February 18, 2019

kentuckykernel

Monday, February 18, 2019 est. 1892 | Independent since 1971 www.kykernel.com @kykernel @kentuckykernel

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME BASEBALL & SOFTBALL PREVIEW SCHEDULES ON PAGE 6

STUDENTS REFLECT ON BUS SEAT RESERVED FOR ROSA PARKS

PAGE 4

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SB 97,

WHICH SUPPORTS VICTIMS PAGE 10

COUNSELING CENTER FIGHTS STIGMA AGAINST MENTAL HEALTH PAGE 4

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Monday, February 18, 2019

kentuckykernel

LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD WRITERS INDUCTED INTO KENTUCKY HALL OF FAME

Several prominent Kentucky authors were inducted into the state’s Writers Hall of Fame on the evening of Wednesday, Feb. 13, at the Kentucky Theater. The class of writers was the seventh to be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

The group consisted of first black female White House correspondent Alice Dunnigan, Kinsey Millhone Alphabet series author Sue Grafton, longtime White House correspondent Helen Thomas, poet laureate Jane Gentry Vance (all four inducted posthumously), plus Gurney Norman and Ed McClanahan, both of whom are part of the “Fab Five” group of Kentucky writers. Norman and McClanahan each read some of their work and signed copies of their work after the event. Works of the deceased inductees were read as well.

Local band The Wooks provided entertainment along with UK professor Frank X Walker, who read “Love Letta to de Worl.”

KET recorded the event and it will be broadcasted at a later date, according to the event’s Facebook page.

KERNEL’S LITERARY MAGAZINE RETURNS FOR A SECOND SEMESTER

The Kentucky Kernel is currently accepting submissions of creative writing and visual art for the spring edition of its literary magazine. The newspaper started the publication last semester in November.

Undergraduate and graduate students are asked to submit their work via a Google form. The deadline is March 1.

The Kernel is looking for previously unpublished work, including poems, essays and short stories. The word limit is 1,500.

Visual art submissions are also welcome; please submit photos of art digitally.

Last semester, the Kernel’s first modern literary publication hit stands on Nov. 12, 2018. The Kernel previously published a literary edition in the early 1960’s, according to Sam Abell’s Creason Lecture last spring. Several authors who attended UK are also among past Kernel or Kentuckian staffers, such as Gurney Norman and Erik Reece.

“We were really happy with the fall literary magazine,” Kernel editor-in-chief Bailey Vandiver said. “It’s a really great way for us to expand our publication and

CONTACT Editor-in-chief

feature work by really talented UK students.”

The spring literary magazine will be on stands March 18, the week after UK’s spring break.

TRIAL DELAYED FOR STUDENT ACCUSED OF SOCIAL MEDIA THREATS

The trial of Haily Duvall, a 19-year-old UK sophomore accused of making false threats against the UK campus, has been pushed back to May. In November, Duvall allegedly told UK police that someone by the name of “Max R.” had posted threats against the UK campus via Snapchat. The Snapchats were circulated widely among students. Class attendance the day after the alleged threats was remarkably low and many professors canceled class.

Investigators traced the threats back to Duvall and she was arrested. Duvall is now facing 15 federal charges. On Monday, Feb. 11, Duvall and her attorney were granted a continuance, and the trial will now take place on May 14, at 9 a.m. in the United States District Courthouse in Fayette County.

Bailey Vandiver editor@kykernel.com

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McKenna Horsley

News editor Rick Childress news@kykernel.com Asst. news editors

Jacob Eads Sydney Momeyer

Sports editor Erika Bonner sports@kykernel.com Asst. sports editor

Chase Campbell

Opinions editor Sarah Ladd opinions@kykernel.com Asst. opinions editor Hannah Woosley Lifestyle editor Akhira Umar lifestyle@kykernel.com Asst. lifestyle editor

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Art director

Arden Barnes

Photo editor

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Michael Clubb

Social media editor Makenna Theissen kernelsocial@kykernel.com KENTUCKY KERNEL OFFICES 340 McVey Hall University of Kentucky Lexington, KY 40506 P: 859.2571915 www.kykernel.com

ON THE COVER

MICHAEL CLUBB I STAFF Kentucky head coach John Calipari in disbelief after a call by a referee. The UK men’s basketball team lost to LSU 73-71 with a last second shot at Rupp Arena on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky.

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Redshirt junior Zeke Lewis blows a bubble while he waits for a team scrimmage to start on Saturday, Feb. 9, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky.

spring 2019 | 3

news

lifestyle

‘A reminder of how she changed America.’

UK students reflect on bus seat reserved for Rosa Parks

By Natalie Parks news@kykernel.com

Students boarding a Lextran bus in February may have noticed a new addition— a seat reserved for Rosa Parks.

The reserved seats started on Parks’ birthday, Feb. 4, to honor her actions and “remind people of the rich history of our country and our industry,” said Carrie Butler, Lextran’s general manager.

Transit agencies across the country have done similar projects, Butler said, and “working with the library was a way to bring things full circle.”

The Lexington Public Library and Lextran partnered on the signs accompanying the seats. The signs have a blurb about Parks and a QR code that links to media the library has to offer on the subject.

The two organizations have partnered together in the past, as they both recognize the influence they have in the Lexington community.

“We recognize that we have a platform and we want people to see themselves in our programming,” said Jill Malusky, the public library’s marketing specialist.

Butler said Lextran has seen positive reactions to the initiative.

“We were not even sure if anyone would notice or pay too much attention,

4 | kentucky kernel

SARAH LADD I STAFF A front seat is reserved for Rosa Parks on a campus-bound Red Mile Lextran Bus in Lexington, Kentucky, on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, in honor of Parks’ birthday.

so to get this positive feedback for both Lextran and the library means so much,” Butler said.

Malusky said that after five days of the signs being up, the library had seen an increase in checkouts on the subject. The Lexington community at large is responding to the initiative, and so are UK students. While some buses are missing the signs, most campus bus riders know about and support

the project.

“I would see pictures of it a lot on my friends’ Snapchat stories,” said sophomore Abule Ababi-Fitzgerald, who rides the bus every day.

Maya Kirkpatrick, a junior and daily bus rider, appreciated how the seats reflect history.

“I think it gives everyone a little flashback to how big of a deal it was for an African-American to sit in the front of the bus,”

Kirkpatrick said. “…I like that it takes something away from all of us that used to be taken away only from black people.”

Christina Maxey, a sophomore and frequent bus rider, echoed a similar sentiment.

“It reminds everyone that things were different not that long ago,” Maxey said.

Other students described the initiative as respectful, inspiring and thoughtful.

They said that for the most part, bus riders respect the tribute and the reserved seat stays reserved, as long as there is a sign.

“I have seen people go up to the seat and then be like ‘oh,’” Kirkpatrick said.

Parks’ protest was a simple act; the reserved seats are a simple tribute. UK students said they both speak volumes, and the Lextran and LPL partnership is helping to spread the message.

“It’s a reminder of how she changed America,” Ababi-Fitzgerald said.

The sign commemorating Rosa Parks often sits in the front few rows of most Lextran buses. The buses often pass on or near UK’s campus with routes that shuttle students between north and south campus or to off-campus housing locations.

UK students can ride Lextran buses for free so long as they have their student ID with them.

SARAH LADD I STAFF University of Kentucky Counseling Center personnel work a booth in the Gatton Student Center on Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky.

UK Counseling Center fights stigma against mental health

By Emily Baehner lifestyle@kykernel.com

Psychological professionals at the UK Counseling Center are fighting the stigma against mental health by providing a number of resources to students, right on campus.

Employing 18 clinicians who are Licensed Psychologists and 4.5 APA doctoral interns, the UKCC offers easy-to-access services for prevention and stress management, in addition to group, couples and individual counseling with licensed psychologists.

The Relaxation Room helps students implement the skills to soften or soothe stress, by either working toward calming the mind or incorporating physical relaxation or body stimulation. “Let’s Talk” provides students with access to informal, confidential conver-

sations with clinicians from UKCC, at six sites around campus on Monday through Thursday. The counseling center also offers drop-in Wildcat Wellbeing Workshop on a number of subjects, including beating test anxiety, introduction to biofeedback, major and career decision making, meditation and more.

These resources are made available to students enrolled in six or more credit hours, or graduate students in thesis or dissertation credit status.

Mental health is a growing concern on many college campuses, yet there is still a stigma against mental health resources. UKCC hopes to eliminate this stigma by providing psychoeducational outreach programs and screening events that provide information and reduce stigma around

See STIGMA on page 11

Monday, February 18, 2019

season previews

KENTUCKY BASEBALL READY FOR NEW, CHALLENGING BEGINNINGS

By Hailey Peters

Brand new challenges played out by a mostly new team in an entirely new ballpark is the trademark of Kentucky baseball’s 2019 season. The team, after ending in 2018 with some impressive feats, are ready and excited for opening day.

After a very successful year across UK Athletics, head coach Nick Mingione said he hopes that his team can continue the victory stories with his baseball team in their new home, Kentucky Proud Park.

“It is absolutely a beautiful ballpark,” Mingione said.

“It’s just a special place, and I’m excited for the Big Blue Nation... to be there with our guys.”

Despite having an entirely new facility to play the

sport in and 22 new players joining the roster this season either as transfers or as freshmen, Mingione stresses that he, his coaching staff and his team are going to continue to be leaders in the SEC and in the nation with his “Student.

Person. Player.” vision for success.

“As far as a team, I feel like we’re starting over,” Mingione said. “We have lost our two starting catchers, our first baseman, our second basemen, our shortstop, our third baseman, our left fielder... we may be a new team, but our team has been high trust and low maintenance... just a joy to coach.”

Several of the upperclassmen on the team have taken on the responsibility to help their new teammates become

prepared for the rigorous schedule against high-caliber teams and feel proud of their growth as student-athletes on a record-setting team as far as academics and MLB draft picks are concerned.

“When I think about [all the new players], I think of all the older kids on the team whenever I was a freshman,” junior first baseman T.J. Collett said. “The role that they played for me was keeping me level-headed. So what I can do for the younger kids in this program is just making sure that I can get them to... stick with our plan and not try to do more than they think they have to.”

UK baseball’s 56-game schedule is filled with last year’s top five teams, several SEC rivals that shut them

out in the previous season and College World Series runner-up, Arkansas. Mingione, Collett and junior pitcher Zack Thompson “love” challenging schedules such as the one they’re faced with this season.

“In some ways I feel like this group that we have can be a better offense than we had a year ago,” Mingione said. “We can get some more opportunities to do the base running and base stealing now as opposed to then... I’m very excited to get into it and I know the guys are too.”

Kentucky baseball’s home opener will be against Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday, Feb. 26, at 4 p.m., and will serve as the historic first game played at Kentucky Proud Park.

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF Freshman pitcher Braxton Cottongame pitches dring a team scrimmage on Feb. 9, 2019, in Lexington, Kentucky.

UK SOFTBALL RETURNS SENIOR CORE, BRINGS IN NEW FACES FOR NEW SEASON By Mohammad Ahmad

Kentucky softball head coach Rachel Lawson didn’t have a media day in her first season at UK over 11 years ago.

But on Feb. 5, the room was filled with reporters and cameras fixated on Lawson for this season’s media day.

Lawson addressed her appreciation for the media in her opening statement.

“Now as I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to understand that, to take the next step, you guys [the media] are a big part of that,” Lawson said.

The large media turnout is one of the telltale signs of the excitement surrounding UK softball this season.

After finishing 35-21 and being one win away from the Women’s College World Series last year, the Cats are looking ahead to the near and distant future.

“World Series is our goal,” UK catcher Jenny Schaper said on media day.

“Our goal as a program is to take that next step to not only go this year, but to start going on a regular basis.”

UK will have faced half of last year’s WCWS field and played 16 games against eight different teams that advanced to last year’s NCAA Super Regionals by the end of the season. The senior core of Schaper, Katie Reed and Abbey Cheek

will play a critical role in getting the Cats to the WCWS. That trio combined for 166 hits, 123 runs batted in, 30 home runs and a .331 combined batting average last season.

“I have all the confidence in the world in Katie and Abbey. We could not be more on the same page.

I could not have asked for two better people to be with,” Schaper said.

The Cats also return other veterans— juniors Bailey Vick and Alex Martens were key pieces in an offense that outscored opponents 302-196. Vick had the highest batting average on the team last year with

a .357, while Martens had the second most walks and RBIs on the team with 24 and 38, respectively.

“It helps that we have eight returners that know what it’s like to be in Super Regionals. I think it just brings a lot of confidence and it helps us help the 11 freshmen that we have to take them where we want them to be,” Cheek said.

Four of those 11 freshman are Kentuckians. Tekiya Garr-Carter, Jaci Babbs, Maclai Branson and Hannah Davis all hail from the Bluegrass. The four bring accolades to the table such as winning KHSAA state championships and being

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF University of Kentucky junior Abbey Cheek hits a pitch during the home opener against the University of Dayton on March 1, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

named KHSAA All-State.

Pitching aces Grace Baalman and Autumn Humes serve as another core component for the Cats. Baalman went 14-9 with 98 strikeouts and a 2.72 earned run average.

Humes, a Division II transfer from Harding University

last year, went 9-7 with 72 strikeouts and a 3.26 ERA. “From an outsider coming in, I’ve realized that one of the things I’ve seen this group accomplish is the culture we’re setting. That can continue to be defined and develop more growth,” Humes said.

spring 2019 | 5

DATE Feb. 15-17 Feb. 22-24 Feb. 26 Feb. 27 Mar. 1 Mar. 2 Mar. 3 Mar. 5 Mar. 6 Mar. 8 Mar. 9 Mar. 10 Mar. 12 Mar. 13 Mar. 15-17 Mar. 19 Mar. 22 Mar. 23 Mar. 24 Mar. 26 Mar. 28 Mar. 29 Mar. 30 April 2 April 5-7 April 10 April 12-14 April 16 April 18 April 19 April 20 April 23 April 26-28 May 3 May 4 May 5 May 7 May 10-12 May 14 May 16 May 17 May 18 May 21-26 May 31-June 3

OPPONENT at Austin Peay at Texas Tech EASTERN KENTUCKY NORTHERN KENTUCKY CANISIUS CANISIUS CANISIUS WRIGHT STATE BOSTON COLLEGE MIDDLE TENNESSEE MIDDLE TENNESSEE MIDDLE TENNESSEE SIU-EDWARDSVILLE WESTERN KENTUCKY at LSU XAVIER TEXAS A&M TEXAS A&M TEXAS A&M MOREHEAD STATE GEORGIA GEORGIA GEORGIA at Louisville at Missouri at Lipscomb at Ole Miss LOUISVILLE TENNESSEE TENNESSEE TENNESSEE at Western Kentucky at Florida ARKANSAS ARKANSAS ARKANSAS INDIANA at South Carolina MICHIGAN VANDERBILT VANDERBILT VANDERBILT SEC Tournament at Hoover, Ala. NCAA Regionals at TBD

All HOME GAMES at Kentucky Proud Park; all times EST

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2019 UK BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL SCHEDULES

Monday, February 18, 2019 | kentucky kernel | 6

June 7-10 June 15-26

NCAA Super Regionals at TBD NCAA College World Series at Omaha, Neb.

TBD TBD

PHOTO ABOVE: UK baseball junior pitcher Zack Thompson.

ADDISON COFFEY I STAFF PHOTO LEFT: UK softball senior shortstop Katie Reed.

EDDIE JUSTICE I STAFF

OPPONENT TOURNAMENT vs. Oklahoma ESPN Elite vs. Hofstra ESPN Elite vs. Utah ESPN Elite vs. Texas ESPN Elite vs. Oregon ESPN Elite vs. James Madison ESPN Elite vs. North Carolina Mary Nutter Classic vs. Bethune Cookman Mary Nutter Classic vs. Washington Mary Nutter Classic vs. California Mary Nutter Classic vs. UCLA Mary Nutter Classic at SIU Coach B Classic vs. Murray State Coach B Classic vs. Wichita State Coach B Classic vs. Wichita State Coach B Classic vs. St. Louis Coach B Classic at South Carolina MIAMI (OH) SYRACUSE MISSISSIPPI STATE MISSISSIPPI STATE MISSISSIPPI STATE at Marshall MISSOURI MISSOURI MISSOURI WESTERN KENTUCKY OHIO STATE at Arkansas at Eastern Kentucky OLE MISS OLE MISS OLE MISS at Northern Kentucky at LSU at Louisville AUBURN AUBURN AUBURN EASTERN KENTUCKY at Alabama at Texas Tech 2019 SEC Softball Tournament at College Station, Texas NCAA Regional at TBD Super Regionals at TBD 2019 Women’s College World Series at Oklahoma City, Okla.

All HOME GAMES at John Cropp Stadium; all times EST DATE Feb. 14 Feb. 15 Feb. 15 Feb. 16 Feb. 16 Feb. 17 Feb. 21 Feb. 21 Feb. 22 Feb. 23 Feb. 23 March 1 March 1 March 2 March 3 March 3 March 8-10 March 12 March 13 March 15 March 16 March 17 March 20 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 26 March 27 March 29-31 April 3 April 5 April 6 April 7 April 9 April 12-14 April 17 April 20 April 21 April 22 April 24 April 26-28 May 4-5 May 8-11 May 16-19 May 23-26 May 30-June 5

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COACH MINGIONE’S VISION FOR 2019 TEAM EMBODIED BY FOUR TEAM CAPTAINS

By Hailey Peters

Collett

Gei

Marshall

Shinn

To Kentucky baseball head coach Nick Mingione, being a student-athlete means being a total leader in three areas: academics, character and athletics. Those three areas are reflected in his “Student. Person. Player.” guiding principles. This year, he let his team decide who they wanted to be led by.

“We voted captains this year for the first time. We had the players pick. They could vote for as many guys as they want,” Mingione said.

“We have four captains this year for the first time. T.J. Collett, Marshall Gei, Brett Marshall and Ryan Shinn were voted. It was remarkable how close the votes were.”

Under Mingione’s leadership, these four captains will be expected to pilot their teammates to success in the three areas that they are expected to be leaders in.

“Last year we had more players on the academic honor roll than any other team in the SEC,” Mingione said. “That is extremely important to me, and this season I want everyone to make that cut.”

Gei and Collett, two of the players selected to represent their teams as captains, feel ready to serve their team, their campus, and their community.

“It was cool hearing that I’m going to be a captain,” Gei, a graduate student catcher, said. “I hope that I can inspire our team, who is mostly first-year players, to do the great things that UK baseball has done since [Mingione] became part of our team.”

With the dawn of the new season at an entirely new ballpark coming to Wildcat baseball, Mingione wants the Big Blue Nation to be able to enjoy the beauty of it and really build a community there. Service within the community is going to be one of the key things to build it.

“Last season we clocked in about 200 hours of community service,” Mingione said. “This year we have about 18 families of kids with cancer coming to a game, and that is all thanks to T.J. Collett.”

Collett himself took initiative to go to Kentucky’s children’s

ARDEN BARNES I STAFF Kentucky baseball will play its first season in Kentucky Proud Park in the 2019 season.

hospital to find families to come to Kentucky Proud Park for a fun time with the players at games during this season.

“We’ve actually already taken four hospital visits this fall,” Collett said about his initiative with the new players on his team. “And almost every single week on Mondays, each week guys are asking

to get on... We have 18 kids scheduled to join us on SEC weekends.”

With four player-chosen captains leading the team in all aspects of Mingione’s vision, UK baseball coaches and players hope that this season will push their team to be one of the best in the country as students, people and players.

KENTUCKY BASEBALL’S COLLETT TO RETURN FROM INJURY

By Hailey Peters

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF T.J. Collett takes a swing at a pitch during the game against Xavier University on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

8 | kentucky kernel

The second-longest hitting streak for any player on the 2018 Kentucky baseball’s roster was held by a designated hitter who was out for the second half of the season. This year, after surgery, physical therapy and training, T.J. Collett is ready to return to the leaderboards.

“I feel like I’m already back,” Collett said about his preparation to not slow down after being out longer

than most of his teammates. “I feel 100 percent. I’ve been playing in all the scrimmages this spring and I feel great. The main thing is just getting comfortable again. I’m just doing my thing, and not really thinking about [my injury] too much.”

Collett is a junior first baseman who hails from Terre Haute, Indiana.

Out of high school, he was drafted in the 40th MLB round by the Min-

nesota Twins, but instead decided to enroll at UK and play first base.

Despite his position, he mostly appeared as designated hitter for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. In 2018, he started in 32 of the first 34 games and stunned the scoreboards with his skill.

“T.J. is back this year after his injury,” head coach Nick Mingione See COLLETT on page 9

Monday, February 18, 2019

REED HAS SIGHTS SET ON ENDING COLLEGE CAREER IN WOMEN’S COLLEGE WORLD SERIES

By Mohammad Ahmad

JORDAN PRATHER I STAFF T.J. Collett sprints to first base during the game against Xavier University on Feb. 20, 2018, in Lexington, Kentucky.

COLLETT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

said. “He missed the last 20 games last year and still had 10 home runs. We’re very happy to have him back.”

In the short amount of games at bat, Collett hit .304 with 27 runs. He had a hit in 21 of his first 25 games, and a hitting streak that reached 13 before he had to be out of the game. After 10 multiple-RBI games and nine multiple-hit games, Collett’s fellow teammates were sad to see him out.

“We could’ve really used him there in the end and in the SEC tournament,” said graduate student catcher Marshall Gei. “We’re all happy he’s back and feeling better than ever, and fingers crossed he doesn’t end up hurt again this year. The team’s offense really feels it whenever he’s gone.”

Last season was not the first time that Collett experienced a knee injury. In his first season playing for Kentucky, he was out for the first part of the season as result of ongoing rehabilitation. For that season, he spent his time sitting out as a first base coach to help his teammates.

“It’s funny, I think I’ve played one full season between being in the last 20 in 2017 and being out the last 20 of last year,” Collett said. “I’ve been working a lot on defense and getting back into shape and everything like that, so I think I’m ready and am definitely excited to play the whole time this year.”

UK senior shortstop Katie Reed has received a number of accolades in her storied career, but there is something she hasn’t achieved quite yet.

“As a team, we’re trying to push to go to the Women’s College World Series.

Our expectation is to be in Oklahoma City this June,” Reed said during softball media day.

In 2014, the Cats made the Women’s College World Series for the first time in team history. However, since then, the Cats have gotten so close, yet been so far. Three of last four seasons for UK have ended in the NCAA Super Regionals.

“My freshman class got to play with some of the players from that [2014] team. We would always hear them say, ‘This is for the postseason. This is all for Oklahoma City.’ So just that constant reminder is all we are looking for this year,” Reed said.

Last year was a breakout year for Reed— she was named a First-Team CoSIDA Academic All-American, SEC All-Defensive Team member and SEC Scholar-Athlete of the year after maintaining a 4.0 GPA. One of the Cats’ statistical leaders, Reed had a .352 average batting average last season and led the team in hits with 63. She also had 32 runs batted in and hit six home runs. She was stout with her glove as well, as she had a .977 fielding percentage.

This year presents a chance for Reed to reach more than a WCWS. She has been named to the 2019 USA Softball National Player of the Year Watch List for the first time, giving her the chance to win National Player of the Year honors.

“I think every year I’ve been here, we’ve had awesome leadership, from the staff down, but also from the se-

ABOVE: ADDISON COFFEY Kentucky short stop Katie Reed throws the ball to first base during game two of the Lexington Regional on May 19, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

RIGHT: ADDISON COFFEY Kentucky short stop Katie Reed celebrates after hitting a double during the game against Tennessee on Sunday, April 9, 2017, in Lexington, Kentucky.

niors during freshman year,” Reed said.

“Now, our senior class is a pretty big one and we’re in that position.”

To try and get to the big dance, the Cats will face 38 games against 23 different teams that made last year’s NCAA Tournament.

“We need a couple of wins [at the beginning of the season] and stay consistent and set ourselves up for a good seed in the tournament,” Reed said.

With Reed and her fellow seniors playing in their last season in front of

the Wildcats’ faithful, she sees more than a chance to reach the WCWS. “We seniors are just trying to make the most of it and not think about it [the WCWS] too much. We want to enjoy the moment and our last season together,” Reed said. spring 2019 | 9

opinions

Op-ed: Know your resources, share your responsibility to the UK community

The Kentucky Kernel’s focus on mental wellness among UK students is not only commendable.

It is vital.

So, too, is the admonition throughout the Kernel’s recent reporting, captured in two statements: “We must take care of one another…We have to do better.”

That means addressing issues surrounding mental health, but also the overall wellness and well-being of our students.

Students come to our campus with determination and passion.

But, as we all know, many students come with a broad range of deep concerns and complex challenges— from anxiety and depression to financial and food insecurity.

Our goal is to create a community of belonging, as President Eli Capilouto often says. That means ensuring a sense of well-being for everyone who calls this place home.

To that end, UK has formulated an action plan for student success around four pillars: belonging and

engagement, student health and wellness, academic success and financial stability.

The pillars have provided the university an important framework to focus our efforts. But we also know these issues must be addressed holistically— not as one discrete issue or as one pillar, but across the range of challenges that students confront.

One harrowing example is suicide, which is the second leading cause of death for people ages 15 to 24. Suicide is not always a sign of mental illness. It could be spurred by a range of issues, some sudden in nature, others longstanding.

This is why, several years ago, UK created what we call the Community of Concern (CoC), a centralized point of contact for people with concerns about the welfare of others. The goal is that UK community members are connected to the support and resources needed to maintain a safe, healthy and successful relationship with UK. The CoC Team, which meets weekly, includes mental health

clinicians, safety officials, legal experts, university administrators and the president’s office, among others. The team’s work is vitally important because, as the Kernel’s reporting supports, the challenges confronting students are growing.

The continued and increased commitment in the work of the CoC is based on UK’s understanding that our response must be equally robust and coordinated to stay on top of these issues.

In the last 20 years, in fact, we’ve more than doubled the number of licensed psychologists and licensed clinical social workers at UKCC, including several in the last three years as part of a reorganization of student support efforts. We’ve also focused our approach to mental health through outreach to reduce stigma and by addressing students’ most acute needs.

For example, at UKCC, if a student presents as being at risk or contemplating suicide, an evaluation is conducted, and the person is seen almost immediately.

For others who may be suffering

from anxiety or related issues, an appointment is scheduled. Clinical assessments are critical because they inform the type of support prescribed. Again, if a student is at risk of harm, he/she is seen that day. For some students, however, a group counseling session may better serve their needs. Still others find the best support through mindfulness classes or help with coping skills.

Student needs don’t fit a onesize-fits-all model. Our approach to counseling shouldn’t either.

We have made the same sorts of investments in academic success, adding dozens of advisers and tools that assess how students are faring academically. Intervening early when a student is at risk academically is, more often than not, the best approach.

The same is true of financial security. We know that the single greatest impediment to academic success is unmet financial need.

Through the UK LEADS program, we’ve targeted millions of dollars toward one-time grants and renewable scholarships based

on financial need.

Through our partnership with Aramark, UK provided more than 2,000 free meals last year.

A student-run food pantry serves students as well. And, working with students, we are currently planning for a virtual student needs center, which will connect students— wherever they are and whatever their needs— with resources.

We have and will continue to invest heavily and strategically in each of these respective areas.

These efforts are paying off. It’s why UK’s graduation rate has improved nearly 5 percentage points in the last four years.

But gaps and issues remain.

There is more to do.

Too many students don’t know about available resources. Too often, faculty and staff don’t have the information or the tools they need to guide students to these resources. We recognize that.

We are committed to tackling these issues— thoughtfully, stra-

See SHARE on page 11

Support SB 97, which supports victims SARAH LADD Opinions Editor

WKYT reported on Feb. 6 that a new bill, called SB 97, would allow victims of rape to track the progress of their rape kits.

The bill is co-sponsored by Senator Whitney Westerfield of Hopkinsville and will be introduced to the

10 | kentucky kernel

senate in the 2019 legislative session, according to WKYT. This bill could be invaluable for victims of abuse going forward and is certainly something that we should support. The bill would implement online tracking for rape kits, similar to how we might track a package from Amazon. Such tracking would be anonymous for victim safety.

They would be able to

anonymously track the kit throughout the testing process through the use of a serial number. Tracking points include when when the kit is picked up from the hospital, which law enforcement agency picks it up, when it arrives at the lab, when the report is completed for identification of semen and/or saliva, when DNA testing on positive serology testing is complete, if a DNA profile was obtained from

the evidence and when the profile is entered into the DNA database and when/ if there is a hit with the National Database, according to WKYT’s article.

Not only would this provide much peace of mind for victims who have gone through a horrific ordeal just to be tested, but it would provide more accountability for the system administrators. It could ensure that the kits don’t just get lost in the system along

with thousands of others.

USA Today reported in 2015 that tens of thousands of rape kits are untested across our country. More recently in our state, several hefty grants have helped Kentucky State Police test thousands of backlogged kits. While this is great news now, we must keep in mind the thousands of faces behind those kits who waited for years, not knowing what their progress was or if they would

ever be avenged. I can think of few greater tragedies.

While there needs to be many improvements in the testing system, including more grants and personnel, SB 97 is a fine step forward in the meantime.

Though it doesn’t offer to speed up the process, it does offer peace of mind and real-time updates, which no doubt will help many victims in the future, should it pass.

SHARE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

tegically and with students as partners.

The bottom line is this: needing help, or seeking assistance, is not weakness.

It’s a recognition that we are a compassionate community.

Wellness…community… belonging— these are not the responsibilities of any one person, administrator, faculty or staff member.

Reaching out to friends when we see them in dis-

STIGMA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

seeking help.

“As a campus, it’s important to recognize that mental health is health. Period,” said Dr. Mary Chandler Bolin, licensed psychologist and director of the UK Counseling Center, where she has worked since 1997.

“The brain is part of the body and having out-ofbalance brain chemistry is no more shameful than being diabetic, for which many people regularly see a physician and take active steps to manage symptoms through nutrition, exercise and compliance with prescribed medication,” she said.

The UK Counseling Center seeks to clarify the definition of mental health.

It involves health in the realm of one’s psychological functioning, including emotions, cognitions, behaviors and interpersonal aspects of life, while mental health concerns are a range of conditions that have symptoms that can impair daily living and cause distress.

Many are under the mis-

tress is how we show we care. It’s how we show people they’re not alone, even when they feel that way.

Caring also means talking about these issues— openly, transparently and empathetically.

There’s a balance that must be addressed, though, and another tough question: How do we have this conversation without further stigmatizing those who suffer and without compromising privacy?

The fact that so many people who care deeply have many different ideas

underscores how difficult that balance is— and how important it is to keep trying.

We will— because we share a responsibility as members of this community.

It is, as the Kernel said, to care for one another.

conception that mental health typically involves depression. In recent years, however, anxiety has passed depression as the most frequently endorsed concern for those seeking psychological services.

According to data provided by Bolin, for clients at the UKCC, anxiety (all types), stress, depression, generalized anxiety and family concerns are the five most-reported concerns related to mental health between July 2018 and December 2018.

UKCC seeks to serve students dealing with these mental health issues and others, through all their resources, especially counseling sessions. First-time appointments consist of an Initial Assessment, many of which occur as a sameday walk in appointment, during which clinicians work to understand the client’s needs, and then make recommendations for further services.

Individual therapy meetings generally last 45 to 50 minutes, with support groups and therapy group sessions lasting 60 to 90 minutes.

“The power of the group is that students often dis-

cover that they are not alone in their experiences, and they may both offer and receive support from peers,” Bolin said.

Employees at the UKCC are seeing a rise in the number of students who are utilizing the counseling sessions. Students who used the UKCC for direct psychological services from July 2018 to December 2018 numbered 1,626, this being a 22 percent increase for the same period in the previous year. Overall, Bolin said this means the counseling center sees 5 to 10 percent of the student population. The goal is to continue reaching out to students who are navigating their college years and the mental health obstacles that come with that.

“The traditional college years— ‘emerging adulthood’ (and beyond)— are a time of growth and change marked by challenge…

UKCC supports healthy development of a student’s identity, direction in life, interpersonal interactions, independent decision-making, resilience, and ability to determine what one can manage alone versus when consultation or therapy may be useful,” Bolin said.

—Mary Bolin, director of the UK Counseling Center; Nick Kehrwald, UK’s dean of students; Andrew Smith, UK’s assistant provost for health and wellness; Therese Smith, director of UK’s Community of Concern

Monday, February 18, 2019

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spring 2019 | 11

lifestyle

UK lacks in diversity, aims to support minority populations

By Hailey Peters lifestyle@kykernel.com

UK students see it all the time: Signs, posters and flyers for events honoring strides that diverse populations have made at UK constantly populate campus sidewalks, bulletins and social media pages. The effort is there, but how much does the university actually represent minority populations?

The white population on campus is a staggering 73.4 percent, according to UK’s office of Institutional Research and Advanced Analytics. For students and faculty at UK, this number is not surprising at all, especially if one is a minority themselves.

“In my global business leadership class, there are two entire chapters about embracing diversity,” said Shonta Phelps, Gatton College of Business and Economics professor. “As a black woman teaching to a class that is entirely white aside from about two students, and mostly male aside from about six or seven, it’s very hard to get them to see diversity from a minority perspective. It’s not about making them feel attacked, but sometimes they think that they are. It’s always been a hard subject to teach.”

Phelps said she teaches her students to approach situations where they come into contact with “out-groups” by focusing on their actions’ impacts, not on their personal intentions.

“People are so irritated with the fact that ‘everything you say is offensive,’” Phelps said. “No one is pointing fingers. It’s just important to understand that some people have gone through very rough situations and have come

2018-2019 Enrollment by Ethnicity

Black or African American 6.6%

American Indian or Alaskan Native 0.2% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0.1%

Hispanic or Latino 4.5%

Nonresident Alien 5.2%

White student enrollment 73.4%

Race or Ethnicity unknown 3.3%

Asian 3.5%

SARAH LADD I STAFF

from bad places. I may say something that offends you, and even though I had no intention of it, I should feel empathetic towards you and not defensive of myself.

And I think a lot of students miss that point.”

Minority students on campus have access to a number of resources, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, which “seeks to empower University of Kentucky students from ALL communities to improve their college experience by increasing access to academic, civic lead-

www.kykernel.com 12 | kentucky kernel

Two or more races 3.3%

ership, and cultural exchange opportunities,” according to its website, and the CARES academic enrichment center, which specializes in tutoring minorities in math and science classes.

“I’m a William C. Parker scholar, and I attend one hour per math or science course per week of group study through CARES,” said freshman neuroscience and pre-med student Maria Piva.

“They also require us to attend workshops for well-being. I find them very helpful.”

Diversity can be expressed in

@kykernel

lots of different ways. Phelps describes the outward expression of diversity, or primary definitions, as being more effective in dividing students. It can be hard for people to relate to people who look so different from them, which is why some people feel more negatively affected being a minority than others.

“I’m Latina, but I look pretty white on the outside,” Piva said.

“So I haven’t faced any blatant discrimination on campus, but I have heard from others in my scholarship program that have

@kentuckykernel

awful stories.”

The more “different” a student looks, the worse their experience seems to get with discrimination, prejudices and biases around the campus. Kai Davis, senior agricultural and medical biotechnology major, has been at UK for four years now and said it can be very hard for minorities to fit in, despite UK’s endless efforts to be inclusive.

“Sometimes it can feel like I am the only minority here on campus, since others are so hard to find,” Davis said. “I love this campus, but I’m just not sure that this campus loves me.”

Beyond UK, the world as a whole unfortunately continues to see minorities as “others.” But college is a time to learn new things— and that does not stop after class is over. Being at UK is what many feel as a great way to become more accepting and knowledgeable of other peoples’ opinions, looks and characters.

“It’s refreshing when I do find people who look like me, or even those that aren’t that treat me like a person beyond the color of my skin,” Davis said. “It only makes me appreciate more what UK is trying to do and is headed toward and all the great people on this campus who are aiding that.”

Black History Month is upon us, and it serves to remind us to appreciate the opportunities to learn from people that do not look like us, while pushing us to not turn away from the people that need our help.

“Diversity is a touchy subject, but it is so, so good to have,” Phelps said. “In business, in college, in life, it doesn’t matter. Diversity strengthens us as individuals and as a team.”

@kykernel