INSIDE:
THE MUR R AY STATE
M
NEWS
Best of Murray Results March 29, 2018 | Vol. 92, No. 23
Rhiannon Branch/The News
With recent school shootings, safety measures are evolving. The Department of Homeland Security introduced an active shooter simulation training for teachers and school employees.
THE CHANGING FACE OF SCHOOL SAFETY Active shooter simulation introduced for teachers
Ashley Traylor
Interim Editor-in-Chief atraylor@murraystate.edu
With the rising numbers of school shootings in the United States, first responders and law enforcement officers are no longer the only ones training for active shooter situations. Active shooter simulation will now be available to teachers — making virtual reality their worst nightmare. Pearl High School in Pearl, Mississippi and Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky both fell victim to a school shooting in 1997 and then the Columbine High School massacre occurred in 1999. Three months into
2018, the nation has already seen its fair share of mass shootings. According to CNN, 14 shootings have occured since the beginning of the year, which includes high school, college and university shootings. The question lingering in the minds of school administration officials, teachers and parents is, “How do we prevent violent attacks on our schools?” The Department of Homeland Security and the Army Research Laboratory partnered to create a computer simulation training to prepare teachers and other school employees for active shooter scenarios. The simulation brings chaos to life through realistic details like the pops of the gunfire, shattering glass and cries for help from the students.
The simulation, part of a program called EDGE, Enhanced Dynamic Geo-Social Environment, should be released this spring for any school system that passes the verification process. According to The New York Times, developers of the simulation studied the mass killings from Virginia Tech in 2007 and Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 to create the virtual training. The simulation includes 20 classrooms, a library, cafeteria and a gymnasium and options to play along as students, teachers, school employees or law enforcement officers.
see ACTIVE SHOOTER, page 2
Jalen Dupree is free to leave Blake Sandlin
Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
Murray State’s men’s basketball team will have two scholarship openings for the upcoming season after sophomore forward Jalen Dupree was granted release to transfer out of the program. Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon announced the news of Dupree’s departure on Friday, March 23. “Jalen Dupree has been granted his release from our program,” McMahon said. “We appreciate his contributions over the last two years and we wish Jalen the best moving forward.” Dupree, a Cordova, Tennessee native, has spent two seasons with the Racers. He played a central role in the
The 6-foot-9 forward endured a rocky sophomore year, as earlier this season McMahon suspended him for two games for “actions that failed to meet team standards”. His impending departure comes following Murray State’s 85-68 loss to West Virginia in the NCAA tournament. The program will now be tasked with filling two open scholarship positions for the upcoming year. Dupree’s decision leaves a glaring shortage in Murray State’s frontcourt. Senior forward Terrell Miller, who accounted for 15.1 PPG and 8.6 RPG, will be graduating this year, leaving only junior forward Brion Sanchious (2.9 PPG) and junior forward Anthony Smith (3.6 PPG) to carry the load in the paint. They also have a verbal commitment from Mississippi native Kamarian Williams.
Bryan EdwardsThe News
Dupree shooting around at practice with his former teammates.
Total Racer
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paint for the 26-6 Racers, starting in 17 of 30 games and averaging 5.7 PPG and 4.4 rebounds per game. “I would like to say that the last two years at Murray State have been a blessing to me,” Dupree tweeted. “I have encountered some of the greatest fans and have connected with a band of guys I will forever call my brothers. Murray State is truly one of the greatest programs that any kid would be proud of. However, sometimes plans do not always play out the way we envision them. We then have to pick up the pieces and move forward and do what’s best for our futures.” “I have learned a great deal from the opportunity afforded me at Murray State and will be forever indebted to Racer Nation,” he continued. “Thanks to everyone who has supported me. Best of luck to Racer Nation.”
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The News
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March 29, 2018
News March for our lives
News Editor: Lindsey Coleman Page Designer: Savanna Hatfield Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews
Marshall County students let their voices be heard
Paige Effinger/The News
Paige Effinger/The News
The rain did not stop MCHS students from letting their voice be heard.
Hundreds of people turned out for the local March for our Lives rally.
Paige Effinger Staff writer
peffinger@murraystate.edu
Hundreds of people all over the Western Kentucky area gathered in Memorial Park to celebrate the March For Our Lives movement. The march in Calvert City was specific to January 23 where a student open fired at Marshall County High School, injuring many and killing two students. The national march is in re-
sponse to all school shootings, especially Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. This march is in accordance with the national march held in Washington D.C. on the same day. There were more than 800 marches held in various communities across the country. Several students and locals got up to share their stories on the matter. Lloyd Ford, editor and publisher of the Lake News in
Active Shooter From Page 1
In a demonstration of the training, teachers must choose one of the seven commands, including “Get out through a window,” “Find a place to hide,” or “Follow me” to protect their students. The typical lockdown drills of shutting off the lights, pulling the black curtain over the door and students barricading in the corner of the classroom is no longer enough to keep students safe. School employees and administrators must be prepared to respond to a crisis. “We want our teachers to feel comfortable,” Josh McKeel, director of pupil personnel of Calloway County Schools, said. “We want them to feel knowledgeable about what to do in the event of any emergency…[Safety] truly is a team effort of how we approach it. The main thing is, ‘Do we know how to respond in the event?’” How one local school seeks to prevent violence As a way to deter violence, McKeel said Calloway County began bag checks for middle and high school students in 1999. The school system also has a school resource officer on school grounds, and teachers participate in active shooter training performed by the Kentucky State Police. According to the KSP’s safe schools’ program, the state police do not set safety plans for schools, but they have four levels of assistance they offer to school districts. See graphic below for details. Active shooter simulations compared to combat virtual simulations The federal government has conducted little research on the active shooter simulation, but computer and virtual simulations are commonly used by the military to train soldiers for combat operation, but also decision-making and control skills.
Calvert City, began the rally by welcoming the crowd. “I understand that we are here today to move a mountain,” Ford said. “I’ve named that mountain. The mountain’s name is fear.” Students of Marshall County High School then got up to share their own personal accounts of that day and why they believe in this cause. The topics ranged from mental health awareness, gun policies, unity and National Rifle Association influence.
Bruce Knerr of the United States Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences Simulator Systems Research Unit studied the effectiveness and current issues of virtual simulation training. “The Army now recognizes a need to train soldiers and leaders to be adaptable, capable of responding to rapidly changing situations and attuned to cultural conditions, in addition to being proficient in high-intensity combat operations,” according to Knerr’s study. His research showed soldiers do not perform as well in an indoor simulator because they could not effectively maneuver around furniture, walls, objects, other personnel, and identify enemy gunfire. Knerr noted little empirical research suggests the impact and effectiveness on a person’s decision-making capability with computer games. Virtual reality development has progressed, now using interfaces and 3D designs to create an illusion of reality, according to study on visual simulation by the University of Southern California Information Sciences Institute. “Creating technologies that engage the game player’s mind via sensory simulation and providing methods for increasing the sense of presence contribute to building a feeling of immersion,” according to the USC Information Sciences Institute study. “This work includes computer graphics, sound and haptics; affective computing, sensing human state and emotion; and advanced user interfaces.” Both studies show exposure to traumatic experiences can psychologically prepare and improve a person’s decision making skills, but educators do not train specifically for trauma-induced environments, like law enforcement and soldiers. “When someone signs up to be a police officer or in the military, they made that choice to do so,” McKeel said. “When we have people go into education, when they decide that they want to be teacher, that’s not what you think of. Teacher preparation is evolving, but it doesn’t involve the use of a firearm. You don’t become an educator to respond to those
Despite the rainy weather that was described as “tears from heaven” by Ford, the event was well attended. The event was complete with a booth that sold t-shirts to support the cause and a booth where people could register to vote. One high school student, Korbin Brandon, recalled his own personal account that day. He spoke about how he got into an argument with someone of differing opinions than him, and
if he hadn’t gone back to talk to this girl, he may have been the one shot that day. Brandon said it is sad that it took something like a school shooting for the community to start meeting like this, but he is glad we are finally talking about it. “And if the mountain that we are talking about is fear, then we are all excavators taking one rock, then we can take down the entire mountain,” Brandon said.
type of situations. You do go into law enforcement... because you understand why taking that oath and signing on to be a law enforcement agent is part of what you are going to do.”
“You can’t be hypervigilant and on and be ready for the shooter at any time and be present with your students, you’ve got be one or the other,” Karlsson said.
Exploring the psychological implications of simulation training With limited research on the active shooter simulation training, many questions are left unanswered about the psychological impact a simulation training could have for teachers. Marie Karlsson, assistant professor of psychology at Murray State, said a simulation training could cause emotional distress, but it also has potential to translate to mental preparedness for an active shooter scenario. “Teachers need to be able to function in these crisis situations,” Karlsson said. “It makes sense to have a simulation because it is going to help them psychologically prepare. The more you practice the drills for fire alarms and all these things, active shooters, what not, the better we get psychologically at just acting, instead of shutting down and being overwhelmed.” While simulations can cause emotional distress, Karlsson said PTSD cannot occur from simulation training because it does not meet the three requirements under the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: threatened death, injury, or sexual violence. “A school shooting would qualify,” she said. “I could be there. I could be targeted. I could feel like I’m likely to die. I could witness other people, or I can learn my teacher or my best friend died. That would qualify. But technically it doesn’t qualify for simulation because it’s not actually happening and you know you’re going into a simulation.” In these simulations, Karlsson said teachers will practice for these scenarios and they will become acquainted with the sounds and learn to focus in these intense situations. She said it becomes problematic when teachers can no longer “turn off” and process the stress.
Should school employees and staff engage in active shooter simulations? McKeel is hesitant to the new technology, because of the psychological trauma it could cause, as he said every person copes with stress in different ways. “People’s familiarity to situations, people’s response to situations, people’s responses to traumatic things differ, so I definitely would think that it wouldn’t be something for everyone,” McKeel said. “Might it be something on a volunteer basis or something that people that are so inclined might participate in.” For McKeel, he said teachers have a desire to be prepared, but this training may have more negative effects than positive. Dennis Thomas, public affairs officers with Kentucky State Police Post 1 in Mayfield, Kentucky, said state police are always re-evaluating their training programs, but he has not heard of the simulation. “I prefer not to judge it without any knowledge of it,” Thomas said. “Any training that the schools do for their employees will benefit all involved.” With the Marshall County High School shooting, McKeel said Calloway is reevaluating their schools’ safety plans to make the school as safe as possible, as well as educating students of what to do if they have security concerns. “In order for kids’ needs to be met, they have to feel safe and they have to be secure,” McKeel said. “It is a team effort. It’s not students v. teachers, its not teachers v. administrators, it’s not parents v. schools, if we are going to solve this problem, which is going to be a multistep process, involving legislators and involving communities, we have to understand we are all on the same team. Our ultimate goal is the safety of our kids, wherever they are, including our schools.”
Levels of assistance Kentucky State Police offer to school districts Level 1: Provide on-site visits to the requesting schools and give recommendations for security and safety protocols
Level 2: Assist and participate in school lockdown drills
Level 3: On-site walk through to assess the schools’ strengths and weaknesses
3
Level 4: Provide a three-hour block of specific training to instruct teachers on what to do during these situations and the opportunity to partake in active shooter scenarios
The News
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March 29, 2018
Sports
Sports Editor: Bryan Edwards Assistant Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews
Miller to play in professional event Gage Johnson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Most people dream of making it to the professional level. After Murray State’s recent tournament loss, senior forward Terrell Miller will get his first chance at the next level. Miller finished his senior season as an All-OVC First Team selection, that was the second of his Racer career. Miller put up a solid line of 14.7 PPG and 8.0 RPG. Senior guard Jonathan Stark and Miller were the 28th and 29th Racers to be named to an all-conference team twice during their collegiate careers. Miller is also a member of the 1,000 point club and 500 rebound club at Murray State. With his collegiate career in the books, Miller will now prepare for his first taste of professional basketball. Dos Equis will be holding their first ever 3x3 National Championship in San Antonio, Texas. The participants were chosen by the player selection committee for Dos Equis. The players had to have finished their collegiate careers to qualify, as well as being some of the best seniors in the
nation. 128 players were selected, and the teams were decided by conference. Miller was one of those 128 that were chosen. Joining Miller in the attempt to win the $100,000 pool play pot, as well as an extra $50,000 if Miller and his team win the championship, will be Austin Peay’s senior forward Avery Ugba, and Belmont seniors Austin Luke, and Amanze Egekeze. Each shot inside the arc will be worth one point, and shots outside the three-point line will be worth two points. The teams will play to 21. If neither team has won by the ten-minute time period has expired, whoever has the most points will be declared the winner. The pool play games will be livestreaming on Twitter, starting at 6 p.m. CDT on Friday, March 30. The games will continue to be livestreamed on Twitter at 10 a.m. CDT on Saturday, March 31. Play will then wrap up Sunday, April 1, with the quarterfinals live stream starting at 12:35 p.m. CDT., and the semifinals and championship game will follow and be aired on ESPN2 at 2:30 p.m. CDT on Sunday.
Bryan Edwards/The News
Murray State senior Terrell Miller Jr. will play in his first event as a professional this weekend.
Track earns team win in Alabama Zach Scott || Staff writer zscott1@murraystate.edu The Murray State track and field team continued its
Kalea Anderson/The News
Senior Gavin Wehby transferred to Murray State from Nicholls State University.
Wehby pursues success on and off the field Zach Scott || Staff writer zscott1@murraystate.edu
At first glance, Gavin Wehby may just look like an average student; but that is far from true. Wehby, a graduate student from Gulf Breeze, Florida spent his undergraduate years at Nicholls State University, where he graduated cum laude in his class. Wehby doesn’t stop in the classroom though; he is also an exceptional member of the Racers’ baseball team. It’s rare you see an athlete not only excel on the field, but also graduate with honors. But Wehby has continued to surpass expectations, ensuring he is successful in both areas of life. Wehby, like most students, struggled getting used to the college life. “My first semester I had to get used to the time management,” Wehby said. “Then going into the spring my freshman year, I had to learn how to balance baseball with school work, especially on the road.” During the grueling baseball season, Wehby said finding time to study for tests can be a struggle. “Having multiple test in a week or two-week period and trying to figure out how to study for each test is difficult,” Wehby said. Once Wehby settled in and adjusted, he began to excel in his class work. “Once I figured out the routine, it wasn’t as bad,” Wehby said. “Learning how to study is the biggest thing.” For most students, handling all of the challenges that school demands is more than enough, but Wehby was able to maintain good grades and excel on the baseball field. Wehby boasted a career .279 bat-
ting average at his time in Nicholls State, including his junior season with the team where he batted for .310. Wehby’s slugging percentage also hung just under .400 his junior and senior year with Nicholls State, slugging at .391 and .383 clips, respectively. Growing up playing baseball, Wehby said he used the life lessons he learned on the diamond and translated them into the classroom. “Learning how to handle failures and how to work hard on the field definitely transferred over into my school work,” Wehby said. Wehby also said it’s important that he never lets the two major aspects of his life collide with one another. He said he never lets his baseball career interfere with his school work, but he also does not let school overwhelm him. Graduating with honors is an extremely difficult task, but Wehby has been mostly humble about it. “I don’t think any of them know I’m smart,” Wehby said. “I think they think I’m dumb, honestly.” “News to me,” Caleb Hicks, a sophomore infielder from Ballwin, Missouri said when he heard Wehby talking about graduating with honors. Once Wehby is all caught up with his school and not busy with baseball, he finds some time to relax. In his free time, Wehby enjoys playing the popular game Fortnite with teammate Ramsey Scott. Wehby is currently in the Human Development and Leadership program here at Murray State, and aspires to become an insurance salesman after his collegiate career comes to a close.
season this weekend, placing first in the Island Meet in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The Racers dominated the 100-meter race with Jabreuna Brimlett, a junior athlete, Norma Abdur-Rafia, a sophomore sprinter, Daijah White, a junior sprinter, and Alison Woerner, a freshman jumper all placing in the top five in the event. Lawrence also came away with the first-place finish in the 200-meters, finishing with a time of 24.13 seconds. D’Myia Thornton, a sophomore sprinter, finished first in the 400-meter event with a time of 58.79 seconds. In the 1500-meter race, Rebekah Priddy, a senior distance runner, finished with a time of 4:50.79, which was good enough for first-place. White, Abdur-Rafia, Brimlett and Lawrence combined for a first place finish in the 4x100 event with a time of 53.48 seconds. Aubrey Main, a junior athlete, has continued to dominate the high jump this season, posting a first place finish this weekend with a mark of 1.66 meters. Emily Heil, a junior pole vaulter, posted another firstplace finish, her second in as many events. Heil posted a mark of 3.35 meters in the pole vault to secure the top spot. The Racers also took home the top three spots in the
long jump. Brimlett finished first with a mark of 5.89 meters, with Main and Woerner finishing second and third with marks of 5.44 and 5.36 meters. Destiny Carey, a sophomore thrower, Christina Meinhardt, a junior thrower, Jewel Wagner, a sophomore thrower and Main continued the domination in the shot put, placing in all of the top four spots. The Murray State track and field team will try and make it three straight first place finishes at the Texas Relays from Wednesday, March 28 to Saturday, March 31 in Austin, Texas.
Hunter Julius/Murray State Athletics
Murray State track and field has won its last two meets this year.
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
The News
Sports
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March 29, 2018
Baseball sweeps Eastern Illinois Gage Johnson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
After losing in extra innings on the road, Murray State traveled back home for a three-game series with Eastern Illinois. The Racers came away victorious on Friday, 7-4. Racer junior pitcher Peyton Hayes got the starting nod for the sixth time this season on Friday. Hayes came in with a loss to Austin Peay in which he gave up five earned runs in just as many innings. Junior pitcher Tyler Jones made his fourth start of the season for the Panthers. Jones came in with an impressive start to the season, going 2-1 with an ERA of 0.60 in his first three games. The two pitchers breezed through each lineup in the first inning. However, both teams hit the books in the second. Three singles for EIU allowed them to gain the first lead of the ballgame at 1-0. Murray State then capitalized on the Panthers’ mistakes in the bottom of the second. After two Racers reached base because of an error and a walk, junior shortstop Jaron Robinson singled to center field. Both runners scored on the play, giving Murray State a 2-1 lead going into the third inning. The two teams battled back and forth over the next few innings, answering run for run. That was until EIU put together a big inning in the top of the seventh. After a one-out single, senior infielder Dougie Parks hit his sixth homer of the season. This blast to left field from Parks tied the game up at 4-4. With the game going down to the wire, Murray State had a big inning of its own in the bottom of the eighth. Graduate student outfielder Gavin Wehby got the rally started with a leadoff single. Fellow graduate student outfielder Brandon Gutzler followed it up with a two-run bomb, his fifth on the year. After the next Racer hitter was retired, graduate student first baseman Ramsey Scott hit a solo shot to cap off the offensive attack. Scott’s fifth home run of the season extended Murray State’s lead to 7-4 going into the ninth inning. Senior pitcher Tyler Anderson then shut down EIU in the top of the ninth to claim the 7-4 win and earn his second victory of the season. It is raining runs After the second game of the series was postponed on Friday, March 23, Murray State matched up against Eastern Illinois on Saturday in the cold rain, coming away with a 13-7 win. Racer junior pitcher Blake Clynes started out on the mound for the fifth time this season. Clynes entered the game struggling in his previous games, giving up nine earned runs combined in his last two starts. Eastern Illinois sophomore pitcher Alex Stevenson made his sixth start on the bump on the season. Stevenson came in looking to change his fortune, having lost his last three starts. It was the Panthers who struck first on this rainy day in their first at-bat of the ballgame. The first run of the inning crossed the plate on an error by graduate student first baseman Ramsey Scott. A hit by
Kalea Anderson/The News
Junior Blake Clynes sets to throw a pitch during a game this season. pitch and a walk given up by Clynes then allowed two more runs to cross the plate, giving the Panthers an early 3-0 lead. Both teams fought back and forth, adding on runs to their totals over the next few innings. However, neither team had really broken the seal until Murray State struck in the bottom of the fourth. Two home runs in the inning did the job for the Racers. It was junior shortstop Jaron Robinson who struck first, hitting a two-run blast to left-center. Scott then hit his sixth home run of the season to give Murray State an 8-4 lead going into the fifth inning. Eastern Illinois fought back in the top of the fifth, scoring two runs to cut its deficit to 8-6. However, Murray State’s offense continued to prosper. After graduate student outfielder Ryan Perkins reached base after a walk, Robinson hit his second home run of the game and season. This homer to left field made it a 10-6 Racer lead. The Panthers added three more runs in the ballgame, but Murray State’s offense did just the same, helping them come away with the 13-7 win. Robinson led the way for the Racers, driving in five runs on the day to go along with his two home runs. “We capitalized on some of their miscues,” Head Coach Kevin Moulder said. “We started swinging
the bats really well. We were driving the ball. The extra-base hit was our friend. That was a good sign to see going forward.” Murray State gets their brooms out Murray State baseball completed the sweep over Eastern Illinois in its series finale on Sunday with a 5-0 win. Sophomore pitcher Luke Brown started out on the mound for Murray State for the fourth time this season. Brown has struggled early on this year, owning a 7.32 ERA over the course of his seven appearances. Junior pitcher Carson Haws got his sixth starting nod of the year for the Panthers. Haws has also had his fair share of struggles, owning an 8.77 ERA over his seven appearances on the season. Murray State got things rolling in the bottom of the first. The first two batters of the inning were walked to start the Racers’ rally. The leadoff walks were followed up by an error on the Eastern Illinois second baseman, allowing the first run of the game to cross the plate for Murray State. The Racers then tacked on to their lead with an RBI single from junior catcher Mike Farnell, making it a 2-0 ballgame. That was all Brown would need to hold the Racers’ lead. While Murray State did add three runs to
their lead later in the ballgame, the Racer pitching staff was in control of the ballgame. Brown had arguably his best performance of the season, only allowing three hits over six innings pitched. Brown walked two batters in the ballgame, but made up for it with two strikeouts. “It started in our midweek game for him,” said Head Coach Kevin Moulder. “Luke threw really well out of the bullpen, and then carried on more of the same stuff on Sunday. He came in and pounded the zone. He struggled right out of the gates, walking the first two batters of the game. After that, he was in control.” Freshman pitcher Brayden Cook offered relief for Brown in the seventh inning. Cook provided two solid innings, giving up two hits and striking out two to hold the Panthers scoreless. Sophomore pitcher Alec Whaley then came in to close out the ballgame. After giving up a double to start the inning, Whaley retired the next three batters. This shutout pitching performance from the Racers helped them claim a 5-0 victory to earn the series sweep over EIU. Now owning a winning record in OVC play (54), Murray State will look to add on to their 14-11 record when they take on Jacksonville State at 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 29, in Jacksonville, Alabama.
Tennis wins fifth straight Adam Redfern
Contributing writer aredfern@murraystate.edu
Racer tennis took on an OVC-rival Jacksonville State in Jacksonville, Alabama on Sunday, March 25. Murray State won a close match 4-3 to extend its winning streak to five. Freshman Stasya Sharapova Sharapova played her first match as the No. 1 singles seed. Sharapova won a hard fought victory against senior Genevie Ulanday from Jacksonville State 6-3, 6-7 and 6-3. Sharapova also played doubles with a Sara Loncarevic, together they bested sophomore Diana Monslave and freshman Alessia Locati 6-4.
Freshman Aarja Chakraborty Chakraborty played singles this weekend against Locati, and she lost her match 2-6 and 3-6. Junior Amina Hadzic Hadzic started her weekend off beating sophomore Malin Buechner from Jacksonville State 7-5, 2-6 and 6-4. Hadzic played alongside Anja Loncarevic for doubles, beating Ulanday and junior Elena Tendero 6-1. Sophomore Anja Loncarevic Loncarevic’s first singles match was a close victory over Elena Tendero 7-5, 5-7 and 6-2. She teamed up with Hadzic to defeat Ulanday and Tendero in doubles 6-1.
Sophomore Sara Loncarevic Loncarevic fell in her singles match 2-6 and 0-6 against Monslave. She won her doubles match alongside Sharapova, defeating Monslave and Locati 6-4 Junior Jeanne Masson Masson lost a close singles match against sophomore Alba Conejero 3-6 and 6-7. Next weekend the Racers will travel to take on the Skyhawks of UT Martin at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 30 in Martin, Tennessee before closing out the month of March with a trip to Cape Girardeau, Missouri to face the Redhawks at noon on Saturday, March 31.
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Junior Amina Hadzic was named OVC Player of the Week this week.
The News
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March 29, 2018 Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871
Features
Pushing back against darkness A history of Take Back the Night, the rally that gave a voice to the voiceless
Sara Howell
Contributing Writer showell6@murraystate.edu
The Women’s Center hosted its annual Take Back the Night rally on March 13 in the CFSB Center to raise awareness of sexual assault and show support for its survivors. According to takebackthenight.org, this rally started in the 70’s, which makes it the earliest worldwide protest against sexual violence and violence against women. In 1972, women marched at a college campus in Florida while demanding resources and safety for themselves, because the school had just gone coed. In October of 1975, after the murder of microbiologist Susan Alexander Speech, a public march took place in Philadelphia. In 1977, the name Take Back the Night was used at a memorial reading by Anne Pride during an anti-violence rally in Pittsburgh. In 1978, the first march in Canada took place. From 1980-1985, Take Back the Night marches were held by the organization Vancouver Rape Relief. By the 2000’s, the Take Back the Night Foundation was formed by early event holders who came together to create a place to share
information, resources and support for assault survivors and event holders. Today, the foundation is able to support over 300 event holders, allowing them to show support and spread awareness on sexual assault nationwide. Abigail Cox, coordinator for the Women’s Center and Educational Programming, said Take Back the Night has been a long-standing tradition at Murray State, beginning over 20 years ago. “Take Back the Night is a platform for survivors and activists to use their voice to empower other members of the campus community to seek healing and create culture change,” Cox said. She said though students are usually the primary participants in the event, often times speakers come from other schools or community organizations to speak. Avalon Sutherland, founder of Derby City Consent and creator of the Survivor Modeling Project from Louisville, Kentucky, started the DDC, a support group, a year after she was sexually assaulted. “I lived over a year in shame of someone else’s actions,” Sutherland said. “I lived in the guilt of someone else’s choices, and I refused to do it any longer.”
Nick Bohannon/The News
The Women’s Center hosted its annual Take Back the Night rally on March 13 to raise awareness of sexual assault and support survivors. She said one of her goals as a survivor was consent education and awareness. “Three years ago, when I found out that April was sexual assault awareness month, it sparked a new passion in me,” Sutherland said. “I planned a successful sexual assault awareness walk in two weeks.”
This walk helped to create hope for survivors as well as bring awareness to many in the community. Tori Wood, senior and former Student Government Association president from Symsonia, Kentucky said she has witnessed the deep pain that sexual assault can bring. “If you are a sexual assault survivor know that there are
people that deeply care about you and want to be on your team,” Wood said. “You are not broken, you do not need to be fixed; you just need to be loved.” Students were challenged to donate money to the Dunker Challenge which gives aid to students in need on campus, including those affected by sexual assault.
President Bob Davies said he would donate two dollars for every dollar that is donated to the challenge by March 16. Resources available for the campus community are the Women’s Center, Counseling Center, Purchase Area Sexual Assault Center, the Title IX office and the campus police.
‘Work smarter, not harder’
Murray State student blazes a trail of success Nick Erickson
Assistant Features Editor nerickson@murraystate.edu
Kalea Anderson/The News
The Vine 155, a new Christian boutique in Murray, has a heart to give back to the community and relay a message of hope to customers.
Local boutique has goal to help others, give back Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer
bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
The Vine 155, a new Christian boutique in Murray, will be celebrating its grand opening on Saturday, March 31. Owners of the boutique, Trista Larkin and Sara Logue of Benton, Kentucky co-own the new shop located next to Jasmine Thai & Sushi and Ribbon Chix. “This is a dream that I’ve had for several years now,” Larkin said. Both Larkin and Logue have owned businesses before opening the shop. “In November, Sara went to a conference in Nashville on starting your business,” Larkin said. “We got to talking one day at church about it.” Logue said after speaking for just a few minutes after Sunday school, the two knew that this project was meant to be. “It was funny because [Larkin] commented under my picture,” Logue said. “And on the way home I just said, ‘Oh my gosh Trista! She’s my partner!’”
The two hit the ground running on this project and accomplished the opening of the shop in five months. “It’s kind of one those things that you know it’s right and that God’s in it,” Larkin said. “We didn’t know a lot about opening a business, but God sort of showed us every step of the way.” Larkin and Logue said the name of the shop comes from the Bible verse John 15:5, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” “When people walk in the door, we want them to have that good feeling,” Larkin said. “We want [the store] to be a ministry.” Larkin and Logue said their goal for The Vine 155 is to help as many people as they can, creating a boutique that will give back to the community at large. Larkin said they want people to see Jesus when they walk in the store. “We want to have a shop and to give back to the community,” Larkin said.
“We want to sell products that are either fair trade or have some sort of give back model.” Larkin said they want to provide customers with gifts they don’t see in Murray like bath bombs, soaps and other items for the home. Most of the products sold in their shop have some sort of return to the community. The proceeds from bath bombs and soaps sold go toward mental illness research. “Shady Ray’s donates to the hungry,” Logue said. “The car coasters help build wells in Uganda and the blankets give back to the homeless.” Larkin said even though some brands don’t directly give to the community, Vine 155 plans to do all it can to contribute. “We are going to donate 10 percent of our net profits to a different organization every quarter,” Larkin said. “We’ll do both local and nonlocal nonprofits.” There will be giveaways at the grand opening of the shop. For more information, visit the boutique’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
It can be a challenge to multitask one’s ambitions, especially for a college student. For Alex Harp, the sky is truly no limit. At only 20 years old, Harp owns both a videography company and a clothing brand. Hailing from Paducah, Kentucky, Harp said he started making videos at the age of nine, when he got his first camera. “I booked my first wedding job at 11 and made a 30-minute short film for a festival at age 12,” Harp said. Harp said he’s unsure of how he gained his passion for film but that it grew strongly over time. “I feel like it’s definitely something God gave me a passion for, because I’m not sure how I would have gained a passion for it otherwise,” Harp said. “Now I’ve grown to love it.” With travelling in mind for his ideal profession, Harp said he enjoys flying to cool places just to make videos of the city, island or real estate that hired him to film. Recently, Harp has been directing for Jay Cutler of 4x Mr. Olympia. “We’re planning a trip to his house in Vegas within the next month or so, to live with him for a little and make videos every day,” Harp said. “He has 2.3 million followers on Instagram and 7 million on Facebook, so he’s pretty influential.” Already well-established in the realm of film, Harp has also harnessed his drive to produce clothing. Starting up Native Athletics Company two months ago, Harp said he wishes to bring more style to those of a fitness lifestyle. “I love fitness and I wanted to make something I felt was both modern and stylish that you can wear anywhere, but also good for working out in,” Harp said. “I’m planning on having a summer launch with a lot more options, right now we just have a few different colors in shirts and a couple hoodies.” The company’s initial launch exceeded Harp’s expectations,
Photo contributed by Alex Harp
At only 20 years old, Alex Harp owns both a videography company and a clothing brand. selling out of everything in five days with the exception of women’s shirts. Harp said he plans on gaining attention with the help from promotion, alongside Vanderbilt University quarterback Jay Cutler. “Now I’m focusing on getting the name out for Native and getting athletes on board to rep it for us,” Harp said. “Jay also has a few native shirts and is going to rep it for us and have pictures taken of him wearing it as well, which is a big deal for the brand.” To add to his repertoire, Harp does work to help the promotion of an assortment of business ventures, as well as working as the assistant producer for a Discovery I.D. show, titled “Murder Comes to Town.” “I do commercials, wedding videos, web design and social media marketing to name a few,” Harp said. “I’ve been able to help
businesses explode with their social media and I love doing it.” Harp said he stands by the motto of “work smarter, not harder,” as well as utilizing technology as a business tool. “I genuinely think we live in the greatest era right now to be an entrepreneur, and people don’t realize how helpful the internet is,” Harp said. “I’m just thankful for the day in age we live in and I’m trying to take advantage of it! I love what I do.” Only three months into the new year, Harp has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. “I simply love what I do,” Harp said. Those interested in working with Harp or viewing his video and clothing work can visit his websites infusedvisuals.com and natvathletics. com, respectively, and follow his personal Instagram account, @alex.harp.
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Features
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March 29, 2018
The Step Show must go on Murray State’s annual Step Show was a success this year, with just one Alpha Phi Alpha to coordinate Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer
bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
The Zeta Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. hosted their annual Step Show in historic Lovett Auditorium on Thursday, March 15. Thirteen organizations, four fraternities and nine sororities competed in the event this year. Edwin Crumble, senior from Hickman, Kentucky said he is the only active member of Alpha Phi Alpha this semester. “I’ve been planning this out since the ending of fall semester,” Crumble said. Crumble has been in constant contact with the former chair, who is a Murray State alumnus, for guidance and instruction on how to plan out the event. He said it’s much more difficult organizing the event by himself than having a group to work with. “There’s only one of me and I have to show my face to every team,” said Crumble. “I have brothers locally that I can call to help me if I can’t make it.” There were some changes when it came to giving awards at the Step Show this year. “We don’t usually give awards for [banner wars and stroll off],” Crumble said. “This year, everything had an individual award.” Crumble said that the grand champion award this year went to the winner of the step, not using points from the preceding events. Crumble said he is all about the “hype” and entertainment of the show and that is what he wanted to bring to the participants and audience this year. Organizations involved have been working hard all semester on their steps. Nick Toole, senior from Louisville, Kentucky and captain of Alpha Tau Omega’s step team, said this is only their second year participating in step.
“I’m most excited about our one wow factor,” Toole said. “We came up with the idea and our coach helped come up with the step.” Toole said he really enjoys all the different aspects of step show every year. “My favorite thing is all the creativity and how intense and competitive it is,” Toole said. Coral Bray, sophomore from Murray, Kentucky participated in step this year with Alpha Gamma Delta. Bray said they’ve been watching videos to get inspiration from past years. “It has brought a lot of us closer,” Bray said. “We practice four to six hours every weeknight and sometimes on the weekends.” Jorge Servin, freshman from Paris, Tennessee, participated in his first step show with Phi Mu Alpha as a probationary member. “It’s brought me a lot closer to my future brothers,” Servin said. Servin said he was most excited for all of the cheering and energy at step show. Sarah Guinn, junior from Olney, Illinois and Sarah Burden, sophomore from Mt. Washington, Kentucky participated with Alpha Sigma Alpha this year. “We worked so hard, so I was so excited to perform for everybody,” Burden said. “I get excited about seeing everyone else’s shows,” Guinn said. Guinn said the sorority practices five to six days per week for four to seven hours at a time. First Place in the sorority division went to Alpha Delta Pi, second place going to Alpha Gamma Delta. First Place in the fraternity division went to Sigma Phi Epsilon, with second place going to Alpha Sigma Phi. Overall Grand Champion went to Alpha Delta Pi.
Julie Boeker/The News
Thirteen organizations, four fraternities and nine sororities competed in Alpha Phi Alpha’s annual Step Show on March 15.
Total Racer Experience provides incentive for on-campus living Sara Howell
Contributing writer showell6@murraystate.edu
Students who plan to live on campus next year have the opportunity to be entered to win the Total Racer Experience by completing the fall 2018-19 housing application and paying the deposit by April 15. According to the Murray State website, there will be 10 winners total, one from each housing facility, including Campus Courts. The prizes include $50 in dining flex, a parking permit upgrade, free
textbook rentals and a Racer gift pack. Every student who registers by April 15 will get a free Murray State t-shirt, whether they win the contest or not. The contest was announced on March 5 and so far, 250 housing applications have been submitted. Anyone who has applied for housing before the announcement has also been entered into the contest. Shawn Touney, director of communication in the Branding, Marketing and Communications office, said the contest started as an idea
within their office. He said after determining if this contest was logically possible or not, they reached out to the bookstore, the parking office and the housing office. “Each of those areas have been nothing but supportive with the concept,” Touney said. “It is a little out of the box, it is a little innovative, but it is fun and exciting.” The contest offers an incentive for students who will be living on campus in the fall. “For us, it was a fun way to incentivize students who
make that decision,” Touney said. There are many benefits that students receive from living on campus, such as taking an active role in the Murray State community and establishing friendships within your residential college. Convenience is another benefit because students don’t have to hunt for a parking spot each day for class and can walk to get food from the different options on campus. “If there is an event at the Curris Center or Lovett Auditorium, how nice is it to have
a short walk instead of having to get in the car and drive?” Touney said. He said there is also a safety component to living on campus because the Murray State Police is staffed 24/7 and is close to the residential facilities. The contest has been promoted on many platforms. A promotional video is available on the website, yard signs can be seen in various places on campus and posters can be found in many campus buildings. Different social media accounts have also been promoting the contest and ads
have been placed in the paper in hopes of making students aware and excited. Madison Carmichael, junior from Dover, Tennessee, said she loves the idea of the contest and thinks it is a great way to get students excited. “I think it is great that the prizes are relevant to students’ needs,” Carmichael said. “Flex dollars, parking permits and textbooks are some of the things people are always talking about, so being able to have the chance to get those by simply filling out your housing application is pretty neat.”
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Opinion
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Our View
Don’t take the internet at face value The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.
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It’s no secret our personal information is not always as personal as we would like it to be. At times it seems strangers on the other side of the globe know us better than we know ourselves. The recent revelations regarding Facebook and who exactly has access to our information
means our instincts were likely correct. Cambridge Analytica is the organization at the heart of the scandal. The organization is known for gathering consumer information which can then be utilized by third parties. In 2015, due to lax security on Facebook’s end, Cambridge Analytica gained access to the information of over 50 million people, according to reports from Forbes.com. We must make it clear the organization did not get sensitive data directly from Facebook, but via a third party app which Facebook granted access. This app masqueraded as a personality test, gathering information regarding a user’s likes, dislikes, habits and other potential identifiers. This was then auctioned off to any entity which could utilize it for marketing purposes. This is the way of the internet and your security is not guaranteed. Facebook is a multi-billion dollar company, but despite all its safeguards, we slipped through the cracks. The hashtag “Delete Facebook” is trending, but is that really the answer? No doubt most would benefit from one less social media account to manage. However, if one isn’t willing to forgo the internet entirely, it’s like fighting a losing battle. Unfortunately, we can’t even rely on our government to act in our best interests. Net neutrality was meant to protect the free internet, but was struck down. Our elected officials have sided with big businesses more than once. So what can we do? We’re in the age of
the smart device, where everything from our speakers to our watches require an internet connection to function. Search engines log our searches, interests and that one time you were really curious about how long a giraffe’s tongue is. We are being cataloged at all times. Not everyone is out to use this data for nefarious purposes, though. Most information gathered is utilized to make our web experience streamlined and efficient. The internet is not static and its growth relies on our input. Privacy on the internet is a privilege, not a right. No matter how diligent Facebook or any other tech company is, someone will always find the back door. What we can do is board that back door up as best as possible. Take precautions with how much personal information you share and with who over the internet. Pause a moment to read the “Terms of Service” very carefully. It’s typically a tedious read, but think of it as a binding contract: you always read before you sign. All apps request “permission” to access certain parts of your tech such as contacts and messages. Some want access to the camera and microphone even when these functions aren’t utilized by said apps. Free apps are especially guilty of deceiving tactics, as they have a wider initial audience than programs which have to be bought. Deceitful practices are nothing new. We must simply be more diligent in the digital age. Because if you don’t look after your personal information, no one else will.
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Cheers to ... The final stretch
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CHEERS & JEERS
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With only a few weeks left in the semester, it’s time to strap on the big boy (or girl) pants and hit the ground running. Sure, we could all use a second (or third) vacation, but there are only a few weeks left. Keep at it!
Jeers to ... Viral humiliation videos I’m sure we’ve all had a good laugh or two at someone else’s expense before, but why put your kids in that spotlight? Talking to your children one on one is bound to be more effective than humiliating them.
Looking Forward
Valley of the homeless Tyler Anderson
Opinion Editor
janderson49@murraystate.edu
Santa Clara County, California typically goes by a name synonymous with the largest tech companies in the world: Silicon Valley. But as the richest in the area grow steadily richer, the poor are pushed out of their homes and into the streets. This hotbed of technological innovation has experienced skyrocketing rent prices, driving lower-income families to abandon the area. But all is not lost. Cisco Systems recently pledged $50 million to fight homelessness in the area. In October 2017, Google committed $1 billion to backing nonprofits which train American workers, unemployed and otherwise. While there are likely tax breaks and other incentives to do so, no one is forcing these companies to give back.
This could potentially signal a shift in how socioeconomic relations between a company and its community are to be more closely linked in the future. In our modern society, businesses are the cornerstone of our neighborhoods and cities. One’s local farmer’s market, bank and processing plant, for example, are all connected by the people who maintain and run them. The money made by those workers often goes back into nearby businesses. It’s a fragile status quo which has been threatened by the burgeoning pay disparity between employees and their employers. Though, if we’re being honest, these particular donations put a negligible dent in their respective companies’ bottom line. Google alone had a recorded profit of over $109.65 billion in 2017, according to reports by Statista.com. The other philanthropic endeavors of Google aside, what’s being done in the
fight against poverty and homelessness is but a fraction of what could actually be accomplished. Economists and shareholders would be quick to demonize this sort of thinking. These are businesses, not charities of course. They shouldn’t be obligated to do anything other than provide a product which generates profit. Limited philanthropy means tax breaks and good public relations, but profits should go largely untouched, shouldn’t they? This mindset has brought in record paychecks for executives, while the everyday worker struggles to afford groceries. Shortcuts in production processes meant to save money have led to environmental damage and the use of cheap but harmful materials. The bottom dollar has come to mean more than the wellbeing of our nation’s most vulnerable. I’m what many would call a typical liberal. I believe the rich
have a moral obligation to assist those without the means to assist themselves. I believe that when big businesses thrive, it shouldn’t be at the cost of their workers being impoverished. In a recent interview, Bill and Melinda Gates confessed that they don’t feel it’s fair that they are so rich. What could they possibly do with all their money that wouldn’t be better off being used to improve the lives of communities across the country? I’ve thought the same thing on evenings spent fretting over insurance and utility bills, and I’m glad they have the guts to say it. Strides are being taken to correct the lecherous side effects of largely unregulated capitalism. The free market is here to stay, but that doesn’t mean it can’t evolve. I believe it must evolve to prevent the plight of the homeless and impoverished in our country from becoming even worse.
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