November 2, 2017

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017

WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 93, ISSUE 21

Faculty regent aims to tackle budget issues, strategic plan

BY REBEKAH ALVEY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

A new faculty regent was elected last week following two inconclusive elections.

After spending over 25 years at WKU, Claus Ernst, a mathematics professor, was named the new faculty regent on Friday afternoon after the University Senate Executive Committee certified the election results.

Liz Sturgeon, vice chair of the university senate and a nursing professor, said before the initial election, four candidates sent information about themselves and what their goals would be Claus as faculty regent to Ernst all the faculty, and then participated in Mathematics an in-person and onprofessor line forum.

The first faculty regent election took place on Oct. 13, but was non-certifiable because none of the four candidates received over 51 percent of the votes. The second election took place on Oct. 20 and consisted of the two candidates with the most votes, Ernst and journalism professor Mac McKerral, from the previous election. The results of the second election were thrown out due to “ineligible voting” by part-time faculty members.

Ernst said the election is governed by a Kentucky statute which states that the faculty regent must be a faculty member with a professor status or higher. Ernst said the statute also states voters must be a full-time instructor.

After the second election, Sturgeon said the committee met and decided to not certify the results due to ineligible personnel or parttime faculty voting, in violation of SEE FACULTY • PAGE A2

GRACE PRITCHETT • HERALD

Fort Wright junior Rachel Peavler plays Columbia in the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Tuesday in the Capitol Arts Center. Peavler described the cast as being “accepting and outgoing” and said “people can come out of their shell in Rocky. They put on their costumes and suddenly they are the character.”

GREAT SCOTT! Students perform ‘Rocky Horror’

BY LYDIA SCHWEICKART HERALD.PHOTO@WKU.EDU As the original “Rocky Horror Picture Show” played behind them, WKU students re-enacted the film live on Halloween at the Capitol Arts Theater, an annual tradition of the WKU Campus Activities Board.

“Halloween isn’t Halloween without Rocky Horror,” said sophomore Jeanie Battaglia, who played Trixie.

The cast rehearsed for three weeks leading up to the performance, and consisted of both experienced and first-time Rocky performers.

Graduate student Amira Byrant performed her third and last performance as Riff Raff this year.

“It’s definitely an experience you can’t anticipate, and it’s a really fun way to spend my Halloween,” she said.

GRACE PRITCHETT • HERALD

SEE ROCKY HORROR • PAGE A8

Junior Madeline Louise waits backstage during the performance of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Tuesday. This is Louise’s third and last year in Rocky Horror.

Music department, ISEC receive Sisterhood grants

BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU

The WKU Sisterhood, an organization of women dedicated to helping WKU, awarded two $20,000 grants to two different projects at its annual meeting on Oct. 27.

The two recipients were “Bridging Cultures through Music,” led by violin professor Ching-Yi Lin, and the Intercultural Student Engagement Center Academy, or ISEC Academy, led by executive director Martha Sales.

“Bridging Cultures through Music” is a project designed to give college students in the violin program an opportunity to teach students learning English as a second language. Lin said most of the ESL students are refugees or immigrants living in Bowling Green.

“I’m very touched that the members of the Sisterhood grant also saw the value in this project,” Lin said.

Lin said the $20,000 grant will cover the cost of the ESL students’ violins.

She said the idea for the project came from her own experience as an immigrant. Lin moved from Taiwan to the United States when she was 12 and was unable to speak English at the time.

She said she remembers the challenges of living in a country where she did not speak the language and she wanted to reach out to students in a similar position.

“The best way for me to reach out to them was through music, because music is the universal language,” Lin said.

Lin said violin students who have experience teaching violin will be given priority. She said she will also include SUBMITTED BY CHING YI LIN

SEE GRANTS • PAGE A2

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

A2 NEWS GRANTS CONTINUED FROM FRONT her students in the Pre-College Strings Program, a program that offers violin, viola and cello lessons to young people between 5- and 18-years-old. She said young musicians in Bowling Green can also volunteer to participate teaching violin to the ESL students.

Lin said the program is restricted to only students in the violin program right now but she would like to see the program expand, and eventually, it may include other instruments.

The $20,000 grant given to ISEC Academy will also help the program grow, Sales said. She said the grant will be used to welcome the ISEC Academy’s 2018 cohort. ISEC Academy is a WKU initiative that assists first-year students of color who may be first-generation college students or Pell Grant eligible with their “transition, persistence and graduation,” Sales said.

Sales said it was the students in the program who inspired her to apply for the grant.

“I did it for the students,” Sales said.

Sales said most of the money will cover the cost of the multi-day orientation held to welcome the students the weekend before MASTER Plan.

Sales said students who participate in the orientation move in on Friday night.

That night they learn “everything Hilltopper,” including the fight song. The students and their parents also participate in different sessions where they talk to stakeholders and faculty members on campus.

Sales said the students spend early Saturday at the WKU Farm participating in team building activities. They learn about their mind, body and soul in afternoon sessions. Sunday includes a scholar lunch and a ceremony officially inducting students into the ISEC Academy.

FACULTY REGENT CONTINUED FROM FRONT Kentucky Revised Statute 164.321.

Ernst said current faculty regent Barbara Burch will remain in the position and attend the December graduation until he can be inducted at the next Board of Regents meeting on Jan. 27.

Ernst said he will be replacing Burch now through the strategic planning process because it will be a more longterm commitment. He said as faculty regent, he will be a part of a committee and at the end of the planning process, be able to vote with the Board of Regents.

When it comes time to vote on the strategic plan, Ernst said he understands his vote cannot completely sway a board of 11 people, but he said he hopes he can have some influence in the decision-making process.

Throughout his time as faculty regent, Ernst said his role is to watch over the interests of academics and to represent the faculty voice.

Sturgeon said the importance of a faculty regent is to express the opinions of the faculty to the Board of Re-

Sales is also the director of TRIO, a government program designed to help disadvantaged individuals access college, and she said part of her job includes writing grant applications. She said this experience made writing the application for the WKU Sisterhood grant easier.

Sales said she was “pleasantly surprised” when she found out ISEC was one of the top five applicants. She said she used part of her five-minute presentation in front of the WKU Sisterhood to tell the audience about ISEC Academy’s program purpose and impact. She said after her presentation, she waited outside of the room with the other applicants. Once the decision had been made they were invited back into the room and told who had been chosen to receive the money.

“It makes you feel great,” Sales said of receiving the grant.

Sales said the $20,000 will not cover all of ISEC Academy’s needs, so she will continue to apply for grants to secure more funding.

The WKU Sisterhood started in 2009 and is a philanthropic organization “advancing university priorities,” according to the organization’s brochure.

The group of women pay an annual fee of $1,000 each, according to the organization’s website. The money is pulled together and given as grants to selected applicants.

Grants are awarded each year at the group’s annual business meeting, according to the organization’s website.

Sales said five finalists this year gave five-minute presentations during the lunch explaining why they applied for the grant. This year’s lunch was Oct. 27.

The two winning applicants were announced later that same day.

Reporter Emma Collins can be reached at 270-745-6011 and emma.collins399@topper.wku.edu.

gents.

“Here at WKU, the Faculty Regent participates in Senate Executive Committee meetings and senate meetings in an advisory capacity, to hear and understand the needs of the faculty, and to inform faculty of the work that the Board of Regents is doing,” Sturgeon said.

One of the main challenges Ernst said he hopes to tackle is WKU’s financial issues. He spent the 2015-16 and 2016-17 academic years as head of the University Senate Budget and Finance Committee, which he said gives him a lot of insight into the current financial situation.

While approaching the issue, Ernst said he thinks it is important to have knowledge on the situation in his position and is necessary to completely understand to make a decision.

“Very few faculty members would know more than me about the budget,” Ernst said.

Reporter Rebekah Alvey can be reached at 270-745-6011 and rebekah. alvey660@topper.wku.

CORRECTION A story that appeared in Tuesday’s edition of the paper titled, “Regents discuss drop in enrollment, diversity plan,” stated WKU’s fall 2017 retention rate was lower than five out of eight state universities. That comparison looked at the retention rate for first-time, first-year students, not first-time, full-time baccalaureate students to compare to other state universities. The Herald regrets the error.

CRIME REPORTS • •

• • •

•

• •

Louisville freshmen Barry L. McAlister and Jay S. McAfee were cited on Oct. 27 for possession of marijuana in Hugh Poland Hall.

Hendersonville, Tennessee, freshman Morris Cox and Nashville freshman Cameron Tompkins were cited on Oct. 28 for possession of drug paraphernalia in Hugh Poland Hall.

Monroe, Connecticut, freshman Brian Denham was cited on Oct. 29 for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in Hugh Poland Hall.

Fairdale freshman Ethan Hall was cited on Oct. 29 for possession of alcohol by a minor in Hugh Poland Hall.

Lagrange freshman Austin M. Perkins reported on Oct. 30 that his iPhone 7 was stolen from the Preston Center basketball courts. The phone was valued at $300.

Paducah freshman Travance L. Davenport was arrested and on Oct. 31 in the Pearce-Ford Tower Courtyard after a complaint about the smell of marijuana. Davenport was charged with possession of marijuana, trafficking less than eight ounces of marijuana and trafficking within 1,000 feet of a school.

Lexington freshman Adrionna M. Williams was arrested on Oct. 31 in Pearce-Ford Tower for a Fayette County District Court e-warrant.

Vanderburgh, Indiana, freshman Kamron M. Dickens was cited on Oct. 31 for possession of marijuana in the Pearce-Ford Tower Courtyard.

NEWS A3

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

Kentucky Museum hosts community heritage day

BY MATT STAHL

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The Kentucky Folklife Program and WKU Library Special Collections will hold a Community Heritage Day on Saturday in the Kentucky Museum.

The event, which is sponsored by a National Endowment for the Humanities Common Heritage grant, will allow participants to bring significant items to the Kentucky Museum to be digitized. The first 150 participants will receive a free flash drive to store the digitized versions of items, and the digital versions will also be stored in the Kentucky Museum archives with the participant’s approval.

Three digitization stations will be open from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. During the hour in between, Sarah M. Schmitt, from the Kentucky Oral History Commission, and Maria Lewis, from WKU Library Special Collections, will host a workshop on researching and documenting

newly-arrived Kentuckians, including family oral history.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. another station Bosnians and including the Hispanic will open, where participants will be and Mexican communities. We are trying to show the fact that we are all one able to ask archivists questions.

“Whether your family has been here large group as Kentuckians.”

Virginia Siegel, a folklife spefor two weeks or 200 years, cialist in WKU’s folklife prowe’re all part of this fabric of gram, said the event will tie in Kentucky,” Brent Bjorkman, perfectly with the folklife prodirector of the Kentucky Mugram’s goals. seum, said. “Objects, things “We are a state folklife orthat are important to you, docganization,” Siegel said. “We uments, family letters that document, present and conare personal and intimate, we serve the diverse traditions and would love to be able to have Brent culture of the Commonwealth. some of those things, so this is Bjorkman That’s educational programa really interesting way to meet ming, events like this, that give new people.”

Director of Bjorkman also said he ex- Kentucky hands on experience and training to students in the program pected many groups of people Museum in the area to participate, and here, but also scholars across the event’s grant was written the state. That’s also growing with Bowling Green’s large Bosnian the Folklife archives here at WKU Licommunity in mind. brary Special Collection.”

“We wrote this grant thinking about Siegel said she thought the event was the Bosnians,” Bjorkman said. “We important for community members. want to include people who have what “Not only will it grow our archive you might think of as old-time Ken- here at WKU, which we want people tucky stuff, but we’re also open to more to see as a repository for the commu-

nity, a place that is trusted to help tell our community story, but also, events like this are important because I think they empower community members to think about how they themselves can better store and protect their family stories,” Siegel said.

Siegel said she thought the data and archives gathered at the event would be useful for people in the future.

“The people bringing in the items are the experts,” Siegel said. “We want them to tell us why this item is important to them, so we make sure we capture that in the metadata along with the digital file, so that way someone who stumbles upon this 10 years from now in our archive won’t just find a random image, but they’ll find an image with notes about why the person who brought it in thought it was important and the story behind it.”

Reporter Matt Stahl can be reached at 270-745-6011 and matthew.stahl551@ topper.wku.edu.

Students named semifinalists in national competition

BY ADRIANNA WATERS

HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU Four students from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science were named national semifinalists in the 2017 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology.

Second-year students at Gatton Academy Keelee Pullum, Daniela Zieba, Wren Jenkins and Camuel Hart were recognized as semifinalists. Gatton Academy was the only school in Kentucky to have students recognized as semifinalists.

The Siemens Competition is a U.S. science research competition for high school students. The 2017 competition received over 1,860 entries, with 491 entries recognized as semifinalists.

Cheryl Kirby-Stokes, the Academic Opportunities Coordinator for Gatton Academy, said Gatton students have been participating in the Siemens Competition since 2009. This year, 27 students applied for the competition, the highest number in Gatton history, Kirby-Stokes said.

The Siemens Foundation aims to “advance workforce development and education initiatives in science, technology, engineering and math,” according to their website. The Siemens Foundation established the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology in 1999.

Kirby-Stokes said the competition has “nothing but good impacts” for participants.

“It gives them their first experience at writing bona-fide research reports, they get to work as professionals with professionals, the research report has many times led to publication in science journals and they also are able to use the research they’ve completed to enter other prestigious science and scholarship committees,” Kirby-Stokes said.

According to Pullum, participants had to gather data about a research project and submit a written report with a maximum of 18 pages. This was Pullum’s first time entering a research-based competition, and she said completing the project took months of research.

Pullum began her research with Noah Ashley, assistant professor of biology, in February. She worked on research in neurobiology about the effects of sleep fragmentation on other parts of the brain and body.

Spending months on her research, Pullum said she ran into “stumbling blocks” with difficulties concerning pieces of equipment and staining protocols. She also found writing the report challenging because the writing style

was “technical” and “foreign.”

Jenkins and Zieba collaborated together on their research project called Shovelware, which is a mix of computer science and anthropological archaeology. Specifically, the project focused on cloud computing in computer science and bioarcheological classification in archaeology.

Zieba said she began doing research in the WKU Cloud Engineering Lab under Jeffrey Galloway, assistant professor of computer science, last fall.

She officially began her project in May after she was inspired by a peer speaking about archaeological class.

Jean-Luc Houle, associate professor of folk studies and anthropology, advised her on the relevancy of computer science to archaeology, and Jenkins joined the project in the summer of 2017, focusing on the bioarcheological component.

While Jenkins and Zieba have attended undergraduate research confer-

”It was a sincere pleasure working with these talented and interesting young people, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish in the future.”

Gatton academic opportunities coordinator CHERYL KIRBY-STOKES

went to England through the Harlaxton program, they finished their research and wrote their report for Siemens.

Hart began his research in September with the assistance of Claus Ernst, mathematics professor, focusing on knot theory, which is a subfield of the mathematical area of topology. In his research, Hart and Ernst examined a possible algorithm for knot theory.

While none of the students were named regional finalists in the Siemens Competition, their research does not end there. Zieba and Jenkins plan on making more progress in their research and targeting undergraduate research opportunities.

Likewise, Pullum said she wants to continue with research in the future.

“Research is my passion,” Pullum said. “In biomedical research, you get the opportunity to make contributions to science that could potentially help

millions of people.”

Although the students did not advance in the competition, Lynette Breedlove, the director of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Sciences, said she was proud of the students for participating in the research project despite busy academic schedules.

Likewise, Kirby-Stokes said she “couldn’t be prouder.”

“The Siemens Competition is a complicated and time-consuming application, so it takes a great deal of effort on the student’s part to complete the process,” Kirby-Stokes said. “It was a sincere pleasure working with these talented and interesting young people, and I cannot wait to see what they accomplish in the future.”

Reporter Adrianna Waters can be reached at 270-745-6011 and adrianna. waters406@topper.wku.edu.

Name: 4491/Academic Affairs; Width: 4.8125 in; Depth: 10.42 in; Color: Black; File Name: /Volumes/Herald/Advertising/Production Staff/Current Issue:11-2-17 CHH:4491-Academic Affairs.pdf; Comment: Faculty Awards; Ad Number: 4491 20172018

Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2017.

ences and presented research at high school events, this is their first time entering a competition-based science fair.

According to Zieba, she went through several setbacks before applying for the Siemens Competition.

She applied for the Gatton Research Internship Grant with a different cloud computing project and an internal WKU Grant and was rejected from both.

“I was feeling discouraged when submitting to the Siemens Competition,” Zieba said. “If Gatton and WKU wouldn’t fund me, then it seemed that it was a sign that my projects [and] disciplines wouldn’t be good enough for Siemens.”

However, she continued to work at her project at home and was paid as a WKU research assistant for five weeks this summer. After Zieba and Jenkins

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE @WKUHERALD

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

A4

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

OPINION ABOVE THE FRAY

TWITTER TIME

Is President Tim Caboni doing a good job?

BY TAYLOR HUFF HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

We’re over four months into Tim Caboni’s presidency at WKU, and he’s already inherited issues from former President Gary Ransdell that would be tough for any university presidency still in its infancy. Whether it’s the fact that we’re millions of dollars in debt, the ongoing lawsuit between WKU and the award-winning College Heights Herald publication or the always tough decision of what bowtie to pick out in the morning, Caboni has a lot on his plate.

That’s why we took to Twitter to get feedback on how good of a job our readers think Caboni is doing in his role as president. Given that President Caboni has not been in office for a substantial amount of time, we at the College Heights Herald thought it appropriate to include an “I don’t know” option for this week’s poll for all of you indifferent Hilltoppers just coasting through life.

We asked: “Do you think Caboni has been doing a good job so far as president?”

POLL

Do you think Caboni has been doing a good job so far as president?

Yes: 50%

No: 15%

I don’t know: 35%

Out of 231 votes

ILLUSTRATION BY JENNIFER KING • HERALD

SELLING SHORT The Hill’s enrollment and image problem

BY ERICK MURRER HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

W

KU administrators have an enrollment crisis on their hands.

With international student enrollment on the decline and overall enrollment stagnant, WKU is left with a 15 million-dollar budget shortfall.

But WKU is not alone in its faltering enrollment, as national enrollment figures for post-secondary educational institutions are also on the decline. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, overall post-secondary education enrollment fell by 7.9 percent between 2014 and 2017.

68 percent of chief business officers of colleges and universities named price sensitivity as a leading culprit for declining enrollment. As wages remain stagnant, and university tuition costs continue to increase, many prospective students (particularly those from middle-class backgrounds) wonder if a college degree is still worth the ever-increasing cost.

The college wage premium, the advantage of having a degree, has been touted by educators as one of the most convincing reasons to obtain a college degree.

And they’re right about its value. New

York Fed researchers still hold that college graduates retain a one million-dollar lifetime earnings advantage over those who forwent a college degree. Investing in one’s education is surely worth the cost - a salient point for increasing university enrollment writ large.

After the Board of Regents meeting on Oct 27, President Caboni exclaimed “[WKU does] a terrific job articulating the rational drivers for why folks should come to Western Kentucky University.”

However, Caboni pointed out that the university needs to work on improving retention rates as well as making a stronger “emotional connection” with students. I fundamentally agree with President Caboni – WKU is failing to make an emotional appeal to convince students “Why WKU?” WKU’s enrollment strategy must recognize the decline of Kentucky high school graduates. According to a study conducted by the Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education, Kentucky has witnessed a decline of total high school graduates from five percent to 15 percent between the years 2008 and 2020. WKU cannot afford to appeal only to Kentucky high school graduates because there are simply not enough.

I see WKU’s 94 percent acceptance rate as an attempt to increase enrollment. The lax standard significantly drives retention issues at WKU. Admit-

ting students from subpar academic backgrounds who may be at higher risk of dropping out not only hurts the integrity of WKU, but also incurs significant costs for the Commonwealth. Making WKU an attractive institution will not take place unless the university increases its selectivity.

WKU graduates go on to win Pulitzer prizes, publish ground-breaking research, attend Ivy League schools and perform on Broadway. The case for attending WKU is clear: WKU’s educational quality is relatively comparable to elite universities but at a fraction of the price.

Even so, the lack of admissions selectivity at WKU prohibits the university from fully commanding a “top American university” status.

Faced with a national university enrollment slump compounded by a declining rate of Kentucky high school graduates, WKU must rebrand itself and work diligently to refine its academic reputation by heavily investing in its academic programs and faculty. Campus expansion and revitalization projects should come second.

Only by improving WKU’s academic quality will the university be able to attract more domestic and international students, preserving our credo “The Spirit Makes the Master.” WKU can no longer afford to sacrifice its academic quality.

LOOKING ABROAD

How studying broad leads to ‘journey’ of self-discovery

BY NOLAN HOVELL HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU

During fall break, I spent my time visiting a friend abroad who is studying this semester in Alicante, Spain. In a quick eight days, I had the opportunity to visit three countries in Europe: Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. Locations I’ve only seen in film, monuments I’ve only ever explored in video games and food I’ve only tasted imitations of were all for the first time welcoming my senses and lifting my spirit.

The stressful week of completing future deadlines and settling any lingering concerns before leaving paid off the moment I saw the hills of Spain from my window seat on the plane.

CONTACT US Advertising: 270.745.2653 Editor: 270.745.5044 Opinion: 270.745.4874 Newsroom: 270.745.6011 herald.advertising@wku.edu herald.news@wku.edu herald.opinion@wku.edu 1906 College Heights Blvd #11084 Bowling Green, KY, 42101-1084 www.wkuherald.com

Madrid was the first leg of my trip.

People dressed as movie characters, street performers creating illusions and others going about their day made for a constant stream of life running through the streets lasting until the early morning. The nightlife in Spain was as loud and lively as tailgates on the Hill, possibly even more. A seven-story nightclub, each level with a different type of party and music, was unlike any club or event I had ever attended. Having a friend who spoke Spanish was a blessing that made me desire to brush up on that language so that, when I return to Europe, I will be able to speak for myself more fluently.

After a couple of nights, we flew into Italy. The most humbling moment of the trip was neither the many museums I had the pleasure of walking through nor the art and history that decorated every

inch of wall space. It was the Duomo in Florence. Upon seeing the dome, the highest point in the city, I was brought to tears at the sheer beauty of such a structure. Once our tour made its way to the top, I then felt like a king. Such a unique mix of emotions has inspired me to write many poems about the sight.

Transportation is one of the biggest differences between American and European cities. People use public transportation, which tends to be fairly inexpensive. Travel between countries is accessible and common. In Amsterdam, about 30 percent of citizens bike to work. The street culture meant that it took far less time to get somewhere than in America.

In Amsterdam, the buildings are close together, but the windows are made large so that furniture can be moved in through them. The economic use of

space was common in each country.

The hostels I stayed in tended to have rooms and areas set to accommodate large amounts of people in a smaller and more shared space. In our hostel rooms, anywhere from six to thirty people could sleep comfortably, always in bunk beds. Hostels are a cheap and, in my experience, safe places to rest while traveling through foreign countries.

My friend and translator, Kirk Vessels, whom I traveled with said, “I’ve found studying abroad to be a journey of self-discovery while learning and pushing my limits to become a more understanding person.” The more you know, and the more you see allows you to become a more empathetic and worldly person. This trip has helped me make my decision to study abroad through WKU. Hopefully, this article will persuade others to do the same.

DISCLOSURES

OUR TEAM

REPORT AN ERROR herald.editor@wku.edu

Andrew Henderson* Editor-in-chief

Julie Hubbell* Digital Editor

Brook Joyner* Asst. Photo Editor

Shay Harney* Managing Editor

Monica Kast* News Editor

Sarah Cahill Ad Manager

Taylor Huff* Opinion Editor

Hannah McCarthy* Features Editor

Micayla Kelly Ad Creative Director

Evan Heichelbech* Sports Editor

Craig Ostertag* Design Editor

Will Hoagland Advertising adviser

Mhari Shaw* Photo Editor

Spencer Harsh* Copy Desk Chief

Carrie Pratt Herald adviser

Tyger Williams* Video Editor

Emma Austin* Projects Editor

Chuck Clark Director of Student Publications

Opinions expressed in this newspaper DO NOT reflect those of Western Kentucky University’s employees or of its administration.

*Denotes editorial board members. The Herald publishes on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year. The first copy is free, and additional copies are $1 each, available in the Student Publications Center on Normal Street.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

FUN A5

FUN PAGE Across 1 5 9 14

CLASSIFIEDS Classified Advertising Manager: Will Hoagland

herald.advertising@wku.edu

15

FOR SALE

16

BUY - SELL - TRADE: Games, Records, Comics!

Also, Dvds, Toys, CDs, CCGs, RPGs, more. The Great Escape Records & Comics. 2945 Scottsville Rd (near Greenwood Mall) (270)782-8092

17 18

Note to Readers: The College Heights Herald screens ads for misleading or false claims but cannot guarantee any ad or claim. Please use caution when answering ads, especially when asked to send money or provide credit card information. The College Heights Herald is not responsible for the content or validity of these paid classified ads.

Random Geography

25 26 29

©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

1. In what country is the Albert Canal? (a) The Netherlands (b) Canada (c) Belgium 2. By what name is the Thames River known, as it passes through Oxford? (a) The Isis (b) Mersey (c) Avon 3. What is the capital of Madeira? (a) Funchal (b) Santana (c) Porto Moniz 4. What Italian city was almost destroyed by floods in 1966? (a) Genoa (b) Florence (c) Venice 5. On what island in Nationalist China? (a) Macau (b) Hong Kong (c) Taiwan 6. The Adriatic and Aegean are arms of what sea? (a) Mediterranean (b) Baltic (c) Caribbean 7. What U.S. city was once called New Amsterdam? (a) Boston (b) New York (c) Philadelphia 8. Where in Australia did Captain Cook land? (a) Jervis Bay (b) Venus Bay (c) Botany Bay 9. Which of the following seas is landlocked? (a) Coral Sea (b) Salton Sea (c) Red Sea 10. What is the highest capital city in the world? (a) La Paz, Boliva (b) Bogata, Colombia (c) Quito, Ecuador

33 35 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 46 48 50

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

19 20 21 23

6.a 7.b 8.c 9.b 10.a

53 58

Junk E-mail Lofty lines Stave off Inadvisable action Champagne designation “Norwegian Wood” instrument What’s more Gold medalist Lipinski Pasta choice Like sushi Second fiddle Greek god of darkness Mountain lake Seldom Didn’t just criticize Good Book Caught congers Gibbon, for one Uzbekistan’s ___ Sea Sharpened Urgent request Anita Brookner’s “Hotel du ___” Before Barbara or Clara Nursery rhyme boy Printer type On the beach Use acid Shortens, in a way Don’t take responsibility Encountered

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

6

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

14

15

16

17

18

19

21

20 23

27

28

35

34

29 36

31

32

51

52

43 46

45 48 54

30

40

42

53

13

37

39

38

44

12

25

26

41

11

22

24

33

10

47

49

55

50 56

58

57

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67

Fit to be tied Frisbee Get bushed Blender setting Highlander Settled down Mideast leaders They, in Trieste Luau strings

Down 1 It’s catching 2 Kind of cap 3 Be impudent, as a child 4 Jersey call 5 Dense 6 Lackluster

7 Coin with 12 stars on it 8 Maze word 9 Aimed for 10 ___ sausage 11 It’s active in Sicily 12 Diatribe 13 Genealogist’s work 21 Without a doubt 22 Challenged 24 Event attended by Cinderella 27 Writer Uris 28 Busybody 30 Fountain order 31 Fencing sword 32 Letter opener?

33 34 36 39 40 42 43 45 47 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 61

Indonesian island Persia, now Grasslands Down the ___ Persian spirit Sofas 11th President Motley fool Badger Circumvent Spooky Printer’s directives Snowman prop Starch Hindu garment Partiality Brings into play Ancient cross

Previous Solution

1 9 3 7 3 9 4 1 2 4 7 5 6 6 5 4 1 8 5 6 4 3 7

8

4

Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

5 1

7 4 3

2

2 5

6

8 9

7 3 8 2 1

1 2

Holiday Open House

4

November 3 & 4, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

WKU Floral Design Training Center and Floral Shop 514 Regents Avenue Join us as we celebrate the holiday season Holiday Decor • Gift Items • Door prizes

6 4

8

Copyright ©2017 PuzzleJunction.com

A6

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

SPORTS

JEFF BROWN • HERALD

Vanderbilt University running back Ralph Webb (7) is tackled by WKU junior linebacker T.J. McCollum (6) during the Hilltopper’s game against Vanderbilt on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016 at L.T. Smith Stadium.

McCollum transferred to Purdue where former Hilltopper head coach Jeff Brohm recently took the head coaching position.

POWER 5 HUNTING Hilltoppers looking for fourth ever SEC win

BY SAM PORTER HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

Inside the WKU football facility is a sign with a list of goals for the 2017 season.

One of those goals is to win a third straight Conference USA championship, which took a huge blow after a 42-28 loss to Florida Atlantic dropped the Hilltoppers to 3-2 in C-USA play.

Another goal on that list is still obtainable: defeat a Power 5 school. The Hilltoppers’ next chance to obtain that goal is this Saturday when WKU travels to Nashville to take on Vanderbilt for the third time in three years. Two years ago in Nashville, the Hilltoppers defeated the Commodores 14-12 in a game that came down to a 2-point conversion stop by now senior cornerback Joe Brown. Last year, the Commodores found revenge in Bowling Green, defeating the Hilltoppers 31-30 in overtime.

“It’s one of our goals we set out in

the preseason,” redshirt senior quarterback Mike White said about beating a Power 5 school. “We have a chance to go down and beat an SEC team. Anytime you get that chance it’s always a fun experience. You grow up watching those SEC match ups, and now we get to be one of those teams that plays in one.”

The Commodores started the season 3-0 -- including a 14-7 victory over then No. 18 Kansas State -- but have dropped five straight games since.

With a loss on Saturday, Vanderbilt’s bowl chances will take a major hit as the Commodores would need to win their final three games in a conference where they are 0-5 so far this season.

The Hilltoppers will see a lot of familiar faces from last year’s loss. Kyle Shurmur returns as quarterback after leading Vanderbilt in passing in 2016.

Ralph Webb, who ran for 95 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s matchup, returns and looks to cap off one of the more decorated, yet unknown, careers in SEC running back history during the final stretch of his college

career. Webb is the 14th all time leading rusher in SEC history and when his career is over, he’ll most likely finish in the top 10 among names such as Emmitt Smith and Bo Jackson. After consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Webb hasn’t had quite the senior season, averaging less than 60 yards per game. Despite that, head coach Mike Sanford still expects Webb to be a factor in Saturday’s game.

“He was one of the best backs in college football going into this season,” Sanford said of Webb. “The storyline that has been interesting with them is they’ve really opened up the throwing game. Kyle Shurmur is playing at high level. They’ve been more of a wideopen attack, but best believe they’re going to want to feed Webb, who has been their bell-cow for the past couple years.”

White and company will look to continue to find success through the air against a Vanderbilt defense that has given up less than 200 yards per game this season. White has thrown 12 touchdowns over the past three games

as WKU is averaging 36 points per game in those contests.The Commodores have struggled more against the run, giving up 238.8 YPG. However, WKU has struggled running the football and ranks dead last in the nation in rushing offense.

“They’re defensively [sound], and they have a good defensive coordinator,” senior wide receiver Nacarius Fant said. “They have a scheme set for the players [Mason] has. It’s in their home stadium and we’re going to have to bring our A-game if we want to get a win. Some of our guys weren’t recruited to schools like Vanderbilt, and they’ll get to get the chance to show themselves on Saturday.”

WKU and Vanderbilt kickoff on Saturday at 11 a.m. at Vanderbilt Stadium.

The game will be televised on ESPNU.

Reporter Sam Porter can be reached at 270-799-8247 and sam.porter270@ gmail.com Follow him on Twitter at @ SammyP14.

Ranked Lady Toppers to face pair of road tests

BY CLAY MANLOVE HERALD.SPORTS@WKU.EDU

After closing out its regular season home slate with a pair of wins over the weekend, the Lady Topper volleyball team will be back on the road for a pair of conference road games this weekend against Rice and Middle Tennessee.

Going into this weekend’s pair of road matches, the Lady Toppers are back in the Top 25 of the AVCA polls for the first time since the second week of play, sitting at No. 25. WKU is ranked No. 35 in the NCAA’s RPI. WKU (25-2 overall, 11-0 Conference USA) has won 21 straight matches dating back to its loss to Illinois Sept. 2 and has won 34 of its last 35 sets. The Lady Toppers have not lost a conference match since Oct. 31, 2015.

That last conference loss came to

Rice, who the Lady Toppers will visit this weekend after defeating the Owls on their home court for last season’s C-USA Championship.

“It’s almost an automatic five-setter when we play Rice,” WKU head coach Travis Hudson said Sunday. “We went there and won the conference championship on their court last year, and I’m certain that there’ll be quite an atmosphere [in Houston] on Friday as they try to return the favor.”

The Owls are stacked with talent yet again and have compiled a 19-6 record in the 2017 season, including a 9-2 mark in C-USA play.

Rice is led on offense by freshman outside hitter Nicole Lennon, who has racked up 369 kills on the season while hitting at an average .162 clip. Following Lennon is sophomore middle blocker Grace Morgan, who has tallied 279 kills on the season while hitting at an average .361 clip.

Sophomore defensive specialist and

Kentucky native Lee Ann Cunningham leads the Owls on defense with 482 digs while Lennon comes in second on the team with 252 digs. Morgan has a team high 101 blocks.

As a team, Rice has hit at an average .223 hitting percentage while holding opponents to a .166 clip and have won nine of its last 10 matches.

The Lady Toppers will leave Houston and travel straight to Murfreesboro, Tenn., to take on the Blue Raiders of MTSU (7-19 overall, 2-9 C-USA).

WKU defeated the Blue Raiders 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-20) on Oct. 1 in Bowling Green. Since then, MTSU has lost seven of its last 10 matches.

The Blue Raiders are led on offense by sophomore outside hitter Dora Peonia, who has tallied 237 kills on the season while hitting at a .193 hitting clip. Following Peonia is junior right side hitter Makila York, who has racked up 204 kills on an average .275 clip.

Defensively, MTSU is led by soph-

omore defensive specialist Brienna Tankesley, who has compiled 280 digs in 2017. Peonia follows close behind with 140 digs while freshman middle blocker Josie Maxim has a team-high 64 blocks.

As a team, the Blue Raiders have mustered only a .167 hitting percentage while allowing opponents to hit at a .273 clip. The Lady Toppers scorched MTSU with a .507 clip in their Oct. 1 match while allowing the Blue Raiders to just a .146 percentage.

The Lady Toppers will close out their regular season schedule with a road game against North Texas next Thursday in Denton, Texas. The Mean Green has the second best record in C-USA, sitting at 22-2 with a 9-1 C-USA record.

Reporter Clay Manlove can be reached at 270-724-9620 or at clayton.manlove475@topper.wku.edu. Follow him on Twitter @ctmanlove58.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

A7

ONE DIFFICULT AND CONTROVERSIAL STORY.

THREE INDEPENDENT NATIONAL CONTESTS.

THREE FIRST-PLACE FINISHES.

EXCELLENT COLLEGIATE JOURNALISM. EXCELLENT JOURNALISM, PERIOD.

WINNER OF 16 NATIONAL PACEMAKER AWARDS

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2017 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

A8

LIFE

PHOTO PACKAGE

CONTINUED FROM PAGE A1

LYDIA SCHWEICKART • HERALD

Rachel Peavler, a Junior, talks with audience members after her performance in the Rocky Horror Picture Show on Tuesday. This was Peavler’s second year acting in Rocky, but her first time playing Columbia.

“I love dressing up,” Peavler said. “This is a chance for me to do what I love without worrying about having to be really good.”

LYDIA SCHWEICKART • HERALD

LYDIA SCHWEICKART • HERALD

Cast of the Rocky Horror Picture Show celebrate before the start of their performance on Tuesday.

WKU’s Campus Activities Board has been putting on Rocky Horror for over 40 years.

Rachel Peavler (left), and Madeline Louise (right), look through photos backstage after their performance in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This is Peavler’s second year performing, and Louise’s third year. “The cast has been so welcoming that I couldn’t imagine not coming back,” Louise said.

WKU Floral Shop readies for the ‘chaotic’ holidays

BY HANNAH MCCARTHY

HERALD.FEATURES@WKU.EDU

When you walk in the front door of the little house on Regents Avenue, evergreens dusted in white and draped in red ribbons line the walls of the rooms.

Snowmen of all sizes and shapes adorn the trees and shelves, beckoning Christmas spirit from all who enter.

If you walk in the back door, a completely different spirit is present. Students and faculty move about the silver lab tables and stacks of unassembled decorations. Drawers and shelves full of vases and twine surround them.

A warmer full of a sticky yellow substance sits on the corner of one of the tables, resembling a messy chemistry experiment.

“That’s a glue pan,” Roger Dennis, clinical assistant professor of floriculture and horticulture, said. “We use it for silk arrangements and things like that.”

This small house, sometimes mistaken for an actual residence, is the WKU Floral Design Training Center and Floral Shop. It is a business, a

classroom, a laboratory and a place for many students to discover new talents.

Dennis, who has worked as a WKU faculty member for 17 years, is also the director of the WKU Floral Shop. He said his favorite thing about his job is seeing the students grow.

“The reward is when you have students that go out and get jobs like at Disney as floral designers or in events at Opryland Hotel and things of that nature,” Dennis said. “That’s what it’s all about. It’s all about making students successful at what they’re doing.”

Many of the students in with the floristry minor tend to go on to work in the hospitality industry, and Dennis said the program caters to this by offering business-oriented classes and training. The students are able to work in the shop as designers, but they also get to cashier and manage orders.

“Not only do we have floral design courses ... but also we have floral shop management so that way they learn about the business and how it is run,” Dennis said. “Also incorporated into the classes, we teach about how to handle large events such as weddings or corporate events.”

One student who participates in

these various activities and classes is Campbellsville senior Amy Murphy.

Murphy is an agriculture major with a horticulture concentration. She has a minor in floristry and now works at the WKU Floral Shop. She said she had come a long way since her first class at the shop.

“The first time I walked in was for a class, and we were doing a lab,” Murphy said. “And honestly I felt overwhelmed because I was like ‘I can’t do this.’”

Now, Murphy is in charge of completing the daily orders. She arranges them according to the exact design plans given. Sometimes she even gets to deliver the flowers herself. Murphy said the job could get unexpectedly hectic.

“We start working on daily orders and trying to get those finished, and then we take phone calls throughout the day. Then if Ms. Debbie’s not here, we’re trying to wait on the customers too. It can be chaotic.”

Although the job can be tough, both Dennis and Murphy love what they do, and they want to be able to share their work with others on campus and in the community.

This week the WKU Floral Design Training Center and Floral Shop will host an open house with door prizes and discounts to engage the public in their hard work. The open house will feature the new holiday decorations and gifts which the store offers from now through the holiday season. It is open to WKU students as well as the entire Bowling Green community.

“I would like to see more students coming in...I think most people think it’s just a classroom or a house,” Dennis said. “I’ve had some students come and knock on the door.”

Dennis hopes the open house will draw new customers and raise awareness around campus of the work that the students and faculty do on a daily basis.

The holiday open house will run on Nov. 3-4 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and more information is available on Facebook.com/WKUFloralShop or on Twitter @WKU_ floralshop.

Features Editor Hannah McCarthy can be reached at 270-745-2655 and hannah.mccarthy760@topper.wku.edu.

GMAT REVIEW COURSE

The Gordon Ford College of Business is AACSB accredited making your degree worth more.

MBA AT WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY

PAY BY OCTOBER 18 & GET $25 OFF

DATES: Starting on Wednesday, October 25th (5 meetings) TIME: 5:00 P.M. PLACE: Grise Hall 530 COST: On-Campus Only $400!

Opportunities to earn GMAT and Book Scholarships!

Contact for more details or visit wku.edu/mba

WKU MBA Choose Online, One-Year On Campus, or Professional For more information email mba@wku.edu or call 270.745.5458