Washburn University
Volume 142, Issue 3
September 2, 2015
washburnreview.org
INSIDE:
Controversial comments lead to resignation
News
Brenden Williams
WASHBURN REVIEW
Page 4: Topeka Pride unveils their new billboard featuring their upcoming events. Photo by Stephanie Canon
Increasing safety for Washburn students
Sports
Amy Reinhardt
WASHBURN REVIEW
Page 10: Swimming provides a great source of exercise for students.
Campus Life
Page 6: Ichabod travels to the Kennedy Space Center.
Arts & Entertainment
Page 12: Horror movie visionary dies at 76.
To ensure their safety, Topeka residents and Washburn students alike should exercise additional safety tactics to steer clear of hazardous situations to avoid landing in harm’s way. The Clery Act, a law requiring colleges and universities receiving federal funding to disclose reported instances of criminal activity on their campuses, is followed on the Washburn campus. Each year the campus releases an annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report contains information regarding alcohol and drug policies, annual crime and fire statistics, sex offense policies and other emergency notifications. The 2014 report will be released in early October of this year. The reports are released a year behind so that there is built-in time to conduct investigations. According to the Washburn University Police Campus Crime Notifications: OffCampus Safety Bulletin, a robbery occurred around midnight on July 17 in the Washburn Place apartment complex located at 1900 SW Washburn Ave. According to an online statement, Chris Enos, captain of the Washburn University
Police Department, said the suspect approached the victim’s apartment and asked to use their restroom. Once inside the suspect demanded money and other forms of property from the victim. The suspect stated he had a firearm, but the firearm was never displayed during the incident. The suspect fled the scene on an unknown color of mountain bike after taking several items from the victim. The report notes that it does not appear the suspect was ever on Washburn’s campus. The statement on the Safety Bulletin describes the suspect as a white male with brown hair standing at approximately 6 feet and weighing approximately 175 lbs. During the robbery he was suspected to be wearing dark pants with no shirt. In his written statement Enos said the incident is unresolved and the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information about the robbery, call the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9400. Several upperclassmen at Washburn University have made the decision to live in off-campus residences like Washburn Place. Marissa Meis, a junior mass media major, lived alone in a studio apartment in Library Park Apartments at 1037 SW Garfield Ave.
"Overall, I felt safe in my apartment. The area was notorious for being sketchy, but in recent years they’ve increased patrolling and crime has gone down substantially," Meis said. One of the precautions Meis took while living alone was always locking her door and not allowing anyone inside the apartment who wasn’t someone she knew. She also made sure she was familiar with the apartment management team. "I never had any incidents where I felt immediately unsafe,” Meis said. “However, there were several instances that I felt as though someone else in my building may have been in danger. I often heard yelling and crashing in the apartment next to me, and police showed up a few times. I just tried to stick to myself to avoid trouble.” Enos states that there are several things a student can do to enhance their level of safety and avoid potential negative scenarios. “It is also important to understand your behaviors because those are what are going to dictate your safety,” Enos said. “Drinking and doing drugs are automatically going to increase your risk.” The major idea is always being aware of your surroundings, which may
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Kansas Democratic Chairman Larry Meeker resigns because of controversial comments said in March. Democratic Party leader for Kansas Larry Meeker made comments in his short 6 month term about “rebranding” the party; talking about how they were more conservative than the national Democrats. He compared the party leaders to Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, stating they were “the more conservative versions” of the national Democratic icons. The comments were made Saturday, March 22, in Wichita, Kansas, while Meeker attended the DemoFest activities taking place. Meeker had commented to The Wichita Eagle that he was, “looking to re-message how we speak about our party and our issues.” He had also said the DemoFest 2015 was shaping up to be a “political circus,” talking about an internal struggle over the ideology and direction of the Kansas Democratic Party. Meeker was recently selected after former party chair Joan Wagnon retired earlier this year. His short term will be followed by the new standin party chairwoman Kathryn Focke of Manhattan, who was the state organization’s vice president “My priorities may be diverting us from our primary goal of electing Democrats and restoring common sense to Kansas government,” said Meeker when resigning. The Kansas Democratic Party released a statement following Meeker’s resignation; Kansas Democratic Party Chairman Larry Meeker announces today that he will
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