The Murray State News

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The Murray State News April 25, 2014

Vol. 88, No. 30

TheNews.org

Murray State offers to help Mid-Continent students Ben Manhanke || Staff writer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Since the announcement that Mid-Continent University will close at the end of June, Murray State has been flooded with phone calls from students asking about the possibility of transferring. Jay Morgan, vice president of Academic Affairs, said the Transfer Center has received transcripts and applications to transfer from between 15 and 20 Mid-Continent students each week.

“We feel sorry for the students at Mid-Continent because they are disadvantaged from a student perspective,” Morgan said. “We have reached out to Mid-Continent and presented them with a couple options to work with them to transfer their students over to Murray State.” The Mid-Continent board of trustees declared that the school would be closing after being unable to secure necessary funding and alternative revenue to keep the university running. One month prior to the board’s

announcement, Tom Butler, chairman of Mid-Continent’s board of trustees, assured the faculty, staff, students and community that the school would “not be closing anytime soon.” Mid-Continent’s budget crisis and its $22 million deficit stemmed from the retraction of federal funding by the U.S. Department of Education due to a failure to produce required documentation to prove their students’ need for financial aid. The next day after the university’s notice of closure, the entirety

Back in time Students open time capsule from 1989-90

graduating in May. In an email to faculty, Morgan included a link to a “landing page,” where Mid-Continent students interested in Murray State can find out more information on the process. “This is rolling very quickly, so we are putting much of this together on the go,” Morgan said in the email. “So, as you get students in or receive calls, we are simply trying to accommodate them to the best of our ability through our

Assistant News Editor mbradley9@murraystate.edu

amahrenholz@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl/The News

SGA President Michael Dobbs sifts through pieces of Murray State history Wednesday. ing men on campus posed for each month of the year. The Racer cheerleaders from 1989 donated a uniform to be put in the time capsule. Katy Harned, sophomore from Mt. Juliet, Tenn., said she attended the time capsule opening because both of her parents attended Murray State in the 1980s, so she wanted to see if there might be

anything featuring either of them or the organizations they were involved in during their time here. “It was really cool to see all of the pictures from the different organizations on campus at the time,” Harned said. As a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha, she said she enjoyed seeing

see TIME, 2A

see CLOSING, 2A

McDonald’s scheduled for summer remodel Mary Bradley

Alex Mahrenholz || Staff writer

A small, navy box full of Murray State memorabilia was the focus of attention for students, faculty, staff and community members in Pogue Library Wednesday night. Nearly 100 people gathered in the lobby of Pogue for the opening of a time capsule collected by the 1989-1990 Student Government Association. Former SGA President Jeremiah Johnson, who will serve as Student Regent until July 1, opened the padlocked trunk, which served as the time capsule, with a pair of bolt cutters. The first thing he pulled out of the trunk was a videotape entitled “Excellence in Murray.” “Does anyone have a VCR?” Johnson said. He and newly elected SGA President Michael Dobbs continued to rifle through the collection of documents and photographs from nearly 25 years ago. A top 10 song list from 1989 was included in the time capsule, featuring “My Prerogative” by Bobby Brown along with music by Milli Vanilli and Chicago. Also inside the time capsule was a LIFE magazine and TIME magazine from 1989. A Sports Illustrated issue featuring the Murray State basketball team was also found in the trunk. Although there were not as many student organizations on campus 24 years ago, several clubs contributed to the time capsule. Sigma Sigma Sigma chose to volunteer a shirt from its first volleyball tournament held that year and a ‘Campus Men’ calendar, featur-

of the approximately 50-member staff was laid off. Morgan said for the most part, credits from Mid-Continents students will transfer to Murray State seamlessly, especially those currently enrolled in business administration, psychology and education programs. He said he will work with students who are part of programs and classes not offered at Murray State to transfer their credits or find equivalent credits here, especially those students who are close to

Students will have to find another location for a quick and cheap burger when McDonald’s closes this summer. The restaurant will make major changes to update the store and improve functionality, including the drive-thru lane, which often backs up into 12th Street and is a common problem for the store. “It’s going to be completely torn down and rebuilt,” said Jeremy Coleman, department manager for McDonald’s. “We’ll have two drive-thru lanes and everything will be different. We have a basement now and after we won’t have a basement.” Some changes students and community members can look forward to include an entirely new building and a digital menu that will also display order numbers for customers when their meals are ready. Coleman said the order number displays are common in other local restaurants, like the McDonald’s in Paducah, Ky. Additionally, the often problematic drive-thru lane will be changed to allow for a better flow of traffic and more space. Coleman said the dates for the beginning and end of renovations are tentative, but will be during the summer, when the majority of Murray State students are no longer on campus. Employees of McDonald’s will either go on unemployment or they will be transferred to another location during the renovation period. The restaurant has been in Murray since approximately 40 years ago, and has not been renovated since it was first built.

Coleman said the McDonald’s corporation requires the renovations to be made over a certain period of time. The near 40-year gap in renovations is something students were not surprised about based on the current look of the restaurant. Megan Gallagher, sophomore from Benton, Ky., said she could tell the building was older, simply because it does not have a kids’ play area like many other McDonald’s restaurants. She said she has gone to McDonald’s throughout the semester and whenever she is hanging out with friends at night, something common for many students looking for the convenient, quick meal that McDonald’s provides. She said a change the company needs to make during renovations is the line for the drive-thru, which she has noticed can be quite long, particularly during popular hours such as dinner times. Gallagher said their plan to do renovations during the summer is the most ideal, especially being located in a college town. “If there’s ever any time to do that, they should do it in the summer,” she said. While the renovation will deprive the city of the much-loved McDonald’s burger, other restaurants can continue to satisfy cravings community members may have. Gallagher said current burger restaurants now have more space that people prefer, as compared to the often busy and more cramped McDonalds. “While it’s in the process of building, I feel like people would go to other places,” she said. “Even as it is now, I go more to Culver’s because there is more room and it isn’t as busy all the time.”

Miller honored for time at Murray State Rebecca Walter || News Editor rwalter@murraystate.edu

As his presidency comes to an end, President Tim Miller was honored at a surprise reception Wednesday and was surrounded by a large crowd of faculty, staff and students. Miller’s wife, Patsy Miller, helped get him to the surprise reception, which was held at Pogue Library. Patsy told Miller he was going to be attending an executive meeting. “I have always said to anyone that I have worked with that I don’t like surprises,” Miller said. “This was a pleasant surprise, though.” Board of Regents members Phil Schooley, Renee Fister and Jeremiah Johnson congratulated Miller on a job well done and honored him with gifts, including framed photographs of campus. Miller said the reception was very meaningful to him. Miller was a professor for 47 years for Murray State and was a student at the University before becoming an educator. He is the first alumnus of Murray State to serve as president. “I love Murray State and the students, but I

am a teacher,” he said. “My biggest joy in that has been to see students succeed.” Board of Regents member Renee Fister said she would describe Miller’s presidency as informative, wise, inclusive and transparent. “I think (Miller) has made a huge difference in the student population and with making a connection with students,” she said. “The love he feels for students is obvious in his speech and it is obvious in how he treats faculty and staff.” Fister said Miller’s relationship with the Board of Miller Regents has been progressive and informative. “He has helped move us forward,” she said. Miller said he has always wanted to do what is best for the University with whatever his role has been. “I have always loved Murray State, so I want to do what is best for the University, whether it be sweeping floors or teaching classes. I certainly do not view myself as the president,”

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Fumi Nakamura/The News

DERBY DAYS: Austin Kelly, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., is dunked in cold water for Sigma Chi’s philanthropy.

WHAT’S

EARTH DAY

OUR VIEW

OVC CHAMPS

FESTIVAL FORECAST

INSIDE

Students coordinate events in hopes of a greener future, 3A

We hope Murray State helps Mid-Continent students, 4A

Women’s golf, tennis claim conference titles, 1B

Summer music festivals offer variety, experience, 5B

The News

News

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April 25, 2014

MILLER

CLOSING

From Page 1

From Page 1 Miller said. Miller said although he never expected to be president he is sad to see his presidency come to an end. “I don’t know if I did a good job or not but I did the best that I could – I don’t have any regrets,” he said. For Murray State’s future, Miller said it is important to maintain the momentum that the University has gained. He said he thinks incoming President Robert Davies will do a good job keeping it going. “I think Murray State is in good hands,” he said. Jeremiah Johnson, former Student Government Association president, said Miller has been a transparent president and a friend to everyone. “(Miller) has been very transparent with reaching ideas and working with the (Board of Regents) and students,” he said. “Students will come up to him with a question and he will and answer them; I love that.” Johnson said Miller has been open with everyone and always has a smile on his face. “I think the transparency that Miller has created a new culture on campus,” Johnson said. “The culture now on campus is now

TIME From Page 1 everything ASA had contributed to the time capsule. “There was a picture of Teeter for Tots that ASA did in 1990 and we still do that event today,” she said. “It was really neat to see an actual picture of how the event looked then versus how it looks now and read about how they raised just as much money back then as we did this year.” Students from that time also compiled a list of complaints they had about the University. Some of these complaints included city police harassing students with tickets, too much faculty parking and their wish for the residence halls on campus to

Fumi Nakamura/The News

President Tim Miller greets a guest at his surprise reception. more transparent.” Miller said he would tell students at Murray State to find their passion in life and find what brings them joy. “Major in something that you really enjoy, not just something to

be refurbished. Many of the newly elected as well as the old senators for SGA were in attendance. Just before the opening of the time capsule, SGA members held a transition meeting to bring together the old and new Senate members along with each executive council member with the goal of making the move to a new SGA as seamless as possible. New executive officers and Senate members were announced at All-Campus Sing on April 16 after two days of student voting. About 50 students and faculty were present at the transition meeting in the Jesse Stuart Room of Pogue. The newly elected senators and executive council members were congratulated and several farewells were made to retiring SGA members. Patrick Hooks, sophomore from

get a job,” Miller said. “Find something that will be fulfilling to you for the rest of your life. “You need to enjoy whatever you do with a passion, work hard and do the very best that you can and you will be successful.”

Owensboro, Ky., is entering his second year as a student senator for Lee Clark Residential College. He said he thought the transition meeting and the time capsule opening was a good way to start off the year with a strong SGA. “The time capsule was a unique part of our history and development through Murray State,” Hooks said. “Seeing how some of the magazines had cigarette advertisements on the back was really interesting.” He said seeing some of the leadership and organizational roles included in the time capsule were inspiring in some ways, especially as an SGA senator and hopeful for Residential College Association president. Said Hooks: “It was also neat to see how some of the issues Murray State faced back then have not changed much today.”

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transfer center.” Murray State held its annual, roaming, open house Thursday at the West Kentucky Rural Electric office in Mayfield, Ky., where Mid-Continent is located, 30 minutes from Murray State’s main campus. Morgan said the open house this year had an added emphasis aimed at potential transfer students. Beside this effort, he said the University has reached out to Mid-Continent students through social media. Approximately 2,000 students are enrolled in classes at Mid-Continent. Of those 2,000 students, less than 300 are full time and take most of their classes on MidContinent’s campus. Most of the other students take classes online. President Tim Miller said a number of universities other than Murray State have offered support to Mid-Continent students. Other regional institutions are seeking to be recommended as Mid-Continent’s institution of choice for the displaced students. “We’re the only four-year public university in western

Kentucky and so we’ve got an obligation to meet the needs of students in this region,” he said. “There are all kinds of schools who want to help, and that’s fine, but we feel like they’re right in our backyard and we ought to be the ones taking care of them.” He said Murray State has already accepted some students from Mid-Continent. Miller said those students have applied and are working with others to improve their transcripts so they can apply and potentially receive financial aid. Miller said it’s possible Murray State will offer a reduced tuition to Mid-Continent students who transfer here for their first semester to help them get back on their feet, but he said he also would want to be mindful about not discriminating against the University’s other students. Despite having been laid off, former Mid-Continent faculty and staff will be volunteering and continuing to teach students pro bono to allow seniors set to graduate this year to do so in May. Representatives from the Department of Education arrived on campus last week and have been working with the school on submitting new federal aid paperwork for students, with no date of re-opening yet announced.

Jenny Rohl/The News

SGA President Michael Dobbs and former presid ent Jeremiah Johnson go through the time cap sule from the 1989-90 SGA.

The News

News

April 25, 2014 News Editor: Rebecca Walter Assistant Editor: Mary Bradley Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

Police Beat April 17 8:13 a.m. A caller reported finding a spent shell casing at Winslow Dining Hall. Officers were notified and an information report was taken. 1:45 p.m A caller reported a complaint of identity theft. Officers were notified and the case was referred to Murray Police Department.

April 18 12:02 a.m. A caller reported a strong smell of marijuana at Hart Residential College. Officers were notified and a citation for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was issued. 4:05 p.m. Officers received a call to attempt to locate a stolen moped in Calloway County. An information report was taken.

April 19 1:22 a.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop at 5-Points. A citation was issued for speeding 21 mph over the speed limit. 9:14 p.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop in the Curris Center parking lot. A verbal warning was issued for improper start of a motor vehicle.

April 20 12:29 a.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop on Waldrop Drive. A citation was issued for failure to use a seat belt and failure to produce an insurance card. 9:55 p.m. A caller reported a medical emergency at Lee Clark Residential College. Officers and the Murray Ambulance Service were notified and the patient was transported.

April 21 1:10 p.m. A caller reported being stuck on an elevator in Faculty Hall. Officers and Facilities Management were notified. 6:10 p.m. A caller reported a harassment complaint at Elizabeth Residential College. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

April 22 6:56 a.m. Facilities Management reported chalk writing on the Curris Center, Collins Center for Insdustry and Technology and Howton Agricultural Engineering Building. Officers were notified and the chalk was removed. 11:11 p.m. A caller reported a missing dog and an information report was taken.

Call of Fame April 17 - 4:15 p.m. A caller reported a fire in a dumpster at Franklin Residential College. Officers and Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified and a report was taken.

Motorists assists – 4 Racer escorts – 6 Arrests – 0

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

3A

‘MESS’ urges for Earth clean-up Amanda Grau || Staff writer agrau@murraystate.edu

Tuesday marked the 44th observance of Earth Day, a day called “the day the modern environmental movement was born,� according to the Earth Day Network. The Murray State Environmental Society, or MESS, dedicated the past week helping students on campus remember the importance of keeping the Earth clean for future generations to enjoy. The events put on by MESS ranged from handing out free sustainable T-shirts and a free showing of the movie “Gasland� to a panel discussion titled “Intersectionality: The Environment Surrounds Us.� The panel, which met Wednesday in the Blackburn Science Building, was made up of different Murray State faculty members, each with their own topic of discussion. The panel covered a wide scope of topics: environmental justice, sustainable agriculture, religion and gender issues were all discussed. Rachel Williams, junior from Louisville, Ky., stopped by Carr Health on Monday to get a free tee shirt and learned how to make sustainable shirts. Williams said learning to screen print was a new skill she could use on thrifted shirts. “It was really cool—they were giving them out for free,� Williams said. “I stopped by because I was running an errand for my job and they grabbed my attention. They used reused shirts.� Williams said she was impressed by the energy the MESS students had for the environment. “It was cool to see a group of students who were actively caring about the environment,� Williams said. “You don’t see a lot of people caring about something so publicly, and putting so much effort into getting others to care, too.� For MESS, planning for Earth

Lori Allen/The News

Jessica Brown, junior from Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Lin-Cee Byars, senior from Paris, Tenn., taste the difference between tap and bottled water. Day and Earth Week events is a year-long process. Allison Crawford, former Murray State student and former MESS president, said MESS gathers ideas for Earth Week celebrations from different lectures, panels and events the members attend throughout the year. “Earth Week is the biggest event we plan for,� Crawford said. “We think about it all year long. It’s been a really long, drawn-out process of getting ideas, but we really started getting everything together back in February, and everything was finalized by the end of March.� The mission statement of MESS is “to promote awareness and activism of environmental and conservation issues, while enjoying and engaging in outdoor recre-

ational activities.� According to Crawford, the point of Earth Week is to do just that: promote sustainability while getting everyone outside and enjoying what the group works so hard to protect. Crawford said Earth Week, and Earth Day itself, are designed to promote the importance of the Earth and keeping it healthy. Crawford said she believes every person, student or not, needs to know they play a role in the environment that live in. “It’s important for people to realize how the environment affects their lives, and that they live in it,� she said. “In order for them to find success, it’s important to have clean air, water, soil—all of that.� Jessica Brown, president of MESS and junior from Murfrees-

boro, Tenn., said that while the main goal of Earth Week is to increase attention on the importance of environmentalism, it was also a chance to get MESS’ name back out there. After a two-semester hiatus, Brown feels it is time to make a new, more prominent name for the small group. “We want to show people that we are rebuilding and get a new positive image out there,� Brown said. Brown said next semester’s focus will be pushing for a green fee. She said the $5 fee would be added onto tuition to help keep campus sustainable. In previous years, MESS has gathered roughly 10,000 student signatures who support the fee to improve the environment and sustainablility efforts.

Nonprofit students win Giving Back awards Lori Allen || Staff writer lallen21@murraystate.edu

Rich Harwood, scholar and guest speaker from the Harwood Institute, spoke to a group of students and faculty Tuesday at Wrather West Kentucky Museum, and celebrated the recipients of this semester’s Giving Back Engagement Recognition Awards. The Giving Back program is in its sixth year and is held by the nonprofit leadership studies program, formerly known as youth and nonprofit leadership. Bob Long, visiting distinguished professor of nonprofit leadership, facilitated the program and said the students are the ones who run everything, from nominating the award recipients to emceeing the event. “When I retired here to teach, I wanted all of my classes to have a practical, applied component; not scenarios, but real life,� Long said. Through the Giving Back Program students get the opportunity to take part in procedures that they are taught in class. “We each nominated a student or peer based on a list of qualities,� said Abby Siegel, freshman from Shel-

Lori Allen/The News

Bob Long, visiting professor, congratulates Alli Phillips, junior from Shelbyville, Ky. byville, Ky. “We then interviewed the nominee and made a presentation to the class about them. During the presentation we all rated each nominee in each of the areas.� When the points were tallied Siegel said four candidates stood out. The budget of $1,000 was divided among the winners and a check for $250 was donated, on their behalf, to the charity of their choice.

The award winners were Sharda Bettis, Rebecca Gaunce, Alli Phillips and Evie Swanson. The qualities considered for winning were: passion, confidence, humility, trustworthiness, selflessness and their genuine and attractive personality they put forth. Swanson, graduate student from Minnesota and resident director of Hester Residential College, chose the

Minnesota Teen Challenge, a faithbased recovery program that focuses on restoring hope to people struggling with alcohol and drug addictions as her charity. “I had a friend go through the program and the ministry changed his life and gave him a future,� Swanson said. “I feel so honored and humbled to receive this type of recognition. I have the amazing opportunity to connect with college students 24/7 and do life with them.� Phillips, junior from Shelbyville, Ky., made her donation to Main Street Youth in Murray and said she was honored to be nominated. “This program is incredible,� Phillips said. “I was able to give back to something dear to my heart, while being pushed to continue to be the leader I was made to be.� Sharda Bettis, senior from Dallas, chose to have her donation made to Murray-Calloway County Need Line and talked about the benefits of receiving an award from her peers. “I think it's great; the program is allowing students to identify other students that are giving back in the community and on campus,� Bettis said. “It just shows that students pay attention just as much as faculty.�

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April 25, 2014

The News

Opinion

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

Our View

Mid-Continent closing creates opportunity The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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The status of Mid-Continent University has been a question asked by the media, surrounding universities and students. The financial status of our neighboring school, which was once hearsay, has now been confirmed. After months of speculation, the struggling western Kentucky university will be shutting its doors in three weeks. All faculty and staff have been laid off. While it is unfortunate that a university has to close its doors, it could result in positive developments for the expansion and regional reach of Murray State. The decision to close Mid-Continent leaves the academic fate of its students hanging in the balance. Some who were set to graduate next semester have no choice but to hope their credits transfer somewhere else. Non-traditional students and students who take online courses in other regions were severely misinformed about the status of the university and the mass layoffs of staff members. They are left confused, angry and in need of a place to transfer. Because of the proximity, this should be a

time that Murray State tries to accommodate these students who are desperately trying to finish their studies and get the degree that they were promised at Mid-Continent. In the last budget address, President Tim Miller said increasing enrollment would be a solution to the budgetary problems arising at Murray State. With this goal at the forefront, we should be seizing the opportunity to enroll a larger demographic of commuting students from Mayfield, Ky. and Paducah, Ky. Mid-Continent is no longer accepting students for the next academic year, and seniors who are prepared to graduate in May are finishing out the semester with professors and staff that are volunteering their time. The instability of the situation at Mid-Continent would make Murray State a promising prospect for students who originally saw MidContinent as their first choice. In recent years, Murray State has made it a priority to expand its reach through satellite campuses to Paducah, Ky., Hopkinsville, Ky., Madisonville, Ky., Fort Campbell, Ky., and

Henderson, Ky. Why not a regional campus in Mayfield? A large demographic of students on Murray State’s main campus commute from Mayfield every day. The majority of Mid-Continent’s student body is part-time students that take online classes, which would make a Murray State satellite campus an attractive option. According to representatives at Mid-Continent, the financial situation stemmed from the U.S. Department of Education’s rejection of financial aid paperwork. The paperwork rejection was possibly caused by inaccuracies made by Mid-Continent while filling out the files and bad budgeting. This should also be a lesson that Murray State learns from, seeing as it is at a low budget point. neglectful paperwork filing, coupled with inexperienced budgetary decisions, can ultimately lead to the end of a university. This is the chance for Murray State to pick up the pieces that were dropped by Mid-Continent. One school’s mistakes can be opportunity to capitalize and grow.

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Garrison: To Greeks from a Greek Greek life means everything to me. I remember moving into Hart Residential College in August my freshman year and having to dodge what seemed like hundreds of guys in letter shirts and neoprene sunglass straps who were trying to help me move my stuff into my room. Zac Garrison All I had heard about Greek life up Junior from until then was what Franklin, Ky. the media had told me, which had left a bad taste in my mouth. I was eventually talked into coming out to Rush Week and told myself, “I’m not going to rush, I’m just going to eat all their free food and ignore them.” I’ve never been so wrong in my life. I ended up rushing Phi Kappa Tau my fall semester of my freshman year and never looked back. Some of my best memories and closest friends have come from my fraternity and Greek experience at Murray state. To be completely honest, I have no idea what it’s like to be in college and not be in a Greek organization. I stay fairly involved in Greek life at Murray State. I’m Phi Tau’s president; I sat as a delegate for the Interfraternity council for 1.5 years, and eventually took over as the Assistant Recruitment Chair for the Executive Council of IFC. This being said, very few people can argue against my love and enthusiasm for the Greek community at Murray State. Murray State’s Greek community is one of

the best in the nation, in my opinion. We have several chapters which have won national awards for improvement and community service as well as a few chapters voted as the best chapter in the nation in their respective organizations. Think about that, the best chapters nation-wide are located at Murray State. That’s definitely something to brag about. However, there is a problem plaguing the Greek community here. The Greek community as a whole takes any kind of criticism much too personally. I see it often on Facebook and in the media; Greeks lashing out against nongreeks whenever an unkind word or misconstrued fact is brought into play. I have read many arguments for and against the reasons to get involved in Greek life and the fact of the matter is, it’s certainly not something for everyone. Anytime someone who is non-Greek offers some kind of mild criticism of Greeks for their behavior, we automatically take it as a personal attack. We claim that we are not above people who aren’t Greek, so why talk down to them when they offer criticism? I’m damn proud to be Greek, and I’ll be a Phi Tau till they put me in my grave and I enter chapter eternal. All of us are proud to be Greeks and wear our organization’s letters, so we feel the need to defend what we are so proud of. Here is the thing: criticism helps make us stronger. In order for us as a community to become stronger and to grow, we need to learn how to hear what non-Greeks have to say and use that to our advantage. Stereotyping and bad behavior haunt Greek life, but whenever someone who isn’t Greek points out something they feel is

wrong with Greek life we instantly ridicule them, insult them and tell them to get their facts straight. You don’t need to have facts to have an opinion on something. Everyone has an opinion, and even though they can be unsubstantiated by facts, they are still valid representations of how someone feels. If I had a friend who blew up and yelled at me telling me I don’t know what I was talking about every time I offered some advice or constructive criticism, I wouldn’t want to be his friend for very long. How about instead of telling non-Greeks they don’t know what they’re talking about, we accept the criticism or advice and use it to make ourselves better? I’m a firm believer that all criticism can be taken constructively. I’m sick of seeing someone who is not a member of a Greek organization give his honest two-cents about Greeks and then people commenting with stuff like “Looks like somebody didn’t get a bid” or “Better luck next rush, GDI.” This doesn’t make us look good as a community and honestly makes us look like pricks. I know firsthand how important Greek life is. I know about all of our philanthropic actions, leadership developing practices and community involvement. I also know that we can reach higher. I want nothing but the best for Greek life at Murray State, and I think that starts with us listening more. Listening to what people think and what people say and then applying that to make our organizations excel will help us grow and become an even more extraordinary community than we already are. From a Greek, we have a lot to be proud of; but why stop at great?

The News

Opinion

April 25, 2014

5A Did she really say that?

Letters to the Editor In response to last week’s edition of Our View: “Low voter turnouts not all students’ fault.” I did not vote because I wasn’t even aware that a school election was happening. I never ran across anyone’s campaign, I never saw a single poster, Facebook post or heard a word about anything at all. I also don’t know a single person that ran for office by face or by name. There may have been a week of active campaigning, but I don’t think that’s enough. If people want the students to get involved in campus politics and bring in voters, then they need to spend more than a week talking to the people they already know. Presidential candidates for our country spend years campaigning to bring in voters. Shouldn’t we organize rallies or debates? Something that brings the students into the issues so they know exactly what is happening? I don’t even know what the Student Government Association does and I’ve been a student here for five years. Also, with the seemingly negative things that have been happening on Capitol Hill in recent years,

politics has a negative connotation for many people. People often see politicians as overly greedy, self-serving jerks that have no concern for anyone except themselves. I’m afraid that many students may see people involved in campus politics as the same greedy and self-serving people. Thirdly, this is college. Most of my friends and I are too involved in our majors, our homework and social interaction, not to mention work, many of us have one, if not two, minimum wage jobs. While college is supposed to prepare us for the world, most people want to live the life they will end up leaving behind once they graduate. This is the best time of our lives as far as most people are concerned. We have much more important things to do than to get involved in something so serious. I, of course, don’t speak for all students, and maybe not even the majority, but if last week’s Greek article had anything to say about college life priorities, we clearly have other interests.

Joel Brooks Senior from Bloomfield, Ky.

Guilty until proven innocent College is a place where students are expected to be asked questions, lots of them, on many topics. But one wonders if there are some questions too intrusive and personal to ask. University of Kentucky Health Services found the answer earlier this month when it abruptly halted a questionnaire after portions were published in College Reform, a national college newspaper. Under the pretext of “helping better serve the LGBT community,” UK Health Services solicited responses to assertions including: “The idea of gay marriage seems ridiculous to me,” “Homosexuality is a mental illness” and “Homosexuality is a sin.” It’s not clear how such questioning would help improve Health Services to the LBGT community, but it is likely that dredging deeply held personal beliefs on religion and sexuality in a politically sensitive age creates a chilling climate for social conservatives. Doctor: “So I see you have strained ligaments in your elbow. Is that from picketing gays with the Westboro Baptist folks?” Is it necessary for UK Health Services to know the political and religious views of a student before bandaging a wound? One UK student who wished to re-

main anonymous told Campus Reform “I don’t know who is reading this. I didn’t want to be labeled as a bigot because of my personal religious beliefs.” The growing hostility toward religious conservatives on campus is deeply troubling. In 2011, UK settled a religious discrimination lawsuit against Martin Gaskell who was denied a job to lead the astronomical observatory because he was a “potential evangelical.” In 2012, the University of Louisville was poised to axe Chick-fil-A after CEO Dan Cathy’s opinion on same-sex marriage hit. The latest flap comes from Stanford University, where a student group was denied funding for its conference, called “Communicating Values: Marriage, family and the media.” Jeffrey Cohen, the vice president of the LGBT student group called GradQ , called the conference “an echo chamber of hate.” Since when has the university become a monolith of thought where intellectual discussion of important issues is considered a threat?

Richard Nelson Executive Director Commonwealth Policy Center

I’ve Got a Story for You

Valentine: Try it; you might like it Murray State becomes a whirlwind of activity in the spring. Many students survive the experience, some find their grades in shambles and some missed the whole thing. I weep for this last group. Look at the spring: the close of basketball season, Campus Lights, step show, Spring Break, Miss MSU, All-Campus Sing, dance concert, baseball, Robert Valentine softball, Provost’s ConSenior lecturer of cert, theater productions, 38,257 senior recitals in advertising music, 47 art shows, 89 departmental and student award banquets and of course, spring itself. Pretty, ain’t it? The excuse most of us use for skipping a friend’s recital or play, or for playing hooky on ye olde awards banquet is “studying.” This excuse, as we all know, is a load of ... well, never you mind what that load is. It’s suffice to say that it could cause the daffodils to bloom anew for a long time. Anyone who can’t take 90 minutes to see a friend play a fugue or receive a plaque needs a time management transplant. Or, perhaps, a friend. I asked one honest sophomore about attendance at an event. With a role of the eyes, I was told, “Bor-ING.” Even though we’ve never been, we fear we will be bored. In truth, the sophomore was speaking to a

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.

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sympathetic soul. I’m not a big fan of opera, for instance, and would rather eat a barbed-wire sandwich than sit through “Die Fledermaus” again. The voices were amazing, but it’s tough keeping up with the storyline about a bat when all the good data is delivered in German. I could do without your average banquet, too. A banquet is just a meeting with food and a speech. I often go to see my friends get awards or a good dose of long-overdue recognition.

I don’t buy ‘boring’ as a valid excuse. I can buy ‘fear,’ however. Fear of boredom, fear of an unfamiliar experience, fear that you won’t like it – the list of things to fear is long and intimidating. - Robert Valentine, senior lecturer of advertising As a guy who has been called upon to speak at such occasions, I can assure you that if people really wanted a speech during this schedulesquashing, calendar-killing season, they would go to church so they could also work in a prayer for passing grades. Boring? Maybe, but not half as boring as a game of solitaire or a scroll through today’s wall

postings and shares on Facebook. I don’t buy “boring” as a valid excuse. I can buy “fear,” however. Fear of boredom, fear of an unfamiliar experience, fear that you won’t like it – the list of things to fear is long and intimidating. Why should we go outside? Yet, to fear the unexperienced is to fear life. You will never get a better chance to experience theater, music, athletics, art or group activities more than what is offered by Murray State in the spring. And most of it is free. After college, it all costs money. If you think you’re terribly busy now, wait until you try to sandwich in two hours of commuting and the raising 1.8 children. Theater will not be free, it will be $75 per ticket, plus the cost of a babysitter. Enjoy. Now is the time to try it. If you don’t, you are missing the literal chance of a lifetime. In college, I passed up the chance to learn scuba diving – too scary. Then, inexplicably, at the age of 60 I gave it a shot and loved it. Murray State offers only a few opportunities to enjoy scuba, but it’s possible. What’s not possible is to get back the 40 years of prime diving that cannot be retrieved. You might like opera. You might enjoy an art show, a symphony or a beauty pageant. You might not. You might never know what you missed. How boring is that? See you at Commencement. It’s a great show. Good music, pageantry, happy parents and I hear there’s going to be a speaker. Editor’s note: This column is dedicated in thanks to Dr. Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, who attends everything and is never, ever bored.

Cheers to ... Shorts weather. We missed our Nike running shorts and tanktops and getting them out of the confines of our closets after one of the harshest winters ever has been a real treat. Nothing beats the swishing sound of athletic apparel. Lazy, yet hip. We love college fashion.

Jeers to ... Finals coming up. Approaching the summer while preparing for internships and moving into new houses and apartments is already stressful enough. Worrying about regurgitating information from the semester into a final test is just the cherry on top of the cake.

Jeers to ... Professors who lose focus. If you are teaching a class about creative writing, don’t make your students do an astrophysics homework assignment. This applies to any professor in any subject. Stick with what you know and we’ll give you sterling teacher reviews.

Cheers to ... Summer Orientation. It’s good to see some student organizations getting involved enough to wake up early in the morning and promote themselves at Summer O. It’s also good to see all the faces of next semester’s students.

Justin Bieber – that kid is the worst. He’s arguably the most loathed person in pop culture. Equipped with the belief that he is nothing but an overrated untalented Carly Besser and punk, I ironiOpinion Editor cally decided to download his most recent album. I turned on my speakers, gave it a listen and I loved it. After I realized that I developed an opinion about his album without even listening to it, I felt a little guilty. I had condemned his work to mediocrity before I gave it a chance, but I was pleasantly surprised in the end. We have this overwhelming urge to develop our positions too early. Nationally televised trials are hindered because it’s almost impossible to find a jury that is genuinely neutral and disinterested and can give a fair verdict. We condemn people as guilty before they can prove their innocence. Many of us will walk into our first day of class, see a guy covered in tattoos and piercings and wonder how he made it to college. Surprise – he opens his mouth and it turns out he is incredibly bright. Maybe, he’s the star pupil. I’ll admit it: besides the Bieber album example, I’ve rejected people, things and ideas before even bothering to find out what’s beneath the surface. Now, I regret it every single day. I first walked on Murray State’s campus thinking I would never associate with anyone in the Greek community. As a junior, I would say more than half of my friends are in a fraternity or a sorority, and I couldn’t have been more wrong. It’s amazing what people can do when they are given the chance to prove themselves. I can honestly say that I wouldn’t be looked at twice if someone didn’t extend me the offer to sell myself. In high school, I had a haircut that would make Oprah give me a free car out of pity and Dr. Phil institutionalize me. I wore clothes that begged for negative attention. I sat with cheerleaders, drama club kids and just about every stereotype mentioned in Mean” Girls.” Why? Because people allowed me to prove myself as someone more than my appearance. I ditched the dyed black mullet and the studded belts, but this chance is still given to me by people in places beyond highschool. I’m candid, sarcastic and opinionated to a fault, but people take the time to see what else I could bring to the table before they dismiss me as Sarah Silverman’s wannabe. That’s why I’m writing this now. I was given the chance to be here, as a published columnist, despite some of my personality quirks that could have overshadowed any shred of talent I have. Before you dismiss your random roommate for the most arbitrary reasons, get to know who that person is beyond the first impression. You may make a lifelong friend. If you don’t, that’s fine, too. You gave it a college effort, and that’s better than nothing. As corny as it sounds, people have a story to tell – the way they look, what they listen to and why they dip their pizza in ranch dressing is only part of it. In order to see the true potential in people, we have to get rid of this concept that everyone is guilty until proven innocent. cbesser@murraystate.edu

Kickin’ the bucket By Katie Wilborn

6A

The News

News

April 25, 2014

International director leaving University Alex Mahrenholz || Staff writer amahrenholz@murraystate.edu

International students have looked to Luis Canales, director of the Institute for International Studies, for five years. Next year, students will have a new face to turn to as Canales has accepted a new position as director of the Office of International Studies and Programs at Illinois State University in Bloomington, Ill. Born in Tiquisate, Guatemala, Canales has experience with foreign studies himself. He spent about 16 years at the University of Louisville before coming to Murray in 2009. “I consider Kentucky my second home,” Canales said. Bringing Canales to the U.S. in the first place was brought about by his participation in the Fulbright Scholar Program. According to the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, “the Fulbright program offers grants to study, teach and conduct research for U.S. citizens to go abroad and for non-U.S. citizens to come to the United States.” Under Canales’ leadership, the Institute for International Studies has significantly increased the number of international students on the Murray State campus. Having just returned from a recruitment trip in Latin America, Canales said it was an area of the world that Murray State was overlooked before his arrival to campus. He said the efforts of International Studies program are beginning to pay off, as evidenced by the increased number of students studying at the University from that area. “We have also delivered the second professional development program for faculty

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Luis Canales will begin as International Studies director at Illinois State University after five years with Murray State. and staff from Qingdao Agricultural University,” Canales said. “This program also provides excellent international opportunities for Murray State faculty, staff and students.” He said a second group of eight faculty and six students will travel to China this summer to immerse themselves in Chinese culture and learn more about the Chinese

higher education system. “I think it is critical for us to diversify. We need to diversify in order for us to bring different perspectives into the classroom but also to ensure that Murray State has different sources of revenue – in case natural disasters or economic downturns strike and disrupt student mobility.”

Canales also said he thinks it is vital for Murray State to engage with the world. “I don’t think there is a single university that can afford not to be globally engaged nowadays, if we are to be relevant. So, opportunities like the one we have with Qingdao offer us a venue to engage with the world,” he said. On a day-to-day basis, Canales manages people and the IIS financial resources. He works to troubleshoot problems alongside students, faculty and staff and looks for business opportunities for his department. “IIS helps domestic students by advising them about education abroad opportunities and by providing education abroad scholarships,” he said. “With regard to international students, we provide programs and services to help them achieve their personal, academic and professional goals.” Canales said he has been fortunate to work with a highly dedicated team at Murray State. He said they have accomplished a lot in five years and are positioned to excel even further thanks to the solid foundation they have built in the IIS department. At Illinois State, Canales said he will fulfill many of the same obligations he does here. He said his transition should go smoothly after the experiences he has gained here. “I am leaving Murray State with mixed feelings; I am going to miss the people with whom I work the most,” Canales said. “They care about what they do and work very hard to serve our constituencies.” There will be a farewell reception for Canales April 29 from 4-5 p.m. in the lobby of Woods Hall.

Students compete, win in Japanese speech contest Ben Manhanke || Staff writer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Several Murray State students received awards this month, including the grand prize, as part of their participation in the seventh annual Tennessee Area Japanese Speech Contest. This was the University’s seventh time traveling to Middle Tennessee State University and competing. While students have traditionally performed well, last year taking home five of the 10 awards, this was the first time a Murray State student won the grand prize which includes $500 in cash and a round-trip ticket to Japan. More than 40 students from 10 universities

participated, including the University of Tennessee, the University of Memphis and Vanderbilt University, in one of three tiers corresponding to their ability to speak Japanese: level one being the highest. Yoko Hatakeyama, professor of Japanese, along with Masayo Kaneko, also a Japanese professor, helped the students prepare to perform their speeches in Tennessee. Hatakeyama said both she and Kaneko have worked hard since establishing the Japanese major at Murray State in 2010 to build a good reputation for the University’s Japanese program, and competing well in the Tennessee Area Japanese Speech Contest has helped to accomplish this. “This year’s and last year’s successes were not due to chance,” Hatakeyama said. “Win-

ning these awards this year is evidence that our Japanese program has been getting stronger and I am really proud of my students and the program.” Contestants had to prepare and memorize a speech three to four minutes long on any subject to be presented to a panel of judges in Japanese. Those participating in levels two and three also had to answer questions after their presentation from the judges Kyung Rin Kim, junior from Bunsan, South Korea, won the grand prize out of all tiers and students participating. Jiaying Gong, senior from Sandong, China, won first place in level one and Jessica Alford, junior from Mayfield, Ky., won second place in the same level. Both also received prizes.

Kayla Johnson, sophomore from Erlanger, Ky., received second place in level two competition and Linying Wang, junior from Beijing, China, was chosen for the Consul General Award in level two. Alford said at first the thought of competing was intimidating, but the atmosphere of the contest was motivational. “Taking Japanese, just like any other language is a lot of long, hard work, so getting second place was a confirmation of all of my hard work,” Alford said. “It was a lot of preparation and practice, getting my intonation right, and most of all finding a good pace.” Hatakeyama said Murray State will return to compete next year and hopes to bring further accolades to the University and the Japanese program.

April 25, 2014

Section B

The News

Sports 68 BRINGING IT HOME

# of strokes by Delaney Howson in the second round of the OVC Championship (lowest in event history)

Sports Editor: Mallory Tucker Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

WOMEN’S GOLF TAKES THE LEAD IN THIRD ROUND Mallory Tucker || Sports Editor mtucker11@murraystate.edu

Murray State pulled ahead of the competition during the last round of the OVC Championship Wednesday to win the program’s ninth conference title, just two strokes below Eastern Kentucky. Starting the day with a 6-shot deficit, senior Delaney Howson ensured the Racer victory with a birdie putt on the 18th hole, simultaneously claiming her spot as medalist. But Howson is no stranger to the medalist position, with this being her seventh individual win as a Racer, tying her with Lee Anne Pace as the winningest golfer in program history. In addition, Howson carded the lowest round in the history of the event with a 4-under-par 68. Over the three rounds, she totaled 13 birdies, five more than her closest competitor. She was also named OVC Player of the Year at the conclusion of the championship. Although Howson maintained her lead throughout the championship, the team’s score was not as definitive. After the first round, the Racers were in third place, 12 shots behind Eastern and nine shots behind Jacksonville State. After gaining momentum during the second round, the team was able to cut its deficit and stay neck and neck with Eastern throughout Wednesday’s 18 holes. Howson was blissfully unaware of the pressure laying on her shoulders during the last few holes, thanks to the composure of Head Coach Velvet Milkman. “I knew it was close, but I didn’t know it was that close coming up on the 18 tee,” Howson said. “We were tied and I had no idea; and I’m glad I didn’t. I looked at Velvet, and she gave nothing away. She was a lot calmer than I would have expected.” On the 18th hole, Howson had already watched Eastern’s last golfer three-putt, and knew that she had to do better. She putted for a birdie, which she described as the best feeling ever. “I feel on top of the world right now. It feels awesome. We’ve just come so close the last three years, finally to get it feels amazing. We’ve worked hard all year for this tournament,” Howson said. Milkman was not surprised by her team’s performance, as she says the talent it possesses was more than enough to win the conference. Experience is the only thing her team lacks, she said. “I knew we had the talent,” Milkman said. “I didn’t know if we had the experience. In golf, experience means a lot. It takes more pressure than they’ve faced all year. We work hard and we put them in the tournaments that we do to prepare them for this situation, but until you see them go through it, you don’t know what they will do. “The underclassmen stepped up. It was a team effort. Obvi-

see HOME, 2B

Jenny Rohl/The News

Senior Delaney Howson practices at Frances E. Miller Memorial Golf Course last week.

Team effort earns title Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

Sophomore Megan Blue prepares to hit at the OVC Championships in Paducah, Ky.

The path to the NCAA Tournament was a familiar one for women’s tennis this year. Needing two victories to earn the OVC Championship title and the league’s automatic NCAA bid, the Racers relived two of their best matches from the regular season. Much like the regular season, these two matches ended in Racer victories, giving the team its first OVC Tournament Championship since 2007. “This was our goal since day one,” Head Coach Olga Elkin said. “This is what we were waiting for and what we came to do.” The path to the championship began against UT Martin April 18. The Racers expected a close match after defeating the Skyhawks five days earlier to win the No. 1 seed for the tournament. The match began with freshmen sisters Eleonore and Verginie Tchakarova falling at No. 1 doubles. Unlike their previous match, the Racers didn’t start off with the lead. While senior Carla Suga and sophomore Megan Blue were dominating at No. 3 doubles, things looked promising on the courts. The undefeated duo of junior Andrea Eskauriatza and sophomore Erin Patton were up 5-3 before something changed. In a matter of moments, momentum swung to UT Martin and Eskauriatza and Patton lost for the first time all season. The loss put the top-seeded Racers behind 1-0 in the semifinals. Still, Elkiin wasn’t concerned. “It was a tough match (April 18), and we came out fighting and ready to play,” Elkin said. “We had two really close doubles matches last week, and we knew that UT Martin was a doubles team, so things didn’t go our way.” With the doubles loss, the journey to the finals required four wins during singles play, but the team did its best to remain confident. “We knew we were a stronger singles team, and we brought the team together (after doubles) and were ready to return to the court,” Elkin said. The match then began to repeat itself like it had five days earlier. The Racers dominated singles and found themselves needing one more win to celebrate. The match focused on

Patton at No. 6 and Blue at No. 4 who won their first sets. The story then replayed as Patton served with her teammates around her for the match. After a brief rally, Patton was swarmed by her teammates on the adjourning court after her opponent hit the ball into the net. “There was a little bit of pressure, but it pumped me up to know my team was there and supporting me,” Patton said. “I knew it came down to Megan and I but it was one of those things that if something went wrong with my match that she would have it.” As the team gathered for its post-match meeting, celebration ensued on the other courts as Eastern Kentucky defeated Morehead State and would face the Racers for the title. Facing the two-time OVC champions, Elkin said her team wasn’t nervous for the final. “I don’t think I saw any nerves from the team (April 18), which made me more excited,” Elkin said. Beginning the match with doubles, the Colonels came out with a vendetta to defeat the Racers, who ended Eastern’s 30-match OVC winning streak earlier this season. The Racers jumped out to two early 6-1 leads in doubles, but quickly saw them disappear. After losing three straight games, Eskauriatza and Patton settled down for the 8-4 win at No. 2 doubles. Believing the match came down to No. 3 doubles, most of the crowd moved to No. 3 doubles as the Tchakarova sisters trailed 7-5. “The twins can do anything, and when things weren’t working, we talked about changing it up. That’s what makes them so special,” Elkin said. “They can change it up on a heartbeat.” The sisters battled back to tie the match at seven, and used the momentum in the tiebreakers for a 7-2 win in the extra points. “We knew the team depended on us, and it really was great to have them supporting us,” Verginie said. Three points away from the championship, the Racers won four first sets to put Eastern Kentucky on edge. Eskauriatza won in straight sets in her usual style of the

see EFFORT, 2B

WHAT’S

TRACK RECORDS

SORORITY SOCCER

CROSSFIT MURRAY

CHASE RICE

INSIDE

Track and field hosts Battle of the Cumberlands, 3B

Tri-Sigma and ASA shut out rivals in intramurals, 4B

Workout sensation sweeps community, 6B

Country star to perform free show Tuesday, 8B

The News

Sports

2B Tennis All-OVC awards

EFFORT From Page 1

OVC Coach of the Year Olga Elkin All-OVC First Team Andrea Eskauriatza All-OVC Second Team Megan Blue Eleonore Tchakarova

OVC season standings 1. Murray State 2. Eastern Kentucky 3. Morehead State 4. SIUE 5. Eastern Illinois

April 25, 2014

9-1 9-1 8-2 7-3 5-5

Seven OVC championships Five NCAA appearances

season and was forced to watch her teammates play. “It is more nerve-racking to watch than playing,� Eskauriatza said. After a win by Eleonore at No. 2 singles against a former two-time OVC Player of the Year, the Racers found themselves one victory away from the championship. Just like in Richmond, Ky., nearly a month ago, it was Blue serving for the win over the Colonels. “It was the same emotions just like the last time,� Blue said. “I was at triple match point and I yelled ‘Go Racers’ three times.� An error by her opponent ended the match and Blue was swarmed by her teammates who were attentively watching her match. This included Suga, who was still playing. “I was watching Megan the whole time and was cheering her on right next to her,� Suga said. “I knew Nona had won and I thought maybe I would get it but then I saw Megan and knew she would get it done.� The win by Blue seemed fitting for her season and proved Elkin right. “I told Megan after she beat Eastern Kentucky that she had another one in her. She did, and pulled it out today,� Elkin said. Murray State’s victory means the Racers will play in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in program history. The Racers’ round one information will be decided during the NCAA selection show on April 29.

Lori Allen/The News

Junior Andrea Eskauriatza returns a ball during the OVC Championship in Paducah, Ky.

HOME From Page 1

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore Abbi Stamper follows through a swing during practice.

ously Delaney played exceptionally well – we expected that – but she can’t do it by herself. And everybody else contributed.� Included in the team effort was a strong showing by freshman Sydney Trimble who placed fifth with a score of 229 to join Howson on the OVC All-Tournament Team. Sophomore Abbi Stamper finished at 11th place, freshman Jacklyn Van Meter placed 29th with a score of 246 and sophomore Sophie Hillier finished in 35th place with a score of 250. The team’s win came from its desire to win, according to Howson. “We were a little down after the first day, but we talked it out and had some good conversations with everybody,� Howson said. “The last two days were just given so much effort. We wanted it so bad. We wanted it more than anybody else, and that’s what got us through.� Conversations amongst the team didn’t go unnoticed by Milkman, who praised her lone senior for her leadership throughout every round of the tournament. “She was a true leader this week,� Milkman

said. “Sometimes when you get to what might be the last tournament of your career, your emotions can become involved, and that certainly wasn’t the case for her. She was determined to win it. “She stayed focused on helping the underclassmen, and sometimes that makes your game a little easier because you’re not just focused on yourself.� In addition to nine OVC Championship titles, Milkman, who started the women’s golf program 21 seasons ago, has nine OVC Coach of the Year Awards. Six of her players have continued their golf careers on the professional level. Now, she looks to lead them as they continue their season with the OVC’s automatic bid into the NCAA Championship. The field for the 2014 tournament will be announced Monday on the Golf Channel’s Golf Central program, airing from 5-6 p.m. The NCAA Regionals will be held May 8-10, and the National Championship will be May 20-23. But for now, the Racers are taking some time to enjoy their win. “We’ll take a few days to enjoy this win, and then get back to work this weekend,� Milkman said. “Now it’s time to reach the next goal, making it through the regional championship. That’s what we’re going to work towards these next few weeks.�

$87+25, =(' '($/(5

Golf All-OVC awards OVC Player of the Year Delaney Howson All-OVC First Team Delaney Howson OVC All-Newcomer Team Sydney Trimble

OVC Championships Results 1. Murray State 2. Eastern Kentucky 3. Jacksonville State 4. Morehead State 5. Tennessee Tech

+51 +53 +59 +63 +70

Nine OVC championships Three NCAA appearances

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April 25, 2014

Track sets records at home Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

Junior Brittany Bohn did not stand down on the big stage last weekend as the Racers competed against 35 other collegiate teams at the Jesse Owens Track Classic at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio. The Mahomet, Ill., native set personal bests in both of her two events, posting times of 2 minutes, 14.87 seconds in the 800-meter and 4:34.67 in the 1500-meter. The performances earned her 10th and 23rd place finishes, respectively. Bohn added her name to the Murray State record books in the process, cracking the all-time top ten in each event. “(Brittany) had a good meet,� said Head Coach Jenny Severns. “She probably benefitted the most from the level of competition at the meet. She just went in and was aggressive and had confidence the whole way. She ran hard and it paid off with some big (personal records).� Bohn said she knew she had the ability to post the personal best times. “I was happy because it was about time for a good performance,� Bohn said. “I have been putting the work in and I knew I could run the times that I did. There’s always improvement in different areas, especially in the 800. I think I still have a little more I can offer in that.� Sophomore Emma Gilmore was right on Bohn’s heels in both events. Gilmore posted a time of 4:38.57 in the 1500-meter, finishing just eight spots behind her teammate in 31st place. Her time also cracked the top ten all-time Murray State list. Gilmore also performed well in the 800meter, finishing in 2:16.05 and earning a 15th place finish, just five spots behind Bohn. “It’s always nice to run with teammates because you train with them,� Bohn said. “You know they’re capable of doing the same thing and if they’re ahead of you, you know you probably need to pick it up. You can easily judge each other and use each other to keep an eye on where we should be.� Junior Sydney Potts had an impressive day in the javelin throw, earning a seventh place finish in the field of 27 with a toss of 126 feet, nine inches. Sophomore Kennedy Berkley placed 18th in the event with a throw of 104 feet, two inches. Tonia Pratt also had a big day in her field

3B

N ew s i n l e s s th an a m in u te Rodeo sends four to National Finals Staff Report

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Freshman Raevan Wilson pulls out ahead of an Austin Peay runner at the Battle of the Cumberlands. events. The junior from Michigan Center, Mich., posted a pair of eighth place finishes in both the shot put and hammer throw. Her 56.14 meter toss in the hammer throw was just .09 meters off her personal best and the school record. Overall, Severns said she was happy with the way the Racers responded and performed against the top-level competition. “Ohio State was great in getting people prepared for conference,� Severns said. “We got to get some big PRs because we ran against some great competition. That’s great for our confidence going forward.� The Racers also hosted a smaller meet on Tuesday. The Battle of the Cumberlands featured the Racers and teams from Austin Peay State and Tennessee Tech. Gilmore improved her 800-meter time from the previous weekend by more than half a sec-

ond, taking the top overall spot with a mark of 2:15.48. Bohn posted a time of 2:41.98 in the 1500-meter, also good for first place. Junior Ashley Conway took the top spot in the long jump, posting a distance of 18 feet, eight inches. The Racers swept the shot put, discus and hammer throw events with Pratt winning the first two and sophomore Alexis Schelper taking the hammer throw. The team looks ahead to its final meet before the OVC Outdoor Championships. The Racers will travel to Jonesboro, Ark., today for the Arkansas State Red Wolves Open. As the team prepares for the all-important conference championships, Bohn said keeping the confidence up is key. Said Bohn: “Right now, the most important thing is just to stay confident and go for it every time I race.�

Four members of the Murray State rodeo team qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo during the Final Ozark Region Rodeo held at UT Martin. At the event, sophomore Kendall Gentry placed second in barrel racing, sophomore Ellen Jarvis finished third in breakaway calf roping, freshman Clayton Corbett placed third in saddle bronc riding and graduate student Caleb Little finished third in steer wrestling. They will each compete for the title of National Intercollegiate Rodeo Champion in their respective events. The College National Finals Rodeo will be held June 15-21 in Casper, Wyo. In addition, the team’s coach, John Vanhooser, was voted 2014 Coach of the Year by the Coaches of the Ozark Region.

Flomo signs with basketball program Staff Report Men’s basketball Head Coach Steve Prohm announced that Kedrick Flomo of North Forsyth High School in Winston-Salem, N.C., has signed with the Racers for the 2014-15 season. The 6-foot-1-inch guard is on the Associated Press All-State Team in North Carolina and is NCPreps.com’s 3A Player of the Year. Flomo was also named the Winston-Salem Journal’s Frank Spencer Award winner, which is given to the player with the most votes for the All-Northwest Team. He leaves North Forsyth High School as the school’s all-time scorer, assist leader, and leader in made 3-pointers.

Golf looks to turn season around Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Junior Brock Simmons tees off at practice last week at Miller Memorial Golf Course.

Junior Jordan Smith is the first to admit that the men’s golf team’s season hasn’t gone exactly as planned. The men’s best finish of the year came April 14-15 as they took home seventh out of 14 teams at the TSU Big Blue Invitational. “We knew the season could be kind of iffy because we don’t have a senior on the team,� Smith said. “We don’t have a whole lot of experience so it’s kind of a year to gain experience more than anything.� Comprised of three freshmen, five sophomores and two juniors, the season was somewhat expected. Despite the disappointment, however, the slate will be wiped clean this weekend as the young Racer team takes its shot at an OVC Championship. “It’s been a bit of a rough year,� said sophomore Preston French. “But I think we have a good lineup – a good group of five guys who are playing well right now.� Head Coach Eddie Hunt selected a five-man team of Smith, French, sophomores Jared

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Gosser and Duncan McCormick and freshman Matt Zakutney to represent the Racers this weekend at the OVC Championship. The tournament will be played on the Fighting Joe course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at The Shoals in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The 18-hole course is known for being the first trail course to break 8,000 yards. French said he believes the sheer length of the course plays nicely into the Racers’ hands. “I think the course will be a little different from some of the courses we’ve been playing on,� French said. “It’s longer and a little tougher, which I think sets up well for our team.� The OVC Championship is not the only thing at stake for the Racers this weekend. A team championship carries with it an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament. Likewise, the individual with the lowest overall score earns one of 32 individual spots in the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship. The team has not won an OVC Championship since 2010, when it was led by OVC Golfer of the Year Nick Newcomb. The team placed fifth last season, riding the efforts of Newcomb’s younger brother

Patrick, who won the individual portion of the tournament. “You win the tournament and you’re on to NCAAs,� French said. “That’s got to be in our minds going in. We’ve got nothing to lose.� French and Smith will be looked upon to carry much of the load for the Racers. French leads the team with an average of 74.09 strokes per round. Smith is right on his heels in second with an average of 74.21. Despite low expectations from some, French and Smith said they believe the team of five has what it takes to compete for the championship. “We’re capable of winning,� French said. “With the way the course sets up in our favor, I think anything is possible, even with the season we’ve had.� “I’m going in trying to win the thing,� Smith said. “If you’re going to a golf tournament not trying to win it, I don’t know what you’re doing.� The Racers had a practice round Thursday before teeing off for their shot at an OVC Title today. The teams will play 18 holes each today Saturday and Sunday before the champions are crowned Sunday night.

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Sports

4B

’Breds lose momentum at Ohio State Nick Dolan || Staff writer ndolan@murraystate.edu

Head Coach Rob McDonald made no excuses for the ’Breds after Tuesday’s loss at Evansville. “You can always make excuses if you want," he said. “The guys were ready to play, it’s just, you know, we didn’t get it done.� Murray State (17-21, 9-9 OVC) lost to the Purple Aces 6-3 to split the season series at one a piece. The ’Breds had an opportunity to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth but could not capitalize. Junior Matt McGown came up with the bases loaded and singled home freshman Tyler Lawrence. Sophomore Dalton West then bounced into a double play, scoring freshman Clay Kelly who reached after being hit by a pitch. Sophomore Taylor Mathews then struck out to end the game. “We kind of got something going and it got everybody up,� McDonald said. “We felt like we were another batter or two or a big hit away from being right back in it or very close. The double play is just a part of baseball. We hit the ball to the right side of the infield and unfortunately it was within the range of the second baseman and he made a pretty nice play.� McDonald said he was proud of the team’s effort throughout the game, but that they just weren’t able to break the game open and cut into the lead. This loss came off a road series at Ohio State last weekend. Murray State lost the first game 3-1 and won the second 7-5 before dropping the final match 6-3. “The guys played well up there,� McDonald said. “We had a chance to win in all three games. They were all three close games, very competitive games.� Not only did the squad get a chance to experience the Buckeye’s baseball facilities, it also took a tour of the football locker rooms and stadium. “It was something our guys will remember for a long time,� McDonald said. “They took care of us and treated us very hospitably, and the fact that we played very competitively and won one made it a really good trip.� The ’Breds now turn to the OVC’s second-best team, Tennessee Tech (32-10, 14-7 OVC), for a three-game set today through Sunday at Reagan Field. The Golden Eagles lead the conference in 19 offensive categories, including batting average, slugging percentage, runs scored and home runs. McDonald said if the ’Breds play how they are supposed to and take advantage of home field they will be just fine. “Our plan is just to play really good baseball,� he said. “You know, pitch well, hit well and our park is a bigger park than they play in. So hopefully that diminishes their power some, and hopefully our pitchers will pitch well. “We’re looking forward to it. This will be a good challenge and a good opportunity for us.� First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday at Reagan Field.

April 25, 2014

Softball struggles to find wins Peter Northcutt || Staff writer pnorthcutt@murraystate.edu

The Murray State softball team did not have the weekend it would have liked as it saw its seven-game win streak snapped on Saturday. The Racers were swept at Eastern Kentucky in the first doubleheader of the weekend and then split at Morehead State to escape 1-3 on the weekend. The Racers were riding the second longest win streak in program history as they traveled to Eastern Kentucky Saturday. Head Coach Kara Amundson has reiterated to the team several times not to focus on anything but the game in front of them. “We’ve just come off a seven game win streak and I told them that we don’t need to look at those things,� Amundson said. “We just need to keep moving forward.� Unfortunately, the momentum failed to translate early as Eastern’s Lauren Mitchell broke the scoreless tie in the second inning on a passed ball. The inning would see two more Colonel runs by Amber Murray and Kayla Joyce to increase the lead 3-0. The game was within reach for the Racers until the sixth inning when Eastern scored four runs on four hits. The Racers could not recover and the game ended with a 7-0 Colonel advantage. Eastern dominated at the plate with 10 hits to the Racers’ 3. In game two, both teams struggled to put runs on the board as the game was scoreless until freshman Jocelynn Rodgers singled up the middle in the top of the fourth to break the tie by plating freshman Jessica Twaddle. Sophomore Erica Howard pushed junior Casey Castile across in the next at-bat when she singled through the left side to increase the Racer lead 2-0. The Colonels responded in the bottom of the frame, cutting the lead to one on a run by Christina Ciolek. Eastern then tied the game in the next inning on a single that got through the left side, scoring Lauren Mitchell. Eastern insured its sweep in the sixth inning when Mitchell scored Sarah Fobbs and Haley Schenasi on a double for the go ahead points, winning the game 4-2. “I wouldn’t say it was a step back at all,� Amundson said. “I think any team that you look at whether they’re the best in the country or the worst in the country has times where they play great and they’re playing the best softball they can play. Then there’s other times where you just have a few things that don’t go your way in the game, and you can’t catch up to the pitcher, you know, small things like that just turn into a loss for you.� On Sunday, the Racers traveled to Morehead State for another doubleheader. In game one, the pitchers took center stage as freshman Mason Robinson and Morehead State’s Tanna Seuferer faced off. Murray State was only able to get five hits, just one for extra bases, and a walk off Seuferer over the full seven innings. Meanwhile, Robinson tied her career-high in strikeouts with eight while allowing the Eagles just one hit in the first 6.1 innings of the game. The Racers could not hold on, however, in the last two innings as Morehead’s

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore J.J. Francis pitches against the University of Evansville at Racer Field April 10. Karly Thompson ended the game in heartbreaking fashion for the Racers in the next at-bat when she hit a hard ground ball that went perfectly through Robinson’s legs. The hit scored Sam Howard for the 1-0 walk-off win. After the tough stretch they endured, Amundson told the team that nothing would be easy. “Coach is always on us to focus on the little things and to be sharp and focused,� said senior Leslie Bridges. “She told us not to go out there expecting things to just be given to us, but to go out there and earn it.� In the fourth game of the weekend, Murray State regrouped and controlled the game from start to finish. Junior Mo Ramsey and Twaddle both scored in the first inning off a triple by freshman Taylor Odom to start things off. The action slowed down a bit in the next three innings as each team went scoreless, but Twaddle scored her second run of the

game off freshman Cayla Levins’ sacrifice bunt that went down as a single. The Racers pushed the lead out to five in the fifth as Ramsey and junior Alexa Becker scored off of Morehead State miscues. The Eagles put forth a last ditch effort in the sixth as they had the bases loaded with no outs, but all they managed was one run from Sam Howard off a sacrifice fly. Neither team scored in the seventh as the Racers snapped their three game losing streak, winning 5-1. “The girls decided that enough was enough and that they were going to go out and get a win,� Amundson said. “You never want to lose games, but if you can learn from those situations, that is what’s going to help you succeed in the end. We’re learning from the mistakes we made and using them to move forward.� The Racers continue this Saturday as they take on Southern Illinois Edwardsville at Racer Field.

Sigma sails to a victory ASA edges out a win Peter Northcutt || Staff writer pnorthcutt@murraystate.edu

Two sorority soccer heavyweights, Kappa Delta A and Sigma A, battled it out on Tuesday night with Sigma coming out on top 2-0. Kappa Delta came into the game with a 2-1 record, while Sigma A sported a 2-3 record. Both teams were down a player to begin the game as they could only field four players. Sigma seemed to take the situation in stride early as they controlled the battle for field position. Sigma capitalized on their advantage with a score by junior Taylor Rhoades, sneaking behind the defense and shooting one past KD’s keeper, junior Lena Hartlage. KD responded with energy, lofting a corner kick to the opposite side of the field. They couldn’t capitalize, however, and the score remained 1-0. Sigma gained their fifth player about midway through the first half, while KD remained a player short. The action went back and forth for the remainder of the half with both teams having opportunities to score but neither finding the net. Sigma A had several shots that

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got away from them and went just over the crossbar. KD’s outmanned defense stayed strong and finished the half only trailing by one. “The game started slow because both teams only had four players,� Sigma sophomore Libby Landes said. “After we both had six the game was much more competitive.� The second half started in much the same way as the first, with Sigma dominating the possession game while KD was down a player. Early in the half, junior Loni Blackmon entered the game for KD to even the numbers. Sigma seemed unfazed, however, as they immediately scored their second goal of the match off the foot of sophomore Neely Gallimore. The game was much more evenly played after that, as KD had several quality shots on goal that kept things interesting. The second half ended with little drama, however, as Sigma A cruised to the 2-0 victory. “KD played really well,� Rhoades said. “It was a hard fought game and it was really fun to be a part of.� Both teams are back in action next week as they gear up for the intramural soccer playoffs.

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Peter Northcutt || Staff writer pnorthcutt@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore Sigma Neely Gallimore goes in for a pass.

Alpha Delta Pi and the Alpha Sigma Alpha Ladybugs A duked it out in intramural soccer on Wednesday night with the Ladybugs edging out the win 1-0. ADPi came out of the gate with confidence and dominated the field position. ASA looked to be on their heels a bit as they struggled to control the ADPi’s energy early on. The Ladybug defense held strong, though, as their keeper, sophomore Alison Blaiklok, made several key saves early. The possession was mostly one sided in the first half as ADPi displayed solid teamwork and ball skills. ASA had their share of opportunities on counterattack balls through the back of the defense, but ADPi’s backs recovered each time in order to stop the attack. The first half ended with a 0-0 tie as neither team could capitalize on their shots on goal. The beginning of the second half played out in much the same way as the first, with ADPi controlling the possession battle. ADPi had a chance for the first point of the game off a direct

kick from 40 feet but the ASA keeper once again made the save. Almost immediately after, the Ladybugs penetrated the ADPi defense and senior Megan Koch sneaked a shot past the keeper to gain a 1-0 advantage. In response to the score, an ADPi midfielder took a shot on goal that hit a defender’s hand, resulting in a penalty kick. She could not capitalize, however, as Blaiklok punched it out, keeping their lead at one. After the game, Blaiklok admitted that she was nervous about defending the penalty kick. “I was just thinking ‘Oh crap, it’s coming at me,’� Blaiklok said. “I’m just glad I saved it.� ASA would continue to stall as the final minutes waned down. ADPi could not tie the game in time and the clock ran out, ending the game with a 1-0 ASA Ladybug victory. “I’m glad we won,� Blaiklok said. “It was a great game. We had a lot of fun.� ASA moves to 3-4 on the season with the win as ADPi falls to 3-3. Both teams will finish their season next week during the intramural championships.

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April 25, 2014

5B

The News

Features

Features Editor: Hunter Harrell Assistant Features Editor: Breanna Sill Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Festival Forecast Compiled by Tiffany Whitfill, contributing writer

The end of the semester is approaching which means flip-flops, suntans and music. Whether you prefer rock, country, pop or bluegrass, music festivals are plentiful in the summer. To help you decide which festival matches your genre, we have devel oped a list of the top five music festivals with the most irresistible events to attend this summer.

Bonnaroo Music Festival

Vans Warped Tour

Lollapalooza

Forecastle Fest

Big O Music Fest

Bonnaroo has become one of the most highly anticipated music festivals over the years. It is at Bonnaroo that you can enjoy the musical stylings of more than 100 artists over four days. You will enjoy diverse artists including Vampire Weekend, Arctic Monkeys, Kanye West and Lionel Richie. After attending Bonnaroo 2011 and 2013, Will Brost, senior from Cape Girardeau, Mo., quickly decided to purchase tickets for this summer’s festival. “At Bonnaroo 2011, I saw my favorite band at the time perform (The Strokes),” Brost said. “A bunch of random people and I formed a human pyramid by standing on each other’s shoulders and I was at the top. The singer of the band acknowledged me by pointing at me. Everyone was clapping; I will never forget that.” The festival takes place June 12-15 in Manchester, Tenn.

If you are looking for a big-name lineup at close proximity, look no further than the Warped Tour. With more than 40 cities on its roadmap, the tour has acquired a vast selection of musicians and an even greater fan base. Headliners include Of Mice & Men, Mayday Parade, Yellowcard, Breathe Carolina and Anberlin. Attending Warped Tour has been a top priority for Heather Rey, junior from Kirkwood, Mo. She has been in the audience at three tours. “I love how there are so many different bands to see and it’s an all-day event,” Rey said. Rey also recalled crowd surfing at one particular festival. Dates range from June 14 to Aug. 3, and locations from the East to the West Coast. Music lovers will find a quality performance with the convenience of a short drive.

Taking place in the “Windy City” is arguably one of the most organized festivals of the season. For three days, attendees will be near historic Grant Park on 115 acres between downtown Chicago and Lake Michigan. Lollapalooza will have performances by Eminem, Calvin Harris, Lorde, Skrillex and Nas. Davis Powers, junior from Henderson, Ky., attended Lollapalooza in 2011. Because of the city setting, he said it was a much different experience than most festivals. “I spent the majority of the day at Perry’s tent which is specifically for electronic music,” Powers said. “I would definitely go back if the lineup is good.” Mark your calendars for Aug. 1-3 to participate in one of the largest musical illustrations in the Midwest.

Enjoy the tunes from artists such as Nickel Creek, Outkast, Ray LaMontagne and Band of Horses while overlooking the beautiful Waterfront in Louisville, Ky. The three day festival takes place July 18-20 and promises nothing less than a good time. After attending Forecastle last year, Savannah Futrell, freshman from Fairdealing, Ky., has decided she will purchase tickets for this year’s event as well. “It was a great fest to experience for your first time at a three-day music fest,” Futrell said. Futrell said the event is unique because of its laid back atmosphere. Unlike other festivals, it is not a huge party. With plenty of room to move around and various vendors to buy apparel and food from, Forecastle is an event you won’t want to miss.

If you aren’t fond of leaving the Bluegrass State or you just appreciate country music, the Big O Music Fest is an indulgence for you. Hank Williams Jr. will perform along with bands including the Locash Cowboys, Charlie Daniels Band and more. A unique feature in this one-day festival on Aug. 16 is that local talents often open for the major headliners. Tanner Hayes, sophomore from Island, Ky., said she has seen many country music greats including Jason Aldean, Colt Ford and Chris Young at the Big O Music Fest. Hayes said she would love to go back to the festival. “I had a blast,” Hayes said. “I have never heard of anyone not having a good time there.” The festival takes place in the heart of Owensboro, Ky. It is located at Reid’s Orchard.

CrossFit Murray revolutionizes exercise Trading canoes for cardboard Kaylan Proctor

Contributing writer

kproctor1@murraystate.edu

Some call it “God’s workout.” Some call it crazy. Either way, CrossFit has captured the attention of the fitness world, making people talk of Boxes, W.O.Ds, a girl named Fran and the Filthy Fifty. Established in 2000 by Greg Glassman, CrossFit caught the fitness community on fire. There were 13 affiliates by its fifth year, and by 2012 there were 3,400 affiliates across the globe. Boxes were popping up at every corner, and still are. A Box is a CrossFit gym, bareboned and containing only the equipment needed to get the job done. Inside the Box, a little bit of everything takes place. “CrossFit is functional movements at high intensity, constantly varied,” said Angie McCord, co-owner and coach at CrossFit Murray. “Everyday you come in and it’s something different, and everyday you’re going to come in and it’s going to mimic something you do in real

Jenny Rohl/The News

Members of CrossFit Murray stretch before beginning the workout of the day, or W.O.D. life. We do lifting. We do bodyweight and gymnastic type movements. We do metabolic conditioning. We run, we row, we bike.” CrossFit W.O.D.s (workout of the day) are designed to improve normal bodily functions, making you stronger not just

in the gym, but everywhere you go and in every movement your body makes. CrossFit prepares clients for the “unknown and unknowable,” Glassman said. “Everything we do in here is going to make you better at living your life,” McCord said. “It’s going to make you

stronger; it’s going to make you have a little bit more endurance and mental toughness. We started CrossFit in Murray because we saw that the city had some great exercise facilities, but it didn’t have something like this.” CrossFit, with its growing number of devoted followers, has also developed a negative stigma for others. Some associate the word “CrossFit” with “injury.” “That’s a fear that a lot of people have because they feel that CrossFit is dangerous,” said Jeremy McCord, co-owner and head coach of CrossFit Murray. “You can get hurt doing anything. The statistics for CrossFit injuries are significantly lower than snow sports, gymnastics and Olympic weightlifting as well. And no one ever talks about football, baseball or soccer. It’s not dangerous. Not if you do it with a coach who tells you, ‘You don’t need that weight; you need to use this band,’ and who is helping you push yourself, but not hurt yourself.” At CrossFit Murray, a regular class size consists of 18 trainees and two

see CROSSFIT, 6B

F aces&Places

Mama Nancy’s Cabs keep Murray in motion Madison Wepfer || Staff writer mwepfer@murraystate.edu

The cab drivers for Mama Nancy’s Cabs are like the local super heroes – they are rarely seen except at night and they save rambunctious college students from embarrassing blunders. Nancy Couch began her cab business in Murray eight years ago. When she first moved to Murray to be closer to her daughter, she worked at Cracker Barrel and then a local cab company. That’s where she earned the name “Mama Nancy.” Murray State students began to call her that when she drove them home, and the nickname stuck. She started off with one cab and now has 11 cabs and eight employees including herself and her children. The students at Murray State are what keep her going day after day, she said. Couch said that the students here are wonderful and smart. Her main goal is to keep all of them safe. She said that even if a student did not have the money to pay for a ride home, she would give them a free ride. “This is more than just a cab company,” she said.

“I watched these kids grow up. It’s about making sure they’re safe.” Murray may seem like a quiet town, but every night is wild and crazy for a cab driver said Alicia Woods, Mama Nancy’s driver. Woods has worked for Mama Nancy for five years. From throwing up to being screamed at and chased, she has experienced it all. During the day, everything remains semi-routine. People request a cab service to go to work or visit a friend. However, the nights are a little more interesting, Woods said. Woods said that on one particular occasion, an angry husband chased a cab driver out of his yard screaming, “You’re sleeping with my wife!” The man’s wife had saved Mama Nancy’s number in her phone as “Sweetheart.” When the husband found out that his wife had been calling this number and that it was Mama Nancy’s, he proceeded to accuse the cab driver of having an affair with his wife. Throwing up, on the other hand, is not a rare occurrence. Almost every weekend someone throws up in a van, according to Woods. The company

see TAXI, 6B

Kassity Winchester/Contributing photographer

One of Mama Nancy’s Cabs drivers, Alicia Woods, prepares for her shift.

Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

At Murray State, some organizations have to raise their own money to pay for their expenses. To fundraise for itself, the Murray State rowing team hosted a cardboard boat race Thursday. “A couple years ago one of our team members had entered a cardboard boat race held by a fraternity,” said Matthew Fischer, senior from Evansville, Ind. “ She brought it up in one of our meetings as an interesting proposal for an event.” The first entry cost $50 but if a team wished to race more than one boat they only had to pay an additional $20 per boat. Only two team members were allowed to race the boat with paddles. No additional help was allowed, such as using floatation devices to keep the boat afloat. While teams could use cardboard and tape to make their boats, there were rules. For example, teams were not allowed to wrap the boats in plastic to keep the water out. They were also forbidden to push off from the bottom of the pool or cover the boats with paint or water sealant. They also had to make sure the boats could fit in the Carr Health Building doorway. At the start of the race, team members were allowed to steady the boat while their two rowers got in. The race was in the Carr Health Building and the top three finishers left with prize money. The first place winner received $100, the second place winner was given $75 and the third place winner received $50. There was another award for the team with the most dramatic boat sink called the Titanic award.

The News

Features

6B

THE

“Entertainment news sure to spice up your lunch conversation”

Country star to perform free show Breanna Sill || Assistant Features Editor

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

JUDGE REFUSES TO RELEASE CHRIS BROWN A Los Angeles judge has denied a request to release Chris Brown from custody while he awaits trial for an assault charge in Washington, D.C. The R&B singer has been jailed since mid-March without bail after being expelled from a rehab program. Brown’s body guard is also in custody on an assault charge.

BIEBER APOLOGIZES FOR JAPANESE WAR SHRINE TRIP Justin Bieber apologized via his Instagram account for offending people in Japan after visiting a war shrine. He said he thought the Yasukuni Shrine in central Tokyo was a beautiful site and only a place of prayer. Two photos posted on Bieber’s Instagram showed the singer praying next to the shrine.

Soundbyte "It was warm, soft, tender, like a chicken's thigh.”

- Rita Ora on Zac Efron’s body after pulling his shirt off at the MTV Movie Awards

April 25, 2014

the season that aired from Nicaragua in 2010. “We have not had Chase here before, and it’s hard to predict if a certain artist will be back or not,” Mauschbaugh said. “We did have Florida Georgia Line come back and perform at CFSB recently (after their Lovett performance in 2012).” Not only will students and community members have the chance to see Rice on stage at Lovett – they will also see Brandon Lay, a singer/songwriter from Jackson, Tenn., as his opening act. CAB is offering a special meet and greet opportunity for Murray State students only. Students interested in going backstage before the concert and getting some face time with the country star are encouraged to contact Mauschbaugh via email. There are only 20 spots available. CAB will also hold contests over social media to receive a poster signed by Rice. The concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Lovett Auditorium and doors will open at 6:30 p.m. “Students should be excited about Chase Rice because he provides such a fun, interactive concert for students and (he) is a great guy,” Mauschbaugh said. “I have met him before and have seen him perform and he puts on a great show. His songs are very fun and energetic and are relatable to a lot of people of all ages and demographics.”

bsill@murraystate.edu

While Murray State is one of the few campuses that does not host a “dead week” the week before finals, the Campus Activities Board is sponsoring a way for students to break away from the stress, if only for one night. Tuesday night in Lovett Auditorium students and community members will have the opportunity to see one of country music’s upcoming stars, Chase Rice for free. “The concert is free for everyone,” said Matthew Mauschbaugh, CAB Concerts Chair. “Our job here at Campus Activities Board is to provide fun, free things for Murray State University students and we want to be more involved in the community.” Rice should be a familiar face to country music listeners as his single “Ready Set Roll” took the country music charts by storm in October. His six-single EP under the same name peaked at No. 1 on the iTunes Country Music Album charts. Rice also gained clout in the music industry for having been one of the co-writers of Florida Georgia Line’s hit song “Cruise.” Viewers of the television show “Survivor” might recognize the blond, country crooner from

Photo courtesy of localspins.com

Chase Rice will perform in Lovett Auditorium Tuesday.

CROSSFIT

TAXI

From Page 5B

From Page 5B

coaches. The coaches create and implement a workout program each day, leading the group in a dynamic warm-up, technique work, strength work and cool-down stretches. New CrossFitters are assimilated to the CrossFit workout style and movements with the CrossFit 101 course designed for beginners. The course consists of three sessions a week for one month and is limited to ten people per class to ensure undivided attention and guidance from the coaches. “A lot of people won’t get that kind of guidance without CrossFit,” said Angie McCord. “It’s not your traditional fitness class. You can’t hide in the background and do whatever. I know if I’m not good at something, I don’t want to do it. That’s a benefit of joining a CrossFit community; you’re going to be forced to work on your weaknesses.” Fourteen years after Glassman established CrossFit, almost everyone knows someone who participates in the sport. Whether it’s a co-worker who just joined a Box or a friend who does burpees and wallballs in his garage, this fitness phenomenon has only just begun.

charges a $25 “puke fee” because the van’s interior has to be shampooed and sterilized. Oftentimes the students sing, laugh and sometimes even make up a rap about Mama Nancy. When Mama Nancy’s started out, Couch was busy Monday night through Saturday night. Now, her busiest night is usually Friday. Unless a passenger throws up and has to pay the puke fee, a ride with Mama Nancy’s in town is $7. The price increases to $1.75 per mile for out-of-town trips. The farthest Mama Nancy’s has driven is 60 miles south of Atlanta. One family paid for a driver to take them and stay with them for a weekend in Gatlinburg, Tenn. Couch has traveled across the region from Indianapolis to Lexington, Ky. Although owning a cab service in a college town can be

Jenny Rohl/The News

Lindsey Smith holds a handstand during a workout.

d Tweets e r u Feat of the week A compilation of Tweets that made us laugh, cry or scratch our heads.

This week’s topic: #MostBeautiful

crazy, Couch keeps her charm and good nature. “Nancy is one of the sweetest women I’ve ever met,” Woods said. “We are all like a big family.” When looking for employees, Mama Nancy’s looks for family-oriented people who are clean-cut and have a good personality. They must be at least 25 years old and have a clean driving record. “You gotta’ have 17 personalities to be a cab driver,” Couch always tells her new employees. The business is unconventional in that it does not have a main office or building. All of the paperwork and files as well as the unused cabs are stored at Couch’s house in Murray. Drivers pick up their cab at her house when their shift begins and drop it back off when they are finished. Mama Nancy’s cab drivers are always out and about. Whether it be chauffering to a business meeting or home from the bar, Mama Nancy’s drivers are like the superheroes of Murray… if superheroes drove mini-vans.

DiGiorno Pizza

MyBlackisBeautiful

@digiornopizza .@peoplemag pizza didn't make your #MostBeautiful list? so that's how you want to play this 8:06 a.m. 23 April 14

@MBIB Her #MostBeautiful feature is on the inside but we LOVE seeing her face on the cover. Congratulations! #MBIB 10:51 a.m. 23 April 14

jacque reid

Ellen Degeneres

@jacuereid It's LUPITA!! @peoplemag #MostBeautiful person in the world. #Agreed 6:58 a.m. 23 April 14

@theellenshow Congratulations, @Lupita_Nyongo! She’s People Magazine’s #mostbeautiful person. They certainly got that right. 11: 35 a.m. 23 April 14

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Features

April 25, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’? SATURDAY

• 5:30 p.m. Start Your Engines for the Animals!, Paducah International Raceway

• 11 a.m. Earth Day Adoption Extravaganza, Carson Park, Paducah, Ky.

• All Day Gee’s Bend, Playhouse in the Park

• 7:30 p.m. “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” Wilson Hall, Studio Theatre

• 5 p.m. Sci-Fi Club Fan Film Festival, Curris Center, Barkley Room

• 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead,” Wilson Hall, Studio Theatre

• 10 a.m. Spring Study Abroad Fair, Waterfield Library breezeway

SUNDAY

• 4 p.m. Phi Kappa Phi Initiation, Wrather West Kentucky Museum

Student vs. Zombie

MONDAY • 6:30 p.m. Internships Abroad Presentation, Curris Center Stables

THURSDAY

WEDNESDAY • 9 a.m. Murray State Clay Club Ceramics Sale, Price Doyle Fine Arts Building, lobby

Advice you didn’t ask for

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.

TODAY

TUESDAY

7B

• All day Spring Citywide Yard Sale, Murray • 4:30 p.m. Battle of the Majors Trivia Night, Curris Center Stables

D on’t m iss: C h a s e R i c e a t L ov e t t Audi to rium Tuesday, A pril 29 at 7 :30 p. m.

Movie Review

Photo courtesy of aceshowbiz.com

A-list actors, including Morgan Freeman and Johnny Depp, star in “Transcendence,” which premiered April 18.

Technology lives in ‘Transcendence’ John Gruccio || Contributing writer jgruccio@murraystate.edu

As a culture, we can be amazed by the advancement of technology. Whether it is computers, cell phones or cars, the question has always been: when will technology become too advanced? In his directorial debut, Wally Pfister, who is well known for being Christopher Nolan’s legendary cinematographer, succeeds in his star-studded ensemble piece in which technology becomes much more advanced. In “Transcendence,” Will Caster is the foremost researcher in the field of artificial intelligence and he is on the brink of a scientific breakthrough. He is working on creating a sentient machine with the capacity to combine the intelligence of the world while having a full range of human emotions. Because of this, he becomes a target of anti-technology extremists known as

F

RIFT (Revolutionary Independence From Technology). When a member of this organization attempts to destroy Will, they unknowingly help him succeed in his attempt by making him a participant in his own transcendence. For Will’s wife, Evelyn, and his best friend, Max, the question they must ask themselves: should they go through with this? As Will’s body dies, he becomes an actual artificial being with a thirst for knowledge and eventually power, which brings Evelyn and Max’s deepest fears straight to the surface. Soon they start to worry that there may be no way to stop Will. To say that this film is a one man show would be wrong – this film is an ensemble piece, which is what allows it to succeed. The film stars Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Kate Mara, Cillian Murphy and Morgan Freeman. Channeling a bit of mad scientist,

Depp is sincere in his performance as a man who literally dies for his dream. The chemistry between Depp and Hall is poignant and beautiful. This movie would not have been the same without the three leading actors. Hall and Bettany channel a will to fight for their shared loved one, while proving that there are repercussions that have to be dealt with and eventually take opposite sides to deal with the problem, which results in a lot of drama. Freeman and Murphy are exceptional as the supporting characters – you really can’t complain with these two actors. Mara is an interesting choice as the leader of the RIFT group – she is feisty and forceful, yet does not feel very grounded as a leader. Pfister does not miss a step when it comes to the visuals of this film. He shows us the same talent that we saw all throughout The Dark Knight Tril-

Compiled by Madison Wepfer

ogy. Newcomer Jack Paglen provides audiences a heart-wrenching and question-probing script. The film succeeds as a tale of a science-oriented couple that fights for its dream to change the world for the better. Their love for one another drives them to chaos, which in turn shows such beauty and displays both Depp and Hall’s true acting chops. The film, however, falls short because of the science aspect being too over the top. The concept of this rapid advancement of technology is still flawed because we are not there yet as a scientific community. It also sparks a sincere fear of what could happen, but leaves us pondering questions that there are no clear answers for.

I haven’t been to class on a regular schedule in weeks. I’m sick and tired. I’m also sick and tired of being sick and tired. As the end of the semester Hunter Harrell approaches, the stress from Features Editor classes, internship opportunities and summer plans increases. As students, we are stuck between a rock and a hard place. We have seen the potential of freedom through Spring Break, but now we are locked back in the classrooms to cram for finals. It’s like sitting in a restaurant watching the servers stroll by with trays full of plates that look appetizing. You’re hungry and cranky because you’ve been waiting and temptations loom about. But your food is not ready. So you sit, waiting. In the same way, students wait. We wait for dead week. We wait to study for finals. We wait for summer. We wait for change. And all along, we are wishing away some of the best times in our lives. Though these next two weeks will be full of stress, they will also be great opportunities to connect with friends from campus before parting for the summer. These are the days where a little sunshine can go a long way. And these are single-handedly the best weeks to learn about your friend, time management, and his many benefits. While we endure these last weeks together and finals week approaches, campus turns into something that resembles “Zombieland,” with less weaponry. Do you know the difference between staying human and becoming a zombie? It’s, of course, the rules. We have all heard the cliche tips and tricks to study for finals, but Zombieland has it down to a science. For example, rule number one is cardio. Keep yourself active so you can keep up with your workload. Study outdoors where the environment is pleasant. Rule number 29 is the buddy system. Find a friend to study with, so the stress is lessened. Though rule number four “seatbelts” may be a stretch, always take it seriously. It basically boils down to being prepared. Take the necessary precautions before the finals to ensure a buffer if you should crash and burn on the final. Most of all though, don’t be afraid of little distractions, such as a nice meal out with friends or a game of ultimate frisbee in the Quad. Enjoy the little things – it’s rule number 32. These next two weeks can make the college experience miserable or just another piece of the puzzle. Don’t let the stress of finals turn you into a zombie. Take care of yourself and do the things that make you happy. hharrell@murraystate.edu

Out This Week

lashback riday

Flashback to 1992 when Jay Leno took over “The Tonight Show,” CDs finally beat out cassette tapes and “The Silence of the Lambs” took the Academy Award for best picture. Here are the top five television shows from 1992 according to their Nielson rating.

2

Roseanne

3

Murphy Brown

See It

Read It

“The Other Woman”

“When We Met” by Susan Mallery

Hear It “Our Endless War” Whitechapel

4

Cheers

5

Home Improvement

Rent It

Play It

“Bad Country”

“The Amazing Spider-man 2”

Photos courtesy of amazon.com

1

60 Minutes

8B

The News April 25, 2014

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