College Heights Herald: Aug. 30, 2011 by College Heights Herald

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011 • College Heights Herald • Vol. 87, No. 1 • Western Kentucky University

FOOTBALL PREVIEW | PAGE 3B

RECRUITMENT | PAGE 14A

RANDSDELL'S MESSAGE | PAGE 9A

All students get in free to UK game By COLE CLAYBOURN sports@wkuherald.com

WKU officials are trying to make it as easy as possible for students to go to the game against Kentucky on Thursday at L.P. Field in Nashville. Athletics Director Ross Bjork told the Herald last Wednesday that all students will now get into the game free of charge with their WKU student ID, a change from what was announced earlier this month that just the first 4,000 students would get in free. SEE FREE, PAGE 6

Eckhardt ﬁles complaints through civil court, EEOC

Branding When a new student comes to WKU, he or she faces many choices ranging from which classes or major to choose, or whether or not to join a club or a sport. But before any of that, the first decision they make is going to WKU. “That has got to be first and foremost in our consistency,” said President Gary Ransdell. “The recognizable brand is most important.” WKU is working to strengthen the university brand by focusing on a new Communications and Branding Manual and the updated WKU website. At the President’s Convocation to faculty and staff Aug. 22, Ransdell announced the publication of the 47-page manual, which outlines the standards for using WKU logos and other graphic content.

President Gary Ransdell has more than 3,500 friends. Big Red has more than 23,000 fans. WKU has more than 30,000 likes. And all of these numbers are growing daily. “Social media is where students are communicating,” said Robbin Taylor, vice president for Public Affairs. “Our challenge is to be where you all are, to be where prospective students are,” she said. WKU has big plans for expanding its social media outlets over the coming semester.

SEE BRAND, PAGE 3

SEE SOCIAL, PAGE 3

By TESSA DUVALL news@wkuherald.com

Amy Eckhardt, the former director of Scholar Development for the Honors College who was fired in April, is now suing the university claiming WKU violated the law and her privacy by releasing her termination letter to the Herald. According to Eckhardt’s complaint, she is suing the university for violation of the Kentucky Amy Eckhardt Whistleblower’s Act, the Kentucky Open Records Act, invasion of privacy and libel.

WKU pushing social media

Illustration by ANNIE ERSKINEE | Stories by KATHERINE WADE | news@wkuherald.com

SEE ECKHARDT, PAGE 9

WKU adds salad bar, Izzi's to DUC food court By NICK BRATCHER news@wkuherald.com

WKU has changed a few dining options this fall to please students’ appetites, and maybe even their waistlines. Downing University Center Food Court underwent the most dramatic change, replacing Taco’s Last Stand with a second, smaller Izzi’s Southwest, said Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president of Auxiliary Services. “They didn’t have enough room to make a full Izzi’s, but it should be very doable,” he said. WKU also brought

Greens To Go, a salad restaurant, into the spot AFC Sushi previously occupied. Meszaros said sushi will still be offered, but now out of coolers. “Greens To Go is a salad concept that people have been asking to have for a long time where you can get a salad on campus and not have to go through Fresh Food Company,” he said. Elizabethtown sophomore Angelica Soto-Freita said she loves the new healthy options in DUC. “Red Zone is cool and all, but I just can’t really eat there all the time,” she said. “A lot of it’s re-

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ally unhealthy, and I try to watch what I eat.” Paducah senior Travis Hickman said he liked the changes to DUC overall, but the ordering process at Izzi’s was slow. “This Izzi’s isn’t as good as the one in Garrett, but I think it’s because they just got started,” he said. Freshens has also expanded its menu to include crepes. The change to include food on the menu marks the first of its kind for the franchise nationally, Meszaros said. SEE FOOD, PAGE 9

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Following a survey last spring, ARAMARK added new food options around campus, including Greens to Go and Izzi's in Downing University Center's food court.

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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

AUGUST 30, 2011

CRIME REPORTS Reports ■ Byron Dowell reported on Aug. 28 a theft from his vehicle parked in the Adams Street Lot. The value is estimated at $520. ■ Courtney Marie Gayetty reported on Aug. 27 items stolen from her vehicle. The value is estimated at $500. ■ Ashley Franklin, a Georgetown freshman, reported on Aug. 27 that an unknown subject stole her GPS from her vehicle while it was parked on the seventh ﬂoor of Parking Structure 1. The value is estimated at $80. ■ Jacob Franck, California, Ky., sophomore, reported on Aug. 26 that an unknown subject cut the pipe to his catalytic converter on his 1999 Volkswagen Jetta while it was parked in the Creason Lot.

Arrests

a thousand words Guns, sabers and flags are not always tools of war, history and defeat. They are in fact essential parts of the color guard team’s performance. With the experienced hands of a color guard member, the high-flying and dangerous equipment can create exciting support for any marching band during a football game. Scottsville senior Seth Tooley describes his personality for color guard as passionate and super competitive. “I came into the team really excited after high school,” said Tooley, a graduate from Allen County-Scottsville High School and one of the 120 students in the inaugural class for the Gatton Academy in 2008. For three consecutive years,

■ Casie Williford, Murphysboro, Ill., sophomore, was arrested on Aug. 26 for careless driving and driving under the inﬂuence of alcohol on the 1500 block of Normal Drive. ■ Just before midnight on Aug. 27, ofﬁcers responded to the PFT courtyard to check on students possibly drinking alcohol. Upon arrival, Jermiah Anthony Neal, of Louisville, smelled of alcohol and had slurred speech, according to police records. Upon apprehension, police discovered there was a warrant out for his arrest from the Jefferson County Police Department for burglary in the second degree. ■ Timothee Mwizerwa, a Brentwood, Tenn., freshman, was arrested on Aug. 28 for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Mwizerwa was released from the Warren County Regional Jail on Aug. 29.

By JERRY ENGLEHART JR.

Tooley was part of WKU’s color guard team and can attest to the slightly dangerous possibility of injury. Tooley said he has been hit in the head with his mock rifle and took a chunk out of his lip in high school while performing with the Allen County-Scottsville High School color guard. “I made really good friends my first year on the team, and it was my favorite year,” Tooley said. He said that he is still good friends with girls he met on the team during that first year. Yet, with so much time already invested, Tooley decided to part ways with WKU’s color guard team this year. “Colleges do not have an organization for marching

band competitions like they do for high schools,” Tooley said. With no competitive outlet for the WKU color guard team, Tooley decided it was better to concentrate on his studies more than try to create routines for color guard that were too complex for a small team. Still, with an internal passion for color guard, Tooley finds time to practice routines he created on the lawn near Grise Hall. “You could improve things only if there were more experienced spinners,” Tooley said. “The moves and height I throw my rifle were never allowed when I was on the team.”

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AUGUST 30, 2011

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

WKU forms retention task force By JOANNA WILLIAMS news@wkuherald.com

In 2007, the University of Kentucky declared a “War on Attrition.” In 2011, WKU is encouraging faculty and staff to “Rally for Retention.” President Gary Ransdell gave the opening convocation to faculty and staff on Aug. 22, stressing the importance of retaining students and the potential money that could be brought into the university as a result. As he spoke he sported a button on his coat that read “Rally for Retention.” Because of this, Gordon Emslie, Provost and vice president for Academic Affairs, has put together a retention task force whose aim is “getting students in, getting students through, keeping students around and getting students out,” according to Ransdell’s speech. Ransdell said he hopes the task force will initiate a new attitude among incoming college students.

“I would expect students to come here with the expectation that they will graduate,” he said. “I think that’s been lacking too much.” Brian Meredith, associate vice president for Enrollment Management and co-director of the task force, said the group is made up of 16 members from various departments and offices on campus. “It’s exploring a lot of different avenues such as what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong and what the students need,” Meredith said. “The committee is looking at it holistically, from A to Z.” Fall 2009 through fall 2010 retention is at 73.7 percent according to the Common Data Set, with the fall 2011 report coming in November. Co-coordinator of Developmental Education and task force member, Sharon Hunter, said the task force has made a two-year commitment since so much of

BRAND CONTINUED FROM FRONT

The manual includes guidelines on how to use the WKU name, logos, colors and other branding tools. For example, the use of “Western” is deemed unacceptable, replaced solely by “WKU” and “Western Kentucky University.” Sixteen pages of the manual are labeled “Logo Usage” and lay out the restrictions on the WKU logo in regards to size, color, proportions and font. One page includes rules on how to use the Big Red logo, stating that Big Red is neither male nor female and cannot talk. Robbin Taylor, vice president for Public Affairs, said the manual took about 12 to 18 months to put together. Although many of the standards were already in place, it helped to gather them all together in one document. “We had a lot of people ask us for guidelines,” Taylor said. “As we come out with a very standardized website, I think the need for a little bit more guideline and standardization was good timing.” The branding manual's publication coincides with a big step for the website redesign. After 18 months of transformation, the WKU website is finally entering the final stage of its launch said Bob Owen, vice-president for Information Technology. But that doesn’t mean the work is done. “The website will be dynamic,” Owen said. “It will constantly be evolving and staying current. It needs to be a living entity.” Taylor said all the college and departmental websites were launched over the summer, leaving just the administrative pages, which should be up by the end of September. Owen said the website transition has gone very smoothly. “Not all website transitions go this well, and I attribute that to a stellar group of individuals who put forth a really great effort to get the website up,” he said. The website was redesigned and rebuilt entirely in-house, Taylor said, with hundreds of people across campus meeting monthly to work on it. The key to the new website’s success, Owen said, is the content management system that allows changes or updates to be made quickly. Taylor said before this project, it had been almost seven years since the WKU website had been substantially changed, adding that going so long between changes was “probably not smart.” Owen said staying fresh in these areas of communication is essential to strengthening and upholding the university identity. “We know that students are shopping for their educational experience online,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re spiffed up and looking good.”

their work will rely on data that will take much time to become apparent. Hunter said the group’s goal by the end of the two years is to have 80 percent retention. The task force has already reached out to members of the class of 2015 during this year’s MASTER Plan. The class signed a two-way contract which states they will each make the commitment to get a degree, and in turn, the university commits to help them be successful. “That’s what college is — a partnership,” Hunter said. Other changes implemented include placing students into developmental math tracks according to college readiness needs and implementing a retention software package to provide data on atrisk students based on non-academic reasons.

The software will notify the task force if a student is at risk for not being retained for reasons other than school work. According to the committee’s research, this is the main reason a student does not return. “Turns out five of six students who do not come back for their sophomore year do so for non-academic reasons,” Emslie said. “By alerting us to nonacademic issues, we can intervene appropriately.” Meredith said that once data and statistics are gathered, WKU can use more personal efforts to reach out to students. “I think you have to have data to make informed decisions,” he said. “We needed to look at where we are at the moment, and move on from there.” Hunter said the task force has been working since the beginning of the summer and plans to slow down soon are not in mind. “We’re focused like we’ve never been before as an institution,” she said.

Low-enrolled classes cut By JOANNA WILLIAMS news@wkuherald.com

Classes are officially back in session on the Hill, but for some students, they’re one class shorter than expected. Berea senior Blossom Blanton is one such student. Earlier this summer, Blanton, a broadcast journalism major, got an email from the Office of the Registrar alerting her that one of the broadcasting classes she had signed up for during the spring semester had been cancelled. Blanton, who is a semester behind schedule, said she had hoped to use the fall to catch up with her credit hours and place her on track to graduate on time. Instead, she is now a class and three hours shorter than she had hoped for. “I think it was nice of them to notify me,” Blanton said. “What I wasn’t happy about was they didn’t tell me why the class was cancelled or what else I could do about it. “All I got was a email saying my

SOCIAL CONTINUED FROM FRONT

Corie Martin, manager of creative web services, said one of their biggest initiatives is FourSquare, a website that allows users to ‘check in’ to locations around campus. Martin said they are partnering with departments across campus like the WKU Store and hopefully, the WKU Restaurant and Catering group. “We’d like to set it up to where students can go in these retailers and when they check in, they’ll unlock discounts,” she said. Taylor said many divisions across campus are doing their own thing regarding social media. “Social media is spontaneous,” she said. “It lends

class was cancelled. It was just one line.” Blanton said she was taking 16 hours this semester, but her schedule has now been reduced to only 13. Blanton said she has not yet replaced the class and hopes to meet with her advisor this week to discuss her next best option. University Registrar Frida Eggleton said that the Office of the Registrar does not have any part in canceling classes itself, and its only role in the matter is to notify the student of the schedule change. Eggleton said that whenever the office is alerted by a department of a class cancellation, they then send out an automated email to the students who were enrolled in the class, alerting them of the change. “We are simply the messengers,” Eggleton said. Gordon Emslie, provost and vice-president for Academic Affairs, said it's up to the respective departments to cancel classes, adding that the most likely reason is that the class offered did not have

itself to a lot of spontaneity, that’s why we have to create more of and we like that everybody is doing it.” Martin also plans to use the WKU Twitter and Facebook accounts to share news and photos with students and alumni. She said their university Facebook page has had a steady increase of close to 1200 “likes” a month over the past three years.

enough students signed up. “We can’t afford to have a class that doesn’t have enough students,” he said. Emslie said the university wants the students to be able to take any class they need, but sometimes it’s not always possible to offer the class. “We hate that and we encourage students to find course substitutions if they can,” he said. Emslie said that the inability to find an instructor for the class could also lead to its cancellation, but said that was usually not a factor. “For most cases it’s due to low enrollment,” he said. At this point, Blanton doesn’t know when the class she needed will be offered again. Emslie encouraged to students to find peers they know who are in their same major or take the same classes and try to sign up as well. This way, the class will be less likely to be cancelled. “Organizing yourself is going to help us help you,” he said.

WKUHERALD.COM "Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press ..." FIRST AMENDMENT, U.S. CONSTITUTION

8.30.11

College Heights Herald • Western Kentucky University

people STAFF EDITORIAL

Home is where the stadium is THE ISSUE: WKU’s football team is playing its televised season opener — which counts as a home game — against an in-state opponent in Nashville, on a Thursday, and with a kickoff after 8 p.m. CT. It’s been widely reported that tickets aren’t selling well for the game. OUR VIEW: To avoid another logistical mess in the future, WKU should not sign contracts for home football games away from Smith Stadium, even if that may affect who the Toppers can schedule. Times were different when former Athletics Director Wood Selig inked WKU’s four-year deal with Kentucky during the summer of 2009. The Toppers, completing a transition to the Football Bowl Subdivision, were about to embark on their first season as a fully fledged member of the Sun Belt Conference. Coming off a 2-12 season heading into 2009, WKU didn’t have much to leverage in the way of bringing Kentucky to Bowling Green. And with two wins since the deal was struck, WKU still really doesn’t. But that doesn’t mean lower-tiered Bowl Championship Series-conference teams, such as Kentucky, can’t play at Smith Stadium, or that WKU

should look to play a home game away from home. For one, WKU has poured millions into expanding Smith Stadium to FBS standards. Second, it’s not unheard of to have the big boys come to Bowling Green. Last season, Louisville’s men’s basketball team came to Diddle Arena, and the Cardinals’ hoops program is widely respected — unlike Kentucky’s football program. The environment for the Louisville game was scintillating, with fans packing Diddle Arena long before tip off. Who’s to say WKU can’t create a similar experience at Smith Stadium, play on a Thursday night, and still be on national TV? Instead, WKU and Kentucky are looking at a crowd that, depending on walk-up ticket sales, could have actually fit in Smith Stadium after all. Of course, this is a year in which preseason expectations for the Wildcats and Toppers aren’t high, but those certainly can’t be counted upon to boost attendance given the programs’ histories. An important sub plot in all of this is that Athletics Director Ross Bjork said playing Kentucky every year “is a priority for us.” Bjork added that to say Kentucky is in control

POLL How do you feel about the WKU game being played in Nashville?

ADAIR SCHWARTZ Morgantown junior

“I don’t know if I want to drive that far. It’s two in-state teams and it’s in Nashville and I don’t know why.”

of where WKU plays isn’t accurate, but that their larger fan base does play a role. It’s in the Herald’s opinion that Kentucky’s fan base should be considered, but not to the point where WKU — now a fellow FBS school — has to play home games away from home, as the Toppers will also do in 2013 as part of the current deal. Really, the same should go for any team. If Army, Navy and South Florida can schedule home-and-home deals with WKU, so can Kentucky. Making matters worse, the Kentucky game isn’t included

in WKU season ticket package. The cheapest seats at L.P. Field start at $28. We understand there are plenty of logistics that go into why WKU is stuck playing on a Thursday instead of a Saturday, or why the game is played so late, or why it’s not in Bowling Green. But in the end, is all of this really worth it? All to play one of the Southeastern Conference’s perennial bottom feeders? We’ll pass. This editorial represents the majority opinion of the Heraldʼs 10-member editorial board.

CHRIS WARE Paducah graduate student

“I think it should have been here. What a better place? I would love to beat them in football on our own ﬁeld.”

JOHN SANDERS Indianapolis graduate student

“It’s not really far so you can carpool. To have the ﬁrst game of the year at L.P. (Field) is a big deal.”

From the editor: Let us tell your stories We at the Herald are of the thought that everyone has a story. Given how WKU’s enrollment has ballooned recently, we’ve got work to do — stories to tell — and plenty of time to do it as the year starts. All we ask is for some help from you the student, professor, administrator, alum or interested reader. To cover WKU’s 20,000 students, we have a staff of about 50 including all of our reporters, photographers, copy editors and designers. That’s a lot of folks for a newspaper staff that puts out the 22-pager you’re reading

today, but then there’s this whole idea of a website we’re really embracing these days. In other words, what we can and will cover as things relate to WKU is unlimited, just like space on our wkuherald.com website. Only with 50 people, our peer network is limited. So whether it’s through Facebook (follow us), Twitter (really, please follow us) or email (I do read them all), let us know what’s going on. It’s our goal to tell real stories about real people — mainly students — because you’re our target audience. Give us feedback, too, be-

Contact us ■ Editor Jonathan Lintner: 270-745-5044 editor@wkuherald.com ■ Opinion: opinion@ wkuherald.com ■ Comment on speciﬁc stories or blogs at wkuherald.com ■ Interact with us at facebook.com/wkuherald and twitter.com/wkuherald

cause we want to talk about what you’re talking about in stories and editorials. By feedback I don’t mean whether you like or hate an individual article, but that you’re upset with something happening on campus, in the classroom or even with Bowling Green in general. To us, those are important issues. The relationship the Herald hopes to have with students is similar to what I suggested to WKU’s vice presidents and President Gary Ransdell last week when they were kind enough to meet with our editorial board. If you have something newsworthy

going on and we’re not talking to you, it’s because we don’t know about it — not because we don’t want to cover it. Another opportunity for you to have a voice is in this space. We print all the letters to the editor we have space to run and can even publish more lengthy entries online. Just remember: this is your paper and your chance to make a difference. Because of that, we look forward to hearing from you. JONATHAN LINTNER Herald editor-in-chief

college heights herald Jonathan Lintner* editor-in-chief Alexis Gonzalez-Lopez* managing editor Tessa Duvall* news editor Emily Patton* diversions editor Cole Claybourn* sports editor Brad Stephens* assis't sports editor Arianna McLaughlin* photo editor

Abbey Oldham* design editor Spencer Jenkins* opinion editor Darren Vogt* cartoonist Taylor Phillips copy desk chief Jerry Englehart assis't photo editor Christian Randolph assis't photo editor Miller Asbury advertising manager

Sara Taylor ad creative director Bob Adams Herald adviser

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The Herald encourages readers to write letters and commentaries on topics of public interest. Here are a few guidelines: 1. Letters shouldn't exceed 250 words. Commentaries should be about 500 words and include a picture. 2. Originality counts. Please don't submit plagiarized work.

news@wkuherald.com *Denotes editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays and Fridays during the school year. The ﬁrst copy is free and additional copies are 50 cents each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.

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REPORT AN ERROR Editor 270.745.5044 editor@wkuherald.com

3. For veriﬁcation, letters and commentaries MUST include your name, phone number, home town and classiﬁcation or title. 4. Letters may not run in every edition due to space. 5. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for style, grammar, length and clarity. The Herald does NOT print libelous submissions. 6. Submissions must be received by 7 p.m. on Sunday and Wednesday.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in this newspaper DO NOT reflect those of Western Kentucky University's employees or of its administration.

AUGUST 30 , 2011

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Take a Break

www.facebook.com/wkuherald www.facebook.com/chhsports @wkuherald @wkuheraldsports @wkuheraldnews College Heights Herald

...for goodness sake!

tweets from the hill

@WKU_throwscoach: Keep TrackTops own Coach Murphy in your thoughts and prayers today as he competes in the Louisville Iron Man. #WKU —Sent on Sunday 8/28 @JorgeMelendez10: OK really considering to start saving money because #WKU here I come —Sent on Sunday

8/28

@mmm_lovexo: i love wku but i know im gonna be a little homesick, ill miss the crazy summer and my besties who r still back at home! — Sent on Sunday

8/28

@sticky_boooy: the lava longe changed their name to "club omg" .... only at wku —Sent on Saturday 8/27 @mblakeharrison: First impressions re: #WKU food: Greens to Go "value meal" salad is bite-sized. All candy/chocolate packets shrunk, price didn't. #Robbery —Sent on Saturday

8/27

@CoachTaggart: Great Job to Lindsay Thomas and our marketing department! Family fun Day was great. Thank you all! Go Tops! —Sent on Saturday

8/27

@RossBjorkAD: This is the best time of year-tons of renewed energy around #WKU & college campuses across the country-nothing better than college athletics —Sent on Thursday

ACROSS 1 Steer clear of 6 Give guff to 10 Potato 14 "Live at the Acropolis" performer 15 Comic Johnson 16 Choir voice 17 Adlai's slate-mate 18 Break a habit 19 Pipe sealant 20 Tempest 21 Pressure measurer 23 Yugoslavian dictator 25 Earthquake activity 26 Golfer's gadget 29 __ Clemente 30 Actor Mineo 31 Checked 34 Come to a point 39 Newtons' filler 40 Mongolian, e.g. 43 Adoration 44 Experiments 46 Made a pledge 48 Actor Linden 51 Pekoe and Earl Grey, for two 52 Ernie of golf 53 During a performance 57 Whitney and Wallach 59 Rubber-ducky's milieu 61 Cowboy's rope 65 Actress Falco 66 Bangkok native 67 Construct 68 Knights' titles 69 Fabled loser 70 Potts or Oakley 71 Alleviate 72 Austrian range 73 Last breaths DOWN 1 Positive votes 2 Enormous 3 Aware of 4 Like a couch potato 5 Brush aside 6 Doc, slangily 7 Surface measure

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle

8 Flinches 9 Lady of Spain 10 Oregon capital 11 Mickey's pup 12 Pronounce 13 Active people 22 Become liquid 24 So long, in Soho 26 Wilson's predecessor 27 Fabled canal 28 Work units

Edited by Wayne Robert Williams

32 Approx. 33 Chip load 35 The Greatest 36 Stance 37 Mr. Knievel 38 Scarlet and crimson 41 Blood channels 42 Holiday song 45 "Rich Man, Poor Man" writer 47 Letter-carrier's carry

49 50 53 54 55 56 58 60 62 63 64

Christie of mysteries Fatal Fatter than fat Gymnast Comaneci Mixes up The closer ones Dry-heat bath "Wyatt __" Evildoings Lingerie purchase Poetical tributes

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8/25

@Mariahs_1818: Welcome back WKU students -show your ID and get 10% off! —Sent on Tuesday 8/23

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Campus Events

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e-mail your events to editor@wkuherald.com

Tuesday, 8/30

Presidents Roundtable, 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Downing University Center 349 Student Government Association meeting, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., DUC 305 Housing and Residence Life Retention Series Workshop, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., DUC 340

iPhone App

Wednesday, 8/31

Welcome Back WKU Festival, 11 a.m., South Lawn HRL Retention Series Workshop, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., DUC 340

Thursday, 9/1

Noon Tunes, DUC Patio, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. HRL Retention Series Workshop, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., DUC 340 Chess Club, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Faculty House Football vs. UK, 8:15 p.m., LP Field Nashville, Tenn.

Android App

Friday, 9/2

Greek 101, 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m., Gary A. Ransdell Hall 1047 Volleyball vs. Kentucky, 6 p.m., Lexington, Ky.

Saturday, 9/3

Volleyball vs. Virginia Tech, noon, Lexington, Ky. Volleyball vs. Ohio, 4:30 p.m., Lexington, Ky.

Sunday, 9/4

Soccer vs. Memphis, 1 p.m., WKU Soccer Complex

Scan these QR codes with your smartphone barcode reader!

6 WKU solving dorm overcrowding COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

By Nick Bratcher news@wkuherald.com

The record-breaking number of freshmen enrolling this fall has left resident assistants feeling a bit put-out with all the new students being put in to dorms. Howard Bailey, vice president for Student Affairs, said the number of enrolled freshmen either not actually planning to attend WKU or enrolling late is so large that it has forced RAs to take roommates. “That’s a temporary location,” he said. “As soon as we identify the ‘noshows’ next week, we will

move those students out of the resident assistant room into a permanent room.” This leaves RAs such as Morehead junior Dylan Georgette shouldering the responsibility. “We need a single room because we need a place to relax and unwind from our job,” he said. “It’s hard to do that if we have a resident from our floor or any other floor living with us.” Sharing the room also hinders many RAs from doing their job, Georgette said. “It’s the closest thing we have to an office,” he said. “If we have problems with a resident or we

SGA's Stephens ups organization's public relations By TAYLOR HARRISON news@wkuherald.com

What can the Student Government Association do for you? That’s the question the SGA plans to ask as a part of a newly revamped public relations campaign. “I want PR to be visible on campus,” said SGA President Billy Stephens. “New people don’t even hear about us until second semester.” It is SGA’s hope that utilizing public relations more so than in the past will not only increase voter turnout for the senate elections, but encourage more people to run for elected office as well. Katie Stillwell, chief of staff, said that SGA wants to have a contested election this fall and to let students know there is an opportunity to serve on the senate. “A lot of the time, we don’t have a completely full senate and that’s silly,” Stillwell said. “There are enough students here that we should be filling those spots. I think having more participation is also going to let us know what issues there are.” Stillwell said this is because students who run will bring up certain platforms that they would like to see addressed. SGA is interested in doing more than just expanding. It would also like to reach a broader array of students as they do so.

FREE CONTINUED FROM FRONT

On Sunday, WKU announced plans to partner with Housing and Residence Life to take two charter buses of students to the game in Nashville. “We didn’t want to give any excuses,” Bjork said. “Let’s eliminate as many as we could.” WKU hasn’t hidden the fact that ticket sales haven’t gone nearly as well as planned. Senior Associate Athletic Director Todd Stewart told the Herald on Sunday that plenty of good seats remained available for the game. Bjork said the change to allow all students in for free was made to simply put more people in the seats at no cost. He acknowledged that many people might not be able to commit the time and money to make the trip to Nashville. “We’re trying to do everything we can and just make it as accessible as possible to students and our fans,” Bjork said. “This was one element to do that.” Furthermore, the buses through HRL will be provided free of charge to the first 100 students to email jeremy.jenkins@wku.edu with their full name, WKU 800 number, Residence Hall and room number and cell phone number by 5 p.m. Tuesday. The buses will leave at 5 p.m. Thursday from be-

“The kids that are here for Gatton Academy — their opinions are just as important and we want to make sure that we’re reaching out to them, and reaching out to our graduate students,” Stillwell said. Aside from those students, Stillwell said that SGA is interested in reaching out to international students and making sure that they are being served as well as possible. This year, the PR outreach will be different from before. PR director Jane Wood will be going out with the PR committee head and visiting Greek organizations and campus ministries, and asking “What can SGA do for you?” Stillwell also said that SGA wants to have every senate spot filled this year. Their job is to represent the students and they want as many people doing that as possible. There are 36 seats in the senate, most of which are filled, and the definite number of seats available will be revealed after GPA checks are complete. Senate elections will take place Sept. 20 and 21 on TopNet. Administrative Vice President Devon Hilderbrandt said SGA wants to let the students know they're here. “We’re a big organization too, and the fact that we’re not as well known on campus as we should be is kind of ridiculous,” he said.

tween Bates Runner Hall and Parking Structure 1 and will return after the game. “Please keep in mind, however, this is not an excused reason to be absent from class,” WKU said in a release on wkusports.com. There will be one student entrance at L.P. Field, and students will still sit behind one of the end zones. If the seats behind the end zone can’t hold all the students, Bjork said they would be able to fill in anywhere there’s an empty seat. The Hilltopper Athletic Foundation is organizing a fan bus to take fans to the game and back to Bowling Green for $20 a person. If students miss their chance to reserve a spot on the HRL bus, they can purchase a ticket on the HAF bus. Bjork said the goal is to get 5,000 students at the game. President Gary Ransdell said he’d like to see 10,000 at the game. “Why not?” Ransdell said. “It’s free. It’s in Nashville. Go to a ballgame. Have some fun. I want it to be a great experience for our fans and I want to turn that Titans stadium absolutely red on that evening.” Head Coach Willie Taggart said he’s expecting even more than that. “I am expecting that place to be packed — a packed house,” Taggart said. “I want all the WKU students down there supporting the Hilltoppers and our whole Hilltopper nation to be down there.”

need to talk things over, we have to bring him in there. You can’t do that with another resident listening.” Under current policy, freshmen and sophomores are required to live in a dorm. To avoid overbooking, WKU offered eligible sophomores with a 3.0 GPA an opportunity to cancel their housing contracts this summer. “The first 100 students who cancel their housing between now and July 28 will receive a full refund of the $150 deposit and have all housing fees for the 2011-12 school year removed from their account,” said the email sent

from Housing and Residence Life on July 22. WKU has plans to alleviate the housing crunch in the long term next fall by adding apartment-style living on Kentucky Street. Bailey said one residence hall will wrap around the third parking structure, and the others will be on the opposite side of the road. This will add about 300 beds. “We don’t have apartment-style living in our portfolio and have wanted to do so for many years,” Bailey said. Until then, President Gary Ransdell said WKU will do everything it can to accommodate incoming

freshmen. “It may take a temporary arrangement for a short time, but we will accommodate new students that want to live in the residence halls,” he said. Georgette said he doesn’t blame or dislike HRL for the overbooking because he enjoys being an RA. “People who might do this job solely for the money are missing out, but I’m not going to lie and say I’m not here for the other benefits,” he said. “The job is a lot more than making connections and building community. “The room is just part of the package.”

While you were gone… By Herald Staff news@wkuherald.com

School got more expensive. WKU’s Board of Regents in June approved a 5 percent tuition increase as well as a $70 Downing University Center renovation fee. Student regent and Student Government Association President Billy Stephens was the only regent to vote against the increase. “I’m glad I said no,” Stephens said in June. “It was the principle of it.” Some renegade laid on a statue. Incoming WKU student Tyler Webster was banned from campus by the Office of Judicial Affairs for planking and defacing property with stickers promoting his website. The issue was brought to WKU’s attention after Webster was photographed

on the front page of the Bowling Green Daily News planking on the Henry Hardin Cherry statue at the top of the Hill. Webster was later reinstated in a situation President Gary Ransdell called “an overreaction by everybody involved.” The controversy even came with some backlash from outside the WKU community. Last week Murray State University produced a promotional video calling itself a “plank-friendly campus.” WKU solved its steam woes. Construction repairing multiple steam breaks around campus — the most well-known outside of Minton Hall — was completed in August as part of a $1 million project over the summer. Construction had closed traffic around the Minton Circle and left lawns

around campus torn up until recently. The steam breaks were simply a case of old parts needing replacement. “Nothing lasts forever,” said John Osborne, vice president of Campus Services and Facilities. “With the age of our campus, things happen like that.” Trafﬁc patterns changed. In addition to resurfacing Creason (Egypt) lot, WKU reconfigured it to enhance design, entrances and direction of traffic flow. Exits from the lot to Russellville Road were added as well as a “heavy duty” bus stop, said Bryan Russell, director of Planning, Design and Construction. Additionally, College Heights Boulevard now runs two ways down to Parking Structure 1, making it easy to reach the top of the hill by car.

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AUGUST 30, 2011

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Ransdell warns WKU freshmen to stay out of trouble By LAUREN ARNOLD diversions@wkuherald.com

President Gary Ransdell is encouraging new students, especially freshmen, to stay out of trouble and help save WKU from any future embarrassment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make smart decisions in your personal life and socially,â&#x20AC;? Ransdell told the Herald last Tuesday. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do stupid things that will get you in trouble or embarrass the university. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I encourage every student to not only take care of themselves, but to take care of each otherâ&#x20AC;ŚIf a friend, or any WKU student, is getting ready to do something stupid, stop them.â&#x20AC;? He advised the freshman class to use caution with their new freedom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many students are away for the first time, and a little bit of independence can be a dangerous thing,â&#x20AC;? Ransdell said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;So be smart

and use good judgment.â&#x20AC;? He said that students have to be held responsible for their actions and make good decisions, adding that â&#x20AC;&#x153;stupidity can be costly.â&#x20AC;? Ransdellâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s warning to the freshman class came less than a week after WKU freshman Tyler Webster was reinstated for violating the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s code of conduct. Webster was banned from WKU on Aug. 9 for planking and defacing the school with stickers promoting his website, plankresponsibly.com, but the ban was lifted on Aug. 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When our students do stupid things, the university looks bad, but more important than that, (students) may not be able to recover,â&#x20AC;? he said. Ransdell said that students who witness another WKU student abusing alcohol, blowing off a class, or getting ready to do something ill-advised should stop them and try to help them.

ECKHARDT CONTINUED FROM FRONT

The Herald first obtained a copy of the termination letter written by Craig Cobane, executive director of Honors College, to Eckhardt from the university last April through a Kentucky Open Records Act Request. Under the Kentucky Revised Statutes, WKU is subject to state open records laws and therefore must provide requested records for inspection within a reasonable amount of time. In Eckhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complaint, she alleges that because WKU released the letter without redaction or any prior notification of the release, the university violated the section of the open records act that exempts certain records from inspection or release. Included in the exemption are records that contain personal information that â&#x20AC;&#x153;the public disclosure thereof would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy,â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have an awful lot of 17, 18, 19 year olds converging on the campus who are away from home for the first time, and youth being what it is, some students make bad decisions,â&#x20AC;? he said. Ransdell said he delivered the same message to freshmen at the MASTER Plan convocation on Aug. 22. Franklin-Simpson freshman Britany Howard said she agrees with Ransdell. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would tell (freshmen) exactly what he said because you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t embarrass your university,â&#x20AC;? she said. Owensboro freshman Emily Free said she also thinks the message from Ransdell is fair. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I agree because I know a lot of kids that have gone off to college and kind of abused their freedom,â&#x20AC;? she said. Free said that if she saw a WKU student doing something that could get them into trouble, she probably wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get physically involved.

according to the KRS. The complaint goes on to say Eckhardt was not given notification of the release of the letter nor a chance to object, and because the letter is now available on the internet, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;damage to the Plaintiff in regard to her reputation and career is devastating.â&#x20AC;? In the letter, Cobane said Eckhardt created an â&#x20AC;&#x153;emotionally and psychologically abusive and hostile office environment,â&#x20AC;? subjected staff to â&#x20AC;&#x153;personal rants and complaints,â&#x20AC;? and that Eckhardt was â&#x20AC;&#x153;denigrating students and staff in public areas.â&#x20AC;? The statements in Cobaneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s letter include defamatory language and false and malicious words about Eckhardt, according to the complaint. Because Eckhardt was still under contract with WKU at the time the letter was published, she could not answer the Heraldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s request for comment regarding the accusations without forfeiting the rest of her pay. The suit claims this was done to intentionally harm the plaintiff. Additionally, the document says the release of the termination letter was highly

JABIN E. BOTSFORD/HERALD

President Gary Ransdell encouraged incoming freshmen to be responsible and stay out of trouble in their time at WKU.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I would advise themâ&#x20AC;Śbut their choice is their choice,â&#x20AC;? she said. Louisville freshman Max Dierken said that while the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;stupidâ&#x20AC;? has various interpretations, he agrees with Ransdell as well. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Definitely, if you see someone about to do something bad, you

offensive, unreasonable and an intentional intrusion upon Eckhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s privacy that has caused her to suffer damages. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is our position that some of that information should have been redacted because it was of a personal nature,â&#x20AC;? said Pamela Bratcher, a Bowling Green attorney and Eckhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s counsel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I do believe it is a very strong case.â&#x20AC;? However, Deborah Wilkins, WKUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chief of staff and general counsel, said the university has complied with the law at all times, and that there are â&#x20AC;&#x153;numerousâ&#x20AC;? opinions from the attorney generalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office that will support the university. In addition to the complaint filed in civil court, Eckhardt has also filed a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, a federal law enforcement agency that handles discrimination claims. A copy of this complaint was given to the Herald from Bratcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office. The EEOC complaint filed on June 28 alleges that Cobane discriminated against Eckhardt because of her gender and retaliated

should stop them,â&#x20AC;? he said. Dierken said if the student chose to continue with their poor decisions, he believes the repercussions from WKU will teach them a lesson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re about to learn a lesson anyway,â&#x20AC;? he said.

against her for vocalizing complaints against him and her working conditions. Eckhardt felt pressured to listen to Cobane talk about his dating and sex life on more than 70 occasions at work in order to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;one of the guysâ&#x20AC;? and earn respect from Cobane, who does not value women in leadership roles, according to the complaint. Wilkins said she has filed a response to the EEOC denying the claims and any wrongdoing by WKU or Cobane and that she does not wish to comment further on the matter at this time. Performance reviews within Eckhardtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal file were not made available to the Herald in the open records request. Batcher said she, too, has not been given access to her clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reviews at this time and the university only released negative documents about her client and have kept all positive files in their possession. Eckhardt is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, attorney and court fees and any other relief granted to her by state law.

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hoping to get their frozen treat fix. Tim Colley, district manager for ARAMARK and the WKU Restaurant and Catering Group, said many of the decisions for this fall were influenced by a 16week research process called MarketMATCH conducted last spring. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at surveys with students here and also looking at whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happening across the country at other campuses,â&#x20AC;? he said. Meszaros said long-term plans include renovations of Garrett Food Court to provide more seating and dining options such as Panda Express and bringing a Starbucks on campus.

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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Pi Chis help future sorority members By TESSA DUVALL news@wkuherald.com

CHRISTIAN RANDOLPH/HERALD

Alpha Delta Pi members sing and perform a choreographed welcoming cheer to potential new members outside the Alpha Delta Pi house during rush week's Getting to Know You Day.

RUSH CONTINUED FROM DIVERSIONS

“After each round, the sororities release some women because they can only invite so many back each time,” Pride said. “A lot of the rules and formulas we use are through their national organizations. There’s a (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) formula actually used for all of this and we have a specialist that we deal with.” Phi Mu new member Ashton Wheeles said the hardest part of the week was choosing the sorority she would join since she was torn between two. After receiving their bids, the girls made their way to Guthrie Bell Tower to meet and celebrate with their new sisters. The sororities filled the area surrounding the tower with colors, chants and the excitement of a new year and new friends. “I can’t wait to meet my whole new family of sisters,” said Allison Martin, a Sigma Kappa pledge.

CHRISTIAN RANDOLPH/HERALD

Potential new members wait to meet the members of Kappa Delta Pi and Alpha Delta Pi to tour their houses during rush week's Getting to Know You Day.

Many recruits came into the process without knowing anyone. “I came from out of state,” Wheeles said. “It was great meeting so

I can't wait to meet my my whole new family of sisters." —ALLISON MARTIN Sigma Kappa pledge

TUNES CONTINUED FROM DIVERSIONS

Davis said Noon Tunes is a great opportunity not only for bands, but also for music fans. “When you go to a show, it’s usually a house show or a venue,” he said. People have to go out of their way to get there, and usually have to pay. It’s a lot of effort. Out here it’s just, you’re All Your Greek Must Haves

many different girls.” Allison Sawyers, an Alpha Omicron Pi pledge, agreed. “I didn’t know anyone at WKU and I wanted to make new friends,” she said. For some, rush was not only a selection process, but also a lesson on stepping out of their comfort zone. “It was a great experience,” Sawyers said. “I had to get over nerves to make friends.” Wheeles said, “It taught me to go in with an open mind.” Reporter Tessa Duvall contributed to this story.

All around WKU’s campus last week, girls could be seen carrying bags and wearing t-shirts that proudly sport the Greek letters “Pi Chi.” Pi Chi is not a new sorority, and now, these letters have once again disappeared from campus until next fall rolls around. In preparation for formal sorority recruitment each fall, a small group of sorority women are selected to be Pi Chis — leaders who guide the several hundred potential new members through the recruitment process. Charley Pride, Director of Student Activities and Organizations, said the 28 Pi Chis were chosen from each of the seven sororities that participate in formal recruitment — Kappa Delta, Sigma Kappa, Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Delta Pi, Phi Mu, Chi Omega and Alpha Omicron Pi. To prepare for the job, the women must disassociate from their own sororities following graduation in the spring, said Jane Wood, the Pi Chi advisor and a Bowling Green senior. This includes removing decal letters from cars, not wearing clothes with sorority letters and setting Facebook profiles to private and not accepting friend requests from any new high school graduates. The restrictions became more intense as the summer progressed. Midway through summer break, Pi Chis were instructed not to text or call other girls in their sorority or live in a house or apartment with sorority sisters, Wood said. Then in the second week of August, all Pi Chis deactivated their Facebook accounts. “They’re unaffiliated for the week so they can help the women make the best judgment decision they can during the process,” Pride said.

Wood, who was a Pi Chi last fall, said being disaffiliated is one the biggest challenges of taking on the role. But as a result, the girls become very close with one another. Greenville senior and 2011 Pi Chi Chelsea Hill said the other Pi Chis were her family outside of her sorority during recruitment. Camille Hayden, a fellow Pi Chi and Owensboro senior, agreed, adding that the Pi Chis stick together. Hayden and Hill, along with a third Pi Chi, formed a “Pi Chi family” during recruitment, with each leader responsible for about 15 potential new members. The role came easily for Hayden. “We’ve been on the sorority side for a year or two, and now it’s kind of our chance to get to go back again,” she said. “We get the chance to guide them and be a motherly figure.” Wood said a major part of the Pi Chi role is to counsel and guide recruitment participants, as well as being a familiar face on campus. “They are women who are very involved on campus,” she said. “They’re role models to these girls.” Hill said the girls she led felt comfortable coming to her with specific questions about being nervous and what to wear, and general questions about going Greek and sorority life. “They are your role model. They’re what you look to,” she said of the Pi Chis. “That’s what you view as a sorority woman.” For Hayden and Hill, the decision to help other women find an organization that fits them best stems from their love of their own sisters. “It was definitely one of the best choices I think I’ve made in college,” Hill said of joining a sorority. “It’s where I’ve made my best friends and met my bridesmaids.” “You can’t really understand it unless you’re in it,” Hayden added. “And once you’re in it, it’s unbelievable.”

at DUC. You don’t have to go out of your way and you get good music.” Bowling Green freshman Kristen Dallas went to high school with Davis and came out to support Buffalo Rodeo. When Dallas arrived, she realized she really enjoyed the environment. “It’s a really good atmosphere,” Dallas said. “You can meet new friends, hang out and listen to the same music. You can dance to the music or just eat.”

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The WKU Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning presents: 2011 Study Abroad Fair, Wednesday, September 28th from 11-2 Centennial Mall—DUC lawn (DUC mezzanine in case of rain) -Take the first step to study abroad and go from the Hilltop . . . to the World. -Talk to study abroad program leaders and find out about your next adventure -Get to know the study abroad team and about how to make your international dreams a reality -Apply for a passport (check website for needed documents) -Vote for your favorite travel photo from WKU students -Enter a drawing for a fabulous prize! Contact: WKU Office of Study Abroad and Global Learning Grise Hall 128 P: (270) 745-5334 www.wku.edu/studyabroad

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

AUGUST 30, 2011

WKU removes rabbit statue WKU offers flood course

By NICK BRATCHER news@wkuherald.com

Many changes occurred on WKU’s campus over the summer to facilitate traffic, give students more food options and improve the beauty on the grounds, but one change was especially unique — removal of the wooden bunny statue with the red dress. Located at the top of the Hill between Garrett Conference Center and Potter Hall, the large wooden rabbit was created by the Department of Facilities Management in an attempt to beautify a dying tree. “It was just an effort to do something with a trunk three years ago when the tree was clearly dead,” said Helen Siewers, WKU’s

landscape architect. The statues wood began to rot, forcing the department to remove the statue earlier this summer, Siewers said. “We took a temporary opportunity for art, and it had reached the point where it was just deteriorating rapidly,” she said. “We had reinforced it with concrete inside the cavity in the trunk and also with rebar. “It just wasn’t enough to keep it in place and looking good.” The rabbit was originally sculpted by Maintenance Technician Chris Radus after he received permission from President Gary Ransdell, according to a 2009 WKU Talisman. It took 10 days for Radus

By AARON FRASIER news@wkuherald.com

TALISMAN FILE PHOTO

The wooden statue of a rabbit in a red dress at the top of the Hill was removed this summer by WKU because the old tree trunk had rotted out.

to complete work on the 15-foot-tall tree stump with a chainsaw. Adjacent to where the bunny sat is a bronze rabbit statue named Chauncey Too. Because Chauncey is male, Radus carved a fe-

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Students will have the opportunity to study away with the engineering department during the 2011 winter term as a part of the “Total Immersion Floodplain Management” course. The course is provided through WKU’s Study Away program, which Director Jerry Barnaby describes as domestic off-campus study. Unlike studying abroad, Study Away does not require a passport since courses take place within the United States. “Students will have a very packed thirteen days,” said Warren Campbell, the course instructor and associate professor of engineering. Campbell said students will start by going to Phoenix to tour the Flood Control District of Maricopa County. The students will also travel to Hoover Dam and Boulder City, Nev. Campbell said that Hoover Dam is important to flood management because the building of the dam brought the inspiration for many others that have since been built. Cave City junior Emily Kinslow said that she is going to enjoy getting to

do hands-on work and seeing what she studies in the classroom. “I’m really looking forward to it,” she said. Of the places she will go for the course, Kinslow said she is most excited about seeing Hoover Dam. “This is what I want to do,” she said. “I want to be able to see the measures people will take to prevent flooding.” Students will also travel to the “basement of America,” Death Valley, as well as Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the United States, Campbell said. Other destinations include the Salt Sea, San Diego County, and the 13th-largest county in the United States, Clark County. Campbell said the course will need at least eight students in order to take place. WKU has the only floodplain management minor in the United States, Campbell said. “Thirty-six students have passed our floodplain management program and 13 states have decreased in flood problems, so we are doing our job,” Campbell said. It will depend on the response this winter as to whether the class is offered again, he said.

August 30, 2011

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

WKU RAs making difference early on campus By LINDSAY KRIZ diversions@wkuherald.com

While most WKU students are still scrambling to hold onto the last few weeks of summer, students serving as Resident Assistants — or RAs — are already hard at work on campus. Cuba, Ky., junior Leah Beth Dublin, a Southwest Hall RA, completed RA training for her second semester. Dublin is one example of the many students who returned to campus early to ready themselves to make a difference in their residents’ lives. Dublin said her job has also helped her in making connections and serving as an example to others. “I really like it,” she said. “I like jobs where you can make a difference.” Dublin participated in events with other Southwest RAs during training, which included performing “Southwest” to the tune of “My Girl” and making a video on the final day that represented what Southwest is all about. However, there was also time spent with other RAs at other buildings. “We had lots of training sessions,” Dublin said. “All of the RAs are together and we’re paired up and rotated.” The sessions discussed lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgenders (LGBT) and different religions. Other sessions also focused on team work and respect for the building and the floor, Dublin said. During the “Behind Closed Doors” session, Dublin and her partners were given a scenario in which one roommate was absent while the other was accusing them of stealing a pair of earrings. She said her role is to make residents feel comfortable and important. “I want to build a solid community with my floor,” she said. Dublin said that another part of her job is to walk the halls, check different parts of the building and work the nightshift. As with many RAs, Dublin is trying to make her residents feel more comfortable and welcomed during the move-in by decorating her floor. This semester’s dorm theme in Southwest is Harry Potter. “On the doors there will be owls and lightning bolts,

and I’m making my door platform 9 3/4,” Dublin said. Mt. Washington junior Chris McHargue, a McCormack Hall RA, said he’s had to come out of his own comfort zone to help others feel at home. “You really learn a lot about yourself and you grow as a person,” he said. “You understand and connect with people better.” McHargue said because of his job, he talks to people he wouldn’t normally talk to and makes new friendships. “This year is as good as last year, if not better,” he said. McHargue’s thoughts were echoed by Chicago senior Brandon Evilla, who said the training has been a wonderful experience that helped him grow. “It’s about stepping out of your comfort zone,” he said. The RAs have participated in many bonding activities, including chants and cheers performed together every morning and roll call videos, which were made by members of each dorm and summed up what they’re about. Evilla said that trainees also learned about dealing with different situations that may arise in dorms. “I got into this job after interviewing for a front desk job,” he said. “They felt my ability to speak well meant I could do the job well.” Brian Kuster, executive director of the WKU Student Life Foundation and director of Housing and Residence Life, helps to oversee all RAs as well as any other directors within the dorms. RAs are an integral part of the college experience, Kuster said. “To the students on campus, they mean everything,” he said. “They’re really the face for the students who live on campus. If you have a good RA and a caring RA, it can make the world of difference.” Kuster said he also observed the activities that RAs participated in before the week of MASTER Plan. “They’re a very close group because they all deal with the same things,” he said. Steve Briggs, assistant director of HRL, works directly with the students. He said the communication level this year between the RAs was excellent. “I am giddy,” Briggs said. “I am really excited. The RA staff has really embraced that we’re here to help students academically as a resource.”

JABIN E. BOTSFORD/HERALD

Southwest Hall Resident Assistant Leah Beth Dublin, right, helps Nashville senior Allison Quaintance, left, sign-in Thursday morning.

RAs using hashtag #iamanra By LINDSAY KRIZ diversions@wkuherald.com

Staying connected is no longer just a physical task for Resident Assistants. Now, finding out what RAs are up to around campus is as easy as a Twitter search. Social networks such as Twitter have helped bring RAs closer together with the hashtag #iamanra. Nashville junior Simone Lampkin, an RA in Minton Hall, has started tweeting about her job. “When we first got accepted as RAs, they encouraged us to use the hashtag,” she said. “If it’s school-related, I tag it.” Lampkin said she even took her settings off of private so that others could see what type of

WKU has its own Miss Congeniality By SIDNEY BLANFORD diversions@wkuherald.com

Bowling Green senior Anne-Taylor Wilson insists that it pays to be friendly. Wilson’s own friendliness landed her the 2011 Miss Congeniality title against 20 other candidates at Kentucky’s longest-running festival, the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival, in May. Rhegan Redmond, chairman of the festival arrangements committee, awarded Wilson the title at the festival’s annual Queen’s Breakfast. As with most other congeniality competitions, only the queen candidates select the winner of the award. “I just tried to have fun meeting everyone and kept the ‘try to have fun’ attitude while I was there,” Wilson said. “It was good to know everyone thought well of me. It pays to be friendly.

“I was really just honored and flattered.” Redmond said the “Miss Congeniality” award goes to someone who displays kindness, helpfulness and who the other contestants will consider their close friend even after the festival is over. “Anne-Taylor won by a landslide,” Redmond said. “Anne-Taylor was willing to do whatever was asked of her. She was very kindhearted and just very sweet.” After growing up in Bowling Green, Wilson spent her freshman year of college at the University of Kentucky and then transferred to WKU. Wilson became a member of the Alpha Delta Pi sorority and Order of Omega, a Greek leadership honor society. The Order of Omega nominated her to interview with WKU faculty in or-

der to serve as a participant in the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. Festival committee members from the beginning found Wilson to be very outgoing, whereas some of the other participants had come in a bit shy. “The whole time she was there, she didn’t take anything too serious and just tried to make the best out of the experience,” said Christopher Simouth, who was Wilson’s escort during the festival. Simouth has known Wilson for six years and was chosen as her escort because he was the one person Wilson said she was sure would be such a good sport about it. The pair had joked with each other about how she would end up winning Miss Congeniality. “When she actually won, she was surprised and

shocked,” Simouth said. “We weren’t even paying attention. We had been talking to all the people at our table when they called her name.” Wilson’s undeniable quality is how approachable she is, both Simouth and Redmond agreed, which may have come from her mother, Jane, who also served as a queen candidate in the Kentucky Moutain Laurel Festival representing WKU in 1979. “With her mother having been a representative years before, Anne-Taylor just seemed very appreciative of the festival,” Redmond said. Wilson will graduate from WKU this December and plans to pursue her love for psychology. Unsure of all of her future plans, she hopes to graduate and earn a PhD in clinical psychology, where she will go onto to practice in the field.

school-related tweets she was sending. Minnette Huck, a coordinator for HRL, is part of the committee that oversees the RA activities. Huck said that during training, tweets would flash across a screen in the morning to show everyone. “People would laugh at any of the tweets or pictures posted,” Huck said. “It was a good way to bring them all together and show them that they have the same experience throughout campus.” Steve Briggs, assistant director for HRL, credited Huck with helping to create and implement the hashtag. Briggs guessed that about 100 WKU RAs became involved with Twitter because of it.

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8.30.11 • COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD • Vol. 87, No. 1 • WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

One of the girls Campus becomes colorful during bid day By AMANDA YOUNG news@wkuherald.com

JABIN E. BOTSFORD/HERALD

TOP: Phi Mu sisters meet and congratulate their newest members outside of Mass Media and Technology Hall Sunday afternoon during sorority Bid Day. BOTTOM: Victoria Ortega, a Nashville freshman, celebrates after receiving her bid from Chi Omega sorority. The bid was given to her by Flora, Ind., senior Samantha Meeks during sorority Bid Day on Sunday afternoon in front of Poland Hall.

The Hill was alive with cheers and excitement Sunday as fall 2011 formal sorority recruitment came to a close on bid day. Bid day is a fall tradition in which girls who are accepted into a sorority receive their acceptance letters, or bids, from the organization. Kristen Smith, a graduate assistant for Student Activities and Organizations, said recruitment began with 442 women last Wednesday, the third largest number in WKU history. On Sunday, 265 women were placed in sororities, and 15 did not receive a bid. Throughout the five-day recruitment process, 157 women withdrew from the process, Smith said. Reasons ranged from deciding Greek life wasn’t right for them or they did not enjoy the pro-

cess, she said. Additionally, a new sorority, Alpha Xi Delta, is colonizing on campus and will host informal rush in September, which also contributed to some formal recruitments withdrawing, Smith said. Rush week is not all fun for the pledges. The selection process can come with a lot of stress. “[The sororities] are judging you,” said Sarah Calvert, a new member of Alpha Gamma Delta. “And you wonder what they thought about you.” Sorority recruitment is a mutual selection process, said Charley Pride, Director of Student Activities and Organizations. Not only do sororities select recruits, but recruits also select which sorority they want to pledge. SEE RUSH, PAGE 11

Noon Tunes rocks outside of DUC By CHRIS RUTLEDGE features@wkuherald.com

Louisville freshman Austin Peck and his friends were enjoying lunch on the Downing University Center patio on Wednesday, barely paying mind to the five scruffy freshmen beside the steps setting up sound equipment. But guitarist Nathaniel Davis struck a chord with Peck and his pals when his band, Buffalo Rodeo, started its set. The group spent the rest of lunch bobbing heads along to the bearded quintet’s garagerock stylings. Buffalo Rodeo was on campus playing Noon Tunes, a bi-weekly concert hosted Thursdays by Revolution 91.7. Peck was impressed that the campus hosted events such as this and welcomed the music. “It gives you something good to listen to while you’re eating with your friends,” he said. Revolution Program Director Stacie Hewitt said Noon Tunes started a year ago, when DUC Evening Program Coordinator

Trinity Gonzales contacted Revolution. “She asked us if we wanted to help her book bands for it and set up our tent and turn it into an event,” Hewitt said. Hewitt, a Nashville senior, said Revolution books the bands while Gonzales handles the logistics. “We really like to keep it local,” she said. “We had Cage the Elephant last fall, and it was really cool. Afterward, they sat at our table and signed autographs.” When Peck heard Cage the Elephant had performed in that same spot, his eyes widened. “Now that would be something I would want to see,” he said. “I’m a big Cage the Elephant fan.” Peck wasn’t the only one excited about Noon Tunes. Davis said Buffalo Rodeo was appreciative of the gig. Because Davis, a Bowling Green freshman along with the rest of his band, is underage, his band has a hard time getting gigs. SEE TUNES, PAGE 11

JERRY ENGLEHART JR/HERALD

Buffalo Rodeo performs a single off their new EP “Wanderers” outside of Downing University Center last Wednesday as part of Noon Tunes. Every member of the band is a Bowling Green resident and WKU freshman this semester. Buffalo Rodeo was booked for this event because Station Manger Kayla Dowdy of Revolution 91.7 said she had seen them at a few house shows.

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