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Tori takes the torch Ashley Traylor Staff writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

Period.

Contributing writer kmackie2@murraystate.edu

One conversation motivated a Murray State student to create a new feminist project that is sweeping the campus. The local project, Menstruation Proclamation: A Movement (MPM), involves placing kits of feminine hygiene products in various bathrooms across campus for women who can’t afford them. Although the project officially started Monday, Jordyn Rowland, sophomore from Murray, said the idea came from an encounter she had last semester with another female student. Rowland said she was waiting for class to start when she met a girl who asked her for a tampon. When the same girl came out of

the bathroom – with tears in her eyes – she thanked Rowland because she said she had not been able to afford any feminine hygiene products for over a year. “The average cost of a standard box [of tampons] is $7 in the United States,” Rowland said. “You can’t buy them with food stamps, you can’t buy them with the WIC program, so these homeless women are trading meals for a tampon.” Abigail French, Women’s Center coordinator, said projects like the Menstruation Proclamation are “critical first steps” to raising awareness about the burden such costs place on many women. “The high cost of these necessary products leave many women in the predicament of choosing between

McKenna Dosier/The News

essential needs,” French said. At first, Rowland supplied all the products for each bathroom that had the kits on campus, but as awareness spread, so did support and donations. Rowland said she even has a friend in the Netherlands who is shipping over 65 boxes of feminine products. Rowland also has inspired others to join the movement in their own towns. She said she has a friend in Boston who has set up her own station at her school. Lauren Edminster, freshman from Murray, said she believes the movement will have a positive affect on campus and hopes that it will make women feel more comfortable. “I think this is a huge need on campus that goes unnoticed, especially because of the unprecedented stigma that surrounds menstruation,” Ed-

SGA kickstarts computer bank Destinee Marking Contributing writer

dmarking@murraystate.edu

Students in need of a laptop will be able to utilize a computer bank on campus for assistance beginning Fall 2017. Every year, the university phases out old laptops for more up-to-date technology. The Student Government Association is planning a ‘computer bank’ program, giving in-need students access to surplus laptops at little to no cost. “The concept comes from looking at a couple different models,” said Clint Combs, former-SGA President. “Western Kentucky University has a program where you can do community service hours to get a refurbished Mac from their school, so that’s what got me thinking about developing a similar program.” Combs initially started dis-

cussing creating a program like this with Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, last year and SGA began shaping what the program would look like this semester. “While we may not realize it, some students on campus do not own a personal computer or laptop,” said Tori Wood, incoming president of the Student Government Association. Individuals who do not have the financial means for items such as a laptop do not always come forward and ask for help, but Combs said he believes it is safe to assume if this program is on campus, it will be taken advantage of given the success of similar programs at other universities. He said the goal is to make utilizing the program “as discrete as possible” so students can be comfortable utilizing the services. “The program seems trivial to some given the amount of

computers already on campus,” said Craig Lamb, chief justice of the SGA Judicial Branch. “However, many of those labs or computer banks are restricted in terms of when they can be accessed or are surged with constant popular use, such as at the library.” Combs said this program will complement programs that already exist at Murray State, such as Racers Helping Racers, the meal bank and the professional clothing bank that is also in the works for Fall 2017. Lamb believes all efforts by students to better lives and education for others showcases what Murray State is all about. All of these programs makeup an initiative dedicated to Racers in need. “It’s exciting to be able to offer these programs,” Combs said. “We never want to have students that are worrying so much about finances that they can’t focus on school.”

see PERIOD, page 2

Collin Morris Assistant Sports Editor

New TSA screening more invasive Sabra Jackson Contributing writer sjackson30@murraystate.edu

Those who are flying over Spring Break may be asked to take part in a new procedure put in place by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The new pat-down includes an inspection of the head, neck, arms, torso, legs and feet, as well as sensitive areas including breasts, groin and buttocks. Passengers may be asked to adjust clothing for a more efficient search. If a passenger wishes to have the procedure done in a private room, he or she may do so. The practice will also be carried out by an officer of the same sex as the passenger. Officers performing the pat-down have been through

cmorris29@murraystate.edu

The Republican Party is facing opposition after a week emphasizing the American Health Care Act and a revised immigration ban. In an analysis released by the nonpartisan group of economists and budget analysts, the Congressional Budget Office, on Monday, AHCA will result in a loss of coverage for approximately 14 million Americans by 2018 and 24 million by 2026. In two other major findings, the CBO also reported that Medicaid coverage will shrink

ACA v. AHCA

by five million people by 2018, and the federal deficit will fall $337 billion by 2026. Despite promising not to cut Medicare or Medicaid on the campaign trail, Trump has come out in support of AHCA, and Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, in an official White House statement, said the CBO is wrong. “The fact of the matter is they’re going to be able to buy the coverage policy they want for themselves and their family, they’re going to have the kind of choices that they want,” Price said. Trump’s newest travel ban has been temporarily blocked by U.S. District Judge Derrick

www.TheNews.org

Watson from Hawaii. The hold operates on the grounds on the ban’s potential harm to it’s tourism industry and calling it “discriminatory.” Six states (Hawaii, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon and Washington) challenged Trump’s second immigration ban order before Watson had made his ruling, which is set to commence on March 16. Trump announced the second executive order on March 6, with a number of changes, including the removal of Iraq from the list of banned countries and the clause prioritizing refugees of minority religions in those nations.

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Tori Wood is the newly-elected Student Government Association President (SGA), securing the position with about 500 more votes than her opponent, Lucas Reed. There were 856 combined votes for the candidates, with 681 for Wood and 175 for Reed. “I’m glad that the best candidate got the votes that she needed,” Reed said. Even though he did not win, Reed said he plans to work with the new administration and continue to better SGA. “It feels so good now because I’ve wanted it for so long, and I’ve worked so hard,” Wood said. “I genuinely just want to be able to serve the students better. This is an incredible moment.” SGA president is a position Wood has wanted for a while now, she said. Her freshman year, she read SGA bylaws because she found the organization so interesting. Since, Wood’s leadership roles in SGA have included senator, chief of staff, and vice president of administration. She said she knew she wanted to continue serving

the students and all those who served before her motivated her to run for this position. “Being in a leadership position for recognition will leave you so unfulfilled, and I’ve never wanted to do that,” Wood said. “I simply want to serve the student body. I’m so grateful to be able to be in this position, and I’m grateful for those who pushed me to do it.” Wood’s plan for her presidency is to start strong and get involved with the Board of Regents to be the voice for students. “If you are a Racer and you have any issue, whether big or small, I want to hear it,” Wood said. “I genuinely mean it when I say ‘Your fight is my fight,’ because I simply want to serve the student body. I am so grateful for this experience and thanks to everyone.” Incumbent Clint Combs, thanked all the candidates who campaigned for their positions because he said it is hard to put yourself out there and be elected to a position. “We wish the best of luck to Tori and we have full confidence in her ability to lead,” Combs said. “The future looks bright for SGA. We are excited for Tori’s term and the years to come.”

Crack down on pat-downs

Week 8 A healthcare conundrum TRUMP Day 56 100 days of

of excellence

March 16, 2017 | Vol. 91, No. 22

Program eases monthly burden.

Katlyn Mackie

90 years

White House statements have conveyed confidence in the ability of the revisions to alleviate legality concerns, but Omar Jadwat, director of the American Civil Liberties Union Immigrants’ Rights Project, is not as confident. “The Trump Administration has conceded that its original Muslim ban was indefensible,” Jadwat wrote in an official statement from the ACLU. “Unfortunately, it has replaced it with a scaled-back version that shares the same fatal flaws. The only way to actually fix the Muslim ban is not to have a Muslim ban. In-

a formal training and are required to demonstrate the procedure before carrying out the new strategy. “It is basically a more enhanced preventative pat down from what everyone has gotten,” said Eddie Grant, director of marketing at Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah Kentucky. Grant said most passengers have not really noticed a change when they went through security. Mark Howell, regional spokesperson for TSA, said the new procedure was put into effect March 2. This procedure incorporates strategies used in the past into one plan that will be followed at airport security checkpoints as well as other locations in the airport. The method also applies to airline pilots, flight atten-

dants and airport employees who are subject to random screenings. Coy Murphy, senior from Owensboro, Kentucky, is traveling to Cap Haitien, Haiti, for a mission trip during Spring Break. Murphy said “I have nothing to hide” in regards to the information about the new procedure. “TSA continues to adjust and refine our systems and procedures to meet the evolving threat and to achieve the highest levels of transportation security,” Howell said. Matthew Menke, junior from Evansville, Indiana, is flying to Las Vegas for his Spring Break and knew nothing about the new procedure. “I would probably just do it to keep the line moving,” Menke said.

Enjoy the break! Follow The Murray State News on Facebook and Twitter for complete on campus coverage of campus. Visit us at TheNews.org for up to date coverage.

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March 16, 2017

Attorney general raises sexual assault awareness Abby Siegel || News Editor asiegel@murraystate.edu

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear traveled to Murray State Monday to raise awareness and bring transparency to sexual violence on college campuses. “We need to make sure that the way we go about investigating and prosecuting always puts that person first and gives them the confidence that when you report an assault here on campus, people will believe you... they will seek justice for you,” Beshear said. A current issue regarding sexual violence on campus, Beshear said, is a lack of transparency and accountability. He said when transparency lacks, there is no way to judge whether the university is reporting and investigating sexual violence well. “If you are going to take on the responsibility of protecting students who have come forward with an allegation of sexual assault, you need to be able to protect identities, but also be transparent enough so we can judge if you truly are doing it well because how does a parent or potential student know how

safe a university is?” Beshear said. Bryan Ernstberger, Calloway County Attorney, said there is a low number of reported cases of sexual violence at Murray State. “I would love to believe that is all that is going on here because we get so few,” Ernstberger said. “But I very much doubt that is true.” Beshear said one in five women and one in 16 men were sexually assaulted while in college in 2015, yet only 36 of those sexual assaults were reported to authorities. Lori Wells Brown, Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Advocacy Center (PASAC) executive director, said some students are referred to PASAC when he or she reports a sexual assault on campus. Others are referred to the Women’s Center Director Abigail French. She said she believes the lack of coordinated response among all of the investigative and prosecuted parties and service providers has caused low numbers of reporting. “Historically, there have not been systems in place that really helped to empower a survivor.” Wells Brown said. “It was often

Full SGA election results

very confusing about where to go and who to report to.” To raise awareness and prevention of sexual assault, Beshear is holding video contest called #VoiceofJustice that students are encouraged to enter. Each video entry must be 30-seconds long and is due by April 1. There will be two winners awarded with a cash prize of $500. One winner will be chosen by an expert committee. The other is the Viral Award determined by who has the most views on the KyOAG YouTube channel. Winners will be announced in late April, which is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The video must contain the following information: • 24/7 confidential sexual assault hotline, 1-800-656SAFE • Awareness of campus sexual assault, • Active bystanding to prevent sexual assault, or • Reporting, investigations and prosecutions of campus sexual assault. For more information about the video contest, visit TheNews.org.

President Tori Wood

Executive Vice President Madison Jarrett

Vice President Administration Bailey Bohannon

Vice President Finance Rachel Barnett

RCA President Carter Hearne

Senator-At-Large Brianna Barnes Noah Norsworthy Kai Reichert George Bittel Keaton Faughn Cody Clift Beau Ayres Trace Colson

Business Claudia Burcham Bennett Estes Dustin Roley

Education and Human Services Joshua Turner

Humanities and Fine Arts

U.S. 641 N. Murray 270-753-9622 Circus Skate Murray, KY

Emily Cornwell Fletcher Boarman Joseph Tondini

Science, Engineering and Technology Tyler Neville Aaron Sexton Tyler Howell

Agriculture Caleb Brannon Joel Reddick Jonathan Reynolds Jenny Rohl/The News

Results for the SGA election were announced at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

PERIOD From Page 1 minster said. As of now, there are approximately 14 feminine hygiene kits around campus. They have been placed in all three female bathrooms in Wilson Hall, the gender neutral bathroom in the Business building, the female bathrooms in the Old Fine Arts building and one in the Oakley

TRUMP From Page 1 stead, President Trump has recommitted himself to religious discrimination, and he can expect continued disapproval from both the courts and the people.” Hawaii was the first to file a suit against the ban, but others are expected to follow. The first installment of Trump’s ban was blocked by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Feb. 3. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has also faced opposition. Just days after being asked to resign by Democratic Party leaders, Sessions requested the resignations of the 46 U.S. attorneys remaining from the administration of President Barack Obama.

Nursing and Health Professions Jacqueline Stephenson

Applied Science building. Rowland said she has plans to eventually get kits in all women’s bathrooms on campus. Once Murray State is covered, she said she hopes to expand to high schools in Murray and possibly make the movement nationwide. Rowland isn’t just concerned about college campuses and schools but homeless women, as well. From all the donations she gets, Rowland said she is splitting them in half so she can

deliver products to homeless shelters and battered women shelters. She can even hand them out on the streets of Nashville, Tennessee. Rowland said she also is planning to hand out products with her friends while on Spring Break in Los Angeles, California. “We treat it as a taboo subject, and it shouldn’t be,” Rowland said. “We all go through it; it’s all of us.” Visit TheNews.org to see how you can donate to the cause.

It is not uncommon for new administrations to change personnel, but historically, it has been done gradually to ensure structure in the transition phase. In response to Trump’s recent tweet claiming Obama wiretapped phones in Trump Tower toward the end of his presidency, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he was referring to general surveillance. “If you look at the president’s tweet, he clearly said quote wiretapping, in quotes,” Spicer said. “There has been reports of other aspects of surveillance that have occurred. The president was very clear in his tweet that it was ‘wiretapping,’ which spans a whole host of surveillance type of options.” Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, reiter-

ated Spicer’s statements in an interview with the Huffington Post. When asked if she knew if Trump Tower had been wiretapped, Conway listed alternative methods that may have been used. “What I can say is there is many ways to surveil each other,” Conway said. “There was an article this week that talked about how you can surveil someone through their phones, certainly through their television sets, any number of different things, microwaves that turn into cameras, etc.” Vice President Mike Pence visited Kentucky last Saturday, March 11, for a rally centered around the repeal of “Obamacare,” but Trump himself will be in Louisville, Kentucky at 7:30 p.m. on March 20 for another rally. The doors will open at Louisville’s Freedom Hall at 4:30 p.m.

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March 16, 2017

Page 3

Franklin Residential College achieves gold certification

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

Alicia Steele

POLICE BEAT MARCH 8 8:30 a.m.

A caller reported a theft of property at Faculty Hall. Officers were notified and a report was taken for theft by unlawful taking less than $500.

7:56 p.m.

Racer Patrol reported a Murray State policy violation at Hart Residential College. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

MARCH 9 4:12 p.m.

Officers reported a drug complaint at Hart Residential College. The on-call residence director was notified and a citation was issued for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of alcohol age 18-20.

11:11 p.m.

The Murray State Police Department received a general incident report form in reference to a harassment complaint at Regents Residential College. Officers and the on-call residence director were notified and an information report was taken for harassment.

MARCH 10 An officer conducted a traffic stop at McDonald’s. A verbal warning was issued for crossing the center line and weaving.

4:28 p.m.

A caller reported smelling an odor in Blackburn Science Building. Officers were notified and no odor was detected upon arrival.

Hollis C. Franklin Residential College is the first building on campus to be awarded gold certification by LEED – Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design – for its environmentally friendly design and construction process. “MSU strives to be environmentally friendly in sustainability efforts, long-term respect for the environment, energy efficient activities and, of course, constructing or renovating buildings that are environmentally functional in design and use,” said David Burdette, interim chief facilities officer. Jason Youngblood, assistant director of facilities design and construction, said LEED is awarded on a points system, which can be earned by adhering to certain guidelines in terms of construction and amenities. However, in some cases they opted to forgo the point. “We could have opted to try to achieve a higher point total for water savings, such as lower flow faucets, showers and toilets,” Youngblood said. “However, we decided that would create more maintenance and service call issues.” He said the building still has low flow water sources but to a level they felt would better meet the needs of students, which is higher than the requirements for that particular point. Additionally, they decided to forgo the point that required no upward lighting – which causes light pollution – in order to have lights on the front of the building to highlight the

Jenny Rohl/The News

Hollis C. Franklin Residential College was awarded gold certification for its environmentally friendly design and construction process. architectural features. Points can also be earned for certain steps during the construction project which, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, include things such as storage and collection of recyclables, utilizing regional materials and using certified wood. However, Youngblood said some of these points were unable to be fulfilled because of the geographical location of Murray.

The state requirement is to achieve a silver rating, which Youngblood said was the goal for Franklin. However, the additional steps taken to ensure the silver certification were accepted and pushed them to gold. “The gold achievement is testament to all who worked on design, management and construction of a residence hall that will stand the test of time for the environment,” Burdette said.

Lindsey Coleman || Staff writer lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

MARCH 11 5:51 p.m.

As the new Engineering and Physics Building takes shape, Danny Claiborne, chairman of the Institute of Engineering, said Murray State is spending about $5 million to outfit the building with the latest technology. “That’s rare for a university of this size to see a need and see the opportunities that the money could provide,” Claiborne said. The labs will essentially have all new equipment. He said the university has had large private and corporate donors to make this innovative space a reality, and he said he is confident this is a good investment in students. Faculty, former students and corporate sponsors were consulted in the equipment ordering process, which Claiborne said will make Murray State a beneficial place for future students in the engineering sector. “While Murray State is putting an emphasis on experiential learning, we always have, because it’s a critical part of engineering and technology,” Claiborne said. Several new features will be added to Murray State’s campus, such as a standards and measurements lab, senior design lab, separate fluid mechanics lab, rapid prototype center and separate astronomy lab. “The lab spaces are going to be remarkable,” Claiborne said.

An officer conducted a traffic stop at Casey’s General Store. A verbal warning was issued for expired registration.

9:54 p.m.

An office conducted a traffic stop at Station 74. A verbal warning was issued for canceled registration plate.

MARCH 12 9:44 a.m.

The Murray State Police Department received a fire sprinkler tamper alarm at James H. Richmond Residential College on the alarm center computer. The Central Heating and Cooling Plant was notified.

4:58 p.m.

A person requested to speak with an officer in reference to a previous complaint. Officers were notified and the person was issued a citation and a criminal summons for second-degree forgery.

MARCH 13 3:01 p.m.

A person arrived to receive a criminal summons. Officers were notified and the person was served a criminal summons for failure to notify owner of unattended vehicle damage. A supplement report was taken.

5:49 p.m.

A caller reported an abandoned vehicle blocking the roadway at Heritage Hall. Officers, the owner and Murray State Parking Management were notified. The vehicle was pushed out of the roadway and a disabled vehicle report was taken.

Kelli O’Toole/The News

The ribbon cutting for the new Engineering and Physics Building will be held April 21. Claiborne said the new rapid prototype center will allow students to take product through 3D printing and manufacturing to not only conceptualize ideas, but also see them through and build what they’ve designed. Jason Youngblood, assistant director of facilities design and construction, said the building will be a great addition to campus, and it should be something students can be proud of. “From my standpoint, the biggest difference as far as the way the building is constructed is it’s set up very friendly for students and visitors that come into the building,”

Youngblood said. He said engineering graphics and design, telecommunications systems management and engineering technology will remain in the engineering building, while the engineering and physics programs currently in Blackburn Science Building will move to the new Engineering and Physics Building. The space in the basement and first floor of Blackburn Science Building that is now occupied by the Engineering Department will be reallocated after the Engineering and Physics Building opens and the programs move.

Although Youngblood said they are still trying to determine what is best suited to go into Blackburn, he said they would like to utilize the basement for a good purpose and do minimal renovations to the first floor if possible. Renovations would possibly start Fall 2017. “I think the overall goal is campus expansion,” Youngblood said. “We’re expanding the footprint of the university.” Steve Cobb, dean of the Jesse D. Jones College of Science, Engineering and Technology, said class opportunities will be expanded in civil engineering, manufacturing, electromechanical engineering technologies, aerospace, telecommunications and alternative energy solutions. Cobb said he wants students to come out of the program well-prepared, so that when they graduate, they can go directly into jobs in industry. “We hope that we will be more attractive to underrepresented groups in engineering. That includes minority populations, but it also includes women,” Cobb said. “There are not enough women in engineering. That means we’re missing half the good ideas that exist in the world today.” The ribbon cutting for the Engineering and Physics Building will be held April 21, and the Gary Boggess Science Resource Center and Timothy Jones Gateway will be named and dedicated within the new building.

Student published in Relevant magazine Lindsey Coleman || Staff writer

MARCH 14

lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

12:36 a.m.

The Murray State Police Department received a general incident reporting form in reference to a verbal disagreement between residents at Elizabeth Residential College. Officers and the Housing Department were notified and an information report was taken.

11:15 p.m.

An officer conducted a traffic stop at Five Star BP Gas Station. The driver was arrested for driving under the influence, aggravated circumstances and issued a citation for expired registration.

1 0 1

Alicia Steele, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

asteele5@murraystate.edu

New Engineering and Physics Building includes $5 million in latest technology

8 a.m.

Motorist assists Racer assists Arrests

Assistant News Editor

With occasional humorous asides and Monty Python allusions at his disposal, one student has broadened his writing platform by submitting his work to the acclaimed Relevant magazine. Peter Northcutt, senior from Calvert City, Kentucky, began writing for Relevant in January to fulfill his New Year’s resolution to be published in the magazine. So far, the magazine has chosen to publish two of his articles: one about heresy and one about biblical community. He said his article topics usually address his latest thoughts and his passions. “Usually, that’s showing people a different side of spirituality and a different side of how they see the world,” Northcutt said. “I try to write in such a way that it’s not just entertainment and not just a Northcutt waste of four minutes—that they walk away feeling challenged to think about a certain topic critically.” Relevant reaches about 2.3 million readers each month through podcasts, print media and online content, all of which focuses on Christ-centered living. Any writer can submit an article to Relevant for review. Northcutt said he began writing in elementary

school, and he has always loved the process of writing. He said it was during his college years that he began to explore greater possibilities. During Spring 2015, Northcutt started a blog and received positive feedback on social media. An inspiration for Northcutt is one of his favorite authors, Donald Miller, author of “Blue Like Jazz.” Northcutt said Miller’s take on a memoir and the beauty of honesty in writing influenced his own work. In the book, Miller talks openly about the messiness of his life. “By doing that, the writing becomes so much more relatable and personal, and it affected me incredibly, reading that book, and gave me the desire to share my own story and to share the messiness of my own life with others,” Northcutt said. One of the reasons he said he loves reading and writing is because they are ways to convey experiences with other people. “When I write, I’m hopefully giving someone else my perspective on the world,” Northcutt said. “Not that my perspective is any more valid than theirs, but it’s just a different one. By everyone sharing their experiences with one another, we can become so much more sensitive to one another and to what one another is going through.” Northcutt comes from a family of writers. Both his sister and mother graduated from Murray State with journalism degrees and have extensive writing experience.

Some of his inspiration comes from his mother, Leigh Ann Northcutt, and he said he’s taken on her humorous style while adding his own twist to it. She said she felt more demanding than her children’s English teachers at times, and she still suggests they rewrite their stories today if it’s not their best work. “I don’t know that I encouraged Peter to write as much as I insisted that if he was going to write, he should do it well,” Leigh Ann said. Andrew Black, assistant professor of English at Murray State, was one of Northcutt’s professors. Black said he’s glad Northcutt took his strong analytical skills and unusual eloquence to a venue beyond the classroom to reach a broader audience. “Writing papers for a class can be rushed and feel arbitrary, like a one-way exchange between a teacher and a student, but that was never the case in the classes I had with him,” Black said. “His arguments were always challenging and creative, and I love reading papers like that.” Northcutt said “building things out of words” for Relevant is just a stepping stone in his career. He will be taking his writing interests to the classroom as he joins Teach for America in the fall. “The only way to improve as a writer is to write,” Northcutt said. “The blog and the Relevant articles and all the stuff that I write mostly serve to enhance my communication abilities. I’ve learned so much through the process.”

The News

Page 4

March 16, 2017

Opinion Editor: Hallie Beard Phone: 270-809-5873

Opinion Our View

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

Connor Jaschen Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 cjaschen@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

Sarah Combs Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 scombs@murraystate.edu

Selena McPherson / The News

Everything to hide

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

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

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

Allison Laski Chief Videographer alaski@murraystate.edu

Stephanie Elder-Anderson Adviser • 270-809-3937 selder@murraystate.edu

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

“I refuse to believe that a campus is safer by refusing to be transparent on sexual assault.” Attorney General Andy Beshear gave this firm statement Monday to one of our reporters in discussing one of the most troublesome issues plaguing Kentucky and its higher education institutions today: student newspapers and Open Records laws. Currently, three Kentucky universities (Western Kentucky University, Kentucky State and University of Kentucky) are in the midst of lawsuits with their student newspapers involving obtaining information about campus-related sexual assault cases. The Kentucky Kernel, for example, requested documents in order to accurately cover sexual assault stories in an honest and timely manner. According to the Open Records Act of 1992, the journalists had every right to inquire about the documents and should have been granted access to them, even if that meant student names would be redacted.

TheNews.org The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Submissions should be 600 words or less, and contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the university. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Monday of each week via email to hbeard2@murraystate.edu. Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News. The News strives to be the university community’s source for information. Our goal is to present that information in a fair and unbiased manner and provide a free and open forum for expression and debate. The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies. The News is prepared and edited by students and is an official publication of Murray State University. The first copy is free. Additional copies are available for 25 cents at 111 Wilson Hall.

The problem? The universities denied the Kernel’s access to the documents under the guise that releasing information would violate FERPA laws. That’s where Beshear comes in. After the student paper appealed the document denials to Beshear’s office, the office requested t he c olleges turn over the documents in question for a private analysis, only to determine if the material would violate laws. In a shockingly bold – and seemingly unlawful – move, the universities denied Beshear’s office access. If that doesn’t point to some-

“

thing fishy, we’re not sure what does. Thankfully, Beshear, who has long supported students and their concerns with higher education, is fighting for transparency and integrity – not to mention fulfilling the law. What does it say about a university if administrators deny the state to review information over faculty-initiated sexual misconduct? Could this possibly be a situation of a university conducting shady business in order to keep up appearances and keep the cash flow of doe-eyed freshmen coming in? Surely not – that doesn’t sound anything like university politics.

I refuse to believe that a campus is safer by refusing to be transparent on sexual assault.

“

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

Coincidentally, March 12 commemorated the beginning of Sunshine Week, which reminds citizens that any properly functioning and healthy democracy thrives on its people having access to information about institutions and leaders. An editorial from the Lexington Herald-Leader noted the behavior of these university officials have made it clear they believe their institutions are above the law. That opinion is frighteningly on the money – the danger we face as students under controlling and secretive university regimes is not to be taken lightly. It’s unclear how long it will take for the three Kentucky universities on the hot seats to surrender and release information, but one thing’s for sure: in dealing with human well-being and the integrity of our institutions, we have no other choice as student journalists than to keep fighting for truth. The law – our freedoms – must be upheld. The truth must triumph.

Between You and Media

Tale as old as time Rachel Wood Contributing writer rwood7@murraystate.edu Since 2010, Walt Disney Pictures has released approximately 47 feature films, 20 of which are remakes or sequels. Several of those movies have been re-imaginings or sequels to some of our favorite ’90s nostalgia classics – so what is driving Disney to make them? Obviously, profit is a huge factor. Sequels to blockbuster hits like “Finding Nemo” and “Toy Story” are sure to draw just as big of an audience as a live-action remake of “Cinderella.” However, the Walt Disney Company, with its billions of dollars in assets, could surely afford one or two box office flops, right? Perhaps even more interesting is that this phenomenon is not just isolated to the film industry. Nostalgia culture is becoming a staple in the fashion industry – from retro swimsuits to ’90s

chokers – as well as the video game industry. After all, Nintendo’s newest system has already been dubbed a “$300 Zelda machine.” Why aren’t these companies and innovating? I think this inundation of nostalgia is purely based on just how quickly technology is developing and how fast we are consuming it. Go back to Disney, for example. Disney has produced almost 50 blockbuster hits in less than 7 years, and none of us are really phased by it. Disney was producing an average of 10 feature films per decade 50 years ago. Though technology has certainly sped up the process since then, we’ve become desensitized to the level of intensity of media production. We are rapidly consuming media and have no signs of slowing down. Companies, therefore, have to respond in kind. By speeding up their production process, creators have less time to innovate and certainly less time to build characters and stories from

the ground up. And why should they have to? They know we’ll go see the latest live-action remake of our favorite childhood films – even I’ll admit I’m not skipping out on “Beauty and the Beast.” Another huge factor to keep in mind is that the “’90s” generation, Generation Y, the one that grew up on “Monster’s Inc.” and “The Lion King,” has the most heavy influence on entertainment companies. Polls have shown that almost every member of this generation uses the internet. Of course companies are going to listen to the opinions and petitions we post online; we’re the exact market they’re pandering to for their industry. All in all, it’s an endless cycle. The more we prey on the nostalgia of decades past, the more companies are going to produce items that trigger that nostalgia. As we keep consuming the same, revamped products, companies will never feel the need to get their creative juices flowing.

So, how do we have a more successful, diverse media market? Keep supporting the smaller creators. Indie video game developers, independent filmmakers and unsigned artists all have the benefit of developing for a culture that demands an endless supply of content, as well as one that offers user-friendly technology. However, they can’t thrive without some support from our end. If we support unique ideas, bigger companies will be forced to step up their creative game. This is a two-way street, though. Creativity takes time. If we slow down our consumption of media, companies would have more time to come up with the ideas that will define our generation. Right now, though, it just seems like we’re a decade of recycled concepts and overdone storylines. Don’t let these big-name producers sit back while we continuously give them money for the same old content.

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Hallie Beard Opinion Editor

Dylan Doyle Junior from Marion, KY

John Muenzberg Lecturer of philosophy

Robert Valentine Senior lecturer of advertising

Rachel Wood Junior from Birmingham, AL

The News

Opinion

March 16, 2017

Page 5

Rational Animal

Are we a Christian nation? John Muenzberg Contributing writer jmuenzberg@murraystate.edu In making arguments for banning Muslim immigration into the U.S. or using school choice money to support Christian schools or passing laws that allow Christians to discriminate against certain people, support is often drawn from the idea that the U.S. is a “Christian nation.” Supporters assume that we, as a nation, should follow Christian teaching even if it disagrees with U.S. or state laws. Yet few people explain which version of Christianity we will be following. It is often assumed that if we are all Christian then we all agree. This is not and never really has been true. There are many disagreements in the history of Christianity, but let’s start with one that celebrates its 500th anniversary this year. On Oct. 31, 1517, Martin Luther distributed his “95 Theses,” which disputed the common practice of granting indulgences for past sins when people donated money to the Roman Catholic Church.

While Luther was not the first to publicly disagree with the Catholic Church, his disagreement lead to the Protestant Reformation, after which dozens of new denominations of Christianity were founded. Denominations such as the Lutherans, Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Mormons and the Church of Christ did not exist before 1517. But these denominations did not necessarily think the others were true Christians. The Catholic Church represented political power in Europe, so challenges to the church were political and financial challenges as well. Ultimately, these disagreements led to the 30 Years War, which began in 1618. Millions of Europeans, both soldiers and civilians, died from war, disease and starvation. In some areas, more than half of the population died. That Europe was Christian did not prevent them from killing each other for religious and political power. We like to celebrate the landing of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. They are called “separatists” because, while they began as Anglicans, they wanted to separate

themselves from the official state religion of England. England officially was, and still is, a Christian nation. But these Christians thought it was so important to separate themselves from state control that they left. Many of our colonies were founded by specific religious groups. Maryland was founded especially for English Catholics fleeing persecution. New York was aligned with the Dutch Reformed Church. Florida was founded by Spain, which was Catholic. Several colonies were officially aligned with the Church of England. Some take this history as evidence that we are a Christian nation, but these were separate colonies representing different denominations. Some of the colonies excluded other Christians from establishing churches and holding public office, and public taxes might support the official church. Some people argue that our founding fathers were Christian. It is certainly true that many of them followed one of the denominations listed above. But it is also true that many of them were Deists. De-

Jeers to ... Kentucky?

ists believed in God and thought that God created the universe, but they did not believe in revelation or miracles. They mostly rejected contemporary religious practice and church hierarchy. Just because they believed in God, and use terms such as “creator” or “supreme being,” does not mean that they agree with your version of Christianity. Deist beliefs were instrumental in rejecting an official state religion in the U.S. Constitution. When someone suggests that we are a Christian nation ask them, “Which Christians?” The largest Christian denomination in the U.S. is Roman Catholic. Yet many people erroneously say Catholics are not “true Christians.” Ask them if they would pay taxes to support the Catholic Church, or have Catholic theology taught in public schools. Chances are that is not the Christian nation they are thinking of. Religious freedom and tolerance have allowed the U.S. to thrive. Having Christian citizens should not be confused with being a Christian nation. And Christianity should not be used as an excuse to discriminate against others.

Cheers to ... the Period Project

It turns out the Bluegrass State – still a fine place, certainly – is not the greatest place for ladies, according to a WalletHub study cited in a report in the Courier-Journal. Kentucky ranked 33rd in a study that examined the social and economic well-being, as well as physical health and safety, for women. Yikes!

If you’ve been in women’s bathrooms lately, you may have noticed evidence of a helpful project: one student has placed containers of tampons and pads in bathrooms with notes that say, “Need one, take one. Have one, leave one.” Smart cookie!

CHEERS & JEERS

Cheers to ... Franklin

Jeers to ... Snow storms After those glorious days we had of summer-esque sun and blooming flowers, this extreme cold is simply offensive. In the Northeast, some pretty severe snowstorms have people scouring grocery stores for bread and milk. At least we haven’t reached that level of desperation in Murray yet – knock on wood!

Hollis C. Franklin Residential College was just awarded “the golden standard” by LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Way to go, Frank! The original goal was to meet LEED’s silver rating, but the college surpassed that level with flying colors, going straight for the gold.

Cheers & Jeers is written by The Murray State News’ Opinion Editor. Questions, comments or concerns should be addressed to hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Some Things Considered

A dead man writing Hallie Beard Opinion Editor hbeard2@murraystate.edu This week, The New Yorker released a previously unpublished story called “The I.O.U.” by the great late F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of “The Great Gatsby” – you know, that book you read the SparkNotes for in high school (shame on you all). Fitzgerald was a fine writer, and I’ve read a few of his other novels, short stories and essays – most people would agree none of his other works are as good as “The Great Gatsby,” though they’re all extremely similar in plot. I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a one-trick pony, but his writing is fairly monochromatic. The new story is pleasantly surprising, but not life-changing; amusing, but not particularly memorable. A few pretty sentences stand out as classically Fitzgerald in their dreamy, pastoral simplicity and saccharine over-sentimentality (“The garden of Dr. Harden was full of sunshine and blossomed with Japanese magnolia trees dropping pink tears over the grass.”), but some stand out as in-need of revision (“He looked up. In his thin face were the eyes that are seen in only two sorts of men: those who are up on spiritualism and those who are down on spiritualism.”

Got opinions?

Clever, sure, but isn’t the repetition of “up” a bit messy there?). While I could probably spend the remainder of my column picking apart which sentences should have been reworked, I’ll spare you. Instead, I’ll explain my concern about post-mortem publishing. The New Yorker doesn’t include additional information about the story or its publication – we don’t know why the piece was previously unpublished, who had ownership of it before or who began the process of getting it published in 2017. We don’t know to what extent Fitzgerald had already edited and revised it (or what kind of editing it went through prior to publication). Most importantly, we don’t know if Fitzgerald ever wanted it published. Did I violate the author’s wishes by reading a piece that, in his mind, was unfinished and unfit for public reading? Were there a smattering of awkward sentences he would have deleted if he knew someone would read it? There are plenty of works we read today that were published posthumously, and many of them are considered essential reading. “The Diary of Anne Frank,” for instance, is a monumental piece of writing that has been adapted into countless other forms of media (plays, movies, etc.) and is a his-

torical gem. No one wants their diary read, sure – but Anne Frank wanted to be a writer, so can’t we assume she actually would be delighted to have her work read as widely as it is today? “A Confederacy of Dunces” was published in 1980 and won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1981, but its author, John Kennedy Toole, had committed suicide in 1969. He couldn’t get the work published, and it wasn’t until after his death that his mother found a copy of the manuscript and got it published. It’s a tragic story, but he actually did want the book to be read, right? In Toole’s case, there’s no question that he wanted it read. The question is whether or not the book was ready. I agree with David Llewellyn, author of the WordPress blog “A Forest of Beasts” when he says, “The tragedy of ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’ is not that publishers failed to recognize its genius, but that the author didn’t live to work with an editor bossy and skillful enough to whip the thing into better shape.” Llewellyn notes that the work is “more like a polished and very promising first draft than a finished novel.” He’s not wrong – the novel does need more revising, and it’s a shame the author couldn’t witness the success it had even in its original form. Who knows how much better it would be if Toole

had found the right editor and publisher to improve it during the 1960s. Now, of course, we know Fitzgerald is not a tragic one-hit-wonder. He enjoyed more than enough fame and wealth for his writing in his time, so there’s not much that hinges on his mediocre story being in The New Yorker now. Even so, though, I can’t fight the feeling that if it didn’t see the light of day during his active writing career, it probably wasn’t supposed to. Maybe I shouldn’t have read the story, then – I’m not sure. I didn’t read Harper Lee’s “Go Set a Watchman” out of respect for, admittedly, what I assume she wanted while she was younger and more mentally sound, and to preserve my love for “To Kill a Mockingbird.” On the other hand, I just got my hands on “A Prayer Journal,” a collection of intimate, diary-like prayer entries written by the Southern Gothic fiction queen, Flannery O’Connor. I have no idea whether or not Ms. O’Connor would have wanted her personal litanies and lamentations published and read. But they’re incredible, and I feel no regret having read them. Where is the line between author intention and audience enjoyment? The world may never know. And maybe it’s not supposed to. Right?

Letter to the Editor

To Sens. Paul, McConnell and Rep. Comey by Mike D’Ambrosio associate professor of music Many voters who chose Trump wanted and expected him to tear down the Washington establishment and start anew, but did they expect him to tear down the fabric of our democracy in the process? As your constituent, at the very least I expect you to stand up for the truth, for evidence, for reasoning, for transparency and for logic. Without these, our system is just as vulnerable to attack from the inside as it is from terrorism or any other “evil” our president can dream up. Though I am certainly a Democrat, I have always believed that both parties need the other in order to steer the ship straight over the long arc of time. I will not like most of the Republican policies, but I understand and can accept that the pendulum will shift back and forth. Those policies might make me angry, but they rarely make me afraid. So where does all the fear come? I know the new immigration policies cause fear for a lot of people in this country right now, but I believe that underneath it all most Americans are afraid of statements like this: “In addition to winning the Electoral College in a landslide, I won the popular vote if you deduct the millions of people who voted illegally” (11/27/16 tweet). “Terrible! Just found out that Obama had my ‘wires tapped’ in Trump Tower just before the victory. Nothing found. This is McCarthyism!” (3/4/17 tweet). These are serious charges! If true, either of these would have a huge effect on how Americans perceive everything about their government. There should be investigations and deliberations by thoughtful and intelligent people before anyone else hears about it, in order to verify that these allegations are in fact true. But that’s not the way things are unfolding, are they? Unverified claims are being sent directly to the masses by the president of the United States before any actual evidence has been presented (other than shoddy reporting by questionable news sources). In fact, these baseless statements should all be ignored. But when that same information gets tweeted out to 26 million people who will believe it no matter what, it becomes impossible to ignore. This is not a partisan complaint – such behavior should never be deemed acceptable in this country. Maybe many of the people reading Trump’s tweets will claim that he is in fact the one saving democracy, but they seem to trust his words blindly above all – above anybody whose job it is to find and report the actual truth or above those considered experts in their field. Those unverified tweets, accurate or not, are reshaping the way people perceive their government and it is already eroding public trust and the power of government to make a positive difference in the lives of its people. Should our teachers stop requiring their students to back up their statements with reasoning and evidence? Should they stop having students cite their sources? We cannot hold our president, or any other public servant, to a lower standard than we might hold a high school freshman. After all, the next bold tweet could be about Congress…or about you. How will you defend yourself without facts and truth? How can any of us? If these statements undercutting our democracy and perception of our American government do not make you afraid, then you need to take a closer look. Democrats, if they aren’t already, will certainly be pursuing impeachment sometime during the course of this year. Before dismissing that as politics as usual, consider how unusual the past two months have been. There is a difference between pushing for smaller government and throwing out the whole thing. And with one outrageous statement after another, does anyone in Washington even have time to govern anymore? Maybe that is the point. Either way, this is a more dangerous time than many people realize. There will be a time when not just Democrats, but everyone in Washington will need to accept the inevitable: that an administration under President Donald Trump has the capacity to erode the institution of the United States government beyond repair. Everyone will lose, no matter how they voted in November. President Mike Pence’s policies will most certainly make me angry but much less afraid for the future of our democracy. All eyes are now on the grownups in Washington. As your constituent, at the very least I expect you to stand up for the truth, for evidence, for reasoning, for transparency and for logic. Without these, all is lost.

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March 16, 2017

Softball sweeps Racer Classic Bryan Edwards Staff writer

bedwards16@murraystate.edu

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Young team opens OVC play on the road Blake Sandlin Staff writer

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s tennis team will have over a week of preparation before they head to Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday for two matches in two days. The Racers, who currently sit at 2-6, will matchup with Belmont (2-9) in their first conference meeting of the season. Although the Racers claimed a 4-3 win against

the Bruins last season, Head Coach Jorge Caetano said a younger Racer roster will make the match more difficult. “We won last year, but we have four different girls and Belmont pretty much kept the same team and brought one good player too, so it should be a really close match,” Caetano said. Murray State will be faced with a Belmont team that has an abundance of senior leadership on their 10-player roster.

The Murray State softball team played its first home game of the Spring 2017 season and played host to three other schools in the Racer Classic. The tournament marks the first time the Racers have hosted in program history. The event included Austin Peay, Saint Louis University and Northern Illinois. The Racers swept the field, finishing 5-0 in the tournament and moving their record to 20-4 overall. The Racers are also riding a nine-game winning streak. Senior pitcher Mason Robinson won three games during the tournament. The victories gave her 58 in her career, making her the winningest pitcher in Murray State history Head Coach Kara Amundson said she is proud of her achievement but also said records are meant to be broken. “She’s had double-digit wins since she’s stepped into the program, and that’s a lot to say about a fouryear starter,” Amundson said. “She’s worked hard,

“I feel like Belmont is much more experienced than us,” Caetano said. “They have seven seniors in the lineup, and we have four freshman, so that’s a big difference.” Caetano said his team’s results in the matches over the weekend will depend on the Racers’ performance in doubles. “We know if we play good doubles, things tend to go our way in the singles,” Caetano said. On Saturday, the Racers will be tested against Tennessee State (6-0), a team Caetano said is on the up and up. “They’re awesome, much improved,” Caetano said. “They’ve been improving every single year.” As for the Racers’ game plan going into Saturday’s match

Spring Break Sports Monday, March 20 Women’s Golf v. Morehead State 8 a.m. Tennis v. Florida Southern 3 p.m. Softball v. California State Northridge 1 p.m. & 3 p.m.

Wednesday, March 22 Tennis v. Rollins 3:30 p.m. Baseball v. Southern Illinois 5 p.m.

Friday, March 24 Men’s Golf v. Florida Atlantic 8 a.m. Women’s Tennis v. Jacksonville State Noon Women’s Track v. Mississippi Baseball v. Eastern Illinois 3 p.m.

and she’s one of the greatest kids I’ve had the opportunity to coach. It’s such a special moment for her, but I would love to see someone come in and break the record again.” Amundson said it was a great experience to be able to host a tournament and to put on a good showing. “It was awesome,” Amundson said. “Having the players be able to sleep in their own beds and having the fans come show their support is a huge deal. We were excited to play at home and the fans were excited to see us play as well.”

THURSDAY

The Racers opened the tournament with a 3-1 victory over OVC rival APSU. The Racers opened the scoring with a double steal that brought in sophomore infielder Brenna Finck during the first inning. The Racers tacked on one run in both the second and fourth innings to extend their lead to 3-0. Robinson allowed one run in the fifth, but the offense from the Racers proved to be enough, helping her move to 11-2 on the season. Junior infielder Erika Downey recorded two hits in three at-bats with two RBIs in

against the Tigers, Caetano said nothing will change. “It’s the same,” Caetano said. “We’re going to be there, we’re going to go there to beat them, to compete. I think every single one of our girls can win their match. We need that kind of confidence, and that’s the goal for the weekend.” Murray State is nursing a three-game losing streak after falling to East Tennessee State, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and Saint Louis University. Despite their performances in the past matches, Caetano said he isn’t worried. “I think that’s kind of why we try and talk with each other,” Caetano said. “Just making sure they don’t look at just the overall

the game to lead the Racers. The Racers shut out the Saint Louis Billikens 2-0 in six innings to finish their day. Junior pitcher Haven Campbell allowed only three hits to the Billikens in the win, moving her to 6-2 on the season. Senior infielder Taylor Odom executed a squeeze bunt to score freshman outfielder Kaylee Ranburger for the first run of the game. Downey recorded an RBI in the fourth to push the Racer lead to 4-0.

FRIDAY

Murray State finished day two of the Racer Classic with wins over Northern Illinois and Saint Louis. After falling behind to the Huskies 3-0, the Racers scored seven unanswered runs, including a four-run fifth inning to secure a 7-5 victory over Northern Illinois. Campbell pitched a complete game in the circle, with four earned runs and four strikeouts in the win. Finck had three hits in as many at-bats, recording three RBIs and scoring once in the win. The Racers had to take the field for back-to-back games in day two, defeating Saint

“

I think every single one of our girls can win their match. We need that kind of confidence, and that’s the goal for the weekend. - Head Coach Jorge Caetano

”

Louis 2-1 in their final game of the day. Robinson posted a seven-strikeout performance in the win, retiring 14 consecutive batters at one point in the game. Robinson has a team high 12 wins on the season. Finck and freshman outfielder Kristen Bialek scored the two runs for the Racers in the third inning of the game.

SUNDAY

The Racers faced off against Northern Illinois in their final game of the tournament. Robinson pitched her third complete game in a 9-0 victory in six innings. Murray State scored in every inning except the second and allowed only three hits in their ninth consecutive win of the year. Senior infielder Jessica Twaddle led the way for the Racers with two runs and two RBIs in the game. The Racers closed the game with a three-run sixth, putting them up 9-0 to win in six innings due to the NCAA’s eight-run rule. The Racers welcome Western Illinois to Racer Field in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15.

record, whatever it is. We’ve played very good teams.” The Racers will have the week to prepare for a busy schedule that has them competing in six matches in a matter of eight days. Caetano said he plans to use the week to make sure his players are as healthy and rested as possible. “We’ve been struggling a lot this year with injuries, so any time off we can get is actually really helpful for us,” Caetano said. “So, I think it’s going to be good for us just to make sure everyone is 100 percent, or close to percent, for the very first weekend.” The team’s road trip kicks off with Belmont at 2 p.m. on Friday, March 17 at the Centennial Sportsplex in Nashville, Tennessee.

Campus Cup is up for grabs Blake Sandlin Staff writer

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

The spring intramural season is prompting residential colleges and Greek organizations to step up their game in hopes of securing intramural athletics’ highest honor. Teams compete in a year’s worth of brutal competition in 17 different sports to take home the coveted Campus Cup, given to the organizations on campus with the best overall performances in intramural competitions over the course of the year. Intramural teams eligible to win the Campus Cup are divided into three categories including residential colleges, fraternities and sororities. Those teams have the opportunity to compete to not only win an individual championship for their respective organization, but also to earn points toward the Campus Cup. The total points a team earns toward the cup is dependent on the sport they are playing. The league allocates the majority of points to the five major sports (softball, flag football, basketball, volleyball and soccer). By participating in one of those major sports, the residential colleges or Greek organizations are awarded 50 participation points, as well as points based on a team’s order of finish starting at 200 points for first place, 180 for second and 160 for third. For minor sports like water polo, bowling and three-on-three basketball,

teams are granted 50 participation points but receive only 100 points for firstplace finishes, 90 for second and 80 for third. In order to prevent disorderly behavior among teams, the league enforces a sportsmanship policy. Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness Steve Leitch said that the system helps to keep teams accountable for their in-game actions. “Each time a team comes to a game, they are graded on their sportsmanship, and that is kind of a collaborative grade with the referees and the supervisor on duty,” Leitch said. “So they’ll come up with a grade, and your grades break down from zero to 10, with 10 being the best and zero being not able to complete the game. You need a seven average to get into the playoffs, so typically what it does is it’s determining your eligibility for the playoffs.” Leitch said that although teams sometimes struggle with sportsmanship, the league seems to be moving in the right direction. “It’s not as bad as years past,” Leitch said. “Every team became eligible for basketball playoffs so I would say the trend is getting better not worse.” The current rankings at the end of the fall season of play for the residential colleges had Elizabeth in the lead with 1,912.5 total points. Hart is trailing by 135 points in second place, followed by White with 1,717.5 points. For the sororities, Alpha Sigma Alpha leads with 870, followed by Alpha Gamma

Delta with 610 points. Alpha Omicron Pi is 180 points behind with 430 points to round out the top three. The fraternity leaderboards have Alpha Sigma Phi in first place with 1,065 points, followed by Sigma Phi Epsilon with 850 points. Pi Kappa Alpha is in third place with 765 points. Austin Spicer, president of Alpha Sigma Phi, said his fraternity places a precedent on intramural performance throughout the year in hopes of putting his organization in a position to win the cup. “[Campus Cup] was one of our top priorities of the year considering how close we were the previous year,” Spicer said. “Campus Cup is something all of us fraternities put time towards and it’s great that Murray State offers leagues and sports to keep us busy while having fun competing.” Although three spring sports have already ended for the season, there are still opportunities for students to get involved in soccer, tennis, volleyball and the IM Combine in hopes of putting their organization over the top. Leitch said he is in the process of incorporating mid-season score updates to keep students informed of the Campus Cup standings. He said students can expect an update within the next several weeks. “We might do them mid-semester now,” Leitch said. “We’ll probably do an update mid-fall, end of fall, mid-spring and end of spring.”

The News

Page 9

March 16, 2017

Features

Features Editor: Gisselle Hernandez Assistant Features Editor: Emily Williams Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

A H I S T ORY

WOMEN

Diving into Murray State’s history by taking a look at Racer women’s accomplishments Sydni Anderson Staff writer

sanderson33@murraystate.edu

The history of women at Murray State dates back to the creation of the school. From the beginning, Murray State has been a co-educational facility, teaching and hiring both sexes. As people around the world celebrate Women’s History Month, Murray State looks into the past to celebrate its own history of femininity.

FIRST FACULTY & ALUMNI

The year was 1924 when Murray State Normal School hired its first faculty members. The first person contracted was a man, but out of the eight teachers hired that year, three of them were female. Mary W. Moss was the first woman to join Murray State’s faculty. She taught English and served as the Adviser of Women, or Dean of Women as it is now called. Her yearly salary was $2,400, matching the pay of two male counterparts. It was the highest faculty salary. The first Murray State alumni were overwhelmingly female.

According to Board of Regents minutes from the year of Moss’s hiring, the graduating class of 1924 was 93 percent female. Out of 15 graduates, 14 were women. In their minutes, the Board of Regents forecast the university to be dominantly female. “There will always be three women to one man,” the minutes read, referring to the university’s need for only one male dormitory.

FIRST DORM

Sarah Hopley, Murray State Special Collections curator, said the first dormitory built on campus was a women’s dorm. Hopley said Wells Hall opened in 1925 and was overseen by the Dean of Women, Mary Moss. It was set to house 316 women.

RISE OF FEMALE GROUPS

In the following year, the Women’s Self-Government Association was established. All women registered in college were members of the association and had to follow its rules. According to “Murray State University: Fifty Years of Progress,” a book written to

commemorate Murray State’s 50th anniversary, the group was created to advocate for female students. “The purposes of the Association were to enact and enforce regulations for the welfare of women students and to promote school spirit,” the text reads. “Fifty Years of Progress” also notes the establishment of another female group. The Alpha Chi chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma pioneered Greek life at Murray State and was the first sorority and Greek organization on campus. As stated on the chapter website, the sorority was chartered in 1942 and had 26 chapter members. Alpha Sigma Alpha’s Beta Nu chapter was installed in 1946.

DISTINGUISHED WOMEN

In 1964, the Murray State’s Alumni Association established a program of designating a "Distinguished Professor of the Year." In the second year of the program, Professor

of biological sciences and Adviser to pre-medicine students Liza Spann was selected as distinguished professor of the year. Spann’s service to Murray State is remembered to this day, as she now has a memorial scholarship in her name for pre-medicine and pre-dentistry majors. Women at Murray State also excelled in athletics. Carla Coffey the first woman to be inducted into Murray State’s Hall of Fame in 1981. According to the university’s Hall of Fame webpage, Coffey ran track and played basketball for Murray S t a t e from 1967 to 1971. “Honored as the most valuable player in track and basketball for three consecutive seasons, Coffey re-

corded the only first place finish in women’s national championship competition,” the page says. Six years later, Nita became the first female coach and administrator to enter the Hall of Fame. She coached tennis from 1967 to 1982 and achieved a 204-67 record with her teams, three of which had undefeated seasons. In 1984, Murray State freshman rifle shooter Pat Spurgin won an Olympic gold medal, becoming the first woman to win gold in Olympic shooting. She was also selected as 1984 OVC Female Athlete of the Year. She was inducted into the university Hall of Fame in 1993 and the rifle range was named in her honor. In 1983, the university saw its first female president. According to the history of the office page on the university website, Kala M. Stroup was the seventh president of Murray State and served for six years.

WOMEN RACERS TODAY

To this day, Murray State students and faculty follow in the footsteps of alumnae.

Shawn Touney, director of Communication at Murray State, said since 2001 the percentage of females on campus has consistently been around 60 percent. Touney said last fall had an enrollment of 6,154 female students. Just like in 1924, women make up the majority of the Murray State student body. A variety of groups on campus represent this female majority, including the National Organization of Women and ECHOS Inc. Last year, Marjorie Hilton, university associate professor of history, chartered the Women’s Faculty Caucus, which celebrated Women’s History Month with a panel discussing feminism. Ki’Ron Sickles, a member of ECHOS Inc. from Louisville, Kentucky, said female organizations are important on campus. “We strive to be that voice for all women on campus, and prove that women can successfully work together for a purpose bigger than self,” Sickles said. “We stand for ALL women.”