The Index Vol. 110 Issue 20 by Truman State University Index

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No.1 Div. II Website in the State Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

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BURDEN ELECTED MAYOR

Zac Burden being swarn into city council as a Kirksville city council member in August 2018. Burden was voted into the position of mayor by unanimous vote. Photo by Ryan Pivoney

Burden started leading the Kirksville City Council April 8 RYAN PIVONEY Managing Editor

Since joining the Kirksville City Council by appointment last August, Zac Burden won the municipal election to retain his seat April 2 and was chosen to serve as mayor April 8. Burden is a staple of the Truman State University community, serving as the Mis-

souri Hall residence hall director for 17 years. After Burden won the most votes in the April election, the newly sworn in councilmembers unanimously elected him mayor April 8. Councilmember Phillip Biston nominated Burden for the position, and former mayor Chuck Long seconded the nomination. Burden said the discussion over who would fill leadership roles was amicable.

Biston said Burden was qualified when the council first appointed him, and his commitment to Kirksville made him a good choice. “He cares a lot about the City of Kirksville, as we all do,” Long said. “But I think Zac is just like Phil said, he’s very well-spoken — he’s a wordsmith — and he represents the city well.” Burden said he is excited to work with

Fifteen Truman faculty retire JESSICA VENVERTLOH Staff Writer

Fifteen faculty and staff members have retired or are set to retire from Truman State University this year. There were fewer retirees this year than usual and Sally Herleth, executive director of human resources, said this might be because of the lack of incentives. Herleth said the current plan is to fill the majority of the 15 positions, and some of them have already been filled. She said the goal is to get positions filled as soon as well qualified candidates can be identified, and ideally get most filled before the start of the new fiscal year, or the end of the academic year.

“It’s becoming more of a challenge to even fill some of our staff positions because our salaries by comparison are probably lower, but then the benefit package is more robust,” Herleth said. “I think we’ve experienced not as much interest in some of our lower level staff positions.” Janet Gooch, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, said there are four faculty and a dean retiring. Gooch said departments are taking different approaches to fill faculty positions. Some departments will hire new members, while others might redistribute course loads to remaining faculty or alter their curricula. She said some searches are already open, and someone has already been hired to fill the open position in the

Theatre Department. Gooch said she does not anticipate any major challenges filling other open positions. “Sometimes it depends on the time of year that we’re doing the search or the area that we’re doing the search,” Gooch said. “Some areas are harder to fill than others, but I think for the most part we’ll be quite successful with the searches.” James O’Donnell, School of Arts and Letters dean, will be retiring at the end of July after six years at Truman. During this time, he served as both a dean and a music professor.

and being recognized for the hard work we put in. But all of that would be nothing without the support of Truman State University and our readers. Thank you for allowing us to serve this community and for celebrating with us!

First Place: Website — TMN Staff Features Page — Morgan Gervais and Emmett Divendal Entertainment Review — Gordon McPherson Photo Page — Daniel Degenhardt Nonpolitical/Entertainment Cartoon — August Davis Political/Editorial Cartoon — August Davis Sports Photography — Kara Mackenzie Column — Allyson Lotz

See RETIREES page 6

TMN wins state-wide awards BRENTLY SNEAD Editor-in-Chief

There are a lot of things I could share about attending the Missouri College Media Association Conference. For starters, it was a long weekend for many of us at Truman Media Network who made the trip to Springfield, Missouri. Though the drive was bearable, the conference included a full day of meeting new people and attending workshops centered around broadcast and journalism, which I’m sure we could all agree is tiring work. It was also a great experience to see what other schools are doing across the state and how we could improve our own media network here. While we are proud of the work we do day in and day out, it’s nice to get ideas from others. I could also share how much fun it was to serve as the MCMA vice president this year, and how proud I am of future Editor-in-Chief Ryan Pivoney for also serving as vice president next year. And, of course, there’s a certain excitement in attending the MCMA Banquet

Second Place: Feature Page — Rachel Fechter

Pictured from left to right: Elisabeth Shirk, Rachel Becker, Brently Snead, Ryan Pivoney and Gordon McPherson pose with awards. TMN staff won multiple awards at the Missouri College Media Association conference. Photo by Brea Parnell

Third Place: Sweepstakes — The Index Entertainment Review — Gordon McPherson Photo Page — Daniel Degenhardt Sports Page — Brently Snead Sports Photography — Kara Mackenzie Feature Writing — Justin Newton Honorable Mention: Sports Page — Brently Snead and Curt Wichmer Sports Writing — Curt Wichmer

the new council, which now also includes Jessica Parks, to further community discussion, complete ongoing projects and start new ones. As mayor, Burden is in charge of conducting city council meetings, acting as the legal signatory for the city and being the face of city government — which is the part he said he is most excited about. See BURDEN page 5

StuGov elections go mostly uncontested ALLYSON LOTZ Copy Chief Students voted in Student Government elections this week despite having only one competitive race. This semester’s elections determined the Truman State University Student Government president and vice president for next year, as well as 12 voting senators and three senior senators. Multiple Funds Allotment Council positions were also on the ballot — though FAC is not part of Student Government, its positions appear on the same ballot because it is a fee-funded organization similar to Student Government. Most of the candidates on the ballot were uncontested. The one presidential ticket on the ballot featured Deanna Schmidt, the 2018-19 Student Government vice president, running for president with running mate Katie Alexander, the 2018-19 Student Government academic affairs committee chair. In addition, seven candidates ran for the 12 voting senator positions, three ran for three senior senator positions and one ran for FAC treasurer. No one ran for student representative to the FAC. The FAC chair race was the only contest on the ballot, with two people running for the single chair position.

See ELECTIONS page 6

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Campus greenery in bloom

Top Right: Three students hammocking on the Quad. It is a common occurrence to see students hammocking on the Quad or around campus when the weather gets warmer. Top Left: An American Robin perched on a magnolia tree on the Quad. For many people in Missouri, the first sighting of a robin is considered the first sign of spring.

Bottom Left: A student hammocks off two magnolia trees on the Quad. Truman has been honored for its promoting of healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation by being recognized as a Tree Campus USA school since 2014. Bottom Right: Daffodils in bloom outside McClain Hall. The Physical Plant plants and maintains greenery around campus. Photos by Caleb Bolin

staff Serving the University community since 1909 Editor-in-Chief: Brently Snead Managing Editor: Ryan Pivoney Opinions Editor: Elisabeth Shirk Features Editor: Elisabeth Shirk Copy Chief: Allyson Lotz Design Chief: Emmett Divendal Photo Editor: Daniel Degenhardt Distribution Manager: Tyler Hanson Cartoonists: Annie Kintree Designers: Georgia Gregory, Jake Bertish Photographers: Kara Mackenzie, Mary Van Winkle, Caleb Bolin, Rachel Stubbs Copy Editors: Elise Hughes, Cara Quinn, Jenna Faulkner, Jessica Robinson, Emma Gottfried, Katie Puryear, Julie Mickael Staff Writers: Travis Maiden, Gordon McPherson, Lexi Mueller, Aura Martin, Jessica Venvertloh, Allison Maschhoff, Isabelle Cenatiempo, Brea Schorn, Rachel Becker, Curt Wichmer, Chad Myers, Tad Bast, Liz Lovesee, Nicolas Telep, Chase Potter Adviser: Don Krause

Crime Reports DPS & KPD 4/11 First degree harassment re- 4/14 Bike theft reported at the ported at Violette Hall 1100 block of North Elson St. 4/11 Domestic disturbance re- 4/14 Theft reported at the 500 ported at the 700 block of North block of North Baltimore St. Elson St. 4/11 Fire reported at the 1500 block of Baird St.

4/14 Shoplifter reported at the 500 block of North Baltimore St.

4/14 Harassment reported at the 4/11 Weapons offense reported 800 block of North Walnut St. at the 100 block of East McPherson St. 4/15 Theft reported at the 10200 block of North Central St. 4/12 Trespass reported at the 200 block of East Jefferson St. 4/15 Fraud reported at the 1600 block of South Baltimore St. 4/13 Fight reported at the 2200 block of North Baltimore St. 4/15 Domestic violence reported at the 300 block of East Normal 4/13 Domestic disturbance re- Ave. ported at the 700 block of North Elson St. 4/15 Burglary reported at the 1700 block of North Centennial 4/13 Missing person reported at Ave. the 1700 block of South Cottage Grove Pl. 4/15 Theft reported at the 1100 block of West Wall St. 4/13 Burglary reported at the 700 block of North Franklin St. 4/15 Theft reported at the 500 block of East Missouri St. 4/14 Theft reported at the 1200 block of South Porter St. 4/15 Domestic violence reported at the 410 block of East Wash4/14 Runaway reported at the ington St. 500 block of West Missouri St. 4/16 Theft reported at the 600 4/14 Domestic disturbance re- block of North Elson St. ported at the 700 block of West Gardner St.

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

news in brief

calendar

GLOBAL ISSUES COLLOQUIUM 7 TO 9 P.M. MAGRUDER HALL 2001 David A. Padgett, Tennessee State University associate professor of geography and Geographic Information Sciences Laboratory director, will speak at the Global Issues Colloquium on global urban climate vulnerability.

APRIL

HIGH FLYING ADVENTURE 7 TO 10 P.M. CORNER OF LAHARPE & FRANKLIN The Student Activities Board is offering free hot air balloon rides to all students. The online sign-up is full, but there will be a standby line at the event.

The SAB Comedian and Films committee will be showing “Superbad” on The Quad. If there is rain, it will be shown in the Baldwin Hall Little Theatre. Free drinks and snacks will be provided. SAB recommends attendees bring pillows, blankets and lawn chairs.

SAB Productions will provide various supplies to make terrariums including air plants. Create a terrarium while supplies last.

MASSAGES IN THE SUB 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SUB ALUMNI ROOM SAB is offering students a free neck and back massage, as well as an opportunity to make a sugar body scrub to take home.

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Submitted work will be shown in the Baldwin Hall Little Theatre. Following the festival there will be a free reception at Take Root Cafe. Victoria Price, daughter of Vincent Price, as well as Chad Kennerk, Dereck Daschke, Tiana Williams, Tom Stockman, Abby Sun and Allison Coffelt will serve as judges for the festival.

TERRARIUMS ON THE QUAD NOON TO 1:30 P.M. THE QUAD

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FILM FESTIVAL 5 P.M. BALDWIN HALL LITTLE THEATRE

APRIL

The Missouri Hall Council will be presenting students’ work in the Missouri Hall Art Gala. At the gala, visitors rate the art to decide the winner. The grand prize will be $300, and the winner will have their art displayed in Missouri Hall.

“SUPERBAD” 8:30 TO 10:30 P.M. THE QUAD

MISSOURI HALL ART GALA 5 TO 7 P.M. MISSOURI HALL

APRIL

ACADEMIC ACCOLADE BANQUET WINNERS During the Academic Accolade Banquet, David Gillette was awarded Educator of the Year, which had 12 other finalists. Priscilla Riggle won Faculty Mental Health Honoree of the Year, among four finalists. Justin Jarvis was named the Research Mentor of the Year with three finalists.

EQUESTRIAN TEAM COMPETES IN REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP Hannah Patton and Renata Thoeny placed in the top 2 of their classes at the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association Zone 7 Region 5 championship zone finals. During zone finals, Elizabeth Maune in walk-trot, Marissa Dull in walk-trot-canter, Emily Brightbill in novice flat, Kaitlyn Nance in novice fences, Thoeny in intermediate flat and fences, and Patton in open flat and fences. The team placed third overall, with Patton placing third and fourth in her classes and Thoeny placing ninth.

CHEMISTRY STUDENTS PRESENT RESEARCH AT CONFERENCE In the National American Chemical Society National Meeting, in Orlando, Florida, Peter Windsor and Sarahi Vera presented posters on their research. Windsor won an award for Best Undergraduate Poster Presentation in the COMP session.

City Council in brief APRIL 15 Monday, April 15 was the first meeting for newly elected council member Jessica Parks and Zac Burden’s first meeting as mayor.

The Council passed a pair of resolutions to take steps toward moving Kirksville’s municipal court to the Adair County Courthouse with cases heard by the associate circuit judge. The City will provide training for the judge and the clerk of the court on how to deal with municipal court cases. The transition is set to be complete by May.

Jenn Vaughn will join the Kirksville Housing Authority after the Council approved her appointment. The Council had approved another candidate, Harold Osborn, for the position in February, but that candidate had a conflict of interest preventing Osborn from serving.

The Public Works Department will not be getting a new specialized truck for street sign maintenance, but it will refurbish its current one. The Council approved the purchase of a cab and chassis that will serve as the base of the rebuilt machine.

Keep college out of local politics EMMETT DIVENDAL Design Chief

The appointment of Zac Burden as mayor of Kirksville is an interesting occasion for both the city and the college. While I’m excited to see members of the Truman community take an interest in the Kirksville community, having one of them in such a high office raises red flags for me regarding where their priorities lie. While the success of Truman should be important to every member of our faculty and staff, I think it would be easy for a mayor whose priorities lie with Truman to influence the city in a way that benefits the college but harms the city of Kirksville. I’ve watched my hometown slowly get eaten by our local private college. Pavement slowly crept over our green spaces, leaving only small, sad saplings where older trees once stood. Our skyline, once painted with unobstructed sunsets, is now disrupted by generic dormitories. Businesses continue to move further from the neighbourhoods to be closer to campus, and those that can’t afford the rent in brand-new strip malls are forced out of business. The loss of local grocery stores has left the suburbs a food desert, and those without a car are forced to walk long distances to get food for

their families because there is no public transportation. Prices in the new corporate superstores may be better, but many ignore the cost of letting the college rule our town. Aesthetics aside, I went to school with people who were homeless after being forced from their houses by rising rent costs or from the college wanting to expand. What used to be affordable housing for low-income families has been demolished to make room for new campus buildings or renovated and turned into off-campus housing for students. Any new housing developments are far out of the price range of the regular, workingclass families and instead sit empty. I don’t doubt that Zac Burden has the interest of his constituents in mind, both those that stay year-round and those that only live in Kirksville during the school year, but I still fear that having a college official in local government will make it easy for the city to go the way my hometown did. In upcoming months, I hope there is a conversation about the importance of Truman being part of the surrounding community, but I also hope our mayor works to balance his responsibilities to the success of Truman with his promise to keep the city of Kirksville healthy and happy.

Stu Gov

Buzz

Spend time outdoors, enjoy the weather

Welcome to Spring! I know this weekend and last week got a bit colder than many of us would like, but it’s warm again. With warm weather comes more time on the Quad and in the sun and natural air. It makes me happy to know that students do this, that we enjoy doing this. As the Environmental Affairs Committee Chair for Student Government, I am committed to caring and using the environment in a compassionate and sustainable way. Believe it or not, but that is exactly what we do every time we spend time on the Quad playing frisbee, studying, or napping. The outdoors also positively impact our mental and physical health. This is what I have been working towards all semester. Two projects are now coming to fruition that I have put a lot of work into and am proud to see pay off. The first, is a project that one of my committee members, Alek Nikitow, has been working on; a Park Passport. This ‘passport’ attempts to get information into the hands of students to learn about what Kirksville offers. The Park Passport offers everything from Thousand Hills to Brashear Park (a mere mile from campus) as ways to get off campus, enjoy the outdoors, and relax in a proactive and healthy way. The second project I have been working on is the implementation of a labyrinth on the former Fair Apartments Lot. Simply, a labyrinth is a circular stone walkway with a simple winding path from start to finish. The idea is to go on a personal, individual voyage from start to finish that mentally recenters oneself. Ultimately, the labyrinth aims to provide an approach to mental health that campus is currently lacking. Student Government is currently considering a resolution written by myself, Rachel Holt, Hannah Wissler, and Adam Paris for the implementation of the labyrinth and future development of the area. So, Bulldogs, as the semester winds down and stress levels continue to rise alongside the temperature, remember to take time and enjoy yourselves. Go to a park, spend time on the Quad, or simply go for a walk, in a circle or otherwise. Earth Week is nearly upon us as well. Take time to enjoy the myriad activities that Student Government, the Sustainability Office, and others have been working on. We will be showing WALL-E on Wednesday, April 24 in the Planetarium. There will be a brief presentation prior to the screening where the projects described above, and others, will be discussed in greater detail. Please come if you can and enjoy a good movie and learn more about what Student Government and others are doing to better Truman’s sustainability and environment.

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Truman should be part of Kirksville community There’s a lot of buzz right now about Zac Burden becoming the new mayor. Whether or not you agree with the decision and like Burden in the position, we think it’s pretty cool that someone so closely tied to Truman State University is involved in the community. But, even better, you don’t have to be mayor to be invested in Kirksville. We, The Index Editorial Board, think staff, faculty and students at Truman should immerse themselves in the Kirksville community. We recognize this town is not everyone’s cup of tea, but we are all a part of something so much bigger than just the Truman campus. This little town in Northeast Missouri is a place many of us can call home most of the time, so we should all want to invest ourselves in it, even if it’s only temporary. Let’s face it: many of us won’t be here in 20 years, but this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t embrace all that Kirksville has to offer now. One great way to get involved is by taking advantage of the great things about summers in Kirksville. With opportunities like the Kiwanis Farmers’ Market, Summer on the

Square (where various bands perform throughout the summertime) and even the NEMO Fair, we think there is no better time to meet new people and our community leaders, and become invested in our area. The school year can be a busy time, so as your schedule frees up, find something to do outside of the vacated University. Staff, faculty and students can also connect to the community through service. We commend the Truman faculty and students who helped support the Pantry for Adair County throughout Greek Week, the Buddy Pack Program with UpChuckles and AM Housing with a benefit concert at Take Root Cafe. These were all admirable ways the Truman community supported the Kirksville area, and we encourage Truman to continue finding ways to serve the community. We, The Index Editorial Board, think it’s important to remember Kirksville is more than just the city where Truman is located. Kirksville is a community we are a part of. So visit the local shops around The Square, learn about the Northeast Missouri culture or even attend the next Kirksville City Council meeting.

K S A

Where does Sodexo get its ingredients? Through Sodexo Supply Management, we have access to hundreds of National Manufacturer Partnerships providing us with quality products and pricing competitive to industry pricing. Our partners offer programs and products that provide the best overall value and quality taking into consideration manufacturing capacity, brand awareness, food safety, raw ingredient costs, market conditions and the ability to service all Sodexo units throughout the country. Here at Truman State, we utilize 15-20 suppliers from around the region, here are a few: Sysco (KC, MO), Loffredo Produce (Des Moines, IA), Prairie Farms Dairy (Jeff City, MO), Kaldis Coffee (St Louis, MO), Coca-Cola (Macon, MO), Bimbo Bakeries (Brookfield, MO), McLane Foods (Shawnee, KS), UNFI (Iowa City, IA), Springfield Grocers (Springfield, MO), Dawn Foods (KC, MO) and Farner Bocken (Centerville, IA). SUBMITTED BY: Justin Dreslinski, Director of Dining Services

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The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Board of Governors approves projects JESSICA VENVERTLOH Staff Writer

The Truman State University Board of Governors met Saturday, April 13 to discuss multiple projects and listen to university leader reports. University President Sue Thomas reported to the Board she thinks the Greenwood Center project is moving along. She said she spoke with both Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and Missouri Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin about the project, and O’Laughlin supports funding for Greenwood. Thomas also spoke about the University’s enrollment management firm, SEM Works, submitting its final report. She said she would release it in a few days, and she talked about the six groups of strategies it suggested to improve various areas regarding enrollment. These include strategic enrollment intelligence, scholarship optimization, student retention, enrollment portfolio diversification, website enhancement and institutional positioning. Debra Kerby, School of Business dean, said two Truman students won the Elijah Watt Sells Award for the Certified Public Accountant exam. Only 110 students received the award out of nearly 86,000 tests. To earn the distinction, students must obtain a cumulative average score above 95.5 across all four sections of the CPA exam. Faculty Senate President Scott Alberts reported to the Board on the progress of The Dialogues. He said

they are looking to change the freshman symposium because last semester’s pilot test did not go as well as faculty had hoped. Alberts also said faculty want students to have both a capstone and a high impact experience, such as studying abroad, with the new curriculum. He said most students already get both, but they want to encourage all students to pursue both. The Board of Governors meeting was held on April 13. The board approved funding for an equipThe Board of ment purchase for the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium Photo by Jessica Venvertloh Governors apthen involved forming a committee, run the improved software a new comproved several action items, including contracts for submitting a bid proposal and gath- puter is being purchased. Young said there has been commuthe chiller replacement project, and ering bids from various companies. construction projects for Violette The committee then decided on the nication with campus departments Hall and the Student Union Building. best bid and made a recommenda- about the opportunity for students to do projects and assignments revolvThe board also approved an equip- tion to the Board of Governors. The equipment update provides the ing around the planetarium. ment purchase for the Del and Norplanetarium with new capabilities. “This opens up the planetarium to ma Robison Planetarium. Robison Planetarium director Jared Young said the new projector has a res- be an educational tool on campus as Young said the equipment purchase will olution double that of the current pro- well,” Young said. “It’s diversifying include upgrades for the projector, soft- jector. He said the software upgrade the capability, and further promotware and computer in the planetarium. allows staff to produce their own con- ing that liberal arts direction that we Young said it was a long process to tent more efficiently and allows travel want the planetarium to be going in secure the equipment upgrades. The to more places during shows, such as all the time.” Young said he hopes the upgrades can process began with research about exoplanets within our galaxy as well what equipment was available and as destinations beyond our galaxy. To be implemented in the early summer.

MAYOR | Zac Burden becomes mayor after serving as City Council Member Continued from page 1 “I really enjoyed, in my short tenure on the council, attending as many things as possible and going to represent a city — and a city government — that I’m incredibly proud of,” Burden said. “To be able to do that in the capacity of mayor is a real exciting opportunity, so I really hope that I can do the citizens of Kirksville proud by being their very visible representative.” He said he hopes to make council meetings more enjoyable and engaging, which will hopefully lead to more discussion of local issues with Kirksville residents. One of the ways he hopes to foster more transparency and com-

munication is through his new Facebook page titled ZacInGovernment. With this page, he hopes to keep Kirksville residents up to date on city projects and initiatives. The first post encouraged citizens to serve on city boards and commissions, while subsequent posts shared information on plans for city streets. In addition to city streets, Burden said he is excited to continue the assessment of city codes, the replacement of the downtown water tower, the new aquatics center and improvements to local parks. He said it is one of the council’s essential responsibilities to share what is happening with the

Kirksville community and ensure they know their taxes are being put to use on projects they are interested in. He said this is something he has wanted to do more of since he joined the council nearly eight months ago. “I have a lot of hope that this is a group that is focused on working with the people of Kirksville, wanting to know what residents’ concerns, ideas, joys are in our community,” Burden said. “I’m really excited to see where this council takes things. I think it’s going to be a really good year.” The new position will require Burden to prioritize his time between the city and Missouri Hall,

he said. The mayoral position is a part-time job, and Burden said Missouri Hall will always be a huge priority in his life. Burden oversees the operation of Missouri Hall on a day-to-day basis and a staff of student advisers. “Absolutely anyone who comes in contact with Zac is met with all the kindness, support and wisdom in the world, and he will always be a source of light in the Truman and Kirksville community,” Missouri Hall student adviser Dana Bartch wrote in an email to The Index. “I could not think of anyone better to have representing Truman students and Kirksville citizens.”

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The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

ELECTIONS| Polls close and the candidates go mostly uncontested

Continued from page 1 There are also two proposed changes to the Collegiate Readership Program and a series of Student Government constitutional changes on the ballot. Of all these candidates and issues, only the presidential ticket featured a campaign. Schmidt and Alexander’s campaign has four pillars, according to their campaign website: communication, health and wellness, academic excellence, and community building. Alexander said she and Schmidt want to give students greater insight into Student Government and Truman administration by producing a weekly 5-10 minute-long podcast on their projects and issues on campus. She said Student Government is particularly well equipped to provide this information to everyone on campus. “When there are concerns among the student body on campus, often the Student Government knows what’s going on in a way that every other student doesn’t, just because they don’t have access to that information,” Alexander said. Schmidt added that she and Alexander aim to finish developing a video series introducing Truman administrators and their roles on campus to students to make them more approachable. She also said they want to create an online interactive flowchart for students to reference when they are not sure where to go on campus for any problems or questions they have. To better mental health on campus, Alexander said she and Schmidt want to establish a University Counseling Services counselor-student pairing procedure so students can be matched with a counselor with the most appro-

priate skill set. Schmidt said when she called UCS to make an appointment for the first time, she was assigned a counselor after briefly explaining why she wanted one. She said she later filled out a questionnaire that her counselor used to shape each counseling session from then on. “When hearing other students’ concerns about not connecting with their counselors, I do think back to this process and wonder if there could have been a better way for me to express exactly what I was looking for in a counseling appointment before being assigned a counselor, so that they could have suggested a few for me to choose from,” Schmidt wrote in an email to The Index. Schmidt and Alexander made a point of being “committed to community,” according to their campaign kickoff video. Schmidt said she and Alexander want to highlight all Truman students by bringing them together. Some of their proposals for unifying campus included increasing Homecoming engagement across all organizations, hosting Truman’s second annual TEDx Conference and making an LGBTQIA+ resource center a reality on campus. Alexander added that she and Schmidt want to increase the accessibility of campus event information by redesigning Truman Today with more pictures, descriptive titles and taglines, and graphics, among other possibilities. She said this is another way they intend to build a sense of community at Truman. “People generally stick to what they’re passionate about, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but I think it’s also really exciting to be able to see the

amazing work that students are doing in other areas of campus,” Alexander said. Schmidt and Alexander were both Student Government academic affairs committee chairs at some point in their Student Government careers, but they said they do not think this is a disadvantage for their administration. Schmidt said she got the opportunity to work more with the other Student Government committees as vice president while Alexander served as the academic affairs committee chair this year. Alexander said having two former academic affairs committee chairs at the head of Student Government is a benefit, if anything, because of the relationships and experience needed to properly represent student interests when shaping The Dialogues. Schmidt and Alexander said they want Truman to be a safe community. They said they were excited to hear the Department of Public Safety was developing a campus safety app to complement or replace the safety poles on campus, and they plan on working with DPS to make the app a reality while also keeping a few poles operational for the image of safety and for students without a phone. Alexander also said she opposes open and concealed carry on Truman’s campus and hopes students can feel safe on campus without weapons. Despite her personal opinion, however, Alexander said she and Schmidt want to hold a student forum on the issue — similar to what Student Government did in 2016 — if the Missouri state legislature passes Missouri House Bill 575, which would allow concealed carry on Missouri college campuses.

An issue from past years that did not rear its head in Schmidt and Alexander’s campaign is parking. Past Student Government presidential candidates made parking central to their campaigns, but Schmidt said it did not seem to be an issue for her and Alexander’s administration. She cited Student Government surveys about the Fair Apartments green space in which she said most respondents wanted to keep it as a green space rather than turn it into a parking lot. “I’m not willing to sacrifice green space as of right now for parking that doesn’t seem to be an issue that’s affecting students as much,” Schmidt said. To see all of their goals through, Schmidt said she and Alexander aim to hold their committee chairs accountable for making sure their committees always have projects to work on and a sense that they are making a difference. She said past administrations did not necessarily excel at this, and if not for recent presidents setting new precedents for committee chair accountability, she said she would have quit Student Government her freshman year. “I didn’t do anything,” Schmidt said. “I was just on a committee.” Schmidt said it was important to her to continue holding committees and their chairs accountable under her and Alexander’s administration. Election results will be announced at noon today in front of the Student Union Building. If there is inclement weather, the announcement will be moved to the SUB Hub. The Index will report the results shortly after they’re announced at tmn. truman.edu.

RETIREES| Fifteen faculty members retire from Truman Faculty and Staff Retirees Melody Chambers Mustafa Sawani James Guffey Ronald Rybkowski Stephen Allen Alcidean Arias Susan Hamilton David Schutter Sherri Palmer Regina Morin Kathy Conner Karl Schneider Wynne Wilbur Robert Techau James O’Donnell

Admission, 34 years Economics, 34 years Mathematics, 31 years Theatre, 31 years Business Administration, 30 years International Education Abroad, 28 years Library, 27 years Athletics, 26 years Psychology, 26 years Enrollment Management, 24 years Physical Plant, 22 years Physical Plant, 20 years Art, 17 years Physical Plant, 12 years School of Arts and Letters, 6 years

Continued from page 1 He is retiring because to him and his family it seemed like a good time, he said.

In his retirement announcement, O’Donnell said he will be working with Gooch, chairpersons, office assistants, and other members of the School of Arts and Letters to provide a smooth transition for the next dean. Former admission director Melody Chambers retired from Truman in February. Chambers was a student at Truman before working as an admissions counselor right after graduation. “Honestly, I thought I would do it for two or three years while I figured out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and ended up honestly really loving it,” Chambers said. She worked various positions in admissions before serving as the admission director for

nearly a decade. In total, Chambers worked at Truman for 34 years. Chambers said there were a few reasons she decided to retire, including that she was reaching the maximum eligibility for backdrop funding within the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System. She also said there were many administrative changes about to happen and she had already experienced a lot of change in her career. If she was going to experience even more change, she said she wanted to decide what that change was, instead of having it just happen. Chambers now works at A.T. Still University in alumni relations, but she said her heart is still with Truman. She said her new position allows her to do everything she loved doing in admissions, like forming relationships and coordinating events.

life

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

STICKING TO IT

Laptop stickers mean more than just aesthetics RYAN PIVONEY Managing Editor An individual’s laptop can say a lot about them — not necessarily through its contents, but rather its cover. Communication major Justin Gassel has nine stickers on the front of his Toshiba laptop. Most of them are from movies and shows he likes, but one of his favorite stickers is the flag of Springfield, Missouri, proudly displayed in the middle. Gassel is from Springfield and said the sticker shows his pride for the Queen City of the Ozarks. The fandom stickers, however, are just there because he enjoys them. “I just think it’s an extension of personality,” Gassel said. “It’s a way that you can just be unique without having to, like, tell the world why you’re unique.” Gassel was adamant he would never overlap the stickers on his laptop. This affects how often he adds stickers and which ones he adds because he has limited space. He has also made the decision to not take any off. Gassel said the stickers have served as conversation starters, particularly when getting to know new people. “When I first get into group projects and I first pull out the laptop, I get a lot of questions about the stickers,” Gassel explained. “Then I see other people’s and I’ll ask them questions and it kinda helps break the ice for people you don’t know.”

Spanish major Abby Fawks chooses to decorate her laptop with many stickers. Fawks said her stickers are a way of showing her identity and having outward representation. Photos by Ryan Pivoney Classics major Adam Walker has a similar experience with the stickers on his laptops. Of the 12 covering his Dell, some show what organizations he is involved with on campus, while others feature his various interests, including Batman, football and the musical “Hamilton.” Walker is a Latin tutor and said a number of students have struck

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ISSUE 20

up conversations about “Hamilton” before starting the session. He said the stickers provide a brief snapshot into who he is and what he does. “It just kinda tells your story in a very truncated way,” Walker said. Robin Perry is also a fan of slapping stickers on her laptop. She has “Doctor Who,” Disney, “Supernatural” and other kinds of stickers. As a design animation major, Perry even has stickers that her fellow designers have made for her. Instead of an orderly look, Perry doesn’t mind a little overlap when placing the stickers. With probably 100 or so stickers coating the outer surface, Perry said she only rejects a sticker if it is too big or it’s a repeat. Collected over time and pasted in two binge-stickering sessions, Perry described her computer as a collage of her interests. “Mine’s more of a, ‘What don’t I have a sticker of?’” Perry said. “The first few, I had like a [Campus Christian Fellowship] sticker just ’cause I was part of the group and I wanted to show off that CCF pride. Other ones it’s just, ‘This is a really cute sticker of a panda. Let’s put it on the laptop.’” Health science major Kyla McBride has fewer stickers — nine in total — but they’re all centered around her personality and what she enjoys doing. As a Christian and nature-lover, McBride’s personality shines through in her choice of stickers. She has stickers for CCF, ENO outfitters and Glorieta Adventure Camps — a gospel camp where she worked over the summer. “I think this is kind of a good look into, like, who I am — a lot of it is about my faith, and I like spending time outdoors, so things that just mean a lot to me,” McBride said. “It’s a good expression of who I am.” She said sincerity isn’t seen as much these days, so she wants to be open and proud about who she is. Spanish major Abby Fawks has a variety of stickers coating the surface of her computer, but they all help display her identity as well. With an LGBTQIA+ pride heart emblazoned in the center of the laptop, Fawks said her stickers are a way of showing her identity and having outward representation. Additionally, she has stickers representing some of her favorite podcasts, movies, television shows and pop culture references. She said she has a lot of them because they are fun to collect. Similarly to Gassel, Fawks doesn’t like them to overlap because, as she explained, she wants to see them all. Political science major Josh Jay, however, has a single sticker on the inside of his laptop. As the Student Activities Board sec-

tmn.truman.edu

retary, it’s fitting that the only sticker he has stuck with is for the organization. He explained that because his Mac is new, he is hesitant to plaster something as permanent as a sticker on it, and he is afraid he is already late to the trend. Jay said he was confident representing SAB on his laptop because he knew he wouldn’t regret it later. He said the sticker shows he is committed and likes what he does with the group. “If I put something on there like a sports player or something and he leaves my team, then shoot,” Jay said with a Political Science major Josh Jay only has laugh. “Then I got a nas- one sticker on his laptop, which represents ty sticker on there.” his place on the Student Activities Board. Jay is hesitant to put stickers on his new computer because they are permanent.

There are nine stickers on the front of Communication major Justin Gassel’s laptop. Gassel said one of his favorite stickers is his Springfield, Missouri, flag because it shows his pride for the Queen City of the Ozarks.

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The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

BOLD lifestyles

Truman grad returns to talk surrealism AURA MARTIN Staff Writer

Joe Baumann knows a woman who rents out her ribcage to an artist who, through genie-like magic, is able to shrink down and live in her ribs. Nevermind that said woman is one of many from the 2009 Truman State University graduate’s collection of fictional short stories. As Baumann returns to his alma mater as the keynote speaker for the English senior seminar conference, he will be speaking about his works and sharing his own surrealism examples. He is currently a professor at St. Charles Community College. Baumann wanted to present on surrealist literature because he thinks more people need to understand it, and why it is appearing in many contemporary works. He loves genre literature and is puzzled that some people don’t consider it to be “serious.” He questions what it means for something to be a serious form of literature and if there is such a thing as non-serious books. To be fair, he said, there probably are. There is plenty of non-serious realism and works of speculative fiction out there. There might be some reservations toward genre fiction because there is some bad genre fiction out there, and when it comes to young writers, sometimes they don’t think about some of the things that writing genre fiction requires. Baumann said young writers might think just creating a world that is strange and different and populating it with strange and different things is enough, but it’s not. “The strange and different have to mean something, have some importance thematically,” Baumann said. “A lot of writers miss that,

I think, and that gives genre fiction a bad rep sometimes.” Baumann bounces between different writing projects and recently completed a collection of short stories about the biblical plagues. The first 10 stories are each about one of the plagues of Egypt, but modernized, and generally taking place in either St. Louis or Lafayette, Louisiana, the two cities he has lived in the longest. In the first story, every water source in the St. Louis area turns into blood. In another story, a man living in Louisiana discovers that his boyfriend is a demon who has caused the sun to disappear during a hurricane, which is a reimagination of the plague of darkness. In another story, a young man’s father turns their farm into a miniature golf course with an ice cream shop, but all the cows mysteriously die, which matches the plague of death of livestock. He wrote an 11th story that is also biblical, but Baumann said it is a goofy retelling of the flood story, so instead of Noah gathering up animals two by two, a woman in Louisiana invites English graduate students to

stories might not even register as such retellings,” Baumann said. While writing stories, he likes to tackle modern topics such as sexuality and identity. Sometimes he sets out to write his stories with these themes in mind, and sometimes he just dives into the story and lets the muse pull his hair. With his plagues project, he knew he wanted most of the stories to deal with non-heteronormative sexuality in one way or another. He did not always know exactly what it would look like in the end, so Baumann would usually let himself go until things started to click, and then he would figure out how all the disparate parts might work together. Baumann likes writing surrealism because anything can happen. “I often find myself trying to juxtapose something weird with Above: Truman State University something mundane, and then graduate Joe Baumann is returning I try to solve the puzzle of how to Truman to speak on surrealism those things can work together in fiction. Baumann said he likes thematically,” Baumann said. writing surreallism because any- “Whatever pops into my head as a wild idea, I’m usually willing to thing can happen. Left: Baumann’s magazine is titled see where it can go.” Baumann will present “SurrealThe Gateway Review. He is also a ism in the 21st Century,” a lecture professor at St. Charles Commuon contemporary surrealist literanity College. Submitted photos ture, at 12:30 p.m. Monday, April 29 in the Student Union Building shack up in her large house when a Activities Room. “Hearts in Cages, rainstorm refuses to end. Baumann wanted each story to Bodies in Flux: A Fiction Reading,” function without the reader know- where Baumann will read his own ing that each story was part of a selected works of surrealist fiction, bigger project because some of the will take place at 1:30 p.m. the folstories have been published inde- lowing day in the SUB Activities pendently. Seven of his 11 stories Room. have been published or are in the process of being printed. “Unless you are really up on your biblical plagues, some of the

Buddy packs funded by faculty laughs ALLYSON LOTZ Copy Chief

“When he isn’t working, he can be seen getting road rage — please welcome Jared Young!” The master of ceremonies exited stage right, and in his stead, a redheaded man with a goatee strolled into the spotlight as the third contestant of the UpChuckles Faculty Comedy Show. In his bid to be crowned Funniest Faculty Member On Campus, he grabbed the mic and told jokes about not having a doctorate and the ills of social media. This was the beginning of Jared Young’s redemption arc. In the inaugural Faculty Comedy Show two years ago, to his recollection, he was ironically bestowed a different award: Youngest Grumpy Old Man. “I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s right, that’s good,’” Young said with a laugh. Young is the Del and Norma Robison Planetarium director and the coordinator of summer academies and institutes,

though he had been a communication professor before taking up those helms. He was also an elementary school teacher before returning to his alma mater, Truman State University. His teaching background is part of what led him to participate in the contest. “You know, I can stand in front of a class and teach for hours on end, but can I stand on a stage and tell a joke and get somebody else to laugh?” Young said he had asked himself at the time. This is the question professors have had to answer for the past three years when they vy for the Funniest Faculty Member On Campus crown. The inaugural UpChuckles Faculty Comedy Show was at the end of March 2017 at William Matthew Middle School. In that first show, five Truman faculty and staff members competed for the most laughs, including University President Sue Thomas and Young. UpChuckles adviser Jay Self said UpChuckles started putting on this show because the club wanted to

UpChuckles

FeedsKids

$2,645 buddy = 515 packs

total funds raised

= 14

kids fed

use comedy to give back to the commu- attend either Kirksville Primary School or nity. The problem was figuring out how to Ray Miller Elementary School. The rest of get people to pay for comedy when Up- the participating students in Adair County Chuckles also offers free shows through- attend either Adair County R-I Elemenout the year. tary School in Novinger or Adair County “Well, wouldn’t R-II School in it be a great idea Brashear. “It’s really difficult for a if we could get Next year, the some faculty or kid to do well in school if Novinger and staff in on this?” they’re hungry. It’s hard to Brashear schools Self said. “And will be shifting to then of course the focus on history or math if a four-day school first hope was to week, meaning you’re hungry.” get the president the Buddy Pack of the University program will be to do it, and Sue out how Jay Self, figuring Thomas was great to make its BudUpChuckles adviser dy Packs work and accepted.” The show for students on took off from there. In that first year, the a three-day weekend. Ross said the icy show raised $694. Then it moved to Bald- winter also made it difficult to get Buddy win Auditorium the next year and raised Packs to students this school year, espe$853. The goal for the third show was to cially now that classes might bleed into raise over $1,000. June. Self said the third annual UpChuckles “A lot of kids who do seek those Buddy Faculty Comedy Show raised $1,098. For Packs live in a very rural area, what could three years, all funds raised have gone to be considered a food desert, like 5-10 the Food Bank for Central and Northeast miles sometimes away from a grocery Missouri’s Buddy Pack program, a cause store,” Ross said. “So there is a real need Self sees in action day to day. around here.” “We watched as our kids were goYoung has his own ties to the Buddy ing through primary school — we knew Pack program that run deeper than his that there were other kids where the only time teaching at Truman. Back when food they got on the weekend was the he taught in Schuyler County, he still stuff they took home with them from the lived in Kirksville, so he would help his Buddy Pack program,” Self said. “For kids, school out by driving to the Kirksville that’s really difficult. It’s really difficult for hub of the food bank — one of its two a kid to do well in school if they’re hun- stationary pantries — loading Buddy gry. It’s hard to focus on history or math if Packs into his pickup and trucking them you’re hungry.” up to Schuyler County. He renewed The Buddy Pack program provides that connection last semester when he weekend meals to elementary and middle volunteered to build Buddy Packs for school students who qualify for free or re- the first time. duced-price school lunches. A Buddy Pack “That was neat, because your commucontains two entrees, fruit cups, a snack nity members are coming together for a bar, cereal, milk and peanut butter. good cause, they’re volunteering their A $5 donation covers the cost of a time — it’s just pure,” Young said. “I like Buddy Pack, and a student in the pro- being part of those things.” gram will take home 36 Buddy Packs per At the end of the Faculty Comedy school year, according to Teresa Ross, Show, Self entered the stage with certifiFood Bank of Central and Northeast cates in hand and turned to the contesMissouri regional coordinator. Across tants. He awarded superlatives to each all three years, the UpChuckles Faculty faculty member one by one, none of them Comedy Show has raised $2,645 for Funniest Faculty Member On Campus, unthe Buddy Pack program, and 97.5% of til Young was one of two remaining withall proceeds go toward making Buddy out an award. Young had a 50/50 shot of Packs. This means, in total, UpChuck- completing his redemption arc. les has donated enough money to make Self asked both to step forward. Susover 515 Buddy Packs, which would pense hung in the air. provide more than 14 kids with week“The award for Best Oral Expert — oh, end meals for an entire school year — you know, like speeches and stuff — goes all in Adair County. to Chris Outzen,” Self declared, handing “Everything that’s raised in a county the consolation certificate to its recipient. stays in that county,” Ross said. “It’s earOnly Young remained. Self lifted the marked just for Adair County.” purple trophy behind him. Ross said Kirksville’s Buddy Pack pro“That means your 2019 Funniest Facgram serves 316 students, 130 of which ulty Member On Campus is Jared Young!”

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Best Buddies creates community of inclusion TRAVIS MAIDEN Staff Writer

Events and meetings are one in the same for the Best Buddies organization because they are always doing fun activities and hanging out. After a brief 10-15 minutes of announcements and discussion among the group, smiles and laughter are always shared, especially when they participate in events such as the Friendship Showcase, which brought performances from groups like Minor Detail and Khan Queso. This event gave buddies the chance to walk on stage and show off their talents to the Kirksville and Truman communities. Best Buddies has been a part of Truman State University for five years, stemming from an even larger international organization founded in 1989, which focuses on forming long-lasting friendships with individuals who have intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each member of Best Buddies has the chance to partner with a buddy in a one-on-one friendship where they can always keep in contact with one another. Amber Ferguson and her buddy Ashley Stribbling are one example of the closeknit friendships Best Buddies fosters. Ferguson said her favorite part of Best Buddies is her friendship with Stribbling because she quickly became one of her closest friends. The pair were matched a year ago and have been close ever since. “A lot of the time, you picture this type of friendship [as] me giving her something, but that’s just not true,” Ferguson said. “She gives me so much. She’s always looking to make sure I’m laughing and notices when I get upset at practice. She’s always checking in with me. Our friendship just makes me so happy.” Stribbling said she joined Best Buddies because a friend invited her to one of the events and she fell in love. The inclusivity of the group made every member feel like family. Their impact on one another has been tremendous, and the lessons learned have been numerous. Best Buddies gave the perfect opportunity for the two to meet and form a strong relationship.

“I would like to give a shout-out to my buddy Amber,” Stribbling said. “I never thought I would be such an impact on someone, but to see her not to be embarrassed to show pictures of me to her friends or for me to meet her friends means the world to me.” Ferguson joined two years ago because she was interested, and stayed because she fell in love with the organization and its members who were so easy to get along with. It feels like a happy family Two members of Best Buddies perform at the talent show April 9. Best Buddies is an organizabecause everytime tion at Truman State University focused on forming friendships with individuals with intellectual they get together, and developmental disabilities. Photo by Daniel Degenhardt all they share is jokes and laughter. to watch the club take off and see new she has a bad day or even a bad week, President Allison Kester agreed and said members interact with one another. she always has meetings and events to finding such genuine people in college can “Never for a moment have I regretted look forward to. be difficult. joining this organization,” Kester said. Smith said Best Buddies taught her Learning how to make friendships “It’s been the most fun part of my college how to go with the flow and not have a is important, and Best Buddies gives its career both as an undergrad and now in strict path when it comes to life. It helped members the opportunity to look past the grad school, and I just cannot attest to her learn to make a schedule with others surface of others and realize what is truly that enough. I think everyone should join in mind and enjoy what’s happening in important. Kester said meetings never Best Buddies because it’s got to genuinely front of her rather than stress over things feel like work because it always feels like be the best experience here.” she can’t control. a group of friends coming together, learnThe organization isn’t just a club “Best Buddies kind of makes you ing to speak with one another and bond- to learn how to cultivate friendships step out of your comfort zone, so things ing over core interests. Kester’s buddy and learn from one another. It’s also you wouldn’t usually volunteer to do or Casey Francis said her favorite part about an opportunity to grow professionally. things that you might feel a little appreBest Buddies is meeting new friends and Kester said learning to speak and un- hensive about doing, just, I wouldn’t say hanging out with everyone. derstand one another is integral to ev- that it feels like you’re being forced into The club was rough in its beginning eryday life. Kester plans on becoming doing it, but it makes you want to try new years when Kester was just a member. a secondary education English teach- things ” Smith said. “Which is really cool The organization lacked members and er in the future, so the organization is because a lot of clubs just kind of tell you, structure before it really began to make perfect for her, but it has the potential ‘Hey, you’re doing this now,’ even if I don’t connections with the community. Cur- to help anyone. really want to do that, but Best Buddies rently, Best Buddies doesn’t have a ton of The club is also a perfect place to gives you the opportunity to do it instead members, but it is still a tightly knit group bring a smile to a sad face. Best Buddies of force you, and it’s like, ‘Okay, I can do of individuals. Kester said it was exciting member Samantha Smith said whenever that — it sounds like fun!’”

TOP [ 5 ]

3 Broken Harts

newsy podcasts you should be listening to ... like starting now!

Glamour and HowStuffWorks produce this podcast covering the lives and deaths of the “Hart Tribe” — a blended family found at the bottom of a California cliff in an apparent murder-suicide by one of the mothers. Justine Harman, Elisabeth Egan and Lauren Smiley host this deep dive into what became a national story as the investigation progressed. If you like investigative pieces like we do, check this one out.

Brently Snead and Ryan Pivoney, avid podcast listeners

5 The Argument

2 Post Reports

Opinion columnists from The New York Times talk about current events and arguments from every angle. With most episodes lasting less than 45 minutes, you are bound to hear an argument you agree with or one you absolutely hate. Whether you’re looking to beef up your claims or ind ways to reach common ground with your political enemies, why not get some tips from the professionals?

4 The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Produced by FOX Sports Radio, this podcast covers a broad range of sports. While this isn’t necessarily our favorite podcast (obviously, since it isn’t No. 1) and Cowherd can be a little opinionated at times, overall it’s a great way to stay informed about all things going on in the sports world.

This podcast comes straight from The Washington Post’s Martine Powers. Powers and other reporters and analysts chat throughout the week about different headlines. The podcast format centers around three big stories and leaves listeners well informed on the latest news. Also — big plus — it’s super easy to understand.

1 The Daily

THURSDAY

Hosted by Michael Barbaro from The New York Times, this podcast provides a solid report into the biggest headlines ive days a week. From international news to ongoing investigations, The Daily covers a wide range of topics in a way anyone can understand. Also, Barbaro has an excellent, soothing voice, which is so important for a podcast.

“Unicorn Store” is whimsical fun

This movie gets 3.5/5 vacuums GORDON MCPHERSON Staff Writer Brie Larson’s quirky directorial debut “Unicorn Store” is entertaining, albeit decently cringeworthy. The film centers around Kit, played by Larson, a glitter-obsessed art school dropout who lives with her puzzled parents, played by Bradley Whitford and Joan Cusack, and rejects expectations of office-confined, financially stable adulthood. Kit’s vibrant artwork isn’t much appreciated, and neither is her lifelong dream of having her own pet unicorn. After being hired at an advertising temp agency and encountering a walking #MeToo red flag played by Hamish Linklater, Kit begins receiving bizarre messages inviting her to “The Store” (spooky!). Kit eventually goes down the rabbit hole, finding a streamer-laden Samuel L. Jackson in a bright pink suit.

“The Salesman,” as he’s called, offers Kit the opportunity to realize her dream of owning an actual unicorn if she follows specific adult responsibilities (including having positive relationships with others). Along the way, Kit also sparks up a romance with a lonely, deadpan hardware store employee named Virgil, played by Mamoudou Athie, and realizes the importance of staying true to herself in a world drained of rainbows and creativity. Sounds precious, right? Absolutely. But “Unicorn Store” might be the antidote we need for group work-induced pessimism. The film is unapologetically heavy-handed, cheesy and predictable, but it has an irresistible warmth that sustained my interest over its brief 92-minute runtime. Much of the film’s charm comes from Larson herself. Despite Kit’s naive, occasionally irritating personality and questionable attire, Larson

infuses Kit with enough depth and youthful energy to make her an endearing protagonist, one that artistic viewers can latch onto. No, I’m not a huge fan of abstract artwork, or unicorns for that matter, but Kit’s aspirations are all too relatable. The concept of sacrificing our true selves and passions for society’s harsh reality is quite relevant. Fortunately, “Unicorn Store” says we shouldn’t give up our passions (unless they’re racist or murderous), rather, they can go hand-in-hand with adulthood. This bubbly message is paired with equally upbeat performances by the rest of the cast. Jackson, as expected, gives an entertaining performance that largely overshadows aspects of his character which play into a racially-charged trope. Athie stands out as Virgil, performing with enough nuance to make his stilted dialogue almost excusable.

Larson also directs “Unicorn Store” with a surprising amount of flair, effectively using color and lighting to convey Kit’s whimsical personality and the film’s near-fantastical nature. And boy oh boy, does “Unicorn Store” get weird. I watched much of “Unicorn Store” with a sense of befuddlement, sometimes even shock. A vacuum-selling presentation, complete with confetti and cringeworthy dancing, has been imprinted in my psyche, as has an intense monologue where Jackson exclaims “Jeez Louise!” at the end of his tirade. Whether or not viewers laugh with the film or at it depends on viewers’ tolerance for sentimental whimsy — “Cold War” fans beware. Possibly the biggest cinematic surprise of 2019 so far, “Unicorn Store” is a casually enjoyable film with an optimistic aftertaste, and I needed that for once.

The Index

Ouestions ?

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Nick Maag, sophomore

Hannah Smiles, senior

the

Ouad ?

Ben Briney, head volleyball coach

Question 1: If you had to host a podcast, what would you talk about? “It would just be a podcast of me and my friends just talking about random things. It wouldn’t have a set topic, just like a discussion podcast.”

“I think an interesting podcast would be disability awareness and different facets of our world that make it difficult for people with disabilities.”

“Learning, like how different people learn and stuff like that.”

Question 2: What is your favorite Easter tradition? “Easter ham. Both sides of my family make Easter hams.”

“My family always does a very competitive Easter egg hunt in our backyard, and even when we got old — I’m the oldest — we would still have the competitions.”

“We usually go to Easter service and then come home and have a big family dinner.”

Question 3: How would you define the word “success”? “Being able to look back and see that you accomplished everything that you set out to accomplish.”

“I would say success is trusting the plan and doing the very best that you feel you can do and just being happy with that and confident in what you have done. For me, a lot of success is whether you served others well.”

“I would define it by working hard every day to be the absolute best you can be and then learning from your mistakes. Success is definitely a process.”

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Apply Today! Email Bethany Spitzmiller at editor@detoursmagazine.com

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

THIS WEEK IN SPORTS Thursday, April 18

Men’s, Women’s Track and Field at Kansas Relays TBA

Friday, April 19 Men’s, Women’s Track and Field at Kansas Relays TBA Baseball vs. Indianapolis Noon Softball at Missouri S&T Noon Softball at Missouri S&T 2 p.m.

Friday, April 19

Wednesday, April 24

Saturday, April 27

Baseball vs. Indianapolis 3 p.m.

Men’s, Women’s Track and Field Truman Twilight Quadrangular TBA

Softball vs. Quincy University Noon

Saturday, April 20

Friday, April 26

Softball vs. Quincy University 2 p.m.

Men’s, Women’s Track and Field at Kansas Relays TBA Baseball vs. Indianapolis Noon Softball at Drury University Noon Softball at Drury University 2 p.m.

Golf at GLVC Championships TBA

Saturday, April 27 Golf at GLVC Championships TBA Baseball at Maryville University Noon

Baseball at Maryville University 3 p.m.

Sunday, April 28 Golf at GLVC Championships TBA Baseball at Maryville University Noon Tune into tmn.truman.edu for a full list of events and to see updated scores.

BROWN| Softball coach Erin Brown leaves program Continued from page 14 Alongside the coaches she has helped in her long career as a Bulldog, Brown’s players hold her in the highest regard. Catcher Kayla Gordon was committed to play at Saint Joseph’s College, another school within the GLVC. When Saint Joseph’s closed down following the 2017 spring semester, just months before Gordon was supposed to leave for college, Brown offered her a home at Truman. “Coach Brown is the person who saved me,” Gordon said. “I’m extremely thankful for the opportunities she’s given me, the people I’ve met and for being able to learn under her in the time we’ve had together.” Regardless of who will be throwing during their batting practice in years to come, it’s impossible to deny that Brown has had a lasting effect on the program that has been a part of her since college. The one thing that has been undoubtedly ingrained in the Truman softball program since Brown became the coach is the same thing Brown hopes all of her players will carry with them for the rest of their lives. “Who you have on your bus is more important than where you’re going,” Brown said. “I feel like we’ve had a lot of good who’s on our bus.” Although Brown loves the sport and team she has dedicated the majority of her life to, she realizes there is now more for her outside of the game. Her choice to leave Truman will allow more time for her to spend with her son,

Brown coaches the softball team in a fall game Sept. 22. She is ending her career as the winningest coach in the program. Photo by Kara Mackenzie daughter and husband as they look to move forward and take on new opportunities, just as Brown did when she first came to Kirksville. Brown and the Bulldogs are 9-2 in

their last 11 games, improving their record to 25-12 overall, and have moved up one spot to No. 7 in the GLVC rankings over the past week. The current focus of both Brown and her team is

making a run in what will be the last time Brown will ever call the shots in a Bulldog uniform.

BASEBALL| Baseball continues eight game losing streak Continued from page 12 Davis expressed optimism for the team’s future full of exciting young players and a large recruiting class. He emphasized the importance of continuing to play hard and staying proud of the program. Only nine games remain for the Bulldogs this season until the GLVC tournament, from which they hope to not be eliminated. They sit in last place in the GLVC. The team’s last home games of the year are this weekend against University of Indianapolis with its senior day at noon Sunday. Catcher Brian Edel takes a high pitch in a game against McKendree University April 14. The Bulldogs lost the game 12-0. Photo by Truman Athletics

TRACK| Bulldogs take home medals from Blue Oval Invitational Continued from page 14 Other gold medalists for the Bulldogs included Elle Renault and Hannah Sells, who won gold in javelin and pole vault, respectively. The track and field team will compete next in the Kansas Relays at Kansas University through Saturday.

Hannah Sells competes in the pole vault event at Drake University this weekend. Sells took first place in the event. Photo by Truman Athletics

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

Baseball coming off tough losses in GLVC SAM ROETTGEN Sports Editor

The baseball team continued its losing streak this weekend as it was swept in a three-game series at Bellarmine University. This series extended the team’s losing streak to eight games. The first game of the weekend was a hard-fought 4-1 loss. The Truman State University Bulldogs scored on a solo home run in the seventh inning to cut their deficit to one run. Bellarmine came right back in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored two runs in turn. This proved to be all Bellarmine pitcher Eddie Mathis would need as he pitched a complete game, allowing only one run. The next two games were not so hard fought. Truman lost by a combined score of 27-2, getting mercy-ruled in seven innings in both games. The fourth innings of these two games were not kind to the Bulldogs — they allowed eight runs in the fourth inning of Game 2 and five runs in the fourth inning of Game 3. Bellarmine did not look back after these innings and won both games by double digits. “I can give you all the excuses in the world, but without a doubt this has been a tough year for us,” head coach Dan Davis said. “Numbers don’t tell the whole story, though. We’ve had a lot of young guys gain some valuable experience.” See BASEBALL page 11

Outfielder Kory Carter catches a fly ball in a game against McKendree University in a game this season. Photo by Truman Athletics

Men’s, women’s tennis finish off season Left: Finessa Rassel plays in a match during the fall season. Rassel is a senior and Friday’s match up against Drury University was her last time playing as a Bulldog. Bottom Left: Maura Dunn reaches up during a match Sept. 22. Dunn participated in the matches against Drury Friday, which Truman walked away defeated 0-7. Bottom Right: Griffin Turnage in a March practice. Turnage participated on the tennis team all four years and will be graduating in May. Photos by Kara Mackenzie

The Index

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

COLUMN | Sports editor has reservations about Eldrick’s victory

SAM ROETTGEN Sports Editor I watched Eldrick “Tiger” Woods win the Masters Tournament this weekend with a score of 13 under par. There’s something about seeing Tiger come out in the red and black on a Sunday with a chance to win that makes golf special, but I wonder if we are forgetting that it wasn’t that long ago that most of us hated him. Let me first say that I am glad to see Tiger win after all these years. It was 2005 when he last won the Masters and 2008 when he last won a major tournament. As someone who plays golf and grew up watching Tiger, I am happy that

he is able to play at all, let alone win the biggest golf tournament of the year. Seeing him hug his son walking off the 18th hole was certainly a very emotional moment and one I am sure will go down in golf history. The crowd roared for him with every great shot he made. Jim Nantz went on about how many years it had been and how many back surgeries he had undergone. Tiger cried as he hugged his family and, despite my appreciation for the moment, I paused to wonder if it was appropriate. For Pete’s sake, U.S. President Donald Trump is giving him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. I cannot be the only person who thinks that is a bit much. Should we really be holding up Tiger as this great hero who has finally come back to greatness? On one hand, he means more to golf than anyone and is coming back from a number of surgeries on his back, Achilles and knees. On the other hand, he has no one to blame but himself for cheating on his wife and hitting a fire hydrant at 2 a.m. Now, I am by no means saying Tiger is unforgivable, however, we shouldn’t forget that his downfall was a result of him being dishonest and unfaithful. I only know Tiger from his play on the course and his incidents off the course. I have never met him or played golf with him (by the way, Tiger, if you’re reading this, let’s hit the links some time — I’m about an 18 handicap), so I will not speculate as to what his character is. Maybe he is a changed man. Maybe he has overcome the demons that caused him to do what he did. The fact that he has come back from untold injuries at the age of 43 is certainly a triumph, and I have great respect for what he has done over his career. I just don’t understand why everyone seems to be pretending like he never did anything wrong. Our heroes are human beings just as we are. I love it when someone at the Masters makes a horrible shot, and I can laugh at them knowing full well that I could have done better. We all make mistakes, and we all deserve to be forgiven, but we are not all one of the greatest golfers of all time. I think it is OK to be happy for Tiger, but let’s not act like the injuries are the only things he is coming back from.

ATHLETE o f

t h e

w e e k

Outfielder Christa Reisinger set a powerful offense for Truman as the Bulldogs swept McKendree University Monday. The Winfield, Missouri, native got a hit in every at bat in the doubleheader, going 3 for 3 at the plate, earning a clean 1.000 batting average. Reisinger’s high-powered performance peaked in the Bulldogs’ 13-0 Game 2 victory against McKendree, where Reisinger scored three runs.

Christa Reisinger

THURSDAY, APRIL 18, 2019

SOFTBALL COACH PARTS WITH TRUMAN

Erin Brown coaches Christa Reisinger on the field in a March game. Brown has been with the program for 13 years and is resigning at the end of the season. During her time, Brown has earned nearly 150 wins. Photo by Kara Mackenzie

Brown leaves program better than she found it CHASE POTTER Staff Writer Erin Brown was on her way home from the hospital following the birth of her daughter when she received the call. The Bulldogs of Truman State University were in need of somebody to steer the ship and wanted her to take the wheel. She didn’t hesitate. Brown never planned to coach college softball. She never planned to return to her alma mater, or to become the winningest coach in program history. In fact, she only ended up in her first graduate assistant job at the University of Central Missouri because she was not sure what to do after she graduated from Truman State University. “You have to be ready for your opportunity, because if you’re not, then you could end up regretting it later on,” said Brown. “I just feel like it was

Track, field prepare for Kansas SAM ROETTGEN Sports Editor

The men’s and women’s track and field teams took home a combined 10 individual first place finishes at the Blue Oval Invitational at Drake University this weekend. Seven of the 10 awards came from the women’s side. The top performers were Grace Feeney and Cassidy Smestad. Feeney took the gold in long jump and the silver in the 100-meter hurdles. Smestad won the gold in shot put and the silver in both hammer and discus. The Truman State University Bulldogs dominated the podium in the 5,000-meter run, with Kim Kaster, Carly Garnett and Emma Harrelson taking first, second and third, respectively. The men’s team had its share of medals as well. Mike Grasing took first place in the 5,000-meter run, while Carson Rohan won the steeplechase and Quinn Miller finished third. Brandon Hackamack fell an inch short on triple jump, taking home the silver medal. See TRACK page 11 VOLUME 110

ISSUE 20

meant to be.” Now, in her 13th year at the helm, Brown is approaching 350 wins, nearly 200 more than the next closest coach in program history. Brown has coached one-third of the 40-win seasons in Truman softball history and one-fourth of the Div. II national tournament teams, and holds numerous records within the softball program — but to her that all comes second. “Leaving our program in a better place is something we always talk about,” Brown said. “I feel like the kids that are returning are going to be good leaders, and will continue fostering a family atmosphere with the new players. I like to think all the backup work that we do will take care of [the future] because it is really the kids.” Building up the program that helped to make her the coach she is

today has been Brown and her teams’ focus since she stepped foot in the dugout in 2006, and is still the focus today. Her approaches and methods to achieving this goal has changed over the years as she has grown as a coach, but what she has strived for as a Bulldog has never shifted. Brown learned early that filling her program with good people was more valuable than ending the season with a good record. Not to be misunderstood, Brown has proved she and her program love to win, but what she’ll miss most from coaching is not putting tallies in the win column. “The girls are the number one thing, but going out and pitching on the field to my girls with music going when it’s a beautiful day is what I’ll miss most,” Brown said. “It’s probably their favorite thing to do, and I’m like, the perfect

batting practice pitcher.” The players and members of the softball program throughout her time at Truman are what Brown will hold closest in her years after coaching. Ensuring their success after they leave her program has been one of Brown’s goals in her tenure. In her time here, Brown has expanded her coaching tree throughout the GLVC. Two of her assistant coaches, Cathy Monroe and Bailey Wittenauer, have moved on to accept head coaching jobs at Missouri University of Science and Technology and Rockhurst University, respectively. See BROWN page 11

Golf team places fifth at UIS CURT WICHMER Staff Writer

Golf closed its regular season on a high note at the University of IllinoisSpringfield Spring Invitational with a season-high fifth place finish at the event. Led by junior Lindsey Repp with an 11th place finish overall, Bulldogs Emily Ducaji, Brooke Kelley, Maya

Schnable and Madison Sprung placed 18th, 19th, 21st and 36th respectively. Head coach Clint Fitzpatrick said the team was not sure what to expect going into the weekend, but had an excellent showing given the circumstances. According to Fitzpatrick, Truman’s golfers had never played at the UIS turf before, and squared off against many opponents they were unfamil-

Junior Lindsey Repp led the Bulldaogs with a score of of 83 at the University of Illinois-Springfield Spring Invitational. She finished 11th overall. Truman Athletics

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iar with. Fitzpatrick said despite cold and windy conditions, the team still competed well to catch a top 5 finish. The event at UIS was originally slated to have a second day, but because of snow and ice day two was canceled. The GLVC meet April 26 makes up for that, however, as it lasts a day longer than most regular season golf events. “The GLVC conference tournament is different than any of the other tournaments because it is held over three days instead of two,” Fitzpatrick said. “Against the other GLVC teams, our goal is to finish in the top half. We have one of the toughest conferences in the region, and normally between four and six of the conference teams advance to regionals each year, so a top-half finish is difficult, but still attainable for us.” Fitzpatrick said the increased duration of the event is something the Bulldogs have to anticipate and adjust to. He said the team will have to focus on not wearing themselves out early, but aside from that, little adjustments leading up to the meet are not critically important. Rather, Fitzpatrick stressed the importance of practicing efficiently while still getting enough rest. This, according to Fitzpatrick, will be the key to a strong Bulldog showing at the championships.

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