March 19, 2019

FEATURES • PAGE B1

OPINION • PAGE A4

Wedding venue in Franklin helps couples make lifetime memories

Letter to Editor: Why WKU needs to keep its Pop Culture program

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 94, ISSUE 21

WKU spends over $47,000 on office renovation

BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

HEADED HOME PHOTOS BY JOSEPH BARKOFF • HERALD

Top: WKU junior forward Matt Horton (center) offers comfort to redshirt junior forward Moustapha Diagne (left) with freshman guard Dalano Banton from the bench at the end of the season and the end of the final game in the C-USA Championship. WKU was unable to defeat ODU in all three of the team’s meetings this season. WKU finished the season 20-14 overall.

Above: WKU head coach Rick Stansbury gives freshman center Charles Bassey a little advice in a brief moment before an inbound against Old Dominion in the finals of the C-USA Tournament.

Left: WKU senior guard Lamonte Bearden flies into a swirling melee of Old Dominion defenders in the final game of the C-USA Championship at the Ford Center at the Star on March 16, in Frisco,Texas. Bearden had 9 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks in the 56-62 loss.

Amid the ongoing budget concerns and rising tuition at WKU, the university recently spent over $47,000 on a staff office renovation.

Between December 2018 and early January of this year, WKU spent $47,364.87 in renovating space for the General Counsel’s office, according to records provided to the Herald by the university.

In 2017, WKU began addressing a significant budget shortfall driven by declining enrollment and reductions in state funding for higher education.

To stabilize the budget, the university has implemented strategies, including cutting scores of staff positions, using department carry-forward money, increasing tuition and reviewing academic programs for potential elimination.

The office currently houses General Counsel Deborah Wilkins, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Executive Legal Assistant and part-time instructor Lauren Ossello.

In 2013, alumni relations staff moved into the Augenstein Alumni Center from the Craig Alumni Center, which was renamed the Craig Administrative Center.

In 2014, the Craig Administrative Center became home to the President’s Office, which moved from suite 125 of the Wetherby Administration Building.

Due to these changes, the General Counsel’s office, which was also located in suite 125 of WAB, was also relocated to CAC and the Division of Public Affairs staff moved into suite 125 of WAB. When Robbin Taylor, then Vice President for Public Affairs, moved into the former president’s office in Wetherby in 2014, the move cost $8,321.50 for construction on the office to “better fit their needs,” Media Relations Director Bob

SEE OFFICE RENOVATION • PAGE A6

Former SGA president adds retaliation to lawsuit

BY NICOLE ZIEGE HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

New evidence has been filed in former Student Government Association President Andi Dahmer’s lawsuit against WKU, with Dahmer requesting to add retaliation among other allegations in an amended complaint to the case.

Dahmer filed a lawsuit against WKU, President Timothy Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride on Aug. 31, 2018. She is seeking $75,000 in damages. In an amendment to her initial complaint, Dahmer claimed she was retaliated against by Caboni for reporting the sex discrimination committed against her by him and WKU in her lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, Dahmer cited verbal, mental and emotional abuse she claims she suffered from the “tortious conduct” of WKU, Caboni, Anderson and Pride.

MADDY NAVIN • HERALD

Former SGA President Andi Dahmer filed a lawsuit in September 2018 against WKU, President Timothy Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride.

She also accused the defendants of discriminating against her based on sex and not following university procedures such as the “Discrimination and Harassment Policy.

The Herald previously reported Dahmer’s harassment allegations, which she came forward with on April 24, 2018.

She said she experienced some of the harassment from eight SGA senators, including instances of the senators cursing at her in her office, calling her derogatory names and anonymously exchanging group messages with each other wishing her physical harm.

WKU denied Dahmer’s lawsuit allegations of sex discrimination and denied that Dahmer “suffered from a hostile educational environment” and “suffered sexual harassment and threats at the hands of WKU students in her tenure as SGA president,” according to court documents.

SEE SGA • PAGE A6

A2 NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Lecture discusses campus climate for students of color

BY LAKIERRA DEBERRY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Last week, graduate students, WKU faculty and Warren County elementary school teachers came together to discuss the dynamics of African-American students on campus within a classroom setting and how faculty can better serve students of color.

The lecture series “Black Minds Matters” has hosted three previous events this year, with one upcoming event in May. The discussion held on March 16 covered the topic of campus climate.

During the event, students and faculty discussed work published

by Kimberly Griffin, University of Maryland associate professor for higher education, student affairs and international education policy program. She also currently serves as an editor of the Journal of Diversity in Higher Education.

Darrian Evans, a graduate student, and Lacretia Dye, an associate professor and school counseling program coordinator, said they are the minds behind the lecture series.

The lecture was set up to critique a concept called the “growth mindset.”

Dye said it was the idea of capturing a mindset within the environment to validate both the effort and ability of African-American learners.

Dye said her concern is that students emphasize or focus on validating their effort rather than their abilities.

Ron Jones, a graduate student, said that as an African-American male during grade school, he believed there were students more capable at excelling than him, and since he played sports, he believed he was doing just enough to get by.

He explained his athletic abilities were better than his academic abilities, and he was not encouraged to improve in the classroom during his freshman year of high school.

“After football season, I was lacking, and the teachers and the coach pretty much left me to excel on my own,” Jones said. “That’s when my mother took me out of football.”

Dye said she has noticed many students are graded harshly when turning in papers because they don’t know the proper format or style and don’t have the right person to help them. Dye said she encourages students to bring papers to her for help.

“A lot of students of color do not know where to start as far as resources on campus and do not know

IVY CABELLO • HERALD

Lacretia Dye, far right, welcomes Bowling Green High School English teachers Jennifer Harrell, far left, and Natalie Corney chat before the start of the Black Minds Matter workshop session at Downing Student Union on Saturday, March 16, 2019. Dye, who leads the workshop sessions along with her graduate assistant, discussed the upcoming Project LIT, literature in the community, book giveaways and discussions, with the teachers.

“white counselor syndrome.” She explained this as white instructors who don’t know how to properly

”We want to make sure as progessors we make them feel safe and know that they can trust us.”

able to see people of African-American color excel and do great things within the community,” Evans said, referring to the new initiatives.

Dye said she is adamant about getting students of color on campus to work alongside her in order to provide them with opportunities that other races are positioned in. She said this allows them to not be backstage but rather in the center stage.

She said she believes leadership roles are extremely important within the African-American student

community on predominantly white campuses.

“As professors, we should convey high expectations where students know that you believe in their ability to succeed,” Dye said.

Personally, Dye said she has been questioned about having a doctorate as though she was not supposed to have one. She added she was informed by others that her race must be proud of her for receiving such

SEE CAMPUS CLIMATE • PAGE A3

Associate professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator LACRETIA DYE

interact with African-American students. She said she believes this is also when white culture sometimes ignores how African Americans have been undermined in society and how helpful it is to have someone to uplift them.

“We want to make sure as professors we make them feel safe and know that they can trust us,” Dye said.

Evans said she appreciates the ef-

“A lot of students of color do not know where to start as far as resources on campus and do not know where to nevessarily ask for help.”

Associate professor and School Counseling Program Coordinator LACRETIA DYE

where to necessarily ask for the help,” Dye said. “High expectations are based on the behavior [rather] than their amplitude, and they don’t feel valued, in their mind.”

Dye explained a concept called

fort to decorate grade school classroom doors with people of color. She said looking back as a grade school student, other successful students of color were never showcased.

“That way, students of color are

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NEWS A3

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Faculty respond to strategic plan initiative launches

BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU faculty and staff were notified on March 12 of two new initiatives that have been launched as part of President Timothy Caboni’s 10-year strategic plan.

The initiatives will study campus-wide financial compensation figures compared to other universities.

The initiatives are being led by WKU Human Resources Director Tony Glisson. Glisson said the initiatives will focus on areas the university can improve regarding financial compensation.

Such a study has not been completed at WKU in more than 10 years.

“The question is what is our compensation philosophy?” Glisson said.

The strategic plan is a “carefully defined roadmap that will guide the uni-

versity throughout the next decade,” according to the official document.

The plan was created in 2017 with six working groups meeting throughout the year and several forums held for public input.

Details of the new initiatives were sent in an email to faculty and staff from Senior Vice President for Finance and Administration Ann Mead. As reported in a recent Herald article, the email said two distinct pathways will be laid out in the initiatives, one for faculty and one for staff.

The initiatives will be conducted through a national consulting firm, Sibson Consulting. Mead wrote in the email that a website will be created to effectively broadcast information about the initiatives.

Student employees, however, will not be included in the initiatives, Glisson said.

For the university and students im-

“We’re trying to identify problem areas that warrant university attention.”

Human Resources Director TONY GLISSON

pacted, Glisson said student employment and student compensation are important. Therefore, he said they should be addressed in a separate project or initiative in the future. He said the primary focus lies on teaching and non-teaching personnel at WKU with the newly announced initiatives.

“What’s more important is examining and assessment of how we pay

compared to other similarly situated universities,” Glisson said. “We’re trying to identify problem areas that warrant university attention.”

Glisson said the initiatives are expected to last approximately one year, finishing in the spring of 2020, with focus groups and feedback sessions along the way to accurately gauge feedback from the university.

Faculty regent Claus Ernst said he believes the initiatives will be beneficial, because it is necessary to understand if the current salary benchmarks are still accurate.

“If we make sure people are performing well, the students benefit,” Ernst said.

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

CAMPUS CLIMATE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A2 an accomplishment.

Dye has taught a social and cultural diversity course on campus and said she tries to teach white students to be aware when it comes to social norms within the African-American community. She said she does this so students will not offend students of color when it comes to learning things about their culture as well as the African-American community.

Journalism assistant professor Rich Shumate said he believes a difficulty for white instructors is singling African-American students out from high expectations and implementing strategies to help them navigate through difficulties.

The final “Black Minds Matter” session will be held on May 4. The session is titled “Promising Teaching Practices” and will explore the black mind’s pedagogy and recommendations for educators of black minds.

News reporter Kierra DeBerry can be reached at 270-745-6011 and lakierra.deberry262@topper.wku. edu Follow her on Twitter at @Kierra_DeB.

IVY CABELLO • HERALD

WKU double major Ron Butler participates in the fourth session of the “Black Minds Matter” workshop series at Downing Student Union on March 16. The session continued to address issues facing black male students and what educators and guardians can do to help them excel in the education system.

CORRECTION •

•

A story titled “Provost updates faculty and staff on vacant positions,” which ran in the March 12 issue of the Herald, said the vacant associate vice president position mentioned by the provost was the vice president of philanthropy and alumni engagement, currently held by John Paul Blair. However, the email was referencing the associate vice president for academic enrichment and effectiveness in the provost’s office. Doug McElroy formerly filled this position until Feb. 1 when he began to transition to a different position. The Herald regrets this error.

A story titled “Board of Regents spending budget exceeds $100,000,” which appeared in the March 12 issue of the Herald, contained several inaccuracies. The story has been temporarily removed from our website until it is fit for publication again. A letter from the editor explaining the process can be found on page A4. Here are the errors from that story: • Regents appointed by the governor serve six-year terms. They can be re-appointed for a second six-year term.

• The governor did not call a meeting of the Board of Regents in Louisville. Rather, it was a training session required by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

• Julia McDonald’s title is assistant to the president for board and executive relations.

• The article incorrectly says regents receive workers’ compensation.

• While the board approves any changes in academic programs, the provost, who is not a regent, oversees academic affairs.

• The article implies that regent George Nichols, who lives out of state, is reimbursed for his flights to attend meetings. Nichols is not reimbursed for his travel expenses. State law states that regents who are from out of state are not reimbursed.

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OPINION

A4

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Learning from, owning and accepting our mistakes

BY EVAN HEICHELBECH HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

On March 12, an article appeared in the print version of the Herald titled “Board of Regents spending budget exceeds $100,000,” and the same version of that story appeared on our website until the following day.

I removed this story from the website because it contained several inaccuracies, and as more people read it, more people were likely to be misinformed, which is precisely counter to what a piece of journalism should do.

The intention and original thought behind publishing this story was to present the Board of Regents budget in order to understand where and how its money is being spent.

Unfortunately, some of the facts gleaned from the budget, which was obtained via an open records request to the university, were not presented in an accurate, understandable or straightforward way.

For the sake of transparency, I am presenting all of the errors we are aware of at this time.

The corrections currently called to our attention which need to be made are the following: • Regents appointed by the governor serve six-year terms. They can be re-appointed for a second six-year term.

• The governor did not call a meeting of the Board of Regents in Louisville. Rather, it was a training session required by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

• Julia McDonald’s title is assistant to the president for board and executive relations.

• The article incorrectly says regents receive workers’ compensation.

• While the board approves any changes in academic programs, the provost, who is not a regent, oversees academic affairs.

• The article implies that regent George Nichols, who lives out of state, is reimbursed for his flights to attend meetings. Nichols is not reimbursed for his travel expenses. State law states that regents who are from out of state are not reimbursed.

After hearing about these inaccuracies and reading the story again, I, along with the reporter and section editor assigned to this story, decided it was best to remove the story and correct these errors before republishing the story.

SEE EDITOR’S NOTE • PAGE A7

Sam Ford is a WKU alum. He helped launch the Popular Culture Studies program at WKU and taught in the major as well.

STAY CULTURED PHOTO BY MICHAEL BLACKSHIRE • HERALD

Pop culture program can’t afford to be cut

LETTER SUBMITTED BY SAM FORD

HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

W

estern Kentucky University, my alma mater, is facing a really tough set of decisions as it significantly reduces the budget.

This includes suspending a range of majors, a list being decided right now.

Significant debt alongside declining funding and enrollment mean tough choices can’t be avoided. But there’s one cut being proposed that seems short-sighted and that is near to my heart.

Almost a decade ago, I had the pleasure to be part of the launch of the WKU Popular Culture Studies program. I have taught in the major. I have mentored students. If the program existed back when I was a student at WKU, this would have been my major. This has and should be a small interdisciplinary program.

But its benefits are evident. It’s one of only two undergraduate programs of this sort in the nation. And I’ve seen through various graduates how having this on your resume (often as a second major) has been a differentiator to help jumpstart careers and make the alum of the program stand out among a sea of humanities majors.

Over the past few years, I’ve seen WKU students launch out of the program into fast success — from TV and radio hosts to Teach for America participants and from college admissions counseling and area retail sales management to digital marketing and music A&R. I had the pleasure of managing one alum at Univision who came to my team after starting in the New York City agency world and then went on to impressive roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers and now the Rockefeller Foundation.

These are just a few stories of pop culture studies grads I know of. And these are all students who just graduated over the past few years.

At a time when universities have to make cuts, I know tough decisions must be made. But that’s why interdisciplinary majors that connect offerings across the campus at no extra cost seem especially strategic to keep, particularly when they run a high chance of differentiating students on the job market.

There are few or no savings to come from cutting this program. Intro to pop culture studies will remain an ongoing course that fulfills a Colonnade requirement, and the other courses for the major — save a one-hour capstone independent study style course — are classes already offered throughout the

university in other programs.

When I shared this news on social media this week, I heard from one alum of the program who said it was this major that taught him critical thinking skills, inspired him as a first-generation student to stay committed to getting his bachelor’s degree, taught him how to network across different fields and industries (because of its interdisciplinary nature) and gave him an edge in his subsequent career in digital marketing.

I hold out hope that amid these tough decisions the university will reconsider cutting this program. It would be an unfortunate casualty of a tough process that will do nothing to help the university’s plight while eliminating opportunities for students like me.

Sam Ford is a 2005 graduate of WKU, where he majored in communication studies, English (writing), news/editorial journalism and mass communication with a minor in film studies.

He is Director of Cultural Intelligence for Simon & Schuster, a CBS Company, in New York City; a research affiliate with MIT Comparative Media Studies/ Writing and a Knight News Innovation Fellow with the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University. He has made his living studying popular culture.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

WKU making big mistake in phasing out French program

LETTER SUBMITTED BY TERRY SPEARS

HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Dear editor, I would like to respond to the ongoing phaseout of the WKU Department of Modern Languages. In my opinion, WKU is making a big mistake in no longer requiring even a minimum number of hours in language education.

The idea that WKU positions itself as a university “with international reach” and refers to the “internationalization” of WKU (as spelled out in an email I received last week) is ludicrous at best

CONTACT US

when the programs that help WKU achieve international reach have been eliminated.

How can WKU call itself a university when it offers only a meager lineup of courses in modern languages? I have never heard of a university without modern language programs.

I was a part-time French instructor at WKU for many years until the Spring 2017 semester when the language requirement was suddenly eliminated.

It seems the “band-aid” Jerry Daday, former chair of the Colonnade General Education Committee, referred to in a previous Herald article has become permanent.

Instead of excusing the 7,000 stu-

dents who had procrastinated and not met their language requirement, the university should have insisted that this original degree requirement be fulfilled. That was these students’ contract with the university spelled out in their catalog term, wasn’t it? Was this fair to past students who did take their degree requirements seriously?

As anyone with any experience in language instruction knows, the two years of language study a student might have had in high school (which now fulfill the university requirement) rarely offer any real benefit. I had many students tell me that they were so pleased to finally be learning something about the language. They

DISCLOSURES

remarked that in high school, their French class was usually spent listening to music or watching movies simply to pass the time.

What degree requirements will be eliminated next? I’m very much afraid that a degree from Western Kentucky University is rapidly losing its worth.

If WKU continues to lower standards, how can it ever hope to be “a leading American university with international reach”?

Terry Spears is a former WKU parttime French instructor who lives in Franklin, KY

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A6 NEWS OFFICE RENOVATIONS CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Skipper said. Construction included a wall to provide better access to a restroom and shared kitchen. The space was also painted and refurbished, which totaled $7,011 in additional costs.

In late 2018, WKU President Timothy Caboni decided to rearrange offices. The Director of Government and Community Relations and Executive Administrative Assistant positions were moved to CAC. The Vice President of Strategic Communication and Marketing will move to the building as well, as soon as the position is filled.

This meant the General Counsel’s office would be relocated to suite 125 in WAB, where it was previously located.

In a meeting with the Herald editorial board on Jan. 18, Caboni said he decided to rearrange who was located in CAC to better fit the functions of his job.

“Given the centrality of strategic communications, marketing and government relations to my daily activity, it made more sense for those functional areas to be near me in the Craig Administrative Center than in a different building,” Caboni said.

He said the General Counsel’s office is still nearby in Wetherby. However, he added, “symbols also matter.”

The General Counsel’s office renovations in WAB suite 125 totaled $47,364.87 in costs for construction, new carpet and new paint and furniture for three full-time employees, one parttime employee and a reception area, according to the total expended invoice for the project.

Included in the furniture purchases were three desks priced at $1,700 each and one desk with overhead storage priced at $2,600, according to project tracking estimates and expenses obtained through a records request. Other purchases included a loveseat priced at $1,800, lamps, art, decor and new win-

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY dow blinds for a total of $1,000 and a credenza priced at $1,200.

Information on purchase costs for the office renovations were obtained through an open records request made on Feb. 5, 2019.

In an email, Wilkins declined to comment on behalf of Andrea Anderson and herself about the relocation of the office or associated expenditures. Wilkins stated they had no information to contribute other than what had already been provided by other campus officials.

Skipper said during the move, all fur-

office in WAB was used by three staff members.

When asked if there were any efforts made to reduce costs, Skipper said everything was purchased under state contract or state listing prices. He added that all normal purchasing procedures were followed.

Skipper said all furniture purchases made for the General Counsel office complied with the government price contract, which is a contract negotiated by state or federal government.

Once negotiated, the contracts are made

JOSEPH BARKOFF • HERALD

niture used in the previous CAC General Counsel office stayed for public affairs staff. The furniture used in the previous public affairs office in WAB, to which the General Counsel was relocated, was redistributed throughout public affairs, and one desk was sent to surplus.

Skipper said this left no furniture in the new General Counsel office in WAB. He said the furniture which was redistributed through public affairs replaced older furniture, which could’ve been 20 to 30 years old. The former public affairs

available to government entities and can be purchased without bidding.

In 2013, WKU spent almost $49,500 to renovate the Potter College dean’s office, located in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center. This renovation included the dean’s office and reception area. Overall reception furniture was purchased for $7,834. Guest chairs were purchased for $830 and a task chair was purchased for $432, according to purchase order records provided by WKU. During the 2012-13 academic year,

SGA

CONTINUED FROM FRONT Dahmer made a motion to amend her original complaint against WKU, Caboni, Anderson and Pride because additional facts and information were discovered since its filing, “allowing for certain causes of action to be made against the defendants,” according to court documents.

While applying for WKU’s Rhodes Scholarship, Dahmer claimed she asked Caboni to endorse her for the scholarship, as every applicant requires recommendations. She claimed Audra Jennings, director of the WKU Office of Scholar Development, told her via text message that Caboni would endorse her, according to court documents.

A screenshot of text messages between Dahmer and Jennings was submitted as evidence. In the messages, Jennings is seen telling Dahmer about Caboni’s expected recommendation. The conversation took place on Sept. 10, 2018.

Dahmer claimed Caboni withdrew his recommendation for the scholarship “without any reason or explanation.”

When Dahmer emailed Jennings about Caboni’s recommendation withdrawal on Sept. 28, 2018, Jennings declined to provide a reason to Dahmer, according to court documents.

“I cannot discuss the matter with you,” Jennings wrote in an email to Dahmer, as seen in email screenshots submitted as evidence. “You should direct questions to your attorney.”

Jennings did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

Bob Skipper, director of media relations, provided a statement to the Herald regarding the new allegations in Dahmer’s complaint: “While we don’t comment on ongoing litigation, we are confident that the District Court will ultimately find in our favor and rule that WKU complied with Title IX when it promptly and thoroughly investigated Ms. Dahmer’s Title IX claim and that Ms. Dahmer was never denied any educational opportunities and benefits at WKU,” according to the statement.

Lindsay Cordes, Dahmer’s attorney, said she “never received any information nor had any communication from WKU” about Caboni’s recommendation withdrawal. Dahmer cited Jennings’ response as “reason to believe” Caboni withdrew his agreed endorsement in retaliation for Dahmer’s filing the lawsuit, according to court documents.

“We think that’s evidence of retaliation,” Cordes said.

Dahmer cited Caboni’s alleged retaliation against her as a violation of Title IX. Title IX is a federal civil rights law part of the Education Amendments of 1972.

Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in universities that receive federal funding (the vast majority of schools). The scope

FAHAD ALOTAIBI • HERALD

The WKU Office of Scholar Development assists students applying for nationally competitive scholarships such as the Rhodes Scholarship, which Dahmer was applying for.

of Title IX was expanded by former President Barack Obama to mandate universities combat sexual harassment, including sexual violence, as previously reported.

Title IX also prohibits retaliation for filing a Title IX complaint or for advocating for rights protected by Title IX, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

In the amended complaint, Dahmer also alleged WKU and Anderson failed to complete a follow-up investigation

Anderson did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.

Ena Demir, counsel for WKU, Caboni, Anderson and Pride, gave a statement, regarding the new allegations in Dahmer’s lawsuit: “WKU appropriately responded to all of Ms. Dahmer’s complaints and we are confident that the District Court will ultimately find in WKU’s favor and rule that WKU complied with Title IX when

“We think that’s evidence of retaliation.”

Dahmer’s attorney LINDSAY CORDES after being made aware of the hostile environment Dahmer was experiencing while serving in SGA. This complaint against Anderson specifically came from an email she sent Dahmer on Oct. 31, 2017, where Anderson asked to meet with Dahmer to discuss the alleged harassment.

“It has come to my attention, through a couple of different sources, that you may have personally experienced some inappropriate behavior of a sex or gender-based nature,” Anderson wrote in the email to Dahmer, which was submitted as evidence in the lawsuit. “Please let me know when would be best to meet to discuss this report.”

In her amended complaint, Dahmer claimed she called Anderson back and “never heard anything.” Dahmer’s complaint cited that as evidence of WKU and Anderson “failing to perform” any follow-up or investigation despite receiving reports of the alleged harassment from “a couple of different sources,” according to court documents.

it promptly and thoroughly investigated Ms. Dahmer’s Title IX claims and that Ms. Dahmer was never denied any educational opportunities and benefits at WKU.” After Dahmer’s motion to file the amended complaint was approved by the U.S. District Court on Jan. 29, WKU filed its response on Feb. 19. It requested the court deny Dahmer’s amended complaint because it claimed the defendants would be “unduly prejudiced at this early stage in litigation” if she amended her initial complaint, according to court documents.

WKU denied Dahmer’s allegation of Anderson and the university failing to perform any follow-up or investigation.

WKU argued the allegation was founded on “bad faith” from Dahmer because Anderson followed up with Dahmer on “a couple of occasions” in October and November in 2017, according to court documents.

“Further, [Dahmer] testified that she was not ready to make any kind of complaint at that time,” according to WKU’s

WKU enrollment was 21,124, the highest ever, according to data published by the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education. For the current academic year, enrollment has dropped to 19,461.

Wilkins employment contract, which was initially signed by then President Gary Ransdell in 2013 for a four-year period and now renews annually until 2022, addresses the stature of her office.

In the case of a reassignment, Wilkins must be assigned to a position consistent with her education and experience and “be provided with an office appropriate for the position, consistent with her education and experience and located on the main campus,” according to her contract.

The Herald obtained Wilkins’ contract through an open records request filed on Sept. 5, 2018.

Two other recent office moves resulted in few expenditures.

Provost Terry Ballman came to WKU in August 2018 at the same time Corinne Murphy became the dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

In both of these office transitions, Bob Skipper said there were no projects or renovations completed by the Department of Facilities Management.

In an email, Skipper said the CEBS dean’s office has not been renovated since the building opened in 2010. He said the provost’s office was last renovated when Barbara Burch was serving as provost. Burch served as Provost from 1996-2010.

Skipper said the current provost office looks just as it did when former provost David Lee was in the office. Lee served as provost from August 2015 to August 2018.

News Editor Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and rebekah. alvey660@topper.wku.edu. Follow Rebekah Alvey on Twitter at @bekah_alvey.

response to Dahmer’s amended complaint, referring to the time Anderson contacted Dahmer.

“This amendment contains factual contentions and allegations which have no evidentiary support and have not been specifically identified to have evidentiary support following review of [Dahmer]’s deposition and relevant emails,” according to WKU’s response.

Referring to Dahmer’s amended allegations of retaliation against Caboni, WKU argued they were “speculative at best” and that Dahmer had “plenty of opportunity” to add the amendment earlier in discovery to prevent prejudice against the defendants, according to court documents.

WKU also argued in its response any amended complaint made against Anderson and Caboni “must fail” because Title IX “does not impose individual liability for retaliation claims.”

On March 12, Dahmer replied to WKU’s response, arguing WKU did not include the entirety of Dahmer’s testimony when denying her amended allegations against Anderson.

According to court documents, during Dahmer’s deposition, she testified she was “too scared” to report the alleged harassment and hostile behavior she was experiencing at the time Anderson contacted her in 2017.

Regarding WKU’s response to Dahmer’s retaliation allegations against Caboni, Dahmer argued the email evidence between Jennings and Dahmer proved Dahmer should be allowed to “conduct discovery on this issue.”

“Then, if [WKU] truly feels [Dahmer] has no evidence or proof of this claim, it can move for the claim to be dismissed. [...] However, preventing [Dahmer] from even making this claim in the first place, when she clearly has proof of what a jury could find was evidence of retaliation, would be unfairly prejudicial to [Dahmer] and in conflict with the standing presumption that amendments of complaints should be freely given,” according to Dahmer’s reply to WKU’s response.

On March 13, WKU filed a motion to strike Dahmer’s reply to WKU’s response from the court docket, arguing Dahmer’s counsel did not provide a response to motion within the required 21 days. “[Dahmer] should not be awarded for her failure to abide by the local rules of the Western District of Kentucky - to allow a disregard for the rules would render these rules essentially meaningless,” according to WKU’s motion to strike.

Dahmer’s deadline to respond to WKU’s motion to strike is April 3, according to the court’s deadlines and hearings.

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

A7 NEWS

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKU Commons project funded by Aramark contract

BY NICOLE ZIEGE HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The new WKU Commons project, which is set to start construction later this spring, has received both praise and concern from students.

WKU Commons will be a space for faculty and students to work together and for commuter students to have a central space to dine and work.

Funding for the project comes from the contract WKU signed with Aramark in June 2017, which provided $35 million designated for food service renovations. Originally, the plan was to renovate Garrett Conference Center, which was first built in the 1950s and renovated in the 1960s.

Through the contract, which began after former President Gary Ransdell signed a 20-year contract with food company Aramark, students who opted

out of a WKU meal plan were required to pay a fee, which translated to Flex Dollars.

Brian Kuster, vice president for student affairs, said for commuters who pay the fee, WKU Commons will provide more available options for food and study services.

As of the Fall 2019 semester, the cost for students opting out of a meal plan will be $300 per semester. This fee will remain the same until the fall of 2022, where it will rise to $325, staying at that cost until the fall of 2026, where the final raise in fees will cost students $350 a semester.

When President Timothy Caboni joined WKU, the university explored more options. Kuster said it was decided to combine the initiatives of enhancing food options and creating a “library of the future” in creating the WKU Commons.

Winder, Georgia, senior Grayson Ivey and Hopkinsville senior Derek

KENDALL WARNER • HERALD

Mariah Slaughter, a junior majoring in biology, studies in Raymond Cravens Library on March 17. Raymond Cravens will be the only library open during the renovations of Margie Helm Library, which is set to close at the end of spring semester for renovations and open in spring 2021.

Lincoln are both nursing majors set to graduate in December. They said they spend a lot of their time studying at the Helm Library, often five days a week right after their classes.

Ivey said although the pictures he saw of the WKU Commons looked “pretty impressive,” he said he and Lincoln did not know where they will study next semester after it closes for renovations.

“They do a good job now keeping it clean and being there when students have questions,” Ivey said, referring to Helm Library. “I don’t know why they have to update it.”

Lincoln said the only other available options he saw for himself and Ivey included the Honors College and International Center and the 24-hour computer lab in Jody Richards Hall.

However, he said he thought the computer lab in JRH was “too loud,” and he said he expects there to be “limited spots” in HCIC after Helm closes.

“It’s just going to suck because I don’t know where we will study next semester,” Lincoln said.

Louisville junior Emily Phillips said she has studied at the library, but she now does not go as often as she did during her freshman and sophomore

EDITOR’S NOTE

CONTINUED FROM A4 As we were putting together the print version of this week’s Herald on Monday, we experienced some unforeseen hurdles, and the deadline to send the paper to the printer was quickly approaching.

The combination of these things among others led to the Regents budget story being rushed and included in the paper in an incomplete and inaccurate form.

Regardless of these factors, there are no valid excuses for me or anyone on behalf of the Herald to make for this unfortunate mistake.

This is unacceptable by our standards, and it should be unacceptable to our readers as well. We strive to be as accurate and forthcoming as possible, which is why I am writing this letter to our readers now.

While it is impossible to amend and correct the March 12 print version of this story as it currently appears, I promise

years at WKU. “It just sucks that it’s going to shut down after this year and I won’t get to benefit from it when it reopens, but it’ll be a neat thing for other people to experience,” Phillips said, referring to Helm Library. “It seems like a cool idea that they’re updating it and making it into, like, a second student center.”

Cincinnati freshman Lucy Houben said she was looking forward to the WKU Commons at Helm Library because of the multiple new dining options on campus. As a vegetarian, Houben said it is difficult for her to find healthy options on campus.

“I’m mad about the food options on campus,” Houben said. “I’ve thought about transferring from WKU because of it.”

Grayson County, Kentucky, junior Zayne Priddy said he was looking forward to the renovations.

“I like the fact that it’s going to be expanded,” Priddy said. “I like to go to the library a lot.”

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

we will do everything necessary to correct our errors in the online version and publish this story both in print and on the web when it is ready and fit to do so.

Clarifications for these errors can be found on page A___.

Ultimately, as the editor-in-chief, I am responsible for every word published in the newspaper and on the website for the College Heights Herald.

This is a responsibility that I both understood and accepted when I was selected to serve in this position, and I am doing my absolute best to ensure that I uphold it now and in the future.

Again, I apologize for this unfortunate, costly lapse in judgment, and I am sincerely committed to ensuring that we can remain a reliable and constant source of news for WKU and the greater Bowling Green community moving forward.

Editor-in-Chief Evan Heichelbech can be reached at 270-745-5504 and herald.editor@wku.edu. Follow Evan on Twitter at @evanheich

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A8

PHOTO

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

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Saran Thompson got vitiligo when he was 23 years old. He’s now 28. Thompson is a hip-hop and spoken word artist who uses his platform to provide representation for young kids who might be dealing with vitiligo as well. “The key is to be unapologetically you. When you are comfortable in your skin, the thoughts of people will change. What stays consistent is what you think of yourself,” he said.

‘SPOT-FIDENCE’ PHOTOS AND COPY BY EBONY COX HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

Some have been “moo’d” at like they were cows or called Dalmatians.

Others have been teased or picked on, some depigmented themselves to speed up the process and many started to embrace themselves. Some experienced this autoimmune disease as a young child, others grew into it.

This is all because of something called vitiligo. It is a skin condition in which the pigment is lost from areas of the skin, causing whitish patches often with no clear cause. It doesn’t discriminate with age, race or gender.

The purpose of this portrait series is to spread awareness, allow others to see what people with this skin condition have gone through and to exude confidence into the individuals who have not accepted themselves completely.

Ben Brown got vitiligo at the age of 35. He’s now 39. Brown has vitiligo all over his face, arms and hands. “It’s bad enough having to look in the mirror every day and see yourself transform. Then, having to deal with the public’s response having a shock value when they see you,” Brown said.

Brown said he has had the cops called on him because individuals thought he had on a ski mask, and mothers have been known to not let their children sit next to him in church.

In 1988, TL Jones experienced her first sighting of vitiligo. There are different types, but Jones’ is universal — it took 10 years for her whole body to become discolored. “People often mistake me for being of a different race and treat me differently because of it,” Jones said.

B1

LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Communication department celebrates 50 years

BY JULIE SISLER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

is next door to the property. Perry eventually bought the 100-acre farm on which the barn is located, and Petersen tried for years to convince him to sell the barn to her, but he wouldn’t budge.

It wasn’t until 2013 when Petersen was finally able to convince her brother that owning the barn was her passion.

“And, when I said that one word — passion — he stopped, and he looked at me, and he said, ‘Okay,’” Petersen said.

Petersen said The Arling is built on three things: passion, family and love.

This week, the WKU Department of Communication will celebrate its 50year anniversary.

The department is celebrating with a week of events.

On Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. in Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center room 198, the department will be hosting a panel of Nashville-based professionals from the International Association of Business Communicators.

The panel will be made up of individuals from various professions and educational backgrounds, giving attendees a glimpse into the real world of business and how communication plays a role in it.

Thursday evening at 7 p.m. in the Gary Ransdell Hall auditorium, John Line, a department of communication alum and current professor at the University of Pittsburgh, will be presenting “Scaling Common Sense.”

Friday, the department will host “Comm50Con,” a communication mini-conference of presentations, workshops and projects. The event will take place from noon until 4 p.m., including multiple 55-minute sessions on various subject areas within the department. Sessions will be put on by capstone class students, graduate students and faculty. One session, “The Tale of Communication: Fifty Years on the Hill,” will feature interviews with emeritus faculty about their experiences within the department over their careers.

To department head Helen Sterk, the variety of projects involved in the week’s festivities highlight the diversity within the department.

“I think students will see what a huge diversity of projects and ideas and topics that the department covers,” Sterk said. “I think they’ll see that this department cares about writing well, speaking well and creating visual messages well. We’re all about connecting people and messages and audiences.”

Sterk said she believes this milestone illustrates the stability and success of the department.

“The department of communication hitting its 50th year means that this is a long-term, stable entity on campus,” Sterk said. “Over the years, it has included different departments that have kind of come and gone, but the heart has always been there — the heart of people making messages that are meaningful to audiences.”

Sterk graduated from WKU’s communication department with her master’s degree in 1979 and has been the department head for nearly eight years.

“It is such a deep pleasure to return to people who have founded this department and made it what it is,”

SEE PETERSEN • PAGE B3

SEE COMMUNICATION • PAGE B3

TYGER WILLIAMS • HERALD

Lydia Petersen is the owner The Arling, located in Franklin. Peterson started wedding planning in 2001 and opened her own venue in 2013. “My main focus is on weddings. That’s my passion,” Peterson said. “I have so much freedom here and it’s me that makes all the decisions.”

LABOR OF LOVE

Wedding planner finds hope in her business

BY KATELYN LATTURE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Wedding planner Lydia Petersen knows what it’s like to find love. Perhaps that is why she loves her job so much.

Though she gets to send off happy couples on a lifelong journey for a living, her own journey to finding true love was complicated. After years of living in an unhappy marriage and trying hard to raise her two children, she divorced.

She gave marriage a second chance with her now-husband, Chuck, who she said became not only her better half but a better fit.

“The security, the trust, knowing when someone truly loves you is, I think, why I love working in weddings as I do, ‘cause I’ve known both sides,” Petersen said.

Petersen sits at a table used during mock weddings in the foyer. She is wearing blue jeans and a fuzzy pullover, and her short brown locks are pulled back in a clip. Her glasses frame her bright eyes and sit above the big smile she almost always wears.

Behind her sits a case of binders.

“Lindsay and Zach” one reads. Each binder has a photograph of a soonto-be-wed couple on the front, and the couples’ names are printed on the side. Petersen makes one for each couple as soon as it makes an appointment to tour The Arling — a barn wedding venue in Franklin, Kentucky — even before the couple decides to book the renovated tobacco barn-turned-wedding venue.

Chuck was working on a loft addition to The Arling’s main reception area.

Tall, natural wood ceilings and towering antique doors are met with white drapes that reach from ceiling to floor.

Petersen and her husband own and run The Arling together.

“Every day I’m so glad I have Chuck,” Petersen said. “I knew he’d take care of me, and he does.”

Almost on cue, Chuck walks in and grabs a box of Girl Scout cookies off a table in the foyer and asks, “Are these our cookies?” Petersen confirms they

at church before she met him. When Chuck’s dad heard Petersen was getting divorced, Chuck showed up at church the next Sunday.

“Well, she couldn’t do it without him,” said Marty Sharer, Petersen’s son. Sharer said he believes Chuck serves Petersen well and does whatever he can to make her dreams come true.

Twenty-three years after they married, Petersen and Chuck opened The Arling. Petersen had admired the barn for many years. Her brother’s golf course, Kenny Perry’s Country Creek,

“The security, the trust, knowing when someone truly loves you is, I think, why I love working in weddings as I do, ‘cause I’ve known both sides.”

Wedding planner LYDIA PETERSEN

are, and Chuck says, “I’m gonna make sure they put the right cookies in there.”

Petersen laughs and smiles at her husband’s response. The smile disappeared as she spoke about her past marriage. However, it reappears as she speaks about the present.

“Through my first life in the marriage world — I was never really a happy person,” Petersen said. “When I met Chuck, and then as time went on … It’s like every day is a happy day.”

Petersen married Chuck in December 1991 after dating him for two years. She had befriended his parents

Alum pens memoir about hardships to inspire others

BY SARAH YAACOUB HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU WKU alumnus Emmanuel “Gift” Clack, a self-described freelance entrepreneur, said his life changed forever when he shattered his ankle during a basketball game at the Preston Center.

“It wasn’t obvious at the time, but that injury led me to suffering with depression afterwards,” Clack said in an email. “[I] started to question life and my reason for being alive.”

Clack said he faced difficulty after the injury, losing his job and eventually getting evicted. He moved back with his parents and, unable to walk, spent much of his time by himself in his parents’ basement.

“Thinking became my only escape,” Clack said. “It was also my biggest adversary.”

Soon after Clack turned 26 — two years after his life-altering injury —

PHOTO SUBMITTED BY EMMANUEL CLACK

he decided to spend 26 days living on the streets of Los Angeles.

“There was this internal feeling that I needed to ‘fix’ things by complete-

ly removing myself from any form of comfort and seeing if I’d sink or swim,” Clack said.

His original idea was to shoot a vid-

eo diary that he could turn into a documentary of his time in LA, but years passed, and he left the footage alone.

Then, a friend named Zeycan proposed an idea that would evolve into “26 Dreams,” the book Clack published in 2017.

“We were having a discussion one day, and she suggested that I write a book about my life,” Clack said. “It was that simple.”

In the process of writing “26 Dreams,” Clack sifted through the video diaries he shot in LA. “Watching those old videos was nostalgic,” Clack said. “It was like watching somebody who was no longer here. The person I was then is no longer around.”

Clack, who has been writing professionally for about nine years, described the endeavor of writing “26 Dreams” as therapeutic.

“There were certain parts I cried

SEE 26 DREAMS • PAGE B2

B2 LIFE

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

26 DREAMS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 writing about,” he said.

All told, the process of writing and editing “26 Dreams” took about a year and a half, Clack said.

“I wrote much of the book on my phone, believe it or not,” Clack said.

“I’d email it to myself, then copy and paste it into a Word document.”

Clack said he wrote much of the book “while walking down the street, at the gym, while on the train or airplane or in the bathroom” because

is something I would have never been able to do. I respect that.”

Clack said “26 Dreams,” though called a book, doesn’t completely fit into the category.

“Most books tell a story, have a plot, et cetera, et cetera,” Clack said. “My ‘book’ isn’t that. It’s a conversation.

Hence why I described it as a conversation with God. The God within you.”

Shakeeya described “26 Dreams” as “a physical manifestation of [Clack’s] purpose in hopes of helping and inspiring others to live their dreams.”

“The whole process was rewarding from start to finish,” Shakeeya said.

“What my book shares is how an individual made a conscious decision to find their truth.”

WKU Alumnus EMMANUEL CLACK

he’s prone to writer’s block when actively trying to write.

Shakeeya Clack, Clack’s wife, said the time Clack spent in LA changed his outlook.

“Those 26 days made him realize that life is made for the living and that there are so many people who have lost their way and are satisfied with being content,” Shakeeya said in an email. “He is here to help people realize there’s so much more to life.”

James French, a WKU alum who Clack described as one of his best friends in college, agreed the 26 days were a turning point for Clack.

“His time in LA living homeless took a great deal of strength and courage,” French said in an email. “It PHOTO BY RUDE MICHELLE

WKUHERALD.COM CONNECT WITH US ONLINE @WKUHERALD

French, who has also read “26 Dreams,” said he thinks it inspires readers to “just let go and go after their dreams.”

“What my book shares is how an individual made a conscious decision to find their truth,” Clack said.

“This ultimately led to them realizing that life is a facade. There’s no right or wrong. The most important thing is having peace and finding happiness.”

Features reporter Sarah Yaacoub can be reached at 270-745-6291 and sarah.yaacoub214@topper.wku.edu.

Follow her on social media at @sarah. yaacoub.

LIFE B3

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

PETERSEN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 Before opening The Arling, Petersen wore many hats in the professional world. She worked in insurance for 30 years, worked at the pro shop at Perry’s golf course and then opened her own wedding planning business, Elle Squared. Petersen paired Elle Squared with the Arling and said she enjoys planning weddings much more now that she has her own venue.

Pieces of Petersen’s family are carefully placed throughout the venue. The Arling is named after her grandfather, “Olley the trolley,” a trolley Peterson and Chuck use to transport wedding guests from local hotels to the Arling, is named after her grandmother, and there are family pictures hung in the foyer. In the foyer also hangs two dresses that belonged to Petersen’s mother: a navy blue suit she wore for her wedding and a yellow aquamarine party dress. The venue’s website features a picture of Petersen, Chuck, her children and grandchildren standing together outside the wedding venue.

Sharer worked at the Arling with his mother shortly after he moved back to Franklin, and he still DJs for some of the weddings there. His wedding was the first one Petersen ever planned, and it is what first got Peterson’s creative wheels turning.

Peterson hung an antique parachute to the venue’s high ceilings and strung lights with it. There are live trees and shrubs thoughtfully placed around the reception area, as well. The same

TYGER WILLIAMS • HERALD

The Arling is a wedding venue owned by Lydia Petersen located in Franklin. Petersen focuses on weddings but is open to doing other events such as prom, holiday celebrations and more. Her venue can hold 275 people seated, but she tries to do 230 people to sit comfortably in her 7,000-square-foot venue.

said about having a least favorite wedding. “They’re all my favorites.”

However, she did remembers a time when a mother-in-law of the bride was unkind to her through the entire planning process and made her feel like

“When we can be here on earth and support one another through the happy times and the hard times, it’s kind of like what blesses me.”

Wedding planner LYDIA PETERSON

plants are now planted in Petersen’s yard.

“I don’t think I have one,” Petersen

COMMUNICATION

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 Sterk said. “To get to know the new faculty, who are each and every one of them, strong scholars, great teachers and just really caring and loving people.”

Some students said they share the sentiment that the department provides a caring, support structure.

“The department is truly like one big family,” Kenna Haywood, a sophomore and public relations major, said. “All of the professors are so kind and truly care about you and your success. I am so glad that the department was established 50 years ago. Otherwise, I probably never would have made it to Western.”

To sophomore corporate communication major AC Chan, the department provides more than just support.

“The communication department is where things happen for me,” Chan said. “The department is focused on my academic and potential career goals and has given me many opportunities to pursue experiences that will lend towards those goals.

It’s where things get done and where

she wasn’t doing a good job. However, that woman’s husband approached Petersen the evening of the wedding

opportunities lie.”

Carl Kell, who joined the department’s faculty in 1972, also finds the department to be a launchpad for getting things done and achieving dreams.

“The department gave me a job and the freedom to pursue all of my dreams all these years,” Kell said.

Kell also said he believes the department’s success lies in the high quality of the education it gives its students through each class, internship and extracurricular opportunity.

“Together, the department has been in the vanguard of communication education across all platforms of professional teaching, research and service,” Kell said.

Sterk said she believes the strengths of the department lie in all of this and even more, as the depart-

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Sharer said he believes Petersen has an affinity and talent for planning weddings. Though he and the family initially thought she was crazy for wanting to own a barn venue, they supported her the entire way. It has apparently turned out well for Petersen, and she is able to do what she loves.

“When we can be here on earth and support one another through the happy times and the hard times, it’s kind of like what blesses me,” Petersen said of her role in ushering in someone’s love of a lifetime. “That’s how I’ve gotten to where I am.”

Features reporter Katelyn Latture can be reached at 270-745-6291 and katelyn.latture423@topper.wku.edu.

Department head HELEN STERK

ment is that we educate students in the things that they need to know to have a successful career,” Sterk said. “But, we also deal with the big issues of life and ethics and decisions. I just think it is the best of all possible disciplines to be a part of.”

ment provides the support and skills necessary for more than just a future career but also a future life.

“I think the strength of our depart-

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

“I think the strength of the department is that we educate students in the things that they need to know to have a successful career.”

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and apologized for his wife’s behavior, hugging and thanking her for the work she had done.

Even though she does not have a single favorite wedding, one of Petersen’s favorite decorating moments was when she had a hefty budget to work with. She said she was able to do and create things she had always dreamed of: a special tent for the outdoor area, a chandelier from Nashville hung over the dance floor, a harpist to perform during cocktail hour and a live band to perform during the reception. Not to mention the ice sculpture.

Petersen said photographs taken at that wedding have been used in many of her vendors’ advertisements. She said she can look on their websites at any given point and recognize at least one photograph taken at the Arling.

WKUHERALD.COM CONNECT WITH US ON TWITTER @WKUHERALD

B4 SPORTS

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Hilltoppers snap losing streak with a pair of walk-offs

BY KADEN GAYLORD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

It was a weekend of heroics for WKU baseball, as the Hilltoppers swept Alabama-Birmingham 3-0 and snapped a seven-game losing streak thanks to the help of two walk-off hits.

“Tough series, every game could have went either way. We were very fortunate to win all three games,” head coach John Pawlowski said. “All three games could be decided by one pitch, one play. I just really like the way I thought our team competed from opening pitch Friday night to the last pitch today.”

Game one of the series saw the Hilltoppers come out of the gate swinging, as they scored four runs in the first four innings while shutting out the Blazers.

UAB responded by shutting out WKU for the next four innings while putting up two runs each in the sixth and seventh innings to tie the game. WKU won the game 5-4 on a walk-off home run by junior right fielder Jake Sanford.

“I was just thinking drive the ball in the gap and try to get it started, but when I hit it, I knew right away,” Sanford said. “It was really good to get back into it, it’s like a new season right now. We need to start off strong and continue to go through with it.”

Game two saw the Blazers score five

runs in the first inning in what looked to be a blowout. But the relief pitching of Colin Lollar allowed the Hilltoppers to slowly catch up. Lollar pitched six innings while only giving up five hits and one run with three strikeouts.

Back-to-back RBI singles by Sanford and redshirt junior designated hitter Dillon Nelson propelled WKU’s two runs in the ninth inning to take another walk-off win 6-5.

“For him to go out there and pitch six innings was a tremendous lift for our team, saved our bullpen and certainly helped us today,” Pawlowski said.

In game three, the Hilltoppers took an early 3-0 lead off a three-run home run by Sanford in the first inning and never looked back. The Blazers did their best to keep the game close by scoring two runs in the third, but pitching by both teams kept each other off the board for most of the game.

WKU won 5-3.

Sanford went 5-for-13 in his plate appearances with two home runs, five RBI’s and three runs for the series.

Graduate transfer infielder Davis Sims went 6-for-13 in his plate appearances and scored three times in the series.

“I think it was great. Pitchers really came out here and stepped up,” Sims said. “On offense, we just killed it this weekend.”

The Hilltoppers’ next game is against Austin Peay Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Nick Denes field. The Governors current-

FAHAD ALOTAIBI • HERALD

Infielder Davis Sims rounds third base heading toward home to score one run during WKU’s win 5-3 against the University of Alabama in Nick Denes Field on Sunday.

ly have an 8-9 record and are coming off a sweep against Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech. The Hilltoppers haven’t beaten the Governors since 2015. During their three-game losing streak against the Governors, the Hilltoppers have only garnered five runs, while the Governors have scored 29 runs.

After Tuesday’s game, the Hilltoppers will hit the road for four games,

a series against conference foe Florida International and a road game against in-state opponent Eastern Kentucky.

This will be the first time this season the Hilltoppers will play away from Nick Denes Field.

Reporter Kaden Gaylord can be reached at 270-745-6291 and kaden. gaylord559@topper.wku.edu Follow him on Twitter at @_KLG3.

Hilltoppers start C-USA play with sweep of FIU

BY SOPHIE AUSTIN HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU softball recorded its first sweep of a Conference USA opponent since 2017 with three wins over Florida International. It was the first sweep of FIU since 2013 and only the third time the Hilltoppers have swept the Panthers in school history.

The series started with a doubleheader on Saturday where the Hilltoppers defeated the Panthers with scores

“The team’s playing hard and that’s all you can ask for and you have to figure a way to win ball games sometimes.”

Head coach AMY TUDOR

of 6-2 and 4-0. WKU posted a batting average of .333 on Saturday, holding FIU to an average of just .130.

The Hilltoppers had 19 hits over the two games, with five of those coming from senior center fielder Shannon Plese, who made seven appearances at the plate.

Plese added four RBIs and a walk in the games. She has a conference batting average of .406, placing her fourth in C-USA. WKU struck first in the second in-

ning off a run by senior Rebekah Engelhardt and never trailed in the opener of the weekend series. The Hilltoppers added a total of five more runs in the third and sixth innings to secure the 6-2 win over the Panthers.

Freshman Kennedy Sullivan also played her seventh complete game of the season against the Panthers and earned her first C-USA career win.

Shannon Plese, Jordan Thomas, Kennedy Sullivan and Haylee Towers all had multi-hit performances.

Solid performances from sophomore Shelby Nunn and junior Kelsey Aikey led the Hilltoppers to their 4-0 victory over the Panthers in their second game on Saturday.

“I told Shelby, I thought that’s the best she’s pitched all year,” head coach Amy Tudor said in a press release.

“She really had her stuff moving and was able to change speeds and looked very steady in the circle. Aikey came in into a clutch situation. She’s definitely our best closer; has that mentality of a closer and was very strong in the circle for us.”

Nunn worked the first 5.2 innings of the game before being replaced by Aikey. Nunn exited the game with five strikeouts, one walk and three hits.

The Hilltoppers added all of their runs in the top of the seventh after six scoreless innings. Aikey came in at the bottom of the seventh, needing only 13 pitches to secure the win for WKU. “The team’s playing hard and that’s all you can ask for and you have to figure a way to win ball games sometimes,” Tudor said in the release. “I’m really proud of us today.”

WKU pulled off the win in its final game on Sunday even after a late run from the Panthers in which they scored four runs in the sixth inning to bring

them to just a one-run deficit. The team was led by senior Jordan Vorbrink, who recorded three hits and her first home run of the season, and Kelsey Aikey, who earned her fourth save of the season.

Kennedy Sullivan, Shelby Nunn and Kelsey Aikey all made appearances in the circle, with Sullivan earning another conference win.

“Anytime you go win on the road, it’s a good day,” Tudor said in the release.

“Anytime you can win all three games, it shows you have a solid team that can

play against a lot of different people.

We got a lot of different looks and had a lot of people step up this series.”

The series sweep makes the Hilltoppers 3-0 in C-USA. WKU will be back in action when it travels to Richmond, where the Hilltoppers are scheduled to play Eastern Kentucky. The game is set to begin at 3 p.m.

Reporter Sophie Austin can be reached at 270-745-2653 and Sophie.Austin380@topper.wku.edu.

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SPORTS B5

TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

BASSEY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B6 matchups throughout the season, averaging 17.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 1.4 steals against notable stars like Ethan Happ, Daniel Gafford, Tacko Fall, Sagaba Konate and Dickerson. WKU had a winning record in those big games, going 3-2.

Even with the rest of the team plagued with inconsistencies, the freshman phenom still produced. Bassey averaged 14.7 points and 10 rebounds in his first five college games, which included a win over West Virginia but losses to Indiana State and Central Florida.

Bassey’s strong play continued into Conference USA play. In the first of three matchups with Old Dominion, the freshman center scored 19 points, including a couple 3-pointers, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

Bassey dominated the competition in C-USA play in addition to non-conference. He held fellow star freshman center Efe Odigie to eight points and four rebounds while tallying 17 points and 12 rebounds himself.

The freshman center was the anchor for WKU and helped lead the Hilltoppers to a second-place finish in C-USA standings with an 11-7 record in conference play.

Head coach Rick Stansbury said he was proud of what Bassey accomplished

HILLTOPPERS RECAP

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B6 defense created our offense, so we did what we needed to do.”

WKU looked to take the momentum into conference play but to no avail.

The Hilltoppers began C-USA play just 1-3, losing three consecutive games to Old Dominion, Marshall, and Florida International in which it had at least a 15-point lead at some point during the contest.

“We’ve talked about this three times in a row,” Stansbury said after the thirdstraight loss. “We have to figure out ways to finish games. Winning and losing is a fine line. You have to understand, we you get up in the second half, you have to put your foot on someone’s throat.”

Just as quickly as it went cold, WKU

at WKU. “I’m proud for him,” Stansbury said prior to the conference tournament. “He came in and made the adjustment. He’s got a long way to go, but for him to come in and accomplish what he’s done, he deserves a lot of credit for that.”

The Hilltoppers fell in the conference tournament championship over the weekend to ODU, but Bassey was a major part in getting WKU there in the first place. He recorded double-doubles in two of the three games and played a huge part in WKU’s defensive performances, which held all opponents under 42 percent shooting from the floor.

Bassey said his time on the Hill helped him grow as a player and person.

“I’ve got teammates that help teach me,” Bassey said after the loss to ODU. “I’ve just tried to learn from teammates, learn from coaches, learn the good stuff and good ways. It was a good season for me and for my teammates too.”

With the Hilltoppers’ season coming to a close, Bassey will have a decision to make regarding his future with the program. The freshman could elect to declare for the NBA Draft and sign an agent, declare for the draft and not sign an agent immediately, or return to school without considering the draft.

Bassey has until April 21 to declare for the draft and until June 10 to withdraw his name should he declare.

Bassey’s stock is all over the place at the moment. Jeremy Woo of Sports caught fire. The Hilltoppers used a twogame homestand to get right and were surging in the C-USA standings. The Hilltoppers won eight of nine games, with the only loss coming at Louisiana

”We have to figure out ways to finish games.

Winning and losing is a fine line.”

Head coach RICK STANSBURY Tech.

Even when Stansbury missed three games due to back surgery, WKU didn’t miss a beat.

“We just try to stay together,” Bearden

JOSEPH BARKOFF • HERALD

WKU freshman center Charles Bassey (23) slams home a dunk over North Texas defender Zachary Thomas (24) in day two of the C-USA Tournament at the Ford Center at The Star on March 14 in Frisco, Texas. Bassey accumulated nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks in the 67-51 Hilltopper victory.

Illustrated has Bassey ranked 40th overall on his board, while ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Bassey at 58th overall.

NBADraft.net has Bassey all the way up to 15th on its board.

Bassey said he has not begun the process of making this important decision.

“I don’t know about that yet,” Bassey said after Saturday’s defeat. “Right now I’m just with my teammates.”

Regardless of what the big man de-

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Reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at 270-745-6291 and alec.jessie226@topper.wku.edu. Follow Alec on Twitter at @Alec_Jessie.

said after a double-overtime win over Rice. “Coach’s back is a little messed up right now, but we just try to play together and play for him, and that gives us a spark.”

WKU would hit some bumps in the road, losing three of its last five games.

Even with the uninspiring close to the regular season, the Hilltoppers entered the conference tournament as the second seed, the highest they’d been seeded in the conference tournament since joining C-USA. WKU used stellar defense to shut down North Texas and Southern Mississippi in the quarterfinals and semifinals. Neither team scored more than 60 points or shot over 40 percent from the floor.

That left only WKU and ODU for one spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Monarchs had defeated the Hilltoppers twice during the regular season, both of which

occurred in Norfolk, Virginia.

WKU hung tough with the regular season champions for most of the game but ultimately came up short, losing 62-56.

Even through all the highs and lows, Savage said he is happy to be a part of this group.

“We had a lot of ups and downs this season,” Savage said after the loss. “We overcame all different kinds of adversity.

I think we grew as a family in the locker room. I’m just glad that those guys are my teammates.”

WKU did not receive a bid to participate in the National Invitational Tournament Sunday night, officially bringing its season to a close.

LADY TOPPERS RECAP

nament-bound, the Lady Toppers’ next shot will likely come this week in Diddle Arena.

The Lady Toppers, 18-14 overall, are ranked 95th out of 351 schools in NCAA RPI as of March 16. As a result, the Lady Toppers will likely receive a bid to the 64-team Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the 12th time in program history on Monday night.

Four C-USA squads got in last year, which helps the Lady Toppers’ case.

WKU has hosted a first-round game in its last six WNIT appearances and figures to do so again.

Whether the Lady Toppers play one more game or not, Collins said he is still proud of his team.

“It’s exciting about the future and where this program is,” Collins said on March 15. “We’ve been successful in the past. It’s not like we’re new to this situation, but as all growth happens, it takes — sometimes — some ups and downs.”

At press time, the WNIT Selection Night special had not yet taken place.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B6

ALPHA XI DELTA

cides to do, Bassey is sure to go down in WKU lore as arguably the best freshman to ever set foot in Diddle Arena.

victories to end the year, including WKU’s 1,000th as a program and a win against MTSU on senior night that helped WKU finish 11-5 in C-USA and secure a first-round bye in the C-USA Tournament.

“I like our confidence, I like our toughness,” Collins said on March 7. “We just have to keep moving forward and take it down to Frisco.”

Winners of two consecutive C-USA Tournaments, WKU headed to the Ford Center at The Star on a three-game winning streak, setting up a “six-game championship.”

No. 4 seed WKU rolled past 5 seed Old Dominion in the quarterfinals 74-60 but met up with No. 24 Rice in the semifinals, the top-seeded team in the conference. The Lady Toppers fought valiantly but eventually became the 20th-straight win for the eventual C-USA champions in a 64-57 loss on March 15.

“I told them in the locker room that we would have another shot another day,” Collins said postgame.

Even though WKU is not NCAA Tour-

Reporter Alec Jessie can be reached at 270-745-6291 and alec.jessie226@topper.wku.edu. Follow Alec on Twitter at @ Alec_Jessie.

Women’s basketball reporter Drake Kizer can be reached at 270-745-2653 and clinton.kizer287@topper.wku.edu. Follow Drake on Twitter at @drakekizer_.

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TUESDAY, MARCH 19, 2019 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Bassey meets expectations in freshman season

SPORTS

B6

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU men’s basketball had many ups and downs throughout the the 2018-19 season. However, there was one constant: Charles Bassey.

The freshman center came to WKU with high expectations and exceeded all of them, dominating throughout his freshman year. He racked up 10 Conference USA Freshman of the Week Awards, he was the C-USA Freshman of the Year, he was selected on the All-C-USA First Team, he was on the C-USA All-Defensive Team and the C-USA All-Freshman Team. He set the program’s freshman block record, and he scored the second-most points by a freshman at WKU. He finished as a top-five finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.

The Nigeria native played the last of his high school ball at Aspire Academy in Louisville. Originally in the class of 2019, Bassey elected to reclassify up and enroll last June. The big man picked the Hilltoppers as his school of choice on June 13, 2018.

Bassey was the highest-ranked recruit to ever choose WKU. He was the sixthranked player in the entire country and the second-best center, according to 247Sports’ composite rankings.

After he committed Aspire Academy head coach Jeremy Kipness said he believed the center had all of the tools already to be successful at the next level.

“What’s so special about him is the fact that he’s such a team player,” Kipness said in February 2018. “When we need a bucket, he’s going to create and finish. But he’s such a good passer, which opens up so many opportunities for everyone outside on the perimeter.”

The five-star prospect came on campus with major promise. Although he had never played a game of college basketball and was only 17 when he first enrolled, Bassey garnered arguably the most hype of any player to ever step on campus.

Preseason competition showed glimpses of what was to come from Bassey. The center recorded double-doubles in each of the two exhibition games, including a 24-point, 11-rebound and two-block outing against Kentucky Wesleyan.

With the regular season underway, Bassey set the tone for the rest of the season in game one. Squaring off with 25th-ranked Washington, he recorded a double-double against senior center Noah Dickerson.

This would become a common theme for Bassey. He showed up in the biggest matchups throughout the season, SEE BASSEY • PAGE B5

JOSEPH BARKOFF • HERALD

Sophomore guard Josh Anderson wipes the sweat off his face on his way to the locker room as Old Dominion celebrates its C-USA Tournament Championship at the Ford Center at The Star on March 16 in Frisco, Texas. Anderson scored 11 points, had four steals, two blocks and six rebounds in the 62-56 loss.

MARCH SADNESS Roller coaster season ends without NIT bid

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU men’s basketball team saw its season come to a close on Saturday, capping off a roller coaster year. Old Dominion defeated the Hilltoppers on Saturday night for the third time of the campaign, 62-56.

Head coach Rick Stansbury said lack of experience and toughness were major pitfalls for his team.

“We knew we were a new team,” Stansbury said after Saturday’s defeat. “We need some experience. We need to add some toughness from last year’s team.

We didn’t have a lot of depth, leadership or toughness that we depended on in some areas.”

Inconsistency defined the 2018-19 season for WKU. For every major high, there was an equal low, with the year ending in heartbreak.

High expectations mounted for WKU as the season was on the horizon.

In October, coaches within the conference picked the Hilltoppers to finish first in Conference USA for the first time since it had joined the league. Sophomore guard Taveion Hollingsworth and graduate transfer Desean Murray were picked as two of 11 players named to the C-USA Preseason All-Conference Team.

A couple weeks before the first game, issues arose within the program.

Hollingsworth and Murray were both cited for possession of marijuana. Sophomore guard Josh Anderson was arrest-

ed on Halloween night and was charged with disorderly conduct.

Stansbury said these mishaps hurt him more than anything.

“I’m more hurt than upset, if that makes sense,” Stansbury said after an exhibition against Kentucky Wesleyan.

“Disappointed, because we have good people. But you’ve got to make the right decisions. I’m hurt and disappointed at some of those decisions that have been made.”

“I’m hurt and disappointed at some of those decisions that have been made.”

Head coach RICK STANSBURY Hollingsworth and Anderson sat out exhibition games, while Murray missed the season opener against 25th-ranked Washington.

The first matchup of the season against Huskies served as a bad omen for the Hilltoppers going forward. WKU dominated the first half of play, leading 36-27. But the Huskies punched back, outscoring the Hilltoppers 46-19 in the second half en route to a 73-55 victory.

WKU was all over the place in non-conference play. It recorded thrilling victories over Power 5 programs such as West Virginia, Arkansas and then-15th-ranked Wisconsin, but also

had its fair share of clunkers, including losses to Indiana State, Troy and Missouri State.

“We always talk about how that first four minutes of the second half we don’t start well,” junior wing Jared Savage said on Dec. 16 after losing to Troy. “It showed in this game. They got a lead, and we never recovered from that.”

More adversity hit the Hilltoppers off the court in December. Murray elected to leave the program to pursue professional opportunities, and sophomore forward Marek Nelson was arrested and charged with a DUI on Dec. 23. Nelson was suspended indefinitely as a result.

While off-the-court issues took some players out of the fold, the Hilltoppers would take in a key midseason addition.

Senior point guard Lamonte Bearden returned to the team in December after missing the first nine regular-season games due to being ruled academically ineligible.

“It gives us a little more flexibility out there to slide some people around a little bit,” Stansbury said prior to Bearden’s return. “It makes us a little more skilled.

It helps solve some of those problems.”

Even short-handed, WKU pulled together its best win of the season over 15th-ranked Wisconsin in Diddle Arena in front of a sellout crowd. The Hilltoppers erased a four-point halftime deficit to come back and win 83-76.

“Everyone contributed,” Hollingsworth said after the win. “Everyone sat down on their man, like coach said. Our

SEE HILLTOPPERS RECAP • PAGE B5

Lady Toppers find success in year of uncertainty

BY DRAKE KIZER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU women’s basketball has gotten used to finishing its season by hoisting the Conference USA Tournament trophy. That wasn’t the case this year, but the Lady Toppers still had success in a year in which they had to replace an accomplished head coach and two of the best players in the program’s history.

First-year head coach Greg Collins, who was tasked with replacing senior leaders Tashia Brown and Ivy Brown, faced an arduous early season run.

“This schedule is really tough and challenging,” Collins said on Oct. 26.

“It’ll help give us what we need, which is experience. We’ve got good players, a good team and great young ladies, we just need some experience. This is going to give it to us quickly.”

Experience was costly, as the Lady Toppers started their season 2-6 after playing five teams ranked in the top 35 of the NCAA Rating Percentage Index as of March 16.

But even in losses, redshirt junior forward Dee Givens and sophomore forward Raneem Elgedawy stood out as the best players on WKU’s roster.

“Raneem, she’s quiet,” Givens said on Jan. 15. “So, she really doesn’t say much.

JOSEPH BARKOFF • HERALD

WKU sophomore forward Raneem Elgedawy shoots a fadeaway jumper over Old Dominion defender Maggie Robinson in day two of the C-USA Women’s Tournament at the Ford Center at The Star on March 14 in Frisco, Texas. Elgedawy crushed the boards with 15 rebounds and wiped the paint with 20 points in the 74-60 Hilltopper victory.

But when she’s out there, she knows what she’s doing. And sometimes, some days, she might feel down or she might be lacking in confidence, so I just try to help her build her confidence back up and, you know, just try to do what I can.”

Givens, the reigning C-USA Sixth Player of the Year, averaged 17.6 points per game (third in C-USA) and grabbed

91 steals, which garnered her first team all-conference and all-defensive team nods. Elgedawy, the reigning C-USA Freshman of the Year, averaged 15.8 points (sixth), 7.4 rebounds (seventh) and earned a second team all-conference spot.

The duo guided the Lady Toppers to a 15-7 finish, which landed WKU in a tie

with Middle Tennessee State for third place in the C-USA standings once the dust had settled.

But the home stretch was not always easy, as WKU began C-USA play at 6-8 after going 1-7 against a mix of 2018 NCAA Tournament teams and ranked squads.

A victory against Union (Tennessee) on Dec. 29 ended non-conference play and started a winning streak that lasted through the first nine games of C-USA play. This streak was broken by a 69-56 hiccup in Diddle Arena against Southern Mississippi on Jan. 24.

“Rebounding killed us, first quarter, second quarter, the whole game,” redshirt junior guard Brewer said postgame.

The defeat ended up foreshadowing issues that would plague the Lady Toppers, as WKU soon fell to 14-13 and 8-5 in C-USA following a four-game losing streak.

“We don’t rebound, we don’t box out, we don’t defend,” head coach Greg Collins said on Feb. 9.

Four of the Lady Toppers’ last five were played on the road, but WKU managed to rebound in that stretch, snapping its skid in overtime against Marshall on Feb. 23.

The Lady Toppers got two more victoSEE LADY TOPPERS RECAP • PAGE B5