MAKING HER WAY UP Elaine Richardson, a visiting professor, performs her triumph from prostitute to obtaining a Ph.D. PAGE 3
MUSIC CITY MADNESS The Eastern men’s and women’s basketball teams will be playing in the OVC Tournament Wednesday in Nashville, Tenn. PAGE 8
Dai ly Eastern News
THE
W W W .D A I L YE A S TE R N N E W S. C O M
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
VOL. 99 | NO. 109
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
Guest puppeteer tugs on heart strings Cashore Marionettes visits Eastern to bring puppets to life By Katie Smith Editor-in-Chief A petite head bent intently around the neck of violin as marionette hands interpreted the hasty tugs of their puppeteer, Joe Cashore. In a hushed auditorium as a tiny body suspended from string took its final bow, what began as a marionette show now more closely resembled a live classical performance. Cashore, who has been in the business of marionette-making and puppeteering for 30 years, performed “Life in Motion,” a 12-act series Monday in the recital hall of the Doudna Fine Arts Center. The first time Cashore’s eyes met the dangling and purposeful joints of a marionette, he knew moving them, even just a little, would give him satisfaction. Unfortunately, Cashore came to this understanding as a 10-year-old boy, and his request to play with the puppet on display at a local store was denied. Just one year later Cashore would compose his own marionette of clothespins, wood, string and a tin can. “ It re a l l y w a s n’t a ve r y g o o d m a r i o nette,” he said. “But every once in a while it would move really well and look like it was alive.” Mike Finney, a Charleston resident, said the performance exceeded any expectations he had, in part because of Cashore’s commitment to the quality of his marionettes. “He has a ver y personal relationship with them,” he said. “I think you’d have to, to make the stor y seem real to
the audience.” A s e n s e o f re a l i s m i s p re c i s e l y w h a t Cashore said attracts him to marionettes. This is why he spends as many as 42 strings and at least six months of crafting, wiring and testing each of his marionettes. Although today he could have studied puppeteering at a public university, Cashore said the quality of a performance relies mainly on creativity. “All the ones I know who are doing really intricate work seem to be doing their own thing,” he said. The puppeteer has hand-made 150 marionettes, and for each, and outfit. A painter, Cashore said the developing process is an important and intimate experience. “I always tr y to feel with the character and it’s a big part – the longer you use marionettes the more the character reveals itself to you,” he said. Cashore said some of the marionettes create themselves along the way, and between their characters and Cashore’s imagination, he has composed a show he hopes speaks about the human condition to some extent. “It’s a metaphor for living,” he said. “ There’s an inherent poetic quality to these marionettes – there’s a very strong illusion.” Bart Rettberg, assistant sports information director at Eastern, said the show’s music took Cashore’s performance to a meaningful place. “It almost brought tears to my eyes because I like hearing Copland and he used a lot of Aaron Copland music, which is great,” he said. Although he may have seemed invisible, the climate of an audience is a factor Cashore is ever-conscious of.
MARIONETTES, page 5
KE VIN HALL | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Joseph Cashore, uses himself as a prop for his marionette to climb up in the Cashore Marionettes at the Doudna Fine Arts Center Tuesday in the Recital Hall. “Quest” was the name of Cashore’s final act.
Grant-in-aid divided up strategically City urges to recruit various students to campus protection of By Luis Martinez Administration Editor | @DEN_News Eastern uses grant-in-aid, funded by student fees, to help recruit certain students and divides it among different departments. Dan Nadler, the vice president for student affairs, said on a yearly basis, the president’s council members meet to look at the funds available, and how much each department will need “Ultimately, with consolation and feedback from others, the president has the final approval,” Nadler said. Grant-in-aid is divided up into the different areas and departments on campus. For example, the fees could be used to help gather talented musician to come to campus, or recruit athletes to come to Eastern. “Traditionally, the largest percentage (of grantin-aid) has gone to athletics, although that number is down over the last several years,” Nadler said. “There’s also an amount of money that goes to low socio-economic students, and that has bumped up over the years.” Aside from Nadler, the president’s council consists of President Bill Perry; Blair Lord, the provost and vice president for academic affairs; Paul McCann, the interim vice president for business affairs; Bob Martin, the vice president for univer-
sity advancement; Judy Gorrell, the executive secretary; Rob Miller, the legal counsel; and Mary Herrington-Perry, the assistant vice president for enrollment management.
“Traditionally, the largest percentage (of grant-inaid) has gone to athletics, although that number is down over the last several years. There’s also an amount of money that goes to low socio-economic students, and that has bumped up over the years.” - Dan Nadler, vice president of student affairs Grant-in-aid fees do not increase after 12 credit hours, and the students taking traditional, oncampus courses have to pay them.
“Every student pays for it who are taking traditional classes, and it is billed on a per credit-hour basis,” Nadler said. “Based on projection of credit hours that would be generated over the course of the year, then there’s projection on the amount of revenue and then it is split into the different areas.” However, students taking classes in continuing education do not pay the fee. Eastern is currently working on creating online degree programs for students who are unable to come to campus for traditional degree programs. “The students who take continuing ed classes pay a different fee,” Nadler said. “It really helps to cover a lot of the technology that’s needed for offering courses online.” For the other online courses not having a fee, Nadler said it may change in the future, and the council will have to watch it closely. Nadler said every year the figures are reviewed, and grant-in aid receives an increase when the housing rates go up. “What ever percentage housing goes up, it’s tied directly to grant-in aid,” Nadler said. “Presently, the fee is $15.15 per credit hour, and that’s capped at 12 credit hours; for next year the approved amount was an increase of 30 cents per credit hour.” GRANT-IN-AID, page 5
local funds By Cassie Buchman City Editor|@DEN_News
The Charleston City Council voted to approve a resolution urging Gov. Bruce Rauner and the General Assembly to protect the funding of local government fund revenues at its meeting Tuesday. The state collects an income tax from individuals, businesses and corporations. A portion of this income is given to municipalities proportional to its population. Rauner proposed to cut the money set aside for municipalities by 50 percent, which would result in Charleston losing more than $1 million, or 10 percent of the general fund revenue. The amount for other municipalities was 3 percent. “Each municipality is different,” Rennels said. “In our case, we got a pretty good-size hit.” The resolution is going to be sent to the governor and the General Assembly in the hopes of protecting funds so the city does not have to make major cuts in services. CITY COUNCIL, page 5