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Local man crafts handmade pipes
The Murray State News TheNews.org
November 2, 2012
Vol. 88, No. 12
Council decides on new sorority
10,832 STUDENTS
Numbers show slow enrollment growth
Lexy Gross || Staff writer cgross2@murraystate.edu
Murray State is officially open to the process of inviting a new social sorority to campus. At a Panhellenic meeting held last Thursday, all five of the Universities social sororities voted in favor of seeking a sixth organization. “I had faith in our organizations choosing what was best for Murray State’s Greek community,” said interim Greek Life Coordinator, Jason Hinson-Nolen. Mallory Allgire, junior from Belleville, Ill., is a member of Alpha Omicron Pi and a Panhellenic voting delegate. Allgire said she was happy all five current orHinsonganizations Nolen voted to open Murray State to extension. “(Extension) is most certainly essential to Murray, because it gives more opportunities for people to get involved,” Allgire said. “The Greek community truly goes above and beyond for Murray State and adding more members to it most certainly cannot be anything but beneficial.” Starting this month, the National Panhellenic Council (NPC) extension chairman will market Murray State to several national sororities. Interested organizations will submit applications to a review committee. After the Panhellenic vote, every social sorority selected one undergraduate woman to represent their organization in the committee. This committee will be in charge of examining the applications from every sorority wishing to join Murray State’s Greek life. Alumni from the five sororities will also be chosen for the committee. “In January, we will stop taking applications and begin prepping for campus visits,” Hinson-Nolen said. “A number of national organizations will be invited to campus to present and interact with students.” After all applications have been
see SORORITY, 3A
Chris Wilcox || News Editor cwilcox2@murraystate.edu
Taylor McStoots/Contributing photographer
Chief Facilities Officer Kim Oatman says the University is constructing a rough timetable for the demolition of the aging Ordway hall.
ENDING AN ERA Ordway on track to be demolished Edward Marlowe || Staff writer emarlowe@murraystate.edu
T
hough many questions still remain surrounding the fate of Ordway Hall, one thing is for certain; it will no longer be part of the campus scenery by the end of 2013, as University officials have confirmed a loose timetable for the landmark’s eventual demolition. The timetable comes on the heels of failed attempts to receive the funds necessary to preserve the 81-year-old building from decommission, as deadline after deadline to begin the efforts involved with
Kylie Townsend/The News
The Board of Regents decided the building’s fate almost a year ago. deconstruction have come and gone. Chief Facilities Officer Kim Oatman said the process of razing the building is in preliminary stages, but added it would not be long before everything fell into place and destruction of the longtime campus facility would begin. “The timetable is not firm yet, but demolition could start as early as spring 2013,” Oatman said. “The process of preparing contract documents has not yet begun,
Murray State has also seen enrollment growth slow overall, but incoming freshmen and international student enrollment growth has increased, which helps raise the overall enrollment. Universities across the state have seen a slower growth in enrollment for the past few years, due, in part, to a slower economy. The total number of Murray State students sits at 10,832 students, representing yearly a growth of 2 percent. The overall number reflects fulland part-time undergraduate and graduate students. As the final enrollment comparison documents have yet to be prepared, the most up-to-date information is inaccessible. Data collected on Oct. 14 via an older version of the fall student comparison indicates significant growth throughout the University. According to the Oct. 19 document, there were 8,902 undergraduate students at Murray State, an increase of 284 students from the fall of 2011. The document also indicates graduate enrollment has declined. There were 17 fewer graduate students this semester than during the fall of 2011. According to information provided by the University on Oct. 26, enrollment for new freshmen undergraduates is up 6.5 percent from last year and there has been an 18 percent increase in international students throughout the University – including freshmen, transfer and graduate students. Fred Dietz, director of enrollment
management, said the growth that has occurred at Murray State could be attributed to many departments throughout the University. “I believe our affordability coupled with the quality is the formula more and more families are looking for,” he said.
I believe our affordability coupled with the quality is the formula more and more families are looking for.” –Fred Dietz Director of Enrollment Management President Randy Dunn agreed with Dietz, he said the enrollment numbers of the semester validate the work the University has done investing in growing the main campus and each of the extended campuses. “Excellence through quality is the ‘first among equals’ of our strategic imperatives that attract students and their families to Murray State
see ENROLLMENT, 3A
2% GROWTH
see ORDWAY, 3A
Ward: Practice facility on schedule Edward Marlowe || Staff writer emarlowe@murraystate.edu
Brick by brick, the new basketball practice facility is coming closer to reality, and so far everything is on schedule for a Jan. 7 substantial completion date. “We’ve made really good progress to date and we’re on schedule,” Athletic Director Allen Ward said. “Pinnacle, who is our contractor, has done a fantastic job along with coordination with our Facilities Management staff.” Because it will be midseason when the construction is completed, Ward said it would be difficult to move the coaches into their new offices. Players for the men and women’s teams, however, will have full access to the practice facilities once construction is finalized. “We strategically placed it on that side of the CFSB Center to connect to the locker rooms and the sports medicine area so that it’s easy access to
them,” Ward said. “The expectations that people have for our basketball programs…they need a place 24/7 where they can go in and practice whenever they need to.” Along with a practice area for the teams and appropriate offices for the coaching staffs, the new construction also includes a player’s lounge for before and after games and the new Ward Hall of Champions, which will house and showcase all of the awards and tradition Murray State has generated over the years in all of the sports available at the school. Though it will take anywhere between 12-18 extra months to design and complete, Ward said he has looked forward to a place to present Murray State
sports history for quite some time. “There’s not a place to showcase all of that,” he said. “I look forward to getting all of our championship trophies into one place and be able to show them off. Hopefully we will have an interactive area where we can show the history in Racer Athletics.” Although not originally part of the building plan, Ward said the most important focus over the last few years was trying to get the facility to completion. Only recently have funds become available to tack on a sporting Hall of Fame. While a date has not been set for the festivities, Racer Athletics, under Director Ward, is currently planning an open house for sometime in early January in hopes of revealing the new building to fans around the area. Director of Facilities Management Kim Oatman said there have not been
Kylie Townsend/The News
ZOMBIE SCARE! The Murray State Friends of Anime Club took to the streets and sidewalks of campus Tuesday for their annual Zombie Walk. The event, in its second year, is a way to promote the small University organization and provides a little early Halloween fun. Right, Joshua Marvin, non-student from Murray, proudly shows off his zombie makeup during a small demonstration in the Quad.
see FACILITY, 3A
Austin Ramsey/The News
WHAT’S
CHAMBER POLITICS
STAFF OPINION
ALL AMERICAN
WRITERS TALK
INSIDE
Chamber of Commerce hosts political forum, 7A
Students endorse President Barack Obama for 2nd term, 4A
Associated Press names Isaiah Canaan to honor team, 1B
English department broadcasts creative writing panel, 7B