The Index Vol. 109 Issue 12

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu FEATURES | TSODA members talk about dance and experiences Page 8

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017 tmn.truman.edu

@TrumanMediaNet TrumanMediaNetwork

SPORTS | Volleyball peaks heading into posteason play Page 14

COMM 170 test-out might become unavailable

BY BRENTLY SNEAD Managing Editor The option to test out of public speaking might not be available to future students after communication department chair Jay Self presented during the Undergraduate Council meetings Oct. 12 and Nov. 9.

Self said the department thinks the option to test out of public speaking takes more faculty than necessary for the department and is not benefitting students the way it was originally intended. About 10 students per semester are testing out, which means the department loses a section of public speaking so a faculty member can work with those students.

Often, the students who attempt to test out need public speaking the most to improve their skills, Self said. Only 66 percent of students who attempt to test out

pass the assessment, and only 33 percent of those receive a B or higher.

Self said those who are proficient in public speaking have other options, such as taking the placement test for COMM 270: Advanced Public Speaking. Students also have the option of taking COMM 272: Speech Communication Activities if they have debate experience and want to continue with that.

Sophomore Deanna Schmidt presented at the Nov. 9 UGC meeting about a Student Senate resolution which passed at its Nov. 5 meeting. The resolution recommended the test-out option remain available for students who place above the basic public speaking class and might have other classes they’d like to take. Self responded to the Student Senate resolution and said the department wants to help students. He said students are already expected to take a class to meet the public speaking essential skill, so it shouldn’t be an inconvenience.

The discussion will be an action item at the next UGC meeting on Dec. 7.

demonstrates Local economy booms ITS Banner change as new businesses open

Photo by Brently Snead/TMN Members of Truman State University’s Undergraduate Council meet in the Student Union Building on Thursday, Nov. 9. Among the topics of discussion was a revision to the Banner system used for registration

BY BRENTLY SNEAD Managing Editor

Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN Kirksville’s downtown area has seen multiple new businesses appear in recent months. This follows a larger trend of economic growth in the area, with many locally-owned and national businesses opening in Kirksville. City leaders say more growth is expected in the community.

BY RYAN PIVONEY Staff Writer Kirksville is experiencing an economic boom because of new businesses and expansions in the area.

The development of Kirksville’s economy comes from an increase of the city’s leading industries. Carolyn Chrisman, Kirksville Regional Economic Development, Inc. director, said key sectors in the Kirksville economy are responsible for employment in the community, including education, medical care, agriculture and manufacturing, all of which are experiencing growth. Kraft Heinz, for example, recently completed a $229 million expansion at its Kirksville location, which created 200 new jobs in the community.

In addition to the thriving key sectors, Kirksville has attracted a number of retail, hospitality and food outlets among new businesses in Kirksville. Hobby Lobby and Holiday Inn Express are among the new businesses to open in Kirksville but more are expected. Local Menards, Marshalls, Arby’s and Hampton Inn establishments are all in development or open-

ing soon. Chrisman said the Hampton Inn is actively recruiting a restaurant or other commercial business to the area as well.

Chrisman said there have been some business closures in Kirksville recently — such as Payless ShoeSource, Hastings and the Ortech manufacturing plant — but there are more openings than closures in the city.

In addition to large businesses moving to Kirksville, there is an expected rise in the number of locally-owned businesses. K-REDI business counselor Anastasia Tiedemann said when the city is experiencing a boom, it creates excitement and motivation for locally-owned businesses to fill gaps in the marketplace.

The growth of Kirksville’s economy is expected to preserve the dynamic of small, locally-owned businesses and larger businesses moving into the community. Tiedemann said the larger businesses are attracting people from surrounding counties in addition to the residents of Kirksville, which is good for the community.

See DEVELOPMENT, page 6

Faculty and staff members are currently working to create a new system in Banner that would allow students to search for courses based upon themes rather than by departments.

At the Nov. 9 Undergraduate Council meeting, Information Technology Services showed faculty a prototype to demonstrate how the system might work.

The idea is that students could choose a course they enjoyed and the system would suggest other courses the student might have an interest in.

In the early stage, the themes would mostly apply to courses within the Liberal Studies Program because students are required to take certain courses within their major to graduate. If successful, the program could expand to other courses.

Next Steps Team 5 developed the idea of the system to help students — Next Steps Team 5 spurred from Action Team 2, which originated in 2015. The original action team was responsible for identifying various themes that could be applied to a variety of courses to help students find classes from other areas of study. The current team includes faculty and staff from the Registrar’s Office and ITS. Currently, there are eight themes written by Action Team 2 — the Physical Body, Self-Identity, Other Human Beings (Individual), Other Human Beings (Group), the Human Experience, Abstract Thought and Evaluation of Knowledge, the Manmade World (Technology), and the Natural World.

Each of the themes has various clusters associated with it to help further define the course. The department would designate courses within a theme, or themes, based upon where they thought the course fit in the themes.

SAB seeks greater accountability

BY SETH WOLFMEYER Editor-in-Chief

Wielding a budget of almost $300,000 from student fees and a staff between 30-35 students, the Student Activities Board is working to improve its accountability and accessibility to students.

Starting as a subcommittee of the Student Senate working with a University-funded $25,000 budget until 1992, SAB has since grown to its role today of bringing diverse programming and entertainment to Truman State University’s campus. The organization is working to become more transparent and receptive to the student body, in part because of a report by the Organizational Activities Fee Review Committee.

SAB President senior Blake Buthod said the organization is considering changing its constitution to allow the student body to vote on parts of SAB’s constitution.

See SAB, page 6

VOLUME 109 ISSUE 12 © 2017

Student Activities Fee 30

$27

$45 per student per semester

25 20 15

$10.50

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$2 Student Government

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Theatre department presents “Falsettos”

Photos by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN Top Left: Cast members gather around main character Whizzer’s hospital bed as he is diagnosed with AIDS. The story surrounds the relationship of Marvin, Whizzer and Marvin’s family.

Top Right: Sophomores Rebecca Leslie and Austin Cable perform a song in the musical. “Falsettos” was directed, written and composed by James Lapine and William Finn.

Bottom Left: Cast members stand in front of a memorial mourning the deaths of AIDS victims. The theatre department displayed an AIDS memorial quilt while the musical was running.

Bottom Right: Junior Julia Swank, freshman Dan Borelli, and sophomore Max Richards prepare for the show backstage.

calendar Nov. 17

Nov. 17

Nov. 28

KV Cups 8:30 a.m.

Economic Development Alliance 315 S. Franklin St.

Indiana University School of Optometry Representative Presentation Noon to 1 p.m.

Student Union Building 3202

World AIDS Day Ceremony 7-7:30 p.m.

Kirk Memorial

KV Cups is a free event showcasing local entrepreneurs. Area small business owners will tell stories, drink coffee and enjoy a light breakfast.

An admissions representative from the Indiana School of Optometry in Bloomington will be on campus to present information on the school’s optometry program and undergraduate requirements.

Truman State University’s nursing students are hosting a ceremony to raise awareness for the AIDS pandemic. The event aims to mourn those who have died from the disease.

Nov. 29

Nov. 30

Nov. 28 Theatre Freshmen Showcase 8-10 p.m.

James G. Severns Theatre

Fall Coffeehouse feat. David Francisco 7-9 p.m.

SUB Hub

English and Linguistics Alumna Reading: Allison Coffelt 12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

SUB Georgian Room A

Freshmen theater students in the theater freshman seminar class will be presenting one-act plays. The material is for mature audiences. The event is free for all and tickets are not needed.

SAB presents David Francisco, an American folk singer from Nashville, Tennessee. After an accident left him severely injured, Francisco now travels the country sharing his story and music. The event is free and open to the public.

Truman alumna Allison Coffelt will be reading from her forthcoming creative nonfiction work, “Trapped Heat: Mediations on Haiti.” Coffelt also works for the True/False Film Fest in Columbia, Missouri. The event is free and open to everyone.

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Adviser Don Krause Editor-in-Chief Seth Wolfmeyer Digital Director Ben Cook Managing Editor Brently Snead News Editor (Text) Nicolas Telep News Editor (Multimedia) Brea Parnell Features Editor Rachel Fechter Sports Editor (Text) Rachel Steinhoff Sports Editor (Multimedia) Jeremy Jacob Copy Chief MacKenna Palazza Assistant Copy Chief Trevor Hamblin

Photo Editor Bethany Travis Design Chief Mariah Radle Distribution Manager Jessica Rose Staff Writers Jase Willhite, Ashley

Murphy, Kennedy Martin, Paul Province, Patrick Pardo, Stephanie Hulett, Brooke Bailey, Curt Wichmer, Kayla Perkins, Spencer Foust, Johanna Burns, Travis Maiden, Ryan Pivoney, Dana Bartch, Gordon McPherson, Justin Newton, Aura Martin

Copy Editors Katie Puryear, Bethany Spitzmiller, Ellen Thibodeau, Allyson Lotz, Julianna Foster, Elise Hughes, Cara Quinn Cartoonists Annie Kintree, August Davis Designers Clarissa Todd, Lawrence Hu, Georgia Gregory, Maddie Kamp, Emmett Divendal, Emily Taylor Photographers Lawrence Hu, Athena Geldbach, Austin Dellamano, Daniel Degenhardt, Hannah Ahlenius, Samantha Garrett Distribution Representatives Greta Roettegen, Amanda Claywell

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

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Soccer star Wambach visits Truman

Photos by Bethany Travis/TMN Above: Student Activities Board fall speaker Abby Wambach talks to students in the Baldwin Auditorium.

Wambach visited Truman State University Nov. 9 to talk about her life as an Olympic soccer player as well as aspects of her personal life. The event was free to Truman students.

Left: Wambach speaks to members of the Truman student body and the Kirksville community. Wambach is a retired soccer player who played on the U.S. Women’s National Team. She has won a NCAA National Championship, FIFA World Cup and Olympic title. She also holds the record for most goals scored in a career with 184 goals.

Staff health insurance rates to increase

BY DANA BARTCH Staff Writer

The price of a health insurance policy for Truman State University employees will rise 16 percent next year because of a number of large claims that have increased the cost of the program.

In 2012, Truman became a self-insured university, which has allowed the University more control when setting rates for employees. This self-funded approach is also thought to save the University money in the long run because after a good year with few claims, it can build a cushion and prepare for a possible bad year with many claims.

Truman has partnered with insurance company Aetna for several years. Aetna serves as Truman’s third party administrator and processes claims. Gallagher Consulting Services also assists Truman with plan designs — changes to the insurance policy — and determining projection costs for the following calendar year.

Sally Herleth, human resources executive director, said Truman’s health insurance rates have had no increase in the last two years. However, because of multiple large claims — including one of around $50,000 — made this year by

employees, the University has no choice but to raise the rates to help manage the cost.

“Since we’ve had two good years, we’ve built funds, and it has to be spent on health insurance,” said Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning. “We had a surplus — and that’s what’s helped pay for all these claims — but now that surplus is coming down, and now [we] need to charge a correct rate.”

Rector said the University understands the rate for next year is very high.

However, even if Truman was insured through a major insurance company, such as Anthem or United Way, the rates would still be increasing by 16 percent or more.

Some Truman faculty and staff members were surprised by the higher rate for next year, and many are frustrated because a salary increase did not accompany the new projection cost. Communication professor Barry Poyner has worked at Truman for 28 years, and he said this is a significant increase that is hurting the employees and possibly the University.

“Well of course, I wasn’t pleased to see it, and my children are still on my policy,” Poyner said. “I have elected to take one of the lower tiers to cut my costs.”

30 welcomes

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Tickets are $5.50 per person and will be available starting Nov. 10 at Edna Campbells in downtown Kirksville, at the Truman cashier’s window located on the first floor of McClain Hall, between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. or online at lyceum.truman.edu.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Student Government needs to self-evaluate

BY CLARISSA TODD Ad Designer For the vast majority of my time as a Truman State University student, my identity has been rooted in Student Government. During my six semesters as a member, I have held more than a dozen positions, rewrote its constitution, presided over the entire Student Government and represented the student voice on a handful of administrative-level committees. At one point, there was a sign hanging inside the Student Government office with my face alongside fellow Student Senator Chris Hornsey’s that read, “Welcome to Our House.” As I graduate in December, I am no longer on the body, as terms last a full academic year. Now, every time I hear about Student Government or see it active on campus, it feels like seeing an ex after a breakup.

Largely due to my overinvolvement, anytime I heard criticism I instinctively rushed to defend the organization, regardless of its faults. That compulsion certainly still exists within me, but not being a part of Student Government this semester has removed the rose-tinted glasses and enabled me to face certain truths. Before I continue, I want to issue a disclaimer. This opinion is not targeted at any particular current or former members, just a general analysis by a former leader of the organization.

Contrary to the belief many have shared with me, yes, Student Government is involved in a wide array of campus issues. That being said, I now recognize that Student Government is not especially effective where it is involved. For a couple of years now, I have had a friend make the argument, “Student Government has never done anything to positively impact me, personally,” and I have begun to agree that its impact on the individual student is minimal. This issue has a very clear cause — it’s hard to recruit and maintain a body of qualified, motivated students.

Any organization leader on campus has known the struggles of recruitment — you must put together flyers, work publicity tables, email dozens of students who won’t show up and so on. Recruitment for Student Government is a whole other beast. When I was Speaker of the Student Senate, I was in charge of organizing the fall 2015 elections.

The process was similar to other organizations’ recruitments, just on an understandably much larger scale. Where most organizations target specific niche groups of the student body, these elections should be setup to appeal to all students. The failure of the body to do so is plainly evident in the number of unfilled positions at any given point and the many who run in elections or fill empty positions who are close friends with someone already on the body. This results in the thoughts and problems of the general student population — ­ not to mention more specific or minority groups — to be overlooked and the body as a whole to lack diversity of thought.

Members who join with a passion and ability to implement change can, consequently, become disillusioned easily. It’s difficult to feel as though your work is impactful when projects take years to complete, you receive no feedback from students, and the people who hold positions on the body are often unqualified for the work they attempt to do.

With a student population of approximately 6,200, the Student Government Treasurer should be someone with a finance background, the chairs in charge of publicity should be designers or should have public relations experience, etc. The combination of these factors tend to cause high-quality members to either leave the body or put forward significantly less effort.

The Executive Committee of Student Government has recognized these issues for a while, but the general sentiment has leaned more towards faulting the student body for not being driven enough to provide feedback or make change. While some former leaders have acknowledged the fault is much more on Student Government itself, it’s difficult to remedy when the body becomes less diverse every year.

To be significantly impactful, the organization needs to prioritize contested elections, consistent student feedback and clearly articulated goals. To do this, Student Government should take a year off and work on its image and availability. Only when students are aware of what Student Government is, who is on Student Government and that their opinions can be used to make change, will this organization truly be impactful.

Truman needs state government representation

BY NICK TELEP News Text Editor As Brian Munzlinger enters his eighth and final year representing the 18th District in the Missouri State Senate, four Northeast Missourians have already expressed their desire to take over the position in January 2019. Of these four, three are current state Representatives and one is a businessperson. In addition to both state House members representing Kirksville — Rep. Craig Redmon of Canton and Rep. Nate Walker of Kirksville — Rep. Lindell Shumake of Hannibal and Shelbina businesswoman Cindy O’Laughlin are also running. All of these candidates are Republicans.

There is a significant absence from this list, however.

Both Munzlinger and Walker — the early favorites to win the seat — are University of Missouri graduates.

I’m not trying to say there is anything wrong with being a Tiger, but it would be great to have Truman State University’s district represented in the General Assembly with a former Bulldog. Kirksville is the largest community in the district, and Truman is an integral part of Kirksville. With almost 800 employees, Truman is the largest employer in Kirksville and the third-largest employer in the district, according to the Northeast Missouri Economic Development Council. Thousands of students, professors, administrators, staff and alumni live in the district and make up a powerful voting block.

Within the Truman community — especially during the past year, in the wake of budget cuts to the University when the state pulled funding from the Greenwood Autism Clinic — there has been some frustration with the state government. Two years ago, Munzlinger sponsored a bill in the State Senate to allow individuals to carry concealed weapons on public college campuses. Reaction to the bill at Truman was strong, and Student Government passed a resolution opposing the bill’s passage. However, Munzlinger continued to be one of its most vocal proponents, even though his district’s community who would be most

affected by the law opposed it. Walker and Redmon have been vocal in their support of the Greenwood Autism Center, but we have yet to see that turn into full funding since the budget for the project was cut twice — once by Gov. Eric Greitens and once by former Gov. Jay Nixon.

Another consideration is political parties. Munzlinger ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and the general election in 2014 — the year he was last elected — but Truman’s campus precinct has had a history of supporting Democratic candidates. In 2016, just more than a quarter of the precinct voted for Greitens, whom both Kirksville representatives embrace. Front-runner Redmon even worked with his campaign. There’s no reason a Republican can’t represent Truman’s interests, but any official must make higher education a priority.

On Nov. 6, 2018, I would like to be able to go to the Student Union Building and vote to send a Bulldog to the General Assembly. We’re a tight-knit community of smart people. An enterprising alumnus, a popular professor or a retiring administrator would all be wonderful choices to represent the 18th district.

When U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill visited campus a few months ago, she was asked what people can do if they want to see change in the government, and she said one of the best things they can do is run for office.

Remember both current state House representatives from Kirksville are running for the seat. Even if neither of them end up winning the Senate seat, Redmon is in his last term before he hits the term limit, and Walker will not be able to run in 2020. Both seats will be up for grabs.

As Bulldogs, we should fight to make our voices heard in the state government. I can’t think of a better way than to send one of our own alumni to Jefferson City. Democrat or Republican, it would be great to see someone in the General Assembly who knows the University, the community, the problems we face and what we want from the government.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

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Senate candidate campaigns at Truman

BY NICOLAS TELEP News Text Editor Austin Petersen, U.S. Senate Missouri candidate, visited Truman State University Wednesday, Nov. 8 for a campaign event in the SUB Down Under.

Petersen presented himself as a libertarian Republican and talked about his experiences growing up in Missouri and working in politics. About 15 people — both students and community members — attended the event. He spoke for the first 25 minutes of the hour-long event and opened the rest up for a Q&A. Petersen is running in the Republican primary election against Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley.

Three other minor candidates are also running. The winner of the primary will run in the November 2018

Photos by Nicolas Telep/TMN

General Election for the seat of Sen. Claire McCaskill, who is running for re-election as well.

Petersen also spoke about his experience running for President of the United States in the Libertarian Party primaries. Petersen described himself as a libertarian, but said he disagreed with Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson on several issues. Petersen identified himself as pro-life, advocated for tax reform and spoke about the need to protect free speech on college campuses. He also advocated for gun rights, calling himself an absolutist on the Second Amendment, and he said he supports gay marriage.

Petersen is the second 2018 U.S. Senate candidate to visit Truman’s campus. Incumbent Sen. McCaskill hosted a town hall in the SUB on Aug. 23. Missouri’s primary election will be Aug. 7, and the general election will be Nov. 6.

NEWS IN BRIEF Campus housing during break

Judge Mary Russell was a guest speaker for JUST 307: The Legal System, taught by Senior Judge Steve Willcox, on Oct. 30. She first met and spoke with each student individually before speaking to the class about the Missouri Judiciary and Supreme Court Jurisdiction. She also discussed the value of Missouri’s Non-Partisan Court Plan, which has been a model for the nation since its inception. Judge Russell also encouraged class participation through an exercise called “You be the Judge,” where the students decided cases as Supreme Court judges based on judicial review rules actual judges follow. Judge Russell is a Truman State University 1980 alumna.

She was a member of the Board of Governors for the University from 1993-1997 and served as president of the Board from 1996-1997. She was appointed to the Supreme Court in Sept. 1984 and served as Chief Justice July 2013 through June 2015. Before her time on the Supreme Court, she served on the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District.

Residents have the option to stay on campus during Thanksgiving break. The deadline to sign up without a fee was Nov. 10, but students can still stay on campus if they sign up after the deadline and pay a $50 late charge. One Residence Life staff member and one student adviser will be on-duty during break in each residence hall area where students are staying. Depending on staff coverage and availability, a resident might be asked to move to a vacant room temporarily. Students that stay on campus will be charged $25.00 per day or $150 for the week. There will be no charges for the first Friday night — charges begin Saturday night. Normal Residence Life policies and procedures are still in effect for students staying during break. Interested students need to sign up using the link provided in the email Res Life sent Nov. 7.

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Truman State University’s Delta Sigma Pi hosted “Truman’s Got Talent” at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 in Baldwin Auditorium. The fraternity hosted the event as a fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, an organization that improves the daily lives of those who suffer from CF and seeks to find a cure. DSP raised almost $700 for the foundation. The show featured performances from groups on campus as well as individual acts. Performances varied from a capella acts to extreme cup stacking. On The Fly saxophone quartet won best independent act and a capella group Minor Detail won best organization act. All proceeds went to the CF Foundation. Delta Sigma Pi is a business fraternity that is open to all accounting, business and economics majors at Truman.

Judge Mary Russell guest lecture

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

SAB | Organization looks to be more accountable to students Continued from page 1 SAB is also looking into doing more surveys, expanding the number of members, creating a terms of operations and finding ways to collaborate with other organizations.

SAB is one of three fee-based organizations which have advisers based in the Center for Student Involvement, however, SAB’s operations are still independent. Buthod said the OAF Review Committee is charged with reviewing the budgets and spending of SAB along with Student Government and the Funds Allotment Council. The OAF Review Committee is intended to determine how responsibly funds were used and decide how the Activities Fee is divided up.

Junior Kailey Micek, last year’s OAF Review Committee chair, said the committee recommended SAB, FAC and Student Government improve their accountability to the student body because of the amount of resources the organizations control and how often they altered their rules and policies in the past.

“If they are saying that a committee can just pull a hundred bucks out of … their budget for not a good reason and go spend it, like, is that really a good policy to have on how to spend your money?” Micek said.

Micek said there have been no instances of improper use of funds, but the review committee wanted SAB and its sister organizations to have stricter guidelines and procedures for how they operate so students could be more aware of how money is being spent.

Both SAB and FAC received a small increase in funding, with SAB getting an additional 30 cents per student from the Activities Fee. The Activities Fee was not raised, but rather had funds reallocated from the Collegiate Readership Program. Micek said based on the results of a survey about the Activities Fee, it was not likely that the student body would approve an increase to the fee.

“I don’t think students realize how this money is coming back to them,” Micek said. “They want a direct relationship, they want to buy something, and they want to receive it. Well how this fee works is it’s kind of going into a pool, and then it’s all getting sloshed around, and then you’re going to see output here and here and here.”

Micek said the survey also indicated students overall wanted to shift funding more towards FAC instead of SAB because students are more involved in organizations and are shifting away from SAB.

Although both SAB and FAC requested a larger increase in funding than granted, this could not be done without increasing the Activities Fee. Micek said the fee is currently enough, but it will likely need to be raised in the future.

Last year, SAB had a budget of $291,000. Graduate student Adam McMichael, SAB adviser, said rises in performance fees and Sodexo and travel costs have created the need for increases in funding to keep SAB at its current level of ability to bring talent to campus. McMichael said Truman is also at a disadvantage when it comes to attracting talent because of its size and location.

SAB relies on surveys to determine what kinds of entertainment to bring to Truman. A survey generally yields around a thousand responses. McMichael said surveys sent to students have a big impact on how SAB operates, and the organization always wants more responses.

Buthod said a lot of research goes into determining the talent SAB will bring to Truman. Each event is conceived and organized through a committee within

SAB. For a larger event, a committee will create a budget and a slate of options of who to bring, and it must find a date to host the event. More expensive events need to be approved by a two-thirds vote of the entire SAB, with high-cost events reaching up to $100,000. The dates SAB can offer larger events are sparse, with Pershing Arena only being available to SAB for one or two dates this semester.

Most students who work in SAB volunteer for the organization and do not receive institutional pay or scholarship hours. Buthod said an average member will spend about four hours every week working on events on top of SAB’s regular meetings.

SAB is also selective with who it brings into the organization. McMichael said the selection process takes roughly 20 hours with a selection committee that includes advisers, the SAB president, a Student Government representative, a student at large and two other board members.

McMichael said there are many responsibilities which come with being a member of SAB, and the expectation is that it will be a student’s second-largest commitment.

Photo by Samantha Garrett/TMN David, one half of the Boston-based mentalist duo Antonina & David, performs with a student at Baldwin Auditorium Sept. 16. The mentalists were one of the entertainment events the Student Activities Board hosted, and the Board also hosts comedians, concerts and social events.

DEVELOPMENT | Kirksville economy grows with businesses Continued from page 1 There is also a need for smaller businesses in the city. Tiedemann said every dollar spent at a local business stays in the community for about seven exchanges, which supports the local economy. The dynamic between small and large businesses is a balance, Tiedemann said.

Assistant City Manager Ashley Young said the goal is to make Kirksville the Northeast Missouri regional economic hub.

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“The Kirksville economy looks bright,” Young said. “We have a number of developments under way and a number of other developments that are still in the works.”

Young said the bulk of businesses coming to the city will be located along Baltimore Street, but there is a revitalization effort aimed at downtown Kirksville as well. This effort has produced a number of new businesses. There has been a trend of weddingthemed business opening on and near The Square.

Quite a few businesses focused on weddings — such

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as cake shops, florists and bridal shops — have opened downtown.

The increased economic development can have a number of effects that would benefit the community.

Young said he expects to see less unemployment and higher wages, which have already emerged. More businesses and higher wages would also benefit the city because more tax money would be available for city improvements. The increased sales tax implemented in October is a start to this effort. With more development, the city can expect better public services.

life

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

7

A Grounded, Free Spirit

Award-winning poet Arisa White imparts lessons about writing and life on Truman students

BY AURA MARTIN Staff Writer She simply accepted that she was a writer, and she needed to write poetry.

Arisa White was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, and recently moved to Oakland, California, but most of her family is still back East. White carries the memories of her old home, and whenever she returns to Brooklyn, there is always a sense of longing for her childhood and adolescence. White misses the hustle and bustle of New York, but one thing she appreciates about living in California is her life has started slowing down.

White said she feels more complete as a writer and person as a result of living in a quieter place.

“I feel there’s more of that sense of watching and observation,” White said. “It’s like I’m taking a little more time.”

White has enjoyed teaching a special topics class on taboo poetry at Truman. White’s philosophy is to engage students to write about things they are afraid to write about. She said learning to let go can give writers more energy, and that can influence the writing as a result.

“When you are holding on to something, all of your energy goes to protecting the thing that you don’t want to say,” White explained. “You actually need that energy to say the things you want to say. It’s about being effective in your energy output.”

Violet Mary A Poem by Arisa White “You are a cocoon I dare not break.

The struggle to live will free your beauty.

Who am I to interfere with your journey?”

You said, with the hills going 60mph south, and I remember where we were going. This house by the riverside knew flood and bonfire and we made it.

We broke and knew ourselves to be a love rich, trees eat off it. We do too—want grief as an artifact, an intimate chaos to do good. I’m a woman grown better by my choices.

We could not see our bodies as easily as we thought.

Our darlings I bury to give them another life.

As sure as a bitch who breaks her chain, this house knows a rainbow too.

White’s literary heroes include Toni Morrison, Audre Lorde, bell hooks, Medbh McGuckian — they are her staples in her life.

Morrison is the foundation of White’s writing, and McGuckian transformed the way White approaches language. Rebecca Seiferle, Patricia Smith, Matthew Zapruder and Tyehimba Jess also inspired White’s writing style.

White likes working with paper and pen at the first stage of writing poetry. The physical act of writing is an emotional experience for her.

“Active writing is somatic and physical, and I feel like I need all of my body present during the first stage of initial writing,” White said. “That’s how I access the emotional integrity of the poem.”

She types the poem on the computer, beginning the editing process. She prints it out and uses her pen once again to work on transition and flow. Being a writer is not strictly limited to a desk or computer to get the words down.

Writing is an integral part of her life. She writes every day and has notebooks scattered in every room of her home. These notebooks include blank, lined and graphing sheets.

“That way if I am hit with inspiration I have something on hand that I can write these thoughts down,” White said.

While writing, White said she cannot listen to music because she works with an internal beat. She doesn’t need total silence, but she needs enough quiet to be able to work.

White said her writing inspiration comes from encounters and conversations. White also enjoys writing about people. She is especially interested in writing about human nature and why people hurt each other. Sometimes, this leads her down uncomfortable paths demanding emotional maturity.

She has experience writing about difficult subjects because she recently returned to writing a manuscript of epistolary poems to her estranged father. The last time she remembers seeing him, she was three years old. In 2015, she went to Guyana to meet him.

The encounter was healing — she realized this shadow from her past was no longer part of her life because of his choices. She realized she was grateful her mom chose the opposite direction. Now White’s challenge is to figure out how to transform and expand her poems into a book and bridge together all her emotions. White doesn’t want this story to turn into the stereotypical narrative about a black man who fathered many children and then abandoned them. She wants to figure out what happens to men like her father who willingly leave their children. She wants to look at the much larger scope that includes politics, society and culture.

VOLUME 109

ISSUE 12

tmn.truman.edu

Beechnut A Poem by Arisa White Winter in the mountains, the beech twisted into paper we could use. In that classic way, seen on TV, wanting one day to be that girl, you revealed your Swiss army knife and the bark knew we would. Maybe we scared away the owls who may have nested there. Our initials traveled to heart, aged our presence to diaphanous to shirr between thought and sometimes we move on. What is sown is resilient. Shells grow spines; the nut, a sweet portion, hints close and it’s how I come to understand our touch. Woodwinds have memory.

I haven’t advanced beyond Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and the tapping on the streetlamp was often opposite notes. We engineered shepherds to herd our swords—Oakland felt similar disharmony and built a lake to meet the need for breath and matter.

Water finds scent and apology and people to beach on its cusp. Reminds the heart there are summer dresses to be worn, and twirling that happens in them.

The class at Truman State University has been eager and passionate about the topic, and she was pleased that students were going along with what she asked them to do. White said she has really appreciated Truman because it is a quiet space, and she found that the student body has been very kind.

“Everybody says hello to you, and it’s a genuine expression,” White said. “It feels very welcoming.”

White advises college writers, and college students in general, to surround themselves with people who believe in them — people who not only support writers in what they do but also question their actions and help guide them in the right direction. She said it is also important for writers to find their values, and they should be clearly set and not necessarily the echo of parents, society or anything else. White said the US is a capitalistic country, and one’s worth is placed on the number of things owned. It is important for the writer to practice staying centered and to constantly reaffirm what is important.

“You’re going to need to find that grounding — a grounding in love and gratitude — for who you are in the world,” White said.

Growing up, White and her six siblings needed something to occupy their time at home while their mother was at work. They entertained one another by making art, filming movies on their camera and rapping as their own little band. White always enjoyed reading and creative writing, and because she had to watch her younger siblings, she learned to creatively multitask.

“Being in that position, of a second mother, has expanded that sense of creativity for me — in terms of my relationships and care and nurturing,” White said.

White has many heroes in her life, including former teachers, family, friends and writers.

Some of her influential teachers included her English teacher from high school, Nila Grutman, and her literature professor at Sarah Lawrence College, Chikwenye Ogunyemi. In graduate school, White took classes with Dara Wier at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who is now a close friend. One of White’s present heroes is her wife, Samantha Florio.

“She’s such a strong, determined woman and is so direct — she has taught me how to confront the really difficult things in life, and that confrontation is actually love,” White said. “That confrontation is also about letting people know that you are here and that you have something to say, and you want them to be better in the world as well.”

After Watching Obama Win His First Presidency, We Go See Tina Tuna A Poem by Arisa White

You take Anna Mae’s stage name and make it fish.

Dressed in tulle and sparkle, in platform stilettos, drag Tina, more masculine than her muscles can ever be, into a river so queer the water maquillages our faces.

I’m a clap waiting to happen. Your hands, thick and brimming, articulate the beat of our bodies meeting—the church wakes in my chest, the choir quivers with Tina Turner’s lips. Your mouth around every note, without your baritone pouring into that hoarse hook about breaking and staying. How do you not sink into song until lyrics grin with your teeth? Between your hard cleavage, I slip a five into the wailing aperture found in any woman’s heart, into the part of the sun we don’t see as blue.

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The Index

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

“Daddy’s Home Two” will make audience want to leave the theater and go home This movie gets a 1.5/5 Grizzled Mel Gibsons

BY GORDON MCPHERSON Staff Writer Audiences shouldn’t spend their hard-earned money on the downright boring “Daddy’s Home 2.”

The film details the Christmas adventures of father and stepfather Dusty and Brad, portrayed by Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell respectively, as they attempt to organize a joyous Christmas celebration for their family. Their plans crumble when both their fathers decide to visit. Brad’s father — portrayed by John Lithgow — is painfully sentimental, while Dusty’s father, portrayed by Mel Gibson — is an apathetic, villainous fiend determined to end Dusty and Brad’s friendship.

Most viewers won’t approach Sean Anders’ “Daddy’s Home 2” with expectations of a cinematic masterpiece. A few chuckles isn’t too much to ask for in a film starring Ferrell and Wahlberg. Unfortunately, the film only provides fleeting moments of amusement during the hour-and-40-minute running time.

Ferrell and Wahlberg have initially enjoyable comedic chemistry. Their conflicting back-and-forth banter entertains — at least for a couple of scenes.

Some scenes involving Ferrell — such as a sequence involving him attempting to cut down a Christmas tree with a chainsaw — are undeniably

entertaining. The slapstick comedy in “Daddy’s Home 2” occasionally generates laughs, but only in a select few moments, all of which feature Ferrell.

The remainder of the film drags, lulling viewers to sleep with predictable situations and failed attempts at comedy.

In particular, Gibson’s character disgusts rather than entertains. His sexist, misogynistic dialogue, including frequent jokes about sexual harassment, remains cringe-worthy throughout the film.

Lithgow’s affectionate yet clueless character has comedic potential, but receives notably less screen time than Gibson. The film places greater emphasis on Gibson’s satanic character, rendering Lithgow to the background.

“Daddy’s Home 2” revels in cynicism, parodying rather than celebrating typical family values.

The film’s later attempts at representing family-friendly values are too little, too late. The preceding distasteful humor is difficult to overlook — destroying any emotional attachment to the one-dimensional characters.

“Daddy’s Home 2” might entertain if viewed on cable for 10 minutes. If viewed in its entirety, more than a month before Christmas, the film will provide viewers with more mental anguish than holiday cheer.

Truman dance groups provide diverse and creative outlets for students

Photos submitted by Devin Illy

The Society Of Dance Arts jazz class performs the final dance of the night to Lady Gaga’s “Marry The Night.” The dance was choreographed by Katie Puryear, a three year member of TSODA.

BY JUSTIN NEWTON Staff Writer With vibrant costumes and swaying bodies, vast and diverse Truman State University dance groups have taken the stage of Baldwin Auditorium for years. These communities have also provided outlets for the dancers within them to express themselves creatively, relieve stress and even gain leadership experience. Representatives of various Truman dance organizations on campus see a lot of benefits. “[Dance offers] an opportunity to put your emotions into movement,

ilar majors, but everyone enjoys coming to class and practice,” Kaufman said. “We have dance social events where we can all get together and hang out. It’s a really great community.”

Kaufman said their dancers are very supportive and willing to help one another out if someone is having difficulty with an aspect of their performance.

Kaufman said each class meets for an hour and a half a week but commitment levels of dancers can vary depending on how many of those classes they decide to get involved with.

Kaufman said the opportunities

Members of the TSODA lyrical group perform a routine to the song “Inner Demons.” The dance was choreographed by Shelby Beggs. especially with contemporary or lyrical dances,” said senior Hannah Kaufman, president of the Society for Dance Arts. “If you’re choreographing it especially, you really get a chance to share something, and multiple people have done dances kind of based on personal experiences and just kind of get to put that into movement … I couldn’t imagine having dance available on Truman’s campus and still not continuing it.”

Kaufman said TSODA offers an opportunity for people who share her interest in continuing to dance after high school, or perhaps to get back into dancing after not dancing for a long time.

Kaufman also mentioned the power of dance to bring different people together around a common interest. “[Dance offers] a creative expression, a great community of people with similar interests, maybe not sim-

TSODA offers for students to choreograph dances might not be well-known to the general Truman community, and all the dances are choreographed and taught by students.

“It gives a totally different part of creativity,” Kaufman said. “Dance is very creative, but I never expected to choreograph dances when I got here.”

Senior Tessa Smith, Illusions Danz team captain, has been dancing since she was four. Her experience with the supportive dynamic present within the dance community resembled Kaufman’s. Smith said the team performance aspect of Illusions Danz necessitates criticism to help members perform as a cohesive unit.

“Everyone on the team — we all pretty much get that the only way we’re going to look as a unit is to take those criticisms,” Smith said. “So everybody’s really [open to] hearing feedback about what they’re doing

wrong or right, and that’s definitely helpful for the team dynamic … ” Smith said there is a tryout process to get on the Illusions team, but the team is supportive of all who join.

During Smiths’ time at Truman, two people have joined the team who were absolute beginners to dancing. She added there is a common misconception about the amount of effort necessary to be on the team. For example, Smith said often-times spectators think the group only needs to practice one hour a week to look and move in the uniform way they do when in reality the team actually practices seven or more hours a week altogether, and all members are expected to practice more on their own.

In contrast with Illusions Danz’s performance-centered focus is the socialdance focused University Swingers.

“I think part of what makes swing dancing really awesome is that it’s very much a social dance because with other types of dancing, you’re performing by yourself,” said senior Mattea Pezza, University Swingers president. “And so that’s really unique in that you can have a conversation through the dance with other people.”

Pezza said this social aspect is what draws a lot of students to this type of dance. She added that creativity within swing dance comes from the music

partnering aspect.

“We listen to primarily swing music and jazz from the ‘30s and ‘40s, and so [creativity] comes from that and is based off of that, but also something that is unique to swing dancing — at least partnered swing dancing — is the flow of creativity between partnerships,” Pezza said.

Pezza emphasized the social aspect of swing dancing as differentiating it from other types of dance.

“Swing dancing has its own sort of culture,” Pezza said. “It’s really cool going to festivals because swing dancing really just brings people together.

You don’t need to know their name — or even in other countries, you don’t need to be able to speak the same language — you can just go dance with them and have this connection that’s above everything else.”

Smith said dance helps her to express emotions she would be unable to in any other way.

“For me, dance is just an outlet for whatever’s stressing you out,” Smith said. “Whatever’s going wrong, you can just go and focus on dance. It’s just very cathartic.”

Tap dancers do a routine to the Disney song “The Bare Necessities.” Among TSODA groups, others who performed in the show included Illusions Danz, University Singers, West Coast Swingers, Showgirls, High Street Dancers and the University Society of Middle Eastern Dance.

The Index

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

9

Professors encourage students to consider native cultures Anthropology assistant professor Anton Daughters said his interest in Native American history sparked when he was involved in a research project during graduate school at the University of Arizona. He said they needed Spanish speakers to translate Spanish colonial documents — so he signed up. Daughters said this was when he became involved in a documentary about the Hopi people.

Daughters said people must be careful about having a homogenous mentality toward Native American cultures because of how many there are. He attempts to emphasize this in his course where he teaches about indigenous Americans.

“

They tend to have traditions that connect them to specific place.

There’s not the sense of transiency — change being something to worship — and I think that offers a different way and alternative view. It’s something we can gain from at least by the undertaking that there are different ways of behaving.

”

- History professor Daniel Mandell we tend to think of these cultures Photos by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN in a“Unfortunately, single category,” Daughters said. “Which is as ri-

Anthropology assistant professor Anton Daughters presents on the Hopi — ­ a group of indigenous people in northeastern Arizona. Daughters emphasized why the 17th century was the most defining century as the Hopi people.

BY TRAVIS MAIDEN Staff Writer As the chill of November rolls along with the anticipation of filling our stomachs with turkey and making small talk with relatives, some Truman State University professors decided to remind students about a vast and diverse group of people who thrived long before Thanksgiving existed.

November is National Native American Heritage Month, which is both a celebration and a reminder of the diverse cultures of native peoples.

History professor Daniel Mandell said his interest in Native American history started in college, where he took a course in Native American religions and philosophies. His interest deepened once he went to graduate school, where he researched Native Americans in Southern New England. He learned from their experiences and their efforts to adopt many social norms and cultural institutions.

Mandell said people can learn a lot by studying Native American history because in America we seem to care more about the individual rather than the community, while most Native American cultures value the opposite.

“They tend to have traditions that connect them to specific places,” Mandell said. “There’s not the sense of transiency — change being something to worship — and I think that offers a different way and alternative view. It’s something we can gain from at least by the undertaking that there are different ways of behaving.”

Mandell said there are some ideals we might benefit from learning, like the Native American connections between the community and the land.

He said they were able to shape the environment and did so in a way that was sustainable throughout many generations. He said people could also learn from their diversity and how not all Native American tribes, but many, saw welcoming outsiders as benefiting their community.

diculous as thinking all of European and all Asian cultures as somehow part of the same category. There is so much variety in Native American cultural expression, so that’s one of the points I try to get across in class. It’s impossible to really do the subject justice.”

Daughters said the campus should do something that calls attention to their current circumstances. He said many people think of Native Americans as groups that lived in the past, but they also live in tribes today which face certain struggles. Daughters cited the Dakota Access Pipeline in particular, which many have protested because it threatens the Missouri River water supply and because it goes through Native American land.

Brad Turnbull, Multicultural Affairs Center Program Coordinator, said the MAC has planned programs to discuss Native American identity and issues.

He said so far they have planned two specific events.

One was on Nov. 8, which focused on trainable empathy and re-educating people about the history of settling in America. Turnbull said there was another event Nov. 13 where historical scholar Anthony Dixon gave a lecture on the relationship between African Americans and the Seminole people.

Bottom 5: Awkward questions relatives ask you at Thanksgiving

by Rachel Fetchter, Features Editor

Why can’t you be more like [insert relative who has their life together here]?

I don’t know, Karen. Why can’t you be more socially woke like Aunt Sharon?

In SUB Georgian Room A, Daughters discuss the North American Hopi people. Daughters wanted to combat the homogenous mentality toward Native American cultures because of how many there are.

When can we expect grandkids?

Mom, I just wanted you to pass the stuffing...

How’s school?

It’s a stressful black hole I was hoping to avoid talking about tonight or ever.

Are you dating anyone yet?

I don’t know, Uncle Tim, how’s the divorce going?

How come we never see you anymore?

Just be happy I emerged from my cave to engage in uncomfortable small talk with you, Debbie.

In addition to Daughter’s seminar last Tuesday, other events that took place to add to the conversation about Native American Heritage month include “The Real Life Oregon Trail”and “The Marriage of Two Cultures: The Relationship between Africans and Seminole Indians in La Florida.”

The Index

10

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Questions on The Quad Does your family have any interesting Thanksgiving traditions?

Megan Kraus, senior

Samantha Radke, sophomore

Hannah Smith, senior

What are your plans for Thanksgiving break?

Do you plan to participate in Black Friday shopping, and why or why not?

“Besides eating turkey, there’s nothing new. Although, when I was little we always used to do a Christmas craft at Thanksgiving. We’d sometimes make gingerbread houses. One time, we made those styrofoam door hangers, and I made 10 of them.”

“Writing four papers. But also just sleeping and spending time with my family and hopefully buying a pair of gloves.”

“No. I don’t want to die. I want to stay safe.”

“Well, we kind of choose to not celebrate it because the people settling here just wasn’t OK, and the way we’ve treated native peoples is not OK. [It’s] kind of disrespectful … we try to be as woke as possible.”

“Since my family doesn’t really choose to celebrate it, I’m still going to spend time with my family, but I’m going to do it while not focusing on the fact that American settlers displaced all of these Native Americans from their homes.

We’ll probably talk about how that’s not cool … that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy getting together with my family, talking, having food … I’m still gonna be with my family.”

“I absolutely do not intend on participating in Black Friday shopping because it is a capitalistic devil holiday.

I do not think Black Friday is a good holiday, at all. It’s just consumerism at its worst.”

“We have a bigger [dinner] on Thursday, which is actually Thanksgiving, and then we have a smaller one, which is just my parents and my sisters the Saturday after, so I guess that’s kind of a tradition. We basically have the same dinner again over on Saturday.”

“Work. I work at a pet hotel. A lot of people who are going out of town for Thanksgiving will drop their dogs off where I work and my job is basically to make sure they’re fed, that they’re taken outside and that everything is nice and clean. So I get to take care of dogs. It’s very fun.”

“Yes. My extended family has a cooking contest every Thanksgiving. We have a category every year. This year, it’s fruit. So, everybody who competes has to bring a dish based on fruit, and we sample it during the course of our meal, and then we vote on which one is the best food Michael Adams, Mathematics Professor dish. [We have a trophy that’s] a walnut column with a glass pumpkin on top, and for each year the winner gets a little brass plaque with their name and year engraved on it. And I am the current holder. I am hoping for a second win.”

“We’re going to get together with my brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, and assorted friends for dinner and some of us will have continued a dish. My dish this year is going to be dates stuffed with goat cheese and gorgonzola cheese, and sprinkled with chopped pistachios. After dinner, we take a walk around my sister’s farm.”

“I probably won’t do the all-nighter thing like I used to because I’ll probably be at work, but I might if there are some pretty good sales.

I might go look around, and if there’s a really good deal, I’ll probably get in there. I’m not gonna put war paint on or anything.”

“No. I hate shopping.”

Student Government puts up international flag display in Pickler

Student Government has made it a project since 2014 to get an international flag display on campus. The display finally went up on Tuesday in Pickler Memorial Library.

Photos by Rachel Holt/TMN

30

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

The Index

Senior ‘Dogs wish young pups well

BY STEPHANIE HULETT Staff Writer The Truman State University football team ended its season on a four-game winning streak to finish 5-6 overall and 4-3 in the GLVC. It will miss postseason a year after narrowly falling short of the playoffs.

The Bulldogs overcame a 14-0 deficit to come out on top 17-14 Saturday against McKendree University. The ‘Dogs dominated possession time with 43 minutes and 44 seconds to the Bearcats’ 16 minutes and 16 seconds. Truman also ran the ball for 299 yards compared to McKendree’s 99 yards.

Truman came close to a school record with 71 rush attempts.

Sophomore running back Jordan Salima set a career high against the Bearcats, with 194 yards on 41 attempts. Salima finished the season with 1,111 rushing yards and became the 20th running back in Bulldog history to rush more than a thousand yards in a season. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jaden Barr also made record books by setting a single-game record of 81 offensive plays.

The score was 14-7 in the Bearcats favor at halftime, but the Bulldogs came back in the second half with 10 unanswered points. After starting the season 1-6, senior wide receiver Kyle Spratt said coming back to win four games in a row was a product of the team’s persistence.

“We would love to have the first half of the year back, but it was certainly a unique opportunity to be a part of a team that was able to maintain such high levels of collective work-ethic through adversity,” Spratt said.

Spratt said he thinks success is gauged by forward momentum, and that is what the team built with these four wins. As a graduating senior, he said he hopes this continues into the future, so the 2018 Bulldogs will have confidence heading into next season where they will hopefully contend for a GLVC Championship and national championship berth.

Senior defensive back Ben Chaney said the team improved in all three phases of the game — offense, defense and kicking — in the second half of the season, along with their weekly preparation. In the five years he’s been a Bulldog, he can tell the difference between a good practice and a bad one, and the last half of the season he said there were no more bad practices, which led to wins on the field.

Chaney said the grind associated with football season makes it tough for the team to play to potential every week. He said this is especially true when the team is not winning games, yet the team seemed to stay together and improve after each game.

Spratt and Chaney both said as seniors, they hope the young ‘Dogs can step up to fill leadership roles. Chaney said they are losing players on the defensive side of the ball who started for four years.

“There are some young pups on the rise, and my hope is that those younger guys can mature quickly and become great leaders,” Chaney said. “I really hope that they can grasp onto those last four games of this season and carry that on into next year.”

Freshman tight end Jake Ellis said the team is ready to put work in this offseason and this four-game winning streak has built confidence in the team. He said this win against McKendree was big for the seniors because the Bearcats defeated them in the final game last season to force a conference co-championship.

Just like Spratt, Ellis said he hopes this football program can keep building a tightknit team which competes for conference championships and national playoff appearances. He said this season, the team was consistent even when it was struggling.

Even though their overall record did not reflect their hard work, the players showed up every week ready to work hard and play for the seniors leading to the four-game winning streak at the end of the season.

This season, Spratt said the team as a whole was close on and off the field, and the team dedicated its efforts to family, which made the second half success of the season that much sweeter.

Spratt said the players are like brothers in that they are all there for one another and stay resilient through the grind of the season. Chaney said his time as a Bulldog was just like this and he would most definitely do it again if he could.

“In general, being a ‘Dog is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Chaney said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the guys on this team and their commitment to the other seniors and I. You couldn’t have scripted the end of the season any better. Sports have the ability to bring people together and instill many life lessons like humility, respect and how to handle failure as well as success.”

11

“We would certainly love to have the first half of the year back, but it was certainly a unique opportunity to be part of a team that was able to maintain such high levels of collective work ethic through adversity.”

- Senior wide reciever Kyle Spratt

Difference of two halves First 6 games

Last 5 games

1-5 1-5record reco

4-1 record

28.2 points per game allowed

17.8 points per game allowed

360.2 yards allowed per game

337 yards allowed per game

144.3 rushing yards per game

213.4 rushing yards per game

-3:14 total time of possession margin

+107:37 total time of possession margin

FOOTBALL FINALE | Truman State Bulldogs won their fourth straight game 17-14 to end the season

Photos by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Above Left: After the Bulldogs fell behind McKendree University by 14 points in the first half, they started to build momentum, with junior running back Malique Robbins returning a kick 50 yards. This led to the Bulldogs narrowing the score 14-7 before halftime.

Above Right: The Bulldogs dominated the Bearcats in time of possession. Truman held the ball for more than 43 minutes and McKendree held the ball for less than 17 minutes. Redshirt sophomore quarterback Jaden Barr led the Bulldog offense in a 15-play, 52-yard drive that ended in a game-tying touchdown pass to freshman tight end Jake Ellis.

Bottom Left: Truman’s running game was three times as productive as McKendree’s. Sophomore running back Jordan Salima had a career-high 195 rushing yards finishing the season as the program’s 20th 1,000-yard rusher.

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Continued from page 14 Looking forward to the conference tournament, Briney said the players’ training will focus on practicing their strategy and emphasize that each moment they encounter is important.

“There are no big moments — every moment is the same,” Briney said. “We have to put the same weight whether it is a serving drill in practice or serving for championship point in the conference championship. You have to put the same emphasis on both of those moments.”

Briney said one area the team has been excelling in is its kill ratio. He said the goal is to only take one or two swings to get a kill as opposed to four, five or six. Truman will be continuing to do drills this week that will stress winning every single point.

Briney said the team is thrilled to have the opportunity to conclude the season in a positive way. He said everyone has a chance in the postseason and anything can happen, which makes the team more relaxed and energetic in practices.

Sophomore opposite hitter Emma Berthold said the team did a great job last weekend recovering from its mistakes and pushing through — mentally and physically — to win against Missouri S&T. She said the Rockhurst game was a hard-fought match, as usual.

“It’s definitely really fun because we know them and are friends with them, so it’s always a really competitive game,” Berthold said. “They have a different demeanor about their team, and we really strive to defeat that.”

Berthold said the players will work to improve and perfect their blocking because they lead the conference in that area right now.

Sophomore opposite hitter Jocelynn Livingston said the team thinks they have a shot at winning another conference championship. Livingston said the team will try not to single out any game because it should play with the same intensity as every other game.

“We were so close to beating them last time that I think we just need to focus on what we are able to do and control on our side of the net,” Livingston said. “I think that’s how we will win.”

Livingston said the team is peaking at the best time of the season and it has a chance to go far in this tournament, maybe even winning another conference championship.

The team will leave Thursday morning for Peoria, Illinois, and will have its first match of the conference tournament Friday morning against McKendree University.

Photo by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Junior setter Savvy Hughes places a ball for sophomore middle hitter Emma Berthold in Friday’s home match.

WOMEN | ‘Dogs open 2017 with home court victory but fall on first road trip the team is capable of attaining this goal because of its potential and selflessness.

“We all have worked so hard in the preseason so far, and I️ can’t wait to see everything we can achieve this season,” Hartwig said. “I️ really think we are about to do some great things. But win or lose games, I️ know we have all given it our best and worked as hard as we can.”

The Bulldogs took the court Saturday, Nov. 11, and started the season with a 77-65 win against Missouri Valley College. Some of the top players in the game were redshirt junior guard Brooke Bailey with 16 points, sophomore guard Sloane Totta with 11 points, and freshman guard Tiffany Davenport and Hartwig combined for 17 points.

The team’s first road game of the season ended in a 72-57 loss to Augustana College Monday. Freshman center Katie Jaseckas recorded her first collegiate double-double with 12 points and 13 rebounds in her second ever game. The Bulldogs were never able to recover from a 7-point first-quarter deficit.

Truman will play its next game Saturday, Nov. 18 against Missouri Southern State University. The team will follow that game with the Ramada Inn Thanksgiving Classic from Nov. 24-25 in Topeka, Kansas.

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Continued from page 14 Hartwig said this is the most important part of the season for the team as it looks to qualify for the NCAA tournament. She said

(p

Photo by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Junior guard Rachel Edmundson defends a Missouri Valley guard. The Bulldogs beat the Vikings 77-65.

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Continued from page 14 “Academics-wise, [Truman] is one of the best, and the basketball program is actually very, very good,” Odofin said. “The drills so far have been mainly working on defense, getting the ball back and scoring when you can … There’s lots of team chemistry, and [my teammates] work like a family, so it’s definitely a good fit for me. It’s all a combination of a good academic program and basketball.”

Foster said picking up Odofin — like a lot of recruiting in sports — was possible through connections.

With Odofin’s connection to Messer and his family, Foster was able to bring him to Truman. Foster said Odofin has significant athletic ability, with his size helping him become a strong defensive presence on the court. Foster said so far, Odofin’s transition into the Truman program has emphasized training fundamentals. Foster said Odofin will become a noticeably better player within the span of a year if he keeps practicing these fundamentals.

“He’s different than anybody we’ve had,” Foster said. “He’s really long, really athletic, and gives us a rim protector — really useful, defensively. He can play above the rim, which is something we don’t have a lot of. He still has some ways to go, but as a basketball player, I think his upside is really, really good and he works really hard every day to learn and pick up new things. His athletic ability and size help him continue to grow — he can be a really good player for us.”

Redshirt senior forward Zach Fischer said Odofin carries his athleticism into practice, and gives it his all to better understand the team’s goals on both offense and defense. He said Odofin has rapidly improved his strength through the team’s preseason lifting programs.

Fischer said size and reach play heavily in Odofin’s favor, and translate into strong potential on the court. Offensively, he said Odofin has good potential on posts, and defense is where he particularly shines — acting as a huge presence in the center of the floor, blocking shots and acting as an alternator.

“From the start, he’s fit really well with the team,” Fischer said.

“We love having him as part of the program … We are looking forward to seeing him in future years to come onto the court in a Bulldog uniform.”

VOLLEYBALL | The Truman State University volleyball team enters the GLVC tournament having won 11 of its last 14 matches

w

ODOFIN | Defensive post presence joins men’s basketball roster

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

The Index

Five games in eight days

BY JASE WILLHITE Staff Writer

The Truman State University men’s basketball team started its season strong last weekend, winning the first two games of the season. The Bulldogs were on the road as they faced off against Trevecca Nazarene University and Cedarville University during the GLVC/G-MAC Challenge in Maryville, Missouri.

The Bulldogs won their game Saturday against Trevecca Nazarene 84-73.

Redshirt senior forward Zach Fischer led the team and posted a double-double with 24 points and 11 rebounds on an 83.3 percent shooting display. In addition to Fischer’s double-digit scoring, junior guard Jake Velky had 23 points while redshirt junior guards Jack Green and Taurin Hughes had 14 and 10 points, respectively.

Game two on Sunday looked similar, with Truman beating Cedarville 75-65.

Fischer nearly reached another doubledouble with 16 points and 9 rebounds and Velky led the squad with 22 points.

Hughes also reached double-digit scoring again with a 13-point display. Junior guard Nathan Messer was also able to reach double digits, scoring 11 points for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs will start their season with five games this week. Within those first five games, only one is on Truman’s home court. Many road games in

Junior guard Nathan Messer prepares to take a shot. He averaged 11.6 points per game last season.

so few days can take a toll on the team, but Fischer said he is confident the Bulldogs are preparing the right way.

“There is no denying that this is a tough stretch of games for us,” Fischer

13

november

17 Friday Swimming

TBA in Evanston, Ill. at TYR Invite

Volleyball

2:30 p.m. in East Peoria, Ill. vs. McKendree University

Men’s Basketball

5 p.m. in Maryville, Mo. vs. Upper Iowa University

18 Saturday Swimming

TBA in Evanston, Ill. at TYR Invite

Wrestling Submitted Photos Junior guard Jake Velky returns to the Bulldogs after leading them in scoring last season. Velky also shot 47 percent from behind the 3-point line. said. “Making sure we get our sleep and eating healthy is obviously important.

The coaches do a great job of balancing our practices so we can have fresh legs for our games.”

Fischer said the athletic training staff is helpful in periods like these. He said they do a great job making sure the players are ready to go for practice and games, whether it be treatment for injuries, ice baths or anything else that is going to help the players get ready for the season ahead.

Green said being a student athlete can take a toll on players, as they have to learn to manage their time to make sure they finish the fall semester on a strong note. He said veteran leadership and strong coaching techniques help newer players balance their athletic and academic schedules. Players still need to find time to study for tests or work on papers or projects.

“We try to help the younger guys as much as we can, but it honestly just comes down to finding a system that works for them to balance schoolwork and basketball,” Green said. “You can’t really know what it is going to be like until you do it. We are there to help and give advice during stressful times, but our coaches are also great mentors when it comes to this topic because they too went through that same thing.”

Green said it can be hard to make the quick turnaround when there are many games during a shorter period of time. He said he is confident the players can handle it because they have been preparing for it all offseason, and the team is used to playing many games in a short stretch. He said players should treat their bodies well by eating healthy and doing extra conditioning.

Assistant coach Mike Annese said the coaching staff doesn’t solely care about conditioning and stretching. He said the coaching staff also takes a hard

stance on ensuring the team’s academics are sound.

“We make sure the guys manage their time well before Thanksgiving break,” Annese said. “It’s important for them to stay on top of their school work during this stretch of games. We have study hall four times a week for two hours, so that really helps with time management and keeping up on school work.”

The Bulldogs look to continue to improve and keep the ball rolling as they face off against Upper Iowa University on Friday followed by a huge match-up against the highest-ranked team in the nation, Northwest Missouri State University.

9 a.m. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. at Coe College Open

Women’s Basketball

1 p.m. in Kirksville, Mo. vs. Missouri Southern State University

Men’s Basketball

5 p.m. in Maryville, Mo. vs. Northwest Missouri State University

19 Sunday Swimming

TBA in Evanston, Ill. at TYR Invite

24 Friday

Women’s Basketball 5 p.m. in Topeka, Kan. vs. Newman University

25 saturday Women’s Basketball

3 p.m. in Topeka, Kan. vs. Washburn University

28 Tuesday Men’s Basketball

7 p.m. in Kirksville, Mo. vs. Washburn University

30 Thursday Wrestling Redshirt senior guard Zach Fischer debuted as a starter Saturday. He recorded a double-double in the game.

7 p.m. in Kirksville, Mo. vs. William Penn University, Iowa

NFL star’s battle with his inner demons can be inspiration for others

BY PATRICK PARDO Staff Writer To some, Cleveland Browns wide receiver Josh “Flash” Gordon is just another potential fantasy football savior. His story is the triumphant tale of a man trying to outrun the demons in his life.

During his second season as a wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns in 2013-2014, Gordon was suspended two games for violating NFL substance abuse policies. His suspension, combined with being an unproven receiver on a losing NFL team, caused many fantasy football owners to draft him late or not at all. Later that season, Gordon would total more than 1,600 yards, becoming the first receiver to ever have back-to-back 200-yard games. His presence alone would cause many fantasy team owners to make the championship that year.

This one season cemented his legendary status across every fantasy league.

The next season, Gordon was arrested and suspended for a DUI. He ended up playing only five games with less than desirable results, but many owners still believed in his talent. In 2015, he was suspended for the entire year for, once again, violating NFL substance abuse policies. On Jan. 20, 2016, Gordon applied for league reinstatement. His request was denied after failing another drug test in March of that year. He would apply for reinstatement again on March 1, 2017 and be denied.

On Nov. 1, 2017, after a three-year absence from the NFL, Gordon was reinstated on a conditional basis. He will finally return to the field during Week 13, Dec. 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

In a November interview with GQ, Gordon said his initial reinstatements started with the mentality that if he wanted any type of career, he would stop using alcohol and drugs, and he now says it’s a matter of stopping so he can live.

Sports fans forget that for a lot of these athletes, their sports might be an escape from a troubling past. In Gordon’s case, he said football provided escapism and served as an inhibitor, which is a scary environment for someone like Gordon who is only 26. In college and in the NFL — even during his legendary season — Gordon has gone on record saying he always had at least something in his system before every game.

Throughout the years, comments by the league and media were made about the NFL giving up completely on Gordon — another player fallen victim to inner demons. Because of this, Gordon has made an effort to better his life before his return. He said he wants to break the stereotype of being an absent father and subsequently disappointing his mother. He also said he wishes to prove he can beat this self-destructive life style.

It’s amazing Gordon has gotten a third chance after failing his first two reinstatements, and we should celebrate the NFL not giving up on this young player just yet — despite all the criticism the league attracts these days.

I hope with Gordon’s reinstatement that he can leave his addictions behind him and go on to have the career he deserves because his story is an important one that can inspire others who might also deal with such demons.

ATHLETE o f t h e w e e k

Redshirt senior Zach Fischer started his first weekend averaging a double-double. Fischer scored 24 points and snagged 11 rebounds Saturday against Trevecca Nazarene University for his second career double-double, and then he followed with a 16-point and 9-rebound performance Saturday against Cedarville University. He had five steals across the two games.

Zach Fischer

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Volleyball peaks entering GLVC postseason play

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2017

Transfer brings size to roster

BY ASHLEY MURPHY Staff Writer The perseverance and passion of Truman State University’s volleyball team has paid off in an impressive end to its regular season last weekend.

The team played Missouri University of Science and Technology Friday in its last home game of the season. The team took the match 3-1, winning the first, third, and fourth sets and giving head coach Ben Briney his 200th win. The win against the Miners secured the Bulldog’s spot in the conference championship and gave them some added confidence for postseason.

After defeating Missouri S&T, the Bulldogs traveled to Rockhurst University and lost in a hard-fought match. The defending conference champions will return to the conference tournament Friday as the seventh seed in the bracket and will play the second-seeded Bearcats of McKendree University.

Briney said the team’s success last weekend gave them positive momentum going into postseason, and the team is ready to maximize its potential on the court. He said every appearance in the conference tournament should not be taken for granted because the season ended for many schools on Saturday.

Briney said he told his players at the beginning of the year they would be playing their best ball by the end of the year, and he said that is exactly what they are doing. He said the team is coming together and has a chance to peak at just the right moment to find success in the conference tournament.

“The credit goes to [the players] for continuing to push through and believe in the process and coming in every day continuing to work, regardless of what our record is,” Briney said.

Briney said the women wer tested by the team’s tough schedule and adversity it faced during the regular season. He said of the team’s 29 matches, only seven teams the Bulldogs played had a losing record, making each match a challenge.

Regardless, he said the players per-

Submitted Photo

Truman basketball signed 6- foot-9 sophomore center transfer Olawale Odofin.

BY CURT WICHMER Staff Writer

Photo by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Redshirt junior middle hitter Holly Hildebrand and sophomore opposite hitter Emma Berthold position for a block. Postseason play begins Friday. sisted and managed to record wins against those teams.

He said the players know they can beat tough teams because they have done it before. In addition to the tough schedule, Briney said that every mem-

ber of the team has stepped up and made an impact. He said all 15 Bulldogs play a key role in the team’s success, and they wouldn’t be where they are without each and every player.

See VOLLEYBALL, page 12

There’s strength in size when it comes to college athletics, and Truman State University men’s basketball roster makes no exception. At the beginning of this season, the Purple and White added a 6-foot-9 forward to its team when sophomore Olawale Odofin transferred from Lewis and Clark Community College in Godfrey, Illinois.

Odofin said he has played basketball since high school at St. Louis Christian Academy, moving with his family from Lagos, Nigeria to the United States. Though he played his first year at Lewis and Clark, he said he became aware of Truman thanks to junior guard Nathan Messer and head coach Chris Foster.

Odofin said the team had a strong start to the season and has opportunities to do good in the games to come. Odofin said he didn’t come to Truman solely for basketball because the school’s academic reputation also appealed to him.

See ODOFIN, page 12

Unfinished business drives Bulldog women’s basketball

BY JAMIE FOWLE Staff Writer The Truman State University women’s basketball team looks to redeem itself this season after a buzzer-beating loss in the first game of the GLVC Tournament against Maryville University.

Senior forward Sam Andrews said the loss stayed with the players, and the motto “unfinished business” now motivates them. The Bulldogs have been working

hard in the offseason with this new mindset to finish what they started.

“We realize what we each need to work on individually, and then take this and bring it together as a team,” Andrews said.

This team has a lot of players with experience and leadership to offer. The team is loaded with six seniors — four of which have been in the program for four years.

After losing one of their key players, alumna Cassidy Clark, the coaches had some big shoes to fill.

The program brought in four freshmen and a Div. I transfer player from Nebraska.

Assistant coach Theo Dean said the team is brimming with potential and is ready to take the court.

“We are looking forward to capitalizing on our senior leadership this season to help get our freshmen on board and used to playing college basketball,” Dean said.

Dean said the team’s goals and expectations are the same every year — to improve during the season so the team plays

its best basketball from late February to early March.

The GLVC lost a team this year when St. Joseph’s College closed its doors. This has caused the conference to change the schedule and go from two divisions to three.

Senior forward Ashley Hartwig said restructuring the conference will not change the importance of each game even though the team will now have to play each team in its division twice rather than just once.

See WOMEN, page 12

Photo by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Freshman center Katie Jaseckas makes her first Truman State University appearance and reaches up to get the first tip-off of the season Saturday night. Truman defeated Missouri Valley College in the season opener, but lost Monday night against Augustana University.

VOLUME 109

ISSUE 12

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