August 20, 2018

kentuckykernel

Monday, August 20, 2018

est. 1892 | Independent since 1971 www.kykernel.com @kykernel @kentuckykernel

THE BATTLE CONTINUES Universities, student newspaper still involved in lawsuits concerning student privacy, transparency

PAGE 12

FROM IOWA HARDWOOD TO UK GRIDIRON PAGE 20

THEN&NOW HOW CAMPUS HAS CHANGED, IS CHANGING AND WILL CONTINUE TO CHANGE

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Kappa Kappa Gamma moves back into renovated house

PAGE 11

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Monday, August 20, 2018

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EXPLORE UK ARCHIVE Members of the 1918-19 basketball team

EXPLORE UK ARCHIVE Tug of war on Field Day in 1918

1918 KENTUCKIAN YEARBOOK University of Kentucky President Frank L. McVey

Then and now: Looking back at UK a century ago

A quick look through UK’s 1918 yearbook makes it clear how much Editor-in-chief has changed in the past century— for example, all the pictures are in black and white, and the foreword includes the words “thy” and “lo.”

There are other changes as well— the freshman class this year is just a little bigger than the 291 freshmen of 1918, and when students talked about “McVey” then, they meant UK’s president, not a building on central campus.

Many of these changes and details would be lost to time if not for the Kentuckian yearbooks, which chronicled UK each year for more than 120 years. But the Kentuckian ceased publication in 2014, so many current students probably have not seen a more recent copy, much less a historical one.

I hadn’t either, until I helped move the yearbooks from the Kernel’s old office to our new one. That’s another monumental change: After calling the Grehan building home for more than 50 years, the Kernel has moved to a new office in McVey. We’re taking a lot of history with us, in yearbooks datBAILEY VANDIVER

ing as far back as 1906. Two copies of the 1918 yearbook have survived to make the move, to give us a glimpse of what college life was like a full century ago.

“The joys we have possessed here together are ever ours,” the foreword to the yearbook reads. “You may dispossess a man of everything but his blessed memory.” Because of this yearbook, we have access to those memories.

“The joys we have possessed here together are ever ours.” from the foreword to the 1918 Kentuckian yearbook

Some things sound pretty familiar: The UK football team played Vanderbilt and Florida— though rather than being on the losing end of a 31-year streak against Florida, the Cats beat the Gators 52-0 that year. Basketball was al-

ready popular, though the men played in shorter shorts and the women played in long skirts.

Today, Greek life is a large part of campus, and the same was true in 1918— and the Kentuckian editors certainly had their fun with it. In the “Gossip” section, several pages were devoted to “fraternity roasts” of many organizations that still have a home on our campus today.

Other aspects show how UK and Lexington have changed: Both John C. Breckinridge and John Hunt Morgan were featured in the “Great Kentuckians” section, whereas the statues honoring them were just relocated a few weeks ago after a controversial debate about Confederate-era symbols.

In 1918, the Kentucky Kernel was published on Thursdays instead of Mondays, and that staff would probably be jealous of the technology we have now. But not everything has changed: The staff still publishes the newspaper “for the benefit of the students, alumni and faculty of the institution.” Hopefully, that will still be true in another 100 years.

So in order to create memories worth preserving for those who come after us, let us take the advice of those who came before us, written 100 years ago at the beginning of the yearbook: “Sustained by the glory of the past, let us strive toward a more glorious future.”

COVER ART FROM 1918 KENTUCKIAN YEARBOOK

fall 2018 | 3

Monday, August 20, 2018

kernelnews

‘Excited to begin’: A freshman’s transition to college life

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF

By Akhira Umar news@kykernel.com

A new school year means new students are rolling in, and that comes with a roller coaster of emotions and experiences.

The transition from high school to college is a milestone that can be a mixture of exciting opportunities and nerve-wracking challenges.

For incoming freshman Paige Watson, her first taste of independence came from an experience she shared with hundreds of other freshmen on campus: Big Blue Move-In. For Watson, an out-of-stater, living on campus alongside thousands of other students is an opportunity she just couldn’t pass up.

“I knew I didn’t want to go to school in West Virginia, and I had lived in Kentucky before so I was familiar with the state and knew UK was a great school,” Watson said.

She said she did research and decided that she liked the dorm setup, as well as the location of UK. “I figured UK was the best place for me because I still have friends and family in Kentucky if I need them but I’m still living away from them,” she said.

Like many other first-year students, this will be Watson’s first time living on her own. One crucial factor in successfully living on one’s own is self-awareness.

A 2017 report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health showed the top four concerns of college students are anxiety, depression, stress and family. Concerns such as these come with college in general but may be even more concerning when moving into college dorms.

UK Counseling Center Director Mary Chandler Bolin stressed the importance of mental health in college, especially during freshman year and the move-in process.

“Some students may arrive at college having already experienced symptoms of anxiety, depression, disordered eating, PTSD, substance abuse, ADHD or other conditions which may be exacerbated by transitional stress,” Bolin said. “It is crucial that students maintain the behaviors which have helped them

4 | kentucky kernel

LEFT: As Paige goes into Haggin Hall to check in and get her room assignment, her mother Sara attempts to go help her but is stopped by Paige’s brother Dallas. “Let her do this,” he said. This prompted a short set of tears from Sara.

Watson and her mother are close and and watching her only daughter move into a dorm for the first time caused Sara to feel mixed emotions. Watson moved into her new dorm on UK’s campus on Aug. 16, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

manage any symptoms.”

She mentioned behaviors such as regular sleep, complying with prescribed medication and connecting with campus resources such as the UK Counseling Center (859-2578701) and the University Health Service (Behavioral Health, at 859323-5511).

Despite these concerns, Watson, who already deals with mental health issues, said she believes she will be able to handle the big

move with the support of family and friends. In fact, Watson’s family found that the advantages of living on campus outweigh the disadvantages.

“My parents really wanted me to live in a dorm my first year so that way I could be on campus and close to all of the fun things happening,” Watson said. “They are hoping this encourages me to get out of my comfort zone.”

Yet a comfort zone is exactly

what Watson moved into on Aug 15.

Through the chaos of families and carts full of clothes lining Huguelet Drive and just about every other residential road on UK’s campus, Watson found a home away from home she’s sure she’ll like. With the help of residential staff, her move-in experience went quickly and smoothly, surprising her and her family.

She is also living in a dorm where she’ll have her own separate room, leaving her brother, who didn’t have

TOP LEFT: Paige Watson, an incoming freshman planning to study chemistry, moves into Haggin Hall, a dorm on UK’s campus, on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2018. Her mother, Sara Watson, and her brother, Dallas Hopkins, along with her father James Hopkins (not pictured) and friend Emily Paulin (not pictured) help Watson carry her things to her new living space on campus.

TOP RIGHT: Paige’s mother explains the significance of the red hat packed among the essentials moved into her dorm room: “She’s so pale; I’ve been lathering her in sunscreen since she was born.” Paige moved into her dorm on UK’s campus on Wednesday, August 16, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

ABOVE RIGHT: Paige Watson and her friend Emily Paulin look at a picture on Paulin’s phone as the two wait for an elevator in Paige’s dorm on UK’s campus on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky. Paige is a freshman at UK this semester and her best friend Emily is a student at Eastern Kentucky University, which is only about 20 minutes away from UK. BOTTOM RIGHT: Paige Watson sits on her new bed in Haggin Hall on UK’s campus on Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

the same amenities at his college, envious.

Despite not being part of a Living Learning Program or knowing anyone at UK, Watson is confident that she’ll be okay here, and moving into the dorms will only help her.

“I’m sad to leave the familiar faces and places but I’m excited to begin my life,” Watson said. “I know that no matter what, my close friends and family members will be there for me despite the distance.”

Monday, August 20, 2018

UK dorms have changed radically, but not all students welcome the change

By Rick Childress news@kykernel.com

UK’s multi-year, multimillion-dollar campus housing overhaul is complete, and one thing is abundantly clear— the dorms ain’t what they used to be.

Over the past six years, UK has constructed nearly 7,000 new modern dorm units in 14 new dorm buildings, and UK has closed and condemned buildings that held just over 4,400 traditional beds, data provided by UK Housing shows.

In 2012, more than 85 percent of UK’s on-campus beds were in small, two-to-a-unit, traditional dorm rooms that were often down the hall from a bathroom shared by much of the floor. This year, about 79 percent of on-campus students will lay down in their own bedrooms on Tempur-Sealy mattresses just a few steps from their kitchenette and bathroom.

Sighting GPA increases and higher retention rates, UK Housing officials call the new dorms a success, but some students said the new dorms have their faults— especially socially.

The architectural changes became lifestyle changes for the few students who have firsthand experience of the switch from traditional dorm to modern dorm.

Kevin Moran, a junior, was among the last residents of the now-closed Kirwan Blanding complex when it completely closed in 2017. He was moved from his close to 50-year-old traditional dorm to a dorm that was opened less than three years prior. He had a few complaints.

“There’s no community aspect,” Moran said of the Woodland Glen I dorm that he moved to mid-year. Moran, who is from New York, said he met a lot of his original college friends in the traditional dorms.

In Kirwan, dorm room doors were often left open, and neighbors visited liberally, said Clark Demaree, a recent electrical engineering graduate. He said he knew half of his floor within a semester.

“It was a social thing,” he said.

In the Johnson Hall he was moved to, Demaree said most doors were closed and he knew some of his neighbors, “but not many.”

UK Housing says the opposite. The new dorms are not just “heads on beds,” said Penny Cox, the Associate

Vice President of Administration. A third of the space in each of the dorms is devoted to fostering community and belonging.

With Living Learning Programs that house students of similar majors in close proximity, and a bevy of study rooms, specialized classrooms and meeting rooms, Cox said the new dorms were designed for community building and academic success.

But according to Demaree, the architecture of the newer dorms didn’t encourage the communities that sprung out of the tight spaces and shared bathrooms of the older, traditional style.

“I think the space we were in had a very big impact on how we were socializing,” Demaree said. Kirwan Blanding encouraged branching out socially, “while the architecture of Johnson didn’t do that.”

Moran and Demaree both thought the problem was an issue of scale.

“If everyone has their own bathroom, nobody has to leave their room,” Moran said. “But if everyone shares a bathroom, they’re forced to see everyone else.”

In Kirwan, Demaree said everyone hung out in the lobby. In Johnson, the dorm’s multiple social spaces “spread everyone out.”

But it may be that there is no longer a market demand for the closeknit quarters of a traditional dorm, and housing data shows that enough people are happy to live in a modern dorm room.

“Ninety-three percent of our freshman have never shared a room, so the demand just isn’t there,” Cox told the Lexington Herald-Leader in December when the plans for demolishing Kirwan Blanding were announced.

“There are very few students who want to live in those kinds of buildings (at Kirwan Blanding).”

This year, Cox said UK will start the school year with 97 percent of the undergraduate dorms filled— equaling about 7,200 students. Last year, the dorms hovered around 92 percent full, Cox said, who added that those numbers are typical.

Minimum rooming prices have also gone up to match the value of the dorms.

In 2015, a traditional room at Kirwan Blanding cost about $4,800 for a whole year, previous Kernel reports

show. This year, living in UK’s cheapest dorm option— the four-person suite— will cost about $7,400 for the whole year.

The Kirwan Blanding complex, which is composed of the two south-campus towers and eight surrounding buildings, should be demolished in the next couple years if the current plans hold, Cox said. The complex held most of UK’s old traditional dorm rooms.

Demolition, which should cost about $15 million, will begin once all of the “water, electric, gas, all the IT stuff” that runs in tunnels beneath the complex are rerouted and asbestos abatement is completed. Cox said the university has yet to get all of the

funds necessary to complete the demolition.

“It’s not a great thing for people to want to contribute to, right?” Cox said. “If you’re looking for a timeline, I’d say two years.”

After demolition, Cox said the space will be made into a grassy, tree-

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CLARK DEMAREE The last group of students who lived in Kirwan 4, the last traditional dorm open at UK, pose for a picture. Kirwan 4 officially closed in 2017. lined walking path.

When the final residents of Kirwan were told that the old dorm would be their home no longer, things got emotional. Moran said he yelled and argued with the UK officials who of-

fered spaces in the newer dorms for the same price as the older ones.

Demaree said a lot of good friends simply realized they wouldn’t be living together anymore.

“There was crying,” he said.

Big Blue Move-In More than 6,000 students are living on campus this fall.

Move-in occurs over the week and a half before classes start.

fall 2018 | 5

Monday, August 20, 2018

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Monday, August 20, 2018

‘Just having fun’: UK gears up to continue dining expansion

By Jacob Eads news@kykernel.com

Those within UK Dining are eagerly eyeing the start of the fall semester, itching to unveil their newest culinary transformations to the student body.

Whether they’re making their maiden voyages onto campus or returning for their final year, students can expect to be wowed by UK Dining. Students will see six new dining locations added to campus, plus a change in dining plans.

The bulk of UK Dining’s new lineup is housed in the Bill Gatton Student Center UK unveiled in April 2018. The multimillion-dollar expansion is home to a medley of new spots for students to get their fill.

UK Dining is welcoming a new residential dining option to the student center in Champions Kitchen, a 750-seat vessel for all things quesadillas, meatloaf, burgers and more.

The student center will also see the addition of new retail dining locations in the familiar Chick-fil-A, Panda Cuisine and Subway previously housed in Bowman’s Den. The university has also added another Wildcat Pantry location and an Auntie Anne’s, which is sure to grab students by the nose on their first trip into the building.

With these new retail locations, students can expect more points of sale, larger restaurant locations and shorter waits to grab their food, according to UK Dining officials. And the benefits are already attracting some excited customers.

“Just a better atmosphere, like I want to be in here,” said Wilson Jamison, a UK Reformed United Fellowship employee. “The student center is going to have an impact on campus by really changing the flow of campus. It’s going to build a lot of unity on campus.”

Resident District Manager for UK Dining Pulkit Vigg said he is excited to invite these new and improved options onto campus, in hopes of being top dog when it comes to university food standards.

“Our goal is, as usual, being the best in the SEC, and I think currently we are the best,” said Vigg.

“We’re just doing a lot of fun stuff.”

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Students, parents, and staff pick up their orders from the newly opened Ckick-fil-a in the Gatton Student Center on Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Returning students might be surprised by the absence of UK’s previous hotspot for retail dining options, Bowman’s Den. The once bustling temporary location is now just a patch of grass.

Bowman’s Den seated approximately 450 students, while the student center boasts around 1,400 seats between Champions Kitchen and its retail locations.

“We know community isn’t built with taking your food out in a bag.

It’s sit down and enjoy,” said Associate Vice President for Administration Penny Cox. With the recent elimination of Wildcat Deals, students will no longer be able to purchase food from retail dining options with their meal swipes, but UK Dining has a plan for that.

UK Dining will now incorporate all-access plans with varying amounts of Flex dollars into its dining plans. Students who opt for the new plans will be able to frequent the campus’s residential dining locations as much as they like during the semester without the fear of running out of meal swipes.

“We truly believe that community and engagement is achieved at the residential dining locations,” Vigg said.

Vigg said that the majority of students who have bought meal plans for the fall semester are opting for the all-inclusive package. But students who don’t spring for the all-access plan can still rely on a base meal plan with 10 meal swipes

KAITLYN GUMM| STAFF

per week.

While these developments in UK Dining are sure to engage and excite

some students, others in the campus community don’t seem to feel the same way.

Just off campus exists a community of restaurateurs vying for attention from the thousands of campus diners, a feat that has proven nearly impossible for some.

In less than two years, about 10 restaurants in the South Limestone area have either closed or been sold into new ownership. Businesses like Jimmy John’s, Street Craves, Noodles & Company, Blaze Pizza, Pazzo’s and Smashburger top the list.

Those who operated these fallen off-campus restaurants seem to share the sentiment that UK is strangling their business.

But while some businesses are moving out, others aren’t wasting time filling their spots.

“Places close all the time, and something opens there six months later,” said Crumzz Bar and Grill General Manager Chris Geisler.

“Everybody always tries to build a better mousetrap.”

Crumzz Bar and Grill recently filled the vacancy on the corner of

South Limestone and Avenue of Champions left by Street Craves, and has essentially had a front-row seat to the university’s efforts to expand its dining options at the new student center.

Geisler said that restaurants in the South Limestone area are essentially catering to the university population, and that can come with some pitfalls.

“I think it was probably better for the businesses around here for the last two years, and now we’re going to see what happens now that you have a multimillion-dollar student center opening,” said Geisler.

Geisler grew up in Lexington and earned his Master’s degree from UK, and his restaurant even has a picture of the campus hanging on its wall, but according to him, that doesn’t mean the university owes him anything.

“I know it’s not the university’s… responsibility to prop up the local businesses that surround the campus or that are adjacent to the campus, but I think it’s in the university’s best interest,” said Geisler.

While members of Crumzz management hope for a long stay at their new location, they aren’t blind to the possibilities. Geisler said that while he does his best to ally with the university, he wishes there was more they could do.

“It’d be nice if there was some type of partnership where we could participate in Flex or something like that,” said Geisler.

However, in the midst of a dogeat-dog private business atmosphere, UK Dining isn’t turning a blind eye to its community.

UK Dining officials said they’re working to implement a food donation program to better utilize the university’s extra food and help other organizations around town.

UK Dining currently partners with a local firm to train community members with less means and hire them as employees.

While UK Dining officials work to change the landscape of the campus’s food options this semester, they are certainly keeping one thing in mind: fun.

“That’s what I’m looking forward to the most. Just having fun,” Vigg said. “Food is so much fun.”

fall 2018 | 7

Monday, August 20, 2018

Newly renovated Student Center will contribute to sense of community at UK, officials and students say

By McKenna Horsley news@kykernel.com

The Gatton Student Center is shaping up to be the “living room of campus” this fall.

Multiple student groups moved into their new spaces in the Gatton Student Center over the summer, including the Office of Student Organizations and Activities, which manages and supports the Center for Student Involvement. Student groups like the Student Activities Board, Student Government Association, Center for Community Outreach and DanceBlue can be found in the center, and student radio station WRFL is now housed there as well, after being in the Whitehall basement for several years.

The Office of LGBTQ* Resources and the Martin Luther King Center also support student organizations in the Student Center.

Grace Hahn Hester, director of Student Organizations and Activities, said that the space also has resources for registered student organizations, such as graphic design services, printing services, organizational leadership

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF The UK Student Government Association holds a meeting in its new space in the Gatton Student Center on Monday, Aug. 13, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

support and, beginning in the fall, free storage lockers for the academic year.

The Student Center also has the new Involvement Advising Program, which is a peer resources program that helps students learn more about campus involvement, Hester said. Incoming and current students can text, call

or meet with an Involvement Advising Coordinator to explore the student’s interests and getting involved on campus.

The Cats Den is also among the groups that have recently moved into the Student Center. The Cats Den was previously in the old Student Center before being re-housed

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF Visitors to the Gatton Student Center walk up the social staircase on Monday, Aug. 13. 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

8 | kentucky kernel

in Blazer Dining’s basement during the renovations.

Dustin Adams, assistant director of activities and marketing and overseer of Cats Den, said the organization’s new space on the first floor of the Student Center was made with its needs in mind. It was made to feel like an outdoors space, with dark green carpet and multiple garage doors that open into the hallway. Adams said Cats Den is now looking to expand its programming from about 40 events a semester to close to 100.

Adams said the biggest downfall of being in Blazer Dining was that the Cats Den was “tucked away” from most of campus. Now, it’s next to Panda Express and Chick-fil-A. Adams said more students may walk by and jump into a program.

Student Government Association was previously housed on the third floor of Blazer Dining. SGA President Michael Hamilton said its new space across from the Student Activities Board is

physically nicer, and “the culture in the Center for Student Involvement among all of the organizations is already noticeably improved.” SGA officially moved in July.

Hamilton said that SGA’s new Senate chamber has a voting system to make meetings more efficient. He also said he hopes that with SGA in a more central campus location and in a more open building, more students will interact with SGA. “Former student government members and staff who have been around the organization said that there were always students in the office sharing their concerns in the old student center, so I am really excited to see that culture return,” Hamilton said.

Hamilton said that he believes the Student Center will become a “living room” of campus, a term that he heard used by President Eli Capilouto. Hamilton said that the center will have consistent programming, meaning there will always be something to do, and the Center for Stu-

dent Involvement will naturally bring in students who want to be involved.

Another student group that has moved into the Student Center is DanceBlue. The organization’s overall chairman Tyler Ward said the move was pretty simple for DanceBlue. When the Student Center was being rebuilt, DanceBlue shared an office with the Center for Community Outreach in Blazer Dining.

Before that, DanceBlue was in the old student center.

Ward said that DanceBlue having its own office will help increase the camaraderie among its members. He said about 45 students would regularly work in the office throughout the week.

Ward, who is an economics senior, toured the old student center before construction began. He said that he expects the Student Center to become a place he will go in between classes.

“We’ve gone so long without having a student center,” Ward said. “It’s a really nice place.”

Monday, August 20, 2018

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fall 2018 | 9

Monday, August 20, 2018

kernellifestyle

Journalist, newspaper owner taking over as Kernel adviser

By Sydney Momeyer lifestyle@kykernel.com

Journalists seek to tell truth, and Ryan Craig has dedicated his career to doing so.

Craig, husband of Jennifer and father of Owen, John, Summer and Sparrow, has spent his time since college in the journalism field, as a journalist, newspaper owner, editor and now adviser.

In early July, Craig was announced as the Kentucky Kernel’s new adviser, and he assumed the role soon after.

Craig’s journalism career began in 1996 at Western Kentucky University. There he received a Bachelor of Arts in History and returned in 1999 to receive a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations.

At WKU, he began writing

DORM

for Western’s newspaper, the College Heights Herald.

“I almost had completed a history degree before I even started working for the newspaper,” Craig said.

Craig became a regular columnist. His columns were about campus life and every day campus happenings.

“Let’s just say it was as much of a general interest column as you could imagine,” he said. “I wrote about campus stuff and campus life. Truly whatever I felt like writing about; I had a lot of leeway.”

In his senior year of college, he became one of the College Heights Herald’s features editors. He was also raising tobacco crops and cattle to help him get through college.

During his time writing for the College Heights Herald, his successes did not just lie within his editor titles. Craig, along with the other student staff members, took stands against social injustices happening on campus, including hazing.

“I was on a couple of the staffs that won the Hearst,” he said. “We tried to tell the campus life stories. At one time, we took a stand against hazing and violence in fraternities. It made a lot of people mad, but it’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to take stands.”

Craig’s first job in the professional field was as a sports reporter for the Kentucky New Era, a daily newspaper in Hopkinsville, Kentucky.

He began the job before he

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had even finished his degree at WKU. “On the very same day I decided to take a journalism job, I was offered an internship with the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce...” he said. “I decided I wanted to take the sports job, and that’s how I ended up in newspapers.”

Craig said that once he begna working as a journalist, he really liked it.

“Sometimes you can end up writing stories that cause change and good and can change things for the better,” he said.

Later in his career, he had the opportunity to buy the Todd County Standard, a local weekly newspaper in his hometown.

“My old college room-

mate’s dad owned the paper,” he said. “His name was Michael Finch. He called me up one day and just said ‘Hey, want to buy a newspaper?’”

Craig has won 207 Kentucky Press Association awards alone, and the Todd County Standard has won more than 400 since he bought it in 2005.

“I’m old enough now to tell old war stories,” he said.

The paper is famously known for its story about a 9-year-old girl named Amy Dye, who was murdered by her brother. While Social Services tried to cover that they had neglected to help Dye, the Todd County Standard dug out the truth.

Using the court system and a series of open record requests, the journalists at

the paper were able to prove that the system had neglected Dye, and that there were a series of individuals attempting to cover this negligence.

“The public needs to know some things,” he said.

“Whether the government entity they are putting their trust in is doing things right, those kinds of things.”

Craig will continue his career in journalism by using his experiences in the field to best advise Kernel students.

“This campus is its own community,” he said. “There are a lot of students from a lot of different states, but at the end of the day, UK is its own community, and we are going to cover it as that. We are going to keep the tradition the Kernel has had in the past of being very successful.”

Monday, August 20, 2018

There’s no place like home: Kappa Kappa Gamma moves back into renovated house

By Akhira Umar lifestyle@kykernel.com

After more than a year, the women of Kappa Kappa Gamma were able to move into their newly renovated house.

The Kappa house, located at 238 East Maxwell St., was a staple of the Kappa Chapter and had been for over 100 years, according to House Chairman Hannah B. Howard. It was home to 42 girls before the decision to expand was made.

“We were in need of larger meeting, study and living spaces to accommodate the over 250 women currently in our chapter,” Howard said. Howard, a senior political science and business major, lived in the original house before renovations began.

Two years of development and 14 months of construction later, and the Kappa house is a mansion compared to the original. Howard can now, as House Chairman, help up to 68 women move in as opposed to the former 42 capacity. The Chapter Room and dining room can accommodate up to 300 women. Howard also said there

I could never have imagined.”

She said her passion for the house, which gave her “a sense of home while away at school,” only grew from there. Now, she said she can’t wait for Kappa members to create new memories under the new roof.

The move is not only a thrilling moment for members returning to the house but for those new to the Kappa house as well.

Junior Spanish and psychology double major Lauren Zahrn is “so pumped” about getting the chance to live in the Kappa house. Many sorority women are able to move into the house during their sophomore year, but Zahrn couldn’t due to the construction. Now that she has the opportunity, she couldn’t be more excited.

“I am the Philanthropy Chairman and it will make my job easier,” Zahrn said about the decision to move from the apartment complex Kappas stayed in last year to the Kappa house. “Plus I get to grow closer with my sisters, especially my big sister who is my roommate.”

On Aug. 13 and 14, the Kappa women were able to move in and see

“I’m sure I can say on behalf of all the members we are over the moon excited.”

-Hannah Howard, Kappa member and House Chairman

are new educational spaces, a larger house director suite and a professional kitchen. The Kappa House is now ADA compliant with an elevator and other facilities.

As to be expected, these new changes were much anticipated by the Kappa women.

“I’m sure I can say on behalf of all the members we are over the moon excited,” Howard said.

Howard said the house played a “pivotal role” in her chapter membership.

“I moved into the house at the beginning of the spring semester of my freshman year, with roommates I did not know well,” she said. “I left the house at the end of that semester with new friends, and a love for Kappa that

their new home for the first time. The house was full of natural light and features from the old house, like the original staircase. Howard said many of the girls appreciate the sentimentality of preserving pieces of the old house. Zahrn described the new house as “everything I could’ve imagined and more.”

“The house may look a little different but our fundamentals have not changed,” Howard said. “We are fortunate to be able to say at Kappa that we have a family within family at UK.” Howard said that Kappas are excited to be part of the growing Greek community at UK and can’t wait to see what the future brings.

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF TOP: Kasey Considine, a senior ISC and business major and Kappa member, unpacks her new room in the new KKG house on Aug. 15, 2018.

ABOVE: House Chairman Hannah Howard looks up the stairs in the new Kappa house on Aug. 15, 2018.

The stairs, along with other accents in the new house, were from the old house, just with new paint and varnish. “It’s all the little things from the old house that pull the new house together,” said Howard. “It means a lot to all of us.”

RIGHT: A current Kappa member is reflected in a framed composite of past KKG sisters in the new Kappa house on Aug. 15, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

fall 2018 | 11

Monday, August 20, 2018

The Battle Continues Universities, student newspaper still involved in lawsuits concerning student privacy, transparency

A

fter nearly two years of legal proceedings, the Kentucky Kernel is still involved in three lawsuits concerning the obtainment of records about sexual misconduct at universities.

The Kernel’s pursuit of these open records began when the Kernel requested specific documents from UK: those concerning the investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against former UK professor James Harwood. Over the next several months, the Kernel once again made use of the Open Records Act to request records about sexual misconduct from other universities around the state, to see how they handled sexual misconduct allegations. Documents were requested from Western Kentucky University and Kentucky State University, among others.

UK, WKU and KSU declined to hand over the sexual misconduct records, citing student privacy as the reason the documents could not be provided to the Kernel. Suing the Kernel was the legal action that allowed the universities to avoid turning over the documents, so all three filed lawsuits against the Kernel.

In a statement made to the Kernel earlier this month, UK spokesperson Jay Blanton said the issue in these cases is “one thing and one thing only: whether a victim/survivor is given the right to determine how, when or even if to discuss the details of their story.”

In all three cases, the Kernel is represented by Tom Miller of Miller, Griffin & Marks PSC in Lexington.

“All [the cases] involve predatory activity by representatives of the university about which students and their families need to be aware to protect themselves and to decide whether they even want to go to that institution,” Miller said in a meeting with Kernel editors. “Now in the current environment, it is more than obvious why this information must be disclosed to the public and to the students that are in

12 | kentucky kernel

By Bailey Vandiver attendance there.”

The Open Records Act was established to give the public the right to access information concerning public institutions like Kentucky governmental offices or public colleges. Miller said the act would not be necessary at all “if we could trust the government to provide the information.” In addition to the sexual misconduct at these Kentucky universities, he cited the situations at Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State that have come to the public’s attention in the last several years.

“It shows that universities cannot be trusted to disseminate the appropriate information to the public,” he said.

Because the attorney general has the statutory power to confidentially review documents, Attorney General Andy Beshear has requested many of the same documents as the Kernel and has expressed his support for the Kernel since the legal proceedings began. This review power is “necessary to avoid turning Kentucky’s Open Records Act into a ‘trust me’ law,” Beshear said in a recent statement.

“In the context of a university, it would allow an institution to hide serious issues,” he said. “We are appealing not just for public transparency but for our ability to hold public entities accountable for how they seek justice for those who have been harmed.”

While all of the cases started the same way and are focused on the issue of open records, each of the cases is now at a different point in the legal proceedings.

University of Kentucky

What has become a long legal battle began with the Kernel’s request for documents detailing the investigation into sexual misconduct allegations against Harwood, an entomology professor who re-

signed from the university on the same day that UK filed its lawsuit against the Kernel.

Months before, though, the Kernel wrote a story about Harwood based on a tip from two of his victims and limited documents provided by UK. At that time, the two victims told Kernel editors they were uncomfortable handing over official documents relating to the investigation, so the Kernel asked UK for them via the Open Records Act. In August, after UK said it would not hand them over, the victims decided to give those documents to Kernel editors, who wrote a follow-up story.

After UK officials said the documents would not be provided to the Kernel, the Kernel appealed to the attorney general, who asked for the records for him to review and was also refused by UK. He then said that UK had violated the Kentucky Open Records Act. Because a university cannot sue the attorney general, UK sued the Kernel to appeal that decision.

In January of 2017, almost a year after the documents were originally requested, Fayette Circuit Court Judge Thomas Clark ruled in favor of UK against the Kernel and Beshear, saying that redacting names and phone numbers would not be enough to protect the students’ identities and therefore the records should not be released.

After the ruling, UK President Eli Capilouto released a statement via email to all of campus. He said the ruling “without question” reinforced UK’s position that the requested records were educational and that “no amount of redaction” could protect the privacy of the victims.

The Kernel immediately appealed the circuit court decision. Then the waiting game began, as both sides filed briefs and others filed motions in favor of one side or the other.

“The court— in the only decision in this case thus far— has strongly and unequivocally agreed with the university’s position: our students’ privacy under the law must be protected,” Blanton said in a recent statement.

He said UK must do everything in its power to protect that right to privacy for its students.

On Aug. 13, 2018, the Kentucky Court of Appeals announced that it would hear oral arguments in both the Kernel’s and the attorney general’s cases.

When a decision is appealed, it is assigned to a panel of three judges, and the judges do not have to hear oral arguments. In fact, Kernel attorney Tom Miller said oral arguments are ordered pretty rarely.

An oral argument is an opportunity for both the appellee and appellant to present new information to

Monday, August 20, 2018

the judges in addition to the written material they have already received about the case.

“We have an opportunity,” Miller said. “I think it’s an advantage to us to be able to explain our position.”

Miller said he will be able to explain not only the legal significance but also the “human interest” in making sure students are protected.

“The best way to protect the students is a free flow of information,” he said.

Oral arguments will be heard on Sept. 25, 2018, by a panel made up of judges Robert Johnson, Denise Clayton and Joy Kramer. Miller said there is no time requirement for when the judges must issue a decision after hearing the arguments. Once the appeals panel makes its decision, the losing side could appeal that decision to the state Supreme Court.

Kentucky State University

Like the UK lawsuit, this lawsuit began with the newspaper’s request, the university’s refusal and the attorney general’s assertion that the university was in violation of the Open Records Act. However, after Kentucky State University filed the lawsuit against the Kernel but before the hearing, KSU did give the Kernel some documents, but not all the documents pertaining to the Kernel’s request were provided.

The provided documents detailed investigations into the sexual misconduct of two KSU employees, Dr. Robert Lancaster and Kalomo Bailey. The records included text messages and other inappropriate communication between Bailey and students, but all identifying information for students was redacted.

In October of 2017, a Franklin Circuit Court judge ruled that KSU needed to submit previously withheld documents for the attorney general to review them.

The attorney general should have been able to review the documents and decide whether the documents could be released to the Kernel, but KSU appealed that decision, so the documents have not been delivered to Beshear.

Miller said it is significant that many of the records were ultimately given to the Kernel by KSU. “There is obviously an understanding on the part of Kentucky State that these records can be provided in spite of their interpretation of FERPA, as long as the students’ names are properly redacted,” he said.

FERPA, or the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, is meant to protect educational records of students and has been cited by all three universities as justification to withhold documents.

In his order, the Franklin Circuit Court judge said that his decision disagrees with the earlier decision made by the Fayette Circuit Court judge in favor of UK. At the time, Kernel lawyer Miller said that was significant because the Kernel’s position now has support from a judge. He said last fall that he can now show the appellate court “there are lower courts that disagree with the Fayette Circuit Court decision.” In a few weeks, Miller will have the chance to make this point in his oral argument in the UK lawsuit appeal.

Western Kentucky University

After the Kernel began its investigation into sexual misconduct at universities across the state by filing open records requests with all public universities in Kentucky, the College Heights Herald at Western Kentucky University requested similar documents from WKU. Once again, when WKU declined to hand over the documents, the attorney general ruled that WKU was in violation of the Open Records Act. In response, WKU sued both the Kernel and the College Heights Herald.

The case between WKU and the Kernel is the least far along of the Kernel’s three cases, as both sides have filed briefs but no circuit court ruling has been made yet. A Warren Circuit Court judge is currently reviewing FERPA to decide how it applies in this situation.

With nearly two years of legal proceedings already past, it is unclear how much longer these three lawsuits will continue. Kernel editors and advisers have previously said that they will pursue this case as far as they must, including up to the Kentucky Supreme Court level.

“I believe that there is a very high probability of success because the Open Records Act requires the release of the information and documentation that we have requested,” Miller said when speaking specifically to the UK case, though the same logic applies in the other two as well.

Like former and current Kernel staff members, Miller said he is a “big believer” in what the Kernel is doing to acquire public records and hold universities accountable.

“It was important to enter into the fight to get these records,” he said.

Def • i • ni • tions [def-uh-nish-uh n]

O • pen Rec • ords Act [oh-puh n] [rek-erds] [akt] enacted in 1976, this law established the general population’s right to access public records pub • lic rec • ords [puhb-lik] [rek-erds] any records maintained by state and local government agencies; fourteen exceptions apply re • dac • tion [ri-dakt-shuh n] the act of blocking out select information in records; for example, the names of sexual assault victims are almost always redacted from public records and media reports Cir • cuit Court [sur-kit] [kohrt] the court of general jurisdiction Court of Ap • peals [kohrt] [uhv] [uh-peels] the court that reviews the correctness of a decision made by a lower court, such as Circuit Court o • ral ar • gu • ments [awr-uh l] [ahr-gyuh-muh nts] a presentation given by both sides of a lawsuit before a Court of Appeals panel; each lawyer will explain why his or her client should prevail

fall 2018 | 13

Monday, August 20, 2018

kernelopinions editorial

Three lawsuits.

Two years of legal proceedings.

One race for transparency.

If you’ve ever run a marathon, you know the hardest part is the first six miles. The Kentucky Kernel is still running in the first six miles of our race, so to speak, as we continue to fight a lawsuit against UK concerning open records and university transparency.

The lawsuit, a little less than two years old, sprung from Kernel staff members’ requesting documents after two female students reported that former associate professor James Harwood sexually assaulted and harassed them. UK denied the open records request over privacy concerns, with Fayette Circuit Court Judge Thomas Clark ruling in UK’s favor in January 2017. The Kernel filed an appeal, and oral arguments will be heard on Sept. 25.

This case is about more than protecting the Open Records Act, defending a free press and maintaining the press’s watchdog function on the powers that be.

The lawsuit, and the events surrounding it, also have real-life applications for every student on campus.

The Kernel reported in June that UK updated its regulations to guide disciplinary actions when dealing with alleged sexual assault cases. A June 18 email from President Eli Capilouto outlined the main changes to the policy, which include a new guideline that allows the accused to have a panel hearing at which time the charges may be dismissed. While it was made in an effort to ensure fairness for the accused, the Louisville Courier Journal reported in July that the new guidelines might be illegal because they give “the accused more rights than the accuser.”

What does this mean? Student victims, essentially, do not have the same rights afforded alleged aggressors. We have reverted to a practice of basing

14 | kentucky kernel

judgment by contrasting a victim’s word against the word of a person in power. This cannot end well for students, for academic performance, for graduation rates or for UK’s reputation. When students know that their university will not defend them, they will have less incentive to work hard.

That is why our lawsuit is significant. We fight to balance the scales so that all have equal rights and so that our right to receive open records is not compromised.

Those of us on staff now are resolved to keep running, but we likely won’t be here to cross the finish line. That task will fall to the Kernel staff of next year, or the next year, or maybe even the year after that.

Kernel attorney Tom Miller, citing similar cases at Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State, said that “universities cannot be trusted to disseminate the appropriate information to the public so that the students and potential students will know that they can be protected and how to protect themselves.”

His statement alone should inspire all students to get involved. We do not know how long this process will take, so it is vital that not only the next class of journalists, but every student who values democracy and personal safety, can and must practice being an active, responsible citizen by investing themselves in this case.

This feels like a marathon, but in truth, it is a relay race. The incoming journalism students and the entire class of 2022 must prepare themselves to take up the baton and fight for personal safety, equality and freedom of the press in the years to come.

Monday, August 20, 2018

Has campus changed for the better?

SARAH LADD Opinions Editor

New and returning students alike will find many changes to campus this fall.

Alumni from past years might even find parts of campus unrecognizable, as construction is frequent. espite inconveniences and problematic policies, our campus has mainly changed for the better.

The past several years have seen several relocations as academic and other campus buildings have been renovated. For journalism students, we’re saying a temporary goodbye to our beloved Grehan so it can undergo some much-needed

renovations. This is for the best in the long run, but it will take a lot of adjustment for current students. Incoming freshman may not get to enter Grehan until their sophomore or junior year.

This is a difficult thing for journalism faculty, Kernel staff and upperclassmen, but our juggling the inconveniences now allows campus to improve for the next batch of students.

Possibly the biggest change to campus is the gradual opening of the Gatton Student Center over the last few months. UK opened its new student center and replaced Bowman’s Den with what will be a green space for students. This is certainly a refreshing positive for returning and new students this

fall. Students have lacked a sufficient “hang out” space since 2015, when the temporary Bowman’s Den was constructed while the new student center was built.

The new 378,000 square

man’s Den for lunch with barely room to move and trudged up to the makeshift bookstore. Finally, we have a nice bookstore, food and lounges all under the same spacious roof.

Despite inconveniences and problematic policies, our campus has mainly changed for the better. foot building and the relaxing green space next to the Singletary Center will likely lesson stress for many students.

For so long, students have crammed into the tiny Bow-

While construction has often added new things to UK’s campus, something has been taken away from the Gatton College of Business building.

After John Schnatter’s recent

racially insensitive language, UK made the brave and no doubt financially painful decision to sever financial ties with him, which included taking down a sign with his name and photo in Gatton.

The Kernel reported in July that Schnatter’s family foundation donated $8 million to the John Schnatter Institute for the Study of Free Enterprise in the Gatton College of Business, but his name will now be dropped to avoid distractions and hurt for UK students.

In a world and economy that focuses dearly on prestigious connections and stability, our university is to be commended for choosing morals over money in this case. For too long, people in power have been left un-

checked and free to spread hate and insensitivity at will thanks to their financial influence. With this decision, our institution is contributing to a new status quo: that love and understanding must always win. Students should never have to study beneath the generosity of racism, sexism or any other type of prejudice, and that is undoubtedly an improvement to the atmosphere on our campus.

So, is campus really better? For the most part, yes.

There remains controversy on campus— from meal plan policy to sexual assault regulations to new dorm layouts— but the physical campus experience is certainly improving, creating a modern, comfortable experience for many UK students.

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fall 2018 | 15

Monday, August 20, 2018

Allowing near-campus restaurants to accept Flex would benefit all HANNAH WOOSLEY Assistant Opinions Editor

A closing epidemic is spreading among the restaurants near UK, and many restaurant owners are unsure how to change that.

Others know of a solution: UK should allow those nearby restaurants to accept Flex dollars from UK students.

Like last year, UK will currently only allow students to use their Flex dollars at on-campus restaurants. As UK students spend their money on campus instead of off, nine nearby restaurants in the South Limestone area have closed in just over a year.

The food options for students near campus are dwindling because the lack of revenue is not allowing these restaurants to remain open.

Expanding students’ Flex opportunities to the areas surrounding campus would not only create more options for students for their next meal, but also more revenue to allow businesses to keep their doors open longer.

According to the National Student Clearinghouse, on average, it will now take a college student a little over five years to complete a bachelor’s degree despite the claim that most bachelor’s degrees take only four.

Students eat a lot of meals in those four to five years, and expanding Flex dollar opportunities would allow a student living on campus more variety rather than the same 31 restaurant options. While 31 options seem like a pleth-

16 | kentucky kernel

WILDCARD STUDENT ID

UK Student

Student ID# 000001 C

KAITLYN GUMM I STAFF M Y

ora of choices, when you really study the list of on-campus restaurants, it begins to repeat itself – two Starbucks, two Subways, a café called Common Grounds which offers coffee products and small food options similar to Starbucks, two Intermezzo eateries, five Wildcat Pantries and so on. There’s really not a lot of variety, and that gets old after a while.

UK students and Lexington residents have already lost local dining hotspots like Blaze Pizza, Jimmy John’s, Fazoli’s and many more, and

it begs the question of who’s next. Another question that has been asked before can be asked again: Does UK’s flex policy hurt local businesses?

In short, yes.

For example, Jamba Juice owner Jim Phelps, who also owned Smashburger before it closed, told the Kernel in February that his restaurant and others near it have “unfair competition” with UK because they’re not allowed to use Flex.

Although the same few options of eateries on campus become exhausting and boring, it’s unlikely a student already bogged down with hours of homework, studying and extracurriculars will walk to a nearby restaurant to spend their actual money when they could instead walk to one on campus and use their Flex money, which has already been paid for with their meal plan. Why would a student opt to spend extra money before they use the money they’ve already spent? UK’s reluctance to expand the Flex program is hurting our local economy.

UK’s Flex policy not only hurts their students in more ways than one, but also the restaurants surrounding campus, and it discourages prospective restaurants from coming into the area.

It’s time to reevaluate this Flex policy and determine what changes can be made to help students, the university and the surrounding businesses that are part of the UK experience.

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fall 2018 | 17

Monday, August 20, 2018

kernelsports

Junior college route helped prepare Cooper for UK

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

As a freshman athlete at UK, sometimes the rigorous practice and tutoring schedule, time spent on the road or grind of a longer season can overwhelm an athlete, especially on a nationally prominent program like UK’s volleyball team.

Despite this being her first year at a division one campus, outside hitter Caitlyn Cooper is expecting to be ahead of that newcomer’s learning curve thanks to her two years of playing at junior college.

“It [junior college] has helped me become a better person and athlete so it was actually a good thing to go JUCO and then figure out what I wanted to do,” Cooper said at UK volleyball’s media day.

Some athletes are not a fan of the junior college route because they believe that the competition is not as good or they won’t get recognized as much on the recruiting trail compared to high school prospects.

On top of that, some junior colleges don’t have high-end facilities or could be located in remote areas, which scares away even more talented athletes from the junior college route.

Council Bluffs, Iowa, which is where Cooper spent the first two years of her collegiate volleyball career at Iowa Western Community College, has a population slightly larger than the city of Bowling Green.

Cooper’s campus was also less than 20 minutes away from Omaha, Nebraska, so there was never a shortage of places to eat or things to do.

As for the volleyball, the Reivers of Iowa Western have been a national prominent program for the last 11 years. In those 11 years, the Reivers never finished worse than ninth in the NJCAA National Volleyball Tournament, and ranked No. 1 in the regular season national rankings in six separate years.

During Cooper’s two years at Iowa Western,

18 | kentucky kernel

the Reivers were ranked No. 1 both years and finished runner-up in the national tournament Cooper’s freshman year, when Cooper was named to the NJCAA All-Tournament Team and an NJCAA First Team All-American.

“People would probably be like, ‘Eww, JUCO’ but for me it was like, ‘Yes, JUCO,’” Cooper said. “I’ve matured as a person and a player from there. I still keep in touch with them so I’m glad that I went there.”

In Cooper’s two years at Iowa Western, she registered 1,066 kills, 798 digs and 186 blocks, which is more than Leah Edmond has done in her two years at UK. Cooper was an NJCAA First Team All-American both years at Iowa Western.

Cooper’s experience at junior college can be summed up as a positive one, which has her excited to see what she can do at UK. However, she knew that the transition to division one volleyball would be a difficult one, so Cooper made the decision to come to UK early.

Cooper graduated from Iowa Western a semester early, and she spent that spring semester getting acclimated to the increase in competition and her new teammates.

“We didn’t have a scholarship in the spring, paid her own way to get here,” head volleyball coach Craig Skinner said.

“I think that says a lot about her wanting to make an impact, improve herself, so in terms of that, she’s wanted to put herself in position to contribute.”

Cooper admits that the transition has been a tough one, but she believes that everything she’s done leading up to this point has helped prepare her for the upcoming season.

If Cooper gets put in a position to contribute, she is confident she can help and is willing to do whatever it takes to win.

“There’s a lot of aspects of my game where I can help the team, but honestly it’s whatever I can do to benefit this team and whatever Coach tells me to do, I’m going to do and do it to the best of my ability,” Cooper said.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ROB FISCHER

Monday, August 20, 2018

UK volleyball preparing for successful season after earning No. 5 pre-season ranking

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

Another season of UK volleyball is right around the corner, and this season projects to be another exciting year.

Last year was arguably the most exciting for the Cats as they posted a 29-4 record to claim the first SEC title in the Craig Skinner era, the first since 1988. UK also advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history in the modern era of the tournament.

There will be both new and familiar faces on the court this year as the Cats continue to chase for trophies. All-Americans Kaz Brown and Ashley Dusek graduated after last season, but UK brought in five new players in hopes to fill the holes and make this team as competitive as last season.

CHASE PHILLIPS I STAFF Gabby Curry celebrates with her teammate during the match against Louisiana State University on Sept. 24, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

Offense

Last year, offense was UK’s strength, and a majority of the firepower from that offense returns this year looking to wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

Sophomore Avery Skinner and junior Leah Edmond led the Cats last year in points, kills and kills per set. Edmond had 539 kills, a season school record in the 25-point rally scoring era.

Edmond also led the Cats in kills as a freshman and will once again be the all star for UK this season.

Skinner played a big role as a freshman last year for the Cats and will come back this year with more experience to help her and the team.

Skinner led UK in terminations six separate times last season and proved to be a great additional piece next to Edmond.

Both Edmond and Skinner were named to the preseason All-SEC team because of last season’s success along with sophomore setter Madison Lilley.

Lilley was an excellent setter as a freshman, leading the SEC in assists with 1,445 helpers. Lilley had the third-best assists per game rate in

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Junior outside hitter Leah Edmond celebrates with teammates during UK’s game against Utah on Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

the nation last season.

The trio of Edmond, Skinner and Lilley will look to lead the Cats offensively, along with the help of senior Brooke Morgan and newcomer Caitlyn Cooper.

With the balance of experienced returners and key additions, UK is expected to have another successful season.

Cooper spent the last two seasons playing for Iowa Western Community College, where she accumulated 1,066 kills. Cooper was an NJ-

CAA First-Team All-American in both her seasons at Iowa Western.

Freshman Alli Stumler is also someone who could earn some playing time after leading all Indiana high school volleyball players last season in kills.

Defense

While the offense has plenty of experienced returners, the defense has a lot of production to replace, especially at the net.

Last season’s duo of Emily Franklin and Brown made it difficult for opposing teams’ offense, as they combined for 261 blocks. UK was fourth in the SEC last season in blocks, largely due to the efforts of Franklin and Brown.

Unfortunately for UK, Franklin and Brown both graduated after last

season, leaving a big hole for the Cats at the net.

Freshman Gabby Goodard was UK’s lone middle blocker in its 2018 class, and she could immediately step into a defensive role.

Morgan, who is the tallest player on the team at 6-5, recorded 39 blocks last season and figures to help out more at the net.

Away from the net, the Cats also have a big hole to fill with Dusek’s departure. Dusek was the SEC’s Libero of the Year for three consecutive seasons and led the Cats last year in digs.

The libero is the heart of a defense, so replacing one of the program’s best liberos won’t be easy.

Senior McKenzie Watson is someone who could fill that void after finishing with the fifth-most digs for UK last season.

Watson was a libero at Assumption High School in Louisville, Kentucky.

Also returning on defense is sophomore Gabby Curry, who started as a libero in nine matches last season.

Curry was second on the team in digs last year behind Dusek.

Projections

With the balance of experienced returners and key additions, UK is

expected to have another successful season, as they were named the preseason favorite to win the SEC title.

UK received eight first place votes while Florida received the other five. The Cats are also the only team to have multiple players appear on the preseason All-SEC team.

UK also received recognition nationally, earning a No. 5 ranking in the AVCA preseason poll, which is the highest the Cats have ever been ranked in the preseason poll.

However, the road won’t be easy, as the Cats will face a difficult schedule once again. After opening with an exhibition against a 2017 NCAA Tournament team, the Cats will play 10 more teams who participated in last year’s NCAA Tournament.

The Cats will start the season in Los Angeles for the USC Tournament, where they will face No. 10 USC, No. 13 Creighton and Northern Iowa.

The following weekend will be UK’s home opener against College of Charleston on August 31 to kick off the Bluegrass Battle.

The schedule also includes some highly anticipated home games, including the big one against Florida on Halloween. It should be another exciting season at Memorial Coliseum.

fall 2018 | 19

Monday, August 20, 2018

From Iowa hardwood to UK gridiron

By Chris Leach sports@kykernel.com

When Ahmad Wagner goes to his first class of the fall semester on August 22, he will have already logged almost three weeks of practice toward his upcoming season, something he is not used to doing.

That’s because Wagner is used to preparing for basketball season, something he has done for the last three years at Iowa. Though he played basketball for three years at Iowa, Wagner has set his sights on reviving his football career at UK as a wide receiver.

“I don’t play [basketball] anymore, I’m retired,” Wagner said at UK football’s Media Day. It has been four years since Wagner stepped on the gridiron, in his senior season at Wayne High School in Huber Heights, Ohio. Wagner caught 58 passes for 1,028 yards and 17 touchdowns that year, which earned him first team all-conference, all-state and all-division honors.

It even earned him an offer from Vince Marrow and Kentucky.

However, Wagner was also a talented basketball prospect— also earning first team all-conference, all-state and all-division honors in basketball his senior year. His success on the court led him to choose basketball over football at Iowa.

At Iowa, Wagner showed potential of be-

“I was a little nervous at first because I didn’t know how the whole switch would work, but it was something that I really wanted to do.”

Ahmad Wagner

ing a great player, as he won the team’s most improved award after his sophomore season, when he made 18 starts out of 34 games.

It was also after his sophomore season that Wagner started missing football and wondering if he should leave basketball for the pigskin.

“I was a little nervous at first because I didn’t know how the whole switch would work, but it was something that I really wanted to do,” Wagner said.

After his junior season of basketball, when he made fewer starts and played his least amount of minutes per game, Wagner decid-

20 | kentucky kernel

STAFF FILE PHOTO Kentucky wide receiver Dorian Baker runs downfield during the game against the Louisville Cardinals at Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 28, 2015, in Lexington, Kentucky.

After his injury last year, Baker is ready to be a football mentor

By Chase Campbell sports@kykernel.com

WAGNER | PHOTO PROVIDED BY UK ATHLETICS

ed to switch from basketball to football and leave Iowa. Wagner’s recruitment was open once again, but instead of choosing a sport, he could fully focus on choosing a school.

Wagner received interest from plenty of schools, including Iowa, but in the end, it was UK’s coaching staff that made him want to come to Lexington.

“They told me what I could do here and what they see my future as and I really liked what they were saying to me,” Wagner said.

“It was a trust thing because they recruited me out of high school as well.”

What Wagner could do for UK remains a mystery, but he’s expected to contribute to a receiving corps that lost five lettermen from last season.

Wagner believes he can carve himself out a role once he relearns the basics of football, which he has not gone over in four years.

“I feel like I’ll be able to pickup on things a lot faster and just use my IQ and use my maturity to be able to help on the field,” Wagner said.

Running out onto the field instead of a court will be a different experience for Wagner, but he’s excited for the opportunity and not regretting the switch.

“It’s college athletics, it’s always exciting, it’s always fun to get into,” Wagner said.

“It’s a different atmosphere obviously but it’s something I’m excited and ready to take on.”

Dorian Baker prepared for his final Media Day as a UK Wildcat as he looked out over the field he had been on many times over the last four years.

Baker’s road to his senior season has been rocky: Before what was supposed to be his senior season, he was dealt a devastating injury in the first scrimmage that sidelined him for the entirety of last season.

“It was just a normal screen that we always run,” Baker said. “A [defensive] lineman just ended up falling on my leg, I was in a mosh pit trying to get the ball and someone fell on my leg.”

After his injury, the Cats had an up-and-down season that saw them lose five of their last seven games, all played without Baker getting a single snap. He redshirted that year, so it’s all or nothing for him now.

“This is supposed to be one of the best seasons we’ve had since Coach [Mark] Stoops has been around, so I’m excited for it,

I’m glad to be a part of it,” Baker said.

As Baker sat out the season, he took the time to mentally prepare for the season at hand. While not being able to walk without help or move around, he took the time to take “mental reps” and align himself with his role as he heads into his fifth and final season on the UK football roster.

The role he sees himself fulfilling? A mentor.

“It’s going to be unbelievable, how much production we’re going to get out of this group,” Baker said. “I’m so excited for them, too.

They’ve come a long way, these guys, they’re coming along good, they’ve been doing so good all summer and I’m just excited for these guys to take off.”

Baker took his eyes off the interviewers to look at receivers Lynn Bowden, Isaiah Epps and Josh Ali dancing and singing on the field just behind him.

“Look at them, man, don’t they look happy? Don’t they look excited? I’m more pulling for them, because they’re the future,” he added.

He said his main goal is

to “help bring them along,” since he’s been a regular starter every year he’s put on the blue and white.

He said that his role as a mentor and adviser, to eventually leave the program in the hands of the other players, is very clear.

“They know what’s going on, and they’re excited as well, because they know they’ve got a lot of opportunities in front of them,” Baker said.

For the rest of Media Day, he raved over the young receiver core’s route-running, “shifty” abilities, and his own big-play ability down the sidelines.

“If I’m thinking about my injury too much, I’m going to fear everything about it,” Baker said. “I’ve just got to go out there and play like nothing happened. That’s what I’ve been doing, and I’m going to continue to do that.”

As Cats fans wait with bated breath to see if Baker will suit up for the first time since the 2016-17 season, Baker is busy preparing himself and the younger receivers to have a season as explosive as their team.

It’s almost football time in the Bluegrass

Monday, August 20, 2018

PHOTOS BY CHASE PHILLIPS, CHRIS LEACH, EDWARD JUSTICE & OLIVIA BEACH

From Media Day to signing its newest member of the team Luke Klausing, an 11-year-old

with cystic fibrosis, the UK football team has

been preparing for the upcoming 2018 season.

“I know these kids have worked awfully hard,”

Athletics Director Mitch Barnhart said at Media Day. “We have watched them all summer.

They look great. They have put in a lot of hard work and I think they are ready to go.”

fall 2018 | 21

Monday, August 20, 2018

Post Big Blue Bahamas: Looking ahead to basketball season

By Erika Bonner sports@kykernel.com

While football season is taking the stage in just a couple weeks, Kentucky basketball is never far from the minds of Big Blue Nation fans.

The Cats had a recent eight-day stint in the Bahamas, in which they played four games against professional teams from various countries— the Bahamas National Team, San Lorenzo Del Almagro, Mega Bemax, and Team Toronto.

Kentucky won each match-up by at least 24 points, showing fans what’s to come in the 2018-2019 season.

Kentucky fans are used to getting to know a new team every season, and this year is no exception after losing four players to the NBA and gaining six new players in freshmen Tyler Herro, EJ Montgomery, Ashton Hagans, Keldon Johnson, Immanuel Quickley, walk-on Zan Payne, and graduate student transfer Reid Travis.

pari said in a press conference that Richards “has never been a better player in his life.” The Jamaica native is playing much stronger on the inside, blocking shots and turning the ball over less, coming a long way from last year’s season when he played no more than eight minutes in any of UK’s postseason games.

The sophomore scored 19 points on 6-of-7 shooting in Kentucky’s first game in the Bahamas.

Kentucky’s physicality and size helps them stretch the floor and will give them options on defense, something Calipari has spoken on this preseason.

Transfer Reid Travis will be adding to Kentucky’s post play, but it’s up in the air if the graduate student

It’s too early to tell exactly who will be in the consistent starting rotation, but it’s never too early to look ahead and take a dive into what we learned from the Cats’ trip to the Bahamas.

It became clear in the Bahamas that all three have improved, but the unofficial award for most improved will be given to Richards.

Kentucky head coach John Cali-

22 | kentucky kernel

Travis brings toughness and maturity to this year’s squad— maturity being on the list of attributes Kentucky has lacked in its consistently young teams. The two-time First Team All-PAC 12 player brings experience and ability to communicate on the floor, something that Calipari said has rubbed off on the rest of the team.

“Physically, he’s beating some of the guys up a little bit, which is good for them,” Calipari said.

Freshman guard Tyler Herro is proving to be an early fan-favorite and will add to Kentucky’s impressive backcourt. Herro shot the lights out (literally, as the lights went out during Kentucky’s second game in the Bahamas when Herro had 22 points on 7-of-10 shooting), adding to his reputation of being a knock-down shooter.

The Wisconsinite proved his abilities to spot-up, make turnaround jump shots, drive to the basket and nail free throws. Expect Herro to be a big playmaker for Kentucky this year.

Quickley and Hagans also will play a part for Kentucky, adding even more quickness to the backcourt.

Both freshmen will be able to provide a variety of stats for Kentucky, since both proved an ability to shoot, attack the defensive glass and share the ball.

KAITLYN GUMM | STAFF

Although the Cats have a lot of new players to watch for, several returners from last season should be expected to make an impact on the court this year. Guard Quade Green and forwards Nick Richards and P.J. Washington will be seen a lot on floor for Kentucky.

will be a starter for the Cats.

All in all, Big Blue Nation has a lot of talent to look forward to this season— this team’s unselfishness and chemistry on the court will make for a fun season for college basketball fans.

The Cats will take the court again on October 21 for the Blue-White game.

CHET WHITE | UK ATHLETICS ABOVE: Keldon Johnson, Nick Richards and Immanuel Quickley hang out during open practice in the Bahamas.

BELOW: The University of Kentucky men’s basketball team beat Serbia’s Mega Bemax 100-64 at the Atlantis Imperial Arena in Paradise Island, Bahamas, on Aug. 11, 2018.

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