Transylvania University's The Rambler by Transylvania Rambler

A&E

New Assistant Choir Director Karen Cooksey comes to Transy with experience and vision. pg. 5

The

Rambler

September 18, 2014 • VOL. 97 , ISSUE 2

Transylvania University • Lexington, Ky. • transyrambler.com • (859) 233-8315

Mattie Bruton

mebruton17@transy.edu

Construction is underway in Back Circle for a new 144-bed suite-style residence hall, which should be completed by June 2015 and ready for use in the 20152016 school year. Clay residence hall is scheduled to be torn down next summer and the new residence hall will replace it as the primary residence hall for first-year males. A construction board, comprised of Associate Dean of Student Affairs Bob Brown, Vice President of Finance and Business Marc

Mathews and Associate Vice President and Director of Physical Plant Darrell Banks, meets every Thursday with the construction crew to discuss the progress of the building, which so far is proceeding according to schedule. It is estimated that by December all external construction should be essentially complete, with the remaining work to be done on the inside of the building. The presence of a construction crew on campus has been problematic for some students, causing issues with noise, space and parking. “I just want students to know we are very aware of

the inconvenience it causes for the current students,” said Mathews. “We tried to minimize noise by not having them here outside of pretty compact hours. We’re trying to deal with parking by adding a new parking lot. We’re very aware of the inconvenience and it’s very unfortunate because some of the students will never benefit from it.” The new residence hall is part of the larger administrative strategic plan to improve housing on campus. “Other than our newest, Thompson, I think everything needs either a facelift See Construction, Page 3

Fashion pioneer celebrates Constitution Day

SARAH ALLISON

New residence hall construction underway

The TUSGA cabinet participates in the groundbreaking for the new dorm, held over lunch in Back Circle on Sept. 5.

Former employees clear up rumors about departures

kids and because she kind of lem College. knew I was looking, she ofSmith is replaced by rasmith15@transy.edu fered me the position,” Desai Advanced Nurse Practitioner Rumors have been cirsaid. Tracy Moore. culating around Transylvania She said Anderson’s role Moore is a family nurse that Karen Anderson, former would be basically split up practitioner, meaning she is coordinator for civic engagebetween Desai, Sustainabilable to treat illnesses, offer ment and community service, ity Director Angela Poe and health promotion services and and Laina Smith, former diAssociate Dean for Religious screenings and write prescriprector of student health serLife Wilson Dickinson. tions for any non-controlled vices were dismissed by the For now, Desai is work- substance. university. ing on continuing projects and Moore works 30 hours Both Anderson and being a liaison for students. per week, but the clinic hours Smith said those rumors are With the new hire, the posiare not set yet, as they will be not true. tion will begin reporting to determined by student needs. Anderson said in an Poe. She will also work one email interview that she left As for working at the evening per week, the hours her post at Transy to take a job alma mater which she very reof which are yet to be detercloser to her home and family. cently graduated from, Desai mined. She now works as as“I’m very excited to be sistant director for commu- said she did not expect it at all. “But I like it,” she said. here,” she said. “I love acanity engagement at Minnesota “You get to see a different demic environments and colState University. perspective on campus, being lege campuses.” Anderson’s old post She said she looks foris currently being filled by a staff member.” Anderson , saying she ward to meeting the students Roshni Desai, a graduate of “didn’t realize that being close and will treat them with “rethe class of 2014. to family would make me so spect and confidentiality.” Desai’s position is temmuch happier” reiterated that For now, the services porary until the university can she still loves her Transy famoffered at the student health hire a permanent employee. ily. services office include strep “What (Vice President Smith, on the other hand, throat tests, urinary tract infor Student Affairs and) Dean denied that she was fired but fection tests, general health(of Students Barbara) LoMosaid she left for “a more secare, lab work orders and naco told me was, based on cure position.” family planning aid. The ofthe work she knew that I had She now works as Direcfice hopes to expand services done with the international tor of Health Services at Sa- in the near future. Correction: In the Sept. 11 edition of The Rambler, in the article entitled “Transy to host mayoral debate,” Anthany Beatty was incorrectly identified as the Lexington Police Chief. He is the former police chief. Also, potential questions should be sent to jtbaker15@ transy.edu instead of rambler@transy.edu.

SARAH ALLISON

Rachel Smith

Assistant Director of Student Involvement and Leadership Aaron Roberts dressed in (fairly) accurate colonial garb on Sept. 17 in honor of Constitution Day. The Transy community celebrated Constitution Day by holding a discussion called “What the Constitution Means to Me.” The panel included Lexington-Fayette Urban County Councilman Chris Ford, TUSGA President Tyler Baker, Political Science Professor Don Dugi and Retired Judge Jennifer Coffman. Constitution Day is held annually in order to commemorate the creation and signing of the U.S. Constitution.

Green Revolving Loan Fund completes first year

Rachel Smith

rasmith15@transy.edu

A year after its inception, the Green Revolving Loan Fund has seen four completed projects, which should entirely pay for themselves within five years. The Fund is sponsored by the Jessie Ball DuPont Fund, which donated $75,000 to be matched by the university in order to get the program on its feet. The money saved from the projects, which all involve using more energyefficient methods for the university’s regular operations, will go back into the fund at a two to one rate. “At the time we approve (a project), we figure out what the energy savings

should be like,” said Fund Committee Member Marc Mathews. That is how the committee is able to estimate the projects’ payback dates. The first project, programmable thermostats, will be completed soon and in total will cost $20,850 but should pay for themselves in a little over a year. The four fans from Big Ass Fans in Lexington which were recently installed in the Beck Center cost $32,963 and are expected to begin contributing to the Fund in around four years. From the electricity meters installed in the residence halls, a $38,850 investment, the Fund should begin receiving money back in 4.64

years. The LED Lighting Retrofit which will soon be installed in the Beck Center Performance Gym cost $32,007 and will be paid back in 4.2 years. “I’d say we like a mix of projects,” Mathews said. “We like them to save electricity, we like them to save water, we like them to save natural gas. We also like them to be educational.” Most of the work has been done in the Beck Center due to the fact that it is new enough to last a long time. The older dorms will soon be replaced by newer ones, and thus, money from the Green Revolving Loan Fund may not be required to install cutting edge technol-

ogy in those dorms. “Those are going to be built with the same type of things like we might have put elsewhere from the beginning,” he said, mentioning that this would include things like low flow toilets and geothermal heat. “When that building’s 20 years old and something newer and better comes out, that would be a great time for the Green Revolving Loan Fund to replace something.” Mathews said that, during an energy audit the university went through three years ago, about $4 million worth of projects were proposed. Some projects are easier to get people excited about than others, though, he said, specifically citing that

all of the university’s urinals needed to be replaced with more energy-efficient ones. “But no one can get excited about spending 300,000 dollars on urinals,” he said. For that reason, a committee who decides what projects the Fund should take on. The members of last year’s committee are Mathews; Physical Plant Director Darrell Banks; Associate Professor of Economics Alan Bartley; Associate Professor of French and Spanish Simonetta Cochis; Physical Plant Operations Manager Norman Mudd; Sustainability Director Angela Poe; Annie Wright, ’14; senior Luke Gnadinger; and junior Drew Cunningham. This year, the Fund

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still has about $30,000 left, and the completed projects should pay back about $20,000 this year. “It’s like an endowment. I just like to see it grow and for us to reinvest,” Mathews said, adding later that part of its value was in forcing the university to consciously consider sustainability measures. “Every year you’re having to think about new projects and pay back.” Mathews said that, while the Fund began with a generous grant, it is up to the Transy community to make it a worthwhile investment. “As (community members) are walking around day to day, if they see energy inefficiency on campus…let us know.”

Campus Life

Transylvania University to narrow down job search for new dean Madison Crader mrcrader18@transy.edu

At the end of this academic year, Interim Dean and Vice President Michael Bell, who has held the position for the past two years, will step down as a permanent college dean is selected to begin during the 20152016 fall semester. While the new dean has not yet been selected, a committee of Transylvanians has been put together to narrow the number of candidates. This committee, which consists of six faculty members, five members of the Transy staff and one student representative work to narrow down the possible choices for President Seamus Carey to ultimately decide from. Applicants must have experience both in the classroom and as a member of administration. There are approximately 100 total applicants that the search committee must narrow down to three finalists before the president is to make a final decision. “It is a deep and rich pool of applicants,” said Paul Jones, Professor and Program Director of Religion as well as the chair of the

committee. “The committee plement the president, and be and I are pleased that Tran- able to act as an advocate to sylvania has attracted such the faculty.” quality people. It will be a Staff members on the hard process, committee but that is what include Marc you want when Mathews, The committee hiring for suchand I are pleased that Vice Presia monumental dent for FiTransylvania has atposition.” nance and In addi-tracted such quality Business; tion to Jones,people. Kirk Purdom, each of the fac-Paul Jones, Vice Presiulty commitcommittee chair dent for Detee members velopment represents their and Advanceacademic division at Tran- ment; Holly Shielly, athletic sylvania University. Associ- director; Michelle Sparks, ate Professor of Philosophy Vice President for MarketEllen Cox acts as the hu- ing; and Jeff Mudrak, human manities representative, Pro- resources director. fessor and Program Director These five staff commitof History Melissa McEuen tee members were chosen represents the social sciences by Carey, who also asked division, Professor of Physi- TUSGA to provide one repcal Education and Exercise resentative to be a voice for Science Sharon Brown is the student body. TUSGA serepresentative for the natural lected Tyler Baker, TUSGA sciences, Assistant Professor president, as the representaof Theater Michael Dixon tive. represents fine arts while Throughout the search, First-Year Seminar Instruc- and the last two years as intor James Wagner is an at- terim dean, Bell provided large member. support to former Presi“We need to have as dent Owen Williams as he many voices as possible in stepped down, and to Carey order to make the best deci- as he acclimated to his new sion,” said Jones. “The per- position. The duties of the son we choose needs to com- job won’t change much, Bell

said, “due to Transylvania’s commitment to academic excellence.” “Transitions are moments of great change,” he said, “and the more students and faculty can feel that there is someone looking out for their interests and, perhaps more importantly, looking out for the university’s interests while the transition is occurring, the better chance we have of making change smoothly and successfully.” As Bell prepares to leave the university, he does not have a specific plan as to where he is headed after Transylvania, but hopes to find similar prospects elsewhere. “I hope that there will be another opportunity to serve another college in an interim capacity,” he said. “I like the challenges of interim work, and I am especially appreciative of the rewards I get from faculty and students.” Bell will continue his work as interim dean until a final decision has been made. A list of finalists will be announced by Carey in the coming months, and the announcement of the new dean and vice president will come in December.

Men’s recruitment undergoes change in regulations

September 18, 2014

Harlan Beckley speaks at convocation on liberal arts, poverty

COURTESY OF OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS

Page 2

At the 2014-2015 school year convocation ceremony, speaker Harlan Beckley spoke on the need for poverty studies in liberal arts institutions. Beckley stressed that such a course of study would not necessarily be used to place students into direct roles in combating poverty but instead allow them to carry the knowledge imparted into all potential careers post-graduation.

Transy partners with local non-profit to support troops Erin Alexander

SARAH ALLISON

eralexander18@transy.edu

Tyler Baker, vice president of Delta Sigma Phi’s Beta Mu chapter, talks to students interested in rush during Coke Parties on Sept. 11 in a room on the fourth floor of Davis Hall.

Cassidy Wheeler cmwheeler18@transy.edu

On Sunday, Sept. 20, the new members of Transylvania’s four fraternities will participate in bid day. After making their selection, these men will line up and run out to join one of the four chapters on campus: Delta Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha Order, Phi Kappa Tau or Pi Kappa Alpha. Despite the consistent outcome, this year’s recruitment process is slightly different than the years before it. After careful deliberation, Transy, along with the North American Interfraternity Council (IFC) has updated its policy. The most imperative changes concern the potential new members (PNM) and the IFC Executive Council. PNMs are no longer required to adhere to a curfew while visiting Davis, and the IFC Council is no longer required to remain

unaffiliated. The dissolution of curfew has been met with a generally positive response:. “I think it allows the PNMs to have as much exposure (to the members) as they want, allowing them to see a more true version of fraternity life,” said JT Henderson, a firstyear going through recruitment. In addition to freedom granted to the PNMs, affiliated men are no longer allowed in Clay past 2 am, giving those going through recruitment a safe haven if the process gets too intense. “The main thing I like about the changes are (sic) the fact that it protects the PNMs and provides them a place to escape recruitment at night by setting a curfew for Clay,” said Daniel Lyvers, president of the Delta Sigma Phi chapter. “That really gives the PNMs more control over their situation which was not always the case.”

He nostalgically recalled the time three years ago when he rushed Sig. “I remember long ago, back in my first year during recruitment, I was getting knocks on my door all night … before bid day. It’ll be nice for them to not have to worry about that.” Shane McKee, the Director of Student Involvement and Leadership and the overseer of men’s and women’s recruitment, also felt the changes to be mostly positive. “(The changes) will hopefully lead to greater recruitment success for all chapters and allow for men to find the very best chapter fit,” he said. The ability for IFC Council members to remain affiliated has also been met with a positive response. The new regulations no longer require members to surrender their letters, which is both an intense sacrifice and eliminates their personal role in the recruitment of new members for their

respective chapter. This adaptation, in theory, will encourage more active members to seek out IFC Council positions now that they must no longer remain unaffiliated. Even those who are hesitant to embrace change are finding these adaptations beneficial. “I am a big fan of traditions, but I believe that some slight changes here and there can only benefit the entire recruitment process,” said Quincy Glass, president of the Kappa Alpha Order. Although most view these new regulations as helpful, some may be concerned with their impact on the men’s chapters and the recruitment process. However, there seems to be little effect. “Really it won’t change what we do,” Lyvers said. “Our chapter recruitment plan is adaptable, and honestly the new rules will probably help us have more time with the PNMs on our hall.”

Military Appreciation Day was observed at Transylvania University on Saturday, Sept. 13 as students, faculty, staff and members of the community gathered together for the women’s soccer game at 1 pm. In a show of solidarity with the United States’ armed forces, Military Missions Inc., a local non-profit organization based in Lexington, was present at the event. In conjunction with the game’s dedication to the organization, donations were taken up to benefit the program. This was the first event that Transy has hosted with the organization, and was pushed through by women’s soccer coach Michael Fulton. Fulton contacted Military Missions to make the collaboration possible. “The idea came from the fact that I used to be in the military and my family has contributed items to this organization in the past,” said Fulton. Military Missions puts together care packages for deployed military personnel which include items ranging from food and clothing to books and toiletries as well as any other item that would be a comfort to a member of the military. In addition to the care packages, Military Missions also collects cards for holidays or general sentiment to send to deployed personnel. While Military Missions ships to any deployed military personnel, the majority of their packages are sent to soldiers in Afghanistan. Likemany organizations, Military Missions began with a single effort; in this case, a

mother wishing the best for her son and his friends. In an account of the events which led to Beth Pennington beginning what would become Military Missions Inc., Pennington states on her website, “…back in November, 2004, I sat at the table with about 15 young men, eager to start on their adventures after several months of strenuous and challenging training. I saw something that I had not expected to see… I saw a need... “Unable to forget about these lives, I found myself trying to get their addresses so I could write to them from time to time. That led to the idea that I could send them care packages.” While this may have begun with a single woman, the group has grown from that first package to shipping out approximately 6,000 care packages per year. The organization accepts donations of all kinds and works with many different groups in Lexington, a list on which, as of this past Saturday, Transy is now included. “I thought the event went well, and a few veterans and active military personnel were in attendance,” said Fulton. “There were a lot of things going on this particular date so trying to get everything together was challenging. We collected a lot of items on their donation list and raised over $200 to help cover some of the costs for shipping these items overseas.” For any interested individuals, Military Missions is looking for volunteers for their November care package assembly. The assembly will be held on Nov. 3rd at the Kentucky National Guard Armory from 6-8 p.m.

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Captioning Captain

Etcetera

Flash fiction: You Call This Archeology Matthew Thornton mmthornton17@transy.edu

Everyone loves to read a humorous caption that fits just right with its picture. Here you have the opportunity to do this yourself with the photos below. Should you come up with something that you would like to share with the rest of the Transy community, email it to the Etcetera editor (ajmenes15@transy.edu) and we’ll rerun the photo with your caption. All students, faculty and staff are welcome to participate.

This crane clearly has something to say. Put words in its mouth: ______________________ _________________________________________________________________________

Question story

Ethan Goodrum edgoodrum15@transy.edu

Editor’s note: This week’s prompt was simple: write a story and make every other line a question. Judge for yourself the quality of Goodrum’s improvisation. “Please state your name.” “Why should I do that?” “We need to keep an official recording of this interview, and the interview will be worthless if nobody knows who it is we’re interviewing.” “Couldn’t you just tell them who it is you’re interviewing?” “No, now please state your name.” “I really don’t see why you can’t just say my name for me.” “It’s a formality that the interviewee state their name, not the interviewer.” “What’s your name?” “That’s not important, and please tell me what your name is.” “You already know what my name is, don’t you?” “Yes, but the people

listening to this interview won’t know unless you tell them, because although they need to know, the rules of this interview state that I can’t tell them—only you can.” “Who wrote those rules?” “I did.” “Then can’t you change them so that you can state my name for me?” “No.” “Why not?” “I just can’t, and I’m beginning to lose my patience.” “Would you like help finding it?” “Don’t play the smart aleck with me.” “I didn’t know there was a game called ‘The Smart Aleck;’ why do you think I’m playing a game I didn’t know existed?” “State. Your. Name. Please.” “Why. Are. You. Making. Unnecessary. Use. Of. Excessive. Punctuation?” “State your name!” “I had to tilt my head sideways when you said that

for some reason; would you mind repeating it in a more vertical fashion?” “STATE YOUR NAME!” “THE NAME OF MY STATE IS KENTUCKY, WHY DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?!” “Sir, if you don’t state your name, I can’t conduct this interview, and if I can’t conduct this interview, I’ll lose my job.” “First you lose your patience, and now you’re about to lose your job; you have a tough time keeping track of intangible concepts, don’t you?” “Sir, I am this close to becoming violent.” “Why would you change your name to Violent?” “That’s it!” “Why are you—no, stop that—my bones don’t work that way—that belongs on the inside—no, no, NO, PLEASE—whoa...I didn’t know that was possible...um, now that you’ve shown me this impressive, uh, skill, can you untie me from the shape of a pretzel?”

↑

THINK YOU CAN DO IT

↑

better?

You’ve got the prompt, now grab pen and paper/typing device and see what you can come up with. Then send it to ajmenes15@transy.edu and we’ll run it here. All students, faculty and staff are invited to give it a go.

Construction or a rethink,” said Mathews. After the replacement of Clay residence hall, both Forrer and Davis residence halls are to be either replaced or renovated, according to Mathews, ideally within the next three to five years. Administration is hoping that these renovations will be an admissions advantage for the university. “I think I’ve heard it phrased that our buildings are ‘dated’ and they kind of are,” Brown said. “They serve a really good function and they have good communities in them, but there’s more that we could offer students. And we’re losing some students because of our housing now, so we want to

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counteract that.” Mathews referenced a yearly survey taken by prospective students, who described campus housing as a negative for the first time in 2013. “I think this kind of gave administration the view that we needed to move sooner rather than later on dorm replacements,” Mathews said. “So hopefully that’ll go from a negative or a neutral impact to a positive impact on prospective students when they can see a better standard of housing open for them at some point.” The new residence hall is intended to be competitively priced against new residence halls at other in-

September 18, 2014

stitutions in Kentucky, with specific focus on new residence halls at the University of Kentucky. The new construction and renovations are also intended to be a point of pride for current students, prospective students and the university as a whole. The name of the new residence hall has not yet been decided, but “Gray Hall” – after Lexington’s mayor, Jim Gray – has been considered. Construction updates are posted frequently on TNotes, and students can also access a webcam which shows a time-lapse of the construction so far.

The sun creeps up from the horizon, staining the sky pink, sending its first rays over the Cairo skyline, the call to Morning Prayer echoing across the rooftops. It’s barely six o’clock but my contact has been awake for three hours. The man I’ve come to see has asked me to refer to him as Jack. We will be discussing some sensitive topics, and in his line of work a degree of anonymity is key. Jack is staying a few blocks from the Museum of Cairo. He has re-papered the walls, covering them in topographic maps, newspaper articles, memos, and photographs. As I enter the room Jack looks up from a yellowed journal, stepping from behind the desk to pump my hand in a viselike grip. Jack looks nothing like you’d expect from one of the Office of Special Intelligence’s field agents. He’s a tall man, about a decade into middle age, his greying hair cropped close, eyes shining with a fierce intelligence from behind horn-rimmed glasses. He turns back to his desk and closes the journal. Its cover is stamped with the Sword and runes of the Ahnenerbe SS. “Welcome to Egypt, Mr. Long,” Jack says. “I hope you didn’t have too much trouble at the border – with the recent uptick in violence Mubarak’s been ordering increased security.” Jack is referring to the latest surge of cult activity in Egypt (the biggest since the attempt by Osirionists to overthrow the fledgling Al-Sadat regime in the sixties) inspired by the wave of extranormal artifacts uncovered in the last several months. It’s these cults and the artifacts that attract them that have brought Jack to Egypt as part of President Rockefeller’s “War on the Occult.” I ask him for the latest on the situation. His cheerful expression drops and his voice grows grim as he explains the situation to me. “The Osirionists haven’t made any real moves, yet, but the Children of Seth, and Sunsworn, are openly recruiting. The Muslim Brotherhood tried to steal the Staff of Khemet from the University of Alexandria, but that was probably to destroy it. What really has me worried though is that a few Sons of Vril have been spotted near Giza. Those hardliners don’t mess around and the last thing that we need right now is Nazis getting involved.” Jack takes a gulp of his coffee and grimaces. “I guess the short version is that it’s a real cluster.” He taps the Ahnenerbe journal on his desk, “This is what started the whole thing. One of the SS officers in the Krieger Expedition talks about all these other sites they had planned to visit, but ended up having to stop once they uncovered the Eye of Horus.” The Krieger expedition was one of the first successful Ahnenerbe expeditions, and the undeniable power of the Eye had kicked off the ongoing archeological arms race and the related conflict of the war on the occult. In effect, Jack owes his job to that expedition. “Someone at the Cairo museum had the bright idea of checking out the spots he talks about. One of the sites was actually where the Staff of Khemet was discovered. And every single one had at least one extranormal artifact.” He shrugs. “We’re hoping that we can get these sites locked down before any cultists hone in on them.”

He glances at his watch. “Ready to go?” I am. I’m not here just to talk about Jack’s work in Egypt, but to see him in action. I’ll be accompanying him to the latest dig, discovered using information from the Journal. It’s only been active for a couple days but Jack has high hopes the current hot streak will hold. We make small talk as a valet gets his beat up Land Rover. The valet pulls up with the vehicle, and I ask Jack about the resurgence of cult activity. Why were they being drawn to these sites? As we drive he answers, “Cults are drawn to artifacts like moths to a flame: it doesn’t matter if they’re extranormal; if it’s old and has a hint of mysticism to it, a cult will go for it.” We reach the outskirts of the city. Pulling onto the road to Tanis, I ask about the site we’re headed to. “In 1936, a year before the Krieger expedition, the Ahnenerbe was convinced that the Ark of the Covenant was in Egypt,” Jack says. “The OSI even believed it might be a credible threat. A fellow by the name of Jones was sent to check it out. Krieger wanted to investigate the site where they thought it might be and see if they’d missed anything, but the Eye was too much of a prize, so he scrapped the expedition and headed back to Germany. The rest is, as they say, history. The Nazis used the eye to take France in a week and smashed the Soviets with the Vril stones before we landed in Marseille with one of our own. The Reich fell and the lebensraum imploded. The rationalists took over eastern Europe, cults tried to topple anything standing and the OSI suddenly found itself on the front lines.” He shakes his head. “Krieger had a lot to answer for, and knew it. It’s probably why he did himself in.” We pull into the excavation site, a series of square holes cut into the dusty earth, separated into sections by lengths of string. A man in a headscarf is waving a divining rod over one of the pits, while others sift sand through massive screens. A man in Western dress waves at Jack. Our day is only just starting but already the dig is getting results. On our way to the pits Jack turns to me. “You know, I believe in what the OSI does. I’m doing some good, but skin me if it doesn’t make me sad. That early OSI agent I mentioned, Henry Jones, did some incredible stuff. He was actually on the expedition that found the Antarctic Vril stone, and was part of the invasion of Germany. He disappeared in Munich when the Ahnenerbe attempted the Thanatos Ritual. When they found the Antarctic stone he supposedly said, ‘This belongs in a museum.’ And you know, he was right. These artifacts aren’t weapons, but we treat them like they are. I believe in my work, but I sometimes feel that it’s doing damage to the field.” We turn to the excavation, where the Western dressed man is gesturing at a half buried canoptic jar. Jack jumps in the pit and everything is business: reservations or not this is his job, and we have a long day ahead of us. Jack looks up at me after studying the jar. “Now this belongs in a museum.” Editor’s note: Read Part 2 in next week’s issue.

P.S. Nevermind

Here’s your ecard for the week. Should you have one you would like to see here, email its link or a photo of it to the Etcetera Editor to ajmenes15@transy.edu.

Image created via someecards.com by Ameka Menes

Opinion

Page 4

September 18, 2014

America should continue to seek justice, peace lglissanu15@transy.edu

What happened in Ferguson was no accident. A police officer shot and killed an unarmed young black man who had his hands raised in surrender. His body was left uncovered for at least ten minutes in a public street for everyone to see. No ambulance was called, and after four hours of being under an August sun, an unmarked car came and took his body away. Meanwhile, Darren Wilson, the police officer who killed him, was given anonymity and a means of escape. This is what American justice looks like. It looks like the Ferguson police department purposefully releasing a video of Michael Brown allegedly stealing cigars hours before releasing another statement saying that Wilson actually had no knowledge of the robbery. Mike Brown’s character assassination was necessary because his actual assassination wasn’t enough. The Ferguson Police Department obfuscated justice at every turn by refusing to give pertinent information about the crime committed and violated the law by refusing to file a full incident report. Now over a month later, charges still haven’t been filed against Darren Wilson. This would require the police to view one of their own as a murderer and a violator of the immense power police are given in this nation. This would require many Americans to view the events that unfolded in Ferguson as yet another terrible act of police brutality against an unarmed black person. It would require the death of a post-racial dream when images of protestors and unnecessary police militarization today look the same when they are juxtaposed against images from the Civil Rights Movement. It would

require Americans to eschew the myth of killed during a shootout by a black suspect. colorblindness and realize that legacies of He’s dumped the burden on a grand jury to slavery and Jim Crow still very much exist. make an indictment. And now, the Ferguson The mayor of Ferguson lied on national police force just admitted to starting a news when he said that the town of Ferguson GoFundMe.com fundraiser for Darren doesn’t have a race problem. Long before Wilson, which raised $500,000 in five days Mike Brown’s death, the NAACP filed a and had comments filled with unbelievable complaint against the St. Louis County Police racist vitriol. After the first fundraiser Department, and the Department of Justice was shut down, a police non-profit group filed a probe this month into this department started another for the legal defense funds and 20 other towns in the U.S. The town for a man who still has not been charged has a history of unfair search, seizure and with committing a crime, and now the destruction of black property and lives. In contributions are tax deductible. a town with a black majority, 50 of the 53 Throughout U.S. history, the police were police officers are white, never charged to protect and black folks are twice black folks. Here is a list as likely to be stopped and of some of the unarmed My silence will not black citizens who have arrested, even though white drivers are much more protect me, and neither been murdered by police likely to have contraband. will the silence of the within the past ten years: It’s a place where a black Jordan Davis, Tarika man can be beaten by the Transy community upWilson, Aiyanna Stanleypolice and then arrested for hold the human dignity Jones, Amadou Diallo, destruction of property after of all of our students Rekia Boyd, Sean Bell, bleeding on their uniforms. Eric Garner, Ezell Ford, In 2000, two unarmed and fellow Americans. John Crawford, Eleanor black men were shot and Bumpurs and Michael killed in their car behind Stewart. I learn names far a Jack-In-The-Box during a botched drug too frequently I wish I didn’t know because arrest, one of whom wasn’t even a suspect. of this. I had to take a long break from the Andrew McCulloch, the St. Louis prosecutor, news because of the depressing, extensive refused to release video of the shooting until coverage of people like me being killed and a federal probe of it began. The tape showed all being vilified as looters for gathering that the car never moved before the shooting, together, protesting, forming community. which contradicted the police report, yet Multiple sources have critiqued the there was still no indictment. ways white killers are humanized more by Today, McCulloch is the prosecutor for media outlets than black victims. For my own Mike Brown’s case, and many are accusing sanity, I don’t want to believe that all white him of bias. He’s never indicted any police people hate black people, or that police are officers for at least a dozen fatal shootings, looking to constantly gun down or assault has many family members who are police black people. But I do know racism works in officers and his father was a police officer both overt and subconscious ways that make

letter to Liberals overuse ‘race card’ I n GOP in 2016 include those such as Allen D e c e m b e Mia Love, Dr. Ben Carlson, Marco the editor 2013 MSNBCr West, Rubio, Tim Scott, Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz,

host Melissa Harris Perry made the absurd and baseless claim that the word “Obamacare” was quote, “Conceived by a group of wealthy white men who needed a way to put themselves above and apart from a black man. To render him inferior and unequal and to diminish his accomplishments.” The “black man” in the aforementioned quote is of course a reference to president Obama. This is not the first time someone on the left has falsely and maliciously characterized conservatives as being racists and MHP herself has a long history of doing so. Now no serious person would disagree with the idea that MHP is ultimately irrelevant and a national embarrassment and I’m sure I’m not alone in wanting a bottle of the stuff they were drinking over at MSNBC when they decided to give her a show. However, her comments are a reflection of a bigger problem. This problem is the fact that the left in this country has become so affective at lying about the racism of conservatives that they’ve been able to convince enough of the electorate to keep themselves in power. Now I would offer as evidence to the contrary the fact that many of the front-runners for the

and Condoleezza Rice. With one exception, everyone on the aforementioned list is either Hispanic or African American. In addition, every single person on that list would be enthusiastically voted for by conservatives and tea partiers especially. Compare this with the three DNC frontrunners, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, and John Kerry. I think we can all agree these are three of the oldest, whitest, most ineffective leaders in modern American politics. Given this information, hopefully it is now clear as to what imbeciles the democrats make of themselves when they try to characterize conservatives, and tea partiers, as racists. The democrat’s habit of falsely claiming racism in conservative precincts to score cheap political points, is not only dishonest and immoral, but results in us being needlessly divided as a nation. To my fellow conservatives, I encourage you to unapologetically expose the left for the fools they are when they choose to utilize the race card. I believe if we do this it will bring us one step closer to a more united, prosperous, and genuinely progressive America.

Editorial cartoon

Jared Catron, ‘16

επευφημίες και αποδοκιμασίες the sugar and caffeine it had in it, but I hear it’s the bees’ knees. Jeers to Kanye West for being a butt. Cheers to the Scottish Independence campaign, not because I have a particular take in the matter, but because I enjoy the directness and efficiency of their campaign slogans. For the uneducated, people in favor of Scottish Independence have bumper stickers, t-shirts, posters, coffee mugs, banners, flags and fans with the word “Yes” printed on them, and the opposition has the same media with the word “No” printed on them. Here’s a QR-code to a photo, because I can’t publish non Creative Commons photos:

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The

Jeers to this edition of Cheers and Jeers for the amount of Greek in it. Cheers to the Beta Mu chapter of Delta Sigma Phi for getting the Commonwealth of Kentucky some national attention for something that doesn’t involve lack of education, racism, drunken stupidity, horses, Turtle Man, tornados, bourbon or Rand Paul. Jeers to sorority recruitment for leaving glitter everywhere. Everyone knows that stuff does not go away. Now the campus will permanently look like the stomping ground of a herd of unicorns. Cheers to the Tau Omega chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi for overtaking the Sigs as the largest social fraternity (they are a women’s fraternity, look it up) on Transylvania’s campus. Of course, thanks to that viral video, I’m sure that will change by next week. Jeers to sorority run out for waking Hazelrigg residents that wanted to sleep in until noon on a Sunday. Everybody knows those guys desperately need their beauty sleep.

Cheers to female recruitment being over so the Rho Gammas can have friends again. Jeers to the May Term Travel Course Info Fair for reminding me that I only have a single May term left. Cheers to Richard Mack for his achievement of this month’s Essential Piece Award. Jeers to Mojang for selling out to Microsoft. I can’t maintain my PC master race cred if the dirty console peasants get the same Minecraft benefits as I do. What’s the point of having a water-cooled powerhouse that Pixar would be proud of if I can’t have my 512x512 textures and dynamic shading in a voxel game written in Java that my 5-yearold cousin plays? Cheers to Mojang to selling out to Microsoft before EA had its chance. “On sale on Origin: Minecraft, Digital Deluxe Edition: $59.99.” Just the thought makes me shudder. Jeers to Destiny for potentially destroying Transylvania’s average GPA. No one will go to class, no studying will happen, everyone will fail out, the student population will plummet, the university won’t be able to afford to function after the loss and the school will be forced to shut down. Cheers to the atomic burger for being the best Rafskeller burger I’ve ever had. Jeers to the atomic burger for being twelve dollars. Now I can’t buy that case of chips I get during May term every year. Cheers to Coco-Cola for bringing back Surge. I never had it as a kid because of all

police miscalculate a threat from a 6’4,” 300 lb. black body, treat protestors as animals and find black victims as unrespectable and undeserving of justice. I am tired of turning the other cheek, tired of protesting for another victim, tired of being told it is black people who do not uphold the law, and tired by my own rage and despair. As writer and professor Brittney Cooper pointed out, there are no legal avenues to express our dispossession in healthy ways, just as there is nothing more threatening to white folks than our rage, and nothing more deadly to us than white rage. I can’t stomach another look at a picture of the crime scene with Mike Brown lying face down, his blood forming a ribbon down the slightly sloped street. I also didn’t want to come back to a school where I’m evermore aware that too many can consume black culture at will and then hide behind their white privilege when confronted with painful realities of blackness. You can still hold racial prejudice no matter how much Beyoncé you listen to or how many times you voted for President Barack Obama. My silence will not protect me, and neither will the silence of the Transy community uphold the human dignity of all of our students and fellow Americans. It’s time to talk seriously and do something about the general lack of racial diversity in our classes and faculty, race curriculum and institutional support for minorities on this campus. We all need to be aware of the reality that millions of people of color, our allies and many witnesses in Ferguson already know to be true: what happened that August day in Ferguson was no accident. In the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., “without justice, there can be no peace.” May we seek justice. May we seek peace.

Toni Jackson

Lydia Lissanu

Jeers to the aforementioned campaign, for better competing slogans should be the culturally correct “Aye!” and “Arrgh!”

Editor-in-Chief...............................Rachel Smith Managing Editor........................Mattie Bruton Photo Editor..................................Sarah Allison Campus Life Editor............................Dave Neri ETC Editor......................................Ameka Menes OpinionEditor..........................Jesse Johnson A&E Editor................................Justine Yentsch Sports Editor .................................... John Mays Chief Copy Editor...............Stacey Venneman Copy Editor ...............................Kaitlin Haggard Adviser..................................................Tyler Young

A&E

Page 5

September 18, 2014

New director extends Things you choir program’s reach don’t want

SARAH ALLISON

to school in Indiana, Ohio and California to being the Associate Chorus Master at the Los Angeles Opera. Over the summer, Cooksey attended both the China International Chorus Festival and the International Federation for Choir Music World Youth Education Conference in Korea, which is only held every three years. Her decision initially was influenced by her family, who lives in Korea, but later on she was invited to hold a seminar she had developed called “Beautiful Bodies, Beautiful Music.” In 2008, she suffered a shoulder injury, and she said that “doctors thought that [she] wouldn’t really be able to conduct without pain ever again.” Assistant Choir Director Karen Cooksey directs Pioneer Voices in After being told to try Old Morrison Chapel many different methods of treatment, she was inspired Justine Yentsch jsyentsch17@transy.edu to create this proposal. While working with the students. she notes that she “doesn’t The beginning of a Cooksey was a 1999 have all the answers, [she] experienced new year always means finalist for the American certainly it on the other side.” new faces, and Assistant Choral Directors Association She then discovered little Professor/Director of National Student Conducting things that can contribute to Choral Activities Dr. Karen Award, was recognized at the injuries that potentially affect Cooksey is an addition which International Competition Transy’s music department for Young Choir Directors a person’s ability to perform, is especially excited about. in 2004 and has twice including simple things such Taking over the position been a quarterfinalist for as leaning over the sink from Dr. Gary Anderson who the International Eric while brushing your teeth. Before going to Korea, retired last year, Cooksey Ericson Awards in 2003 she was also approached to was chosen as the result of and 2009. In 2004, she lead seminars in Beijing, an extensive search process, was second place for both where she presented on including a final step in the Best Interpretation of contemporary choral music in which the candidates led a Modern Work and Best the United States, movement singing workshops during the Female Conductor awards. 2014 May term to determine She has worked in in directing music and helped who had the best fit with many different parts of judge choral performances. Her background the music program and the country, from going

influences her intentions for the future of Transy’s choral program, saying she “hopes to serve as a vocal coach” to encourage healthy singing; she focuses on “teaching the principles” so students can develop skills on their own. However, Cooksey also has a light-hearted approach to the Transy choir experience. She hopes to collaborate on a video which would include the choir students displaying their singing talents “that will become viral.” This fall, Cooksey is teaching music appreciation class and will conduct Pioneer Voices and the Transylvania Choir. She also may be teaching music history in either the spring or winter. She said she “invites people to come to [her] to figure out ways we can be multi-disciplinary,” because Transy has “all these great specialists [and we should] find ways we can mix that all together.” Cooksey wishes to work on projects with other Lexington art and music groups in order to add even more to the already flourishing art community in the city. Her vision for the future of the music program at Transy is one of collaboration and integration between off- and on-campus events and organizations, while encouraging and directing students to make the most out of their collegiate music experience.

to miss What: Lexington Gallery Hop When: Sept. 12, 5p.m.8p.m. Where: Morlan Gallery, Mitchell Fine Arts Center The details: Explore the art both on Transy’s campus and in Lexington’s downtown area. The Morlan Gallery showcases the “Street Artists: Kentucky Graffiti Artists” collection, while downtown Lexington features an installation of murals from celebrated street artists. (Free Event) What: Salsa Lessons When: Sept. 8-Dec. 1, 4:30-5p.m. Where: Beck MultiPurpose Room The details: Head over to the Beck multi-purpose room for free salsa lessons. No experience or partner required. What: Art Lecture with Andrew Helm When: Sept. 24, 5:30p.m. Where: Carnegie Center The details: Visiting artist Andrew Hem, a celebrated painter/ muralist, will hold an informal lecture at the Carnegie Center for Learning & Literary, off

campus at the southern end of Gratz Park. He will discuss his career in street art as well as the culture and the inspiration for his artwork. (Free Event) What: Faculty Showcase When: Sept. 24, 7:30p.m. Where: Carrick Theater The details: Transylvania’s music faculty will perform a wide range of pieces, both vocal and instrumental, to display their distinguished talents to the Lexington community. (Free Event) What:Family Weekend Concert When: Sept. 27, 7:30p.m. Where: Haggin Auditorium The details: As a part of Transy’s family weekend events, the university’s music groups will perform in Haggin Auditorium. Featured groups include the Chamber Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, Transylvania Choir, Transylvania Singers and Pioneer Voices. (Free Event)

COURTESY OF STUDENT ART LEAGUE

Student Art League increases presence on campus

The Art League’s booth at last year’s Involvement Fair featured photo booth fun, with students posing in front of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.”

Mattie Bruton mebruton17@transy.edu

Transylvania’s Student Art League (TSAL) is making efforts to revamp, rebrand, and reach out this year. TSAL has big plans to expand and innovate on Transylvania’s campus and beyond. “My freshman year (TSAL) was kind of nonexistent,” said TSAL treasurer and senior Erin Burns. “Last year we kind of tried to bring it back to life more powerfully than in years before… so this year we’re hoping to see it really pick up and

especially get underclassmen involved to continue this process in the future.” One of the primary goals of TSAL this year is to bring the Lexington art community together with the Transy community. “We’re trying to figure out a good way to both be an artistic resource for students on campus but also kind of connect students to the surrounding community, especially the North Lime Community,” said TSAL President and senior Stevie Morrison. One of the ways that

the Student Art League is trying to integrate the Transylvania community with the Lexington art community is by registering the student gallery in the Shearer Art Building as an official location on the LexArt Gallery Hop. While the student gallery will be filled with artwork all year round, registering the space with the Gallery Hop means that student art will have a stronger presence. “The intention is to use it as an actual gallery with shows curated by our own actual art body,” said TSAL Vice President and senior Luke Gnadinger. The first Gallery Hop is coming up on Sept. 19, from 5-8 p.m. and will showcase a wide variety of student artwork. The next Gallery Hop will be on Nov. 1st. However student artwork won’t just be confined to the gallery-- the Student Art League is also working to bring creativity to all corners of campus. “One of our major goals this year is to get our students work seen and recognized all around campus,” said Secretary and sophomore Teddy Salazar in an e-mail interview. “If you take a look around campus (the caf, the campus center)

most of the art being hung is brightly colored photographs reprinted in various sizes to demonstrate a very thriving part of our community. And as true as that may be, that is not all there is to our community. Not just our art community, but our school’s community as a whole. What makes us ‘us’ is the students who produce and create and are being educated to become well-rounded people.” One of the first places that TSAL plans to bring art to is the Campus Center, which will be home to a student art gallery over Family Weekend. Art submissions for the gallery are open and welcome for any students until Friday, Sept. 19. The use of the Campus Center as a space for art will extend beyond a single weekend- TSAL is working on designing a space in the Campus Center which will display student artwork year-round. “We really want to utilize that space and a couple of other places on campus as places to showcase student artwork- for majors, minors, or people who just like to make art,” Gnadinger said. Last year, TSAL hosted its first ever Halloween Dance with an “Into the

(859) 233-8315

Woods” theme. The dance was immensely successful, and TSAL hopes to continue the tradition this year. Plans are being made to potentially hold this year’s Halloween dance and costume party in Forrer Courtyard. TSAL will be working with residence life staff to create a much larger Halloween event, with all sorts of spooky festivities like ghost tours and haunted houses. “We’re hoping to see a good turnout again this year. Last year it brought together a lot of different types of people on our campus and I think it has a good potential to do the same thing again this year,” Burns said. TSAL is also looking to collaborate with other oncampus organizations as a

graphic design resource. Any campus club or organization can go to the TSAL website and fill out a form requesting designs for things like flyers and banners, and then work together with the artists of TSAL to create and select the designs. TSAL also hopes to expand this program beyond paper advertisement, and start working on silk screening tee-shirt designs. But TSAL isn’t just helping other campus organizations advertise in original ways. The organization is also formulating new and original ways to advertise itself to the student body. Salazar said that there were both visual and performance based advertisements on the way, but that their exact nature would be a surprise.

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Send your questions for the candidates Baker atatjtbaker15@transy.edu to Tyler The Rambler rambler@transy.edu, and they might be asked at the live debate.

Consider our number on your wall. We might not have Jenny, but feel free to call us with tips, suggestions or general grumblings.

Sports

Page 6

September 18, 2014

Alumnus Vogel returns to men’s soccer This fall marks the beginning of a new era for the Transylvania men’s soccer program. Transylvania alumnus Matt Vogel will take over the reigns as head coach only six years after his graduation. “Vogel,” as his players affectionately call him, has already been coaching soccer for 10 years. Working as Lexington Football Club’s coach since his first year at Transy, spending a year at Mercer County Senior High in 2012 and learning as an assistant to mentor Brandon Bowman last season at Transylvania, the stars aligned to give Vogel what he called his dream job. However, when asked if he felt more pressure coaching at his alma mater, Vogel said, “Coaching soccer is coaching soccer.” “I feel very humbled and honored,” he later continued. “It’s a huge blessing. Being a part of this community is something I really enjoy. This is the perfect situation for me and is definitely the place I consider home. ” As a student, Vogel was a double-major in business and exercise science. True to the liberal arts, Vogel used both fields of study to develop his own workouts and intern as a manager at several

gyms while in college. “I used Doctor Brown and Abraham’s classes and developed my own workout and saw the difference on the

Vogel is a 2008 Transylvania graduate. He played three years of soccer at Transy.

field,” said Vogel. The list of accomplishments and accolades Vogel compiled at Transy is extensive. After playing a year at University of Kentucky, Vogel decided to transfer to Transy where he played as a center back. He would go on to become the team's MVP all three of his years at Transy, receive 1st Team All-Conference Honors, a Regional AllAmerican recognition, the 2007 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference MVP award, Transylvania Athlete of the Year and designation on two different All-American teams as a senior. While most coaches call the shots exclusively from the sidelines, Vogel isn’t one to shy away from taking the

hands-on approach to coaching, sometimes getting in the action in practice. “He can definitely get out there and compete with us,” said sophomore Matt Gammon. Smiling, he added, “He may just lose his breath a little quicker than he used to.” Vogel hopes not only to be an accomplished coach, but also a role model for the athletes who play for him. He said he hopes that Transy will be home to athletes who can be described as people with good character. "I’m okay with mistakes; if the attitude is poor it bothers me because you have control over that,” he said. Known for his fierce intensity and fiery attitude on the sidelines, Vogel attributes his intensity to his challenging first year on the UK soccer team, saying he would never trade the experience for anything. As a student inside the Bubble, Vogel was a member of the Kappa Alpha Order, enjoyed intramural basketball, was a member of several summer research teams and earned a reputation as quite a lively dancer. “I can do some dance moves,” he admitted, somewhat reluctantly. “Once on a trip to Chicago my team dared me to challenge a street performer and I had to dance

right in front of this guy.” Both as a student-athlete and as a coach, Vogel said time management and maximizing control over everything possible are the keys to success. “Training has to be as efficient as it can be,” he