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November 21, 2019 | Vol. 94, No. 12

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A different perspective

Students voice their concerns about campus accessibility

Brock Kirk/The News

Addison Watson Staff Writer awatson25@murraystate.edu Students opened up to The News about their concerns with accessibility for students with disabilities on campus.

Jordan Lowe, senior from Frankfort, Illinois, has cerebral palsy. According to the Centers for Disease Control, cerebral palsy is a mobility disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture.

Lowe utilizes a wheelchair to aid in his mobility. While Lowe does have some mobility in his lower body and complete control of his upper body, he faces challenges and inconveniences that sometimes get in the way of his education.

“My case of cerebral palsy is minor when considering

News Opinion Sports Features

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the spectrum of how severe my situation could be,” Lowe said. “I have the ability to pull doors open and stand up if necessary.”

Lowe has a class on the eighth floor of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center. In order for him to use the restroom, he has to take the elevator down to the third floor, where his wheelchair will fit through the doorway.

“There are handicap-accessible restrooms, but it is a real pain to have to waste what should take five minutes at the most to use the bathroom, to suddenly taking 15 minutes because I have to go to a different floor, just to use the bathroom,” Lowe said.

Lowe said he frequently encounters the issue of students without disabilities using the Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant restroom stalls.

“I have no issue with other students using the larger handicap stall, but when that is the only one I can get my wheelchair into, it frustrates me,” Lowe said. “It makes me have to wait and sometimes I don’t have time to wait.”

Lowe also said in order for him to get inside Pogue Library, he has to take a special route. Without elevators in the library, the only way for Lowe to get inside is to take the exterior corridor between Pogue Library and the Lowry Center.

After taking the wheelchair access ramp down to the Lowry Center, Lowe has to ride the elevator up to the second floor and then must go through the exterior corridor to be met by a door that he said is frequently locked.

Once Lowe makes it through the locked door, he then has

access to the main floor of Pogue Library. When the time comes to leave, he has to reverse the steps he took to get inside Pogue, just to get out.

“I hate Pogue Library,” Lowe said. “It’s a pain in my butt just to get into.”

Lowe said he believed that while all of the ramps on Murray State’s campus are wide enough to comply with the ADA, they are not conducive for all wheelchairs or motor scooters.

“Most of the time, I don’t have any issues with the ramps, but I know some of my peers who are in motor scooters do,” Lowe said. “The ramps become an issue when you meet someone coming the other direction and there is no way to go.”

According to ADA guidelines, wheelchair ramps must be a minimum width of 36

inches. California and Massachusetts amended their ADA code to require all wheelchair ramps to be 48 inches wide to better aid their wheelchair-using communities.

Lowe said he would like to see them either widened or only used by students with disabilities.

However, Lowe said he sometimes has issues with the wheelchair ramps on campus during inclement weather, particularly the Lowry Center ramp.

“The ramp is steep, long and scary as hell,” Lowe said.

“If it’s icy or slick, I just laugh.”

Though Lowe wishes accessibility could be improved on campus, he is happy with the way Murray State has treated him.

CLEP provides affordablecourse credit for students

Chick-fil-A’s contradictory statementscause confusion

Racersplace31st in NCAA Southeast Regional

Racer Band reunion brings alumni home

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see ACCESSIBILITY page 4

News

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November 21, 2019

American Government American Literature Analyzing & Interpreting Literature Biology Calculus Chemistry College Algebra College Composition College Mathematics English Literature Financial Accounting French Language German Language History of the United States History of the United States II Human Growth & Development

Source: murraystate.edu/testingcenter

Humanities Information Systems Introductory Business Law Introductory Psychology Introductory Sociology Natural Sciences Precalculus Principles of Macroeconomics Principles of Management Principles of Marketing Principles of Microeconomics Social Sciences & History Spanish Language Western Civilization I Western Civilization II

Colton Colglazier/The News

11:23AM

Theft was reported in Hester College after items were taken from a room on Nov. 5.

The investigation is still open.

9:34PM

11/12

Multiple crimes were reported at Roy Stewart Stadium and an officer conducted a traffic stop for careless driving. The driver was also cited for receiving stolen property under $500 and possession of an open alcoholic beverage.

1:00PM

Multiple crimes were reported at Roy Stewart Stadium on Nov. 7. Four counts of criminal mischief were reported after four vehicles were damaged. Theft by unlawful taking and attempted theft were also reported. Suspects were arrested.

6:32PM

Marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found in a dorm room at Elizabeth College.

A citation was issued.

11/13

CLEP Exams Available Subjects

The fee for each CLEP exam taken at Murray State is $87 payable to CLEP and $20 payable to the University, for a total of $107 per course.

“While there are those administrations which may feel that CLEP exams take away from the profitability of their respective institutions by decreasing revenue from class tuition, there are others who feel it is in the best interest of current and future students to help them decrease the cost of attending college, aid in retention and graduating their students in a timely manner,” Patterson said. “The cost of a CLEP test, even with a possible retake, is still far less than the cost of the average college class. This not only helps students save money, but can also accelerate degree completion so they can get started making a living.”

Taylor Pierce, senior from Paducah, Kentucky, who has received course credit from taking the CLEP tests.

“I think for the price of the exam that it is very beneficial to college students,” Pierce said. “I don’t think high schools or colleges tell students about CLEP exams.

I have taken several now and being able to test out of those classes has helped me advance quicker in my degree.”

Pierce believes the only major downside to taking CLEP courses is that students do not receive a letter grade for the course. The result is recorded as a pass or fail on a student’s transcript.

“So you [don’t receive an] A on your transcript that you could’ve gotten for [having] taken the [class], but it is worth it to get college credits for cheaper,” Pierce said.

“I feel like you may not get as much knowledge from the CLEP exam as you would in a classroom, but you do get the basics.”

Thirty four exams are offered for different courses that cover intro-level college material. By passing one CLEP exam, you could earn three or more college credits at more than 2,900 U.S. colleges and universities.

A list of courses for which CLEP credit can be earned can be found at the Testing Center. Contact information for the testing center can be found at TheNews.org.

9:52AM

11/17 11/16 11/14

As the deadline for scheduling approaches, students can avoid taking core classes by earning college credits through the College Level Examination Program.

CLEP, a type of prior learning assessment similar to AP exams, allows students to earn credits for classes in which they already have a solid foundation of knowledge. CLEP credits can allow students to get a head start on their education, as students can receive a certain number of credit hours based on how university courses equate to each score.

“While there are many reasons someone decides to take a CLEP exam, the two [primary] groups are incoming students who may have taken AP courses in high school, but for whatever reason did not take the AP exam and college seniors who, for whatever reason, need a particular credit in order to graduate,” Zebreina Patterson, testing center supervisor, said. “There is also a very small segment of home-schoolers who have taken CLEP exams here.”

Murray State offers CLEP testing on an appointment basis. Students can contact the Testing Center to schedule a date and time to take

an exam. After scheduling an appointment, students can visit the CLEP website to create an account and purchase an exam. The student must bring an admission ticket, a government-issued ID and the test administration fee to the scheduled appointment.

CLEP tests are generally 90 minutes in length. If taken at Murray State, a copy of the exam results will be automatically sent to the Transfer Center. The official CLEP score is sent from the College Board within two to three weeks.

Students cannot take the exam if they have already taken the class which they are trying to test out of.

Even if a student only attends the first class session, they will be prohibited from taking the exam. However, there are no age restrictions on the exam and no limits on the amount of credit hours one can receive from CLEP exams.

“Anyone can register to take a CLEP test at any national CLEP testing center,” Jennifer Husemann, assistant director for undergraduate admissions and the Transfer Center, said. “At this time, there is no limit [on how many CLEP hours Murray State will accept. However], students cannot take the CLEP exam and count it as a repeat of a course already completed.”

11:17PM

11/18

Sarah Mead Staff Writer smead@murraystate.edu

11/11

CLEP provides affordable course credit for students

Harassing communications were reported on campus after unwanted communication occurred via text message on Sept. 18.

The investigation is still open.

Criminal mischief was reported in H.C. Franklin College after property was damaged. The investigation is still open.

11:40AM

Multiple crimes were reported at Elizabeth College. Subject was cited for possession of marijuana and alcohol.

6:35PM

Harassment was reported at J.H. Richmond College after a reporter stated they were a victim of harassment. The investigation is still open.

12:39AM

Possession of drug paraphernalia and DUI were reported at Regents College after subject inside a parked running vehicle was intoxicated and in possession of paraphernalia.

The subject was arrested.

Police Beat is compiled with material from the Murray State Crime and Fire Log. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Colton Colglazier/The News

Correction: On Thursday, Nov. 7, The Murray State News incorrectly stated Ben Littlepage was in South Korea while participating in events that he was actually in Hungary for. The News deeply regrets this error.

November 21, 2019

News

Citizens Police Academy

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Vehicle accident reconstruction, traffic stops and polygraphs Addison Watson Staff Writer awatson25@murraystate.edu The sixth night of the Murray Police Department Citizens Police Academy consisted of vehicle accident reconstruction, traffic stops and the use of polygraphs.

Officer Mark Balentine has been a police officer for 22 years. Balentine started his career with the Murray PD. He also has worked for the Calloway County Sheriff’s Office and the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office. Five years ago, Balentine decided to return to Murray to finish his career.

Balentine starts his day off in the morning at 5 a.m. He works the road as a patrol officer, but has a specialty in accident reconstruction. In 2002, Balentine went to accident reconstruction school in Jacksonville, Florida, where he attended the Institute of Police Technology and Management.

Vehicle Accident Reconstruction While at IPTM, Balentine learned how to take the evidence from a scene and reconstruct it in complete detail using software programming to find out crucial details of a vehicle accident. He can measure the tire tracks on a roadway and determine the minimum speed a vehicle had to be traveling in order to leave the tracks.

Balentine also informed attendees in the case of a fatality, he can remove the airbag control module from the vehicle, which tells him how fast the vehicle was traveling at the time of impact, the engine rpms and whether the vehicle was accelerating or decelerating.

Balentine said when he removes the airbag control module from a vehicle and compares the data with his own calculations, he is generally consistent with the module.

“With the newer technology, I don’t have to hand calculate everything anymore,” Balentine said. “I calculated the speed out of a vehicle accident one time by hand and came up with 72 mph.

The airbag control module said 74.”

Balentine said generally around the Murray area, he only reconstructs about one accident a year. When he was working in Marshall County, he reconstructed nearly 20 accidents a year.

“With higher speeds like you see along I-24, the Purchase Parkway and other faster roadways, there is

going to be a higher number of fatalities,” Balentine said.

Speed is not the only contributing factor to the severity of a crash. Balentine said the weight of a vehicle can drastically affect the damage involved in a wreck, and drivers have to be conscientious of what they are doing on the road.

“One of the highest contributing factors from what I have observed when working wrecks is when drivers overcorrect their vehicle,” Balentine said. “They may fall off the side of the shoulder on a roadway and then jerked the wheel the other way - that is when they wreck their vehicle.”

Balentine said if there is a way to train yourself as a driver to not overcorrect your vehicle and panic, then do so.

“It is just something drivers need to keep in the back of their mind,” Balentine said.

Balentine was sure to mention that wearing a seatbelt is undoubtedly the easiest and safest thing you can do when getting into a vehicle. In one instance, Balentine showed the attendees a seatbelt he had extracted from a vehicle that had saved a person’s life.

The seatbelt had a friction burn on it from where it had prevented a person from colliding with the steering column of the vehicle.

“Seatbelts are incredibly strong,” Balentine said. “If that person hadn’t been wearing their seatbelt, they would not be alive today.”

Besides accident reconstruction, Balentine discussed his normal patrol duties, specifically making traffic stops and administering field sobriety tests to potentially impaired drivers.

Traffic Stops Balentine has been making traffic stops for his whole career, but he is always extremely cautious when approaching a vehicle.

“There is no such thing as a no-risk traffic stop,” Balentine said. “You always want to be conscious, not only of the people you are stopping, but of your surroundings too. You have to think about your overall safety and the people on the road.”

If Balentine stops a vehicle he is suspicious of for driving under the influence, he will administer field sobriety tests to the driver to determine their level of intoxication. Balentine uses three main tests.

The first test is a one-legged stand test where the driver is asked to stand on one foot with their other foot approximately six inches off the ground. The driver then counts out loud to

Brad Simmons, Citizens Police Academy attendee, takes a field sobriety test.

30 or until Balentine instructs them to stop doing the test.

The second test is a walk and turn test where the driver is asked to take 10 heel-totoe steps, pivot 180 degrees and then take 10 heel-to-toe steps back the other direction.

During these two tests, Balentine looks for specific cues to determine if a person is under the influence of alcohol or a narcotic.

Balentine then conducts a horizontal gaze nystagmus test. He does so to check if a driver can focus on a stimulus with their eyes, usually with the tip of a pen or a small light, and to see if their eyes have an involuntary jerking movement.

“Messing up one part of one test is not going to fail someone,” Balentine said. “I will take into consideration all three of the tests administered and then make a decision from there.”

Balentine will also give a preliminary breath test, which is used to detect alcohol on the breath. It is not admissible in court as evidence, but rather to show alcohol was on the breath of the driver.

Once Balentine has arrested a person for driving under the influence, he transports them to the hospital where he must read an implied consent form to the person he is going to administer a breath, blood or urine test to. If he does not read the form verbatim, his entire case can get dismissed in court.

Kentucky is a multi-testing state, which means an officer can request any type of test he wishes to prove intoxication based on his judgement.

If the arrested person refuses, it will be documented as refusal in a court of law.

The arrested person also can request a separate test to be given to them by a nurse, doctor, phlebotomist or any other medical professional licensed to do so. However, the test is afforded to them at their own cost.

In addition to these tests, the Calloway County Jail is equipped with an intoxilyzer, which is a breath test machine that is calibrated by the state and offers a level of intoxication that is permitted in court.

The machine can also detect if a person is a diabetic and not intoxicated due to alcohol or a narcotic, but rather their regular body levels are irregular causing them to act in a strange manner.

Brad Simmons, an attendee of the Citizens Police Academy, was put through the field sobriety test.

“It was a little nerve wracking,” Simmons said. “I was thinking just focus on the task at hand.”

Simmons said when he drinks socially, knowing the tasks he would have to accomplish in a field sobriety test, that there is no way he could pass.

“Having to count from 1-30, if you’re on the fence as to if you could do it or not, you probably are going to fail,” Simmons said.

Polygraphs To end the night, Tim Fortner, a patrol officer with the Murray PD, gave a demonstration of how a polygraph test is administered and how

Brock Kirk/The News

the results can be used to determine if someone is telling the truth.

Fortner went to polygraph school in 2002 at Nashville State Community College.

However, the school is no longer offered there now.

“Initially, I went to polygraph school as a backup plan,” Fortner said. “If I could no longer perform the duties as a police officer, I would have a plan to fall back on.”

Fortner said while the polygraph machine is commonly known as a “lie detector test,” it is also a truth test. It’s intended to determine if someone was telling the truth. The Murray PD uses the polygraph for hiring purposes and in criminal investigations on rare occasions.

The polygraph measures heart rate, bodily sweating increases, blood pressure changes and other biological factors that are associated with lying.

When the test is being administered, a baseline or control is established. If a person does not tell the complete truth, a biological variance will occur and will be reflected on Fortner’s program.

One attendee underwent the polygraph machine for demonstration purposes.

The next Citizens Police Academy will be held on Monday, Nov. 25, where courtroom procedures will be discussed.

Addison Watson is a staff writer for The Murray State News.

As part of his assignment, he is attending the Citizens Police Academy at the Murray Police Department to write this series of stories. You can find all of his articles in the series at TheNews.org.

News

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ACCESSIBILITY From Page 1 “I am graduating in a few weeks,” Lowe said. “I am [raising awareness] more as a way to help Murray [State] improve for future students who might have a disability.”

Ken Ashlock, director of the Office of Student Disability Services, said Murray State strives to make accommodations for students at their request.

“It is very much a collaborative effort between our office, the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity and Access, and Facilities Management to address student concerns, and we do try to address them in a timely manner,” Ashlock said.

After expressing his concerns to Ashlock, the two toured campus so that Lowe could point out some of the areas where he has had issues.

Some of those concerns included the doorbell at the entrance to Pogue Library. They have since been addressed by the University.

“The Office of IDEA shared with me that the doorbell at the accessible entrance into Pogue Library has been replaced,” Ashlock said.

Another concern brought to Ashlock’s attention was related to the accessible entrance on the north side of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Center.

“When the activation button is pressed there is a significant delay in the door automatically opening,” Lowe said. “This issue has been brought to the attention of Facilities Management as well.”

Lowe said the University administration has been very accommodating during his time at Murray State.

“I have an ADA-compliant room to live in,” Lowe said. “It allows me to live independently and I enjoy being able to do so because I know that not all students have this ability.”

Lowe’s room meets ADA guidelines and makes for an easier living arrangement. His bathroom has handrails adjacent to the toilet as well as in his shower. His shower has a folding bench for him to sit on and a detachable shower head to use. Lowe’s room also has a doorbell and a large flashing light that is activated when the doorbell button is clicked.

Some of the accommodations inside Lowe’s groundfloor room do not directly benefit him, but they benefit other students with disabilities. Lowe said when his friends who have disabilities and are looking at attending Murray State ask him how accessible the University, he can’t help but be honest.

“I would be lying if I told my friends that Murray State was the best university for handicap students,” Lowe said. “I haven’t been on other campuses, but I can’t

November 21, 2019

imagine it would be more difficult to get into certain places than it is here.”

The News reached out to Camisha Duffy, executive di-

I am [raising awareness] more as a way to help Murray [State] improve for future students who might have a disability.

- Jordan Lowe, senior from Frankfort, Illinois

rector of IDEA, regarding the concerns Lowe has about accessibility on campus. In her response, Duffy provided The News with the University’s equal opportunitity and non-discrimination statement.

The statement ensures the University is committed to providing equal opportunities for students, faculty and staff with disabilities in all of its offered services, programs and employment opportunities. To do so, the University complies with federal and state regulations regarding necessary reasonable accommodations.

The statement also details the University’s policy to prohibit discrimination. The University’s full non-discrimination statement can be found on TheNews.org.

“If a member of the University community discovers an accessible feature is not working properly, please contact the Office of IDEA so that the matter can be addressed,” Duffy said. “Please be mindful that depending on the nature of the repair, alternative arrangements may be necessary to continue to provide access during the repair period.”

Simon Placr, junior from Columbia, South Carolina, who also has cerebral palsy, shared some of his concerns about campus accessibility with The News as well.

One issue brought up by Placr was the difficulty in obtaining a permit for accessible parking at Murray State. He said it is not publicized effectively to students with disabilities. Simon said he does not rely on anything to help him walk.

“If you need a handicap parking tag, the University doesn’t tell you how to get one,” Placr said. “They tell you how to get one of the typical parking tags.”

Students needing a permit for accessible parking must be approved through the Office of Student Disability Services before they can be issued a tag. There is also a $100 fee.

Placr said Murray State’s campus is very dark at night and that makes walking difficult for him as he does not have the ability to walk as easily as the average person.

Placr said it becomes a problem especially when it has been raining and the campus walkways are flooded.

Placr also said students who are assisted in their mobility by the use of leg braces, wheelchairs or motor scooters face the danger of trying to walk across campus because it is so easy for the water to cause them to slip.

“Murray State has terrible draining so when it has been raining, I struggle to navigate the sidewalks and walkways because I don’t have the ability to do so easily,” Placr said. “It only becomes worse at night because the campus lighting is so poor.”

Placr said it is possible for people in wheelchairs to hydroplane across moving water which can become a dangerous situation for them if they are swept aside and rolled over.

He has not reached out to the Office of Student Disability Services or the Office of IDEA regarding his concerns.

Students, faculty and staff who have questions or concerns about accessible features or access in classrooms or buildings should contact the Office of Student Disability Services.

Those who have questions or concerns about accessible features or access in the workplace should contact the Office of IDEA.

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November 21, 2019

Opinion

5

Controversy continues

Chick-fil-A’s contradictory statements cause confusion The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Chick-fil-A announced on Mondayitsplanstostopdonatingto twononprofitsthathave beenheavilycriticizedfortheir anti-LGBT+ stances.

Startingnextyear,thecompanywon’tdonatetotheSalvation Army or the Fellowship of ChristianAthletes.According to the Chick-fil-A Foundation, it donated $115,000 to the SalvationArmyand$1.65million to the FCA in 2018.

Chick-fil-A President and COO Tim Tassopoulos made a statement that anti-LGBTQ organizations could still be considered in the future.

“No organization will be excludedfromfutureconsideration–faith-basedornon-faithbased,” Tassopoulos said.

Chick-fil-A’sattempttomake amends with LGBT+ people seemsasprovisionalastheone year term for which they’ve promised to stop their controversialdonations.Theirsincerity is questionable, and only timewilltellastowhetherthey donatetoanti-LGBT+organizations in 2020 and beyond.

The fast food chain’s arrival to Murray State was met with backlashfromLGBT+organizationsandactivistsinthecommunityduetoitscontroversial history.

In a September interview with The News, President Bob Jackson said the University administration didn’t permit Chick-fil-Atocampuswiththe intentionofoffendinganyone.

He said Murray State is trying to provide the best products foritsstudents,facultyandstaff.

Despite the backlash, the majority of the student body was anxiously awaiting its arrival when Chick-fil-A wasn’t open in August. When it opened in September, lines were out the door.

Calls to boycott have taken placesincea2018interviewin which Dan Cathy, the current CEOandsonoffounderTruett Cathy, said he believes in the “biblicaldefinitionofthefamily unit”andtheregulardonations tocontroversialorganizations were highlighted.

As recently as March 2019, calls to boycott haven’t gone unanswered.TheSanAntonio International Airport banned Chick-fil-A, and the Buffalo Niagara International Airport did the same in April.

But similar to its arrival at Murray State, the backlash wasn’tbadforbusiness.Atthe end of 2018, Chick-fil-A was the most profitable fast-food chaininthecountryonper-lo-

cation basis and has been No. 1 on the America Customer SatisfactionIndexfouryearsin a row, according to Business Insider.

Dan Cathy said despite his views on marriage, the companydoesn’thaveananti-gay agendaandservesallpeople.

Yet,theWinShapeFoundation, Chick-fil-A’s charitable organization founded by Truett Cathy, has donated to variouscontroversialandharmful conservativeChristiangroups since 1984.

Among the groups that Chick-fil-Ahasdonatedtoare AllianceDefendingFreedom, agroupthatsupportsre-criminalizing homosexuality; the Marriage&FamilyFoundation, an organization that opposes gay marriage; and Exodus International,agroupthatwas knownforanti-gayconversion therapy and is no longer in operation.

The Salvation Army’s Handbook of Doctrine refers to passages in the Bible that condemn same-sex relationships.Likewise,theFellowship of Christian Athletes states on its website that “marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman,” and requiresapplicantstoagreeto

Dustin Wilcox/The News

apuritystatementwhenapplyingthatstates,“Neitherheterosexualsexoutsideofmarriage nor any homosexual act constitute an alternative lifestyle acceptable to God.” No matter where the donations go, Chick-fil-A doesn’t havetopleaseeveryonetobe a successfulchain.ManypeoplewhodisagreewithCathy’s stances still eat there because the food is good. Many more eat there because they agree with Cathy’s stances.

Mostlikely,thisisapublicity

stunt. Chick-fil-A will benefit no matter the type of attention itreceives.Thelikelihoodthat billion-dollarcorporationsact entirely in the interest of commonpeople,especiallygroups ofpeoplethattheyoutspokenly disagree with, is slim.

As optimistic as we’d like to be, Chick-fil-A must prove itselfthroughfuturedonations.

Ithasn’tfullycommittedtoside one way or the other in the future.

Megan Reynolds Daniella Tebib Claire Smith Gage Johnson Cady Stribling Editor-in-Chief

News Editor Features Editor Sports Editor

Opinion Editor mreynolds12@murraystate.edu dtebib@murraystate.edu csmith110@murraystate.edu gjohnson17@murraystate.edu cstribling1@murraystate.edu

Editorial Board

Bryce Anglin David Wallace Production Manager Chief Copy Editor

zanglin@murraystate.edu dwallace15@murraystate.edu

Kalea Anderson Elizabeth Erwin

Chief Videographer Public Relations Manager kanderson29@murraystate.edu eerwin1@murraystate.edu

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 cstribling1@murraystate.edu.

Connor Dame Brock Kirk Ad Sales Manager Photo Editor

cdame2@murraystate.edu jkirk11@murraystate.edu

John O’Neill

Dr. Stephanie Anderson Online Manager Adviser

joneill4@murraystate.edu sanderson37@murraystate.edu

Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News. The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies.

Contact Us 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 TheNews.org

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.

News

6

November 21, 2019

7

Soldiers honored at football game

We have special prices on drinks!

(Monday and Wednesday)

Fort Campbell soldiers, other military and first responders were invited to attend a day filled with Murray State sports. Murray State united with Austin Peay on Saturday, Nov. 14, during halftime to honor their work, presenting them with personalized jerseys.

Small margarita buy one at regular price and get the second one for only 25 cents.

Jillian Rush and Claudia Kern/The News

(Tuesday and Thursday) Imported beer 23oz $3.50 12oz $2.50 From 3 p.m. to close.

Murray State played Austin Peay on Saturday, Nov. 14, in a Batttle of the Border matchup. Austin Peay defeated the Racers at Roy Stewart Stadium 42-7. With the win for Austin Peay, Murray State still leads the Battle of the Border 15-3. The Racers have won the traveling trophy each of the past three years.

Jillian Rush and Claudia Kern/The News

#murraystate #students #discount All Murray State students get 10% off with student ID.

Come see us!

106 S. 12th Street Murray, KY 270-767-1627

Sports

8

November 21, 2019

Racers place 31st in NCAA Southeast Regional Simon Elfrink Staff Writer selfrink@murraystate.edu On Friday, Nov. 15, the Murray State Cross Country teams finished the season after competing at the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Meet.

The Racers placed 31st out of 34 of the best cross country teams in the region.

While the outcome may not sound phenomenal, qualifying for the regional meet is an accomplishment all on its own.

One obstacle Murray State was forced to face at the regional meet was the increased race distance.

The men’s team ran a 10k, while the women ran a 6k, whereas they usually run an 8k and a 5k, respectively.

Junior Caleb Kawasaki led the Racers on the men’s side. He finished with a time of 33:22.2. Junior Meyer Makemson was close behind at 34:35.5. Sophomore Christian Slone finished with a time of 34:44.3, while senior Zach Balleau timed out at 34:48.6. Fifth for the Racers was senior Zan McClelland, who had a time of 35:08.3. Freshman Robert Gibson crossed the line at 35:54.1 and senior Tyler Bradley was the Racers’ seventh finisher with a time of 36:15.6.

Head Coach Jordan Wallace saw great promise in the men’s race.

“There were bits and pieces of the team that did really well,” Wallace said.

“Collectively, there’s parts we need to work on for sure.”

On the women’s side of things, freshman Emma Graf paced the team with a time of 23:05.4. Sophomore Emma Creviston’s time of 23:35.1 put her exactly one second ahead of sophomore Morgan Volser. Senior Katelyn Gilbert finished with a time of 24:01.6 and freshman Kristen Dent established herself as the fifth Racer with a time of 24:33.5.

Also running for Murray State were freshman Jessica Stein and sophomore Sophie Grogan, who crossed the line at 25:15.6 and 25:49.3, respectively.

Looking back on the women’s season, Wallace most appreciates the great strides several of the Racers have made, especially Gilbert.

“She’s someone that last year was probably our number 12th or 13th on the team,” Wallace said. “This year she’s consistently been about our fourth. She’s improved a lot; she took a minute off of her time in the 5k this season.”

Wallace was pleased with the team’s overall performance. To him, the opportunity to face off against such great competition is the best thing for young teams like Murray State’s.

“I think it was really great for the athletes to get that experience and see some top-level talent,” Wallace said. “Especially being such a young team.”

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Freshman Emma Graf competes in the NCAA Southeast Regional Cross Country Meet for Murray State.

While the team’s lack of collegiate experience might seem abysmal, Wallace sees the Racers’ standing as an opportunity to improve.

“I think we’re going to continue to build on what we have,” Wallace said.

“We aren’t really graduating a ton of people. On our

men’s side for the conference meet they placed 6th, which is tied for the highest place that we’ve finished for the past 10 years or so. Our goal collectively is we really want to get top five next year.”

As far as what’s next for the Racers, the entire

women’s team is involved in Murray State Track. In about two weeks, Wallace said, they’ll begin training for the upcoming track season.

Since Murray State has no men’s track program, the men will take a couple of weeks off before practicing once again.

Racers look to defend OVC Championship Jon Dunning Staff Writer

jdunning1@murraystate.edu

Followingasuccessfulweek ofhomegamesagainstAustin PeayandMoreheadState,the Murray State volleyball team aims to win its second OVC Championship in a row.

Murray State has won six OVCTournamentchampionships, winning three of those in the past five years in 2014, 2016 and 2018 Murray State will play the first round of the tournament againstUTMartin.TheRacers are the three seed, while the Skyhawks are the six seed.

MurrayStatecurrentlyholds a 12-4 record in OVC conference play and an 18-10 overall record. The Racers played strongintheirpasttwogames.

TheydefeatedAustinPeay3-2 on Wednesday, Nov. 13, then swept Morehead State 3-0 on Saturday, Nov. 16.

UT Martin currently holds a 9-7 record in OVC conference play and a 13-18 overall record.TheSkyhawkslooked

sharp in two road games this past weekend. They swept Eastern Illinois 3-0 on Friday, Nov. 15, and then delivered another 3-0 sweep against SouthernIllinoisEdwardsville the following night.

Murray State and UT Martin faced each other twice in the 2019 season. In the pair’s first gameonFriday,Oct.4,theRacersclincheda3-0sweep.However,themostrecentmatchup between the teams on Saturday,Nov.9,resultedinUTMartin claiming a 3-2 victory.

Murray State Head Coach David Schwepker said the team isn’t doing anything differently to prepare for the tournament.

“Of course we’ll just stay the same, do our same thing that we always do,” Schwepkersaid.“Eachgame,we just look at it as the same, it’s just how we are going to present ourselves.

Murray State will start the 2019 OVC Tournament against UT Martin on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m. in Jacksonville, Alabama.

Senior outside hitter Rachel Giustino spikes the ball against Austin Peay.

Brock Kirk/The News

November 21, 2019

Sports

Racers kennel Salukis:

9

Men’s basketball wins dogfight with SIU Gage Johnson Sports Editor

gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Fivedouble-figurescorers and second-half outbursts from senior guard Tevin Brown and freshman guard Chico Carter Jr. allowed Murray State men’s basketball to come away with a 79-66 victory over Southern Illinois University.

The Racers got off to a rough start, going 0-6 in the first five minutes of the ballgame,allowingSIUtoget things rolling with a 6-0 run.

However, Murray State worked its way back and gained its first lead at 16-15 with 9:37 left to play in the first half thanks to an 8-0 run capped off by a layup from junior forward Devin Gilmore.

It became a back-andforth affair until the Racers heldtheSalukisscorelessfor the last three minutes of the first half, sparking a quick 7-0 run that gave Murray State a 32-28 lead going into the locker room.

The two were locked in a dogfight for much of the second half before a defensive scheme change gave the Racers a big push.

Head Coach Matt McMahon switched to a zone for the final 7:50 of play, extending the defense and forcing

Freshman guard Chico Carter Jr. looks to find a gap in the defense to get to the rim.

the Salukis to shoot almost exclusively from three. SIU went1-6frombeyondthearc to end the game against the zone.

Along with a late 9-0 run capped off by a bucket from Brown, Murray State was able to grab a 79-66 win.

BrownandCarterJr.fueled Murray State’s offense in the second half, combining for 24 of its 45 second-half points.

Carter Jr. led the way with 20 points, nine assists and

five rebounds against Brescia University off the bench and gave that same spark for the Racers with his 13 points, three assists and three rebounds against the Salukis.

Senior forward Darnell Cowart praised the young guard for his work ethic and knows he’ll continue to gain more poise as the season progresses.

“We think that [Carter Jr.] gained a lot of confidence against Brescia,” Cowart said. “I think he learned from

Gage Johnson/The News

it, watched the film, went to practice and did a good job tonight.”

Brown led the Racers with 18 points on the night and foundhimselfinmultipleisolationsituations—something he wasn’t accustomed to last season.

McMahon talked about his progress in one-on-one situations before the season and knows Brown is a crucial part of the Racers on the floor with his skillset and his leadership.

“I’ve said it for a long time: Tevin’sareallygoodplayer,” McMahon said. “He impacts winning in a lot of ways. I think he’s really growing as a leader. I think when things got tough tonight he had the right words in the huddle.

That’s what we’re really lookingfor.We’relookingfor him to step forward and take overtheleadershiprolewith this team.”

Three other Racers joined Brown and Carter Jr. in doublefigures,asseniorforward Anthony Smith finished with 14 points, sophomore forwardKJWilliamsfinished with 13 points and Cowart finished with 12 points.

Brown said it’s huge to know that any time someone’s number is called that they can step in and contribute immediately.

“I feel like it’s really helpful for us knowing that we don’t slack down in any position whenever one person comes out and another person comes in,” Brown said. “We’re very deep in our depth chart, so I think that’s going to be good for us in the long run.”

MurrayStatewillnowhead down to the Sunshine State fortheGulfCoastShowcase.

They will play three games, taking on La Salle University first on Monday, Nov. 25, at Hertz Arena.

Fourth quarter outburst leads Racers to victory Nick Kendall Staff Writer

nkendall1@murraystate.edu

Trailing for most of the game, a 25-point fourth quarter outburst gave the Murray State women’s basketball team the 10-point win against the Lipscomb University Bisons.

The Racers had a little trouble early on with scoring, but managed to keep up as they only trailed by eight at the end of the first quarter.

Murray State actually outscored the Bisons 13-11 in the second, but still found themselves down by six at the half.

Frustrated with her team’s performance, Head Coach Rechelle Turner had some very strong words for her team in the locker room.

“You’re gonna get beat by 20 or you’re gonna win this game,” Turner said.

“You’re gonna have to step up and start making plays defensively or they’re just gonna go ahead and blow you out of the gym.”

The Racers took Turner’s words to heart and continued to push through the third as they were able to cut the lead down to three before Lipscomb’s sophomore guard Jane Deason ended the half with a last-second three-pointer.

However, great team play leading to easy buckets and solid ball handling helped Murray State dominate the fourth quarter. The Racers scored the first 16 points in the final quarter and only turned the ball over three times in the second half compared to 12 in the first half; that effort won the game for the team.

Sophomore guard Macey Turley led the way for the Racers with a 20-point, five-assist and six-rebound performance. Sophomore guard Lex Mayes went three-for-six from behind the arc, finishing the game with 13 points.

Redshirt freshman forward Macie Gibson finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, earning her first career double-double.

Turner is impressed with

Gibson’s growth throughout the early stages of this season after her ACL injury last season. “[Gibson]’s slowly starting to get it,” Turner said.

“I felt like that each and every game out she’s given us a little bit more.”

With the game’s result still up in the air, Turner

gave her team an ultimatum: win the game or practice is going to be rough.

“In the fourth quarter, I challenged them,” Turner said. “‘I said ‘here is the game. By the five-minute mark you better be ahead of this team.’ We buckled down, we got stops, we made plays and Lex came

Freshman guard Jentri Worley brings the ball up to start the offense.

up with two huge threes back-to-back.”

With the victory the Racers are now 2-2—both being road wins—and will head home for a matchup against Division II competitor Christian Brothers University on Friday, Nov. 22, at 6 p.m. at the CFSB Center.

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics

Features

10

November 21, 2019

Racer Band reunion brings alumni home Levi Brandenburg Contributing Writer lbrandenburg1@murraystate.edu

For the first time in Murray State University history, over 400 former Racer Band members from more than four decades gathered at their alma mater, for the first official Racer Band Reunion on Nov. 15 and 16.

“It is equal parts amazing and overwhelming to be back,” Katie Curcio, an alumna who graduated as an undergraduate at Murray State in 2009 before returning as a graduate student in 2010-11, said. “I’ve smiled a lot and cried a lot.”

This reunion also marks the last year of Assistant Director of Bands John Fannin’s tenure at Murray State, as he is retiring. The reunion took place at his last football game as well. Fannin has worked on campus for 25 years and has made himself into one of the most well known figures on campus over the years.

“Seeing how many lives Fannin has touched is amazing,” Curcio said. “You kinda know it to be true but to actually see it and there is every generation, there are people from the ‘80s all the way up to the kids that are still in it now. It’s amazing to see how far-reaching his influence is.”

Over 25 years, Fannin’s magnetic personality has gathered a tight-knit and

well-organized group of alumni and band members who learned about themselves along the way.

“Racer Band taught me to embrace my dreams and follow it as well as how to be a part of a community,” Jennifer Howell, a 2011 graduate, said. “Racer Band members only need to embrace that community to succeed.”

Many alumni had similar stories, telling how Racer Band helped them believe in themselves and never stop following their dreams. They also talked about the community Racer Band has formed and how it can withstand any struggles.

For others, like Curico, Racer Band had a much more powerful and all consuming influence in their lives.

“Every facet of my life is affected by something I learned in Racer Band,” Curico said, holding back tears at several points.

“John Fannin taught me how to mail merge on an Apple computer. I learned how to public speak. I learned the importance of learning people’s names and making them feel like every interaction you have with them is special. It’s so much bigger than just playing music. It’s about being in a community and being able to take that lesson with you out into the world. I just want to say thank you.”

Racer Band alumni took to the field at the last home football game as part of the first official Racer Band reunion.

Jillian Rush/The News

Features

November 21, 2019

11

Friday, Nov. 22: “The Search,” PowerPlay Interactive Theatre @ 9:30 a.m. in Curris Center Small Ballroom

“The Third Year Review,” PowerPlay Interactive Theatre @ 1:30 p.m. in Curris Center Small Ballroom

“The Pirates of Penzance” A plethora of international objects sit waiting for students to bid on them.

Mackenzie O’Donley/The News

International education celebrated at Murray Ciara Benham Staff Writer cbenham@murraystate.edu Grant Dillard Staff Writer gdillard@murraystate.edu

Murray State University has just wrapped its 19th annual celebration of International Student Week. For almost two decades, the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has celebrated what it means to be a part of International Education by making International Student Week a nationally-recognized event.

Since its inception in 2000, International Student Week has been recognized by Murray State as a time to invite faculty, staff and students to participate in a variety of ways to honor the diversity of the University.

Martha Smith, the administrative assistant for the Institute of International Studies, said International Student Week is a way to bring college students and middle and high school students in the surrounding areas together to celebrate different cultures.

“International Student Week brings awareness on campus and in the surrounding community about various countries and cultures and...interest to our domestic students on campus about our various Education Abroad programs,” Smith said. “We invite

middle school and high school age groups from all around western Kentucky to attend the International Bazaar and of course anyone on campus is welcome to attend.”

With the move of the International Student Office out of Woods Hall, the office was not able to put the usual amount of time into planning this year’s events.

However, the Institute of International Studies still put together a wonderful array of programs to draw attention to international education.

“We held a silent auction where all proceeds went to study abroad scholarships, hosted the annual International Bazaar, and Lacy Risner hosted a presentation to encourage students to study abroad and make their dreams come true,” Smith said.

Most of the donations for the silent auction came from faculty and staff that have taught or traveled abroad with Murray State study abroad programs.

“We have a selection of over 100 items from all over the world,” Ste ven Guns, senior education abroad advisor, said.

“Vases, paper fans, scrolls, wall decorations, jewelry, books, and much more.”

The funds will go into a general study abroad scholarship that can be applied for any program.

Ghizlane Zerradi, Emlyon Business School study abroad student, is

very much thankful for events like the silent auction, which raises money for study abroad-related scholarships.

“It’s a good thing, and students are lucky to have this option,” Zerradi said.

Having the opportunity to earn scholarships further encourages students to study abroad.

“I think what the silent auction is doing is a good way to encourage students to study abroad,” Zerradi said. “Encouraging studies abroad is really important and a lot of schools forget about it.”

Although International Education Week may be over, the importance of International Education is year-round. International Education is a vital part of our community and can help us all grow and advance, as well as have professional opportunities.

“Many businesses look for employees who have had experience with other languages and cultures,” Smith said. “It’s important to learn about different cultures because we can all benefit from each other.”

International Education Week is a small reminder that we should always recognize how essential International Education is to connect our society.

“We live in a world that is globally connected and it is important to learn that even though we may speak different languages, we are all alike,” Smith said.

@ 7:30 in the Robert E. Johnson Theatre

Saturday, Nov. 23: Senior Recital: Jared Heldenbrand

@ 3:30 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building

“The Pirates of Penzance”

@ 7:30 p.m. in the Robert E. Johnson Theatre

Sunday, Nov. 24: “The Pirates of Penzance”

@ 7:30 p.m. in the Robert E. Johnson Theatre

Monday, Nov. 25: QuadState Middle School Band Festival Concert

@ 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Hall of the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building

Tuesday, Nov. 26: Tinsel Town

@ 7 p.m. in Curris Center Theatre

Wednesday, Nov. 27: Start of Thanksgiving Break

Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving If you would like to see your event featured in the Calendar of Events, email the features editor at csmith110@murraystate.edu.

Colton Colglazier/The News

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November 21, 2019