The Murray State News

The Murray State News February 27, 2015

TheNews.org

Vol. 89, No. 22

A thin line

Staff Congress keeps voices heard for more than 30 years

Murray State Women’s Center raises awareness about eating disorders and the line between being healthy and harmful

Amanda Grau

Amanda Grau

News Editor

News Editor

agrau1@murraystate.edu

agrau1@murraystate.edu

Julia Mazzuca

Zachary Orr || Contributing writer

Staff writer

zorr@murraystate.edu

jmazzuca1@murraystate.edu

The Murray State Women’s Center continued its fight this week to educate students about eating disorders, which affect more than 20 percent of women and 10 percent of men in universities nationwide.

Called Eating Disorders Awareness Week, Feb. 22-28 is set aside to promote knowledge of disorders in both men and women.

Abigail French, director of the Women’s Center, said there is focus throughout the week and the entire month of February to help encourage students to “think critically about what they believe about their bodies.”

College students who are adjusting to a more independent lifestyle are likely to engage in unhealthy eating and exercise habits.

“Unhealthy eating and exercise habits are often promoted, encouraged and even praised in the college population,” French said.

The Women’s Center, along with universities across the country, showed the fourth installment of “Killing Us Softly,” a short documentary challenging societal pressures for girls to match the ideal body type.

In an effort to increase attention, the Student Nutrition Association led a “Love Your Selfie” campaign Feb. 25 at a booth in the Curris Center, where students took selfies to symbolize self-love.

Caitlin Beyea, junior from Louisville, Ky., said the selfies taken at the booth were yet another way to generate awareness for the cause.

see AWARENESS, 2A

BY THE NUMBERS

10

percent of college-aged men have an eating disorder

Photo courtesy of niftynotcool.com

20

43

percent of college-aged women have an eating disorder

percent of men have body image issues

Source: Multi-Service Eating Disorder Association, National Eating Disorder Association

Tuition forum discusses possible increase

Lucy Easley || Staff writer leasley@murraystate.edu

An open forum held Wednesday evening to discuss tuition increases for the 2015-16 school year piqued interest of students, faculty and staff alike.

President Bob Davies spoke at the meeting, which was an opportunity for students to express concerns about the proposed 3 percent tuition increase, which will be voted on this Friday.

Davies

As state appropriations for public universities decrease, Davies said the Board of Regents

91

percent of college-aged women have attempted to control their weight through dieting

is left with deciding how to keep Murray State tuition affordable, predictable and competitive.

“We are trying to provide the best return on the investment students are making on their education,” Davies said.

“The biggest driver of tuition at public universities is state appropriations, time and time again.”

The 2014-15 budget rang in at $131 million, 56 percent of which was made up of tuition money. The rest was funded by state appropriations. Murray State is one of many public universities facing tuition increases to make up for receiving less.

Jackie Dudley, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services, presented information at the forum that compared Murray State to other Kentucky public universities. Dudley said the

Staff Congress, now over 30 years old, met Tuesday to do what it always does: make sure staff voices are heard.

This week, it was about the snow closure and worries about the coming tobacco ban.

Marion Hale, member of Staff Congress, said the purpose of the organization is to help with problems and glitches, from small to large.

“Staff Congress provides students, faculty and staff with representation that they may not otherwise get,” Hale said.

Staff Congress deals with everything from working conditions to the implications of working on a tobacco-free campus for employees who are not the president, a vice president, a dean, a department chair, teaching more than one class or in a tenure tract position.

When the Board of Regents unanimously approved the creation of Staff Congress on April 27, 1983, amid complaints about staff pay, it was a natural chain of events, said Joyce Gordon, Staff Congress president from 1984-1985.

“It wasn’t anti-anything,” she said. “A couple of regional universities had formed them also.

It was more an idea whose time had come.”

Staff Congress’ time did come.

In a letter to Kala Stroup, then-president of Murray State, Gordon wrote that 287 staff members were only making $10,000 a year. Due to budget cuts, the risk was losing another 1.97 percent of their yearly pay.

“Staff members are gravely

tuition increases set to be proposed this week are on par with statewide trends.

Kentucky State University, Morehead State University, Eastern Kentucky University, Northern Kentucky University, Western Kentucky University, University of Louisville and University of Kentucky are all expected to propose a tuition increase as well, all averaging 3 percent.

Among these state schools, Murray State ranks second in lowest proposed tuition rates, paying 22 percent less than Western Kentucky and 16 percent less than Northern Kentucky.

At the forum, students expressed concerns about what tuition money paid for within the university. Both Dudley and Davies said one of the University’s top budget priorities is people.

“Eighty percent of costs are people,”

concerned,” Gordon said.

Shortly after, a working conditions survey was released to all Murray State staff. The results showed about 73 percent were unhappy with their pay and 54 percent felt salaries were unevenly distributed within their department.

President Bob Davies first spoke words of thanks at the most recent meeting to all who helped with the snow closures last week. He also asked for any input on closure processes and what to potentially do differently next time.

The tobacco policy was also brought to the floor.

Board of Regents, Staff Congress, and Faculty Senate all work together to reach out to the Murray State body to address any issues that need to be discussed, such as the impending tobacco ban, said Laura Lohr, current Staff Congress president.

Lohr, also a five-year member of the organization, said Staff Congress and Faculty Senate work as a team. The individual groups work separately on issues that only regard them, but come together on other subjects.

Lohr said the future of the Staff Congress looks to be bright.

“We hope to continue to grow and work together for the better of the whole campus community,” Lohr said. “We collaborate with Faculty Senate to discuss overall issues that affect everyone.”

Gordon said watching Faculty Congress grow and develop from its inception to now has been an exciting experience.

“It’s been very gratifying to me how effective the group has been,” Gordon said. “Throughout the years it has certainly become what we envisioned.”

Davies said. “We want to keep high quality faculty for our students.”

Approximately 35 percent of tuition comes back to students in the form of discounts such as scholarships. Olivia Jacks, sophomore from Louisville, Ky., said this percentage should be higher.

“Well, I’m not happy about the tuition increase,” Jacks said, “But there should be more scholarship money available if you want to encourage students to go to college and further their education to get more opportunities.”

Jacks said many students and their families are under pressure to pay for college.

“Frankfort needs to hear from students,” Davies said. “I can tell them that higher education funding is important, but they would love to hear it from students.”

Ice damages Curris Center, 22 other buildings Ben Manhanke

Chief Videographer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

Warming temperatures and melting ice revealed new problems and new work for Facilities Management last weekend, besides the clearing of sidewalks, parking lots and external building features of ice and snow.

Building service technicians as well as other Facilities Management personnel spent their weekend Saturday and Sunday assessing water damage from the snow and heavy rain that damaged approximately 22 buildings on campus.

Primarily ceiling tiles and the floors and carpets of buildings were damaged when ice, which had gotten under the

WHAT’S

INSIDE

TAP 216

roofs of these buildings, began to melt.

Some of this water pooled harmlessly in buildings, but in other cases it left far more extensive damage, rendering the third floor of the Curris Center closed at the beginning of the week.

David Burdette, interim chief officer of Facilities Management, said in some ways the University was fortunate it received only the damage it did.

He said ice freezing Burdette beneath buildings’ roofs is not uncommon and, depending on the path the melting water follows,

could have amounted to more extensive damage.

Burdette said the Curris Center was initially recognized as the most extensively damaged building although Facilities Management’s assessment of the total damage to the campus continued throughout the week.

“We’re going through each of the buildings and documenting,” he said.

“We’re documenting for two reasons: one, we have the opportunity for some FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) recovery, so we’re trying to go that route, and then insurance reimbursement if FEMA doesn’t work.”

The damage to Murray State from the winter storm, once calculated, will be compiled with the total damages to

OUR VIEW

Former bar The Olive has a slow Eating disorders affect transition to Tap 216, 3A everyone, all the time, 4A

Calloway County and those of other affected counties around the state.

If these damage’s amount is not significant enough to warrant federal reparations, Murray State will have to rely on its insurance from general liability damages to pay for any repairs.

Burdette said he was not sure when the Curris Center’s third floor will reopen, but said on Monday his teams were already replacing damaged ceiling tiles and cleaning up water spots left behind by the inclement weather.

“I can’t compliment the Facilities Management staff enough,” he said.

“Everybody just pitched in. From the snow storm of a week ago to the rains of Saturday and Sunday, everybody pitched in and got it done.”

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February 27, 2015

Facilities Management, others honored for ‘snow week’ work Lucy Easley || Staff writer leasley@murraystate.edu

While students spent the unexpected “snow week” sleeping, sledding and studying, it was up to Facilities Management to keep campus as safe as possible.

President Bob Davies held a special luncheon Thursday afternoon to thank all the faculty and staff that did their part to handle the historic winter weather conditions.

“This is truly just a thank you for supporting Murray State,” Davies said. “We had staff out at 4 o’clock, 5 o’clock in the morning shoveling sidewalks, getting parking lots clear.”

Benny Gibson, supervisor and grounds foreman, said he and other groundskeepers worked tirelessly during the week.

“We came in Sunday at 10 p.m., and we didn’t leave until Tuesday at 5:30,” Gibson said. “It was a battle.”

The groundskeepers estimated that they went through 17 pallets of ice melt, each containing 40-50 bags to a pallet. Roughly 800 bags of ice melt were dispersed throughout campus.

Facilities Management personnel adjusted employees’ schedules to ensure workers were safe. David Burdette, interim chief officer of Facilities Management, said it took a team effort to fight the ice and snow.

“We platooned people: who’s coming in first, who’s coming in second making sure people are getting inside and getting warmed up when they needed to,” Bur-

AWARENESS

The selfies will be printed on a banner and hung in the Oakley Applied Science Building, continuing to create awareness among students even after the week ends.

The comparison between what the media portrays as a “normal” person and what a person really looks like creates issues with body image, Beyea said. “(Eating disorders) come from peers, society and media,” she said. “Victoria’s Secret models are like a size negative two.”

The Women’s Center also plans to host a Southern Smash outside the Carr Health Building, which would allow students to tape pieces of paper with negative thoughts about their body to a scale and smash it with a baseball bat.

According to the Multi-Service Eating Disorder Associ-

From Page 1

Student Government Association Election Candidates Voting for Student Government Association candidates begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 9 and will end at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, March 10 on MyGate.

The elections results will be announced at 8:00 p.m.

Wednesday, March 11, in Winslow Dining Hall. For more information regarding SGA and elections, visit murraystate.edu.

President (Vote 1) Clint Combs Michael Mann Luke King

Chynnique Ross David Crittendon

Science, Engineering and Technology (Vote 3)

Heather Raley Jamie Nuckolls

ation (MEDA), 91 percent of female college students have attempted to control their weight through dieting. According to MEDA, this dissatisfaction with one’s body image stems from unrealistic standards portrayed in the media, a concept that “Killing Us Softly” also brings to the public eye.

Over the past 30 years, the number of men facing body image issues increased from 15 percent to 43 percent, according to the National Eating Disorder Association website.

Men are pressured in the same way as women to maintain a certain body type, French said.

Unfortunately, men, like women, are often not educated on recognizing eating disorders and the help available to them.

Murray State offers several avenues for those seeking help for themselves or a friend struggling with an eating disorder.

French encouraged students to seek help from the Counseling Center or Women’s Center, both in the Oakley Applied Science Building and from Health Services.

Vislias Ankatha Clayton Sparks Anh Ngo

Treasurer (Vote 1) Rachel Ross

ing the grounds safe. Burdette said Facilities Management, Building Services and Grounds, Dining Services, the custodial workforce and Public Safety and Emergency Management all did their part to support Murray State during the weather.

“I was really proud of how the folks reacted, how they responded. Everybody stood tall,” Burdette said. “I’m all about the team, they did great.”

Mounika Nalluri Amie Jones Taylor Futrell

Humanities and Fine Arts (Vote 2)

Secretary (Vote 1)

dette said.

Groundskeepers Phil Dashney, Ronnie Hill and Chuck Plummer said keeping the areas around the dorms clear was a top priority. They relied on campus services while they worked.

“We took naps in Richmond and ate in Winslow,” Hill said. “The dining hall took good care of us.”

Many departments played a role in keep-

Business (Vote 3)

Tanelle Smith

Chantry Carroll Nathan Payne Kendrick Settler Robert Gomez

A Facilities Management snow plow removes snow in front of Hester Residential College last week.

Patrick Hooks Connor Jaschen Christian Barnes Carter Hearne Dylan Baker Craig Lamb Emily Baker Jaclyn Whoberry Jordan Maberry

Education and Human Services (Vote 1)

Vice President (Vote 1)

Nicole Ely/The News

Senator At-Large (Vote 8)

Residential College Association President (Vote 1)

Agriculture (Vote 3)

Paula Jaco

Connor Moore Hunter Easterling Leah Cline

Residential College Association Vice President (Vote 1)

Nursing and Health Professions (Vote 2)

Chris Wright

Paige Buckner Becca Spraggs

Jenny Rohl/The News

Jenny Rohl/The News

Marina White (left), sophomore from Shelbyville, Ky., and Grace Donaldson (right), sophomore from Eddyville, Ky., take a selfie which will later be hung in the Oakley Applied Science Building.

Taylor Chadduck (left), junior from O’Fallon, Mo., Hannah Weber (center), sophomore from Metropolis, Ill., and Carley Sommer (right), junior from O’Fallon, Mo., take a selfie.

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February 27, 2015

News Editor: Amanda Grau Assistant Editor: Mari-Alice Jasper Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

POLICE BEAT Feb. 19

Feb. 23

4:19 p.m. A caller from College Courts- 100 Block, reported a reckless driver complaint. Officers were notified but the driver was gone at the time of their arrival.

8:59 p.m. A caller from Hart Residential College reported a theft of property to Public Safety and Emergency Management. Officers were notified. The theft was reported as being less than $500.

12:03 a.m. Public Safety received a general incident reporting form in reference to an intoxicated person at Hester Residential College.

Officers were notified and a report was taken.

10:46 a.m. An officer conducted a traffic stop at FiveStar Gas Station. A citation was issued for disregarding a traffic light.

Feb. 20 8:42 a.m. A caller from Springer Residential College requested a welfare check. Officers and the on call counselor were notified.

A report was taken.

10:31 a.m. A caller from Elizabeth Residential College requested an ambulance. Officers, Murray Ambulance Services, on call housing personnel and Student Affairs were notified.

The person was transported.

Feb. 21 12:15 p.m. Central Heating and Cooling Plant reported a burst pipe at the A. Carman Animal Health Technology Center. Officers were notified and it was referred back to the Central Heating and Cooling Plant.

12:42 p.m. A caller from Federal Credit Union Bank reported having a smoking outlet. Officers, Murray Fire Department, Murray State Environmental Safety and Health, the building coordinator, Central Heating and Cooling Plant and the State Fire Marshal were notified.

A faulty outlet caused the outlet to smoke.

Feb. 24 12:18 p.m. A caller reported a minor motor vehicle collision in the Hamilton Northwest parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken. No injuries were suffered.

1:49 p.m. A caller from Springer reported smelling marijuana. Officers were notified and a citation was issued for possession of drug paraphernalia.

Feb. 25 5:04 p.m. A caller reported a motor vehicle collision in the Curris Center parking lot. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

6:01 p.m. A caller reported a sparking outlet at the Collins Center for Industry and Technology. Officers, Murray Fire Department, Central Heating and Cooling Plant and the State Fire Marshal were notified. A report was then taken.

Call of Fame Feb. 22, 8:54 a.m. Officers served a warrant to a person at Hart Residential College. The subject was arrested and taken to Calloway County Jail.

Feb. 22 6:12 p.m. A caller from the Carr Health Building reported that there were unauthorized people in the building. Officers were notified. The people were escorted from the building and the building was secured.

10:05 p.m. Racer Patrol reported a reckless driver at Roy Stewart Stadium. Officers were notified and a written warning was issued.

3A

Sci-Fi Club keeps it weird Emmanuel Adu

Contributing writer aadu@murraystate.edu

Amanda Grau News Editor agrau@murraystate.edu

Every Wednesday night, members of the Sci-Fi Club gather in room 551 of the Business Building to embrace their inner nerd.

The Club gathers together on Wednesdays to enjoy everything from watching “Twilight Zone” or “Supernatural” to playing card games or designing banners to promote the club.

The goal of the club is to give students an opportunity to broaden their nerd horizons as a community, said Elizabeth Leggett, president of the club.

Originally, she joined the club for the social experience.

“As a non-traditional student, I spent a lot of time at home and saw this basically as my opportunity to meet people and socialize,” she said. “We want people to make friends and talk to each other. Nerds are notoriously bad at this.”

The ratio of women to men is currently at an even 1-to-1 but Leggett said previously men made up the bulk of the group.

Each week brings from four to 15 participants, whether it be just the officers turning up or curious students interested in the fliers.

The size of the turnout depends on what activities the club is hosting in that session.

Besides watching shows and movies, the club listens to sci-fi podcasts – namely “Night Vale,” the semi-monthly news-style podcast about the fictional town Night Vale – along with playing video games and working on their philanthropy: raising money to help the Murray-Calloway Public Library buy more sci-fi and fantasy

Hannah Fowl/The News

Members of Murray State’s Sci-Fi Club gather around to listen to “Night Vale,” a popular sci-fi podcast. books.

Leggett said her goal is showing more classics this semester, increasing the bank of knowledge for sci-fi favorites like “Star Trek,” “Lost In Space” and “The Day The Earth Stood Still.”

The club is hosting a retro-videogame night March 4, where members will bring in the gaming systems of the past.

The Sci-Fi Club does not ask its members for dues.

While it’s a win for members, it makes

Tap 216 – new kid on the block Lucy Easley || Staff writer leasley@murraystate.edu The corner of Olive and 15th

streets has seen many owners through the years, but the building that once housed The Olive is now getting a major facelift.

A new addition to Murray’s bar scene, Tap 216, is opening in its place.

Everything in the bar has

Motorists Assists: 8 Racer escorts: 3 Arrests: 1

been updated.

The flooring, lighting, ceiling, walls and patio have all been replaced or improved.

The owners chose to not use a contractor, but instead are relying on other small businesses in Murray to work on the building.

Brandon Edmiston, Aron Sweeney and Ron Sweeney are the co-owners of the business. Edmiston is the owner

Mari-Alice Jasper, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided

by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

You can always find Police Beats online at TheNews.org

it difficult for the club to go on fieldtrips, Leggett said.

“We’re incredibly poor, so we haven’t gone to any conventions,” she said. “We’re thinking about going to see the new Avengers movie as a group when it comes out.”

Although the name of the club is “Sci-Fi,” Leggett said the point is making friends with common interests.

“We’re used to weird people,” she said.

“It’s usual for people to come in a little strange.”

Haley Hays/The News

Tap 216, the new bar replacing The Olive, is still undergoing construction.

of the building, as well as the bowling alley undergoing renovations, Corvette Lanes.

Justin Kimbro, formally set to co-own the bar, played a major role in the renovations.

“We could have went in and slapped paint on the walls and opened 15 days after we got the building,” Kimbro said. “But we wanted to do it right.”

The renovations will not be the only difference between The Olive and Tap 216. Unlike The Olive, the new bar will be nonsmoking.

The food and beverage menu is also seeing improvements. Healthy options inspired by Boulder’s Deli and beer selections from Paducah Brew Works will be incorporated.

The owners have not yet acquired a liquor license, but due to zoning laws, Kimbro said the bar will most likely close at midnight to maintain a 70-to-30 food to alcohol sales ratio.

Kimbro said the improvements are supposed to serve as a testament to what the place is.

Many members of the Murray community and Murray State alumni fondly remember

businesses that previously occupied the building.

“It felt like the Cheers of Murray,” Carter Jones, Murray State alumni, said about the The Olive.

“Ricky, the bar manager, was always at the front door with a greeting. There was live music, trivia on Monday night, and a great bar staff. It was a true dive bar through and through and that’s what made it so inviting,” he said.

Colin Horwood, former employee of The Olive, said Tap 216 will likely bring in a different crowd.

“My time at The Olive will always be a fond memory.

Having both been a patron and an employee, I got to see both sides of The Olive. I’ve made many lifelong friends there,” he said.

Horwood also said the location and great prices appealed to many students.

Tap 216 has not set an exact date that it will open its doors but renovations will continue until the business is ready.

“It’s not always about making money,” Kimbro said. “It’s about doing what you love whether you make money or not.”

Tale of two dining plans: Murray State and WKU Mari-Alice Jasper

Assistant News Editor mjasper1@murraystate.edu

Although both the dining services programs at Murray State and Western Kentucky University bring in extra money at the end of each year, Western Kentucky rakes in a bigger profit of about $15 million.

Across the Commonwealth, universities including Murray State and Western Kentucky have developed strategies to accommodate students’ need for eateries on campus that reap different results.

While the program at Murray State is more apt to either break even or have a small operating surplus to put into the auxiliary reserve here, said Paula Amols, director of Racer Hospitality and Dining Services.

Money in the auxiliary reserve can be used to improve dining, housing and the bookstore.

Nearly half of the students at Murray State, about 42 percent, have a meal plan, according to the 2013-2014 Murray State Fact Book.

Murray State has always managed a completely in-house dining program, as opposed to outsourcing it to a con-

tractor or bringing in a restaurant chain.

Now, Murray State is the only university in Kentucky still operating its own dining program.

Western Kentucky outsources its dining program, but Western Kentucky University Food Services is still responsible for managing the operation, said Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Services at Western Kentucky University.

Meszaros About 31 percent of students at Western Kentucky have a meal plan, according to the 2013 Western Kentucky University Fact Book.

But at Western Kentucky, only freshmen are required to purchase a meal plan, while Murray State requires freshmen and sophomores to have a meal plan.

Western Kentucky enrolls about 2,000 freshmen each year, but they have about 6,500 students purchasing meal plans annually, said Meszaros.

“So that’s 4,500 students who are buying a meal plan because they want to, not because they have to,” he said.

Western Kentucky’s dining program consists of 13 locations on campus that are nationally branded franchises such as Chik-Fil-A, Starbucks and Popeye’s. They also boast the only Steak-n-Shake on a college campus in the nation.

Meszaros said Western Kentucky began outsourcing their dining program 23 years ago because the inhouse program was losing money and everyone on campus was unhappy.

“We wanted to find a contractor who was an expert in dining to see if they could do it better than we could,” he said. “And they proved they could.”

When they first went out to bid, Western Kentucky partnered with Marriott, but after completing a fiveyear contract, the university partnered with Aramark instead.

Aramark and Marriott are both American food service companies that manage franchises and restaurants.

“The idea is that we both have to be successful,” he said. “It’s not us against them. We have the same

goals.”

Since 1992, the dining program at Western Kentucky has made a $15 million profit. Meszaros accredited their success to the self-sustaining character of the program.

Students at Western Kentucky pay for the food served in the restaurants by purchasing meal plans and spending money in those restaurants.

“We have a surplus every year, but it doesn’t go into the general university fund,” he said. “The money goes back into our dining program to keep it upgraded and well maintained.”

Amols said 10 years ago Long John Silvers and Subway had stores on campus, but those restaurants didn’t work out for the University.

“It’s very expensive for the school,” she said. “The University decided that they could replicate those same concepts- but on their own.”

Following the rules that a franchise put in place hindered the University’s ability to change the menu to please students, faculty and staff, Amols said. “(When outsourcing) you have to use the menu a franchise has, buy their ingredients and follow their recipe,” she said.

Amols said keeping dining services in-house allows staff to respond to students requests for new items and changes quickly.

“The decision is totally up to us,” she said. “If we outsourced we wouldn’t be able to have all the specials that we offer.”

She said a larger school might be better able to afford outsourcing its dining program because there are more areas on campus for the University to profit from to sustain the dining program. But the size of the school was not a deciding factor.

Meszaros said one benefit of outsourcing dining services is that students recognize the brands and they are already familiar with the products.

Outsourcing made students feel more comfortable with their food because they are familiar with the brand and the quality of that brand’s food, Meszaros said.

He said these familiarities improved student life on campus because of the daily impact dining has on students lives.

“We do this to improve enrollment, recruitment and retention at our university,” he said.

4A

February 27, 2015

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Eating disorders affect all, every day The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

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Phrases like “the freshman 15” are used euphemistically to describe the weight gain some experience when they start college.

We use terms like this jokingly, we forget these implications can unintentionally make light of serious eating disorders.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, 58 percent of college students feel “extreme pressure” to maintain a certain weight. One-half of college-aged women and onethird of college-aged men use unhealthy weight control behaviors like skipping meals, purging, smoking cigarettes, fasting and taking laxatives.

In light of Eating Disorders Awareness Week, we should take the time to recognize all victims of eating disorders, provide assistance to those we care about and point them to the correct resources for getting the help they need.

For those who want to learn more, the Murray State website provides in-depth information about eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, as well as offers tips about how to help someone with an eating disorder.

The Women’s Center provides self-help seminars that promote positive self body image, eating disorder awareness and tips to being a more skeptical viewer of the media – which is notorious for promoting unreachable beauty standards.

Because eating disorders are comorbid with depression, University Counseling Services are another venue to consider.

The Women’s Center and Counseling Services are both positive outlets for people suffering from these life-threatening disorders, but we should also remember that anorexia and bulimia can affect both genders, not just women.

We associate rigorous dieting, throwing up and skipping meals with women who feel the mounting pressure to be thin. We forget that men are also victims of body image issues just as much. The ideal physique, whether it’s thin or muscular, is something all ages, races and genders can potentially risk their lives for.

According to the National Eating Disorder Association, the ratio for women to men with eating disorders is 3-to-1. In the past three decades, men’s dissatisfaction with their body image has grown from 15 percent to 43 percent.

Unfortunately, due to negative attitudes toward seeking help, men are less likely to pursue guidance when it comes to an eating disorder. This is an entire half of our population that needs our assistance, but we tend to think men don’t need attention because they don’t suffer from negative body image issues.

Our concerns for people with eating disorders shouldn’t be relegated to just one week out of the year. We should take the time to educate ourselves in our understanding of eating disorders year-round.

We should encourage our friends and loved ones to seek help, and we should address our own self-image issues if they’re unhealthy.

With this being said, the University should extend its help to be more inclusive for all genders.

We should see more fliers for self-love seminars all over campus, not just in public bathroom stalls.

This is an issue where the student body and the University can meet halfway by hosting more programs that include everyone and keeping information available.

Eating disorders are detrimental, and understanding them is the first step to a resolution.

The Captain’s Log

Garrison: Do it for the Vine I know you may be surprised to read this, but I did my fair share of stupid things as a teen. Jumping into the bushes face first to make the girl next door laugh, putting WD-40 on skateboard wheels and riding it down a steep hill with Zac Garrison no helmet, let Senior from a friend slam a fiberglass lunch Franklin, Ky. tray over my head to see if it would break; usual teen stuff.

The only bright side to my sideshow stunts was they were all performed before Facebook and MySpace were relevant and camera phones weren’t a common occurrence, so I couldn’t be immortalized on the viral wall of shame.

This has all changed though. There is now a camera in every pocket and Internet access in every hand. Rash decisions fueled by teen emotions are now seconds away from being broadcast to the world. The generation of up-

coming teens are so connected to the Internet and social media that every dumb choice can now be filmed, documented and uploaded before the person can even realize what they just did.

This makes me think, does social media fuel bad decisions in today’s teens? How many questionable decisions have been made chasing imaginary Internet points (likes, retweets, golden doubloons, etc.)? I see it all over the news where teens are filming themselves doing dumb and sometimes dangerous things for the sole reason of putting them on the Internet.

Remember seeing the knockout game all over the news? If you don’t, I can easily explain it. Young teens decided it would be entertaining to walk up to strangers and film themselves trying to hit the person hard enough to knock them out.

After this, they would mock the innocent victim and then upload the video for the whole world to see. Retweets and likes have turned into a sort of social status and some will go to extreme lengths to get them.

Their decision-making isn’t necessarily affected by social media, but I do think it has become a motivation for them to alter behavior. Teens see things happen on Twitter and Vine and instead of living vicariously through others’ poor decisions, they see that person getting a lot of attention so they replicate that behavior hoping they can obtain the same kind of attention.

Any publicity is good publicity right? In this case, wrong.

Craving attention as a teen is just part of growing up and finding yourself. The tragic thing is that this generation is having their cries for attention broadcast to the whole world.

Decisions that are made with little to no forethought turn into mistakes that have lifelong ramifications.

Going “viral” for some teens can be the ultimate accomplishment, but there are some that have their lives ruined by posting things on the Internet and social media. Once you put something on the Internet, you can’t get it back.

It doesn’t help that we have “social media celebrities” that kids think of as role models.

We enable people to make a living off of doing everything we tell our kids not to do and then let our kids aspire to be them.

Think about how many conflicting messages that sends them. “Son, don’t film yourself knocking over Wal-Mart displays and put it on Vine. Also, don’t pay attention to that guy who makes a living doing that.”

“Kids will be kids” is the common narrative, but social media has given them an outlet to broadcast poor decisions to the world.

As technology becomes more and more integrated with our society, this will only get worse and we need to make sure and warn teens of the dangers of going “viral.”

We owe them that much.

The News

Opinion

February 27, 2015

5A

Letter to the Editor There is a lot of violence committed in the name of religion or the lack thereof. The atheist that allegedly killed three Muslims in Chapel Hill, N.C., was seemingly motivated by an animus to their faith.

Extremist political organizations in the Middle East commit atrocities they claim are justified by their reading of the faith of Islam.

Recently, commendably, President Barack Obama refused to give the extremists the recognition they wanted. the legitimacy is recognition of the extremists’ claim that they are committing terrible atrocities in the name of the faith of 1.6 billion people who are indeed overwhelmingly peaceful.

We at the Islamic Center of Murray and the Muslim Students Organization of Murray State condemn all acts of violence against noncombatants as ungodly.

Certainly, terror attacks do not portray Islam as a religion because no religion, as a system of values and civilization, is responsible for the acts of the few who are motivated by

political grievances dressed up as religious causes.

Islam, the religion and civilization, considers all life forms as God’s creation. However, the sanctity of human life is special. The first and foremost basic right of a human being is the right to life. The Holy Quran deems the killing of one innocent person as the harming of all humanity and whoever saves one innocent life has saved all humanity.

Islam is not what one person on YouTube alleges or claims, even if that person spoke English with a British accent. Islam cannot be understood until we go back to the two sources that Islam is based upon: the Quran and the Sunnah (the tradition of prophet Muhammad).

The Muslim students of Murray wish to thank all who attended the lecture by Imam Wood and express support to the hundreds of Muslim students who appreciate Murray State and the city of Murray.

We promise more events to help the good people of Murray State and

Did she really say that?

LGBTs? In my sitcoms?

Murray understand our religion and traditions.

Naif Alotaibi

Graduate student from Saudi Arabia

We still want to hear from you.

Are you concerned about a certain issue on campus or want to share your opinion?

The News is always accepting Letters to the Editor. For a chance to get your letter published in print or on TheNews.org, email us at letters@thenews.org.

I’ve Got a Story for You

Valentine: Starting over And so we have come to the end of what must be, for most of us, a hectic and confusing week.

After finally hitting our stride as students and teachers, Mother Nature pulled the plug on the whole beautiful scheme by dumping tons of snow where it had no business being.

As the dedicated Robert Valentine facilities crews clear roadways Senior lecturer and walkways, dry of advertising out soaked carpets and replace broken equipment which was never built for service in Antarctica, the rest of us are trying to figure out what comes next.

Some professors are going to ask you to step up to the challenge and cram two weeks of lectures, reading and discussion into one week. Of course, you can do this, but is seems somehow unnatural.

Other instructors will throw their well-planned syllabus and schedule into the metaphorical shredder and look for things to drop. It’s hard to imagine a history professor suggesting that “We can

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

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

Comic

skip the American Civil War, since most of us have seen “Gettysburg,” and it was pretty much like that for four years.” If things could be easily discarded, how did they get on the list of things to discuss in the first place?

So, no matter who you are or what you are studying, get ready to cope with changes in the pace or content of class. At the same time, the annual Spring Formal won’t change its dates (deposits have been sent) campus elections haven’t moved on the calendar, All Campus Sing will begin as scheduled just as surely as the Spring equinox arrives in March and, in the middle of it all, the Racers are headed to the OVC tournament.

“

Start where you are; use what you have; do what you can. - Arthur Ashe

”

Most of us probably wish things were not as they are. We long for President Bob Davies to declare an amnesty of some sort, or develop a solution that won’t require any more work from us.

After all, we didn’t make it snow, did we? That was the Weather Channel or Al Gore, I’m pretty sure.

But, in fact, all the adjustments will have to be made by us: students and faculty alike. Some of us will have to re-write lectures, alter assignments and reschedule tests. The rest of us will have to prepare for those tests and cram in two assign-

Cheers to ... Patricia Arquette.

In her acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actress in “Boyhood,” Arquette used her platform to advocate equal pay for women in the workplace and gender equality.

We appreciate her using her influence to convey a powerful, much-needed message.

Jeers to ... Bill O’Reilly.

The Republican personality is under scrutiny because of his reports on the Falklands War during his correspondence in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Surprise, his stories of “saving his cameraman in the middle of a warzone” might be false. Join the Brian Williams club.

ments where only one was supposed to be. When you write it all out like that, it makes college sound like work instead of one long, uninterrupted social extravaganza. Go figure.

No amount of wishing will change our new and inconvenient reality. The great American tennis pro, Arthur Ashe, put is best when he said, “Start where you are; use what you have; do what you can.”

That’s all we can do. Don’t wait for some mystical form of relief, because it’s not coming. Don’t hope for resources that don’t exist or for shortcuts that will make things easy.

When seven days of your life evaporate like snow on a well-salted sidewalk, it’s going to take effort from someone. Guess who.

And so we will get tough, postpone the weekly beer tasting with the ol’ gang, and knock out an extra assignment before tucking ourselves into beddy bye at 1 a.m.

We will try to get up early enough to get a decent parking spot (just kidding) and be on time for the professor’s reconstituted lecture which covers only three of the 25 causes of World War II. Some of us will even skip the road trip to the OVC Tournament in order to get a higher grade on the test that should have happened last week, but now will inconveniently hit just before the Racers meet UK in some NCAA bracket. (Sigh) Sometimes, the easiest way out is to take the hardest road forward.

“Start where you are; use what you have; do what you can.”

Jeers to ... Rudy Giuliani.

The former mayor of New York City claimed that “the black community is responsible for all crime committed by any black person,” That seems to be generalizing an entire group of people, in our opinion. Our racism senses are tingling.

Cheers to ... McDonald’s.

The fast food chain is usually a target of criticism, but as a response to public outcry for higher pay, McDonald’s decided to support a bill that would raise the minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $10.10 an hour. We appreciate the change of heart.

There’s something addicting about AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” Since season one, I have watched the emotional roller coaster of relatable characters dying off, the primal struggle to survive Carly Besser and the psyOpinion Editor chologically taxing plight that comes with living in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic world full of zombies.

In the third episode of its fifth season, “The Walking Dead” introduced two new characters: Kirkman and Aaron, two recruiters of a safe camp who happen to be a gay couple.

Near the end of the episode, their relationship was affirmed with a kiss and dialogue of their devotion to one another. Many people weren’t happy about this, and they took to the Internet to express their outrage.

The media, specifically sitcoms and ongoing television series, are one-byone introducing gay couples, samesex families and transgender lead roles to their scripts. This creates factions of people who are indifferent to the characters, supportive of their relevance or outraged by them.

Regardless of how people feel about homosexuality, we can no longer pretend it doesn’t exist. If anything, introducing LGBT characters makes these shows more relatable to the society we live in.

These characters aren’t awkwardly placed in the show as “token” or only have a couple of lines. They have purpose to the plot, they provide depth and they have large fanbases.

Laverne Cox is like the transgender equivalent of Beyonce.

Critics would argue this is pushing some sort of extremist liberal agenda, but is promoting diversity that political?

The outrage related to a gay couple in “The Walking Dead” surprised me more than other examples because there are countless scenes in the show that are more outrageous. If you watch the show, you see a young girl kill her sister, people being impaled and having their guts ripped out, cannibalism and other gruesome scenes that should be considered more “disgusting.” Anyone who acclaims these brutal scenes, but is appalled by a gay couple, has some explaining to do.

It’s true. The surge of LGBT characters on primetime television is at an all-time high. According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, characters who identify as LGBT rose from 2.9 percent in 2011 to 4.4 percent in 2013, but is this a problem?

We threw out shows like “Leave it to Beaver,” “I Love Lucy” and other clean-cut shows because they were out of touch with reality. They struggled to show real family dynamics and instead gave a false sense of what the American family looks like.

We like shows and characters we can relate to. We’re attracted to raw tension and a deviation from the white picket fence. That’s how television works.

This is the world we live in. Samesex families, couples and people live here and contribute to our society.

Instead of trying to hide or banish LGBT culture from media, people should be allowed to have these characters to root for and watch. Whether they’re fighting off zombies or struggling with the hardships of love and raising families (like straight people often do), LGBT actors and actresses have a place in our media. It’s time to accept that. cbesser@murraystate.edu

The Oscar

By Katie Wilborn

The News

News

6A

February 27, 2015

MESS tries new green fee angle Ben Manhanke

Chief Videographer bmanhanke@murraystate.edu

After over six years of sporadically advocating for a “Green Fee” at Murray State, the Murray Environmental Student Society is still struggling to find their footing and concrete support for this project from constituencies around campus.

In 2009, MESS first proposed the idea of implementing a Sustainable Program Fund, a small rise in tuition for students which would go toward supporting green initiatives and research projects around campus.

The next year, MESS polled students to see if they would be in support of paying this fee in an amount of either $1 or $5, to which 85 percent of those polled said they would pay these amounts.

Since collecting this data MESS has accomplished relatively little in terms of implementing their Sustainable Project Fund.

The project was dropped for several years as leadership in MESS changed and goals shifted.

Kathryn Miracle, president of MESS, said they are still raising awareness of the cause and what positive changes the rebranded, Sustainable Project Fund might affect for Murray State.

She said the Sustainable Program Fund’s slow progress is due to MESS’s fluctuating leadership, direction and members’ discouragement in the project as time passes with little results.

“Right now, the way we are trying to get the word out about the Green Fee is to have events, whether it’s recreational or educational, to pro-

Nicole Ely/The News

Members of MESS talk to students throughout the week in the Curris Center to bring awareness to environmental issues. mote it,” Miracle said. “I think we definitely have a chance to make more happen this semester.”

At the beginning of this semester, MESS created a Sustainable Project Fund Committee focused solely on strategizing how best to move forward with this project.

Under the leadership of Grecia White, the committee head, the group is looking at other Kentucky universities who have implemented similar programs such as the University of Ken-

tucky, Eastern Kentucky University and Western Kentucky University. White is also spearheading the effort to create a time line for the project.

“I just want people to know about it, to know the phrase, to know that this is something we can all have,” White said. “I want people to feel like, ‘yes, we can do this.’ But we have to work hard and just work as a group towards the same goal.”

White said it’s not student apathy stalling the Sustainable Project Fund, but MESS’s inability to

coordinate its efforts and inform students.

“A lot of the students don’t even know about this fund – sometimes don’t even know about MESS,” she said. “I want to get everyone involved and feel excited about this and don’t get discouraged because it has taken us a long time.”

Paul Walker, chair of The President’s Commission on Sustainability, said he has encouraged MESS to continue their efforts to gain support.

He said, however, the Board of Regents has historically been against having a student fee.

“This idea has been around for quite a few years and it has been brought up numerous times from MESS to the commission,” Walker said.

“The only way to get it done is to show significant student support for paying a fee and then approach the president’s office directly and show what they’ve found.”

MESS is trying to do just that. After scrapping petitions and polls form previous years and starting from scratch last semester they have few signatures compared to their overall goal.

Kyle Shupe, MESS’s Kentucky Student Environmental Coalition representative, said MESS wants to collect 1,500-2,000 student signatures before the semester ends. Their goal is signatures from 25 percent of the student body.

Shupe said they would like to see a Sustainable Project Fund implemented by May 2016, before the current officers graduate.

“The only thing you can say is lend us your support, come to our events so we can keep it going and go further than before by making more progress,” Shupe said.

Residential college heads step down, positions open Abby Siegel || Contributing writer asiegle@murraystate.edu

The college heads of James H. Richmond, Lee Clark and Springer-Franklin Residential Colleges have relinquished their positions for the 2015–16 academic school year, making way for new faculty to apply.

Lissa Graham-Schneider, college head of Richmond and associate professor of theater, is relinquishing her position due to personal reasons.

Schneider said she enjoyed the position and hopes for the opportunity to reapply in the future.

John Dressler, college head of Clark and professor of music, is relinquishing his position due to a loss of faculty members within his department.

Despite this, Dressler believes Clark is full of excellent students and finds the college head position re-

warding.

“Most people will not understand the role of the college head until they do the job,” said Kenny Fister, senior lecturer in the department of mathematics and statistics. “In a nutshell, the college head is in charge of the college. They must establish consistency within the college.”

Fister is serving his sixth year as college head of Hester residential college and his first year as chair of the Council of College Heads.

A few responsibilities of the college head involve planning and developing residential college programming, involvement in the Residential College Council and selecting and training First Year Leaders.

The college head also serves as an ombudsperson for students, works with the Retention Office, serves as a resource for the resident director and

resident advisers of the college and manages the college budgets.

The college head must have taught for at least 8 years at Murray State.

The college head is released partially from academic duties but retains full academic salary and receives a yearly stipend and other benefits.

They are expected to spend time within the residential college that would otherwise be spent within the classroom.

“The College Head is what makes what we are doing different than just having residence halls,” Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs said. “They are the chief advocate for their students.”

“I have spent many long days and nights with students in my office just listening and talking with students about their academics, family and other personal issue,” Fister said.

“Many of the student leaders I have worked with would not have gotten involved if it were not for the residential colleges. It has been a joy to watch the students grow and mature.”

In addition to the advising, administration, promotion and development aspects of the role of a college head, the position is also vital to the relationships and community Robertson said is unique within the residential college.

Crystal Coleman, college head of Elizabeth Residential College and senior lecturer of business, took the position because she wanted to help students and help build relationships and community in the college.

Coleman was asked to apply for the position at Elizabeth by former provost Bonnie Higginson and former Elizabeth college head, Bob Valentine.

One part of Coleman’s favorite as-

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pects of the position is the abundant laughter in Elizabeth, she said.

Coleman said there are numerous things about her position she finds rewarding.

“Giving love and getting it in return,” Coleman said. “Giving advice that I know will help students grow and having the students appreciate it enough to actually embrace it.”

Applications for the position can be picked up in the Student Affairs Office, 425 Wells Hall, or may be received electronically by contacting Jo Ann Mathis.

Applications are due to the Student Affairs Office by March 13.

The selection process a combined effort from students, faculty and staff members living or working within the residential college in question.

Chosen applicants will begin their position on August 1, 2015.

February 27, 2015

Section B

The News

Sports Editor: Mallory Tucker Assistant Sports Editor: Kelsey Randolph Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Sports ­­

‘That’s college basketball’

Red’s Report

Mind over matter

Mallory Tucker Sports Editor mtucker11@murraystate.edu

Fans were stacked to the aisle in the CFSB Center as the Racers prepared to play at home for the last time this season.

The pre-game festivities celebrated the three seniors: Jarvis Williams, Jonathan Fairell and T.J. Sapp, but all eyes were on Head Coach Steve Prohm as he took his 100th program win.

“I’ve coached a lot of really good players,” Prohm said. “I had a really good mentor in Coach Kennedy, guys that put me in a position to be successful and I’ve been blessed a whole bunch in this business.

I’ve got a great staff, I’ve been fortunate to coach very, very good point guards, very good wings, very good bigs. And everybody plays a part of it.”

A 65-57 victory over Eastern Illinois University made Prohm the fastest coach in Racer history to claim 100 wins and take home his 23rd consecutive win this season. This 23-game win streak, in addition to being the second-longest in the nation after No. 1 University of Kentucky, ties for the longest streak in OVC history, a record already held by the Racers from the 2011-12 season.

The normal starters, all three seniors plus sophomore point guard Cameron Payne and junior forward Jeffery Moss, took to the court and won the tip against the Panthers. Williams put the first points of the game on the board on a goal-tending call against Eastern Illinois.

Sapp followed with a 3-pointer and Moss quickly followed with one of his own to increase the lead to 8-0 with 16:44 to play in the first half. Williams added a dunk to the score before being fouled on a second dunk attempt. He made both free throws and the Racers went up by 12 uncontested for the first five minutes of the game.

Fairell took the first personal foul for the Racers and Eastern Illinois’ junior guard Trae Anderson made both free throws, putting the Panthers’ first points of the game on the board.

see BASKETBALL, 2B

Jenny Rohl/The News

Golf places 11th in Arizona Mallory Tucker Sports Editor

mtucker11@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of Dave Winder

Senior Jordan Smith chips a ball at the Palm Valley Golf Club in Goodyear, Ariz.

With freezing temperatures in Kentucky, the men’s golf team took to 70 degree weather in Goodyear, Ariz., to kick off its spring season with an 11th place finish out of 17 teams in the Snowman Getaway hosted by Loyola University.

The team hasn’t seen much action as of late, as freezing temperatures and snow on the ground prevents them from practicing on their home turf at Frances E. Miller Memorial Golf Course.

“Weather is such a big issue,” said Head Coach Eddie Hunt. “It’s a great tournament.

It’s pretty much designed for teams that don’t have a chance to practice a lot during the winter months. So it’s pretty much the first outing for most of those teams, and there were some really good teams there.”

The Racers participated in the same tournament last year, bettering their previous finish of 14th in a field of 17 teams. Hunt was glad to see improvement from last season, but he believed his team could have played better. Taking into consideration the team that has only

played outside two times since the beginning of the season, he said it was hard to be disappointed.

The team’s lone senior, Jordan Smith, led the Racers with a 36th place finish in the field of 92 golfers. He tallied rounds of 73-76-75 to total the team’s lowest overall score of 224.

Junior Duncan McCormick followed at 56th place with rounds of 75-73-80=228. Sophomore Matthew Zakutney shot Murray State’s lowest round of the tournament with a 72 in the final round, shooting 79-79-72=230 over the two days. Juniors Jared Gosser and Preston French rounded out team play sharing 70th place with rounds of 73-81-79=233 and 77-77-79=233, respectively. Junior Brock Simmons scored 7977-75=231 as an individual in the event, placing 67th.

Hunt was pleased with Smith, McCormick and Zakutney, noting them as standouts over the three rounds.

“Jordan, he’s been our leader all year,” Hunt said. “And I can’t say enough good things about Jordan. He is our hardest working golfer and has been over the years. I think he gave a few shots away during the tour-

see GOLF, 2B

Rifle qualifies for NCAA Championships in Alaska Kelsey Randolph Assistant Sports Editor

krandolph3@murraystate.edu

The snow is melting and the sun is out for most, but not for the Racer rifle team. They received their bid to travel with seven other teams to Anchorage, Alaska for the NCAA Championships.

“I thought they did a fine job staying composed under a lot of uncertainty,” said Head Coach Alan Lollar.

After a week of changing traveling arrangements, the athletes were relieved to take their final shots and move into the NCAA Championships March 13-14.

Saturday the Racers faced UT Martin (mixed men and women), UT Martin (women) and the University of Memphis to compete for eight spots in the championships. Lollar said even though their training schedule had been wrecked from the weather and threatened to postpone or move the match, the team overcame all of its

WHAT’S

INSIDE

obstacles.

“I think we are in a good spot,” Lollar said. “We finished strong. We shot our spring average and were just a few points shy of our three match average.

I thought we handled the pressure of the big match well and are ready for the next challenge.”

Among the schools traveling to Fairbanks will be Jacksonville State, West Virginia University and the University of Alaska at Fairbanks University. The Racers averaged a team score of 2,313.3 in smallbore and a 2,349.2 in air rifle. This finished the racers season with an aggregate score of 4,662.5. They are currently tied with UAF for the second most appearances in the NCAA with this being their 29 time.

“It’s exciting for the team because a lot of them have never been to (Alaska),” Lollar said. “It’s about a 15hour trip so if they can get past the exotic place and big distractions then

see RIFLE, 2B

Haley Hays/The News

Kelsey Emme (above, center), senior shooter, will compete with her team at the NCAA Championship in Fairbanks, Ala.

Someone told me once that it doesn’t matter how hard you fall; if you want to, you’ll get back up.

Imagine Kelsey Randolph this— there’s Assistant five seconds Sports Editor left on the clock, your basketball team is trailing by three points and it’s your possession.

Your shoulder starts to buzz and you can feel it in your neck, your ear and all the way down your arm. Do you stop and sit out or push through and make the shot that could potentially make a historic win for your team?

From the sidelines I see athletes of all background get thrown, pushed, shoved and elbowed on a regular basis. Not because they want to, but merely because that’s the game.

Recently I saw a video on my Facebook timeline about a girl who ran on her high school track team with multiple sclerosis. In Kayla Montgomery’s case, the M.S. blocks the nerve signals from her legs to her brain. As her body temperature rises she begins to lose feeling starting in her toes and by the end of the race she has no feeling at all.

Her dedicated coach stands at the finish line every race and stretches his arms as she collapses because she can’t physically stop herself.

The New York Times wrote an article about Montgomery’s journey as a member of the track team at Mount Tabor High School in North Carolina. As a senior who graduated in May 2014, she has won the North Carolina state title in the 3200-meter race with a time of 10 minutes 43 seconds, which ranked her 21st in the country.

Montgomery continuously pushed through pain to do something she loved and still does. According to The New York Times, Montgomery was in disbelief about colleges being open to her running with M.S. because she didn’t think colleges would be able to adapt to her special circumstance. Montgomery’s search was over in early March 2014 when Lipscomb University asked her to sign a cross-country and track and field scholarship contract with them.

USA TODAY did a research article on sports injuries in young people in 2013. Emergency room reports in 2012 show that the most common injury was a strain or sprain, tallying at 451,480 people and the next highest injury being a fracture at 249,500 people. The top sports to cause injuries are football, basketball and soccer and in the bottom three are cheerleading, gymnastics and track and field.

Athletes have to deal with pain during practices and competitions.

As a reporter I hear every day that “practice makes perfect.” Athletes are pushed to do their best, and if they didn’t want to do their best, they wouldn’t be doing what they do.

I competed on a nationally ranked all-star dance team for four years and before that, danced recreationally on a team for 10 years. I’ve had rolled ankles, broken bones and sprained wrists one too many times. I never thought any of those minor things would end my career. My dancing was cut short after I had back surgery from a birth defect in my spinal cord. I didn’t have a choice.

My dancing career was over.

I didn’t think much about how all my injuries could affect me when I’m older.

Athletes deal with pain and injuries everyday, but they don’t let it stop them. Montgomery proved that what other people called an issue wasn’t an issue for her at all. Athletes prove they can push through pain and put their mind over the matter. krandolph3@murraystate.edu

SENIOR NIGHT

INTRAMURALS

ANTIQUE SHOPPING

EMOJI GENERATION

Women’s basketball play last home game, 3B

Check inner tube water polo season standings, 4B

Students express love of thrift shopping, 5B

When is the right time to use emojis?, 6B

The News

Sports

2B

GOLF From Page 1B nament, but he gives it his all and I was real pleased with his effort. We got a good performance from Duncan.

He didn’t play very well in the third round, but that seems to be our trend all year. We can’t ever get everybody playing good at the same time. Matt Zakutney had a really good round the last day.”

Touching down in western Kentucky and finding snow still on the ground, the team is now focusing on

getting in what work they can, weather permitting.

With a high chance the team won’t be able to practice outside during the two weeks off, they are focusing on hitting at the indoor facility at Sullivan’s Par 3 Golf Course.

Most players also travel to Paducah, Ky., two or three times a week to hit balls at an indoor facility and take lessons from a professional golfer. Knowing that the team may only see one or two days on the course, Hunt is grateful for their time outside in Arizona.

“We got good weather and we got to play golf for four days,” Hunt said. “So I definitely think it will help us down the road a bit to get out and play some

February 27, 2015

RIFLE

rounds before our next tournament.”

The Racers’ next tournament is the Grover Page Classic, hosted by UT Martin March 9-10 in Jackson, Tenn.

Hunt is looking forward to seeing many OVC teams compete and gauging where his team stands. As the weather warms and the season progresses, Hunt is looking for improvement in his players every week, and expecting a little friendly competition.

“I’d be real pleased if everybody just worked hard,” Hunt said. “We’re just going to try to find the best five players, and I think it may take us three or four tournaments to do that, but that’s sometimes good. That’s good competition among the team members.”

From Page 1B I think they’ll do just fine.”

The Racers will travel to compete in Alaska where alumna and current Alaska Budget Director, Pat Spurgin-Pitney resides. Lollar said throughout the season he keeps in touch with Pitney about the players.

Pitney is a 1984 Gold Medalist in the air rifle category, a 1983 three time gold medalist in the Pan American Games, a NCAA champion for Murray State and an eight-time All-American in both air rifle and smallbore. Murray State’s current rifle range is named in honor of Pitney.

“I expect she will definitely be there,” Lollar said. “She has always supported us and I look forward to seeing her there.”

The whole team has their sights set on the championships, but for one

Basketball From Page 1B Eastern Illinois’ Anderson, senior forward Josh Piper and junior forward Chris Olivier, who returned from an injury Feb. 14, led the Panther’s offense with 18 of the Panthers’ 21 points in the first half.

The Racers entered the locker room at the half leading Eastern Illinois 34-21.

The Panthers were chomping at the bit in the second half to cut the lead and challenge the Racers.

They closed the gap to less than 10 just three minutes in and maintained a close margin for most of the half. With 49 seconds to play, Fairell was subbed out with three personal fouls to his name.

Less than 30 seconds elapsed before he was subbed back in for Williams to be honored for senior night.

“I’m thankful,” Williams said. “I really am thankful for everybody. My brothers, fans and just Murray State in general, man. I’m just appreciative, and that sums it up really. There’s really not much I can say that expresses how I really feel.”

However, he was quickly subbed back out by junior forward Wayne Langston, acknowledging the crowd as he took in his last minutes on the floor of the CFSB Center. The crowd cheered “Thank you, seniors,” as the clock timed out and the Racers won 65-57. The Racers are now just one game away from a perfect conference season.

Facing the UT Martin Skyhawks at 6 p.m. Saturday in Martin, Tenn., the Racers have a chance to become the fourth team in OVC history to go undefeated in conference.

Even with records looming, tied and passed, Prohm and the team take each day as it’s own and continue to look at each game with a 0-0 record.

“It’s a great night, but tomorrow’s a new day and we’ve got to move forward,” Prohm said. “But I’m really happy for our seniors. Last year we couldn’t do a transition drill.

And for them to now tie the school record and league record for consecutive wins and then to put them in a position to be one of only five teams to go undefeated in the conference? It’s going to take a heck of an effort Saturday because I’m sure Martin is going to be locked and loaded and ready to roll for that. But that’s how it should be. That’s college basketball.”

senior, Kelsey Emme, this will be her last chance at another win.

“As the man said, ‘I have not sufficient flow of speech’ when it comes to talking about what (Kelsey) has meant to this program,” Lollar said. “She has been a real leader that I have counted on. She has helped shape Racer rifle for the future.”

Emme has been to the NCAA Championships twice before this year and one thing Lollar said he thinks she has missed is being able to share the experience with her teammates, which she will be able to do this year.

“She’s had her goals set for this and has worked hard for it,” Lollar said. “I think it says a lot about her and the team. Everyone is supportive of each other and the fact that the team is close like a family is good.”

Lollar said the team is preparing just as they would for any other match.

They begin their journey March 13-14 for Fairbanks, Ala. to compete for the NCAA Championship title.

Haley Hays/The News

Haley Hays/The News

The Racers won their 23rd straight game Thursday night which tied the 2011-12 record.

Head Coach Steve Prohm won his 100th win as head coach Thursday, the fastest to 100 in program history.

POPEYE QUIZ

Dresden, Tenn., native Ronald “Popeye” Jones played for Murray State from 1989-1992 before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in the second round of the 1992 NBA draft.

After being named OVC Player of the Year in 1990 and 1991 as well as OVC Athlete of the Year in 1991 and 1992, he was taken as the 41st overall pick before playing professional in Milan, Italy for one season.

Popeye’s No. 54 is retired and he was inducted into the Murray State Hall of Fame in 2007. He is currently an assistant coach for the Indiana Pacers.

Racer Legend Ronald “Popeye” Jones

1) In 1990-91, Popeye ranked second in rebounds behind which famous basketball player?

6) Aside from Popeye, how many Racers have scored over 2,000 career points at Murray State?

4) Including 2014-15, how many seasons has the program had?

A) 87 B) 93 C) 89 D) 72

A) Shaquille O’Neal B) Larry Johnson C) Steve Smith D) Chris Webber

A) Two B) Five C) Nine D) None

2) How many NCAA appearances have the Racers made?

7) How many numbers have been retired at Murray State?

A) 27 B) 15 C) 12 D) 23

A) 22 B) Five C) Three D) Nine

3) Which university did Head Coach Steve Prohm attend?

A) Murray State University B) The University of Kentucky C) Ball State University D) The University of Alabama

5) Who is Murray State’s all-time highest scorer?

A) Ronald “Popeye” Jones B) Jeff Martin Sr. C) Jeff Martin Jr. D) De’Teri Mayes

For answers to the Popeye quiz, go to TheNews.org and click on Athletics

8) Which Racer legend toured with the Harlem Globetrotters?

A) Garrett Beshear B) Isaiah Canaan C) Bennie Purcell D) Johnny Reagan

The News

Sports

February 27, 2015

3B

Racer women honored at senior night Kelsey Randolph || Assistant Sports Editor krandolph3@murraystate.edu

With looks of confidence on their faces, the women’s basketball team walked on the court last Saturday for its last home game against Austin Peay State.

Before beginning the team honored three seniors: forward and center Netanya Jackson, for-

ward Chanyere Hosey and guard Keiona Kirby.

Head Coach Rob Cross and Racer fans cheered for the seniors as they took the floor for their last game.

“We’re just thrilled to come out with a victory on senior night,” Cross said. “It was great to show our seniors how proud the team is and to win our last game in the arena.”

The Racers faced a tough back and forth scor-

#40 Chanyere Hosey

ing game against the Lady Govs, but Kirby scored the first eight points of the game.

“It’s been a great experience to win the senior game,” Kirby said. “It feels good to pull out a win and I feel confident. It was an antsy game but it was a good experience and the crowd was really into it.”

According to GoRacers.com, freshman forward and guard, Ke’Shunan James led the Racers, add-

#13 Keiona Kirby

Kalli Bubb/The News

ing 18 points to the game followed by Kirby and sophomore guard, LeAsia Wright who added 14 points.

The team was able to pull out a win in the last 30 seconds of the game the racers were up by three and with a few good free throws came out winning against the Lady Govs 72-67.

The Racers face the UT Martin Skyhawks at 4 p.m. Saturday in Martin, Tenn.

#00 Netanya Jackson

Jenny Rohl/The News

Position:

Total career points:

Hometown:

Total career rebounds: Hometown:

Bollingbrook, Ill. 164

Total career rebounds: Hometown:

Jackson, Tenn. 136

Total career rebounds:

Nashville, Tenn. 109

Height:

Total career assists:

Height:

Total career assists:

Height:

Total career assists:

Forward

58

6 feet 1 inches 19

Position: Guard

Total career points:

Jenny Rohl/The News

471

5 feet 9 inches 52

Position:

Total career points:

Forward/Center 116

6 feet 4 inches 11

Softball shuts OVC Championships in sight for Track and Field out Chanticleers at showdown Da’Sha Tuck || Staff writer dtuck@murraystate.edu

Da’Sha Tuck || Staff writer dtuck@murraystate.edu

The Murray State softball team went up against four teams they have never played in competition before, shut down host Chanticleers at the Chanticleer Showdown and came out 2-2.

Head Coach Kara Amundson described this weekend’s tournament as a roller coaster. She said this weekend was somewhat inconsistent but the team still did well.

The Racers had to compete in some tight games.

She said that the team is doing so well because they are getting help defensively and offensively.

“We are sincerely having team wins and loses,” Amundson said. “We are doing this as a team and I think that is something that is going to carry us throughout the season.”

The Racers defeated the host Chanticleers 7-4 and Sacred Heart 2-1 but they fell to Boston College 9-6 and Bucknell 4-3.

“We let the game get bigger than we needed it to and I think the pressure got to them more than I would have liked to see from them,” Amundson said.

Two players were honored with OVC player and pitcher of the week.

The first is senior shortstop Alexa Becker. Becker had four RBIs, four doubles and three home runs.

Out of 14 bats Becker did not strike out once. This selection makes Becker’s fourth in her career at Murray State.

“This weekend I am looking for more consistency at the plate. I just want to be a tough out every time,” Becker said.

Second to receive the honor is sophomore Mason Robinson pitched 2-0. Out of the four games played Robinson had 14 strikeouts and seven walks.

Next, the Racers will compete against the Lady Vols and Bradley Furman in the Tennessee Classic.

“I’m excited with where we are, I think we have grown every weekend,” Becker said. “I love this team and we have good team camaraderie and that has been a big key to our success this year.”

Last week’s winter weather did not slow down the track and field team as the athletes prepared for the OVC Championship.

This year’s Championship will be at Lantz Fieldhouse at Eastern Illinois University Friday and Saturday. The Racers will compete against Austin Peay State, Belmont, Eastern Kentucky, Jacksonville, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, Southeast Missouri State, Tennessee State and Tennessee Tech.

“We have a lot of solid returning people that always preform really well in conference. We are getting scored as a team,” Head Coach Jenny Severns said.

Senior field player, Brianna McCarthy said all season everyone has worked toward getting personal records but this our first real team event.

“It’s about seeing how we come together as a team,” McCarthy said.

Severns said this year’s OVC will be more competitive than last year. She said last year’s included one athlete who could run the mile in less than five minutes, and this year there are more than five.

“The only thing that counts is your conference meet. It’s good because we have had all season to get ready but it is still a lot of pressure on the girls” Severns said.

Tennessee State, Eastern Illinois, Southeast Missouri State are always tough competition, Severns said. They all have an indoor facilities where they train.

Severns shoveled ice and snow this week from the outdoor track so her athletes could practice.

After last weekend McCarthy is excited going into OVC. She said after last week’s performance at GVSU she feels confident that as a team they are set for OVC. “I’m really calm and just ready to compete this weekend so hopefully some really good things will come from that,” McCarthy said.

Severns said it takes a lot to be successful at this level but the team is ready to go and fight for the title of OVC title. Severns offered this advice to her team going into OVC this weekend.

“Be calm when you need to be calm and be aggressive when you need to be aggressive and be willing to hurt like you’ve never hurt before,” Severns said.

In other sports news:

Men and women’s tennis

Haley Hays/The News

Junior distance runner Emma Gilmore and senior mid-distance runner Brittany Bohn run around the track during practice.

Men’s tennis

Women’s tennis

Racer tennis travels to Memphis, Tenn. to face off Saturday against Temple University. The time is to be announced at a later date.

Racer Tennis will play at the Kennesaw State Invitational Feb. 27-28 in Kennesaw, Ga.

The News

Sports

4B

February 27, 2015

Racers drop two after winning first of season Blake Bernier || Staff writer dbernier@murraystate.edu

In the bottom of the ninth of Sunday’s game, the Racers were trying to protect a one run lead against Indiana University – Purdue University Fort Wayne, but due to a walk, an error and a double later on the Racers lost the game.

A day earlier, the Racers (1-5) won their first game of the season, beating IPFW 4-1. They were leading for most of game two of the series before it slipped away. In the third game, a 20-3 blowout for IPFW, the lingering effect of game two’s ninth inning collapse carried over said Head Coach Kevin Moulder.

Moulder was ejected in the top of the ninth inning for arguing a called strike out against the Racers.

During the back and forth of game two, the first of a doubleheader last Sunday, the Racers fell behind early by giving up four runs in the bottom of the first but responded with an outburst of seven runs in the second to retake the lead. The Racers added two more in the third to extend their lead to 9-4, but IPFW chipped away over the next six innings. After the eighth, they had the lead 10-9.

“It was not a well-pitched ballgame on either side,” Moulder said. “We got in a big hole, down 4-0, we battled back and took a 9-4 lead by the third inning, then our offense hit a lull and didn’t score again until the ninth.”

Murray State responded in the top of the ninth with two runs to retake the lead.

Pitcher Tyler Anderson returned the end of

the game to pitch the bottom of the ninth after a rough end to the eighth. He came on in relief with two runners on in the eighth and one out.

After recording a strikeout, he let back to back singles that allowed both runners to score.

The first batter for IPFW in the ninth went down on strikes and the second batter reached on a walk after a full count. Anderson then committed an error, allowing the go ahead run to get on base. The next batter smacked a double down the left field line to seal the victory.

“Our bullpen wasn’t able to shut the door and they scored a couple runs in each of the last two innings,” Moulder said.

The Racers won the first game of the series Saturday behind a strong outing by senior Brock Downey. Downey went six innings and gave up just one run on three hits and struck out eight.

“I just go out there and attack each hitter and control what I can control,” Downey said.

“What their pitchers are doing, I can’t really control that, I just have control what I do.”

A previously canceled home game was moved to Carbondale, Ill. against the Southern Illinois University Salukis.

The Racers led 2-1 heading into the ninth inning and SIUC hit a solo homerun to tie the game.

With two outs and runners on first and third redshirt freshman Anderson, came on to pitch and got out of the jam. Racers led off the 11th inning with a triple from Tyler Lawrence.

The Racers won 3-2 in an 11 inning game.

Anderson pitched 2.1 innings, strikes out three,

Men Independent Monday/Wednesday 1. Racer Hoops tied with Da Jahova Witness 6-1 2. Zulu Warriors, Don’t Matter, Bad Boys tied 4-3 1. The Whitey Tighties, 6-1 2. Mighty Ducks, 5-2

Independent Tuesday/Thursday B

and walked two allowing no hits and no runs.

This weekend the Racers will travel back to the Perfect Game Complex due to bad weather causing unplayable field conditions at Johnny Reagan Field. They have also changed opponents, as they will now play the Dayton University Flyers in a three game series. The first

Intramural standings

Basketball Women Independent A

Inner Tube Water Polo

1. Monstars 6-0 2. Racer Mix 5-1

Men

1. Hart A, 7-0 2. Lizo A tied with Richmond A 5-2

Residential College

1. Hart Ravens, 7-0 2. Hester Hedgehogs tied with White College A Girls, 5-2

Residential College

Fraternity

Sorority

Fraternity

1. Blue Ballers, 7-0 2. BCM Ballers, Richmond Shenanigans, Tune Squad tied 5-2

Residential College

1. Pi Kappa Alpha, 6-0 2. Sigma Phi Epsilon 5-1

game will be at 8 p.m. on Friday in Emerson, Ga. “The expectation every week is to win. It starts with competing every inning,” Downey said. “We have to put a full nine inning game together.”

The Racers have an opportunity to do just that this weekend in Georgia.

1. AOII Pandas, 5-0 2.AGD Squirrels 4-1

Women

1. Clark A, 5-0 2. Franklin A, 3-0

Residential College

1. Springer-Franklin tied with Hart Ravens 2-0 2. Lizo tied with Hester, 0-2

Sorority

1. Tri Sigma 2-0 2. ASA Ladybugs 1-1

1. Alpha Sigma Phi, 3-0 2. Lamda Chi Alpha 2-1

Results are as of Tuesday, Feb. 24. Standings courtesy of IMLeagues.

Independent Tuesday/Thursday A

Haley Hays/The News

The baseball team walks out onto their newly lit baseball field for practice.

New videos posted daily on TheNews.org!

The Murray State News We’re Hiring!

The Murray State News is hiring for the following positons: Ad Sales Representatives Advertising Sales Representatives Videographer Sports Writers Opinion Editor If interested, please fill out an

application. They are located in Wilson Hall room 111.

February 27, 2015

5B

The News

Features A nod to Todd

Features Editor: Breanna Sill Assistant Features Editor: Madison Wepfer Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

­

Chuck Todd speaks to students, faculty and community members during the Presidential Lecture Series.

Madison Wepfer

Assistant Features Editor mwepfer@murraystate.edu

Chuck Todd, mediator of “Meet the Press” and political director of NBC News, gave students and community members political insight Tuesday night in Lovett Auditorium.

He spoke about everything from the corruption within political parties to the role of the millennial generation in politics.

He also pointed out the growing conflict between journalists and politicians and how it should be solved.

Todd said both Republicans and Democrats have issues that need to be addressed.

He said “no party” is growing every year because some people no longer define themselves as being Republican or Democrat, and more and more people have stopped voting altogether.

“Fewer people voted in 2014 – a 70-year lull in voting,” Todd said. “Political parties are spending more money than ever, and fewer people are showing up to vote. That’s the issue staring us in the face.”

Todd said a big player in this problem is “big data.” Politicians and campaign workers are too obsessed with looking for data such as demographics and forget that communication and persuasion are the most important parts of a political campaign.

“Big data is dividing us more than ever,” Todd said. “The system was designed as a mechanism for compromise, but it has changed into a system for gridlock.”

Another issue is that everyone is always searching to confirm their own biases.

“Many of us are interested confirming our own biases and one way to learn and grow is to spend time with people who are different than you,” said Catherine Sivills, assistant vice president of branding, marketing and communications.

Todd said there are several ways to solve this issue: Get to know people of different

backgrounds or political affiliations. Another thing that will surely help solve the problems in the political marketplace is the millennial generation.

Millennials, aka Generation Y, have the power to fix the issues in Washington, according to Todd. Older generations often say current college students never want to talk to people face-to-face; they want to hide behind a screen.

Regardless of the disapproval millennials may get from their parents or grandparents, Todd said this generation will change the political world for the better.

“This new generation, – this millennial generation, they have to be the ones to fix this,” Todd said.

He said people in this generation seek out small communities and are willing to communicate with each other, contrary to popular belief. He also said technology mixed with impatience mixed with skepticism of big institutions will help rebuild the political marketplace.

“Technology may change, but humans never change,” Todd said. “Everyone learns that they need to communicate with each other.”

Sivills said it’s important for people, especially college students, to stay interested in politics because young people are the future.

“I hope students left the lecture feeling challenged in one way or another,” Sivills said. “I think the take away from last night was for people of all ages to stay interested in what our political leaders are doing and engage in politics and governing on some level.”

The third point Todd made regarded journalists and politicians. He said politicians are afraid to speak with journalists for fear of the “gotcha” or “viral” moment.

They are afraid to answer questions and be truthful because politicians know that they

see LECTURE,6B Nicole Ely/The News

Rodeo pageant postponed to May WKMS to host special guest during ‘Live Lunch’ broadcast Taylor Inman || Staff writer tinman1@murraystate.edu

It seems impossible that the radio can break away from playing the same music that we hear on a daily basis. It’s all golden oldies, country hits and top forty songs.

However, right here in Murray we have some relief thanks to WKMS. Not just because the music is different, but in some cases, it’s even live.

“Sounds Good” for instance plays their daily radio show at noon on 91.3 FM. “Live Lunch” is more than regular airplay, as well.

Live Lunch is one of the station’s biggest hits. Hosts Tracy Ross and Austin Carter take local talent and have them perform a small set on air during their show.

WKMS has had talents that play everything from funk and blues to country and folk.

The upcoming “Live Lunch” will display singer-songwriter Nick Dittmeier & The Sawdusters.

Dittmeier was born and raised in southern Indiana. He was the front man for the alternative country band Slithering Beasts for five years until deciding to go solo in 2013.

He’s had tremendous success in his singer-songwriting career, even earning a nomination for “Songwriter of the Year” at the inaugural Louisville Music Awards. This information and more can be found on his personal website and Facebook page.

Moving forward in his career, Dittmeier gets more out of the music than the awards.

“I really try not to focus on that stuff, I really just try to focus on getting better and getting my songs out to people,” Dittmeier said.

Like history’s most memorable musicians, Dittmeier believes in being in it for the thrill of performing.

“I’m just excited to keep playing in front of people and working with my band, which I think the world of,” said Dittmeier. “Right now we’re just writing new songs and working on a new record for early 2016.

This is Dittmeier’s first visit to Murray and he is ready for the challenge of performing live on radio rather than in person.

“The best part of doing the live radio is trying to translate the live energy we bring to the listeners at home,” he said.

Dittmeier’s performance as well as every future “Live Lunch” will be on air at 91.3 FM, or you can watch live past performances on WKMS’ website.

Tiffany Whitfill || Staff writer twhitfill1@murraystate.edu

Frigid temperatures and frozen roads allowed entertainment for students who wanted to sled or catch up on a television series instead of attending class.

Although, the weather has affected not only the academic schedule, but also disrupted the Miss Murray State University Rodeo Pageant.

Originally, the pageant was set to take place this Saturday. However, due to rescheduling of other rodeo events and weather precautions, the pageant has been moved tentatively to May 3.

Kim Bellah, associate professor of agricultural science, hopes to hold an informational meeting for potential contestants the week after Spring Break. Applications are due mid-March.

Eligibility is based on the requirements for the Miss Rodeo USA pageant as well as the guidelines to be a collegiate representative for Murray State.

Contestants must be a female full-time undergraduate or graduate student at Murray State and 18 to 24 years old.

The winner of the title Miss Murray State Rodeo Queen must have a willingness to promote rodeo and the western way of life.

Criterion for judging is divided into four parts.

These categories include personal interview, horsemanship where contestants must ride two patterns, a written exam which is based on collegiate rodeo rules and current events and an appearance section where the contestant will model a western outfit and give a two minute speech on a rodeo topic of their choice.

Miss Murray State Rodeo will receive a prize package including a crown, banner, buckle, a pair of chaps and some donated

see PAGEANT, 6B

Antiquing proves to be large hobby Kayla MacAllister Staff writer

kmacallister@murraystate.edu

While Macklemore and Ryan Lewis gave Goodwill and smaller thrift shops some publicity, few students seem to take advantage of the plethora of antique shops this pocket of western Kentucky offers. Hazel, Ky., a short eight miles from Murray, was named one of the “10 Best Antiquing Towns in the U.S.” by Fodor’s Travel website at the end of January.

Hazel appeared on the travel site’s list in the company of much larger towns, such as Charleston, S.C. In fact, Hazel boasts the list’s smallest population, beating out the next smallest town by about 300 people.

“With only about 410 people, Hazel is a small but mighty antiquing town, as it boasts a remarkable 12 independent antique stops,” said Fodor’s Travel writer Zachary Laks. “Almost all of these shops line the town’s Main Street allowing for an easy day-long stroll through American history. Trace through decades of country fashion at

the State Line Ranch & Home, where hats, jeans, boots and rodeo gear fly off the shelves.

Then walk on over to Blue Moon Antiques, where definitive furniture pieces such as over-sized armoires are so remarkable, they demand attention.”

Not all students have the space for armoires or chests

of drawers, but other treasures can be salvaged among the larger, not so practical items for residential colleges or apartments.

One-of-a-kind lamps, vases or other decorations are practically guaranteed to be found in antique stores.

There are not only decorations, though – practical items

like sewing machines or repurposed wood pallets can be found in order to create DIY Pinterest projects.

Brennan Handley, junior from Springfield, Ill., started antiquing three years ago when her mom and sister got her into it.

see ANTIQUES, 6B

Hannah Fowl/The News

Peddler’s Mall in Murray has a vast array of antiques for people to comb through for hidden treasures.

The News

Features

6B

The week ahead...

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

February 27, 2015

If you would like an event to appear on the calendar here or on TheNews.org, email Features Editor, Breanna Sill, at bsill@murraystate.edu. Please submit events by noon Wednesday for consideration.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

27

28

01

02

03

04

05

7 p.m.

Murder mystery dinner, CFSB Center, Murray Room

8 a.m.

Regional KyAEA high school art exhibit, Clara M. Eagle Gallery

3:30 p.m.

Freshman/sophomore voice recital, Price Doyle Fine Arts Building

Noon Shakespeare flash mob, Curris Center Rocking Chair Lounge

2 p.m.

Stage combat workshop, Lovett Auditorium

9 a.m.

All majors Career Fair, Curris Center, third floor

7 p.m.

“Hamlet,” Lovett Auditorium

LECTURE From Page 5B will be crucified in the media if they misspeak.

Todd said the way journalists and politicians should solve this is by being honest with each other.

Journalists need to stop looking for the one mistake a politician makes and using it to blow up against them, said Todd.

Instead of trying to catch a candidate in the wrong, they need to be more focused on the important questions – questions about policies and intentions.

However, politicians are in the wrong as well.

Todd said American politics have lost their ability to persuade and communicate.

Candidates and current politicians need to learn how to persuade voters and communicate with them rather than worrying about avoiding a scandal.

Stephanie Elder, adjunct lecturer of journalism, said she thinks journalism has evolved with technology and social media, and those aspects of the field have changed how media reports on politics.

“I do agree with Todd that some politicians are more afraid of speaking to the public because of these gotcha moments and that is truly a disservice to the American public,” Elder said. “It is through journalists that politicians are able to speak to the public about what they truly think.”

She said some journalists or networks tend to report one side of a story in hopes they get a more sensational headline and gain more readers.

However, journalists should always remain objective and stick to telling the story objectively.

“As a journalist, I believe we have a responsibility to remain objective and unbiased when it comes to covering politics,” Elder said. “We teach our students that our job as journalists is to tell the story, the whole story, and that includes both sides of the isle without injecting our own personal views.”

PAGEANT From Page 5B prizes from local businesses.

Perhaps the most important prize included in the package is the entrance fee to the Miss Rodeo USA pageant which is paid by the Murray State Rodeo Club.

The Miss Rodeo USA pageant is set up similarly to Murray State’s collegiate pageant.

However, the national pageant is located in Oklahoma City and takes place over the span of one week.

Murray State has a particular claim to fame at this platform, being the only collegiate queen among ambassadors representing professional rodeo associations in their respective states.

Bellah said in the years Murray State contestants have been awarded titles such as Miss Congeniality, second runner-up and third runner-up.

Winners at the national level also boasts a large prize package, including a $5,000 career cash advancement, a buckle, a saddle, travel ex-

Emoji generation When words can’t describe a feeling, a new form of communication speaks volumes.

Tiffany Whitfill || Staff writer twhitfill1@murraystate.edu

In a generation where Instagram feeds are covered with food and selfies and Twitter is plastered with hashtags, text messages have their own symbolic character, emojis.

Communication is changing form as fast as our thumbs can type.

An added visual element to our texts are emoji keyboards. With more than five categories and 32 pages of emojis to choose from on the Apple iPhone alone, some students think there are both pros and cons to using the characters.

Time magazine decided to investigate the use of emojis and cited Tyler Schnoebelen’s thesis work that was based solely on the use of emoticons.

In his research, Schnoebelen found interesting statistics about the usage of emojis in Twitter or casual text conversations. “(Emojis) act like punctuation, providing cues about how to understand the words that came before them, as an exclamation point might,” Time magazine staff writer Katy Steinmetz said.

While sentence structure may seem appropriate for text messages, the order in which emojis are sent has also shown statistical background through research.

Schnoebelen said that emojis can deliver a storyline and the order that emojis are sent can represent a completely different plot.

“A different order could convey an entirely different idea or story, when we’re used to reading our narratives from left to right,” Schnoebelen said.

Ashley Jones, senior from Highlands Ranch, Colo., said that emojis help communication be-

penses and more.

Bellah said she believes having a pageant winner allows the public to get a better understanding of rodeo.

“When I was hired I visited with J.D. Vanhooser, the rodeo coach, to see if he would be interested in coordinating the pageant for him,” Bellah said. “When you have someone to serve as an ambassador, it’s a tradition.”

Bellah said there is a misunderstanding among the public about what rodeo is, why it is performed and the rules put in place protecting the animals.

Because Murray State has a strong tradition of rodeo, Bellah believes the pageant is an additional way to promote the activity.

“Having someone work the crowd and go to schools puts a liaison between the contestants and the general public,” Bellah said.

The pageant will be open to the public with portions taking place at the William Bill Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center and Wrather West Kentucky Museum.

Admission to the event is free because Bellah said she wants the community to come out and enjoy the contestants’ talents and a night of rodeo tradition.

cause they add another element to texting.

Jones said that there are certain times when emojis are appropriate.

“Emojis are good for casual conversations with friends but should not be used when texting a superior,” she said.

Jared Ray, junior from Murray, agreed that emojis can help communication, especially in conditions where the meaning of the text can be misinterpreted.

“I don’t think emojis are hurting communication,” Ray said. “I think in some ways it makes texting more effective because you can actually show emotion and people can actually figure out if you’re trying to use sarcasm or something like that.”

With more than 250 emojis, users can express their emotions, show what they are doing or provide comedic relief in an otherwise ordinary conversation.

Madeline Slimack, senior from Belleville, Ill., said that emojis help her understand when the sender is happy, sad or angry.

Jones also said she thinks people use emojis as non-verbal cues when they are texting because she thinks they are a simple way to translate emotion.

To some, the benefits of using emojis outweigh any rules that others may set for them. Slimack said she uses emojis all the time.

In contrast, both Ray and Jones said they try use emojis when explaining how they feel.

“I use them sparingly with close friends,” Jones said.

While there are both written and unwritten rules for when to use emojis, some students say it is a personal preference.

ANTIQUES From Page 5B

“In the Murray area, I personally have only been to Trends and Treasures as far as thrift store go,” she said. “They have items ranging from furniture to clothing. There is something for everyone. My main goal is usually to have something to look for and hopefully find it.”

While one definition of “antique” is something ancient, it also refers to an item that is prized or is a collectible because of its age.

Antiquing is common for those looking to furnish a home or that antiques solely belong to an outdated sense of style.

But, there are antique pieces that can be paired with modern decor to pull a room together, or become useful appliances.

Handley has found that antiquing has provided an opportunity for her and her family to bond.

“One of my favorite items that my family and I found is an old buffet server,” she said. “We got

Emojis

for dummies Staff writer, Tiffany Whitfill, asked her interviewees some basic do’s and don’ts for emoji use.

TW: Does putting a laughing emoji after an insult really soften the blow?

Madeline Slimack: No, I honestly think it makes it worse.

Ashley Jones: I think it can because it helps the reader understand that something was not to be taken seriously, but I still think you need to be careful with what you put in writing.

Jared Ray: I don’t think it softens the blow, but in some cases it could cause people to misinterpret what the intent of the message really was.

TW: Should emojis be used on Facebook?

Madeline Slimack: I don’t think emojis are appropriate for Facebook.

Ashley Jones: It depends on the emoji, but usually, yes.

Jared Ray: I personally don’t like using emojis on Facebook, but I would say it all depends on the message you are trying to send.

TW: If you could create a rule for emojis what would it be?

Ashley Jones: Don’t overuse emojis.

Jared Ray: Don’t use them in excess. I would say no more than three per message.

TW: What would you consider a rule breaker with emojis?

Ashley Jones: Using them in place of an explanation in a serious conversation.

Jared Ray: I would say a rule breaker for emojis would be using them in an office setting.

a great deal on it because its leg was broken. My favorite part was helping my dad sand it down and repaint it.”

If an antiquing trip seems like it’s not going to be successful, students may want to take another look at their options and see if there is anything there that could be refurbished. And, if they like the idea of refurbished items but lack craftiness, they can visit Sunshine Lane, a shop set in Merchant’s Market in Murray. The shop has a following because the mother-daughter pair that runs it refurbishes furniture and other domestic pieces.

Patience is one of the most important things students will need to take with them when antiquing, though. Shopping in some antique stores is like shopping at Forever 21 – sorting through the good and the bad takes time, but the end result is more than worth it.

“I think it is worth it to go if you have specific items you are looking for; if not, you could wander around aimlessly wasting your time,” Handley said. “I think students could find antiquing and thrift shopping useful when shopping for their apartments. I know of a lot of people who have found their furniture at those places for a great price.”

1813 U.S. 641 Murray, Ky

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GAGA FOR ‘AMERICAN HORROR STORY’

A surprise star will appear in the next season of “American Horror Story.” Singer Lady Gaga will take to the next season of the series, “American Horror Story: Hotel.”

The date for the new season has not yet been released except that it will be in October. No other cast members have been announced.

‘PARKS AND REC’ COMES TO A CLOSE

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Directed by Matthew Vaughn, “Kingsman: The Secret Service” is the story of a spy organization recruiting a promising new member of their team.

Kingsman is a bloody good spy flick John Gruccio || Contributing writer jgruccio@murraystate.edu

SMITH REVISITS HIS RAP CAREER Will Smith will return to the music industry once again. The actor told E! News that he has been working with Kanye West on a new rap album.

“I went into the studio with (Kanye) a couple times,” Smith said. “I’m trying to find my voice.”

Soundbyte “I feel like watching my dating life has become a bit of a national pastime.”

-Taylor Swift to Rolling Stone

When it comes to action films, the spy genre is one of the most fascinating.

With series like James Bond and Jason Bourne being known as the best of the best, it can be difficult to bring something new to the table. “Kingsman: The Secret Service” definitely does not fall into any difficulty. It sets a new standard for all to admire.

As a man of order and refinement, Harry Hart has led a life of dedication to his country. As an agent with the prestigious and secret organization known as “Kingsman,” he risks his life daily for the betterment of society.

However, when Harry comes to the aid of Eggsy, the son of a fallen friend, who has particular skills that need certain refining, he decides to offer him a unique opportunity. In order to see him do better and use his potential, Harry recruits him for the Kingsman’s competitive training program. As Eggsy starts to prove himself, a technological global threat emerges with a twisted genius at the head of it.

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” stars Colin Firth, Taron Egerton, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella and Michael Caine.

Always being a potential candidate and favorite for the coveted role of

007, Colin Firth rises to the occasion for this film. With a background in dramas, he shows us all the sophistication we would expect of a British gentleman and the sincerity of being a father-like figure to Eggsy, but also surprisingly excels effortlessly with the varying levels of intense action showcased in the film.

Newcomer Taron Egerton is a revelation in this film.

He embraces the role of Eggsy with acrobatic agility and convincing charm.

We all know Samuel L. Jackson for being the villain in most of his films.

However, his portrayal of the villainous technological billionaire Richmond Valentine is a role unlike any other he has played. Jackson is able to weave in between the lines of insanity and comedic-like nerdiness.

Matthew Vaughn, who is most notable for directing both 2010’s “Kick-Ass” and 2011’s “X-Men: First Class,” has garnered a reputation for constantly raising expectations and even more so delivering with film adaptations of known comic books.

With “Kingsman,” not only does he not miss a beat, but also brings the spy genre a new and unique crowning gem.

The visuals and fight choreography in this film are both fresh and jaw dropping.

You wouldn’t think that visuals would matter more than usual with an action movie, but trust me you will enjoy the

attention to detail shown in the film.

I will admit that the concept of Jackson’s villainous plan is very hard to believe and even more so to wrap your head around. However, it is very entertaining. Besides that, there is not a false note or weak performance throughout the film.

If you appreciate a good action adventure and spy movie, I highly recommend “Kingsman: The Secret Service.”

Quick Facts Title:

Kingsman: The Secret Service

Rating: R

Cast:

Adrian Quinton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Jonno Davies, Jack Davenport, Alex Nikolov, Samantha Womack, Mark Hamill and Velibor Topic

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D e a r cupcake-lovers, quit being so pretentious and just eat a slice of cake.

A l though cake is always secMadison Wepfer ond to pie, it is still the origAssistant inal and most Features Editor sought after dessert of all sweets. Cake is a staple for every celebration. What’s a birthday, wedding or graduation without cake? Furthermore, is there not a sense of rage and disgust when you show up to a party and find out no one brought a cake?

From bundt cake to crumb cake to angel food cake to upside-down cake, most people love cake. That being said, cupcakes are at the opposite end of the spectrum and the bane of cake’s existence. If cake is the mother of all desserts, cupcakes are cake’s pretentious, ungrateful daughter.

Why eat a cupcake when you can eat a whole cake? It’s like having a morsel of deliciousness rather then an entire platter of it. I understand cupcakes are cute with their dollops of icing and adorable decorations. However, I still maintain that cupcakes have no place in the dessert world, and here’s why: The first major problem is the frosting.

Half of a cupcake is cake and the other half is frosting. Who wants to bite into a dessert with a mouthful of heavy, sugary gunk? I don’t care if it takes like heaven on earth. A piece of cake gives you the perfect ratio of cake to frosting. With a cupcake, you end up missing the most important part – the cake itself – and wasting your time with a mound of frosting.

Second is the amount of effort it takes to eat a cupcake.

When I eat a dessert, I don’t want to strategize how I’m going to eat it, and I definitely don’t want to look like an idiot trying to get my mouth around an enormous mound of frosting. I want to eat it as quickly and efficiently as possible.

No matter what your cupcake-eating strategy is, you always end up with a mess of crumbs, frosting and an awkward piece of demolished cake to shove in your mouth. Some would say, “Well, Madison, that’s why you use a fork.” Well, if I’m going to use a fork and a plate, then I’m just going to get a piece of cake instead.

What’s the point?

The third problem I have with cupcakes is their decor. It is perhaps what makes them so unlikable above anything else.

Even with their fancy and glamorous decorations, cupcakes hold no candle to cake itself. Sprinkles are one thing, but elaborate flowers and decorations made out of fondant are past ridiculous. Earth to cupcake bakers – cake is an art in itself.

Creating elaborate “works of art” in the form or frosting and sugar is just mocking the generations of the cupcake’s classic cake predecessors.

Given these reasons, cupcakes are a waste of time and a waste of perfectly good cake. Why are there countless cupcake bakeries sprouting up all over the U.S., and why do we have TV shows devoted to baking and decorating cupcakes?

Let’s look at our lives and look at our choices, America. Get it together and just eat a dang piece of cake.

Sincerely, a die-hard cake lover. mwepfer@murraystate.edu

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February 27, 2015