The Murray State News

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See 2A for a semester in review

The Murray State News

May 5, 2016

Vol. 90, No. 29

TheNews.org

Interim chief’s past raises questions Dunaway’s tenure in Nashville police marred by demotions, controversy Alicia Steele

Assistant News Editor asteele5@murraystate.edu

Interim chief of police and director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Roy Dunaway, who is a finalist for the permanent position, gave false testimony under oath during a high-profile murder trial ten years ago.

The next year, Dunaway was investigated concerning a burglary of a Fraternal Order of Police camp in Wilson County, Tennessee. By July 2007, Dunaway had been demoted from detective, placed on restrictive duty and stripped of his law enforcement powers, according to documents from the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department.

It is unclear who at Murray State knew about the missteps in Dunaway’s past because the Nashville Police said officials there were not contacted when Murray State hired Dunaway as an officer in 2013.

University officials declined to discuss Dunaway’s background citing confidentiality of personal records.

Dunaway, who has served as the interim chief of police since June 2014 and is the president of the Kentucky Association of University Law Enforcement Administrators, refused multiple requests for comment.

In addition, Dunaway’s resumé makes no mention of his demotions. And the issues didn’t come up in a public forum March 31 when Dunaway interviewed with faculty, staff and students.

“It is a key position for the uni-

versity, it is one that is obviously high profile and when we think about the university, a key consideration is the safety for our campus, for our faculty, our staff, our students,” President Bob Davies said.

“It has a direct impact on our reputation and many attributes to the campus so I consider it to be a key hire.”

Davies said he did not participate in the search for chief of police candidates.

However, he did interview the finalists and provided his insights, thoughts and comments to the search committee.

“The search committee will then determine how it proceeds in making a recommendation,” Davies said.

Davies said this position reports to the vice president of finance and administration, Jackie Dudley.

“Ultimately, it will be her decision as it is a direct report to her, but she and I will definitely talk and provide direct input when the final decision is made,” Davies said. “…And we have not had that discussion yet.”

Davies said Murray State’s policy when hiring for a new position is that the university’s human resources department conducts a formal background check after making an offer.

The background check is completed before the person signs a final contract.

He said all candidates are vetted – investigated thoroughly – regardless of position, “as best they can.”

Dunaway became interim chief of police in June 2014 after David DeVoss retired from the position.

Dunaway joined the Murray State police force as an officer in 2013. How-

ever, Murray State did not consult the Nashville Police, whose records indicate that “no documents or files in the custody or control of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department were requested, examined or reviewed,” according to a letter sent to Randy Dunn, then-Murray State president, from Steve Anderson, the Nashville police chief.

“I am compelled to insure that this agency is on record as NOT being an active or passive participant in any ‘stringent background examination’ that may have been conducted as a part of this process,” Anderson wrote.

FALSE TESTIMONY

While working as a homicide detective for the Nashville police, Dunaway was the first to respond to a crime scene in Oak Hill, Tennessee. Belinda Mercer, a Nashville lawyer, faced murder charges in the shooting death of her husband. During the trial on Oct. 3, 2006, Dunaway testified that the defendant, Mercer, admitted to him that she had shot and killed her husband.

However, the defense said from the beginning that she didn’t intend to shoot her husband.

After Dunaway’s testimony, the judge granted a mistrial.

“I stood up in front of the jury in an opening statement and said she’s denied this from day one,” Hal Hardin, Mercer’s attorney, told The News.

“And he got up on the witness stand and said ‘I shot him, I shot him’ and the

see POLICE, 2A

University answers student FAFSA questions Ashley Traylor Staff writer

atraylor@murraystate.edu

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, FAFSA, can be a difficult process to some. Murray State’s financial aid office is working to inform students about the application process.

Cassie Fannin, senior from Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, said there is not one part of the process that is difficult, but the whole application is hard because you have to set your information up and if it doesn’t save, you have to do over again.

Morgan Page, junior from Campbellsville, Kentucky, also said she thinks the process is difficult and repetitive for students.

The financial aid office is holding FAFSA workshops to make the application process easier for students. A student can come into the financial aid office and someone will go through each step of the process with him or her.

“We help them respond to the question, so that way it gives them a feel for what they have to do,” said Teresa

WHAT’S

INSIDE

McKenna Dosier/The News

At the University Hall, Davies speaks on what has been previously described as a “fluid” situation.

Students face tuition increases

Bailey Bohannan Staff writer

bbohannan@murraystate.edu

Returning Murray State students will face a tuition increase in Fall 2016, but the specifics of the new tuition model haven’t been decided yet.

Davies said two different tuition models have been proposed for current and returning students when he presented at the Student Government Association (SGA) meeting and the University Hall meeting last week.

The first proposal would include a 5 percent tuition increase across the board for all current and returning students, while all other fees and rates remain the same.

The second proposal would include a 4.5 percent tuition increase, remove the current web premium and add a $65 web fee for online classes. In addition, students would be charged additional tuition for credit hours over 15.

The second proposal received the majority of support by the SGA members present at the meeting.

Emma Boehm, sophomore from Waterloo, Illinois, also supports the second proposal.

Boehm is currently ahead on her credit hours, making her a sophomore even though this was her first year of college.

She said the credits she needs for her exercise science major do not require her to

take over 15 hours in the coming semesters, therefore she said she will not be affected by the tuition charged for hours more than 15. She also said she is interested in taking online classes in the future and the reduction of cost for web premiums would benefit her.

Hannah Rickard, freshman from Eddyville, Kentucky, said she would prefer the first proposal with a 5 percent increase across the board.

Rickard said she will have to take more than 15 credit hours in the future and is scheduled for 17 credit hours next semester. She said she won’t benefit from the web premium reduction because she doesn’t take many online courses and doesn’t plan to do so.

“Having to pay for credit hours over 15 is doable, but I feel like the students who are going above and beyond by taking more than 15 hours should have some type of discount or reimbursement for going the extra mile,” Rickard said.

Davies said at the University Hall meeting last Thursday that the tuition proposal chosen will ultimately come down to him. He and the executive team will be making their final recommendations to the Board of Regents on May 13.

“These are, indeed, challenging times, but we will not lose sight of our commitment to

see TUITION, 2A

CORRECTION

Emily Harris/The News

A few of the posters spread out across campus that hope to aid in what some would call the “confusing” process of financial aid.

Palmer, associate director of financial aid. “Then, every year will it make it easier for them.”

She said the one-on-one workshops have been very beneficial for the students.

Palmer said she does not know why students have difficulty filling out the application.

Palmer said the FAFSA ap-

plication changed four years ago.

There is a tab on the FAFSA application called “transfer my information.” It will pull tax returns from the IRS and transfer the data needed for the application back in.

All of the demographic information should transfer back

in year after year, she said.

Students who do not wish to complete FAFSA must fill out a denial form.

Fannin said filling out a denial form is ridiculous and a waste of time.

“Why take the time out of

see FAFSA, 2A

On Thursday, April 28, The Murray State News’ article “Sig Ep draws criticism at All Campus Sing” included comments that Bellarmine Ezumah, assistant professor of journalism and mass communications, made during the April 22 event “A Night in Africa.” The article failed to make it clear that Ezumah’s remarks were not in response to the fraternity’s performance at All Campus Sing.

Ezumah was not asked

by The News to respond directly to that performance, which she had no knowledge of.

On Thursday, April 21, The Murray State News printed an article about some faculty members’ suggestions for Murray State to do more to help spouses of employees find jobs. The article ran under the headline “Women’s caucus pushes for new spousal policy,” which didn’t accurately reflect the content of the story. The Women’s Faculty Caucus has not taken up that issue as one of its official goals.

The article now can be found online under the headline “Some faculty members want help in bringing spouses to Murray.”

The News regrets the error.

The News regrets the error.

MENTAL HEALTH

OUR VIEW

WOMEN’S SOFTBALL

ALL GREEK

Awareness month reveals coping mechanisms for stress, 6A

Strategies for stress relief as the semester winds down, 4A

Season is on the line against Austin Peay State, 1B

Annual award ceremony adds pageant to the agenda, 5B

The News

News

2A

May 5, 2016

A semester in review A look back at Spring 2016

Chalice Keith/The News

Phi Mu Alpha performs in the Alpha Phi Alpha Step Off.

Jenny Rohl/The News

Rachel Ross taking the stage after the pageant.

Alpha Phi Alpha welcomed sororities and fraternities alike to compete in their annual step competition, benefiting March of Dimes.

This year’s Ms. MSU saw the crowning of Rachel Ross, bringing to fruition a longheld dream of Ross’s.

Emily Harris/The News

Jenny Rohl/The News This year’s Campus Lights performance brought “Hairspray: The Musical” to campus.

The annual ‘Take Back the Night’ speaks out against rape culture.

Nicole Ely/The News

Your FAFSA flowchart (for your convenience) TUITION From Page 1

Step 1

FAFSA

Step 2

Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov

Click start new FAFSA

How does it work?

Step 5

The expected family contribution number qualifies the student for federal grants

Step 4

Step 3

The government determines an expected family contribution

Step 6

Step 7

File the report and send it to your college or university

The college or university determines your eligibility for financial aid

Put in demographic and income information*

$$$

Step 8

* Dependent students use income information for both themselves and their parents. Independent students only include their income information.

FAFSA

From Page 1

the day to fill something out that you’re not going to get?

It’s like taking a class you don’t even need. It is a waste of time,” Fannin said.

There are posters around campus reminding students of important changes for Fall 2016.

The first set of refund checks for students with credit balances will be available Aug. 31, and students

who wish to receive financial aid must visit www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the application.

FAFSA is a grant from the government, but students who are residents of Kentucky are eligible for scholarships through Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, KEES. The Kentucky lottery funds the KEES scholarships given out to high school seniors.

Based on GPA, scholarship amounts range from $125 for a 2.5 GPA to $500 for a 4.0.

The scholarship is renew-

able with your college GPA, and the student must complete a certain number of credit hours to make sure they are progressing through their program, Palmer said.

Depending on these requirements, a student may receive 50 percent or 100 percent of the award.

There are no applications to fill out for KEES. The financial aid office reports GPA and credit hours to the state every year, and they will report to the schools if the student is rewarded.

providing each of our students an exceptional educational experience,” Davies wrote.

“There will be changes, but together as a university community, we will persevere.”

POLICE

From Page 1

whole defense was that the gun accidentally went off.”

Hardin said a Nov. 2, 2006, article “Swear to Tell the Truth?” in Nashville Scene gives a full explanation of what happened. Dunaway was relegated to the position of patrol officer effective that week, the article said.

The article reported, according to the affidavit, Dunaway said he had been “working midnights” and he was taking cold medicine at the time of his testimony.

The Nashville Police’s Office of Professional Accountability completed the investigation of Dunaway’s conduct “that resulted in a mistrial in a homicide prosecution” in June 2007, according to a memorandum to then-Nashville chief of police, Ronal Serpas, from then Deputy Chief of Police Steve Anderson.

Serpas, now a professor at Loyola University in New Orleans, did not return multiple messages from The News.

In July, the Office of Professional Accountability presented Dunaway with a settlement offer to resign instead of be fired because of his false

Gov. Matt Bevin signed the Kentucky State budget into law on Wednesday, April 27.

The tuition increase comes as Murray State and other public universities in Kentucky face $9.1 million in cuts, of which $3 million will fall on students to make up through higher tuition.

However, in an email to Murray State faculty, staff

and students, Davies wrote he would not put all the pressure on the students through tuition.

“I want to emphasize that while we must raise tuition to help offset a portion of these financial challenges, we will not place all our financial needs on you – our students,” Davies wrote.

testimony.

again refused to comment.

FRATERNAL ORDER OF POLICE CAMP

Days before Nashville Police officials asked him to resign, Dunaway became a subject of another internal investigation.

Dunaway had been acting as a liaison between the Nashville Police and the Teamsters union, when he reported “improprieties” being committed

by Nashville police employees at a Fraternal Order of Police camp. But police supervisors investigated and found nothing, according to a Nashville Police memo regarding Dunaway.

Four days later, a former Nashville police lieutenant was arrested while burglarizing the FOP camp. Dunaway declined to be interviewed by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and instead the bureau executed a search warrant on the Teamster’s headquarters and seized Dunaway’s computer.

On July 26, 2007, Dunaway’s assignment to the Teamster organization was terminated and Dunaway was decommissioned and placed on restricted duty.

However, he still lists on his resumé filed with Murray State that he remained an acting liaison officer until 2008.

Dunaway, when asked specifically in a follow-up email about a discrepancy on his resume,

MURRAY STATE’S HIRING POLICY

Dunaway is vying for the chief of police position against Robert L. Spinks, chief of police at McNeese State University in Louisiana; Klay Peterson, chief of police at the University of South Carolina Upstate; and James Herring Jr., retired chief of police at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

All four finalists interviewed on campus between March 31 and April 11.

Joyce Gordon, director of Human Resources, said a search committee of university employees was responsible for reviewing applications.

Gordon said the committee members also contact references and people who are not listed as references.

“As long as you are doing the same thing for each of the candidates you can call previous employers,” Gordon said.

University officials haven’t said when they plan to name the next chief of police.

“On an ongoing search, we really can’t because there’s a lot of stuff going on once finalists have been brought to campus, so not a real comment yet,” Gordon said. “But it will be announced publicly when that decision has been made.”

Wednesday 11th Pint Boulevard Brewing

Friday 13th Big Atomic

WE’RE HIRING

We are currently looking for Ad Production Staff Sales Representatives Photographers

Copy Editors Sports Writers News Writers

Apply online at thenews.org/apply or turn in an application to Wilson Hall Room 111.

The News May 5, 2016

News Editor: Abby Siegel Assistant Editor: Alicia Steele Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

POLICE BEAT 6:51 a.m. Racer Patrol advised Mur-

April 27

11:26 a.m.

A person was reray State Police of an abandoned ported inthe theLowry elevator of golf cart stuck outside Center.

Blackburn Building.

Officers were Science notified and an inforOfficers and was Facilities mation report taken.Management were notified.

11:42 p.m An officer conducted p.m.

Murray a10:05 traffic stop at 121 Police NorthDeand partment reported a person Coldwater Streets. A citation was possibly driving under the in-to issued to the driver for failure fluence at the Curris Center. wear a seatbelt.

The passenger Officers were on notified. was arrested an outstanding warrant and was taken to Callo-

April 28

10:36 a.m. The alarm center computer a fire alarm way Countyreceived Jail. in Hester College.

8:20 a.m. AResidential caller reported a resOfficerscollege and Facilities Manageidential flag missing.

The ment were notified.

Activation Housing Office was notified. was caused a hair a 11:22 p.m. by A steam caller from reported straightener. motor vehicle accident with no 4:08 p.m.

An officer conducted injuries at White Residential Cola traffic stop at the notified Murray and Fire a lege.

Officers were Department and issued a verbal report was taken. warning yielding to pe- a 7:17 p.m. for An not officer conducted destrians a crosswalk. traffic stopcrossing at the Business Building parking lot. A citation was is-

April 29

1:07 a.m. A caller reported the sued onina Hart suspended smellfor of driving marijuana Reslicense. idential College. Officers were 8:51 p.m. A caller reported the notified. smell gas at Residential Col10:32ofa.m.

AnHart officer conducted lege.

Officers, Departa traffic stopMurray in theFire Heritage ment, Cooling Hall Central parkingHeating lot. Aand citation Plant, Murrayfor Gasfailure and theto State Fire was issued wear Marshall notified.

A report a seatbelt,were failure to produce an was taken. card and expired reginsurance 12:01 p.m. A caller reported a istration. sparking outlet in the 300 block

April 30

12:35 a.m. An officer conducted stop at Shroat and Walofa traffic College Courts.

Officers, the drop drives. citation wasCenisMurray Fire A Department, suedHeating for speeding 42 mph in a tral and Cooling Plant 25 mph possession and the zone State and Firefor Marshal were of an open alcoholwas container notified.

A report taken. in the vehicle.

4:57 p.m. The Murray Police De2:35 a.m.was Officers assisted the partment notified of a medMurray Police Department with ical emergency at the Volleyball locatingOfficers runaway at Courts. andjuveniles Murray Am16th andServices Miller streets. bulance were Murray notified.

Police Department was notified.

The patient was transported and a report was taken.

3:46 a.m. Officers conducted a

May 1

7:41 a.m. A caller reported a medical at Camcheck of aemergency person on North 12th pus Evolution South.

Street.

The personVillages was arrested and Murray Police Department and transported to Calloway County Jail Murray for alcohol Ambulance intoxication inService a public were A notified. place. report was taken.

10:31 p.m. AAperson a 9:09 callerreported reported aphysical smoke assault detector activatedinat that occurred Springer College OctoberResidential 2015. Officers weredue no-to atified hair dryer. notified and a Officers criminalwere report was and no for threat of fire was found. An taken assault. information report was taken.

4:42 p.m. A caller reported a theft

May 2

7:06 p.m. A person reported a ofparking property from avia vehicle from complaint the LiveAlexander Hall. Officers were noSafe app in a parking lot near tified and a report was taken for Five Points. Racer Patrol was theft of under $500 by unlawful notified and parking citations taking from a vehicle. were issued.

6:12 p.m. A caller reported the 9:02 of p.m.

A calleratreported hasmell marijuana Hart. Officers rassing communications at Heswere notified and an information ter Residential report was taken.College. Officers were notified and a criminal report was taken.

2:47 p.m. A caller reported an

May 3

6:09 p.m. A caller reported a unauthorized company selling medical on emergency at Winslow White products campus at Residential College.

Dining Hall. The callerOfficers was reand Murray Ambulance ferred to Student Affairs.Service werep.m. notified.

6:12 A caller reported the smell natural gas at the Oldand Fine 7:01 of p.m.

Central Heating Arts Building.

Central Cooling Plant Officers, notified Public Heating and Emergency Cooling Plant, Murray Safety and ManageFire department, Murray at Gas and ment of a fire activation Hart the State Fire College.

Marshall were notiResidential Officers fied and a report was taken. and Murray Fire Department were notified.

Motorists assists – 8 Racer 1 Racerescorts assist –– 0 Arrests – 2assist – 0 Motorist Arrests - 0 Mary Bradley, Assistant News Editor, Alicia Steele, Assistant News compiles Police Beat with materials Editor, by compiles Police provided Public Safety andBeat EmerwithManagement. materials provided by gency

Public Safety and Emergency

Management.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Love Police Beat?

You can check it out every week online, too, on TheNews.org.

News

3A

Murray State chosen to host Japanese Outreach Program Stella Childress || Contributing writer schildress4@murraystate.edu

Murray State was selected as one of the four universities in the U.S. to take part in a two-year Japanese Outreach Initiative (JOI) program.

The mission of the program is “to develop a deeper understanding of Japan by sending Japanese coordinators to conduct community outreach activities about Japan in the Midwest and South regions of the U.S.,” according to an informational flyer about the program.

“There is not much opportunity for people in this area to see Japanese culture firsthand,” said Yoko Hatakeyama, senior lecturer of Japanese.

However, Hatakeyama said Kentucky is a unique place for Japanese organizations. She said, for example, 70 percent of Toyota plants a Japanese manufacturer - are in Kentucky.

Hatakeyama said JOI serves as a community outreach program and both parties involved benefit. She said Calloway County gets to learn about Japanese culture and the coordinator gets to learn about American culture.

Along with teaching the Japanese language, the coordinator will offer classes about cultural subjects such as calligraphy, tea ceremonies and how to wear a kimono.

They will also help the Japanese students at Murray State acclimate to American culture and will also help them with language learning.

The coordinator will arrive next fall and conduct programs at Murray State and in K-12 schools across Calloway County.

Students who wish to explore Japanese culture but are unable to enroll in Japanese courses may find other options through student organizations like the Japanese Club.

The club recently did a fundraiser for victims

Nahiomy Gallardo/The News

Yoko Hatakeyama, senior lecturer of Japanese, teaching an advance Japanese class. of the earthquake that hit Kumamoto on April 16, resulting in nearly 100,000 people displaced from their homes. A poster about the earthquake was displayed in Faculty Hall.

Haruka Kurosu, sophomore Japanese studies student from Kashiwa City, Japan, had the idea for the poster and fundraiser. She said she wants to help those who are suffering in Japan.

Japanese studies students at Murray State made origami cranes to give donors as a token of appreciation. Club members also collected emails from the donors to send thank you letters.

“The Japanese pay attention to details and kindness, that is the reason for the thank you emails,” said Kathryn Fisher, junior from Richmond, Kentucky.

This fundraiser was able to give Murray State students who may not have otherwise had the experience a taste of Japanese culture.

Amanda Schurk, senior from St. Louis, said every culture has something that makes them unique.

“There is always something to learn from every culture,” Schurk said.

Fisher said sharing the Japanese culture will make the United States more like a melting pot.

Rethink Your Drink releases results Abby Siegel || News Editor asiegel@murraystate.edu

The results from the Rethink Your Drink campaign indicated Calloway County citizens decreased their sugar intake by 102 pounds during the challenge, said Susan Burkeen, Murray-Calloway County Wellness Consortium Obesity Workgroup coordinator.

The Rethink Your Drink campaign was part of Lighten Up Calloway, a five-year obesity fighting challenge, intended to educate community members about the amount of sugar in beverages and challenge them to choose healthier beverage options like water or skim milk.

Terry

The results of the challenge show that participants increased their consumption of healthy drink options by 15 percent over the four-week challenge period.

A total of 297 beverage-recording tools were completed and returned, and 364 participants received a diabetes-screening test. Undergraduate students represented about 83 percent of the total participants.

Thirty-five percent of the total participants screened, were in the pre-diabetes category. The results also show that more than half of those who indicated they had diabetes had poor blood sugar control, according to the Wellness Consortium.

Murray State students participated in the challenge and professors used the challenge in their course as a service-learning opportunity.

Miranda Terry, assistant professor, public and community health program director and Wellness Consortium Obesity Workgroup committee member, required her HEA 210 students to participate in the project. Students were part of an interprofessional team that “brought the challenge to campus.” They provided beverage tracking tools, assisted challenge participants in setting goals and assisted in data collection.

“This type of service-learning project for the students, especially pub-

lic and community health students, helps them understand the different components of health promotion programming, which are skills they will be expected to have upon graduation,” Terry said. “It is something cool the students get to add to their resumes and talk about in job interviews.”

Priscilla Dwelly, assistant exercise science professor, had her EXS 353 class gather body measurements, and Dana Manley, associate professor of nursing, had her community health nursing class take students’ blood pressure.

Terry said she and her students were pleased with the number of people who participated in the initiative.

“While we would have loved to have the entire campus community engaged in the initiative, for this being the first community challenge, reaching 1 percent of your target population is still a good start,” Terry said.

The challenge stemmed from research about how obesity is affecting Calloway County. 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.

“Obesity is a problem, and I think the campaign helped address it,” said Matthew Allen, junior from Tompkinsville, Kentucky.

Allen is in Terry’s HEA 210, health behavior, course, and said he had hoped more participants would have followed up with their beverage tracking results.

He said more people participated than expected, but the group will evaluate the program to make it better, as the Rethink Your Drink campaign was part of a multi-step initiative to reduce obesity. The next community challenge is in September and will focus on physical activity.

“As the campus community becomes more aware of these community challenges created by the Murray-Calloway County Wellness Consortium Obesity Workgroup, we hope more and more people - students, faculty and staff - choose to participate in the initiative in its entirety and complete the follow-up,” Terry said.

Monsanto representative visits Murray State Kayla Harrell || Staff writer kharrell4@murraystate.edu

Milton Stokes, director of global health and nutrition outreach for Monsanto, hosted a seminar at Murray State Monday called “Innovations in agriculture, food security, nutrition and GMOs.” “We cover everything that he talks about,” said Hannah Martin, adjunct professor in the Hutson School of Agriculture. “So it was extremely relevant for what we study.”

Monsanto is a sustainable agriculture company that delivers agricultural products that support farmers all around the world, according to Monsanto’s website. Stokes said Monsanto employs 20,000 people around the world.

“Everyone in ag knows about Monsanto,” Martin said.

BACKGROUND

Stokes grew up in Hazel, Kentucky, where his mother owned her own restaurant.

“I’m not a farmer,” Stokes said. “I didn’t grow up on a farm.”

Stokes graduated from Murray State with a degree in nutrition. Later, he received his master’s degree in public health and his doctorate in communications and marketing.

Stokes taught nutrition at the University of St. Joseph in Connecticut.

Now, Stokes is one of two dieticians employed

by Monsanto.

“The people the farthest from the farm are the ones talking about what farming should look like,” Stokes said. “In nutrition, there are audiences that think they know what farmers should be doing, yet they haven’t talked to any farmers.”

SEMINAR

The seminar consisted of discussions on food security, global nutrition, innovations within agriculture and genetically-modified organisms (GMOs).

Stokes said malnutrition consists of two spectrums: undernutrition and hunger and overweight and obesity.

Nahiomy Gallardo/The News

Milton Stokes, director of global health and nutrition outreach for Monsanto, gives a seminar about innovations in agriculture Monday.

About 795 million people, or one in nine, in the world suffer from undernutrition, according to the 2015 world hunger and poverty facts and statistics by the World Hunger Education Service.

“Here in the United States, there are 50 million Americans who are hungry,” Stokes said. “The ironic thing is those people, many of them live on farms or near farms. It’s the folks growing food for us and the rest of the world who can’t themselves eat.”

Stokes said innovation is all around us and breeding innovation has yielded today’s food.

“The food we eat today is not how it originated back in the day,” Stokes said.

Biotechnology is not something Monsanto cre-

ated. Mother Nature genetically-modified sweet potatoes 8,000 years ago, Stokes said.

Biotechnology in plant agriculture has come to mean the process of intentionally isolating a gene coding for a desired trait from one plant or organism and using it in another plant. The result is a GMO, according to gmoanswers.com.

“As an ag major, a lot of times we hear about what we should do with GMOs, how we should talk about GMOs from other people who are ag backgrounds,” said Melissa Schenck, senior from Boston, Kentucky. “So it was a little different to be able to hear this information from someone who didn’t grow up on a farm and instead has a dietetic background.”

4A

May 5, 2016

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Hallie Beard 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

Strategies for success

TheNews.org Connor Jaschen

Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 cjaschen@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl

Business Manager jrohl@murraystate.edu

Abby Siegel

News Editor • 270-809-4468 asiegel@murraystate.edu

Hallie Beard

Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Gisselle Hernandez

Features Editor • 270-809-5871 ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Mark McFarland

Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

Kelsey Watznauer

Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 kwatznauer@murraystate.edu

Austin Gordon Online Editor • 270-809-5877 agordon4@murraystate.edu

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Advertising Sales Manager • 270-809-4478 msunewsads@gmail.com

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Advertising Production • 270-809-5874 shilkey@murraystate.edu

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

May is Mental Health Awareness month, something college students might be painfully aware of as finals approach.

Depression and anxiety are growing concerns for students trying to juggle the ever-multiplying responsibilities of university life: classes, jobs, extracurriculars and personal relationships.

We know how difficult it is to feel healthy and hopeful in times of stress (hello, “dead week”), especially when parents, professors or non-student colleagues are quick to dismiss our blight because most of us don’t have mortgages, children or “real” jobs.

But as students transitioning at full speed to adulthood, we’ve got every part of the brain firing at once.

Whether or not you struggle with clinical mental health issues, everyone is bound to feel the burden of school at some point.

Dealing with mental health issues is no cakewalk and the problems won’t be resolved overnight – but we’re sharing with you some tips on how to remedy your stress right now.

GET PLENTY OF SLEEP

It’s best to get at least eight hours, according to the Mayo Clinic. We all know this, but it’s a difficult rule to follow when jobs, classes, social functions and homework just don’t allow for much rest. Try setting a rigid bedtime for yourself and see if you accomplish more during the day. If you know you have to be in bed at a very specific time, you may forego time-sucking minutes scrolling through Yik Yak or playing “Purple Rain” on repeat for two hours. The time just slips away. So, schedule your day carefully and nix the “allnighter” study plan.

EXERCISE

No, you don’t have to pull your hamstrings running a marathon or pick up the biggest set of weights in the gym. If that’s your thing, go for it. But if you struggle with finding joy in fitness, do some exploring. Sites like YouTube and even Instagram are great resources for fun fitness gurus. Try a new craze, like Buti Yoga or water Zumba. Or, give your fingers a workout by handwriting all of your notes.

McKenna Dosier

Aaron Peck

Chief Videographer apeck1@murraystate.edu

Joe Hedges, Ryan Alessi Adviser, Co-Adviser • 270-809-3937 jhedges@murraystate.edu, ralessi@murraystate.edu

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TREAT. YO. SELF.

Does this mean you should inhale a stack of cookies from Winslow Dining Hall every day?

Probably not. But celebrating small joys is crucial to understanding your own success.

Maybe treating yourself to a Netflix binge has to be preceded by acing a test, or maybe it’s just completing an assignment. The little victories add up, so don’t neglect them.

ORGANIZE YOUR LIFE

Make to-do lists, map out assignments or chart pros and cons for tough decisions. Making lists can actually calm anxiety and boost activity, according to a 2014 Psychology Today report. If academic organization isn’t your issue, then go on a cleaning spree in your dorm or apartment. Nothing beats a freshly made bed or a spotless desk.

OPTIMIZE FOCUS

Instead of trying to complete multiple assignments throughout the day, just choose one to get completely done. It may seem counterproductive, but if you’re

spreading yourself too thin, you might not get any tasks completed and feel less encouraged to keep working.

USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM

Spend time with any significant other – a friend, a partner, a parent, a colleague. In depressive moods, it’s easy to retreat into solitude, which can make or break your mood. Alone time can be good for getting work done or recharging, but a hug or word of assurance from someone you love is often worth more than finishing a homework assignment.

SLOW DOWN

Know that the time will pass.

The semester is just a series of weeks that will eventually end. You won’t remember the 89.75 you got instead of a 90 on that biology exam, or the weird phrasing your English professor used to ask that pesky essay question. What you will remember is that you triumphed through another race and looked pretty fly doing it.

Stay healthy and good luck.

The finish line is in sight.

Making Headway

Products have no gender

As a child, the purple crayon was never out of my hand for long.

I drew purple people in their purple houses with purple smoke rising out of purple chimneys. The purple Power Ranger was my favorite – nevermind the fact that he Dylan Doyle was a complete fabrication of Sophomore from my imagination.

Marion, Kentucky. “The Color Purple” seemed like a neat movie, not that anyone let me watch it.

I was all about purple; I even liked that abominable purple McDonald’s monster aptly named Grimace.

That is, until a kid in my first-grade class told me purple was a girly color, almost as bad as pink. I was utterly horrified – at the time, it seemed like being called a girl was the worst of all insults. I asked my family if they thought purple was a girly color, each person heightening my anxiety regardless of their answer.

By the end of the ordeal, I decided my favorite color was blue. I traded in my purple pencil box for a blue one, though not for any good reason. I forced a new favorite color on myself because I was afraid of being called a girl – a fear that remains typical for developing boys

in our culture. We learn very early that being associated with anything feminine is a social death sentence.

Why do we assign gender to colors in this way? It seems to be completely arbitrary. In fact, in the early 1900s, pink was associated with baby boys and blue was associated with baby girls, at least according to the then-popular Infant’s Department magazine. Just a hundred years ago, pink was considered a masculine color.

There does not seem to be any evolutionary explanation for the pink and blue dichotomy so it remains unclear exactly who decided that blue is for boys and pink is for girls. Regardless of who started the trend, it continues today for one obvious reason: advertising. It is always beneficial for marketers to split vast swathes of people into smaller groups, preferably with as little overlap as possible.

It’s a great business strategy because you are much less likely to accidentally compete with yourself. The girl toy aisle is covered in pink princesses and heart-shaped makeup kits, and it contrasts starkly with the action figures and monster trucks of the boy aisle.

”

Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 mdosier@murraystate.edu

Selena McPherson/The News

Young boys do not start out with this reflexive self-guilt response.

It is something they are taught...

”

When no boys buy Elsa dolls and no girls buy Transformers, toymakers keep their demographics separate and maximize profits. We tell girls they like dolls, and we tell boys they like action figures. We don’t tell them they are the same thing.

This is harmful for a thousand reasons, and it is undoubtedly more harmful for the young girls being told by marketers that their exterior beauty is all that matters, but I must leave that conversation to those who have experienced it.

For now, let’s talk about the little boys who suddenly feel weird about liking pink – the boys who feel guilty about wanting to play with a Barbie mansion or smear colorful dust on their face, simply because capricious social norms dictate that only girls can smear colorful dust on their faces. These social norms matter so little, but they are enforced so rigidly. The little boy eyeing his sister’s fairy wand is made to feel inadequate or warped simply because he enjoys stereotypically-feminine toys.

Young boys do not start out with this reflexive self-guilt response. It is something they are taught, often by fathers afraid that others will see their son as unmanly.

With the current transgender bathroom debate reaching a boiling point, gender politics and issues are at the forefront of American discourse for the first time.

The time has come to stop inflicting gross marketing ploys on developing children simply because our society flinches at nonconformity.

Even more importantly, we must teach our sons that being compared to girls is not an insult. It is the only way to show our daughters that being a girl is not an insult.

The News

Opinion

May 5, 2016

Poll

5A Some Things Considered The millennial myth

We asked our Twitter followers what their favorite “treat yo self” activity was. Here are the responses of 88 people.

90

Like our polls?

70 Netflix marathons

50

Hallie Beard Opinion Editor

44%

30

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To participate in future polls, follow us on Twitter, @MurrayStateNews.

Eating Dairy Queen blizzards

38%

Beyoncé jam sessions

16% 10

Relaxing in the Quad

2% I’ve Got A Story For You

Summertime

Robert Valentine Senior lecturer of advertising

It’s summertime.

Summer, for most of us, means an end to school, however briefly. It does not, however, mean an end to learning.

Whether you’re off to a high-powered internship in New York or a summer of part-time work, you’ll be learning things. In fact, it may be life-changing. What you do and what you learn is entirely up

to you.

In the summer of 1950, a tall kid named Bill Spivey spent eight hours a day working on his hook shot.

“He would shoot 50 hooks with his right hand, and then shoot 50 hooks with the left,” said the old man who was his landlord that summer.

“When he started, he couldn’t hit the garage with his left, but by the end of the summer, he could hit every time with either hand.”

Spivey eventually grew to be 7 feet tall, played on an NCAA Finals team and was named Athlete of

the Year. For him, it was a good summer.

I know a guy who, when he left for college, was told by his uncle, “I guess you’ll have to read ‘Moby Dick.’ That’s what they do at college. If you finish it, you’ll be the first one in the family to do it.”

During his freshman year, no one asked him to read Melville’s long, heavy classic, so in between waiting tables at a state park, he read it on his own. He finished it well before July 4, and, in his words, “It changed the way I look at literature and life.”

Then, there’s the young man who intended to while away the summer as a tennis pro at a country club. As the opportunities arose, he worked the front desk at night, sold memberships in the heat of the afternoon (too hot for tennis), worked in the business office and even tended bar on Friday and Saturday nights. All work, no play.

“I learned how to shift gears constantly, to work with people of all ages and backgrounds – from kids to grandparents; from groundskeepers to high-priced lawyers,” he told me. “I learned presentation skills and the value of hard work; to value anyone and everyone for what they do for an organization and the significance of personal relationships, the importance of humor and of being willing to try anything.”

He met some nice people, too, who “helped me immensely getting into graduate school, getting internships, getting my first professional job and then advancing in the field.”

Cheers to ... Young journalists.

Cheers & Jeers

Cheers & Jeers is written by The Murray State News’ Opinion Editor.

Questions, comments or concerns should be addressed to hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Comic

Janna Jihad Ayyad, a 10-yearold Palestinian girl, has been documenting riots, protests and violent acts in the village of Nabi Saleh with her mother’s iPhone. “My camera is my gun,” Ayyad said, according to a story from Al Jazeera. Keep working, Janna!

Jeers to ... FAFSA. It is now a requirement for students to fill out the FAFSA every year in order to receive scholarships. Seriously? That form is the lovechild of a W-4 and a penny-pinching, pitchfork-toting Satan. It’s such an arduous obstacle – please don’t make us face it again.

Hard work didn’t hurt him. He is Robert Davies, 13th president of Murray State.

So, there it is: the summer stretches out before you like an empty blackboard. It waits for you to write on it, draw on it or lean against it. You can read something you’ve never read before or, if you like, watch a different film every day. You can learn to ride a bike, to skate or (and this is a tough one) to enter and exit a hammock with grace and confidence.

This might be the summer you learn to drive a truck, a forklift or a bargain. It might be the year you eat your first asparagus, escargot or crawfish or take your first overnight hike, cross-country drive or transcontinental flight.

Chances are that you will make new friends this summer and that some of them will be with you for life. You’ll never know until your life has moved along for a decade or so, but you might want to consider that the kid in the next bunk or the girl who takes over for you on the afternoon shift could end up coming to your wedding or being godparent to your firstborn.

You never know what a new summer can bring, but this much is sure: whatever comes will occupy a space that is wide open and filled with potential.

This is when we can make mistakes (valuable learning tools) or go beyond the bounds of what we believed we could accomplish.

Go for it; we’ll all be here when whoever you become returns in August.

If you’re moving on, have a nice trip, and may all your days be summertime.

Jeers to ... Shady characters.

Roy Dunaway, interim Murray State Police Chief who’s vying for the permanent position, has some fat skeletons in the closet: he gave false testimony on the stand during a murder trial in Nashville, Tennessee, and was involved in a plot to bug a Fraternal Order of Police youth camp. Is this real life?

Cheers to ... Bob Davies.

The president held a University Hall meeting last week to update us all on the budget.

While no one’s happy that we’re facing a $9.1 million deficit, it is nice that Davies took the time to explain all aspects of the cuts in an organized, digestible manner.

At 4 years old, my mom’s grandfather was orphaned and started work in the fields.

Her father never completed fourth grade because of his farming responsibilities. In her words, education for him was “too im-

portant to do badly.”

Her mother married at 15, had her first child at 17 and continued to have children for the next 20 years.

I never met my maternal grandparents, but I know they were superheroes.

Incredibly smart, strong-willed and kind, they were testaments of how powerful the human mind and body is. They raised six children, including my mom – who is the bee’s knees, by the way – but they never had it easy. Like many rural Kentucky farmers in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s, they often struggled to make ends meet.

Conversely, I sometimes look at my life and am disgusted by the privilege I have. I’m in college, I don’t have a husband or children to provide for (though I don’t mean to construe that as a burden) and I always have food on my plate.

For that reason, I can understand why my generation – the millennial – is criticized. Compared to my parents or grandparents, I’m utterly spoiled and have many more opportunities than they did at my age.

However, I don’t believe all the criticism we receive is warranted.

Last week, journalist Alexis Bloomer posted a video called “Dear Elders, I’m sorry” on Facebook, where it garnered millions of views, likes and shares.

Many friends shared messages of agreement of why millennials “suck.”

Bloomer made unevidenced statements about our generation as a whole, such as, “We’re just existing. We’re not really contributing anything to society,” and “Everything that used to be frowned upon is now celebrated.”

There’s a laundry list of logical fallacies to catch Bloomer on: hasty generalization, appeal to authority, bandwagon and more. But in terms of rhetoric, the language she used was so vague that I couldn’t pin down one piece of her argument that could be proven. My only conclusion as to why she said the things she said was that she was told them by the elders she was apologizing to.

If that’s the case, maybe those elders’ ideas of contributing to society means working sooner (instead of being students for so long) and marrying at a younger age. Given the social norms that shaped their understandings of success, it’s understandable.

But we can’t be held to those norms – this is a new era, dominated by new conveniences, beliefs and economies.

And while some older generations may see us as self-centered or lazy for not doing the same work at the same age as they did, I think many are appreciative of our situations.

My grandmother didn’t graduate high school or go to college, but she was an avid reader and wrote beautiful poetry. If she were alive today, I think she would be overjoyed that her children and grandchildren had educational opportunities she didn’t, or had the money to buy computers and books or instantly access a wide variety of information.

I think she would be thankful to know that her work and her daughter’s work have allowed me to enjoy studying and focusing on my career plans and that I’m stabilizing myself in order to pave the way for my (future) children to be successful as well.

Youngsters will always be criticized for their tastes and behaviors, no matter what year it is. But if elders actually celebrate our opportunities as I believe many do, could it be that the “lazy millennial” is just a myth we’ve perpetuated ourselves? hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Graduation

By Selena McPherson

The News

News

6A

May 5, 2016

Health initiative to improve student well-being Stella Childress

Contributing writer schildress4@murraystate.edu

Health Matters for Students is a faculty, staff and student collaborative initiative with a mission to “improve, promote and maintain optimal wellness of the Murray State University community,” said Miranda Terry, the new director of the program.

The initiative will teach college students how to build healthy habits that will stick with them for the rest of their lives.

The program was founded in 2008 with the help of Roger Weis, nonprofit leadership studies professor. The goal was to train Murray State students in good habits for the “mind, body and spirit,” Weis said.

The program had much success with a $7500 grant from the Kellogg Foundation, 76 faculty members involved and branches at other universities, but it dissipated when there was a shift in administration.

A reboot of the program under Terry started in April.

It involves professors taking five minutes of lecture time to talk about health matters and good habits to form on topics such as depression, nutrition, stress, volunteering and alcohol.

Kimberly Whitaker, junior from Owensboro, Kentucky, and student coordinator, has teamed up with Terry to update and revise the original presentations.

The presentations are “specifically geared toward class,” Terry said.

They are designed to be reflective and are focused on moderation, not zero-tolerance. After the spring semester, evaluations will be completed to determine how to make the initiative better.

Terry specifically bases the presentations around the seven dimensions of health: social, physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual, environmental and financial/occupational.

“If our [campus] commu-

nity is healthy, it leaks to Murray. If Murray is healthy, it leaks to Calloway County; it is a ripple effect,” Terry said.

An important aspect of the initiative is the involvement of the faculty because having them involved “shows that they care in and out of the classroom,” Terry said.

Good health is more than physical health. In the future, the initiative hopes to add more topics like mental health and relationship violence.

Weis, Terry and Whitaker emphasized the reluctance of talking about health issues.

“I think a lot of students are afraid to ask or are embarrassed,” Whitaker said.

The program gives students an opportunity to learn about good health without them even having to ask, Whitaker said.

They said they hope more faculty will get involved.

Now is the time to build healthy habits, Weis said.

“It is one of the things that you can control,” he said.

Chalice Keith/The News

Health Matters for Students is an initiative that educates students about different aspects of health.

Mental Health Awareness month reveals coping mechanisms Bailey Bohannan Staff writer

bbohannan@murraystate.edu

May is Mental Health Awareness month and ironically, this time of the year can be considered one of the most stressful times for college students.

“If someone is struggling with anxiety, it may get worse in the face of the added stressors of increased workload and pressure as we approach final exam week,” said Laura Liljequist, supervisor of the Psychological Center at Murray State.

Anxiety is the most common mental illness in the United States and affects 40 million American adults, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA).

Liljequist said she can’t speak for the greatest concern for college students, but stress and depression are major concerns.

Kristin Douglas, Counseling Clinic Coordinator, said she has noticed an increase in the number of students struggling with anxiety since she started as a college counselor in 2000, though depression is also still common.

Douglas said test anxiety is another concern she notices regularly. She said normally she sees an increase in test anxiety clients from midterms to the end of the semester.

Test anxiety is caused by fear of failure, lack of preparation and poor test history, according to ADAA. It can have physical symptoms, such as headache, nau-

sea and diarrhea, as well as emotional symptoms and behavioral and cognitive symptoms, according to ADAA. Angie Trzepacz, director of University Counseling Services, said two of the major issues she sees in the Counseling Center are anxiety and depression. She said some students experience a mixture of both.

“Many students feel that they don't have time to make counseling a priority at this time in the semester because they are so focused on completing all of their schoolwork before the deadlines,” Trzepacz said.

Murray State has three centers available for students to seek counseling on campus: the Psychological Center in Wells Hall, the Counseling and Assessment

Center in Alexander Hall and the University Counseling Service in Oakley Applied Science Building.

Caroline Wells, freshman from Gilbertsville, Kentucky, said she is too busy to consider counseling, despite being stressed as the end of the semester approaches.

“There are more big assignments with shorter deadlines so I’m always rushing to get things done,” Wells said.

Aside from counseling, there are other ways to cope with the stress, test anxiety or depression a student may be facing at this time of the year, Douglas said.

Liljequist said she encourages students to take time and do what they enjoy, take breaks from studying and remember to relax. She also

“

said being physically active, eating well and making sure to get enough sleep can also help prevent anxiety and make this time of the year less stressful.

Douglas said she encourages students to relax and think positively by reframing their thoughts toward studying for finals and their exams.

someone relax. For example, students can use MyCalmBeat and other paced breathing apps for a few minutes each day to help them calm down.

“There’s something for everyone,” Douglas said.

“Hope is available. Help is available.”

Trzepacz said thinking happy thoughts and balancing a schedule between studying, socializing and other outside activities can also help with stress at this time of the year.

- Kristin Douglas, Counseling Clinic “Another strategy is to Coordinator challenge automatic negative thoughts such as ‘I'm never going to be able to do this’ and replace them with She said students can pick more accurate and helpful up books at the library to thoughts such as ‘This is difhelp them cope with anxiety ficult, but I know I can get and stress, and she said there are also apps that can help through it,’” Trzepacz said.

Hope is available.

Help is available.

”

Graphic courtesy of National Alliance on Mental Illness

Equal education and employment opportunities M/F/D, AA employer.

Murray State University supports a clean and healthy campus. Please refrain from personal tobacco use.

Looking for new opportunities this summer?

>

Move ahead with summer courses.

murraystate.edu/summer #MurrayState

May 5, 2016

Section B

The News

Sports

Sports Editor: Mark McFarland Assistant Sports Editor: Sarah Combs Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews ­­

OVC bid on the line Mark McFarland Sports Editor mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

The Racers softball team will have a week of practice and zero games before heading into their final chance to make the OVC Tournament.

Murray State currently sits in ninth place in the OVC after a weekend series at home against UT Martin. Originally, the series was scheduled for three games, but last weekend’s storm canceled the second game of the series.

Although the Racers were able to win both g a m e s played, Amundson it could have been helpful for their place in the standings if they would have played all three.

Head Coach Kara Amundson said it was frustrating to see how the final day of the series played out but also said

it is nothing the team can control.

“It’s kind of like we can’t be too mad because we won two games that we wanted to win, but at the same time, when other teams get their games in and they do the same thing that you’re doing, for this whole thing all of the sudden it makes next week all the more important,” Amundson said.

Despite dealing with the cancellation, Amundson said the girls were able to take care of business in the games they did play and were able to control what they could control.

The teams sitting above the Racers are UT Martin (1211) in the sixth and final spot in the OVC, Belmont (11-13) behind them and Morehead State (10-12). Belmont took care of business, winning its series two games to three and Morehead State was swept by the fifth place Tennessee Tech. The Racers are 10-13 in the OVC and are only a couple of games behind UT Martin.

Amundson said she has been telling her team they will be a

Nicole Ely/The News

Junior infielder Jessica Twaddle has helped put the Racers in position to make the OVC Tournament by hitting .318 with 24 RBIs. tough team to beat if they can just get into the tournament.

Murray State has shown it is able to play with the best teams in the league by taking two games on the road from third place Eastern Illinois,

taking one game from first place Jacksonville State and coming up one run short in both meetings against second place Eastern Kentucky.

Amundson praised her team and said they can play with

some of the better teams, which gives her confidence in how they will finish the season.

“I think we are starting to see the kind of softball out of

see SOFTBALL, 2B

Murray State must win to keep OVC hopes alive Women’s tennis looks to rebound next season Mark McFarland Sports Editor

mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

With three weekends left in the regular season, the Racer baseball team is in a three-way tie for the final spot in the OVC Tournament.

Murray State is tied with Tennessee Tech and Eastern Kentucky at 10-11 in the conference.

Tennessee Tech is a team Moulder the Racers were able to sweep earlier this season, and Murray State won’t play Eastern until the last series of the regular season. All season the middle of the conference has been a close race for the final few spots in the tournament. The Racers haven’t been to the OVC Tournament since 2010, and the seniors have never made it to the postseason.

Head Coach Kevin Moulder said the seniors really want to make the tournament and the team wants to do it for them.

“It would mean a lot,” Moulder said. “I’d feel really happy for our seniors, who’ve had a long tough four years, and

especially want it for that group of guys. It would be a good opportunity for them to go out and get the chance to compete and go to a regional.”

The Racers are going into the last three weeks of the season having won six of their last nine games with a four-game win streak. In the last seven games, Murray State has scored an average of six runs per game.

Moulder said the offense is really starting to put it together.

“We’ve had so many new players, it’s their first time playing Division I baseball, and they’re talented,” Moulder said. “The players we have are good enough, plenty good enough. Now that they have been through the process a little bit, they’re starting to figure out how things work. They’ve worked hard all season and now they’re just getting the results of that work.”

Murray State is coming off a series loss to Southeast Missouri State, in which the Racers were only able to take one game from the Redhawks.

Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Dills has led the pitching staff as the team’s ace. He started off the year with a couple rough games, but in his last three starts Dills has al-

see BASEBALL, 2B

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore infielder Caleb Hicks has played in all 45 games and is hitting .298 to keep the Racers in the hunt for the OVC Tournament.

Sarah Combs Assistant Sports Editor scombs8@murraystate.edu

Emily Harris/The News

Senior Megan Blue, from Mississauga, Ontario, and freshman Amina Hadzic, from Esbjerg, Denmark, went 1-1 at the OVC Tournament.

WHAT’S

INSIDE

The Racers closed this season feeling good about what they were able to accomplish as a team and look forward to what the future holds for them and the new dynamic of their young upcoming team, said Head Coach Jorge Caetano.

Caetano said expects more wins and the same effort.

With the young energy the team is bringing in, Caetano expects good things for the program.

“With the new girls coming in, I think they will have a lot of energy they want to contribute to the program,” Caetano said. “All eight girls will be my girls that I recruited.”

KEY LOSSES

After losing five seniors last year, the Racers are losing another three.

“The seniors did a great job for us,” Caetano said. “They built the path for these girls and now they know what it takes to be successful.”

Megan Blue, senior from Mississauga, Ontario, played the No. 1 spot in singles, and No. 2 and No. 3 in doubles with her partner Amina Hadzic for the Racers this year. Blue placed on second team All-OVC for the third time after the tournament and finished 5-5 singles and 3-5 doubles in OVC play.

Erin Patton, senior from Memphis, Tennessee, played the No. 4 spot for singles and No. 1 for doubles. Patton finished the season 6-4 singles and 6-3 doubles in the

OVC. Patton earned the final transition spot into the OVC Tournament this year for the Racers after winning her final singles match 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 against Tennessee State.

Suzaan Stoltz, senior from Brisbane, Australia, played the No. 6 position singles for the Racers. Stoltz finished 4-2 OVC in singles play.

KEY RETURNERS

Alina Schibol, junior from Hamburg, Germany, played No. 5 and No. 6 singles and No. 2 and No. 3 doubles for the Racers. Schibol finished 5-5 singles and 3-4 doubles in OVC play for the season.

Hadzic played the No. 2 singles and No. 3 doubles with her partner, Blue. Hadzic finished the season 4-6 singles

Marky Mark Talks Back

Times have changed

Sports were fun for many children when they were younger, but as the competition started to heat up, so did the pressure.

Although there are still parMark McFarland ents and Sports Editor coaches out there preaching to their kids to go out, have fun and try as hard as they can, the times have definitely changed. Parents want their kids to be the next big thing; coaches at all levels want to say the kid they coached is the next big thing. So what changed? What made sports go from having fun with friends a couple nights out of the week to kids being put on a pedestal and pressured to be better than they are?

To this day, when kids start out playing sports at a very young age, parents and coaches try to teach the kids the values of competing for fun. This obviously happens before the competition becomes fierce. The teachings of parents and coaches at this young ages instills in the kids that sports are there to have fun and to be active.

The contradiction of teachings in the ages between four and eight years old confuses the kids as they begin to get older and into the real competition.

There are shows like Friday Night Tykes, showing how competitive even youth leagues can be. This show in particular is based in Texas.

Children, who are eight or nine years old, put on football pads for the first time in their lives. During the show the coaches are constantly yelling and threatening the kids to make them play better. What makes the show, even more interesting is that the parents let it happen.

Many of the parents just stand there and watch as the practices continue to go on in the hot Texas weather.

The coaches never stop nagging the kids, telling them to do this and to do that, sometimes going so far as to tell the kids to “try and hurt the other players.”

The games are a different story. Not only are the coaches screaming, but the parents are just as bad. One can only imagine what must be going on in the heads of these kids who are put through the rigorous drills high schools and colleges are doing. These kids are eight or nine.

Practices are so intense kids are passing out and throwing up during their five-minute breaks. People may say this has to be dramatized because it is a reality TV show, and in some aspects, that’s true.

So let’s focus on real life.

Anyone can walk to a local ball field of any sport on any given day and see the same thing happening. Kids are being screamed at by their coaches because they went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI, but they made an error in the field. Even though the kid helped contribute to the team winning the game, the kid gets berated for making the one error. Go to any soccer or basketball game and anyone can tell just whose kid is having a bad game or whose mother or father just takes the game too seriously.

Fast forward to high

see TENNIS, 2B

see COLUMN, 2B

BROWN TRANSFERRING

LONG TENURE

WKMS AWARDS

CLOUD9

Charles Brown III announced Monday he will transfer, 2B

Men’s golf Head Coach Eddie Hunt moves to 15th season, 3B

Documentary on steel wins national award, 5B

A cappella finds new home on campus, 5B

Sports

2B

Brown to transfer

Staff Report

Freshman forward Charles

Brown III announced via Twitter he will transfer from Murray State.

In an interview with The News, Brown said he will miss the fans and the experience playing for Head C o a c h Matt McMahon.

Brown Brown III o n l y

The News

played an average of eight minutes per game and appeared in only 15 games.

During his only year, Brown averaged 1.4 points per game and shot 43 percent.

“Me and coach had a meeting about moving forward and he said that I was a great teammate, anybody would be happy to have me on a team,” Brown said. “But I think he said he couldn’t see me fitting in the system that they have next season.”

Brown said it was heartbreaking, but he said he understood that business was business and said there were no hard feelings.

He went on to continue to say this is all new to him and that he is just trying to see where he might be able to end up.

Brown plans on bouncing back from this and going to a school where he will get an opportunity to showcase his skills.

“Just work, hard work thats all that’s left to do really,” Brown said.

Brown said the game of basketball has meant everything to him.

“I grew up watching and grew up playing,” Brown said.

“Playing for Murray State, it really helped me become more passionate about the game.”

May 5, 2016

BASEBALL From Page 1 lowed two or less earned runs.

Moulder said Dills has helped bring the team a lot of confidence.

“It’s nice when you have a guy that you can kind of lean on and set the tone,” Moulder said. “We certainly feel really confident when he’s on the mound. He’s been our ace and when he has outings like he’s been doing it sets up the whole weekend for us and gives us a great chance to win the weekend.”

The Racers have three conference series left, two of which

will be played at Reagan Field.

The series consists of playing Belmont and Morehead State at home and traveling to Eastern.

Murray State has a 16-8 record at home and a 6-16 record on the road. Belmont and Morehead State are both 12-9 in the OVC. Moulder said these three series will really test to see what his team is made of.

“If they keep doing what we have been doing recently, the results will work themselves out for us, I really believe that,” Moulder said. “The funny thing is, the three teams we have left on the weekend are teams that we are battling it out with, so you don’t really need to scoreboard watch – it’s sitting there literally right in front of you.”

TENNIS

From Page 1

and 3-5 doubles in OVC play.

Jeanne Masson, freshman from Dinard, France, played the No. 5 and No. 6 singles and No. 2 and No. 3 doubles with partner Schibol. Masson finished 5-4 singles and 3-4 doubles in OVC play.

Haily Morgan, freshman from Anthem, Arizona, played the No. 3 singles and No. 1 doubles with partner Patton for the Racers. Morgan finished 7-3 singles and 6-3 doubles in OVC play for the season.

Mari Udagawa, freshman from Tokyo, did not compete for the Racers this year but will return for the 2016-17 season.

Emily Harris/The News

Senior Erin Patton, from Memphis, Tennessee, played on the No. 1 doubles team this season, with her partner Haily Morgan, freshman from Anthem, Arizona.

Jenny Rohl/The News

Junior right-handed pitcher Ryan Dills has allowed two or less earned runs in his last three starts.

SOFTBALL From Page 1

this team that we’ve wanted to see all year long,” Amundson said. “If you’re going to do it at any time, you want to do it at the end of the year.”

Last season the Racers finished with a conference record of 20-7 and earned the No. 3 seed in the OVC Tournament, eventually losing to Tennessee Tech, who won the tournament, and to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, who finished second. This season, Murray State has faced greater adversity. The Racers have had three games canceled and have played some softball Amundson said they are not proud of.

Amundson said the adversity of struggling during the season has helped the girls get fired up for the last week of the season.

“They are well aware of the scenario, I don’t have to say a word to them about it,” Amundson said.

This week is one of the few times the Racers will not be playing any games during the week before a weekend series. Amundson said she did it purposefully due to the stresses of finals and classwork as the semester comes

Nicole Ely/The News

Head Coach Kara Amundson said if her team could just get into the tournament, they would be a very difficult team to beat. to a close. She gave the team the day off on Monday and said Tuesday they will be right back at it to prepare for the big weekend series at Austin Peay State.

Austin Peay currently sits in 11th place out of 12 teams with a 4-20 conference record. The Lady Govs have been near the bottom of the OVC all season, and Amund-

Mason signs with Arizona Staff Report Senior defensive tackle Demetrius Mason is taking his talents to the National Football League He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals Saturday after the NFL draft.

Mason, Mason who transferred from Iowa Central Community College after playing two season there, played three seasons at Murray State.

Head Coach Mitch Stewart wrote that he remembers Mason when he first came to Murray State.

“I remember him being very raw. A very untapped talent,” Stewart wrote. “I think Coach Chris Boone did a wonderful job getting that potential out of him.”

During his first season as a Racer, Mason played in six games and had 11 unassisted

tackles and six assisted tackles on the season. He had 3.5 tackles for a loss and combined for 28 yards on those tackles for the loss. He forced one fumble.

During Mason’s second season, he continued to grow, appearing in 10 games. He finished the 2014 season with a total of 39 tackles, 10 of those unassisted. Although Mason did not force any fumbles, he was able to recover two and deflected a pass during the season. He also finished off the year with 2.5 tackles for a loss, bringing his career total to six. Stewart wrote he found out he had the potential to be a good player.

“I think his responsibility to the position and to the craft increased,” Stewart wrote.

“He realized he could be pretty good and really started taking the time to prepare.”

In Mason’s senior year his stats improved, as he competed in 11 games for the Racers. He finished last season with 21 solo tackles, 24 assisted tackles and a total of 45 tackles on the year. Mason also helped the Racers earn

turnovers his senior season by forcing one fumble, recovering two fumbles and blocking a kick. Mason was able to score a touchdown his senior year, Stewart wrote.

Mason finished his career at Murray State playing in 27 games with 104 total tackles, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one touchdown.

The Arizona Cardinals rookie camp will be May 6-8 and will come before the team starts their organized team activities beginning May 17. Rookie camp will be the first time Mason will get a chance to showcase his skills with the other rookies the Cardinals drafted or signed.

“I am just excited he got an opportunity,” Stewart wrote. “I don’t know how it will all turn out...there are some really good players at the professional level...world class athletes. I am glad he got his degree, developed as a player and developed as a person.”

Stewart also wrote, “After that, it is all icing on top.”

son said the team will treat this weekend just like any other weekend series they have played all season.

“I think we need to be competitive and I think we need

to treat Austin Peay as if they are Jacksonville State,” Amundson said. “We need to treat them as if they are undefeated, we need to play that level and that intensity.”

Junior pitcher Mason Robinson has led the attack for the Racers’ pitching staff, despite what her record may show.

Robinson is 16-14 with a 1.78 earned run average and has held her opponents to a .214 batting average, which leads the team. She also leads the team in innings pitched with 200.1. Amundson has praised Robinson all season long and said the team will continue to rely on her in the circle.

“Mason Robinson has been a bulldog in the circle for us this year,” Amundson said.

“Her wins, loss hasn’t necessarily reflected that, but she’s thrown 28 scoreless innings consecutively over the last two weeks, that’s a big deal. So if we can get the job done behind our pitching staff, have them attack the zone, defense do what the defense is capable of doing and getting some hits strung together, I think we’re going be pretty competitive.”

The Racers may need some help getting into the tournament, depending on how they play this weekend at Austin Peay. The OVC Tournament is May 11-14 at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama.

COLUMN From Page 1 school, and the same things are happening, but no one ever asks what the kid is going through. Their coaches and parents have been telling them for years – it will make them a better athlete it will help them reach their goals of becoming a professional athlete.

All of those statements may end up being true, but does anyone ask if the player sees it that way? No. Nowadays it has become something of a parents’ and coaches’ dream more than the kid’s dream to succeed and reach their goal of playing professionally.

Times have changed. Kids learned at a young age to have fun and to love playing their sport. Once they turn eight, it shifts. It turns into trying to make their parents and coaches proud, which turns into a never-ending cycle.

Many times these parents and coaches who take the sport way too seriously are putting the pressure on the kids because they may have failed at reaching their goals when they were playing sports.

It is a sad thing to see great athletes at young ages who have such potential to become an amazing athlete give up and quit their sport because of the pressure being put on them. Where has the fun gone? How is it that something that was meant for fun became such a grueling process of pressure and never-ending failure?

Sports were invented to teach life lessons and to be something people can go out and relieve stress with. Now it has turned into something causing the stress. Kids are getting injured and being forced to play just because the parent or coach wants them to be “tough” and to win a plastic trophy.

The lessons of youth sports have gone from learning to have fun to learning to win at all costs. It has gone from something someone will enjoy playing for the time they can to something others will look back on and be crushed if they failed.

The parents and coaches of this generation need to take a step back and look to see where the times changed and what they can do to get the world of sports back to where it should be.

If the world of sports went back to playing the game just for fun without the pressure, maybe younger generations would not be scared to fail. The pressure of not failing weighs heavy on the kids and causes them to quit when they were just getting started. Yes, times have changed, but it’s time to change them back. mmcfarland1@murraystate.edu

Head coaches up for contract renewal Baseball

Kevin Moulder

June 30

Softball

Kara Amundson

June 30

Cross-country Track and field

Jenny Swieton

June 30

Men’s golf

Eddie Hunt

June 30

Women’s golf

Velvet Milkman

June 30

Rifle

Alan Lollar

June 30

Volleyball

David Schwepker

June 30

Men’s tennis

Mel Purcell

June 30

The News

Sports Women’s golf loses 2 seniors

3B

May 5, 2016

Sarah Combs

Assistant Sports Editor scombs8@murraystate.edu

The Murray State women’s

golf team wrapped up their season in the OVC setting. The Racers finished sixth overall and delivered the seventh OVC champion to come from the program.

The team faces losing two seniors who have been in the Racer program all four years.

Head Coach Velvet Milkman said to expect several returning players to step up and deliver competitive results.

KEY LOSSES

The Racers will lose two seniors who both played all four years for the program and won an OVC Championship; both

played in almost every tournament and contributed academically in the classroom.

Abbi Stamper, senior from Frankfort, Kentucky, played her final round at the OVC Tournament. Stamper finished 24th for her final season. The tournament wasn’t a new environment for Stamper, who appeared all four years and earned a fifth place finish in 2014. Stamper averaged 79.5 in 31 rounds this season.

Sophie Hillier, senior from Sandy, England, averaged 79.4 in 28 rounds this season for the Racers. Hillier didn’t appear in the OVC Tournament but tied for fourth at the opening Murray State Invitational, 24th at the Jan Weaver Invitational, 27th at the USA Women’s Invitational and 13th at the UC Bearcats Fall Classic.

“Any time you lose seniors they are always a big loss after being in your program for four years,” Milkman said. “We are obviously going to miss them, but I am excited for the future as well.”

KEY RETURNERS

The Racers return key players that will play a role in the success of their next season. Milkman is expecting the team to pick up the leadership responsibilities from the graduating seniors and return with winning results.

Moa Folke, sophomore from Tranas, Sweden, and 2016 OVC champion returns for the Racers. Averaging 75.2 in 31 rounds this season, Folke earned a spot on the All-OVC women’s golf team. Earlier in the year, Folke clinched her first tournament

Track and field prepares for OVC Justin Gaston

Contributing writer jgaston2@murraystate.edu

The Racers are preparing for the OVC Championship, which takes place May 13.

The Racers finished sixth (2015) and seventh (2014) overall the past two season after almost winning the OVC in 2013. The Racers are looking to continuously improve on their accomplishments thus far. The Racers are heading into the OVC Championships coming off a first place finish in the 50th annual Gina Relays at Hillsdale College.

WHO TO WATCH FOR

Freshman sprinter Tamdra Lawrence: currently second in the 100-meter dash, as well as third in the 200-meter dash in the OVC. Freshmen hurdler Jabreuna Brimlett: currently third in the 100-meter hurdles, fifth in long jump, eighth in triple jump in the OVC. Sophomore distance runner Vallery Korir: currently second in the 10,000-meter, ninth in the 1,500-meter in the OVC. Senior distance runner Emma Gilmore: currently eighth in the

1,500-meter, 10th in the 800meter dash in the OVC. Sophomore distance runner Rebekah Priddy: currently third in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the OVC. Other events to look for: 4x100 meter relay, 4x400 meter relay, 400-meter hurdles, shot put, pole vault.

RETURN OF THE SPRINTERS

Last season in the OVC Championship, the Racers did not have any finalists in the sprinting events and only two finalists in 2014.

Lawrence is only a few hundredths of a second from the first place spot.

The last Racer to win the 100-meter dash was Alexis Love in 2013. Murray State can also look forward to having a reliable relay team to score well for them in this year’s OVC Championship. The Racers have multiple runners in the sprinting events this year who have a chance at scoring key points for the Racers.

DISTANCE A MAJOR KEY

Murray State has a top ten ranked in distance team in the OVC this season. Korir leads the Racer distance team after having

a record-breaking season this year. Senior distance runners Leah Krause and Gilmore will also play a major role in the Racers’ point outcome.

Head Coach Jenny Swieton is hopeful that the Racers finish out the season strong. Swieton said she is pleased with her team regardless of the outcome.

“If we don’t run well, I don’t want it to seem the whole season was a letdown,” Swieton said.

“We can’t really have our hopes up because you never know what can happen at these meets,” Swieton said.

“One team might show up and blow it out the water, or they might show up and fall flat on their faces. The same goes for us. We could show up and do really well, or we could not.”

On paper, the Racers look to be in position to score well in many events, but it will all depend on how they perform.

The Racers have steadily improved throughout the indoor and outdoor seasons and will be looking to carry that momentum into the OVC Championships, finishing the year on a high note.

The OVC Championships will take place in Nashville, Tennessee May 13th.

win at the Jan Weaver International in Murray.

Sydney Trimble, junior from Paducah, Kentucky, averaged 78.5 in 31 rounds this season.

Trimble tied for 12th in the OVC tournament, 19th in the Jan Weaver Invitational and tied for second at the Murray State Invitational for her best performance of the year.

Anna Moore, sophomore from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, averaged 81.1 in 28 rounds this season. Moore returns next year for the Racers.

“I’m looking for Moa, Sydney and Anna to really lead this team next year,” Milkman said. “I think those are the ones coming back that will take that leadership role to replace those seniors and the others will come along as well.”

McKenna Dosier/The News

Jane Watts, freshman from Versailes, Kentucky, at the OVC Tournament.

Head Coach carding 14th season Collin Morris

Contributing writer cmorris29@murraystate.edu

Men’s golf Head Coach Eddie Hunt capped off his 14th season at Murray State with a fifth place finish in the OVC Tournament.

During Hunt’s time at Murray State, he has been a part of many organizations outside of golf.

Hunt said he’s seen many things on and off the golf course during his tenure.

“Murray is my home. I’m an alumni from Murray State, I was in business here for 28 and a half years and I’ve actually worked at Murray State for six years in the Student Affairs section,” Hunt said. “I feel like I have a really unique perspective of the Murray community, and Murray State is a special place for me and my family.”

Since finishing his 14th season as the head golf coach, Hunt said he is asked all the time about why he’s still coaching. Hunt said he answers it pretty simply. “I really enjoy working with young people,” he said.

Hunt has become synonymous with the head coaching position after more than a decade, but few are aware he actually got his start at Murray State as the interim head coach before being asked to assume the po-

sition full-time in 2002. Since then, Hunt has found himself accumulating numerous accolades, such as OVC Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2010 and an OVC Championship in 2010. Hunt’s success can be attributed to both his recruiting and coaching abilities.

“I feel like my emphasis on recruiting has been to try and get the best student-athletes within Kentucky,” Hunt said. “We’ve had some really good high school programs in this area, and over the past fifteen years, I’ve probably had at least 95 percent of my student-athletes come from Kentucky. We’ve been able to really compete with some of the best teams in the conference and in the country.”

However, Hunt does not only consider the build of his team, but also his strategy and how he can best implement his golfers.

He said he likes to make sure his golfers are in the right spot for them to succeed.

“These student-athletes have had teaching professionals and swing instructors from the time they started playing golf, so it’s not my job to teach those types of things,” Hunt said. “I focus on course management, making sure they work on the things they need to work on and maximizing their potential.”

The Racers haven’t finished first in the OVC Tournament since 2010, and Hunt said the team was poised to do so again.

He also said it was tough for the team to grasp because they believed they were the team to beat going into the tournament.

“We were very disappointed in the OVC Tournament,” Hunt said. “Going in, we felt we had as good an opportunity as any team in the league to win it and that was our goal at the start of the year. I’d describe our season as having a great spring season but a bad conference tournament. We had a good chance of winning it, and the four seniors worked very hard - it just didn’t work out.”

But the former coach of the year remains optimistic. When asked about the momentum of the team going into the offseason and upcoming 2016-17 season, he confidently reassured Racer fans.

“I feel like I’ve got the best recruiting class I’ve had in the last 14 years,” Hunt said.

“Every year brings a new challenge, but with the mixture of these freshman coming in and our returning players from last year, we’ll be really competitive for the next three or four years.”

The News

Sports

4B

May 5, 2016

Men’s tennis optimistic for upcoming year Clara Firtos

Contributing writer cfirtos@murraystate.edu

Head Coach Mel Purcell is currently the men’s tennis coach. But before coaching tennis, Purcell was a state champion at Murray High, NCAA singles and doubles champion at the University of Tennessee and then he continued his tennis career, going pro in 1979.

While playing professionally, Purcell ranked No. 21 in the world.

He was crowned as ATP 1 9 8 0 Rookie of the Year.

He was a Purcell finalist is the U.S. Pro Indoor Championships 1982 and a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon 1983.

Purcell said he remembers growing up in a basketball family, too. Purcell’s father, Bennie Purcell, was an All-American basketball player for Murray State and later an assistant coach.

Purcell met a man by the name of Ron Underwood, a former tennis player for Murray State, who helped Purcell pick up tennis at a young age.

“It was when I was four to five years old, I was never a huge basketball big shot,” Purcell said. “So I picked up

tennis then and I never gave it up after that.”

Purcell played different sports up until the age of 12, then continued with his main focus on tennis. In fourth and fifth grade, Purcell was already playing for Murray High.

“I remember playing against the junior and seniors,” Purcell said. “They were just so much taller and bigger than me. I remember them yelling threats at me, talking about how they were going to beat me, but I didn’t let that stop me.”

Purcell won two state doubles titles with his brother when he was in high school.

“It was a lot of fun,” Purcell said. “Of course we argued, yelled and screamed at each other, but that’s what brothers do.”

Purcell said he always had a great time playing alongside his older brother.

“We did have losses, but we still loved playing,” Purcell said. “I think that’s something our dad instilled in us early on was to just enjoy the sport and to have fun.”

Purcell said he enjoys taking after his father in coaching the men and Murray State.

“I started helping my dad out with the team a little bit, then I just kind of molded in on it,” Purcell said.

Purcell said he has a tough schedule planned for the men next year, and as a coach, he strives to show class and pride

BASEBALL

May 3 Evansville @ 6 p.m. Evansville, Indiana May 6, 7 Belmont @ 6 p.m. Reagan Field May 8 Belmont @ 1 p.m. Reagan Field May 13, 14 EKU @ 6 p.m.

Richmond, Kentucky May 15 EKU @ 1 p.m.

Richmond, Kentucky May 19 Morehead State Reagan Field

@ 6 p.m.

May 20 Morehead State Reagan Field

@ 2 p.m.

May 21 Morehead State Reagan Field

@ 1 p.m.

in being a Racer.

“I think it’s all about the players. I got a good set of men out there,” Purcell said.

Purcell said he teaches his men the importance of sportsmanship and their academics while attending Murray State.

One experience Purcell remembered from going pro was when, in 1987, he was booed by a few nuns.

“It was in Charleston, South Carolina, I saw them in their long skirts, and I remember asking them to pray for me,” Purcell said. “As the match went on, I wasn’t playing as well. So when I sat down I hear ‘Boo Mel Purcell.’ I turn around and saw it was those nuns. I laughed it off, and I thought I must be doomed for life.”

Purcell said it’s little things like that he’ll always remember.

“Another memory I have is of how I got my nickname Huck Finn. It was Bud Collins, who was one of the famous announcers at the time,” Purcell said. “All he did was take one look at my gap tooth.”

He said he’ll always remember what it was like to travel the world and play in different countries.

As for now, Purcell said his favorite memory of coaching is watching the men play hard.

“Nobody gave up, even if we did get beaten up at times,” said Purcell. “Their best is what I wanted from my men and they gave it.”

Chalice Keith/The News

Marcel Ueltzhoeffer, sophomore from Oftersheim, Germany, finishes a forehand during the men’s victory over Tennessee State.

Murray State Summer 2016 OVC Game Schedules

SOFTBALL

May 7 Austin Peay State Clarksville, @ 12 Tennessee May 7 Austin Peay State Clarksville, @ 2 Tennessee May 8 Austin Peay State Clarksville, @ 12 Tennessee

2016 OVC CHAMPIONSHIP

Oxford, Alabama - Choccolocco Park May 11 TBD May 12 TBD May 13 TBD May 14 TBD

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5B

The News

Features

Features Editor: Gisselle Hernandez Assistant Features Editor: Brianna Willis Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

­

Greek Gods and Goddesses pageant introduced with a roar Da’sha Tuck Staff writer

dtuck@murraystate.edu

Greek Week had a fresh look this year with several new events like Family Feud night, an Instagram photo challenge and a rebate night.

That momentum continued last Wednesday at Lovett Auditorium with the annual All Greek Assembly that introduced the Greek Gods and Goddesses pageant.

All Greek Assembly is an awards ceremony held every spring for the entire Greek community, including National

Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council and National PanHellenic Council.

This year, the assembly was postponed due to a countywide power outage, but on Wednesday, April 27, events went on as planned, including the new pageant.

To make the event more interesting for students, Evan Ditty, Greek life coordinator, added the Greek God and Goddess pageant.

“That was one thing Evan really tried to do was make Greek Week and All Greek Assembly bigger and better,” said Caitlin Dunaway, junior from

Iuka, Illinois, and membership vice president of Alpha Delta Pi. “It started off small but hopefully it’s going to keep growing from here.”

One member of each sorority and fraternity had the opportunity to enter the pageant by modeling a toga that r e p r e se n t e d t he i r chapter. ADPi won sorority division and Alpha Phi Alpha took the fraternity spot.

“Someone in my sorority jokingly brought up the idea of me wearing our Alphie costume (ADPi’s lion mascot), and I thought it would make it more fun if I did wear it,”

said Lauren Frank, junior from Springfield, Illinois, and ADPi Goddess. “I was glad to be able to represent Alpha Delta Pi on stage and get to add my own spin to it and make it funny for everyone there.”

Alpha Phi Alpha’s President Justin Frazier said this year’s Greek Week was one for the books.

“It was just an overall good experience for Alpha Phi Alpha,” Frazier, senior from Paducah, Kentucky said. “It was good to do activities with different fraternities and sororities on campus.”

Dunaway said this

Outstanding philanthropic chapter

Outstanding Chapter Advisers

• Brenda Stokes • Jerry Penner

Outstanding Chapter Presidents

• Tyler Pippin • Amanda Hobson

Greek Man of the Year

• Darren Craig Lamb

Greek Woman of the Year

year’s All Greek Assembly was worth the wait.

She said it is events like this that build up the Greek organizations and help them fight the negative stereotypes that surround Greek life.

“Being Greek to me is being a leader on campus, being philanthropic, being a sister to 140 girls and always being there for them,” Dunaway said. “It’s also about growing as a person and a professional.”

Outstanding collaborative community service organizations

• Alpha Sigma Alpha • Pi Kappa Alpha

• Alpha Omicron Pi

Awards for Sigma Sigma Sigma

Outstanding new member education program

• Sigma Pi

Awards for Alpha Sigma Alpha

• Outstanding community service • Outstanding philanthropic chapter

• Outstanding sisterhood • Outstanding community service award • Outstanding educational progam • Outstanding new member educational program

Outstanding Brotherhood

• Sigma Phi Epsilon

• Madelyn Pelletier

Jenny Rohl/The News

Lauren Frank, junior from Springfield, Illinois, won Greek Goddess with ADPi’s mascot lion costume.

Thou shall not steel Award-winning documentary makes case for inventor of modern steel

Gisselle Hernandez Features Editor

ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Inventors. Science. Tragedy.

British secret agents. Essentially, these are all the elements found in a “Bond film,” Todd Hatton, WKMS news producer, said in reference to the national award-winning William Kelly audio documentary, which aired in May 2015.

“Western Kentucky: A Birth Place of Steel,” a documentary produced by WKMS on the Kentuckian who propelled the United States into its industrial era, won the Sigma Delta Chi award of excellence from the Society of Professional Journalists, which was presented to the station during the week of April 18.

This is the second SPJ award the station has received. The documentary required extensive research collected from historians and experts, along

with documents supplied

by Bommanna Loganathan, professor of chemistry and 2014 chairman of Kentucky Lake Section of the American Chemical Society, who was the reason the documentary was produced in the first place.

THE ORIGIN

Loganathan was taking his class on a trip to Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in January 2014 when he stumbled upon a furnace that was initially put there by Kelly, who invented a more efficient way of producing steel in the 1800s. Loganathan became so fascinated with the inventor and his story he immediately set to work on researching this Kentucky native no one knew anything about.

Kelly’s story is a humble one – a man too focused on his globally-impactful invention to patent his methods, and the gray area of implied intellectual property theft when an

Englishman, Henry Bessemer, somehow coincidentally “invented” the same process to produce steel in the United Kingdom at the same time and decided to patent it. This was right after two of Kelly’s employees, who happened to be English and obsessively interested in the steel-making process, vanished one night from the foundry in Eddyville, Kentucky, without notice.

For a long time, Kelly didn’t received fame for his invention, even after appealing Bessemer’s patent and receiving his own. It wasn’t until centuries later – last May – that Kelly received recognition when the Jesse D. Jones Chemistry Building and the public library in Eddyville received a plaque honoring Kelly. This was because of Loganathan’s research on Kelly winning the National Historical Chemical Landmark.

“It is so important, so

valuable, finding that which changed the history of the world,” Loganathan said.

“Non-industrial world to industrial world. Humanity itself was changed just by this man.”

THE RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION

WKMS, after hearing the story of a Kentucky native’s invention that changed the world, decided to dig deeper to put together a documentary that would educate and entertain listeners for 50 minutes.

WKMS searched for information for about three months, sent a field reporter to speak with local historians in Eddyville, called a Bessemer expert in England and read anything about Kelly they could get their hands on.

Though there was not enough evidence to claim Kelly’s methods were impersonated, Hatton said WKMS’s job was

see STEEL, 6B

New a cappella group serenades their way onto campus Brianna Willis

Assistant Features Editor bwillis2@murraystate.edu

Cloud9 began as a one-time deal. Nine members of Phi Mu Alpha performed Straight No Chaser’s arrangement of “12 Days of Christmas” at an event last semester. It was so well received, they said, they decided to continue into the spring semester. Now Cloud9 is made up of 10 Murray State students.

“We are under the umbrella of Phi Mu Alpha,” said Brett Mayberry, junior from Mt. Caramel, Illinois. “We said ‘Why don’t we keep doing it?’ because it was a lot of fun.”

While the performance was meant to be a one-time thing, the guys all got along and shared a passion for music so they decided to continue performing together as an a cappella group.

A cappella music requires stylized arrangements of popular songs. Every member of the group has a hand in arranging songs to fit their a cappella style, said Grant Knox, junior from Louisville, Kentucky.

They met and shared ideas and decisions were made on which songs to perform and work on, Knox said.

“Lots of us have good ideas,” Knox said. “Earlier this semester a bunch of people had arranged stuff so we took a poll to see what we would read through.”

So what does it take to arrange a song for an a cappella group? Madison Jarrett, junior from Paducah, Kentucky, said knowing everyone’s strengths and weaknesses helps.

“You need to know what voices you’re working with,” he said. “Then it gets down to the nitty gritty of just sitting down and listening to the

Chalice Keith/The News

Cloud9 is a new a cappella group from the Phi Mu Alpha fraternity. song.”

Michael Gold, senior from Newburgh, Indiana, said because a cappella doesn’t have instruments, part of the work

is figuring out which voices work as which instruments.

“The bassline would be the bass singers, so if you are singing bass it’ll be a lot of

‘dododos’ and a tenor singer will probably have more words,” Gold said.

Cloud9 started to gain popularity on campus, even achieving President Bob Davies’ attention. He has retweeted and mentioned them on Twitter more than once and has always been supportive of Phi Mu Alpha and Cloud9.

“Two years ago, we decided to make him [Davies] an honorary member of Phi Mu Alpha,” Gold said. “Bob Davies is one of those guys who is going to be supportive of all the groups on campus, which speaks to his character, and he was truly honored to be recognized by Phi Mu Alpha.”

It isn’t all serious work, though. Cloud9 has had their fair share of shenanigans, such as getting stuck on an elevator in the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building.

“We instantly used the

opportunity to abuse social media,” Jarrett said. “We made jokes like, ‘Oh no, Cloud9 is about to become Cloud3.’”

Knox even Periscoped the occurance at one point. Jarrett said it was a good bonding experience.

A cappella has been a growing genre of music, with movies such as “Pitch Perfect” and groups like Pentatonix making a cappella mainstream. Jarrett said a cappella is appealing to people because music is powerful and something everyone can appreciate. He said people can appreciate the voice.

Not everyone can play an instrument, but everyone has a voice, he said.

“With enough training, you can manipulate [the voice] to do some really cool things,” Jarett said. “Just by getting together, spending

see A CAPPELLA, 6B

The News

Features

6B FRIDAY

THURSDAY

SATURDAY

May 5, 2016

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MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

7:30 p.m.

BFA Exit Reading, Clara M. Eagle Art Gallery

8 p.m.

Paducah Writers Group, Etcetera Coffeehouse and Student Art Gallery

2 p.m.

Gentry House Derby Party, Murray Banquet Center

9 p.m.

Almost Midnight Breakfast, Winslow Dining Hall

6:30 p.m.

Yogafit, Mike’s Kettleball Club

10:30 a.m.

De-stress for Finals with SGA, Curris Center

5:30 p.m.

Mat Pilates with Kelsi, True North Yoga

Students still divided on gender- Drake back at it neutral bathrooms after two years again with the

Taylor Inman || Staff writer

tinman1@murraystate.edu

Murray State has had gender-neutral bathrooms on campus since summer 2014, but recent legislation in other states has once again sparked the debate concerning transgender people and the bathrooms they prefer to use.

The bills, which restrict transgender people from using the bathroom of their gender identity, have been passed in North Carolina and are up for approval in Texas.

The common thought among some politicians, like former presidential candidate Ted Cruz, is that there isn’t a need for gender-neutral bathrooms, but that it presents a danger.

“It doesn’t make any sense at all to allow an adult grown man, a stranger, to be alone in a bathroom with little girls,” Cruz said.

Jo Bennett, president of the Murray State Alliance, said these opinions are forms of fearmongering.

“I think it’s outrageous.

Women and girls don’t need any more protection than men and boys do,” Bennett said.

“The bathroom bills don’t do anything to protect boys from men.”

Murray State has gender-neutral bathrooms on the first floor of the Curris Center nearest the Student Govern-

A CAPPELLA From Page 5B some time and hammering it out, it means a lot to people and it’s something they love.”

Eli Meece, junior from Greenville, Kentucky, said it also helps that their general audience is attracted to Disney and pop songs, which aids in the appeal of a cappella.

STEEL From Page 5B to craft a story of the facts and let the listeners formulate their own conclusions.

Chad Lampe, WKMS station manager, said one of the challenges was diving into this project with little knowledge of who Kelly was. He said this particular documentary was unique because of the limited resources available.

“For other documentaries, a lot of it has been well-documented and well-recorded in history, making it easier,” Lampe said. “It was much harder to find things about this guy because he was relatively unknown to the wider region.”

Because of the lack of visual aid, WKMS had to get creative in placing the listener into the right setting when listening to the story. “[We had to] find a way to create an atmosphere and character and elements of a good story to carry it for an hour-long program,” Lampe said.

Hatton agreed, saying it is imperative to paint the right picture and add a combination of sounds that appeal to listeners, especially if it’s a documentary about the mundane process of making

ment Association office, on the first floor of the Business Building nearest the elevator and on the second floor of Wells Hall nearest the Office

of LGBT Programming.

But there are people who think there is no need for gender-neutral bathrooms and carry strong opinions on the

Nahiomy Gallardo/The News

debate. Jacob Whitehall, senior, from Lebanon Junction, Kentucky, doesn’t agree with the idea.

“I personally don’t feel comfortable with it. I’m a Christian, and I feel like they should be separated for a reason,” Whitehall said.

Bennett still considers the topic to be of great importance and is looking for Murray State to do even more.

“They are creating an inclusive environment,” Bennett said. “But there could be more gender-neutral restrooms and more policies against discrimination.”

Bennett said there needs to be policies in place to protect transgender people on campus.

“They need to enact a bathroom policy that’s inclusive,” Bennett said. “But also help set guidelines that will investigate issues or problems that might arise.”

The debate is old news to some, like Matthew Menke, junior from Evansville, Indiana, who believes it needs to be retired.

“It’s been going on for years; it’s not just been going on for the past five or ten years, it’s been going on ever since there’s been people,” Menke said. “It’s happened, and we just haven’t cared about to notice it. Everyone is just trying to make it big and blow it up.”

same tracks

Nick Erickson|| Staff writer nerickson@murraystate.edu

The music scene has spent the last two weeks mourning the loss of a pop icon, Prince, and praising Beyoncé’s newest diss album on her husband, Jay Z. Out of the blue, the world has been graced with a new record from the Toronto rapper Drake. “Views,” which was “Views from the 6” less than a week ago, is an impressive 20-tracks, which unfortunately are anything but that. Drake’s fourth LP is largely stagnant, with a few highlights and guest artists scattered throughout.

Intro track “Keep The Family Close” hits listeners with some spacey synth chords and heavy reverb. Drake brings well-known trust issues to the table, singing prominently versus rapping. From an instrumental standpoint, the track is quite relaxing, with airy strings and a smooth bassline. Despite this, Drake’s voice sounds too overproduced. As his voice flows throughout the verses, there’s the subtle tinge of computerized pitch correction, and it’s hard to look past the annoying, robotic nature of it.

“With You” features rapper PartyNextDoor, arguably one of the highlights of the album. His voice is silkier than Drake’s and intertwines and compliments Drake’s effortlessly. At barely three minutes, it’s the album’s shortest song, but the production and beats on this track are undoubtedly well-written, executed, and downright groovy.

Sadly, a majority of the remainder of “Views” is hardly distinguishable from his last three albums. Not to say that this a bad thing, but it simply feels all too familiar, and as each track progresses, the diversity becomes sparse. Rihanna’s feature on “Too Good”

overshadows Drake’s abilities.

As she jumps in on the second verse and belts throughout the chorus alongside Drake, her high timbre is enjoyable, although it’s still nothing too special compared to her own material.

Drake is notorious for rapping about being heartbroken and reassuring his heart to his lover, and this theme continues to be his go-to on “Views.”

“Faithful” sounds like it could be a B-side to Drake’s 2011 “Take Care.” Singing of being faithful to the woman he loves, (who would’ve guessed), it’s catchy and emotional but just doesn’t add up against anything he’s released before.

“Child’s Play” has a pretty stale beat, but the lyrics, while nothing to write home about, are pretty hilarious. Drake raps about fighting with girl at a Cheesecake Factory, and his unintentional humor in this track somewhat makes up for its otherwise emptiness.

Concluding the album is Drake’s hit “Hotline Bling,” which broke charts last summer. At roughly eight months, it’s safe to say it’s still one of his most memorable tracks, and its infectious nature isn’t losing radio play any time soon. Ending the album on a familiar note might have been a smart move after all, as much of what came before it is forgettable.

Drake is without a doubt one of the biggest names in all of music right now and that isn’t likely to change anytime soon. With that said, there is little to be found on “Views” that feels worthy of making the Top 40. While Drake might be pouring his emotion and tender broken soul into his art, after the nth time it’s been done, what is really left to say?

If you’re looking for something fresh, steer clear from “Views.”

However, for many of the members, their love of music is deeper than just a cappella and performing around campus. They said it is something that has been impactful in their lives. Phi Mu Alpha and Cloud9 have been outlets for many of the members to pursue their passions in meaningful ways.

Robbie Parsons, senior from Mayfield, Kentucky, said he is not a music major but is still in Phi Mu Alpha.

“I knew it was something I

could continue my passion with music, and not make it a job,” he said. “I wanted to keep music as a part of my life in any way I can.”

As far as other people wanting to get into a cappella, Knox said the best thing they can do is to find what makes them different.

“A cappella is the same principle: you’re all singing with no instruments in the background,” Knox said.

“You have to find your identity and what makes you dif-

ferent, not more or less, just different.”

Jarrett said he saw the influence music had on people, and he was good at it so he wanted to pursue it. Cloud9 gave Jarrett, and others, an opportunity to channel their love of music in a meaningful way, he said.

“The fact that we can go out and do the things I identified with as a child, making an impact on people through Phi Mu Alpha and this group, I think that is really special,” Jarrett said.

steel. The documentary included connections to modern times, like the addition of Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” for the alleged dispute between Bessemer and Kelly. The time that would usually be used to pan across a landscape on television had to be filled up with actual vocal and auditory descriptions of what the producers wanted the listeners to imagine, which lends an opportunity to saturate the documentary with more information. This is something Hatton said he saw as an advantage.

Hatton said because people are so familiar with what they know, they do not consider what “here” really means, especially when important history is overlooked.

“I’m under no illusion that I’m changing the world,” he said. “But if at least I’m giving someone a good time for 50 minutes, it’s [worth it.]”

Most people tend to overlook the rich history that lingers in their hometown, tucked away, Hatton said.

But he said one should take pride knowing one of their own is responsible for America’s modern industrial thrust. “[People say] ‘Oh, you’re from Kentucky, look you’re wearing shoes,’” he said.

“Yes, I’m wearing shoes and no, I’m not married to my cousin. I’m very proud to say I’m a native-born Kentuckian.”

Hatton, Lampe and news reporter Allison Crawford will receive the SPJ award at the National Press Club banquet on June 24, 2016, in Washington, D.C. “I do it because, well, I enjoy it. And I think it’s valuable. We all think it’s valuable,” Hatton said. “Yeah, it covers the station in glory and so on and so forth, but at the end of the day, it’s public service. It’s education.

That is why we are here. Full stop.”

Bommanna Loganathan, professor of chemistry, won the National Historical Chemical Landmark for his work on William Kelly.

THE IMPACT

WKMS’s documentaries normally trace back to the history of areas their frequency covers, so producing a documentary about a man who changed the world right in western Kentucky is hard to understate, Hatton said.

Hatton said the impact of both Kelly and Bessemer make for a great story, especially considering the world as we know it would be completely different without them.

“Basically, if you take Kelly and Bessemer out of the equation, you don’t have cannons or railroads or skyscrapers,” Hatton said. “You don’t have the Empire State Building if you don’t have William Kelly plugging away at his foundry.”

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‘Keanu’: Not purr-fect Photo courtesy of playbill.com

Tony Awards nominations announced The 70th annual Tony Awards nominations were announced on May 2. It came as no shock to any theater lover that “Hamilton” snagged a record-breaking 16 nominations. Other heavy hitters include “School of Rock”and “The Color Purple.” If you haven’t seen them yet, good luck!

“Hamilton” is sold out for the rest of the season.

Photo courtesy of screenrant.com

Cheddar (Method Man) cuddles Keanu, the gangster cat, in a sit down with his original owners in newly released ‘Keanu.’

Adam Winn || Staff writer awinn@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of microphonebully.com

Birdman defends himself Rapper Birdman became the Internet’s latest meme victim when he showed up to New York’s Power 105.1 radio station at the ‘Breakfast Club’ show. He entered, angry, telling radio personality Charlamagne to put some “respeck” [sic] on his name.

Birdman is back at it again, this time defending his statements. He flew radio hosts from HOT 97.1 to his Miami home to stand up for himself. In the words of Birdman, is the Internet finished, or are they done? We may never see the end of this saga, as other rappers like Rick Ross get involved.

Soundbyte “Obama out.”

-President Barack Obama, closing his final White House correspondent’s dinner.

For the past five years, Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key made fans of their sketch show “Key & Peele” laugh along with all their innovative characters and scenarios. This time around, the duo have created their first feature length film, “Keanu.”

While this new project does have its fair share of comedic moments, the plot ends up feeling more like a never-ending, R-rated skit than an actual movie.

The story revolves around two nerdy friends, Clarence Goobril (Key), an up-tight family man, and Rell Williams (Peele), a stoner who just got dumped by his longtime girlfriend. After Williams’ newly-adopted kitten Keanu is cat-napped by a gang called the 17th Street Blips, the two friends pretend to be a pair of notorious assassins in order to win back Keanu from the gang’s leader, Cheddar (Method Man).

If audience members were fans of the pair’s former series, then there is a chance that they will enjoy the storyline behind this film. Conversely, if the viewer wasn’t a fan of the show or never viewed it, then they might not enjoy all of the awkward, slap-stick humor that the film contains.

The story relies heavily on

Photo courtesy of donthatethegeek.com

Promotional poster for ‘Keanu’ shows off the kitten’s softer side. clichéd plot devices that have been done a hundred times over in other action-comedy films, like “Pineapple Express” and “Friday.” The film’s plot also feels like it was a sketch idea that the duo never got around to producing when their show was still airing.

While some of the jokes were entertaining, several fell flat and didn’t even deserve a chuckle. There is a recurring theme about how much Goobril loves the music produced by recording artist, George Michael. The joke is completely overused throughout the film, and it gets to the point that audiences will start to feel annoyed every time it’s mentioned.

For those feline lovers expecting to go in and watch a movie about a cat, be forewarned; while the cat may be

the focal point of the story, the kitten only has about 25 minutes of screen time in the whole film. With that said, the scenes involving the actual cat tend to be the most engaging parts.

The lead actors, though, were a strong comedic force.

They each did a great job playing off each other’s personalities at the right moments, mainly because they’ve been doing this for years.

Of the two, Peele gave the best performance. His character appeared funnier and more realistic, since he seems like the kind of guy who would actually lay on his couch all day, smoking weed.

Key, on the other hand, seemed a little too far outside his normal comfort zone, because his character has to act like an uptight, nerdy father that enjoys ‘80s pop music,

and the audience can tell that’s not his normal persona. With that said, he still gave an overall great character portrayal and did the best with what he had to work with.

The rest of the supporting cast gave decent performances, but none of them were as entertaining or memorable as the lead actors were.

The film also contained some unexpected celebrity cameos.

By doing this, it helped draw the viewers back into the plot during some of its lower points.

Key and Peele’s comedy is not made for everyone. The plot needed a smarter edge, unique ideas and more entertaining jokes. If the viewer can forgive these few abhorrent qualities, they will surely turn out for whatever projects the comedy duo releases in the future.

T h e n u m b e r of people I hear call “pop music” trash, fluff or a waste of time is truly astonishing.

Given that “pop” music Brianna Willis is a shortenAssistant ing of “popFeatures Editor ular,” I will even hear some people call their favorite musician a “sell out” when they make it onto the Top 40. Some members of an older generation, and even some of my own, call “pop culture” silly and frivolous. “You care about what the Kardashians are doing?” Why yes, yes I do.

What makes me angry and sad about this notion is that it assumes a hierarchy of music and culture.

If it isn’t “fine arts” it isn’t worth it. If it isn’t “The Wire” or “Game of Thrones,” why are you even watching it? (Caveat: I love both of those shows.) If it isn’t [insert some fake deep rapper or some unknown indie artist], it’s trash.

I stand firm in my belief in the importance of pop culture and pop music and I am not an idiot or dense for liking things that are.

By participating in things that seem to be enjoyed by a large group of people, it allows people to connect in real and meaningful ways. One may see live-tweeting as a nuisance, but I see it as a way to connect with people who share similar interests with me who aren’t physically in the same room.

One may laugh at a sorority girl blasting Taylor Swift as she screams “HEY GIRL, YOU BETTAH WORK” at her passing friend. However, I see someone connected to Taylor Swift who loves her friend and is expressing herself through vernacular anyone can identify as positive.

Back in the day, Frank Sinatra was categorized as “pop” music.

This shouldn’t be a shock given he was a popular musician in his time, performing standards and his own work in a style that was popular at the time.

Michael Jackson, the man, the myth and the legend, was a “pop” icon. He performed and weaved other genres into his own material but let’s call it what it is: pop.

I point out these two greats because I think we forget that being popular isn’t a bad thing. It is OK to like the hottest TV show. It is OK to enjoy the hottest hits radio station.

I am not ashamed to admit my interests and taste. Do I think it is important to be well-rounded?

Yes. It is not enough to only like Bach, and it is not enough to only like Drake. There has to be middle ground.

However, whether it is someone’s guilty pleasure or something people carry with them with a deeper meaning than you could ever see at surface level, pop culture and music are here to stay.

Trends may come and go, but the idea that people can come together over a shared interest and that interest can grow and affect other people on a global scale, is something to be admired and respected.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you’re a trendsetter or a follower; the idea we should all embrace is “don’t yuck my yum.” If you find yourself in a conversation with someone who likes the latest and greatest song or cool TV show, don’t judge him or her.

Instead, engage them in a conversation. You may be surprised to learn people have real thoughts, regardless of subject matter. bwillis2@murraystate.edu

Out this week

Read It

“The Secret War”

by Max Hastings

See It

“Captain America: Civil War”

Hear It

“Ripcord”

by Keith Urban

Rent It “Joy”

Play It

“Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End”

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