April 17, 2018

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 93, ISSUE 38

CABONI ANNOUNCES $16 MILLION IN CUTS Latest round brings total cuts to $31 million

BY ANDREW HENDERSON HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

DISSOLVED

University College reorganization announced

BY NICOLE ZIEGE HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

University College will be dissolved and the placement of its academic units will be reorganized, according to a faculty and staff-wide email sent by the provost April 11.

The academic units within University College currently include Diversity and Community Studies, the Honors Academy, the School of Professional Studies and the School of University Studies.

“We have been working steadily and thoughtfully to identify the best new homes - both academic and, in some cases, physical - for [University College] personnel and programs,” David Lee, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said in the April 11 email.

Diversity and Community Studies will move to Potter College of Arts and Letters under Dean Larry Snyder, according to the email. The Honors Academy will be dissolved as an academic department and the faculty sent

to the department most appropriate to their training; however, the faculty will maintain “primary teaching assignments” that support the Mahurin Honors College, according to the email.

The School of Professional Studies will moved to the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, and the School of University Studies will be dissolved and faculty sent to the department most appropriate to their training, according to Dawn the email.

Hall Dawn Hall, the director of the School of University Stud- Director, ies, said the School of School of University Studies will University continue to be a school Studies until June 30, and its 17 faculty members will transition into other colleges and academic departments.

She said five faculty members will be moving into the math department, five into the English department, one into teacher education for literacy and one into the School of Professional Studies

to teach University Experience.

The School of University Studies provided a retention center, called Student Support Programs. Hall said this retention center included programs like Summer Early Entry, which was a summer bridge program and Academic Community Engaging Students or A.C.E.S., which is the oldest living learning community on campus.

Hall said one of the Student Support Programs that the School of University Studies is known for is the Cornerstone Program, which provides what Hall refers to as “stepping-stone classes” in English, literacy and math. Hall said about 360 students utilized the Cornerstone Program.

The School of University Studies also provided the Alice Rowe Learning Assistance Center, a tutoring center which employed 14 undergraduate tutors.

“Basically, we functioned as a student support for students who need a little extra help to be college ready,” Hall said.

Hall said the future of their programming is uncertain.

SEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE • PAGE A3

With the state budget finally finalized, President Timothy Caboni said a second round of cuts will take place to decrease the university’s budget by $16 million.

With the reduction Caboni announced Monday evening, the cut to WKU’s budget would be about $31 million, or between 9 or 10 percent, of the university’s unrestricted education and general fund.

In an email late Monday to faculty and staff, Caboni said WKU has many of the details needed to finalize the university’s budget for the coming year.

In the first phase of cuts, WKU eliminated 119 full-time positions and one part-time position across the university to address a $15 million deficit. Those eliminations were recommended by the Budget Council to reduce the university’s workforce. The total budgeted salaries of the vacant and filled positions that were eliminated amount to over $5 million.

University College was also eliminated and the three regional campuses were returned to the management of the Division of Extended Learning and Outreach. Provost David Lee previously announced the reorganization of University College.

For the second round, Caboni said the Budget Council will not be involved.

Instead, deans and division heads will be making recommendations as to how they plan to manage their respective reductions. He said they will also avoid across-the-board cuts.

“We also will strive to maintain support of those areas operating at critical levels, specifically those with direct responsibility for student recruitment and retention,” Caboni said in the email.

“Finally, we will strive to achieve a balanced budget with as little job loss as possible.”

Divisions will manage a reduction of $5.7 million and the remainder will be managed with a combination of $1.6 million in new revenue and $5 million in savings through “reorganization, attrition and elimination of vacant positions.”

About $4 million in carry forward

SEE BUDGET CUTS • PAGE A3

First of three candidates for provost visit WKU

BY EMILY DELETTER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

In preparation for current Provost David Lee’s change of position, a candidate to fill the provost position met with WKU faculty, staff and students Monday.

Jeffery Osgood, current senior vice provost of West Chester University in Pennsylvania, presented his plans and ideas in Grise Hall. Osgood is one of three finalists being considered for the position.

Osgood, who graduated from Hopkinsville High School and holds a master’s degree in public administration from WKU, said that his path wasn’t entirely conventional.

“My educational path wasn’t direct, but I finished strong,” Osgood said. “WKU

means quite a deal to me.”

Presenting to the audience, Osgood showed his main goals for WKU if he was to be selected as the next provost and vice president for academic affairs. These included developing a strong mission for WKU, an emphasis on diversity and inclusion and a strong liberal arts foundation.

By respecting shared governance, being stewards of peace and building a community of educators, Osgood said WKU could successfully integrate the model of a student-centered institution.

“I know there is a strong focus on STEM [science, technology, engineering and math] education and career preparation in the commonwealth,” Osgood said.

“But a foundation in liberal arts creates resilient lifelong learners.”

He cited the World Economic Forum,

which stated that 65 percent of students entering elementary school today will be in an occupation that doesn’t exist yet.

“I want to ensure WKU students are employable,” Osgood said.

After his presentation, members of the audience were encouraged to ask questions.

Helen Sterk, head of the department of communication, told Osgood she was concerned about the depth of his experience. While at West Chester University, Osgood has served as the vice provost, dean of graduate studies and director of the Center for Social and Economic Policy Research. He has also worked as a professor of public policy and administration.

“I’ve been in the fortunate position to receive pretty intense experience in a short amount of time,” he said.

Another audience member said she

wanted to know how Osgood would face WKU’s current budget deficit. WKU currently has a deficit of at least $15 million, with the chance for it to grow as large as $40 million, and has made the first round of budget cuts and job layoffs based on recommendations from the Budget Council.

Kristin Wilson, an associate professor in the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences, said she wanted to know what cuts would look like, not additions.

Osgood responded by saying he had a “commitment to transparency.”

“A cut looks like we would come to the table together and agree on the metrics we were using,” he said. “The more shared interest groups we involve, the better the outcome is going to be.”

SEE PROVOST CANDIDATES • PAGE A3

What I’ve

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The Herald has enhanced my leadership and print production skills immensely. As design editor, my position has given me the opportunity to work with a diverse group, attend networking events, speak publicly and manage a design team.

While working in our professional yet studentfriendly environment, I clearly understand the definition of teamwork, as it is important for all individuals to work efficiently. I have also gained a tremendous amount of information about print production. Most of the information is applicable to real life agencies and any in-house studio. My abilities in the Adobe Suite have grown exponentially because of the amazing resources our pro-staff offers. The Herald has helped me become the man I am today and has assisted me in and out of the classroom. All in all, the Herald has prepared me for my future.

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NEWS A3

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Woman reports burglary, assault in Bowling Green

BY OLIVIA EILER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

Bowling Green Police are investigating a burglary and assault that happened about a mile away from WKU’s campus on the 700-block of East 14th Avenue.

A 19-year-old woman told police that upon returning home from work around 5 p.m., she noticed a man standing near her driveway. She did not interact with the stranger.

The woman told police she entered her home through the front door and did not see anything unusual initially. As she crossed the threshold to her bedroom, she saw an arm sticking out from behind the door.

The woman told police that a different man stood in her bedroom with a six to eight inch long kitchen knife. She repeatedly apologized as the man said, “Shh, I’m not going to hurt you.�

She told police the man then threw her on the bed and instructed her to lay on her stomach. The man hit her several times on the back of her head and her face.

The woman told police she struggled with the man, and both individuals fell to the floor. The man used both of his hands to strangle her, as she continued

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CONTINUED FROM FRONT “I’m not sure about the programming that we do,� Hall said. “That’s still in question right now.�

Hall said the School of University Studies teaches underprepared and at-risk student populations as well as traditional students. Hall said a large underrepresented minority student population received support from the School of University Studies.

Hall said she and faculty members of the School of University Studies met with Lee. She said they were initially told they were going to stay together as a unit and move into the College of Education and Behavioral Science.

The decision to split up the School of University Studies came later. “We didn’t know if we’d dissolve or not, but we were told that we would

BUDGET CUTS CONTINUED FROM FRONT

funds will also be used. Caboni said there will be a new budget model in fiscal year 2019-2020.

In an April 3 email, Caboni said the biennial budget presented challenges to WKU. These challenges include a 6.25 percent cut for higher education, reduction in funding for Gatton Academy and no direct relief for WKU’s contribution payments to the Kentucky Employees Retirement System.

The cut would amount to a loss of $4.6 million for WKU. However, Caboni said a portion of this would be returned to the performance funding pool for WKU to gain back.

In the budget, there is also a 2 percent reduction in funding to support the Gatton Academy, which amounts to $75,000 over two years. The Kentucky Mesonet is fully funded in the budget, which Gov. Matt Bevin had originally zeroed out in his proposed budget.

No direct relief is included for WKU’s employer contribution payments to the KERS, and Caboni said he anticipates those costs to significantly increase.

The budget also includes language which would allow universities to eliminate tenured faculty positions when an academic program is discontinued.

PROVOST CANDIDATES CONTINUED FROM FRONT The importance of international enrollment and education was also brought up by Andrea Cheney, assistant director of the Office of International Programs. Cheney asked about the role Osgood could see global learning playing in WKU’s future. “I’m displeased that international enrollment is seen from a revenue generating standpoint by many universities,� Osgood said. “Ultimately, I believe international enrollment is about diversifying experiences and preparing students for a global society.�

swinging and scratching at him. The woman’s vision blurred, and she began to lose consciousness.

The woman said something startled the man, and he ran out of the bedroom.

The woman then locked her bedroom door before exiting her window, which opens on an alley. She ran, screaming for help and knocking on every door she passed.

The woman found help on High Street.

Police responded to this location. According to the police report, the left side of the woman’s face was swollen to the size of a grapefruit.

The woman was transported to the Medical Center.

According to a Facebook post made by the woman, she was released from the hospital later that night. “Luckily I just went home ‌ with severe bruises and cuts. If you guys could just continue to pray for me, it would be much appreciated. I’m a fighter, and I am beyond lucky to be alive right now,â€? the woman wrote in the Facebook post, which has since received over 900 shares.

Officers also responded to the woman’s residence to secure the scene. According to the police report, it is believed that the suspect entered the home through an unlocked bedroom window. The woman’s roommate told officers the window

“So far, all the departments that have been receiving faculty and sta have been very understanding, very gracious, very compassionate.â€?

Director, School of University Studies DAWN HALL not dissolve,� Hall said, regarding how she thought initially that the faculty would not be split up. “That just means that you focus on student success and adjust to your new circumstances.�

Prior to Lee’s email announcing the dissolution of the School of Univer-

Caboni has previously said current guidelines set by the American Association of University Professors providesa “fair, reasonable and effective pathway to manage downsizing or elimination of academic programs.� “I am strongly committed to following those guidelines and to protecting the integrity of tenure and academic freedom as we work together to address the current financial challenges facing WKU,� he said.

In the email, Caboni said members of the President’s Cabinet and deans are identifying strategies for the reductions across the divisions. “I know this is a difficult process, but the goal is to create a realistic and stable institutional budget so we can position ourselves for healthy, sustainable growth in future years,� he said. “I appreciate your patience and continued good work, and I am confident we will be a stronger, more focused university going forward.�

Earlier this year, Caboni said WKU could have a budget deficit as large as $40 million. The $40 million comes from the $15 million deficit, the state cut of $4.6 million, WKU’s nearly $9 million pension obligation and an anticipated $10 million deficit from enrollment changes and fixed costs.

Editor-in-chief Andrew Henderson can be reached at 270-745-5044 and andrew.henderson@wku.edu.

The names of the other two candidates have not yet been made public.

The candidates’ information will be made public 24 hours before their visit to WKU, according to the webpage for Academic Affairs.

Each candidate will spend the day meeting with various campus groups as well as participating in an open forum. The two other open forums are scheduled for Wednesday at 1:00 p.m. in Grise Hall 235 and Thursday at 1:00 p.m. in Gary Ransdell Hall 1074.

News reporter Emily DeLetter can be reached at 270-745-6011 and emily. deletter304@topper.wku.edu. Follow her on Twitter at @Emily DeLetter.

is intentionally left unlocked in case either of the women forget their keys.

Officers took photos of the scene and lifted two fingerprints from the window glass. Fingernail clippings were taken from the woman while she was at the hospital, as she had scratched the suspect.

The fingerprints, nail clippings and the woman’s clothes were sent to the lab.

�I feel a little safer since I am in a dorm right now, but it makes me nervous walking back to my dorm at night.�

Sophomore LAUREN MCCOART When the woman returned home, she was unable to locate her iPhone. The officers attempted to locate the phone using the Find My iPhone app and SnapChat, but they were unable to locate it.

Police have not arrested any suspects.

The woman described the suspect and the stranger near her driveway the same way. She said both were 5’7�, 160 pound men in their 30s or 40s. sity Studies, the school already lost three employees due to the first wave of budget cuts, as well as the tutoring center staff and the office associate.

Although the School of University Studies is dissolving after June 30, Hall said the students who were taught by the school will not be going away. “We’re just not going to be a unit that’s together, which makes it a little bit more challenging to make sure we have a firm safety net for students that are at-risk or underprepared,� Hall said. “That’s our worry. We want to see the students be supported.�

Hall said the departments that have been receiving faculty and staff from the School of University Studies have been compassionate during the transition. “So far, all the departments that

Although the crime occured off-campus, some WKU students are voicing concerns. “I feel a little safer since I am in a dorm right now, but it makes me nervous walking back to my dorm at night,� Van Lear sophomore Lauren McCoart said. “And also, I will be living in an apartment complex [next semester] that doesn’t really have any security.�

Aurora, Illinois, junior Dylan Olsen said the crime has not had as big of an impact on him. “It hasn’t changed how I act, which is weird because it probably should have,�

Olsen said. “I’ve always locked my door, since I don’t trust people in McCormack.

I feel like since it was off-campus, it won’t happen to me. I also feel like, as a guy, I don’t have to worry as much as a girl would, which shows how messed up our society is.�

The woman could not be reached for comment, but she is not listed as a student in the WKU directory.

Any information about the crime can be directed to the Bowling Green Police Department.

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

have been receiving faculty and staff have been very understanding, very gracious, very compassionate,� Hall said. “That’s a good sign.�

Lee said in the email there is still more work to be done. He said Academic Affairs is committed to protecting tenure and promotion rights as well as abiding by any pre-existing agreements relevant to individuals.

It was announced on Feb. 26 that the Budget Council had recommended eliminating University College as a cost-saving measure. The elimination will go into effect on July 1 of this year.

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

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TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

OPINION EDITORIAL

REVIEW

1988 ARCHIVED ILLUSTRATION • HERALD

SAVE STUDENT NEWSROOMS The fight for editorial independence

ISSUE: The Daily Campus, the student-run newspaper which covers Southern Methodist University, recently announced it had to re-affiliate with its university due to lack of funding. The closing of Student Media Company Inc., the independent company which will soon cease to publish SMU’s student newspaper, is leading to concerns from student publications at universities across the nation that declining advertising revenue will lead to university censorship of student free speech.

OUR STANCE: The College Heights Herald, which made the switch from publishing twice a week to once a week this past semester mostly due to the university taking over half of its reserve budget to cover its

own deficit, is already experiencing university censorship in the form of a lawsuit, all while remaining independent from WKU. We need to support student media now more than ever as a growing number of student publications are fighting to maintain financial and editorial independence from their respective universities.

The Herald is just over one year removed from being sued by WKU after Attorney General Andy Beshear ruled that the university had to turn over records of faculty sexual misconduct to the Herald, citing that WKU has an ongoing responsibility to release Title IX records related to sexual harassment by university employees.

This ongoing lawsuit, which began to move forward last month after the attorney general’s office filed a motion for a summary judgement, is a pure example of the university trying to censor information which affects student safety from the public and a violation of the Kentucky Open Records Act. All of this is taking place while the Herald currently retains financial and editorial independence from the university.

Can you imagine what coverage of the lawsuit would be like if the Herald did not have editorial independence and the university was allowed a final say over what could be published? Anything that might make the university look bad to the public could be taken out, even on controversial issues like sexual harassment that hold consequences for student safety.

This is why independent student publications are so important. They carry a responsibility to report accurately and fairly on issues that affect the public, even if it depicts the university in a negative light. While the Herald continues to uphold this responsibility, it does not take away from the fact that student publications across the country are facing serious challenges that are putting our editorial independence at risk.

This is why on April 25, we here at the Herald will be participating in the “unofficial” Support Student Journalism Day. This campaign, created by the Independent Florida Alligator publication at the University of Florida will utilize the #SaveStudentNewsrooms with the intention of bringing to light the need for student media and the importance of supporting it. For alumni of the College Heights Herald, we encourage you to share how being part of this student publication has affected your life to demonstrate how student journalism is still very much alive.

To those of you still skeptical that university censorship is a possibility for our current publication, we look back to 1988 when former university President Kern Alexander attempted to appoint a committee of faculty editors over the Herald and the Talisman.

To quote the editorial written at the time of the former university president’s actions: “The mission of publications is to cover thoroughly Western’s campus.

Coverage of some of [the former President’s] actions that have brought controversy and embarrassment to the university may have displeased him. But the solution is to stop the confusion--not the presses.”

LISTEN UP!

The rise of identity politics in society

BY NICOLE LEONARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

The rise of identity politics after the 1960s changed the landscape of political discourse. Identity politics describes the trend wherein groups gather around shared experiences of injustice, marginalization, race and ethnicity or other perceived disparity. These groups call on personalistic appeals rather than a structured political ideology.

The country is obsessed with the construction of individualism that does not really contain the elements of individuality, but rather it requires assimilation to a group that is perceived as distinct. Radical devolution of the United States’ melting pot identity results in a neediness for labeled differences, imagined or real, to be recognized in all facets of society.

News, entertainment, social media and politics are at the heart of this debate to deliberately draw distinction between groups. Social media gives people the liberty to generate an identity intentionally formulated to purport a desired personality to followers. That personality is then legitimized and reaffirmed by likes, retweets and comments. Entertainment has undergone a movement dedicated to increasing representation and recognition for the stories of marginalized peoples and revolutionaries of their times.

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Talking heads on cable news fuss about politically correct language on a regular basis.

The serious ramification of a fixation on labeled differences in society is the domination of identity politics in the national arena. In such a landscape, affiliation to a political party denotes a person’s moral compass. It designates bigotry, religious intolerance or support for the death of the unborn, and it denies the validity of a person’s concerns on the basis of their inherent qualities. Assumption in the place of understanding creates the foundation for hate and disunity.

Identity groups are exclusive and uncooperative.

To detest the celebration of cultural differences in America is a mistake, but to shift focus explicitly to the interests of small factions is also a recipe for disaster. Marginalized groups rally around the sentiment that they have been treated with indifference or discrimination and that reparation is the logical next step.

Identity politics is an over-simplification of a vastly complex process that will lose ground after a resolution to perceived issues has been reached. A political platform determined to target the needs of a specific constituency as opposed to a legal framework by which legislators may rationally consider policy options will crumble on top of a cracking infrastructure of factionalism.

The most recent election cycle is a

prime example of identity politics on display. Policy coverage in town halls was dominated by the personal attacks from Clinton and Trump about their opponent’s fitness to serve. During the elections, Trump’s name-calling received far more attention than did his proposal to uproot Obama’s health care insurance program.

It is understandable that voters were more interested in Trump’s sex scandals than his tax code, but the impact of his personal life on citizens of America is far less than that of a tax code overhaul. Simplicity and entertainment make leaders relatable. When politicians are vague and boast about their flourishing personal relationships and attractive attributes, voters can attach themselves to the person rather than the policy.

It is easier to understand the narrative of a hard-working man and successful business entrepreneur than it is to break down the connection between Russian oligarchs and the president’s lawyer.

Identity politics are divisive and attain popularity for people whose agendas are shallow. They force labels and establish imagined community personality that requires conformity to a group that paradoxically desires to stand out. The party system is barely reflective of ideology anymore, as rationality has been replaced by appeasement to the whims of the loudest faction available.

San Juan Smokehouse: a plate where two worlds meet

BY CHRIS DIMEO HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

San Juan Smokehouse is, as one might glean from its name, a thorough mix of things. The restaurant, located at 1026 Chestnut Street in the building that once housed the Brickyard Café, serves a mash-up of down-home Kentucky barbecue and fresh, flavorful Puerto Rican cuisine.

While its cozy farmhouse style of interior decoration would suggest otherwise, San Juan Smokehouse is actually outstanding in its ability to bring a refreshing feel and flavor to a city that already has over 300 restaurants.

The food is really what sets this eatery apart from the crowd. And at that, its Caribbean eats are its true shining gems.

Alongside barbecue staples like ribs and pulled pork, Caribbean dishes like yucca fries, stuffed avocado and jerk chicken make San Juan’s menu memorable.

Every meal starts off with a complementary bowl of chicharrones, or seasoned pork rinds: a novel yet comforting appetizer that gets you in the mood to try something new.

Another appetizer that I can’t imagine the San Juan Smokehouse experience being complete without is the yucca fries. Made from yucca, a potato-like plant native to the Caribbean, they taste just like French fries but less greasy and with the slightest fruity hint.

The most outstanding item on the menu, in my opinion, was the pastelon. Basically lasagna with pressed plantains instead of noodles, this dish is wonderfully surprising, with the familiar qualities of lasagna, but with a more potato-like texture and a fruity zing.

My one criticism of the menu is a slight over-preponderance of slaw.

A unique item that San Juan Smokehouse offers is its fresh, zesty slaw, made with onions, peppers and other fresh vegetables. While delicious, this side dish showed up a little too much in my meal. Just about every dish had it mixed in or on top as a garnish, and some dishes, like the tacos, contained more slaw than any other ingredient.

This restaurant is also a bit on the pricey side. Whether the food is worth the price tag or not might be up to the individual, but if you aren’t watching your pennies closely, it’s easy to spend upwards of $15 or $20 per person here.

All things considered, San Juan Smokehouse is a gem in terms of its novelty and the unique, delicious menu it serves up. However, it isn’t for those who are shy with their wallet or appetite. It’s a place to try food you might not find anywhere else in Bowling Green, and to have an experience you’re not likely to forget.

If you’re hungry and looking to try something new, look no further than San Juan Smokehouse.

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1. The Eagles played their first concert as backup to what female singer in 1971? (a) Linda Ronstadt (b) Cher (c) Carly Simon 2. What Biblical character was slain in the Valley of Elah? (a) Abel (b) Samson (c) Goliath 3. Chimney Rock in Nebraska is found on the arm of what river? (a) Elkhorn (b) Platte (c) Snake 4. How long did it take for Da Vinci to paint Mona Lisa's lips? (a) 10 years (b) 4 years (c) 12 years 5. The average person falls asleep in how many minutes? (a) 12 (b) 7 (c) 18 6. What is a skink? (a) Tree (b) Fish (c) Lizard 7. What is the only Portuguese speaking country in the Americas? (a) Brazil (b) Peru (c) Uruguay 8. Humans shed how many pounds of skin in a lifetime? (a) 10 (b) 40 (c) 25 9. Coca-cola was originally what color? (a) Green (b) Orange (c) Yellow 10. 80% of American's favorite color is what? (a) Red (b) Green (c) Blue

4

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13 14 Obscurity Talk big 17 16 “So long!”

19 20 21 Underclassman Highway division 22 23 24 25 26 Jogged Spotted animal 27 28 Footstools 32 33 34 35 Silkwood of “Silkwood” 37 38 39 40 Do something Remnant 41 42 43 44 D.C. setting 45 46 47 Pet Pub potables 48 49 50 Glacier deposit Sweeping 54 55 56 57 58 Arm muscles 60 61 62 Blunt Sealant 63 64 65 Psychic power Sgt. Bilko 66 67 68 Surrounded by Copyright ©2018 PuzzleJunction.com Of no value Corral 18 “___ Miniver” 68 Bizet work Through-the-door 20 Yawning peeper 24 Refinable rock Down German title 26 Sign before Virgo One or more 27 Temperate 1 “Star Wars” Drivel 28 Progeny director Pout 29 Bagels 2 Unreactive Nave bench 30 Horned goddess 3 Eight furlongs Emergency signal 31 Force unit 4 Back country Ancient single32 Subdued 5 Food scrap reed woodwind 33 Completely botch 6 Coalition Alluvial deposit 35 It often causes a 7 Wicker material Barbary beast big splash 8 Orkin target Like Darth Vader 36 Elder or alder 9 Hollow rock Agouti 37 Upper limit 10 Scottish hillside Prefix with 39 Grandma’s word 11 Yin’s opposite classical 42 1773 jetsam 12 Lt.’s inferior Strong cleaners 44 Forever and a day 13 One-liner, e.g.

Miscellaneous Trivia

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

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PREVIOUS SOLUTION

SILAS WALKER • HERALD

The sun sets over South Lawn and Guthrie Bell Tower on Jan. 22.

B1

TUESDAY, APRIL 17 , 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS WKU athletes make up 5 percent of C-USA honor roll

BY TYLER EATON HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

In the second game the Hilltoppers were the ones taking the early lead.

A Nick Brunson hit and an error by Marshall allowed Brown to score to make it 1-0 in the second inning.

In the third inning, Marshall

Conference USA released its Commissioner’s Honor Roll list this past Thursday, and it included 140 student-athletes from WKU. Across the conference, 2,824 student-athletes were named to the list, with the requirement being a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better.

The 140 Hilltoppers that received the honor gave WKU just under five percent of the list. Old Dominion led the way with 286 student-athletes on the list.

Among those honored from WKU, a combined 46 were from the baseball and football teams. First team C-USA selection and WKU football team captain Joel Iyiegbuniwe was one of those to make the list. Iyiegbuniwe was joined by C-USA all-freshman and allacademic team selection Tyler Witt.

From the baseball team, seniors Benjamin Morrison and Devon Loomis were each selected. Redshirt junior Jacob Rhinesmith was also named on the list, as well as hometown freshman Luke Brown, who went to Bowling Green High School.

Four members of WKU’s men’s basketball team made the list, including freshman Taveion Hollingsworth. They were joined by five members each from the men’s cross country team, as well as two members of the men’s track and field team.

Seventy-eight of WKU’s women’s student-athletes received the distinction.

For the women, eight different sports had at least four athletes represented, with the soccer team leading the way with 17 on the list.

Among those named, sophomore Chandler Backes and senior goalkeeper Allison Leone were two of the 17 from the soccer team. Freshman Avery Jacobsen was also a Lady Topper on the list.

Nine members of WKU’s women’s basketball team were named to the list, including all-conference performers Tashia and Ivy Brown. Tashia Brown was named this season’s C-USA player

SEE BASEBALL • PAGE B2

SEE ACADEMICS/ATHLETICS • PAGE B2

KATHRYN ZIESIG • HERALD

Redshirt senior infielder Tyler Robertson (6) reaches out to catch a throw after Marshall infielder Tucker Linder (6) tries to steal a base during the game against Marshall on Friday at Nick Denes Field. The Hilltoppers won two of three games against Marshall this weekend.

STEADY PROGRESS Hilltoppers eclipse last year’s win total

BY MATT STAHL HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU topped its 2017 win total by beating Marshall in a series that highlighted the offensive skills of several of WKU’s best players.

WKU’s offense had no issues scoring in any of the games, bringing five, six and seven runs across the plate in each.

“It’s never over,” WKU head coach John Pawlowski said. “It’s never easy.

Marshall’s got an outstanding team, they kept battling.”

In the first game of the series and the first game of Friday’s doubleheader, the Hilltoppers were off to a slow start, quickly dropping down 2-0 before coming back to tie the game when senior infielder Steven Kraft singled in freshman infielder Kevin Lambert.

That was followed by a sacrifice fly from senior left fielder Colie Currie, which

scored junior infielder Nick Brunson.

WKU was unable to stop the Marshall offense in game one, as they took another two-run lead. But WKU was able to come back and tie the game

Pastrana. WKU was able to add one in the ninth on an RBI single by Robertson to make it 6-5, but the rally ended there with the Hilltoppers falling to the Thundering Herd.

“It’s never over, it’s never easy.

Marshall’s got an outstanding team, they kept battling.”

Head Coach JOHN PAWLOWSKI

once again when a single by freshman right fielder Luke Brown scored senior infielder Tyler Robertson and sophomore utility man Ray Zuberer III. With the game tied 4-4 in the eighth inning, Marshall added two runs off of RBI singles by junior outfielder Shane Hanon and junior catcher Reynaldo

Former swim coach celebrates 81st birthday in the pool

BY BROOK JOYNER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Former WKU swimming head coach Bill Powell took to the pool early Friday morning to celebrate his 81st birthday by swimming 81 laps.

He was cheered on by his wife Joanne Powell, as well as former swimmers of his who were helping to document the event and keep track of his laps and time.

Powell was WKU’s swim coach for 36 seasons, according to his website.

He founded the WKU swim program in 1969, and retired from full-time coaching in 2005, according to WKU athletics. In that time he recorded 330 dual meet victories, which made him the second-winningest Division I swim coach in NCAA history.

The tradition first began on Powell’s 46th birthday. He showed up to the pool as he does most mornings but didn’t have a plan in mind for his workout.

“I don’t always know exactly what I’m going to do when I start swimming, I make it up as I go along,” Powell said.

“And I said ‘ah heck I’m going to swim 46 lengths.’”

Some of the swimmers Powell coached heard what he had done, and it became a tradition. In the 35 years since its inception, Powell has never missed a birthday swim.

Powell believes these swims may have even earned him a few world records due to the odd distances he has ended up swimming over the years, starting with his 79th birthday.

“Who do you know that’s ever swam SEE COACH POWELL • PAGE B2

BROOK JOYNER • HERALD

Former head coach for the WKU swim team Bill Powell celebrates his 81st birthday by swimming 81 laps on Friday in the Bill Powell Natatorium. Powell has been participating in this tradition since his 46th birthday.

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B2 SPORTS BASEBALL CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1 responded with RBI singles by Hanon and Pastrana to take a 2-1 lead, the Thundering Herd’s only lead of the second game.

WKU quickly came back to retake the lead on a single by sophomore first baseman Richard Constantine that scored Kraft and junior right fielder Jacob Rhinesmith. The Hilltoppers never looked back and went on to win the game 6-2.

After taking Saturday off due to rain, the two teams were back on the diamond Sunday for the deciding game of the series, with senior left hander Austin Tibbs getting his first pitching start of the

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

season.

The Hilltoppers scored four runs through the first two innings off of an RBI double by Currie and a sacrifice fly

by Robertson. Rhinesmith grounded into a fielder’s choice, which scored one run, but Marshall’s sophomore infielder Peter Hutzal made a wild throw that allowed the Hilltoppers to score another run.

The third inning was eventful for WKU. After Marshall scored to make the score 4-2, the Hilltoppers were able to load the bases with no outs. WKU failed to bring a run across the plate, stranding all three runners, including Brown.

“It’s baseball so it happens,” Brown said after the game. “You know when you get bases loaded no outs, you got to find a

way to score some runs. There are pitches, I mean, you got to give them credit, they made good pitches at the right time, and, I mean, it just happens, it’s baseball.”

WKU also made an early pitching change in the third inning, which Pawlowski attributed to Tibbs making his first start.

“He’s been pitching in relief and he’s done a great job,” Pawlowski said.

“We knew we had a fresh bullpen, so we figured that, you know, we’re going to run different guys out there, matchups. I thought our bullpen did a really good job today.”

The inability to bring runs across the plate did not extend into further innings for the Hilltoppers, as they added four

COACH POWELL CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

1,975 yards for time?” he said. “I figured it was the only one that had ever been swum, so I’m claiming a world record.”

When Powell was 75 he broke a bone in his back, which made it difficult for him to walk or exercise. A doctor in Bowling Green told him surgery was necessary, but they would “lose him on the table.”

Powell’s son told him about a doctor in Nashville who had performed surgery on a 92-year-old woman who hadn’t walked in three years. She was now able to go up and down stairs without support even though previous doctors told her she wouldn’t survive surgery.

Once the Nashville doctor found out Powell was one of two people in the United States that were over 75 and could still swim a mile under 30 minutes, he said the surgery would be no problem.

ACADEMIC/ATHLETICS CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

of the year.

Fourteen members of WKU’s conference championship volleyball team were named to the list, including AVCA Third-Team All-American Alyssa Cavanaugh and Senior CLASS Award First-Team All-American Jessica Lucas.

Four members of the women’s cross country team were selected, as well as eight from the women’s golf team, 13 from the softball team, seven from women’s tennis and six from women’s track and field.

”You better swim everyday, and then when you fall apart when you’re 75, they’ll be able to put you back together without any problems.”

Former Swim Coach BILL POWELL

“I tell all my students, you better swim everyday, and then when you fall apart when you’re 75, they’ll be able to put you back together again without any problems,” Powell said.

Powell continues to swim five days a week and advocates the importance of continuing to exercise as one gets older.

“Some people say, ‘You do all that exercise just so you can live an extra year?’” Powell said. “No it’s while you’re living, feeling that much better … the

pep and the energy that you get from working out can’t be beat.”

Despite also having a history as a track runner, Powell said that swimming is the best form of exercise, especially for people who may be older.

“Running is great, but you pound your ankles, you pound your shins, you pound your hips and it’s harder on your body, and swimming is weightless,” he said.

“It’s just so good for you.”

Powell also stresses that it is never too

Of the 140 named to the Honor Roll, the medal, and he was joined by four 41 also received the Commissioner’s members of the football team, three Academic Medal for maintaining a from the baseball team, two from cross cumulative GPA or 3.75 or better. A total country and three from the men’s golf of 708 student-athletes received team. the award in the conference.

Sophomore Mary Joiner, The soccer team led the way who has already recorded two once again with seven members victories on the season for of the team to earn the award.

WKU’s women’s golf team, Seniors Hannah Chua of the was one of those who received soccer team and Morgan the Commissioner’s Medal. It McIntyre of the women’s track was also announced on Friday and field were two of those to be Mary Joiner that Joiner has been named to awarded. the C-USA women’s golf allWKU Freshman Marek Nelson was academic team.

Women’s the lone member of the WKU Golf One of five women to be men’s basketball team to receive named to the all-academic

more to win the game 7-5.

“It’s a great win for us,” Brown said.

“We knew coming into this that we need to win this series, so taking two out of three from Marshall, which is a very good team, it was really good.”

The series win brings WKU’s record up to 17-18, 7-8 in the Conference USA. The Hilltoppers play again at home today against Tennessee Tech before they go to Alabama for a weekend series against Alabama-Birmingham.

Reporter Matt Stahl can be reached at 270-745-6291 and matthew.stahl551@ topper.wku.edu Follow him on Twitter at @mattstahl97.

late to learn how to swim, and he enjoys giving lessons to anyone, regardless of age. He was once approached by an 89-year-old woman who wanted to learn to swim so she could spend more time with her grandchildren at the beach.

Powell taught her to swim and even once got her to jump off the diving board.

“It’s never too late,” he said. “She was 89 and learned how to swim, anybody can.”

Despite facing health issues at the beginning of the year that only allowed him to swim three days in the entire month of January, Powell says he will continue to swim and have his traditional birthday swims for as long as he can.

“My main motivation to continue swimming is to stay alive,” he said.

Multimedia editor Brook Joyner can be reached at 270-745-6288 and brook. joyner995@topper.wku.edu.

team, Joiner is majoring in finance and currently has a 3.85 GPA. One hundred WKU student-athletes have received their diplomas from the University in the past calendar year.

Forty-six of the 100 graduated last May, 18 finished their schooling over the summer and another 35 received their degrees in December. Among the graduates, their cumulative GPA was 3.06.

Sports reporter Tyler Eaton can be reached at 270-776-6797 and adam. eaton284@topper.wku.edu.

B3

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Hilltoppers looking for new leaders at wide receiver

BY SAM PORTER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

As the spring game approaches, there’s no doubt the most notable position battle for the WKU football team is at quarterback. But there’s also plenty of competition going on between the players the quarterback position will be throwing to next year.

The Hilltoppers lost wide receivers Nacarius Fant and Cam Echols-Luper and tight end Deon Yelder to graduation.The trio made up WKU’s top three leaders in receptions in 2017. The Hilltoppers are bringing back a handful of experienced players in 2018 in year two under head coach Mike Sanford.

“Well obviously we lost some veterans in Cam, Nacarius and KT [Kylen Towner],” offensive coordinator Junior Adams said.

“But all these guys we have coming back have playing experience. They all have catches, a lot of them have touchdowns.

We’re a year older experience wise with what we’re doing offensively. This offseason was big for us. When we got back from winter break our receivers have been hitting it hard as far as just learning football, just as far as learning coverages and concepts.”

Redshirt junior wide receiver Lucky Jackson leads a barrage of receivers returning in 2018. The Lexington native caught 39 passes for 600 yards and three touchdowns in 2017, all which are the most among WKU’s returning players.

His 15.4 average yards per reception led all WKU receivers, highlighted by a 93yard touchdown catch and run in the Hilltoppers’ 41-38 thrilling victory over rival Middle Tennessee that made WKU bowl eligible. Jackson cracked the 100yard receiving mark three different times in 2017, but was held under 60 yards in WKU’s 10 other contests. As 2018 approaches, Jackson will consistently need to perform at a high level as he is the frontrunner to be the number one receiver

HUNTER HALLORAN • HERALD

Junior linebacker Clay Davis runs through a turn and catch drill during practice Friday, April 6 in Houchens-Smith Stadium.

on the depth chart.

“I have a bigger role, and I have to step up and be a leader for the young guys behind me,” Jackson said. “I’ve got to be that big crutch and give them that shoulder to lean on when they need help.”

Joining Jackson is fellow redshirt junior Quin Jernighan, redshirt sophomores Xavier Lane and Jachour Pearson and true sophomore Jacquez Sloan. Jernigan caught 36 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns in 2017, highlighted by his go-ahead 30-yard touchdown catch late

in WKU’s 35-31 win over Old Dominion.

Lane caught 27 passes for 336 yards as a redshirt freshman, but you can expect his productivity to go up in 2018 as his 6-foot4-inch frame makes him a mismatch for defensive backs out wide. Pearson and Sloan both enter as sophomores eligibilitywise and will look to give the Hilltoppers plenty of speed on the outside.

“Xavier Lane is having a pretty good camp right now, catching the ball and getting over the top on guys,” Adams said.

“Jacquez Sloan obviously is our speed guy

and Quin Jernighan made some plays for us last year. He’s been really consistently catching the ball.”

The annual Red-White Spring game takes place this Saturday at HouchensSmith Stadium. It will give a glimpse of what the depth chart might look at the wide receiver position as well as the quarterback position.

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270745-6291 and sam.porter270@gmail.com Follow him on Twitter at @SammyP14.

Hilltoppers drop fourth straight in series loss

The WKU softball team suffered a series sweep on the road against AlabamaBirmingham last weekend.

WKU (24-18, 7-8 C-USA) lost all three games of its Conference USA series against UAB, while splitting a mid-week non-conference series against Eastern Kentucky Wednesday.

The Hilltoppers took game one of Wednesday’s doubleheader against EKU, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. EKU responded with a three-run third inning. Both teams added runs in the fifth and sixth, with EKU unable to cut the deficit, giving WKU the 6-3 victory.

EKU won game two, opening up an 8-4 lead in the top of the seventh to secure the doubleheader split. Sophomore Paige Carter hit a home run for WKU in the fifth, tying her for the team lead with four. The team total is up to 29 on the season.

Despite splitting the doubleheader, head coach Amy Tudor was happy with the team’s attitude in the series.

“I thought we swung the bat pretty well today and that we played some good defense behind our pitchers,” Tudor said.

“Kelsey Aikey had a great day in the circle and overall our team morale was up, which is something we’ve been talking about. I felt like the team was in it today and we’re

using these two games to prepare for UAB.” WKU dropped both games in the weekend’s opening doubleheader in dramatic fashion. On Friday, WKU carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth before UAB responded. The Blazers notched their first run of the weekend to cut the deficit to 2-1 going into the final frame. In the bottom of the seventh, down to their final strike, the Blazers managed to smack a three-run home run to get a 3-2 win.

Aikey (10-6) pitched the complete game, her fifth of the season, surrendering three runs on four hits, with two strikeouts.

She threw 87 of her 140 pitches for strikes.

WKU scored first in the second game with a sacrifice fly that brought sophomore Paige Carter across the plate.

UAB responded with three runs in the top of the sixth inning to take the 3-1 lead. The Hilltoppers managed to cut the deficit to 3-2 in the final frame of the game, but were unable to tie the game. Senior Brittany Vaughn was tagged for the final out at the plate.

Freshman Shelby Nunn (13-10) pitched the complete game, allowing three runs on four hits, with two strikeouts.

With the series already in the Blazers’ hands, the Hilltoppers looked to avoid the sweep on Saturday as they took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth. UAB was again able to respond in the bottom of the sixth, tying the game 3-3. The game remained tied and went into extra innings. In the top

KATHRYN ZIESIG • HERALD

Sophomore pitcher Kelsey Aikey (12) winds up for a pitch during the first game of a doubleheader against Eastern Kentucky University on April 11 at the WKU Softball Complex. The Lady Toppers defeated EKU 6-3 in the first game and lost 4-8 in the second.

of the 11th inning, the Blazers were able to secure the winning run on a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to secure the series sweep.

Nunn started and finished the game, pitching 5.1 innings, with three runs on seven hits and one strikeout. Aikey, who pitched five innings in relief, took the decision. She surrendered one run on five hits.

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The Hilltoppers have a midweek battle against No. 19 Kentucky at home on Wednesday before a C-USA series against Marshall at home this weekend, kicking off Friday.

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B4

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

CHRIS KOHLEY • HERALD

WKU forward Dwight Coleby is defended by Utah’s forward David Collette during the semifinals of the NIT Championship in Madison Square Garden on March 27. WKU lost 69-64.

Hilltoppers will face familiar foes in non-conference slate

BY ALEC JESSIE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

WKU men’s basketball is close to finalizing its 2018-19 non-conference schedule, which currently features a trip to Myrtle Beach and a lot of rematches from last season.

With the addition of the Myrtle Beach Invitational last week, WKU basketball added three more games to an already loaded up non-conference schedule.

The bracket to the invitational has not been released yet, but it includes West Virginia University, Wake Forest, Valparaiso, Central Florida, Saint Joseph’s, Cal State Fullerton and one other team yet to be announced.

The Hilltoppers are 11-5 all time against the current Myrtle Beach Invitational field. This tournament is sure to test WKU early in the season.

West Virginia made a Sweet 16 appearance last season, and the Mountaineers only lost Jevon Carter and Daxter Miles Jr. to graduation. Should Sagaba Konate withdraw from the NBA draft, the Mountaineers will likely be a preseason top 25 team. WKU defeated West Virginia 64-62 the last time they played in the first round of the 1987 NCAA Tournament.

Wake Forest will be much improved in 2018. They did finish the season with an underwhelming 11-20 record, but head coach Danny Manning is bringing in the 19th-ranked recruiting

class in the country. That includes top30 talent Jaylen Hoard. WKU has never faced Wake Forest in program history.

Valparaiso is coming off of a rebuilding year after losing star forward Alec Peters, finishing just 15-17. Valparaiso is another program WKU has not faced yet.

UCF narrowly missed out of the NIT after finishing 19-13 last year, but had multiple crushing injuries throughout the season. They return their top seven players, including 7-foot-6-inch center Tacko Fall. The Golden Knights are a real threat to win the American Athletic Conference. WKU defeated the Knights 73-68 back in 2005.

Saint Joseph’s ended the year a .500 team, going 16-16. They finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 standings.

WKU last faced the Hawks in November 2014, winning 62-59.

Cal State Fullerton won the Big West Conference Tournament in 2018, earning a 15 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They fell to Purdue in the first round. WKU has yet to face the Titans in program history.

WKU has non-conference home games against the University of Wisconsin University, Saint Mary’s and Austin Peay. The Hilltoppers also have road games against Arkansas, Indiana State, Missouri State, Eastern Kentucky and Wright State.

The Hilltoppers lost a heartbreaker in the Kohl Center in December, 8180. Wisconsin guard Brad Davidson drew a controversial block in the final

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seconds and hit the game-winning free throw. Coming off a losing season, Wisconsin head coach Greg Gard will have a much more experienced squad for 2018.

Saint Mary’s was a number one seed in the NIT. Saint Mary’s will be without power forward Jock Landale after his graduation. He was one of the best forwards in the nation last year.

WKU handled Austin Peay back in December, winning comfortably with a score of 73-55. The Governors finished 19-15, losing to Illinois-Chicago in the Collegeinsider.com Postseason Tournament to end their season.

WKU will travel to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to take on the Razorbacks as a result of an agreement by both teams in March. Both programs’ basketball and football teams will play a homein-home series. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.

Arkansas will return potential 2019 lottery pick Dan Gafford to its 2018 squad.

The Hilltoppers will look to avenge

their opening loss of the 2017-18 season at Missouri State. WKU attempted to rally after falling behind early, but Missouri State hung on to win 85-80.

WKU handled Eastern Kentucky 8351 in Diddle Arena in late November 2017. New head coach A.W. Hamilton will try to get EKU back on track this season.

The Hilltoppers will travel to Terre Haute, Indiana, to take on the Sycamores as well. WKU had their way with Indiana State in December 2017, winning 81-65.

Wright State didn’t stand much of a chance in Diddle Arena in 2017 either, falling to the Hilltoppers 78-60. They’ll look for revenge in Dayton, Ohio, this fall.

WKU has two slots left to fill on its non-conference schedule for next season.

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

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LIFE C1

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

LIFE Local domestic violence shelter gives victims a safe space

BY LAUREL DEPPEN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Summer Olympic Games will feature climbing as part of “a package of new events” aimed at a youthful demographic. Karcher said that climbing’s upcoming inclusion will help resolve common misconceptions about the sport.

“Climbing becoming an Olympic sport is exciting for the entire industry because people are going to see that it is much more than just trying to pull yourself up a wall,” Karcher said.

“We want to help everyone realize that climbing is a mentally and physically challenging sport that someone at any fitness level can do. We love climbing, and spreading that love is our goal.”

WKU junior Brent Andrews, the founder and president of the WKU climbing club, is also set on expanding climbing’s footprint. For disclosure purposes, Andrews works in circulation for the College Heights Herald.

He said he spends his Friday evenings with climbing club members at Vertical eXcape.

“I have been climbing for five to six years, so when I got to WKU I was a bit bummed out to find that there wasn’t a group of people that were rock climbers,” Andrews said. “I eventually met a few guys that liked to climb, and after the gym opened I got to know even

The Barren River Area Safe Space, BRASS, is a shelter in Bowling Green for victims of domestic abuse.

BRASS offers a wide variety of services focused on providing victims of domestic violence with resources to rebuild their lives. Its facility contains almost 30 beds for women and children in crisis.

The programs offered at BRASS extend past just providing a safe place.

According to their website, BRASS provides counseling, crisis lines, legal and medical advocacy and financial assistance.

Tori Henninger, executive director of BRASS, said that its programs are meant to put people back on their feet.

Their services also include helping victims find jobs and providing childcare.

Henninger said she always enjoyed nonprofit work. Through BRASS, she said she is able to give a voice to people who aren’t able to have a voice for themselves.

“I am a firm advocate and have a very strong belief in equality, in the ability for everyone to rise to their personal best,” she said.

Pam Hurt, BRASS assistant director, has worked for the organization for 20 years. Hurt explained that her work for BRASS includes teaching victims of domestic violence to put themselves first.

“We teach them how to rebuild themselves and make them believe that they are worthy, that they are empowered,” Hurt said.

Hurt explained the importance of victims of domestic violence getting out of abusive situations so they don’t pass it on to their children.

“Domestic violence is ultimately all about the ability and the power to control one person has over the other,” she said.

Hurt emphasized that BRASS exists to help victims take that control back.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which is meant to spread knowledge of sexual assault and to teach people how to prevent it. Hurt said domestic violence and sexual assault go hand in hand.

Henninger said that BRASS works to provide the kind of physical and mental help that victims of sexual violence may need.

“Unfortunately, often sexual assaults come within the realm of domestic violence,” she said.

Henninger said that BRASS works closely with Hope Harbor, Bowling Green’s sexual trauma recovery center, to ensure victims get the treatment they need.

Henninger recalled multiple in-

SEE CLIMBING TREND • PAGE C2

SEE BRASS • PAGE C2

CHRIS KOHLEY • HERALD

Vertical eXcape in Bowling Green opened in February 2017, and has since contributed to the growing interest in rock climbing in the area, including the founding of the WKU rock climbing club.

CLIMBING IN POPULARITY

Climbing as a sport grows across the country

BY DRAKE KIZER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Climbing is a sport that has seen its popularity increase steadily over the last several years, and if the Bowling Green community is any indicator of the sport’s future, then the industry’s growth will not be slowing down any time soon.

According to Climbing Business Journal, 43 new commercial climbing facilities opened in 2017, almost double the number that were established in 2016, which helped cement 2017 as the most prolific period for climbing in “the past four years” as several U.S. cities saw the opening of their first climbing gyms.

One of the gyms that opened its doors in 2017 was Bowling Green’s first climbing facility, Vertical eXcape.

Vertical eXcape’s Evansville, Indiana, location opened nearly 20 years ago, and the franchise’s owners decided that Bowling Green was a prime site for expansion.

Evan Karcher, the director of operations and head setter at Vertical eXcape, is an Evansville native who has been climbing for about four years.

Karcher said that he worked at the Evansville gym and moved to Ken-

tucky so that he could help build a new gym from the ground up.

“I’m not a local, but everyone I’ve talked to has said Bowling Green needed a place for people who wanted something active to do that wasn’t just lifting weights,” Karcher said. “When we came here there was not much of a climbing community, but after we opened, we brought climbers together.

Now, we have almost 300 members that are continuously coming in to climb.”

According to the Climbing Business Journal, in 2017, 20 “bouldering-only gyms” popped up around the country.

These gyms do not have ropes or harnesses, which limits their membership and provides a “communal feel for members,” according to the Climbing Business Journal. To Karcher, providing a full-service gym in the Bowling Green area was important.

“Rope climbing is very different than bouldering, so we felt like having both was vital to creating a climbing community,” Karcher said. “We have people come in here and only boulder, but we also have people that come in and do nothing but rope. So, we really wanted to have an all-around facility that could make anyone feel like there’s something for them to do.”

According to an August 2016 Climbing Magazine article, the 2020

Bowling Green Fencing Academy hosts theatrical fencing

BY NOAH MOORE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

The Bowling Green Fencing Academy, or BGFA, is extending the plethora of unique activities in Bowling Green to include theatrical fencing.

BGFA is one session into its six-session theatrical fencing courses, which run from April 10 to May 1.

The theatrical fencing classes take place from 7-8 p.m. every Tuesday from April 10 to May 1 at Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Center at 225 Third Ave. The class costs $75 for all six sessions.

The course instructs theatrical fencing inspired by the work of prominent fight choreographers such as Bob

Anderson, who worked on The Princess Bride and Star Wars, and William Hobbs, who worked on The Duellists.

The class is taught through the Bowling Green Parks and Recreation Department, said Stephen Fisher, owner and head coach of BGFA. “I started the Fencing Academy in 2012, but have been fencing since 1996,” Fisher said. “The reason for starting it was to provide quality training available to the public. I was inspired by my experiences in the fencing realm.”

Fisher himself has background in fencing, as he has participated in The Sword Experience with Adrian Paul, an actor known best for his lead role on the fantasy show “Highlands: The Series,” which aired during the 1990’s.

The training was in Knoxville, Tennessee in 2017 and Lexington in 2016 and

allowed Fisher to work with him and learn the optimal skills for fencing, both theatrically and for sport.

The class, being a community event, is also a way for people to collaborate and learn in a low-stress environment, where Fisher says they meet new people, hopefully learn something new and have fun with safety in mind.

Participant Michele Hinton is a writer, mother and avid fan of literature, which is why she said she signed up for the fencing class. She said she wanted to be like the “swashbuckling characters” she sees depicted in film.

“I am a huge fan of Errol Flynn, who always played swashbuckling characters,” Henton said. “In around 1996, I took a few fencing classes at WKU, but could never really keep up with it due to my part-time job, which is why I’m glad to be back.”

The classes Henton took were instructed by Fischer, back when he started the WKU Fencing Club in 1996.

Now her skills have come full circle as she learns from him yet again.

The inaugural class featured a fencing sequence from “The Mark of Zorro,” a 1940 film. The class was open to participants of all ages.

The Bowling Green Fencing Academy also offers classes in beginning Olympic fencing classes for ages six to adult. There are also individual and group training classes three times a week. The classes are also available for after school fencing programs and even birthday parties, Fisher said.

Features reporter Noah Moore can be reached at 270-745-6291 and noah. more786@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter at @noah_moore18.

C2 LIFE

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

WKU student dance organization works beyond dance

BY GRIFFIN FLETCHER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

The National Dance Education Organization WKU Student Chapter does more than just dance.

The group works to provide networking opportunities, honor societies, journals and research and advocacy tools for administrators and students in the field of dance arts education, according to the NDEO website. The WKU Student Chapter lives out this mission by providing its own interlocked honor society, the National Honor Society of Dance Arts, to its members, engaging with the Bowling Green community and performing at local galleries and on campus for free.

WKU Student Chapter President Trevor Edwards, a senior and dance major interested in eventually owning his own nonprofit dance company, said the group has helped him prepare for his future.

CLIMBING TREND CONTINUED FROM PAGE C1 more. I started talking to everyone I met, and they all told me that they’d love to have a climbing club.”

Andrews said that since the climbing club’s first official meeting took place only about a month ago, the group will not be a registered student organization until the Fall 2018 semester. A lot of preparation has already taken place, but Andrews said the club still faces some uncertainty.

“We already have our faculty adviser, but we are currently trying to decide if

BRASS CONTINUED FROM PAGE C1 ter, to ensure victims get the treatment they need.

Henninger recalled multiple instances of victims coming to the shelter as what she described as a shell of

“It’s allowed me to gain experience on how to organize events, how to organize fundraisers,” Edwards said.

“It’s directly correlated with what I want to do in the future.”

As president, Edwards said it has been encouraging to watch the group’s members grow as dancers and active community residents.

“They are so much more than dancers,” Edwards said, referring to the group’s work outside of WKU. Edwards said in a text message that the group is very committed to extending beyond itself, offering two-to-three free dance classes on campus every semester, called Dance Craze, participating in fundraising efforts and performing even at the Bowling Green International Festival.

“It is extremely important for us to maintain our outreach programs with local artists and other community organizations,” Edwards said in the text. “This helps us to spread our art to many different audiences in hopes that they might better understand the

beauty and benefits of dance.”

The group consists of 25 members, primarily dance majors, who meet weekly to discuss outreach events and opportunities, Edwards said. Though members in the group must attend dance classes at WKU, anyone is welcome to the group’s events.

Edwards said in the text that the group’s fundraising ventures are used to gather money for performances and scholarships, which are awarded annually through the WKU Student Chapter to two members who demonstrate the group’s ideals and goals. The group also uses its fundraising to raise awareness among the WKU and Bowling Green communities, he said in the text.

“We do have some small fundraising events each year in order to provide for our organizational events as well as for the two scholarships we give out each year,” Edwards said in the text message. “Our goal this year was to give out two $200 scholarships and we reached that goal with the help of those

different fundraisers.”

Freshman Nicole Christensen, a dance and journalism major from Nashville, joined the group her first semester at WKU. She said the group is always working to engage with other students and community members.

“We’re trying to be the force that brings dance and theatre, particularly dance, down the Hill,” Christensen said, in regards to Gordon Wilson Hall, where many of WKU’s dance classes are held, located atop the Hill. “We’ve tried to collaborate with Bowling Green and with the WKU campus community to bring dance into everyone’s lives.”

The group hosted one of its free Dance Craze events on Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on South Lawn. The group will be looking to host more events starting next semester.

we’re going to be a sport club or just a normal student activities club,” Andrews said. “Right now, there’s about 10 to 12 active members, but there’s been around 30 people who have messaged me about being in the club or come to a meeting, which is a lot more than I would have thought originally.”

The WKU climbing club was established to bring students who like to climb together so that they could share ideas, plan trips and help each other learn. Andrews said that the club is also committed to working with Vertical eXcape to help foster growth in the climbing community.

“Gyms are great because you can

train in the winter when you usually couldn’t climb, but my love for climbing started outdoors,” Andrews said.

“Vertical eXcape has gotten a lot more people interested in climbing, so we would like to work with them on raising money and maybe bolting routes outdoors too. My hope is that we can inspire more people to get outside.”

According to the Climbing Business Journal, the “gym growth rate has not dipped below 6 percent since 2010.”

The climbing industry seems like it is here to stay, and though Andrews is unsure exactly what the future holds, he said he is sure the sport will continue trending upward.

“Climbing is becoming an actual recognized sport that people care about,” Andrews said. “At its core, it is a very inclusive sport. Now that it is becoming more accessible to children, they will grow up at least having an idea of what it is about. Hopefully we can continue encouraging people to care about the environment, their community and each other for years to come.”

the person they once were.

“You could see who that used to be,” she said. “You could see that glimmer of hope and the opportunity for them to try to change and to be the person that they want to be and not have to live under the power and control of another person.”

Henninger said that in cases like

this, the people the victims were when entering the shelter were different than the people they became when they left.

She recalled seeing progress in victims by seeing them laugh and look people in the eye again.

“That is by far the most encouraging thing that we do here,” Henninger said. “[We] help people realize that their

self-worth and their self-esteem is still there, they just have to build it back.”

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

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

Follow Drake on Twitter at @drakekizer_.

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

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LIFE C3

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Student finds way to express himself through drag

BY JULIE SISLER HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Students find many ways to express themselves, whether it’s through art, writing, speech or involvement in clubs. For some students, like senior Marcus Harper, self-expression comes in a different form: performing in drag.

Individuals who perform in drag dress often are in elaborate clothes that are usually associated with the opposite gender. Harper, a drag queen, wears dresses and heels and does his hair and makeup in order to create his character, Scarlett Mascarra.

“Scarlett Mascarra is a fierce, sassy girl who didn’t come to play,” Harper said. “She will twirl the house down boots and leave you wanting more.”

Harper, a film major, has been doing drag for about a year and a half and began performing after attending WKU’s second annual drag show.

“What drew me to drag is the pure art that you can create,” Harper said.

“You are a human canvas and your drag persona is your art. The amount of detail that goes into costumes and makeup is extraordinary.”

Drag requires a great deal of time, money and attention to detail. Performers spend hours perfecting their looks, picking what songs to perform to and choreographing their routines.

It’s something that Harper continues to work on.

Fellow drag queen Venus Knight, who prefers to go by their drag name, said Scarlett Mascarra’s look continues to get better.

“I can tell that she is making improvements on her drag,” Knight said.

“That night [of the WKU drag show]

was the best I have ever seen her look.”

Drag queen Lexi Von Simmons, who prefers to go by their drag name, agreed, saying that Harper’s dedication to drag as an art is amazing and has allowed them to grow more than any other queen Simmons has seen.

“My absolute favorite thing about Scarlett as a performer is that she is completely open to criticism and tips from other queens,” Von Simmons said.

Von Simmons said Harper’s hard work is evident in the finished product.

Scarlett Mascarra’s looks and routines are polished and show just how dedicated Harper is to the art.

Aside from the challenges that come with creating and maintaining the look required to participate in drag, Harper says that getting booked is one of the biggest struggles in the business, especially as a college student.

Even though Bowling Green doesn’t have as large of a drag community as places like Louisville and Nashville, Harper said that there is a large support system here.

Despite the long hours and hard work, Harper has found a creative outlet that has also helped him grow both in and out of his character.

“Doing drag has let me come out of my shell,” Harper said.

According to Harper’s friend, senior Hannah Bright, his involvement in drag has not only helped his confidence, but also given him something unteachable.

“He has a presence wherever he goes, on or off stage,” Bright said. “I think that’s what makes him such a fun person to be around.”

Harper said that his character helped him become a better person off

MADDY NAVIN • HERALD

Travis Lizer puts on makeup before the annual Housing and Residence Life drag show on April 5 at the Sloan Convention Center. Lizer goes by “Cheryl Cheva” on stage and was one of the co-hosts for the night.

the stage as well.

“I am a very shy person but there is something about it when I turn into Scarlett that lets me be more confident and outgoing,” Harper said. “And that has translated more and more into my everyday life.”

Harper also expressed his love for the drag culture and community, saying that he has experienced only love and support from the drag community.

“There is a sense of unity between the queens,” Harper said.

Von Simmons said something similar.

“We consider ourselves a sisterhood,” Von Simmons said. “We help each other and give each other room

to grow and get what better at what we do.”

Harper also noted the support from those outside the community, citing the huge turnouts and support from those around him.

“If that [the turn out] doesn’t show the support, I don’t know what does,” Harper said.

Though the road to drag royalty isn’t an easy one, Harper thinks it’s worthwhile.

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

Next academic year to be International Year of Cuba

BY NOAH MOORE HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

As the International Year of Bosnia and Herzegovina comes to an end, a new country will step into the spotlight, but this time, it’s one a bit closer to home.

The Office of International Programs has recently announced that the next country to be featured by the yearlong program for the 2018-2019 academic year is Cuba.

The “International Year Of,” or IYO, program debuted featuring the International Year of Ecuador, followed by South Africa, South Korea and this year, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The year’s events include author visits, food exhibitions, cultural presentation and an exhibition at the Kentucky Museum on campus.

The program exists to be a pillar of international education. It presents a way for the entire community to study

the country’s culture without visiting, but the process for country selection can be intensive, said Lauren Reyes, programming coordinator with the Office of International Programs.

“The Office of International Programs puts out a call for proposals a few years in advance of each IYO and a group of faculty with expertise in a particular country will collaborate on a proposal,” said Reyes. “Once a country is selected, the faculty who proposed it play an integral role in implementing the IYO.” Reyes said the fact that Cuba is one of America’s closest neighbors, yet still has such a foreign feeling to it, is the reason for choosing it as next year’s IYO. “We felt it was an opportune time for the WKU community to engage in a meaningful exploration of our Caribbean neighbor,” Reyes said. “Multiple WKU faculty have a history of scholarship in and pertaining to Cuba, and we hope to shine a light on the unique nature of Cuban life, business, sports,

academia and more.”

The emphasis on exploring foreign cultures hits home for certain students in particular, like Hilltopper Organization for Latin American Students, or HOLAS, junior Juan Zamora. Zamora said he is excited that the program is featuring his home country and is ecstatic to see his culture introduced to the community in such an authentic way.

“We are very excited to be having a Latin American country exhibited and recognized here at WKU,” Zamora said. “Cuba is such a beautiful country filled with so much culture and fun.

We can’t wait for our students, staff and community to get to know Cuba better.”

As far as the future of the IYO program looks, the 2019-2020 academic year will be a gap year for the program as they delve deeper into connections made previously and work to better the program, and the 2020-2021 academic year has been announced as the International Year of Kenya, which

Reyes said she is thrilled about.

“My favorite thing about the IYO is getting to see the WKU community learn and become invested in a part of the world that they previously may not have felt a connection with,” Reyes said. “This year, by exploring Bosnia and Herzegovina through a variety of different disciplines, we got to introduce many students, faculty and staff to a beautiful, complex country and encourage further inquiry that we hope will continue long after the IYO concludes.”

A contest for the logo design was held for the International Year of Cuba. The winning logo is scheduled to be revealed April 19, and event information and festivities will be released soon after.

Features reporter Noah Moore can be reached at 270-745-6291 and noah. more786@topper.wku.edu.

Follow him on Twitter at @noah_moore18.

C4 LIFE

TUESDAY, APRIL 17, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

MICHAEL BLACKSHIRE • HERALD

Stuart Burris has been a chemistry professor at WKU for 15 years, but in his spare time he is involved with Boy Scouts of America. “All of the activities that we do as adult scouters, we do for the boys. Thats our tagline. I have a teenage son, and he’s a reason why I became an adult scouter,” Burris said.

Professor receives award from Boy Scouts

BY LAUREL DEPPEN HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

Stuart Burris, associate professor and department chair in the chemistry department, said his history with the Boy Scouts of America started when his son came home with a flier. Now, 10 years later, he has been recognized for his dedication to the organization with the Silver Beaver Award.

The Silver Beaver Award is presented to a registered adult leader who has shown dedication, hard work and self-sacrifice through their years of service with the Boy Scouts, according to a press release. It is awarded to leaders who have made an impact on the youth they serve.

Burris serves as the Wapiti District Chair and a committee member for Troop 705 in Bowling Green.

When Burris first started attending

Cub Scout meetings with his son, he described himself as “the dad to sit in the corner and watch things happen.”

He said he slowly kept getting more involved. At the end of that academic year, his son’s den leader moved to Texas. Burris said that he asked him to take over.

Burris helped to build Troop 705 with David Knoche in 2012. Burris recalled being in the right place at the right time to start the troop. Burris said the troop began with six boys but now has grown to around 50. tKnoche and Burris met when their sons began scouting together.

Josh Brown, district executive of the Wapiti district, called Burris one of the most dedicated scout leaders he has ever met.

“He is the embodiment of what being a scouter truly is,” Brown said.

Burris continued to work in several positions in different troops and com-

pleted several projects and events. He said the phrase he keeps in mind is, “It’s for the boys.”

Though never a Boy Scout himself, Burris said he enjoyed the work the Boy Scouts were doing and how it was focused on building character.

“It’s mostly focused on citizenship and personal development, and it’s woven around fun,” Burris said.

Knoche said that Burris’s Silver Beaver Award is well-deserved.

“He has been tireless and had made a great deal of personal sacrifice to see these boys grow and develop to learn the goal of scouting – that being to teach them to be able to make moral and ethical choices in all they do for the rest of their lives,” Knoche said in an email.

According to a press release, Burris was nominated by the Lincoln Heritage Council of the Boy Scouts of America.

Burris called the award an honor.

“You get recognized for this award, I think, for doing what you do,” he said.

“You get recognized for serving youth and being a valuable person to the growth of the boys in the program.”

Burris has been the recipient of many other awards related to scouting including the Unit Leader Award of Merit, Scouter’s Training Award, Scouter’s Key, Good Shepherd Religious Award, and is a member of the Order of the Arrow, the press release stated.

The Silver Beaver Award was presented to Burris on April 14 at a ceremony in Elizabethtown.

“You get involved, and you don’t do this stuff for you,” Burris said. “It’s always for the boys.”

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

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