Daily Egyptian

de APRIL 5, 2017

sInce 1916

'It was just perfect'

DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM

Vol.101 Issue 11 @daIlyegyptIan

University names 4 chancellor candidates

BILL LUKITSCH AND LUKE NOZICKA @lukitsbill and @lukenozicka

The university on Monday named four finalists in its search for a chancellor after nearly three years without a permanent leader.

The candidates are scheduled to take part in a series of public forums in April. They were selected after a national search that attracted 31 applicants and nominees, officials said Monday.

Three of the four finalists have ties to the university as employees or graduates.

SIU President Randy Dunn said the finalists have significant academic and administrative experience, and understand the challenges facing the Carbondale campus.

“We are looking for a strong leader and effective manager who is not afraid to tackle tough issues and who can work collaboratively on and off campus to shape a shared vision for the university’s future,” Dunn said in a statement.

The following people are finalists for the university chancellor position: Please see SEARCH | 7

Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena SIU men's tennis graduate assistant coach Jonny Rigby comforts junior Daniel Martinez after the Salukis beat Wichita State 4-1 on Saturday in the last home match in Saluki men's tennis history at University Courts.

Budget impasse First annual volunteer day, threatens The Big Event, University Press comes to SIU Page 5

Page 9

Saluki men's tennis wins final home match Page 17

Page 2

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

DaVinci Days returns to SIU DIAMOND JONES | @_dimewrites

A celebration of the university’s innovation and creativity in the fields of science, humanities and arts is returning to campus.

SIU’s DaVinci Days, previously called Creativity Week and before that Research Week, is administered from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and involves artistic presentations by students, faculty and staff. The events run from April 3 to April 7.

The events are open to the SIU and Carbondale public community.

“The idea is to get more people involved in the arts,” said Howard Motyl, coordinator and Interim Chair and Associate Professor, Radio, Television and Digital Media. “There’s research we’re doing here right under our noses that we should be proud of.”

Motyl said it was somewhat difficult to get people involved. He said he would walk around campus or listen to the radio to come up with ideas and find people to present. This worked out for the best when he came across a robotics team banner that said they were

No. 1 in the country, then tracked down the advisor and suggested that he does a presentation during DaVinci days on leadership.

Other presentations will include live music from RTD students, leadership building, concerts from local musicians, a panel from the School of Art and Design, “Dawg Talk,” an honors program and a music festival. There will also be an undergraduate research symposium, where undergraduates work with faculty on a research project to present posters that will be judged.

“We really want to keep showcasing all the different kinds of research,” Motyl said. “Next year I want to reach out to more journalists, filmmakers and chemists.”

On April 5, the Edible Book Festival, one of the common events within the DaVinci Days, will return for its seventh year.

Students of SIU and the Carbondale community put their baking and creative talents to the test to turn best-selling books into enjoyable puns made out of cakes, which are voted on in different

categories for the chance to win a Amazon fire tablet.

“It’s starting to become a tradition here,” said Sarah Prindle, first time festival coordinator and Humanities and Fine Arts Librarian.

“Some years we get a lot of people, sometimes it’s a little quiet.”

Prindle said the category “Best Future Saluki” comes from the amount of younger kids in Carbondale who may not have well-shaped cakes but great ideas.

She said the book festival creates a balance between the community and campus.

Motyl said he hopes the event will allow people to feel more prideful of SIU rather than disappointed at the recent budget cuts.

“In this moment when we’re talking about a $30 million cut, people will see just how fruitful the research we have here on campus is,” Motyl said.

For more information on DaVinci Days and a complete agenda of the week’s events visit here.

Campus reporter Diamond Jones can be reached at 618-536-3325 or djones@dailyegyptian.com.

Contact Us Email: editor@dailyegyptian.com Editor-in-Chief: Anna Spoerre (618) 536-3397

Advertising Chief:

aspoerre@dailyegyptian.com Campus Editor: Bill Lukitsch (618) 536-3326

blukitsch@dailyegyptian.com Photo Editor: Jacob Wiegand (618) 536-3327

jwiegand@dailyegyptian.com

Design Chief: Abbey La Tour

Ad Production Manager: Information Technology Manager: Classifieds Manager:

alatour@dailyegyptian.com Graphics Editor: Reagan Gavin

Business Office:

rgavin@dailyegyptian.com Faculty Managing Eric Fidler Editor: (618) 536-3306

Businesss and Advertsing Director:

Elizabeth Yohe (618) 536-3341 lyohe@dailyegyptian.com Alexis Mendez Eric Gire (618) 536-3310 Brey'onna Mong-Delane (618) 536-3399 classifieds@dailyegyptian.com Arunima Bhattacharya (618) 536-3305 Devin Miller (618) 536-3309

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

Praying for the nations

Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Epiphany Lutheran churchgoers place candles on a world map Sunday during the Healing of the Nations prayer service held in collaboration with First Lutheran Church in Murphysboro and Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in De Soto at Epiphany Lutheran Church in Carbondale. “There is a lot of pain and suffering in the world,” said Rev. Paul Waterman, of De Soto. “It’s in our neighborhood and it’s all across the world right now. This was a chance for us to get together and pray for peace and for wholeness and for restoration of God’s creation. … To see the reflection of the community here was very humbling and very powerful.”

BOT to decide on financial emergency, SIUE loan DAILY EGYPTIAN STAFF

The SIU Board of Trustees is scheduled to decide Thursday if the Carbondale campus will declare a state of financial emergency and borrow money from its sister school as a measure to continue daily operations.

The money would come from Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville’s unrestricted reserve funds and be repaid over the course of 10 years, according to a message from interim Chancellor Brad Colwell. The meeting will be held at 10 a.m. in the Student Center ballrooms.

The Carbondale campus has an unrestricted cash deficit of $23.2 million, according to the meeting agenda.

SIU President Randy Dunn suggested the loan from Edwardsville would allow the cash-strapped

university to maintain operations without dipping into restricted funds.

The university president said in a March 29 letter to the campus community that SIU would have to cut $30 million in spending. Those cuts include $10 million in vacant positions and are expected to result in some employee layoffs, according to university officials.

Permanent cuts reflect numbers from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed spending plan, which reduces funding for Illinois public higher education by 15 percent.

Further cuts are meant to ensure the university can continue to operate if Illinois legislators do not pass a stop-gap plan before July 1.

Since 2015, the Carbondale campus has already reduced $20 million of its approximately $450 million operating budget. That money was saved by reducing positions, not undertaking

projects, closing grants and not filling job vacancies.

The university president’s suggestion that the Carbondale campus declare financial emergency is outlined in the SIU Board of Trustees policies as one of two temporary solutions for resolving a loss of funds. A long-term solution — referred to as a state of financial exigency — would permit the university to lay off tenured faculty.

The university president said the option of exigency should be withheld for later consideration depending upon future state appropriations.

The university’s financial woes are similar to those at the state’s 11 other public universities following a state budget impasse that is approaching the two-year mark. Several state lawmakers have publicly questioned if the state will pass a budget before the next gubernatorial election in 2018.

page 3

Page 4

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Student insurance rates rise, causing students to pay more out-of-pocket fees FRANCOIS GATIMU | @frankDE28

Student insurance rates for the next fiscal year are expected to rise due to increased healthcare costs following the approval of a new university insurance plan.

Ted Grace, director of student health services, said in the Undergraduate Student Council meeting March 28 that SIU’s insurance provider moved to pass a new insurance plan, which cut benefits and raised deductibles.

The new plan was discussed at the Graduate and Professional Student Council meeting Feb. 8, when Sheena Hart, a Student Health Advisory Board member, said the university’s current health insurance provider informed the administration of fewer enrollees in the insurance plans because of declining enrollment.

“It’s really unfortunate that they are cutting the coverage because I’ve had to rely on its benefits all throughout my freshman and sophomore year,” said Alicia Mayen, a senior studying history.

She said she chose to opt out of the school insurance this year to find better coverage.

Mayen sees the rising insurance costs as “a big turn off” for prospective students.

“If you’re a student with a disability or some kind of chronic illness, it’s kind of like the university is saying, ‘screw you,’” Mayen said.

Gallagher Student Health, the contractor company that helps identify the cheapest insurance options, determined the best course of action would be to purchase a lower-quality plan.

Pharmacy copay tiers have seen an average increase of 64 percent

with the new plan, now including an office visit copay of $20 that was previously free. There will also be a $100 rise in deductibles of the innetwork fee.

Graduate and professional students are more affected by the changes, even though undergraduates make up the vast majority of those covered under the school’s insurance, Grace said.

“Graduate students have the option of either SIU’s or the state’s exchange insurance under Obamacare, which last year was three times more expensive,” Grace said.

on a percentage basis with those covered liable to pay out-of-pocket for 20 percent of the $7,150 total. ”[The in-network fee] sounds like a lot of money, but you don’t get near that amount unless you have a really catastrophic event,” Grace said.

Additionally, the $150 emergency room copay — which was previously free — was added, but it could be waived if admitted to the hospital, Grace said.

“With rising medical costs the change in plans was a result of the insurance company receiving numerous high claims,” Grace said.

“If you're a student with a disability or some kind of chronic illness, it's kind of like the university is saying 'screw you'.”

- Alicia Mayen senior

The premium would have increased by 30 percent starting this year, but the school rejected this proposal, opting for a lower plan with a better price of $675 per semester, Grace said.

By downgrading the plan, the university was allowed a lower premium, but it was at the expense of many of the previous benefits.

Besides the $50 increase in semester premiums, other major changes include in-network maximums increasing by $6,050 and out-of-network maximums increasing by $13,000.

In-network maximums, which have seen the largest increase, work

Grace said high claims were recorded at $3.7 million for 2016, with surgery being the biggest expenditure at $1.8 million.

The student medical benefit is composed of the student health fee, which had seen little change, and student insurance fee, which is to incur most changes.

The student insurance fee covers health care outside the student health center and is refundable to students with independent insurance.

Staff writer Francois Gatimu can be reached at fgatimu@dailyegyptian. com or on Twitter @frankDE28.

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

page 5

The Big Event is a big success at SIU DIAMOND JONES | @dimewrites

SIU students, administrators and Carbondale residents started their day off early Saturday morning for SIUC’s first participation in The Big Event.

The event, which originated at Texas A&M University and was introduced to the university by interim University College Dean Laurie Bell, is the largest, one-day, student-run project in the nation.

Students, university administrators and community residents across the country came together to volunteer as a way to thank their respective higher education institutions.

“The overarching goal is to let our neighbors in the community know how much we appreciate their support of SIU,” said Thomas Woolf, associate director of University Communications and Marketing.

In 2015, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded SIU its prestigious Community Engagement Classification in recognition of the university's commitment to service and outreach.

Woolf, one of the main coordinators of the event, said accomplishments such as this are what makes SIU proud to be a part of service days like The Big Event.

About 1,200 students dedicated the day to volunteer work for more than a dozen organizations and projects on and off campus. One project in particular, “Mats for the Homeless,” at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, aimed to create comfort for those less fortunate.

“Being a part of this is important because we focus on doing a lot of service work in the school, rather than within our community,” said Jada Kelly, a sophomore studying political science and a member of the Black Togetherness Organization.

Kelly and 20 or so participants lent their helping hands for three hours Saturday to create sleeping mats for local homeless people with plastic bags, scissors and crochet needles.

Other morning projects included

Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto Tyler Chapin, a freshman from Washington, D.C., studying aviation, and Jena Tressler, a senior from Chester studying physical therapist assistant, clear debris Saturday at Touch of Nature Environmental Center in Makanda. Chapin and Tressler volunteered at Touch as part of The Big Event — a day of service in which hundreds of SIU students participated.

beautifying the downtown area of Carbondale, an all-day America Red Cross blood drive, food pantry and school supply donations and distributions, environmental improvement with Green Earth Inc., a cleanup of the Boys & Girls Club, an Autism Awareness kick-off and an eight-mile cleanup at Touch of Nature.

Afternoon activities began at 1 p.m. as volunteers made their way to the Murphysboro Humane Society to do animal care and cleaning of the facility, while others gradually moved into the Student Center for more creative handy work.

“We are so fortunate to be citizens of this country and locally the community offers resources and so much support to us,” said Mythili Rundblad, coordinator of the SIUC Center for Service Learning and Volunteerism.

Rundblad, who supervised two projects — making appreciation cards for veterans and providing lunch sacks for firefighters — said she wanted to offer an alternative for those uninterested in outdoor activities.

She said in previous years she would put together a smaller service day that attracted 200 to 300 students.

She said she hopes The Big Event

allows students to see what different organizations do and the services they offer in order to steer the volunteers’ enthusiasm in the same direction.

Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell had similar expectations for The Big Event. By noon, he said he visited three or four different sites throughout the day and saw a lot of students volunteering through acts of kindness He said the event is something that will continue at SIUC. “I couldn’t be more pleased with our students; this is a true feel-good moment,” Colwell said. “This is what defines a Saluki, and we’re all beaming with pride.”

Colwell said he was asked for his permission to start community service initiative at SIUC 2 ½ years ago. Once he agreed, Bell, Nick Weshinskey, Cordy Love and other sub-committees got involved to make the event possible.

“It’s just a part of human nature to want to help others,” Colwell said.

“All of what is happening today is helping in some larger way.”

Campus reporter Diamond Jones can be reached at djones@dailyegyptian. com, 618-536-3325 or on Twitter @_dimewrites.

Co-sponsored by:

Page 6

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Police investigating vandalism at Bowen Gym DAILY EGYPTIAN STAFF

Carbondale police are investigating a third report of graffiti at Bowen Gym. Officers received the most recent report of criminal damage to property Monday at the gym at 818 W. High St. The graffiti was spray-painted inside the building, which is part of the old Carbondale Community High School property.

The Southern Illinois Pharaohs, a newly formed basketball team, was scheduled to play its inaugural game at the gym, but was unable to do so because it was not ready in time.

Police are not sure how the offenders entered the building, authorities said. A news release from the police department did not specify if the most recent graffiti was racially and sexually offensive,

as it has been in the past.

This is the third time police have responded to a report of criminal damage to property at the building in recent months.

On March 14, officers responded to a report of racially and sexually offensive graffiti that had been spray painted on the property.

In December, officers identified two juveniles as suspects involved in a similar incident Dec. 8. Police found a racially offensive word and a sexually offensive image spray painted on the gym floor in the incident.

That investigation was sent to the Jackson County State's Attorney's Office for consideration of charges against the juveniles, who were not identified.

Police are asking anyone with information to call them at 618457-3200.

Backpack drive to benefit low-income kids OLIVIA SPIERS | @_spierso

SIU students and Carbondale Community High School faculty organized the first “Backpacks for Success” drive to provide backpacks to low income high school and elementary students.

Donors can drop off backpacks or large tote bags starting April 3 through April 28 at CCHS or Longbranch Café & Bakery. Students with Circle K International, a Kiwanis-affiliated service organization, have created on-campus donation boxes at Morris Library and the Student Center, said Jenna Jamieson, a teacher at CCHS who has been collecting backpacks for low income children by herself for two years.

Jamieson said she saw children of all ages who were unable to afford “the basic necessity of a backpack” in her

time working at the high school and elementary school in Carbondale.

She began buying backpacks in 2015 for local students and the Boys & Girls Club of Carbondale, but the demand for backpacks increased and became too expensive, which prompted her to start the backpack drive this year.

“Some kids are used to getting brand new backpacks every year — and some get none,” Jamieson said.

Jamieson said high school students also need backpacks for classes like driver’s education or government, which are offered during the summer. She said she hopes to raise at least 100 backpacks this month and plans to continue the drive in the future.

“This is something I love to do, and I encourage everyone to do it” Jamieson said. “It feels good to give back to your community.”

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

SEARCH

CONTINUED FROM

page 7

1

Brad Colwell Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell was chosen to serve as the leader of the Carbondale campus in October 2015 after the university president spent one year covering the post. He earns $295,000 per year before benefits, according to university records.

Colwell’s term as interim chancellor ends June 30. The conditions of his employment contract stipulated he would have a tenured position at the university if another candidate was chosen for the permanent job.

Prior to his appointment as interim chancellor, Colwell worked at Bowling Green University in Kentucky as the dean of its College of Education and Human Development. Colwell began his career in academia as an assistant professor in SIU’s Department of Education Administration and Higher Education in 1996.

Colwell earned his bachelor’s degree at Anderson University in Indiana.

He went to the University of Illinois at Champaign Urbana for his master’s and doctorate in educational administration.

He also earned a law degree from U. of I. A native of the region, Colwell said in an earlier interview with the Daily Egyptian that the return to southern Illinois was “coming home.”

A public forum for Colwell is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. April 25 in Guyon Auditorium.

Carl Pinkert Carl Pinkert began his current job as the vice president for research and economic development at the University of Alabama in 2013. His duties there include advancing the research goals and expanding the university's research funding base through federal grants, foundations and private donations, according to his curriculum vitae.

In previous administrative experience, Pinkert oversaw a $19 million annual budget as the associate vice president for research and graduate studies at Auburn University, a public research university in Alabama. Pinkert worked as a professor and administrator at Auburn from 2006 until 2013.

Brad Colwell. (Provided photo)

Carl Pinkert. (Provided photo)

Jeff Elwell. (Provided photo)

George Hynd. (Provided photo)

Pinkert is the co-author of more than 135 published articles, 24 reports and 175 abstracts, according to a news release from the University of Alabama.

Pinkert earned his master’s degree in animal science from SIU in 1977. He attended Colorado State University for his undergraduate degree and went to the University of Georgia for a doctorate in animal science and reproductive physiology.

A public forum for Pinkert is scheduled for 8:45 a.m. April 27 in Guyon Auditorium.

Jeff Elwell Jeff Elwell works as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He is also a tenured professor in the Department of Theatre and Speech.

He is in charge of administering a budget of $29 million in state funds and more than $13 million in private funds.

As dean of his college, Elwell oversees 17 departments alongside 275 fulltime faculty and 205 part-time faculty, according to his curriculum vitae.

In fall 2014, Elwell was tasked with reducing his college’s budget by roughly 6 percent, or $1.2 million. In his curriculum vitae, Elwell said the “transparent process over a three-month period” resulted in no permanent staff, faculty reductions or program eliminations.

Before starting at Tennessee in 2012, he served as special assistant to the chancellor for strategic initiatives at Auburn University at Montgomery.

From June 2010 to October 2011, he worked as the 5,800-student university's

provost. He also served as dean of graduate studies.

From 2004 to 2010, Elwell worked as dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at East Carolina University. Before then, he worked as chair of the Department of Theatre Arts at the University of Nebraska for five years.

Elwell, a former journalist, has written, directed and produced more than 50 plays, some of which have been produced in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, according to an online biography.

He has recently been selected as a finalist for the chancellor position at the University of South Carolina Upstate. He has also been a finalist in recent months for the president positions at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina, and Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico.

Elwell holds a bachelor’s degree in English from California State University in Bakersfield and a master’s degree in communication and theatre from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

He earned his doctorate in speech communication and theatre from SIUC in 1986.

His public interview will be at 8:45 a.m. April 11 in Guyon Auditorium in Morris Library.

George Hynd George Hynd, who has a background in clinical child neuropsychology, was named president of Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, in 2014.

There, he is seeking and allocating resources to support research, expanding

efforts to create an increasingly diverse faculty and establishing “fiscal and budgetary systems that are comprehensive and transparent,” according to his curriculum vitae. The state-funded university consists of more than 20,000 students.

Hynd is the only candidate who has not attended or worked for SIU previously.

From 2010 to 2014, Hynd worked as provost and executive vice president of academic affairs at the College of Charleston. He managed an academic affairs budget of nearly $90 million, according to an online biography. He was also a professor in the university’s department of psychology.

Before then, he worked for two years as senior vice provost and dean of the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education at Arizona State University.

From 2003 to 2007, he worked as dean of the College of Education at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Before that, he worked from 1979 to 2003 in various roles at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, working his way to becoming the university’s associate dean of research and external affairs.

Hynd has worked on numerous journals, and served as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Learning Disabilities from 1995 to 1999.

Hynd, who has written, co-authored and edited 11 books, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology from Pepperdine University in California and a doctoral degree in education from the University of Northern Colorado.

His public interview will be at 8:45 a.m. April 19 in Guyon Auditorium.

Previous search The previous search for a permanent chancellor was initiated after the death of interim Chancellor Paul Sarvela in November 2014. That search was suspended in June 2015 after the preferred candidate withdrew from consideration, citing concerns over the state’s budget impasse.

The announcement comes as Dunn and Colwell outlined $30 million in proposed spending cuts from a number of areas, including research-oriented departments and vacant faculty positions.

In a previous interview with the Daily Egyptian, Laurie Achenbach, who chaired the search committee, said the committee was looking for candidates who showed a strong commitment to student success and diversity, displayed experience in strategic planning and could form a vision for the campus. The 20 committee members, four of whom are students, were also seeking candidates who demonstrated fiscal responsibility, she said.

“I think, like anyone on campus, I would like to see someone who has the fortitude to steer us through these increasingly difficult financial times,” Achenbach, dean of the College of Science, has said of what she personally hopes for in the next chancellor.

In the past 20 years, the university’s largest campus has had 11 different leaders, including one year when Dunn filled the position along with his regular duties as the university president.

Page 8

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017 CARBONDALE’S PREMIERE OFF-CAMPUS STUDENT APARTMENTS!

All Inclusive!

YES!

We Include Water, Sewer, Trash, Cable, Internet, & Electric Allowance!

ENTER COUPON CODE

UVDAEIFLEYES!

TO WAIV

1, 2, 3, & 4 Bedroom Apartmenʦ With Great Amenities!

• 24-Hour Fitness • Outdoor Grills • Game Room • Coffee Bar • Swimming pool • Roommate Matching Services • Furniture Packages Available • Free Guest Parking • Outdoor Fireplace • Pet Friendly with No Weight • Lighted Sand Volleyball Court Restrictions

T

T NU MI

ALK EW

5M IN

NU MI

ALK EW

10

15

PetNO Friendly!

WEIGHT LIMIT!

STUDENT CENTER

STADIUM

• On-site Professional Management Team • Private Study Room • 24-Hour Business Center with Free Printing

REC CENTER

K AL EW UT

800 E Grand Avenue | Carbondale, IL 62901 269.430.3002

UNIVERSITYVILLAGE-SIU.COM

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

page 9

Proposed cuts to University Press make closure ‘a very valid fear,’ director says MARNIE LEONARD | @marsuzleo

For Chelsey Harris, working in publishing has been a lifelong goal.

“I remember writing a report about the industry when I was in the seventh grade,” said Harris, a graduate teaching assistant in the English department.

“This has always been my plan.”

Harris got her foot in the door one year ago by accepting an internship with SIU’s University Press, which she said has given her experience in all aspects of the publishing process, from marketing and sales to business and acquisition.

The press, which puts out about 30 to 35 books each year, is focused on publishing scholarly and creative works, many of which have heavy research components.

Areas of publication at the press include rhetoric and speech, archaeology, aviation, criminology, English composition and theater studies. About 10 percent of the authors published there each year are affiliated with SIU’s Carbondale and Edwardsville campuses.

The University Press is now at risk of losing all of its state funding. It is one of 15 centers or initiatives SIU’s noninstructional prioritization committee, which was appointed by interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, suggested could become self-supporting with the goal of eliminating state funding by 2022. This is expected to save the university $5.5 million over the course of five years.

The Daily Egyptian is publishing a series of stories to examine the effect those proposed cuts would have on the university community. This is the ninth in the series.

According to the committee’s report, a loss of state funding would amount to $170, 284 for the press. Press director Barb Martin said this could jeopardize its whole mission.

State funding makes up about 17 percent of its $1 million budget, Martin said, while almost all of the remaining money comes from book sales.

If state funding were cut, the press would have to publish more profitable, general interest books and fewer academic books, which Martin said tend to just break even in sales.

Amy Etcheson, the press marketing and sales coordinator, said this would be a disservice to the University Press’s role at SIU. “Our mission is fulfilling SIU’s role in the dissemination of scholarly material,” Etcheson said. “If we’re going to be a research institution, then that information needs to get out to the world.”

Etcheson, who has been with the press since 2010, said a decrease in academic publications could also affect the publisher’s reputation.

“We are the go-to publisher for rhetoric and composition,” Etcheson said. “It would be a shame to have to cut our publications to the point where that reputation is diminished.”

Every work receives positive peerreviews from two authorities in the book’s subject area and is approved by the press editorial board before being published, a process Martin said usually takes about one year.

“This tests the validity of scholarship,” Martin said. “It maintains high academic standards and plays a role in academic tenure and promotion as well.”

Martin said in the 20 years she has been at the press, the staff has gone from 22 people to 12.

Etcheson is now the last remaining member of the marketing department; due to budget cuts, the press lost three people this fiscal year.

“With this next round of cuts, we don’t know what we’re going to be able to do and what changes we’re going to have to make to make this work.”

Martin said. “We’re still exploring our options.”

Cuts to staff have already decreased the number of books the press is able to put out per year, Martin said, which ultimately affects profits.

“It’s a vicious cycle, because the more books you’re able to publish, the higher your sales,” Martin said. “It’s created a lot more work for the people who we do have left.”

Martin said part of the problem is also that the teaching model is changing. Many of the books the press publishes are used in university coursework, but Martin said textbook use in classrooms has been decreasing and teachers have started photocopying books to keep costs down for students.

“Teachers want to help their students since tuition rates ... are so high, and the teachers may not realize that it’s illegal,” Martin said.

Since July 2015, Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and Democrats who control the state Legislature, including House Speaker Michael Madigan, have failed to come to an agreement on a state spending plan. In light of the state’s historic budget impasse, public universities are considering ways to continue operations with the assumption some funding could be cut permanently.

Two stopgap measures passed in the Legislature in 2016 totaled $83 million of financial support for the SIU system.

Those funds, for the most part, were used to pay the bills from the 2016 fiscal year. The university started the 2017 fiscal year “basically back at zero” and is dipping into the reserves once again, SIU President Randy Dunn has said.

On March 29, Dunn said the Carbondale campus should cut at least $30 million in spending and should consider declaring a shortterm financial emergency. Interim Chancellor Brad Colwell released a

The SIU Press: The Facts SIU’s press publishes around 30 to 35 books yearly. Topics include: Aviation

Poetry

Philosophy

Theatre

Regional Studies

American History

Speech and Literacy

Criminology

Since its first publication in the 1950s, the press has published around 1,500 books- with around 1,000 titles curently in print.

Madelynn Shively | Daily Egyptian

statement in response detailing the cuts at the campus level, which include $1.2 million from partially self-supporting units like the University Press.

SIU spokeswoman Rae Goldsmith said Monday the cuts outlined in Colwell’s statement are for the 2018 fiscal year and are based in part on proposals for long term efficiencies such as those in the non-academic prioritization report. Goldsmith said any additional cuts to these centers in the foreseeable future will depend on the state budget and the university’s priorities.

The 15 institutions or centers identified in the non-instructional prioritization committee’s report suffered a permanent 10 percent reduction in state funding in fiscal year 2016. Others saw additional cuts in fiscal year 2017.

Martin said there are other projects the University Press could be doing if not facing budget cuts.

One of these would be a self-

publishing service for people in the area. Martin said she gets many book proposals for accounts of growing up in southern Illinois, but she has turned them down because the market for those books isn’t large enough.

“We’ve had to say no to a lot of books that are pertinent to our region, or that pertain to the other areas we publish in but have such a narrow market that we can’t afford to publish them,” Martin said. “But with all these cuts, I just can’t launch it. We wouldn’t be able to keep up.”

Martin said she often gets calls from authors worried that the University Press might close.

“My answer is ‘Our university wants us. They respect and support us, they just have no money,'” Martin said.

“But it’s a very valid fear, that question of ‘Is that what it’s going to come to?’”

Staff writer Marnie Leonard can be reached at mleonard@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter @marsuzleo.

Page 10

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

page 11

SIU sweeps weekend series with win against Evansville DENTON "GIO" GIOVENCO @DentonGiovenco

Senior pitcher Chad Whitmer throws from the mound during SIU’s 3-2 win against the Evansville Purple Aces on Friday at Itchy Jones Stadium.

This image was created using a multiple exposure technique.

Jacob Wiegand @jawiegandphoto

Saluki baseball completed the sweep of its weekend series against Evansville Sunday with an 8-3 win.

Southern jumped on the board in the bottom of the first when junior second baseman Connor Kopach scored from second base on junior first baseman Logan Blackfan's RBI single to take a 1-0 lead.

Evansville tied the game 1-1 in the top of the third when Evansville left fielder Brendan Krob sent the third pitch he saw from Saluki senior starting pitcher Joey Marciano over the left field fence for his first career home run. The home run was one of only two hits Marciano allowed in the game.

The Salukis regained the lead in the bottom of the fourth when senior right fielder Jake Hand tripled down the left field line to put himself in position to score on junior designated hitter Hunter Anderson's RBI infield single.

Anderson scored from second base on Kopach's RBI single up the middle to make the score 3-1.

Marciano's day came to an end after walking the first two batters he faced in the top of the fifth, finishing with 4.0 innings pitched, accounting for two runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven.

Evansville closed the gap 3-2 in the top of the fifth when the lead-off walk issued by Marciano came across to score as the Saluki infield turned a double play.

The Salukis added to their lead in the bottom of the sixth as aggressive baserunning once again helped the ball club manufacture a run.

Senior third baseman Ryan Sabo reached on a walk and stole second base

to put himself in scoring position. He scored from second base on Kopach's RBI single to center field for a 4-2 Saluki lead.

"We've worked extremely hard on [being aggressive]," coach Ken Henderson said. "It's been a good thing for our offense and created some runs.

It's proven that it pays off a lot more than it hurts us."

Evansville made it a one-run game by scoring a run in the top of the seventh to bring the score to 4-3.

Southern answered back with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the seventh, as Blackfan, Anderson and senior shortstop Will Farmer all scored in the inning to take a 7-3 Saluki lead.

Junior left fielder Greg Lambert reached on a single and advanced to second base on a throwing error by Evansville's shortstop to lead off the bottom of the eighth. He stole third base before senior center fielder Dyllin Mucha drove him in with an RBI single to right field to add to the Salukis lead 8-3.

Freshman pitcher Alex Gutermuth pitched the last 2.2 innings of the game, allowing no runs and only one hit to earn his first career save while finishing off the win for the Salukis.

"We played well," Henderson said.

"Great job by our defense and our bullpen. The most exciting thing is I saw us starting to do some stuff right."

Southern's defense proved solid in Sunday's game — and the weekend as a whole — committing only two errors through the three-game series.

"To me, I think that maybe the last thing in this whole weekend that people won't notice is how great our middle infielders played," Henderson said.

"They not only made the routine plays, they made spectacular plays. Farmer made two in the ninth [Sunday]."

The Salukis totaled 14 hits in Sunday's game, with eight of the nine starters reaching base safely.

Four Saluki hitters enjoyed a multihit game Sunday, with Blackfan and Anderson each going 2-for-4, Lambert 3-for-5 and Kopach 4-for-5.

Lambert continues to swing a hot bat for Southern. When asked about his torrid start at the plate this season, he explained that some extra playing time in the summer helped him become a complete hitter.

"Playing in the Northwoods [College League] this past summer really helped me," Lambert said. "I went there to work on my discipline at the plate, to be tough mentally and to try to stay consistent at the plate."

With Sunday's win, the Salukis (1514, 3-0 MVC) find themselves in a tie atop the Missouri Valley Conference leaderboard with Dallas Baptist and Missouri State at 3-0 in conference play.

"We really needed this," Lambert said. "Our team's feeling great."

"Proud of our guys," Henderson said.

"It was a good weekend and we did what we needed to do. We took care of business, but it's just three games and it's a long season. We're gonna focus on Tuesday and try to keep this momentum going."

Next up for Southern is a nonconference home game against Austin Peay at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Freshman pitcher Henry Boeckmann will take the mound for his second start of the season. The Salukis then travel to Wichita State for the first game of their second weekend conference series of the season Friday.

Sports writer Denton “Gio” Giovenco can be reached at dgiovenco@dailyegyptian. com or on Twitter @DentonGiovenco.

Page 12

BIKES, VIDEO GAMES, Computers, Laptops, Minifrigs, TVs, Jewelry, Microwaves, Tools, DVDs!! Priced 1/2 of new!! Guaranteed to work! Midwest Cash 1200 W. Main (Rte. 13) Carbondale. 549-6599 Cash for Students! We discretely buy or loan on your stuff! facebook.com/midwestcash

For Sale 2 bedroom, 1 bath, newly remodeled, new flooring, 6 miles from campus, large deck in back, central air 36,900. 618-527-1702

TRIPLE A APPLIANCE, 23ʼ van truck with 2 man crew. Moving, hauling and delivery. We also buy appliances.

618-519-0513

HAPPY JACK LIQUIVIC 2x: Recognized safe & effective for hook & roundworms by US Center for Veterinary Medicine. Premaculture Farm Store (218-9926). (kennelvax.com )

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

COME SIGN A LEASE! NOW SHOWING 1,2,3,4 & 5 BEDROOM UNITS ACROSS FROM CAMPUS SCHILLING PROPERTY 805 E. PARK STREET OFFICE HOURS: MON/FRI 9-5 549 -0895 - 529-2954 schillingprop.com schillingprop@yahoo.com

First months free rent, 1&2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS $300-500/mo., some utilites incl. Some furnish. Pet friendly. Call Heins Agency.

618-687-1774.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 bedrooms. Houses & apartments, walk to campus, washer/dryer, 2 bath, starting at $200 per person. 618-549-4808 www.campusviewrentals.com

1,2,3,& 4 BDRM UPGRADED units. Call 618-5494935.www.facebook.com/vanawkenrentals.

BARGAIN RENTAL PRICES NEAR CAMPUS: 1 & 2 Bdrm Apts and Luxury Studio Apts.

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED Cʼdale World Hunger Sale, Hopewell Baptist Church, 400 E. Main, Fri 12-6 & Sat. 8-1, furniture, household, linens, toys, books, jewelry, clothes, tools, appliances, electronics. Baked goods. Lunch & snacks served.

On Saturday: hanging and bedding plants; 1/2 price on most items; Bag sale 12pm. *LIVE AUCTION Saturday 10am*

CARBONDALE AREA: (7-10 Minutes from SIU-C) 1 Bdrm Apts under $300/Mo and 2 Bdrm Apts under $400/Mo. NO PETS. Call 618-684-4145.

TOWNE-SIDE WEST APARTMENTS AND HOUSES Cheryl Bryant Rentals 457-5664 AVAIL NOW 1 bdrm, across from SIU. Hi-speed Internet, satellite TV, laundry, parking, water & trash. Free pizza for a year with lease! Call 618-529-4763.

GREAT LANDLORDS, 1 & 2 bedrooms, duplex apartments, available now, no pets. At 606 East Park St, 618-201-3732.

3 BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE, 306 W. College, 1 block from campus, like new, central air, washer/dryer, dishwasher, private yard and off-street parking, starting at $295 per person.

Call/text 618-549-4808 www.campusviewrentals.com WESTWOOD APARTMENTSSTUDIO & 1 BEDS. All apts have private kitchen and bathroom. Most utilities included. Please call to schedule a viewing 618-303-9109.

1 BEDROOM APARTMENT. Central heat & air. Very close to SIU, large yard, $500/month, Call 618-924-1965.

DUPLEX AT END of dead end street.

106A N. violet, 2bedroom, 2 bath, garage, screened patio, $700, 529-1540

Address list in front yard of 408 S. Poplar

4 BEDROOM HOUSE near town and campus. excellent condition, large rooms, cental/air, washer/dryer, 2 baths, lawn service included, no dogs.

Available August 15, $1400, dicksonrental.com 618-201-5613

1 BEDROOM, CLOSE to campus, all utilities included, $450/month, no pets, available now. 534-2508 - Days.

One block to SIU plus free parking 4-5 bdrm houses and apartments Appts. start Jan. 19th for August Call 924-1965 or go to CarbondaleHousing.com

BARGAIN RENTAL PRICES NEAR CAMPUS: 2, 3, & 4 Bdrm Houses, W/D, Most C/A, Free Mow. Also, Geodesic Dome CARBONDALE AREA: (7-10 Min. from SIU-C no zoning): SPACIOUS 2 & 3 Bdrm Houses , W/D, Most C/A, 1 3/4 Baths, Carport, Patio or Huge Deck, Free Mow. NO PETS. Call 684-4145.

Address list in front yard of 408 S. Poplar

2 AND 3 bedroom homes, central air, all with washer/dryer hookup, some with washer/dryer, available Aug, pets ok. 684-2711 or 559-1522.

6-12 Bdrm, info call 618-549-4808 6 bdrm - 701 W. Cherry, 319 W. Walnut 4 bdrm - 511, 505 S. Ash, 802,406, 324, 319, 321 W. Walnut, 3 bdrm- 310, 313, 610 W Cherry 405 S Ash, 106, 408 S Forest, 306 W College, 321 W Walnut, 1052 W Noname Rd. 2 bdrm- 503 S. Ash, 319, 324, 406 W Walnut, 1 bdrm- 802 W Walnut, 106 S Forest, 310 W Cherry

www.campusviewrentals.com

Call or text 618-549-4808 (9-5pm) 4 or 5 BEDROOM, 2 bath ,unfurnished. Close to SIU, central heat & air, large yard. Ph.618-924-1965.

MARTIN PROPERTIES 618-534-1550 Avail Fall ʻ16 2 Bdrm: 402 S. Ash 3 Bdrm: 416 S. Washington 416 1/2 S. Washington 401A W. Elm, 2 bath 401B W. Elm CLEAN, SAFE HOUSING FOR YOU!

NICE 1 & 2 BDRM, $260-$450, lawn & trash incl, mgmt & maint. On-site, avail now, 618-529-9200, no dogs. www.salukihomes.com

HELP WANTED: MUST be 21 years old, STOCKER POSITION. MUST be available: Evenings and weekends.

Apply in person at Old Town Liquors: 514 S. Illinois Avenue STUDENT PART-TIME HELP, afternoons,flexable hours, some heavy lifting required, good wages, Needed till the end of the semester and summer able appliance, 525-9822.

LEGAL ASSISTANT. EXCELLENT computer, clerical, filing, writing and communication skills req. Reply to P.O. Box 1206, Cʼdale IL, 62903-1206.

HOSTESS/PHONE PERSON, apply in person, some lunch hours needed.

Quatroʼs Pizza, 218 W. Freeman.

PIZZA DELIVERY DRIVER, neat appearance, PT, some lunch hours needed, apply in person, Quatros Pizza, 218 W Freeman.

SALES CLERK, PART-TIME. Must be 21years of age. Apply in person, SI Liquor Mart, 113 N. 12th St., Murphysboro. Please no calls.

Adobe Premiere Editor- Looking for someone fluent in Adobe Premiere to help edit a series of educational workshop videos targeted at tattoo professionals. We need a relatively quick turnover so you'll need to be a person with at least some spare time on your hands. Starting at $15/hour but we can negotiate depending on how fast you are.

Contact Guy at guyomech@gmail.com Email guyomech@gmail.com

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Page 13

Now Accepting the

DEBIT DAWG

CARD*

LATE NIGHT OR EARLY MORNING?

Hunger doesn’t wear a watch Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms From left: Lucas Damien, of Carbondale, Sam Jamerson, of Deerfield, Mike Walczewski, of Carbondale, Brittany Ristaino, of DeSoto, and Nathan Caslow, of Carbondale, react to the Cubs' first World Series championship since 1908 on Nov. 2, 2016, at Tres Hombres in Carbondale.

Does anyone have what it takes to tame the Cubs?

STEFAN STEVENSON The For Worth Star-Telegram

Can anyone take down the Chicago Cubs? A year ago, they were the darlings of nearly every preseason prediction.

They lived up to the hype and held off the Cleveland Indians to win their first World Series title since 1908.

The question in 2017, however, is whether or not the Cubs can handle their success. Will high expectations, without the desperation to break the curse that no longer exists leave the Cubbies in a lazy honeymoon hangover with no edge?

That's unlikely to be the case for much of their lineup, with young stars such as Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Ben Zobrist. But how about their pitching staff? Do veterans such as Jon Lester, TCU ex Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey have the tread left on the tires to take the Cubs back to the mountaintop?

Just from a health aspect, will they hold up? Hendricks is the youngest at 27.

Lackey the oldest at 38. Lester and Arrieta are still in their early 30s and still seemingly in the prime of their careers.

The question is not whether the Cubs

can win a lot of games again in '17. A 100-win season is within reach. The question is whether their starters, after another slog through 200-plus innings, will still have it in the postseason.

Aces such as the Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw, the Nationals' Max Scherzer, the Giants' Madison Bumgarner, or the Mets' Noah Syndergaard could be enough in a short series to topple the less-hungry Cubs.

And what if the Cubs do return to the World Series? Will they need another miracle comeback like their rally against the Indians after falling down 3-1 in the series?

The Indians, despite their loss of Mike Napoli, should be even better in '17. Not only do they have arguably the best rotation in baseball, but they're also all relatively healthy. They won their first AL pennant in 19 years despite injuries to Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar.

Trevor Bauer even had to pitch through a bloody cut on his pitching hand after a drone accident. Corey Kluber, the '14 Cy Young winner, battled hamstring issues late in the season.

To read more, please see www.dailyegyptian.com.

ZESTY NACHOS

© 2017 DFO, LLC. At participating restaurants for a limited time only. Selection and prices may vary. *Available at select locations.

OPEN 24/7 • FREE WiFi

50% OFF

ANY APPETIZER SUNDAY-THURSDAY • 10PM-5AM One coupon, per table, per visit. Not valid with any other coupons or promotional offers. Coupon has no cash value. No change returned. Taxes and gratuity not included. Beverages not included. Valid at participating Denny’s restaurants.

Selection and prices may vary. Only original coupon accepted. Photocopied and Internet printed or purchased coupons are not valid. No substitutions. © 2017 DFO, LLC. Printed in the U.S.A. Offer valid for dine-in only. Offer ends 6.30.17

Page 14

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Answers for Wednesday >>

Brought to you by:

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www. sudoku.org.uk

Wednesday, april 5, 2017

Today's Birthday (04/05/17). This is not a status quo kind of year.

Expect revelation and revolution. A community collaboration changes direction after August, leading to creative and romantic blossoming.

October initiates a profitable year, and December begins a twoyear phase benefitting coordination between friends and allies. Discover incredible opportunities.

To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is an 8 -Fortune is in your favor today. Practice a game you love. Relaxation and recreation restore your sense of humor and fun.

Learn a new trick.

Taurus (April 20May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- Household issues demand attention. Slow down and listen. Good news comes from far away. Actions taken now have long-term impact.

Clean an old mess.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is an 8 -Share information, data and facts. Research, write and keep communications current. Your words go farther today. Back them up with action to take major ground.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is a 9 -Your efforts get especially profitable. Take action for long-term benefit.

Upgrade your equipment if it will increase productivity.

Monitor cash flow. Love gives you strength.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- Use your power and confidence for good. Friends help you make a valuable connection.

Pour energy into action to realize a personal dream.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept.

22) -- Today is a 7 -- Make plans for an inspiring future. Decide where to put your energy. Create a ritual to initiate this new stage.

Find an answer in a dream.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -Strategize with teammates.

You're especially productive. Create lasting

page 15

impact for your project together. Determine who does what, and get moving.

Go the distance.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is an 8 -- A professional challenge has your focus. Put in extra effort for extra gain.

Your quick action draws praise. A bonus is possible.

Exceed expectations.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22Dec. 21) -- Today is a 9 -Expand your frontiers and get farther than expected.

Dream big! Travel and fun are favored. Remain open to shifting circumstances.

Make long-distance connections.

Capricorn (Dec. 22Jan. 19) -- Today is a 9 -- Make payments and reconcile accounts. Longterm investments gain value. It's a good day to buy or sell. Take stock of what you've hidden away.

Aquarius (Jan. 20Feb. 18) -- Today is a 9 -- Collaboration produces long-term benefits today.

Pour energy into a shared endeavor.

Brainstorm and share ideas and resources. Spark some action. Together, you're an unbeatable team.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is a 9 -Physical action reaps long-lasting rewards. Get your muscles moving! Act quickly and make a good impression. A long-term prize is within reach.

FOR RELEASE APRIL 5, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 Chickens (out) 6 Lay eyes on 10 Judge’s setting 14 Like kindling when lit 15 Advil target 16 Insulate, as a jacket 17 *Process of electron gain or loss 19 Killer whale 20 Cereal with lemony lemon and orangey orange flavors 21 Falling-out 22 Bryn Mawr undergrads 23 Have a bawl 24 *Beneficial substance in berries 26 Lacking the skill 28 Not as much 29 Katy who voiced Smurfette in “The Smurfs” 30 “Jeopardy!” creator Griffin 33 Takes off the shelf 34 *Eating 37 At the center of 40 Compete in a sack 41 Lets up 45 Asian rice porridge 47 Show up 48 *London subway system, with “the” 52 Bus. card info 53 Highly recommends 54 “Monday Night Countdown” airer 55 Cruciverbalist Reagle of “Wordplay” 56 Danish shoe company 57 Each answer to a starred clue begins and ends with identical ones 59 Big bunch 60 Golf game spoiler 61 Sailor’s “Halt!”

62 Gull relative 63 Start of a preschool song 64 __-Bismol

By Mark MacLachlan

DOWN 1 Watches late TV until a teen comes home, say 2 “From my perspective ... ” 3 Hotel room amenity 4 Amount to pay in Calais 5 “__ who?”

6 Absorb the loss 7 “The Martian” genre 8 Snapchat upload 9 Nikkei index currency 10 Diabetic’s concern 11 High behind a front, e.g.

12 Holy smoke 13 Campsite shelters 18 Former Education secretary Duncan 22 Golfer Michelle 24 Kirk __, first movie Superman 25 Last Super Bowl won by the Giants 27 Capital of Barbados 30 “Tell __ story”

02/22/17 4/5/17 Wednesday’s Answers

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

31 PC key 32 MapQuest output: Abbr.

35 Oldest Brady boy 36 Geeky sort 37 Most severe 38 Accessory for Mr. Peanut 39 Ambien, vis-à-vis sleep 42 Webpage index 43 “Into Thin Air” peak

4/5/17 02/22/17

44 Does business with 46 Workplaces for LPNs 47 Green Gables girl 49 Post-op therapy 50 “Hamlet” courtier 51 Flip over 55 Bit of chess action 57 __-la-la 58 Con man’s target

Page 16

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Tennis freshman talks first and last semester at SIU JONATHAN THOMPSON | @TheReal_Jt3

One week after moving half-way across the globe to pursue his love of tennis, Param Pun learned that his tennis team would soon be no more.

"It was a shock for me," said the freshman from Chandigarh, India, who started playing for the SIU men's tennis team in January on a full ride scholarship.

The news about SIU's decision to make this season the teams' last wasn't the only thing Pun was adjusting to. "[America] is really different from India," he said. "I've never lived alone for so much time. I kind of sacrificed everything, leaving family and friends. Coming here was a big decision. But I'm happy here; I'm doing good in my academics as well as my athletics."

Before coming to southern Illinois, Pun ranked No.12 in Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto Freshman Param Pun hits a forehand in his singles match India and 444 on the International Junior tennis circuit. during SIU’s 7-0 win against Eastern Kentucky on March 25 at Pun first picked up a racket when he was six years old.

Garden Grove Event Center in Carbondale.

"My father really liked tennis and I used to watch it with him," he said. "When we found out there was a local tennis Now, the 5-foot-8-inch freshman is 11-1 in doubles with club near our house I joined, and over time I got good and fell his partner — senior Wilder Pimentel — after a win Saturday in love with it." against Wichita State in the program's final home game.

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Page 17

SIU men's tennis wins 'emotional' final home match in program history SEAN CARLEY | @SeanMCarley

As the members of the SIU men's tennis team walked away from their final match as a program at University Courts, they did so as winners.

SIU defeated Wichita State on Saturday, 4-1, for the first time since 2009.

"It was an unbelievable match," said graduate assistant coach Jonny Rigby, who serves as the primary coach of the men's program. "To see them go out like that, that match just shows what we're all about as a team."

The win is the Salukis' (15-2) eighth win in a row, and it got them off to a 1-0 start in Missouri Valley Conference play.

But, more importantly, it was each player's senior day as the men's and women's tennis programs will be discontinued in June as part of cuts being implemented as the result of a historic state budget impasse quickly approaching its second year.

In this final home match, Southern got started on a positive note, winning two out of three doubles matches to clinch the doubles point. Then the support came.

After their scrimmage, members of SIU's football team came to cheer on the team.

Members of women's basketball, the swim teams and the athletic administration were also in the crowd showing their support.

With freshman Param Pun and junior Alex Pozo winning their singles matches, SIU found itself ahead with a 3-1 lead — one more match CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE

Despite emotions being high because of the programs' discontinuation for budget-saving matters, Pun has played well this season.

"It was difficult for everyone when we heard the news," graduate assistant coach Jonny Rigby said. "But just like the rest of the guys, he has reacted well and had a great season so far."

Rigby recalled one game in particular during which Pun really shined.

"Our win at Troy was something we will all remember Param for," Rigby said. "He was unbelievably clutch in that match, particularly in doubles. It was

away from clinching the team win.

Junior Michal Kianicka appeared to be next in line to finish his match, which went down to the wire. Kianicka won the first set, but dropped the second to force a decisive third set.

At 5-4, Kianicka was joined by his teammates who had already finished their own matches to cheer him on from the next court over. Kianicka won the match when his opponent double faulted. He was immediately mobbed by his teammates.

"It was awesome," he said. "Everything took over me. I was just screaming, I don't even know what. It was just perfect."

The Slovak Saluki said it wasn't until the match was over that it sunk in that he had just played his last match at his home court.

"It's really sad and emotional," he said.

"We feel like we deserve to play one more year, especially after a season like this and the last one. But it is what it is and I'm glad we finished like this."

For others, Saturday was a culmination of years of teamwork coming together.

With Pun as the lone exception, each of the other six Salukis are either juniors or seniors.

"The stuff we've experienced is going to be a lifetime thing," Pozo said. "Coming in as a freshman with five other guys is something I'm never going to forget, even the ones that aren't here anymore. Finishing it out the way we did, I'm never going to forget it."

Even Rigby, who is serving his first year as a

great to see a freshman so relaxed in a high pressure situation like that."

Pun came through two tight matches at Troy, winning his doubles 7-6(5) and then his singles 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

In the classroom Pun garners similar respect from his teachers.

"Its really, really unfortunate" said Pun's UCOL 101 teacher, Scott Rakow.

"Because in his mind he's moving to a foreign country, he's playing a game that he loves, and he's also getting an education ... and within the first semester of relocating to a foreign country, his tennis program was cut, so instead of looking ahead at the next four years at SIU, he's probably going to have to

Athena Chrysanthou | @Crysant1Athena Senior Piotr Baranski reaches for the ball during the last home match in Saluki men's tennis history Saturday, April 1, 2017, at University Courts. The Salukis defeated Wichita State 4-1.

coach after he had one of the most outstanding careers in Saluki tennis history, expressed his love for his former teammates and admitted that he had trouble sleeping Friday night in anticipation of the match.

"I've been pretty stressed actually," the English Saluki coach said with a laugh.

"Some of the guys thought I was snapping at them in practice, probably because I was so stressed. But, I just really wanted the best for them and I knew this was going to be a big day."

transfer if he wants to continue to play tennis."

This is a decision Pun has made, though he has not yet announced what school he will be transferring to.

"It's my first semester, as a freshman, I can not make a decision to stay here because there won't be any tennis," he said.

But until that decision is announced and he has to pack his bags for the second time this year, Pun said he just wants to enjoy the time he has left at SIU. "I just got used to being [at SIU]," Pun said. "I just got used to everything.

It's going to be difficult learning a new area, new coach and team.

"All these guys, even though I'm a coach, they're like brothers to me," Rigby said.

"I'm unbelievably proud of these guys."

SIU men's tennis has two more matches in the conference season, finishing on the road at Drake on April 8 and at Illinois State on April 15, before competing in the MVC Championship on April 28 through 30.

Sports editor Sean Carley can be reached at scar@dailyegyptian.com.

Massa wins MVC softball Newcomer of the Week SEAN CARLEY | @SeanMCarley

SIU softball freshman Katelyn Massa was named the Missouri Valley Conference's Newcomer of the Week on Monday after arguably the best weekend of her young career.

Massa went 7-for-14 over the weekend with seven RBIs and two home runs, all team bests. Her weekend raised her average 45 points, from .283 to .328, third-best on the team.

It is the fourth time a Saluki has taken home a weekly award this season, with sophomore Brianna Jones winning Pitcher of the Week last week and freshman right fielder Susie Baranski winning Newcomer of the Week twice earlier in March.

SIU currently stands in first place in the MVC at 7-2 in conference play, and will next play St. Louis at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Charlotte West Stadium.

Page 18

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Bill Lukitsch | @lukitsbill Saluki pitcher Michael Baird throws from the mound Saturday, March 4, 2017, during a game against Western Illinois University in Itchy Jones Stadium. The Salukis beat the Leathernecks 12-2.

Player Profiles: SIU pitcher making a case for ace DENTON "GIO" GIOVENCO @DentonGiovenco

Born in Arizona and raised in Colorado, junior pitcher Michael Baird traveled east of the Mississippi to bring his pitching talent to southern Illinois.

A self-proclaimed "smiley and talkative guy," Baird said family and faith are the most important facets of his everyday life.

"I have two amazing parents, one younger brother and one older sister," the young pitcher said. "I am a religious guy. I was raised Christian and that plays a big influence in my life."

Baird's father also played baseball — the only sport he played in high school — and found ways to hand down his love of the national pastime to his son early on. One of his first favorite toys was a purple wiffle ball bat his father gave him.

A chance meeting at the Recreation Center where the

family exercised led to Baird finding his drive to join T-ball.

In day care at the center, Baird became best friends with Cody Huson, whose father, Jeff, is an MLB journeyman who played with seven teams throughout his 12year professional career.

"When Cody started playing T-ball I realized I wanted to hang out with my friend some more and play some ball too," Baird said.

Baird attended Legend High School in Parker, Colorado, where he was the youngest player on the varsity team after making the squad as a sophomore.

The Saluki pitcher said he was a late-bloomer, hitting his growthspurt later than other players on the team. When he did, he quickly became the tallest player on the team. But this added new challenges for the young ballplayer.

"Having this height also meant I had some knee problems," he said.

Wednesday, april 5, 2017 "I wasn't as athletic as everyone else due to it, and it became a drag."

Baird credits his teammate in high school, Tyler Honahan, with getting him through this time and pointing him down the right path.

Honahan, being 6 foot 2 inches himself, understood the challenges Baird was facing and suggested a visit to Coach Clint Zavaras at Slammers Baseball.

Slammers is where Baird learned to use his height to his advantage off the mound, and found his calling in baseball.

"I loved baseball since I was a kid, but really as a pitcher once I started to get into working primarily using my height," he said.

The young pitcher began getting

serious looks from colleges and MLB scouts heading into his senior year of high school, but an arm injury cut his final season at Legend High School short.

"Right when I was starting to put some weight on, I started to get up to 88-89 mph and my arm wasn't used to it was the problem," Baird said.

The injury — a micro-tear in one of his tendons in the rotator cuff — proved to not be serious. Baird went through two months of physical therapy, and quickly recovered from the set-back.

This was good news for SIU, who recruited Baird in the fall of his senior year of high school — before his injury — and signed him to a four-year commitment

Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko Junior pitcher Michael Baird poses for a portrait Dec. 8, 2016, in Carbondale.

page 19 beginning with the 2015 season.

Baird said he always intended to attend college, regardless of whether or not he was drafted out of high school.

"I wasn't ready at all to pursue a professional career," he said. "I just knew I really wanted to go to SIU. I knew I needed some time to mature with those extra few years in college."

The Saluki hurler said his goal his first year at SIU was to come in and play as a freshman. He accomplished this by becoming a pitcher who was regularly called into games out of the bullpen for the Salukis during the 2015 season. But not every outing was great for Baird.

"It was a tough transition my freshman year," he said. "I had a few rough outings in a row and I am thinking I'm probably the last guy that they're going to want out there. Then my name gets called again, and I am thinking, 'Why the heck do they keep putting me out there?'"

Baird credits Head Coach Ken Henderson and pitching Coach P.J. Finigan with helping him work through his early struggles.

"Coach Fin and Coach Henderson saw what I could be as a pitcher and believed in me before I did," the Saluki pitcher said.

"One of the big takeaways from my freshman year was that you have to be coachable. I also learned that I don't like losing. ... I really got fed up with being a loser."

The Saluki pitcher said Coach Finigan stressed the need to work over the summer following his 2015 season to get stronger physically and mentally. This helped Baird realize a good work ethic and faith in his abilities is what he needed to mature as an athlete.

"If I do everything I can from startto-start, it's in the Lord's hands after that," Baird said. "Whatever happens, happens. It's not because I didn't work hard and give it my best."

Baird has since become a stalwart of SIU's starting rotation. After being moved from the bullpen to

the rotation following 2015, he has compiled a 13-4 record over 22 starts, with a 1.71 ERA and 0.95 WHIP to go along with 92 strikeouts and 33 walks.

may be an option for me."

The young pitcher knows whatever he chooses – be it continuing college or entering the pros — his family is behind him.

“I have to give 100 percent credit to SIU as a program and to the coaching staff here for everything.”

- Michael Baird Saluki pitcher

These career numbers led to the Saluki hurler to be named 2017's MVC Preseason Pitcher of the Year by Baseball America and D1 Baseball. He understands the implications of this honor, and hopes to follow through on the prediction.

"It is both a monkey-on-the-back and it drives me to succeed," Baird said. "If I'm not MVC Pitcher of the Year and have the best ERA at the end of the year, then it's a failure of a season. I know that's unrealistic, but I do hold myself to that high expectation."

Many of these same outlets have tagged the Saluki pitcher as one of the top pro prospects in the Midwest.

With the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft coming soon, Baird said he knows he may be put to a choice between continuing his college career or entering the pro ranks.

"Coming from an athlete with the draft coming up, baseball is basically what I'm focusing on right now," said the speech communication major.

"But I know the degree is, if anything, more important than everything else.

Baseball is going to end for everyone at some point, so you have to be able to do something else in life."

Yet Baird said the choice is 100 percent his, and he is keeping his options open in case he is drafted this year.

"The chance to play baseball at the next level is a surreal feeling," he said. "Especially when I think that it

"I could probably go up to them today and say, 'Mom and dad, I'm quitting baseball and dropping out of college to be an artist' and they would support me," he said. "It's a great feeling to have family that supports you no matter what."

While the draft and all the honors are "icing on the cake" for Baird, for the time being he is primarily focused on the 2017 season for the Salukis.

"My ultimate goal is to go out there once a week and give my team a chance to win," he said. "There's always the next game to focus on."

Baird said his future is the product of his upbringing and his time at SIU. "I have lived the greatest childhood a child could live," he said. "I've been blessed with opportunities. I have to give 100 percent credit to SIU as a program and to the coaching staff here for for everything. They have given me this opportunity and I was really blessed to come here."

Even if this season proves to be the Saluki pitcher's last at SIU, it has been one of his most promising so far.

"This is one of the best teams I have ever played on," Baird said.

"We are beyond talented, and are a way better team than what our record this season shows. The best is yet to come."

Sports writer Denton “Gio” Giovenco can be reached at dgiovenco@dailyegyptian.com.

Page 20

m ® ® uVA] 2 of Kybella for $2200

Wednesday, aPril 5, 2017

Call 618.351.9140 to learn more. www.sihmgplasscsurgery.net

1400 Financial Park ǀ Carbondale, IL 62902