The Murray State News

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THE MUR R AY STATE

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September 28, 2017 | Vol. 92, No. 6

PENSION CRISIS: Doctoral THE BROKEN PROMISE $33 BILLION

$8,789

Kentucky’s Pension Debt (+$6 Billion in health care)

per Kentuckian

diplomas misprinted Lindsey Coleman

Assistant News Editor

PENSION SYSTEM FUNDING KENTUCKY | 37.4%

Percentage of funds required to pay retirees.

NATIONAL AVERAGE | 74.6%

100%

75%

50%

25%

0%

WORST

3RD HIGHEST

3RD HIGHEST

Source: Standard & Poor’s ranking

Source: Moody’s Investors Service ranking

Source: The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College

aggregate pension underfunding among the 50 states

net pension liability as a percentage of governmental revenues among the states

pension-related budget burden in the nation

Graphic courtesy of Austin Gordon

Source: Kentucky Teacher Retirement System annual report 2016 and pensions.ky.gov.

Ashley Traylor News Editor

atraylor@murraystate.edu

Murray State alumna, Nicole McGregor teaches sixth grade reading at Mayfield Middle School and though retirement is not around the corner for her, the Commonwealth’s looming pension crisis makes her fearful for life after retirement.

“We want to be there with our [school] kids, and I cannot stress that enough,” McGregor said. “It’s going to be hard to walk into work every day and be like, ‘Yeah I’m here. I’m here for them,’ but what am I going to have in ten years when it’s time for me to retire? Am I going to have to work until I’m 80 just to be able to live?”

McGregor is referring to the current pension crisis in Kentucky. A pension program is a retirement plan where an employer contributes money into a pool of funds set aside for the employee’s benefit. The Commonwealth has eight types of pension plans, one being the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (KTRS).

The KTRS is a defined benefit retirement plan that pays a specified amount of money based on the teacher’s service and average salary, along with the employer’s contribution.

Kentucky has one of the weakest and worst-funded pension systems in the country, with only about 37.4 percent of the funds to pay retirees compared to the nation’s average of 74.6 percent, according to Kentucky’s pension website. The pension debt is $33 billion, in addition to $6 billion in health care. The pension debt will continue to rise without measures to balance the budget and the fund the pension system.

Gov. Matt Bevin said he is committed to fixing the pension crisis the state is drowning in.

“We must act now to get our financial house in order,” Bevin said in a statement regarding the crisis.

“There is no other viable option. I am convinced we can get this done and am committed to doing so. For those retired, for those still working and for those yet to come: We will save the public retirement system.”

McGregor said it’s scary to think about the underfunded pension system, that could be depleted when she retires.

“I am nine years in and haven’t paid into the Social Security and don’t have

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that backing and don’t have 401K,” McGregor said. “It’s almost like until now, what I have been doing for retirement will be a loss.”

Most employees pay into Social Security and a 401K plan and are able to draw from both upon retirement.

However, through the pension system, teachers receive a benefit that KTRS estimates is about three times what the average Social Security check is at a cost that is nearly the same or cheaper for the state.

For nearly 20 years, the state has not appropriated and invested enough money into the plan for it to remain fully funded. In the 1990s, when the plan was fully funded, the government added benefits without funding them.

One of those benefits was the cost of living increase for the Kentucky Retirement System members.

Gov. Bevin plans to call a special session in October to discuss changes to the pension plans, but he has yet to set a date for the legislative session.

The governor hired a consulting group, PFM, to analyze the state’s retirement plans and make recommendations to solve the pension crisis.

PFM’s proposals have stirred anxiety among those serving in the state workforce. PFM proposed to suspend teacher’s cost of living adjustments until the KTRS is 90 percent funded.

Retired Kentucky teachers currently receive a 1.5 percent cost of living adjustment.

Teachers are able to retire when they have earned 27 years of service, or retire at age 60 with five years of service. PFM consultants suggested increasing the retirement age to 65, along with ending some of teachers’ benefits, like using unused sick days to enhance their benefits.

Teachers accumulate unused sick days that can translate into a higher salary the final year before retirement, yet McGregor said most teachers do not ‘hoard them’ because they want to cash in on them.

“As teachers, we are definitely not selfish,” McGregor said. “We hang on to our sick days because we try not to be sick. We don’t want to miss out on our kids.”

PFM consultants also recommended new teachers get a 401K plan with Social Security benefits, but this comes at a price for employers.

School boards would have to pick up additional costs tacked on by the 401K and Social Security plan. Current

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teachers would remain on the existing pension system.

McGregor said she hopes teachers nearing retirement do not exit the classroom because the state does not reform the pension plan.

“If they see this coming, which I think we all see this coming at this point, if they [state government] can’t do something pretty quickly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of them leave,” she said.

McGregor isn’t the only teacher at Mayfield Middle School fretting about the crisis.

“We have a teacher right now, who I eat lunch with every day, and she is retiring in January,” McGregor said. “She was going to stay through the end of the year, but it’s like ‘I’m getting out while I can.’ She’s an awesome teacher, but she’s leaving early because she’s scared of what’s going to happen.”

Assistant Dean for the College of Education and Human Services, Robert Lyons said he would not assume anyone retiring is doing so because of the state’s pension because personal factors also play a role in a teacher’s decision to retire. But, he recognizes the pension system is a problem.

“It really has to be addressed,” Lyons said. “I really do think there’s going to be changes in it. People in my situation think of: Are those changes to the future or changes to the present? We certainly want to see enough change to make sure the system is around for our lifetime and we want to make sure that it’s not changed so much that there’s still not some benefit to people coming into the profession.”

Lyons said he hopes the pension crisis does not affect students attending school with aspirations to teach.

“We do want people to come into teaching,” Lyons said. “Our economy depends on it. As teachers, it is a fantastic, fulfilling occupation. You are more involved in your community as a teacher, than any other non-elected position that you could possibly have.”

McGregor said she doesn’t regret her decision to teach and hopes the current economic strain on the state’s pension system will not prevent Murray State students from choosing to pursue a career in education.

Consultants predicted if the pension system is not reformed, it could run dry by 2022.

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lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

On Sept. 18, thirty-three Murray State doctoral diploma recipients were notified of a printing error. Their diplomas had been printed with the incorrect date.

Wendy Longworth, university graduation registrar, said the error occurred when the file submitted to the printing company included the wrong information.

Within 30 minutes of being notified of the error, the Registrar’s Office ordered the corrected diplomas and notified each of the affected students.

Longworth said they only outsource the doctoral diplomas, while associate, bachelor’s, master’s and specialist diplomas are printed on campus.

Jostens, the company that prints the diplomas, has a three week turnaround time for processing and shipping on all of their orders. According to its website, they produce every-

thing from rings and yearbooks to diplomas and graduation robes.

“The doctoral diplomas are larger than the other diplomas and would require us to purchase a new, larger printer to accommodate their size,” Longworth said. “After comparing the costs associated with purchasing a larger printer, its maintenance contract, supplies and the larger packaging materials versus the cost to outsource such a small number of diplomas, it was determined that outsourcing is much more efficient for the doctoral diploma.”

Longworth said the Registrar’s Office will be covering the cost of postage, which is approximately $277.

The misprint only affected August doctoral recipients. No other graduates were issued incorrect diplomas.

Susan Beatty completed a doctorate of education in August. She said she received an

see DIPLOMAS, page 2

Rhiannon Branch/The News

U.S. Rep. James Comer spoke to students on campus about health care, tax reform and North Korea.

Comer town hall gives Murray State students a voice Destinee Marking Staff writer

dmarking@murraystate.edu

In a town hall meeting at Murray State Wednesday, U.S. Rep. James Comer voiced his concerns regarding the current state of health care.

This was Comer’s first student-based town hall meeting and his thirtieth town hall meeting in this district.

He specifically spoke about Medicaid and its tie to the state of Kentucky.

“Medicaid is a huge problem, especially in Kentucky,” Comer said. “We have a situation now where 31 percent of the state is on Medicaid.”

Comer compared this number to that of Tennessee, in which less than 20 percent of the population is supported by the program, according to tn.gov.

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Comer does not support Medicaid when people who are capable of working and earning money are receiving assistance.

“The health care issue is probably the most difficult issue that I have ever dealt with in my public service time,” Comer said.

Comer said he does support Medicaid as a “temporary safety net” for those who need it for reasons such as not being able to work.

According to The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Medicaid is a program that assists low-income individuals of every age. It is a federal-state program.

The program is jointly funded by both the federal government and states. The

see COMER, page 2

@MurrayStateNews

The News

Page 2

September 28, 2017

News Editor: Ashley Traylor Assistant News Editor: Lindsey Coleman Page Designer: Savanna Hatfield Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

News

Rose devotes fifty years to classroom Sabra Jackson Staff writer

sjackson30@murraystate.edu

Winfield Rose, professor of political science, has spent half a century in the classroom, devoting his time to enriching his students’ education.

“I think for the most part, they have been fun,” Rose said.

“I love to teach, I love my students, or all of those that will allow me to love them. I have been richly blessed.”

Rose taught at one high school before entering higher education as a college professor, where he spent 39 years teaching at Murray State.

Rose’s family are not strangers to the teaching world. His mother was a high school English and Latin teacher and his father was a businessman.

Rose said his aunt and uncles were always known for being intelligent and he enjoyed the conversation during family gatherings about politics.

Rose said he feels as though his gift is the ability to take complicated subjects and break them down into component parts to identify keys that unlock the mystery to that subject. He said there is often a specific key or idea in order to understand how things work.

He said if the students understand that key, everything else will fall into place, which he feels is a vital role in teaching.

Rose said he believes the most important factor in stu-

dent success is teacher expectation. He said if he didn’t expect his students to do well, they wouldn’t.

“I care about my students as people, as individuals, as people with stories and with issues and problems,” Rose said. “I try to motivate them to do their best.”

Rose said his life has been based around academia. He started school at the age of four and has not stopped since.

“I was always inclined toward school and that’s really all I have done all my life,” Rose said.

He has not missed more than ten days in his 39 years at Murray State.

Schuyler Vowell, junior from Mayfield, Kentucky, said Rose is his favorite professor and he always encourages him.

“He’s just got so much passion and joy for teaching,” Vowell said. “He’s been doing it for over 40 years, and yet he approaches it like it’s his first year of teaching. He literally has that much passion for the subject matter and that much passion for the students.”

Vowell said if it wasn’t for Rose, he would not still be attending school.

Lucas Reed, senior from Paducah, Kentucky, has taken two of Rose’s classes and said Rose is always there when he needs help or advice.

“He is a very interesting character,” Reed said. “He is not afraid to express his opinions.”

Rose helped Reed decide where he wanted to go with his degree and how politics would fit in.

“He’s one of the main reasons I ran in the SGA election this past year against Tori Wood,” Reed said.

“Although I did not win, I still learned a lot of lessons through him sort of encouraging me to go out and try some of those things.”

Ryan Bitters, senior from Owensboro, Kentucky, said Rose can be intimidating at first in the classroom because of how smart he is and how high his expectations are.

“He’s the kind of teacher that you pay attention to what he says,” Bitters said. “Anytime he can come up with something, you can use as a quote. He’s been through so much and studied so much through his Ph.D.” Bitters said Rose invests in his students and goes out of his way for them.

A favorite memory of Rose that Bitters had was going to his house to see his World War II collection and learning from him.

Rose has received the Golden Apple Award, presented by the Murray State University Alumni Association and the Max Carmen Outstanding Teacher Award, voted on by present students.

Rose plans on traveling and substitute teaching after retirement in December 2017.

Student saddles stolen from Expo Center Katlyn Mackie Staff writer

kmackie2@murraystate.edu

The Murray State Police Department is increasing security to prevent theft after saddles were stolen from the Bill Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center.

Jamie Herring, Murray State police chief, said two saddles were stolen from two separate, unlocked trailers at the rear of the Expo Center on Sept. 5. On Sept.

11, a saddle was stolen from an unlocked room in the Equine Barns.

Herring said the Murray State Police Department has increased patrols in the area and modified the positioning of cameras to have greater coverage.

Kaitlin McWhorter, sophomore from Cobden, Illinois, said she discovered her saddle missing from the tack compartment of her trailer and reported the theft immediately.

“I was devastated in finding that my saddle had been stolen,” McWhorter said. “I won that saddle after a long, hard year of competing in rodeo at the Central Arkansas Little Britches Rodeo Association.”

McWhorter said the Murray State police have been helpful and are keeping in

contact with her about recovering her saddle.

“It was a saddle that would be a keepsake for the rest of my life, and I would greatly appreciate any and all help in recovering it,” McWhorter said.

Becky Ballard, building manager of the Expo Center, said in addition to the patrols, the Murray State Police Department implemented an 11 p.m. curfew at the farms.

The Murray Police Department will take note of anyone’s name who is on the premises after 11 p.m. They will be reported to the Equine Center management. Anyone who is not a student boarder or Murray State staff will be asked to leave and will be considered suspicious.

Ballard said other measures have been put in place over time to make items more secure, like new security cameras.

The security cameras have been available at the West Farm for almost a year now, and they were put in place to help protect students and prevent thefts.

Unfortunately, Ballard said one of the cameras was down when the thefts occurred due to technological difficulties, and the camera “picked the wrong time to fail.”

Ballard said she is disap-

pointed that someone would steal saddles from students.

She said the saddles that were stolen were not locked.

“The best action students can take is to keep their valuable items locked,” Ballard said. “This is the best way to prevent thefts.”

Herring said both instances of theft from earlier this month are still under investigation.

“We encourage everyone on campus to secure their personal property appropriately and notify the Murray State police if they see anything suspicious or have information about this case,” Herring said.

Although these thefts are recent, this is not the first theft that has occurred at the Expo Center.

Ballard said thefts have happened over the entire history of students having horses on the university farm.

Herring said a trailer was stolen from behind the Expo Center in May 2016, and the Murray State Police Department investigated the case and recovered the trailer. A horse bridle was also taken from a trailer in January.

If anyone has information on the missing saddles, contact the Murray State Police Department at 270-809-2222.

Rhiannon Branch/The News

Winfield Rose, professor of political science, retires at the end of the year, after spending most of his time in academia.

COMER From page 1 federal government equips states with only a percentage of funding, according to Medicaid’s website.

Comer said if the amount the state is paying to fund Medicaid increases, the state of Kentucky will go bankrupt.

This will leave no funding available for other places it is needed.

“Murray State will be cut to where they have zero financial aid from the state,” Comer said. “The Calloway County school system will have zero aid from the state. The Murray school system will have no money from the state. It’s all going to go into Medicaid and this pension problem that they have.”

Comer said related to health care reform is tax reform.

Reforming health care before carrying on with tax reform is President Donald Trump’s agenda, as he said the goal is to contain or decrease the number of people supported by Medicaid. The federal government saves money that can be used to provide tax cuts.

“We have to grow the economy,” Comer said. “One way that most economists believe we can grow our economy is to provide tax relief across the board.”

Comer outlined three issues that he said come up at every town hall meeting: North Korea, health care and tax reform.

These issues are more prevalent now than when he was first elected 10 months ago.

“With North Korea, we have

a serious situation,” Comer said.

North Korea obtains nuclear weapons and their technology is more advanced than the United States thought, he said.

These discussions are important to Rebecca Mackey, senior from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Mackey said our generation should pay attention to politics and how the government is operating.

“Our generation is the next generation to step into those roles,” Mackey said. “Today they are making decisions that will affect myself and everyone else in my generation.”

Mackey said she especially cares about what Comer is doing in Washington D.C. and cannot wait to see what the future holds for this district under his representation.

J.T. Payne, president of Murray State College Republicans, said he was pleased with the overall variety of viewpoints represented in the audience.

“Our main goal with this event was to provide students and community members with a way to hear about legislative policy on the federal level,” Payne said.

Comer said his goal is to hold meetings in all 35 counties across Kentucky’s 1st congressional district so he can take what he learns and apply it to his job in Washington.

DIPLOMAS From page 1 email a day or two before she got the diploma in the mail, which she appreciated.

“I was looking forward to getting the diploma, so it was kind of a let down, but in the whole scheme of things, it isn’t a big deal,” Beatty said. “I was surprised, however, because my first thought was that someone didn’t proofread.”

She said the email she received from the university stated they were working with Jostens to get a correct diploma sent. She hasn’t been asked to pay for anything, and she said she is pleased with how it’s been handled so far.

“I know that things like this happen, and I try to keep them in perspective,” Beatty said. “I’m so grateful to have the degree completed, and I know the diploma is like the icing on the cake.”

While diplomas were affected, Longworth said official transcripts are correct. A transcript is the official document used by graduates for promotions, new jobs, pay raises, licensing boards and admission to other colleges. Those documents were issued and mailed to all doctoral degree recipients in late August.

The News

Page 3

September 28, 2017 Sports Editor: Bryan Edwards Assistant Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Sports

Jackson, Cardinals await football Blake Sandlin Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Murray State football will face a tall task this weekend when they head to the University of Louisville to take on reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson and company.

The game against the Football Bowl Subdivision’s 17th-ranked team will surely test the Racers, who fell last week to an Austin Peay team that has gone a combined 0-22 in the past two seasons.

The Racers’ offensive woes were brought to the forefront in last week’s 27-7 loss to Austin Peay. The Racers combined for a mere 38 rushing yards in the game, compared to the Governors’ 297. Freshman quarterback Corey Newble was held to just 50 yards in the air as they fell to 1-3 on the season.

Head Coach Mitch Stewart said in order for his team to compensate for deficiencies in the run game, they have to begin to establish a consistent attack in the air.

“The biggest way that we can help our run game is to establish some kind of passing game,” Stewart said. “Right now we’re just going short throw deep, short throw deep, short throw deep. We’ve got to get an intermediate passing game going.”

Stewart said his team will be aiming to regain some lost confidence in practice this week after an underwhelming offensive performance against the Govs.

“Obviously this is a big week for us because we’ve got a lot of things we have to accomplish in order to build back some confidence, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Stewart said.

Both sides of the ball will need to be firing on all cylinders when the Racers face the Cardinals, who are ranked seventh nationally in passing offense. At the forefront of their offense is Jackson, whose 1387 passing yards this season have him ranked fourth in passing yards in the FBS. Jackson is

Chalice Keith/The News

Freshman quarterback Corey Newble scrambles from an Austin Peay defender. also ranked second nationally in total offense and 12th in passing touchdowns.

But Jackson’s accolades are irrelevant to defensive lineman Kenney Wooten, whose relentless attack on the quarterback has him ranked atop the OVC in sacks with five on the year.

“Sacking Lamar Jackson, the Heisman Trophy winner, that’d be great,” Wooten said. “I plan on it too. I’m going to try to get there at least twice this week.”

For senior defensive back Zachary Wade, playing against an opponent as notable as Jackson will serve as added incentive for a 1-3 Racer team looking to bounce back.

“I can’t even sit here and lie to you, knowing that you’re playing the Heisman Trophy winner is definitely a little extra motivation,” Wade said. “Definitely allows you to lock in a little more and realize what you’re going against. At the same time, it’s an exciting opportunity and I wouldn’t want to have it any other way.”

For all the deficiencies with the offense, the defense has

picked up the slack. Murray State’s defense has them ranked first in the OVC in sacks and interceptions.

The defense’s ability to make plays on the ball could be useful against Jackson, who has shown to be somewhat turnover prone in the past. Jackson has thrown three picks this year, two of which came in the Cardinals’ game against Kent State University last Saturday.

The Racers will be going into this game without the help of senior wide receiver Demetric Johnson. Murray State’s Athletic Department announced Monday that Johnson is no longer with the program, citing personal issues from Johnson. The wideout amassed 140 total yards and a touchdown in four games with the Racers this season.

Stewart said getting players like senior wide receiver Jordon Gandy involved in the offense will be a key emphasis in the game with Johnson’s absence.

“We’ve got to find ways to get [Gandy] the ball,” Stewart said. “People that we think can be explosive in space and can do

some things, we’ve got to figure out ways to get them the ball.”

The game against the Cardinals will serve as more than just an in-state rivalry. Murray State and Louisville agreed to a contract last year which guaranteed the Racers $500,000 from the Cardinals for participating. Additionally, the contract ensures $600,000 to the Racers for a matchup in 2020.

ESPN’s Football Power Index gives the Cardinals a 99.4% chance to win Saturday’s matchup. Stewart said being the underdogs in the matchup makes it easy for his team to play freely.

“The one that always has the pressure on them in games like this is them,” Stewart said. “It doesn’t even matter if they win; if they don’t win by enough, then you start getting all of this chatter and all kinds of stuff. For us, what do we have to lose?”

The Racers will take on the Cardinals at 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Sept. 30 at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky. Fans can watch the game on Fox Sports South.

Graphic Courtesy of Rosalyn Churchman

‘The best team we’ve had yet’ Pitino ousted amid latest scandal

Cory Sharber

Contributing writer csharber@murraystate.edu

The No. 3 ranked Murray State rifle team is looking to build upon it success with ‘The Murray State Way.’ Head Coach Alan Lollar said ‘The Murray State Way’, revolves around striving to be the best in everything you do every single day. Continual development and improvement is key for this team especially, which has struggled to overcome the likes of top-ranked West Virginia and second-ranked Texas Christian University in the NCAA Championships in recent years.

Despite consistent improvements, scores across the nation continue rising, Lollar said because the competition across the country has continued to develop, his team has no room to make mistakes in any given match.

“Their margin for error is so small,” Lollar said.

“However, it prepares you for a stressful situation during a match.”

Despite earning that number three ranking, Lollar said his team clearly has steps to improve in order to overtake the likes of West Virginia and TCU. “The ranking means a lot.

It’s the motivation to try to get higher,” Lollar said. “It’s a compliment, but it’s also a reminder that we’re not there yet.”

The Racers return seven All-Americans, as well as OVC First-Team members.

Blake Sandlin

Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Bryan Edwards Sports Editor

bedwards16@murraystate.edu

Brock Kirk/The News

Sophomore Shelby Huber watches junior Eric Sloan shoot during a match.

Two of the members, senior from Manhattan, Montana Ivan Roe and senior from Fairhaven, Massachusetts Mackenzie Martin, are currently competing for spots on the USA National Team.

Much like Murray State, the Mountaineers and Horned Frogs consist of teams filled with seasoned All-American shooters. The Racers faced a tough task in overtaking the two teams last season, and never managed to garner the top spot from West Virginia, who went on to win the NCAA Championships.

Just like any other sport, though, there are always programs vying to overtake

those at the top, and Lollar said there are numerous other programs closely biting at their heels.

“West Virginia and TCU are high quality programs,” Lollar said. “I throw Kentucky, Nebraska and a lot of other teams into that mix as well.”

Lollar said that his ultimate goal is to return to the NCAA Championships yet again, where he says is anybody’s game because of how meticulous the sport of rifle is.

“Our goal is to be playing on the last day of the season,” Lollar said. “On that day, any of the eight teams that got there has a chance

to win. You can’t play defense. It takes that day of your best being better than their best.”

In Lollar’s 10 seasons at the helm of the rifle program, he’s seen a lot of success.

Since taking over, he’s led the Racers to three OVC championships and a 3rd place finish in the NCAA Championships last season.

But this year, Lollar said, might be the team’s best chance to make a run for the national title.

“I can say without a doubt that this is the deepest team we’ve ever had,” Lollar said.

“This is the best team we’ve had yet.”

The University of Louisville has placed basketball head coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich on administrative leave just one day after a federal investigation found evidence of recruiting fraud and corruption within the program.

The university’s interim president, Greg Postel, announced during a press conference Wednesday that Pitino was put on unpaid administrative leave, although his attorney said he was “effectively fired.” Pitino’s contract states he cannot be fired for “just cause” until he’s received 10 days notice.

Postel also announced that Jurich, who has been the athletic director at the school for nearly 20 years, will be on paid administrative leave in wake of the FBI’s allegations. Trustees at the university will make their final decision on Pitino and Jurich when they meet on Oct. 18.

Pitino and Jurich’s inevitable departures will surely serve well for the university’s payroll, as the two were among the highest paid in college athletics.

Pitino’s contract is valued at $7.4 million, while Jurich was paid an average salary of $2.76 million per year.

Postel said in Wednesday’s press conference that Louisville acted proactively to guard from any potential sus-

picion of wrongdoing.

“The allegations are serious,” Postel said. “It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to NCAA rules and, of course, federal law. Doing nothing would be a tacit endorsement of potential criminal and unethical behavior.”

On Tuesday morning, four assistant coaches from four schools were arrested by the FBI on fraud and corruption charges [Lamont Evans – Oklahoma State University, Chuck Person – Auburn University, Emanuel Richardson – University of Arizona and Tony Bland – University of Southern California].

All four coaches arrested have been either suspended or placed on administrative leave from their respective programs.

Along with the four coaches, James Gatto, the now former director of global sports marketing for Adidas, and Merl Cole, the former head of Nike’s Elite Youth Basketball League were also arrested for their involvement.

Others charged in the case are NBA agent Christian Dawkins, financial advisor Munish Sood, former NBA official and founder of Thompson Bespoke Clothing Rashan Michel and Jonathan Brad Augustine, the former president of The League Initiative.

The FBI report listed seven different universities involved in the scandal. The four assistant coaches were caught taking bribes to convince high school

see PITINO, page 4

The News

Sports

Page 4

September 28, 2017

Women’s golf grabs win PITINO DJ Pigg Contributing writer dpigg@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s women’s golf team won the Chris Banister Championship for the second year in a row on Tuesday.

After breaking the team scoring record for the tournament in the first round with a 287, the Racers followed it up the next two days with rounds of 304-307 for a winning total of 898.

Linette Homslykke, junior from Vejle, Denmark, led the team with rounds of 74-75-71 for a 220 total that gave her a third place finish.

Homslykke was only one of four players that rounded out the top-ten individually. Lucila Puenta Rodriguez de Austria, sophomore from Sevilla, Spain, shot 67-79-71 for a fourth-place 221, Moa Folke, senior from Tranas, Sweden, who fired rounds of 76-72-81 for a ninth-place 229, and Anna Moore, senior from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, who played as an individual, shot 7574-77 for a seventh place 226.

Head Coach Velvet Milkman felt good about the team’s victory.

“I’m very pleased with the win,” Milkman said.

“That’s a very tough golf course, and it gives the girls some confidence going forward.”

The Racers have a week to improve on their winning performance before heading to Lexington, Kentucky on Oct. 8 to play in the University of Kentucky Invitational at the University Club.

There, the Racers will get to see how their play matches up with SEC-caliber talent.

Coach Milkman said they aren’t going to focus so much on the next tournament being hosted

by University of Kentucky, but prepare for it like any other tournament.

“We are going to focus on just practicing and getting better this week,” Coach Milkman said.

“We’ve gotten better, but we can still improve.”

MEN’S GOLF

The Murray State men’s golf team traveled to Madison, Illinois to play in the Derek Dolenc Invitational at Gateway National Golf Links hosted by SIUE where they finished in 9th place.

The team was led by junior Gabe Wheeler from Sikeston, Missouri, who had rounds of 68-73-74 for a 215 total that left him with a 13thplace finish individually.

Head Coach Eddie Hunt said the Racers were battling heat during the first day in which they lost sophomore Austin Knight, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, to illness.

“It was like a record high in temperature for St. Louis that first day, and we were out there from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,” Hunt said. “Gabe played great for us. Unfortunately, Austin got sick after that first round, so we only had four guys to play with after that.”

The team finished in ninth place, carding rounds of 300-293-303 for an 896 total for the three rounds.

The men’s squad will be spending the rest of the week preparing for UT Martin’s Skyhawk Classic in Buchanan, Tennessee at Paris Landing State Park.

From page 3

athletes to sign with their respective agencies.

The remaining schools used their sponsorship deals with the sportswear company the school has an agreement with.

The sportswear companies gave the athletes money to convince them to commit to a school that specific brand has a sponsorship deal with.

Louisville is currently sponsored by Adidas and the two just recently signed a 10-year, $160 million contract.

Jurich’s daughter Haley was hired at Adidas in March 2017 to become the brand manager of the company; the new deal with the University was finalized in August of this year.

Louisville’s decision to cut ties with their hall of fame coach has trickled down to the basketball team itself. Several highly touted incoming recruits have decommitted from the program, including Anfernee Simons and Courtney Ramey, ranked as the No. 9 and No. 37 recruits in the class of 2018 by the Recruiting Services Consensus Index, respectively.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Pitino has been coaching at Louisville since 2001.

This scandal isn’t the first time Pitino and the University of Louisville have found themselves in the crosshairs of controversy.

Pitino was involved in an extortion case in 2009. He went on trial against Karen Sypher, who he claimed to have a relationship with in 2003. Following the affair, Pitino paid Sypher $3,000 to have an abortion because she claimed she was pregnant.

Pitino later filed charges of extortion against Sypher and she was found guilty. She was sentenced to seven years in prison.

In 2015, Pitino and his program came under fire after an investigation by the NCAA found that former assistant

coach Andre McGee paid strippers and prostitutes to provide their services for visiting recruits and Louisville players.

As a result of the scandal, Pitino would’ve been suspended from Louisville’s first five ACC games of the 2017 season.

Postel added that the school will begin their search for an interim head coach and athletic director immediately, with a potential candidate potentially coming within the next two days.

The unprecedented staff changes come just days before Murray State’s football team prepares to head to Louisville to take on the Cardinals.

The

RACER RUNDOWN

Bryan Edwards/The News

Sophomore forward Miyah Watford and senior midfielder Lyssie Wright attempt to get a steal.

Soccer prepares for battle on home turf Gage Johnson

Contributing writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

After improving their record to 7-1-1 this week, Murray State’s soccer team will look to hold onto their undefeated conference record with two home games this weekend.

The Racers went up against Tennessee Tech on the road on Sep. 21, and the game ended in a 0-0 tie after two overtime periods. They traveled back home on Sunday and added a win to the books against Jacksonville State with a 3-0 victory, improving their conference record to 2-0-1 and their overall record to 7-1-1.

During the Jacksonville State game, senior forward Harriet Withers scored her 34th goal of the season, tying the school record for career goals currently held by Theresa Reedy (2001-2004). Despite recording such a prolific

milestone, Withers said there was only one thing on her mind.

“It’s always about the team for me,” said Withers. “As long as we’re getting the win, that’s what really matters.”

Going into the week, Murray State will stay at home and host Southeast Missouri State at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

SEMO comes into the game struggling with a 4-5-2 record and will be looking to get over the below-.500 hump. SEMO has not had an easy schedule by any means, taking a loss to the likes of a 7-4 University of Louisville team and a 7-1-2 Mississippi State team.

The Redhawks are hoping to improve their conference record 1-1-2 when they face off against the Racers.

Murray State will then be hosting UT Martin at 3 p.m. on Sunday. UT Martin isn’t far behind SEMO with a 4-7-2 record. Despite their record, the Skyhawks have held their

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

own in conference play. They are 2-2 in OVC games, defeating Jacksonville State and SEMO while losing to Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State.

If the Racers manage to add two conference victories to their record, they would improve to 4-0-1 in conference and 9-1-1 overall. They would also have a chance to raise their RPI ranking of 54, which is not only the highest it has been since Head Coach Jeremy Groves took over the program but also the highest in program history. Groves is confident his team can keep up their high level of play.

“We just have to make sure we prepare and just keep doing things that have made us successful,” said Groves.

Murray State will look to do just that against SEMO at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 28, and take on UT Martin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1.

Listen to The Murray State News’ weekly sports podcast, The Racer Rundown, every Thursday at TheNews.org

The News

Page 5

September 28, 2017

Features

Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Photo courtesy of Shelby Murphy

Paxton Crider makes his way across the stage after being named Mr. MSU 2017.

37th annual Mr. MSU unifies campus Emily Williams Features Editor

ewilliams15@murraystate.edu

The 37th annual Mr. MSU pageant, hosted by Alpha Omicron Pi, was chock-full of fun surprises – from 90s-themed dances and colorful San Francisco backdrops, to a contestant incorporating a comedic “shower scene” into the lineup for the evening, the night certainly lived up to its theme of Full House.

But for Paxton Crider, junior from Carlisle County and member of Pi Kappa Alpha and Mr. MSU 2017, the event meant much more to him than just a fun evening of music and dancing.

Crider said the experience was indescribable, not only because he took home the title of Mr. MSU but because of the opportunity he had to build friendships with the other fifteen contestants and to represent his fraternity.

“It was one of those feelings you will never forget,” Crider said. “I was honored because of the talent around me within the other contestants. Every guy in the competition really impressed me in some form or fashion, so

Taking a bite out of veganism Local vegan clears up common misconceptions Sydni Anderson || Staff writer sanderson33@murraystate.edu

Murray State University prides itself on student diversity, which extends through many sectors of life, including diet. As society focuses on sustainability and health, some students apply these values to the food they eat. Erin Calvert, sophomore from Hopkinsville, Kentucky describes her experience as a vegan in Murray.

Calvert said she eats at a lot of Japanese restaurants in the college town.

“I like Shogun, Jasmine’s – I can eat anywhere as long as I’m creative,” Calvert said. “There aren’t really any good places where someone will verify if something is vegan. You just kind of have to know.”

She said vegans can eat salad, french fries, potatoes and pasta at almost any restaurant.

Calvert said she became vegan when she was 14 for health reasons. She said she wanted to lose weight and felt badly most of the time.

“I was just really unhealthy and I didn’t like how animals were treated,” Calvert said. “You don’t really need meat or dairy to survive.”

Calvert said she felt a physical change immediately after becoming vegan.

“I lost a lot of body fat and I was happier,” Calvert said. “If you talk to anyone in my family, everyone knows the difference.”

to hear my name called was an their national philanthropy, amazing feeling.” the Arthritis Foundation. All Crider said he felt a sense proceeds of Mr. MSU go toof joy, pride and thankfulness wards the foundation, whose because he feels blessed just mission is to fight for the arto be able to come to Murray thritis community, guiding State and experience the things families in developing personhe has. alized plans for living a full life Meghan Keeney, junior from – and making each day another St. Jacob, Illinois and member stride towards a cure, accordof Alpha Omicron Pi said when ing to their site. choosing Mr. MSU, the judges While the event centers look at several aspects of the around the philanthropy each contestant, year, Keeincluding ney said campus they try involveto keep ment and things volunteer l i g h t work. hearted “ W e and fun.

- Paxton Crider, Mr. MSU 2017 This year’s look for guys who t h e m e was Full have a servant heart House, so contestants learned a 90s and who like to serve others,” themed dance.

Keeney said. “They have a presence on campus, they are strong Crider said it was cool learning a dance because the guys leaders and they really represent the university in a way that we became close quickly and the would be proud of. We take that girls always made the practices very seriously.” enjoyable.

Keeney said during the pro “The week went very well cess of preparing for Mr. MSU, because of the positive attitudes the ladies of Alpha Omicron Pi and willingness of the guys to try to center it around the guys put in the hours leading up to as much as possible, as well as show,” Crider said. “On the

“

It was one of those feelings you will never forget

In addition, she said being a vegan is minimizing her carbon footprint.

“The environmental impact is really bad from farming,” she said. “There’s a lot of water waste that goes to making ground beef. Most of the food that we’re growing on the planet goes toward the animals we’re feeding and it’s not an equal input of food for the output we get.”

Calvert said people save thousands of gallons of water not eating meat. According to the Water Footprint Network, a global organization pushing smart water use, one pound of beef takes approximately 1,850 gallons to produce. In contrasts, a pound of vegetables has a water footprint of around 39 gallons.

Calvert said some of the misconceptions of vegans are that they are really thin, unhealthy and preachy.

“A lot of people say to me ‘oh my gosh, you’re a vegan. I didn’t know,’” she said. “It’s because I don’t tell everyone every minute of every day.”

She said as long as people take care of themselves and do their research for any diet, there is no reason they should be deficient in anything.

She said she takes vitamin D and B-12 supplements to compensate for what she doesn’t get in her food.

Another misconception is that the vegan diet is expensive. Calvert said the veganism is actually cheap.

“I spend way less money when I go out to eat because the most expensive part is meat, so I save money,” she said. “My groceries are about $20 a week.”

When it comes to dining at home, Calvert likes simple food. She said she eats rice, vegetables, fruit and potatoes. But to top it all off, she whips out the hot sauce.

Vegetarians and vegans can also find food on campus. Starbooks in Waterfield Library announced vegan and vegetarian options last week. If vegan students heed Calvert’s advice, they might also find the benefits of being creative at Winslow and the T-Room.

”

night of the show, everybody was happy to be there and excited to uncover their hard work throughout the week.”

Crider said he couldn’t have asked for a better group of people to be around and that they truly made the experience what it was for him.

Noah Norsworthy, sophomore from Carlisle County is one of Crider’s closest friends and said he values their friendship because of his dependability and being able to go through so many different seasons of life with him.

Norsworthy said he believes Crider deserves the title of Mr. MSU because of his involvement on campus as well as his willingness to place others before himself.

“When my name was called, that meant our whole brotherhood won,” Crider said. “On Friday night, we were winners together. I was humbled by the support shown to me not only by family and friends but by others around campus including guys from different fraternities.”

Crider said this was an experience he will never forget because of the friendships that were built in the process of being named Mr. MSU.

Maggie’s Jungle Golf swings into USA Today Sydni Anderson || Staff writer sanderson33@murraystate.edu

A miniature golf course in Gilbertsville, Kentucky has been recognized in a special USA Today listing.

Maggie’s Jungle Golf, a popular course among some Murray State students represented Kentucky in the list for unusual and historic miniature golf courses in the country.

Jimila Fulks, co-owner of Maggie’s Jungle Golf said she gets chills thinking about the business’s listing. She said she was contacted in July by Kentucky Tourism about the nomination for the feature.

“I discussed it with Michael [her husband] and I was like, ‘I’m not going to get my hopes up. I’m not going to get too excited,’” Fulks said. “But we are absolutely, over-the-top excited. I can’t even begin to tell how excited and happy and thankful we are.”

Maggie’s Jungle Golf is a family owned business that has been running since 1989. Fulks owns the facility with her husband Michael and his parents.

The family purchased Maggie’s Jungle Golf seventeen years ago from the course’s founders. She said her husband and local veterinarians tend to the animals.

“I think what makes us so unusual and historic is that the course has been in business for 28 years,” Fulks said. “We are family found and operated.”

Fulks said an animal nature trail called the ‘jungle run’ is what separates Maggie’s from other miniature golf courses. She said the trail features an array of animals including a camel, an ostrich, an emu, a zebra-pony hybrid and peacocks.

“I think everybody that comes is blown away by the fact that there’s so many animals here,” Fulks said. “I think people just don’t even realize what a hidden gem Maggie’s is.”

Fulks said the peacocks will typically wander the course and wow customers.

Nick Bohannon/The News

A local and historic miniature golf course was recently recognized on a national scale.

“They do have a tendency to spread their feathers,” she said. “It’s just absolutely beautiful.”

Taylor Inman, senior from Benton, Kentucky said she visited Maggie’s periodically throughout her childhood. She said the animals found around the course are free-range.

“The animals are pretty cool and they have pretty good snow cones,” Inman said.

However, Inman is not the only Racer to have swung a club at Maggie’s. Fulks said many students come in groups. She recalled a fraternity that visits the course annually and said the Murray State women’s basketball team recently visited. Fulks said the course also hosts field trips from local schools.

“When those field trips come in to my place of business and I see children get off that bus that would normally not have the opportunity to come with their family or come to Maggie’s – when they come to me and wrap their arms around me and say thank you Maggie, this is the best day of my life – that’s what Maggie’s Jungle is there for,” Fulks said.

Fulks said every bit of the success goes back to customers and their support.

The News

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September 28, 2017

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The News

Page 7

September 28, 2017

Opinion Editor: Tyler Anderson Page Designer: Tori Wood Phone: 270-809-5873

Opinion Our View

We didn’t stop the fire 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

Austin Gordon Production Manager • 270-809-5877 agordon4@murraystate.edu

Ashley Traylor News Editor • 270-809-4468 atraylor@murraystate.edu

Tyler Anderson Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 janderson49@murraystate.edu

Emily Williams Features Editor • 270-809-5871 ewilliams15@murraystate.edu

Bryan Edwards Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 bedwards16@murraystate.edu

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

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

Allison Laski Chief Videographer • 270-809-5878 alaski@murraystate.edu

It’s always easy to ruin a good day if you have your cellphone handy.

Pull up Facebook or Twitter and it won’t take long to find something which offends you so deeply you absolutely have to sound off about it.

Hobby Lobby has once again found itself at the center of one such internet crusade. This time the company hasn’t been busted for purchasing foreign artifacts or refusing to facilitate basic health care needs – instead, it is at the heart of a heated debate over merchandise deemed racially offensive.

The whole debacle stemmed from a singular comment on Facebook from a Texas woman by the name of Daniell Rider. She dinged the company for marketing “... a commodity which was gained at the expense of African-American slaves” as home décor. Her comment has elicited over 268,000 responses in a quickly growing thread.

But that’s not the real story.

Shortly thereafter, several articles made their rounds on Facebook deeming this the ‘age of the triggered millennial’ and the ‘end of common sense.’ Many also claimed boycotts were being staged and millions were declaring war against the company.

It’s easy to get riled up over inflammatory content and immediately share, retweet, message and repost without a second thought.

But why, in our age of instant knowledge, are we so quick to believe everything we see?

Thankfully, if one is willing to practice due diligence and dig a little

Dr. Stephanie Anderson

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

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 janderson49@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.

deeper, there are organizations that have done the ‘hard’ work for us.

Snopes, an independent organization heralded as the professional standard for fact checking and myth busting, quickly shut these rumors down.

According to the organization’s most recent research, “The vast bulk of social media commenters expressing offense were directing their ire at Rider’s remarks, not at Hobby Lobby.” No boycotts or Illuminati

espionage here – simply a number of people expressing their ire at the ‘liberal agenda.’

And this is just one example of a ‘fake news’ phenomenon which shows no sign of slowing down.

Maybe we enjoy the spectacle of it all - that would explain why the National Enquirer stays in business. Maybe exercising due diligence as a responsible consumer of news doesn’t fit into our schedules as neatly as Zumba and Netflix. Or

Cheers & Jeers

Adviser • 270-809-3937 sanderson37@murraystate.edu

The News

Autumn Brown/The News

maybe it has become a way for us to vent our outrage at how the world is falling apart without being obligated to offer up a solution.

Think of it this way: if you use a quote in an essay and claim it’s from your textbook, be prepared to cite your sources.

Professional news organizations operate by a similar standard and risk becoming journalistic pariahs if too much unverifiable information goes to print.

Sometimes it’s easy to spot less-than-credible sources – if the tone and language used is inflammatory or outright insensitive, it’s guaranteed to either be an opinion piece or a shameless attempt to spread slanderous propaganda.

But it’s not always that easy. CNN and MSNBC, among others, have been targets of copycat websites, sites that initially appear to be official, but must switch letters in the web address or fail to accurately replicate the organization logo.

Oftentimes, if what one comes across seems one-sided in its interpretation or is coming straight out of left field, you’re right to follow your gut about its veracity.

Post-secondary institutions are where most will begin to foster critical thinking skills and tendencies towards skepticism. To avoid more events like the Hobby Lobby debacle, it must become the norm to put these newfound habits to good use.

A bit of fact checking will always go a long way.

Cheers to ... “Gaga: Five Foot Two”

Jeers to ... Brazil’s conversion therapy revival

Amid touring issues due to fibromyalgia, Lady Gaga has released a Netflix documentary detailing her successes and struggles. From fame to failed relationships, she’s candid about it all. Gaga at her most vulnerable is everything one would expect, and so much more.

Brazil has banned conversion therapy for the past 18 years. A judge may have revived the practice which is widely considered ineffective, destructive and comes with a high risk of suicide for those subjected to it.

Here’s to hoping it’s struck down as soon as possible.

The Fine Print

So, I’m all, like, you know...

Robert Valentine Contributing writer rvalentine@murraystate.edu So, like, I am almost totally, like, you know, like, mad about a couple of, like, small words, you know? Really.

Right now you have no idea what this column is about. You have, like, twenty words, but you are still just as uninformed. In essence, you have wasted this small portion of your life because what you read cannot be interpreted in any human language. That’s what irritates me, and it should irritate you, as well.

The “like” problem is very old. Americans have been abusing that poor little word for decades.

Some modern speakers use “like” as you would any other non-fluency. That is, it’s a little place holder to keep your speech flowing while your brain tries to decide what you want to communicate.

For example: “So, I’m all, like, totally, like, bummed, right?”

I barely even know what you’re talking about.

You should have simply said “I’m very upset.”

We are assuming here that being “bummed” is some vague reference to being distressed. We

also assume there are degrees of “bummedness” ranging from the “slightly bummed” to the “totally bummed.” Beyond total “bummedness” there can be no other comparative. Total is “total,” right?

People use the word “like” to indicate a variety of things which cannot be clearly understood. If someone says “So, he was all, like, ‘I don’t know,’” you don’t know much. Did he actually say “I don’t know,” or did he indicate his lack of knowledge by being “like” something. Was it in his body language?

His facial expression?

We don’t know – the speaker has wasted our time.

And who destroyed the pleasant little word “so?” Even allegedly skilled users of the language, such as the commentators on National Public Radio, have taken to beginning every answer with the word. So, what?

If you ask, “Will the President support the new immigration bill,” you would like to hear something definitive. “I don’t know” would be another choice and probably a pretty good one compared to what we often receive.

Instead, we get this: “So, the President has said many times he wants a new bill, and has been, like, ‘We need this,’ but we can’t tell.”

What’s wrong with saying “The President has often said he wants a new bill, but we have no idea whether he will support one or not.” That would be, like, understandable, right?

“So,” says the dictionary, is either an adverb (“I’m so tired!”) or a conjunction (“I hurt my wrist so I went to the ER.”); neither of those words belong at the beginning of a new sentence.

I know what you’re thinking: “So, like, c’mon, Bob; like, you totally know what I mean!”

And thereby hangs a tale. I do not know what you mean. I know you are talking at something, but not getting there. I know you feel you have something to say, but you aren’t saying it. I might even feel that I grasp some sense of the, like, meaning, but, like, not totally, which is why I’m, like, bummed.

Lately, I’ve started using “so” at the beginning of sentences. So, I’m, like, totally bummed, right?

At the university level, we deal in words. Words carry ideas, so they have to be carefully handled or the ideas won’t make it from one mind to another.

That transfer of ideas is why we all came here.

We can use words in a way that will clarify, not confuse. We can, and we must.

So let’s give it a shot, right? That way we won’t all be, like, you know, stupid and stuff.

The News

News

Page 8

September 28, 2017

Hemp festival debuts Sabra Jackson Staff writer

sjackson30@murraystate.edu

Nearly 100 people from around the state attended the first Agricultural Hemp Idea Festival hosted by Murray State Sept. 19.

Part of the festival was discussion panels.

The discussions included a research panel, processor panel and growers panel.

The processor and growers panels focused on how hemp is adapting to the soil in Western Kentucky.

“It kind of created a niche for Murray State to be leaders in research when traditionally, research is not an enormous part of what we do,” Brian Parr, assistant dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture, said. “Getting involved in it early helped us to get out and learn some things other people were just not involved in.”

Parr said this was the first idea festival, but there been other demonstrations in the past. The event offered more learning experiences.

The use of the new crop creates educational opportunities for the university.

Animal science, agronomy and other science classes are studying the chicken research side of hemp projects and the soil matter and production of the hemp as well.

Cheyenne Hooks, Patrick Hooks and Cheryl Shi are conducting research and working with other departments on campus to help with the results of their projects.

Cheyenne Hooks, graduate student from Ashlyn City, Tennessee, was part of the research panel and answered questions about what students were doing with the hemp.

The research projects are not finalized, so they were unable to present the statis-

tics of their research.

However, they discussed how the projects went and answered specifics about the trials.

Cheyenne Hooks said she hopes to see more education about hemp’s positive influences.

“With all the press and everything that we have been getting from it, I think it will slowly start doing that,” Cheyenne Hooks said. “It will open up a bunch of different gates and even more knowledge for the public.”

Patrick Hooks, graduate student from Owensboro, Kentucky, said he believes the festival gave the community a chance to learn the differences between marijuana and hemp.

“I think it showed Murray State what we are doing and that we are willing to work with producers and companies,” Patrick Hooks said.

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