just kind of brings back that nostalgia,” Pressler said.

Pressler also said Dodgeball Club allowed him to build many friendships with fellow players.

“Coming down to Ball State, I didn’t really know anybody, but through practices and playing in an intramural club, it just really

Sophomore biology major Kevin Frye started Ball State’s dodgeball club. Now the club has 20 members and meets twice per week to practice. ERIC PRTICHETT, DN

opened new doors for me,” Pressler said.

The club is always accepting new players and will host a home tournament in March and hopes to travel to the national tournament in April, which Frye predicts will promote further growth of the sport.

“Hopefully it grows out to other schools in Indiana and people start up teams there,” Frye said. “At Ball State, I feel like it’s going to be pretty big within the next two to three years.”

Contact Ally Johnson with comments at adjohnson12@bsu.edu or on Twitter @IamAllyJ.

INTERESTED IN JOINING? The Dodgeball Club meets from 9-10 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays in room 141 of the Student Recreation Center

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DNLife

02.22.18

20

72HOURS

1 Friday

9 P.M.

BROTHER O’ BROTHER/ GRAHAM THE EMPIRE/ SOMETHING ELSE Be Here Now presents a night of live music provided by Indianapolis bands Graham The Empire and Brother O’ Brother, as well as the Columbus band Something Else. The musical event will kick off at 9 p.m., starting with Something Else.

YOUR WEEKEND GUIDE

Tt Shinkan Designer

THE MOUSETRAP, PHOTO COURTESY

Saturday

9 A.M.

Saturday

10:45 A.M.

28TH MINNETRISTA ANNUAL JURIED ART SHOW & SALE

YOGA BEFORE BEER

Artists and non-artists alike are invited to Minnetrista for the 28th Minnetrista Annual Juried Art Show & Sale.

This event displays art made by Indiana artists, both professional and avocational, whose pieces are on sale for people to take home. The show is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs from Feb. 24 to April 29.

Lisa Dunaway will be teaching yoga to both experienced and unexperienced attendees. Learn different yoga techniques and grab a beer from The Guardian Brewing Company.

The class is $10, and attendees are recommended to dress comfortably. A limited amount of mats will be available.

The class starts at 10:45 a.m. at The Guardian Brewing Company.

4

MUNCIE AND WESTERN MODEL RAILROAD CLUB, PHOTO COURTESY

21 02.22.18

Saturday

11 A.M.

27TH ANNUAL MUNCIE MODEL TRAIN SHOW

The Muncie and Western Model Railroad Club is hosting its 27th Annual Muncie Model Train Show at the Delaware County Fairgrounds. The single-day event will feature over 200 vendors, operating layouts, circus memorabilia and food. Admission is $5 per adult and free for children 12 and under. Free parking is also available. The show starts at 11 a.m. and will go until 4 p.m.

6 Saturday

9 P.M.

MUNCIE MUSICFEST, PHOTO COURTESY

ROBIN GOODFELLOW MUNCIE EP RELEASE WITH HEX MUNDI & THE BAND ALEXANDER Come out and celebrate the Muncie release of Robin Goodfellow’s new EP, “What Would Enkidu?” The band will be joined by Hex Mundi and The Band Alexander. The show starts at 9 p.m. at Be Here Now.

Saturday

72 P.M. Sunday

2 P.M.

120TH ANNIVERSARY OF DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, PAUL REVERE CHAPTER

CORNFED DERBY DAMES SEASON 8 HOME OPENER

At 120 years old, the Muncie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution is the fourth-oldest in Indiana. This event will feature memorabilia from the last 120 years and provide an opportunity to ask and answer questions. The Sons of the American Revolution will also be in attendance, dressed in their regimental clothing. The event is free to the public and takes place from 2-4 p.m. at the Kennedy Branch Library.

MATT RUDDICK, PHOTO COURTESY

The CFDD All-Stars will face the Naptown Roller Derby Warning Belles, and the Muncie Missfits will face the Third Alarm at Gibson’s Skating Arena. Doors open at 1 p.m. and the All-Stars game starts at 2 p.m. Tickets at the door are $12 per person or $10 in advance. Children 10 and under are free with a purchase of an adult ticket (limited to two children). Tickets are $8 for military servicemen, college students, EMT, firefighters and police with a valid ID.

DNLife

Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram and on our website at

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Plus, download our free Muncie Liquor app to find our weekly specials and those crazy app giveaways.

And, don’t miss our weekly specials in the Daily News and on BallStateDaily!

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DNPuzzles

02.22.18 22

Crossword & Sudoku

CROSSWORD EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS; SUDOKU BY MICHAEL MEPHAM ACROSS 1 Word with rose or road 4 AMA part: Abbr.

9 __ Bornes: card game 14 Caen comrade 15 Thick-skinned herbivore 16 Big Apple stage honors 17 Longtime PBS news anchor 19 Open, in a way 20 Delon of cinéma 21 Exactas, e.g.

23 Site for a railroad signal 30 Part of __ 31 Hawk or eagle 32 Tic-toe link 35 “That was close!”

38 Buckwheat dish 39 Statistic including farmers and their neighbors 43 “25” album maker 44 Wedding invitation encl.

45 Yellowknife is its cap.

46 Mournful artwork 48 Abhor 51 Kielbasa 55 Anorak part 56 Really cool place to live?

59 Grouchy look 63 Primitive area, and what’s literally found in this puzzle’s circles 66 Ventricular outlet 67 Thar Desert country

68 JFK Library architect 69 180-degree river bend 70 __ Heights: Mideast region 71 Serpentine letter DOWN 1 Mexicali’s locale 2 Oscar winner Jannings 3 Joltin’ Joe 4 Bull-riding venues 5 Warning to a chatty theatergoer 6 Chivalrous title 7 Year not designated as such until centuries later 8 Kitchen gizmo 9 Greek menu staple 10 Hebrew : Ben :: Arabic : __ 11 Lemon on “30 Rock” 12 Floral neckwear 13 Clairvoyant’s gift 18 Turkish dough 22 Only Canadian MLB team 24 “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017) actor 25 Value system 26 Irritated words 27 “__ the bag” 28 “Not gonna happen” 29 Researcher’s request 32 “The Sound of Music” name 33 Sound 34 Fish basket

36 #TestforRadon org.

37 Chinese martial arts 40 Meter opening?

41 Rule governing intentional walks?

42 Open fields 47 “Ray Donovan” network, briefly 49 Ang Lee’s birthplace 50 Its main product was originally given the portmanteau name “Froffles” 52 Ferber novel 53 Hersey’s “A Bell for __” 54 Skip church?

57 Pindaric verses 58 Malady suffix 59 __ Paulo 60 Regatta chief 61 Marble, e.g.

62 Geneva-based commerce gp.

64 XLV x X 65 Sedona, for one

28TH ANNUAL

JURIED ART SHOW &SALE

Opening this Saturday! minnetrista.net

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minnetrista

SOLUTIONS FOR FEBRUARY 15

23 02.22.18

SGA

Continued from Page 5

Point: Allow students to use preferred names Feasible: Unknown Why:

nobody from Amplify reached out to her. Although she said a resource center was necessary, she was unsure if Amplify would be able to make it happen.

“I think that having that platform and being that voice is so important, and I think that they could definitely push that forward in a big way next year,” Arizmendi said. “I’m not necessarily sure we could get the resource center because that’s a lot of funds and assigning a fulltime staff member, but it’s definitely huge for them to be saying that about us right now.”

Mitchell said he wants students, specifically transgender students, to be able to have their preferred names on Health Center forms, class rolls and Blackboard.

“I’ve talked with multiple students who have talked about the experience of having a dead name called out across a room or across a lobby, and I don’t think they should have to go through that,” Mitchell said.

Bill Betts, director of counseling and health services, who was not contacted by Amplify, said the Counseling Center and Health Center forms already allow any students to use their preferred names.

Mitchell said he would also like to see preferred names appear on student IDs. Due to university policy, students, faculty or staff members must provide a social security card, valid driver’s license, marriage license, a divorce decree or other legal documents to prove their name has been changed.

Mitchell said he is unsure of how to implement preferred names because “most trans students haven’t made the legal switch because it’s a long and arduous process,” but he would like to open dialogue with university officials about it.

Additionally, the use of preferred names is being addressed by Ball State’s Council on Diversity and Inclusion, said Ro Anne Royer Engle, associate vice president for student affairs and enrollment services.

“If Amplify becomes the next SGA executive board and supports the efforts of the council regarding use of preferred names, it will only serve to benefit students by impacting their lived experiences on campus,” Royer Engle said.

Point: Shuttle from Village to downtown

Point: LGBTQ resource center

Hinkleman said in the past, there were shuttles that took on-campus students to and from Scheumann Stadium. He said reinstating this shuttle would be valuable because it allows more students to get to sporting events.

Weller said the Athletics Department funded the shuttle in the past. Hinkleman said SGA could potentially partner with the department in the future, though no members of Amplify have reached out to athletics yet.

However, SGA senators Kam Bontrager and Nick Eghierski are currently working on legislation to get a shuttle started. “[Amplify] would like for buses to run up and down McKinley, especially on Saturdays,” Weller said. “I think that is probably something we could do.”

Weller said this could be feasible to start at the beginning of next semester. However, she said it would be complicated to run the shuttles to football games on weeknights because those games take place during normal shuttle hours.

Feasible: Unknown Why:

Mitchell said this point is a top priority for Amplify, and he would like to create a five-year plan to make it happen.

Mitchell said he cannot guarantee how the resource center would look — if it would be a new building or located in a current building — or how much it would cost. He also said no slate members had reached out to university officials about the idea yet.

Mitchell said slate members gauged student interest and found that many thought the university needs a center, given that Ball State is the only public college in Indiana without one.

Mariann Fant, former Spectrum president, said Mitchell reached out to her a few weeks ago, but due to the monetary issues involved with having a resource center, she told him this point would be more of a symbolic one.

“I’m so glad they put it with their platform points. I think it represents we’re not messing around,” Fant said.

“This is something that we want, and we’re not going to let it go to the wayside. And I’m not the first person who has pointed out that we don’t have an LGBTQ resource center. But because it is so difficult, it keeps getting pushed away. But I think if they keep pushing legislation, even if it’s not realistic, I think it still says we want it to be realistic and we have a better vision for Ball State.”

Brooklyn Arizmendi, current Spectrum president, said

Feasible: Maybe Why:

Mitchell said some students currently have no means to get to downtown Muncie. He said if they were able to, it would help Muncie businesses and build the relationship between Ball State and the city.

He said the shuttle would ideally run for three hours every Saturday, which Bruce Piner, supervisor of bus operations, said would cost $132. Mitchell said this cost would come out of the SGA budget.

Additionally, Mitchell said he contacted Sue Weller, director of facilities business services and transportation, regarding the matter. However, Weller said she is unsure if this point is feasible.

“I don’t know the answer to that. It’s going to take a lot more specifics. We have never done that in the past,” Weller said. “You know, MITS is the city bus company, and they do provide a lot of city coverage, so, I don’t know.”

According to the MITS website, there is a route — Rural King/Walmart — that runs from campus to downtown Muncie. MITS buses are free for students.

Point: Shuttle to football games Feasible: Maybe Why:

Point: Shuttle to Farmer’s Market Feasible: Probably Why:

Last fall, as a senator, Snavely set up a shuttle to the Minnetrista Farmer’s Market during Welcome Week.

Now, Snavely said she would like to see a shuttle run to the market once a month from August to October.

Snavely said SGA has the potential to partner with other organizations, including the Welcome Week Committee, College of Health Leadership Council, Office of Drug and Administration and RHA, but if not, SGA could fund the endeavor by themselves.

Weller said she didn’t remember having a discussion with the slate about this particular shuttle, but said she’s worked well with SGA in the past and would be willing to work on this shuttle as well.

“We do have a lot of vetting to see just how it would work,” Weller said. “I don’t know where buses would drop off or where they would turn around. I mean, there are all kinds of things to consider and we’re working on those things. I don’t have any answers for you yet.”

Point: Provide more opportunity for service Feasible: Probably Why:

Jones said he would like SGA to provide more opportunity for community involvement, adding that he met with members of Student Voluntary Services (SVS) to ask about their ideas and how to get more word out to students across campus.

Jones said SGA’s role would involve creating a marketing plan and brainstorming how to promote SVS events. Additionally, he said he would like to get more senators involved with volunteer work.

Madison Coffee, SVS secretary, said SVS already has a PR person who creates posters and a social media presence.

Additionally, SVS vice president Casey Leonardi said the organization would be willing to partner with SGA to promote service opportunities.

“The Muncie community always has a great need for help, especially from our generation. So I think it’s definitely possible if service is going to be one of their main points during their year, but it’ll be just if they want to get involved,” Leonardi said. “As SVS, we’re always willing to partner with campus organizations, especially SGA, to create those opportunities in the community.”

Point: Parking passes for pregnant women Feasible: Maybe Why:

This idea is currently being worked on in the SGA Senate. The bill would allow pregnant or post-pregnant students to park closer to their classes by allocating two to three spots in the North parking lot, McKinley Avenue garage and the Student Center garage.

Snavely said she spoke with Nick Capozolli, the parking services manager. Capozolli said parking services officials are still investigating the matter and are beginning conversation about the allocation of those spots.

“Right now, we are still doing our research to see whether or not it is something we can actually implement,” Capozolli said. “I spoke with Kyleigh a couple of weeks ago. We are investigating it, but as I told her, I am not making any promises that it can or will be done. It is something that she brought to us. We have been talking with disability services, we are not 100 percent sure right now.”

Allie Kirkman, Brynn Mechem, Casey Smith, Elena Stidham, Evan Weaver, Hannah Gunnell, Liz Rieth, Mary Freda and Sara Barker contributed to this story.

Contact Casey Smith with comments at editor@bsudailynews.com.

- Staff Reports

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