The Murray State News by The Murray State News

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Racers fall to Bruins Page 3

January 19, 2018 | Vol. 92, No. 14

Winter storm stalls semester

Connor Jaschen

Editor-in-Chief

cjaschen@murraystate.edu

Freezing rain and winter chills dragged Murray to a standstill late last week, packing on layers of snow and ice to welcome students back for the spring semester. Chris Noles, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky, has been following the storm from the original predictions. Noles said the first round of snow – in the early morning of Friday, Jan. 12 – produced only an inch or more than original estimates had called for. This first accumulation reached 6 to 7 inches in some places. The second snow, reaching Murray on Monday, was not as predictable. While forecasters staked bets on only accumulating a few more inches of snow, the second helping of winter left almost another 6 to 7 inches, Noles said. The total accumulation for the past week, he said, reached almost a foot. Murray State canceled the first week of classes and much of Murray was brought to a crawl. The city had dispatched salters and snowplows to clear as much of the main roads as possible. Shawn Touney, director of communication for Murray State, said cleaning campus has been a coordinated effort between Murray State staff, specifically Facilities Manage-

ment who have been clearing sidewalks and parking lots. Efforts to dig the community out of the snow were met with several nights of freezing temperatures, refreezing whatever ice had already melted and resetting the clock on hopes of drivable roads. Noles said the community’s turning point should be seen in the coming days. “It’ll depend on how aggressive they get out with the plows and salting,” Noles said. “With some sunshine and high’s above freezing, we should see some turnaround Thursday, especially Friday.” While main roads are being treated for the snow, some concerns remain for side roads and county back roads which have yet to receive the same treatment – some of which still have almost an inch of ice still over top of them. Looking forward, Noles said he expects the weather to clear up and even warm up in the coming weeks. Sunday night there are chances of more precipitation – though the only real danger will be the water accumulation from new rains and old snow melting. Noles said some forecasters are calling for another cold front to move in about mid-February, though its too early to predict if Murray will be seeing another Winter Storm Hunter anytime soon. While Murray State has been

see HUNTER, page 2

Brock Kirk/The News

Winter Storm Hunter left Murray with almost a foot of snow, shutting down campus for the week. Community members took to the hills of campus for sledding and snowmen building.

A week of fire and ice Split Rail Stables fire

Miller Avenue fire

Lindsey Coleman || Assistant News Editor

lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

Tuesday was the most terrifying day of Dani O’Bryan’s life. A phone call notified her that she needed to go to Split Rail Stables as soon as possible. Upon arrival, she saw smoke billowing from the barn where her precious horse was being kept. “Everything I had for my horse Harley is gone,” O’Bryan said. “But I am not the only one who lost a massive amount of supplies. Several other boarders and the farm owners lost thousands of dollars of equipment.” The barn, which is about five miles from campus on 121 North, caught fire Tuesday afternoon. Barn owners Lance and Marsha Harper were able to evacuate three horses, 11 goats, a mini donkey, two dogs and two cats, but one horse and one rabbit were lost in the fire. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The horse that died did not belong to a Murray State student, but Lance said about seven of the boarders are Murray State students or are in some way affiliated with Murray State. There are 10 total boarders at the barn. O’Bryan, junior from Bullitt County, Kentucky, said she has been a boarder at Split Rail for about a year, and she is a friend of the Harper family. “They have really taken a lot of the girls under their wing,” she said. “They are the heroes of this story for sure. If not for Lance and Marsha, my horse, my baby, would be dead.” She lost absolutely everything in the fire, which totaled over $10,000 worth of supplies that took 12 years to accumulate. This included brushes, reins, a helmet and many other items. O’Bryan started a GoFundMe page for the barn on Tuesday, and so far, about $500 has been donated. “The donations have absolutely blown us all away,” O’Bryan said. “Without the support of those donating and offering services, I wouldn’t even be able to feed my horse, much less have a place for him to stay while we rebuild.” Lance said in addition to the GoFundMe, people have shown up in his driveway to drop off buckets, lead ropes, halters, hay and money. Donations have come from as far as Michigan, Texas and Illinois. Ballard’s Tack and Supply in Paducah gave a $100 gift card to each boarder and is offering discounts to help them get back on their feet. “I can’t keep up with the people who are texting, calling, messaging…” Lance said. “The response has been over-

On the first day of 2018, administrative assistant Wendy Briere and her son Noah were devastated by the news of a fire in their home on Miller Avenue, but the community generously helped them land on their feet. Alison Brown, lecturer and clinical supervisor in the Center for Communication Disorders, started a GoFundMe page for Wendy and Noah. In just two weeks, supporters donated almost $3,000. Brown said Wendy is an amazing administrative assistant for the center, and the faculty knew they needed and wanted to support her after the catastrophe. “Wendy goes far beyond the expectations of her job to support our faculty and students,” Brown said. “She never seeks recognition, and she moves mountains independently. We were concerned that she would not ask for help, and rebuilding after losing everything is daunting.” Brown was not surprised the people of Murray and the Murray State community rallied to support Wendy and Noah. “Not only does it show how wonderful our community is, but it also shows the impact that Wendy has had on those around her,” Brown said. “Despite the division we see in our world these days, neighbors often care for each other.” Wendy has lived in Murray for 14 years and worked at Murray State for over three years in the Center for Communication Disorders. “I work with a fantastic group of people who really do look out for each other,” she said. Wendy said the GoFundMe was an absolute lifesaver, and the way various groups banded together to help her and her son has been amazing. Without the support of the community, she said moving into a rental home and buying the bare necessities would have been almost impossible. She noted the generosity of her family, friends, coworkers, church friends, current and past students from Murray State, the student group called National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, her daughter’s co-workers, the 4-H Robotics Team, a local homeschooling group and total strangers who heard of their disaster. “We have received donations of funds, gift cards to various eateries in town and many clothes, shoes and coats, even a coffee pot,” Wendy said. “There is no way we can repay what everyone has done for us and no way to express the magnitude of our gratitude.” In the fire, Wendy and Noah lost almost everything, including

Photo courtesy of Brooke O’Bryan

see STABLEFIRE, page 2

www.TheNews.org

see HOUSEFIRE, page 8

Ashley Traylor/The News

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

@TheMurrayStateNews

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The News

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January 19, 2018

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

News

University braces for $2.7 million shortfall STABLEFIRE Ashley Traylor News Editor

atraylor@murraystate.edu

Gov. Matt Bevin delivered his State of the Commonwealth and budget address Tuesday, where he called for fully-funding the state pension systems, by proposing a 6.25 percent spending cut to state agencies. “That is what it is going to take to balance our budget,” Bevin said. “We don’t have any alternative. The only alternative is to generate more revenue. That conversation will come with tax reform.” Bevin will also eliminate 70 mandated programs to save money. He did not identify these 70 programs in his budget address, but he said they are “scattered throughout state government.” Bevin and legislators have made little headway in passing a pension reform

HUNTER From Page 1 closed, the campus buzz hasn’t disappeared, instead shifting elsewhere. All week, students and community members have been taking to the hills around campus, sledding being the unofficial winter sport for Racers. President Bob Davies remained in touch with the campus community, sending out updates via his “President News” email to remind students of on-campus closures. Davies was also busy leading winter weather festivities, including an impromptu snowman building competition on the lawn of Oakhurst Wednesday afternoon. More than a dozen students competed in the friendly competition on the president’s lawn before being invited inside the president’s home for some hot cocoa. Sydney Owen, junior from Owensboro, Kentucky, reached out to the president via Twitter for baking help. When she and her Tri Sigma sorority sisters

bill. Last October, Bevin unveiled “Keeping the Promise,” his 30-year plan to fix the state pension by moving state workers from defined benefit plans to 401(k)-type plans, although it did not gain enough Republican support to pass in special session at the end of 2017. As the House and the Senate are working toward balancing the budget, Bevin said the pension system is a priority in order for Kentucky to meet its obligation to state employees. Currently, the Kentucky Retirement System (KRS) is only 13 percent funded. Bevin broke down what 13 percent funded looked like for state workers wanting to retire. If 100 workers are retiring, he said only 13 would receive their retirement money. While the Kentucky Teacher Retirement System

were snowed in just off campus, they tweeted out a winter SOS, complete with an off campus address. “We are trying to make cookies, we need a single egg,” she tweeted to President Davies late Monday night. “Can we borrow one? We will bring you a cookie.” By 9:40 the next morning, Davies had delivered a package of eggs with a handwritten note on University stationery. “An egg for cookies,” Davies wrote. “And a few more for breakfast. Enjoy – be safe – stay warm.” Davies wrote a tweet letting the students know their present had been delivered. When the Davies egg debacle started receiving student attention, he pointed out who students should really be thankful for. “The real MVPs are all of our Facilities Team, Dining Services Team, Campus Police and others for working to keep our campus safe and providing services for our students,” Davies tweeted out Tuesday morning. “And the many others working hard throughout the area to clear streets. Tough job!”

(KTRS) is 56 percent funded, Bevin said that means 56 retiring teachers out of 100 teachers would receive their full retirement. “Never once in the history of Kentucky has the ARC (Annual Required Contribution) been fully funded for all of our pension systems,” Bevin said. “Not one time, which is why we now find ourselves in a situation where they are all so severely underfunded. This year they will be funded in their entirety for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth in Kentucky.” However with 14.5 percent of the general budget going to fund Kentucky’s pension, Bevin said it makes it difficult to protect education. Higher education will experience a 6.25 percent reduction, along with many other state agencies.

On Jan. 17, President Bob Davies sent an email to faculty and staff regarding Bevin’s budget Gov. Bevin address. In the email, Davies said the 6.25 percent reduction correlates to a $2.7 million shortfall, which does not include an additional $4.8 million to cover pension costs. These numbers are not concrete, as Davies said the university is checking the costs with the Office of the State Budget Director. Bevin’s proposed budget bill was posted on the Legislative Research Commission website, where the 70 programs that will no longer be funded are listed. Murray

State’s one mandated program, Breathitt Veterinary Center in Hopkinsville, is not on the list for elimination. Davies said the university welcomes feedback as they create a leadership team to discuss budgetary cuts and the university’s next step in this process. Bevin placed emphasis on the hardships the budget cuts will have on the state, but he said we have to come together to create solutions that are necessary to balancing Kentucky’s budget and bettering the state. “These are serious times,” Bevin said. “These are the times that try men’s souls. Nobody likes the idea of having to cut budgets. No one likes the idea of having to make these difficult decisions. There is not enough money. It is easy to throw stones without coming up with solutions.”

From Page 1

whelming in a good way.” He said initial funds will go toward getting the girls their tack, saddles and anything to get them back to where they were. He and his wife are considering rebuilding in the future. The boarders are in need of any barn supplies: tack, saddles, blankets, buckets, forks or hay. Monetary donations can be made on the GoFundMe page. “The support of the community and people around the whole country is essential,” O’Bryan said. “The donations won’t cover everything, but without them, we would have nothing, and we can’t thank everyone enough for all they have done.” Visit TheNews.org for details on how to donate funds or items.

Ashley Traylor/The News

President Davies invited students to take part in a snowman building competition on the snow covered lawn of Oakhurst.

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The News

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January 19, 2018 Sports Editor: Bryan Edwards Assistant Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Sports

Racers lose steam against Belmont on ESPNU Blake Sandlin Assistant Sports Editor

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu In Thursday night’s clash of the conference superpowers, it was Belmont who finished on top with a 79-72 win over the Racers. The Racers held a four-point halftime lead and were poised to claim their first win at Belmont since the Bruins joined the Ohio Valley Conference in 2012, but ultimately fell just short thanks in part to the heroics of Belmont senior guard Austin Luke and junior guard Dylan Windler. Luke and Windler both scored 21 points and led a furious second half rally for the Bruins in which they outscored the Racers 51-40. Belmont forward Mack Mercer added 15 points off the bench in the win. In total, the trio of Luke, Windler and Mercer combined for 57 of the Bruins’ 79 points. A key difference-maker in Thursday’s game came from beyond the arc. Belmont came into the game leading the OVC in three-point shooting, averaging 11.8 per game, and they stayed true to that number, plus some. They knocked down 14 threes and shot 47 percent from the arc to gain the edge over Murray State.

Bryan Edwards/The News

Freshman guard Ja Morant went one-on-one with Belmont senior guard Austin Luke in the 79-72 loss to the Bruins. The Racers were unable to weather a 19-6 scoring run by Belmont in the second half that left them down 13 with 2:47 left in the game. Although the Racers managed to cut the lead to

just five late in the game, they were unable to overcome the deficit. Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon said their inability to stop that run proved

detrimental to their fate. “When you play Belmont, you’re not going to beat them 4240,” McMahon said. “You have to be able to execute offensively, score, finish plays and make

some open shots, and we just had a stretch there in the second half where they hit us with a run and we weren’t able to answer.” Despite losing the game, the Racers dominated the glass most

of the night, ultimately finishing with 38 rebounds to the Bruins’ 32. Additionally, they won the turnover battle against the Bruins 9-11, but the Racers’ inability to defend Belmont’s guards contributed to their loss in Thursday’s thriller. Murray State senior guard Jonathan Stark led the way on offense with 19 points and six assists. Stark also eclipsed 2,000 career points in the second half. Senior forward Terrell Miller and junior forward Jalen Dupree carried the Racers on the glass, as they hauled in 11 and 13, respectively. Dupree and Miller both finished with double-doubles in the Racer’s loss. Stark said Belmont’s defense bothered him at times, but he felt the game was lost on the other side of the ball. “I thought they did a pretty good job of putting some length on me,” Stark said. “I kind of rushed some of my shots a little bit. I thought I had some open looks, I just didn’t knock them down. I thought we lost the game on the defensive end.” The Racers dropped to 13-5 on the season and will remain in Nashville for what will be a quick turnaround as they prepare to face Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, at the Gentry Center.

Women’s basketball gets second win DJ Pigg Staff writer

dpigg@murraystate.edu

Dave Winder/Murray State Athletics

Former women’s soccer head coach Jeremy Groves accepted a position at Mississippi State as associate head coach.

OVC Coach of the Year leaves Murray State Gage Johnson || Staff writer

gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s women’s head soccer coach Jeremy Groves has accepted a job as the associate head coach of women’s soccer at Mississippi State University. Former Head Coach Jeremy Groves was at the forefront of what was a solid year for Racer soccer. This season saw his first ever recruit, senior forward Harriet Withers, break the career goals record and points record. Many others saw success this year, including a transfer playing her first year as a Racer, sophomore forward Miyah Watford. There were notable performances throughout the year from multiple freshman on the roster. Groves has led Murray State soccer to three straight undefeated years of regular season conference play, two conference tournament titles, two NCAA tournament appearances, along with being named the OVC coach of the year. During Groves’ four year tenure, his players earned 14 All-OVC honors, including nine first-team, to go along with six All-Newcomer honors, as well as holding an overall record of 50-26-6 and a conference record of 32-3-5. “There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to Coach Groves for all that he has accomplished at Murray State,” Director of Athletics Allen Ward said in a press release. “He has taken our women’s soccer program to unprecedented heights and done so with the

utmost integrity and class. I’ve truly enjoyed working with him and watching him develop into one of the finest coaches in the entire country. I wish Jeremy and his family the very best in Starkville, as they will always be part of the Racer family.” Ward is still ecstatic about what’s ahead for Racer soccer despite losing their head coach. “It’s important for the team and future Racers to know that I have a plan to keep things moving in a positive direction,” Ward stated. “There’s no reason we have to lose any momentum. The women’s soccer program at Murray State has a very bright future!” Groves will now pack his bags and take the wife and two kids on to Mississippi State University and a conference that had nine teams make it into postseason play at the national level this past season. Groves is no stranger to the SEC. Groves spent six years at his alma mater, the University of Kentucky, helping with scouting reports, recruiting, and training the goalkeepers. Two of them being with the women’s team and four with the men’s soccer team. Groves will assume the position of associate head coach and will look to bring the same success he had as the Racers head coach to the Bulldogs soccer program. Murray State’s search for a new head soccer coach begins as they look to continue their success despite Groves’ departure.

Murray State’s women’s basketball team snapped a fourgame losing streak on Saturday, Jan. 13, with a win over Tennessee Tech 72-63. The win marked the second conference win of the season for the Racers. “I thought it was an outstanding win for our basketball team,” Head Coach Rechelle Turner said. “It was definitely the best defensive game we’ve played all year. Followed the scout, (and) did an outstanding job with our game plan both offensively and defensively. So just really proud with how they bounced back not only from the Jacksonville State game, but accepted the challenge from me.” Senior forward Bria Bethea led the Racers to victory with 27 points and 11 rebounds on 9-of15 shooting as she poured in four threes and shot a perfect 5-of-5 from the charity stripe. Following Bethea’s season-high performance was senior forward Ke’Shunan James with 16 points, eight assists and three rebounds. Senior guard Jasmine Borders added 14 points and dished out three

assists. After trailing by two at the close of the first half, the Racers fought back to regain the lead by the end of the third at 48-47. From there, the Racers would maintain the lead the rest of the way until the final buzzer sounded. The game marks the second conference win for Turner. The win streak stopped with the win over Tennessee Tech. Senior forwards Bria Bethea and Ke’Shunan James led the Racers in a very tight matchup against the Belmont Bruins Wednesday night, falling short just 70-65. Bethea had her second big game in a row for the Racers, putting up 20 points and grabbing six rebounds. Four of Bethea’s seven made field goals came from behind the threepoint line, marking the second game in a row she has made four three-pointers. James complimented Bethea’s play by putting up 19 points, grabbing nine rebounds, dishing out four assists and earning three steals. James is ranked No. 38 nationally in points per game. The Racers struggled against Belmont’s multiple scoring

Bryan Edwards/The News

Junior guard Abria Gulledge rises up for a layup during a home game this season. threats. The Bruins had four players in double figures as junior guard Darby Maggard led the way with 16 points and eight assists on the night. The team will look to get back on track and continue

their improvements against Tennessee State University at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20, in Nashville,Tennessee, at the Gentry Center. The Tigers are 3-12 on the year and 1-5 in OVC play.

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

The News

Sports

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January 19, 2018

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

Solving the equation The Title IX Effect

Blake Sandlin

Assistant Sports Editor

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

More than 45 years ago, collegiate sports changed forever. In 1972, President Richard Nixon signed a document that would revolutionize gender equality. The law, known as Title IX, required that any educational institution that received federal funding could not discriminate against individuals on the basis of sex. The federal mandate was established in order to sanction equal opportunities and to forbid sexual discrimination against women in the classroom and in work environments. Yet perhaps the most substantial effects from the law occurred in the realm of college athletics – both for the good and the bad. Before Title IX’s inception, there were around 32,000 women participating in collegiate sports, but since that mandate has taken effect, that number has skyrocketed to over 150,000 female competitors. The law has also made an unmistakable impact in regards to athletic scholarships. Prior to Title IX, athletic scholarships for women were scarce; now there are over 10,000 scholarships awarded annually. Title IX requires institutions meet one of three criteria in order to maintain compliance. They can either show that the number of female athletes is proportionate to the collective female enrollment, they can demonstrate a history of expanding sports for women or they can prove that the athletic interests of the student body are being met. Murray State adheres to the criteria which requires them to provide equal participation opportunities to men and women that are proportional to the amount of full-time undergraduate students attending the university. That means the school is expected to remain within one percent of the ratio of men to women participating in athletics. That obligation leaves Murray State Athletic Director Allen Ward responsible for dispersing the opportunities equally so as to keep the school in compliance with Title IX and in order to continue to gar-

ner federal grants and aid. As of 2016, Murray State’s ratio of men’s to women’s sports totaled 58:42 in favor of the women. “The trend for the university, up until a couple years ago, was continuing to trend higher on the female side,” Ward said. “That affects me as well. So I was joking, ‘Hey, go recruit some more male students’, because we were at 58:42 and that’s a pretty good gap.” Although Title IX is a federal requirement, Ward said he doesn’t enforce it through that lens. He views equality in sports as a simple, fundamental principle paramount to any legal requirement. “Personally, I don’t look at Title IX as much as a mandate,” Ward said. “For me, it’s the right thing to do. If I’m going to have a sport, whether it’s men or women, I’m going to treat them the same and I’m going to provide them with the same opportunities. I don’t want to have someone out here that is not given a chance to be successful. So for me, there’s just a right way to go about doing things.” Despite the continued progress in obtaining gender equity over the past several decades, there have been some devastating ramifications. As universities strive to promote additional opportunities for female athletes in order to bridge the gender gap, some male sports are left to pay the price. Men’s programs – from swimming, to soccer, to tennis – have faced unfortunate cuts in order to accommodate the expansion of women’s teams. According to “athleticscholarships.net”, hundreds of low-revenue men’s programs across the country have been cut in order to remain in compliance with Title IX. Murray State hasn’t been immune to this national trend. In May of 2016, Ward was forced to cut men’s tennis in response to state budget cuts and in order to remain in compliance with Title IX requirements. He said when he evaluated the school’s athletic programs to make a cut, men’s tennis was the unfortunate martyr; not only because of the budget cuts and other factors, but because cutting a non-male sport would’ve skewed the Title IX

equation. There’s no doubt it was considered,” Ward said. “When we evaluated our sports and evaluated tennis, I had to make sure we maintained Division I membership. I had to make sure it was not going to affect our compliance with Title IX. I looked at what our participation ratios were. I looked at where we were getting those kids from, and honestly, I looked at how successful we were. And because it was budget cuts, whether it would provide the savings that we needed to meet what our obligations were. All of that fit, but I hated it.” The expulsion of the men’s tennis program wasn’t the first time Ward was involved with eliminating a sport for the mandate’s sake. When he worked for the University of North Texas, the school was tasked with maintaining Title IX compliance, so they were consequently forced to cut their men’s soccer program. Schools that offer football can face an even greater conundrum. An NCAA FCS football program is required to offer a minimum of 63 full athletic scholarships, while FBS programs require 85. The large football rosters necessary can sometimes upset the Title IX equation and hinder schools from being Title IX compliant due to the discrepancy in scholarship requirements. The largest scholarship requirement in a female sport is in women’s basketball at 15. Ward said Murray State no longer struggles with balancing the equation because they’ve increased women’s opportunities to offset the roster burden, but if the football program was ever cut, he’d be vastly underrepresented on the men’s side. “Football doesn’t create a burden for us right now,” Ward said. “It actually fits very nicely with our 95-player roster that we have within our numbers. People say, ‘Why don’t you do something with football?’; well for us, if I did something with football, then I’d have to add some sports back to be in compliance on the men’s side for us.” While fundamentally the goal of Title IX has been to provide imperative opportunities to underprivileged fe-

male competitors, its effects have trickled down to create the inverse on the men’s side. Despite the loss of programs, Ward maintained that not all of these cuts can be attributed to Title IX. “It would be an unfair generalization [to blame it all on Title IX],” Ward said. “I can’t say that Title IX has not impacted those sports, and that the decisions that administrators have made to eliminate certain sports haven’t been a part of the Title IX discussion. But I’m sure there are other parts to it too; like their budget, how successful they’ve been, or how popular they’ve been in the area.” Despite that, Ward said he’s open to revisions. He believes the 45-year-old mandate is antiquated, and that the biggest improvements could come in regard to scholarships. The NCAA mandates a 15 scholarship requirement in women’s basketball, and only 13 in men’s basketball. Scholarships in baseball were cut from 13 to 11.7, a 10 percent cut to their scholarship allotment. “I don’t think it ever hurts to reexamine what you’re doing,” Ward said. “Especially when you’ve gotten to a point to where you feel some real progress has been made and there has been a real change in the mentality as far as how you address the women’s sports. Let’s make it a positive rather than a negative. Title IX and gender equity for some can easily become a negative.” There’s no question that Title IX has unequivocally changed the landscape of collegiate athletics. Gender equality and heightened opportunities for people of all colors, genders and backgrounds is imperative to the development of a level playing field – and when those teams are winning as much as they are, it makes it easy. “I’ve got an outstanding soccer team,” Ward said. “What Jeremy [Groves] has done is amazing. Forget Title IX. I’ll look at people and say, ‘Now you tell me how I can go to those young ladies and tell them I’m going to treat them any differently’. Same thing with my volleyball team and Rechelle [Turner] and women’s basketball. I just don’t see it.”

Bryan Edwards/The News

Junior guard Shaq Buchanan rises up for a lay-in against Middle Tennessee State.

Stark, Racers blast Tennessee Tech

Blake Sandlin Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu Murray State’s men’s basketball team hasn’t lost two consecutive games all season, and it kept that trend going in their 71-45 road win against Tennessee Tech. The win moved the Racers to 13-4 and improved their conference record to 5-1. They’ve now won five of their six conference games by a double-digit margin. The Racers scored 14 seconds into the game, and didn’t pump the brakes until the end, maintaining a commanding lead throughout the rest of the game. Entering the game, Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon knew he was dealing with a potent offense in Tennessee Tech, but said his team handled their assignments well. “We knew Tennessee Tech was a very explosive offense,” McMahon said. “They shoot the ball extremely well from three, leading the league, but we thought our initial key would

be our ability to guard the dribble 1-on-1. I thought our guys did a terrific job containing their dribble penetration, which allowed us to stay out of rotations and not give up many open looks.” It was senior guard Jonathan Stark who again led the offensive charge for Murray State. Stark scored 18 points, making four three-pointers while dishing out five assists. Senior forward Terrell Miller recorded a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while freshman guard Ja Morant skies for seven rebounds and scored 13 points. The Racers thwarted the Tennessee Tech’s attack throughout the game. Only one Golden Eagle managed to reach double figures, as senior guard Kajon Mack accrued 11 points in the loss. After splitting their road trip 1-1 this week, the Racers will returned home to recuperate before heading to Nashville, Tennessee, for a marquee matchup against Belmont. The Racers went on to lose the game 79-72, Belmont.

The News

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January 19, 2018 Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871

Features

Lighting up the stage Students prepare for the 81st Campus Lights production

Nick Erickson

Assistant Features Editor nerickson@murraystate.edu

Lindsey Coleman

Assistant News Editor lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

Murray State is vibrant every January as students return to campus to rehearse for the longest running student produced and performed musical in the south: Campus Lights. This year will mark the university’s 81st production, breathing life into an old classic entitled “Into the Woods.” Sigma Alpha Iota and Phi Mu Alpha sponsor Campus Lights each year and students from several different majors come together to bring the show to life. Anyone on campus can get involved. The Brothers Grimm musical by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim is being made over by this year’s director, Landen Bates, a senior theater major from Shelbyville, Kentucky. “When we are doing show selection, it’s brought up every year as one of the options, but it’s never chosen,” Bates said. “I came in with this different concept of it

Photo courtesy of Millie Wade

Cast members Melanie Davis (left) and Ashton Saxon (right) prepare for opening night of Campus Lights. and everyone latched to it.” Bates was the Campus Lights assistant director his freshman year. Now in his fifth year at Murray State, he serves as the director. “This is the first show that I ever fell in love with when I was like ten years old and I’ve always had this concept in my head,” Bates said. By bringing in the humanistic qualities of classic characters such as Cinderella and Red Riding Hood, Bates said he thinks the show is something everyone would appreciate – even people who don’t usually attend musicals.

Nathan Arnold, senior music performance major from Mount Vernon, Illinois will be participating in his third Campus Lights performance . Arnold said that many hours of hard work go into the show’s preparation. “Phi Mu Alpha and Sigma Alpha Iota volunteer a lot of time helping create the magic of the show with the sets, props and technical design such as lights and sound effects,” Arnold said. “The actors spend two weeks of their winter break working every day with the director, chore-

ographer and vocal director.” In addition to the actors, Arnold said the select number of talented instrumental musicians who put in the time and effort help to make the experience amazing. Arnold said that his favorite part of performing is the bond that is created between the cast members. “I also enjoy being able to create my own version of the character I’m portraying,” Arnold said. Lucas Morgan, junior from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky and assistant chairman of the 2018 Campus Lights

production said he is most excited about the 1920s spin on the show. “It’s not really something that Campus Lights has done in the past,” Morgan said. “They’ve just kind of taken the shows as they are and presented them. I’m excited for the audience reaction to that.” One of the most unique parts of the production is the beginning of each live performance. A tall vintage street light, which Morgan said is their most prized possession, sits illuminated in the corner of the stage during every Campus Lights show. “It’s locked up in the light room,” Morgan said. “No one is allowed to bring it out until Campus Lights night but we have that on the corner of the stage every single year.” For Morgan, the opportunity to join the tradition is indescribable. “It’s super cool that I get to carry it on and train the future of Campus Lights as well,” Morgan said. “I can’t really see this ending. We’ve built up this momentum.” Campus Lights will be open to the public in Lovett Auditorium Jan. 19-20 at 7p.m and Jan. 21 at 2:30p.m.

#SnowDaze

The best of your Instagram-worthy snow day photos straight from your camera roll

Photo courtesy of Hunter Carter

EQ Blue prepares to return to the ICCA South Quarterfinals at the end of January.

Photo courtesy of Brock Kirk

EQ Blu takes it up an octave Emily Williams Features Editor

ewilliams15@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of Tristen Brown

Photo courtesy of Areca Hendricks

Photo courtesy of Chance Reagan

The date was Feb. 11, 2017 at Ball State University and nine talented acapella groups hovered backstage warming up their voices, wiping nervous sweat from the backs of their necks, wishing competing teams luck and hoping for the very best. Among the nervous harmonizers stood Murray State’s own group of performers ready to go. EQ Blu was practiced, prepped and pumped to take on Quarterfinals as a team. At the end of that day, when the results came through, EQ Blu held their heads high knowing they placed third, a remarkable accomplishment for the team’s first ICCA competition. However, it was only the top two teams in the Quarterfinals phase that moved on to Semifinals. Nevertheless, after representing Murray State well, EQ Blu returned home with a new goal, a perfected focus and a drive that would push them to move boldly forward in their pursuit of being pitch perfect. EQ Blu, Murray State’s premier mixed acapella vocal group, will make its return to the ICCA South Quarterfinals on Jan. 27. This will be the second year in a row the team will gather together to sing their hearts out while competing for a top two placement against nine other acapella groups in the region. With newfound wisdom and experience from the previous year, EQ Blu is ready to take it up an octave. Oliver Montgomery, senior from Louisville, Kentucky and member of EQ Blu, said this is his second year as a member

and performed at the ICCA Quarterfinals last year. “When we found out that we were just a couple points off from placing second, of course we were hurt,” Montgomery said. “But the whole team was just very excited to even be placed in our first year competing.” Montgomery said he believes their close call last year is the exact reason why the team is so focused and ready to go back to the ICCAs in just a couple of weeks. “This group has grown so much since I have been apart of it,” Montgomery said. “When we found out we were accepted last year, that’s when the real work began to find our unique sound. We were all very overwhelmed to hear that we placed third in our first year to compete.” Montgomery said the group is so much closer and they were able to find their unique sound so much faster than in years past. “We are all very excited to be returning to the ICCA’s this year and we really hope we advance on,” Montgomery said. Dr. Christopher Mitchell founded EQ Blu in May of 2015. “It was really just a hand picked group of students I knew were strong singers and musicians put together to perform for the Paducah Symphony Sing-Off fundraiser,” Mitchell said. “That first incarnation of the group only rehearsed for two weeks before our first performance.” Mitchell said they were very well-received at the event, so he decided to offer it as a small ensemble as part of the music department. “As the group’s visibility

has grown on campus and in the area, I’ve seen larger numbers of auditions for the group, which gives me a deeper talent pool from which to choose the group members,” Mitchell said. “It’s nice to get some recognition for a group that is still really just starting out.” Mitchell said the thing that will set the group apart is if they are able to really show their personality and connect with the audience on an emotional level. Hunter Carter, senior from Madisonville, Kentucky, said this is his first year with the acapella group and they have grown to 14 members. “We’re a little bit nervous going into it because we don’t really know what to expect with the groups we’re competing against like we did last year,” Carter said. “It’s kind of like going in blind about where we’re going to place competition-wise but we feel confident.” Carter said the group tries to use a wide variety of genres for their performances but the set they are doing for Quarterfinals this year consists mainly of pop songs. He said preparing for Quarterfinals helps the team as a whole to work together. “Our goal is to always create beautiful music and be a good group but this gives us extra motivation because of the competition factor,” Carter said. Carter said he would love to see the growth of the acapella scene on Murray State’s campus and hopes that these experiences with EQ Blu will be the stepping stone that gets students involved and interested. EQ Blu will perform in the ICCA Quarterfinals at UT Knoxville on Jan. 27.

The Heart of the Matter

The beginning of the end

I’m approaching my last first day of school. After eighteen years of being a student, of turning in Emily Williams assignments, Features Editor sitting in lecture halls and regurgitating information onto a sheet of notebook paper or a scantron, I will graduate from Murray State and conclude my education experience. I will take my last exam, turn in my last assignment, complete my last class project and enter into an entirely different realm of expectation and accomplishment. I am excited to be a graduate and to be moving on to this new and exciting stage in my life, but I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t scared. I think if we’re honest, all of us experience at least a little bit of anxiety and hesitancy when we face changes of any sort, but that doesn’t mean we’re cowards or that the change to come isn’t a good thing. It just means we’re scared. It just means we’re human. The problem is when the fear, the anxiety and the uncertainty of the unknown keeps us from moving on, from believing that good opportunities will come our way post-college, from moving forward boldly into our future anyway, even when we’re not sure what the next twist in the road will reveal. When I was an elementary education major, the phrase “always be learning” was thrown around a lot. Our professors emphasized that this was one of the most, if not the most important aspect of teaching and an art that came from years of experience within that field of work. I believe “always be learning” can be applied to all areas of work. You’re never finished growing, maturing or learning, not just in your career but in your relationships, pursuit of self-growth and understanding of the world around you. There will always be something new to discover, a skill to master or a difficult person you must learn to love and work well with. It’s my own humble opinion that we’ve never truly ‘made it’. Whether you’re in college or the ‘real world’, whether you are eighteen or eighty, whether you are a firsttime employee or the CEO of a large company, we all have something we’ve yet to learn. So if you’re like me and this is your last semester, or maybe it’s your first and you’re scared of the new journey you’re embarking on, here is the key: one foot in front of the other. While we can’t see the bigger picture we are stepping into, we can see what’s right in front of us. While we can make plans and schedule interviews and study and prepare all we want, we never know what life will throw at us, or where we’ll end up. So enjoy the moments of uncertainty as well as the moments of clarity, because they all serve a purpose in leading you to your ultimate destination. In my college experience, I’ve learned a lot. But the most important lessons I’ve learned haven’t necessarily come from textbooks or lectures. They have from ‘real life’ issues like heartache, ever-changing relationships, anxiety, self-discovery, stress management and building a good work ethic for yourself. It’s those lessons, the priceless ones that come from seemingly tedious and silly tasks, that teach you who you are. When you’re frantically trying to meet deadlines, figuring out how to fold a fitted sheet, guessing at how many minutes you can cook the rice before it burns, learning that sometimes that friend just needs you to sit there and be quiet while she cries, it’s there that you learn the good stuff. The stuff that you take with you after school. The stuff that teaches you to prioritize what’s important, treat people with kindness and respect, remember who you are and always be learning. ewilliams15@murraystate.edu

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The News

Page 7

January 19, 2018

Opinion

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

Our View

If walls could talk 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

Rhiannon Branck Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 rbranch@murraystate.edu

Rebecca Mosella Chief Videographer • 270-809-5878 rmosella@murraystate.edu

Talking aloud to oneself might finally start paying off for the burgeoning number of American households adopting smart home technology. Having the answer to virtually any question has become even simpler than whipping out a smartphone with access to Google. But if these lexicons of our modern age are always waiting and listening, is privacy becoming extinct? The popular smart home products Google Home and Amazon Echo are coming to the forefront of American culture with little standing in their way. According to The Smart Audio Report, “39 million U.S. adults own a smart speaker,” and the adoption rate of smartphones pales in comparison to how many households have integrated these new devices into their daily routines. And it is not hard to see why. Why would anyone choose to carry around multiple gadgets in order to complete a task when one can simply ask Alexa to accomplish it for them? The early 2010s was the age of bluetoothing Spotify from a smartphone to a speaker loud enough to fill the room. The future is whispering words of whimsy into a chilly winter morning and being answered by the sweet sound of your favorite playlist. However, some have hearkened this as the coming of “1984,” the beginning of a time when big brother is watching and listening to everything we say or do.

Autumn Brown/The News

We are quite far from a Skynet-esque situation, but it is important to understand who has access to the information shared with these smart devices, and the precautions which must be taken to keep said information secure. Many now demand businesses be transparent in their business practices. While large entities such as Amazon.com Inc. and Google

Inc., two huge players in the smart home device market, are not as susceptible to public backlash as other corporations, they have felt the pressure to make their intentions known to the public. Good intentions can’t prevent everything, though. It is not likely that Yahoo Inc. willingly handed over the personal account information for over 3 billion

consumers. Equifax Inc. surely took precautions to protect sensitive documents from ne’er-do-wells across the globe looking to steal the identities of over 140 million people. But it happened, and as we all know, once something is out on the internet, it lives forever. This can be unnerving considering these smart devices are programmed to collect as much information from us as possible. Hardwired to learn our voices, favorite products and music preferences, there is little one can hide if they wish to get as much as possible out of their device. There seems to be an ultimatum in the technological world: is one willing to sacrifice their privacy for convenience? Some have vowed to go “off the grid” in order to protect what little privacy they still have. Others consider it a necessary sacrifice if they wish to partake in the conveniences of modern society. Many are simply unaware of how much businesses know about us. Ignorance concerning the largescale system of give and take running behind the scenes of our lives may indeed be the biggest danger in the long run. Many may be giving more than they are taking from the technology meant to serve them. This simply serves as another reminder that little worth enjoying in this world comes without terms and conditions.

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

Cheers to ... Snow days

CHEERS & JEERS

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.

Everyone appreciates snow days, but no one more so than a college student. An extended winter break is partially second Christmas. Here’s to a few more before the season is up.

Jeers to ... “Fake news The current administration loves to berate the big, bad media over reporting the truth. President Donald Trump would do well to not cry wolf so often.

Looking Forward

A legacy lives on Tyler Anderson

Opinion Editor

janderson49@murraystate.edu

Nintendo Co., Ltd. has sailed choppy waters for the past two decades. The Game Boy was an undeniable success. The Nintendo 64 less so, but was still a cultural force to be reckoned with. The GameCube faced fierce rivalry from other gaming companies. The Wii came as their saving grace, then the Wii U immediately put Nintendo on its deathbed according to thousands of analysts and enthusiasts. Financialists called upon the company to stop producing consoles all together and let their properties live on rival systems. Diehard fans begged Nintendo to stop manufacturing gimmicky rigs and focus on a competitive console. Nintendo, never the one to forgo innovation, brought forth the Switch, a hybrid console which can be played on a television or on the go. Its release trailer triggered the wailing of fanboys across the globe. Thousands were preparing for the worst. But the Switch went on to outsell the Sony PlayStation 4 and Microsoft Xbox One for several months of 2017, according to a report

from The NPD Group. Then it was reported that the Switch was the fastest selling console in U.S. history, outselling its predecessor in only 10 months. Where was the disconnect? How could so many professionals get the future of a gaming powerhouse so very wrong? My guess: no one really focused on whether or not it would be fun to play. There’s no arguing that it is woefully underpowered compared to the PlayStation 4 Pro and Xbox One X. It can’t play Blu-rays or handle 4K graphics. Games are held on cartridges, a carrier unit practically extinct in the gaming world beyond Nintendo’s own handheld systems, and it is unlikely the virtual reality fad will make its way to the brand anytime soon. But the convenience provided by the Switch and an already impressive catalogue of well-received games means naysayers are at a loss for words. I am a Nintendo fan at heart, and I, too, was skeptical. It was my boyfriend who suggested we buy one. He immediately grew to love it while I watched from afar, unsure of how to approach something so different from traditional home gaming consoles.

Just a few months later and I am now a firm believer in Nintendo’s future. Games such as “Super Mario Odyssey” and “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” take full advantage of the hardware while rarely betraying the lack of power under the sleek black surface. There is something about slaying dragons across a medieval tundra which seems much more alive and intuitive on the Switch than it ever did on a PlayStation system. There are certainly drawbacks to the new console, flaws which will take time to be sorted out – if Nintendo’s history is any indication. The current online services are barebones. Rudimentary voice chat applications have been a nightmare for early adopters. Despite these issues, the Switch has already made its mark on the world of video games. It is simply impossible to ignore the appeal of a gaming console which can provide just as much fun at home as it can in the car or on a plane. This allure is similar to that of the Wii: give customers something they never knew they needed. A risky move, but it seems to be paying off. There are not many people walking around with their Switch proudly on display yet, but that day is quickly approaching.

News

Page 8

The News

January 19, 2018

Remembering a Racer Davies day in the snow Ashley Traylor News Editor

atraylor@murraystate.edu

After Murray State’s Interim Chief Facilities Officer, David Burdette, died unexpectedly Jan. 10, his friends and colleagues remembered his honorable character and his impact on the University. President Bob Davies sent an email to faculty and staff the morning of Jan. 10 informing them of Burdette’s passing. In his letter, Davies asked for them to keep Burdette’s family in their thoughts and prayers. “David was a dear friend and colleague to many of us and worked tirelessly to advance Murray State University on many fronts,” Davies wrote. “He will be sorely missed.” Rick Grogan, director for ground building and grounds maintenance, worked closely with Burdette in Facilities Management. Grogan said Burdette was a “caring, honest and straightforward man,” who always looked for opportunities to help other people. “He was one of the most positive men I’ve ever met, starting each day with at least one ‘Good morning’ to each of his staff as he walked down the hall to his office,” Grogan said. “One of his favorite phrases was ‘It’s a great day in the Commonwealth!’” Burdette took over operations as interim chief facilities officer in 2014, which is when his friendship with Jeffery Gentry, assistant chief of po-

HOUSEFIRE From Page 1

Christmas presents. They did recover some shells, Wendy’s flute, a ring she made, an iPad, and a metal wall decoration. “You never think it will happen to you until it does,” Wendy said. She and Noah lived in the home with their four dogs. At the time of the fire, no one was in the house except their dogs. At about 3:25 p.m., a neighbor of theirs, Marsha Dorgan, notified them of the fire. Wendy said they could not believe it at first. “There were many firetrucks and firemen about,” she said. I couldn’t park near my house and had to walk to it. I approached some firemen and asked them if my four dogs had made it out.

lice, began. Gentry described Burdette as a loyal friend and proponent of the students, university and community. Throughout their years of working together, Gentry can recall many memories with Burdette. “I can always remember the two of us saying, ‘What else could possibly go wrong?’” Gentry said. “This was used many times by me and David. Another thing that strikes me, while in a meeting, David would say, ‘You have time for a story?’” Grogan Burdette agreed Burdette was famous for telling stories. He said Burdette impacted lives on college campuses in Virginia, Michigan, Pennsylvania and New York, as well as at Murray State, and many of his stories “include people he remembered and cared about from many of these previous stops.” Aside from his loyal character, Gentry said he was a trusted friend who would always be there in times of need. “David was vivacious and was a friend you could always count on,” Gentry said. “He could make you smile if you were having bad day. David treated everyone the same and had respect for everyone.”

Burdette was involved in many campus projects, such as the Breathitt Veterinary Center, Engineering and Physics Building and the Hollis C. Franklin residential hall. Burdette developed a summer Classroom Improvement Plan, which Grogan said, directed funding to renovating classrooms in Faculty Hall and Oakley Applied Science Building. “David really immersed himself into the Murray State community in his relatively short time here and supported the students by contributing financially to various funds and by attending a variety of activities,” he said. “He would frequently say, ‘They are why we’re here.’” Before beginning his career in higher education, Burdette was a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Army. “If we were on campus or in the community and he saw a fellow service member, he would immediately engage the individual and thank them for their service,” Grogan said. As interim chief facilities officer, Burdette oversaw many operations, like facilities design and construction, grounds and custodial services, facility operations and environmental safety and health. “Each of us in Facilities Management had a unique relationship with David and we all want his family to know that they continue to be in our thoughts and prayers,” Grogan said.

He had me sit in a firetruck to wait, as I was quite upset. After a while, while watching the house burn and the firemen spray the fire in that bitterly cold weather, a fireman told me that two of my dogs were in the backyard.” A fireman helped her get the dogs into Dorgan’s yard. Dorgan housed the dogs for the night and also gave Wendy and Noah blankets and hospitality. At some point in the evening, once the firemen could get into the house, they found their great pyrenees, Zeus, dead in the living room. He died of smoke inhalation. The other dog, Webster, a lab/chow mix, was never found. Wendy said he probably died in the fire, perhaps in the basement, where there was more that three and a half feet of water. “It was horrible to lose our two dogs,” she said. “They are companions and family. Our other two dogs were very upset

and depressed for most of the past 11 days. They’re just starting to get back to their old selves.” She said it looks as if the fire started in the kitchen, which is probably why the two dogs were not able to escape – they were couch bodies, while the other two dogs enjoyed playing outside in the cold. The first night after the fire, Wendy and Noah stayed at Wendy’s daughter’s house. After that, they spent nine nights in the Best Western with their two dogs and then moved into a rental home. “In the midst of such a loss, I’ve also looked at this as a fresh start, a way to simplify our lives and decide what’s really important, not only in terms of possessions, but also in general,” Wendy said. “This event has absolutely shown me the real goodness of humanity in a way I haven’t experienced before.”

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On Wednesday, Murray State President Bob Davies held an impromptu snowman building competition for students. Here are some of the snowmen left standing by Thursday. To see all the snowmen and the teams who built them, visit Murray State University’s Facebook page.

Ashley Traylor/The News