The Murray State News

The Murray State News February 11, 2016

TheNews.org

Vol. 90, No. 18

BUDGET

Threat of cuts forcing change Mary Bradley Editor-in-Chief

mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Bailey Bohannan Staff writer

bbohannan@murraystate.edu

Murray State will lose $11 million in state appropriation between this April and June 2018 if Gov. Matt Bevin’s proposed budget passes the state legislature.

Bevin released the numbers during his budget speech in late January and proposed that after the $11 million in budget cuts, appropriations will eventually transition to being based off each university’s performance, known as performance funding.

The proposed budget cuts have spurred action from all levels of the university and

across the state. Murray State and the Student Government Association have promoted advocacy about the budget cuts and have encouraged the university community to sign a change.org petition against the reductions.

Under Bevin’s plan, all Kentucky universities may receive a 4.5 percent cut in funding by June 30, when the 2015-16 fiscal year ends. For Murray State, this equates to about $2.1 million dollars of the current $48 million in state appropriations.

President Bob Davies said the university receives state appropriations in quarterly installments during the year, with the last installment yet to come during this fiscal year.

He said the university intends to take care of making

the 4.5 percent cuts “as much as possible early on.” The university will either take the money out of the next installment or ask to have it subtracted from next year’s state funding.

“The more you delay these types of actions, the more serious it is and more impactful it could be,” Davies said. “So, we would like to do the earlier the better.”

Right now, state appropriations make up 28 percent of the university’s total budget – $169.2 million – according to the 2015-16 Budget Summary.

However, Davies said this percentage funds the core components of the university.

While auxiliary funds exist, like Dining Services and Housing, Davies said funding from those entities go back into sup-

porting themselves and can’t make up for the state cuts. He said some legislators believe auxiliary funds can help alleviate the effects of budget cuts, but that is not the way the university operates.

“The education in general fund is what our core responsibilities are for the teaching and learning function of the institution,” he said. “That’s where we apply the state appropriations.”

AFTER JULY 1, 2016

If Bevin’s budget is passed, the university’s appropriations will decrease 9 percent – $4,322,200 – effective July 1, 2016. For 2016-17 and 2017-18 fiscal years, the proposed budget will be $43 million for each year.

Effective July 1, 2017, one-

third of Murray State’s budget will be allocated through performance funding. State appropriations will be reduced to $29 million, and $14 million will be placed in a performance funding pool. Essentially, universities will compete to gain more, less or the same amount of that funding back and is based on metrics that may be developed during the summer, according to the email sent by Davies.

In fiscal year 2018-19, another one-third of funding will be moved into a performance funding pool. By fiscal year 2019-20, every penny of state appropriations will be based on performance.

That means all eight Kentucky public universities – including Murray State – would compete for a share of $282 mil-

Bringing awareness

Diversity challenge halfway to goal

How one student won her battle, and how others can win their own, too

lion, according to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

Davies said that model of performance funding can’t sustain public universities.

“Higher education is not a one-year process,” he said. “It is a process that evolved over time and continually grows.”

Additionally, Davies said the effects of the budget cuts don’t stop at the boarders of Murray State’s campus. He said the 18-country service region will see a $54 million impact from the cuts, which is a conservative estimate.

LOOKING AHEAD

The university has not made any official plans on what will

see BUDGET, 2A

King: Care for others, humanity Tierra Reese Staff writer

treese@murraystate.edu

Abby Siegel

Assistant News Editor asiegel@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s diversity pledge continues to accumulate signatures since it started in Fall 2014 from a Yik Yak debacle showing hate towards multicultural students.

Students from the Emerging Scholars Institute – a mentoring program for multicultural students to develop their academic and leadership skills – created the pledge after multiple incidents of discrimination and hate were revealed on campus, building on work began by S.G. Carthell years ago.

The pledge calls for “accepting one another, learning from one another, creating an atmosphere of positive engagement and challenging bigotry.” It now has nearly 2,500 signatures with a goal of reaching 5,000.

The pledge has been signed by hundreds of students as well as President Bob Davies, State Rep. Derrick Graham of Frankfort, Kentucky, State Sen. Reggie Thomas of Lexington, Kentucky, Renee Shaw of Kentucky Educational Television and Mayor Jack Rose.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs emphasized the pledge again during Fall 2015 when advertisements for Hijab Day, an event sponsored by the Muslim Student Organization where students could try on a hijab, were defaced with phrases like, “Hey wanna find out what it is like to be flogged and stoned too? ... heck no!”

“The students involved in the Office of Multicultural Affairs thought it was important to stand in solidarity with them,” said Ivy Anderson, senior and Emerging Scholar from Memphis, Tennessee. “What better way than to reboot our diversity pledge – a pledge that puts the responsibility on Murray State students to do the right thing and make our campus a safe space for all.”

Anita Chitule, student services specialist in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, said diversity matters because we live in a world that branches beyond our own boarders.

“Diversity is important to all of us because we live in a

see DIVERSITY, 2A

WHAT’S

INSIDE

Photo illustration by Kalli Bubb/The News

Melissa Ford, senior from Evansville, Indiana, developed anorexia nervosa at a young age. Since she has recovered, she has grown from the battle she fought and won.

Abby Siegel

Assistant News Editor asiegel@murraystate.edu

When Melissa Ford was 14 years old, she began having seizures nearly every week.

Concerned, her parents took her to the doctor to perform a series of tests. The results revealed the secret she had shared only with her closest friend: that she was starving herself.

Ford, now a senior from Evansville, Indiana, said she developed anorexia nervosa after feeling inadequate from comparing herself with those around her, beginning when she was 12 years old. She battled the disease for four years in high school with the help of therapy that she attended twice a week.

“The root cause isn’t an eating disorder, it’s something else,” Ford said. “Everybody is different, it is not a cookie cutter thing and it’s not as simple as people think it is.”

February is National Eating Disorders Awareness month.

A series of programs nationally and at Murray State will occur throughout the month.

Feb. 21 – 27 will cap off the month as the official National Eating Disorders Awareness Week.

Nearly 20 million women in the United States suffer from a clinically significant eating disorder during their lifetime, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating, according to the National Eat-

ing Disorders Association.

Between 40 and 60 percent of girls ages 6 – 12 are concerned about their weight, and there has been a rise in anorexia in young women ages 15 – 19 during each decade since 1930, according to the association.

“There has been a significant increase in the diagnosed instances of eating disorders, though college students are believed to be at a higher risk for developing problematic diet and exercise behaviors,” said Abigail French, Women’s Center director.

For men, the underlying problem is a societal view of masculinity – a real man is supposed to be strong, muscular and powerful – as shown in the media, French said.

“While body image issues may manifest differently in men than in women – wanting to be larger, rather than smaller, for example – the impact on emotional, mental, and physical well being is in large part the same,” French said.

‘I’m not sure how this is going to end,’” Ford said. “And she simply said to me, ‘However you want it to, that is how it is going to end.’”

Control is often one factor in developing an eating disorder, as well as using food to cope with overwhelming emotions, according to the National Eating Disorders Association. They are complex conditions, involving “long standing behavioral, biological, emotional, psychosocial,

RELAPSE HAPPENS

“I knew what the path looked like and I didn’t want to go down it again,” Ford said.

After a significant loss occurred in Ford’s life, she said her natural retreat was to stop eating. Her roommate confronted her after noticing her hair and weight loss, and Ford admitted that she didn’t know what to do.

“I looked at her and said,

interpersonal and social factors,” the association says.

“Realizing that I was in control, no matter how out of control I felt, that was huge,” Ford said. “To anyone struggling, you are understood, you are in control, it is only going to end the way you allow it to,” she said.

Ford said it was largely a mental battle she faced.

see AWARENESS, 2A

BY THE NUMBERS

A CALL FOR ACTION

King also weighed in on one of the biggest challenges facing Murray State’s campus.

State funding to the university could be cut by 4.5 percent this spring and an-

see KING, 2A

20 MILLION

women suffer from a clinically-significant eating disorder during their lifetime

BETWEEN 40 and 60

the percentage of girls between the ages of 6 and 12 that are concerned with their weight

BETWEEN 15 and 19

The message Martin Luther King III delivered Monday at Lovett Auditorium was one of caring for others and devoting oneself to bettering humanity, whether it was protecting education funding or eradicating racism and poverty.

King, the 12th speaker in Murray State’s Presidential Lecture series, also challenged the audience to improve society, which he said still has work to do to achieve its potential. Ignoring poverty, particularly, should not be tolerated in the 21st century, he said.

“It is unacceptable and un-American,” he said.

King, the eldest son of civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, has continued in his father’s practice by helping communities across the nation by spearheading programs such as the King Summer Intern Program, Hoops for Health and A Call to Manhood.

the ages that have seen a rise in anorexia during each decade since 1930

Statistics according to the National Eating Disorders Association

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GETTING AHEAD

OUR VIEW

STEWART RECRUITS

DATING VIOLENCE

STEM workshop held to help overcome stereotypes, 3A

The never-ending fight for gender equality, 4A

Football program signs 28 players for next season, 1B

University initiatives take flight for Valentine’s Day, 5B

The News

News

2A

DIVERSITY From Page 1

lar belief, not talking about it won’t make our problems go away.”

CONTINUING THE DIVERSITY PLAN

global society and it is in our best interest to embrace the principles of diversity because of the value that diversity brings to our lives,” she said.

Chitule was responsible for coordinating efforts from various student organizations to sign the pledge and encourage students to create posters. She also verifies pledge signatures.

Anderson said she is an advocate for speaking about issues of diversity.

“I am always encouraging conversations about diversity because we don’t have them enough in safe spaces,” Anderson said. “Contrary to popu-

In addition to the pledge, the university diversity plan supports and defines the idea for the university. The previous plan ended in 2015 and an improved plan is being created.

The Council on Postsecondary Education has been working since October 2015 to develop the next iteration of the statewide university diversity policy, working with representatives from Kentucky public universities.

The policy is expected to be completed by this summer and shared with the universities, who will then be able to take steps to revise their university specific diversity plans for implementation in 2017. Until the new plan is in place, the Coun-

AWARENESS

ing result is mild or moderate, individual counseling, online resources for improving body image and individualized From Page 1 feedback is given, and a medical referral may or may not be “I know that my story won’t made. If on the rare occasion be the same for everyone, but a screening shows a student in at one point or another it had the severe range, the Women’s to stop being about me and it Center would refer the stuhad to be about who Christ dent to an immediate inpatient was for me,” Ford said. “It is a or intensive outpatient center. mental decision for me.”

The Women’s Center is en Ford recovered from her couraging students to take an anorexia and she said she felt online assessment through reit could happen because she searchers at Stanford Univerrecovered sity and from a reWashinglapse. ton Uni “I worry versity to about peoevaluate ple viewI n t e r ing me net-based through programs the lens of p r o a fragile moting post-an- - Melissa Ford, senior from Evansville, Indiana healthy orexic habits. rather A f t e r than the taking a content five-minand recovered person that I ute online screening, personam,” Ford said. “But I fought alized online resources and and won my own battle and programs are suggested and that is something no one can connections can be made with take away from me.”

Murray State’s Women’s Center.

GETTING AND GIVING HELP “Practicing positive be French said being educated havior is just as important as on how to approach a friend stopping negative behaviors,” that may be struggling with French said. “Learning to have an eating disorder is importcompassion with ourselves ant. At the same time, trying and knowing our worth as to be a counselor or doctor, people is an importance piece she said. The most important of the issue.” steps are to listen and show Ford suggests keeping nutricompassion. tious snacks on hand for mo “I often encourage people ments when appetite returns, I talk with to have a thoughtletting friends know when you ful and direct conversation are having a weak moment starter, but after that listen and getting rid of the scale to and be informed enough to overcome the condition. the person about help that is “My biggest secret has beavailable,” French said. come public, but if sharing my At Murray State, students secret gives someone else the struggling with an eating discourage to do the same and order must first understand get help, I’d go through it all how severe the problem is. A again five-fold,” Ford said. “I student can go to the Womthink that there is freedom in en’s Center at any time for an speaking about your biggest in-person screening or simply fears, and it is not a shameful to talk. If the student’s screenthing.”

“

But I fought and won my own battle and that is something no one can take away from me.

”

cil on Postsecondary Education will evaluate the metrics of the current plan.

Background for the Statewide Diversity Plan Development provided by the Council on Postsecondary Education states that the university’s President’s Commission on Diversity and Inclusion is taking a proactive approach to the revised diversity plan. The established plan that ended in 2015 is being assessed to build a stronger plan for the coming years.

“Murray State is not a university that condones hateful rhetoric, and this pledge is a direct representation of our non-discriminatory policies,” Anderson said.

The Board of Regents approved Murray State Diversity Plan principle in August

2011 that had origins that developed from open forums to discuss diversity. From then, the plan has continued to develop in implantation and a progress report has been provided annually to ensure there is action taken toward creating a safe campus that continually embraces diversity.

According to the document, “the Commission continues to work toward the ongoing progress of having an ever-evolving campus climate open to diversity.”

“Regardless of how uncomfortable it may make us, conversations about diversity, involving all races and ethnicities, need to happen so that we can have diverse perspectives and figure out solutions for our generation and the next,” Anderson said.

BUDGET

we can do to address the funding question,” he said.

Overall, King said he is determined to help state institutions lower costs and come together as a united front while also providing for a strong work-force in the future.

“Obviously, we wish the burden that is falling on our intuitions wasn’t as high as it is, but we understand that [Bevin’s] got a tough job to do and it means that we are all going to have to work together and see if we can’t find more efficient ways to do the work that we do, and to at the same time, continue to try and help contribute to the long-term solution which is to create a great workforce for the 21st century,” he said.

From Page 1 need to happen for the possible budget cuts, but Davies said action is being taken.

“The deans, the vice presidents, everyone’s looking within their units and saying, ‘OK, what are some of the things that we can do?’” he said.

“So, it’s too early to say specifically what those will be. But, a part of this, too, is that we want to do this as a university.”

Davies said he has no intentions of it being an acrossthe-board cut or a cost-cutting exercise. Rather, he said it is more of a strategic alignment with a focus on priorities, like the strategic plan, graduation and retention rates, rigor of academic programs and recruiting high-achieving students.

He said there has been worry and uncertainty across campus and about the budget proposals and performance funding, but he intends to help the university change and adapt during this process.

“Assuming that these things go through and there is no change, we’ll be a little bit smaller in some areas,” he said.

“Overall, we’ll be smaller and you can define that in many different ways, but we’ll be streamlined, we’ll be more focused, we’ll be more dedicated to certain things and stronger ... but, we will continue to be focused in on being the best student-centered university in America and making that a realization.”

President of the Kentucky Council of Postsecondary Education, Robert King, said moving forward, the CPE intends to cover all bases when addressing the cut in funding.

“We will be working with the governor, we will be working with the legislature, and we will be working with all of our campus presidents to see what

MAKING A STATEMENT

In response to the budget cuts, many students have organized to take action along with the university. A change. org petition circulated after the Student Government Association, or SGA, created it.

As of Wednesday, the petition has gained more than 3,000 signatures of the 5,000 signature goal.

Clint Combs, SGA president, said the petition was created in an effort to reach all students – not just those who attended events like “Racers in Action.”

He said that once the goal is reached or when the petition stops receiving signatures, the group will print it out and send it to Frankfort, Kentucky.

Combs said the response to the budget proposal has been interesting, and students are learning the facts, but he hopes students will continue to learn more and stay involved.

But ultimately, Combs said that he believes the university will make it through.

“I know Murray State will find a way to make it through this, regardless of what the end outcome is,” he said. “We have great leadership on this campus. We’ve got great faculty and staff. So, we’ll do well regardless.”

From Page 1 other 9 percent next year if Kentucky legislators adopt the budget Gov. Matt Bevin proposed last month. King said he was saddened to hear that leaders would slash education funds.

“They are hurting our state and young people to be competitive with the world,” King said.

When one student asked him if he would send a letter to the governor urge him to back off the cuts, King said he would but advised students to “mobilize through social media.”

“Students have to be engaged like they were in the ‘60s,” King said.

He said Murray State’s nearly 11,000 students should make a trip to the governor’s office to voice their frustration, and added that he bet Bevin would “think twice about any funding being cut.”

President Bob Davies, who walked out stage to give the thumbs up to the student who asked King the question, said later he was excited about King’s willingness to sign a letter asking state leaders to spare higher education from cuts.

BATTLING RACISM

King also spoke about Murray State’s 60th anniversary of desegregation, which is being celebrated this academic year, and applauded the university for the progress made over those six decades. But King said the country still has to wrestle with it, as evidenced by protests over the last two years in cities such as Baltimore, Cleveland and Ferguson, Missouri.

“We became more divided and racial issues seem to

‘VICTORY FOR HUMANITY’

King encouraged young people in the audience to do and create something to be proud of and bring about change.

As he concluded his speech, King recalled visiting his mother’s alma mater, Antioch College in Ohio, and seeing the statue of education reformer Horace Mann. The inscription on the statue included Mann’s quote: “Be ashamed to die until you’ve won a victory for humanity.”

King said it should be a challenge to everyone to affect change at any level – the university, the community, the nation or even the world.

“It takes a few good men and women to bring upon change,” he said.

Skills Needed: Residential Advisor Positions - summer camp counselor experience preferred. Experience working with low-income, first-generation, high school students preferred.

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GO RACERS!

KING

grow,” King said.

Murray State has experienced instances of racism during that period, including when several people anonymously posted racist remarks aimed at black students on the social media site Yik Yak in fall 2014.

“I am bothered by the rhetoric and reality of what people believe,” King said.

King said people can look at one scenario and make a universal indictment. He also described his own experience as a child in Birmingham, Alabama, when people would aim racist remarks at him and his family.

“They would say vicious things over the phone to whoever answered,” King said.

King also doesn’t like the word “minority” when used to describe ethnic or racial groups because the word means “less than” and people will “subconsciously treat you less and we should have a different way to characterize.”

“We need to become a better nation that what we are exhibiting,” King said.

Application deadline is February 19, 2016.

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Savana Smothers/The News

Two students hold the Diversity Pledge boards in the Curris Center. The pledge has received half of the 5,000 signature goal.

The Murray State University Adventures in Math and Science (AIMS) is currently accepting applications for it’s Summer Program being held May 27- July 2, 2016. Applications may be picked up in Room 240 of the Blackburn Science Building or online at murraystate.edu/aims.

Home Away from Home

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February 11, 2016

All applicants must be 21 years old before the Summer Program begins. Interviews will be conducted in February.

All applicants must be enrolled in college or a college graduate (2 or 4 year degree).

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February 11, 2016 News Editor: Kayla Harrell Assistant Editor: Abby Siegel Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

POLICE BEAT Feb. 3

5:42 p.m.

A caller reported a 6:51 a.m.

Racer Patrol advised Murcriminal mischief ray State Police of ancomplaint abandoned at cart Lovett Auditorium. golf outside the LowryPublic Center.

Safety was report Officers werenotified notifiedand andaan inforwas taken. mation report was taken.

6:05 p.m. p.m. An A caller a 11:42 officerreported conducted emergency Regents a medical traffic stop at 121 atNorth and Residential College.

Murray Coldwater Streets.

A citation was Ambulance Serviceforand Stu-to issued to the driver failure dent aAffairs wereThe notified and wear seatbelt. passenger the arrested patient was to was on transported an outstanding Murray-Calloway County warrant and was taken to HosCallopital. way County Jail.

8:20 a.m. A caller reported a res-

Feb. 4

2:12 p.m. A caller reported information in flag reference toThe a idential college missing. possibleOffice safety hazard.

Public Housing was notified.

Safetyp.m. was notified andreported checked a 11:22 A caller the area and no safety motor vehicle accident hazard with no was located. injuries at White Residential Col10:12 p.m. Public Safety and re- a lege.

Officers were notified ceived a general incident rereport was taken. porting in reference to a 7:17 p.m. form An officer conducted a report of the marijuana.

Public traffic stop at Business Building Safety lot. wasAnotified, citation parking citation awas issued was issued and a criminal refor driving on a suspended license. portp.m. was taken for reported possession 8:51 A caller the of marijuana. smell of gas at Hart Residential College. Officers, Murray Fire Depart-

Feb. 5

9:49 a.m. A Public Safety offiment, Central Heating and Cooling cer conducted a traffic stop on Plant, Murray Gas and the State Fire Waldrop Drive. A citation was Marshall were notified. A report issued for failure to wear a seatwas taken. belt and a verbal warning was 12:01 p.m. A caller reported a issued for speeding. sparking outlet in the 300 block 12:40 p.m. A Public Safety ofof College Courts. Officers, the ficer conducted a traffic stop in Murray Fire Department, Centhe Public Safety back parking tral Heating and Cooling Plant lot. A citation was issued for and the State Fire Marshal were failure to wear a seatbelt and notified. A report was taken. failure to maintain required in4:57 p.m. The Murray Police Desurance. partment was notified of a medi-

Feb. 6

12:41 a.m. A caller reported incal emergency at the Volleyball toxicated persons at the Wellness Center.

Public Safety was Courts.

Officers and Murray Amnotified Services and a criminal report bulance were notified. for patient alcoholwas intoxication in and a The transported was taken. The ina public report place was taken. cident wasOfficers referredconducted to housing a 3:46 a.m. for disciplinary action. check of a person on North 12th 12:52The a.m.

A caller reported Street. person was arrested and unwanted touching to the houstransported to Calloway County Jail ingalcohol staff atintoxication Regents Residential for in a public College.

Public Safety was notiplace.

A report was taken. fied and an information report 9:09 p.m.

A caller reported taken.detector activated at a was smoke

Feb. 7

1:42 a.m. A caller reported Springer Residential College due to person Fast a an hairintoxicated dryer. Officers wereatnotified Track.

Public Safety was noand no threat of fire was found.

An tified and report the person was arinformation was taken. rested for publicreported intoxication 4:42 p.m.

A caller a theft transported Calloway ofand property from atovehicle from Alexander Hall. Officers were noCounty jail. tified a report takenrefor 8:21 and p.m.

Publicwas Safety theft of under $500incident by unlawful ceived a general retaking from a vehicle. porting form in reference to 6:12 p.m.

A caller reported the a physical confrontation that smell of marijuana at Hart.

Officers occurred at Franklin Residenwere notified and an information tial College. A criminal report report was taken. for fourth degree assault was taken.

Feb. 8

12:39 p.m. A person reported 2:47 p.m. Acomplaint caller reported a parking at Hes-an unauthorized selling ter Residentialcompany College via the products campus at Winslow LiveSafeonapp.

Murray State Dining The caller reparkingHall. enforcement waswas notiferred to Student Affairs. fied and a parking citation was 6:12 p.m. A caller reported the issued. smell of natural gas at the Old Fine 11:23 p.m. Public Safety reArts Building. Officers, Central ceived and a general reHeating Coolingincident Plant, Murray porting form in reference Fire department, Murray Gas to and unwanted contact the State Firesexual Marshall were benotitween at Regents fied andacquaintances a report was taken.

Residential College parking lot and officers were notified.

Motorists assists – 8

Feb. 9

10:39 a.m. A caller reported Racer escortsof– 1smoke and electhe smell Arrests 2 trical –burning in Wells Hall.

Public Safety, Murray Fire Mary Bradley, Assistant Department and the News State Editor, Fire compiles Police Beat with materials Marshall were notified.

The provided

by Public and Emercause was due toSafety a mechanical gency Management. malfunction of a motor in a mechanical room and Not all dispatched callsno arethreat listed.of fire was located.

11:12 p.m. A caller reported a sandwich wrapper caught on fire and was put out in Elizabeth Residential College. Public Safety and the State Fire Marshall were notified. An information report was taken and no threat of fire remained upon the officer’s arrival.

Escorts – 1 Arrests – 1 Motor assists - 4 Abby Siegel, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

3A

Agave Mexican restaurant closes Ashley Traylor || Staff writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

Agave unexpectedly shut its doors on Jan. 31, after 16 months of business.

“I believe it has to do with money issues,” said Courtney Jackson, manager of Agave.

“Taxes were due. If she would have asked if we wanted to put more money in, we would have,” Jackson said. “We definitely got blindsided by the whole situation.”

Courtney and her husband, Pablo, both managers of Agave, received a call around 9:30 a.m. Jan. 31 to come into Agave for a meeting, when they usually do not go in until 11 a.m.

Courtney Jackson said they knew something was wrong. The owner of Agave announced the restaurant was permanently closed.

A post announcing the closure on the restaurant’s Facebook page stated, “We the managers of Agave (Pablo and Courtney) regret to inform you that Agave has been closed permanently. We would love to say thank you to everyone that have supported us and allowed us to create some wonderful friendships with some amazing people. To anyone that wants to keep in touch add me Courtney Jackson on

Nicole Ely/The News

Agave, a local Mexican restaurant, closed unexpectedly Jan. 31, and Don Sol will be opening soon in its location.

Facebook. This was a shock to us all.

Thanks again Agave fans.”

“Agave always had great customer service. I was surprised to hear they closed so suddenly,” Elizabeth Goodin, sophomore from Paducah, Kentucky, said.

The restaurant will be opening again, but not as Agave. Don Sol will be the newest Mexican restaurant

expected to open in a few months.

There will be new management, new staff and menu and drink specials will not be the same, but it will be under the same ownership.

“I do not think Don Sol will get as much business as Los Portales, so I am interested to see if it will stay open,” Hannah Ryan, freshman from Calloway County, said.

Jackson said she does not think the owner will be around for this restaurant either. She has seven restaurants: Four Don Sols, two Don Tacos and one other Agave.

“Toward the end, she was like ‘Did you pay these taxes?’ ‘Did you pay that tax?’” Jackson said. “And as soon as we said, ‘No,’ we would not hear from her again.”

Taxes were handled through the owner and Jackson would send a check.

“She would send me the paper. I would send off the check,” Jackson said. “If I did not get that paper, then it did not get paid.”

Loyal Agave customers took to Facebook to express their condolences. Regulars of Agave were upset about the sudden closing, but customers have had nothing but love to give, Jackson said.

“I feel worse for my customers,” Jackson said. “I really want everybody to know that this was not our call.”

Pablo and Courtney are enjoying their time off and figuring out what they are going to do next.

“Thank you to everybody who supported us in the 16 months we were open,” Jackson said. “Hopefully, we will back.”

Money raised for local nonprofit Angel Fund Mikayla Marshall || Staff writer mmarshall5@murraystate.edu Students in professor Roger Weis’

class raised money for the Angel Fund in January, which provided holiday gifts for about 1,000 children in the Murray-Calloway County area.

About 80 students in three classes raised the money with an activity known as “Silly Willy,” Weis said.

Every Tuesday students wrote down an activity they would do to entertain the class. They could buy themselves out of it for a dollar or they could do it and the class would donate 50 cents into an envelope that was passed around.

Weis said they have raised $7,500.

The Angel Fund buys toys and clothes for kids in the community that

can’t afford them.

The next organization they plan to raise funds for is “Wave,” the local chapter of Living Water for the World.

Wave installs water purification systems around the world.

“We prepare students to be leaders in the nonprofit world, which includes organizations like the Red Cross and YMCA,” Weis said.

Classes include leadership training, marketing, financial development, volunteer management and issues impacting international philanthropy. The nonprofit sector is currently the fastest growing sector in the country, Weis said.

“Humility made me choose nonprofit,” Nolan Wells, senior from Liversmore, Kentucky, said. “It was growing

up learning that it is better to give rather than receive that made me want to give back.”

Wells said that going on a mission trip to inner city Cleveland, he was exposed to the despair and hurt that the youth live in there. He plans to work with neglected and abused youth in cities to give them hope and value in their lives. Wells wants to work with organizations that specialize in care for those with intellectual disabilities.

“Not only is nonprofit a great major/ minor, but I feel like they are great electives to take for any major,” Julia Curtis, junior from Murray, said.

“I think all students should learn about how they can volunteer in the community and how to be a leader,” she said.

Curtis plans to get her master’ degree and be a missionary in Arizona on Native American reservations. She said many people do not realize the level of extreme poverty people on reservations live in.

Kara Van Horn, sophomore from Marion, Illinois, took Weis’ class as an elective and enjoyed the service-learning portion of 15 hours of volunteer work.

“I became a Conversation Partner and helped a student from South Korea become acquainted with America,” Van Horn said.

The program has grown significantly over the years, starting in 1983 with seven students to 900 students now.

It is one of the biggest programs in the country, Weis said.

STEM writing workshop combats gender stereotypes Cody Hall || Contributing writer chall22@murraystate.edu

A group of six women met in the Clock Tower Conference room for a poetry writing workshop on Thursday Feb. 4 to let off some steam.

All of these women either taught or studied in STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“We talk to women of all ages about being in STEM programs. The youngest we have talked to has been second graders,” said Constance Alexander, professor at Murray State who uses the arts to raise awareness of issues in the community. “Most women will lose interest in STEM by fourth grade, so we try to let them know to just do what feels right to them.”

At the workshop, Alexander spoke about the risks, rewards, stereotypes and successes associated with pursuing careers in fields traditionally dominated by men. The women then had a chance to speak openly about their issues and personal experiences in the field.

The workshop is based on the writing of those who attend, both students and professors. Alexander prompted them to write a 16-word poem, let-

ting them simplify their thoughts and ideas into a precise package. With writer consent, many of these will be displayed at this year’s annual women’s luncheon on March 14.

“When I was studying mathematics, people would assume I wanted to be a kindergarten teacher with my degree, as if that is all a woman with a degree in mathematics can do,” said Elizabeth Donovan, mathematics professor.

“Being a woman in a STEM field, you have to become very good at selling yourself at what you do,” she said.

Alexander received a $2,000 grant from the Kentucky Foundation for Women’s 30-year anniversary, titled “Gender Equality: I will know it when I see it.” The grant could only be given to someone who had already received a grant through the foundation in the past. She used the money to start hosting these workshops.

With the help of Jody Cofer Randall, LGBT program coordinator, and Abigail French, director of the Women’s Center, they were able to cover many different groups with these workshops.

“When Constance approached me with this idea, knowing the work

Nicole Ely/The News

Leah Good, graduate student from Martin, Tennessee, and Jessica Lugo, junior from Paducah, Kentucky, attended the STEM workshop last week. she has done in the past, it sounded great,” Cofer Randall said. “These workshops have been great for students to be able to openly talk about issues that they face through writing.”

“Through Constance’s workshop they have been able to put their feelings into words,” she said. “For many people, they have been eye-opening experiences.”

Alexander, Cofer Randall and French said they hope to continue the workshops in semesters to come if they can find the funding. They currently have enough to host one more for athletes on campus, primarily women. They do not have a date for this final workshop yet, but it will be before the women’s luncheon so the writings can be displayed.

Rethink Your Drink campaign fights obesity Ashley Traylor || Staff writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

Calloway County Wellness Consortium Obesity Workgroup developed Lighten Up Calloway, a five-year challenge series to target obesity.

Murray State took part in the first initiative, “Rethink Your Drink” to educate students about the harmful effects of sugar consumption in beverages.

Kentucky is the seventh most obese state in the United States, and 29 percent of Calloway County’s adults are obese, according to research by the Calloway County Wellness Consortium.

Lauren Smee, Murray State Wellness Coordinator, Miranda Terry, assistant professor and program director of public and community health, and Priscilla Dwelly, assistant nursing professor, head the initiative at Murray State.

Health profession students have an opportunity to gain hands on experience.

“You can write it on paper and say you did this, but they are going to look and say, ‘Oh you did that?’ ‘How does that apply and how did that work out for you?’ You can apply so much more knowledge,” she said.

Terry’s HEA 210 students provide educational packets, which include a tracking tool sheet and a health behavior change contract for participants.

The students will learn how to interact with clients, teach time sensitive goals and stress the importance of a support group so a participant can continue making healthy decisions.

Dwelly’s EXS 353 students are responsible for gathering body measurements such as body mass index, percent of body fat and hip and waist circumference.

Dana Manley’s NUR 410 students are taking participants’ blood pressure and discussing sugar content in beverages.

“Our main goal is to be student-centered and make sure they are getting the hands on experience and service learning component out of the class,” Terry said.

It takes about five minutes to sign up for the program. The health students first describe the program and how to create goals that will lead to behavioral changes. Baseline measurements are then taken.

Six weeks later, participants will return their tracking tool sheet, which

shows the numbers of how many red, yellow and green drinks they consumed.

It will be interesting to see when there is a spike in red or yellow beverages and what factors influenced that, like finals week or the Super Bowl, Terry said.

Americans consume almost 100 pounds of sugar each year, according to research by the Calloway County Wellness Consortium.

Red drinks are unhealthy and should be avoided. This includes soda, energy and sport drinks, sweet tea, juice, sweetened coffee and two percent milk.

Yellow drinks are a better alternative to red drinks, but still have 1.5-3 teaspoons of sugar per twelve ounces.

These are diet sodas, 100 percent fruit juice, low calorie drinks, diet tea and one percent milk.

The best beverage choices are in the green zone, and it is not limited to water. Skim or one percent milk, unsweetened tea, black coffee and carbonated water are healthy alternatives to red zone beverages.

“Overall, we want to be healthier, and drinking more stuff in the green

can help boost energy. It helps how you look at yourself,” Godby said.

“I hope there is more awareness,” Dwelly said. “I do not know if the student-body population is ready to make the change.”

The initiative is reaching many employees and students at Murray State.

In three days, almost 200 people agreed to participate in the initiative.

“Rethink Your Drink” is not just taking place at Murray State. The initiative is targeting elementary schools, middle schools and high schools.

The second initiative for Lighten Up Calloway is proposed to address physical activity and is planned to come out in September.

“The more people who understand and participate in health promotion, the healthier the community will be,” Terry said. “If the campus is a healthy community, then it will impact the community we are living in.”

Health profession students will be in the Curris Center every day, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The “Rethink Your Drink” campaign takes place Feb. 1 through March 14 on campus.

4A

February 11, 2016

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Allison Borthwick Phone: 270-809-5873

­

Our View

The News 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 murraystatenews@icloud.com Fax: 270-809-3175

TheNews.org Mary Bradley Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Selena McPherson/The News

The never-ending fight for gender equality

Kayla Harrell News Editor • 270-809-4468 kharrell4@murraystate.edu Allison Borthwick Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 aborthwick@murraystate.edu Connor Jaschen Features Editor • 270-809-5871 cjaschen@murraystate.edu Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 krandolph3@murraystate.edu Kelsey Watznauer Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 kwatznauer@murraystate.edu Austin Gordon Online Editor • 270-809-5877 agordon4@murraystate.edu Jenny Rohl Advertising Manager • 270-809-4478 msunewsads@gmail.com Alex Hilkey Advertising Production • 270-809-5874 shilkey@murraystate.edu

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

It’s 2016 and people all over the world are still surprised when women have the audacity to do “a man’s job.”

It’s 2016 and awards with titles that begin with “First woman to…” are still being bestowed upon women.

It’s 2016 and Murray State still has to partner with the Kentucky Foundation for Women on a grant labeled “Gender Equality: I’ll Know It When I See It.” On Feb. 4, the Murray State Women’s Center and the Office of LGBT Programming organized a writing workshop for women pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees – “a man’s degree.”

According to a statement by the Office of LGBT Programming, the goal of the workshop, facilitated by award-winning writer Constance Alexander, was for these women to, “tell their

stories about the risks, rewards, stereotypes and successes associated with pursuing careers in fields traditionally dominated by men.”

It’s almost as though a woman making a choice to apply her talents and skills to a STEM career is like making a choice to try some new drug that may or may not be approved by the FDA. You could do it and there might be a favorable outcome, but know the risks.

Possible side effects may include: judgment, a smaller paycheck than your male colleagues, doubt, underestimation, having to work twice as hard to receive half the credit, being called “bossy” when you may actually be the boss, patronization, nausea and anxiety. Talk to your expectedly male doctor before considering STEM-related majors.

How many women does it take to permanently shatter a glass ceiling? Surprisingly, less than the amount of men it takes to finally get around to screwing in a light bulb or replacing the toilet paper roll. Add up all the gender stereotypes in the world and multiply it by 2,016.

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a world where we discover, and practice, the true meaning of “equality?”

The world may never know.

On one hand, we have a hypocritical governor telling us STEM majors are the most valuable and deserve the most incentives. On the other hand, we have a society with an apparently unshakable, archaic foundation telling women that STEM careers are too intimidating and out of their league – that they’re undeserving and invaluable.

Conclusion: we’re walking

around with grimy hands in an invariably unsettling world.

So let’s get our hands dirtier, shall we, ladies?

Turn those glass ceilings into the glass doors of your dream company and walk through them with your head held high.

There’s no need for shattering the glass, breaking in or forcing your way through – you’re earning a degree in something you’re passionate about and talented in, and doors will be opened for you in recognition of that fact.

Do whatever you need to do in order to push further and lengthen the paths of trails that have been blazed and re-blazed for decades by generations of powerful women before you.

Write your stories, work harder than anybody thought you could and relish in the fact that you’re proving ignorance-incarnate wrong.

Kalli Bubb Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 kbubb@murraystate.edu Cameron Witte Chief Videographer cwitte@murraystate.edu Joe Hedges, Ryan Alessi Adviser, Co-Adviser • 270-809-3937 jhedges@murraystate.edu, ralessi@murraystate.edu

Write to us!

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Letters should be 600 words or less.

Contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the university.

Commentaries should be between 600 to 800 words. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Tuesday of each week via email at letters@thenews.org. Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News.

The News strives to be the University community’s source for information. Our goal is to present that information in a fair and unbiased manner and provide a free and open forum for expression and debate.

The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy, and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies. The News is prepared and edited by students and is an official publication of Murray State University.

I Get to Write About Anything I Want?

The Shoe Tree: a hyperreality for the hopelessly romantic

Valentine’s Day is upon us, and with it, all the trappings of love.

Hearts and Cupids and red and pink fill the front aisles of Walgreens, reminders of Hallmark’s commodification of the heartfelt.

These signs are nothing new; ValenTaylor Grace Suiter tine’s Day symbology looks Senior from the same the Brentwood, Tennessee country over, but on our campus lives (or dies, rather) another symbol of love – The Shoe Tree.

The Shoe Tree has no official day, no setaside season, but its presence becomes increasingly felt as students near graduation.

My senior year started and engagements started happening like birthdays. No longer are Pandora charms or puppies the sign of a boyfriend’s commitment, but diamonds instead – much to De Beers’ delight.

Girls who I started school with – who lived in my residential college freshman year, who stood beside me on Bid Day, who I’ve taken classes alongside for seven semesters, are signing up to spend the rest of their lives with

other human beings.

This isn’t to say that I’m not happy for my friends who’ve decided to tie the knot – I am.

In fact, as I write this I’m helping a pledge sister pick out bridesmaid dresses. But still, the phenomenon on Murray State’s campus of engagements being commonplace for seniors astounds me.

I’ve only been with myself for 21 years, and sometimes I get sick of me.

But why wouldn’t they want to be engaged?

It’s a tradition to meet the love of your life at Murray State – so much so that we’ve dedicated a tree in the middle of the Quad as a testament to it.

It’s a point of interest on campus tours – a shrine to matrimonial love found in undergrad.

It’s a symbol that everyone can smile and feel happy about, and symbols are powerful.

They don’t only signify culture; they can shape it, too.

Symbols, when unpacked, reveal the values and ideals that the symbol itself was created to represent and perpetuate.

While “aww” inducing upon first glance, the Shoe Tree speaks on a deeper level to what’s valued in the collective eyes of Murray State.

It symbolizes love, youth, an ideal and strangely enough, achievement. There’s a reason it tops many people’s list of favorite Murray State traditions.

Consider, too, that the only other plaques or monuments in the Quad commemorate Murray State’s desegregation and its second president, Rainey T. Wells.

Marriage means something to us, appar-

ently.

The tree represents Murray State’s past efficacy as a matchmaker, reflecting the present-day value we put on finding love and perpetuating a “tradition” for others to continue into the future.

It’s this weight that makes me think that our beloved Shoe Tree promotes a hyperreality – that is, according to The Collins English Dictionary, “an image or simulation ... that either distorts the reality it purports to depict or does not in fact depict anything with a real existence at all, but which nonetheless comes to constitute reality.”

I’m not saying that the tree or the relationships whose shoes it bears aren’t real, but that perhaps the expectation the tree implicitly places upon and within students by it is misleading.

Americans, generally, are marrying at an increasingly older age – the latest statistic says that 27 for women and 29 for men was the average age to tie the knot. So while it may seem like engagements are the new norm, know that it’s simply not so elsewhere.

Maybe my perspective is warped, though.

When I asked one of my soon-to-be-betrothed friends what they thought of Murray State’s marriage culture and its Shoe Tree, she said, “Many students here are very focused on the future and are hopeless romantics awaiting their happily ever after.”

And when I asked another about the tree the phrase “hopeless romantic” came up again.

Hopelessly romantic hyperreality? Sure!

The two concepts aren’t mutually exclusive, though plenty of couples at Murray State are.

The News

Opinion

February 11, 2016

5A

Letter to the Editor The News’ 2016 wish list: • More Letters to the Editor • World peace • To hear your input • A solution to poverty and hunger • For you to write to us • Less ignorance and hatred • Something to fill this space with • Less debt • To read and publish your thoughts

I Have a Lot of Feelings Think happy thoughts

We want to hear from you!

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

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

Rational Animal

All hands on deck Gov. Matt Bevin’s proposed budget has sent a shock wave through the Murray State community.

His proposals could be devastating to Murray State, but there are actions that we can take.

The proposed budget is hitting Murray State in three ways. First is a 4.5 percent John Muenzberg reduction in revLecturer of philosophy enue for the 201617 school year.

The second is a 9 percent reduction in future years. The third is a move to performance funding.

All three of these changes have their own problems.

The 4.5 percent reduction is not a reduction for this coming fall, but rather a reduction for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2016.

Murray State has to return $2.16 million that the commonwealth of Kentucky already promised

us – money that has already been budgeted for salaries and materials; money that is budgeted for offices and classes. This leaves Murray State with fewer places to cut the funds. And with fewer options, we may have to cut the funds in places that are not in our best interest.

The 9 percent cut is a permanent reduction in the amount that Murray State receives from the state. Officially this is a 9 percent reduction to all campuses, but not all campuses will have the same reduction in the end.

For example, Northern Kentucky University will see a net increase from 48.5 million in 2016 to 49.5 million in 2017. This amounts to a base increase of about 13 percent before the 9 percent reduction.

The apparent reason for this change is that Northern Kentucky charges more in tuition, and so the state contribution is a lower percentage of total funding.

In recent years, tuition increases here have been smaller than other campuses and were met with a reduction in spending by the university.

This compromise forced all stakeholders to feel some of the pain of state reductions. But in comparison to other campuses, too much of our budget is dependent on the state contribution.

In essence, Murray State is being penalized for being frugal with their funds.

The last issue is performance-based funding.

The most common form of performance-based

funding is giving universities money based on the total number of students enrolled. The more students you enroll, the more money you receive. Generally, this typically covers only 5-10 percent of the university’s budget. For the university, this is easy to predict.

The commonwealth of Kentucky, on the other hand, wants to move to a system of 100 percent performance-based funding. And there are no guidelines yet decided.

Moving to 100 percent performance-based funding could cause unpredictable budget changes that will adversely affect Murray State.

Also, there is no budget increase with this change, which means there is no reward for accomplishing our goals, only penalties. And with no set priorities, we have no way to prepare.

Universities need to plan years down the road, but the state is preventing this.

I hope to write more about these issues in the future. President Bob Davies has already reached out to the Murray State community for help. It is unlikely that activism will give us everything we want, but activism will prevent Gov. Bevin from making changes that will cause lasting damage to Murray State and other Kentucky universities.

The health of Murray State affects the entire Purchase Area.

Go to murraystate.edu/actnow for information about the budget and about how to contact your state representative.

Jeers to ... Debbie Downers.

Cheers and Jeers

Cheers to ... Denver Broncos.

Millions of viewers gathered around their TVs with food and friends and more food to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday. The Denver Broncos went head-tohead with the Carolina Panthers and rose victorious. They won 24-10 - another win for legendary player Peyton Manning.

Yes, Valentine’s Day is this Sunday. Yes, it’s a sore spot for a lot of people out there who don’t have significant others at the moment. No, you don’t need to go on a negative rampage about it. This day has been around for a long, long time and no amount of complaining will change it.

Cheers and Jeers is written by the Opinion Editor.

Jeers to ... Reckless drivers.

Cheers to ... The halftime show.

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

Comic

Good weather or bad weather, five inches of snow or one, rain or shine - there will always be idiots on the road. They just reach their full potential when there’s any sort of inclement weather.

Get off your phones and pay attention to the road. Understand traffic laws and pay attention to stop signs and stop lights.

Coldplay, Beyoncé and Bruno Mars amazed Super Bowl attendees and viewers with an incredibly entertaining, meaningful halftime show. Their song choices were relevant to current social justice issues, and they even paid tribute to past legendary Super Bowl performances.

Have you ever walked into a bathroom where two or more stalls were occupied, but nobody seems to be doing anything?

Actually, scratch that – they’re definitely doing Allison Borthwick something.

They are Opinion Editor going stallto-stall in an unmastered battle of wills. Everyone knows it, but nobody wants to be the first to make a move or acknowledge the bizarreness of the situation.

I’m not sure what it is about public restrooms, but they seem to be alternate universes where everyone collectively decides to pretend that nobody goes No. 2. The silence and tension in times like these are so intense, you’d think people are just huddled in stalls reading a Stephen King novel or struggling to figure out which wire will diffuse a bomb.

This column is starting off a little rocky, but I promise the bathroom humor has a point.

See? I can’t even write about the topic without feeling like I’m making people uncomfortable.

Anyway, every time I unknowingly enter one of these supremely awkward and unfortunate stand-offs, I just want to announce to the room, “It’s OK. We all do it. Birds do it; bees do it – actually, I’m not sure about bees, but birds DEFINITELY do it, am I right? *pause for laughter* Anyway, let’s get this show on the road and get back to class. What happens here, stays here. Nobody has to know that you, God forbid, have normal body functions.”

People just get so focused and bent out of shape about such small, inconsequential things that it’s as silly (and unnecessary) as bathroom humor at times.

Whether it is a surreal hesitation and fear of using a public restroom or, say, losing your mind over who won or didn’t win the Super Bowl, it’s a waste of energy.

Life is too full of other injustices to sweat the small stuff.

Speaking of the Super Bowl, according to CNN, 111.9 million people tuned in to watch the Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers battle it out on a football field on Feb. 7. Meanwhile, also according to CNN, ABC’s GOP debate, which occurred the day before the Super Bowl, only garnered the attention of 13.2 million viewers.

Be more clear about where you place your allegiances, America – it’s still a little fuzzy what you truly care about.

But I don’t want to turn this into a “which is worse,” “which is more important” or “how dare you” column.

If we’re going to focus on the small stuff, let’s focus on some good small stuff.

For instance, whenever you feel your blood boiling over someone not using a turning signal, take a moment to think about how penguins constantly look like they want a big hug when they hold their wings out and waddle.

When a professor switches to a new presentation slide before you can finish taking the notes, remember how satisfying it feels when you secure one of the 23 parking spaces Murray State has graciously provided for its thousands of commuter students.

Whenever you’re reminded of how terrible parking is here, picture a kitten’s cute little fluffy paws and take a knee because that image just made you supremely emotional instead of calming your nerves – oops.

Hold whatever good thoughts or images you have close because when it comes down to it, life is really just one long bathroom standoff that we’re all just struggling to get through together. aborthwick@murraystate.edu

Kentucky weather

By Selena McPherson

The News

News

6A

February 11, 2016

WKMS-FM seeks entries for Battle of the Bands Tierra Reese || Staff writer treese1@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s third annual “Battle of the Bands” competition, hosted by WKMS-FM radio, is currently looking for bands and singer-songwriter entries until March 6.

B o t h M u r r a y S t a t e ’ s WKMS-FM and Maiden Alley Cinema, nonprofit organizations, have partnered up to give local bands a chance to play three songs for a live audience. The audience from the show at

Maiden Alley Cinema and WKMS-FM’s website and Facebook page will have 10 days to vote for their first and second band. The four judges will also cast their vote and select the fourth finalist, whereas the first three finalists are selected based on popular vote.

Entries can apply either to msu.wkms@murraystate.edu or mail in a CD to 2018 University Station, Murray, KY 42071 by the deadline.

The final performance at Maiden Alley Cinema, located in Paducah, Kentucky,

will have a $10 fee to enter with about 130 seats available. Tracy Ross, WKMSFM’s program director, said each year this event is performed, the show has been sold out.

The winners of this competition will receive $3,000 worth of prizes, which include showing one full year at Maiden Alley Cinema, a performance at the Lower Town Arts & Music Festival, a $250 gift card to either Music One in Murray or Leach’s Music One in Paris, Tennessee and more.

Ross helped create this event to “help local bands give a push” to become more focused and to promote their talent.

“WKMS tries to give a voice for those who might not otherwise have a chance to do so,” Ross said.

The winners of the competition will usually begin to perform at local art venues around the Murray area.

Ross also mentioned more than 100 people were in attendance for last year’s winner’s concert in August 2015 in Murray State’s Lovett Au-

ditorium.

Micah Greene, member of Big Atomic, the 2015 Battle of the Bands winner, spoke for the band and their success since the competition a year ago.

“Soon, we will be heading down to the Red Gorilla Festival to perform and also touring all over the southwest region,” Greene said.

When asked what advice he would give to current competitors for the 2016 contest, Greene said he is “not much of an advice guy,” but he did say, “Have fun and

make sure you are ready to prepare.”

Greene said post-Battle of the Bands, Murray State has continued to promote their band and has kept in contact with them.

Kwan Stallworth, marketing major at Murray State, said, “This contest allows local artists to get their name out there and gain publicity to give them a chance, especially in a small town.”

Stallworth said although he is not entering this year, he might some time in the future.

Photo Courtesy of Big Atomic

Big Atomic, the 2015 Battle of the Bands winner, performing in front of a crowd.

Lampe named new station manager for WKMS-FM Staff Report Chad Lampe, the newly-named station manager at WKMS, is setting high expectations for Murray State’s public radio station as he officially takes the helm this month.

“My goal is to ensure that we produce local journalism content and local music content to the best of our ability to meet or exceed national standards in the way we produce content,” Lampe said.

Murray State President Bob

Davies named Lampe as manager, effective Feb. 1, after Lamped served as W K M S news dir e c t o r since 2007 and as interim station manager since last Lampe fall. Lampe replaces Kate Lochte, who retired in August after 25 years at the

station.

Lampe has multiple responsibilities as manager, such as overseeing the station’s staff, reaching out to the community and making sure WKMS offers its audience focused content.

WKMS broadcasts to 40 counties in the region, including southern Illinois and the Pennyrile and Purchase regions of western Kentucky.

WKMS boasts a fan base of around 20,000-25,000 listeners each week and receives donations from listeners

to help pay for operations.

Lampe said the station is less dependent on federal funding than it was years ago.

Lampe said it’s his responsibility to make sure the station continues to provide news and specialized programs listeners can’t find anywhere else on the dial.

“I have to advocate to legislators or lawmakers to let them know that it is very important to provide this educational and cultural outreach and WKMS can help spur economic growth,”

Lampe said.

WKMS has two major fundraising campaigns each year that last seven days with on-air fundraising. They encourage existing listeners renew their support by donating by mail or phone and also encourage new listeners to join. These campaigns usually raise more than $200,000 annually from listeners, he said.

“Our listeners provide validity for what we do because they support financially so my job is to make sure our

team has everything that they need necessary to do the best job possible,” Lampe said.

Lampe said his job and the people who work for WKMS can have a positive effect on the community.

“The power of a journalist is really important,” he said.

“And if it is given in the right fashion, and the right people are listening or engaging online, it can make a difference which makes our job important not only for our listeners, but for the Murray State community.”

Public Health considers whooping cough clinic Mikayla Marshall Staff writer

mmarshall5@murraystate.edu

Public Health will administer the tetanus diphtheria and pertussis vaccine in the spring if enough students show interest in receiving the vaccine.

The TDaP vaccine is known for preventing the whooping cough (Pertussis). Last year, there was an increase in cases of whooping cough across the state of Kentucky. There were an estimated 87 cases in August through December alone, said Kim Paschall, Director of Health Services. One case was confirmed on Murray State’s campus in Fall 2015. Health Services worked with Public Health to ensure the disease did not spread further by isolating the individual and taking sanitary precautions.

Symptoms of whooping cough are similar to those of a cold, with constant coughing, running nose and fever. If it progresses, coughing fits that lead to vomiting are expected, according to the Center for Disease

Control and Prevention. If a person gets the disease after receiving the vaccine, the cough will not last as long and recovery will be faster.

Health Services highly recommends students get the vaccine if they did not receive it before coming to the university.

“They should definitely consider getting it,” Paschall said. “We plan to market the vaccine better throughout campus, so more people are aware it is available.”

TDaP prevents tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. All can lead to death if not properly treated. Pertussis is the biggest concern on college campuses because the close classrooms and living quarters make it easier for the disease to spread.

“If it was an issue on campus I would for sure get the vaccine, especially if it is convenient,” said Callie Adams, freshman from Murray.

She first heard of the outbreak when there was talk of the disease going around in the residential colleges. She said other people should definitely consider getting it.

The vaccine will be here soon but will only be ordered if more students show interest. It will be $10 per vaccine.

“I would have to look into it more, but if I felt like I needed it, I would get it,” said Clay Abell, freshman from Taylorsville, Kentucky.

Most people get the vaccine as newborns or at the ages of 11 or 12. Even if a person has received the vaccine at these ages, it is still recommended to get it as an adult.

Since vaccination began, reports of cases for pertussis have dropped by 80 percent, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Most adults do not know if they have received the vaccine at an earlier age.

“If I have received it, then I do not remember,” Adams said.

Some parents do not let their children receive the vaccines because of the stigma that vaccines cause mental disorders, like autism.

“I would receive it, I am definitely for vaccines,” said Katy Bretschneider, senior from Owensboro, Kentucky.

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February 11, 2016

Section B

The News

Sports Editor: Kelsey Randolph Assistant Sports Editor: Mark McFarland Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Sports ­­

Out with the old, in with the new Mark McFarland

Assistant Sports Editor mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

The Racer football program has gone to great lengths to make up for the players that were lost this offseason by adding the biggest recruiting class in recent memory.

“We lost an awful lot of seniors this year,” said Head Coach Mitch Stewart. “We did do some things though.

We did move the roster a pretty good bit, and obviously that is the reason why I had so many scholarships to give.”

The Racers graduated 21 players off of last season’s roster. Six players were lost to transfer and eight players are off the roster for other reasons.

Stewart and the coaching staff brought in 28 new recruits, 23 coming from high school and the other five transferring from junior colleges. Stewart has eight more scholarships to give out and said he hopes to give them out this spring.

“The biggest challenge that you have when dealing with that many numbers is trying to fill all of them,” Stewart said. “A lot of times when you are dealing with 28 scholarships, then you wind up taking somebody that you’re kind of lukewarm on just because you know you have a

spot. I think that was the best thing we did was we steered clear of that.”

The Racers have four pillars Stewart has set up for the team to follow: play hard, have fun, earn the right to win and respect women.

The fourth pillar is new to the team this year. Stewart said he wanted to implement it because of how big of a problem it has become among professional and collegiate athletes.

“Just because our guys understand if you put your hands on a woman, you’re done, you’re gone,” Stewart said. “There is no if, ands, buts, no suspension and that kind of stuff.”

RECRUITING PROCESS

Murray State signed the biggest class in Kentucky and the biggest signing class in the OVC. After finishing with a total of three wins overall and two wins in the conference, Stewart said this new class brings some athleticism and talent, as many of the signees were multi-sport athletes in high school.

“I like multi-sport athletes just because he (the athlete) likes being coached all the time,” Stewart said. “When you’re a guy who plays sport after sport after sport, that means you have no problem, most of the time, you have no problem getting coached

because you’re going to be around coaches coaching you all the time.”

The Racers have been building a recruiting house, as Stewart calls it, with the way the coaching staff looks at the players. Stewart said that they take three simple ways of evaluating a player and make their decision based on how well the athletes meet their requirements. Stewart said the three things the staff recruits are off-the-field character, on-the-field character and ability.

“All of those things are evaluated separately,” Stewart said. “No one bleeds into another, and we say that if you recruit those three things you are kind of building a recruiting house.”

Stewart said that he gets into the house and sees how the player treats his family, which tells him a lot about what the player is like.

DISCIPLINARY ISSUES

With new faces coming into the program this fall the issue of Murray State’s offthe-field issues have disseminated.

Some Racers had some trouble last season and even into this offseason with their off-the-field character. Two big-name players who were removed from the team were quarterback Zeke Pike, former University of Louisville

and Auburn University quarterback, and defensive lineman Elijah Daniel, who transferred from Auburn after being removed from the team for off-the-field issues. As of Jan. 8, running back Roman Clay was suspended from all team-related activities after being involved in an incident out-of-state.

Clay is currently on the 2016 football roster. Stewart said he and the coaching staff helped some of the other players transfer who may have been involved in issues not related to football.

“We moved the roster a good bit,” Stewart said.

“That’s the reason we had so many scholarships to give.

We tried to get rid of anybody who was not throwing their rock. Anybody who was not doing the things they needed to do to become an expert at their position, we helped them transfer and move their careers somewhere where they could do those things.”

see RECRUITING, 2B

Photo by Kalli Bubb/The News

Racers win after two losses Mark McFarland

Assistant Sports Editor mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

Emily Harris/The News

Junior guard Bryce Jones goes left after a screen from senior forward Wayne Langston during the Austin Peay game Saturday.

Men suffer ‘heartbreaking’ loss to APSU Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor

krandolph3@murraystate.edu

For the first time since 2011, Murray State lost to Austin Peay State 76-73 at home Saturday. The Racers took their recent road troubles and turned it around, but Head Coach Matt McMahon said in his 20 years of college basketball, the loss against the Governors is one of the most disappointing.

“That’s life and we made mistakes,” McMahon said.

“Unfortunately, when that happens we’ve got to regroup and move forward with our season.

McMahon Can’t let it tear the team apart or snowball effect.

We’ve got to move forward and get better.”

Coming back from a road

WHAT’S

INSIDE

stretch where the foul trouble was prevalent in the minds of McMahon and the players, the team watched officials’ tape and organized their plays accordingly. McMahon said the idea was to play more in the zone to protect senior forward Wayne Langston from fouling, but it ultimately led to leaving the Governors open to shoot from behind the arc.

“Just take everything day by day and focus on getting better today and just building each day to get better as a team,” said senior forward Jeffery Moss.

Looking at a short bench, the Racers have too limited a number of players to allow for pulsed playing time. Both Langston and junior guard Bryce Jones have played more than 35 minutes in most of conference play. McMahon believes that while the number on the bench is limited, the players are young and able-bodied.

“I’m not a big believer in that, I mean you got some-

TRACK FIELD

one who is 20 years old and a great athlete that’s played their whole life,” McMahon said. “You can play on Thursday and Saturday. Yeah, we’ve got a quicker turnaround and they have to absorb a lot in a shorter time, but the depth is that it is what it is. It’s not changing.”

Saturday, the Racers led the floor for 38:10 minutes of the game, only giving up the lead twice before the last 29 seconds.

After the late charge by the Governors, the Racers attempted a 3-pointer and a full court shot in hopes to change the outlook. They were left with four players in foul trouble, including Langston, Jones, freshman forward Charles Brown and junior guard Justin Seymour.

Moss led the team with 27 points, which was a career high for him. The last three games Moss has taken the lead in points. McMahon described Moss’ play as “amazing,” and prior to conference, he addressed the issues he

thought Moss was struggling with before conference play.

“We addressed some issues where I thought he was struggling,” McMahon said. “From a confidence standpoint, I felt there was too much pressure to be ‘the next guy,’ weighing so much outside expectations it affects you on court play.

He came back relaxed, playing with more confidence, taking better shots … I’m just really happy for him.”

The Racers are second in the OVC West and looking to beat the No. 1 Eastern Illinois Thursday night. After traveling to play the Panthers, the Racers will host Southeast Missouri State at 7 p.m. Saturday. The Racers took the Redhawks home court advantage last week, beating them 8278. Moss said beating them at home doesn’t mean anything.

“It doesn’t give me any confidence that we already beat them,” Moss said. “It just gives me confidence that I know the type of team we have and I know we are going to bounce back.”

HALL FAME

Racers continue to break school Inductees are recognized at and personal records, 3B dinner in Murray Room, 4B

After breaking their losing streak to Austin Peay State with a 75-72 win, the women’s basketball team will head into the weekend with a possible 4-8 OVC record and four games left to play.

Three of those games will come against teams who are inside the top eight of the conference.

The Racers are on the outside looking in at ninth place in the conference and are currently two games behind Austin Peay for the final spot in the OVC Tournament.

Head Coach Rob Cross said the team was where they wanted to be all year for most of the game Saturday, even though they gave up two different 25-point leads en route to their win over the Governors.

He said in the second half the team was in a rush, but thought the team did a “great” job sharing the ball.

“Hopefully as we’re watching film the first c o u p l e days this week we will learn why we got a big lead, and we hadn’t been in Cross that situation where we’ve had that type of lead,” Cross said.

“We’ll learn to do what got us there.”

Cross said he didn’t want

to slow the game down, but he wanted to make sure the team was taking good shots.

“I didn’t want to take the air out of the ball and hold it for 30 seconds every possession,” Cross said. “But we certainly didn’t need to take any contested shots or be in a hurry to do anything.”

Sophomore forward and guard Ke’Shunan James scored 18 points to bring her total average up to 18.2 points per game. Junior guard LeA-

“

It’s good to see LeAsia put the ball in the basket. She’s struggled lately but she’s starting to get her confidence back.

”

- Rob Cross, women’s basketball head coach sia Wright is behind her averaging 13 points per game.

Cross said he’s seen both women step up and take advantage of the opportunities they have.

The Racers have been outshot all season by their opponents 42-to-37 percent.

Losing 13 games by 10 points or more and five of those games by 20 points or more.

The offensive struggles have been the root of their issue as they make the final push to get into the OVC Tournament.

However, defensively Murray State has forced 17

see WOMEN’S, 2B

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WOMEN’S From Page 1 turnovers per game along with eight steals per game, as of Feb. 8.

“It’s good to see LeAsia put the ball in the basket,” Cross said. “She’s struggled lately but she’s starting to get her confidence back.”

Both sophomore guard Jasmine Borders and freshman forward Abria Gulledge are shooting from the line and making court appearances.

Cross said he’s also seen both players step up.

He said Borders is taking open shots and taking the ball with confidence where he saw she has improved since the start of the season.

Likewise, Bria Bethea is out on injury and the team

has been without her on the starting lineup for a few games.

“Hopefully we get her back sometime soon,” Cross said.

“But she’s still day-to-day and we’ve missed her.”

Murray State will host Southeast Missouri State in a rematch after a 96-59 loss on Saturday.

The Racers will then travel to Eastern Illinois and Austin Peay to try and sweep both season series.

“We have been talking about the standings,” Cross said. “You know, big picture things, but they need to understand your goals of being in the tournament and competing for the championship at the end of the year are all in front of you, but it’s completely up to you. You control your destiny.”

The OVC Tournament will be March 2-5 in Nashville, Tennessee.

February 11, 2016

Photo by Jenny Rohl/The News Graphic by Kelsey Randolph/The News

Friends race for good cause Mark McFarland

Assistant Sports Editor mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

Emily Harris/The News

Sophomore guard and forward Ke’Shunan James dribbles the ball past an Austin Peay State player Saturday.

RECRUITING From Page 1 Stewart said Pike and Daniels made some questionable decisions, which ultimately led to their removal from the team.

Clay played at Kent State before transferring to Murray State at the start of last season.

“With some of the things that have happened, there were some bad decisions being made and possibly even

some bad character choices,” Stewart said. “So now you no longer have that in the building. All of these things help you as a team because now your young guys are the most influenced in your program.”

Director of Athletics Allen Ward wrote in an email statement that Stewart’s recruiting classes will go a long way towards solidifying the foundation of the program.

“This is another good step in the right direction for our football program,” Ward wrote. “It’s not a matter of time as it is a process for me.

Quick fixes typically don’t

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work and set a program behind.”

He said he’d like to see this year’s class along with last years play as redshirts to continue the groundwork for a solid program.

Graduating senior Justin “Pokey” Harris said that he thinks a lot of the new faces will be either redshirts or will have a big role with the team.

“They got a lot of receivers; they got a lot of playmakers,” Harris said. “Last year we had a lot of our playmakers that actually left so I feel like he had to go out there and recruit some more.”

Trends N Treasures Merchants Mall

Doughnuts and running are two things that never go together, but for a few Murray State students and one graduate, it made perfect sense.

Last Saturday, senior Lucas Prather and a few of his teammates from the cross-country team competed and finished second in the Krispy Kreme Challenge in Raleigh, North Carolina. Prather said that it was a great time to go out there and have some fun.

“It was kind of cool,” Prather said. “We didn’t know what to expect, but as a team we finished second. There were over 7,000 runners.”

This year’s challenge was the 12th annual challenge in which all the proceeds go to the children’s hospital in Raleigh.

Prather said that it was a cool experience but the race itself was interesting.

“The way the challenge works is you run two and a half miles, eat a dozen doughnuts as fast as you can and then run back,” Prather said. “You start on the campus of North Carolina State and then you run to the Krispy Kreme store, they hand you 12 doughnuts, you eat them then run back.”

Photo courtesy of Lucas Prather

From left to right: Gavin Davis, sophomore from Nicholasville, Kentucky; Neil Yockey, junior from Shelbyville, Illinois; Gavin Galanes, sophomore from St. Charles, Missouri; and Lucas Prather, senior from Mohamet, Illinois.

Being the seasoned runners they are, Prather and his teammates had heard of this challenge before. Prather said the challenge is a huge deal for runners and is a chance for them to give back to the community.

“It’s a huge charity event,” Prather said. “We’ve heard of it for years, but we finally just pulled the trigger and went for it. It was a pretty exciting day.”

According to the challenge website, the 12 doughnuts that each runner must eat equals 2,400 calories.

The racers must then run an-

other two and a half miles after eating that to finish the race.

Sophomore Gavin Galanes was able to finish 10th in the race with a time of 34 minutes 46 seconds. Prather said they went on their own without any help from the university.

Prather also said if anyone wants to get involved in next year’s race or other upcoming races to Google the Krispy Kreme Challenge.

“We definitely want to go back to it,” Prather said. “It was a cool event. They don’t take anything: all the proceeds go to the children’s hospital.”

Photo courtesy of Lucas Prather

The ‘bronuts’ held their second place trophy in Raleigh, North Carolina last Saturday, Feb. 6.

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The News

Sports

February 11, 2016

3B

Rifle prepares for NCAA qualifying Sarah Combs Staff writer scombs8@murraystate.edu

The nationally ranked Murray State Rifle team delivered its 11th OVC Championship at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range in Murray last weekend.

The No. 2 team in the country wrapped up the weekend with 2,342 smallbore, 2,377 air rifle and 4,719 aggregate on its way to the title.

Last weekend was full of accomplishments for the

team, not only in its domination of OVC teams but also in earning personal recognition.

Tessa Howald senior from Ozark, Missouri, was named All OVC first-team honors in both smallbore and air rifle after her final OVC Championship. Howald said the team’s success comes from the dedication and hard work from everyone as a whole.

“Everyone is working hard from our top to our bottom,” Howald said. “We have improved so much.”

Mackenzie Martin fresh-

man from Fairhaven, Massachusetts, added a few accomplishments to her resume as well. She earned honors of OVC Co-Air Rifle Athlete of The Year, All OVC first-team in air rifle, All OVC second-team in smallbore and All Newcomer Honors.

Not only did the team bring home individual recognition, Head Coach Alan Lollar was named OVC Coach of The Year.

“It’s only possible because of this special group,” Lollar said in an interview Wednes-

day. “They do the work, they buy into the program and anything that I do good is only because they trust me and do the work.”

Lollar Howald attributed the team’s progress and accomplishments to Lollar’s dedication and guidance.

“Coach has done a wonder-

Roe takes leadership at home and overseas Sarah Combs Staff writer

scombs8@murraystate.edu

Ivan Roe is a sophomore aquatic biology major from Manhattan, Montana, who enjoys fishing, reading and leading his peers both on and off the rifle range.

Roe didn’t begin his journey in rifle until his senior year of high school. He’s been shooting for 13 years.

The journey started for Roe when his dad picked up a flier and signed him up for a pellet gun safety and shooting program at their local gun shop. He said he instantly fell in love, and the love has continued to grow through the years.

Murray State Director of Athletics Allen Ward said Roe’s contribution and performance has been a “huge” PR boost for the rifle and athletic program as a whole.

“People hear about Murray State, and it helps us tell our story,” Ward said. “He’s just been the epitome of the kind of student-athlete that we want here. He’s first class all the way.”

Not only is Roe a top athletic competitor, he emphasizes the student portion of the student-athlete. Last season, Roe was named OVC Commissioner’s Honor Roll and Collegiate Rifle Coaches Association (CRCA) Scholastic All-American.

Being a student-athlete is similar to a full-time job, but that doesn’t phase Roe. “As committed as he is on the rifle range, he is in the classroom,” Ward said. “He

Chalice Keith/The News

Ivan Roe takes aim as he prepares for the end of the Racers season and the possibility of preforming in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. just takes care of his business.”

Roe is a natural leader for the team with a dedicated and humble outlook on his contribution to the sport.

Roe says his role on the team isn’t about shooting good scores because his teammates provide those results just as well if not better.

Rather, his role is reflecting his leadership skills through his attitude and dedication.

“I think I come in every morning for practice and I give it 110 percent,” Roe said. “I think they [my teammates] see that and replicate the same work ethic.”

The Olympic prospect likes to keep things steady on the range but also might have a trick up his sleeve regarding his performance.

The key to success might be in Roe’s choice of socks.

Roe says he has special socks and shoelaces that are two different colors and sizes.

“They match my shoelaces,” Roe said. “They’re my lucky socks and people hate them. It makes it awesome.”

Success doesn’t come without sacrifice, however.

Roe’s typical day starts with morning practice, followed by school, studying, being

nutritionally-sound and trying to find social time between it all.

“I would wake up, go to school and then go to practice from 4 to 10 at night, do homework and then go to bed,” Roe said, referring to his senior year in high school.

As far as personal goals, Roe is working toward his appearance in the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics. He’s certainly headed in the right direction after this weekend at the OVC Championship, where Roe won Smallbore Athlete of the Year and CoAir Rifle Athlete of the Year.

ful job of molding this year’s plan to where we are helping individuals to get stronger,” Howald said.

Another key to the team’s success has been its roster’s depth. Alathea Sellars, freshman from Puryear, Tennessee stepped in for Ben Estes a sophomore from Ozark, Missouri, who got sick before the match. Sellars provided results for the team, shooting a 589.

Lollar said the team isn’t doing anything different to prepare, however the key to success is remaining consis-

tent.

This past weekend stood out from the rest Lollar said.

He said the team always prepares by envisioning how the shooters would like to see the match end, but the team went beyond his expectations.

“We usually come close but not like this weekend,” said Lollar. “This weekend is about as beautiful as it gets.”

The Rifle team now is preparing for the NCAA Qualifying Event held at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range on February 20.

Track and field races past more records John Morris || Staff writer jmorris36@murraystate.edu

The Murray State women’s track and field team pulled double duty Friday and Saturday as some of the team spent the day in Carbondale, Illinois, while others went to the Meyo Invitational in South Bend, Indiana.

Southern Illinois University has been a common place for the Racers to compete, but they ran into new territory again when competing at Notre Dame.

Friday at the Meyo Invitational, sophomore distance runner Vallery Korir set a new school record in the 5,000meter with a time of 17 minutes 6 seconds, breaking the record she set in 2015. Sophomore distance runner Meagan Smith finished with a time of 17 minutes 48 seconds, which placed her sixth all time in Murray State as well as set a new personal record.

The team consisted of senior distance runners Ali Hester, Emma Gilmore, Brittany Bohn and freshman sprinter Jocelyn Payne. The team finished with a time of 11 minutes 55 seconds, a new record at Murray State, topping the previous record set in 2015.

“We just got a school record in the DMR [distance meter relay] this weekend, and as far as the whole team goes, the last two weeks my teammates have produced school records and personal records across the board,” Gilmore said. “So I’m really proud of them and excited to see how we can do at OVC.” While some Racers were setting new school records at the Meyo Invitational, others were competing at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

On Friday, freshman hurdler Jabreuna Brimlett and sophomore hurdler

Taylor McCammon competed in the pentathlon. Brimlett placed third in the event with a score of 3,129. She ran the best 60-meter hurdle time of 8.92 seconds and jumped the farthest in the long jump with 18 feet, 3.25 inches. McCammon placed fourth with 2,980 points.

Racers set more personal records at the Don DeNoon Invitational. Freshman Emily Heil pole vaulted a season-best 10 feet, 3 inches. Sophomore thrower Darcy Sullivan hit a personal record in the weight throwing 29’ 8.5”.

Saturday at the Don DeNoon Invitational, freshman sprinter Tamdra Lawrence showed more dominance and high performance as she took second in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.60 seconds in the finals. She also took second in the 200 with a time of 25.04 seconds.

Brimlett placed first in the preliminary round of the 60meter hurdles with a time of 8.72 seconds. She placed third in the finals with a time of 8.81 seconds. Brimlett also competed in the triple jump for the first time and placed fifth with a jump of 38 feet, 8.5 inches.

At the Meyo Invitational, Bohn and Hester competed in the mile. Bohn finished with a time of 5 minutes and Hester finished with a time of 5 minutes, 4 seconds. Each finished a second off their personal best.

The Racers continue to prepare for the OVC Indoor Championships.

“We’re making good progress but we’re not there yet.

We still have three weeks to get there,” Coach Jenny Swieton said.

The Racers will compete in Nashville once again at Vanderbilt at the Music City Challenge this weekend. before the OVC Indoor Championships.

The News’ pick of the week - Basketball Kelsey Randolph Sports Editor 3-5 Tyler Dixon Graduate Assistant 5-3 Mary Bradley Editor-in-Chief 5-3 Mark McFarland Assistant Sports Editor 6-2 Dave Gesler Associate Professor 3-5

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Class of 2016

February 11, 2016

Intramural basketball

Hall of Fame, Hall of Distinction inductees honored

Clara Firtos

Contributing writer cfirtos@murraystate.edu

Four former Murray State Racers and one coach joined the 36th class of the Murray State Hall of Fame Friday in the Murray Room of the CFSB Center.

The Hall of Fame inductees include Wes Cunningham, Coach Ron Greene, Ashley Hayes, Kim (Koehler) Church and Terry Love. Joining the Hall of Distinction were Richard Blalock, Claire Benton, Phil Bryan and Chuck Shuffett.

The evening started with President Bob Davies introducing the 2016 class. He recognized the inductees and admired their dedication.

“It’s that mindset of athletes, always doing your best and always moving forward,” Davies said.

HALL OF FAME The first new member inducted was former baseball standout Wes Cunningham.

Cunningham is most known for his three-time First All-OVC selection as Murray State Player of the Year in 2010.

Cunningham majored in history during his time at Murray State and was named a threetime ESPN Magazine First Team Academic All-District selection.

“The one thing that I learned early on was being able to turn it around and being able to focus on something else,” Cunningham said. “It just worked for me. I needed it.”

During his speech he thanked family and friends.

“I couldn’t have made it as far as I did without these loving people,” he said.

The next Hall of Fame inductee was Coach Greene.

Greene has contributed to the Racer’s 28 consecutive winning season of men’s basketball. While coaching, he led them to their OVC titles in seasons 1982-83. He had led the Racers to a total of 119 wins by the end of his seven seasons

between 1979-85.

“If you’re going to be anything, if you’re going to be anyone, you gotta trust the person who’s given you the opportunity,” Greene said.

Kim Koehler, formerly Kim Church, is the second volleyball player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. She was the first Murray State volleyball player to reach 1,000 kills and digs.

Her titles include All-OVC First Team for three of her four seasons, OVC Tournament MVP and All-Tournament First Team in 1990. Koehler was a twosport athlete, playing volleyball and track and field.

She lettered all four years at Murray State in both sports and graduated Summary Cum Laude with her degree in housing and interior design.

“I don’t ever remember not wanting to be the best,” Koehler said. “God gives us responsibilities, and it’s up to us to bring them out.”

Hayes was another inductee titled with many awards in women’s basketball. Hayes even continued her athletic career abroad when she played for three teams in Portugal and Germany.

“It wasn’t a really hard adjustment,” Hayes said. “I like the city and I like the smaller rural areas. I was used to that.

But that moment getting off in Germany though, I got into a small sports car; the driver was zooming off in the middle of nowhere. Right then, I asked, what did I get myself into?”

Terry Love finished his career with more than 150 tackles to go along with three interceptions from his position in the Racer secondary. During Love’s speech he said he wouldn’t have made it into the Hall of Fame if it weren’t for his family, friends, coaches and teammates.

HALL OF DISTINCTION

The four people who were inducted into the Hall of Distinction were not athletes but had a lot of influence in the athletic programs. Many went on

to help Racers athletics through broadcast, being a doctor, administration and a ticket manager.

First recognized was Blalock, who is the team physician for Murray State Athletics. He worked alongside of Dr. Hal Houston and Tom Simmons as a medical student.

“They made me drive a little faster, work a little bit harder and challenged me to always put in more,” Blalock said.

Blalock is still currently working for the Murray State Racers. His hopes for the athletic medical field in the future include its growth, seeing all student-athletes graduate and seeing the community continue to give back.

Claire Benton is known most for being a Murray State Athletics ticket manager and being a full-time colleague of athletic directors.

“It was great,” Benton said.

“We had the greatest group to work with. I remember waking up in the morning and looking forward to work.”

Bryan worked for the administration and was named Dean of Admissions and Registrar in 1982. Bryan retired in 2001 and received an honorary doctorate from Murray State.

He helped out in the registrar’s office, president’s office and Academic Affairs, and at the end of his career, Bryan handed out more than 25,000 diplomas.

Shuffett was the voice of the Murray State Racers for 20 years. His media career included owning WNBS-AM and owning the monthly magazine, Montage. He followed Murray State basketball as it worked its way up to the NCAA DI. Being inducted into the Hall of Distinction is a humbling experience, Shuffett said.

The Hall of Fame ceremony closed with each inductee being honored in front of the Murray State community.

More information is located in the Hall of Champions located in the CFSB Center.

Nahiomy Gallardo/The News

(Top) Elizabeth beat Lee Clark 36-33 in an IM basketball game Feb. 4. (Bottom) The Richmond Shenanigans defeated the Lambda Chi Wags 65-44 in a basketball game Feb. 4.

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February 11, 2016

5B

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Features

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

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#ANewKindOfValentines A social media dating violence awareness campaign takes Valentine’s Day by storm.

#RT In honor of Wear Orange Day for Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month. Spread the awareness. #Orange4Love and #RespectWeek2016

Love is expressed in many different ways, but abuse isn’t one of them. #RespectWeek2016 #TDVAM Today wear #orange4love to take a stand against abuse and promote healthy relationships! #RespectWeek2016

Kate Jay

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CAWS North Dakota

@CAWSNorthDakota Breanna Sill || Staff writer bsill@murraystate.edu

Healthy, unhealthy and abusive – those are the three classifications that intimate relationships can fall under, according to loveisrespect.org.

Although for some, defining their relationship is not as simple as checking a box.

February is Dating Violence Awareness Month and the Murray State Women’s Center along with the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center of Paducah, Kentucky, have partnered to raise awareness among students about healthy relationships.

The recognition of Dating Violence Awareness Month is a fairly new concept, as it was just established under President Barack Obama as a way

to raise national awareness of dating violence.

“We’ve long recognized domestic violence as a public health problem impacting one in three women,” said Abigail French, Director of the Murray State Women’s Center. “But as we learn more about the issue we have begun to see similar rates of violence in dating relationships.”

In fact, dating violence in general is something that laws and protections did not traditionally cover under their statutes. They were originally written to refer to married couples or couples living together.

French said these laws and protections have since been updated.

“This is an important shift in thinking because many women, young women espe-

cially, were struggling to find the same protections under the law that those in domestic relationships could seek out,” she said.

On Feb. 4, the Women’s Center teamed up with Loveisrespect to promote Loveisrespect Twitter chat “Love = Setting Boundaries” as a way to engage youth in the conversation about dating violence.

Loveisrespect was launched in 2007 and was the first 24hour resource for teens who were experiencing dating violence and abuse. According to their website, it is the only teen helpline serving the United States.

French said the event was important for two main reasons, the first reason being that students need to be engaged in positive conversations and fo-

Racers help a Racer after a house fire Brianna Willis || Staff writer

and to continue furthering her education,” Meriwether said.

Meriwether said she took it upon herself to try and help Bomar in any When Shy’Ana Meriwether, senior way she could. She started a “youcarfrom Louisville, Kentucky, stepped ing.com” page, a fundraising website, outside of her class to take a phone call, and put out an all-call for donations of she said she witnessed a young woman both monetary and physical items. in distress. When she asked her what Bomar said the response has been was wrong, Meriwether said the other awesome and immediate. student, Sarah McCorry, informed her “I can’t thank everyone enough,” that her friend Jennifer Bomar’s house she said. had just “There burned to are so the ground. many peo “I began ple who to look for I don’t her friend’s know and belongwho don’t ings and know me, directed and I just Sarah to want to the tech say thank person to you.” try and lo Bomar, cate her mother friends beof nine, longings,” said that M e r i - - Jennifer Bomar the outwether pouring of said. support from Murray State and neigh Meriwether said that she asked boring communities has made this McCorry if Bomar had any children, time easier for her. something Meriwether was concerned “I still can’t stop thinking about about, she said, as she is a mother of a what would have happened if the 15–month–old boy. fire had happened an hour earlier, if “I couldn’t help but to think how everyone had been home,” she said.

Jennifer was going to tell her babies April Sargent, from Hopkinsthat they had no place to go or having ville, Kentucky, said she felt a conto figure out how to replace everynection to Bomar. She donated on thing that was lost. Not just for her baMeriwether’s fundraising page, but bies but for herself as well,” she said. chose not to disclose how much she Meriwether said she was raised to donated on the site. Sargent said she understand a degree is valuable and didn’t want to disclose the amount said she didn’t want this tragedy to be because it is the thought that counts, a setback for Bomar. and whatever she could do to help “I knew I needed to step up and help in anyway that I could to help Jennifer rebuild a foundation for her family, see , 2A bwillis2@murraystate.edu

“

I can’t thank everyone enough.

There are so many people who I don’t know and who don’t know me, and I just want to say thank you.

”

FIRE

cused on healthy and positive behaviors.

The second reason is that the Twitter chat gave students an opportunity to not only engage with their peers about dating violence, but also to read what their peers had to say.

“I think it’s a great way to engage students who are often very busy and unable to attend traditional programs,” French said.

On Feb. 9, students were encouraged to wear the color orange to symbolize Dating Violence Awareness Month and show support to their peers who could be struggling with abuse issues of their own.

“By choosing to wear orange on National Wear Orange Day, students were saying ‘I support healthy relationships and I expect to give and receive re-

spect in my relationships with others,’” French said.

Students can participate in the upcoming National Respect Announcement through Thunderclap on Feb. 12 to show support for Dating Awareness Month.

“By participating in this Thunderclap, you will help promote healthy relationships and connect young people to valuable resources like Loveisrespect,” said the Thunderclap website promoting the announcement. “Invite your friends and share photos of you and your community speaking out using #RespectWeek2016.”

By signing up to share the announcement, students are able to share it through their multiple social media accounts and help promote and educate others on healthy relation-

ships.

If a student of any gender is struggling with relationship violence, the door to the Murray State Women’s Center is always open to them. The Women’s Center works with students to help prepare a plan to exit and end relationships, establish a safety plan, file for a protective order and connect them to other resources, French said.

The Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center is one of those sources. The Merryman House provides many of the same services as the Women’s Center, only in an off-campus location.

“I genuinely believe that when we only focus on what not to do, we are missing the real mark for change,” French said.

Murray Main asks the tough questions Taylor Inman || Contributing writer tinman@murraystate.edu

Murray businesses and organizations are gearing up their trivia teams for the chance to win both prizes and bragging rights in this year’s Murray Main Street’s Annual Trivia Night.

All proceeds for the trivia night go directly to Murray Main Street, which in recent years has received up to $6,000 from the annual game night, money that in turn will go directly back to Murray. In the 18 years its been active, Murray Main Street has invested $13 million in downtown buildings and businesses, as well other community-centered projects.

The trivia night has seen 10 years of competitive fun among teams. Mark Welch, a board member for Murray Main Street, has some advice for those looking to take the top cash prizes.

“A team that’s successful will have pretty diverse knowledge,” Welch said. “Some of the better teams I’ve seen have a range of ages, too.”

Teams from various professional offices, real estate agencies and local banks are set to duke it out in this year’s competition.

But Welch, returning this year as the master of ceremonies for the third time, said that it’s not necessary to be part of an organization or business to be able to get a team together for the trivia night.

“There are some teams that are just buddies, and they’re actually some of our better teams,” Welch said.

Deana Wright, program director for Murray Main Street, said that while having a well-rounded team is important, University Libraries won last year with a team made of only young people.

Wright said that it’s important to expose Murray State students to Murray’s downtown area.

“One of the things we try to do is bring the students downtown as a part of ‘Great Beginnings’ to show them what businesses they can go to in the downtown area,” Wright said. “Last year, we did a Twitter scavenger hunt and that was a way for them to learn what is downtown and let them see those great businesses.”

Murray’s historic downtown area, from the Calloway County Courthouse to its buildings that line the square, is one of many to promote small businesses and preservation. Murray Main Street is a direct supporter of this dis-

Vagina Monologues reappears after four year hiatus

trict and the community at large, being one of the earliest chapters formed in the Jackson Purchase area.

“Back in 1998, there hadn’t been many updates. The upgrades that we got in the 70s were now becoming an issue for the buildings,” Wright said. “What Murray Main Street did was really focus on the court square, bringing back modern conveniences and the quality you expect in a downtown area.”

The doors for Murray Main Street’s Annual Wright Trivia Night will open at 6 p.m. and questions begin at 6:30 p.m. on Feb 19. It costs $160 for a team to enter. The cost includes dinner and a chance to win cash prizes awarded to the top three teams, with an opportunity to play mini-games during the night for other door prizes. Nonparticipants can have dinner and spectate the games for $8.

To register a team, contact Murray Main Street at 270-759-9474.

Da’Sha Tuck || Staff writer

assault, domestic violence and gender roles.

The Vagina Monologues is made up of a series of interviews Ens After a four-year hiatus, Murler conducted with hundreds of ray State will present Eve Ensler’s women who shared their life exVagina Monologues this weekend periences, in support including of a global stories of w o m a n abuse. empower “A loud, ment moveproud, in ment called your face V-Day. The production return of the like the Vaproduction gina Monohas some l o g u e s students Photo courtesy of hercampus.com can spark stirred up, a shift in especially peoples’ minds and change their over some of the advertising sloopinions on the rights and equal/ gans. fair treatment of women,” said The V-Day campaign is about Paige Tobye, sophomore from Ststopping violence against women and bringing awareness about issee , 6B sues women face, such as sexual dtuck@murraystate.edu

MONOLOGUES

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Features

6B FRIDAY

THURSDAY

SATURDAY

February 11, 2016

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

12:00 p.m.

Lowe’s Career Fair, Lowe’s Murray

7:00 p.m.

Valentine’s Masquerade Charity Ball, Murray Women’s Clubhouse

7:00 p.m.

Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues, Lovett Auditorium

3:30 p.m.

Vocal Faculty Recital, Performing Arts Hall

8:00 a.m.

Museum Exhibit: Discovering Kentucky’s Abraham Lincoln, Wrather West Kentucky Museum

5:30 p.m.

Madrigal Dinner, Lovett Auditorium

7:30 a.m.

Business @ Breakfast, The Murray Room of the CFSB Center

CORRECTION On Thursday, Feb. 4, The Murray State News printed an error in the article, “The Little Mermaid makes a splash.”

The article incorrectly refers to actress Savannah Richey as lead Laurel Johnson. That is incorrect.

Also, the picture depicted Richey in her costume and makeup of Allana, not Ariel.

The News regrets the errors.

See an error? Email us at murraystatenews@icloud.com.

FIRE From Page 1 she wanted to do.

“All of the tangible things can be replaced, but a person cannot,” Sargent said.

Sargent credits her involvement in her social work department with her finding out about Bomar.

She said if she hadn’t taken time to get to know her classmates and get involved on campus, she may never have heard of Bomar and her tragedy.

“Always start with your community,” Sargent said.

“With all of today’s technological distractions we forget to just talk to people and get involved.”

Meriwether also said

that if students want to help others in their community, the best place to start is by putting themselves in the shoes of those in need, allowing people to see things from another perspective and find that passion to help others.

Donations are being accepted in the third floor office of the Curris Center.

“Jennifer Bomar is a selfless and intelligent woman who is trying to make a way for her children,” Meriwether said. “People can help in anyway they can.”

Bomar has advice for any students who may be facing tragedy and loss themselves.

“Take it one day at a time,” she said. “And remember, it is going to be OK.”

Coldplay fails to heat up their album, falls flat Nick Erickson || Staff writer nerickson@murraystate.edu

The British pop-rock group, Coldplay, is undoubtedly one of the biggest bands in the world.

Everyone who owns a radio has come across the dreamlike piano notes of “Clocks” or the powerful violins of “Viva La Vida,” whether they knew it or not. After being around for more than 15 years, the group released their seventh studio album, an impressive feat for any band.

“A Head Full of Dreams” encapsulates the soul the band puts into their work, but ultimately, it seems like it’s Coldplay’s attempt to repeat what they’ve done well in the past, and it falls short of bringing anything new to the table.

For those who have been fans since their debut release, “Parachutes,” there are a handful of highlights over 11 tracks that pay homage to it.

The lead single, “Adventure of a Lifetime,” has reached mainstream success in a short amount of time, already topping 89 million views on YouTube.

Arguably the strongest on the record, this track brings back the early 2000s nostalgia. With its catchy guitar hook, subtle ambiance, and a groovy drum-

Bull Blowout returns Jeff Ramsay Contributing writer jramsay@murraystate.edu Murray native Tyler Nel-

son, grew up dreaming about one day being a bull rider.

Now, with the biannual Bull Blowout only days away, Nelson can finally take the crowd by storm in one wild ride.

For Nelson, who was an athlete through grade school, the adrenaline is what pushes him to compete.

“I played baseball for most of my life and rode motocross, but the adrenaline of bull riding can’t even compare to those sports,” Nelson said. “The challenge and the adrenaline is what makes the sport so addicting.”

He said in preparation for Bull Blowout a lot of work has gone into practicing and honing his skills.

“Just like any other sport, you have to practice as much as you can in order to get better,” Nelson said. “I am looking forward to Friday night; I am hoping I can put on a good ride for the audi-

ence and judges.”

The events at the 2016 Bull Blowout are bull riding, barrel racing, mutton busting and a calf scramble.

The calf scramble is where participants line up at one end of the arena and try to remove ribbons tied to the tail of three calves at the other end of the arena when the buzzer sounds.

Mutton busting is an event where children ride a sheep in the hugging position, released from a bucking chute, similar to bull riding but on a smaller scale.

Barrel racing is a rodeo event, usually for women, in which a horse and rider must race in a zigzag pattern around three barrels, competing for the fastest time.

Penny Parsons, event promoter and coordinator with Parsons & Milam Stock Contractors and Promoters, said this is the company’s 20th year producing the event.

“We will have over 100 contestants each night that come from all the surrounding states, including many locals from the Murray area,”

Parsons said. “There will be about 100 mutton busters and 100 calf scramblers as well each night.”

Parsons made it clear that Bull Blowout is an open event in which anyone may enter. She also clarified that professionals are used for the judging and those competing in the bull riding, barrel racing and the calf scramble win prize money.

There will be vendors set up at the event for shopping and there will be souvenir Bull Blowout shirts and hoodies for sale.

There will also be concessions sold at the event through the Expo Center.

Comedy is also provided

by Greg Reynolds, the coordinator’s funny man, who entertains throughout the entire Bull Blowout action.

“We try to make the event fun for the whole family,” Parsons said. “We would like for everyone to come out and enjoy Bull Blowout.”

Questions regarding Bull Blowout should be directed to Penny Parsons at pennyparsons@stewart.k12.tn.us.

8:30 Brain Blast Tournament

From Page 1 urgis, Kentucky, who plans to attend the show.

THE CONTROVERSY

All proceeds from the tickets and swag will go to the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center in Paducah.

The Murray State Women’s Center is sponsoring the play. The cast and crew are selling merchandise to help promote the cause as well.

The cast are selling T-shirts, buttons and posters with what some students have described as controversial statements on them, such as T-shirts that say “I heart vaginas,” “Orgasm donor” and buttons that just have the c – word on them.

“A lot of the buttons seem like crass language for the purpose of crass language, but they are all for raising awareness and publicity for the show,” said Shelby Frye, sophomore cast member from Paris, Tennessee.

Tobye said she believes that the controversy is a good thing because it has students talking about the Vagina Monologues.

Director Jasmine Wilker-

but they are few and far between. The album showcases what Coldplay has done best in their career: making catchy tracks, but really lacking the musicianship and substance to be more than background music while you’re studying.

The infamous soft rock they’re known for, combined with some beautiful organ soundscapes, makes its way onto the record with “Birds.”

The title track opens with an unusual progression, utilizing chimes, bell, and an infectious dance beat, but seconds in, it feels all too familiar. “Everglow”

son, graduate student from Americus, Georgia, said anyone who dismisses or criticizes the show because of the name or the merchandise should attend the production.

“I think that the concept of the Vagina Monologues can make people a little uncomfortable, and sometimes, that is just what is needed,” Tobye said. “Pushing people out of their comfort zones is necessary to create change.”

THE IMPACT V-Day was started by Ensler, the author of the Vagina Monologues, and was conceived to create awareness, but also to empower women everywhere.

“The monologues deal with all sorts of women’s issues, some serious stuff as well as trivial things,” Frye said. “It goes from very serious topics to more lighthearted topics pretty quickly to keep it light but still serious enough that you go away with something from it.”

Wilkerson said this production is based on real experiences and real interviews. She said these are issues women are facing today, for instance, sexual assault and discrimination.

At first glance, the produc-

Open Mic Night

Wednesday Live Acoustic Music Dart Tournament

Friday Live Music

Saturday Free Jukebox

Dine-In/ Carry-Out Right across from Wilson Hall

sandwich? campus tradition? ice cream or frozen yogurt? burger?

tion could come off as vulgar.

The language used is abrupt and the gestures are more than suggestive, but the production is based on real situations. Therefore, terminology was not chosen for a shock factor but reflects what actually happened to women. Wilkerson said these issues have been stigmatized and she is hoping this performance can help dissipate that stigma and bring light to the situations discussed.

“People don’t want to talk about it because they don’t know how to talk about it,” Wilkerson said.

The production, Wilkerson said, will have a trigger warning at the beginning of the play. She said she knows some women may be able to connect to some of the monologues on a deeper level so everyone should be aware of the contents.

Executive Director of the Merryman House Mary Foley said they serve thousands of women each year and any donation would help the organization stay operational.

“This is something that is a personal belief of mine,” Wilkerson said. “It makes me happy to be able to rebirth this show and give 100 percent to something that is bigger than me; a bigger cause.”

Vote for Best of Murray 2016

pizza? coffee? breakfast? place to cure a hangover? bookstore? student organization at Murray State? place to work on campus?

The healthcare provider? place to study on campus? place to nap on campus? bar? place to get your car fixed? liquor store? donuts? live music? car dealership? local band? tattoo shop?

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beat, it’s classic Coldplay, and it works. Lead singer and keyboardist Chris Martin’s charismatic lyricism is ever–present here. “Oh, you make me feel like I’m alive again,” Martin sings.

It’s hard to fight the urge to dance ever so slightly to this track.

However, it does not have one particular thing that could set it apart from any previous track from the band.

The underlying problem with this record is its predictability.

Sure, there are hints at what could have been some experimentation with a fresh sound,

is a piano ballad that, while having a lighthearted atmosphere, the acoustic guitar that accompanies the overall melody feels a little cliché, and the track overall feels like it’s borrowed the same structure as a number of other ballads. Further into the album, “Up & Up,” falls into the same trap, with ever-so generic instrumentation and lackluster vocals.

Coldplay is loved by hundreds of millions of people. People will eat up this record simply for the fact that it is Coldplay.

Unfortunately it seems that despite Coldplay’s attempts to keep the listeners imaginative, they have in turn lost any sense of imagination in their songwriting. “A Head Full of Dreams” is a true Coldplay album, but perhaps that is where the fault truly lies: it’s easily forgettable and fades from memory after a few listens.

Coldplay has talent, and it still is evident at times, but as a whole, this record has fallen victim to the mainstream pop clichés.

With the size of their fan base, I doubt the band will take note of this, but hopefully one day, the band will venture out into new territory. Here’s to hope for that.

To vote, find the survey on Murray State News’ Facebook and Twitter pages.

Voting will close on Friday, Feb. 26, 2016.

place to take a date? place to worship? faculty member? staff member? student athlete? golf course? place to get gas? place to get away?

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Features

February 11, 2016

Pop Culture Corner

Rantings of a foreign woman

MOVIE REVIEW

#BadValentineIn5Words CallingAllAstronauts @CAA_Official

#BadValentineIn5Words my ex loved it there 6:37 pm 8 Feb 2016

Chris Stigall

@ChrisStigall The doctor said its treatable. #BadValentineIn5Words 5:22 pm 8 Feb 2016

danielgotskillz

@danielgotskillz #BadValentineIn5Words my girlfriend is calling me 5:13 pm 8 Feb 2016

John Gushue

@JohnGushue George Clooney acts as movie star Baird Whitlock in the Coen Brothers’ latest comedy, “Hail, Caesar!”

awinn@murraystate.edu

Super Bowl halftime show sends powerful messages The 50th Super Bowl halftime show stirred crazed emotions across the globe as artists seemed to convey powerful political statements while performing on Sunday.

Well-known artist Beyoncé and her dancers gave a nod to the Black Lives Matter movement by posing with fists raised in the air after performing. As for Coldplay’s rainbow-colored tribute, The Guardian said it is in regards to the counterculture of the city of San Francisco, but fans across social media think otherwise.

Hundreds of tweets and posts claim the millions of colorful placards spelling out “Believe in Love” is promoting gay marriage equal rights.

Political messages or not, the integration of three different acclaimed artists, including Bruno Mars, is sure to make the SB50 halftime an unforgettable one for many.

I n this generation, we are known as digital natives – a term coined by education consultant Marc Gisselle Hernandez Prensky to describe Assistant Features Editor those who are born into the technological world and are native speakers of the digital language involving computers and social media.

We get a bad rap for having our noses buried in tiny handheld screens, having more online friends than real-life friends and suffering from a short attention span due to ever-evolving technology. Let me tell you, we aren’t all that bad.

As a digital native myself, I believe our tech savvy-ness comes in handy. We spring innovations that benefit companies who try to keep up with digital times and we are better at multi-tasking, among other useful skills.

However, sometimes we indeed are all that bad. I arrived at a bitter revelation this weekend.

I’m going to sound like a digital-immigrant-grandma right now, but seriously, social media has gone too far. I was checking my friends’ Snapchat stories – for the same reason everybody does: to creepily spy on people’s lives and feel sorry for your own – when a particular one caught my eye.

In this particular Snapchat, someone at a party was snapping the tequila shot they were about Photo courtesy of youtube.com to down. As the person panned the room, I noticed every single person involved in this shot-taking ritual had their phones out in front of them videoing as well, just with a different screen for a different audience. Not a single person was actually seeing the act in real life, and it saddened me. Yes, sure, get drunk The acting was – for the most part for all I care. Drink to your col– lazy, and none of the actors seemed lege-student heart’s content, to be invested in their individual roles. honey. Seriously, after a week While watching the film, it almost felt of all-nighters you probably delike they each took the acting job for serve it. But at least enjoy it! the paycheck and screen recognition People are living their life but nothing more. through a screen these days – Viewers, however, are likely to apincluding me – and for what? To preciate the film’s overall set and coslet people know for certain we tume design, giving the appearance have a social life? that the movie could have been shot in Of course, everything should ’50s. The cinematography is definitely occur in moderation. I’m not the best part about the film, giving the saying it is sacrilegious to enpicture an added nostalgic feeling, but gage in social media, but there’s not even the beautifully shot scenes a limit to everything. Technolcould save the movie from the train ogy offers entertainment and wreck it became. grants opportunities we had During the film, the character Mannever known before. But we nix is consistently checking his watch shouldn’t let it take over our for the time. Viewers are likely to be lives. And this goes for any sodoing the same thing while watching cial medium. the film, wondering if this movie is It may just be the bitter me ever going to end. talking, but the whole Snapchat “Hail, Caesar!” had the potential to ordeal baffled me. Those videos be a great film with a good plot and last for some hours and then cast, but for the most part, just turned disappear forever (unless you out to be a dull and uninteresting flick have the app that lets you save that takes up nearly two hours of time them), but you never forget how that the audience will never get back. you felt in a moment.

Whether it was the back of your throat burning as your friends yelled “bottoms up” or a beautiful scenery that took your breath away, we need to learn to live in the moment. Besides, phone screens never do such things justice.

Coen Brothers’ dry film disappoints with pointless jokes and lazy acting Adam Winn || Staff writer

Photo courtesy of independent.co.uk

Live in the present

‘Hail, Caesar!’: A Comedic Dud

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#BadValentineIn5Words “Netflix has some new recommendations.”

3:51 pm 8 Feb 2016

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Joel and Ethan Coen, most recognizably-known as the Coen Brothers, are acknowledged for creating and directing several cult classic films, such as “No Country for Old Men,” “The Big Lebowski” and “Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” Unfortunately, this time around the Coen Brothers have released a movie titled “Hail, Caesar!” with a plot so forgettable and boring that even their biggest fans might want to skip out on watching this one.

The plot is set in the middle of the 1950s Hollywood entertainment industry and follows a studio executive named Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin), whose job is maintaining order and fixing problems that arise on movie sets.

While working on a new film titled “Hail, Caesar!” the leading star of the movie, Baird Whitlock (George Clooney), is secretly drugged and kidnapped by a couple of the extras working on the set.

The people responsible for the abduction are revealed to be a group of radical communists and are holding the movie star hostage for a ransom of $100,000. Mannix tries to keep the abduction under wraps, while still trying to maintain control over the multiple movies for which he is responsible.

It’s essential to mention that this film doesn’t contain a simple plot narrative, but many sub-stories linked

together, which makes it extremely difficult to follow the story at certain points. The plot was overly drawn out and kept bouncing from character to character - introducing new ones and forgetting old ones in the process.

The movie is designed to be a comedy, but unfortunately most of the jokes throughout the film weren’t funny. Most of the humor in the film is very dry and appears to be aimed at an older or middle-aged audience.

There is one scene in particular where a struggling actor with a country accent named Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich) is having trouble reciting one of his lines. The film’s director Laurence Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes) stops filming and offers the actor some one-on-one instructions. The director has Doyle repeat the difficult line “Would that it were so simple,” and they both end up repeating the line back and forth for, no joke, almost a solid five minutes. This is the type of humor the entire film tries to convey–sometimes succeeding – but most of the time, it just becomes repetitive and annoying.

Certain cast members were advertised in the film’s trailer as having larger supporting roles, such as Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johansson and Jonah Hill, among others. However, these roles essentially are just small cameo appearances instead, with Tatum only appearing in three scenes, Johansson in two scenes and Hill in one scene.

ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Out this week

Read It

“Glass Sword”

by Victoria Aveyard

See It

“Deadpool”

Hear It

“South, West, North, East”

by Stephen Kellogg

Rent It

“Crimson Peak”

Play It

“Layers of Fear”

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February 11, 2016