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February 7, 2019 | Vol. 93, No. 17
News
New mayor hopes to boost Murray State enrollment Page 2 Opinion
Exposing the Pink Tax Page 5
License to Coach Richard Thompson/The News
Features
An app for those in abusive relationships Page 11
February 7, 2019
Haley Penrod Contributing writer hpenrod1@murraystate.edu
In November 2018, Bob Rogers was elected the new mayor of Murray. On Jan. 29, The News sat down with Rogers to discuss how he will make Murray State a priority and what his goals are as mayor. Some answers have been lightly edited for clarity. How do you think the city of Murray and Murray State can better work together? “I think if we are going to attract businesses and industries to our community, then they need to see a unified effort on behalf of the city, county and Murray State. The administrators of those three entities will be very important in working with economic development, showing people that we will work together. Murray State is very important in that process.” What are your priorities regarding Murray State? “Murray State is so important. We wouldn’t have a lot of things we have if it wasn’t for Murray State. We wouldn’t have a lot of the restaurants and other establishments because there wouldn’t likely be enough people to support them.
So, we want to do what we can to help get enrollment back to what it was a few years ago and to help it grow. I go to ballgames and see kids from all over that have been invited. I see administrators from all over. They are making an effort to reach out to high schools and communities.” How can the city of Murray help Murray State increase enrollment? “We got to sell it. I spent fifty years in schools. Murray State needs to personally know every guidance counselor in Western Kentucky and maybe even in Kentucky. Guidance counselors have a big influence on where kids go to school. They help them with scholarships and give them information. So, reaching out to the schools is important in making them feel welcome.” What are your long-term goals as mayor? “We have a lot of things that we have started that we have to follow through with. We have a new wastewater treatment plant, a $61 million dollar project to take care of our sewer. Also, we are working on a four-lane highway between Murray and Paris and a loop to go around Murray to keep some of the trucks from going downtown. But, the primary thing I want to do is service the people and to help Murray move
forward, if I can.” What are your short-term goals as mayor? “I heard throughout the campaign a lot about being transparent, listening to the people and communicating better. So, I put in some programs, like the community liaison position that is staffed by volunteers with its own phone number where if any citizen has any concern or complaint, then all they have to do is come by the office or call the number. They can share their concern and the volunteer will get the answer and get back to them immediately.” Are there any future projects that you want to initiate? “I want to revitalize downtown. I think we need to have some incentives to attract more restaurants and shops... I have heard that a lot of students have never been downtown, so we need something to attract them downtown. I have a committee that I put together to bring forth ideas about revitalizing downtown… I also want more sidewalks. There are a lot of students that walk from their apartment to campus and don’t have a sidewalk to walk on.” To read the full interview visit The News. org
1/16
New mayor hopes to boost Murray State enrollment
9:27AM
Sodomy was reported in on-campus residential housing after unwanted sexual contact by an acquaintance occurred on Oct. 31, 2018. The investigation is still open.
Menacing was reported in Wilson Hall after subject was intimidated by another person placing the subject in fear on Jan. 23. The investigation is still open.
12:00AM
Marijuana and amphetamines were found in a room in Hart College. The subject was arrested for possession of marijuana and a controlled substance.
2:33AM Unlawful access to computer was reported in White College after subject stole money from another person using a phone application. A summons was issued.
6:05PM Harassing communications was reported in White College after subject sent alarming messages to another person. A citation was issued.
2/04 2/01 1/31
Brock Kirk/The News
On Jan. 29, The News sat down with newly-elected mayor Bob Rogers to discuss his long- and short-term goals.
11:53AM
1/29 1/24
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12:06AM Criminal mischief was reported in Regents College after property was damaged. The investigation is still open. 12:01AM
Marijuana was found in a room in Hart College. A citation was issued for possession of marijuana.
8:54AM Criminal mischief was reported in the College Courts after parking signs were damaged.
The Police Beat is compiled from the Murray State University Police Department’s Crime and Fire Log.
Colton Colglaizer /The News
News
February 7, 2019
Page 3
Program highlights gender inequality in STEM fields Ciara Benham Staff writer
cbenham@murraystate.edu
Photo courtesy of Michelle Casey
Patricia Kelley gave a presentation on Jan. 31 about the gender inequalities women face in STEM. The ADVANCE seminar also offered possible solutions to the disproportion and underrepresentation of women in STEM.
Kelley said that most women in STEM made their career choice from an introductory level course or teacher influence. To
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The Murray State ADVANCE program addressed gender inequality in STEM on Jan. 31. The seminar, titled “Women in Science: Dress Like a Lady, Act Like a Man, Work Like a Dog,” was led by Patricia Kelley, professor emeritus at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. She talked about the statistics and possible solutions regarding the disproportion of women in STEM. “Although women make up half the total U.S. workforce, only 28 percent of the science and engineering workforce is female, despite improvements in recent years. Substantial differences in the proportion of women exist among S&E fields, with the fewest women represented in the physical sciences and engineering,” according to the Murray State ADVANCE web page. Kelley said different factors may influence women to stay away from science.
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GENDER *Data provided by Maeve McCarthy for fall 2017 Rosalyn Churchman/The News
encourage females to pick STEM fields, Kelley suggested calling on female students more, not ignoring their raised hands and not interrupting them as they speak. The Murray State ADVANCE program studies the recruitment and retention of women faculty in STEM. They also offer seminars, workshops and mentoring programs. Maeve McCarthy, ADVANCE program director and mathematics professor, said that ADVANCE addresses issues in hopes of changing work environments “Historically, women have been underrepresented in the workforce,” McCarthy said. “Addressing this underrepresentation will lead to more diversity in the workforce, in academia and at Murray State.” Both students and faculty are welcome to attend seminars, McCarthy said, but the primary focus of the program is on female faculty. The program emphasizes the factors that directly affect the faculty at Murray State
and the program’s goals reflect those issues. “We need to retain the women we hire instead of losing them after a few years,” McCarthy said. “A more practical spousal hiring policy would be very helpful. A childcare facility on campus is needed. Bias training for search committees and tenure and promotion committees is needed.” McCarthy said in fall 2017, Murray State had 143 tenure-track or tenured faculty members total in the STEM and Social, Behavior and Economic Sciences Departments. Out of the total, 104 faculty members were male, while only 39 were female. Female faculty and staff at Murray State have also spoken up about the topic of underrepresentation of women in STEM fields. Michelle Casey, a paleoecologist and professor of environmental sciences, said that introducing more women into STEM fields would have societal and global benefits. “Women and any underrepresented minority bring in a diversity of ideas,
backgrounds and experiences to science and engineering, which contributes to more creative approaches and solutions to problems,” Casey said. “We need a mix of men and women and people of all races and ethnicities to go into science and engineering if we hope to create the best solutions to the problems facing society, everything from combating global climate change to determining how to feed our growing population.” Casey’s advice to girls who want to go into the science and engineering field is to “go for it.” “Every woman in science that I know, no matter how successful, has at one time or another felt like a fraud,” Casey said. “Like they weren’t up to the challenge, didn’t belong, or somehow weren’t as good as everyone else thought they were. I think women need to be kinder to themselves and really try to take objective stock of successes and achievements.” To learn more about the Murray State ADVANCE program, visit TheNews. org.
News
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February 7, 2019
Feminine products flow freely on campus Miranda Carpenter Contributing writer mcarpenter4@murraystate.edu
Public universities in Kentucky would be required to provide free feminine hygiene products for students if House Bill 85 passes. State Rep. Attica Scott (D) and State Sen. Julie Raque Adams’ (R) developed the idea for HB 85. Over a dozen co-sponsors are also behind the bill. Scott said she is very excited because it shows there are legislators in Kentucky who understand this is an important issue for young women on college campuses. “There are women in higher education who miss class because they are on their period and don’t necessarily have the money to buy feminine hygiene items they need,” Scott said. Universities would primarily be responsible for
covering the cost of these items. Scott said there will be an opportunity to look at the budget in 2020 to see if universities could have assistance to help alleviate some of the cost. “I will be reaching out to the various university presidents to discuss what it would look like on their campus if the bill passes,” Scott said. “I want to make sure they are part of the conversation as well.” Olivia Bailey, senior from Mount Vernon, Illinois, said she supports the bill and hopes to see it implemented on campuses. “I love this idea,” Bailey said. “Not only could they be kept in bathrooms, but maybe female RAs could keep some for the girls in dorms who either can’t afford feminine products of their own or ran out before they had a chance to go to the store and purchase more.” Murray State already provides multiple options if students need feminine
hygiene products. Students can pick up these items from the food/hygiene pantry. The University currently has a program called “Racers Helping Racers” which provides feminine hygiene products and food items for free. Students who find themselves unable to afford necessities can bring their Racer ID and pick items from the pantry, located in Blackburn Science Building Room 244. To help restock the pantry, Murray State Parking has given faculty, staff and students the option to participate in a program called “Pay it Forward” to eliminate eligible parking citation fees. “Parking Services has included feminine hygiene products as one donation option for the ‘Pay It Forward’ program if the parking citations received is eligible,’” Francie Ray, parking manager, said. Students can also get free feminine hygiene products
from the Women’s Center., located on the first floor of Oakley Applied Science. Products have been donated and purchased with the Center’s budget. “We received many items through a promotional program that Playtex ran a couple of years ago,” Abigail Cox, coordinator of the Women’s Center, said. “The University received several cases in the Student Life Office and the Women’s Center was able to get six of those cases—80 boxes in each— and we have three remaining cases.” Cox said the boxes are available at the front desk. Students don’t have to speak to anyone or fill anything out. They just have to stop by and pick up a box. Kristen Farley, senior from Murray, also started a non-profit organization called Clutch which provides free hygiene items to local schools. “I love this bill,” Farley said. “Instead of focusing
Brock Kirk/The News
Free feminine products are available at the Women’s Center and hygiene pantry. on their monthly woes, women will be able to focus on their education. I
hope they are across campus and directly in bathrooms for easy access.”
Abortion bill sparks debate on and off campus
Cady Stribling
Contributing writer cstribling1@murraystate.edu
A bill was recently proposed that would ban abortions after the detection of a fetal heartbeat by Kentucky legislators. Senate Bill 9 would require the individual providing the abortion to check for a detectable heartbeat before the operation, which can be as early as six weeks. If a fetal heartbeat is discerned, performing the abortion would be prohibited unless it is deemed a medical emergency. It also does not offer any exceptions for rape or incest. Andy Beshear, Kentucky attorney general, sent the state senate president and speaker of the house a letter addressing his concerns
about the bills’ constitutionality. “Courts have held that viability generally occurs around 24 weeks, although the Supreme Court has explained that viability must be a medical and not a legislative decision, which must be made on a case-by-case basis,” Beshear wrote in the letter. “Because a doctor can usually detect a heartbeat at around six weeks, the bill’s blanket prohibition violates every applicable United States Supreme Court and Federal Circuit Court case on the topic.” Beshear also said this bill could potentially lead to a lawsuit against Kentucky if passed, causing the state to lose hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees. State Sen. Matt Castlen, a sponsor of
the bill, said Kentucky is a anti-abortion state and he intends to keep it that way. “Every piece of legislation is subject to legal challenge, but I will continue to fight for the rights of the unborn here in the Commonwealth,” Castlen said. Drew Seib, assistant professor of political science, said that bills like these are sometimes proposed for reasons other than ideology. “Sometimes it’s not always about passing the law,” Seib said. “Sometimes it’s about making… a political statement.” He also said SB 9 has a good chance of passing in Kentucky. In a higher court, however, its chances decrease. “I think it has a very small, infinitesimal chance of actually being
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
upheld in the court system,” Seib said. “Justices have already said during their hearings that they won’t overturn Roe v. Wade. It’s a precedent.” Roe v. Wade, a Supreme Court ruling, legalized abortion in the United States Murray State College Republicans President, J.T. Payne, said he sup-
ports the bill. “I am proud of our Republican-led state legislature for attempting to make Kentucky a pro-life state through and through,” Payne said. “I remain hopeful that conservative lawmakers will continue supporting legislation that is pro-life by limiting abortions and improving our adoption
and foster care systems… Pro-life legislation is proof that members of the Kentucky GOP are ready to lead the way in restoring and protecting high moral standards for our Commonwealth.” However, Murray State College Democrats President, Jordan Kinnett, said the bill unfairly targets Kentuckians who don’t have access to proper abortion care. “This bill will only encourage the use of dangerous and unmonitored abortions in rural Kentucky particularly,” Kinnett said. “If the Commonwealth is interested in preventing rising abortion rates, we ought to encourage proper sex education in our high schools.” To read Beshear’s full letter, visit TheNews. org.
February 7, 2019
Editorial Board Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu Bryce Anglin Production Manager 270-809-5874 zanglin@murraystate.edu Daniella Tebib News Editor 270-809-4468 dtebib@murraystate.edu Sara Howell Features Editor 270-809-5871 showell6@murraystate.edu Blake Sandlin Sports Editor 270-809-4481 bsandlin1@murraystate.edu Megan Reynolds Opinion Editor 270-317-0304 mreynolds12@murraystate.edu David Wallace Chief Copy Editor 270-809-5876 dwallace15@murraystate.edu Connor Dame Ad Sales and Circulation Manager 270-809-4478 cdame2@murraystate.edu Brock Kirk Photography Editor 270-809-5878 jkirk11@murraystate.edu Kalea Anderson Chief Videographer 270-809-5878 kanderson29@murraystate.edu Dr. Stephanie Anderson Adviser • 270-809-3937 sanderson37@murraystate.edu
The News 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 msunews1927@gmail.com Fax: (270) 809-3175
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NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE
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Exposing the Pink Tax Ohio women can start saying their goodbyes to the “pink tax” on feminine hygiene products. The House passed House Bill 545 on Dec. 5 of 2018 and was passed on to the Senate the following day. The bill works with independent businesses owners and their ability to impose a sales tax. That’s not all, though. Rep. Brigid Kelly, D-Cincinnati, proposed to the House that it also fold in the elimination of the “pink tax.” The “pink tax” is the feminist concept that products made for and aimed at women are taxed more. Some of the more controversial taxed products include feminine hygiene products like tampons, panty liners, hygiene napkins and menstrual cups. The tax brings into question sexism and the concept that corporations could be intentionally targeting women. A study done by the New York City Department of Consumer Affairs shows that not only are products marketed toward women taxed more, but they are also more expensive in general. The study also shows some of the major areas of price differences. Clothing and toys are targets, but the market that may in fact be the most affected is personal care. Shampoos and conditioners average a 48-percent difference in price, razors average an 11-percent difference and body wash averages a 6-percent difference. While some of these differences may seem miniscule, the overall average difference in price for personal care products is 13 percent. This 13-percent price difference can be monumental, especially for women who come from low-income households. The “pink tax” isn’t purely a tax. It’s an entire price jump, simply for being a woman. The bill proposed by Kelly would remove the tax on such feminine hygiene products. It passed in the Ohio House of Representatives 84 to 1, with Tom Brinkman, R-Summit being the only dissenter. Should the bill be passed in the Senate, Ohio could lose an estimated $4 million per year in sales tax revenue. This is a seemingly small fee when women are spending $78 million per year on these products. Kentucky is working on a similar bill, House Bill 85, which would require public universities to provide a minimum of one type of feminine hygiene product free for students on campus. Removing the tax is a definite step in the right direction; women do not choose to menstruate, they do it naturally. This was one of the points Kelly brought up in defense 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.
Autumn Brown/The News
of her bill. Why punish women for something they cannot control? When menstruating is seen as a choice, as a luxury, the picture of the feminine body is being twisted into something it’s not. Yet hygiene products meant for women’s reproductive health are taxed as if they were luxury items. If the potential $4-million loss is a severe concern for some, it shouldn’t be. It could be quite easily reclaimed. Placing higher taxes on things such as cigarettes, alcohol, vape necessities and other products actually seen as luxury items would be a good start. One of the best parts of this bill is the relief it would bring to women who struggle to make ends meet. Feminine hygiene products are expensive. Sales taxes only add to that expense. Companies make them expensive because 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.
they know that, no matter what, women absolutely have to have them. They are one of those inevitable necessities in every woman’s life. Perhaps one of the biggest upsets in this topic is that men’s razors are not taxed. They are not viewed as luxuries in the way that women’s razors, let alone feminine hygiene products, are. It is a true testimony to the sexism and inequality that seem to be covertly embedded within society. Many people don’t even realize that there is such a thing as the “pink tax.” It’s time to expose it. As a matter of fact, it’s beyond time to expose this injustice. Ohio is definitely keeping injustice in mind as they fight this issue. Taking the tax down is the first step. Holding the corporations that impose the tax accountable for their actions is next.
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.
Sports
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February 7, 2019
License to Coach At long last, Caetano granted work visa to continue coaching Blake Sandlin Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
Jorge Caetano had every reason to think the 2017-18 season with the Murray State women’s tennis team was going to be his last. Caetano, who has served as head coach since 2014, is an international student from Niteroi, Brazil. A former Murray State tennis player himself, Caetano inherited the head coaching position for the women’s team, while he was still in graduate school at Murray State. Since then, his life has been a balancing act of education and coaching. In order to stay in the States and work under the terms of his student visa, Caetano had to also be a full-time student. So for two and a half years, that’s what he did: worked and studied – until he couldn’t anymore. While he was still pursuing his master’s degree, Caetano attempted to apply for a work visa (which would allow three years residency) to remain in the country coaching after he finished school. However, that attempt failed, and Caetano decided he would apply again after receiving his degree. Caetano admits now, part of the problem was how he was applying. He decided to apply for a different visa, this time the O-1 visa, which is reserved for an “individual who possesses extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business or athletics,” according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ website. Caetano graduated from Murray State in December 2016 with his MBA. Fortunately, international students are granted the option of applying for a one-year work permit after receiving a degree. Caetano capitalized on that permit, and spent 2017 with the assurance of U.S. residency. As his one-year work permit was beginning to expire, he applied for another work visa. In the meantime, he continued to coach his team into their spring season despite the tumult in his personal life. With the spring semester set to begin and still awaiting a response from his last application, Caetano and his team competed in their spring kickoff tournament at Troy University in
Troy, Alabama. On the way back from the tournament, they were met with inclement weather that would ultimately close Murray State University for the first week of classes, from Jan. 15 through Jan. 19. What began as a nuisance for the Brazil native – who is accustomed to average temperatures of high 70s in
When I got the news on Saturday, I still had time to enroll in a new masters and start school again.” And so began another year of hitting the reset button, a precarious year of coaching and studying in order to be eligible for a student visa. Caetano continued to pursue a work visa all the while, despite receiving his third
Gage Johnson/The News
Women’s tennis Head Coach Jorge Caetano looks on during his team’s practice on Tuesday, Feb. 5. January – ultimately turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “I hated the snow,” Caetano said. “But then they cancelled class for the whole first week. On Saturday, we were leaving to play Middle Tennessee, I got the news that my visa had been denied. I was like ‘Holy [crap]. I got denied again.’ I was a little lost; I didn’t know what to do now because I had finished my MBA. What else could I do? Luckily enough, the snow that I hated so much postponed all the due dates one more week. So for you to enroll in a new course, to enroll in class, everything was the next week.
rejection in 2018. Caetano blames cultural differences as the reason behind his continued rejection. Although he has certainly accrued his fair share of accomplishments as a player and coach – achieving a No. 1 singles spot as a player, an 8-1 OVC record last year as a coach and a Top-25 recruiting class – his government didn’t understand the magnitude of his accolades. “My playing background, that’s one thing that the government doesn’t see when they are giving you the visa or not,” Caetano said. “Like if you play Division II or Division III or JUCO
and you are an All-American, they are only going to see that ‘Oh, he’s an All-American.’ They don’t see that I played DI tennis, and for me to be an All-American, it’s almost impossible and be at Murray State. But if I played Division II or III, I would have them because the level is much lower. They just don’t see them.” While all of this was happening in the background, Caetano was stewarding a Division I program in the foreground. Sure, he was enrolled full-time in classes, but you wouldn’t know it. Caetano led his team to a 14-8 season and a trip to the OVC tennis semi-finals – quite the upgrade considering their 7-12 season a year prior. Throughout all of the success, the thought of being forced to leave the program he loved loomed heavily in his mind and in the minds of his players. “I never told them all the details or anything, but they knew I was going back to school, and I kind of wanted to explain to them, especially the new ones, because when I recruit them they want me to be their coach,” Caetano said. “We have a really good relationship with all of them; they love being here. They’re always asking me, ‘Coach what about your visa?’ Every week, ‘What about your visa?’ ‘What about your visa?’ I was very positive about it. I’m like that as a coach of my team, so I always try to be like that in my life, too. Like everything’s going to be fine and everything, but you never know until you actually get it.” Staff in the athletics department knew of the tumultuous few years Caetano had endured, and did their best to keep him encouraged, though all the while knowing they could be searching for a new women’s tennis coach soon. “It was the elephant in the room,” Interim Athletic Director, Velvet Milkman said. “We didn’t talk about it a lot; we tried to keep it positive, but we knew. We all knew that it was a possibility, so we just continued to work hard and were hoping that we didn’t have to go down that route. Fortunately, we didn’t.” However, thanks to work from his lawyers, Caetano was able to convince the Brazilian government of the magnitude of his accomplishments. After four applications, eight semesters of
February 7, 2019
graduate school and a whopping 1300 page file, he finally got the news he was looking for. In October 2018, Caetano learned his work visa was approved, granting three years residency in the U.S. Now that the burden had finally been lifted, he decided to have some fun with it and play a prank on his team. “I texted the group and said, ‘You know how much I want to keep coaching you guys and everything, my visa process has been so tough, but I have some news for you,’” Caetano recalled. “‘Unfortunately, you’re stuck with me for the next few years.’ They’re all like, ‘Oh my goodness, coach, don’t do that to me!’” His team even surprised him with a cake they made to celebrate the news. Stasya Sharapova, a sophomore on the team, was relieved when she heard the news. “We’re so happy that he finally got his visa,” Sharapova said. “He’s an irreplacable coach for us here, and the entire team is just so happy for him and his wife. Now we can all just focus on our season and hopefully win the championship.” Caetano is still grateful for those in the athletics department that stood by
Sports his side, despite all of the bumps in the road that arose along the way. “It could’ve been easier for them to just hire an American so they wouldn’t have to go through all that,” Caetano said. “They trust my work here with the girls. We’ve been doing a pretty good job, and they always wanted to keep trying with me, so it was really, really important. (Former athletic director) Mr. [Allen] Ward was always supporting me, and now Velvet was always helping me through this process.” Now that he’s settled, Caetano can finally concentrate on what brought him into coaching in the first place: mentoring athletes. Sure, he knows the intricacies of the sport, but his true value lies in his unique ability to relate to the needs of his players, eight of whom are international students just like him. “He knows the game, but his strength is the relationship with his players,” Milkman said. “He is a mentor for them. They respect him, and they play hard for him. It’s been fun to see the look on their faces when they found out that finally, he’s our coach. It weighs on the back of their mind. It’s going to be the best season yet for his team from that aspect so they don’t have that in the back of their mind.”
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Photo courtesy of Jorge Caetano
Jorge Caetano’s tennis team surprised him with a cake to celebrate getting his visa approved.
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February 7, 2019
Student Government Association applications are available at www.murraystate.edu/sga or in the Center for Student Involvement office, 111 Curris Center. Positions:
President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Executive Vice President - must be: Junior by fall semester, 2.7 gpa Vice President of Administration - 2.7 gpa Vice President of Finance - 2.7 gpa Senator At Large – 8 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Business – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College Education & Human Services – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College of Humanities & Fine Arts – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa College Science, Engineering & Technology – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa Hutson School of Agriculture – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa School of Nursing & Health Professionals – 3 positions, 2.0 gpa RCA President - 2.7 gpa RCA Vice President – 2.7 gpa RCA Secretary/Treasurer, 2.7 gpa Residential College Senators, 2.0 gpa (2 per Residential College) **ALL RCA officers must have lived in residential college 1 year prior to election Applications due MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2019 at NOON in the CSI office. MANDATORY CANDIDATES MEETING Curris Center Theater, 3rd floor, 4 pm Elections: ON-LINE VOTING, MONDAY, MARCH 11, 2019 AT 12:01 A.M. THROUGH TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019 AT 11:59 PM Senate Chair: Elections/Ways & Means – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Public Relations, 1 position, 2.0 gpa University Affairs – 1 position, 2.0 gpa MultiMedia – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Government Relations – 1 position, 2.0 gpa Diversity & Inclusion - 1 position, 2.0 gpa Enrollment Management & Student Success - 1 position, 2.0 gpa Chief of Staff - 1 position, 2.0 gpa Applications due TUESDAY, APRIL 2 at NOON in the CSI office. Judicial Board – 10 members, must be a Junior by fall semester, 2.0 gpa Applications due TUESDAY, APRIL 2 at NOON in the CSI office. Campus Activities Board – 12 chair positions, 2.0 gpa Applications due TUESDAY, APRIL 2 at NOON in the CSI office.
Sports
February 7, 2019
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Football getting ‘down and derby’ in offseason competition Nigel Walton Contributing writer nwalton1@murraystate.edu
The Murray State football team’s season ended almost three months ago, but its coaching staff has engineered an innovative new way to keep players competitive in the meantime. The competition, called Derby Days, was the creation of Head Coach Mitch Stewart and conditioning coach John Clay, who came up with the idea as a way to identify leaders and make the team more accountable. There are six teams of 13, with each team led by a captain and a co-captain. The Racer football team will host a competition among the teams every Friday, which will last around eight to 10 weeks, through spring football. Stewart decided on the name Derby Days as a means of promoting the pride around the school’s mascot. “There are a lot of tigers, bears, lions, eagles, that are used for mascots; there is only one Racer,” Stewart said. “I have a lot of pride in that name and mascot. So everything we do or have I try to relate back to Racers, horses, running, racing. Same reason why we call the locker room the Stables and the team room the Paddock and each locker room Stalls.” Everything done during Derby Days is all player
Dark Chocolate COconut Hazelnut
based. The coaches have no impact on who is selected as captains or who is drafted. “I got with a select few of the seniors that were outgoing from last year and asked them of the guys coming back who would you like to see in a leadership role,” Stewart said of the selection process. Team one’s captains are free safety Dior Johnson and tight end James Sappington. Team two’s captains are right tackle Cam Carter and cornerback Quinaz Turner. Team three’s captains are defensive tackle Chris Stahl and wide receiver Malik Honeycutt. Team four’s captains are wide receiver Jared McCray and center Levi Nesler. Team five’s captains are quarterback Preston Rice and running back Rodney Castille, and team six’s captains are middle linebacker Kendrick Catis and tight end Jensen Feggins. Once the teams were chosen, the captains went into a separate room as if they were NFL general managers. Attempting to emulate an NFL Draft, the team had a draft board set up with all the current players on the roster, allowing each captain to hand-pick his roster. “The whole essence of the deal is just trying to create leadership, you know, and our mission statement here is to develop people academ-
love
Blake Sandlin/The News
Jockey Jamie Wolfzorn encourages Racer One to round the track following a Murray State touchdown. ically, socially, spiritually and athletically, and I think socially and athletically that boils down to leadership and leadership skills.” Stewart said. Derby Days kicked off on Jan. 25. One of the five competitions included a plate push where each team member had to push a 25 pound plate 20 yards, 10 yards down and 10 yards back. The first day of Derby Days ended with team four, led by McCray and Nesler finishing on top with 30 points. “We got to see the com-
petitive drive between the teammates,” Clay said. “Like who’s actually going to compete, who’s actually going to sit in the back, who wants to push their teammates to win, who kind of just sits in the back.” The Racers only had one competition last Friday. It was a relay where the teams had to pick up onepound metal bars. There were 13 total bars to pick up. Each bar was placed in two and a half yard increments going 30 yards down the field. The teams would start
at the goal line and run and compete to see which team could get all the bars back to the starting point. One player would go at a time from each team, and when that following player returned, the next player went to go grab a bar. Some teams strategized to let the fastest players on their respective squads go first and get the furthest bar and let the slowest players get the ones closer to the starting point. A very competitive event ended in a sudden death between team two, led by Turner and Carter,
and team five, led by Rice and Castille. The current standings have team four tied with team six, led by Catis and Feggins. The competitions will continue each Friday morning during the teams’ outside conditioning. Even outside of the lines, Murray State’s football team is doing its part to ensure they’re prepared for life inside the lines come late August. The team will officially begin its season on Aug. 29 against the University of Pikeville.
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Four means more: Rifle takes fourth-straight OVC crown
Keenan Hall Staff writer
khall16@murraystate.edu
For the fourth consecutive year, Murray State rifle brought home the OVC crown at Jacksonville State with a 4685 aggregate. The Racers seized their 14th OVC title this weekend, and sixth under Head Coach Alan Lollar. Senior Barbara Schläpfer shot a match-high 590 in smallbore and 594 in air rifle, finishing with an 1184 aggregate for the match. “Our entire team performed well, and I think we learned some things that could help us in the near future,” Lollar said. Murray State senior MacKenzie Martin shot a 588 in air rifle, and senior Alathea Sellars followed with a 587. Another senior, Eric Sloan, had a crucial weekend for his squad, shooting a 585 in air rifle. Racer junior Shelby Huber shot a second-best smallbore score of 581. “While this was a total team effort, I would like to say something about Eric
Sloan,” Lollar said. “No one works harder, and this weekend he came up big in a big match.” To go along with the championship, several Racers received All-OVC honors for their consistent performance all season. Schläpfer was named the OVC’s smallbore and air rifle Athlete of the Year. This weekend also marked the fifthstraight year a Murray State athlete was voted the top smallbore shooter and the fourth-straight year a Racer was named the top air-rifle shooter. Huber was voted first team AllOVC, while Sellars, Martin, and junior Meike Drewell were voted to the second team. Martin was voted first-team All-OVC in air rifle, along with her classmate Schläpfer. Lollar was also named OVC Coach of the Year for the seventh time. With a week off to rest and train, Murray State will turn its focus toward the NCAA Qualifiers. The Racers will shoot against the University of Nebraska-Lincoln at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 17, at Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.
February 7, 2019
Want to surprise your Valentine with a message in the Feb. 14 edition of The Murray State News? Deadline is Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m.
$5.00- up to 15 words $7.00- up to 30 words with a photo
Cash payments can be made at The Murray State News’ office. 111 Wilson Hall
Do you want to be a 2019 Great Beginnings Leader? Great Beginnings Leaders (GBLs) are the first people to make a positive impression on our new students and their families as they join the Racer Family. Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics
Murray State’s rifle team poses with its fourth-consecutive OVC Championship trophy.
*Minimum qualifications of 2.5 GPA is required. Deadline for Application: March 15, 2019 To apply and learn more about becoming a GBL go to: www.murraystate.edu/GBL New this fall! Chance to earn $250 scholarship and/or flex money.
February 7, 2019
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NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE
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Need help? Use myPlan An app for those in abusive relationships
Claire Smith Contributing writer csmith110@murraystate.edu
Voicing concerns about a relationship, whether it is platonic or romantic, can be difficult. Murray State wants to make students aware of the signs of an abusive relationship through the app. MyPlan is an app that you can download onto your phone or computer for free. The website describes the app as a tool to help with safety decisions. This app helps users decide if a relationship is healthy. It also helps provide users with a safety plan if they’re in an unhealthy relationship. Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing created the app after several years of research. Abigail Cox, Women’s Center coordinator, discovered the app during a conversation about safety planning. “I think one of the features that makes the app so useful for college students is that it can be used either as a tool for personal assessment or as a resource for assessing the situation of a friend,” Cox said. “Often times in unhealthy relationships, friends, family members and peers are the first to notice the warning signs and become concerned.” The app eliminates in-person contact for users who aren’t ready to speak to someone in person. “While the Women’s Center offers in-person, one-on-one
support, not everyone is ready to talk to a person face to face,” Cox said. She said having apps like this one can provide someone with information that could encourage them to seek help from campus resources. Desiree Hall, sophomore from Bardstown, Kentucky, said apps like this one could be beneficial because not everyone recognizes that they or someone they know is in an unhealthy relationship. “Navigating situations surrounding abusive relationships can be very delicate, so any tips to guide someone through that would be very helpful,” Hall said. She said apps like this one are helpful because it could inform college students of what is and isn’t healthy in a relationship. The app takes you through six sections with the final sections suggesting a plan of action. The app also requires that you use a password so that only you have access to the information you have provided. It is one of the first apps to offer an interactive safety guide. There are several other resources that eliminate in-person contact. Websites that help those in abusive relationships are “Love is Respect,” “The Hotline” and “RAINN.” Each of these resources have a call-in service and an online chat. “Love is Respect” also features a texting service. All of these resources are free and available 24/7.
Milli Cecil/The News
Photo courtesy of Michael Greene
Greene plans to study abroad in Chile with the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.
Greene awarded scholarship Claire Smith Contributing writer csmith110@murraystate.edu
The Benjamin A. Gilman
International Scholarship helps students who receive Pell Grants study abroad. Other eligibility terms include: being a U.S. citizen, an undergraduate in good standing at an accredited institution and applying to a study abroad program in a country with a travel advisory of level one or two. The scholarship, established in 2001, is run by the Institute of International Education. The program is also part of the U.S. Department of State. Michael Greene, senior from Cadiz, Kentucky, is a Computer Science and Nonprofit double major with a minor in Spanish. He was awarded the scholarship for the spring 2019 semester and was one of 844 undergraduate recipients from across the U.S. In order to apply for the scholarship Greene
had to submit an application and an essay. The Gilman Scholarship and will give Greene the opportunity to network as well as visit Chile, the location of the study abroad program. Greene is an Army veteran, having retired in July 2016, and is focusing on his academic career. During his time in the Army, he spent over six years deployed after Sept. 11. He also traveled to the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Germany and Spain. Greene said his time in the army helped him prepare for his trip to Chile because it exposed him to traveling. After he has completed his time abroad, Greene will have to submit a project as part of the program. Robyn Pizzo, education abroad advisor, said about five to 10 Murray State students apply for this scholarship. “Of those, we have a fairly high success rate of
students being awarded the scholarship,” Pizzo said. “Since it is a national external scholarship, it is a competitive process against other students from all over the country.” Pizzo works with students to make their essays for the scholarship “as competitive as possible.” “Michael was a highly-motivated student and we were happy to provide him with lots of support through the application process for his study abroad program in Chile and his scholarship applications,” Pizzo said. If a student is looking to study abroad it is best to begin planning 6 months in advance because each program has its own deadline. Students can study abroad in the spring, summer, fall or for a full academic year. Applications for summer 2019 and the 2019-20 school year are still open. For more information, visit the Education Abroad website.
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February 7, 2019