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TTHURSDAY, HURSDAY, SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 222, 2, 22016 016 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 992, 2, IISSUE SSUE 1100
Man airlifted after fight on Center Street late Saturday BY NICOLE ARES HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
the Finance and Administration Cabinet to block the deal between WKU and The Medical Center. “It is apparent from documents we have received that this 99-year, $22 million deal was consummated behind closed doors without using legally-required open competitive processes,” the protest states. The deal between WKU and The Medical Center stems from the Aug. 19 Board of Regents meeting where the board gave approval for Ransdell to enter into the deal with The Medical Center. The deal entailed The Medical Center footing the bill on construction of the new facility, leasing the land of the new building to The Medical Center for 99 years at $1 a year and providing The Medical Center orthopedics teams as the exclusive physicians for WKU’s athletic departments. WKONA claims that while they
A man was hospitalized with serious injuries after a fight on Center Street near campus involving several people, according to the Bowling Green Police Department. An incident report released by police said Cory Johnson, 20, was flown to the University of Kentucky Medical Center with a skull fracture and brain bleeding Saturday night, Aug. 17, after being involved in a fight on 1347 Center St. near the Hyatt Place and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house. Johnson is still in a medically induced coma, Austin Wiard, a close friend and co-worker of Johnson, said Wednesday morning. “It was more of a shock to everybody really,” Wiard said. “First off, I would like to see justice be served to the people who did this to him. But also, we’re at the point where raising the money [for medical expenses] is very important.” On the day of the incident, Wiard, Johnson and others traveled from Frankfort to Bowling Green for a weekend visit with friends. Wiard was not with Johnson when the incident occurred, but he immediately went to The Medical Center in Bowling Green when he found out Johnson was taken there. “We had no clue what his condition was,” Wiard said. “Originally, we got to [The Medical Center] in Bowling Green and the nurse came out and said his condition was too bad to fly to [The University of Kentucky Medical Center.]” However, later that night the nurse told Wiard she had spoken with Johnson’s mother. The decision was made to airlift Johnson to the University of Kentucky Medical Center where he is still being treated. When the police arrived to Center Street Saturday at 1:53 a.m., witnesses Bowling Green junior Emily Pride, Franklin senior Michael Gonzales and Russelville senior Braxton Powell, were caring for the victim, according to the report. When the Bowling Green Fire Department and the Emergency Medical Services arrived on the scene, they both believed Johnson was highly intoxicated, according to the report. Pride told police the fight began
SEE MEDICAL CENTER PAGE A2
SEE FIGHT PAGE A2
Illustration by Jennifer King/HERALD
UP FOR GRABS WKU pulls deal with Medical Center, Will Bid Out Project
BY HERALD STAFF HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
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KU pulled its deal with The Medical Center for the Health Sports Medicine Complex on Tuesday after discussions between the university and the Capital Projects and Bond Oversight committee in Frankfort and plans to put the project out to bid. “Following a lengthy discussion that centered on concerns outlined in a protest letter from WKONA, Western Kentucky Orthopedic and Neurological Associates, WKU officials agreed to issue a Request for Proposals and bid the overall project and all aspects it entails,” Bob Skipper, director of media relations, said in an email. Skipper said WKU officials plan to issue an RFP this coming Monday inviting bids. President Gary Ransdell said there was a good, constructive discussion with the oversight committee, but the committee made
it clear they would be more comfortable with a bidding process. Ransdell said he called afterwards to tell officials at The Medical Center and said they understood the situation and will likely be an aggressive bidder. He also said there will be a committee in place for the RFP process, one in which he will offer no oversight or influence. The university’s decision to pull the deal with The Medical Center comes after WKONA filed a legal protest against the deal between WKU and The Medical Center on Sept. 2. WKONA is the former health services provider for WKU Athletics and is owned by current campus health services provider Graves-Gilbert Clinic. WKONA’s protest was filed to the state Finance and Administration Cabinet and claims procurement laws and regulations to promote fairness and transparency were not followed in the execution of the deal it also called for
Police report on racist letters shows possible motive BY JACOB DICK HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The incident report documenting racist letters sent to a faculty member shows the suspected motive differs from what was previously reported and shows a connection to a candidate for a university position. The incident report also revealed Michelle Jones, assistant dean of University College, was told the incident didn’t violate Kentucky law after an initial interview on Aug. 29 with the campus police. Wednesday afternoon, Jones said
she had not been told by an officer her complaint didn’t constitute a violation of Kentucky law. She also said officers had came to her office last week to follow up on the case and received a sign-up list from the University College meeting. On Aug. 31, a follow up interview was conducted by an officer who contacted Jones by phone to fully document her story. The reporting officer notes he was asked to do a follow up after “new items” became available but did not specify what those new items were. The Herald previously reported Jones said she found three messages
folded individually under her South Campus office door on Aug. 26 after not being in her office for a 10-day period. The documents were typed and printed with racial remarks targeting Jones for being an African-American. The incident report was finally received by the Herald after being previously denied twice and cited as being involved in an ongoing investigation. After a third appeal, the report was sent by the campus police. The report initially classified Jones’ complaint as harassing communications. Kentucky state law statute KRS 525.080 defines harassing communications as con-
tacting a person anonymously, or otherwise, in any form including by phone or electronically in a manner causing annoyance or alarm. Harassing communications is a Class B misdemeanor but is also listed as one of the statutes that can be prosecuted as a hate crime when involving any mention of race, gender or orientation. The Herald originally reported a discussion about diversity and inclusion had occurred at the University College’s first meeting of the semester prior to Jones receiving the letters. Vice Provost for Policies
SEE INCIDENT REPORT PAGE A2