Daily Egyptian

de APRIL 12, 2017

sInce 1916

DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM

Vol.101 Issue 12 @daIlyegyptIan

Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Thomas Deshotel poses for a portrait with his mule Thursday before the morning's trail rides during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest.

Read full story on page 12.

Art auction to benefit Bangladeshi orphans

First of four chancellor finalists speaks at SIU

Undocumented immigrants share stories at local forum

Board of trustees delays loan decision

Who should replace Wichita State's MVC spot?

SIU's Kopach: one of fastest baserunners in D-I baseball

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Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

Students raise sexual assault awareness

Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena Clayton Bertoletti, a freshman from Oak Park studying accounting, walks across campus in high heels Thursday, along with about 30 fraternity members and students as part of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event to encourage sexual assault awareness. “There is a perception that when you’re dating it can’t be rape, but that’s wrong,” said Kiera Yard, a sophomore from Aurora studying behavior analysis and therapy, who walked alongside those in heels. Yard was sexually assaulted by her boyfriend at the time when she was a teenager. She said she attempted suicide and was admitted to a mental health institution after the assault. “I am a Christian, and I made the promise to God that I was not going to have sex, and that was taken from me,” she said. Yard said the attention the fraternity members caused will spark necessary discussions about sexual assault.

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Wednesday, april 12, 2017

Litany of landscapes

Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto Travis O’Nan, a senior from Paducah, Kentucky, studying metalsmithing, looks over landscape artwork from Kay M. Pick Zivkovich, a professor in the school of art and design, on Friday in the University Museum. O’Nan, who periodically visits the museum to check out new exhibits, said the museum enriches culture and people’s lives on campus. “It archives valuable work,” he said. The museum is one of 15 centers or initiatives SIU’s non-instructional prioritization committee, which was appointed by interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, suggested could become self-supporting with the goal of eliminating state funding by 2022.

Lyft cancels Carbondale service DAILY EGYPTIAN CAMPUS DESK

Lyft has lifted its transportation services from Carbondale because of what the company called “onerous and cumbersome” restrictions that keep it from providing quality service to customers.

City council members amended municipal restrictions in February to accommodate growing transportation network services like Uber and Lyft. The new regulations took effect April 1.

Prashanthi Raman, senior public policy manager at Lyft, sent an email to Carbondale’s city manager and attorney on March 31, saying the rideshare service would cease operation in

the city the following day.

“These city regulations would unnecessarily add complications for both drivers and passengers, creating barriers to the use of Lyft’s services,” Raman wrote in the email.

In a statement Friday, city spokeswoman Amy Fox said the ordinance is evolving to adjust to the ever-changing transportation industry. She added that Lyft wants to restore Carbondale service in the future.

“The city remains dedicated to working with [transportation network services] to continue to provide the best transportation for our residents,” Fox said.

The city’s regulations for

transportation services require applicants pay a $45 fee for a background check, provide proof of insurance and show a valid driver’s license. Safety inspections for Lyft and Uber vehicles are also necessary under the current ordinance before drivers receive city approval.

Drivers reportedly began working in the city before the April 1 start date, but the city said they were doing so illegally.

Fox said the city has issued five licenses since April 1. Uber continues to operate in the city.

The Daily Egyptian’s campus desk can be reached at 618-536-3397 or editor@dailyegyptian.com.

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Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

Band-Aid on the bell tower

Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto Ernesto Villalva and Dario Chavez, both of Beloit, Wisconsin, repair the bell tower of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church on Friday, in Herrin. Father Ken Schaefer, pastor at OLMC, said the tower was built in 1924 the same year as the church. The pastor said the repairs to the tower should be completed before Easter Sunday.

Poets and authors share stories at Little Grassy Literary Festival DIAMOND JONES | @_dimewrites

Up-and-coming authors and poets are scheduled to share their published works with the university community during this year's Little Grassy Literary Festival.

The festival, which features artists from around the country, runs Wednesday through Friday in Morris Library. The events are designed to connect students with award-winning authors and spark an interest in literature across the university, said Anna Knowles, president of SIU's Graduate Writers Forum.

Budget cuts were “the main obstacles during planning this year,” Knowles said. Organizers had to hold their own fundraisers because the program received less money.

But Knowles said, despite the budget cuts, the festival is “going to be exactly as [we] envisioned it.”

“It’s a festival for everyone, not just for writers,” Knowles said. “This is for anyone who is curious about self expression and wants to be inspired.”

Knowles said this year’s festival highlights the university’s student diversity. She said the music department wanted to give students with different backgrounds the opportunity to connect and voice their literary opinions.

“We’re grateful that we can bring in these authors at this time,” Knowles said. “Freedom of expression seems to be under attack right now, and it’s unique to have these authors here to fight that.”

The graduate students have organized

panel discussions, readings and book signings where experienced writers can share their work during the festival.

The authors, writers and poets who are scheduled to speak include Brian Barker, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Abby Geni, Allison Joseph, Aja Monet, Carl Phillips and David Winter.

“They're all equally amazing and different,” Knowles said. "There’s different genre options and, regardless of what reading or event you go to, you’ll have an inspiring experience.”

The Little Grassy Literary Festival is free for students and open to the public.

Campus reporter Diamond Jones can be reached at djones@dailyegyptian. com, 618-536-3325 or on Twitter @_dimewrites.

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Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

William Cooley | @Wcooley1980 Murphysboro resident Andrew Vaz, center; Dowell resident Niki McMurray, left; and Tiffany Yearian, of Du Quoin, eat lunch Monday at the Longbranch Café & Bakery. The cafe is holding its 17th Annual For Kids’ Sake Art Auction through April 28.

Much of the art displayed on the walls is part of the silent auction to benefit a number of youth humanitarian efforts.

Local art auction raises money for Bangladeshi orphans DIAMOND JONES | @_dimewrites

Artwork made by children from around the world will soon be auctioned off as a way to raise money for Bangladeshi orphans.

The artwork is created by local Carbondale children along with others from Bangladesh, Switzerland, Japan and Germany and is on display in Longbranch Café & Bakery through April. The For Kids’ Sake Art Auction will take place on April 28; all proceeds go toward providing health care products for 550 Bangladeshi orphans.

“Just simply donating a $35 piece of art could feed 100 kids,” said Shema Ruperto, director of For Kids’ Sake.

Ruperto said artwork submissions began last summer and ran through March 28. Local children were given the opportunity to participate

in workshops to enhance their artistic abilities.

“It’s a true community effort,” Ruperto said.

Ruperto said more than 50 Carbondale businesses and organizations are coordinating with For Kids’ Sake this year to reach a $40,000 fundraising goal.

That goal would provide 6,600 hygiene kits, 14 new toilets, 1,100 new sets of clothes, six arsenic-free deep water wells, 550 sets of new bedding and various expenses for doctor visits.

“This shows that kids really get it; they really have the compassion for other kids their age and want to help,” Ruperto said. “Their efforts are what make this a success.”

Ruperto said Longbranch Café & Bakery is one the auction’s biggest supporters. For the past 17 years, the owners have promoted

the event and catered dinners for the cause.

The organization will host its closing celebration from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on April 28 at Longbranch Café & Bakery. Festivities include live performances, a South Asian buffet dinner, raffles and giftbaskets.

“We really try to make it a cultural experience for southern Illinois,” Ruperto said.

Raffle prizes include a $2,500 scooter and a $1,200 dirt bike donated by Southern Illinois Motor Sports. The “Eat Out for a Year” prize drawing is funded by 25 restaurants in Carbondale with a $600 value in gift certificates.

Campus reporter Diamond Jones can be reached at djones@ dailyegyptian.com, 618-536-3325 or on Twitter @_dimewrites.

Wednesday, april 12, 2017

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‘The students are why I’m here’: SIU alumnus makes case for chancellor spot OLIVIA SPIERS AND LUKE NOZICKA @_spierso and @lukenozicka

Jeff Elwell is persistent.

In high school, his grades fell below average. Teachers told him he would never be admitted to his dream college. Now, decades later, Elwell holds four degrees, and is vying to become chancellor at SIU’s largest campus.

During a Tuesday morning forum, Elwell outlined his plan to combat the university’s budget crisis. As dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, he has managed and reduced a budget, and said if appointed chancellor, his first priority for fighting SIU’s cuts would be to “maintain an inclusive, universitywide process.”

When reducing a budget, he said, eliminating faculty positions is not effective because cutting teaching positions harms the programs that catch prospective students’ attention.

“The students are why I’m here,” said Elwell, adding that laying off a “living, breathing faculty member doesn’t help them.”

If he becomes chancellor, Elwell said smaller programs that aren’t vital to the university would see the largest cuts. One example would be the journalism school, which has “decreased significantly over the years,” he said.

In Chattanooga, Elwell is in charge of a $29 million state budget and a

$13 million private budget, less than 10 percent of the SIU budget. He oversees 17 departments with 275 fulltime faculty and 205 part-time faculty, according to his curriculum vitae.

Elwell said although he does not have experience dealing with massive cuts like the ones proposed by SIU’s administration, he understands the financial problems colleges are facing nationwide. In fall 2014, Elwell was tasked with reducing his college’s budget by roughly $1.2 million. As a result, no faculty or staff positions were reduced and no programs were eliminated, he said.

If appointed chancellor, Elwell will likely be tasked with making much larger reductions. In late March, SIU President Randy Dunn announced his plan for the Carbondale campus to cut at least $30 million in spending from its $450 million budget. Shortly after the announcement, interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, who is also a finalist for the full-time position, said the changes at the university “will be challenging and painful” and “almost certainly include layoffs.”

Asked about the state’s historic budget impasse, Elwell said Colwell’s plan to leave 158 vacant positions unfilled will not significantly benefit the university. The chancellor's office has said that plan will make up $10 million of the $30 million to “minimize the number of layoffs.”

“Leaving positions vacant would harm thriving programs,” Elwell said.

The candidate described Illinois

higher education as being in “a tremendously difficult situation.”

For research institutions, he said, the situation is almost unprecedented.

“Right now higher education is in an economic tsunami,” he said. “And unfortunately, SIU is at the top of it.”

As part of his plan to alleviate budget cuts, Elwell said he would aggressively pursue out-of-state recruitment. He said the university should showcase its various programs and diversity among students for that purpose.

Elwell said SIU is unique because students come from nearly 100 countries to study on campus.

However, he said he was surprised the four chancellor finalists chosen to represent that diversity were “older, white males.” Although he is not a minority, Elwell said he understands how to highlight SIU’s strong suits because he is an alumnus.

One characteristic Elwell said the university needs to better emphasize is its low tuition. Though the tuition is double what it was when he was a student, he said it is still cheaper than other universities.

Elwell has interviewed for several other higher education positions in recent years.

As of March, he was still being considered for the presidential position at Eastern New Mexico University, according to a university news release. Candidates interviewed on campus for the position earlier this month, and the university's Board

Branda MItchell | @branda_mitchell Jeff Elwell, a finalist for the university's chancellor position, speaks during a public forum Tuesday, in Guyon Auditorium. Elwell, who is one of four finalists for the position, serves as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

of Regents plans to announce the selected candidate or before April 17.

In May 2016, Elwell was one of three finalists for the chancellor position at the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

In spring 2015, he was a finalist for the presidential position at Winthrop University. At the time, Elwell's son studied political science on a track scholarship for javelin throwing at the Rock Hill, South Carolina university, the Rock Hill Herald reported.

Before starting at Tennessee in 2012, Elwell served as special assistant to the chancellor for strategic initiatives at Auburn University at Montgomery.

From June 2010 to October 2011,

he worked as the provost over the university’s 5,800-students. He also served as dean of graduate studies.

Elwell earned his doctorate in speech communication and theatre from SIUC in 1986 and teaches playwriting at his current job. Some of his more than 50 plays have been performed in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. If he gets the job at SIUC, Elwell said he wants to connect with students through teaching.

Elwell said he has “skin in the game” at SIU. “I met my wife here and was a part of SIU’s golden era,” he said. “Many people might think I’m crazy for coming back, but I have very fond memories here.”

Suspect in Carbondale homicide arrested in Arkansas DAILY EGYPTIAN STAFF

U.S. Marshals on Tuesday arrested a Carbondale man nearly 200 miles from where police say he fatally shot a teenager in March.

Jarrell J. Pullen, 22, of Carbondale,

was arrested by authorities in Jonesboro, Arkansas, on Tuesday morning, according to the Craighead County Sheriff’s Department. Pullen was wanted in the killing of Javon Trott, 19, of Johnston City, who was shot multiple times near a community center on

Carbondale’s Northeast Side in March.

Carbondale police on March 9 responded to the 400 block of East Willow Street in reference to a shooting across the street from the Eurma C. Hayes Center, where authorities found Trott suffering from multiple gunshot

wounds. He died that night at the Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

Pullen faces a charge of first-degree murder and his bond is set at $1 million.

He was incarcerated in the Craighead County Jail and will await extradition proceedings.

Court records show Pullen was previously imprisoned for a weaponsrelated felony. In 2014, he was sentenced to serve three years in prison for unlawful use of a firearm in Jackson County, according to court records.

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Immigrant fears and stories are shared at local forum FRANCOIS GATTIMU | @frankDE28

Oneida Vargas was 1 year old when she was carried across the Mexican border with her mother and 3-month-old brother in search of a better life in Chicago.

“Growing up was hard; I didn’t understand what it all meant,” said Vargas, a junior studying political science. “I had to translate bills and IRS papers at the age of eight, when I could barely read.”

Vargas said her status as an illegal immigrant put many opportunities out of her grasp as she got older.

“Once, I was asked for my social security while trying to apply for a high school program, but my mom told me we didn’t have one,” Vargas said.

After doing an extensive internet searching she came to realize the full implication of her identity as she approached college.

“I was illegal,” Vargas said. “For me this meant that going to college would be a lot harder.”

Vargas told her story to a hushed audience Thursday night at an immigration forum held at at the Center for Empowerment and Justice as a part of Carbondale’s 11 Days for Compassion. The forum attracted about 40 attendees from the city and nearby towns to reach out to immigrant community members in hopes of addressing their fears and concerns.

“We really wanted to build community education on what our immigrants are facing right now in the current political climate,” event organizer Jess Jobe said. “Carbondale, being a welcoming safe place for everyone, is part of building a compassionate community.”

Experts in immigration law and policy spoke at the event to better inform immigrants of their rights and teach

community members the realities of immigrant life.

Jobe said she believes this misinformation comes from the government, which causes people to question “what illegal immigrants are doing in the country.”

Provost Susan Ford assured event organizers that campus police were not looking to turn students over to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement, so people would feel free to share their experiences and learn from legal experts.

Cindy Buys, a law professor at the university, said the immigration agency has been surveying ethnic restaurants in the area in search of illegal immigrants.

“Restaurant raids seem to be a primary way that ICE is detecting undocumented immigrants,” Buys said.

With recent citings of ICE in Jackson County, Carbondale residents, led by the Southern Illinois Immigrant Rights Project, have proposed a city ordinance

to have Carbondale become a sanctuary jurisdiction.

“The ordinance would bar city officials from asking about immigration status, or to use immigration status to detain someone,” said Becca Tally one of the event organizers. She said a petition will be presented Tuesday at the city council meeting.

There was a request from graduate students at the end of last semester that the campus be declared a sanctuary campus, which was declined by administration.

This led to many immigrant students, especially those undocumented, to feel as though they lacked school support on the matter, said Ana Hernandez, a senior studying social work.

The administration, Buys said, declined to agree to the declaration after the school received calls from alumni stating that they would pull their financial support if that happened.

This led to many immigrant students,

especially those undocumented, to feel as though they lacked school support on the matter.

“Being six hours away from my family knowing that anything could happen,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t feel like the school gave us this kind of support.”

Even though she feels the university isn’t showing enough support, Hernandez, who is a first generation legal immigrant, said the community support at the forum was overwhelming.

“Hearing other people’s stories and getting different perspectives was really helpful,” she said.

Editor's note: An update on the city council's petition decision will be posted on dailyegyptian.com following Tuesday's meeting Staff writer Francois Gatimu can be reached at fgatimu@dailyegyptian.com or on Twitter @frankDE28.

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Dani Jo Golden, of Junction, waves with her 11-month-old daughter, Emma, on Wednesday during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest. Golden gave birth to Emma following the 2016 mule ride and is now pregnant with a second daughter due soon after this year's ride. Golden said she intends for all her children to be future mule riders.

Air Force veteran Clark Daughenbaugh, of Texico, shares a moment with Lilly, a young mule recently purchase at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest. "Mules aren't stubborn like people think they are," D Donnie Murray, of Livermore, Kentucky, rides his mule pastW old church and saloon props before beginning the morning's trails Thursday during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest.

Story and photos by Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms Around 500 riders converged in southern Illinois during the week of April 3 from as far away as Germany and Thailand, and from as many as 26 states, all with one thing in common.

They were mule people. “[In] nearly every state you can think of, there’s somebody there who’s one of us,” said Steve Dawson, who has owned a

For the love

number of donkey-horse hybrids for 30 years. “We’re on the same wavelength. We might not agree on everything, but we all share our love for mules.”

Dawson was among hundreds of domestic and international mule enthusiasts who travelled to Shawnee National Forest for a week of camping and trail riding at the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride.

The ride was the culmination of a year’s worth of planning

by veteran mule owners Cathy and Anthony “Bull” McAllister, of Flora, and JoJo Moomey, owner of the 50-acre High Knob Campground nestled in the Shawnee Forest.

After camping and riding at High Knob for more than 30 years, the McAllisters said they wanted to create an opportunity to bring “the mule world” together across geographic borders to explore the scenic cliff faces and valleys of southern Illinois.

Inspired by Dean and Lynn Titsworth, who began the Shawnee

Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

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Terry Dawson, of Licking, Missouri, sips coffee alongside Mark Duncan, also of Licking, with her new Australian Shepherd puppy, Shawnee, on Thursday during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest.

ed by his friend, Charlie Hayes, on Wednesday during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride Daughenbaugh said. "They're very smart, probably smarter than people. Mules just let us be next to them."

of mules

mule gatherings in the 1980s, Anthony McAllister broadcasted last year’s gathering in a Facebook event that drew more than 300 mule riders from across the country. This year, the numbers grew.

“There’s nothing better [than these trips],” said Anthony McAllister, who has returned his family to raising mules after three generations. “I get enjoyment from teaching people about mules and learning from others. As long as it’s free and we’re all having fun, I’ll keep doing it.”

Rich Cooper, of Salem, rests his hands on the neck of his mule, DC, after instructing him to lie down Wednesday during the second annual McAllister and Friends Mule Ride at High Knob Campground in the Shawnee National Forest.

For Loree Brown, of Bear Lake, Michigan, the Shawnee Mule Ride has given her a chance to meet fellow mule riders in person after years of talking online.

“Some of my best friends I’ve never met until I get here,” Brown said. “A lot of people don’t understand us — either they say, ‘How can you go to someone’s house that you don’t even know?’ And I say, ‘I know these people.’ You get a feel for who they are when we talk every day online. We know each other before we ever see each

other in person.”

Over the course of the week at High Knob, the riders managed to fundraise $10,000 for the medical expenses of 4-year-old Briar Phillips, who in March was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer known as Wilms’ tumor.

“That’s just everybody’s heart,” Anthony McAllister said of the donations raised. “Nobody knows him. That’s just who we are — mule people.”

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After Syria strike, Trump administration talks tough JOHN T. BENNETT | CQ-ROLL CALL

The Trump administration is suddenly warning would-be foes and touting its leader as a no-nonsense commander in chief, after focusing exclusively on domestic policy for its first 77 days.

Last week, the White House was still very much concentrated on health care, a tax overhaul and other domestic agenda items. It held special advance briefings on Trump's summit with his Chinese counterpart, addressing trade and his use of the Congressional Review Act. It centered on U.S. jobs and on rolling back Obama-era regulations to give a boost — as the administration contends — to the American economy. Trump's aides were very much in a mode to enact his "America First" agenda, pushing his efforts to "rebuild our country," as the president himself often puts it.

Then, with a single order on Thursday evening, the White House was transformed.

The inward-focused administration with the isolationist president had broken with key allies by signaling that Syrian President Bashar Assad did not necessarily have to relinquish power.

But over 72 hours, after Trump viewed images of babies killed by what the U.S. said was an Assad-ordered gas attack in Syria, the domestic-focused White House began flexing its muscles. It launched a salvo of Tomahawk missiles at a Syrian airbase.

By Monday afternoon, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer was talking tough during his daily press briefing.

"When you watch babies and children being gassed and suffer under barrel bombs, you are instantaneously moved to action," Trump's chief spokesman said. "I think this president has made it very clear that if those actions were to continue, further action will definitely be considered by the

United States."

Spicer reiterated the president's pledge to avoid telegraphing any U.S. military actions he orders during his tenure, but he concluded that statement with a hawkish warning to enemies and would-be foes: "But make no mistake, he will act."

Policy experts have their own take on the new tack.

"Talking tough, be it on domestic matters or on foreign policy, only succeeds if you have results to show from it," said Christine Wormuth, a former Pentagon policy chief, now at the nonpartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies.

"If you talk tough and fail to back it up, the credibility of the United States is diminished," Worthmuth said. "If you act and things don't go well, it can have tremendous consequences."

Senior aides say Trump is prepared, if provoked, to act militarily again in Syria. They are also talking tough with a message for other would-be foes such as Iran, Russia and North Korea: If you test this new president, he is prepared to strike.

"So what the president chooses to do — I hope that what Iran sees, and Syria sees, and Russia sees is that this is a president that's not afraid to act," said Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

"But I don't think anything is off the table at this point," Haley said in an interview on CNN's "State of the Union" that aired Sunday. "I think what you're going to see is strong leadership. You're going to continue to see the United States act when we need to act."

Her comments came the same day the Trump administration ordered a U.S. Navy carrier strike group to head to the Pacific region to provide a check on potential North Korean aggression.

To that end, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had a message for the North's defiant leader, Kim Jong Un.

"I think the message that any nation can take is if you violate international norms, if you violate international agreements, if you fail to live up to commitments, if you become a threat to others, at some point a response is likely to be undertaken," Tillerson said Sunday. "And I think in terms of North Korea, we have been very clear that our objective is a denuclearized Korean peninsula."

The new chief U.S. diplomat denied reports that the Trump administration is mulling a way to remove the country's youthful leader from power.

But 24 hours later, an administration ally in Congress said that could be on the table.

"I think there is a question of who would follow him, and in the conversations I've had with experts on North Korea, I don't think anybody has that answer," Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner said Monday on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." The Senate Foreign Relations member called on the Trump administration to work with allies in the region and China to "develop a plan not only for denuclearization of Kim Jong Un's regime, but what happens next" because "it's a very important question that we do not have answered at this point."

The president hinted last week he wants to stick to his "America First" belief system and campaign promises, but will be "flexible" and act militarily should circumstances around the globe dictate it. But experts and lawmakers are befuddled by just what principle is guiding Trump's foreign policy.

"If anybody thinks they know the defense strategy of the president of the United States," Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin of Illinois said Friday after a closed-door briefing with administration officials about the decision to strike Syria. "I wish they'd sit me down and share it with me."

Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

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Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

Trustees delay declaration of financial emergency, SIUE loan BILL LUKITSCH | @lukitsbill

The SIU Board of Trustees on Thursday voted not to discuss the declaration of a financial emergency at the university system’s Carbondale campus or to allow the cash-strapped university to borrow from its sister school.

Because the matter was not published in the original agenda, the entire board needed to approve such a discussion at Thursday’s meeting. The only dissenting vote came from Shirley Portwood, a fouryear member of the board and retired SIU–Edwardsville professor. “[Discussion of the item] had to be unanimous; it died,” Randal Thomas, the board’s chairman, said during a news conference after the meeting to explain the procedure.

Analysis of the university's finances indicated the Carbondale campus could fall into deficit spending within one or two months, and the loan was meant to keep the Carbondale campus from going "into the red," SIU President Randy Dunn said.

"That was the urgency of the matter that came to the board today; to have the borrowing plan in place to accommodate that," he said.

Dunn said that those circumstances could result in an audit and further credit problems, saying it's "not something that we can allow to happen."

The money would have come from SIUE’s unrestricted reserve funds to be repaid over the course of 10 years.

The item is expected to be introduced at the board’s July meeting, but university officials also said a special meeting could be called if such action is deemed necessary.

Carbondale is interviewing four candidates to permanently fill its chancellor position, and Thomas said that could have required a special meeting anyway.

“Now we have a second item that

will probably necessitate that, barring a miracle from Springfield,” Thomas said, speaking of the SIUE loan proposal.

The decision came after faculty representatives from SIUE voiced concerns with the loan during the public comments portion of the meeting. Those present took issue with the proposal for Carbondale to borrow from the other university’s “rainy day fund.”

Kim Archer, an associate professor of music at SIUE and vice president of the university’s faculty association, likened the "unchecked borrowing" at the Carbondale campus to an addiction and urged the board to set the proposal aside.

"They burned through much of their own reserves, apparently they burned through a good deal of the system's savings, then they tapped the medical school dry and now they're coming after us," she said. "We say: We thought ahead. We were proactive."

Speaking from Carbondale's point of view, David Johnson, president of SIUC's faculty association, said he sympathizes with the frustration expressed by SIUE employees. He asked the board to spare university programs amid the impending cuts, using the board's decision to approve a $2 million purchase of athletic gear as an example of its need to prioritize SIUC's academic mission.

“I am morally certain that if the shoe were on the other foot, and SIUC was called upon to support SIUE, there would angry voices raised in Carbondale,” Johnson said.

The Carbondale campus has used about $83 million of unrestricted reserve funds since the beginning of the state’s historic impasse for continuing operations. That figure includes $21 million in cuts the campus has already implemented, Dunn said.

In a March 29 letter to the campus community, Dunn said SIU would have to cut $30 million in spending.

Those cuts include $10 million in vacant

Bill Lukitsch | @lukitsbill SIU President Randy Dunn speaks to interim Chancellor Brad Colwell on Thursday, April 6, 2017, during a recess of the SIU Board of Trustees meeting in the Student Center ballrooms.

positions and are expected to result in some employee layoffs, according to university officials.

Permanent cuts reflect numbers from Gov. Bruce Rauner’s proposed spending plan, which reduces funding for Illinois public higher education by 15 percent.

Further cuts are meant to ensure the university can continue to operate if Illinois legislators do not pass a stop-gap plan before July 1.

Following Thursday's vote on the proposal, Vice-Chair Phil Gilbert said he understood the reluctance from SIUE constituent groups to move forward with the loan, but planned to approve the measure, calling it the only financial option available “for the survival of SIUC.” “Friends help friends when we’re down,” Gilbert said.

In other board of trustees news: Student trustee elections Graduate and Professional Student Council President Brandon Woudenberg read part of a prepared written statement to the board, alleging a violation of legal processes with regard to meddling in student government organizations.

The larger statement, which was provided to the Daily Egyptian, said the student government body's attempt at revising the appeals process in student trustee elections was "upended," and accuses an administrator of misconduct.

The administrator allegedly "claimed supreme authority" and approved a draft that would normally require approval from GPSC and Undergraduate Student Government.

The statement also says the student governing body will not recognize a

student trustee elected under those conditions.

Donna Manering resolution The board formally recognized the departure of former Vice Chairwoman Donna Manering at its meeting Thursday.

The vice chair was appointed to a six-year term on the board in 2011 under then-Gov. Pat Quinn.

She holds three degrees from SIU, including a doctorate in education administration, and served as a member of the board’s executive, academic matters and finance committees.

Thomas, the board's chair, thanked Manering for her service, saying, jokingly, that she kept him out of trouble on multiple occasions.

Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

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Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

Answers for Wednesday >>

Brought to you by:

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www. sudoku.org.uk

Wednesday, april 12, 2017

Today's Birthday (04/12/17).

Discover unimagined possibilities this year. A partnership harmonizes this June.

August illuminates a fork in the road for a team project, before a surge in passion and creativity. Family assets rise over the year following October.

December launches two years favoring community collaboration.

Come together.

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 an 8 -- Go over the budget. Review numbers before submitting.

Something doesn't compute.

Reassess your assets. Think outside the box, and consider all possibilities. Find another revenue source.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is an 8 -Share patience with your partner through garbled communications and delays.

Gather missing information.

Public obligations interfere with private time. Ne w pos sibi l it ie s st re tc h old bou nd a r ie s.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) -- Today is a 9 -- The time for talk is past. Get into action to fulfill a dream.

Jump into an up-tempo groove. Take new ground in your creative work.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) -- Today is an 8 -Immerse yourself in an enjoyable activity. Rituals and diversions fulfill your spirit.

Love blossoms wordlessly. You're developing a new perspective. Give away something you don't need.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Try the gentle approach with your family. Stand outside a controversy. Listen to what others want. Provide facts and loving support. Share the load.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- Today is an 8 -- Consider all points of view in a lively debate. Brainstorm and edit your response.

Articulate dreams and visions. Polish to get to something that sings.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 9 -- The previously impossible seems accessible now. Beware contradictions and trite

page 19

solutions. A difference of opinion could slow things.

Dreams fuel your actions.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -- Today is a 9 -- Let your creative imagination run wild. Get to what's most authentic. Meditation and prayer soothe, especially when pessimism creeps in. Dreams reveal your true feelings.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22Dec. 21) -- Today is a 7 -- A sibling's crazy idea could work.

Listen before advancing, to avoid a communications breakdown.

Follow your emotions as well as intellect. Distractions can cause mistakes.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is an 8 -- Your friends inspire you. A private conference spells out the facts.

Disagree persuasively. Find what you need nearby, and check instructions. Leave nothing to chance.

Aquarius (Jan. 20Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Compete for more responsibilities.

Focus and winning is a distinct possibility. Follow rules rigorously. Stay out of someone else's argument.

Finesse instead. Keep a dream alive.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -Travel and academic pursuits have your focus. Explore an adventure. Keep your objective in mind, despite distractions.

Anticipate a lively discussion, and convince a skeptic.

FOR RELEASE APRIL 12, 2017

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 They broke their 108-year World Series drought in 2016 5 Medical picture 9 Gives out 14 Lustrous gem 15 “Bloom County” reporter 16 Very small 17 Dean’s list honorees 19 Pasture sound 20 Add to the pot 21 Electronic sci-fi antagonist 23 “!Dios __!”

24 Cannes cup 25 Thiamine and riboflavin 28 FBI operative 29 Number before vier 31 Spring bloomer 32 Flip (through) 34 Son of Zeus and Hera 36 In tune 37 Two-variable marketing experiment 40 Diving bird 43 Way out yonder 44 Inscribe 48 After morays, say 50 Mined matter 52 Mexican gold 53 First novel in Willa Cather’s Great Plains trilogy 55 Apartment sign 57 Go bad 58 Under the weather 59 Javier __, first Spanish actor to win an Oscar 60 “Good __!”

62 Classification suggested by the beginning of 17-, 25-, 37- and 53Across 65 Not always helpful reply to “Who’s there?”

66 Like bad fried food 67 Shed tools 68 Early fur trader 69 Ties the knot 70 Joint possession word

By Neville Fogarty

DOWN 1 Like beachfront property 2 Steal the spotlight from 3 Cuban dictator overthrown by Castro 4 Nasty remarks 5 Marvel Comics mutants 6 __ Tin Tin 7 PC key 8 Super Mario World dinosaur 9 Decorate elaborately 10 End of a general’s URL 11 Low-fat frozen dessert 12 Many a new hire 13 “If you will” 18 Fizzled out 22 __ crossroads 25 First interracial coed college in the South 26 Tries to win 27 Canine ailment 30 Chinese zodiac animal 33 One-named Italian male model

04/12/17 4/12/17 Wednesday’s Answers

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2017 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

35 “The Fault in Our __”: 2014 film 38 Nickname for a 2000s tabloid item 39 Anger 40 Black Sea republic 41 Police paperwork 42 High-and-mighty sort 45 “Just like I said” 46 Climbing plant

4/12/17 04/12/17

47 Disordered yet appealing person 49 Salon application 51 Dutch town 54 Nudge 56 Weed B Gon maker 59 School restroom sign 61 Confessional rock genre 63 Fabrication 64 Not up-to-date

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Wednesday, april 12, 2017

page 21

Column: A fan's field guide to picking the school to replace Wichita State SEAN CARLEY | @SeanMCarley

After Wichita State announced its move to the American Athletic Conference on Friday, it left quite a pair of shoes to fill in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Granted, no one team is immediately going to replace the immense impact WSU had on the conference, both financially and in terms of exposure.

That role will have to be filled in part by each of the nine other remaining institutions, including SIU. But before fans start wildly deciding who should replace Wichita State, there's one fact that Valley fans have to accept: The MVC will not be as attractive of an option in its best sport, men's basketball,

compared to what it has been within the last ten years.

Look at the early 2010's Missouri Valley: In 2012-13, the Valley had five teams in the top 100 of the NCAA's men's basketball RPI — and Illinois State was No. 106. Now, the top two Valley representatives (Creighton, as well as WSU) are out.

Sure, UNI has experienced recent success — Illinois State was a great team last year; SIU, Indiana State and Bradley have history. But the fact of the matter is that in last season, what ended up being its proverbial "contract year" to entice other schools to join, the Valley fell flat.

Outside of Illinois State, the next highest RPI team was actually SIU

at 145th. Seven out of the 10 Valley teams finished with sub-150 RPIs. For a conference trying to recruit a new school with a decent athletic reputation, that's not a good resume to hold.

With that being said, I believe that there is still a chance for the Valley to pick up a name that college basketball fans (and sports fans, in general) have heard of. And it should not be taken lightly.

Four years later, it appears picking up Loyola has worked out for the MVC. Another pickup like that, or better, could salvage the Missouri Valley for years to come.

The Valley can only make one move that would be, in my opinion, a true immediate mistake: adding another

Illinois school. The MVC already has four, so adding another would muddy up an already saturated market even further. Not to mention, there's a pretty large budget issue in the state right now.

So finally, there are four strategies the MVC can take in looking for its new member. Here's possible targets for each of those strategies.

Add a Missouri Valley Football Conference school as a full member.

Youngstown State Adding Youngstown State as a member would make tactical sense for the MVC in that it adds a new state — and more importantly to the league execs, a new market — to the conference.

The Missouri Valley currently

doesn't have any full members in the state of Ohio. But, with two Indiana member schools, it wouldn't add too much of a travel strain on most Valley schools (the farthest trip would be for Missouri State, which already makes this trip for football).

Plus with YSU's recent FCS football runner-up finish and former Ohio State football coach Jim Tressel as university President, the school has the wow factor.

North Dakota I know what you're thinking already.

Yes, I know the travel for this would be ridiculous. Yes, I know North Dakota is a hockey school. But, logistically, this would make sense for the MVC. Please see MVC | 23

Page 22

Wednesday, aPril 12, 2017

Player profiles: SIU's 2B runs ahead of the pack DENTON "GIO" GIOVENCO @DentonGiovenco

A chill, laid-back, funny guy: This is how junior second baseman Connor Kopach defines himself off the field.

On the field, he is one of the fastest baserunners in all of Division I NCAA baseball, and half of one of the best double-play duos in the league.

Baseball was one of many sports Kopach played while growing up Illinois. He credits his father for instilling a love for many sports early on in his life.

"Wrestling, football, volleyball, just about anything my dad tried to put me into I tried it out," the Saluki keystone said. "He started me in everything I ever played" Kopach also took part in gymnastics in his younger years.

"I sometimes do [gymnastics] out on the field right before the game because all the guys want me to do it," Kopach said. "But when we started losing they said 'You gotta stop all that'."

Kopach continued to play multiple sports in high school. But his father stressed the need to keep his grades up to ensure the young athlete continue his education and sports career in college.

While he managed to keep his grades above average, Kopach struggled with a low batting average his first two years in high school.

"Freshman and sophomore year were bad years for me hittingwise," He said. "My fielding is what made me, but if I could have hit my sophomore year I could have made varsity."

The young hitter decided to seek help with his approach at the plate after his sophomore year in high school from Steve Hayward, a hitting instructor at Strikes! Baseball Academy. Kopach credits Hayward with helping him see the ball better and start hitting for a high average going into his first year on the varsity squad.

Even with a batting average north of .350 and elite fielding skills as a varsity

Bill Lukitsch | @lukitsbill Junior infielder Connor Kopach (7) celebrates after hitting a two-run home run Friday alongside senior infielder Ryan Sabo (23) and senior infielder Will Farmer. The Jacksonville State Gamecocks went on to beat SIU 8-6 during the first of a threegame series at Itchy Jones Stadium.

player in high school, Kopach said he did not have many suitors from the college ranks, and none from the pros.

He attributes this in part to his stature in high school. He was "smaller than most" at just under 6 foot and barely 150 pounds.

Kopach said he planned on looking at Division II and Division III colleges — as well as junior colleges — before his father and Saluki Hall of Famer Tom Baugh stepped in to lend a helping hand.

"We sent a video to Coach [Ken] Henderson at SIU and Tom Baugh texted Hendu to let him know he should take a look at me," Kopach said.

"They took a look at me and said 'I like him,' and that's how I got here."

Kopach quickly made a name for himself on the SIU baseball team, earning a starting spot as a walk-on

freshman player for the 2014 season.

Even though it came as a welcome surprise to him to be a starting player as a freshman, he believes his hard work and hustle earned him the right to be on the field.

But his sophomore year did not go as planned, as an early injury to his wrist in the first series of the year cost him the remainder of the 2015 season. Taking a medical red-shirt for a fracture in his left wrist, he retained a year of eligibility.

To keep sharp after missing the bulk of the 2015 college season, Kopach signed with the Walla-Walla Sweets of the West Coast College Summer League. Playing under Fielding Manger and former Saluki baseball player Parker Osborne, he credits the West Coast League's elite pitching with getting him back in shape for the 2016 Saluki season.

As a redshirt-sophomore for the 2016

season, Kopach earned an Honorable Mention All-MVC Team honor as the Salukis second baseman. He parlayed this into a contract with the Northwoods College Summer League where he set a league record with 50 stolen bases over a grueling 72 game schedule in 75 days.

The Northwoods League was also the first time Kopach gained exposure with MLB scouts.

"It was overwhelming at first," he said. "I just tried to have fun through it and not worry about what I did that day on the field."

The Saluki keystone earned midseason and post-season All-Star honors in the Northwoods League, as well as being chosen by a panel of MLB scouts to take part in the Major League Dreams Showcase at the end of the summer season.

This season with the Salukis, Kopach

is continuing to impress pro scouts. He is ranked 16th overall pro prospect in the MVC and 19th overall second baseman in the NCAA by DI Baseball. He is also tied for fourth overall in steals in Division I NCAA baseball with 18 steals on the season.

With the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft just around the corner, the Saluki keystone is aware of his potential to be drafted and already has a plan in mind.

"I hope I get drafted this year," the sports administration major said. "But I hope I am pretty high in the draft because if I'm not, I probably won't leave college."

Kopach explained that he hopes to be picked in the top 15 rounds this year in the draft, if he is chosen at all. But this is not his biggest concern at the moment.

"If it happens it happens, if it doesn't it doesn't," he said. "I'm not really worried about that right now. I'm more worried about this year here at SIU and trying to play my best for the team."

Regardless of what happens with the draft, and his future in pro baseball, Kopach said he wants to become a coach some day.

"I want to be a hitting coach at the college level," the Saluki second baseman said. "I want to tell young players like myself what I have learned, and show them how I learned to play."

Kopach credits the coaches at SIU with giving him the opportunity to play baseball at the Division I level, and the chance to earn his education both in the classroom and on the ball field. The Saluki keystone also hopes to lead the team in fulfilling the potential the coaches see in this year's squad.

"The coaches stay on us because they want us to do our best," he said. "I should be hitting better.

The whole team should be hitting better. We're trying to be first in the conference and go to an [NCAA] regional for the first time since 1990. That's everyone's dream here, and we will pull it out soon and turn this season around."

Wednesday, april 12, 2017

MVC

to travel between sites.

Valpo currently resides in the Horizon League, an up-and-coming North Dakota is already joining the conference that also held Loyola MVFC in 2020, so why not just have before it left, but the MVC would it join the conference entirely, which still be an upgrade for the Crusaders. would ease the transition. UND also Other options: Missouri-Kansas has the added bonus of being a NCAA City, Illinois-Chicago, Southeast tournament team in 2017.

Missouri State, SIUE The Fighting Hawks are already Add a school from a border state an outlier in the Big Sky Conference, where the MVC doesn't currently having to travel as far as 1,630 miles reside. to Northern Arizona to compete. So Murray State for non-football sports, the move Murray State is a compelling would make sense for UND in that option for multiple reasons. its farthest MVC opponent would be The most obvious of which is its Evansville, only 1,000 miles away. vicinity to multiple MVC schools.

Other options: North Dakota State, Four Valley schools are within a fiveSouth Dakota State, Western Illinois hour drive of Murray.

Add another school from a state There is also a subtle reason the MVC already populates.

Murray makes sense. With the Saint Louis 2020 addition of North Dakota, This may be the most logical the MVFC will stand at 11 teams addition on all accounts. First, the and in conferences, odd numbers Valley is headquartered in the city. are bad numbers. Murray State's Secondly, it would add another football stadium holds 16,800 school from Missouri, but not one people, which I'm sure would fill close enough to Missouri State to up with North Dakota State and saturate its market. This would Youngstown State and the rest of likely ease the travel partner burden the MVFC coming to town every for the Bears as well. few years.

A lot of schools, SIU included, Additionally, Murray State, like already play SLU during SLU, is another school with ties in nonconference schedules so the the MVC already. The Racers faced administrative relationships have three Valley teams in basketball already been formed. this year, and four in the last three seasons, and have success, making the NCAA tournament twice within the last 10 years. Murray has been one of the co-powers of the Ohio Valley for years, which brings us to the other natural new state selection.

Belmont With one basketball power leaving the MVC, why not add another?

Belmont has made the NCAA tournament seven times since 2006 and has played in a postseason tournament 11 of the last 12 years, despite being an NCAA program for a shorter time than most college students' lives.

The Bruins out of Nashville, Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto Tennessee would bring another Wichita State head coach Gregg Marshall speaks to Shocker junior forward Darral metropolitan market into the Willis Jr. during the Salukis’ 87-68 loss to Wichita State on Feb. 15 at SIU Arena.

CONTINUED FROM

21

Willis scored four points in the game.

Saint Louis has not been a basketball power in recent years, but, like SIU, had tournament success within the last 15 years.

The big hitch in the process for recruiting SLU would be convincing Billiken officials to leave the Atlantic 10, arguably a better conference than a Shockerless MVC. But as far as travel goes, the MVC would ease a lot of stress for SLU because the nearest conference opponent is Xavier in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Valparaiso This possibility will set the hearts of college basketball fans a-flutter.

The shot that now-coach Bryce Drew hit in 1998 to send the Crusaders to the second round over Ole Miss will forever be in college basketball folklore.

But, Drew has Valpo back in a serious way. Each year since he's been coaching there (2011-12), Valparaiso has participated in a postseason tournament, making the NCAA tournament twice and losing the NIT final in 2016. If that trend continues, that's great revenue and exposure for the league.

Additionally, Valparaiso would make a great natural travel partner for Loyola, being only 60 miles apart.

Teams could feasibly stay in the same hotel for two nights instead of having

page 23 Valley. Granted, with SEC school Vanderbilt right next door and other mid-major schools Tennessee State and Lipscomb also in the city, it's sharing that market. But Nashville is a big market.

Combine a strong basketball program with a metropolitan market, and it has to be a compelling suitor for the MVC. Belmont was heavily cited as a strong candidate to join the Missouri Valley in 2013, and should be again this time around.

Other options: Milwaukee, Green Bay, Arkansas-Little Rock, Morehead State Replace a faraway school with another faraway school Nebraska-Omaha UNO may be the most high-risk/ high-reward option out there.

Adding the Mavericks would be risky, because they're relatively new and unknown. They just entered Division I basketball in 2011-12, and 2015-16 was the first season they were eligible for postseason play.

However, UNO is a program on the rise. It's played in two postseason tournaments already and was five minutes of holding a lead away from going to the Big Dance this year out of the Summit League. The Mavericks also beat Iowa in Iowa City this season.

The program is now housed in a new on-campus arena as well, which adds some appeal to the school. In addition, the Valley is also familiar with the city thanks to its former ties with Creighton.

If UNO is the choice, it may leave casual fans shocked. But Loyola was in this same spot four years ago so it's reasonable the MVC may go this route again.

Denver I'm not going to lie, this one doesn't make much sense to me.

But it's one fans may hear gain some momentum.

USA Today reported Denver was a school that "would have significant support as candidates to replace Creighton" in 2013, so it's fair to assume the possibility would get

attention again.

The travel would be a nightmare (up to a 14-plus hour drive for some schools, meaning lots of teams paying for flights), but Denver is a market that is relatively untapped. Colorado and Colorado State are the two big players in the state, but that's a lot less competition than most states the MVC is already in.

Denver is successful mainly in sports the MVC doesn't have, like ice hockey and lacrosse. Its men's basketball team didn't return to Division I status until 1999 after a 20-year hiatus.

Like I said, Denver doesn't make much logistical sense. But if worse comes to worst, we may be hearing about them as a serious contender.

New Mexico State After reading what I just said about Denver, I bet this doesn't make any sense and makes me sound like a hypocrite, but hear me out.

Why is Wichita State leaving the MVC? Because it feels its worn out the MVC and needs greener pastures.

Now look at NMSU. The Aggies made the NCAA tournament six times this decade, and the team has a winning percentage of .750 in the dreadful Western Athletic Conference.

If the MVC truly looked at Denver in 2013, then looking at NMSU would seem fathomable. As far as markets go, there's only two Division I schools in New Mexico. The other is the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, more than 200 miles away from NMSU's Las Cruces.

Yes, travel would be crazy expensive and brutal, but in the WAC, New Mexico State travels to face Chicago State every year. So, they're technically kind of used to it.

With the way recent conference realignments have gone, leagues have had to make logistically concerning decisions. The MVC shouldn't be in that boat, but if it has to be, NMSU may be the best option.

Other options: Oakland, Oral Roberts, Texas-Arlington Sports editor Sean Carley can be reached at scar@dailyegyptian.com.

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