April 19, 2017

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April 19, 2017 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. | Vol. 81 No. 26

13 Reasons

Ex-football player charged with sexual assault sexually assaulting her. Before the assault began, the victim was able to send n April 17 at 12:33 p.m., an SOS message to two of her Rodney Higgins Jr., female friends, who drove kinesiology freshman back to campus and ran up to and former cornerback for the the victim’s room, finding the Mustangs, was arrested and perpetrator on top of the victim. charged with sexual assault in The two friends said he grabbed Killingsworth Hall. his shirt and shorts before he ran “The investigation is going out of victim’s room. on, and we are cooperating The victim confirmed that it with wherever we need to be, “ was an MSU football player, as Interim Director of Athletics Kyle Rodney Higgins she looked through the football Williams said. According to Williams, he was aware that team’s roster and found the suspect. The Higgins had been suspended a month prior to suspect was identified by both the victim the assault; however, Williams said he would and a witness, through the Mustangs football not comment on the reason behind the team website. “We don’t know much other than it suspension. According to the affidavit submitted by the happened in our building,” Sterling Ellison, Killingsworth Hall resident assistant, said. MSU police department: At approximately 10:40 p.m. on Sunday, “We don’t know any specifics and we can’t April 16, a female student returning to her find out or ask about it. Hall directors and RAs dorm room in Killingsworth Hall found a male who know can’t say anything due to Title IX.” The sexual assault comes just days after standing in her room. A physical altercation followed until the perpetrator grabbed the MSU’s counseling center held a two-day long victim, held her up to the bed and began sexual assault awareness program involving BRIDGET REILLY PHOTOJOURNALIST

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A bandwagon worth hopping onto, bringing emotional reactions and an understanding of mental illness.

Sexual Assault

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Guest speaker shares true experiences about sexual assault, and the dangers of being a bystander and a participant.

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Search for provost narrows down candidates LEAH BRYCE MANAGING EDITOR

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Cycling 9th Title

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The cycling team wins home race and the men’s criterium in New Orleans, making them the conference winners.

guest speaker Suzette Warden Cole who spoke at length about consent during sex. It is also the second reported sexual assault on campus this academic year. Brian Cooper, who was an athletic training freshman at the time of the incident, was suspected of sexually assaulting a female resident in the Legacy Hall dorm on Oct. 25, 2016; however, he was charged with burglary of a habitation. “We had a situation where a male student entered a female student’s room, with we do believe the intent to sexually assault; however, we charged him with burglary, not sexual assault,” Police Chief Patrick Coggins said. “From the evidence that we obtained from the investigation, it was a more solid charge and a better charge as burglary. This is because if we were to charge him with an attempted offense, it would be a lower-level charge, so we can file a higher-level charge with burglary than as attempted sexual assault.” Higgins was listed as a cornerback on the Mustangs’ online roster — but between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. on April 17, he was removed from the site. He was released on a $20,000 bail on Tuesday evening.

ver the course of the semester, the administration and Board of Regents have been on the hunt for a new provost. Four candidates, James Johnston, Kenya Taylor, Monica Varner and Jerold Hale were selected to interview on campus April 4-11. The provost and vice president for academic affairs is the chief academic officer of the University and its secondranking official. They are directly responsible to the president for the administration, budgeting and staffing of all academic

“It’s an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, to craft a vision and then help to achieve those goals.” JAMES JOHNSTON INTERIM PROVOST

programs, including outreach and engagement. “It’s an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues, to craft a vision and then help to achieve those goals,” Johnston said. The first candidate Johnston, interim provost and dean of health sciences and human services.

He is an MSU alumnus and has been an employee of MSU since 2003. The provost is responsible for the curriculum; revision and development of new courses of study, including distance learning; the encouragement of research; the development of class schedules; the maintenance of adequate library services; and

the recruitment and evaluation of instructional personnel. “I now believe that my strengths and experience will allow me to serve as MSU’s next provost.” Johnston said. “I feel I have a vision for opportunity and growth.” As the only internal candidate Johnston is a well-known face throughout campus. The second interview candidate, Varner works at Southwestern Oklahoma State University as the associate provost for academic affairs, accreditation liaison officer and HLC peer corps reviewer. “I love teaching. I love my

see PROVOST pg. 5


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