February 18 2016

Opinions

Features

Sports

Columnist writes about the dangers of black and white thinking

Allison Joseph teaches week-long poetry master class

Truman athletics welcomes newcomers this fall season

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

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CDC issues warning to women

Paino to leave Truman

The CDC urges women not on contraceptives to abstain from alcohol By zackary irvin Staff Writer

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning to women to avoid drinking if they are sexually active unless they are on contraceptives, in efforts to avoid alcohol-exposed pregnancies.

One out of 10 women who were pregnant reported some form of alcohol use, according to a study by the CDC. It is widely known alcohol is a teratogen — an agent or factor that causes malformation of an embryo. Any misuse of alcohol during pregnancy can cause problems for the fetus in its development. However, the CDC has released this warning because about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, according to a CDC press release.

See CDC, page 3

By johanna burns

Assistant News Editor index.newseditor@gmail.com

University President Troy Paino announced plans to leave Truman State to accept a position as the 10th president of the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, effective July 1.

Concealed carry bill proposed

See PAINO, page 6

By Jack Derbak Staff Writer

Truman State Student Government hosted a series of events last week to gauge student opinion about recently proposed State Senate bills allowing guns on campus.

The bills — SB 589 and SB 731 — would remove higher education institutions from the current list of places where concealed carry is prohibited.

SB 589 removes the prohibitory measures for concealed firearms on college campuses, according to the current bill summary.

SB 731 states higher education institutions can apply for an exemption from the Missouri Department of Public Safety if electronic weapon screening devices and security personnel are placed at all building entrances.

The first event hosted at Truman was an open forum for bill discussion Feb. 9, where Sara Holzmeier, Department of Public Safety director, spoke about the bills.

Holzmeier said while she is concerned with Missouri’s low age limit on concealed carry permits and the increased availability of firearms on campuses, she thinks the bills could be good for making campuses a less likely target for potential shooters.

“Schools are kind of what they call ‘soft targets,’” Holzmeier said. “It’s common knowledge that nobody has a weapon on campus but university police.”

Holzmeier said campus administrators currently are discussing how the bills will affect campus. She said if either of the bills are passed, it will not affect the way Truman’s DPS will operate.

Student Government’s second event was a debate Thursday. Those arguing in favor of the bill were junior Jake Buxton, chair of External Affairs, and associate seator freshman Chester Pelsang IV. Those in opposition were senior Parker Conover, former chair of Grants and Sponsorship, and senior Zach Hollstrom, Health, Wellness and Safety chair.

See CONCEAL CARRY, page 3 VOLUME 107

ISSUE 19

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Students discuss biracial identity in America

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fire Chief Tom Collins issues ice warning and safety tips Kirksville Fire Chief Tom Collins issued a press release with ice safety tips for citizens.

The press release states as ponds and lakes continue to thaw and refreeze, it is important for citizens to remember that ice cannot be visually confirmed as safe to walk on. To check the thickness of ice, drill a hole five feet from the edge of the ice. Do not walk on ice that is less than four feet thick.

Always wear a life jacket and do not venture onto ice alone. Maintain a distance of 50 feet between yourself and your companions. In the event of an ice-related emergency, immediately call 911.

TruAdventure to travel to Rocky Mountain National Park

Trevor Stark/Index Above: Courtney Green from The Language Company hosts a workshop entitled “So... What Are You?: Exploring Black-White Biracial Identity.” The workshop discussed the historical impact of slavery and exclusion of black-white biracial individuals in America. Below: Students participate, after the presentation, in a group discussion about the value of self-identification. This workshop is part of a series of events celebrating Black History Month.

TruAdventure announced it will sponsor a week-long hiking trip to Rocky Mountain National Park.

The July 17-24 trip offers students the opportunity to learn basic hiking, camping, map, compass and outdoor skills. Those interested must register

by May 1.

The trip costs $650 per person and includes all necessary gear.

Scholarships are available for up to $200 of the trip cost.

The educational program will focus on learning about the geology, biology and history of the Rocky Mountains.

CITY COUNCIL IN BRIEF

The City Council did not meet because of President’s Day. The next City Council meeting will be March 7.

STUDENT SENATE IN BRIEF

The Senate is preparing for the Truman at the Capitol event.

Sophomore Elisabeth Condon, Sexual Assault Prevention Subcommittee chair, reported Sexual Assault Awareness Month will be during April.

Trevor Stark/Index

The Senate read a resolution in support of adding another university counselor.

CRIME REPORTS DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909

Staff 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 Emily Ploch Sports Editor Devin Gillespie Assistant Sports Editor Courtney Strait Opinions Editor UmmeKulsoom Arif Copy Chief Rose vonHatten Assistant Copy Chief Molly Thal Design Chief Noah Dayson Staff Writers Emily Merkle, Zack Irvin, Lindell Sconce, Clayton Berry, Jack Derbak, Rachel Fechter, Brently Snead, Paige Yungermann, Sarah Hicks, Rachel Steinhoff, Curt Wichmer, Jonah McKeowan, Grace Bueckendorf, Taylor Lay, Ingrid Roettgen, Maddie Kamp, Seth Wolfmeyer, Menaie Barton, Heather Brostrom Cartoonist Megan Archer Copy Editors MacKenna Palazza, Holly Fisher, Julianna Foster, Catherine O’Mara, Megan Gibbons, Trevor Hamblin, Sarah DeWolf, Zack Irvin Designers Clarissa Todd, Trevor Stark, Kara Nord, Samantha Nielsen, Lauren Jin 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

2/11 Theft reported at the 1400 block 2/10 Hit and run reported at Marion of Riggen St. Street.

2/11 Suspect arrested for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle and interferring with an arrest at the 0 block of Woodland Village.

2/10 Suspect arrested for failure to exhibit proof of insurance and failure to register vehicle at the 700 block of W. Elizabeth St.

2/10 Domestic disturbance reported at 2/8 Theft reported at the 1700 block of S. Baltimore St. the 500 block of N. Baltimore St.

Mark your calendar Deadline for Student Research Conference Abstracts Feb. 19 11:59 p.m. src.truman.edu

Abstracts for the 29th annual Student Research Conference are due Friday.

Graduate and undergraduate students are invited to submit abstracts. All abstracts must be sponsored by a faculty mentor and approved by the student’s adviser. The Student Research Conference will take place April 19.

Spring 2016 Career and Graduate School Week Feb. 22-25 Student Union Building

The Career and Graduate School Week helps students prepare to enter the workforce by offering workshops, mock interviews and employer presentations. The schedule of events and the pre-registration form is available on the Career Center’s website, career.truman.edu. Pre-registration is due by Friday Feb. 19.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Truman, A.T. Still to partner for 7-year medical program

By Brently Snead Staff Writer

Truman State and A.T. Still University officials signed an agreement that enables students to complete their medical studies within seven years.

The Pre-Med/Med Accelerated Track, also known as the “3+4” agreement, creates a way for students to attend Truman for three years then transfer to ATSU to complete their degrees.

Roberta Donahue, health sciences department chair, said it will be a very specific course of action for students.

“The agreement allows selected Truman State University health and exercise science students to start at [ATSU] after suc-

cessfully completing their third year at Truman, prior to completing their degree from Truman,” Donahue said.

Donahue said after successfully completing their first year at ATSU, first-year medical school credits will be transferred back to Truman. She said the students will then be awarded their B.S. in health science or exercise science during August of that year.

Donahue said Truman and A.T. Still are still determining the details for students to become a part of the PMAT program, but the basics have been set up.

“The basic process is that starting in fall 2016, interested firstyear health science and

exercise science majors could submit a basic application stating their interest in the program,” Donahue said.

— such as a 3.5 overall and prerequisite science GPA and documentation of clinical, community service and leadership experiences.

“The 3+4 agreement will give Truman health and exercise science students the opportunity to complete their goals sooner by completing three years at Truman and transitioning to [ATSU].”

— Janet Gooch, dean of the school of health sciences and education

Donahue said students would not formally apply until after their fourth semester at Truman and would have to meet or exceed all admission criteria at the time of application

Donahue said students are selected during their junior year and will be awarded reserved admission to ATSU for the following year.

Janet Gooch, dean of the school of health sci-

ences and education, also helped develop the agreement. Gooch said she thinks the program will help students.

“The 3+4 agreement will give Truman health and exercise science students the opportunity to complete their goals sooner by completing three years at Truman and transitioning to [ATSU],” Gooch said.

Gooch said the schools offer high quality programs, which she thinks attracts high quality students, and said she thinks this new program will work out well for both schools.

The collaboration offers one more opportunity for the two universities to work together to provide exceptional

CDC | The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued an advisory that women not on a form of birth control should abstain from alcohol consumption.

As many as one in 20 children in the United States might have

FETAL ALCOHOL Spectrum DISORDER Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is an umbrella term describing the range of effects that can occur in an individual whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.

FASD can lead to: Low birth weight and growth Problems with the heart, kidneys and other organs Damage to parts of the brain

These can lead to behavioral and intellectual disabilities, as well as lifelong issues with school, social skills and substance abuse.

Source: cdc.gov/vitalsigns

Continued from page 1 Dr. Anne Schuchat, CDC principal deputy director, said most women will not know if they are pregnant for the first month or so, which is an important time frame because of the possibility women might still consume alcohol and risk Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, according to the press release.

“Take care of the unplanned part, and it solves everything the CDC addresses,” nursing professor Melissa Holcomb said.

Holcomb said it is important for women to understand and practice fertility management. Because alcohol is a known teratogen, it is important to take necessary precau-

tions to prevent unplanned pregnancies, she said.

“If you aren’t planning on getting pregnant, please use the most effective form of birth control that is most tolerable to you,” Holcomb said .

However, Holcomb said it also is important for men and women to be responsible and educated if taking part in sexual activity.

Holcomb said if a woman suspects she is pregnant and it is unplanned, she should take a test to determine if she is pregnant or not, then seek care and consult a doctor to determine the full range of her options. She said alcohol does not need to influence a decision to continue a pregnancy if it was consumed around the time of conception.

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“Social support, physical safety, involved partner, emotional tolerability should be how you decided if you want to continue with the pregnancy,” Holcomb said.

“Take care of the unplanned part, and it solves everything the CDC addresses.”

— Nursing professor Melissa Holcomb

Holcomb said even if a pregnancy was unplanned and alcohol was consumed before a

person knew they were pregnant, it will be all right in the grand scheme of things. But if women want to get pregnant and stop using contraceptives, they should avoid alcohol, Holcomb said.

FASD is a very real problem in America, and this CDC warning has put a bigger spotlight on it, Holcomb said. In an article by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, researchers went indepth about how alcohol is a serious teratogen and should not be consumed during pregnancy. In this study, scientists performed extensive research of the effects of alcohol use during pregnancy, according to the article.

Based on eight studies of 10,000 children ages

6 months through 14 years, there is a harmful correlation between binge prenatal drinking and child development, according to the article. Overall there is no known safe amount of alcohol to consume while pregnant, according to article.

Being consciously aware and knowledgeable about how to prevent unplanned pregnancies or have a healthy baby, planned or unplanned, was the main emphasis of the CDC warning. Students can go to the Student Health Center for advice about contraceptives and being safe during sex, and the Student Health Center offers forms of contraceptive.

learning experiences for students, Gooch said.

She said she hopes Truman and ATSU students who train to be doctors in Northeast Missouri might be more likely to stay in the area following graduation and contribute to the medical workforce in that area of the state.

Gooch and Donahue were also assisted

by Susan Thomas, executive vice president for academic affairs at Truman, Margaret Wilson, dean of Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, Norman Gevitz, Truman’s senior vice president for academic affairs, ATSU and several others to make this program accessible to students.

CONCEAL CARRY | Officials

discuss concealed carry on college campuses.

Continued from page 1 During the student government debate, Pelsang said concealed carry would deter and possibly even prevent crime on campus, and it would keep campuses from being soft targets for potential shooters.

“This [is a] soft target issue,” Pelsang said. “It is very pressing, and I think it’s very important that we discuss it further in length.

It will affect all of us, and I cannot [express] enough that we need to continue this dialogue.”

In opposition, Conover said the criteria to allow for an alternative to concealed carry on campus outlined in SB 731 are not financially feasible.

Conover said to follow protocol to gain the exemption from concealed carry Truman’s campus, it would cost $1.5-$2.2 million to install metal detectors and hire security guards.

“That’s not even close to in the budget,” Conover said. “The state government is not willing to contribute any funds to get a security guard or to get a metal detector, so really it’s a false choice.”

Hollstrom said campuses are among the safest places in America, and Kirksville in particular is a low crime area.

Senior Caitlyn Bess, Student Senate legislative director, said while the bills moved quickly through the State Senate when the legislative session first started, they stalled in committee.

Bess said the latest activity involving the bills was public hearings that happened two weeks ago.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

`

Our View There is nothing quite like the feeling of losing a star player. Many of us have been there, standing in front of the television watching a press conference where a favorite ball player — whose jersey you never wash and whose trading cards are in plastic sleeves in your desk drawer — announces their new team affiliation.

As the Index Editorial Board, we would like to say this was exactly how many of us felt Monday morning when University President Troy Paino’s email arrived in inboxes across campus.

The initial disbelief at the sudden announcement is reminiscent of when Albert Pujols, former St. Louis Cardinals first baseman, left the Cardinals during 2011.

Just like estranged Cardinals fans, many students across campus who have T-shirts and bro-tanks with the words “T-Pain is my home boy” scrawled across them now find their star player soon will be moving to a different team.

Part of the shock of a beloved member of a team moving on always comes with the big question — “Why?” After catching up with Paino earlier this week, it’s clear devotion to family is a major factor, as well as his concern for public liberal arts education.

Paino is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges, a group that works to improve liberal arts education for students at schools such as Truman State. Looking back at interviews and State of the University addresses from past years, it’s clear Paino’s passion is liberal arts.

And while Truman was a great place for him to work toward the betterment of higher education and lead a university for the last six years, it seems that time was enough for him to move on.

He truly will be missed. While working toward those goals of improving Truman’s liberal arts education, T-Pain often has made us smile, whether by riding a tricycle during a winter break video or cheerfully greeting students at the Student Recreation Center.

However, as an institution, our fond memories of Paino will not be enough to prepare us for the road ahead. While there are many moving parts that make the University click, we know Paino very well as the face of Truman. He’s been something of a symbol for us, and losing Paino feels as if Truman is losing part of its identity.

Where there was once a figurehead will now stand a blank void of questions we probably won’t know the answers to until next semester. The important part here, however, is that this is not an insurmountable obstacle. Paino is not the only university president to ever survey campus from the top of McClain Hall. Although we might take a hit to our overall morale, we still will retain many invested individuals in our administration who, with dedication and time, can propel us through what is sure to be a tough transition period.

The future now seems much more uncertain than it did Sunday night, but it’s almost certainly not the first time Truman has experienced such change. We need only look back a short six years to see the last instance this position in the administration underwent such a change. Paino himself was the result of that time, and who knows what the next transition might bring? What is certain is the fact that Paino will be moving on to another opportunity, and we at Truman will have to move on, too.

We can only imagine what it must have felt like to click “send” on that email Monday morning, to close a chapter more than half a decade long and announce a serious, real intent to start a new one. Although it’s early and the sting from this breakup is still fresh in our hearts, we should start thinking about doing the same. It’s not as if we don’t see tough transitions like this on campus each semester — just look at the graduates who step across the stage and clutch their hard-earned diplomas, unsure of what tomorrow will bring.

It’s as if Truman itself is in a similar position, but just like those graduates, we’ll look back on this moment months from now as we’re busy with our next task and be glad that just like Paino, we pursued our passion and came out on the other side with lessons that we’ll never forget. T-Pain — thanks for your service to Truman and best of luck with the next chapter.

L E T T ER TO T H E E D I TO R

Letter to the Editor,

world to be injustices. We have the potential to make change in our community, and beyond our campus as well. We have to harness As most members of campus know, there our connections with each other, and act for is debate going on in the Truman community regarding Dixon’s SB 589 and Munzlinger’s SB the will and good of our fellow citizens. That is what I have found to be most important in 731, which would make room for allowance of conceal and carry on MO college campuses. this situation, and many other political conflicts I have observed recently on campus.

I encourage you all to look up these bills, Some may scrutinize and criticize me for but I am not writing you all to talk about my my opinions on the matter, and changing the perspective on the bills. What I want to share today is the greater call that these debates are tone of the conversation, but I find comfort in leaving you all with this... bringing to our community.

Now is the time to find your voice. Now I was browsing Yik Yak, as I often do, I saw is the time to untap your potential. The socia post about the conceal and carry forum that ety we live in is ours for the making. We can occurred last Tuesday. I don’t remember the fix the problems and issues that we see and exact content of the post, but someone comexperience, but we must find a way to orgamented something along the lines of think nize and stand up against injustice. We have how much progress we could make with the the ability, the rights, and the duty to make wifi if we cared about it as much as people change, and what better place to start this seem to care about guns on campus. It was this statement that really stuck out to me, and trend amongst yourselves and your community than getting out to vote, and learning lingered in my head for the rest of the day. how to take place in the political process. MisAt first, I was a little upset by this comment souri’s Primary for the Presidential Election is as I thought to myself why can’t people take days shy of once month away on March 15th, this issues more seriously? But, I went on to 2016. correct myself and explore the ideas of soliI hope that you all can take something darity, organization, and convictions that this away from these debates on campus and bebrought to mind. tween political affiliates, to find where you fit Regardless of if you are a Republican, a Democrat, a Libertarian, a Socialist, etc. What and to start fighting for what you believe in.

What’s there to hold you back? matters isn’t how you affiliate yourself politically, or if you are pro-conceal and carry or -Trista Sullivan ‘17 not. What matters, is that we all have the ability to stand up to the things we see in this

Contact

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Don’t worry about corrupting the innocent freshmen Holly Fisher

The corruption of college freshmen is a rampant issue at universities everywhere, a true crime against humanity on par with Godzilla and the impending zombie apocalypse.

By now, many Truman State freshmen have been introduced to the world beyond their hometowns. They have been free of parental censorship and explicit moral guidance for more than a semester, and if their experiences were anything like mine or the hundreds of other students I know, their moral compass has shifted a little bit.

Honestly, though, is it really fair to say we’ve all been corrupted?

I hear it all the time. “Holly, stop corrupting the freshmen,” and “Holly, why are you corrupting the freshmen again?” I impart simple words of wisdom, advice based on what I’ve learned throughout the years about classes and professors, helpful tips and tricks for getting homework done, etc.

Nothing is illegal or dirty or anything of the sort, but still, people reprimand me. When the freshmen first enter college, we act as though there is something sacred about them that needs to be preserved, but the primary purpose of attending college is often, in fact, to reach out beyond the horizon and discover new ways of thinking.

Parents tend to worry their child will fall into the sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll crowd the second their child heads off for college. They close their eyes, hand their innocent babes to the wolves and pray to whatever higher power will listen. Most freshmen, however, aren’t very innocent in the first place.

Innocence is by and large a social construct, associated with concepts such as childhood and virginity. But many children have the capacity to comprehend and react to adult situations. Virgins can have some of the dirtiest minds thanks to the Internet. The only way to be truly “innocent” is through hardcore ignorance.

The concept of corruption runs the same road as innocence, which means we really have to stop and ask what people mean when they say someone is corrupting freshmen. Most often, they’re referring to the wicked ways of the world and the exposure to worldly temptations. On a college campus, however, the exchange of information and ideas is not only expected, it’s valued. The free flow of information and ideas — a vital process in the pursuit of higher learning — naturally is going to include the good and the bad. There are two sides to any coin, and when talking about the world at large, you really need to address both sides lest we stunt intellectual growth.

The “corruption” of freshmen really comes into play when the students begin to re-evaluate their own position in life based on all those new ideas they’ve encountered. But, I argue we technically re-evaluate our positions all the time based on new information we receive, not just at college. We determine whether or not we believe the information, decide how it personally affects us and act accordingly. The new information and worldviews we learned as freshmen often were vastly different from what we were exposed to in our controlled home environments. therefore the changes were much more dramatic.

Corruption also has a lot to do with what moral standard people are being judged by. A particularly conservative person, for example, might find the thought of premarital sex appalling, but on the flip side, there is the opinion the occasional safe sexual encounter is a healthy physical activity. Therefore, when someone decides to participate in such an act, the level of their “corruption” is completely subjective. If there is no objective standard to judge people by, then there really is no way to say certain people are becoming more corrupt than others.

Life as a college freshman is an exceptional experience where students really have the opportunity to figure out who they are and where they fit into the world. Being exposed to the world does not corrupt them, but rather broadens their horizons and turns them into more well-rounded individuals. The world can be much more beautiful than it is dangerous if only we allow it to be.

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

Gray areas are crucial middle ground

Will Chaney “I didn’t get any sleep last night.”

“Sodexo food is the worst.”

“Barnett Hall is a freezer.”

There is a good chance you have heard some of these expressions around campus. Although these sentences seem to have nothing in common, they all contain the same flaw — an “all or nothing” mentality. Black and white thinking — or “splitting,” as it is called in the field of psychology — is a dangerous linguistic trap that can impact our lives in more ways than we often are aware of. Thinking of the world in extremist terms downplays the gray areas and fails to properly reflect reality.

The English language has more words for describing extremes than it does for the middle ground. What is the middle ground between good and bad, up and down, or beautiful and ugly?

When we discuss gray areas, it often is in vague or general terms such as moderately good or the center, which makes the language less precise.

Coming up with a word or phrase that actually describes a situation requires more effort and, in many cases, requires the speaker to step outside social norms. When someone asks, “How are you today?” the expectation usually is to respond with “Good,” or another polarizing word that oversimplifies how the day actually is going.

One downside to black and white thinking is an increase in stress. When people use oversimplified ideas to think about their homework load, their personal relationships, a negative event that just occurred and so on, the natural tendency is to rush to extremes. A person could perceive the amount of homework they have as requiring an all-nighter or as something that can be done quickly the next morning just before class. While there are cases when an extremes actually is true, most of the time reality resides in the gray area.

There are consequences to thinking the extreme is true when the reality is gray — in the homework example, the person might decide to procrastinate when more work is necessary or ditch their

friends when they don’t have to. Choosing either of these options causes preventable stress, low grades and strained friendships.

Additionally, acting on black and white impulses is often very irrational because the imagined reality is distorted. One example of this is thinking in racist terms, where the world becomes oversimplified and based on arbitrary differences in appearance. The thought that one group of people is better or worse than another group because of ethnic differences is supported by assumptions or isolated experiences that are used to represent all experiences. To argue, as one political figure notably has, that one race produces more rapists, murderers and drug dealers than other races creates a fantasy detached from reality. This claim is built on the idea that one race is inherently bad without examining the complexities of social, political, economic and cultural forces that provide more detailed explanations.

Thinking in such extreme terms is very easy, but it is a trap one should look out for.

By breaking out of the cycle of black and white thinking, we overcome simplifications and see the world as the complicated place it is. People who acknowledge the gray areas are more flexible, easier to work with and more likely to listen to a variety of different perspectives. Anyone, or nearly anyone, who thinks in oversimplified terms can begin to notice where their own thoughts are reduced to polarized extremes.

You have to ask yourself if you are using words that match the actual experience. Are you really never going to get your homework finished? Is that mixtape really the best? Is Sodexo really the worst? Sometimes an all or nothing mentality is accurate, but it should be questioned. It is also important to examine the ideas of other people, especially when they are influential or powerful, and question their simplifications. Reality is usually too complicated to look at with such extreme thoughts — you can’t just build a wall to solve every problem.

Will Chaney is a sophomore economics major from Bridgeton, Mo.

AROUND THE

QUAD If you could say one thing to President Troy Paino, what would it be?

Clifton Kreps Classics professor

Thanks. I wish you well.

Mary Shapiro Linguistics professor, Blueprint Team Co-Chair I’ve never known an administrator that’s not only so well known by the students but also so well loved by the students.

That’s going to be very difficult to replicate. We were lucky to have him for the time that we did.

Molly Turner Senior, Student Body President Thank you for unquestionably promoting character, intellect, and dignity by bringing happiness and life to our campus through your sincere heart and servant leadership.

Jonathan Vieker Academic adviser, Staff Council Chair

While I’m sad to see you go, I’m also grateful for your dynamic, forwardthinking leadership these last six years.

Thank you for leading boldly and with passion, and I wish you all the best at the University of Mary Washington!

Karen Vittengl Psychology professor, Blueprint Team Co-Chair Thanks for your leadership of Truman.

We will miss you, but wish you well with your new position.

Editor’s Note: With the exception of Clifton Kreps, all responses were submitted electronically.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

PAINO | University President Troy Paino announced in a university-wide email Monday morning that he will leave Truman State July 1 to become the President of University of Mary Washington College.

Continued from page 1 Paino announced his resignation following the conclusion of the 2015 - 16 academic year in an email to faculty, staff and students Monday. The University of Mary Washington hired Paino following a global search by the university’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee.

Paino, who signed a four-year extension of his contract with Truman during October, said he accepted the position in Virginia because he wanted to work for a public liberal arts university situated close to family.

Paino said he has expressed to the Board a willingness to be as involved in the process of hiring a new president for Truman as the Board would like him to be.

Paino said he intends to be at Truman until at least June, when he anticipates taking some time off to prepare to begin work at Mary Washington July 1. He said he is at the disposal of the Board and wants to help in any way he can to set the stage for the search for his replacement.

Paino said in regards to the programs and initiatives he enacted during his term as president, everything should and will move forward.

Paino said he decided last week to accept the position after beginning during December to explore the opportunity available to him in Virginia.

Paino said an executive search consultant originally contacted him about the position at Mary Washington during October, but he said he did not contact the university back until November.

“I wasn’t on the job market,” Paino said. “It was really an opportunity that I became aware of last fall, and initially I decided that it was a good opportunity for personal reasons and for professional reasons, but it was not an opportunity I was going to pursue because I didn’t think the timing was right.”

Paino said he and his wife often have considered their future and their desire to at some point be closer to family, and he said for the last 25 years they have not been

able to be close to family for professional reasons.

Paino said once he and his wife considered the opportunities within public liberal arts colleges, they decided Mary Washington was probably one of the only universities that converged their professional and personal desires.

“It was after about a month of reflection that we started wondering whether or not it was impossible to line up timing with opportunity,” Paino said. “We decided to go ahead and do at least some initial exploration of the opportunity.”

Paino said he didn’t inform many people, just his close family members, he was considering the job at Mary Washington because he didn’t know what he wanted to do until last week.

Paino said he informed his close staff, including Provost Susan Thomas, at the end of last week. Paino said he informed the Board of Governors Sunday and the University as a whole Monday.

“It was the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in my life,” Paino said. “I didn’t tell anyone because I didn’t know what I was going to do until really last week.”

Paino said there were other considerations he looked at when he decided to accept the position. He said many of Mary Washington’s programs, the size of the university and the ratio of faculty to students is comparable to Truman.

Paino said Mary Washington has many of the attributes of Truman he has come to admire.

Paino said Mary Washington is located not only close to his family, but also close to Washington D.C. and Richmond, Virginia.

He said this gives him the opportunity to be close to the nation’s capital, where critical public education decisions are made, and also to be close to what he said was the breadbasket of public education because he will be in a state with a rich history of public education.

“That has appeal from a policy perspective where it sort of brings me closer to the seat of power, if you will, and an

Trevor Stark/Index University President Troy Paino speaks to TMN reporters February 16. Paino announced he is leaving Truman State to become president of the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, Virginia, in order to be closer to his wife’s family. opportunity once again for me to be a real public advocate for this public liberal arts mission,” Paino said. “I feel it is such an important foundation to our democracy to have liberally

“It was the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in my life.”

- University President Troy Paino

educated citizens.”

Paino said he feels very passionate about the mission of public liberal arts colleges.

He said he really doesn’t want to work in another sector of higher education because he thinks public liberal arts education is the sector where his values align with the values of the institution.

“There are very few schools

in the country that I see myself leading and working at,” Paino said.

Paino said all the issues Truman will face throughout the future are not contingent on him being present.

Paino said initiatives such as the Blueprint Teams will continue because they come out of the academic side of the University. He said Thomas will be very involved in creating task forces and committees to make sure everything continues with Truman’s vision.

“Where I think I can be of help in the interim is working with the provost to create that elevator pitch, if you will, of what that vision is moving forward,” Paino said. “And I would like to think it will be helpful to the Board as they think about who might be the new president — that these are the things we’re working on, this is the direction we’re going, this is what we think we

have to do in order to continue to be viable into the future.”

Paino said issues of curriculum reform ultimately are up to the faculty.

Holly Cuellar, chair of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee and rector of the the Board of Visitors for the University of Mary Washington, said the Board of Visitors — comparable to Truman’s Board of Governors — appointed 12 members to the search committee last May following the April announcement of University of Mary Washington President Rick Hurley’s decision to retire.

Cuellar said the search committee spent last summer deciding on a search methodology before beginning the actual search process during September. Cuellar said the committee began to make final selections during November through January before ultimately deciding to hire Paino.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Aerin Johnson/TMN Allison Joseph, visiting poet and Southern Illinois University Carbondale creative writing professor, talks to the students of a poetry master class. The students had the chance to workshop poetry with Joseph for two hours every day last week.

BY RACHEL FECHTER Staff Writer

Sporting a purple dress, glasses and a voice ringing with confidence, poet Allison Joseph stood in front of a crowd gathered in the Baldwin Hall Little Theatre Thursday while she spoke the words of her life.

Joseph, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale creative writing professor, came to Truman State Feb. 7-12 to teach a week-long master class for creative writing students about writing and publishing poetry. She also performed a reading showcasing her favorite poems from some of her published poetry books.

Joseph said her goal throughout the master class was to teach students how to push themselves in different artistic directions and feed their artistic self.

“Young, aspiring writers [should] read as much as they can during the summers or after they graduate,” Joseph said.

“Read poetry. Read fiction. Read nonfiction. Read plays.

Take it all in, and let everything influence you. You’ll be the sum of all you take in, so you want to make everything you take in as wide and as various as possible.”

Joseph said she thought sharing her success with Truman students and showing them there are living, successful poets in the world today would help motivate the young writers.

Joseph said the reading especially was gratifying because it was her first time reading from her newest poetry book, “Mercurial,” in front of an audience. She said the book contains poems about how she and others have changed. She said she always remembers the first time she reads a newly published manuscript in public.

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Joseph said she was glad she had the opportunity to read at Truman because there was a sense of warmth from the audience, and she likes how nice Truman students are.

Senior Zane DeZeeuw was one of the students in Joseph’s master class. DeZeeuw said he was inspired by her teaching.

He said Joseph was down-to-earth and speaks on the same level as the students, which was not what he was expecting.

He said because of her genuine, extroverted and easy-going nature, he appreciated the insight she was able to provide for his work.

“After working alongside this poet — and to finally see her in her element, display her poems she’s worked on and hear about her life stories — [I was able to] put a frame for what I want to do in the future like ‘Hey, maybe that can be me in 30 years,’” DeZeeuw said.

DeZeeuw said he also learned a lot just by sitting in the audience during Joseph’s reading.

English professor Joe Benevento said he was excited when Joseph replied to his messages asking her to visit Truman for a week.

Benevento said aspiring writers should see someone such as Joseph who has had success and is willing to mentor students. He said because of her experience and success, students can ask her how to get published, and they can see what a contemporary writer does.

“I don’t think you have to be an English major to enjoy this reading,” Benevento said. “Poets are writing about life, so if they do that well, anybody could enjoy [it]. The more visits we can have from outside of the community, the better.”

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© 2016

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ASG hosts Isla’s Wish to Walk events

BY EMILY PLOCH

Assistant Features Editor index.featureseditor@gmail.com

Isla’s Wish to Walk has generated attention and support from people across the state to help four-year-old Isla Grote and her family with her battle against cerebral palsy. The community in Kirksville and at Truman State is no exception, especially because her older sister, alumna Lauren Grote, graduated from Truman during 2015.

Members of Alpha Sigma Gamma are raising money to help Isla achieve her dream of walking.

Isla was born with neonatal lupus, which causes brain swelling, and in Isla’s case, the diagnosis of spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, which is a form of CP that mostly affects her legs, according to the Isla’s Wish to Walk website.

CP is a non-progressive motor skills disorder that cannot be treated without surgery or therapy, according to the website.

During August 2014, Isla underwent spinal surgery called selective dorsal rhizotomy, according to the website. Although the surgery increased her chances of walking independently, it left her family covering $50,000$90,000 out-of-pocket, according to the website.

Shortly after this, Isla’s Wish to Walk campaign was launched to raise money for the surgery and therapy Isla needs.

Isla’s older sister Lauren Grote, a former ASG member, said her sister Alaina Grote launched the campaign for Isla’s Wish to Walk after Isla’s surgery and was the mastermind behind the entire campaign.

After talking about Isla’s surgery and physical therapy with other students, Lauren Grote said other ASG members encouraged her to discuss possible fundraising options at an ASG meeting. She said even though she suggested the idea, it was students

who made the fundraising at Truman successful.

Lauren Grote said Truman has redefined how she sees human generosity, and the response from others has exceeded her expectations.

Lauren Grote said Isla, who she describes as smart, sassy, creative and fearless, has advanced to occasionally using canes, walkers and hiking sticks to help her walk. She said the goal is for Isla to walk without canes or a wheelchair.

“She’s got so much to show off because she really has improved so much,” Lauren Grote said. “The difference is incredible. The therapy is really working, and everyone has been so supportive. It’s making her stronger.”

“The therapy is really working, and everyone has been so supportive. It’s making her stronger.”

-Alumna Lauren Grote

Lauren Grote said last year ASG hosted a spaghetti dinner event at Bellacino’s with a percentage of the proceeds going toward the campaign.

Lauren Grote said she and her family attended the event and will come to Kirksville from their hometown in Springfield, Missouri, Feb. 19 for this year’s events.

Although Kirksville is a small town, Lauren Grote said members of the Kirksville and Truman community have been warm, welcoming and overwhelmingly supportive in helping her family and Isla.

Lauren Grote said Isla is looking forward to coming to Kirksville this year because she loves all the attention she gets

from the students attending the events.

Junior Sarah Ostermiller, Isla’s Wish to Walk chair, said even though ASG hosted an event last year for its fall philanthropy project, Isla’s Wish to Walk was important enough to ASG members that they wanted to do a week of events as this year’s spring philanthropy for ASG. Ostermiller said ASG is hoping to raise $500 from the proceeds of the events.

“Isla is near and dear to our hearts,” Ostermiller said. “She is adorable.”

Along with the events to raise money for the Grote family, Ostermiller said she also wanted to raise awareness about CP through the events she has planned ,and provide information for students to learn more about what CP is. She said it’s important to inform students about the disorder and let them know where their money is going.

Ostermiller said she had the opportunity to meet Isla last year at the spaghetti dinner event and she hopes to bring just as much joy to Isla this year.

Sophomore Mara Bacandreas, Isla’s Wish to Walk fundraising chair, said Isla is full of life and happiness.

Bacandreas said being a part of this event means a lot to her, not only because this is her second semester as an active member of ASG but also because she can bring security to Isla and her family.

“I’m happy to help their family so their daughter can have a normal life,” Bacandreas said.

The events will include a pancake dinner 4:30-7 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Ryle Hall main lounge, a bake sale 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 22-24 in Magruder and Missouri halls, and a Bellacino’s night 5-9 p.m. Feb. 22.

For those going to the Bellacino’s night, Bacandreas said they must mention they are there for ASG Isla’s Wish to Walk event.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Health sciences professor starts Fitbit research

BY MADDIE KAMP Staff Writer

Brian Snyder, health and exercise science professor, and five students are conducting a semester-long study to test if the use of wearable technology can be linked to an increase in physical activity for college students.

Technology can motivate people to increase their fitness according to a Berkelely Science Review article. The article states some features on Fitbits could be more motivating than others.

When people set reasonable goals and got reminders to exercise, more people were likely to follow through with them, and people can sustain their change in physical activity because they can monitor their progress along the way, according to the article.

Through his research, Snyder said the research team is hoping to answer if the features that come with Fitbits are worth the extra cost.

“A Fitbit is basically just a pedometer with some bells and whistles,” Snyder said. “It does pretty much the same thing.”

Snyder said he is examining four groups of students who use different types of wearable technology. He said students started the study for HLTH 349: Research Methods in Health Science. He said he and the research team want to see how the wearable technology will affect the students’ levels of physical activity.

Snyder said the study has 39 student participants, divided into four groups. The study includes a control group wearing accelerometers movement monitors that measure different levels of acceleration two pedometer groups that are given different goals to achieve an increase in physical activity, and a Fitbit group that will also have set goals but get the added features of the Fitbit.

With the four different groups involved in the study, Snyder said he is hoping to compare the

I don’t always advertise, but when I do, I use The Truman Media Network.

pedometer and Fitbit groups to the control group to see if there is any deviation between them.

The control group will not get any feedback from their device.

Snyder said this is because the researchers want to study the effects of wanting to get more physical activity without being able to track results on a device.

Snyder said the devices were provided to the students involved in the research project, and the students are being compensated for their participation. Snyder said the money came from a research grant partially provided by Truman State.

From this project, Snyder said the researchers are expecting to see all the groups increase in physical activity because it has been shown people exercise more when they are using a device to keep track of what they’re doing, and it helps them stay motivated.

Earlier this semester the research team sent an email to Truman students asking them to fill out a survey to be part of this research project.

Sophomore Kayla Fick said she is participating in the study as a part of the Fitbit group. She said every day the participants have to enter on Blackboard how many steps they took and how long they wore their Fitbit. The data remains anonymous when it is entered. Participants also have different fitness goals each week they work to achieve.

“It is definitely motivating me,” Fick said. “I am very aware of how many steps I take. It makes me significantly more aware of the physical exercise I get.”

Fick said the study started during January and will continue until the end of this semester. She said the next steps for this project are to collect the devices, conduct final testing and compare the groups to see if the fitness trackers have altered participants’ physical activity.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Sound Opinions -Local DJ catches a local show at a local venue for the local paper -

BY CHRIS BURK

Contributing Writer

Another dreadfully cold week in Kirksville didn’t stop the burgeoning local music scene from coming together for a great show at the Aquadome.

Bands met at the do-it-yourself space Monday night. Just a day after the worst capitalist candy selling holiday known to man, the theme of the evening was “TRUE LOVE,” where concertgoers were asked to dress as their favorite duo or couple. A crowd of about 30 supporters of local music gathered for the late evening show.

The first band to play was New London, Connecticut, duo Pocket Vinyl. The band’s selfproclaimed “piano slam rock” genre of music made for an interesting hour-long show. Eric Stevenson played the piano while his girlfriend Elizabeth Jancewicz worked on a painting that was auctioned off at the end of the set. Stevenson’s music and lyrics were as energetic as his on-stage presence, to the point where it was questionable whether his keyboard was going to survive the whole set with him wailing on it. Based on his banter between songs, it seemed Stevenson’s music was the result of a life spent chasing answers to questions he posed toward his religious beliefs. His interaction with the crowd was warm and welcoming, completely opposite to his violent maneuvering on the keys.

Stevenson and Jancewicz, like most small-time groups, came prepared with a selection of gear for sale, from niche pieces of art to limited press vinyls.

The Madison, Wisconsin, trio The Minotaurs were the second band of the evening. The band played a loud, no-nonsense punk rock set with little banter between songs, a stark contrast to the extended talking and piano interludes of Pocket Vinyl. Max Arthur, lead singer and guitarist, had nothing more than quippy one-liners to pass the time as the band reset before the trio went screaming into another song. Arthur’s vocals were comparable to Dick Valentine of the Electric Six and, in passing moments, the dark tones of Glenn Danzig. The band’s complete sound was cut down garage punk, with a fuzzy guitar and a deep backing bass that was kept in time by lightning fast drumming. The Minotaurs were a perfect fit for the do-it-yourself ethos of the Aquadome, as they brought their own line of screenprinted shirts and cassette copies of their recent extended play, “Secret Deals,” to sell.

Drop me a line at burk992@gmail.com for music suggestions. As always, turbocharge your day with “THE WARMUP LAP” 7-9 a.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Friday on 88.7 The Edge, and make sure to tune into “LOUD & OBNOXIOUS” this Saturday night from 10 p.m. to midnight — I’ll be featuring local band American Basswood live in the studio.

Lindsay St. John/Index Pocket Vinyl performs its hour-long set at the Aquadome is “TRUE LOVE” event Feb. 15. Pianist Eric Stevenson and painter Elizabeth Jancewicz form Pocket Vinyl.

Lindsay St. John/Index Elizabeth Jancewicz paints as part of Pocket Vinyl’s performance at the Aquadome’s “TRUE LOVE” event Feb. 15. The painting was auctioned off at the end of Pocket Vinyl’s set.

Lindsay St. John/Index As the last performers of the night, Meetwood. flac finish up the Aquadome’s “TRUE LOVE” event Feb. 15. Meetwood.flac, a group that plays a mix of soft rock, grunge and funk, is made up of former members of local bands Skeleboners and The Skagbyrds.

Truman’s Lincoln Contest Art, Essay, and Oratory

Some would argue that what Abraham Lincoln is most remembered for is his signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. The document may have had a limited direct impact on the lives of many slaves, but it was a watershed moment in stating that previously bound people shall be “forever free” (Emancipation Proclamation, paragraph 2). To emancipate commonly means to free from bondage, oppression, or restraint. This year’s prompt asks you to choose one of the following possibilities and develop it into an essay: • Choose another emancipatory moment in Lincoln’s life and write about it, incorporating source material.

• Choose an emancipatory moment in someone’s life and, incorporating source material, write about it.

Fred & Ethel Schwengel established the Lincoln Contests in art, essay, and oratory to pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln. This semester the collegiate essays will be judged by Professor Monica Barron and the speeches by Professor Barry Poyner. The art contest will be judged by Professor Rusty Nelson.

By Feb. 29 28, submit a 1000-1500 word, 3-5 page essay in response to the prompt to Barry Poyner, Barnett Hall 1110.

Provide a list of “works cited” as appropriate. On a cover sheet, provide contact information, and clearly indicate if entering the essay or oratorical contest, or both. Finalists in the Oratorical Contest will deliver their speeches before the National Communication Association Student Club later in the semester.

Communication Club members will assist Dr. Poyner in judging.

Essay and Oratory Prizes for 1st and 2nd places will be $200.00 and $100.00, respectively.

For the art contest, entries should be submitted to Rusty Nelson, OP 1221 by Feb. 29 28 and observe the following criteria: artwork of any media is acceptable, traditional or digital output/ projection - 2D and 3D. No larger than 18 x 24” for 2D work and 3ft in the round for 3D work. Projected work should be formatted for 16:9 screen ratio. Winning art will be added to the Schwengel Lincoln Collection in Special Collections at Pickler Memorial Library. Art Prizes for 1st and 2nd places will be $200.00 and $100.00, respectively.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

EVENTS Filmmakers Club Auditions 3-5 p.m. Feb. 21 Baldwin Hall 228 Truman’s Filmmakers Club will host auditions for its semester project.

Anyone iswelcome regardless of acting experience. For more information, contact Katey Stoetzel at krs8255@truman.edu.

Sweet 26 Birthday Bash 7 p.m. Feb. 19 University Art Gallery

TOP

Join the Women’s Resource Center to celebrate its 26th year at Truman. This free event is open to students and faculty.

Those attending should wear cocktail attire.

1 2

Taste of Truman with Laura Seaman

Blue Velvet Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling Directions: • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees • Pour the cake mix in a large bowl, then add two large eggs, 2 tablespoons of flour, one-half cup of either canola or vegetable oil, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla • Stir until completely mixed. The mix will be extremely thick, so if you’re using a mixer be sure to clean out the beaters.

• In another bowl, mix half a package of cream cheese, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and one-half teaspoon of vanilla. This mixture will also be extremely thick.

• Take scoops of the cookie dough, roll them into balls, then flatten them.

• Place a small lump of cream cheese filling in the middle, then roll the dough over it and roll it back into a ball before placing it on a cookie tray.

• Bake for 13 minutes, then let cool for 10 minutes • While the cookies are cooling, place a small bowl of white chocolate chips in the microwave and heat for 30 seconds, then stir until fully melted.

• Drizzle the melted white chocolate on the tops of the cookies

Serialized Television Shows

Cookie Dough Ingredients: • 1 box of blue velvet cake mix. Red velvet is more common, but it's just a preference.

• 2 large eggs • 2 tablespoons flour • One-half cup oil • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Cream Cheese Filling Ingredients: • One-half package of cream cheese (4 oz.)

• 1 cup granulated sugar • One-half teaspoon vanilla extract • Optional: 1 bag of white chocolate chips

3

“Breaking Bad” details the fall of Walter White as he goes from friendly neighborhood chemistry teacher to drug kingpin Heisenburg. To fully understand White’s transformation, viewers could not miss a single episode during its five-season run.

“24” is the ultimate serialized television show. The show’s format calls for it, because each episode details an hour of the life of federal agent Jack Bauer, complete with a running clock to keep track of the time. Each episode ends at the top of the hour, but always in the middle of some major action.

4

“The Wire” chronicles stories of the relationship between law enforcement and various institutions in and around Baltimore. Each season focuses on a different institution, like the illegal drug trade, but plotlines and characters continue through each season, making tuning in every week a must.

While a lot of “Lost” episodes are 45-minute contained stories, the mysteries that surrounded the show are what make it serialized. Those mysteries are what kept the audience tuning in each week, because with each answer, even more questions followed.

5

Netflix shows rely on serialization to get people to continue watching. “Marvel’s Jessica Jones” was the most successful of these with a well-paced 13-episode story of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s first female superhero.

“Deadpool” delivers after brilliant marketing strategy

BY KATEY STOETZEL

Features Editor index.featureseditor@gmail.com

The months leading up to the release of "Deadpool" perfectly encapsulated what the film eventually would end up as. "Deadpool" had one of the best marketing strategies I've seen — the test footage leaking at Comic-Con a couple of years ago, the “Deadpool” movie Twitter following the official Hello Kitty Twitter account, the first picture of star Ryan Reynolds in full Deadpool costume laying on a bear rug in front of a fire, the April Fools' joke that said the film would be rated PG-13, and the decision to release during Valentine's Day weekend. All of it weird, all of it in character with Deadpool, and all of it an extremely meta buildup to an even more meta "Deadpool" film that didn't disappoint. You wanted "Deadpool" Gush Fest 2016?

This is "Deadpool" Gush Fesh 2016.

I love the way this film isn't afraid to take risks. It's unapologetic with its fourth-wall breaks and commentary on other current pop culture properties — most notably the "X-Men" franchise — and it has a right to be as unapologetic as it wants. The film fought an uphill battle to get greenlit by the studio, but it eventu-

ally was brought to fruition because the people behind "Deadpool" loved and cared about the film and pushed to get the project done.

Of course, the film wouldn't have been a success without the help of Reynolds. His enthusiasm for "Deadpool" was electric and contagious, which transferred to his onscreen performance. There's never a dull moment in the entire film. It's fun. It's risky. It's dark humor like I've never seen. Reynolds is Deadpool.

There's no one better.

I love how small-scale the events of the film are.

Most superhero movies involve some world domination plot the good guys have to stop. But not "Deadpool."

The narrative structure of "Deadpool" barely deals with a forward-moving plot. Much of the film is Deadpool's backstory — we see Wade Wilson the mercenary, the first meeting of Wade and Vanessa, Wade's diagnosis, Wade's decision to undergo torture to cure him of cancer, his transformation into Deadpool and finally, his mission to track down Francis, the man who turned him into Deadpool. The present day events start in a taxi cab as Deadpool is on his way to confront Francis. A bloody fight ensues on a highway overpass, a couple of X-Men show up to stop Deadpool, Francis gets away and we learn Deadpool has regenerative powers.

A rescue mission and an X-Men team-up between Deadpool, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Colossus follow, and that's pretty much it. But that's okay, because I'm not sure much else needed to happen during the first "Deadpool" film. It does a great job of letting us know who this Deadpool guy is. Deadpool spends a lot of the film telling the audience he isn't a hero, and in the traditional sense, he's not. But he is a guy who fights for the little guy, and that's okay in my book.

Other standouts in this film are T.J. Miller as Wade's friend Weasel. Miller counterbalances Deadpool's crazy with a little less crazy quite nicely. Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead is great to watch as well, even with her limited screen time. Morena Baccarin as Wade's girlfriend Vanessa is always fantastic — though she was mostly the damsel-in-distress — but Baccarin and Reynolds' onscreen chemistry is strong.

"Deadpool" is able to get away with its constant fourth-wall breaking and meta nature because of the care it takes while doing so. There are so many one-liners, it’ll take multiple viewings to catch them all.

Be sure to stick around for the after-credit scene, too. I'll see you at the next available "Deadpool" screening. Grade — A

SPORTS

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

@trumanathletics

tmn.truman.edu

11

Stand up for spring sports

By Menaie Barton Staff Writer

New ‘Dogs join on Signing Day

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF/STAFF WRITER

Truman State athletics will welcome more than 40 student athletes to campus this fall after players signed their national letters of intent Feb. 3 See RECRUIT, page 13

Baseball preps for 2016

BY COURTNEY STRAIT Assistant Sports Editor tsusporteditor@gmail.com

For the Truman State baseball team, this spring is about more than defending last season’s College World Series berth. The Bulldogs are focused on creating a new identity, exceeding expectations and improving in all facets of the game. With the first game of the season Saturday, the team has its first opportunity to show the improvements they have made.

Head Coach Dan Davis said this season’s team is the best he has seen under his lead at Truman. Davis said he attributes part of the team’s talent to his players’ hard work during preseason workouts and the right mindset going into opening day. Practicing six days a week — five of those at 5:30 a.m. — Davis said the team strives to put in its maximum effort each day and to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played. He said during the preseason, the team placed special emphasis on the fact that this season’s team is different than last year’s team. He said this idea needs

to be the focal point of how the players approach this season.

“We can’t sit back and think that because we did something special last year that that’s going to carry over to this year,” Davis said. “Should it give us confidence? 100 percent. But if we throw our hat on the field and think people are going to lay down because we did something pretty cool last year, then it’s not going to happen.”

Davis said during the preseason, his players competed for multiple starting positions. Because key starters in the field, on the pitching mound and on the plate have graduated, returning players, junior college transfers and freshmen all have the chance to earn a spot in the starting lineup. He said despite battling for starting spots, the players are in great spirits and are being great teammates to one another, meeting the expectations Davis said he has of each of his players.

Last summer, Davis hired Assistant Coach Zak Larkin, a four-year starter for the Bulldog baseball team who graduated last spring. Larkin said he is looking forward to helping the team progress and learning the ropes as a coach.

“I tell the guys every day, my goal as a coach is to keep them level-headed,” Larkin said. “Having the success that we did last year, hopefully the returners and myself can steer the team in the same direction.”

Coaches across the conference selected Truman to finish in third place in the GLVC West, according to the GLVC preseason poll. Larkin said the selection, behind No.1 pick Quincy University and No. 2 choice Drury University, was not as favorable as he would have liked.

See BASEBALL, page 13

“I tell the guys every day, my goal as a coach is to keep them levelheaded.

Having the success that we did last year, hopefully the returners and myself can steer the team in the same direction.”

- Assistant Coach Zak Larkin

P L AY E R

Christa Reisinger Freshman outfielder Christa Reisinger recorded six hits in four games last weekend for the Bulldog softball team. Reisinger hit her first home run during her first collegiate at-bat against Henderson State University. She currently has a .429 batting average thus far this season.

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With football season ending, it’s the time of year so many Americans get excited for — baseball season.

Spring training has started for Major League Baseball, but closer to home, the Truman State baseball and softball seasons are coming closer and closer.

Because this is my first year at Truman, I’m excited to attend many awesome games for the very first time.

From April to September, Cardinals baseball is the topic of discussion. The St. Louis baseball obsession I grew up around sparked a passion in my heart. I began playing tee-ball at four years old, and it stuck with me. I regret not trying out for college sports, but I’m still just as excited to see the Bulldogs play as I am for the Cardinals.

With baseball season nearing, I find myself getting more and more hyped for games to start. After all, college athletics are the last step for most sports before reaching the professional level. Many MLB players are recruited during their college career.

Keeping that in mind makes every college game more exciting. Maybe one of our very own Bulldogs could be scouted by a professional team and begin playing for an MLB team next season.

Not only is college one of the last steps for baseball, but it might be the end of competitive careers for softball players as well. Personally, I loved spending my fall nights out at the ball fields watching my classmates play softball. It was a great way to finish my evenings. It’s an adjustment for me to see softball during the spring because my high school had its softball season during the fall, but I still look forward to spending time cheering on the softball team.

Fans can find themselves bonding over baseball and softball. For example, after the Kansas City Royals won the World Series last year, the Royals and Kansas City, Missouri, hosted a giant parade through the heart of the city to celebrate the victory. The city had 2.3 miles of downtown road shut down for the parade, with about 800,000 fans crowding the barriers to celebrate their hometown heroes, according to the Kansas City Royals website. An event that massive because a team won some rings is rather surreal and melodramatic to those who are not very passionate about sports, but for those who love the game, no party is big enough to celebrate their team winning the World Series.

Softball fans might not have as large of a professional league, but college athletics can gain a pretty intense following. College finals are televised nationwide as seasons come to a close, and there’s no lack of team pride visible in the stands during those games. College sports obviously don’t reach the high viewing numbers, grand celebrations and followings of professional sports teams, but their fans are just as dedicated. True fans will find themselves standing in the bitter cold and sweltering heat.

They’ll brave any weather to see their team play. This season, expect to see me in the stands with those dedicated fans to cheer on our Bulldogs baseball and softball.

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WEEK

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Reporter debates helmet safety

By Curtis Wichmer Staff Reporter We all know and love the game of football. From diving catches to hard hits, football is a very entertaining game — but it can come at a deadly price to the players. In the NFL, it seems like an injured player is helped off the field at least once every game. While suffering an injury is very common within the game, there is no injury more dangerous than one to the head. Time and time again, athletes are injured by a sharp blow to the helmet, sometimes causing them to lose consciousness. To maintain the safety of its players, the NFL has investigated the issue of head injuries and found most are caused by helmet-to-helmet collisions.

To counteract the ever-climbing number of head injuries, the NFL continually pours funds into programs designed to keep players safe. Various helmet and padding designs are drafted, tested and redrafted to help accomplish this goal.

Every year, the NFL comes out with updates to the current equipment, promising the equipment will reduce injuries and, every year, players continually are injured through helmet-to-helmet contact. During the 2011-12 season, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison made helmet-to-helmet contact with Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy. McCoy received a concussion and was knocked unconscious during the play — to this day, he has no recollection of the hit. Fortunately, McCoy is fine now and still playing football. Unfortunately, he is not the only athlete to receive a head injury in this manner.

But how do these injuries keep happening if the NFL constantly is improving the safety of its equipment? What if making the helmets safer actually is making them more dangerous?

Football helmets are designed to have a padded interior and a thick,

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hard outer shell. The helmet protects the brain, the most important body part of a football player. The helmet is the strongest, most protective piece of equipment — and the most dangerous.

The protection offered by the design of the helmet has become so powerful that it is now less of a protection and more of a weapon. Time and time again, defensemen lead their tackles with their helmets. This is not incredibly dangerous for the player being tackled — until that player recoils and drops his head in preparation to absorb the hit. This is when helmets collide, the person tackled is critically injured and the defenseman comes out of the collision just fine.

Why is this? How does the person leading the collision come out unscathed? Helmet-to-helmet contact works like a Newton’s cradle, those hanging lines of marbles you often see on office desks. When contact is made, the full force is transferred from the person making contact to the recipient. In the same way, McCoy suffers from amnesia, and Harrison walks away unharmed.

Although the shock of the impact plays a role in concussions, there is mounting evidence that suggests the sudden rotation of the skull and brain in helmetto-helmet contact is another cause of concussion-related injury. Several tests conducted at Stanford University suggest this danger is real, and the NFL’s football helmet tests don’t account for it.

Independent research has shifted its focus from adding to the strength of the helmet, and instead is looking into how to prevent the sudden rotation of the brain.

A 2012 Popular Science article featured an experimental helmet designed to combat these sudden rotations. When the helmet is hit with a sharp blow, the helmet itself rotates, relieving the stress and force that otherwise would be applied to the skull and brain. Steps have been taken to present the helmet design to the NFL, and with any luck, the NFL will be able to incorporate the new helmet design — or at the very least, if the design isn’t quite up to the NFL’s standards, it will incorporate the concept of reducing the stress placed on the brain.

As more athletes continue to suffer brain injuries because of football-related accidents, the demand for proper protection is crucial. Hopefully, with new designs and a greater focus on the protection of the brain, football will become a safer sport for players — amateur and professional — across the nation.

Bulldog Domination

Results from the 2016 GLVC Swimming Championship Feb. 10-12 GLVC Women’s Swimmer of the Year: Junior Evyn Spencer

GLVC Men’s Swimmer of the Year: Sophomore Will Shanel

GLVC Women’s Freshman of the Year: Freshman Emma Barnett

Coach of the Year:

Head Coach Ed Pretre

GLVC Champion:

Truman Women’s Swimming

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PRE S E N TS

Million Dollar Quartet the smash-hit musical inspired by the famed one and only recording session that brought together rock ’n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.

7:30 p.m. • Wednesday, Feb. 24 Baldwin Auditorium Free tickets for students with a Truman ID are available in the Student Activities Board Office. Free tickets for faculty and staff with a Truman ID are available at the information desk. Both are located in the Student Union Building.

A limited number of general admission tickets are available for $11 each at Edna Campbells in downtown Kirksville and the Truman State University Business Office cashier window in McClain Hall.

Tickets may also be purchased online at lyceum.truman.edu.

For more information, call 660.785.4016 or visit the Lyceum website at lyceum.truman.edu.

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13

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

BASEBALL l After a trip to the NCAA Div. II College World Series last year, the Bulldogs prepare for the 2016 season with a number of new players.

Continued from page 11

Larkin said despite this, it provides a great opportunity for the team to finish higher than the preseason standings predict. Larkin said the preseason standings serve as motivation going into the start of the season. He said Quincy is the team to beat in the GLVC West this season, and he thinks Truman has been overlooked as a top GLVC West contender.

Larkin said part of the reason the ‘Dogs were chosen third is because they have so many new players who have yet to play in GLVC competition.

He said because the team graduated hitters in the first, second, third and seventh positions, as well as its top pitcher, there is an opportunity for new players to step up and fill those gaps in the lineup.

BEWARE OF DOG Senior T.J. Wood Outfielder Preseason All-Region

Source: Natl. Collegiate Baseball Writers Association

“We have four junior college transfers and two freshmen that are going to be vital to us,” Larkin said. “They are going to be a big part of our team.”

Larkin said he is most excited for the first pitch of the 2016 season and the opportunity to contribute to the Truman baseball program despite the fact that his playing days are behind him.

Senior outfielder T.J. Wood is expected to have a standout year. Wood was selected as a preseason AllRegion candidate by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association going into his final season in a Truman uniform. Wood said this honor serves as an achievement he can work toward all season.

He said more importantly than an All-Region award, he is going to do everything in his power to improve with his team.

“I want to find a way to embrace [the selection] and play to the best of my abilities, but obviously the team comes first,” Wood said. “I am going to do everything I possibly can for the team, and if it so happens that I get All-Region at the end of the year, I want it to be because I did what I could for my team.”

Despite being the only Bulldog to receive preseason accolades, Wood said he thinks the team has power in every facet of the game. Wood said he is excited about the team’s hitting lineup — he said the team is full of players who are ready to step up to the plate, produce runs and run the bases well.

Davis, Larkin and Wood all agreed the pitching lineup has vastly improved from last season. Wood said the current group of hurlers are athletes who throw strikes and are ready to compete. He said despite graduating a key pitcher, Truman’s starters and bullpen boast more depth and talent than during previous years.

“We lost a crucial guy in [alumnus] Cody Gardener last year,” Wood said. “But our biggest strength from last year going into this year would be our pitching. Our pitching is going to be scary.”

Wood said his goal is to get to another College World Series in Cary, North Carolina, this season.

Coming from a team that finished with a 12-34 record his freshman year, Wood said he hopes to continue to grow the Truman baseball program so it competes for a national championship season after season.

20 1 6

WE

ST DIVISION

POS. TEAM 1. Quincy 2. Drury 3. Truman State 4. William Jewell 5. Missouri-St. Louis 6. Missouri S&T 7. Rockhurst 8. Maryville Source: www.glvcsports.com

RECRUIT l

Truman’s fall sports welcome its signees for the 2016-17 season. Football signed 31 new players to report to campus in August, while men’s soccer welcomes seven players and women’s soccer brings four to the program.

Continued from page 11 Feb. 3 was a day thousands of student-athletes will remember forever. For high school athletes, national signing day signified not only their commitment to a future school and athletic program, but also the attainment of their lifelong dream of playing collegiate sports. Truman State is no stranger to the excitement surrounding this day for future Bulldog athletes.

National signing day highlights athletes and their school selections, but perhaps more importantly, the day is a stepping stone for the future of collegiate athletic programs. For college coaching staffs, national signing day provides a vision of what is to come.

After countless hours spent recruiting, contacting athletes and finding the right fit, several Truman teams saw their work pay off as they received national letters of intent from the future athletes of their programs.

Signing Truman Athletics’ biggest recruiting class of 2016, Head Coach Gregg Nesbitt and the Bulldog football team await next year’s arrival of 31 student-athletes.

Nesbitt said this year’s class is slightly larger than previous years, with 22 players signing national letters of intent and another nine athletes signing institutional letters, signifying they plan to become walk-on members of next year’s squad.

With the team returning the majority of its members next season, Nesbitt said there was not as much pressure during this recruiting season because there were no pressing vacancies within the roster. Nesbitt said the main focus with this recruiting class was to replenish for future seasons. He said this proved to be an advantage because his staff was allowed to be very selective during the recruiting process.

With six years of recruiting under his belt, Nesbitt said he thinks his steady, close-knit staff has figured out what it takes to recruit for Truman. Nesbitt said his staff’s recruiting success stems from developing relationships with high school coaches and figuring out exactly what kind of athletes they can attract. He said this year is by far the best the coaching staff has done from the recruiting aspect.

Although recruiting is a major part of the process, Nesbitt said he thinks it is only half of the equation.

With roots in high school football, Nesbitt said he places a higher value on player development rather than the initial recruitment.

“As a college coach, I think there’s two things in my opinion that are equally [important],” Nesbitt said.

“One is player development once we get an athlete

here, and the second is recruiting. I think a lot of coaches once they see some flaws in a player, their philosophy is, ‘Hey, I’m just going to recruit the next player.’ Well I’ve never just thought that the recruits are the next best thing. I don’t think there’s quite enough time spent in player development.”

Nesbitt said though it takes a special kind of student-athlete to play Truman football, recruiting is surprisingly easy.

When his current players host recruits, letting potential players stay with current players, Nesbitt said he tells his guys not to oversell but to show them who the football team is. He said it is always great when a potential recruit fits within the program’s ideals and the school’s requirements. At the same time, Nesbitt said it is also helpful to find out when a player does not fit at Truman.

This recruiting style has led Nesbitt and the Bulldogs to five consecutive years achieving a 70 percent commitment rate — meaning that seven out of 10 athletes who made official visits committed to the program. This year, the team achieved a 78 percent commitment rate.

“The reason for that, is one, we’re recruiting ready students,” Nesbitt said. “With the graduate and postgraduate opportunities that we have here, Truman recruits itself. Also when you have a tight locker room, and teammates that are pulling the rope together, it just becomes a natural fit for recruits.”

Throughout the recruiting season, other Truman coaches were also looking to find new faces to add to their rosters. Duke Cochran, men’s soccer head coach, said after graduating only four players last year, his team is adding seven young men to its roster.

Cochran said recruiting needs vary year to year, and said his program was in the same spot as Nesbitt’s in that there were no real pressing needs for next season.

“We always look at what are we losing and what we need,” Cochran said. “Do we need a goal-scorer, a goalkeeper? This year it was nice to just go after talented players who fit the style that we like to play. I think we got pretty lucky with this group, and I think it’ll pan out for us.”

Cochran said though his recruits show a lot of promise, it might be hard for a true freshman to break into the lineup. Cochran said he thinks they are talented enough to put in a good four years for the program even though the team will return veteran players who have talent and experience.

Cochran said he looks forward to having some experienced upperclassmen ready to step into leadership roles this spring, and is excited about his roster’s talent breeding competition on the team.

On the women’s side for Truman soccer, Head Coach Mike Cannon added four players to his roster for next year.

Graduating four seniors last season, three of whom were starters, Cannon said he is bringing in players who will compete for playing time, particularly in the midfield position.

“We just try to find kids that are good athletes and good students,” Cannon said. “I always need to wait around and see if they’ll be a good fit academically — checking GPAs and ACT scores. The better the student, the more academic money they can potentially get, and that’s obviously a positive for our program.”

Cannon said he looks to recruit athletes who challenge themselves academically. He said he thinks a strong work ethic in school will carry into effort on the playing field.

With recruiting complete, Cannon and his team have the opportunity at another winning season and the chance to protect their GLVC conference title.

“We just try to find kids that are good athletes and good students.

I always need to wait around and see if they’ll be a good fit academically — checking GPAs and ACT scores. The better the student, the more academic money they can potentially get, and that’s obviously a positive for our program.”

- Mike Cannon, women’s soccer head coach

Cannon said this conference reign is not only a great goal to keep in mind, but also helps during the recruiting process for the next couple years.

“It’s always good PR to have success, and winning the conference is a peak,” Cannon said. “Our kids this year had already committed before our season ended, but for next year and the following, it definitely helps. It’s always nice to say you’re the best team in your conference.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2016

Course provides free personal training Truman’s exercise science program provides free personal training through its assessment and prescription course. The training is performed on volunteers and provides the students with real-world experience for future careers. by seth wolfmeyer Staff Writer

An exercise science class is offering personal training to volunteer practice clients this semester to give students the chance to gain real-world experience.

ES 445: Assessment and Prescription I is a four-credit course that gives personal training to staff, faculty, graduate students and members of the community. Because of time commitment concerns, undergraduate students are not allowed to register as clients. The program is free for all volunteer clients, though there is a charge for an optional bone density test. The students hope to develop their understanding of personal training by creating specific exercise prescriptions for each client.

Exercise science professor Evonne Bird, who is currently the professor in charge of the course, said while the program is not an exact representation of how a typical physical trainer works with clients, it still serves as an eye-opener for the students. Bird said the students will meet with their practice clients once a week, setting goals and developing an exercise prescription. The first two meetings include a health risk assessment and fitness testing to ensure the practice clients are healthy enough to begin physical training. Then, Bird said there are four personal training sessions to check up on clients and update the exercise regimen to give clients the knowledge needed to continue their work at the end of the program.

“Many of the students are athletes, or they exercise a lot,” Bird said. “As exercise [science] majors you would expect that, so they have a certain level of exercise that they expect. Working with clients from a wide range of situations broadens their perspective, getting them to realize there’s a whole diverse population out there that still needs to be physically active.”

Bird said many students in the class hope to go on to be physical therapists, doctors or physical trainers. She said students also gain experience working with lab equipment during the fitness testing. Bird said if the client wants, students also will work with a bone density scan called the DEXA. The DEXA can diagnose bone loss, osteoporosis or risk of bone fractures, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

The program relies on clients who will stay dedicated to participating, something students have not had to worry about yet. This reliance on commitment is why undergraduate students are not accepted as practice clients.

“I have not had a client yet that said ‘I’m done’ in the middle of the sessions,” Bird said. “[An undergraduate student] gets busy at finals or when finals are coming up.

They don’t want to commit.”

Former practice client Gwen Perrachione said the experience she had as a participant was worthwhile. Perrachione said she worked with a team of three students to increase her flexibility.

“It was an excellent experience,” Perrachione said. “The kids were very professional with it and did what I asked. I could email them any time if I had a question.”

“Working with clients from a wide range of situations broadens their perspective, getting them to realize there’s a whole diverse population out there that still needs to be physically active.”

-Exercise science professor Evonne Bird

Perrachione said though it was difficult for her to work during the sessions and a half hour two days per week, she said she reached her goal. She said she would recommend the program because the students were very helpful and professional.

Anyinterested in enrolling in the class or volunteering as clients can email Bird at ebird@truman.edu.

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