November 17, 2020 by College Heights Herald

• ADULTING GUIDE LOCATED INSIDE •

By Maggie Thornton

margaret.thornton882@topper.wku.edu PHOTO: Anna Leachman ILLUSTRATION: Alex Cox VOLUME 96 • ISSUE 13

WEEK OF 11.17.20

BURNED OUT

Students feel the effects of a semester amid COVID-19

Burnout is nothing new for college students, but this semester it is amplified by a global pandemic, economic deterioration, rising social tension and a new online format for learning. These challenges, with no breaks in the semester, left students anxious and exhausted and everyone is facing challenges they wouldn’t have been able to wrap their minds around previously. One of Jennifer Redifer’s main areas of study is cognitive load, which she said can help explain the lack of motivation many students are experiencing. Redifer

By Michael Dylan Payne

is an associate professor of psychology who holds a doctorate in educational psychology. Cognitive load, Redifer explained, is the mental resources you use to perform tasks. Extraneous cognitive load is anything not directly related to the task at hand that distracts you. “So, with this semester being what it is, having additional demands of doing work in a weird online format and not having as set of a schedule, that can feel like an extraneous cognitive load and it can make completing tasks more difficult than a

normal semester.” Redifer said. Redifer said it may not be that the assignments or workload are harder than or different from a normal semester, but the new circumstances surrounding that workload can make them feel harder, and it can especially make starting the task harder. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence, a professor and the director of the child studies program, said she factored in this decreased motivation of students into her planning for the semester because if students are stressed to the point of distress, they

won’t learn. “I spent the summer looking at the content of my classes, and I looked at how can I meet the needs that are outlined in the curriculum and our course objectives while also being fair to the students and their mental health needs,” Haynes-Lawrence said. “I watched my colleagues, my child and her friends and my students in summer school, and I watched how their mental health shifted because of the pandemic, and it was atrocious.”

BURNOUT • A3

15 years with the bagel brothers

michael.payne993@topper.wku.edu Sandra Hurley wakes up before the sun has risen everyday to go to work on a college campus, pouring coffee and making bagels for the over 15,000 faculty members and students who call the university home during the academic year. Hurley, manager of Einstein Bros. Bagels, has lived this reality for nearly 15 years, starting her morning during the work-week many times before the sun comes up, rushing to campus to prepare the restaurant for opening at 7 a.m. “I like my job, I love the people I work with, and I’ve made a lot of really good friends here that are my family now, because I don’t go home that much,” Hurley said. Hurley moved to Bowling Green in 2000 with her husband, who worked for General Motors building Chevrolet Corvettes, a job from which he’s since retired, she said. “Believe it or not, I had a hard time getting a job down here,” Hurley said. “A lot of the spouses of people who worked at the Corvette plant, people thought those spouses didn’t need a job.”

Hurley went to a temporary agency to get a job and the man who hired temp workers asked why she needed a job if her husband worked for General Motors. “I got very offended by that, because I’m a very independent woman,” Hurley said. “I looked at him and said, ‘I’ll go home and get my bills and you can tell me if I need to work.’ So I left there.” Hurley said, before she met her husband and sometimes afterwards, she’s always worked two jobs. “In my entire life, I never had a problem getting a job, until I moved here,” she said. In 2006, six years after they arrived, Hurley was preparing to go on vacation to visit family and she told her husband that if she didn’t get a job today, that she was done — not with their marriage, but done living in Kentucky. “In the six years I’d lived here, I’d never applied for Aramark,” Hurley said. “I applied that day and they hired me on the spot.”

EINSTEIN • A7

PRESTON ROMANOV Sandra Hurley has dedicated much of her life to working with Einstein Bros. Bagels as an employee for the last 15 years at Western Kentucky University. Hurley said she has always enjoyed seeing the students at WKU grow up and graduate.

SPORTS

BRITTANY FISHER Western Kentucky University defensive end, DeAngelo Malone (10) broke the WKU football program sack record on Nov. 14, 2020. WKU defeated Southern Mississippi 10-7.

Hilltoppers get in the win column, home finale up next By Matthew Hargrove

matthew.hargrove426@topper.wku.edu Unlike last week, the WKU (3-6), (23, C-USA) offense was able to do just enough to reward their defense and Hilltopper fans with a 10-7 win over the University of Southern Mississippi (26), (1-3, C-USA). A final drive stop from WKU with under two minutes to play depleted all chances of a Golden Eagles comeback victory. Graduate quarterback Tyrrell Pigrome scored the lone touchdown for the Hilltoppers with a one-yard run on WKU’s first drive of the game. Pigrome added 183 passing yards to his credit, which is the most yards he has thrown for since Oct. 3, when he threw for 188 yards against Middle Tennessee State University. “I thought he did a really nice job tonight,” Helton said. “I thought he moved up in the pocket well. We have been working a lot, pretty hard on that. He was able to get some yards scrambling, which was good to see.” Redshirt senior receiver Xavier Lane also had one of his best games of the year, going for 90-receiving yards on five receptions. Junior wideout Mitchell Tinsley was second in receiving for the Hilltoppers with 35-yards on four catches. Aside from WKU ending their two game losing streak, the afternoon was all about the leaders of the Hilltopper defense in senior defensive back Devon Key and senior defensive end DeAngelo Malone. Both star players etched their names into WKU history by breaking records in Saturday’s contest. Key grabbed tackle No. 327 of his WKU career, which broke the record for most tackles ever by a Hilltopper in the FBS era. On the other hand, Malone broke the record for most sacks by a WKU player in the FBS era. “They’re big time playmakers — big leaders on this team, like this is their team right now,” redshirt freshman defensive tackle Ricky Barber said. “Me being a young guy, I’m just learning from them and I’m trying to do my part to make just as many plays as they make.” Their performances helped put together another phenomenal performance by the Hilltopper defense, holding USM’s quarterback in redshirt sophomore quarterback Trey Lowe to 67-yards on 14 passing attempts. The only thing the Golden Eagles had going well was running the ball, in which they totaled 154-yards total. 137 of those yards came from redshirt senior running back Kevin Perkins 71-yards and freshman running back Frank Gore Jr. 66-yards. The Hilltoppers now turn their attention to their final home opponent of the season in Florida International University (0-4), (0-2 C-USA). Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. on Nov. 21 at Houchens-Smith Stadium. The winless Panthers’ season has been plagued by COVID-19, as FIU has

seen four of their scheduled games postponed and one cancelled. The Panthers were able to play over the weekend hosting Florida Atlantic University, but picked up a 38-19 loss against the conference foe. For a team that has compared scoring to pulling teeth, WKU looked like a totally different offense when they first touched the ball in the fourth quarter. Pigrome and Lane connected for 76-yards within the first seven plays of the game for the Hilltopper offense, which included a 47-yard bomb that moved WKU inside the Golden Eagles five-yard line. This allowed Pigrome to use his speed and twist his way into the endzone to give WKU a very early 7-0 lead. The second drive was somewhat similar for the Hilltoppers, just the only difference was that WKU could not punch the pigskin into the endzone. The Hilltoppers had to settle for a 24-yard field goal from redshirt sophomore Brayden Narveson, after a 9:10, 65-yard drive. Key was able to grasp his momentous tackle right before the half, and that was really the only act of excitement until midway through the final frame. After having to punt on every drive but one beforehand, the USM offense finally got something to go their way when Perkins scrambled his way into the endzone on a six-yard run. The 12 play, 90-yard drive cut the deficit to 10-7 with plenty of time left to play. WKU almost allowed the Golden Eagles to have all the energy in the ballgame, after the Hilltoppers were unable to convert on fourth and one from the USM 22-yard line. “I knew our kicker could make it, but at the end of the day I wanted it addressed on us,” Helton said. “I knew we were playing good defense, and I would rather go for it on fourth down. I was concerned that field goals weren’t gonna win the game.” The defense kept things quiet, forcing a punt and a turnover on downs on the next two Golden Eagles drives. Mixing its way into those WKU stops, Malone picked up his record breaking sack. “Honestly man I wasn’t even thinking I was going to do it, but I did it,” Malone said. “I just let God lead the way.” Because things got chippy between the two programs at the end of USM’s final drive, the officials called the game with 41 seconds left giving the 10-7 win to WKU. The Hilltoppers will look to keep the train moving next week against FIU on senior night.

Football beat reporter Matthew Hargrove can be reached at matthew.hargrove426@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewHargrov1

COLUMN • VIEWS FROM THE HILL

All eyes on the spring By Nick Kieser

nick.kieser036@topper.wku.edu. The final week of in-person classes has arrived at WKU, and if you planned on making it out to the last football game then it’s your last chance until next fall, except you didn’t miss much this season. However, there are eight days remaining until the men’s basketball season tips off in the Golden Window Classic in Lincoln, Nebraska, and that’ll be a program to keep close tabs on. Five seniors are on WKU’s team with some additional veteran players along with junior Charles Bassey who’s coming back from breaking his leg last December. In light of basketball coming back, WKU Athletics announced last Wednesday sports that are not competing or practicing have ceased activity for the remainder of the semester. Well, I hope volleyball comes back in January like they did in their season debut on Nov. 7 sweeping UAB in three sets. Head coach Travis Hudson and his team are hopeful for a seamless spring schedule. It’s as if their fate of having a spring season relies on a ball spinning at the roulette table. That’s the reality of all WKU sports aiming to return in the spring. Other than basketball debuting in November and December, there’s track and field that will come back. If everything runs smoothly, head coach Brooks LeCompte will stay busy with a few competitions this winter. A few programs that will have to wait to resume action are baseball, softball and soccer. The men’s and women’s golf teams also played this fall. Both baseball and softball were having solid seasons before the virus put a damper on it all last spring. The NCAA

gave the seniors back that year of eligibility, and I have no doubt they’ll be ready to play again. The Lady Topper softball team was 20-5 and the Hilltopper baseball program was 10-6 prior to the end of the 2020 season. Both teams were either on the road or about to leave and had to return to the Hill wondering if there would be a chance to get back out on the field. As the beat writer for baseball, I sat in my apartment watching WKU take on the University of Kentucky, and little did I know the next time I would talk to head coach John Pawlowski would be on Zoom. When students and faculty return to campus on Jan. 19 for the spring semester, there’ll be some options for what sports to watch. The basketball teams will have just started their seasons, and baseball and softball could have their schedules planned by then. Soccer, track and field, volleyball, golf and tennis will also have their schedules by then, but C-USA will be in charge of the seasons and when everything will be finalized. One thing to keep in mind is the fans. Will there be anyone aside from the media and personnel at these games? My anticipation is that outdoor sports like baseball and softball will have limited capacity for the 2021 season. Basketball capacity will be limited as well. Roughly 1,000 people will be allowed in, but nothing is official prior to Thanksgiving Break. A statistic worth holding onto came out of athletics last week, stating that WKU had a 1.7% overall COVID-19 testing positivity rate, including a

VIEWS • A7

A3 BURNOUT • FROM A1 Haynes-Lawrence said she went into the semester already with an alteration of content to eliminate busy work, but she said she knew at the halfway point that she needed to reassess, so she implemented a survey to gauge where her students were at. Haynes-Lawrence altered the last half of the course based on the results of the survey, but she made sure the students were still meeting course objectives by shifting how they were learning and expressing to her what they know. Haynes-Lawrence said a survey in one class showed that the students were stressed but felt the rest of the semester was doable, so there was no need to alter anything, but in a different class, she removed the final writing project. Because she does not believe in testing, her courses are heavy in writing. After assessing how great her students performed on the midterm, she made the final project in one class a bonus opportunity. “My courses are heavy in writing and in one course, my students did so beautifully on the midterm writing assignment, so the final writing project would just create a burden, something for them to look at and just stress about,” Haynes-Lawrence said. Haynes-Lawrence said the students already demonstrated they understood the concepts they needed to, and as long as her students reached the course objectives, she didn’t feel the need to overburden them. Sheila Flener, instructor and program coordinator for the Interior Design program, took a similar approach when planning for the semester. “You gotta have compassion and understand that you don’t know what these students are going through, and we have an organization, the Interior Design Association, where we have students who get on our Zoom meetings just because they need someone to talk to,” Flener said. Flenner said she also altered her course throughout the semester depending on feedback she received from students. “I know some of them feel hounded on with the amount of work given to them in other classes, so I take that into consideration,” Flener said. Flener had three projects planned for the semester but after seeing her students needed more time to focus on them, she canceled one and still felt the students were meeting the objective of the course. Flenner said in a typical semester she has very strict deadlines, but she has removed that expectation for now. “I stopped that for right now because I saw where students were getting stressed or burnt out and apologizing for being late,” Flener said. “I understand that. I was very worried about them, so I’ve been more flexible than I usually am. I’ll go back to my strict standard when this is over, but I am having a hard enough time, so I can’t imagine how the students feel.” Redifer also said to focus on what you can control, like your schedule.

She suggested spreading out deadlines through the week instead of leaving everything until the end of the week. Redifer said this will help to not feel as overwhelmed, and accomplishing each thing will give you more motivation to feel like you can do the next thing. Amanda Maceyko, a senior middle school math education major, said she has less motivation this year than ever before, which has affected the way she thinks she is performing in her classes. “I am normally a good student, but this semester I am struggling to get everything in on time or produce quality work,” Maceyko said. “I’ve noticed the stuff I’ve turned in is just not my best work. I’m not performing to the best of my ability or close to it, and it’s because I feel burnt out and I have no motivation.” Maceyko thinks part of the reason for this is because her classes are completely online, so with social distancing guidelines already in place, she feels even more isolated. “I think not having any in-person classes affects me so much because I just sit at home and don’t interact with people,” Maceyko said. “I just have a todo list and I don’t feel like I am experiencing school. It just feels like I’m alone in every single class.” Maceyko said she thinks the education department is amazing all around and that her professors have been very understanding and want her to succeed, but she doesn’t feel the same connection she generally would with her professors because of the new online format. Maceyko said she is the typical teacher’s pet and loves talking to her professors before and after class. “I don’t have that connection anymore, which brought me motivation because I was excited to do well for them,” Maceyko said. “Now I’m just turning stuff in online and I don’t care as much because I feel like I’m just putting stuff online, not turning it into a person.” Maceyko said another thing that factors into her burnout this semester is the anxiety she has felt. “My anxiety is through the roof this semester,” Maceyko said. “I sit there and look at my work and just start crying most of the time. I try so hard to make a to-do list every single day and I don’t do it. I wait until the last minute and scramble something together, and then I start crying about it after because it’s not my best work.” Noah Moore, a senior Public Relations, Arabic and Spanish major, said this is the least motivated he has been throughout his time at WKU. “The past three years I felt very motivated to get my assignments done on time but with the pandemic, I feel like nothing matters as much as I thought it did,” Moore said. “Things I put a lot of importance on have either fallen apart or haven’t happened, which is really discouraging to students.” Moore said it is especially difficult for him because he is a senior about to graduate and enter the job market during the era of COVID-19. “There’s a lot of unknown; as a senior,

PRESTON ROMANOV Amanda Maceyko, a senior and math major at WKU, reflects on the isolation she has felt in this COVID-19 filled semester.

JACK DOBBS Tess Welch, a junior at WKU, said she has felt her motivation drop this semester, among other feelings of despair about the state of the United States and the world.

I’m entering the job market, and I don’t know if there’s gonna be jobs,” Moore said. “I study modern languages, and we can’t even leave the country. Right now, I think my lack of motivation is partly because there’s no prospect of being able to go abroad or use what I’ve been working for four or eight years towards.” Moore said he thinks that it goes beyond just work or school at this point. “At work, I was told that people are noticing I’m not as positive anymore and it’s so hard to reckon with that too,” Moore said. “Not just school, not just work, but thinking we’re all probably gonna be changed by this pandemic.” “When you have all these opportunities lined up and they all get canceled, how can I not be pessimistic? There’s a big cloud of negativity and pessimism, which isn’t anyone’s fault but it’s just looming.” Like many professors at WKU, Moore said his professors have done a great job navigating their students’ needs, which he thinks is what will help get everyone through the semester. “I think my professors have done amazing to ease our stress,” Moore said. “If I miss a deadline, they’re super understanding. I think that is what will get us through this, recognizing our shortcomings and being like you know what, that’s okay, this is unprecedented, and no one could have prepared for it and it’s okay if we’re slacking a little because we’re all facing this.” Tess Welch, a junior studying special education and sign language, is a 4.0 student but fears this might be the first semester where that is unattainable for her. “It’s hard to be a student in the era of COVID-19, especially as a people person, to continue in the same level of intensity that I would normally bring to academics and extracurriculars,” Welch said. “I feel a lack of community.” Welch thinks the burnout students are experiencing right now is different for each person, but for her it largely stems from feeling isolated. “I am in a category of people who have to be more careful,” Welch said. “I wear a mask at all times, even outside or six feet apart, I only unmask around two people. I live alone, so it has felt extremely isolating. It’s hard to find motivation when you feel alone.” Welch said there are other social and economic factors that play into her burnout as well, which she suspects many other students struggle with. “Many students have lost their jobs, or their parents have; the economy’s decline weighs on students,” Welch said. “At one point this summer and at the beginning of the semester, I was the only one employed in my immediate family, and I come from a family where my mom and dad have always worked, so that weighed on me and it

was incredibly difficult.” Welch is the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences senator and the committee chair for the academic student affairs committee on SGA, and she has been advocating for the university to go Pass/D/Fail this semester. Welch feels that a Pass/D/Fail option is a necessary safeguard to ensure that the burdens students are facing is not increased by anxiety about how this semester’s GPA could permanently impact them. “Student’s mental health is all over the place right now. We had a historic election, monumental civil rights movement and a global pandemic.” Welch said. “The combination of all these things requires that the university prioritize the student’s well-being by giving pass/fail so students don’t have to sacrifice their mental health for a grade.” Welch feels strongly that this semester is more challenging than last semester and should not be treated differently by the university. Welch said one reason the spring was less challenging was because teacher expectations were lower in the spring and they were more understanding. “Also, we were sent home, so in our minds, we were like okay this is different.” Welch said. “But now we are on campus, and it looks like the same campus, but you’re not able to do normal social things, or go out with friends, or do things you normally would on campus. This is a difficult reality check many students have had difficulty wrapping their minds around.” Welch said in the spring, it seemed like there might be some end in sight, but now the burden of how long this will last is really weighing on her and other students. “There was some hope earlier this year, but now Kentucky continues to have record breaking days in COVID-19 cases and deaths,” Welch said. “It’s wrecking so many families and students shouldn’t have to go through this loss alone, but you’re forced to because of the pandemic.” Welch said she just wishes the university would understand that the reality of the demands students are facing and that the expectations are higher when a student’s ability to follow through is lower. “So, right now assuming things are fine and implementing a normal grading scale glosses over the realities of students in search of some utopian place we live in, but the reality is we are living in dystopian times and student’s struggles are real.” Welch said.

Maggie Thornton can be reached at margaret.thornton882@topper.wku.edu.

LITTLE FLOCK COMES BACK HOME Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Pastor Clarence Tapp and his mother, Dorothy Crowe, have been live-streaming church services from their home. However, this past Sunday their church, Little Flock House of Jesus Christ Fellowship, held in-person service in their building for the first time in nearly seven months.

Clarence Tapp preaches from the lectern at Little Flock House of Jesus Christ Fellowship on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. “I have battled with drugs, money, anything you can name, but thankfully my faith helped me to turn my life back around.” Tapp said.

Pastor Clarence Tapp helps his mother, Dorothy Crowe, out of their car on Sunday morning before church service. Tapp has recently had to play a bigger role at the church. His mother, who usually splits the service with her son, suffered a stroke earlier this year in April and as such has had to take a step back during the recovery process.

Sister Dorothy Crowe lifts her hands while she speaks in tongues during the church service. “After my stroke, I couldn’t move anything on my left side,” Crowe said. “But Jesus will always look out for me, so I prayed to him and sure enough I began to get my movement back after only three days.” ABOVE: Pastor Clarence Tapp’s mask and sermon notes sit on the communion table behind him during their first service back on Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. LEFT: Pastor Tapp waits at the lectern for their Facebook livestream to start. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Little Flock has been streaming services from their home. This Sunday is the first time since the outbreak that they have held service in the church.

William Leachman raises his hands in praise during the worship portion of service on Sunday at Little Flock. “I feel as if I have strayed away by putting other things before God. I was focused too much on the material things, I was putting my own hustle, money, and at sometimes even my family before God, but my God is merciful and I know that he will forgive me and accept me,” Leachman said during his testimony.

PHOTO STORY BY ADDISON LEBOUTIER

Every student needs a sidekick WHO WE ARE:

A nonprofit that connects students at universities, helps promote different ways of diverting food from waste, and donates to organizations in need

WHERE WE COLLECT: @BATES @GARRETT

WHO WE HELP:

MOBILE ORDERING NOW AVAILABLE!

The WKU Food Pantry, Room in the Inn, Hope House, and the Salvation Army ®

&KLFN ŷO $ at DSU Food Court

WHAT WE’RE CELEBRATING:

We have recovered and donated 5000 lbs since our inception during Spring 2019

The Den at Tower Court next to PFT

RedZone at DSU behind DSU Food Court

Download today & skip the line!

(LQVWHLQ %URV %DJHOV DW -RG\ 5LFKDUGV +DOO

Subway @ Bates DW %DWHV 5XQQHU +DOO

Being sustainable on-campus is one of our environmentally friendly practices that we make a high priority at WKU

COMMUNITY

A6 ILLUSTRATION: Alex Cox

A “MONUMENTAL MOMENT” What a Kamala Harris vice presidency means for young POC

HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD Issue: Kamala Harris was elected as the 49th vice president-elect of the United States of America, making her the first female vice president, first Black vice president and first Asian-American vice president. Our stance: Harris’ firsts are more than just historical — they are an indication to the young women and people of color of this country that barriers are being broken and the future is theirs to take. On Nov. 7, the Associated Press called Pennsylvania for former Vice President Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, giving him the electoral college votes needed to reach the 270 to win. Consequently, Kamala Harris became the vice president-elect that night — the first female vice president in American history. Harris is not only the first female vice president, but she is also the first Black vice president and the first Asian-American vice president. She is a stepping stone for many underrepresented Americans. “I was born in South Korea but have lived in the U.S. my whole life,” psychological sciences junior Mia Kendrick said. “Although I see myself as simply an American, I’ve had many encounters where others see me as a foreigner in my own home. With the newly elected vice president, Kamala Harris, I’m hoping that the traditional image of an American will change as our representatives have grown to become more diverse.” Americans have been governed by a white executive since 1789 when George Washington and John Adams assumed the presidency and vice presidency. It wasn’t until Barack Obama was elected president in 2008 that representation truly began to change. “Kamala Harris being the first African-American Asian woman vice president is life-changing for so many girls including myself,” freshman journalism and broadcasting major Brianna Cooks said. “Growing up as a girl and in the minority race I never saw someone on TV or in a position of authority that I could look up to. Kamala Harris gives me encouragement and hopefully other young girls of color and other races.” America, which is 76.3% White, 13.4% Black or African-American, and 5.9% Asian, only began

DISCLOSURE REPORT AN ERROR: herald.editor@wku.edu 270•745•5044

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 likewise reserve the right to reject submissions.

*DENOTES... ... editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays during the school year. The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1 each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.

to see more diverse representation in the White House after more than two centuries of white representation. Harris’ vice presidency is a historical moment for the Black and Asian populations, as well as the 50.8% of Americans who are female. “I would say it’s definitely been a long time coming finally having a woman serving in one of the highest positions of power in the country,” psychology and criminology junior Morgan Porter said. “It’s a great reminder to all women, despite whether you voted for her or not and despite how society may make us feel sometimes, we are so powerful and we can do literally anything we put our minds to.” Harris was born in Oakland, California, and graduated from Howard University, making her also the first vice president to assume office who attended a historically black college. She was the district attorney of San Francisco, the attorney general of California and a U.S. Senator. Her parents, however, are immigrants. Shyamala Gopalan Harris, Harris’ mother, is an immigrant from South India. Harris’ father, Donald Harris, is an immigrant from Jamaica. This makes Harris the first biracial vice president, too. “Kamala Harris’ election to vice president is a pretty monumental moment for the United States,” senior English literature major Olivia Allen said. “Her win is especially historic as the first woman of color in that position, and I believe she has the ability to positively impact young Black girls specifically who rarely get to see themselves represented in positions of power.” Harris’ victory as vice president signals a change in American politics, especially after President Donald Trump’s 2016 victory against Hillary Clinton, the first female nominee from a major political party in American politics. Harris is next in line for the presidency, and that is a symbol of hope for many women of color. “Now we have someone to look up to and we know that if she did it we can too,” Cooks said. Harris’s presidential campaign, which ended in 2019, was not met by enthusiasm for a lot of Democratic women because of her record as attorney general, in which she avoided getting involved in police brutality cases in California.

“As a woman entering a legal career, Harris’ win is bittersweet for me,” Allen said. “Although I voted Biden-Harris, Harris’ prosecutorial history is alarming to me, and it is something that we should not ignore simply because she’s a woman. I do think Harris has an opportunity now to right some wrongs and do genuine good, and I really hope we get to see some more progressive policies coming from her office in 2021.” Further, Harris is met with more scrutiny for her past as attorney general, in which she actively refused a U.S. Supreme Court order to reduce overpopulation in California’s prisons, according to Prospect. “For me, Kamala Harris is a bit of a double-edged sword,” freshman international affairs and economics double major Tani Washington said. “Her time as attorney general expanded the discriminatory prison complex, but her presence as a woman of color also represents a tide turning in American politics. I see her as a stepping stone for women who look like me to enter into government.” Harris’ vice presidency is “an opportunity to begin truly bettering the lives of marginalized people,” Washington said. Harris has since then actively advocated against systemic racism in America, even going as far as supporting police reform in the Senate in 2020. Regardless of her oscillating political policies, just her presence in the White House gives many women the inspiration to continue defying societal stereotypes. “I feel as though having a woman in such a high position will help our nation realize that someone’s gender doesn’t determine what type of job they can have,” Kendrick said. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris will be inaugurated into the White House on Jan. 20, at which point Harris’ policies will truly be put to the test of the American people. Regardless of her performance as vice president, Harris is and will always be known as the first woman of color of the United States, defying the walls that have been built to discourage women from assuming positions of power. “Now we have someone to look up to and we know that if she did it we can too,” Cooks said.

OUR TEAM Laurel Deppen* • Editor-in-Chief Nick Fuller* • Digital Director Ellie Tolbert* • Social Media Manager Max Chambers* • Copy Desk Chief Cassady Lamb* • Newsletter Editor Lily Burris* • Assignment Editor Nick Kieser* • Sports Editor Zane Meyer-Thornton* • Multimedia Editor Sam Mallon and Gabi Broekema* • Photo Editors Julianna Lowe* • Community Page Editor Alex Cox* • Design Editor Robin Robinson • Distribution Manager Zach McClain • Advertising Manager Emma Spainhoward • Cherry Creative Director Will Hoagland • Advertising Adviser Carrie Pratt • Herald Adviser Chuck Clark • Director of Student Publications

VIEWS • FROM A2 0.4% positivity rate over the last two weeks. This sounds like a number for only one athletics program at WKU. There’s no shadow of a doubt that there have been positive cases from teams practicing like soccer, softball and baseball. Just on Saturday it was reported by the Bowling Green Daily News that 11 football players or members of the team did not suit up; that stat is definitely off now. According to the report, three of

EINSTEIN • FROM A1 This is not the first time the two had moved away from her Delaware home, a place that means everything to her, Hurley said. In 1994, Hurley married her husband and they moved to Louisiana for his job, living there three years before coming back home to be close to her mother. Her mother died shortly after moving back to Delaware, and three years later, they found themselves in Bowling Green, Hurley said. Hurley loves and always will consider her home to be in Delaware, but with tears welling up in her eyes, said that

the tests were positive cases and eight were from contact tracing. When speaking with the golf coaches both have said there have been no positive cases this fall. WKU has been staying healthy compared to some other schools across the nation. The football program undergoes three tests a week, and once the basketball programs begin to play this will be a weekly routine for them too. Hilltopper basketball was predicted to finish the 2020-21 season atop the

conference, and the Lady Toppers were picked to finish in fifth. A high tempo and experienced Hilltopper basketball team led by head coach Rick Stansbury takes the floor on Nov. 28. Additionally, the youthful Lady Toppers and head coach Greg Collins are poised to come out of the gates swinging when that first game pops up on the schedule. The Hill has some veteran-led programs this upcoming spring, and whether it be in Diddle Arena, out at the

ballpark or at the soccer complex some sense of normalcy is returning along with some high energy sports. Stay tuned, a big slate is ahead. Who’s going to finish at the top when the dust settles on the 2021 spring semester?

she gets a peace in Bowling Green that she didn’t have back home. “I’ve calmed down a lot since I’ve moved here, and I was kind of wild,” Hurley said. “My sister said ‘it’s a good place for you,’ and I agree. Sometimes Hurley feels like she is at home away from her home and has bonded with students who are experiencing the same fear and anxiety she experienced when she first moved here. “When I first started here, I started in Java City and there was this little girl that came through and we talked every day,” Hurley said. “She made me a homemade card that I still have, and I’m

crying, I’m sorry, but I touched her.” Hurley was briefly overcome by emotion when describing how special it felt to have known she had impacted someone else’s life. “She said, ‘You made me feel like I’m at home because my family is so far away, you cared about me, you worried about me,’ and that card really made me feel good,” Hurley said. “I still got it in my little box with my special stuff.” While it is great making connections with people that impact lives forever, we cannot forget that the reason we’re here is to serve a purpose, Hurley said. “My staff here is awesome and per-

sonable, and I hope we don’t get anyone that isn’t happy because it really bothers me,” Hurley said. “We only have a job because people come in and buy stuff, some people don’t understand that concept, but we do.” As for retirement, Hurley says it’s something she hasn’t considered. “I’m not gonna retire until they tell me ‘Sandy, it’s time for you to go,’” Hurley said. “They’ll have to push me out the door.”

Sports Editor Nick Kieser can be reached at nick.kieser036@topper.wku. edu. Follow Nick on Twitter at @KieserNick.

Michael Payne can be reached at michael.payne993@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @mdpayne_.

SGA Sustainability Committee looks to make an impact on campus By Jacob Lattimer

jacob.latimer745@topper.wku.edu The SGA Sustainability Committee is looking to have a significant impact on campus this year. SGA’s Sustainability Committee is directly partnered with WKU’s Office of Sustainability and works to improve environmental sustainability on campus. Matthew Wininger, a political science and agriculture major and SGA’s sustainability chair, says that he is looking forward to seeing what comes from SGA legislation this year. “We’ve set some audacious goals this year with the understanding that expectations drive behavior,” Wininger said. One of the main ideas that SGA’s Sustainability Committee has for the upcoming spring semester is to make recycling more accessible for students off campus. Wininger stated he has been in close contact with the Office of Sustainability about this idea and hopes to

make it happen in the spring semester. Along with this, the Sustainability Committee is hoping to work on implementing community gardens to get students more involved in the beautification of campus. “Actively leading a college life isn’t an easy experience for a lot of people, so if someone comes from a rural community, if they take comfort in gardening, that would be a good way to help in that transition,” Wininger said. The process of getting an SGA bill presented and passed is a long one, but it is a worthwhile process to the senators. Wininger stated that one of the hardest parts of getting a bill going, especially during COVID-19, is the process of communicating through email. SGA senators go through weeks, sometimes months of preparation to get a bill ready to present to the senate.

FUN

son has seen SGA make a positive impact during her time on the senate. “Through our scholarships and organizational aid we’ve also been able to see individual students as well as organizations thrive at WKU and make a difference,” Robertson said. SGA is open to ideas from the student body to be considered for legislation. Wininger stated that if a student sees a problem on campus that they feel SGA could help with, they shouldn’t hesitate to reach out. “We’re always looking for input and ideas,” Wininger said. “People don’t necessarily have to be within SGA to provide us with those.”

Jacob Latimer can be reached at jacob. latimer745@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @jacoblatimer_.

WKU Herald 11/17/20 Trivia Puzzle

WKU Herald 11/17/20 Crossword

Across

Another idea that SGA is planning to act on in the coming months is an Adopta-Highway type program for campus. The Sustainability Committee hopes that this will not only improve the overall environment of WKU’s campus, but will increase students’ knowledge on the student organizations that WKU has. For Dawson McCoun, head of the Legislative Research Committee, there is still more work to be done to solidify SGA’s role on campus. “SGA has made some positive impact, but we cannot settle for that. We have a duty to go beyond. Nobody should pat us on the back for doing the bare minimum,” McCoun said in an email. “We have a mandate to amplify student voices, dissent fervently on what is wrong and increase our efforts to do the tough but necessary work.” Speaker of the Senate Shelby Robert-

PuzzleJunction.com

World War I

12 13 14 15 1 Outlaw 1. What was the main reason for WWI? 4 “The very ___!” (a) Assassination of Austria's Archduke (b) Teritorial rivalry 17 18 16 (c) Murder of German President in Berlin 8 Start of some 2. In which year did the battle of Verdun start? 20 21 22 23 19 cloud names (a) 1914 (b) 1916 (c) 1917 12 Tender 3. What country made the first delaration of war? 26 27 24 25 13 Pickle flavoring (a) Serbia (b) Germany (c) Austria-Hungary 14 Goddess of the 4. What country attacked by Germany provoked Britain to go to 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 hunt war? 39 40 41 (a) France (b) Belgium (c) Luxembourg 16 Farm equipment 36 37 38 5. On what date did the U.S. declare war on Germany? 17 Thousand ___, 43 44 45 42 (a) April 6, 1917 (b) July 3, 1914 (c ) November 4, 1916 Calif. 6. Who was the commander of the U.S. forces in Europe? 18 Ne’er-do-well 48 49 46 47 (a) John Lejeune (b) Eddie Rickenbacker (c) John 19 Money dispenser Pershing 51 52 53 50 20 Down with the 7. What military technology was developed in WWI? (a) Tanks (b) Gas masks (c) Ironclad ships flu 54 55 56 57 58 59 8. What battle lasted for ten months, the longest of the war? 21 Plastic ___ Band (a) Battle of Verdun (b) Battle of Somme (c) Battle of Messines 23 Sea eagle 63 64 65 66 67 60 61 62 Ridge 24 Ivan and 9. What battle was the first major victory for American troops? 70 71 72 68 69 Nicholas (a) Lys (b) Moreuil Wood (c) Cantigny WKU Herald 11/17/20 Sudoku 2 26 N.Y.C. clock 10. What country was the first of the Central Powers to surrender? 74 75 73 setting WKU Herald 9/8/20 Sudoku 1 (a) Bulgaria (b) Greece (c) Italy PuzzleJuncti 28 Easily tamed bird 76 77 78 30 Warmed the Copyright ©2020 PuzzleJunction.com To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and bench To box solvemust the Sudoku puzzle, row, column contain the each numbers 1 to 9.and 32 Do as directed 9 Jack-in-the-box 68 Courtroom event 37 Do magazine work box must contain the numbers 1 to 9. 36 Graze 70 Bit of kindling part 38 Pound of poetry 39 Tailless cat 10 Yarn 72 Fish part 40 Allege as fact 41 Newbie 11 Unique person 73 Literally, “dwarf 44 Stan who created 8 3 6 42 Cutting tool dog” 12 Petty quarrel Spider-Man 43 To no ___ 15 Son of Prince 74 Pepsi, for one 47 Drop the ball 2 8 45 Delivery from 75 Hydroxyl Valiant 49 Debate position Santa 20 Philosopher’s compound 51 NASA concern 5 1 46 Calamitous 76 Coagulum study 53 Air hero 48 Gaelic language 77 Pay attention to 22 Like some prices 55 Improvise 7 2 49 Cancún coin 78 “Seinfeld” uncle 25 Checkers color 57 Acadia National 6 8 50 Antares, for one 27 Moppet Park locale 51 Web browser Down 29 Thurman of “The 58 Ice house 4 3 1 entry Avengers” 59 Lockup 52 Mr. Potato Head 1 Lightning units 30 Tangle 60 List abbr. 7 4 6 1 piece 31 ___ of Evil 2 Bouquet 61 Hot rum drink 54 Churchill’s “so 3 Current 33 Memory unit 62 Demoiselle 1 5 9 3 few” (Abbr.) 34 Oscar Wilde 4 Matinee hero 64 Use acid 7 5 56 Strip beginner poem “The 5 Watch face 65 Tick off 60 Salad ingredient 6 Canada’s ___ Island Garden of ___” 66 “Good grief!” Copyright ©2020 PuzzleJunction.com 63 Anonymous John 35 Toy that does National Park 69 Opposite of hence 65 Sandpiper 7 In addition tricks 71 Heartache 67 Biographical bit 8 So long 36 Crazes 72 Gooey stuff Solution Solution 1.a 2.b 3.c 4.b 5.a

6.c 7.b 8.a 9.c 10.a

Solution

5 6

3 7 5 4

What was the main reason for WWI? (a) Assassination of Austria's Archduke (b) Teritorial rivalry (c) Murder of German President in Berlin In which year did the battle of Verdun start? (a) 1914 (b) 1916 (c) 1917 What country made the first delaration of war? (a) Serbia (b) Germany (c) Austria-Hungary What country attacked by Germany provoked Britain to go to war? (a) France (b) Belgium (c) Luxembourg On what date did the U.S. declare war on Germany? (a) April 6, 1917 (b) July 3, 1914 (c ) November 4, 1916 Who was the commander of the U.S. forces in Europe? (a) John Lejeune (b) Eddie Rickenbacker (c) John Pershing What military technology was developed in WWI? (a) Tanks (b) Gas masks (c) Ironclad ships What battle lasted for ten months, the longest of the war? (a) Battle of Verdun (b) Battle of Somme (c) Battle of Messines Ridge What battle was the first major victory for American troops? (a) Lys (b) Moreuil Wood (c) Cantigny What country was the first of the Central Powers to surrender? (a) Bulgaria (b) Greece (c) Italy

9 2 3 6

5 1

World War I

U P O N

E S A U

S O F T

F A D S

This week’s crossword solution > < Last week’s crossword solution

E T C

A R O M A

N E W

I D O I L R S E M U E E D M D Z A I R E U T A R R A F D O G G R I A L O R G I G L O B

D E A I L L A K S L O N E S A T A N X V A I L E R S E R L E

A D I O S

L T O I A N A D L E R E R N T O B E Y T Y R O T O Y P E S O A R C O M I C E R E E A G E T W I G G I L L C O L A E N O L H E E D L E O

9 2 3 8 4 6 7 5

B R T E E E D D

B O L T S

8 5 6 1 7 3 9 2

B A S T E

S P A T

7 4 1 9 5 2 6 8

L A D Y

3 8 2 4 1 9 5 6

E V E S

Solution

Sudoku Solution 1 6 5 7

8 2 3 1

5 6 7 3 2 8 1 4

L A T E

B O L T

PuzzleJunction.com 9 7 3 4 1

K A Y O

L O O M

L A P I N E P I C K A N Z O N E E R E P E L H O E Y M U R U S C R U A R R C A L Y R N A E E C

4 1 9 7 6 5 8 3 2

S C A B

I N K D O N O M E A W L D H B A I S A T A P T S E N E R E W A Y E K E L A W

2 7 8 6 3 1 4 9 5

A O S P H S E N

W O K S S T O R C A K I T A P I A T R A E A

6 3 4 5 9 7 2 1 8

O G R E

1.a 6.c 2.b 7.b 2 43.c 3 7 5 8.a 6 7 5 9 1 8 3 4.b 9.c 8 1 6 4 Solution 2 9 Sudoku 5.a 10.a

9 4 7 2 9 8 5 6 3 4

1 9 5 2 8 4 3 7 6

V A I N

TRIPLE CROWN

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS!

WINNER 2020 MAGAZINE PACEMAKER

WKUHERALD.COM

WINNER 2020 ONLINE PACEMAKER

WINNER 2020 INNOVATION PACEMAKER FIRST YEAR AWARDED

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD FINALIST 2020 NEWSPAPER PACEMAKER

WKUTALISMAN.COM FINALIST 2020 ONLINE PACEMAKER

The Pacemaker Award from Associated Collegiate Press is the nation’s top honor for student-run media. We just brought home three — plus two more finalists. We’re now home to 40 Pacemakers — 21 for Talisman, 18 for the College Heights Herald and, now, 1 for Cherry Creative. This is the second time in four years our students’ work has earned three Pacemaker awards in a single year.

A job well done, year after year.

GROWING EXCELLENCE