TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 12
Ransdell donating salary increase BY LEAH BROWN NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
Last semester, the Student Government Association passed a resolution that encouraged President Gary Ransdell to consider reducing his salary for the current fiscal year. To lessen the impact of recent budget cuts, the resolution called for Ransdell to take a salary reduction. Ransdell’s current salary is $427,824, which is a $4,236, or 1 percent increase, from the previous fiscal year, according to the Budgeted Salary Report for the 2014 to 2015 fiscal year. Ransdell responded to the resolution by giving up his 1 percent salary increase for the rest of his presidency starting this fiscal year. Ransdell agreed to round up the 1 percent to $5,000 from his base salary to donate to the WKU Foundation annually. “I’m paid well and I do need to be making significant charitable gifts to this university,” Ransdell said. The money will be divided and distributed among campus to places such as the undergraduate colleges, the Kentucky Museum and a scholarship fund. “I’m just giving it back as a charitable gift to the campus,” Ransdell said. SGA President Nicki Taylor said she is glad Ransdell responded to SGA, as well as the University Senate, who also wrote a resolution regarding Ransdell’s salary. Taylor said the writer of SGA’s resolution, Mark Reeves, was happy with Ransdell’s decision because the
JIMMY FEIX | 1931 - 2014
SEE RANSDELL PAGE A2
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE READING TODAY BY ELLIOTT PRATT SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
» Photo: WKU hosts Science Curiosity Investigation Camp for elementary school students A6 » Editorial: WKU needs to improve conditions for bikers on campus A4
T
he last time Jimmy Feix stood on a football field was just over a year ago, against a doctor’s orders. It was the 40th anniversary of the 1973 WKU football team that went 12-1 with an Ohio Valley Conference championship. More than 50 members of the team were honored at halftime of the WKU-Morgan State game. Feix, confined to a wheelchair because of his battle with Parkinson’s disease, rode in a golf cart near midfield. Then, to the amazement of everyone in attendance, Feix stood up and walked to meet his former players on the field that donned his name. “That sent cold chills all up and down our spines,” Leo Peckenpaugh, a quarterback for Feix from 1970 to 1973, said. “He wasn’t going to be in a wheelchair that day.” Feix, the winningest football coach in WKU history, passed away Sunday afternoon.
FOLLOW US
wkuherald
@wkuherald
SEE FEIX PAGE A2
@wkuherald
ABOVE: Jimmy Feix offers thanks for a face mask penalty against East Tennessee State University in 1977. Feix was part of the football coaching staff for 24 years, serving 15 years as head coach. JIM BURTON/TALISMAN FILE PHOTO
Uniqueness defines MajorRedz BY LASHANA HARNEY NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
BRIA GRANVILLE/HERALD
Nashville senior Ashlee Robinson, center, helps lead the MajorRedz dancers.
The MajorRedz dance to a different beat here at WKU. The MajorRedz is a student-formed variation of a majorette dance team, drawing influence from multiple music genres. Lexington sophomore MarShaye Griffin described it as a “mixture of ballet and jazz.” Nashville senior Mariah Tibbs, team captain and coach, said in September 2010, she and a few of her friends began a team out of their passion for dancing. The Topperettes, the official WKU dance team, and the WKU cheerleading team didn’t fit their style.
Tibbs said starting a separate, different style of dance team on campus was a way to add diversity. “We were trying to figure out where we belong, to feel more at home,” she said. Louisville junior and MajorRedz dancer Jade Wilson said the dance style of MajorRedz is usually found on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities. “It’s like a genre in itself,” Wilson said. Evansville sophomore Jessica Jackson said this unique style of dance was new to several members of the team who come from different dancing backgrounds. “I come from a cheerleading back-
SEE DANCE PAGE A3
NEW GATTON DIRECTOR HAS DIVERSE TEACHING BACKGROUND
GAME DAY ON CAMPUS
NEWS, PAGE A3
PHOTO, PAGE A6
SEPTEMBER 2, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 03
WKU 59 | BGSU 31
STatement made
Freshmen bring in higher ACT test scores BY BRITTANY ELDRIDGE NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM WKU’s newest batch of freshmen is slated to be very different from classes of the past. The freshman class of 2014 is one of the largest classes that WKU has seen in past years, said Brian Meredith, chief enrollment and graduation officer. Meredith said the diverse class includes students from the United States and other countries. The overall ACT score of the class is 23.5, up from 22.8 last fall. The class’ college readiness needs aren’t as large as some needs have been in the past, Meredith said. In terms of recruiting this class of students, Student Affairs has had a very deliberate communication plan,
SEE FRESHMEN PAGE A3
WHAT'S ONLINE AT
WKUHERALD.COM
Sports writers Talking tops
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE READING TODAY » LIFE: Former soldier brings fresh perspective to forensics team B2 BRANDON CARTER/HERALD
J
unior wide receiver Jared Dangerfield (21) catches a touchdown pass during the fourth quarter of WKU's Aug. 29 game against Bowling Green State. Dangerfield finished the game with 10 receptions for 92 yards and two touchdowns in WKU's 59-31 victory over the Falcons. For coverage and analysis of the game, flip to the Sports section on B6.
FOLLOW US
wkuherald
@wkuherald
@wkuherald
New university building construction underway
BY LASHANA HARNEY
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
Although Downing Student Union’s renovation is wrapping up, another building on campus is still in the process of being erected. Construction is underway for the $22 million, three-story Honors College and International Center. The money for the project was borrowed by the university through an agency bond. A&K Construction, from Paducah, is contracted for the project. The company had previously worked on other construction projects on campus such as Topper Café and Gary Ransdell Hall. Kerra Ogden, project manager of
Capital Construction, said the university started talking about the project in 2007. The design phase started two years ago and construction began in January. Much progress has been made since then. “We already started going vertical, so it won’t be long before the building starts to shape,” she said. Ogden said there have been no construction delays. Bryan Russell, chief facilities officer, said the lot where the building is being constructed was once home to the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house, Chi JAKE POPE/HERALD Omega sorority house and Hillcrest Construction continues on the new three-story Honors College and International apartments. Center. The building will house Honors College faculty and staff, as well as KIIS, SEE BUILDING PAGE A3 Study Abroad and Global Learning and the Office of Scholar Development.
Join the Color Movement Bowling Green • SEPT 6th
Get 50% Off Use Us se the Promo CCode odde
www.colorinmotion5k.com
HERALD50
MAYBERRY ON
MUSHROOMS Tracing the emergence of the Bowling Green music scene
For an interactive online presentation go to MAYBERRYONMUSHROOMS.WKUHERALDPROJECTS.COM Special section on Page C1
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 25
Veteran students adjust to college life BY JESSICA VOORHEES NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM Most students entered their freshman year of college coming from a world where their greatest concerns were who to ask to prom or moving away from home. For veterans who entered school after years of service in the military, trying to adapt and fit in can be a challenge. Portland, Tennessee freshman Chris Parker started school this fall, 30 days after serving active duty in the Army. He was stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Parker said it was challenging to make the transition to the college lifestyle. “It’s difficult to go from that and into this role of being a civilian where you’re dealing with people that are younger and not experienced in a professional way of life,” he said.
W-k-upset Tops’ two-point conversion shocks previously unbeaten Marshall in OT, 67-66
SEE VETERAN PAGE A3
CHHS dean search to conclude BY LASHANA HARNEY
NICK WAGNER/HERALD
Redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Doughty signals upward following WKU's 67-66 overtime win over No. 19 Marshall in Huntington, West Virginia. Doughty threw for 491 yards and eight touchdowns to five different receivers in the upset victory. The Hilltoppers' win spoiled the Thundering Herd's bid for an undefeated season.
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM The current dean of the College of Health and Human Services, John Bonaguro, is stepping down. Bonaguro worked as the dean for 12 years. He was the founding dean of the college and has watched it grow into the largest college at WKU. He said approximately one out of four students has a major in the college. The search committee for the new dean, appointed by Gordon Emslie, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, is nearing the end of the search. Cheryl Stevens, search committee member and dean of the Ogden College of Science & Engineering, said the search for the new dean resumed this summer after the initial search failed
BY KYLE WILLIAMS SPORTS@WKUHERALD.COM
O
n Friday, the Hilltoppers accomplished the unthinkable. WKU (7-5, 4-4 Conference USA) entered the most hostile environment it’s played in all season and miraculously spoiled then-No. 19 Marshall’s (11-1, 7-1 C-USA) chance at its first undefeated season in 15 years. The Hilltoppers captured the historic victory in overtime, nonetheless. Trailing 6659 in the extra period — WKU’s only deficit of the game — redshirt senior quarterback Brandon Doughty fired an almost uncatchable ball to the back of the end zone to set up junior receiver Jared Dangerfield’s tip-toe touchdown that brought WKU within a point. Instead of sending on the kicking unit, Head Coach Jeff Brohm opted to go for the twopoint conversion due to an injury sustained by junior kicker Garrett Schwettman. But as fans witnessed throughout the game and throughout the Hilltoppers’ four-game win streak, there was no doubt. SEE FOOTBALL PAGE A2
SEE DEAN PAGE A3
SGA resolution supports amending alcohol policy
BRIA GRANVILLE/ HERALD
Students eat at WKU's sportsthemed restaurant, RedZone. A Student Government Association resolution would support the selling of alcoholic drinks in on-campus restaurants if passed.
BY LASHANA HARNEY NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM The Student Government Association will vote on a resolution Tuesday in its last meeting of the year that would support on-campus restaurants adding a new type of item to their menus. Resolution 13-14-F, Resolution to Support amending the University’s Alcohol Policy and Student Code of Conduct, will support amending WKU’s alcohol policy and the code of conduct to include allowing students age 21 or older to purchase and possess alcohol on-campus. The current alcohol policy states that it is against the Student Code of Conduct for students to drive under the influence, to be publicly intoxicated, to consume alcohol while underage, to possess alcohol in on-campus housing, to use
SEE ALCOHOL PAGE A3
******* ***
AUGUST 26, 2014 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 01
A NEW KIND OF
ANIMAL
DSU opens to students, welcomes new additions
BY LASHANA HARNEY AND TREY CRUMBIE NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
A
fter two years of watching and waiting, Downing Student Union finally opened Monday. The $49 million renovations on DSU began as a Student Government Association initiative in 2011 to update the food services, meeting spaces and plumbing, electrical and mechanical utilities. In preparation for how DSU would look, several students and faculty embarked on a three-day trip to tour university student centers at about seven different universities, including Northern Kentucky, Cincinnati and Ohio University before renovations began. Bryan Russell, chief facilities officer, said the trip yielded useful information. “When we came back we all presented collages of what we liked best,” he said. “We asked what the students wanted and then that’s what we tried to create.”
WHAT'S ONLINE AT
WKUHERALD.COM
Video of president ransdell's ice bucket challenge BRIA GRANVILLE/HERALD
ABOVE: The new main lobby area of the Downing Student Union features an atrium. JAKE POPE/HERALD
TOP: Upon completion of renovations, the Centennial Mall side of DSU is now open. The opening of DSU has been long awaited and everyone from students to administrators have been affected. Russell said students, faculty and staff have been overwhelmed by the 44-yearold building’s transformation. “We’ve even had some walk in and start crying,” Russell said. Kathryn Costello, vice president for Development and Alumni Relations, said alumni have been very impressed that the renovated building will mostly serve students. “It is a very grand building,” Costello said. Brandon Faller, a Smiths Grove senior, just saw the finished renovation for the first time.
“It’s really more open, more vibrant feeling. It’s definitely an improvement being able to walk all over the building, to see the changes they have made,” Faller said. Shawnee, Kansas senior Jake Thompson said the building looked “immaculate” and was happy to finally see the constant construction on the building come to an end. “It did make things a little bit more difficult, getting around and stuff,” he said. “Especially when like half of the building was closed at a time.” The inside of the building is not the only thing that has changed. A little more than a year ago, students still
SEE DSU PAGE A2
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE READING TODAY » Rush: 530 girls go through fall sorority recruitment. B1 » Check out a timeline of the privatization of WKU Health Services to Graves-Gilbert Clinic. A3 » ICYMI: A rundown of what happened at WKU while you were on summer break. A3
FOLLOW US
wkuherald
@wkuherald
@wkuherald
Join the Color Movement Bowling Green • SEPT 6th
Get 50% Off Use Us se the Promo CCode odde
www.colorinmotion5k.com
HERALD50
TUESDAY, MARCH 17, 2015 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY > VOLUME 90, ISSUE 38 ns era Vet
700
Dorm population
600
mem
how many students live in each campus residence hall as of march 16
ane al l ori
500 400 300 200 100
t 175 355 222 72 317 321 138tree296 eet 283 179 382 112 283 665 291 276 179 r t s s
0
Ky street apartments
eet
Barnes Cambell
tr ss
m ada
batesy runner k c u t Ken
Bemis lawrence
douglas keen
gilbert
ege l l co
columns eet tr te s
old morg
mclean
northeast
pearceford
rodesharlin
southwest Zacharias
et
t
nu est
e str
ch
nor
ma ld riv e mim osa all ey
oad
minton
sta
The registry
antown r
poland old Ky street mccormack meredith apartments
ss
Bypa — W 1 3
campus evolution villages son
Crea
et
stre
Perimeter that wku patrols popular off-campus housing on-campus housing
Liability
The Lines of
Campus, local police utilize numerous methods to deter crime BY TREY CRUMBIE
NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
A
bout 4,660 students live on campus according to a document provided by Housing and Residence Life. The WKU Police Department has several resources at their disposal to inform students if crime occurs on or near campus. Messages through email, text, television and social media are some of the options at WKUPD’s disposal. Capt. Dominic Ossello of WKUPD said the decision to send out warnings are taken on a case-bycase basis. "We generally base it on the risk to students," Ossello said. "If it's an armed robbery, if there's a weapon involved, things like that, to where it's a threat to our student community, then we send out a text alert." Several supervisors of WKUPD have the authority to send out messages to students about potential dangers, as well as Bob Skipper, director of media relations, and the department of Environmental Health and Safety. SEE POLICE PAGE A2
WKU joins Kentucky Proud Farm-to-Campus program BY JESSICA VOORHEES NEWS@WKUHERALD.COM
Fresh vegetables and herbs stood on display outside Fresh Food Company Monday afternoon, and students enjoyed a menu consisting of products from five local farms in celebration of WKU's initiation into the Kentucky Proud Farm to Campus program. The Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture, James Comer presented the acceptance award to President Gary Ransdell at the ceremony in Downing Student Union. The program partners the university with local farms to purchase their products for use at dining locations on campus. Comer said the program will positively affect both WKU and the local community. "This initiative and the steps that WKU, the dining services and Aramark
It's a win for family farmers...it's a win for the local economy...and it's a win for the student body here at Western.” James Comer, Kentucky Commissioner of Agriculture have made today to make a commitment to buy more local food from local family famers is a win-win situation," Comer said. "It's a win for family farmers… it's a win for the local economy… and it's a win for the student body here at Western." Christian Ryan, WKU sustainability coordinator, said the Farm-to-Campus
SEE FARM PAGE A2
The Office of Sustainability is located at 503 Regents Ave. and provides students with a variety of programs to promote a culture of sustainability, including Big Red Bikes, a program offering refurbished bikes, free to rent, for students on campus. HARRISON HILL/HERALD