February 16, 2017

Features

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Editor-in-Chief talks about his third favorite movie

Editors discuss Sue Thomas establishing leadership style

Sports

Swimming sets school records at GLVC conference meet

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

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Thomas weighs in on Truman’s concerns

Submitted Photo Interim President Sue Thomas will officially begin her position as Truman’s University president March 1, 2017. Thomas’s presidential contract will last until 2020 but is subject to early termination.

By Rachel Fechter

News Text Editor index.newseditor@gmail.com

After the Truman State University Board of Governors announced in an email on Friday, Feb. 10. that Interim University President Sue Thomas was selected unanimously as the 17th University President, Truman Media Network met with Thomas to get her take on both her newly - accepted position as well as prevalent issues in the Truman community.

Q: What are you looking forward to with being president?

A: “The coolest thing about being president is that you get to be involved in all aspects of the University. Whether it’s academics, research, what the faculty are doing, what’s going on in the classrooms, athletics, performances, student groups, residence hall things, working with donors, or alumni, or the legislatures. It’s absolutely stunning you get to work with everyone who’s affiliated with Truman. I think what I’m most looking forward to is being able to work with everybody and harness all of this and we are going to keep taking control of our destiny and we are going to keep doing phenomenal things.”

Q: What would you like to say to students who are feeling discouraged or anxious about the budget cuts and the recent surcharge?

A: “The first thing I would say is don’t be discouraged. Nobody wants to pay additional money. Everybody understands that. But I think we need to look across our whole institution and say to do the things we do and to have the high-quality education experiences we want to have and to continue to be a better and better Truman and ask what does that mean? What does that mean financially, in terms of resources, in terms of people, and how do we all come together to do that? I appreciate the $50 surcharge was not anything anyone wanted to see, but out of an over $3.1 million cut, that’s only 8 percent of that entire cut. Truman dug deep to look for all kinds of other ways we could find that money. I think that’s going to be true going forward, too. We’re going to look to see how we can do things in different kinds of ways and how we meet our goals and outcomes in new and exciting kinds of ways. The fact of the matter is, when they take significant dollars away from you, you can only cut so much before it negatively impacts the experience you are offering. I think probably all of us agree the experience Truman offers is worth keeping and worth supporting. While nobody wants to spend money on that — if it comes down to it, do we decrease the quality of what we’re doing, or do we put some additional dollars in because these dollars have gone away? I think that matters for all of us to do those kinds of things. Truman students have been quite lucky. If you look over the past five years, tuition has gone up $174. That’s all. Our students are very used to not having tuition increases. So it seems like a very dramatic increase because when you’re used to nothing, anything seems pretty huge compared to that. Truman is very generous with institutional aid. We give probably double the institutional aid of most other universities like us. We significantly discount our tuition on campus, so I completely understand our students are not used to paying significant dollars for their education. As soon as there’s any question about increasing [tuition], that makes people nervous. That makes people worried and stressed. If we’re going to increase tuition, we’re only doing it because it’s necessary to do so. It’s not a default option. It’s how do we make sure we’re the very best Truman we can be, and what does it take so we can be that best Truman? The problem is when it’s done at mid-year, you have very few degrees of freedom where you can find that money because a majority of our budget goes to salaries and keeping the lights on and keeping the buildings warm.

All of that is very expensive and something we can’t cut out. Truman is always looking for ways to save money. But at some point you have to bring more revenue. We’re looking at other sources of revenue and how we can bring money in whether it’s donors or grants or programs. We can’t just look at cuts. We’re looking at bringing in other sources of revenue, but tuition income is also one of those sources of revenue. We’re in the middle of a capital campaign which is a big public push to get donated a certain amount of money. Truman is working on a $40 million capital campaign right now to bring $40 million into the institution. The biggest one is to support scholarships.”

Q: How do you plan to promote diversity on campus, especially for underrepresented students such as racial minority students, international students, LGBTQ students, and students with developmental disabilities?

A: “I think those groups all share needs and have separate needs. I think the greatest way to support all those students is to support their individual needs. The question is how do we support individual groups who might have distinct needs? We have to work with those groups of students to find out what is it they really need. If they are not feeling enormously comfortable, why is that the case and then what do we do about it? I have no experience as an underrepresented racial minority. I don’t have a developmental disability. I don’t have a hidden learning disability or a mental health issue.

I’m a married straight woman. But I can listen. I can hear what they’re saying and work towards making sure their needs are met. I think we’re making good progress with the VOLUME 108

ISSUE 16

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strategic plan for inclusive excellence. They’re addressing major issues and symbolic kinds of issues. We will have a display of international flags. That’s very symbolic.

That doesn’t do anything to help any one individual person but it sends a very strong symbolic message. The [Multicultural Affairs Center] is going to be on the first floor of Baldwin when it’s renovated. We have to cut across the line from symbolic things to very substantive things. I really believe Truman having the discussions and having the commitment is what will make the difference. We can’t just say it, we have to walk it.”

Q: As a first generation student yourself, how do you plan to support first generation students at Truman?

A: “The very first step is recognizing first generation college students need some additional support. If you’ve had somebody who goes before you and knows how it works, they can help you figure it out. When you’re a first generation college student, you don’t generally have anybody who can help you navigate your college experience.

You’re as bright and as talented as everyone else on campus, but you’re missing pieces of knowledge that other people just have naturally. I’m thrilled that we’ve realized first generation college students may need some support in terms of knowledge and connections. I remember when I was in college I worked in the cafeteria. I was a cruder — a cruder was the one who scraped dishes. There were lots of time I’d look and see my friends going out to dinner or on campus. I didn’t have any money. I was putting myself through school and I had to work, and they weren’t working. There were times I wondered if I belong there because I was having to do it differently than they did. To be able to let every single one of our students know that each and every one of them belongs here is huge. First generation college students have similar but somewhat different needs, and I’m thrilled we are looking at the needs of our students and seeing how we can help support them. I’m thrilled to be involved with the work they’re doing, and it’s important to me that every single one of our solitary students knows this is exactly where they belong, this is the place they’re going to succeed. We just need to make sure we have support in place for all of them.”

Q: How do you plan to destigmatize and help with the growing mental health concerns on Truman’s campus?

A: “We’ve added additional mental health counselors, but that’s not the long-term answer. One of the things we’ve been talking about a lot is developing programming in resilience and psychological grit. If you are able to have resilience and psychological grit, you see a set back, a mistake, a failure, as a growing opportunity and you don’t let it throw you off your course. You don’t let mistakes define you. You don’t let negative experiences define you. You say ‘how do I learn from it, how do I move forward, how do I pick myself back up?’ You talk to any successful person and they’ve had a million different setbacks. There’s an old adage — it’s not how many times you fall down it’s how many times you stand back up. One of the things we want to work with our students on is how to be able to work with that psychological grit and resilience and how to be able to stand back up. Setbacks don’t define you. Your grades don’t define you.

Your ACT score does not define you. You define you. Helping our students to develop those kinds of mindsets we think can very much help mental health. Our students concern me in how stressed they get about all of those kinds of things. When you have a campus full of bright, young, talented students it’s hard for them to ask for help. Many of our students are quite used to being the helpers. They’re quite uncomfortable being the helpees. You all were great in high school, and you helped all your friends, so it throws you off psychologically if you feel like you have to ask for help because that’s not who you think you are. You think asking for help is a negative. Asking for help is never a negative. It’s always a positive, and, I would argue, a sign of strength. I ask for help multiple times a day. One person cannot know everything there is to know about this University and all the complexity of it. We have a whole team of people ready to help whenever people need it. Students just have to ask for it.”

Q: What is your role as a woman in a position of power to other female students?

A: “A number of women students have told me how thrilled they are that there’s a woman president. I don’t think of myself as a woman president. I think it’s very important for women that they don’t put that descriptor in front of who they are. I think putting that descriptor on limits it for others or limits it for me. That being said, I know I’m a woman, I know I’m a president. I think for women students it’s nice for them to see, but I never want a woman student to define herself with ‘woman’ as a descriptor in front of everything. A man doesn’t do it. We didn’t say [former] President [Troy] Paino was a male president. We never used ‘male’ as a descriptor. Let’s not use ‘female’ as a descriptor. You should never define yourself by what you think a woman can or cannot do. If I can help by being in this position [and] have our students not define themselves that way, then that’s fabulous for me.”

Editor’s Note: To read the full Question and Answer with Sue Thomas go to tmn.truman.edu.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Truman students participate in Polar Plunge raising money for Special Olympics

STUDENT SENATE IN BRIEF

The Senate had a second read for a resolution supporting the placement of a suicide prevention hotline on the back of newly issued Truman student IDs. The Senate had a first read for an athletic fee slate that will allocate $23,000 to various athletic facilities and organization’s on campus.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Accounting students exceed average on CPA exam

Photo by Damian Soane/TMN

Photo by Damian Soane/TMN

Top: Members of Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority clad in lady bug costumes prepare to run and jump into Thousand Hills Lake.

Many Truman organizations and Kirksville businesses participated in the annual Polar Plunge, which raises money for the Special Olympics.

Left: Despite it being winter, the weather is warm and sunny. The Polar Plunge was on Feb. 11 at the Thousand Hills Beach Area.

Bottom: A group of people with Hawaiian themed shirts race into the lake. There’s a “parade of costumes” where people participating in the plunge show off their themed outfits before running into the water.

Truman State University accounting students who took the Certified Public Accountant Examination ranked second in the country among medium sized schools in their scores on the exam according to a National Association of State Boards of Accountancy. The Truman students who took the exam passed with an average score of 81.2 percent while the national average for the test score is 54.4 percent.

Phi Mu Alpha hosts 49th annual Jazz festival Music fraternity Phi Mu Alpha will be hosting a jazz festival Feb. 25 in the SUB Georgian Rooms. The festival will begin with multiple jazz artists from around campus and the community performing 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. when an evening concert will begin. The festival will be in honor of the national “Jazzfest” which is celebrated every year in the last weekend of February.

The guest artist at Truman’s jazz festival will be Carl Allen, a drummer from New York who will perform during the evening concert and put on a jazz music clinic.

Truman promotes Men’s Health Awareness Week

Photo by Damian Soane/TMN

In honor of Men’s Health Awareness Week, Truman will host an event where students can watch a documentary “The Mask You Live In” 6:30 p.m. Feb. 15. in Violette Hall 1010.

The documentary follows the lives of young men navigating masculine gender norms. After the presentation, communication professor James Cianciola will speak about his personal experiences with the subject.

CRIME REPORTS DPS & KPD

Serving the University community since 1909

Staff 2/13 Unlawful use of a firearm reported at the 300 block of N. High 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

2/10 Harassment reported at the 1400 block of N. Osteopathy St.

2/13 Domestic disturbance reported at 2/10 Property damage reported at Parking the 100 block of W. Washington St. Lot 15.

2/13 Property damage reported at the 500 2/10 Property damage reported at the block of N. Baltimore St. 1000 block of Mulanix Ave. 2/12 Assault reported at the 300 block of E. Porter St.

2/10 A minor was visibly intoxicated at the 1000 block of Mulanix Ave.

2/12 Assault reported at the 200 block of N. Franklin St.

2/9 Theft reported at the 2200 block of N. Baltimore St.

2/11 Domestic disturbance reported at 2/8 Theft reported at the 3000 block of N. the 2100 block of S. Marion St. Baltimore St.

Mark your calendar Volunteer Income Tax Assistance 8 - 3 p.m.

Feb. 18 Violette Hall 1424

Beta Alpha Psi fraternity will host VITA, which is a free Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program. There will be IRS certified helpers readily available to assist community members in filing simple tax returns.

Learn about studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain 12 - 4 p.m.

Feb. 20 SUB Georgian Rooms

Students have an opportunity to learn more about studying abroad in Salamanca.

The program will run from May 22 through July 20. Students will be able to earn up to 12 credit hours.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Our View Let Thomas establish a leadership style Students were greeted Feb. 10 by an email from the Truman State Board of Governors announcing the Board’s decision to hire Interim University President Sue Thomas as president. On the heels of that announcement, Thomas sent out a campus-wide email informing the student body of the Board’s decision to establish a $50 surcharge. The surcharge is part of an effort to raise revenue to cover the $3.1 million budget reduction following Gov. Eric Greitens’ announcement earlier this year of statewide cuts to education funding.

Former University President Troy Paino’s tenure at the helm began with similar turmoil. Paino was appointed Truman’s president during the recession in 2009. Budget issues don’t evade any leader of a state university, but they don’t define them, either. We, as a community, can see that with how warmly students remember Paino from the past few years.

The first act students and faculty associate with Thomas as our president is one that is overwhelmingly unpopular. While we, the Truman Media Network Editorial Board, encourage criticism of the surcharge and other Board decisions, we urge students and faculty not to pass indiscriminate, negative opinion on Thomas’ administration based on this one act.

As tempting as it is, judging an administration based on its predecessor is a mistake. Thomas’ tenure as president begins during an incredibly unstable time for our campus. As a result, her method of leadership might turn out to be drastically different from the way past presidents have lead. It is possible, if not probable, the next year will bring many more difficult decisions like the one announced on Monday.

Thomas, by necessity, will to have prioritize issues that previous administrations have not. Thomas might not interact with students in the same manner we’re used to. Don’t be put off by the simple fact of change, which can often be jarring and difficult to accept, but recognize that times are different, and Thomas is a different person than Paino. Her administration will naturally be different than our perception of what a president should be.

We, the Truman Media Network Editorial Board, ask you to recognize that Thomas’ job isn’t just to be the public face of Truman. Her job will require her to act in cooperation with the Board and the state government to meet the bottom line and to hand down decisions that might be unpopular.

We are not asking you to accept with blind faith that Thomas will be a good president for this

University. Nor are we asking you to accept every decision she or the Board makes in response to the chaos currently swirling through our education system. In fact, we urge you to continue to question those decisions and to maintain a steady line of communication with Thomas about what you, as members of this community, think should be done to address the budget crisis.

We simply ask that you reserve judgment about Thomas as a president until there is more evidence to base those impressions on. Give her time to communicate what her priorities are, what her plans are and what she intends to do for this University.

Leaders are made, not born. Give Thomas a chance to establish what kind of leader she intends to be.

Budget cuts are an inadequate reaction to economic crisis and revenue shortfalls

Will Chaney Opinions Editor Many tragic stories in the newspaper are often easily forgettable, disappearing into our mental trash can if we are unaffected by the issues. Unfortunately, the recent budget massacre is something we can’t ignore. It affects every student, professor, staff member and program to an extensive but largely unknown degree — even if we would rather preoccupy ourselves with other more important issues.

In an email last week, Truman State University President Sue Thomas announced the first of many sacrifices the state expects the Truman community to make, which comes in the form of a $50 fee to be paid by all full-time students. If this policy is representative of future decisions made by the newly-elected administrations of President Donald Trump, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens, and Thomas, Truman will find delivering its mission statement to its students to be very difficult in the coming years.

To be fair, the Truman leadership is reacting to a situation — largely created by forces beyond its control — that is one of the most alarming in Truman’s history.

Presiding over a university in 2017 with essentially less money than it had in the late 1990s is very difficult, but this should not keep Thomas from clearly identifying why the shortage exists. She wrote the first sentence of her Feb. 13 email in passive voice, without mentioning who caused the budget cuts — “tax revenues for 20162017 in the state of Missouri did not meet the projected level needed to support the state’s many publicly funded programs” — implying the crisis is just a natural part of society that was inevitable. In this article, I hope to supplement Thomas’ email without the restriction of representing an entire university offering an explanation of why you have to pay the school an additional $50.

Greitens’ budget cuts, like most of his policy proposals, come from the 40-year old political tradition of “neoliberalism” — seeking to address social problems by cutting taxes and government spending. Neoliberal policymakers aim to spur investment in productive activities that generate tax revenue by allowing wealthy individuals and businesses to keep money they would otherwise pay as taxes. Cuts to universities, autism clinics, nonprofit organizations like Planned Parenthood, and so on are seen as necessary to revitalize the rest of the economy through private investment. There are several flaws to this argument in relation to Missouri’s current situation, which give undue importance to several issues while ignoring other, more pressing, causes.

In a video announcing his plan to the public — and in subsequent addresses — Greitens placed the blame of low tax revenues on the Affordable Care Act and a bad business environment. Greitens claimed rising health care costs from the ACA decreased the economic activity of individuals and businesses. While this explanation is partially true, health care costs substantially increased before the ACA during former President George W. Bush’s administration — an average yearly cost increase of less than $550 with the ACA versus $670 with Bush, according to Jan. 19 CNBC and Sep. 2013 Eclecta articles.

The current health care cost increases are not enough to make such an extensive cut to social programs necessary.

Greitens is correct in suggesting Missouri is in a bad business environment — the current rate of profit for American businesses is almost as low as it was just before the Great Depression, according to economist Andrew Kliman. With fewer profits, businesses are less able to handle economic shocks and pay for extra expenses like taxes, equipment repairs and investments in new technologies, which often quickly deplete their savings. During 2016, corporate income tax revenue decreased $64 million, a sizable portion of the planned $146 million in cuts, according to a Jan. 17 STL Today article. Greitens’ solution — to the lack of revenue from businesses that are taking increasingly desperate measures to avoid paying taxes — is not to increase the corporate income tax but to cut spending on fundamental social programs like education. He proposed nothing that would restore business profitability or change our current economic system to one that does cause its own rate of profit to fall and experience recurrent crises.

Furthermore, when Missouri businesses avoid paying taxes in Missouri, they are not forced to invest in and create jobs for Missourians. They could decide to invest

outside of Missouri, place their money in a bank or risky financial scheme, invest in labor-saving technologies that eliminate jobs or pay politicians to lower their taxes in the future. If the economy is bad enough to justify cutting 8 percent of a state university’s budget allocation, businesses are also probably having a hard time finding profitable investments, making these options more attractive in a profit-driven economy. There is no guarantee Truman’s lost funds will translate into more jobs, but we can say with relative certainty that Missourians will enter the wage-labor market with fewer skills and lower levels of productivity.

When in his policy video Greitens said, “we must come together, tighten our belts,” and “make these tough decisions,” he is really asking us to make decisions that can’t improve our performance and don’t have right or wrong answers. Is Truman’s math or theatre department more important, and which should receive fewer resources? Should Kirk Building get new tables and chairs, or should McClain Hall classrooms get better functioning speakers? Should Truman cut research funding, or reduce institutional pay for student workers? There might be some waste to cut, but most of what Truman does is positive — certainly the waste makes up less than 8 percent of our functions.

As unfortunate as the reactions to the state of the economy and government have been, Truman’s leadership should handle this crisis to benefit more people.

The University Foundation Endowment value doubled to almost $40 million between 2009 and 2015, according to the Foundation website. Less than 1 percent of this fund could cover the $50 surcharge for all students, and the entire fund could cover all cuts for more than 10 years — which is how it would be used if it were an emergency fund. Thomas and other high-level administrators could also consider taking pay cuts, as their salaries tend to be much higher than others’ within the Truman community.

Most importantly, students, faculty, staff and administration must politically organize together to demand necessary resources from the state. Truman and the Missouri government’s administrations must become more open to the input and participation of the educational community, and we must be ready to accept these responsibilities and do work.

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

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN A new logo is on display on the door of Tru Yo Cafe near the corner of Franklin and McPherson streets near The Square. New owners Chris and Denise Bailey have some changes planned for the frozen yogurt shop, such as made to order sandwiches, salads and soups.

New business owners aim to revamp Tru Yo Cafe

By Nicolas Telep Staff Writer

Tru Yo, the popular frozen yogurt shop near The Square in Kirksville, recently changed ownership and is undergoing changes to become Tru Yo Cafe.

After he graduated from Truman State, founder Jim Ressler sold the yogurt shop to Chris and Denise Bailey, who took over the business in Fall 2016. The shop, located near the intersection of Franklin and McPherson Streets in downtown Kirksville, has a new name and logo. The new owners are implementing a number of changes at the establishment that aim to broaden its offerings while maintaining the open atmosphere Tru Yo is known for.

The Baileys met Ressler when they went on a mission trip to Africa together. Chris Bailey said there were a number of interested buyers, but after a few months of discussion, he and his wife bought the shop Sept. 1, 2016.

“We just kind of took a leap of faith and took it over for him” said Chris Bailey.

This isn’t the Baileys’ first experience running a business — Chris Bailey previously ran a window cleaning company in Quincy, Illinois, and now runs a similar business in Kirksville. Denise Bailey managed a Subway restaurant or many years. Chris Bailey said this experience is valuable in a particular new aspect of the business — the cafe will soon be offering made-to-order sandwiches, salads and soups. The equipment to make these products was moved from the back kitchen to the bar, which was given a new wood finish. Additionally, the floor was redone and the green and pink walls were painted over in Truman colors of purple and white. The pricing system for yogurt will also change, as the weight-based system is abandoned in favor of a single price for each different sized cup that can be filled with yogurt and toppings.

Chris Bailey said prices will be competitive. As for the long term, Denise Bailey said she plans to start a catering service, which will serve weddings, dances and schools.

Denise Bailey said she hopes to have catering up and running within a year. The Baileys also plan on taking advantage of the cafe’s location to create an atmosphere welcoming to college students.

“We want to make it an atmosphere that’s comfortable, that’s suitable for a college student who wants to grab a bite and go, or if they want to come in here and do their homework,” Chris Bailey said.

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Chris Bailey also said free Wi-Fi and charging stations will be available in the cafe. He said he wants to create an open atmosphere that is welcoming to everyone, and doesn’t just cater to one specific group. He said he wants it to be a place where everyone is comfortable.

“We’re going to continue to try new things and fall forward,” Chris Bailey said.

“If it doesn’t work, we try something new.”

The cafe is currently only open Fridays and Saturdays. The Baileys are planning a grand opening for early April, after which the cafe will be open Monday to Saturday. They also said they plan to hold fundraisers and events in the space. TruHop, a swing dancing group from Truman, recently held a fundraiser at the shop, and the Baileys said they would be open to having music and entertainment in the cafe in the future.

Sandra Williams, Kirksville Chamber of Commerce executive director, said she previously met with the new owners and said she hopes to do a ribbon-cutting event with them soon. Williams explained that Tru Yo’s location between Truman’s campus and downtown is a good one, especially for students. Additionally, the decision to offer lunch items could bring in more customers who work at businesses on The Square or who visit The Square looking for a meal. Williams said the impact on other restaurants and cafes on The Square will likely be limited to a month or so. When a new place comes in, she explained, many people might want to give the new establishment a try before returning to their old favorites.

“It’s always nice to see any new eating establishment come in, especially if they offer something a little different than what everyone else has,” Williams said As far as The Square in general is concerned, Williams said, while opinions might differ about how the area is doing based on the performance of individual businesses, many businesses were added to The Square recently. Additionally, Tru Yo is not the only cafe to change hands. Sweet Espressions did so recently, as well.

Williams said many people were concerned about downtown Kirksville when the Hallmark store closed, but she said newer and more diverse businesses are good for The Square.

“In my mind, those are all good things,” Williams said. “People are still willing to locate downtown and I think the more ... variety you have down there, the better.”

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

Professors take class around the world

By MADDIE MCDERMOTT Staff Writer

Several Truman State University professors are planning study abroad excursions during which they will take students abroad and partner with international professors. Two options currently offered include trips to Peru and India.

Dereck Daschke, philosophy and religion professor, will take students to Peru this June. The goal of this trip is to immerse students in Peruvian culture and give them the opportunity to study traditional healing in places where the history and use of traditional healings is particularly broad and rich, such as the Andean and Amazon regions, Machu Picchu and the ruins of the Sacred Valley.

The courses will involve hands-on learning and lessons at the University of San Ignacio de Loyola International Extension Center. The trip can be used for four credits of PHRE upper-level credit or a general Truman elective.

Chemistry professor Dawood Afzal and biology professor Stephanie Fore will be taking students to India in January. During the course of the India trip, students will experience the “Flavors of India” and visit Kolkata, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. They will see destinations such as Mother Teresa’s place, Amer Fort, Rantharmbore National Park, Taj Mahal, Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhavan, India Gate and more.

“Dr. Fore has routinely taken students to South Africa to work with wild animals — she has that strength [working with animals],” Afzal said. “We are teaming up.

I, on the other hand, know the [Indian] culture, the language, the history. I can translate more than a book [can] ... I speak

the language of Kolkata.”

Afzal said he looks forward to immersing students in the culture that exists so vibrantly within India. He said this trip was “an opportunity of a lifetime for many.”

“India is a huge country — old and new, the contrast is almost obvious,” Afzal said. “There are very modern facilities — high rise buildings, space programs ... and then there are slums ... there is high tech, there is low tech. It is not homogeneous, you see the contrast. You see the very educated, you see the very illiterate.”

Afzal said if one is interested in culture, language, food or music, they should look into this trip.

“To see the very modern and very ancient coexist side by side is going to be a very amazing experience,” Afzal said.

Junior Brennan Bukaty is amongst the group embarking on the trip to India, and she said she is looking forward to the experience.

“I’ve studied abroad once, in Mexico, and it piqued my curiosity in not only study abroad, but other cultures,” Bukaty said. “I’m a Spanish major, so I’m interested in foreign cultures as a whole, and India’s is so rich in history, diverse and unique that I want to experience it through study abroad like I did with Mexico.”

If students are interested in the trip, they must complete the application, contact either Afzal or Fore and submit the $350 deposit for the trip by May 1.

The trip will take place January 1, 2018 through January 13, 2018 and two credit hours can be earned.

“To see the very modern and very ancient coexist side by side is going to be a very amazing experience.”

-Chemistry professor Dawood Afzal

VOLUME 108

ISSUE 16

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© 2017

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

REACTING TO MOVIES

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

Don’t ask me what my favorite movie is if you don’t want me to assault your ears with all the things I love about “Fight Club,” even against my better judgment — get it? Because the first rule of Fight Club is don’t talk about Fight Club ... right, I’ll see my way out. Don’t ask me about my next favorite movie, either, unless you want another 20 minutes of me geeking out. “Donnie Darko” is a cult classic for a reason. It’s criminally underwatched and is by far the most confusing movie out there if you only watch it once.

You also don’t have to ask me about the movie that takes the number three spot on my heart’s list of best movies of all time, because I’m about to talk about it. It’s really similar to both “Fight Club” and “Donnie Darko.” I’m sure you already have some ideas in mind from the comparison alone. “American Psycho,” right?

Maybe “Gone Girl”? Surely it’s something creepy, convoluted and hard to follow.

Nope, it’s “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.”

I say this movie is really similar to my first two favorites not because it matches their serious tones but because of its filmmaking and editing. But before I dive into this comparison, here’s a brief run-down of “Scott Pilgrim” if you haven’t seen or heard of it. In Michael Cera’s greatest role

to date, as yet another plucky, awkward protagonist who looks either teenaged or almost 30, Scott Pilgrim must fight off seven evil exes to win the love of the mysterious Ramona Flowers. It takes place in Toronto, Canada and the film is based on a series of graphic novels by Bryan Lee O’Malley.

So, things already aren’t as serious as the plots of “Fight Club” and “Donnie Darko.” That’s compounded by a couple of the major aesthetic focuses in “Scott Pilgrim” — rock music and video game culture. Scott plays bass in a band called Sex Bob-Omb — a Super Mario reference in its own right — which soundtracks part of the film. Video game music and sound effects are interspersed with these rock tracks. At one point, Scott “levels up” by earning the power of self-respect. When Scott fights and defeats the evil exes, they burst into a shower of Canadian coins like enemies in an arcade game.

Can you tell why I love this movie yet?

Okay, you got me — how can I possibly put this film in even close to the same category as a story about a guy who forms an underground fight club with his split personality, or a story about a teenager preventing the end of the world with the help of a time-traveling man in a bunny costume? Those movies are both far more serious than “Scott Pilgrim.” Then again, maybe not, if my incredibly vague onesentence summaries are any indication.

The answer lies in the viewing experience — these are all movies you can watch over and over, yet still notice something new every time. I love films like this, that give you a nice payoff for paying close attention to what’s going on.

Try it out with “Fight Club,” and you’ll see glimpses of a character before they’re ever introduced. Or give it a shot with “Donnie Darko,” and after a watch or two, you’ll be able to pick out key moments, before the viewer is supposed to know something important has happened. It’s no different with “Scott Pilgrim,” but the reason I keep coming back is always for director Edgar Wright’s editing.

Wright is an editing master. If you want a more detailed description than what I can give in 1,000 words or less, I highly recommend checking out YouTube channel Nerdwriter1, who produced a fantastic video essay on the editing of “Scott Pilgrim.” I’ll try to sum up some of the content of that video here, because it’s the reason why watching this movie more than once is worth it.

Wright subverts our expectations as viewers when it comes to scene transitions.

Often, we just see a hard cut, and we’re in a new scene. However, “Scott Pilgrim” is a lot more cohesive. We might see a scene with a set of three or four screen wipes — using parts of the scene such as people walking by the camera — to transition from place to place, accompanied by the

sounds of a car or skateboard rolling on the street or hangers moving across a rack at a thrift store. These sounds move us into the setting before we’ve even realized it.

Wright also brings us from one setting to the next, sometimes in mid-conversation, by using shots between pieces of dialogue to place us in a setting that is different from the previous shot. For example, there’s a scene where Scott is talking with his bandmate, Stephen Stills, at band practice, and Stephen walks from one side of the screen to the other, passing behind Scott. As Scott says a line and Stephen looks back at Scott with a reply, we’ve suddenly moved from the living room where the characters were holding their instruments to the streets of Toronto, as the band walks to a party. Now, Stephen is looking back at Scott as he walks behind him on the street, and we’ve hardly had time to notice how we got here. That’s a brilliantly smooth way to transition from scene to scene quickly and effectively.

These are the kind of things that go unnoticed on your first watch of “Scott Pilgrim” and stand out on the second, and I love it. Movies that turn me into a more observant viewer are my bread and butter, and they’re too rare. I highly encourage giving “Scott Pilgrim” a chance if you’re either a music and video game culture nerd like I am or a lover of great filmmaking — or, I guess if you’re a huge Michael Cera fan, too.

Society for Sino-American Studies celebrates Chinese New Year

Photos by Johanna Burns/TMN Above: Students wait for the Feb. 11 Chinese New Year event to begin. The event featured a variety of performances and speakers. Left: University President Sue Thomas speaks before the presentation of traditional Chinese costumes.

Truman’s Lincoln Contest Art, Essay, and Oratory

Some Some would would argue arguethat that what whatAbraham AbrahamLincoln Lincolnisismost most remembered remembered for for isishis hissigning signingofofthe theEmancipation EmancipationProclamation.

The document may had a may limited direct on the lives Proclamation.

The have document have hadimpact a limited direct of many slaves, but it was a watershed moment in stating that impact on the lives of many slaves, but it was a watershed previouslyinbound shall be “forever (Emancipation moment statingpeople that previously bound free” people shall be Proclamation, paragraph 2).

To emancipate commonly “forever free” (Emancipation Proclamation, paragraphmeans 2). Toto free from bondage, oppression, or restraint.

This year’s prompt asks emancipate commonly means to free from bondage, oppression, you to choose oneyear’s of theprompt following possibilities and develop it into or restraint.

This asks you to choose one of the an essay: possibilities and develop it into an essay: following • Choose another emancipatory moment in Lincoln’slife lifeand and • Choose another emancipatory moment in Lincoln’s write about incorporatingsource sourcematerial. material. write about it, it, incorporating • Choose an emancipatory moment in someone’s lifeand, and, • Choose an emancipatory moment in someone’s life incorporating source material,write writeabout aboutit.it. incorporating source material, Fred Contests in in art, Fred & &Ethel EthelSchwengel Schwengelestablished establishedthe theLincoln Lincoln Contests essay, and and oratory to pay to Abraham Lincoln.

This semester art, essay, oratory to tribute pay tribute to Abraham Lincoln.

This the collegiate essays will be judged by Professor Monica Barron and semester the collegiate essays will be judged by Professor the speeches and artthe

by Professor Poyner. Barry Poyner. The Monica Barron and speeches Barry

by Professor By 28, submit 1000-1500 word, 3-5Rusty pageNelson. essay in response art Feb. contest will be ajudged

by Professor to the prompt to Barry Poyner, Barnett Hall 1110. Provide a list of

“works as appropriate.

On a cover provide contact

By Feb.cited” 28, submit a 1000-1500 word,sheet, 3-5 page essay in information, clearly indicate enteringBarnett the essay oratorical response to and the prompt to BarryifPoyner, Hallor1110. contest, both. in the Oratorical Contest deliversheet, their Provideor a list of Finalists “works cited” as appropriate.

Onwill a cover speeches before the National Communication Association Student provide contact information, and clearly indicate if entering the Club in the semester.

Communication Club will essaylater or oratorical contest, or both. Finalists inmembers the Oratorical assist Dr. will Poyner in judging.

Essay andbefore Oratory for 1st and Contest deliver their speeches thePrizes National 2nd places will be $200.00 and $100.00, respectively.

Communication Association Student Club later in the semester.

Communication Club members will assist Dr. Poyner in judging.

For theand art contest, be submitted to will Professor Poyner Essay Oratory entries Prizes should for 1st and 2nd places be $200.00 by Feb. 28.

Create a faux poster promoting a “Live” Presidential and $100.00, respectively. speech from President Lincoln announcing the Emancipation Proclamation to the nation is atbe least 11x17. What would For the art contest, entries that should submitted to Rusty Nelson, this poster look like in today’s visual aesthetic, or how would OP 1221 by Feb. 28 and observe the following criteria: artwork have looked in isthe 1860s? What message/concept the design of any media acceptable, traditional or digital in output/ would speak to a broad audience or to a very targeted projection - 2D and 3D. No larger than 18 x 24” for audience?

2D work Alternatively, faux3D poster onProjected behalf of work a social movement and 3ft in thecreate rounda for work. should be advancing or celebrating emancipation. formatted for 16:9 screen ratio. Winning art will be added to the Schwengel Lincoln Collection in Special Collections at Pickler Winning artLibrary. will be added to the Lincoln Memorial Art Prizes forSchwengel 1st and 2nd placesCollection will be in Special Collections at Pickler Memorial Library. Art Prizes for 1st and $200.00 and $100.00, respectively.

2nd places will be $200.00 and $100.00, respectively.

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

EVENTS Faculty Forum: Musical Representation in the Black Newspapers of the Midwest 7 p.m. Feb. 20 Magruder Hall 2001

TOP

Join music professor Marc Rice as he discuses how Midwest African American newspapers and their editors in the 1880s through the 1940s enouraged activism in their readership. The forum will be followed by refreshments.

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Poetry and Soldiers’ Letters Reading

The Woman in Black theatre production

5:15-6:30 p.m. Feb. 22 University Art Gallery, OP 1114

8-10 p.m. Feb. 22 James G. Severns Theatre

Join the Art Department, the Communication Department and the Debate Team for a dramatic reading of World War I letters currently on display in the Arts Against the Great War exhibit. The Debate Team will also read some famous period poems.

The Truman Theatre Department presents a drama by Stephen Mallatratt, based on a novel by Susan Hill. Tickets for the play cost $5 dollars and are available at the Theatre Box Office in Ophelia Parrish.

Ways To Take A Study Break Make a snack. As we slip quietly into the fifth week of school, take a break from the desperate hours of studying with some brain foods. Snack of choice — apples, peanut butter and honey. Yum.

Productive procrastination ensures a small break from your studies without the guilt that comes with napping instead of doing your homework. Try cleaning off your desk or doing a load of laundry.

NETFLIX

3 4 5

If you just can’t stay away from Netflix, limit yourself to short bursts of twenty minute shows.

We highly recommend “Baby Animals in the Wild.”

Not into the couch potato lifestyle? That’s cool, take your break by getting active. With clearer skies and warmer days on the horizons, organize a quick frisbee game to banish the Blackboard blues.

Meditation. Relax your brain by engaging your brain. Try out Headspace, a meditation app that teaches the art of mindfulness, or an art project such as an antistress coloring book.

Throwback Thursday: ‘Satchmo’swings for Christmas dance It’s always an occasion when a celebrity comes to campus. Tickets for tonight’s show, comedian Adam Devine, sold out long before the comedy actor stepped foot on campus. Looking back, it’s not the first time noteworthy people have graced our campus with their talents.

The main headline of the Dec. 18, 1963 issue of the Index announces, “Louie Armstrong Plays for Christmas Dance.” The article said Armstrong and the Louie Armstrong Band would provide music for the year’s winter wonderland themed Christmas dance. The article went on to say the dance would be held in the Rieger National Guard Armory and would feature a 25 foot Christmas tree. The Student Council committee collected canned food items for the Salvation Army and entrance to the dance only cost 25 cents.

Gone are the days when Truman hosted annual dances or a night of entertainment could be bought as cheap as 25 cents, but organizations on campus continue to work to bring noteworthy individuals to Truman.

So remember the next time you’re tempted to say there’s nothing to do in Kirksville, our University’s students once boogied with Louie Armstrong.

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Submitted photo A head shot of Louie “Satchmo” Armstrong ran next to an article in a Dec. 18, 1963 article of the Index, announcing Armstrong’s upcoming performance.

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FOR RENT: 1 Bedroom APT total electric with stove and refrigerator, water/trash furnished. Close to TSU. Off street parking. No pets, Available Aug. 1, $295/month plus utilities. Call or Text 660-216-1952.

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Want to advertise with TMN? Contact us at (417) 761 - 2897 jai6847@truman.edu

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THURSDAY, FEBRURARY 16, 2017

Baseball opens season with rough weekend

BY JEREMY JACOB Staff Writer

The Truman State University baseball team opened its season last weekend looking to start 2017 on a positive note and recover from a 20-30 record last spring Instead, the Bulldogs faced a rocky start as they dropped three of their first four games. Despite its opening weekend record, head coach Dan Davis said he expects the team’s offense and defense to be as reliable as they have been in previous years. Davis said the biggest issue for the team will be the challenge facing the pitching staff — particularly the starting rotation.

“We’re not asking them to throw shutouts every day,” Davis said. “We’re just asking them to be consistent.”

Last season, the Bulldogs accumulated a 5.94 ERA that ranked 13th out of 16 in the GLVC. None of their starters managed to reach 70 innings in 2016 — the maximum was 60.1 innings thrown by former GLVC freshman of the year, junior Kent Frantz. The ‘Dogs found themselves playing catch-up most of the time, as the season box scores showed the ‘Dogs were outscored 161-84 in the first three innings.

Davis said this year’s team has a legitimate shot at rising back to prominence like the 2015 Bulldogs, who advanced past the regional round of the national tournament. That team featured six members of the All-GLVC team, including starting pitchers Frantz and alum Cody Gardner. In the Bulldogs’ 2015 World Series run, each member of the Bulldog rotation threw a substantial and even chunk of innings, each throwing at least 75 innings — Gardner threw 112, alumni Mark Roberts with 81, Frantz with 80.2 and senior Alex Hoffmann with 76.2 — allowing the team to outscore opponents 137-83 in the first three innings.

Davis said the starters are capable of lasting longer in games if they stay focused and buy into the game plan — consistently throwing strikes to avoid walking batters. He said returning upperclassmen like Frantz and Hoffmann are key to accomplishing this, once again taking some of the pressure off the newcomers.

“We fully expect the returners to eat up the bulk of the innings,” Davis said.

Davis said a winning season — which would be the sixth in program history and second in three years — is possible if the lineup can supplement the steady contributions he expects out of the offense this year. Davis said he will be able to write senior middle infielder Nick Agliolo and senior first baseman Dave Gambino into the lineup for the majority of the season.

Agliolo is coming off a season where he led the team in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percentage, hits, RBIs and runs — contributing to his inclusion on the 2016 All-Midwest region team. Gambino enters his fifth season overall in the program, only three shy of being the eighth Bulldog ever to have at least 100 RBIs and seven shy of being the ninth Bulldog ever to have at least 250 total bases. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason poll projects Gambino to end his career with a selection to the All-Midwest region team.

Besides working closely with the team’s pitchers, Davis said he also works with the base runners along with second year assistant coach and former Bulldog shortstop Zak Larkin.

Larkin echoed Davis’ emphasis on base running and said it’s the brand of Bulldog baseball they want to present on the field for every game. Larkin said Davis has been preaching the importance of not relying on the three-run home run and applying constant pressure on the opposing defense.

Photo by Damian Soane/TMN Members of the Truman baseball team watch from the dugout last spring. Truman opened the 2017 season in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, last weekend.

Larkin said the pitching rotation can relieve some of the pressure on the offense by consistently posting scoreless innings. Referencing his time on the 2015 team, he said the rotation continually pitching six or seven productive innings was a big reason for the team’s success that season.

“This rotation has the potential to be better than that rotation in 2015,” Larkin said.

Just like the 2015 rotation, Larkin said the 2017 edition of the Bulldog bullpen should be reliable by virtue of the collection of returners like Frantz and Hoffmann and talented newcomers like freshman Rian Markes, who has completely bought into the team’s game plan of attacking hitters. Their receptiveness to instruction and brimming talent has Larkin excited, he said.

Frantz was a member of that 2015 rotation. Like many of his teammates, his winning 2015 campaign was followed by a less stellar 2016 season. Frantz, however, said he has the utmost confidence that the starters and team will bounce back.

“I have complete confidence in anybody we can put on the mound,” Frantz said.

Truman will look to bounce back from opening weekend with another four-game roadtrip this weekend. The ‘Dogs will head to Joplin, Missouri, for double headers at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday against Missouri Southern State University.

Softball starts play against nation’s top ranked teams

BY STEPHANIE HULETT Staff Writer

Despite graduating key players in the pitching circle, Truman State University softball opened its season last weekend in Alabama with a 1-3 record against some of the nation’s top contenders. The Bulldogs opened 2017 against No. 1 ranked 2016 defending National Champions, University of North Alabama. Truman led 5-4 until North Alabama hit a three-run walkoff homerun to win the game 7-4. The ‘Dogs also fell to University of West Alabama and Delta State University but came out victorious with a score of 2-1 in 8 innings to Mississippi College.

Head coach Erin Brown said the Bulldogs are optimistic about the potential of this season, but to achieve their goals in post-season, the team must focus on the detailed process of day-to-day improvement to get the finished product they desire. Brown said every team’s goal should be to win a National Championship, but to get there they must establish themselves as a top-16 team in super regionals and get the bid to the first regional round of the NCAA championship bracket.

The ‘Dogs have a few players on the must-watch list this season that have the potential to propel them toward these goals. Sophomore outfielder Christa Reisinger was First Team All Conference and Freshman of the Year in the GLVC in 2016. She was also a finalist for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Freshman of the Year and continued to attract attention as one of 50 players on the 2017 Player of the Year watchlist for this season, according to the NFCSA. Senior catcher Lex Van Nostrand is another Bulldog returner who will be a key component in purple and white.

Brown said her team also has some newcomers fighting for playing time, among them freshman pitcher Alyssa Hajduk, who Brown said is adjusting well to the college level and will be a good option for the ‘Dogs on the mound.

Upcoming Events

Kirksville winters are not very helpful for outdoor spring sports because of limited outdoor practice time. Brown said it was especially frustrating for the hitters who are unable to see where the ball is going and practice making adjustments in batting cages.

Brown said this disadvantage does give the women a little extra edge and urgency once season rolls around.

“There’s definitely an advantage of being able to get outside from the beginning like the teams from Alabama or Texas because you are limited with what you can do inside with defense specifically and scrimmaging,” Brown said. “I will say, the girls are eager to play ... I don’t know if that exists other places down south because they’ve been out there since day one.”

Junior infielder Jamie Fowle said this season is even more frustrating because the team is unable to use outdoor facilities because of the construction going on at Stokes Stadium. Fowle said the team can usually use the turf at Stokes, which is more winterfriendly than the dirt at Bulldog Softball Park, but lacked that option this year.

Fowle said the squad has focused a lot this offseason on fitness levels and overall conditioning to be more versatile on the field. She said the team trains with their goals in mind and has been working a lot on communication. Fowle said they have new pitchers for the first time in about four years, and also some new players in other key positions — working on this communication has been key in preparing for those changes this season.

As a freshman, Hajduk said playing at the collegiate level has forced her to make adjustments to her work ethic and time management. She said everyone works on strengthening certain aspects of their game in addition to the team workouts and goals for the season.

Truman softball travels to Hendersonville, Tennessee, this weekend, Feb. 17 and 18, for double header action each day. The ‘Dogs will face Saginaw Valley State University and Ohio Dominican University Saturday then battle Trevecca Nazarene University and Kentucky Wesleyan College Sunday.

Softball

2/17 2 p.m. vs. Saginaw Valley State Hendersonville, Tenn.

2/18 Noon vs. Ohio Dominican Hendersonville, Tenn.

2/19

2 p.m. vs. Trevecca Nazerene University Hendersonville, Tenn.

Noon vs. Kentucky Wesleyan College Hendersonville, Tenn.

Baseball

2/18 1 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern State University Joplin, Mo.

3 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern State University Joplin, Mo.

2/19 1 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern State University Joplin, Mo. 3 p.m. vs. Missouri Southern State University Joplin, Mo.

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9

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

SWIM | Truman men’s and women’s swim teams finished conference competition at the 2017 GLVC championships. The teams have one meet left to improve times with hopes of pushing more Bulldogs on to nation-

Photos submitted by Kurt Rahe Above: Freshman Lauren Massot represents Truman in the 100 fly at the 2017 GLVC Championship meet.

Massot and the Truman women finished second overall at the conference meet behind Drury University.

Right: Comprised of seniors Evyn Spencer, Alison Strickler and Hannah Nicks, as well as junior Grace Fodor, the women’s 200 medley relay poses for a picture after receiving their silver medals. The relay team touched the wall in a school record-setting time of 1:43.31.

Misconceptions of the redshirt

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF

Sports Text Editor index.sportseditor@gmail.com

It’s a common experience in college sports — the redshirt year — an entire year without competition, without suiting up for a rivalry game and without playing in front of a crowd.

For these reasons, the idea of a redshirt year carried a negative connotation during my own experience in the recruiting process. I didn’t want to sit out. I didn’t want to arrive on campus and feel like I wasn’t good enough to play straight out of the gates.

The fact of the matter is redshirting carries a nega-

tive connotation with a lot of people in the world of sports. A lot of times, it’s looked at as the result of the athlete making the wrong choice in the recruiting process. They went to a school where they would never play — so they had to redshirt. They weren’t ready or good enough — so they had to redshirt.

I believed all this when I was going through the recruiting process and just recently arrived at the realization of how wrong this stigma is.

So what does redshirting really mean for an athlete? Being redshirted means you and your coaches truly care about getting the most out of your experience as a student and a player. It means getting stronger, faster, smarter, realizing your potential and being patient enough to let it develop.

After an overwhelming freshman season, I’d always said I wished I had redshirted as a freshman and had more time to adjust before being thrown into the fire of college basketball. Careful what you wish for, though, right? This year I got my

redshirt season, but not in the conventional way.

The medical redshirt allows players with chronic, longlasting injuries to save a year of eligibility while healing up on the sidelines. If regular redshirting wasn’t originally in my college plans, needless to say, the medical redshirt was something I never envisioned experiencing. But now that I have — wow, am I grateful for this unplanned adventure.

Naturally, it’s a huge topic of conversation. Friends, family, fans and even complete strangers want to know why you traded in your jersey and the court for a travel suit and a seat on the bench — and most of these people, well, they would be extremely confused to hear me say I’m thankful for the way this season turned out. There’s a lot of misconceptions of the medical redshirt, and here are a few of my favorites.

1. “So you’re sitting the bench this year? Probably weird to be so disconnected from the game.”

Well, that’s not entirely true.

Redshirting does mean view-

ing the game strictly from the sideline, but I’ve never felt a disconnect with the game. In fact, I feel more connected, mainly because this change in roles has given me the opportunity to experience different sides of the game — aspects that maybe needed some work.

Sitting the bench, for instance — I’ve never had that role. I’ve also learned that’s not an accurate description of what that job entails. “Sitting the bench” involves a lot more standing, clapping, jumping up and down and getting up to give high fives and be a great, supportive teammate than sitting.

“Sitting” is also coaching.

It’s knowing the game plan as well as anyone, and helping prep and direct teammates. It’s serving as an extra set of eyes, and many times, being the mediator of information between your coaches and teammates.

2. “So you’re taking the year off?”

Excuse me, no. This “year off” has been the busiest of my athletic career. Medical redshirts attend every practice, every weights session and, on their

MAE Admissions Update Congratulations to the students who were accepted for admission into the Master of Arts in Education program in the spring of 2016!

Elementary Education: Danielle Beers, Jessica Chandler, Eryn Crawford, Caroline Decker, Amanda Dunn, Samantha Gienke, Shannon Giles, Katie Johnston, Mackenzie Neeley, Leanne Petersen, Jessica Schlesser English: Katie Bailey, Madeline Barrow, Christina Belt, Taylor Bequette, Lyndsie Burns, Kyle Burre, Sarah Chabot, Anna DeMoor, Kevin Hart, Olivia Hobbs, Erin Hutchison, Camille Krekel, Katie Lucarz, Sujash Purna, Sarah Slane, Arielle Sutton, Sarah Wappelhorst Exercise Science: Evan Cerven, Katherine Gassensmith, Nicholas Reichert French: Jennifer Krug, Lauren Schultz, Emily Thompson Mathematics: Taylor Elgin, Joseph Milliano Mathemathics & Physics: Matthew Evers Music: Alexandra Angle, Melissa Camp, Darby Dachroeden, Carter Datz, Beth Keene, Christina Scocchera, Joshua Warren, Gabriel Warren Physical Education: Raymond Hilger Science: Ashley Bredlow, Lauren Dierkes Social Science: Derrick Stone Special Education: Anna Bloom, Elizabeth Rehfeldt

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own time, complete an hour or more of rehab each day. Yes, it’s a year bound by physical restraints, but when all you can do is watch, you really start to pay attention. You notice the details, and you study the game in a way you never have to keep your mind right. You watch film, you imagine yourself going through game situations and you might even watch old tapes of yourself just so you can remember that you once were, and still are, a pretty decent college athlete.

3. “I’m sorry.”

You’re sorry? For what? I know it might be the courteous thing to say to someone who is in a less than ideal situation, but I don’t feel sorry for myself and neither should you. Injuries are a part of sports. The medical redshirt is a small obstacle, but a large opportunity to get better.

I’d be lying if I said redshirting wasn’t a weird experience.

A “gap year” in sports definitely falls out of most athletes’ comfort zones. But no matter how rusty you feel, once a competitor, always a competitor — and let’s be honest, the comeback is going to be a whole lot of fun.

SPORTS

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@trumanathletics

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2017

tmn.truman.edu

Women finish second, men fourth at GLVC Championships

BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer

After a four-day meet, the Truman State University men’s and women’s swimming teams finished the GLVC Championships in fourth place and second place, respectively. The women put up 790.5 points to finish behind an 894-point Drury University team, and the men, who placed fifth last season, scored 392 points to improve their final conference standing for the second consecutive season.

The women’s team landed a pair of one-two finishes in the 100 free and 200 back — senior Alison Strickler and junior Nicki Sisson grabbed the top two spots in the 100, and sophomore Emma Barnett and senior Hannah Nicks in the 200.

On the men’s side, the team broke three school records — sophomore Sam Heveroh in the 100 free, junior Will

Shanel in the 200 back, and a team of Heveroh, sophomore Austin Baker, freshman Lliot Gieseke and senior Neil Girmus in the 400 free.

Head coach Ed Pretre said though the women placed second to an “exceptionally talented Drury team,” they still swam faster than in the previous year when they were crowned conference champions. Pretre said he was very impressed to see the women’s team compete as closely as it did with Drury.

Pretre said one main goal for both teams was to bring as many athletes as possible to a position where they could go to Nationals, and he said he was glad to see so many Bulldogs qualify. With one more meet before Nationals, Pretre said the athletes have one last chance to qualify for the national meet.

“This weekend, we’re going to see if we can squeeze in a few more swimmers,” Pretre said. “But after how

Photo submitted by Kurt Rahe Redshirt junior Will Shanel comes up for a breath in the 400 individual medley. Shanel earned the title of conference champion in this event, winning the race by nearly five seconds.

Photo submitted by Kurt Rahe Junior Dustin Smith competes in the men’s 1000 freestyle on opening day of the 2017 GLVC swimming and diving championships. After four days of competition, the Bulldog men finished fourth. grueling the championships were, we’re going to back off and rest up this week. At the championships, we could’ve used a bit of rest, but that’s what you get at a four-day meet. The muscles get fatigued, so they’re going to go nice and light this week.

Rest is important, and I think a lot of athletes will benefit from doing one race instead of twelve.”

On the men’s side in the championships, Pretre said the men faced a great deal of adversity because of the GLVC’s ranking as the fastest Div. II conference in the country. Truman is the only college in the conference that does not give athletic scholarships to male swimmers. He said the lack of scholarship is one of the many ways the athletes sacrifice to help their team out, and he said he was glad to see all their work come together at the meet.

Sophomore Ben Sherman said the team did not come into the tournament with over-anxious goals of a high placing in the tournament — rather, it was about setting personal records and seasonal records and being there to support one another. Sherman was one of two Truman athletes nominated at the meet for the James R. Spalding Sportsmanship award, along with junior Grace Fodor. Sherman said he was humbled by the nomination, and he said if he deserved it, Fodor deserved it just as much, if not more.

“I won the sportsmanship award for my high school a couple years back,” Sherman said. “That made getting it feel kind of odd, but also really validating … being on a team is something I really value. I really enjoy having a group of guys and girls that I can go out and support, and who will support me back.”

Sophomore Emma Barnett said the women made a good showing for Truman Athletics, placing second behind an incredibly strong Drury team. Barnett said a lot of the Bulldogs posted personal best times, which can mean a lot to a swimmer. She said in addition to any awards, the swimmers were there to have fun and show how their technique and training has improved. Moving into Nationals, Barnett said the main focus in preparation is going to be getting as many people placing as possible.

“The William Jewell meet is a last chance sort of thing for people trying to make Nationals,” Barnett said. “We still need to taper a bit before we start really working for the meet. This year, we’ve all been lifting harder, improving technique and other more basic things, so I think we’re going to be ready for it.”

See SWIM, page 9

Wrestling goes 0-3 at Lombardi Duals

BY BROOKE BAILEY Staff Writer

The Truman State University wrestling team competed among some of the toughest competition in the nation with three nationally ranked opponents last weekend at the Lombardi Duals in St. Louis.

The Bulldogs took on No. 4 Maryville University, No. 18 University of Indianapolis and No. 6 McKendree University.

The ‘Dogs got off to a rough start with a 45-0 shoutout loss against Maryville and were overpowered from there on out, taking three losses.

Head Coach David Schutter said the ‘Dogs did as well as they could have and ended the weekend with a takeaway of some great experience after seeing

some of the best wrestlers and programs in the nation. This was Truman’s first time competing in this annual meet.

The wrestlers are taking the next weekend off in preparation for the upcoming NCAA regional at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Redshirt senior J.J. Dorrell said this week has been restful with a more laid back environment to recover and gear up for Minnesota State.

“Next week we will start getting more serious leading up to Friday, which is the first day of regionals,” Dorrell said. “Our plan is to peak at the right time and get some guys through to Nationals.”

The NCAA Div. II National Wrestling Championships will take place March 10 and 11 in Birmingham, Alabama.

Photo submitted by Sonam Wagnal/ Truman Athletics Sophomore Sam Reeves gets an opponent to the mat during Truman’s home match against Graceland University last week. The Bulldogs picked up a 21-14 victory over the Sting in Pershing Arena, closing out their home schedule for the 2016-2017 season.

Alison Strickler The GLVC Swimming and Diving Championships ended last Saturday, leaving many Truman athletes deserving of attention. Among them was senior Alison Strickler, who finished among the top in multiple heats and was part of the group that set a new 200-medley record. Strickler also finished first in the 100 free during the last day of competition and earned several NCAA B-cut marks throughout the Championships.

VOLUME 108

ISSUE 16

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