The Murray State News

PAGE 3B

Rowing club brings back honors

The Murray State News TheNews.org

March 29, 2013

Faculty, staff challenge Regents’ vote Senate files open records request

Vol. 88, No. 26

Questions surround board’s social event

PRESIDENTIAL CONTRACT WOES

Rose resigns after meeting There are no politics. This board works very well together.”

Rebecca Walter

Austin Ramsey Editor-in-Chief aramsey5@murraystate.edu

– Constantine Curris

Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Ben Manhanke Staff writer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

THE BOARD OF REGENTS VOTED 7-4 TO NOT RENEW PRESIDENT RANDY DUNN’S CONTRACT

Murray State staff and faculty have begun to discuss concerns with the Board of Regents decision to not renew President Randy Dunn’s contract.

NOT A DIVIDED BOARD?

STAFF REACTION Staff Congress President John Young issued a statement March 19 – four days after the controversial vote – addressing the congress’ disappointment with the Board of Regents.

Yo u n g said he spoke with more than half of the members of Staff Co n g re ss following the conYoung clusion of the Board of Regents meeting on March 15. Each had contacted him with concerns.

The first issue concerned the staff survey – a part of Dunn’s comprehensive evaluation – of 2011, which gave Dunn high approval ratings.

Staff Congress also passed a resolution late last year expressing its support of the president.

Young said the staff at Murray State has benefited well from Dunn’s shared governance policy.

The second issue Young’s statement addressed was a general concern with the manner in which the board operated in their voting process.

“While the board is free to act as it sees fit within the statutes under which it is legally required to operate, one is left to wonder why material that had been given to the (ad-hoc contract review)

see CHALLENGE, 2A

Lori Allen/The News

President Randy Dunn, left, and Board of Regents Chair Constantine Curris stare away from each other during the March 15 quarterly meeting where Regents voted 7-4 to not renew Dunn’s contract.

Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

T

he fate of President Randy Dunn’s stay at Murray State has been decided. Members of the Board of Regents voted 7-4 not to extend the longtime executive in a controversial quarterly meeting shortly before Spring Break.

Dunn’s contract is set to expire in June of 2014 and the board decision to vote came at the end of the meeting, when board Chairman Constantine Curris said a majority of the board had indicated to him they were ready to decide and did not want to wait until the next board meeting in May. Students react to Prior to the vote, the board passed the minutes from the January meetthe controversial ing of the ad-hoc committee that included Curris, Vice-Chair Marilyn vote to halt Dunn’s Buchanan and Stephen Williams. contract in 2014, 6A Faculty Regent Jack Rose, Staff Regent Phil Schooley, Susan Guess and Jenny Sewell voted in favor of renewing Dunn’s contract, while Student Regent Jeremiah Johnson, Curris, Buchanan, Stephen Williams, Harry Lee Waterfield, Sharon Green and Jerry Sue Thornton voted against the renewal.

After the vote, Buchanan moved to create a search committee to find the next University president, which passed by a 9-0 vote. Schooley and Rose abstained.

With controversy surrounding the vote, Curris denies allegations of politics or personal agendas playing a role in board’s decision.

Dunn thanked the board for the opportunity to serve and said he would be pursuing other venues. He then promptly left the room following the adjournment.

INSIDE:

The night before the critical Board of Regents vote not to renew President Randy Dunn’s contract, several board members met at a Regent’s home in Murray, and Board Chairman Constantine Curris said some University business was discussed.

Faculty Regent Jack Rose resigned from the board directly after Friday’s meeting, citing that gathering, among other things, as inappropriate and questionable.

Curris told local NPR affiliate WKMS that the meeting of five or six Regents the night before the quarterly board meeting was a casual social gathering, although board business was discussed. Earlier that day, Regents had met in special session to finalize budget recommendations that had been a hot topic on campus. The president had compiled a tentative list of cuts and revenue makers the week before and had presented them to Dunn campus constituencies.

Jill Hunt, the board’s executive coordinator, had sent a memo to members assessing interest in a University-sponsored board dinner Thursday evening, but Rose said there were no takers on the offer.

Rather, out-of-town Regents were invited to the private dinner party at a Regent’s home. Rose, Staff Regent Phil Schooley and Student Regent Jeremiah Johnson were not invited. Curris told WKMS that Regent Jerry Sue Thornton did not attend the gathering at Regent Sharon Green’s Murray home.

Curris, who failed to answer repeated phone calls and

emails from The News, told WKMS after the meeting that he did not believe the social gathering from the night before violated the Kentucky Open Meetings Act, which prohibits public agencies from discussing business without opening the meeting to the public and g i v i n g prior notice that a meeting w o u l d occur.

“I recall Rose discussing the events of the day; this was right after the committee hearing that went over all the finances,” he said. “There was discussion on the impact on tuition; there was even discussion of the recommendation that WKMS be studied to be sold. There was discussion of the upcoming meeting the next day, but it was all in the context of people talking over a glass of wine. I guess it was an hour or so.”

Dunn confirmed that board dinners are not uncommon, particularly when Regents hold meetings over the course of a two-day period. In fact, the University caters board lunches during the afternoon breaks at quarterly meetings.

When those meetings occur, however, Dunn said the University extends invitations to all members and board business is not discussed.

Last week, Lexington, Ky., attorney Jim Deckard sent a complaint to Curris claiming that board members had illegally held the social gathering because a minimal quorum was achieved and University business was discussed. He requests the board’s meeting following the gathering be null and void and that members call a special meeting where the business discussed the night before is made public.

The letter, a first step in filing

see SOCIAL, 2A

Kappa Delta will return to Murray State Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

The Delta Iota chapter of Kappa Delta will be re-established at Murray State this fall after being off campus since 1984.

The chapter, which first arrived at Murray State in 1967, has been disbanded for 29 years following an incident that led to its ban from campus.

A committee compiled of alumni and a member from each existing Murray State sorority voted shortly before Spring Break between Kappa Delta, Delta Zeta and Phi Mu for which group would join Murray State Greek Life.

Kirstin Barry, extension and interim new chapter development manager, said that on April 8, a leadership development consultant (LDC) will arrive on campus to meet with the College Panhellenic Council, each Greek organization and Student Government Association to continue research for a guidebook. The guidebook will be distributed to the resident LDCs to help them learn about Murray State before others arrive on campus in August.

While KD will not participate in formal recruitment with the other five sororities, the LDCs will make a presentation during recruitment orientation. Then in early September, they will be helping out behind the scenes and will hold their own recruitment.

KD will be a colony for approximately seven weeks during the new member program before they are reinstalled as an active chapter on Oct. 27.

Barry is in charge of selecting and training the consultants and is their main contact until the LDCs arrive at Murray State.

“Another benefit is that we have hundreds of alumnae in the area, several of which are Delta Iota alumnae, but our chapter advisory board is going to be a mixture of women from different chapters,” Barry said. “What’s neat about that is being able to have alumnae with Murray State participate in chapter events as well as women with collegiate experiences from across the country.”

Jason Hinson-Nolen, interim Greek Life coordinator, said he thinks this marks a turning point in the Murray

State Greek community.

He said this first expansion will set the stage for growth in the coming years.

Delta Zeta will arrive at Murray State in 2015, with Phi Mu following in 2017.

“It opens the door for us to gain more members in every single category of Greek Life and that is such an amazing opportunity for our campus,” HinsonNolen said. “We have proven multiple times that Greek Life on our campus is something that can enhance your experience.”

Hinson-Nolen said the University now has a solidified option for women when deciding on a sorority different than the ones offered in years past.

“It’s overwhelming when we started talking about expansion in September; we didn’t know if it would happen,” Hinson-Nolen said. “Then it happened overwhelmingly.”

Francie Ray, parking supervisor at Public Safety and KD Delta Iota alumna, said she is very excited about KD being back

see SORORITY, 2A

Taylor McStoots/The News

BASEBALL LOSS: ‘Breds pitcher Cameron Finch winds up a throw against the Austin Peay Thursday night. Murray State lost 4-3 to the Govs in the first of a three-game series.

WHAT’S

GREEK WEEK

OUR VIEW

NOT QUITE

INSIDE

Organizations unite annually for campus, community, 6A

Staff finds board’s gathering inappropriate, 4A

Demarcus Croaker chooses Texas Alpha Phi Alpha hosts successful Lovett performances, 5B over Murray State,

STEP SHOW

News

2A

SOCIAL

Not being a wine drinker, I don’t know how many glasses you have to drink before you can’t figure out if you have five or six people there.”

–Jack Rose

From Page 1 an official complaint with the Kentucky attorney general, asks Curris to respond in writing stating the specific Kentucky revised statute that authorizes the gathering and a description as to why it did not violate the law.

As it applies to language on open meetings, Kentucky law defines meetings as, “all gatherings of every kind, including video teleconferences, regardless of where the meeting is held, (including) regular or special and information or casual gatherings held in anticipation of, or in conjunction with, a regCurris ular or special meeting.”

Dunn, whose contract was not renewed by a 7-4 vote the day following the gathering, said he is disappointed by the board’s decision and deeply concerned by the questionable social event.

“Clearly, this is something that needs to be investigated using the appropriate measures and legal authority that exists for such purposes,” he said. “Certainly the law is clear on this. Given the magnitude of the (contract) decision that the social gathering may have been related to, I think it deserves a full review and finding.”

Indeed, those same concerns led former Faculty Regent Rose to resign from the board directly after the March 15 meeting. Rose said he had been considering his options should the board meeting go unfavorably, but, he said, he never expected quite what happened.

Regents had formed an ad-hoc contract review committee early last year that met only once prior to the decision. Pursuant to the committee’s initial charge, the March 15 meeting already anticipated a controversial executive session where committee members would present information they had collected about Dunn’s performance to the full board. Then in May, Curris told The News earlier this year, the board would likely vote on Dunn’s contract.

Rose said he was disappointed after the Board of Regents completed a comprehensive evaluation on the president’s performance a little more

SORORITY From Page 1 at Murray State.

She said she has been impressed by the dedication of the group and after talking to many involve. She said KD set the bar high for expansion at Murray State.

The News

Former Faculty Regent than a year ago and did not take action on his contract then. Neither were board members afforded the opportunity to sit with Dunn to discuss the findings verbally. Rather, Curris informally passed a written finding on to Dunn at a meeting the two of them attended. Dunn said Curris denied a request to meet with the board over the issue.

With that, and the prior social gathering, Rose said it was too much.

“The board meeting actually went further south than I would have ever anticipated,” he said. “There were enough people in that meeting that either knew or should have known that the meeting was illegal, or as a minimum, would be construed to be illegal. It’s hard for me to see how you can talk about transparency in a process and have that kind of situation develop. “(Curris) made the comment that the meeting over a glass of wine was a social kind of thing and that there were five or six people there.

Well, not being a wine drinker, I don’t know how many glasses you have to drink before you can’t figure out if you have five or six people there.”

Rose said he is pleased to see an attorney has decided to question the board’s motive, and he said he anticipates a final attorney general decision after a thorough investigation. Rose, who voted in favor of renewing Dunn’s contract, said he does not think the vote represents the majority opinion of the University constituency, especially after both Faculty Senate and Staff Congress passed resolutions of support for Dunn.

Ultimately, with so much uncertainty surrounding the legality of some of the board’s actions and the University now searching for a new provost and president, Rose commented on the ability of Murray State to carry on.

Jackie Dudley, who pledged KD in 1981, said she has seen the students show excitement about bringing a new sorority to campus.

“I think one thing that tipped the scale is that we have a lot of alumni in the area,” Dudley said.

“There were roughly 40 women who were willing to serve on the chapter advisory board.

“There are many more of us. We have an alumnae chapter and we will help provide support for the newly organized chapter. I think we’re here to get them off the ground and running.”

March 29, 2013

CHALLENGE From Page 1 committee and which had been reported in various media outlets, three examples being the Faculty Senate Resolution, the Staff Congress Resolution and the letter from 27 area Public School Superintendents, as well as other materials the committee was to gather were not presented before a vote was taken,” Young wrote.

Young concluded his statement by saying the general feeling was one of disappointment in Dunn’s contract not being extended and further expressed concern regarding the actions taken by the Board of Regents.

Board of Regents Chairman Constantine Curris replied to Young’s letter Monday.

Curris stated in his response that he wanted to acknowledge receiving and reading Young’s statement and hoped the information he provided would help in answering the issues that were raised.

“The Ad-Hoc Contract Committee followed the procedures approved by the board at its Dec. 2012 meeting,” Curris wrote. “The committee did its research and collected important information by which each Regent could form his or her judgment as to whether the president’s contract should be extended.”

In the resolution that formed that ad-hoc committee, however, the members were supposed to use the March 15 meeting to present the statistical information it had collected on Dunn’s performance to the full board. The information was never shared publicly.

Curris said the committee made no recommendation in the draft report.

The draft report first covered Murray State’s progress between 2006-12, which represented Dunn’s tenure at the University.

The data covered three areas of Murray’s future: academic standing, student enrollment and financial health.

Data from Murray State’s sister institutions was analyzed to see how institutions compared.

Curris said he understood Young and other members of Staff Congress were disappointed by the outcome of the vote.

“It was a difficult decision for the board, and not one that any member relished,” Curris wrote. “Nevertheless, I am convinced that each Regent made a conscientious decision based on facts on his or her judgment as to what was in the best interest of the University in the years ahead.”

Curris ended his statement by thanking John Young for all the work he and the Staff Congress do at Murray State.

FACULTY REACTION The Faculty Senate held their own special meeting Tuesday to discuss the issues raised by both the Board of Regent’s vote to not renew President Dunn’s contract and the resigning of

their Faculty Regent Jack Rose.

Kevin Binfield, president of the Faculty Senate, opened the meeting by stressing the importance of maintaining and creating a better chain of communication with the Board of Regents and the president.

Binfield said he did not think the Faculty Senate and the Board of Regents had reached a point where communications had broken down, but rather they had never been opened up.

He said within the first 24 hours of learning the board would not be renewing Dunn’s contract he received approximately 36 emails from faculty senators expressing their desire to somehow reverse the board’s decision and if necessary pass a vote of no confidence in the Board of Regents.

Beck Binfield advised the Faculty Senate to not act so hastily and aggressively against the board without first having all the facts.

A vote was called during the meeting concerning if they should request the report of the University’s performance under Dunn which was recently compiled by an ad-hoc committee, upon which the decision to not renew Dunn’s contract was partially based, and which is considered to be open record.

Faculty Senator Ann Beck said the Senate should pay attention to the tone and language used of any letter to the board so as not to alienate themselves from them.

“We need to try and keep our relationship and tone as positive as we can so we can try and build a spirit of cooperation,” she said.

The vote passed in favor of the request which will be sent to the Board of Regents after revisions are made to the letter.

The next order of business addressed was whether to request greater inclusion in the forthcoming search for a new University president and for the Board of Regents, specifically Curris, to share with the Faculty Senate their plans.

Faculty senators discussed how such a request may seem to express their approval of the board’s action concerning Dunn’s contract and their pressing need for representation in the Board of Regents as discussion on these topics may already have begun.

This vote failed to pass by one vote and although Binfield voted against addressing the Board of Regent with these requests, he said he wished to examine the matter again at a later date at which time he would vote in favor.

The Faculty Senate solidified their plans of holding elections for a new Faculty Regent on April 15 and 16, with the deadline for applicants being Tuesday. So far only one applicant has applied, Renee Fister, professor of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Both Staff Congress and Faculty Senate have expressed desires to engage in further conversation with the Board of Regents.

%HVW RI 0XUUD\ The Murray State News is compiling its annual best-of Murray State special section, ‘Best of Murray.’

Cast your votes here and return the completed ballot to 111 Wilson Hall by noon April 5.

Best faculty member: Best student athlete: _________________________ _________________________ Best staff member: Best pizza: _________________________ _________________________ Best Greek organization: Best Mexican food: _________________________ _________________________ Best bar: _________________________ Best place to work Best sandwich shop: Best live music/ local band: _________________________ on campus: _________________________ _________________________ Best coffee shop: Best place to take a date: _________________________ Best campus tradition: _________________________ _________________________ Best Asian food: Best place to get your hair cut: _________________________ Best place to study: _________________________ _________________________ Best place for breakfast: _________________________ Best place to live on campus: Best place to live off campus: _________________________ _________________________ Best place to get ice cream/ Best place to worship: Best public restroom: frozen yogurt: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Best packaged alcohol store: Best place to cure a hangover: Best bookstore: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ Best clothing store: Best place to nap on campus: Best healthcare provider: _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ All votes are write-in. One ballot per student. At least 20 categories have to be filled out for the ballot to be counted. Duplications, (including photocopies) will be disqualified. Please write clearly and legibly. Return to the news office, 111 Wilson Hall by noon April 5.

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The News

News

March 29, 2013 News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Lexy Gross Phone: 809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

Police Beat March 21 2:35 a.m. A tamper alarm was activated at the Arther J. Bauernfiend College of Business Building. Central Plant was notified.

4:11 p.m. A caller reported being locked out of an apartment on the 1000 block of College Courts.

The housing office was notified.

March 22 8:37 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious person at Racer Arena. Officers were notified, and the person was gone on arrival.

9:25 p.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at the CFSB Center. Officers and Murray Ambulance Services were notified.

March 23 1:26 p.m. A caller reported a verbal altercation at the CFSB Center. Officers were notified, and the area appeared normal.

2:46 p.m. A caller reported being locked out of an apartment on the 600 block of College Courts. The housing office was notified.

March 24 12:09 a.m. Officers issued a verbal warning for failure to dim bright lights on Ky. Hwy 121.

7:57 p.m. A caller reported lost property to the Public Safety Building. Officers were notified, and a report was taken.

March 25 3:46 p.m. A caller reported an elevator stuck on the fifth floor of Hart Residen-

tial College. Officers and Central Plant were notified.

10 :17 p.m. Murray Police Department requested the assistance of officers at Clark Residential College.

March 26 2:02 p.m. A caller reported a non-injury accident at the Main Street parking lot. Officers were notified, and a report was taken.

8:32 p.m. Murray Police Department requested the assistance of officers at Waterfield Library. Officers were notified, and a report was taken.

March 27 3:19 p.m. A caller reported a non-injury accident at the 16th Street parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

8:31 p.m. Officers issued a verbal warning for improper display of a license plate and improper turn on Miller Street.

Call of Fame March 26 – 5:29 p.m. An officer reported damage to a traffic sign at Regents Residential College. Officers and Central Plant were notified.

Motorists assists – 0 Racer escorts – 0 Arrests – 0

Lexy Gross, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

3A

Provost search continues Ben Manhanke || Staff writer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s campus will be visited by four potential provost candidates to fill Bonnie Higginson’s soon-to-be vacant position.

The candidates are current Murray State associate provost of graduate studies, Jay Morgan; Charles McAdams, dean of the college of arts and sciences at Northwest Missouri State; Bahman Ghorasi, current executive director of Fenn Academy and Fenn Research and Development Institute at Cleveland State and Brenda Nichols, dean of the college of arts and sciences at Lamar University in Texas.

The finalist will be continuing their evaluation at Murray State on April 2-3, 4-5, 8-9 and 11-12 respectively. An open forum will be held for faculty with each candidate on the first day of each of their visits in the Freed Curd Auditorium.

Another forum and presentation will be held for the entire campus community following the

faculty forum in Wrather West Kentucky Museum Auditorium.

The 17-member committee appointed by President Randy Dunn has worked since December to whittle down the number of prospective applicants from 84, to the four now remaining.

This committee includes representaRose tives from every academic college and school as well as a number of other campus organizations.

Jack Rose, professor of Education and chair of the search committee, said the large size of the committee was beneficial in allowing for a large amount of the University’s constituent’s opinions to be represented.

“Dunn did an excellent job getting the cross section of the University represented,” Rose said.

“We have a student on the com-

mittee; we have a dean, as well as faculty. It was very representative of the community.”

The committee advertised the available provost position in The Chronicle of Higher Education in December, before promoting the opening through various websites. The deadline for applications was March 1.

Applications were then evaluated according to a matrix designed by the committee, to analyze candidates’ experience in program development, their record of teaching and scholarly achievements, their academic leadership and their commitment to diversity and equality, among other criteria.

This evaluation allowed the committee to narrow down the number of initial candidates to eight applicants, who were then interviewed via Skype on March 8, 11 and 13. After the preliminary interviews, the committee was able to reduce the number to the four remaining finalists based on applicant’s performance in their interviews.

Dunn, who will make the final decision of who will become provost, said he is highly appreciative of the commitment and work completed thus far by the committee; particularly chair Rose.

“Rose has provided outstanding leadership as the committee’s chair, and the campus couldn’t ask for a more successful and timely performance from a search committee to this point,” Dunn said.

Dunn and Rose said they were happy with the results, especially considering the University did not pay for or receive help from any outside consulting firms.

Although Higginson’s resignation as provost does not go into effect until June 30, Rose said one of his main concerns right now is staying on schedule with the applicant interviews so they can have an appointed provost by the middle of April, or as soon there after as possible.

Higginson plans on remaining at Murray State as a professor in the College of Education.

Night Owl under local scrutiny Staff Report The Night Owl, a local hookah lounge and snack bar, is in the process of laying out a new business plan after police were called to the business on two occasions.

During their March 20 meeting, the Board of Zoning and Adjustments requested for Night Owl owner, Tung Dinh, to put together a new business plan after problems arose with issues such as over-capacity, lack of adequate security, hours of operation and trash and noise complaints.

Justin Crice, planner at the City of Murray Planning and Engineering Department, said Murray State officers contacted the Board of Zoning and Adjustments after visiting the business in both January and February of this year.

Crice said on one particular inci-

*For a limited time only

dent, police counted more than 200 people in the building. Under the conditional use permit for the Night Owl, there cannot be more than 165 people in the building at one time.

It is also stated in the conditional use permit that the Night Owl is considered a recreational facility and cannot cause any safety or fire hazards or a nuisance to the public and surrounding areas, such as the noise and trash complaints the business has recently received.

According to Crice, if Dinh does not fix the existing problems with the business plan, several courses of action can be taken, including revoking the Night Owl’s conditional use permit.

Dinh has until the Boarding of Zoning and Adjustments’ next meeting, April 17, to submit the new plan.

Lori Allen/The News

LOCAL REPRESENTATION: Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville, Ky.) held a town hall meeting Thursday in the Curris Center to discuss the Kentucky state hemp bill, rising tuition costs and the use of green energy.

4A

March 29, 2013

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Devin Griggs Phone: 809-5873 Twitter: MSUNewsOpinion

A Professor’s Journal

Our View

Lost and found

Board of Regents not above law

The third grader at Oaklawn Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas, had waited for this day. Usually, his father would come around at the end of the school day I to pick up the two Duane Bolin brothers for the Professor of ride home.

But now it was History spring, and the boys’ parents had decided that it was time for the younger brother to walk home alone. And the boy knew the route well, having often walked it with his mother to a grocery store nearby the school.

He knew that after several blocks from the school a large, dark brick house surrounded by a chain-link fence would rise on the hill to the right. Intimidating black Dobermans, three of them, always came barking down to the fence at the sidewalk.

It was at that house the boy knew to turn left onto the safety of Collins Street, his street.

The street was still gravel but after making the turn, his house, a nondescript, white frame bungalow with attached garage in front, stood only three doors to the right.

The boy waited patiently for the final school bell to ring. And when it rang he headed home. He skipped along a block or two, and then began to look for the large dark house with the chain-link fence. He listened for the familiar bark of the dogs. He walked another block, and kept up his watch. Then, another block. And then, yet another.

By this time he knew something was amiss. Had he missed a turn?

Had he left the school from the wrong corner? He wasn’t sure where he had gone wrong, but he was sure of one thing. He was lost, utterly lost. He began to cry, and through his tears he saw across the street a tall man with a bag draped over his shoulder. The man wore a distinctive blue-gray uniform. The boy knew him for what he was, a mailman.

The boy looked both ways and crossed the street. He got the postman’s attention, and still crying, tried to explain to him that he was lost.

The boy explained that he had just left Oaklawn Elementary School a while ago, that his parents had allowed him for the first time to walk home alone, but that something had gone wrong. He was lost.

The boy has never forgotten what that postman did at that moment of his despair. The postman did not just point the boy back to the school with instructions to walk a few blocks in the direction from which he had come. Rather, the postman put his arm around the boy, left his own mail route, and walked with the boy step by step all the way back to the school.

Sure enough, back in the parking lot stood the boy’s family, father and mother and brother, beside the white Rambler station wagon.

The Rambler had all the doors flung open wide, as if the car itself welcomed the boy back. The boy ran into the arms of his parents and they took him safely home.

I will never forget what that postman did for me that day. And I will never forget his face. And when I try to imagine what God looks like, I don’t see a stern old man with a longflowing beard.

Instead, through tear-stained eyes, I see the kindly, smiling face of the postman who led me back home.

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Evan Watson/The News

Seldom does Murray State gather so much attention when basketball isn’t involved, but the controversy surrounding the Board of Regents’ decision to not renew President Randy Dunn’s contract is bringing in a lot of attention, and none of it is positive.

On March 14, some members of the board met privately at the home of Regent Sharon Green before voting the next day against renewing Dunn’s contract. If six of eleven Regents attended that social gathering, and if University business was discussed, then this constitutes a criminal act.

According to Kentucky’s open meetings law, the board’s regular meetings are open to the public. If the board discussed any business at all regarding the University then they broke the law, period. Now the question is whether the attending board members will face any legal repercussions for this private meeting.

Board Chair Constantine Curris said regular board business was discussed at the meeting, including some talk about the president’s Ad-hoc Contract Committee Report. That in itself is a violation of the law, provided there were enough board members present to constitute a majority.

Whether or not you like Dunn’s administration, there’s something shady about how the board came to a decision on Dunn’s contract at the meeting. The vote was not scheduled for March 15, rather it was already set for May. The board should have made a decision on Dunn’s contract a year ago, as we editorialized in a previous edition of The News. But once the board did decide to act on his contract it

Opinionated Tweets We sift through the muck so you don’t have to.

This week: #LoveIsLove Rob Kardashian

Reverend Sue

Pat Fuller

@MrRobKardashian Yes, I'm straight. Yes, I'm a Christian.

And yes, I strongly support gay rights and marriage equality. Why? Because love is love. ❤ 2:28 p.m. March 26

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KIDPERU @kidperu I got a Instagram today that said. "I'm straight but I support you cause Love is Love. It sure is. #loveislove 6:23 p.m. March 27

The Daily Edge

Top Conservative Cat

@TheDailyEdge Do we really want to live in a country where Ted Nugent can marry but Adam Lambert can't? #equality #loveislove 8:55 p.m. March 27

@TeaPartyCat Newt Gingrich: "I am opposed to gay marriage because marriage is only between a man and a woman who has not yet become sick." #LoveIsLove 3:21 p.m. March 25

Rush Milne

Ashley Judd

@rmil46 I may not be like them, but that's not important.

No freedom till we're equal damn right I support it. #loveislove 5:02 p.m. March 27

@ashleyjudd Love is love is love.

11:06 p.m. March 26

Austin Ramsey

The News TheNews.org

Barack Obama @BarackObama Every American should be able to marry the person they love. #LoveIsLove 12:04 p.m. March 25

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should have been done with transparency and in accordance with Kentucky’s open meetings laws.

Wrongdoing hasn’t been proven yet, and that is important to note here, but the resignation of Faculty Regent Jack Rose and the mere possibility this decision was reached illegally has tainted the entire process.

Murray State is a regional Univeristy and as such it is beholden not only to the students and faculty of the school, but also to members of surrounding communities. The board’s decision to end his contract despite the support of community leaders and local educators (including the 27 school superintendents of western Kentucky) has shown the board feels the only opinion which matters is their own, and most important the opinion of Constantine Curris. Murray State cannot have two presidents.

If Curris had known what was best for this University, his presidency would not have ended in 1983. His own administration is infamous across campus for behaving in the same manner the board has acted in the past few weeks. Enough is enough.

The board has sent us a message. We need to send one right back – that disregard for the law and for how we, the students, staff, faculty and community members feel our University should run and who should run it will not be tolerated. Now is the time to get up, get active and get angry. It is time for the board to be held accountable – maybe not by legal authority, but by the moral authority we have when we stand up for ourselves and our rights.

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The News

Opinion

March 29, 2013

5A

Letters to the Editor Well, this has been an interesting few weeks; first, we have a couple creationists trying to convince the Murray State population that humans coexisted with dinosaurs, and now we have a professor railing against the moral decay of America, driven he says, by such untenable positions as the right to an abortion, universal health care and gun control. Professor Rose knows his history, and as Vicki the software program in the movie “I, Robot,” would say, his logic is “undeniable.”

However, as I will endeavor to demonstrate, his basic premise is flawed.

I am not going to argue here for or against abortion; that is a personal decision and it is a difficult one for all of us as compassionate humans to make (but isn’t it interesting that the most outspoken critics against a woman’s right to an abortion are predominantly old white guys?).

Rather, let’s consider the premise that there even exist any universal moral positions, let alone who has the right to decide what those positions might be. Abraham Lincoln won the fight against slavery, not because he was guaranteed to do so because he held the moral high ground, but because he happened to be the most powerful human in America and commanded the superior set of armed forces. Isn’t it interesting how morality tends to flow that way through history?

Other than religious fundamentalists who believe there are universal laws handed down by a deity (and those laws differ depending on

Cheers & Jeers Cheers & Jeers is written by the Opinion Editor.

Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to dgriggs@murraystate.edu Cheers to ... Murray State’s awesome Faculty! What would we do without you all to teach us?

Work at Burger King?

Jeers to ... the Board of Regents. Way to set a good example for the rest of us while you go about breaking the law.

C h e e r s t o . . . Co py Edi to rs , t h e beh i nd t h e s ce n e s g uys and ga l s that

catch our mistakes. Thanks!

Jeers to ... the Kentucky General Assembly, which voted to make it easier to discriminate against LGBT Kentuckians. History will be unkind.

Cheers to ... Easter!

Christian or secular, treat yo self this weekend to some chocolate b u n n i e s a n d Reese’s eggs.

Jeers to ... Groundhog Day. Yes, it was last month. But this month proves that its nothing but a BS holiday. No. More. Snow.

Cheers to ... the wave of support for marriage equality flowing across the nation.

Time for equality!

Jeers to ... being back in school.

Where did Spring Break go? Alas, we never knew ye.

Comics

Born in the U.S.A. the religion, of course), very few others are naive enough to believe that morality is anything except a set of rules to eliminate societal chaos at any given time and place. While some may choose to believe that God delivered the Ten Commandments to Moses in order to guide humanity, a much more credible idea is that Moses was a smart guy who realized that his people needed a healthy shove away from the Golden Calf for their own good.

I am a biologist and an evolutionist; I see human behavior, the good and the bad, as the result of millions of years of adaptation to some pretty difficult conditions, first in Africa, then in Eurasia as humans evolved and spread out during the Ice Ages. We had to be both tough and cruel, as well as smart, to survive, and we still carry all those genes. We see them play out every day in the mayhem that plagues the world. American societal problems, of which there are many, are hardly due to “moral decay” as a result of current activities and trends, most of which come and go through the generations, but to the primitive, cruel genes we carry, expressed mostly by short-sighted, pompous, vainglorious, greedy, angry, testosterone-driven males (yes, of course I have those tendencies, too).

Robert Martin Professor of Biology

After reading the articles in the opinion section of March 1st's paper by Dr. Robert Martin, Mr. Ben Shelby and Dr. William Zingrone, I felt the need to read Dr. Faris Sahawneh and Mark Looy's responses to Dr. Zingrone's original article. After reading the articles in the argument, I was incredibly disturbed by the level of disrespect shown.

As a child, I was taught to think for myself and decide what I believe to be true. Presented with evidence for both evolution and creationism, I support the theory of evolution, and have never particularly had the taste for religion in general. However, I was profoundly disappointed in BOTH sides of the argument. I have seen many secular people condemn those that do practice a religion for not being respectful of those that are not religious.

I feel as if a reverse of this applies. After reading the replies to Sahawneh and Looy, I felt they were condemning them for their religious beliefs, and that they were just as intolerant and disdainful toward their beliefs as they would consider Sahawneh and Looy to be toward theirs.

As someone who accepts the theory of evolution and considers herself a student scientist, I was embarrassed by the replies of the people representing our biology department. I sincerely hope that those within and outside the University are aware that not everyone in the science departments are so pedantic and disrespectful of others' points of view. Martin says: "If Creationists had their way, we would be thrown back into the Middle Ages ..."

I highly doubt that and would like to say that if anything is going to hinder progress, it will be due to intolerant people who degrade others. Let's be respectful, and agree to disagree.

Kathleen Mount Sophomore from Crestwood, Ky.

The Board of Regents vote taken Friday before Spring Break not to renew President Dunn’s contract comes as no surprise.

Quoted in the local press, the Board Chairman’s disavowal of “factions, politics, hidden agendas” and the like, the fact he had to make such a public statement conceals a reality filled with undercurrents. When it comes to running the University, for years the board has had divisions that go deeper than “opinion.” Since the election of the current Democratic governor, its current minority faction, in the wings under the previous Republican governor, has reasserted itself and Dunn has become its target.

A case in point is his now completed “objective performance evaluation,” which took well over a year to conduct. If any performance issues were uncovered that justify his release, we in the community have yet to be informed. The real tip-off that his performance was not faulted

there was the board’s appointment of a three-member contract review committee just a few weeks ago, which, to no surprise again, conjured up four new evaluation criteria.

The handwriting was on the wall for all to see at last.

Friday the 15th’s pre-emptive board strike is packed with ironies, pre-emptive because of the board’s stated commitment to ongoing and thorough constituent input. Would waiting till the May meeting have left too much time to register community support for Dunn? Another is the balance Dunn has managed over redistribution of declining resources throughout his tenure.

For the most part, the process was transparent and judged fair by students, staff and faculty repeatedly. Another is the apparent “clash of visions” between Dunn’s strategic imperatives whose main goal is to provide access to marginal and nontraditional students and this faction’s more “tradition-

bound” view of the University’s direction that harks back to the middle of the last century. No public higher education leader of independent mind would subscribe to the latter in this day and age. Another irony, by no means the last, is the board chair’s own history in this community and how his downfall was engineered after his enlightened leadership had developed it into a real University from what had been little more than a teacher training institution. You would think he would have learned a lesson.

This University needs a stronger and more enlightened board, not one under the detrimental and obsolete influence of family connection and parochial prerogative. What we have here is a state University, not just a Murray-Calloway County one, whose mission is to serve the region, state, nation and the world.

Michael Basile Professor of Education

Pa r k i n g J o b o f t h e We e k will be returning next week! We were short on entries over Spring Break, so please submit your photos and you might just see them here! Submissions can be emailed to dgriggs@murraystate.edu.

Reaganomics: A failing grade “You’ve got to go to college if you want to make something of yourself,” goes the usual refrain. But is it true? If it is, why?

And if it is, should it be?

The greatest generation didn’t seem Devin Griggs to think it should Opinion Editor be so. The postwar economic order that lasted well into the 1970s was engineered by a generation fed up with income inequality, depression and war. It was one where you could enjoy a middle-class standard of living with a high school diploma in hand. It was a time where a factory worker could earn enough (on his wages alone) to buy a new car every few years, own a home and put his kids through college – if the kids wanted to go, that is. Back then, you didn’t have to overload yourself with student loans to go to college either. In California and New York, it was almost (if not entirely) free of charge.

So what happened? Why did college, which was a choice in the past, become an unspoken requirement in today’s economy? The nature of the economy changed. No, I don’t mean that suddenly workers needed BAs to do the jobs they’d been doing already – the economy stopped working for the middle class and started working a hell of a lot better for the wealthiest Americans.

As the wealthy and their political allies in Washington mobilized to rewrite the rules that governed the economy in the 1980s – smashing unions, cutting their taxes and lowering oversight – getting an education started to get expensive. Ronald Reagan, the second-rate actor turned second-rate president, led the charge during his time as California’s governor to eliminate the state’s free university and community college system. Reaganomics certainly reshaped America, creating an economy that rewarded wealth over work, redistributed middle class wealth into the wealthy’s pocketbooks and dealt middle class America a deathblow.

The union-busting campaign pushed

by Reagan and his corporate allies, combined with government support for low wage businesses like McDonald’s and Walmart (with special tax incentives to keep wages low, like the Earned Income Tax Credit) sent wages spiralling down.

The high school graduate of 1963 could own a home; the high school graduate of 2013 has no such option, having little choice but to pile on student loan debt to buy themselves an education (even if it’s not what they enjoy or what they’d be best at doing) or try and survive on $7.25.

The new economy that Reaganomics gave us is one of both great want and great wealth. Those who wish to avoid the former must now buy their way out, thus further enriching the already wealthy. As education becomes a moneymaking operation, so do other services we take for granted. The United States Postal Service is as old as the republic, but that hasn’t stopped Reagan’s disciples from trying to tear it to pieces.

Call me old fashioned, but there are some things that just shouldn’t be for profit. Education is one of those things.

You shouldn’t have to mortgage your future to have a decent living today.

Everybody, no matter what they do for a living, or how much schooling they have, should at least have a decent standard of living free from starvation or destitution.

It’s time that we went beyond Reaganomics and build a new economic foundation – one that rewards those who work before it rewards those wealthy who have enough already.

Devin Griggs is vice president of finances for the Murray State College Democrats. dgriggs@murraystate.edu

By Devin Griggs

Kim Jong-Un, Zombie Hunter by Greg Knipp

News

6A

NEWS PULSE

The News March 29, 2013

makes you realize bigger than yourself –Colton Robbins, Pi Kappa Alpha

Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Ben Manhanke

Photos by Lexy Gross, Meghann Anderson, Taylor McStoots/The News

Jeremiah Johnson, above presents the President’s Cup to Miranda Sexton of Alpha Omicron Pi for the Greek GPA award. Alpha Omicron Pi also won the stroll competition Tuesday night, left.

SUPREME COURT DISCUSSES DOMA The Supreme Court continued to deliberate this week whether to take out a piece of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act which defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, a definition that is used by more than 1,000 federal laws and programs.

With the omittance of this passage, same-sex couples in the nine states and the District of Columbia which allow same-sex marriage would receive the same federal benefits already granted to traditional married couples.

Greek Week 2013 Staff Report

N. KOREA CUTS LAST HOTLINE In the escalating conflict between North and South Korea, North Korea cut its last military hotline with Seoul Wednesday, severing communications between the two countries’ armies.

This hotline was being used primarily for organizing the construction of an industrial complex in the North which employed hundreds of South Koreans but was important in diplomatic communication as well, as direct telephone communications do not exist between the two countries.

PART OF BERLIN WALL REMOVED Early Wednesday morning construction crews, protected by approximately 250 police, tore down 15 feet of the more than 30-year monument to the division of East and West Berlin.

The part of the wall being removed is known as the East Side Gallery.

Many Germans and Berliners were opposed to the removal of this piece of their identity so as to allow for the construction of a planned luxury apartment complex.

Monday kicked off the newly revamped Greek Week for Murray State fraternities and sororities.

Seventeen organizations collected cans for Needline of Murray Tuesday. These groups are part of College Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council.

A total of 7,771 cans were collected for Needline, surpassing the original goal of 1,000.

Alpha Omicron Pi collected the most at 2,554 and won the stroll-off competition Tuesday night.

Pi Kappa Alpha was the top fra-

More than 7,000 cans were raised Tuesday during the canned food drive that was a part of Greek Week. The original goal was 1,000 cans, surpassing last year’s total of 150 cans.

Below, members of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia compete in the stroll competition Tuesday night in Racer Arena.

Photos by Lexy Gross, Taylor McStoots/The News

ternity at the food drive with 1,050 cans collected.

Alpha Gamma Delta and Alpha Sigma Phi won Outstanding chapter adviser at All Greek Assembly.

Julia Hilkey of Sigma Sigma Sigma won outstanding sorority president and Greek Woman of the Year. Drew Filosa, Alpha Sigma Phi member, won outstanding president of the year.

Alpha Gamma Rho member Michael Dobbs was named Greek Man of the Year. Other awards were also presented at the assembly.

Greek Week ended Thursday with the all-Greek social event following step show.

Students use social media to voice opinions Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu Social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter blew up with student responses after the March 15 Board of Regents meeting where a vote was made to not extend President Randy Dunn’s contract.

Student Regent and Student Government Association president Jeremiah Johnson voted to not extend Dunn’s contract at the Board meeting.

Johnson and six other board members voted in favor of the nonrenewal.

Students, faculty and staff all turned to social media hoping to find answers. Comments on several news outlet website and Facebook pages proved many people had intense opinions on the discussion.

Many students were questioned Johnson’s vote, while many supported his decision.

Johnson said he spoke with the SGA and students from the regional campuses and based his vote on what he thought was best for the students.

SGA vice president Kevin Cough-

lin, said Murray State created a Student Senate to give students a voice on campus and to represent the students to the administration.

“It is impossible to represent a voice that chooses not to speak until after the decision has been made,” Coughlin said. “I urge anyone interested in expressing their voice to become a Senator either through your Residential College, or picking up paperwork in the Center for Student Involvement.”

Coughlin said Johnson he invites anyone with any issues to attend the Senate meetings at 5 p.m. in the Barkley Room on Wednesdays. Meetings are open to the public and events and other happenings on campus are discussed openly between senators.

Along with the support of Johnson and his decision many students felt he was wrong in the way he voted and on how he went about

talking to students.

Cornelius Hocker, graduate student from Greenville, Ky., said to his knowledge, Johnson did not talk to anyone in the music department about the renewal of Dunn’s contract.

Hocker said members of SGA are supposed to serve as liaisons for the different student groups on campus, but he said no member has visited the group Phi Mu Alpha.

While many students attended the budget meetings held earlier in the week prior to the board meeting, several students were still unclear about what the board’s decision meant for their University president.

Matthew Thomas, graduate student from Murray, said on one hand, Johnson did not do his due diligence to find out what the student body thought during the year.

Thomas suggests a survey could have been sent out to the students.

Johnson confirmed no survey was sent to students, but when he asked SGA its opinion on Dunn, only one senator voted to renew his contract.

SGA has approximately 100 members, which include students involved

The Murray State News is now accepting applications for all 2013–14 editorial positions including News, Sports, Opinions and Features Editors and Assitant Editors, Chief Copy Editor, and Advertising Sales and Production Managers.

Submit an application and resume at 111 Wilson Hall by 5 p.m. April 5th.

with the Residential College Association and the Campus Activities Board.

“On issues that are important like this, Mr. Johnson should have made every effort to get as many of the students' opinions as possible,” Thomas said. “That being said, he did not and had to rely on gut feeling. Now, I agree with the decision because even if people may disagree, I believed Murray State needed change.”

Thomas said he was still questioning the actions of the board.

David Madwell, senior from Owensboro, Ky., said the majority of the posts on Facebook that he saw were from alumni.

He said while he did hear some concerns from students in Phi Mu Alpha and other music students, he said he heard a lot of support from students in and outside of SGA. Madwell, who serves as a senator in SGA, said he thinks Johnson voted fairly and wisely.

“I know this was not an easy vote,” Madwell said. “He did what he thought was best for students and I think it was an excellent choice.”

March 29, 2013

Section B

The News

Sports

Sports Editor: Jaci Kohn Assistant Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUNewsSports

Gone to Texas Croaker decommits to Murray State Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

On Dec. 2, 2012, Demarcus Croaker – a 6-foot-3-inch guard out of Orlando, Fla., announced his intentions to play basketball for the Racers.

With many Murray State fans hoping Croaker would fill the vacancy left by departing senior Isaiah Canaan, the guard known for his flashy dunks and fast-paced play seemed primed to become the next star player to wear

the blue and gold.

“I talked to Isaiah Canaan, and knowing how he came here and how he made an impact on their program, I think I can do the same thing,” Croaker told Scout.com at the time of his commitment.

Unfortunately for Racer fans, Croaker didn’t stick around to find out.

Recruits often give verbal commitments to schools, usually during or after a visit to the campus.

In Croaker’s case, he informed the coaching staff he had chosen

Murray State during a weekend visit to campus.

This type of commitment is not binding, however, until a recruit signs an official letter of intent.

These letters cannot be signed until National Signing Day in April, however, which allows verbally committed recruits to continue visiting and talking with other schools.

After his verbal commitment to the Racers, the University of

see CROAKER, 2B Lori Allen/The News

Junior Cameron Finch from Collierville, Tenn., threw a complete game with no hits recorded on March 22, in Edwardsville, Ill., against SIUE. The ’Breds would go on to win the game 1-0 and the series 2-1.

Finch joins prestigious list of ‘Breds pitchers Jaci Kohn || Sports Editor jkohn@murraystate.edu

Taylor McStoots/The News

EXTRA INNINGS: Senior Mike Kozlowski runs toward first base in an attempt to beat the throw to first. The ‘Breds lost in the 12th inning 4-3 to Austin Peay in game one of a three game series. The ‘Breds had many chances to win as they were leading until the top of the eigth. The scores stayed dead-locked at 3-3 until the Govenors drove in a run at the top of the 12th. The ‘Breds had looked as though they would come back but a double-play ended the game. First pitch goes off at 3 p.m. today for game two.

On March 22, Cameron Finch’s name was added to a short list of prestigious ‘Breds pitchers.

The junior from Collierville, Tenn., threw his first no-hitter of his college career in the win against SIU Edwardsville in the first game of the series Friday, March 22.

Finch is the first ‘Breds pitcher in Murray State history to pitch a nine-inning no -hitter and the eighth to pitch seven innings without a hit. The last one was recorded in 1986 against Tennessee Tech.

The pitcher was Rich Garner and he led the ‘Breds to a 4-0 victory.

Because of his performance during the game, Finch was awarded OVC and National honors. He was named the Louisville Slugger Collegiate Baseball national Player of the Week, the Adidas Ohio Valley Conference Pitcher of the Week and Murray State Pepsi Athlete of the Week. This was the second time he has been named the OVC Pitcher of the Week.

About halfway through the game, Finch

said he realized he might be able to throw a no-hitter.

“I started thinking about it a little bit, but I didn’t really try to change anything,” he said. “It was a close game, and I was more concerned about the win than the no-hitter.”

Finch got things rolling early, going 1-23 in strike outs in the first two innings. In the third, he walked one player before quickly striking out the next three. In the fourth he hit a batter, but allowed no other Cougars on base in the inning.

In the sixth inning it looked as though Finch’s no-hitter could be in jeopardy as he walked SIUE’s Denton Reed and threw a wild pitch to Matt Highland. He quickly calmed down and got out of the inning without any damage to the score or the possible no-hitter.

In the seventh inning Finch quickly struck out all three batters. The final two innings proved a little dramatic with a walk, a fielding error in the eighth and a walk in the ninth. However, Finch had control of the ball and fin-

see PITCHER, 2B

Football returns to practice in spring

Out of Left Field March Madness ABCs It truly is the best time of the year. Flowers are blooming, allergies are back in season and the nation is once again infected with the March MadCarly Besser ness.

Assistant Sports Tournament Editor time is honestly like Christmas to me. Nonstop, passion-driven basketball in its truest form? Yes, please. Since March Madness is such a staple in college sports, I’ve compiled the ABCs for the bracket busting phenomenon.

A is for apps. If any of you are staying in the dorms, I know how sub-par the cable situation is in the rooms. It’s no excuse with the official March Madness application, which live-streams all the games. The price tag of free is also worth mentioning, and being able to watch games on your phone keeps a low profile if you’re trying to slack off at work. Come on. We all know you do it, too.

Another notable app is March Madness Fan zone, which aggregates real-time scores, stats and media straight to your device. It also provides chat rooms for fans to openly discuss the wonderful sport of basketball.

see ABC, 2B

Lexy Gross || Assistant News Editor cgross2@murraystate.edu

Taylor McStoots/The News

Senior Darian Yahyavi, No. 29, and sophomore Tray Carr, No. 17, prepare to begin a drill at Wednesday’s practice. This is the second spring practice of the year. The team is hoping to strengthen its defense by trying new strategies and switching positions.

With only 13 practices left this spring, Racer football is considering every moment a precious one.

The first spring practice landed before Spring Break this year, where Head Coach Chris Hatcher said he was very pleased with the team’s performance.

Walter Powell, senior wide receiver of St. Louis, said the first few spring practices are more of a learning experience than anything.

Powell said the tempo and motivation between practices has already increased. Execution of plays and consistency seems to also be a focus of the team.

Hatcher has two objectives in mind for the spring practices: implementing a new defensive scheme and finding the next Murray State quarterback.

After hiring two new defensive coaches in February, Dennis Therrell as defensive coordinator and Davern Williams coaching defensive line, changes have already been made to the Murray State defensive scheme.

Later into last season, the Racers had a weaker rushing defense against Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State. Hatcher and Powell believe the new strategies will strengthen the team altogether in the upcoming season.

“We’re switching positions and the players have to learn, and the coaches have to understand the players in those positions,” Hatcher said. “We’re worrying about the run first, and the pass second.”

Hatcher also mentioned the possibility of Corey Addison, senior linebacker of

Jacksonville, Fla., playing as center this year.

He said Addison has performed well in the position this spring. Janawski Davis, sophomore wide receiver of Eight Mile, Ala., has been playing as an inside receiver, rather than an outside receiver.

Hatcher said he is also happy to have senior linebacker Sam Small back in practice, after sitting out due to an injury last season. Perhaps the open position under most scrutiny right now is the one All-American Casey Brockman left last season.

“It’s going to affect us because (Brockman) was experienced and a four-year starter,” Powell said.

Sophomore KD Humphries, junior Parks Frazier, junior CJ Bennett and senior Spencer Phillips are currently competing for the starting quarterback position.

Powell said Humphries has stepped up and taken control of the offense in the last few practices. He said it should not be difficult to build up the offense because the system Brockman played under is well understood by Humphries and Frazier.

Hatcher said he believes Humphries and Frazier have an advantage because they understand the offensive scheme and can distribute the ball well.

“We chart every throw they make in practice, and keep up with it and who’s knowledgeable,” Hatcher said. “This is why Humphries and Frazier have the advantage right now.”

Hatcher said he will continue to chart plays and evaluate execution of plays until the end of spring. By then, the Racers will have a starting quarterback for the fall 2013 season.

WHAT’S

TEAM STRUGGLES

DOUBLE HEADER

RINGLING BROS.

INSIDE

Womens golf finish 14th at Intercollegiate, 3B

Softball splits series against Evansville Wednesday, 4B

Worldwide circus to revisit Murray Alternative rock band releases mediocre album, 7B next week, 5B

STROKES REVIEW

The News

Sports

2B

CROAKER From Page 1 Texas, a finalist for Croaker along with Murray State and Florida State, intensified its efforts to land the three-star recruit.

In late February, ESPN’s Reggie Rankin reported Croaker had decommitted from the Racers and was likely on the verge of signing with Texas.

Since the decommitment, Croaker has visited Texas and has also drawn additional interest from Baylor. Following his visit to Texas earlier this month, Croaker verbally committed to the Longhorns March 19.

While the commitment to Texas doesn’t necessarily put Murray State out of the running, it is not likely Head Coach Steve Prohm and staff will be able to change Croaker’s mind for a third time.

With Croaker likely out of the equation,

Prohm still has two scholarships open for next season. With five seniors departing, the Racers have already inked three players for next season.

They included two freshmen guards Cameron Payne and forward Jarvis Williams, and Clemson transfer guard T.J. Sapp.

Croaker If Croaker cannot be convinced to recommit, Prohm and his staff may look to the junior college ranks or to other schools to add another guard and forward.

In recent years, the Racers have experienced success at bringing in junior college and transfer players, including seniors Stacy Wilson and Latreze Mushatt.

With much still to be decided, Prohm and his staff are sure to be busy over the coming weeks. They look to complete next year’s roster and fill the shoes vacated by the winningest senior class in program history.

ABC From Page 1 B is for brackets. Sports analysts everywhere come together each year to research the secret to the perfect bracket. 90 percent of the time, their predictions are wrong anyway.

Office pools everywhere rely on the bracket to compare the predictions of fans. While some people simply make their bracket based on seed numbers, or even on which team has a better mascot, I treat this like a science.

March Madness is a showcase of the underdogs. Before you put that No. 1 seed over

March 29, 2013 the lowly No. 15 seed, consider the element of surprise. Western Kentucky didn’t get blown out by Kansas by any means.

They put up a good fight and it turned out to be a close game.

C is for criticism. While it is safe to say a lot more men watch tournaments, you’re still bound to see a few cat fights.

Kentucky did not make the tournament this year and lost in the first round of the NIT. If your favorite team is in the bracket, you’re most likely public enemy No. 1 to a typical Cats fan. You can sit through the lecture of how many tournaments they have won, their list of NBA stars and how they won last year. You know the drill.

I’m predicting bloodshed in the Michigan area upon dis-

covering the Michigan State Spartans made the tournament and not the Michigan Wolverines. Whoever said the last civil war was in 1861 obviously didn’t watch NCAA basketball.

I’ve gotten quite a few jeers for predicting Louisville will win the championship, and I can openly admit that I will groan in boredom if Duke takes yet another trophy. Nobody is safe. Even the most humble, diplomatic sports fan can’t stop himself from a little trash talk. Madness is in the name for a reason.

In all seriousness, March Madness is simply a fun event.

Before you try to make it a homework assignment and not a past time like I do, just remember that it only comes once a year. Try to enjoy it.

PITCHER From Page 1

Spring Practice Schedule March 29 - Practice #3 - 4:30 p.m.

March 30 - Practice #4 - 1:30 p.m.

April 1 - Practice #5 - 3:10 p.m.

April 3 - Practice #6 - 3:10 p.m.

April 5 - Practice #7 - 4:30 p.m.

April 6 - Practice #8 - 6:30 p.m.

April 8 - Practice #9 - 3:10 p.m.

April 10 - Practice #10 - 3:10 p.m.

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The coaches are using the spring practice schedule to evaluate players and see who will fit in each position. The team have spots to fill including former starting quarterback Casey Brockman’s spot. Above, sophomore Carson Greifenkamp waits to begin a drill and right, senior Darrian Skinner runs a play during the second practice Wednesday.

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ished the complete game without any hits.

“I was excited, relieved,” Finch said. “I was happy we won more so, but it was cool to throw (the Wheeler no hitter.)”

Finch is now 3-1 so far this season with an ERA of 3.51. He needed only 96 pitches to win the game, and struck out five batters and walked four.

Senior Dylan Wheeler contributed to the win on both defense and offense.

Wheeler made an incredible catch in the sixth to keep Finch’s no-hitter hopes alive. Finch joked that he needed to take his second baseman out to dinner to thank him.

This is not the first complete no -hit game Finch has thrown. He pitched two in high school, one at the district championships.

Next up the ‘Breds return to conference play as they take on Austin Peay at home on Thursday through Saturday. Finch started the game and had another strong showing allowing only four hits and a run in six innings of work.

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March 29, 2013

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Rowing

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The men’s and women’s rowing teams take to the water at practice on Wednesday night. The team travelled to Georgia to compete in their first regatta of the season and came home with two medals. They placed first in women’s novice eight and third in men’s novice eight.

Baseball

Crew brings medals from first regatta Carly Besser || Assistant Sports Editor cbesser@murraystate.edu

The Murray State Rowing Club returned to the water Saturday to compete in the 27th annual John Hunter Regatta in Gainesville, Ga., racing in six events.

The regatta was categorized by men’s or women’s teams, novice or varsity rowers and by boats of either four or eight passengers.

The team returned with two medals, with the women’s novice eight placing first in their flight and the men’s novice eight placing third.

Competing against notable schools like Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, Duke and the University of Georgia, Murray State still managed honorable mentions.

“It’s such an amazing experience,” said sophomore rower Danielle Eichelberger.

“We definitely have some strong competition, especially with D1 schools, but we feel that we represent Murray State well. We like to go out there and play with the big kids.”

The varsity men’s team placed fourth, missing a third place finish by seconds.

The women’s varsity four team sailed past

Louisiana State, Georgia Tech and Liberty in the first heat.

The regatta marked the first 2K race of the season for Murray State. In the fall, the team focuses on long-distance racing.

In the spring, sprints are the primary focus and rowers practice weekly on high speed stars, lining up with floating starting blocks and formulating effective race plans.

Coming back from the first regatta of the season, Eichelberger said the team is looking to incorporate new training methods to better prepare better for competition in the future.

“Our boats have a ways to go before the club nationals,” she said. “We’re working on strength training and will be incorporating Crossfit exercises soon to build some more muscle and add more speed.

She said attending the regattas with bigger schools not only gives Murray State a taste of the competitive experience, but it also gives more national recognition to the team.

“I had a few people come up to me and ask me where we were located,” Head Coach Colin Neeley said. “But

Racheal Foxley @rachealfoxley Loved the Cross fit session instead of regular practice... #switchingitup

it’s nice to know that our team doesn’t get distracted by the big schools with big names. We can compete with schools like that.”

With two more regattas before the national tournament, Neeley said the John Hunter regatta was more of a learning experience for novice rowers and even varsity rowers so they can get acclimated to more serious racing.

“I told them that I just wanted to see a solid race,” Neeley said. “And they did exactly that. We held our own and people are starting to recognize us and saw that we did good. We didn’t blow them out of the water, but we did pretty good in the long run.”

Despite their status as a club, the rowing team is looking to eventually be recognized as an NCAA sport at Murray State.

Neeley said funding was the primary concern in the way of the club advancing to collegiate sport status.

“Our women’s team could certainly one day be recognized by the NCAA,” he said.

“The team is paying for it themselves.

They really want to be here, and I think it even drives them to compete a little more.

It’s out of their pockets.”

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Freshman Abbi Stamper follows through with her swing. The women were coming off of first and second place finishing at their previous two matches, but struggled Monday and Tuesday due to weather.

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The Murray State women’s golf team participated this week in the 20th annual John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate hosted by Georgia State at Eagles Landing Country Club in Stockbridge, Ga. While enduring 20-mph winds and 35-degree weather conditions, the Racers finished the tournament in last place out of 14 teams.

Despite the team’s struggle, team member Delaney Howson individually placed eighth out of 76 players shooting 235 overall.

Murray State Women’s Golf Coach Velvet Milkman said she was very pleased with Howson’s results.

“It was a very good tournament for her,” Milkman said. “Anytime you finish top 10 is good.”

Winning medalist honors in the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech in Sevierville, Tenn., two weeks ago, Howson has worked hard this season. She was also named OVC player of the week this week for the second time in a row.

Other players who competed for the Murray State team alongside Howson were Alli Weaver, who placed 11th with a score of 246, Abby Stamper, who placed 43rd, Sophie Hillier, who placed 73rd, and Gina Nuzzo, who came in close behind placing 75th.

As the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate is a regularly played tournament for the Murray State Women’s Golf team, Milkman said the Racers did some great things this year compared to previous years. However, Milkman said there is always more room for improvement.

“I know this wasn’t our best tournament, but I’m still seeing progress,” Milkman said. “I wasn’t displeased with the effort, but our goal is to continue to get better every week.”

In preparation for this tournament, Milkman said the team did nothing different than when preparing for any other tournament.

The ladies use their practice time by playing the course and focusing mostly on their short game.

Milkman said this season has been a great season overall for her team, making huge improvements from last year. However, Milkman also said that the team must work on a few other things in order to continue improving.

“We need to work on hitting more greens,” Milkman said. “Our iron play could get better, and our putting could get better as well.”

The Racer Women’s Golf team will compete again Saturday at noon in a duel competition against the Southern Illinois Salukis at Dalhousie Golf Course in Cape Girardeau, Miss.

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March 29, 2013

Golf

Team set to tee off in Boca Raton Kelly Farrell Contributing writer kfarrell2@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of Sports Information

Daniel Harper, freshman from Murray, Ky., drives the ball. He is one of five freshman on this year’s roster. The team is traveling to the Spring Break Invitational today through Sunday.

Murray State men’s golf aims to place high in the March 29-31 Spring Break Invitational.

The Racers tee off in Boca Raton, Fla., at the Fountains Country Club starting today, Florida Atlantic University is hosting the event. Head Coach Eddie Hunt said the team hopes to continue its streak of solid individual and team performances and expects a topranking finish in Boca Raton.

“We have a really good opportunity to place in the top five,” Hunt said. “I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t.“ Hunt said the Spring Break Invitational features many East Coast opponents and several other non-conference colleges that will help prepare the Racers for OVC play.

Patrick Newcomb said he is optimistic about Hunt’s top-five ambitions.

“Oh, definitely. I definitely think we can finish in the top five,” Newcomb said. “I think perhaps we can even win it.”

Hunt said the Racers need someone to step up in the fifth spot, which has been filled mostly by freshmen.

“We’ve had really good play from our seniors,” Hunt said. “We are having a hard time finding a fifth man.”

As for Newcomb, the senior said he’s playing better than ever.

“I feel really confident going

in,” Newcomb said. “My game is really good right now. I expect to play well.”

Murray State is coming off an eighth of 18 ranking with a score of 907 at the March 16-18 Mission Hill Spring Spectacular in Orlando, Fla. Indiana University won the event scoring 869.

“It was a really good tournament with a lot of good teams we don’t usually get to play,” Hunt said. “I felt like going into the tournament that we had a shot at a top-five finish and we fell just short of that.”

“Overall, I was very pleased with the way we played,” Hunt said. “We had Patrick finish 11th out of 116.”

Murray State’s top two performances came from seniors Newcomb and Hunter York.

Newcomb placed in 11th place and York at 23rd in the large field of opponents.

Tyler Brown and Preston French landed in 60th and 64th. Duncan McCormick rounded out the Racers’ tournament in 77th place.

Jared Gosser placed 10th of 26 in individual play and 64th overall.

The Racers played the strongest in round two of the competition.

Hunt said good weather at benefited Murray State’s performance.

Newcomb agreed that weather plays a part.

“It takes a little longer to come back from the winter in Kentucky,” Newcomb said.

Murray State will tee off at the Fountains Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla., today and return on Sunday.

Softball

Evansville takes it home in double-header Megan Kavy || Staff writer mkavy@murraystate.edu

The Racer softball team played a double header against the University of Evansville on Wednesday.

The Racers lost the first game 3-0.

Evansville scored in the first inning to take an early 1-0 lead.

Evansville scored again in the second and fifth innings due to Murray State errors.

“We committed way more errors than we have been committing defensively so far this year,” said Head Coach Kara Amundson. “Mental errors really got the better of us.”

The Racers had a total of five errors throughout the game. Senior pitcher Shelby Kosmecki got the loss but handled the situation well, said Amundson.

The second game started out similar to the first. Evansville scored two runs in the first inning to lead the Racers 2-0.

Senior Christian Cox singled to start off the third inning for Murray State.

She was bunted over to second and made her way to third on a wild pitch.

Sophomore Mo Ramsey grounded out to score Cox, giving Murray State their first run of the game.

Lori Allen/The News

The softball team faced Evansville for the forth time this season. They are currently 1-3 against the Aces after winning the second game of the double-header 6-3 on Wednesday.

Evansville extended its lead to 3-1 in the third, but the Racers turned around and scored two more runs of their own in the fourth inning.

Junior Leslie Bridges homered to left field, scoring senior Ellyn Troup and tying the game. Murray State continued their streak in the fifth with

a three run homer by sophomore Alexa Becker, which gave the Racers a 6-3 lead.

Evansville was unable to come back and Murray State got the win to split the series.

“We had much more offensive fire power,” said Amundson. “We

had much better mental approaches at the plate.”

Amundson said sophomore pitcher CheyAnne Gaskey threw a good game and came home with the win for the Racers. This series brought the team to 12-15 for the season.

“We let the first game slip away,” said sophomore Alexa Becker. “We fought back really hard in the second game and got a really good win.”

Amundson said she was proud of the team being able to leave Evansville on a positive note after the rough first game.

The Racers will head to Eastern Illinois this weekend for a conference series. Eastern Illinois is currently half a game ahead of Murray State in the conference.

“It’s a big weekend for us,” said Becker. “I hope to get a few wins, if not all three.”

Becker said she believes the team is playing more confident, having fun and trusting each other, which will be important going into the weekend.

Amundson said she believes the pitching staff and the offense are in a good place and have become much more consistent.

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It’s gone on for too long.

It seems like every other day I turn on SportsCenter and see a costly officiating blunder ruin a game.

The saddest Jonathan part is, nearly Ferris all of it could Staff writer be stopped.

Games could actually be decided by players instead of officials.

Instant replay has been a hot topic in sports for the last several years. As technology has advanced, so has the quality of instant replay equipment, which has put increasing pressure on leagues to utilize cameras to assist officials in making correct calls.

The most progressive measures in today’s society have the installation of wide-spread instant replay has been met with strong opposition. Each sport has its own arguments against using replay technology, but most arguments revolve around two central ideas: Human error is part of the sport, and replay will slow down the flow of the game.

Both of these explanations are pretty lame excuses in my opinion.

The first one is utterly ridiculous.

Why in the world should being wrong be part of a game? That logic makes no sense in any other area of life, so why would it apply to sports? Imagine your doctor explaining he was only going to use some of the instruments available to him before sending you into surgery because human error is just part of it.

The second explanation makes a little bit more sense, but I still don’t buy it. I could write an entire column about how several sports baseball in particular - need to speed up game play. The last thing I’d want is for replay to cause the games to take even longer and ruin the rhythm established by the teams.

I have a hard time understanding, however, why it takes referees 10 minutes to see whether a ball clears the fence or a shooters toe is on the line.

The solution is simple. There needs to be an official sitting in a box for the entire game. Give them 15 to 20 seconds to look at the play two or three times and make a call.

At the very least, there needs to be video review in the final minutes of a game. Whether it’s the last five minutes in college basketball or the final two innings in baseball, use the technology when the game is on the line.

I understand sometimes there are judgment calls which even instant replay won’t be able to decide. But, I strongly believe 80 to 90 percent of blatantly wrong calls could be corrected with the widespread installation of video review.

It’s time for sports to enter the 21st century. Let’s use the technology we have and stop letting botched calls ruin games. jferris2@murraystate.edu.

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March 29, 2013

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Features

“Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation”

WATER COOLER Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Anna Taylor

RAPPER ARRESTED FOR STRIKING FAN ON HEAD Rapper Gucci Mane was arrested Wednesday for allegedly hitting a fan on the head with a champagne bottle. The attack occurred at an Atlanta nightclub earlier this month.

Mane is facing an assault charge after causing a severe laceration to the man’s head, according to a police report.

5B

The News

Features Editor: Anna Taylor Assistant Features Editor: Savannah Sawyer Phone: 809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

The Winners Grand Champion Alpha Delta Pi Fraternity Division 1st - Sigma Phi Epsilon 2nd - Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Sorority 1st - Sigma Sigma Sigma 2nd - Alpha Delta Pi Independent 1st - Sigma Alpha Iota 2nd - Alpha Kappa Psi

Taylor McStoots/The News

The sisters of Alpha Delta Pi perform their winning nightmare-themed step show on Thursday night in Lovett Auditorium.

Organizations compete in annual Step Off Kelsey Randolph || Staff writer krandolph3@murraystate.edu

The Zeta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha named Alpha Delta Pi the winner of their 14th annual Step Off. Several sororities and fraternities lined up in front of Lovett Auditorium at 1 p.m. yesterday to save seats for

their brothers, sisters and friends for the show.

“Waiting on the steps was worth it,” said Samantha Steinman, freshman from Edwardsville, Ill., “It was cool to see the Greeks come together with a competitive but fun attitude.”

On Tuesday, Alpha Phi Alpha hosted a stroll off in Racer Arena. The

Stroll Off is a preview for the step off.

Alpha Omicron Pi was named the winner that night for their preview.

The idea of the Stroll Off is to get people hyped for the main event. The students that participate may or may not have be the ones participating in the Step Off. This option is up to the teams.

The step show had special guests Step Crew, ENT. preform an intermission representing the Crossroads Teen Center. The master of ceremonies of the night was Rick Daniels, the leadership adviser for Greeks at

see STEP, 5B

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus to visit Murray State CBS RELEASES 18 SERIES RENEWALS CBS announced Wednesday it has renewed 18 prime-time series for next season.

Some of the renewed shows include “60 Minutes,” “NCIS,” “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two Broke Girls” and “Survivor.”

“Two and a Half Men” was not on the list but is in discussion for another season.

TIMBERLAKE ALBUM SELLS 968K IN FIRST WEEK Singer Justin Timberlake’s third solo album, “The 20/20 Experience,” sold 968 thousand copies in its first week.

“The numbers are pleasantly surprising,” said Tom Corson, president and chief operating officer of RCA Records.

Corson said the label expected "20/20" to sell 500,000 to 600,000 units.

Anna Taylor || Features Editor ataylor2@murraystate.edu

The Greatest Show on Earth will be revisiting Murray April 4-7 at the CFSB Center.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will be presenting their 2013 tour, “Fully Charged: Gold Edition.”

The family-favorite event will feature unique circus acts like highwires, exotic animals, a motorcycle globe and knife throwing.

The Lopez Family plays a big role in the show. They entertain the audience with heart-pounding acts of the high-wire, the motorcycle globe and knife throwing. Their skills have been passed down through generations of family circus entertainers.

Brothers Johan and Jonathan Lopez, from Monterrey, Mexico, started training on the high-wire with their father, Alfonso, when they were young boys.

They learned to ride motorcycles specifically for the globe act with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

In total, they have been working together for 17 years.

For the high-wire act, Johan,

Courtesy of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey

Ringmaster David Shipman entertains a crowd as the performers prepare to start their 2013 show “Fully Charged: Gold Edition” for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.

Jonathan and Jonathan’s wife, Maria Lopez, bring the audience members to the edge of their seats as they perform hand-stands, shoulder-stands and ride bicycles on a thin wire high above the ground. Some of their stunts are even performed while wearing a blindfold.

Zach Peacock works on debut album with band Savannah Sawyer Assistant Features Editor ssawyer@murraystate.edu

NBC’s “Today” weekend anchor Jenna Wolfe and NBC News Correspondent Stephanie Gosk are expecting their first a baby together in August.

In a blog post on the “Today” website, Wolfe said she and Gosk made the decision to start their family when they were two years into their relationship.

"I don't want to bring my daughter into a world where I'm not comfortable telling everyone who I am and who her mother is,” Wolfe said to People Magazine.

Quoteable “In my four seasons, I've never heard anything like that.”

–Adam Levine from Monday’s season premiere of “The Voice” on NBC

see CIRCUS, 6B

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“My biggest challenge is performing a handstand on top of a pole balanced on (Johan and Jonathan’s) shoulders as they peddle across the high wire on bicycles,” Maria said.

At 12 feet in diameter, the motorcycle globe is the narrowest in the U.S. Three motorcyclists ride in the

globe, with Erika Lopez, Johan’s wife, standing in the center. The motorcyclists ride at high speeds with closer passes and precise timing. They must avoid colliding or hitting Erika in the center.

In the knife throwing act, Alfonso Lopez hurls knives more than 12 inches long at his targets. Standing before the targets are his daughtersin-law, who are at risk of being hit with the knives.

Brett and Catherine Carden are the exotic animal presenters for the show. In total, the married couple performs three animal acts.

Among those acts is a performance of Asian elephants, a performance with a mixture of camels, Arabian horses, Shetland ponies and a miniature horse and a dog performance that features terriers, poodles and mixed breeds.

“I was born into the circus, into performing,” Brett said. “I grew up with elephants at my side. It’s my life, and my animals are part of my family. I knew my calling would involve the circus.”

Music is not an easy field to get into. There is a lot of competition and only a few artists will truly make it to the top.

Zach Peacock, senior from Cadiz, Ky., and lead singer and guitarist for his band, Peacock and the Feathers are willing to do whatever it takes to make it big.

The original Peacock and The Feathers consisted of Brandon Harper on drums, Tyler Burnham on guitar, Trevor Harper on bass and Peacock as the front man.

“We disbanded for a couple of years, then we finally came back together for the love of rocking out and writing music and actually

started Peacock and The Feathers,” he said.

Now the group consists of Peacock, Trevor Harper, freshman from Cadiz, Ky. and Ben Stone, junior from Owensboro, Ky. It took a while for the band to come together. Peacock started many different groups in an attempt to find one that fits best with his musical tastes and talents.

“I started my first band in eighth grade, with the name, The Trials and Tribulations of The Glass Hearted Man,” Peacock said.

At the age of 14, Peacock started another band, this time heavy metal, called Zombie Dance Party.

“We were super heavy metal and actually developed a pretty large following at a young and brutal age,” Peacock said. “We played shows in Bowling Green, Ky., and even recorded our first crappy little studio album with a guy named Rory in Bowling Green. We

see PEACOCK, 6B

Center honors innovative women at annual luncheon Hunter Harrell || Staff writer hharrell@murraystate.edu

In honor of National Women’s History Month, the Women’s Center at Murray State hosted its annual Celebrate Women Luncheon Tuesday in

the Curris Center Ballroom.

For the 25th year, the Women’s Center hosted the event to pay tribute to the millions of women who work to change the world for the better. According to Abigail French, Interim Director of the Women’s Center, by

Courtesy of Zach Peacock

Zach Peacock, senior from Cadiz, Ky., is currently working on recording an album in Nashville with his band Peacock and The Feathers.

educating and inspiring those who attended the luncheon, the Women’s Center honors those women who have accomplished great things and encourages others to work toward gender equality.

“The Celebrate Women Luncheon encourages women to continue to pursue their goals,” French said. “We hope to encourage mentoring relationships between the generations of women on our campus as well.”

The Celebrate Women Luncheon not only honored the accomplishments of women of all ages, national-

ities and backgrounds but also educated those who attended on the roles and contributions of women throughout history and culture. It also raised awareness of issues and powerful societal trends that are affecting women’s lives today.

According to French, approximately 140 people attended the luncheon this year.

The theme this year was Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination. It celebrated the women work-

see LUNCHEON, 6B

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Features

6B

STEP From Page 5B the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater and also alumna of Alpha Phi Alpha also spoke Wednesday on supporting a diverse campus. Daniels told the audience he’s never seen a show like the one he saw at Murray State’s campus.

“You see our (the stepping community) representation on how we are changing the world,” Daniels said. “Stepping is about using your body as an instrument to communicate. Stepping can better bring a campus together by bringing people together in a common interest.”

There were 10 different shows between sororities, fraternities and independent organizations.

All of the groups began rehearsing early this semester and some started late last semester.

Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia began the fraternity division of the step show with a spinoff the Jabbawockeez called Singona Wockeez.

Following that, Sigma Chi presented their prison themed show.

Sigma Phi Epsilon showed off in their show with black lights and a

Blue Man Group theme.

In the independent division, Alpha Kappa Psi matched their theme with “The Wizard of Oz.” Finishing up the independent category, Sigma Alpha Iota performed a “Phantom of the Opera”themed show.

The sorority division started with Alpha Gamma Delta and their rebel masquerade theme.

Alpha Delta Pi preformed their nightmare-themed step show in hopes to leave the audience with a sleepless night.

After that came Alpha Sigma Alpha with their freak show themed steps.

Sigma Sigma Sigma brought Egyptians to life with their show.

Rounding off the night was Alpha Omicron Pi. Their show captured the essence of life on the streets.

“I’ve never been to the Step Show but think the energy is really exciting,” said Caleb Ellis, junior from Henderson, Ky. “I’ll definitely be back next year.”

To conclude the evening, the Alpha Phi Alpha’s walked onto the stage and presented the audience with their step show.

The Zeta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha uses their annual step show to raise money for their philanthropy, the March of Dimes.

PEACOCK From Page 5B were too metal for our own good.”

After growing as musicians, Zombie Dance Party called it quits, and Peacock started what would be his third band, The Way The Cards Were Played.

By this time, Peacock had been working with longtime friend, Harper, who currently plays the bass in Peacock and The Feathers.

“We have been through a lot of different music projects together and know each other very well, musically,” he said. “It is one of those relationships that takes a lifetime to build.”

The band, which has now been together for a little more than a year, is working on releasing its first studio album.

The band released a live demo in December 2012 and immediately began writing new material, Peacock said.

“It was like we had evolved as soon as the demo dropped,” he said.

Since then, the band has been hard at

CIRCUS From Page 5B The show is led by David Shipman, a rookie ring master who managed to get the ringling job after missing the audition. Shipman called the producers and asked if he

LUNCHEON From Page 5B

Taylor McStoots/The News

The brothers of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia perform their Jabbawockeezinspired step show on Thursday night. They placed second in the fraternity division. The step show is an annual fundraiser for Alpha Phi Alpha’s philanthropy, the March of Dimes.

work writing new lyrics and music for its upcoming studio album.

“We are currently in the heavy writing phase for our next studio release,” Peacock said. “We have had discussions with our producer, Andy Howell, who is out of Nashville, about the next production process and goals for the future. The release date is still up in the air.”

The band has gained some following in Murray, but hopes to develop a better relationship with the fans. Peacock would love for the bands current fan base to stick with the them along the way.

“I like to think that people enjoy what we are doing in Murray,” Peacock said. “I think we need to do more as a band to connect with our friends and fans, but that is part of the growth as an artist and as a band.

At the end of the day, I think we have a very attractive and intelligent fan base comprised of young people who are intrepid in nature.”

Currently, Peacock is studying public relations at Murray State, but credits his love of music to his parents.

“As cliche as it sounds, I have always loved music,” Peacock said. “My parents

could still audition after missing the deadline, and the odds were in his favor.

Doing anything from voicing a script to freestyle dancing in his improvised audition, he got the job and he said he could not be happier to introduce the acts in the show and entertain the crowd.

“I now have this incredible opportunity to tour the United

March 29, 2013

ing or studying the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Coinciding with the theme, Murray State students, faculty and staff were recognized for inspiring and bettering the lives of women at Murray State.

Students honored included Mariah Robinson, senior from Beaver Dam, Ky. and Virginia McClure, junior from Benton, Ky. Robinson, a member of the basketball team, was awarded the Margaret Simmons Student Athlete Award, while McClure was awarded the Celebrate Women Scholarship.

The faculty honored included Renee Fister, who received the Dr. Slimmer Outstanding Faculty Award and Dorris Clark-Sarr, who received the Dr. Kimberly Barrett Oustanding Staff Award.

Fister served as the project director for the BioMaPS grant from the National Science Foundation, studying mathematical population studies in biology. She has also been awarded the Neil Weber Award for Excellence, which is given to outstanding teachers or scholars in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Clark-Sarr currently serves on multiple committees to impact the Science Technology Engineering and Math field. She has also served as the Director of the Adventures in Math and Science programs for 11 years.

Renae Duncan, associate provost of undergraduate studies, was the keynote speaker. She spoke about the accomplishments of women in the STEM fields, where women rank in terms of jobs held and pay in those fields.

She also spoke about what others can do to encourage women to pursue careers in STEM fields.

French said she hopes to improve the Celebrate Women luncheon with each passing year.

were really big music fans; they pretty much raised me on VH1 and their massively eclectic CD collection. As I got a little older, I started developing a deep passion for heavy metal.”

Even though becoming a well-known artist is one of his dreams, Peacock will settle for writing a hit song.

“I have had this goal for a while, which is to write a song the whole world gets stuck in its head,” he said. “I would love to make a career out of song writing and touring and jamming with my bros, my feathers.”

It’s the writing part of music that Peacock really enjoys. He likes the idea of his words reaching out and touching someone in a personal way.

“I look up to any musicians or producers who have real ears and a passion for the music that they make,” Peacock said. “Musicians are tough people. Musicians aren’t afraid to put their hearts and souls out there. The idea is to tell a story, either with words, or melody, that someone out there can relate to and call their own. I love it when I hear a song, or a line in a song, that I just get. It makes the song so much more credible and personal.”

States and see places that I’d never have had the opportunity to see,” Shipman said. “It’s been a whirlwind. It almost doesn’t feel real, like it’s happening to someone else. I’m proof that it’s never too late to chase after your dreams.”

Shipman said his favorite part of his job was getting to see the genuine reactions from the children in the audience.

Tickets for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey “Fully Charged: Gold Edition” are available through the CFSB Center. Prices for the show range from $10-25.

Ringling is also offering a flat $10 ticket price for students on their opening night.

The shows are at 7 p.m. April 4 and 5, 1 p.m. April 6 and 7 and 5 p.m. April 6.

Kristen Allen/The News

DRAG SHOW: Kara Belle performs during the spring drag show fundraiser for Alliance on Thursday evening in the Curris Center Ballroom. The “Fame” show raised more than $1,700, and drew in a crowd of more than 250 audience members. The cast included students and outside professionals. Alliance uses the raised funds to support its many other programs and events.

SOLUTIONS AT THENEWS.ORG

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Call our Advertising Department at 809-4478 to find out how. connect. attract. grow.

Hell is Where the Heart Is

by Kenneth Tucker Biff Kogan, a minor league administrator at Beetlebaum State University, glum in a dead-end position, sells his soul to the devil to become the university’s thirteenth president. Professing that he has short-changed his latest client, the devil adds to the bargain Biff’s dream girl, a 1920’s big band singer that only Biff recalls because he has one of her few surviving, scratchy 78 records. Gleefully, Biff looks to the future, but learns that deals with the devil are not what they seem. A farcical novel with a cast of thousands, including Napoleon, Nero, Agrippina, Mata Hari, Genghis Khan, Dutch Schultz, Mussolini, and a trip to the nether world that Dante never took.

“Tucker’s [writing] is a prime example of enjoying your work and having fun producing a book that makes other people enjoy the art of reading.” - Ivan Potter, Hickman County Arts Council.

Now available as a paper back at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Also available on Kindle and other e-readers. Copies may be found at the Murray State bookstore and at the Merchant’s Mall on highway 94 East, just east of the Eastwood Christian Academy.

Merchant’s Mall also has copies of books by Laura Ewald.

Dine-In, Drive-Thru, and Carry Out Available

We Also Cater!

10% Discount to Faculty and Students with ID!

806 Chestnut Street • Murray, KY 42071 • 270-767-0054

The News

Features

March 29, 2013

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’?

TODAY • 10-11:30 a.m.

“Weight - The Reality Series” opens, Calloway County Extension Office • 3 p.m.

‘Breds Baseball vs.

Austin Peay, Johnny Reagan Field • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International presents “Chico and Rita,” Curris Center Theater

S A T U R D A Y

• 9-10 a.m.

Alumni Easter Egg Hunt, front lawn of Oakhurst • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International presents “Chico and Rita,” Curris Center Theater

SUNDAY

Easter

• All Day April Fool’s Day • 4 p.m.

Student Government Association Candidates meeting, Curris Center Barkley Room • 3:45-5 p.m.

Video on Taoism, Faculty Hall 506

7B Pop Culture Savvy

If you would like an event to appear here or on thenews.org, email us at features@thenews.org. Please submit events by noon Wednesday for consideration.

• 11 a.m.

Tennis T Women's vs. Austin Peay, U Bennie Purcell Courts E Tennis • 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Break ProjS Spring ect: Drawstring D Bags, National Museum, PaA Quilt ducah, Ky. Y

MONDAY

• 10 a.m.-Noon Rebate Day sponsored by Murray State’s Regents Residential College Relay for Life Team, The Big Apple Cafe • 3:45-5 p.m.

Video on The Buddha, Part I, Faculty Hall 506

W E D N E S D A Y

T H U R S D A Y

• 7 p.m.

Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, CFSB Center • 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Parks Services Department Spring Break Camp, Noble Park, Paducah, Ky.

Music Review

Album shows repetition of same old Strokes Savannah Sawyer Assistant Features Editor ssawyer@murraystate.edu

It was 12 years ago when The Strokes first made their way into the music scene with their first album, “Is This It.” I still go back and listen to that first album because you cannot really tire of it.

With great songs such as “Is This It,” “Someday” and “Last Nite” there is always a song I cannot bring myself to skip.

Their first album was released to critical acclaim and even made it onto Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Twelve years later, the band is still going strong. They just released their fifth studio album, “Comedown Machine,” with RCA Records.

The album itself is a wonderful collection of songs creatively put together to create a good album. The problem I find myself asking is, how is this different?

In the past 12 years, The Strokes have put out four other albums: “Is This It” in 2001, “Room on Fire” in 2003, “First Impressions of Earth” in 2006 and “Angles” in 2011, all exceptional albums. But now, with the release of their fifth album, as a Strokes fan myself, I cannot really see how the band has grown.

They still have the same sound, and as much as I love him, Julian Casablancas still has yet to learn

how to sing the higher octaves of his own music.

But that sound is what makes The Strokes unique. All I want is for them to build upon that. Make an album that really stands out, just like how their first album set them aside from every other musician out there at the time.

There are a few songs on this record that make it worth listening to.

The second song, “All The Time,” sounds like something from their 2011 album, “Angles.” I mean that in the best way possible.

Out of all the tracks on this album, this one, for sure, has their showcases their classic sound.

The lyrics during the chorus stand out the most to me. Casablancas shouts over and over again, “You’re living a lie, you’re living too fast.”

Another standout track on the album is “Welcome to Japan.”

Again, I repeat, this song could easily blend in with the previous works the band has released.

In this song, you can hear the influences music from the ‘80s has on their work today.

The Strokes have been making music for more than 12 years. In that time they have released five albums, three solo albums, collectively, won several music awards and have appeared on numerous talk shows across the world.

While this album doesn’t stand out from their others, it is one their fans will not want to miss.

on i t a oci s s nt A e rnm e v Go t n de St u

Photo courtesy of rollingstone.com

This album is it the fifth record the Strokes has released with RCA Records.

Artist: The Strokes Album: “Comedown Machine” Released: March 26, 2013 Genre: Alternative Similar to: Arctic Monkeys, Little Joy and Vampire Weekend Review Rundown: Rolling Stone: 3/5 Random Fact: This is the first album that the band has recorded as a whole since 2006.

Excellent Good OK Fair Poor

Late Night Battle For the past year or so, I have been watching “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” almost religiously.

Fallon really has a great way Savannah of gearing his Sawyer show toward Assistant his audience.

Features Editor He has the ability to connect with his audience, which makes you, as a viewer, feel like you really know him.

That is why, when I found out he may be replacing Jay Leno on the “Tonight Show,” I couldn’t be more ecstatic for him. But it does scare me a bit. I think most of us can remember the Conan O’Brien vs.

Leno debacle of 2010.

In case you were living under a rock in 2010, NBC was going to push back its late-night programs so Conan, then host of the “Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien,” would not start until 12:05 a.m.

Conan would not accept this.

He said the delay of the “Tonight Show” to the next morning would just be ironic.

“Also, if I accept this move, I will be knocking the ‘Late Night’ show, which I inherited from David Letterman and passed on to Jimmy Fallon, out of its long-held time slot,” he said. “That would hurt the other NBC franchise that I love, and it would be unfair to Jimmy.”

Conan ended up leaving the NBC network all together and starting a talk show all his own on TBS. Leno went on to take the reins back and host “The Tonight Show.”

It is about time Leno set aside his horrible jokes and awkward hosting techniques to let some fresh meat take over.

It is also rumored that if Fallon is selected for the new hosting gig, the entire production will pick up and move to New York City to accommodate the comedian.

If this proves to be true, it will make the show that much better. I don’t know what Jimmy’s show would be without the Big Apple.

As of right now, NBC and Fallon himself have both not made any comments as to the future of “The Tonight Show.” ssawyer@murraystate.edu

the n i or nt er. m .co rris Ce a g sus 11 Cu m . w ice, 1 w t w nt of f a ine eme l n le o Involv b a l vai udent a Judicial Board - 10 members, must be e t r S a r Junior by fall semester, 2.5 gpa ns r fo o i t e t lica Cen p Applications due Friday, April 19 p a at NOON in the CSI office.

Positions:

Elections/Ways & Means - 1 position, 2.5 gpa Publications & Public Relations, 1 position, 2.5 gpa University Affairs - 1 position, 2.5 gpa Judicial Board Chair - 1 position, 2.5 gpa SGA Webmaster - 1 position, 2.5 gpa

President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Vice President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Secretary - 2.7 gpa Treasurer - 2.7 gpa Senator At Large - 8 positions, 2.5 gpa College of Business - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa College of Education - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa College of Health Sciences & Human Services - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa College of Humanities & Fine Arts - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa College of Science, Engineering & Technology - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa Hutson School of Agriculture - 3 positions, 2.5 gpa School of Nursing - 2 positions, 2.5 gpa

Applications due Friday, April 19 at NOON in the CSI office.

Applications due Monday April 1, 2013 at NOON in the CSI office.

Senate Chair:

8B

The News March 29, 2013