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Index Editorial Board hopes for positive changes inspired by events at Mizzou see page 4
Native American Heritage Month panel discusses stereotypes
Women’s soccer is the 2015 GLVC conference champions
see page 7
see page 11
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015
EXCELLENCE SINCE 1909
THE UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT-PRODUCED NEWSPAPER
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Paino issues a response to Mizzou events By Taylor Lay TMN Reporter
And By Bethany Boyle Editor in Chief
MAC hosts vigil Lindell Sconce/ TMN
By Emily Merkle TMN Reporter
Nearly 70 students, faculty and community members marched through campus as part of the Black Lives Matter vigil Nov. 5. Sophomore Darell Hawley planned and organized the event, with support from the Multicultural Affairs Center. Hawley said she was inspired after attending the Million Man March in the District of Columbia. She said she enjoyed the sense of unification, and she wanted to see this kind of unity on campus in a peaceful, respectful way. “When we see [police brutality] so much, we become numb to it and I don’t want that to happen,” Hawley said. Hawley said she created the vigil to foster empathy for families who have lost loved ones to police brutality.
“I just kind of mapped out places that would be seen,” Hawley said. “We started at the MAC and then walked towards Ryle, and down dorm row, and then through The Quad and around the library.” Hawley said flags were placed around campus to represent the 28 unarmed black men and women killed by police during 2015. She said at each flag, she read off a name and in some cases, she shared victims’ backstories and names of the family members left behind. Hawley said she witnessed several different reactions to the vigil. She said many people were excited, but some were displeased. Despite those negative responses, Hawley said she felt the sense of unity she wanted. “I would like to keep the energy going,” Hawley said.
Hawley said she currently has no plans for future events, but she said she would like to see more events to foster unity. Carol Bennett, assistant dean of the MAC, said she helped Hawley with planning when help was needed. “We understand that not all police officers are bad,” Bennett said. “We’re focusing on the ones that use abusive force when it is not necessary.” Bennett said the vigil was not intended to be anti-police. She said the vigil used flags, candles and stories as a way to honor the dead individuals. She said the flags are still around campus. Bennett said she understood from day one that many students constantly have been reminded Truman State is a liberal arts college and critical thinking is important. See VIGIL page 3
Senate passes Indigenous People’s Day By Taylor Lay TMN Reporter
Truman State’s Student Senate passed an Indigenous People’s Day resolution nearly three weeks after the first resolution failed because of wording issues. The first resolution failed to pass Student Senate Oct. 4 with a split nine to nine vote. and Senators brought up concerns about the wording of the resolution. Junior Christy Crouse, diversity committee chair, said the original resolution proposed celebrating Indigenous People’s Day as Columbus Day. She said many were concerned about replacing Columbus Day because they think Christopher Columbus is an important figure of American history. Crouse said she contacted junior Jake Buxton, external affairs committee vice chair, who initially spoke up in opposition, and together they negotiated, changed a few words and agreed on a new wording
that worked for both of them. She said the new resolution states Student Senate will recognize Indigenous People’s Day on Columbus Day, instead of replacing Columbus Day. Crouse said she presented the changed resolution as a new resolution and when discussion was open, the individual who opposed the first resolution moved to stop discussion and vote to pass the revised resolution, which passed unanimously. Crouse said she received a lot of feedback from individuals on campus when the first resolution did not pass. She said one group asked to start a petition with signatures in support of the initiative. Crouse said faculty volunteered to speak at the Senate meeting and write a letter asking for support. “That’s the reason I kept with the issue,” Crouse said. “When people heard it didn’t pass, they reached out to me about starting an initiative to gain
Andy Grammer reschedules By Eugene Kolb
Early last month, the Student Activities Board cancelled the fall concert and refunded ticket purchases. SAB was unable to reschedule the Andy Grammer concert this semester because of the limited time frame and availability of event venues but Grammer will be performing on campus Feb. 20. Details about tickets sales, time and venue will follow at a later date. Grammer was unable to perform as originally scheduled because of his participation in, “Dancing with the Stars,” according to SAB’s Facebook post. The pop rock artist expressed his disappointment about the turn of events in an apologetic video he shared via social media.
Although the contract the performer signed was flexible on cancellations because of his involvement in “Dancing with the Stars,” the news came as a surprise to Grammer as well as students, as Grammer said in his video he did not expect to do well on the show. Junior Joseph Smith, the SAB Concerts Committee chair, said it’s not often that a performance is canceled. “One of our advisors who has been around for 25 years said that this is probably the fourth time that [the cancellation of a concert] has happened,” Smith said. Smith remains optimistic about SAB’s other planned events and said SAB is already looking to the future. “We’re looking into more acts next
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signatures. It did have a huge effect [at the meeting]. Each time I introduced or talked about it, I talked about the vast support from campus.” Buxton said he originally voiced concern with the wording of the former resolution during discussion. Buxton said he had a few issues with celebrating Indigenous People’s Day as Columbus Day. He said Columbus Day is a national holiday, and he didn’t think Student Senate had jurisdiction to decide to replace it. Buxton also said blotting out certain parts of our history is something to be cautious about. He said he thought deciding whether or not Columbus Day should be a holiday was not an issue Senate should be addressing. “The issue came down to why are we replacing it,” Buxton said. “Now we’re not overstepping anything by wanting to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on Columbus Day.”
After University of Missouri President Tim Wolfe resigned earlier this week, University President Troy Paino sent a University-wide email announcing he is opening up the conversation about discrimination on Truman State’s campus. Paino spoke with the Truman Media Network Tuesday about his current thoughts on the situation in Columbia, and any intentions and future plans for the University. When speaking of the recent events at the University of Missouri, Paino said he wanted to emphasize it is a very complex situation. He said following the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, he thinks many individuals on and off college campuses have become activists seeking to make a difference and fight the injustices they perceive taking place around them. Paino said he thinks it is possible leaders across the country have not responded quickly enough, as the movements have grown in strength and numbers, to effect change on college campuses. Paino said he thinks Mizzou’s students might have perceived Wolfe as being detached and “aloof” from the issue of discrimination on Mizzou’s campus, and regardless of how invested or engaged the former Mizzou president might have been, he thinks that was not adequately communicated to the student body. Paino said in his opinion, Wolfe could have taken steps to engage and listen to students when they originally reported the discriminatory actions at Mizzou. “In some ways, Wolfe became a symbol for the frustration of the students,” Paino said. “When you become a symbol, the narrative is formed and it becomes harder to control. It unfortunately became a matter out of his control.” Paino said from what he has observed, the situation at Mizzou became a very emotional atmosphere for the victims and the protestors arguing their case. Paino said in many ways this stems from the fact that Americans still are dealing with the issues of race discrimination combatted by the Civil Rights Movement. Even today, Paino said he thinks we struggle to talk about these issues in American society. Responding to comments regarding his leadership style and response to protests or controversy, Paino said his approach is to engage with the parties involved. He said, placed in a similar situation, he thinks he would listen and treat the situation seriously. Paino said he thinks he would ask questions, attempt to understand the demands of the protesters and attempt to form a “middle ground” through open dialogue. “Whenever students want to express their views, I think the important thing is to make sure they have a voice,” Paino said. “If you show them enough respect to listen to them, they usually reciprocate in some profound way to work out a solution.” See PAINO, page 6
Eugene Kolb/ TMN Musician Andy Grammer canceled his fall concert appearance because of scheduling conflicts. Grammer’s concert has been rescheduled for Feb. 20. semester but nothing is set in stone yet,” Smith said. “We’re still working
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on next semester and we’re getting everything ready.” @trumanindex
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