August 23, 2016

JOURNALISM PROFESSOR AND SPOUSES COAUTHOR BOOK

THIS IS D.R.A.M PAGE B3

NEWS, PAGE A3

TTUESDAY, UESDAY, AAUGUST UGUST 223, 3, 22016 016 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 992, 2, IISSUE SSUE 1

Debate and questions surface after Medical Center decision

BY JACOB DICK HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU After two hours of discussion, the WKU Board of Regents gave approval for President Gary Ransdell to enter into a new deal with The Medical Center at Bowling Green Friday morning, breaking a current agreement with Graves-Gilbert Clinic.

The board voted 6-4 on the decision to allow a new $22 million sports medicine and training facility that will house indoor baseball and football facilities, as well as housing WKU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, currently on the third floor of The Medical Center-WKU Health Sciences Complex.

A new building will be built between the football stadium and the baseball field and will open six to eight months into the next president’s tenure, according to Ransdell, but the specifics of the deal and its future effects are still raising questions.

The deal -- particularly replacing

Graves-Gilbert with The Medical Center at the WKU Health Services clinic -- is stirring controversy on campus.

The Deal

At Friday’s regents meeting, held in the Potter College Room of Van Meter Hall directly after Ransdell’s last convocation, the board viewed a short presentation outlining a proposed partnership with The Medical Center.

Ransdell explained the university’s challenge to find more space for a maximum of 160 students attending the new School of Medicine affiliated with the University of Kentucky at The Medical Center Campus. One of the slides in the presentation estimated a $15.3 million price tag to add two floors onto the Health Sciences Complex.

Instead of enlarging the facility, Ransdell said he had worked out a deal with the board of The Medical Center and UK to have the College of Medicine lease space now occupied by the WKU Doctor of Physical Therapy program

on the third floor.

“I have assurances from President Capilouto that they value this sublease strategy,” Ransdell said.

As a part of the deal, The Medical Center would foot the entire bill on construction of the two-story, 57,000 square foot building on WKU’s main campus, with the only expense to WKU being the space occupied by the Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

Those costs will be covered by the money WKU gets from UK leasing the current physical therapy space at the Health Sciences Complex.

Ransdell briefly flipped through slides outlining the new facility, mentioning square footage and assuring the physical therapy program would be meeting with architects soon to create their space in the new building.

The land the new building would be built on will be leased to The Medical Center for 99 years at $1 a year with the option of the building being given to WKU if the health provider wants out.

Ransdell compared the deal to similar leases with the Ogden Foundation and Student Life Foundation. The Ogden Foundation owns most of the land under WKU’s science campus, and the Student Life Foundation owns and operates WKU’s residence halls.

WKU’s athletics department would also be provided with The Medical Center orthopedics team as the exclusive team physicians, replacing their current doctors. Near the end of a slide announcing the Preston Center as manager of the new building, a small-type bullet point mentioned The Medical Center would eventually replace Graves-Gilbert as the official medical service provider on campus, well before WKU’s contract ends with the clinic in 2018.

No time was given for the change but in an additional information release handed out after the announcement, the statement explains the change will

SEE REGENTS PAGE A2

Alive Center and ISCR consolidate

BY MONICA KAST HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

The Institute for Citizenship and Responsibility (ICSR) and the ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships have been consolidated into the Center for Citizenship and Social Justice (CCSJ), beginning this semester.

The Institute for Citizenship and Responsibility, or ICSR, and the ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships have been consolidated into the Center for Citizenship and Social Justice, or CCSJ, beginning this semester.

It was first announced in May that due to budget cuts from the state and WKU, the two programs would be consolidated to cut an estimated $151,000 from WKU’s budget. It was announced in May that 24 programs would be cut or consolidated in the 2016-2017 academic year in order to protect “credit-bearing academic programs,” according to President Gary Ransdell.

“The CCSJ is the result of a merger of the former ALIVE Center for Community Partnerships and the Institute for Citizenship & Social Responsibility,” Dennis George, the Dean of University College, said in an email last week announcing the opening of CCSJ. “The Minor in Citizenship and Social Justice remains with the new center.”

Leah Ashwill, former director of the ALIVE Center, will serve as the director of the CCSJ, replacing former director Judy Rohrer. CCSJ will be under the Department of Diversity and Community Studies within University College, the same department that ICSR and the ALIVE Center were formerly under. CCSJ is located in Tate Page Hall.

In May, at the time of the announcement, Ashwill emailed students and staff announcing the consolidation.

“Generally speaking, the new Center will continue to serve as a connector for students, faculty and staff at WKU who wish to partner with community organizations for volunteer opportunities, service-learning projects, and other scholarly service endeavors,” Ashwill said in the email.

According to current information from Ashwill, “The Center for Citizenship & Social Justice is committed to providing academic and extracurricular experiences that empower WKU students, faculty and staff to address complex social issues in partnership with the communities we serve.”

Programs formerly offered by ICSR and the ALIVE Center will continue to be offered through CCSJ, such as The $100 Solution program and “trainings and resources for citizenship and so-

SEE JUMP WORD PAGE A2

WKU Freshman Da’onmonique Burdell is embraced by D.R.A.M during his performance at the WKU M.A.S.T.E.R plan concert on Thursday August 18, 2016 at Diddle Arena in Bowling Green, Ky. MHARI SHAW HERALD

Hypnosis, hip-hop featured at M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan

BY KYLIE CARLSON HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Each year, thousands of eager freshmen take over the Smith Stadium football field for the annual class photo as a kick-off to MASTER Plan and a way to capture the beginning of their collegiate careers. The class of 2020 was no different.

MASTER Plan is a five-day orientation program lasting, this year from Aug. 14 to Aug. 18 for first-year residential students.

Activities this year included R.O.A.R, or Roast of All Rivals, a Glow Zone dance paint party, a hypnotist, a silent disco, workout classes and more.

Glow Zone was held Sunday night on Aug. 21 as the official social opener. Here, students danced the night away as glowing paint was blasted from paint cannons over the erupting crowd.

The following night, students were given the opportunity to bring old clothing branded with the logos of opposing universities and burn them in a bonfire.

The first 350 students participating in R.O.A.R. received a free WKU t-shirt.

On Tuesday night, students were given the opportunity to be entranced by hypnosis and

ghost stories. At the beginning of the night, international comedy hypnotist, Eric Mina, took to the stage. In 2014, Mina was nominated as the 2014 Fastest Rising Star by Campus Activities Magazine.

The hypnosis show was followed by a ghostly tour of WKU. According to the WKU website, a ghost lurks Van Meter Hall. As the story goes, a construction worker fell through the skylight in the lobby and was killed but never left.

To change the eerie pace, a silent disco was held on Wednesday night where students danced to the beat of their own headphones.

The week of events wrapped up with a hip-hop concert featuring American artist D.R.A.M., after the MASTER Plan closing ceremony. Although the artist rapped many songs that were not his original work, D.R.A.M. also performed many of his own hits such as “Broccoli” and “Cute.”

Broccoli reached eighth on the Billboard chart for Hot R&B/ Hip-Hop songs this year.

Students also attended morning sessions to help them adjust to campus life. In these sessions, students learned about their university colleges, residence

and campus policies, academic expectations and even managing their money.

However, some students noted these sessions were not as beneficial to them as expected.

For example, Justin Hancock of Cadiz said the residence policies were repetitive.

“The sessions were basically everything I already knew,” Hancock said. “Some of the academic ones were informative, but the policy ones were common sense. After the sessions and all the floor meetings, the policies began to feel overstated.”

However, residence assistant, Jordan Saunders, of Louisville said academic sessions seemed to be a favorite among students in his opinion.

“I feel the residents did best when the session was about academic success,” Saucers said.

“They got any questions they needed answers to, and I could tell they felt a lot better about starting school.”

Reporter Kylie Carlson can be reached at 270-745-6011 and kylie.carlson15@gmail.com.

Follow her on twitter @kentuckylie.

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AUGUST 23, 2016

REGENTS Continued from a1

be made “at the appropriate time.”

The agreement between WKU and The Medical Center indicates The Medical Center will take over the WKU clinic by Jan. 1, 2017.

According to the contract between WKU and Graves-Gilbert Clinic, WKU will not have to buy out the contract.

Three separate periods of negotiation will be enacted with termination of the agreement after 180 days.

The Medical Center will also be guaranteed parking in the Douglas Keen parking lot for patients, as well as branding rights to WKU’s symbols and likeness for its advertising.

After a speedy detailing of the particulars, the board went into its voting session.

The Argument The meeting began with two new regents, Julie Hinson of Prospect and Jason McKinney of Scottsville, taking their oaths of office. Then Board Chair Freddie Higdon explained the parliamentary procedure of how regents would express their opinions to the board.

Board members were given two chances to speak for up to 10 minutes without the ability to share or save time.

Faculty Regent Barbara Burch ques-

CCSJ

Continued from a1 cial justice activities, service-learning and public research,” according to Ashwill. The Citizenship and Social Justice minor, formerly offered through ICSR, will continue to be offered through CCSJ. Ashwill also said that she hopes to “refocus some of our programming towards building civic agency in students by teaching them how to engage in active citizenship through civic education.” This includes a new Political Engagement Project, promotion of voting and volunteering at the polls, and offering more courses focused on civic engagement.

The administration faced criticism from the student body on the decision to consolidate when the merge was first announced.

At the June 24 Board of Regents meeting, the Herald reported that SGA

tioned why regents were only allowed to speak twice during the discussion and was concerned that they wouldn’t be able to ask additional questions after further details were revealed. Higdon said the procedure was based on Robert’s Rules of Order in which the board bylaws are based and that a vote would have to be made to change the bylaws if they wished to change the procedure.

“I still don’t understand why we are doing this now,” Burch said. “In the 20 years since President Ransdell has been here, we’ve never used this procedure until now. It feels like an obstruction to the discussion.”

In a media briefing on Friday afternoon, Ransdell agreed he couldn’t remember a time when discussions had used this procedure before, but that it was important for the board to have an organized discussion.

After nearly 10 minutes of back and forth between Higdon, Birch and Board Parliamentarian Randall Capps, speaking from the regents commenced.

Regent Philip Bale, who abstained from voting due to his involvement with Graves-Gilbert, began the discussion by speaking against the deal.

Bale said he was concerned WKU was entering into the competitive business of medicine in Bowling Green that may have lasting “chilling” effects in the community.

President and student regent Jay Todd Richey expressed concerns about approving the budget with the consolidation of the ALIVE Center and ICSR. “I believe we are using budget cuts to justify a political move designed to suppress the purpose of the ICSR: encouragement of independent thinking and instilling within students a passion for fighting for social justice causes,” Richey said at the meeting.

“We have to look at what is best for all parties, and this is certainly not what is best for the ICSR.” The Herald reported that WKU Provost and Vice-President of Academic Affairs David Lee was also present at the June 24 Board of Regents meeting, and addressed Richey’s concerns.

“I think at the end of the day they are compatible and they can be consolidated into a working-effective unit,” Lee said at the meeting.

The first campus event hosted by

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

“In my opinion, there will be fallout with many constituents on campus if the decision is made,” Bale said. “The decision to move forward will sever many relationships, both old and new.”

But not everyone saw as a negative for WKU. “When I sit down and look at the positives (of the deal), I’m overwhelmed by the opportunities,” Higdon said.

Regent John Ridley said he was concerned regents have not been able to gauge public response or confer with the medical community on the impact of this proposal.

“The 99-year agreement sets a dangerous precedent,” Ridley said. “This is a bad deal because of the timing and the situation in the community. We will not be able to control the risk.”

During the second round of comments, the semantics of whether the board was discussing a deal or a gift came into play.

Regent Gillard Johnson said he saw the new building as a gift that will make the campus more attractive to all students.

“The Board charged the president years ago with bringing this campus into the future,” Johnson said. “I think this puts out in front of the whole community and the Commonwealth that we are moving forward and developing for students.”

In Burch’s and Ridley’s rebuttals,

they questioned how the deal could be called a gift when The Medical Center was being allowed to see customers on campus and had access to WKU’s branding.

“The traditional sense of a gift... its probably more of a business deal,” Ransdell said in a media briefing Friday afternoon. “But if you follow my presidency at all, you know I’m not going to turn my back on $22 million.”

Discussions continued around the board, with some regents choosing only to speak once but as each members’ turns were used, the sides became more resigned in their opinions.

“I believe we are beginning to repeat ourselves,” Hinson said after the hour and 30 minute mark. “Are we ready for a vote yet?”

The call to vote was made and the regents decided with Ridley, Birch, Student Regent Jay Todd Richey and Staff Regent Tamela Smith voting against and Higdon, Secretary Cynthia Harris, Hinson, Johnson, McKinney and Regent David Porter voting for.

After nearly a month of researching the proposal and a two hour discussion, the board of regents made a decision that will last 99 years.

Jacob Dick can be reached at (270) 745-6011 or jacob.dick@wku.edu and @jdickjournalism on Twitter.

CCSJ will be on Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. in Tate Page. Ashwill said this is a “student mural project” featuring artist Andee Rudloff. At this event, which includes both sketching and painting for “The Great Wall of Service,” students can share their vision for impacting the world during their time at WKU.

Reporter Monica Kast can be reached at 270-745-6011 or monica.kast187@ topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @monicakastwku

We have to look at what is best for all parties, and this is certainly not what is best for the ICSR.” Jay Todd Richey

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COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

New Alpha Xi Delta house under construction

BY NICOLE ARES HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

After five years on the Hill since re-chartering in 2012, a new chapter house for the Epsilon Kappa chapter of Alpha Xi Delta is now under construction.

Located on 1508 Chestnut Street, the three-story house is projected to be built and inhabitable by fall 2017.

“Everyone is really excited and we have worked really hard to get to this point,” Keaton Woodliff, Epsilon Kappa chapter president, said.

The AXiD National Housing Corporation has paired with GNP Properties Inc., a small nonresidential building operator in Bowling Green, for the project.

GNP Properties Inc. purchased the 22,000 square foot lot in 2004 for $264,290, according to the Warren County Property Valuation Administrator website.

The AXiD NHC director of Housing Jennifer Foster said it has partnered with GNP Properties Inc. in a “lease with the opportunity to purchase” deal where AXiD will be

paying rent on the new home.

The search for a property began when the Epsilon Kappa chapter re-chartered in 2012. The AXiD NHC Board of Directors, along with Foster, have been working on the project.

“After the Epsilon Kappa chapter re-colonized, we kept our eyes and ears open for an opportunity,” Foster said.

Foster did not want to disclose the cost of the project, but statistics on the National Housing Corporation website show property costs can range from $110,000 to $3.5 million.

However, Foster noted the cost would lean more towards the higher end of the spectrum.

“It’s in that price range, but we can’t really put an official price tag on it right now though because we don’t really know it yet,” Foster said.

The current house located at the building site will be torn down.

In its place, a three-story house will be built, complete with 10 bedrooms, a full-size kitchen and other amenities.

A sign showing the future location of Alpha Xi Delta’s first sorority house. The house will be located on Chestnut Street next to the Chi Omega sorority house. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

“Nationals takes care of the details of the house, but they are very aware of our needs and wants and very aware of the length of time we’ve been trying to get this house,” Woodliff said.

Woodliff also noted this new home has had a strong impact on recruiting new members.

For the first time, active members were able to tell girls going through Fall 2016 recruitment that AXiD will soon have a chapter house.

“Being able to give them that assurance that we are building a house and it will be ready by next year, has really helped PNM’s (possible new members) reach a deciding point,” Woodliff said.

However, McKenzie Huskey, membership vice president, said the new home wasn’t the main focus during recruitment.

“During recruitment being able to tell girls we will have a home did have a positive impact;

however, we told girls to be themselves and make their decision with or without the new home,” Huskey said.

Huskey added the Epsilon Kappa chapter is most looking forward to not being one of the only sororities on campus without a chapter home.

“We are most looking forward to not being the outsiders anymore, having a place we can come together and having a place we can call home,” Huskey said.

CTC to offer ‘Lunch-n-Learn’ sessions

BY NICOLE ARES

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

The Counseling & Testing Center will offer new group outreach sessions this fall in hopes of educating a wider audience about the everyday issues and concerns of faculty, students and staff.

During the Lunch-n-Learn sessions, topics such as student identity development, mindfulness, assertiveness, self esteem, loss/ grief and suicide prevention will be discussed.

Peggy Crowe, director of the CTC, said these are not counseling sessions, but rather a way for attendees to learn new skills, concepts and ways help better understand one another.

“Any time we can offer faculty, staff, and students information to better educate and inform about our everyday interactions, I believe we will have an impact on the WKU community,” Crowe said.

Lunch-n-Learn, newly introduced this semester, comes after the CTC had to reduce its staff by eliminating its predoctoral interns after budget cuts that occurred last spring.

“This is merely a way to offer sessions, during the semester, for the larger university community, rather than to those who request trainings/workshops from us,” Crowe said.

There will be 12 Lunch-n-Learn sessions in total beginning on Aug. 31 and ending on Dec. 1. The workshops are open to all students, faculty and staff, but will be capped at 25 attendees per session.

“I am hoping the university community responds favorably to what we are trying to do. If we have a larger demand and interest, we will certainly look to continue such offerings,” Crowe said.

Additionally, the CTC will offer two training sessions for faculty and staff. The Green Dot session

will focus on interpersonal violence prevention. The Safe Zone session will focus on LGBTQI persons on campus and in the community and their relationship with faculty and staff.

Elizabeth Madariaga, a sexual assault services coordinator, will be leading the Green Dot session.

The program’s aim is to establish a community with an intolerance to violence.

“The goal is for these groups to engage in a basic education program that will equip them to integrate moments of prevention within existing relationships and daily activities,” Crowe said.

Brian Lee, a staff counselor for the CTC, will be leading the Safe Zone session. The overall mission of this project, he said, is to raise awareness of LGBTQIA issues and create an environment that is void of discrimination based on sexual orientation, sexual identity or gender identity.

“The purpose of Safe Zone trainings is to reduce homophobia and heterosexism by training community members to serve as resources for the LGBTQIA community,” Lee said.

Participants will be given the opportunity to display the Safe Zone symbol to celebrate the contributions of LGBTQIA individuals and communities.

“Safe Zone is a voluntary network of individuals who believe that every member of the community should have an equal opportunity to grow and learn in safe and open environments,” Lee said.

Details regarding the Safe Zone and Green Dot sessions have yet to be announced.

However, all Lunch-n-Learn sessions will be located in the Potter Hall conference room 408 and last from 12-1 p.m. Every attendee must bring his or her own lunch.

Journalism professors, spouses co-author book

BY KYLIE CARLSON HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Professors and spouses in the School of Journalism and Broadcasting have co-authored their first academic work together: “Indian Country: Telling a Story in a Digital Age.” Benjamin LaPoe and Victoria LaPoe met at Louisiana State University where they were both pursuing doctorate degrees. They were then married a year later in 2010.

Since then, the LaPoe’s have both landed spots on the Minorities and Communications board for the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Additionally, they are both professors in the School of Journalism and Broad-

casting. Ben is an assistant journalism professor and Victoria is a coordinator of broadcasting and film as well as an assistant professor.

Their co-authored book was written with extensive research on diversity among newspapers, specifically in the Native American culture. Victoria LaPoe, however, is the lead author on the book, her inspiration stemming from her work on her dissertation.

Victoria grew up close to her native heritage alongside her grandfather who was of Cherokee decent.

Additionally, she was a first generation college student on her grandfather’s side.

Victoria especially found it interesting when she learned of the oppression against her grandfa-

ther during a group visit in which he was speaking native language.

“He ended up leaving the chat group because of all the racism towards Native people,” Victoria said of her 82-year-old grandfather.

The LaPoe’s began their work in 2012, doing numerous interviews within the tribes that she knew, and even ones she didn’t. The research was meant for her dissertation, and was then updated for the book.

During the writing process after graduate school, she kept up with many of the controversies affecting the very people her work surrounded, a big one being the name of the NFL team, the Washington Redskins.

“There was more news emerging in the main-

stream press, that needed addressed at the time we were getting ready to start publishing, so Ben and I ended up going back and adding a lot of research and interviews in,” Victoria said.

Victoria also said the hardest part wasn’t finding publishers or interviews, it was finding reviewers.

“I wanted to make sure the reviewers understood Native people and journalism to make sure we were getting the feedback we needed to make the book stronger,” Victoria said.

Ben said Victoria had always been passionate about diversity in media which led to his own passion for it. His passion had always been in black media and the diversity among it, but he found a big interest in Native media once the

project started.

“Indian Country” is set to come out in February 2017 and will be included in Michigan States Native American series. All the proceeds of the book will go to Native American Journalists Fellows.

Victoria will also be holding and attending the first ever joint newsroom between mainstream and Native American journalists this September in New Orleans. This newsroom will be a part of SPJ’s Excellence in Journalism conference.

WKUHERALD.COM EDITORIAL

OPINION

AUGUST 23, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY Have an opinion? Tweet us @ wkuherald or find us on Facebook at WKUHERALD as well. Let us know your thoughts about the editorial, or write us with what is on your mind.

A hello from the Herald

BY ANDREW HENDERSON HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

CARTOON BY BROOKS TAYLOR

medical center deal a bitter pill to swallow

THE ISSUE: Last Friday, the Board of Re-

gents voted to give President Gary Rans-

dell permission to enact a deal with the

Medical Center.

OUR STANCE: Regents did not have an

adequate amount of time to discuss this

deal amongst themselves and their con-

stituents.

W

KU received a defibrillator to the chest on Friday when the Board of Regents gave President Gary Ransdell the go-ahead to strike a deal with the Medical Center.

The deal would include the construction of a new sports complex and a new facility for the doctorate of physical therapy program.

This would also end WKU’s contract with Graves Gilbert Clinic.

While the Board worked to pass the motion, they failed when it came to the consultation of key partners and the general public.

As a handful of regents voiced during the session, some felt they did not have an adequate amount of time to discuss this matter not only amongst

themselves but those they represent.

Which is reasonable considering the Board first heard about the Medical Center deal back in late July.

Tony Norman, director of Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, asked for opinions regarding the Medical Center on Monday in an email to faculty and staff as he expressed uncertainty about what this may mean regarding the future choice of primary care for them.

“I am also perplexed that a decision about our medical care seems to be included in a decision about a building without many of us having an opportunity to understand what this means...” Norman said in the email.

Norman’s concerns about his healthcare is valid, and he is likely not alone in them. Ransdell, however, later sent out an email addressing some of these concerns, noting that the new deal wouldn’t affect the medical care of faculty and staff.

But the lack of consultation on the deal does not lay solely at the feet of the regents. For some time, Ransdell has been working to strike this deal with the Medical Center as he con-

firmed during the session.

Ransdell said so himself that the Medical Center board had already approved the project in July and again in early August.

This means that while the Medical Center and Ransdell were ready to go, the Board and the university as a whole were left in the dark concerning a major deal that is set to impact WKU for 99 years.

This is not the first deal Ransdell has brought to the Board where he already had all the cards in his hand. As Regent John Ridley pointed out during the session, WKU has been adopting a new style of establishing long-term partnerships with third-party organizations. He spoke specifically of WKU’s contract with Hanban in this regard.

While the regents who voted in favor of the deal expressed their trust in Ransdell to carry out this deal and once again expand WKU, this should not have been the only reason motivating their vote as this decision will have effects that we have yet to see.

While it is common for a doctor to get a second opinion in matters, this time around none were given as Ransdell moves forward to operate.

Hello, welcome, hi, how are you?

Allow me to be the first to welcome you here to WKU for another go on the Hill.

I’m Andrew Henderson and I’ll be serving as Opinion editor this semester, which is simultaneously the most popular and despised section of the paper.

First, congratulations on picking up a copy of the College Heights Herald! The Herald is WKU’s 91-year-old independently run student publication.

WKU is set to see serious longterm changes in the course of the next few years, so our job to keep all peoples on this campus informed is even more vital.

Next spring, President Gary Ransdell will be retiring after nearly 20 years of service here at WKU, but Ransdell’s retirement also signals that the university is looking for a new president.

In the works is also the new Medical Center complex, which the Board of Regents gave Ransdell the green light to pursue last Friday.

Not to mention that campus housing will also be transforming over the next 10 years, a new parking structure is slated to be built, the university will still be feeling the sting of budget cuts and a slew of over things.

And despite all of what we at the Herald have reported, we still don’t always get everything right. We’re not perfect and, yes, we do get things wrong.

So while you depend on us to bring you the news, or just bring you the crossword; we also depend on you to keep us honest and let us know what’s going on as well.

The relationship between a paper and the community it serves must be one built on trust and transparency.

As you come to the Hill for your first or your last year, we give you our best and be sure to pick us up every Tuesday and Thursday, and online, as we both gear up to face another journey.

COMMENTARY

Socialist Convergence was better than lousy DNC

BY JOHN WINSTEAD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

This current election cycle has revealed how detached mainstream politics is from the interests of public writ large.

JOHN Manifestations WINSTEAD of this disconnect can be seen in the recent populist uprising typified by Bernie Sanders on the left and Donald Trump on the right.

The terms “conservative” and “liberal” are losing their political saliency, while “socialist” has begun to enter the mainstream.

The political divide in the United States is not predicated on social, cultural or ideological lines, rather the imbalance between those with

power and those without power is emerging as the relevant political entrenchment of the day.

This summer I was given the opportunity to take part in reshaping the current political landscape of the left. During the week of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, a concurrent leftwing counter-convention, socialist convergence was organized.

The Socialist Convergence was a four-day event with some 700-800 attendees put on through the joint effort of several socialist groups across the country such as the Kentucky Workers League (of which I’m a member.)

Each day of the convergence started off with workshops in Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park.

Two of the main organizing groups of the Convergence directed workshops on building tenants unions, labor organizing and how to grow

an organization from 5 to 50 members.

Once the workshop was over, people were free to take part in independently organized protests and marches. Sadly, I was only able to attend one protest during the Convergence: The March for Black Lives.

A mass of people spanning an entire square block of downtown Philadelphia marched against police brutality against people of color. Signs with murdered men and women of color were passed around. I carried the name of a person named Lorenzo Hayes.

We marched for hours. We chanted, “Who do you protect? Who do you serve?” at the police standing around us. No fight broke out between the police and protesters when I was there, but the class antagonism was palpable regardless.

I peeled off from the march half-

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way through to attend the evening portion of the convergence -- a panel discussion.

If the march was the most awe-inspiring event of the convergence, then the panel discussions were the most entertaining part. Panel discussions covered topics including feminism, anti-racism and anti-imperialism, focusing on how these movements are informed by class politics.

There’s no way to conclude this article, because the socialist convergence wasn’t a conclusion, but the exposition for a political dissent against the current formal power structures.

The Socialist Convergence was not just a DNC counter protest, it was a symptom of metastasizing populist malaise with status quo.

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LIFE

AUGUST 23, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY » D.R.A.M.: Turn to page B3 for photos from hip-hop artist D.R.A.M.’s concert during M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan.

Delta Zeta completes first formal recruitment

IYO to bring South Korea to campus

BY MADISON MARTIN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU After two years of integrating Ecuadorian and South African flavor into WKU curriculum and events, South Korea will take center stage for the 2016-2017 International Year Of (IYO) school year.

According to the website of IYO’s originator, the Office of International Programs, this annual program endeavors to offer WKU “a rich, complex sense of place and interconnectedness through a year-long celebration of a single country.”

IYO South Korea will begin with a faculty-staff focused opening reception this Thursday at the University Gallery in the fine arts center. Two exhibits (underneath the title ASPECTS) will be displayed until the end of September, called Works by Korean Artists in America and New Media Art by Korean Artists.

One of the artists, Wonju Seo, will provide remarks at the reception. Displayed are two of her bojagi pieces, something Gallery Director and Associate Professor of Art Kristina Arnold likes to call “crazy quilting.” The pieces displayed in the Works by Korean Artists in America exhibit can be characterized by their utilization of traditional items such as scrolls and watercolors, which are then transformed into something more modern.

“These artists are all taking traditional cultural … ideas from traditional materials as a starting point and then bringing that into kind of contemporary American culture,” Arnold said.

Katherine Paschetto, programming coordinator for the Office of Internationalization, said the late-September event Chuseok, the Korean equivalent of Thanksgiving, will be a student-geared launch for IYO South Korea, with food and giveaways happening in Centennial Mall. More events have been scheduled for the fall with others continuing to be finalized for the spring.

As the third year of IYO begins, Paschetto said an exciting development has been the promise of further class integration, with over 60 courses slated to make South Korea relevant across departments.

“I think as kind of the years go on and people start to realize more and more what the program is, we see more people kind of wanting to get involved,” Paschetto said.

Students can look forward to the International Year of South Korea Film Festival beginning next month, which will showcase six Korean films of varying genres.

A presentation particularly relevant to those with an interest in political science and gender studies will be in November, entitled The Effects of Gender Quotas in the South Korean Legislative Elections, with a speaker brought in by assistant professor of political science, Timothy Rich.

“The goal is to be able to cross disciplines whenever possible to have a broader appeal, so it’s not just something that will only appeal to the people taking one particular class,” Rich said. “It should appeal to multiple classes and to the community for that matter.”

Ultimately, IYO is an opportunity for not only WKU and the surrounding community to interact with another country’s culture, but is also a way for staff and faculty from across campus to work for a mutual cause.

“Being able to have that cross-conversation [between departments] I think is one of the benefits of having an umbrella like [International] Year of South Korea,” Arnold said, “because we’re discussing essentially a common theme and approaching it from different ways.”

The reception will begin at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the FAC Gallery.

Reporter Madison Martin can be reached at 270-745-2655 and madison.martin092@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @missmadielaine.

Union junior Hannah Mueller celebrates the arrival of the new Delta Zeta recruits during their first biannual Bid Day on Sunday, Aug. 21at Centennial Mall. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

BY EMMA AUSTIN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Sorority rush filled its annual role last week by heralding the new school year while offering hundreds of new students the chance to find their homes on campus.

Sororities begin planning for recruitment week long before its arrival, preparing to welcome potential new members to their sisterhoods. While several of these sororities have been on campus for over 40 years, other chapters were established more recently.

At this time last year, Delta Zeta, WKU’s newest sorority, was still in the colonization process. The chapter worked together last week to pull off its first formal recruitment.

Somerset junior and Delta Zeta member Rachel Phelps said the chapter’s first recruitment was a learning experience for all involved.

“We are smaller than other organizations, so it’s really all hands on deck,” Phelps said on Friday, which was the third night of formal recruitment. “It’s shown us the value of hard work.”

Much goes into preparing for sorority recruitment, including practicing songs and chants and organizing information to be presented to the potential new members. To help the new chapter through the intensive process, nearby Delta Zeta alumni and national representatives offered assistance and training during preparation.

“We’ve had to learn everything as we go,” Louisville sophomore Juliet McKinney said. Several of the Delta Zeta members, including McKinney, had never gone through formal recruitment, so they were unsure of what to expect.

Last year, when Delta Zeta’s chapter at WKU was in the process of establishment, representatives from national headquarters came to meet with and interview potential new members, rather than participating in formal recruitment.

“I was always interested in Greek life,” Phelps said. During the spring of her freshman year, she said she heard of a new sorority on campus. Phelps, who was constantly involved in different leadership roles, said she saw it as

a good opportunity to start something new.

“It’s been so cool to have had the opportunity to start a chapter with such awesome, diverse women,” Phelps said. “We really push each other to be better individuals and work hard.”

“My favorite thing about Delta Zeta is just how genuine the girls are, and just that we’re all different,” McKinney said. “We’re all working together to make a positive name for ourselves on campus.”

As a new sorority, DZ faced certain challenges during recruitment that other sororities with a longer history at WKU didn’t have to deal with. One of those obstacles was not being able to host recruitment events in a house of their own.

Delta Zeta held most of its recruitment events during the week at Downing Student Union. The parties are timed for all sororities, which prevented Delta Zeta’s meetings with new members from being cut short.

However, McKinney mentioned the challenge of being unable to set up for the events in advance, which would have been easily

SEE DELTA ZETAPAGE B2

Professor debuts new story project

BY ELISABETH MOORE HERLAD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU As students prepared themselves for summer, WKU English and film professor Jerod Hollyfield prepared himself for the debut of a project he’d been working on for three years. With the help of students, staff and the residents of three different senior communities in the Bowling Green area, Hollyfield created “The Assisted Stories Project,” a 12-part series of stories given by senior citizens of the South.

“My general idea for the project is to showcase a side of the South that is not often seen,” said Hollyfield. “I really wanted to show how dynamic the South is, and I thought the best way to do that was to interview people that were alive through a lot of those early events.”

While working on the project, Hollyfield visited and filmed at three different assisted living centers: Village Manor, Chandler Park and Bowling Green Towers. With the help of residents of each assisted living facility, Hollyfield was able to find a wide range of subjects from different living quarters with different lifestyles.

Hollyfield included twelve subjects ranging in age from 60 to 96, though by the time the documentary premiered, the oldest subject had turned 97.

“I used to live near Chandler Park and there was this guy, who is actually the subject in movie nine, and he would just sit outside all day and wave at people,” Hollyfield said. “I thought, this guy, I have just got to make a movie about this guy, there is just something here. He was really the reason I started making the movie and I really wanted to dig into it.”

For the project, Hollyfield employed the help of two former WKU students, Caleb Peyman and Cody Duncum, who graduated in December 2015 with Film degrees. Peyman worked as the Production Sound Mixer. Duncum, who is now a freelance cinematographer and videographer in Nashville, was the director of photography for the documentary.

“It took us all summer in 2015 and some of the fall semester of 2015 to completely shoot the first season,” Duncum said. “It was a great experience, not only professionally, but also it was a

privilege getting to know these people who have experienced so much and who possess so much wisdom.”

The series as a whole is also being used for science. Jason Crandall, who is an assistant professor of exercise science, will be using some of the footage and information they gained from the project to describe the exercise and physical activity history of older adults.

“I was interested in the project because I study exercise and aging,” Crandall said. “I wanted to know how older adults’ views of exercise have changed throughout their lives and what they think about it now.”

The footage and information gained by Crandall will be used in future classes, presentations and possibly in future publications. Crandall also helped with the technical aspects of the grant as well as making connections at some of the senior communities where he has worked.

“I think it is a wonderful project,” said Robert Hale, English department head. “It is a great way to give film students an opportunity to work on a documentary and to get hands-on experience.”

Hale said he also appreciated the way people in their twenties get to interact with and learn about the lives of those in their sixties and seventies.

Hollyfield said his plans are to present the film in a web series.

“In the future, what I am hoping to do is to find a new city and another filmmaker that lives in the region and have them do twelve episodes and I will produce it and sort of facilitate,” Hollyfield said. “I am hoping to collaborate on an external grant with a filmmaker. They will be fully creatively in charge and they will pick the twelve subjects.”

Each episode of “The Assisted Stories Project,” is available for free on the WKU English department webpage. The next episode will premier Friday, Aug. 26 at noon.

Reporter Elisabeth Moore can be reached at 270-745-6011 and Elisabeth.moore938@topper. wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @emoore938.

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AUGUST 23, 2016

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

DELTA ZETA Continued from B1

done by sororities with their own houses.

“But we made it work,” McKinney said. “We have a lot of awesome girls who stood up to the plate and made it happen.”

Phelps said she’s happy with the way recruitment went, and is excited for what Delta Zeta’s second year on campus holds.

“We are so excited to welcome a new member class,” Phelps said. “These new members are going to get to be a part of so many firsts for Delta Zeta at WKU.” Reporter Emma Austin can be reached at 270-745-2655 and emma.austin177@ topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @emmacaustin.

Delta Zeta members and sophomores Leann Ashby and Devin Hanje look at a picture together on Sunday during their sorority’s first official Bid Day. Kelsea Hobbs/HERALD

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TOP: D.R.A.M. performs at E.A. Diddle Arena on the last night of M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan in front of the freshmen class of 2020, on Thursday, Aug. 18. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

MIDDLE LEFT: D.R.A.M. reaches out to the crowd of freshmen during the M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan concert on Aug. 18 at Diddle Arena. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

MIDDLE RIGHT: D.R.A.M. performs at Diddle Arena on the last night of M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan in front of the freshmen class of 2020 on Aug. 18. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

BOTTOM LEFT: Surrounded by fellow M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan attendees, freshman Grant Harvey records artist D.R.A.M. during a concert on the final night of M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan on Aug. 18. Kelsea Hobbs/HERALD

BOTTOM RIGHT: The audience watches as D.R.A.M. performs during M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan. “The energy and the authenticity of the youth are what make playing at college campuses worth it,� D.R.A.M. said after his performance on Aug. 18. Mhari Shaw/HERALD

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AUGUST 23, 2016

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

Omega Psi Phi set to unveil new monument

BY KALEE CHISM HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU Nearly three years in the making, Omega Psi Phi fraternity, Inc., will be unveiling the first monument put in place by a black Greek organization at WKU. “This is a tremendous honor for us to receive,” Julian Leslie, alumni and keeper of records and seal of the Gamma Theta chapter of the Omegas, the graduate chapter here in Bowling Green, said in an email. “A monument or plot is a familiar site at a HBCU (Historical Black College/University). To be able to be the first one on WKU’s campus is almost unreal. On Saturday, Aug. 27, it will become reality and everyone behind us will now have something to shoot for.”

The organization has been on campus since 1968, earning its charter on July 3, 1969, according to Leslie.

The idea came about after two fraternity brothers, Andrew Jackson and Paul Duerson III, were riding back after the 2013 Homecoming. Realizing that the 45th anniversary was approaching, they wanted to do something to honor the organization on campus.

The idea came from the “plots” often seen on Historically Black College University campuses, where nearly every NPHC organization has their own on the campus. Realizing WKU was lack-

ing these, the brothers of the Omegas joined together and formed a committee, including the primary members Paul Duerson III, Andrew Jackson, Montaze Trumbo and D.C. Clement.

“A plot can be in many forms, but for the most part they are usually made out of bricks or trees and designed in the colors of the organization,” Duerson, a primary committee member, said. “As our conversation progressed we knew we did not want a simple plot, we did not want something that required constant maintenance and re-painting.

We wanted a standing structure that would last forever and not require lots of maintenance throughout the semester.”

This idea of standing out brought them to Montaze Trumbo, another member of the organization who met with them and came up with ideas of the design.

The final design is made out of black granite and includes “the fraternity’s cardinal principles and escutcheon wrap around the top tier of the monument, as well as the fraternity founders with their name, birth, and death dates,” according to the Gamma Theta Monument website.

The process of getting the monument has been anything but easy for the organization; after endless meetings and presentations on campus, and raising over $42,000, according to the website, nearly three years later the monument

will finally be unveiled.

“This monument represents the past, present and future of our glorious chapter and all its members. Not only did we want to represent our current members, but those who have died and gone on to Omega Chapter,” Duerson said. According to Duerson, the monument also gives other men on the campus who may be interested in the fraternity a way to see its impact on campus, prompting them to learn more about the Omegas.

The monument would not have been possible without the help of President Gary Ransdell, according to D.C. Clement, alumni of the Omegas as well as the Graduate Adviser for the WKU undergraduate chapter.

“We are extremely honored and humbled to be the first black Greek organization to be able to put a monument like this on the WKU campus,” Clement said. “We are very thankful to Dr. Gary Ransdell for supporting this project from the very start. Without him this would have never been possible. It is great being the first but hopefully not the last; hopefully this will inspire others to leave their mark at WKU.” The monument was kept a secret from all other organizations until recently, allowing the Omegas to surprise the rest of campus with the monument that is the first of its kind on this campus.

“Other Greek organizations are somewhat confused and slightly angry that we were able to accomplish this monument,” Duerson said. “Our goal was to be the first black Greek organization on Western’s campus to have such a monument, and in a couple weeks we can officially claim that title.

Most of the reaction from other organizations has been the ‘how?’”

The organization hopes this monument can inspire others to make their mark on this campus as well, hoping to be first, but not the last, on WKU’s campus.

“We hope that in the near future all of the black Greek organizations can build some representation of their organization on campus and join us in proudly representing our fraternity or sorority,” Duerson said.

The unveiling of the monument will take place Aug. 27, between Garrett Conference Center and the Kissing Bridge at 1 p.m.

“The ceremony is open to the public and the entire WKU community.

Speakers include Dr. Gary Ransdell, national and regional leadership from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity and the founders of Gamma Theta Chapter,” Clement said. “We are incredibly excited about the Founder’s Monument coming to WKU and look forward to welcoming many alumni back to campus this coming weekend.”

Van Meter stones provide link to WKU’s past

BY JACK JOHNSON

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

As the new school year arrives, new and returning students will walk the campus grounds; droves of backpacked scholars will find themselves passing buildings and monuments long-standing and historical.

Every once in awhile, though, our campus can surprise even the most observant passerby. Recently, two pieces of Western’s history were returned to campus, in the form

of cornerstone decorations.

Since early this summer, two stones have sat in front of Van Meter Hall, both adorned by stairs that lead to the fountain overlook.

The stones originally stood in fours atop Van Meter’s roof, acting as both decoration to hide the gutter system, and also to divert water from bottle-necking at the corners.

After renovation in 2010, two stones from the back of the building were displaced and put into storage. There they sat for years until President Gary Ransdell commissioned

Josh Zwardowski, manager of Campus Facilities, to repurpose the stones as decoration in front of the building.

The process began with photo-rendering, and was finalized with Ransdell’s suggestion to place them in similar orientation to their original positions atop Van Meter.

“The particular location selected seemed very logical based on the juxtaposition to the ornamental elements,” Zwardowski said.

This movement to repurpose the stones could be seen as a part of Ransdell’s overar-

ching Campus M.A.S.T.E.R. Plan, which was proposed in 2010 as a 20-year plan to renovate, construct, and develop Western’s campus further. In fact, President Ransdell even tweeted about the stones: The theme of ‘recycling’ old campus assets into new installments and renovations has been a central theme of the plan.

“I’m all about preserving our history and those things that make us distinctive,” Ransdell said.

Zwardowski said he hopes the stones won’t need to have

another move-in day.

“Ideally the decorative architectural pieces will remain there as permanent solutions in the landscape,” Zwardowski said.

Now, standing as tributes to WKU’s storied past, the stones will remain for future students to pass by and wonder about why and how these giant stones appeared.

Reporter Jack Johnson can be reached at (270) 745-6011 or at thomas.johnson481@topper. wku.edu.

WKUHERALD.COM FOOTBALL

AUGUST 23, 2016 > WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

VOLLEYBALL: Lady Toppers voted 22nd in the AVCA preseason top 25 poll. Story on C4.

REECER’S PIECE

New QB will not be another Doughty

BY JOHN REECER

HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

tion with the graduation of linebackers Nick Holt and Nick Newton.

“I think we’ve come a long way since we started, especially with knowing our keys and getting lined up,” Iyiegbuniwe said. “Those things are really important so I know coach Holt’s really made an emphasis on that.

We’re ready for Rice.”

Saturday’s scrimmage left the team anxious to get the season underway, however, Brohm still has a few positions to finalize and is waiting for different players to separate themselves.

“I think tight end is an important position for us,” he said. “Shaq Johnson’s gotta give us something and we got [Wake Forest transfer] Steve Donatell back. Desmond Maxwell and Deon Yelder have to continue to progress and play a role for us.”

Brohm also mentioned that he “felt good” about the offensive line and running back positions.

However, Brohm urged that the team needs “more depth” at the receiver position and that junior wide receiver Nacarius Fant and redshirt freshman Lucky Jackson will need to “step up” this season.

Welcome back to the Hill fellow Hilltoppers! For the new freshmen arriving on campus, welcome to WKU! Another school year has fallen upon the Hill and unless you are new around here, or if you live under a rock, then you know that a new school year means that Hilltopper football is set to make its return back to the gridiron.

This season looks to be another successful one under third-year head coach Jeff Brohm as the vast majority of JOHN REECER last season’s high-powered offense returns and a young defense continues to improve.

However, there is one massive question which still faces the team just mere days before their first game of the season.

Who will lead the Hilltopper offense at quarterback this season?

At the moment, the favorites for the position seem to be two transfers: redshirt junior Mike White and senior Tyler Ferguson as well as redshirt sophomore Drew Eckels who is also still in the mix.

While it seems like a QB controversy would be a good thing with two talented players who previously have been at major colleges, this competition has not been so positive.

Through spring practice and fall camp, both White and Ferguson have displayed flashes of brilliance. However, both have been prone to very inconsistent play causing neither to fully assert themselves as the starter yet.

Ferguson has displayed superior arm strength over White so far, but White has looked like he is more at-home in WKU’s unique offensive scheme.

Despite their strengths, neither has managed to convincingly assert themselves yet as head coach Jeff Brohm has already said that the defense and running game will need to lead the Hilltoppers early on.

To make things even more complicated, whoever wins the competition will have to face two SEC defenses within the first four weeks of the season.

Vanderbilt will be looking for revenge after last season’s defeat in Nashville, while the other defense just happens to be that of the defending national champions.

With a tough schedule to open up the season, fans will need to expect growing pains from the offense.

Yes, the Toppers return a massive amount of production from last year, but quarterback is by far the most im-

SEE FOOTBALL PAGE C3

SEE REECER’S PIECE PAGE C2

Redshirt junior quarterback Mike White (14) passes the ball to redshirt senior running back Anthony Wales (20) during WKU’s scrimmage Saturday at Smith Stadium. WKU’s first game is against Rice on Sept. 1, at Smith Stadium. JEFF BROWN/HERALD

WORK IN PROGRESS

BROHM HOPES FOR “MORE IMPROVEMENT” AS FALL CAMP ENDS BY EVAN HEICHELBECH HEARLD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

There were several questions surrounding the WKU football program entering their preseason fall camp.

A quarterback had yet to be named starter, a defense was looking to embrace the challenge of losing 10 lettermen and a lot of experience on the defensive front, and some positions still needed filling in.

Saturday’s scrimmage wrapped up fall camp for head coach Jeff Brohm’s squad. However, after twoand-a half weeks of practices, Brohm remains unsure of who will replace former quarterback Brandon Doughty as this year’s starting quarterback.

“Well right now, it’s a close call,” Brohm said. “I think we have an idea of what we want to do. All three veteran quarterbacks are working hard. They all give us a different element. I think they all can play for us and they gotta be ready. That’s kind of how we’ll leave it for now. We’ll just keep working them as hard as we can and make sure they get enough reps.”

Whether it’s redshirt junior transfer Mike White,

graduate transfer Tyler Ferguson or redshirt sophomore Drew Eckels leading the Hilltoppers onto the field for the home opener against Rice University on Sept. 1, redshirt senior running back Anthony Wales will be content.

“I’ve been saying, I really don’t know what coach is gonna do because I like all of them,” Wales said.

“All of them look good and I wouldn’t want to be the head of that decision because I know it would be a very tough decision to make. Whoever they roll with, I’ll be happy.”

Wales will anchor a crowded backfield for the Hilltoppers this season along with redshirt sophomore back D’Andre Ferby and redshirt freshman Marquez Trigg.

A big part of the backfield’s success is dependent upon an experienced Topper offensive line which returns all five starters from last season.

“I’ve been running behind those guys since I got here,” Wales said. “We have a very deep o-line core and they have a lot of experience. I have a bunch of confidence in them and they have confidence in me so I can’t wait for the season to get here.”

On Saturday morning, the

Toppers held a closed team scrimmage which helped the third-year head coach assess his team’s progress as it heads into the first week of regular season practice, starting the following Monday.

“I saw improvement,” Brohm said. “I thought the offense started fast, made a lot of big plays early and then that kind of slowed down. The defense did a good job. It’s gonna be a deal where I think our defense is gonna have to play at a high level. Our offense is gonna have to do the small things early on due to some of the inexperience we have in certain positions. Hopefully we can improve on the fly and make some plays early, gain some confidence and hopefully that’ll carry over and we’ll find a way to be good.”

The role of kick-starting the defense this season will rely on redshirt sophomore linebacker Joel Iyiegbuniwe.

“They’ve been telling us all camp that we need to lead this year and pick it up because we’re not the same team we were last year,” Iyiegbuniwe said. “I feel the defense is ready for the challenge.”

Iyiegbuniwe has been thrust into a starting posi-

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AUGUST 23, 2016

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

REECER’S PIECE Continued from C1

none of the candidates have looked impressive at that position yet.

It is actually likely that WKU may enter mid-October with more losses than they recorded all of last year.

No matter how the team fares in the first couple of months, fans must realize that they won’t be as spoiled as they were last year with Brandon Doughty.

Doughty was a once-in-a-lifetime player here at WKU and despite the many talents of White, Ferguson and Eckels, they are not going to be what Doughty was. And that’s perfectly okay.

WKU will be a drastically different team this year in many aspects which could cause a change in quarterback production. Expectations still need to be high for the team and for its soon to be named quarterback. They just don’t need to be as great as last season’s was.

All three of the players competing for the starting job have displayed enough skill to show that by mid-season the Toppers will have a reliable option behind center.

There will be several bumps in the road along the way, and the WKU faithful need to be prepared.

Will WKU finish the season ranked in the top 25 again and finish as Conference-USA champs? More than likely, no the Hilltoppers won’t.

However, it is very possible that another bowl game is on the horizon along with somewhere around nine wins.

Whatever the outcome will be, the new starting quarterback will have to have a certain amount of time to ease into the offense which may cause this season to be an up and down roller coaster.

Just get ready for the ride because no matter the highs or lows, this season promises to be an entertaining thrill ride that I’m eager to see.

Sports Editor John Reecer can be reached at john.reecer104@topper. wku.edu and at 270-745-6291. Follow him on twitter @Reece_12_Falcon.

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C3 FOOTBALL Continued from C1

Another position Brohm mentioned was kicker. With the departure of Garrett Schwettman, the Toppers are in need of someone to emerge from an amalgam of players. Skyler Simcox, Division III transfer, joined the roster officially this week.

“Today our [kickers] struggled,” Brohm said. “It was a little bit windy and we didn’t have a whole lot of success kicking today, which is concerning. Garrett Schwettman bailed us out of a lot of things. He was extremely accurate and consistent. [Simcox] has played in a lot of football games in the past year and has done a good job kicking. He’s definitely right in the mix for

AUGUST 23, 2016 it. Really he and Ryan Nuss are fighting hard for the placekicker position.”

Whether it’s Simcox at kicker, White at quarterback or Donatell at tight end, one thing is for sure; the season is quickly approaching and Brohm will need his team ready to go.

“We’ve been counting down since yesterday,” Wales said. “It’s less than two weeks now. Football season is what everyone is waiting on. We know that. We just want to come in every day and work hard.”

Reporter Evan Heichelbeck can be reached at evan.heichelbeck059@ topper.wku.edu and 270-745-6291.

Follow him on twitter @evanheich

SOCCER

Lady Toppers split weekend road matches

BY TYLER MANSFIELD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU The Lady Toppers soccer team defeated Tennessee-Martin 7-1 on Friday, Aug. 19, but fell to the University of Memphis 2-0 on Sunday , to start off its season.

WKU found itself on both highs and lows through the weekend as the results of the two matches were vastly different.

On Friday, WKU faced Ohio Valley Conference member UT-Martin in Martin, Tennessee.

Head coach Jason Neidell and his players succeeded in their intentions of starting the season out on a high note, as four different Lady Toppers found the back of net enroute to a dominant 7-1 victory over the Skyhawks to open the regular-season.

“We’ve got a lot of things to work on, but I think our kids are itching and excited to get out on the game field,” Neidell said as he previewed the first two matches of the year.

Prior to this past weekend’s contests, the Lady Toppers participated in two exhibition tilts against Northern Kentucky University and the Xaiver Musketeers.

WKU went 1-1 in that part of the season’s schedule, as it fell 1-0 on a late goal by the Norse, but recorded a 2-0 win on the road in Cincinnati against the Musketeers.

“I really think the two exhibitions were really beneficial to us,” Neidell said. “We were really a better team on Sunday [at Xaiver] than we were on Friday [vs. NKU] and we were better each half, so I think we took a lot away from preseason exhibition games.”

Against UT-Martin, the Lady Toppers’ dominance began with a quick goal by redshirt sophomore midfielder Sarah Gorham.

Gorham, who was set up on the left side, got the ball after a pair of passes from freshman forward Chandler Backes and senior midfielder Caitlin Hesse. She then ran past a Norse defender and scored from just inside the box to give WKU an early 1-0 lead just over three minutes into the match.

The score by Gorham would be the program’s milestone 500 goal.

Just over two minutes following the goal, Hesse was found open at the center of the arc at the top of the box by senior midfielder Haley Baldridge and drove past NKU’s goalkeeper MaKenzie Crawford to get herself a goal of her own, increasing WKU’s lead to 2-0.

Making her debut for the Lady Toppers, Backes scored twice just four minutes apart for her first two collegiate goals, giving WKU a 4-0 edge after 15 minutes of play.

Backes’ first goal came in 12 minutes after the freshman beat her defender and found herself in a one-on-one situation with Crawford before doing quite the same in the 16th minute.

“We have a lot of new freshmen in here,” Hesse said in regards of younger players that could play big roles this season. “Chandler Backes was a really good forward this past weekend [in the exhibitions]. Just all of the freshmen have come in and done really well.”

Leading 4-0 at the 35:23 mark of the match, junior defender Shayna Dheel, headed in the rebound to cap the first half scoring and gave the Lady Toppers a strong 5-0 lead at halftime.

WKU would find the back of the net twice more in the second half. Gorham got the ball in good position off of Jalajel’s placement on the kick and scored from 10 yards out to make it 6-0 at 69 minutes.

Later on at the 84 minute mark, freshman defender Kaylyn Bryant scored the first goal of her collegiate career following Gorham’s attempt after sophomore midfielder Nicole Roseland’s corner to make it a 7-0 game.

NKU would keep themselves from being shutout, however, as sophomore Maggie Burkett was able to connect late in the match on a low line drive shot from 30 yards out.

After grabbing the 7-1 win, WKU would look to keep their hot streak going into Sunday’s matchup in Memphis. That wouldn’t be the case, though, as the Lady Toppers dropped a 2-0 decision to the Tigers off of two header goals in the second half by the same Memphis forward.

WKU prevented their opponent from taking control of the game early as junior goalkeeper Allison Leone stopped the Tigers from scoring on several occasions.

The Lady Toppers’ experienced net protector would go on to record six saves in a quiet first half as both clubs were scoreless although 12 shots were taken, 11 of which were by Memphis.

In the second half, the Tigers struck at the 66:08 mark to score the contest’s first goal and give the home club a 1-0 lead on a header from Valerie Sanderson.

Trailing with a little less than twenty minutes remaining in the game, WKU was outrun by Sanderson, who found the back of the net once again off another header, just about four minutes apart from her first score.

Although the Lady Toppers would be awarded two corner kicks toward the end and attempted two more shots, nothing would go in their favor as they fell short at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex to wrap up the season’s opening weekend.

WKU (1-1) will be back in action on Friday as it travels to Oxford, Ohio, for a meeting with the University of Miami at Ohio. The match is set to begin at 3 p.m.

Reporter Tyler Mansfield can be reached at 270-745-6291 and james. manfield143@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @ByMansfield.

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

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AUGUST 23, 2016

COLLEGE HEIGHTS HERALD

VOLLEYBALL

Ranked Lady Toppers start season excited

BY MATTHEW STEWART HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU volleyball team met with media last week for the first time this season as their preseason No. 22 national ranking in the American Volleyball Coach’s Association preseason poll gave the team extra excitement to start their season.

“I think it’s the sixth straight season that we’ve been ranked in the top 25 at some point,” Head Coach Travis Hudson said. “That’s a pretty remarkable stretch we’re in right now. It continues to speak to the credibility of our program nationally. I think winning in the NCAA tournament last year helped a lot with regards to that.”

“We were really excited about the rankings, it’s always great to see you start there,” senior defensive specialist Georgia O’Connell said.

With a 32-4 record last year, including a win over the University of Arizona in the NCAA tournament and a win over fifthranked University of Wisconsin, the Lady Toppers are familiar with success.

After WKU’s second season in Conference USA, the Lady Toppers have won the league and the conference tournament twice.

It may be challenging for Hudson and company to match the success of the past two seasons, but the team is returning a talented roster despite losing three seniors.

“We feel we have that kind of talent,” Hudson said. “We’ve got some obstacles we have to overcome. My biggest fear with this group is depth. We don’t have great depth. We gotta stay healthy, if we are healthy then I

Defensive specialist Kaelin Grimes digs a ball to the setter during WKU’s game against UTSA on Oct. 9, 2015, in E.A. Diddle Arena. ABBEY TANNER/HERALD ARCHIVE

think we got a chance to win every night.”

One player who will be asked to help lead the Lady Topper effort this season will be junior setter Jessica Lucas, the C-USA preseason player of the year. Lucas is a two-time All-American and is the reigning C-USA setter of the year.

Last season Lucas managed to record 1,397 assists and 11.18 assists per set, both of which were team highs.

“Jessica being the preseason player of the year this year was a little bit of a surprise to me because setters get overlooked sometimes,” Hudson said.

Sophomore middle hitter Rachel Anderson will also be a critical piece of the WKU attack this season as she was able to claim freshman of the year in C-USA last season. Anderson was second on the team last season in blocks per set at 0.79.

With the loss of Noelle Langenkamp, Anderson will likely play an even bigger role this season as Langenkamp was able to score a team-high 444 points last season.

“She [Anderson] is an incredibly talented kid,” Hudson said.

“We are very fortunate that she has on a WKU jersey. Rachel Anderson is as good as anyone in

this league and she needs to go out and be that every night for us. It’s gonna be a big story this year. I think we will be great if she’s great.”

The first game for WKU will be Friday, Aug. 26, as the Lady Toppers will take on the Bobcats of Ohio University as part of the Bobcat Invitational in Athens, Ohio. The match is set to start at 5 p.m.

Reporter Matthew Stewart can be reached at 270-745-6281 and matthew.stewart015@topper. wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @MES_WKU22.

Indoor sports complex provides an “asset” for athletics

BY JOHN REECER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Last Friday, the WKU Board of Regents approved the construction of a $22 million, 140,000 square foot Med Center Health Sports Medicine Complex. Construction is set to begin January 2017.

Approximately 57,000 square feet of the complex will be dedicated to support the Med Center Health’s sports medicine program, WKU’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program, and designated WKU sports programs.

An additional 83,000 square feet will be an indoor multipurpose training facility for use by the Physical Therapy program students and WKU athletics.

The existing football field will be enclosed in the facility and the surface will be replaced with an artificial turf. Enclosure of the existing practice field will create an indoor training/education facility that can be used year-round by the campus and for other community based events promoting good health and exercise.

The new facility will also include a full-size practice field for football; sprint lanes for track and training; netting for baseball, softball and golf; a high jump area; a long jump pit; and a pole vault pit. Construction is expected to be completed in late spring of 2018.

President Gary Ransdell said in a press release that this new facility will provide “a valuable new indoor experience for our campus community and the public through collaboration with the Preston Health and Activities Center.”

During the WKU football team’s last practice of fall camp, Head Coach Jeff Brohm was able to com-

ment on the upcoming construction of the new facility.

“We’re fired up about it,” Brohm said. “When you get an indoor facility that looks like that, that can allow you to do so many things. It’s a huge asset. It’ll benefit all sports and all students and it’ll be a tremendous asset for recruits.”

“Hopefully we can build a team here that can get to bowl games every year and when it gets to that time of the year, you have access to an indoor facility,” Brohm said.

“Not many teams in our conference have one. I think this one will be an extremely valuable resource.”

Not only will the football team be one of the only teams in Conference USA that houses an indoor practice facility, but it also puts WKU with the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky as schools in the state with such a facility.

Redshirt senior running back Anthony Wales was also able to comment on the new facility after the team’s practice on Saturday.

“It’s pretty nice,” Wales said. “I know the coaches are going to be really happy about it because they won’t have to cancel practice because of the rain or if it’s too cold. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.”

“It just feels good because I know that somewhere along that line, I’m a part of the reason why we’re getting that stuff, so it’s just great to see the facilities and the stuff on campus improving since I got here as a student and as an athlete. It’s something you always want to see.”

Sports Editor John Reecer can be reached at 270-745-6291 and at john.reecer104@topper.wku. edu. Follow him on twitter at @Reece_12_Falcon.