February 23, 2017

Sports

Features

Opinions

German chef Murat Er brings new flavors to Truman’s campus

Trevor Hamblin explains how to give a good apology page 4

Kyle Kanaskie overcomes injury to finish athletic career page 12

page 8

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

EXCELLENCE SINCE 1909

THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT-PRODUCED NEWSPAPER

Presidential Search Budget

Consulting Services

$138,777.57

Presidential Search Committee Stakeholder Advisory Committee and Board of Governors

$10,938.59

Staff Writer

Total

On-Campus Constituent Group Meetings with Search Consultant

$157,439.66 Source: Institutional Support Budget, Fiscal Year 2017

$803.23

Administration reveals presidential search budget and benefits to closed process

By Rachel Fechter

Truman State University students and faculty read the email updates on the presidential search process which documented the benefits of using R. William Funk and Associates and having a closed presidential search process. The emails also chronicled the progress of the search from reviewing semi-finalists and finalists to eventually naming Sue Thomas as the 17th president of the University.

However, many members of the Truman community were possibly unaware of the total cost of the presidential search process, which added up to $157,439.66.

This money was used to pay for consulting services such as teleconferences, advertising, travel to interviews, background checks and degree verifications, according to the Truman Institutional Support Budget for Fiscal Year 2017. In addition, this money went toward campus constituent group meetings with the Presidential Search Committee, StakeHolders Committee, and Board of Governors, as well as lodging and meals for the semifinalist and finalist candidates.

Dave Rector, Vice President for Administration, Finance and Planning, said this money was set aside shortly after former University President Troy Paino announced his resignation, and it was budgeted in the Institutional

Thomas addresses University

By Kira Hintz

$6,920.27

News Text Editor index.newseditor@gmail.com

tmn.truman.edu

Support section of the 2017 fiscal budget. Rector said this money has almost been paid in full except for a small amount of travel expenses from the last couple of weeks, and therefore will not further impact the budget cuts Truman has recently seen. Rector said the money set aside for the presidential search budget was standard in comparison to recent information in the media regarding the costs for presidential searches.

Rector said he thinks R. William Funk and Associates’ secure website which preserved applicants’ anonymity, their access to contacts in order to do background checks on candidates and their ability to do ad placement with a mission statement highlighting Truman’s open president position made the closed presidential search process worth it.

“If you have a search that was handled this way — where the applicants are protected — then you get a bigger pool of people,” Rector said. “For president, I think this is a good approach. I don’t think you would use it for a dean or someone in admission. President is pretty tricky to get a good pool and get the right person.”

Rector said the search process is long and meticulous to ensure the best candidate is selected as president.

“I’ve been involved in several presidential searches over the years, and it’s hard work whether you sit through

interviewing people, or you’re on a committee and you have this giant stack of applications, and you have to try and figure out who the best ones are,” Rector said. “I know several of us — after we wrapped up our stakeholder role — chatted briefly before we headed out [and] said, ‘Boy, that was work. And boy we’ve got a lot of responsibility.’ You’re making a recommendation that affects the future of the institution, so you want to say the right thing and think big-picture rather than just your own little area.”

Mike LaBeth, Board of Governors chair, said while Thomas was an internal candidate, the closed search process, money spent and time invested were still crucial in the search process.

“We wanted to find the best person to lead our University,” LaBeth said.

“Dr. Thomas went through the same interview process just like everyone else. We did not go into the search saying, ‘We’re going to hire Sue Thomas’.

We all went in with open minds. It was a process. It was unanimously decided that Dr. Thomas was going to be our next president and I don’t think that happens very often. I think that shows we as a board made the right decision because we were all on the same page.

At the end [Thomas] stood out. She’s the one we felt would lead our University in the right direction.”

Newly appointed Truman State University President Sue Thomas paid special attention to Truman State’s budget cuts during her state of the University address which gave students and faculty the opportunity to hear about the University’s progress and challenges.

To begin the address, Thomas mentioned some of Truman’s achievements. Thomas said Truman was recognized as a top producer of Fulbright students, tied nationally for 6th in the Masters Granting Institution and was also among the top 20 mid-size schools in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers. The University also ranked 15th in the nation among all institutions, Thomas said, and first among all in Missouri.

While being successful individually, Thomas said Truman has also obtained success through helping the Kirksville community and public schools with language services and support.

“Something you may not be aware of [is that] over the past two years Kirksville has experienced an influx of over 100 immigrants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo,” Thomas said. “A positive and professional and productive learning environment for Truman students and for Congolese language learners has been led by faculty members from the Department of Classical and Modern languages and the Department of English.”

Thomas said unfortunately, a big problem Truman is tackling at the moment is the various types of financial cuts it has received. Thomas said the University is in fiscal year 2017. She said fiscal years are based upon the year in which they end, not the year in which they start.

It’s important to know this, Thomas said, because it was announced in January that the University is undergoing an 8 percent budget withhold. Thomas said this will result in a $3.1 million withhold Truman has to come up with a way to compensate for in the last six months of its school year.

See UNIVERSITY ADDRESS page 3

Administration prepares for future following surcharge

By Austin Hornbostel

The Truman State University administration was able to cover the recent budget cuts of more than $3 million, thanks in part to a recently implemented surcharge for full-time students.

The $50 surcharge covers about 8 percent of these cuts. The remaining 92 percent will be covered by what the University refers to as central money — dollars saved by foregoing updates to University equipment or other one-time costs. The one-time surcharge won’t affect students after the spring 2017 semester, and the University will offer a grant program for students who aren’t readily able to afford an extra $50 mid-semester.

University President Sue Thomas said it’s hard for the University to address budget cuts, especially mid-semester, because about 60 percent of the University’s education and general budget is wrapped up in salaries. Thomas said eliminating positions would be impossible, as such action would violate existing employment contracts.

Thomas said the central money that will cover the budget costs will prevent the University from making equipment replacements and updates for the time being. Specifically, she said Pickler Memorial Library is due for a fire alarm system replacement that will need to be delayed. About 200 desktop computers will have to go without upgrades for the time being as well, and seven to 10 of the cars in the University fleet have eclipsed 170,000 miles of travel but will have to remain in use.

Thomas said some of these central funds also originate from what is re-

ferred to as lapsing salary — for example, this type of money can come from a faculty member retiring midacademic year and the University hiring a temporary replacement just to teach the classes retiring faculty once taught. Thomas said the difference between what the University would pay a full time faculty member and what it would pay a part time instructor is what constitutes lapsing funds.

Beyond these areas, Thomas said the University was unable to find any other areas to save money without cutting into operating budgets and impacting University departments.

She said this was when the idea of the surcharge came to fruition.

“The question was, rather than decimating a number of operating budgets on campus for the next six months … is there a way that we could do something with the students — that wouldn’t be very much, would not be very significant — but would help to not have to go into all of the operating budgets that are already pretty lean on this campus?” Thomas said.

The Board of Governors approved the surcharge at its Feb. 4 meeting, but no announcement was made until Feb. 13, when Thomas sent an email to students. Thomas said one reason for the delay was because she wanted to talk to the student body president and vice president — seniors JJ Dorrell and Christy Crouse — and Student Government first. Because Student Government meetings take place Sunday nights, Thomas said the timing between meeting with Dorrell and Crouse and getting a chance to talk to the Senate led to the announcement taking more time.

Thomas said the delay was also in part because the administration

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Editor-In-Chief index.editor@gmail.com

ISSUE 17

wanted to put the process in place for students to get help through the grant program. Money for these grants is coming out of the Foundation budget.

“I don’t consider it to be a delay, but I understand some do,” Thomas said. “It was enormously important to me that Student Government was involved and informed about this ahead of time.”

Thomas said getting feedback about the surcharge from the student body before implementing it would have been a difficult task because students likely wouldn’t have shown much approval for paying more money. She said the same thing goes for those affected by a lack of replacement for the older vehicles in Truman’s fleet because having to make cuts or ask for more money is generally not met with approval. Thomas said there was a quick turnaround between the budget cuts and when the University had to make decisions regarding how to address them. Thomas said as a result, Student Government is reportedly putting together a way to educate students about the University budget and how it is tackling issues like the surcharge.

“I am beyond willing to get all students’ input, but how do we educate them so that they can actually provide good input?” Thomas said. “Because without the education, without the explanation, how are people able to decide whether it’s something they really want to do or not, as opposed to just an immediate reaction of ‘Of course I don’t want to pay an extra $50?’”

Looking forward, Dave Rector, Vice President for Administration, Finance and Planning, said the University could face more than $4 million in cuts for the next fiscal year.

www.facebook.com/TrumanMediaNetwork

Rector said when institutions know there are cuts coming, they generally either start to save for the next year ahead of time or go ahead with some necessary purchases while the University still has the money. In this case, Rector said Truman has been cutting back now in preparation for the year ahead.

Rector said one place where Truman has a lot of money is in positions.

He said there are currently eight positions the University is holding open instead of filling, where former employees have resigned or left Truman.

He said these positions range from Physical Plant workers to a position on the admissions staff — the administration doesn’t plan to leave these positions unfilled forever, just in the short-term to save money.

Rector said as far as cuts to staff go, the University is hoping these only occur naturally — turnover as result of the employee’s decision to move on, not as a result of a University decision.

“I’ve been in this position for over 20 years, so I’ve been through this several times,” Rector said. “There’s lots of different ways you can approach it, but what we’ve always tried to do is to try to be as compassionate as possible.”

Rector said Truman is also looking at ways that it can share staff across campus more. He said managing faculty when faced with budget cuts is more difficult, because Truman hires on an academic year basis. As a result, there isn’t a similar mid-year turnover like what the University might see with its staff.

See SURCHARGE page 6

@TrumanMediaNet

© 2017

2

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

Interfaith panel discussion “The Truths Between Us” brings news perspectives

CORRECTIONS In an article on page 5 of the Feb. 9 issue, titled “Woman with terminal illness finds something to live for in a bakery with an ironic twist,” we presented incorrect information regarding the medical background and experiences of To Die For Bakery owner Tari Glaspie. We apologize to Ms. Glaspie for our errors.

In last week’s page 1 Q&A with University President Sue Thomas, we failed to indicate that the Index lightly edits Q&As for the sake of space and to avoid redundancies. Please see tmn.truman. edu for more of Thomas’ responses from our Q&A.

STUDENT SENATE IN BRIEF

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

Top: A panel of seven Truman students answered questions about their individual religious beliefs. The religious faiths of the students on the panel included Methodism, Mormonism, Judaism, Islam, Hellenistic Polytheism, Heathenism and Secular Humanism.

Left: A crowd of students and community members waits for the discussion to begin while eating desserts. After the panel answered questions from the moderator, the audience asked their own questions to the panel.

Bottom Left: Sophomore Erika Miller from the Interfaith Center introduces the members of the panel. Miller encouraged everyone in the audience to remember that all viewpoints are valid.

Bottom Right: Members of the panel converse before discussing their views.

Panelists shared their outlooks on their concept of “good,” their view of the afterlife and their favorite scriptures.

The Senate approved an athletic fee slate that will allocate $85,050 to various athletic facilities and organizations on campus.

The Senate plans to host an educational open forum about the Truman budget very soon.

The Senate discussed how to proceed in discerning student opinion on campus attendance policy.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Truman Forensics Team wins championship The Truman Forensic Union, Truman’s intercollegiate speech and debate team, took first place in debate at the Missouri Association of Forensic Activities Championship Tournament, hosted by the University of Central Missouri this past weekend. Truman debaters and speakers took home individual state championships in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Parliamentary Debate and Prose Interpretation.

Music Department to host guest performances

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

The Department of Music will sponsor a guest recital in Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall on Friday, February 24. Adriana Ransom, cellist, and Geoffrey Duce, pianist, will be the featured guest artists. Both Ransom, hailing from Kansas City, and Duce, hailing from Scotland, have extensive résumés and have performed with many other musicians and in different venues all over the world. The recital will begin at 8:00 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

CRIME REPORTS DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909

Staff 2/20 Theft reported at the 600 block of S. 2/19 Domestic disturbance reported at Sixth St. the 1200 block of E. Jefferson St. Editor-in-Chief Austin Hornbostel Managing Editor Johanna Burns News Editor (Text) Rachel Fechter Lifestyle Editor (Text) Austin Hornbostel Lifestyle Editor (Multimedia) Brently Snead Sports Editor (Text) Rachel Steinhoff Sports Editor (Multimedia) Seth Wolfmeyer Opinions Editor Will Chaney Copy Chief Megan Robison Assistant Copy Chief Molly Thal Design Chief Samantha Nielsen Staff Writers Stephanie Hulett, Brooke Bailey, Curt Wichmer, Chris Burk, Lesley Reno, Mercy Tee, Kayla Perkins, Nicolas Telep, Kira Hintz, Spencer Foust, Morgan Alexander, Jeremy Jacob, Jessica Shultz, Maddie McDermott Cartoonist Annie Kintree, August Davis Copy Editors Julianna Foster, Megan Gibbons, Trevor Hamblin, Katie Puryear, Ian Madden, Bethany Spitzmiller, MacKenna Palazza, Sarah deVeer Designers Clarissa Todd, Lawrence Hu, Mariah Radle, Emily Mollet Photo Editor Damian Soane Photographers Athena Geldbach, Austin Dellamano, Hannah Conner, Hudson Taylor Distribution Manager Kain Kneib Distribution Representatives Jessica Rose, Taylor Libbert Adviser Don Krause

2/20 Harassment reported at the 2000 2/19 Domestic disturbance reported at block of E. Normal Ave. the 800 block of N. Davis St. 2/20 Theft reported at the 200 block of S. 2/18 Domestic disturbance reported at Franklin St. the 1100 block of S. Porter St. 2/20 Vandalism reported at the 1300 block 2/18 Suspect arrested for shoplifting at of S. Boundary St. the 2200 block of N. Baltimore St. 2/20 Burglary reported at the 1700 block of N. Centennial Ave.

2/18 Scam reported at the 100 block of E. McPherson St.

2/20 Property damage reported at the 300 2/17 Harassment reported at the 1500 block of N. High St. block of N. Franklin St.

Mark your calendar Global Issues Colloquium 7-9 p.m.

Feb. 23 Magruder Hall 2001

Political science professor John Quinn will lead the next Global Issues Colloquium discussion about how geopolitics around the world have impacted African institutions.

Observatory Open House 7-9 p.m.

Feb. 23 University Farm

The Truman and Kirksville community will have a chance to view the Orion Nebula, the Double Cluster, the Pleiades cluster, the Beehive Cluster and other winter constellations at the Truman Observatory.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

UNIVERSITY ADDRESS | Sue Thomas sums up plans to tackle Truman’s budget cuts with three part plan, including 2.1% tuition raise in 2018 Continued from page 1 Trying to find $3.1 million is a tremendous challenge, Thomas said, because 60 percent of Truman’s budget is personnel costs, along with utilities and other ongoing committee operational expenses. Thomas said the other issue about a budget cut in the middle of the year is the recent announcement of Gov. Eric Greitens’ budget recommendations for the upcoming academic year. This state appropriation, Thomas said, will give Truman a 9 percent decrease in core funding which will result in the University losing just over $4 million. Thomas said in December that Truman had gotten a 3.6 percent increase in state appropriations because of Gov. Jay Nixon’s recommendations. The budget for Truman was then built on this appropriation, Thomas said, which included salary increases, staffing plans and deferred maintenance. Thomas said Truman has also been mandated by the MOSERS Board of Trustees to increase contributions to retirement programs that employees are in. The University, Thomas said, will be made to provide $750,000 to 800,000 by July 1. In total, the withhold, core funding decrease and contribution cost will decrease Truman’s funds by $4.8 million for the next academic year.

Thomas said Truman has decided to go with a threepart plan to deal with each financial component. To address the 2017 shortfall, Thomas said Truman has been looking centrally at what it can do. Thomas said some of these methods include saving salary dollars by hiring people half-time, talking to Academic Affairs about looking at funds within the university budget and, most importantly, implementing a $50 surcharge to students. Thomas said using the surcharge will allow Truman to bring in about $250,000 — which is 8 percent of the total withhold the University has.

Thomas said the alternative to this would’ve been to raise tuition $50. Thomas said this didn’t go through

because students on full tuition scholarships wouldn’t have paid the tuition increase.

“The most important thing to us is that we maintain the quality of Truman,” Thomas said. “If we only think about cuts, we’re going to think about how we degrade what we do. That’s not how we want to think about things. So the idea is that we should not go out and charge the students an extra thousand dollars this semester to make up for this — that’s insane. But by charging a $50 surcharge, that allows us not to go so deeply into some of the operating budgets between now and the end of June.”

Thomas said the second part of the financial plan is to increase tuition by 2.1 percent without needing a waiver from the state. Thomas said raising tuition next year will make $750,000, which will cover Truman’s mandatory increase to retirement contributions but will not alleviate the $4 million decrease.

The final part of the three-part plan, Thomas said, is related to the long term strategy of the University. What Truman will do is form an Organizational Excellence Advisory Group, Thomas said, who will exist to support the University’s financial strategy as well as meet to talk about the constraints and issues of it.

Christy Crouse, Truman Student Government Vice President, said she enjoyed the address and liked how Thomas tried to highlight the successes of students and faculty, as well as bringing in the reality of the budget cuts.

Thomas also talked to the Student Senate the night before the address, Crouse said, so most of the information in the address didn’t come as a surprise.

Some parts of the address that could’ve been improved, Crouse said, would’ve been to explain more about the rationale behind the plan. Crouse said this could’ve helped people understand why the plan was coming about or help people who weren’t expecting the plan.

Crouse said she benefited from going to the address but

knows the event usually doesn’t attract a lot of students.

More students should try to attend the address, Crouse said, because they get to see what the state of the University is and will probably better understand the changes happening at Truman — like the $50 surcharge.

Janet Gooch, dean of Health Sciences and Education and interim dean of Science and Math, said Thomas explained the financial situation very clearly in an open and honest way. Gooch said that Thomas’ optimism and positivity was helpful and made the audience feel like Truman is capable of solving the problems ahead.

The part she enjoyed most about the address, Gooch said, was when Thomas showed the video of Truman’s volleyball team. Gooch said the message Thomas was trying to send through the video was completely characteristic of Truman. By showing the volleyball team’s ability to stick with something and really give it their all, Gooch said the video echoed that Truman has the ability to persevere, too.

Gooch said one thing she would’ve changed about the address was the lack of questions at the end of it. She said she thinks this was the result of watching the video at the end. It seemed to close the session in an empathetic way, Gooch said, and people possibly didn’t feel comfortable asking questions.

“It’s going to require some change,” Gooch said.

“It’s going to require people to really put their heads together and think through how we’re going to solve this problem. But we can do it. I feel like this is not the first time Truman has had a challenge and we’ve risen in the past and we can certainly do so again, because Truman is composed of some highly talented and smart people. That’s what we do, right? We figure out how we need to do what we need to do and we get it done.”

City officials host address

Truman’s

By Nicolas Telep

for Addressing Budget cuts Source: University President Sue Thomas

-Saving salary dollars by hiring Truman employees part time -Looking for ways to save money through central fund within institution -$50 surcharge for full time students -2.1 percent Tuition Raise for 2018 Fiscal Year based on Consumer Price Index

-Formation of an Organizational Excellence Advisory Group who will discuss financial constraints and strategies

Staff Writer

The 2017 installment of Kirksville’s annual State of the City event highlighted the numerous capital and business development projects in the city.

The event, which took place Feb. 13 at the Economic Development Alliance building, was an hour-long overview of the city’s past year and plans for the future.

City Manager Mary Macomber began with a four-part presentation highlighting the city’s goals — economic development, fiscal responsibility and efficiency in government, quality of

life and protection of city assets. A discussion with the heads of seven municipal departments followed, with officials answering questions from the citizens present and viewers on Facebook live.

For economic development, Macomber highlighted the ongoing $250 million expansion project of the Kraft Heinz plant that will allow the plant to add 69 new jobs. The project is behind schedule but is on track to be finished and at full employment

by November of this year. Macomber also gave updates on other new business developments. She said the

Hampton Inn on North Baltimore is scheduled to open in May or June and the Holiday Inn Express on South Franklin will be ready in September. Construction of a Menards will begin when there is no more threat of winter weather. Macomber said renewal of the city’s economic development sales tax was used to fund a parking lot near the expanded plant in an effort to accommodate increased truck traffic in addition to funding infrastructure improvements around the city.

See CITY ADDRESS, page 6

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

Good apologies admit guilt and promise change

Trevor Hamblin It can be hard to say sorry.

We know nobody is perfect. This is an oftrepeated phrase. But facing our own faults is still terrifying and humbling. It only gets worse when we have to vocalize that to other people.

That said, a bad apology is not hard to spot. They can be full of excuses or weakly delivered, or sometimes overly self-deprecating to the point of detracting from the original intent of the apology.

It can be hard to find a balance with apologies, but they’re much simpler than you might think, as I recently learned.

Part of this comes from an experience with my student adviser before Winter Break. I was done early with my finals, so I was leaving early in the week. However, my ride showed up before I thought they would, so I was a bit hurried leaving. In my hurry, I was slightly worried about getting a fine, especially because I didn’t want to be charged for a buyout as I didn’t have a roommate. So I emailed my SA to see if he would be willing to take a look at my room so that, if there was a problem, I could make the hour trip and fix it before the weekend came around.

There was a misunderstanding, and my SA eventually got upset because he perceived that I was asking him to actually clean my room. This was not my intention, so I said as much when I apologized, but I knew I would have to give him a proper apology when I came back. These were my steps in forming that apology.

The first part of any good apology is the admission of fault. If you’re apologizing to someone, it’s because you have wronged them in some way.

Whether you made a mistake or didn’t realize the consequences of your actions, the point is that they were wronged in some manner. Thus, you have to explain that you did wrong them and that you are sorry for that.

Now this is the hard part — do not give them excuses. It doesn’t matter how legitimate or important the excuse or reasoning was, an apology is not the time for that. If they ask for it right after, that is when you give your explanation. But when you initiate an apology, the reasons are not important.

What is important is the other person’s feelings, not the absolution of your own personal guilt. That might or might not be a factor, but it’s not the point of the apology, otherwise the other person wouldn’t even be involved.

Part of this first part is also not to oversell how you wronged the other person. The more you go on about how horrible you are, the more you tell the other person that giving you pity and sympa-

thy is more important than fixing the problem in the first place. An apology is not a time for a pity party or a time to talk about your own feelings. If the other person isn’t the focus of the apology, then it’s not an apology.

The second part of a good apology is a commitment to change behavior. This is where you explain how you will prevent wrongdoing in the future. If you were late to something, assure you’ll set an alarm to be on time. If you hurt someone’s feelings with a joke or comment, explain you’ll refrain from that kind of joke in the future. The point is to make sure you don’t have to apologize again.

This part can be even harder than the first, because it often requires an active effort to make a change in your life. We all have routines or things we’re comfortable with, and breaking out of that comfort zone is not easy — otherwise it would be part of our comfort zone in the first place. But it is arguably even more important than the first part, because it’s the part that you can change at that point in time. Just addressing that something happened doesn’t change that thing, but you can make changes in the future.

It is also important to understand if the thing you’re apologizing for is within your control. If you were late to an event because of a family emergency, you might still apologize because it was an inconvenience for the other person, but it wasn’t your choice to skip. So you don’t address the change in behavior, and instead say that it was an emergency and out of your control. This makes it the only exception to the above “rule” of not giving your explanations.

By following these guidelines, I was able to communicate to my SA that I was sorry for the misunderstanding because it hurt his feelings, and I would be more careful about my wording in future communications. He was grateful that I went out of my way to apologize for it — even so long after the original problem.

In recap, an apology is one part admission of fault and one part commitment to change in behavior. While there exist modifications to these rules, it really is that simple. So keep that in mind the next time you have to say sorry.

Trevor Hamblin is a junior English and communication major from Moberly, Mo.

TO LETTERS INDEX, Not too astonishingly I trust, but I in general concur with INDEX editorial. That the newest president of TSU should be “given time” to formulate her own 2017 vision for this campus future. But let’s not push this hibernation and cogitation process conversely, too much the benefit of the doubt, the other way, jokes! Particulars and details do matter imperatively so.

After all, the community lost time badly, since it took over a half a calendar year for this vital TSU President appointment, too delayingly and costly, to itself be made.

And Dr. Thomas herself is already well-known sufficiently “in house” as VP to stand “known” for a rather safe continuity line of things. As her interview the same issues shows, including in its depression shyness about emphasizing her “female” essence. Why? Since she’s only the Presidential second such rarity, in spite this being statistically a majority female campus, whether by student intake, female staff and even heavily at least faculty input. I know, I am spouse of one veter-lady herself!!

What is needed is a public vision that really dares to suggest some change spirit is itself a vitality, 2017, not 1817. Much as the last female head, Dr. Dixon, dared herself to ruffle far, far too cosy male networks by correctly abolishing “their” out-of-date teacher college division heads networks who had far too much costly elitist such power! To this day TSU benefits from her initiatives even though The Index at the time opposed them quite reactionarily.

In particular, we do need some action on three fronts of change. And you only have to talk to even a few honest students, faculty, and we wider community to hear more robustly, even rudely, expressed my summary here.

One, we need action on pay inequity as there are still faculty who are women paid a fraction of males for less published counterparts or who are over-loaded with heavier class tutor lads. Two, we do need some better economy, as, frankly, things in short sentences like “portfolio reviews” of EXISTING and graded papers outside indeed such professors of their own subject, are a waste of money, repetitively. That in reallocation funds instead could go on new teacher hirings on a year only, pedagogy “new blood” basis. Three, we also need to see administrator salary and vast privileges cut, as well as their related budgets. Why do we need a police (DPS) unit of our own when KPD exists and other campuses do make safe in Kirksville and do with mere security, non-gun, saner small units! Lastly, we need, 2017, boldly some vision to rebuild community links by stopping bans on ALL in effect political and religious canvassers in the residence halls!

When I was a history/politics undergraduate contrastingly in a hall of residence in England’s then most northern, before Scotland, university, Newcastle upon Tyne, I met the late Jon Silkin thereby one of our best-ever poets. Precisely, because he was given open such ease of canvass access to sell his review journal to me. And too that campus was the same size as this in budget best management techniques and such civic outreach that yours MLK got his only foreign regional northern England honorary award degree such visitingly there. And, too, we had foreign film regular value events within and without campus unlike our deprived of such films, too status quo TSU, 1817. Sue, we need change not continuity!

— Yours sincerely, Larry Iles

Beware the creeping nanny state

Korbin Keller For arguments sake, let’s say I have a neighbor — Chad. Chad is a well-to-do guy — he’s always out to do the right thing and genuinely cares about the wellbeing of his neighbors and community. One day, I come home to find Chad rummaging through my fridge — how he got into my house is a mystery — and throwing away all my soda. Alarmed, I ask, “Chad, what are you doing with my soda?” Chad turns around and beams at me, “Well, Korbin, all of the research out there suggests soda is bad for you. It rots your teeth and leads to obesity, which can lead to other health complications. I have taken the liberty of disposing of your soda so you can live a longer, healthier life — for you, your family and for all of us!”

What would you do in this situation? Would you thank Chad for his actions? Would you proudly dump your Dr. Pepper down the drain along with him? After all, he is right. Similar to tobacco and smoking, it is a nasty substance and no good will come of it. Surely we agree with Chad in dumping out our soda?

Of course not. You, like me, would throw Chad out of your home. Even though I know his heart is in the right place, even though I am well aware of the negative aspects of drinking soda, gosh darn it, I like soda! It doesn’t matter how motivated by goodwill he might be.

For Chad to come into my home, rummage through my stuff and make that decision regarding my health for me, independent of what I have to say, violates my liberty and free will. I am a freedom-loving citizen of the United States, and I have the liberty to make my own decisions so long as those decisions do not harm the wellbeing or rights of other people, and my decision to drink soda is a victimless action.

Now, Chad is more than welcome to talk to me about my decision, to try to convince me to give up soda. He could leave me literature on the subject, he could hold interventions, he could get down on his hands and knees and beg me to stop right away. Over time, I might even come to see his point of view. He could convince me to agree with him, and then I, of my own free will, would stop drinking soda cold turkey. But it would ultimately

be my own decision, not Chad’s. It would certainly take longer than just outright making the decision for me, Chad might not even convince me to stop drinking soda.

Again, that would be my choice. I can make my own decisions, and my neighbors aren’t legally allowed or justified in intervening. I can gamble, smoke, go on a binge, sell my car to buy Pokemon cards or drop out of college to pursue my career as an amateur nuclear physicist because I am an independent adult. People could disagree with these decisions, as many of us would, and people could try and talk me out of it, as I hope people would.

However, none of these decisions would bring physical harm to others or interfere with their right to live peacefully, so I am allowed to make these decisions. In fact, if my neighbor Chad took a gun and tried to force me not to make those decisions — though the above actions are certainly bad ones — it is Chad who would be arrested for interfering in my rights.

Now, let’s say my neighbor Chad decides to run for mayor of Hypothetiville. Chad, being the stand-up guy he is, gets a lot of support. Heck, even I vote for Chad — who wouldn’t? Although that episode involving him breaking into my house and literally trashing about $5 worth of soda was odd, I still support the guy. The guy reshingled my roof for crying out loud, and even polished my zeppelin. Chad wins every single vote in the race — even his opponents voted for him because Chad is just that great of a person.

Eyes gleaming, Mayor Chad announces his first major push as mayor — a complete and total soda ban in the community. Thanks to clever political maneuvering, Chad interprets statutes that allow the mayor to take emergency action to ban soda within city limits. Soda poses a clear and present danger to the wellbeing of citizens.

Soda cannot be sold or consumed in the town, anyone who is caught with soda will be fined and anyone who refuses to pay the fine will be jailed. Anyone who refuses to be jailed will be seized by people with guns who will forcibly put them in jail. All of these actions are completely sanctified. The same neighbor Chad who himself would be arrested for pointing a gun at me to stop drinking soda is now completely within his bounds. Chad feels that it is the government’s job to force its citizens to be healthy. After all, people just aren’t smart enough for their own good. Chad knows what’s up. His heart is in the right place, he genuinely cares about the wellbeing of his community. They just need a push in the right direction by the strongarm of the state. That push happens to be the threat of jail time if people still want to drink soda.

But it’s for their own good. The government is here to protect its people as an ever-vigilant and watchful nanny.

My question to you, dear reader, is why it is unjust when neighbor Chad is making decisions that should be

left to me, but when that same neighbor becomes part of government it suddenly becomes justified, even morally right? The idea of a complete soda ban isn’t ever too far-fetched once the government accepts the role as the nanny, the entity responsible for caring for its citizens.

We call this “the nanny state,” a place where, according to the CATO Institute, “politicians and bureaucrats know more about how to live your life, manage your health, and raise your kids than you do.” In 2013 in New York City, Mayor Michael Bloomberg felt it was within his power to ban soda sales over 16 ounces to encourage healthier living for New York citizens, according to the Washington Post. Thankfully, this was struck down by a judge later on as “arbitrary and capricious.” In Philadelphia, a tax on sugary beverages was passed, placing it in the same category as a tax on cigarettes. The point of the tax is to discourage an unhealthy practice, because only the government is capable of making the right decisions for its people.

Beware the nanny state, and resist the urge to support it. It might be easier to give up the power to choose to the government, to let Big Brother run our lives.

However, when we start surrendering the simplest task as nourishment to bureaucrats, then we have become little more than livestock — we live to work to make money to be taxed by the government, who in return, lets us eat cud and pats us on the head. It is vital to stay informed on these issues and to speak up against attacks on the ability to choose. Organizations such as the ACLU and the CATO Institute often keep people up to date on over-intrusive government action. Additionally, do not demonize certain behaviors simply because we find them pesky — I detest smoking, but I have no right to stamp out a cigarette. Tobacco, alcohol, trans fats, soda and sugar might not have been “guaranteed” by any amendment, but surely the right to use them is guaranteed in the spirit of liberty.

Neither neighbor Chad, nor I, nor anyone else should have the ability to force you to conform to their point of view. This fact does not change simply because we might occupy a fancy chair in government. The power to make life choices rests with us, and government should not delude itself in thinking it needs to be the decision maker.

By overstepping its boundaries, government stops treating citizens as independent beings, but rather as dependents — as babies. Growing up means realizing we do not need a nanny, and so we must bid farewell to Mayor Mary Poppins and tell Mayor Chad to jump in a lake because we are more than capable of caring for ourselves.

Korbin Keller is a junior political science major from St. Louis, Mo.

5

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

From the Desk of the Editor Welcoming the Editor-in-Chief

President Thomas is equipped to handle mental health on campus

BY AUSTIN HORNBOSTEL Editor-in-Chief index.editor@gmail.com

If there’s one issue I’ve found Truman State University students care about most during my time as editor-in-chief, it’s the state of mental health awareness and assistance on our campus.

Last semester was a signifier for me of how much students care about mental wellness. We lost two excellent members of our community — Jacob Hughes and Alexander Mullins. Greek Life began to host events that gave students an opportunity to talk about what we need to work on at Truman to help students struggling with mental health and mental illnesses. Students shared articles written years ago by Truman alumni and former Truman Media Network staffers that have maintained relevance today. I even wrote — more than once — about the challenges our campus faces when it comes to this topic.

Saying all this, it doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that students already have a response to University President Sue Thomas’ thoughts on mental health from our Q&A with her in last week’s issue of the Index. A few days ago, I read an article written by sophomore Ellen Morgan for The Odyssey Online, and I was glad to see a member of the community contributing to the conversation so quickly. I also saw plenty of discussion about this article from my friends on Facebook. This kind of conversation is crucial to where things will go from here, and I also wanted to chime in with my thoughts about Thomas’ comments, to hopefully offer some clarification.

Thomas was responding to a question regarding mental health on our campus, so she gave an answer regarding mental health. I think students might be concerned about the lack of attention given to mental illness. It’s a common misconception that mental health and mental illness are the same thing. I’m guilty of thinking this at one point myself, but it’s important to not get those wires crossed when we’re talking about ways to address them. I think Thomas has enough experience that she’s aware of this.

From the little I’ve read from the American Psychological Association, the psychological grit Thomas refers to has more to do with the disposition to pursue long-term goals with passion and perseverance. That’s all well and good, but I think most students at Truman already possess that level of fortitude. This is a rigorous university, and I think all of Truman’s students already possess such a disposition. The point I’m trying to make is this — grit might be imperative to maintaining good mental health, but alone it can only get those who struggle with mental illness so far. Grit doesn’t help us talk through our hang-ups or provide us with the medication and counseling we might need to overcome a debilitating mental illness.

I am thankful I don’t currently have a mental illness myself, but I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t before. During a particularly rough period of my life, I found myself struggling with depression. I am thrilled to say that today, I’ve overcome that skyscraper of a hurdle, but it wasn’t simply because I was determined or had enough psychological grit or the right mindset. By the same token, it also wasn’t a product of my mental health — I was generally doing well at the time as far as my personal wellbeing goes. It was because of the support system in my life that helped me work through the things that were causing my depression, and it was because there were resources at my high school for getting the help I needed.

I have many close friends with mental illnesses of their own, and that goes for whether I know it or not. I know how debilitating anxiety can be when it’s 3 a.m., and there’s homework to be done, but you can’t force yourself to start it without feeling physically ill — even if I haven’t felt that anxiety myself. I consider myself beyond lucky to have friends and loved ones who put things in perspective. We’ve all had different struggles, but we can identify with each other because of them.

My point is that having interviewed sources for stories before, I know that it’s hard to speak at length about an issue like this from just one question, so I can’t blame Thomas for the limited space there is to respond to a question with such a multitude of answers. I can understand where other students I’ve talked to or heard from of are coming from regarding Thomas’ thoughts on addressing the mental health concerns on our campus. Some of them are worried, and it’s likely because Thomas only had the space to speak about mental health and not mental illness.

Mark Twain Power Line should be constructed At the risk of being thought of as a pariah, I want to express my somewhat unpopular opinion about Ameren’s electric transmission line trying to make its way through the area.

Many of us who are now in their 80s have vivid childhood memories of what it was like to be without electricity. There were no refrigerators, no household electric appliances. We used kerosene lamps and candles for light. We used the cellar and the well to keep our milk and butter.

Many of the things we take for granted, such as electricity, rural water and decent roads, weren’t always available and now have become necessities in our everyday lives.

I was 12 or 13 years old when we finally got electricity. This event was so life changing and wonderful. The minimum monthly cost was $1.68. My mother made sure that the monthly minimum was not exceeded by making sure every light was turned off when we left the room. To this day I can spend hundreds of dollars but I can’t leave any light or TVs on when not being used. The way the twig is bent, the tree will grow.

I — and I’m sure others — can applaud Thomas for also pointing out that it’s okay for students to reach out, which is something that can help those struggling with mental illness and those who struggle with poor mental health. Of course, just like psychological grit can’t be a perfect solution, asking for help can’t be the only solution, either. We can’t all lift psychological weights like we’re going to the Student Recreation Center to build up a resilience to depression or high anxiety.

There is no vaccine that can prevent me from having poor mental health as if I’m getting a flu shot.

Mental health differs from person to person, and a mental illness can’t be systematically diminished by a blanket work ethic. I never needed medication when I suffered from depression, for example, but I needed plenty of counseling. And my mental health is not a mirror of every other person’s. I’m sure Thomas — as someone who studied and taught psychology — can point to examples of bolstering psychological grit working out to great effect, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. I think this is where much of the student concerns originate from, this mistaken notion that Thomas might be suggesting a blanket solution for such a multi-faceted issue.

Ameren doesn’t have to luxury of invoking eminent domain. It has to rely on generous compensations to the landowners and goodwill to persuade landowners to agree to progress.

Knowing what it is to not have electricity, I am in favor of permitting the line to go through.

This could mean getting electricity to where there is none, or making the electricity more dependable. Demand for electricity has been insatiable in all areas of our county.

Many landowners and some of our local politicians would have you to believe the line would render their land useless, but that’s not true.

Many landowners have already received compensation for the traverse and are satisfied.

The altruistic and magnanimous reasons and a real concern for others should be reason enough for those opposed to reconsider their opposition and agree to allow the line to go through.

— Donald Potter, Kirksville

Think about all the other questions we could ask of Truman’s administration regarding mental health on campus. How do we address the large increase in University Counseling Services’ clients which is more than double its total from 10 years ago? What can we do to emphasize mental health care in the face of large budget cuts to institutions of higher education across the state? How can we continue to increase the amount of staff at UCS so more students are able to use its services? It’s hard to answer even one of these concisely.

I think these are all important elements of mental health and wellness for our students, no doubt about it, and I’m sure Thomas has a good enough background on the subject to address them. It’s my hope that moving forward, Truman is able to answer some of these questions en route to battling mental illness and poor mental health. I look forward to seeing the direction Thomas takes us.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

SURCHARGE | Truman administration CITY ADDRESS | Kirskville City Manager explains the necessity for surcharge Mary Macomber explained economic Continued from Page 1 “All of the staff are very good at looking for ways to save money,” Rector said. “We do have a frugal bunch of people around here, it seems like. I know in the past, whenever we’ve asked people for ideas, they come up with ideas. And you never want to say that it doesn’t amount to much. It might be $200 from one office, but if you duplicate that it adds up.”

Rector said it can be difficult to predict exactly what Truman’s budget for next year will look like right now based on how the budget cycle works. The budget for the next fiscal year will go to the Board of Governors at its June meeting, so the University will need to have the numbers for the meeting mostly decided during May in preparation.

Rector said Truman is aiming to be more proactive when it comes to preparing for budget challenges by looking into revenue-enhancing ideas. He said the Institute for Academic Outreach has existing programs that can contribute, and improved University retention rates would also help.

Rector said some costs are hard to control, like those that are mandated or must take place for the sake of safety regulations — this includes annual maintenances costs for campus elevators, sprinkler systems and the emergency phone system. Rector said what the University can do is look into competitive bidding for capital projects and other expenditures, such as the process Truman took when approaching the renovations to Baldwin Hall.

Mike LaBeth, Board of Governors chair, said the Board had to make a tough decision when it came to the surcharge. LaBeth said the Board had to come up with ways to keep Truman’s quality at the same level to prevent the student body from suffering from that dip in quality as a result. He said losing money from the budget mid-fiscal year is especially difficult for the Board.

LaBeth said the Board works closely with upper-level administrative staff such as Rector to plan for the road ahead, but he said it’s difficult when the Board can only anticipate what might happen. LaBeth said January’s cuts, for example, caught the Board off guard and forced them to start thinking of a solution.

“Of course, we try to get as much input as we can, but eventually a decision has to be made,” LaBeth said. “There’s tough times and there’s tough decisions that have to be made.”

LaBeth said the Board tries to be as transparent as possible to avoid keeping Truman’s community in the dark about the decisions being made at the administrative level.

HOW THE UNIVERSITY IS COVERING THE COST OF RECENT STATE BUDGET CUTS ~8%

$50 surcharge for full-time students

~92% Central money (dollars saved by foregoing updates or replacement to university equipment, and lapsing salary)

According to University President Sue Thomas

and fiscal goals for the future

Continued from page 3 In the quality of life category Macomber showcased new branding and changes to the city website. A new city logo and social media engagement strategy were also part of the makeover. The city has also implemented new online systems where residents are able to pay their utility service bills and any municipal court fines, as well as see municipal court warrants.

Macomber noted the police department has reported an 88 percent increase in calls for service since 2004. This has resulted in the formation of the new NEMO Crisis Intervention Team, an effort spearheaded by police to address legal and mental health issues. Macomber also said AEDs had been purchased for all patrol vehicles, and trauma kits would soon be available for all officers. Additionally, Macomber mentioned infrastructure projects the city was focusing on. Downtown sidewalks have been improved with pedestrian lighting added, and the city is working on maintenance of water mains around the city in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Finally, Macomber highlighted Kirksville’s placement at number 26 in Great College Deals’ “50 Friendliest College Towns In America” list.

For fiscal responsibility and efficiency in government, Macomber detailed changes made to the municipal court system for the city to comply with Missouri Senate Bill 572, which included reporting annual court revenue and capping court charges. Court revenue accounts for 0.007 percent of the municipal budget. She also said the city had purchased a curb machine that saved mon-

ey in the construction of parking lots and could be used to improve streets and stormwater systems in the future. Also, the city’s water treatment plant has changed its treatment process under a new manager.

Macomber said the new system is more efficient, and results have been positive so far.

In the final category, protection of city-owned assets, Macomber said replacement of the airport parking ramp is underway. The $3 million project is behind schedule, but Macomber attributed the delay to the decision to use higher quality concrete. The city will also be doing in-house work to rebuild Shelby, and East Patterson Streets. Macomber also said $18 million had been raised from revenue bonds to construct a new wastewater treatment plant just south of the city limits, which should be finished by Sept. 15.

Additionally, the city has installed new flooring in City Hall and is embarking on a long-range capital improvement plan for the E911 Center.

Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said the wastewater treatment is the largest capital project that the city is currently embarking on. Young said the project allows the city to expand and grow economically and by population, and the Kraft Heinz expansion might not have happened without the new plant. Young said Oct. 2016 was the original target for completion of the expansion, which was ambitious. Because of unforeseen circumstances, the project is running behind.

“While ... the expansion is going well and everyone is still very ex-

Travel smarter.

cited about it, they w e r e a bit delayed,” Young said. “But that’s okay because, at t h e end of the day, they’re going to complete t h e i r expansion, and [we’re] going to have more good, family-supporting jobs here in the city of Kirksville. It really is a win-win for everyone.”

Young said the City Council had extended its agreement with the company, extending the deadline to meet minimum job requirements until Nov. 2017. Young also said the Forest Lake Area Trail System — FLATS —, the City of Kirksville and A.T. Still University have entered into an agreement under which ATSU will donate land to the city to be developed by FLATS. The land — west of North Osteopathy Street between Washington and Missouri Streets — will be owned and maintained by the city, but FLATS will build a trailhead on the land. Young said FLATS recently applied for a grant through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources that would help fund a walkway along the north side of Washington Street and connect the trailhead to downtown. For the future, Young said an expanding economic, retail and population base was good, but there would be a price to the progress. He said the city was looking into infrastructure needs for the future and planning accordingly. Young also said public input is welcome in regards to the city.

If there is something people want to see more or less of, Young said the city is open to hearing about it.

“Whenever the citizens want to contact us with their thoughts, their ideas, their concerns, their questions — we’re always open to that” said Young.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

BLUEaAPRON: good choice...

unless you’re broke

BY JOHANNA BURNS Managing editor

In a world increasingly conscious of food choices, deciding what to have for dinner can seem like a combat zone. One trend gaining popularity seeks to help consumers navigate the battlefield.

PROPORTION

HOW IT WORKS

Enter meal kits — designed to provide all fresh ingredients for a full meal straight to your door, the concept of meal kits has been around for a while but recently started picking up speed. The perfectly proportioned boxes have the benefit of eliminating waste, grocery store runs and meal planning. There are a variety of companies you can choose to order from and each has its own specialty. Plated and Blue Apron offer new recipes each week, Chef’D uses recipes by famous chefs, and companies such as Purple Carrot and Green Chef cater to vegans. But is the convenience of having your meals shipped straight to you worth the cost and time? To find out, I tested three weeks of meals from Blue Apron.

PACKAGING Blue Apron, like most other brands, allows you to choose the day your box is delivered. When my box arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by how well the ingredients were packaged. Shipped in a large cardboard box lined in insulation and filled with two large ice packs, the ingredients were in great condition when they arrived.

The proteins were double packaged in plastic and in the bottom of the box to prevent leakage while the produce sat on top of a cardboard divider to prevent it from being bruised or crushed by the ice packs. Seasonings and liquids were individually packaged and stored in paper bags.

All in all, Blue Apron gets points for functionality, but I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of excess packaging. Even though quite a bit of the plastic was recyclable, for a company that promises waste reduction, I can’t help but wonder if there’s a more environmentally friendly way to pack the knick-knacks that accompany each meal.

QUALITY Freshness of ingredients is where Blue Apron truly shines. The company only sends meals that use ingredients in season, and the website promises that all the food comes from farmers who use sustainable, regenerative practices while the seafood and meats come free of hormones and antibiotics. Since it can be difficult to determine where the food in your corner grocery store is actually coming from and you can’t buy organic foods without adding an extra buck — or twelve — to your checkout total, meal kits definitely provide an advantage.

As for the recipes themselves, Blue Apron sends detailed — and what I found to be easy to follow — instructions for each meal. And the quality of the recipes matched the freshness of the ingredients stroke for stroke. Think fresh greens, light sauces and bright flavors.

Each meal was nutritionally balanced, complete with protein, vegetable and starch.

That being said, since they only use vegetables in season I found myself growing rather sick of kale by the third box. And picky eaters beware — if you’re the kind of person averse to vegetables, meal kits in general might not be for you.

Depending on which plan you order or what company you order from, the number of meals in each box varies, but the point of meal kits is to provide exactly what is needed for those meals and no more. I bought the two person plan, so each box contained three recipes with enough ingredients for two servings. In 2016 Blue Apron saved 2,800,000 pounds of food, according to its website.

However, I found that the quantity of food was often enough that I could finagle a third helping out of the meal. I either ended up stuffed beyond comfort — not a complaint at all — or with leftovers, which defeats the purpose.

COST For the two serving plan, which provides three meals a week, you’ll spend almost $60, approximately $10 a meal. On a college student’s budget in rural Missouri I think this is a bit pricey. For $10, a student could sit down at a restaurant and have their food prepared for them in almost the same amount time. No muss, no fuss. Alternatively they could go out and buy the ingredients themselves — with a few exceptions — for a fraction of the cost, even if they sacrifice a bit on quality.

CONS Time and money are some of the biggest reasons behind the unhealthy eating habits of college students. Unfortunately, Blue Apron and most of the other meal kits available out there haven’t figured out how to solve that problem, probably because it’s impossible to do so without sacrificing quality. Another con is variety. While each recipe was significantly different in seasoning and style, the actual ingredients didn’t vary much. If you’re the type of person who can’t stand kale or sweet potatoes, you’ll find your options severely limited during certain seasons.

PROS The quality of the meals can’t be beat. While it wasn’t five star fare and I doubt my cooking skills will ever match my mother’s, I found myself inexplicably proud at the end of each meal that I had cooked an entire, balanced meal without processed foods. And my body was thankful for that fact as well. I also commend not just Blue Apron, but other meal kit brands for not shying away from cuisines. Isolated in northeastern Missouri I often bemoan my lack of opportunity to try new cuisines. Meal kits are the perfect opportunity for a new experience and, if you have the budget and time, are well worth it.

Far right: Seared chicken in pan sauce rests on a bed of apple, kale and potato hash. Blue Apron sends just enough ingredients in each meal kit to prepare a perfectly proportioned meal for two. Top right: The meal kits come packed with seasonal vegetables such as kale. The vegetables are sourced from farmers who practice sustainable farming methods.

Below right: Potatoes brown in a skillet.

Most of the recipes require minimal cookware. The hash, chicken and sauce were all prepared in one skillet.

VOLUME 108

ISSUE 17

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© 2017

8

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

Visiting chef brings German cuisine to campus German chef Murat Er visited Truman this week, bringing a taste of traditional German cuisine with him. Sodexo hosted an invitation-only luncheon Monday with a menu designed by Er and prepared with the help of Truman Sodexo executive chef Enoch Rutherford. Sodexo staff also prepared a German themed dinner menu for the dining halls, served Tuesday night, based on suggestions by Er. Truman hosts a visiting chef every two years as part of the Sodexo’s Global Chef Program.

Student Senate president JJ Dorell said it was an interesting experience to see a Sodexo worker from another country. Dorrell said Er served luncheon attendees a four course meal and explained that many of the ingredients he used in the dishes are traditional ingredients of his culture.

“I think this is a good experience for Truman students to experience food from another culture,” Dorrell said.

Photos by Athena Geldbach/ TMN Above: Visiting chef Murat Er explains his menu selections during the Monday luncheon. Er is a renowed German chef.

Left: Students and faculty dined on traditional German foods.

Er also prepared a menu for the dinning halls.

Throwback Thursday: Jazz Festival largest in nation Phi Mu Alpha gears up to celebrate its 49th annual Jazz Festival this weekend. The Index is filled with stories from year to year chronicling festival milestones. The 15th annual festival was heralded as one of the largest high school jazz festivals in the nation, according to an article in the Feb. 24, 1983 edition of the Index. Every year, the festival features a performance by the Jazz Ensemble and a guest performer.

Submitted photo

Submitted photo Left: The Wentzville High School jazz band performs for judges during the 15th annual Jazz Festival. Bands of all sizes and from all locations traveled to Truman to compete against other high schools. Above: Judges take notes and comments while judging the 1983 competition.

The 1983 festival featured guest performer Les De Merle.

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9

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

EVENTS Ready to Write: Cultivating Young Voices Through Literary Expression 4-6 p.m. Feb. 24 Del and Norma Robison Planetarium

TOP

Mallory Hellman, the Iowa Youth Writing Project director, will give a presentation on writing instruction as part of the Department of English and Linguistics for Words event.

1 2

African Sights and Sounds: Cirque de Zuma Zuma 6-8 p.m. Feb. 25 Ophelia Parrish Performance Hall

Cirque de Zuma Zuma, an acrobatics group, will perform as part of the African Students Association annual African Sights and Sounds event hosted every February in honor of Black History month.

Things To Do Once Spring Has Sprung Hammock. Whether it’s on your porch or on The Quad, lying out in a hammock for a nap or curled up with a good book is the perfect way to spend a nice day in the shade.

Picnics. Nothing says spring like kicking back with friends to enjoy a delicious finger-food friendly meal and taking in the beauty of newly bloomed plants.

Archery Tag 1-7 p.m. March 1 Student Recreation Center Multipurpose Room

The Student Activities Board is hosting a game night featuring archery tag, a combination of dodgeball and archery. Sign up for the game at sab.truman.edu.

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Taking a trip out to Thousand Hills State Park for a hike is a great way to spend a sunny day during the weekend.

Hang out on The Quad. There are always plenty of people out and about on The Quad when the weather’s nice — bring a Frisbee to throw around or a blanket to lie on.

Don’t stay cooped up indoors.

Don’t let the weather go to waste by spending too much time studying or watching Netflix. Take a break and enjoy the outdoors!

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10

THURSDAY, FEBRURARY 23, 2017

NBA shows trend toward high scoring games

JEREMY JACOB Staff Writer

The point totals from the 2017 NBA All-Star Game crept closer to the 200-point threshold Sunday as the Western Conference defeated the Eastern Conference 192-182 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The two loaded squads combined to score 374 points — an All-Star Game record — surpassing the record set last year of 369, according to ESPN. It was the fourth straight year the combined point total increased. Anthony

Davis, New Orleans Pelicans forward and center, scored an All-Star record 52 points, shattering Wilt Chamberlain’s 42 points scored in 1962.

These astronomical numbers can be partly attributed to the starstudded game acting as an exhibition for fans in the midst of a long season. After strenuous training for three and a half months, the players participate in the more lax weekend festivities before taking a few days to rest. Having fun and preventing injury are prioritized over winning.

While enduring the typical ups and downs of an NBA schedule, players score points at an elevated efficiency, causing the league’s defense to tip down on the other side of the scale. The 108.6 points scored per 100 possessions for the current NBA season is the highest offensive rating in the league’s history since they began tracking the statistic in the 1973-1974 season, according to Basketball-Reference.

Conversely, on the defensive side of the ball, the average number of

points teams allow has continued to trend upward especially during the last 14 seasons. Back in 2003-2004, 27 teams managed to keep offensives from averaging at least 100 points against them including the Detroit Pistons’ Championship Leagueleading defense, according to Team Rankings. This season, only three teams have held opponents under 100 points — Utah Jazz, San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies.

The composition of rosters throughout that time has changed drastically. Almost everyone seemed to adopt the Golden State Warriors’ model of building a smaller roster that can easily run up and down the floor and take more outside shots.

They showed this in the Finals the past two years, with 6’7’’ Draymond Green manning the center position.

The All-Star Game rosters have begun reflect this trend as well.

There were four players on both rosters this year measured to be at 6’11’’ or taller — there were seven on the 2007 rosters including Hall-

of-Famer Shaquille O’Neal and future inductees Tim Duncan and Dirk Nowitzki. The smaller the bodies, the faster the pace of the game and the higher the scores.

It should also be noted that threepoint shooting the last 10 years was superb. Six of the 10 best league three-point percentages happened in the last decade including the current season which stands at 35.9 percent.

Surprisingly enough, some of the NBA’s tallest players contributed to this high percentage.

Marc Gasol made 38.5 percent of his 200 three-point attempts this season. DeMarcus Cousins made 35.4 percent of his 268 attempts. To put it into perspective, Tim Duncan only had 168 career three-point attempts despite compiling a first-ballot Hall of Fame career.

The NBA All-Star Game might be an exhibition for players, allowing fans to celebrate the overflowing talent the league has to offer, but it also allows fans to see the direction the league is heading.

Basketball earns play-in game for GLVC Tournament

Led by senior center Cassidy Clark, the Truman women won three straight games to clench a play-in game to the conference tournament.

The women will play Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26, and could earn home court advantage if they defeat Quincy University tonight.

Photos submitted by Somam Wagynal Left: Redshirt sophomore guard Brooke Bailey hits a driving lane against William Jewell College. After losing to them in December, Truman earned a 67-51 redemption.

Right: Senior center Cassidy Clark puts up a hook shot in Thursday’s home game. Clark was recognized last weekend during senior day as the women’s only senior.

Bottom: Clark and Rockhurst University’s Kaci German reach for opening tip off in Saturday’s match. Clark led Truman with 21 points and earned GLVC Player of the Week.

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11

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

SOFTBALL | Truman softball prepares for a regional crossover tournament this weekend. This will be Truman’s second weekend of regional competition games that have the capability to eventually impact the ‘Dogs chances of receiving a bid to the national tournament.

Continued from page 12 Brown said her team is searching to find a way to put all the aspects of the game together. Pitching, hitting and defense must fire on all cylinders to pick up wins, and with more consistent execution — especially on the defensive side of the ball — Brown said many of the games could have gone in a more positive direction for the ‘Dogs.

Brown said she challenges her defense to make plays with the opportunities they are given and expects to see more out of her pitchers as the year progresses.

The ‘Dogs were led by sophomore Lauren Dale in the pitching circle this weekend, who went 1-1 but gave up two earned runs in the last 15 innings.

Brown said Dale had great outings, and Brown said she wants to see her other two starters demonstrate command like Dale has been. Freshman Alyssa Hajduk and junior transfer Nicolette Simpson have been in the starting rotation, and Brown said she attributes some early inconsistencies to being new on the team.

“There’s an adjustment period,” Brown said.

“Coming from junior college to our level, or high school to our level, is a step up. The strike zone is different for one thing. You can’t get away with missing spots or getting batters to swing at something off the plate. They have to learn how to work ahead, pitch strikes and attack batters. We can’t give the advantage to the hitter.”

For the Truman hitters, Brown said there are players who are performing better than their averages show. Though the hitters have been catching bad breaks in some circumstances, she said she needs to see some of her athletes separate themselves and fight for their spots in the lineup.

“Being consistent is knowing your role and being able to get a bunt down to advance a runner or hit a ground ball to the right side to score someone on third,” Brown said. “We left eight people on base against Kentucky Wesleyan, and that’s a game we should have won. I root for everyone to play — I picked them all to be on my team. I’m just waiting for someone to separate themselves.”

In addition to Dale’s tough showing in the pitching circle, the Bulldogs did have some stand-out performances from the weekend. Utility player Sophomore Kadie Orenstein turned in four consecutive two-hit games, and reigning GLVC freshman of the year outfielder sophomore Christa Reisinger recorded nine hits. Reisinger is batting .630 and carries a slugging percentage of .926. Senior catcher Lex van Nostrand drove in six RBIs.

I root for everyone to play ...

I’m just waiting for someone to separate themselves.”

- Head Coach Erin Brown

Reisinger said she has confidence in her teammates to perform just as well at the plate if everyone can maintain a balance of playing relaxed while keeping sharp focus on the game plan.

“You just have to be calm up at the plate and know what your job is for that at-bat,” Reisinger said. “Whether it is getting on base to potentially score or to move your runner, you have to make sure you are focused and take one pitch at a time.”

The ‘Dogs will hit the field at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25 in Evansville, Indiana, against Ferris State University.

BASEBALL

’Dogs split against Missouri Southern

BY BROOKE BAILEY Staff Writer

After a tough weekend in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, with a 1-3 loss, Bulldog baseball had a better outing last weekend against Missouri Southern State University. The ’Dogs won the Sunday portion of the four-game weekend series, 9-8 and 15-11, but lost the first two games on Saturday against Missouri Southern. During the first game the ’Dogs were held to just two hits, falling 1-7, but found their bats in the second game with 13 hits, resulting in an unusually high scoring loss at 12-15.

On Sunday, the ’Dogs got down to business and won both games, the first one coming after extra innings. During the second game of the day, the ’Dogs had 15 RBIs, 10 of them from the bats of junior Brendan Trimble and senior Dave Gambino. Trimble said after losing the first two games, the ’Dogs knew they had to come with a different mindset, ready to play and jump ahead early. In the first game, the ’Dogs saw runners cross home plate in six out of the eight innings. After narrowly escaping game one Sunday with an extra inning and a 9-8 victory, Trimble said he thinks the team, especially the pitching staff, found confidence by scoring runs early in game two and bombarding their opponents with high powered offense to relieve some pressure later in the game.

Gambino said he is extremely optimistic for this season.

He said this weekend gave the team a great idea of what to work on to get ready for the home opener March 4 against University of Wisconsin-Parkside.

“I think I can speak for the team in saying that we are all excited to play on our turf,” Gambino said. “It should be fun baseball to watch.”

The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association recently named Gambino a preseason all-region selection after a second-team all-GLVC pick last season.

Gambino and the ’Dogs have this weekend off to prepare for their home conference opener next weekend.

SOFTBALL

CF Mason King LF Josh Abegg

2B Brendan Trimble

CF Christa Reisinger RF Dave Gambino

SS Evan Kayser

LF Riley Cook

RF Michaela Mooney

2B Valeria Schmidt

SS Jamie Fowle

3B Jason Priest

1B Charlie Kreh

3B Alyssa Rivera

C Wyatt Fones

1B Ashley Murphy

C Lex Van Nostrand

DH Chris Iliopoulos

DP Kadie Orenstein

UPCOMING EVENTS WRESTLING

WOMEN’S TENNIS 2/26: 2 p.m. vs. Bellarmine University Elsah, Ill.

2/24: TBA vs. Minnesota State University Moorhead Moorhead, Mn.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

TRACK AND FIELD 2/25: TBA at GLVC Championships Indianapolis, In.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

2/23: 5:30 p.m. vs. Quincy University Kirksville, Mo.

2/23: 7:30 p.m. vs. Quincy University Kirksville, Mo.

2/26: TBA GLVC Tournament Opening Round

2/26: TBA GLVC Tournament Opening Round

30

SOFTBALL 2/25: 1 p.m. vs. Ferris State University Evansville, In. 2/25: 3 p.m. vs. Ohio Dominican University Evansville, In 2/26: 10 a.m. vs. Saginaw Valley State Evansville, In. 2/26: Noon vs. Northwood University Evansville, In

12

SPORTS @trumanathletics

tmn.truman.edu

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2017

Kanaskie demonstrates leadership and selflessness in overcoming injury

Photo submitted by Sonam Wagynal Senior guard Kyle Kanaskie reaches for a layup. Kanaskie is playing on a torn meniscus.

BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer

Starting in every game of his junior season in 2015-16 and scoring a total of 362 points for the Truman men last year, senior guard Kyle Kanaskie has come to be a dominant and reliable force throughout his career for the Bulldogs. However, after an injury and subsequent operation during the summer, Kanaskie took on a new role for his final season as a Bulldog, including a decrease in court time to recover.

Early regional games crucial for softball

Head Coach Chris Foster said after Kanaskie tore his meniscus — the cushioning cartilage between the femur and the tibia — in the 2015-2016 season, the surgery in the summer left Kanaskie functioning with little of his meniscus remaining. Foster said because of this, Kanaskie has had to take a more reserved role this season. Foster said despite the injury, Kanaskie has shown considerable resolve and has continued to compete and contribute in games, which is something most athletes with a similar injury would not be able to overcome.

“He still plays, but we’ve slowed him down a bit,” Foster said. “He may not be able to move as well or as quickly as he used to, but to his credit, he’s fought through it and has been able to help us a lot this year …

Kyle’s always been a ‘team first’ kind of guy.

He came in looking to finish his senior year strong, and he’s had a really successful run alongside our other seniors.”

Kanaskie said rest plays a large role in his recovery. He said though doctors initially gave him a 50 percent chance to play again, he has managed to make the most of his situation and join the Bulldogs for competition on game days. Kanaskie said he takes practice days off to minimize impact time on the injury and train on his own — usually on an exercise bike or in the pool.

“You just have to stay positive,” Kanaskie said. “Obviously, nobody wants to be injured, but sometimes it happens. And I can’t let that keep me from being a really good teammate and helping the other guys do well on the court.”

Kanaskie said the Bulldogs are a strong unit and can easily carry on with an injured senior. He said he’s comfortable knowing the team can do special

Sports Text Editor index.sportseditor@gmail.com

BY STEPHANIE HULETT Staff Writer

The athlete — a person who is talented in sports or contests demanding physical endurance and ability. Seems pretty simple to me, but why is it that more than half the time when others find out I play college golf, they think less of me as an athlete? The best part about the conversation is explaining I also once played collegiate soccer for a season at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

Suddenly, they reply, “Oh, so you must be a real athlete then.” I cringe at these constant comments, because many so often judge athleticism based on the sport athletes choose to play.

Sports require such a vast array of mental and physical skills, and I think we forget how each sport has their own specialties. Playing a season of college soccer pushed me to my limits physically.

I had never been in such great shape in my life, and honestly probably will never be again, because I am never going to need to be able to run sprint after sprint for 90 minutes at a time. Playing competitive soccer for 15 years brought so many blessings. Soccer definitely pushes your body to the limit. You must have incredible cardiovascular endurance,

Sophomore pitcher Lauren Dale improved to 6-1 on City Invitational last weekend. Dale’s only career loss was a 4-2 loss to Kentucky Wesleyan College in extra innings. Dale has now given up just three earned runs in her last 23 innings pitched to lower her season ERA to 3.86.

tmn.truman.edu

them, and it kills me hearing spectators talk about a sport like it takes no real skill.

I’ve had my softball friends say they have had people call them “non-athletes,” too. I would love to see those people showcase their hand-eye coordination better than their softball and baseball friends. They possess such controlled power and tremendous strength, and people still judge them because of the sport they play.

Golf has taught me so much about life because of the mental toughness it has instilled in me. There are not many other sports that make you go to sleep knowing where you stand on the scoreboard. You can get done with your first day of 18 holes and could be leading the tournament, making the top 10, or right on the cut — which determines if you make it back the last two days or not. You have to go to sleep replaying every shot, knowing you’re going out the next morning having to defend your spot or battle to jump up the leader board against the same exact opponents and the same golf course. You must be in tip-top shape mentally and physically for seven hours each round to make the least mistakes. You must be tougher than your conditions — just like in any other outdoor sport. When I explain how tournaments work to those dismissing golf as a sport, you can see their eyes widen in shock. They say they had no idea golf was like that, making players carry their clubs for 3-4 days in a row. Well, we sure do. It’s not the type of golf you see people playing on the weekends.

Sports make us better people, pushing our limits. They make you hold yourself accountable, whether you are playing an individual or team sport. Each and every sport has distinctive attributes, and we should think of all athletes as athletes.

Let’s keep an open mind and speak on experiences instead of assumptions.

ATHLETE

her career record as a Bulldog, going 1-1 at the Music

ISSUE 17

Kanaskie gets in a defensive stance in a game earlier this season. Also pictured is a brace on his left knee, used for stability after meniscus surgery.

powerful legs, swift, agile movements and great strength to battle over the ball.

You form amazing bonds with your teammates over lifting sessions, two-a-day practice and stuffing your faces together after a hard day. The nice thing about soccer is you can usually make up for your mistakes and track a player down or make a play on offense, but if your mistake sparks a scoring opportunity for the opponent, you can suffer big time. It can be a cruel sport. You can outplay the other team, but one silly mistake or lucky shot allows them to score and you end up losing 1-0. Not many other sports allow such minimal scores to determine the outcome of a game.

I realized after my first season at UMSL my soccer career was coming to an end from constant pain in my knees and the fact that the school was not the right fit for me. I still managed to keep golfing in my free time and missed the competitive tournaments of this oddly satisfying, yet infuriating sport. I called the coach at Truman State University asking if it was still possible to come golf for him after I turned down the scholarship a year before, and thankfully he was more than willing to welcome me as a Bulldog.

Even with all my years playing full soccer games, I don’t think I have ever been as exhausted as I am after a tournament round of golf.

The thing most people don’t realize about golf is how mentally strong one has to be to succeed at this sport. We don’t need the power and explosiveness football players have. We don’t have non-stop meetings like they do. I honestly don’t think you could pay me to spend a season as a collegiate football player with the constant pressures they face. Basketball players are some of the most agile athletes along with hockey players. Every sport has such distinctive qualities about

Lauren Dale

VOLUME 108

Photo submitted by Sonam Wagynal

Don’t judge an athlete by their sport

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF

The Truman State University softball team has had no time to waste in the opening weeks of its season. With the goal of ending 2017 as one of the top eight teams in the region and advancing to the NCAA national tournament, the Bulldogs opened the season with regional contests that will play a crucial role down the stretch.

Last weekend, Head Coach Erin Brown and the team traveled to Nashville, Tennessee, for the Music City Invitational where they faced four regional opponents from Ohio Dominican University, Trevecca Nazarene University, Saginaw State University and Kentucky Wesleyan University.

Truman left with a 2-2 split and an opportunity to improve in the regional standings next weekend.

Brown said starting the games with regional play is a great opportunity but pressures the team to perform well early in the season. She said even games from opening weekend can resurface when the NCAA selection committee is deciding who will advance to the national tournament in May. “We’re all trying for the top eight spots,” Brown said. “It’s so important right now to get those wins. We’re going to wear those [games] like a scarlet letter from here on out. Yeah, our team might be a different team in April than we are now, but this [is] our only opportunity to play them because of our conference schedule.”

See SOFTBALL, page 11

things this year despite his injury.

Senior forward Billy Daniel said Kanaskie has never complained through the injury and has retained the same attitude and effort he has always had. Daniel said in light of Kanaskie’s injury a lot of players, including sophomore Jake Velky in particular, have had to take a starting role.

“I think we see how much Kyle has worked to get back to where he’s at health-wise,” Daniel said. “He’s been a great force to inspire the rest of the team to excel. He’s been such a great leader for the team.”

Kanaskie and the Truman men now head into a crucial week as they finish out regular season play against rival Quincy University tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Pershing Arena.

As the Hawks sit one game ahead, a Bulldog win would make Truman and Quincy co-owners of the GLVC West Division title. Quincy won the last match between the teams back in December in a nailbiting 91-90 regulation finish.

of the

WEEK

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