The Murray State News

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THE MUR R AY STATE

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NEWS

www.TheNews.org

Inside: News: Marshall Moves on — Page 2

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

AD YOUR

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD E R E H

@TheMurrayStateNews

Staff Writer

peffinger@murraystate.edu

From pricing to zoning, the parking situation at Murray State underwent many changes beginning this school year. At the Board of Regents meeting held on June 8, several budget cuts and outsourcing options were approved by the university. One of the changes discussed by the board affected the price of the parking pass. The Murray State Parking Office later decided to change the zoning map and other regulations that students, faculty/staff and visitors will have to comply with.

Volleyball Preview — Page 9

Features: Pike Smythe Award — Page 10

Movie Review — Page 11

Parking Passes

Opinion:

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Nick Bohannon/The News

The parking signs were updated at the Regents/White parking lot to reflect the rezoning.

Staff Writer

The Old Fine Arts building is newer than New Fine Arts because of a fire that caused Old Fine Arts to be renovated.

The price of parking passes has risen to $200 from $100 for commuter passes, Regents/ White parking, residents in the north residential complex and

college courts residents. The economy parking pass will be $100 for access into purple zone parking. Students and faculty will pay the same price. Raising the price has been a topic of conversation since the Town Hall held last semester; however, the original proposition was raising the price to $150. The price increase is a way for the University to combat statewide budget cuts. Jackie Dudley, vice president of financial and administrative services, said they had to find ways to increase revenue. She said all of the money made from the parking passes will go back into our University. “We had to make a decision this year when we were trying to balance the budget,” Dudley said. “Students and faculty are all paying the same amount.” Along with the price increase, the physical parking pass will not be necessary. Parking will

see

PARKING, PAGE 3

Fast Pace moves into Wells Davies out, Jackson in Paige Effinger

FUN FACT:

August 23, 2018 | Vol. 93, No. 1

Paige Effinger

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Comic

msunewsads@gmail.com

Parking changes surprise students and staff

The Haves and Have Nots

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(270)-809-4478

Summer of change

Sports:

Enemy of the People

@MurrayStateNews

CONTACT US

peffinger@murraystate.edu

The decision to outsource Health Services to Fast Pace Urgent Care Clinic was made as a way to combat statewide budget cuts. “We went through a long process, we had consultants come in, and ultimately we came to the decision that budgetarily and as the best way to provide the service, was to have Health Services outsourced but still be on campus,” Don Robertson, vice president of Student Affairs, said. Fast Pace will offer the same care that students are used to. The facilities are located in the same

location on the first floor of Wells Hall. Robertson said this decision was made with the students’ best interests in mind while also considering the University budget. Robertson said we previously spent around $500,000 on Health Services, and that money now will be able to go toward other things for our University. “This is something that we always continue to evaluate,” Robertson said. “Right now, this was the best decision to make.” Health Services will mostly look the same, but a few changes have been made. It is no longer free, however most insurances will be accepted. If no insurance

see

HEALTH, PAGE 3

Elizabeth Erwin News Editor

eerwin1@murraystate.edu

Blake Sandlin Sports Editor

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

After President Bob Davies announced his resignation, the Murray State Board of Regents swiftly moved to name Robert (Bob) Jackson as interim University president. Davies resigned after taking a new position as president of Central Michigan University. “While I was not actively pursuing other opportunities, my family and I have been presented with an extraordinary opportunity, to lead Central Michigan University,

Julie Boeker/The News

Dr. Bob Jackson speaks to the Murray Calloway Chamber of Commerce on Aug. 21.

which is a national research caliber university,” Davies wrote in an email announcing his resignation to Murray State faculty and staff.

see

DAVIES, PAGE 4


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NEWS NEWS THE MUR R AY STATE

August 23, 2018

Marshall County moves on after school shooting Paige Effinger Staff Writer

peffinger@murraystate.edu

James Turner Staff Writer

Jturner34@murraystate.edu

Since

January 23, the Marshall County community has been making efforts to repair the damage after a student opened fire killing two and wounding several others. In recent weeks, the community has taken strides in the healing process. Trial The next status hearing for the alleged Marshall County High School shooter, Gabe Parker, has been scheduled for March 8, 2019. The hearing comes after events that unfolded on Jan. 23 when Parker allegedly opened fire at the high school. The discovery of more evidence, the court found, necessitates another status hearing early next year.

Defense Attorney Tom Griffiths said, because of the sheer quantity of cell phone pictures and videos, it would take a long time to download and process all the data. The recent discovery of a surveillance video of the shooting further complicates matters. “We’re spending a lot of time trying to figure out what happened,” Griffiths said. There were talks of a possible change of venue if seating an impartial jury proved to be difficult: a notion that Commonwealth Attorney Mark Blankenship said he would not fight the defense on. Blankenship said the last thing he wanted was to be in a fight that wasn’t worth fighting. When asked about possibly prosecuting Parker’s stepfather for improperly storing his gun, he said, he was considering it but was uncertain. Griffiths and many others said the November elections are

the reason Blankenship might pursue charges, a notion he denies. Blankenship said it’s time for the country to be more careful with their guns. He said too many children these days are getting them and a lot of it is due to improper storage. “Where are kids getting these guns?” he asked. DeVos issues MCHS grant Marshall County High School was recently awarded $138,213 as a part of Project Student Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV). The award was given to Marshall County by Gov. Matt Bevin and Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. According to a press release, DeVos said the grant is a part of an ongoing effort to make sure the Marshall County community has a smooth recovery process. “My work in the Federal Commission on School Safety has focused and continues to

Marshall receives federal funding Two additional grants were approved on Aug. 22 by Bevin totaling over $192,000, funded through the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA). The goal of these grants is to provide victim services to the Marshall County commnity. According to a press release, the first grant will provide $175,834 for a “floating” advocate to work

May 7 9:09 a.m. Caller stated unwanted sexual touching by acquaintance. No criminal complaint was received.

3:00 p.m. A person was caught keying a car outside of the Sigma Phi Epsilon House and charged with criminal mischief.

June 21 1:04 p.m. A criminal littering call was reported after someone threw a cigarette butt out of the window of a vehicle.

3:00 p.m. A caller reported that a cinder block had been thrown through the window and glass door of the Pi Kappa Alpha House.

July 10 12:30 a.m. A hay bale fire was reported outside of New Richmond College. The cause of the fire was unknown but there was no injuries, deaths or property damage, other than damage to the hay bale. July 17 3:00 p.m. A call reported that a stereo system was stolen from the Alpha Gamma Rho house.

Colton Colglazier/The News

focus on recognizing proven solutions to prevent these tragedies, and to ensure all our schools are safe places of learning,” DeVos said. According to the U.S. Department of Education, Project SERV funds shortterm and long-term education-related services to help schools recover from violent or traumatic events that disrupt the learning environment. The funds from this grant will initially go toward additional staffing for the school.

July 19 Unknown time. A caller reported an on-campus unwanted sexual touching between acquaintances. No criminal complaint was received. July 23 1:26 p.m. A subject was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia near Campus Evolution South. July 30 10:42 a.m. Five pairs of shoes were reported stolen at the CFSB Center.

with the community. The advocate will be responsible for working alongside prosecutors and victims to help bridge possible service gaps within the community. The project will be directed by the Kentucky Office of Victims Advocacy. The second grant will provide $17,147 by Four Rivers Behavioral Health. The money will go toward emergency crisis counseling for students, school staff and other members of the community. “We are grateful for these federal grant funds,” Bevin said. “They will be used prudently in support of the ongoing healing process.” According to the Justice Cabinet’s Grants Management Branch, an estimated 1,375 individuals were impacted by the violence. Since the January tragedy, the VOCA has issued over $348,000 to crisis centers in Marshall County.


News

August 23, 2018

PARKING

park at the stadium, walk back and go to class.”

be enforced digitally using the license plate number. Everyone is responsible for setting up their own account via MyGate. The new system will scan the license plate number which will be attached to an account. “Friends, family and guests of the University will have their own link where they can set up their own account to register for their parking,” Francie Ray, Parking Services manager, said. The physical parking pass is abandoned due to an update of the softwares Murray State uses, Banner and Oracle. The old software no longer worked with the previous parking system; therefore, other options were explored. Dudley said the new system does not cost any more money than the old one. “What we found was the old parking system used an older version of Oracle, and wouldn’t use the new version,” Jamie Herring, Murray State police chief, said. Herring said in order for the University to maintain the license with Oracle, we would have to upgrade the parking system. Freshmen are also not required to have the purple pass like in years past. They now have the opportunity to “buy up” if they choose to do so. “It’s a good recruiting tool,” Ray said. “For years now, we have had parents call offering to pay more because they have a student who has a horse out at the barn. It’s kind of hard for them to take care of an animal,

Changes to the parking map have been made based off information gathered by the Parking Office. The different colors representing the parking zones will stay the same. Blue is faculty and staff, red is commuter, yellow is north residential colleges and purple is economy. The biggest change was made to the lot most commonly known as the ‘shark tank’ which is the lot behind Blackburn, officially known as the New Howton lot. In years past, the lot has been a red zone. In the original changes, it was rezoned to a blue lot. On Aug. 16, the lot was rezoned again to a red and blue lot. Ray said the decision to rezone the lot to a red and blue lot was based on surveys made by the parking office during the first few days of school. “I didn’t want a ticket trap for our students,” Ray said. “After careful consideration, the decision was made to make the change.” College Courts previously had their own color zone, green, but they do not anymore. The lot is now a yellow lot. According to surveys done by the parking office, about 80 percent of the lot was never used. “There is no reason that our north residential college students were not allowed to access that parking, and be able to park a little bit closer than some other lots in that area,” Ray said. Regents and White also no longer have their own color zone, which was previously brown. Ray said that lot has always

HEALTH

has this virtual system in some pharmacy areas, but we are the first university to have this system. Having Fast Pace located on campus makes it more convenient for students to get to, but if treatment isn’t readily available, students will be referred to an off-campus location. “There are all kinds of options in Murray, and students can still choose whichever option they want,” Robertson said. “Fast Pace is a convenient and efficient option offered on campus.”

From Page 1

From Page 1

is provided, there will be an $85 fee. Fast Pace will have a registered nurse readily available and a “virtual physician” available for students to connect with. The RN will check students in and do the basic testing, and will then be able to connect the patient with the virtual physician to discuss the diagnosis. Robertson said Fast Pace

Parking Zones

been shared by the red and blue zones, and the residents in those residential colleges never had their own personal lots anyway. Students residing in Regents and White are now given a red parking pass to go along with the new color zone of that lot. With all of these changes, it seems available spots are being lost. However, Ray said that is not the case. She said our parking service is very competitive compared to other universities. “As we did the studies and the ratios, all of our yellow permits with the purple added from last year is 1.4 vehicles per one parking space,” Ray said. “You will not get that ratio at any other university in the state.” The number of lots available has not decreased. According to a Facebook post made by the Murray State Parking office, 41 percent of the lots are still dedicated to commuter access, which totals to 36 lots. “There’s a seven space difference between the combination, so actually students gained seven spots that are dedicated to just students in the three lots that they gained and the faculty and staff lost,” Board of Regents member Katherine Farmer said during the Staff Congress meeting. For more information about the parking zones, visit the Murray State University Parking office Facebook page. Citations and Appeals Citations will only be given out in the form of e-citations and will be billed and mailed to your email account. “There will not be a ticket on your car, and no student will

Page 3 have the problem of not seeing the ticket,” Ray said. “With this new system, that will not happen.” Appeals will only be accepted within five days of the citation and will only be rewarded if the parking office has made a false judgement. However, citations given to those who park in a disability spot or a fire lane will not be subject to appeal. Students are still able to pay a citation that is eligible for appeal by taking advantage of the pay it forward program. The program allows students to donate non-perishable food and personal hygiene items within 30 days of the citation in exchange of payment. The donations go to the Racers helping Racers program. Students can only do this once a semester. “If you appeal, that ticket is no longer eligible for the pay it forward program,” Ray said. “You have to choose if you are going to appeal it with the Murray State judicial board or use the pay it forward program.” Other Regulations Other changes made to parking regulations include not being able to back into a spot and not being allowed to pull through a spot. Students are not allowed to back into a spot or pull through a spot as the license plate must be visible to the Murray State police at all times. There are two exceptions to this rule: emergency vehicles and Missouri residents who own a commercial or farm vehicle of 18,000 lbs or more as their state only requires them to have a front license plate. This rule is in place

because the new system cannot work if the license plate is not visible to the scanners. “We ask those who are the exception to the rule to contact our office,” Ray said. “We can accommodate these special needs.” Students are allowed to have multiple cars under one registration without paying for several parking passes. However, only one car under the student’s registration is allowed on campus at one time. The student and faculty reaction to the parking changes has been severe with many taking to social media to voice their concerns. One student, Courtney Franklin from Paris, Kentucky, said Murray is her home, but she is concerned about the situation. “I will still be purchasing a pass only because I have classes located at the expo center,” Franklin said. “I do think there should be more student input when they are voting on these situations. This is our University and our home.” Student Government Association President JT Payne, who represents students on the Board of Regents, said he spoke against the matter in the Board of Regents meetings, but it still passed. “It was proposed to the Board of Regents despite my reservations,” Payne said. “The student regent at the time voted against the increase, but it still passed. Beyond this, the student government was in no way consulted on the decision to revise the parking zones.” For more information about parking regulations, visit thenews.org.

Kalea Anderson/The News

Fast Pace Connect takes over operations in Wells Hall.


News

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August 23, 2018

The News staff attends active shooter training James Turner Staff Writer

jturner34@murraystate.edu

In the event of an active shooter situation, would you feel prepared? The Murray State News staff put their instincts to the test during an active shooter training held by The Murray State Police Department on Aug. 15. “An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, typically through the use of firearms,” according to the Department of Homeland Security Active Shooter Preparedness fact sheet. “Active shooter incidents, in many cases, have no pattern or method to the selection of victims, which results in an unpredictable and evolving situation.” During the training, Captain Roy Dunaway advised The News staff on what to do if an active shooter crisis should occur on campus. “I think it’s vital to have a plan,” Dunaway said. “I don’t want people to obsess, but I want them to think about it.” Dunaway said he hopes that the training will cause people to think one thing when faced in an active shooter situation: Run. Hide. Fight. “Run. Hide. Fight.” Dunaway said. “I want people to think

run, hide, fight, just as quickly as stop, drop, roll.” The first step is to run. Dunaway advised to have an escape route in mind. If that escape route is not possible in the situation, then the next step is to hide. The DHS advises to hide in an area out of the shooter’s view, silence your phone, block entry to the hiding place and lock the doors. When hiding is not possible, someone should fight. Fighting back against an active shooter should be used “as a last resort and only when your life is in imminent danger,” according to the DHS. Throughout the training, Dunaway emphasized that the process of “Run. Hide. Fight.” was fluid and sometimes people will need to switch between steps depending on the situation. Dunaway also said people should be aware of what to do when the police arrive on the scene. “They won’t know who you are,” Dunaway said. “So keep your hands empty and visible and don’t make quick movements.” Dunaway also said to keep in mind that when police officers arrive to the scene, they can’t tend to the wounded. As officers in an active shooter situation, their job is to eliminate

the threat first. Dunaway described the University as a “soft target,” which is any place that’s open for public access. According to the Department of Homeland Security’s website, soft targets don’t incorporate strict security measures by nature of their purpose. Other examples of soft targets include schools, libraries and grocery stores, etc. “Given the increased emphasis by terrorists and other extremist actors to leverage less sophisticated methods to inflict harm in public areas,” the DHS said on its website. “It is vital that the public and private sectors collaborate to enhance security of locations such as transportation centers, parks, restaurants, shopping centers, special event venues and similar facilities.” Dunaway said Murray State Police also rely on the community for help and that their response time is approximately two minutes. “If you see something, say something,” Dunaway said. “The more people we can teach the better.” An active shooter training can be done for any community organization upon request. If interested in hosting an active shooter training, contact Roy Dunaway at (270)809-2222 or rdunaway1@murraystate.edu.

Stephanie Anderson/The News

The Murray State News staff gathered in the newsroom while Captain Roy Dunaway conducted the active shooter training.

Orville Herndon/The News

Staff Congress President Marion Hale presents a proclomation to Bob Davies on Aug. 15.

DAVIES From Page 1

“As these opportunities are rare in the offering, this is something that I could not decline.” Davies was the 13th president of Murray State and will be the 15th president of Central Michigan. “Central Michigan University is a nationally recognized research university that is 100 percent committed to student success,” Davies said during a meeting with CMU’s Board of Trustees. “That is a unique niche most research universities don’t fill, because they outgrow the ability to focus on students as individuals. The relationships between CMU faculty, staff and students create an environment, a culture, an ethic, an ethos. I’m excited to be at CMU, because we’re all here to guide students through their career choices. To help them engage and become leaders. To give them educational experiences they wouldn’t have at a larger university.” After Davies announced his resignation on Aug. 3, Jackson took over as interim president on Aug. 16. It is unclear how long Jackson will remain as the interim president as the national presidential search begins. “I’m looking forward to working with our students in the weeks to come,” Jackson said in an email to The Murray State News. “Murray State University is a special place. I came here as a student in 1981 and the University provided me many wonderful opportunities. My desire is to see our students benefit from an excellent education, campus involvement and other experiences. In short, it’s why we exist: to serve our students and prepare them for a lifetime

of opportunities.” Jackson’s appointment to interim president by the Board of Regents came with mixed reviews. Student Government Association President and Student Regent J.T. Payne voted against the appointment of Jackson. “I had numerous student recommendations for who students desired to become interim president and none of those were for Dr. Bob Jackson, so I decided to represent the students who had reached out to me as I promised them,” Payne said. “However, I encourage all students, faculty and staff to rally behind Dr. Jackson as he begins his tenure. I will do the same to progress our University forward.” Before being appointed as interim president, Jackson was the president of the Murray State Foundation. He has also served in several roles throughout the University in the last decade, including co-chair of the 201522 Strategic Plan and associate vice president for institutional advancement and government relations. “We are grateful that Bob [Jackson] has agreed to step in as the interim president,” Board of Regents Chairwoman Susan Guess said. “We are confident that his leadership experience and passion for Murray State will help us develop a renewed sense of momentum as we begin the process of a national search.” After his appointment, Jackson thanked the board members for their confidence in his leadership. “This University has been here for nearly 100 years,” Jackson said. “I know that our entire campus community will rally in support of this fine institution. This is a special place. Our best days are in front of us.”


News

August 23, 2018

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Springer Hall demolished after mold issues Miranda Carpenter Contributing Writer

mcarpenter4@murraystate.edu

Demolition of O.B Springer Residential College took place while students were away over the summer. Built in 1964, Springer Hall was named after O.B. Springer. Springer served on the Board of Regents from 1950-58 and 1960-70. Springer is located on the north side of campus and was originally built to house approximately 300 male residents. Fred Herrmann, former resident and 1971 graduate, had many great memories while living in Springer. “At that time it was strictly a men’s dorm with no women allowed during my stay,” Herrmann said. From 1969-71, when Herrmann attended Murray State, he said once a year the women were allowed to visit. Herrmann was shocked to learn the dorm changed to an all female dorm. Herrmann went on to describe the building in great detail and discovered many things have changed since he graduated. “The room seemed comfortable with two beds, two desks and one rotary dial telephone,” Herrmann said. “At that time there was only one TV in the

dorm in the ‘TV room’ which was located just inside the main entrance.” Later in fall 1997, Springer Residential College merged with Franklin Hall and was known as Springer-Franklin from then on. Shawn Touney, director of communication, said there are no immediate plans to change the residential structure for student activities. Springer Hall has not been occupied since Fall 2016 when mold was discovered during a building evaluation. After the evaluation, the Board of Regents found the building fit to demolish, instead of maintaing the yearly upkeep costs. Former residents of Springer Hall, Brittany Harris, 2017 graduate from Louisville, Kentucky, and Rachel Grace, 2015 graduate from Richmond, Indiana, enjoyed their time as residents in Springer. Harris lived in Springer during the 2013-14 school year and Grace lived there during the 2012-13 school year. “I liked how close Springer was to the gym and the freshman parking lot,” Harris said. “I also really liked all the RAs; they were always there to help when needed.” Grace described how

Orville Herndon/The News

Springer Hall was demolished in June 2018. Mold was found inside the residence hall in 2016.

getting to use the community kitchen in Springer helped grow her interest in international food. As students arrived back on campus for the fall semester, many took to Facebook to question what the new space will become. “Immediate plans for the

area formerly occupied by Springer Residential Hall is to become green space for the University community to enjoy,” Touney said. Eric Umstead, SpringerFranklin College Head, was glad to hear the location is becoming a green space.

“My hope is that we might be able to use that green space to continue building a stronger collaborative community between our eight residential colleges,” Umstead said. “The reason is, the heart of each residential college is made up of people, not a building.”


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M

NEWS SPORTS THE MUR R AY STATE

August 23, 2018

The Haves and the Have Nots The financial divide between state athletic departments

Part 1: Murray State

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

Blake Sandlin Sports Editor

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

When Kentucky’s General Assembly passed a biennial budget in early April, most of the focus was on its 6.25 percent base cut and increased pension obligations to public universities across the Commonwealth, forcing institutions around the state to restructure budgets

from top to bottom. As universities strived to cut extraneous resources, staff and programs to prevent lofty tuition increases, athletic departments across Kentucky became the inevitable scapegoats. Meanwhile, as regional university athletics faced deep cuts, larger, self-sufficient athletic departments like the University of Louisville and the University

of Kentucky survived relatively unscathed. The Have Nots The “have nots” comprise school athletic departments in the state who rely heavily on funding from their respective university and are thereby subject to large budget cuts. These athletic departments – Eastern

Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State and Western Kentucky – do not subsidize their respective university, and while they may receive some revenue from their athletic programs, are largely bolstered by the institution itself. The News reached out to athletic administration from all eight public universities in Kentucky requesting com-

ment about their respective budgets. Four of the eight – Eastern Kentucky, Murray State, Morehead State and Louisville – granted requests for interviews. Western Kentucky and the University of Kentucky were unable to accomodate requests for interviews, though UK director of

see

SERIES, PAGE 7


Sports

August 23, 2018

SERIES From Page 6

strategic communication, Guy Ramsey provided comment through email. Collectively, Murray State trimmed its budget for the 2018-19 year by $7.6 million. However, unlike conference equivalents Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky who opted to freeze tuition and housing rates, Murray State elected to combat university cuts by raising tuition rates by 3 percent, in addition to housing and dining rates, a measure that likely helped the athletic department weather a plethora of cuts. Nevertheless, Murray State’s athletic department wasn’t completely immune. Although on paper the athletic department came out ahead of last year’s budget ($7,830,254) with a $28,650 increase to the 201819 budget, former Murray State athletic director Allen Ward said the increase is a little deceptive. Ward’s comments were obtained before he formally announced his resignation on July 13. “The increased costs for fringe benefits and tuition and fees is included in that number,” Ward said. “Without those variables, the net effect was a little over $200,000 in cuts for the upcoming fiscal year. I also had to identify another $60,000 in funds to cover increased costs in team travel, officiating, and contractual obligations.” While Ward managed to stave off eliminating any

sports, the most notable cut occured in the consolidation of the CFSB Center. The arena, which plays homes to men’s and women’s basketball and various events and concerts is now under the athletic department’s umbrella, a move that ultimately resulted in three job cuts and contributed $150,192 of total savings for the university. Included in that cut was the position of building director, which was responsible for overseeing the CFSB Center and Lovett Auditorium. The implications of that consolidation have been subject to much speculation, as some have rumoured that the merger would result in the facility shifting toward being solely used for athletic purposes. However, Ward addressed those rumors, claiming the newly-managed arena will continue to serve as a hub for concerts and entertainment. “A lot of people ask me, ‘Is it going to be a basketball-only facility?’, and I said, ‘Absolutely not.’ None of that is going to change,” Ward said. “In fact, I hope it grows as to what we’re using it for and how we’re using it. We have got to use that facility to help grow enrollment on this campus. It’s a prime basketball facility; it will always be a prime basketball facility, but we need other events scheduled in there to generate much-needed revenue.” In total, Racer athletics axed three positions in the department and relocated one other employee. Those positions included the CFSB Center building director, a media relations assistant responsible for

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women’s basketball, volleyball and baseball and an assistant ticket manager. As budget cuts continue to loom over postsecondary institutions across the state, athletic departments have suffered extensive cuts to staff in recent years – so much so that Ward believes another round of them could severely impact athletics at Murray State. Those potential cuts, coupled with impending pension obligations next year for state institutions, has

We are at a point where it would be very difficult to make any other cuts without it severely impacting what we’re doing.

- Allen Ward, former Murray State athletic director

Ward constantly and strategically positioning the program for what might lie ahead. “There aren’t anymore [non-essential positions],” Ward said. “And I’m not saying this to put any pressure on anybody or put anybody in a corner here. We are at a point where it would be very difficult to make any other cuts without it severely impacting what we’re doing. I’m not in the position to cut anymore sports. Division I membership criteria might allow it, but our Title IX obligations won’t.” (Title IX mandates schools provide equal athletic opportunities for men’s and women’s sports.)

In order to address these issues, Ward has already taken measures to provide some supplemental income for athletics. He said he has reallocated funding to hire a development officer to grow Murray State’s brand. Also, the athletic department entered into a partnership with Peak Sports Management in May in order to manage and sell corporate partnerships and facilitate marketing. “Those are all things that we’ve done to put us in a position to continue to grow our revenue, but, of course, I’d like to use new revenue streams to enhance the programs,” Ward said. “It becomes self-defeating to have $200,000 go to budget cuts and not have anything to show for it. That’s very difficult. But it is for the university, as well. We’re just like the rest of the University; we’re all at a point where any further cuts are going to be hard to handle.” In addition to brand growth, Ward also addressed the possibility of exploring additional revenue streams in the form of guaranteed games, or “money games.” The football program is already slated to play Kentucky this season ($450,000 guarantee) and Georgia next season ($550,000 guaranteed). With a 12-game season for the Racers next year, Ward plans to add another guaranteed game to that schedule in order to make improvements to athletics, but if budget reductions continue, he could find himself using those funds to offset costs. “If you’re going to play a second game, you’d like to see that benefit the program some-

how,” Ward said. “Granted, you can offset some of it in the budget if necessary, but you’d like to say, ‘Hey, here’s equipment, or now we’re going to travel a little bit differently, or we’re not fully funded on coaches right now so we’d like to take a GA and make him full-time’. If we’re going to do it, let’s be sure it helps us advance the program.” While Murray State’s administration opted to raise tuition for students, others, like Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State, took different approaches. In discussing whether or not he supported raising tuition and other rates in lieu of cutting a substantial portion of athletics and other programs, Ward expressed sympathy toward any school facing cuts. “My answer is that’s above my pay grade,” Ward said. “The tuition discussion is a board discussion. It’s one that Dr. (Bob) Davies and the Board spend many, many hours trying to come up with a balance between what they need to do from a funding standpoint to offset cuts and continue to provide services for the students, and not placing a larger burden on the students. The state appropriations and the responsibility of the student from a funding standpoint are crossing on the proverbial graph, where state appropriations are going down, and the overall cost to students is going up as a result. And that’s a very difficult equation to balance across all of higher education.” Pick up next week’s copy of The Murray State News to read part two of this series.

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Sports

Page 8

August 23, 2018

Volleyball picked to finish first Keenan Hall Staff writer

khall16@murraystate.edu Murray State’s volleyball team

will open the season in the New Orleans Invitational this weekend with three matches in two days. The Racers will face off against the Houston Cougars first at 3 p.m. Friday at the Human Performance Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. They’ll have a quick turnaround, with two matches Saturday against the Omaha Mavericks at 10 a.m. and the New Orleans Privateers

at 5 p.m. Starting the season, the Racers were voted the top team in the OVC while nabbing three players on the preseason All-OVC team. In second place, the Austin Peay Governors finished behind the Racers by only three votes. Southern Illinois University finished third in voting. The dynamic duo of junior outside hitter Rachel Giustino and junior right-side hitter Rachel Holthaus were voted to the preseason All-OVC team. The third player voted on the preseason All-OVC team was

former OVC freshman of the year and sophomore middle blocker Katirah Johnson Giustino led the team last season with 469 kills, and led the OVC with 4.01 kills per set. Giustino also tied Johnson with a team-high 55 blocks last season. Holthaus finished second on the team with 2.42 kills per set, and third on the Racers scoring 242 kills on the season. Last season, the Racers fell in a tough, five-set battle in the OVC tournament championship against Austin Peay. Head Coach David Schwepker

doesn’t think his team is completely prepared for the weekend, but hopes to see an effort to perfect the things they’ve been drilling in the preseason and practice. “Do I feel we are prepared? Not at all,” Schwepker said. “But hopefully things we’ve been working on I will see that we are doing those. Also, come back with a million more things that we have to fix.” In the mean time, Schwepker has placed an increased emphasis on perfecting the process. “We’re not trying to get

everything done by this weekend,” Schwepker said. “We’re just doing part of a game here, a part of a game there. Because I feel like it’s better to fix one thing and then go on to the next, as opposed to doing a little bit of everything, and we really get nothing done.” The Racers will have a slew of road matches before their first home game at 1 p.m. Sept. 29 against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in Racer Arena. Schwepker hopes Racer supporters are in full effect come late September.

Rosalyn Churchman /The News


Sports

August 23, 2018

Page 9

Watford’s OT goal lifts Racers over NKU Adam Redfern

Contributing writer aredfern@murraystate.edu Murray State soccer continued

Gage Johnson/The News Junior forward Miyah Watford shoots to the opposite post to score her first goal of the game during the first half of Sunday’s game.

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its successful start with a 2-1 home win in extra time against Northern Kentucky University. The Racers opened the game early with a goal from junior forward Miyah Watford off a welltimed pass from freshman forward Abby Jones. Watford was a bright spot for Murray State despite being under the weather the past few days. “Would you believe she’s been sick?” Head Coach Matt Lodge asked. “She didn’t train yesterday, she just kinda sat on the sideline and blew her nose for a couple of hours. Today, I was unsure whether I should start her or not, but obviously I made the right choice. It doesn’t matter what day it is, or if she’s got a broken leg, she’s gonna give everything she’s got.” Murray State controlled the ball for the rest of the first half, only allowing NKU to take three shots. Early in the second half NKU

had a collision in Murray State’s box, which led to a well-struck penalty kick taken by its junior forward Shawna Zaken. Zaken’s kick evened the game at 1-1. The game adopted a more physical playstyle in the second half with two yellow cards being given: one for Murray State senior defender Karsyn Hatch and one for NKU senior defender Taylor Spaulding. The second half saw more shots from both teams, but neither side could find the back of the net. The teams couldn’t be separated on the scoreboard until early in extra time, when Watford was able to place a shot just out of reach of NKU’s keeper. The goal was Watford’s second of the game, and gave the Racers a 2-1 victory. “It means a lot,” Watford said. “I honestly couldn’t do it without the team. They support me all the time, and they are always there for me.” The Racers will look to continue their early success against IUPUI at 3 p.m. on Friday, August 24, at Cutchin Field.


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Page 10

NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE

Pike brings home Smythe award

Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer

bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

The Epsilon Lambda chap-

ter of Pi Kappa Alpha brought home many awards, including the prestigious Robert Adger Smythe Award, from their biennial International Convention, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the fraternity. The Smythe Award recognizes the top 10 percent of Pike chapters across the globe, being one of 22 chapters to be awarded the honor. The chapter was also awarded the Raymond L. Orians Excellence Award, which chapters must be awarded to qualify for the Smythe Award, recognizing the top 20 percent of chapters. Murray State’s Pike chapter sent six delegates to Richmond, Virginia to interact and network with members and alumni from across the nation. Brothers were given the opportunity to attend educational and legislative sessions where Pike President Keenan Lautner, junior from Elberfeld, Indiana, served as the chapter’s voting delegate. “To win the award, it’s a combination of philanthropy, community service, athletics, GPA, brotherhood, chapter management, accountability and a lot of other stuff,” Lautner said. Lautner said the award has been a long time coming. “It’s not like we just came in and did it this year, it’s definitely taken

Photo courtesy of Paxton Crider

Pi Kappa Alpha was joined by chapter consultant Jared Campbell and chapter advisor Jerry Penner. a few years,” Lautner said. “Last year, we won the Orians Award but not the Smythe, but this year we all came together and won the Orians and the Smythe for the first time in 38 years, and it’s really just an honor.” External Vice President Paxton Crider said it was a team effort. “We’ve been shooting for this since before Keenan and I came in,’ Crider said. ‘Since the 80s we’ve definitely had our ups and our downs, so it was a really good feeling to lock it down this year and it’s a good incentive to do their part.” Crider said the chapters complete a year-end summary to apply

for the award. “It’s basically where you show off,” Lautner said. “We got to include a picture with ASA at Toys for Tots; we managed to raise a lot of money that went toward our total philanthropy, which I think was around $81,000.” Most of that sum was raised at the annual Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) walk in Murray. They also raise money for philanthropy at the Murray-Calloway County hospital marathon. Lautner said that with all of the bad publicity Greek life is getting, this award is really something to celebrate. “We are doing good things, but

you only see the bad stories on TV. You don’t see the stuff like this,” Lautner said. Crider and Lautner knew that Greek life was for them right away. They both knew the benefits of brotherhood would allow them to strive to become better leaders and men. “I knew I wanted to get involved as soon as I got on campus, and there were a lot of fraternities that were doing good things,” Crider said. “But the biggest thing was I looked at it as an investment, not just for college, for a lifetime. Where is this going to take me? I knew that their brotherhood was second-to-none, I knew that the guys fought for each other and cared for each other.” Lautner, being a legacy, already felt drawn to the brotherhood. “The whole point of fraternity is to be a stepping stone to get those connections and the chapter at Murray has alumni doing great things,” Lautner said. “Like Bob Jackson, the interim president, is a Pike alumni, so I saw those guys and wanted to follow in their footsteps.” Members of the Epsilon Lambda chapter are continually seeking to make a difference in both the campus and the community by not only hosting events, but also participating in other organizations’ philanthropy events. Lautner said the chapter tries to “keep it local” by donating their time and fundraising dollars to local organizations.

NEW NAME, NEW POSSIBILITIES

Amy Turner Staff writer

aturner32@murraystate.edu

Rolled ice cream is becoming a new trend, popping up all over social media recently. Since learning about rolled ice cream, a couple set out on a mission to bring the new dessert to Paducah, Kentucky. Randy and Renee Hayden and their two daughters opened their shop, originally called Curls and Cream in June 2017. Since opening the store, the Hayden’s family business has been wildly popular, bringing in hundreds of guests interested in the unique treat. Now that they have been in business for over a year, they have decided to open up for franchise. “We decided to franchise because customers asked how to get

our stores in their towns,” Renee Hayden said. “We get asked at least three times a day.” The new franchise opportunity led to the need for a new name. To franchise, the store needed to have something they could trademark, so the Haydens created Craving the Curls. The old name, Curls and Cream, needed to be changed because was too similar to another pending trademark application. This name not only capitalizes on the rolled ice cream but also on the family trait of girls with curly hair. According to their website, “The ladies in the family share a defining characteristic. We all have curly hair… thus the name of our shop, naturally, is ‘Craving the Curls.’” The business is focused on family and bringing people together. The Hayden’s set out to learn the basic techniques and develop their own

unique recipe since learning about the dessert, which origniates from Thailand. “We love what we do and we feel it shows in our ice cream,” Hayden said. “Everything we do is pure with no food coloring or artificial flavors.” Even with the franchises and new stores, the family is hoping to continue to keep the family focus in the new stores. “My husband and I are in the store every day,” Hayden said. “We’re hoping one of my daughters will take over the social media and marketing for our franchises.” Since the announcement July 30 of this year, the Haydens have received tons of interest in franchises opening. After five months of legal processing, they now hope to spread across the nation. Not only is the business about

family, but Craving the Curls also places a large emphasis on supporting local Paducah businesses. All the businesses that help with everything from the decor to the uniforms of the store are from Paducah and will be the providers for any franchising stores in the future. These businesses include Pipers Tea and Coffee, which provide the coffee for the espresso flavor rolled ice cream, MAKE studio owned by Kijsa Housman who provides the decor, Brad Rankin Photography, River Graphics which provide the uniforms and storefront signage and Zebra Graphics, which provide the logo and marketing graphics. “I would love to see franchise locations across the country. We want to grow outward from our town,” Hayden said.

Photo courtsey of Renee Hayden

August 23, 2018 Miscellaneous Pursuits Looking back while moving forward I

I always knew I wanted to go to college, and as I got older, I realized I wanted to go to Murray State. After receiving my acceptance letter, I spent Sara Howell my summer Features Editor trying to prepare myself to be away from home. August came around a lot quicker than I was expecting, and before I knew it my family and I were packing up the car to head to Murray, Kentucky. I tried to hide the fact that I was nervous but when we passed the “10 miles to Murray State University” sign, I had a bit of a meltdown because I realized I would be taking this on alone. Time went on, and I got comfortable going to class everyday, but I never stepped out of my comfort zone. I stuck to the routine of going to class then going back to my dorm. By the time sophomore year came around I needed a change, so I registered for sorority recruitment. I went into it not knowing what to expect. Looking back now, I would say it was one of the best decisions of my life. I found my home in Alpha Delta Pi; I found my people. All the jokes, memories, laughter, tears and joy I got to experience made for a great second year of college. With my junior year came some unexpected changes. I still made some pretty awesome memories with sisters - moments that I’ll never forget. Though, before Thanksgiving break a sister, Hailey Bertels, passed away in a car accident. This shook my friends and I to our cores. I pulled away from everything that I was involved in; I didn’t know how to act. I was in a pit of sadness and I knew that was not what Hailey would have wanted. She always encouraged and pushed me to do things out of my comfort zone. She saw things in me that, at the time, I didn’t see in myself. After some self realization, I began to place myself back into my life. I applied for the newspaper and once I found my footing there, I began to rediscover the love and joy for writing. I hope to discover more strengths and work on my weaknesses throughout this school year. I plan to get as much out of my senior year as I can because soon this chapter of my life will be ending.


Features

August 23, 2018

Page 11

“Christopher Robin” is a sweet and satisfying story Grant Dillard Staff writer gdillard@murraystate.edu

For the past few years, Disney has been releasing live-action adaptations of their animated films. Features like “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Jungle Book” and “Cinderella” have been huge successes at the box office and have been received positively by both critics and audiences. With “Christopher Robin,” a live-action take on the Winnie the Pooh franchise, Disney decided to put forth an original story instead of retelling the events of previous animated pictures. The film takes place in the 1940s in London, where Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) is now an adult with a family and an occupation at a luggage company. He is extremely busy and does not have a lot of time for his family, which is especially upsetting to his daughter Madeline (Bronte Carmichael). But when his childhood friend, Winnie the Pooh, shows up in London after the disappearance of his other animal friends, Robin reluctantly agrees to help him. Over the course of his journey, he learns how to be the kind of man his family

needs him to be. This type of story has definitely been done before, perhaps most famously with the 1993, Steven Spielberg classic, “Hook.” It also features a classic literary character who is “all-grown-up” and has to rediscover his childhood. Some may see the recycling of plot in this film as uninspired, but it created a great end result. Christopher Robin makes for a great lead character. It is easy to be upset about the fact that he rarely gives attention to his family, but his emotional distance from others does not make him a bad human being. Deep down, he really wants to be a more positive person. Not only does Christopher’s job give him a lot of trouble, but he also attended a strict boarding school and experienced the death of his father at a young age. All of this helps put Christopher’s stick-in-the-mud attitude as an adult into perspective, and makes the scenes where he becomes lighthearted all the more satisfying. Ewan McGregor gave a fantastic performance as Christopher Robin, which will hopefully result in a Best Actor nomination at next year’s Academy Awards. Hayley Atwell does a won-

derful job as Christopher Robin’s wife, Evelyn; she understands what her husband is going through, but is also not afraid to let him know the consequences of putting his job before everything else in his life. It was also amusing seeing Atwell portray the love interest of a World War II soldier once again, as she had previously done so in “Captain America: The First Avenger.” And then there’s Winnie the Pooh himself, who is wonderfully portrayed in this film. What makes the “silly old bear” so lovable and innocent as a character is the fact that he has a different, yet positive way of living: he looks at life in a simple way - without too many frills or complications. Of course, being a father with a full-time job, Robin may not agree with Pooh’s mindset, but he actually does end up learning a few lessons from his friend as the film goes along. One of the biggest positives of film is that Pooh is voiced by Jim Cummings, who has provided voicework for the character since 1988 in several cartoons and animated films. Along with being sentimental for those who grew up with said cartoons and animated films, Cummings’

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calm and comforting voice just fits perfectly for the character of Pooh. “Christopher Robin” does have its share of problems, though. The film establishes that Winnie the Pooh and his animal friends are not a figment of Robin’s imagination, but they, as well as their home of the 100 Acre Wood, actually exist in real life. It is not like “The Wizard of Oz” where a bump on the head is what causes the main character to see these fantastical elements and characters. Here, the fantastical elements are real, and nobody else has managed to figure out their existence. This is not a major flaw, but something that some audiences may have a hard time getting used to. There is a running joke throughout the film that Christopher Robin’s neighbor always asks him if he would like to come over to his house to play cards, while Robin always has to refuse because of his busy schedule. This would not be so bad if the gag had any sort of pay-off, unfortunately there is not a scene where they finally sit down and play together. Lastly, it is rather odd that Owl and Rabbit appear to look more like realistic animals while Pooh, Tigger, Eeyore

and the rest of Robin’s childhood friends keep the appearance of stuffed animals come to life, which can be a little distracting. What is perhaps the biggest mistake does not come from the film itself, but rather its advertising. The first teaser trailer that was released in March did a good job of not showing much, but the following trailers and commercials seem to give away a lot of what happens later on in the film. Those who have seen said trailers and ads will no doubt be able to picture how the film turns out by the end, which is a serious disappointment. If anything, those who managed not to see any of the advertising are better off avoiding it before seeing this film. This will make your viewing experience far better in the long run. Thanks to its sweet story, lovable characters and good lessons, “Christopher Robin” is the feel-good family film of the summer. Both kids and adults should find enjoyment in the film, as well as inspiration from its morals. In a summer movie season filled with blockbuster action flicks, “Christopher Robin” is perfect for those looking for a lighthearted, safe and heartwarming film.


Features

Page 12

August 23, 2018

An out of class learning experience Amy Turner Staff writer aturner32@murraystate.edu

College curricula place a great deal of emphasis on hands-on learning methods. Five students studying on the pre-medicine track got to participate in one such handson program this summer. The Rural Health Scholars Program is sponsored by the Purchase Area Health Education Center, housed in the University’s School of Nursing and Health Professions. The mission of the Purchase Area Health Education Center is to “connect students with careers, professionals with the community and the community with better health.” Each summer since 2007, five students have received the opportunity to go through the four or five week program with the goal of introducing them to health care options in western Kentucky. “Our main goal is to expose

students to health care. Hopefully they will come back and practice in this area,” Shanna Burgess, Purchase Area Health Education Center outreach coordinator, said. Burgess said she enjoys the experience of seeing students react to what they are learning and share their excitement after days of work. “One of my favorite parts is seeing students interact with the community,” Burgess said. “And hearing their stories about practicing medicine.” During the program students get the opportunity to shadow in a rural hospital in western Kentucky, observe proceedings at bigger hospitals in Murray and Paducah, help with free health screenings for two different counties and visit various other health care facilities available in Kentucky. The group also completes a community service project and tours schools of medicine. Bryn Vance, senior from

Buffalo, New York, completed the program this summer. She said she admired the vast opportunities for many different kinds of health care that were presented to the students. “We weren’t just put in specialties that we were interested in, but we were put in a lot of specialties where we had no idea that they existed.” Vance said. Vance enjoyed her shadowing assignment because it taught her a lot about practicing medicine. “My favorite part was shadowing Dr. Lurch,” said Vance. “He just started practicing a few years ago so he’s pretty young. He was really easy to learn from and a good teacher.” In the coming year, the program is going to become two years long instead of the traditional month. For more information on the program contact Shanna Burgess at 270-8094123.

Photo courtesy of Bryn Vance Bryn Vance, one of five students in the program, gained knowledge that will aid in her future career.

Murray State University Non-Discrimination Statement Students, parents, employers, and the general public are hereby notified Murray State University endorses the intent of all federal and state laws created to prohibit discrimination. Murray State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, age, veteran status, or disability in employment or application for employment, admissions, or the provision of services and provides, upon request, reasonable accommodation including auxiliary aids and services necessary to afford individuals with disabilities equal access to participate in all programs and activities. In particular and without limiting the preceding and pursuant to and consistent with the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its regulations 34 CFR 100 et seq.; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and its regulations 34 CFR 104; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 USC 1681 et seq., and its regulations 34 CFR 106 et seq; and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and its regulations 34 CFR 110, Murray State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap, or age in its educational programs and activities. This non-discrimination in education programs and activities extends to employment and admissions and to recruitment, financial aid, academic programs, student services, athletics, and housing. Murray State is required by Title IX and 34 CFR part 106 not to discriminate on the basis of sex and the prohibition against sex discrimination specifically includes a prohibition of sexual harassment and sexual violence. Examples of prohibited sexual harassment and sexual violence can be found in the “Policy Prohibiting Sexual Harassment” which can be accessed via the link referenced in Appendix I. Programs available include: Accounting; Advertising; Agricultural Science; Agricultural Science and Technology; Agriculture; Animal Technology; Applied Engineering and Technology Management; Art; Athletic Training; Biology; Business Administration; Career and Technical Education; Chemistry; Civil Engineering Technology; Clinical Psychology; Communication Disorders; Computer Information Systems; Computer Science; Counseling; Creative Writing; Criminal Justice; Economic Development; Economics; Education Administration; Electromechanical Engineering Technology; Elementary Education; Elementary Teacher Leader; Engineering Graphics and Design; Engineering Physics; English; English Pedagogy and Technology; Exercise Science; Finance; French; General Experimental Psychology; General Studies; Geosciences; German; Graphic Communications Media; Health and Physical Education; History; Human Development and Leadership; Industrial Technology; Information Systems; Integrated Studies; Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education; International Studies; Japanese; Journalism; Learning and Behavior Disorders; Liberal Arts; Library Media; Logistics and Supply Chain Management; Management; Manufacturing Engineering Technology; Marketing; Mass Communications; Mathematics; Middle School Education; Middle School Teacher Leader; Music; Music Business; Music Education; Nonprofit Leadership Studies; Nursing; Nursing Practice; Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Management; Occupational Safety and Health; Organizational Communication; P-20 and Community Leadership; Physics; Political Science; Postsecondary Education Administration; Psychology; Public Administration; Public and Community Health; Public Relations; Reading and Writing; Recreation and Leisure Services; School Counseling; Secondary Teacher Leader; Social Work; Sociology; Spanish; Special Education; Speech-Language Pathology; Sustainability Science; Teacher Education and Professional Development; Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages; Telecommunications Systems Management; Television Production; Theatre; Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Admission criteria include, but are not limited to the following: For undergraduates: for unconditional admission, an accredited high school diploma or GED, ACT minimum of 18/SAT minimum of 870, high school class rank minimum of upper half or 3.0 GPA; and a pre-college curriculum. For transfers: a minimum cumulative GPA of a 2.00 on a 4.00 scale. For graduate students: unconditional admission, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college, a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale, and a minimum combined GRE score defined by department. International students must have a minimum of 71 on the IBT TOEFL with no bands below 16 or 6.0 on the IELTS with no bands below 5.0 for unconditional admission. Some graduate programs have higher minimum requirements. For more information concerning the application of these provisions may be referred to: 1) the Executive Director of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Access/ Murray State University Title IX Coordinator, Murray State University, 103 Wells Hall, Murray, KY 42071 Telephone: (270) 809-3155 Fax: (270) 809-6887; TDD: (270) 809-3361; Email: msu.titleix@murraystate.edu.


Features

August 23, 2018

Page 13

GETTING BACK INTO THE GRIND Seven ways to ease yourself back into your school routine Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

Last semester went by pretty fast, but the summer flew by faster. After weeks of sleeping in until noon and and staying in bed even later, it can be a difficult adjustment getting back into “school mode.” So, grab that coffee you so desperately need and get ready for an awesome semester with these tips. Tip 1: Re-adjust Your Sleep Schedule I know, I know. This is easier said than done. You cannot just change your entire sleep schedule in one day and expect to feel great the next morning for that 8 a.m. class. Instead of attempting to go to bed early right away, make a slow and steady change. Go to bed 30 minutes to an hour earlier every night and wake up

at the same time every morning. The first week will, of course, be exhausting, and all you will want is a nap. But after your body adjusts, you will wake up feeling refreshed and ready for classes. Tip 2: Treat Yourself on Monday Morning Do something that makes you look forward to waking up for class. Student, Jenny Rea starts off her Mondays with breakfast and a cup of coffee. Whether it is waking up a little earlier to cook or going to Future Grounds or Shaffer Coffee Company before your first class, do something that makes you look forward to starting a week of classes and school work. Tip 3: Set a Routine Schedule for the Week Most of us are not great at making sure we are caught up on homework. Buy a planner or

use your phone to set a schedule for the week. Penciling in a specifictime for studying and working on homework should help you to follow through on assignments you otherwise might forget about. Students are thrown a lot of information the first week of school, so do not forget to write it down. If you stick to a schedule, you might find yourself with more free weekends to relax and be less stressed. Tip 4: Reconnect With Your Friends Murray State is great because there are so many students from so many different places. Odds are, you haven’t seen the friends you made last year in about three months. Go do something fun before your classes get too crazy. Spoil yourselves at Jasmine. Go get a cup of coffee. Have a movie night.

Your friends in college become friends for life, so don’t forget to make time for those friendships, even though you may have to work around classes and homework. Tip 5: Do Not Overwhelm Yourself Students are given so many textbooks to read and essays to write at the beginning of the semester, don’t forget to pencil in some “me time.” Go buy a book to read, just for fun, that has nothing to do with your classes. Start watching a show on Netflix once every couple of days as a study break. Spoil yourself with a spa day. The workload only grows as the semester goes on so make sure you make a habit of treating yourself to some relaxation. Tip 6: It is Okay to Call Home A lot of us are farther away

from our families than we have ever been. Know that it is okay to call home just to see how they are doing. Your family will often be one of your strongest support systems when you are stressed or lonely, and keeping in touch with them can keep you from feeling homesick. Even if you aren’t homesick, your parents are probably missing you.

Tip 7: Do Not Stress! You’ve Got This! The difference between college and high school is that here, you are studying something you are passionate about. Let that motivate you to work on that assignment that may be really challenging and time-consuming. You made it to Murray State, however far along you are in your college career, for a reason. You have what it takes to succeed, so do something you love and have fun!

The best movies of summer 2018

Grant Dillard Staff writer

gdillard@murraystate.edu

“Incredibles 2” This was a movie 14 years in the making, but the wait was totally worth it. “Incredibles 2” was a great follow-up to an already fantastic film, thankfully feeling like a natural continuation from the first film’s story rather than a complete rehash of it. Despite a weak twist regarding the identity of the villain, Screenslaver, “Incredibles 2” is a worthy sequel to its predecessor thanks to its amazing action scenes, likable characters and well-executed humor.

Graphics courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”

“Avengers: Infinity War”

The “Mission: Impossible” film series has the reputation of making sequals that are better than the first installments. The sixth installment, “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” further drives that point home, as it turned out to be the best installment in the series by far. Everything, from the story, character development, plot twists and action sequences, have been improved to near perfection. Plus, it features what may be Henry Cavill’s best onscreen performance, aside from Superman. This is one mission that fans of the series, as well as fans of action movies in general, should choose to accept.

The summer movie season kicked off with “Avengers: Infinity War,” which was released a week early on April 27 and it was quite a good film. Not only did the film succeed in giving audiences the spectacular action sequences and one-liners they have come to expect, but it also gave them one of, if not the greatest, villains of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the form of Thanos. Not to mention, it featured what may be the most shocking and heartbreaking ending of all the films in the MCU.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp”

“Solo: A Star Wars Story”

Marvel Studios had another offering for fans this summer and it was a necessary palette cleanser after the depressing and tragic ending of “Avengers: Infinity War.” “AntMan and the Wasp” gave viewers a larger story than the first film, yet managed to still be a self-contained film: avoiding any major crossovers with other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Creative action scenes, hilarious comedy, a tragic and sympathetic villain and a fantastic onscreen chemistry between Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily make it a better film than the first “Ant-Man,” as well as one of the better sequels of the MCU.

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the summer was the fact that “Solo: A Star Wars Story” actually turned out to be a good movie, despite its many behind-the-scenes troubles. These troubles include the firing of directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller when shooting was nearly finished. “Solo” may not have been the most successful at the box-office, but the film itself is actually a good time as well as a welcome addition to the “Star Wars” saga. The film featured a great cast, with Alden Ehrenreich giving a good performance as a younger version of everyone’s favorite “scruffy looking nerf-herder,” and Donald Glover playing a spectacular young Lando Calrissian. Also, the film features an incredible surprise cameo from a fan-favorite character toward its conclusion, which was a very nice touch.


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Page 14 Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu

Savanna Hatfield Production Manager • 270-809-5877 shatfield2@murraystate.edu

Elizabeth Erwin News Editor • 270-809-4468 eerwin1@murraystate.edu

Destinee Marking News Senior Writer• 270-809-5878 dmarking@murraystate.edu

Colton Colglazier News Graphic Designer ccolglazier@murraystate.edu

Sara Howell Features Editor • 270-809-5871 showell6@murraystate.edu

Tori Wood Features and Opinion Graphic Designer twood9@murraystate.edu

Blake Sandlin Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Gage Johnson Sports Senior Writer • 270-809-5878 gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Rosalyn Churchman Sports Graphic Designer rchurchman@murraystate.edu

Ginni Sisemore Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 vsisemore@murraystate.edu

Chandler Cochran Ad Sales and Circulation Manager • 270-809-4478 ccochran3@murraystate.edu

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

Rebecca Mosella

NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE

August 23, 2018

Our View

Enemy of the People The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board. “The Fake News hates me saying that they are the Enemy of the People only because they know it’s TRUE,” President Donald Trump wrote in a Tweet on Aug. 5. “I am providing a great service by explaining this to the American People. They purposely cause great division & distrust. They can also cause War! They are very dangerous & sick!” Ten days later on Aug. 15, over 200 news organizations across the nation coordinated their editorial sections to condemn Trump’s “Fake News” rhetoric toward the media. As student journalists, the students behind The Murray State News want to make one thing clear: our future careers don’t include “enemy of the people” in the job description. Questioning the validity and value of a free press not only undermines the basis of American democracy*, but also undermines the very reason why many of us at The News decided to attend Murray State in the first place. Like everyone else studying at Murray State, we came to college to learn. Like everyone else studying at Murray State, we have dreams and aspirations for what we will achieve after college. And just like everyone else studying at Murray State, we believe there is validity in what we are studying. After all, if we didn’t believe in the validity of our studies, why would we be studying it? Why would the professors in the department of Journalism

and Mass Communications bother teaching us? Why would we bother to publish the paper every week? Because we believe there is value in journalism. We believe most of the general public understands the value of journalism, too. Unfortunately, the President of the United States isn’t one of them. In case you are a little rusty on your American history, presidents questioning the validity of a free press is not a normal occurrence. Even President Ronald Reagan who had a publicly unfavorable relationship with the media, never once questioned their validity as an institution. “Since the founding of this nation, freedom of the press has been a fundamental tenet of American life,” Reagan said. “There is no more essential ingredient than a free, strong and independent press to our continued success in what the founding fathers called our noble experiment in self-government.” This is not normal. The moment the American public starts normalizing President Trump’s rhetoric toward the press is the moment we will have reached complacency. What will a complacent American public hold for our future careers? The media is not the enemy of the people, student media included.

Autumn BrownThe News

*For reference, please refer to the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

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

Ravi Shankar Shah Online Editor • 270-809-5878 rshah2@murraystate.edu

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

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

TheNews.org

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Submissions should be 600 words or less, and contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the University. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Monday of each week via email to atraylor@murraystate.edu.

Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News. 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 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 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.


Opinion

August 23, 2018

CHEERS & JEERS Lilli Hanik

Contributing Writer lhanik@murraystate.edu

During one’s college years, a car is the equivalent to freedom: no paying Uber drivers copious amounts of money for a lift to Cookout, no wearing out the soles of your favorite shoes and no being stuck on campus for the weekend rotting in boredom. Sadly, with the joy of having a vehicle on campus comes the pain of dealing with the parking system. And this semester, parking appears to be more painful than ever. Changes from last semester include the rezoning of parking lots, a price increase making it

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Cheers to... Dr. Jackson While the Foundation will greatly miss you, the University has gained a great one. Best of luck to the interim and may the selfies be ever in your favor. Jeers to... Added Fees Not only is parking taking in a nice fee boost, but hundreds of academic fees were either added or increased this year. Opportnity afforded?

Contributer’s Column

Park It Right There! $100 for economy parking and $200 for yellow and blue zones and commuter parking, discontinuation of parking hang tags, implementation of the “no pullthrough” parking rule and a break from the long-standing tradition that freshmen must park at the stadium. The result? An overpriced, chaotic system. New parking zones have resulted in campus wide outrage. Commuters now share a parking zone with Regents and White college residents, where previously the Regents and White lots were exclusively for resident use. Commuters also face a lack of parking options that are close to academic buildings. Other than a few intermittent spots, commut-

ers are forced to park over by Hamilton Field and Alexander Hall. While the walk may be nothing more than some extra exercise in the daytime, students with night classes face a more eerie issue. The LiveSafe app helps to alleviate some worries, but there are still students who remain uncomfortable with the nighttime trek. The break from the traditional rule regarding freshmen parking at the stadium has exacerbated the overcrowding issue up at dorm circle. Finding a parking spot has always been difficult around the circle, but it is harder now than ever before, as freshmen have the option to “buy up.” This new policy means that

anyone can purchase a yellow permit, regardless of class standing. While the issue is more annoying than anything, the fact remains that the University broke a long-standing tradition and inconvenienced its upperclassman for the opportunity to make an extra buck. The freshman “buy up” option isn’t the only change the University implemented to make some extra cash - Murray State increased parking by a dramatic 100 percent for yellow zone parking. The price increase is an irritating addition to the already long list of fees students have to pay each semester, along with the new meal plan and tuition cost increase.

Arguably the most frustrating new rule is the “no pull-through” parking rule. Pull-through parking is a common practice that many people use to save time and effort. Now, students are forced to park with their rear plate facing out, even if they have a license plate on the front of their vehicle. It is easy to forget to not pull through, and that means the potential of parking citations looms closer than ever. The new parking system is inefficient, expensive, and down right inconvenient. Although having a car on campus can be sweet, the new parking rules have left more than just a few Racers feeling pretty salty.


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News

August 23, 2018


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