The Murray State News

The Murray State News September 11, 2015

TheNews.org

Out of the

FLU

Zachary Maley/The News

Abby Siegel

Contributing writer asiegel@murraystate.edu

A student walks into Waterfield Library. Steering to the left, she heads toward Starbooks for a snack and passes by a student who sneezes in her direction. According to the Center for Disease Control, even if she is six feet away from that person, Influenza might have found it’s next target.

Influenza – commonly known as the flu – affects 5 to 20 percent of the American population each year, according to the Center for Disease Control. Flu spreads from person to person, making the University campus a petri dish for the virus, especially in residential colleges and classrooms.

The flu is highly contagious and spreads most commonly through the air as liquid droplets from coughs and sneezes.

Symptoms include chills, headache, sore muscles, cough, sore throat, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhea. Those with mild symptoms should feel better in less than a week. On average, each year 200,000 Americans are hospitalized because of the flu. A flu shot can reduce the risk of getting the virus or can make the symptoms milder for those who get the virus.

Kim Paschall, director of Health Services, recommends that all students get vaccinated.

“They are protecting themselves and other people,” Paschall said.

“It’s important to the wellness of the

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whole campus.”

Despite the benefits of the flu vaccination, many college students decide not to get the shot. Last fall, free flu shots were offered on campus and about 200 students got the shot.

Kristin Henson, senior from Mayfield, Kentucky, said she doesn’t believe the shot is a “fix all” for all students.

In 2011, Henson got a flu shot but later developed the flu and was hospitalized because her fever was so high.

“I haven’t got one since,” she said.

Henson doesn’t think the vaccination is bad, however, and said she believes it is a good prevention strategy as she used to get the shot every year.

Health Services administers flu shots beginning mid-September, but the ideal time to get a vaccination is at the start of October, as flu season runs from October to May. Paschall said the vaccinations provided by Health Services won’t give people the flu because they are dead viruses that allow your body to create antibodies against the virus. Allergic reactions are not common from the shot.

Many students have never had a flu shot in their lifetime. Shannon Adington, junior from Stanford, Kentucky, is one of them.

“I never went to the doctor as a kid,” Adington said. “Medical institutions are normal for those who went a lot as a child.”

She said she doesn’t get sick very often, but she attributes her mild colds at the start of each semester to living on campus.

“So far it hasn’t been necessary for me,” she said in regard to the flu shot.

On the other hand, other students, like Michael Simon, senior from Louisville, Kentucky, said they have gotten the flu shot every year since childhood.

Simon said he has had the flu shot every year since his childhood and has never had the flu.

“If you have never had the flu then you’re probably not worried about

see FLU, 2A

Shooting off campus results in one death

Alicia Steele || Staff writer asteele5@murraystate.edu

An 18-year-old former high school class president with goals of transferring to Murray State died Wednesday night after his friend accidentally shot him in the chest, according to the Murray Police Department.

Jamel Al-Shubili, of Mayfield, Kentucky, was shot at a friend’s duplex on Stadium View Drive around 8 p.m.

Police say Al-Shubili’s friend Tearron Sherrill, of Mayfield, pulled the trigger while waving the gun around as the two friends were hanging out.

Sherrill faces 2nd degree manslaughter and tampering with evidence charges. He is being held at the Calloway County Jail and will be arraigned at 10 a.m. Friday.

The Murray Police Department responded Wednesday at 8:22 p.m. to a call that a person had been shot. When officers arrived, they found AlShubili bleeding near a car in the driveway. Sherrill, covered in blood, was with him.

Officers tried to help AlShubili and gather information on what happened.

The officers noticed several other people at the apartment “screaming and stating they did not know who shot him,” according to the police report from Detective Michael Rob-

inson.

The witnesses told police they heard a gunshot and ran downstairs to see Sherrill holding Al-Shubili as Sherrill yelled that his friend had been shot. They said Sherrill began pulling Al-Shubili out the door and into the driveway to try and get him into a car, according to the police report.

Witnesses said that before the gunshot, Sherrill “had the gun and had been rapping to music clicking the hammer back and forth with the music.”

One witness said Sherrill had been waving the gun around and showing it off, according to Robinson’s report.

While clearing the residence, officers found a gun on the couch. Moments later, Sherrill came down the steps, and the gun disappeared. Officers asked Sherrill where the gun went, and he said he did not know and would not cooperate.

Everyone inside of the apartment was detained and the officers were given consent by the renters of the apartment, to search the home.

During the search, officers found the gun in a duffle bag in an upstairs bedroom closet, according to Robinson’s report. This led to the tampering with evidence charge.

Police also charged Sherrill with 2nd degree manslaughter,

see SHOOTING, 2A

Professors call for statue’s removal in Frankfort Lauren Epperson

Contributing writer lepperson1@murraystate.edu

Four Murray State history professors joined 68 other Kentucky scholars in calling for the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue from the Capitol rotunda in Frankfort, Kentucky.

In the letter, past and present professors from 16 public and private universities requested the removal of the statue in response to a vote held by the Kentucky Historic Properties Advisory Committee’s that decided on Aug. 4 to keep the statue.

The professors – including Charlotte Beahan, James Bolin, Marjorie Hilton and David Pizzo of Murray State – addressed the letter to Gov. Steve Beshear and the historic properties committee.

“The statue’s presence in the Capitol rotunda minimizes the significance of slavery as a cause of the Civil War, downplays the human suffering of millions and endows the Southern cause with a nobility it does not deserve,” the letter states.

The Jefferson Davis statue is one of five statues standing in Kentucky’s Capitol rotunda in Frankfort. Other Kentuckians represented in the rotunda are 19th century Ephraim McDowell, statesman Henry Clay, former U.S. Vice President Alben Barkley and former President Abraham Lincoln.

“The Capitol rotunda is a place that should honor Kentuckians that have made significant contributions to Kentucky history,” Bolin said. “Jefferson Davis really made no contribution to Kentucky.”

Davis is best known for his

role as the president of the Confederacy during the Civil War. The latest debate over removing his statue began this summer as other states, such as South Carolina, removed the Confederate flag from government buildings.

This came after a self-described white supremacist, Dylann Roof, was charged with murder in the shooting of nine people at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina.

“The Jefferson Davis Statue is basically glorifying the failures of the South,” said Davis Hopkins, junior from Metropolis, Illinois.

Although Jefferson Davis was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and studied at Transylvania University, he lived most of his life in Mississippi and identified himself as a Mississippian.

“To me he is a symbol of something removed from

Kentucky,” said Kathy Callahan, chairwoman of the Murray State department of history. “He didn’t see himself as a Kentuckian after he left here.”

He served a term in Congress as a U.S. representative and later represented Mississippi in the U.S. Senate as the U.S. Secretary of War under President Franklin Pierce.

“I don’t see any reason for his statue to be displayed in the building when he did not serve for the state of Kentucky,” said Alisha Kempher, sophomore from Benton, Kentucky.

Many historians who signed the letter, including Bolin, said they believe that the statue should be removed from the rotunda and placed in the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky

see STATUE, 2A

Photo courtesy of WLKY.com

Four Murray State history professors have called for the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue.

Preliminary enrollment down, admissions to change Teddy Martin

Contributing writer emartin11@murraystate.edu

Murray State has 400 fewer students on campus than last fall, according to preliminary enrollment numbers.

The 10,488 students who reported to campus represent a 3 percent drop from last year’s population of 10,829.

“The decrease in enrollment can be attributed to many factors,” said Fred Dietz, associate vice president of enrollment services.

“We saw an increase in new transfer students for the fall 2014 semester due to the closing of Mid-Continent University,” he said. “That closing

WHAT’S

INSIDE

added approximately 100 to 120 students to [Murray State]. We did not have that for this fall 2015 semester, so we are seeing a drop in new transfer students.”

Dietz said Murray State is seeing a slight drop in new freshmen and believes this can be attributed to a declining high school population in Western Kentucky and the addition of the Tennessee Promise Program.

The Tennessee Promise Program is both a scholarship and mentoring program focused on increasing the number of students that attend college in Tennessee. It provides students a last-dollar scholarship, meaning the scholarship will cover

tuition and fees not covered by the Pell grant, the HOPE scholarship or state student assistance funds.

Dietz said the University also saw a slight decrease in international numbers due to some graduate programs capping enrollment.

“In essence, we had no more space and could not accommodate new international students in certain international graduate programs. Additionally, we had fewer international exchange students come to [Murray State],” he said.

Dietz said during this time the government of Brazil ended sponsorship of students studying in the U.S., which resulted in fewer Brazilian students at-

tending Murray State.

While retention remained fairly consistent to previous years, Murray State is seeing a drop in returning freshmen and sophomore students. Typically, the leading causes for students not returning are due to financial issues as well as personal issues.

However, enrollment numbers aren’t the only change that will effect campus because admission standards will be changed for the fall 2016 entering class.

The previous standards require incoming freshmen to have a minimum of an 18 composite score on their ACT in addition to a 3.0 GPA, whereas the new standards will be based

on four tiers. The tiers for admission will begin with an ACT requirement of 18. The top tier will include ACT scores of 23 or higher.

Shannon Davis, sophomore from Paris, Tennessee, said raising admission standards will likely send admission numbers plummeting.

“I think that sometimes GPA and test scores don’t adequately measure intelligence. I think that standardized testing is a thing of the past,” she said.

“People are intelligent, but that isn’t reflected in standardized testing.”

Davis also said it might not be fair to those who have learn-

see ENROLLMENT, 2A

KATE LOCHTE

OUR VIEW

Station manager for Murray State’s WKMS retires, 6A

Kim Davis and the separation of Football Head Coach Mitch church and state, 4A Stewart begins year one, 1B

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COLLEGE PLAYLIST We compiled a list of top tracks for any occasion, 5B

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2A

FLU From Page 1

it,” Simon said about students who refuse to get the flu shot.

He said he encourages all students to get the flu shot because he has seen how it affects the body, as many of his friends have had it.

Health Services administers free flu shots throughout the year. If you have symptoms of the flu, Paschall recommends stopping by Health Services to make sure there are no other illnesses to be aware of such as a secondary bacterial infection. Additionally, rest, drinking plenty of fluids, isolating yourself and taking Tylenol for fever are important steps to combat the flu once you have the virus.

Preventative action, in addition to a flu shot, should be taken against the flu. Paschall recommends practicing good hand-washing, drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of rest, covering your cough, eating healthy and avoiding those who are sick.

Health Services will be providing free flu shots to students from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 6 in the Curris Center and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the Wellness Center.

They will also be offered from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 8 in the Curris Center. Faculty and staff will be able to receive free flu shots on Oct. 28.

Students will fill out a short form, read an educational handout and then receive their shot at one of the many stations. It is on a walk-in basis and is a quick process.

Paschall highly recommends that those with a chronic illness, a lower immune system or those around sick people often – such as nursing students – should get the vaccination.

Additionally those who are very busy or stressed are at a greater risk of getting sick.

Paschall recommends they get the vaccination as well.

“I would like to see the number of shots we administer increase,” she said. “I’m hoping we run out and have to buy more.”

When and where to get a free flu shot:

s s Le

n a th

Oct. 6: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Curris Center and 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Wellness Center Oct 8: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Curris Center

September 11, 2015

ENROLLMENT From Page 1 ing disabilities or test anxiety.

She said she understood the University was trying to be more prestigious by raising the test score standards.

“I think they should keep the admission standards,” Davis said. “But I think they should look into other avenues of testing for students who don’t do well with testing but have a lot to offer their field of interest.”

While some students are opposed to the standards, Justin Carman, a prospective student, said students would have to work harder if they wanted to come to Murray State.

“I think we’re raising our academic standards because we want to prepare students for the incoming workload,” he said. “It ought to help the University as a whole because you have to watch out for that dropout rate. Kids come in, with minimum grades, barely scraping by, and then they can’t handle the workload and drop out.”

The University has a large pool to draw from when it comes to admissions. It enrolls students from 16 foreign countries, 25 states and about 72 Kentucky counties. However,

Faculty and staff can receive free flu shots on Oct. 28

% of students took advantage of the free flu shot

SHOOTING From Page 1

Graphic by Alex Hilkey/The News

STATUE

From Page 1

History in Frankfort where it would receive more visitors.

There has also been discussion about replacing the Jefferson Davis statue with one that represents a woman or African-American of Kentucky history; there are none

on display in the rotunda.

“All five of those statues are white men and it is high time that we honor the contributions of Kentucky women and of Kentucky African-Americans by placing a statue in the Capitol rotunda to honor their contributions,” Bolin said.

Speaker of the Kentucky House, Rep. Greg Stumbo, a Democrat from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, has an-

nounced his intent to file legislation in the State Grand Assembly that would call for removing the statue.

Kenny Imes, Republican from Murray, said in a statement that he does not intent to support Speaker Stumbo’s bill.

“This is not an issue of political correctness,” Bolin said. “It is an issue of the accurate preservation of Kentucky history.”

which is defined as an unlawful killing that does not involve intent to seriously harm or kill, or extreme, reckless disregard for life.

As word of Al-Shubili’s death spread Thursday, friends and former classmates remembered him as a dedicated student and friend. As a member of the class of 2015 from Mayfield High School, Al-Shubili was the class president, a member of the soccer team and was involved in the drug free program.

“If you went to Mayfield, you knew him,” said Jenny Ma, who graduated with Al-Shubili in May. Ma and fellow classmate Emily Klapp are both freshman at Murray State.

dropout rates are an ever-present obstacle to universities.

As of 2013, Murray State had a graduation rate of about 53 percent, according to a survey by the Kentuckian Counsel for Postsecondary Education. This was recorded for six-year graduates of Murray State. The rate is about 47 percent for five-year graduates and 29 percent for four-year graduates of Murray State.

What this means is 53 percent of Murray’s graduates come out of the University with a six-year degree, 47 percent graduate with a five year degree and 29 percent of them graduate with a four year-bachelor degree.

“There is a silver lining,” Dietz said. “We saw more new first time freshmen attending Murray State from the 18 county service region than last year. This is encouraging as part of the University mission is to serve the 18 county region and students from these counties. Additionally, we saw an overall increase in returning junior and seniors students attending [Murray State].”

Dietz said he hopes there will not be an impact on the new freshmen.

“In essence, we will seek to increase our applicant pool to make more offers of admission to students who are high achieving,” he said.

Klapp said Al-Shubili planned to transfer to Murray State from WKCTC to pursue photojournalism. She said he was constantly traveling between Mayfield and Murray visiting friends, so it was not unusual that he was in Murray the night of the shooting.

Ma and Klapp said Al-Shubili’s friend Michael Eli Mohney and Mohney’s mother were shot and killed last September.

During Mayfield High School football games, Mohney would run the field with the school flag after a touchdown during home games. After Mohney was killed, it was Al-Shubili who took over the tradition in his honor.

That’s that kind of guy AlShubili was, Klapp said.

“Everyone loved talking to him,” she said. “He could brighten your day just because he was so positive.”

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September 11, 2015 News Editor: Mari-Alice Jasper Assistant Editor: Jessica Bostick Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

POLICE BEAT Sept. 3 8:37 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious person in the Quad.

The person was located by officers and all appeared normal.

10:29 p.m. A caller reported a reckless driver near Roy Stewart Stadium. The driver was gone upon police arrival.

Sept. 4 9:57 a.m. A motor vehicle collision was reported at the A. Carmon Pavilion Animal Health Facility. There were no injuries.

10:29 a.m. An arrest was made in the parking lot behind Winslow Dining Hall for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and promoting contraband in the second degree.

Sept. 5 2:37 a.m. Officers were called to check on an intoxicated person at Elizabeth Residential College.

1:30 p.m. A traffic stop was conducted in the Curris Center parking lot for speeding. A verbal warning was issued.

Sept. 6 10:41 a.m. A traffic stop was conducted on Payne Street by White Residential College. A verbal warning was given for failure to wear a seatbelt.

9:09 p.m. A reckless driver was reported in the Residential College Circle parking lot. Officers were notified but the driver was gone upon arrival.

Sept. 7 1:57 a.m. A medical emergency was reported at Cutchin Field.

The person was transported by ambulance to the Murray-Calloway County Hospital.

7:23 p.m. Housing staff reported a disorderly person at College Courts and requested officers’ assistance.

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WKMS station manager to retire Ashley Traylor

Contributing writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

After 26 years, Kate Lochte will retire from her position as station manager at WKMS, an NPR station operated by Murray State, effective Oct. 1.

Lochte attended Murray State for her Master of Arts in English. She came to Murray State with television and radio broadcast knowledge when her husband, Bob Lochte, joined the Journalism and Mass Communications Department staff.

Kate Lochte joined WKMS in 1989 as secretary, but quickly proved herself worthy of station manager. She said she has held positions from manager, program producer and host and on-air fundraising and interviewing to copy editor at WKMS. “My favorite thing about working for WKMS was learning something new every day,” she said.

Lochte said over the years she has gained knowledge from the community and her regular listeners, as well as programming produced by other WKMS staff and volunteers. She said she also enjoys NPR, BBC and APM programming.

Her on-air work includes “Sounds Good,” the half-hour community arts show “What’s Goin’ On,” music programs such as “Ports of Call” and holiday specials such as “A Kentucky Christmas.”

Lochte worked with Allen Fowler, chief engineer for WKMS, to create not only a broader coverage area, but also to deliver a more reliable signal to rural areas.

Lochte and Fowler addressed this by adding low-power auxiliary systems, back-up service and ground

Jenny Rohl/The News

Lochte was awarded the “Kate B. Lochte Transmission Fund” by Murray State to be given to WKMS. Lochte’s retirement is effective beginning Oct. 1. systems to reduce interruption due to weather. The radio station now reaches nearly 6,700 square miles.

During Lochte’s time as manager, she was a participant in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting National Leadership Program “Next Generation,” where she began relationships with grant, policy and program makers.

As a result, Murray State received funding assistance for new studio equipment. Lochte’s participation in the program also helped with the expansion of WKMS. Lochte was not only a driving

force at WKMS, but also in the Murray community. Lochte served on the boards of Angel’s Attic, Calloway County’s Red Cross, Paducah Symphony Orchestra and Kentucky Broadcasters Association. She volunteered as a public information officer with the Calloway County local emergency management planning committee.

With Kate Lochte’s retirement becoming official on Oct. 1, Murray State is conducting a nationwide search for someone to fill her position.

Assistant Station Manager and

University website training offered to organizations Tierra Reese || Contributing writer treese1@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s communication department hosted training sessions last week for faculty, clubs and University organizations to learn how to link their groups’ information to Murray State’s website.

With the new website management system, campus groups can upload files, images, videos and other media to their web pages attached to murraystate.edu.

This is the first round of training sessions since the University upgraded its website management system to the Omni Update Campus V10 system re-

Sept. 8 10:31 a.m. Officers conducted parking enforcements on the north side of campus. Eight citations were issued.

11:17 p.m. A traffic stop was conducted by officers in the Regents Residential College parking lot. A written warning was given for failure to produce proof of insurance and disregarding a stop sign.

Sept. 9 4:49 p.m. Officers conducted parking enforcement at Roy Stewart Stadium. Three citations were given.

11:22 p.m. Officers conducted a traffic stop in the Sigma Chi parking lot for disregarding a stop sign and failure to use a turn signal. A written warning was issued.

Motorists assists- 10 Racer escorts- 1 Arrests-1

Call of Fame Sept. 5, 4:38 p.m. A person reported a possible stolen vehicle. Murray State police officers were notified and the vehicle was located. No crime had occurred.

Jessica Bostick, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

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News Director, Chad Lampe, was named interim station manager. This is the first time the radio station will have a new manager in 27 years.

The University honored Kate Lochte’s time devoted to WKMS by awarding Lochte with the “Kate B. Lochte Transmission Fund” this summer to be used for infrastructure and equipment.

Lochte said she is looking forward to retirement.

“I intend to explore my new life fully, apply myself to personal interests busily and enjoy my family attentively,” she said.

Emily Harris/The News

Murray State will now allow campus organizations to manage their own webpages on the University website.

cently these past couple of years.

Charley Allen, Murray State’s web manager, led last week’s trainings sessions, and said the new system makes it easier for users. He said it has bells and whistles for faculty and campus organization leaders to make their groups’ web pages more appealing.

“OU Campus has some great features that allow us to dig deeper in training,” Allen said. “It’s important to have accurate, concise information on your website.”

This new update for Murray State affects more than 100 student organizations that can promote themselves on the University’s site.

She said instead of having the responsibility of updating an organization’s page to a designated staff member, anyone trained in the management system can edit and post.

“The system doesn’t require any special skills” Allen said. “If someone can create a Word document, they can probably use OU Campus.”

There are 170 trained users of OU Campus that are primarily faculty, staff and most student workers have been trained. Most residential colleges, the Student Government Association and the Honors College are all using OU Campus for their organizations.

Allen will host web training meetings at least twice each semester for those who need further assistance. Also, she says she is available via email or in person to help anyone in need.

“Our next round of training sessions this semester will focus more on specific topics like creating forms, and content audits,” she said.

Murray is among other colleges that have switched over to the OU Campus system. Murray State has held web training sessions since 2009 with an old system named Sitefinity. Allen said that system was harder to use and more complicated.

WAVE sets $2,000 goal for this year’s fundraiser Courtney Scoby

Contributing writer cscoby@murraystate.edu

A student organization working to improve the quality of water across the planet is making waves on campus.

WAVE, an organization affiliated with Living Waters for the World, raised $1,000 last semester to go toward water purification systems in locations all over the world that lack access to clean water.

Living Waters for the World is a Christian ministry that works with mission teams to help provide sustainable cleaning water for communities in need.

Professor Roger Weis, the faculty adviser for the club, said he was impressed with the money raised so soon after the organization’s genesis.

“I thought $1,000 was really good for the first semester,” he said.

The money was raised in a variety of ways throughout the semester. Volunteers for the organization wrote letters to ask for donations, collected funds individually and planned fun activities on campus for students to participate in.

“We mostly did it through a water bottle coloring program,” he said. “We made images of water

Emily Harris/The News

WAVE set a $2,000 goal for this year’s fundraiser, which will go toward providing purified water systems. bottles and you could color them with water colors for $1.”

The purification systems that Living Waters for the World installs cost about $3,500 each. However, the cost of putting the systems in place is not the only cost to consider.

“It’s hard to maintain the purification systems because bacteria and viruses can easily get back into the systems,” he said. “So you have to make sure they’re not only put in

but maintained.”

While WAVE leaders are proud of the amount they have raised so far, they are already making plans to raise even more. Weis said his tentative goal for this year is $2,000. “$1,000 this semester, $1,000 next semester,” he said.

The organization plans to use some of the same methods of fundraising that proved successful last semester, while implementing new ideas as well.

“We’re going to have something called a ‘Splash Down with WAVE,’” Weis said.

This event will involve a water balloon tossing competition that students will be able to enter as teams. A time and place have not yet been set for this event.

One water purification system may cost $3,500, but WAVE is focusing on one donation at a time.

“Every $1,000, we’re going to have a ceremony and write a check to Living Waters for the World.

Now we’re working on our second one,” Weis said.

The organization is still in its beginning stages, so there are a couple of open officer positions waiting to be filled, but leaders aren’t worried about finding interested students.

“The kids love it,” he said. “They have a really good time with it, because they know exactly where [the money] is going.”

Although the group is run by students, WAVE is not exclusively a student organization.

“It’s connected to a couple classes, but really it’s mostly by volunteers,” he said. “Anybody can be a part of it, any student, faculty or staff. They’re all invited.”

The next WAVE meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sept. 16 in Carr Health Room 107.

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September 11, 2015

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The separation of church and state The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Edward Abbey once said, “Society is like a stew. If you don’t stir it up every once in a while then a layer of scum floats to the top.”

Despite the Supreme Court of the United State’s best efforts to stir society up with the same sex marriage ruling in Obergefell v.

Hodges, Kim Davis rose to the top.

That’s enough to make many Americans in support of the Obergefell ruling feel uneasy.

The key ingredient to this good ol’ American stew of ours is supposed to be the separation of church and state. Historically, this has proven to be a hard concept to grasp for some of our nation’s elected leaders.

To that regard, Davis apparently had no idea what she was getting into when she took the position of Rowan County clerk.

The oath of office she took states, “I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will support the Constitution of

the United States and the Constitution of this Commonwealth, and be faithful and true to the Commonwealth of Kentucky so long as I continue a citizen thereof ...”

When Davis faced jail time for contempt of court, she said she was prepared to go to jail because, “this is about upholding the word of God.” No – no it is not. That is quite literally not what this is about at all.

She didn’t get elected by the people, for the people to only do her job for some of the people.

She was elected to uphold the word of the law.

Baristas can’t refuse to make lattes because they’re lactose intolerant.

Don’t take an elective class on diversity and then refuse to do the homework because you have a “superior race” mindset.

If you have such firm religious beliefs that you would defy court ruling and go to jail for

them, maybe don’t vow to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution.”

Did Davis think same-sex marriage would be legalized when she took her oath? Probably not. But if a job evolves faster than your beliefs, it’s time to step down.

She is not being persecuted for her religion – she is simply being told to do her job, which she gets paid $80,000 a year for, according to NBC News. The rest is a mess she created out of direct defiance of her duties to the law.

Davis needs to accept the fact that she is nothing more than a civil servant during business hours.

All of Rowan County does not share the same religious beliefs Davis does. The office of the Rowan County clerk falls under the dictation of the highest court in our nation, which ruled on June 26, 2015 that same-sex couples can legally get married.

As such, her job isn’t to personally sanction and bless each marriage license that comes across her desk.

Davis, herself, posted a letter on the Rowan County Clerk website which includes the following promises: “Our office is here to serve the public in a friendly, professional and efficient manner. We are constantly striving to upgrade our services in order to better serve you.”

Upgrade your services, Mrs. Davis. Serve the public. Be a woman of your word.

She can detest same-sex marriages all she wants when she’s off the clock, but not while she’s at work.

Davis was arrested on Sept. 3 and was released five days later, on Sept. 8.

She still refuses to approve same-sex marriages or resign.

We’ll see how long her freedom lasts while she directly hinders the freedom of others.

I Get to Write About Anything I Want?

Enough with “enough” This summer I was sent to a women’s conference where leaders from across the country gathered to learn about authenticity, the power of validation and servant leadership.

I left feeling refreshed and reacquainted with myself. It was awesome – but Taylor Grace Suiter one thing I saw Senior from has continued to Brentwood, Tennessee bother me since leaving.

Throughout the weekend, attendees were encouraged to feature the conference’s hashtag, like any good organized event now has.

One of the most popular photo ops was a station with white boards saying “I am ...” where one could fill in the blank with whatever they wanted and proudly take a picture.

The words people wrote were telling.

In fact, I felt that whatever word I picked would be so defining that I brooded over my choice until the very last minute. I picked “un-

conventional,” which is now funny because if it weren’t for a literal convention I wouldn’t be summing myself into a word with an Expo marker in the first place. I would be the one to unconsciously make a pun.

“

Telling a girl, or anyone, that they’re “good enough” implies that somehow they weren’t before.

”

Lots of the women wrote, “a leader,” “confident,” “smart,” after the “I am …” But one message kept appearing on the board that just didn’t sit right with me.

“Good enough.”

The first word was no problem – in fact, proclaiming oneself as good has a powerful simplicity to it, if you ask me.

Goodness is an underrated quality, especially when words like “awesome” and “amazing” are tossed around like the rolls at Lambert’s.

The problem wasn’t “good” – no, not at all.

The problem was the tragic combination that came from adding that second word.

I saw women holding signs that they themselves had written, saying, “I am good enough”

over and over and I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.

Good enough for what? What’s wrong with good, period?

The false message that feeling “enough” is somehow empowering is everywhere – in Dove ads, in “You can be anything you want to be” ads, in well-meaning, but misguided confidence campaigns all over the Internet.

Telling a girl, or anyone, that they’re “good enough” implies that somehow they weren’t before.

Sorry, but being validated with a qualifier sounds like a qualified compliment.

I’m saddened to think that this was the message someone wrote for herself – especially after what I thought was an energizing and inspirational weekend of programming.

“Enough” is a softener, much like “just” or “maybe.”

The boldness of a statement gets slashed when one or more of these polite words is thrown into the mix.

“Enough” timidly excuses whatever brashness the rest of the words in a sentence could possibly convey.

It feels dangerous to make a statement an actual statement, especially when you’re a female.

The confidence that comes along with saying, “I am good” or “I am strong” is so definite that it feels scary, but that doesn’t mean we should be scared it.

The News

Opinion

September 11, 2015

Letter to the Editor

Political correctness – the emphasis of sensitivity over truth, and the sometimes watering down of straight talk to preserve people’s feeling, is in the news again thanks to the pugnacious and attention-grabbing GOP front-runner who told a crowd in Cleveland earlier this month “the big problem this country has is being politically correct.”

I remember sitting in a lecture hall on the university campus when a special guest came in to tell me and my fellow educational psychology class members about this new and better and more humane way to communicate.

Certain words deemed arcane and offensive were out. Other words thought acceptable were welcomed. Obviously Donald Trump wasn’t the special guest lecturer.

Frustration over irresponsible national debt and immigration policy has catapulted Trump to top place in the crowded GOP field, by double digits, nonetheless. It may be cathartic for conservatives to hear petulant talk in troubled times but such talk doesn’t translate into good policy or even make for presidential material.

Any candidate who demeans women

and writes about their sexual conquests, labels an entire category of people as rapists and murderers, employs insults as a tactic and has made his fortune on the backs of people losing their wealth so he could build a tower in his name, is not a conservative.

Consider him a sideshow, or maybe a product of the reality show generation, but please don’t call him worthy of the presidency. Nor is his disrespect and vulgarity rebellion to political correctness; it is rebellion to civility.

Trump has been likened to George Wallace, the segregationist presidential candidate of 1968 who exploited fear and suspicion to preserve a way of life that demeaned others’ humanity. Wallace channeled racial prejudice and his popularity soared in the South but will forever be remembered as something less than flattering. It was a sad chapter in our history, one that should be left in the books, not re-enacted.

Responsible citizens desire candidates who are, well, responsible – with both their words and deeds. They also desire candidates of character, not caricatures of them. Character is accumulated virtue – honesty, trustworthiness,

5A I Have a Lot of Feelings The Twilight Zone: college edition

kindness and courage. Lack thereof should disqualify a candidate from the public’s trust.

The idea that character is integral to politics, once widely held, appears out of vogue today. The most abrasive and boisterous candidate is 13 points in front of second place challenger and attracting millions to his message with more heat than light, more anger than hope, more George Wallace than Jimmy Carter.

Beware when the carnival barkers turned political operatives yell “nothing to see here, look over there,” and the hucksters turned policy experts who offer shiny new things to distract from conduct and character which is the real currency of politics. A candidate who speaks in broken English with the intent to mock another race doesn’t deserve serious attention or a platform.

Should voters fall prey to their dark side and be duped by the idea that character is secondary to Issues Needing Immediate Attention, they shouldn’t be surprised when an impeachment results over the quibbling of a preposition. Downplaying character in 1992 got us only the second presi-

dent in our history to be impeached.

We expect reasonable candidates and political leaders to be careful with their words. We depend upon our leaders to tell us the truth, to act justly, treat others fairly and govern us with an even hand. Voters deserve better than a smack-down of their sensibilities. This isn’t a cry for political correctness – it’s a cry for civility and respect.

Richard Nelson

Executive director of the Commonwealth Policy Center

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.

Rational Animal

The Anthropic Principle Critical thinking is a major goal of education.

In an article titled “What are the Odds?” Laura Miller contemplated the definition of critical thinking. As an English major, Miller considered critical thinking to consist of skepticism about words, and the “hidden and sometimes manipulative John Muenzberg meanings in lanLecturer of philosophy guage.” Over time she noticed how many arguments rely on statistical data.

She credits several sources, but especially David J. Hand’s book “The Improbability Principle,” as helping her to understand why she found it so difficult to think critically about numbers.

Hand argues that people look for patterns, and assume causation of these patterns, when events are simply coincidences. In addition, immense numbers, or immense spans of time, make it difficult to compare probabilities correctly.

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

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

Comic

I was reminded of this article on Aug. 31 when I attended a lecture on Intelligent Design by two Murray State professors, Josh Ridley and L. Murphy Smith.

Intelligent Design is a form of creationism that argues for God’s agency within the scientific description of the origins of life, such as the Big Bang, the origin of our solar system and human evolution.

Ridley and Smith’s presentation focused how unlikely it was that this series of events resulted in intelligent human beings. They took this as evidence of planning by God. Our existence is too unlikely to accept that it is the product of chance.

This argument assumes that life, and intelligence, is like us. This is a form of selection bias.

How one collects information will affect the data, and therefore the results.

The data you collect to determine the average size of fish in a lake depends on how to measure the fish. If you use a net with large holes then you will not catch any small fish, and this will affect your conclusion.

If we use human beings as the standard of life it is easy to make the assumption that the universe was created for us.

We should accept that intelligent life might not conform to our physiology.

By assuming that life must be similar to us we find it improbable that the universe turned

Cheers to ... Todrick Hall

out just so. By assuming that life could be very different we increase the types of universes that could exist and bring about intelligence.

A related philosophical argument is called the Anthropic Principle. The “Weak” version of this argument proposes that questioning the design of the universe can only arise if life already exists. If there were no intelligent life, then nothing would exist to question their own existence, and nothing would think the universe was created for them.

In addition, we experience the universe in a way compatible with our existence.

Perhaps there are more dimensions to the universe than just space and time. Perhaps there are multiple universes. If we are unable to experience them that data is left out of our calculations. The universe appears to be created for us because we are limited by the universe that we can experience.

If the universe, through a physical process not guided by the hand of God, produces intelligent life, then that life will assume the universe was created for them. The chance of winning the lottery is the same for those that win and those that lose.

Critical thinking shows us that each outcome had the same probability, although that might not console the loser. It is the case of the universe, only the winners even exist to contemplate that.

Jeers to ... Bad drivers.

Murray State will bring MTV and YouTube sensation Todrick Hall to campus. “The Todrick Hall Experience” will be playing at 8 p.m. on Sept. 28 at CFSB Center. This will not only be an extremely entertaining event, but it’s a breath of fresh air from country entertainment.

There are no words for how much road rage we probably all experience when driving behind people who don’t use turning signals, very obviously text while driving, drive 10 mph under the speed limit and don’t pay attention to the five second lights at Five Points.

Jeers to ... Kim Davis’ release.

Cheers to ... Small, fluffy animals.

Kim Davis, in all her duty-ignoring, Bible-thumping glory, has been released from jail after only five days of incarceration.

This means she’ll start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples now, right? Wrong. She still refuses to do so. Keep that jail cell open, folks.

The Curris Center held Pet Therapy on Wednesday and across the campus you could feel the level of stress being lowered. Tiny little balls of fluff are the answer to the world’s problems. Kittens for president 2K16. Exercise your voting rights, America.

Have you ever thought about how weird college is?

I’m a very weird person, and even I’m aware of how weird everything about college is. And I don’t mean Allison Borthwick “weird” as in “lol someOpinion Editor times I wear mismatched socks and don’t care how my hair looks because I’m QUIRKY.” No - I’m not Zooey Deschanel weird. I’ve got the big eyes and poofy hair down, but I’m no national treasure. People aren’t waiting for the day Nick Miller and I get back together (I wish).

I’m the kind of weird that involves getting aggressively excited when ABC Family announces another showing of Wall-e immediately after watching the first showing. I slept with a stuffed penguin named Oliver for so long (ages 15 to 21) and loved him so fiercely that there’s now a gaping hole in him – he’s still my pride and joy (RIP lil homie). I still can’t figure out which character in Bob’s Burgers I relate to the most.

The list goes on.

But college has got to be the WEIRDEST part of my life right now.

We’re essentially in an alternate universe where the sole inhabitants are, for the most part, twenty-somethings trying to figure out if someone will notice if they wear what they wore yesterday again.

This is a hallowed place where we’re allowed to wear all elastic everything while simultaneously learning about how to run a business or how to shape the minds of our nation’s youth. If we want to take a nap in the middle of a public library, we absolutely will and with no regrets.

The future of tomorrow rests on how comfortable we are today – FACT. We live in a world for a few short years where professors and students can be in the same pub on a Tuesday at 3 p.m. without it being awkward.

We all know why we’re there – to shamelessly pretend Tuesday is Friday. No need to acknowledge it or squander glad tidings.

We can ship ourselves off to London or Spain for weeks or months at a time and not have to worry about saving up vacation days or whatever else real adults have to do in order to leave the county for an extended period of time.

Then one day we graduate.

We can no longer schedule out our weeks so our days start at 11:30 a.m., end at 2:20 p.m. and Fridays are free days.

We have to wear pants with zippers and buttons. We have to buy shirts. That should be the end of that sentence, but to clarify: we have to BUY shirts that weren’t launched at us by a T-shirt gun.

A horse isn’t going to run a lap every time we turn a project in at work on time. Likewise, we probably won’t be able to get away with not showing up to work or turning in something late because we’re down with a serious case of the bird (Grey Goose) flu (hangover).

We’re going to have to start paying for food with something that doesn’t have our faces and residential college crest on it. We’re not going to have a resident food truck that tweets at us like our significant other would.

So I suggest we enjoy college while we can.

We’re not going to be in this weird alternate universe for long. aborthwick@murraystate.edu

Evolution of students

By Jade Simpson

The News

News

6A

September 11, 2015

Green group plans fall park cleanup Alicia Steele Staff writer

asteele5@murraystate.edu

McKenna Dosier /The News

Leah Krause, graduate student from St. Charles, Missouri, learned how to properly use a fire extinguisher during Campus Fire Safety Day Thursday afternoon.

Murray State celebrates Fire Safety Day Past, present and future

Kayla Harrell Staff writer

kharrell@murraystate.edu

The spray of a fire extinguisher putting out a contained fire, the intense water flowing through a heavy fire hose attached to the bright red firetruck and a hotdog burning like a gloveless finger wound against an electricity wire are a few things that captured students’ attention as they walked through campus.

Fire Safety Day took place on Murray State’s campus last Thursday to bring “awareness to students during campus fire safety month,” said Susan Miller, safety training coordinator in the office of environmental safety and health.

While students walked through campus, stations were set up to give the students the knowledge and awareness needed in hazardous situations.

“It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get through all of the stations,” Miller said.

Carrie Thomas, Murray State fire safety and regulation compliance coordinator, said the stations show students what procedures are needed if they find themselves in a situation involving fire.

“Each station involves a hands-on activity including using a fire extinguisher, escaping a smoke-filled room and escaping a car accident involving a utility pole,” she said.

After completing all of the stations, each student received a free T-shirt.

COMMON CAUSES FOR FIRES

“The most common causes of fire, or threat of fire, on campus are related to cooking and improper use of electric equipment,” Thomas said.

Thirty-eight of 89 fires from 2000 to present were due to cooking, candles, smoking or electricity, according to the Center for

Campus Fire Safety.

Sky Eagle, sophomore from Dover, Tennessee, and Thomas suggest not overloading outlets or extension cords.

“Fire safety will always be relevant because of electricity,” Eagle said.

As more incidents occur, the need for better protection and knowledge of fires is rising. While some fires are easily extinguished, others are difficult to contain and can be harmful to those nearby.

In the past 15 years, 89 fires that killed 126 people occurred on college campuses, in Greek housing or in off-campus housing within three miles of a campus, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Fourteen of the 89 fires were intentional and considered arson while at least 38 were unintentional, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety.

FIRE SAFETY

On Sept. 13, 1998, a fire occurred in Hester Residential College. This fire was ruled an arson, although after investigations, authorities were unable to determine the arsonist’s identity, according to the Enquirer’s June 2001 article.

Five days later, the fourth floor of Hester caught fire. This incident led to the death of sophomore Michael Minger, caused by smoke inhalation, and the injury of Michael Priddy.

This fire occurred when a student poured more than a gallon of gasoline on the carpet and struck a match.

In 2001, Jerry Wayne Walker Jr. was charged with starting the Hester fire on Sept. 18, 1998, but the trial ended in a hung jury.

Eleven years later, the case was opened for a re-trial, according to WKMS July 2012 article.

Since the fire in 1998, precautions have been increased throughout campus for fire safety.

Murray Fire Chief Eric Polo-

McKenna Dosier/The News

Josh Reed, graduate student from Harrisburg, Kentucky, learns to use a firehose. gruto said the biggest safety advancement was the installation of automatic fire sprinklers in the residential colleges.

Along with the sprinklers, kitchen safety was added to the residential colleges. Thomas said the access to cooking equipment is restricted without the use of a key.

Residential colleges make an emphasis on explaining to their residents the procedures to take if there is a fire emergency.

“The buildings have emergency procedures posters for campus fires hanging on the walls,” Eagle said.

However, even with the advanced safety technology, the campus still deals with fire hazards. According to the Murray State crime log, there have been at least six reported fires, unintentional and arson, since February 2015.

Murray State sophomore Katelyn Buzzard, from Sturgis, Kentucky, said a fire is “something that could happen at any time to anyone.”

THE BENEFITS

Thomas said the Fire Safety Day allows students to interact with local agencies including the Murray Fire Department, West KY RECC and State Fire Rescue Training. The connections students make with these departments can become beneficial if they are ever in a fire emergency.

The event also allowed students, like Eagle, that are currently taking a fire safety class to receive hands-on experience. These students had a chance to take what they learned in the classroom and see the effects in real life.

“The components of Fire Safety Day come together to give students a fun and interesting way to learn more about precautions,” Buzzard said.

As students move from one station to another, their knowledge of fire safety increases.

“The department of environmental safety and health is proactive in providing fire safety training to RA’s and RD’s and to all new employees,” Thomas said.

“Campus Fire Safety Day provides the entire student body with access to fire prevention and fire safety training.”

Stewardship, Compassion, Activism, Nature, Harmony.

These just are a few of the words used by current members of MESS to describe what they are all about.

MESS, Murray Environmental Student Society, is one of two student-led organizations on campus focused on cleaning up the environment.

The group, which meets every Wednesday, organizes excursions across campus, Calloway County and the region to pick up litter.

“We strive to promote awareness and activism in environmental and conservation issues while enjoying and engaging in outdoor recreation activities, both on campus and in the surrounding area” said Meagan Tucker, MESS committee head for education and public relations.

Tucker said that MESS has an important presence both on campus and in the community because it provides service learning, networking and travel opportunities to students and community members.

“We have partnered with a number of organizations, local and non-local, to promote environmental education in the area”.

Tucker said that MESS has partnered with the Sierra Club, Murray’s community garden and Murray State’s Master of Science in Sustainability Commission.

MESS President Grecia White, senior from Ft. Rucker, said the main goals for this semester are to build up the group and get more students involved, and start the environmental conversation in Murray.

New member Bree Lyons, sophomore

from Taylorsville, Kentucky, said “When people hear activism there’s a negative, so we want to spread a positive”.

Lyons said she got involved in the group after changing her major to conservation biology.

MESS works to get students involved and keep them involved in the program. They often set up tables in the Curris Center to spread their name and let students know what they are all about.

“Faculty, staff and students that wish to stay updated in our ventures receive our brand new weekly newsletter,” White said. “Which they can choose to share with their friends.”

White said MESS also has a Facebook group “MESS revival” which they frequently update with what the organization is currently involved in doing.

“We hope to see more new faces at our park cleanup and our Mammoth Cave camping trip later this month” White said.

MESS will be hosting a park cleanup at Murray’s Central Park on Sunday Sept. 13.

The group will meet in front of the Curris Center at 1 pm and will be carpooling to the park.

The day will end with snacks and delivering what is cleaned up from the park to the recycling center downtown.

The Mammoth Cave trip later this month is still in the works, but anyone interested in joining is encouraged to contact the organization.

“Everyone is welcome and if you are in need of service hours, this is a great opportunity to pick up a few” White said.

The groups next meeting is at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept.

16 at Carr Health Room 103.

Freshmen seek financial stability Ashley Traylor

Contributing writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

Jessica Payne, freshman from Owensboro, Kentucky, said she is ready for college tasks, but is less certain of financial responsibility.

“I think I handle my money well, but I do not feel financially stable. I would like to try to budget my money by setting out a certain amount of money for entertainment, groceries, etc.,” said Payne, freshmen from Owensboro, Kentucky.

Payne is not the only freshman who does not feel financially stable.

HigherOne, a business offering financial services to college students, and EverFi, a digital learning company, surveyed 43,000 students about financial readiness earlier this year.

About 91 percent of respondents were freshmen at four-year institutions, but only 58 percent felt ready to manage money.

Students feel more prepared to keep up with coursework, stay organized, find help when needed and manage time wisely, according to the survey.

About 64 percent of students set goals to effectively budget their money in the future, but the percentage of freshmen willingly to budget their money has been declining.

Students graduate with more debt than ever before, largely because of rising tuition rates.

About 71 percent of students are Jenny Rohl/The News graduating from four-year universities Kristian Hoybye, freshman from Denmark, uses an ATM in the Curris Center. with debt, according to the HigherOne

and EverFi survey.

However, those students who get a dose of financial literacy in high school say they feel more prepared to handle their money.

About 40 percent of students surveyed said they had such a class coming to college.

Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, said Murray State offers financial readiness courses. Robertson said Christian Cruce, director of scholarships, teaches a seminar on financial preparedness.

Erika Brunson, senior from Benton, Kentucky, said she recommends freshmen use cash instead of credit card because it is easier to keep track of how much is being spent.

“Also, I suggest having a rainy day fund you always contribute to, so in the event of an emergency your budget won’t be severely affected,” she said.

Thirty-two percent of students have credit cards, according to the HigherOne and EverFi survey.

Mark Jones, freshman from Sikeston, Missouri, said he has a credit card but he would not encourage it.

“It is easy to ruin your credit when you cannot pay back the money you spent,” he said.

Jones is among the majority of college students who have checking accounts.

“When my checking account becomes low, I have it set up to send the remaining balance to my phone,” Jones said. “This way I always know how much I’m spending and when my account is low.”

Tai Chi classes

Nicole Ely /The News

“I think of Tai Chi as the mother of all modern arts,” Kathryn Mowery, instructor for Tai Chi classes, said. These classes are one of the newest additions to the services provided at the Carr Health Building.

Mowery said Tai Chi is a gentle form of martial arts with several health benefits. “Students often say it helps with stress relief,” she said. Tai Chi also helps reduce blood pressure, anxiety and stress, according to a report by Vanderbilt Medical Center. Students such as Nicole States, sophomore from Carrollton, Kentucky, participate in the class on a weekly basis.

September 11, 2015

Section B

The News

Football Special ­­

Mitch Stewart: Youngest coach in Division I football

Mallory Tucker Staff writer

mtucker11@murraystate.edu

The youngest head coach in Division I football, firstyear Head Coach Mitch Stewart sees himself as more than just a coach. He is a family man. When he’s not on the sidelines or breaking down film in his office, he’s at home with his wife, Rikki, and two daughters, Stella and Emerson.

“When I get some time away from here I don’t want to go play golf with the buddies and all that kind of stuff,” Stewart said. “I want to go to the pool with the girls or go read a book or watch a movie or whatever they want to do. Whether it’s playing dolls or whatever, because I don’t get a lot of time with them.”

On the rare weekend off, you might also find the Stewart family rummaging through the Hazel, Kentucky, antique malls in search of home decor. Stewart said this is one of his hobbies.

“I’m an HGTV guy,” Stewart said. “Me and my wife, we like to move the house around and do furniture and all that kind of stuff. Don’t know why I like it. Just always have liked houses and real estate. If I didn’t coach, I may get into real estate. I can ride around and look at houses all day,

which is not a very cheap habit.”

But these days Stewart’s family has been engulfed in his work as much as he has.

“My oldest daughter, who’s four, she’s just getting to where she can comprehend what’s going on,” Stewart said.

“She’s got her cheerleading outfit now and all of that kind of stuff. My wife knows just enough about football. She knows when we win she can ask questions, and she knows when we lose not to ask questions when I get home and not talk about it ... She just likes being around all the people and being around mostly the kids, the players, and getting to know them.”

Even though it hasn’t been a year since Stewart was announced has head coach after former head coach Chris Hatcher left the University, it’s not hard to garner attention in Murray with the title of Head Coach at Murray State.

Stewart said Murray is a special place and that people are proud when he, as a coach, does well for the community.

After a win, he’ll get the occasional handshake and “good game,” from a stranger, and after a tough loss he may get a “You suck,” shouted from a passing vehicle.

His promotion from

see STEWART, 2B

Jenny Rohl/The News

Head Coach Mitch Stewart expresses excitement during his first home game win as head coach.

OVC Media Day sit down with Jackson and Humphries

have to be role models for generations to come.

JJ: Things come up and happen, but you have to know how to act in those situations and I feel like that’s just having the right mindset and doing the right thing.

Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor

krandolph3@murraystate.edu

During OVC Media Day junior linebacker, Jonathan Jackson and redshirt junior quarterback K.D. Humphries answered questions from The News about football, being a role model and playing the saxophone.

Is it disappointing?

K.D.: They have the opportunity that we’re all dreaming of, if I was in the NFL I feel like that would be the last thing on my mind.

JJ: It’s just disappointing.

What is your favorite candy or snack food?

K.D. Humphries: Fruit Snacks Jonathan Jackson: Starbursts

Do you look online to see what people say?

K.D.: If I need to hear it, somebody will tell me. I’ll see it one way or another. I can scroll through Twitter or someone will tell me.

JJ: I don’t because it honestly will come back around anyway.

Those things don’t matter to me. They are just predictions, it matters about the work we put into it.

What is your favorite team meal?

K.D.: Mashed potato bowl JJ: Chicken tetrazzini What is your favorite game you’ve played?

K.D.: SEMO- homecoming overtime, the whole game was just fun and it was homecoming. Everybody came down and we played real.

JJ: Louisville because of the atmosphere. It was pretty fun.

What is your favorite pizza?

K.D.: Matt B’s JJ: Matt B’s

Chalice Keith/The News

Do you have any rituals before the game?

K.D.: Powerade and a Snickers—so I don’t have an attitude.

I eat fruit snacks right before the game, too.

JJ: If it’s a home game, my mom will give me a kiss on the cheek and if it’s an away game she’ll

WHAT’S

INSIDE

(Left) Junior linebacker, Jonathan Jackson enters the field during the first home game. (Right) Redshirt junior quarterback, K.D. Humphries points to other players in celebration of a touchdown. send me a long text.

Do you have any superstitious?

K.D.: I don’t like people touching my towel – when people watch video and they see people touch my towel it’s a big deal. Nobody touches my

VOLLEYBALL LOSS

towel.

JJ: Not really.

What kind of music do you listen to before a game?

K.D.: Rich Homie, everybody likes it. But I gotta have my T-Swift.

JJ: Anything rap What happens after a big win?

K.D.: Fight song JJ: We’re going to run through the tunnel and sing the fight song.

EQUESTRIAN TRYOUTS

Racers take hit from Washington Sue Robinson gives insight on but turn around in day two, 3B equestrian basics, 4B

With all the issues that go on in the NFL – sexual assault, abuse – how do you guys think that you have to be role models, being college players?

K.D.: Never hit a woman – bottom line, never hit anyone.

We’re all being role models, we

What do you like to do besides football?

K.D.: I play video games – play station.

JJ: I play with my kids and spend time with them. I don’t have a lot of hobbies but I play video games sometimes.

What is something weird about you?

K.D.: I know how to play the saxophone JJ: I like to watch Lifetime movies, when they are true stories.

COLLEGE PLAYLISTS

CONSTITUTION DAY

Your one stop shop for music, 5B

Professors set to discuss party politics, 6B

The News

Sports

2B

September 11, 2015 Off the Gridiron

STEWART From Page 1

Chalice Keith/The News

Lindsey Kelly rides Racer One during the first home football game where the Racers beat Kentucky Wesleyan College 52-12.

offensive coordinator to head coach hasn’t altered any relationships in his life, Stewart said, and those relationships are the reason he loves what he does.

Stewart compared the team and coaching staff to Boy Scouts, naming the camaraderie as his favorite thing about coaching. ”You just like being around the guys, and for a couple hours a day, when you’re out here on this field you don’t have to worry about anything else,” he said. “It’s just you and the guys and you’re just competing. I think it’s that competition with a group of guys that you truly believe in and that believe in you. I think that’s the funnest part about it.”

Stewart started his sports career as a baseball player and joined flag football in fifth grade simply as a means to stay busy and in shape during baseball’s off season.

After beginning high school at Northgate High School in Newnan, Georgia, Stewart realized how many more fans attended the football games than baseball games, and the sport stuck with him.

In Georgia, football is the be-all, end-all sport, comparable to basketball in most parts of Kentucky. To Stewart, football is the best game in the world.

“It’s one of the most physical games in the world,” Stewart said. “I think it’s a game of [manliness]. You can’t be a little boy and try to play football. It ain’t going to work. You’ve got to be a physical guy. You’ve got to

love contact. There’s just a tough nature about it and that’s what I like.”

Stewart said his father was the most influential coach in his life.

As a first-chair trombone player that’s still very into music – Stewart’s father began studying up on all sports as his sons hit the fields growing up. Just as his father impacted him, Stewart hopes to impact players along his coaching journey.

“That’s part of the reason why you do this,” Stewart said. “You’re hoping that if somebody’s having issues or something like that, you want to be the one that they come and sit down and ask, ‘Hey, how do I handle this? How do I fix this?’ But I don’t know.

Maybe years from now when I get done I’ll have a group of players that will come back and say ‘Hey coach, you really did this to me or did that to me.’”

While Stewart said his father is curious about the possibility of a grandson, Stewart has different plans.

“He always asks me, ‘Hey, you going to try for a boy since you got two girls?’”

Stewart said of his father. “I tell him, ‘I’ve got 95 boys. I don’t need any more boys right now. I’m boys-ed up.

I’m good to go.’ My little girl, she got into tee ball and she’s pretty good at it. When I go to the tee ball games I usually try to sit on the bench. I don’t try to get involved. I don’t want to be that way. If she likes it, great. If she doesn’t, then so be it. She likes to sing and stuff too, with my dad. I don’t know, maybe she can make some money that way and I can retire and just live off her paycheck for a little while singing or something, I don’t know.”

Sports Calendar for Sept. 11-18 Friday, Sept. 11

Saturday, Sept. 12

Sunday, Sept. 13

Monday, Sept. 14

Friday, Sept. 18

Soccer plays against Louisiana Tech at Cutchin Field at 3 p.m.

Volleyball plays against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis in Terre Haute, Indiana, at 12 p.m. and against Eastern Michigan at 3:30 p.m.

Soccer plays against Middle Tennessee at Cutchin Field at 1 p.m.

Women’s golf plays in the Drake Creek Invitational at the Drake Creek Golf Course

Volleyball plays against Davidson College in Rock Hill, South Carolina at 7 p.m.

Volleyball plays against Indiana University-Purdue University in Terre Haute, Indiana, at 3:30 p.m.

Football plays against Northern Illinois University in Dekalb, Illinois, at 2:30 p.m.

Softball plays against Lindenwood University-Belleville at 2 p.m. and Southern Illinois University at 4 p.m. in Carbondale, Illinois

In the books Heading into the third week of school I know more than a few people are already deep into the books. is John Morris byCollege no means Staff writer an easy task because there is so much going on in and out of class.

I was having a conversation with some friends talking about homework and jokingly they say, “Oh, you don’t have to worry about homework somebody will do it for you.”

My reply – “you are asleep.”

But in all reality that is a real assumption.

The idea is that athletes aren’t required to do homework like everyone else.

That’s crazy.

Sometimes this gives student-athletes a lack of credit that is greatly deserved.

There are millions of athletes, not just in college, who are committing ample amount of time to a sport. Missing class and still meeting the requirements of a regular student.

We’re not going to sit and make excuses because playing a sport in college is a choice as well as a privilege.

So, to an extent we know what we’re signing up for.

Athletes are using the sport to get an education, using the scholarship to pay for school.

They take pride in the time and effort they put in for both the classroom and sport.

Most of the time, Institutions have their student-athletes in a study hall program and tutoring services, which is what Murray State does.

In most cases these are mandatory at the coach’s discretion and is regulated by performance in school.

This will directly affect scholarships, whether an athlete has one or is trying to get one.

One example would be Morgan State.

Incoming freshmen and incoming transfers are required to participate in a comprehensive orientation and supervised study hall.

Student-athletes who have been assigned to study hall are required to attend all study hall sessions. To be exempt from study hall, a student-athlete must obtain a 3.0 GPA during the first semester of study hall.

Failure to comply with study hall regulations will result in a negative evaluation for scholarship continuation and/or athletic participation.

These are similar to the standards at Murray State.

Teams have certain days and times in which they must attend study hall and they must be there every time or suffer consequences at that coach’s discretion.

There have been cases in recent findings where the schools have let some athletes pass without consequence.

This does nothing but hurt the athlete, the program and the athletes to come.

Things like the Notre Dame scandal with paper submission did nothing but hurt the individuals involved and the program from progressing.

Basically, the players in this scandal had ample amounts of plagiarism or just didn’t do it themselves.

Another issue is from last year, when the University of North Carolina had 18 years of academic fraud behind them to keep players playing.

This was significant because former players spoke out-and the truth hurt.

For 18 years, thousands of students at the prestigious University of North Carolina took fake “paper classes,” and advisers funneled athletes into the program to keep them eligible.

Not every university is perfect nor is every student.

Things like this happen and it will be a while before anything can be near perfect.

But most of the world that has participated in some athletics should know and understand the work put in by student – athletes and no one should assume that any part of that is a walk in the park. jmorris36@murraystate.edu

September 11, 2015

3B

The News

Sports Editor: Kelsey Randolph Assistant Sports Editor: Lily Harris Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Sports ­­

Racers stand 4-1 after weekend in Seattle Volleyball takes loss against Huskies, sweep over Buffalo Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor

krandolph3@murraystate.edu

Nicole Ely/The News

Racer volleyball practices before the Holiday Inn Classic, which will be held on Sept. 11-12.

After a 2,500 mile trek to Seattle, the Racer volleyball team returned home with a loss against the University of Washington and a sweep over the State University of New York in Buffalo.

“I think at the beginning everyone was doing well,” said Head Coach David Schwepker.

“I think toward the end of the first set the girls got in their head that they couldn’t beat them – and at this point we can’t – but because of that mentality the scores were worse than what they should’ve been.”

Washington, ranked No. 7, was a tough match for the Racers. Schwepker said the level of maturity spoke volumes about the team and it was a joy to have the opportunity to play them.

The Racers lost 3-0 against the Huskies with the scores set, 25-18, 25-8, 25-11.

“I liked how we came back and beat Buffalo, I think that was important,” Schwepker said. “That showed me a lot of maturity from this team. I’m very happy with how they responded. An immature team

“I think toward the end of the first set the girls got in their head that they couldn’t beat them – and at this point we can’t — but because of that mentality the scores were worse than what they should’ve been.”

–David Schwepker Volleyball Head Coach wouldn’t have come back the next day.”

Following a defeat by the Huskies, the Racers took on Buffalo sweeping them with a comeback set of scores, 25-22, 25-8, 25-21.

Leading the Racers on the second day were senior outside hitter and defensive socialist Taylor Olden with a season-best 13 kills as well as a team-high four aces. Following Olden is senior middle blocker Alyssa Lelm with 10 kills, junior outside hitter Scottie Ingram with nine kills and redshirt junior right side Kristen Besselsen and sophomore middle blocker Olivia Chatman both adding six kills each.

Murray State travels to Terre Haute, Indiana at 9 a.m., on Sept. 11 to compete in the Holiday Inn Classic.

“It will be more like in our conference teams,” Schwepker said. “I think they area all capable of winning. It is an even tournament, no Washington there – but nobody is bad. I think these girls should be able to do well this weekend.”

The Racers have three backto-back matches with the first match Friday against Indiana University-Purdue University of Fort Wayne then Saturday against Eastern Michigan and Indiana State.

After the Classic, the Racers will take on the Winthrop Invitational Sept. 18-19 before beginning its OVC season on Sept. 25.

“You just never know,” Schwepker said. “Each year the level of the team changes.

I think we’re going to do well, but you just never know.”

Racer softball team set for fall season tune-up games Blake Bernier Staff writer

dbernier@murraystate.edu

It’s a new year for the Murray State softball team and even with past successes, the team is focusing on the season ahead.

Last season ended with the Racers falling just short of an OVC championship when they lost in the finals to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 2-1. The loss marked the end of a record setting season for the team as new school records were set in total wins (38), conference wins (20), and several individual school records were achieved.

“We broke a lot of records and stuff like that, which is always huge to hang our hats on,” said Head Coach Kara Amundson. “But I think if you asked any one of them that got those records if they would take the record or winning

the OVC championship they would pick the OVC championship.”

This year the Racers have three holes to fill, left by graduating seniors CheyAnne Gaskey, Mo Ramsey and Alexa Becker. Ramsey and Becker started every game last season at center field and short stop, respectively, while Gaskey collected a team high 20 wins as starting pitcher and finished her career with the most wins and strikeouts in school history.

Coach Amundson said that a large part of her job is to recruit and fill the holes left by graduating players so the team can enter the next season just as strong.

“I think we’ve got the puzzle pieces in place to fill those voids as best we can,” Amundson said.

This fall the Racers will play nine games, including an alumnae game, with each giv-

ing Amundson a chance to see what her freshmen recruits are capable of in a game setting.

“Obviously we’ve seen them play before getting here but it’s a good opportunity to see what they can do at the next level,” Amundson said.

“The game is a little faster when you get to college and there are usually a little more nerves than when you’re playing your senior year of high school ball.”

One returner for the Racers is last year’s OVC player of the year, Jessica Twaddle, who hit for a team high .426 batting average and had 54 runs batted in (RBIs). Despite these accomplishments, Twaddle said she would rather the team do well over individual awards any day.

This mentality of putting the team first stems from the way Amundson coaches her team.

“We’re a team, it’s not just one person for themselves and I think that’s something that this program has embodied over the past few years,” said senior second baseman Shelby Miller.

Miller returns to the team with several career records within reach but said she’s not focused on those. Instead she is focused on the team preparing for the fall games so that it can improve and get ready for its regular season in the spring.

“I think the biggest thing we are looking to get from these fall games is just better,” Miller said. “We are using the fall games to better ourselves as a team and better ourselves as individuals.”

The Racers’ first fall game is at 2 p.m. on Sept. 13 against Lindenwood in Carbondale, Illinois. They will follow that up with a second game at 4 p.m. against Southern Illinois.

Nicole Ely/The News

Senior pitcher J.J. Francis pitches during a practice before their first fall game on Sept. 13

Cross-country gets on pace in Memphis Classic The News’ Athlete of the Week

1. How long have you been playing your sport and why did it interest you to begin with?

“I have been running cross-country since eighth grade. I first began running because I wanted to see if I could be as good as my brother who ran many years before me.”

Mark Ventura

Cross Country Position: Runner Hometown: Slade, Kentucky High School: Powell County High School

2. What is it about your sport that makes you enjoy it?

“I enjoy being around my team. It’s like having a big family that I never had. I also enjoy staying fit and being competitive. Even though it hurts a lot to race and train, you can see the results of the work you put into it when you finally race and give it your all.”

3. How did it feel to have led the men’s team in the Memphis Twilight Classic?

“I have never done this for our team in any race so it felt pretty great.

But I want to give a lot of credit to Gavin Galanes for pushing me. He has been a great supporter and I couldn’t have run as well without him.”

4. What do you most look forward to the rest of the season?

“I look forward to spending time with my team and seeing our program improve with every race. I really can’t wait until we host OVC championships. I want everyone to see the results of our hard work.”

5. If you could give one piece of advice to someone about accomplishment, what would you say?

“If you want to achieve a goal don’t slack off, just put the work in and you will reach it.”

Blake Bernier Staff writer dbernier@murraystate.edu With several top teams participating in Memphis Twilight Cross-Country Classic, both of the Murray State cross-country teams finished in the top half in Memphis.

The race featured 26 teams for both men and women with 249 women running the 5K race and 258 men running the four-mile race. Murray State earned 12th place in the men’s division and eighth in the women’s division with the top finishers being senior Brittany Bohn for the women and sophomore Mark Ventura for the men.

“I just went in it and went for it,” Bohn said. “I didn’t know if I was going to fail or if I was going to make it but I put everything out there to see how it went to start the season.”

Bohn finished in 27th with a time of 18:36.42, which was a minute and a half behind the first place time turned in by University of Alabama freshman, Rachael Reddy.

“You can only control your-

self so you just get as good as you can possibly be,” Head Coach Jenny Swieton said.

“That’s the only way you can control the outcome, is to run as fast as you possibly can and hopefully that’s faster than your opponent.”

Ventura completed the course in 33rd, running 20:56.52.

Swieton Once again, an Alabama runner set the pace as junior Antibahs Kosgei finished in 19:49.75 a full 18 seconds ahead of second place.

“It was a pretty big meet and we didn’t expect to come out ahead of as many teams as we did but we came out in the top half and beat all of the teams we wanted, except UT Martin,” Ventura said.

This year five male runners finished with a faster time than their top time in the same race in 2012.

Swieton said that the team has improved bounds over

where they had been. In the 2012 meet, the men’s team finished 17th out of 21 teams.

Swieton said that cross-country is more about place than time because the course conditions can change from race to race and no course is the same as the next.

“Every course is different, so you have a personal record (PR) and that means something,” Swieton said. “But even from year to year on the same course it could be totally different if it’s muddy one year and not the next so it’s just about racing and we race for place.”

The Racers’ upcoming schedule will include meets Sept. 19 at Vanderbilt, Oct. 2 at Notre Dame and Oct. 17 at Louisville before they host the OVC Championship on Halloween at Miller Memorial Golf Course.

Bohn said her goal this year is to finish high at the OVC championships, stay healthy and be motivational for her teammates.

“This year has turned out pretty good so far so hopefully good things come from the rest of the year’” Bohn said.

The News

Sports

4B

September 11, 2015

Racers saddle up for new season Lily Harris

Assistant Sports Editor lharris23@murraystate.edu

As the sound of hooves hit loose dirt, the Murray State equestrian team began their season.

The Murray State equestrian team started as a club level sport in 1973. Because of its popularity in 2008, director of Athletics Allen Ward changed the club status to a varsity sport.

The team now competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association the categories of hunt seat and stock or western seat.

There are more than 8,300 students that compete in this division from the U.S. and Canada.

The equestrian team is compiled of two different teams: hunt and stock. Both are led by Head Coach Sue Robinson.

Robinson said this year 51 students tried out for the hunt team and 72 students try out for stock.

Stock seat or western riding and hunter seat are styles of riding that focuses on the rider’s ability. A judge will base the winner of a class on how well each rider can ride a horse that they have never been on. In the IHSA there are 240 hunt seat riders, 81 stock riders and 18 riders do both styles.

RIDING ATTIRE

Each style of riding comes with its own dress. Hunt seat attire is a formal style that consists of a black or navy coat with a white or lightly colored button-down shirt. Pants also known as “breeches” can be beige, green-beige or a similar color.

Riders are also required to wear an approved helmet and black field boots. For western style, It is required to wear chaps over your pants, a fitted blouse and a western hat.

RIDING EQUIPMENT

One difference between stock and hunt is the horse’s tack. Tack is the piece of

Kalli Bubb/The News

Sue Robinson talks to member of the equestrian team for their first practice. equipment that you place on a horse. Stock tack consists of a western style saddle, bridle and bit.

A western saddle is considered the “cowboy saddle,” which is similar to what one might see in movies.

The horn on the saddle is the rounded piece of the saddle designed for roping cattle and for holding on when needed. This saddle is designed for comfort and support of the rider.

The bridle is what goes

saddle was developed to allow the horse freedom of movement. Unlike the western saddle, there is no horn.

The bridle consists of a headstall that is connected to the bit. Most of the bits used in show are snaffle bits.

Cassidy Gatlin, senior and one of the hunt team captains, has been on the hunt team since her freshman year.

“My favorite part of being on the team is how we are able to learn from each other,” Gatlin said. “Since riding tends to be an individual sport it is very difficult to have a huge group of people who are there to support you and see you do well.”

SHOW SEASON

over the horse’s head and helps the rider with connection to their horse. Only certain types of bits are allowed in showing.

Hunt tack consist of an English saddle, bridle and bit.

The design of the English

The Murray State equestrian team starts showing at the end of September with the hunt team starting at Sewanee: The University of the South, followed by the stock team on Oct. 10 at Roane State Community College.

Soccer defeated by the University of Tennessee Staff report The Racers suffered a 3-0 loss against the University of Tennessee Sunday.

“I am happy with the way we played,” said Head Coach Jeremy Groves. “It was the best we have played so far this season, I am just not happy with the results. We have a lot to improve on, but I am looking forward to playing on our own field.”

Sophomore forward Harriet Withers led the Racers with three shot attempts followed by senior defender and midfielder Taylor Stevens and senior forward and midfielder Marissa Burroughs.

This was the first time they were shutout this season.

Despite a loss over the weekend, Groves hopes to win at home after a four-

game stretch away.

The Racers play at 1 p.m.

Sunday, Sept. 13 at Cutchin Field, before taking on two away games against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis on Sept.

20 with their OVC opener on Sept 24 at Eastern Kentucky.

“I like to play on the road,” Groves said. “But it will be nice to play on our field and hopefully get a win.”

Zachary Maley/The News

The Racer soccer team practices blocking before their home game Sunday against Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

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September 11, 2015

5B

The News

Features

Features Editor: Connor Jaschen Assistant Features Editor: Gisselle Hernandez Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

­

Your personal playlist The college tunes to live by

Kelsey Grapperhaus Contributing writer

kgrapperhaus@murraystate.edu

Move-In Day

Packing up everything you own might not be the greatest time ever, but freedom is right around the corner.

•Started From The Bottom – Drake •Take It Easy – Eagles •Moving On Up – The Jeffersons •This Is How It Feels To Be Free – Phillips, Craig, and Dean •Escape (The Pina Coladas Song) – Rupert Holmes

No Groceries Playlist You’ll only understand this playlist if you fill out FAFSA annually, eat ramen noodles twice a day, and pick up change off the ground every time you see it.

When You Pass Your Exam

It might have been miserable at the time but the all-nighter was so worth it.

Here’s six playlists for a few different experiences you’ll come across in college - made by a college student, for a college student.

There’s a song that was made for every experience us college students will one day encounter, if we haven’t already. There’s a tune for when you’re in the library, tailgating on Saturday afternoons at Racer Football games, for when you’ve only eaten ramen noodles for the last week, and even one for when you find out you passed your class when you didn’t think it was possible.

Hurt – Johnny Cash Why Me Lord – Ray Charles Feat. Johnny Cash It’s The Hard-Knock Life – Annie Billionaire – Travie McCoy & Bruno Mars Gold Digger – Kanye West

•Gangnam Style – PSY •We Made It – Drake & Soulja Boy •Get Lucky – Daft Punk •Happy – Pharrell Williams •Oh Happy Day – The Ed Hawkins Singers •No Diggity – Backstreet & Dr Dre

When You Get Your Heart Broken Playlist We know – there’s no way you are ever going to smile, go outside, or be in love again. Here are some tunes to help you realize that life is going to get better and you’ll eventually get over it.

We Are Never Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift Forget You – Cee Lo Green I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac Blow Me (One Last Kiss) – Pink

Exam Studying Playlist

Weekend/Party Playlist

Five songs that range from ‘I can do this’ to ‘when can I drop out.’ Remember: hard work will pay off and you should probably put down that tenth cup of coffee.

You’re having a party this weekend, you say?

You need a playlist of songs to ‘pump up the jam’? Rest assured, you’re covered on this one.

Jesus Take The Wheel – Carrie Underwood Lord Give Me A Sign – DMX Fight Song – Rachel Platten Save A Life – Shaggy and Friends The Message (Don’t Push Me ‘Cause I’m Close To The Edge) – Grandmaster Flash

Turn Down For What – Lil Jon I Love College – Asher Roth Stacy’s Mom – Fountains of Wayne Sorry For Party Rocking – LMFAO Baby Got Back – Sir Mix-a-Lot

Graphic courtesy of pixabay.com

Phi Kappa Phi’s volunteer spotlight

Murray Ice Cream festival brings sweet scoops

Brianna Willis

Breanna Sill

Staff writer

bwillis2@murraystate.edu

When you enter the office of William “Bill” Mulligan, professor of history, books about the United States of America and Ireland fill bookshelves and are in stacks on his desk.

He greets students with a smile, offers them coffee or water and invites them to talk about anything from history to stamps.

Although he is an avid Mets fan, and occasional Santa lookalike, Mulligan is also deeply connected to volunteer work and Phi Kappa Phi. Phi Kappa Phi is an honors society, open to all majors, that you must be invited to be a part of. You can only enter you junior or senior year, or as a graduate student.

The national organization has recently recognized Mulligan for his volunteer efforts.

He is currently the Murray State chapter president, and is the August 2015 volunteer spotlight for the organization.

Through Phi Kappa Phi there are scholarships and lifelong benefits to being a member.

“Phi Kappa Phi gives out $500,000 every year in fellowships, scholarships and awards.

For all of them but one, you have to be a member,” he said.

This is what drove him to become a faculty member here at Murray State.

“I got involved because I saw the benefit for Murray State students and wanted to make them more accessible and known to students so they would want to join when invited,” he said.

You have to be an excellent student to join, as Phi Kappa Phi only invites the top 7 percent of juniors and top 10 percent of seniors.

He wanted students to be involved in the leadership here at the Murray State chapter of Phi Kappa Phi, and last year there were two student vice presidents. This year there are three.

Originally from New York, Mulligan came to Murray State in 1993 to headstart a masters program designated for public history. This program lasted for about 10 years and is focused on the physicality and presentation of history.

Landmark signs, museums, preserving historical buildings and any form of presenting history to the public all can be classified under public history.

He currently focuses on American history up to 1865

and the Irish Diaspora.

“Well I’ve been Irish all my life and American all my life,” he said, and then smiled.

This intersection of history and his personal life has led Mulligan to a 20-year commitment to research the Irish Diaspora.

He was living in a small town in Michigan, and noticed that many facets of the town were named after Irish people, and yet he says he never met another Irish person while he was there.

“I wondered, where did they all go? How can you be so prominent that streets are named after you, and yet years later you’re gone,” he said.

This question, along with his research led him to write a book that will be finished soon.

He hopes people will find the Irish Diaspora as interesting as he has.

However, Mulligan is more than just his historical pursuits and Phi Kappa Phi. Mulligan says he is devoted to the students here on campus, and always welcomes students to come talk to him.

“If they ever want to stop by for some coffee and talk about Phi Kappa Phi, the Mets or even stamp collecting my door is always open,” he said.

Staff writer bsill@murraystate.edu

A cold, sweet scoop of ice cream on a hot September day is what’s in store for patrons this weekend at Murray’s 16th annual Ice Cream Festival.

Hosted by the Murray Main Street Committee, the Murray Ice Cream Festival is back, starting at 4 p.m. Friday, for the sixth year in Murray’s Court Square, with a whole new look and feel, including a brand new attraction for kids. “‘Spider Mountain’ is a new multi-purpose attraction with a rock wall, a ‘spider mountain,’ a giant slide and multiple euro-bungee cords,” Deana Wright, Program Director of Murray Main Street, said.

This year, the ice cream will be provided by Kroger, which will include many of its premium flavors.

At 8 p.m. Friday night in Murray’s court square, Celebrations! Party Rentals and Tents will be sponsoring a free, outdoor showing of the movie “Despicable Me” on a large inflatable screen.

“The movie screen is 50 feet wide and much taller for easy viewing,” Wright said.

Friday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Murray Bank will be sponsoring the Scooper Bowl. Four non-profit organizations in the Murray area, Kirksey United Methodist Church, West Kentucky Mentoring, Soup for the Soul and Calloway County 4-H, will compete against each other to make the best bowl of ice cream.

“The scooper originally started out as a homemade ice cream competition for nonprofit organizations to make some money for their cause,” Wright said. “With changes in the health safety area, it has changed a bit.”

The Scooper Bowl costs $5 to enter and taste test the ice creams. Each person can eat as much ice cream as they want and then choose the winner of the best bowl of ice cream at the end.

Friday night, while the ice cream may not be free, all the children’s inflatables will be.

From 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday ice cream lovers are encouraged to make their way to the court square to indulge in free ice cream.

Also from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday is the I Scream Karaoke contest. Anyone who wishes to get up on stage and

belt out a tune will be entered into a drawing for a year’s worth of free ice cream from Kroger Ice Cream.

For the adults, along with the free ice cream, there will also be a Top Gun Car Show Cruise-In on both Friday and Saturday.

“Model A cars from around Kentucky will gather in downtown Murray for a road course on the corner of 4th and Poplar to show off their restored Model A cars,” Wright said.

The Murray Main Street Committee are expecting more than 4,000 people to attend this year’s Murray Ice Cream Festival.

If you go...

Friday 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Murray Bank Scooper Bowl Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

I Scream Karaoke

The News

Features

6B

The week ahead...

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

September 11, 2015

If you would like an event to appear on the calendar here or on TheNews.org, email the Features Editor, Connor Jaschen, at cjaschen@murraystate.edu.

Please submit events by noon Wednesday for consideration.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

All Day Ice Cream Festival, Court Square, Murray, Kentucky

11 a.m.

Harper Fest, Lovett Auditorium

All Day The Penguin Project, Playhouse in the Park, Murray, Kentucky

5:30 p.m.

Woodmen of the World Dance Class in Murray

7:15 a.m.

Business@Breakfast, Murray Room, CFSB Center

8:00 a.m.

Paintings/ Props/ Intermediaries Art Exhibit, 6th Floor Fine Arts Building, Mary Ed Mecoy Hall Gallery

7:30 p.m.

Theatre Production: Proof, Studio Theatre 310B Wilson Hall

A debate about democracy Da’Sha Tuck || Staff writer

Taylor taught at Murray State but now teaches at West Kentucky Community and Technical College. He and Clardy have partic Professors Brian Clardy, a self-described libipated in this debate for several years in a row. eral, and Brent Taylor, a self-described conserClinger said the celebration has taken different vative, rarely agree on political issues, but they forms in the past. agree on one thing: the importance of the Con “In recent years we have relied primarily stitution. upon faculty to give presentations on different Clardy and Taylor’s debate, titled “Political aspects of the Constitution, including recent Parties and the Constitution,” will be at 9:30 and historic interpretations of the Constitution a.m. Sept. 17 in the Curris Center Theater. by the courts,” Clinger said. “ C o n s t i t u t i o n Day is something that has This year’s session will address the Constibeen observed tution’s silence in some fashabout political ion at Murray parties.

State since Taylor said around 2002 some of the or 2003,” said founding faJames Clinger, thers believed event orgathat political nizer. “The parties were pobasic idea is tentially harmful • “Alexander Hamilton: A Reconsiderthat students to the country. He ation” from 8:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. need to learn said the idea was • 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. on “Issues Reabout the Conthat we are all stitution so they garding the Second Amendment” Americans, so we can be better • At 11 a.m. “Separation of Church and should have simiinformed and lar goals.

State and Religion in Family Law more engaged “ T h a t Cases.” citizens.” would be a re• “Supreme Court Overturns Animal Cru The debate on freshing change political parties elty Video Ban: The Role of Moral Deof pace in today’s and the constipolitical climate,” cency in U.S. versus Stevens (2010)”. tution will focus Taylor said.

• At 12:30 p.m. ”The First Amendment and on both liberal Although Off-Duty Public Employees; Tradeoffs and conservative political parties views and how between Civil Liberties, Agency Misare not menthey are simsion, and Public Trust” tioned in the ilar and how Constitution, they are Clardy said he different. believes parties Clardy are a good thing w i l l and that they help present strengthen the the liberal checks and balside of the ances. debate.

“Constitu He said he plans to have an intellectual distion Day is a great event cussion with Taylor, who will present the confor not just students, but anyone who wants to servative view. learn more about the fundamental law of the “People generally see a lot of anger between nation and to put it into the context of current parties,” Clardy said. “We want to model that events,” Taylor said. “I encourage everyone inpeople can have an intellectual discussion with terested to pick at least one of the sessions to a balance.” attend.” dtuck@murraystate.edu

Photo provided

Students prepare for trip to France Gisselle Hernandez Assistant Features Editor ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Three students from Murray State will be traveling to Saint-Etienne, France, as part of an exchange program at the business school of Emlyon this fall semester.

Audrey Martin, senior from Providence, Kentucky, Robert Mathews, junior from Springfield, Illinois, and Bekah Russell, senior from Cobden, Illinois, were nominated and selected to participate in the exchange program.

Emlyon is an English-speaking business school that hosts international students and has been ranked as the No. 14 Business School in Europe by the Financial Times as of 2014 and one of the one percent of business schools that have triple accreditation.

St. Etienne is where the Murray State students will be taking their classes and is one of three of Emlyon’s campuses.

Mathews said he was pretty excited to participate in the program since it fits his major so well. He believes the abroad experience offers him a chance to see how others think.

“I have a Russian roommate in my flat and hearing the way

she thinks and feels toward us is very interesting,” Mathews said. “[The] media is very biased and it is sometimes hard to get the real information so being able to immerse yourself in that environment can really open your eyes.”

Murray State has been conducting the France Study Abroad program with Emlyon since spring of 2013, when Katherine Powers from Owensboro, Kentucky, was the first student to travel to St. Etienne for a semester.

Powers describes the experience of living abroad as an “eye-opener.” Being immersed in another culture allowed her to learn a lot about herself.

“I liked that it was a very different environment from the environment I grew up in,” Powers said. “I grew up in Owensboro and then came to Murray and those are both small towns so living in SaintEtienne, which is definitely a city, was really different for me.”

Emlyon offer mostly business classes but recently has begun to offer classes for public relations and international affairs.

Timothy Johnston, professor of marketing, is the program coordinator for the exchange program.

If the program does not offer the exact classes that a student is required to take in his/her undergrad, the professor may help in finding an equivalent.

With the students paying Murray State tuition, it is a great opportunity to broaden your horizons, Johnston said.

“A lot of European companies come into the U.S. to start their businesses,” he said. “One day these students might end up working for these companies and having the experience of being to Europe will prove to be an asset because of the exposure to the EU.” With transportation being relatively inexpensive across Europe, students also have the opportunity to tour neighboring countries.

“I do know the International Student Organization are planning some trips for us within France,” Mathews said. “As far as my travel goes, I plan to visit Munich for Oktoberfest, Amsterdam for a Dave Matthews Band concert, Barcelona, Milan and Stockholm.”

Classes at Emlyon are added and altered every year to suit the needs of newcomers. The deadline for Spring 2016 is Oct. 16, 2015.

Constitution Day

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The News

Features

September 11, 2015

7B Let’s Be Honest

FEATURED TWEETS

Pop Culture Corner

Netflix and Chill

#90s

Nina Lin @nlinphoto Neopets. Teaching your kid how to HTML better than any compusci class. #90s 8:38 pm 8 Sep 2015 Meredith Marakovits @M_Marakovits Just saw a dude walking down the street in jnco jeans...Please tell me that’s not happening again #90s 8:57 pm 3 Sep 2015

Rachele Lynae @Rachele Lynae #tbt When 8 & 9 year old girls were going around the playground telling boys to “walk the line” #anymanofmine #90s 1:49 pm 3 Sep 2015 Nicole Nalepa @NicoleNalepaTV #98degrees was a #90s #boyband. Now? It’s the temperature my car thinks it is outside. #latesummer #goaway 1:29 pm 8 Sep 2015

Apple Announces iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, Apple TV and iPad Pro The moment all Apple fans have been waiting for has finally arrived. After the company’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus release last year, Apple has once again dominated the world of technology with the newest devices that were announced on Sept. 9 at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco.

Live streaming of the event began at 12 p.m. CT with CEO Tim Cook announcing each upgraded device, seemingly better than the last. The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, Apple Watch fall colors and Apple TV were introduced with new features and specs.

The event lasted more than an hour with developers elaborating on the devices. A musical guest performance

by One Republic closed out the event.

Shortly after the keynote, Apple updated its website with the iPhone page boasting “The only thing that’s changed is everything.”

Photo courtesy of retrievertickets.com

Lead actor Jason Bateman stars alongside Rebecca Hall and director Joel Edgerton in new thriller.

Limited release of ‘The Gift’ falls flat Joel Edgerton’s directional film makes up in acting what the plot failed to deliver

Adam Winn || Staff writer awinn@murraystate.edu

Queen Elizabeth II Becomes UK’s longest-serving monarch Queen Victoria was the longest-serving monarch until her great-great granddaughter, Queen Elizabeth II, surpassed her on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. BST by reigning for 23,226 days, 16 hours and approximately 30 minutes.

Soundbyte

“Imma whoop your a-in here tonight.”

-Meek Mill, toward a fan holding up a Drake sign at Mill’s concert in Brooklyn earlier that week.

While I was out of town this past Labor Day weekend, I watched a recently released movie called “The Gift.”

After viewing the film, I checked to see if it was available to watch in the Cheri Theatre located here in Murray and, unfortunately, it was not.

The movie only has a limited release.

So in order to watch the film you would have to go to travel outside of town.

Is this movie worth the extra drive to watch? My short answer is no.

The plot of the movie is centered on a married couple who just recently moved into a new house located near the husband’s hometown. While out shopping one day for new furniture, the couple run into one of the husband’s old classmates.

After the encounter, the former classmate starts leaving gifts and consistently stopping by the couple’s new house. At first what seems to be nice gestures toward the couple, quickly begins to turn into an intense form of stalking, but this film is one of those movies where you can tell not everything is how it seems and the movie starts throwing some twists at you that you probably wouldn’t expect coming.

The film stars Jason Bateman of “Horrible Bosses,” Rebecca Hall of “The

Town,” and Joel Edgerton of, “The Great Gatsby.” The acting in this film is definitely its best quality. The actors make you sympathize with their characters and others make you feel uncomfortable and creeped out.

While all of the acting was pretty solid, it was Jason Bateman’s performance that was the most exceptional.

Normally Bateman sticks with the comedy genre, but without spoiling anything from the movie, he did an amazing job with this role. It’s nice to see actors perform outside of their normal element and still do a good job.

If you really want to watch the movie, his performance is a good reason to give it a shot.

Now this film has a pretty good idea behind it, but for me personally, what went wrong with the movie was the fact that it was too lengthy and boring.

The audience is constantly left wondering when the plot was going to pick up and each time the plot did pick up and appears to be taking off, it immediately dropped the ball again.

Certain scenes were drawn out way too long and could have been trimmed down and other scenes did not even seem necessary to the plot and felt more like pointless time filler.

The ending was also a bit anti-climactic. The final scenes were vaguely left open for the viewer to interpret what

they think happens next. It’s unclear if the writers did that on purpose or if they just didn’t know how they wanted to end the movie.

Another significant thing to point out is that the movie trailer for this film is entirely misleading. The trailer plays this film up to be a scary, thriller style film, whereas it’s really more of a drama with some suspense added to it. This technique was probably done to draw a larger viewership to the movie, but was overall a needless marketing stunt.

The film’s current rating on the IMDB website is 7.6 out of 10. That score is exceptionally high for this film. Maybe other people who saw the film walked away from it feeling something I didn’t.

Or maybe it’s just my personal preference when it comes to films.

This movie is overall an ordinary drama film that has some decent plot points and some good acting, but the plot tries to make you think it’s deeper than it really is.

If you still seem intrigued by the movie and are willing to drive to either Paducah or to another location, give it a shot, but my current suggestion is just wait to rent it later.

Look, “Netflix and chill” is not a date.

F o r those of you unaware of this sly way of getting someone to Connor Jaschen h a n g o u t with you, Features Editor just imagine: you look down at your phone and you notice that guy that you met at some party and hadn’t talked to in weeks just texted you.

He doesn’t have money for a real date, but his parents just made the payment on their Netflix account and he has the password.

Yup, he isn’t fooling anyone with that one.

A “date” takes effort that most people in my generation just don’t have either the time or the resources to go through with.

I get it, though. College is where dating can get serious or even just begin for some people.

You’ll probably hang out with a lot of people during college, and taking each and every one of them out to August Moon could put a serious dent in your wallet.

Netflix and chill is more of a trial and, arguably, a necessary one.

By no means are you going to get to know someone thoroughly with a Netflix-night-in.

That being said, you could learn bits and pieces about them.

Do they talk during the whole movie? Kick them to the curb.

Are they on their phone the whole time? They just aren’t interested.

Are they just making moves on you the whole time? They just want in your pants, quite frankly.

Do with that what you will.

Once upon a time, I was told the worst first date is going out to the movies; no one talks, you don’t know anymore about each other than you did an hour and forty-five minutes ago and you had to awkwardly share a small bag of overpriced popcorn with an almost total stranger.

Suffice it to say that sitting in a dark room in total silence may not be the best way to figure out if someone is wife material.

So don’t stop at Netflix and chill.

Take that person out to eat, even if it’s just a lunch date on campus. Try and get to know them.

Otherwise, that dark room is going to be filled with a whole lot of nothing.

If you really are interested in any sort of romance, there are other options.

Go grab some food, cook it up in your residence hall kitchens and take it out for a picnic in the Quad.

If you got the gas, anything at Land Between the Lakes is a win.

There are plenty of beaches to swim at and places to see in the great outdoors.

If you’re brave enough for it and you’re not worried about being gored or arrested, take a bison home with you.

Nothing is more dramatic than a good, old bison wrangling and I’m sure your RA wouldn’t mind.

And there are plenty of fun on campus activities you can do together, if only to prove you’re not a “Netflix and chill” creep. cjaschen@murraystate.edu

Out this week

Read It

“Make Me”

by Lee Child

See It

“Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials”

Hear It

“So There” by Ben Folds

Rent It

“The Age of Adaline”

Play It

“Super Mario Maker”

8B

The News

September 11, 2015