February 18, 2020

OPINON • PAGE A4 •

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020

GOING G GREEN

LIFE

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WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 95, ISSUE 18

POST

ED UP

Local a partme nt com plexes are sui ng the USPS

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Mailboxes at The Crown apartments stand empty after tenants stopped receiving mail because the United States Postal Service reclassified apartment complexes to dormitories. Tenants like Nicole Cortez and her roommates took matters into their own hands. “We’ve had to get a P.O. Box just so we can get our mail,” Cortez said.

BY CASSADY LAMB HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Four Bowling Green apartment complexes are suing the U.S. Postal Service and postmaster Andrea Forsythe in U.S. District Court due to a change in the way the apartments are receiving mail.

Hilltop Club, Midtown, Campus Pointe and The Crown are suing; The Columns is not but has also been affected by this issue.

The problem began when the USPS reclassified the apartment complexes as dormitories. The reclassification went into effect in December, with employees being notified of incoming changes as early as October.

According to the USPS Postal Operations Manual, qualified apartments are supposed to have mail delivered

to “individual boxes in a residential building containing apartments or units occupied by different addresses.” Mail delivered to dormitories “is delivered in bulk to a designated representative of the school or property, who then becomes responsible for further distribution to students and residents.”

These apartment complexes are in the vicinity of WKU and house many students, but they are not university-owned property.

Hilltop Club, Midtown, Campus Pointe and The Crown filed the joint lawsuit in early January against the USPS and local postmaster.

“If we were to sue them, that would be crazy, crazy expensive — I don’t think we have that kind of money to be spending on something that may solve itself,” said George Board, employee and resident of The Columns.

Board said he, along with many oth-

GABI BROEKEMA • HERALD

Tenants of apartments in Bowling Green haven’t been receiving their mail since December 2019 due to the reclassification of apartment complexes to dormitories by the United States Postal Service.

er residents, have been affected by the reclassification.

“Both parents and residents were calling saying their Christmas presents were not coming in,” Board said.

“Everyone was just extremely frustrated, and there just wasn’t much we could do with that sadly.”

Brandon Williams, a resident of The Crown, said he hasn’t been receiving any of his mail.

“I’ve actually gotten phone calls and emails saying my packages are being sent back to the supplier,” Williams said.

This is not the first time this problem has affected students at a university. In October, a Pennsylvania apartment complex housing Penn State students reported being refused mail delivery due to being classified as a residence hall.

An employee of Campus Pointe said

SEE USPS • PAGE A2

WKU to be evaluated by higher education consulting firm

BY MATTHEW WILLIAMS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

WKU is being evaluated by Gray Associates, a higher education consulting firm, after the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education reviewed public institutions in the state.

The firm uses a variety of data sources to build an interactive platform that can identify degree production, student interest, market and salaries, and degree fit for academic programs.

On its website, the consulting firm

outlines how its custom program evaluation scoring can sustain universities’ long-term growth, increase nearterm enrollment, drive better student outcomes and more.

By statue, the CPE conducts periodic program evaluations on all of the public regional comprehensive institutions in the state.

During late summer 2019, the provosts and presidents of the public universities were informed by the CPE that Gray Associates was hired to build the platform for each institution.

WKU previously experienced a Comprehensive Academic Program Evalua-

tion intended to review and recommend what programs needed to be grown, maintained, transformed, or suspended.

In an email interview, Acting Provost Cheryl Stevens emphasized the “substantial” difference between the CAPE evaluation and the Gray Associates evaluation.

“The CAPE evaluation was more qualitative and written by the program/department faculty while the Gray Associates evaluation is more quantitative,” Stevens said. “The quantitative platform is just another kind of information that can be used to inform decision making.”

Stevens said they had two video meet-

ings with the provost’s direct reports to introduce the platform and explain where the data was collected from.

Gray Associates requested data from each university around October, which was due to be submitted by Dec. 1.

“They introduced the platform to us in a two day workshop at the end of January 2020,” Stevens said. “The training was used to show us how to interpret the platform’s scorecard for each program.”

Each associate dean from the different colleges was trained to use the SEE GRAY ASSOCIATES • PAGE A2

A2 NEWS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

GRAY ASSOCIATES

CONTINUED FROM FRONT platform. Some department heads and chairs have been trained to use it as well.

Program coordinators and faculty can sign up for blocks of time to access the platform.

Stevens clarified there are no immediate plans to cut programs or classes based on the Gray Platform scorecards.

Instead, they will be used to grow or identify potential new academic programs.

Julie Shadoan, program coordinator of paralegal studies, was part of a committee of nearly 30 people who looked at and talked about the data presented to them.

“We made some decisions about new program areas that we might want to explore as a university,” Shadoan said. “Then, the colleges broke off and looked at data about the individual programs within the college.”

Shadoan explained there weren’t many recommendations or any actions taken on the data, since it was mainly for informational purposes to help colleges look inward and make decisions that make the most fiscal sense.

When the program evaluation was introduced, the Faculty Senate questioned the timing of the review since it

USPS

CONTINUED FROM FRONT the postal service is refusing to deliver packages and is waiting on them to respond to the lawsuit. “[My roommates] were not able to get their Christmas packages from their family members,” said Caitlyn Pitcock, resident of The Crown apartments. “I had important documents for my new car that were supposed to be mailed to me, and I didn’t receive them in time because of this issue.”

came after WKU experienced two other major program evaluations. Coupled with the timing, they were concerned with the expenditure on consultants in times of budget deficits across the sectors of state finances.

There was a sense of discomfort from the faculty when it was first being discussed, and while things were being established, Shadoan and others experienced issues because the process wasn’t communicated down in a timely manner.

“It was the perfect storm,” Shadoan said. “We kind of happened upon information through a Zoom meeting with one of the Gray consultants.”

After finding out over finals’ week, the committee only had the winter break to react or to think about the evaluations before workshops happened on the first Thursday and Friday back from break.

Shadoan said she couldn’t place the blame on anyone but saw it as poor communication between the consultants and the university.

Shadoan said she stands with peers in a resolution for better communication when initiatives with a considerable impact are conducted at WKU.

News reporter Matthew Williams can be reached at matthew.williams904@ topper.wku.edu.

The USPS is refusing to deliver mail to individual mailboxes in these complexes, and are instead delivering mail in bulk to property and leasing managers of each building.

They are continuing to reject mail deliveries.

News reporter Cassady Lamb can be reached at cassady.lamb667@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @lambp0p.

CORRECTION •

A story that ran on the front page of last week’s edition cut off a sentence of the story which introduced a source’s name and title. The full story can be found online and the Herald regrets this error.

CRIME REPORTS Feb. 11, 2020 A person was served a criminal summons for assault in the fourth degree at the WKU Police Headquarters.

Feb. 12, 2020 A student reported that her vehicle in the University Blvd.

Lot was broken into and items were stolen.

Feb. 12, 2020 @ 10:54 p.m.

Michael J. Collins, a Herald reporter, was arrested for assault in the fourth degree inside Minton Hall.

Feb. 13, 2020 A student was cited for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and underage possession of alcohol at the Barnes Lot.

Feb. 14, 2020 A student reported her vehicle’s catalytic converter was stolen on the sixth level of Parking Structure 1.

Feb. 14, 2020 @ 9:59 p.m.

A student was cited for underage possession of alcohol at the Barnes Lot.

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Feb. 15, 2020 @ 9:05 a.m.

A person was arrested for not having an operator’s license and for either leaving a scene or failing to render aid at the intersection of University Boulevard and Normal Street.

Feb. 16, 2020 @ 3:22 a.m.

A student was arrested for alcohol intoxication, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, underage possession of alcohol and criminal possession of a forged instrument inside of McCormack Hall.

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NEWS A3

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Strategic Sustainability Plan to be developed

BY MICHAEL J. COLLINS

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU WKU has announced it will develop a strategic plan for sustainability.

The plan is to be decided upon by a committee of faculty, staff and students.

“We welcome participation from both faculty and staff, as well as across all aspects of WKU academics, athletics and operations,” Brian Kuster, executive director of the Student Life Foundation, said.

The committee will consist of five to seven individuals and will be chaired

by Leslie North, an associate professor of geography and environmental studies and the director of sustainability at WKU. “The goal of the committee is to come up with a way that we can clearly articulate the university’s goals related to sustainability,” North said.

There are now various programs that work to improve sustainability on campus, but North said there is a lack of a central body to record, collect and organize data and efforts.

North hopes to avoid simply “checking off boxes” of various certifications, but instead plans to create a web of programs and student involvement that work together to achieve the goals of the plan.

In addition to environmental impact, North said the plan should save the university money in the long run through composting and recycling as well as help attract potential students.

The Association for the Advancement

MORGAN BASS • HERALD

The Office of Sustainability works to implement sustainable practices for WKU as a whole. “The strategic plan for sustainability will fit all of WKU, no aspect of campus will be excluded,” Director of Sustainability Leslie North said.

of Sustainability in Higher Education, or AASHE, ranks schools nationally in regards to sustainability metrics and

gives grades based on various metrics, such as carbon footprint and quality of environmental education.

Of possible bronze, silver, gold and platinum ranks, WKU currently holds a silver rating.

“When the Sierra Club or Princeton ranks U.S. schools, they take into account AASHE rankings,” North said. “If we can perform better, it’s almost like free advertising if we can end up one of the top schools.”

The Office of Sustainability, since its foundation in 2008, has developed a number of sustainability-focused initiatives, including the Bicycle Friendly University certification.

The certification was recently revoked on the grounds that the university’s bicycle safety education was insufficient, a decision which North hopes to reverse.

North also has intentions to improve the university’s AASHE rating from silver to gold rank.

The first meeting of the committee is to be determined, but it will be held before the end of February. Students and faculty interested in serving on the committee can contact North at leslie. north@wku.edu.

Reporter Michael J. Collins can be reached at michael.collins527@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @NotMichaelJColl.

MORGAN BASS • HERALD

Leslie North is the director of sustainability for WKU. “With my position, I get to connect with students in the classroom as well as work with the office of sustainability,” said North.

Spring 2020 Tuition and Fee Payment Reminder Due date for Payment of Tuition and Fees for the Spring 2020 semester is:

February 20, 2020

*Failure to submit payment will result in a Financial Obligation hold.

For additional information, please refer to: www.wku.edu/bursar

OPINION

A4

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

BLACK HISTORY MONTH: PAST AND PRESENT ILLUSTRATION BY MADALYN STACK • HERALD

HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

Issue: Many Americans see our country as a place of equality for all people, but sometimes the reality is more complicated.

Our Stance: Considering the long history of inequality in America, we have progressed substantially to a place of unparalleled opportunity.

However, Black History Month is a time to not only recognize African American achievements and struggles of the past but also see where the gaps in equality have yet to be closed.

Without a doubt, America has come a long way since the evils of slavery, abolished in 1865. But racial segregation still exists in America’s public education system, and racial biases undoubtedly linger, affecting African Americans in the U.S. criminal justice and healthcare systems.

The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and black Americans are 13 times more likely to be imprisoned for drug charges despite the fact that the difference in usage rate of illicit substances between black and white people is within 1%, according to a study from the Annual Review of Public Health Journal.

Additionally, black men serve roughly 19% longer sentences for the same crimes committed by white men, according to a report from the United States Sentencing Commission.

Bias also seeps into the healthcare

industry, where black people and other minorities face less personalized care, less access to transplants and more misdiagnoses. This is not because doctors and other healthcare professionals are racist. Several studies have shown their levels of implicit, also known as unconscious, bias to be the same as the general population.

It is important that we recognize our racial biases and truly seek to view each person, like Martin Luther King once suggested, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

We asked several history professors what the significance of Black History Month is in 2020, and their responses can be seen below. But first, an excerpt from WKU professor Andrew Rosa’s Jan. 30 speech explains the origins of Black History Month: “The lack of public awareness about the African American past led [Charles G.] Woodson to create ‘Negro History Week’ in 1926, to ensure, in the very least, that young people gained exposure to African American history, a central organizing theme of his now classic ‘The Miseducation of the Negro’ (1933), which still remains in print. Woodson purposefully selected the second week of February in order to acknowledge the births of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, believing this would keep their legacies on the side of African American freedom alive in the memory of a forgetful nation.”

Rosa said that Woodson’s idea was also influenced by larger socio-political events shaping life in the 1920s,

such as the rise of the Harlem Renaissance with writers like Langston Hughes, Ann Petry and Claude McKay. Musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington influenced American culture forever and captured “the rhythms of the tens of thousands of southern blacks streaming into cities like Chicago, New York, and Detroit …”

“Ultimately, Woodson believed Negro History Week—which became Black History Month in 1976 — could be an effective vehicle for bringing about meaningful racial transformation in the country,” Rosa said.

The question facing us today, Rosa said, is whether or not Black History Month is still as relevant as it was in Woodson’s day.

“Is it simply a time when the media pushes its African American content, or does it remain, as in Woodson’s day, a useful concept in pursuit of social justice goals yet achieved? I would like to suggest that Woodson’s vision remains relevant as a source of hope surely needed in this world and as a reminder to us of not just the distance traveled, but of how far there is left to go,” Rosa said.

Assistant professor Kate Brown “African American history reminds us of the power wielded by those who demand equality and equity — but also how far we have to go before we realize a truly equal and equitable America.”

Professor Emeritus John Hardin “African American history is not limited to one month or one day. African

Americans have been in the Western Hemisphere since the 1500s and in what has become the United States since 1619. Yet there are those persons today who strongly believe black Americans have not contributed anything of substance to the United States at any time. Without the efforts of Dr. Carter G. Woodson and others who started Negro History Week in 1926, these erroneous beliefs would have become entrenched and remain in place to sustain racial hostilities. Woodson and others of similar views formed an organization known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (There is a WKU chapter of ASALH). It is needed now more than ever to counteract the ignorance inherent in racism. Black History Month is only one part of the struggle. The WKU African American Studies program and history department have courses to counteract ignorance as well. All students are always welcome in these classes.”

Associate professor Tamara Van Dyken “When we have state legislatures passing days in honor of Ku Klux Klan leaders, police shooting and killing African Americans on their own property, and university students and administrators who think singing the “N-word” is not a problem, it seems clear that knowledge of African American history and understanding the African American experience in the United States is not only significant for all Americans in 2020 — it is necessary.”

Kentucky cannabis laws are behind the times

BY CASEY WARNER HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

It was a cold, snowy day as a line formed just outside Midway Dispensary in Chicago.

Cannabis sales became legal in the state of Illinois on New Year’s Day. This makes the state the 11th to legalize recreational sales and 33rd to legalize medical sales of the plant.

Upon entering the dispensary, a security guard greets customers through two power-lock glass doors that lead to a waiting room. The immediate feeling once sitting in the waiting room is comparable to a doctor’s office or pharmacy—very clean and professional.

Once allowed in the purchasing area, customers are greeted by a single clerk in front of an individual buying space at a counter. On the counter at each of the four buying spaces is an iPad with an extensive, color-coded menu displayed.

Listed by column on each menu is

CONTACT US

the title of each product, price, grower and percentages of THC and CBD in each product. The color of each product on the menu signifies if it is a sativa, indica, hybrid, CBD or THC product.

Cannabis dispensaries are beneficial to consumers because labeled menus create a sense of confidence and education for cannabis users. Normally, users do not have such a choice in seeing what they are getting with their product because they have to purchase through the black market.

In-state and out-of-state residents are both limited to the amount of product they can purchase; however, out-of-state residents are limited to an even lesser amount.

Medical patients are first priority.

Customers with a medical cannabis card can show their card at the front door of the building and are immediately led back to the purchase area.

Take all this into account and what do you get? A phenomenon that is far past due its time of legalization in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

A recent Kentucky Health Issues Poll interviewing just under 1,600 Kentucky residents concluded that 59% of Kentuckians believe cannabis should be available for purchase under any circumstance and that 90% believe the plant should be available for medical purchases.

Hemp, the close relative of cannabis, became legal in Kentucky under the 2018 Farm Bill which removed the plant from the controlled substance list. Another sign of progress for legal cannabis in Kentucky came from democratic State Representative Cluster Howard.

Kentucky House Bill 148 states that money from wholesale taxes of legal cannabis go to the permanent pension fund. Kentucky’s pension crisis includes just under $43 million in debts, which makes the state’s pension system one of the most badly funded in the country.

Simply put, this state needs money.

Illinois sold almost $11 million worth of recreational cannabis in the first five days of legalization. That’s the most money any state has made off of legal

DISCLOSURES

cannabis sales in that time span.

According to MarketWatch, in 2018, legal cannabis sales in Colorado reached $1.2 billion. The state raked in $270 million of that in taxes alone, compared to just $45 million gained from tax on alcohol.

Legal cannabis is ideal for Kentucky not only from an economical standpoint — from a criminal reform perspective it is positive as well. According to The Guardian, Illinois granted more than 11,000 pardons for low-level marijuana crimes with its legalization bill.

Those pardons would be life-changing for thousands of Kentucky residents. Job opportunities would open, and financial burdens would lift.

Kentucky has its economic strongholds, such as the bourbon and tobacco industries. But with the recent surge of cannabis legalization among so many other states and the significant economic benefit in these states, this only continues to plague Kentucky, one of the poorest states in the nation.

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FUN A5

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

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A6

PHOTO

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

According to Hospice of Southern Kentucky’s website, over 50 vendors attend the Chocolate Festival every year. Many different foods are offered, from cake pops to cheese balls.

BITTER SWEET Chocolate for a great cause

COPY AND PHOTOS BY JACK DOBBS HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU

Michael Briggs, culinary director for Arcadia Senior Living in Bowling Green, has been involved with the Chocolate Festival ever since one of his lifelong friends, Bob Archer, died in hospice care. He met Archer when they were students at WKU. “We lived in Keen Hall and did all the freshman stuff — we just really hit it off,” Briggs said.

F

or over three decades, Hospice of Southern Kentucky has organized the Chocolate Festival, which raises money for the facility. The festival, which was held at the Sloan Convention Center on Feb. 16, is attended by around 50 different vendors, according to Hospice of Southern Kentucky’s website. In addition to the candy items available, the festival held a silent auction and an Oreo eating contest.

Mary Jane Meszaros of Mary Jane’s Chocolates handed out samples at the Chocolate Festival on Sunday, Feb. 16. The samples available were gummy shark candies dipped in chocolate and sprinkles.

The Chocolate Festival hosts a cookie eating contest. For the past two years, the contest has been won by Jordan Smith (center), a reporter for the Bowling Green Daily News. “I just think it’s fun — competitive eating is a lot of fun,” Smith said. Smith’s wife, Abby, was in the audience during the contest. “I support everything he does — he’s been fasting since yesterday.”

LIFE

B1

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

FAST FASHION

How cheap clothing impacts the environment

BY TAYLOR METCALF HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

From sweatpants to suits and everything in between—walking around campus, the variety of fashion is astounding. In a changing society, trends change quickly, and students are just as quick to follow.

Though what’s “in” and what’s “out” never stays the same for too long, it seems fashion is always coming full circle. With bell-bottoms and scrunchies coming back into style, who’s to say what could be next? At least one thing is for sure — fast fashion isn’t going anywhere.

Fast fashion generally describes clothing items which are trendy and recent but lacking in quality. For Deborah Shivel, a WKU fashion merchandising instructor, fast fashion has some serious issues.

“I view it as ‘disposable fashion,’” Shivel said. “It’s very inexpensive, and the quality is very low. It’s an item that can be purchased where the life span is very short.”

But fast fashion’s short life span is only one problem. Shivel said she is concerned with our environment’s health, as vast amounts of fast fashion pieces pile into landfill mountains.

“About 85 percent of textile waste in the United States goes to landfills or is incinerated,” according to an article by The New York Times. The particles that don’t end up in landfills make their way into our water systems.

Despite the carbon footprint, students and others on a tight budget continue to buy into fast fashion. Shivel attributes this to accessibility. Already low on cash, students find themselves in a bind when their favorite clothing item is retired, but they can’t afford to invest in high-quality clothing.

Mallory Schlossberg, a retail reporter at Business Insider, wrote an article explaining why she stopped dropping in to Forever 21. H&M, Charlotte Russe and Forever 21 are guilty of selling clothes that rip, fade or shrink after the first wash, Schlossberg reported.

“The clothes wouldn’t last more than a few washes, let alone a few steps outside of the house and trips on the subway,” Schlossberg wrote. “Buttons would fall off, cotton dresses would fade

and my tiny New York City closet was rapidly filling with unwearable items.”

It was perhaps this that caused Forever 21, once one of the most popular trend-following stores, to file for bankruptcy in September of this year.

According to The Washington Post, it was the inability of Forever 21 to appeal to consumers’ needs that caused its downfall. The items that the company began to market to its customers

ion changing on campus, and how does fast fashion tie in?

Jay Cross, a freshman fashion merchandising student, said they see the variation our campus has to offer. Each person has their own “look” that makes them who they are.

“We have a big, diverse range of styles, but most people do choose comfort over style,” Cross said. “There isn’t anything wrong with that, though.”

REED MATTISON • HERALD

Katie Drybrough sports a teal corduroy jacket she found at a thrift store. The jacket is one of her favorites, Drybrough said.

seemed questionable to many, enough so that social media took to making fun of the selections.

TikTok and Instagram posts pushed the #forever21 hashtag — a place where buyers came together to share their frustrations about Forever 21’s interesting fashion choices and lack of quality.

Even with the company’s issues, fast fashion is anything but dead. Big retailers such as H&M and Target still thrive, often advertising ‘‘affordable” and trendy items that consumers seem to enjoy.

But the real question is, how is fash-

Shivel said she believes society is changing into one where the ideal of “comfortable and casual” reigns supreme, and campuses are no different.

For Cross, their style is a mix of “alternative and trendy.” If you were to catch a glimpse into their closet, you would find a sturdy pair of jeans, versatile black items, heeled boots and accessories to make any outfit complete.

But their favorite item is a faux fur coat from Hollister.

Fast fashion doesn’t seem to fit into Cross’ closet space, only items that can weather the storm of the hectic college

life and still come out in one piece.

There are some pieces, however, that never go out of style. Ball caps, plain T-shirts, sweatshirts and athletic wear are staples of college life.

These items are the opposite of fast fashion — pieces that are tried and true and in almost every closet. While comfortable and trendy, these pieces have what fast fashion doesn’t: sustainability. Most of these are decades old and continue to circulate closets on the regular.

For some people, trends never go out of style. Katie Drybrough, a sophomore, finds her ‘60s-, ‘70s- and ‘80s-inspired pieces at consignment and thrift stores.

“I love finding older pieces that are vintage-esque and unique,” Drybrough said. “I like to try to be environmentally aware of what I’m buying and how sustainable it is.”

Drybrough believes that many people are finding their way back to thrift stores for their style inspiration, even while some people still stick to their comfortable leggings and oversized sweaters.

Thrift shops could possibly be considered the “enemy” of fast fashion — revamped and recycled pieces that can find new life for a relatively low cost rather than being dumped into one of the thousands of landfills.

In the article “Thrifting: It’s More Than Just Clothes” by Planet Aid, an environmental non-profit organization, thrifting is compared directly to fast fashion. The article offers solutions to the problems that fash fashion presents, stating that recycling old clothing can prevent the build-up in landfills.

No matter what you wear — whether it’s comfortable, casual or dinner party ready — fast fashion is present in most of our lives.

Features reporter Taylor Metcalf can be reached at taylor.metcalf496@topper.wku.edu.

Sustainable on-campus bathroom practices, in public or private

BY JULIANNA LOWE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEX COX

On WKU’s campus, some students are fortunate enough to enjoy the luxury of having their own bathrooms.

Some residents, sadly, are not. Regardless of whether a student resides in Hilltopper Hall or Barnes Campbell Hall, every student uses the public restrooms on campus.

In every restroom, public or private, WKU’s campus offers ways to be sustainable in your daily practices.

Use the hand dryer.

Hand dryers are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly than drying your hands with paper towels. Paper towels create waste, and hand dryers do not.

Turn the water off.

Whether you are washing your face, brushing your teeth, taking a shower or washing your hands, people tend to run the water longer than necessary.

Turn the water off while you scrub your face or brush your teeth, and don’t turn the shower on until you are ready to get in. Water conservation is important to healing the environment.

Use soap and shampoo bars.

Shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles are made of plastic. While this plastic is sometimes recyclable, most retailers offer bar options of everything you need in the shower — eliminating extra waste created in the bathroom.

Switch your toothbrush.

Most bathroom materials are made of plastic, so making the switch from a plastic toothbrush to a bamboo toothbrush can really make a difference.

While the bamboo toothbrush is still technically waste, it is biodegradable, so it doesn’t sit for years in a landfill. It also takes a lot less energy to produce, which reduces your carbon footprint.

Make your own cleaning sup- already have them in your kitchen! Start with floor cleaner: it’s just vinegar, waplies. ter and peppermint oil.

This one might be a stretch, especially for college students, but making your own toilet, shower and glass cleaner can help in the long run. For one, you aren’t buying plastic bottles that have to get thrown in the bin. Also, it saves you money to buy the ingredients to make household cleaners — you might even

Features reporter Julianna Lowe can be reached at julianna.lowe253@topper.wku.edu. Follow Julianna on social media at @juliannalowe.

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SPORTS B3

WKU softball aided by 43-run outburst in Chattanooga

BY KADEN GAYLORD HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU softball team (8-2) earned a clean sweep at the Chatt Challenge in Chattanooga, Tennessee, last weekend, as the Hilltoppers won five games in three days to extend their current winning streak to seven straight.

WKU won the Chatt Challenge in dominating fashion, posting a perfect 5-0 record and a 43-7 total score over five games played.

“I am extremely proud of our all-out effort this weekend,” head coach Amy Tudor said in a release. “I felt we executed a balanced attack at the plate, in the circle and in the field. Our energy and focus stayed consistent, and we look forward to getting back to work this week.”

that allowed WKU to rack up 28 hits, 25 runs and five home runs across two wins on the day.

Junior center fielder Jordan Thomas went 2-for-4 with a home run and five RBIs, making her the first Hilltopper to post a game with five or more RBIs since the 2017 postseason.

SATURDAY WKU carried its red-hot hitting into Saturday, first defeating Tennessee

AMY TUDOR

Softball head coach

I felt we executed a balanced attack at the plate, in the circle and in the field.

FRIDAY The Hilltoppers came out on a mission against Ohio, scoring six runs in the first five innings of their opening outing on Friday. But the Bobcats stayed within reach, scoring three.

WKU put a stamp on the game in the seventh inning, torching Ohio for a total of seven runs after a two-run homer from sophomore right fielder Kennedy Sullivan put WKU up 8-4.

The Hilltoppers capitalized on errors and outhit the Bobcats 14-8 during a 13-4 win.

WKU continued its hot hitting day against host team Tennessee-Chattanooga, scoring in five of the game’s seven innings en route to a 12-2 triumph.

UTC kept it close early, but the Mocs couldn’t keep up with the momentum

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE B4

have been having good games. Dee Givens has had good games, Alexis Brewer has had good games, Whitney Creech has had good games, but it was good to see multiple people make multiple shots.”

Another player who’s been seeing more time for the Lady Toppers of late is redshirt freshman guard Myriah Haywood, who finished Saturday’s game with two points, one assist, four rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot in over 19 minutes of action.

helping WKU take home its first runrule victory of the season, 9-0.

WKU took on Lipscomb in its second game of the day. The Bisons defeated the Hilltoppers 3-2 on Feb. 7, but WKU was able to avenge its season-opening loss.

Lipscomb scored the opening run in the third inning, but it would end up as the Bisons’ only run.

WKU went on to score seven runs across the fourth and fifth innings, highlighted by a three-run homer by

Tech in five innings.

The Hilltoppers dominated the Golden Eagles, as Sullivan pitched a one-hitter and earned her first win of the season. She finished with nine strikeouts in five innings.

The WKU offense went berserk after not scoring in the first inning, putting up nine total runs across the second, third and fourth innings. Six tallies came in the fourth frame alone.

Junior catcher Kendall Smith went 2 for 3 with a homer and three RBIs, Redshirt senior forward Dee Givens was complimentary of Haywood’s performance.

“When Myriah comes in games, you know she’s going to provide on defense and rebounding,” Givens said.

“That’s what she focuses mainly on.

She doesn’t care for offense, she just wants to help the team in any way.

When she comes in, she really focuses on defense and rebounding.”

With UTSA dispatched, the Lady Toppers will take on Marshall (11-13, 6-7 C-USA) on Thursday in Diddle Arena. WKU sits in third place in Conference USA, riding an eight-game winning streak and a 12-game home

Aikey threw well today; both had great command and composure on the mound. I’m proud of the team’s attitude and effort today. We were locked in and focused.”

SUNDAY

Sunday’s contest proved to be the most difficult for WKU, as the Hilltoppers notched a close 2-0 decision against Bowling Green State.

Sullivan smacked an RBI single in the fourth inning, allowing Thomas to cross home plate for the go-ahead run. WKU scored again in the seventh inning, as senior infielder Morgan McElroy scored off a dropped fly ball by the Falcons.

Junior pitcher Shelby Nunn (3-0) dealt five innings of two-hit ball before Aikey closed out the game with her second save of the season and the 14th of her career, which is tied for third among all active NCAA Division I pitchers.

UP NEXT

Smith. Her blast would be what the Hilltoppers needed to later reach a 7-1 win.

Senior pitcher Kelsey Aikey (4-1) earned her second complete-game win of the season. Her final line included five hits, one earned run and nine strikeouts in seven innings of work.

“Our offense was impressive again today,” Tudor said in a release. “Sixteen runs in two games was great run support. Kennedy Sullivan and Kelsey

WKU will host the WKU Hilltopper Classic at the WKU Softball Complex this weekend, kicking off a long home stand that will include 14 games over three weeks on the Hill.

The tournament field consists of Green Bay, Indiana State and Ball State.

WKU faces Green Bay on Friday at 3 p.m., ISU on Friday at 5:30 p.m. and BSU on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. The Hilltoppers will also play two more games, but those are to be determined.

Reporter Kaden Gaylord can be reached at kaden.gaylord559@topper. wku.edu. Follow Kaden on Twitter at @_KLG3.

winning streak that dates back to March 2019.

The Thundering Herd sits in eighth place and are on a two-game winning streak of their own, but they’ve posted a lowly 3-8 record away from the Cam Henderson Center this season.

The game is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. and will be available for viewing on ESPN3.

ADDISON LEBOUTILLIER • HERALD

Junior forward Raneem Elgedawy (15) fights off defenders during the Lady Toppers’ game against UTSA on Feb. 15, 2020. WKU won 85-57.

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SPORTS

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2020 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

B4

ZANE MEYER-THORNTON • HERALD

WKU redshirt senior wing Jared Savage (2) celebrates after defeating the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles on Feb. 8, 2020 in Diddle Arena. WKU won 75-72.

‘OUTSIDE DOGS’

No. 2 seed WKU enters C-USA Bonus Play with gritty mentality

BY ELLIOTT WELLS HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

The WKU men’s basketball team (188, 11-3 C-USA) secured the No. 2 seed in Conference USA Bonus Play over the weekend, finishing in the league’s runner-up position after 14 regularly scheduled games for the second consecutive season.

The Hilltoppers met each of the top three scorers in the conference at Texas-El Paso (13-14, 4-10 C-USA) and Texas-San Antonio (12-15, 6-8 C-USA), picking up two crucial road wins against a few of the best individual players the league has to offer this season.

The No. 1 and No. 2 scorers in C-USA are both Roadrunners, as junior guards Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace average 26.9 and 19.0 points per game, respectively. The No. 3 scorer is UTEP forward Bryson Williams, a redshirt junior currently averaging 18.6 points per game.

Williams finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists on Feb. 13, while Jackson and Wallace combined for 52 of the 73 points UTSA scored against WKU on Feb. 15.

Although WKU’s offense has been the key to winning games for most of the season, the Hilltoppers’ defense played a crucial role in securing a successful weekend in Texas.

“It started with defense,” junior guard Taveion Hollingsworth said. “We just had to get stops and rebound. The main thing we were trying to focus on was

them not getting offensive rebounds because that sets up their main scorers.”

Prior to a weekend outing in Texas, the Hilltoppers had been outrebounded against most C-USA opponents. But WKU won both of its rebounding battles in the Lone Star State, aided by two stellar efforts on the boards from redshirt senior wing Jared Savage.

“We’re not the biggest team,” head coach Rick Stansbury said. “We don’t look like a team when we get off the

ning streak. “[Jared Savage] kind of nicknamed this team about three weeks ago — he just talked about the dog that we play with,” Stansbury said. “We’ve got some dogs, and that’s something we’ve been talking about. When we say dogs, we don’t mean inside dogs. We mean outside dogs.

“Again, Jared was an example today of what an outside dog is about on the road when you go and get 16 re-

RICK STANSBURY

Men’s basketball head coach

We’ve got some dogs, and that’s something we’ve been talking about. When we say dogs, we don’t mean inside dogs. We mean outside dogs. bus sometimes, but as we’ve said, you can’t underestimate the toughness and the will of this team that we have, and that’s how you win on the road.”

WKU outrebounded UTEP 37-34 and UTSA 42-41, with Savage posting the game-high mark in rebounds on both occasions. Savage grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds against UTSA, showcasing the mentality that helped WKU reach its current four-game win-

bounds,” Stansbury continued.

Savage proved himself on the glass over the weekend, but the Bowling Green native has been WKU’s defensive leader for much of the season.

“Jared is a different guy defensively this year,” Stansbury said on Jan. 18. “Jared does so many things for this basketball team. He’s the one guy who really communicates on all of the changes in defense. He’s the one guy

that can tell everyone where to go and every set. He knows all their spots, and he has the ability to communicate.”

WKU will now enter C-USA Bonus Play, the scheduling model that determined the second phase of its conference slate, for the final four games of the regular season.

No. 2 WKU will host No. 4 seed Charlotte (14-11, 8-6 C-USA) at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22 before welcoming No. 3 seed Louisiana Tech (19-7, 10-4 C-USA) at 7 p.m. on Feb. 27.

The Hilltoppers will travel to top-seeded North Texas (18-9, 12-2 C-USA) for a 1 p.m. tipoff in the Super Pit in Denton, Texas, on March 1 before capping C-USA play with a repeat visit to the Ocean Bank Convocation Center in Miami for a 6 p.m. meeting with No. 5 seed Florida International (17-10, 8-6 C-USA) on March 7.

WKU is 3-1 against its remaining opponents, defeating LA Tech 65-54 on Feb. 6, Charlotte 80-63 on Jan. 18 and North Texas 93-84 on Jan. 2. WKU fell 81-76 at FIU on Feb. 1.

The Hilltoppers have already guaranteed they can be seeded no lower than fifth in the upcoming C-USA Tournament, but WKU isn’t looking to become complacent.

“We’ve got some dogs in that locker room, and they have a big heart,” Savage said. “Like coach said, we’re not really intimidating when we’re getting off the bus, but we have some big hearts. We’re going to win a lot of games like that.”

Reporter Elliott Wells can be reached at douglas.wells357@topper.wku.edu.

Follow Elliott on Twitter at @ewells5.

Lady Topper bench players seize opportunities

BY MATT STAHL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU After using the 3-point shot to bury Texas-San Antonio (6-18, 2-11 C-USA) in the first half over the weekend, WKU women’s basketball head coach Greg Collins seized an opportunity.

With the result all but sealed late in the game on Feb. 15, Collins pulled his starters and allowed his bench players to have substantial opportunities in the waning minutes.

Ten Lady Toppers saw action in Saturday’s 85-57 victory over the Roadrunners, including freshman guard De’Myla Brown, who played a season-high 13 minutes. The North Little Rock, Arkansas, native scored five points, tacking on three steals and three assists.

“I’m just getting used to the offense and how everything flows,” Brown said. “You know, being a freshman, you just got to learn the ropes and watch other people before it’s your time.”

Brown said she’s been seeking to rise to the occasion since junior guard Sherry Porter suffered an MCL injury against Florida International on Feb. 1.

“I just figured since one of our guards went down, it was my turn to kind of step up since I was the next man up behind Sherry,” Brown said.

“I just wanted to fill in her shoes. It’s pretty hard to do, but I’m trying.”

ADDISON LEBOUTILLIER • HERALD

Redshirt freshman guard Myriah Haywood (0) looks for a pass option during the Lady Toppers’ game against UTSA on Feb. 15, 2020 in Diddle Arena. WKU won 85-57.

Brown said that she’s sought advice from Porter and other veteran members of the team.

“I talk to them a lot,” Brown said.

“They help me a lot in practice, just telling me where to be and what to do, and they keep encouraging me, and

they all just help out a lot since I’m very new to this.”

Collins said he was happy with the win over UTSA, calling it the Lady Toppers’ (16-6, 8-3 C-USA) most consistent game yet. The second-year head coach discussed how an early

lead helped him get more players involved in the action than usual.

“It helped our confidence to see the ball go in a little bit more than it has been,” Collins said. “Different players SEE WOMEN’S BASKETBALL • PAGE B3