December 3 2015 by Truman State University Index

Opinions

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Opinions cartoonist shares memories in farewell column

Editor-in-Chief shares tips about how to survive finals week

Senior volleyball player wins honors at fall conference

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

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Paris not alone in tragedy

Trevor Stark/Index

French students cope after attacks By Eugene Kolb TMN Reporter

As events in Paris unfolded Friday, Nov. 13, Truman State students from France were going about their daily lives until they found out about the coordinated Paris attacks. Many of the affected students contacted their families and friends to make sure they were okay while trying to stay updated on the events that continued to unfold. Thanks to the Facebook status option that allowed friends and families to declare whether or not they were in a safe place, many French students were able to keep in touch with loved ones who updated their statuses. Delphine Azernour, a student from Paris, said she was cooking dinner with a friend when she first heard about the incidents in her city. "We went to the fifth floor of my dorm to watch TV,” Azernour said. “Some Americans came and hugged us and some of them stayed up with us all night. The first two hours were a lot of crying. I'm from Paris, and I've always lived there, and it's really weird to see my city. I could recognize the streets. The place they attacked is a place I go a lot of the time. I'm still shocked." Azernour said she appreciated groups from around campus reaching out to support her. She said the International House sent her a message directly, and the staff invited her and other French students to dinners in their homes.

“We were full of anger, sadness, despair — but our friends brought us some joy, some love, some hope.” — French international student Julien Vincent-Seillier

Azernour said she had inner conflicts during the days following the event because she did not experience the attacks firsthand. She said during that time, it was hard to accomplish anything. “[My friends and I] spent a lot of time together and people supported us,” Azernour said. “When everything happened, I experienced a strange feeling. First, I am away from home so I did not really live the event. Second of all, I don't know anybody who was actually touched by the attack. So when I started to get really sad, I felt like I was not allowed to. Because it is way worse for some people, and I got lucky. But the fact is that even if nobody I know died or was injured, I was deeply mad and sad. I figured out that it is because I am really happy and proud to be French. At some point, I was not even sad, but just really, really, really angry. Like, nobody has the right to attack my city." Azernour was not alone in getting through that long night — Julien Vincent-Seillier also is a student from France whose family lives in a suburb near Paris. Vincent-Seillier was working in the SUB when he received a notification from French news outlet Le Monde. By Saturday, the death toll was estimated at 130 with 352 injured, 99 of whom were critically injured, according to a CNN article. Even though Vincent-Seillier said he did not lose anyone he was close to, he said the attacks affected him on a personal level. "My mom kept all the pictures of the victims on her phone because it's like friends, it's like your neighbors — people,” Vincent-Seillier said. “Even if you didn't know them, you're close to them." VOLUME 107

ISSUE 14

While the students who were affected struggled to cope with everything that happened, VincentSeillier said support from the Truman community began to pour in. Vincent-Seillier said he was surprised at the support the French international students received, ranging from hugs and phone calls to dinner invitations and the candlelight vigil hosted by the Office of Student Affairs. “This is even bigger for us because we are not just with our French friends, we are with all of our friends here and we can pray together,” VincentSeillier said. “We are so touched that they are with us. This is the main thing that we needed here. We were full of anger, sadness, despair — but our friends brought us some joy, some love, some hope.” For those in the Truman administrative offices, their work was only just beginning — Lou Ann Gilchrist, vice president for student affairs, said her office responded quickly during the aftermath of the Paris attacks. When Gilchrist first learned of the situation, she said she inquired about how many Truman students, domestically and abroad, might have been affected. She said she then coordinated with the Office of Student Affairs to plan a candlelight vigil on The Quad for those affected by the Paris attacks. However, she said she understands it will take more than just a vigil to help those affected move forward. “I believe that a memorial service isn't enough, but it helps bring people together, it helps people to start the conversations about how they're feeling,” Gilchrist said. “I think that the series of events that we're planning for next semester are important as well because it helps people find meaning, to try to understand, if you can understand, these kinds of acts and to have an opportunity to not only feel but also to think about what all of these events mean. Individual response is also very different. There's many people that feel that they're taking it in stride but after time passes they do realize that something has changed inside of them. So we want to make sure that it isn't a one-time event but that we're going to have some conversations around it." In a campus-wide email, the Multicultural Affairs Center stated the student affairs office on campus had a vigil to commemorate the deaths of those impacted globally and domestically by the Paris attacks. During the coming weeks the student affairs office, along with many offices around campus, will meet to discuss inclusive programming that addresses these issues for next semester, according to the email. Departments also will meet with University President Troy Paino to begin discussing the creation of a diversity strategic plan for the University. The candlelight vigil Nov. 18 on The Quad was filled with supporters. Gilchrist gave an opening speech during the ceremony before those in attendance observed a moment of silence. "I appreciate those of you who came out in the cold tonight to join us in our moment of reflection to show our support for those who have been affected by hatred and violence,” Gilchrist said. “This night is not about speeches, although there are many speeches that need to be made and many discussions that need to take place. Tonight is about coming together in support and to remind us that we are a community that cares. When we learn about acts of hatred and violence, it can make us question the very nature of humanity, and we can lose faith in each other." Many lingered by the flames in front of the Kirk Memorial Building long after the minute of silence.

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By Eugene Kolb TMN Reporter

It has been nearly a month since the attacks on Paris, and the world still is reeling. Although Truman may differ from France geographically and culturally, the unthinkable violence that took place is something the whole world can relate to. Paris was not and is not alone in being targeted by acts of hatred. Cameroon, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Niger, Nigeria, Syria and Tunisia were all also targeted during the month of November alone. There is no doubt the U.S. media, and admittedly my own article to the left, has focused largely on the attacks in Paris, but campaigns of intimidation and violence have touched the lives of global citizens everywhere. Even in the face of seemingly insurmountable differences in opinions and backgrounds, it is important to take measures to self-educate and reach out to those who also occupy the world. No country is alone. As winter break draws closer, students will be taking time to return home and enjoy the holidays. For some international students, their homes are the places affected by the recent acts of violence by the Islamic State group or Boko Haram. It is important to remember there are those who will be experiencing a holiday season without their loved ones. Being empathetic, compassionate and understanding toward others is something anyone can express to strengthen the spirit of solidarity that has spread in the face of hate, ignorance and aggression. Lou Ann Gilchrist, vice president for student affairs, summed it up nicely when she offered words of peace during the Nov. 18 vigil. "A small act of kindness will not resolve the very serious issues that exist across the globe,” Gilchrist said. “These acts, however, are the ways we begin to restore hope in ourselves, in each other and in humanity. I would like us all to join together for a moment of reflection as we stand in solidarity with those who are hurting as a result of violence and as we resolve to bring a little more light into the world by the way we act toward one another."

Eugene Kolb/Index

Top: Truman State students gather around the eternal flame during a candlelight vigil Nov. 18. Above: The University lit the flame during a vigil in honor of those affected by the Paris attacks. Many international students had friends and family in Paris when the Nov. 13 attacks occurred. @trumanindex

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

English students present senior seminar projects

NEWS IN BRIEF

Adair County Public Library director to retire after 25 years Glenda Hunt, Adair County Public Library director, announced she will retire during January. Hunt began working for public libraries during 1974. After earning her library science master’s degree during 1991, Hunt accepted the job as director for Adair County Public Library during June 1991. Hunt said she planned to work at the Adair County library for only a few years. When she retires, she will have worked for the library for more than 25 years. Faculty and students attend annual Missouri Folklore Society meeting

Johanna Burns/Index Above: From left to right seniors Kari Kolda, Morgan Siebert, Jamie Garland and Lyndsie Burns answer questions from the audience after presenting their senior seminar projects while English professor Cole Woodcox acts as the moderator for their session. The students’ presentations all dealt with topics relating to “The Great Gatsby.” Below Left: Keynote speaker Laura McHugh gives a speech about pursuing a career in creative writing. McHugh is a Truman alumna and author of the book “The Weight of Blood.” Below right: Siebert presents her paper “How Great Is Gatsby?: The Prevalence of ‘The Great Gatsby’ in Secondary English Classrooms.”

Truman State students and faculty presented at the annual meeting of the Missouri Folklore Society. Nine faculty members and students spoke at the Nov. 12-14 meeting in Jefferson City, Missouri, about topics varying from personal oral histories to ballads and local lore. Students who attended the event include seniors Mahliyah Adkins–Threats, Nicholas Puleo, Emily Wildhaber, Lucas Corey–Yares, Patrick McGlasson and Anna Jones. English professors Alanna Preussner, Barbara Price and Adam Davis also attended the event. The November 2016 state convention is scheduled to take place in Kirksville. Price and English professor Elizabeth Delmonico will be co-presidents for the convention. Wastewater Treatment Plant construction set to begin in spring Construction to update the Wastewater Treatment Plant is set to begin during April. Citizens voted and approved the $18 million bond to update the treatment plant during April 2013. Since then, city officials have been working with the Department of Natural Resources to finalize requirements and standards for the new plant. Construction will be divided into three phases – flow control, biological treatments and solid handling. The plant originially was constructed during 1976 and has not received an update for almost 30 years. This upgrade will increase the amounts of water the plant can process.

STUDENT SENATE IN BRIEF

Johanna Burns/Index

The Student Senate did not meet this week because of Thanksgiving break. The last meeting of the semester will be Dec. 6.

CRIME REPORTS DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909

Staff 11/30 Theft reported at the 2200 block of N. Baltimore St. Editor-in-Chief Bethany Boyle Managing Editor Austin Hornbostel News Editor Emily Wichmer Assistant News Editor Johanna Burns Features Editor Katey Stoetzel Assistant Features Editor Courtney Kauffman Sports Editor Devin Gillespie Assistant Sports Editor Courtney Strait Opinions Editor UmmeKulsoom Arif Copy Chief Rose vonHatten Assistant Copy Chief Megan Robison Design Chief Noah Dayson Staff Reporters Clayton Berry, Rachel Fechter, Emily Merkle, Elena Bellamy, Emily Ploch, Brently Snead, Paige Yungermann, Anna Grace, Henry Janssen, Sam Stewart, Sarah Hicks, Rachel Steinhoff, Curt Wichmer, Robert Hu, Jack Derbak, Lindell Sconce Cartoonist Megan Archer Copy Editors MacKenna Palazza, Holly Fisher, Julianna Foster, Catherine O’Mara, Lauren Beasley, Molly Thal, Megan Gibbons, Trevor Hamblin, Sarah DeWolf Designers Clarissa Todd, Trevor Stark, Kara Nord, Samantha Nielsen Photo Editor Trevor Stark Photographers Trung Vo, Athena Geldbach, Marissa Billmeyer, MacKenna Palazza Marketing Manager Josh Gilmore Marketing Representatives Drake Gens, Emily Fitzgerald Technical Manager Amanda Atwell Adviser Don Krause

11/26 Driving while intoxicated reported at the 1200 block of S. Baltimore St.

11/30 Careless and imprudent driving reported at Baltimore Street. 11/26 Suspect arrested for underage possession of alcohol at West 11/29 Theft reported at the 600 block Jefferson Street. of E. Randolph St. 11/25 Second degree assault reported 11/28 Hit and run reported at the 2200 at the 900 block of E. Pierce St. block of N. Baltimore St. 11/25 Fraud reported at the 2100 block 11/28 Theft reported at the 400 block of of Bartlett St. S. Florence St. 11/24 Suspect arrested for 11/27 Harrassment reported at the 1500 distribution of drugs at the 100 block block of S. Baltimore St. of Concord Square.

Mark your calendar Student Directed One Act Festival 8-10 p.m. Dec. 4-5 James G. Severns Theatre

Students in the Fall 2015 Play Direction class will present their final projects at the One Act Festival this weekend. Different shows will be featured each night. Admission is free. A list of plays and production times is available on the Truman theatre calendar.

Reindeer Romp 9 a.m. Dec. 5 DuKum Inn

A.T. Still University’s class of 2018 presents the 32nd annual Reindeer Romp. Participants can register for the four-mile run and 1.5-mile walk at active.com for $15 until 5 p.m. Dec. 3 and $20 until 8:30 a.m. the day of the race. Prizes will be awarded to the top three contestants in each category.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

CORRECTIONS The Nov. 12 story “Paino issues a response to Mizzou events” contained several inaccurately transcribed quotes attributed to University President Troy Paino. The correct quotations are as follows. “I think in some ways, President Wolfe maybe became a symbol […] for a lot of the frustrations that those students were feeling,” Paino said. “Rightly or wrongly. And in that sense, once you become a symbol of something, it's kind of hard to change that narrative, and I really sense that President Wolfe, in some respects, the events kind of overwhelmed him, and this kind of took on a life of it's own. And he had a hard time getting control of that narrative.” “And whenever students want to express their views are frustrated, whether it’s about something the University is doing or not doing — or some larger societal issue — I think the important thing is to make sure they have a voice and to make sure that they are being listened to,” Paino said. “My experience with students is that if you show them enough respect to listen to them and give them a seat the table, they usually reciprocate in some profound way and show you that respect in working together towards a solution.”

“When I got to know people — especially when I was in graduate school — who were different from me, it really taught me how to value people who were different from me, that they really enriched my own experience on this planet,” Paino said. “It's easy for me to sit back on the sidelines and say, ‘Oh, poor University of Missouri, they should have been doing this, they should have been doing that,’” Paino said. “But I think the more important response is for us to look in the mirror and ask ourselves, well, are we as good at this as we think we are?” “I'm proud of this University,” Paino said. “I do feel that this is a place where students feel they have a voice. And that they have access to not only me, but really to everyone, whether faculty or administration, to express their concerns, and I think as long as there's that feeling on this campus, whatever problems we might have or whatever differences we might experiencs, we can work together on this.”

University Counseling receives record number of service requests By Elena Bellamy TMN Reporter

University Counseling Services has received a record-breaking amount of requests for its services during fall 2015, and some students are waiting longer than ever for an appointment. A combination of high demand and decreased staff has left some students waiting a month or more for regular appointments. Universities nationwide are struggling to meet student requests for counseling and define the level of responsibility higher level education has to provide mental health care for students. Students at Truman State have brought this subject to the attention of the student affairs office, which said adding to Truman’s counseling staff is a possible, yet complicated, solution. Caps on Truman’s tuition and student fees mean if students don’t vote to increase student fees to raise UCS staff, the money would have to be taken from elsewhere in the budget. UCS Assistant Director Joe Hamilton said requests for counseling have increased 13 percent from this time last year. Hamilton said students might wait two or more weeks for a screening session and another two to three weeks for regular appointments, though scheduling is handled on a priority basis. Hamilton said UCS staffing has been reduced from five to four counselors for almost all of the 2015-16 academic year because of two consecutive maternity leaves. Hamilton said when he became assistant director, students would wait nearly a week for a screening appointment, then another week for an intake appointment. He said crisis calls have not increased, and the staff is still able to handle crisis cases without problems. Hamilton said he thinks the rise in demand mainly is because of a decrease in stigma associated with counseling and increased encouragement for students to seek counseling. “When I was young, no one at school said that a counselor was going to come talk to you [when something distressing happened],” Hamilton said. “We’ve raised young people to come talk about their feelings when they’re in distress — it’s expected almost, like visiting the doctor’s office when you’re sick.” Brenda Higgins, Student Health Center and UCS director, said students knowing where and when to seek help is a good thing. Higgins said she wants to continue to encourage students to seek counseling when it might be helpful. Higgins said the increase in demand for counseling is a nationwide trend, and university counseling centers across the country are facing overwhelming requests for appointments. She said she, Hamilton and Lou Ann Gilchrist, vice president for student affairs, teach

a class every semester about mental health first aid, and UCS is using the growing interest of students in group counseling to help meet the mental health needs of Truman. Higgins said she would like to have more staff at UCS, but that decision does not rest with her. With the reduction to four counselors, Truman currently has a ratio of about 1,500 students to every one counselor, which is lower than some other state schools in Missouri. Northwest Missouri State University has a ratio of approximately 1,700 to 1, Missouri University of Science and Technology has a ratio of approximately 1,500 to 1 and University of Missouri has a ratio of approximately 2,400 to 1, according to their websites. With a full staff of five counselors, Truman would have a ratio of about 1,200 to 1. Higgins said the recommended ratio of students to counselors varies from school to school, and there is no universal ratio. She said being in a rural area could affect the demand for Truman’s counseling services.

“People outside of Truman try to get in to see our psychiatrist because they can’t see anyone in the community.”

–Brenda Higgins, Student Health Center and UCS director

“We really have a dearth of psychiatric providers outside the campus,” Higgins said. “It’s generally a lot longer in the community than it is here. People outside of Truman try to get in to see our psychiatrist because they can’t see anyone in the community.” Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said students currently pay a $27 student health fee every semester, which goes toward UCS and the health center. Rector said the remaining costs are covered by state funding and general tuition. Rector said there are challenges to increasing UCS staffing, such as the fact that Truman only needs counselors eight months out of the year. He said another alternative would be to contract out to local agencies, such as Mark Twain Behavioral Health or Northeast Missouri Health Council. Rector said increasing the student fee is also an option, but it would have to be voted on and approved by students to avoid caps on tuition and fees based on the consumer price index. He said the best way for students to address this issue would be by talking to Gilchrist or Student Senate.

Gilchrist said after University President Troy Paino sent out a campuswide email during early November seeking communication about student concerns, Paino received some replies expressing concerns about a lack of counselors at UCS. Gilchrist said she is working to meet with all the students who expressed this concern, and she already has met with some. Gilchrist said whether it is the responsibility of a university to provide mental health care is a difficult question to answer. “How much do we need to provide in that way, how much will that take from other responsibilities — it’s not an easy job to figure all of it out. It’s not just a dilemma for Truman, it’s a dilemma across the country,” Gilchrist said. Gilchrist said while Truman might have somewhat skewed results in the Missouri College Health Behavior Survey because of its high proportion of undergraduate to graduate students, its results in the American College Health Association survey do reflect significantly higher rates of anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns than the national average. She said 62.5 percent of Truman students reported feeling overwhelming anxiety, 5.6 percent higher than the national average. Thirty-six percent reported feeling so depressed it was difficult to function, 1.5 percent higher than the national average, and 8.4 percent reported a psychiatric condition, 1.3 percent higher than the national average, according to the ACHA survey. She said the only category in which Truman students had a lower response rate than the average was reported attempted suicides — Truman reported 0.8 percent, 0.6 percent lower than the national average. Gilchrist said students have expressed a desire for more counselors with more types of expertise, but no one has talked to her about possibly raising the student health fee. She said the trend in counseling requests steadily is increasing. “There are definitely support activities people can get engaged in — classes might be able to resolve some of these issues, and medical care, but I don’t think that there will ever be a substitute for having an opportunity to receive therapy, at least at some point, or as a part of comprehensive treatment,” Gilchrist said. Gilchrist said the best option for students wishing to increase the student health fee is to contact Student Senate. She said otherwise, hiring one or more additional counselors likely will mean cuts elsewhere in the budget. Senior Zach Hollstrom, health, wellness, and saftey committee chair, said in an email he has been contacted about this problem, and his committee is aware of the issue and taking steps to address it.

Commission approves new training standards By Austin Hornbostel Managing Editor index.editor@gmail.com

The Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission approved rules to strengthen law enforcement training standards Dec. 1. The POST Commission now will require additional training for several aspects of police tactics, such as de-escalation techniques for potentially violent situations, handling individuals with mental health and cognitive impairment issues, officer wellbeing, and fair and impartial policing, including implicit bias recognition. The commission also raised the number of continuing education hours officers must receive to retain their licenses from a total of 48 hours every three years to 24 hours each year. These changes meet the standards put forward by Gov. Jay Nixon to the Missouri Department of Public Safety Aug. 6, when Nixon called for these new rules for effective and ongoing training in those areas by Dec. 1. These updated standards represent the most sweeping changes for continuing education requirements for Missouri law enforcement officers since 1996, according to a press release from the Missouri DPS. The new sanctions also mandate law enforcement officers receive two hours of training each year in four critical training areas laid out by the POST Commission, according to the press release. Nixon’s directive for determining these new rules also mandates the POST Commission host public meetings across the state to gather input from Missourians, including law enforcement agencies and advocacy groups, according to the press release. Public meetings took place Sept. 1 to Oct. 14 in Springfield, Jefferson City, Ferguson, Sikeston, Kirksville and Kansas City, Missouri, according to the press release. The new rules will be filed with the Missouri secretary of state and the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules as required by state statute, according to the press release.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Goodbye and good thoughts from the cartoonist and former opinions editor

Megan Archer This is it — the last Index issue I’ll be in. Since my first issue Sept. 13, 2012, I’ve created content for 94 straight issues. During my time here, I’ve been a columnist, an illustrator and even the opinions editor — but my true passion will always be the first job I accepted at the Index as the cartoonist. During my freshman year I wasn’t interested in the Index at all, but I was very interested in making comics. Unfortunately, I couldn’t draw to save my life. Even though I wasn’t happy with the results, I put my first comics online and showed them to some trusted friends — one of whom happened to be the photo editor for the Index. She knew the Index was looking for a cartoonist, and she told me to send in my application as soon as school started the next year to try to get published. Although publishing my comics in a place where anyone in the school could read them was a terrifying thought, I knew I had to go for it. I knew sporadically practicing on my own wasn’t getting the improvement I wanted out of my comics, but I thought perhaps the pressures of weekly deadlines and a product that could be viewed by the whole school might just be the kick I needed. So, I started coming up with possible Index comics right away. Embarrassingly, all my original comic scripts made fun of the Index — I wrote down about five of these before it occurred to me the subject might not play so well with the editors. I scrapped those. Throughout the summer, I worked hard to come up with more. It’s tough to come up with any comic ideas, but I discovered the hard way how tough it is to come up with comic ideas that appeal to an audience consisting of Truman State students, Truman staff and general Kirksvillians while following newspaper guidelines. Eventually, I landed on an idea I was happy enough with to draw. Today, I wouldn’t even consider it, but I had to start somewhere. I had drawn comics before, but I had never been as concerned about the quality as I was with this. I wanted my first impression with the Index to be as good as possible — I think on some level, I thought of this as a litmus test to see if my comics actually were any good. I had dedicated so much time to making comics without any genuine feedback — my friends and family weren’t going to insult my work to my face. So one summer day, I cleared my schedule and opened up my computer to start making my first Index comic. Ten working hours later, I was about halfway done. Many types of art take longer to create than one might assume, but comics are an especially maddening form of this. A comic that takes a couple of seconds to read might have taken 20 hours to make. I have no idea if my comics are funny, or even make any sense. By the end of this process, it’s like rereading a word again and again until not only does it not seem like a word, you start wondering who came up with the idea of representing abstract ideas with squiggles on paper. However, the particular comic I had chosen to start with wasn’t helping — I was trying to draw three panels containing three people standing in front of a set of stairs. That description takes a moment to write down but forever to draw. I scrapped that comic too. By this time, school had almost started, so I raced to finish another submission comic that was slightly easier to draw. After another 15 hours of work, I finally had it — a comic I was happy with. One I could send out into the world — or at least out into a handful of newspaper racks — to represent me. I emailed alumnus Bob Overmann, the opinions editor at the time. He set up an interview. As far as I know, I’m the only prospective Index employee who showed up in full job fair attire. He laughed at my eagerness, but I got the job. Every Friday, Bob sent me an email listing all the topics the Index writers were covering, and I picked one to write a comic about. Every weekend, I spent about 15 hours coming up with an idea, writing and rewriting a script, and drawing out the comic. Through the years, some things changed. I got faster — I went from 15 to nine to five hours per comic. My art noticeably improved, assisted not only by the years of weekly cartooning but also the art classes I was taking. I became more confident. Looking back, I was right — making comics for the Index was exactly the sort of pressure I needed to improve. And now, here I am — 94 comics later. And this won’t be the end. I might never again be published in a newspaper, and I might not turn this into a career, but I’m going to keep making comics. I’ve been accepted into an anthology coming out next year, and I’ve got a quarter of a graphic novel thumbnailed — I have plans. And I hope during the future, I’ll be able to find a similar push that’ll inspire ridiculously long work days, determination to succeed and the creation of many comics I can be proud of. To conclude — I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve given me, Index. Goodbye.

Megan Archer is a senior computer science major from Morrison, Colo.

“A comic that takes a couple of seconds to read might have taken 20 hours to make.”

—Senior Megan Archer, Index cartoonist and columnist

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The Index is published Thursdays during the school year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501. The first copy is free, and additional copies cost 50 cents each. The production offices are located in Barnett Hall. We can be reached by phone at 660-7854449. The Index is a designated public forum, and content of the Index is the responsibility of the Index staff. The editor in chief consults with the staff and adviser but ultimately is responsible for all decisions. Opinions of Index columnists are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the staff or the newspaper. Our View editorials represent the view of the Editorial Board through a majority vote. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor, news editor and opinions editor. The Index reserves the right to edit submitted material because of space limitations, repetitive subject matter, libelous content or any other reason the editor in chief deems appropriate. Submitted material includes advertisements and letters to the editor.

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

EIC reflects on semester, welcomes collaboration Bethany Boyle Editor-in-Chief As we head toward the final weeks of school, I want to take a moment to reflect on this semester of news, ask for grace where we’ve fallen short of the standard of excellence we strive for, and thank you for your readership and participation. Take a step back for a moment to the first issue, which appeared across campus as the class of 2019 was moving into the residence halls for the first time. As editor-in-chief and head of the Editorial Board, I promised our readers three things — that the newspaper and its staffers would strive to learn, share and serve you in our work and endeavors during this academic year. I’d say we learned quite a bit this semester. The Blueprint Teams taught us about University administration — how it works, the formation and implication of policies, funding and budgeting. Covering the Black Lives Matter movement and our campus-wide response to the resignation of Tim Wolfe, University of Missouri system president showed the influence external events have on leaders and members of our community. The cross-country mid-race fight incident reiterated the importance of sportsmanship and courtesy among athletes. Personally, I also learned we have a quidditch team on campus, I found out the oldest record

store in America is just up the street and I now have a better understanding of what LARPing is all about. We also did a lot of learning in the newsroom, and among those many lessons is the most important of all — we are far from perfect. This semester had its fair share of formatting issues and other hiccups, including listing a current student as an alumnus and a headline that announced the Nether premiere on the wrong day, to name a few. We put forth our best effort, but we recognize it did not always meet the expectations we strive for. Some coverage slipped through the cracks and, on behalf of the Index Editorial Board, I apologize for failing to serve you as well as we would like and as well as you deserve. Sifting through a stack of this semester’s issues of the Index, I find myself surrounded by a lot of life — updates about the situation in Nepal, the arrival of Santana’s food truck, a visit from Gov. Jay Nixon, a witty column about airport security and the possibility of state funding increases and frozen tuition. However, I also see a lot of brokenness — the death of freshman William Batterson, a Title IX harassment case, a student standing trial for rape and the community divided about the Ameren transmission line issue. I am struck by the variety of influences we saw in the paper this semester. Several stories were pitched by individuals outside of TMN, and we received a steady stream of guest columns showcasing valuable knowledge and differing perspectives. Together, these articles tell the story of us — Truman State and the Kirksville community. They form part of the narrative that defines us, who we are, what we do and, at the end of the day, how each of us makes our mark and fit into the overall community here at this University and in the world. To that end, I want to thank you, the readers, for helping make this a public forum. You reached out to us with your stories and ideas, and the

result was a collaborative effort with greater potential to increase understanding, and allow more voices and stories to be heard. Just as a newspaper can fulfill its purpose to inform only if people choose to read it, that same paper can become a vehicle for public discourse only if the public chooses to engage. And I daresay you have. However, this accolade comes with a challenge as well — don’t let it end there. As we strive to provide this vehicle for public consciousness and discourse, I once again encourage you, the reader, to participate in what is being created here. You are a part of Truman, whether you like it or not, and this is your narrative. You can choose to be a member or stand by and let other voices define the events and movements you have witnessed, and the experiences that are a part of you and this community. This is my invitation to you. As you prepare to leave for winter break, let me leave you with this thought for next semester. If there is something that needs to be shared, a story that isn’t being told, consider that if you don’t do anything about it, perhaps no one ever will. Write a guest column, email any of the editors listed in our staff box on page two and share your story. Help us create a more complete narrative. The only one who can do it is you. For those of you who have graduated or will graduate next weekend, it doesn’t end here. You might have left the Truman community, but you have the ability to impact the next community you become a part of. Become a part of the journalistic process. Put yourself in the narrative.

Bethany Boyle is a senior communication major from St. Louis, Mo.

What is your opinion on the red cup controversy? I think it’s a waste of energy to complain about corporate stylisms.

I like the red cups, it shows holiday spirit. I don’t know why there’s a problem with the red cup.

I’m in favor of the red cups. They spread holiday cheer which is really nice, but I think not having them isn’t detrimental either.

It’s not offensive to me, but I think a lot of people made a big deal about it.

Corey Schmidt Senior

Jasmine Brown Freshman

Audrey Masek Senior

Mosaic Shrestha Sophomore

The holidays are not about red cups

Holly Fisher Last month, the red cup debate hit the Internet with rampant force. Social media sites exploded as a single item sparked one of the largest controversies of the season so far — Starbucks’ red holiday cup. These small objects made of colored paper had so many people up in arms the fights were almost comical. The actual debate, of course, is not about the cups themselves, but about the supposed overuse of political correctness. After taking a step back, it becomes clear the arguments made against political correctness during the holidays are simply a waste of time and energy. The red cup is just one point in a long timeline of holiday political correctness. Companies encourage their employees to say, “happy holidays” rather than, “merry Christmas,” organizations encourage snowmen or snowflake decorations instead of a full manger scenes and the abbreviation Xmas is often used in place of Christmas without a second thought. All of this is done in an effort to be more

politically correct during the holiday season, because not everyone celebrates Christmas. Contrary to the very vocal belief floating around out there, none of these actions intend to purposely do away with or completely ignore Christmas as a holiday. Personally, I just can’t see how being tolerant or inclusive of other human beings is a deliberate attack on Christmas. If anything, Christmas is about spreading joy and happiness to all people — this is why the holiday season is also the season of giving. No one is unrealistically forcing everyone to celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa simply by acknowledging these holidays, so why are we so intent on forcing everyone to celebrate Christmas? Conversely, no one is forcing anyone not to celebrate Christmas. Starbuck’s “anti-Christmas” cup isn’t all that rare considering it rarely produces cups with Christmas designs. Most of Starbucks’ past seasonal cups have sported snowmen, sleigh rides, pine trees, snowflakes, reindeer, nutcrackers and other seasonal images. None of these are blatantly Christmas designs, but I certainly would not call the designs “anti-Christmas.” The same is true when people say “happy holidays” or when they write Xmas. Christmas has become so commercialized it does not matter whether or not people use the actual word “Christmas.” Even with a deliberate effort, no one could possibly extinguish the raging fire of Christmas, as the holiday consumes everything under the sun for not just one but three whole months of the year. The least those who celebrate Christmas can do is courteously remember not everyone and their mother has fallen to the Christmas plague of mad-

ness when we wish them a happy holiday season instead of a happy Christmas season. The other argument I often hear is how hellbent people are to take the Christ out of Christmas in their efforts to be politically correct. This is, again, not something anyone is deliberately doing. Christmas means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Some find happiness in celebrating togetherness and family, while others find happiness in celebrating the birth of Christ, and no one is denying one way or the other. I promise writing Xmas on a series of cards and boxes will not bring about the downfall of Christian tradition. These simple gestures are not examples of being too politically correct as many people argue. At this point, people merely are being a little more self-aware of those around them. The day people become too politically correct during the holiday season is the day it is unacceptable to even mention Christmas in a public setting for fear of offending someone else. The world is still a very long way away from that day, and there are so many more important issues demanding our attention. So this holiday season, instead of arguing about paper cups, let’s direct our energy into something a little more productive. Let’s talk about helping the homeless, providing for parents who can’t afford to celebrate the holidays with their children or even the Syrian refugee crisis. Above all, let’s have a wonderful holiday season.

Holly Fisher is a senior English and linguistics major from Elizabethtown, Ky.

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015

Paige Yungermann/Index Students hold hands during a peaceful protest fall 2014 outside the Student Union Building in response to the Michael Brown Ferguson shooting. Truman State encourages similar peaceful protests, but has a plan in place in case of on-campus violence.

University plans in case of violence By Paige Yungermann TMN Reporter

Following recent events at the University of Missouri, Truman State has been considering how the University would handle similar situations. The University’s plan has two components — the Department of Public Safety would handle any unsafe situations, such as a protest that turns violent or shooting threats, and Truman administration would handle less immediate threats, such as hate speech. DPS Director Sara Holzmeier said since the events at Mizzou, DPS has received multiple phone calls and emails from concerned students and parents. However, Holzmeier said DPS had no reports of racerelated issues during the last few weeks. “We’ve been pretty lucky,” Holzmeier said. “People know to act accordingly. If something has happened, I encourage people to report and come forward because we won’t tolerate that kind of behavior on campus.” If such a situation were to occur, Holzmeier said laws and University rules would be enforced properly. She said she has discussed with DPS officers how they would proceed, but DPS does not foresee an immediate problem. Holzmeier said though it is possible a situation like the one at Mizzou could occur at Truman, she thinks it is unlikely. “I’m proud to be a part of Truman,” Holzmeier said. “We have a lot of good students. I feel that we are blessed to have a pretty small campus with a diverse, educated group of kids, and luckily we haven’t had anything like that. It’s my hope that we won’t have it, but it’s always a potential.”

Holzmeier said the officers will receive sovereign citizen training during the coming weeks. While not directly related to the situation at Mizzou, she said this training will teach the officers how to handle situations such as what occurred in Ferguson, where armed citizens presented an issue to law enforcement. When it comes to protests becoming violent, Holzmeier said this is something else she thinks is unlikely to occur at Truman. “Obviously, if it’s a peaceful protest, they have the right to do that, so long as it’s not done in an unsafe manner,” Holzmeier said.

“One thing that we’ve learned from Mizzou is that we have to create a safe place for people to express their concerns...” — Institutional Compliance Officer Jamie Ball

Holzmeier said during the past, student protests have been small and contained. If there were an issue, she said she would meet with the protest leaders to hear their concerns and find a solution. Holzmeier said if a student feels unsafe, they should report the situation to DPS. “Even if it doesn’t rise to the level of being a criminal issue, if someone says something that is racially-biased or derogatory in any manner, I encourage them to report it,” Holzmeier said. Holzmeier said if the situation did not present an immediate safety issue or warrant criminal charges, DPS would report it to student affairs.

Lou Ann Gilchrist, vice president for student affairs, said if a violation of the Student Conduct Code occurred, the student affairs office would take care of the problem. Gilchrist said anyone violating the code would face appropriate consequences. While this likely would be in the form of education or mediation, the more severe consequences for repeat offenses would be suspension or expulsion, she said. Gilchrist said while a situation similar to the one at Mizzou could occur at Truman, she thinks Truman has various systems that would mitigate such an occurrence, such as University President Troy Paino’s open door policy when it comes to communicating with students. “We have a president that’s very open to communicating directly with students,” Gilchrist said. “We have a close-knit community with people that help to give students a voice. That being said, I certainly have heard of incidents of inappropriate discriminatory behaviors. It could happen on any campus, but I hope we might see things transpire a little differently here because of those reasons.” Institutional Compliance Officer Jamie Ball said she has not received any reports from Truman students following the situation at Mizzou, but such occurrences are possible. “One of the things I’m beginning to understand is that sometimes there are problems or concerns that people just deal with, and suffer through and don’t speak up about,” Ball said. “One thing that we’ve learned from Mizzou is that we have to create a safe place for people to express their concerns about things.” Ball said part of creating this safe space is Paino’s efforts to speak with students

about issues on Truman’s campus. For example, she said Paino met with students and faculty at the Multicultural Affairs Center following the incidents at Mizzou. Ball said she attended this meeting, and learned the biggest issues are microaggressions at Truman and racist behavior in the Kirksville community. “Because of the experiences of students at Mizzou, it’s definitely making us give some additional thought to what we can do here at Truman to be proactive and not wait for people to feel like they’re in crisis,” Ball said. Ball said students should report any hateful behavior to her or a trusted member of the Truman faculty. If a situation were reported to her, Ball said she would handle it according to the circumstances and how the person who reported the issue wanted to proceed. For example, she said if someone reported finding a swastika — such as the feces swastika at Mizzou — the University would first investigate who was responsible and then determine how to proceed. However, if someone makes a complaint about a specific person or group of people, Ball said one course of action is to mediate between the parties. “If everybody feels safe doing it, we can have a supported, facilitated conversation about what all of this meant to hopefully achieve more understanding and to give people some tools for doing better,” Ball said. “Sometimes, these situations come from a place of ignorance. If we give people more information and make them more aware, our community is better for that.” Students can report incidents to DPS at police.truman.edu or by calling 911.

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