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The Murray State News TheNews.org

Jan. 24, 2014

Vol. 88, No. 18

State budget cuts, project funding revealed for 2014-16 Lexy Gross || Editor-in-Chief cgross2@murraystate.edu

Students can expect a rise in tuition costs and new buildings on campus if Gov. Steve Beshear’s budget is approved by state legislators.

Beshear discussed harsh cuts to Kentucky’s biennial

budget to allocate funds for K12 education and other government institutions. Among those cuts, higher education is at the top of the list. “(The budget) exempts student financial aid from the 5 percent cuts, but it reduces operating funds for our universities and our two-year

community and technical college system, although it holds that reduction to 2.5 percent,” Beshear said.

“Look, I am painfully aware that with this reduction, our colleges and universities will have undergone cumulative cuts of 17 percent during this historic recession.

“This was one of the most difficult choices made in this budget, because higher education deserves more support, not less.”

Previously, the state of Kentucky allocated $48 million to Murray State’s budget.

The 2014-16 budget calls for a 2.5 percent cut to that alloca-

tion, meaning Murray State would receive $46.8 million from the state.

Last year, Interim President Tim Miller said the total University budget stood at approximately $157 million.

In September, the state mandated that the University pay $1.7 million during the 2014-15

@COLLEGEFESSION: Thousands of followers and ‘real confessions’ from Murray State students Meghann Anderson News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

“I tripped acid with my professor and cooked grilled cheese sandwiches for 3 and a half hours.”

This tweet is one example of the tweets that can be found on collegefession.com and @collegefession, supposedly submitted by a Murray State student.

The Twitter account, which has more than 456,000 followers, tweets about alcoholic adventures, sexual exploitations and inappropriate actions; all supposed confessions from college students.

Dana Howard, social media marketing manager for the University, said she is aware of the @collegefession Twitter account and website.

“From the minute there was a Murray State ‘confession’ it started flooding my keyword searches with tweets and RTs so it is very irritating for me,” Howard said in an email.

Howard has reported several accounts in the past that use the Murray State logo in the account. She said some of the accounts she has reported have been taken down, but not all of them.

“In the cases that were removed, it is because I could use our registered trademark to claim infringement of trademark,” Howard said.

Kate Russell/The News

Leah Rucinski, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., and Emily Fountain, sophomore from Paducah, Ky., read “Collegefessions.”

Howard said with @collegefession, the account itself is not claiming to be or represent Murray State and is not using any of the University’s registered logos so there is nothing she can do.

“Unfortunately, these accounts are just one example of the type of problems so-

cial media marketers deal with when working hard to protect our image and brand,” Howard said. “Many times, we have very few options in having control over what is said about our brand, as it goes with all social media use.

“And in this case, the stu-

dents drive it, so it is up to them how they want to publicly represent MSU.” Confessions can be submitted via email or through the collegefession website. All submissions remain anonymous and the collegefession privacy policy states their website and Twitter account

are “For entertainment purposes only. We do not store any information that could trace back to your submission.”

Emily Dunbar, senior from Paducah, Ky., said she thinks @collegefession is pretty funny, but that most of the confessions are fake.

“If the tweets aren’t made up, people really are that sick at all schools,” Dunbar said.

Jenn Allis, junior from Fort Thomas, Ky., said she thinks some of the confessions are funny but that so many shed a negative light on the individual’s school.

“People are submitting confessions about wanting to go to school wherever the majority of sex posts are coming from,” Allis said.

“Some of the crazier posts sound like they're being made up and a lot of the posts get ‘recycled’ when someone copies a post and resubmit it with their school’s name on the end of it.”

Allis said she thinks almost all of the @collegefession posts objectify women as conquests and not as people.

“Almost all (women) are referred to as sluts, whores or bitches,” Allis said.

The founder of @collegefession is college student Daniel Carnett, who denied an interview with The News.

The privacy policy on the

see COLLEGE, 2A

“The #1 Official College Confessions.

Every College.

Real Confessions.”

- the @Collegefession Twitter bio

fiscal year in annual pension contributions.

Beshear’s budget proposal cuts the mandate in half and would require Murray State to pay approximately $850,000 instead.

Beshear proposed $520.3 mil-

see BUDGET, 2A

University prepares for power outage Rebecca Walter Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

With another arrival of single-digit temperatures, Murray State prepared for the possibility of another power outage throughout campus.

The Tennessee Valley Authority alerted the University of a “medium risk of power curtailment” Wednesday.

Murray State has an interruptible service contract with TVA to save money on utilities.

TVA told their customers to reduce the amount of power they were using Thursday morning.

The company encouraged the use of generators to replace power. Murray State’s generators were tested Wednesday morning and were in working condition.

Some classes were cancelled at instructors’ discretion and the men’s basketball game was rescheduled to an earlier time Thursday.

Interim President Tim Miller said administration at the University recently found the contract with TVA. The contract, titled 5MR for five-minute response, asks Murray State to shut off a certain amount of power on campus or the University will face a fine of up to $500,000.

Miller said while he was in Frankfort, Ky., last week, he talked to a TVA lobbyist about the safety concern presented during a power outage.

“We’ve made numerous calls and raised a stink,” Miller said.

“They know we’ve had damage

see TVA, 2A

Dining makes changes over break Rebecca Walter Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Students arrived back from break to find modifications to the Thoroughbred Room, a new Pony Express route and the disappearance of sushi from Murray State’s campus.

Paula Amols, director of Dining Services and Racer Hospitality, said the main changes that happened over break are new lighting in the TRoom, a larger seating area and improved serving stations.

“The whole place now looks bigger and brighter,” Amols said. “With the new station set up, the (T-Room) should run smoother.”

She said changes were made to help with the increased number of students.

Amols said there is an average of 200 more students eating in the T-Room each day, which is an 11 percent in-

Students prepare for flu season Meghann Anderson News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

Kate Russell/The News

Students eat in the Thouroughbred Room, which was renovated during Winter Break. crease from last year. Nearly 1,400 students eat in the TRoom daily.

The T-Room also includes a revamped pasta and pizza station. The pasta station is now self-serve, and now of-

fers whole wheat pasta as a healthier choice. The recipe for the pizza has changed, with dough made fresh daily, reformulated cheese and a new sauce.

The Pony Express will also

now serve off-campus locations, including Campus Evolution Villages apartment complexes. On Tuesday nights from 6:30-8:30, the food truck

see DINING, 2A

Students wasted no time getting sick.

On the first day of the spring semester, Health Services received its first case of the influenza.

Judy Lyle, interim director of Health Services, said after a week into the spring semester she had only seen one student case of the flu.

“We have tested a few others who had significant symptoms,” Lyle said. “While they were negative for flu, the tests are not 100 percent.”

Lyle said as the semester progresses she thinks there will be more cases of the flu.

While she said last year was a light flu season, the severity of the flu and how many

WHAT’S

OUR VIEW

FOOD PANTRY

INSIDE

Murray State shouldn’t be the target of state budget cuts, 4A

On-campus pantry will help stu- Rifle loses despite setting seadents in need, 6A son highs, 1B

RECORD NUMBERS

people it affects changes every year.

Lyle said influenza cases usually begin in late November and increase significantly in December.

She said Health Services administered the flu vaccine in the fall to students, faculty and staff.

“We are out of the vaccine due to cost and dwindling budget,” Lyle said. “We will not be obtaining more this semester.”

Local pharmacies such as CVS, Walgreen’s and Rite Aid carry the flu vaccine for approximately $20 a person.

Lyle said this year the flu vaccine is being touted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as being effective for the types of in-

see FLU, 2A

SOCIAL CHANGE Students predict the next major movement in society, 5B

The News

News

2A

January 24, 2014

Kentucky Bucks for Brains program, where the state matches contributions from donors to the University.

Miller said the state will give $40 million to the larger universities in the state, the Uni-

versity of Kentucky and the University of Louisville, to split for Bucks for Brains.

Murray State and other smaller institutions will only receive $10 million collectively for that program.

Among the list of proposals for the state budget was the replacement of Franklin Residential College, something Miller said Murray State will have to pay for now.

That project is estimated

to cost approximately $29 million and will begin after Hester Residential College’s completion.

Miller said administration will fight hard to prevent the proposed budget cuts at the University.

“We appreciate these projects, but if we cut funds like this it hurts people,” Miller said.

“We’ll have to raise tuition.”

In a commentary to The Lexington Herald-Leader, members of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education and university presidents from the state discussed the need for Kentucky to recommit to higher education.

“Since the start of the recession in 2008, state funding per student (adjusted for inflation) at our public colleges and universities has declined over 30 percent,” the commentary stated. “State support for our public colleges and universities, in inflationadjusted dollars, is lower today than it was nearly two decades ago in 1997.”

The Pony Express will also park at the Business Building from 5:15-6:15 on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

While additional food has been added to menus, the absence of sushi on campus is another alteration students have seen this semester.

The University had a contract with Jasmine Thai Cui-

sine and Sushi Bar to provide sushi to several locations on campus. Amols said the contract was recently terminated after issues with providing the product on time.

Jasmine was given a 30-day notification to fix the problem, but failed to do so, Amols said.

Plans to bring sushi back to the University are in the plan-

ning stages and no date has been confirmed for when, or if, it will return.

Amols said renovations to the T-Room are completed for now, but the University is always looking for ways to improve conditions for students.

“Eating is generally seen as a gathering place to socialize and engage and to create commu-

nity,” Amols said. “Students need a place to eat, and it is better to have it on campus so it is quicker and more convenient.”

Amols said that Dining Services’ main purpose is to serve the students.

Said Amols: “(Dining Services) tries to be very responsive to what the students want and need.”

the power off, but notifies the University of exactly how much power needs to be reduced. It’s up to the University to decide when and where the electricity will be saved on campus.

Catherine Sivills, assistant vice president of Communications, said there is no way to know when TVA will require the University to cut off power.

“In the event of a power outage, students who live on campus will have power,” she said.

Electricity was shut off throughout parts of campus Jan. 7-8 and saved TVA 1,000

megawatts of power.

During the power outage, damage was reported in approximately 40 percent of campus buildings due to freezing pipes, according to Facilities Management.

Jim Packatt, lead forecaster at the National Weather Service in Paducah, Ky., said Wednesday the weather was not expected to get as cold as Jan. 7-8.

Said Packatt: “We are stuck in this weather pattern and will have systems similar to this roll in every two days.”

BUDGET From Page 1 lion in general fund supported bonds and $704 million in agency bonds for state universities and their campus infrastructures.

Beshear did approve a proposal for a new engineering and physics building at Murray State.

In November, Miller said this project was the No. 1 capital construction priority in the list of proposals.

Miller said the engineering and physics building will cost nearly $32 million to complete.

Another $32 million has been allocated in Beshear’s budget proposal to construct a new Breathitt Veterinary Center.

This proposal has appeared on the list of potential construction projects at the University for several years.

Murray State will also receive $1.1 million as part of the

DINING From Page 1 will be at Campus Evolution Villages North, and on Wednesday nights from 6:308:30 it will be at Campus Evolution Villages South.

COLLEGE From Page 1 collegefession website states: “Dear Collegefession readers–Most importantly, we would like to reassure you that your confessions and submissions are NOT traceable back to you through the Collegefession website or Twitter page. All submissions are posted manually through our own servers and

Dylan Lovan/AP Photo

Gov. Steve Beshear delivers the annual State of the Commonwealth address in the House chamber Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014, in Frankfort, Ky.

do not include information such as IP addresses.”

On Carnett’s personal LinkedIn profile he describes himself as an 18-year-old entrepreneur living in Arizona.

Along with Collegefession, Carnett is also the CEO and founder of EarlyEntrepreneur.com. @Collegefession has also made its way on to the high school scene.

A parody account called @schoolfession was started a few weeks after @collegefession gained popularity.

TVA From Page 1 from the previous outages.”

Miller said he isn’t sure how the contract was approved, but he does know it wasn’t examined by the Board of Regents.

Scott Brooks, TVA public relations representative, said Wednesday there were no specific plans to shut off power at the University.

Brooks said TVA doesn’t turn

FLU From Page 1 fluenza documented across the nation.

According to the CDC, February and March annually show the highest numbers of documented influenza cases.

It takes approximately two weeks to build immunity after receiving the vaccine, Lyle said.

She encourages students to get a flu shot even though flu season is in full swing.

“Most college students have healthy immune systems, but this is one way to avoid missing one or more weeks of school if they get the flu,” Lyle said.

Destiny Lee, freshman from Ledbetter, Ky., said since she believes she has an exceptional immune system, she decided not to get the flu shot this year.

“I have been very fortunate and rarely get sick other than the common cold; with that being said I have never had the flu,” Lee said. “I am conscious of washing my hands often, especially before I eat.”

Lee also said she regularly dresses appropriately for the cold weather, protecting her head from the wind.

Travis Cartwright, senior from Paducah, Ky., said he tries to follow the advice he has heard for years.

“Try to avoid contact with sick people, don’t go to work if you have a fever, cover your mouth when you cough – it’s the same stuff my mom has told me for years,” Cartwright said. “I also try and work out a lot, so hopefully that helps me from getting sick.”

Cartwright said he tries not to get sick because he doesn’t want to miss any classes.

“I’m trying to get good grades and not fall behind,” Cartwright said. “I don’t have time to get sick.”

Lyle and the CDC both say the best way to prevent getting the flu is to wash hands regularly and get the flu vaccine.

SEE NEWS HAPPEN ON CAMPUS? TWEET US @MurrayStateNews!

The News

News

January 24, 2014 News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Ben Manhanke Phone: 809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

Winter Term enrollment grows

Police Beat Jan. 16

Jan. 20

10:14 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency in Franklin Residential College.

Officers and the Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken.

1 0 : 1 1 p. m . A caller reported a suspicious person outside of Jesse D. Jones Hall. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

11:07 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious person outside of Jesse D. Jones Hall. Officers were notified but the vehicle was gone on arrival.

11 :58 p.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop on Olive Street A verbal warning was issued for failure to illuminate headlights.

Jan. 17

2:35 p.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at Blackburn Science Building. Officers and Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A medical report was taken.

4:27 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious person near Elizabeth. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

2: 0 5 a.m . A caller advised of a medical emergency in Hart Residential College. Officers and the Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken.

10:31 a.m. A caller reported damage to their vehicle near Hart. Officers were notified and a report was taken for criminal mischief.

Jan. 18 4: 0 5 a.m. A caller advised of a medical emergency in Elizabeth Residential College. Officers and Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken.

9:36 p.m. A caller reported the smell of marijuana in Springer Residential College. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Jan. 19 9: 4 0 a.m . A caller reported a missing fire extinguisher in Regents Residential College. Officers and the Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. An information report was taken.

10:36 p.m. A caller reported smelling gas around the Pony Express. Officers and the Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. A report was taken.

3A

Jan. 21

Jan. 22 4:14 p.m. A caller reported a verbal altercation in the Carr Health Building. Officers were notified. A report was taken.

10:24 p.m. A caller reported a noise complaint in the 1100 block of College Courts. Officers were notified. A report was taken.

Call of Fame Jan 1 6 - 7 : 45 p.m . A caller reported racoons in the dumpster outside Franklin. The report was referred to the Central Heating and Cooling Plant.

Motorists assists – 2 Racer escorts – 5 Arrests – 0

Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

A 12 percent increase in enrollment was reported following Murray State’s third consecutive year of offering students the chance to take classes over Winter Break as part of Winter Term.

From Dec. 16 to Jan. 8, 204 students could choose from 27 courses offered online. Four more courses were offered during this term than last and 22 more students were enrolled.

Jay Morgan, vice president of Academic Affairs, introduced the idea of implementing Winter Term three years ago.

Morgan said he thought offering Winter Term would be a good way for students and faculty to utilize the down time between semesters and be more productive while away from campus.

“The Winter Term was designed to be an online semester where students could either catch up or get ahead in graduating on time or hopefully even early,” he said.

“It’s a good opportunity to make up a course if you need to and it’s turned out to be a very successful program.”

Morgan said when first implementing the term in 2011 he anticipated a slow growth in student enrollment of anywhere from 10 to 15 percent and, thus far, it’s followed this trend.

For the next two to four years he said he foresees similar growth as students get used to and become more aware of the opportunity being offered.

The courses offered during Winter Term change from year to year and are decided by the professors and chairs of the departments teaching in the given semester, not mandated by Murray State.

The News

Rebecca Cunningham, senior from Louisville, Ky., tutors Kaitlyn Ward, junior from Lexington, Ky., during Winter Term.

He said one of the main factors is if there is enough student interest in a specific course.

Ihsan Alkhatib, an assistant professor in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts, has taught a business law class online for the past two winter terms and said he plans to teach more classes in future Winter Terms if there is a demand for it.

Alkhatib said the classes he teaches during Winter Term differ from the classes he teaches during the typical fall and spring in terms of the types of assignments and material he supplies students, with which are tailored to fit the threeweek long time constraint.

“The advantage of the Winter Term for the student is that in a short period the student finishes a course,” Alkhatib said. “The disadvantage is that the course requires a big commitment of time and effort from the student: time and effort almost as much as that required by a full-time course-load semester.”

He said communicating with students primarily through email and not being able to meet with students in person also was a marked difference between Winter Term and the fall and spring semesters.

He said the feedback he’s received from his students has been positive and more stu-

dents enrolled in his course this Winter Term than last.

Morgan said students looking to enroll in courses in future Winter Terms should not necessarily look at previous terms as a guide for what classes will be offered.

Every Winter Term, Morgan said Murray State looks for new courses to offer students and tries to make different classes available than in previous terms in addition to those classes which may have been previously offered.

He said the process of planning out the 2014 Winter Term and what classes will be offered will begin around August or September.

BY THE NUMBERS

Ben Manhanke, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Library app encourages tablet studying Alex McLaughlin Staff writer cmclaughlin@murraystate.edu

There is a new way to study being introduced by Murray State Libraries that could make students educational experience more efficient and enjoyable.

BrowZine is an information organizing application downloadable to iPads and Android Tablets.

BrowZine was created in response to this generation’s students and the way they seem to prefer to consume information in this day and age.

BrowZine takes into consideration the contemporary student’s needs, not the needs of the traditional learning platform that bore many students today.

Instead of having to sift through large amounts of old information, the BrowZine application can send alerts when editions of journals are published.

Murray State students can use this application to browse the libraries’ vast storage of information from anywhere on campus or from home.

Students can also personalize their Newsstand application and see only information that is relevant to their area of study.

All that is required is their Murray State network login information.

Universities such as Brown, Colorado State and Dartmouth have already begun utilizing BrowZine.

Adam Murray, associate professor and dean of Murray State Libraries, said Murray State Libraries chose to sponsor BrowZine because it would meet the needs of the campus community they serve.

“The University Libraries’ Research and Instruction Librarians can help set up very tailored profiles for faculty and students wishing to use BrowZine,” Murray said.

“That will alert library users when there are new articles or publications relevant to them.”

Murray said the University Libraries take their role as prime academic support centers seriously.

Now that technology is changing the lifestyles of the people in the campus community, so must the way the libraries seek to help students and faculty.

“I think the way our entire society consumes information has changed radically,” sid Murray. “Smartphones, tablets and the development of apps available for these devices have helped change our expectation of how we interact with information.

“We strive to provide services that are easy to use and that fit seamlessly within the hectic lives of Murray State students and faculty.”

Murray hosts Panamanian students Ben Manhanke Assistant News Editor bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Arriving with returning Murray State students at the start of the spring semester were five students from Panama who will take classes as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” program.

This newly founded, eightweek program for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds was made possible by the financial support of 87 donors, including Murray State, who contributed a combined $27, 000 to support these students’ English as a Second Language (ESL) training.

Murray State was selected to host the Panamanian students due to its role in establishing and designing the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” program and because of its close relationship with Quality Leadership University, another of the program’s founders located in Panama.

Luis Canales, director of International Studies, said plans for a exchange program with Panama have been in the works for the past two years.

Representatives from Murray State, including Canales and Don Robertson, vice president

of Student Affairs, had several meetings with the U.S. Embassy in Panama and several other supportive, private universities during this time.

Canales said one of Murray State’s primary interests in this project was to facilitate heavier recruitment from South America, an area relatively untapped

by Murray State’s internationally recruiting.

It provides a great experience for all of us. We all learn from each other and that’s really important: it broadens our horizon.

- Tim Miller, interim president Canales said diversifying the University’s international recruitment would be beneficial in several ways to the University and its students.

“We have a lot of students from Asia: China, Korea, Taiwan, Japan, India, but Murray State has very little recruitment in Latin America,” he said.

“What if there was an eco-

nomic or health issue in Asia which prevented students from coming (to Murray State)? Our programs here would suffer significantly.”

Beside benefiting the University, Canales said bringing in students from multiple regions of the world would also expose Murray State students to multiple perspectives and ideas which they might not otherwise encounter.

“We are living in a globalized world and our intent is to compensate our students so they can function in this world.”

Canales said. “The conversation you could have in a classroom, for instance, about immigration would be very different if you had only domestic students, but if you have students from other countries the conversation would be much more different and the learning experience would be richer.”

Interim President Tim Miller echoed Canales’ stance on the benefit international students have on domestic murray State students.

“It provides a great experience for all of us,” Miller said.

“We all learn from each other and that’s really important: it broadens our horizon.”

The Panamanian students, all senior English majors from the

University of Panama were selected to be part of this program based on their academic achievements, English level, commitment to community service and interviews. The program is only available to English majors.

Adrian Sanchez, one of the visiting students, said he wanted to be part of the Martin Luther King Jr. “I Have a Dream” program because, as English students, being in Murray is a great opportunity to be able to practice English.

Anderson Arauz, another of the Panamanians, said that he is also excited to get in touch with America and Murray culturally by attending basketball games and getting to speak with Murray State students.

“I want to learn,” he said. “I want to learn as much as I can while I stay in Murray and to meet new people.”

Not only will the students be practicing their English speaking and listening skills while in Murray, but they have also agreed to meet with several Spanish classes to present information about their home country and help students practice speaking.

Canales said he hopes to make this a recurring program at Murray State..

4A

January 24, 2014

The News

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Opinion Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 809-5873

Our View

Students will feel effects of new state budget The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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Frankfort, budget and governor are buzzwords that we tend to ignore as college students because they highlight issues that we feel are beyond our control and span of involvement.

However, this is the time we should be focusing on where the axe will fall. Gov. Steve Beshear gave the biennial budget address Tuesday, which highlighted the future of education funding, or lack thereof. If his proposal passes through state legislature, Murray State will face a $2.5 million budget cut.

This translates to our tuition rising, yet again, to fill the $1.2 million dollar gap imposed by the new budget.

Beshear, who puts most of his focus on education for grades K12, has been known to put postsecondary education on the backburner, and we are starting to feel the effects.

This shrinks the pool of financial aid money available, turning away students who can only afford to attend college on Pell Grants and student loans.

One hundred million will be allocated to fulfill state worker pensions, but that still leaves the question of where Murray State and other universities stand in importance to the state.

It is our first reaction to point fingers at the institution itself, blaming the rise in tuition on our president and school government because they are right in front of us.

However, as a state institution, it is fair to say that these decisions were made without a choice. As a public school, Murray State’s financial livelihood relies heavily on state funding, which has shown a sharp decrease.

State support for Murray State is lower today than in 1997 by 30 percent, showcasing a lack of interest in supporting postsecondary education.

Beshear’s proposal could not come at a worse time - think of all the renovations on campus.

Hester and Elizabeth were the first in a long line of residential colleges to be renovated. There

are also plans to fund construction of a new Breathitt Veterinary Center, which will cost an estimated $32 million to complete.

While these aspirations to expand campus would be beneficial to our veterinary program and residential colleges, they come at a price that is way out of our proposed budget.

This puts the University in a bind, and it will be forced to ration contributions from alumni and a rise in tuition enough to afford these endeavors.

Plans to replace Franklin Residential College are estimated to cost $29 million, which takes up more than half of the $46.8 million to be allocated by the state.

The Bucks for Brains program was another idea proposed by Beshear where we are also sold short. Murray State will see a $10 million split between the smaller schools, a bleak contrast to the $20 million schools like the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville will each receive.

Bucks for Brains is not the only

budget incentive that favors the larger state schools. Beshear’s plan also looks to take $2.5 million from a coal severance tax to renovate the University of Kentucky’s Rupp Arena. The severance tax, which is seeing a steady decline, should be used to fund educational buildings before sports arenas. It is obvious what the priorities are of the state government after seeing the colossal funds allocated for things like the KFC Yum! Center while Murray State can barely afford a new library.

While we point the fingers at University administrations and show skepticism at proposed budget cuts on campus, we simply do not have much room to move because of our shrinking state funds.

We have little influence on state funding. At the rate we are seeing change, funding for Murray State will continue to decline.

What we can do is learn the nature of these budget cuts and realize that it is Beshear who is failing us, and not Murray State.

Dispatches from the New Enlightenment

Zing rone: Why information kills religion Many of you know I have a blog of the same name as this column at wearedone.org.

I started it 90 days ago, on Oct. 20, 2013.

Since then I’ve written 73 posts averaging 700 words each; a new post every day except Sundays and holidays, William more than 52,000 Zingrone words, a quarter of a Associate professor million typed characters and just shy of of psychology 8,000 views by hundreds of folks who have accessed the site: beyond my wildest dreams.

Why? Why write? Why write now?

Why right now indeed! My full-time job as a teacher and researcher eats up 50-60 hours a week already. Additionally, I taught six courses and a seminar last semester.

We’re kind of short-handed in our department and I need the cash: a significant student loan, medical bills despite our rather good Murray State insurance and my spouse got laid-off back home. So it goes.

The two secular groups I am so fortunate to advise have taken off, as has this weekly column The Murray State News was kind enough to grant me. Why in hell (pardon the pun) write a daily blog that consumes another onethree hours in the late evenings? Well, because so many of us are so incensed over the misogyny, homophobia, science denial and child indoctrination religious thought perpetuates. I use the phrase: “The Arrogance of Religious Thought” ™ in my blog often and I mean it. How dare we teach children it’s

“normal” to condemn anyone to some imaginary eternal suffering.

My more liberal Christian friends soften that charming endless punishment to the euphemism “live apart from God for eternity” but it doesn’t fool anyone. The act of judgment alone is as dastardly. Sin and damnation are two constructs the human animal is poised to outgrow and needs to post haste.

“Oh I don’t judge, but (my) god will!”

Right. That idea is solely in your head, and it was put there solely by the Arrogance of Religious Thought.

Nobody is born hoping others will burn forever in some cowardly and reprehensible conception of unspeakable agony. You have to teach people to think that’s a real good thing, a necessary consequence, a righteous idea, a justified practice, an inescapable reality. You have to con them. You usually need to convince them while they’re young. If you wait until they are adults to try to peddle that crap, they will tell you to “go to hell.”

You teach your children that nasty stuff?

You should be ashamed of yourself! You perpetuate that hatred in the name of some frothy deity so you can claim to have “faith.”

This is but one reason many of us secularists and even liberal people of some faith all over the world are incensed, angry, fed up with it. It is but one reason why I write.

Obviously, I enjoy writing as well. Learning the craft and hopefully improving at the skill of expressing one’s thoughts in written hand has its own very deep, intrinsic reward.

We all have the wired-in intrinsic motivation as human animals to get better at something; usually many things.

We all want to be better at our jobs, our hobbies, at skills and sports and diversions.

So, the reward of finding how to put a bit of structure, a turn of phrase, a funny anecdote, an odd twist into an essay while conveying, sometimes hammering home a point is truly “where it’s at” for me.

So I get the rush of learning this craft, getting better (hopefully) or at least trying.

I get the greater reward of talking to people, many of them only acquaintances and many, maybe most strangers.

Homo locquasius, Homo communicatus ... that’s us. So when a post is really popular and hits views in the hundreds, (average now is pushing 75) and I get comments, Facebook likes or Reddit comments from folks I do and don’t know, the emails and in-person kudos I get from all over campus ... it’s like wow.

But it is way more important that the questioning of religion is being done at all.

Getting more and more like-minded people who see the absurdity of religious thought and the pain and utterly needless suffering it causes worldwide to come out, talk about it and demand more of our culture than to perpetuate the unearned position of dominance religion has had for so long, too long, that’s really “where it’s at.”

We are not Homo religicus by design.

That is an ugly historical accident of cults and conquest, dominance through the Dark Ages, and a social respectability that is so ingrained it remains entrenched, but not necessarily intractable.

The Renaissance thinkers pulled away, the Enlightenment thinkers dared question it and the New Enlightenment movement rejects it, and calls for its marginalization, if not its end. Hitchens was right: “Religion poisons everything.” It is why I write; information kills religion.

The News

Opinion

January 24, 2014

5A Did she really say that?

Letters to the Editor We can all agree that there is a strong liberal agenda within the faculty on campus. One professor, for example, was mocking another of her colleagues on the statement, “the biggest problem America faces today is that of the ‘nanny-state.’” Steve Jones, last semester, wrote an exceptional article about the manipulation of government-funded incentives.

Many of these incentives were initially established in order to provide temporary aid. Unfortunately, this temporary fix has turned into a permanent solution. A solution that leaves both you and myself (aka taxpayers) having to pick up the slack.

Wake up America!

In a quote from the Declaration of Independence (a document both faculty and students, who think taking advantage of the system is a right, should brush over) writes: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

If we are all created equal, why is it that I find many Americans stating government-incentives such as food stamps, welfare programs, filing for

unemployment, filing for disability, are falling under the category as “unalienable rights?”

Again, wake up! These are not, nor have they ever been, rights – but privileges. Why is the term privilege, a benefit that is given to some people and not to others, often considered a right? It’s simply because the state of our society is exponentially becoming a society of consumers, where one uses up and absorbs all the energy of the one who produces.

The definition of produce is, “to bring forth; to create by physical and mental effort.” What is the product of a mass of individuals who manipulate the system, cripple themselves and in essence steal from the American taxpayer?

Nothing, and why? Because those individuals, the consumers, cheat the system out of legitimate issues ranging from single mothers with multiple children to veterans with physical or mental ailments.

Bottom line, when we as a whole begin to add “government hand-outs” as a right, we then lose the freedoms of liberty, pursuing happiness and ultimately, the quality of life.

The individual begins at that point to lose one’s potential, drive and mo-

Bill Nye, my favorite guy tivation to succeed beyond imagination. At that point, if enough people are on board the consumer bandwagon, we lose our producers. In essence, we lose the incentive of the American Dream.

Many readers are probably under the impression that anybody who thinks this way has more than likely been and is currently more financially privileged.

Therefore, one would probably consider me to fall under that category. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

It was my father who told me at 16 I was to start looking for a job in order to pay for my college.

News flash: they had the money to send me to a four-year college (more than once). From there I started my own lawn business.

From two small lawns came 32, which would send me to college 100 percent debt-free for two years.

However, when rain doesn’t come, grass doesn’t grow. My business tanked, and soon I enlisted in the U.S. Army.

Ultimately, it gave me two more years of being debt-free, money in my pocket and the opportunity to become an officer through the ROTC

Photo illustration by Evan Watson/The News

On May 15, 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled segregation unconstitutional in the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kan. This ruling came at a pivotal moment in the battle for civil rights and helped pave the way for numerous opportunities for African-Americans in the battle for equality.

From the marble steps in Washington, D.C., the edict came down to the woods of western Kentucky, and our Murray State College, as it was known at the time, opened its doors to people of color. Mary Ford Holland enrolled at Murray State, becoming the first African-American student here, and she was soon joined by Geneva Arnold, Bobby Brandon, Arlene Keys and Willie Earl Perry.

On the golden anniversary of the desegregation of Murray State, we remembered the first freedom fighters as we honored that year’s graduates; for without Mary Ford Holland, we all would not be here today. Just as the early pioneers carved trails into the forbidding American wilderness, Nancy Tyler Demartra, the first African-American graduate, forged the path for other students of color at Murray State.

This was made possible by the tireless efforts and ultimate sacrifice of 1964 Nobel Peace Prize winner, Martin Luther King Jr., whom we honor with a National Day of Service through community projects and activities across the country.

Dr. King had a vision that we could live in a world that judged people on the things they could control versus the things they could not.

This is the interpretation of his famous quote, “I have a dream this afternoon that my four little children will not come up in the same young days that I came up within, but they will be judged on the basis of the content of their character, not the color of their skin.”

Dr. King spent his life seeking common ground, where people from all segments of life could collab-

Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Je e rs i s w r i tte n by t he O p i ni o n Ed i to r.

Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to cbesser@murraystate.edu.

Comics

program right here on campus.

Was it luck? No. Was it networking?

No. It was determination. It was being a producer. It was the thought of looking beyond me and my problems.

This is my American Dream at work, Racers. What’s yours?

David Madewell Senior from Owensboro, Ky.

We want to hear your opinion!

Write us a letter and send it to letters@thenews.org.

EMAIL US!

oratively address the major social issues facing the nation. His work inspired a civil rights movement that was founded on diversity and inclusion.

He believed it was important to speak out on injustice and inequality everywhere.

And while Dr. King would surely be encouraged by the strides we have made as a nation relative to diversity, I believe he would be somewhat discouraged with our progress on economic inequality.

The final moments of his life were spent speaking out for fair pay and working conditions for AfricanAmerican sanitation workers in Memphis, Tenn.

Dr. King stated, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Ask yourself these questions.

Where will you speak and where will you remain silent? Does economic inequality matter? Does racism matter? Does sexism matter? Does homophobia matter? Does equal pay for equal work matter? Does bullying matter? Does education matter?

I challenge you now as Dr. King did then, not to be silent. I challenge you to speak out against injustice at home and abroad. And most importantly, I challenge you to put your talents to use in this struggle through service to your community.

The Day of Service is a way to put your voice into action by “paying it forward” in your local community. Join the efforts of people all over the county through service projects and activities that empower us to engage in efforts that build positive partnerships in our communities.

Let’s make every day a day of service and commit ourselves to participate in ongoing dialogue and activities on diversity and inclusion.

SG Carthell Director of Multicultral Affairs

Cheers to ... The deadline extension for STARS scholarship applications.

We appreciate having the extra week to procrastinate on, just like doing the reading assignment the day of class.

Jeers to ... Murray seemingly being the only city in Kentucky to not get snow.

It’s bad enough that we have to see posts from our friends that go to the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky about how awesome their snow day was. We get it.

Jeers to ... Gov. Steve Beshear’s state budget proposal.

More cuts from postsecondary education? Really? Every year, legalizing gambling in Kentucky looks more attractive. We’re really feeling the burn in this department.

Cheers to ... The Pony Express making stops outside of Murray State’s campus.

Even if you live in the Campus Evolution Villages complexes, you can still grab a taste of the food truck.

Thanks for making the trip!

If you are anywhere near my age, Bill Nye is synonymous with science-themed remixes of ‘90s songs and getting out of doing worksheets in class.

Carly Besser The small, tube Opinion Editor television on the rolling cart meant serious business back in the day. I consider learning with Nye one of the many small rewards of growing up.

Now that I’m in college, he still positively impacts our generation because of his eagerness to properly educate children. He stepped outside his sole responsibility of making an entertaining program because he is genuinely passionate about science. However, if I was in his position, I would have a hard time sitting back as well.

For someone like Nye, seeing schools teach creationism exclusively is a disservice to children no matter what your beliefs are.

Throwing out years of empirical evidence, painstaking research and scientific methods in exchange for one “correct” answer is ultimately stunting the potential success of the following generations.

While I am glad that Nye is coming to Kentucky to debate the origin of humanity with Creation Museum CEO Ken Ham, I am also disappointed that this is still a debate in the first place. Ham, the founder of the Creationist Museum, will be defending his position on the denial of evolution. How he can support teaching creationism as the only right thing to do is beyond me.

It is one thing to be a Christian, but many Christians accept evolution as a perfectly explanatory theory. They would not be so quick to argue that our earth is 6,000 years old. They know better than to believe the earth reached its developmental hiatus in seven days. It actually is not inconsistent with being a good Christian to believe in evolution theory.

I can’t help but think Ham is a genius, regardless. Taking creationism and casing it in a museum is disguising it as fact. We go to museums to look at history. We know our past because museums preserve parts of it. To take a religious theory and put it in a museum setting is ultimately parading it as factual history and, unfortunately, people buy into it. It’s a good money-making scheme. If certain people are ignorant enough to believe that humans did not evolve over time, then they are ignorant enough to throw money at whoever supports their ill-researched ideas with a museum.

I am not displeased because of my personal beliefs. I was just always taught to look at all possible explanations before selecting the one I feel is correct. Teaching creationism alone bypasses that process, giving children a narrow scope of theory when it should be wider than ever. It is refreshing to see that Nye is still on our side.

He didn’t stop after entertaining us as children. He continues to support us as adults by using his weight within the scientific community to speak out against a creationist-only curriculum.

Nye is not just a man with a funny bow tie that hosted a cute show anymore. He is the voice of reason that we desperately need to support learning about science.

This is why I can still say, at the age of 21, that Bill Nye is my favorite guy. cbesser@murraystate.edu

True Stories I Made Up

By Carly Besser

The News

News

6A

January 24, 2014

RACERS HELPING RACERS Student groups help community on Day of Service Alex Mahrenholz || Staff writer amahrenholz@murraystate.edu

Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter,” On the 28th observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, multiple students, faculty and community members participated in a variety of service projects throughout the Murray community as part of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service.

Monday morning, a community breakfast was held by James L. Hudson, pastor of the Harrison Street Missionary Baptist Church in Paducah, Ky., where he gave a keynote address to the crowd.

As attendees finished their meal, they were encouraged to register for their choice of numerous community service activities across the region.

These activities included cleanup at the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area Homeplace, painting and upkeep at West Kentucky Mentoring in Murray and local cleanup around the University campus.

Elizabeth Tarter, senior from Greenville, Ky., was one of several students to participate in the Day of Service. Tarter is a former president of Alpha Gamma Delta. She played a hefty role in organizing her fellow sorority members to participate in this opportunity to honor King.

Tarter said she took on the role because she wanted to see her sorority be involved in opportunities that serve the local community.

Tarter and other members of Alpha Gam traveled to the Land Between the Lakes to help clean up the area. She said the University helped her sorority coordinate its service project.

“Each of us spends four years in Murray as a college student,” Tarter said. “We have grown to love the community we are now a part of. What better way to give back to the community that has provided us with so much than with our service?”

She said she hopes the Murray community will see all the stu-

The News

Del ta Sig ma Theta member, Jovon Richmond, graduate student from Louisvill e, Ky., helps unload canned g oods Mond ay d uring the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service. dents and organizations on and off campus willing to work hard and put in the effort to better the community for all.

“One good action breeds another,” Tarter said.

She is hopeful these projects will inspire others to get involved and take action in giving back however they can.

“MLK once said, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?’

Tarter said. “The MLK Day of Service honors his memory and the past while contributing to the present and the future.”

Eric Baldwin, freshman from Cunningham, Ky., and a member of Alpha Sigma Phi, said working to serve others is a common goal shared amongst nearly all Greek members on campus.

“Alpha Sigma Phi participated in a couple different service activities in the region,” Baldwin said.

“Five of my fellow brothers went to the Land Between the Lakes to help clean up the area and make it more suitable for all types of visitors as well the local wildlife.”

He said a larger group of his brothers was also assigned to different sections of campus to clean up discarded waste and help enhance the look of the University.

“Service is a large part of our organization,” Baldwin said. “We enjoy taking time to help others

because we feel that it also helps ourselves. Although some look at community service as a chore, it is one of the most rewarding things a human being can experience.”

He said he feels his fraternity’s project will help boost students’ morale after they see how much work was put in to keep it clean.

“I think that it is vital for the community to see our organization as an asset. If they drive past and see us doing something to help improve the community we all share, it proves that we aren’t your typical fraternity members and that we are here to improve the lives of everyone we meet,” Baldwin said.

With numerous activities available for groups and individuals to participate in, others were also ready to lend a helping hand.

Alpha Omicron Pi was also eager to take part in the volunteer activities on campus. Amanda Winchester, junior from Murray, serves as the current president for the sorority.

Winchester and other AOPi members chose to work with their local philanthropy for the day.

They worked with West Kentucky Mentoring to provide assistance with organizing its new facility.

The women unloaded boxes into the newly established building and coordinated the arrangements of unloaded documents and equipment.

“Service projects allow us as an organization to come together and do good for others,” Winchester said.

“Helping the people around you is one of the most rewarding feelings anyone could ever experience.”

She said she hopes in the future there will be a way to unify all of the Greek organizations on campus in order to do a ‘Greek-wide’ service project that could benefit the entire community.

The last activity of the day, hosted by the American Red Cross of Calloway County and Sherri Anderson, an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer for Veteran Affairs, was a forum for the individuals and groups who gave their service throughout the day to learn more about winter preparedness.

On-campus food pantry helps students in need Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Racers across campus have consistently stepped up to volunteer and help people around the community.

Now, a new opportunity has students helping one another.

Racers Helping Racers is a food drive for students who do not have enough to eat and may need assistance from their fellow classmates.

The new food pantry is student-run and hopes to help those on Murray State’s campus.

The food drive began Wednesday, and will be held every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Blackburn Science Building in room 244.

-Re’Nita Avery-Meriwether, director of Student Life and the Curris Center The food drive to help Racers was an idea Re’Nita Avery-Meriwether, the director of Student Life and the Curris Center, heard at a conference and brought to Murray State to help those students who may not otherwise be able to afford the food.

“It came from a conference I went to about two years ago,” Avery-Meriwether said. “It was a national conference for student affairs professionals and they had a session on food pantries that they had at other universities around the country.”

While the food drive has only been active for a few days, Avery-Meriwether said the collections will help determine how many students are in need and give her team an idea of the number of students who can use the help of the food drive.

Racers Helping Racers will accept non-perishable items for collection, including soup, crackers, granola, rice, canned fruit, canned

juice, canned vegetables, pasta and condiments. Donations are accepted all year.

The drive is also affiliated with the local food bank, Need Line, and Avery-Meriwether said the drive has no end date.

“It’s ongoing,” she said. “People can donate the food to Need Line because it’s a partnership. Since it’s always ongoing, we always will need food to stock up the pantry.”

All donations will need to go through the Murray-Calloway County Need Line, which is located downtown.

Caren Reason, junior from Benton, Ky., said she believes Racers Helping Racers can help motivate students to volunteer because the program is centered on fellow students in need of assistance.

She believes the program can bring attention to those students and staff who might not think about the problems students face with not having enough food. She said she is lucky to not have that problem, and she is proud of Murray State for reaching out to those who do.

“Some people don’t really think about it,” Reason said. “They have an unlimited meal plan and have boxes and boxes of food that they can eat out of in their dorm room.”

She said the food pantry sheds a light on the fact that there are people who don’t have enough food to eat and people who cannot afford to eat three meals a day.

“Some students are barely affording college as it is,” Reason said.

Reason, who is a youth and nonprofit leadership major, said she believes students having a lack of food is a topic not often discussed, whereas it isn’t surprising for someone who has seen such struggles within a community.

“There are always needs in places where you would find none,” she said. “But it’s something that is not talked about, really.”

Reason said while she does not know how much of a need Murray State has for the food pantry, there are opportunities to help everyone through a program like Racers Helping Racers.

Said Reason: “Racers Helping Racers is definitely something that we can all help with for those few that do have that need.”

The News

Western Kentucky University student Ashney Williams helps Murray State students and memb ers of Delta Sigm a Theta pack the new food pantry called Racers Hel ping Racers.

The News

News

January 24, 2014

7A

Miss MSU Rodeo competes for national pageant title Amanda Grau || Staff writer

ance at public events also played a role.

Wherever the contestants went, the judges followed. The contestants were judged on clothing, beauty and figure along with their ability to communicate with sponsors and the public.

The contestants were asked to prepare speeches on a passion they had and their home state. Howard, who is training for her private pilot’s license, used the acronym S.O.A.R. (Success comes from Opportunities with a positive Attitude and Respect) to provide the basis of one of her speeches. “I am currently a student pilot working to obtain my private pilot license, and I felt this platform shows that you can do anything that you set your mind to, even if that is flying an airplane,� Howard said.

This outlook bleeds into Howard’s opinion of the Miss Rodeo USA pageant.

Her favorite event in the pageant was visiting the Children’s Rodeo and signing autographs for the kids, she said. “You realize at the point, or at least I did, that these kids look up to you and that you should be a positive influence and role model for them,� Howard said.

The positive influence should not stop when the pageant is over though, Howard said.

Howard said her favorite thing about not only the Miss Rodeo USA pageant, but also rodeo in general, is the friends made while competing.

The atmosphere of the pageant and the camaraderie of the contestants that went along with the pageant, allowed Howard to create friendships that she hopes to maintain throughout her life.

agrau@murraystate.edu

Photo submitted by Brittany Howard

Senior Brittany Howard, current Miss MSU Rodeo Queen competed in Oklahoma City last week for the Miss Rodeo USA title.

Brittany Howard, current Miss MSU Rodeo Queen, competed in the annual Miss Rodeo USA Pageant in Oklahoma City Jan. 19.

While she was not crowned Miss Rodeo USA, the Murray State senior, from Slaughters, Ky., did win the platform award during the pageant.

Howard traveled with her parents to Oklahoma City to participate in the Miss Rodeo USA pageant—her first ever experience with pageantry.

Although she was a pageant rookie, Howard is not new to rodeo.

Having barrel raced in local shows previously, she started competing in barrel racing with the Murray State rodeo team her junior year, and won the Miss MSU Rodeo Queen in April of 2013. The title gave her the opportunity to represent Kentucky in the Miss Rodeo USA Pageant in 2014. “Although I started late in life rodeo queening, I knew there was no way that I could pass this opportunity up,�

Howard said.

The pageant had different areas by which the contestants were scored throughout the week.

The contestants were judged based on their answers to both scheduled and impromptu interviews covering topics from their favorite superpower to current events, their knowledge of horses and rodeo and their practical horsemanship ability.

Knowledge of horses made up 30 percent of contestants’ scores, but appear-

Photo submitted by Brittany Howard

Howard won the platform award at the Miss Rodeo USA pageant Jan. 19.

She said both her Murray State rodeo team and the other Miss Rodeo USA contestants have become a family.

Howard said the experience, for her, was a great one. “I can honestly say there was hardly anything that I disliked about the pageant; it was all a wonderful experience that I was so blessed to be a part of,� Howard said. “But if I had to pick, I would say I didn’t like all the hairspray!�

She plans on continuing with rodeo after she graduates this May with a bachelor’s of science in agriculture.

Scholarship application deadline extended Ben Manhanke || Assistant News Editor

STARS facts and tips

bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Following a last-minute influx of STARS applications and problems with the program’s server, the deadline for applying for scholarships was extended from Jan. 15 to today.

The University offers two types of scholarships: academic achievement and competitive scholarships.

The competitive, non-need-based scholarships are distributed based on the STARS applications primarily using funds donated privately to the MSU Foundation.

Approximately 1,000 of these scholarships are awarded in a given semester from Murray State departments, colleges and privately established endowments. The STARS application looks at a number of criteria including essay questions, letters of recommendation and past academic achievements to determine who is eligible.

Bob Jackson, associate vice president for Institutional Advancement, said despite the reported raise in applicants the number of scholarships will not change.

Jackson said the last several days leading up to the STARS application’s original deadline were quite busy with students who had waited to apply for scholarship money. He said this flurry of activity and the overwhelming late response was one of the reasons they decided to push back the deadline. “We want to make sure that every student who wants to apply for scholarships has the ability to make the application,� Jackson said.

Deadl ine to sub m it STA RS ap p li c ati on is 11:59 p.m . tod ay.

When submitting your application online the University advises that you:

Stud ents c an sub m it thei r STARS app li c ati on online through Murray State’s web site’s Scholarship tab.

•Use the Internet Explorer browser only;

If submitting your application through the mail, your package must arrive before the deadline.

Some scholarships may require additional documentation. I f additional documentation is required, it will be indicated inside each individual scholarship in the scholarship application.

“We wanted to make sure one last time that new incoming freshmen in particular and transfer students knew about the application process.�

He said each year because of donations and endowments established by alumni and friends of the University, the Scholarship office is able to award more than $2 million in scholarships per year. He said the deadline for the STARS application has been extended in the past.

Christian Cruce, associate director of Scholarships and Student Financial Aid, said beside an increase in the traffic of applications the

•Delete cookies and browsing history in Internet Explorer; •Click the buttons only once and let the system load on its own; •Do not have to upload recommendation letters to each scholarship that requests it, as long as the letter is uploaded to “Attach Documentsâ€?

last week before the STARS application deadline, there was also an increase in reports of problems submitting their application. “We unfortunately saw a high volume of reports that users experienced various problems with the system that were beyond (students’) control,� Cruce said. “In an effort to service as many students as possible, the decision was made to extend the deadline after the company made some improvements on the software’s server.�

Beginning in the fall, Cruce said they have organized numerous opportunities for students to be made aware of the January deadline and how

Boots & Hats, Western & Designer Apparel, Jewelry, Home & Yard Decor, Tack, Rodeo Equipment

705 Main St. Hwy 641 Like Us on Facebook Check for TNT Arena Events listed on Facebook All MSU Students will receive a 10% discount (excluding sale items)

AIMS is currently accepting applications for its Summer Program being held May 26 - July 2, 2014. Applications may be picked up in Room 240 of the Blackburn Science Building.

Application deadline is January 31, 2014.

Skills needed: Residential Advisor Positions - summer camp counselor experience preferred. Experience working with low-income, first-generation, high school students preferred.

Teacher/Instructor Positions - Mathematics, Science, Science Research, English Composition & Literature, Foreign Language, Computer Literacy/Technology, Financial Literacy, Elective Courses - i.e. P.E., Journalism, Arts & Crafts, Hip Hop Dance, etc. Interviews will be conducted in February.

Gail Woolridge Stephen Keene 809-5429 809-3368 gwoolridge@murraystate.edu skeene@murraystate.edu

(270) 753 753-5500 -5500

to fill out the STARS application including hosting information tables in academic buildings, residential colleges, Winslow Dining Hall and Waterfield Library among other places.

Fliers were posted to inform students and emails were sent to a multitude of those who had applied in previous years.

Cruce said the increase in last-minute applications by students despite the forewarning was due to students, who, like much of our society, are procrastinators.

Kelsey Meriwether, freshman from Henderson, Ky., said the application process took a long time and she had trouble completing it on her Mac computer. She said she understood why the University would extend the deadline.

Meriwether said, however, that while she thought it was nice of the University to give people extra time, it’s worse for those who met the deadline and now have to face additional competition. “Things like that have happened to me before,� she said. “I’ve stayed up all night to finish a paper or something on time and I come into class and the teacher tells us we can turn it in tomorrow for full credit. It’s kind of upsetting.�

Cruce said no student is ever guaranteed a scholarship simply because they applied before the deadline.

She said regardless of the deadline, students should always make their best attempt to submit the most competitive scholarship education possible.

She said students should expect to hear about any scholarships by mid-March.

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THE NEWS .ORG

8A

The News January 24, 2014

11 Sports

January 24, 2014

The News

# of basketball games forward Jessica Winfrey has at least 10 rebounds

Sports Editor: Ryan Richardson Assistant Editor: Nick Dolan Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Full Court Press

JUST HAVING FUN

Embracing failure Failure is a necessity.

It is not easy on the heart, the mind, the body.

It is not easy to accept, and at times it is not easy to explain.

But failure is necessary.

Ryan Without it life Richardson would grow stale.

Sports Editor Our everyday actions would become a monotonous mess of boring and mundane.

We are not androids. Rather, we are imperfect humans, overly qualified to fail at any given task.

Even the best in the world make mistakes. Novak Djokovic, the No. 2 tennis player in the world by ranking – though arguably the best by pure talent – had won 28 matches in a row on the world tour.

He had 25 consecutive wins in the Australian Open, where he has taken home the title each of the last three years.

He had 14 straight Grand Slam finals – the second-longest streak, ever – and 14 wins against his last opponent, Stanislas Wawrinka.

Then Djokovic hit a forehand wide on Tuesday. On match point.

Game over.

Never mind the last 5 hours and 22 minutes of a grueling grudge match from a year ago.

Never mind the match was in a tie-breaker to win the tie-breaking fifth set to advance to the semifinals of the tournament.

All that mattered was that shot, because it meant the giant had finally fallen.

Djokovic was left standing in shock on a court that he all but owned for the past three years. His own mistake ended his reign.

After constantly feeding himself with worldwide success, he failed on the very court where he played as a goliath.

Because even the best need failure. Even the best are not perfect.

Failure may come on a live, global broadcast of one of the biggest international sporting events in the world.

Or it may come early in the morning when I realize I forgot to turn my headlights off.

Failure adapts to the person. It can come anywhere, anytime.

Failure is ever-changing, always finding a way back into our lives when we think we have shut it out.

But failure is success. At least, it can be.

More than showing us what we did wrong, our mistakes prove to us we can be right, prove we can be better.

I used to be afraid of failure. I was ashamed to admit when I did wrong. It made me feel inadequate.

Now I am humbled by it. I am proud to claim ownership to my own goofs – mostly.

It means I tried. It shows I care.

As long as I am constantly working to fight that nasty beast called failure, altering each attempt to find temporary perfection, I can be happy. I can be me.

Still, I don’t enjoy the disappointment. But I have learned to embrace it.

Through sports and writing and learning and life, I have learned to accept when things can be better.

I have learned to turn failure into success. I know the more times I fail, the greater the chances of succeeding become.

Even Batman knows the importance of failure. He learned it when he was a child, and it stayed with him even when he was the savior of Gotham.

“Why do we fall, Bruce?” Alfred, his butler, asks as Wayne Manor burns to the ground. “So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”

Giving up is not an option. Not to Batman, not to me.

We must reach from the depths of despair and dissatisfaction and grab tightly to that which we know can be better.

It is what makes us who we are.

It’s how we live, how we survive.

Failure is not easy. It is an absolute necessity.

And I welcome it. mrichardson5@murraystate.edu

Section B

Moss buries Golden Eagles with long ball, Racers win Ryan Richardson || Sports Editor mrichardson5@murraystate.edu

The Racers wasted no time ruffling the feathers of the Golden Eagles. Led by a career-high 31-point performance from sophomore guard Jeffery Moss, Murray State looked like it took the court with a vengeance in a dominant 92-53 win.

“It felt pretty good,” Moss said. “I was out there having fun.”

The entire team seemed to share his high spirits, as all the players could do was smile when senior guard Dexter Fields hit his third 3 of the night to put the team up 85-43.

Fields started the Racers off hot, draining a 3-pointer to give the Racers a onepoint lead that would never be questioned.

From there, Moss took over for the Racers. He hit three consecutive shots from long range on his way to the first 30point game for a Racer since Feb. 28, 2013.

“I credit my teammates,” he said. “They were getting me open.”

Junior forward Jarvis Williams said Moss’ performance makes playing easier.

“It feels great to me because when he’s flowing it gets the arena going,” Williams said. “On his fourth one, I started getting chills. It just feels good to have him hitting big shots.”

Williams also put up big numbers for the team. In 28 minutes of play, he pulled down 15 rebounds and posted 12 points.

Helping Williams pull the ball off the glass was junior forward Jonathan Fairell, who finished with 10 rebounds.

“When we out-rebound teams, we usually win the games,” Williams said.

“When both of us are clicking on the rebounds, it can only help.”

The Racers earned 15 more rebounds than Tennessee Tech. When out-rebounding opponents this season, Murray State has yet to lose.

Tennessee Tech never had a chance against the formidable home team. After starting the game hitting 16 of 25 field goals and eight of 12 3-pointers, Murray State only slightly cooled down.

The Racers ended the night hitting 52 percent of their shots and shot 57 percent from long range.

Even when the pace slowed and the bench took the court, the lead hardly waivered. The team cruised to a 92-53 win over the Golden Eagles, moving the Racers to 6-1 in the conference.

The Racers now have a quick turnaround, as they host Jacksonville State Saturday. Last season, the Gamecocks shocked Murray State by winning with a pair of last-second free throws.

Williams said he knows every game is important this late in the season.

“We’ve just got to come out and pick each other up and play hard because it’s conference time, and everybody has to play as hard as they can,” he said.

Game time is set for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Lori Allen/The News

Sophomore forward Jeffery Moss hits one of seven 3-pointers on his way to a career-high 31 points against Tennessee Tech.

Rifle takes tough loss

New players make debut Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

A fresh pair of faces took the court in the first spring matches for men’s tennis.

In their first collegiate matches, freshmen Mateo Barroetavena and David Hess took on two nationally ranked programs in Louisville and Tennessee.

While the Racers lost 7-0 in both matches, team members said they were glad to be playing once more.

“It is always better to face players that are better than you and it is great practice for when we get to

see NEW, 2B

Nick Dolan Lori Allen/The News

Freshman David Hess returns a shot in a practice last semester.

ndolan@murraystate.edu

In the midst of a three-game losing streak and without its leading scorer, women’s basketball has turned to its freshmen guards to play larger than their age.

In their latest game, the Racers came up short despite a strong comeback bid, and they lost 80-74 on the road to Eastern Illinois.

When junior guard Keiona Kirby injured her knee against Belmont, Head Coach Rob Cross made adjustments to the Racers’ system due to the lack of experience at the guard position.

“You try to simplify things more and that is the biggest thing because they can all shoot (the ball) and put it on the floor,” Cross said. “We have made changes on the defense so that they don’t think so much and aren’t complicated, so they just play.”

Without Kirby’s presence, Murray State has been led in scoring by a different freshman in each game.

“Starks played great against (Southern Illinois University Edwardsville) with

The No. 11 Racers (6-3, 2-1 OVC) bested their spring season opener winning score during a pair of losses.

Despite not earning the desired result when it traveled to West Point, N.Y., the rifle team came away with its best outings of the 2013-14 year.

The team did more than hold its own when taking on two of the nation’s best in No. 7 Army and No. 1 Kentucky.

“I was really pleased with the weekend,” Head Coach Alan Lollar said. “There are times when you start to look like you’ve come together as a team and I thought that was this weekend.”

The Racers posted their then best score of the season, 4,652, but it was not enough to top the Army Black Knights’ score of 4,668.

Sophomore Tessa Howald and senior Bill Harvey tied first on the squad and fourth overall in smallbore with a score of 579. Howald and Harvey also finished seventh and 10th overall in air rifle with 585 and 579, respectively.

Lollar said the key to their success was each person’s ability to focus on what they had to do to have a good start.

“I was really proud of the work they did,” he said. “They overcame some adversity during that match and finished solid in that match. Some people really started out well and they’re learning how to deal with the pressure. It’s not the easiest thing to look up (at the

see SHORT, 2B

see LOSS, 2B

Freshmen lead team, still come up short Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Photo by Lori Allen, illustration by Evan Watson/The News

Assistant Sports Editor

Senior forward Jessica Winfrey attempts a shot in the Racers’ loss Saturday.

WHAT’S

BALLS OUT

QUICK START

FACES PASCHALL

COLLEGE DECOR

INSIDE

Intramural basketball season starts strong, 3B

Track and field have strong showing in first meet, 3B

Student helps others overcome fear of snakes, 5B

Steps to create an inexpensive picture frame, 6B

The News

Sports

2B

January 24, 2014

LOSS

Former Racers to be honored

From Page 1

Six former Racer athletes have been announced to be inductees into the Murray State Athletics Hall, along with an alumnus who will be a Hall of Distinction inductee.

The class of athletes includes: • Nikola Aracic - Men’s Tennis (1998-2002) • Ben Chamness - Football/Track and Field (1951-55) • Ronald Hopkins - Football (1979-82) • Anna Lask - Women’s Tennis (2003-07) • Andy Rice - Baseball (1975-79) • Isaac Spencer - Men’s Basketball (1998-2001) Murray State student-athletes and coaches who distinguish themselves in their sport are eligible for the Hall of Fame.

The newest member of the Hall of Distinction is Bill Whitaker, who served as a Racer Athletics faculty representative from 1998-2010.

The Hall of Distinction is open to those who have contributed monetarily, spiritually, educationally or any other manner not covered by athletic performance or coaching.

Whitaker is only the third person inducted.

Lori Allen/The News

Senior Bill Harvey prepares to shoot in a match earlier this semester.

scoreboard) and see that you have the chance at a great score.”

Freshman Katarina Bisercic shot a 592 in air rifle, good enough for first on the team and second overall.

Junior Kelsey Emme finished close behind with a 588.

Meanwhile, Bisercic finished seventh overall in smallbore at 573, with Emme just outside the top 10 with a score of 564.

Senior Mikey Burzynski had a solid day in both disciplines, shooting 587 in air rifle and 569 in smallbore.

The team’s new high score lasted less than 24 hours as the Racers topped it the next day against the nation’s best team and in-state rival, the Kentucky Wildcats.

“One of the most important things is that we didn’t sit around and be satisfied after the first match,” Lollar said. “We came back after shooting our second best score of the year and followed it with our best score. I was really proud of them for that.”

The Racers were outshot 4,700 to 4,661 in the loss. Harvey led the Racers in smallbore at 579 and finished 13th in air rifle, shooting a 581.

Howald finished just behind in

NEW From Page 1

Lori Allen/The News

Freshman Mateo Barroetavena made his Racer debut last weekend in the team’s first spring matches.

SHORT From Page 1 24 points and Nikia Edom was great against Eastern Illinois,” Cross said. “You are going to get these inconsistencies when you are relying on every guard that we have available right now is a freshman.”

While the four freshmen guards have filled important roles for the team, the Racers’ losing streak continued due to a poor first half against Eastern Illinois Monday night.

“I don’t know if we were tight or just nervous, but at the beginning of the game we were awful,” Cross said.

In the first half the Racers scored one of their first 17 shots and fell behind 26-9 with four minutes remaining.

Murray State settled down in the final minutes of the first half and finished with a 10-2 run to close the gap to nine points.

“We started off down double-digits at the beginning of the game and then fought back to get back into the game,” Cross said.

The Racers continued their comeback in the second half. A 3-pointer from sophomore forward Jashae Lee was the first of seven 3’s the Racers scored in the final half.

After Eastern Illinois pushed its lead to 45-31 with 16 minutes remaining, the Racers battled back to trim the deficit to three. Leading the run were freshmen guards Julia Fox and Edom.

“We knew the first half was-

n’t going our way and we knew we couldn’t let the second half be the same, so we put all our effort together and tried to come back,” Edom said.

The Panthers answered with an 11-4 run that forced the Racers into foul trouble. Murray State once again turned to Edom, who scored eight points in two minutes.

After getting within four points, the Racers’ defense failed to get stops, leading to a 80-74 defeat.

“We had a chance to take a lead and then three straight possessions we allow putbacks and two 3-point plays and that was enough to give them a cushion to hang on for the victory,” Cross said.

The four guards together scored 47 of the Racers’ 74 points. Edom led the team with a career-high 21 points in the loss.

“We know that (Kirby) was the leading scorer and as a group we have been trying to step up and contribute more,” Edom said.

Women’s basketball must now turn its attention to Jacksonville State. The Gamecocks, who won one game last season, come to Murray on a three-game winning streak.

One area the Gamecocks have improved upon is their up-tempo offense, which will likely be the focus for Murray State’s defense.

“They attack the rim in transition, so that is a major concern,” Cross said. “We will have to focus on transition defense and defending the paint to stop that.”

Tipoff is set for 5:15 p.m. Saturday in the CFSB Center.

conference season,” Hess said.

Hess has been a part of the team since the fall season but saw action for the first time at a place where he had practiced while in high school.

A graduate from duPont Manual High School in Louisville Ky., Hess said it was great to start his career close to home, but pressure did show up in his first match.

“It was fun to be at home but then I looked around and saw I had people that had seen me play in high school watching, and it made me nervous,” Hess said.

While Hess fell in straight sets, his was one of the most competitive matches of the day for the team.

Three days later, Hess and the Racers competed against Tennessee.

After losing the first set 6-1, Hess showed improvement in the second set, but still fell 63. Head Coach Mel Purcell said most freshmen don’t make such improvements.

“With a freshman you want a guy to come out, work hard and play as hard as they can and they are going to make mistakes,” Purcell said.

Purcell believes Hess will get stronger as the season pro-

gresses and the experience against this tougher competition will pay off.

“He has a good forehand and backhand, but he has to believe that he can beat this tough competition and that is the hardest thing as a freshman.”

Like Hess, Barroetavena is not the typical college freshmen. Barroetavena, a 20-yearold from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has dreamed of playing collegiate tennis for as long as he can remember.

“I always had the dream to come to the states and play in the NCAA right out of high school, but for life reasons I didn’t and always regretted it,” Barroetavena said.

One of the biggest adjustments to college tennis he must overcome is the court that he plays on.

Throughout his life, Barroetavena had only played tennis on clay courts. His arrival to Murray Jan. 9 was the first time he ever practiced on a hard surface.

After only three practices with his new team, Barroetavena was chosen to play in the team’s first matches.

“The adjustment is hard because the surfaces make the games so different,” Barroetavena said. “On clay the points are slower so you can think and play the perfect shot but on a hard court it is so much faster.”

smallbore with a 578, and she earned a 590 in air rifle.

As the Racers head toward the OVC Championships and NCAA qualifying, Lollar said it is a great sign to see his team put together a solid stretch of matches like it has over the first two weeks of its spring schedule.

“Just like any time when you’re rolling down toward the end of the year and you’re coming up on your conference tournament and you have a chance to qualify for the NCAA’s, shooting well at the end is much better than shooting well at the beginning,” he said.

“We want to build momentum, we want to be feeling good about ourselves coming down toward the end and I think we’re beginning to do that.”

Despite facing two top-10 teams, Lollar said the team did its best to put the rankings aside and focus on what they have been trained to do.

“Both of those teams are ranked above us and instead of trying to do something super human to necessarily catch them, we made sure to shoot our best when the opportunity presented itself and we did that this weekend,” he said.

Now, Murray State will host the Withrow Invitational Jan. 25 before traveling to Lexington, Ky., to face Morehead State and Nebraska Jan. 27 and Feb. 1.

Barroetavena lost in both matches, winning one game over the weekend. Even though the results were not what he had hoped for, Purcell said was impressed.

“He did very good considering we had only three days of practice before these matches, and he will continue to get better,” Purcell said. “It is a whole new game for him but he has the talent to be very good once he adjusts in a few months.”

Even with the losses, Barroetavena said he was just thankful to be living his dream of playing even though he chose to come to college later than most.

“If I had decided to come out of high school I wouldn’t have been ready, but now I am more mature and I can understand and appreciate all the things the University has given me,” Barroetavena said.

After the first two matches, the schedule for the Racers doesn’t get any easier, as they travel at the end of January to nationally ranked Memphis.

While the schedule is difficult, Hess said he believes these first matches will have Murray State prepared.

Said Hess: “Our next match is against another nationally ranked team, but I am hoping this experience will have me better prepared so I can play better.”

OVC Standings Men East Belmont Morehead State Eastern Kentucky Tennessee Tech Jacksonville State Tennessee State

5-1 4-1 4-2 3-3 3-4 1- 6

West Murray State SIUE Eastern Illinois Austin Peay Southeast Missouri UT Martin

6-1 3-3 3-4 2-3 2-4 1- 5

Women East Eastern Kentucky Tennessee Tech Belmont Tennessee State Morehead State Jacksonville State

4-1 4-2 4-3 3-3 3-3 3-5

West UT Martin Austin Peay Eastern Illinois SIUE Southeast Missouri Murray State

7-0 3-3 3-4 2-5 1- 4 1- 5

*standings as of 7 p.m. Jan. 23

Torrey Perkins/The News

PLAY TIME: Racer Athletics held its inaugural Junior Racers Sports Clinic Saturday in Racer Arena. Children were able to interact with football, baseball, softball, soccer and volleyball players to learn fundamentals of the games. Above, senior forward soccer player Amber Hanson helps a child with her kicking skills.

The News

Sports

January 24, 2014

3B

BALLS OUT Intramural basketball starts with bang White Sharks make bait of Regents Rhinos team

Lizo Basketball A wins with confidence Nick Dolan || Assistant Sports Editor

Mallory Tucker

ndolan@murraystate.edu

Staff writer mtucker11@murraystate.edu

It did not take long for Lizo Basketball A to declare where it would be at the end of the intramural basketball season.

“I’m guaranteeing a championship; you can mark that down,” sophomore Corey Cruse said in true Joe Namath fashion.

Lizo A defeated Franklin A 55-45 Tuesday in Racer Arena for its first win of the 2014 season.

Sophomore Tray Carr got his Lizo A squad out to a fast start, scoring nine of his 13 points in the first half.

Franklin A kept it close through most of the first 20 minutes, but could not stop Lizo A from making a 146 run to close out the half at 27-18, with Lizo A in the lead.

Both squads went to halftime on good notes, as each team hit a shot with less than five seconds left.

Franklin A earned the final points on a 3-pointer as time expired.

In the second half, Carr had multiple assists to Cruse, who finished with a team high 14 points. The duo helped extend the lead to as much as 17 points.

However, Franklin A did not go down quietly.

The Franklin A squad started to trim the lead as it drained 3 after 3, but it was not enough to completely close the gap before time ran out on the comeback attempt.

Sophomore Kane Bentley gave all the credit to the point guard play of Carr.

“I mean we did pretty good out here today,” Bentley said. “Tray, our captain, he carried us, he facilitated, he got some steals and we got some easy buckets.”

Carr was as confident as Cruse about the team’s ability to reach the title game but held back about a guarantee.

“It was a good win for us,” Carr said. “We still have some things to work on, we have some things we need to tweak a little bit. (This win) looks pretty good. It’s only up from here. Once we get in shape we’ll be alright.”

Jenny Rohl/The News

A Lizo Basketball A player looks for an outlet during a game Tuesday.

The White Sharks came out with a strong win over the Regents Rhinos after two physical halves of intramural basketball in the first game of the season.

With a final score of 30-21, the Sharks led for the entirety of the game, though the Rhinos made a slight comeback late in the second half.

The second half was also riddled with fouls from both of the teams.

Sophomore Kellie Pigg drew the majority of fouls for the Sharks, at one point drawing a foul on each of three consecutive possessions.

Pigg enjoyed the physical nature of the matchup, however, whether or not the Rhinos’ fouls were directed toward her.

“I’m pretty lighthearted during games,” Pigg said. “I try to joke as much as possible. I don’t want to take anything personally because it is a game and people do get really intense. I’ve been fouled a lot my entire life playing basketball, because I’m tall.”

She said she heard the opponents mention her name during the game, but does

not know if they targeted her.

Sharks’ Head Coach Tommy Mills, a junior, also took the fouls in stride, chalking it up as another component of basketball.

“It’s just part of the game,” he said. “You’re going to have some people that are more aggressive than others.

Whether it’s intentional or unintentional, it’s going to happen. You’re going to get hit hard. It happened tonight and it’s going to happen again.”

This is Mills’ second season coaching the Sharks, who had a strong basketball season in 2013.

In addition, Mills is the female athletic director for White Residential College.

More notably, he is the first male to hold a female AD position. He said he looks forward to a great season with most of his core players returning.

“I honestly feel like we have the potential to be better than we were last year,” he said. “I feel like we have a few kinks to work out, like our conditioning and working better as a team.

“I’m looking forward to them to keep playing the way they are, because they’re a great group of women.”

Team starts quick Mallory Warmack || Staff writer mwarmack@murraystate.edu

The Racers started their spring track and field season strong at the Illini Classic in Urbana-Champaign, Ill. Junior Lashea Shaw got things rolling quickly for the Racers as she finished in the top 10 in three separate events on the afternoon.

Shaw took fourth in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.78 seconds, not far from a personal record. She also finished eighth in both the 60-meter dash (7.95) and the 200-meter dash (25.72).

Fellow junior Brittany Bohn had a good afternoon as well, gaining a new personal record in the 800-meter dash and finishing in 11th.

Bohn also missed beating her personal record in the mile run by two seconds.

For the field competition, Tonia Pratt placed fourth overall in the weight throw with a throw of 17.44 meters. Pratt also took seventh place in the shot put with a toss of 13.88 meters.

Two team members made their debut at

the competition. Freshman Chleo Legrand placed eighth in pole vaulting, while freshman Victoria Yocum posted a time of 8.02 seconds in the 60-meter dash.

The Racers have placed among the top three teams in the conference the past two years and are hoping to have rings at the end of this season.

Head Coach Jenny Severns said the team wants to continue past success.

“They know that it’s going to take more than we have ever given before” Severns said. “I feel like this team wants it more than any other team since I’ve been here, so I’m excited.”

So far, the team has had to embrace the cold weather during its practices.

“We have had to alter a few things, but our athletes are used to unpredictable weather,” Severns said. “They are good about not complaining and getting their workouts done the way they should.”

After a strong first showing, the team has a week to prepare for the next meet.

The Racers start competition today at the Eastern Illinois Invitational in Charleston, Ill.

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore Kiara Austin gets ready to sprint off her blocks during a cold winter practice earlier this year.

llness e a m l i n A l th and W

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Larisa Bierds, DVM 2477 State Route 94 E Murray 270-753-4830

Present your Racercard for a 10 percent discount on your first visit.

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100 NORTH 5TH STREET MURRAY

THE NEWS .ORG

@MurrayStateNews @MSUSportsNews @MSUNewsFeatures

The News

Sports

4B

January 24, 2014

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AWARDS The Murray State University Student Government Association is now accepting applications for the following Awards:

Jim Baurer Outstanding Staff Service Award

Ralph H. Woods Memorial Award

Established to honor and recognize a staff member who has gone above and beyond the call of prescribed duty and shown exceptional dedication with regard to the students of Murray State University.

Application deadline Noon, February 21, 2014.

Established to honor and recognize a student or students who have made an outstanding contribution in service and leadership to Murray State University. Application deadline Noon, March 3, 2014.

Applications are available in the CSI office, MSU News and www.murraystate.edu/sga.

Please contact the SGA in the Center for Student Involvement office for additional information 270-809-6951.

Max Carman Outstanding Teacher Award This award is given in recognition of the recipientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teaching excellence as evidenced by his/her effectiveness and ability to motivate and inspire students in the classroom and outside the classroom. Application deadline Noon, February 21, 2014.

NOMINATION FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAX CARMAN OUTSTANDING TEACHER AWARD I,

, would like to (your name)

nominate (professor)

4. What qualities do you feel this professor has that would qualify him/her for this award for outstanding classroom performance?

for the award. *REQUIREMENT FOR AWARD: FOUR (4) YEARS FULL TIME TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY

Please complete the following information: 1.

2.

Student's signature

Date__________

Major

Phone_________

What department does the faculty member teach in?

Have you had the professor in class? If so, what classes?

Email address________________________________________________

3.

DEADLINE - NOON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

Is the professor available for assistance outside the classroom?

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION RALPH H. WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD APPLICATION Form to be filled out by nominee or person making nomination and submitted to Jeanie Morgan, Student Government Association, Center for Student Involvement office, with three (3) letters of recommendation, no later than NOON, MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014.

NOMINEE ________________________________________________________ Campus Address__________________________________________________ Email Address___________________________________________________ NAME OF NOMINATING ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL _________________________________________________________________ ADDITONAL COMMENTS ACTIVITIES

NOMINATION FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION'S JIM BAURER OUTSTANDING STAFF SERVICE AWARD I,

2. What qualities do you feel this staff person has that would qualify him/her for this award?

, would like to (your name)

nominate (staff )

for the award.

Nominee name______________________________________________ Campus address____________________________________________ Campus telephone number___________________________________ Email address_____________________________________________ Please complete the following information: 1.

What area does the staff member work in?

*REQUIREMENT FOR AWARD: FIVE (5) YEARS FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT AT MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY

Student's signature

Date_____

Major

Phone_________

Email address________________________________________________ DEADLINE - NOON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

January 24, 2014

5B

The News

Features

Features Editor: Hunter Harrell Assistant Features Editor: Breanna Sill Phone: 809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Hope for change: MLK Jr. Day inspires students to think about the future Hunter Harrell Features Editor hharrell@murraystate.edu

In 1945, Winston Churchill stated, “America at this moment stands at the summit of the world.”

This made sense as the United States approached the 1950s with a strong military and a stable economy. But among these things, there was also an issue dividing the nation.

In today’s society, it is hard to see drinking from the “wrong” water fountain as a punishable crime. In the 1950s and 1960s, however, it was all too familiar to black people.

That was until crusaders for equal rights such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks took stands against discrimination and segregation. Of course, then, he was not considered a popular public figure fighting for what was right. He was simply a man with a dream, not unlike many Americans today.

Though The Civil Rights Movement is now recognized, at one time it was nothing more than America going through a large-scale social change. As many students study in sociology, social change is any alteration in the norm of a single culture.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, community members, students and faculty not only participated in activities on campus but also pondered what could be the next movement similar to the ‘60s Civil Rights Movement.

Among the issues considered, individuals recognized America as the era where

women fight for equal pay, gay marriage is being legalized and marijuana is flooding Colorado and Washington with extra tax dollars.

Stephen Offutt, senior from Madisonville, Ky., believes the issues society is dealing with today still have a long way to go, but are not impossible to reach.

“When you actually think about it, both gay marriage and the legalization of weed can be taxed and once brought into society they will help to raise the economy out of the hole it is now in,” Offutt said. “As for women getting equal pay, that will come after people are disillusioned on gender and gender roles and realize that we are not defined by our gender, but yet who we are as people.”

Though Offutt believes America has a difficult road ahead to pave the way for equality and acceptance, he expressed his beliefs that society is changing partly because of the way people connect with one another.

“I honestly am not sure what the next large social change will be,” he said. “If I had to guess I would say that it will be a change in the two main opposing views in our government. I say this is because everything seems to be pointing towards a mentality of acceptance and compromise.

People are striving more to see eye to eye now than they have in the past and that is due to how connected we are to the rest of the world.”

Other students think smaller steps could lead to greater movements in the future.

Kelsey Bartlett, junior from Paducah, Ky., sees equal schol-

arship opportunities as a stepping stone to major social change.

“I think the next movement would probably be equal rights in general, like equal scholarship opportunities,” Bartlett said. “I am very pessimistic about the civility of this country so I feel like it will cause great turmoil between the races and economic classes, but, hopefully, it will finally balance out to an actual equality.”

With great change, however, come effects on society and its people. Though these issues are debated heavily now, both Offutt and Bartlett believe the changes society is undergoing will have only positive effects.

“The more that we all work together as a society and stop fighting over petty differences that mean very little in the grand scheme of things, the more efficient we will be in the future.” Offutt said. “If we can start to talk, learn and compromise it will change society for the better.”

Looking forward, Bartlett believes these positive effects will astound the generations to come, much like the Civil Rights Movement now.

“I think years in the future when (equality) is finally established, people will look back at their ancestors and laugh at their foolishness and childishness about the issues,” she said.

In the meantime, while a new social change is on the rise, students honor King and his accomplishments by remembering his life’s work and words he left behind: “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

The Shield Yearbook

It is common for Murray State students to express their opinions on issues across campus. Pictured above, students rally against individuals invited to speak for an event called “Insight” in March of 1971. Students believed the topics were controversial and due to protest, only one of four speakers made an appearance.

F aces&Places

Presidential Paschall uses snakes to charm campus lecture series to feature Bill Nye Brandon Cash Staff writer

bcash1@murraystate.edu

With more than 10,000 students on campus it can be difficult to meet new people. For Tyler Paschall, senior from Memphis, Tenn., his snakes are his conversation starter.

“Once you move off campus, it’s hard to meet people and the snakes are a talking point.” Paschall said. “Most people love seeing them, but there are a good number that give me a wide distance.”

Paschall actually brings his snakes on campus so they can get some fresh air and sunshine and so other students can meet them.

According to Paschall, not everyone is excited to see snakes on campus. Some passerbyers have even called the police about him.

“I never really got in trouble for bringing them, but people have called the cops on me.”

Paschall said. “I wasn’t doing anything illegal or against University policies, so there was nothing they could really do, but it hurt that people felt the need to call the cops.”

Though Paschall has liked snakes since he was little, he wasn’t allowed to have one because his dad didn’t like them.

Paschall got his first snake three years ago, a ball python he named Lenny. Aside from the ball python, he also has three corn snakes of different ages named Circe, Xena and Demeter.

“I actually see them as better pets than dogs or cats because they are easier to take care of; they don't carry diseases like rabies,” says Paschall. “Also they don’t

shed on the furniture, or claw anything and if they bite you, they cause a lot less damage.”

When handling the snakes students usually just hold them in their hands and let the snakes curl around their arms and wrists, but some students let them wrap around their shoulders and through their clothes.

Student Andrea Wright, freshman from Broughton, Ill., had a similar experience with one of Paschall’s corn snakes.

“I had a knitted scarf on one day and Circe managed to loop through one of the stitches but was so fat she got stuck halfway and we had to pull her out backwards,” Wright said. “My scarf still has a hole in it.”

Lenny and the other snakes Paschall owns are from people he knew who needed to find new homes for their pets or from snake breeders.

Paschall also loves teaching students about them while on campus. To him, nothing feels better than helping someone conquer their fear of snakes.

Allowing the students to meet and handle the snakes helps to change their view towards them.

Due to the cold weather, Paschall hasn’t had the chance to bring the snakes to campus this semester but hopes to bring them back when the weather gets warmer.

“I do plan on bringing them back when it warms up, but the weather isn’t there yet.”

Paschall said. “I don’t care if I have a book with me or I’m on a computer; I love when people take an interest (in the snakes).”

Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

Ana Bundy/The News

Tyler Paschall, senior from Memphis, Tenn., shows off one of his several snakes.

Bill Nye is well known as “Bill Nye the Science Guy,” but he started his career as a mechanical engineer for Boeing Company in Seattle.

There he found his love for combining science and comedy and started his dual careers as an engineer during the day and a stand-up comedian at night.

Now Nye is the host of three TV shows “The 100 Greatest Discoveries” on the Science Channel, “The Eyes of Nye” on PBS stations and a show called “Stuff Happens” on Planet Green.

Each year the Student Government Association, President’s Office and the MSU Foundation host the Presidential Lecture series and focus on a high profile speaker, and this year’s speaker is Nye. The presidential lecture series is a chance for students to learn more about academic colleges or departments. Students and guests also have the opportunity to stay for a lecture from a high profile speaker.

Nearly a year ago, the SGA posted on its Facebook and Twitter asking students who they would want to speak at the presidential lecture.

“Bill Nye just kept popping up and he was someone we knew students would like to see,” said Jeremiah Johnson, SGA president.

“For many, we grew up watching Bill on TV and when Campus Activities Board saw the opportunity to possibly have him at MSU, we jumped on it.”

Nye is also the Executive Director of The Planetary Society, the world’s largest space-interest group. He has also delivered environmental awareness lectures and commencement addresses at universities across the U.S. His last lecture was in September 2012, where he spoke at Northern Michigan University about the seriousness of environmentalism.

see NYE, 6B

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Features

6B “Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation”

THE

WATER COOLER Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Breanna Sill

NEW COSBY SITCOM CURRENTLY IN THE WORKS A spokesperson for NBC confirmed Bill Cosby is working on ideas for a possible new sitcom.

As of Wednesday, there is no series order at this time or a deal to produce a pilot episode.

The deal brings Cosby to a full writing staff to create a script that will star the 76-year-old.

GRAMMY AWARDS WILL AIR LIVE SUNDAY ON CBS The 2014 Grammy Awards will air live from the Staples Center Sunday night.

The top nominee, Jay-Z, will share the stage with his wife Beyonce. Other performances include Lorde, Kendrick Lamar with Imagine Dragons and Robin Thicke with Chicago.

Also, rumors are flying that Madonna may make a surprise appearance.

Soundbyte “I have a world full of 12-year-olds trying to kill me.

I couldn’t Beliebe it!”

–Jared Padalecki via interview with E! News Jan. 16

NYE 1. “Tik Tok” Ke$ha

From Page 5B Though Spike Lee spoke last year, the SGA was not a part of the presidential lecture series.

In March of 2012 it pulled its support from the lecture series, but have returned this year to help fund the lecture.

Aside from members of the SGA and President’s Office, many students are also excited to have Bill Nye visit this year.

The lecture will start at 8 p.m. in the CSFB Center and Nye’s topic will be called “Hey Earthlings, Let’s Change the World.”

Torri Joyner, freshman from Panorama City, Calif., is excited to see a one of her childhood heroes speak at Murray State.

Said Joyner: “When I was a kid, ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ was one of the coolest shows to watch, and I think it will be a neat experience to actually go see him speak as an adult.”

F

Compiled by Madison Wepfer

lashback riday

5. “Teenage Dream” Katy Perry

The time has come for Flashback Friday! This week we’re flashing back to the top songs of 2010. It was the year when “The Hurt Locker” won an Oscar for Best Motion Picture, the Saints earned their first Super Bowl victory and Canada hosted the 21st Winter Olympics.

2. “The Time (Dirty Bit)” Black Eyed Peas

3. “Whip My Hair” Willow Smith

4. “Dog Days are Over” Florence + the Machine

Picture perfect DIY in four easy steps Madison Wepfer

a clothespin picture holder that is both inexpensive and simple to make.

Contributing writer mwepfer@murraystate.edu

Moving into an apartment or dorm for the first time is a big step when coming to college. It’s difficult to find ways to make the space feel like home without breaking the bank. Thankfully, Pinterest has the hookup on awesome do-it-yourself projects to keep the wallet happy and the dorm looking fabulous.

As thrilling as it is to drive to Hobby Lobby to shop for cute decorations, the cost of several picture frames, a nice desk lamp and a vase to put those flowers in really adds up.

Let’s be honest, trips to the grocery store and filling up the car with gas is enough to leave college students penniless the remainder of the month.

That’s why DIY projects are so great. They’re generally inexpensive, so there is more money to spend on the more important things in life, like ice cream, for example.

Here is a step-by-step guide to

Steps: 1. Cut out a doughnut-shaped piece of cardboard using a box cutter or Exacto knife. You can use a plate or a large bowl to trace.

2. Evenly space the clothespins around the outside of the circle (open end facing inward) and glue them in place.

3. Paint the cardboard circle and clothespins, if desired. It may take a couple of coats to fully cover the cardboard.

4. Clip on your favorite photos, inspiring quotes or magazine clippings, and hang it on the wall.

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To any poor college student with expensive taste, take this advice: get crafty and look up some DIY projects. Let this project be the start of a new and improved room.

d Tweets e r u t Fea of the week

A GREAT GREAT PLACE TO MEET, MEET, A BETTER PLACE TO EA EATT

1

Materials: Cardboard, box-cutter, clothespins, photos, hot glue gun

This week’s topic: DiGiorno Pizza

Coming Soon!

January 24, 2014

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Features

January 24, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’?

TODAY • 7:30 p.m.

77th Annual Campus Lights presents "Anything Goes," Lovett Auditorium • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International: "The Good, The Bad, The Weird," Curris Center Theater

S A T U R D A Y

• 7:30 p.m.

PAATC Show, William "Bill" Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center • 6 p.m.

Robert Burns Scottish Dinner, Murray Women's Club • 7:30 p.m.

77th Annual Campus Lights presents "Anything Goes," Lovett Auditorium

SUNDAY

• 7 p.m.

Women's basketball vs.

Tennessee Tech, CFSB Center

• All Day Eagles Weekend, Lake Barkley State Resort Park • 2;30 p.m.

77th Annual Campus Lights presents "Anything Goes," Lovett Auditorium

7B Celebrity Encounters

• 1:30 p.m.

T Red Cross Blood Murray MidU Drive, dle School E • 5 p.m. meeting, S PRSSA Wilson Hall, room D 115 A Y

MONDAY

• 9 a.m.

W Red Blood E Drive,Cross Baptist MinD Campus istries N • 6:30 p.m.

E Yoga 1 Beginner Therese St. S with Paul, Wellness D Center A Y

THURSDAY • 4 p.m.

History Research Forum, Faculty Hall, room 505 • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International: “The Loneliest Planet,” Curris Center Theater

Review

Photo courtesy of stuff.co.nz

Duo Chad Vaccarino (left) and Ian Axel (right) from A Great Big World celebrate the release of their debut album “Is There Anybody Out There?” Tuesday.

‘Say Something’ stars release debut album Katrina Yarbrough Staff writer kyarbrough2@murraystate.edu

Is there anybody out there?

New music lurks in the shadows of television scenes and hit movie commercials. This is especially true for A Great Big World whose debut CD, “Is There Anybody Out There?” released Tuesday.

Allowing myself to really enjoy new music is a long process. There are times where I’ll need to listen to a few songs maybe 30 times before they finally start to sound enjoyable. In this case, it only took one listen of “Say Something” to do the trick.

Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino, the duo who is known

as A Great Big World, has been active since 2012. The two have had a few songs appear on TV shows such as “One Tree Hill” and “Glee.”

Today’s top hits seem to have taken a small detour down folk lane in the terms of style and sound, similar to Of Monsters and Men and Mumford and Sons. This band’s sound is no exception.

However, it has a few twists and surprises.

“Say Something” has worked its way into my heart by giving words of truth about love lost and moving on with our lives.

The sweet sounds of piano and violin fill cars, homes and headphones around the country as we sing along, hoping to grasp the meaning

Seat-filler

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.

and somehow apply it or attempt to soak it in even more.

The single is one of the few slower songs that appear on the CD. However, if soft ballads are the only things you’re seeking, you won’t find your pleasure here.

The duo takes its creation in various directions when it comes to the additional 12 tracks on the album, one of which is a reprise of “Say Something” with singer Christina Aguilera.

Because of Alex Kinsey and Sierra Deaton’s rendition of the song on “The X Factor,” someone was sure to grab the opportunity of a duet. Although the winning couple managed to capture the world with their version, Christina makes hers sound a

bit airy and uncomfortable.

The contrasting tones and styles of the tracks are a breath of fresh air.

Most of them include the use of piano while there are a few that ride alongside the sound of a nice, upbeat gospel song with a long page of humorous lyrics. Yes, folks, I said it. “Land of Opportunity” and “Everyone Is Gay” had me questioning what I was actually listening to, but they’re catchy. There are no blurred lines when it comes to the meanings.

There seems to be a level mixture of tracks for the moments you need to settle down and ponder life as well as the pick-me-up you may need after a long day of class or work. “This Is the New

Year” and “Cheer Up” are moderately upbeat tracks able to wipe away a downcast mood and replace it the urge to pull on your shoes and skip down the sidewalk.

Listening to them reminded me of a few artists who journey down the road less traveled of catchy, upbeat and a bit silly. Although their paths seem to be covered in fallen trees and the sun has disappeared from sight, I believe this duo will hold their own candle and skip right on into the future of music.

The times are changing and “There is an Answer” to the preceding question. It’s a great big world out there.

“Shorty, Don’t Wait” to explore it.

Have you ever wondered who all those people are sitting around the celebrities at award shows? A lot of them are industry members or talent Breanna Sill agents, but most Assistant of them are proseatFeatures Editor fessional fillers or talent fillers, and I am usually one of them.

I started seat-filling professionally for award shows in Nashville, Tenn., in 2012 and since then I’ve gotten to sit among not only Hollywood’s elite, but also country music’s brightest stars.

The first award show I was hired to seat-fill for was the 2012 CMT Music Awards and it was honestly one of the most wonderful nights of my life.

I spent the night sitting directly behind Joe Don Rooney, Jay Demarcus and Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney and next to Zac Brown. I listened to Zac Brown and Kenny Chesney chat about life and their families during every commercial break.

Another show I was privileged enough to attend was the 2012 CMA Music Awards. I got to spend the night sitting in the second row from the front of the stage behind Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift and Keith Urban.

You would think being surrounded by all that talent would be overwhelming, but honestly there is nothing more exciting.

The most recent show I have attended was the 2013 CMT Music Awards where I spent the night sitting in the front row. I was two seats to the left of Miranda Lambert and four seats to the right of Taylor Swift.

That night takes the cake for my favorite experience so far, because I was able to spend a commercial break catching up with Taylor Swift after not having the chance for a while.

(That’s a story for another time.)

My good luck with running into celebrities in Nashville began in 2007 when I attended my first CMA Music Festival. Since then, I have rubbed elbows with many more celebrities than I am really even willing to admit for fear of sounding like a total stalker.

Although, through this column I will be sharing the stories of all my celebrity encounters through the years. I will also share a few tips and tricks other autograph hounds might find interesting if they are looking to make some famous friends.

No two stories are the same, as are no two celebrities. bsill@murraystate.edu

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January 24, 2014

Zac Brown Band to appear at CFSB Center McKenzie Willett Staff writer mwillett2@murraystate.edu

Three-time Grammy winning and multi-platinum selling artists, musicians of the Zac Brown Band, will make an appearance at the CFSB Center Feb. 8 at 7 p.m.

Zac Brown, lead vocals, along with band members Coy Bowles, Jimmy De Martini, Chris Fryar, Clay Cook, Daniel de los Reyes and John Driskell Hopkins will perform along with opening acts Levi Lowrey and the AJ Ghent Band.

Levi Lowrey is a singer and songwriter with a unique country vibe from Dacula, Georgia.

Lowrey began as a fiddle player and has several nominations from the Country Music Awards and co-wrote “Colder Weather,” “Day for the Dead” and “The Wind” with the Zac Brown Band.

Lowrey’s self-titled album features 13 new songs and debuts on Feb. 25.

The AJ Ghent Band composes soul, funk and country songs.

Along with the Zac Brown Band, Levi Lowrey is a part of the same label company, Southern Ground.

AJ Ghent, lead vocals, has performance in his blood. His grandfather and father were guitarists for their church.

The band toured with the Zac Brown Band in 2013 and contin-

ues to tour now.

Though the Zac Brown Band has a southern rock vibe, it is still one of the most popular country groups in the world. In 2013, the band performed more than 70 headline dates for more than 1.3 million fans and appeared in more than a dozen festivals.

Now, it has released the most recent four-song EP album, “The Grohl Sessions Vol. 1.” Dave Grohl, lead singer of the Foo Fighters, is collaborating with the band by playing drums for “Let It Rain” and “Day of the Dead” to give the band a new sound.

The band gave its fans some insight about the album and what it has to offer.

“We are at a brand new beginning with our sound. It is still us, but it is pushed to another limit,” Brown said in an interview with LiveNation.com.

Students Kendall Young, senior from Evansville, Ind., and Michael Adams, graduate student from Paducah, Ky., have seen and heard about their favorite band coming to Murray and are excited to see them again.

“I saw Zac Brown two years ago over Winter Break in Evansville,” Young said. “It was a great experience and I plan on seeing them again.”

“I saw the band before at the Country Music Awards in Nashville three summers ago,” Adams said. “It wasn’t a long per-

formance, but it was still fun.”

Young and Adams explain their favorite songs and why they love Zac Brown so much.

“One of my favorite songs is ‘Keep Me In Mind’ because it is just a song that makes me smile from how fun it is,” Young said.

“Unlike some performers, they don’t use autotune, which is refreshing.”

“My favorite song would have to be ‘Natural Disaster’ off of their ‘Uncaged’ album,” Adams said. “Their songs have a lot more in common with old-school country music, and I think that gives them an authenticity that a great majority of country music lacks today.”

The staff at the CFSB Center is proud and excited for the band to perform in front of Murray’s community. Shelley Todd, director of the CFSB Center and Lovett Auditorium, admits how chaotic this show will be.

“We have 11 trucks and buses coming in with Zac Brown with all of their equipment, lighting, instruments, etc. and we couldn’t be more excited for them to perform in Murray thanks to routers and the success of other shows in the past,” Todd said.

“We expect the show to be sold out because the band has sold out other cities.”

Ticket prices range from $45 for upper level seating to $74.50 for floor seating.

Photos courtesy of zacbrownband.com

(Left) the The Zac Brown Band collaborates with Dave Grohl on its latest EP, “The Grohl Sessions Volume 1.”

(Above) lead singer, Zac Brown, performs in Fresno, Calif.

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