BSU 09-16-15

DN

ADVERTISEMENT

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015

BALL

STATE

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Ball State vs. IPFW Tonight (Wed.) | 7 p.m. | Worthen Arena 200 STUDENT REWARDS POINTS

‘The Visit’ overstays welcome with columnist

THE DAILY NEWS

BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

FOR STUDENT REWARDS INFO, GET THE APP: BALLSTATE.FANMAKER.COM | #CHIRPCHIRP

SEE PAGE 8

BRING ON THE BIDS

PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE ELLEN SHOW

Freshman appears on ‘Ellen,’ wins Ford Focus

Half-court shot winner writes to daytime talk show host

|

DN PHOTOS BREANNA DAUGHERTY

AMANDA BELCHER EVENT REPORTER albelcher@bsu.edu

T

en sororities joined in the Quad Monday afternoon to welcome new members into their sororities. Before Bid Day, any woman wanting to commit to a Panhellenic Council sorority had to go through three rounds of recruitment. After each new member received her bid, she ran to her new sisters.

The first time Lemuel Turner attempted to sink a basket in front of video cameras and an enthralled audience, he received a semester’s worth of free tuition from Ball State. The second time, he won a Ford Focus, courtesy of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

National media outlets including the New York Times and ESPN picked up on Turner’s first shot, but he wasn’t receiving media requests from a certain talk show host.

So he decided to send an email.

“I wrote into [‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’] and got invited to go on,” he said.

Turner, a freshman business major, packed his bags and flew to California for a two-day trip. His appearance on the Ellen Show premiered on Monday.

DeGeneres gave Turner three chances to make a basket, and he needed every one.

“It was incredible … being on her set and seeing how everything happened, and just meeting Ellen DeGeneres herself was amazing,” Turner said. “It’s definitely in the top five best moments of my life.”

But Turner doesn’t credit the car, the tuition or the popularity as the best part of the whole experience, but rather, “being able to stay humble through it all,” he said.

It helps that the media attention hasn’t been too intense.

See full story on page 6

See ELLEN, page 3

In-state foes set to play at Lucas Oil Cardinals hope to continue 3-game win streak over IU

|

COLIN GRYLLS GENERAL REPORTER crgrylls@bsu.edu

SPEAKER DISCUSSES MENTAL ILLNESSES Former patroller shares experiences from suicide cases

|

PATRICK CALVERT GENERAL REPORTER pcalvert@bsu.edu

When Kevin Briggs, a now-retired highway patroller on the Golden Gate Bridge, ran into someone attempting suicide, it was part of his job to try and stop it from happening.

When approaching someone, he would always turn his radio off to minimize distractions

and try to encourage the suicidal individual to step back onto the bridge.

He tried to find that one example that will make someone want to live another day.

Briggs spoke at John R. Emens Auditorium as a part of events put on by the Ball State chapter of Active Minds Monday.

By the time he retired, Briggs witnessed 46 confirmed suicides, but, in reality, the number was closer to 60 because the bodies were not always found. He had no formal training before he started working on the bridge — he just struggled through talking

people down.

Suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, according to Active Minds, a mental health advocacy group. Ball State’s chapter of Active Minds invited Briggs to speak about his personal experience with mental health issues and what he witnessed as a patroller.

Sometimes something as simple as a pet kept someone from jumping to their death, Briggs said.

One time, he found a man who had stepped over the rail due to financial troubles. Briggs started talking to him and found out

he had a goldfish. Briggs asked who was going to feed the fish if he died — and that made the man climb back onto the bridge.

The goldfish saved his life.

Briggs himself battles depression, and he lost his grandfather to suicide.

“That act, although ending his own pain, robbed me from ever getting to know him,” Briggs said in his TED Talk in May 2014. “This is what suicide does. For most suicidal folks, or those contemplating suicide, they wouldn’t think of hurting another person. They just want their own pain to end.”

See BRIGGS, page 5

Ball State and Indiana haven’t laced it up against each other on a football field since 2012.

Beginning next season, the Cardinals and Hoosiers will meet four times over the next five years. Ball State will travel to Bloomington in 2018 and 2020, and the teams will meet at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2019.

Ball State Athletic Director Mark Sandy said the in-state series should be an easier trip for both the players and fans.

“It’s a closer game, so you just don’t need as much effort to take the team, gather them on the plane and go down to Texas,” Sandy said. “It’s a great trip every once in a while, but we prefer most years to play a team that’s close. Plus, the games in Indiana create much more of an interest among our fans as far as their ability to attend the games.”

The Cardinals traveled to College Station, Texas to play against Texas A&M last week.

Ball State played Big Ten opponent Iowa last season, and will visit Northwestern next weekend.

The series between the Cardinals and Hoosiers began in 2007. After Indiana won the first four contests, Ball State has maintained a three-game winning streak.

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

See FOOTBALL, page 4 THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

VOL. 95, ISSUE 9

MUNCIE, INDIANA

TODAY IS MEXICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY.

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

CONTACT US

News desk: 285-8245 Sports desk: 285-8245 Features desk: 285-8245

Editor: 285-8249 Classified: 285-8247 Fax: 285-8248

TWEET US

Receive news updates on your phone for free by following @bsudailynews on Twitter.

1. CLOUDY

2. MOSTLY CLOUDY

FORECAST

High pressure continues to dominate the pattern here in Muncie. Sunshine continues, with a high near 80. -Samantha Garrett, WCRD assistant chief weather forecaster

TODAY

Mostly sunny

High: 80 Low: 57 3. PARTLY CLOUDY

4. MOSTLY SUNNY

5. SUNNY

THE PULSE OF BALL STATE

PAGE 2 | WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

THE SKINNY

CORRECTIONS

In Monday’s edition of the Daily News, we incorrectly reported Teh-Kuang Chang, a political science professor, received a birthday scroll from Ma Ying-jeou, the president of China. Mr. Ma is the president of the Republic of China, which includes the island of Taiwan.

5 THINGS TO KNOW

TODAY

3. SHOOTING SUSPECT LEAVES APOLOGY NOTE

GAUTIER, Miss. (AP) — A university instructor told police he killed his girlfriend at a home they shared and investigators found a note there that said “I am so sorry I wish I could take it back” — but there was no hint he was headed a few hundred miles north to kill a colleague, police said Tuesday.

Shannon Lamb called 911 on Monday, telling a dispatcher he had killed

KIM JONG-UN | PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR.COM

41-year-old Amy Prentiss at the home they shared in Gautier along the Gulf coast. When officers responded, they found the note written in all capital letters on a white, lined notepad, signed by Lamb Police say Lamb attacked again about 45 minutes after that call, this time shooting Delta State University professor Ethan Schmidt, 39.

1. NORTH KOREA RESTARTS NUCLEAR PLANTS 4. SCHOOL BUS CRASH KILLS 2 STUDENTS PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — With a big anniversary drawing near, North Korea declared Tuesday it has upgraded and restarted all of its atomic fuel plants — meaning it could possibly make more, and more sophisticated, nuclear weapons.

The statement, coming just a day after it said it is ready to conduct more rocket launches any time it sees fit, has heightened concerns the North may soon either conduct a launch — which Washington and

its allies see as a pretext for testing missile technology — or hold another test of nuclear weapons that it could conceivably place on such a rocket.

Either would be sure to get world attention and be milked by North Korea’s state media as major achievements by Kim Jong-un and his ruling regime.

But North Korea’s recent statements also fit a pattern of using claimed improvements in its nuclear and missile programs to push for talks with the United States.

HOUSTON (AP) — A school bus plunged off a highway overpass in Houston after being hit by a car driven by a teacher Tuesday, killing two students and seriously injuring three other people, police and school officials said.

A 17-year-old female student died at the scene, while a 14-year-old girl died at a hospital, according to the Houston Independent School District. The driver and the other passengers on the bus — a male student and a female student — are hospitalized.

The names of the students haven’t

been released.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy,” Superintendent Terry Grier said in a statement. “I ask all of the HISD community to join me in praying for all of those involved.”

Police spokesman Victor Senties said investigators believe a car struck the front driver’s side of the bus after swerving to avoid another vehicle during morning rush-hour traffic. The bus then lurched to the right, struck a guardrail and toppled to the road below, Senties said.

2. HUNGARY SEALS OFF BORDER TO SERBIA 5. MEXICO SAYS 8 DEAD IN EGYPT ATTACK HORGOS, Serbia (AP) — Hungary sealed off its border with Serbia with massive coils of barbed wire Tuesday and began detaining migrants trying to use the country as a gateway to Western Europe, harsh new measures that left thousands of frustrated asylum-seekers piled up on the Serbian side of the border.

Human rights activists condemned the move, with Amnesty International saying Hungary’s “intimidating show

of militarized force is shocking.” But Prime Minister Viktor Orban defended the measures, saying he was acting to preserve Christian Europe, which he said had become threatened by the large numbers of Muslims streaming into the continent.

By nightfall Tuesday, thousands of migrants prepared to spend a night in the open or in flimsy tents erected in the bushes or on the main highway near the Serbian border with Hungary.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Foreign Relations Department said Tuesday that embassy personnel in Egypt have identified six more bodies as those of Mexican citizens killed in air attack by Egyptian police and military forces.

The deaths of two Mexicans had earlier been confirmed, bringing the total number of Mexicans killed to eight.

Six other Mexicans were wound-

ed in the attack. The department said Tuesday their condition is stable. There were 14 or 15 Mexicans who were traveling on a desert oasis tour at the time.

Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sissi on Tuesday called Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto to offer his condolences and reiterate that Egypt will provide all necessary medical assistance for the injured.

THE FORECAST POWERED BY WCRD.NET/WEATHER

THURSDAY Mostly cloudy High: 82 Low: 59 02 - MOSTLY CLOUDY

03 - PARTLY CLOUDY

FRIDAY Partly cloudy; isolated showers/storms High: 84 Low: 63 SATURDAY Cloudy; scattered showers/storms High: 79 Low: 52

09 - SCATTERED SHOWERS

SUNDAY Partly sunny, cooler High: 70 Low: 51 03 - PARTLY CLOUDY

SERVICE DIRECTORY

The Ball State Daily News (USPS144-360), the Ball State student newspaper, is published Monday through Thursday during the academic year and Monday and Thursday during summer sessions; zero days on breaks and holidays. The Daily News is supported in part by an allocation from the General Fund of the university and is available free to students at various points on campus.

POSTAL BOX The Daily News offices are in AJ 278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306-0481. Periodicals postage paid in Muncie, Ind. TO ADVERTISE Classified department 765-285-8247 Display department 765-285-8256 or 765-285-8246. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

TO SUBSCRIBE Call 765-285-8250 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

Subscription rates: $90 for one year.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Daily News, AJ 278, Ball State University, Muncie, IN 47306.

BACK ISSUES Stop by AJ 278 between noon and 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and afternoons Friday.

CORRECTIONS To report an error in print or online, email editor@bsudailynews.com with the following information: the date, if it appeared in print or online, the headline, byline and an explanation of why it is incorrect.

EDITORIAL BOARD EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Dakota Crawford MANAGING EDITOR Kaitlin Lange

PRINT EDITOR Christopher Stephens CREATIVE DIRECTOR Ashley Downing

IDESK EDITOR Rachel Podnar SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Alan Hovorka

FORUM EDITOR Anna Bowman NEWS EDITOR Kara Berg

ASST. NEWS EDITOR Rose Skelly FEATURES EDITOR Danielle Grady

SPORTS EDITOR Jake Fox ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Robby General

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Breanna Daugherty ASST. MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Samantha Brammer

DESIGN EDITOR Krista Sanford GRAPHICS EDITOR Tyson Bird

COPY DIRECTOR Melissa Jones ASST. COPY DIRECTOR Sophie Gordon

Get connected with campus 24/7 Crossword ACROSS 1 Respectful title 4 Gnocchi sauce 9 First occurrence 14 Keats’ “__ to a Nightingale” 15 Stay away from 16 With 61-Across, Sri Lankan product 17 Pool user’s unit 18 Sweet sherry, e.g.

20 “__ Road to Glory”: Arthur Ashe history 22 Lip 23 Unbeatable hand 27 Hat worn with a kilt 30 “Romeo and Juliet” city 31 Laundry slide 33 __ Spumante 36 Here, to Henri 37 Album array 38 It happens four times a year ... and also in this puzzle’s circles 41 Comes to the point?

42 Have title to 43 Long basket, in hoops lingo 44 Clear the board 45 Daze 47 Only article in a U.S. state capital name 48 Square-bodied family autos

EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS

52 Burlesque wraps 54 Dot on a map 55 Pre-holiday mall indulgence 61 See 16-Across 62 Parenthetical remark 63 Piece of cake 64 Tach reading 65 Package sealers 66 Decorative pitchers 67 Critter in Egyptian art DOWN 1 Like some eclipses 2 One of three Hells Canyon states 3 Square things 4 Kayak mover 5 Night before 6 Distress signal 7 “Whether __ nobler ...”: Hamlet 8 Ukrainian port 9 Stops wavering 10 Dinnertime TV fare 11 Snow runner 12 Ages and ages 13 Place to start a hole 19 Cheer from the crowd 21 Steep-sided valleys 24 Wendy’s side 25 Maniacal 26 Military outfit

Sudoku CROSSWORD SOLUTION FOR MONDAY

27 Private instructor 28 Square things 29 Like many a dorm room 31 Half a dance 32 Party organizer 33 Did one’s part?

34 Admonishing response to “Mine!”

35 Spanish finger food 37 Tubular pasta 39 MBA hopeful’s test 40 Took a dip 45 Struggle 46 Old-time broadcasters 48 Crone 49 Extreme 50 Some execs 51 Passport image 52 __ one’s time: wait 53 Soda machine inserts 55 Nocturnal flier 56 NATO founding member 57 Chihuahua complaint 58 Handle without care?

59 Reuben bread 60 Slogan ending?

| BY MICHAEL MEPHAM

SUDOKU SOLUTION FOR MONDAY

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 , 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 3

FEATURES FEATURES@BSUDAILYNEWS.COM TWITTER.COM/BSUDAILYNEWS

Q&A with PigPen Theatre Co. Indie-folk band coming to Pruis talks new album, creative beginnings SABRINA SCHNETZER EVENT REPORTER

The latest act coming to Pruis Hall is more than just a band. PigPen Theatre Co. began creating plays as a group in 2007. Now, two indie-folk albums and one EP into their music career, this group of seven men is touring the United States with its newest release, “Whole Sun.” They’ll be performing at Ball State on Thursday. The Daily News talked to members Alex Falberg and Ben Ferguson.

How/why did you make the transition from playwrights to “fullfledged” band with an album?

BF: We all have such a great appreciation of music. We started playing music together. The idea came to us that we could take the music we were writing outside of our shows. That excited us. We’re trying to do a little bit of everything. We try to make movies, theater and certainly music. It just seemed like a natural thing that excited all of us.

AF: The main reason I think we started is people were demanding — rather, asking — us where to make the music.

When we recorded the first album, we did fundraising on Kickstarter. When we recorded the album, it was a year after we got out of school. We discovered how the power of recorded music could be shared. Many people can share

it across different platforms.

Playing live music is a very different endeavor than performing a theatrical production.

One of them is there are fewer questions that one has to ask with one than the other. It’s a little easier to tour as a band.

It’s a little bit more universal.

How is the tour going so far? What’s the best part of touring?

BF: It’s great! It’s always very exciting for us to go to a place.

You see cross-pollination between the people who know us as a band and as a theater company, and have all of these people who’ve seen us at our theater shows and say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you guys did that,’ or vice versa. That’s what’s really exciting for us — to get people who normally wouldn’t go to a concert, but would go to a theater show. But they come and see a concert, just because they like our shows.

AF: Definitely, Ben. The best part of touring is meeting all of the people that you meet in different cities. We had this amazing Instagram journal. We would take a picture of each sound engineer that we played with.

The sound engineers are the unsung heroes of a lot of these.

They really felt like they were appreciated, and we got to keep track of the people that we worked with. Every sound engineer is different. It was very interesting to see how certain sound engineers do

|

slschnetzer@bsu.edu

our track, because we didn’t tour with our own guy. We get to really experience what each sound engineer hears us as.

It’s such a different show every time.

BF: We see ourselves as very social people. It’s always very exciting to travel, but you’re only there for a couple of hours.

Most of the people you get to meet are the sound engineers, so we like to make as much time and opportunity just to meet anyone who is working with us or at the show.

How did you begin the process of creating “Whole Sun”? What were you hoping to accomplish with it?

AF: There’s a couple different ways of looking at it. We didn’t start out as musicians, although some of us played music in school. We came together as a theater company. You look at it from the perspective from where we began; it’s changed a lot.

The work we put into it began when we started playing music. There’s so much to put into it, and we’re still growing.

The process for this specific album, I guess, the first song that we shared with one another happened when we were in Chicago. We were doing a play in Chicago called “The Old Man and the Old Moon.” We were there for about four or five months. We all lived in a big house in the suburbs next

to this big outdoor music festival called Ravinia. The music festival was off-season, but the festival actually houses their big musicians in the house that we were staying in. Somehow, we got lucky we were staying all in this big house. We found out that Tony Bennett stayed in this house. You might say we were meant to work on some of our own music. We started some simple rounds of our first tunes.

Finally, we got to a point where we’re like, ‘Okay, we’re ready to do a fundraiser. Well, a Kickstarter campaign.’ We organized whom we were going to be working with.

The original Kickstarter was $5,000, and we ended up with $9,000. We were ecstatic about that. Then the Kickstarter for “Whole Sun” started by asking for $20,000, and we ended up with close to $50,000, which all goes into expenses for the album and the expenses for the Kickstarter itself. We’ve been very fortunate that people have come and actually liked our stuff.

How do you get inspiration for your songs?

BF: This album “Whole Sun” is a little different than “Bremen.”

With “Bremen,” we wrote it basically because we had written a lot of different songs for theater shows. We picked our favorite ones that we thought could stand alone as a song and built them up from there.

The inspiration for writing

those songs came from the actual play, where “Whole Sun” was a little different. All of the songs from “Whole Sun” were written independently outside of theater. They were just songs that we wrote for the sake of a song. A lot of the ones are about where we were in our personal lives and how we felt when we were growing up a little bit. Also, trying to write the music outside of school and outside of theater; it kind of depends on what kind of songs we are writing. If I say, ‘I’ve got a verse and a chorus.

What do you guys think?’ the song will sort of emerge.

What future projects are you currently working on?

AF: We’re attempting to adapt our own play “The Old Man and the Old Moon” into a kid’s book. I’m really excited about that. It’s taken us a long time to gather our thoughts into how that translates and how that adaption works. There are a lot of givens when you see a performance. The seven of us play all the parts onstage. One of us plays a really, really old man and one of us plays the 8-year-old boy. We switch back and forth between roles. There’s a lot of different kinds of make-believe that happen when you go see a show. It’s a different sort of make-believe than when you are reading a book.

We’re still tinkering around with how that play translates.

WE’RE HIRING!

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELLEN SHOW

ELLEN: | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “It’s been moderate, not too extreme,” Turner said.

“I get a lot of offers for interviews and I’ve had to decline a few.”

As for everyday life, Turner has only noticed small changes.

“I get a lot more texts and get recognized on campus a

lot more,” he said.

The attention has even extended to his family.

“They’re in awe,” Turner said. “They’re really supportive, and they believe in me.”

Leo Turner, Lemuel’s brother, is a junior in high school.

“A lot of people ask me about it around school,” Leo said. “Even people I don’t know come up to me to talk about it all.”

He said he and the rest

of his family are proud of Lemuel.

Lemuel’s friends, however, find the situation comical.

“Out of everyone they know, I’m the last person they thought this would happen to,” Lemuel said.

But it did happen. And a semester of free tuition, several interviews and a new car later, his family and friends are determined to keep him grounded – even if that does include teasing.

Welcome to BI Incorporated, A GEO Group Company.

The GEO Group is the world’s leading provider of correctional and detention management and community reentry services to federal, state and local government agencies. BI Incorporated’s Anderson, Indiana call center works 24X7 with government agencies to effectively reduce the cost of corrections by providing alternatives to incarceration through electronic monitoring services.

• Sign-on Bonus for Bilingual (English/ Spanish) new hires: $2,500 full-time / $1,250 part-time • Full time and part time (20 hrs/week) opportunities available.

• Starting rate $11.54/hr non-bilingual; $12.12/hr bilingual.

• After 90 days, full time employees are eligible for our Pay for Performance Program. Current full-time employees average $4.50-$11.50 additional pay per hour under this program.

• Applicants must be able to pass an extensive Department of Homeland Security background check and have a valid driver’s license.

To learn more or to apply visit http://jobs.geogroup.com and search Anderson, IN opportunities or call (765)641-2496.

Flock to a new nest.

Meet with representatives from some of Muncie’s finest housing communities.

UNIFIED MEDIA'S HOUSING EXPO

Wednesday, Sept. 16 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

In the Atrium

Don’t forget about the Housing Guide either! BallStateDaily.com/Housing

PAGE 4 | WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

SPORTS

TODAY Women’s volleyball hosts in-state rival IPFW at Worthen Arena. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m.

SPORTS@BSUDAILYNEWS.COM TWITTER.COM/DN_SPORTS

FOOTBALL:

| CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Ball State offensive coordinator Joey Lynch played quarterback for Ball State against the Hoosiers during his senior year.

“I think when you play in those kinds of environments – in that type of stage – a lot of people have interest,” Lynch said. “Not just recruits, but just people in the state of Indiana that are football fans. I think it draws really well.”

The teams haven’t played in Muncie since 2007. Ball State won at Lucas Oil Stadium in 2011, 27-20. Sandy said he thinks fans will enjoy the neutral-site game in 2019.

“We wouldn’t want to play a school three times in a row at their place,” he said.

“It allows some diversity, gives us a different venue and for both IU players and fans and coaches and ours, going to Lucas Oil Stadium is an extra benefit – it’s really fun. It’s a great place, [and] should be exciting.”

Playing at Lucas Oil can also help in recruiting.

Sandy also said that playing a major conference opponent in an NFL stadium – something that only two other Mid-American Conference opponents, Bowling Green and University of Massachusetts, currently have on their

non-conference schedules – will help Ball State compete for recruits.

“For recruiting student-athletes from other programs, ... without a doubt, the more you play up and the better you compete when you play up, it’s more likely they help you in recruiting,” Sandy said.

The larger venue wouldn’t play as much of a role if a student-athlete were deciding between Ball State and Indiana, Sandy added, as the Big Ten school usually is more appealing.

Ball State also has some enticing games in future years, including a 2018 date with Notre Dame and a 2020 trip to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on the Wolverines.

For the players, playing on a larger stage is big.

Sophomore Kevin Willis is the only Ball State player that has played at Lucas Oil Stadium. He said playing there in high school is nothing compared to how it would be in college.

“The fact that we’re playing Indiana, a Big Ten school, is exciting enough,” Sandy said. “But the fact that they would get to play where the Colts play – and these other games we’re playing with Notre Dame down the road, and other schools like that – ... is important to players. They like to travel around the country and play against the best.”

SATURDAY The Ball State softball team opens its fall schedule with a doubleheader against Huntington at 12 p.m.

DN FILE PHOTO BOBBY ELLIS

Ball State faced Indiana University seven times between the 1997 and 2012 seasons, with Indiana winning four of the seven matchups. Though the teams haven’t played each other since, the Cardinals are scheduled to take on the Hoosiers four times in the next five seasons.

BALL STATE’S HISTORY VS. IU September 8 Indiana 24, Ball State 23

November 3 Indiana 38, Ball State 20

September 20 Ball State 42, Indiana 20

September 3 Ball State 27, Indiana 20

September 15 Ball State 41, Indiana 39

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

Future (2016) at Indiana

Future (2018) at Indiana

SOURCE: ballstatesports.com

Future (2019) at Lucas Oil Stadium (Indianapolis)

Future (2020) at Indiana DN GRAPHIC RACHEL BRAMMER

Walk-on players rare due to recruiting system Ball State holds annual tryout for aspiring players

|

ROBBY GENERAL ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @The_Generex6

The Ball State men’s volleyball team is set to hold its walk-on tryouts this week, a process very familiar to assistant coach Kevin Furnish.

Furnish was a walk-on at Ball State, where he graduated in 1991 after a solid career. Men’s volleyball walk-ons aren’t as prevalent now as they were during his time because of recruiting, but the Cardinals look for new players in tryouts every year.

“Back in those days, we had a history of pulling guys out of classes or off the basketball team and getting walk-ons that way,” Furnish said. “We haven’t seen that as often, even getting someone out of walk-on tryouts has become more rare, but we still try.”

The walk-on process dwindled with today’s emphasis on recruiting in college athletics.

In the past, coaches were able to keep up to five or six players, making it more likely to find a player that could make an impact. Furnish, for example, led the nation in hitting percentage (.430) in 1989. He ranks in Ball State’s career top 10 in several statistical categories.

Then-coach Don Shondell discovered Furnish among several others.

Current head man Joel Walton said there is only

DN FILE PHOTO KAITI SULLIVAN

Ball State junior Lexi Kavanaugh was named the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Week. She leads the team in number of goals this season with five.

JUNIOR EARNS MAC WEEKLY AWARD DN FILE PHOTO ALAINA JAYE HALSEY

Ball State men’s volleyball will hold its walk-on tryouts this week. The team does not have any current walk-on players on its roster.

one tryout scheduled for this year.

“We would recruit that way; we would tell kids, ‘If you come to this walk-on tryout we’re going to keep a set number of guys from that tryout and add them to our training group,’” Walton said. “We used to have anywhere from 20-30 guys come to walk-on tryouts.”

Recruiting today targets ability and potential, making the try-out more difficult for those seeking to make the team. Roster sizes have also decreased.

Back when recruiting wasn’t as important, coaches looked for natu-

ral athletes to try out that they could convert into successful Division I volleyball players.

Although the Cardinals don’t currently have any players that were walk-ons, Walton still looks forward to the opportunity to check out students who think they have what it takes.

While the recruitment process has changed, what is sought in a walkon athlete hasn’t. Walton still looks for young, athletic players that his coaching staff can build up and can make an impact at Ball State.

“Very rarely will there

COACHING STAFF JOEL WALTON

Head Coach

KEVIN FURNISH

Assistant coach JIM PALILONIS

Assistant coach

be a guy who comes in and is a very polished player that somehow we just missed in our recruiting process,” Walton said.

“Our recruiting process is a very thorough system, and it’s hard for somebody to slip through those cracks.”

Junior forward Lexi Kava- INDIVIDUAL STATS naugh has been named the KAVANAUGH, Mid-American Conference LEXI JUNIOR FORWARD Offensive Player of the Week •Games for field hockey.

Kavanaugh’s performance played in this -7 in the past three games has season • Goals - 5 been crucial for the Cardi- • Assists - 2 nals’ offensive attack. She • Points - 12 scored four of the team’s • Shot attempts - 14 six goals this week, as Ball • Shots on goal - 8 State took on Northwest- • Shot percentage - .357 ern, Ohio State and Appalachian State.

After recording an assist against Northwestern, Kavanaugh scored two goals in the each of the next two games.

The Cardinals recorded their first win of the season against Appalachian State.

Kavanaugh was the 2013 MAC Freshman of the Year, and became Ball State’s leading scorer in 2014 with six goals.

In her first seven games this season, she already has five goals. She is the only player on the Cardinal roster to record more than one goal this season.

The Cardinals will return to action at 4 p.m. Friday as they travel to Bloomington to take on IU. – STAFF REPORTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 5

NEWS

Presentation warns about fraud Speaker discusses dangers of sharing personal details |

CASEY SMITH CRIME REPORTER casmith11@bsu.edu

DN PHOTO SAMANTHA BRAMMER

VEHICLE HITS STUDENT BICYCLIST IN LAFOLLETTE COMPLEX PARKING LOT An unidentified Ball State student was involved in a bicycle accident on campus Tuesday, according to university officials.

University spokeswoman Joan Todd said the female student was riding her bike through the LaFollette Complex parking lot when she was “bumped by a moving vehicle.”

The responding University Police Department officers said the situation was “very minor.” The victim complained of minor knee pain after falling off the bicycle, but Todd said the student did not require any immediate medical attention.

Todd added that no further details have been released about the driver of the vehicle, and no foul play is suspected at this time.

– STAFF REPORTS

The Indiana Secretary of State sees 40 to 50 new cases of fraud each day, and many of those cases involve young people — including college students.

Connie Lawson spoke to address the importance of student fraud prevention in a Finance Society presentation Monday.

There were 140 fraud cases at Ball State last year in which employees dealt with tax fraud and identity thefts.

The presentation attracted upwards of 835 students — more than expected — said Dan Boylan, finance professor and Finance Society adviser.

“We didn’t aim to focus on any of the recent fraud situations we’ve had here,” Boylan said. “Most of the reason why we brought her in was for outreach to the Ball State community, something positive that they can use and relate to in their daily lives.”

Lawson, who has worked in Indiana legislation for nearly three decades, discussed how students could protect their finances and investments during and after college.

“College students are prime targets today,” Lawson said. “You are your own best line of defense, and it’s important that awareness and protection starts now.”

Since taking the position as Secretary of State, Lawson said her office is responsible for handling 858 criminal charges for fraud-related crimes, and more than 190 years of prison time for those convicted.

“A lot of fraud crimes happen in this state, although we like to think they don’t,” Lawson said.

Kyle Callahan, a junior finance major and president of the Finance Society, helped coordinate Lawson’s visit in hopes that other students would gain more awareness.

He said he believes conversations about fraud are important because most college students are spending money, and that increases risks for fraud.

“Being safe with money and our investments is something we should be really cautious about, especially as young people in a highly technological and information-accessible society,” Callahan said.

Boylan echoed Callahan’s advice, adding that he, too, is more careful now than ever before.

“Lots of people are out to get your information, and students need to be

especially aware of what dangers they could face,” Boylan said. “Taking extra precautions with your social security number, email, important documents—it’s all very prevalent today, and that’s really why we wanted to bring [Lawson] in to address this topic.”

Lawson said providing personal information is leading to fraudulent scholarships, loans and grants becoming more common among college students.

“I encourage you to live like a professional while you’re in college so you can live like a student—without problems—when you leave Ball State,” Lawson said, regarding credit card safety.

If students find themselves falling victim to fraud or crimes involving investments, Lawson recommended contacting the Indiana State Secretary’s Office immediately.

DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

The display of 1,100 backpacks grabbed the attention of many students while they were walking to class on Monday. All of the backpacks were accompanied by a personal story about someone who had died by suicide.

Active Minds sends silence packing Organization brings suicide awareness program to campus |

SYDNEY DIAL GENERAL REPORTER sadial@bsu.edu

One student organization at Ball State decided to take a step forward in spreading awareness on suicide among college students right after National Suicide Prevention Week.

The Ball State chapter of Active Minds brought the organization’s nationally recognized Send Silence Packing program to campus on Monday.

1,100 backpacks lay throughout University Green, each one marked with a personal story to put a face to those who committed suicide.

The program started at Ball State and will end Oct. 15 at the University of California, Riverside. Along the route, it will make stops at 10 other universities in order to help spread awareness about the second leading cause of death among college students, according to activeminds.org.

In 2013, 41,149 people in the U.S. died from suicide, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The display grabbed the attention of many students walking past the University Green. They

BRIGGS: | CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Being able to hear someone who has had experience with suicide and mental issues resonated with students who have to deal with it themselves.

Freshman Laura Hurst attended the event because

walked through the rows of backpacks, reading the personal stories attached to them.

Freshman Staci Seber was on her way to class on Monday morning when she passed by University Green. She had no idea what the display was about before she went over to look.

“Once I got closer, I was pretty surprised,” Seber said. “I think it’s helpful to students. It creates awareness about suicide among young adults and can help teach students to identify problems among their friends.”

Jake Griffin, the president of the Ball State chapter of Active Minds, had been planning this since last October.

“To really get the word out, we needed to do a big awareness thing like this,” Griffin said. “We wanted to have a global speaker; someone that a lot of people would hear the name of and recognize.”

That global speaker was Kevin Briggs, who spoke on Monday, not only about the experiences he had helping other people while patrolling the Golden Gate Bridge, but also his personal experiences with physical and mental challenges.

“Bringing a speaker and program to campus that openly discuss mental health issues, and with someone willing to share their journey, it can help bring the issues to light among students,” Griffin added.

she heard a lot of opinions on mental health from people who hadn’t experienced it before. She wanted to see if Briggs had a true understanding of mental illness, and she was glad to hear he did.

“A majority of my friends have suffered from depression and anxiety,” Hurst said. “I have also suffered a lot and have had suicidal thoughts in the past.”

Hurst was 10 years old when she first experienced depression, and she had a difficult time with it.

“I was awkward and in a lot of pain. I didn’t have a lot of friends,” she said. “I would sleep a lot; if I wasn’t sleeping, I was crying.”

Kitty Taylor, a sophomore, had her student teacher in high school commit suicide. She didn’t

Active Minds hosted the event to bring more attention to suicide among college students.

The Counseling Center (above) was also at the Send Silence Packing event to give information to students about resources available on campus.

DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

DN PHOTO SAMANTHA BRAMMER

know him that well, but it hit her hard knowing the man was no older than she is now when he killed himself.

“A lot of people tell me that people are very selfish when they kill themselves, or people will say really nasty things about these individuals when, in reality, they don’t understand the situations or the fact

that depression and anxiety can, in fact, be a terminal illness,” Taylor said.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention estimates 1,100 students die by suicide each year at college, and 67 percent of college students tell a friend they are feeling suicidal before telling anyone else, according to Active Minds.

Brittany Mayfield, a

freshman, said she helped a friend with depression in the past and can still see the lasting effect on him.

“I’m one of the people that activates conversation even if the other person doesn’t want me there,” Mayfield said. “Kind of like how people wanted to jump off the bridge. Those people didn’t necessarily want [Briggs] there.”

PAGE 6 | WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

NEWS

Sororities welcome new sisters

Greek Life members celebrate Bid Day, end of recruitment

|

ALLIE KIRKMAN GENERAL REPORTER aekirkman@bsu.edu

Clad in white and gold sparkles, the women of Sigma Kappa chanted and yelled as they welcomed their new sisters into the sorority on Bid Day on Monday.

Amanda Clawson, a freshman elementary education major and one of the newly recruited members, ran over with the rest of her pledge class, eager to begin her life as a dove.

Her mother and sister, who were both involved with Greek Life in college, encouraged her to get involved, and Clawson pursued the tradition while keeping an open mind and remembering to have fun.

“It was a really emotional process and decision, but everything leading up to Bid Day was way worth it,” Clawson said. “I was pretty confident I would get the bids from the sororities, but when I found out I was in Sigma Kappa, I was so happy.”

Before she went out to the Quad to join the rest of the women who rushed, Clawson received a folder holding the name of the sorority interested in her and sat in the L.A. Pittenger Student Center, excited to officially join Greek Life.

During this time, current sorority members made their way out to the Quad, prepped for the night with balloons, signs, sparkles, bright neon colors and, of course, plenty of energy. They began to circle around the Quad, leaving an open space in the middle for the recruits to sit.

The new recruits rushed to their new sororities and

families with open arms and smiles.

“Bid Day is all over and I’m still very overwhelmed,” Clawson said. “The whole recruitment process leading up to [Bid Day] was super fun, but kind of stressful at times. It was hard to have to pick and eliminate different groups each day, because all the sororities are awesome and have so much to offer.”

Before Bid Day, every woman who wanted to commit to a Panhellenic sorority went through rounds of recruitment where they got to meet 10 Panhellenic Council sororities, figuring out where they fit in. “[The first round is] like a get-to-know-you, casual conversation and super chill,” Clawson said. “After the first rounds, though, things get tough. I had to pick six chapters that I was most interested in and visit with them and learn more about their philanthropy and values.”

Recruitment started on Thursday and the last rounds were on Sunday, making for a long weekend for the women.

The last round, the preference rounds, is where the women visited with two sororities and had to make their final decisions on which one they wanted to join. Clawson was between Sigma Kappa and Phi Mu — she wanted a group that would allow her to make friends and give her good philanthropy opportunities.

“I felt like I fit in in both groups, and the girls seemed super nice and welcoming,” Clawson said.

“This title as a Sigma Kappa member will bring so many opportunities. I’m just so excited for what the future has for me.”

THE SELECTION PROCESS FIRST ROUNDS Potential New Members (PNMs) go to all 10 Panhellenic sororities during the first two days of recruitment, spending 20 minutes with each. At the end of the round, the PNMs rank the sororities, and the sororities vote on which PNMs they want in their sorority through a computerized system.

VALUES ROUNDS PNMs get invited back by up to six sororities for 40 minutes each. After this round, PNMs rank the sororities, and sororities vote again.

DN PHOTO BREANNA DAUGHERTY

PREFERENCE ROUNDS PNMs can get invited back to two sororities for an hour each.

At the end of the day, PNMs rank their two sororities. They also have the option to choose only one, if they know they wouldn’t accept a bid for the other. Sororities also vote one last time.

All 10 of the Panhellenic Council sororities gathered in the Quad on Monday to meet their new members.

As women opened their bids, they ran to join their new sisters, who welcomed them with themed balloons, decorations and matching shirts. The new recruits were let into their new sororities and families with open arms.

BID DAY PNMs can get a bid from only one sorority. PNMs will receive a bid from a sorority if they were scored high enough by the sorority and they ranked that sorority No. 1.

If the PNM doesn’t make it into her top choice, she still has the capability of getting a bid from her second choice, if that sorority voted her in. PNMs are not guaranteed a bid.

DN PHOTO KELSEY DICKESON

DN PHOTO KORINA VALENZUELA

Make memories here.

Make friendships and memories that will last a lifetime at University Apartments. Experience the most affordable apartment living with the added convenience of being on campus!

We have several unique benefits that you’ll love: • 1, 2, 3 bedroom apartments and townhomes • Semester and yearly leases • Free utilities • Monthly activities • Free campus shuttle and on the MITS line • 24/7 maintenance • On-site laundry • Rent starts at $345 per person Save money! Ask about our leasing specials!

Apply online today at bsu.edu/apartments

University Apartments www.bsu.edu/apartments

3460 N. Tillotson Ave., Muncie (765) 285-5095

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM | PAGE 7

E S L U P THE

MUSIC NOTES

from

WCRD 91.3

LIVE MUSIC

LINEUP

FORMER DISNEY STAR, BAND RELEASE 1ST EP

HENDRIX MAGLEY WCRD GUEST REPORTER hjmagley@bsu.edu

ON CAMPUS EISENHOWER DANCE: 25 IN THE 25TH TOUR 7:30 p.m. tonight in John R. Emens Auditorium PIGPEN THEATRE CO. 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Pruis Hall

ELLEN WILBORN’S NEWLY DISCOVERED ewilborn@bsu.edu

PHOTO COURTESY OF MINGLEMEDIA.TV

Finally—a Disney star that hasn’t desperately tried to separate herself from her innocent identity and ultimately ended up in scandal. Debby Ryan, formerly known for her role on “Suite Life On Deck” and now “Jessie,” has decided to venture out from her acting career and record an album. Unlike other former Disney stars who have done the same, this one is actually good. She sings for the indie band The Never Ending, and when I came across the band, I was pleasantly surprised. It released its debut EP titled “One” in June 2014, and is currently working on new stuff. My personal favorite from

the album is a song called “When the Dark Falls.” It has an eerie, almost creepy circus vibe that I dig, while other songs on the album bring out other genres. “Mulholland Drive” and “Before I Go Upstairs” have a modern folk/acoustic vibe, which really highlights Debby’s voice.

“Ruthless” has the most pop sound out of all of them, and, lastly, “Call Me Up” has an edgy vibe. It impressed me to see that this star has branched out to these different kinds of music, and I think everyone should give the band a listen. You can check out The Never Ending on Spotify.

BE HERE NOW THE HOOTEN HALLERS, CHAD NORDOFF & RUSS T. NUTZ 8 p.m. tonight CHRISTIAN OREBAUGH & MASON WOLFE BENEFIT SHOW 8 p.m. Friday CHIVES, THE CREW OF THE HALF MOON & VIDEO GRAVE 8 p.m. Saturday

MUNCIE CIVIC THEATRE ONCE ON THIS ISLAND JR. 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday

E

UN

IVERSITY

BALL S T

AT

DN| Classifieds U N I FI E D M E D IA

100

(765) 285-8247 dnclassified@bsu.edu AJ 285, Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

BallStateDaily.com/Classified

Help Wanted

150

Rooms For Rent

170

Houses For Rent

Mulligan's Club House Grill at Crestview Golf Club is now taking applications for a short order/line cook. Individual must be willing to work nights and weekends. Position will be for 25+ hours.

Also, taking applications for bartenders/servers: Must be 21 years old and have liquor permit. 3325 S. Walnut St. Muncie, 282-8129.

Close to Architecture bldg and !!!!!1,2,3,4 bdrms. Great locations.

RB. Share kitchen and 2 bath $250 W/D, AC. Aug lease. www.signarent $50 utilities. CALL 765-998- turet.com (765) 808-6107, Ext. 104.

7354 or 765-661-6290 !!!!!We are now leasing 1,2,3,4,5,6 bedroom houses for the 2016/2017 Apartments school year.

Visit 160 For Rent www.bsrentals.com or call Doug at 765-744-3593 for locations and !!!!Now leasing studio, 1 bdrm, 2 availability bedroom apartments for the Part time employment, evening 20 16 /2 0 17 s ch o ol e ya r. Visit 1413 N. Woodridge (Behind Lafolhours. Mo - Thurs., 4-8. Strong www.bsrentals.com or call Doug at lette) 3 BD, 1 ba, 2 car gar. $350 Voice. Energetic. Dependable. Call 765-744-3593 for locations and month. Aug Lease. availability.

759-5490 - leave message.

1401 Rex, 5 BD, 3 ba. Aug Lease $400 month. Pets allowed 317-496Roommates 5864

130

Wanted

1 bdrm apt. close to BSU some 2,4, & 6 bedroom houses. Luxury at Fe. rmmte wanted for Spring 2016 utils included, not AC. 800 sq ft. affordable prices. Walking distance.

BetterBallStateRentals.com or Scheidler apt. Clean, non-smoker $440. Call for details 289-0550 (765) 747-9503. preferred. RE: LWIEHL@bsu.edu

170

Houses For Rent

4/5 students, lg bdrms. 2 ba, 2 fireplaces. Lounge w/ wet bar & bar stools. C/A, carport, closed in porch. New remodel. Call 284-1538 or visit zbestrentals.net.

170

Houses For Rent

Very Nice 4/5 bdrm Wayne St.. 2 bath. Bonus Rm w/ bar. D/W. UALA Member. Call 284-1538. zbestrentals.net

Very nice 5 Bdrm Gilbert St. 2 bath, C/A. D/W. FP. Basement reck Available next school year 2-3 bd room w/ wet Bar. screened porch. houses, superior condition. Close to UALA Member. 284-1538. zbecampus. bsurentalhouses.com strentals.net Now showing our 2-7 bdrm homes for next school year. Many amenities, most have flat screen TVs. Our houses go fast. Call Tom 744-0185, email tmay123@comcast.net.

Walk to campus, 1,2,3,5 bd houses layout off st. pkg, Pets negotiable, virtual tour at bsucampusproperties.com 765-729-2111/765288-4080.

WHAT A DEAL!! @ CAMPUS Very Nice 3 bdrm Carson St. Base- EDGE! 2,3,4 Bdrm - Immediate ment w/ bar. FP. Screened Porch. Move-in only! CALL 765-286-2806 Hardwood Floors. UALA Member.

Call 284-1538. zbestrentals.net 430 For Sale

Nicest houses on campus. Many Roommate Needed. Now and/or Landlord pays utils. Move in extras. Even a 6 bdrm. Also stu- Very nice 4 bdrm Ashland. 1.5 2nd semester. 1800 W Charles. today. Spacious 2 BDRM apt. 811 dent parking available. Call 286- Bath. C/A. Basement, UALA Mem5216.

859-428-6079, 744-4649 W. Main St. 765-744-0185 ber. 284-1538. zbestrentals.net

16gb Iphone 6+, like new no scratches, comes w/ heavy duty case, $675 obo, 208-869-8282

Get connected with campus Today’s Birthday (09/16/15) Grow your leadership this year.

Accomplishments come easily, so play a bigger game.

Home takes priority after 9/17.

Build your base, and organize funding after 9/27. Marriage and partnerships flourish after 3/8. Collaborate on profitable ventures after 3/23. Fly your love flag.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is a 9. Attend to finances today and tomorrow, under the Scorpio Moon. Study money, and review your resources.

Indulge a passion. Enjoy an educational expansion phase (until 2017), as Saturn re-enters Sagittarius.

Learn by going to the source.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Today is an 8. Home and family entertain you today and tomorrow. The gentle approach works best. Step up your game with Saturn in Sagittarius until 2017. Focus on passion projects and causes. You can achieve your aim. Play for love.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Today is an 8.

Peace and quiet soothe your spirit today and tomorrow. You’re especially sensitive. Follow a personal passion, with Saturn in Sagittarius until 12/19/17. Consider how to align your energies toward serving what and who you love.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Today is a 9. Share the load today and tomorrow, but hold on to the responsibility. Work in partnership, for best results.

Make long-term financial plans and investments, as Saturn re-enters Sagittarius (until 2017). Nurture your family’s business or garden.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Today is a 9. Get into an intensive learning phase today and tomorrow.

Write your discoveries. Apply gleaned solutions to your home situation. Discipline with household and family issues bears fruit between now and 2017, with Saturn in Sagittarius.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is an 8.

Friends inspire creative collaborations. Hold parties and meetings today and tomorrow. With Saturn in Sagittarius (until 2017), shift plans to increase focus on activities that fulfill you mentally, physically and spiritually. Contribute for the common good.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Today is an 8. It’s getting busy today and tomorrow. Draw upon hidden resources as the pace quickens. Until 12/19/17 (with Saturn back in Sagittarius), partnership holds the key to success. Develop and nurture your relationships, friendships and love.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 9. Make money and pay bills over the next few days. Discipline with communications provides success, with Saturn in Sagittarius until 2017. Online promotions and community connections grow your venture.

Participate in conversations for possibility.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Today is an 8. Focus on your career today and tomorrow. Assume authority, and keep your promises. Do your best on the test. Friends provide necessary connections, with Saturn in Sagittarius (until 2017). Participate in a community conversation.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Today is a 7. Today and tomorrow are reserved for fun. Go play. Love blossoms and feeds your spirit. Rejuvenate mind and body with exercise and interesting scenery.

Balance is the key to excellence with Saturn in Sagittarius (until 2017).

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Today is a 9. Enjoy a two-day self-confident phase, with the Moon in your sign. You’re even more powerful than usual.

Persistence and determination earn growing financial reward, with Saturn back in Sagittarius (until 2017). Focus for profitable results.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Today is an 8.

Conditions are better for travel over the next two days. New opportunities present themselves.

Plan a business trip. Professional expansion, with Saturn in Sagittarius (until 12/19/17), thrives with expanding territory. Take charge.

(c) 2015, by Nancy Black. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. All rights reserved.

B A L L S T A T E D A I L Y . C O M

PAGE 8 | WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16, 2015 | THE BALL STATE DAILY NEWS | BALLSTATEDAILY.COM

FORUM

Got beef? Join the conversation. Email us at opinion@bsudailynews.com to get your voice out there.

OPINION@BSUDAILYNEWS.COM TWITTER.COM/BSUDAILYNEWS

‘THE VISIT’ SAVED ONLY BY CASTING CHOICE BEN RICHTER RICHTER SCALE BEN RICHTER IS A SOPHOMORE TELECOMMUNICATIONS MAJOR AND WRITES ‘RICHTER SCALE’ FOR THE DAILY NEWS. HIS VIEWS DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THOSE OF THE NEWSPAPER. WRITE TO BEN AT BRICHTER@BSU.EDU

Those who are familiar with the work of M. Night Shyamalan know his proclivity for subverting expectations, and “The Visit” is no exception. However, in “The Visit,” this subversion comes not as a rewarding twist at the end, but as a realization that there is no twist at the end. Whether this demonstrates a new self-awareness in the director or the final vestiges of creativity leaving him, I don’t know. What I do know is that it doesn’t work.

“The Visit” is the story of two siblings going to see their grandparents, whom they have never met. It stars Olivia DeJonge as Becca, the documentarian older sister, and Ed Oxenbould (who reminded me of Beans from “Even Stevens,” a likeness I couldn’t overcome for the en-

tirety of the film) as Tyler, Becca’s rapping and germophobic younger brother. As the story continues, the pair begins to notice the increasingly odd behaviors of their grandparents.

The film is advertised as a comedy/horror and plays out on the screen as such. Like most comedy and horror films, it succumbs to clichés here and there.

Moments of genuine and organic humor are overshadowed by tortuous bits. For example, Tyler performs two entire raps, and while it is nice to see an effort by writers to try to adopt a more youthful style, Tyler’s dialogue, at times, feels like a dad trying to embarrass his children. Becca’s writing persona has its own set of problems. During the entire 94 minutes, if she isn’t scream-

ing, she’s spouting some technical jargon regarding filmmaking that would make even a TCOM major gag.

The saving grace of this picture is the casting choice. Despite having to fight through uncomfortably forced scenes, the pair appears to have genuine chemistry. In fact, the best part of the film was a simple interview scene during which Tyler breaks down Becca’s wall with a series of poignant questions. In those few frames, we see a resounding vulnerability that is regrettably left largely unexplored in the film as a whole.

Its nimble tone-changes from horror to comedy were also impressive. The familiar elements of a horror movie were there —the silence before someone

pops out and the spooky music — but I also knew when I was supposed to laugh.

The found-footage style of cinematography both helps and hinders the film, though not at the same time. During the horror sequences, the film puts you right in the action as the victim holds the camera. However, during the lighter moments, the lack of editing options leaves many scenes going stale before the cut.

“The Visit” is several minutes of absurdity mixed with enough crazy old person to make you rethink visiting grandma this year. The few moments of self-awareness and genuine humor cannot make up for the unexplored personal stories and its unsatisfactory ending.

FORUM POLICY The Daily News forum page aims to stimulate discussion in the Ball State community. The Daily News welcomes reader viewpoints and offers three vehicles of expression for reader opinions: letters to the editor, guest columns and feedback on our website.

Letters to the editor must be signed and appear as space permits each day. The limit for letter length is approximately 350 words. All letters must be typed.

The editor reserves the right to edit and condense submissions.

The name of the author is usually published but may be withheld for compelling reasons, such as physical harm to the author. The editor decides this on an individual basis and must consult the writer before withholding the name.

Those interested in submitting a letter can do so by emailing opinion@bsudailynews.com or 75004 editor@bsudailynews.com

WE’VE FOUND THAT

INTEGRITY IS NOT SUBJECT TO BULL AND BEAR MARKETS.

While performance can fluctuate, our disciplined, long-term approach to investing rests on values that are immune to market fluctuations. We’re here to benefit others. And to improve the financial well-being of millions.

Just what you’d expect from a company that’s created to serve and built to perform.

Learn more about ways we can improve your financial health at TIAA.org/Integrity

BUILT TO PERFORM. CREATED TO SERVE.

The Lipper Award is given to the group with the lowest average decile ranking of three years’ Consistent Return for eligible funds over the three-year period ended 11/30/12, 11/30/13, and 11/30/14 respectively. TIAA-CREF was ranked among 36 fund companies in 2012 and 48 fund companies in 2013 and 2014 with at least five equity, five bond, or three mixed-asset portfolios. Past performance does not guarantee future results. For current performance and rankings, please visit the Research and Performance section on tiaa-cref.org.

TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC, Teachers Personal Investors Services, Inc., and Nuveen Securities, LLC, members FINRA and SIPC, distribute securities products. ©2015 Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America–College Retirement Equities Fund (TIAA-CREF), 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017. C24849C 1

Consider investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses carefully before investing. Go to tiaa-cref.org for product and fund prospectuses that contain this and other information. Read carefully before investing. TIAA-CREF funds are subject to market and other risk factors.