The Index Vol. 111 Issue 8

Plaza finished in time for Homecoming

CMDS grad program shows consistent success, page 3 Local legends: three haunting stories, page 7 Bulldogs stick to their winning ways, page 13

page 2

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

tmn.truman.edu

@TrumanMediaNet

TrumanMediaNetwork

KIRKSVILLE COMMUNITY ALERTED OF MORE CRIME RACHEL BECKER News, Photo Editor

Students, faculty and staff were alerted of a motor theft, home invasion and an attempted robbery behind Blanton-NasonBrewer Hall. For the 20 minute armed police standoff at the 300 block of West Patterson Street, however, students did not receive an emergency alert and campus was not locked down.

The Kirksville Police Department responded to a report of an occupied vehicle that had been shot at with a firearm at the 1200 block of South Baird Street. Earlier last week, The Truman State University community was notified about the theft of a motor vehicle from the Campbell Apartments parking lot, which was later located in Iowa. The next day, the Truman community was sent another crime report email about a home invasion on East Scott Street. The following Sunday, a police

standoff occurred on West Patterson Street between Kirksville police and the suspect from the Oct. 23 shooting. On Oct. 29, an email was sent out about the attempted robbery at BNB. Director of Public Safety Sara Seifert said in an email statement to The Index that emergency notifications like TruAlert have a wide focus on any significant emergency or dangerous situation, and the decision to issue a TruAlert is made on a case-by-case basis after consideration of all the available facts at the time of the incident.

“TruAlerts are generally issued in response to an impending natural disaster or in response to reported crimes that are actively occurring on campus,” Seifert said. “Some incidents that would be considered for TruAlerts would be [an] active shooter, tornados, chemical spills, criminal homicide, armed robbery and arson. All decisions are made in com-

pliance with the Clery Act and provide members of the community with the necessary information to make decisions regarding their own safety and the security of their property.”

Seifert said if there is not a threat to the campus community, then no alert will be issued. For example, if an arrest is made and there is no ongoing threat to the campus, no alerts will be sent out. If an event occurs off campus and involves neighboring law enforcement agencies where there is no immediate or ongoing threat to the University, no TruAlert would be sent out.

“I don’t want the crime alerts that are sent out by the Truman State University Police Department to be mistaken for an emergency notification either,” Seifert said. “Crime alerts, timely warnings, have a very narrow scope and focus on only Clery Act crimes.”

See CRIME page 3

Students, faculty and staff were alerted of a motor theft, home invasion and an attempted robbery behind Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall.

Submitted photo

Low enrollment impacts Truman’s campus BRITTANY CONLEY AND RYAN PIVONEY Staff Writer, Editor-in-Chief

The Admissions Office is working on a new recruiting process after Truman’s enrollment numbers have been affecting academic departments and school organizations.

Tara Hart, director of admission, said the admission team is partnering with high school teachers and counselors to give presentations about the admission process by explaining the process step by step to make it easier.

“We have expanded the collection of names for our alumni who are educators with a TruSpirit program,” Hart said. “We provide Truman swag to our educators, with future plans to keep them in the loop regarding what is happening at Truman — specifically for prospective students.”

Hart said Truman has a new Home for the Holidays program where current students can talk about Truman at their old high schools.

“They are evaluating processes of our recruitment visits, events and communication, and marketing pieces to continue to appeal to the Generation Z student culture,” Hart said. “We evaluate how we can continue to enhance the personalized foundation we have. One example includes a telecounseling program with student callers. Prospective students want to hear from current students and this provides another touchpoint for prospective students to Truman.”

Hart said they are also taking out the words “highly selective” from their talking points in order for potential students to feel like they can apply.

This became an issue of concern at the most recent Board of Governors meeting Oct. 18. Gov. K. Brooks Miller Jr. questioned what Truman’s identity or public perception will be if the University no longer used the term highly selective. He said Truman is known for providing opportunities to gain experience and move away from blue collar careers.

“We don’t really want to lose that,” Gov. Miller said. “That makes us compete with absolutely everybody. So, if we’re not that, what are we that separates us from everybody else and how are we marketing that?”

University President Sue Thomas said Truman’s identity as a strong, educationfocused university will remain, but how that is marketed to prospective students is what is changing.

Tyana Lange, vice president of enrollment management and marketing, said the shift away from “highly selective” is meant to dispel any fear students might have preventing them from applying. She said some students are choosing to not apply to the University based on Truman’s reputation as a rigorous school.

The Admissions Office is also focusing

VOLUME 111 ISSUE 8 © 2019

Truman State University’s decline in enrollment has impacted academic departments, forcing some to make internal changes and create new marketing strategies. Submitted photo on the excellence of a Truman liberal arts education and then following it up by explaining its value.

Lange said the admission team is flipping the value and excellence proposition. Most students are interested because of the value and cost of Truman, Lange said, but students stay because of the experience and excellence the University has to offer. The recruitment team is going to first talk about the excellence of Truman and then about its value to prospective students.

Lange also said the University will embrace its small town character and rural location in future admission efforts.

“We are done apologizing for Kirksville,” Lange said. “I see Kirksville as an incredible place with a terrific relationship between the town and University. There is enough to keep students engaged, plus it is safe with tons of convenient options close to campus.”

Low head count impacts certain departments GABBY TWEHUS Contributing Writer

Truman State University’s decline in enrollment has impacted academic departments, forcing some to make internal changes and create new marketing strategies.

The lower number of incoming freshman for the 2019-20 academic year has created a more challenging prediction for enrollment in courses and caused the University and academic departments to find new ways to promote themselves. Tyana Lange, vice president for enrollment management and marketing, said Truman has seen a steady decline in enrollment for the

Number of First-Time Freshmen

2016 2017 2018 2019

1,263 1,328 1,100 898

past few years. In 2017, the number of incoming freshmen was 1,328, which has been the highest amount in recent years.

This year that number was 898. The goal for the 2020-21 academic year is 1,075.

Lange said applications are trending with where they were three years ago, but people should not expect the same amount of incoming freshmen as before.

“I’m optimistic about the future but don’t want to set an expectation that we’re going to blink and it be back to the way it used to be,” Lange said.

Janet Gooch, vice president for academic affairs and provost, said the departments that provide courses fulfilling the Liberal Studies Program are the ones that have had the most trouble predicting course numbers.

She said despite the lower number of students, there are still programs, such as nursing, that have not been affected.

The number of applicants to that program are greater than what the department can accommodate for.

Mary Shapiro, English and linguistics department chair and professor of linguistics, said the amount of class sections the English and linguistics department offered this year was reduced because of lower enrollment. This mainly impacted the LSP classes the department provides, such as Writing as Critical Thinking.

See DEPARTMENTS page 6

The Index

2

Before

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

After

The fountain as of fall 2018. Construction for the plaza began summer of 2019. Photo by Rachel Becker

The plaza after construction was complete. The new fountain has filtered water, LED lights and systems that reduce the amount of splashing. Photo by Daniel Degenhart

Plaza finished in time for Homecoming MATT FRANK Staff Writer

The Sandra K. Giachino Reavey Sesquicentennial Plaza construction is officially finished. A ribbon cutting ceremony took place Oct. 19, just in time for Homecoming.

The plaza renovation project was approved February of this year and construction began after the commencement ceremony of the last aca-

demic year was finished. The plans for the new plaza went through several design changes that were put together by outside architectural designers such as the Hitchcock Design Group and Truman State University’s architect Mark Schultz. An earlier design plan involved more trees in the new plaza area, but that was downscaled to allow for more space for events on the open area between Magruder Hall and the

University President Sue Thomas and others cutting the ribbon for the the new plaza area. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place Oct. 19. Photo by Daniel Degenhart

Student Union Building.

The full budget details for the plaza renovation are not yet available, but the majority of the budget came from a $1 million donation from the Reavey estate. Because of the large donation, the plaza is named after Sandra K. Giachino Reavey, Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, said. Reavey was a former member of the Truman State University Foundation Board, as well as an alumna of Truman’s School of Business.

“Several hundred thousand was raised through general fundraising,” Rector said. “There are bricks around the plaza so that people that donated could have their name on a brick or bigger piece of stone.”

The old fountain was built in the ’80s and had many issues. In addition to the fountain’s visible structure falling apart, there was no filtration, sterilization or chemical treatment to the water, Schultz said. The old fountain also did not have a direct water hookup, so the fountain

needed to be filled with a garden hose before every use.

There also was not any draining ability in the old fountain, meaning the water had to be pumped out manually.

Along with problems regarding the old fountain, there were underlying problems in the plaza that needed to be fixed, as well, Schultz said. The sanitary and storm sewers underneath the site were severely decayed, so they had to be rebuilt. There were also old foundations that were thought to be removed that were instead buried underneath the plaza.

Builders had to work around that alongside the steam tunnel and high voltage duct bank. During the summer there was also a large amount of rain that made using earthmoving equipment difficult and slowed the process down.

The weather eventually dried up and allowed for continued work to be done on the project. These issues caused a slight setback to the renovation process, however, the finished project was still able

to be completed on time.

“The concept for redoing the plaza started about 12 years ago,” Schultz said. “We did preliminary designs back in 2014 and 2015. When we received the approval to start the project, we took the concepts that we created years ago and fleshed them out.”

The new fountain has filtered and chemically treated water that goes through a sterilization unit. The fountain also has LED lights that can change colors and systems that reduce the amount of splashing outside of the fountain’s area. The project included landscape work, such as flattening out small hills and creating open, grassy spaces in the area to the south of the plaza. This is an ideal time of year for growing new grass and trees, Sam Guth, physical plant director and safety manager, said. There was work done to the patio area outside of the SUB which included raising the patio to possibly put in a door to the SUB in the future.

Crime Reports staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Ryan Pivoney Managing Editor: Elisabeth Shirk News Editor: Rachel Becker Copy Chief: Cara Quinn Design Chief: Emmett Divendal Photo Editor: Rachel Becker Designer: Jake Bertish Photographers: Caleb Bolin, Kara Mackenzie, Daniel Degenhardt, Bidan Yang, Emily Johnson, Mary Van Winkle, Patrick Bynum Copy Editors: Kayla Lewis, Luke Jacobi, Emile Hummel, Jessica Robinson, Maddie Lee, Sami Harris, Natalie Wilson, Autumn Dodd-Hinds Staff Writers: Travis Maiden, Gordon McPherson, Allison Maschhoff, Chase Potter, Brittany Conley, Erica Schamel, Matthew Frank, Alex Crawford, Erica Lindsay, Josie Wagner, Andrew Holder Adviser: Don Krause

DPS & KPD 10/22 Burglary reported at the 700 block of East Patterson St.

10/26 Theft reported at the 300 block of Pfeiffer Ave.

10/22 Verbal domestic disturbance reported at the 20 block of Hawthorne Dr.

10/26 Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia at Ophelia Parrish

10/22 Motor vehicle theft reported at the Campbell Apartments parking lot 10/23 Third degree assault reported at the 600 block of North Franklin St. 10/23 Missing person reported at the 900 block of East Harrison St. 10/23 Burglary reported at the 600 block of South First St. 10/23 Second degree assault, armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm, second degree property damage, shots fired reported at Devlin Pl. 10/24 Theft reported at the 1000 block of North Osteopathy St. 10/24 Burglary reported at the 200 block of East Jefferson St. 10/25 Theft reported at the 800 block of Meadow Ln. 10/25 Stalking reported at Truman State University campus 10/25 Patronizing prostitution reported at Truman State University campus 10/25 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 1800 block of North Osteopathy St.

10/26 Shoplifting reported at the 100 block of West Potter Ave. 10/26 Burglary reported at the 130 block of North Mulanix St. 10/27 Physical domestic disturbance reported at Elson St. 10/27 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 500 block of North Mulanix St. 10/28 Motor vehicle theft reported at the 500 block of West Missouri St. 10/28 Theft reported at the 100 block of Woodwind Ct. 10/28 Theft reported at the 1600 block of South Boundary St. 10/28 Theft reported at the 1200 block of West Hildreth St. 10/28 Theft reported at the 400 block of Dodson St. 10/28 Shoplifter reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St. 10/28 Theft reported at the 2500 block of South First St. 10/28 Minor in possession of intoxicants reported at West Campus Suites

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

The Index

3

Communication disorders graduate program shows consistent success

tinguished by their exam scores, but also by their ability to combine classroom studies with hands-on clinical studies.

Located on the ground floor in the Truman State University is home to seven individual graduate degree pro- Health Sciences Building, the communicagrams. While all of these programs are tion disorders department services a yearhighly esteemed, the communication dis- round Speech and Hearing Clinic. The orders department has found consistent clinic meets the needs of members from success in preparing students for post- the university and community. Their sergraduate employment. Not only do CMDS vices are not limited to who can pay, as it students have a 100% employment rate is fully supported by Truman State. This upon completion of the program, but the allows the clinic to serve more than 1,000 department also has a three year average people a year. Services are offered for chilof 98% of students employed in the pro- dren and adults who have speech or language problems, difficulty with voice or fession as speech-language pathologists.

Much of this success is accredited to the fluency, and hearing loss.

Melissa Passe, director of clinical edusmall class sizes, retention of instructors and the on-site clinic where students get cation at the Speech and Hearing Clinic, the opportunity to help clients from the explained that the low turnover rate in community. All of these factors prepare CMDS staff and the close-knit environstudents to take their necessary examina- ment of the clinic sets this graduate program apart from others in the state. tions prior to employment.

“Everyone who teaches in our proAccording to Truman’s graduate studies communication disorders website, gram supervises in our clinic,” Passe said.

Truman CMDS graduate students are re- “When you get that kind of team together, quired to take the national Praxis exam, it tends to make us more like a family. At which covers speech-language pathology. most other universities there is usually an For the past three consecutive academic academic and clinical split.”

The clinic does not rely on any revyears, Truman students have had a 100% pass rate. These students are not only dis- enue to pay its staff, because Truman’s academic staff is its clinical staff.

This allows students to apply their knowledge from the classroom in focused situations with real-life clients.

Along with the hands-on clinic, students working towards a graduate deKatie Krull, a recently accepted CMDS graduate student, as- gree through sisting a young boy at a pop-up clinic in Puerto Vallarta, Mex- the master’s ico, during a Truman State University CMDS study abroad program will trip. Submitted photo complete an RITA HANCH Contributing Writer

internship program that allows them to explore the profession through further on-site work. Students spend time working at both medical and childcare institutions.

The 16-week graduate internship program prepares students with clinical experience and connects them to future employers. Passe reaches out to each institution where her graduate students complete their internship, thanking them and asking for feedback.

“Employers tell us that they really appreciate the preparation our program has given our students and love to extend job offers to the students when they are needed,” Passe said.

Amy Teten, communication disorders department chair and assistant professor of communication disorders, said the evaluation piece to the graduate program, known as a clinical process commentary, also sets Truman’s program apart from the other nine CMDS graduate programs in Missouri. Through this process, students present a case study after helping with a real-life client in their first semester and return to a four-professor council their last semester, which evaluates previous goals they set.

“Rather than a big comprehensive essay exam, this process goes throughout a student’s whole graduate program,” Teten said. “It helps us remember that none of us are ever done. We’re all still growing.”

Julia Edgar, Graduate Council chair for the past five years and associate professor of communication disorders, said she works closely with the heads of other graduate programs to strengthen and maintain the health of all graduate programs at Truman. She said she thinks the graduate school experience at Truman is special.

“The level of advising that’s given and interaction with the students and supervision during their internship shows that there is a higher caliber of faculty at our University,” Edgar said.

Passe explained that upon completion of the two year program, students are exposed to clients of all ages at both medical and school locations. This multifaceted experience embodies the liberal arts curriculum that Truman State prides itself on.

“We want to make sure our students meet the knowledge and skills for our entire scope of practice,” Passe said.

CRIME| Several felonies reported in one week

Continued from page 1 These alerts are triggered by crimes that have already occurred but represent an ongoing threat to the University campus. Emergency notifications, TruAlerts, have a wide focus and are triggered by an event that is currently occurring on or imminently threatening the campus.”

Kirksville Police Department Lieutenant Mark Wellman said, ”[These] are different crimes than what we experience, but they are the types of crimes that the [Kirksville] Police Department occasionally expects to investigate.”

He also said the increase in emails from KPD could be related to a change in administration.

“We have not seen any increase on crimes on campus,” Seifert said. “Our calls for service have increased, but the types of crimes we generally respond to, which are thefts and vandalism, have remained the same.”

Motor theft Director of Public Safety Sara Seifert sent an email to students, faculty and staff the morning of Thursday, Oct. 24 alerting them of a theft of a motor vehicle from the Campbell Apartments parking lot.

A 2009 Red Pontiac G5, with Missouri License plate EA1R7F, was stolen from the parking lot sometime between Oct. 20 at 9:30 a.m. and Oct. 22 at 6:15 p.m. The car has a red Truman State University parking sticker with the number 617.

“Motor vehicle thefts are not common at Truman, however, they do happen from time to time,” Seifert wrote in an email statement to The Index. “This is only the third motor vehicle Truman

has had stolen from campus in the seven years I have been here.”

On Friday, Oct. 25, the vehicle was located in Fairfield, Iowa, 87 miles away. DPS is continuing to investigate this incident.

Wednesday shooting, standoff On Wednesday, Oct. 23, The Kirksville Police Department responded to a report of an occupied vehicle that had been shot at with a firearm at the 1200 block of South Baird Street.

Police have identified a suspect in the shooting as Douglas Garrett of Novelty, Missouri. Warrants have been issued for Garrett for unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm and attempted assault in the 2nd degree. A statement from one of Garrett’s crime reports described him as armed and dangerous.

Witnesses reported a white male approached the victim’s car and fired one shot to the exterior of the vehicle.

No injuries were reported in the initial report.

During the investigation, police believed there was a possible third person present at the incident who was sitting in the victim’s vehicle. Police believe this individual was struck by the fired shot and sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

Police have attempted to make contact with the third person, but have not been able to locate them potentially because of active warrants for their arrest.

The Truman State University Department of Public Safety made a post to its social media accounts on the night of Oct. 27 stating there was no threat to campus after Garrett was arrested near the University.

The social media post states that the Kirksville Police Department made a felony traffic stop on a street near campus that resulted in an armed suspect being arrested. The post concluded by restating there was no current safety threat to campus.

According to a statement from the Kirksville Police Department released the following morning, KPD officers conducted a traffic stop at the 300 block of West Patterson Street around 9:40 p.m. The officers observed Douglas Garrett of Hurdland, Missouri, in a vehicle with a handgun. Garrett began negotiating his surrender, and after about 20 minutes of negotiation, officers took him into custody.

Garrett was arrested by Kirksville police for hindering prosecution and having warrants for unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Home invasion On Saturday, Oct. 26 at around 9 p.m., six males entered a residence at 407 East Scott Street demanding money. The suspects were reported to have been wearing ski masks and at least one had a compact handgun. They assaulted a resident, stole money and fled the scene.

At 11 p.m. that night, the Truman State University Department of Public Safety sent out an email to students to alert them of the burglary, warning them to be aware of their surroundings and to never resist giving up property when threatened by an individual with a weapon.

Mecca Owens was the only individual arrested from the scene, and he was charged with first degree robbery,

first degree burglary, armed criminal action, carrying a prohibited weapon and resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing.

Kirksville Police Department Lieutenant Mark Wellman said he would not be able to comment on this incident because it had moved to a prosecutor.

Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall alert Sara Seifert, Truman State University Department of Public Safety director, sent an email to Truman State University students, faculty and staff at 8:28 p.m. Tuesday night stating that police responded to an attempted robbery in the Blanton-Nason-Brewer Hall parking lot at 6:30 p.m.

A delivery driver parked in the lot was delivering food to students in BNB and returned to his vehicle to find a male going through it. He confronted the suspect and an altercation took place. The suspect was reported to have a knife.

The suspect fled the scene on foot toward Ryle Hall. The victim received minor injuries.

The victim described the suspect as a middle-aged white male, approximately 5’10, skinny build, with short dark hair and a short beard. He was wearing jeans, a dark coat and was carrying a backpack.

The incident is currently under investigation by DPS as of Tuesday night.

Anyone with information on this case is urged to contact Truman State University police at (660) 665-5621.

The email also advised students and staff to be aware of their surroundings at all times and to never resist giving up their property when confronted by an individual with a weapon.

4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Consider this liminal space in life

Take care of the new plaza and fountain area

KAYLA LEWIS Copy Editor

Last week’s Homecoming was marked with the completion of the Sandra K. Giachino Reavey Sesquicentennial Plaza. The ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 19 was a joyous celebration of all the efforts that went into finishing the large project.

We, The Index Editorial Board, are happy to see the new plaza and fountain up and running and open for everyone to enjoy. The area is much more visually appealing and the grassy area will likely be a useful place for people to congregate.

The new plaza and fountain are a wonderful addition to the campus and demonstrate a sense of care for the campus grounds and the people who live, work and study on them, however, we have a few concerns about the safety of the area.

With cold weather, snow and ice coming, and the bricks historically being a problem in such weather, we, The Index Editorial Board, wonder if they will continue to be a problem for people frequently walking across the plaza. We hope that the University will be diligent during and after winter weather to ensure that the bricks are safe for people to walk on, especially in the area of the plaza with a sloped incline.

Another safety issue we are concerned about is the maintenance of the bricks over time. Right now the brick surface is flat and secured but, as we have seen throughout campus, over time the bricks wear down and become disjointed. When this happens, the bricks become tripping hazards, eyesores and a general annoyance. We would like to see the University be proactive in maintaining and fixing the bricks over time.

The new fountain and plaza are a great addition to the campus and we hope they will stay beautiful and safe for people to enjoy for many years to come.

Stu Gov

Buzz

When you are a teenager, finding the one place you fit in is hard enough. Countless movies and TV shows have highlighted teen angst so well that it borders on cliché. Coming into college, I really didn’t expect that this would carry over into what was supposed to be the next phase of my life. I could look back at 16-year-old Kayla and see that she really wasn’t grown up or anywhere near an actual adult yet. The scene of Ariel screaming at her dad in “The Little Mermaid” really comes to mind. But now, being 23 and a senior in college, I can also see I’m still not quite at the place that I would like to be. It was always hard to explain it until Adam Davis, professor of English, started talking about liminal space in my folklore class this semester.

“Liminal space is neither and nor.” Davis said. “It’s like a threshold of a doorway in between two different things.”

It was like a lightbulb went off in my mind and I realized that people in this room and on this campus, even on college campuses everywhere are in this shared liminal space with me. We are all simultaneously grown and not, adult and child. Now I know that some generalizations have to be made here, but we all understand this concept to some extent. I realized that even though I have 23 years of experience at being a human on this planet, I am still not done with my transition into adulthood, and college is the main reason for that. I am stuck in the threshold Davis was talking about in class. I am neither independent nor dependent, not a child but not grown. I pay taxes.

I pay rent every month and my utilities, I go grocery shopping, cook for myself everyday and even had my cracked car windshield fixed on my own. I have my own renter’s insurance, for God’s sake. In every aspect that counts, most of us are adults. We can survive on our own. The duality to this is when those breaks in the school year come around. Every winter and summer break, most of us flee from Kirksville like our pants are on fire. The mass exodus out of town is biblical and you can just about see the dust kicked up in our wake. With these long-awaited trips home comes the return to our adolescent sides. I go back to the same bedroom I have slept in since I was 10. My dad makes dinner every night and I can’t have people over past a certain time. I am constantly living in this liminal space. Both on my own and not. Both adult and not.

I thought that my days of being the odd man out were done. No longer the awkward teenager but fully grown and independent. I guess I still have a little bit longer to be in this liminal space, but I’m glad you are all here with me.

Students should have been TruAlerted MADDIE LEE Copy Editor

When an armed man was arrested in the parking lot near Centennial Hall Oct. 27, many Truman State University residents were alerted by the sight and sound of sirens, texts from friends and word of mouth, but the TruAlert system remained silent.

The TruAlert system is used to alert students about threats to campus, extreme weather and other important news. Included in the examples of threats to campus is an active shooter situation.

Douglas Garrett from Hurdland, Missouri, was armed with a handgun and had to be talked down by police. The standoff occurred after a traffic stop by the Kirksville Police Department, and took approximately 20 minutes to de-escalate, according to KTVO, until he was arrested.

Students of Truman were alerted via Department of Public Safety social media accounts stating there was no threat to campus, despite there being an armed man near campus close to a residence hall while students could have been walking by. In addition, no crime alert was posted on the Truman police website.

There is no way to know what would have happened if a student had actually gotten hurt in this incident had something gone differently, but there are students that As all Truman State University students know, Truman provides many unique opfeel there was indeed a threat to campus. portunities to its students, and if you’re interested in speaking at graduation this may This was not the only incident that happened this weekend either. On Oct. 26, be the perfect one for you! We are currently seeking a student graduating this Dewhile many students were out enjoying their Saturday night, an armed robbery occember who is interested in giving the student commencement speech at graduation.

Students of any major with a GPA of 2.75 or higher are welcome to apply. Applications curred on Scott Street. Earlier in the weekend, a car had also been stolen from Campare due Nov. 7 at 8:30 p.m. Please email Madeline Sarasio Meyer at ms4621@truman. bell Apartments.

Students did not receive an email about the armed standoff, but safety emails were edu with any questions you may have. sent out about the armed robbery and the stolen car.

The second annual TEDxTrumanStateUniversity conference is next Sunday, After the occurrences this weekend, some students might be left wondering: what Nov. 10. The conference will be held in the SUB Georgian Rooms in the followconstitutes as a threat to student safety? Who determines whether something is a ing two sessions: threat or not? What kind of situation would it take to prompt a TruAlert?

Session 1 (1-2:45 p.m.)

If a student had been walking by the armed man or the standoff because of Lindsey Heiserman — Face Down in the Mud: You Are Your Biggest Obstacle lack of knowledge about what was occurring and they had gotten hurt, their harm Caleb DeWitt — Teaching Chemistry with Peanut Butter Sandwiches could possibly have been prevented by a TruAlert. If one thing had gone differA.L. Mueller — Doing Gender: Why Mindfulness Matters ently, if the man had decided to shoot and a bullet had gone into a window of Session 2 (3-4:45 p.m.)

Centennial Hall, or hit a student walking by, Truman students would have had a Will Storm — Practicing Relativity: Leading Communities as an Outsider very different Monday morning.

Maguire Radosevic — Why American Politicians Have Double Standards: A PerIf a TruAlert was issued, students could have made sure to stay away. They could spective From Game Theory have gone to a safe location and they might have appreciated being alerted about a Lizzie Cremer — Improving Doctor-Patient Communication dangerous incident near campus. Instead, students were frantically sending messages We hope to see you there! to each other, causing panic. Students who had been in a meeting in Violette Hall Looking into the future, a resolution was passed on the floor of Student Governsprinted back to their dorms. If a TruAlert was issued, they would know more informament in support of reframing and additional training for professors teaching online tion and might have sheltered in place. Fear and panic was caused because of a lack classes. This means that Truman is making a move to become one of the first public of knowledge about what was going on, and only being able to rely on word of mouth universities in Missouri to take this leap into more inviting and accessible online from others did not help. A trusted TruAlert from campus police might have quelled courses, while still providing the rigor and experience of lecture-style classes would. anxieties and better provided information to help students stay safe.

The man was near campus property, he was near a residence hall, and he was SUBMITTED BY: armed, and students had to find out through each other and not through the officials Maddie Meyer, they are told to trust Kirksville, and rely on for their safety.

Academic Affairs Committee Chair EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, MO

StuGov continues plan for semester

63501.

The production offices are located in Barnett Hall 1200. We can be reached by phone at 660-785-4449. The Index is a designated public EDITORIAL POLICY: forum, and content of The Index is the responsibility of The Index staff e editor-in-chief consults the staffKirksville, and adviserMO but 63501. ultimately is The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by. Th students at Truman Statewith University, responsible for all decisions.

The production offices are located in Barnett Hall 1200. We can be reached by phone at 660-785-4449. The Index is a designatedofpublic forum, and content The Indexrepresentative is the responsibility of TheofIndex staff.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

calendar SATURDAY SHOWCASE EVENT 8:45 A.M. TO 3:30 P.M. TRUMAN STATE UNIVERSITY Prospective Truman students and families are encouraged to tour campus and talk with current students and faculty.

There will also be optional presentations on Truman’s Honors Scholar, financial aid and study abroad programs.

03 NOVEMBER

03 NOVEMBER

Forensics earns multiple championships at UCM tournament Truman State University’s Forensic Union earned nine new national qualifications at the annual Missouri Mule and Dale Carnegie Swing tournament at the University of Central Missouri Oct. 19-20. Notable performances included those of senior Austin Sopko, junior Audrey Baker and senior Rebecca Walker. Junior varsity successes also included those of sophomore Michael Garrett. The team earned third in individual events sweepstakes, second in debate sweepstakes overall and second in overall combined speech and debate sweepstakes.

Emergency notification system test scheduled for Nov. 8 Truman State University is conducting a test of the emergency notification system at 10:30 a.m. Nov. 8. Students, faculty and staff who are signed up to receive Truman emergency alert text notifications will get a TruAlert text and email message letting them know it is a test. Those that have not signed up for emergency text messaging can do so through TruView. An emergency alert will also be displayed on all Truman computer systems and digital signs where the Alertus software has been installed. The campus is encouraged to review the emergency procedures at this time as a reminder of their importance. The City of Kirksville is also implementing a new mass notification system called Regroup.

Safe Zone Training open to all Safe Zone Training will be hosted by the Center for Diversity and Inclusion from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Nov. 1 and 3-5 p.m. Nov. 21 in Student Union Building Room 3000. The sessions will inform attendees about LGBTQ+ issues, specifically LGBTQ+ issues regarding students at Truman State University. Participants looking to become Safe Zone allies will learn current terminology and ways to create a welcoming campus environment. For more information, contact Brad Turnbull at bturnbull@truman.edu.

City Council in brief

Ekklesia, Truman’s non-denominational campus fellowship, is sponsoring an a cappella session with Truman alumnus John Kusmec.

The Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce is presenting their annual TGIF (The Government in Focus) State of Education Address. Local teachers will share their successes and future challenges. The event is free, and anyone is welcome to attend. Free coffee and donuts will be available before the address at 7:30 a.m.

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER

A CAPPELLA CHRISTIAN SINGING 9 P.M. SUB ALUMNI ROOM

STATE OF EDUCATION ADDRESS 8 A.M. 300 N. FRANKLIN ST.

08

02

Don’t forget to set your clocks back an hour Nov. 3 for daylight saving time!

The Center for International Students is sponsoring this annual event centered around cultural education and awareness.

Activities include a night market with international street foods, a game night and an international tea and coffee tasting session.

NOVEMBER

news in brief

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME NOV. 3 2 A.M.

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION WEEK NOV. 3-9 BALDWIN HALL

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06 NOVEMBER

BIOLOGY SEMINAR NOV. 8 12:30-1:30 P.M. MAGRUDER HALL 2001 Biology students or anyone interested in the topic are encouraged to attend a seminar titled “Research and Funding Opportunities for Undergraduates.”

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Permit approved for Airbnb On Oct. 9, the Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing over a special use permit for 813 West Friedman Street to operate as an Airbnb. The zone the property is in allows for an optional bed and breakfast with the approval of a special use permit followed by a business license. The Planning and Zoning Commission approved a recommendation for the permit, and City Council approved the permit, as well.

Approved support for a federal legal holiday for Native Americans Merle Whiteside, a farmer from Roseville, Illinois, has been working to obtain as much support as possible to establish a federal holiday recognizing Native Americans. Similar resolutions have been approved around the country. At the Oct. 7 City Council study session, the Council approved to add this resolution to the agenda.

City Council approves liquor license for Pizza Hut Pizza Hut, located at 1610 North Baltimore Street, applied for one liquor license on Oct. 9.

The license would allow the business to serve beer between 6:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and midnight on Sundays. If approved, this liquor license will be valid through July 31, 2020. A prorated fee was collected from the business for the period of Oct. 2019 through July 2020 in the amount of $62.50.

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The Index

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Organizational Activities Funds Committee reconvenes ANNA MERCER Contributing Writer

The Organization Activities Funds Committee is preparing to establish the budget for several campus groups.

The committee will deliberate through the winter and is expected to publish its report in April. Until then, feebased organizations will continue to operate on the budgets determined by the previous OAF Committee.

The OAF Committee deliberates every three years to determine where the money collected through the activities fee paid by every Truman State University student goes. This fee, currently set at $45 per semester, funds the Student Activities Board, Student Government and the Funds Allotment Council. The separate athletic fee and environmental sustainability fee are also set by the OAF Committee.

“The committee consists of a representative from the Student Activities Board, the Funds Allotment Council, Student Government, the Athletic Council, the Environmental Sustainability Council and four students at large — one of which chairs the committee — as well as some non-student members,” SAB President Adam Miesner said.

Miesner explained that the OAF Committee allots the budget for the next three years, but it is up to the individual organizations to use the money as they see fit. All organizations funded by the OAF Committee determine how to spend their budgets, which they can use to implement programming around campus. However, because the fee is paid by each student and Truman’s enrollment has been decreasing, so has the amount of money available for the organizations has decreased.

The most recent OAF Committee deliberation occurred during the 2016-17 academic year. In April 2017, the committee published a public report that outlined the increases or decreases in funding each organization received and included the total percentage of the fee that each organization received.

In addition to allocating money to the three main fee-based organizations, the OAF Committee also dictates the student athletic fee and the environmental sustainability fee. As with the student activities fee, these two fees are also tied directly to enrollment. Miesner explained that the environmental sustainability fee was introduced by the OAF Committee during its most recent deliberations, so he is interested to see whether or not the

committee decides to alter the fee based on the results of the last three years.

Student Government President Deanna Schmidt said that the student activities fee is vital in order for student-directed programming to continue. Student Government began the TEDxTrumanStateUniversity event last year with funding available because of the student activities fee, but Schmidt said more money is needed to keep up with student demand.

“We have these new projects and events that we want to do, but we need money to make them a reality,” Schmidt said. “I know audits aren’t the most exciting thing, but OAF determines what kind of things Student Government, SAB and FAC are able to offer on campus.”

Schmidt said Student Government will be seeking an overall increase to the percentage of the student activities fee it receives. Student Government has not asked for an increase in two decades, Schmidt said, but in order to maintain its current programming, they need more funding. If Student Government does not see an increase in funding, it will have to evaluate which programs it can afford to keep and which might be cut.

In order to determine what organizations will receive more money, the OAF Committee looks at a variety of factors.

2017 Breakup of $45 Student Activities Fee

Student Activities Board

$26.82

Funds Allotment Council

$9.54

Collegiate Readership

$3.65

Union and Involvement

$3.20

Student Government

$1.80

FAC Delegate Cooper Giles said OAF examines how organizations used their money in past cycles and what demands are not being met through current programming.

“Many factors go into deliberation, with attendance to an organization-sponsored event being a big factor,” Giles said.

“Ultimately, it will come down to how efficiently and effectively the organizations can use student funds.”

DEPARTMENTS| Enrollment numbers affect some academic departments and course availability Continued from page 1 Shapiro said the department keeps writing classes smaller because students typically need more one-on-one attention with these types of classes, and if too many of these sections are reduced, class sizes increase.

Overall, the number of English majors decreased, but creative writing and linguistic majors have not seen a significant difference because those declared majors are traditionally smaller, Shapiro said.

Gooch said departments across campus looked into their curriculum this year to see if they can adjust class scheduling and change certain classes from being offered every semester to every other semester, or yearly to biyearly.

Other ways departments are changing their curriculum include adding courses that are more appealing to students and updating course descriptions, Gooch said.

The University as a whole has responded to the decrease in enrollment and most understand the consequenc-

es and are doing what they can to fix it, Gooch said.

As a result of lower enrollment numbers, Truman has undergone marketing and admission changes. Lange said the Admissions Office is implementing three things to promote campus. The first strategy is flipping the idea of value and excellence. She said talking about excellence before value will create a new conversation with people.

Talking about excellence, opportunities available and describing how incredible the institution will increase the value even more, Lange said.

The second strategy the Admissions Office is executing is that they are done apologizing for Kirksville.

“Kirksville is an amazing city. We want people to know that it is an amazing city [and] that we have an amazing relationship between the University and the town,” Lange said. “While there may not be the things to do that you can do in St. Louis and Kansas City, I guarantee you that there are things you can do in Kirksville that you cannot do in

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those places, and we want to really focus and emphasize that.”

The third strategy from the Admissions Office is removing the term “highly selective” from their recruitment vocabulary. This will not change the admission standards, but they have found that there are a lot of students that would have thrived at Truman but did not apply because of the term “highly selective,” Lange said.

Truman is looking at a new branding guide that will be coming at the end of the year, and the University will be working with SME Investments, LLC. The launch date is coming up in the next couple of months, Lange said.

The English and linguistics department is marketing themselves in various ways. Some of their strategies include giving out bookmarks with all of the faculty members on them, having a social media presence on Twitter and talking to current and prospective students about completing a bachelor’s and master’s in English in five years.

Shapiro said she has a hard time understanding why people wouldn’t

want to come to Truman.

“I really feel like Truman is a special place. It’s not just that it’s smaller and you get to know your professors, although I think that is a huge part of it,” Shapiro said. “It’s sort of what you think of when you think of a college experience.”

Truman is working on adding a few courses to the Master’s of Mental Health Counseling program, which will be online. Another online program includes the Data Science Certificate.

Gooch said these will attract a whole new set of students to the University.

The biggest challenge with marketing the University is it being called and thought of as a hidden gem, Lange said. As time progresses, marketing efforts from competing universities have increased.

“My challenge now is to take these humble groups of folks who have been Truman forever and convince them that it’s okay to shout from the mountain tops how great we are,” Lange said.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

BOOlife

7

Local legends: three haunting stories The devil’s chair

The ghost in Grim Hall Elisabeth Shirk Managing Editor

Baird’s Chair, more commonly referred to as “The Devil’s Chair” sits in Highland Park Cemetery. Although there are many legends about what great or terrible things will happen to a person who sits in the chair, it was quite common in the 19th century to have chairs and benches like this in cemeteries for people to sit and mourn the loss of a loved one. Photo illustration by Caleb Bolin Elisabeth Shirk Managing Editor If you’ve ever spent a Halloween in Kirksville, then you might have heard someone talk about sitting in the famous Devil’s Chair in Highland Park Cemetery. There are many stories about what happens to someone who dares sit in the chair at night.

Adam Davis, Missouri Folklore Society member, said although the stories about the chair varied, one thing that remained consistent was that a person had to go at a particular time, either New Year’s or Halloween, and it always had to be at midnight or sunset, never the middle of the day.

The consequences of sitting on the chair, Davis said, could be something terrible if the act is seen as disrespectful. The stories range from dying within a year of sitting on the chair to immediately being pulled down into the earth by a ghost.

“Or something good would happen because you’re being bold,” Davis said. “[It’s] a really interesting variation.”

Davis, who has done extensive research on the Devil’s Chair, said it does not seem to be a gravemarker. The owner of the chair was William Baird, a former Kirksville banker, which is why the chair’s formal but less common name is the Baird Chair.

Baird, however, was not buried at the spot of the chair, nor is anyone else to Davis’ knowledge.

The chair was actually intended for cemetery visitors to sit on, Davis explained.

“It was common to go to the graveyard on nice days, especially on Memorial Day, and garden the grave and decorate it and have a picnic on the grave,” Davis said. “And that seems to us morbid, creepy, disrespectful, but it really was common.”

Although the chair was likely built with the intention of allowing people to sit, sitting on the chair has now become a taboo, Davis said, and the shift in meaning is quite interesting to folklorists such as himself.

In a 2003 Index article, Truman State University students who were living in Ezra C. Grim Hall claimed to have seen, heard and felt the presence of a ghost they believed to be a former student named Charlotte Burkhalter.

“We [tried] to talk to her,” Elizabeth Higgins, former student and Grim Hall resident, said.

“We [tried] to figure out how she died, but she won’t answer us. Touchy subject, I guess.”

Higgins said Charlotte was a nursing student who lived in Grim Hall. Many stories say she died in the building, but there is no unanimous agreement on how she died.

Adam Davis, Missouri Folklore Society member, said he has heard talk about a ghost in Grim Hall as long as he has been at Truman, a span of nearly 30 years.

Davis said the ghost is regarded as a benign, protective and comforting presence.

“That is a big division in ghost stories,” Davis explained. “There are malevolent ghosts who are unquiet and somewhere on the mischievous to dangerous scale, and then there are protective ghosts.”

With no people currently living in Grim Hall, it is unknown if any ghost is (still) roaming the hallways.

Former students and residents of Ezra C. Grim Hall claim they experienced the presence of a ghost in the residence hall. They believe the ghost is a former student named Charlotte Burkhalter. Photo by Mary Van Winkle

The dybbuk box

ous owner would talk to God through the box in an effort to understand why the Holocaust happened.

“It does have an unusual scent that doesn’t make The very day Jason Haxton, museum director at A.T. sense,” Haxton said. “It’s a real heavy, real distinct scent Still University, came into contact with this old Jewish and that’s the only thing I miss about the dybbuk box. wine box, he broke out into red welts, began coughing, Scents dissipate, but this scent keeps getting stronger and stronger in the dybbuk box and that’s odd. It kind of and bleeding from his eyes, and had distorted dreams.

Haxton bought the dybbuk box from a Truman State does it because it wants you to open it.”

As a museum director, Haxton said he knew that University student in 2004. The student bought the box from eBay, but before that it was sold at an estate sale some historical artifacts were coated in arsenic and cyabecause it could not be buried with its original owner, a nide because they are good preservatives, which would explain why Haxton became suddenly sick, however, Jewish Holocaust survivor.

Haxton said he bought the box because his friend through testing for heavy metals, Haxton found nothwanted it, but after his friend backed out he was ing but sugar water was used to preserve the box.

Haxton recalls one incident in which he was having stuck with the dybbuk box and its dark presence.

With seemingly odd things happening since it was lunch with his mother-in-law when she asked if her fampurchased, Haxton said he wanted to explore the ily was in any danger. Haxton dismissed the idea and box’s history. Haxton conducted his research from said the dybbuk box was just one an old lady used to pray to. Haxton’s mother-in-law then told him a story of 2004-11.

Haxton said the box was created as a prayer box and a ship and the Jewish people suffering on it.

“I’m thinking, that has nothing to do with my dybit contained rare granites, Hebrew writing, candlesticks, ritualistic kiddush cups, pennies, hair, roses and shiva — buk box,” Haxton said. “Then the chandelier behind the Jewish prayer of protection. Haxton claims the previ- me shattered into the table and it broke everything but the chandelier itself.

That’s when I thought, ‘Maybe I should go back to work and look up the ship and the [Jewish people] and what was going on.’”

What Haxton found was the S.S. St. Louis, a German luxury liner that transported hundreds of Jewish refugees. Those refugees, however, were denied entry into the U.S. because of the immigration and sterilization laws in place at the time.

These laws were the basis for Nazi Germany’s laws against its Jewish population during the Holocaust.

If you’re familiar with this part of history, you The dybbuk box sits to the left of its replica. After keeping the box buried might know that the main under his house for several years, Jason Haxton, museum director at A.T. proponent of those laws was Still University, donated the box to Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum in Las Kirksville native Harry H. Vegas where it now resides. Submitted photo Laughlin, a former student Ryan Pivoney Editor-in-Chief

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and faculty member at Truman.

“That would be, basically, the connection to Kirksville,” Haxton said. “The woman said — or at least the family said — that once they didn’t bury the box with her that it was kind of like a clock. It was [wound] up and it would actually run until it answered her prayer, which was, ‘What was the small thing that caused the horrendous crimes of the Holocaust?’”

Haxton’s research on the story of the dybbuk box and its connection to Kirksville culminated into a nonfiction book he authored in 2011. The book is now a best-selling book published by the Truman State University Press. The story was so popular, in fact, that it was the basis for the 2012 horror film “The Possession.”

Haxton said the movie is mostly Hollywood fiction, but he was a consultant on the film and would answer questions from the director and actors.

After encasing the box in gold and a holy wood and burying it under his house for a number of years, Haxton decided to donate the dybbuk box to Zak Bagans’ The Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, about three years ago.

“Day after day after day of people wanting access to it, people feeling that it would do something for them, and when I would say, ‘No, you can’t come see,’ and, ‘No, you can’t come touch it,’ … the bottom line is I was no longer afraid of it. I just didn’t know what to do with it,” Haxton said.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Harvest Fest cultivates campus community Erica Lindsay Staff Writer Aromas of s’mores and hot chocolate filled the air. Leaves crinkled while voices grew louder as more wandered toward the center of campus. A few steps further revealed a classic autumn scene — pumpkin carving, gathering around a campfire and togetherness.

Harvest Fest was hosted by the Student Activities Board Thursday, Oct. 17. Although the event has occurred annually at Truman State University as an autumnal observance, this year’s bash had more intentional aims.

“We’re just adding more elements to it,” SAB Committee Chair Sophia Gao said. “It used to be more of just pumpkin carving, but now we will have games, s’mores, a photo booth.”

While permitting dilemmas can often create problems, plan implementation for the event was generally straightforward, Ashley Atkinson, SAB productions contributor, said.

“Especially because they did it last year and it went pretty smoothly, it was easier to figure out the things that could have gone wrong and ways to make it better for the next year,” Atkinson said. “It gave us a pretty good idea on how to go about things this year.”

Compared to previous fall campus celebrations, such as Oktoberfest and Fall Fest, Harvest Fest was oriented around a more natural appreciation of the season’s atmosphere, both environmentally and socially. Sentiments of organic camaraderie were voiced strongly by students in attendance.

“Sometimes [other campus events] can be a little intimidating with all of the tabling,” junior Alleigh Emmendorfer said. “This is a lot more chill.

You can come with your own group

without all the pressures and do your own thing. You can enjoy fall your own way.”

SAB is working to build better inclusion on campus, Gao said, in this and other events.

“I think we mostly want students to just enjoy themselves,” Gao concluded. “Everyone is welcome.”

Above Left: The Student Activities Board brought fire pits onto The Quad for its annual Harvest Fest.

Students could gather, keep warm and roast marshmallows around the fire pits.

Above: Harvest Fest attendee Stephanie Tauser painted a pumpkin at the event. In addition to painting, students could also carve pumpkins.

Left: The photo booth was a new addition to this annual event. SAB Committee Chair Sophia Gao said SAB is working to transform student relationships and build better inclusion on campus. Photos by Erica Lindsay

“Zombieland: Double Tap” is disappointingly brain dead This movie gets 3/5 bloody guitars.

Gordon McPherson Staff Writer Director Ruben Fleischer’s “Zombieland: Double Tap” fails to recapture the wit, stakes and heart of the original film, but nevertheless proves passably entertaining.

The original 2009 “Zombieland” was among the first R-rated films I ever watched — full of endearingly idiosyncratic characters and zombie bashing action.

The original solidified itself as a top-tier zombie film, proudly standing alongside “Shaun of the Dead” as a horror-comedy with real soul.

The main characters Columbus, Tallahassee, Wichita and Little Rock — played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, respectively — were such an eclectic group of weirdos that I couldn’t wait to be reunited with them once again.

Fortunately, “Double Tap” brings back the same director and central cast as the original, with some new

Woody Harrelson and Rosario Dawson at work on the set of “Zombieland: Double Tap.” McPherson said despite the film’s flaws, such as plot holes and a lack of character development, it was still watchable and amusing.

additions joining the fray.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear Fleischer cared about their character development over the past 10 years. The scariest aspect of “Double Tap” is how these characters become parodies of themselves. Zombies be damned — the writers are out to eat their brains.

The film takes place some unspecified number of years after the first— the teenaged Breslin has obviously aged a bit — but the film never clarifies this. Oh well, time is a social construct anyways. The dysfunctional crew is living in the White House, now overgrown with foliage and resembling a fraternity house.

Columbus — with his zombie survival rules galore — has become more brave, but also more irritating. Wichita hasn’t changed much at all, and she’s still prone to impulsive, nonsensical decisions. Tallahassee is now Little Rock’s obsessive surrogate father figure. Little Rock desperately wants to become independent and find romance in the apocalypse.

Suffice to say, while 10 years is a sizeable chunk of time, “Double Tap” refuses to age with the characters. Decisions are made throughout the film which defy logic considering the circumstances, and Tallahassee has unfortunately regressed even further into his gunfestishizing toxic masculinity — just with no mention of Twinkies this time around. Hostess Brands, Inc. needs to lighten up.

These characters, especially Wichita and Little Rock, are driven more by romance than by surviving in the zombie apocalypse. Wichita has virtually no agency of her own, and neither does Little Rock. When Little Rock chooses to abandon the group to be with a music-loving hippie named Berkeley — halfheartedly played by Avan Jogia — I couldn’t help but roll my eyes.

Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson stared in “Zombieland: Double Tap,” the sequel to the 2009 “Zombieland.” The second film brought back the same director and central cast, but The Index’s movie critic Gordon McPherson said it failed to recapture the wit, stakes and heart of the original. Photos by Jessica Miglio, CTMG, Inc. The new characters — Zoey Deutch’s dumb blonde Madison, Rosario Dawson’s Elvis-obsessed cowgirl Nevada and Thomas Middleditch and Luke Wilson’s quirky dopplegangers — all fit into caricatures that never develop into anything meaningful beyond one-note gags.

In fact, Madison has more scenes than Little Rock does, implying future character development which never happens.

Sure, it sounds like I really hated “Zombieland: Double Tap,” but, truth be told, I enjoyed myself.

When the film makes callbacks to the original — including a couple outrageous mid and after-credits sequences — it succeeds in terms of comedy.

The rest of the jokes don’t fare quite as well. “Double Tap” overflows with raunchy humor that lacks intelligence and commentary, feeling dated in 2019.

Fleischer does know how to

stage insanely gory action sequences, though. Indeed, these scenes of comical carnage are always impressive and occasionally hilarious. The small child sitting in front of me at the theater sure had a blast.

A fight scene midway through the film nearly recaptures the thrill of the Pacific Playland finale from the original.

Alas, the majority of these action sequences lack stakes. Any potential for tragedy or emotional thrill is tainted by the film’s reliance on comedy above all else.

Columbus’ introductory narration describes several new breeds of zombies that aren’t put to effective use later in the film. Why were they even mentioned to begin with?

Despite its numerous flaws, however, “Zombieland: Double Tap” remains perfectly watchable and amusing. One just wishes the filmmakers had put more effort into what really matters: revisiting old friends.

The Index

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

TOP

[5]

9

3. Truman State University

CREEPY KIRKSVILLE OUTINGS

With so many places on school grounds to spike your heart rate, I might as well include them all. Ghosts are said to haunt a number of spots, ranging from the converted dormitory of Ezra C. Grim Hall to academic buildings, such as Baldwin Hall, and residential buildings, like Centennial Hall and Ryle Hall. Whether these spirits really exist, that’s up to you to decide.

By Erica Lindsay, spook enthusiast

1. Highland Park Cemetery

4. Train Bridge

The old custom of walking through graveyards at night just got a little more frightening. Kirksville has quite the variety to choose from, but the Highland Park Cemetery boasts a mysterious monument: the Devil’s Chair. This chair is nationally known for its Halloween legends. Beware the consequences if you dare to brave this popular burial ground, especially around midnight.

This destination is a common thrill for Truman students, but did you know it also witnessed several killings? Legend has it that many wanderers have been struck by locomotives over the years and that the ropes hanging from the overpass once served as execution tools. Between those attacked and run over, there are plenty of roaming shadows to seek.

2. Rainbow Basin Ski Resort

5. Town Square

Abandoned areas are always eerie, but a deserted ski destination can be downright chilling. Venture past the purple gate toward Rainbow Basin Trail and you will find dilapidated ski lifts, sheds and a two-story cottage. The site, though not suitable for winter recreation, is perfect for examining Kirksville’s elusive past — no slope experience required.

Civil War buffs, this one’s for you. The Battle of Kirksville brought both massacre and mystery to our seemingly untroubled town.

The Square specifically served as a heavy combat zone, leaving several properties potentially haunted. Many buildings were used as war hospitals and hotels, so watch out for obscurities at these surrounding structures.

Storytime with

Allison

Franny Jellyton’s engagement ring What is this? This story is a part of a series of stand-alone short stories written by The Index’s fiction writer, Allison Maschhoff. None of the fiction stories this semester are connected to one another. You can find this and other stories by Allison Maschhoff at tmn.truman.edu.

Allison Maschhoff Staff Writer “I’m fine,” Rachel said, hugging her arms across her chest. The porch bench rocked gently back and forth as she swung her feet.

“Why are you lying to me?” Danny sat on the other end of the bench, twisted toward her. “You look like you’re about to cry.”

“I’m not going to cry over you getting engaged again, Danny. I shed all the tears I had for you a long time ago.”

She thought back four years to the way she had curled under a pile of blankets and refused to move for hours. It had been days before she left the house and weeks before she smiled.

“Rachel, I don’t mean to hurt you, but —” “Now who’s lying to who?”

“Stop.”

She hugged herself tighter.

“Stop,” he repeated, halting the bench’s movement by planting both of his feet firmly on the ground.

Rachel stared at him. She wanted her eyes to throw daggers. She wanted to look angry. But she felt the blankness in her mind reflected in her eyes. She knew all he was seeing in her at that moment was numbness.

Danny halfheartedly threw up his hands in defeat.

Rachel chewed her bottom lip.

“You know why I’m here,” he said.

She nodded, got up and walked inside the house.

Upstairs in her bedroom, there was a tiny ring box covered in red velvet. Inside it was a yellow gold band with seven diamonds. One large and princess cut, framed on either side by three small, round ones. The prongs holding the middle stone were noticeably worn.

Franny Jellyton’s engagement ring. Made circa 1954. Inherited

by Danny Cooper. Once worn by Rachel White.

Soon to be worn by Jennifer Snow.

Rachel’s mother had warned her back in the days when Rachel’s smile was just returning. “He’ll be back for that ring,” she said. “He may be too sorry to ask for it now, but the time will come.” The prediction had been paired with advice that if Rachel felt it necessary to throw the ring in the river, she best do it now. If she did it now, it would be the result of a fit of heartbroken rage. Danny would be angry and hurt, but he’d be convinced there was only himself to blame. He was the one who left a precious family heirloom in the hands of his ex-fiancée. He was the one who didn’t ask for it back in the moment.

But Rachel hadn’t thrown it in the river or in a fire or any of the other places her family and friends had suggested. She had worn it until she was ready to leave her cocoon of blankets, and then she had placed it back in its box. Even the box was the original

— Danny’s mother had felt the two shouldn’t be separated.

Danny had proposed to Rachel when they were 17 and still in high school. She had worn the ring as a necklace — under her shirt so no one but her and Danny knew it was there — until their graduation. Then after graduation, once she was enrolled in the local community college and he had a steady paycheck from the local factory, they had told their parents. A wedding date had been set. No one had questioned anything. Of course, they were going to get married.

When he told her he was unfulfilled at the factory and wanted to go to college, she hadn’t thought anything of it.

“Sounds good,” she said. “Where?”

When he said he wanted to go to the other side of the country, she said, “Good thing this is my last semester.

We can go straight from our honeymoon to our new home.”

But then he said he wanted to start over. He said he thought he needed to leave all of this behind.

He made no effort to separate “all of this” from her.

He was sorry, she knew that. She also knew he was being illogical. So when he didn’t ask for the ring back, when he didn’t send anyone to collect the things of his she’d borrowed . . . she told herself it was a phase. She told herself it was part of the way they’d been together so long. She told herself that he’d realize soon

enough that she wasn’t just his childhood. She was his future, wherever that happened to be.

When the day that was supposed to be their wedding day came and went, she told herself not to mourn.

There’d be another one.

But then he went away to college in August and didn’t come back until December. And when he did come back, he brought Jenny.

Rachel walked back down to the front porch, the red velvet ring box in her pocket. Danny stood as she came out of the door.

“For what it’s worth,” he started.

To her surprise, Rachel didn’t want to hear what he had to say. Which was lucky for her, because he thought better of whatever he had started to tell her and never finished the sentence. In her heart, she told herself that he had wanted to say, “For what it’s worth, I would’ve let you keep this for the rest of your life if I didn’t have to give it to Jenny. For what it’s worth, I still know you’re the one who was supposed to wear it and pass it down.”

She’d never know how far or close she was from the truth.

But she did know that Franny Jellyton had refused to be buried with the engagement ring on her finger because she felt it should go to Rachel White.

Because she thought that even if she had to miss the wedding, at least she could say she’d known the bride-to-be.

Jennifer Snow would never have that.

Kirksville gets its curtain call Allison Barnes Contributing Writer

Local theater has found a place to thrive in Kirksville with a group called the Curtain Call Theatre Company.

After spending years travelling to different venues around town to host productions, the group began renting an old church building at 512 West Elizabeth Street three years ago. Earlier this year, the group was able to buy this building after the City Council approved its special use permit.

Curtain Call has been producing live plays and dinner theaters since 1997. “It started to be able to be a venue to bring theater to life in our community,” President Mark Willis said.

Phil McIntosh, an actor in the upcoming production of “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, said the group’s history goes back further than 1997. He said Kirksville had a traveller’s theatre company from 1974 to 1989, and Curtain Call Theatre Company is a rebirth of that group.

The theater’s season typically consists of four shows: one in spring, summer, fall and winter. Additionally, the group puts on interactive murder mystery dinner theaters, which are single-night events that are typically hosted at venues such as Take Root Cafe or the DuKum Inn. All actors in Curtain Call productions are local residents. Before each production, the Board of Directors advertises audition dates on social media and with posters around town, McIntosh said. Actors audition with excerpts from a play, and the director makes the final decision of who to cast.

“We have a pretty good track record of including fresh talent in just about every production that we do,” McIntosh said.

Melissa Thompson, a 2004 Truman State University graduate, will be portraying Emily Brent in the upcoming production. This is her first Curtain Call show, but she said she participated in theater in high school and at Truman.

“There’s just something fun in it, getting to be someone you’re not and getting outside yourself,” Thompson said.

Dan McGurk, a Truman librarian and Curtain Call actor, expressed a similar sentiment.

“I’m a reserved person in general, but I like to get on stage and let loose.”

McGurk said he sought out community theater when he moved to Kirksville. In addition to his acting roles with Curtain Call, he has served as a director, and he designs and prints the programs for each show.

Mike Cramberg said he never intended to get involved with theater, but has been involved with Curtain Call for several years and is now a cast regular. His first role was in “12 Angry Men,” when the theater was in need of more men and his wife’s friend asked if he would be interested in a part.

He said he enjoys working with Curtain Call because of all the people.

“We have a smattering of the whole community,” he said. “In this play alone, we have two lawyers, an archivist, a librarian, a minister, a scientist and a real estate agent.”

He said even though productions are a lot of work, they always come together in the end.

“Throughout the process, you think, there’s no way it’s gonna work, then the

first day comes and it comes off like magic,” Cramberg said.

In addition to full-length productions, Cramberg has also participated in several dinner theaters.

The Board of Directors chooses which plays are performed. McIntosh said they will seek out people to direct a play they have on the schedule, or people will come to the Board with a proposal to direct a certain show.

Willis said the Board tries to look for shows with name recognition and roles that actors can delve into and enjoy. Additionally, he said the theater tries to keep productions family friendly so anyone can attend.

Curtain Call receives most of its funding from performances and donations, Willis said. The group hosted fundraisers to raise enough money to purchase their building. This summer they began a sponsorship program to allow businesses and individuals to become “friends of the theater,” meaning they would provide financial support for the theater’s activities, Willis said.

McIntosh said each production requires weeks of preparation by the actors and everyone involved in the production.

“It’s a pretty intensive project, but it’s rewarding,” McIntosh said.

Depending on the show, nine to 15 people work behind the scenes to make it happen, Willis said. The sets are built and torn down for each production by the theater members and volunteers.

Willis said they are able to reuse set materials and props for many different shows.

“Over the years, we have accumulated

a great many things that we have bought and built, so now we build our stages out of, for the most part, material that we already have,” he said.

Willis said the furniture that the theater has collected all came from donations. Actors also provide props from their own homes from time to time as productions require them.

Both Willis and McIntosh said they hope for a strong future for Curtain Call.

“I think we’re at a time as a culture where there’s a lot of tension and division in our culture in general and I think community theater has the opportunity to bring people together to both encourage and inspire and just help people see that we have a whole lot more in common than we have different, and that’s a major aspiration that we have and want to continue to have,” Willis said. “I think we’ve done it with all of our shows. I think we’ll do it with this show.”

The upcoming production, “And Then There Were None,” is a murder mystery thriller from the 1930s. Agatha Christie wrote the novel and then converted it into a play in the 1940s.

McIntosh gave a synopsis of the plot. A group of people have been invited to an island by a mysterious host under different pretenses and, one by one, they begin to disappear.

“It’s up to the audience to try to put together the clues and try to figure out whodunnit and who’s next,” he said.

The show opened Oct. 24, and there were performances on the 25th and 26th. It will be performed again Nov. 1-2.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the shows begin at 7 p.m.

The Index

10

Ouestions ?

on

Benita Zossoungbo, sophomore

Allen Fortenberry, sophomore

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

the

Ouad ?

Mary Maina, senior

Question 1: What is the best Halloween candy?

“Kit Kats.”

“The best Halloween candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.”

“Kit Kats.”

Question 2: How do you plan to spend this Halloween?

“Watching comedy in my room.”

“I’ll probably spend a decent hunk of time with my friends in [Missouri] Hall.”

“I want to go to a haunted house.”

Question 3: What is something that scares you?

“People in general just scare me, you know, boo.”

“Probably heights.”

“What’s that thing that you get when you are awake but can’t move? Sleep paralysis.”

Follow us on Instagram @Ktrm_fm

The Index

11

UPCOMING EVENTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

FOOTBALL

Vs. McKendree University at noon Saturday, Nov. 2

SOCCER MEN’S

Vs. University of Missouri-St. Louis at noon Friday, Nov. 1 Vs. Lindenwood University at noon Saturday, Nov. 3

WOMEN’S

VOLLEYBALL

Vs. William Jewell College at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1 Vs. Rockhurst University at 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 2 At Quincy University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5

BASKETBALL WOMEN’S

At Illinois State University at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5

Vs. University of Missouri-St. Louis at 2:30 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 3 Vs. Lindenwood University at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 3

Students form hockey club, team on campus RYAN PIVONEY Editor-in-Chief Truman State University has established a roller hockey club and traveling team that competes against other schools.

Team captain Mark Hogan said the process started with a series of pick-up games at the Student Recreation Center a couple years ago. He said he started the chartering process to establish the club with the Union and Involvement Services when there were enough guys showing interest to form an actual team.

Mark Hogan was a driving force in creating the hockey club on campus.

The club is open to anyone to join.

Photo by Patrick Bynum

Truman had a hockey team as late as 2007, but as interest faded the sport struggled to stay on campus.

“It definitely offers a hockey program we haven’t had in a long time,” Hogan said. “It offers a nice, new opportunity, especially with St. Louis becoming such a big hockey city after the Stanley Cup win.”

Team member Matthew Redfering explained that a major motivation for forming an official club was preserving designated hockey time at the Rec Center. Redfering said he pushed the group further to join a league.

The U&I required the club to create a constitution, consistently update the roster and formally pick a faculty adviser.

Hogan said the community around this hockey club is diverse. Players range from students to faculty and staff, and even some Kirksville residents.

Political science professor Michael Rudy is one of the faculty members that occasionally joins the group to play hockey. When the group needed an adviser, they set their sights on the former college hockey athlete.

“The motivation to organize was to get more opportunity to play at better times,” Rudy said. “The U&I motivated them to organize to get better times and they never, I don’t think, would have been a competitive team that plays other schools without that.”

While he hasn’t laced up his skates yet this semester, Rudy said he is looking forward to the chance of playing with the group again.

RUNNING| Men’s, women’s finish in ninth place Continued from page 14 In the women’s division, the University of Southern Indiana won with 48 points. Southern Baptist University, which is new to the conference this year, were the runners-up, finishing with 56 points.

The Bulldogs were two points away from Drury University and ended the 6k 39 points ahead of Lindenwood University.

Junior Madeline Bostick came in 22nd, completing the course in 23:38, a personal record for her on that course.

“It feels awesome to have raced so well,” Bostick said. “I had a lot of fun in that race. It rained all day so the course was covered in water. There was ankle deep water in some areas. To be able to PR and perform the way I did given those conditions, I’m very proud of how I performed. And to be able to help out my team, that was awesome, as well.

My teammates are so supportive and motivating.”

For the men’s 8k, the University of Southern Indiana came in first with

47 points, while the University of Illinois Springfield came in second with 53 points. Junior Thomas Cormier finished 35th with a time of 26:44. Freshman Nathan Key was right behind him, finishing 37th with a time of 26:47.

“As a team, we were slightly disappointed,” Key said. “We felt we could have finished a few places higher. Everyone still gave their best effort and I’m proud of the other guys. I felt good about my performance. My goal was to get top 50 and I ended up getting 37, so I was happy. I wanted to run a personal best but conditions limited that. I still ran a solid time and I know in better conditions I could have gotten a personal best.”

In two weeks, the team will run on the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course again in Evansville for the NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional. In the meantime, Schwegler said the teams will be working on what it means to step up and be a student athlete.

With a new sport option on campus, Rudy said there is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to join a community and get some exercise, both of which are good for mental health.

Rudy said he doesn’t see his role as preserving the club, so he is interested to see how long the team will be around. As an adviser, Rudy said he signs the necessary paperwork and answers any questions the group might have about running an organization.

Redfering has been with the club since his freshman year at Truman and helped with the club’s chartering process. Redfering said anyone can join the club, they just have to put in the work and show up.

“There are a lot of Truman students who are Blues fans, especially with how this past season went for them,” Redfering said. “You can see it walking around campus on game days and stuff. That’s how a lot of the people in the club are — they’re just like, ‘We love this sport, we love to watch it, but we’ve never played.’”

Redfering, who has the most experience playing hockey on a team, said he hopes to continue with where the team is going now. Despite more people joining this year, Redfering said he wants to work on growing the club and getting more people in the mix.

The club also joined the National Collegiate Roller Hockey Association this fall, competing in its first tournament just a few weeks ago.

Hogan said the first tournament was a lot of fun and a good experience for the team. With four games in one day, Hogan

said the guys were playing well against the established teams.

“It was a lot considering we’ve only played like pick-up games beforehand,” Hogan said. “By game four it was pretty tiring. We held our own and ended up beating Illinois State [University], which has had an established team for a number of years now.”

Redfering said the team placed third in its pool of competition, which he said he was happy with. Truman was the only team to score against Lindenwood University, which Redfering said has one of the best roller hockey programs in the nation.

The season runs throughout the school year, Redfering said, so fall and spring competitions are in the same season. With it being the team’s first year as a club, it doesn’t have funding from the Funds Allotment Council yet, so traveling is more difficult.

Truman is an affiliate chapter this year, Hogan explained, which means it has the ability to play as many games as the team wants to, but it doesn’t have to complete the minimum requirement for games played. This affiliate status also allows for a trial period to ensure the team can handle fundraising and expenses — such as matching uniforms, travel costs and more.

This year, the hockey team is looking to compete in two more tournaments next semester and six or seven league games. Hogan said he hopes this expands next year to a full 10 game season and four to six tournaments.

SWIMMING| The Bulldogs are preparing for their next meet at Mizzou Continued from page 14 Junior Jack McCormick and junior John Breen got first and second in the 100-yard freestyle for the men.

They both took part in the team that won the 400-yard relay along with sophomore Michael Franz and senior Lliott Gieseke.

“The entire team has been working really hard and winning that relay showed that it was paying off for us as we’re getting toward the halfway point of the season,” McCormick said.

“Getting to help my team individually, especially against a conference rival, by winning the 100 free was an added bonus and getting to see where my time is at compared to the rest of the GLVC and Div. II is great motivation for the rest of the year.”

In under two weeks, the men’s and women’s teams will go to St. Louis to compete against Maryville University and the University of Missouri-St. Louis in the UMSL Tri-meet, one of the last meets before their midseason championship meet, the Mizzou Invitational, Nov. 20-22.

In St. Louis, Simek said the women’s team would like to stay undefeated in dual meets at UMSL. In regard to the men’s team, who lost by a small margin to UMSL at a conference, Simek said he is hoping the Bulldogs get a win this season to see where they stack up in the midseason.

At the meet, Simek said the Bulldogs will be looking to see where the team’s training is at one last time before the Mizzou Invitational.

The Index

12

VOLLEYBALL| The Bulldogs compete against William Jewell College next

SEASON STATS MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Placings

Score

29, 47, 171, 21, 245

2nd/2, 2nd/15, 6th/11, 1st/8, 9th/14

WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY Placings

Score

23, 31, 109, 15, 194

1st/2, 1st/11, 4th/11, 1st/6, 9th/14

MEN’S SOCCER Overall

Conference

5-8-2

Home

Away

Neutral

4 - 7 - 2 2- 3 - 1 3 - 5 - 1 0 - 0 - 0

WOMEN’S SOCCER Overall

Conference

8-6-1

Home

Away

Neutral

8-5-0 5-1-0 5-3-1 0-0-0

MEN’S SWIMMING Overall

Score

1-1

80, 128

WOMEN’S SWIMMING Overall

Score

2-0

179.50, 146

FOOTBALL Overall Conference Home Away Neutral

7-1

4-1

4-0 3-1

0-0

GOLF Placings

Score

1st/9, 3rd/6, 8th/16, 1st/8

640, 682, 663, 712

VOLLEYBALL Overall Conference Home Away Neutral

10 - 14

3-6

1-2 2-4

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

7-8

Opposite hitter Jocelynn Livingston tied her career best with 17 kills against Southwest Basptist University. The Bulldogs swept the game 3-0.

Photo by Kara Mackenzie

Continued from page 14 “It’s a great group of women,” Briney said. “They work hard every day in practice and they come in really taking to what we’re teaching them and really trying every day to just get better.”

Smith said the team was pretty young this year, with seven out of 17 members being freshmen, but it has been exciting to watch them learn and grow. She and outside hitter Ellie Kaat said the future looked bright for the team.

Kaat said the team went into the game with Drury with a positive outlook since they were strong competitors last season. She said no matter the result, the team was still going to come together and learn from every game that will come.

The team’s next game will be this Friday, Nov. 1 at home against William Jewell College.

BASKETBALL| Men’s, women’s start seasons with scrimmages Continued from page 14 Interim head coach Theo Dean said while the team took some time to adjust to Mizzou’s size and athleticism, it had a lot of good looks at open shots and some attacks on the rim. Unfortunately, though, it took a while to make those shots.

“Even for them — Mizzou — for the first five or six minutes they could barely make anything either,” Dean said.

Dean also said the overall score did not completely illustrate how the team played.

In the second half, Mizzou only outscored the Bulldogs by three points, which were scored in the last minutes of the game.

For its next scrimmage, the team will be focusing on guard defense, communication, getting the ball to the offense quicker and generally playing with a faster pace, Dean said, but he expects a successful season.

“I saw some really good pieces on Thursday at Mizzou and I saw some things I want to tweak, some things I

want to change and even some lineups that I never thought would play together, so I think we have a really bright future for this year,” Dean said.

Both teams will be on the road again next week with the women facing the University of Illinois Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. and the men facing the University of Findlay Nov. 8 at 5 p.m.

The Index

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

13

BULLDOGS STICK TO THEIR WINNING WAYS

The football team has only suffered one loss so far this season, bringing its overall record to 7-1. The Bulldogs will be looking to their success in the last home game of the season against McKendree University. Photo by Kara Mackenzie

Head coach Gregg Nesbitt talks about the team’s success so far CHASE POTTER Staff Writer

The Truman State University football team will play its last regular season home game this weekend against the Bearcats of McKendree University.

Last weekend, the Bulldogs stuck to their winning ways on the road against William Jewell College. The ’Dogs’ offense put up 42 points with another seven coming from a 40 yard pick-six by defensive back Griffin Becker in what was Truman’s fourth conference win of the season.

The team is now 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play. The Bulldogs are currently sitting at third place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference behind next week’s opponent, the University of Indianapolis, and Truman’s only loss of the season, Lindenwood University. The Bulldogs will need to win the remainder of their conference games and rely on Indianapolis defeating Lindenwood this weekend to clinch their first GLVC Championship since 2016.

As reported earlier this season, the ’Dogs approach to each week is unchanging. Head coach Gregg Nesbitt and his team are always focused on doing whatever it takes to best their opponent. This business-like attitude is something that Nesbitt has implemented over his tenure with the team, and this season has been no different. While the Bulldogs certainly have championship aspirations, Nesbitt said he wants his team to rely on the culture that it has built over not just this season, but the players’ careers as Bulldogs to carry them each week instead of looking ahead.

“I tell the kids all the time, ‘It’s not my football team, it’s not the coaches, it’s yours as a player and you need to take ownership of it,’” Nesbitt said. “Thinking we’re a good team is half the battle.”

Nesbitt recognized that this season’s team is different from teams of the past. While he said he and his staff believe that the talent of the 2019 team is consistent with past teams, Nesbitt said that this team’s ability to grind out wins even when it is not at its full potential might be what separates it from the crowd.

In week four, the Bulldogs lost two starters in their secondary, including Conference Commissioners Association special teams first-team all-American Lawrence Woods. Since then, the defense has yet to be at full strength, but has still played well enough to help the Bulldogs to their best record in over 20 years. Finding a way to win

has been this team’s mentality all season, and Nesbitt said he thinks this needs to continue for the Bulldogs to make a playoff push.

“Good teams find a variety of ways to be successful in terms of winning and losing,” Nesbitt said. “There’s no question that early in the season we were hanging our hat and leaning on our defense and kicking game. Early on we had a high ceiling because our offense hadn’t quite caught up. And now it has been, ‘How good can our defense become with some of the major hits they’ve had?’ And now they’ve played good defense the last two weeks.”

Nesbitt said he believes that his team is finding its stride yet again, and is getting back to playing complementary football, with both sides of the ball and the special teams unit having success. He said the coaching staff hopes that the toughness of this season’s group along with the balanced design of their team will give them an advantage moving into the final stretch of the season.

Nesbitt has been steering the Bulldog ship for ten years now, and has already moved into the top three all-time wins leaders in Truman’s history. This season has given him an opportunity to reflect on his time in the sport, and Nesbitt said he has had a deep appreciation for this year’s team.

“My favorite moment every day is our team stretch,” Nesbitt said.

“I don’t take it for granted because one of these days I’ll hang up my cleats for good, so I’m just appreciative to be taken along for the ride at this stage with really good football coaches and players and really good senior leadership.”

The ride for Nesbitt and the Bulldogs is not over yet. With the current conference leader looming on next week’s horizon and a postseason berth all but clinched, the Bulldogs have a lot of big moments ahead of them. Nesbitt and the team will approach each of these challenges just as they have all season: together, with victory on their mind.

Quarterback Jaden Barr prepares to receive the ball in the Homecoming game. The ’Dogs are sitting at No. 3 in the GLVC. Photos by Kara Mackenzie

ATHLETE o f

t h e

w e e k

Running back Jordan Salima had a career day against William Jewell College over the weekend. Salima led the Bulldogs’ ground and pound attack with 102 yards rushing along with a career-high four rushing touchdowns. In addition to his rushing yards, Salima accounted for 50 yards through the air and another 21 yards in kickoff returns for a total of 173 on the day. Salima and the Bulldog offense exploded yet again on the road, scoring 49 points in the Truman victory. The Bulldogs are now 7-1 this season, with Senior Day against McKendree University this Saturday at Stokes Stadium.

Jordan Salima

14

BULLDOGS GEAR UP FOR SEASON

Guard Sloane Totta scored 14 points for the Bulldogs in the scrimmage game against the University of Missouri. 12 of her 14 points were scored in the game’s third quarter. Photo by Truman Athletics

Basketball teams begin seasons with scrimmages ELISABETH SHIRK Managing Editor

The men’s and women’s basketball teams lost their first exhibition games on the road Oct. 23 and 24, respectively.

The men fell to Illinois State University with a score of 68-74, and the women ended their exhibition against The University of Missouri with a score of 55-95.

The men were looking strong in the first half, ending the second quarter with a score of 39-26, but the Redbirds took over in the second half, outscoring the Bulldogs 48-29. Guard Brodric Thomas was Truman’s lead-

ing scorer with 21 points.

Thomas said he sees himself as needing to be a vocal leader on the team, helping the six freshmen adjust to college-level basketball.

“It’s a complete 180 from last year, just how organized and prepared every single guy on the team is,” Thomas said.

Head coach Jeff Horner said if he was to describe the team in one word, it would be “togetherness.”

Because of health issues, Horner said he hasn’t been around as much as he would like to be, but part of his philosophy has been to not sweat the small things and to play through adversity.

“If we can stay together and keep our chemistry, keep going and keep the confidence up, this team can do special things,” Horner said.

The women’s team took some time to get into the game against Mizzou and trailed 19-55 at the end of the first half, but they went into the second half outscoring the Tigers in the third quarter 1815. The Tigers responded in the fourth quarter by besting the Bulldogs 24-18 and clenching the win. Guards Hannah Belanger and Sloane Totta were the Bulldogs’ leading scorers with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

See BASKETBALL page 12

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019

Swim teams start off their seasons ERICA SCHAMEL Staff Writer

After losing to McKendree University two weeks ago, the men’s and women’s swimming teams both beat William Jewell College over the weekend in the Pershing Natatorium.

The women’s team conquered William Jewell 146-59 and the men’s team beat them 128-75, making this the men’s first win of the year.

Head coach Jerod Simek said the team is trying to continue the momentum with what it has accomplished so far this season and continue working on individual goals at practice. He said he believes if the team continues to do these two things, then it will have more success throughout its dual meet season.

“The William Jewell meet has always been one our teams have gotten behind each other for,” Simek said about winning. “Our goal for this meeting was to win every event on both the men’s and women’s side. Although we didn’t ultimately achieve this, we had a lot of great swims and we as a staff are really proud of the team. We had a lot of 3rd and 4th event swims that people really excelled in.”

On the women’s team, sophomore Emma Brabham, freshman Holly Olson, junior Madeline Wilson and freshman Lexi Poe came in first for the 400-yard freestyle relay. Poe also won the 200-yard freestyle in 1:56.24.

“It was really exciting,” Poe said.

“It’s one of my off events that I don’t get to swim that often, so I’m normally excited when I get the chance and I think that helps me perform well in it.

My time was also where I wanted it to be for this time during the season, so that was also really exciting for me.”

See SWIMMING page 11

Both the men and women have started the season strong. After losing to McKendree University, the Bulldogs beat William Jewell College. Photo by Truman Athletics

Cross country missed Volleyball picks up the mark at GLVC meet win against SBU ERICA SCHAMEL Staff Writer

The cross country teams placed ninth out of 14 at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships in Evansville, Indiana, over the weekend.

The University of Southern Indiana, which took first for the men’s division, has won 14 GLVC Championships and has 16 out of the last 17 trophies.

Head coach Tim Schwegler said the GLVC is the hardest meet the teams have seen so far this season.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association Midwest Regionals, which is in two weeks, will be the teams next difficult meet.

“Our focus ... the next two weeks

of regionals is [to] try to beat some of those conference teams that we should’ve beat on Saturday,” Schwegler said. “It was pouring rain, you know. It was not great conditions. But everyone ran in them, so it was just who wanted it the most. Obviously, I guess we didn’t want it was much as some of the other schools did.”

The women ran a 6k race followed by the men’s 8k at the Angel Mounds Cross Country Course.

“Overall, we were disappointed with how we finished. I think we’re good enough to be fifth in the women and seventh in the men,” Schwegler said.

“We just didn’t execute the race line very well and it cost us.”

See RUNNING page 11

Junior Thomas Cormier finished first for the Bulldogs with a time of 26:44, making him the 35th runner for the men’s race. The GLVC Championship was the most difficult race in the season so far. Photo by Truman Athletics VOLUME 111

ISSUE 8

tmn.truman.edu

TRAVIS MAIDEN Staff Writer

The volleyball team lost its conference game against Drury University but came back with a victory against Southwest Baptist University, ending on a 10-14 record last weekend.

The team traveled to Springfield, Missouri, on Friday to face-off against Drury, only to be beaten 0-3 with an unnerving first set of 2426 followed by back-to-back sets of 19-25. The next day, the team made their way to Bolivar, Missouri, to play against Southwest Baptist.

With a similarly close set of 2523, the team won 3-0, stopping its three-game losing streak and coming back to Truman victorious.

Outside hitter Morgan Smith said the team began with a rocky

start to the conference, but it came together at the end of each game with a positive attitude.

“I think we’re really trying to focus on positivity and confidence and I think that’s been kind of a big struggle, especially, you know, if something doesn’t go perfectly or exactly the way we want it,” Smith said. “We have been focusing on those errors, but like I said, we’re fixing it and working through it.”

Head coach Ben Briney said the team has been struggling with offense, but its defense has been solid. Briney said the Bulldogs practice anywhere from 15-18 hours a week to continually push themselves to improve teamwork and technique.

See VOLLEYBALL page 12

Outside hitter Ellie Kaat has been a leader on the Bulldog volleyball team.

Kaat said the team went into the game against Drury University with a positive outlook. Photo by Kara Mackenzie

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