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THE MUR R AY STATE
NEWS
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H A P P Y H O L ID A Y S
from The Murray State News @TheMurrayStateNews
@MurrayStateNews
November 29, 2018 | Vol. 93, No. 13
VOLLEYBALL goes to the
Blake Sandlin
Sports Editor
bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
Sara Loncarevic
Contributing writer
sloncarevic@murraystate.edu
The Murray State volleyball team will take on the University of Kentucky in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Friday, Nov. 30. The Racers learned their opponent and destination on Sunday, Nov. 25 on the selection show on ESPNU. The first- and second-round games will be hosted by the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. Senior outside hitter Dacia Brown said she was excited to learn she’d be staying in state to face Kentucky. “Personally, I was excited,” Brown said. “I thought even if we did go somewhere far that was cool, but it would be nice to play at UK. I think it’ll be a fun game.” Despite not meeting in the regular season, Kentucky and Murray State actually have a history. Sophomore setter Ashley McBee said the two teams met in a tournament during their spring seasons and split sets. “We split sets with them,” McBee said. “So that right there is like confidence for us because yes, it was the spring, but knowing that we split sets with them is something like ‘OK, yeah, we got this.’ They’re a big team, but you never know what could happen.” Murray State’s women’s volleyball won the automatic bid on Nov. 17 by sweeping the Governors of Austin Peay in three sets in the OVC tournament championship. The win marked the 16th straight for the Racers this season. The Racers finished the season 22-9 overall and 13-3 in OVC play. They are led by an imposing duo of outside hitters in Brown and junior Rachel Giustino. Giustino leads the team in kills with 459 this season, while Brown has accumulated 435. Giustino and Brown finished first and second in kills in the OVC this season. Murray State excels on the offensive side of the net, but has struggled to do the same on the defensive side against conference opponents. The Racers rank No. 10 in the conference in blocks, a deficiency that could prove costly
against a Kentucky team with considerable size. The Wildcats went undefeated in conference play this season, winning the Southeastern Conference Championship for the second year in a row. UK’s success naturally garnered the attention of the entire SEC, as the Wildcats swept the SEC awards this season. Kentucky junior outside hitter Leah Edmond was named Player of the Year, sophomore libero Gabby Curry was Libero of the Year, freshman outside hitter Alli Stumler was Freshman of the Year and their Head Coach Craig Skinner earned Coach of the Year. The team is comprised of seven players 6-feet and taller, highlighted by senior middle blocker Brooke Morgan who is 6-foot-5. The Racers, on the other hand, have only one player that measures at 6 foot, freshman outside hitter Emily Matson. Racer volleyball Head Coach David Schwepker has never played at the University of Kentucky in his 21 years coaching the Racers, and said he was excited for the challenge. Despite the presumed disadvantage, junior rightside hitter Courtney Radle is very optimistic and determined to complete an upset bid against the Wildcats. “I expect us to come out hard like any other day,” Radle said. “Everyone knows we are the underdog going into this game, so it is a no-pressure situation for us. As a team, we have a ‘nothing to lose’ mindset going into this weekend. Kentucky is a great team and will have a lot of fans, so we are excited for the opportunity ahead of us.” UK is in the NCAA tournament for the 14th consecutive season and earned the No. 10 seed this year. The Racers also made it to the NCAA tournament in 2016, 2014 and 2003. The Racers will meet the Wildcats for the second time since 2009, when they fell 3-0 at the Adidas Classic tournament in Bloomington, Indiana. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 30 at Memorial Coliseum. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ on WatchESPN.
Blake Sandlin and Colton Colglazier /The News
NEWS:
SPORTS:
FEATURES:
Murray State adds new engineering program
Morant musters 38 in loss to Tide
University Bookstore continues 12 days of Christmas
No such thing as Dead Week
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OPINION:
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NEWS NEWS THE MUR R AY STATE
November 29, 2018
Staff writer
cbenham@murraystate.edu
Students made their voices heard about the qualities they are looking for in the future president of Murray State. The Murray State Presidential Search Committee held an open forum on Nov. 28, where students gathered to present the committee with their opinions on attributes the next president should bring to the campus. This forum followed a faculty and staff forum that took place on Nov. 12, where staff were afforded the same opportunities to speak up about their wants and needs. Lisa Rudolph, presidential search committee chair, led both of these events. “This is the initial phase of the journey toward the 14th president of Murray State University and it is not by accident that we start with the faculty, staff and students because you are the face of the University,” Rudolph said. Rudolph went on to explain in depth why the students’ input matters to the committee. “We are very interested to know what you want in the next president, what his or
her skill set should be and what goals you are looking at,” Rudolph said. The topic that was discussed by almost all students was the need for change in areas such as recruitment, financial stability and updating the campus. The subject was spearheaded by Student Government Association President J.T. Payne. “To be blunt, in recent years, Murray State has been headed in the wrong direction,” Payne said. “We need someone that is not afraid of change, who is not afraid to be bold, and who is not afraid to do what is necessary to turn this ship back in the right direction.” Students voiced their concerns about the declining enrollment rates and how the future president should tackle the issue. Trey Book, junior from Henderson, Kentucky, spoke about the issues he believes the president should resolve concerning recruitment. “Five to 10 years ago our enrollment started declining,” Book said. “We want to make sure that enrollment continues to go up by updating the campus. I want someone who comes into the campus and breathes life into it.” Financial stability was a concern that was discussed
News Editor
eerwin1@murraystate.edu
Gov. Matt Bevin announced on Tuesday, Nov. 27 that Murray State and it’s regional partners were selected to establish a Regional Innovation for Startups and Entrepreneurs hub. This regional hub will serve to attract and cultivate more innovative entrepreneurs and startup businesses in western Kentucky. Murray State’s Center for Telecommunications Systems Management director, Michael Ramage said the hub will strategically address the rapidly
changing economy of western Kentucky. “West Kentucky has a broad array of resources for startups, but we recognize this is a pivotal opportunity to enhance and share those strengths in order to build our regional ecosystem,” Ramage said. “Clustering resources around the information technology sector allows us to connect startups to expert services, capital and tools they require to succeed.” The CTSM will partner with the Technology Council of West Kentucky and entrepreneurship service providers throughout the region to launch the hub. RISE hubs are part of KY Innovation’s 120-county
A burglary was reported in College Courts after items were taken from a room.
12:41PM Theft was reported at Roy Stewart Stadium after a bicycle was taken.
3:33PM
4:43PM
Criminal mischief was reported in College Courts after a vehicle was damaged. Ashley Traylor/The News
Trey Book spoke about recruitment efforts during the Presidential Search Forum. throughout the forum. Lauren Campbell, senior from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, discussed that the president’s priority should be to resolve the University’s debt. “Above all else, we need someone who is financially literate,” Campbell said. “We are in a huge hole right now. $4.5 million to be exact. If that isn’t fixed, we aren’t going to raise enrollment rates and we aren’t going to be able to fix things on campus.” The first official meeting of the President Search
Committee will be held on Dec. 7, and the committee hopes to hold more open forums in the future to get a collaborative input from the community. Lisa Rudolph assured the students that their input was heard and will be used in the selection process. “We will look at the applications and we will try to closely match that with what the students have told us, the faculty and staff told us and what the community has told us,” Rudolph said.
Murray State selected as part of regional innovation hub Elizabeth Erwin
6:27PM
Criminal mischief was reported after graffiti was written on an exterior wall of the Fine Arts Building.
initiative to modernize Kentucky’s support for hightech, high-growth-potential businesses. The consortium will build on the successes of area tech startups, focus on regional collaboration to support early stage businesses through capitalization and commercialization, and develop the region’s culture for supporting entrepreneurs and innovative startups, according to the release. The western Kentucky innovation hub will receive $428,684 in state funding. “We are focusing Kentucky’s resources to support entrepreneurs who create new products, launch and grow businesses and positively impact our
overall economy,” Bevin said. “The western region of Kentucky is vital to KY Innovation’s statewide strategy to serve entrepreneurs. KY Innovation’s investment in west Kentucky’s RISE hub will enable it to better leverage the exceptional businesses, universities and workforce already in the area and will help create an environment where they can flourish.” RISE fosters partnerships between universities, established companies and industry sectors, entrepreneurs, business accelerator and incubator programs and various other public and private entities. Visit TheNews.org to read the full press release.
11/18 11/17 11/16 11/15 11/14
Ciara Benham
11/13 11/12
The search for president begins
3:12PM Sexual abuse was reported on campus after unwanted sexual touching by an acquaintance.
10:00PM Criminal mischief was reported in Regents College after damage to property.
8:41PM Theft was reported in Hart College after clothing was taken. The investigation is still open.
12:37AM Criminal mischief was reported in Regents College after property was damaged.
9:59PM
Failure to notify owner of damage to a vehicle was reported after a parked vehicle was hit by a vehicle that left the scene in the Old Richmond lot.
The Police Beat is compiled from the Murray State University Police Department’s Crime and Fire Log.
Colton Colglazier/The News
News
November 29, 2018
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Murray State adds new engineering program Miranda Carpenter Staff writer mcarpenter4@murraystate.edu
“The approval of this program is a major milestone in Murray State’s academic history,”Mark Arant, vice president of academic affairs, said. On Nov. 16, Murray State was approved to become the fourth school in Kentucky to offer a Civil and Sustainability Engineering program. Other schools in Kentucky that offer this program are the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University. Murray State stands alone by being the first school to be approved in Kentucky without any guidance from other universities. University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and Western Kentucky University partnered together for guidance when starting the program over the years at their universities. Danny Claiborne, chair of the Institute of Engineering, discussed what the University had to go through to get this program approved. To approve this program, Claiborne said the council for postsecondary
education required a pre-proposal to be submitted and posted to the council’s website for up to 45 days, during which time universities around the state commented with questions regarding the proposal. After the 45 days of the pre-proposal phase were fulfilled, a full proposal was submitted to be evaluated. The final step was to go to a CPE meeting on Nov. 16 to have the program approved. The engineering faculty and staff thinks this new program will gain the interest of current college and high school students. “We will now be able to attract talented students that would have chosen another institution to pursue this degree,” Arant said. The new program will be Murray State’s second engineering program, alongside engineering physics, to be on campus. The civil and engineering sustainability program can be found under the engineering umbrella starting in Fall 2019. Along with engineering physics, which has tracks in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, aerospace engineering and advanced physics. Current students who
are interested are encouraged to speak with their advisers to discuss prerequisite classes to prepare for the Fall 2019 semester. “The program makes a statement about the University’s willingness to invest in its students,” Arant said. “It is the investments in academics and our students which will set Murray State apart.” Murray State’s engineering program has existed for the past 40 years and has been an accredited program for the past 25 years. According to Murray State’s website, the engineering physics program is EAC/ABET accredited and one of only 22 programs nationwide that carry this prestigious accreditation. “Our plan is to allow freshmen to start in this program in the fall and after a four-year period, the University will immediately seek accreditation for the new program to allow students to become licensed civil engineers,” Claiborne said. “If approved for accreditation, those students that started the program as freshmen will get the opportunity to become a licensed engineer any-
where in the United States.” The program will include multiple engineering techniques such as structural engineering, sustainable engineering and use of materials for constructing and designing different buildings and roads for transportation. “Some of the reasons why this program was developed and why we wanted to progress with this program was the initiative from Gov. Bevin that we need more engineering programs offered at universities all across the state,” Claiborne said. “So in some ways we are trying to respond to what the state and the governor is trying to accomplish.” Murray State continues to support the engineering industry by producing more engineers in western Kentucky. “This accomplishment, while great for the University, really speaks well of the faculty and staff of Murray State,” Arant said. “The creativeness and the bravery to transform a dream into reality for the benefit of current and future generations. This is a major reason Murray State is and will be one of the best regional institutions in the country.”
Richard Thompson/The News
Murray State’s engineering program has existed for the past 40 years.
Game design and development now part of curriculum Daniella Tebib Staff writer dtebib@murraystate.edu
After a high demand from current and prospective students, Murray State added programs for game development and design. Renae Duncan, associate provost for undergraduate education, said students will now be able to graduate with a minor in game development, a bachelor’s degree in computer science/game development or an undergraduate certificate in game design. She said students will receive training and experience in many areas including animation, programming,
cinematography and sound effects. Duncan also said these programs are important because there is a huge industry in these fields with many employment opportunities for graduates. Game Development Game development is the process of creating video games through computer programming and coding. Robert Pilgrim, associate professor of computer science, said students in this program will also acquire skills in creative writing, graphic arts, physics, math and cinematography. “It is important to under-
stand that there is a lot more to creating a computer game than programming,” Pilgrim said. “Great computer games start with a great story… In addition, graphics and animation are essential. Not just the mechanics of rendering, but the appreciation for aesthetics… Finally, many of the decisions to be made by the game programmer are similar to those of a cinematographer or a movie director. While computer scientists may not be responsible for creating all the parts of a game, they must understand them, be able to control them through software and have a detailed knowledge of the computer hardware that runs the game.”
Pilgrim said he believes this program will be useful for Murray State students because the computer game industry is growing rapidly. Students have also expressed their thoughts about Murray State offering these programs. Aaron Haney, freshman from Bedford, Kentucky, is interested in minoring in game development. “I’m really happy Murray State decided to offer this program,” Haney said. “I’ve always been interested in game development, but I’ve never had the chance to explore it further.” Students that are interested in minoring in game development or obtaining a bach-
elor’s degree in computer science/game development should contact the department of Computer Science and Information Systems. Game Design While game developers are responsible for the programming of games, game design creates the look of a game, including the characters, backgrounds and the user interface. Jim Bryant, head of the graphic design program, said students will take courses covering technical areas in game programming languages, animation and illustration, computer graphics,
computer science and creative writing to prepare for career opportunities. “The certificate in game design program prepares students for entry-level positions in the game design industry,” Bryant said. “Students learn about all facets of game design and development, from the beginning to the final stages of production. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to learn to create two- and three-dimensional graphics and interactive environments.” Students that are interested in obtaining an undergraduate certificate in game design should contact the department of Art and Design.
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NEWS SPORTS THE MUR R AY STATE
November 29, 2018
Morant musters 38 in loss to Tide Blake Sandlin Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
It’s not often in basketball that the losing team commands the bulk of attention, but sophomore guard Ja Morant defied that notion on Monday, Nov. 26, in a 78-72 loss to the University of Alabama. Morant was a oneman wrecking crew for the Racers, hanging a new career-high of 38 points on the heads of the Crimson Tide, albeit in a losing effort. Morant also added nine rebounds and five assists, but committed 10 turnovers in the game. The sophomore did everything he could to will his team to a win against the SEC superpower. He scored 12 points in the final 2:08 in the game to keep the Racers close, but Alabama’s poise down the stretch made all the difference, as they shot a perfect 8-for-8 from the charity stripe in the final minute of the game to thwart Murray State’s upset bid. Nevertheless, Morant’s showing was captivating enough to leave the opposing team speechless in the Racer loss. Alabama Head Coach Avery Johnson remarked that Morant’s capabilities are comparable to the likes of NBA greats Isiah Thomas, John Stockton and Russell Westbrook.
“I saw flashbacks of a lot of guys I played against,” Johnson said. “Whether it was the old Isiah Thomas, the Detroit Pistons’ Isiah Thomas, that craftiness and cleverness. John Stockton passing ability. Russell Westbrook athletic ability. My God. When I saw him on film, and to watch him play in person, it was better than what I saw on film.” Alabama sophomore guard John Petty Jr. didn’t expect Morant to impact the game like he did, but said he lived up to the hype. “We seen him on film.,” Petty said. “Nine times out of ten when we see a guy on film, they come into the building, they aren’t the same. But he was the exact same we seen on film.” The spectacular showing by Morant couldn’t salvage what was a sloppy, turnover-ridden affair. The Racers, while forcing 21 turnovers on Alabama, turned the ball over 18 times. The Racers broke the game open with a 13-7 lead, but couldn’t weather a monstrous 19-5 run by the Crimson Tide. By the time the halftime buzzer sounded, Alabama had exercised its lead to 10, maintaining a 39-29 lead at the half. Facing a double-digit deficit, Murray State
didn’t cower to Alabama. The team stormed back almost immediately in the second half, using a 9-0 run right out of the gate to trim the deficit to just two. The Racers rallied and overtook the lead with 15:19 in the second half, but it wouldn’t last long. With 9:10 remaining, Alabama used a 12-2 lead to steal momentum and jump ahead to a 63-54 lead. The Racers were ultimately unable to dig themselves out of the hole despite two electric dunks by Morant down the stretch, and fell 78-72 to move to 3-1 on the year. Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon said the Racers had their chances, but Alabama’s defense foiled their attempts. “Credit to Alabama, they did a terrific job of protecting the basket, especially in the first half,” McMahon said. “We had some opportunities to finish plays, we just weren’t able to do so. I thought Ja worked for everything he got, obviously he had an incredible game. I wish I could’ve helped them out more, get them in a few better positions there to get them some easier shots.” Murray State will be back in action at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 1, when they face Prairie View at the CFSB Center.
Blake Sandlin/The News
Sophomore guard Ja Morant commands the Racers’ offense against Missouri State on Saturday, Nov. 24.
Rowing team looking to build on fall season Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu
Down in the depths of the Carr Health Building, a historically unique club team is putting in the offseason work to make a name for themselves next season. The Murray State rowing team started offseason conditioning in hopes of making a deep run in the spring.
The rowing team is comprised of students from all walks of life. Students are encouraged each semester to come to try-outs and see what the team is all about. For those looking to get involved on campus or even just stay in shape, the rowing team offers opportunities for new members each season. Men’s team captain Ryan Garcia, sophomore from southern Indiana, joined the
rowing team in pursuit of a new athletic challenge. “After so many years of just running, I got pretty sick of it,” Garcia said. “I definitely wanted to try something new, so whenever I found out about rowing I thought that was the perfect thing to get into, especially since it’s a sport where most of the members are almost all first-year athletes.” Although the row-
ing team isn’t an official University sport, Garcia is confident the team works just as hard as any team on campus and beyond. “I would love for the campus to know we’re out here working hard and representing the school well every time we go out and compete,” Garcia said. “We may be a smaller school compared to these SEC and Big 10 schools, but we still put up great competition
and even beat them sometimes. Some of our victories in the past have gone unnoticed by the school and it would just be nice to get our team some recognition.” The team’s fall season came to a conclusion with an appearance in the Head of the Chattahoochee Regatta in Chattanooga, Tennessee on Nov. 3-4. The Racers were among 250 teams who participat-
ed in various events with their sights set on leaving Chattanooga decorated in awards. Now that offseason preparations are underway, the team will work out five times a week with weights, sprints and ergometer machines in the Carr Health Building. As seasons change, so do
,
see ROWING page 5
Sports
November 29, 2018
ROWING
THE MURRAY STATE NEWS
From Page 4 the type of contests the rowing team participates in. The spring season is tailored to a 2K race format, as opposed to the marathon 5Ks of the fall season. This change in competition makes offseason conditioning more important. The Racer rowing team is led by Head Coach Matt Weaver, a former rower for Murray State who to this day remains a constant teacher and fan of the sport. This offseason, Weaver would like to see his team get into the best shape of their athletic careers. “We have to get better at conditioning,” Weaver said. “We have to get a lot of work in on the indoor rowing machines, the ergometers, because our conditioning was a little weak this semester with it being my first year back.” The Murray State row-
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ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Morant has been a key variable in the Racers’ 3-1 start to the season. The sophomore is currently averaging 27.8 PPG, 9 APG and 7.5 RPG. He recorded his second career triple-double last week against Missouri State, becoming the first Racer to ever record two triple-doubles. Morant’s stellar start has him ranked sixth nationally in PPG and first in APG. Julie Boeker/The News
Murray State’s rowing team works out on ergometers in their offseason. ing team will be back in action on Sunday, Feb. 3, when they participate in the Tennessee Indoor Rowing Championships in
Chattanooga, Tennessee. The Racers will be back on the water on Mar. 23 in the John Hunter Regatta in Gainesville, Georgia.
Ja Morant Sophomore Guard Basketball
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
Racer football season prompts growing optimism Keith Jaco Staff writer rjaco@murraystate.edu
In a season full of ups and downs, the Murray State Racer football team strung together a winning streak, an improbable comeback and came within two games of a share of the conference championship. The Racers finished the season 5-6 overall with a 5-3 record in OVC play, earning them fourth-place honors following an eighth-place OVC preseason prediction. Following a shaky start in non-conference play, Murray State engineered an impressive four-game winning streak, knocking off OVC foes UT Martin, Eastern Illinois, Tennessee State and Eastern Kentucky. Heading into homecoming weekend on a 4-0 OVC start, the Racers were tasked with a season-defining matchup with the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. After going to battle for three quar-
ters, mistakes and missed opportunities overtook the Racers, leading to a 42-15 defeat and their first conference loss. The Racers entered week 9 with a chance at an OVC co-championship still in sight as they headed to Cookeville, Tennessee for a matchup with Tennessee Tech. Faulty offensive line play paired with costly interceptions from senior quarterback, Drew Anderson gave way to another OVC loss for the Racers, as they fell late 27-24. Murray State did the impossible as it returned home in week 10 to face off against Southeast Missouri State. The Racers overcame a 31-0 deficit, climbing back to take the lead with only 1:42 left in the fourth. The Redhawks responded by taking back command of the lead on a quick seven play, 64-yard drive, leaving just 20 seconds for the Racers to work with. Malik Honeycutt returned the ensuing Redhawk kickoff 79 yards
to secure the Murray State victory and send SEMO home empty handed. The Racers hit the road in the final week of the season for a chance at knocking off Austin Peay in the annual “Battle at the Border.” Another close contest slipped through Murray State’s hands as the Racers lost a tight battle 48-23, after being outscored by the Governors 20-0 in the fourth quarter. Head Coach Mitch Stewart was extremely pleased with how this season turned out for the Racers. “Overall, this season was a big step in the right direction,” Stewart said. “I’m very proud of the work all of those seniors did. It meant a great deal to not only this program, but me and my family personally. I’m also really proud for those guys to get the feeling that they cemented the first block in our process. They’ve left quite the roadmap for the guys coming through here.”
The Racers finished with six individuals being named to one of two AllOVC teams, five of which landed on the first team. Senior linebacker Quincy Williams, senior defensive lineman Kenney Wooten, senior kicker Gabriel Vicente, freshman punter Steve Dawson and junior return specialist Malik Honeycutt all received first team honors. Anderson followed closely behind, being named to the second team. Williams led the Racer defense with 111 total tackles and tied for the lead in interceptions and forced fumbles, collecting two of each. Following a season of exciting play and improvement, Williams was reminiscent of the opportunity Murray State offered him. “When I came out of high school, I was a big factor but my grades weren’t good enough,” Williams said. “Murray State gave me a chance and my goal was to leave a big impact on this team. The family aspect
Blake Sandlin/The News
Senior quarterback Drew Anderson aims for his receiver against SEMO. along with Murray being a really friendly city helped me decide to come here.” Heading into the offseason, Stewart and his staff will be right back at work as they look to bolster their roster through recruitment, as well as work with returning players. “2019 starts right now,” Stewart said. “I’m super excited to get started on this next season with these
new guys and the guys we have coming back. We won’t lose a ton, so we aren’t going to go reaching. If we don’t feel like they’re a good fit or that they won’t play right now then we won’t reach.” The Racers open the 2019 season on Saturday, Sept. 7, as they travel to Athens, Georgia for a matchup with the University of Georgia Bulldogs.
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Sports
November 29, 2018
Rosalyn ChurchmanThe News
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NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE
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University bookstore continues 12 days of Christmas Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
On the first day of
Christmas, Santa may bring you a partridge in a pear tree or a new Murray State scarf. The University Bookstore has launched its 12 Days of Christmas sale. The sale began Monday, Nov. 26, and features a new deal every day that the store is open until Dec. 8. Karol Hardison, director of the university store, said this is a promotion they’ve been doing for many years. “One day we were counting the distance between Thanksgiving and when we left for Christmas and it just always happened to be around 12 days,” Hardison said. With a sale spanning such a length of time, students, faculty and
staff will have more opportunities to make it over to the store rather than just having a oneday sale. Hardison said the store decides on sale items based on input from student workers and staff. “It really depends on what merchandise is selling and what students are into,” Hardison said. “A lot of our student workers keep us real up-to-date on what students like.” Ian Puckett, freshman from Mayfield, Kentucky, has been a student worker at the bookstore since July 2018. This is Puckett’s first 12 Days of Christmas sale, and he said it has been an interesting experience thus far. “There’s lots of new stuff coming in, lots of new information and lots of new people,” Puckett said. As a student worker and member of Sigma
Phi Epsilon, Puckett has been able to meet and talk with other students about what they like seeing in the bookstore. “I think students like a lot more of the funny stuff,” Puckett said. “I’ve had some friends buy some crazy socks and a lot of people come in and buy the Murray State Dad hats.” Puckett said his job is a great way to make connections with different people across campus. “The interactions are the thing I like most about working here,” Puckett said. “I get to meet a lot of people from different departments and you can make a lot of connections that way. The people I work with are funny, just good people and really make working here fun.” Nov. 29, Murray State birdhouses are on sale for $19.99 while supplies last. Friday, Nov. 30, any Mom, Dad, Grandma,
Grandpa and alumni swag is 20 percent off. Saturday, Nov. 1, all infant, toddler and youth apparel is 20 percent off. Monday, Dec. 3, all Christmas ornaments are 20 percent off. Tuesday, Dec. 4, blankets and fleeces, greek included, are 20 percent off. Wednesday, Dec. 5, shoppers will be offered a free Champion long sleeve tee with a 40 dollar or more regular price purchase of Champion gear. Thursday, Dec. 6, all Under Armour merchandise will be 20 percent off. Friday, Dec. 7, all Nike merchandise will be 20 percent off. Saturday, Dec. 8, all Champion Classics, t-shirts, long sleeve tees, crew sweatshirts and hoodies, will be 20 percent off. The bookstore will also be offering free gift-wrapping during finals week.
Photo courtesy of Rose Rechtien
On Monday, Dec. 3, all Christmas ornaments will be 20 percent off.
Education professor does more than just teach Allison Boggan Staff writer aboggan@murraystate.edu
Lynn Gannon Patterson is an associate professor of elementary education in Murray State’s College of Education and Human Services. She teaches math methods for elementary teachers and classroom management classes. Patterson is a National Board Certified Teacher and a 2002 Presidential Awardee for Excellence in Mathematics teaching. Previously, she taught first through sixth grades and was an elementary school principal in Tennessee, where she retired after 34 years in 2008. Patterson became a Teachers Retirement System member in 2008 and has taught at Murray State for the last decade.
Patterson is also the newest TRS trustee after winning the May members’ election. “On this board we are in charge of the money, the legislature picks where the money goes, but we make sure it goes where it is supposed to go,” Patterson said. “I’m really impressed, so far, that the money they have is in good hands.” In her free time, Patterson loves to take and instruct fitness classes. Twice a week at 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday she teaches students and at 1 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday she leads faculty classes. All of her yoga sessions are open to all levels of yoga experience, so everyone is welcome to get involved. “I’ve always liked fitness and I used to teach spin classes, but as I got older I thought my body was kind
Richard Thompson/The News
Patterson teaches students in EDU 380: Inclusive Teaching of Diverse Learners. of stiff and I just wasn’t able to move like I wanted to, so I started taking yoga,” Patterson said. “I really liked it, so after I got tenure I went to a teacher’s training to learn more about
it and have been teaching yoga ever since,” Patterson said. Patterson loves all aspects of teaching and is thankful that she has been able to meet, teach and experience
so many wonderful things throughout her long career. “I love when I see my students get excited,” Patterson said. “I love learning from them, both my regular students and those in my yoga classes. In this time in my life I’m open to learning new things and sharing what I know with everyone.” She has noticed in her classes that she tells a lot of stories and her students tend to stop and listen, which she finds really nice because it’s respectful, but also appreciates it because taking in the life and experiences of those around you helps to broaden your own life. She also enjoys traveling and is very involved with Murray State’s Study Abroad program. Last May she went to Ireland and she will be traveling with anoth-
er group to London next semester. “My oldest son lives in Germany, so my husband and I go to visit him and his family,” Patterson said. “Whenever we go to Germany we travel to other nearby countries to try and see as much as we can. It’s hard to pick a favorite place that I’ve been, but I really loved Ireland and would love to go back someday.” Patterson said she is thankful to have experienced so much in life, both personally and in her work. “I’m just so blessed to have the great husband and children I have and to have been able to have had so many gigs in life,” Patterson said. “From teaching speech and hearing to having children to becoming a principal to coming up here to teach college; it’s all been so great.”
Features
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November 29, 2018
Campus community weighs in on age-old holiday debate Allison Boggan Staff writer aboggan@murraystate.edu
At 12:01 a.m. Nov. 1, Halloween has been over for literally one minute and then it begins. Social media feeds explode with variations of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas is You” and other holiday memes. The queen of Christmas has once again risen. No one is safe. Thanksgiving? Canceled. Or is it? The debate on when the Christmas season actually begins has sparked some controversy on social media in recent years. Christmas is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For two millennia, people around the world have been
observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending a church service, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Dec. 25, Christmas Day, has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870. Every year it seems like Christmas begins earlier. Stores put out their holiday decorations weeks before Halloween and skip over Thanksgiving entirely. With the media and corporations hyping Christmas before December even begins, we are faced with the question of when the Christmas season truly starts. In an effort to explore the public’s opinion on
Kalea Anderson/The News
The University has already decorated for the holiday season.
when the Christmas season begins two polls were conducted by The News on Instagram and Twitter with the voting options of one second after Halloween and after Thanksgiving. On Instagram after 24 hours the results were 26 percent for after Halloween and 74 percent for after Thanksgiving. On Twitter there were three days to vote and the results ended up being much closer with 45 percent voting for after Halloween and 55 percent for after Thanksgiving. While the results from the informal polls were relatively close, it is clear that a majority of students polled think that the Christmas season should not begin until after Thanksgiving is over. Callie Smith, junior from Eldorado, Illinois, usually starts celebrating Christmas in the second week of November. She said she thinks it’s fine to start celebrating whenever you want, but that’s when she starts watching Christmas movies and decorating. “I like Christmas more than other holidays because that’s when my family actually gets to all come together,” Smith said. “Also, the movies are better, people are happier, school’s out, and it’s just a better time overall.” Opposingly, mathematics professor Elizabeth Donovan, said she believes that Christmas should not be celebrated until after Thanksgiving is over. “I’m from Plymouth, Massachusetts, so Thanksgiving has always been really big for my hometown since that’s where the first Thanksgiving was held,” Donovan said. She jokingly added that the early snow we received this year can be blamed on those who prematurely decorated for Christmas and ignored Thanksgiving. No matter when you start celebrating the Christmas season be sure to remember what is important and spread some holiday cheer.
Photo courtesy of Peggy Whaley
Jeff Henry, Peggy Whaley and Cindy Clemson received the 2018 Best Practices Award.
Four-year research by faculty members brings home award Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
Murray State faculty members were awarded the 2018 Best Practices Award for research that spanned four years. At the annual National Symposium of Student Retention, three faculty members presented research highlighting how Student Success Seminars in the freshman transitions classes increased retention at Murray State, earning them the award. The conference is held by the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange at the University of Oklahoma. Peggy Whaley, director of student engagement and success and vice president of student affairs, was one of the faculty who led the research and development of the seminars. “Over the past four and half years we’ve been incorporating a student success seminar into the transitions courses,” Whaley said. “We get a group of individuals and we partner with the faculty instructor and we come for six class sessions to teach student success skills.” The skills chosen to be taught in these courses are determined by the results of student surveys in
which freshmen are asked what skills of success they struggle with the most. “We don’t want to take anything away from the 100T- it’s really about adding good content to the 100T class,” Whaley said. This year is the first time that the Student Success Seminars have been incorporated into every 100T class on campus. “What we’ve seen is that the retention and persistence rates of those students who’ve had the combined course versus those who’ve had the stand alone course are much higher,” Whaley said. “So after four years of data, we were able to share that with the provost, Dr. Robertson and student affairs to show that it really does has a positive impact on student retention.” Cindy Clemson, assistant professor of education and human services, worked with Whaley on the seminars and attended the symposium. “The conference was on student retention data, so we thought what better way to present what we have learned about a very unique and innovative way that we have solved a problem at Murray State,” Clemson said. She said because statistically only half of college students reach graduation,
they felt a moral and ethical obligation to help students be successful and have a higher percentage of students graduate. Five years ago, the Council on PostSecondary Education in the state of Kentucky had a student success summit where they challenged each university to come up with a way student affairs staff could collaborate with faculty to increase retention rates, which is where Clemson said they developed this success seminar model. Jeff Henry, research instruction librarian and assistant professor of university libraries, has been a seminar instructor since the fall of 2015. “Student retention and student success are topics I am passionate about, so it always made research easier,” Henry said. “Students that were in my success seminar have made a connection with someone in the library that they hopefully feel comfortable approaching with any questions, academic and not.” Because of their collective research efforts, Student Success Seminars are an aspect of the 100T courses that we will continue to see at Murray State.
Features
November 29, 2018
Page 9
Have yourself ‘A Very Hallmark Christmas’ Murray State alumna and husband create holiday podcast Amy Turner Staff writer aturner32@murraystate.edu
The temperature is dropping and the Christmas spirit is rising. This leads many to want to curl up and watch some Hallmark Christmas movies. Loree Stark and husband Rob Bricken are doing just that with their podcast “A Very Hallmark Christmas” reviewing the year’s new Christmas releases. Stark, a 2003 Murray State graduate, is a legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of West Virginia. After a long day at work she said she enjoys spending time with Bricken and doing something fun. “It has taught me that I
really have to make time for myself to pursue recreational activities and do something that is fun,” Stark said. “In the work that I’m in it is very easy to take it home and work a ton of hours every day. Having this means I have to commit to doing something else; I have to learn to make more time for things like that.” The podcasts are around an hour long and go through an in-depth critique of the movie. Stark said she originally thought she wouldn’t like the movies but both she and her husband have learned to enjoy some of them. “A Very Hallmark Christmas” is on its second season, with new podcasts coming out as the new movies are released. The pod-
Photo courtesy of Loree Stark
Rob Bricken and Loree Stark, Murray State alumna, host the podcast.
cast averages 1,000 to 1,500 listeners but neither Stark nor Bricken are too concerned with the numbers, for them this is an enjoyable side project. “For me the best part of it is that it gives me something to focus on outside of work, last year when we started the podcast I had broken my hip.” Stark said. “I was stuck in our apartment for six weeks and it was a really great way for me to have something to pass the time. Now it is a fun way to concentrate on stuff outside of work. And to spend time with my husband that is different than we would normally spend time the rest of the year.” She said they began to invite guests onto the podcast but ultimately decided to stick to the husband and wife duo. At the end of each podcast they rank the movie in the Christmas lineup. According to their website, listeners have to tune in to find out which rugged men and flustered big-city career women will make the cut and join the Hallmark Cinematic Universe of 2018. This podcast can be found through their website: A Very Hallmark Christmas, Apple Podcast or through other podcast-listening services apps. Stark also posts her favorite screenshots from the movie on her instagram account @Loree_Stark.
Photo courtesy of Loree Stark
“A Very Hallmark Christmas” website is http://veryhallmarkchristmas.libsyn.com.
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NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE
November 29, 2018
Our View
Ashley Traylor
No such thing as dead week
Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu
Savanna Rininger
The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board The
week
before
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called Dead Week by students and professors alike. Dead Week is a common practice at universities across the country, also called Reading Week or Hell Week. During this week, there is often a rule against assigning new material or homework, major projects and presentations, and tests or quizzes. Some universities even cancel class for all or some of the week. What many people may not know is that Murray State does not have an official Dead Week, meaning professors assign homework, tests, projects, presentations and more to be due during the week when students are supposed to be studying. At Iowa State University, Dead Week is an official event. According to the Iowa State website, any due dates during this week must be listed in the syllabus at the beginning of the semester, exams may not be given on Thursday or Friday of this week, final exams may not be required to be completed during this week and student
Autumn Brown/The News
organizations are not allowed to meet. According to Georgia Tech’s website, the University has both “final instructional class days” and “reading periods.” The last two days a class meets are considered final instructional class days. Professors are expected to refrain from giving tests or quizzes on these days and to have all prior tests and quizzes graded. Reading periods are times when classes do not meet and no graded activities are allowed.
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At the University of Kentucky, papers, presentations, written exams, quizzes and take home finals are not allowed during Dead Week, according to UK’s website. Weinberg College in Illinois has a “Reading Period” between the end of classes and finals week. The reading period allows students to prepare for finals and complete semester-long projects without worrying about new assignments or early exams. According to the college legislation, no assignments may be
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turned in and no tests may be given. Murray State should follow in the footsteps of these other Universities and make Dead Week an official policy. Even a simple twoday reading period modeled after Georgia Tech would be greatly appreciated by students. One could argue that students should not need a period dedicated to studying, as they should study over the course of the semester. In reality, this isn’t feasible. In order to do well on an exam, the material needs to be fresh on the minds of students. It would be very difficult to rely on memory from several weeks prior to the final. Students at Murray State have a Hell Week, instead of a Dead Week, with papers, presentations and projects that count for large percentages of their grades being due. In some cases, students have all semester to work on these, but often they are assigned at the end of the semester following smaller projects and papers. Rather than studying, students are
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.
in the library pulling all-nighters to finish their assignments by the due date. Some students would obviously use the break from classes and assignments to procrastinate even further or just relax, but that is their choice. The students who spend the whole week desperately trying to finish everything would make good use of the time. A c c o r d i n g to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, about 30 percent of students reported stress negatively affected their academic performance. Students swamped with work cannot study for finals that cover material from the beginning of the semester. This means their grades will be lower on the final exam as they only have a clear recollection of recently learned material. If the University administration wants to see students do well on final exams and have a more stable mental health condition near the end of the semester, they should create a Dead Week policy.
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Opinion
November 29, 2018
Jeers to: Finals Week
Cheers to: Winter Break
Papers, presentations and projects, on top of studying for exams are stressing out everyone. We’re almost done though, so push through!
Whatever holiday you celebrate or even if you don’t celebrate anything at all, everyone is looking forward to celebrating a long and much-needed break.
Robert Valentine Contributing writer rvalentine@murraystate.edu
People are spending a great deal of time and energy these days sharing their opinions with me. A short list of topics includes: Immigration, various political candidacies, the Second Amendment to the Constitution, the social justice of MSU’s tuition policies, and the social justice of Boston’s victory in the World Series. Some of these people show their faces. Some sign their names as authors or editors. This is very handy because I can evaluate their opinion, in part, based on the degree to which they are experts on the subject. Some, of course, are nameless. They lack the courage to stand behind
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The Fine Print
Opinion: everybody has one their opinions, or they wish to disguise the fact that they have no real knowledge of what they are discussing. “Nameless” is the same as “valueless.” And some might as well be nameless. If you are blowing off steam because you don’t like Nancy Pelosi or Donald Trump or Gov. Bevin or Mayor Rose and you have been armed by a capricious society with a Facebook page or a Twitter account, you have the right to offer your opinion. However, you have no legal or moral right for people to agree with your opinion, especially if it is a simple description of your feelings, unsupported by logic, reference to reliable factual information or reputable experts. We already know
that people have a wide variety of opinions and thinking people (which should include you, Dear Reader) do not change their minds by majority vote. We need reasons. Furthermore, you have no right for people to refrain from offering their opinion of your opinion. If you comment on something as innocent as broccoli (as in, “I hate broccoli”), you have no right to feel injured if 500 Tweeting broccoli fans suddenly virtually descend on you with vilification concerning your Epicurean heresy. In short, you asked for it. You should attend to the admonition of America’s old social mentor, Samuel Langhorne Clemens, who said in the person of Mark Twain: “It is by the goodness of God that in our
country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.” The American newspaper industry took 200
You have no legal or moral right for people to agree with your opinion years to develop codes of ethics, policy books and professional canons to prevent the misuse and abuse of the great power of mass communication.
For the last 25 years we have all had that power, thanks to the Internet. It’s time we learned discretion. There are a number of ways to make your point, but when you enter the public forum you should try to be sure that the point is worthy. When you offer your opinion to others, after all, you should have a specific purpose: to lead your readers or listeners to believe in a position that will benefit the whole communit If you’re just expressing your opinion without regard to how it might affect others, or without a thought of how it might benefit the thinking of other people, then you are asking us to listen to you for your own sake. That’s just selfish. I have a right to ask,
“What’s in it for me?” I have a right to spend my time and efforts in another way and I have a right to ignore your opinion- if that’s all it is. You can argue for an unpopular position, but you must be prepared for two things: First, your conclusion may be unpopular, and you must be willing to suffer verbal attack, a loss of ad revenue, personal insult, and a loss of subscribers or listeners. Second, even those who agree with you will better appreciate what you say if you can offer proof for your position and evidence of your concern for others. When you speak, write or create in public, it is no longer about you; it’s about us. It may be your opinion, but it’s our time and our attention. Prove it.
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News
November 29, 2018