August 22, 2017

AUGUST 22, 2017

Alan Hopkins of Shelton, Conn. uses his solar glasses to view the eclipse at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium on Monday, Aug. 21, 2017 in Bowling Green.

EBONY COX/HERALD

The Great American Eclipse

BY HERALD STAFF

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

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housands of students, faculty and visitors gathered around campus in the hours leading up to 1:27 p.m. Monday afternoon, waiting for the moment of totality during the highly anticipated solar eclipse. Viewers glanced up periodically, checking the sun through solar viewers as the moon inched closer to its center.

People chatted, situating their lawn chairs for a clear view of the sun, occasionally singing along to their eclipse playlist blaring from speakers nearby. If they took a break from watching the sun, some people noticed the tree branches casting crescent-shaped shadows on the sidewalk, reflecting the sun’s shape before totality.

Then, in what felt like all at once, WKU became blanketed by a hazy darkness as the moon’s shadow arrived.

Street lights flickered on, cicadas started singing and the temperature dropped. Everyone on campus who knew what was about to happen was outside waiting to witness the total solar eclipse.

“It’s once in a lifetime,” freshman Hannah Martin said about her chance to watch the eclipse. Martin went with her friends to L.T. Smith Stadium on Monday to catch a glimpse of totality.

Martin’s friend, freshman Tavias Babb, said he’s not superstitious, but he thought it was cool to start his first day of college on the day of the solar eclipse.

Also in the stadium were hundreds of elementary and middle school students from schools nearby that were not in the

path of totality.

As they waited for darkness, Murphysville eighth grader Katie Defevers laughed as she tossed an empty Coke bottle down the bleachers of WKU’s football stadium. Her classmate Camden King looked up just in time to catch it.

Both students wore lanyards with solar eclipse viewing cards and fidgeted with them as they spoke.

“It’ll be really dark for a second, then it’ll get really bright for a second,” King said, describing what he thought the eclipse would look like.

Defevers said her class had been learning about the eclipse for a few days in preparation for their field trip to Bowling Green. She said she didn’t know what the eclipse would be like, but she was excited.

Hart County High School sophomore Jarred Foster cheered with his friends as a voice announced over the speaker that only seven minutes remained until the total solar eclipse.

Seated on the bleachers in Smith Stadium, the sophomore said he hadn’t been paying a lot of attention to the first part of the program, but in the moments before totality, his face was turned up, and his eyes were fixed firmly on the sun as he stared up at the sky through a solar viewer provided by WKU. “It’s cool ‘cause the moon covers the sun,” Foster said.

When totality hit, screams and cheers filled the stadium as students took off

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Maura Monaghan of Springfield, Massachusetts peers into a telescope at the Ohio Astronomy Club’s campsite in Hopkinsville, Ky. Maura and her family drove 12 hours to view the solar eclipse at Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville. “We’re very impressed with how accommodating everyone has been since we arrived here on Friday,” Monaghan said. ABIGAIL DOLLINS/HERALD

The Great American Eclipse

EBONY COX/HERALD

Heather Carrico, science teacher at St. Dominic School in Springfield, Kentucky led a field trip with the seventh and eighth grade classes to the Bowling Green Hot Rods Stadium. Carrico says she “likes showing the kids that science is part of everyday life, and it’s fun.”

Victoria Edwards traveled from Springfield, Tenn. by car to see the solar eclipse at Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith Stadium on Monday in Bowling Green. “What I am most interested in seeing during the solar eclipse are the seconds where the moon is moving away from the sun,” said Edwards.

Alicia Edds, 17, has been looking forward to the eclipse since the first grade. The Gatton Academy senior from Buckner, KY is a self-proclaimed NASA fanatic. “I follow NASA on their social media and I have all of the important dates marked on my calendar,” Edds said. In elementary school she found a meteorite and had it tested at a museum. “Turns out it really was from space,” she said. “Since it wasn’t found on government property, I got to keep it.” Edds has attended space camp since the fourth grade. “Space camp is my happy place,” she said. As for the eclipse, she can hardly contain her excitement. “My little heart is pounding,” she said. “It’s going to be magical. I’m gonna cry for sure.”

JENNIFER KING/HERALD

JENNIFER KING/HERALD

TOTAL ECLIPSE TRAVELS: 5 TRAVELERS SHARE THEIR ECLIPSE EXPERIENCES

GRACE PRITCHETT/HERALD

A total solar eclipse took place on Monday. This was the view from Chaney’s Dairy Barn, which was reportedly one of the longest viewing times in Warren County.

MHARI SHAW/HERALD

Gatton Academy seniors J.J. Marquardt, 17, and Maddy Van Hulse, 17, were on an unexpected mission during the eclipse event at Shaker Village. “We’re actually here to shoot a music video,” Marquardt said. “It’s a secret, so keep it on the down low.” The music video wasn’t the only reason they brought all the gear. Marquardt has an interest in film and Hulse wanted to take pictures of her friends. The event provided an opportunity that the teens might not have had otherwise. “I probably would’ve still gone out to see it but I might not have invested in the solar gear if I wasn’t already here with Gatton,” Hulse said.

ECLIPSE

their glasses to watch the astronomical event.

Across the street on South Lawn, Florence sophomore Shante Smith screamed from excitement once the sun was completely covered.

Smith was with two friends, who all demonstrated their enthusiasm for the eclipse with matching “Keep Calm and Eclipse On” t-shirts.

As physics and astronomy professor Gordon Emslie said, it’s impossible to describe what it’s like to witness a total eclipse — “You just have to experience it for yourself.”

It’s three-dimensional: viewers can feel the temperature drop more than 20 degrees, they hear nocturnal animals come out, stars twinkle, Mars appears, all while the sun’s corona becomes visible around the moon’s black shadow.

Louisville senior Katelyn Essex said she had a lot of fun waiting for the eclipse with her friends, and felt “a lot of excitement” during totality.

“I was kind of expecting to be underwhelmed, but it was actually a lot cooler than I thought it would be,” Essex said.

Mount Eden senior Rachel McClain said she also thought the eclipse “was going to be kind of lame,” but she was surprised by how cool it was.

McClain said she felt like the eclipse united people across the nation in a time where many feel divided.

“It was mesmerizing, really surreal, watching everything get hazy, then it cools off,” she said, describing totality.

When asked if she would ever travel to see another eclipse, McClain said, “Who knows? Maybe this will be the start of an astronomy obsession for me, and I’ll just go chasing eclipses.”

Travis Smith and girlfriend Christina Dessart of Frenchtown, Ind, view the solar eclipse once it reaches totality in Hopkinsville, Ky. “This is a once in a lifetime event and we’re happy to be a part of it,” Smith said.

ABIGAIL DOLLINS/HERALD

WIDE OPEN: COMPETITION HEATING UP AT WIDE RECEIVER

SGA RESPONDS TO PROTEST AT UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

SPORTS, PAGE B6

NEWS, PAGE A3

TTUESDAY, UESDAY, AAUGUST UGUST 222, 2, 22017 017 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 993, 3, IISSUE SSUE 0011

Caboni talks budget in meeting with editors

BY MONICA KAST HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Members of the Herald editorial board met with President Timothy C. Caboni on Friday afternoon to discuss his first semester as president and changes that may come to the university. Here are four takeaways from the meeting.

Budget We aren’t out of the woods on budget woes just yet. Despite the nearly $30 million in carry forward funds that were approved last year, WKU is still looking at a budget deficit that could fall between $11 million and $15 million, Caboni said.

He added using “carry forward works for this year,” but it also presents several major drawbacks, including penalizing units on campus that are “doing well and creating revenue.” Caboni said the budget council will have to look at ways to make the budget work for the university that WKU is today.

“Our budget today was built for a different era, an era of growing enrollment,” Caboni said. “While we’re still going to be 20,000 students strong, the mix of students within that 20,000 has changed over time.”

The final budget deficit will not be known until October, Caboni said, and is dependent upon things like state support, pension and enrollment numbers.

Caboni also addressed the performance-based funding model, which will go into effect this academic year. Caboni said the performance-based funding model is “crucial” to the overall budget of WKU. “The way in which performance funding was enacted in Kentucky means that funds are going to move from one higher education institution to another based upon performance,” Caboni said.

“We must, and we will, position ourselves to be successful in that model. That also means difficult choices and making sure that we’re doing everything in our power to help our students be successful.”

Admission Standards During discussion about the performance-based funding model, Caboni talked about current admission standards at WKU. He said

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President Timothy C. Caboni gives out faculty awards and delivers his convocation speech on Aug 18, in Van Meter Hall. Caboni started his speech by stating what was more important in his vision for the university was “What is our collective vision for our university?” Caboni went on to talk about strategic planning and strategic doing including reinstating the spousal tuition benefit, which reduces tuition for spouses of employees of WKU. SILAS WALKER/HERALD

back home President Caboni makes changes to WKU

BY EMILY DELETTER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

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ddressing a packed auditorium at Van Meter Hall, WKU’s newest president Timothy C. Caboni said a phrase that earned him enthusiastic applause.

“It’s good to be back home,” Caboni said.

Caboni, who has officially been in office since July 1, addressed faculty, staff, students and the Board of Regents on Friday Aug. 18, in his first President’s Convocation.

Several faculty and staff members were recognized with awards of excellence before the address began.

Director of Student Conduct Michael Crowe was the recipient of the Spirit of Western Award.

Crowe, a graduate of WKU and an employee at WKU since 2008, received a standing ovation when his name was announced. Crowe said he was “overcome with emotion” when he learned he was the recipient.

“I really see this as a true honor,” Crowe said. “It’s going to motivate me to do this even more ... this whole thing just lit a fire even more under me for this institution.”

One of the faculty members in the audience was Cecile Garmon, the director for the Center of Leadership Excellence. Garmon, who has worked at WKU since 1980, said she felt that positive changes were in WKU’s future.

“I’m excited,” Garmon said. “[Caboni] hit on points that we need to focus on. He’s changing the focus to meet the needs of the students, with

an increase of programming rather than construction.”

Patti Minter, a professor in the department of history, said she found Caboni’s address to be refreshing, especially with his remarks regarding recent events in Charlottesville.

“Bigotry and hate have no place on this campus,” Caboni said during his address.

“Bigotry and hate have no place, and it was a message for a difficult time,” Minter said. “He spoke of adversity, equity and inclusion.”

At Friday’s convocation, Caboni announced plans to reinstate spousal tuition benefits at WKU, giving spouses of WKU employees discounts on tuition. Minter said she was supportive of Caboni’s decision

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Campus construction continues with completion of restaurant

BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU students have a summer full of construction to thank for the new on-campus restaurant that opened today next to Pearce Ford Tower.

With the completion of The Den

by Denny’s, the university now has more than 20 restaurants on campus. The Den replaced Popeyes and Freshens, which until this summer were located next to each other in the Tower Food Court.

Chief facilities officer Bryan Russell said the completion of the restaurant in a few months was impressive.

“It’s outstanding, that in an extremely short period of time, to go from no plans at all to fully getting it designed, getting the work scheduled and getting the work completed,” Russell said.

The construction for The Den began at the end of last semester when Popeyes closed and moved out of the building, Russell said. The building then underwent a complete renovation to make room for the new restaurant.

WKU’s planning, design and construction staff also oversaw the construction of several of the campus’ other major projects, all of which will continue to undergo construction throughout this semester.

Russell said Ogden College Hall, which sits on the site of the old Thompson Complex North Wing, remains on schedule to open this December. Faculty and staff will move into their offices over the upcoming winter break and the building will open for classes next spring semester.

“It’s beautiful inside,” Russell said of the $48 million building.

“It’s really cool.”

After the completion of Ogden College Hall, construction will begin on Thompson Complex Center Wing.

Russell said the construction will include replacing the roof and windows and renovating the fourth floor to allow for other departments to move into the space. Classes originally scheduled to be held in the Center Wing next semester will be relocated until the work has been completed.

Russell said WKU has yet to select a construction company to renovate the Center Wing, but he expects the bidding process for the job to begin around September or October.

Construction on Hilltopper Hall, the new residence hall next to Rhodes Harlin Hall, also continued over the summer. Russell said the construction remains on schedule, and he expects the building to be “dried in” by winter, meaning the roof will be covered and the exterior walls and windows will be in place. The building is scheduled to be completed

Hilltopper Hall, the newest residence hall project at WKU, is power washed by a construction worker. KATHRYN ZIESIG/HERALD and open for the fall 2018 semester.

In a previous article, the Herald reported on complaints students had about the noise caused by the construction of Hilltopper Hall. To compromise, WKU requested the construction company to wait on beginning work until 7 a.m. and to halt all construction during finals week. Russell said students can still expect to hear some noise, but it will not be as loud as last semester.

“Noise usually comes from the site work and the site work is in a stage that it won’t be that noisy,” Russell said. “That’s not to say it won’t be noisy, but on a college campus it’s like trash trucks and deliveries, all that starts before daylight.”

Two other residence halls, Northeast and Southwest Halls, remain under construction.

Russell said both halls were orig-

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AUGUST 22, 2017

CONVOCATION Continued from FRONT

to reinstate those benefits, saying it was important to have “commitments to all strengths as an institution.”

“We have long neglected our strengths,” Minter said.

RESTAURANT Continued from Front

-nally built as one-story buildings; however, as the campus grew, more floors were added to accommodate the increasing number of students.

The wings of each building were never connected. To reach the same floor in the other wing, students had to go down to the first floor lobby before climbing the stairs to the other wing.

Elevators have also been added to make the halls more accessible for all students. Southwest Hall’s lobby has already opened, and Northeast Hall’s lobby will open the first week of September. Russell said all the floors in both dorms will be open for fall break.

The construction on Northeast and Southwest Halls and the construction of the new Hilltopper Hall are all part of Housing and Residence Life’s 10-year housing plan. As part of the plan, Southwest Hall became Honors College housing this fall, and Northeast Hall will house international students starting in the fall 2018 semester. The housing plan also includes the demolition of Barnes-Campbell Hall in 2018 and Bemis Lawrence Hall 2019.

Brian Kuster, vice president for academic affairs, could not be reached for comment about the construction

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

WKU Provost David Lee said he felt that Caboni’s address showed that he was putting “his own stamp on WKU already,” and providing leadership to the university.

“He has laid out an agenda that focuses on student success, processes and investing in long-term programs,” Lee said.

Lee said it was too early to tell how Caboni’s term will differ from former president Gary Ransdell’s, but said he knows that he is “thinking about his own directions.”

Garmon said she felt optimistic about Caboni as the next president.

“If he acts as well as he speaks, especially with his attitude of inclu-

sion in decision making, it will be a change from the previous administration,” Garmon said.

on Northeast, Southwest and Hilltopper Hall.

The final large on-campus project currently under construction is Parking Structure 3 in the Creason Lot. Russell said construction on the seven-story structure will be completed at the end of September. PS3 will have 679 parking spaces.

The parking structure was originally supposed to have only six floors and between 500 and 600 spots. Rus-

South Campus parking pass will be able to buy an H9 parking permit and park in the new structure. PTS will also open the garage to commuters with C1 permits, and if space remains, to commuters with C2 permits who currently park at South Campus.

“By spring semester at the latest, all students wishing to park on main campus will be able to,” Tougas said in an email.

Russell said summer is the ideal time for construction because most students do not live on campus then, but construction cannot be halted just because school resumes. He said construction can never really stop, even though it may be inconvenient at times.

“I think in some way all construction projects affect students, but we have to continue to make improvements to the campus,” Russell said.

An upcoming project is the renovation of the Garrett Conference Center. Russell said the building was built in 1951 and needs repairs. He said WKU did not receive authorization to begin work on the conference center until July 1, when funding from Aramark became available.

The project has not been designed yet, and it has not been decided if the building will be torn down or just renovated. Russell said the bidding process for the job will hopefully begin this September.

Russell said he also plans on reaching out to the Student Government Association to receive student input about the building. He said he has yet to reach out to SGA, however, he plans to contact them soon.

By spring semester at the latest, all students wishing to park on main campus will be able to.” director of Parking and Transportation Jennifer Tougas sell said extra funding allowed for the addition of another floor and 100 more parking places.

Director of parking and transportation services Jennifer Tougas said the structure will be designated as “OZ,” or overflow zone, when it opens. An overflow zone provides parking for main campus permits.

Tougas also said once PS3 opens, campus residents who purchased a

In addition to the construction on larger projects, Russell said students can expect to see minor projects happening around campus. Most of the construction scheduled for the summer has been completed; however, Russell said a few small projects remain. Some of the exterior of Tate Page Hall still needs work, and work always need to be done on the underground infrastructure.

Reporter Emily DeLetter can be reached at 270-745-6011 or emily. deletter304@topper.wku.edu.

Reporter Emma Collins can be reached at 270-745-6011 or emma. collins399@topper.wku.edu.

CRIME REPORTS • • • • • •

A fire broke out on the tenth floor kitchen of Pearce Ford Tower Sunday afternoon. Clarksville, Tennessee sophomore Jade Parker and Christopher Thompson, not a WKU student, were cooking with hot oil when a “fire ensued,” according to WKU police reports.

Will, Illinois sophomore Mitchell Manuel was cited Aug. 18 for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Paula Williams, an office associate in the department of philosophy and religion, reported theft of her property from Cherry Hall Aug. 18. The property was valued at $427.29.

Louisville freshman Trey Thomas was arrested Aug. 20 for a bench warrant, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Louisville freshman Benjamin Stogsdill was cited on Aug. 20 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Wesley Guy, not a WKU student, was arrested by WKU Police Aug. 20 for disregarding a compulsory turn lane, careless driving, possession of an open alcohol container in a motor vehicle and driving under the influence with a suspended/revoked license.

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AUGUST 22, 2017

SGA president signs anti-discrimination letter

BY NICOLE ZIEGE

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Andi Dahmer, Student Government Association president, signed a letter demonstrating solidarity with the University of Virginia after the violent protests that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia last week.

Dahmer, a junior, is one of more than 120 student government presidents who signed an open letter in support of the University of Virginia.

Other signers of the letter include the student government presidents of the University of Kentucky, Eastern Kentucky University, Centre College, Kentucky State University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University and the University of Louisville.

“We are united with the students of the University of Virginia, as what affects one of our campuses affects us all,” the letter reads. “College campuses are spaces that students should be able to call home, not places of violence, hate, and racism.”

Sarah Kenny, Student Council president of the University of Virginia, said when she read the letter, she felt “overwhelmed by joy and amazement.”

“Although we feel isolated and fearful right now, I feel like I’m part of a community,” Kenny said. “I’m excited to join a workforce where so many people are ready to stand for justice.”

Although she was not present on campus when the protests took place, Kenny, a senior, said she felt a “palpable difference” in the atmo-

sphere of the campus after the protests occurred, and that “some people have been fearful and anxious moving forward this semester.”

However, Kenny said it has also been “remarkable” because of the community that has developed from the tragedy.

“Students are coming together with an effort to go above and beyond,” Kenny said.

Kenny said she wants to thank all of the university presidents who signed the letter.

“They have inspired me, touched me and encouraged me because of their robust support,” Kenny said.

“This letter is a message to the world that ‘this is what we stand for.’”

Dahmer said it is one of her goals for the semester to work across the university to develop “cultural com-

petency training.”

“Discrimination of any kind, whether that be based upon race, sex, gender identity or otherwise cannot be tolerated,” Dahmer said.

Dahmer also said the letter was to demonstrate solidarity on college campuses across the nation and to stand up against racism and discrimination at WKU. “That is truly the spirit of this letter, not only to show that Student Body Presidents around the U.S. stand together against hate and against discrimination, but that we will not stand for actions of this kind on our campus,” Dahmer said.

Reporter Nicole Ziege can be reached at 270-745-6011 or nicole.ziege825@ topper.wku.edu.

New space serves as link to downtown businesses

BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU’s Gordon Ford College of Business has expanded into downtown Bowling Green where new classes and opportunities for outreach will be offered.

A 5,000-square-foot office space in the Pushin Building, located on the Fountain Square, was donated

by John and Carolyn Ridley, owners of the Pushin Building. The space was donated with a three-year lease.

John Ridley serves on WKU’s Board of Regents and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from WKU. Michelle Trawick, associate dean of the college, said the space will provide classes in the MBA program taught by Bob Hatfield, associate dean for graduate programs and research of the business school. There will also be other resources provided, such as executive education programs and a space for the Center of Excellence to host meetings and seminars.

These programs allow students to continue education hours and maintain accreditation. The new space will also allow students in programs such as the Center for Applied Economics to conduct research.

Hebron junior August Snelbaker, who is a math economics and financial planning major, said the expansion is a great opportunity for masters students, which she hopes to become.

Previously, the new programs being offered were at the Knicely Conference Center located on South Campus. Before the expansion, Trawick said it was more difficult to connect with businesses and the knowledge at WKU was “insulated” from the community.

Trawick said the new location is more convenient for businesses because of parking and location and will be a better “link” for the business program.

Snelbaker said the college of business has been great at connecting students with graduates and employers and the expansion is another example of that. In her experience, she said employers usually think highly of WKU graduates and the college of business.

Snelbaker already takes advantage of programs that help her network and perfect professional skills such as interviews. She said the new offerings can be a great way to further network and create professional relationships.

There has been a push by Gordon Ford College to improve Grise Hall as the space for the business school on campus. According to Trawick, there are no guarantees for a new building at this point.

Because there is no set plan for expanding the college, Trawick said they are being resourceful with every potential space.

“We are using any space we can to provide the most experiences for our students,” said Trawick.

President Timothy C. Caboni meets with some of the editorial board members of the College Heights Herald on Friday, Aug. 18. TYGER WILLIAMS/HERALD

MEETING

Continued from front he wants to make sure each student admitted to WKU has a “reasonable chance of success,” which makes WKU more successful.

Currently, if a student has a score of 20 on the ACT, a score of 1020 on the SAT or an unweighted high school GPA of 2.5, they meet admissions requirements for WKU. “If we’re going to make an offer of admission to someone, they must have a reasonable chance of success at this institution,” Caboni said. “And if they don’t, we need to do everything in our power to get them to a place where they’re going to be successful.”

Caboni said one option for students may be attending a community college under dual enrollment at WKU, then transferring later to

WKU with the potential for scholarships through that program.

“Every student to whom we make an offer of admission to, we have to have the exception that they have the ability to graduate,” Caboni said.

Caboni also said by ignoring students who may not be successful, and burdening them with loan debt is “unfair to students.” He said they haven’t had conversations about officially changing admission standards yet, but those may happen in the future.

International and Honors Programs While Caboni did not refer to WKU as “A Leading American University with International Reach,” former president Gary Ransdell’s tagline for the university, he did maintain the importance of an international program.

“International education will continue to be an important

The cutting of the ribbon opened up the newly expanded building for the Gordon Ford College of Business on Tuesday Aug. 8. The expansion is located downtown at the Pushin Building to further grow their program. TYGER WILLIAMS/HERALD The furniture inside the building was either donated or was a surplus from WKU. Trawick said the college is trying to save as many resources as possible during the process. The classroom tables and furniture are new, however.

The space officially opened Aug. 8 during a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Trawick said there was a strong turnout from the business community which is an indication of their further interest.

In a press release, John Ridley said he and Carolyn Ridley donated the space because “we believe in educapart of who we are,” Caboni said.

Caboni has already begun working to unite the international programs under one “umbrella,” and will begin a search this year for a Chief International Officer. Currently, Gordon Johnson, vice president of information technology, is serving as the interim chief officer.

By appointing Johnson as the interim officer, Caboni said there was no “self interest,” and Johnson could look at the data to make the best decisions for the program.

Caboni also said he will continue to look at how and where WKU is recruiting international students, and continue to build relationships that could lead to more recruitment of international students.

Additionally, Caboni said that the Honors College will continue to be important to WKU, but he wanted to shift some of the focus to students “Honors students are wonderful for this institution, but we can’t lose sight of the ‘bread-and-butter’ students that this university was built to educate,” Caboni said.

Caboni said the honors program “will continue to be great,” while beginning conversations about “how to shift some of our attention down the hill.”

Caboni spoke of the idea of a “first year village,” which would include living, dining, housing and social spaces in the same building, in order to build community. Caboni said he wants WKU to begin “thinking differently about how to address living-learning communities and student life across the entirety of this campus.”

“We need to make sure that every student who comes to WKU has the same quality and caliber

Wkuherald.com

tion.”

“The gift of education is an investment in our future,” John Ridley said.

“We recognize that we have been blessed in our careers and that we have a responsibility to help others.

We are grateful to be able to pay it forward by supporting the Gordon Ford College of Business.”

Reporter Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and rebekah.alvey660@topper.wku. of facilities as honors and international students do,” Caboni said.

Sodexo Employee Scholarships and Spousal Tuition Benefits At the President’s Convocation on Friday Aug. 18, Caboni announced a new scholarship program and the return of a spousal benefit program.

Sodexo, WKU’s partner for facilities management, has pledged $650,000 in scholarships to WKU over the next 13 years. According to a press release, that will result in $50,000 in scholarships per academic year.

Dependents of Sodexo employees who work at WKU, including spouses and children, will be eligible to apply for those scholarships beginning this year.

The second program that was announced on Friday was the return of spousal tuition benefits for WKU employees. The spousal tuition benefits program was cut during budget cuts last spring.

Caboni said after discussions with the community, he wanted to make clear “that this institutions’ strength is its human capital, the people who are working here and the programs in which they are working.”

Caboni said despite budget challenges, he wanted to be able to provide benefits for WKU employees.

“It’s symbolic of this - that even in times of scarce resources, we have to make sure we’re prioritizing growing our own human capital and taking care of our own,” Caboni said.

News Editor Monica Kast can be reached at 270-745-7011 or monica. kast187@topper.wku.edu.

@wkuherald

WKUHERALD.COM COMMENTARY

OPINION

AUGUST 22, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Have an opinion? Tweet us @wkuherald or find us on Facebook at WKUHerald as well. Let us know your thoughts about the editorial, or write us with what is on your mind.

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

Hey, how are ya?

BY ANDREW HENDERSON HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Eclipse of Morality The “Many Sides” of a Failing Administration

BY TAYLOR HUFF HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

I

t has been a blockbuster summer in the world of politics where news headlines have been enough to make us laugh, cry and fear for our very lives.

Whether it was the brief stint of White House Communications Director Anthony “the Mooch” Scaramucci, the unnecessary exit from the Paris Climate Accord or the literal ticking time bomb that is North Korea, these past few months have looked less like Mar a Lago and more like Dante’s Inferno.

It’s the most recent tragedy, inspired by the Donald Trump’s hateful and divisive rhetoric, that has disturbed me the most. I use the word “disturb” for lack of a better term to capture my utter disgust at the monsters who participated in the white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia this past week.

As chants of “blood and soil” rang out across what was a peace-

ful, Southern town, a 20-yearold terrorist drove his car into a group of people protesting the hate march. 32 year-old Heather Heyer lost her life courageously standing up to white supremacy.

This issue is not one of politics, but of basic human decency. To say “both sides” were to blame in Charlottesville is to group together racists with those who stand up to racism.

Like many of Trump’s other executive decisions these past eight months, this makes absolutely no sense.

The president had an opportunity to unite Americans against what can only be described as pure evil. Instead, the man that has never hesitated to insult others by name, chose to be vague.

This lack of specific condemnation only leaves moral standards in the dark.

Last November, when this nightmare first began, I tried to understand when Trump supporters assured me he was a legitimate president.

I tried to understand when they told me they did not approve of his actions, but despised Hillary Clin-

ton even more. I tried to understand when they said his business knowledge would make up for his lack of political experience. Even when the vote for Trump was to ensure a Republican majority on the Supreme Court, I tried to understand.

The tragedy in Charlottesville has clarified at least one thing: president Trump needs to step down from his position. He does not possess the level of empathy required of a president during times of trial.

Those who still support Trump after everything he has done have an important decision to make. They can own up to having a hand in giving this man executive power he never should have been granted. The only alternative is to stand idly by while minorities are deemed inferior.

Not speaking out against Nazis and other hate groups means you are okay with people proclaiming superiority based solely on the color of their skin.

Given that his chief strategist, Steve Bannon, was just recently ousted from the White House, it is only a matter of time before Trump becomes the scapegoat of the Republican party.

To everyone new and returning to the Hill, hello!

First, welcome to WKU, glad you could make your way here.

Whether you’re from Kentucky, California, Pakistan or anywhere else in-between, welcome.

We’re the College Heights Herald, WKU’s independent, student-run newspaper. We’ve been around the block for nearly 100 years reporting on news, sports, life, offering different perspectives and giving a glimpse into the mysteries and beauty of this campus and community.

My name is Andrew Henderson, the Herald’s editor-in-chief for the fall semester. I first walked into the newsroom of the Herald the first semester of my freshman year. Odds are I have logged more hours in the Herald newsroom than I have most classes, and that includes some sleeping hours and restless nights.

The Herald has been a defining part of my college experience, it’d be nearly impossible for me to picture what my life would have looked like had I not started working at the Herald. Actually, I’d have more free time and be less likely to have a heart attack before 30, so in some ways it’s not all that difficult.

Now, back to the business spiel of things. You can catch the Herald on newsstands twice a week, Tuesday and Thursday, at various locations around campus and in Bowling Green for our print edition (no, print is not entirely dead) and online 24/7 at wkuherald.com (the Internet is evidently a booming industry).

You can also follow along with us on Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram @wkuherald.

If we ever have a budget supporting of virtual reality technology maybe one day you can gain an immersive experience of what it’s like to work in the newspaper industry.

Spoiler alert, it’s stressful and often involves smoking out behind Student Publications (please don’t take away our designated smoking area).

If you’re looking for a place to hone your skills in writing, editing, marketing, designing or looking for a place to gain some of those skills and more, the Herald is a perfect fit for you. We even have popcorn on Wednesday if that sweetens the deal.

Apply at wkuheraldprojects. com/herald-editorial-application.

Whether it’s your first year or your last year I hope you find something as important to you as the Herald has been to me.

The time you spend here will be like breathing hot air on cold glass.

It’s long enough for you to draw a smiley face, but not long enough to fully appreciate its value. Spend it wisely.

ANALYSIS

Analyzing what constitutes a successful protest

BY EBONEE GABHART HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU It is becoming increasingly apparent that we feed into and are a part of a political air filled with discourse. Objections made by the masses on injustices, under which they are powerless, is part of the political system we have established. This is blatant when considering the very nature of politics and when noting the consequences of the 2016 presidential election.

There are an abundance of reasons why your average American would

want to act on this discourse and participate in a protest. Keeping in mind the recent events in Charlottesville, a conversation was sparked in an English class at KCTCS pertaining to the nature of protests. The tendency of Americans to become upset and feel strongly justified in this feeling, whether they are right or wrong, became a cornerstone of the discussion.

Protests have the potential to be very impactful when the appropriate measures are taken and the intent and purpose of the protests are taken into account. Our history is filled with many protests done well. These successful

protests helped oppressed groups gain ground towards their cause.

The Montgomery bus boycotts are a wonderful example of a successful protest. Their purpose, to put an end to segregation via the busing system, was accomplished by creating a hardship within the busing community. African-Americans not riding the buses hindered the busing income, thereby creating a problem those in power had motive to fix. Creating this immediate problem for the people they had direct quarrel with, and doing so peacefully, allowed this group to advance their position and created open air

for a conversation to take place.

There is a wrong and right way to make your position, story or fear heard. When organizing to voice your side, it is easy to lose sight of the goal when there is no clear purpose or aim.

This begs the following question: are the lives lost in the effort worth it? Many protests that take place within our society today are victim to diffusion of responsibility and lack of a clear goal. What are we accomplishing through gathering to voice our injustice without proper organization? Imagine the good that could be accomplished with a clear vision.

Andrew Henderson* Monica Kast* Editor-in-chief News Editor

Sarah Cahill Ad Manager

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Advertising: 270.745.2653 herald.advertising@wku.edu Newsroom: 270.745.6011 herald.news@wku.edu Address: 1906 College Heights Blvd. #11084, Bowling Green, KY 421011084

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The Herald encourages readers to write letters and commentaries on topics of public interest. Here are a few guidelines: 1. Letters shouldn't exceed 250 words. Commentaries should be about 500 words and include a picture.

2. Originality counts. Please don't submit plagiarized work.

3. For verification, letters and commentaries MUST include your name, phone number, home town and classification or title.

4. Letters may not run in every edition due to space.

5. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for style, grammar, length and clarity. The Herald does NOT print libelous submissions.

6. Submissions must be received by 7 p.m. on Sunday and Wednesday.

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REPORT AN ERROR Editor: 270.745.5044 herald.editor@wku.edu

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper DO NOT reflect those of Western Kentucky University's employees or of its administration. *Denotes editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1 each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.

AUGUST 22, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKUHERALD.COM

PHOTO

A couple gets into position minutes before the moon eclipses the sun on the South Lawn of WKU on Monday. CHRIS KOHLEY/HERALD

S

tudents and visitors alike flooded WKU’s South Lawn to take in the wide open space, live music, and games. Many camped out for hours under the shade of trees to see the legendary total eclipse that passed through WKU on Monday.

NIGHT & dAY

Glasgow sophomore Lyn Dawsyn-Steenbergen takes a selfie with her parents on the South Lawn. “The atmosphere - it’s awesome. There’s so many people,” Dawsyn-Steenbergen said of the event at WKU. CHRIS KOHLEY/HERALD

Students and faculty climb atop Tate Page Hall to view the solar eclipse on Monday. SILAS WALKER/HERALD

Protective glasses were handed out for free to all visitors on campus so they could safely view the eclipse on Monday. CHRIS KOHLEY/HERALD

A5

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

AUGUST 22, 2017

THE FUN PAGE CLASSIFIEDS

Across

Classified Advertising Manager: Will Hoagland

herald.advertising@wku.edu

FOR SALE BUY - SELL - TRADE: Games, Records, Comics!

Also, Dvds, Toys, CDs, CCGs, RPGs, more. The Great Escape Records & Comics. 2945 Scottsville Rd (near Greenwood Mall) (270) 782-8092.

HELP WANTED Musician needed for Gospel Choir - Excellent pay! Seventh Street Missionary Baptist Church is seeking a keyboard musician for our choirs. If interested, call (270) 349-6060 or (270) 792-9400 or submit your resume to: Seventh Street Missionary Baptist Church PO Box 797 Bowling Green, KY 42102.

Note to Readers: The College Heights Herald screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when asked to send money or provide credit card information. The College Heights Herald is not responsible for the content or validity of these paid classified ads.

20th Century History ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

1. What treaty was proposed to Columbia in 1903 for access to the Panama Canal area? (a) Treaty of Guadalupe Hildalgo (b) Hay-Herran Treaty (c) Treaty of Crescent Bay 2. The Zimmerman Telegram helped trigger the U.S. entry into WWI. To what country was it sent? (a) Mexico (b) Russia (c) Japan 3. What date did the Great Depression begin? (a) August 13, 1928 (b) March 17, 1929 (c) October 24, 1929 4. Which program was NOT introduced during the 1930s? (a) Social Security (b) National Defense Education Act (c) Federal Housing Administration 5. What political party was formed in 1948? (a) Dixiecrats (b) Workers World (c) Segregationists 6. The 1950s policy of standing up to the Soviet Union was called what? (a) Eisenhower Doctrine (b) Detente (c) Brinkmanship 7. Name the CIA operation to overthrow Castro in the 60s. (a) Operation Mongoose (b) Operation Cigar (c) Operation Delta 8. Who did Jimmy Carter pardon when he became president? (a) Spiro Agnew (b) Richard Nixon (c) Viet Nam draft dodgers 9. Which of the following was NOT a part of Reaganomics? (a) Cutting social programs (b) Lowering federal income taxes (c) Tax burdens to the wealthy 10. When did World War II start? (a) March 15, 1939 (b) September 1, 1939 (c) January 31, 1939

16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 27 30 31 35 36 39 40 41 43 44 46 47 48 50 51 53 55 56 59 63 64 67 68 69

Solution 1.b 2.a 3.c 4.b 5.a

1 5 10 14 15

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

2

3

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5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

15 16 14 Fashion lines Joke 18 19 17 Make fun of 20 21 22 23 Ear-related Third rock from 24 25 26 the sun Coffee choice 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 Continental coin 35 36 37 38 39 Top dog Bound 41 42 43 40 Break up Benevolent 44 45 46 47 Links prop 49 50 51 52 Photog’s request 48 Lock of hair 53 54 55 Bathroom installation 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 Bodily fluid 63 64 65 66 67 Years on end Carve 69 70 68 “Your majesty” Banned pesticide 71 72 73 Shades Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com Faint Feat 70 ___ of Man 42 Catches flies?

13 Small whirlpool Kiss 71 Shed 45 Work on breaking 21 Varnish Econ. indicator 72 Roast host a code ingredient Past times 73 J.F.K. postings 49 Go a-courting?

23 “___ say!”

Deposit 52 Turf accountant 25 Careless driver’s Supports, in a Down 54 Cacophony problem way 55 Chill-inducing 26 Team player?

Biblical measure 1 Worked the soil 56 Unwanted e-mail 27 Woman’s Psychoanalysis 2 Handbag 57 Guesstimate undergarment subject 3 Type of missile words 28 Cowboy show Reddish brown 4 Vamooses 58 Bona fide 29 Keypad key Clear up 5 Tranquility 59 Cover-up 30 Seafood dish Quarry 6 Rattle 60 Shopper’s aid 32 Gnatlike insect Garden spot 7 Pioneering Dadaist 33 Computer 61 Universal veil Capital on the 8 Advanced degree?

62 Times in command Dnieper 9 Uniform shade classifieds 34 Plant fibers “Immediately!”

10 Trackless trolleys 65 Battering device 37 Greek letters Browning’s Ben 11 Battery fluid 38 Common Market 66 “Monty Python” Ezra, e.g.

12 Drink garnish airer inits.

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

1 7 9 3 8 9 1 4 7 1 5 4 4 8 3 2 5 6 7 8 5 1 2 6 Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

1

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

5 2

7 2 9 3

1 8

6 5 3 8 7 9

6 4 2 9 1 1 9 7 6 3 4

Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

Happy Gas celebrates unique comedy

AUGUST 22, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

LIFE WKUHERALD.COM

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

With upcoming auditions and new opportunities, Happy Gas Improv aims to keep WKU funny.

Imagine sitting in a barren studio on the first floor of Gordon Wilson Hall, wondering how you ended up there and what will happen next.

Now imagine participating in games such as “Bad wingman” and “Clapon,” wondering why you cannot stop laughing and why you never came before.

When it comes to Happy Gas Improv, every second is a surprise and just as funny as the last.

Rather than abide by a script or careful rehearsal, Happy Gas performers are encouraged to act spontaneously, involve the audience and have fun. Whether they are standing behind each other and acting in tandem, pretending the arms of the actor behind are actually those of the actor in front or urging the audience for bizarre suggestions to include in their games, the Happy Gas crew is over-the-top in the best way.

Started by WKU students in 1999, Happy Gas is still fronted primarily by students who specialize in theatre and dance. However, all students are welcome to audition.

Happy Gas most recently performed in studio 105 on the first floor of Gordon Wilson Hall on Sunday, but no further shows have officially been scheduled. According to Louisville freshman Jacob Chamberlain, Happy Gas actor and co-spokesperson, the organization will soon announce dates for new shows and auditions, which will most likely take place by early September.

As the longest run student comedy troupe in Kentucky, Happy Gas

SEE HAPPY GAS PAGE B2

Caitlin Brock and other members of the Phi Mu sorority wait for the arrival of their new sisters during Bid Day at Centennial Mall on Sunday, Aug. 20. Brock says she looks forward to “getting new members into the family. They all bring their own essence.”

SISTER, SISTER

GRACE PRITCHETT/HERALD

Sororities welcome new members

BY SARAH YAACOUB HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Throngs of young women clad in matching tank tops and covered in vivid shades of face paint stood in Centennial Mall on Sunday afternoon, chattering excitedly as they awaited the commencement of Sorority Bid Day. The handmade signs they waved bore the names of new members, and they screamed their chapters’ letters at the top of their lungs, singing chants and songs announcing fealty and love for their sisters.

“Panhellenic recruitment is a weeklong process,” explained Amy Teta, WKU senior and chair of the Panhellenic Circle of Sisterhood, a sorority philanthropy founda-

tion. “Bid Day is a celebration at the end of that week. We welcome new members home, and they join their chapters and play get-to-know-you games.”

WKU has 15 sororities, nine of which belong to the National Panhellenic Conference and participate in the annual Sorority Bid Day, marking the end of sorority recruitment. Recruitment, also known as Rush Week, gives prospective sisters the opportunity to socialize with each sorority and its women and allows each chapter to get to know the potential new members through a series of introductions, meetings and orientations intended to filter the applicant pool and determine each potential member’s best fit.

Each sorority has a different type of philanthropy and different core

values, so it’s important that the prospective members get a chance to figure out where they best belong.

This year’s rush week began with move in on Aug. 14, continuing through the week with activities leading up to bid day, the main event of recruitment, when sorority sister hopefuls receive bids from chapters interested in taking them on as members.

“One more time!”

“You and me are gonna be sisters, you and me are gonna be pals!”

That was Delta Zeta, dressed in teal and carrying paper starfish to reflect their seaside theme. Their shouted mantra grew louder until it competed with the Justin Bieber ballads that Phi Mu Delta Tau blasted and the Al-

SEE BID DAY PAGE B2

DIVERSITY & COMMUNITY

STUDIES at

SOLIDARITY

www.wku.edu/dcs

SCHOLARSHIP

SUS TA INAB ILITY

SERVICE

The Major in Diversity & Community Studies requires a minor — such as African American Studies, Citizenship & Social Justice, or Gender & Women’s Studies, but any minor (or second major) will work!

For more information, please email DCStudies@wku.edu or call 270-745-6477

B2

AUGUST 22, 2017

BID DAY

Continued from B1 pha Omicron Pi sorority’s Alpha Chi chapter roll call.

The sisters rehearsed choreographed dances on the red brick and posed for quick photos with giant flags lettered with the names of their soror-

HAPPY GAS Continued from B1

draws influence from stand-up comedy and the Upright Citizens Brigade, a Chicago sketch comedy group that has yielded Saturday Night Live greats like Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz.

Despite mostly performing around the Bowling Green area, Happy Gas

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

ities. The air was one of camaraderie and anticipation, with banners reading of slogans like “Welcome Home to Alpha Delta Pi� and “We Can’t Wait to Meet Our Roommates!� greeting the recruits.

Finally, the time came for this year’s 400 new members to join their sororities. Clouds of bright smoke and

colored glitter flew as the women ran to find their Bigs, experienced sorority sisters who would act as mentors through the pledgeship process and the college years.

A few minutes later, all the bigs had their littles. Hugs and laughter ensued, and more tank tops were passed around to each pledge. The sororities

walked together back to their houses to take group pictures and initiate their new members, and the new season began for Greek life on campus.

wishes to extend its reach to new venues such as Nashville.

Franklin senior and Happy Gas troupe member and president, Paige Brouillette, appreciates Happy Gas’ tradition of performing in front of WKU residence halls, so-called “dorm-touring,� but cites expansion as the organization’s greatest point of emphasis. “Our goal is to get out there, ex-

plore some new venues,� Brouillette said.

Brentwood senior Gabriel Pless performs with Happy Gas and serves alongside Chamberlain as co-spokesperson. Pless enjoys the artistic flexibility improv comedy allows and looks forward to the opportunity to interact and share comedy with others. “It’s all about being in the mo-

ment,� Pless said.

Chamberlain voices a similar interest in increased audience involvement and performance spontaneity. “Especially with shows, it’s always something new,� Chamberlain said. “No show is just like the last one.�

Reporter Sarah Yaacoub can be reached at 270-745-2655 and sarah. yaacoub214@topper.wku.edu.

Reporter Griffin Fletcher can be reached at 270-745-2655 and griffin. fletcher398@topper.wku.edu.

Come celebrate Back to School at the CVS Pharmacy on KenWXFN\ 6WUHHW )ULGD\ $XJXVW 7KLV ZLOO EH D IXQ ÀOOHG day with the community and all WKU Students/Faculty.

The event will be held 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Come and enjoy a day of free music, food and activities with your CVS Pharmacy team.

Big Red Bucks Accepted Here!

Wkuherald.com

@wkuherald

@wkuherald

B3

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

AUGUST 22, 2017

William Singe concert tops off M.A.S.T.E.R. plan

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU William Singe traveled across the world to welcome WKU to a new semester.

WKU freshman orientation, M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan, ended not with a speech and wishes of good luck, but with strobe lights and the 2012 “The X Factor Australia” third place finalist.

William Singe, an accomplished hip-hop artist and ex-member of Australian boy band “The Collective,” performed at Diddle Arena on Thursday, Aug. 17.

Despite an audience comprised largely of incoming freshmen, which struggled to fill even half of Diddle’s tarped gym floor, Singe covered an assortment of popular rap and R&B hits and gave everyone the chance to sing along.

With pink, green and yellow lights glittering to the ceiling, Singe entered the stage to an eruption of cheers and class of 2021 excitement. From the moment the turntables behind him dropped the first beat, Singe electrified the crowd with Usher-like vocals and dance moves well into Thursday night.

As opposed to performing original songs, Singe opted to sing a variety of well-known hip-hop jams ranging everywhere from the ‘90s to today.

Some highlights included a slowed down version of R. Kelly’s “Ignition (Remix)” and a crowd-pleasing cover of The Chainsmoker’s “Closer.”

In between multitudes of mixed and mashed EDM singles, Singe made an effort to express his gratitude to the crowd.

“I came from the other side of the world to play this show,” Singe said

William Singe performs during a M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan closing concert on Thursday Aug. 17, 2017 at Diddle Arena. SHABAN ATHUMAN/ HERALD

in his applause-inducing Australian accent.

He spoke about how much he appreciated the opportunity to perform for the students of WKU, and he encouraged everyone to enjoy the show and spread positivity among one another.

Given the serious and informative tone of M.A.S.T.E.R. plan, students responded well to Singe’s urging to finally wind down and have fun.

Freshman Susana Caito from Missouri enjoyed the opportunity to decompress after a week of scheduling and advice, although she had never heard about William Singe prior to

his performance at WKU. “It was still fun,” she said as she smiled and stood beside her fellow freshman friend, Hayden Welty, from Tennessee who has subscribed to Singe’s social media accounts and listened to his music for years.

Welty remarked upon how exciting it was to finally see Singe perform in person after knowing of his artistry for so long.

“It was cool to see him in person and see all his renditions live,” she said.

Though many others may not have been introduced to Singe before his concert in Diddle, the deafening

cheers and chanted lyrics from almost everyone in attendance would seem to say otherwise.

The fall semester had not even started yet, and most people at the show were fresh off all day sessions and group activities, but Singe used his soaring falsetto in the best way he could.

Singe treated the students of WKU to an hour of fun and camaraderie, and kicked off the new school year with a party.

Reporter Griffin Fletcher can be reached at 270-745-2655 and griffin. fletcher398@topper.wku.edu.

Discover Fest to feature 300 student opportunities

BY OLIVIA MOHR HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU In Downing Student Union on Wednesday, Aug. 30 from 3 to 6 p.m., the Student Activities Ambassadors Program will host the Discover Fest Student Involvement Fair, which will consist of student organizations both on and off campus.

WKU’s student organizations, including more than 300 such as the Student Accessibility Resource Center, or SARC, and the Alumni Association, are invited to set up information tables and promote student involvement. A few of WKU’s off-campus partners will also be there, and several leadership and volunteer organizations will be present.

Brandenburg Senior Andre Dowell is an intern for Student Activities, which comes with the position as the Coordinator for Discover Fest. He is also a Coordinator of the Student Activities Ambassadors Program.

Dowell she he believes the Discover Fest will benefit students.

“They’ll be able to find their niche on campus,” Dowell said. “They’ll be able to find the group that better fits them to be able to assist with their college experience, because we all know the students who are actively involved are the ones who are most likely to graduate in the end.”

Dowell said Discover Fest will allow the organizations to have a central location, which will allow students to discover the resources and organizations available on campus more easily.

“Campus involvement is necessary,” Dowell said. “It strengthens your network, it expands your current resources that you have, it allows you to be able to stay active and also proactive, it gives you the opportunity to really take the initiative to step outside of your normal comfort zone – because honestly, that’s what college is about, and that’s what these groups are here for – and it’s also just to guide your college experience.”

Dowell said he believes the Discover Fest will be especially beneficial to freshmen because it will provide a re-

WKU and the student organizations and opportunities it has to offer and get involved “before it’s too late,” and the upperclassmen running the tables will help freshmen get involved and do a “good deed.”

Like Dowell, Bullock said she feels student involvement is essential.

“I feel like there’s something for every student to get involved in and find their space, their comfort zone, so I definitely think it’s important because when you’re involved it kind of makes your college experience, so I definitely think it’s beneficial to get

“I think it’s just a very important socialization part of college, to kind of give you a balance between going to class and things to do outside of class,” Micaelah McAlpine Graduate Student from Louisville laxed environment to ask questions and get involved on campus, but he believes upperclassmen will benefit as well.

Graduate student Lydia Bullock, from Jackson, Tennessee, also thinks Discover Fest will benefit both freshmen and upperclassmen. Bullock is a graduate assistant in the Office of Student Activities, and she serves as a coordinator for Discover Fest.

Bullock said she believes upperclassmen will find out more about

involved here at WKU,” she said.

Bullock said she also feels student involvement is important in shaping students’ futures.

When Bullock was earning her undergraduate degree at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, she was heavily involved on campus. The people she met as a result helped get to her next destination to pursue an graduate degree at WKU. She got involved with Student Affairs because of APSU’s relation-

ship with the WKU Dean of Students.

“I feel like campus involvement in some way shapes your future because when you find your space and you meet other people, you just never know your next step or how your campus involvement can help your next step,” she said.

Graduate student Micaelah McAlpine from Louisville, another graduate assistant in Student Activities, is also assisting with Discover Fest. This is her first year of graduate school, and she received her undergraduate degree from the University of Kentucky.

Because McAlpine is new to WKU, she is excited not only to assist with the event, but to discover student organizations.

“I’m excited for the experience to put on a large event such as Discover Fest, but I’m also excited just as a new graduate student to see different organizations on campus and get a chance to familiarize myself so I can better help in my [graduate assistant] position,” she said.

McAlpine said she feels student involvement allows students to become more well-rounded and allows them to meet people.

“I think it’s just a very important socialization part of college, to kind of give you a balance between going to class and things to do outside of class,” she said.

Reporter Olivia Mohr can be reached at 270-745-6288 and olivia. mohr564@topper.wku.edu.

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AUGUST 22, 2017

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Spohomore forward Chandler Backes (5) takes a shot on goal against Morehead State’s goalie Eva Yr Helgadottir (1) during WKU’s 2-0 victory Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016, at the WKU Soccer Complex. EVAN BOGGS/HERALD

WKU Soccer splits road games to open season

BY CASEY MCCARTHY

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU The Lady Toppers soccer team looked to build off a strong 2016 campaign as they began the 2017 regular season over the weekend on the fifth-longest road trip in program history by mileage.

The Lady Toppers (1-1) opened the regular season against Lipscomb on Friday evening before traveling to play the University of Texas on Sunday afternoon.

WKU kicked off the regular season with a 2-0 shut out victory over Lipscomb in Nashville.

Freshman forward Tally Bishop scored her first collegiate goal off of assists from sophomore Chandler Backes and senior Hannah Chua less than five minutes into the contest.

Bishop would return the favor in the second half, assisting Backes’ shot in the 64th minute.

Bishop’s goal marks the third

straight season a true freshman has scored for WKU in a season opener, following Hannah Cady and Backes in 2015, and Kaylyn Bryant last year.

This is the sixth meeting between the two programs, with WKU holding a perfect 6-0 record in the series against the Bisons. Shots were an even 14-14, in attempts, but the Lady Toppers held a significant edge in shots on goal, 8-3, thanks in large part to the team defense.

Allison Leone recorded her 23rd career solo shutout, playing the full 90 minutes with three saves. Kate Mason played between the posts for Lipscomb, finishing with six saves, three in each half.

WKU followed up the season-opening win with a road trip to Texas on Sunday, falling 2-0 at Mike A. Myers Stadium.

Goalkeeper Allison Leone finished the game with nine saves, just two shy of her career-best mark. The Longhorns held a strong advantage in overall shots 21-1 (14 in the first

half), with an 11-0 edge in shots on goal.

Amber Stearns opened up the scoring for the Longhorns in the first half, knocking in a header 19 minutes in. Emily Strouphauer would double the lead a few minutes before the half with a blast from outside the box.

The Lady Toppers were unable to convert their only attempt, a shot by Nicole Roseland in the second half.

The Lady Toppers will travel to face Austin Peay next Friday. WKU is 7-01 against the Lady Govs all time, including an overtime victory last year.

The Lady Toppers will then make their home debut this season against UT Martin on Sunday, Aug. 27 at the WKU Soccer Complex. Admission is free for all fans of WKU Soccer for the 2017 season.

WKU finished its preseason stint 0-2, falling 4-0 at Saint Louis on Friday, Aug. 11, and 2-0 Sunday, Aug. 13, against Murray State.

WKU returns six starters from a

team that finished 12-6-1 in 2016 and reached the quarterfinals of the C-USA Tournament, before falling to eventual champion Charlotte.

The Lady Toppers return their leading scorer from last season in the sophomore forward Backes (10 goals, 1 assist ), along with preseason All C-USA pick, junior Nicole Roseland, acting as a anchor in the defensive midfield. Senior Allison Leone returns in goal, already second in school history in solo shutouts (22) and career goals against average (0.99 ).

Other key returnees include redshirt junior Sarah Gorham (four goals, four assists), senior Bria Mosley (four goals, one assist), senior Hannah Chua (two goals, one assist), and sophomore Christina Bragado (one goal, one assist).

Reporter Casey McCarthy can be reached at 270-929-7795 and Casey. mccarthy573@topper.wku.edu.

Robinson still undecided, may sit out season

BY JEREMY CHISENHALL

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Former WKU commit and signee Mitchell Robinson is weighing his options and is likely to sit out this year and wait for the 2018 NBA Draft, FanRag Sports’ Jon Rothstein reported Sunday evening.

Robinson is a seven-foot, five-star player who was one of the biggest basketball recruits in program history. His commitment anchored one of the best recruiting classes the school has ever seen. After departing from

Bowling Green shortly before the start of the fall semester, Robinson was granted release from the program and began looking elsewhere.

“A separate source told FanRag Sports that Robinson’s camp believes with a year of sitting out he can wind up in a comparable position in next year’s draft to what Thon Maker was in 2016, when he was selected 10th overall by the Milwaukee Bucks after doing a post graduate year,” Rothstein said in his report.

After his release from WKU, Robinson was recruited by Louisiana State University, the University of

Kansas and the University of New Orleans. After a visit to LSU, the school stopped recruiting Robinson, and he narrowed his list down to Kansas and UNO. A decision between the two was expected to come over the weekend, but since then Robinson has been re-tweeting tweets from fans telling him to return to WKU, and considering sitting out from college basketball altogether.

While we await the decision, the Hilltoppers now have Josh Anderson on campus, according to Chad Bishop of WBKO. The 6-foot-4, four-

star guard helped lead Madison Prep Academy to three straight state titles in Louisiana. Anderson had eight other scholarship offers, including offers from the University of Florida and Texas A&M. The only player left to join the team is forward Robinson Idehen, who is expected to join them after the fall semester this year. The rest of the roster is already together.

Reporter Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 859-760-0198 and jeremy. chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

AUGUST 22, 2017

WIDE RECIEVERS

Continued from B6

the Horned Frogs just missed the inaugural College Football Playoff.

It’s not a matter of if Echols-Luper will see the field, but more a matter of where. Echols-Luper has caught a touchdown, returned a punt for a touchdown and even thrown two touchdowns during his college career.

“I’m a senior here and I’ll do whatever Coach Sanford needs me to do to help the team win,” Echols-Luper said according to a press release. “We all have the same mindset, we’re ready to ball.”

FALL CAMP Continued from B6

sonnel expected to fill those shoes.

“I think one of our biggest strengths is that you don’t really have a certain person to game plan for,” White said. “We could go on the field with four wideouts. The next play we could go out there with three tight ends and get them the ball. We can get our backs in the passing game.

Our depth is one thing that’s going to help us a lot.”

Defensively, Sanford was pleased

Jackson is also expected to compete for a starting receiver spot. Jackson caught 26 balls for 395 yards and two touchdowns. He was the lone receiver to catch a touchdown in the spring game, a three-yard toss from junior quarterback Drew Eckels.

The Hilltoppers also return senior receiver Kylen Towner, who is primarily known for his performance on special teams. Towner earned preseason C-USA special teams player of the year after breaking the FBS record single season average kickoff return at 40.3 yards per return. Similar to Fant, Towner will be expected to use his explosiveness in the open

field on the offensive side of the ball.

As far as the tight end position goes, the arrival of JUCO transfer Mik’Quan Deane gives the Hilltoppers a little more depth at a position that returns zero catches from last year.

Deane was rated the No. 4 JUCO tight end nationally by 247sports. com and No. 67 overall in the JUCO rankings. White mentioned redshirt senior Deon Yelder also making some nice plays in the scrimmage.

Yelder has made his impact primarily on special teams and blocking the infamous extra point in overtime at Middle Tennessee last season, a play that ultimately catapulted WKU

into the Conference-USA championship game. Yelder will look to compete with Deane for the starting spot in his final season at WKU. The Hilltoppers kick off the 2017 season next Saturday vs EKU. While the hierarchy on the wide receiver depth chart is still unclear, Sanford and White appear to be confident in all of them.

the defense didn’t give up any big plays down the field, something the Hilltopper defense has been prone to do over the past three years. The Hilltopper secondary brings back key names such as senior cornerback Joe Brown as well as safety Marcus Ward who returns after suffering a season ending injury last year against Alabama.

Another key returner in the Hilltopper secondary is redshirt sophomore Ta’Corian Darden, who Sanford mentioned had improved significantly since his arrival on campus.

The Russellville native entered fall camp as a walk-on, but Sanford and company decided to put “Coco” on scholarship when the opportunity arrived.

“He’s not a flashy player, but he makes flashy plays,” Sanford said about Darden. “That’s what I love about him.”

“Honestly, I think he has been one of our most valuable players throughout camp, so it was a no brainer,” Sanford said. “Once a scholarship became available, Coco was no doubt the guy. It made it easy for

me knowing I’ve wanted to put him on scholarship since the first day of camp.”

The Hilltoppers will finally get the chance to play someone other than themselves when they open the season next Saturday at home against Eastern Kentucky University. It will be the first time the two teams have met since 2008.

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270-799-8247 and sam. porter270@gmail.com Follow him on Twitter at @SammyP14.

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270-799-8247 and sam.porter270@ gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter at @SammyP14.

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SPORTS

AUGUST 22, 2017 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY » Soccer: Lady Topper Soccer splits pair of road games to open seaon.

Sanford optimistic about progress

BY SAM PORTER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Norris gone, the door is wide open for Fant to make more of an impact at receiver than ever before.

“I’m an upperclassman, so a lot of things will be thrown at me next year,” Fant said at the team’s media day earlier this month. “I think it’s up to our receiving corps as a whole to make up for [Taylor and Norris].

There are a lot of young guys that are going to step up this year and really make a name for themselves.”

The second name White mentioned was Cameron Echols-Luper.

Although he may the newest member to the bunch, Echols-Luper is hardly the youngest or least experienced.

Echols-Luper arrives at WKU after stints with Texas Christian University and Arkansas State. If there’s one thing the graduate transfer brings more than anything, it’s speed.

During his time at TCU, Echols-Luper was a member of the Horned Frogs’ 4x100 meter relay team that finished 11th in the nation. He did so after serving as the primary punt returner during TCU’s 12-1 season in which

At the conclusion of fall camp last week, Hilltopper players and coaches made one thing clear: this WKU football team is ready to play somebody other than themselves.

The Hilltoppers just put three weeks of fall camp behind them and head coach Mike Sanford feels like his team is progressing in the right direction.

“We came out of camp feeling like we’re a team that is on the ascent rather than the descent,” Sanford said. “During days 15-20, you see whether a camp is wearing them down or they are getting after camp-and I feel like we were a team that got after camp.”

Senior quarterback Mike White mentioned he believes the offense has gone through the necessary adversity through fall camp. Early on, White said there were times when the offense was stalling. The offense came together so players could meet to discuss struggles and work on a solution. White mentioned since the meeting, the offense has taken on a new identity and it showed during the team’s intrasquad scrimmage this past Saturday.

“Offensively, we looked great. We went out there on the first drive and drove right down the field,” White said. “We executed everything and scored right away. The next drive, our second offense did the same thing. We had playmakers all over the place. I think everyone touched the ball.”

WKU brings back four running backs who have started at least one game in a Hilltopper uniform as well as a flurry of wide receivers battling to see the field. Although there’s no clear-cut starter at either skill position, there’s no doubt about who will be the man directing those weapons.

White returns after directing the No. 1 scoring offense (45.5 PPG) in the nation last season. The South Florida transfer threw for 4,363 yards and 37 touchdowns to just seven interceptions in 2016, earning him Preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year. Putting up those same numbers won’t be easy without weapons like Taywan Taylor, Nicholas Norris and Anthony “Ace” Wales, but White is confident with the per-

SEE WIDE RECIEVERS PAGE B5

SEE FALL CAMP PAGE B5

WIDE OPEN

Junior wide receiver Nacarius Fant (1) is driven out of bounds by Miami (Ohio) defensive back Deondre Daniels (15) during WKU’s 31-24 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2016, at Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio. MATT LUNSFORD/HERALD

Competition at wide receiver heats up

BY SAM PORTER

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU With the opening kickoff to the 2017 season less than two weeks away, the WKU faithful still doesn’t have an idea of who will be the go-to guy in the passing game.

Replacing the likes of WKU greats Taywan Taylor and Nicholas Norris will be far from easy for new head coach Mike Sanford and his team. The Hilltoppers return several familiar names such as senior Nacarius Fant and redshirt sophomore Lucky Jackson, but none of them have separated themselves from each other or the rest of the receivers throughout camp.

But just because no receiver has stood out enough to be a clearcut number one at the position doesn’t imply a lack of confidence in the group. Sanford said he’s been pleased with the group’s progress from the spring game throughout fall camp and believes depth at the position will be one of the Hilltoppers’ strengths this year.

“We want to use as many human beings that can help us win games,” Sanford said at the conclusion of fall camp on Saturday. “We want guys to get out here and touch the ball. Its going to be interesting to roll these guys out when we start game-planning and getting more specific on how we want to go after Eastern Kentucky’s defense.”

During Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage, senior quarterback Mike White mentioned getting the football into several different players’ hands was not a problem. Of the bunch, White mentioned two names that stood out from the rest.

One was Fant, the leading returning receiver from 2016. Fant caught 29 passes for 407 yards and two scores despite having his season cut short five games due to a torn ACL. Because of his performance at receiver and as a punt returner, the Bowling Green native was named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch list. The award is given annually to the most versatile player in college football. Now, with Taylor and

WKU hosts inaugural “Volleyball 101” event

BY CLAY MANLOVE

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU WKU volleyball fans, young and old, gathered at E.A. Diddle Arena on Saturday afternoon for a day of education and fun as the Lady Toppers hosted their first annual “Volleyball 101” event.

The event featured a scrimmage between players of the WKU volleyball team, followed by two separate clinics put on by the players, assistant coaches and head coach Travis Hudson.

“It’s a great way to end our two-aday training camp and to give back by involving our fan base and our community,” Hudson said. “By the end of those sessions, most of the players and coaches are pretty stale, so it’s a bit of a boost being able to work with the fans.”

The kid’s clinic, which was put on

by WKU players and assistant coaches, featured multiple engaging and interactive drills on proper techniques of blocking, passing, setting and other fundamentals of the game.

The “101” clinic, put on by Hudson, brought the older fans together for an hour-and-a-half meeting to explain official volleyball signals and fundamentals such as techniques and player rotations while also taking multiple questions regarding these topics.

During the “101” clinic, fans also got an inside look of some of the team’s signals while sharing a couple

of laughs with Hudson about occasional behavior toward officials.

“See this guy right here,” Hudson asked as he pointed out a mark on the whiteboard, which resembled a line judge. “This guy is always right next to the bench, so feel sorry for him if you see me start to get angry with a call.”

The event also opened many eyes about the way that the game of volleyball is rapidly growing and how the fan base is beginning to get more involved.

“I feel like the more they know, the more they can be invested in the game and really be able to enjoy it a whole lot more,” Hudson added. “I believe that knowledge is power, and the more that they know, the more they can question things that the rest of us question about the game as well.”

Knowledge was shared in the meeting, as many fans pitched in to ask questions and share their thoughts about certain fundamentals of the game, interacting with Hudson oneon-one.

After the event, Hudson was able to go a little more in-depth on what it meant for the players to be able to escape the world of college volleyball for two hours to be able to educate younger fans who hoped to one day recognize their aspirations.

“It’s a good perspective check for (the players),” Hudson said. “The last few weeks, it’s been all about them.

It’s refreshing to see all of those kids running around because our play-

Sophomore Emma Kowalkowski assists volleyball players at an Volleyball Clinic hosted by the WKU Volleyball team in Diddle Arena on Aug. 19. Kowalkowski says she likes “seeing their progress...and making them fall in love with the sport at a young age.” GRACE PRITCHETT/HERALD ers were in those shoes many years ago, looking up at college volleyball players and dreaming to get to that point.”

As for the pre-clinic scrimmage between the Lady Toppers, Hudson was excited about what he pulled out as the team prepares to open the season on Friday, August 25 at the Miami Best Western Sycamore Inn Invitational in Oxford, OH. “We have a lot of pieces and our depth is a lot better than it was last year,” he said. “We have great kids

that continue to learn and push each other. I’m looking forward to all of the challenges we have on our schedule this season.”

A media day including Hudson and select players will be held today at 1:30 pm in the Paul Just Media Center at E.A. Diddle Arena. The event can be viewed live on Twitter by following @WKUHeraldSports.

Reporter Clay Manlove can be reached at 270-724-9620 and clayton. manlove475@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ctmanlove58.