WKU College Heights Herald - Jan. 29-March 3, 2024 by College Heights Herald

INVENTING YOURSELF ON THE HILL

HILLTOPPER HALL UPDATE:

Who owns WKU’s residence halls? PAGE 17

JAN. 29 - MARCH 3, 2024

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CONTENTS VOLUME 99 ISSUE 4 Print edition published three times each semester by WKU Student Publications at Western Kentucky University. First copy: free | Additional copies: $5

EDITORIAL BOARD Alexandria Anderson Editor-in-Chief Dominic Di Palermo Photo Editor Debra Murray Engagement Editor Ella Galvin Design Editor Jake McMahon Sports Editor

Caroline Chubb Video Producer Molly Dobberstein News Editor Ali Costellow Assistant News Editor Price Wilborn Commentary Editor Emmy Libke Social Media Editor

OTHER LEADERS AND ADVISERS Emma Bayens Bailey Brush Cherry Creative Directors Abby Loftus Advertising Manager Carrie Pratt Herald Adviser

Wes Orange Advertising Adviser and Sales Manager Chuck Clark Student Publications Director

POLICIES

Opinions expressed in the College Heights Herald are those of student editors and journalists and do not necessarily represent the views of WKU. Student editors determine all news and editorial content, and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR PASSIONS PROVIDE OUTLETS FOR SELF-EXPRESSION CHINESE MUSIC CLUB BRINGS NEW SOUND TO THE HILL INSIDE THE BOWLING GREEN WARMING CENTERS KENTUCKY MUSEUM EXHIBITS CURATOR DETAILS RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S CULTURE WHO OWNS WKU’S RESIDENCE HALLS? ‘FORENSICS TEACHES YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR WORDS’

04 05 09 12 14 17 20

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Hi everyone! After a very snowy start to this semester, I hope everyone is glad to be back on campus. At the Herald, we have hit the ground running, continuing to post our daily news coverage, features, photo galleries and videos, as well as work on the newsmagazine you’re holding now. In this issue, we tackled a variety of topics, ranging from student artistic expression to Bowling Green’s response to the winter weather. A key story in this issue describes the relationship between WKU and the Student Life Foundation, the owner of the university’s residence halls. With the recent Hilltopper Hall student relocation and the hall’s construction issues, the Herald plans to follow this story closely, providing reporting on student reactions, long-term plans and what caused the construction problems. On the back cover of this issue, we also featured information on how to join the Herald staff – at the start of any semester is a great time to get involved, and the Herald offers opportunities for anyone interested in writing, photography, video, opinion writing and more. Apply online at apply. wkuherald.com if this sounds like you. The release date of this issue, Jan. 29, also marks the Herald’s 99th birthday! From its original release in 1925 to now, the College Heights Herald has served as an independent, completely student-run news outlet for the students, faculty and staff of WKU. We hope to continue that legacy and build upon those decades of strong journalism. I hope you enjoy the issue! Sincerely,

Alexandria Anderson Editor-in-Chief

PHOTO BY CARRIE PRATT

PASSIONS PROVIDE OUTLETS FOR SELF-EXPRESSION

By Ali Costellow

NATHAN NEAL

Nathan Neal, a sophomore dance major, initially started dancing when he joined his peers in an after-school dance program in the 4th grade. Once in middle school, he stopped dancing, but decided to become serious about the art again during his last half of high school. “When I wasn’t dancing, that’s when I went through one of the most roughest

points in my life,” Neal said. “I had no outlet to express anything.” During his senior year, Neal started going to a dance studio, taking classes and training every day he was able to. He has learned technique in several dance styles, including tap, jazz, hiphop, African and modern, with contemporary and ballet being his favorites. “The way I am able to express myself through the movement is just wonderful,” Neal said.

Wanting to continue his training beyond high school, Neal decided to pursue dance as his major. He participated in the 2022 WKU Summer Dance Intensive, a week-long experience designed to provide high school dancers with the opportunity to see what it would be like to be a student in the dance program. Neal said that attending the intensive is a big part of what made him want to attend WKU. “I just loved it so much,” he said.

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD “I’ve been dancing for about six years,” said Nathan Neal, a Sophomore dance major. “I’m so passionate about it because I look at it as a way to express emotions, basic everyday life and to make others feel something too.” Photographed in Gordon Wilson Hall on Jan. 20.

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD “I’ve been playing the viola for 10 years,” said Chase Winemiller, a junior music education major. “I’m passionate about string education because it teaches valuable life skills and builds community among students.” Photographed in the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center on Jan. 20.

During his time on campus, Neal has become involved with the WKU Dance Company, the resident dance company for the Department of Theatre & Dance. Students in the company participate in daily rehearsals that involve learning, practicing and polishing choreography, working with props and establishing staging cues for the annual shows they put on each semester. Neal will perform in three company and program shows this semester. These include the “Dance Project,” the “Evening of Dance” 50th anniversary and “Last Chance to Dance.” Neal’s involvement with the Dance Company has provided him with opportunities both on and off campus. He has a love for choreographing and said it is one of his favorite aspects of dance. He enjoys showing others what he is capable of, hoping to create an interest in dance for the audience. Neal choreographed a piece for his first “Last Chance to Dance” in the Fall of 2022, his first semester freshman year. “It was a spur-of-the-moment thing,” Neal said. “I always wanted to choreo-

graph and now that I had the opportunity to do it, I took it.” This past summer, Neal participated in the Joffrey Ballet School Summer Intensive in New York, training in jazz and contemporary and taught dance classes at a studio in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee. As he continues his path as a dancer, Nathan hopes to improve his “willingness” when it comes to dancing. He explained how he believes those who strive to pursue their art professionally have the tendency to become burnt out, losing their passion and determination. “With burnout, you start to feel a sense of hopelessness and finding yourself not wanting to pursue what you are chasing,” Neal said. He said he feels dance is a way for him to express himself when he is not able to verbalize his feelings, and that channeling his emotions through dance is more powerful than his words could be. “Dance is a form of expression. And no matter who does it, no matter who wants to do it, it’s just a way to let things out, let things go,” Neal said.

However, he said dance does not always have to have emotional expression and can be viewed as simply movement. “Sometimes you can dance just to dance,” Neal said. “I think that’s more powerful than anything else.”

CHASE WINEMILLER

Music has always been a part of junior music education major Chase Winemiller’s life. As a child, she would often sing alongside her opera-singer parents. In 6th grade, Winemiller’s parents encouraged her to choose an aspect of music to start devoting her time to. She has since taken technique classes on the oboe, bassoon, trumpet, french horn, tuba and trombone, can play the guitar and piano and primarily plays the viola. “I don’t really know what [my] life would be like without music,” Winemiller said. She said deciding to be a music education major “felt natural” to her. As a kid, she always considered becoming a teacher, but was unsure of what she would teach.

“I’m physically working through it “I feel like randomly one day it hit “I mostly just want to bring the joy while mentally working through it,” she me: I can teach music,” Winemiller of music to as many kids as I can,” she said. said. said. The studio art program includes She said being a music education GRACIE SILVIA tracks for ceramics, painting/drawing, major has felt “natural” since initially For Gracie Silvia, senior studio art printmaking, weaving and sculpture. deciding. major, creating art provides her a way Once building fundamental skills in Students in the music education to express her emotions and cope with these, students in the program have the program learn several instruments and the hardships she has endured. opportunity to choose one or a combitake voice classes, graduating from For most of her life, she had connation of two tracks to focus on. the program with a kindergarten to sidered art a hobby, learning her first Students in the department of art and 12th-grade certification, allowing them artistic skills from her mother. She design often take multiple three-hourto teach choir, band, orchestra and started at WKU as a pre-physical theralong studio classes a day. Silvia said beelementary school general music. py major. cause of the long hours, she has been Winemiller plays viola in the WKU However, around her sophomore able to form close bonds with both her Symphony, a full symphony orchestra year, she went through a traumatic classmates and her professors. that puts on several concerts throughevent that caused her to not be able to out the academic year. “The art community is such an open focus in her classes and changed her Additionally, she is the president environment and people are so welmajor. of the WKU chapter of the American “I kind of went into the arts to express coming,” Silvia said. “Professors and students have helped me really just String Teachers Association. my trauma,” Silvia said. open up about things that have hap“We provide resources and opportuShe has a passion for sculpture and pened to me [through] my work.” nities for string players at Western and often uses metal to create her work. During the fall 2023 semester, Silvia also other musicians that are interest“Some people are better at being hosted a gallery of some of her art ed in learning more about strings,” connected with painting,” Silvia said. at the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center. Winemiller said. “We try to put togeth“When I am painting, I find a disconShe plans to host a gallery again this er events to help teach people about nect from it.” semester. stringed instruments.” Silvia said the physicality of creating Silvia’s favorite part of creating is She also teaches at the WKU String sculptures allows her to feel “in touch” when she has completed a piece and Academy, a program to teach 5 to with her art, both literally and figurareceives feedback from others. 18-year-olds how to play the violin and tively. “I always like to hear what others viola, and at the Guitar Academy of Bowling Green. Winemiller said her favorite way to make an impact is through the students she teaches. “I find a lot of joy working with little kids,” Winemiller said. “I really am passionate about bringing music into schools, especially low-income schools ... I really care about bringing those opportunities to kids who otherwise wouldn’t have it.” Winemiller said musicians are sometimes unfairly judged personally based on their ability to play their instrument. “I always tell my students, ‘You don’t have to be the best at everything. You are allowed to just play this instrument to enjoy it,’” Winemiller said. “I think I like to express self-love, having grace with myself with my music, and just allowing myself to make music without people judging it.” Post-graduation, Winemiller PHOTO PROVIDED GRACIE SILVIA hopes to teach general elementa- Gracie Silvia works on welding one of her structures in an studio on campus. ry music or strings.

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD Nico Silverthorn has been interested in film since the sixth grade. “I think it’s a beautiful medium of storytelling through self experience and believe it can leave an everlasting mark on an audience member,” Silverthorn said. Photographed in Jody Richards Hall on Jan. 20.

think because I put all this anger and love into these pieces. And then finally, someone can tell me if it worked, if it didn’t work,” Silvia said. “I just enjoy getting people’s input on my art.” She is additionally involved with the League of Sculptors, a WKU art student organization whose purpose is to share the art of sculpture by attending conferences and hosting events. Silvia said that since finding her passion for art, she has obtained a more positive image of herself. “I’m a lot more comfortable with who I am as a person, even flaws and all,” Silvia said. She said that she feels that while artists’ work is being critiqued, the artists are often critiquing themselves and their ability to improve. “Even though that’s mostly in the art, it brings through to me. I always look back ... [and] just truly try to understand who I am,” Silvia said.

NICO SILVERTHORN

Nico Silverthorn, sophomore BFA film production major, has always had an interest in storytelling. He got his first camera for his 12th birthday after gaining an interest in LEGO stop-motion videos on YouTube, wanting to

create some of his own. He discovered his love for film after making his first YouTube video and decided to fully “dive into” the art. During high school, he became involved with several school media organizations, attended film festivals and spent a summer at the Governor’s School of the Arts. “I literally just tried to make it my whole life,” Silverthorn said. When applying for college, Silverthorn’s parents were “skeptical” of him becoming a film major. He said they were supportive, but concerned if it could provide him financial stability. “I told them that film is the only thing I know I want to do,” Silverthorn said. “I’d rather be happy and struggling than doing something I hate. I want to do something that I love, and I love film.” Only 24 students are accepted into the film production program each academic year based on the quality of their creative portfolio, professionalism and scholastic work after their freshman year. Silverthorn said that due to the small number of students in the program, it feels like a “little family.”

“Everyone puts what they’re good at to use ... you’re all just kind of helping each other create a story. I think it’s beautiful,” Silverthorn said. Students create a film each of the three years they are in the film production program. Each film is shown during the annual Film Festival at the end of the spring semester. Silverthorn said a misconception people often have about those who create films is that filmmakers are only successful if they become famous. “As long as you’re happy and making what you want to make, that should be a success,” Silverthorn said. When Silverthorn creates films, he likes to tell stories “that seem oddly realistic with a sprinkle of something a little weird.” When he is writing characters for his films, Silverthorn likes to incorporate aspects of the personalities of people he knows. “I think everyone is unique and special, and I feel exaggerating that in the story world is such a fun thing to do,” Silverthorn said. He said this is something director Wes Anderson has done, especially in his early work, that has influenced the way Silverthorn wants to tell stories. Throughout this semester, Silverthorn will be hosting a free, open-to-all screening series of Wes Anderson’s first eight films in the Jody Richards Hall auditorium. Silverthorn believes that filmmakers often additionally incorporate aspects of their own personalities into their work. “Some people say ‘write what you know,’ some people say ‘don’t,’ but I always feel like, no matter what, you can find yourself somewhere within a story,” he said. For Silverthorn, creating films has been a coping mechanism while allowing him to share his individual experiences and personal outlook on the world. “Everyone can tell a story. But not everyone’s going to tell it the same way,” Silverthorn said. Assistant News Editor Ali Costellow can be reached at ali.costellow453@ topper.wku.edu

CHINESE MUSIC CLUB BRINGS NEW SOUND TO THE HILL

Story by Bailey Reed Photos by Dominic Di Palermo

The Chinese flute can be traced back in anthropology, Asian religions and ence, as well as a goal to try as many 8,000 years ago with the discovery of a cultures and Chinese Flagship. Lamb “weird” things in college as possible. bone flute from the Neolithic Age. Muserves as president of the Chinese MuAfter joining the club for these reasons, sic was used as entertainment for royal- sic Club and plays the Dizi, a Chinese she then decided to stay. ty and dignitaries only, but transitioned transverse flute, which is held horizon“I ended up staying because the into a form of expression in people are so nice,” Lamb said. mainstream society as time “I think we have a great time.” continued on. Although Lee is proficient Now, Chinese music is in several Chinese instruments being used to influence and helps with the basics, musicians around the world students in the club rely on – including here at WKU. YouTube and other learning The Chinese Music Club tools to hone their craft. is a student organization “First day, you pick one [an that was founded 10 years instrument] that you are kind ago by the club’s current of familiar with, and you just advisor, Ting-Hui Lee, a kind of fiddle with it,” Lamb professor of physics and said. “People who know a little astronomy. Her interest in bit will help with the basics and starting this organization then you pretty much teach came from her own former yourself.” participation in a local muRowan Finley, sophomore, is sical ensemble that would a triple major in Asian religions perform Chinese music. and cultures, a self-designed “When I moved to Bowllinguistics major through the ing Green, there were no Mahurin Honors College and in Chinese music groups here, Chinese Flagship. Finley plays and I thought it would be the Yangqin, a Chinese hamfun to start one,” Lee said. mered dulcimer. “I’ve been the advisor ever Finley explained how the since.” organization has challenged Lee spoke to the music the typical perception of China department and Chinese on campus. Flagship Program to try to “I think there is a certain get students interested in sense of cultural awareness the organization. She exthat you get out of it because plained that students across there is a stigma around many different majors have China,” Finley said. “They joined the club in her time Chinese Music Club member and junior Gigi Lamb joined the club her second are communism based and of her freshman year. Lamb explains that learning new instruments as advisor as the organiza- semester the American government is with other club members has made her feel like they’ve been on a journey tion is open to everyone. very much like, ‘no China,’ so together. Photographed outside of Kelly Thompson Hall on Friday, Jan. 19. The current makeup of I think being able to interact approximately 10 students with that culture in a very safe in the club spans diversely across cam- tally when played. and a very fun environment lets people pus. Gigi Lamb, junior, is a triple major Lamb has previous music experirealize they are still people.”

The Chinese Music Club collaborates with the Center for Chinese Music and Culture at Middle Tennessee State University. Mei Han, director of this center at MTSU, leads the charge in directing both groups in collaboration for a performance they host together. By hosting this performance, students in the Chinese Music Club have the opportunity to learn their music from a professional, since on campus they are mostly self-taught. “She [Lee] is kind of doing this as a passion project on the side,” Finley said. “She isn’t as familiar as a music director would be. A lot of us are self taught, so we will watch videos or we’ll just mess around until we figure it out.” Finley also spoke to the experience he has gained from partnership with MTSU. “When we go to MTSU, we’ll practice with them and their instructors will give us some pointers,” Finley said. “They have a visiting student from mainland China and she taught me some basics for my instrument. I took that and ran with it.” News Reporter Bailery Reed can be reached at bailey.reed740@topper.wku.edu Lamb plays the Dizi and explained that she gravitated towards it because of her experience with the flute in middle school.

Chinese Music Club member and junior Evie Dukes joined the club because of her friendship with Lamb and her interest in Chinese culture. “[I love] being in a group that likes learning about Chinese music and then getting to spend time with those people.” Dukes said. “… I also enjoy the practical things that I learn from the club.”

SPONSORED BY THE COLUMNS

HISTORIC BUILDING MAKES FOR UNIQUE APARTMENTS Columns, formerly a historical staple in the community as Bowling Green High School, was transformed into a unique student living complex in 2012. The community seamlessly combines the nostalgic charm of the historical building with the modern comforts of contemporary living. Evelyn Wright, the property manager, also has a rich history with the Columns. She was attending WKU in 2012 when the complex opened up for student housing after its redevelopment and was one of the first tenants to move in. What was once Bowling Green High School, built in 1923, is now home to WKU students. The Columns took over the old In college BGHS building in 2012 and has given students an opportunity to be a part of Bowling Green history in a unique way. Wright worked as a community assistant the property was formerly used as the of these apartments along with the for Columns and has now worked full- gymnasium for Bowling Green Junior amount of space they provide. time for Andover Management Group, High School. The apartments in Arena “We have really high ceilings and the company that resides over Columns, are primarily the Dorian layout, which visible rafters, so we can see the original for five years. She said she has always has two bedrooms and two bathrooms. framework,” Cooper said. “My bedroom enjoyed the complex and that her love for The corridor to this building is wide is absolutely huge, and I have really big the Columns is directly attributed to the open with plants and balconettes. windows, so you get a lot of space living deep history it has with the community. Each floor plan at the Columns is here.” When viewing the apartments, there named after a type of Greek architectural She said the apartment makes her feel are several characteristics that reveal the column, including Apollo, Delphi, Torus, connected to the community. intricate background that the property Corinthian and others. The complex has “You feel more of a connection to possesses, from the tall windows to the many qualities to accommodate every Bowling Green, and not just from living original hardwood floors. What once was type of college student including a six- here and going to school here. You just used for daily academic practice has bed, six-bath apartment for Greek life feel more a part of the community being now become a place to escape the stress or large friend groups. The apartment a part of its history,” she said. of college and relax with friends, Wright complex, although filled with history, is Although it is student living, Wright said. so much more than just that. said that Columns is a peaceful property. “You can definitely tell sometimes Potential residents shouldn’t be fooled “The Columns are different: We’re when you’re walking down the hallways by the age of the buildings, as there a smaller property; it’s not rowdy here, that the building used to be a school are many amenities that come with the which I love,” Wright said. “I want all our because you walk through so many vintage style that the tenants enjoy, said residents to be comfortable living here.” doors — the amount of doors is kind of Olivia Cooper, a WKU senior who lives Whether it’s for multiple years funny,” she said. at the Columns. She said parking is or just a semester, Columns will provide There are so many distinctive traits that close; there is a 24/7 gym; staff is always happiness, comfort, and a connection make the Columns stand out from other on call and the well-lit area makes her to the history of Bowling Green, student living options in Bowling Green, always feel safe. Wright said. Wright said. One of those is Building 1, Cooper said she lives in the building better known as Arena. This section of named Spirit and enjoys the atmosphere

INSIDE THE BOWLING GREEN WARMING CENTERS

Words and Photos by Adin Parks

Greg Massey, sets up to supply government funded government funded phones to people in need at Wellness Connection on Jan. 17.

With temperatures dropping below freezing, non-profit volunteers from the Bowling Green community scrambled to set up warming centers for people in need. From Jan. 16 through Jan. 21, centers were available from 7 a.m-5 p.m. The Salvation Army and local churches were available at night for people to sleep and stay out of the cold. “I think there’s a lot of room for growth in this community in terms of just making sure folks have a safe place to be, whether it’s cold or warm,” Emily Witthuhn, a leadership team member at Bowling Green Neighbors, said. “I am happy to see these different organizaVolunteers Naida Kisdler (left), Carol Phelps (middle), and Johnalma Barnette (right) dish out food tions banding together to make somedonated by Spencer’s Coffee to the people in need at the Warming Center in Kummer Recreation thing like this happen.” Center on January 19th, 2024. Community organizations such as State Street United Methodist Church, Christ Episcopal Church, BG Neighbors, Warren County Public Library, Room in the Inn and The Salvation Army communicated with each other to bring together supplies and items for those staying at the shelter. Various donors and organizations supplied the centers, which helped people like Celeste Hazelwood, a shelter attendee. Hazelwood found that the warming centers were able to help her stay warm, feed her and supply her with clothes and items. “I’m just trying to stay warm and happy,” Hazelwood said. Staff photographer Adin Parks can be Food was donated by various local companies, such as Donatos, Starbucks, Spencer’s Coffee, India reached at adin.parks@topper.wku.edu Oven and Mellow Mushroom. The people in the warming centers were were fed breakfast and lunch.

Volunteer Tim Harrington, left, holds up a hoodie for Denis Hajric, middle to examine. Harrington and volunteer Brenda Willoughby sifted through donated clothes at Kummer Recreation Center on Jan. 19. Harrington and Willoughby were volunteers from Christ Episcopal Church, which held homeless individual overnight on Jan. 16. Clothes and other items were often donated by community members the warming centers in an effort to help support the people in need.

BG Neighbors worker Emily Witthuhn and volunteers Johnalma Barnett and Patrick Weeks clean up after closing the warming center station at the Capitol Theatre after the homeless individuals departed to Christ Episcopal Church on Jan. 16.

Story by Debra Murray

iffany Isselhardt has spent her career researching women’s and girl’s culture, but it all started with the doll who has everything – Barbie. Isselhardt is the exhibits curator and development coordinator for the Kentucky Museum at WKU. She has been at the museum since 2018. In graduate school for public history at Appalachian State University, she took a material culture class with a professor she hated. Out of spite, she chose to do her research project on Barbie and the many careers the doll juggled in a 30-year period. Her paper, titled “Barbie: the Bitch who has Everything,” examines Barbie’s career title and clothing from 1959 to 1989 compared to the U.S. Census data of women’s careers throughout the same time. “To answer the question, did Barbie break the glass ceiling before women?” She said. “And she did, Barbie actually did it.” Barbie’s numerous careers encouraged young girls that they could exist and compete in male dominated fields. Isselhardt’s project led her to focus her career and women’s history and women’s material culture. She completed an internship at the Girl Museum, a completely online museum focused on girlhood. Isselhardt has published two books about girlhood, “Exploring American Girlhood in 50 Historic Treasures” in 2021 and “A Girl Can Do: Recognizing and Representing Girlhood” in 2022. “Stop telling false stories, and start telling the right ones and start saying women deserve to be heard,” she said. “That’s the entire focus of my work.” Her first book provides a glimpse into girlhood through history from the Pocahontas statue in Jamestown, Virginia, to when women began wearing pants. “It felt so important to be like, we have to correct this because PHOTO BY VON SMITH Tiffany Isselhardt, museum curator and author of ‘Exploring American Girlhood’ poses for a portrait in the Kentucky Museum.

KENTUCKY MUSEUM EXHIBITS CURATOR DETAILS RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S CULTURE

“Stop telling false stories, and start telling the right ones and start saying women deserve to be heard.” Tiffany Isselhardt

somebody has to correct this narrative. tribe that has been completely glossed it and nobody’s ever investigated it.” Somebody has to start getting it out over in favor of a European tale of roLike the story of Pocahontas, there there that we’ve been telling the story mance and adventure,” Isselhardt said. are numerous stories in history that wrong,” Isselhardt said. “If we don’t “Not to mention a story of child rape, overlook what women went through or start telling it right now, we’re doing a and murder potential. She was potenhow they contributed to the world we grave injustice, not only to the people tially murdered, and we’ve glossed over know today. who are representing “When you take away but to future generaall these lenses that tions of Americans, and traditional history puts especially American on girls and women, girls, who are being and especially girls and lied to about their women of color, you get a history.” viewpoint that drastically One story that changes how we tell AmerIsselhardt finds is ican history,” Isselhardt consistently falsely told said. “In fact, it actually is Pocahontas, which makes it so much more she covers in her book. interesting. And raises a The 1995 Disney film, lot of questions that could Pocahontas, romanhelp us look at everything ticizes her encounter differently. And especially with John Smith and how we act today, how she saves Smith’s life women and girls are treatas she fights for peace ed today.” between her tribe and At the Kentucky MuseJamestown settlers. um, she uses her research “Disney is portrayto help shape stories for ing her as a woman, a exhibits she’s working on. fully developed wom“Anything you see in an,” Isselhardt said. this museum, and ev“She was 12. There erything you don’t see is no romantic story because there’s a ton, is there. We’re talking somehow connected to about a story of a young women and girls, whether girl, and a culture that directly or indirectly,” has been completeIsselhardt said. “And I’m ly misrepresented able to bring that every throughout history.” single day to the work that Pocahontas was we do.” kidnapped and taken to Isselhardt said museEngland where she was ums highlighting and tellrenamed to “Rebecing women’s stories gives ca” and converted to women more power. Christianity. She died “I find that museums at 21 years old and was and the objects and stoburied at a church. ries we hold have power. “A story of women’s PHOTO PROVIDED TIFFANY ISSELHARDT We see it with black compower of their essential The cover of Tiffany Isselhardt and Ashley Remer’s book titled “Exploring American Girl- munities and other people role in an indigenous hood through 50 Historic Treasures,” which was published in 2021. of color, we see it in a host

1965 “Miss Astronaut” Barbie

1999 “Working Woman” Barbie

1961 “Nurse” Barbie

of marginalized communities as a whole, that when you uplift their stories, and you tell their stories, they have more power, they’re able to get investment, they’re able to feel ownership. We should be doing that with girls and women a lot more.” A Williams College analysis found that the overall split between male and female artists in America’s museums is approximately 87% of work by male artists and 13% of work by women artists, due to the overwhelming dominance of male artists from the 19th century and earlier. However, women currently make up 55% working artists, according to the career platform Zippia. “Why do we not have a true Museum of Women in this country?” Isselhardt said. “Why do we not have more representation of women artists? Despite the Guerrilla Girls movement of the 90s that advocated for it, women are still severely underrepresented. They’re not invested in it.” Isselhardt herself struggled with her own power as a woman until her 30’s. “I’ve personally struggled a lot as a young woman,” Isselhardt said. “It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I truly

felt that I came into my power as a woman, and I found my voice.” Isselhardt also shares her research and writing on a more intimate level through her blog, https://historymuse. medium.com/. “For me, writing is not necessarily a job as long as I like what I’m writing. Like I write on Medium for fun, what I find stories in history that I’m like, ‘Oh, this is really exciting,’” Isselhardt said. “I want to go down this rabbit hole. I’ll just go research something and I’ll find answers to it.” Her writing process is made possible with the help of her partner, Michael. “I am very fortunate to have a partner who understands my passion and supports it wholeheartedly,” she said. “I would say that’s really been a key, is that partnership and that support network, I would not have completed that book without him.” But her biggest inspiration is her mom, despite how cliche she thinks it is to say that. Her mother gave up college to support Isselhardt’s father throughout law school. “She went back to work, and, but she never finished college,” Isselhardt

said. “But she never let that stop her. My mom always made sure to let me know that it didn’t matter what credentials you had, or what other people thought of you. What mattered is what you thought of yourself, and what you wanted.” To Isselhardt, her mother was the real life embodiment of Glinda, the Good Witch from “Wizard of Oz.” “She was Glinda, the Good Witch in every sense of the word,” Isselheardt said. “She’s like, you’ve always had that power. You’ve always had it. I believe in you, and you can do it.” Engagement Editor Debra Murray can be reached at debra.murray940@ topper.wku.edu. Follow her on X @ debramurrayy.

WHO OWNS WKU’S DORMS?

By Alexandria Anderson

Your dorm room on the Hill is not owned by WKU. Rather, it’s owned by the WKU Student Life Foundation, a nonprofit, nonaffiliated, tax-exempt corporation created in 1999 that has owned, operated, torn down old residence halls and built new ones since the university turned over the residential buildings and the land they stand on. “Clearly our biggest challenge was the condition of our residence halls,” Gary Ransdell, WKU’s president when the foundation was created, said. “Most of them are pretty old and [in] pretty poor condition … We had to figure out a way that we could improve our campus residence life environment across the board.” The Foundation is also in charge of all residence hall construction and renovation and hiring the general contractors who oversee these projects. Over recent weeks, construction and maintenance issues across WKU’s residence halls have greatly impacted students, with the peak of this disruption caused by construction flaws in Hilltopper Hall, the $26 million, 400bed residence hall that opened in 2018. PHOTO BY DOMINIC DI PALERMO Scaffolding and construction work is seen at Hilltopper Hall due to issues that have caused residents to move out.

Following the discovery of the flaws by the Student Life Foundation after an assessment of the building from architects and civil engineers, the hall was ordered to close by Feb. 4, to investigate and repair the problems. According to the 2021 Student Life Foundation 990 tax form, it was created “to facilitate the purchase, recapitalization and renovation of the student residential facilities.” It currently owns and operates 16 residence halls and approximately 5,236 beds on the main campus. Ransdell explained that an issue in renovating and improving residence halls was that funding had to come from the state – the same as renovations and replacements for academic buildings on campus. “We determined that we needed to reserve our state funding and pursuit of support from the state for capital projects for our academic priorities,” he said. Ransdell said the Foundation created a “dynamic” that is the norm on private university campuses, but unusual for public universities. None of Kentucky’s other universities have this arrangement. When the Student Life Foundation took control of the residence halls, they no longer had to “compete” with WKU’s academic state funding priorities over the same period of time. “By getting our buildings out of state ownership, we then could control the revenue, the work and expedite that schedule,” Ransdell said. “Whereas if those buildings were still owned by the state, then we’d have to sequence properties that we were seeking state funding to improve.” He called the decision to start the Foundation “very fortuitous.” Not only did residence halls no longer compete for funding, but revenues earned from students living on campus began going back into improving the properties. “The revenue from what students were paying to live in residence halls was not going back into improving those properties, which is among the reasons why they were in such deteriorating condition,” Ransdell said. “So we made the decision to marry revenue from residence halls to the continual improvement of those properties.”

PHOTO BY VON SMITH Hilltoppers Hall is surrounded by construction scaffolding and fencing on Jan. 19.

Making this change, Ransdell explained, proved to be a good way to renovate, replace and build new buildings. He said the “money goes right back into our residence halls” which is why they provide a “pretty high quality of life.” “Motivation for me was determined that by improving our residence halls, we could turn a student recruiting disadvantage of deteriorative residence halls into a recruiting advantage,” Ransdell said. For some public universities, they chose to have private companies own their residential facilities, and the property is given back to the university once it is paid off. However, Ransdell said by the time the property is given back in 25 or 30 years, it would need renovations, which would put the university in debt. The Student Life Foundation method avoids this. “The university is going to be stuck with that debt, to renovate those properties that they were not able to collect revenue from for all those years,” Ransdell said. “So that’s a very challenging financial dynamic.” Ransdell said the biggest risk with the Foundation was the removal of university ownership of the residence

halls. “We’ve put a lot of trust in the Student Life Foundation board to manage these properties,” he said. “But we’ve had great, loyal alumni serving on that Student Life Foundation Board, who have good financial experience. And, to my knowledge, at least, certainly while I was involved, really did a terrific job of managing both the construction projects and the finances in a pretty complex, multimillion dollar enterprise.” Despite its technical separation from the university, the Student Life Foundation works closely with other on-campus departments involved with the residence halls, such as Housing and Residence Life and facilities management. “The Student Life Foundation exists to serve the university and to ensure a high quality of life for our students. That’s why they exist,” Ransdell said. “So of course, there’s going to be close cooperation between the Office of Housing and Residence Life on campus and the Student Life Foundation. They’ve got to work hand in glove.” Brad Howard, chair of the Student Life Foundation board and president of Warren County Independence Bank, explained the primary benefit of the

Foundation to WKU is the funds generated that are invested back into the residence halls rather than the general fund of the school. “At the time, the laws at the state level allowed us, when they put us into a separate legal entity, to restructure the debt that we had on the residence halls using bonds instead of traditional financing,” Howard said. “And because of that, it enabled us to get longer term lower fixed rates … all the money that we made is turned around and invested back into the residence halls.” Howard believes the current arrangement between WKU and the Student Life Foundation has been successful, and that it will continue to be. “We’ve done very well, and we’ve been able to update and do some other things with new construction, the freshman village, in particular,” Howard said. Tad Pardue, general counsel for the Student Life Foundation, said that in the management agreement, there is an “exclusive option” for the university to repurchase the residence halls. However, Pardue and Howard explained this is not something that has been discussed. “That’s something [the exclusive option] that is available to the university should they want to exercise it … I don’t think that’s really been on the radar, on the horizon or been discussed,” Pardue said. “It seems as though both the university and the Foundation are pleased with how the relationship is working and see the mutual benefit each derives from the other.” Currently, the Student Life Foundation has third party architects and engineers still investigating Hilltopper Hall. It was the preliminary reports that provided concern for further investigation, as well as the necessary relocation of student residents from the hall. Pardue explained that a “considerable amount of time and work and effort” was placed into the building analysis of Hilltopper Hall, in which experts made a recommendation to continue analyzing the building. This also resulted in the relocation of its 388 residents. “The board of the Foundation was acting on those experts’ recommendations, that at least for the time being, that the residents will be relocated,”

PHOTO BY VON SMITH Hilltopper Hall surrounded by scaffolding on Jan. 19. Students must move out by Feb. 4.

Pardue said. “I just want to emphasize that the board’s decision was in reliance upon the opinions of those experts. It wasn’t necessarily the board’s decision in a vacuum to relocate.” The architects working to identify the issues of Hilltopper Hall now are not the original architects from when it was first constructed, yet the original construction members are still part of the conversation. “Now, we are engaged in conversation and dialogue with the project engineer, architect and general contractor [from the original construction] where we are requesting information from them, speaking with their representatives, working with them to try to determine if anything was done incorrectly and who ought to be responsible,” Howard said. He expressed appreciation for the students living in Hilltopper Hall that have to depart and find other housing. At this point and based on current information, he said it was the best thing to do for these residents. “I can’t say enough how much careful deliberation was had by the board prior to arriving at the decision that it made,” Howard said. “All of that was taken into consideration, and they fully and completely understand the imposition that this has made on students and families at the university.” For sophomore exercise science major and Hilltopper Hall resident Isa-

iah Coats, moving his items out of his room right after moving back in for the spring semester has been worrisome. “The most upsetting part is the fact that it feels like this place I got comfortable with and called home is crumbling,” Coats said. “I’m handling the moving process just fine, I’ve accepted the situation, [but] a lot of people here are still in shock.” Coats plans to move with the help of friends and family. He highlighted that “most of us [residents] are going to McCormick.” Relocated students will receive a full credit of the Hilltopper Hall housing charge, $4,086, which will first be applied to any new housing charges for those remaining on campus, be applied to unpaid account balances and finally be released to the student if there are still excess funds. Jace Lux, university spokesperson, stated via email there will be consistent communication from WKU Housing and Residence Life about next steps for the hall and its residents. “The investigative work on Hilltopper Hall continues,” Lux stated. “WKU HRL will communicate with residents about next steps once more is known about the scope of the corrective work to be performed.” Additional reporting by Kaylee Hawkins. Editor-in-Chief Alexandria Anderson can be reached at alexandria. anderson337@topper.wku.edu

‘FORENSICS TEACHES YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR WORDS’ By Carrington Coppinger

The Forensics Team is the oldest program on WKU’s campus, and continues to be one of the most successful. Since being established, the WKU Forensics Team has dominated the collegiate circuit. The team has won 42 National Championships since 1996. It is the only team to ever win the American Forensics Association NST, the NFA IE and the NFA LD Team Sweepstakes Championships in the same season. In 2021, WKU accomplished this feat for the ninth time since 2004. In 2021, WKU also won the National Forensics Association Individual Events Team Championship by the largest point total ever recorded at any of these national competitions in the history of collegiate forensics, according to the team’s website. Ganer Newman, director of the WKU Forensics PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD Team, discussed what Kirsten Eversmann, a sophomore criminology and sociology major, preforms an “after dinner speech” in which she preformed a comedic informative speech about he thinks is the “most important ingredient” to women’s voices and silencing them, during the Forensics “Meet The Team Showcase” at the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Recital Hall in fall 2023. the program’s success and legacy. “It is a combination of university institutional support, the legacy of the excellence of the various coaches who have contributed to what we designed as our process … and then the passion of every individual student

that comes aboard, that come from all over the country and they come to the Hill to share something that is really important to them,” Newman said. Newman expressed how he has seen the Forensics Team make a change in the world. He described the difference it has made not just in the students but in audience members as well. “It is important to understand that these differences materially change the lived experiences of different people and what I love about the activity is that when someone is speaking to you, they are saying something very true and they are encouraging you to engage in some kind of change, or engage in some kind of awareness,” Newman said. There are currently 35 active members on the team, each member with their own ideas and passions. Newman further described how the various speeches and performances can deeply influence how audience members understand the world. “What’s amazing is to see the light bulbs go off in everybody in that room’s mind where they really do understand the world in a deeper way than they did before they entered this room, and that’s the magic of the activity,” Newman said. Christian Butterfield is a junior creative writing and international affairs major and a participating member

PHOTO BY IAN PITCHFORD Christian Butterfield, a junior creative writing and international affairs major, prepares his 5 minute impromptu speech on a topic he was given moments before, during the Forensics “Meet The Team Showcase” at the Ivan Wilson Fine Arts Center Recital Hall in fall 2023.

on the team. Butterfield described the importance of the team and how being involved has given people the opportunity to be an advocate for specific ideologies. “One thing that I think is really important is to view speech less as a competition, but more as practicing getting to advocate in the real world about issues, learning how to communicate with people, learning how to stand up for what you believe in …,” Butterfield said. Throughout each debate, teams are scored on individual team members presentations and given a final score of everyone’s combined totals. Team

members are able to compete in four different genres: interpretation, speech limited preparation and debate. Each genre has a list of events that utilize various speech types, giving members of the team the ability to express themselves in multiple different ways. “I find that almost every person on the team, their pieces, they are really really invested in the argument behind it, it is a source of advocacy and they know what changes they want to make in the world and they use their speeches in order to make that change,” Butterfield said. Butterfield said he has used his speeches to advocate for autism accep-

tance. Throughout his speeches, he has tackled many different topics such as the link between queerness and autism, autism liberation, ADHD diagnoses and the harms of Applied Behavioral Analysis. In an interpretation event called program oral interpretation, or POI, he read and performed a blog about mothers whose children have autism. Part of this performance was a reading from his own mother’s blog about him as a young child. Butterfield has been able to overcome stereotypical ideas about autism and find his own identity in autism through his involvement on the team.

“The really great part about speech is that not only does it show me how to talk about autism and advocate for my own identity with having autism myself, but in a lot of different ways … It has also really given me the strength to talk openly in not only disclosing my own autistic identity but being comfortable helping other people who might be on the spectrum and normalizing it,” Butterfield said. Cece Alali, another member of the team, is currently in her junior year working on her public relations degree. Alali expressed her thoughts on why the team has been successful throughout the years. “Speech and debate depends on its coaches,” Alali said. “WKU’s coaching staff are not just random people, they are hand picked from across the nation to coach the best team in the nation.”

Alali proceeded to express her gratitude to the coaching staff and explained how they have not only affected her, but her speeches as well. “From my experience, every single session with my coaches becomes an opportunity to express yourself and to talk about what you want to talk about … an opportunity to talk about what is hidden inside yourself,” Alali said. Alali has also involved advocacy in her speeches. She recently performed a speech on diasporic trauma in children from immigrant families and explained when coming to America, parents see it as living the American dream, but their children who are born and raised here are still put under oppression by society. She explained how difficult it is to express this to parents because they wear “rose colored glasses” and only

PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUR LA LUNE PHOTOGRAPHY Members of the 2023 - 2024 Forensics Team pose for a group picture, the team include 35 members.

want to see the best. She expressed her own challenges through this and how important debates are for other people to be able to hear and understand different perspectives. “I think it would benefit anyone to watch at least one speech to see a perspective you didn’t know that there was a perspective on,” Alali said. Both Alali and Butterfield continuously expressed their thankfulness for the Forensics team and how being involved in it has grown their confidence and helped them to talk about opinions not regularly expressed. “Forensics teaches you the importance of your words and how to use them for good and how to use them wisely,” Alali said. News Reporter Carrington Coppinger can be reached at carrington. coppinger620@topper.wku.edu