V
NEWS 2
ISU PARTNERSHIP TO INCREASE DIVERSITY
SPORTS 8
SOFTBALL CLOSES LAST HOME GAME, SENIOR DAY WITH 4-1 LOSS
FEATURES 6
EMERGENCY OPERTATION SYSTEMS KEEP STUDENTS SAFE SASIC/VIEWPOINT 4
GOODBYE TO MY TRUE LOVE
THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
videtteonline.com
Vol. 130 / No. 62
Have a great summer, Redbirds! MAX turns ‘Lights Down Low’ on Quad Singer performs at Springfest with Stacey Kay, SungBeats, students play with exotic animals, other activities during Wednesday’s concert Photographs by BECKY FLETCHER | Features Reporter and THALIA MORALES | Photographer
Related Springfest gallery online
TOP: University Program Board supplied students with ample activities to do during Springfest. Exotic animals, such as a leucistic python and albino ball python, were provided by Wild Times Exotics from Springfield, Illinois. ABOVE: Award winning acapella group member and former “America’s Got Talent” artist Stacey Kay performed Wednesday. LEFT: Headliner Max Schneider, also known as MAX, sang his hit song “Lights Down Low,” which has reached over 31 million views on YouTube.
Local police departments offer alternative opioid disposal bins ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
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n the nationwide effort to combat the growing opioid crisis plaguing cities and towns across the country, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency Take Back Day provides an opportunity for local residents to prevent drug addiction and overdose deaths by disposing of unused prescription medications. As part of the DEA’s Take Back Day, the Bloomington and Normal police departments offer residents an alternative for disposing of their unused or expired prescriptions in bins located outside of both stations. The Drug Take Back events take place every
six months per DEA request. The first event took place at the end of April and the second event will be held this coming October. However, the police departments are still providing drop off locations for the medications. According to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 6.4 million Americans abused controlled prescription drugs. The study revealed that a majority of abused prescription drugs were obtained from friends
and family, most often from medicine cabinets at home. Normal Police Officer Greg Leipold said this is not a new initiative and the DEA has been sponsoring the event for 15 years. “We began the initiative per request of the DEA and it is strictly just for the police departments. You can come to Circle Drive and there will be several organizations that volunteer their time, such as P.A.T.H., Project Oz and
“There’s always a police officer right there to make sure the drugs are not going where they are not supposed to go, and this year we collected close to 400 pounds of drugs,” Greg Leipold, Normal Police Officer
all sorts of other organizations who volunteer their time to help in taking back the drugs,” Leipold said. “There’s always a police officer right there to make sure the drugs are not going where they are not supposed to go, and this year we collected close to 400 pounds of drugs,” he said. “This number is not unusual as we usually collect close to that amount, so it is absolutely the usual.” “It’s become more of a positive alternative to dispose of your expired medicines because of the opioid epidemic. It does not pertain to just opioid medications but any expired medication at all. So, it is not geared towards solely opioids,” he added. see OPIOID page 3
PAGE 2 | NEWS | THE VIDETTE
STAFF LIST Editor in Chief
Ema Sasic
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
ISU working to promote diversity
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llinois State University and INTO University Partnerships have signed an agreement for a long-term commitment in increasing campus diversit y and inter nat iona l enrollment. “One of the primary goals of the partnership is to increase the population of international students to 10 percent of the overall student population,” Yimin Wang, Associate Director of International Studies, said. “By bringing diverse perspectives, cultures and knowledge backgrounds to our campus and our classrooms, international students bring the world to ISU.” Along with the establishment of this partnership, ISU created the pathway program called International Year One Program. The program is designed for students who speak English proficiently, but could use that extra step to meet the university’s direct admission standards. ISU has also run a series of panel discussions on mentoring inter nat iona l st udents, collaborated with the Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology for workshops and offered grants encouraging the
Claire Wagner | Vidette Photographer
Yimin Wang, Associate Director of International Studies, is working with the university to bring more students from other countries to campus. internationalization of curriculum. These programs are led by the Office of International Studies. The first students will arrive on the ISU campus this fall. “In today’s globally connected society and economy, it is more important than ever that our students benefit from a diverse education and interaction with students from different backgrounds and perspectives,” ISU President Larry Dietz said in a statement. “The increase in international
Redbird alumni to wine taste in Chicago
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GARRET KARSTEN News Reporter | @GKarstenISU
ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
The Chicago Young Alumni Network will host its annual wine tasting events where recent graduates have the opportunity to try a variety of wines at 6:30 p.m. May 22 at the D.O.C. Wine Bar in Chicago. The D.O.C. Wine Bar offers a selection of 15 different wine pours which include Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Moscato and Riesling, among many others. The evening will begin with two Illinois State University alumni, Brittany Applegate and Ariana Taylor,
who will speak on their experiences as entrepreneurs. Applegate is the founder of Brand Chicago, a community of Chicago’s most ambitious multicultural entrepreneurs. She also works as a brand consultant for small business owners, assisting them in developing marketing and digital strategies. Taylor is the founder of The Chicago Consultant and advises future entrepreneurs on how to navigate the processes to establish their business and works with Fortune 100 companies to challenge business practices and develop solutions. see WINE page 3
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students will not displace any Illinois students who meet our academic standards, but will instead enhance the learning environment.” “Through this partnership with INTO we aim to provide talented and ambitious students with even more opportunities to study alongside those from other countries. We believe Illinois State will play a full role in the creation of the next generation of global citizens and leaders.” Dietz said the university has
many resources for international students. “Another opportunity offered at ISU is international housing. It allows international students unique services and experiences to interact with domestic students and to learn about American culture,” he continued. ISU students seeking to assist international students can join the Global Redbirds Mentorship Adjustment Program or the International Orientation Team. ISU has been working to increase its international student population in recent years. “This partnership is an important step for ISU towards the goals of increasing the number of international students, diversifying the student population/campus culture, and increasing the level of internationalization of the campus,” Wang said. “While we are trying to create a ‘home away from home’ for international students here at ISU, international students also bring the world to us here at ISU. We are very excited about all these possibilities.” Garrett Karsten is a news reporter reporter for The Vidette. He can be reached at gtkarst@ ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @GKarstenISU.
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
CTLT offers new prospects for professional development ANDREW DOUGHERTY Senior News Reporter | @addough
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llinois State University’s Center for Teaching, Learning and Technology (CTLT) is partnering with campus faculty and staff to present brand new, exciting chances for professional development this summer. The workshops range from half-day to full-day programs, with several faculty members who have designed and redesigned their courses to specific units, focusing on themes such as civic engagement, global learning and diversity. In addition to CTLT’s Faculty Fellows program, invited presenters will offer workshops on topics that range from developing a teaching portfolio to balancing life as both a professor and mother. The 15 new workshops are part of the close to 40 professional opportunities offered as part of the annual Summer Institute. The workshops are open solely to ISU faculty, staff and graduate assistants and will not be open to the public. Coordinator for Communication and Faculty Development Jim Gee said by helping faculty members excel at teaching, students will have a better experience on campus. “The impetus behind this is that we’ve been offering a stable of regular workshops, so we thought we’d change it up by adding these 15 new workshops,” Gee said. “The idea behind these new workshops is faculty development, which is not a new
idea on this campus. This university was founded for teachers, and so how teaching works and how learning works is an important aspect of life here on campus.” Gee explained that the many Summer Institute programs at other universities are only a week long compared to ISU’s Summer Institute, which spans nearly 2 1/2 months. “The workshops are new and exciting this year. There’s a group we have called Faculty Fellows which is a group of professional developers such as myself and colleagues here at the CTLT who put on workshops year-round. We have invited a number of faculty members to come and also present on topics as well,” he said. The CTLT summer workshops are organized by specific themes about teaching, student learning and life in academics. Each theme offers a more robust professional development experience for those participating. “These three themes certainly do not represent all of our workshops but some of them. Your Teaching Identity is really trying to approach them as hardworking professionals, which they are. It’s sort of a health and well-being type of thing. The Encourage Critical Thinking workshop takes on a topic which we talk about much more. Then there is the Beyond the Textbook, which essentially talks about ways to present new ideas to your students that is not just ‘read chapter seven and we’ll talk about it next week,’” Gee said. “The Beyond the Textbook workshop
Samantha Peltz | Vidette Photographer
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Technology is partnering with campus faculty and staff to present brand new, exciting chances for professional development this summer. works with the library, service learning on campus and also a workshop in partner with Anne Shelley over at Milner Library about making course materials more available and using open textbooks and making it easier for students to afford to go to school,” he added. CTLT will also offer a full range of ReggieNet-related workshops during the summer, with particular topics focusing on the Gradebook tool, communication with
students and constructing online lessons and assessments. For more information on the Summer Institute workshops, those interested can browse the complete list of workshops and events at CTLT.IllinoisState.edu/Summer. Andrew Dougherty is a senior news reporter for The Vidette. Contact him at vidette_addough@ilstu.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @addough.
Blo-No residents ‘CAATCH’ affordable health care GARRETT KARSTEN News Reporter | @GKarstenISU
Registered Nurse and Emergency Department Navigator at St. Joseph Nikki Deterding Coordinating Appropriate told The Pantagraph the proAccess to Coordinated Health gram “has provided numerous Care, a pilot clinic program, has patients the opportunity to consaved the Bloomington-Normal nect to a medical home that can area nearly $500,000 within its meet their needs, while reducfirst six months. ing the number of emergency CA ATCH aims to help lowroom visits for non-acute conincome adults that choose Twin ditions best managed in the City emergency departments as outpatient setting.” their primary care provider by This alternative proves to connecting them with primary be a better option because the care providers, thus catching patient may see a different them before personal financial doctor each time in the emersituations get worse. gency department, as well as “Healthcare savings for the being less expensive due to the hospitals allow them to better Vidette Archive Photo patients not engaging in ongoserve their communities and Coordinating Appropriate Access to Coordinated Health Care has saved the ing care. when people go to the emer- Bloomington-Normal area nearly $500,000 within its first six months. A total of 121 patients were gency department for true served within the first six The program was made possible with a colemergencies, they are served more efficiently months of the program. The first year pilot of laboration between the Community Health because we are taking care of patients with the program will end on July 1 and CHCC is Care Clinic, Advocate BroMenn Medical ongoing need,” Angie McLaughlin, Executive seeking additional funding from grants to conCenter and OSF HealthCare St. Joseph MediDirector of the Community Health Care Clinic, tinue CAATCH. cal Center. said in an interview with The Pantagraph.
NEWS IN BRIEF Manufacturing supplier opens new facility in Normal A new manufacturer is set to begin operations in McLean County after purchasing an existing facility in northeast Normal. American Precision Assemblers (APA) is wire harness and cable supplier for industries including healthcare and safety diagnostics, aircraft, automotive and military defense contracts. The new facility will be located at 1 Paper Chase St. in Normal. “We are very excited to welcome APA to our community,” interim CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council Mike O’Grady said. APA began renting space at the facility on Tuesday, with closing on the property scheduled for June 1.
WINE continued from page 2
Director of Alumni Relations Lindsay Vahl said the event is hosted annually to bring together recent graduates and alumni in a setting where they can share their experiences with one another. “This presents an opportunity for our recent graduates and young alumni to gather over some adult beverages and the professional development aspect this year is to bring Redbird alumni who are
involved in helping folks start their own business ventures,” Vahl said. “Although it is hosted by the Young Alumni Network, it is open to all alumni. Typically, the events they host targets those who have graduated within the last ten years, but it does not mean it is exclusive to just that group,” she said. The Chicago Young Alumni Network helps ISU alumni who live in the Chicagoland area remain connected to university through a variety of social, professional and educational events and outings.
OPIOID continued from page 1
Illinois State University senior criminal justice major Chloe Delaney said the topic of narcotics and drug related crime rates were discussed in many of her courses. “We also frequently discussed how a majority of those in prison are incarcerated for drug-related crimes and most of them are nonviolent,” Delaney said. “As far as Illinois, we talked about Bloomington-Normal’s drug crime rates and how they go about trying to lower and deter crimes, especially around campus,” she continued. “I think both police departments are doing a great
“It is never too late to get involved in alumni relation events, even if it is a week after graduation, we encourage you to come out and stay engaged with the university,” she added. The cost for the event is $15, which includes wine tastings and light appetizers. Additional beverages will be available for purchase as well. Those interested must register by 4:30 p.m. May 14 on the Alumni Relations website or call (309) 438-2586.
service to our community through these initiatives.” Residents can use the drop off locations at any time of the day or night. “I would say that the opioid problem is becoming more prevalent everywhere, not just the Bloomington-Normal area. Everyone has to do everything they possibly can to curb that,” Leipold said. He continued to say students and community members can assist in the initiative by keeping an eye out on both the Normal Police Department’s website and the Illinois State University Police website. “On our department’s social media page, we announce the times and dates of these events as well as any other initiatives that we might take,” Leipold said.
KEVIN SCHWALLER NEWS EDITOR
Home Sweet Home Ministries donors pledge $81,500 for May challenge Home Sweet Home Ministries is hoping to raise $163,000 for its May Community Challenge. Donors have pledged $81,500 and have challenged the community to match their donation. The donation will help homeless men, women and children in the community. The donation will also help provide shelter and stock the food pantry. Home Sweet Home shelters about 70 people per night and feeds about 300 in one day.
CINDY HERNANDEZ NEWS REPORTER
Viewpoint
PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE
VIDETTE EDITORIAL
A
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
Give us more time, realty companies
s the year comes to a close, one inconvenience and rushed event makes everyone’s head spin at a million miles per hour: move out. No matter how prepared students try to be for the momentous occassion, we are forced to vacate the premises — oftentimes before we have the ability to do such a thing. The problem becomes much more complicated when students are in the midst of graduation. Realty companies do not give them a chance to finish up any leftover business (e.g. attend graduation) and gather all of their belongings in an appropriate time frame. This needs to change. The end of the school year is a busy and difficult time for everyone. So why do realty companies still force students to leave by the end of finals week or before graduation even occurs when most students are not ready? We’ve heard multiple instances of this happening. One student might have a week full of finals, their parents are coming into town to celebrate their accomplishments, they are graduating late Friday night and their realty company expects them to
be moved out completely the following morning. Or a student will be graduating late Saturday night, but they already have to have their belongings out of their apartment and their keys turned in earlier in the day. Where can they get ready and shower when it comes time for the moment they’ve been waiting for their entire lives? Asking for an extension is possible. However, many times it is not granted or, if granted, it does not do enough to satisfy someone’s needs. Realty companies want a new tenant to take over an apartment as soon as possible so
they can have a steady amount of rent coming in. If a student requests an extension but someone else is expected to move in the day move out is scheduled, there’s no way that request will be granted. That student that needs extra time will have to rush through the process and possibly be fined for not leaving the apartment on time. If an extension is granted, it usually does not do much in terms of giving a student more than enough time to move out. Many times, they have to leave their apartment early in the morning the next day. It can be helpful, but students and
their parents are still in a rush. Why can’t parents just come a week early and take a lot of their child’s stuff to escape the stress, you ask? Because many people have work and other obligations that come about and are not able to make the trip until move out and graduation occur. Realty companies need to extend a little more kindness to students, especially those who are graduating. They should give students up to a week to move out. If implemented across all student realty companies in the BloomingtonNormal area, this could be beneficial for all parties. Students that need to move out actually have enough time to do so. Students that need to move from apartment to apartment will not have to be forced out of one place and into a new one within a day. Realty companies will also most likely appreciate dealing with students who are not as stressed when it comes to move out. Making students move out of their apartments within hours of graduation is a practice that needs to change. It’s already a busy time of year; let students actually enjoy their last few days on campus.
Editorial Cartoon by Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director
EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by EMA SASIC, a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.
I’ve had the time of my life MY VIEW EMA SASIC | Editor-in-Chief
W
hen it came time to take my last final and turn in my last essay, I was ecstatic. But now that it’s time to write my last piece for The Vidette, this is one story I never want to end. I don’t think I could ever begin to express my love for The Vidette. In a few years (or maybe just a few days) when I think back on my time at Illinois State University, so many wonderful memories from the little red building on the corner of University and Locust Streets are going to stand out. For a lot of people, going off to college is a scary thought, and I was terrified my freshman year. I was homesick and constantly searching for a piece of home that I could have at ISU. I just wasn’t happy with the way things were, but all of it changed when I joined The Vidette. It finally felt like I was surrounded by people that loved journalism and writing as much as me, and I found a place that I could call my home away from home. Ever since I became a reporter 3 1/2 years ago, the opportunities that have come have been a blessing. I took on more responsibility my sophomore year and became a senior news reporter and columnist, all because former Editor in Chief Holly Petrovich saw potential in me. My junior year I became one of two news editors under last year’s Editor in Chief Ave Rio and
I really had the chance to lead and encourage my own staff of reporters just like my previous news editors did for me. I also was lucky to land two internships, which I probably never would have if it wasn’t for The Vidette. The stories I covered are ones that have prepared me for a career full of excitement, surprises and flat out “What did I get myself into” moments, and I couldn’t be happier. I never would have thought I would speak to state politicians, attend Gov. Bruce Rauner’s State of the State address or interview/meet actors Jane Lynch, Richard Jenkins, Patricia Arquette, Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Jessica Rothe and Israel Broussard (excuse the name dropping), but I did because of this paper. I also started an entertainment podcast show, Weekly Pop, with my favorite person, Kevin Schwaller, which made Mondays bearable and a time for us to gush about all things movies and pop culture, and I loved every second of it. Then came a year that can only be described as magical. When I was named Editor in Chief last year, I had big things in mind for the staff and myself, but what actually happened shattered all of my expectations. My proudest moment is when The Vidette won first place in General Excellence at this year’s Illinois College Press Association awards and broke its record by winning 29 awards in total. It’s not about all the awards we won that makes me proud (but that definitely helps). I’m proud because professional journalists across the country recognized our hard work and saw how much we all care about The Vidette, enough to name it the best newspaper in the daily category. It’s a moment that brings back so many emotions when I think about it, especially whenever I see that first place
award, and I’ll never forget it. Plus, every time former General Manager Rick Jones and I chat, he always mentions I’m the “Best Damn College Newspaper Editor in the State of Illinois,” and I have to say that’s pretty great to hear. Rick, I thank you for your constant words of wisdom, guidance and friendship. I’m so honored to have served as your TA and go through each part of my journey with you. Expect many texts from the “Best Damn College Newspaper Editor in the State of Illinois” for years to come. Aside from those beautiful awards, I had the chance to work with so many wonderful individuals on a daily basis. From my first day on the job to my last, people have encouraged me to try my hardest and push myself a little more with each story, and that’s what I tried to do for others in return. My subeditors and I grew closer each day and have inside jokes to make us laugh for years on end. Words cannot express how proud I am of this year’s staff from every department and how grateful I am for all their hard work. You all made everything so special, which makes moving on so difficult. One individual in particular, however, recognized something in me when we had our first conversation and since then has been my biggest cheerleader: our General Manager John Plevka. He helped me with any story or page design, listened whenever I was going through a rough patch in life and even joked around and gossiped whenever we needed to take a break from all the madness. John, you have been the most phenomenal mentor, boss, Wendy’s lunch date and friend these last few years, and I’ll never be able to thank you enough or repay my gratitude for your continued support, friendship and
love. You are part of my life forever. Here’s to many wonderful years ahead of us. Being this paper’s Editor in Chief has been the opportunity of a lifetime and one I will cherish forever. We’re all searching for our “dream job” in this world, and this experience has been just that. Thank you for letting me serve as your Editor. It’s clear to see I don’t want this chapter to end. ISU is the first school I don’t want to leave because of all the wonderful moments I’ve experienced, but a new chapter is waiting. I can’t believe I get to say this, but I’m moving to California in a few weeks to begin working as a copy editor and page designer for the Bakersfield Californian. I always dreamed of going to the West Coast, but never thought I would get this opportunity right after graduation. But as I said for a lot of other things, it’s all thanks to The Vidette. I’m ecstatic and looking forward to all this move and career will bring. Best of luck to my successor Monica Mendoza, the incoming advertising sales manager Karina Herrera and their respective staff members. I know you all will do a great job, and remember to cherish every moment. I’ve written over 600 stories for The Vidette the past 3 1/2 years, but this one was the hardest to find the rights words for, especially when it came to the headline. So why did I use the song from “Dirty Dancing”? Two reasons: to really get the message across that I love movies, and because I really have had the time of my life. And I owe it all to you, Vidette. EMA SASIC is the Editor in Chief for The Vidette. Any questions or comments concerning her column can be sent to vidette_esasic@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @ema_sasic.
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EDITORIAL BOARD EMA SASIC Editor-in-Chief | @ema_sasic KEVIN SCHWALLER News Editor | @kevschwa KAYLA JANE JEFFERS Columnist | @KJJeffers KAMARA TURNER Columnist | @kvmara
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5
Features
PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
BIRD’S EYE VIEW A CLOSER LOOK AT YOUR CAMPUS
Always ready
Emergency Operations works to keep campus informed, safe
STORY BY STUART STALTER SENIOR FEATURES REPORTER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY NATALIE STUCKSLAGER AND MONICA MENDOZA PHOTO EDITORS EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the seventh in a series of behind-the-scene efforts that make Illinois State University’s campus tick.
Overview There are nine special-purpose emergency teams that meet specific needs during emergency situations. The teams are the Campus Communications Group (CCG), Critical Incident Response Team, Damage Assessment Team, Emergency Call Center, Geographic Information Science/Mapping Team, Incident Management Team, IT Cyber Emergency Response Team and Severe Storm Spotting Team.
Communication At the heart of the operation is communication. “Timely, accurate communication is the core of what we do,” Eric Hodges, University Emergency Manager said. As such, the CCG plays a crucial role in emergency operations. The CCG spearheads media relations efforts, while the Social Media Analysis and Response Team monitors social media to ensure accurate and timely updates that keeps the campus and local communities informed. “Our intent is to post updates every 20 minutes,” Hodges said. Hodges notes that misinformation typically does not stem from malicious intentions. Erroneous reports typically stem from missing information or the information was shared incorrectly. To mitigate misinformation issues, the Emergency Operations Center issues formal releases for emergencies and composes messages. Though Hodges notes it is rarely utilized, the Emergency Call Center is available when needed. “The Emergency Call Center is only activated when there has been a major event/disaster on campus and we are expecting a large number of calls from students/parents/community members,” safety officer Lacey Monterastelli said. During emergencies, the biggest concern from parents is lack of communication and questions about pickup locations.
Severe weather Hodges notes that storms are the biggest concern among emergency situations. Approximately 30 people work to prepare for Mother Nature's fury. “We can track weather in one or two seconds, where lightening comes to a map,” Hodges said. “If lightening hits the stadium, we must evacuate within 10 seconds.” In the event that severe weather attacks the campus, there are about 520 radios to communicate. Everyone goes to one of 90 occupied shelter rooms. Blue stickers indicate which rooms are suitable. Severe weather preparation efforts have intensified in recent years. “The 2013 storms and tornado that struck Washington, Illinois, was a good wakeup call,” Hodges explained.
Alerts Making everyone aware of dangerous situations as quickly as possible is an important task. To achieve that goal, ISU emergency alerts can be issued in two minutes or less. Several components are the catalyst to improved times and a streamlined alert process First of all, the police supervisor on duty can start the process without waiting to get clearance from a chief, Hodges or the
ISU SAFETY BY THE NUMBERS
9
President’s Office. Furthermore, there are 10 scripted messages ready for release if an emergency occurs. Finally, Hodges credits the superb performance of police department dispatchers. Emergency alerts are only issued under specific circumstances. ISU Police Chief Aaron Woodruff explains the process behind issuing emergency alerts. “We look at multiple things when assessing emergency situations. Not everything should result in an emergency notification,” Woodruff said. “First, we look at what kind of incident is occuring. Second, we check the timeliness of the reporting of the incident.” Additionally, the credibility of information is important. “If we get a single call or report that shots are fired, we will not necessarily issue an alert,” Woodruff explained. TOP: University Emergency Manager Eric Hodges explains that the safety department is able to digitally scan through maps to show different layers of ISU. ABOVE: Hodges stresses the importance of efficiency for emergency preparations. Under his leadership, emergency preparations run very efficiently. TOP LEFT: ISU Police Chief Woodruff stands in front of the video wall. The 12 displays are able to keep emergency teams current on local and national news and ensure everyone is looking at the same screen if needed. BOTTOM LEFT: The safety department can hear a guard on and off campus. Though housed in a separate room from main equipment, a window keeps communication open between rooms for scanners.
Results
Precautions have proven prosperous. Hodges notes that, in at least 60 years of the National Weather Service tracking the area, no major storms have hit ISU’s campus. Furthermore, there has not been a significant building fire in decades. Hodges is proud of the fire department’s ability to quickly contain small fires.
Building a better future While Hodges is ecstatic about these results, room for improvement always exists. To facilitate better communication, Hodges hopes to someday have audio on the Quad. A red alert with a speaker would warn passing students and guests. Hodges encourages everyone to sign up for ISU emergency alerts. Information and instructions for receiving alerts can be found on ISU’s safety website.
Number of specialized teams designed to handle special situations, such as emergency calls, damage assesment and severe storm tracking.
40
Approximate number of employees on Severe Storm Spotting Team. Each member attends a spotting session with current information from the National Weather Service.
Check out the related Emergency Operations gallery on videtteonline.com
90
Approximate number of rooms available in the event of a severe weather event disrupting class. A blue indicator signifies where to go.
29
Number of sworn officers. In addition to protecting the campus, officers assist with emergency communications and alerts.
THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
Redbirds split Saturday slate KADE HEATHER Sports Reporter | @kade_heather
answers for them.” Matt Walker got the nod in game two for ISU, but was rattled in the first Mother Nature has her way when inning, including the rattle of the left deciding whether baseball games are field foul pole from Eli Rawlinson’s played or not. two-run home run. The Illinois State and Bradley Walker faced 10 batters in the first baseball teams fielded a sun-filled sky inning and allowed five earned runs that allowed some fly balls to fall for on five hits. hits, as the teams combined for 31 runs “When your starter doesn’t give you in Saturday’s doubleheader. more than three innings it’s going to be a tough day,” Durkac said. Game One: ISU 13, Bradley 6 The Redbirds answered in the An eventful six-run third inning bottom of the first. in game one assisted the Redbirds Collin Braithwaite singled home in their 13-6 victory over the Braves. John Rave after he doubled and then Owen Miller singled to load the Braithwaite scored from Jack Butler’s bases, but was then picked off at first double off the first base bag. base by the Braves catcher despite it Walker exited the game after three appearing that Miller’s hand was on innings and 93 pitches. the base in time. Dalton Harvey replaced him and The Redbirds bench chirped a kept the Braves scoreless for two bit because they didn’t like the call. innings, while striking out four and Soon after, the first base umpire allowing just one hit. yelled, “Whoever said that is out,” Jeff Lindgren then tossed two pereven though he didn’t know who to fect innings before Jacob Gilmore throw out. replaced him in the eighth inning. Illinois State coach Bo Durkac Keaton Rice had been the last Brave talked to his team and an unidentified to get a hit until he provided another player left the premises while cheers one in the eighth inning after two hiterupted from the Redbirds dugout. Natalie Stuckslager | Photo Editor less innings. ISU starter Brent Headrick earned his second win of the season in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader. Back to the game. That hit propelled a four-run eighth Right fielder Jordan Libman roped inning that was executed with a twoyear, is not give away games like they did to us Durkac said. his first career home run to score two run triple by Luke Mangieri, followed more runs after a throwing error and groundout today,” ISU coach Bo Durkac said. by a two-run home run by Andrew Ivelia. Redbirds starter Brent Headrick earned his Game Two: Bradley 9, ISU 3 scored three runs, and ISU took a 7-1 lead into “Bradley, they’re just older, they’re more second win, as he lasted five innings and surThe hot bats seemed to have carried over physical than we are, they’re just better than the fourth inning. Libman finished 3-for-3 at the plate, scored rendered five hits on three runs (two earned). to game two, more so by the Braves, however. we are right now and it makes me sick to my Colton Johnson replaced him and closed Five runs in the first proved to be enough for stomach to say that, but that’s reality,” Durkac three runs, and walked twice while batting in out the game to earn the save. He threw four Bradley’s 9-3 win over Illinois State. the seven spot. said. “We’re closing the gap on them, but there’s “They hit for a lot more power even though a reason why they’re 10-5 in the league.” The Redbirds also drew nine walks through- innings and gave up four hits, three runs (two earned), and struck out seven Braves. our power numbers were better than theirs out the game. The Redbirds return to action at 6 p.m. “In my mind, I can’t think of a better per- coming in,” Durkac said, “they bashed our guys Friday against Valparaiso at Duffy Bass Field. “We had some good at-bats, they helped us, but that’s one of the things we’ve done well this formance he’s had for us in almost two years,” all over the yard and we just didn’t have any
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Sports
PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE
MONDAY, MAY 7, 2018
New era embarks at Vidette Sports
MY VIEW KADE HEATHER Sports Reporter
W
Monica Mendoza | Photo Editor
Senior catcher Lauren Praer walks with family through mirage of Redbirds as ISU followed up its game with Senior Day festivites
Seniors stall, Redbirds fall Illinois State comes up short on Senior Day, loses to Valparaiso 4-1 in series finale STEPHEN GARNER Sports Reporter | @StayTrueSdot3
The season finale would prove to be of the high-stakes variety regarding seeding for the conference tournament. To begin the day, the Redbirds would find themselves in a three-way tie for fourth place. Freshman Morgan Day would take the circle for the “Senior Day” game as she was the hot pitcher for the ’Birds this weekend. She would get off to a strong start, retiring five of her first six batters in a commanding fashion, with the first hitter reaching base with two outs in the top of the second off of a wild pitch. However, after an at bat that saw many pitches and a controversial check-swing call, Valpo would get on the board with a 2 out, 2 run homer. The Crusaders would tack on two more runs in the top of the seventh, but Day would pitch yet another complete game in this one, displaying a valiant effort in a game that was up for grabs for almost its entirety. Offensively, the Redbirds would come out swinging, as they would get back to back singles from Shannon Felde then Allison Spence in the first, but unfortunately were unable to capitalize on this opportunity to get on the board early. This is something that has plagued them of late.
They would register a total of seven hits in this game, but would only be able to plate just one run which came off the bat of Riley Hale in the top of the seventh, which was a solo homerun. They would lose this one 4-1. Coach Fischer would comment again on the effort of Day and how she has progressed throughout the season. “She’s learning to understand the game and how to pitch to batters, where-as a lot of time freshman come in and rely on their pure skill. She’s learning to locate her pitches and mix her speeds and is truly becoming a total division one pitcher.” The loss in game three positions the ’Birds as the 7-seed for the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament. They finished the season 20-32 overall, and 11-14 in conference. The season was full of up’s and down’s and may not have gone as they planned for it to. However, all you can ask for is an opportunity to achieve the end goal. They have given themselves an opportunity at just that, which is winning the conference tournament. They will have their first chance at taking a step toward this goal Thursday, May 10th, as they will match up against No. 6 UNI at 1:32 in Des Moines, Iowa. As a side note, the ’Birds went 1-2 in this
season’s series with the Panthers. Being at a neutral site with the stakes higher should make for a different type of game this time around. On Sautrday, the two teams paired up for a double-header. Valparaiso dominated in game, 9-0, mercyruling the Redbirds. “It was a lack of everything. That was probably one of the poorest games I’ve seen us play and Valpo was able to capitalize on every mistake we made. They put a lot of runs on the board and we didn’t seem to fight back at all. I didn’t think we competed at all (in game 1) but there were people that did some nice things,” Fischer said. ISU bounced back with a 4-0 shutout of their own in game two. Day struck out six hitters on her way to another shutout performance inside the circle. “She did a great job for us. She’s really coming into her own. As a freshman in this conference, it’s tough,” Fischer said. “You’re against a lot of seasoned hitters, some veteran hitters, and I thought Morgan just stayed true to who she is and who she can be and we got great results from that.”
Check out the related softball Senior Day gallery on videtteonline.com
“[Morgan Day] is learning to locate her pitches and mix her speeds and is truly becoming a total division one pitcher.” Melinda Fischer, ISU head coach
Junior guard Madison Williams announces early departure from ISU hoops MIKE MARRA Sports Editor | @MikeMarra32
In February, Illinois State men’s basketball sophomore Madison Williams set the college basketball world ablaze after a monster slam dunk versus Valparaiso. Williams announced he would no longer play college basketball due to chronic knee inf la m mat ion Madison and pain. Williams “On one hand I am really disappointed for Madison and on the other hand I am grateful that Madison will continue to be a part of the Illinois State family while staying
on scholarship,” Head Coach Dan Muller said. “I am sure most don’t understand how much pain Madison had to fight through this year and how tough the grind of the season was on his knee.” Since the end of the season, Williams was in the process of deciding whether or not to end his career. “After the season, with the help of John Munn and Doctor Rob Seidl, Madison had to make a really tough decision,” Muller said. “While I know how difficult it was for Madison to come to this conclusion, I completely respect and support that decision.” Williams played in 31 games in the 2017-18 campaign, playing
starting in 29 of them. The two games he missed were due to knee pain. He averaged 5.3 points per game and 2.5 rebounds, while swiping 33 steals, helping Illinois State get back into the Arch Madness title game in St. Louis in back-to-back seasons. At the postseason team banquet this year, Williams was the Defensive Player of the Year recipient. As a freshman, he played in 28 games and averaged 10.7 minutes per contest. Williams will remain enrolled at Illinois State and will stay on scholarship until graduation in May of 2020.
hen I checked my phone, I noticed a missed call and voicemail from a number I did not recognize. Once I listened, I realized it was a new door opening. It was the voice of then Sports Editor Josh Tolentino responding to my application, and asking to interview me for a sports reporter position at the Vidette. A little over a year later, I have climbed to new heights. So this is it, the job that so many before me have executed with such excellence — General Excellence, that is. The job that I told myself about a year ago that I would be hired for, as long as I buckled down and shifted my dedication towards it. From Sports Reporter to Sports Editor of the Vidette. To my predecessors Nate Head and Mike Marra, thank you for embedding and maintaining the high reputation and importance of The Vidette, and of this job. To my new fellow Sports Editor Jon Barlas, I am thrilled to unite with you, as we begin this quest to echo the words before us, but to carve this chapter at The Vidette as our own. At heart, journalism is about telling the stories of people’s lives. My story began in Saint Charles, Illinois, when I dreamt of being a hockey player. That dream died early, as I quickly shied from hockey and fell in love with baseball. I was introduced to journalism my freshman year at Elgin Community College and honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was for me. However, I transferred to Illinois State heading into my sophomore year as a journalism major. As I was enrolled in a print and online reporting class, the foundation of my journalism career was set, and my passion for journalism flourished. John Plevka taught that class and it wasn’t until later in the semester that I learned he was the General Manager of The Vidette. The Vidette? I wondered. It took me awhile to even remember the name after he encouraged me to apply for a position there. Heck, I didn’t even apply until February of the following semester. I don’t know what held me back, but if I could, I would have gone back and applied the first week I stepped on ISU’s campus as a student. “Shoulda, coulda, woulda,” I still wound up at The Vidette. That’s only part of my story, but that’s not the important part. What’s important is that I plan to provide a paper that delivers sports news in a timely, accurate, and clear manner. More importantly, the footsteps I have to follow to keep The Vidette growing as a top newspaper and even more, a family. I am happy I found this family, and I am ecstatic to write this chapter of Vidette sports.