PIES IN THE FACE FOR FUNDRAISING
EDITORIAL: IN WAKE OF THE ELECTION, BUILD BRIDGES
LIFE, PAGE A6
OPINION, PAGE A4
TTUESDAY, UESDAY, NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 115, 5, 22016 016 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 992, 2, IISSUE SSUE 2233
Two SJ&B majors to move schools BY MONICA KAST HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Messages containing sexually explicit language were also found written in chalk on campus. This messages also expressed satisfaction regarding Trump’s victory. Other messages called for the deportation of certain minority groups. Vickrey said she first saw the messages on Nov. 6 when she was walking back to her dorm around midnight. Vickrey claims she noticed several
The advertising and public relations majors will be moving from the School of Journalism and Broadcasting to the communications department, according to Potter College of Arts and Letters administrators. Larry Snyder, Potter College dean, said the goal of the transition will be for the two departments to officially move into the communications department for the fall 2017 semester. “If we can move it any faster then that, we will,” Snyder said. “This is a process though, and it’s going to take a good year to make this a smooth transition.” Snyder said by moving the advertising and public relations departments to the communications department, they would be “strengthening all those departments.” Additionally, Snyder said as Loup Langton, director of the SJ&B, is stepping down as director this summer, it would be a good time to make the change as a new director is hired. “If we were going to make the change … it would be better to do it now, rather than later,” Snyder said. According to the WKU 2016 Fact Book, there were 97 students with a major in advertising, and 139 students with a major in public relations in 2015. Together, the two departments make up 28 percent of the enrollment in the SJ&B. In 2015, there were 253 students enrolled with a major in communications, according to the WKU 2016 Fact Book. Helen Sterk, department head of communication, said they would be “starting the conversations this academic year” about how to successfully move the two departments. Sterk said she was “very excited about the possibilities” that would come from the move. “I think that Dean Snyder saw this as kind of a great opportunity that was going to serve both PR and advertising, and communications,” Sterk said. “What we’re discovering with the students in [communications] is that they need more skills development, so it would be a great benefit to communications to have PR and advertising join us.” Sterk also said there would be benefits for public relations and advertising by giving the students in those majors “access into the communication classes.” Both Snyder and Sterk said the skills development of the advertising and public relations departments would benefit the communications department. “We’re moving from positions of strength,” Snyder said. “This lifts the ceiling of opportunity.” Langton said he found out about the move last month from Snyder. He said that it was a “surprise” to find out that advertising and public relations would be moving to the communications department, and he didn’t have details about what the move will look like. “I think that the success or non-success of it will depend on the details,” Langton said. Langton said he was unsure of how the change would affect the advertising and public relations departments. “I don’t have the details,” Langton said. Langton also gave a written statement to the Herald outlining his thoughts and concerns with moving advertising and public relations, which can be viewed in full online. Other schools with nationally recognized programs in media have gone a different direction than WKU.
SEE TENSION PAGE A2
SEE MOVE PAGE A3
tension
Anti-Trump protesters confront Trump supporters during a protest Wednesday outside of Pearce-Ford Tower. The anti-Trump protest began around 8 p.m. and was joined by counter protesters before being dispersed by police. Jeff Brown/HERALD
Protests, angry messages create conflict across campus after Trump wins presidency
BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Following the results of the 2016 presidential election, a series of protests along with verbal and written messages have created a tense climate on WKU’s campus. After Donald Trump was declared winner of the election in the early hours last Wednesday, supporters and those who do not agree with him have publicly as well as anonymously shared these disagreements. The conflicts started almost immediately, with protests and confrontations, and grew to the point that both President Gary Ransdell and Student Government Association President Jay Todd Richey released a joint statement calling for the university community to calm down and resume showing respect for each other. “Over the past few days, our university community has witnessed numerous incidents of hateful behavior ... ,” Ransdell and Richey wrote in the letter released late Friday. “This is absolutely unacceptable.” The largest conflict occurred Wednesday night, when students who opposed Trump held a protest outside of Pearce-Ford Tower. Several students chanted as they held up signs denouncing Trump, and the display eventually drew a large crowd of both Trump opponents and those who support him. As the protest grew, the atmosphere quickly turned hostile with several altercations occurring between those with opposing views. Some students burned holes in Trump campaign banners while others yelled chants. The crowd attracted the attention of the campus police, and eventually the Warren County Sheriff’s Office was called. Sheriff’s deputies arrested five students for refusing to leave and disorderly conduct. Marianna Baker, an 18-year-old from Junction City, was one of the students arrested. Baker said she believed the protest was necessary because of the election results. “I think it was needed,” Baker told the Herald as she was being arrested. “I don’t think it was violent in any way. I think it was some people coming together to express their opinion in a very intense time.”
Louisville senior Kane Reye´s, 22, embraces Owensboro junior and Delta Zelta sorority member Ariel Moore while the sorority gives out free hugs on Friday at Centennial Mall. Kathryn Ziesig/HERALD Earlier last Wednesday, a group of anti-Trump protesters, including some WKU students, marched from the Warren County Justice Center to Fountain Square Park. Participants held signs criticizing the president-elect. Since the election, some students have also received anonymous notes containing negative messages referring to race, religion and sexuality. Princeton freshman Helen Vickrey, a member of the Student Government
near the top of the hill. The poster called for white people to take a stand against anti-white propaganda and to end white genocide. It contained links for two white supremacy websites. “I have received many pictures of not only from campus but of Bowling Green in general of people receiving either threats or receiving notes that fall into that of a hate crime,” Vickrey said. “And every time I have seen ‘Trump 2016’ on these notes.”
I don’t think it was violent in any way. I think it was some people coming together to express their opinion in a very intense time.” Marianna Baker, student arrested at PFT protest Association and chair of MyCampusToo, said a fellow SGA member showed her a racist note his Pakistani friend had found outside of his apartment at Hilltop Club, formerly College Suites. The note contained a racial slur and ended with “Trump 2016.” Several similar notes posted on Facebook referenced Trump and said it was “time to purge.” Vickrey said she was also sent a picture of a poster found on campus