March 27, 2018

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 93, ISSUE 35

SGA tension causes longer deliberation, uncertainty

BY NICOLE ZIEGE HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

HUNTER HALLORAN • HERALD

Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear addresses members of the WKU community on Monday about Sexual Assault Prevention Month. The event included the signing of a proclamation focusing on creating a safer campus for students and faculty members.

‘USE YOUR VOICE’ Sexual assault awareness month kicks off

BY CAMRYN SMITH HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

I

n Kentucky, one in two women will face sexual violence in their lives and 21 percent of women have faced a form of sexual assault at their college campus, according to Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear.

WKU kicked off Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) by having speakers talk about the goals of Kentucky and universities in Kentucky on how to end sexual assault. The event was held in the Downing Student Union lobby on Monday afternoon.

Sexual Assault Awareness Month begins next week on April 1.

The kickoff event was hosted by the Student Government Association, whose goal was to help the community demonstrate what people can do to prevent sexual assault.

Philip Neal, president of Southern Kentucky Community Technical college, said he believes “we are on the brink of massive changes from different movements and the kick-off event.”

In a study conducted in 2015, as stated by Neal, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men had faced sexual assault on campus. Only 36 assaults had been reported in Kentucky that year.

“Too many people sit inactive in a sexual harassment situation or don’t know what to say,” Beshear said. “I encourage you all to speak up.”

The United States Department of Justice gave a $1 million grant to Kentucky to create a training center to help victims that face sexual assault, according to Beshear.

The grant created a victim center to help investigations and prosecutors help victims.

“Victims deserve people to believe

”Victims deserve people to believe and seek justice for them.”

Kentucky Attorney General ANDY BESHEAR

and seek justice for them,” Beshear said.

Kentucky also received a $3 million grant to prevent rape kit backlogs.

Currently, there are 3,100 rape kits that have not been tested yet, Beshear said.

“These rape kits stands for the people who had the courage to report and go through an invasive forensic exam that traumatized the individual,” Beshear said.

Currently, the 3,100 rape kits are being tested and Beshear’s goal for next year is “to have every kit tested and to

have no kits go untested.”

After the event, SGA opened the Intercultural Engagement room, located in DSU, for people to see an exhibit of the clothes women were wearing when they were sexually assaulted.

Next to the clothes was the story of the women when the event took place and how old they are.

Every story in the exhibit was affiliated with a woman from WKU. They told stories of professors, current students and past students.

Provost David Lee helped WKU and Hope Harbor collaborate to create events for students, professors and residents of Bowling Green to attend during the month of April.

Hope Harbor is a recovery center in Bowling Green to help victims in times of crisis. They offer a 24-hour hotline for anyone who faces sexual assault no matter the time of day.

“The month of April is going to be filled with events,” Lee said. “The theme for this year’s SAAM is ‘use your voice.’”

During his speech, Beshear said it is important to speak up against sexual assault.

“If you see something then say something,” Beshear said.

News reporter Camryn Smith can be reached at 586-295-8427 and camryn. smith295@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @camryn_smith56.

The Student Government Association has experienced growing tensions between members during the fall and spring semesters, and there is concern that the tension will become worse, Andi several organization Dahmer members have said.

SGA has experi- SGA enced longer debates, president more proposed constitutional amendments, “controversial” resolutions and an emergency judicial council meeting that took place on Jan. 29, during which former Public Relations Committee Chair Will Hurst walked out.

There have been more than 15 constitutional amendments in the 20172018 fall and spring semesters, compared to about 10 from 2016 to 2017, according to the SGA Legislation Archives.

SGA President Andi Dahmer said the atmosphere during the fall 2017 and spring 2018 semesters has been different than in previous years.

“This year has become almost toxic in nature,” Dahmer said. “People do a lot to not only attack other people’s viewpoints, but issue personal attacks against individuals, and that was never part of the culture in SGA previously.”

Dahmer said the tension has developed from partisan ideologies that

SEE SGA TENSION • PAGE A3

Fourth dean plans to step down from WKU

BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

The dean of the Gordon Ford College of Business said he will step down from his current position effective June 30.

Jeffrey Katz has been the dean for nearly seven years after starting at WKU in June 2011. He said in an email he has enjoyed spending time with students and working with the faculty and staff of the college.

“My daily interactions with our students in the hallways of Grise Hall, at the DSU for lunch and events, and through the work with our Student Advisory Coun-

SEE JEFFERY KATZ • PAGE A3

Interfraternity Council passes new academic bylaws

BY OLIVIA EILER HERALD.SNEWS@WKU.EDU WKU’s Interfraternity Council, which serves as the judicial body for the university’s fraternities, passed new academic bylaws earlier this month raising the required grade point average for chapters and for individuals going through the recruitment process.

Before the passage of the new bylaws, chapters with an average GPA below 2.5 were placed on academic probation, and chapters with an average GPA below 2.25 were placed on academic suspension. While on probation or suspension, a representative from the fraternity was required to meet with the IFC academic director to develop an academic improvement plan.

Current IFC President Ben Hopper served as vice president of judicial affairs last semester when changes to the

bylaws were first proposed.

“We decided that [the bylaws] lacked a backbone,” Hopper said. “We realized that this wasn’t really helping chapters because there was no end-result. There were no consequences.”

Hopper said it took between six and eight months to get the bylaws approved. The fraternities needed a twothirds majority to pass the changes.

The new bylaws place chapters with an average GPA below 2.6 on academic probation and chapters with an av-

erage GPA below 2.4 on academic suspension. Chapters are required to raise their average GPA from 2.4 within two semesters and from 2.6 within three semesters.

Chapters unable to meet these requirements will face sanctions, including loss of Homecoming pairings for the upcoming Homecoming, loss of the two fraternity housing alcohol exemptions per year and loss of Greek

SEE BYLAWS • PAGE A3

What I’ve

Learned My time at the Herald has taught me so much. The Herald allowed me to tell stories that were important to me and to WKU. I have developed my skills as a writer and learned more about the mechanics of a good story, but there has been so much I have learned beyond that. I’ve had the opportunity to work with incredible people who have pushed me and encouraged me to be the best journalist I can be. I’ve learned about the importance of public information and about fighting to tell the truth through my stories. The Herald helped me get my first internship in a professional newsroom, which was one of the best experiences I could have asked for. Working for the Herald has given me the skills I need to work as a professional journalist after graduation in May.” Print Managing Editor MONICA KAST

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NEWS A3

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SGA TENSION CONTINUED FROM FRONT

though SGA is supposed to be a nonpartisan organization, making senators more divisive.

“A lot of members of SGA have been very focused on bringing each other down, and you really can’t help anyone if you’re so intent upon tearing others down,” Dahmer said. “It’s not constructive. It’s destructive.”

Senator Alex Sergent said the tension and the current environment in SGA is “not inherently bad.”

“It’s not unlike a storm because when two major thoughts start to collide and they mix, it causes this kind of stuff,” Sergent said. “Storms aren’t inherently bad. This isn’t inherently bad.”

Sergent, who has been in SGA for three years, said the source of the tension comes from new senators with new ideas who are challenging a lot of the past norms, which is “something that should really be celebrated.”

There are also other opinions as to when the tension developed and peaked in the senate chambers.

Diversity and Inclusion Committee Chair Mark Clark said he thought the tension reached its peak around October and November of 2017, when SGA was discussing legislation around more “controversial” issues like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA. On Oct. 25, SGA failed to pass Resolution 2-17-F, which supported a clean D.R.E.A.M. Act after President Donald Trump rescinded DACA on Sept. 5, 2017. On Nov. 7, SGA passed a resolution supporting DACA students.

Clark said the tension in the organization is a conflict that has many layers.

“I think everyone wants to make campus a better place,” Clark said.

“We have different ideas of what we want campus to be like, and sometimes the ideas of how we want to make campus a better place conflict.”

One of the repeated topics of debate this year has come from senate ap-

JEFFREY KATZ CONTINUED FROM FRONT

members are truly wonderful,” he said. “Also, I very much enjoy learning about all of the meaningful and important work being performed by our world-class faculty members.”

Katz came to WKU from Kansas State University’s College of Business Administration where he worked as a professor of management and served as the associate dean for graduate programs. He received his doctorate in management from the University of Florida.

Katz said being chosen as the dean of Gordon Ford was a surprise, but something he has enjoyed.

“I am very proud of the terrific students, faculty, staff, and alumni of

BYLAWS CONTINUED FROM FRONT Week participation for the upcoming Greek Week.

In addition, the new bylaws offer incentives to high-performing fraternities. Chapters who receive a 3.0-semester GPA will receive a five percent reduction to their head fees in the following semester or a one-time $150 donation to their philanthropy from the IFC. Incentives for improving chapters are currently being discussed.

According to WKU Greek Affairs’

MADDY NAVIN • HERALD

SGA met on March 20 to discuss upcoming events on campus and to finalize bills from the previous meeting. President of SGA Andi Dahmer gave a report at the meeting on current events on campus and upcoming bills to be passed at later meetings.

pointments. The only bill that failed the referendum in December 2017 was a bill to amend the process of senate appointments.

The bill called for the creation of a senate appointment committee where a group of senators would choose two appointees with two-thirds vote from the senate, and Dahmer would choose the appointment between the two senate appointees chosen, according to Administrative Vice President Kara Lowry.

Former president Jay Todd Richey, who served as SGA president from 2015 to 2017, said the WKU SGA Constitution gives the SGA president “considerable leeway” when appointing senators.

Richey said during his first term as president, he developed an application-based system to evaluate a student’s ability to contribute to SGA. He said during his second term, he focused more on appointing senators

who “occupy a marginalized space at WKU so they could represent their fellow students.”

Richey said there are always concerns about senate appointments among current senators because the president “simply cannot please everyone.”

“Ultimately, while the president does have the authority to nominate a student to become a senator, it is up to the senate to confirm that nomination,” Richey said. “I believe that if a senator is going to oppose a presidential nomination, which is certainly constitutional, there must also be a clear acknowledgement of the student body president’s nomination authority.”

Lowry said the tension has manifested itself in debate over senate appointments.

“That’s been a big issue this year, trying to make sure that the senators have a say in who we are appointing,” Lowry said. “I know that people did

the Gordon Ford College of Business,” he said. “Together, I believe, we have created a very special place where student-focused, applied business education ocJeffrey curs and students are Katz prepared for longterm career success.”

Dean Provost David Lee said Katz will return to the business college next spring to teach in the department of management.

“Jeff has been an absolutely outstanding dean,” Lee said.

Katz said he plans to retire sometime in the next five years, but he has always wanted to return to teaching before retiring.

“Being in the classroom drew me into becoming a professor, and I look forward to returning to spending more time with our students there,” Katz said.

He will return to teaching January 2019. He said the faculty in the college have been supportive of his transition, and he does not expect to have problems transitioning back into a teaching position.

“Over the past several years, and especially over the past several days, my colleagues in that department and across our college have graciously offered their full support,” he said.

Katz is the fourth dean to leave or be eliminated from WKU this academic year.

Sam Evans, the dean of the College of Education and Behavior-

2016-2017 Annual Report, the all-fraternity average GPA was 2.793 in fall 2016 and 2.88 during spring 2017.

Both figures are slightly higher than the average GPA of all men on campus, which was 2.76 in fall 2016 and 2.85 in spring 2017.

In a previous Herald article, Charley Pride, direct of student activities, said he has recorded data associated with Greek students since 1994. He said there is an overall drop in GPA among students who join Greek life, but most students, Greek or not, are prone to lower GPAs in college.

Hopper said the bylaws are a great

step forward for fraternities at WKU. “The delegates voting to pass this shows that we have our minds in the right place,” Hopper said. “We recognize that academics are the main reason that we are here at college. We as a whole are looking to improve academically, to where each semester we are not just barely above the all-men’s average at WKU, but well above the allmen’s average at WKU.” Although the average GPA requirements have changed, Hopper said that chapters failing to meet academic expectations will still be required to create an academic improvement plan with the IFC academic director.

“As an IFC council, we want to be there to help these chapters who need help academically,” Hopper said. “Our plan is not to just leave them in the dark and say, ‘OK, get your GPA up or

have issues with that in the past, but it’s definitely come to light a lot more this semester.”

Dahmer said when she appoints senators, she has an application accessible to all students. After a potential appointee completes the application, Dahmer said she presents their answers to the senate.

Dahmer said she has appointed five students affiliated with the Intercultural Student Engagement Student Center, three students from the LGBTQ community, three members of traditionally underrepresented minority groups, three students in Greek organizations and five students not affiliated with Greek organizations. She said she has heard some concerns that she is appointing senators for her own gain or from too many different demographics.

“I’m actually appointing people in the most transparent way in my living memory here at WKU,” Dahmer.

Akron, Ohio, junior Francis Wilson said he followed the coverage of SGA during his semester abroad in fall 2017, and he gave a speech to SGA regarding how he felt about its current state.

Wilson said there could be many reasons why tension has developed in SGA, but he said some of the reasons could be pride and a lack of listening to one another.

“SGA has had a history of breeding and nurturing tension and conflict,” Wilson, who is a former SGA senator, said Like many in SGA, though, Wilson said it was not the end of the road for the organization. He said SGA needed to take a series of steps to improve, including sitting down and talking with one another and finding solutions to issues they are dealing with internally.

“It’s never too late to bring positive change,” Wilson said.

News reporter Nicole Ziege can be reached at 270-745-6011 and nicole. ziege825@topper.wku.edu. Follow Nicole Ziege on Twitter at @NicoleZiege.

al Sciences, announced in August he will be retiring after 28 years at WKU. He has served as dean since 2003.

It was announced in January that Neale Chumbler, the dean of the College of Health and Human Services, has accepted a position as dean of the University of North Texas’ College of Health and Public Service. His position will start July 1.

Dennis George will no longer serve as the dean of University College because the college will be eliminated starting July 1.

News editor Emma Collins can be reached at 270-745-6011 and emma.collins399@topper.wku.edu.

Follow Emma on Twitter at @_mccain_emma_.

else.’ We want to help them form ways to allow their chapters’ members to succeed in the classroom.”

In addition to raising the GPA requirements for current fraternity members, the new bylaws also raise the bar for signing a bid. Previously, individuals seeking to join a fraternity were required to have a high school GPA of 2.5; individuals with college credit were required to have a 2.25 GPA. Now, a 2.5 GPA is required for all individuals participating in recruitment.

“We recognize, through our experience, that a good fraternity experience has to have academics first,” Hopper said.

News reporter Olivia Eiler can be reached at 270-745-6011 and olivia.eiler789@topper.wku.edu. Follow Olivia on Twitter at @oliviaeiler16.

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OPINION A SLICE TO SAVOR

Taste the rainbow, not just the Skittles

LISTEN UP!

BREAKING THE GLASS Entertainment needs to show a real American experience

BY NICOLE LEONARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

BY SHAWNA AUD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Our bodies are continuously running machines. In order to keep the body functioning to the best of its ability, it needs the right type and adequate amount of fuel. This works the same way in the car that you drive. Without fuel, our bodies drag throughout the day and continuously feel like shutting down. Likewise, you can’t just fill your gas tank with water and expect it to run well either. This brings me to my point: the fuel that we choose to put into the machine that we live in, along with the fuel that we put in our gas tanks, determine each machine’s ability to function. Which fuel keeps our bodies running the best, you may ask? I have your answers!

The Skittles commercial, although marketing for a type of candy, has a catchy, yet appropriate slogan. “Taste the rainbow,” to a Nutrition major, means focusing on filling the diet with a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables every day. The many bright colors contained in fruits and vegetables usually mean that they supply a broad range of vitamins and minerals that a person needs to promote health.

When “taste the rainbow” gets hit with health, this is what you get. Red, orange and pink/purple fruits and vegetables, such as red and orange bell peppers, strawberries and oranges, contain vitamin C, which aid our bodies’ immune system to prevent sickness, and beta-carotene, which is needed to make Vitamin A. The yellow color of squash, bananas and pineapple contain several essential vitamins that contribute to healthy skin. Green leafy vegetables such as spinach and kale contain large amounts of vitamin K, which is used as a blood clotting factor in our bodies. Blue fruits, such as blueberries, have high antioxidant capacities, which means they protect our bodies from cellular damage and the aging process.

As college students, our daily recommended intake of fruits is 2 cups per day and vegetables is 2-3 cups a day.

Try incorporating a fruit and/or vegetables at each meal. This trick will make it more manageable to get as many servings into your diet as possible without feeling like you have to eat an entire head of broccoli in one sitting to meet your goal.

The machine that is your body will be able to run better, longer and smoother when you fill it with the many vitamins and nutrients stored inside the colorful rainbow of fruits and vegetables available to you.

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American culture is increasingly influenced by the pervasive forces of major Hollywood productions and cable television. The entertainment industry thrives in a society obsessed with celebrity and media consumerism.

As the country grows to reflect a growing presence of minorities, its culture remains steadfast.

Immigrants and people of color are encouraged to assimilate into the white popular culture of America, rather than embracing and celebrating their heritage through creative expression.

Groups have denounced the whiteness and male-ness of major movie and TV productions, particularly in recent years. The national conversation is plagued with the notion that minorities and women have been underrepresented on screens both big and small.

Celebrities have spoken out against the racism and sexism of award shows in the face of the general success of minority and female productions monetarily, critically and socially.

Indifference to underrepresentation is folly in today’s society.

A 2017 Hollywood Diversity Report conducted by students at UCLA found that as minorities and women gain ground relative to their white, male counterparts in roles and off-screen positions, the ratings climb.

Progress cannot afford any stagnation, though. Minorities and women are outnumbered by white men in important positions like film directors, leaders and writers; cable scripted leads, film leads and reality television leads and credited writers for broadcast, cable and digital scripts.

“Relatively diverse films excelled at the box office between 2011 and 2015, regardless of genre,” according to the report. Diverse casts in film performed well in the global box office, receiving the “highest median global box office receipts and the highest median return on investment.”

These productions proved impactful in the realm of social media during 2015, with cable scripted shows having “casts that were from 21 to 30 percent

ILLUSTRATION BY EMILY VOGLER • HERALD

minority” and broadcast shows with diverse casts reaching their peaks on this platform.

“Median 18-49 viewer ratings [as well as median household ratings among whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans] peaked during the 2014-15 season for broadcast scripted shows featuring casts that were greater than 40 percent,” according to the report.

In 2017, PoC-dominated films like “Moonlight”, “Fences” and “Hidden Figures” received nominations and awards at major events like the Academy Awards and Screen Actors Guild Awards. In 2018, movies and television shows that exhibit the female experience such as “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing”, “Missouri”, “Handmaid’s Tale” and “Big Little Lies” were likewise celebrated.

“Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther” achieved massive box office success. “Black Panther”, Marvel’s first superhero film centered around a black hero, shattered records like The Highest-Grossing Solo Superhero Movie, The Highest-Grossing Movie of 2018, The Highest-Grossing Movie by a Black Director and The Best Opening for a Non-White Director, accord-

ing to Rotten Tomatoes.

Oprah Winfrey was given the Cecil B. deMille Award for lifetime achievement at the 2018 Golden Globes, and Denzel Washington won it in 2016.

Jordan Peele became the first black director to win an Oscar for best original screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards.

Every time women and people of color evidence their potential for excellence in the arena of Hollywood and television entertainment, they create an additional crack in the glass ceiling that has cast its shadow over one of the most profitable industries in the country.

These cracks symbolize progress that is far from over. Though progress may teeter temporarily, it is pertinent that entertainment follows the national conversation and the trend of society.

The prolific impact of a representative popular media is proven by the public response to productions that portray a more accurate American experience. As an integral component of the American psyche and as a justification for beauty and inspiration, movies and television must present inclusive storylines relative to people of all shapes, colors and creeds.

SYNTHESIS

Trump demonstrates the art of the pivot

BY DAVID HORMELL HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

President Donald White House talks a lot, but shows little follow-through.

Change is natural. Politicians pivot.

Abraham Lincoln called off his engagement with Mary Todd due to differences in lifestyle. Two years later, the two consecrated their love.

However, 45’s inconsistency is a different bear altogether. Since taking office, the only consistent component of the Trump administration is its unwavering commitment to inconsistency.

There’s the imperative and recurrent campaign promise to “drain the swamp.”

But in “Apprentice”-like fashion, the White House staff is steadily dispensable.

After the tragic Parkland massacre, the president needed an empathy cheat-sheet with relatively simple talking points, like saying “I hear you” to traumatized victims.

However, there was an unexpected moment of potential growth.

The president promised the victims “the world is watching and we’re going to

come up with a solution.” His intonation sounded sincere.

Even skeptics seemed optimistic as Trump expressed interest in banning bump stocks and assault weapons. Trump seemed to chastise senators Toomey and Manchin for being “afraid of the NRA.” But the predictable pivot happened, one the country’s come to expect.

The White House placed blame on violent video games and showed renewed interest in arming teachers. No word on whether their convoy of thoughts and prayers has arrived in Parkland yet.

The consistent inconsistency is deeply troubling due to Trump’s unilateral leadership style.

The administration is based on Trump’s brand. It is partly predicated on prior name recognition – his alleged business acumen and ability as chief dealmaker.

The brand manifests in the form of overpriced hats.

The White House staff unflinchingly follows what Trump says, which is concerning considering the president’s notoriously short attention span.

Consequently, Trump tends to leave a public relations mess in his wake.

The ensuing chaos contributes to the

revolving door mentality of how quickly White House staff is hired and fired. The White House’s approach to the insurmountable static is a muddled mix of attacking the press and gaslighting the public. Oh, and nondisclosure agreements to prevent “leakers” from “leaking.”

Trump is a failed businessman, but those qualities carry over into his role as POTUS. Trump treats the country like a company. His simple style of speak is unlike past presidents in recent memory.

As a billionaire for the people, he retains a degree of accessibility by avoiding political jargon.

As a businessman and master manipulator, he tells people what they want to hear.

Far too often, it works.

The possible glimmer of good in this situation is the lesson Trump’s inadvertently taught the country – that the public should always retain a spirit of objectivity and never take statements at face-value It’s more important than ever that our elected officials step up and fight fiction.

Demand better from your elected officials. Maybe then we’ll be better-equipped to navigate the swampy waters of Trump’s White House.

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Pop Culture ©2018 PuzzleJunction.com

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

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TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

PHOTO

SHABAN ATHUMAN • HERALD

Chandra Polavarapu dances in a circle as other attendees cheer her on during WKU’s annual Indian Student Association Holi Festival Sunday on South Lawn.

COLORS OF CULTURE Students celebrate annual Holi festival

BY SILAS WALKER HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

“Holi is a celebration of spring and color and life,” said Ajay Srivastava, the faculty advisor for the Indian Student Association.

Around 50 students came out

SHABAN ATHUMAN • HERALD

Senior Savannah GIllam attends the annual Indian Student Association Holi Fest on Sunday.

to South Lawn on Sunday to celebrate the Indian holiday. Activities included water balloons, musical chairs, dancing and throwing colored powder. The colored powder, known as “gulal,” is inspired by the colors of spring in India according to the Society for the Confluence of Festivals in India .

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

Reshma Khan has colored powder thrown in her face during the Holi celebration on South Lawn on Sunday. Khan is a graduate student from India studying health care.

SHABAN ATHUMAN • HERALD

SHABAN ATHUMAN • HERALD

Students reach for more colored powder as they participate in WKU’s annual Indian Student Association Holi Festival on Sunday on South lawn.

Niharika Rambhatla is helped up by fellow students after being pushed in a puddle at WKU’s annual Indian Student Association Holi Fest Sunday South Lawn.

B1

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS DOWN TO THE WIRE

Long-distance travels brings Hilltoppers together

BY JEREMY CHISENHALL HERALDSPORTS@WKU.EDU

PPG), Sedrick Barefield (11.6 PPG), and Tyler Rawson (10.8 PPG) also average double figures for the Utes.

“They’ve got great guard play,” head coach Rick Stansbury said. “The fifth

It’s hard to find a basketball team that has traveled as much as WKU has in the 2017-18 season, and that’s been big for a team that was once full of strangers.

In addition to the Hilltoppers’ travels deep into Texas for Conference USA matchups against University of Texas-El Paso, University of Texas-San Antonio, University of North Texas and Rice University, they’ve also traveled to Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Los Angeles and now New York.

It’s been a fun journey for everyone on the team, and freshman guard Taveion Hollingsworth has taken notice of where his basketball career has taken him this year.

“I’ve been to many places this year,” Hollingsworth said. “I’ve never traveled this much. Even AAU, I never traveled that far. It’s been fun.”

But as the Hilltoppers travel throughout North America and beyond, jetlag has taken its toll.

“The travel schedule from here to L.A., to L.A. to Oklahoma — I told someone we were used to ThursdaySaturday games, but we’re not used to being in L.A. on a two-hour time change with a flight in-between,” senior forward Justin Johnson said.

“Then to go into an arena like that [Gallagher-Iba Arena], that’s the loudest place I’ve ever played a game of basketball.”

Starting with the Costa Rica trip, Johnson says he and his teammates really got familiar with each other away from home.

“I hadn’t been around those guys until like two days before we left, and I went on the trip,” Johnson said of the preseason Costa Rica trip. “I think this team will be able to come back in 30 years and have stories on each other from Costa Rica. It was just a blast, from ziplining, to riding four-wheelers, that trip as a whole just brought us all so much closer.”

Traveling has been a huge part of building team chemistry between a roster full of players that was coming from different situations. With Johnson being the only returning player, the Hilltoppers brought on University

SEE MBB • PAGE B2

SEE DTW • PAGE B2

IAN MAULE • HERALD

WKU guard Lamonte Bearden (1), forwards Justin Johnson (23) and Dwight Coleby (22) talk after a foul during the NIT quarterfinal game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Hilltoppers at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. on Wednesday, March 21st.

LIVE FROM NEW YORK

IT’S WKU Hilltoppers play tonight in NIT semifinal

BY SAM PORTER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU men’s basketball team is on the brink of history. The Hilltoppers (27-10 overall) play the University of Utah Tuesday night in the semifinal of the NIT in New York, and, with a win, will be playing for the NIT Championship on Thursday night.

WKU defeated three Power 5 schools (Boston College, University of Southern California and Oklahoma State University) to get to the semifinals and will have to defeat a fourth to get to the championship. Before the tournament began, players talked about the accomplishment of winning three games in the NIT and getting to play in Madison Square Garden, also known as the Mecca of Basketball.

“It’s really exciting to be going to play in Madison Square Garden,”

senior forward Justin Johnson said. “It’s a big stage. All the things that’s went on in that building, from Muhammad Ali heavyweight fights, to Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and the biggest

LSU and 1 seed St. Mary’s to get to MSG. Like WKU, the Utes are balanced across the board scoring-wise. Justin Bibbins, a Long Beach State transfer, leads Utah with 14.7 points per game at the guard position. David Collette (12.7

“We’re just treating it like another game. We prepare for it the same way.”

Senior Forward JUSTIN JOHNSON

superstars. But at the end of the day we’re playing for something, so we’re just treating it like another game. We prepare for it the same way.”

Utah enters Tuesday’s matchup with a 22-11 record (11-7 Pac 12) and is a 2 seed. The Utes defeated UC Davis,

Hilltoppers look for next starting quarterback

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU With spring underway, WKU football has a tall task in replacing star quarterback Mike White.

White started every game for the Hilltoppers in 2016 and 2017, and led WKU to an 18-9 record over those two seasons, including a Conference USA Championship and a win in the Boca Raton Bowl in 2016. White finished with the career third-most passing yards in school history. He also ranks second in career passer rating, completion percentage and touchdown passes in

WKU history. He’ll be drafted in this year’s NFL Draft.

The Hilltoppers have four quarterbacks on the roster who could replace White. Drew Eckels, who will be a redshirt senior, and Steven Duncan, who will be a redshirt sophomore, are the only two of those four with in-game experience for WKU. The other two challengers at quarterback are redshirt junior Graydon Kulick and redshirt freshman Davis Shanley.

Duncan is from Charleston, South Carolina. He redshirted his first season and has only made one appearance in his career at WKU. Duncan said that so far, the

”I really think you should go in every spring ball and have a quarterback battle.”

Head Coach MIKE SANFORD

competition for the starting quarterback spot is wide open.

“Drew is doing a great job,” Duncan said. “I’m going to do the best job I can and push them as hard as I can each day so I can win that job.”

Even though Duncan is the younger of the two quarterbacks, he still is very much in the running for the starting position. Duncan’s patience stood out to head coach Mike Sanford on the first day of spring practice.

“Steve did a good job of taking what the defense gave him,” Sanford said.

“I thought he did a nice job managing the offense and managing his SEE SPRING FOOTBALL • PAGE B2

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B2 SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

MBB CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 year guy from Long Beach leads them in scoring and they really execute their offense well. They’re a really good team.

I don’t have to tell you that. They just got done beating LSU by 20 some odd, and went on the road to beat St. Mary’s.”

But the Utes didn’t get this far in the postseason by scoring—they got to this point by playing defense. Utah gives

up just 68.7 points per game, which ranked first in the Pac-12 this season.

The Utes were the only Pac-12 school to give up less than 70 PPG and will look to slow down a Hilltopper attack that is averaging 83.3 PPG in the NIT, including a 92-point effort on the road against Oklahoma State University.

“I think they’re similar to several of the teams we’ve played,” Stansbury said. “The three teams we just played, one thing they had in common was that

they were athletic. Boston College was athletic at the guard spots, USC and Oklahoma State were both athletic too.

These guys are the same way, probably as good or better defensively.”

WKU and Utah tip off at 6 p.m. CST in Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will be televised on ESPN. With a win, the Hilltoppers will play the winner of Mississippi State University and Penn State University in the championship on Thursday night.

SPRING FOOTBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 responsibilities in the run game. We put a decent amount on the quarterback in terms of decision making in the run game and I thought that’s a part of Steve’s game that he can do.”

Eckels is from Daytona, Florida. He has played in 17 games and attempted 17 passes in his career at WKU. Even with the limited experience he’s had, Eckels said he believes it will help him in the long run.

“Just with playing one or two snaps a game, getting to run the ball, it helps to get that little shock out of you,” Eckels said. “Getting experience in every play comes a long way when you play one snap a game for a 10-game, 12-game season.”

Sanford said he has definitely seen Eckels’ leadership go through the roof since spring practice began.

“He’s got great command and presence,” Sanford said. “I noticed that last year even as a backup. He’s out there, there’s a poise to his game. He carries himself with a smooth demeanor

DTW CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 at Buffalo, graduate transfers Darius Thompson from University of Virginia and Dwight Coleby from University of Kansas, and redshirt sophomore Moustapha Diagne from Northwest Florida State College. Head coach Rick Stansbury also brought on freshmen Marek Nelson, Taveion Hollingsworth, Josh Anderson and Jake Ohmer.

With a team full of new faces who hadn’t played together, it was key to build chemistry. The travel has done just that.

GABRIEL SCARLETT • HERALD

Western Kentucky University kicked off its spring season last week with practices in Houchens-Smith Stadium in Bowling Green, KY.

“I said this before, I’ll say it again publicly,” Stansbury said. “I’d much rather go win three games in the NIT and get to New York City rather than play one game in the NCAA Tournament and get beat. I’ll stand by that statement.”

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270-745-6291 and sam.porter270@ gmail.com Follow him on Twitter at @ SammyP14.

think you should go in every spring ball and have a quarterback battle. I love when that position is a very competitive position. It just makes things that much more intense in practice. I like to see how guys respond and today Drew and Steve both responded well.”

While Eckels and Duncan are the favorites to land the job, they aren’t the only ones battling for the starting spot.

Redshirt junior Graydon Kulick and redshirt freshman Davis Shanley are also fighting for the top spot. Four-star recruit Kevaris Thomas could also factor in when he steps on campus.

Sanford said that whoever wins the job will be tested and prepared.

“The cream is going to rise to the top at that position,” Sanford said. “Whoever that is, you know that person is will be ready because all three of them fit the system and whoever is playing at the highest level has been pushed hard by two other competitors.”

and I think our players felt that today on offense.”

While the competition is wide open as of now, Sanford said he loves the

competition going on and says its presence elevates the practices as a whole.

“I love that,” Sanford said. “I really

Reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at 270-745-6291 and ajessie97@gmail. com. Follow him on Twitter at @Alec_ Jessie.

“The time we spend on the road is just us,” Johnson said. “We eat every meal together, we do everything together.

Even if we’re in separate rooms, we’re in a group chat, or Snapchats back and forth.”

As the Hilltoppers have grown together, players that the fun they’re having has been the key in their wins this year.

“I don’t think any other team in this country is like this,” Hollingsworth said.

“For us to play well … we have to joke around. When have you all ever seen everybody on the team serious? I don’t think anybody has ever seen us serious.

Either somebody has a big smile, somebody’s dancing or somebody’s jumping around. That’s just how we win games. We have fun.”

The Hilltoppers have thrived in a lot of games far away from home. WKU pulled off an upset over then-No. 18 ranked Purdue University and defeated Southern Methodist University in the Bahamas early in the year. In the earlier stages of the NIT, the Hilltoppers defeated the University of Southern California in Los Angeles before traveling to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on a quick turnaround to defeat Oklahoma State University.

As the traveling continues to New York for the NIT semifinal against the University of Utah, WKU will continue to embrace the challenge away from home together.

“We aren’t scared,” Hollingsworth said. “We don’t care who we play, we’re going to play like we play. And that’s what I like about us.”

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy. chisenhall921@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @JSChisenhall.

He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. II Corinthians 5:15

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Tori Cockriel

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Christian Faculty and Staff Fellowship Members

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SPORTS B3

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Hilltoppers get first C-USA series win of season

BY MATT STAHL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

After falling in the first game of their weekend series against Rice University, the Hilltoppers used timely offense and solid pitching to take the final two games and get the first Conference USA series win of the season.

“I’ve said this from after the fall was complete, I felt good about this group,” head coach John Pawlowski said in a press release at the end of the series. “They’re resilient and they come every day ready to play with great effort.”

Senior pitcher Ryan Thurston got the start for WKU on Friday and played well, moving from fifth to third on WKU’s alltime strikeout leaders list. He recorded nine strikeouts on the day to move his career total to 258.

Thurston had only allowed one run going in to the sixth inning, but the Owls were able to chase him from the game when senior outfielder Ryan Chandler knocked in another run.

After Thurston was pulled, senior relief pitcher Conner Boyd entered the game for WKU and promptly gave up a triple to Rice’s Trei Cruz to score two more runs.

The Hilltoppers were unable to get anything going offensively in the first game.

They were shut out for the third time this season and only managed to get one hit, a single by sophomore shortstop Kevin Lambert in the eighth inning, the game ended with WKU losing 4-0.

On Saturday, WKU’s offense found their

groove early on, scoring four runs in the first inning off of Rices pitcher Kendal Jefferies.

The scoring got started when senior left fielder Colie Currie was knocked in on a double by junior center fielder Jacob Rhinesmith. Rhinesmith then scored on a home run by senior second baseman Tyler Robertson. The Hilltoppers would finish the inning with one more run after hitting three consecutive singles.

The Hilltoppers almost squandered the early lead, as senior pitcher Colby Taylor gave up one run in the second inning and three in the fourth, after WKU added a run when senior infielder Steven Kraft scored Currie with a single.

WKU’s bullpen finished the game out after Taylor was pulled to start the fifth.

Junior Evan Acosta and graduate transfer Michael Martin went 1.1 innings each before senior Ben Morrison came in to earn a three-inning save. It was his sixth save of the season, and he recorded six strikeouts to get there.

Saturday’s win was WKU’s first against Rice as a member of C-USA, and its first win in the all-time series with the Owls since 1990.

On Sunday, the Hilltoppers were unstoppable, romping to a 4-0 shutout victory in the rubber game to earn the series win.

The Hilltopper victory was led by senior pitcher Paul Kirkpatrick, who pitched a complete game shutout, struck out seven batters, and only allowed four hits with zero walks. Kirkpatrick received run support with two Hilltopper runs in both the third and fourth innings to get the victory.

“The defense did a great job behind me,

WITTNEY HARDIN • HERALD

Pitcher Michael Martin throws a pitch on March 21 at at Nick Denes Field. The WKU Hilltoppers baseball team took on the Louisville Cardinals. The final score was 5-8.

a lot of ground balls and a few fly balls that were caught,” Kirkpatrick said of his successful outing. “Pitching-wise, using my changeup and slider to get ahead in the count early and then just not leaving the ball down the middle.”

Kirkpatrick went the distance for the second time this season. The game was WKU’s first complete game shutout on the road since 2007 and their first overall since 2013.

“Paul was amazing,” Pawlowski said in the press release. “For him to go out there

on a Sunday and pitch a complete game, no walks, seven punch-outs and the leadoff hitter only got on base one time. It’s outstanding, and I’m so proud of him.

The Hilltoppers return to the field Tuesday at Eastern Kentucky University before a weekend series against University of Texas-San Antonio at Nick Denes Field.

Reporter Matt Stahl can be reached at 270745-6291 and matthew.stahl551@topper. wku.edu Follow him on Twitter at @mattstahl97.

Hilltoppers open outdoor season with three titles

BY TORY BOWLING HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU Track and Field began its outdoor season this past weekend at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Invitational. The Hilltoppers debuted the season with three event titles and 20 top-10 finishes.

Six Hilltoppers posted first place finishes Saturday as junior Desmond Mobley, freshman Chard Muhwanga, and the 4x400-meter relay team all came in first in their respective events. Mobley posted a 7.49 meters mark in the long jump, beating all other competitors by nearly half a meter.

Muhwanga earned a first-place finish in the discus event as he threw 49.03 meters. The 4x400 team made up of graduate student Charles Shimukowa, junior

Kymari Gates, sophomore Denzel Villaman and junior Austin Hayes earned first place with a time of 3:11.89.

“The weather was not ideal, but I believe we managed it well,” head coach Erik Jenkins said in a press release. “We had several personal and outdoor season bests this weekend. We have a lot of work to do, but positive strides were made at Vanderbilt.”

The men’s squad accounted for 13 of WKU’s top-10 finishes, with Hayes running a time of 21.42 seconds to finish second in the 200. Gates ran a time of 21.52 seconds to finish third, and junior Oliver Alexander ran a time of 21.62 seconds to finish fourth. WKU earned two second-place finishes in the hurdles, as senior Jonathan Hayden posted a 14.26-second time in the 110 hurdles, and Villaman posted a 53.55-second time in the 400 hurdles.

Shimukowa finished eighth in the

men’s 800 with a time of 1:55.48. The 4x100 relay team finished third with a time of 41.08 seconds. WKU’s second 4x400 relay team finished second with a time of 3:14.20. Mobley tied for fourth in the high jump with a clear of 1.95 meters, and freshman Alec Tanksley earned fourth with a length of 6.82 meters.

The Lady Topper squad finished the weekend with seven top-10 finishes, highlighted with senior Ariel Terrel’s second-place finish in the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:00.81. In the 200 dash, junior Juannae Lewis ran a time of 24.74 seconds to finish second, and the 4x400 relay team finished third with a time of 3:54.63.

Freshman Nicole Ogorek finished

eighth in the pole vault with a height of 3.55 meters, and junior Getter Lemberg finished ninth in the event at 3.55 meters.

In javelin, two Lady Toppers placed in the top 10, as freshman Kira Harman placed third with a throw of 36.7 meters, and sophomore Adarian Gray placed seventh with a throw of 33.98 meters.

WKU will continue its season with a meet this weekend. The team will travel down to Gainesville, Florida, to compete in the Pepsi Florida Relays.

Reporter Tory Bowling can be reached at 270-745-6291 and tory.bowling437@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ Tory_Bowling24

SHABAN ATHUMAN • HERALD

WKU pole vaulter Getter Lemberg runs to jump during the Hilltopper Relay on April 08, 2016 at Charles M. Rueter Track and Field Complex in Bowling Green, Ky.

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B4

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS Lady Toppers get win over Cincinnati, fall to MTSU

BY JEREMY CHISENHALL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU tennis team split its weekend matchups, defeating University of Cincinnati before falling to Conference USA rival Middle Tennessee State University.

The Lady Toppers started the weekend at UC on Friday, where they won four singles matches. Freshman Moka Ito defeated UC’s Ioana Guna in straight sets. Senior Elpida Malamou also won her singles match in straight sets, defeating Alexia Coutino. Senior Violetta Shatalova was able to battle back after dropping her

first set against UC’s Caroline Morton, picking up wins in the next two sets to get WKU its third singles win of the day.

Sophomore Cindy Oest picked up the last singles win of the day, coming back from down 1-0 to defeat UC’s Anna Philp in three sets. Sophomores Monica Malinen and Natalia De Ugarte each dropped their singles matches in straight sets.

The Lady Toppers won 4 of 6 singles matches.

WKU lost the doubles matchup, dropping two of the three matches to the Bearcats. The tandem of Ito and Malinen were the only pair to pick up a win for the Lady Toppers.

The Lady Toppers moved to 8-3

on the year with the win. The loss dropped UC’s record to 8-8.

WKU continued its weekend slate on Sunday at MTSU. The Lady Toppers won two of the three doubles matches, as Ito and Malinen won their doubles match 6-4. Malamou and Shatalova also picked up doubles, a win for WKU in a highly-contested match.

WKU dropped four of its six singles matches to the Blue Raiders. Ito defeated MTSU’s Josefina Zehnder in straight sets, and Malamou defeated Costanza Magazzini in straight sets as well. Shatalova, De Ugarte, Malinen and Oest each dropped their singles matches. The losses were highly competitive, as all four of the them

went to three sets before being decided.

MTSU has won 17 of the last 18 meetings between the two sides, and the Blue Raiders have a 25-12 record against the Lady Toppers in the alltime series.

The loss moved the Lady Toppers to 8-4 (2-1 Conference USA) this season. They’ll take on University of Tennessee on Friday in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Sports Editor Jeremy Chisenhall can be reached at 270-745-6291 and jeremy.chisenhall921@topper. wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ JSChisenhall.

BROOK JOYNER • HERALD

MAJOR IN

Sophomore Natalia De Ugarte competes in a match against East Tennessee State on April 13, 2017, at the WKU tennis courts. On Sunday, De Ugarte and her sophomore doubles partner Cindy Oest fell 6-2 to a Middle Tennessee State University pair.

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BROOK JOYNER • HERALD

Sophomore Monica Malinen plays a singles match against East Tennessee State University April 13, 2017, at the WKU tennis courts. Malinen, alongside her doubles partner freshman Moka Ito, defeated a Middle Tennessee State University pair 6-4.

LIFE C1

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH On being ugly: why all women are beautiful

BY JULIE SISLER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Editor’s Note: This is a personal essay

by Julie Sisler.

ISABEL BRINEGAR • HERALD

History professor and Kentucky State Representative candidate Patti Minter hosted an event at the Sinkhole Sanctuary on March 23. Minter talked about her plans for the future of District 20 which includes WKU and helping with voters registration.

Professor on women in leadership, government

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

WKU professor of history and Bowling Green native Patti Minter is running as a democratic candidate for a seat in the Kentucky Legislature as representative of Kentucky’s 20th district.

Minter announced her campaign via her Facebook page in early January, the day current Rep. Jody Richards announced he would not seek re-election after 42 years as representative of the 20th district, 14 of which were served as speaker of the house.

Since arriving at WKU in 1993, Minter has served as chair of general education on the Faculty Senate pre2000, the first chair of the University Senate from 2000-2001, a member of the benefits committee from 20002011, faculty regent from 2007-2014

and the current chair of the faculty welfare and professional responsibilities committee.

Minter said her experience as a leader at WKU has helped guide her decision to run for a spot in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

“It’s an opportunity to help people,” Minter said. “To give voice to people who need help. I’ve been a leader here in Bowling Green and at WKU for a long time, and I’m ready to take our message to the state capital.”

Aside from her work at WKU, Minter is one of the founding members of Bowling Green Fairness, which originated in 1999 as a result of LGBT fairness ordinances passed in Louisville and Lexington. Revived in Bowling Green in 2011, Minter stepped up as a leader of the movement. Bowling Green remains the largest city in Kentucky that does not have a LGBT fairness ordinance. Minter said she believes Bowling Green should extend

these basic liberties to all of its citizens.

“It’s wrong for this city to exclude members of its community from full civil rights protections and basic human dignity,” Minter said. “We’ve been working on that.”

Minter is also secretary of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky Board of Directors and a coordinator of the inaugural Bowling Green pride festival held last October. Minter said she is committed to her work both at WKU and in the community of Bowling Green, despite the challenges both present.

“One of the things I’ve learned about being a woman in leadership is you have to be persistent, and you have to be extremely dedicated, and I am both of those things,” Minter said. “I don’t give up in advocating for people who need to have an advocate.”

SEE MINTER • PAGE C2

Student voices on intersectional feminism

BY NOAH MOORE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Feminism can take shape in a variety of different ideals from body autonomy to equal pay in the workplace. As society has evolved, though, so have different ideals of feminism.

One of these ideals is intersectional feminism, an ideal that is not so familiar to many but that illustrates how discrimination women face is not solely based on gender.

It is a multi-faceted struggle that overlaps the female gender into elements of race, status, ethnicity, religion and sexual orientation. For example, a black lesbian may experience discrimination based on her gender, sexual orientation and race. Even when defined, intersectional feminism holds different weight and importance depending on the individual.

Freshman Kate Fields sees intersectional feminism as important and supports gender equality entirely but says she isn’t sure if she identifies quite under the term of a “feminist.”

“I absolutely support the equality of men and women, but I’ve felt that the modern feminist movement is exclusive in that it doesn’t accept or support

women who hold more conservative political views nearly as much as those with liberal views,” Fields said. “I also have never personally experienced overt sexism in any of my academic endeavors, so I’m hesitant to adopt the view of myself as a victim of the patriarchy.”

For some, like junior Ireland Hill, being a feminist is as essential as oxygen. Hill says she believes in feminism in particular because she feels it is what’s right, especially intersectional feminism. Hill adopts these notions based on her own experiences.

“I’ve been raised on the idea of equality,” Hill said. “I never experienced immense sexism, and I am so grateful. However, I live in a society that produces it. I know that females domestically and internationally face the notion of being treated as if they are not equal to their male peers. Feminism is important to me because if I do not stand up for the simple notion that women are equal to men–for example, women doing the same job as a man-they should get paid the same amount for the same job–I sadly don’t know who will.”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it is important to note that some people may not identify as feminists due to the buzz surrounding the word

in contemporary society. Sophomore Ashley Owens says she strays away from identifying as a feminist but still stands for the same ideals in many capacities.

“From what I have come to learn, intersectional feminism is the acceptance of all women of all races,” Owens said. “I completely believe that any woman of any race should be equally considered for an opportunity if they have the right academic and legal requirements. While I may not identify myself as a feminist, I still do and always will support my fellow ladies.”

Some proclaim their support for the cause even when it doesn’t quite apply to them. For Jayden Thomas, freshman and SGA senator, intersectional feminism is important to him, even as a male.

Thomas credits his belief in feminism to many different people who have taught him the value in equality, especially due to him being a member of the LGBTQ community. He believes the struggles faced by minority communities create some overlap with the causes that feminists are fighting for.

“I have been raised by some very powerful female figures, and I am a true believer that they are capable SEE INTERSECTIONAL • PAGE C2

The first time I called myself ugly, I was seven years old. As I looked at the picture of my friends and me at my birthday party, I realized that I looked different from them. They were tiny, blonde and tan. I was a pudgy, glasses-wearing, pale girl with an extremely unfortunate bowl cut.

As I examined these differences, my innocent brain searched for a word to describe the difference between my friends and me. Finally, my mouth formed the word: ugly.

As I grew into my awkward phase, the realization I came to at the age of seven kept recurring. My best friend grew into a tall, slim, tanned, blonde babe. I, on the other hand, grew both vertically and horizontally. Though I (thankfully) was able to ditch the bowl cut, my hair did not magically turn blonde, and my skin remained pale and freckled.

I couldn’t help but notice that people who looked like my best friend were the ones in movies and magazines, the ones who got the guy and were shown living exciting, happy lives. People like me, however, were the source of comedic relief and shows like “Ugly Betty.”

These observations only became more noticeable as I entered middle school, high school and eventually college. The more women I talked to, the more I realized my insecurities were not unfounded, nor were they something only I suffered from. Even my beautiful best friend, who has a body and face that many would love to have, found herself not measuring up to the expectations placed on women.

The “ideal” body image for women in the media includes perfect skin, tiny waists and ample breasts and butts.

Though some movies and TV shows explore positive body image, it’s hard to deliver the message when women who have “ideal” body types are ones acting out the scenes.

So we as women are being told that we need to meet these near impossible standards, but we are also harped about being full of genuine self-love and confidence. The media wants us to love ourselves … but only if we fit their mold. My curvy frame, pale skin and unruly brown hair are seldom shown in the media: does that mean I’m not supposed to love those parts of myself?

Women in particular are pressured with these reinforced ideals that beauty is of the utmost importance and should be regarded as one of the most important assets a woman can (and should) have.

Girls are taught at a young age to look at themselves critically, and the sad truth that women in society face is that we don’t feel beautiful.

I can’t even remember the first time I called myself beautiful. At the time, I’m sure it felt insignificant. However, every time that a woman realizes how beautiful she is, she is making an important step towards true self-love, the kind that not even Hollywood can get right.

Women are beautiful. They are beautiful when they smile and laugh, when they use their beautiful minds to create new ideas, when they use their beautiful hearts to make the world a better place and when they use their beautiful personalities to decorate our world.

The size of your clothing, the number of blemishes on your face, the color of your skin and any other aspect of your body that society tells you isn’t “ideal” does not diminish your beauty.

You become beautiful the moment you decide that you are.

As for my 19-year-old self looking back on my seven-year old self: I was not ugly, but different. And isn’t that sort of beautiful?

Features reporter Julie Sisler can be reached at 270-745-6291 and julie.sisler389@topper.wku.edu. Follow Julie on Twitter at @julie_sisler.

C2 LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

African-American Studies professor embodies feminism

BY LAUREL DEPPEN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Cheryl Hopson, assistant professor of African-American Studies at WKU, is a self-proclaimed feminist and has been a professor on the college level for more than 19 years. Her draw to African-American culture and studies began just around when she began teaching, when she became inspired by stories of African-American history.

Hopson attended Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia, where she received an undergraduate degree in English, and Radford University for her master’s degree in English. After this, she finished her education by getting a Ph.D. in English at the University of Kentucky.

“What drew me to African American Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies was my critical interest in, as well as my intellectual and artistic compelling towards, African-Amer-

INTERSECTIONAL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE C1

nding the word in contemporary society. Sophomore Ashley Owens says she strays away from identifying as a feminist, but still stands for the same ideals in many capacities.

“From what I have come to learn, intersectional feminism is the acceptance of all women of all races,” Owens said. “I completely believe that any woman of any race should be equally considered an opportunity if they have the right academic and legal requirements. While I may not identify myself as a feminist, I still do and always will support my fellow ladies.”

Some proclaim their support for the cause even when it doesn’t quite apply to them. For Jayden Thomas, freshman

MINTER CONTINUED FROM PAGE C1 Lebanon senior Sarah Spalding attended a history of human rights course taught by Minter. Spalding said she believes Minter is a worthy candidate for the state legislature.

“I think the biggest thing out of it is

ican women’s literature, art, culture and intellectualism,” Hopson said. “I decided to pursue my Ph.D. in English and those studies after becoming interested in that.”

Hopson currently teaches a wide array of undergraduate courses, from AFAM 190: The African American Experience to CSJ 301: Seminar in Social Justice. She also teaches graduate courses in politics and resistance and reclamation.

Her degrees have taken her far beyond the classrooms at WKU. Hopson has presented at international academic conferences across the globe, presenting at around four per year.

These include the Association for the Study of African American History, the National Women’s Studies Association, the Society for the Study of American Women Writers, the Popular Culture Association and the College Language Association Convention.

“I enjoy the feedback that I receive from scholars in my field when read-

ing my work at these conferences,” she said. “I almost always turn whatever presentation I’ve written into a publishable article-length essay.”

What distinguishes Hopson isn’t her mastery in studies or her international resume, she is an advocate for social justice, both for women and African-Americans.

According to her colleague, Andrew Rosa, also associate professor of African-American Studies, her studies are even foundational to the department’s curriculum.

“Hopson’s referred journal articles, poetry, and excellent book chapters are significant contributions to African-American literary studies, Gender and Women’s Studies, African-American social thought and social movement history, among others,” Rosa said. “She is a prolific writer in multiple genres, and her many scholarly and creative contributions clearly mark her as an emerging scholar of the African-American literary tradition and a

talented and widely recognized poet in her own right.”

With regards to feminism specifically, Hopson has a strong stance on the issue. She praises modern day feminism and strongly roots herself in the fights that have been waged for women’s rights throughout history.

“I have nothing bad and everything good to say about feminism writ large,” she said. “I recognize that it is because of women largely and some men advocating for, and legislating on behalf of change on the personal as well as collective level that I am able to be in the position I am today. We stand on the shoulders of ordinary and extraordinary girls and women who desired and sought a more democratic and encompassing present and future for themselves as well as for others.”

and SGA senator, intersectional feminism is important to him, even as a male.

Thomas credits his belief in feminism to many different people who have taught him the value in equality, especially due to him being a member of the LGBTQ community. He believes the struggles faced by minority communities create some overlap with the causes that feminists are fighting for.

“I have been raised by some very powerful female figures, and I am a true believer that they are capable of anything,” said Thomas. “Being a member of many marginalized groups myself, I also know what it is like when these problems overlap. Obviously, I am not a woman within another marginalized group, but I am able to sympathize and believe that men should fight more for gender equality.”

WKU student body president Andi Dahmer’s entire campaign ticket was made of women, with Kara Lowry as administrative vice president and Savannah Molyneaux as executive vice president.

“I support intersectional feminism in that it represents all women,” Dahmer said. “Much of feminism historically has been based around a white female identity, so being intersectional must also encompass all spheres of womanhood. I think a lot of people are turned off by the word ‘feminist,’ but that we shouldn’t be afraid to use the word, as it is defined literally as equality.”

Dahmer said her voice comes from seeing the diversity in women at the Women’s March in Washington, D.C. in 2017. From there, Dahmer noted she was inspired to be a feminist for all women and people, whether they are

stay-at-home moms or the first female president.

“I also think it’s very important to overcome my personal identity and be open to everyone being part of this movement,” she said. “To that extent, it’s important to note that I’m a feminist for all, including those who believe we don’t need feminism.”

Intersectional feminism, in essence ,is fighting for the rights of women in different cross-sections of society: trans women, women of color, women of varying sexual orientations and more.

that you have to be passionate about what you believe in, and you have to take that passion and turn it into something that ultimately is going to leave a legacy,” Spalding said. “I think that’s what she’s trying to do. She’s trying to make an impact.”

Minter will be running in the Democratic Party primary election on May 22. According to Minter’s campaign

webpage, if elected, she plans to fight for an increase in Kentucky’s minimum wage, increased workers’ rights and overall equality, an approach to crime that reduces incarceration among perpetrators of non-violent crimes and increased funding for all levels of education.

Minter said she is prepared to serve the 20th district and all of Kentucky.

“I’m ready to fight for all Kentuckians,” Minter said. “To make this a better place to live and to work for all of us.”

Features reporter Noah Moore can be reached at 270-745-6291 and noah. moore786@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter at @noah_moore18.

Features reporter Noah Moore can be reached at 270-745-6291 and noah. moore786@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter at @noah_moore18.

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

LIFE C3

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKU professor remembers her humble beginnings

BY DRAKE KEIZER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Jane Olmsted, 65, has called WKU home since 1996.

Though she was born in Minneapolis, she spent most of her childhood in Oberlin, Ohio. She developed her passion for writing, and she began crafting magazines and other lengthy works toward the end of elementary school.

“I wrote a 16-page, handwritten, single-spaced story about a horse in fifth grade,” Olmsted said. “It was a total rip-off of a book I was in love with at the time, but my teacher was so impressed that she had me read it aloud to the class. I could hear my fellow students letting out these big sighs, and I realized that my teacher and parents were a lot more excited about my writing than everybody else.”

After graduating from Firelands High School in 1971, Olmsted attended a community college and went to Bowling Green State University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing there and accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Louisville in 1976. Olmsted’s 10year stay in Louisville helped determine her future.

“While I was finishing my master’s degree, I worked for a couple years at Capital Holding Corporation in Louisville,” Olmsted said. “It was the worst experience of my life. I learned a lot about what I am not able to do, which is corporate America. So, I left that and got a job teaching.”

The University of Minnesota came calling and Olmsted returned to her birthplace in 1991 to pursue a doctorate in English and feminist studies. In 1996, as one chapter of her life was ending, another was beginning.

“I was looking for a job, and I saw an announcement in the Chronicle of Education for a joint appointment in English and women’s studies at WKU,” Olmsted said. “No one else saw it, but it had my name on it. I had come to love Kentucky, so I applied, and I got it. I taught both English and women’s studies for a while, but eventually I stopped teaching English.”

During Olmsted’s term, Women’s Studies became Gender and Women’s

MADDE NAVIN • HERALD

Jane Olmsted is a gender and women’s studies professor, the coordinator and advisor of Social Responsibility and Sustainability Communities and the department head of diversity and community studies. Olmsted is now a published author as well.

Studies. The program grouped together with other programs that formerly had no department home, such as African-American Studies, to create the Diversity and Community Studies department.

“It’s a fantastic field that has become smarter through inclusion of groups and identities that have been traditionally ignored,” Olmsted said.

“The changes have been about greater inclusion of other perspectives, and to me that’s a beautiful reason for growth. It’s all about opening up a better understanding of what’s really going on and not falling back on easy interpretations.”

Though Olmsted’s main title is department head of Diversity and Community Studies, she also coordinates the Social Responsibility and Sustainable Communities master’s program, which she created in 2012.

“I have a dream job because I get to teach amazing courses to amazing students,” Olmsted said. “All of us who are trained in a discipline are indoctrinated with a certain way to view the world, but to really get into an interdisciplinary field, you have to set all of that aside. Since we’re not so concerned about meeting certain standards of a discipline, we get to focus on themes and interconnections.”

As part of her interest in interdisciplinary learning, Olmsted took a group of WKU students to Peru during each Winter Term from 2012 until 2014.

“The Amazon had always been sort of a mythical place in my imagination, and going there was such an amazing experience,” Olmsted said. “There is a methodology called place as text, and it’s kind of the opposite of a talking head telling you everything you need to know about a place. So, I took small groups of students there in order to explore rural and urban community environment social issues.”

Christian Ryan, WKU’s sustainability coordinator, has known Olmsted for almost a decade, and she said they are so deeply connected it is hard for her to remember everything they have done together. In addition to their professional relationship, the two have also forged a friendship, which Ryan said started after two trips to Peru with Olmsted as a doctoral student.

“I went on those trips as a student in her class, but it didn’t feel like a class. It was just an adventure,” Ryan said. “She’s definitely one of the best teachers I’ve ever had...Knowing Jane improves my quality of life, and I’m grateful for her being a really positive influence on me.”

Olmsted said she discovered her

love of poetry while she was an undergraduate, and she has written poetry on and off throughout her life. At some points, all she wanted to do was write, and one of those instances spawned her 2015 book, “Seeking the Other Side.”

“My youngest son was murdered in 2009, and the best way for me to get through that was to go into an internal space to be with him and to explore profound questions about loss and meaning,” Olmsted said. “I thought in poetry during that time and so the bulk of those poems are about him.

The other poems are ones I had written before, but interestingly enough, they explored similar kinds of themes.”

Olmsted has three sons and three grandchildren. After her youngest son’s death, Olmsted received custody of his daughter, Leah. Olmsted said she focuses on raising her granddaughter and encouraging her to always give new things a try, the same advice she gives her students.

“I believe that if we follow our curiosity and our hearts then insights and opportunities will come to us,” Olmsted said. “I tell my students, ‘Have your antenna out for possibilities of what’s out there.’ That’s not just for students.

That’s for all of us.”

Olmsted said although she is unsure what the future holds, she will be at Harlaxton College in England teaching English and Gender and Women’s Studies. She is excited about the opportunity, and it has given her a chance to reflect on what she has accomplished so far.

“There was a time in my life when I didn’t dream I would have a Ph.D. because I had self-esteem issues,” Olmsted said. “I told my mentor...that I could not write a dissertation, and she said I could if I thought of it like a series of five term papers all linked with some theme. She helped me realize things that seem overwhelming can be broken down into steps. Life is really a series of thinking you can’t do something until you get to the end and realize it wasn’t so bad after all. Then, you do it all over again.”

Features reporter Drake Kizer can be reached at 270-745-2653 and clinton. kizer287@topper.wku.edu.

Follow Drake on Twitter at @drakekizer_.

C4 LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 27, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY LYDIA SCHWEIKART • HERALD

Why it’s important for women to learn to say ‘no’

BY LAUREL DEPPEN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Editor’s Note: This is a personal essay

by Laurel Deppen.

I spent a majority of my life just letting things happen to me. I continued this pattern throughout my first semester of college. It’s in those few months that people say you’re supposed to go through some sort of radical change.

Without realizing it, I did too. I’m not going to act like I’m not still learning and growing from all of the things life throws at me, but last semester, I hit a wall of self-realization.

The issue I saw within myself is one that I think many women experience. I realized that I lacked the ability to say no.

Saying no seems easy. How hard

could it be, right? If you don’t want to do something, you just don’t do it. If only that were the case.

More often than not, I would find myself in situations I didn’t want to be in. I neglected my work, my time, my physical and mental health and my own best interests, quite frankly, just to please other people.

I hid most of my real feelings and intentions and changed them based on what I thought other people wanted.

“I’m just floating,” was the response I often gave. It’s a perfect way to avoid saying no. It’s noncommittal, and it’s vague enough to be interpreted however the receiver wants to.

That’s where the issue comes in. If you never take a stand for what you want, people can take advantage of your passivity and push their own agendas.

It starts off small. You agree to have dinner at the same place where you had lunch because that’s where your friend

wants to go for dinner. Your friend is having a great time at the party and wants to stay. You have to get up early tomorrow and you’re not having fun anymore, but she’s having fun. You can’t ruin that for her.

But if this behavior continues and you continue to agree to everything, you might find that you’re not living your own life.

If you say yes to everything, you’re not in control of your own life. Other people are. Refusing to say no leaves you in limbo in a life that’s not entirely your own.

It never occurred to me that this was a problem because it’s so common in our culture for young women to smile, agree and do whatever other people want them to do.

Standing up for your own best interests as a young woman is scary.

We worry that if we’re too vocal about something we’ll be labelled as over -emotional, stupid or crazy.v Even

worse, we feel like the people we love and respect the most––family, friends, boyfriends or girlfriends—won’t like us anymore.

It was almost like I expected my loved ones to change their opinion of me after I refused them something. If that really were to happen, I’ve learned I wouldn’t need those people in my life anyway.

I wish I could say that I no longer agree to things I don’t want to do. I still do, and it’s still more often than not, but making a change like this takes time. Saying no to small things has been such a liberating experience for me.

I have become less unapologetic about what I want. Once you start respecting yourself, people have more respect for you.

Features reporter Laurel Deppen can be reached at 270-745-6291 and laurel.deppen774@topper.wku.edu.

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