January 23, 2017 BACK-TO-SCHOOL ISSUE
California State University, Bakersfield
Vol. 42, No. 9
therunneronline.com @csub_runner
facebook.com/runnercsub
FREE @therunnernewspaper
One copy per person of each edition is free. Additional copies are 50 cents each.
THE BIG STORY
CSUB debuts new Kegley Center
Karina Diaz/The Runner
Students study at the new Kegley Center for Student Success on Oct. 17. CSUB held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil the changes to the new facility on Jan. 11.
Center provides resources to student athletes’ success By Runa Lemminn and Esteban Ramirez The Runner Staff Phase I is complete and the Kegley Center for Student Success is now open and providing CSU Bakersfield students with the resources they need to be successful. It has been a plan CSUB philosophy professor Jacquelyn Kegley and Athletics Director Kenneth Siegfried have talked about for four years. The facility will give a study space, tutoring and healthy nutrition for student athletes at CSUB. The Kegley Center for Student Success is where the old University Grill was on the west side of campus, near Faculty Towers. On Jan. 11, CSUB had a ribbon-cutting ceremony to show off the changes and renovations that were made to the center. “It has been really nice to see it come together,” Siegfried said. “I look back at 2013, I can remember talking to Dr. Kegley about this, and she was the one who came to me and said, ‘you know Ziggy, I think student athletes need a dedicated space just because of their unique schedules.’”
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Kegley didn’t stop there with bringing the plan to Siegfried she also provided the money for the initial funding of the space. “I had traveled to these other college campuses that had these centers for student athletes and we have farmed out different rooms, and I just said we should be supporting these students,” said Kegley. “I said we should really find a space for them where teams can meet together. It was my idea… but then I put my money where my mouth was.” Kegley donated $20,000 in March 2013 and continued contributing every year after that. Through the $800,000 grant CSUB received from the NCAA on July 2015 and other smaller donations, Phase I of the Kegley Center was completed. “It’s a dream come true,” Kegley said. “It’s not often you get an idea and it becomes real.” Kegley said the center is for all students not just student athletes. Siegfried said Phase I of the scheduled three-phase plan included taking them from 1,200 square-foot facility into a 7,500 square-foot facility, provided two computer labs, an area for
nutrition, study space area and offices. “This is a necessary space for athletes to be able to come work on studies at basically any time,” said Siegfried. “It provides our students with a lot more resources to succeed.” Siegfried said the center is open early in the morning and stays open until 9 p.m. The first Student Success Center was opened in April of 2013. The Kegley Center was a 1,500 square-foot facility, which offered study halls, tutoring and academic advising for student athletes. However, it was quickly outgrown. “The facility was only large enough to accommodate 30 students at a time,” said Dennis Cassidy, graduate assistant for athletics. “Now, the new facility will be able to serve approximately 120 athletes at a time.” Siegfried said one thing they need to be able to grow is nutrition for student athletes. “We need to continue to enhance [food] options,” said Siegfried. “Options for them at the Kegley Center that they can eat throughout the day.” He said CSUB student athletes have a very hectic schedule, and typically, athletes are up
Photo courtesy of CSUB
Mayor Karen Goh and Harvey Hall join CSUB President Horace Mitchell, professor Jacquelyn Kegley and Athletics Director Kenneth Siegfried in the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
before dawn and finished with the first practice of the day by 8 a.m., then they clean up and eat breakfast, and then it’s on to classes until 1 to 2 p.m. Mid-afternoon is the second practice of the day for many teams, with more classes after that.
Kegley said it is important to provide the proper nutrition to all students. “In having good solid food, it really helps and they expend a lot of physical energy, so it makes it more important,” she said. “It’s very important to our program. I think the whole uni-
versity is concerned about [students’ nutrition]. It shouldn’t just be about your mind, your bodies are important, too.” Siegfried said student athletes don’t have much time to get something nutritious to eat. See KEGLEY, Page 7
Back-To-School Issue Student Government: ASI prepares to enter the spring semester with a plan on restructuring the organization to better serve students, reaching out to the community and keep giving out scholarships. Page 2
Campus: Learn about all of the different places students have to choose to eat from. Read about the places students can go and have fun in and outside of Bakersfield without breaking their wallet. Page 4
SRC: Discover what adventures students can be a part of this spring semester with the Outdoor Adventures program and check out the list of activities planned and where students can sign up and participate. Page 5
Tips: A seasoned student shares the top 10 tips no one else will provide to help make incoming students’ campus life as easy as possible this spring semester. Read and find out what tip turns out to be most helpful. Page 6
Wrestling:Find out how the wrestling team is doing against the rest of the Pac 12 division. Page 7 Basketball: Women’s and men’s basketball teams rolled into WAC play. Find out how they are doing. Page 8