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September 27, 2018 | Vol. 93, No. 6
Staph infection spreads on campus Elizabeth Erwin News Editor eerwin1@murraystate.edu
In the days following a fraternity philanthropy event, several students experienced symptoms related to staph infections. Sorority members compete annually in the Lambda Chi Alpha Watermelon Bust, an event where attendees participate in a series of games in a large mud pit. This year’s event, held on Saturday, Sept. 22, was not out of the ordinary from years past. Each sorority had a team that competed against each other in a watermelon crawl dance, tug-of-war, over under, watermelon
toss and crab walk, all of which required students to be in close proximity to one another in the muddy water. However, participants said the muddy water contained debris from overnight storms, which became an issue after several of them decided to go barefoot during the games. The close physical contact combined with open wounds caused by the debris, created favorable conditions for the transmission of staph between attendees. “Staphylococcus aureus, called ‘staph’ for short, is one of the most common germs found on people’s skin and in their noses,”
according to the Center for Disease Control. “Most of the time it doesn’t do any harm. But sometimes staph gets into the body and causes an infection.” Michael Cooper, a microbiology professor at Murray State, said staph becomes problematic when it goes past the surface of the body. “When it is just doing its thing on our skin or even in our nasal passages and doesn’t have access to blood or past the skin, it won’t cause infection,” Cooper said. “If someone has it on their skin and gets, say, an abrasion - with S. aureus on the skin it could take the opportunity and become infectious in that breach of our primary passive defense
system.” Once a staph infection occurs, the infection itself can vary in severity from a minor skin problem to a life-threatening condition. “My knee had several pimple-like bumps on it and my knee was warm to the touch which is typically a sign of infection,” a student, who requested to remain anonymous, said. “My knee also had been feeling weaker and had been in pain.” According to the Mayo Clinic, some symptoms of skin infections caused by staph bacteria include red and swollen boils, a painful rash, skin redness, swelling
,
see STAPH page 4
David Wallace/The News
Student charged in campus rape
Students concerned about lack of blue lights Paige Effinger Staff writer peffinger@murraystate.edu
“I always feel the most scared between the library and Lizo [Elizabeth Residential College], especially on the bridge,” Kalyn Boyd, junior from Jackson, Tennessee, said. “There is little to no activity in these places because most people are not at the library that late at night.” Boyd said she wishes there were more emergency boxes between the Quad and the residential side of campus to help
students feel safer when walking on campus alone at night. Emergency call boxes on campus are used as a safety measure; however, the 40 call boxes are not evenly distributed across the residential and academic sides of Murray State’s campus. The two types of emergency call boxes on campus are yellow call boxes and blue light call boxes. Both are direct lines to the Murray State Police dispatch.
,
see BLUE LIGHTS page 5
Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief atraylor@murraystate.edu
Kalea Anderson/The News
Blue lights can be found on campus.
Murray State student Reyon Nathan Williams, 26, was arrested and charged with first-degree rape and second-degree unlawful imprisonment on Sept. 19. The arrest came after a student reported being sexually assaulted in an on-campus residence, according to a Timely Warning sent by the Murray State Police Department. In the email, the rape was reported to have occurred in the early
hours of Sept. 15. After filing an Open Records Request, The News learned the assault took place at an apartment in College Courts, where Williams was living. This was not Williams’ first encounter with Murray State Police. Williams was given a citation for possession of mar-
ijuana and drug paraphernalia in 2012, and he was also cited for the same thing at Hart Residential College in 2013. The News reported in April 2014 that Williams was apprehended by Murray police in connection to an event where witnesses reported he may have had a “long gun” on campus. No shots were fired, and no one was injured. Campus was on lockdown. Williams’ roommate at the time, Vincent Burns, said police stormed into
,
see ASSAULT page 4
NEWS:
SPORTS:
FEATURES:
OPINION:
Students encourage peers to register to vote
Stark inks NBA deal
Unicycling around Murray State’s campus
We care, you should too
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NEWS NEWS THE MUR R AY STATE
September 27, 2018
Are you registered to vote? The deadline to register in Kentucky is Oct. 9 and the upcoming elections are on Nov. 6. Murray is located in Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District, and during the upcoming general election many important positions will be on the ballot. These include the Kentucky Representative in Congress, State Representative, Commonwealth’s Attorney as well as many more local positions. The Kentucky Marsy’s Law Crime Victims Rights Amendment will also be on the ballot. According to “Voter Turnout by Age and Sex” from the Commonwealth of Kentucky, during the 2016 general election there were 1,955,195 registered voters but only 154,059 were between the ages of 17 and 24. Drew Seib, assistant professor of the department of political science and sociology, said voter apathy is leading to a lack of representation for young people and their interests. “College students have a different set of interests compared to voters in older age groups, yet this age group by far has the lowest turnout for elections,” Seib said. “College students at this point in their lives are likely worried about student loans, Pell Grants and getting a job when they get out of school. But, because the age group votes at such a low rate, politicians are more likely to ignore their concerns and focus on the concerns of people who do vote.” Whether students agree or disagree with what is happening politically,
Photo courtesy of Cristen Shaw
Students in Drew Seib’s class were required to host a voter registration drive. Choong-Nam Kang, chair and associate professor of the department of political science and sociology, said there is only one way for their voice to be heard. “It’s not just for college students, but for all citizens, because it is one of the only ways for people to participate in the decision-making process and to make politicians listen to your voice,” Kang said. “You probably prefer democracy to autocracy. Then, think about what makes democracy different from autocracy. Especially if you don’t like or want something, go out and vote. If you don’t, nothing will be changed.” To encourage Murray State students to register to vote, Seib requires his students to host a voter registration drive of their own. “I actually have several motives behind the assignment,” Seib said. “The first is teaching students to be better citizens, to be an active citizen and encourage others to be active in civic life. The second is to teach students more about the registration process... The third motive is all about the learning experience.” Madison Hillberry, freshman from Elizabethtown, Kentucky, said she believes voting isn’t just a right, but also a privilege. “By choosing not to use your vote, you are taking your privilege for granted,”
Hillberry said. “You are choosing to not take part in our democracy, which is something citizens of many other countries would kill for.” Now that students live in different areas, they are being affected by different local policies. Some college students don’t realize they can change their registration information to the university they are attending. This makes it much more accessible for students to be able to vote. By registering to vote in their university’s city, students can have a say in these matters. “They may have registered in a high school voter registration drive with their parent’s address, but now are away at college,” Seib said. “It can be hard to go back home and vote, and learning how to request an absentee ballot takes time away from our already busy lives. What college students may not realize is that they can choose to change their voter registration to wherever it is they are attending college.” Students can register or update their current registration record to their university address at govoteky.com. There are also many voter registration drives being held on Murray
Correction On Thursday, Sept. 20, The Murray State News misspelled Ron Cella as “Ron Sella.” Also, the Student Government Association Freshman Senators were wrongly identified. The News deeply regrets the errors.
3:47PM An item was reported stolen from a vehicle in the White College parking lot.
12:12PM Multiple laptops were reported stolen from the Business Building.
9/21 9/20
dtebib@murraystate.edu
State’s campus for students that would rather change their information or register in person. The College Democrats are hosting a voter registration drive on Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Curris Center. “Younger voters are typically the most affected by policies enacted by governments, yet turn out to vote the least,” Jordan Kinnett, president of the College Democrats, said. “It’s important for us to do what we can to encourage people to engage in the voting process now in hopes that they will become lifelong participants.” Murray State’s Student Government Association is also hosting a voter registration drive on Oct. 2 in the Curris Center. “Get out and vote because your vote matters,” Andrew Kane, SGA government relations director, said. “The changes made now will be ones that will affect us as adults as soon as we get out of college and are in the workforce.” The College Republicans are not hosting any voter registration drives, but Vice President Abby Rock wants to encourage all registered students to vote. “College students are an underrepresented group when it comes to the political environment because not enough of us get out and vote in elections. Issues that we care about are going unnoticed because there is no strategic advantage for politicians to address these issues if we don’t show up to the polls,” Rock said. “Our main focus is motivating students that are registered to go vote on Nov. 6.” If you want your voice to be heard, get registered, get informed and go vote.
9:05PM An assault was reported in Winslow Dining Hall. Prosecution was declined.
8:33PM Two subjects were arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in White College.
10:28PM A subject was arrested for possession of marijuana in Hart College.
9/24 9/23
Staff writer
12:23PM A fire was reported in College Courts. The fire was an accidental stove fire and resulted in no injuries or deaths.
6:07PM A wallet was reported stolen from a vehicle in the Five Points parking lot.
10:57PM An assault was reported in Winslow Dining Hall.
11:57PM A subject was reported for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the White College parking lot.
9/25
Daniella Tebib
9/19
Students encourage peers to register to vote
2:43PM Unlawful access to a computer was reported in Regents College after a subject’s social media accounts were accessed without their permission.
The Police Beat is compiled from the Murray State University Police Department’s Crime and Fire Log.
Colton Colglazier/The News
News
September 27, 2018
Family Weekend Friday 3:00PM
September 28th — 30th
Soccer
3:00PM
Cutchin Field
5:00PM
(vs. Tennessee Tech) Free admission
7:00PM
Mr. MSU Pageant
(sponsored by Alpha Omicron Pi)
4:00PM
$10 per person
6:00PM
Lovett Auditorium
7:30PM
Cinema International Films
(“The Crime of Monsieur Lange”) Curris Center Theatre
6:00PM
Racer Band Tailgate Stewart Stadium South Gate
Pay at the door or online at murraystate.edu/familyweekend
Legacy Alumni Tailgate Sid Easley Alumni Center Plaza
Pay at the door or online at murraystate.edu/familyweekend
Football Game
Free admission
(vs. UT Martin)
8:00AM
Clara M. Eagle Gallery exhibits
5:00PM
Six tickets included in Family Weekend registration
Free admission
Sixth floor of Fine Arts Building
Saturday 8:00AM
Racer 5k
Wellness Center
Register online at goracers.com
8:30AM 10:30AM 9:30AM
Stewart Stadium
Sunday 8:30AM 10:30AM 9:00AM
Welcome Packet Pick-up
Residential College lobbies
11:30AM
Free
10:30AM
Honors College Drop-in
Winslow Dining Hall
Free Rifle (vs. UT Martin)
Pat Spurgin Rifle Range
First floor of Curris Center
Residential College Reception Continental Breakfast
Breakfast
Free admission
1:00PM
Soccer (vs. Jacksonville State) Cutchin Field
Free admission
Franklin Lobby
12:00PM
Free admission
12:00PM
Family Lunch The Quad
2:00PM
Free
1:00PM
Volleyball
(vs. Eastern Kentucky) Racer Arena
Free admission
2:00PM
Fall Fanfare Concert Lovett Auditorium
3:30PM
Pay at the door or online at murraystate.edu/familyweekend
2:30PM
Annual Children’s Show
(“Tale of the Mouse” by Anita Gustafson) Robert E. Johnson Theatre Pay at the door
Colton Colglazier/The News
Page 3
Racer women get down to business Alexis Schindler
Contributing writer aschindler1@murraystate.edu
The Women in Business club met for the first time Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 5 p.m. in the Business Building. WIB is open to women of all majors. According to the presentation shown at the meeting, their mission is “to promote professionalism, promote empowerment, build both professional and personal relationships, provide education, and encourage women and their futures in the professional world.” The club wants to help women entering male-dominated fields be successful. Junior marketing major Amanda Swift is the president of the club. The idea for the club came from a Women in Business meeting Swift attended with a friend at Illinois State University. She was inspired by the former students that were on the panel at this meeting and believed this was something Murray State needed. Swift worried the club would run into some issues. ”I was worried that there would be some push back due to it being for a specific gender,” Swift said. “But so far I have only had positive reactions, which is very encouraging.” The club is being sponsored by Jan Super, assistant professor in the Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration. “I am super excited,” Super said. “When these young ladies came to me with this idea, I was all for it.” The club plans to engage with students through several different workshops, including an interview workshop and a Linked-In workshop. The club will also be dedicating time to teach students what not to wear to professional
events like job interviews. WIB also plans to have several guest speakers over the course of the year, mainly women who work in male-dominated fields. The WIB club plans to host a non-profit panel in November for its members. There will also be a panel of past Murray State female students who are currently in the workforce. At the end of the semester, the club plans to host a “mocktail” party for their members. This will show WIB members how to establish connections in the business world. In the second semester of the year, the club will have their members fill out applications to get to know more about them and their goals. At this time, they will also require their members to pay a $20 fee. This fee will go toward a shirt and binder for the club member. WIB will encourage club members to be involved in a mentor program. The program will allow juniors and seniors to mentor underclassmen. The mentorship program will give students a chance to bond and help one another achieve their goals. Freshman business administration major Haley Eaton attended the meeting. She said she plans to be a part of the club and is very excited for it. She hopes the club will provide her with connections in the business industry and skills for her future. Swift said the club is interested in working with other campus organizations and is currently discussing collaboration. The next meeting for WIB will be Wednesday, Oct. 10 at 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. The club can be found on Facebook at Women in Business MKY. In the coming days, they will be posting more information about their club.
News
Page 4
STAPH From Page 1 and blisters that can often be accompanied with a fever and nausea. The student who noticed the pimple-like bumps on their skin decided to visit Fast Pace Connect on campus. However, the student’s experience at Fast Pace was less than favorable. “My experience at Fast Pace on campus wasn’t the best,” the student said. “There was only one nurse to see all of the students, and there was no physician to actually see. Instead, it was a nurse practitioner who was seeing me through a video camera. It just didn’t feel professional and I felt like they maybe could have diagnosed me just because I thought I had staph. The whole experience was so impersonal and very rushed
ASSAULT
From Page 1
their apartment at Campus Evolution Villages North and asked him if Williams’ owned a gun. Burns did not think he did. “He seems like a nice guy, but he does have a little bit of a temper,” Vincent Burns, Williams’ roommate at the time. “But he usually just walked that off.” Williams is a senior occupational health and safety major from Atlanta, Georgia. This is the third reported rape on Murray State’s campus since the beginning of the academic school year. The first incident was reported on Aug. 15, according to Murray State’s Crime and Fire Log. All three crimes took place on the residential side of campus and all of the assailants were known to the victim, according to the Crime and Fire Log. Since the beginning of 2018, there have been five rapes and six sexual abuse cases reported to Murray State Police. Williams is still in the Calloway County Jail on a $100,000 cash bond.
and all-in-all very weird.” After looking back on it, the student said they regretted not going to another healthcare provider. “I regret not going to the normal Fast Pace or Primary Care because I feel like I would have gotten a more definite answer than what I got from the on-campus Fast Pace,” the student said. “I would rather pay the larger bill to know for sure if I was sick or not. Fast Pace just felt like they were just sticking me with a prescription and hoped it fixed my problem.” Another student, who also asked to remain anonymous, said the wait times were long at Fast Pace as the on-campus health provider was flooded with students exposed to staph. “I went to the on-campus Fast Pace, it was super slow,” the student said. “They only had one provider and you had to see the doctor on a camera.” The student also said
they felt like they weren’t given relevant information about staph. “They just said ‘Don’t touch it,’” the student said. The News also spoke with students who went to Primary Care Medical Center and Murray Medical Associates to be checked out. Treatments for staph can include antibiotics and even the drainage of the infected wound. “It is important to take your antibiotic until it is finished, even if you are feeling better,” according to the CDC. “If you don’t, the staph germ may become resistant to the antibiotic.” Staph cannot be spread through the air. Instead, it is usually spread through direct contact, whether it be person-to-person or through inanimate objects. According to the Mayo Clinic, “because staph bacteria are so hardy, they can live on inanimate objects such as pillowcases or tow-
els long enough to transfer to the next person who touches them.” Cooper said students don’t have to go out of their way to prevent the spread of staph. “Normal handwashing and polite protocols, sneezing into your elbow, that kind of thing are generally sufficient,” Cooper said. “Maybe ironically showering less frequently can inhibit the colonization of ‘new arrivals’ as your skin is already well-colonized. That’s not an excuse to be stinky, though.” Keeping wounds covered until they heal can also help prevent the spread of staph, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you feel like you might have been exposed to infectious staph, go to the doctor if you have an area of red, irritated skin that is painful to the touch, pus-filled blisters, accompanied by a fever.
September 27, 2018
Photo courtesy of an anonymous student
A staph infected student noticed pimple-like bumps on their knees.
Local businesses “racerize” Murray James Turner Staff writer Email: jturner34@murraystate.edu
The Murray Chamber of Commerce new initiative, Racer Proud is the latest in an attempt to boost enrollment and
bolster support for the University around town. Murray Chamber of Commerce President Michelle Bundren said Murray State’s Interim President Bob Jackson coined the phrase “racerize Murray” as a guest speaker at a recent din-
ner. She said the initiative is for Murray businesses to show how proud and supportive they are of Murray State. The initiative involves local businesses showing their support for the University, particularly when visitors come to
Kalea Anderson/The News
The Murray Chamber of Commerce created an initiative, Racer Proud, to increase enrollment and gain support for Murray State.
Murray, to potentially bolster enrollment. The initiative comes just ahead of Murray State’s Family Weekend, scheduled for Sept. 28-30, when thousands are expected to descend upon the town. “Chamber’s role is to help them [businesses] communicate their message to the town,” Bundren said. “We are happy to support in their efforts.” Matthew Meyer, sophomore from Middletown, Kentucky, also said the people in town have been really nice and supported the idea of taking that a step further. “I think it’s a good idea as long as it’s not too corny,” Meyer said. “Don’t oversaturate.” Meyer said other schools bring local businesses onto campus and provide more food options to students. He also said if Murray State helps local businesses they will be more
inclined to help Murray State as well. “It’s a good fixture for the town,” Meyer said. Garret Tur, senior from Louisville, Kentucky, said he wasn’t too surprised by the initiative since businesses in Murray rely on the University to bring more people in. “Usually it’s been lower-key,” he said. “I noticed a difference in people in town.” Director of Communications, Shawn Touney said this support is invaluable and a part of the university. “That support, whether through wearing gold on Racer Proud Fridays, displaying a Racer Proud poster inside their office or storefront, or simply by offering a friendly hello to visitors of the University, creates a feeling of warmth, welcome, community and support that has been an integral part of the University’s history for many years,” Touney said.
News
September 27, 2018
BLUE LIGHTS From Page 1 The blue light emergency call boxes are the posts with the solar panels on campus with a blue light on top and the word emergency written vertically down the pole. If students feel they are in danger, they can press the emergency button on the boxes to be directed to police. The blue light on the post will light up, if it isn’t already, and start flashing. Meanwhile, a police officer will be dispatched to the location of the box. The yellow call boxes are the same in that they are a direct connection to the Murray State Police, but they are not equipped with a light. Murray State Police Chief James Herring said he was not here when they were installed, so he is unaware of the decision-making process. Call boxes are located primarily on the residential side of campus, with only five on the academic side. They are located in front of Carr Health, Wilson Hall, Wells Hall, Arthur J. Bauernfeind Business Building and Price Doyle Fine Arts. Boyd said she walks through campus frequently because she lives near the University. She feels safe walking depending on the time of day and how much activity there is on campus. “After walking home from the business build-
G’S
ing after my night class around 8 p.m., there is usually still a decent amount of students on campus,” Boyd said. “However, I do not feel as comfortable walking all the way to the residential side of campus to get to Fast Track while it is still dark outside.” There are no emergency call boxes in the area of the science complex on 16th Street. Madison Hillberry, freshman from El i zabe thtown, Kentucky, worries about her safety at night in the science complex. “My night class is in the chemistry building, which is all the way across from the residential halls,” Hillberry said. “So, I have to cross the main road and go through several dimly lit parking lots before I even get to the main part of campus; therefore, I have someone drive me because I do not feel comfortable.” After pulling the emergency call box map from the University’s website, The Murray State News staff scoured campus to find the boxes that were listed, but discovered the 2014 map was outdated and contained incorrect information. The map did not have all of the locations of the blue light boxes and was missing two buildings that were not constructed as of 2014. Herring said he was unaware of the inconsistencies of the map and has since corrected the missing blue lights. The updated map is now
viewable on The News’ website. Herring said education and partnerships are the keys to keeping campus safe. “We have a number of programs that we provide to the freshman transitions classes, residential college meetings, and departmental meetings that focus on how we stay safe,” Herring said. “We also believe that partnerships with the community are critical to creating a safe campus. We cannot be every place at every time, so we need the community to step up and speak out when they see things out of place.” Herring also suggests that students download the LiveSafe app on their phones. According to the website, LiveSafe lets you share information to keep the campus safe, allows you to make sure your friends arrive safely with SafeWalk and get help fast by calling or messaging the Murray State Police. “The LiveSafe app is a great way to let us know when something is suspicious,” Herring said. “LiveSafe is like a blue light phone that you can take with you!” Hillberry said she was aware of the emergency boxes’ existence, but has never noticed them or utilized them. Hillberry also has the LiveSafe app, but she has never used it. Despite multiple attempts to educate students about the LiveSafe app, the majority of the students interviewed for
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Emergency boxes located across campus connect directly to the Murray State Police dispatch. this story said they didn’t have or have never used the app. Another main concern was that when students are traveling around
campus late at night their cell phones are often dead or they are intoxicated and unable to properly use the app. Students have the
opportunity to meet with the Murray State Police officers on Thursday, Sept. 27 during Police Fun Day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Quad.
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NEWS SPORTS THE MUR R AY STATE
September 27, 2018
Martin visits for family weekend Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu With many lessons learned against the University of Kentucky in week three, Murray State looks to kick off OVC play with a home win against UT Martin on Saturday. Murray State will host family weekend Sept. 28-29, with the home football game capping off the festivities Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Roy Stewart Stadium. The Racers left Martin, Tennessee, with a last-second victory last season, as junior kicker Gabriel Vicente knocked in a 32-yard field goal as time expired. With a larger crowd than usual in attendance, Head Coach Mitch Stewart and his team are poised to make it back-toback victories against UT Martin. “UT Martin is as good as they’ve ever been,” Stewart said. “They’re always a consistent ball club. They’ve lost some guys from their team last year, but they’ve also added guys that are just as good, if not better. We’re approaching this game like we always do and our biggest concern is Murray State.” The Racers have experi-
enced numerous hardships as they’ve battled with top contenders from both the FCS and FBS in the early weeks of the season. Murray State will have a chance to wipe the slate clean as it heads into OVC play in hopes of securing a statement win at home on Saturday. UT Martin has run into similar problems, starting the season 1-3 with its first victory coming from a 37-7 win over Austin Peay at home last weekend. The Skyhawks have faced the likes of Missouri and Middle Tennessee State this season, and while they came up short against each opponent, they were able to put some points on the board in preparation for their future OVC matchups. Murray State is coming off a bye week in which the team saw little padto-pad practice but lots of recovery and treatment. Senior defensive end Tyler Stepney feels like the break in action came at the right time for him and his teammates. “This is a good time for us mentally and physically,” Stepney said. “A good time to get a ice bath, get a couple lifts in and stretch out. A couple of guys on defense I know for sure
Blake Sandlin/The News
Sophomore defensive back Edmond McGhee celebrates with senior defensive lineman Kenney Wooten following a play against the University of Kentucky. need this after a big game the week before against Kentucky.” UT Martin got the job done on both sides of the ball last Saturday against Austin Peay. The Skyhawks limited the Governors to just 10 first downs on defense, putting up 367 total
yards of offense. While the Racers will have their hands full, Stewart believes focusing on the present will ensure his team comes out on top Saturday. “We’re going to worry about this week right now,” Stewart said. “That’s the best part of what we have
going on right now, our approach is working on this week and not about the previous three weeks. We’re talking about finding a way to win this game and finding a way to have a great practice today. Ultimately, Murray State cannot beat Murray State, if
we can limit turnovers and limit some of the things that have held us back offensively, then you’ll begin to see that progress in our offense.” Murray State will host the UT Martin Skyhawks at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Roy Stewart Stadium.
Golf teams compete in tournaments Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu Women’s Golf Murray State and Jacksonville State led the way at the Chris Bannister Classic as the Racers secured a second-place finish on Tuesday afternoon. The host team, Jacksonville State, was a tough opponent. Murray State got a chance to face three other OVC teams.
The Racers finished better than two, but could not top the Gamecocks this time around. Murray State finished just three strokes behind Jacksonville State, finishing the tournament with a total score of 907. Murray State and Jacksonville State dominated the competition as each team finished around 40 strokes ahead of the rest of the pack. Senior Linette Holmslykke, from Vejle, Denmark, led the way for
the Racers, finishing in second place on Tuesday with scores of 74-72-75— 221. Holmslykke would finish just six shots behind the winner, Jacksonville State senior Paula Vega, who finished with a threeday total of 215. Murray, Kentucky, native Sarah McDowell, a freshman at Murray State, had a solid tournament for her first time in the starting lineup with the Racers. McDowell shot rounds of 76-77-71—224, finishing on Tuesday in fourth place,
moving up three spots on the final day of play. Sophomore Lucila Puente Rodriguez de Austria, from Sevilla, Spain, rounded out the Top 10 for Murray State, shooting three rounds of 77 and earning herself a spot in ninth place. With two tournaments in the books for the fall season, Head Coach Velvet Milkman is optimistic about her team’s ceiling. “We played OK, but I don’t think we played our best golf,” Milkman said.
“It’s encouraging we were still in the tournament and lost by just three shots. Even though we didn’t play our best, I’m still encouraged by the potential that we have.” Milkman and her team will spend the remainder of the week resting and rejuvenating before their next tournament on Monday morning. “We’re going to get some rest tomorrow and come back and work on our approach shots,” Milkman said. “I don’t think they
were very good this week. We’ve got to get it closer in order to make more putts, so our iron play will be the focus this week.” The Racers will head to Clarksville, Tennessee, on Monday to compete in the APSU Intercollegiate at Clarksville Country Club. Men’s Golf
After top-five wins in each of its first two match-
,
see GOLF page 7
Sports
September 27, 2018
GOLF From Page 6 es of the fall season, the Murray State men’s golf team experienced a setback as they placed 14th in the Derek Dolenc Invitational on Tuesday. Head Coach Eddie Hunt and company traveled to Madison, Illinois, this week with an injured lineup. “We went into this tournament without two of our better players and we didn’t play very good,” Hunt said. “We had one of those tournaments where nobody stepped up, and that’s very disappointing.” The Racers shot consistent rounds throughout the tournament, but failed to make any advancement in the standings. After finishing in 14th place on day one, Murray State went on to finish the tournament in the same place with three-day scores of 300-304-297—901. The field of 17 contained five fellow OVC teams, with four of the five finishing ahead of the Racers. Host team Southern Illinois UniversityEdwardsville won the tournament with scores of 283-283-276—842. As a team, Murray State was led by senior Gabe Wheeler, from Sikeston, Missouri, who shot rounds of 71-74-74—219, earning himself a share of 27th place. Freshman Dalton Bagwell, from Paducah, Kentucky, had a solid afternoon for the Racers with scores of 75-77-73—225 and a shared spot in 51st place. Sophomore Connor Coombs, from Central City, Kentucky, watched his play progressively improve as he shot 78-77-73—228 and finished tied for
66th place. Rhett Caldwell, sophomore from Morganfield, Kentucky, competed in the invitational as an individual and experienced his share of ups and downs on Monday and Tuesday. Caldwell shot scores of 77-84-71—232, finishing the week tied for 81st place. Murray State went without its No. 1 player once again this week, as junior Austin Knight, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was sidelined by an injury for the second week in a row. Hunt plans to have Knight and junior Avery Edwards, from Paducah, Kentucky, back in the mix next week when his team heads to Buchanan, Tennessee, for the Skyhawk Classic. “We gave Austin the week off to get back to where he can play to his fullest ability,” Hunt said. “These tournaments are just trying to find your lineup and getting ready for the spring so it wasn’t a deal where we needed to have our best lineup. I think we have an excellent chance to win the tournament next week, and I’ll be disappointed if we don’t come out with a win.” With a short week ahead, Hunt plans to have his team work out on Friday in preparation for the tournament on Monday. “We’re going to go down and play the course on Friday,” Hunt said. “We’ll have a chance to play a practice round, get familiar with the course, and I think that will benefit us quite a bit.” The Racers will hit the road next Monday to compete in the Skyhawk Classic in Buchanan, Tennessee, at Paris Landing State Park Golf Course.
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Lecture focuses on racism in sports Miranda Carpenter Staff writer mcarpenter4@murraystate.edu
Ashlen Grubbs Contributing writer agrubbs4@murraystate.edu
Murray State’s Department of History hosted the Easley Lecture on Sept. 25, 2018, following the annual history department scholarship banquet. The Easley family started the fund to honor Sid Easley, a 1962 Murray State history graduate. The Easley fund allocates an annual opportunity for a guest speaker to offer their perspectives on historical events and relevant topics. The Easley lecture provides an outlook on different historical events and topics. Faculty members from the history department gather ideas for the event from which a guest speaker is chosen. This year, Andrew Maraniss, author of “Strong Inside: Perry Wallace and the Collision of Race and Sports in the South,” was chosen to be the guest speaker. Maraniss wrote a young reader’s edition of “Strong Inside” to reach a broader audience. This inspiration came from a poster he saw hanging in a middle school that read “Hero- a person who by word or by action makes the world a better place.” Maraniss is a 1992 history graduate of Vanderbilt University where he was the recipient of the Fred Russell full-ride scholarship. While attending Vanderbilt he worked on the uni-
versity’s newspaper, which is where he first read about Perry Wallace, who would one day become the focus of his first book. When he graduated, Maraniss went to work as associate director of media relations for Vanderbilt’s athletic department working mostly with their basketball team. In 1998, he started work for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays as their media relations manager and eventually returned to Nashville to work for MP & F Public Relations. Maraniss now resides in Brentwood, Tennessee, as a visiting author. His work “Strong Inside” was a New
York Times Best Seller. Maraniss spoke during the Easley Lecture after the annual history scholarship banquet. The banquet recognized the History Department scholarship recipients as well as faculty scholarships. The banquet is invitation only, but the Easley Lecture was open to the public. During the lecture Maraniss paid homage to his book “Strong Inside.” The book focuses on Perry Wallace, the first African-American athlete to play in the Southeastern Conference. “I consider Perry
Wallace to be a ‘hidden figure’ of history, and there are thousands of hidden figures throughout history who haven’t had their stories told yet,” Maraniss said. Wallace did not receive any recognition from Vanderbilt until 10 years ago when he was invited back for the first time since the end of his college career. Maraniss hopes “Strong Inside” inspires people to “[be] an upstander, not just a bystander.” Maraniss announced he is currently working on a book about the U.S. Olympic Team’s participation in the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.
Blake Sandlin/The News
Author Andrew Maraniss addresses a crowd in the Curris Center during his lecture Wednesday, Sept. 25.
Sports
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September 27, 2018
Stark inks NBA deal Blake Sandlin Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu Former Murray State point guard Jonathan Stark eclipsed his first major milestone in pursuit of an NBA career by signing a training camp contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The 23-year-old announced the news of his deal with the Timberwolves on Sunday via Twitter. “Signed my first pro contract,” he wrote. “I used to pray for times like this. Gotta thank God!” Stark is coming off a stellar summer league showing with Minnesota where he averaged 8.2 points, 2.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 17 minutes per game through five games. Stark will join an 18-man training camp roster composed of the likes of forward Andrew Wiggins, center Karl-Anthony
Towns and guard Jimmy Butler. The Timberwolves employ a surplus of guards on their roster, including starter Jeff Teague, as well as Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones. They also drafted point guard Josh Okogie in the 2018 NBA Draft. The former OVC Player of the Year will look to emulate his senior season
at Murray State, where he averaged 21.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.3 steals. The Timberwolves’ training camp opened on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and continues through the week in preparation for Minnesota’s first preseason game against Golden State on Saturday, Sept. 29.
Photo courtesy of Jonathan Stark’s Twitter
Jonathan Stark poses with the training camp contract he signed Sunday.
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
Sports
September 27, 2018
Page 9
Women’s basketball holds opening day practice Gage Johnson Senior writer
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
The Murray State women’s basketball team held its first official practice of the 2018-19 season on Wednesday, Sept. 26. “I’m really excited and blessed to be able to start the second season,” Head Coach Rechelle Turner, said. “It’s our first recruiting class, so that’s always exciting.” Turner’s first recruiting class is composed of seven athletes, three of whom she coached at Murray High School before joining the Racers’ program.
Guard Lex Mayes, forward Alexis Burpo, and guard Macey Turley are the former Murray Tigers Turner coached. They will join JUCO transfer junior forward DeAsia Outlaw and junior center Cekeya Mack, as well as freshman forward Sadie Hill, guard Raegan Blackburn and forward Macie Gibson. Turner has high expectations for her first recruiting class and is excited about the mental toughness they bring to the team. “Most of the players we signed don’t understand what losing is,” Turner said. “They’re not used
to losing. That mentality in itself has brought a lot to our program.” The roster is rounded out by the lone senior guard Michaela Manley, junior forward Evelyn Adebayo and three sophomores: guard Janika Griffith-Wallace, forward Paige Barrett and forward Brianna Crane. With the majority of the team being new, team chemistry is something returning players and Turner have emphasized throughout the offseason. “Team chemistry is really important,” Crane said. “Especially to get through tough games and
everything.” After a tough first season in which the Racers went 11-19, Turner is ready for her second season to be underway, and looks forward to applying what she’s learned and seeing what her team is capable of. “I learned a lot of things last year,” Turner said. “Sometimes when you fail at different things, you learn more than even when you succeed. So I’ve taken a lot of the things I learned last year and tried to make changes and do things differently. We’re excited and we’re hungry.”
Blake Sandlin/The News
Freshman Lex Mayes leads the offense during the Racers’ first practice.
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
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NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE
September 27, 2018
Unicycling around Murray State’s campus A look into the life of the ‘unicycle guy’
Amy Turner Staff writer aturner32@murraystate.edu
On a dreary Monday morning, not much will cause a sleepy student to take a second glance. That is unless you see someone riding a unicycle to class. Tanner Hall, junior from Chesterfield, Virginia, is known by most students on campus as the “unicycle guy.” Hall said he decided pick up the unique skill the summer before he arrived on campus two years ago. According to accounts on the origin of the unicycle, which can be found online at madehow.com, it came from a 19th-century bike called a penny-farthing. Since then several developments have been made to bring us the modern version that Hall rides. Unicycles have a long history of entertainment, as they were primarily ridden by performers in circus shows and street festivals. Hall had no prior experience with them and decided to learn the skill for a few laughs. “I thought it would be completely hilarious, and it was,” Hall said. “I could have brought a bike, but I thought this would be funnier so I did.” It took Hall three weeks of daily practice to really master his one-wheeled bike. He estimates that after a month of daily practice most people could be unicycling around. As expected, Hall normally gets lots
“
of reactions while riding around to classes and across campus. “Usually it is lots of hooping and hollering,” Hall said. “I wave or do the finger guns.” Hall said he loves the attention, especially from prospective students touring the campus. He even admitted to riding a few times simply to impress the tour groups. “New people seeing it is one of the most fun things for me,” Hall said. “They all start hooting and hollering. I’m a horrible show off.” Tour groups aren’t the only people surprised by his hobbie. Jenny Karraker, junior from Shelbyville, Illinois, also noticed him around campus. Karraker said the first time she saw it, she was concerned for Hall’s safety. “He was riding up a hill and I thought ‘Oh my gosh, I hope he doesn’t fall,’” Karracker said. “I thought he was crazy for doing it and I had no idea how he was doing it. I laughed about it. It was really cool.” Hall isn’t the first student on campus to ride the unicycle. Hall knew a student that has since graduated who rode a mountain unicycle. “He had a mountain unicycle which is a thing,” Hall said. “He could hop from step to step on.” Hall plans to continue his hobby until he moves off campus or graduates. He said he would love to see more people on campus with unicycles.
New people seeing it is one of the most fun things for me,” Hall said. “They all start hooting and hollering. I’m a horrible show off. Nora Crafton/The News
Features
September 27, 2018
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New initiative encourages students to peer mentor Amy Krazl Contributing writer akrazl@murraystate.edu
Next month, Talent Search is launching a new initiative in the mentoring branch of the program. College students are now being requested as volunteers to become peer mentors for college-pursuing middle school students accepted into the program. Madea Erikson, co-head of the initiative, predicts that pairing a middle school and college student together will foster a closer connection between mentor and mentee. Talent Search is a federally funded university service, primarily designed for first generation college stu-
dents or those in lower income households. The program provides tutorial services, career exploration, aptitude assessments, counseling, workshops, and more, according to Murray State’s website. Erikson said she believes the connection between an adult mentor and a middle schooler is simply not as close as one between a middle schooler and a college student. “I think [adult mentors] are good; it’s just that students perceive them as not being relatable,” Erickson said. “So they are going to bond with someone closer to their age for the mere fact that just a few years ago, [the college students] were in their position.”
Research supports this fact that mentor and mentee share a closer bond when closer in age. According to “An Examination of the Role of Age in Mentoring Relationships” by Allen, et. al.,“Protégés express the belief that similar life experiences [are] an advantage to similar-age mentorships... Other common responses [are] that similar-age mentorships provide good opportunities for learning and for relationship building.” College volunteers will communicate with their mentee via Canvas in order to answer questions and support them in any way possible through the college preparation
process. There will also be two opportunities to meet face to face: at the beginning and at the end of the student’s college search. The first meeting will be a kick-off event that will include a catered dinner. “This could be a great opportunity to form a physical connection between mentor and mentee, putting a face to a name before communicating online,” Erikson said. Volunteers also earn service hours for their time and commitment. One training workshop is required. For inquiries, visit the main office at 256 Blackburn Science Building or call 270809-3526.
Savannah Walton/The News
Students celebrate residential colleges at Murray State Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
At Murray State, it feels as if it’s a crime to call on-campus housing dormitories. Residential colleges help make Murray feel more like a home away from home while in school. Residential College Pride Day was celebrated on Sept. 19 on the Carr Health Lawn. Students and faculty from each college represented their community by passing out candy and snacks while interacting with students walking to class. Each college set up a tent on the lawn with representatives from Residential College Council doing everything from playing music to making popcorn and snacks for students. Jila Bracken, freshman from Louisville, Kentucky, serves as secretary for White College.
Bracken said she has served in multiple officer positions in school and church before, so she definitely knew Residential College Council was something she wanted to be a part of. “It’s been great so far because it’s like a family bond,” Bracken said. “We work together and are very connected as a team. We’re not just living in a dorm, we’re living in a college that’s a family.” Katrina Ricker, junior from Louisville. Kentucky, is the international student representative for Regents College and is responsible for engaging international students and helping them become a part of the Regents community. She has been a part of Regents College for two years and was seeking to become more involved. “I love working with the international stu-
Nick Bohannon/The News
Students from White College handed out cotton candy at the event. dents,” Ricker said. “They’re some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met, so when the position opened, it just made sense for me to apply.” Levi Estes, senior from Princeton, Kentucky, and resident advisor at Lee Clark College, believes student involvement is
important to get students out of their room and interacting with each other. “It lets you do things you otherwise wouldn’t do and builds a community,” Estes said. Estes said one of the great things about Clark College is how welcom-
ing the community is. “It’s like a big family here, and everyone is so engaged and wants to get involved,” Estes said. “You don’t see anyone that really wants to just stay in their room.” Crystal Coel, director of Speech and Debate Union, is the head of Elizabeth College and exudes enthusiasm and pride for her community. She is the longest running college head, this year marking her 12th year with “Lizo.” Coel loves all of the Lizo students, both on and off campus, and truly appreciates how engaged each of them is in the residential college community. “What makes Elizabeth special is our personal love for who we are,” Coel said. “We have amazing traditions and we really love who we are.” Coel herself is deeply fond of Elizabeth College
traditions, including their call “Lizo, You Know,” which is the oldest residential college call on Murray State’s campus. Courtney Hartman, freshman from St. Joseph, Illinois, has her residential college within her name, and light-heartedly said she is Hart. “I really like that there’s always someone in the lobby and somebody to talk to,” Hartman said. “Everyone talks to each other and there are almost automatic friendships.” Students and faculty are passionate about their own college, the residential college system and getting students more involved. Residential colleges provide a community of friends and activities that develop lasting networks and support systems.
Features
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September 27, 2018
Seeds of knowledge planted at Pullen Farms Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
Students in the Hutson School of Agriculture led efforts to teach kids about where their food comes from at Fall on the Farm. The event ran from Sept. 18-21 at Pullen Farm. Though the event is usually open to the public on Saturday, it was cancelled due to severe weather. Classes ranging from preschool to 7th grade came to experience interactive lessons and exhibits that taught them about different aspects of farming and agriculture. The event was sponsored by the Murray State Agricultural Leadership Council, a group of students representing all of the organizations within the Hutson School of Agriculture. Jonathan Reynolds, senior from Hickman County, Kentucky, serves as the chairman for the ALC. He helps faculty and staff coordinate the event to make it enjoyable. Fall on the Farm has been going on for 15 years, bringing approximately 1,100 kids in throughout the week and 800-1,000 community members when it
is open to the general public. “It’s a chance for people who aren’t engaged in agriculture as much to see what it’s like to do what we do,” Reynolds said. Agriculture touches our lives be it through what we eat or the products we buy. Reynolds said he hopes to teach the younger generation how agriculture affects them. Murray State students achieve this with interactive activities like corn mazes and demonstrations. “Just getting to interact with the kids and see their faces light up is one thing we really enjoy,” Reynolds said. “Knowing that we are planting a seed is really cool because one day they’re going to grow up and want to know where their food comes from. They’ll be able to look back on this experience.” Mason Larimore, graduate student from LaGrange, Kentucky, has been involved with the event since fall of 2014. As an agriculture education major, she enjoys getting to interact with and teach the groups. “The kids are ready to listen and engage in everything,” Larimore said. “It’s super exciting
to see them so ready to learn about agriculture, which many of them may not have a direct link to.” Larimore said teaching young people about agriculture is important because many of them don’t know where their food comes from and don’t understand the process. “It’s important for me as an agriculture education major that they know where it comes from as soon as possible,” Larimore said. She taught students on Wednesday how to make beeswax candles, which included teaching the students about bees and what they make, while giving them something to take home. “They go home and tell their parents about it; they’re teaching their parents without even realizing it,” Larimore said. The event takes a full year of planning and multiple weeks of setting up the exhibits. Michelle Santiago, professor of agribusiness economics and advisor of the Agriculture Business Club, said one of the best parts of the event is engaging with her students outside of the traditional class-
&
Julie Boeker/The News
Students from the Hutson School of Agricutlure were in charge of different stations set up for Fall on the Farm.
Julie Boeker/The News
A bed of corn was set up by the corn fields for children to play in as they waited for the next station rotation. room setting. said. “It’s that For information on “I get to talk to opportunity to get to next year’s Fall on the them about their know my students outFarm, contact Rhea Ann internships and job side of the normal classHolland at rwright@ searches,” Santiago room structure.” murraystate.edu.
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Features
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NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE
September 27, 2018
Our View
Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu Savanna Rininger Production Manager • 270-8095877 shatfield2@murraystate.edu Elizabeth Erwin News Editor • 270-809-4468 eerwin1@murraystate.edu Destinee Marking News Senior Writer• 270-8095878 dmarking@murraystate.edu Colton Colglazier News Graphic Designer ccolglazier@murraystate.edu Sara Howell Features Editor • 270-809-5871 showell6@murraystate.edu Savannah Jane Walton Features and Opinion Graphic Designer swalton2@murraystate.edu Blake Sandlin Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 bsandlin1@murraystate.edu Gage Johnson Sports Senior Writer • 270-8095878 gjohnson17@murraystate.edu Rosalyn Churchman Sports Graphic Designer rchurchman@murraystate.edu Ginni Sisemore Opinion Editor• 270-809-5873 vsisemore@murraystate.edu
We care, you should too Senate Bill 151, “the
sewage bill,” was passed in late March of this year, sending Kentucky residents into an uproar. Why did we care so much about a sewage bill? Why should you care? It wasn’t a sewage bill. At the last minute, our senators added over 100 pages of pension reform to the bill and passed it without the required three readings. Aside from the intentional deception by our own elected government, we should care because the pension bill affects all of our lives in a huge way. Pensions go to government employees when they retire, rather than the traditional retirement plan. This applies to everyone from police officers to waste management workers, but the affected party most relevant to Murray State students is educators. Murray State has its roots in teaching. Murray State was originally Murray State
Autumn Brown/The News
Normal School, opened on September 23, 1923. A normal school is a teacher’s college. Wesley Bolin, a library assistant at Pogue Special
Collections Library, said the State Normal School Commission decided western Kentucky needed a teacher’s college because the lakes made it
David Wallace Chief Copy Editor• 270-809-5877 dwallace15@murraystate.edu Chandler Cochran Ad Sales and Circulation Manager • 270-809-4478 ccochran3@murraystate.edu Rhiannon Branch Photography Editor • 270-8095878 rbranch@murraystate.edu Rebecca Mosella Chief Video grapher • 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
Fall break is finally here to give us a much needed reprieve from classes. Remember, if you’re living on a prayer… we’re halfway there.
2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 murraystatenews@icloud.com Fax: 270-809-3175
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who graduate with an education degree may have to leave Kentucky if they want to have a secure retirement. Even if you do not care about the shortage of elementary, middle and high school teachers in Kentucky, you should care about how the pension crisis affects you as a college student. Professors also receive a pension. Why would a highly educated and experienced person continue teaching at a university when they could not be guaranteed a retirement? Unless they deeply care about the education of you and your peers, more so than their own wellbeing, they won’t. A future without educators is a bleak one. In fact, a future without educators is more similar to our past than any sort of futuristic ideal. Something must be done before Kentucky and states in similar situations are left without a means to be educated.
Jeers to: The downfall of Pony Express
Cheers to: Fall Break
The News
too difficult to travel to other parts of the state. Calloway County citizens raised money to found the school here and Rainey T. Wells offered up his farm as the place the school would be built. Murray State was founded because of a lack of teachers in western Kentucky and today, Kentucky citizens face the same problem. The lack of funding for public schools and the pension crisis are driving educators out of state to places where their retirement is more secure. The future of Kentucky depends on educated youth. We can’t educate students if there is no one to educate them. Hitting even closer to home, in 2014-2015, the College of Education and Human Services awarded nearly 30 percent of the total degrees that year. There is a huge population of students at Murray State studying to become teachers. Those
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Our beloved food truck of years past is basically gone. There’s no Boom-Boom bacon burger, no Chicken Parmesan sandwich and no Mac ‘n’ Cheese burger. Join us in mourning for what once was.
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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
There is no excuse Ginni Sisemore Opinion Editor vsisemore@murraystate.edu
“detained, questioned and searched,” according to the press release. Because they were never suspected of a specific crime, the actions of the campus police violated the students’ legal rights. According to the Coloradoan, CSU implemented a policy which requires tour participants to wear identifying buttons. T h e y also trained police on engaging with visitors. This does nothing for the family whose rights were blatantly violated. This is not enough. You may feel like racism doesn’t happen here, but it does. It happens here and in Colorado and in California and everywhere. Racist people exist on every college campus, and while universities don’t have the ability to prevent racism, they can prevent racist practices on campus. There is no valid excuse not to take a stand against racism.
February 2013, Duke University: Kappa Sigma fraternity, “Racist Rager” featuring an invitation which read “We look forward to having Mi, Yu, You, and Yo Friends come over for some Sake.” November 2013, California Polytechnic State University: Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, “Colonial Bros and Nava-Hos. January 2014, Arizona State University: Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, “MLK Black Party,” playing on racial stereotypes. December 2014, Clemson University: Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, gang-themed party called “Clemson Cripmas.” September 2017, University of Louisville: Flyers encouraging students to join a white nationalist group were posted around campus. September 2017, Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville: Racist language and symbols were posted at least twice on doors and walls. April 2018 California Polytechnic State University: Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, did blackface during a multicultural weekend and dressed in stereotypical “gangster” clothing. April 2018, Colorado State University: Police detained a family who was touring on the basis of a call stating they “looked out of place.”
ETTERS L T SEN
vsisemore@murraystate.edu
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HE E D I T
was written on the wall of Price Doyle Fine Arts Center at Murray State. This isn’t a racial slur, but it’s a hateful statement against a very large group of people. No one reported it for two days, but the University had it removed as soon as they were informed. Universities have a responsibility to prevent discrimination or punish it once it happens. Acknowledging the problem is a good start but it does nothing to solve it. A Native American family was on an admissions tour at Colorado State University when another parent on the tour called the police. The parent said the two boys “really stood out,” according to a statement from the American Civil Liberties Union. The ACLU is demanding campus police policies and training requirements be amended after the incident. The brothers were
December 2012, Penn State: Chi Omega sorority posed with sombreros, mustaches and ponchos, holding up cardboard signs with the messages “Will mow lawn for weed + beer” and “I don’t cut grass, I smoke it.”
T TO
Racism on college campuses is still an issue in 2018 and there is no excuse. At California Polytechnic State University, a Lambda Chi Alpha member showed up to a party in April of this year in blackface. Several other members of the same fraternity dressed in stereotypically “gangster” clothing, according to The Washington Post. In 2013, Duke’s Kappa Sigma chapter held an Asian-themed party. According to the Huffington Post, the fraternity promoted the party using a Kim Jong-Il puppet and the words “Hero Nice Duke Peopre,” mocking an East Asian accent. The fraternities involved in these incidents claim the themes began as jokes and simply went too far. This is not a valid excuse.
A fraternity at Murray State hosted a social event on Sept. 21 with a “Cowboys and Indians” theme. The theme could be seen as offensive to Native Americans and resembles the theme of a 2013 Phi Sigma Kappa party at California Polytechnic State University titled “Colonial Bros and Nava-Hos.” The fraternities involved in these incidents were probably imagining the outfits girls would show up in when they came up with the themes. This is not a valid excuse. Racism extends beyond fraternities and their social events. In August, a racial slur was written on a sign at the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture at Duke University. According to an Associated Press article, Duke President Vincent Price called it a “cowardly and hateful act” and stressed the importance of acknowledging it. In September, an anti-Islamic statement
Racism on college campuses
SU B M I
Looking Forward
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OR
September 27, 2018
Savannah Jane Walton/Opinion
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News
September 27, 2018