Jan. 29, 2020

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 15

A look inside the legacy of Barbara Burch BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Barbara Burch began her time at WKU in the 1950s as an undergraduate student. After completing her degree, she returned to WKU to serve as a professor,

provost, faculty regent and even made history as the only female WKU president when she was briefly interim in 1997. Burch died shortly after midnight on Jan. 5 in Bowling Green at the age of 81. Those from WKU who knew her well are shocked but plan to continue her legacy and remember the impact she had on

the university. Despite the achievements and the positions, WKU’s campus and the people who worked and learned alongside her will primarily remember the genuine love, care, innovation and support she gave to so many.

A kind leader When WKU Regent Julie Hinson remembers Burch, she’ll think of her smile. The two were co-founding members of WKU Sisterhood 10 years ago and served on the Board of Regents together SEE BURCH • PAGE A2

LIFE, DEATH AND KOBE SEE PAGE B4 B4

Our columnist’s take on the death of NBA legend CHRIS KOHLEY • HERALD

A student poses with a Kobe Bryant jersey the day after his passing on January 27, 2020.

New process for instructor contracts to be presented

BY NATASHA BREU HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

December proved to be a time of uncertainty for WKU’s faculty members, as letters sent out to five instructors who taught a total of 564 students last fall in the Ogden College of Science and Engineering notified them their one-year contract would not be renewed for the next academic year. The five faculty members whose contracts were not renewed came from three departments in Ogden College. Two of the instructors came from the geology department. Fred Siewers, Department of Geology and Geography chair, said he could not directly comment on the impacts this could have on the department. He said instructors “contribute tremendously” to the education of students. The decision, made by Interim Dean Greg Arbuckle, was not well received by the Faculty Senate. In a meeting days after

the letters were sent, the Senate authored a resolution regarding the non-renewal of

a reason for non-renewal of instructors, “the lack of transparency in the

TIMOTHY CABONI

WKU President

I will say this, we should never as an institution let someone go or not renew their contract via email

instructors. The resolution, which has not been passed by the administration, mentions faculty members were informed via email about their contract not getting renewed, instead of a face-to-face meeting. The resolution also mentions while the faculty handbook does not require

process undermines the morale and loyalty of faculty overall.” The resolution authored by the Faculty Senate asks the administration for two things: that the instructor cuts are rescinded and no further cuts are made by the Dec. 15, 2019, deadline and

that a “transparent process for future non-renewal of instructors is developed and communicated to the Senate by the responsible deans by March 31, 2020.” Acting Provost Cheryl Stevens commented on the resolution at the Jan. 23 Faculty Senate meeting, saying she agreed with the recommendation. She acknowledged flaws in the process of informing the instructors whose contracts were not renewed and said the more “transparent” process the Faculty Senate requested will be presented in March. In an email, Stevens said there is currently not an “articulated process” in place, but she plans on asking the deans to work on developing one. In the Herald editorial board’s Jan. 22 meeting with President Caboni, he commented on the instructor letters saying that in a decentralized budget model deans make the decision based on “economic realities” such as the course load, course demands in that college and the allocation of faculty resources. SEE FACULTY LETTERS • PAGE A3

WKU officials begin forming ‘Greek advisory board’ BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

WKU is creating a “Greek life self assessment committee” following multiple incidents last fall of Greek organizations using racial slurs in songs. In his semesterly meeting with the

Herald editorial board, WKU President Timothy Caboni said the committee is being led by Brian Kuster, vice president of enrollment and student experience, and Lynne Holland, dean of students. “We’re going to be doing a self assessment of Greek life,” Holland said. “Where are we, where are some areas we need to improve, and we’ll have the

committee make recommendations.” Holland also said the committee will examine ways Greek life can improve and prepare its members for life after college. “Nothing is in isolation,” Holland said. “Are there things we can do as a university? Are there things we can do to help them prepare to take their rightful place in society?”

In the fall of 2019, a video was posted to social media showing members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority singing a racial slur in a rap song. In the aftermath of this incident, neither WKU nor the national Alpha Xi Delta organization took any action against the sorority. SEE GREEK LIFE • PAGE A3


A2 NEWS BURCH

CONTINUED FROM FRONT when Burch was faculty regent for three years. “She’s a genuinely good person and made you want to be a better person hanging around her,” Hinson said. Throughout the years, Hinson said she and Burch formed a close friendship, while she wasn’t sure if they would like each other at first because of their different personalities. She remembered the day Burch became chair of WKU Sisterhood, where they were able to share their journey with the group. “I had my arm around her, and I gave her a big hug, and I just remember getting a lump in my throat just talking about it — that we weren’t sure we would like each other, and that it’s developed, and here we are together promoting the sisterhood,” Hinson said. “It just makes me feel good.” Through the WKU Sisterhood, Hinson said members contribute $1,000 each and collectively provide a grant to student organizations, typically those centered around or led by women. This was a way to give back to students in a significant way. Through the Sisterhood and Board of Regents, Hinson said she learned a lot from Burch from her history at WKU, to look at things from all perspectives, to have a philanthropic mind and how to lead. She said Burch would give great pep talks and encouraged Hinson to be a great leader. “She really believed in women as leaders,” Hinson said. When former WKU President Gary Ransdell was hired in 1997, Burch was working as the vice president of academic affairs. Over time, he said he noticed her energy, work ethic and the vital role she played in the academic community and decided to promote her to provost. “I always pictured Barbara full of energy and determination and always felt like she could accomplish almost any-

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Time after time, Ransdell said he saw how Burch was a mentor to students. Many even attributed their success and influence to her. “She really enjoyed working with students and their dissertations to help them complete their graduate studies and get their doctorates in education and I have no doubt inspired them to go on and have equally successful careers in their own right,” Ransdell said. An institute built on passion Later in Burch’s career, her passion for student success manifested into the Kelly M. Burch Institute for Transformative Practices in Higher Education. Named after her late daughter who was also a professor at WKU, the institute is a place for innovation and student success. Daniel Super, director of the Burch Institute, said the institute was a symbol of Burch’s constant consideration of the future, asking “why not” and raising the bar. “She just dreamed of a place that could be as creative and innovative within the university infrastructure as possible because she’s a thinker, and that’s what’s so amazing about her,” Super said. For many like Super, she was a mentor, a title he considers a privilege. Not only did he get to work and learn from Burch in a classroom, but as her colleague and friend Super said he was able to gain so much wisdom. “I’m humbled to even think that she would see enough potential and capacity in me to take me under her wing and mentor me,” Super said. “She didn’t have to do any of this stuff she does.” Planning for the institute began in 2016 and work began in January 2018 with a grand opening of the building on April 23 of that year. When the institute was created, Pamela Petty, senior advisor to the Kelly M. Burch Institute, said Burch could have just helped with the red tape and been done. Still, she continued to be a regular presence in the facility by eating meals, entertaining and bringing new people to the table

MICHAEL BLACKSHIRE • HERALD

Barbara Burch was instrumental in the creation of the Kelly M. Burch institute. Named after her late daughter, the insitute focuses on the innovative strategies to improve student success.

thing she attempted,” Ransdell said. Ransdell and Burch served together as president and provost for about 15 years, and in that time he said they accomplished a great deal within WKU academics which left a lasting impact. Two highlights he mentioned were the creation of bachelor’s degrees in electrical, mechanical and civil engineering and the creation of various doctoral degrees. “That began to change how WKU was perceived academically in Kentucky, and it was an important economic development initiative,” Ransdell said about the engineering degrees. Outside of her time as provost, Ransdell said Burch continued to pursue passions well outside her job description, including her commitment to student achievement and growth.

with the purpose of helping students. Becoming a family to students When it came to student success, Super said Burch wasn’t considering financial gain or an improved reputation for the university. Instead, it was about acknowledging the issues students may have that are preventing success and creating a space to access growth and potential. “When people talk about how she was so focused on student success and all those things, that’s just because that’s higher ed’s version of caring,” Super said. “It’s not for what she was supposed to be doing for her job; it just revealed her true self.” When Petty first arrived at WKU as a faculty member in 2000, Burch was working as provost. Even in the begin-

KATHRYN ZIESIG • HERALD

Barbara Burch, who served as WKU Provost, faculty regent, professor and more, died around midnight on Jan. 5 according to the Warren County coroner’s office.

ning, Petty said she knew if there was a way to help students Burch would be supportive of it. In fact, Petty said they bonded over their mutual love of doctoral students, work, research and being able to engage students. “Nothing was more important than our students,” Petty said. “It was beyond the job. She really put her money where her mouth was in terms of caring about students, from welcoming them into her home to ensuring that they had meals and food, and every possible help that WKU had in place.” Ifeyinwa Onwelumadu, an international student from Nigeria, said she found herself at a crossroads after finishing her masters program at WKU in May 2016. She could either pursue a doctoral degree or leave the country. Despite concerns over finances, Onwelumadu applied to the program and met with Burch for the first time. There, she said they just talked, but a few days later, Burch called to offer a graduate assistant position which covered the program fees and offered an additional stipend. Over the next three and a half years, Burch became more than a boss; she became a major support system, a maternal figure and someone who constantly helped Onwelumadu succeed in tough times. “In my own case it was like a passion,” Onwelumadu said. “She just wanted to see me succeed.” In that time, Onwelumadu said Burch became a major influence on her and her children. On one occasion Burch insisted she attend a conference and offered to watch her children so she could have the opportunity. They had also established a tradition of having dinner with Burch and her husband in the days that followed Christmas. “When my mom called me from Nigeria she asked me, ‘How is your mother over there?’” Onwelumadu said. “She became family to me. There’s so many special memories.” David Lee, former provost and current university historian, said his relationship with Burch began when he was working as dean of Potter College while she was provost. He said they spoke about every day, and in that time he said saw how much of a positive and hardworking person she was. “I swear she never slept in the 14 years that she was provost; I mean she was famous for the 3 a.m. email,” Lee said. On top of her energy, Lee said she was an outstanding leader because she always sought a positive and equal resolution to a disagreement, would never accept credit for work but would always take responsibility for mistakes. From those characteristics, Lee said many people looked to Burch for leadership. He said the fact she was elected as faculty regent after her time as provost was a testament to her ability to lead in a constructive way.

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Outside WKU, Lee said Burch provided important leadership to some significant national organizations in higher education including the Association of American State Colleges and Universities. She was so involved that the organization awards an annual Barbara Burch Award for Faculty Leadership and Civic Engagement. Burch’s constant support of students was not always met with open arms. Petty said Burch received occasional pushback and was not always widely celebrated for her decisions. Still, Petty said Burch demonstrated what a real leader does through strength and determination. “She put this university above her health, above vacations and traveling and all the things most people want at the stage of life she was at,” Petty said. ”She put all that aside to be a living legacy of what leadership is.”

A living legacy Many of Burch’s colleagues and friends were surprised by the news of her death and said they fully expected to continue teaching or working with her for years to come. “This has been devastating personally because she was a mentor to me; she was a dear friend to us here at the Institute,” Petty said. “We are trying to adjust our sails to keep going without the blustering wind that she was that kept us afloat.” With the WKU Sisterhood, Hinson said she plans on taking all the advice and lessons she learned from Burch. Personally, she also wants to be able to support the Burch Institute because of her dedication and passion for the cause. While still mourning the loss of a mentor, colleague and friend, Petty and Super did not express concern over the future of the Burch Institute. Petty said overtime she had hundreds of hours of conversations about the future, Burch’s vision which made them like minded. She said this has reassured her that they won’t wonder what Burch would have wanted. Moving forward, Super and Petty want to take Burch’s implicit lessons and apply them to the institute through the spirit of innovation and asking “why not.” After years of working together on multiple levels, both are sure they can keep her passions alive. “What we could all learn from Barbara Burch, it’s almost endless her amount of knowledge — but I would be immature, I would be short sighted to think that all that I could learn from her was all that I could learn from her explicitly,” Super said. “What I learn from her behavior, from her character and her disposition, from her kindness and her altruism is probably more valuable than what you could learn from her explicit teachings.”

Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Alvey can be reached at herald.editor@wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter @bekah_alvey.


NEWS A3

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

FACULTY LETTERS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Caboni also said those instructors who did not get their contracts renewed should not have found out through an email. “I will say this, we should never as an institution let someone go or not renew their contract via email,” Caboni said. “That’s a conversation that should always occur in person, period. That meets our values.”

Concerning feelings of insecurity for faculty members moving forward, Caboni said deans have the flexibility to renew or not renew contracts “as they see fit.” He said the comfortability of having a contract that may or may not be renewed depends on the type of person someone is. “Just because a one year contract has been renewed multiple years in a row, doesn’t guarantee renewal in a future year,” Caboni said. “If that creates un-

GREEK LIFE

Vice president of enrollment and student experience

Where are we, where are some areas we need to improve, and we’ll have the committee make recommendations. 24-7 in the student senate but was vetoed by the SGA executive committee. A third video surfaced which showed members of the Alpha Tau Omega fra-

sits down monthly with the chairs of the faculty and staff senates.

News Editor Natasha Breu can be reached at natasha.breu597@topper. wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter @nnbreu.

Editor-in-Chief Rebekah Alvey contributed to this story. She can be reached at herald.editor@wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter @bekah_alvey.

ATO organization issued a statement saying the members’ use of the word was an “extremely poor choice.” In the same Herald meeting, Caboni discussed the video incidents and the creation of the board. “That behavior is unacceptable on our campus,” Caboni said in the meeting. “No white student should be using the N-word on our campus, and so part of that conversation in [the Interfraternity Council] and among the greek community has to be, what are the effects of your words.”

LYNNE HOLLAND

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Bob Skipper, director of media relations, said the incident was a learning opportunity for those involved. Not long after the AXiD video, the Herald obtained a video of a member of Chi Omega singing the same slur in another song. WKU handled this incident the same way it did with AXiD, giving disciplinary responsibilities to the national chapter. In response to the AXiD and Chi O incidents, a protest at Kappa Delta’s Shenanigans was led by two members of the Student Government Association. SGA also passed a resolution condemning AXiD and seeking its removal from greek affairs. The resolution passed

certainty, that’s kind of how it’s built… And so, if I’m a faculty member who is not renewed, that’s personally painful and I understand that. But if you’re on one track, that should be clear that that contract is for one year.” Caboni also said he doesn’t believe “passing resolutions and firing them off” is effective when trying to maintain a “productive, ongoing partnership and collaboration” and if governance wants to work on something, he

ternity singing along to “Mo Bamba” by Sheck Wes with lyrics that included a racial slur. Following the video, the national

Reporter Jack Dobbs can be reached at 270-745-0655 and jack.dobbs469@ topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @jackrdobbs.

Things you missed over break All the things the Herald reported on that you may not have seen

1

WKU wins its bowl game WKU saw success in Dallas over the break when it defeated Western Michigan in the First Responder Bowl, tripling the WKU football program’s win total from 2018.

2 3

First- to second-year retention rates increase An email from acting provost Cheryl Stevens early this year showed retention rates of freshmen enrolled in the Fall 2018 semester to the Fall 2019 semester increased from last year’s rates.

Caboni was mentioned as a ‘person to watch’ in LSU’s president search, Caboni says he has not been contacted by LSU WKU President Timothy Caboni was mentioned as a person to watch in the search for new Louisiana State University leadership in a recent article from Business Report, a Baton Rouge based publication. Caboni said it was early in the process and he hasn’t been contacted by LSU.

Stevens addresses concerns over faculty 4 Provost letters in faculty senate meeting

In December, the Faculty Senate created a resolution asking WKU’s administration to rescind the instructor non-renewals and stop further action by the Dec. 15 deadline. This came after five instructors in the Ogden College of Science and Engineering were notified over email that their one-year contract would not be renewed for the following school year. The resolution has not been approved, but Acting Provost Cheryl Stevens said she agreed with the recommendation. “I acknowledge that the process was flawed,” Stevens said. “It shouldn’t have happened the way it happened, and I’m acknowledging that, and we will work at putting together a more transparent process and will present that to you in March.”

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OPINION

A4

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 , 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPEAK UP!

Free speech and civility in the election year JAKE DRESSMAN HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Issue: In an election year with high tensions, free speech is a topic often twisted in various ways by political pundits. Additionally, there is a growing trend on college campuses to create ideological safe spaces. Our Stance: Free speech is a cornerstone of American philosophy, but it should not be used to spread hate. Nonetheless, creating a “safe space” only hinders college students’ ability to defend their views. The first and greatest amendment of the U.S. Constitution is what propels democracy forward. In this election year, it is paramount that Americans don’t forget that freely sharing ideas promotes understanding in a time we desperately need to listen to each other. However, we must also refrain from using our right to free speech as a means to spread hate or impede others from living in safety. Along with that, a free press is the most powerful tool to maintain democracy. The first thing autocrats do is take control of their nation’s press. Though the news industry — like any institution — makes mistakes, it also constantly seeks to correct them. So when the president calls the media the enemy of the people, he is treading dangerous waters. Hopefully his animated base can step back and rationally consider their value system when it comes to the First Amendment. On Wednesday, Jan. 29, college campuses celebrate Student Press Freedom Day. Throughout history, the youth have driven change and progress in this country. But we must also ask ourselves how much we want to change when it comes to free speech.

ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYN STACK • HERALD

Do we really want campus “safe spaces,” for example? Van Jones, a CNN political commentator and leader on criminal justice reform, said there are two kinds of safe spaces. The first kind he fully supports. Jones said the idea of a physically safe campus where people are protected from sexual harassment, physical abuse or some kind of hate speech is perfectly reasonable. However, he said the ascending view of ideological safety is a “terrible idea.” “I don’t want you to be safe ideologically,” Jones said. “I don’t want you to be safe emotionally. I want you to be strong. “You can’t live on a campus where people say stuff that you don’t like? …

You are creating a kind of liberalism that the minute it crosses the street into the real world is not just useless but obnoxious and dangerous. I want you to be offended every single day on this campus. I want you to be deeply aggrieved and offended and upset and then to learn how to speak back.” Free speech is all about discussion. How can anyone’s mind be changed if ideas are not openly shared? It is understandable and even reasonable for people to get angry and upset about opposing viewpoints. These are natural human emotions. But turning to violence or seeking to shut down conversation solves nothing. For example, Charles Murray, an author whose work about race and in-

telligence is highly controversial, was invited to speak at Middlebury College in 2017 and was eventually attacked by protestors, which resulted in a concussion for a faculty member who defended him. Murray has been criticized by numerous scholars, especially by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has labeled him a white nationalist. The college has invited him back for an event on March 31. Instead of assault and violence, perhaps the students can debate him. This might actually lead to those who hold similar beliefs as Murray to rethink their ideology. So as the election heats up, think about how you want to interact with your peers and professors. Are you

STUDENT PRESS FREEDOM

On Herald’s birthday remember to support student journalism HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Issue: On Jan. 29 the Herald celebrates 95 years of serving WKU’s campus, the same day as Student Press Freedom Day. Our Stance: Student press is vital to college campuses to keep the community aware of problems impacting their daily lives and to hold administrators and those in power accountable. In 95 years, the Herald has encountered many barriers to a free press from WKU. In the past 95 years, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members have been able to freely pick up a copy of the Herald and stay informed on the issues impacting this campus. Through the Herald, we have kept the community informed on the sudden resignation of a dean and the later resignation of a provost, mold growing in every dorm and faculty insecurity. While the work we do at the Herald may be viewed as simply student work, it is an invaluable asset to WKU both for student journalists and the community. A free press influences change when it is necessary. In a time when the press is frequently under attack and quality journalism is labeled as fake news, it is essential to support and advocate for a free press on every level. WKU claims to support the Herald

CONTACT US

and the numerous accomplishments of WKU student journalists, yet they have continuously found ways to suppress or create barriers for those same students. The Herald is roughly a month away from its third year of being sued by WKU over access to public records involving sexual misconduct. The lawsuit began under former WKU President Gary Rans-

and orders to release the records. Ultimately, the only way WKU could avoid releasing the records was to sue the Herald. The decision to do so has resulted in a long and costly legal battle. As of January 2019, WKU had spent nearly $44,000 in legal fees. WKU maintains they will not release the records for the sake of student pri-

The point of the request and having access to these records is to ensure WKU is taking the right action to protect students.

dell in 2017 but has rolled over to current President Timothy Caboni’s time. Former Herald reporter Nicole Ares requested records of employee sexual misconduct at all Kentucky public universities. Every university except for Kentucky State University and WKU complied. WKU continues to argue the requested records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, despite former attorney general, now Governor Andy Beshear’s intervention

vacy. However, the Herald never intended to release those details. The point of the request and having access to these records is to ensure WKU is taking the right action to protect students. Last semester WKU unofficially changed its communication strategies. Previously, Herald reporters could interview members of the administration and the president’s cabinet. Now, communication and interviews with those individuals must go through Director of Media Relations Bob Skip-

DISCLOSURES

per. In a meeting with some of the Herald editorial board, he explained there is no formal or written mandate barring us from speaking with administrators or scheduling interviews directly. Skipper said the change was made to give administrators adequate time to prepare and be knowledgeable about the topic. He added the example that with a typical company reporters would similarly be expected to work through media relations staff. While it is important for us as journalists to be fair and courteous when interviewing administrators by giving them proper context and time, it is hard to believe this is the only reason WKU decided to make a shift. On the outside, this change may seem irrelevant or standard. However, to us this change means all our information coming from administration, those who impact the most change at this university, is being filtered and carefully watched. It means we may not be able to report major university changes as quickly as we used to. The Herald has gone through many challenges and attempts to censor content. The hurdles this publication is facing now will not stop student journalists from growing into their profession and keeping this campus informed. However, these hurdles do show a lack of support for a free student press. — a problem we should all question and be concerned about.

OUR TEAM

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Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors also determine the news and editorial content, and they likewise reserve the right to reject submissions.

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FUN A5

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

FUN PAGE

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Morning moisture Shrew “___ to Joy” Tax pro, for short Police blotter abbr. “The Three Faces of ___” Lowlife Recliner part Pillage Gobbled up Chop (off) Outcomes It’s a sin “Oh, woe!” Soft plug Heroic poem Party handout Make a seam Part of an archipelago Little piggy Fund-raising letter Miner’s quest Backgammon impossibility Mary ___ cosmetics Medical breakthrough Dermatitis J. Edgar Hoover’s org. Barbra’s “Funny Girl” co-star Charged item Track specialist Empty spaces DiCaprio, to fans Buggy terrain Show’s partner Lady Macbeth, e.g. Ostrich relative

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PHOTO

A6

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

YEAR IN REVIEW Our Favorite Photos from 2019 COPY BY CHRIS KOHLEY HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

H

undreds of assignments passed through the Herald photo desk in 2019, but the ones that stuck with us most were those that changed the landscape of our community. We met people who weren’t afraid to share their unique identity with others. We saw a shift in Kentucky

politics with the election of Andy Beshear in November. Finally, we watched the Lady Topper volleyball team soar to the Conference USA title and an NCAA Tournament bid. We’re looking forward to sharing more stories from our community with you in 2020.

FAHAD ALOTAIBI • HERALD

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear declares victory following a close and highly contested race against incumbent Gov. Matt Bevin on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

EBONY COX • HERALD

Brittany LaRue noticed her vitiligo when she was 18-years-old. She’s 34 now. She has been called a cheetah, cashiers don’t want to touch her hand when she pays in cash and was even asked if she had been burned. She was depressed for 10 years but finally gained confidence in 2012 after going to a conference for vitiligo in Clearwater, Florida. “I made myself pack shorts, tank tops and other clothes that wouldn’t cover me up,” LaRue said. “I just wanted to be me again, and after that weekend I was,” she said.

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

WKU senior Sophia Cerino (23) celebrates after the WKU volleyball team’s Senior Day game against the UAB Blazers in Diddle Arena on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019. WKU swept UAB 3-0 to finish the regular season with a record of 28-1.

ABIGAIL DOLLINS • HERALD

Hoda Amira reflects on what it means to be a Muslim in America after the terrorist attack in Christchurch, New Zealand. “It could’ve easily been our community,” Amira said. “It could’ve easily been me in that mosque. We’re not backing down though. That’s what the terrorist would’ve wanted.”

REED MATTISON • HERALD

David Kramer stands on a hillside which overlooks his property. “Cynthiana found us,” David said, as settling down in Cynthiana was an arbitrary choice. “It could have been Timbuktu if I could have found it.”


LIFE

B1

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

Trends from the 2010’s we will probably regret later

REED MATTISON • HERALD

REED MATTISON • HERALD

15.9 million units of airpods were sold in the first half of 2019, according to Apple’s Wikipedia page. That does not include all of the non-name brand versions of the wireless headphones.

FILA in the ‘90s flaunted chunky monochrome sneakers. In the 2010s, the Disruptors and sneakers like them reestablished the popularity of the style.

BY KELLEY HOLLAND HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Trends come and go, and we love to look back and laugh at what was considered “cool” in the past. But what about some of our current trends? From oversized blanket sweatshirts to breaking tables on camera, some of today’s fads are pretty strange to say the least... There’s no doubt that we’ll later regret some of these trends. “Comfies” Also known as the “Comfy” featured on Shark Tank, these obnoxiously large sweatshirts double as a blanket. Sure, they’re nice to wear when lounging around at home and binging Netflix. But for whatever reason, it’s become acceptable to wear these cozy monstrosities in public. Remember when Snuggies were all the rage? Remember how much we teased everyone that wore those? Comfies are those, but 10 times worse. Please don’t wear these out and about. You look like the Big Comfy Couch came to life. Gauges Yeah, these piercings are somehow still popular. It’s 2020, and some

people are still putting themselves through the pain of stretching their earlobes. It’s not limited to the ears, though, sadly. If you feel like being grossed out, check out Google Images. You might be living your punk rock dream now, but if you ever decide to take them out, you’ll probably have saggy, floppy Dumbo ears. Yikes. Doing dumb stuff to get on Barstool Western This Instagram account features videos of students doing a variety of stunts. These stunts include jumping on and breaking tables, lighting things (and people!) on fire and even twerking on Big Red. It’s no accident: people are actually doing these things just to get shared on the page. And, even sadder, alcohol isn’t always to blame for this stupidity. Are the views and likes really worth it? Maybe you should ask your future employer… Juuling The Juul epidemic has been at the forefront of the news recently. The products seem to be popular among teens and college students, so it’s not uncommon to see them around campus. (We’ll surely see less of them since WKU has gone tobacco free!) First of all, when did

it become cool to look like you’re sucking on a flash drive? Not to mention one Juul pod is the equivalent of one pack of cigarettes, according to the American Lung Association. Is this trend now really worth your health later? Chunky sneakers One of the big fashion trends right now is thick and/or chunky sneakers. FILA is among one of the most wellknown brands for this. These sneakers make your feet look HUGE, as if you’re wearing the wrong size or you just have big feet. Especially if you’re a petite person, this trend is not flattering. If you’re looking to add some height, just opt for platforms. Otherwise, Ronald McDonald called, and he wants his shoes back. Face tattoos This trend has seen popularity over the last few years, especially with the rise of Soundcloud rappers and most recently, e-boys and e-girls (they are coming up next on our list!). Now, I have nothing against face tattoos, unless you’re getting them just to be seen as “cool” or because you want to look like Post Malone. You will never be Posty. And that knife tattoo under your eye doesn’t make you look edgy.

It shows that you know how to waste money and skin space.

E-Girls/E-Boys This is a newer trend that has gained popularity through social media platforms like TikTok. These kids are popular simply for having a social media presence, but they’re not the same as influencers. They’re not selling products. Instead, they’re rolling their eyes, sticking their tongues out and taking photos in their bedrooms. They amass thousands and thousands of followers just for taking photos like this and editing stickers of goth-looking Hello Kitty onto them. Why is this a trend?

AirPods We can’t really blame anyone but Apple for this one. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t lost an AirPod yet. They’re not cheap to replace, so people are walking around with one AirPod. Besides that, don’t we look kind of silly with them stuck in our ears anyway? I’d much rather have the ones with the wire attached. Falling for this fad will have you hating yourself later for the amount of money you wasted on the four pairs of AirPods you bought while an already broke college student.

REED MATTISON • HERALD

REED MATTISON • HERALD

Electronic cigarettes have been around for years, but 2019 saw Juul take over. Jacob Karaglanis and many students like him are among those former Juul-ers who are ditching the popular e-Cig.

About 62% of women and 38% of men have their nipples pierced. Staci Henderson of Barlow is part of that 62%. “I’m definitley not going to regret them,” Henderson said. Her piercings weren’t that painful and gave her a strong sense of self confidence, she said.

Glam punk band determined to take the world BY KELLEY HOLLAND HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

It is not easy for local bands to break through the scene, but one in particular is determined to take on the world. Formed in 2017, Ivory Picture Story consists of vocalist and lyricist Dacoda Lux, guitarist Davy Vendetta and bassist Daemon Fane. It all started when Lux and Vendetta, who are now married, met in Lux’s home state of Connecticut. Both going through rough patches, they decided to move to Kentucky for a change of scenery and because Vendetta had family in the area. Vendetta had played in bands before, and Lux liked to sing, though she had never sung in front of anyone before. One day, Lux was hanging “Every Picture Tells A Story,” a 1971 album by Rod Stewart, on a wall. Vendetta mistakenly thought the album read “Ivory Picture Story,” and the two joked that it would make a great band name. The rest was history. “We just started writing songs,” Ven-

detta said. “Before I knew it, it just kind of took off.” The pair went on to create a debut demo titled “Tables of Fevers and Fiends,” which was released on Halloween in 2017. With an EP of demos,

cian, in 2018. As soon as he heard the band’s music, he knew he wanted to be a part of it because he thought their blended genres and bold imagery were so unique compared to other local bands. Fane offered to help the pair out, and

DAEMON FANE

Bassist

We want to go as far as we absolutely can and be the biggest thing in the world.

singles and music videos, the two wanted to perform live but needed others to join them. While searching for additional members, Vendetta met Fane, a local musi-

he got together with them a few times to learn all of their songs. He invited other musicians that he knew to join them, although in the end it didn’t work out and the group remains a trio for now.

“We’ve had people filling in for us on drums and things like that to keep us going,” Fane said. Ivory Picture Story played its first live show in May 2019 in Nashville and has been working nonstop ever since. Its members find it difficult to describe the band’s genre of music, but Lux described it as “glam punk.” “Our energy on stage is very punk,” Lux said. “We’re very bombastic and all over the place. We’ve got a punk vibe to us. But our songs have this sheen — it’s got a sharpness to it. It’s cleaner than punk.” When listening to the band’s music, it is hard to compare its sound to anything else, as there are little hints of various genres mixed throughout. “You can hear strains of everything,” Vendetta said. “Whenever someone listens to us, they pull out something that I’ve never thought of.” The band’s 2018 single “War Dance” has an infectious, punk rock beat, reminiscent of Joan Jett meets the Sex Pistols. The accompanying black and white music video features Lux with smeared black eye makeup, giving it the perfect, edgy feel. SEE IVORY PICTURE STORY • PAGE B2


B2 LIFE

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

‘It hurts like hell’: What having an IUD is really like

BY JULIANNA LOWE

HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

One year. An awfully abnormal amount of time for an 18-year-old girl to go without having a period. And I knew this. After my 19th birthday, I finally worked up the nerve to visit my gynecologist for the first time. I had no idea what the outcome would be, but leaving her office with a pamphlet for Kyleena, a hormonal intrauterine device (IUD), was the last thing I expected. Within ten minutes, I had spewed off enough information about my irregular periods, history with cystic acne and abnormal facial hair that she was able to diagnose me with polycystic ovary syndrome — PCOS. Because the biggest cause of PCOS is an imbalance in my androgen (male hormone) levels and my estrogen (female hormone) levels, she explained that I needed to be on birth control right away to ensure my health. She said birth control would regulate my hormones so that the unusual abundance of androgen wouldn’t cause the effects of PCOS to show themselves. I just had one problem. I had tried birth control before, and I did not want to try it again. Once I explained my bout with mood swings, depression and weight gain on the pill, she pointed to the poster on the wall that offered more birth control options that I had never even heard of before. “It’s interesting when female students talk about what birth control they’ve tried or not tried,” gender and women’s studies instructor Brandi Button said. “It may be a conversation that they haven’t had before, so opening up about it leads to discussion of risks and reasons involved.”

ILLUSTRAITION BY ALEX COX • HERALD

IVORY PICTURE STORY CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

But the group’s latest single “Jaw Breaker” is almost the opposite. While there is no doubt the song meets the “punk” criteria, it is a little more fun and upbeat, giving off a slight ‘60s vibe. The music video is vibrant and colorful, far different from any of the others. All in all, Ivory Picture Story seems to be an exciting blend of punk rock, new wave and perhaps the slightest touch of pop. While many local bands seem to play music for fun or as a hobby, that is not the case for Ivory Picture Story. The band has big plans for the future which go far beyond Bowling Green. “We want to go as far as we absolutely can and be the biggest thing in the world,” Fane said. The group works tirelessly to make these goals a reality, giving its all both on and off the stage. Such passion can be seen simply by visiting the band’s YouTube channel. In consideration of each video’s quality, it’s hard to believe each song is recorded in a bedroom rather than a studio and every music video in the kitchen of their apartment. “All of it is done with, like, 20 bucks, a kitchen and one very nice friend who will work the camera for us,” Lux said. As Ivory Picture Story is quite different from most bands in the area, it hasn’t been easy for the band to break into the Bowling Green music scene. However, it’s pushing through and playing shows wherever it can. The band has made a splash at The Dive in Cave City, a bar owned by Leticia Cline, with whom its members have created a strong friendship. A customer at The Dive recommend the band to Cline, who checked out its music, loved it and booked the group. “I love their style,” Cline said. “I didn’t know about their stage presence, but they blew us away.” Cline said the band knows how to capture an audience’s interest, noting customers of her bar often travel to see

My gynecologist and I talked about the effects of the birth control shot, the birth control implant and the birth control patch before she finally introduced me to the intrauterine device (IUD). An IUD is a small, t-shaped piece of plastic that gets inserted into your uterus in order to prevent pregnancy. It is more than 99% effective, each one lasting 3-12 years in your uterus. IUDs do two things to prevent pregnancy: 1. An IUD releases hormones that thicken the cervix so that sperm cannot get to the egg and fertilize it. 2. An IUD releases hormones that stop eggs from leaving the ovaries, meaning that sperm would not even have an egg to fertilize. So, if an IUD is used to prevent pregnancy, why did I need one to treat my PCOS?

of free contraceptives under Medicaid and Planned Parenthood.” I returned to my gynecologist a month later — still without having a period — to have my IUD inserted. She had somewhat briefed me of the process at my first visit, but nothing she said prepared me for what was to come. I lay vulnerable on the table as she walked me through the process. She told me that I would feel a big cramp, and I did. I felt a cramp that shot from my uterus to my toes to my head. After asking me if I was okay, she told me I would feel another big cramp—this time she was putting the IUD in. I felt it, and it was worse than the first one. I lost feeling in my legs, my head started spinning and my stomach felt nauseous. But that was it. All it took for my five years of birth control and hormonal balance were two unbearable, full-

With PCOS, it’s hard to feel like my femininity is valid. Having an IUD helps take away that feeling of insignificance.

The side effects of PCOS are horrifying. With PCOS, I am now at an increased risk of hair loss, acne, weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, depression, infertility and more. Even though I’ve never wanted to be a mother nor have I felt a maternal instinct, hearing my doctor say that I will never be able to have children still made my stomach drop. “As long as we have gender roles in society, the issue of infertility will be a big deal,” Button said. “Even if you don’t want kids, you still feel a sense of shame for not being able to fulfill your expected role in society.” All of the side effects of PCOS are caused by an imbalance of hormones — which explains the long black hairs that grow from my chin and the cystic acne that I had throughout high school. However, the IUD releases hormones that healthily balance my androgen and estrogen levels, putting me at a decreased risk of side effects. I chose the IUD. While the cost of the IUD can be up to $1,300, I am lucky enough to have insurance that covers birth control, so I was prescribed the IUD with no out-ofpocket cost. “It is definitely a privilege to not have to worry about birth control costs,” Button said. “Especially in a political climate that does not support the access

body cramps. At least, I thought that was all it took. For the next month, I bled. And had debilitating cramps. And plagued the people around me with mood swings. After bypassing periods for a year, my uterus was getting back to normal. When I visited my gynecologist six weeks later for a check-up, I learned that I hadn’t had a month-long period. My IUD was shedding my uterine lining, and it could continue for up to six months. However, it wasn’t all bad. My skin immediately cleared up, and I stopped growing thick hairs on my chin. The mood swings and cramps didn’t last more than a couple weeks. Most importantly, I know that the IUD protects me from side effects of PCOS, which has opened me up to a new un-

ILLUSTRATION BY ALEX COX • HERALD

derstanding of birth control. Although I know that I’m lucky to not experience menstruation, PCOS has made me feel like part of my femininity was missing. Because of PCOS, I spent my entire high school career wondering why my acne was so much worse than all the other girls’ at school. I watched my best friends eat whatever they wanted while I tried to keep up with a strict diet and still gained weight. I learned how to wax my facial hair sophomore year because the other girls didn’t grow hair on their chins. With PCOS, it’s hard to feel like my femininity is valid. Having an IUD helps take away that feeling of insignificance. Now that I have an IUD, I can feel confident in my femininity and my health. Although birth control is not a common conversation in society, it should be. Birth control is not always just for contraception. “Birth control helps endometriosis, PCOS, hormonal imbalances, heavy periods,” said Button. “It’s more than a means to prevent pregnancy, and it shouldn’t be taboo.” For me, birth control saved me from the side effects of PCOS, as well as from developing cysts on my ovaries that could eventually lead to cancer. If I had not been comfortable talking about birth control with my doctor, I would still be at serious risk — and I wouldn’t even know it. It hurts like hell to be told that you are infertile, to get the IUD inserted and to feel cramps throughout your whole body for weeks. But that pain is nothing now that I know that my PCOS is under control.

Features reporter Julianna Lowe can be reached at julianna.lowe253@top-

7.99 Cal 880

its shows in other cities. The group also had the opportunity to play at the historic Exit/In in Nashville back in August, the same stage that hosted the Talking Heads, the Ramones, the Police and many more iconic acts. “We put our hooks into Nashville to see what would happen, to see if this was viable and if we were going to have

UPGRADE ANY BURGER TO THE BEYOND BURGERTM PATTY FOR 2.49 Cal 320 Cal = Calories 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition i i information i f i available il bl upon request. © 2020 DFO, LLC. At participating restaurants for a limited time only. Selection and prices may very. While supplies last. Beyond Meat, the Beyond Meat logo, and Beyond Burger are trademarks or registered trademarks of Beyond Meat, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries.

PHOTO COURTESY OF IVORY PICTURE STORY

a shot at this,” Fane said. “And we did. Nashville proved it to us.” Currently, the band is working on new music and hopes to tour in the spring. Just last November, it got signed to Curtain Call Records, a record label based in Michigan. Since being signed, the group’s latest single “Jaw Breaker” has been sent to digital radio and has been played on a variety of stations, including an indie music channel in the U.K. Although it may be difficult to describe Ivory Picture Story’s music genre, it’s certainly easy to see they are taking Bowling Green — and the world — by storm, and they show no signs of stopping.

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SPORTS B3

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

QUIT STAHL-ING

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 which is why I was surprised at how visceral my devastation was over the news of his death. A feeling in the pit of my stomach that I’d never felt before overtook me as I scrolled through Twitter until the app literally broke, locked in a moment that I and many others of a certain age will almost certainly look back on as a touchstone moment of sorrow as we reach adulthood. Here’s the thing: people are complicated. Legacies are messy. The dead aren’t here to defend themselves. Even knowing what he may have done, the lasting impression of Kobe is, and I think should be, as a phenomenal basketball player the likes of which my generation, which never saw Michael Jordan playing for anyone other than the Wizards, has only experienced one other time, in Lebron James. Kobe was the icon of our childhood. We bought his jerseys, cut his posters and sports cards out of Sports Illustrated for Kids and yelled “Kobe!” every time we threw a Gatorade bottle towards a trash can. But why is that? I think that societies need heroes. Every civilization has had them, from Samson to Achilles to Muhammad Ali. All of those heroes were flawed or went through hard times, from Samson’s loss of his hair to Ali’s final fights in the 1980s, but many of them were granted their shot at redemption as well. Samson destroyed the Philistines,

and Ali, shaking with illness, beat the odds to light the Olympic torch in Atlanta in 1996. Kobe’s public redemption was on the basketball court, winning championships, and off, coaching girls basketball, supporting Make-A-Wish and giving scholarships to young people to broad-

Sports culture is often criticized for being “much ado about nothing,” insignificant in the grand scheme of life and unimportant compared to the rest of the news cycle. I’ll contest that wax of thinking until I run out of air in my lungs. Sports brings people together in a way that nothing else, with the possi-

JAY WILLIAMS

Former NBA Player

This is about life and being precious with every damn second we have here because from somebody who knows — it almost happened to me — like that, man.

en their cultural horizons. If there was any justice in the world, he would have had the opportunity to continue to better himself, giving his Hall of Fame speech, seeing his daughters graduate and aging into the kind of ex-player who serves as a ambassador for the league and the sport. But he doesn’t. He’s just gone. And it’s absolutely crushing that it ended like this.

ble exception of music and religion, has ever been able to do. Kobe Bryant on the court exemplified that better than anyone. His drive to succeed inspired a generation to take to their driveways and playgrounds to copy his moves in hope of one day being an eighth of the player he was. After he retired, he became more than

a basketball player. He spent time with his four daughters, including 13-yearold Gianna, who was also killed in the crash, and became a fierce advocate for women’s basketball. Former WNBA superstar Rebecca Lobo tweeted about him on Sunday. “No @NBA player supported the @ WNBA or women’s college basketball more than Kobe,” Lobo wrote. “He attended games, watched on tv, coached the next generation. We pray for his family.” Kobe was complicated, and whether he should be forgiven for what might have happened in Colorado is not up for me or you to decide. A man, a father and a husband are all dead, and that, regardless of complications, makes this a time to grieve, a time to contemplate the fragility of life. Jay Williams put it best during his ESPN appearance on Sunday, encouraging viewers to forget petty arguments they might have with their loved ones. “None of that stuff matters, man,” Williams said. “This is about life and being precious with every damn second we have here because from somebody who knows — it almost happened to me — like that, man. It’s just over. Done, randomly. Randomly, arbitrarily. His four girls and his wife, we need to come around them and support them and help them.”

Sports Columnist and Projects Editor Matt Stahl can be reached at matthew. stahl551@topper.wku.edu. Follow Matt on Twitter at @mattstahl97.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 “He puts it on the board before every game — ‘Win the free throw war,’” Justice said about his head coach. “We try to make more free throws than the other team attempts every single game. So far, we’ve been successful with that.” The Hilltoppers have attempted 15 or more free throws in seven of their first eight games in C-USA play. WKU’s only league game shooting less than 15 free throws resulted in a 72-62 road loss at UAB on Jan. 9. In that game, WKU shot 7 for 8 from the free-throw line. Additionally, WKU has been limited to 15 or less attempts from the freethrow line in four of their six losses this season. The Hilltoppers’ free throw percentage in those losses also dips several percentage points from their season average at the line. The Hilltoppers currently rank first among C-USA schools in free throw percentage with an impressive 78.4% mark and first in attempted free throws with 431 tries in 20 games. “Everybody stays after practice to get free throws in individually,” freshman guard Jordan Rawls said. Justice interrupted Rawls and added, “You have to make 10 in a row before you can leave.” After cracking a smile and patting his teammate on the back in a comical manner, Justice held back laughter as he said, “So, this guy makes 100 a day.” WKU has made getting to the foul line a priority, and junior Taveion Hollingsworth has led the charge for Stansbury in that area — and most others — since returning to his natural position at shooting guard in early January after Rawls took over at point guard. The Lexington native has finished each of his last six outings as the leading scorer for WKU, and he’s done so by not only getting to the free-throw line, but converting when he’s there. Last season, Hollingsworth only attempted 118 total foul shots and tallied 91 points from the free throw during

CABONI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4 can do all of those things and do all of them well and have resources for everyone.” LA Tech Sports Report, a fan account for Conference USA member Louisiana Tech, used NCAA financial data published by USA Today to create a graphic analyzing 2018 student athletic fees in C-USA, and the chart was later shared in a tweet was posted on Jan. 15. According to USA Today data, WKU reported $3.8 million in revenue from student athletics fees in 2018, which prompted WKU athletic director Todd Stewart to tweet that WKU was ranked No. 12 among C-USA schools with a student athletic fee, more than $24 million behind the top school and over 50% lower than each of the top seven earners in the league. Old Dominion, another C-USA member, hasn’t used any school funds for athletics since a $382 charge in 2012, although student athletic fees accounted for $28 million of its athletics revenue in 2018, which was the highest mark in the league according to USA Today data. Raising student athletic fees would allow WKU to use less of its general operating budget, but increasing fees to subsidize athletics was mentioned as a concern by the Faculty Senate. Caboni said a committee is currently evaluating fees, which means the university likely won’t “want to do anything to touch fees” until those results are available. He also said his administration is focused on “affordability” and making sure students can “experience the institution however they want

MATT GADD • HERALD

Graduate guard Camron Justice (5) drives inside on Marshall redshirt freshman guard Andrew Taylor (0) during the WKU Hilltoppers’ 91-84 win over the Marshall Thundering Herd on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Diddle Arena.

WKU’s 34-game season. Through 20 games played in the 201920 campaign, the 6-foot-2-inch guard has already converted 86 points from the line, including 47 of 52 free throws overall in league play. Hollingsworth is ranked No. 4 among all qualified C-USA players in free throw percentage at 85.1%, and he’s joined in the top nine of that category by two WKU teammates — eighth-ranked Wiliams

(78.6%) and ninth-ranked junior guard Josh Anderson (75.6%). The Hilltoppers completed a 19-point comeback at Marshall on Jan. 22, which was the second-largest deficit overcome by the Hilltoppers since 2002. While stringing together miraculous comebacks likely isn’t a sustainable strategy, more solid outings from the foul line could carry this scrappy Hilltopper squad to the postseason.

to experience it.” Accumulating enough resources for all of the different areas that need funding at WKU isn’t an easy process. Caboni said the way to get there is “through recruiting students and retaining students” — two areas where success in athletics could seemingly lend a helping hand. Stewart has often called athletics the “front porch” of the university, and it’s clear Caboni agrees that WKU athletics can aid recruitment and retention numbers by giving students a positive perception of the university and all of the services it has to offer them. “Athletics is an important part of the WKU experience,” Caboni said. “Some portion of our undergraduate population comes here because they have an expectation that they’ll be able to go to football games at the caliber at which we compete on the weekends and all of the associated activities with that. Or to see basketball or to watch softball.” “I think that if we didn’t have Division I sports at the level at which we compete, we would be a very different institution,” Caboni continued. “I think it’s a net very positive for us in the marketplace as we recruit students. Not every student is interested in watching intercollegiate athletics; I understand that. But a large number are, and it’s a differentiator for us.” Caboni said institutions able to “transfer dollars from a surplus” created by success in athletics to the university “are very few in number” across Division I, a fact the C-USA Board of Directors Executive Committee member has likely experienced despite his brief tenure in that role. But to the New Orleans native, who grew up watching SEC football and saw the “important” effect it had on the

fabric of his own life, WKU athletics has a “legacy” of success that current students get to enjoy and proud alumni routinely choose to pledge their money to help uphold. “The number of individuals who make a gift to history and athletics, PBS and athletics, is remarkable,” Caboni said about the university’s multiyear donors. “The bond that people develop — that they retain over a lifetime

WKU will be back in action at Florida Atlantic (12-9, 4-4 C-USA) on Thursday and at Florida International on Saturday (14-7, 5-3 C-USA).

Reporter Elliott Wells can be reached at douglas.wells357@topper.wku.edu. Follow Elliott on Twitter at @ewells5.

— because of that athletic experience, I think, is important. It’s important to fundraising; it’s important to the institution. It’s how many people anchor their experiences even long after they’ve left campus.”

Sports Editor Drake Kizer can be reached at clinton.kizer287@topper. wku.edu. Follow Drake on Twitter at @ drakekizer_.


TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

B4

LIVING AT THE LINE Hilltoppers find salvation at the foul line

MATT GADD • HERALD

Taveion Hollingsworth (11) attempts a free throw against Marshall on Jan. 25, 2020 in Diddle Arena.

BY ELLIOTT WELLS HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Across his 18-year head coaching career, Rick Stansbury has developed a reputation for fielding teams that shoot the ball well from the free-throw line, and that tendency has proved to be critical to the success of the WKU men’s basketball team (14-6, 7-1 C-USA) this season. Coming into the year, Stansbury said the 2019-20 roster would contain his “deepest and most experienced team” at WKU, with four returning starters and three upperclassmen transfers. Stansbury said in October he had “about eight guys” he felt comfortable inserting into the starting lineup on any given night, but the same can’t be said for WKU in late January. The Hilltoppers’ roster was thinned considerably after sophomore center Charles Bassey suffered a season-ending injury against Arkansas on Dec. 7 and senior guard Kenny Cooper had his request for immediate eligibility denied on Dec. 10. Availability has continued to be an issue, as graduate guard Camron Justice has been limited since injuring his back lifting weights prior to a Jan. 9 game against Alabama-Birmingham.

Just months after thinking he wouldn’t have to “play guys out of necessity” this season, Stansbury has roughly nine players he feels comfortable giving minutes to, and that number essentially dwindles to include only his top six players in tight, late-game situations. Injuries and eligibility issues have forced Stansbury to play a smaller four-guard lineup with the 6-foot-5-

gles to score consistently. WKU has attempted to close the gap and minimize the impact of its size deficiency by driving the ball inside the paint, drawing fouls and getting to the charity stripe at a very high clip. Over 14 seasons at Mississippi State and three full years on the Hill, Stansbury has never had a season where his team was outshot on free throws. As of Jan. 20,

RICK STANSBURY

Men’s basketball head coach

That’s the most important thing. Getting there is one thing and making them is another thing. But I feel good about everybody going to that foul line.

inch Carson Williams at the center position, causing the Hilltoppers’ margin for error to become razor thin, especially during times when WKU strug-

Stansbury’s teams had shot 2,679 more total free throws than their opponents during his 18 seasons as a head coach. He’s employed a similar strategy this

Caboni talks academics and athletics BY DRAKE KIZER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

While sitting at the head of a semesterly roundtable discussion with WKU President Timothy Caboni, he appeared calm and collected as he fielded a barrage of questions from the College Heights Herald Editorial Board. After discussing topics ranging from Greek life to the potential food choices inside the upcoming WKU Commons project, the topic of conversation shifted to intercollegiate athletics at WKU. In reference to the variety of areas he has to address on a daily basis, Caboni joked, “Now you see what the life of a president is like — it’s like this every 30 minutes!” The life of WKU’s president hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing lately, and that’s been especially true after the Faculty Senate passed a resolution asking the university to transfer funding from athletics to academics in a meeting conducted on Dec. 12. Caboni declined to comment on the resolution, instead deferring to a state-

ment from Provost Cheryl Stevens and Susan Howarth, Executive Vice President for Strategy, Operations and Finance, released in the days following the meeting. “The total college experience at WKU is critical to the university’s recruitment and retention efforts, and athletics are an important part of that work,” a portion of the statement read. An eight-page report examining the university’s spending on athletics accompanied the Faculty Senate resolution, and it stated WKU athletics is projected to generate $8.8 million in revenue despite being budgeted to spend $22.8 million total during the 2019-20 fiscal year. The projection leaves athletics with a $14 million shortfall that will be covered by “student fees and a transfer of funds directly from the WKU operating budget to the Athletic Department,” leading to a request of $3.41 million from athletics subsidies for academic college cuts. WKU athletics would be left with a $10.6 million earmark from the university’s operating budget if the resolution was ever implemented, but Caboni said he’s focused on targeted efforts that will “grow the pie” for every department — not “shifting resources” around.

season, and it’s worked so far — WKU made 72 more free throws (321) than its opponents attempted (249) through the first 19 games, and the Hilltoppers also moved to eighth nationally in fouls per game with a solid 13.6 mark. “My wife says don’t say anything or talk about it, but we’re a really good free-throw shooting team,” Stansbury said. “I don’t believe in those jinxes. When you can shoot it, you can shoot. But more importantly, we’re getting there. That’s the most important thing. Getting there is one thing and making them is another thing. But I feel good about everybody going to that foul line.” During the 2018-19 season, the Hilltoppers posted the highest free-throw percentage by a Stansbury-led team, finishing with a 72.4% mark from the stripe. If the season ended last week, the Hilltoppers would’ve easily topped that mark. WKU was shooting an eye-popping 78.5% from the line as of Jan. 23, ranking Stansbury’s squad first among Conference USA teams and sixth nationally in free-throw percentage. WKU has made a living from the free-throw line since the beginning of conference play, making 143 of their 179 foul shots for a stellar 79.9% mark against league foes. SEE MEN’S BASKETBALL • PAGE B3

QUIT STAHL-ING

On death, life, heroes, redemption and Kobe BY MATT STAHL

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

REED MATTISON • HERALD

WKU President Timothy Caboni discussed several issues at the semesterly Herald editorial board meeting on Jan. 22, 2020.

“I believe in my heart of hearts that we can be excellent at many things,” Caboni said. “Student experience, forensics, student media, football, soccer and anything else you can think of on this campus — dance, theater. We SEE CABONI • PAGE B3

I vividly remember watching the 2009 and 2010 NBA Finals when I was in middle school. The Los Angeles Lakers dominated their opponents, the Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics respectively, but no player was as breathtaking to watch as No. 24, Kobe Bryant, who cemented his legend in those years. Kobe died Sunday in a helicopter crash at the age of 41. He leaves behind one of the greatest legacies in NBA history, a wife and family and five championship banners hanging in the rafters of the Staples Center. So what makes mourning him so complicated? For many, it’s difficult to get past the 2003 accusation that he raped a 19-year-old woman in a hotel in Colorado. I believe the allegations, SEE QUIT STAHL-ING • PAGE B3


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