The Index Vol. 111 Issue 2 by Truman State University Index

Amy Eagan to leave Truman for position at Drury

Assault case leaves Title IX office, page 2 Truman alumnus donates books to library, page 7

“Dark Crystals” remains horrifying, page 8

page 12

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

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TRUMAN GETS $1.1 MILLION GRANT FOR GREENWOOD RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief

Top: The Sunderland Foundation has pledged a $1.1 million donation for the Greenwood project. Greenwood was originally built in 1935.

Bottom: New windows were put in Greenwood over the summer. The Greenwood Center project started fall of 2015. Photos by Rachel Becker

The Sunderland Foundation has pledged a $1.1 million donation over two years to Truman State University for the Greenwood project, which will likely be used as a match amount to get more funding from the state. The Kansas City-based foundation has donated $600,000 already, but will give Truman the remaining $500,000 next year. The Sunderland Foundation provides grants and funding for construction and special interest projects to typically well-established, nonprofit organizations. This is the biggest private donation for construction on the Greenwood project Truman has received since the project started. In 2016, Truman began the project of turning the old Greenwood elementary building into a regional autism therapy and diagnostic center where Truman students could work alongside professionals in diagnosing and serving patients. These plans have been continuously pushed back as state funding for the project has been withheld and decreased. Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said the University is planning to use the donation from the Sunderland Foundation as a local match to show community support for the project and try to get more funding from the state. “The state of Missouri — particularly the governor — really likes projects that have a local match or some kind of outside money,” Rector said. “Particularly they like to see outside funding as opposed to the institution saving up

money and saying, ‘Here’s a match.’ They really like to see other people supporting it.”] So far, Truman has received a total of just over $2 million from the state of Missouri for Greenwood. Rector said the University is preparing to ask for an additional $4.4 million for the project for fiscal year 2021. “One hope is with this match the governor and others will look favorably on it,” Rector said. In total, the Greenwood project is expected to cost $7.6 million, but Rector said that cost can rise because of inflation and reworking designs as time passes. In addition, Truman is now working with partners to complete the project, including the Northeast Missouri Health Council and Adair County SB40 Developmental Disability Board. Ernie Hughes, vice president for university advancement, said the University was looking for funders who support construction projects in particular and would be interested in helping fund the Greenwood project. He said his office conducted research and looked for patterns in the projects the Sunderland Foundation has chosen to support in the past. Despite being on the outskirts of their typical funding region, Hughes and University President Sue Thomas met with the foundation’s CEO to talk about Greenwood and the project’s mission. “All meetings are different,” Hughes said. “It kind of goes back to the story about who you are, what you represent and the impact that you want to have on the community, for one, but most importantly the students.” See GREENWOOD page 5

Truman ranked New arts center to be built regionally, nationally ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor

RACHEL BECKER News, Photo Editor Truman State University jumped forward 16 spots on Kiplinger’s list of 500 Best College Values for 2019 to No. 55 in the nation. Meanwhile, The Princeton Review released their top 20 colleges in the U.S. with the most unhappy students, and Truman was named No. 12. Truman is the only Missouri public institution in the top 300 in Kiplinger Magazine’s list.

A family walking through The Quad on freshman move-in day. Truman was ranked the No. 1 public school in the Midwest in Kiplinger Magazine’s list. Photo by Rachel Becker

“We are always gratified to be recognized in the Kiplinger’s national college ranking as it focuses on the essential components of a Truman education — high quality and value,” President Sue Thomas said in a statement. “A liberal arts and sciences education is the education for the 21st century, and to have the impactful work of our students, faculty and staff recognized with such a striking move forward in the rankings is outstanding.” Truman was also named the No. 1 public school in the Midwest. Among the top five were the University of Michigan, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, and Purdue University. When compared to both public and private schools in the Midwest, Truman was ranked No. 11. “We are committed to the continuous advancement of the Truman experience,” Thomas

said in a written statement. The Princeton Review ranking was published this month in The Princeton Review’s The Best 385 Colleges, and the data was based on surveys of 140,000 students. However, The Princeton Review said on their website that no ranking list reflects their view or rating of the colleges, but the ranking is entirely the result of what its own students surveyed by The Princeton Review reported. The ranking was based on how strongly students disagree with the statement “I am happy at my school.” The Princeton Review describes Truman on its website as, “Missouri’s premier liberal arts and sciences university and the only highly selective public institution in the state.” Truman has an impeccable reputation throughout the nation for its high quality undergraduate programs, The Princeton Review wrote.

After a ground-breaking ceremony in May, construction is now underway for the Sue Ross Arts Center and is expected to take approximately seven months. This new arts center will be located at the corner of Jefferson Street and Franklin Street, a block south of the old arts center that burned down Dec. 2, 2016. Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said that spot was likely chosen because it leads into Truman

State University, A.T. Still University and The Square, and is, therefore, one of the busiest intersections in town. Young said that while the city is excited about this project, its only role is inspection of the construction. “Our codes and planning department, they work with the construction crew and the engineering firm to inspect the project and be sure that it’s meeting all of the city of Kirksville’s codes,” Young said. See ARTS page 2

The old Kirksville arts center burned down Dec. 6, 2016. Construction for the Sue Ross Arts Center started in May. Photo by Rachel Becker

The Index

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Assault case from spring semester moves forward RACHEL BECKER News, Photo Editor

A fourth degree assault on March 20 at Truman State University was reported to the Department of Public Safety last semester. Lauri Millot, institutional compliance officer and Title IX coordinator, said prior to the report being filed with DPS she had some contact with the situation and the person who had reported it provided her with additional information. The additional information caused Millot to conclude that what DPS identified as an assault was not something that was based on protected status, she said.

“What I mean by that is that assault in and of itself I don’t have any jurisdiction over on campus,” Millot said. “The only time I have jurisdiction in an assault situation is if it’s a sexual misconduct situation.” Millot said because of that her investigation was closed. She has no jurisdiction over the case, no investigation or an open-case file. The next step, Millot said, is to send out notices to the parties to indicate that the behavior that has been alleged is not based on protected status. “Any investigation that the individual filed with DPS … still continues in the criminal court system,” Millot said. “That means that DPS does their investigation, they work in concert with Kirksville

Police Department, and the case then goes to ... the [Adair County] prosecuting attorney.” Millot said the Adair County prosecuting attorney then makes the decision on if they are going to pursue charges or not. Millot said she doesn’t know what the outcome of that is at this point in time. Before the Adair County prosecuting attorney has made a decision they do not release any information, Millot said. “I have not heard it’s been dismissed nor have I heard if the PA had taken it nor have I heard specifically a grand jury had been convened to address it,” Millot said. “It would be one of those three things.”

ARTS| Construction begins on the Sue Ross Arts Center Continued from page 1 The city previously owned the plot of land where the new arts center will be, but traded it for the plot where the old art center was. Young said there are multiple ideas about what to do with the old plot, but did not elaborate on the ideas. Linda Treasure, Kirksville Arts Association president, said the contractors are Sparks Constructors Incorporated, a local company. She said the main gallery will be approximately 1,800 square feet and the new building will also have a full-service kitchen, an office, a meeting and workshop room, and a loft with an upper gallery and conference room. “We had a mosaic mural on our old building that the community had done and we were able to salvage those tiles, so we’ll be putting more tiles on it and they’ll go [on the outside],” Treasure said. Treasure said there will be a sprinkler system in the new building. Another thing Treasure thinks might help prevent another fire is that the entire building will be new. The old building was built in

1907 and she said the top two floors still had some of the original wiring. The designers of the building are STRATA Architecture and Preservation out of Kansas City and Treasure said they are working together with the contractors to keep the Arts Association on budget. The idea for the building, she said, was to have a contemporary style. “I hope that we can contribute to the vibrancy of the downtown area,” Treasure said. “We have special events, we have workshops from time to time, we have exhibits and we want the people to come out and see what we have to offer.” Treasure said there are already some exhibits planned and she hopes the Arts Association will be moved into the new building and have their first exhibit up in early March. The last exhibit in the old building — the exhibit that burned — was the “Hands of Friendship Quilt Guild.” “Even though the fire didn’t get down to the gallery, with the heat the fibers melted and the smoke and water, it destroyed most of the quilts,”

Treasure explained. “They were all damaged, some beyond recognition.” That quilt exhibit had just been put up the day before the fire and that is why, Treasure said, the first exhibit in the new building will be quilts.

Top: Construction equipment and trailers sit where the new arts center will be built. The project broke ground in May. Photo by Rachel Becker Middle Left: Concept art for the exterior of the Sue Ross Arts Center. The concept art shows a mosaic on the outside, which is a tribute to the mosaic on the old arts center. Photo by Elisabeth Shirk Middle right: Fencing surrounds the construction site. The new arts center should be complete in approximately seven months. Photo by Elisabeth Shirk

Bottom left: Construction equipment and fencing remain on the south side of City Hall on the corner of Jefferson Street and Franklin Street. The city previously owned the plot of land where the new arts center will be, but traded it for the plot where the old art center was. Photo by Elisabeth Shirk Bottom right: Concept art for the interior of the new Arts Center shows a large gallary. The first exhibit in the new arts center will be quilts, since the fire that destroyed the building also damaged the quilt exhibition. Photo by Elisabeth Shirk CORRECTION: The article titled “Truman, AKL, former student named in lawsuit,” appearing on the front page of the Aug. 14 issue of The Index, incorrectly states that five students committed suicide in the 2016-2017 school year. Only four of the five people were students. CORRECTION: An infographic titled “Helpful Truman phone numbers,” appearing on page 9 of the Aug. 14 issue of The Index, provides the phone number for Victim Support Services. This service is no longer available and the contact information is outdated.

The Index

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

calendar BACK TO SCHOOL BASH 2019 4-6 P.M. THE QUAD This SAB-sponsored event will feature a rock wall, mechanical bull and bounce house boxing. Food and sweets will also be available. The event will move to the SUB in the event of rain.

23 AUGUST

AUGUST

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GREEK INTEREST BBQ 4-7 P.M. THE QUAD Students looking to get involved in Greek Life are encouraged to attend the Greek Interest BBQ on The Quad. The event will move to the SUB Georgian Rooms in the event of rain.

ACTIVITIES FAIR 2-6 P.M. THE SUB Truman students will be able to learn about the numerous student resources and organizations on campus. Registration for organizations to participate in the Activities Fair ends Aug. 23.

Student Affairs, Career Center relocated The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs and the Office of Citizenship and Community Standards are now in the SUB in room 3100. The Career Center has moved to room 1110. Telephone numbers for each area will remain the same. Students alerted of attempted burglary Director of Public Safety Sara Seifert sent an email to students Thursday evening alerting them of an attempted burglary at the Randolph Apartments. Seifert wrote in the email that the suspect in the case was described as a white male, approximately 5’6”, around 150 pounds, had a bald head and shaved face and was wearing a black shirt and cargo shorts. Local group collaborates on statewide initiative for dark skies Associate physics professor Vayujeet Gokhale is leading a project at Truman State University to conduct light pollution research and change campus lighting. With help from other campus groups, their work has included installing sky quality meters around Kirksville, changing some of the outdoor fixtures by retrofitting them with dark sky reflectors, and replacing blue-white outdoor lights with off-white and yellow lights.

AUGUST

SAB will be screening Steven Spielberg’s suspenseful dinosaur bloodbath “Jurassic Park” on The Quad. There will be a light snack if attendees have appetites, and viewers are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets.

Take Root Cafe is sponsoring this free, annual Kirksville event featuring over 40 vendors and hands-on workshops centered around different aspects of sustainability. There will also be live entertainment, a yoga-thon, a kid’s area, a hot pepper eating contest and much more.

AUGUST

SAB PRESENTS: JURASSIC PARK 9-11:30 P.M. THE QUAD

COMMUNITY ROOTS FESTIVAL 4-11 P.M. THE SQUARE

The Historical Society is hosting a benifit concert featuring Strange Accents. Tickets will cost $6 for students and $8 at the door. For other community members tickets will be $7, and $10 at the door. All proceeds will go to fund a one-time scholarship for history majors.

The Kirksville-based blues/rock band “Deadwood” will be performing on The Square as part of the Summer on The Square concert series.

news in brief

HISTORICAL SOCIETY BENEFIT CONCERT 7-8 P.M. SUB DOWN UNDER

SUMMER ON THE SQUARE CONCERT: “DEADWOOD” 7-8:30 P.M. THE SQUARE

28 AUGUST

Public hearing held on property tax levy A public hearing was held on Bill No. 201940, which will increase the property tax from $0.673 to $0.6778 per $100 valuation for 2019. The increase is based on the guidelines of the state statute. One citizen spoke out against the bill during the public hearing.

Fire Captain’s retirement recognized Fire Captain Kenneth Lambert was recognized for his retirement and 28 years of service to Kirksville. He started as a volunteer firefighter and worked up to the role of Fire Captain.

Police Chief’s retirement recognized Police Chief Jim Hughes was recognized by the council for his retirement and 16 years of service to Kirksville. During his time working for the city he worked for the police force and for the fire station.

Council approves purchase of rock salt The council approved the purchase of up to 800 tons of rock salt from Independent Salt Company for winter road maintenance. Public Works Director Glenn Balliew, who gave the staff report for the resolution, said there was a price increase of rock salt last year because of a supply and demand issue.

Citizen concern with street conditions A community member spoke during the citizen participation portion of the council meeting about his concerns with local road conditions. The citizen was concerned with the intersection of La Harpe and Baltimore, citing that the repaving projects that have taken place were a good improvement but there are sections of town still lacking in maintenance. Kirksville City Council said in response that Baltimore is owned by the state and the state has plans to improve the road in the coming years.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

[ Our View ]

Greenwood donation sparks hope Truman State University has recieved a $1.1 million donation from the Sunderland Foundation to support the Greenwood project, an initiative to turn the old Greenwood school building into a regional autism therapy and diagnostic center. One major intention behind the new center is to provide Truman students with the educational opportunity of working alongside professionals in diagnosing and serving patients. We, The Index Editorial Board, think this is a worthwhile initiative and the Sunderland Foundation’s donation is a big step in the right direction. We are also happy to see that the University is actively seeking donations as this is an expensive project with an expected cost of $7.6 million. Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning said the University is preparing to ask the state of Missouri for an ad-

Res Life should reconsider changes RACHEL BECKER News, Photo Editor

ditional $4.4 million for the 2021 fiscal year. While this seems to be a lofty request, it is encouraging and exciting to see such confidence and enthusiasm for this project from the University. The University also did a commendable job of recognizing that the value in outside funding for securing match money from the state. Rector said the governor likes to see outside funding before matching funds for projects like Greenwood. This type of fundraising is also commonplace for Truman in areas such as Tel-Alumni and the brick campaign for the new plaza, so it makes sense to use the same approach with the Greenwood project. We would like to see the University continue to push forward on this project with the same momentum.

Stu Gov

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Last week, The Index reported on the changes to the Residence Life curriculum. During the time of reporting only about 40% of the new curriculum had been planned out. While it is a little early to make judgement on the new curriculum, from what I heard from the Res Life Director’s plans and from what I have seen in the halls, these changes are not what Truman State University needs. Hall residents need to be aware of these changes and be vocal about their opinions of the changes. Students usually choose Truman for its affordability Happy first week of school, Bulldogs! We had a ton of fun helping with and small-town atmosphere. Here, students feel as though our professors and Truman Week festivities last week and are thrilled to see campus filled with staff know us on more of a personal level, rather than as a number on an ID students again. We hope your first week has been filled with happy recard. Part of that uniqueness comes from the on-campus living atmosphere. unions and excitement as well! The new curriculum for Res Life has changed how door decs are created. As we begin this new year, Student Government is gearing up for our anThey are no longer handmade by SAs, but instead they are designed by a hall nual fall elections. We have lots of open positions, and we strongly encourdirector. The current door decs are a major step down from the handmade age you to think about joining our body! If you are interested in learning door decs that highlighted the specific house communities. There is a lack more about how the University operates, or using your passions to improve of creativity, originality and personality with the new door decs. In case you our campus community, Student Government is the organization for you! haven’t seen them, they are designed as a postcard with the resident’s name We have various ways you can get involved: and a get-to-know-you question with a small stamp in the top right to indiVoting Senator: One of the most popular ways to get involved in Stucate which hall an individual resides in. dent Government is to be elected by the student body and serve as a Voting I realize the time it took to handmake the tiny decorations and how something so small might have been overlooked, however, it was a cute experience Senator. As a Voting Senator, you would be expected to serve on at least one of the Student Government’s six standing committees, attend all gento see something another student made for you on your door. I’ve talked to eral body meetings and committee meetings, and serve one office hour each many students who say they remember and appreciate their freshman door decs, and most kept them, so obviously these small gestures are not for noth- week. If you are interested in running, petitions will become available in the Student Government Office on Monday, August 26. Active campaigning ing. Many students treasure the decorations that SAs put on their doors. will begin Tuesday, September 3, and voting will occur September 9-12. The new curriculum is also said to have less activities and more unity. Committee Chairship: The Student Government oversees a number of Under the umbrella term “unity” it sounds positive, however, the real term committees, each dedicated to a specific interest area or specific project. should be “bureaucratic.” Now, activities in the halls will be the same through The following committees are still in need of chairs. If you are interested, all the halls, and hall directors will bring forth the content they think stuvisit our website to apply, or contact us to learn more: dents should know rather than the SAs deciding that information. Of course Academic Affairs Committee the hall directors have more life experience and are valued members of Res External Affairs Committee Life, but it is a breath of fresh air to have student-created and student-led Health, Wellness, and Safety Committee events on campus. Through most of our lives superiors have dictated what Student Affairs Committee we did — having a group of fellow students plan events made them more inVision Document 2020 Committee touch with what students actually like. A lot of SAs take on that role to have Purple Friday Sub-Committee more responsibility and to be leaders among their peers. The control hall Environmental Sustainability Fee Accountability Committee (ESFAC) directors and Res Life staff have now robs the SAs of valuable learning and IT Director: The Student Government IT Director manages and regularly teaching opportunities. Within the Truman community the majority of on-campus students identify updates our website and is expected to attend all general body meetings to stay informed on current events in Student Government. themselves with their halls. We love our halls for the differences they have. Public Relations Director: The Student Government PR Director manages It is naive to think a student chose Missouri Hall over Blanton-Nason-Brewer and regularly updates our social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), Hall just because of the community-style bathrooms option — each hall is expected to attend all general body meetings, and is encouraged to atcomes with its own identity. However, now the halls will all hold the same tend Executive Committee meetings. This position is available as a scholarevents and have unified content given to their residents. ship job this year! I understand SAs have a lot riding on them, and it sounds nice to alleviate Associate Senator: If you’re interested in getting involved in Student some of their stresses, but there are better ways to do this. Instead of central Government with less of a time commitment and without running in elecoffice taking over duties completely, they should be more of a support behind tions, you can also be an Associate Senator! Associate Senators are apthe scenes helping SAs rather than taking over for them. For instance, the pointed by the Student Government to serve on one committee, and are door decs should still be decorated by SAs, but if an SA doesn’t want to put not required to attend general body meetings. While they cannot vote in the extra time in or they don’t want to participate, then they could use staffStudent Government meetings, they can work on projects and voice their made templates. SAs should still bring forward content they want students opinions in discussions. This is a great way to get involved if you’re interto know in their own unique ways, however, ResLife should be allowed to ested in seeing if Student Government is right for you! dictate what is on the hall bulletin boards at certain times of the year as they If you are interested in learning more, please don’t hesitate to reach out do for winter break and check-out time. at studentgovernment@truman.edu for more information, or check out our During my interview with Residence Life Director Jamie Van Boxel, one website at senate.truman.edu. We would love for you to join our body! thing he said was that ResLife would be looking for student responses from the changes they are making. Since they asked, we should supply them with SUBMITTED BY: responses. I, for one, am not liking the direction the new changes are going Deanna Schmidt and Katie Alexander, in. Residents within the dorms on campus need to speak up, whether they Student Government President and Student Government Vice President love the new changes or not. EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 63501. The production offices are located in Barnett Hall 1200. We can be reached by phone at 660-785-4449. The Index is a designated public EDITORIAL POLICY: forum, and content of The Index is the responsibility of The Index staff e editor-in-chief consults the staffKirksville, and adviserMO but 63501. ultimately is The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by. Th students at Truman Statewith University, responsible for all decisions. The production offices are located in Barnett Hall 1200. We can be reached by phone at 660-785-4449. The Index is a designatedofpublic forum, and content The Indexrepresentative is the responsibility of TheofIndex staff. Thenewspaper. Editor-in-Chief consults withrepresent the Opinions The Index columnists are notofnecessarily of the opinions the staff or the Our View editorials Submit corrections or contact the editor. staff and adviser but ultimately is responsible for all decisions. the view of the Editorial Board through a two-thirds majority vote. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor, section Opinions of The Index columnists are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the staff or the newspaper. Our View editors, copy represent chief and assistant copy chief. The Index reserves the right to edit submitted material of space limitations, repetitive editorials the view of the Editorial Board through a two-thirds majority vote. because The Editorial Board consists of the subject matter, libelous content or any other reason the editor-in-chief deemsand appropriate. material includes advertisements letters to the Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor, section editors, copy chief assistantSubmitted copy chief. The Index reserves the rightand to edit subindex.editor@gmail.com editor. mitted 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. LETTER POLICY: The Index welcomes letters to the editor from the University and Kirksville community. 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THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Volunteers help during freshman move-in day

Top right: Volunteers carry belongings to the north side of Ryle Hall. Volunteers were recruited from Greek organizations around campus to help with move-in day.

Bottom left: Volunteers move a purple bin. There was free popcorn and $5 Truman State University shirts for sale on The Quad Aug. 14. Bottom right: A family have their photo taken on The Quad. A photo op was set up on The Quad to welcome new students. Photos by Rachel Becker

GREENWOOD| $1.1 million grant was given to Truman from Kansas City-based foundation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 The $1.1 million figure was formed by assessing the project cost and looking at how much the foundation has previously given to other projects. Hughes said most foundations won’t grant more than 30% of a project’s total cost, so they tried to find a good balance. Hughes said he submitted the application in April and received a letter back just a few

weeks ago confirming the donation. Hughes said he thinks this donation will help move the project along and secure more funding in the future. He said there are plans to keep looking for support from a variety of donors, but could not give specific names because they are not definite. “We’re in talks now to do something large — more of a campaign for Greenwood,”

Hughes said. “The key is to energize individuals, corporations and foundations to support the project, along with the funding we get from the state.” In the meantime, Rector said Truman will likely use the $1.15 million it received from the state this year to complete some site development and infrastructure work next spring.

The Index

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Funday Barbecue, Self-Care Sundays kicks off fall semester The Student Government booth rentedout recycling bins to students. There were other stands where students could get free cups and receive information about campus clubs. Students lined up to get free stress balls. For Self-Care Sunday, ice cream, stress balls and motivational notes were handed out. Photos by Rachel Becker

University President Sue Thomas walking through The Quad. Self-Care Sundays started Aug. 18. some of the attractions of the event were games like Jenga, Connect 4 and Cornhole.

Top: Groups of students sat on The Quad. There was a voter registration drive going on at the barbecue where volunteers would sign up students to vote in Adair County elections. Left: Students recived free hotdogs at the Barbecue on the Quad. The Funday Barbecue started at 4 p.m. and lasted until food ran out.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Truman alumnus plays part in preserving LGBTQ history ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor Tanner Williams, a Truman State University alumnus, has spent the last two years working to preserve the history of The Diana Foundation, the oldest continuously active gay organization in the U.S. During those two years he contributed to a book, a 65-year history of The Diana Foundation. Williams helped lead the project and is also credited with writing the five-year epilogue. Tomorrow at 11 a.m. Williams will be visiting library administration to donate two copies of the book to Pickler Memorial Library, where he says he spent many hours during his time at Truman. “I’m excited to give a couple copies to my alma mater,” Williams said. “Right now we have a list of about 41 museums and archives across the world that we’re going to be sending books to. Our goal is to get up to about 150 books donated.” Williams said he enjoyed his time at Truman and he loves The Diana Foundation, so when Truman did its brick campaign for the new Sandra K. Giachino-Reavey Sesquicentennial Plaza, he bought a brick and opted to have The Diana Foundation on that brick. The reason, he explained, was

that he wanted to connect two things that are important to him and have shaped his life. He came out as a gay man while at Truman and expressed that he felt supported by the campus community. “There’s few places in the world where you feel at home. I feel at home at Truman and I feel at home at the Diana,” Williams said.

How did you get started writing this book? “This project really started 10 years ago back with my friend John Heinzerling, who is the coach of the book project committee. 10 years ago they were celebrating their 56th anniversary of the organization and a writer for OutSmart Magazine, which is Houston’s largest LGBT[Q] magazine, was assigned to write a 1,500 word article to promote [The Diana Foundation] awards show and gala. The writer, Brandon Wolf, became very curious about this organization. Following that year he did continue to research and he discovered that The Diana Foundation was actually the oldest active gay organization in the United States. There was energy at the organization at the time to do some research and he was hired by an independent group of Diana members to write a 30,000 word manuscript and he delivered on that. The idea from the independent group of members was to publish a book and share our story. Like most things in small volunteer, small group settings, it lost some energy and the manuscript was kind of shelved. My friend John was a persistent man — he never wanted to give up on his dream — so two years ago I finished my presidency at The Diana Foundation, and I was thinking about what’s my next step and I knew the importance of the stories, so I teamed up with John and we spearheaded a fundraising campaign and I took up Above: Williams speaks about the Diana book re- the efforts of getting lease. Williams spent the past two years collaborat- the book edited and ing on this project. designed. Brandon Below: The members of The Diana Foundation come Wolf ’s manuscript together for a photo. Williams was a part of bringing went through the the membership back up to its full 100 members. first 60 years and

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Truman State University alumnus Tanner Williams helped spearhead a book project on the history of The Diana Foundation, the oldest continuously active gay organization in the U.S. The book covers 65 years of history and Williams is credited with writing the five-year epilogue. Submitted photos by Emily Jaschke when I finished my presidency we were getting ready to celebrate our 65th anniversary. Including the five-year epilogue brought the book up to current events.”

those interviews. One of them, she just passed away last month, so if we were to begin writing this book today it would be incredibly difficult.”

What was the writing process How did you get involved with like for the book? The Diana Foundation? “So much history — gay his“I moved to Houston in 2007. tory — has been lost. Many peo- Houston has a lot of historic instituple died from the AIDS crisis and tional organizations in the commumany things just get tossed out nity. I think through some of my inand thrown away. Brandon talks teractions I met some of my friends in his author notes about his who just happened to be members struggles of trying to track down of the organization and I was invitpeople who were still alive back in ed to a party and I enjoyed the comthe ’50s and he finally made some pany of the people. I went to one of of those connections. It was a lot the Diana award show gala events of storytelling, it was a lot of re- and I loved it. So in wanting to get search. There were many videos of involved in the community, or get some of the big to know people, I awards shows, chose The Diana hundreds of inFoundation as an terviews, tons opportunity to be and tons of phopart of my comtos. Also trying munity. When I to figure out who heard the stories knows the people there was no writin these photos ten book for me to and where did all read and people of this take place. - Tanner Williams, Truman would tell me stoI received a very ries. I was like, State University Alumnus ‘This is amazing. I large box of film negatives and I’m want to be a part like, ‘How do I look at these?’ I of this.’ I soon became a memberknow writing the epilogue, it was ship chair, trying to recruit folks and not so hard to write that, because educate people on the history and I a lot of it was about my time as a helped build the organization back member and my time as president. up to its full 100 members. During That was easy because people that time, I became president. I was were alive and it just happened. actually first vice president and the For Brandon to do his work, he president currently serving passed actually found a couple people away unexpectedly, so I took over who attended the very first party for three years.” in 1953 and he was able to have See Diana Foundation page 8

“A lot of history — gay history — has been lost.”

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The Index

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

“The Dark Crystal” remains horrifying

This movie gets 4.5/5 dark crystals. GORDON MCPHERSON Staff Writer Eons ago, I vividly remember watching Jim Henson’s grim puppet epic “The Dark Crystal” in my school’s after-school program. I was completely, utterly terrified, as I was only in the first grade. In fact, the film gave me nightmares for years. The villainous Skeksis, anthropomorphized rat-flamingo hybrids, disturb me to this day more than, well, anything I’ve encountered since — with the exception of the decomposing bathtub woman from “The Shining.” With the highly anticipated release of Netflix’s “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” it seemed fitting to revisit my childhood trauma with the 1982 original. I’m happy to report that the original “Dark Crystal” holds up surprisingly well, and the Skeksis remain flat-out creepy. The film is also extremely dark and uncompromising. It’s not exactly for young children (ahem), contrary to what Henson himself, the creator of The Muppets, believed. I suppose the film primes viewers for the harshness and cruelty of the real world

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in 2019. Poor, poor Podlings. Nobody deserves to have their “essence” drained. While the world of “The Dark Crystal” is rich with lore, hopefully explored further in the Netflix series, the film follows a relatively standard “Chosen One” prophecy arc. A thousand years ago on the bizarre fantasy planet of Thra, the Dark Crystal — a power source that maintained peace and harmony on the planet — was cracked. This left the planet’s idiosyncratic inhabitants in turmoil and created the Skeksis, who rule Thra with an iron fist, and their polar opposites, the Mystics. Jen, a young Gelfling — a semi-humanoid race previously decimated by the Skeksis — is prophesied to find the broken shard and return Thra to its previous glory. Along the way, Jen meets another Gelfling named Kira and her grotesque puffball pet named Fizzgig, and the trio embark on a race against time to fulfill the prophecy and ensure an end to the brutal Skeksis rule. Quite a mouthful. Indeed, “The Dark Crystal” is such an imaginative film that it nearly defies description. The puppetry on display — painstakingly crafted over the course of five years — is unlike anything viewers have seen before.

ITEMS FOR YOUR DORM ROOM YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN By Staff Writer Travis Maiden

Cutesy Star Wars characters these are not. From the first scene on, Henson relishes in nightmarish imagery. A scene involving the Skeksis eating dinner stands out as particularly nausea-inducing. While the film leaves viewers uneasy from start to finish — even the friendly characters are somewhat hideous looking — there’s also breathtaking beauty in the film’s particular brand of twisted. From a living, breathing forest populated by creative creepycrawlies to a slimy, cavernous fortress where the Skeksis reside, “The Dark Crystal” surprises viewers, visually at least, around every corner. Where the film disappoints, however, is with the central character. While Jen is a likable enough protagonist, he struggles to put two and two together at multiple points throughout the film. Henson wants young children to be able to follow along, after all, but I was left irritated. A few plot conveniences also momentarily broke my immersion, but the strengths of “The Dark Crystal” far outweigh the film’s weaknesses. Whether or not viewers are terrified with “The Dark Crystal,” the craftsmanship on display is impossible to overlook. Watch this film, watch the final trailer for the Netflix series and get hyped.

3. Shower Sandals

Shower sandals are especially important for community bathrooms. Protecting your feet from various fungi that can be found in leftover shower water is essential to staying clean and healthy.

4. Spare Light

1. First Aid Kit

An emergency can spring up at any place and any time. Be it burns from cooking or cuts from an accident, a first aid kit with the proper gear can be the difference between a clean recovery and a nasty infection.

Late at night if you want to see in your dorm, you must turn on the bright overhead light with no way to dim it. Having a soft light lamp can help the eyes focus and keep the mind clear while studying. Using a singular, beaming light will only cause headaches if a student needs to wake up in the middle of the night and could potentially bother a roommate.

2. Cleaning Supplies

5. Snacks

With the nearest Walmart being across town from campus, students should prepare to have cleaning products on hand like paper towels, laundry detergent and soap for those sticky accidents. From food spills to nail polish, there is absolutely no mess you shouldn’t prepared for.

The only creatures that stir at 3 a.m. are grasshoppers, owls and Truman State University students. With few places to visit for a late-night treat, it’s wonderful to have an emergency stockpile for when the slight peckish feeling on the tongue turns into a ravenous hunger.

Diana Foundation| Truman alumnus donates books to Pickler Continued from page 7 What does The Diana Foundation do and why is it significant in its community? “If you look at the history when the organization started in 1953, Eisenhower had just become president and he signed an executive order to go after all federal gay contractors, gay employees. You couldn’t be out anywhere publicly, especially Houston, Texas. So what you could do is you could have house parties. The Diana Foundation was a way for people to actually come together and be gay together and put down their gaurd and be social without fear of police raiding a bar or [people] feeling attacked or judged in public. The Diana Foundation has provided the seed money for many large organizations — we helped start AIDS Foundation Houston. We helped start many health service organizations to respond to the AIDS crisis. For one organization we helped provide seed money for Pet Patrol, which is an organization that helps people who are dying of AIDS to still be able to take care of their pets. You can come together in a social way and you can work together to give back. I think there’s a big heart in that.”

Top: The Diana Foundation has been active in Houston, Texas, since 1953. Williams said The Diana Foundation has provided seed money for a number of organizations. Bottom: As of now there is a list of 41 museums and archives to which books will be donated. Pickler Memorial Library will recieve two of them. Submitted photos by Emily Jaschke

Why is The Diana Foundation important to you? “My bonds of friendship with the individuals. I care a lot about the people around me. The history is also important, not just because it’s cool to say we’re the oldest organization. When you read the book and you hear the stories about what was going on in the community through the decades and what was going on with individuals who were participating in The Diana Foundation at the time, I think it’s important. I feel humbled that I get to be a gay man and out and open because of the foundations layed by so many people before me and the battles that other people fought and for the things that folks perservered through. It took a lot of work to break down barriers and change hearts and minds. It took a lot of work and a lot of time and people went through

hell. People still are today. I’m not going to paint a rosy picture that things are all of a sudden amazing for folks, but life is definitely easier today because of how people decided to live out loud or live out years ago.” This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity. The interview was conducted by Elisabeth Shirk.

Above: Williams attends a Diana Foundation gala. Williams served as president of The Diana Foundation for three years.

The Index

Ouestions ?

Heidi Speth, sophomore

Sam Riggs, junior

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

the

Ouad ?

Savannah Dieckmann, senior

Question 1: What is your favorite spot on campus? “I really like the bridge between McClain and Baldwin. I don’t know why, maybe it’s just because you can see everything.”

“I would say The Quad, just because there’s all that green space and the openness of it. The way light filters in is very nice.”

“My favorite spot would definitely be the area behind the Kirk Memorial building and the sunken gardens. There’s a couple trees right there. I love to hammock there, but my favorite building is probably the library.”

Question 2: Why did you choose to study at Truman? “Somewhere along the line when I was a younger kid and I was like, ‘I’m going to be a teacher,’ I always kind of knew Truman was a teacher college and when I got older I toured it and I decided this was the school for me.”

“It’s kind of cheap, of course. Also I think the liberal arts mission is a good educational philosophy, so I’m a big fan of it.”

“I actually signed to play volleyball for a school in California and I was totally going to go there and then on May 1 when you have to know where you are going, I told my guidance counselor, ‘I think I’m going to go to Truman.’ When I visited Truman it was the only university where I felt at home and of course the campus is beautiful.”

Question 3: What worries, if any, do you have about this semester? “Probably just making sure I stay on top of everything. I’m still pretty new into my major classes because I changed my major last fall.”

“Whether I’ll get too stressed out and if I can manage all of this stuff.”

“The fact that it’s all ending. It’s my last year, yesterday was my last first day, so it’s really hitting me that there’s a lot of pressure to make everything count. I think I’m worried that I’m not going to live up to making sure every moment counts, so one day I’ll regret not doing something.”

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

The Index

EAGAN| Amy Eagan leaves

COLUMN| Sports Editor Truman after storied playing uneasy about Tyreek Hill’s and coaching career lack of punishment

SAM ROETTGEN Sports Editor If you asked me back in April whether or not I thought Tyreek Hill would be playing for the Kansas City Chiefs this season my answer would have been a resounding “no.” However, training camp is finished, the preseason is well underway and Hill is still on the Chiefs and has not been punished by the NFL in any way. I think it’s difficult to levy punishment in this situation. If you’re unfamiliar with the situation, let me quickly explain. Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs’ wide receiver Tyreek Hill was accused of breaking his threeyear-old son’s arm. Soon after, a recording of Hill and his fiancee surfaced in which Hill did not deny breaking his son’s arm. He also made a non-specific threat to his fiancee by saying that she should be afraid of him. Hill was asked to stay away from Chiefs’ activities and an investigation was launched into Hill, his fiancee, and the reported abuse of their son. After many months and much investigation, it was determined that Hill did not break his son’s arm and was allowed to return to the Chiefs with no suspension. I thought that the NFL would punish Hill if only to satisfy those who cry out for him to be punished for something. Hill has a

history of violence from when he was kicked off Oklahoma University’s football team in 2014. He transferred to the University of West Alabama, a Div. II school and was picked in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Chiefs. And let’s not forget that this is the NFL, the same league that suspended Tom Brady for deflating footballs. Roger Goodell has a heavy hand when it comes to dolling out suspensions. Obviously I am biased. The Chiefs are my favorite team and Tyreek Hill is a good player. Do I want good players playing on my favorite team? Of course I do. Despite this, I don’t feel relieved that Hill remains unpunished in his professional career. I was not among the Chiefs’ fans who cheered when he ran onto the field for training camp. The Chiefs’ chances of making the Super Bowl have been greatly increased with Hill on the roster. Usually a wide receiver does not add this much value to a team, but Hill is that good. I think I am resigned to the fact that the NFL will never have a consistent voice on these matters. I feel uneasy because of the precedent being set. Making threats is against the NFL’s personal conduct policy. So according to the letter of the law Hill should have been suspended. However, investigators determined that Hill did not break his son’s arm. So, the worst thing he did was make a vague threat on tape, and I wonder what kind of precedent would have been set if he had been punished for that alone. Let’s all take solace in the fact that Hill’s son is OK. He was removed from a place that was unsafe for a child, whether it was abuse from his father or mother.

Continued from page 12 Eagan also had a storied career as a player for Truman. She was inducted into the Truman Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012. She was a four-time all-conference selection from 19961999. Eagan was the starting point guard and was named an all-American for the Bulldogs in 1999 when the program set a school record with 22 wins and advanced to the quarter finals of the NCAA tournament. She scored double-digit points in 76 of her 100 career games for the Bulldogs and finished her career with 1,527 points. When her career as a player ended she set all-time program records in steals, assists and was fourth in points. In 2013 Eagan returned to Truman as a head coach. She began her coaching career at St. Ambrose University in Iowa from 2005-07. She moved on to Ashford University and was the coach there from 2010-2013. In 2018, the women’s basketball

team finished 23-8 overall and 13-5 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The team’s conference record earned it fourth place in the GLVC. During postseason play the team made the quarter finals of the GLVC tournament and made the NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs lost to Grand Valley State University 89-64 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Drury had a strong 2018 finishing 35-1 in 2018. The team won the GLVC both in the regular season and tournament and did not lose its first game until the semifinals of the NCAA tournament. Drury’s current women’s basketball head coach is Molly Miller who is 148-17. In reference to Eagan leaving, Kevin White, senior associate athletics director and director of athletics communication, said in a written statement to the Index that the Athletics Department could not comment on personnel changes until they are official.

Amy Eagan coaching the Bulldogs in a 2018 game. Eagan is one of the all-time Truman greats both as a player and coach. She is leaving Truman to join the staff at Drury University. Photo by Truman Athletics

Interested in doing a PAID Truman internship? Then check out Truman’s unique

2020 Missouri Government Internship Program Information Meeting 4:45 p.m. • Sept. 11 • McClain Hall 212

• Receive a $2,500 stipend • Earn up to 15 college credit hours • All majors can apply • Requirements include a 2.75 or higher GPA, a minimum of 60 semester hours of credit and a minimum of two semesters completed on the Truman campus

The full-time internship offers a hands-on opportunity to intern at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, Mo., with a public official (legislator or state agency) during the Spring 2020 semester. The program provides an inside look at state government and the political process. Typical duties include attending meetings and making reports, communicating with constituents, office and computer work, conducting research, assisting with committee hearings, writing speeches, editing printed materials, tracking and summarizing legislation and being on call to help with projects. No special coursework is required prior to the internship. Successful applicants will be of sound character and possess qualities that reflect positively upon themselves and the University. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP check out www.truman.edu/majors-programs/internships-careers/internships/ missouri-government-internship/ Questions may be directed to mogovinternship@truman.edu.

The Index

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

Truman’s Football Rivalry History Central Missouri

Missouri S&T

Missouri State

Record

33-21-7

Northwest Missouri 54-33-4

Record

1916-1996

1908-2011

52-40-5

52-25-4

1905-2011

1929-2018

.562

.662

Years Played

Win Percentage

Years Played

Win Percentage

Years Played

.598

Win Percentage

Years Played

.615

Win Percentage

Truman’s win-loss-tied record against histroic Missouri opponents. Data from Truman Athletics

FALL SPORTS| Six Bulldog teams open practices Continued from page 12

Football Stokes Stadium will have to wait to host its first contest of the 2019 season as the Truman football team will be on the road facing the Drake Bulldogs of Des Moines, Iowa, Sept. 7. This battle of the Bulldogs is the second of its kind, with the Bulldogs of Drake University emerging victorious in the first contest by a score of 13-7 in 2014. Truman is looking to even the series and start the season with a win for the first time since 2013. Last season, the gridiron gang battled to a record of 6-5 after a slow start of 0-3. In 2018, the ’Dogs were 6-4 going into their final game of the season, and had a chance to advance to a bowl game with a win. Truman held onto a 33-27 lead going into the fourth quarter before ultimately falling 34-33, and missing a bowl game for the second consecutive year. The team is working to end that drought this season as it returns 15 of 22 starters and 16 experienced seniors. Volleyball The volleyball team will also begin the 2019 season in the first week of September. The team will pack its bags and head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to compete in the Nova Southeastern tournament. This is the beginning of a 12-game tournament stretch before the girls commence GLVC play later in the month. The Bulldogs are looking to continue the recent success of their program after losing four seniors, including two-time all-

conference honoree Savvy Hughes. Aiming to improve on their 2018 record of 21-11 and 10-8 in GLVC play, the volleyball team will try to repeat the hot start they had last season when they beat fourth-ranked Florida Southern College and 14th-ranked Arkansas Tech University in their opening tournament. This hot start will, in part, depend on the growth of their seven freshmen. “Our freshmen add a lot of depth to each position. There’s more than one spot up for grabs this year, and our freshmen are making us work,” Defensive Specialist Meg Gasper said. The freshmen — the teams largest class — will likely play a role in the team’s early success. Men’s Cross Country The men’s cross country team will begin the season looking to capture its first Lindenwood dual title since it began participating in the event in 2013. This meet is one of four that the Bulldogs will participate in before making the trip to Evansville, Indiana, for the GLVC championships. This year’s team returns all but two runners from last season, when the Bulldogs took eighth place out of 12 at the GLVC championships. Last year’s top four finishers at the championship meet, including the team’s top finisher Thomas Cormier, will all return to the Bulldogs. This season’s team has only one senior, and will need contributions from their younger runner to begin building a winning reputation.

Women’s Cross Country The women’s cross country team has its eyes set on finishing what they started last season: winning Truman’s first ever cross country conference championship. Last season the women’s team had its strongest outing ever at the GLVC championships, where it took second overall and had eight athletes place in the top 40. This season the team is working to raise the bar and become champions. “After last year, we know just how close conference is within our reach. Although that sets a high standard, it should make us even hungrier as the season moves forward,” Junior Erica Lindsay said. Lindsay and the rest of the team always want to balance the rigors of being a distance runner with an enjoyable atmosphere. “Some of us got a little burnt out by the end of the (last) season,

Truman football in preseason workouts. The team enter ranked third in the GLVC. Photo by Kara McKenzie partly due to pushing too hard. Because we’re all naturally competitive, it’s tempting to pick up the pace on every run, but we learned that slower days are important for recovery. This year we really want to take those relaxed runs more seriously so we can be better ready for workouts and meets,” Lindsay said. In a normal week it is not uncommon for the team to run upwards of 35 miles on top of various other hill workouts and form runs. All of this training is in preparation for the team’s upcoming dual Sept. 6 against the Lions of Lindenwood University. This dual is the first of four outings for the team before they arrive in Evansville, Indiana, for the GLVC championships. Lindsay said she hopes this seasons team can learn from the past and take on new strategies to improve their success. “I think packing is going to be something that’s emphasized more. Last year we had some trouble working together at times. We have a bunch of talented runners and a fairly experienced team, so we want to use that to our advantage by pacing off of each other and staying close during training sessions and races,” Lindsay said. This season’s team returns 11 runners from its 2018 GLVC runner-up campaign, and welcomes in only two freshmen. This experience, alongside a new outlook and a hunger to win, could reward the women’s cross country team with Truman’s first ever GLVC cross country championship in 2019.

Left: The women’s soccer team practices against each other. The team won the GLVC in 2018. Right: Jeremy Rehagen heads the ball in a 2018 game. This is the 15th season for coach Duke Cochran. Photos by Daniel Degenhardt and Curt Wichmer

Jocelyn Livingston spikes the ball during volleyball practice. The volleyball team looks to start hot in 2019. Photo by Kara McKenzie

THURSDAY, AUGUST 22, 2019

COACH EAGAN LEAVING TRUMAN FOR DRURY

Left: Coach Amy Eagan has been at Truman for six years. Eagan is the winningest coach in program history. Above: The women’s basketball team in a game against University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2018. The Bulldogs made the quarter finals of the GLVC tournament last year. Photos by Truman Athletics

Coach Amy Eagan leaving Truman to join Drury University SAM ROETTGEN AND CHASE POTTER Sports Editor and Staff Writer

Amy Eagan is leaving the Bulldogs to join the staff at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri. Current as-

sistant coach Theo Dean is set to be the interim coach of the Bulldogs. The announcement was made to the team Monday night, just four days before the team was set to begin preseason practice. 2019 would have been Amy Eagan’s

seventh season as Truman’s coach this year with a record of 111-62. She is the all-time winningest coach in program history. See EAGAN page 10

Bulldogs volleyball Fall sports ready looks to build off 2018 for action in 2019 SAM ROETGEN Sports Editor

The Truman State University volleyball team is coming off a season where it finished in the middle of the GLVC and made the GLVC tournament. The team looks to have even more success in 2019. In the recently released GLVC preseason poll the Bulldogs are picked to finish seventh of 16 teams in the conference. The team garnered 145 votes. Lewis University barely edged out Rockhurst University at the top of the poll receiving 216 votes compared to Ro c k h u r s t s ’ 204. The team started the 2018 season with upset wins o v e r Florida Southern University and Arkansas Tech University in the Peggy Martin Challenge in Warrensburg, Missouri. The Bulldogs continued their hot start into the next tournament where they won four straight matches in the Westminster Invitational. With the early season tournament finished, the VOLUME 111

ISSUE 2

Bulldogs moved into GLVC play. They started slowly with two losses to Lewis University and the University of Indianapolis, however, they bounced back quickly with eight consecutive wins in the GLVC. Altogether the team finished 10-8 in conference, which was good enough for eighth place and a bid to the GLVC tournament. The Bulldogs were quickly eliminated, losing to Lewis in the first round. Head volleyball coach Ben Briney is entering his 11th season as coach of the Bulldogs. He has a career record of 221-145 with Truman. This year, the Bulldogs look to build off their successes of last season. This will be helped by the amount of senior leadership on the team. The Bulldogs go into 2019 with six seniors. “Our goal every year is to trust the process and get better every practice so that come the end of the year we are in a position to compete for a championship, both GLVC, and nationally,” Briney said. “We played at Lindenwood last year, so really the only new gym we will be in will be SBU,” Briney said. “The bigger challenge this year is that we are playing a single round robin schedule, so we have to be ready to play every night this year in the GLVC because there are only 15 conference matches.” “The big impact comes in the fact that all the seniors are helping the freshmen come learn what they need to learn,” Briney said. “We are a bit ahead of the curve from where you might normally be with seven new players because of the leadership the seniors have been showing to help the new players along.” Truman volleyball begins on the road in Fort Lauderdale Sept. 6. Their first home game is Oct. 4 against Indianapolis.

CHASE POTTER Staff Writer As the fall semester gets underway, six Bulldog programs are preparing to compete in what will be Truman State University’s seventh season in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Both the women’s and men’s soccer teams, the volleyball and football teams, and both cross country teams will launch their regular season the first week in September. Men’s Soccer The men’s soccer team is the first Bulldog team in action this semester with a contest Sept. 5 at Northwood University in Midland, Michigan. Last season, the men’s soccer team finished the year with a 4-8-4 record overall and a 2-8-3 record in GLVC play. This record earned the team an 11th place finish out of 14 teams in the final 2018 GLVC standings. Over the offseason, the team brought in eight new freshmen and one transfer student. With only three seniors currently on the roster, the men’s soccer team has a young core that can

invigorate the team and help it to improve on the field and ultimately reach its goal of competing for the GLVC championship. Women’s Soccer The women’s soccer team is preparing to kick off its highly anticipated season Sept. 6 against Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. Last year, the Bulldogs burned through the rest of the GLVC on their way to a 2018 GLVC regular season championship and a conference best 14-4-1 record. After its 2018 campaign came to an abrupt end in the semifinals of the GLVC tournament against the fifth seeded Knights of Bellarmine University, the team is eager to prove that it still belongs atop the GLVC throne. This year’s team will return five seniors, three all-conference award winners, and threetime defensive player of the week Beth Hopwood, all of whom will need to play at a high level to become Truman’s first ever back-to-back conference champions. See FALL SPORTS page 11

The Bulldogs’ logo on the wall of Pershing arena. The Bulldogs are kicking off a new season in September. Photo by Sam Roettgen tmn.truman.edu

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