The Murray State News September 18, 2015
TheNews.org
Vol. 90, No. 5
Parking pass order error costs the University $14,000 The first batch of parking passes were ordered without specified dimensions, costing Public Safety and Emergency Management $14,000. The second order was another $9,000. Bailey Bohannon || Staff writer bbohannon@murraystate.edu
Murray State spent more than $14,000 this year on parking passes that were too big for drivers to use safely and had to be replaced. The first round of passes ordered by Murray State were 7.5” x 3.5” – about two inches longer than the parking passes generally ordered. David Burdette, Chief Facilities Officer, said in the first order, the desired dimensions of the parking passes were not specified, so the printing company, Weldon, Williams and Lick Inc., used the custom dimensions they assign for hanging tags. “There was a checklist for size and it just got overlooked,” Burdette said. “A simple human error.” The University spent $14,101 April 29 on the first batch of passes and paid $9,185 in August to reprint the smaller versions, according to purchases orders The Murray State News obtained through an open records request. Murray State places an order for parking passes annually. Each year staff in Public Safety and Emergency Management are responsible for filing the order, having it approved, placing the order and receiving the tags. However, this year this process had to be repeated just 28 days before the fall semester started to replace the first order of tags. In addition, the University paid $99 to have the passes shipped over night to arrive by Aug. 10, according to the purchase orders. “The tags that were delivered were a safety hazard,” said President Bob Davies. “They would not suffice. I did not feel comfortable having those be used, so I said ‘re-order them.’” Davies said he first noticed the problem when he went to pick up his own parking pass during the summer. “I saw it and I went ‘What the heck is this?’” he said. “I talked to a couple of other people and got similar responses.” Interim Chief Roy Dunaway said Public Safety tried to invent a way to make the parking passes work without having to order a replacement set, but the passes were too big, leaving
no other choice but to re-order the tags. The human error posed two problems for Murray State officials: disposing of the unusable parking tags and coming up with the money to reprint them. They recycled the oversized passes and Davies said the financial burden of the error would have to come out of Public Safety’s budget. “We’re not transferring funds over to make them whole or increasing fees to make them whole or anything else,” he said. “They’ve got to eat it.” Burdette said next summer Murray State will perform less maintenance on current parking lots to compensate for the money lost from the initial order of parking passes. “The parking hangtag revenue goes into what we call the parking account – which is for maintaining of the lots, maintains lights, parking signs – we will just spend roughly $14,000 less next year,” he said. Davies said for him, the decision was based on the safety of students, faculty and staff at Murray State. “There is no question,” he said. “We would have had a car accident or two – or three, or four.” The enlarged tags were considered a safety hazard because they were an obstruction of vision for the driver. The passes themselves came with special instructions for using them. Faith Haley, freshman from Benton, Kentucky, said although it was a human error that could happen to anyone, it is still a problem for Murray State students. “If the students have to make up [for their error], then that would stink,” she said. “It’s already $75 just to park.” Ashlin Kendrick, freshman from Harrodsburg, Kentucky, said she was worried that rates might increase in the future because of the error. “It’s their mistake,” she said. “So if they find their own way to fix it then that would be better.” Davies said he has made his opinion on the matter clear. “Is it a mistake? Absolutely. Am I happy about it? Absolutely not,” he said. “But we’ve got to move forward.”
Resources on, off campus can increase the number of students voting Kayla Harrell Staff writer
kharrell@murraystate.edu
Photo provided
Parking forum to be held to discuss concerns
Teddy Martin
Contributing writer
emartin11@murraystate.edu
The Student Government Association, or SGA, will host a parking forum for students to discuss issues affecting all drivers at the University at 5 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Curris Center Theater. The forum will begin with a presentation by Parking Management and Public Safety and Emergency Management regarding parking regulations and construction updates. A Q&A will follow to address additional questions and to allow students to voice opinions about future parking possibilities. “This gives Parking Management the opportunity to pass along important information about our parking system and Combs gives our students the opportunity to pass ideas to the people at the top,” said Clint Combs, SGA president. The Q&A portion will begin with pre-submitted questions and will conclude with student submissions that can be made before and during the forum, with hopes of producing “fresh ideas” as an outcome, Combs said. Student demand is the reason for hosting the event and SGA plans to
WHAT’S
INSIDE
make this a once per semester event. “The consensus among students is frustration about parking, and we want to help alleviate that as best as we can,” Combs said. For instance, Brooke Croel, sophomore from Bruce, Wisconsin, is a commuter and said she is often late to her classes in the A. Carman Pavilion Animal Health Facility because of an inability to find a parking spot. “There are some days where I am parked at least a half mile away,” Croel said. Croel said she has ten minutes to get from class on campus to the Carman Pavilion – two miles off campus. In addition to herself, she said other students in her situation regularly are late to class because of lack of nearby parking. “There have been times when it looks like there’s no parking at all,” said Ashley Hathcock, sophomore from Murray. Hathcock said she is unsure where to park when there are no spots available. She said she has received a parking ticket for parking in the wrong zone when she returned from an appointment and had to rush to class right after. Hathcock plans to attend the forum to discover answers to her questions about zoned parking. Combs said he encourages students to share their opinions with student senators in addition to attending the forum. “Change doesn’t come from sitting and waiting, we need to be active and let our voices be heard,” Combs said.
City, campus can help students vote
As the November general election nears, students can make sure their voice is heard by registering to vote by Oct. 5 and making a choice at the poll. “Voting is a way to honor our Founding Fathers as well as the countless men and women who have fought and died to preserve our great American way of life,” said Ellen Adkisson, vice president of Murray State College Republicans. “After all, freedom is not free.” Kentucky voters will go to the polls Nov. 3 to elect the next governor and other state officials, including attorney general and agricultural commissioner. Antonia Faulkner, Calloway County clerk, said students can register to vote at the local courthouse, the public library and Murray State voter registration drives. Students can fill out a voter registration card Faulkner for either their home or school address, but only one or the other. “Since partnering with campus election engagement project, Student Government Association hosted voter registration drives during the first
see VOTING, 2A
WHAT’S ON THENEWS.ORG VIDEO
We sat down dean of the Huston School of Agriculture to talk hemp, now on TheNews.org.
RACER FOOTBALL Follow @MSUSportsNews on Twitter and check out our continuing game coverage at TheNews.org.
CORRECTION
Kalli Bubb/The News
The parking lot located outside of Pogue Library is popular for students, faculty and staff.
On Friday, Sept. 11, The Murray State News printed the MESS meeting time incorrectly. The correct time is 5:30 p.m. The News regrets the error.
HEMP UPDATE
OUR VIEW
WOMEN WIN
HARPER FEST
Hemp takes on its second year on Murray State farms, 3A
Put your money where the need is, 4A
Soccer scores back to back shut outs, 1B
Local business brings music to campus, 5B
News
2A
VOTING
September 18, 2015
Kalli Bubb/The News
From Page 1 week of classes in August and we plan to host more as the semester continues,” Adkisson said. “Sept. 22 is National Voter Registration Day, and the Student Government Association will host a voter registration drive on that day as well.” After registering to vote, the state will issue a postcard stating where the individual’s polling location is. There are 29 different polling locations in the city, but the two most prevalent for Murray State students are the CFSB Center and the University Church of Christ, Faulkner said. Students can receive an absentee ballot if needed, but it depends on the circumstance, such as being out of town on Election Day. Kentucky’s secretary of state, Alison Lundergan Grimes, has put into effect multiple efforts on college campuses to bring voting education and awareness to students. According to Grimes’ election candidate information survey, these efforts include: “conducting election advisory meetings in every region, hosting 15 civic roundtables across Kentucky, updating our election laws, holding an annual essay and slogan contest and assisting students with voter registration drives.” Drew Seib, assistant professor of political science, said last year 65 percent of college students registered to vote. However, only 28 percent voted. “Students are a very large chunk of the population,” he said. “But so few vote that their impact is minimized.” He said students interested in voting should have political knowledge of the current election. “Students just need to be aware that there is an election going on,” he said. “Many students do not even realize that there is an election this November.” Murray State has both Republican and Democratic political organizations students can become involved in. A Republican student can join the Murray State College Republicans, while a Democratic student can join the Murray State College Democrats. Additionally, students interested in working as a poll worker should contact the county clerk office to be assigned a location, Faulkner said. “We are always in need of workers,” she said.
WATERMELON BUST: After the event’s initial cancellation and then reinstatement, Lambda Chi Alpha’s 42nd Watermelon Bust Mud Games took to the mud pit Sept. 12 to see which sorority would come out as champion. The games are the capstone event to week-long fundraising by the fraternity and sororities, with the benefits going to Feeding America, the fraternity’s national philanthropy. Throughout the week, Lambda Chi Alpha collected money through a penny war and also held a canned food drive. Alpha Gamma Delta won its second consecutive grand champion title for the games. With mud on their faces, there was success both in the pit and outside of it for the men of Lambda Chi Alpha.
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News
September 18, 2015 News Editor: Mari-Alice Jasper Assistant Editor: Jessica Bostick Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews
POLICE BEAT 6:51 a.m. Racer Patrol advised Mur-
Sept. 10 9:05 a.m.Police A traffic was conray State ofstop an abandoned ducted by officers near Woods golf cart outside the Lowry Center. Hall. A citation was issued for Officers were notified and an infordisregarding a stop sign, failure mation report was taken. to produce a license failure 11:42 p.m. An officerand conducted to produce registration. a traffic stop at 121 North and 1:26 p.m. A drug complaint was Coldwater Streets. A citation was received by officers. A citation issued to the driver for failure to was issued for possession of wear a seatbelt. The passenger marijuana. was arrested on an outstanding
Sept. 11
8:39 a.m. Officers conducted warrant takenStar to near Calloa trafficand stopwas at Five way FiveCounty Points.Jail. A citation was is8:20 A caller a ressueda.m. for failure toreported wear a seatidential belt. college flag missing. The Housing Office was notified. 9:18 a.m. A traffic stop was 11:22 p.m. by A officers. caller reported conducted A warn- a motor vehicle with ano ing was issuedaccident for operating injuries at White Residential Colcommunications device while lege. Officers were notified and a operating a vehicle. report was taken.
Sept. 12 12:58 a.m. A caller reported 7:17 p.m. An officer conducted a a noise complaint at College traffic stop at the Business Building Courts. Officers were notified. parking lot. A citation was issued 11:36 p.m. A suspicious vehicle for driving on a suspended license. was reported on campus. The 8:51 p.m. A caller reported the vehicle was gone upon officer smell of gas at Hart Residential Colarrival. lege. Officers, Murray Fire Depart-
Sept. 13
ment, Heating andactivity Cooling 10:57Central p.m. Suspicious Plant, MurrayCourts Gas and thereported State Fire at College was Marshall were notified. A nothreport to officers. Officers found was ingtaken. suspicious upon arrival. 12:01 11:13 p.m. p.m. A A caller traffic reported stop was a sparking outlet in the 300 block conducted by officers. A warnofing College Courts. Officers, the was given for disregarding Murray Firecareless Department, Cena stop sign, driving and tral Heating and Cooling Plant expired registration. and the State Fire Marshal were
Sept. 14
12:24 a.m. Officers notified. A report wasconducted taken. parking the res4:57 p.m. enforcement The Murray in Police Deidential was college parking partment notified of acircle. medicitations at were calFour emergency theissued. Volleyball 6:07 p.m. A caller reported Courts. Officers and Murray Ama medical emergency at the bulance Services were notified. Wellness The patient The patient Center. was transported and refused ambulance a report was taken. transport.
Sept. 15 10:15 a.m. Two arrests was 3:46 a.m. Officers made on North 17thconducted Street. Of- a check a person on Northand 12th ficersofissued two citations Street. The person was arrested and served two warrants for failure transported to Calloway County Jail to appear in court. for9:53 alcohol intoxication in a public p.m. A caller reported place. A report was taken. smoke at Hart Residential Col9:09 p.m. A caller reported lege. Officers were notified but a no smoke smokedetector or threatactivated of fire wasat Springer Residential College due to located. a hair dryer. Officers were notified
Sept. 16
3:17 p.m. A non-injury motor and no threat of firewas wasreported. found. An vehicle collision information report was taken. Officers were notified. 4:42 p.m. A caller reported a theft 11:16 p.m. Officers conducted a of property from a vehicle from traffic stop in the Regents ResAlexander Hall. Officers were noidential College parking lot. tified and a report was taken A for warning was issued forunlawful disretheft of under $500 by garding a stop sign and failure taking from a vehicle. to use a turn signal.reported the 6:12 p.m. A caller smell of marijuana at Hart. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.- 12 Motor Assists Racer Escorts - 2 Arrests - 3 2:47 p.m. A caller reported an unauthorized company selling products on campus at Winslow
Call of Fame Sept. 11, 10:25 a.m. Officers served a warrant of arrest at the Business Building for failure to appear in court.
Dining Hall. The caller was referred to Student Affairs. Jessica Bostick, Assistant News 6:12 p.m. A caller reported the Editor, compiled Police Beat smell of natural gas at the Old Fine with Building. materials provided PubArts Officers,byCentral lic Safety Emergency ManHeating andand Cooling Plant, Murray Fire department, Murray Gas and agement. the State Fire Marshall were notified was taken. Notand alla report dispatched calls are listed.
3A
Low hemp harvest yield expected Lauren Epperson Contributing writer
lepperson1@murraystate.edu
By late May, Murray State agriculture students still were awaiting the arrival of the key ingredient to their summer hemp-growing program: the seeds. Getting them to Murray took two more months, attempted shipments from two countries, a pair of bureaucratic paperwork snafus and two of the largest delivery companies in the world. “There were significant problems with this year’s seeds,” said Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture. As a result, this fall’s hemp harvest – the second since the federal government allowed Kentucky universities to grow the crop – won’t be a big one, Brannon said. “We will probably harvest the full two acres,” he said. “It will not be high yielding, but we will try to harvest all of it.” Murray State’s agriculture students harvested their first crop last year in late October. But Brannon said college officials haven’t decided when that will be this fall or what they will do with the crop once it’s harvested. Just getting it to Murray was a logistical miracle. Sixty tons of seeds left Germany and arrived in Chicago without a key piece of customs paperwork. The seed company, which forgot the seeds’ certification form, paid to ship the 60 tons back to Germany. Plan B was to receive a different shipment from Canada. FedEx picked up those seeds and brought them to Louisville only to realize FedEx policies prevented them from delivering any hemp seeds, Brannon said. That hemp went back to Canada, only to be picked up by UPS and returned to Louisville. Upon arrival, U.S. Customs agents seized them and placed them under embargo at the UPS processing and packaging center for another two weeks before the seeds finally reached Murray State.
Emily Harris/The News
Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture, said problems with this years seeds could lead to a low yielding harvest. Murray State’s Department of Agriculture partnered with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, U.S. Hemp Oil and CannaVest this summer to raise and conduct research on hemp for the second time. Murray State became the first university to plant a legal industrial hemp crop in the nation in the spring of 2014. “It’s been an exciting project,” Brannon said. “Our mission is to provide opportunities for regional agriculture, and if it’s an opportunity for regional agriculture, we want to be a part of it.” Kentucky was the leading hemp-producing state in the United States until it was outlawed by federal legislation in 1938. The National Council of State Legislatures has stated that the federal government classifies hemp as an il-
legal drug under the Controlled Substances Act because it contains trace amounts of the same hallucinogen found in marijuana, tetrahydrocannabinol (or THC). Hemp production was legalized for research purposes at registered state universities when the Agricultural Act of 2014 was signed into law in February, 2014. Although Murray State was the first university to plant hemp for research, it is not the only university. The University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University also have conducted pilot programs concerning hemp. “I think it’s really cool that we’re one of the only universities in the state that is allowed to conduct this type of research and I hope that we
are able to continue in the future with this agricultural pursuit,” said Sarah Luckett, sophomore from Beechmont, Kentucky. Murray State’s most recent crop, planted July 12, has reached an average height of three to four feet. Murray State’s Department of Agriculture has not yet set a date to harvest the crop or decided how that process will be conducted. Adam Watson, industrial hemp program coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, said that he expects the pilot programs to continue and further research to be conducted. “I think it’s good that our school is able to conduct relevant, respectable and legal research about this issue,” said Chris Albers, junior from Breese, Illinois.
Racer Market to show what campus offers Jessica Bostick
Assistant News Editor jbostick2@murraystate.edu
Racer Market, a free event hosted by the retention office, will be held noon until 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22 in the Curris Center on the third floor. Racer Market will show students the services that are available to them though Murray State, from academic programs to tutoring to University counseling. There will also be information about campus clubs and organizations available to students wishing to become more involved on campus. Spokespersons from the retention office are calling this event, “the easiest, fastest and most fun way to find
out about Murray State’s vast array of helpful services and opportunities.” This event will combine the Real World Market, the Majors/Minors Fair, the MAP-Works Fair and the Student Organizations fair that in the past have been held as separate events throughout the year. Students will be able to visit booths to learn more about campus resources for students, majors and minors, the Bring Learning to Life Quality Enhancement Plan and Experience Rich activities. “In my opinion, the most important component about this event is the holistic approach it is taking to help students,” said Ben Stinnett, assistant director of retention. “Academic
Affairs, Student Affairs and student organizations will all be represented to serve our students. We will have workshops for experiential learning, time management and financial literacy. It should be fun.” This event is a way to let students see all that Murray State has to offer and what services can benefit them. There will be 18 support services, 15 student organizations and representatives from every academic area represented at Racer Market. These organizations will include Career Services, University Counseling, the Oral Communication Center, the Black Student Council, the Speech and Debate Team and the Rowing Team. Stinnett also emphasized the im-
portance of being able to connect directly to the programs and organizations that students are interested in. “Racer Market will connect students to people not just resources,” Stinnett said. “For example, if you had questions about Study Abroad instead of you being given a phone number or an email address, I can walk you over and connect you with an individual from that office. You now have a point of contact and a face to go with the office.” Food and refreshments will be available along with door prizes. These prizes include Keurigs, bookstore and flex dollar gift certificates and a week of parking privileges in President Bob Davies’ parking spot.
Lightboard to be unveiled at Murray State Alicia Steele
Contributing writer asteele5@murraystate.edu
In August 2014, Lilian Murray, former Faculty Development Center coordinator, found the idea of the lightboard from Northwestern University. She passed the idea along to Jim Barnett of the Engineering Institute who, with her guidance, was able to physically build not one but two versions of the lightboard for Murray State. One year later the board is ready to be put to use by the faculty of Murray State and will be unveiled on Thursday, Sept. 24th.
The Faculty Development Center currently holds one of the lightboards, while the Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and technology holds the other. Justin Patton is “the man behind the lightboard” as current interim Faculty Development Center Coordinator Elizabeth Price put it. Patton was responsible for programming all of the media features into the board. “Anybody can walk in, treat it like it’s a chalk board, they don’t have to have any special training,” Patton said. “If you’ve used a chalk board, you can use this thing.” The lightboard is a glass board that professors
Motorists assists – 8 Racer escorts – 1 Arrests – 2 Mary Bradley, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management.
Love Police Beat? You can check it Not all dispatched calls are listed. out every week online, too, on TheNews.org.
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The lightboard will allow professors to lecture in class while recording for online classes.
can stand behind and write on as if they were writing on a normal chalkboard. This board however, allows the professor to maintain eye contact with his or her audience, and allows the class to see the professor’s facial expressions while lecturing. Though the professors are standing on the opposite side of the board, they do not have to write backwards. Both the writing and the professor are recorded on video, and that camera is able to mirror the image, so the writing is viewed as it normally would be on a chalk board. This video is then able to be posted on Canvas or a teacher’s webpage or YouTube channel. “The lightboard is just a chalk board that is geared for online teaching,” Patton said. It is not meant for classroom learning. “The lightboard is a totally studio approach,” Patton said. If a professor knows they will not be able to hold a lecture and wish to post an online lecture, they are able to visit the Faculty Development Center from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for recording, or by appointment if necessary. It is preferred that a one week notice is given, in order to record and edit the video, but one can be produced fairly quickly in an emergency case scenario. Tim Schroeder was among the first to experience the lightboard. He knew he had to miss a class, so he recorded the lecture with the lightboard and posted it online for his students to watch. Schroeder said a good portion of his students did watch the video, but some did not. He began the next class period by asking his students what color marker he used, and most were able to answer it. “It probably saved me half of a class period,” he said. He said since not all students watched the video, he spent a portion of the next class period reviewing what he had taught in that lecture. Schroeder said that if necessary he would use the lightboard again, but “nothing can replace being in class seeing students face to face,” he said.
4A
September 18, 2015
The News
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Opinion Editor: Allison Borthwick Phone: 270-809-5873
Our View
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Put your money where the need is The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.
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Human error is a fact of life. Nobody is perfect. Everyone oversleeps every now and then or puts too much creamer in their coffee. We make mistakes and move on. A $14,000 mistake is one that goes a little bit beyond human error, though. Reporter Bailey Bohannon wrote a story for the news section this week that goes into more detail, but here’s the gist of it: Public Safety and Emergency Management spent $14,000 on parking tags that ended up being visually obstructive due to their unexpectedly large size. David Burdette, chief facilities officer, is the one who chalked it up to “human error.” Now, one would think, if something costs just about as much as Murray State’s tuition, the order would be checked, double-checked and triple-checked – especially when people already
see red when anything related to “Murray State parking” is mentioned. Instead, Public Safety mistakenly ordered $14,000 worth of safety hazards. The irony is not lost on us. They then had to turn around and spend another $9,000 to order the right ones, but waited until there was less than a month before the fall semester started to do so. There is a fine line between human error and incompetence. The harsh tone of this piece stems from frustration. The $14,000 wasted on the wrong parking tags will have to come out of the parking lot maintenance budget, creating even more safety hazards. So we will have the right-sized, still expensive parking tags, but potholes and speed bumps will likely remain problematic because
they’re cutting the budget to fix them. The cost of their mistake is covered, but at our expense. If you walk around on campus and look at your surroundings, there are a lot of things that need fixing or updating. Instead, they seem to keep building new buildings instead of fixing ones that are, quite literally, crumbling. People are living in and going to class in buildings where mold, broken floor tiles, faulty air conditioning and cracked walls have yet to be taken care of. Building new residential colleges and academic facilities on top of our already slim parking options doesn’t seem like the best solution or use of money. The cobblestone on the main walkway to class is littered with potholes, but recently we got several new benches along that
walkway instead. What’s a heavily used path without the flair of an obstacle course, after all? Quite a few classrooms are equipped with Smart Boards. The use of technology in the classroom is necessary, so there’s no fault there. However, several professors neglect to use them at all – pulling the projector screen down over it and using their tried and true presentation methods instead. Were the professors trained to use this kind of technology? Did they even want it before it was ordered? When handling and spending so much of other people’s money, Murray State needs to know the difference between excessive and necessary spending. There’s never a right time or place for human error – but there are times and places where it goes too far.
Some Things Considered
Live your values Last week The origins of the hashtag are a little muddy – no pun intended – and there’s no telling if it end, Lambda was created by a Greek or non-Greek, in jest or Chi Alpha, or in seriousness. Chop, hosted the 42nd annual Regardless of tone, using #ChopLivesMatter Watermelon is disrespectful. A reference to the popular Bust, despite its hashtag #BlackLivesMatter, it makes a mockery initial cancellaof current issues, and demeans the image of tion because of Greek life altogether. The Black Lives Matter movement is about the fraternity’s addressing deep-rooted racial injustice and issocial suspension. sues of race-related violence; to compare it to Many a fraternity getting a slap on the wrist (which Greeks voiced was then retracted) for breaking rules is ugly their outrage and in such poor taste. Whether you support over the cancelthe movement or not, twisting the slogan into lation, claiming a joke for predominately white students in exit was wrong to clusive social organizations to toss around is include Bust, inappropriate. the crown jewel I’ll throw out a disclaimer: I have nothing Hallie Beard of a week-long against Greek life, and don’t want to generalize Junior from philanthropy about those who participate in it. I think it’s Louisville, Ky. event, in social great that groups of men and women are insuspension. volved in philanthropies and I would never reI’m not sure sent their service to the community. Greeks do why Bust was re-approved after cancellation, a lot of good for Murray State and I hope membut I’m assuming it was a result of the extreme bers continue to better themselves and uphold negative reaction, which was understandable, traditions they love. considering how short notice the announce However, we must think more critically ment was. about this, and consider place and time. It’s In the midst of the Bust confusion, Greeks hardly been a year since the post-Ferguson Yik took to social media with relevant hashtags Yak debacle, when horribly racist slurs filled like #BringBackBust. One hashtag in particular the app. Recently, there’s been a petition to though, which I first saw on Yik Yak, made me remove the statue of a confederate leader from cringe: #ChopLivesMatter. the square in the Capital rotunda in Frankfort,
Kentucky, for fear it will alienate people of color. It seems obvious, but now is not the time for a hashtag like #ChopLivesMatter. It isn’t funny, it isn’t cute and isn’t conducive to the claim that Bust is about philanthropy and not socializing. Furthermore, if Bust had remained canceled, I’m not sure how that affected any aspect of the philanthropy. Correct me if I’m wrong, but donations and food are collected during the week, making the actual Mud Games a social event. No one stripped Greeks of philanthropic opportunity; had Bust not happened, students could have focused their efforts on more community service with the time and money that would have been spent at the event. The fact is Greeks are required to fill a quota of community service hours. I doubt the rule also applies to social events. Even after Bust commenced, and sorority girls posted pictures in mud-drenched matching outfits, the distasteful hashtag still wiggled its way into captions. Somehow, Greeks got back the celebration they wanted while still pleading, “#BringBackBust #ChopLivesMatter.” I recognize Bust as a Murray State tradition, and I don’t expect any student to break with tradition without an uproar. But there’s a way to go about responding that doesn’t offend and belittle others. The Greek philosopher Plato once said, “the measure of a man is what he does with power.” I urge you, members of the Greek community, to think about this. Use and speak your power well. Live your values.
The News
Opinion
September 18, 2015
Letter to the Editor Poll results
We asked students if they think Murray State spends money wisely. Here are the results of 24 votes.
5A I Have a Lot of Feelings
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In our latest poll, we asked you if you think Murray State spends money wisely. To participate in future polls, visit TheNews.org.
24
We still want to hear from you
20
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71% 16 12
No
8 4
17%
12%
I don’t know
Yes
I’ve Got a Story for You
Want a Job? Go to Your College “Start with the end in mind,” said Dr. Stephen Covey. That’s good advice. When Personkind decided to go to the moon, we decided to go in a rocket. It wouldn’t be over until some human jumped off a ladder and disturbed the dust on the moon’s surface for the first time since Robert Valentine the Ewoks moved Senior lecturer back to Tatooine. It didn’t always of advertising exactly go as planned, but we got there with one small step. Give or take. Likewise, if you are here at college to help get a job or to improve your chances at an indoor job which does not involve hamburgers or mop handles, you need to envision what the “end” will be. You can start working on it right now. Walking across the stage, shaking hands with Dr. Davies and accepting a rolled piece of paper (which is actually your final parking ticket bill) will not automatically qualify you for work. A 2.01 GPA and the ability to sleep through CIV lectures with your eyes open, while useful and
impressive skills, will not suffice, either. Human Resources persons (or, “those who hire”) don’t expect much from you if you’re fresh out of college. They will teach you what you need to know for the most part. However, they can’t teach you how to make your meanings clear, how to make things happen without the help of your friends and how to hang in there when the going gets very, very tough. That’s right: your employer will want someone who can talk and work with a team while solving problems; texting doesn’t make you special. You’ll have to do more. Happily, you are at Murray State, which has been named by most magazines in America as being in the top ten state colleges in the known universe, including Vulcan and Tatooine. The really special part is, you have a college. There are several, and one has already been chosen for you by the Sorting Hat. Called “residential colleges,” these institutions are often mistaken for “dormitories,” which means, literally, “a place to sleep through class.” The residential colleges, as they may be called,
“
You came to your University; now, go to your college. Start with your career in mind.
”
are different. Sleep is optional, but interaction is not. Your residential college is more than a building. Even if you live at home, or with relatives, or commute from Benton or Paris or Chicago, you are a member of that college. You don’t have to be a resident of the building, but you are a member of the college. “So, what?” you ask. This what: as a member of a college, you can be on the intramural team, the college council or represent the college to the Student Government Association. You can join any number of interest groups, from political factions to theatre groups to glee clubs. You could represent your college in Murray’s Got Talent or All Campus Sing. You could do a lot of things. And the HR people tell us that they would be impressed by that. It indicates that you have learned to chat with people in a meeting. You’ve had to compromise your position so that the group could move forward, and you didn’t die when things didn’t you entirely your way. You had to raise money for homecoming, and you did. You walked for ALS or rode a tricycle for UNICEF. You did it as a part of a working, problem-solving group, and you know how to do it again. You can do it in your college, any number of student groups, pre-professional societies, fraternities or sororities. That’s what the HR people are looking for. So, what’s in your resume? You came to your University; now, go to your college. Start with your career in mind. Start now.
Jeers to ... Five Points
Cheers and Jeers
Cheers to ... 70 degree weather. Fall weather is approaching, y’all. Scorching heat has been replaced by slightly uncomfortable heat, so things are looking up! Soon we can shamelessly enjoy bonfires, flannels, candy corn, caramel apples and all things pumpkin spice. Tis the season!
Five Points is a social experiment gone horribly wrong. The person who decided to have five lanes of traffic intersect is a madman who hates Murray citizens. The phrase, “Some men just want to watch the world burn,“ was created for him, not the Joker.
Cheers and Jeers is written by the Opinion Editor.
Jeers to ... Huge parking tags.
Cheers to ... Student involvement.
Questions, comments or concerns should be addressed to aborthwick@murraystate.edu
Comic
The fact that Murray State wasted $14,000 on the wrong-sized parking tags is very frustrating. That they had to spend another $9,000 to reorder the right ones is just icing on the cake. A little attention to detail would be highly appreciated, especially when money is involved.
The Nonprofit Connections Fair was Wednesday, and there was a great turnout of both local nonprofits and students looking to get involved with them. As students, we’re only at Murray State for a short time. Let’s make that time count for something.
Unoriginal content Despite Andre Gide’s successful career as an author and despite being awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947, he knew one thing to be true: “EveryAllison Borthwick thing that needs to be Opinion Editor said has already been said.” If he were alive today, he may have written an article on “15 Reasons why you’re not Unique” or “This Man Thought He Revolutionized Writing – You Won’t Believe What Happens Next.” Why? Because one person says or does something a certain way, it’s “successful” and the rest follow suit. Simply put: because it works, so why not? That’s precisely why there are roughly 400 articles floating around right now listing any number of reasons why Murray/Murray State is simply the best - better than all the rest. Or why there are so many “Open Letters” to so many things and people that I just want to close them all. Stop opening them. Seal the envelope. Maybe there are some modest letters out there that don’t want to be open. They aren’t making a sixth Paranormal Activity, Finding Dory, Toy Story 4 and a Full House reboot because there’s still a story to be told and a valid plot line the people need to see. No – it’s because it’s easy to do the same thing over and over, especially when people keep buying into it. Redundancy sells. We read list after list, give into click-bait articles and see movies out of obligation to the other three we already saw in its series. We buy into it so excessively that writers and movie makers have no choice but to keep giving us what they think we want. They are forced to create things for numbers, not content. There’s a saying in the social media/communications world: “Engagement is king.” That’s not necessarily true. More and more people create something – an article, blog post, video, photo, etc. – with the sole purpose of getting more views, more likes, more comments, more shares. If a reader or viewer does these things, does the creator really care if their audience was truly engaged? Does it matter if they saw or read whatever it was and felt a connection with it? Or is success so based on numbers now that we have lost the original purpose of creating something for the world to see? Engagement. As a public relations student with three internships under my belt and a painfully realistic view on life, I’m very aware my success depends on numbers. I could pour my heart into a blog post about my company’s mission, but if it only reaches one tenth of our Facebook audience and nobody shares it, I have nothing good to report to my boss and I’ve failed. We’ve reinvented a wheel that used to spin in the direction of creating something worthwhile – something that would captivate viewers and get them emotionally involved. Now it spins in a whole other, twisted direction. There’s a second line to that quote by Gide: “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” aborthwick@murraystate.edu
Go Racers! By Jade Simpson
News
6A
The News
September 18, 2015
Farm to the table: First Harvest Dinner is a success Courtney Scoby Staff writer
cscoby@murraystate.edu
Winslow Dining Hall held its first Harvest Dinner this past Wednesday. All of the food was sourced from within 150 miles of Murray, with as many items as possible coming from local Kentucky farmers. Farms in Kentucky and Tennessee provided most of the food for the meal. The menu featured bison from Benton Bottoms Bison in Benton, Kentucky, chicken from Crum Farms in Cottage Grove, Tennessee, and cheese from Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese in Austin, Kentucky. The idea for the dinner came from similar events held by other universities. Paula Amols, director of Dining Services and Hospitality, expressed enthusiasm for the event. “I especially wanted to do it here because it has proven to be such a challenge sourcing local foods and Kentucky Proud for regular, everyday use that I wanted to do something to showcase what the region has to offer,” she said. Although the farms providing the food are fairly close to Murray, there were other issues with attaining the food for the dinner. “Some of the stuff was relatively easy, like the bison, but the time of year presented some challenges in getting certain items, as did the quantity we needed,” Amols said. This is part of the reason more locally sourced food is not on the regular menu at Winslow. “We’ve tried to get some Kentucky Proud products when we could find them at the right time of year (as in when school is in session) and at a price not too much higher than what we’d otherwise pay, but every time we think we’ve found something, whoever the distributor is won’t come this far west,” Amols said. However, not all farmers had trouble getting their goods to Murray. In fact, a Murray State student, Jay Green, senior from Kirksey, Kentucky, provided the pumpkins and gourds used as decorations for the meal.
Green, an agriculture science major with a focus in agronomy, said he was glad to be able to contribute to the dinner. “The dinner is a wonderful idea,” he said. “It makes local farmers such as me proud that the University we attend is willing to use produce grown right here in the local counties for a dinner. This gives local farmers attention and lets us know we are appreciated for what we do.” Students who participated in the meal seemed to enjoy the change of menu. “The bison is wonderful. I didn’t expect it to taste that good with the peach glaze, but it’s super delicious,” Erynn Church, freshman from Murray, said. Hossain Mohammad Yaseen, freshman from Bangladesh, agreed, saying that the food was “absolutely, 100 percent” better than the food normally served at Winslow. “I wish it was cooked like this every day,” he said. One of the things students appreciated most about the change in menu was the freshness of the food. “I loved how everything was very natural. You could tell how natural and fresh everything is,” Mary Mac Pitts, freshman from Erin, Tennessee said. The improved taste of the food was not the only thing that students enjoyed about the meal, however. “It really does support local business and the community,” Pitts said. Students expressed an interest in having locally sourced meals on a more regular basis. “I would be down for this all the time,” Church said. While consistently providing students with more locally sourced meals all the time can be challenging because of constraints on season and price, students expressed interest in the idea of events similar to the Harvest Dinner on a more regular basis. Pitts said that she would enjoy having “fresh, tasty, local food” as much as possible. “Once a month even,” she said. Fortunately for students, Amols said she hopes that the Harvest Dinner will become an annual event at Winslow.
Jenny Rohl The News
(LEFT) Mary Jo Payton, a staff worker at Winslow Dining Hall happily helped to serve peach-galzed bison meatloaf and sweet potato gratin at the Harvest Dinner. (BELOW LEFT) Wonsu Kim, graduate student from South Korea, and Deric Hyman, junior from Shelbyville, Kentucky, enjoyed the Harvest Dinner at Winslow Dining Hall Wednesday night. (BELOW RIGHT) Raj Kumar, graduate student from India, helped serve the Harvest Dinner Wednesday night.
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September 18, 2015
Section B
The News
Sports
Sports Editor: Kelsey Randolph Phone: 809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews
Soccer earns back-to-back shutouts Two wins put Racers above the .500 mark Mark McFarland
Contributing writer mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu
Murray State soccer started its home schedule this weekend with two wins against Louisiana Tech 1-0 and Middle Tennessee State 2-0. After a rainy start before Louisiana Tech, the game got underway Friday as the Racers came out of the gate to get back over the .500 mark. The team was eager to impress the home fans with 11 shots in the first half. Sophomore goalkeeper Shelby Haworth only allowed two shots against in the first half with both shots saved. Heading into the second half it was still deadlocked at zero as neither team could push through the tough defense and goalkeeping. Junior midfielder Taylor Richerson said Haworth saved the team multiple times as she came up with big saves throughout the entire game. She also said Haworth stepped up when the defense might have lacked. At the end of the second half the game was tied at zero with many of the players looking dejected. However, they did not let that affect them as they
see SOCCER, 2B
McKenna Dosier/The News
Caroline Ashton, freshman forward and midfielder attempts to kick the ball past mid field during the Racers Sept. 11 game against Louisiana Tech.
Volleyball takes another winning weekend Football takes loss, looks good for WMU “They have to earn
Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor
krandolph3@murraystate.edu
Racer volleyball returned home after a tough weekend in Terre Haute, Indiana with another sweep at the Holiday Inn Classic, which set its record 7-1. Beginning their weekend against Indiana University-Purdue University in Fort Wayne, the opening scores for the weekend stood at 2514, 25-17 and 25-19. The Racers recorded a 72 percent sideout, or a 72 percent success, when the Racers received and went on the win the point while the Mastodons only recorded a 47 percent success. Setting the tone for the next day the Racers took on Eastern Michigan and proved to not let their focus get lost. The scores were set 25-16, 2519, 26-28, 18-25 and 15-13. “The second day was a little bit of a struggle,” said senior setter Sam Bedard. “But with better competition because it prepares us for OVC and conference play. Everyone in our conference is so tough, so I feel like it prepares us for what is to come.” After battling a tough game against the Eagles, the Racers came back against Indiana State and didn’t let their early morning affect the afternoon sweep, 25-20, 26-24 and 27-25. Setting the bar for the weekend was Bedard, who was the OVC Setter of the Week and led the team in a team high 21 digs against Eastern Michigan. In addition to Bedard’s digs, junior outside hitter, Scottie Ingram offensively added a season-best 21 kills and 11 digs, her second double-double of the season. Redshirt junior right side Kristen Besselsen added a career-high 14 digs. Bedard equates her success to the tournament-style practices Schwepker is pushing
WHAT’S
INSIDE
it. They went hard that fifth set against Eastern Michigan— it was a battle. They pushed us and we can’t lose on that part. We have to be mentally tough. A team can be better than us—if they beat us then they are better than us, but one thing I don’t want to be is mentally weaker than them” Emily Harris/The News
Ellie Lorenz, junior libero, practices Tuesday morning before their weekend tournament.
this year. The team plays its own version of a game tournament and based on each player’s accuracy percentage, the team is chosen for the following weekend. Bedard said because the team is strong this season and nobody left, there is only a 10 percent difference from the first place to the last place. “We started that almost two years ago and since everyone came back so strong this year it just more serious,” Bedard said. “That’s tough so you can’t have a bad day you have to come in strong every practice. You can lose your starting position right away and
RACER GOLF
you can’t bring in anything that made you mad the day before or even before practice.” Schwepker is looked up at by the players for this style of coaching—standing off court allowing the players to correct their own mistakes. He said this is how the team learns to improve and work fluently together. “The thing about it is the team saw some people step up and they went after it instead of backing away and that’s what I want to see,” Schwepker said. “They have to earn it. They went hard that fifth set against Eastern Michigan— it was a battle. They pushed us
RACER ROUNDUP
–David Schwepker Volleyball Head Coach and we can’t lose on that part, we have to be mentally tough. A team can be better than us, if they beat us then they are better than us, but one thing I don’t want to be is mentally weaker than them.” The Racers travel to Rock Hill, South Carolina to participate in the Winthrop Invitational facing Davidson College on Friday and Winthrop and Western Virginia on Saturday. The Racers’ OVC season begins Sept. 25 against Southeast Missouri State. “We are excited to play West Virginia,” Bedard said. “If we beat them then it’s another pat on the back.”
Mallory Tucker Staff writer
mtucker11@murraystate.edu
After a 57-26 loss to Northern Illinois University at Huskie Stadium in Dekalb, Illinois on Sept. 12, the Racers are traveling to Kalamazoo, Michigan for their next matchup against the Western Michigan University Broncos Saturday. The Racers maintained a close score against their first of two Football Bowl Subdivision opponents during the first half, up 7-6 at the end of the first and down by just three points late in the second quarter. A Huskie interception in the end zone changed the game’s pace, however, as Northern Illinois scored two drives later, entering the locker room with a 20-10 lead over the Racers. In the second half, the Huskies returned to the field with a slew of blitzes and fronts unseen in the first half. “It was kind of funny when I watched the tape,” said Head Coach Mitch Stewart. “It was a tale of two halves. I think the first half they were going to try to be a little bit more vanilla in all phases, and I think when they went into halftime that they kind of circled the wagons a little bit and said, ‘Hold on a minute.’ They really opened it up offensively.” Stewart and the team were encouraged by this change in offensive pace, noting that they had sparked Northern Illinois’ interest in the game. When it came to onfield behavior, though, senior defensive linebacker Jalen Harrington was unphased by the new patterns. “Nothing was really a surprise to us,” Harrington said.
PENGUIN PROJECT
“We studied them on film all week, so we kind of knew what it was going into the game, and what their tendencies were, and what they like to do. Just another Saturday, another game.” Harrington, who caused a fumble that led to a Racer field goal in the Northern Illinois matchup, spent two seasons at the University of Louisville before transferring to Murray State. He has played tight end, linebacker and wide receiver during his career, but said he’s finally starting to settle in and feel comfortable with his current position. When asked about his forced fumble and 47-yard recovery, Harrington said it was just a part of the play. “I read the play right, went to make the tackle and I got in a position where I could grab the ball and I just ripped it out,” he said. “It was just something that happened to go my way.” Junior runningback Roman Clay also made waves in a big way against the Huskies, leading the team in rushing with 64 yards. He credited his efforts to the coaching staff and offensive line. “They were able to open some gaps for us and we were able to take the opportunity to hit the hole and just get what we can get,” Clay said. “Coach Stewart’s calling the right plays, and we’re just all working together as a team and it was able to help in our favor.” Heading into the Western Michigan game, the team will see lots of downtime as they fly out of Paducah and wait at the hotel for a 6 p.m. kickoff. But that doesn’t mean they
see FOOTBALL, 2B
MALE CHEERLEADERS
Insight on the women’s tourna- Murray State’s Rodeo team pre- Playhouse in the Park performs Cheerleading squad adds first male teammates, 6B ment, 3B pares for home rodeo, 4B “Doctor Seussical”, 5B
The News
Sports
2B
September 18, 2015
The News’ Athlete FOOTBALL From Page 1
of the Week Jeremy Harness
Football Position: Wide Receiver Height: 5 feet, 8 inches Hometown: Radcliffe, Kentucky High School: John Hardin High School
1. How long have you been playing your sport and why did it interest you to begin with? “I started playing organized football when I was 5 years old. My dad and my uncles are what got me into the game, they all played football, and seeing them play and watching how they enjoyed the game made me want to play.” 2. What is it about your sport that makes you enjoy it? “Everything I love the atmosphere of game day; I enjoy every aspect of football.” 3. How did it feel to win your first game of the season against Kentucky Wesleyan College and how did it feel to play against Northern Illinois University last weekend? “It felt great winning the game against KWC—good way to start the season. And it was great playing against NIU. It was a great atmosphere.” 4. What do you most look forward to the rest of the season? “I look forward to winning more games, and also bonding more with my teammates and coaches.” 5. If you could give one piece of advice to someone about accomplishment, what would you say? “The best advice I would give is accomplishments are a great thing but always stay humble and want more. Don’t be satisfied with getting an accomplishment.”
SOCCER
From Page 1
came out strong, only allowing Louisiana Tech to cross midfield just a few times. Two minutes into overtime Richerson put the ball through the Louisiana Tech defense and past the keeper, for her second goal of the year, to secure the victory for the Racers. “Well, honestly, I didn’t even know we were going into overtime,” Richerson said. “So everyone was pretty down that we were going to end in a tie, I didn’t think I had a good game and after that shot it just lifted them up.” The Racers could celebrate for the night, but had to quickly refocus for their game Sunday, against Middle Tennessee State. MTSU came into the game with a record of 4-1-1. The Racers again came out strong to start the game rattling off four shots and one goal in the first 10 minutes. The goal was scored by leading goal scorer sophomore forward Harriet Withers, who shot her third goal of the year in the 10th minute of game. This moment came after a save from Haworth and passed to Richerson. Withers was then hit with a long ball, which created a one-on-one opportunity. Withers beat the keeper to put the Racers up 1-0. After the first goal, the Racers continued to battle MTSU, who kept up the fast paced nature of the game. The Racers ended the half with a 13-3 lead in shots and a one goal advan-
tage. Keeping up the offensive and defensive pressure it was clear MTSU was not going to come back. MTSU continued to battle putting up eight shots in the second half lead by senior Tori Hawkins. It took until the 83rd minute for anyone to reach the scoreboard as the Racers once again sealed victory with their latest goal. Set up by a pass from sophomore forward, Destiny White to senior defender and midfielder, Taylor Stevens who put it past the MTSU keeper and into the back of the net, scoring her first goal of the season. Head Coach Jeremy Groves attributes the successful weekend to the players enthusiasm of being home. “I think they are excited,” Groves s a i d . “When we played at Little Rock Groves they had a bunch of fans there and it was a great atmosphere, so to come home and have such a great following was huge for us.” The Racers improved their record to 4-2 and are preparing to earn a winning streak on the road with two games against Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis on Sept. 20 and Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 24. The Racers return home to play St. Louis University at 1 p.m. on Sept. 27 at Cutchin Field.
won’t be focused on football. “Being a linebacker, me and the linebackers kind of just get together and we might go over some of our tips and reminders with our linebacker coach,” Harrington said. “Or we might look at some last minute film. Other than that, we just kind of stay off our feet and just stay together to keep everybody focused on the task at hand, knowing every away game is a business trip. It’s not about going and having fun in the hotel and enjoying the time. It’s about staying together and keeping everybody focused on the task at hand.” One of the tasks at hand for Harrington and the rest of the Racers will be containing Western Michigan’s sophomore running back Jarvion Franklin. The first player to ever win MAC Rookie of the Year and MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Franklin put up 1,714 all-purpose yards during his first collegiate season. Franklin is rostered at six foot and 220 pounds, and Stewart is not naive to the size of players they will be facing Satur-
day. “They’re huge, man,” he said. “They’re a lot bigger, especially on the back end defensively, than NIU was. Northern Illinois played with some 5’9”, 5’10”, corners that were real rocked up. Western Michigan, a lot of their guys are 6’, 6’1”. They’ve got a lot of length. They’re very big up front. Their linebackers are very long. They run very well.” Even before kickoff against the Broncos, Stewart rests easy knowing that he’s already won a small victory over Western Michigan’s Head Coach P.J. Fleck. Fleck is the youngest Football Bowl Subdivision head coach. While Stewart is the youngest Football Championship Subdivision coach in addition the youngest in all of Division I football. Stewart said he expects to see creativity on both sides of the ball because of the coaches’ youth. “I’m the youngest and he’s not the youngest.,” Stewart said. “So at least I’ve got him beat at something no matter the outcome of the game. I’m not real wrapped up into that. I’m sure beforehand we’ll probably give each other a high-five or dap instead of shake hands, just because that’s what us young guys do.”
Kalli Bubb/The News
Racheal Foxley, senior defender and midfielder, throws the ball back into play during the Racers game against Louisiana Tech Friday.
The News’ pick of the week - Football Vs. Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor Tyler Dixon Graduate Assistant Mary Bradley Editor-in-Chief Blake Bernier Staff writer Dave Gesler Associate Professor
Vs.
Vs.
Vs.
Off the Gridiron
What about economics?
John Morris
What do most people want to think about when they think economics? Oil what’s the trade market like or what’s the stock
market like? What lucrative company is bringing in the most money? The question they should ask is what’s the sports market like. The question most overlooked is about the impact this would have on the country and the economy. Money fuels the economy and sports are a big, if not one of the biggest, sources of the country’s income. Sports are a part of this country’s culture and something that most people are involved with in everyday life or have done in some part of their life. Every game that takes admission to every app that takes downloading and to every channel watched adds that much more to the impact they have on the economy. Sports are so big and so helpful because work with almost every type of business when in action. It is an action when sports are being played. It is its own place in the market then you add in food, television and travel among other things. Sports always contribute to the economy and every year sports get bigger and bigger. Research on economicmodeling.com from Gwen Burrow, 2013 sports initially brought in roughly about $14 .3 billion in earnings not counting the money coming from the Super Bowl. Sports also contributed about 456,000 jobs with a salary estimated at $39,000 per job. The sports industry has a wide array of jobs in connection to other industries school fine arts teaching fitness and health law and management. Burrow broke down the 14.3 billion income into three categories initial direct and indirect. Initial being the sports workers incomes at $10.3 billion, direct being impact of the industries purchases at $2.6 billion, and indirect showing the suppliers supply change at $1.4 billion. The research also showed the six major sports jobs offered the athletes, referees, entrepreneurs, and managers, go to scouts, entertainment and performers. Burrow’s research also showed the jobs in 2009 went from 324,344 and in 2013 they grew to about 351,137 which was a 26,793 increases. One way its become a top economic driver in this country is due to its international fanfare. Forbes recently released a list of the wealthiest teams in the world. The Dallas Cowboys were worth $4 billion dollars, soccer team Real Madrid $3.26 billion, the Patriots at $3.2 billion, Yankees at $3.2 billion and soccer team Barcelona $3.16 billion. Super Bowl in 2015 accumulated about $500 million to the city of Phoenix. One big factor is the amount of sports teams and how much hey bring in to their respective cities and states annually. Some places have more than one team. Most sports have more than one league, like major league, minors, and semi pro most have their own sponsors. According to the NCAA website, for 2011-12, the most recent year for which audited numbers are available. NCAA revenue was $871.6 million. Colleges are a huge piece of this puzzle because of the fact there is a multitude of them and their connection with people kids, students, staff and alumni. This is just a small sample of the big economic picture that sports put up when you see input it has on the country. jmorris36@murraystate.edu
The News
Sports
September 18, 2015
3B
Women’s golf takes home title in field of 12 Mallory Tucker Staff writer
mtucker11@murraystate.edu
The sun was shining on the women’s golf team as the team finished its first tournament of the 2015-16 season, simultaneously taking home their first title. The Racers tallied scores of 303+300=603 over the two-day, two-round MSU Invitational at Miller Memorial Golf Course in Murray. In a field of 12 OVC and non-conference teams, these scores put the Racers 11 strokes under the second place Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. After relocating the tournament which is usually played at Drake Creek Golf Course in Ledbetter, Kentucky, because of poor course conditions, the women wouldn’t have asked for a better result. “Absolutely perfect day,” Head Coach Velvet Milkman said. “I know it’s a little bit of a disappointment that we didn’t get to play at Drake Creek, but we made the best of a situation, and the weather was perfect. So it was a great tournament.” The Racers’ two seniors, Abbi Stamper and Sophie Hillier, joined junior Sydney Trimble on the All-Tournament team alongside a golfer from SIUC and Austin Peay each. With scores of 73+76=149, Trimble lost by just one stroke to Brooke Cusumano, tying for
Nicole Ely/The News
Sydney Trimble, junior from Paducah, Kentucky, tees off during the MSU Invitational Sept. 15-16. second with Austin Peay’s individual competitor Morgan Gardner. Stamper and Hillier carded total scores of 150 each, tying for fourth place. After the first round, Trimble led the tournament, shooting one shot higher than Cusumano. “It was sad, definitely, but I’m glad to know what it feels like to be on the leaderboard
and in that position, because I haven’t been that close before to winning a tournament,” Trimble said. “It is sad that I lost, but I’m so grateful for the experience to know what it feels like, so maybe next time I get there I can pull through and win.” Sophomores Moa Folke and Anna Moore rounded out the
Racers’ top five, while freshmen Nadine Innes and Jane Watts placed 12th and 26th, respectively. Juniors Jacklyn Van Meter and Leah Rose Judd placed 19th and 66th, joining Innes and Watts as individual competitors. “I’m very pleased with how they played,” Milkman said. “Being their first college tour-
nament, they certainly had a lot of nerves, and it showed early. But they settled in and I’m very pleased with what they did. It’s a good place for them to start and know they’re going to get better.” As a junior, Trimble hopes to lead younger golfers on the team by always playing her best.
“You’ve just got to play within yourself and not get too ahead,” Trimble said. “I went out there thinking, ‘I’m just going to play my best;’ not really, ‘Beat the girl in front of me.’ I hope that the girls that come in after will just play within themselves as well and just really play their game. Because that’s really all that matters – just how they play.” Hosting the tournament and presenting awards, Milkman was busy awarding throw blankets, YETI tumblers, decorative frames and a silver platter to the top two teams, the All-Tournament team and the tournament medalist, Cusamano, who thanked Milkman for both the tournament and the “on par” snacks. Starting the season with a win, however, was the most important thing on both her and her players’ minds. Trimble said she envisions many more wins in the team’s future, and Milkman is focusing on what’s next, as well. “We needed this win for a confidence-booster,” Milkman said. “We do have some experience, but I still think we’re young. And to come out and win and get a taste of victory early will certainly make a difference in the long run.” The Racers won’t hit the links for another tournament until Sept. 27 when they’ll compete in the three-day Chris Banister Classic hosted by Jacksonville State in Glencoe, Alabama.
Men’s golf looks forward to first tournament and OVC Mallory Tucker Staff writer
mtucker11@murraystate.edu
Four senior golfers look to achieve one common goal at the summation of the 2015-16 golf season: to win an OVC Championship title. “All I have to say is mark your calendars for the OVC Championship,” senior Jared Gosser said. We’re going to be making noise this year. We’re going to bring an OVC championship to Murray State. We’re bringing it home.” The team’s quest for the title begins Monday with the first two rounds of their home
Team name Women’s
tournament, the Murray State Invitational, at Miller Memorial Golf Course. Tuesday, the team will play a third and final round, officially ending the first tournament of the fall season. Captains Brock Simmons and Preston French echoed Gosser’s sentiments, hoping to lead the team by example both on and off the course, especially the team’s two freshmen, Gabe Wheeler and redshirt Lance Davis. “We can just lead by example more than anything,” French said. “Just do what we’ve been doing and hopefully they’ll pick up on some of
Record
1. AOII A Team and AGD A 2. ASA Ladybugs A Team and ADPi A
2-0 1-1
1. Lizo A, Regents Crash and Hart Ravens
2-0
Residential College
1. Sigma Phi Epsilon 2. Alpha Sigma Phi
4-0 3-0
mick said. “He’s a really good golfer.” High expectations are evident from the seniors after last year’s three-way tie for second place at the OVC Tournament. “This year, out of the last four, we probably have the most expectations,” McCormick said. “We were second in conference last year, so we’re looking to build on that. Truly, we think we can win conference play.” The team played 10 total qualifying rounds in order to both determine their top five golfers and to create a sense of team competition.
“It’s kind of just what comes with playing golf,” French said. “You always have a little bit of a chip on your shoulder. You’re playing for your team, but you’re also playing for your spot every tournament.” Starting the season at home and practicing in ideal weather, the Racers feel prepared and excited to face new competition. After hosting their home tournament, the Racers will continue straight into conference play at tournaments hosted by Souther Illinois University at Edwardsville, UT Martin and Austin Peay, respectively. While Gosser says there’s
still some rust to shake off, he’s seen several golfers playing consistently, despite the last tournament they all played in taking place over the summer. With qualifying rounds coming to a close and practice rounds quickly approaching, anticipation for the start of the season, the pursuit of titles and gauging their conference competition are the overarching messages from each senior. “We’re all looking forward to the season,” Gosser said. “We have four seniors that can step up and really make some noise this year.”
Intramural Softball Alpha Sigma Phi beats Sigma Chi
Residential College
Independent A
1. Lizo A and Franklin A
3-0
Independent A 2-0
Independent B 1. Regents Rhinos
Record
Fraternity
Sorority
1. Sigma B-Team and Omega Mu
Team name Men’s
the stuff that’s brought us success over the last couple years and keep the trend going.” “We finished pretty good last year, so we’re just trying to carry over and finish kind of how we are,” Simmons said. “We’ve got a pretty good team this year. I just feel like we’ve got some young guys that could be really good, so we just try to be as good of leaders as we can.” Wheeler, as one of those “young guys,” is already stepping up and may have claimed a team spot during the Invitational. “Right now, he’s in the top five,” senior Duncan McCor-
1. Tri Lam 2. Phi Mu Alpha
1-0 0-1
Independent B 2-0
1. Master Batters and Who’s on First 2. Steak Sauce and Good Wood
3-0 2-1
Co-Recreation 1. Lizo (A) 2. White Co Rec (B) and Hart Guys and Girls (B) Blake Bernier || Staff writer dbernier@murraystate.edu Alpha Sigma Phi defeated Sigma Chi 23-9 Monday night behind 29 hits including an in the park homerun in the fourth inning by junior Jameson Reddin. The game started in an even score but uneven in numbers on the field. Alpha Sigma Phi batted first against a Sigma Chi team with only eight players and two outfielders. Roster issues denied one Sigma Chi member from playing due to late registra-
3-0 2-1
Results are as of Tuesday. Standings courtesy of IMLeagues.
Nicole Ely/The News
A member of the Alpha Sigma Phi team dives to save the ball and strike out a member of the Sigma Chi team.
tion. Officials printed out a roster at 3 p.m. but the member had not registered in time. In the second inning two extra players showed up giving Sigma Chi a full team. In the top of the first, Alpha Sigma Phi scored one run on three hits. Sigma Chi responded in the bottom of the first scoring two runs to take the early lead 2-1, thanks in part to two costly errors by the Alpha Sigma Phi fielders. Alpha Sigma Phi exploded in the fourth inning collecting 18 runs on 19 hits with two walks. The inning began with the first batter drawing
a walk followed by a base hit and another walk. With the bases loaded and no outs Alpha Sigma Phi hit a sacrifice fly for two runs. The second run came in due to an errant throw. After that, there were 16 hits in a row before the next out was recorded. Reddin, who hit the homerun, said that he has never hit a homerun in softball and that the last time he hit one inside the park he was probably 10 years old. Prior to his at bat Head Coach senior Taran Coleman told him that if he hit it far enough
he wouldn’t have to run, but Reddin hit it the perfect distance to have to run. Reddin said he knew it was a homerun when he saw Coleman waving him on as he rounded second base. Reddin said his legs were hurting after the game. Official rules state that no new inning can begin after 50 minutes of play so with the time limit looming, Sigma Chi knew they had to put together a large rally. In the bottom of the fourth inning with a 23-5 deficit Sigma Chi had back to back hits to the fence for extra bases and for
a moment it looked like they could make the comeback. After giving up four runs to start the inning, Coleman called a timeout to talk with his team and settle them. Coleman’s talk proved to be successful as the next two batters grounded out to end the game. “We got a little shaky there in the last inning,” Coleman said. “We went up pretty big and I think we kind of relaxed a little bit so I had to call a time and let everyone regain their composure.” Coleman transitioned from player and coach to coach
after suffering a season ending injury during a game last week when he tore his pectoral muscle while attempting to make a play. Coleman said he dove for a ball and immediately felt that something was wrong but finished the inning in the outfield because he couldn’t throw a ball at all. Alpha Sigma Phi finished last season in a three-way tie for first and Coleman said they did get overall first place based on sportsmanship points, runs and runs allowed. Reddin said they expect to win every day.
The News
Sports
4B
September 18, 2015
Rodeo prepares for 40th annual Racer Roundup The Murray State Rodeo team opens the season with their first rodeo at Missouri Valley College rodeo in Marshall, Missouri on Sept. 24-26. They continue to the University of Western Alabama rodeo in Livingston, Alabama on Oct. 8-10. The Murray State rodeo will be held at the William “Bill” Cherry Agriculture Exposition Center on Oct. 15-17. Murray State has 50 students on the rodeo team. JD
Vanhooser has been the head coach for 13 years. “There is not one event I like more than the others,” Vanhooser said. Senior, Kendall Gentry has been a part of the team since her freshman year. Gentry, barrel races her horse named Blue. “Rodeo is a place where everyone is considered family and camaraderie is quite big.” Gentry said. Rodeo students are required
to own their own horse and provide their own transportation to practice and shows. “I love having my horse near campus,” Gentry said. “Like any athlete, practice is involved. Riding also helps relieve stress from class and everyday life. It’s like going on a run to clear your mind.” After finishing in 16 place at the National Finals Rodeo, Gentry looks forward to her senior season. - Reporting by Lily Harris
Emily Harris/The News
RACER ROUNDUP: (Top) Jessica Roy, senior from Vera Cruz, Pennsylvania, rides her horse during practice Tuesday night. (Left) Ellen Adams from McDonough, Georgia practices barrel racing for an upcoming college rodeo in Marshall, Missouri.
Sports Calendar for Sept. 18-22 Friday, Sept. 18
Saturday, Sept. 19
Sunday, Sept. 20
Monday, Sept. 21
Tuesday, Sept. 22
Volleyball plays against Davidson College in Rock Hill, South Carolina, at 7 p.m.
Volleyball plays against Winthrop at 11:30 a.m. and Western Virginia at 3:30 p.m. in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Soccer faces Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis at 1 p.m. in Indianapolis.
Men’s golf has its home tournament at Miller Memorial Golf Course.
Men’s golf has its home tournament at Miller Memorial Golf Course.
Football plays against Western Michigan at 6 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Softball plays against Kentucky Wesleyan College in a double-header at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Racer Field.
Men and women’s crosscountry race in the Commodore Classic in Nashville, Tennessee.
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September 18, 2015
5B
The News
Features Editor: Connor Jaschen Assistant Features Editor: Gisselle Hernandez Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures
Features
Zachary Maley/The News
Local bands took to the stage last weekend at the annual Harper Festival, sponsored by Harper Guitars, Lovett Auditorium, Tap 216 and the Murray State chapter of Phi Mu Alpha.
Bringing music to Murray Tap 216 and Lovett Auditorium host annual Harper Fest Kelsey Grapperhaus Contributing writer kgrapperhaus@murraystate.edu
Hosted by Harper Guitars, Lovett Auditorium, Tap 216, and the Gamma Delta chapter of Phi Mu Alpha, Harper Fest 2015 was a success Saturday. The 11-hour day was filled with axe slingers, great musicians and the ‘Harper Family.’ Harper Fest is an 11-hour music festival that converges musical talent from across the country into one ‘axe slinging’ day. This year the band line-up consisted of a unique combination from a variety of different locations including Nashville, Louisville, Murray, Paducah, and even Denver.
The headlining bands included Jaden Carlson Band, John Sutton Band, Murr-Vegas All-stars, Ben Miller Band and several other artists that rocked the second Annual Harper Fest. Although this is the second music festival hosted by Harper Guitars, it was the first one held in Murray. In a recent interview with WKMS-FM, Murray State’s National Public Radio Station, and Jacob Harper, owner of Harper Guitars, Harper stated that the change from the previous Harper Fest in Paducah last year to Murray this year was expected to boost attendance and add more artists to the line-up. Not only is Harper Fest an event for showcasing music, but it also has a much deeper
focus. Most artists that performed on stage at Lovett and Tap 216 were connected by one thing: their guitars. Harper, a Murray State Alumni, began building guitars in 2007. Every guitar is completely handcrafted by only the highest quality woods, and their superior tone is customized for every artist.
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the help of others, most of whom are also Murray State alumni from Western Kentucky. Harper Guitars isn’t just another guitar retailer though; Harper Guitar’s prides themselves on treating their close friends as family. “This is a company that was built on the ‘Harper Family,’” Scott Hamrick,
Harper Fest is more like a family reunion and everyone was invited. - Scott Hamrick, event coordinator and main organizer for Harper Guitars
In 2013, Harper Guitars became a limited liability company (LLC), with
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event coordinator and main organizer for Harper Guitars, said, “Harper Fest is
more like a family reunion and everyone was invited.” John Sutton, lead singer and guitarist of John Sutton Band (JSB), is also a part of the ‘Harper Family’ of guitarists. Sutton plays an artist signature model guitar in the ‘Nashville Series’ that Jacob Harper personally customized by putting a double coil Humbucker pickup on the neck and adding weights at the body. Even after playing guitar for 21 years, Sutton loves this guitar the most due to its customization. As for the music festival, Sutton states he “loves playing festival style events.” Sutton enjoys seeing and meeting other bands at festivals, such as Harper Festival.
He especially looked forward to Harper Fest 2015. “Harper has some amazing artists lined up who are doing a lot in the biz,” Sutton said. The John Sutton Band also performed in Florida and Tennessee last week before making a stop in Kentucky for Harper Fest. JSB’s line up consisted of John Sutton on guitar, Keith McLaughlin on drums, Matthew Harper on bass, and Eric Allen on saxophone. Plans for Harper Fest 2016 have been made but nothing has been set in stone yet, Harper ‘family member’ Scott Hamrick said. Harper Guitars plans to continue the annual music festival for as long as possible, hoping each year for a larger turnout.
Alpha Delta Pi speaker Playhouse In The Park’s talks stopping bullying Penguin Project packs house Monika Staszczak
Da’sha Tuck || Staff writer dtuck@murraystate.edu “It’s not about the special needs but about the special gifts,” Holly Bloodworth, director of the Penguin Project said. Playhouse In The Park’s Penguin Project’s first performance of Seussical Jr. was a success. There were all ranges of disability displayed within the program but all participants were able to play a part in the production. The show was comprised of many Dr. Seuss favorites. One of the first stories performed was “Horton Hears a Who!” As actor, Alex Schornak, approached the middle of the stage to deliver his line, his face lit up with pride and excitement. Schornak, like many of the actors, is new to the Penguin Project this year. All of the actors on the stage have been diagnosed with a disability. Schornak has autism. He said he enjoys singing and thinks the Penguin Project has been a wonderful experience. “A person is a person no matter how small,” Schornak said, leaving an immense effect on the audience. As the production went on, the audience got to see more and
more personality emerge from these, as parents’ described, once muted children. Annabel Wilcher played the role of the Cat in the Hat. Every time she took the stage she did so with more confidence than the last, sometimes even entering with a cartwheel. “She was born with a cleft lip and palette so she has always been aware of her speech, but this program has been such a confidence builder for her,” said Kari Wilcher, Annabel’s mother. “I couldn’t be more proud.” Braxton Stewart is described as a familiar face at Playhouse In The Park by Bloodworth. Stewart has been involved for four years and has participated in four productions. This is his second year with the Penguin Project. Stewart has Down Syndrome. He had the pleasure of playing the ring master in this production. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to my circus,” Stewart said. The production itself only lasted an hour and 40 minutes but the impact this program has on the actors and actresses will last a lifetime. “This program is outstanding,” MeLissa Petik said. “Children can come here and be accepted.
They have a place where they will never be judged.” MeLissa has a daughter who participated in the performance, Grace Petik. Grace is 12-yearsold and wants to be an actress, pop star and a fashion model when she grows up. She has autism as well as other special needs. “I have seen growth in overall maturity and especially in taking direction from authority figures,” MeLissa said. “Most of all, I see the joy that has been hidden deep inside my daughter come bursting out! All the actors who participate have a different story, but they were all able to come together on stage and use their special talents to preform Seussical. Bloodworth said she was pleased with the way the first performance went. Bloodworth’s goal is to make the audiences say wow instead of awe when they see the penguins preforming. The penguins will be preforming until Sept. 20. Showtime’s vary and tickets are available upon arrival or online at playhouseinthepark. net. Tickets cost $11 for adults, $10 for senior citizens, $9 for students and $8 for children. Ordering online will add a $1.50 Internet processing fee per ticket.
Contributing writer mstaszczack@murraystate.edu
Lauren Galley is a teen mentor and a public speaker that has experienced bull y i n g herself. By just talking to her friends, she realized that so many other girls can relate, Galley and that it is worth talking about. Now, as president and founder of non-profit organization Girls Above Society, she takes action to help teen and preteen girls with being positive, sharing this positivity and dealing with bullying. There has always been the issue of bullying in schools. But for many years now, it was a natural way for things to go – kids are cruel, it gets better once you get through high school. Finally, victims of cruelty, humiliation and insecurities are taking action.
Murray State hosted one of Lauren Galley’s talks Sunday, where the Alpha Delta Pi sorority sisters had an opportunity to learn about benefits of staying positive and kind. In a really personal, casual talk they shared personal experiences with the rest of sisters, and did bonding exercises. The theme of the event was “#meanstinks”, one of many parts of Girls Above Society project. Galley said the idea behind it is to “stop the idea that women – especially the sorority women, but women in general- are mean, or gossip, and make it the cool idea to be nicer.” She said Girls Above Society started really small and locally. “A Girl Scout troop was the first place I went to speak to.” Galley said. “I just came and told my story, and I was amazed how receptive they were. So, I said yeah, this is pretty cool, and then it just kinda built to what it is now.” Talking to younger girls is an especially rewarding aspect for Lauren Galley. “I got a message once saying, ‘I’m starting middle
school this year and I’m so nervous, do you have any advice?’” Galley said. “And that’s such a cool feeling for me, to be able to help them with the small stuff.” Helping with small, everyday issues on a personal, one-to-one level reassures her about how important it is to speak up. Help does not stop with just speaking to those girls though, since a lot of times they need personal advice. “I have a website, and so I always tell girls after I speak to send me a message, keep in touch,” Galley said. The project is still growing and expanding. “I would like to speak everywhere, maybe even further (than now),” Galley said. The idea is to make this project national, and to involve other girls that could talk about their experiences. Society has adapted a policy of silence on bullying and its causes – as long it is not visible, it is not a problem. But what happens when someone speaks up? It might just happen that they help.
The News
Features
6B FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
September 18, 2015
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
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7 p.m. The Penguin Project, Playhouse in the Park, Murray
7 p.m. Karing for Kids Charity Golf Event, Miller Memorial Golf Course
2:30 p.m. The Change Project, Clara M. Eagle Gallery, 15th St, Murray
5:00 p.m. Wesley at Murray Art Reception, Wesley at Murray 440 Utterback Road, Building 500 Murray
12:00 p.m. Racer Market, Curris Center, Murray State
6:00 p.m. Race: A conversation, Faculty Hall Room 208, Murray State
4:00 p.m. ROTC Best Racer Competition, Hamilton Field, Murray
Students take on Tai Chi after exercise returns to campus Elizabeth Hernandez Contributing writer
ehernandez1@murraystate.edu
Tai Chi classes have now started back up on the second floor dance studio in the Carr Health Building. The class is scheduled to meet 2:30- 4:30 p.m. Thursdays with instructor Kathryn Mowery. Tai Chi involves learning a series of slow, meditative body movements that were originally meant to be taught as a martial art with long duration exercise. When health
benefits were discovered in the early twentieth century, Tai Chi was looked at in a new light as a medicine or a wellness exercise. “I think of Tai Chi as the mother of all modern arts,” Mowery said. She said she has been teaching this particular course since 2001. “[Students] often say it helps with stress relief, they get stronger legs and it helps with concentration … In general, it is very healthy.” Mowery said. According to Mayo Clinic, the art of learning Tai Chi has
many benefits. Martial artists can even rent or buy his or her own Tai Chi self-learning videos, but to truly gain the full benefits and proper techniques it is always best to learn from an instructor. If Tai Chi is learned correctly it can decrease stress, anxiety and depression, as well as improve flexibility, balance and agility. In addition, Tai Chi can help increase energy, stamina and enhance the immune system, along with helping to lower blood pressure.
Different Types of Tai Chi include:
THE YANG STYLE:
Twenty-four movements in the simplest form, very demanding because they must keep their stance wide and the knees bent for most of the time.
THE WU STYLE:
Twenty-four to thirty-six movements in a shorter form, it’s said that wu is gentler than the yang style because it uses a narrower, but higher stance where the knees are not as bent.
THE TAI CHI STYLE:
Only twenty movements. It uses a higher stance, but with less transfer of weight from one leg to the other, than the yang and wu style do.
Nicole Ely/The News
Classes are open to any student looking for exercise and willing to learn.
Murray cheerleading evolves Squad takes on male athletes
Breanna Sill Staff writer
bsill@murraystate.edu
Chalice Keith/The News
Kenneth Gray launches a flyer into the air in a high risk airborn maneuver.
Murray Greek life discuss value based living
To the people who say cheerleading is not a sport, Daryl Finnie, sophomore from Memphis, Tennessee, has one thing to say: “Meet me on the mat.” Finnie is one of four new additions to Murray State’s new co-ed cheerleading squad. He, along with Kenneth Gray, sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky, Dannis Seay, senior from Oceanside, California and Chantry Carroll, senior from Murray, are the first male cheerleading squad members Murray State has had since 2007. According to Murray State policy, in order for a male to join the cheerleading squad there must be at least three others willing to try out and make the squad. That is what encouraged Finnie, who was previously a part of an all-star squad, to
Brianna Willis Staff writer
bwillis2@murraystate.edu
Across the nation, it would seem that fraternities and sororities have been in trouble for violating rules put in place by the organizations. Dr. Mari Ann Callais does not shy away from this fact. Rather she encourages members to live up to their values. Callais began her talk with a jovial sing-along and called upon four fraternity brothers and four sorority sisters to help her out. Starting off with a rousing rendition of “Lean on Me,” moving into a medley involving “Hakuna Matata,” “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” “Blank Space” and “Wagon Wheel,” Callais was intent on getting the students involved. “This will only be as fun and interesting as you let it be,” she said. The mood shifted at this point into a more serious discussion of
find three friends to try out for the squad with him. He spent the entirety of his freshman year looking for the right guys. “I had never cheered a day in my life,” said Gray. “Lane told me ‘It’s going to be me, you and a couple other guys, but let’s try out for co-ed cheer.’ That day he helped me start getting my skills together to start cheering.” Gray learned to tumble, or flip, in only six months. His most advanced skill is a standing backward tuck. Finnie and Gray both agree that their favorite part about cheerleading is the co-ed stunting and tumbling. Stunting is what cheerleaders do when they build human pyramids or lift a flyer into the air on either one or two feet. During co-ed stunting, a male and a female only stunt together when the female is thrown into the air by the male. The men are not the only ones who are excited about
fraternity and sorority values. Greek life is something Callais knows well and holds dear. She has worked in Greek Life for over 16 years and is a member of Theta Phi Alpha. Not only has she been hands on in Greek life, she has been awarded by numerous organizations, including, but not limited to, Sigma Sigma Sigma Greek Advisor of the year and the highest award Theta Phi Alpha bestows on a member, the Guard of Honor. She asked new initiates to speak on why they joined the organization they did. Answers were heartfelt and students shared out responses such as wanting to join a brotherhood or sisterhood, a family away from home, to give back and to grow as a person. One student said she joined her sorority because the historical significance of Alpha Delta Pi being the first secret society for college women. This opened the floor for Callais to discuss issues facing frater-
the newest additions to the cheerleading squad. Abby Branham, freshman from Lexington, Kentucky, and fellow cheerleader said the boys bring a new light to the squad. “It definitely helps us,” she said. “Their strength alone allows them to do things we can’t, like four girls doing something compared to one guy.” While some may think cheerleading is only yelling chants and supporting a team; that is not the case. The 2013 the Journal of Pediatrics named cheerleading the number one most dangerous contact sport. Gray and Finnie understand the risks of the sport, but said, for them, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. “Cheer is not just physical, but a mental challenge,” Gray said. “If you have any fear of getting hurt, then I don’t think cheer is for you.” Cheerleading was deemed
nities and sororities, especially on Murray State’s campus. “Do we talk about values because it’s a buzz word we’ve been taught, or because we mean it?” Callais said. The conversations dealt with serious issues such as holding fellow sisters and brothers to a higher standard and keeping them accountable. She did an activity with the students in which everyone held a blanket with two hands and in the middle she placed her personal badge. The blanket represented the Greek community, and her badge represented each individual chapter. With each question she asked, they were to drop a hand if they had participated in those actions. “Have you ever skipped class?” Callais asked. Within a matter of seconds the badge had fallen to the floor. The blanket had been totally let go of. Callais talked to the students
so dangerous because of the high risk of concussion and the risk of catastrophic injury. “This is one sport where if you tell yourself you can’t do something, you’re probably going to get hurt if you try it,” Finnie said. “In basketball, if you say ‘Oh, I can’t shoot this shot’ you can still throw it up there, you don’t lose anything from trying it. Cheerleading isn’t like that.” In the next two years, Finnie and Gray hope the cheerleading squad continues to grow and expand into something larger. They even hope that eventually they can expand into two separate, one all girl and one co-ed, squads. “We definitely want more guys,” Finnie said. “We want so many people trying out that we want the school to say that we can’t only have 16 people cheering. We want to expand that to more than 16 people on this cheer team.”
about being responsible for their actions and, above all trying, to be the best individuals and representatives of their respective organizations. Greek unity was a huge part of the event, and the Panhellenic President, Caitlin Dunaway said she had heard Callais speak at the Association of Fraternal and Leadership Values Conference. “I find sometimes our organizations can be separated and not really interact.” Dunaway said. “I thought Callais could provide some insight and help us come together.” Callais closed the event with positivity. She asked students to speak on women they saw in their organizations living the values they agreed to follow. She ended with a poem and a final thought. “Where would you be without your sorority?'” she asked. “We are all very privileged to have a support system that is there for you no matter what.”
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New York Fashion Week Showcases Spring’s Upcoming Styles The obsessed-over fashion show that occurs biannually officially started on Sept. 10 and carried through until Sept. 17 in Manhattan, New York. This week, seats filled at the Skylight Clarkson Square, which was one of the main venues, with celebrities and fashionistas who had a frontal view of works by Alexander Wang, Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera and various others. Models slayed the runway, oblivious to the ceaseless flashing of the cameras attempting to capture all the glamour. People were not only focused on all the amazing outfits but also seemed concerned for certain models that were cast. Fashion designer Victoria Beckham received backlash after casting a “super skinny” model for showcasing her work. She also received criticism for using a 17-year-old model to close off her show. Another model, who calls herself The Bionic Model, walked the runway and caught the attention of the audience after they noticed she possessed a prosthetic arm. Rebekah Marine, who was born without a right forearm, sparked conversation as an unusual icon in the fashion industry. Models may have received more negative attention than positive for this year’s NYFW but nevertheless, consumers look forward to the scheduled Fashion Weeks in London, Milan and Paris this month.
Soundbyte “Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House?” -President Obama, toward 14-year-old Muslim student who was arrested after bringing a handmade clock to school that was mistaken for a bomb.
Photo courtesy of Universal Studios
Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould and Kathryn Hahn look to impress viewers in M. Night Shyamalan’s new horror film
‘The Visit’ throws curveball with horrifying twists M. Night Shyamalan’s comeback film does not disappoint Adam Winn || Staff writer awinn@murraystate.edu
As time continues to get closer and closer to Halloween, moviegoers will notice that, as with most previous years, that a majority of the films released are horror or thriller based in order to put the audience in the mood for the spooky holiday season. However, audience members who are looking for a movie that contains a little bit of every genre, including horror and comedy, and is legitimately good, look no further because “The Visit” contains all that and more. The film is about a single mom who allows her two teenage children to go spend the week with their grandparents whom she hasn’t personally had any contact with since before the children were born. Soon after their arrival, the children begin to notice weird and suspicious behavior from their grandparents, and the more time they spend at their grandparents’ house, the more they begin to realize that things may be gravely wrong with the strange elderly couple. This movie follows in the same direction that the director M. Night Shyamalan’s other popular movies, such as “Signs” and “The Village,” do and contains a huge twist that most audience members won’t see coming.
Even when thinking that you’ve got everything figured out, the film throws a curveball of a twist at the viewer. Even though this film is shot using the excessively-used technique where one of the characters appears to be holding the camera, comparable to movies like “The Blair Witch Project” and “Paranormal Activity,” the director does a surprisingly great job filming the movie this way. The movie generally has a great balance between humor and suspense. The audience will, most likely, spend just as much time being scared as they will be laughing at some of the silly jokes throughout the course of the movie. For instance, one of the scenes involves the teenagers finding an entrance to underneath the house and begin to play hide and seek. After playing for a little bit, they discover that they are not alone, and the grandmother begins to chase them like a dog and tries to scare them from out underneath the house. The film is almost fully comprised of an unrecognizable cast. It was difficult to place names or other movies that the cast members had previously been in. The one exception was for the actress who played the mom, Kathryn Hahn, of “Step Brothers,” who typically plays more comedic roles.
A minor shortcoming is sometimes the acting falls a little flat and feels a slight bit unbelievable, especially when it comes from the actors and actresses that are playing the teenagers in this movie. There were times when the young actor, who plays the brother in this movie, seems to not show much emotion and looks like he’s trying too hard to remember his lines. With that said, the acting done by the actors who play the grandparents in this film is pretty well done and they consistently give off a creepy vibe, reminding the viewer that there is something very wrong. This film currently has a seven out of 10 star rating on the IMDB website, which shows the potential audience that other critics had a positive viewing experience when watching the movie. As mentioned before, for most movie admirers who enjoy the opportunity of being frightened, but also like a film that they can laugh at and can walk away not taking the overall plot of the film super seriously, this is a great film to invest time into and it’s a near guarantee that the audience members will enjoy it.
I ’ v e been here for a year now and I’m starting to realize every detail here that makes Murray the way it is; Gisselle from every Hernandez f r i e n d Assistant Features ly-borderEditor line-creepy hello when you’re just trying to buy ramen at Wal-Mart to now nonexistent drunken meals at Mary’s Kitchen at 3 a.m. It’s true, Murray is a small, quiet town but when you look at it, it’s that sort of warm place you stumble upon that has a welcoming and embracing ambiance that eventually grows on you. We get it, you’re from New York and this place is so lame compared to where you’re from. To you, there’s never anything fun happening and you could just die of boredom. Just so you know, from where I come from, this place ranks next to Disneyland in things available to do. I understand that Murray might not be as eventful and full of wild-partying as you expected your college experience to be. Maybe you chose Murray State for it being the cheaper option, maybe you chose it for the proximity to home or maybe your parents chose it for you. Murray State might not be the greatest place for you to reminisce about when you’re in your late 50s trying to convince your grandchildren that you weren’t a total loser in college when you were really spending your time binge-watching The Office on Friday nights. By all means, it doesn’t hurt to give this little town a chance. If you weren’t spending your time trying to tell everyone within earshot that Murray is a “dead-zone,” you might actually find nice little events worth going to in Murray. Whether it’s an ice cream festival (because who doesn’t love free ice cream?) or kayaking at the lake, there will always be things to do. You need to realize there are other places that have far less things to do to keep you busy. Appreciate the fun and not to mention good-for-you color runs, the free movies showing at the Curris Center, the cool (or terrifying) snake displays now and then at the Quad and try to get involved in clubs around campus as well. Don’t expect for events to come to you; go out and seek them. When you’re complaining about how absurd it is that there’s no mall, we don’t ask why didn’t you just stay in the North. So, why should you ask us why we chose to come here of all places? Besides, the choice is clear. If the mass water balloon fights and outstanding step shows won’t cause you to rethink the excitement of this place, the occasional celebrity appearances and yearly mind-blowing hypnotism acts will. ghernandez1@murraystate.edu
Out this week
Read It
“Library of Souls: The Third Novel of Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children” by Ransom Riggs
See It
“Everest”
Hear It
“Threat to Survival” by Shinedown
Rent It
“Love and Mercy”
Play It “Fifa ‘16”
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September 18, 2015