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Faculty and staff had the opportunity to voice their opinions about the next President of Murray State: here’s what they wanted. Destinee Marking Senior writer dmarking@murraystate.edu

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aculty and staff had the opportunity to express what qualities they want the next president of Murray State to have during a Presidential Search Committee forum on Nov. 12. Lisa Rudolph, chair of the committee, referred to the forum as the first step, and an important step, in the search. “It’s critical, we feel like as a committee… we embrace your perspectives to help us identify the most qualified and talented person to lead the university forward,” Rudolph said. One quality faculty and staff said they would like to see in the next president is someone who is invested in Murray State. Jeanie Morgan, adviser to student government and student organizations, said this is a current problem the University faces. “We do not have someone that really cares about Murray State,” Morgan said. “We don’t have someone that is invested in this University, and maybe that’s what we need to look at.” Todd Hill, professor of music, said the president should be hired from within.

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November 15, 2018 | Vol. 93, No. 12

“We need someone who understands Murray State,” Hill said. “We need somebody who understands Murray. We need somebody who understands the Purchase.” Hill also expressed concern about how many presidents Murray State has had in a short amount of time. “I’ve been here for four or five presidents in 13 years,” Hill said. “I think if we have that kind of overturn, we have a problem.” Additionally, Tressa Ross, coordinator of the College of Education

would appreciate having a president that values us.” Renee Compoy, representing the Women’s Faculty Caucus, pointed out Murray State has only had one female president and said the caucus is asking for representation to be a special consideration in the search for president. “Our caucus has been disappointed with the lack of female leadership or leadership of diverse backgrounds,” Compoy said. One of the things we have to figure out for this next president— are they the right fit for us? -Roslyn White

and Human Services Recruitment and Retention Center, said there is a need for someone who respects faculty and staff. “I feel and I think there are many of us that feel like we have not been valued, and we need to be valued because we work hard,” Ross said. “I

Another characteristic faculty and staff want to see is the ability to build relationships with the Murray State community, as well as within the city of Murray.

see QUEST page 3

NEWS:

SPORTS:

FEATURES:

BOR Finance Committee battles budget shortfall

Shoes Up! Honeycutt’s ‘Miracle in Murray’ electrifies campus

Professors awarded research scholarships

New president: an opportunity for change

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NEWS NEWS THE MUR R AY STATE

November 15, 2018

BOR Finance Committee battles budget shortfall Elizabeth Erwin

News Editor eerwin1@murraystate.edu In light of an expected $4.5 million shortfall, the Board of Regents Finance Committee met on Nov. 12 to discuss budget solutions going forward. “We talked to the Board about this amount, it’s not surprising, it’s something we’ve been estimating pretty much all fall semester,” Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, Jackie Dudley said. “I want to be clear that you know we have spring is still yet to follow, and then we’ve got summer school so a lot can happen with that number for the better or worse or not. But that’s where we think we’ll be.” Interim President Bob Jackson said several factors have caused a strain on the University budget including enrollment pressures, appropriation changes, performance funding, deferred maintenance and state pensions. To offset the shortfall, Dudley proposed several solutions to the committee

including utilizing a $2 million budget contingency. The contingency was built into the University budget in 2016 to be used in shortfall situations. Another $2.5 million is available from remaining balances in departmental accounts from the end of fiscal year 2018. These accounts include appropriated funding that had been set aside for departments to use but went unused for various reasons. Dudley said the departmental account balances wouldn’t be something to rely on in the years to come. “It is one time… I don’t want the perception to be that the $2.5 million is something we can use going forward,” Dudley said. To further subdue the shortfall, a “hiring chill” has been put in place by the University president. Dudley said the chill serves to add an additional level of review to the hiring process based on the strategic need of the vacant position. In addition to the chill, Dudley said the office of Finance and Administrative Services had chosen to not apply new hires for payroll

until after the holiday break. The committee also unanimously passed changes regarding sick leave credit to retirement plans. Murray State currently utilizes three retirement plan options: Kentucky Employees’ Retirement System, Teacher’s Retirement System and an Optional Retirement Program that is managed internally. KERS has a statutory requirement of six months sick time buyback upon retirement, whereas TRS and ORP are optional by the institution. When compared to the sick time buyback policies of other institutions across the state, Jackson said Murray State is an outlier. “We’re the outlier,” Jackson said. “We do it both in the optional retirement plan, for up to six months, we do it in the teacher retirement system plan for up to six months, and obviously statutorily we do it in the KERS plan for staff.” Dudley said the proposed changes would amount to approximately $150,000 savings for departments. The committee also passed a one-time exception to the holiday compensation for

regular employees policy. The current policy requires employees who retire or resign to come back for at least one day after the holiday break in order to receive their holiday compensation. The exception wouldn’t require these employees to return to the University in the new year. The committee then moved on to look at the budget for fiscal year 2020. The current proposal for 2020 is to budget flat wherein the University would design the budget at the current enrollment levels with the assumption the University will be continually faced with a $4.5 million budget shortfall. By budgeting flat, the University would then be in a safe position to not have a shortfall in the years to come. The committee also discussed increasing funding for deferred maintenance in 2020. After passing the Finance Committee, the proposed changes and guidelines will be voted on by the full Board of Regents during their quarterly meeting on Dec. 7 before being implemented.

Local clinic provides free health care Alexis Schindler Staff writer aschindler1@murraystate.edu

Free health care is available to Murray State students if they meet set requirements. Angels Community Clinic provides free health care to the residents of the Murray area who are low income and do not have health insurance. These services are available to full-time Murray State students whether they live in Murray or not assuming they meet the requirements. The clinic’s primary funder is Angels Attic which is a thrift store that sells donated items. In some situations, Angels Community Clinic receives help from the

Murray-Calloway County Hospital as well. If a patient needs blood work done, the clinic fills out paperwork with the hospital to get that done. The clinic tries to maintain the same patient requirements as the hospital to ensure it can refer its patients if need be. In order for a student to have access to this free health care, they will need to provide proof that they meet the low income and no health insurance criteria. Sherry Crittendon is the Executive Director and nurse practitioner at the clinic. “If they’re working, we need for them to bring us a copy of their paycheck stubs that says what they’ve made

year to date on it so we are sure we are meeting our guidelines that are required,” Crittendon said. Students will need to provide a note from the University proving they are a full-time student. The clinic works as a regular doctor’s office. It does not treat emergencies, and if a patient comes in with a condition that is too serious, they will refer them to the hospital. Angels Community Clinic does have a pharmacy. If students come in with illnesses such as the flu, a cold or health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes, the clinic can provide the individual with whatever they

may need. However, the clinic does not provide services one can receive from the Health Department such as STD treatment or birth control. Michael Basile, director of International Studies at Murray State, is a clinic board member. He said he is glad students have this resource available to them. Crittendon works the clinic with the help of Heather Glisson, the office manager. “I love to work with the patients,” Glisson said. “I am a medical assistant, and I am going back to get my RN.” For more information on Angels Community Clinic and their services, visit TheNews.org.

Photo courtesy of The National Weather Service

The National Weather Service issued a winter weather advisory on Nov. 14.

Prepare for possible snow days ahead Alexis Schindler Staff writer aschindler1@murraystate.edu

Predicted snow caused several closures across western Kentucky. On Nov. 14, students, faculty and staff received an email canceling all evening classes after 3 p.m. on Murray State’s campus and all regional campuses. All operations closed at 3:30 p.m. The state is preparing for the oncoming weather by stocking up on salt supplies and readying their maintenance teams and plow trucks, as wintry weather is predicted to hit western Kentucky and temperatures drop. “November is the launch of snow and ice season for the Cabinet, and our crews are prepared to respond to the effects winter weather can have on our roadways,” Greg Thomas, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary, said. The state lists certain roads as priority roads, meaning these roads are deemed as important to keeping traffic moving. The priority roads in Murray are highways 80, 94, 822, 1327, 1483,1497, 2075 and 2594, and state route 641. “Our statewide teams strive to provide a uniform response to achieve safe driving conditions on Kentucky roadways while considering environmental and economic factors to most efficiently use state dollars,” Andy Barber, state highway engineer, said. The state also has an emergency plan if the winter storms get too severe. The plan ensures any needed resources

will be available to the public. “Stock vehicles with ice scrapers, jumper cables, blankets, a flashlight, cell phone charger, non-perishable snacks and first aid kit,” a KYTC spokesperson wrote in a press release as a way to prepare for the winter weather. The American Automobile Association recommends having your car inspected before winter weather hits. AAA also suggests to frequently check the tire pressure of your vehicle during winter months because the temperatures in the tires drop as air temperature decreases. Another way to prepare ahead of the winter storm is to update the car’s emergency kit. According to AAA’s website, a winter weather emergency kit should include: a type of abrasive material, snow shovel, flashlight with extra batteries, ice scraper, window washer solvent, jumper cables, warning devices, non-perishable snacks, drinking water, extra clothes and first aid kit. To ensure the safety of everyone on the roads during winter, the KYTC suggests checking weather reports ahead of time, paying close attention to black ice, driving slow and keeping your distance from snowplows. Murray State class cancellation, delay or campus closure are announced through email, text message, Facebook and Twitter. If classes are cancelled, it will not be rescheduled for a later date. Classes will continue normally at the next scheduled time.

News

November 15, 2018

QUEST From Page 1 Gayle Rogers, wife of mayor-elect and former Murray Independent School District Superintendent Bob Rogers, spoke about using relationships to recruit students. “We need someone who works very closely with superintendents, counselors and principals to sort of get these kids interested in Murray State from freshman level on,” Rogers said. Roslyn White, associate director for African American Recruitment, compared choosing the president to students choosing Murray State. “One of the things we have to figure out for this next president— are they the right fit for us?” White said. To accomplish what needs to be done, White said this person must connect with the community.

“We need someone who’s familiar with fundraising, who’s familiar with recruitment, who’s familiar with working with all facets of the University, someone who either has a love for Murray State like we do or someone who can come to love Murray State like we do because this is a special place,” White said. Kathy Callahan, chair of the department of history, said she has worked at a number of higher education institutions and the best presidents she has worked with are those who spend time in the community fundraising and working with alumni every day. “The best president I ever worked with was the one who’s never on campus,” Callahan said. “I would really like to see a president who is able to raise money fervently, as well as bring our alumni back in because they have really walked away in the last four years, and it concerns me.” Sandy Miles, professor of human resource management,

summed up everyone’s comments. “It’s really clear from everybody that’s been talking, it’s about relationships,” Miles said. “An ability to build, develop and nurture relationships with various stakeholders, from alumni to students to faculty.” During the forum, several faculty and staff repeatedly brought up Interim President Bob Jackson as a candidate for the next President of Murray State. Rudolph said faculty and staff should encourage all viable candidates to apply and the committee will consider all applications objectively. The Presidential Search Committee is comprised of Rudolph, Katherine Farmer, Randal Wilson, Marion Hale, Heather Roy, Dan Kemp, Tim Miller, Don Tharpe, J.T. Payne and Steve Powless. An additional forum for students will be held on Nov. 28 at 4:30 in the Barkley Room of the Curris Center.

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Campus safety ranks first Ciara Benham Contributing writer cbenham@murraystate.edu

Against over 4,700 institutions, the Murray State Police Department and Center for Adult and Regional Education were named first in the nation for campus safety initiatives. Both units were awarded the 2018 Department of the Year award by Safe Campus, the national conference on university safety. The Department of the Year award recognizes outstanding accomplishment in student and campus safety by a U.S. college or university administrative department, according to campus safety initiatives put in place in the past year. Murray State Police Chief James Herring explained the significance of working for Murray State. “The employees of our department could work for any police department and be considered the very best employees, but we choose to work here because we know we can make a difference in the lives of the members of

our community,” Herring said. “We get to see the results of our work much more than municipal police departments do. We see the results daily when we respond to calls and interact with students. We also see the results twice a year when our students graduate and begin to contribute to our society in positive ways. We look at that and know we helped make that happen.” Safe Campus chose Murray State largely based on their response to the explosion of James H. Richmond Hall in June 2017. “In the two hours after the incident began, the university assembled a communications response team; held media briefings; established call lines to receive parent calls; sent emails to the campus, alumni, prospective students and the parents of camp attendees; and launched a parent/student FAQ site,” according to the Safe Campus official award report. After the explosion, the Police Department and Center for Adult and Regional Education collaborated to develop a centralized communications calendar and a

new procedural plan for groups who visit campus. Herring said the police department isn’t the only organization to thank for the new campus initiatives. “Dr. Renee Fister facilitated the collaboration that also included Athletics, Student Affairs, Housing, IDEA, Academic Affairs and the President’s Office, helping guide us to develop the safety initiative that was awarded,” Herring said. The safety of Murray State translates into the everyday lives of students. Chelsea Jones, freshman from Meade County, Kentucky, voiced her opinion about the safety of campus. “Safety was a big factor I took into consideration when choosing a college and Murray State was the winner by far,” Jones said. “I have never felt unsafe on this campus because there are officers and emergency posts around at all times.” The University units will be recognized in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the National Campus Safety Summit in February 2019.

Brock Kirk/The News

PASAC has been in the process of renovating the Holistic Healing Center and Expressive Therapy Center in Paducah.

PASAC to hold Open House Alexis Schindler Staff writer aschindler1@murraystate.edu

The Purchase Area Sexual Assault and Child Advocacy Center is holding its second annual Open House Nov. 16. “PASAC works across western Kentucky, bringing hope to all-age survivors of sexual abuse and children suffering from abuse/neglect,” Megan Counce, account manager of PASAC, said. PASAC provides victims of sexual abuse or child abuse/ neglect intervention services such as a 24-hour crisis response line, victim medical and legal advocacy services, clinical services, forensic services and prevention education services. PASAC has been in the process of renovating its Holistic Healing Center and Expressive Therapy Center. The organization’s hope is to

have the renovations done in time to showcase to the public at the Open House event. “We really just want to use the open house as a time to engage and connect with those in the community, appreciate our supporters and reach out to new people who might find a way to get involved,” Amberly Walker, community engagement and development director at PASAC, said. Murray State students can get involved with the organization in several ways. PASAC offers volunteer opportunities for students and others in the community and gives people the ability to give to the organization to support their endeavors. Amanda Surmeier, senior from Mascoutah, Illinois, has volunteered for PASAC in the past. “I started volunteering with PASAC in 2016 when I came

into office as the Panhellenic VP of Community Service and Philanthropy,” Surmeier said. “At the time, the philanthropy we supported was one where we could not directly see change happening in our community. After receiving an alarming amount of timely-warning emails regarding sexual assaults on campus, I decided that changing the philanthropy to a sexual assault center would both raise awareness of the assaults on campus and in return, donate to the care of those assaulted.” At the event, attendees can expect live music, food, drink and the chance to connect with the staff, volunteers and board members of PASAC. For more information on future PASAC events, how you can get involved, donate or receive help visit TheNews.org for a link to PASAC’s website.

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NEWS SPORTS THE MUR R AY STATE

November 15, 2018

Shoes up!

Honeycutt’s ‘Miracle in Murray’ electrifies campus Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu

With 20 seconds remaining and Southeast Missouri State’s shot at an OVC co-championship looming, junior wide receiver Malik Honeycutt did the impossible. Trailing 38-34, Honeycutt sliced through defenders left and right before ultimately returning the kickoff for 79 yards to seal a two-point victory for the Racers and crush the No. 17-ranked Redhawks’ postseason dreams. The improbable play during the Racers’ game on Saturday, Nov. 10, is now fittingly being called “The Miracle in Murray.” What made the play even more miraculous was that the Racers trailed by as much as 31 points in the game. Trailing 31-0 in the second quarter, senior quarterback Drew Anderson cut the deficit to 31-7 at the half. Going into the locker room at the half, Anderson said he focused on putting his four first-half turnovers behind him and staying composed. The Racers came out of the locker room with a chip on their shoulders, as the defense worked to give the offense a chance at a comeback. Murray State took advantage of multiple three-and-outs by scoring a field goal and touchdown to open up the third quarter. Down by 14, the Racers kept their foot on the gas. Junior defensive tackle Matz Peters credited the team’s success in the second half to play from both sides of the ball. “I think we provided good pressure on the QB and we as a whole team, not only offense, but defense too, worked to make sure we could make that comeback happen,” Peters said. The Racers went on to

shut out SEMO’s offense in the third, allowing just 6 yards of total offense in the entire quarter. Following two more Racer touchdowns and a field goal, the Racers took a 34-31 lead with 1:42 remaining in the game. SEMO junior quarterback Daniel Santacaterina strung together the Redhawks’ only points of the second half in a quick seven-play, 64-yard drive, giving SEMO command of the lead with only 20 seconds to go. What happened next rattled the hearts of Redhawk fans, as Honeycutt scanned the field and cut back to the opposite side to explode for a 79-yard touchdown run. Neal Bradley, the “Voice of the Murray State Racers,” delivered a radio call of the game. He touted the comeback as virtually unprecedented in Racer history. “I’ve never called a football game like that at any level,” Bradley said. “For the team to stay the course, despite the score is unprecedented. Malik’s run was crazy. It was determination on his part. He was not going to lose.” Honeycutt understood the significance of his run, capping off 79 yards with a flip into the end zone. “I knew that play was not only big for us as a team, but for Murray as a city,” Honeycutt said. “I just had to celebrate.” Head Coach Mitch Stewart praised his team’s effort following their comefrom-behind victory. “I’m really proud of the resiliency and resolve of this team,” Stewart said. “It was an awfully big moment for us as a football team and obviously a huge moment for Malik Honeycutt.” Honeycutt received OVC Football Specialist of the Week honors and was No. 2 on ESPN’s College Football’s Top-10 highlights of week 11.

Photo courtesy of Dave Winder

Junior wide receiver Malik Honeycutt celebrates his miraculous run into the end zone against Southeast Missouri State.

Sports

November 15, 2018

Adebayo heading rebuild Gage Johnson Senior writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

With the Racer women’s basketball team bringing in a practically new team into the 2018-19 season, one familiar face that is expected to shine for the Racers is junior forward Evelyn Adebayo. Adebayo is from London, England, and came to the United States to play for Gardner-Webb University. However, after playing 56 games, she decided to transfer after her sophomore season. Coming from a completely different program, there was clearly going to be a learning curve, but Adebayo believes she has adjusted well. “It was a bit different at first getting used to the girls and the different style of play,” Adebayo said.

“I’ve had a year getting used to the practices and the team so now I’m more confident, especially physically and mentally. I’m way more in shape and confident in what I can do on the court.” After sitting out all last season as a transfer, Adebayo had a lot of time to work on all facets of her game to be the best player she could be this season. “One big difference I made was my mental game,” Adebayo said. “Just always being there for my team no matter what and just overcoming anything. I figured that your mental game controls your physical, so if you can mentally get through the challenges, you can physically.” Those changes have clearly made a difference. Adebayo is currently leading the team in scoring two games into the season, averaging 18 points.

Blake Sandlin/The News

Junior forward Evelyn Adebayo takes the ball down the court in the Racers’ opener.

She’s also averaging 11.5 rebounds, and in a team comprised of eight newcomers, she’s striving to set an example. “It’s actually something I’m trying to take pride in,” Adebayo said. “It actually pushes me and more in practice knowing that these girls are looking up to me.” With this being Adebayo’s first season and having sat out all last year in preparation, she has high expectations for herself and the team this season. “I really just think we have a good chance of going far,” Adebayo said. “We’ve worked so hard and we’re focused on the same goals. The leadership role, I’m excited to take on that role and help us be the best we can.” When being recruited, Adebayo quickly committed to the Racers and new Head Coach Rechelle Turner. For a team that was the second-worst rebounding team in the OVC, Turner knew how important Adebayo would be for the program, and snagged her as soon as she could. “We knew we needed inside presence,” Turner said. “We knew that this was going to be a big class and very young. She is a kid that had two years of NCAA experience. She’s worked extremely hard to get in good shape. She’s athletic and she can shoot the ball. She’s just a great addition to our team.” Over the offseason, Adebayo has made vast improvements in her game, and Turner has high expectations for the London product. “About a month ago or so I don’t know what happened, but something just clicked,” Turner said. “She has been unbelievable. We always knew it was there. I truly believe she is an All-Conference type of player. The ability she has to do so many different things is going to be a mismatch for some people. I’m really excited to watch her growth and see what she can do this year.”

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THE MURRAY STATE NEWS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Honeycutt helped the Racer football team execute one of the most inspiring comebacks in school history. With 20 seconds remaining and trailing 38-34, Honeycutt executed a 79-yard kick return to lift the Racers over No. 19 Southeast Missouri State. His miraculous play capped off a 31-point comeback win for Racer football.

Malik Honeycutt Junior Football Wide Receiver

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

Former Racer joins SIU staff Adam Redfern Staff writer aredfern@murraystate.edu

Former Murray State soccer center back Nyomi Devine has joined Head Coach Grant Williams on the coaching staff of the women’s soccer team at Southern Illinois University. For the first time in school history, SIU has assembled a women’s soccer team under the guidance of Williams. Devine, a native of Beaudesert, Australia, said she’s excited to get a chance to continue her academic and athletic career with this coaching opportunity. “I was super excited to receive this opportunity,” Devine said. “Not only to get my master’s paid for, but to be able to be coaching at the college level under Grant Williams, who has great experience. In the future, I want to live and breathe soccer. It is my pride and joy; it’s what

I love to do; it’s what I love to be around. I could see myself being a college coach, but I also want to keep my options going by going after my master’s.” Devine’s responsibilities for the team are mostly recruiting and helping the team where she can. “All I am doing is recruiting and doing what we can to get this program started,” Devine said. “I am always on the road going to tournaments, contacting schools and contacting players.” Williams was able to see what Devine was capable of as a player in 2013 when the Racer defense shutout the Evansville team he helped coach. Devine is one of the most experienced Racers of all time. She played 71 games for Murray State and started 67. Devine leads all Racers in minutes played with 6,197 minutes tallied over her career.

One benefit that Devine’s former coach Matt Lodge thinks Devine can bring to coaching is the extensive experience she acquired on the field. “She understands the game really well,” Lodge said. “Especially from the defensive side of things. She’s got a great demeanor, she’s level-headed, she’s confident and she’s just a well-rounded person. She wants to learn, so whoever she’s working under, she wants to learn from them. She is going to be a great coach.” Another advantage that Devine brings to the coaching position is that she is a recently-graduated, proven player in her conference. This could be advantageous when it comes to recruiting new players for a whole new program at SIU. The Salukis will begin their first season in the fall of 2019 and will join the Missouri Valley Conference in the fall of 2020.

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Sports

November 15, 2018

Vanderbilt uproots Racer soccer’s upset dreams

Brock Kirk/The News

Murray State’s women’s soccer team fell short of playing spoiler to SEC champion Vanderbilt University on Saturday, Nov. 10 in the first round of the women’s NCAA soccer tournament. The Racers lost 4-0 to the No. 13-ranked Commodores to end their season, finishing with a 13-5-1 record. Vanderbilt goalkeeper Lauren Demarchi had three saves against the Racers, helping her team advance to face No. 2 seed Baylor in the next round of the tournament. Senior goalkeeper Alex Steigerwald (above) embraced her teammate at the Vanderbilt Soccer Complex following the final game of her Racer career.

Sports

November 15, 2018

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Managers only: Staff playing its own game Gage Johnson Senior writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

When you think of a manager, you likely imagine people doing laundry, filling up water bottles and catering to the needs of a coach during a game. Yet, when the managers of Murray State’s men’s basketball team aren’t busy helping the Racers succeed, they’re participating on a team of their own. Three years ago, a manager on another unknown university’s team began the manager games. Managers usually have contact with managers from different teams in order to get things like laundry done if they have to do it at the other team’s stadium among other managerial duties. One night, after completing their jobs, a man-

ager began a pickup game between the groups of managers the night before their respective universities’ games. The trend was soon adopted nationwide. The league is three years in now and has its own website, national rankings and a Twitter page. Murray State even has its own Twitter page for its managers which promotes the Racers’ basketball team, as well as the managers themselves. Last season, the Racers’ manager team ranked as high as fourth in the country. “It’s a really cool thing,” senior manager, Chase McAtee said. “Basically whoever we have on the schedule, we’ll just [Direct Message] them on Twitter and say, ‘Hey, you want to play tonight?’ [The managers] have a tournament in March at the end of the year and it’s really cool.” Senior Drew Waddell

Photo courtesy of Drew Waddell

Murray State’s 2018-19 manager class poses together for their team photo. has been a manager at Murray State for three seasons and is the head

manager and main contact for the Racer managers’ games.

“The head of the manager games will send out a [Google] doc and

you put a contact in,” Waddell said. “So you put your phone number in there and report your wins and losses. It’s been a really fun experience since I’ve been involved.” The league is currently entering its third season, where Virginia Commonwealth University will look to defend its 2017-18 title. The Racers will look to bounce back from a 2-3 season a year ago. Waddell said he looks forward to this year’s games and admires the fraternity and comradery the games encourage. “I like the fact that there’s kind of like a brotherhood,” Waddell said. “Not many times do we encounter people who do the same things like us here. There’s shared experiences, similar stories and it’s kind of cool to just talk to those people.”

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

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NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE

November 15, 2018

Professors awarded research scholarships Rife, Molla plan to use money for continuing health, psych studies Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

Two Murray State professors received the $1,000 Lana Porter Open Access Initiative Award to fund research projects. One of the awarded professors, Azaher Molla, assistant professor of public and community health, already has 12 works published in peer-reviewed journals. He is currently collaborating with other Murray State professors on work involving health care in Graves County. “I am working on how people are impoverished when they have big health care expenditures,” Molla said. “I’m working on that using a data set from Bangladesh.” Molla explained that U.S. Medicare patients are being admitted to hospitals in higher volumes in Kentucky, and the state is fining hospitals for this because of the Affordable Care Act. “The hospital has to pay a fine if a patient is readmitted within three months,” Molla said. “I’m working on finding how that can be minimized.” Sean Rife, assistant professor of psychology, also received the award, which will fund research he is currently performing with students in the department. Rife’s background lies in social psychology, where he studies human interaction and the intersection of technology and relationships, specifically social media. As social media is so prevalent in students’ daily lives, Rife said students take an interest,

allowing him to bring his research into the classroom. “I got into technology and computers in the mid-90s before the internet became what it is today,” Rife said. “When I started my graduate work, I started thinking how electronically-mediated communication impacts our daily lives, our psychological well-being, its upsides and downsides.” An area of focus in

The hospital has to pay a fine if a patient is readmitted within three months... I’m working on finding how that can be minimized. Azaher Molla, professor of public and community health Rife’s studies has been looking at how individuals seek out emotional support through social media and the formation of online communities. Rife said possible uses for the award include software for his lab that would allow him to evaluate where someone is looking on a screen in order to study how individuals analyze social media profiles. “The idea is if you

point a camera at the eye and look at its relative position, you can interpret that as what they’re looking at on a screen,” Rife said. “For example, if I wanted to look at the way people evaluate a social media profile, I could look at what they look at most on a profile. Is it the picture, description, profile, and how long they spend reading posts.” William Crabtree, senior from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, is one of Rife’s students. He said he is developing a topology of the different types of social media use and collecting preliminary data for research. The purpose of their research is to look at the potentially negative mental health outcomes of certain social media behaviors. “We’re looking for those types of behaviors and seeing if there is a relationship between that and depression, anxiety and other negative mental health outcomes,” Crabtree said. Crabtree has also presented research on anxiety and stress at Scholars Week, but upon reading articles in Psychology Today, gained an interest in how social media affects students’ mental health. “It’s one thing to just check Facebook and Instagram once a day to see how your friends are doing, but it’s another thing to constantly check it over and over again,” Crabtree said. “We’ve all been there, refreshing the page looking for something we probably don’t want to see anyway, and how much does that relate to those negative mental health outcomes.”

Richard Thompson/The News

Azaher Molla, assistant professor of public and community health, spends time researching health care in Graves County.

Richard Thompson/The News

Sean Rife, assistant professor of psychology, spends time researching social media that he is currently conducting with his students.

Features

November 15, 2018

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Interesting studies to add to your class schedule Allison Boggan Staff writer aboggan@murraystate.edu

Mid-November marks the start of scheduling season. While it can be intimidating trying to sort and schedule every class, it is important to remember that there are many interesting and fun classes offered each semester. One of these intriguing classes is Pottery and People (ANT/ARC 355). While students make pottery throughout the semester, they also learn how to analyze archaeological collections. In this class, students will conduct experiments on clay; they form, fire, break and analyze pots and interview modern potters, all with the intent of learning about the environmental, mechanical, cultural, behavioral and archaeological processes involved in their production and use. Marcie Venter, professor of archaeology, enjoys teaching the course because of its emphasis on experi-

mentation with the goal of understanding the material and all of its physical properties. She also values what people can learn about others from those materials, regardless of where or from what time period they are found. Venter teaches her students that ceramics also play an important role in social interactions- the settings we create for them and the messages we convey about ourselves during both mundane dinners, more formal feasts, and through the memories of paradise that we shove into suitcases during travels to foreign lands. “One of the misconceptions about anthropology and archaeology is that practitioners only study people who are long dead or who live in some exotic location where relevance to the modern western world is indirect at best,” Venter said. “The insights that these inextricably-linked disciplines offer provides a unique way of understanding just what it means to

Mackenzie O’Donley/The News

Student Chelsea Rivard chooses classes for the Spring 2019 semester. be human, especially in an increasingly global era where people and ideas are moving at rapid pace around the globe.” Next semester, Murray State will be adding a new, fast-paced Portuguese course to its list of foreign languages. Robert Fritz, assistant professor of Spanish, said

Portuguese was added to the language department because it is an important world language spoken by over 200 million people. It is the official language of nine countries and is spoken around the globe in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas. Fritz also said for those who know Portuguese,

opportunities abound in fields like international business and finance, tourism and hospitality, non-profit leadership, international relations and many others. For students who already know some Spanish, it is easy to pick up Portuguese because in many regards the two languages are mutually intelligible. “The new Portuguese Pilot Program also gives professors the opportunity to try out different foreign language teaching formats to better serve Murray State students’ needs and interests,” Fritz said. “The two Portuguese classes that will be offered in the spring are intensive 8-week classes GLT 110 and GLT 210.” In one semester, students will study a year’s worth of foreign language and earn 6 credit hours in the process. The idea of the course was to enable students to master the basic grammar of a foreign language and finish their foreign language requirements through an accelerated learning program.

“Students who complete the two intensive courses next semester automatically meet the prerequisites for our summer study abroad course in Portugal: GLT 310,” Fritz said. “Students will be able to hone their Portuguese skills by interacting with native speakers.” For the first year of the Portuguese program, Honors College students who take all three classes (GLT 110, GLT 210, and GLT 310) will complete all of their foreign language and study abroad requirements. To register for classes, log into MyGate and click on the academics tab. From there, scroll down to registration tools and click on add or drop classes. Before you are able to register for these, or any other class, there must be no holds on your account. To check for holds and how to resolve them you can follow the links under the registration tools heading.

Annual Holiday Art Auction attracts eager bidders Allison Boggan Staff writer aboggan@murraystate.edu

Walking into the 2018 Annual Art Auction on Friday, Nov. 9, in the Clara M. Eagle Gallery, attendees were greeted with a trio of guitars and the murmur of conversation. This event was free and open to the public. It showcased works of art from numerous faculty, students, alumni and local artists. Proceeds from the auction went toward funding scholarships for art and design majors. The annual art auction took place in the main space of the Clara M. Eagle Gallery. The event featured a silent auction from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and a live auction beginning at 6:30 p.m. The event featured live music, free hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. The featured artwork for

the 2018 auction was a painting by Professor Danielle Mužina, “It’s A Girl,” 2017, oil, open acrylic and collage. Students were able to donate their art, time or both for the event in exchange for eligibility for these scholarships. Art donations were accepted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday until Nov. 5. Lauren Morgan, freshman from Louisville, Kentucky, explained the volunteer and donation process. “The volunteers helped to set up the gallery and refreshments,” Morgan said. “Student volunteers also walked the art pieces around during the live auction to show the crowd the piece up close and help get them interested.” Kaylyn Scarbrough, sophomore from Eddyville, Kentucky, did not originally plan on attending the art auction, but once she arrived she was glad that

she did. “I initially went to the auction to bring my roommate the money they left in our room, but once I got there and looked around I decided to bid on some earrings and a painting,” Scarbrough said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t win either of the items, but the food was delicious, so it was okay.” Namia Gilpin, freshman from Murray, is an art student who attended the event. She went to support her friends who had pieces in the silent auction and because she deeply values the scholarships that the event funds. “Going to college is really expensive; the scholarships are really going to help lessen that blow, anything to help shave at least a little of that off,” Gilpin said. “I just think it’s so amazing that people would even come to this event and buy all of the art.”

Nora Crafton/The News

During the silent auction, attendees were able to walk around and place bids on pieces of art.

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November 15, 2018

Duke Ellington lives through Murray State jazz ensembles Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

Murray State jazz ensembles paid tribute to Duke Ellington, one of the most influential musicians and composers in jazz history, on Tuesday, Nov 6. Through the combined efforts of the Murray State Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Band, the ensembles played an array of music composed and performed by Duke Ellington, including excerpts from his work “Black, Brown & Beige.” The Murray State Jazz Orchestra, led by Todd Hill, director of jazz studies, has performed at numerous conferences and released multiple CDs under Mark Records. His favorite part of directing both the jazz orchestra and jazz band is seeing how

they’ve grown from their dedication and hard work. “The rehearsal process has been arduous,” Hill said. “There are so many things about Duke’s music that have to be interpreted- you can’t just sit down and read it.” “Black, Brown & Beige,” which recently became available for performance, has never been performed in Kentucky to Hill’s knowledge. “It was written for the greatest jazz band in the world in 1943,” Hill said. “The students have had to cope with getting their skills up to that level to pull it off.” Along with rigorous rehearsal schedules, students said they have made valuable friendships and memories through being involved with these organizations. Winnie Smee, senior from Cape Girardeau,

Bridgette McAuliffe/The News

The Murray State Jazz Orchestra and Jazz Band performed pieces by Duke Ellington. Missouri, plays baritone saxophone for the Jazz Orchestra. “It’s made a huge impact because it’s allowed me to continue and further my musical

skill instead of staying static,” Smee said. “The people have impacted me so much because they led me to SAI (Sigma Alpha Iota), which I’m now president of, and they led

me to so many wonderful memories and fun times that I’ll never forget.” Smee, who is not a music major, uses the ensemble to continue playing what she said is her favorite style of music. She said her favorite Ellington piece to perform at the concert was “Work Song.” “It was the opening of the amazing work that is ‘Black, Brown & Beige,’” Smee said. “This was a perfect way to end my last semester.” Nicholas Bushnell, senior from Louisville, Kentucky, is a member of the Jazz Band and has been playing in jazz ensembles since he was in middle school. “The genre has always been an important art to me,” Bushnell said. “This ensemble has particularly had a dramatic impact on not only my musicianship but helped me understand

more about the genre and grow closer to my peers.” Ellington’s music has not only had a dramatic impact on American music and culture, but it continues to touch the hearts of listeners today. Bushnell’s favorite piece to perform, “St. Louis Todalu,” was a crowd favorite at Tuesday’s performance. “With the background accompaniment of the brass and winds, along with the trumpet solo that soared through the concert hall, it’s definitely a chart to send shivers down your spine and enrapture you within the music,” Bushnell said. Hill said there is no greater writer of American music, and that they hope to perform more concerts like this in the future, but it takes a special kind of composer to spend an entire semester working on their music.

Music students ‘Tap’ into jazz performance venue Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

Murray State music students received class credit for going to a local bar. The Blue and Gold jazz combos performed at Tap 216 on Monday, Nov. 12. Murray State music students who are enrolled in Recital Attendance and Assembly received class credit for watching the ensembles perform. Ensembles within the department perform off-campus at conferences and high school tours often, but many of the music students said they have never before received recital-attendance credit for going to a commercial gig. Tanner Bertram, from Murray, was a member of the Jazz Orchestra and one of the jazz combos when he attended Murray State and is excited that the students are gaining commercial

gig experience. “It’s really cool to see them get off campus and actually get to experience the real world,” Bertram said. Though performing in front of peers on campus is a required part of a music degree, Bertram, who is a professional DJ, said it’s totally different than commercial gigging. “So many of the students have very minimal realworld experience playing outside of the University,” Bertram said. “Universitysanctioned events are totally different than grinding it out on the streets and playing gigs.” Jake Powderly, senior from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, heard about the event when the ensemble director, Todd Hill, told him about it in class. “You can see the students’ reactions on stage and how they enjoy performing out of the tradition-

al setting,” Powderly said. “It’s an easier-going venue than a recital hall.” Tesla Like, junior from Murray, came out to support her many friends that play in the jazz combos. “It’s going to get their names out there and allow them to gig on their own,” Like said. “It’s going to get them exposure.” Like is excited that people like her roommate, Kevin Kortz, junior from Paducah, Kentucky, are getting real-life experience from commercial gigging. Kortz, a music business major who hopes to make performing his full-time career, values the experience of getting off campus and exposing himself to a new audience. “I think students are so used to playing in recital halls and this gives us a different experience and atmosphere,” Kortz said. “We’re out in the public and that’s really fun.”

Bridgette McAuliffe/The News

The Blue and Gold jazz combos perfomred at Tap 216 on Monday, Nov. 12.

November 15, 2018

NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE

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Our View

Ashley Traylor

Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu

Savanna Rininger

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

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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

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Rosalyn Churchman

Sports Graphic Designer rchurchman@murraystate.edu

Ginni Sisemore

Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 vsisemore@murraystate.edu

David Wallace

Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 dwallace15@murraystate.edu

New president: an opportunity for change The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board Murray State needs a change and the resignation of former President Bob Davies opened up that opportunity. The president of the University is chosen by a committee which will be taking the desires and needs of faculty, staff and students into account when making its decision. Davies did very little for this University and much of what he did wasn’t appreciated. He did a poor job of bringing money to the school, let many of the buildings fall into disrepair and tried to censor student media. Murray State students want a president who is less concerned with taking selfies with them and more focused on constantly improving the University. Enrollment should be priority one. It is the main focus of the Board of Regents and should be the main focus of the president. The University needs a leader who will leave the comfort of his office- the comfort of campus itselfand recruit students to Murray State. Funding is tied up with enrollment in so many ways. Higher enrollment

Autumn Brown/The News

brings more funding, and more funding gives the University the means to improve quality of education and life on campus. Murray State needs a president who will fundraise and who will do a good job of it. Davies was brought in because he was expected to be able to

raise money for the school and he failed. He failed because he did not truly care about this University, its students, its faculty or its staff. Donors will give to this University when it is run by someone who knows what to do with the money. The president has to act

in the best interests of this University and its people. The president has to know Murray State and what it needs to be successful. The president has to truly care. The president should also be focused on leading a transparent administration. Murray State should

be able to trust its leaders. The first step to this is removing the barriers between the administration and student media. The University is not exempt from the freedom of press. The process to access public records, to interview faculty or administration, and to access certain buildings on campus is difficult and occasionally impossible. The president should not have to hide behind closeddoor policies because they should be proud of everything they are doing for the University. While not the only option, interim President Bob Jackson has shown himself to be a good one. He went to Murray State and he has lived in Murray since his teenage years. He knows what the University needs. He has been available to student media for interviews, he has traveled to different high schools recruiting, and he has connections with alumni, because he is an alumnus. Members of the committee want to know what Murray State wants in a president. Murray State desperately hopes they listen.

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

Brock Kirk

Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 jkirk11@murraystate.edu

Cheers to: Thanksgiving break

Jeers to: Baby, it’s cold outside!

There are only four school days before the University closes for Thanksgiving break. Let’s get this stuffing.

We’re freezing our turkeys off and it isn’t even technically winter yet.

Kalea Anderson

Chief Videographer • 270-809-5878 kanderson29@murraystate.edu

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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.

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News

November 15, 2018