kentuckykernel
est. 1892 I independent since 1971 I www.kykernel.com
THURSDAY 4.14.16
BIG BUCKS FOR GUEST SPEAKERS
SAVE MATHEWS GARDEN
Wambach, Cobb cost students $72,500.
Students found a home in the historic garden, but a proposal would tear it down to make room for a building renovation.
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Greek life lags behind campus in diversity African-Americans report not feeling welcome in ‘white’ fraternities, sororities By Marjorie Kirk news@kykernel.com
:Percentage of white students in every sorority and fraternity excluding the Divine 9. :Percentage of white students attending UK as a whole.
“The first thing you hear as a black student is, ‘Don’t join the white fraternities.’” Isaac Epps
Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. President
“One does not feel encouraged to join these types of brotherhoods or sisterhoods because they don’t provide something that makes them feel comfortable.” But because no one has ever challenged the standards of the IFC and NPC makeup, Epps said they
NPHCs would be problematic because it would be taking away organizations where black students do not feel excluded because of their race, regardless of whether or not the other chapters are desegregated. “What we saw last year with (Sigma Alpha Eplison) in Okla-
homa, there are legacies that don’t just go away by saying, ‘You can go here.’” Luke said, pointing out that the university, which has diversified faster than the IFC and NPC organizations, is making concrete changes to improve diversity. “If you’re truly to be more inclusive then there has to be more work. It can’t just be, ‘Well we want them to come here, how come they’re not?’” Political science junior Katelyn Lauber said Theta Nu Xi Multicultural Sorority, Inc., which she is president of, was brought to campus because they were aware of this problem, and issues of conformity they saw in Greek Life, as were the members of Delta Upsilon, the most racially diverse organization in IFC. “Diversity is something we preach. The idea (Delta Upsilon)
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An open records request filed by the Kentucky Kernel revealed that the racial makeup of UK’s Interfraternal Council fraternities and Panhellenic Conference sororities as a whole are more white than campus. From 2007 to 2013, IFC, NPC, and United Greek Coalition chapters as a whole were between 13.7 percent and 14.6 percent more white than campus, and diversifying at a slower rate than the university. With that said, this subsection of Greek Life has become more diverse, from being 94.7 percent white in the 2006-07 school year to 88 percent white in the 2015-16 school year. “It tells you that white students on average are in Greek organizations at a higher rate, so Greek Life at UK is disproportionately white students, even with the presence of the black Greek organizations,” David Luke, assistant director of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center, said. While members of UK’s campus and non-National Pan-hellenic Council organizations may not notice the disparity, it is something members of the historically black organizations on campus were aware of from their founding. “The first thing you hear as a black student is, ‘Don’t join the white fraternities,’ and that’s what they’re referred to as, is white fraternities and sororities. It’s how we see it,” said Isaac Epps, president of Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc. at UK and MLK Center intern. “When I come there, will I feel comfortable to be myself or will I have to change
and be something else that I’m not?” Epps said he did not think the IFC and NPC chapters were inclusive, but neither is the Divine Nine, in his eyes. According to Epps, with the lack of resources already hindering the NPHC (no houses on campus, fewer members and less chapter money), if the IFC and NPC were inclusive they would pull from the small pool the Divine Nine recruits from, possibly hurting their numbers. He said that this would not be a bad thing necessarily, but pointed out that the Divine Nine were founded to supplement a problem with inclusivity on campus and provide brotherhoods and sisterhoods to people on campus excluded from other organizations. “We call ourselves the historically black fraternities and sororities have not really opened themselves because they were founded due to up to being inclusive of all kinds of the fact that we were not able to join people. organizations like that,” Epps said. Luke said getting rid of the
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F A A A A A A A B B C X X Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ Δ F K K K K K Φ Φ Φ Φ Φ Φ Π Π Π Σ Σ Σ Σ Σ Θ T D X Δ Γ Γ O Φ T Θ Y E Ω Ψ Δ Γ Φ Σ T Y Z H A A Δ K Σ Γ K K M Σ Σ B K K A X N Φ Π X R Q Ω Π Δ P Π Ω Π X R Δ M Φ Δ Θ Γ Δ Ψ T K P Φ A Φ E E I E A S N Seventeen out of 42 Interfraternal Council, National Panhellenic Conference and G L United Greek Coalition organizations were above 90 percent white in the 2015-16 E school year.
Students’ planned robbery turns lethal By Will Wright news@kykernel.com
One of the three students charged with first degree robbery told police about their plan to rob a man under the guise of a drug deal. Court records, which detail the student’s account, say the three students and 28-year-old James Nathaniel Gordon lured a man to NICHOLAS V. CORIACI the 500 block of Woodland Avenue, about a block from the Woodland Glen residence halls. The student told police that JAYDON B. he and Alex FerWHALEN rell, a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, waited for the robbery victim to arrive while the other two men hid in ALEXANDER bushes nearby. FERRELL The other two, according to the student’s account, were wearing masks and had a handgun. The victim arrived, and as the drug deal was occurring, the other two men jumped out of the bushes and tried to rob the victim. The victim then pulled out a handgun and shot Gordon and Nicholas Vincent Coriaci, an 18-year-old business freshman. Gordon died of his wounds at the UK Chandler Hospital, but Coriaci survived, suffering a gunshot to the shoulder. A Lexington Police officer heard the gunshots and responded to the scene at about 2:18 a.m. The student told police the four of them robbed the victim with the hopes of taking his money and drugs. All three students — Coriaci, Ferrell and Jaydon Bryce Whalen, a 19-year-old education freshman — are scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. on April 22. The shooter, who has not been identified, is claiming self-defense and is not facing any charges at this time. Lt. Brad Ingram of the Lexington Police Department said in a press conference that detectives have identified everyone involved in the shooting, and he does not believe the public is in any danger. He also said there could be additional charges placed on the people involved. “It’s not over,” Ingram said in the press conference. The UK Police Department is assisting in the investigation. If any of the involved students violated the student code of conduct, UK Police Chief Joe Monroe said the university will
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Students take unexpected fall in campus elevator
By McKenna Horsley news@kykernel.com
Emily Crace just wanted to eat pizza with her boyfriend, Reid Johnson, on a Saturday night. When they left Crace’s room on the eighth floor of Champions Court I, they took an elevator down to the lobby on the second floor. They did not expect to fall two floors. “It went from (floor) eight to seven fine,” said Johnson, a biology freshman. “And then right around when the number
said ‘seven,’ it started rumbling.” Johnson said the elevator then dropped. When the elevator stopped falling around the fifth floor, Johnson pressed the emergency call button in the elevator. “This is the part where I sat in the corner ... and a panic attack had ensued,” said Crace, a journalism freshman. When someone answered their call, Johnson gave their location and explained they were stuck in an elevator that
just fell. Crace said during this time, she felt the elevator drop a little more. Eventually, the elevator doors opened on the fourth floor and both Crace and Johnson escaped. “If (the elevator) fell more than two floors, we could have been injured,” Crace said. “That’s what scares me the most. Thinking about it after, I just imagined it plummeting all the way down without stopping.” They took the stairs down to
the lobby where almost ten other people told Crace they heard the elevator rumble and fall in the elevator shaft. Crace’s resident adviser tried to comfort her. Crace said the incident happened the date of the Bluegrass Stockyards fire, Jan. 30. Her RA later attributed power flickers at UK caused by the fire as the reason the elevator in her dorm dropped. EdR Director of Operations Carl Dieso wrote in an email to the Kentucky Kernel that momentary laspes in
power can cause the lights to flicker and even trigger a restart for the elevators. Sarah Nikirk, associate director of auxiliary services, wrote in an email to the Kernel that UK has not investigated Crace and Johnson’s fall. “The resident staff in Champions Court I received no reports about this incident and have no documentation of any elevator issues that day,” Nikirk wrote. For UK’s elevators to fall is “extremely rare” according to
Nikirk. Lexington Fire Departments records indicate at least 13 incidents of people stuck in an elevator the past year. Nikirk wrote that the elevators have built-in safety precautions. If an elevator lost power, for example, brakes and secondary emergency brakes will set and the elevator can only resume movement when there is power. “Even under the most catastrophic of events, such as all the cables breaking at once,
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I Kentucky Kernel I 4.14.16
FEATURES
Every fossil tells a new story for Rebecca Freeman Paleontology professor studies early marine life By Cheyene Miller features@kykernel.com
Assistant professor Rebecca Freeman has been studying fossils for decades but said she is still amazed by the stories Kentucky’s natural landscape has to offer. “It’s not the fossil itself, but the story it tells you,” Freeman said. Freeman is in her fifth year at UK and previously lived in
“Life in the ocean is actually easier ... Life on land is a special adaptation.” Rebecca Freeman Assistant Professor
New Orleans where she taught at Tulane University. Originally from Murray, Kentucky, Freeman said Kentucky’s landscape is ideal for her line or work, which is paleontology — the study of life on earth based in evidence provided by fossil records. She has
also studies fossils in Utah, Nevada, Texas and Oklahoma. Her interest in fossils and the narratives they tell about earth’s history is rooted in her childhood. “Whenever I was a child I really liked to pick up rocks. I didn’t know that much about them but I just enjoyed picking them up,” Freeman said. “In Western Kentucky where I grew up there’s a lot of gravel, so I was always picking up pieces of gravel, and the gravel often has fossils in it.” Freeman focuses on the study of marine life from the Ordovician period, and said Kentucky used to resemble a landscape like that of the Bahamas — widespread shallow water perfect for sustaining life. “This area was a warm and subtropical sea,” said Freeman, noting that life on earth began in the ocean. “Life in the ocean is actually easier … life on land is a special adaptation.” Some of the life forms she studies include trilobites, a fossil structure of an extinct group of marine arthropods that roamed the ocean for hundreds of millions of years before disappearing about 250 million years ago, long before humans
roamed the earth. Scientists estimate that earth is about 4.6 billion years old, and the modern human species has only been around for about 200,000 years. Freeman said thinking about this is “utterly amazing.” “One of the analogies I like to use with my students is that if you think of earth’s history as from the tip of your nose to your fingertip, if you filed your fingernail, you could just wipe away human existence in terms of the time,” Freeman said. “Our timeline on the planet is less than the filing of a fingernail. That’s extremely sobering.” Freeman said humans played a small part in earth’s history, and it’s likely that we will not be here forever. She said students should keep this in mind in light of Earth Day, which is April 22. Freeman said education is the key to preserving the planet and preventing further pollution and destruction of natural habitats. “The more you know about how the earth works ... the more you can understand the issues,” Freeman said. “To educate oneself is the most important thing (students can do).”
PHOTO BY JOSH MOTT I STAFF Assistant professor Rebecca Freeman said students should educate themselves on issues affecting the environment ahead of Earth Day, which is April 22.
kernelopinions 3
I Kentucky Kernel I 4.14.16
Find solidarity in local writers
Editorial
DIMITRI SILVA Kernel Columnist
ILLUSTRATION BY BEN WADE I STAFF
Greeks could help UK inclusivity A news report by the Kentucky Kernel showed that UK’s sororities and fraternities — other than the Divine 9 traditionally black Greek organizations — lack minority representation. The report showed that Greek organizations are diversifying slower than the rest of campus, and there is a need for improvement within fraternities and sororities. But with only 8 percent of UK’s population being African-American, and historically black Greek groups being possibly more appealing for minorities, it makes sense that they are few in number in Panhellenic and Interfraternal Council fraternities and sororities. But what about other minorities? The percentage of Asians in Greek life has doubled since 2006, going from 1 percent to 2 percent. There is no all-inclusive or historically Asian fraternity on UK’s campus. And there aren’t many sororities serving the Arab or Hispanic women at UK. It is the responsibility of our Greeks to become more inclusive and diversify these organizations. However, the heavy hands of responsibility don’t only fall on the shoulders of fraterni-
ties and sororities. There is a lack of minority representation in several of UK’s largest organizations and groups. Even at the Kentucky Kernel, only two people on editorial staff are minorities. So what does this say about inclusivity on campus? Last semester, two dozen black students brought a list of issues to President Eli Capilouto, and UK administration has addressed diversity issues including concerns about the mural in Memorial Hall. Even with these problems addressed, a survey done by the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association showed that a large number of respondents said they do not feel comfortable on campus. But is not feeling involved mainly a race issue? There seems to be a bigger factor. It could be that no matter how diverse the campus becomes, certain minorities and majorities don’t consistently interact with each other because they don’t attend the same events. Seeing as the Greek community is so important at UK, it would make the most sense for them to take steps to not just diversify their houses, but to
work together. Why, when there is a “Greek” event on campus, are not all Greeks represented? This isn’t about participation or interest level. This is about working together. It will take every Panhellenic, IFC, UGC, and NPHC group to create an environment that is welcoming. Their influence can help all campus feel more inclusive. It should be a goal of all students to communicate with someone different from them. College is a learning environment, but no one ever said that learning should only be an academic adventure. We have a rare opportunity on campus to gain cultural knowledge and sensitivity from people who are our peers. While diverse Greek organizations are vital to the success of their students, it isn’t as important as communication between all fraternities and sororities. From mixed events, encouraging support through crossover attendance, and reaching out to all corners of the university, Greek organizations have the power to change UK. Email opinions@kykernel.com
Guest speakers costly to UK
UK students are no strangers to Student Activities Board posters around campus advertising events like the recent talks from sports stars Abby Wambach and Randall Cobb. We might not stop for the posters, but students, faculty and staff should take a moment to think about the cost of these events. According to contracts obtained by the Kentucky Kernel through an open records request, Wambach was paid $37,500 to speak at UK for one night. She was paid $2,500 more than Cobb, so the cost to bring these two speakers totaled to a hefty $72,500. For this price, UK got to hear from Wambach and Cobb, two successful and influential athletes creating an experience for students. But money is crucial for a university, especially with 4.5 percent budget cuts being enacted, and the necessity of events must be called into question. While it’s great to bring influential
people to UK, $72,500 could be spent on other important things. For example, for an in-state student to come to UK, tuition is $5,390 per semester. An out of state student pays $12,052 per semester. So instead of SAB bringing Wambach and Cobb to campus, 13 in-state students’ tuition could be payed for (for a semester), or 6 out of state students. Also, $72,500 could go toward hiring another faculty member (like that of communications professor Douglas Boyd — $74,421). Unfortunately, the cost for bringing in these speakers cannot be adjusted because SAB does not decide on the pay for the speakers. “There is a set artist fee provided by the artist and the agency,” SAB President Olivia Senter wrote in an email to the Kentucky Kernel. “There is no set budget for speakers. We have a multi-faceted proposal and voting process in which every event SAB
PHOTO BY CAMERON SADLER I STAFF Student Activities Board bringing Abby Wambach to campus created an experience for many, but cost students $37,500.
does is required to meet all four of our core values (Diversity, Enrichment, Teamwork, Stewardship).” SAB bringing in Wambach and Cobb certainly created an experience for students, and a large number of students showed up to see Wambach and Cobb speak. But was that experience worth more than the knowledge a professor could bring to the university? How does it compare to a semester’s education for 13 students? However, it is still good to bring powerful and influential speakers to campus. Doing so brings attention to our campus and provides inspiration for students. If nothing else, students should at least be aware of how these hefty costs are funded. While many of these events are advertised as free to students, the cost can be found in our student fees. Email opinions@kykernel.com
Tuesday evenings at Common Grounds are for the writers. Tucked away in a back room at the quaint cafe, the Lexington Prose Group members share stories of enchanted lands and local adventures. The writing varies greatly in genre, but the criticism is both constructive and helpful. Members have been coming to share prose, receive feedback and listen to their peers since the group was started in 2007. Current facilitator Hayley Arens said the notable author, Katerina Stoykova-Klemer, began the group in the hopes of building the writer community in Lexington. “Because writing is such a solitary craft, it’s good to have a community to fall back on,” Arens said. Writers are given 15-minute windows to read their pieces aloud, followed by a group discussion and feedback. The time frame is not set in stone, with some members sharing longer prose than others, but all who share are given individual attention and advice. If you choose to read, it is suggested that you bring eight to 10 printed copies of your work to hand out to the group. While you are reading, members will write feedback on your printouts before returning them.
In an effort to keep things civil, the group provides all members with a “guidelines” page upon arrival. These guidelines include being honest and kind when giving feedback and respecting other members’ work. Several other suggestions, including how to critique constructively, are also listed on the page. At the bottom of the page is a set of helpful editing resources for writers. “Writing is something that you don’t find, it finds you,” Arens said. “You start writing all this stuff and one day you wake up and realize, ‘I’m a writer.’” Political science junior Paul Sime said he would, “definitely go again,” after attending his first meeting on Tuesday. Sime stressed the importance of finding solidarity in writing and receiving constructive criticism on his work. “The most memorable thing is the feeling of being part of a community and having people support you and give you advice on your writing,” he said. Whether they fancy themselves good writers or not, the Lexington Prose Group provides a friendly environment for people to share their work or simply listen to that of others. Rain or shine, the Lexington Prose Group meets every Tuesday night at 7 p.m. to share coffee, croissants and creative writing. Dimitri Silva is a journalism senior. Email opinions@ kykernel.com
Long way to go before atheists are accepted CHEYENE MILLER Managing Editor
Atheists often get a bad rap in society. America is a historically religious country, and atheists are often viewed as a threat to the traditional mindset of many Americans. Atheists are viewed as amoral, snarky and less ethical than religious people. However, a closer look tells a different story.
“There is a correlation between higher education and irreligiosity.” Within the U.S., the highly religious “Bible Belt” states, like Louisiana and Alabama, tend to have the highest violent crime rates while secular states like Vermont and Oregon tend to have the lowest. Atheists are also underrepresented in the U.S. prison population — 0.2 percent compared to about 3 percent of the general population — and secular marriages even have lower divorce rates than religious marriages. Even atheists at UK dispel the negative stereotypes about the group. A survey of political and religious beliefs of UK students conducted by the Kentucky Kernel found that there is a statistically significant change in distribution of non-religiosity for underclassmen (freshmen and sophomores) compared to upperclassmen (juniors and seniors). Upperclassmen are more often nonreligious (32.2 percent to 27 percent), indicating that there is a correlation between higher education and irreligiosity. Ben Augustine, who was at UK during his graduate studies and served as the first president
of the Secular Student Alliance, said he was able to openly express his atheistic beliefs without facing negative repercussion. Augustine said the worst form of discrimination was being un-friended on Facebook, but this doesn’t necessarily mean other atheists don’t face harsher discrimination. Augustine said he became an atheist at age 14 after he “realized that was an option.” “I was never devoutly religious. I was raised in the Episcopal Church and my parents weren’t very religious,” Augustine said. “I believed in God and went through the confirmation process at age 14 but never took it very seriously.” A 2006 study at the University of Minnesota found that atheists were by far the most distrusted minority in the U.S., more than Muslims and recent immigrants. Augustine said many of the texts in Abrahamic religions, like Christianity, do not speak highly of non-believers. “Our existence is a challenge to the identities of the majority of Americans who do believe in God,” Augustine said. “We believe what the majority of Americans devote their lives to — to varying degrees — is false.” SSA Vice President Joseph Ferguson said he has also had generally positive experiences on campus, but it depends on the environment and situation the students face. “Most of my friends are in the sciences, and religion doesn’t seem to be much of an issue,” Ferguson said. “For my atheist friends in other areas of study, such as education or business, their peers tend to be more conservative and religious, which can lead to situations in which they feel unwelcome.” While it is encouraging to see a growing level of acceptance for atheist and secular students on campus, society still has a long way to go before nonreligious Americans are treated as equals. Cheyene Miller is the managing editor of the Kentucky Kernel. Email opinions@ kykernel.com
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I Kentucky Kernel I 4.14.16
OPINIONS
NEWS
Letter to the Editor
Drive-by bigotry back The two recent incidents of drive-by bigotry reported by your newspaper concern me because a few months ago I had a similar experience on Maxwell Street while walking toward the intersection of Maxwell and Rose. I was walking on the same side of the road as the UK Hospital. I had been to a restaurant on Limestone and was walking home just after sundown. A blue car with several college-age people in it suddenly came to a stop in the lane next to where I was walking and the back left, rear window was down. A young, blond-headed woman sitting at the window looked out at me and called me some extremely bigoted names. I was so shocked that I didn’t think to get the license plate number and was too blindsided to react. The car drove on, remaining in the same lane. As I was walking in the same direction on Maxwell as the car, I noticed that the red light at Rose and
Maxwell caused the car to stop behind another car at the light. I was able to nearly catch up to the car, and by this time, I was very angry. I approached the car and began to yell at the car, and calling them “F****** bigots!” as loud as I could. I yelled this several times as they turned onto Rose in the direction of Euclid. I made rather a fool of myself, but I was very angry. I crossed Rose at the intersection and continued on down Maxwell in the direction of Woodland. To my surprise the blue car had turned around, had come back up Rose, and then turned right onto Maxwell again. The blond, young woman began to harass me again. And again, I called her and everyone else in the car “F****** bigots!” I thought the car was going to stop, and I was ready for someone to get out of the car. The car drove on instead. The incident was so extreme that I filed a report
with the UK Police Department. The officer taking the report was very helpful, and I had the impression that they took the incident very seriously. This incident concerns me because I think it indicates that this is some kind of sick fad within a small group of people. The vast majority of students, staff, faculty and people who work, live and do business at and around UK are not like this, and it is very disappointing that there are a few ignorant people out there doing this. Anyone who harasses another person like this is not only ignorant, they are the lowest form of coward.The proof of this is that none of the cowards who have yelled these obscenities have the courage to publically do it in a way that they could be identified. Ben Luntz is a Lexington resident. Email opinions@ kykernel.com
Want your voice heard? Submit letters to the editor, columns or questions/concerns to: opinions@kykernel.com Your submission could be published online or in print.
ELEVATOR
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 allowing an elevator to freefall, which by the way hasn’t happened since the 1940s ... there are additional safeties in place that will automatically set and stop an elevator from over speeding in the down direction,” Nikirk wrote. Nikirk wrote that elevators in residence halls are inspected annually by the state inspector
SHOOTING
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 respond accordingly. Monroe said UK Police will continue patrolling Woodland Avenue as they normally do, but they will not increase patrols. Within the past year, there have been at least five shootings in student neighborhoods or in student-occupied apart-
GREEK
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 was built on is we are a different kind of fraternity,” said Matt Davis, the president of Delta Upsilon Fraternity at UK. “We’re built for everyone, we want to get different backgrounds in. We’re kind of the every-man’s fraternity.” Davis said this was possible because it came to campus in 2013, whereas established fraternities face the pushback of their organization’s traditional makeup. Henry D’Andrea, president of Farmhouse Fraternity at UK, said this was the main problem his chapter faces in diversifying since many people are misled by the name to
and monthly by the contracted elevator vendor. She also wrote the best way for students to report incidents is to use the emergency button in the elevators, like Crace and Johnson did. The call is answered by the 24/7, 365-day call center, FIXIT. “Once FIXIT is notified of the trapped passengers in EdRmanaged buildings, the 24/7 call center contacts the maintenance manager via phone,” Nikirk wrote. “If it is a UKmanaged building, we call
the building operator during normal hours, and if it is after hours, an email is sent to the emergency listserv only.” Johnson and Crace have since used the elevators in Crace’s dorm, but they said they wish the fall had been investigated further. “I think that is just an inherent problem of using an elevator,” Johnson said. “It’s bound to get stuck eventually.” Editor’s note: Emily Crace is a designer at the Kentucky Kernel.
ment buildings, four of which included fatalities. In April 2015, UK student and Kentucky Kernel photo editor Jonathan Krueger was shot and killed while walking home in the early morning on East Maxwell Street. In December, a UK student was shot in his apartment at University Trails on Red Mile Road. That student survived what he described as a robbery. On Jan. 3, a nonstudent was shot and killed at University
Trails during an argument, according to police records. Later in January, two people were shot in the mostly student-occupied neighborhood on University Avenue. One of those two died in the shooting, but neither were UK students. Lexington Police Lt. Jonathan Bastian said violent crime near campus is uncommon, and that most of the crime in student neighborhoods is property crime, like the stealing of bikes or backpacks.
believe it is still predominantly agriculturally based. Farmhouse has one of the highest percentages of white members of any IFC or NPC organization at 91 percent, and had multiple incidences of being 100 percent white between 2007 and 2016, but D’Andrea said it is something he thinks the fraternity can change by increasing their outreach. Sororities within NPC struggle to diversify as well, Chi Omega being the most white with 92 percent in 2016. Abigail Berger, president of Chi Omega at UK, could not be reached for comment. One specific occasion that Luke and Epps both expressed was a problem with the cohesion between NPHC, IFC and NPC is the system by which IFC and NPC chapters use
members of NPHC organizations for “Stomp-A-Palooza,” an annual UK Greek Life philanthropy event. After spending hours coming up with and teaching the routines to IFC and PC chapters, the NPHC chapters do not participate in the event itself, and then interaction with the chapters they taught becomes almost nonexistent for the rest of the year, according to Epps. He said that he would equate it to “free labor” under the guise of philanthropic partnership. Luke said there was not one person to blame for the disparity in Greek Life, but if the IFC and NPC organizations want to increase diversity, it will only come through a change in the way they recruit and represent themselves to minorities.
Correction: April 11th edition of the Kentucky Kernel misidentified a woman in a caption as Megan Young. The woman’s name is actually Whitney Ott.
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Community & Technical College
KENTUCKY COMMUNITY & TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM
4.14.16
I Kentucky Kernel I 5
NEWS
Experts say Kentucky polls often misleading By Patrick Brennan news@kykernel.com
While this year’s presidential election season continues to swell, more than 150 Kentuckians gathered on Wednesday to take a step back and gain a broader perspective. For just over an hour, Democratic strategist Celinda Lake and Republican strategist Robert Blizzard brought the group “inside the tent” to discuss issues surrounding polling and the current political climate. The forum was sponsored by the Martin School for Public Policy and Administration, and it follows fall’s conference on voting rights. “These are the people that really know what’s going on … This is a big deal here,” moderator Michael Ruehling said. Associate political science professor Stephen Voss began the forum by raising questions about political polls. Voss said there are many potential explanations for the discrepancy between polls and elections, and
the media doesn’t always paint a full picture of the polling results. “While experts have a lot of questions, we generally have more answers than make it into the press coverage and the accompanying chatter around these polls,” Voss said. A now infamous example of polling discrepancy is Gov. Matt Bevin’s nine point victory over Jack Conway after consistently losing in the pre-election polls. The Republican strategist, Blizzard, is a partner at a polling company which the New York Times described as the “leading Republican polling company” in the country. Blizzard devoted time to explain why Kentucky polls have been mistaken in recent years. “Most public polls can’t afford to do cell phone interviews. And in a state like Kentucky… over a third of the state’s population live in cell phone only households,” he said. Blizzard also criticized Kentucky polls for their ineffective
methods of gauging who will vote. Blizzard then shared his findings on the current political climate of the country. He said voters have been consistently pessimistic for the last 12 years, which is maybe the longest period of extended pessimism in American history. “The presidential race is going to be, in my opinion, nasty,” Blizzard said. “(Donald Trump’s image according to the latest poll) is the highest negative for any potential nominee in history. And, if not for Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton would have the highest negative of any candidate in history.” Lake is the founder of Lake Research Partners Inc. and worked as a pollster for Vice President Joe Biden in 2008. She shared similar information about the divided political climate. “Both parties are in trouble. The only thing that makes people feel good about being a Democrat today is the Republicans,” Lake said.
Attorney general sues Bevin for college cuts By Cheyene Miller news@kykernel.com
More than $41 million reserved for state universities and colleges are at stake in a lawsuit battle between Gov. Matt Bevin and Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear. Beshear announced Monday that he was suing Bevin over the governor’s immediate 4.5 percent cuts to public universities and colleges. Beshear said Bevin violated the Separations of Powers mandate in the Kentucky Constitution. The Kentucky Constitution holds that only the legislature can appropriate and decide how to spend and cut tax dollars. The only way a governor could enact immediate budget cuts is if the state government predicted a shortfall, Beshear said, noting that the legislature is predicting a surplus. “What the governor did here is illegal, in that he ig-
nored the fact that there was no shortfall, so he did not have the authority to make a reduction,” said Beshear who accused Bevin of unfairly targeting universities. Beshear said Kentucky college students could be facing tuition hikes, since tuition typically increases in wake of higher education cuts. Other effects could include staff reductions and cuts to programming. During the state of the commonwealth address, Bevin revealed his proposed two-year spending plan which included 4.5 percent baseline cuts over the next fiscal year and 9 percent cuts in the following years. He said the cuts were to help alleviate the state’s underfunded pension system, which has a predicted shortfall of more than $30 billion. “As best we can make sense of his rambling press conference, we strongly disagree with the attorney general and will respond as
necessary in court. Given the amount of alleged corruption and personnel problems in the office of attorney general and his father’s administration it is clear that he is attempting to deflect attention away from his own challenges,” Bevin’s spokeswoman Jessica Ditto wrote in a statement Monday during Beshear’s announcement. In response to Bevin’s statement, Besehar said he believes in acting “professional, not petty.” “This is not personal to me at all. It’s not political. It’s about the law, and the fact the governor does not have the power to do what he is doing,” Beshear said. The case is assigned to Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate and has a hearing over a temporary injunction on Thursday, April 21. Beshear said he is moving on an expedited schedule to have the lawsuit decided by the end of the fiscal quarter on June 30.
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I Kentucky Kernel I 4.14.16
FEATURES
Editorial
Mathews Garden too valuable to be torn down for renovations Psychology senior Tessa Adkins goes to Mathews Garden every day. Twice a week, she comes to the patch of organic soil, filled to the brim with more than 350 different species of plants, to weed and to tear up any invasive species. On days she does not work there, she goes to the garden anyway to read, clear her mind and just sit. Adkins graduates in May and said the garden — an inconspicuous patch of greenery on South Limestone surrounded by a white-painted wooden fence — is the thing she’ll miss most about her time at UK. Professors, graduate students and other people across campus have other reasons why they do not want the university to follow through with a proposal that would tear down Mathews Garden to make room for a law school renovation. UK spokesman Jay Blanton said no decisions have been made as to the fate of the garden. The College of Law is still in preliminary stages of designing
the renovation. Mathews Garden, created in about 1900 by a UK horticulture and botany professor, is possibly the most diverse in Kentucky. Professors from many different studies including botany, agriculture and English use the half-acre as a classroom that can be found nowhere else on campus or in the state. “It would be kind of silly to consider it just real estate,” Adkins said. “This is our history. There’s a depth to the history here that’s not present in a brand new building.” The educational value of the garden is extensive, and should be reason enough for UK to keep it around, but if that does not convince administrators, Adkins’ story should. In a university of more than 30,000 students and enough student organizations to make one’s head spin, finding a place on campus to call your own can be tough. But Adkins found her place in Mathews Garden, and is training biol-
ogy and anthropology sophomore Hayley-Ann Vasco to take her place. When Vasco graduates, another student will follow her, and so on. Mathews Garden is not just a classroom and not just a patch of green space, it is a piece of UK that allows students to find purpose and sanctuary in a bustling and sometimes overwhelming campus. Not many students will spend as much time in the garden as Vasco or Adkins, but the half-acre — which is beautiful this time of year, when the Virginia Bluebells, Wood Poppies and Redbuds are blooming — is somewhere other students can go to find peace of mind. If UK decides to tear down Mathews Garden, administrators should understand they are not just getting rid of a plot of green space and a classroom, they are ridding two current students (and countless future ones) of a place where they feel at home on campus. Email opinions@kykernel.com
PHOTO BY WILL WRIGHT I STAFF Psychology senior Tessa Adkins works at Mathews Garden, and has built a connection to the half-acre historic garden on South Limestone. She hopes UK will not follow through with a proposal to tear the garden down to make room for a law school renovation.
Adopting new friendships
‘Young at Heart’ connects students, nursing home residents By Alex Kerns features@kykernel.com
Growing old can be difficult for those who do not have family to care for them, but UK students are attempting to ease the pain with “Young at Heart.” The program, which launched in 2010 and is a part of UK’s Center of Community Outreach, allows students to adopt a grandparent at a nursing home in the Lexington area. Spaces for adoption are limited because of the program’s small budget. This year 20 students were able to participate. To become a participant, individuals are required to attend a one-hour training course, and complete a background check. Once the training is completed, the student meets their adoptive grandparent. During their first encounter, a member of the Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency accompanies the pair to make sure they are acquainted. Once the pair is comfortable with one another, they are able to do several activities such as attend holiday parties and play Bingo. The students can be paired with residents at any nursing home in the Lexington area. Some are paired with homes extremely close to the university, while others choose homes that are closer to their work or houses. Young at Heart Program Director Matthew Whisman said he has had a great experience with the residents of nursing homes and his own adoptive grandparents. He re-
calls a man he met last semester who was a veteran of two wars, and was grateful to have visitors. “I spent about 30 minutes speaking with him and it was just nice to see him laughing and smiling around the holidays because he had mentioned that he hadn’t had many visitors,” Whisman said. The grandparents are not the only ones that benefit from Young at Heart. The students involved in the program also get the chance to become close with someone from a different generation and hear stories about different times, according to Whisman. One member of the program, finance sophomore Eileen Ramirez, said she enjoys the time she spends with her adoptive grandmother. They met for the first time two weeks ago, and have already bonded over conversations about the grandmother’s experiences. Ramirez said being a part of Young at Heart allows her to learn from someone who is much wiser than her, and that she hopes she will be able to give her adopted grandmother as much as she has already given her. With Ramirez’s biological grandparents living quite a distance away, Ramirez said her adoptive grandmother means a great deal to her. “Both my grandparents live in Mexico, so I don’t get to talk to them very often,” Ramirez said. “It’s very nice being able to talk to someone who has experienced much more and is much wiser than myself.”
4.14.16
I Kentucky Kernel I 7
LA Times
CLASSIFIEDS
daily crossword
For Rent 1-9 Bedroom 3BR/2BA Campus View Condo. Walk to Campus. Private parking. W/D, dish‑ washer, balcony, all appliances furnished. Available August. $950/MO. Call or text 859‑447‑4607 Apartments pre‑leasing, 1 block from UK campus, $400 ‑ 550 per person, utilities included, resident parking, Studios or 6 bed room, 221‑5940 Newer 2‑5BR homes. Only a few left. Near UK. Pet friendly. From $349/person. www.lexingtonhomeconsultants.com Contact James McKee at (859) 221‑7082 or jwmckeebroker@msn.com. One bedroom/bath condo and garage at Kimball House Square, 275 S. Limestone. $165,000. 859‑539‑9622 Walk to Campus. ONLY 8 properties left. Wayne Michael is now pre‑leasing 1‑6BR houses for the Fall 2016 semester. www.waynemichaelproperties.com. (859) 455‑9300.
1 Bedroom 1 Beds & Studios, 5 Min Walk to UK, Call/ Text (859) 333‑1388 to schedule tour! Park ing, Laundry, Wifi, Online Payments
3 Bedroom 3Br house, Oldham Ave. $400/person. 859‑ 252‑4656. 3BR, 2BA Lexington Ave. Duplex. Great lo cation. Total electric. 859‑252‑4656. Campus Downs 3 BR/2 BA newly renovated condo for rent available Aug 2016. Walk to campus. $1,350/month includes electric & water. For info call (502) 550‑9510. UK apartments, one and three BR units, one block from campus, parking, laundry, AC, 221‑5940
4 Bedroom 4 BR, 3 BA townhouses, Red Mile. Bus route. $400.00 per student. All electric washer/ dryer provided. Large BR and security systems. LCD tvs. Garages units available. Available August. 859‑543‑8931. Affordable student houses near UK! Parking, Yard, W/D Included, $349/bed Call/Txt Today to schedule a tour! (859) 333‑1388 127 Montmullion Spacious 3 Bedromm Du plex Available in June, has Private Parking lot, Appliances, W/D. Rent is $1200 if inter ested call 859‑227‑8331 or email ixdelshad@ gmail.com 3BR, 2BA Lexington Ave., with off‑street parking. 983‑8945. August rentals. 2‑4 bedrooms. Above aver age in quality and great landlord. Call Denise (859) 983‑0726. sillsbrothers.com Campus Downs 3BR 2Baths Includes W/D & Utilities $450.00 Per BR (859)983‑0349 Great properties for rent, walk to campus. W/D included. (859) 619‑3232. www.myuk4rent.com. Now Leasing for Fall 2016. Rates starting at $379. University Trails. 859‑258‑2039. 845 Red Mile Rd.
Help Wanted Accounting Assistant Flexible around classes, 20+ hours/week. Full‑time over summer. Prefer Accounting students for data entry, scanning, various projects. $9/hour. Send work history to Sharon@AndersonKY.com
ADMINISTRATIVE COORDINATOR We are seeking Business, Marketing, or Education college graduates to become part of our Administrative/Business Op‑ erations team. We are a busy ophthalmic specialty practice located in Lexington, Ky. Ideal candidates must have excellent public skills, multi‑tasking ability, com‑ puter proficiency, detail orientation and be intrinsically self‑motivated to excel. This is a Full‑time position with near term growth opportunity. Health, dental, vision and vacation provided on day one of em ployment. Come grow with us! Resumes may be sent to busymedicalpractice@ gmail.com with attention ABO in subject line. Body Structure is seeking a part‑time Front Office Receptionist and a Physical Therapy Tech. Contact: crystal@bodystructure.com or call 859‑268‑8190. Christian nursery workers needed year round. $9/hour. Sunday mornings and additional hours available. Apply in person 9‑4, First United Methodist Church, 200 W. High St. Questions? Email: 1stchurchkids@ gmail.com Clean Sweep now hiring for summer posi tions. Flexible hours, competitive pay. Close to campus and great working environment. Contact Justin: 859‑254‑0483 East Kentucky Power Cooperative in Winch ester, KY has a full‑time position open for an Engineer in Power Delivery Transmis‑ sion. Please visit our website for additional information. EKPC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/ Disabled/Veteran Fun Summer Jobs – Turn Crew Labor Forget retail – Work with your hands, every day is different, great work environment learning home repair skills that will last a lifetime! Local company seeks crew to help turn vacant rentals. Full‑time, May‑August, $500 BONUS at end of season. $9‑10/hour based on skills. Reliable transportation, clean background and drug test required. Contact Sharon@AndersonKY.com
The Kentucky Kernel is not responsible for information given to fraudulent parties. We encourage you not to participate in anything for which you have to pay an up-front fee or give out credit card or other personal information, and to report the company to us immediately.
Idle Hour Country Club seeks full‑time, part‑time and seasonal: servers, bussers, bartenders, cooks, lifeguards, housekeepers, kitchen techs, receptionists, course beverage attendants, greens keepers and Pro Shop staff. Flexible scheduling, meals, uniforms and pleasant environment. Verifiable employment history needed Interview upon application, Tues‑Sun 11am‑7pm NO PHONE CALLS 1815 Richmond Road, Lexington Life Guards wanted For LFUCG public pools if interested please contact Scott Sheets at (859) 288‑2974 or e‑mail at ssheets@ lexingtonky.gov. Pay starts at $8.75 an Hour. 38‑40 hours a week LLM is a non‑profit that works with people with intellectual and developmental disabili ties. Full and part‑time hours are available. Starting rate $10/hr. ALL shift are available. Apply online @ www.lordslegacyministries. org or call 859.245.2233 NOW HIRING Bartenders, Servers, and Cooks ‑ full or part time @ Sutton’s on Rich mond rd. Apply in person or email resume to gordonlewis@twc.com. 859‑268‑2068. Now Hiring for Patio season Hosts, Bartenders, Bussers and Servers. Apply in person. 1074 Merrick Dr Monday‑Saturdat 2‑4p Now hiring pt/ft servers and cooks at all locations including 151 w. zandale off nicholasville rd summer school/staying in lexington summer job now apply in person 3‑5p mon‑fri Office Staff ‑ Part‑time employee (6‑10 hours per week) needed in mental health private practice. Responsibilities include filing, answering phones, scheduling clients, etc. drkatherinestone@gmail.com Salvage Building Materials hiring PT general warehouse help. Flexible hours, no experi ence needed. Apply: 573 Angliana Ave., Mon‑Fri, 9‑5, or cabinetkings.com/job_va cancy.html 859.255.4700 Summer Day Camp Counselors wanted for swimming, ropes, and nature. Applications available at pepperhillkidz.com or call for an appointment at 859‑277‑6813.
Roommates Wanted Roommate needed (August). Above average in quality and great landlord. Call Denise (859) 983‑0726. sillsbrothers.com
HOROSCOPES To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 6 — Hold an idealist to the facts... all isn't as it appears. Provide clarity about the details. There's abundance and beauty available. Try not to overindulge. Listen to the voice of experience. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Set goals high, and have faith in your team's abilities. Don't fund a fantasy, though. Don't get intimidated. True love grows with a challenge. Discipline and luck work together to fulfill a passionate desire. Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Let your imagination soar, with Mercury and the Sun in your sign. Your powers of expression blossom. Reaffirm a dream, and study related news. A partnership formed now benefits both. Dress for success. Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is an 8 — Close the books on an old deal and stash any savings. You've got love, so you've got it all. The attraction's magnetic. Tell them what you're committed to. Recognize past accomplishments while forging partnership. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Private time with a partner adds color to a dream. Gather for food and discussion. A clear conscience frees you. Add beauty and comfort with financial discipline. You can have it all. Step into leadership. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is an 8 — Imagine what perfection could look like, and aim
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8
I Kentucky Kernel I 4.14.16
SPORTS
Cats could not complete comeback against Cards By Chris Angolia sports@kykernel.com
No. 18 UK baseball (2210) dropped the first of two games that it will play against in-state rival No. 9 Louisville (26-7) this year, by a final score of 9-6 on Wednesday. The Cards jumped out to an early 1-0 lead after Devin Mann was walked with two outs and Brendan McKay doubled, scoring Mann. In the third, the Cats hurt themselves after a pair of errors on potential double play balls resulted in the bases being loaded with one out. After starting pitcher Zach Logue got a strikeout for the second out, he hit a batter and then Drew Ellis singled for the Cards increasing the Louisville lead to four runs. The Cards would go on to add three more runs in the fifth after Ellis stepped in with the bases loaded and one out, and roped a bases-clearing double. Ellis finished the game with a career-high five runs batted in. However, UK would fight back by adding a pair of runs in the bottom half, courtesy of
a throwing error which scored Luke Becker and a RBI single by Storm Wilson later scored Tristan Pompey. The Cats trimmed the lead once more in the sixth when they loaded the bases with two outs, and Zach Reks came in to score on a wild pitch to make the score 7-3. Becker had a nice day at
“When they needed key hits they got them. They got a few more of them than we did, but it wasn’t a clean game.” Gary Henderson UK head coach
the plate for UK, going 2-for4 with a double and two runs scored. Along with Becker, Riley Mahan added a pair of singles as well. Mahan’s average is now up to .321 on the year, up nearly .100 points from 2015. In the eighth, the Cats cut deeper into the deficit with three runs, two coming off a
pinch-hit opposite field home run by Dorian Hairston. The homer was Hairston’s third of the year and this one will be a little more special because Dorian’s brother, Devin, is the shortstop for the Cardinals. Devin had a solid game himself, going 2-for-4 with three runs scored. Heading to the ninth, UK had the score at 7-6 and was trailing by just one run. Unfortunately for the Cats, the Cards added two runs of insurance in the ninth, which was all junior right-hander Zack Burdi needed, cementing the 9-6 win for the Cards. “It wasn’t clean on either side,” UK head coach Gary Henderson said. “They did a really nice job of taking advantage of some gifts we gave them, but they did a good job. When they needed key hits they got them. They got a few more of them than we did, but it wasn’t a clean game.” UK looks to bounce back from the loss this weekend when it travels to No. 5 Vanderbilt, where the Cats put their 5-0 record in SEC series play on the line beginning Friday night in Nashville.
PHOTO BY MICHAEL REAVES I STAFF Junior third baseman JaVon Shelby steps to the plate in Wednesday’s game against in-state rival Lousiville. Shleby finished the day batting 0-for-5, striking out four times.
Strong sixth inning gives UK win over EKU
PHOTO BY TAYLOR PENCE I STAFF Freshman Abbey Cheek hit a home run during the Cats’ 2-1 win over Eastern Kentucky University on Wednesday. The win put the Cats at 35-8 on the season and 11-4 in the SEC.
By Jack Pilgrim sports@kykernel.com
After a weekend road trip in Baton Rouge, UK softball headed back home for a Wednesday night battle against in-state foe Eastern Kentucky. The Colonels were the first team to get on the score board in the game, but it was the Cats who were able to come out with the victory thanks to a strong sixth inning. Both sides started out of the gate fairly slow, with neither team producing much of anything through the first three innings. Neither team was able to get a hit at the plate until the bottom of the third, when UK freshman Katie Reed singled to right field. With Reed on first base, senior outfielder Sylver Samuel managed to get a single out of a bunt to give the Cats two base runners. A wild pitch advanced both runners, and then Maisie Steed walked to load up the bases with two outs.
UK was unable to convert, however, as Nikki Sagermann struck out in the following atbat. In the top of the fourth, EKU was also able to find some success at the plate, capitalizing with a left field home run by Hannah Clark to give the Colonels a 1-0 lead over UK. Despite getting three runners on base in the fifth inning, the Cats were unable to put any runs on the board to cut the deficit. In the sixth inning, however, momentum swung heavily in UK’s favor after a massive two run shot over the fence in right field by Abbey Cheek. The homer was Cheek’s sixth of the year and it couldn’t have come at a more importnt time, as it put the struggling Cats in front 2-1. After scoring a run in the fourth inning, Eastern closed out the game struggling to recapture the momentum and add to its lead.
The Cats only allowed one hit in the last three innings to the Colonels and a lot of credit has to go to the Cats pitching staff. Junior Shannon Smith got the start for the Cats and despite giving up a run, tallied seven strikeouts against the Colonels. After Smith was replaced to start the fifth inning, junior Meagan Prince was able to come in and keep Eastern from building on the lead with three strikeouts. Prince’s strike out finish in the top of the seventh inning gave UK their 35th win on the year and her 16th on the mound, a team high. The Cats move to 35-8 on the year and 11-4 in the SEC, still back just one game in the conference behind Florida for first place. UK will have two days off before they head back to conference play at John Cropp Stadium against Missouri at 6 p.m. ET on Friday night.
NEWS
FEATURES
Students press UK officials at spring forum
Theatre students head down the rabbit hole
Capilouto questioned on commitment to initiatives By Lee Mengistu news@kykernel.com
President Eli Capilouto, interim Dean of Students Victor Hazard and Provost Tim Tracy were the main guests of the Student Government Associatiation’s Senate Spring Forum, which concluded in a debate between Capilouto and frustrated students. The forum, which takes place each fall and spring semester, was held in a sparsely populated Kincaid Auditorium in the Gatton College of Business and Economics. After introducing themselves, the administrators answered questions submitted via Google forms on topics ranging from construction to state budget allocations. Tracy and Hazard joined in occasionally, commending the university’s commitment to improving infrastructure, encouraging student collaboration and establishing a rich core curriculum. When the floor opened for audience questions, history and geography junior
Tyler Hill asked administration why it had yet to sign a comprehensive climate action plan like other comparable universities. Capilouto’s response that the university was taking steps of day-to-day sustainability was not enough for Hill. “I don’t believe the answer was very substantial,” Hill said. “We’ve heard this answer before from them. We know they think they’re doing good, but we think they can be held to a higher standard.” The majority of remaining audience questions focused on race relations on campus, such as the existence of racism on campus, and advice to marginalized minority students. Dissatisfied and concerned students and faculty confronted Capilouto after the forum to get substantial answers, particularly on if cultural competency courses can be mandatory for all students in order to prevent discriminatory incidents. “Do I want that kind of
course? Yes. Can we permeate that entire curriculum? I hope so,” Capilouto said. The group pressed further, imploring the president to take concrete action. “I’ve met with several people ... Why does it have to be me and us? We’ve told you our concerns. Why can’t you meet with them and say, ‘Hey, I’ve heard from the black students. Here are their concerns. Let’s make this happen?’” said MD-Ph.D candidate and Call to Action Town Hall organizer Eseosa Ighodaro. Capilouto further explained the course development process at the university: it was up to faculty and departments to initiate new classes, but he stressed that he would advocate for it when the time comes. The recent optional Climate of Inclusion Survey distributed to students via email will reveal what the rest of the student body thinks about such a course, among other topics concerning diversity. The survey closes Friday.
UK Trumpet Studio hosts Rex Richardson By News Staff news@kykernel.com
The UK Trumpet Studio will soon host world-renowned trumpet performing artist Rex Richardson. Richardson will be giving a masterclass in room 106 in the Fine Arts Building
at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. UK students will have the opportunity to both perform for and listen to Richardson play in the masterclass. Richardson will also be performing a new concerto written by Anthony Plog, who also visited UK earlier this semester, with the Lex-
ington Brass Band on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church. Plog’s piece “Trumpet Concerto No. 3” was written specifically for Richardson to premier. Richardson has taught at Virginia Commonwealth University since 2002.
College of Fine Arts brings to life classic ‘Alice in Wonderland’ 150 years after initial publication By Rebecca Watters features@kykernel.com
About 150 years ago, Alice took her first tumble down the rabbit hole in Lewis Carroll’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in
“We choreographed dances ... and group movements for scenes.” Nancy Jones
Theatre Department Chair
Wonderland.” Now, more than a century later, the UK Theatre Department will be closing their season with Alice in Wonderland to commemorate and celebrate Alice’s first adventure. According to Nancy Jones, Theatre Department chair, the Guignol Theatre will be transformed into a “Mad World” with a colorful set that is reminiscent of a circus tent that she said she hopes will transport the audience members to Wonderland as well. “We are doing this production in an ‘immersive’ environment, and I’m pretty sure that our audiences will not have experienced anything like it. In some ways it is more of a performance event than a traditional play,” Jones said. Since February, the cast has been working with Jones to prepare for the performance. For theatre senior Katie Noble, the process has included her own
research in her character, “The Red Queen,” as well as a collaborative effort between the ensemble and the cast members. According to Noble, the cast has added their personalities to the show as well. “What you see on opening night isn’t necessarily what we had planned, and there’s a little bit of everyone in the show,” Noble said. Aside from personalities, Jones has also allowed students to contribute their own work to the piece, with the goal of truly making the show unique. “This story is so iconic that each person who chooses to interpret it gets to see it through their own lens,” Jones said. “Some students who have musical talents actually wrote original music for the piece. We choreographed dances and cre-
ated lifts and group movement for other scenes.” For theatre senior Alexis Slocum, who plays Alice, the opportunity to improvise certain aspects of the show and make it fit the performance has been a growing experience for her future as an actress. “[The improvisation] requires not only myself, but also the whole cast, to always remain on their toes and be ready for whatever may happen in that particular performance,” Slocum said. Alice in Wonderland will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Thursday, April 21 through Saturday, April 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 17 and 24 in the Guignol Theatre. Tickets are $15 for the general public, and $10 for UK students with a valid ID.