The Murray State News by The Murray State News

90 years

THE MUR R AY STATE

NEWS

of excellence

November 9, 2017 | Vol. 92, No. 11

YOU HAVE NO MAIL CEV dispute could leave students without mail service

Shooting trial set for Spring Ashley Traylor News Editor

atraylor@murraystate.edu

Sabra Jackson Staff Writer

sjackson30@murraystate.edu

A dispute between management at Campus Evolution Villages and the United States Postal Service could leave Murray State students without mail delivery services. Residents at both the Murray and Murray South locations of CEV received an email Oct. 30 saying the locks on the mailboxes were being taken off. USPS distributed each resident’s mail in their individual mailbox. Now, the USPS is wanting CEV employees to distribute to their residents. According to the email, the locks were to be pulled from the mailboxes on Nov. 4. However, a subsequent email was sent to residents on Nov. 3 informing them that the mail would continue, for now. “After speaking with the USPS, the mail will continue to run its current mode of delivery and there will be no current interruption of service,” according to the email. Employees of CEV said the new date set for dissolving the mail delivery system is Jan. 2, 2018. “In the coming months the service will change under USPS guidelines if this transition in mail service is mandated,” according to the email. “We will work on a transition so the impact on residents will be minimized.” The email, sent by Rakeshia Burks, area general manager of CEV, said the circumstances were “beyond our control.” However, Burks would not comment further on the matter.

Courtney Franklin, junior from Paris, Kentucky, is a resident of CEV. She said she went into the CEV office to ask what would happen to the mail and the ladies in the office stated, “They’re pursuing a lawsuit.” They did not provide Franklin with any other details. She asked if she would be advised to get a P.O. box. An office worker said the post office charges $45 every six months for a P.O. box, and CEV would not be footing the cost. “So basically, if we need regular mail sent to us that’s not through Fedex or UPS, then we are out of luck,” Franklin said. Franklin said the post office was trying to classify CEV as a dorm facility. “Another resident told me she called the post office and they gave her their side of the situation,” Franklin said. Susan Wright, spokesperson for the United States Postal Service in the Kentuckiana district, said that the postal service will be a one-drop to the management office of the CEV Murray and Murray South. One-drop means that all mail will be dropped off at the management office for management to sort out. “At that time, it is up to the management for the complex of how that is handled,” Wright said. “We were informed that the manager may refuse that mail. We would never return mail to sender without specific instructions.” Wright said the mail would go back to the post office if

the mail was refused. “We do not want to return the mail,” Wright said. “We have been told that is what the apartment may do.” Wright said CEV and the USPS have been in conversation since mid-September and knew this would be going into effect. CEV falls under the policy for dormitories, residential housing and student housing, the same as the residential colleges at Murray State. The USPS postal operations manual defines a dormitory building or residence hall as consisting of “single or multi-room units that may share or have access to centrally located kitchens, bathrooms, showers or social or common areas.” It does not matter whether the structure is located on or off campus, nor if it owns by a university or private owner. “Either the school or building owner is responsible for the final delivery of student mail,” according to USPS POM. “Post office personnel do not distribute mail into apartment-type mailboxes for dormitories or residence halls.” A manager at Station 74 apartment complex said they too are considered a dormitory, requiring them to sort the mail into the individual mailboxes of residents. Wright said the postal service has a financial responsibility to get the route done in the most efficient way possible. Making CEV a one-drop service will save the USPS money because it will no longer have to pay postal service employees to distribute mail at both locations.

The soldier accused of shooting a former Murray State football player made an appearance on Monday, Oct. 6 in a Calloway County courtroom. Monyea Williams, 21, was arrested by U.S. Marshals on April 18 for the February shooting of former wide receiver, Kendarian Jennings. Williams is a private first class in the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he was arrested. Nine days later, he was extradited to the Calloway County Jail. Monday’s court appearance was a status hearing, which is an effort to resolve the case without going to trial. Commonwealth Attorney Mark Blankenship, said the prosecutor offered Williams a 15-year sentence, where he would be required to serve 85 percent. After he completed it, he could ask for a parole hearing to determine if he would be released from prison under supervision, for the remainder of his sentence. However, Williams rejected the plea deal. As of now, Williams will remain in the Calloway County Jail. Blankenship said the defense is filing a motion to reduce the bond amount. According to the Calloway County Jail website, the bond is currently set at $200,000. Blankenship said the prosecution considers Williams

to be a flight-risk because he does not have any known ties to Murray. “It’s a big ol’e country and you can just get lost in this country,” he said. “We’ve dealt with that problem before.” If a judge agrees to release Williams from jail on bond, he would be under supervision until the trial begins, possibly at a military base. “They’re typically Williams very large camps because of their exercises,” Blankenship said. “It would be very easy for a man to disappear.” Williams is facing a felony assault charge, which carries a maximum 20-year sentence if convicted. Jennings was shot in the back and neck and airlifted to Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he underwent emergency surgery and a second surgery to remove the bullets from his head. Jennings identified Williams while he was still in the hospital. Blankenship said police waited for Jennings to mentally recover and then presented photos of six possible suspects. “There was no hesitation in identifying Williams,” Blankenship said. Williams’ trial date is set for Spring 2018.

Where is the money going? A question of graduation fees Destinee Marking Staff writer

dmarking@murraystate.edu

h t Smit n Stree h h Jo t 6 N1 40 1421 y, Ky 422 a Murr

Graphic courtesy of Savanna Hatfield

www.TheNews.org

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

As seniors have been applying for graduation, the fees associated with commencement have left many students wondering what their money is going toward. Elizabeth McLeod, senior from Henderson, Kentucky, is graduating in December and had to pay her application fee last semester by April 1. McLeod said she was not happy finding out she also had to pay to apply to graduate, since she has been paying tuition for the past couple years. “I’ve put a lot of money into these past few years, and to find out I had to pay a $50 application fee was a little ridiculous,” McLeod said. “I felt like I paid for someone to tell me I could graduate in December.” Since the application fee does not include graduation apparel, McLeod said

@TheMurrayStateNews

it would have been helpful if she could have used the money toward the $40 apparel bundle the bookstore sells instead. Johnna Humphrey, senior from Calhoun, Kentucky, will graduate in May, so her fee was due Nov. 1. Like McLeod, Humphrey said she was “shocked and disappointed” when she became aware of the fee she had to pay prior to graduating. “I will be completing my degree in three years,” Humphrey said. “I’ve taken classes both summers and done 17-18 hours each semester to get to where I am. I was so excited and smiling as I was applying and then it came to the ‘fee.’ I immediately lost that excitement and smile as I paid the $50.” When seniors apply to graduate, they must pay a $50 application fee. Tracy Roberts, registrar, said this fee covers a multitude of costs. It goes to-

see GRAD FEES, page 2

@MurrayStateNews

The News

Page 2

November 9, 2017

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

Murray State hosts Google training session

James Turner

Contributing writer

jturner34@murraystate.edu

Students and professors alike have learned to Google a little better after a company trainer came to campus. Trainer from the Society of Professional Journalists, Mike Reilley, taught students, faculty and staff how to Google better from 8 a.m. to noon, on Monday, Nov. 6 in the Waterfield Library. The techniques Reilley lectured on are useful for multimedia and reporting. Michelle Hawks, sophomore journalism major, heard about the event from Assistant Professor Leigh Wright, who arranged the event. “I don’t have classes on Monday morning, and so it was just a perfect opportunity just to sit there,” Hawks said. “I kept a running Google document. I took notes the whole time just like I was attending a class.” For Hawks, the information she learned was invaluable. The

prospect of using new tools like reverse photo look-up and Google Maps had her looking forward to the future. “I’m so excited to be able to take this knowledge with me when I go out into the field,” she said. The event also drew in professionals from around the area, including Amanda Mason, library information specialist at E.W. Grove Elementary School in Paris, Tennessee. Mason learned about the event just days before from a Facebook newsfeed for a local news outlet. “I immediately contacted my principal and colleagues and arranged to take a professional day off work to attend,” Mason said. Everything Mason learned, she summarized and sent out to her colleagues. After learning something new, she trains her faculty and students. During the four session workshop, Reilley demonstrated tools such as data scraping, Google Lens, Maps and Streetview.

News

Nick Bohannon/The News

Professor Leigh Wright organized for Mike Reilley of the Society of Professional Journalists to host a Google training event in Waterfield Library for students, staff and the local community. Wright got the idea for the event after attending a seminar at the Broadcast Education Association Conference. They were giving demonstrations on many of the same apps Reilley showcased at Murray State. “I thought, this was a great way to train students on how to use Google more effectively for news,” Wright said.

She brought Reilley to Murray State as a way to enhance the experiential learning opportunity for students. “I do conduct an annual high school journalism workshop for the region, but this is the first time I brought in a speaker of this magnitude,” Wright said. The event was sponsored by the JMC Department and University Libraries.

Scholarship deadline approaching Katlyn Mackie Staff writer

kmackie2@murraystate.edu

The scholarship office is urging students to submit their scholarship applications as soon as possible, as deadlines are approaching. The scholarship application opened on Sept. 2 and closes on Jan. 16 at 4:30 p.m. This is a day later than the normally scheduled due date on Jan. 15 due to it falling on a holiday. Christian Cruce, director of scholarships, said pushing the deadline back a day allows for students to receive any last minute help during the work day. “The 16th is the first day of the spring semester so we are encouraging current students to just check it off their list before they go on holiday break,” Cruce said. For Murray State scholarships, students fill out one application. Once the application is submitted, students will automatically be matched with all the scholarships they are eligible for. To apply, students must click the link in the financial aid section on their MyGate account then select the option for the general scholarship application. According to the Murray State website, Murray State University offers two categories of scholarships: academic achievement scholarships and competitive scholarships. Academic achievement scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first serve basis. Competitive scholarships are annual and requires students to complete the Murray State Scholarship Application. Within the Murray State grouping of scholarships, Cruce said there are uni-

GRAD FEES From page 1 ward printing and putting together diplomas in-house, postage, replacing damaged diplomas, transcripts, graduation summaries, staffing the commencement ceremony and ticket processing. “Our office only gets a small portion of the fee,” Roberts said. “The rest of it goes toward operating expenses for the university and to help cover people’s salaries and things like that.” Roberts said graduation

versity-funded scholarships and privately-funded scholarships. University-funded scholarships include academic achievement, presidential fellowship and transfer scholarships. She also said there are around 700, and climbing, privately-funded scholarships. In each scholarship, there could be anywhere from one award to 20 awards. Based on Murray State’s most recent reports, the university currently awards an average of $5,573 per student in scholarships and waivers. “There are lots of generous donors who have established privately-funded scholarships through the development office,” Cruce said. “Development officers are constantly getting new scholarships in the privately-funded category.” On average about 5,000 people apply for scholarships. Cruce said the majority of applicants are in the new student category, and she would love to see more current students submit applications. Many scholarships are designed for upperclassmen and current college students. Cruce said most think it is a “one shot deal” despite the fact that eligibility changes from year to year, and new scholarships come in constantly. “A lot of times students think they can only get scholarships coming in as a new freshman or a new transfer, and that is not the case,” Cruce said. Cruce said students receiving scholarships could even help boost enrollment, because every type of financial assistance students can get is helpful in terms of recruitment and retention. She said students are always looking for ways to help fund their education because of different

costs they incur like tuition, housing, meals or books. “We see students all the time here who are looking for additional ways to help pay for their education so they can try to minimize the loans as much as possible,” Cruce said. To inform students about scholarship deadlines, Cruce said the scholarship office utilizes emails, limited text messaging and social media. She said they also occasionally speak to classes and put up yard signs. In the beginning of the semester, the bursar’s office mails a postcard to students to inform students of deadlines. Cruce said, in addition to applying for Murray State scholarships, there is information on MyGate regarding external scholarships. There are links to search engines and external scholarships on the website. Each one is vetted to make sure it is free, legitimate and applies to students at Murray State. The list is updated weekly.

apparel is not included in the application fee partly because students choose not to buy new apparel, and additionally, walking at graduation is not required. Wendy Longworth, assistant registrar of graduation, said there are late fees and consequences when students do not pay the application fee. If students do not apply by the designated deadlines, Longworth said the late fee charge is $20. There are instances when students cannot afford to pay the application fee, and Longworth said the office cannot bill the fee to student accounts, so it can be worked

out where students get their degree, but face other repercussions. “What we can do, in extreme circumstances, we have accepted a paper application, but we put a fee on it,” Longworth said. “We put a hold on their account that shows they owe the money, but that hold keeps them from registering, it keeps them from getting a transcript or from getting their diploma.” Longworth said she and Roberts get a fair amount of questions regarding why an application fee exists and what it goes toward. “Sometimes students don’t

Cruce recommended students set aside 30 minutes to search for scholarships each week and to utilize the Racer Writing Center when writing essays for external scholarships. “We try to do what we can to help them know what resources are there,” Cruce said. Important dates to consider: • General Scholarship Application Deadline for 20182019 on Jan. 16 at 4:30 p.m. • Awards Letters Sent Via Email on April 2 (Approximate date) • National Scholarship Acceptance Deadline on May 1 Stu • N on - T r a d i t i on al dent-Specific Scholarships Deadline on June 1 “Anybody that is planning or thinks at all they would come back whether it is for continuing their bachelor’s degree or going on to a master’s degree, we definitely want them to get out there and submit that application because we can’t consider them if they don’t turn it in,” Cruce said.

Nick Bohannon/The News

Murray State awards on average over $5,000 per student, according to the university’s most recent reports.

realize how much we do behind the scenes,” Longworth said. Some of these tasks, Longworth said are answering phone calls, emails and preparing for commencement. She also said a notable amount of time goes into making sure every student is on track to graduate once they have applied to do so. Longworth said multiple hours are spent on each student making sure any issues that may prohibit them from graduating are worked out. “Our ultimate goal is to make everyone a graduate from Murray State,” Longworth said.

The News

Page 3

November 9, 2017

Sports

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

Gage Jonson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Murray State soccer claimed its second OVC title in three years on Sunday by taking down Eastern Kentucky in a sudden death overtime match that ended 1-0. The Racers entered the game on a five-game win streak, sitting at 14-1-2 overall after defeating Southeast Missouri State 1-0. Eastern Kentucky entered play at 114-4 overall after having to go through seventh-seeded Southern Illinois-Edwardsville and second-seeded Tennessee Tech, winning the latter in double overtime. Murray State came out of the gates aggressive in offense. They managed to fire off nine shots in the first half, but the Colonels’ senior goalkeeper Anna Hall managed to save six of them with three off target, keeping the Racers off the board. Murray State’s defense continued to work as well, allowing Eastern Ken-

tucky to get only one shot off in the half. With both defenses stifling the others offense, the game went into the second half at 0-0. As the intensity of the crowd increased, the two teams picked up their play throughout the second half as well. Between the two halves, Eastern Kentucky racked up 15 fouls, while Murray State tallied eight. The Racers continued their offensive attack, but Hall managed to save all five of their shots, pushing her total to 11 for the game and keeping Murray State off the board. Eastern Kentucky managed to get off four shots of their own, but were unable to convert, sending the game into a sudden death overtime period. With just four minutes passing by in overtime, the Racers capitalized on a play that hasn’t gone their way all season. Senior forward Harriet Withers sent the ball from the corner, senior defender Nyomi Devine then headed the ball off the post and sophomore forward Miyah Watford kicked the

rebound in for her sixth goal of the season and the first corner-kick of the Racers’ season. The goal gave Murray State the 1-0 win, making them OVC champions for the second time in three years. Head Coach Jeremy Groves couldn’t believe they had finally scored on a corner kick, nonetheless in a game of this magnitude. “We’ve been a little unlucky from corners all season,” Groves said. “SIUE, we had a bunch of corners; EIU, we had a bunch of corners. They just didn’t seem to be falling, and I’m just really happy this one did.” After scoring the game-winning goal in both games the Racers played, Watford was awarded the OVC Tournament MVP. “I feel amazing,” Watford said. “I really wanted to win it for our seniors.” The win clinched the Racers’ third OVC title and their second in three years. Murray State also secured a spot in the top-25 of the RPI following the win, ranked 21st in the country.

The road to Orlando First stop, Rocky Top

Gage Jonson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu The Racers are saddling up and

riding on to Knoxville, Tennessee to take on the University of Tennessee in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The 21st-ranked team in the nation held a watch party at Mister B’s on Monday. Along with the devoted fans that have filled the hill this season, the Racers anxiously awaited the announcement of who the Racers would take on in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Racers wrapped up conference tournament play on Sunday Nov. 5, when they won the OVC championship by defeating Eastern Kentucky with a goal in a sud-

den-death overtime. The 1-0 win put the new conference champs at 15-1-2 overall. They will also head into the tournament on a six-game win streak. The draw of the Volunteers marks the second time in three years the Racers have been matched up against an SEC team in the NCAA tournament. The Volunteers ended their season ranked 20th in the nation. They lost in the SEC tournament in the first round to Vanderbilt University 1-0, giving them a 14-4-1 record. The team also held a conference record of 6-3-1, in a conference that had five other teams make it into the NCAA tournament. Offensively, Tennessee is lead by junior forward Khadjia Shaw, who scored 14 goals so far this season. The team averages 2.26 goals a

game, while they have stifled their opponents, allowing .89 goals during the season. Head Coach Jeremy Groves and his team will have five days to prepare for the first round matchup. “It’s going to be a tough matchup,” Groves said. “They’ve got some really good players. They have some good attacking players. They had a girl that came in from a JUCO (junior college) school this year and is really, really good. They scored a lot of goals this season, and they didn’t give very many up at the beginning of the season.” Murray State last appeared in the NCAA tournament in 2015 and lost 1-0 at the hands of the University of Mississippi. Groves thinks that the team’s ability to grow and obtain

more experience will benefit them in their first-round matchup. “It’ll probably be a little like the Ole Miss game we played two years ago,” Groves said. “When we played them they were ranked and played very well. I think we’ve grown as a team. We’ve got kids that have been in the NCAA tournament before, and we’ve played Tennessee in the regular season before in 2015. So hopefully we’ll have a little experience and confidence going in since we’ve also been to a place we’ve played them before.” Murray State will look to change the history books and win its first NCAA Tournament game when they play the Volunteers at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov 11. in Knoxville Tennessee.

The News

Sports

Page 4

November 9, 2017

Murray High standouts sign with former coach DJ Pigg || Staff writer dpigg@murraystate.edu

Women’s basketball coach Rechelle Turner will see some familiar faces on her team in the future. Murray High School seniors Macey Turley, Alexandria (Lex) Mayes, and Alexis Burpo have all signed letters of intent to play basketball at Murray State. All three girls spent the last three years playing under Turner at Murray High before she was hired to coach the women’s basketball team at Murray State. The trio have been the leaders on a Lady Tiger team that has won 90 games in the past three seasons. That stretch of wins included two Region 1 titles, an All-A State runner up, an All-A State Championship and two Final Four appearances in the KHSAA State Championships. In the last three years, the teams that defeated Murray in either the All-A State Tournament or the KHSAA State Tournament have gone on to win the championship. All three of them have

been named to the Paducah Sun All-Purchase Team two years running. Last year, the three girls combined averaged 42.1 points per game on a team that ranked fifth in the state of Kentucky in scoring. Together they have set multiple records for Murray High, including the school’s very first All-A State Championship, first Sweet Sixteen win, a school record of 35 wins in a season, two-straight undefeated seasons, and three of the school’s four state tournament appearances. Turley will go into her senior season already having eclipsed the 1000 career-point mark. Last season, she averaged 16.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. She was named to the 2017 All-A State Tournament Team. This year will be her sixth year starting varsity for Murray High. Turley said the decision was easy to commit to the coach she had been under since the seventh grade. “I told my family that she trumps anybody else,” Turley said. Burpo’s numbers have steadily increased the past

three years; last year averaging 12.5 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. This will be her second season starting varsity at Murray High. Burpo said she has a few aspects of her game that she wants to work on before she gets to Murray State. “Probably shoot more on the outside and getting stronger.” Burpo said. Mayes averaged 13.2 points and 3 rebounds per game last season. This will also be her second year starting varsity for Murray High. Mayes said she is relieved to have signed her letter of intent. “Everything is official and real even though it’s kind of felt like a dream these last few months,” Mayes said. “It’s just great to finally be a part of coach Rechelle’s team again.” The trio has been instrumental in the success of the Lady Tiger program. All three are members of the 1,000 point club at Murray High. Turley also is a member of the 500 assist club. Turley said she has her expectations set high for when she gets to step onto the court

Contributed by DJ Pigg/The News

Murray High School Seniors Lex Mayes (left), Macey Turley (middle) and Alexis Burpo (right) signed their National Letters of Intent to play basketball for Rechelle Turner at Murray State next year. at the CFSB Center as a Racer. “Winning an OVC Championship, I think that’s really special,” Turley said. “Bringing Murray State back up to the top.” The three will finish their

careers at Murray High this year and will join Turner and the Racers for the start of their collegiate careers in 2018. Mayes said the chemistry between her and her two teammates made this mo-

ment special. “Playing with Alexis and Macey is really fun,” Mayes said. “It doesn’t feel like anything hard, it’s just normal. It would be crazy not to got play another four years with them.”

Long pushes players to ‘win every day’ Cory Sharber Contributing writer csharber@murraystate.edu

Blake Sandlin/The News

Assistant coach Casey Long accepted the offer to join Head Coach Matt McMahon’s staff during the offeason.

Casey Long has brought his glass-half-full mentality to the Murray State men’s basketball team as an assistant appointed by Head Coach Matt McMahon. Formerly a student-athlete at UT-Chattanooga, Long started as an assistant coach with the Mocs before landing an assistant coaching gig at Virginia Commonwealth University, where they went 51-20 in two seasons and earned two NCAA tournament appearances. “I was very fortunate at VCU,” Long said.”Everybody has a blueprint of what they want to get done, but you’ve got to adjust to the circumstances and the players you have,” Long said.

Long said his personal experience on the court has helped him tremendously when relating to the players he’s coaching. “The job of a coach is to be understanding, that you’re trying to push them to be the best athlete they can possibly be, but also the best person they can be,” Long said. “With great responsibility, you’ve got to be mindful of that.” The support Long received from his parents impacted his career path, in which Long credited his father as the main inspiration for him to get into coaching. While playing at UT-Chattanooga, Long developed an interest in coaching. Long made connections with other coaches overtime, which culminated in him receiving an offer to coach

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

at Murray State. His penchant for building connections has allowed him to step into a role not just for player development, but for player morale as he has done his part to remain a positive influence for the Racers during the season. “I try to have my players leave with a smile every day,” Long said. “It’s not about the coaches; it’s about them. The end goal for Long’s season is for the Racers to be competing in the NCAA tournament. He said before the Racers enter the bracket, there will be steps they have to accomplish along the way. “The number one goal for them is to win every single day,” Long said. “Winning at practice, learning on and off the court, becoming a better person.”

The News

Page 5

November 9, 2017 Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871

Features

Marching to the beat of victory Murray State students help local bands make history Sydni Anderson Staff writer sanderson33@murraystate.edu

Two local high school marching bands made school history in the 2017 Kentucky Music Educators Association State Marching Band Championships in late October. The Murray High School marching band competed in class A and won the KMEA championship for the first time ever. Calloway County High School marching band made it to finals for the first time since 2008, competing in class 3A. Tiger Band Director Tim Zeiss said the students were very excited about being the class A marching band champions. Sixteen marching bands competed in the semi-finals with four advancing to finals. The show was titled ‘Always the Bridesmaid Never the Bride,’ a theme which the Tiger band community admittedly used to underscore their several appearances in state finals without walking away with a win. This year though, the bride got something blue: a blue ribbon medal, marking their first place win. Zeiss said several high school alumni contributed to the band and helped design the show. He had Murray State students attending rehearsals, running small sections and helping with small groups. “There was a lot of energy that night,” Zeiss said. “[The students] didn’t back down from anything, and they performed very well.”

Photo courtesy of Leigh Wright

Murray Tiger Band director Tim Zeiss and assistant director Beth Stribling kissing the trophy they were awarded at the KMEA state finals. Zeiss said the win was a huge excitement on his part. He said it was great to see the reactions of students who were overjoyed by the achievement. “It takes a lot of hard work and a lot of hours and sacrifice,” Zeiss said. “To see them finally win it was great. We’ve been pretty close to it before. There was a whole lot of satisfaction seeing their faces.” The Monday after the Tiger Band’s state finals victory, the Laker Band sent flowers to the

‘bride,’ congratulating the band on their win. Hunter Carter, senior music education major from Madisonville, Kentucky is on staff for the Calloway County High School band. He has worked with the band for three years as a visual music technician, working with the brass section. Carter calls himself a visual and brass tech and said he has gained a lot of experience in teaching. “The directors there, Mr.

Suiter and Dr. Jones, have been great with letting me teach independently and trusting me and really letting me push [the students] and take them to the next level,” Carter said. “It’s been awesome.” As a tech, Carter traveled with the Calloway County High School band to the state marching band competition. The band competed against 15 others in the semi-finals and performed original music and source music from Born

to Be Wild and My Body is a Cage by Peter Gabriel. Band Director James Jones said the semi-finals performance in Nelson County was the band’s best performance. Calloway County High School placed third, becoming one of the four bands advancing to finals. Jones said the band had outscored Bourbon County, the eventual 3A state champion. The band placed fourth at finals. Jones said it was one of the best moments

of his 24 year career. “If you’re the director of a competitive marching band, your main goal is to get to the final four, and I’m very honored to have reached that with this outstanding group of students,” Jones said. Grant Knox, senior music education major from Lexington, Kentucky, also helps out with the Calloway County High School marching band. Like Carter, Knox contributes to the brass section and visual elements. “Anything from music to choreography of the band,” Knox said. “Occasionally I help out with logistics, so almost helping out as like a third band director.” Knox said the band was surprised they made it to finals. He said he was happy that the marching band’s hard work paid off and that they provided a consistently good show through the season. Knox said the experience was like a Cinderella story. “Seeing the looks on those kids and parents faces – they were crying and hugging – it was honestly magical,” Knox said. Jones said the Murray State students like Knox and Carter who help out with the marching band are phenomenal. “They do an outstanding job helping prepare the students for the rigors of the season and provide invaluable knowledge on their individual expertise,” Jones said. “We could not be the success we are without them.”

The heart of the art Annual art auction opens doors for student scholarships

Kennedy Morillo Contributing writer kmorillo@murraystate.edu

Brock Kirk/The News

Members of the Murray State archery team practicing their aim in the south gym at Carr Health.

Hitting the bullseye Murray State archery receives accreditation as collegiate team

Amy Turner Staff writer

aturner32@murraystate.edu

The snapping sound of bows and the echoing thuds of arrows spearing their targets are all that can be heard during the Murray State archery team practices at Carr Health. The archery team at Murray State was considered a club last year but has officially received accreditation to be a collegiate team under head coach Tom Patterson from Princeton, Kentucky. Patterson has been coaching the sport for 15 years now and has been the Murray State coach since the team was formed three years ago. President of the team is Dalton Melloi, sophomore from Henderson, Kentucky. Acting as an unofficial vice president is recent transfer Cody Appleby, junior from Madisonville, Kentucky. Becoming an official accredited collegiate team means the archers can now

go to tournaments and competitions. Murray State’s archery team will be attending their first competition on Jan. 19 in Madisonville, Kentucky for Internationals. Practices are held in the south gym at Carr Health. The team has two practice sessions per week: One on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and another one on Fridays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. “A typical practice begins with the group circling up and giving announcements and social time,” Patterson said. “It’s archery plus something else.” During practice, Coach Patterson circulates around the room, helping students with various techniques as they go through campus. Melloi, who has been into archery since his sixth grade year, said his favorite part of both being on the team and archery in general is the competition. “I also enjoy building good friendships at practices and such,” Melloi said.

Cheyanne Hofmann, freshman from Crystal Lake, Illinois, found out about the archery team through a flyer posted on the pole outside of the Oakley Applied Sciences building. She went to a practice and was hooked. The most enjoyable part has been shooting arrows and learning the technique. “I’ve enjoyed learning how to do it because I’ve never done it before, ” said Hofmann. Helping her on her learning curve is Taylor Cook, sophomore from Nashville, Illinois. Cook picked up an interest for the activity through her dad and decided to join the team. “I’ve just always wanted to learn archery but I haven’t got into it until now,” Cook said. The team runs an average of 17 students per practice with one of their largest practices having around 20 students in attendance. The team is reportedly always looking for new archers.

Murray State students and faculty have begun donating their art for the annual art auction, an event held to raise scholarship money for participating art students. The Annual Holiday Art Auction will be held in Clara M. Eagle Gallery on the 6th floor of Price Doyle Fine Arts on Friday, Nov. 10th. There will be two parts to the art auction. The silent auction will begin at 6 p.m. and the live auction will begin at 7 p.m. Art students who donate, work the event or participate in both are eligible for scholarships provided by the auction. The remaining money from the fundraiser goes into a departmental fund for the art department. “This will be my third year participating in the art auction,” Carly Dothsuk, junior art education major from Trigg County, Kentucky, said. “Anyone can donate their art because the pro-

ceeds go toward art student scholarships.” The art auction is open both to the university and the community. Dothsuk said she loves the atmosphere during the art auction and she looks forward to it every year, especially with the great conversation, good music and food. “I recommend coming because of all of the great art work that is around here,” Dothsuk said. Sarah Martin, assistant professor of art and design, stepped in to help with the art auction two years ago. The art department has prepared for the auction for the past month. “This is a team effort,” Sarah Martin said. “There is not one person that has to bear the burden of most work. We get to share it.” Mike Martin, assistant professor of art and design and director of university galleries, said he oversees the installation process of the auction. His job is to display the artwork on the walls, pedestals and to stage

the items on the tables for the auction. “Our students donate some amazing, one-of-akind artwork and they really appreciate the scholarship opportunities and the community’s support,” Martin said. Pamela Parker, administrative assistant, oversees the public relations aspect of the auction. She is in charge of registering the artwork, coordinating the social media posts, and press releases. During the auction, she gets to wrap the art. “I really love this part of the job,” said Parker. “People are so generous with their talents they are willing to donate to us.” Sarah Martin said that one of her favorite parts of the art auction each year is speaking glowingly about the work of her peers as the auctioneer. “I would like to encourage everyone to come out to the auction on Friday and support the students,” Martin said. “It really is like a big party.”

Kello ‘O Toole/The News

Student art donations hung in the Clara M. Eagle art gallery for last year’s holiday art auction.

The News

Features

Page 6

November 9, 2017

ACTIVITIES PAGE Sudoku

PUZZLES

Easy (272)

CLASSIFIEDS

READ “A DEFENSE OF BIBLICAL CREATION” [225 PAGES] by Murray State graduate Da-

vid Meunier to find out how science actually supports the Bible’s account of origins and how Christians have had an important role in science. This book also shows why the fossils do not prove evolution and also gives evidence of the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans. This book can be ordered from the author, P.O. Box 12015, Murfreesboro, TN 37129. The cost is $17.50, which includes shipping.

3 3

7 3

9 8

Extreme (2132)

2 4

8 2

3 4

Line Ad: 15 words for $6.00. Each additional word is $0.25.

7 6

3 2

Display Ad: $7.10 per column inch. 15 word max for 1x1 ad.

7 2

1 4

Hard (1498)

3 8

8 3

WANT A CLASSIFIED AD?

Contact our Advertising Sales Manager at msunewsads@gmail.com or (270) 809-4478 or visit the news room in 111 Wilson Hall.

HELP WANTED STUDENTS are you looking for a job? Are you outgoing and like talking to people? Now taking applications for advertising reps. Call 270-809-4478.

Medium (930)

Deadline: Tuesday at 5 p.m. Easy (380)

Last Week’s

SUDOKU SOLUTIONS Word

Medium (802)

Hard (1496)

Extreme (2096)

W Z

VETERAN’S DAY J

W S

W O

W V

W R

W B

W Q

W K

MARINES

ARMY

SERVICEWOMEN

SERVICEMEN

A X

W K

AIRFORCE

RESPECT

W C

FLAG

NOVEMBER

W X

W M

W E

W P

W A

W G

W H

W D

W U

W Q

W K

W D

AMERICAN REMEMBER

VETERANS NAVY

SALUTE

PRIDE

S T

THANKS

TROOPS

W V

W S

W O

W U

The News

Page 7

November 9, 2017

Opinion

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

Our View

Patching the sinking ship 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 Co-Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 mdosier@murraystate.edu

Chalice Keith Co-Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 ckeith3@murraystate.edu

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

Many alumni of Murray State University will make their home here in Kentucky, and will go on to work in the public job sector. Teaching will be the chosen profession for many; there’s job security, for sure, though the pay is far from stellar. And though most aren’t planning ahead for retirement, it might be time to start. Proposed changes to retirement funds in place for public state employees will likely be in place for decades to come. Most of us are concerned with keeping the lights on despite historically low wages, but now is the time to listen up and pay close attention to what will affect many in the long run. The entire system is horribly underfunded, and the state’s debt ranges from $34 billion to $68 billion depending on who you ask. A wide range, for sure, but it’s definitely a ‘crisis’ either way. Changes have been mulled over by Gov. Matt Bevin and the consulting firm PFM, and not everyone is happy. We’re particularly concerned with the changes affecting teachers at public schools, and it is important to highlight the differences in the current defined benefit program and the proposed replacement. In the current pension-style program, also known as a defined benefits, a teacher’s contributions to the pool are combined with those of their employers and the state government. No matter how much a teacher pays in, they will receive retirement funds monthly until death, and each year the payments will be adjusted by 1.5 percent to ac-

count for inflation. This program’s success is dependent on all parties contributing the amount they are supposed to. The proposed changes would include moving new teachers to a 401(k) program. Teachers would be required to contribute 9 percent of their earnings, with the opportunity to add another 3 percent. The state would then contribute 4 percent of a teacher’s salary to the retirement fund. Another 2 percent would come from the employer. Bevin’s administration has circulated an informational graphic that details the comparisons between the two, though the data isn’t as clear as it could be. The estimates provided for the amount accrued via the 401(k)style program are based on a few presumptions. The first is that all teachers will attain an 18 percent contribution rate. And the estimates for both programs are, according to the graphic, “based off the current salary schedule published by Franklin County public schools for Rank II teachers with a starting salary of $42,000.” The average starting salary for Kentucky teachers actually varies by a wide margin per district. The statistics vary depending on which department or agency you ask, so the exact amount one could save under the new retirement fund is not entirely clear. The Murray-Calloway County Chamber of Commerce Board is much less conflicted over the pros and cons of a new retirement system, having voted unanimously against the plan. This is sure to get

Autumn Brown/The News

the attention of the local community in a big way. Tax reform and other measures are being suggested as alternatives, though Bevin has a strong opinion of naysayers. Last week, Bevin said that opponents to the proposed measures lack “the sophistication to know what’s at stake.” This drew of the ire of many critics, who were quick to call out his biased and inflammatory language. The future of Kentucky retirees is uncertain, though the mounting debt

must be dealt with soon to avoid even more shortfalls for the state. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers, but the conflicting information being presented means that a consensus may not be coming as quick as some would hope. But it is important for those who may depend on these programs in the future to be critical of all changes to their finances. Education must come before action, and it is up to us to discern fact from fiction, no matter where you fall on the political spectrum.

Dr. Stephanie Anderson Adviser • 270-809-3937 sanderson37@murraystate.edu

The News 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.

Cheers to ... Canceled mergers

CHEERS & JEERS

Jeers to ... Kevin Spacey There are a lot of bad ways to respond to controversy; choosing that time to come out as LGBTQ is high up on the list. Shame on Spacey for not only playing dumb, but also using his sexuality as a diversion from the trauma he has caused others. Do better.

Between You and Media

Life lessons from NaNoWriMo Rachel Wood

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.

Companies have routinely sought cost-cutting measures via acquisitions. But savings for the company rarely translate to savings for consumers. The deal between T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint has fallen through, which is great news for us. Monopolies are rarely good for the average person. Just look at Spectrum.

Contributing Writer rwood7@murraystate.edu

It’s finally November, so you know what that means – it’s National Novel Writing Month (lovingly nicknamed “NaNoWriMo”). If you’ve never heard of it, here’s the gist: every November, aspiring writers around the world challenge themselves to write a novel in a month. Yes, an entire book. Most people aim for 50,000 words in 30 days, but plenty of writers set 75,000 or even 100,000 words as their monthly goal. On the surface, it may seem absolutely insane. As a college student, it’s hard to imagine having the free time to even read a novel in a month, much less write one. Even so, I found myself undertaking the challenge five years in a row from high school into my sophomore year of college. I never really had the

aspiration of being a novelist for a career (which is good, because most of my stories weren’t stellar), but the experience has given me some fantastic life philosophies – some of which I hope can help you write your next essay. In case you’re wondering, 50,000 words in a month roughly translates to 1,667 words per day. Looking at a project only by its end goal quickly becomes overwhelming; it makes a lot more sense to focus on smaller goals that will eventually add up to the final product. This was my first lesson. Of course, 1,667 words per day still seems like a herculean task, especially when you only have an hour or two to dedicate to writing each day. This was another lesson I quickly learned, and one I still live by: all writing is rewriting. Organizing your thoughts and ideas while they’re swimming around in your head is much more difficult than getting them down on paper. Your words don’t have to be good, or even make

sense – the “making sense” part comes later. Move things around and rewrite them. You just have to write something first. Finally, NaNoWriMo taught me that I can be proud of whatever I put my time and effort into. I fully expect for the five novels I have written to sit, unread, buried in the files on my computer, and that’s okay. It is perfectly acceptable for me to do something I enjoy, even if it means my book isn’t going to become a bestseller. I feel as if we judge ourselves and our hobbies based on how “good” we are at them, but why should that matter? You’ll never get better at something if you don’t try. So, go out there and write a book, learn some ukulele chords, bake some scones or maybe knit a scarf. Just be proud of it, even if it doesn’t turn out the way you expected. Despite my creative writing still needing some work, NaNoWriMo taught me a lot about big projects and being creative. You never know what you’re missing out on unless you try.

The News

News

Page 8

November 9, 2017

Holiday Shopping Tab Our Holiday Tab arrives in three weeks! Now is your chance to advertise with us. Don’t miss out!

COMING NOVEMBER 30, 2017 msunewsads@gmail.com | (270) 809-4478

Graphic courtesy of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Meteorologists are already looking forward to the upcoming winter, a La Niña weather pattern setting the stage for a possibly stormy few winter months.

Get ahead

Meteorologists point to stormy winter

Destinee Marking

Staff writer

dmarking@murraystate.edu

As the leaves continue falling and the temperatures slowly dip, predictions of winter weather activity are abound. With an increased chance for severe storms, the area can look forward to an active upcoming winter. Jennifer Rukavina, WPSD-Local 6 chief meteorologist, said a La Niña building over parts of the Pacific Ocean will influence the weather pattern the area will experience this winter. According to Weather Channel’s website, a La Niña pattern is “the periodic cooling of the equatorial eastern and central Pacific Ocean.” “A winter season influenced

by a weak La Niña is more likely to see a higher risk for storms both winter and severe,” Rukavina said. That doesn’t necessarily mean we can expect big snowfall this winter. During a Facebook question and answer session with local viewers, Rukavina said it is starting to look like an active winter jet stream. “That would allow bigger temperature swings (cold spells) and increase our chance for snow,” Rukavina wrote. “Doesn’t mean BIG snow but just snow.” Rukavina said winter conditions can be expected later in November, but snow will not fall for another few months. “Typically we see a little snow in December, but many times in the past our region

has seen our bigger snow events during February and March,” Rukavina said. The area has experienced sudden temperature decreases recently, but Rukavina said this is normal this time of the year. “Fall experiences this because the sun is declining to the south, and North America is transitioning from summer to winter,” Rukavina said. “Fall is known as the transition season.” These predictions fall in line with those of The 2018 Old Farmer’s Almanac. According to the annual publication, temperatures will be colder this winter than last, but these temperatures will not be below actual average. Additionally, precipitation throughout the country will be above the normal levels.

in your coursework this winter.

murraystate.edu/winterterm

Register now for winter online courses! Open registration until November 10th. Call (270) 809-2394 to register after that date.

Condensed timeframe • Online course convenience Get ahead and take fewer hours in the spring

WINTER ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS December 11, 2017 - January 3, 2018 CRN

WE’RE

HIRING The Murray State News is looking for SALES REPRESENTATIVES NEWS WRITERS FEATURES WRITERS

Pick up an application

111 Wilson Hall or apply online

thenews.org/apply

90096 90010 90119 90009 90092 90120 90134 90089 90130 90054 90078 90107 90075 90122 90121 90095 90129 90117 90118 90044 90104 90088 90116 90045 90046 90086 90123 90132 90131 90133 90057 90124 90125 90126 90128 90127 90073 90007

COURSE

AGR 199-01W AGR 325-01W AGR 339-01W AGR 353-01W AGR 377-01W AGR 628-01W AGR 713-01W ART 121-01W BIO 103-01W BUS 215-01W CHE 101-01W CIV 202-01W COM 345-01W CRJ 140-01W EDU 222-01W GSC 110-01W HEA 191-01W JMC 168-01W JMC 586-01W LST 240-01W MGT 551-01W MGT 557-01W MGT 590-01W MKT 360-01W MKT 361-01W MKT 463-01W NLS 290-01W NUR 405-01W OSH 320-01W PHI 202-01W POL 140-01W POL 250-01W POL 442-01W POL 642-01W PSY 221-01W SOC 133-01W SWK 347-01W THD 104-01W

TITLE

Contemporary Issues in Ag. Small Animal Science Computer Applications for Ag. World Food, Agriculture & Society Agriculture Safety Agriculture, Food and Rural Law Graduate Computer Applications Art and Visual Culture Saving Planet Earth Business Communication Consumer Chemistry World Civilizations II Diversity, Comm. & the Workplace Introduction to Criminal Justice Instructional Technology World Geography Personal Health Contemporary Mass Media Special Topics The Legal Environment of Business Organizational Behavior International Management Strategic Management Principles of Marketing Selling & Sales Management Consumer Behavior Comm. Engage. & Nonprofit Sector The Nursing Prof. & Health Care Deliv. Env. & Occupational Health Eng. Tech. Ethics American National Government Intro. to International Relations Government and Business Government and Business Psychology of Human Sexuality Introduction to Sociology Social Work Practice in Rural Areas The Theatrical Experience

CREDITS 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

INSTRUCTOR

Bellah, K. Papajeski, B. Morrow, R. Handayani, I. Hoover, W. Santiago, M. Shultz, A. Duffy, S. Saar, D. Ray, T. Miller, K. Gao, J. Coel, C. Hepworth, D. Reed, D. El Masri, B. Terry, M. Vance, T. Shemberger, M. Alkhatib, I. Huang, Y. Huang, Y. Muuka, N. Johnston, T. Linnhoff, S. Johnston, T. Rogers, K. Murch, C. Boyd, J. Muenzberg, J. Seib, J. Kang, C. Clinger, J. Clinger, J. Page, L. Rosenberger, J. Pittman-Munke, M. Ortega, H.

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

State of the University Address Murray State President Bob Davies Tuesday, November 14 - 2:30 p.m. Wrather Auditorium Live stream available at murraystate.edu/streaming

Equal education and employment opportunities M/F/D, AA employer. Murray State University supports a clean and healthy campus. Please refrain from personal tobacco use.