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The Murray State News TheNews.org

March 13, 2014

Vol. 88, No. 25

The search is

OVER Rebecca Walter || Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Robert Davies has been named the new president of Murray State, becoming the 13th president in University history. After the Board of Regents decided to remove interim from President Tim Miller’s title, making him the 12th president at the University, the board unanimously voted to name Davies the next president.

Plans for the University During an open forum Monday, Davies answered questions and concerns from students, faculty, staff and community members. He touched on issues regarding budget cuts, enrollment, housing and dining, athletics and his role as president. Davies said he wants to end his career at Murray State. “I want this to be my capstone presidency,” he said. Davies said during his first six months as president he will not make any major decisions. He said during that time, his job would be to listen, learn and ask questions. He said he would also take that time to learn from Murray State’s current administration. After the six-month period ends, Davies said the next step would be figuring out what a university serving an entire region should entail. During his time at Murray State, Davies said he has a goal to meet every student on campus. “It would hurt my heart if someone walked across the stage at Murray State graduation and said ‘Wow, you’re the president?’” Davies said. He also stressed the importance of diversity at the University. “If we are a University, and we cannot let people be who they are, then what kind of University are we?” Davies said. In regard to the budget, Davies said it is important to remember that planning and the budget go together. “We can’t plan our budget wishes on things that might not occur,” he said. Davies said he hopes to be as transparent with the budget at President Tim Miller has been. He said he is looking forward to transitioning to a larger university. Eastern

see PRESIDENT, 2A

Kate Russell/The News

A day for Murray State presidents Editor-in-Chief Lexy Gross had the opportunity to talk to incoming President Robert Davies Wednesday afternoon. Gross asked him about his new position, his expectations and his immediate reactions. Lexy Gross: How has your day gone so far? Robert Davies: We drove yesterday afternoon with members of the board and my wife. We went through Murray and visited a few places. As you know, my daughter is really into horses so we went to the Equine Center and they gave us just an amazing tour. We spent about two hours out there and really had a great time. We drove to Nashville, Tenn., and found out our plane was delayed. We knew the board was meeting at 2 p.m. and as soon as the wheels touched down I got a call. The plane steward looked at me, knowing my phone was ringing, and so I didn’t answer it the first time. I got a call again, I took it that time, since we had completely landed, and it was board Chairman Constantine Curris and he said the words I was dying to hear. I got choked up and said yes, although I barely got it out. So I started making phone calls to people back in La Grande, Oreg. I called key people I wanted to thank before all of it came through; I was just going crazy. Then my email started clogging up with notes from people welcoming me to Murray. My Twitter account even

see Q&A, 2A

Miller named 12th, Davies named 13th University president Meghann Anderson || News Editor manderson22@murraystate.edu

An interim president was honored and a new president was chosen at the Board of Regents meeting Wednesday. Robert Davies will begin his tenure as president July 14 and will receive a yearly salary of $300,000. Former President Randy Dunn made $257,088 annually. This announcement came after Interim President Tim Miller was named the 12th president of the University. The board voted to remove interim from his title and Miller will finish his tenure at Murray State as president. Miller said he was surprised by the decision. “I was just telling these guys, I don’t like surprises,” he said. “But that was a really good surprise.” Miller said he’s always viewed himself as an educator, not a president. Earning the title of Murray State’s president caps a career, he said. He said it’s an honor to be an alumnus of

Students display excitement for new president

WHAT’S

ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES OUR VIEW

INSIDE

A new smoking trend has risen in popularity, 3A

Murray State and go on to serve as president. “It made me cry,” Miller said. “And I don’t cry. They couldn’t have done anything that would have been more pleasing.” After recognizing Miller, the board moved on to vote for Murray State’s 13th president. Board Chairman Constantine Curris said Davies has a strong track record. “He works very hard, and he relates very well to all groups – faculty, staff, students, legislators and community representatives,” Curris said. “He will be great fit for Murray State.” Curris said the board’s vote for Davies resulted from positive reports from the constituencies across campus. In a campus forum earlier this week, Davies talked about the importance of transparent communication, accessibility and strategic planning for the University. Renee Fister, faculty regent, said Davies will be a collaborative partner with faculty, staff and students, that he will be able to work with Frankfort and that he will be an asset to Murray State. Davies met with campus constituencies earlier this week in open and closed meetings. The board interview took place Tuesday. Provost Jay Morgan said he was happy with the board’s decision to vote Davies as president. “I was personally very surprised with Davies’ interview,” Morgan said. “He was very open and he was very willing to give

Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Rebecca Walter || Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Several students were excited to learn Wednesday that Robert Davies will be the next president of Murray State. Jeremiah Johnson, student regent and Student Government Association president, said he’s excited Davies will be the next president.

Fumi Nakamura/The News

President Tim Miller talks to Staff Regent Phil Schooley after Wednesday’s board meeting. new thoughts and ideas for the University. I liked his ideas on strategic planning and branding for the University.” Morgan, who is also vice president of Academic Affairs, said all of the vice presidents had an hour-long interview with each candidate. He said he got the chance to interview Davies while he was on campus. The board selected Davies over Northern State University President James Smith.

Davies will transition from his current presidency at Eastern Oregon University to the Murray State presidency. Johnson said during Davies’ University visit, he walked through campus to meet students and received a positive reaction. Johnson said students told him they liked Davies’ personality and feel he will be transparent with his administration. Johnson said he hopes to see the University progress under Davies’ guidance.

NCAA BOUND

Students were apathetic during Kelsey Emme heads to national presidential search, 4A tournament for rifle, 1B

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COUNTRY LEGEND CFSB Center prepares for Willie Nelson, Alison Krauss, 7B


The News

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March 13, 2014

PRESIDENT

Q&A

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Oregon University, where Davies is currently president, has less than half the enrollment of Murray State, with 4,157 students. Davies arrived at the University Sunday with his wife, Cindy. Since then he has met with Miller, a group of 12 student representatives on campus, The MSU Foundation Board of Trustees and community representatives, faculty representatives and interviewed with the Board of Regents. Davies ended the open forum Monday by sharing a few personal thoughts and hopes for his time at Murray State. “You guys have something special here, something beyond what I expected,” he said.

got a spike in new followers. So we took off and were in the air for another half hour … when we landed I turned on my phone again and had 72 emails and so many messages, congratulating me and welcoming me to the Murray community. Talking to people from Murray State has been fantastic.

From eastern Oregon to western Kentucky Davies’ presidency of Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, Oreg., began in July 2009. During his time at Eastern Oregon, Davies secured more than $50 million in state funding for building renovations, personaly pledged $120,000 for scholarships and faculty research and increased enrollment, retention and graduation rates to the highest levels in the university’s history.

STUDENTS From Page 1 “I want to see Murray continue to move forward,” Johnson said. “Murray’s got a lot of room to grow.” Michael Dobbs, executive secretary of SGA, said he believes Davies is a good choice for president. As moderator for the student committee meetings, he had the opportunity to meet and speak to Davies. “He’s a very outgoing guy and I think he is a great fit for the University,” Dobbs said. “You would think for western Kentucky, we would be very homogenous, but we are actually very different and I think he will be able to bring even more diversity.” Dobbs said he believes Davies’ student-orientated principles can improve the relationship between the administration and students. Davies will be able to adequately

LG : How was your visit at Murray State?

Kate RussellThe News

Incoming President Robert Davies met with students, faculty and staff Monday. Before his time at Eastern Oregon, Davies was vice president for University Relations at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and held other positions at the State University of New York at Buffalo, Boise State University and the University of Nevada, Reno. Davies has also been selected to serve on several national and regional associations and commissions. These organizations include the Committee on Policies and Advocacy for the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, chairman of the Council of Presidents for the Cascade Colle-

giate Conference and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. He has professional memberships in the Association of American State Colleges and Universities and the American Council on Education. Davies earned a Bachelor of Science in management from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1989. He received a Master of Business Administration in finance and marketing from the University of Oregon and a Ph.D. in higher education administration from State University of New York at Buffalo.

balance the responsibilities of president while maintaining an active relationship with the student body, Dobbs said. Dobbs said he hopes Davies will be able to work with the SGA and that they can develop a vision together for the University. “He’s only been here for a couple days,” he said. “I think it’s important for him to make a connection with students right off the bat. Making them a top priority, they’ll support him in what he does.” Residential College Association President Sidney Anderson said she believes the incoming president will be able to interact with students like President Tim Miller. “Dr. Miller has done so much and has a great relationship with students and I think Dr. Davies will do the same,” Anderson said. “He’s studentorientated and it’s clear he wants to form a relationship with students.” Anderson said she believes Davies will be able to help the residential col-

lege system develop and grow as president and said he was supportive of the system. She said Davies does not know all of the ins and outs of the residential college system yet, but believes that once he learns, there is no doubt he can help improve the colleges. Patrick Hook, senator for Lee Clark Residential College, said he has high hopes for Davies being president at Murray State. “I feel that (Davies) will promote better progress and ideas for the University,” Hook said. “That is something we need.” Hook said he attended as many events during the presidential search as possible to stay informed. He said he feels it is important for students to be aware of presidential selection process. He said his main hope for Davies is that he will be a fresh start for the University. Said Hook: “This is a new page for Murray State.”

RD: Monday I got the chance to talk to students – I went over to Winslow Dining Hall and snuck into the Wellness Center and got a tour from Shelby. We met with people at the front desk, met other students, asked questions and had lunch with students as well. Then I went through the interview process. They always say to be yourself and I don’t know how else to be. You just get that sense of connection that’s very positive at Murray State. I just had a blast at the open forum getting and answering questions. I had a very solid meeting with the board Tuesday and they gave me razor-sharp questions. I thoroughly enjoyed the process. LG: What will be your first steps at Murray State? RD: I want to meet with people, meet with faculty, staff and students and community members. One thing I’ll be thinking about during the next two weeks is developing a transition team, who should help me with that from different constituencies. I would like to make one or two more trips back to Murray before we start. I’m in the discovery phase – I’m trying to figure out those intangible elements that make Murray State such a special place. What will enhance our

academic quality? That takes time, it’s not something you can rush through but you have to move through the groups, defining what we need to do short term and long term. We have to figure out how to deal with the challenges that face us, changing demographics, realities and new technology. Across the campus, one thing I picked up over the visit, is the transparency and inclusion. We need formal structures to make that happen, those are the things that speak out. LG: How are members of the Eastern Oregon University community reacting to this change in presidency?

A lot of people are sad I’m going and it’s hard, our family loves EOU, but the opportunities at Murray State are just incredible. - incoming President Robert Davies RD: I’ve gotten many emails saying they are very sorry I’m going and giving me well wishes. The neat thing is that a lot of people have pointed out very specific things I’ve accomplished over the last five years. A custodian said I always made him feel like a president by stopping and talking to him. People are saying they appreciated that I went beyond just the faculty senate and included staff and students. The student body president talked about working with the presidential search committee and how I interacted with her and student government. A lot of people are sad I’m going and it’s hard – our family loves EOU – but the opportunities at Murray State are just incredible.

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The News

News

March 13, 2014 News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Ben Manhanke Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

Police Beat March 6 1:12 a.m. A caller reported a medical emergency in Old Richmond Residential College. Officers and Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken. 8:15 p.m. A caller reported damaged property in Regents Residential College. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

March 7 2:12 a.m. A caller reported a noise complaint in the 700 block of College Courts. Officers were notified and a report was taken. 8:09 p.m. A caller reported the smell of marijuana in Lee Clark Residential College. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

March 8 12:15 a.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop behind James H. Richmond Residential College. A verbal warning was issued for failure to use a turn signal. 1 1:10 p.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop on North 16th Street. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence and possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

3A

E-cigs gain popularity Senate a i m s to vo i ce co n ce r n s

Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Cigarettes are addictive and unhealthy, but a new form of smoking can give smokers a different way to fulfill their need for nicotine. Electronic cigarettes are a new smoking trend that has people making the switch from lighting up to powering up. Battery powered and water based, e-cigarettes have proven to help cigarette smokers transition from the approximately 600 ingredients in traditional cigarettes to liquid nicotine. E-cigarettes are different from vaporizers, which are used to vaporize plant material such as E-C marijuana and tobacco, whereas the e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco. Jordan Hines, general manager of Vape Paradise in Murray, said the popularity of e-cigarettes among Murray customers has been amazing, much to her surprise. This is the second store Vape Paradise has opened, its first being in Paducah. Since opening in December 2013, Vape Paradise has offered more than 107 different flavors of vapor for customers to choose from. “If you would have asked me six months ago to forecast this kind of business, never in a million years would I have been able to anticipate the overwhelming response we’ve gotten from people,” Hines said.

Rebecca Walter || Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Photo illustration by Fumi Nakamura/The News

Junior Nick Laster chooses to smoke e-cigs instead of regular cigarettes. “People are finding out that they don’t have to smoke if they don’t want to. They also smell better.” Hines said she believes the current popularity of e-cigarettes will only grow and likely replace regular cigarettes. “To see that change in a mindset in the United States is amazing,” Hines said. “With us living in to-

bacco country, seeing this response is wild.” The U.S. Drug and Food Administration has yet to fully regulate the e-cigarette industry. The question unanswered by experts is if e-cigarettes will lead to non-smokers beginning to vape with nicotine, or allow for current smokers to find a way to quit.

March 9 12:59 a.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop on 16th and Poplar streets. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence and the possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. 2:41 p.m. A caller reported a noninjury motor vehicle accident in the James Richmond Residential College parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

March 10 3:47 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident in the CFSB Center parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken. 7:21 p.m. A caller reported a student stuck in an elevator in Regents. Officers and Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

March 11 1:42 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle accident in The Olive’s parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken. 4:54 p.m. A caller reported suspicious activity outside of Faculty Hall. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Call of Fame Mar. 7 - 11:17 a.m. A caller reported large pieces of ice falling off of the CFSB Center. Officers were notified and the report was referred to another jurisdiction. Motorists assists – 3 Racer escorts – 1 Arrests – 2

Ben Manhanke, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

New tax proposed to fund parks Lori Allen || Staff writer lallen21@murraystate.edu

A committee of local citizens is seeking signatures for a petition to let voters decide on a nickel tax to raise funds for Murray-Calloway County Parks. Parks Director Tab Brockman said a group of six people, known as People for Our Parks, filed a referendum according to requirements in KRS Statute 97.590. This has brought about a petition that requires 3,039 signatures, which is 10 percent of the number of registered voters in the last mayoral election. If the signatures are obtained, then the voters will get the choice on whether a nickel tax on every $100 will be paid by Calloway County property owners on their tax bills to raise funds for the parks. “I’m very glad these folks got this started,” Brockman said. “People don’t understand the state of the infrastructure.” Brockman said the joint city and county budget of $290,000 for the parks is not enough to maintain areas of the parks like the roads, ballparks, the pool and care of the trees. The roads and parking lots have not had funds maintained properly since 2000 and the park pool loses thousands of gallons of water every day, Brockman said. “This touches Murray State students because they are part of the community and use the park for things like intramural sports, walking, jogging and taking their dogs,” Brockman said. There are three parks in Murray: Central, Chestnut and Bee Creek, which have a combined area of 164 acres. Stacie Bogard, sophomore from Murray, said she and her sisters often bring their children and dogs to enjoy the parks when the weather is nice. Bogard said she was unaware of the proposed tax but said she would be in favor of it. “I don’t think it’d be a bad idea at all; the parks could use (the money),” Bogard said. Squire Babcock, associate professor of English, said he doesn’t see any other way to generate funds for the parks and that a nickel on every $100 sounds like a good deal. “My daughter benefits greatly from the Playhouse in the Park,” Babcock said. “The parks are a great resource in this community.” The petitions are available for signing at several locations in the city of Murray including the Parks office, the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and City Hall. Founding members of People for Our Parks include Interim President Tim Miller, several local business owners and concerned citizens.

Lori Allen/The News

Emerson Ray plays with her friend at the Central Park dog park. Murray State alumna and retired employee, Donna Herndon, is one of the founding committee members and has strong feelings about the parks. “We all feel like the parks are a part of our community and they are on life support right now,” Herndon said. “It’s been sad to see how little funds are available. They have just been Band-Aids for what is needed. We have to get serious about taking care of the facilities.” Herndon, who has long-standing family ties in the area, has three grandchildren that are currently students at the University. She said she has often seen Murray State students enjoying the park, whether as a quiet place for a meal or to just get away. “I’ve had a lot of feedback from people,” Herndon said. “I think that it’s an investment in our children I hope all of us are willing to make. We want to get it on the ballot so we can decide to make it a priority.”

With the goal to govern and serve the student body in mind, the Student Government Association works to make student voices heard on campus. Jeremiah Johnson, SGA president, said being there for students is one of the main goals of SGA. “We try our best to represent the students and what they want,” Johnson said. There are four branches that make up SGA: the Campus Activities Board, the Judicial Board, the Residential College Association and the Senate. The Campus Activities Board is made up of 15 chairpersons. They help promote activities for students and the community, such as laser tag and movies on campus. The Judicial Board has 10 members. They review parking tickets and hear appeals. For instance, when a student receives a parking ticket and Johnson appeals it, the Judicial Board is in charge of deciding if the ticket stands. The Residential College Association is the governing body of the nine residential colleges. There is one representative per college. They are in charge of addressing concerns of residents and help plan activities and programs for residents in the residential colleges. The Senate is comprised of 46 students. There are three from each of the five academic colleges and from the Hutson School of Agriculture. There are two senators from the School of Nursing and two from each residential college, eight at-large senators and two freshmen senators. Senators must maintain a 2.5 GPA in order to keep their positions. Kayla Hartley, senator for the School of Nursing, said SGA wants what is best for the campus and is there to help students. “All a student has to do is ask a SGA member information and they will either talk to you about the topic or find someone who does know,” Hartley said. She said she feels that sometimes students do not take advantage of all SGA can help them with, such as contacting the student Senate or the SGA president with an issue or concern. “I think that many students do not know about this opportunity,” Hartley said. “If students have a problem it can be addressed by SGA; that is what we are here for.” SGA meets every Wednesday at 4 p.m. on the third floor of the Curris Center in the Barkley Room. Johnson said he tries to keep an open line of communication between SGA and the student body. Johnson said students are welcome to let SGA know their thoughts, concerns and opinions. This can be done by coming to meetings, contacting him or other members through emails or stopping by his office. Said Johnson: “We cannot represent a student body that is silent.”


4A

March 13, 2014

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 270-809-5873

Our View

Students are apathetic about campus politics The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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The presidential search that took place at Murray State was historic. Since opening its doors in 1922, this institution has had twelve presidents in total. The fact that we witnessed Robert Davies become the 13th president to govern this University is an opportunity Murray State students may not see for decades. However, students seemed apathetic and uninformed about the process of his selection. Open forums were held at Wrather West Kentucky Museum Monday and Tuesday for both candidates as a chance for students and faculty to familiarize themselves and ask questions about their policies. From that point, they could draw their own conclusions about who would be the best fit for Murray State. Seats were filled with reporters, camera crews, faculty and staff. Students, however, were a different story. The majority of students who attended the open forums were there because of a class obligation and had little interest in the issues or what the candidates had to say. When it comes to selecting a presidential candidate, students are arguably the most af-

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fected group. Davies’ ability to properly budget and represent the University in Frankfort determines whether or not we will see spikes in our tuition rates, cuts in our organizations and changes to our classes. University presidents have a large amount of power and responsibility, so we needed a quality candidate to maintain our institution. Murray State spent $137,00 of our money on the Witt/Kieffer Executive Search Firm to find the most qualified candidates. Davies and candidate James Smith were nominated by the firm, and Davies’ $300,000 salary comes from our pockets. Since we funded the search and provide the presidential salary, we should have felt more obligated to have a voice in determining who was fit for the job to run our University. Our input had the potential to influence the final selection, but it’s difficult to know what students want when they are too uninvolved to have an opinion. If we give organizations like the Board of Regents and the Student Government Association nothing to work with, they have no

choice but to make important decisions without our regards. We are now seeing the effects of bad budgeting from former president Randy Dunn. Because the budget was placed into the wrong hands, we are faced with the task of digging ourselves out of looming deficits. We are losing an academic college, faculty positions are shifting and tuition rates will inevitably rise. It seems beyond students’ concern, but this is the best time to educate ourselves, develop positions and fight for our best interests now that we have a president who promised to put us first. Davies said he wanted a transparent relationship, similar to the one Miller developed, with the student body. He plans to share his plans of action with us openly. The future should be an opportunity to let Davies know about our reactions and concerns to his decisions. Our apathy toward University politics is affecting us. This is the time we need to wake up, become knowledgeable in the issues and prove that we have an affect on the outcome.

Captain’s Log

Never stop searching for your soul mate There are people who will spend their whole lives looking under rocks and checking every corner for who they believe is their “soul mate.” This word has more power than most people really understand. The thing that is beautiful about the phrase soul mate is that we made it up. There is no religious Zac Garrison or historical connection to Junior from the word and what exactly it means. Franklin, Ky. But, as human beings, we all want to believe there is one person out there looking for us just as hard as we are looking for them. It gives us purpose, hope and keeps us thinking that our time will come. I’m a firm believer in soul mates, even if it’s only a psychological phenomenon we’ve made ourselves believe. Do I think of it in the traditional, “There is only one person somewhere on this earth” way? Not exactly. But there is definitely someone out there who will understand you, and who is also looking for you, too. It’s statistics if you think about it. There are seven billion people on this earth, so statistically speaking, having someone out there perfectly compatible with you in every way is definitely possible. Every second that ticks by in our life makes it incrementally easier to find our soul mates. But, we were all introduced to this phrase in sort of a hopeless and depressing way. As much as we all love thinking that there is someone for us, there is always the chance that we could spend our whole life searching for this one person and never find them because they are simply one in seven billion. So while statistically there is someone out

there perfectly compatible with us, it could be looked at like winning the lottery - finding that one person out of seven billion. Right now is the absolute best time to find your soul mate. With the massive trend of dating websites sweeping the Internet, it gives people hope that they might be able to find that someone. They can log on, upload their best pictures, update their profile with what they want people to see and sit and refresh their inbox in hopes that someone likes what they see. Dating websites are especially popular in the older demographic that feels like they are simply too busy to go out and meet people. I believe that people who make dating profiles simply for social networking with other singles, that always have the motive in the back of their mind that they will defy the odds and are one of the few who finds their soul mate online. As of 2013, around 11 percent of adults had found their significant other on a dating websites and around 38 percent of adults have or have had a profile on one of these websites. This shows that dating sites are no longer something that people consider weird, geeky or odd; it’s becoming common and will only continue growing. “Soul mate” doesn’t have a static definition. It’s an elastic term that applies to a lot of situations and is used diversely. This being said, since there is no static definition, soul mate is not defined to only a man and a woman. As our world becomes more progressive and equally more accepting of LGBT culture (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) the idea of soul mates becomes even more prevalent to this community. There is nothing that says a man’s soul mate has to be a woman, or a woman’s has to be a man. No ancient scripture, no stone carvings, nothing. Somewhere in this world everybody has someone for them, no exceptions.

I believe that soul mates bypass sexual orientation. Emotional and physical compatibility is not restricted by sex and soul mates aren’t only for “straight people.” It’s not fair or even practical to expect that individuals who identify as homosexual don’t have someone out there waiting for them because a soul mate can’t be of the same sex. The beautiful thing is that humanity made the idea of soul mates and no one controls the idea or definition, so everyone is fair game. Never stop looking for what you deserve, regardless of whom or what you love. Soul mates are usually looked at as a very accepted and happy thing, but some people don’t look at it this way. As much as we love to think about finally finding the person that simply gets us, we tend to think of how statistically improbable it is. Why do we even think about that? Speaking frankly, our goal on this earth is to fall in love, make children, raise them properly and then pass away. If our soul mate is going to be right by our side for half of lives, we should exhaust every effort to find this person. Once you disqualify yourself from finding your soul mate and stop searching because of the numbers, you take your dog out of the race before it even starts. You miss every shot you don’t take. I’m no love guru. I’m no more qualified to talk about love, destiny and relationships than the next guy. But, I believe it’s possible. As stressed and as upset as you may be with your sometimes monotonous life or existence, in the back of your mind you always know there is someone who shares your same struggle and loves you already just as much as you love them. So search. Flip rocks. Check corners. Don’t take no for an answer and don’t read into statistics. There is someone looking for you, no matter who you are. I promise.


The News

Opinion

March 13, 2014

5A Did she really say that?

Letters to the Editor Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway announced he will not appeal a judge’s order to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states or jurisdictions. Instead, Gov. Steve Beshear will hire outside legal counsel to appeal the ruling. Last month, U.S. District Court Judge John G. Heyburn II ruled that Kentucky ’s marriage amendment violates the constitutional principal of equal protection and that the Commonwealth cannot refuse to recognize valid same-sex marriages conducted in other states. The judge, who was appointed to the bench by former President George H. W. Bush, sided with four plaintiff couples who had legally married in other states before seeking state recognition in Kentucky. “Attorney General Conway has sent a strong message that discrimination is indefensible,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin. “With each passing day we are one step closer to full marriage equality in America, and Kentucky should not stand in the way of our march toward equal rights.” It would be wrong to waste taxpayer dollars defending Kentucky’s

archaic ban on marriage equality.” Once it is officially appealed, the Kentucky case joins other federal court cases in Utah, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Virginia and Texas—all of which are currently within the appellate level. Currently, 29 states have constitutional amendments restricting marriage to one man and one woman. Same-sex couples can legally marry in 17 states and Washington, D.C. Attorney General Conway joins the attorneys general of California, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Virginia as well the Attorney General of the United States, in concluding that discriminatory marriage laws are inconsistent with the guarantees of the U.S. Constitution. The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

I’m done with Dunn The New York Times Crossword Puzzle was first introduced to readers February 15, 1942. At first a weekly feature, the crossword puzzle’s popularity by 1950 necessitated it to become a daily. Brain-teasers are fun, and certainly more stimulating than most of the rest of your paper. So why did you take out the Sudoku? #SaveTheSudoku #SudokuRulez #YaySudoku #YouSuck #Hashtag

Anonymous submission

I am sad that you got rid of the Sudoku section in features. I’m a student worker and I tend to have a lot of free time on my hands, which is why I am writing you this letter. I always enjoy working on the puzzles every week and would very much appreciate it if you brought back Sudoku in the future.

Daniel Vaughn Junior from Paducah, Ky.

You voted, we listened We asked readers about their reaction to not seeing Sudoku in last week’s edition. This is what you had to say.

Charles Joughin

Bring it back! I noticed it was gone, but didn’t mind

You had Sudoku?

Press Secretary of The Human Rights Campaign

I’ve Got a Story for You

The complete history of Spring Break Spring Break has come. This long-standing seasonal phenomenon is actually a relatively new arrival on the long list of university traditions. We rarely pause to think about its origins, so happy are we to hit the snowlined trail to the Tennessee border and points south. Very, very south. In fact, paleolithic man Robert Valentine (and woman) did not indulge in this annual worSenior lecturer shipping of the sun. in advertising There is no written record of any paleolithic Spring Break, probably due to the absence of any functioning paleolithic colleges and universities. During this period in human development, education was restricted to very simple forms of training and thought such as gathering berries, hunting for elk, moose and rotarians and writing legislation for Congress. The medieval university featured long, boring lectures, uninteresting dining options and excessive drinking. Since that time, however, a few things have changed, to wit: professors now take attendance. Spring Break, however, did not occur. In fact, medieval students like Prince Hamlet of Denmark (see Shakespeare’s laugh-filled madcap comedy about a misunderstood undergrad and his sidekicks Horatio, Rose Encrantz and Gilda Stearns) might not try to go home once in a fouryear period.

Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Je e rs i s w ri tte n by t he O p i ni o n Ed itor. Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to cbesser@murraystate.edu.

Comics

Hamlet is obviously a work of fiction because he was always popping back to the house to kill some old servant, attend a girlfriend’s funeral or go to the theater. When you’re going to school in Paris (France – not Tennessee) and they don’t take attendance, why go home in the first place? It is not until the democratization of college in the early 20th century that we encounter a holiday set in the first semi-warm months of March and April. The reason for this holiday is found in the agricultural base to the American economy. In planting season, we need all hands on deck (or, “in the dirt,” as may be). So, students who were not princes or trustfund babies would take time off from diligent study to go home to help plant, gobble up the last of the previous year’s smoked ham and pickled boysenberries and check out the local farm girls before heading back to college. Two important developments freed the college student from this annual trip to serve as unpaid farm labor: the invention of the motorized tractor and big-time college basketball. First, parents found they could get more done without the interference of students who a) needed to do two months of laundry in five days, and b) thought they knew more than their parents because they had read Silas Marner, Anna Karenina and Three Thousand Jokes About Sheep and Chickens. Second, universities began to demand the attendance on campus in order to increase the size of the crowds at sports venues. During the time of which we speak, popcorn and lemonade sales were a significant part of school budgets.

Even though this revenue source was later replaced by parking stickers and parking fines, bigtime college basketball had made its mark right in the middle of the season of Spring Break. The impact of this phenomenon created a boom in the American economy as inventors leapt at the chance to capitalize on this opportunity. It was Henry Ford who put the final nail in the coffin of tradition by building an inexpensive automobile capable of carrying sun-starved bathing beauties to the warm shores of the Atlantic and gulf coasts. It only remained for Georgia and Alabama to build the necessary highways for students at schools without one of the 2,087 teams who qualified for one of the 38 national tournaments. This happened in the 1950s as part of President Eisenhower’s primary initiative to increase the number of gas stations and peanut stands in Georgia and Alabama. And that is why, to this very day, as this newspaper is being dropped at kiosks and stands all over campus, 55 percent of the students will have already taken flight on a well-deserved vacation celebrating their sincere promise to, “Take all my books with me and catch up on my studying while I’m soaking up the rays.” Yeah, right. Well, that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it like sand to a sandwich. Editor’s note: Portions of this essay are subject to verification before being accepted as factual. For instance, there is no reliable information supporting my assertion that paleolithic man hunted moose, or that anyone takes a book on Spring Break.

Cheers to ... Spring Break. We’re sick of slipping on sidewalks and pushing cars out of driveway. We hope you all have a relaxing break, whether it be at Panama City Beach, your parents’ house or in Murray.

Jeers to ... Our constituencies bowing down to the Board of Regents. Members of the Board of Regents don’t decide what meetings can be open to media. The Open Meetings Act does.

Jeers to ... Nasty puddles all over campus. We don’t know if it’s our soil or the city’s drainage system, but campus looks like it just survived a flood. Walking through the Quad, crossing N. 16th St. and everywhere else requires dodging and wading. We like our shoes too much!

Cheers to ... The presidential search coming close to an end. We’ve waited for months, wondering what qualities and decisions a new president would bring to the University. Now it’s over, and we can all breathe a sigh of relief.

I remember where I was when it was announced that the Board of Regents decided not to extend the contract of former Murray State President Randy Dunn. Carly Besser I was sitting Opinion Editor in the newsroom, editing a story. As soon as one of my coworkers announced the decision, I was admittedly upset and confused as to why they would choose to let him go. In a 2012 student survey, Dunn received a 75-80 percent approval rating. How could they go against something like that? When I went to the budget address March 7, however, I was given a new perspective on why Dunn’s dismissal was best. Dunn was a great public figure and made himself active in many student relations. We saw him star in campus music videos and attend events like All Campus Sing. He was a good figurehead, but maybe he was just that: a figurehead. A spreadsheet of where our money was spent in the past year revealed that Dunn made frivolous monetary decisions and an array of budgetary mistakes. Dunn provided $11,500 in travel expenses to an unknown recruiter in Illinois. Nobody within the University, including Interim President Tim Miller, knew who this person was. In the survey, 89.5 percent of students said that Dunn could be trusted to be honest and up front, but his decision to fund an unknown recruiting project reflects just the opposite. He also used reserve money to fill holes in the budget. While you may say ‘so what?’, this was actually a bad move. That money is supposed to be reserved for emergency situations only. It shouldn’t be used to balance a budget. That’s money we could have used when we were scrambling to fix the loss of power and frozen water pipes during the snowstorm in early January. After Dunn became the president of Youngstown State, it also fell victim to some of his questionable practices. Not showing up to a recruiting event without notice, darting out of a three-year contract in less than one year and deleting his Facebook account had us all wondering what loyalty Dunn had to Youngstown State or any university. I had no problems with Dunn, but there are duties a president has that go beyond showing up to events, smiling for the camera and living in a university mansion. Dunn had an obligation to make Murray State a financially functioning Kentucky college and he ultimately failed to do so. It should be our responsibility to keep up with University issues like our multi-million dollar debt and what provisions Murray State has to make in order to stay afloat. We are in the midst of choosing a new president. While most students would shrug at this, we have a real responsibility to know what we need to look for in a new leader. We need someone who can convince the state to stop slicing postsecondary education funding, can balance a budget and does not see Murray State as a stepping stone to another opportunity elsewhere. Good riddance. cbesser@murraystate.edu

Spring Broke By Katie Wilborn


The News

News

6A

March 13, 2014

File Photo

Participants from the 2013 Maneuver Murray pose for a group photo prior to the race. The 2014 race is April 5.

Maneuver Murray returns in April Alex Mahrenholz || Staff writer amahrenholz@murraystate.edu

File Photo

Seniors Shannon Pate and Andrea Moore bike their way to another clue in the 2013 Maneuver Murray.

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“Maneuver Murray is an adventure race, which is how we define it,� said Maddi Mucci, junior from Nolensville, Tenn. “It’s a combination of solving clues and completing different types of tasks and going from place to place in Murray.� Mucci, serves as the committee chairperson for the event. She said this is the third year for Maneuver Murray and it is the first year in which the Honor’s Program Student Council has hosted the event. Mucci helped create the idea for the race when she was a freshman, and said everyone from grade school students to great-grandparents can participate in the race. She said several Greek organizations and other clubs on campus have participated in the past and she would love to see more Murray State students get involved. “Even if this isn’t where you grew up, this is your community for nine months out of the year,� Mucci said. “Participating in Maneuver Murray not only gives you the chance to get to know Murray better. It also gives you a chance to give back to an organization that does so much for the people of Murray, including students.� “You’re not going to remember the ten shows you watched on Netflix that day, but you will remember spending a Saturday afternoon with three friends running around the city of Murray having a blast,� Mucci said. Maneuver Murray is a race for contestants to explore the city of Murray and solve 12 clues, each requiring a variety of skills and capabilities before making it to the finish line. It draws its basis from events such as Amazing Race and Great Urban Race, according to the Maneuver Murray website.

The adventure race is a philanthropic event to benefit the local Need Line. All funds raised by the event will directly benefit families of Murray and Calloway County. “The Murray Bank has generously offered to sponsor our T-shirts for the race this year, which means all the money gained from registration is a direct profit to Need Line,� Mucci said. She said this is extremely beneficial to the race’s purpose of raising money for the Need Line. Mucci said people can enter the race by filling out the online registration form or a physical form in the Lowry Center. “Because the race is still relatively new, people don’t completely understand it until they do it and they end up being pleasantly surprised,� Mucci said. Contestants must have a minimum of two people on their team but may have no more than four. Teams have three hours to solve at least 11 of the 12 clues given to them. These clues demand clever navigation as well as physical and mental merit. All participants who register before March 26 are guaranteed to receive a Tshirt and a goodie bag. First and second place winners of the race will receive a cash prize. While this event is referred to as a race, it requires intellectual efficiencies and a great deal of willpower along with basic physical tests. “One part race, one part puzzle-cracker, one part Murray exploration, a few parts philanthropy for Need Line and all parts fun,� is what the Maneuver Murray race is all about, according to the event’s website. Demi St. John, junior from Edwardsville, Ill., also serves as a committee member for Maneuver Murray. Having

participated as a contestant in the race before, St. John said she is excited to see the contest from a different perspective. St. John said Maneuver Murray was one of the most fun things she has done since she started college. “It’s a great way to incorporate the city of Murray and campus life together,� St. John said. She said she thinks having this event as the Honors Program philanthropy and giving back to the Need Line and the community is rewarding. “It’s after the holidays and people aren’t really thinking about giving to Need Line as much,� St. John said. “I think that’s one of the really great things about having the race at this time of the year. We get the opportunity to give to them when they don’t have as much of a flow of money coming in.� Because the event takes place in April, St. John said the weather may be tricky but the event will take place rain or shine. “Everyone watches the Amazing Race on TV, but not everyone is going to get that opportunity or even be physically fit enough to do an event like that,� St. John said. “Maneuver Murray is for absolutely anyone to participate.� St. John said tasks can range from random trivia questions to eating challenges and even folding pizza boxes. “Last year we had a challenge where you had to stick your arm in this huge bag of gross stuff to find a key to unlock a box full of supplies to pitch a tent, and you had to build the tent right then and there,� St. John said. She said the event has grown drastically in the short time since it was established. Said St. John: “A lot of people complain about how they’re bored on the weekends in Murray, and this is a reason not to be.�

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March 13, 2014

Section B

The News

1

# of rifle team members who qualified to compete in the NCAA Championships (Kelsey Emme)

Sports

Sports Editor: Ryan Richardson Assistant Editor: Nick Dolan Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Emme shoots at NCAAs Nick Dolan Assistant Sports Editor ndolan@murraystate.edu

Junior Kelsey Emme is a smalltown girl who already has big accomplishments here at Murray State. She said other than cold weather, she enjoyed growing up surrounded by the close-knit community of Piedmont, S.D., a town of 220 people in the western part of the state. Emme laughed when talking about her high school, home of the Sturgis (Biker) Rally. “It was good, though,” she said. “There was a small-town feel everywhere.” But her journey into the littleknown sport of rifle began early on as a way to bond with her dad, Chris. “My dad kind of got me into it,” Emme said. “It was kind of just a fun thing we did together. So I started doing that with my dad and then I started competing when I was eight years old. Then it just kind of went on from there to bigger matches as I went on.” Emme transitioned to Sturgis Brown High School and added four more sports to her resume, lettering in basketball, softball, track and field and golf. She said as she neared the end of her time as a Scooper at Sturgis High, she still was not 100 percent sure what she wanted to do after graduation, despite

Photo illustration by Fumi Nakamura/The News

Sophomore Kelsey Emme looks at her shot.

Softball wins, turns to OVC Mallory Tucker || Staff writer

her 4-H smallbore state record. “Even throughout high school I didn’t know quite what I wanted to do in college,” Emme said. “I had also been kind of looking at going to school on a golf scholarship, and then I just kind of sat back and went ‘okay, which one can I do everyday for the next four years,’ and I thought I could still shoot and still love it and get better and compete.” Luckily for rifle Head Coach Alan Lollar, Emme decided to become a Racer. But, he was not without competition in her recruitment. She was courted by multiple Division I programs coming out of high school, including now No. 3 Kentucky, No. 12 Mississippi and No. 4 Nebraska, but said Murray State was the only place for her. “At the time, everything about Murray (State) just kind of appealed to me,” she said. “(Lollar) and the way he coaches helped me make that decision. Murray just really appealed to me because it had that small-town feel and that southern charm that it has. That’s what drew me here.” The junior has been making a name for herself at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range since her arrival in Murray three years ago. She was named to the All-OVC Smallbore Second Team and the OVC Newcomer Team in air rifle. She also qualified to represent

Murray State as the lone Racer at the 2011-12 NCAA Rifle Championships, and experience she said has been beneficial. “(My first NCAA Championship event) has helped me even just in regular competition to see what I could do and what our team could do and where we could get to,” Emme said. “It has helped motivate me as well.” In her second season, Emme expanded her horizons, being named a second team All-American in air rifle. She was also an All-OVC First Team in air rifle and smallbore and she competed overseas. Emme placed eighth in the Bavarian Airgun Championships held in Germany a year ago and said it was an eye opening experience on and off the range. “It was a lot of fun,” she said. “You look up and you see a lot of big scores and you’re like ‘man, that’s really cool.’ Just getting to talk to those other shooters from other countries was really different.” Now, after another award-winning year, Emme will once again be the sole Murray State representative at the NCAA Championships held at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range March 14-16. She is ready to bring back some hardware for Murray State. “I’m super excited, especially since it’s here, at Murray,” she said. “It’s going to be fun.”

Former Racer rifle shooter describes path to Olympics

mtucker11@murraystate.edu

Despite another delay in its schedule, the softball team won three of four games at the Aces Invitational in Evansville, Ind., early this week. Due to the inclement weather, the four games ended up spanning Sunday and Monday. The Racers faced Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne and South Dakota State twice each. Head Coach Kara Amundson said the players got better overall as a team this weekend. “We just really competed start to finish, and we were really focused, which is something we’ve been working pretty hard on,” she said. “The game of softball’s not always easy to stay focused from start to finish, because there’s a lot of breaks in between innings or in between plays.” In the Racers’ opener, they shut out IPFW 1-0, scoring off junior Casey Castile’s first home run of the season in the top of the fifth inning. Freshman pitcher Mason Robinson threw the complete game shut-out. “Both defenses and both pitchers were doing a heck of a job in that game, so anytime you can score first in a tight game like that, it’s a big deal,” Amundson said. “It’s a momentum turner. I think it gave our pitcher and defense just that much more confidence that they could go out and hold it down. That was a big deal for us, and a great way to start the weekend.” In game two, the Racers took down South Dakota State 11-0 in five innings. Castile once again jump started the Racers’ score with a two-run double in the top of the second. Freshman Maggie Glass put three more runs on the board in the third with the first home run of her college career. Junior Alexa Becker joined the ranks with a two-run home run in the fifth. During their third game of the weekend, the Racers came back from a 6-1 deficit to defeat South Dakota State 76. Glass hit her second homer of the weekend while Becker tripled in the fourth inning. “The people that were hitting (home runs) are people that are more than capable of hitting them on a pretty regular basis,” Amundson said. “It was good to see that happen multiple times throughout the weekend.”

Ryan Richardson || Sports Editor mrichardson5@murraystate.edu

She was the last competitor to finish. It was not easy, but she knew she won before she walked off the line. Pat Spurgin (now Pitney due to marriage) did not make it all the way to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics to lose. She aimed only to be the best. “It wasn’t an easy match for me,” Pitney said. “I had to work pretty hard and keep my emotions down and my heart rate down. I had a high expectation, and anything less than winning would have been bad.” And just like that, after years of training and pushing herself to be the best, Pitney won the gold medal in air rifle at only 18 years old. It was the first year the competition was open to women, and to this day she is the only American to ever take home gold in the event. Her success dates back to her time at the Yellowstone Junior Rifle Club in her hometown of Billings, Mont., where she competed against her older siblings. She said she got involved because her family tended to do things together. “It was just something we did on Friday nights as a family activity,” Pitney said. Though she started shooting at 9 years old, she did not really focus on the sport until she was 11.

She said while her family has been supportive of all her endeavors, they were also her toughest competition. “Having older brothers and sisters was the initial push because I always stacked myself up against how they were doing,” Pitney said. “My brother really showed me the way of what could be achieved in the sport. He really led the way of what was possible in the sport and set the standard.” Still, without the junior rifle club, Pitney said she would probably not have gotten the foundation she needed to become such a success. Her coach and role model, Ralph Saunders, played a large role in Pitney’s career. Saunders introduced her to former Olympic gold medalists, allowing her to make connections with people who wanted to see fellow rifle shooters do well. Perhaps that is why when asked to write down her goal, Pitney said an Olympic gold. “If you’re dealing with people who have gone to the Olympics and they’ve won gold medals, you don’t set your mind on just going,” she said. “You set your mind on gold medals.” Pitney would have to wait to achieve her dream, but not for long. As she grew older, rifle became her life, and took precedent over everything else. While most teenagers were working to-

Red Wolves bury ’Breds Nick Dolan || Assistant Sports Editor ndolan@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl/The News

see WIN, 2B

see OLYMPICS, 2B

Photo courtesy of Pat Pitney

Pat Pitney rides to the North Pole as a torchbearer for the U.S. before the start of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.

Junior Clay Fuson attempts to throw out a runner.

There were no positives to take away from Tuesday’s loss for ’Breds Head Coach Rob McDonald. “It was just a really bad game about any way you want to look at it,” McDonald said. “Our pitching was not nearly what we need, and we didn’t help them out defensively.” Murray State (7-7, 2-1) fell to the visiting Arkansas State Red Wolves 27-7, allowing 19 hits and committing six team errors. The Murray State pitching staff was torched by the Red

Wolves’ hitters early and often. Junior starting pitcher Kyle Cornett gave up five runs in the first, none of them earned, as the team committed three errors in the inning. Cornett exited the game with one out in the top of the second. “We had some opportunities to do some things defensively and we didn’t,” McDonald said. “They hit the ball well and to be honest, their hitters were a whole lot better than our pitchers were today, and that’s just calling it like it is.” Freshman Tyler Lawrence gave Murray State its first run in the home half, singling home senior Ty Stetson from

third base. However, the ’Breds pitchers could not keep Arkansas State off the scoreboard. The Red Wolves added three more in the second, five in the third, one in the fourth, three in the fifth, three in the seventh and seven in the eighth. Arkansas State’s Austin Baker led the offense with five RBIs behind a three-run home run and two solo shots. Murray State showed signs of life in the fourth when sophomore Taylor Mathews homered to left center, scoring junior Clay Fuson and freshman

see BURIED, 2B

WHAT’S

OVC TOURNAMENT

PETTERSON PROFILE

SPRING BREAK

ONLINE SHOPPING

INSIDE

Men lose, still accept bid to play in postseason, 3B

Senior cheerleader nears end of time at Murray State, 6B

Top five vacation destinations for ultimate relaxation, 7B

Students discuss benefits of shopping online vs. in-store, 7B


The News

Sports

2B

OLYMPICS From Page 1 ward a high school degree, Pitney was touring the nation. She actually stopped taking classes, taking night classes when she could. After coming home from a trip to Europe, she went to Georgia to train for the PanAmerican Games rather than attending her own graduation. It paid off, as she won four gold medals there. She said anything less would have been a letdown. “If I was winning in the United States, I better be winning at the PanAmerican Games,” Pitney said. “It put my name in the mix of who to expect at the Olympics.” Later that year, Pitney enrolled at Murray State. By that time, she knew she would be competing in Los Angeles. She said the decision to go to college was easy. There was no opportunity to support herself from money earned through sponsorships, plus college rifle provides the

best training environment. “In the NCAA rifle programs, you’re competing against the very best people from 18-23 in every match,” Pitney said. “There wasn’t a better place to be to train. One of the big reasons I picked Murray was I got a key to the range, so my training was on my own terms and I could do it whenever I wanted.” And train she did. If she wasn’t in class or on the road to competition, Pitney was at the range. “I by far practiced more in that year than anybody around,” she said. Aside from her Olympic gold that year, Pitney was named the OVC Athlete of the Year. Her accolades didn’t end there, though. Pitney went on to be named to eight All-American teams, won two individual national collegiate titles and two team national collegiate titles. Shortly after, she was inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame, and the rifle range was named after her. Last year, she was inducted into the USA Shooting Hall of Fame, which she said was an honor. “My shooting career was really

short relative to shooters around,” Pitney said. “Most people are in the sport 15-20 years. I got out of the sport before most people ever get on the national team.” She said at the time, her career did not seem short because it was allconsuming for her. And though she missed winning, her focus in life changed after she married and had children. “Once I had a family, it’s no longer your own life,” she said. “It’s your kid’s life. What is important to you individually, it’s not that important in the family picture. I did miss winning. I missed being the very best.” Now, as the vice chancellor of administration for University of AlaskaFairbanks, Pitney said she is still much the same person she used to be. She said she still works hard, but she works differently. Looking back, she would only tell herself one thing. “Enjoy it now because your time will be short,” Pitney said. “Put the most into it and get the most out of it. In the grand scheme of a lifetime, it’s very short.”

WIN

MARCH MADNESS: SUBMIT YOUR BRACKET Can you beat the sports staff? For the second consecutive year, the sports staff at The News has decided to host an NCAA Tournament Challenge bracket pool. Only one entry is allowed per bracket, and the brackets will be locked in the round of 64 as soon as the first game starts. The winner will have his or her name and picture printed in The Murray State News. Anyone is encouraged to join, but since the group is private, you’ll need the password.

Group Name: The News’ Challenge 2014 Password: news2014 Visit the ESPN website and go to the Tournament Challenge page to search for the group. Users must have an account to create a bracket.

From Page 1 During the final game of the tournament, the Racers lost 4-0 during the rematch against IPFW. Amundson said despite the loss, the team could take away some positives, such as playing its best games so far. “I think being able to get back on the winning side obviously is huge morale going into conference season,” she said. “But even more so than the win-loss record, I think just knowing that we played some of the best softball yet this past weekend, start to finish, is even more important for me as a coach. Being able to get better and better every weekend is what matters going into conference play.” The Racers are now 11-8 on the season and will open OVC play at home this weekend against conference rival UT Martin on Racer Field. They are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and a single game at 2 p.m. Sunday. “UT Martin has become a good rivalry for softball – they’re always really, really solid,” Amundson said. “So to be able to open with them, I think it’s going to be an intense series. I know our kids are ready to play and they’re ready to defend the home turf for the first time here on this field.”

March 13, 2014

BURIED From Page 1

Kate Russell/The News

Freshman Taylor Odom takes batting practice from Head Coach Kara Amundson.

BEST MURRAY THE

OF

Matthew Johnson to cut the deficit to 10. The team added three more in the sixth but it was too little, too late. McDonald made no excuses for the ’Breds, who were coming off an extra-inning loss in which they erased a nine-run lead by Morehead to force extra innings. Murray State eventually fell 11-10 in 12 innings Monday night. “They’re a good club and they were way better than us today,” he said. “They hit the ball hard and it was just more of a matter of they were better today.” He said Arkansas State played yesterday, too, so that was no excuse. “We’re not out there shoveling ditches, we’re playing baseball,” McDonald said. “So, if we were fatigued today then we need to get a

lot tougher.” The only good news for Murray State is the team took two of three games from Morehead State over the weekend to kick off its OVC schedule. Murray State swept Sunday’s double-header 10-4 and 9-5 before Monday’s loss. The ’Breds travel to UT Martin Friday through Sunday, and McDonald wants to get healthy before they hit the heart of a grueling conference campaign. “Our guys, I feel like, are going to compete real well and right now we have an awful lot of guys that are hurt,” he said. “We have guys out of the lineup and because of that we have some guys playing positions that they haven’t played much or even practiced much.” He said the top priority is to get all the players back to their peak playing conditions. Said McDonald: “Then we’ll start to really play well and hit on all cylinders.”

The Murray State News compiles a special section every year highlighting the places students love the most in Murray. Vote here and you'll see the winners in April. Cast your votes here and return the completed ballot to 111 Wilson Hall by Fri., March 28. Do not submit photo copies and one submission is allowed per person.

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The News

NOT ALL IS LOST

Sports

March 13, 2014

3B

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Junior forward Jonathan Fairell walks slowly down the court during the Racers’ loss to No. 3 seed Eastern Kentucky in the semifinal round of the OVC Tournament Friday.

“We weren’t great defensively the last two weeks, and it cost us a regular season championship, and it cost us an opportunity to play for a conference tournament championship.” Fumi Nakamura/The News

– Head Coach Steve Prohm

Head Coach Steve Prohm sits beside junior forward Jarvis Williams as Prohm addresses the media after the game.

DOWN, NOT OUT Racers upset at OVCs, accept bid to CIT Staff Report

Kate Russell/The News

Freshman guard Cameron Payne presses the ball up the court against Eastern Kentucky.

By halftime, Murray State men’s basketball had gone from being heavyweight favorites to unlikely underdogs. In the semifinal round of the OVC Tournament, Eastern Kentucky controlled the game from the start. When the games seemed like it was about to be blown open, the Racers started a slow, steady rally that lasted until the final second. With 12:03 remaining, the Colonels were up by 12. Time ran down and the gap narrowed. Finally, junior guard T.J. Sapp drained a 3-pointer to tie the game at 79 with 1:33 to play. Eastern took the lead back moments later, but the Racers were never more than a shot away from a tie. With 27 ticks on the clock, sophomore guard Jeffery Moss missed a 3-point shot, but junior forward Jonathan Fairell pulled down the rebound. Fairell kicked the ball out to freshman guard Cameron Payne, who had a chance to tie the game. A few steps behind the arc, Payne put up a shot to send the game to overtime as the buzzer sounded. The ball bounced of the rim, ending the Racers’ chance at the tournament title and potential spot in the NCAA Tournament. Though they will not make an appearance in the Big Dance, Murray State’s postseason is not altogther lost. The team has accepted an bid in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament. In a field of 32 teams, the Racers must wait until at least Sunday night before they know who and where they will play. The teams can’t be seeded until after the fields are set for the two top tournaments.


The News

Sports

4B

March 13, 2014

Miss our full game story? We still have it online. Visit TheNews.org.

Racers fall short

Photos by Fumi Nakamura and Kate Russell/The News

Top left: Junior guard T.J. Sapp goes up for a shot in the lane. Bottom left: Senior guard Dexter Fields looks to pass to an open teammate. Right: Sophomore guard Jeffery Moss drives past a defender.

ga s / u .ed er 111. e t s t a Cent y a rr urris u m w. ice, C w t w nt of f a ine veme l n le o Invol b a l Judicial Board: vai udent a e t 10 members, must be ar for S s n o r i Junior by fall semester, 2.5 gpa e icat Cent l p Applications due Wed., April 23 ap n the n o i i t at NOON in the CSI office. or cia o s Senate: As t n e President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa nm r e v Vice President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Go t n Secretary - 2.7 gpa de St u Treasurer - 2.7 gpa

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The News

Sports

March 13, 2014

5B

Rodeo team earns quiet success Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Rodeo is a little known sport on campus, and member sophomore Kendall Gentry said she enjoys it that way. “It is nice for not many people to know about us because we can just go to class and be seen as a normal student,� Gentry said. In its 38th season as an organized sport, Murray State hosts the oldest rodeo in the state each year in October. Even with the history, the team still isn’t known to people who haven’t competed in it before, according to coach J.D. VanHooser. “There are students, faculty and probably people in the community that don’t know we have a team,� VanHooser said. “It is an All-American sport, and Murray is very fortunate to have such a great group of students represent them.� While the sport is listed simply as a club sport by the University, the rodeo team takes it seriously, competing in events during the year in hopes of making it to national competition. “It is a very individual sport compared to other sports you see,� VanHooser said. “With the team concept, it presents certain challenges but brings the team closer.� Joining the rodeo team is a unique process. Members must purchase a National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association membership card that allows them to compete. According to VanHooser, this year’s team has 62 card members, with many who have partici-

pated in rodeo at some time previously. “Some do it in high school or have come from a rodeo family,� VanHooser said. “Then there are some that show up each year who haven’t before and we try to help them learn about it.� Practices for rodeo competitions take place three or four days per week at the West Farm Complex. At the complex, the team can hone its skills for upcoming events. While rodeo is a team event, individuals compete for personal scores in hopes of making it to national competition in their event. The top two teams in each region make it to the College National Final Rodeo. The top three individuals in each event, based on compiled scores, make it as well. “Our students have two ways of qualifying for nationals, and it is something that makes rodeos each time more and more competitive,� VanHooser said. Rodeo competitions are split into teams by gender, and at Murray State, the cowgirl team is currently in contention to make it to national competition. Sitting in third place in the Ozark Regional, VanHooser is confident that the cowgirls can move up and qualify for nationals. “We have a strong group of ladies representing us this year,� VanHooser said. “If we can keep going like we have been, then I am quite confident we will make it to the College National finals.� This weekend the team competed at ArkansasMonticello, where the Murray State cowgirls fin-

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Kendall Gentry races around a barrel during training last week. ished in third place. Sophomore Ellen Jarvis won her second breakaway roping event of the season to give the team 140 points with the win. “She won a few weeks ago at Texarkana and to win again is great for her,� VanHooser said. “She has had some great weekends for us and it is moving her up individually as well.� Another impressive performance was by Gentry in barrel racing. She moved into first place in the region and second place nationally with her score at Arkansas-Monticello.

“Kendall is a competitor and she expects to win each and every time,� VanHooser said. While she said she is happy with her performances, Gentry said she is also proud of the efforts her teammates this year and is looking forward to the final push for nationals in their remaining four events. The team is competing at Southern Arkansas today and Friday. The remaining competitions are at East Mississippi Community College, Northwest Mississippi Community College and UT Martin.

McLean improves despite loss Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

Junior Max McLean returns a serve during practice last semester.

Returning to the court for the first time in nearly three weeks, men’s tennis couldn’t recover from poor starts and lost to Middle Tennessee State 6-0 Sunday. Head Coach Mel Purcell believed the Racers stood a chance against the Blue Raiders, who had already competed earlier in the day. “(MTSU) played Memphis first, and we were hoping to catch them a little tired,� Purcell said. “We didn’t play that well and they were just better players at the time.� Due to the Blue Raiders’ match earlier in the day as well as having lighting concerns, the two teams agreed to limit the match to singles competition. While the Racers were unable to pick up a set in their loss to MTSU, Purcell said there was progress from junior Max McLean. “Out of all the matches he was the most competitive one,� Purcell said. McLean, who is in his third season with the Racers, has seen his role on the team change from last year. “Max has normally been playing at the No. 4 spot in the past,� Purcell said. “When you move up to the No. 2 spot, the matches are tougher.�

With the harder competition, the adjustment to the position has been a slow one for McLean. Out of eight matches this season, McLean has yet to come away with a victory. “It has been a difficult change because the opponents hit the ball back more consistent, and that has been the hardest part to adapt to,� McLean said. His closest opportunity for victory came at the beginning of the season against Tennessee Tech. After losing the opening set, McLean rallied to force a tiebreaker, but he came out on the losing end. “I’ve been working hard in practice and I feel that I have been improving a lot with this competition,� McLean said. “It will help me in the long run to make me play better.� McLean’s improvement, though, has been hindered by an injury that forced him to miss a match. “I hurt my ankle at the beginning of the year, and I’ve just been trying to come back from it,� he said. “I feel like I am getting better each day and it feels nice to be on the court.� McLean’s return to form is something Purcell is glad to see as the team approaches conference play. “We just need to get him healthy,� Purcell said. “Max is the type of player that needs his quickness and it

seems to be holding him back.� In his match against MTSU, McLean was close to taking a oneset lead. “I was leading 30-15 and he was on second serve and I shanked the ball back into the bottom of the net,� McLean said. His opponent took advantage of the error and rallied back to win the game and the set 7-5. “That was the big point that swung momentum because if I won that point, I probably would have won the set,� McLean said. With momentum against him, his opponent swept the second set and the match 6-0. “I can only take positives out of that first set,� McLean said. “He was a tough opponent, and I hope that it can help me in our upcoming matches.� After playing Chattanooga today, Murray State will stay on the road to open conference play at Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State this weekend. “This is a tough road trip, and I would love to get a win or win them all,� Purcell said. “I really just want to see improvement.� The Racers face Tennessee Tech at 11 a.m. Saturday and follow up Sunday with Jacksonville State.

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The News

Sports

6B

Cheer captain nears end of career at Murray State Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

Whether the football and basketball teams are having the greatest seasons in program history or struggling just to stay competitive, the Murray State cheer team is always there for support. Senior cheer captain Allison Petterson is no different. For the past four years, Petterson has graced the sidelines, supporting Murray State teams through the good times and the bad. Now her time is almost up, as Petterson is set to graduate in May. The story of her arrival, however, is different than most. Petterson began gymnastics and tumbling in first grade. From that point on, the Orlando, Fla., native had cheerleading in her blood. Throughout her younger years, Petterson played volleyball and soccer in addition to cheering competitively. As she made the transition to high school, Petterson was forced to choose between the three. “It was a hard decision, but I just have this passion for cheerleading that I didn’t have for soccer,” Petterson said. “That kind of made the decision easier, and cheering for a school someday was always what I had wanted to do from when I was really little.” Petterson cheered for Bishop Moore High School in Orlando, while also competing with another team outside of school. When it came time to choose a college, Petterson said she knew she wanted to get out of Florida. “I had picked five out-of-state schools I wanted to try out for,” she said. “All of my friends were staying in state, and I knew I just wanted to get away from home a little bit.” Murray State was not originally on the list. Despite both of her parents graduating from Murray State, Petterson said she didn’t initially picture herself going nearly 800 miles away from home. It wasn’t until her cheerleading

tryout with Ole Miss when Petterson first considered following in the footsteps of her parents. While visiting Oxford, Miss., to try out for the Ole Miss cheer team, Petterson said she knew it wasn’t the place for her. “It just didn’t feel right,” Petterson said. “Something was off. So my mom suggested we make the drive over to Murray. I absolutely loved it. I tried out for cheerleading, enrolled in my classes and took a tour of the campus all while I was supposed to be in Oxford. Right from when I stepped on campus I knew this was the school for me.” In less than a week, Petterson became a Racer. “My mom got on the phone when we were on our way here and everyone was super nice and helpful,” Petterson said. “I didn’t even have a tour scheduled and the cheerleading coach came on short notice to do my tryout. Everyone made me feel welcome and it just felt right.” Petterson has been a regular on the Murray State sidelines ever since then. Her favorite memory came from the 2011-12 basketball season when the men’s basketball team earned national fame with a 23-0 start and a top 10 national ranking. “It was so cool to go back home and have people stop me when they saw me wearing my Murray State gear,” Petterson said. “Prior to that season, no one had heard of Murray State, so it was awesome to have people noticing wherever I went.” The cheerleaders joined the basketball team that March as it traveled to Louisville, Ky., for the NCAA Tournament. “The NCAA Tournament my sophomore year was something I’m so grateful I got to experience,” Petterson said. “Cheering at the NCAA (Tournament) is not something many people get to experience. Just being there and cheering the team on and seeing all the fans who traveled to the game was just some-

News in less than a minute Howson leads women to fifth-place finish Senior golfer Delaney Howson made the All-Tournament Team after a fifth-place finish individually in the Lady Eagle Invitational. With a team score of 621, Murray State finished 13 strokes behind first-place Southern Mississippi, host of the tournament. Howson is now nationally ranked with the 42nd lowest average score (72.5) and is tied for 12th lowest round (68). The rest of the team carded scores just behind Howson. Freshmen Sydney Trimble (154) and Jackie Van Meter (158), sophomore Sophie Hillier (158) and freshman Minta Yin rounded out the team scores for the Racers.

Men take ninth in field of 13 at UT Martin The men’s golf team tied for ninth with a score of 916 at the Grover Page Classic, hosted by UT Martin. Junior Jordan Smith tied with teammate Matt Zakutney with total scores of 225 after the three-round golf tournament. Sophomores Preston French (227), Jared Gosser (239) and Brock Simmons (258) finished out the team scoring for Murray State in the tournament. The men’s team will join the women March 17-18 when the teams travel to Sevierville, Tenn., to compete in the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate hosted by Tennessee Tech. Jenny Rohl/The News

Senior captain Allison Petterson looks back on her career as a Racer cheerleader. thing I won’t ever forget.” Now as she prepares to graduate with her degree in marketing, Petterson said she doesn’t think she will ever fully be able to leave the cheerleading world behind. She currently coaches a Special Olympics cheerleading team and plans to continue in that role after graduation. Petterson was approached about coaching the team by a former Murray State cheerleader last year. The experience, Petterson said, has been one of the most rewarding in her life. “Those kids bring such joy to my

life,” Petterson said, “I definitely see myself following through with that after I graduate.” For now, however, Petterson said she is simply thankful for the experiences and memories she has made during her four years as at Murray State. “It is such a privilege to be a Murray State cheerleader,” Petterson said. “I’m just glad I get to take all of these experiences with me. These years have been the best times of my life and there are memories I’ll take with me that I’ll never forget.”

GO ONLINE FOR MORE Visit TheNews.org for more indepth stories with reactions from the coaches of both the men’s and women’s golf teams.

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‘On the Road Again’ Country music legend to open tour at CFSB Breanna Sill || Assistant Features Editor bsill@murraystate.edu The CFSB Center announced it will host the opening night of the Willie Nelson and Family tour featuring Alison Krauss & Union Station and Jerry Douglas May 1. Wesley Hughes, manager of accounting activities at the CFSB Center said having the opportunity to host a country music legend such as Nelson on the opening night of his tour is something Murray State takes great pride in. Being able to book such a large name for students to see is a priority of CFSB staff. “Honestly, the Lovett Live series plays a huge part in getting legends like Willie Nelson or the soon-to-be legends like a Zac Brown,” Hughes said. “Every single month we are putting the ‘baby acts’ that these agents have taken on in front of a college crowd. The agent that may be booking a Raven Cliff or a Sara Haze is also the one that is setting up the tours for artists like Willie Nelson and Alison Krauss, Little Big Town or Bob Dylan. So by us taking care of those small acts no one knows yet, we are on the agents’ mind when they need a place for the big acts to stop.”

Although there is no student discount available when purchasing tickets, ticket prices are not too expensive, Hughes said. Prices range from $29.75-$59.75 with the higher priced tickets expected to sell out. “The great tickets are going fast, but there isn’t a bad seat in this venue compared to the bigger arenas,” Hughes said. “Even our ‘nose-bleed’ seats are still a top price level ticket for those bigger arenas.” The CFSB Center staff is expecting a large turnout of not only students, but also community members. They hope students realize the significance of having such historic artists like Nelson and Krauss at their fingertips and how it will benefit them. They believe concertgoers will take advantage of the opportunity to experience one of country music’s outlaws in person. “Murray State offers a great education both in the classroom and through the activities that are available for students to experience,” Hughes said. “This is just another example of how Murray State has come through in offering the students an experience that they can remember years from now as one of the experiences that helped shape them beyond the classroom.” While concertgoers should not expect any kind of fancy production with lights and effects, they should expect a show full of artists who truly play for the enjoyment of music and have a passion for the music they play. onemansblog.com

Online shopping offers choices, deals Mentors assist students in need Madison Wepfer Staff writer

mwepfer@murraystate.edu

Online shopping is a growing fad in the world of a college student. Given that Murray has a limited variety of malls and stores, students find their favorite brands and styles online. Websites such as Amazon, Retail Me Not and Groupon have given online shoppers an advantage when purchasing clothes and apartment accessories. “I shop online more than I shop in stores,” said Kelsey Randolph, sophomore from Brandenburg, Ky. “It’s easier for college students, especially in Murray, because the closest mall is 45 minutes away.” The convenience of online shopping is one of the main reasons that it is so popular among college students. Instead of fighting the traffic and register lines on a Saturday morning, shoppers make purchases from the comfort of their own home. “It’s so much more convenient because I don’t have to go out,” said Deanne Rodgers, junior

from St. Louis, Mo. “I can buy clothes at home.” Other advantages of online shopping are the discounts. Many stores offer online promotional codes so that buyers can save money. On websites like Amazon and Ebay, multiple sellers offer the same item at different prices. The buyer can decide whether he or she wants a new or used item. E-commerce websites are becoming more popular because they allow the buyer to read reviews of previous buyers and contact the item’s owner if they have any questions. Many sellers will also have holiday sales and the host website may have promotional deals. “Shopping on Ebay is great because that’s where you can get the best prices, and I can read other buyers’ reviews,” said Lane Northcutt, junior from Frankfort, Ky. On the other hand, sometimes it is hard to judge whether the item will fit or is of good quality. Some students prefer to see their potential purchases in person, especially clothing. “I shop more in stores than I

Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Kate Russell/The News

Students surf popular websites to score deals on items such as clothing. do online because you never know if the clothes are going to fit,” said Leia Deshon, freshman from Olney, Ill. “I would rather try things on.” However, stores rarely cater to people with special clothing needs. Therefore, their last resort is to go online and find stores that sell their specific size. “It is hard to find my size in stores because I’m so tall,” said Alex Donovan, junior from Columbia, Ill. “I have to shop for clothes online to find my size.”

On websites like Etsy, anyone can set up a “shop” and sell their clothes, artwork, furniture or accessories. In some cases, the buyer can contact the seller and request a custom order. Whether it is a custom size or custom color, the seller may cater to each individual client and maintain a successful business. Online shopping is a growing fad. Although there may be risks involved in ordering items from the Internet, most students praise

Spring Break destinations Top five vacation spots for a taste of summer After a week of midterms, students reward themselves with a vacation destination for Spring Break. With more than 850 colleges and universities in the U.S., Spring Break is a hot topic around campus and on social media. Here is a list of the top five destinations for spring breakers across the country. 1. Las Vegas Though the “broke college student” typically cannot afford to gamble, Sin City is a hard temptation to resist. Scrape together the funds for a plane ticket, food and a little extra to throw in a slot machine and set sights toward Vegas. A variety of bars and nightclubs offer students discounts over Spring Break as well.

Evan Watson/The News

2. South Padre Island, Texas Some students want to get away and enjoy the sand, the sun and the south. South Padre Island is the perfect destination for a no-cover charge Spring Break. Beach parties, bikini contests and fireworks are all events hosted by businesses near the beach. South Padrew Island is quickly growing to be a prime sport for Spring Break parties.

3. Study abroad Another option for Spring Break is being a part of the study abroad program. This year, Murray State students will be visiting London. This program is an annual trip for spring breakers and allows credit for

those who would want to participate, said Jamie Booth, Study Abroad Office coordinator. “I have been multiple places for spring break, but never on a study abroad trip before,” said John Burrow, graduate student from South Fulton, Tenn. “I expect to enjoy London and to take in the various sights of the city, both historically and culturally. I plan to better grasp London’s history, which is important to me because my concentration is in British studies, specifically dealing with trade and commerce. I’m really excited to go to a new city and, hopefully, this won’t be my last time here.”

4. Panama City Beach, Fla. A long-time favorite for college students, Panama City Beach epitomizes the Spring Break party atmosphere. From afternoons full of fun in the sun to dancing in clubs until the wee hours of the morning, Panama City Beach has much to offer. “I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else,” Korey Mosley, freshman from Hopkinsville, Ky., said. “I have gone for the past two years and I can’t get enough of it. Each year gets better and better.”

5. Home One of the top destinations for ultimate relaxation and minimal money loss is home. Though not the college kid’s dream choice, spending time with family is one thing students value during their time away from school. “I’ve never been anywhere for Spring Break, so I decided to stay home this year again,” said James Martin, freshman from Shepherdsville, Ky. “I can’t wait to spend time with my family and ride my four wheelers.” Compiled by Hunter Harrell and McKenzie Willett

As midterm tests and projects approach their deadlines, students find it difficult to stay organized and prepared for classes. For one group of students on campus, this time of year isn’t spent working alone but with their mentor. Nearly 170 students at Murray State are enrolled in the student mentoring program operated by Student Disability Services. Helping those students stay on track are other students who want to do more than get paid. “Part of my job is to make sure they study but also I want to be a part of their support system,” said senior Ashley Moss. “When they know I’m not there for the money, they can feel it and they work harder.” Moss is an elementary education major and has worked with the program for two years. During that time, Moss has mentored nearly 20 students, including seven this semester. While Moss was hesitant when she started, she is glad to be getting real experience that will translate after her time at Murray State. “Even though it is a completely different age group than I plan on teaching, it has given me the experience I need for my future,” Moss said. “I have dealt with so many individuals that when I have my own classroom, I can focus my attention on helping students.” To Moss, being a part of the mentoring program is much more than just being someone to help with their homework. She also feels excitement when a student she teaches succeeds. “I get really excited when they get their papers back and they got an A or they did well on a speech,” Moss said. “I know they put forth as much effort as I put forth in order for them to succeed and their success feels like mine as well.” While sharing in the success of her students provides Moss the motivation to keep going, when a student comes up short, it can be difficult. “I am really hard on myself because I feel that if they do poorly that it is my fault,” Moss said. “Staci reassured me that I can’t do it all and that there will be times like this and you can’t blame yourself as long as you do all you can do for the student.” Staci Collins is the Project Mentor supervisor and makes sure that her nearly 60 mentors understand their roles. “I tell my mentors that there are a lot of reasons why we don’t do well,” Collins said. “Sometimes the student didn’t study long enough or that we didn’t study the right material. There is only so much a mentor can do during those hours here and there is no guarantee that a student will pass a class just because they have a mentor.” However, the program has certainly helped students succeed. Lucas Prather is a sophomore and is on both sides of the mentoring program. After receiving help from a mentor, this year he decided to become a mentor and pay it forward. “I really felt like I wanted to help and give back to students,” Prather said. “My time is limited because of my schedule but it feels great to give back what I was given.” One of the most common thoughts of the program is that mentors are tutors for the students. Prather said it is much more than that. “You are helping a student who has a disability and are helping them succeed in certain classes and in life,” Prather said. “Upperclassmen know all the tricks in college and can really help freshmen out.” To Collins and her mentors in the program, they are doing more than simply helping a student in class. Said Collins: “A mentor talks to the student and tries to figure out problems whether it be with class or other things in life and is just there for the student to be a friend.”


The News

Features

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THE

March 13, 2014

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lashback riday

“Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation”

2003 was the year Apple opened the iTunes

WATER COOLER

Store, the year “Finding Nemo” made everyone want to be friends with a sea turtle and JK Rowling released her fifth “Harry Potter” book. Remembering Spring Break and summer vacation, these are the top five most visited cities in 2003 according to the Office of Travel and Tourism Industries.

Information and photos from The Associated Press Compiled by Breanna Sill

1

3

OBAMA FILMS “FUNNY OR DIE” INTERVIEW Zach Galifianakis brought the humor when he filmed a “Funny or Die” skit with President Barack Obama which was posted Tuesday. The spoof centered around Obama urging young people to sign up for the new healthcare plan. The video received 1 million views within just three and a half hours of the video being posted.

Kate Russell/The News

5

New York City

Los Angeles

2

Orlando

4

Miami

San Francisco

(Top) Members of ASC perform “Henry IV.” (Left and above) Students throw insults at one another during a Shakespearean insult battle.

Compiled by Madison Wepfer

Shakespeare Festival enlightens student body Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

BIEBER RECEIVES MAY 5 COURT DATE IN FLORIDA Justin Bieber’s court date has been set for May 5 after his January arrest in Florida. The case is charging Bieber with driving under the influence, resisting arrest and possessing an invalid driver’s license. No plea offer has been made, but the singer has pleaded not guilty.

Soundbyte “God knows where that tongue has been. We don’t know! That tongue is so infamous!”

- Katy Perry on her awkward kiss with Miley Cyrus

Murray State celebrated the 14th annual Shakespeare Festival with performances from the American Shakespeare Center this week. The festival started Monday with a Shakespeare flash mob. The flash mob was a group of Murray State theater students who hurled Shakespearean insults during lunchtime at the Curris Center to the delight of the crowd. Each day, the American Shakespeare Center performed one of Shakespeare’s plays, including “Othello,” “Henry IV” and “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” “I had read ‘Henry IV’ two or three

years ago and absolutely loved it so I was excited when I found out it was going to be one of the plays,” said Danielle Geier, senior from Morton, Ill. “I think they did an absolutely fantastic job, they cast it so well and (it was) worthwhile.” Geier has participated in the Shakespeare Festival events every year, and described it as one of the highlights of her time at Murray. The daily performances were accompanied by smaller events, such as workshops and lectures to engage the students and community members. There was an early performance of “Othello” in Lovett Auditorium Tuesday, followed by a workshop and a lecture. The ASC ended the night with

Tweets d e r u Feat of the week

A compilation of Tweets that made us laugh, cry or scratch our heads.

This week’s topic: Spring Break

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workshop for future College of Humanities and Fine Arts students. The workshops help students, faculty and the public understand what they may or may not have already known about Shakespeare’s works. The workshops focused on the three plays performed. After each performance, the audience was able to meet with some of the actors and donate to the American Shakespeare Center. “This was the first time I’ve seen ‘Henry IV’ and I was very impressed with the passion the actors had and the level of love they put into the plays,” said Donovan Alexander, junior from Hopkinsville, Ky. “They seem like one big family.”

Total Frat Move

Guy Code

@totalfratmove Tindering through every college town on the way to your spring break destination. #TFM 2 p.m. 11 Mar 14

@MTV2GuyCode Don't get tattoos on spring break and don't get them when you're drunk. #GuyCode 12:03 p.m. 5 Mar 14

Rob Huebel

Clayton Gardner

@robhuebel I will show up to your Spring Break and pretend to be looking for my son but I don't own a son and I like to party 3:07 p.m. 10 Mar 14

@ClaytonGardner It's spring break! Do not behave yourselves 12:46 p.m. 7 Mar 14

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another performance of “Othello.” The ASC held a final performance of “Othello” Wednesday morning. The festivities continued with another workshop followed by a lecture by Kathy Callahan, professor of history, titled “The World of Young Prince Hal.” The ASC and the theater department teamed up for a stage fighting workshop today and later tonight ASC will perform “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” Friday the ASC will do its final performance of the week, ending the festival with a performance of “Henry IV.” Friday evening in Lovett Auditorium is the “Talk Back” where students will have the opportunity to speak with the cast and afterward there will be a


The News

Features

March 13, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’? TODAY • 7 p.m. The 2014 Shakespeare Festival: “The Merry Wives of Winsdor,â€? Lovett Auditorium

FRIDAY

Celebrity Encounters

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

SATURDAY

• 10 a.m. The 2014 Shakespeare Festival: “Henry IV,â€? Lovett Auditorium

• 10 a.m. Running for a Cure 5K Run/Walk, 15th and Olive Street, Murray

• All day Pony Pull, William "Bill" Cherry Exposition Center

• All day Horse Pull, Expo Center

• 8 a.m. M Murray Art Guild Visual Evidence Exhibit, Robert O. Miller O Conference Center N • All day D Spring Break begins A Y

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T • 8 a.m. U Evidence Murray Art Guild Visual E Robert O.Exhibit, Miller Conference Center S • 2: 30 p.m. D Acting Seminar, A Wilson Hall, room 115 Y

Idk, my bff Taylor? I have been putting off writing this column for as long as I can, because I was not sure how to exactly do it justice. As promised in my first colBreanna umn, my stories about Taylor Sill Swift are pretty Assistant abundant. Features Editor I have been fortunate enough to call myself a fan of Taylor for more than seven years. I first discovered her music in 2006 when she was only 16 years old and I was only 13 years old. However, I consider myself far from being a “Swiftie,� as many of her other fans like to title themselves. It all began the first time I heard her first single “Tim McGraw� on the radio. After that I found her on MySpace and I was instantly a fan. Now, keep in mind, this was long before anyone knew who the curly headed, blonde teenage girl singing about love was, but I was captivated. I had the pleasure of meeting Taylor the first time in June of 2007 at the CMA Music Festival. I was on cloud nine. She was just as wonderful and bubbly and sweet in person as I had imagined, and honestly my 14-year-old self could not have been happier. After that, my friends and I made trips at least three times a year to her concerts and to see her any time she was within six hours of home. And somehow, I eventually began to consider Taylor a friend. She never forgot my name, where I was from or anything I had shared with her through the years. Although after her career really took off and she became the superstar we all know now, getting a chance to speak with her became harder and harder. In June of 2013, it had been more than two years since I had the opportunity to catch up with Taylor, but at the CMT Awards that all changed. While seat-filling, speaking with the celebrities is borderline forbidden, but I was seated three seats down from her when she looked over and noticed me. She immediately yelled my name and said how long it had been since she had seen me. She even noticed I had changed my hair since our last meeting. She then got up from her seat and came over to me and kneeled in front of me as she asked me questions about my life and how I had been. It was surreal. For a while, I had begun to think that the fame had gotten to her head, there was no way she could still be the same girl I had met in 2007, but I was proven wrong. She is just as genuine and down-to-earth as she seems. I truly do consider Taylor a friend.

S Looking • 10 a.m. for a Pot of Gold, U Land Between the Lakes N • All day Soccer Spring Tournament, D MCCSA Murray-Calloway County Parks A Y WEDNESDAY • 8 a.m. Murray Art Guild Visual Evidence Exhibit, Robert O. Miller Conference Center

Movie Review

Photo courtesy of post-gazette.com

Artemisia, played by Eva Green, shoots a flaming arrow toward the enemy’s wooden ships during a battle scene of “300: Rise of an Empire.�

‘300: Rise of an Empire’ has Spartan power John Gruccio || Contributing writer jgruccio@murraystate.edu

In 2006, moviegoers were introduced to the legendary Spartan warriors, known as the “300.� Now, eight years later, the story continues. Based off of another graphic novel, “Xerxes,� by the legendary writer Frank Miller, “300: Rise of an Empire� provides blood-splattering action. With Greece in danger of falling to a tyrannical god-king known as Xerxes, a Greek general named Themistocles tries to unite all of Greece in order to change the course of this coming war. It soon becomes not only a battle of wits and physicality, but also one that is fought in the sea. Determined to be the

victor, Xerxes utilizes a valued asset in this fight: the vengeful and quite beautiful and very deadly, Artemisia, commander of the Persian navy. The one thing I love about this film is that it is filled with almost all newcomers. Sullivan Stapleton (“Strike Back�), Callan Mulvey (“Zero Dark Thirty�) and Jack O’Connell (BBC’s “Skins�), along with Eva Green (“Casino Royale�) round out the cast. The film also features cast members from the first film: Lena Headey (Queen Gorgo), David Wenham (Dilios) and Rodrigo Santoro (Xerxes). The film is directed by Noam Murro (“Smart People�) with a script penned by Zack Snyder (“300�) and Kurt Johnstad (“300�). While I truly wish that

Snyder, who helmed the first one, had directed a film of this magnitude, I do commend Murro on his travels into a new genre and his success. But it does make me wonder how much input Snyder had into this production. While the film serves a bit of both a prequel and sequel, the action is almost nonstop throughout the film. I personally am partial to the first film, just because it was the first film that showed us how truly brutal and bloody war was back in those days. One thing I will commend this film for is the battle scenes on the water. With pitch-black water and the ultimate destruction of wooden ships against other wooden ships, you actually feel like you are entrenched in battle among

the Aegean Sea’s unkind tides. One of the main disappointments I had was the relationship of the characters Themistocles and Artemisia. They are such complex characters and are wonderfully acted out by Sullivan Stapleton and Eva Green. However, there is palpable tension between these two and we only just get to see a little of this tension played out throughout the film. If you are a fan of 3D, I would recommend it for this film. I know that 3D is such a biased territory these days, but films like this function better when they are shown in a visually stimulating way. I am giving the film a three out of five stars for great action, amazing visual effects and a terrific storyline.

bsill@murraystate.edu

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“Daddy’s Gone A Hunting,� Mary Higgins Clark

“Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes�

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