The Index Vol. 109 Issue 17 by Truman State University Index

Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018 tmn.truman.edu

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FEATURES | Truman alumnus returns as part of Beatles Tribute Band Page 7

SPORTS | Velky reaches 1,000point milestone Page 14

Thomas testifies at higher-ed hearing BY NICOLAS TELEP News Editor

Truman State University President Sue Thomas testified about the effects of proposed decreases in state funding to public universities before a House subcommittee Jan. 30 in Jefferson City. Presidents from each of Missouri’s public universities were invited to testify Tuesday or Wednesday. Thomas was among six university presidents who testified Tuesday. Six members of the seven-person subcommittee were in attendance. Each school’s representative was given 10 minutes to present. Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens released his proposal for the state’s

2019 fiscal year budget last week. The plan calls for cutting core funding to Missouri’s public four-year colleges and universities by $76.4 million from the previous fiscal year’s budget.For Truman, this would translate to a 7.7 percent cut in core state funding. Funding for higher education was also reduced last fiscal year. Additionally, the governor’s proposal calls for 10 percent of each institution’s core funding to be withheld and released only if the institution meets six performance goals set by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. In previous years, these performance goals have been used to award extra funds, but never to qualify for full core funding. See HEARING, page 5

Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN University President Sue Thomas speaks to a state House subcommittee in Jefferson City Tuesday, Jan. 30. Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance and planning, and Janet Gooch, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, joined Thomas.

Heinz Greenwood clinic stalled Kraft hiring passes amid lack of state funding expectations BY RYAN PIVONEY Staff Writer

Kirksville’s Kraft Heinz production plant has hired several hundred more people than originally estimated in its 2016 expansion announcement. When starting the expansion project, the company had about 463 employees and estimated the expansion would create 69 new jobs. The company now has a total of about 900 jobs, meaning since their announcement, Kraft Heinz has added almost 500 jobs. City Manager Mari Macomber said the company is hiring people for almost every position level, including support staff, maintenance workers and line staff, though the majority are involved in the manufacturing process at the plant. See KRAFT HEINZ, page 5

COMM 170 test-out eliminated

BY BRENTLY SNEAD AND MORGAN GERVAIS Editor-in-Chief and Opinions Editor

Photo by Lindell Sconce/TMN The Greenwood building, formerly an elementary school, sits vacant at the corner of Haliburton and Normal streets in Kirksville adjacent to the campus of Truman State University. A plan to convert the building into an autism clinic has been put on hold because state funding for the project was withheld during accross-the-board cuts to higher education. BY LINDELL SCONCE Staff Writer Despite a prevalent need in the community, development of the Greenwood Regional Autism Clinic is still on hold because of lack of funding. In 2016, Truman State University began plans to turn the Greenwood Elementary building into a regional autism therapy and diagnostic center, where Truman students could work alongside professionals in diagnosing and serving patients. The building renovations were originally slated to finish fall of 2018, but lost funding after state cuts to Truman’s budget. The project is currently postponed, but with the need for this clinic still high, the University is looking for funding. Janet Gooch, vice president for academic affairs and provost, said when Truman first requested funding

in 2016, former Gov. Jay Nixon promised about $550,000 for the project. The University received a portion of that sum up front, which it used to create preliminary schematics for redesigning the Greenwood building. While there is no work being done on the building right now, Gooch said Truman is still looking for funding from the state and private sectors. “We’re still making a request from the governor to fulfill the promise, and we hope that he does,” Gooch said. “We have also looked to private donors for assistance with the project.” Cindy Dowis, Kirksville R-III School District Director of Special Education, said she also supports the creation of a regional clinic. Kirksville has 41 children from preschool to 12th grade diagnosed with autism, Dowis said. The Thompson Center for Autism and Neurological Disorders, located in Columbia, Missouri, is the nearest place

for families in the Northeast region to receive services. The drive is long, and the wait time is longer. “That’s 95 miles away,” Dowis said. “It’s now at least a year’s wait to get in.” Dowis said she thinks there is a great need to train teachers, counselors and speech therapists on how to work with disabled children, and she said she hopes the Greenwood clinic would allow students to get handson experience. In addition to funds for renovating the building, Truman would also need to raise money for furnishing it. Charles Hunsaker, interim director of advancement, said equipment and even office furniture can cost a lot, but he thinks many people in the Kirksville community would be interested in preserving the Greenwood Elementary building through this repurposing. See GREENWOOD, page 5

At the Jan. 25 Faculty Senate meeting, members voted to eliminate the COMM 170 test-out option effective fall 2018. The opportunity to test out of public speaking has been a topic of discussion for months — as it started in the Undergraduate Council in November before moving to Faculty Senate in December. Communication department chair Jay Self advocated for removing the COMM 170 test-out option because it would allow for more sections of public speaking, which would ultimately help students. Self said those who excel in public speaking or test above average have other options, such as COMM 270: Advanced Public Speaking and COMM 272: Speech Communication Activities. These options will benefit students who have speech and debate experience and want to continue growing their speaking skills, or students who have extensive public speaking knowledge. Student government advocated against the elimination as the University discussion progressed, arguing that removing the option would hinder students’ abilities to improve their public speaking skills. Though the test-out option was eliminated, student government proposed an amendment at the Jan. 25 meeting. The amendment passed and allows current Truman State University students to participate in the test-out.

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Exhibit opens in University Art Gallery

Photos by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN

Top: Juniors Anna Kintree and Joshua Fish look at a photograph by Kelli Connell in the University Art Gallery. The photo is part of the exhibit “Double Life: Fifteen Years,” which uses manipulated photographs of a single model to make them appear twice. Above Left: Junior Anna Pavan looks at another photo from Connel’s exhibit. The exhibit is on display in the Art Gallery in Ophelia Parrish until March 2. Above Right: Sophomores Amy Kruse and Dominique Williams work on their own art near the Gallery. The other photography exhibit currently on display at the Gallery is “Counter Movements” by Janna Añonuevo Langholz, which uses still photos and video to emphasize parts of the world often overlooked. Bottom Right: The Art Gallery hosted a public reception Friday, Jan. 26, the day after the exhibits opened. After the current exhibits close in March, the Annual Juried Student Exhibition will be on display beginning March 20.

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief Brently Snead Assistant Editor Johanna Burns News Editor (Text) Nicolas Telep Features Editor (Text) Rachel Fechter Opinions Editor Morgan Gervais 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, Travis Maiden, Ryan Pivoney, Dana Bartch, Gordon McPherson, Justin Newton, Aura Martin, Lindell Sconce Sales Manager Joey Iaguessa Copy Editors Molly Thal, Bethany Spitzmiller, Ellen Thibodeau, Allyson Lotz, Elise Hughes, Cara Quinn

Cartoonists Annie Kintree, August Davis Designers Georgia Gregory, Maddie

Kamp, Emmett Divendal, Emily Taylor, Kaitlyn Farmer Photographers Lawrence Hu, Athena Geldbach, Austin Dellamano, Daniel Degenhardt, Hannah Ahlenius, Samantha Garrett Distribution Representatives Greta Roettegen, Amanda Claywell Adviser Don Krause

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

calendar Board of Governors Meeting

Planetarium Presentations

Grocery Store Bingo

SUB Conference Room

Del and Norma Robison Planetarium

SUB Georgian Rooms

Saturday, Feb. 3 1 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 5 7 p.m.

The Board of Governors will host its first meeting of the semester Saturday where Board members will be discussing new academic programs and financial reports. The public is welcome for the open part at the beginning of the meeting before the session closes to look at personnel items and general counsel matters.

The Del and Norma Robison Planetarium will be hosting two shows Saturday. “Two Small Pieces of Glass” and “Search for the Edge of the Solar System” will be shown at 2 and 3 p.m., respectively, and each will include a star tour. Tickets are $5 at the door and can be pre-purchased at planetarium.truman.edu.

Truman State University’s Student Activities Board will host bingo games with grocery items for prizes. The value of prizes will increase with each round, and the grand prize winner will receive a Crock-Pot.

Faculty Forum: Michael Goggin Faculty LSP Information Sessions

Green Party’s Ajamu Baraka

Magruder Hall 1000

SUB Activities Room

SUB Down Under

Tuesday, Feb. 6 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 7 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 7 7 p.m.

Truman State University physics professor Michael Goggin will present a faculty forum titled “Quantum Mechanics: What Is It Good For?” The forum will explore the notoriously weird and non-intuitive field of quantum mechanics. Technology which takes advantage of the “weirdness” of quantum mechanics and the uses of that technology, such as quantum computers and quantum cryptography, will also be discussed.

Faculty Senate recently passed a bill that recommends changes to the Liberal Studies Program. In response to the bill being passed, a faculty-wide referendum will occur Feb. 6-13. To prepare faculty members for the referendum, Faculty Senate will also host an informational meeting to respond to faculty questions or concerns.

Students for a Democratic Society will host Ajamu Baraka, 2016 Green Party vice president candidate. Baraka’s talk is titled “The Human Rights Challenge to War and New McCarthyism.” Baraka is a human rights activist who will be talking about how current political themes pose a problem to human rights. There will be a Q&A session following the speech.

presents

2017 - 2018 Kohlenberg Lyceum Series

Golden Dragon Acrobats 7:30 p.m. • Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 Baldwin Auditorium

Tickets are $5.50 per person and will be available starting Feb. 2 online at lyceum.truman.edu, at the Truman Cashier Window in McClain Hall from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday, and at Edna Campbells in downtown Kirksville. Questions may be directed to pr@truman.edu or call 660.785.4016.

Visit www.gliks.com to find your nearest location

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

[ Our View]

State shouldn’t shift higher-ed financial burden to college students Missouri’s higher-education system is to be marveled at. Almost a quarter of a million students are enrolled at the state’s 27 public universities and community colleges from the Bootheel to the Nebraska border. The system includes trade school students, doctoral candidates and everybody in between. Satellite campuses, extensions and online distance learning extend the reach of Missouri’s education system so it is accessible in even the most remote areas. Last week, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens recommended another round of funding cuts across the board for the state’s colleges and universities. If the governor gets his way, millions of dollars will be slashed from the state’s 13 public universities and 14 community colleges, and the quarter-million students who rely on them. This is before mentioning the thousands of Missourians — of all economic statuses and skill levels — who are employed by public higher education. Additionally, there is serious discussion in Jefferson City of raising the state’s longstanding tuition cap limit which hikes tuition to the rate of inflation. We, The Index Editorial Board, think these policies are moving in the wrong direction for Missouri. The General Assembly and the governor are slowly shifting the expenses of public higher education from the state’s responsibility to students’. While the state’s efforts to balance the budget and cut taxes might be well-intentioned, significantly decreasing the amount of higher-education funding is the wrong way to achieve those goals. Economic research points to investment in education as one of the best ways to grow an economy and increase a community’s quality of life. Here at Truman State University, the

administration was able to withstand the last round of budget cuts without any layoffs, cuts to academic departments or increases in tuition above the cap. Truman was lucky while hundreds of employees at schools across the state like the University of Missouri were laid off after the last round of budget cuts. More cuts in state funding might send more schools down this path. As more money is taken away by the state, students and employees get the short end of the stick. This lowers the quality of education, makes it more expensive, and prevents public institutions of higher education from paying fair and competitive wages. As The Index highlighted last week, some students at Truman have to stretch themselves as thin as possible to afford tuition and basic needs at a school considered to be one of the most affordable. The Greenwood School building near campus still sits empty and unused, awaiting the renovation to turn it into an autism clinic — a project which has been put off indefinitely because of a lack of funding. As previously reported, no professors at Truman got raises this year. Administrations are conscious of their students’ needs and can be trusted not to raise tuition prices by huge margins year to year, but even small increases might mean some students are permanently disadvantaged from higher education and all the opportunities that come with a degree. Missouri is not among the wealthiest states and has a huge amount of wealth inequality. If we, as Missourians, are going to give everyone an opportunity to get higher education and all the benefits that come with it, we must fund public schools at a level where they can effectively and affordably provide such opportunities.

[ Student Voices ]

Student Government Update on COMM170 Test-Out

As an update to last week’s article from Student Government’s Academic Affairs committee, the discussions surrounding the public speaking essential skill continued at Faculty Senate’s meeting on January 25. During these discussions, a compromise was reached between faculty and students with the ultimate goal of developing a more permanent solution. After debating the merits of the current test-out system for the public speaking essential skill, Faculty Senate voted to eliminate the current option. However, a friendly amendment was added to the bill before it was passed, requiring the Communications Department to “accommodate for current students (as of the 2017-2018 school year) who have tested high enough on the written portion of the COMM170 pre-Test to deliver a persuasive speech.” This amendment was initially recommended by Student Government in an executive order issued by President Kyra Cooper, and was distributed to each member of Faculty Senate at the meeting. As mentioned in the executive order, Student Government hoped that, if included, this amendment would help a significant number of students who did acquire “high enough scores to complete the test-out prior to its revocation, and should therefore be allowed to complete the process.” Members of Faculty Senate agreed, and ensured that this request would be included in the language of the Communication Department’s bill. After amending and voting on the bill, Faculty Senate agreed by an almost unanimous vote to create an ad hoc committee to address specific concerns regarding the test-out option of COMM170 and other “essential skills” in Truman’s curriculum. This committee will work on developing a new system that is both fair to available faculty resources and beneficial for students. In addition, this committee will include a student representative who will advocate for the interests of students in developing this new option. The Academic Affairs committee is excited to participate in these future discussions, and as always, welcomes student input on this matter. SUBMITTED BY DEANNA SCHMIDT AND KYRA COOPER

Excessive amounts of assigned reading discourages outside reading BY MACKENNA PALAZZA for the extra cash while Copy Chief others work to pay for their education. Students It’s funny how inare notorious for not havterests change. When I ing enough free time, so was younger, I loved to why do professors think read. Since finishing high more reading is helpschool, I stopped considful? If I can’t finish the ering reading a hobby. I required reading for a simply didn’t have time class, it’s not that I’m not any more— at least not interested in the subject between the massive — in fact, I probably regamounts of reading I was istered for the course out assigned in my courses. of interest — it’s more I’m doing a lot more likely that I literally don’t free reading this semester have enough time. than I have in the past Just the other day, few years. Part of that is my roommate asked me because of a new job I how long I spent on the started and part of that is reading assignment for because last New Year’s I one of my classes. It took made a goal to read more me a minute to think for fun. That goal was about how many hours barely met if you count I’d passed by reading. the two “fun” books I Seven? Eight? Granted, started but didn’t finish. I’m not a very speedy I don’t think at any reader, and a lot of the point earlier in my time time I spent reading I as a college student I was distracted, but cut have had the desire for my number in half, and additional reading. You even at four hours for see, as much as I enjoy one class, multiple times reading about things a week, this adds up to I’m interested in, when 8-12 hours of reading teachers require students each week for each class. to do excessive amounts The majority of students of reading between at Truman State Univerclasses, it’s hard to find sity are full time, so for time for any reading 12 credit hours, that’s 32on top of that. I think 48 hours of reading each oftentimes instructors week. If their class meets might not consider the three times a week, that’s other responsibilities 48 hours of reading at students have and the minimum — more than time constraints they the amount of time spent might be under. Besides working full time. other courses and assign- How does this seem ments, a lot of students adequately achievable have jobs. among other responsibili I’m not blaming my ties like campus and comlack of reading on the munity organizations and fact that I work a lot, on- or off-campus jobs? but I know I’m not an Not to mention everyone exception here. There are is working to complete many students who work the long-term goal of

EDITORIAL POLICY: The Index is published Thursdays during the academic year by students at Truman State University, Kirksville, MO 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 forum, and content of The Index is the responsibility of The Index staff. The editor-in-chief consults with the staff and adviser but ultimately is responsible for all decisions. Opinions of The Index columnists are not necessarily representative of the opinions of the staff or the newspaper. Our View editorials represent the view of the Editorial Board through a two-thirds majority vote. The Editorial Board consists of the editor-in-chief, managing editor, section editors, copy chief and assistant copy chief. The Index reserves the right to edit submitted material because of space limitations, repetitive subject matter, libelous content or any other reason the editor-in-chief deems appropriate. Submitted material includes advertisements and letters to the editor. LETTER POLICY: The Index welcomes letters to the editor from the University and Kirksville community. Letters to the editor are due by noon the Sunday before publication and become property of The Index upon submission. Once submitted, the letter is subject to editing for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors. Submissions must contain a well-developed theme and cannot exceed 500 words, except at the discretion of the opinions editor and/or editor-inchief. The Index suggests that submissions be written about current events or public issues that need to be brought forth, and should offer a valid argument. Submission does not guarantee publication, especially when submissions fail to add something to the current discussion. Letters containing personal attacks, libelous attacks or inaccurate information will not be published. All letters to the editor must be typed and submitted by email to index.opinionseditor@gmail.com. Include the words “letter to the editor” in the subject line of the email. Letters which are not submitted digitally will be taken into consideration.

finding work post-graduation. Students are busy with schoolwork, employment and professional development, so when we have any spare time, I think I can speak for most to say we’d rather be doing almost anything other than reading. Many students could be doing twice as much reading depending on their coursework. Some English classes require students to read more than 10 books a semester. Despite these hurdles, many students attempt to finish their reading in typical Truman student fashion, which sometimes means a lack of sleep and food, or for convenience an increased intake of less healthy things like caffeine, sugar and sodium. When a student asks for an extension or fails to meet a deadline, keep in mind this doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t care about a class. Communication is always best to figure out what the situation is at hand and to see if the student and professor can work out an individual plan to help both parties succeed. Isn’t the goal all along for students to learn and grow as young professionals and for our instructors to guide us and help prepare us? I think professors could try to be more aware of the busy lives students lead and to be more understanding of why we might not be able to accomplish the amount of reading they want us to.

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VOLUME 109

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The Index

SAB plans events for semester BY DANA BARTCH Staff Writer

The Student Activities Board hosts an average of 20 events each semester, sometimes more depending on the budget and the time it takes to plan events. Along with the variety of events SAB hosts every year, there are also popular, recurring staple events that students have liked in the past, such as Welcome Back comedians each semester, concerts, film screenings, pumpkin carvings and SAB Holiday Lights. Events to look forward to this semester are “Get Out” movie night, Grocery Store Bingo, Trumance, Broadway

Trivia Night, the Final Blowout, a welcome back comedian and “Could You Survive Trivia Night?” SAB President senior Blake Buthod said the board generally has about $300,000 every school year to use for events they think students on campus would enjoy. “We save some of that for reserves, just in case, so not necessarily all of the money we get every year is allocated to our committees,” Buthod said. The money for these events comes from the $45 student activities fee each student is required to pay. SAB currently consists of 33 members split into groups which plan specific events. Each group has five or six students tasked with crafting, re-

searching and planning an event, so there are always multiple events in the works at once. “There are six standing committees — the executive committee, the communications and films committee, the special events committee, the concerts committee, the productions committee, and the communications development,” said senior Rebekah Sutherland, SAB vice president. “We have a couple other appointed committees — the Final Blowout committee and constitutional committee.” Event ideas can be suggested by members, other organizations on campus or students. Once an idea is selected, student board members research the cost of the event, whether

or not it would interest students, when and where it could happen, possible risks, the number of student workers needed, and the quality of the content. Next, it is presented in their committee, chair, and board meetings, and once they receive positive feedback, the chair of the event fills out the necessary forms to begin the process of motioning it. After receiving a majority vote, the planning can begin. All students can submit event ideas into SAB’s suggestion box, which can be found on the front page of their website. Students are also invited to voice their thoughts at weekly meetings at 6 p.m. on Thursdays in SUB Conference Room 3000.

HEARING | School presidents testify at state Capitol Continued from page 1

To begin her testimony, Thomas spoke about Truman’s status as the state’s only public liberal arts college and highlighted Truman’s rankings and awards. She also discussed Truman’s low student debt relative to the national average and said the rate of students defaulting on student loans is the lowest among Missouri public schools, at about 2.8 percent. “Truman works very hard ... to help students understand that they should not take out one more cent than what it takes to fund their education,” Thomas said. “We work really hard with our students to look at financing their education as just that — financing the education part of it.” Thomas said Truman’s administration is already small and centralized, so Truman is unable to make cutbacks as drastic and cost-saving as other universities are making within administration. She said Truman has cut costs by reducing the number of faculty members, offering retirement incentives and installing energy-efficient utility systems. A common concern among the university presidents who testified is the effect more funding cuts would have on their institutions. Multiple presidents pointed out state funding levels are currently equal to or less than those in 2000 without accounting for inflation. Many universities had to find ways to cut costs during the last round of funding reductions. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western State University president, said it would be hard to find additional cuts to make without sacrificing institutional quality. Clifton Smart, Missouri State University President, said his school had a number of programs to cut at its main campus to save money, but those cuts would not fully cover the reduction in

state funding. He also said the University’s West Plains campus would struggle to cover the $1 million it would lose under the recommended budget. “I’ll be honest with you, it’s a pretty gloomy picture,” Smart said.

Some universities laid off employees after last year’s funding reductions, and presidents warned more layoffs could follow if state funding was further reduced. Multiple schools also said raising tuition is a possibility. However, Smart said MSU

had been discouraged from applying for a waiver from the state Department of Higher Education to raise tuition above the inflation rate, and he knew of two other schools which had also been discouraged from applying for waivers.

Photo by Nicolas Telep/TMN As the governor’s budget proposal recommends further reductions in funding for Missouri’s colleges and universities, presidents of those institutions travelled to Jefferson City this week to testify before a state House subcommittee. Many expressed concern at the consequences of further cuts to their budgets.

GREENWOOD | Clinic still in limbo as fundraising continues Continued from page 1

“There’s so many people who went to Greenwood, so they love that building,” Hunsaker said. “That was their grade school, and so there’s a lot of history in the community wrapped up into that.” When the project began, Hunsaker said the advancement office wanted to be ready accelerate a fundraising campaign for the furnishings, similar to what A.T. Still University did when they started their dental school. The office would prepare proposals and look into foundations that supported autism clinics, trying to attract donors by offering naming rights, Hunsaker said. Donors who gave the largest sums could have areas of the clinic named after them. For example, people might want their name on a central room designed to be a mock living space, Hunsaker said. The room might have stoves and furniture, and patients could interact in actual settings they might live in.

The goal for the furnishing campaign would be in the $20,00025,000 range, said Dave Rector, vice president for administration, finance

and planning. Beyond that, the project’s final budget is estimated at $5 million, Rector said. The building is so old it will be expensive to reno-

vate, and because it will not be designed to generate income, there is little chance for the clinic to pay for itself, Rector said.

Photo by Lindell Sconce/TMN Truman State University has been unable to begin the redevelopment process for Greenwood because the plan relied on eliminated state funding. The University is encouraging donations through fundraising campaigns to jumpstart the project.

KRAFT HEINZ | Plant hires hundreds more than expected Continued from page 1

Submitted Photo The Kraft Heinz plant in Kirksville underwent an extensive renovation after almost being shut down. Before the expansion, the plant employed fewer than 500 people. It now employs more than 900.

The company is drawing applicants from Kirksville as well as surrounding counties in Northeast Missouri through an online application and interview process. “With people at work, people getting paid more money, they are going to be able to afford more things, and hopefully they support more local businesses,” Macomber said. K-REDI director Carolyn Chrisman said Kraft Heinz also increased the wages of starting workers from $11.95 to $14.95 per hour as of July. She said this will increase the median income of Kirksville and the surrounding area. Chrisman said as Kraft Heinz was filing paperwork with the state, they might have undercut employment estimates to avoid repercussions for not meeting the agreed-upon goals. She

said although Missouri does not necessarily impose any repercussions, it is a standard business practice. “A lot of companies do not want to over-promise and under-deliver — they would rather under-promise and overdeliver,” Chrisman said. “I think all along, Kraft knew they were probably going to hire more than that, but they didn’t know by how much.” Chrisman said Kirksville will see a return on their investment to keep Kraft Heinz. Kirksville issued chapter 100 bonds to help the company with their expansion, but these costs were incurred by Kraft Heinz, not the city. She said the city probably spent a couple hundred thousand dollars on this project in total, but throughout the course of this project, what will be returned in tax dollars and increased wages will more than make up for what was spent.

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Social styles seminar comes to campus

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life

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

A Ticket To Ride Back To Truman

Truman State University alumnus Dave Tanner returns to Truman as Paul McCartney in Liverpool Legends Photo by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN

Liverpool Legends perform in Baldwin Auditorium in front of an audience of Truman State University and Kirksville citizens. Dave Tanner, left, has performed in the group as Paul McCartney for the past 15 years and graduated from Truman in 1995.

BY RACHEL FECHTER Features Editor Twenty-three years have passed since Dave Tanner was a journalism-focus student at Truman State University. He returned last weekend as one of his musical idols — The Beatles member Paul McCartney. Tanner, alongside three other men, plays in a Beatles tribute band, Liverpool Legends. He portrays McCartney on stage night after night emulating many of McCartney’s quirks and mannerisms ranging from a thick British accent down to his left-handed bass playing while clad in his famous barefoot-suitlook from Abbey Road. Tanner said while attending Truman, he majored in communication and wrote for The Index. This led to him working a number of jobs in journalism before becoming a full-time musician. His last “desk” job he had was working for Land Line, a trade magazine where he eventually rose to the position of senior editor after nine years of work. “It was just kind of a natural thing to go from editor of a trucking magazine to front man for a Beatles tribute show,” Tanner said with a chuckle. “It seemed like a natural progression.”

Tanner’s strong connection with rock ‘n’ roll music and Beatles was always a big part of his life, even when he was an undergraduate student at Truman. Tanner recalled playing rock ‘n’ roll music in practice rooms in old Baldwin Hall, sometimes with permission and other times without, resulting in getting kicked out a few times. Throughout and after college, Tanner had various jobs in journalism — like working for KTVO — and playing Beatles music on the side. “This is the greatest profession in the world — I love it,” Tanner said. “It’s something that I don’t really ever call a job. It’s more of a passion. It takes a lot of hard work. A lot of logistics to get from point A to point B. A lot of days away from home. But as a musician, to think that I’m able to do that and that we’re able to do that, it’s pretty special. And not a lot of people get to do it.” Liverpool Legends is based out of Branson, Missouri, but has traveled to gigs all over the world ranging from Carnegie Hall in New York City to places like India. In addition, Liverpool Legends is the only Beatles Tribute band to ever have had an album nominated for a Grammy. Marty Scott, who portrays

Photo by Rachel Fechter/TMN

The Liverpool Legends pose backstage before a photo. Before the show Tanner and his bandmates like to joke around and laugh like the real Beatles used to.

George Harrison in Liverpool pact on the world.” ed, something many McCartLegends, said he could not Scott expressed his admi- ney impersonators struggle imagine their group trying to ration for his bandmate Tan- with, as well as the ironic portray another band quite ner, specifically his ability to sense of nostalgia seeing Tanlike The Beatles. naturally play bass left hand- ner return to his old stomp“Back then, ing grounds. when The Beatles “In all that came to Amerischooling, he ca, that was the joined a rock only thing go‘n’ roll band,” ing on,” Scott Scott said. “Isn’t said. “The whole it funny how US was watchthings work ing. And it’s not out?” just their songs. In addition It’s the way they to all the talk affected everyabout his own thing — politics, music, Tanfashion, hair. Evner praised erything that was the work of so going on, people many up and were looking at coming musithem to lead it … cians today and to have a group gave them a that has like word of advice. 300 songs, and “I just say they’re all great keep on gosongs, there isn’t - Dave Tanner, Truman alumnus and ing,” Tanner anything like that said. “Play your Paul McCartney in Liverpool Legends … there’s nothhearts out eving really like ery night. Play The Beatles’ imwhen you want.

“This is the greatest profession in the world — I love it. It’s something that I don’t really ever call a job. It’s more of a passion...”

Photo by Daniel Degenhardt/TMN

Kirksville citizens wait outside Baldwin Hall to see Liverpool Legends. Once inside, there was different band memorbilia for them to purhcase, such as buttons, posters and teddy bears.

VOLUME 109

ISSUE 17

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The Index

Stress-Busting

Tip of the Week

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

A kind word might make someone’s whole day. Reach out to someone you know, or even a total stranger, to reduce their stress, as well as your own — in less than a minute.

Roberta Donahue, Health & Exercise Sciences Department Chair

Photo editor reviews her experience viewing “Hamilton” BY BETHANY TRAVIS Photo Editor New York City — a conglomeration of art, history, food and humanity. Since the beginning, it’s been the city of dreams, big breaks and standstill traffic. During winter break, I got the chance to be completely immersed by this city for a whole week. It was my goal to see and do everything, from the American Museum of Natural History to the Statue of Liberty — and seeing “Hamilton,” the most genius musical ever written, on Broadway. It was easily the most anticipated part of my trip. The entire play takes place with the same basic scenery. A plain wooden floor is surrounded by a balcony of thick beams draped with ropes and various accents to give the air of a 1700s American city. In the center of the stage floor is a rotating circle. This is used throughout the choreography to give each scene a sense of movement despite the static backdrop. If the moving floor didn’t blow your mind, the witty lyrics, dramatic action and larger-than-life characters will draw you into their colonial world. The choreography had a hip-hop style that matched the music but conflicted with the his-

dtorical nature of the costumes. The characters were hilarious and sarcastic. Alexander Hamilton was full of passion, juxtaposed by Aaron Burr, who was full of caution. Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, portrayed by the same actor, were both charismatic and headstrong. A lot of other actors in the production played dual roles, showcasing the diversity of their talents. Additionally, two of the main female characters, Angelica and Eliza Schuyler, were badass sisters finding ways to make a difference in a world where they have little power. King George III, of course, was full of sass and relished in the conflict surrounding their brand new country. All these aspects came together to create a world the viewer didn’t want to leave. Act I is full of action, battle, patriotism, romance and conflict. It’s a revolutionary take on a story you’ve studied since grade school that completely draws you in. In contrast, Act II is just a replay of cabinet conflicts and legislative politics long past. However, by that time you’re so invested in the story that you’re on the edge of your seat just to see how Alexander Hamilton manages to pass his financial plan through Congress. My favorite scene by far was when Angelica toasts Eliza and Hamilton’s marriage in “Satis-

Submitted photos Senior Bethany Travis poses in front of a snow covered Brooklyn Bridge. Travis visisted New York City during winter break.

Travis snapped a pick of the Richard Rodgers theatre where she saw the musical, Hamilton. Travis has been a long-time fan of the musical and said she was happy to finally see it live.

Top 5 Movies Nominated for Best Picture

fied.” The song itself flashes back to when the Schuyler sisters first met Hamilton, from Angelica’s point of view. Because of the time-traveling nature of the song, I was most interested to see how the scene played out on stage. The answer — flawlessly. The rotating stage was used to help the actors move backward to show the “rewind.” The actors held poses and reversed choreography expertly. The scene literally rewound itself in front of your eyes. It flowed smoothly and was easily the most impressive part of the play. Throughout the play, I was completely displaced to the late 1700s, reliving our nation’s history with a fresh twist. However, if, like me, you have listened to the soundtrack endlessly and can rap every line to rival Lin-Manuel Miranda himself, you might have to lower your expectations. The performers I saw were not the original cast — obviously, otherwise I would’ve cried through the whole thing — and I was not listening to the perfectly edited version of the soundtrack. The actors and actresses messed up. They made some mistakes. They modified songs to keep things interesting. There was a part of me that made it hard to look past these things. I had to work to be impressed with the amazing and brave endeavor these professionals were taking on. So, just some final advice to those who might head into performances with expectations of perfection — appreciate the humanity of the experience.

#3 “Dunkirk” The most visceral movie theater experience of 2017 is also one of the most artistic, suspenseful war films ever made.

as told by Gordon McPherson, staff writer and movie guru

#1 “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri”

#4 “The Post”

Featuring pitch-black humor and complex characters, “Three Billboards” is an essential viewing for any cinephile.

Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” is a must-watch, profoundly relevant film about the importance of investigative journalism in contemporary society.

#2 “Get Out”

#5 “Phantom Thread”

Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” is a horrifying and satirical representation of race relations in modern society.

Director Paul Thomas Anderson’s hypnotic dark comedy “Phantom Thread” details an unconventional romance between an obsessive fashion designer, and a strong-willed young woman in 1950s London.

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Movie reviewer talks about experience working as a concession worker

BY GORDON MCPHERSON Staff Writer

As a whole, my experiences working behind the concession stand have been both stressful and deeply rewarding. As an avid cinephile, I have a certain level of respect for anyone who goes to see a critically acclaimed film instead of the newest “Transformers” or “Daddy’s Home 2.” However, impatience is a personality flaw which afflicts far too many people in contemporary society, especially customers at Plaza Frontenac Cinema. When viewers go to see an Oscar-nominated film during the holiday season, they might not appreciate the hard work of the employees behind the concession stand. During Truman State University’s 2017 winter break, I was one of those concession workers, attempting to keep up with sometimes overwhelming swarms of hungry and thirsty moviegoers. I worked at Plaza Frontenac Cinema, a six screen movie theater tucked in the quiet suburbs of St. Louis. Frontenac shows many under-the-radar movies, that are not shown in large multiplexes. The cinema is located in an upper-class mall, surrounded by stores which only generally attract the ultra-wealthy. Despite the niche location, the cinema attracts a wide variety of visitors who can bond over their love, or hatred, of cinema. The variety of movies shown and the massive array of concession items separate Plaza Frontenac Cinema from other cinemas in St. Louis, which is both a blessing and a curse for the employees. Plaza Frontenac not only has the traditional selection of edible goodies like popcorn and candy, but it also has a surprisingly varied selection of “gourmet” food items. This also includes espresso drinks and alcoholic beverages. If a moviegoer feels the need to eat an entire freshly cooked 12inch pizza while marveling at Daniel Day-Lewis’ captivating performance in “Phantom Thread,” they can. While the variety of concession items is reminiscent of a restaurant, it’s important to note that concession sales are the primary revenue for the theater — rather than ticket sales. While I understand the importance of not missing the beginning of a film or the trailers before the film starts, working behind the concession stand is much more difficult than many realize. The variety of food and drink items for sale requires employees at the cinema to stay on their toes because customers are rushing to get food. On the unfortunate occasion there’s technical difficulties with the popcorn popper or the espresso machine, employees face a large amount of pressure to remedy the issue as quickly as humanly possible. Especially during the holiday movie season when the theater often becomes packed with customers. As a result, any problem behind the stand becomes an emotional thrill-ride for unlucky employees. Traversing the concession stand during a busy “rush” proves a sometimes harrowing adventure in its own right. I’ve had to physically run during a busy shift, grabbing water bottles from one end of the stand and hurrying to prevent a pizza from overcooking on the other side, while at the same time accidentally bumping into coworkers, who scoop popcorn and prepare the 200th Diet Coke order of the day. At some points throughout the December movie season, it seems as though thousands of eyes bear down on

Submitted Photo Sophomore Gordon McPherson stars in his own film. McPherson, an avid movie watcher and critic for The Index, weighs in on pros and cons working at the concession stand of a local movie theater in his home town. me as I hurriedly scoop popcorn into easily rippable bags. Other common occurrences include customers ordering multiple “gourmet” food items at once, leaving employees to scramble to cook everything quickly. The layout of the theater also doesn’t facilitate customers’ kindness. While most movie theaters have restrooms located inside, Plaza Frontenac Cinema does not. Not a single shift passes where I don’t have to exclaim, “Restrooms are located to the left of Saks Fifth Avenue,” and see the solemn expressions of customers as they realize they must leave the theater and embark on an epic 40-foot quest to relieve themselves. While working at the theater presented me with numerous challenges, the benefits and overall experience outweigh the negatives. I’ve developed meaningful friendships with all my fellow employees, as well as the theater managers. These bonds have been forged through our collective love of cinema, as well as through the bonds of traumatic, hectic shifts. Working at a movie theater has given me a new perspective on theater employees. The majority of all theater employees are hardworking, diligent people who are making minimum wage salaries. It’s important to us employees that you have a good movie theater experience, but it’s also important to take into account that we aren’t robots. We have feelings, we’re trying our best and we hope you enjoy the show.

Jim O’Loughlin gives flash fiction a whole new meaning BY AURA MARTIN Staff Writer People flooded the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium such that spectators were sitting on the stairs to catch a glimpse of guest speaker Jim O’Loughlin. O’Loughlin is a writer and professor from the University of Northern Iowa, and he specializes in flash fiction, which is a form of creative writing where each piece is usually 500-1,000 words long. He first got involved in it after he started reading online magazines about writing. Flash fiction pieces became his favorite because they were quick and entertaining reads. He also discovered flash fiction is an ideal outlet for a busy writer’s life, and it can be jotted down in the moments between balancing school, family and a job. Part of O’Loughlin’s reading at Truman included giving a performance. He didn’t come from a theater background, but he learned to project and entertain an audience because he grew to appreciate readings where people had just a little bit of dramatic flair. “I think audiences appreciate that, and if you’ve got the stage to work with, you should because it lends itself to the performance,” O’Loughlin laughed. “So take advantage of your surroundings. I’ve become shameless these days.” When O’Loughlin performed Thursday, Jan 25, he began with general announcements, like somebody’s car lights were on and a sweater was left in the hall. These announcements then transformed into short stories about objects and their owners. Next, he read a flash fiction piece about a stressed, newly married yoga instructor. He told this story from the perspective of the yoga-instructor while trying some yoga moves and complaining about the character’s sister-in-law. He then pulled an audience member and English professor, Royce Kallerud, to the stage and they performed a double reading of his flash fiction piece “Iron Chef.” During his readings, O’Loughlin used interactive tools like harmonica playing and putting on an astronaut helmet to share his flash fiction pieces. He also shared a flash fiction piece about Google’s autocomplete questions about embarrassing subjects and a family dealing with a potty-mouthed child and a porcelain nativity set. “When I saw that astronaut helmet, I immediately knew I had to read my science fiction piece,” O’Loughlin said. “It was fun, especially since I’ll probably never have that experience again.” Besides being a writer and professor, O’Loughlin is also the host of the Final Thursday Reading Series. He took inspiration from Patricia Smith, who hosted poetry slam sessions he saw while he attended school in Boston. When he moved to Cedar Falls, Iowa, he established his own reading series which he hosts once a month.

Submitted Photo

Writer and guest speaker Jim O’Loughlin invites English professor Royce Kallerud to read one of his flash fiction works with him. O’Loughlin reads to a packed Planetarium audience his humorous flash fiction and fanficion works. At every reading he is the first speaker and presents a new piece of work. “I struggled every month. I am always wondering, ‘What am I going to write about this time?’ But I almost always come up with something,” O’Loughlin said, grinning. O’Loughlin also has an interest in fanfiction. In one of the classes he teaches at UNI, O’Loughlin has his students read works of Kurt Vonnegut and then write parallel stories, or

read other work because you learn about the kind of models that are available — models that you could work with,” O’Loughlin said. Humor also plays a huge part in O’Loughlin’s writing. He has a comedic view of the world where he finds everything funny. He taught a Mark Twain seminar where he did an exercise in that class that inspired him to write a story. “I found out that I could write hu-

“I found out that I could

write humor, and I was happy to be able to laugh. I groomed myself to be able to do more of it.

”

-Jim O’Loughlin, guest speaker and writer fanfiction, set in that author’s world. He has gravitated to doing those kind of exercises, particularly for beginning writers because they are just starting out in their craft. O’Loughlin doesn’t believe fiction writing is about finding some unique, authentic voice that is dredged up from inner depths. If that were the case, he said, then all the fiction students would only read about learning the voices that are already taken. “It is valuable for fiction writers to

mor, and I was happy to be able to laugh,” O’Loughlin said. “I groomed myself to be able to do more of it.” Currently, O’Loughlin is working on getting his science fiction novel published and has also been developing a digital archive of an Iowa poet’s writings and a bibliography of his own work, which he is launching this month. Additionally, O’Loughlin is brainstorming for his next big project because he will be ready for another

one soon. The challenge, he said, is balancing multiple projects while he is trying to publish a novel because alterations might be requested and all other writing projects have to be stopped until he gets that done. Still, it is good to have multiple things happening at the same time. “It can be very frustrating as a writer if you’ve got one big project and you’re responsible for waiting for someone else to want to publish it, and sometimes that goes well and sometimes that doesn’t,” O’Loughlin said. “So it’s good to have some things you are doing on your own.” O’Loughlin has been regularly teaching flash fiction as part of his fiction classes and thinks it is a valuable genre to study because it makes writers more aware of a reader’s time. O’Loughlin’s advice to writers is to find and stay involved with a writer group. It is easier in college, especially with workshop classes and on-campus organizations, but it is tough after graduation and sometimes careers and families get in the way. This is where digital groups can come in handy because that removes the challenge of meeting together in one place, especially if people live in remote areas. “You can sometimes digitally find groups where you can swap things back and forth as well,” O’Loughlin said. “You can even Skype things now, which is a whole lot easier.”

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Questions on The Quad If you could visit another country, where would you go, and why?

What is your favorite Beatles song and why?

“Revolver. Anything off Revolver is real good for me. If I had to pick one, probably actually ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ off Abbey Road because I love how outlandish it is and how completely ridiculous the whole thing is.”

Destiney Wittenauer, freshman

“France because I am a minor in French translation, and I wanna teach there someday, so I would super just love to jump into the culture and get to use the language all the time.”

“My favorites probably just, I’ll have to be unoriginal here, ‘Yellow Submarine’ because it’s the first one I ever heard, and it’s the first one I knew all the words to. My whole family [are] pretty big Beatles fans.”

“I’d probably go to Great Britain ... I’ve always wanted to go to Europe … I’m kind of into Medieval history and things like that, and I kinda wanted to go and see what a real castle looks like.”

“‘The Benefit of Mr. Kite.’ It’s trippy … that 70s culture is so interesting.”

“I’d go to Germany to see where my mom lived and where my dad lived in Neuenburg.”

Is it fair for professors to tell students they cannot bring laptops to class?

“I know for a lot of people that’s like their main way of taking notes ... but I know there are also other people who shop in class and aren’t paying attention. So it really, really depends on the style of class I guess because it’s ... difficult to regulate that.”

“Well, it’s their class, and I signed up for the class knowing that going in.”

David Marty, freshman

“I think if it’s their class, it’s up to their discretion to decide. That seems reasonable.”

Abby Huber, sophomore

“I like ‘Yellow Submarine.’ It’s the one I know, and I actually know well.”

“Thailand. I think it’d be fun. I’ve seen lots of cool videos from there, and you can go cliff jumping which sounds like a fun thing to do.”

Jack Carnduff, freshman

“A lot of students use their computers in class to type ... so that wouldn’t allow them to take notes ... I feel like if they have a good enough reason and give them other options with ways they could take notes, it’s OK.”

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The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

New season welcomes new staff

BY RACHEL STEINHOFF Sports Text Editor

Wrestling recovers from four meets in six days

Off-season acquisitions dominate college sports player recruitment, but when positions open up, acquisitions in coaching slots can prove even more interesting. As the 2018 Truman State University baseball team prepares to take the field for opening day later this month, the Bulldogs enjoy instruction under two new additions to the Truman coaching staff — assistant coach Shane Herschelman and graduate student assistant Jason Priest. Following the close of the 2017 season, the hunt for an assistant coach became a high priority for head coach Dan Davis. The position — formerly held for two seasons by alumnus Zak Larkin — became vacant as Larkin took a graduate assistant position at Lewis University. After dedicating four years as a player and two more as a coach, Davis said the open position was an opportunity for Larkin to get experience elsewhere as he hoped to advance his coaching career. Davis was left with shoes to fill, and decided to take a new outlook on hiring. Davis said he had personally worked with pitchers in the past, but wanted to bring on a specialized coach. Enter Shane Herschelman. Herschelman joins Truman as an alumnus of GLVC member Maryville University. Herschelman was a four-year relief pitcher for the Saints 2011-2014 and broke the single-season and career records in appearances. Following his career at Maryville, he volunteered for a season at William Woods University, where the team tied a school record for wins, and his pitchers finished second in the country in earned run average. His successful first year of coaching brought him back to Maryville where he coached the pitching staff to school records in strikeouts, wins, hits allowed, innings pitched and opponent’s batting average. “We’re all baseball guys, but we all specialize in different things,” Davis said. “I think over the course of my career, I’ve become more offensive. I’m in my 22nd year of coaching, and I think I’ve steadily lost touch with the pitching side of things and the new things that have come out. I wanted a young guy who understands the industry of pitching.” Davis said Herschelman is in charge of bullpen practices, works with catchers and helps to implement the system of the Bulldogs on the mound. Herschelman will be in charge of 15 athletes in the Bulldogs’ bullpen, including freshman right-handed pitcher Matthew Wade, NCAA Div. II Midwest Region Newcomer Player to Watch. With Herschelman’s experience and winning history, Davis said he has entrusted him to take control of this year’s pitching staff. “We work together, but when it comes down to the mechanics of the pitching and the training, we’ve turned that completely over to him,” Davis said. “He’s got full

After a tough week with four meets in six days, the Truman State University wrestling team won its first of four meets against Hannibal-LaGrange University on Senior Night at home. Four Bulldogs scored wins against their respective opponents. Redshirt junior Caleb Osborn picked up a 23-5 technical fall win at 133 pounds, redshirt junior Dakota Schutter won at 149 pounds, senior Luke Komotos won by a technical fall at 174 pounds and junior Sam Reeves won at 197 pounds. Two Bulldogs earned points though forfeit. Freshman Nick Peglow won 11-0 at 141 pounds and redshirt junior Zach Taylor won at 165 pounds. This brought the overall score to 28-18. At the dual conference meet against Bellarmine University and University of Indianapolis, the Bulldogs lost 33-15 and 48-3, respectively. Osborn, Komotos, Reeves and sophomore Ashton Mutuwa won against Bellarmine, and Osborn won against the Greyhounds. Mutuwa said the struggle this season has been filling the lineup, and he said they’ve given up too many pins. Mutuwa said he’s been having a difficult time combatting injuries this season and has lost on a few 1-point losses. He said the goal is to make improvements to his strength and stamina. Truman also participated in the Greyhound Open last Sunday. Five Bulldogs placed high in their respective weight classes. Komotos and Reeves each finished fifth, Peglow finished sixth and Osborn and sophomore Shane Gallagher each finished seventh. Komotos said the GLVC is a tough conference. University of Wisconsin-Parkside, McKendree University and University of Indianapolis are in the national top 10 while Maryville University is in the national top 25. Regardless, Komotos said the Bulldogs look forward to facing these teams regularly. While the season hasn’t been going how he expected, Reeves said the team record doesn’t represent how they have been progressing individually. “It was tough making weight four times in one week,” Reeves said. “We saw some good competition with the GLVC having many nationally ranked wrestlers who are All-American.” Reeves said the team thinks the stiff competition will help them in the long run of fulfilling its goals. He said the Bulldogs are aiming for the top 4 so they can go to nationals. The Bulldogs are currently seventh out of eight teams in the GLVC standings. They have four more meets — two of them at home — before the NCAA Super 3 Regional at St. Cloud State University. Their next meet is against WisconsinParkside and Drury University starting at 2 p.m. this Sunday in Pershing Arena.

BY BROOKE BAILEY Staff Writer

Student assistant Jason Priest

Assistant coach Shane Herschelman

reign, and I’m really excited to see how things go.” Davis said the coaches complement one another by means of their personalities and coaching styles, and he thinks it will be a good balance for his team between his competitive fire and Herschelman’s laid-back take to the game. Davis said he is excited to feel like he is actually learning from his assistant, and likewise, thinks he can share a lot of experience with the the young coach. “I always felt like I was a smart player — maybe not always the most athletic — but I felt like I understood the game,” Herschelman said. “Then getting into coaching and getting around minds like Davis and soaking in everything they have to say. I’ve learned more about the game than I ever thought possible.” Herschelman said he has picked up on a lot of coaching philosophy and mental game components under his new head coach. He said getting out of college and being around success was nice, but said he thought it was time to leave his alma mater to gain new experience. “Knowing the conference, I knew the tradition of Truman,” Herschelman said. “I always knew going into the weekend against Truman was going to be a battle. It was going to be a tough series, and it was just something I was familiar with.” He said when he joined the staff, he was already familiar with some of Truman’s bullpen and had noticed a great mix of new and returning guys on the team. He said there is talent in the team’s youth, and he has been most impressed with the way in which the older players teach and care for the rookies of the team. As an example of veteran ‘Dogs leading the youth of the team, Truman welcomes the volunteer help of Priest — who, in the process of finishing his degree, returns for his third season in Purple and White to serve on the coaching side of the program. “Kids who are pretty good players like him,” Davis said. “Right away, they get respect because of the kind of player they are. Kids will listen to him, so it makes that

transition easier to the coaching side of things.” Priest held a .398 batting average in his senior campaign last year, leading the team and finishing second in the GLVC. His average was the fifth highest in Truman history and his 47 runs batted in were three shy of the Truman single-season record. Priest became the 13th player in Bulldog history to be named to the American Baseball Coaches Association All-Region team. Priest said he had a great experience growing up that ignited his passion for the sport and even more so within the family atmosphere of Truman baseball. Priest said his dream job is to eventually become an athletic director, but in the meantime he is excited to experience the rewards of coaching and teach the other players everything he’s learned throughout the years. “The one word to describe my role this season is opportunity,” Priest said. “To play, coach, even watch the game of baseball is an opportunity for me to grow my knowledge and improve my own game. I am glad that I can still step foot on a ball diamond and make an impact.” As far as making the transition from the locker room to the coach’s office, Priest said it came as a sort of shock at first, but a huge key has been separating his prior player relationships with teammates. He said he thinks he can relate to the mental tribulations that come with the game and be a buffer between players and coaches. Primarily, Priest said he’s thankful to be in an environment that will demand his best efforts and shape his future. “As for finding my role on the team, I hope that I can assist in our efforts to a championship,” Priest said. “Whether that is simply throwing batting practice … designing and implementing a weight training program or coaching first base, I plan on putting forth my best effort. It’s humbling to join coach Davis’ staff, and I am beginning to understand how much work it takes to be a coach.” Both additions will make their Truman coaching debuts Feb. 16, against Washburn University.

Young talent on the horizon for Truman baseball BY JASE WILLHITE Staff Writer The Truman State University baseball team welcomed 11 freshmen and one transfer to the team last fall, including freshman pitcher Matthew Wade, who was was named Newcomer Player to Watch by the American Baseball Coaches Association and the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. Wade chose to walk on in the fall, and sophomore pitcher Bryan Clark said he thinks that Wade will have a positive effect on the Bulldogs this season. “[Wade] is gifted in his ability to throw the baseball,” Clark said. “So it’s no surprise to me that he was named newcomer of the year.” Clark said he thinks Wade will

have a huge impact for the team this year, and he will more than likely log some substantial time on the mound for the Bulldogs. He also said Wade has made a seamless transition into the next level of play and has earned the respect of the team in his short time here at Truman. Wade said one thing that really surprised him was the amount of welcome and support he received from the team when he arrived. “With being a walk-on, I definitely feel like I’ve had a chip on my shoulder from day one,” Wade said. “The first few practices were obviously a bit different and stressful, but my teammates are awesome and welcomed me in right away.” Wade mentioned teammates Clark, and senior pitchers Matt

dan Kelly as potential freshmen that could make their way into the lineup and play some time for the Bulldogs. For the pitching rotation this spring, Davis said the veterans on the team will look to make a huge impact. Davis said Clark, Frantz, Tometz and sophomore Rian Markes are pitchers who will make up the rotation for the Bulldogs and veteran closer Young will be the one to finish up games. Davis said freshmen pitchers Christian Watson and Wade will help to round out the rotation as the year goes, and Davis said he’s not against putting a freshman on the mound. The Bulldogs start their season on the road and play Feb. 16 against Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas.

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THE CASE FOR CHRIST

Tometz, Kent Frantz and Peter Young have helped him learn the ropes and transition into college baseball. Wade went on to say that regardless if he is put into the starting rotation, he is ready to fill his role and help the team in any way he can. Head coach Dan Davis said Wade has earned the respect from the coaching staff and the players because of his hard work and talent. Davis said Wade will most likely be the only freshman to make an impact on the team this year — there could be four to five freshmen who could earn themselves a spot in the lineup. Davis mentioned freshman catcher Jake Schneider, infielder Ethan Kleinheider, first baseman and designated hitter Zach Spencer and outfielders Noah Schrader and Bren-

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The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Photo submitted by Truman Athletics

Junior guard Jake Velky rises up for a 3-point jumper in a home contest earlier this season. Velky ranks amongst the top 10 in career 3-pointer percentage, with a current mark of 42.4 percent.

VELKY | Guard gives much credit to his teammates after joining 1,000-point club

Photo by Kara Mackenzie/TMN

Velky scans the court looking for an open teammate. Velky leads the Bulldogs in playing time, averaging 33.7 minutes per game.

Continued from page 14 the game. Velky said he can’t remember much of what happened, but watching it on film was a sweet feeling. He said it felt right to win by a buzzer-beater after Drury beat them the same way Jan. 15. “We drew up a play, and we managed to execute it,” Velky said. “I got a great pass from Nate, and the rest is history, I guess.” Velky said their team this year has a lot of depth on the bench, which creates a great atmosphere on the team. He said it is valuable that the bench players are able to enter a game and play as well as they did in practice. Velky might be in the Truman record books, but his focus is still improving and growing as a team, especially as postseason continues to approach. “We knew we were going to be young, and we came out of preseason with some injuries and knew that we had a tough schedule in the beginning,” Velky said. “We wanted to grow together as a team, and I feel like we’ve done that, and we are starting to play better here towards the end, and that’s when it matters.” Truman moves to 12-7 overall and 7-3 in the GLVC. Next up, they travel to Drury University for a 7:30 p.m. game tonight in Springfield, Missouri.

Velky Career To Date: Career Points:

1,003

(29th in history)

Career 3-point Percentage:

42.4% (7th in history) Career Free Throw Percentage:

85.8% (3rd in history)

SWIM | Two weeks away from GLVC Championships, Truman swimming makes final adjustments

Photo submitted by Truman Athletics Senior Loriel Hutchinson sets up on the starting block at a recent home meet. The Bulldog women have won four of their last six meets.

Continued from page 14 Simek said he believes his swimmers will achieve their best time and get the most out of the season. He said individual accomplishments contribute to the team’s accomplishments. The conference meet will be Roghair’s last, and she said she doesn’t want to go into the meet with many expectations so she can enjoy her last swim as a Bulldog. “As a team, I’m really excited to see how fast everyone goes,” Roghair said. “There are always people who have insane time drops.” Roghair said the team chemis-

try always becomes stronger after the conference meet. She said she hopes many people are able to qualify for nationals. The conference meet will also be the last for senior Nikki Sisson. She said the team has shown hard work and dedication in the pool and to the sport. “As a team, I’m excited to see all of us come together, trust our training and race,” Sisson said. The GLVC Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships will take place Feb. 7-10 in Crawfordsville, Indiana.

The Index

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

‘Dogs lose four straight

October

Friday

Women’s Tennis

TBA in St. Joseph, Mo. at Missouri Western Invitational

BY PAUL PROVINCE Staff Writer

The Truman State University women’s basketball team suffered a tough loss to conference opponent Maryville University on Thursday, Jan. 25. The Bulldogs showed tenacity as they fought back from a 14-point deficit but lost the lead with just seconds left in the game, making it their fourth loss in a row. “On the defensive end, we need to be a lot more consistent and have a lot more drive to want to defend,” head coach Amy Eagan said. “Scoring-wise, we were able to put the ball in the basket, but you can’t win games if you don’t play defense.” Freshman center Katie Jaseckas, junior forward Rachel Edmundson, senior forward Sam Andrews and redshirt junior guard Rachel Steinhoff all scored in double figures. Andrews and Steinhoff contributed to the team’s 36 bench points.

Women’s Tennis

TBA in St. Joseph, Mo. at Missouri Western Invitational

Men’s Tennis

TBA in Quincy, Ill. vs. University of Southern Indiana

Track and Field

TBA in Jacksonville, Ill. at Jim Green Invite

Women’s Basketball

1p.m. in Kirksville, Mo. vs. Rockhurst University

Men’s Basketball

3p.m. in Kirksville, Mo. vs. Rockhurst University

Sunday

Men’s Tennis Photos by Kara Mackenzie/TMN Junior forward Rachel Edmundson stares down a Drury University defender. The Bulldogs have struggled on their defensive end the last 4 games.

Senior forward Sam Andrews prepares for a free throw. Andrews scored 14 of the Bulldog’s 36 bench points against Maryville University.

Saturday

The Bulldogs have had a great offensive showing, putting up 80 points, although, it was eclipsed by Maryville’s 82. The Saints shot 55.6 percent from the field and made 14 of 18 free throws. The Bulldogs allowed more than 70 points in each of their last three games. Before this losing streak, they only allowed more than 70 points in a game three times in 13 games. Jaseckas fell 2 points shy of matching her career-high 20 points Dec. 19 against Missouri Western State University. She said she feels confident in the rest of the team. “The middle of the season is always hard for teams, but I believe our team will get through this rough patch,” Jaseckas said. “We just have to take each game at a time and come out ready for every game.”

As the Bulldogs move forward, Jaseckas said they intend on improving by emphasizing communication and persistence on the defensive end of the court. She said this will be a key factor in Truman’s success tonight against nationallyranked opponent Drury University. The Bulldogs faced Drury earlier this season, falling 57-46 making it the first loss in their four-game losing streak. Truman went into halftime up by one, but were outscored by 12 to finish the game. “We have been reviewing our past game against them and have looked at ways we can fix our mistakes,” Jaseckas said. “We’re going to come out with intensity and give it all we have on the court tonight.” Tonight’s game will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri

CORRECTION: In last week’s issue, The Index printed that the women’s basketball team lost three times in one week to Rockhurst University, University of Indianapolis and University of Southern Indiana. The team actually lost to Drury University rather than Rockhurst University.

TBA in Quincy, Ill. vs. Quincy University

Wrestling

TBA in Kirksville, Mo. vs. Drury University TBA in Kirksville, Mo. vs. University of Wisconsin-Parkside

Wedneday 7 Swimming TBA in Crawfordsville, Ill. at GLVC Swimming and Diving Championships

Thursday

Swimming

TBA in Crawfordsville, Ill. at GLVC Swimming and Diving Championships

Wrestling

TBA in Lamoni, Iowa vs. Graceland University

Women’s Basketball

5:30p.m. in Liberty, Mo. vs. William Jewell College

Men’s Basketball

7:30p.m. in Liberty, Mo. vs. William Jewell College

COLUMN | Calming the post-graduation concerns of a student-athlete BY KENNEDY MARTIN Staff Writer Student athlete at Truman State University — a title I take such pride in when making simple introductions. “Hi. So, tell me a little about yourself.” “I’m Kennedy, a student athlete at Truman State University,” I always say proudly and confidently. But now I’m a senior, in the midst of my final season, my final semester. It is nearly time to change my introduction, and I’m panicking. My time here is almost done. I have to get a job? I don’t get to compete anymore? What do I do now? My life has been so structured up until this point. No one is telling me what to do anymore, not my coaches nor my professors. I will soon be on my own. It’s game time, not for basketball but for the real world, and I’m wondering if I will be successful as something other than a student athlete. I know I still have unfinished business here — to leave a legacy in basketball, to win these last games, to get good grades and to finally walk across that stage with a diploma. But ignoring what is soon to come is easier said than done, and I started to think that if I’m feeling this way, then surely I can’t be the only one that is feeling the looming pressure of the shot clock

winding down on this semester. I’m writing this for myself and for my fellow anxiety-stricken graduating student athletes. And if freshmen want to take notes, be my guest, because one day you’re being dropped off at Ryle Hall and the next you’re putting the final touches on your senior portfolio. So, for the sake of our mental health these last couple months at Truman, here’s a few things you and I both need to realize. First of all, it’s OK to be sad about leaving Kirksville. People expect you to be ready to leave this small Missouri town in the middle of nowhere, but after calling it home for 4-5 years, it grows on you. Every pothole, every stray cat and every house we can’t believe is still standing. Though the quirks of this town are charming, the people are even better. A wise wooden sign on Baltimore Street says, “Welcome To Kirksville: where the people make the difference.” Isn’t that the truth? Though we might not always realize it, it’s safe to say this place is pretty awesome. Your teammates will still be there for you after you graduate. The bonds you’ve made with your teammates throughout countless hours spent training and competing together will remain forever. They become your best friends, making it difficult to

leave them, but you won’t lose these relationships when you leave. And if you think you’re sad about leaving, I guarantee your teammates and friends are even sadder to see you go. If you’re worried about putting the game you love behind you, don’t. You can’t be a student athlete forever. All good things come to an end, and the sport you play is just one of them. Be grateful that your athletic career wasn’t limited to high school. Keep putting everything you have into each day you have left to compete, and you’ll have no regrets. Whether you’re anticipating the graduation ceremony or dreading the thought of it all being over — stop. Slow down. Enjoy the time you have left. Focus on what you need to do to end your final season and GPA on a good note without the fear that it’s the last time you’ll get to improve. If your season is over or ends before the semester is finished, then do what you haven’t done yet — join a game of humans vs. zombies. Try playing sports for fun. Go relax, enjoy yourself. Lastly, don’t panic about finding a job. Not yet, at least. Attending the No. 1 public school in the Midwest, the education we received at Truman has prepared us for success, not to mention the transferable skills we’ve learned as our time as student athletes. You’ve

had to learn time management, organization, problem solving, accountability, self-evaluation, empathy and more. Truman student athletes are leaders, and that’s what will make you successful when you hang up the jersey and put down the pencil. You will get that dream job one day, so don’t stress. Stay confident, and go knock your interviews out of the park. As for me, I’ve still got a dream for a conference ring in mind and a final capstone course to give my all. But, when my senior season is done, you can catch me outside on The Quad doing yoga for fun with my friends, joining an intramural badminton team, simply doing the things retired athletes do. And when I finally leave this place with a degree in hand and Truman state alumna sticker slapped on the back of my old Honda, I know there’s no need to worry — I’ve worked too hard to do such a thing, and I know you all have to. There’s times where I still struggle to take my own advice to slow down, enjoy my time left, and stop worrying about the future, and that might be the case for you too. I know it’s hard to be so close to the end of this chapter of our lives as student athletes, but it’s truly only just the beginning for us. Enjoy these final months and make this semester the best one yet.

ATHLETE o f

t h e

w e e k

Junior guard Jake Velky became the 29th member of the Truman State University 1,000-point club last Thursday in the Bulldogs’ 75-74 win against Maryville University. Velky scored his 10th point in the game and 1,000th in his career on a jumper in the second half. He finished the game with 13 points after a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer.

Jake Velky

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Bulldogs fine tune for GLVC Championships

Club 1,000 Photos submitted by Truman Athletics

Junior guard Jake Velky became Truman basketball’s 29th member of the 1,000point club last Thursday as the Bulldogs won a GLVC thriller at Maryville University. BY STEPHANIE HULETT Staff Writer Junior guard Jake Velky stunned the Maryville University crowd with a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. This brought his career total to 1,003 points, and he was able to become the 29th member of the Bulldogs’ 1,000-point club. Despite not being a senior, Velky is already in the record books. Head coach Chris Foster said this is a testament to Velky’s competitive and tough attitude as a player. “He’s just a real competitor,” Foster said. “He loves to compete, and he’s got a knack to being able to score that ball — and really score in big moments. I think it is something that he’s done well his whole career.” Velky was unaware he was close to 1,000 points until his teammate, redshirt senior forward Zach Fischer, mentioned it to him during warmups before the game. Velky

said it is a great feeling and a real accomplishment for him to reach this milestone as a junior, but the real credit goes to his teammates throughout the years. “It just goes to show the great players I’ve been able to play with that have been able to create [plays] for me and been able to pass it as well as they have to allow me to get open for some easy shots,” Velky said. Velky is not the only one to reach 1,000 career points against Maryville. Almost exactly a year before Velky, alumnus Cory Myers reached this milestone his senior year. He said the fact that Velky is only the 29th player in Truman’s history to reach 1,000 points says enough about how talented he is as a player. See VELKY, page 12

Velky drives to the basket at the ‘Dogs latest home game. Velky’s milestone night was topped with a gamewinning 35-foot shot at the buzzer.

BY PATRICK PARDO Staff Writer Leading into the upcoming GLVC meet, the Truman State University swimming team is beginning its seasonal taper. Interim head coach Jerod Simek said tapering is a swimming strategy where you rest your body while continuing to do rapid training. He said this allows the muscles to get used to waking up and running every morning while cutting back the intensity, so when it is race time the muscles are a little more rested. “The days vary for each individual swimmer,” Simek said. “Everyone will be starting their taper plan, allowing them to rest and get a little more sleep.” Senior Jasmine Roghair explained the team’s methods going into the final conference meet. She said the team has been doing more relaxation exercises along with the taper, which calms her nerves. To adjust, Roghair said she has been trying to eat healthy, drink water, sleep more and achieve pace times at practice. “I want to make sure I have fun swimming for the last couple weeks and cheering on my teammates at conference,” Roghair said. “That way, I can let my times come from all the training we have already done.” To prepare for the GLVC meet, Simek said the Bulldogs are trying to do more meaningful work. Swimmers, including distance, will practice more 50- and 100-meter races so they can work on turns and tempo. Simek said he wants the athletes to have confidence in the practice times they achieve in time for the meet. Simek said he thinks his team will do well at the conference meet because they have done well in the past, including the women’s victory against Drury University two years ago. See SWIM, page 12

Davenport selected for national coaching program BY ASHLEY MURPHY Staff Writer Truman State University’s Remy Davenport, senior guard, is excelling on and off the court while pursuing a future in the sport she loves. In addition to being an influential player this season for the Bulldogs, she is hoping to continue her passion as a coach after her collegiate basketball career. Davenport recently took a step toward her dream of becoming a coach with her acceptance into the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s 16th annual “So You Want to be a Coach” program. The WBCA Coaches Program is a three-day program which will take place in Columbus, Ohio, from March 28-30. Davenport said her dream of being a coach began when she was young, probably around fifth or sixth grade, and consisted of coaching at a big university and being successful. Ever since then, her goal has taken shape as she continues her basketball career. She said her end goal in high school transitioned to smaller Div. I and, by the time she got to college, she began to think that Div. II or high school might be more her style. “Currently, I have no clue where I want to end up,” Davenport said. “I guess, overall, my view of coaching completely changed. I wanted to coach because I loved basketball, and I thought that I would be good at coaching. Now, I want to coach because it is an incredible opportunity to impact people, more specifically young girls.” Davenport said high school and college sports happen at such a prime time in a kid’s life and coaches can have a huge impact in their lives. She said she wants to reach and positively impact as many people as she can and thinks she can do so through coaching. Now that she has been accepted, she said she’s gotten to talk to a couple people that have been through the program, and she’s learned it’s a great first step in the coaching business. She said there will be plenty of networking opportunities in the future. “With [the program] being at the Women’s Final Four, there will be hundreds of coaches there that I will get to meet and interact with, not to mention I’ll get to go to seminars that are led by those successful coaches,” Davenport said. VOLUME 109

ISSUE 17

She said this program gives the members a great opportunity to get their foot in the door and their name out there for potential job opportunities. Davenport first heard about the program from her current head coach Amy Eagan. Because it is a coach-nominated program, Eagan asked Davenport if she would be interested in the opportunity, which was met with no hesitation. From there, Davenport started the application process. Davenport said applicants have to send in a resume, a personal statement, a letter of recommendation and a short video explaining why the applicant should be considered. “I truly didn’t know all that much about it until coach Eagan told me about it,” Davenport said. “I had heard of it before but didn’t know anything about applying or how people got invited.” Eagan said to be accepted into the program is a huge honor because the program only selects 50 people, and Eagan said Davenport getting accepted shows how she is an exceptional person.

“I wanted to coach because I loved basketball, and I thought that I would be good at coaching. Now, I want to coach because it is an incredible opportunity Photo submitted by Truman Athletics to impact people, more spe- Senior guard Remy Davenport fires up a 3-pointer at a home contest cifically young girls.” earlier this season. Davenport transferred to Truman in August. -Senior guard Remy Davenport “She was on track to accomplish some amazing individual awards at [University of Nebraska] Omaha if she would have stayed her senior year,” Eagan said. “To give all that up — you just do not find a lot of kids that would do that these days. We need more young coaches that are selfless and less worried about just climbing the ladder.” Eagan said Davenport is a great fit for the program for many reasons, and it will help with her future in coaching in a lot of ways, especially in networking and developing relationships. “So much of coaching is developing relationships,” Eagan said. “She will tmn.truman.edu

walk out of there with friendships that will continue throughout her coaching career. What a great way to have others to talk to that are going through the same thing as you as a young coach or that can help mentor you throughout the process.” Assistant coach Theo Dean said Davenport is a great candidate for the program because of her natural love for the game of basketball. “She loves studying analytics and watches basketball nonstop,” Dean said. “Remy will make an outstanding coach. She’s a gym rat, something that her future players will easily gravitate to.” Dean agreed with Eagan that Davenport is a selfless individual.

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He said being selfless is a quality all coaches should possess, as everything they do is for the further development of the players that comprise the team. Dean said since transferring to Truman, the coaching staff has focused on putting Davenport in leadership positions, which is preparing her to become a graduate assistant coach for the women’s basketball team, while she pursues her Master of Arts degree in leadership. “She’ll have several responsibilities such as fundraising, clipping film, creating scouting reports, leading skill development, et cetera,” Dean said. “She’s a hard worker, so I have no doubt that she’ll do well.” @TrumanMediaNet