Vol. 113, Issue 10 • January 31, 2019
Astros’ Bregman keynotes First Pitch
See Inside PAGE 2
Elevator outages drop despite aging equipment PAGE 6
New science club works to educate the community PAGE 7
Photo by Eric Newsom / For the Muleskinner Houston Astros player Alex Bregman speaks at the 2019 First Pitch Banquet. Bregman discussed the influence his college coaches had for him, both as a player, and now in starting his charity foundation, AB For AUDS, which donates iPads as adaptive technologies for children with autism and Down’s syndrome. For more photos, see pages 4 and 5. The banquet marks the start of the Mules baseball season. Also in attendance was Astro’s owner Jim Crane.
Black History Month has a righteous origin
2 NEWS
Jan. 31 - Feb. 13
Elevator outages drop despite aging equipment Garrett Fuller Senior Writer
In addition to the decrease in number of outages, the number of violations decreased from 22 in 2017 to 18 in 2018. In 2018, elevators in the James C. Kirkpatrick Library, The Crossing - South at Holden and the W.C. Morris Building, were temporarily removed from service. Castilaw said the right lobby elevator in The Crossing was red-tagged after the inspector discovered a missing part from the original installation in 2015. He said the missing part did not affect safety. The elevators installed in The Crossing have also received multiple inspection violations for the lack of state labels posted in the machine room. He said the elevator was returned to service within two days. Russell said the east elevator in the library was red-tagged due to a malfunctioning hydraulic valve and the Morris elevator was red-tagged due to the drive cables being stretched beyond specification. Both elevators were returned to service within 24 hours. Castilaw said the elevators are reliable. “People don’t notice when things are operating correctly,” Castilaw said. “It becomes invisible. But what does get their attention is when something’s not working or something broke, something’s dirty or something’s not detailed on the lawn.” Outage emails have become a part of the university culture, inspiring social media posts and memes in response to their frequency. A Twitter page was even created in honor of the UCM elevators. However, for the 44 students registered with Office of Accessibility Services who rely on the elevators to get to and from classes, those emails are important. “We do, obviously, have some students that the only way they can get to their classrooms on higher levels is by use of the elevator,” said Danelle Cord, associate general counsel of accessibility services. Cord said OAS assists students during short-term outages by providing them with
Photo by Garrett Fuller / Senior Writer Despite the average age of campus elevators being 27 years old, outages and inspection violations have decreased in recent years.
Total Elevator Outages 300
ELEVATOR OUTAGES
Need a lift? If so, you’d likely turn to one of the 31 passenger elevators on campus. That is, if the one nearest you is working. Elevator outages have become a part of the university culture, marked by frequent emails and “OUT OF ORDER” signs. The average age of elevators on campus is approximately 27 years old. The oldest passenger elevator, installed in the Lovinger Building, dates back to 1964. While the average age of elevators is 27 years old, the number of outages has decreased. According to a chart provided by Facilities, Planning and Operations, elevator outages have fallen from 276 for fiscal year 2012 to 94 for fiscal year 2018. Gene Russell, manager of facilities management, said a work order is made and inspected by in-house personnel once an outage is reported. If the inspection deems the elevator needs repair, FPO contacts Schindler Elevator, the contracted elevator repair company responsible for repairing and maintaining the elevators. State law mandates that all elevators be repaired by a certified elevator company, such as Schindler. Russell said elevators are often repaired within 24 hours. Tim Castilaw, associate vice president of capital planning and facilities management, said FPO spent nearly $146,000 in fiscal year 2018 repairing and upgrading elevators. Elevators are subject to three regular inspections. The Missouri Division of Fire Safety — Elevator Safety Unit performs required annual inspections on the elevators. Castilaw said additional inspections are performed for preventive maintenance purposes, while a third round of inspections is performed for insurance purposes. According to a sample elevator inspection sheet, nearly every aspect of the elevator is inspected, from inside of the car to the driving machinery.
276
250 205
200
145
150
118
112
112 94
100 50 0
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
FISCAL YEAR
2017
2018
July 1 - June 30
an excused absence and working with their professor to get coursework. For long-term outages, Cord said the entire class may be moved to a lower level. Since elevators are complex machines, they do eventually fail.
Russell said all campus elevators contain phones for calling Public Safety in the event of a stall. ELEVATORS, continued on Page 6
NEWS 3
The Muleskinner
UCM professor set to perform in Estonia Anelise Peeler For the Mulleskinner
It wasn’t until he decided to plug his trumpet into his guitar when he realized his love for music technology. Jeff Kaiser, assistant professor of music technology and composition, is set to perform in Estonia for the 2019 World Music Days Festival this May. Kaiser has been selected to participate in the event organized by the International Society for Contemporary Music along with six other American participants. The event is a large festival with 99 works being presented from several countries and will be held for eight days from
May 2-10. Ricky Spaeth, junior music technology major, said Kaiser is passionate about the music he creates and enjoys his entertaining classes because he treats his students as equals. “I find it really cool that Dr. Kaiser gets invited to perform at these types of events, and it makes me happy to know we have professors who are recognized for their talents around the world,” he said. Kaiser said he will be performing his piece “Zeitnot III” for trumpet and will be attending several events and concerts.
He will be meeting different composers, performers and music technologists as well. “I love traveling. I love meeting new people with new ideas that are working the field of creative art,” Kaiser said. Kaiser said he is excited about participating and performing but he is more excited about meeting the new people. He said international such events, are good for UCM and helps promote the music technology festival, Moxsonic, hosted by UCM and scheduled for March 8-9. “These trips are very valuable for our university,” Kaiser said. Kaiser said interacting with the technology he creates is what keeps him interested
in the field. “For me, music technology is about the joy of discovery,” he said. “It’s a privilege to teach it as well because I get to share that joy.” Before the interest in music technology, Kaiser played in a number of punk and rock bands. Kaiser said he’s been fortunate to participate in some great events in Europe but this one felt like a big one. “It feels awesome,” he said. Joey Carter, junior music education major, said Kaiser’s participation in the event is incredible and that he deserves it. “He’s a great performer on his trumpet and the things he can do with technology in addition to that is outstanding,” he said.
Three students awarded freedom scholarship Kaitlin Brother News Editor
Dinner highlights King’s commitment to higher education Three UCM students were awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Freedom Scholarship for $3,000. Mariah Woodson, freshman nursing major; Arlanda Brown, senior sociology major; and K’Ron Richardson, sophomore criminal justice major, were awarded the scholarship Jan. 22 at the Freedom Scholarship Dinner in the Elliott Student Union
Ballroom. The guest speaker was UCM alumni Robert Page. Page reflected on his past and the work of King. Ronnie Rollins, chair of the technology department and emcee of the dinner, said the MLK Freedom Scholarship is important to provide students financial aid. “This event was wonderful. To see those students be awarded some type of financial assistance is important, because a lot of kids struggle providing their way through college,” Rollins said. “So having an event like this to allow students to offset some of that debt is really important to me.”
Three students were honored at the MLK Freedom Scholarship dinner Jan. 22. Click to watch the video.
4 NEWS
Jan. 31 – Feb. 13
2019 First Pitch Banquet UCM alumnus and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane introduces keynote speaker and Astros All Star player Alex Bregman during the 2019 First Pitch Banquet on Saturday in the Elliott Student Union Ballroom. Last year, Crane pledged $1.5 million for renovations to the baseball stadium that bears his name.
Photos by Eric Newsom / For the Muleskinner The 2019 Mules Baseball Diamond Club induction class, from left, is Nathan Lipowicz, Seth Collins, Bill Turnage, Steve Sharpe, and Mark Carey. The Diamond Club honors some of the best Mules baseball players in program history. Click the photo for more information and photos about the inductees.
The Muleskinner
NEWS 5
First Pitch Banquet
Houston Astros player Alex Bregman talks with attendees of the 2019 First Pitch Banquet. He flew directly to Warrensburg from Houston after appearing all day at the Houston Astros FanFest.
Former Mules pitcher Steve Sharpe stands before the 2019 First Pitch Banquet crowd as he is welcomed into the Mules Baseball Diamond Club. Sharpe only pitched one year for UCM, 2004, but in that year he went 13-0 with a 2.89 ERA and 103 strikeouts across 96.2 innings.
From left, Mules players Donovan Ditto, Micah Evans and Mason Janvrin look over items available at the silent auction preceding the 2019 First Pitch Banquet. More than 400 people attended the banquet this year.
6 FEATURES
Jan. 31 – Feb. 13
New science club works to educate the community Erin Wides Features Editor
The first student-led chapter of the National Center for Science Education recently formed at the University of Central Missouri. The club was started by Laurie Luckritz, the program leader and a first-year biology graduate student. Luckritz said NCSE is a nonprofit science booster club, which is intended to offer science outreach without pushing political agendas. Instead, the club is centered on science. “They usually choose to let science booster clubs occur in states or communities that have a lot of resistance to climate change and evolution,” Luckritz said. “They want to get those issues more talked about and out there so that we can make better choices in our voting.” When founding the club, Luckritz said she took a different approach. She wanted to empower college students to share information and be in leadership positions, while also connecting them to science education in different ways.
Luckritz’z advisor, Kate Carter, director of community science education, said college students have the knowledge and energy to get the information across. “We get to help them with infrastructure and interpretation skills but otherwise get to watch them develop a unique club that is right for their community,” Carter said. Luckritz said NCSE sends approved material and offers non-conflict training to help keep possible conflicts about climate change and evolution to a minimum. “For our initial year, we get funded by NCSE so they have the (activity) kits pre prepped for us and they will mail us the kits with instructions,” Luckritz said. “They have kits for any age range. Their main focus right now is more toward kids and parents wanting to get their kids interested in the sciences,” Luckritz said. A unique aspect of this club is it brings science to the community. “Many people won’t seek out science activities on university campuses but will happily engage with scientists that come to their farmers markets, or their festivals,” Carter said.
Photo courtesy of Laurie Luckritz From left, Alicia Carbajal, vice president, and Laurie Luckritz, program leader, work at the table for the UCM chapter of the National Center for Science Education at the Spring Involvement Fair. Luckritz said the club will be working with Powell Gardens, farmer’s markets, summer camps and the school district to help spread awareness on the topics of evolution and climate change. Alicia Carbajal, vice president and soph-
ELEVATORS, continued from Page 2 “When that (a stall) happens, Public Safety officers are dispatched and we are dispatched to go to the elevator to let the students off,” Russell said. According to FPO records, 10 people became stuck in a stalled elevator between July 2017 and November 2018. Castilaw said it takes Public Safety five to ten minutes to respond to a stalled elevator. Castilaw said that FPO’s main method of preventing stalled elevators is to be proactive. “By being proactive and planning and doing as much scheduled maintenance and preventive maintenance on the equipment, we want to extend the life of these assets so we get the maximum value out of all of the assets of the university,” he said.
Map by Garrett Fuller / Senior Writer Click map to view 2014-2018 inspection violations and July 2017-November 2018 work orders.
omore biology major, said “(It is) especially for the younger generation because they are the future. Understanding the world around us is a major part in how we make decisions. This club may help influence those decisions for the greater good, or at least give a different perspective.” Luckritz said when she was an undergraduate, she was fascinated with evolution. At first she wanted to disprove it. “I had a lot of my own issues to work with through and I didn’t understand it,” she said. “Once I did understand it, I wanted to help other people get exposed to it, at least be able to talk about it without having to get in fights.” Carter said one issue many career scientists run into is lack of engaging the public because they don’t feel they have the skills. “With so many science misconceptions in existence today, upcoming scientists must find ways to communicate effectively with the public,” Carter said. “Scientists that receive practice in these skills early in their training are more likely to make it a part of their careers.” Luckritz said people don’t have to know a lot about science to get involved. SCIENCE CLUB, continued on Page 8
FEATURES 7
The Muleskinner
Meet the new faces of Spider-Man Ryan Sheehan For the Muleskinner
I know what you are thinking: “Anvother Spider-Man movie?” “Didn’t one come out last year?” It sounds like Sony trying another attempt to hold onto their rights to Spider-Man. But, surprisingly, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” which is the sixth Spider-Man film released in the past 17 years, is probably the best one. “Into the Spider-Verse” is an animated feature film that follows the Spider-Man — sort of. In this movie, rather than being about Peter Parker, you have another incarnation Spider-Man, Miles Morales. Miles is a simple teenager, but after accidently getting super powers, he has to go through everything Peter experienced. If you are not too familiar with Morales, he is a recent addition to the Spider-Man lore, created in 2011 by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli. In certain storylines, Morales
takes over the role of Spider-Man after Peter Parker can’t continue. But wait, there’s more Spider-Men than just Miles and Peter. “Into the Spider-Verse” is called “Into the Spider-Verse” for a reason. Due to some villain meddling with alternate dimensions a classic comic book plot — there’s even more than two dimensions. For example, there’s anime Spider-Man, noir Spider-Man and chubby, over-the-hill Spider-Man. Now there are numerous movies based on comic books, especially in recent years. Yet, “Into the Spider-Verse” may be the first true comic book movie. The animation, with its brief pauses in movement, captures the feeling of reading a comic book. While the animation style does take a little time to get used to, once you do you hardly notice it. The colorful world that is created is great to look at and a pleasant experience. I have heard “Into the Spider-Verse” compared to “Lego Batman,” and that
synopsis isn’t far off. It almost does what “Lego Batman” did for Batman, only with Spider-Man. “Into the Spider-Verse” is both a loving tribute to the character, but it’s also a bit of a parody, much like “Lego Batman.” After all, what true fan wouldn’t make fun of what they love? In fact, both films were produced by filmmaker duo Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. But “Into the Spider-Verse” isn’t completely like “Lego Batman Movie.” “Into the Spider-Verse” does have a bigger focus on drama. It’s fun and comedic, but the drama is still very serious at times. It’s a very well-rounded movie, able to balance a little of everything. It has good action, pacing and again beautiful animation. Despite being the only feature Spider-Man film to be animated, or rated PG for that matter, it is the best. It felt like it came out of nowhere, and it should have been another failed attempt by Sony to create a franchise but it’s not. Most of the Spider-Man movies are re-
ally good, like the Sam Raimi trilogy or “Homecoming.” But in all honesty, “Into the Spider-Verse” is a great movie. I mean that. It well make you laugh it will make you cry. One of the many things going for “Into the Spider-Verse” is that there clearly is a lot of passion behind this movie. I’m going to assume that the filmmakers were fans themselves, because that’s how it felt watching it. The jokes were well researched. If they weren’t fans, they definitely talked to some. Whether it follows Peter Parker, Miles Morales or Peter B. Parker, “Into the Spider-Verse” is a love letter to Spider-Man, regardless of who is behind the mask. It’s a movie that celebrates the legacy of the character. 2018 was a bad and good year for Spider-Man. Both original creators Steve Ditko and Stan Lee died. But with this movie, along with the highly acclaimed video game “Spider-Man”, it makes 2018 feel bittersweet for Spider-Man.
Black History Month has a righteous origin Feb. 1 starts one of my favorite months. Around my home it means birthday celebrations for my husband, watching a Super Bowl game that never seems to have the Kansas City Chiefs playing – at least not since I was a toddler in 1969 – and romantic Valentine’s Day flowers. February also means my professional career goes into overdrive when my inbox is filled with near daily requests for Black History Month lectures, events and activities. I still remember when my oldest son was in kindergarten and said he “didn’t like Black History Month.” I was shocked to learn that he equated the month with mommy being “gone too much” while he was saddled with different baby sitters or nannies. My mumblings may sound selfish, but even the late Dr. John Hope Franklin, dean of African American historians, refused to accept Black History Month engagements.
Delia Gillis
For the Muleskinner Why? Franklin believed it should be studied and valued all year. I agree wholeheartedly, but I am not sure if I would even have a job if I just refused requests in February.
Despite the disruptions in my personal life, Black History Month has a righteous origin. In 1915, Harvard educated and fellow Virginian, Dr. Carter Goodwin Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life & History. He became the “Father of Black History” because the traditional organizations of the time were segregated and excluded African Americans. Besides a journal and teacher’s bulletin, he founded Negro History Week. It was observed in February to honor the birthdays of the “great emancipator” Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass. Douglass was believed to have been born on Valentine’s Day. Note to hubby – that means chocolates and roses! Negro History Week grew into a month in 1976. So, to be clear, no one gave the African American community the shortest month of the year. The month originated out of the African American community’s
desire for progress and equality by honoring those who fought for freedom. Black History Month is not only celebrated in the United States, but Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Ireland with various dates throughout the year. Also, Lincoln was not exactly an emancipator. He originally signed the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 as a military measure and only in those states in “rebellion.” Yet, that meant my great-greatgrandmother Celie Daves Hayes was born into freedom in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in 1865. That is the same county with some of the highest if not highest numbers of enslaved people and participants in the Confederate army for the state of Virginia. As for Douglass, he is doing “great things” and turned 200 last year. He had a beloved dog named Frank, has an GILLIS, continued on page 8
NEWS 8
The Muleskinner
ServPro called to remedy humidity problem Jason Brown Managing Editor
Building and facility preparations at UCM hit a bump in the road toward the end of holiday break as students and faculty prepared to return for the spring semester. A UCM facilities worker doing door checks the day after Christmas was met with an abnormally humid environment upon entering the Highlander Theatre lobby, according to Tim Castilaw, associate vice president of capital planning and facilities management. “Pick whatever hyperbolic phrase you want,” said theatre and dance department chair John Wilson. “It was incredibly humid and moist, and yeah there was a lot of condensation on the windows.” Castilaw said the cause of the humidity was a steam coil in the air conditioning and heating unit connected to the Highlander, Wood and Martin buildings that malfunctioned and leaked steam into the building. “The steam leaking into the building caused humidity levels to be incredibly high and a lot of condensation to develop and drip everywhere,” Castilaw said. Castilaw said they started working on
drying the affected areas immediately but called in ServPro to expedite the process. The cost for ServPro’s services was not available by press time. “We started working on it ourselves, but called ServPro in pretty quickly for more dehumidifiers and additional support,” he said. “It was an urgent issue that needed to be addressed.” The Highlander wasn’t the only area affected by the humidity. ServPro had positioned dryers and dehumidifiers through the theater, its lobby, the foyer, the hallway connecting to the Martin and Wood buildings and on the floor below where KMOS operates. “The area that was affected the most was the foyer area of the theater,” Castilaw said. “For the other areas, we just had to get the humidity back down.” Wilson said that the damage inside the Highlander was minimal and would not delay any courses, rehearsals and productions that the theatre department had scheduled for the semester. “We had some blackout Styrofoam on the third floor windows that blocked outside light when we go to black,” he said. “That was ruined but other than that only
SCIENCE CLUB, continued from Page 6 “Some of our biggest enthusiasts have been people that aren’t in the sciences at all,” Luckritz said. “We are very supportive of working with people according to how much they want to contribute.” Luckritz said they have opportunities for crafting, needs for brainstorming, outreach and for people to talk about their information. “I look forward to getting new members and doing events with the kids and getting them interested in the sciences,” Luckritz said. “A lot of times you grow up and you don’t know what all is out there, and I think that at the very least, this orga-
nization can help kids think about things they really liked doing when they were younger and how they might want to do stuff in the future.” Club meetings take place every other week at 5 p.m. on Thursdays in W.C. Morris Room 320. The next one is Jan. 31. They will be hosting a table at the Volunteer Fair from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Feb. 13 in the Union Atrium. You can find out more information about their club and make donations by visiting their Facebook page.
Photo by Jason Brown / Managing Editor Fans and dehumidifiers hum along in the KMOS-TV hallway after a steam coil broke in Highlander Theatre late December. some ceiling tiles were permanently damaged.” The theatre and dance department will open its spring 2019 season with “August: Osage County,” directed by Aaron Scully, instructor of theatre. Four performances GILLIS, continued from Page 7 during Valentine’s week. He will be discussing the acclaimed “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” first published in 1845. In all seriousness, I am dedicated to my profession and craft as an historian. I am motivated daily to tell the story of the African American past to my students and the wider community. Just this week, my graduate students expressed amazement to learn that George Washington was a president and not just any slave owner, but one who ferociously recaptured those who sought freedom and ran away from him. Ask the enslaved Harry if he considers George Washington an emancipator or slave catcher. When the requests come over the next few weeks, I will be fueled to teach and write about the African American experi-
have been scheduled for Feb. 20-24. Tickets are available online or at the Highlander Box Office from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the week before the production.
ence when I learned just last week that four African American women, all graduates of UCM, were trying to dine in Madrid’s Calle Mayor entertainment district and the waiter basically asked them to leave. Their business was not welcome. Stories that may seem random and anecdotal to some are the threads to an entire people’s history. It’s a history I love to tell all year, but I will take February. Accepting all requests! Join me later this month for “FOR THE CULTURE,” a showcase of African American life and culture performed by UCM students in honor of Black History Month. Delia Gillis is a professor of history at UCM as well as director the Center for Africana Studies and the program coordinator for the Africana Studies minor.
9 CENTRAL SCOOP
This Week 31
THURS.
1
Blood Drive 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | Union Ballrooms Phi Sigma Pi’s Informational Nights 6 p.m. | Ward Edwards 2030 Nav Night sponsored by the Navigators 8 p.m. | Alumni Memorial Chapel Union Cinema Movie 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m. | First Man
FRI.
2
Union Cinema Movie 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m. | First Man
5
Let’s Talk: Gender Inequality 12:30 p.m. | Cafe Rouge Dinner & Worship: BSU 6 p.m. | 302 S. College St.
SAT.
TUE.
2018-2019 Muleskinner Staff Jason Brown Kaitlin Brothers Erin Wides
Managing Editor News Editor Features Editor
Garrett Fuller
Senior Writer
Brent Young
Design Editor
Anaiyeh Smith
Social Media Coordinator
Chris Moore Cody Clemmons Matt Bird-Meyer
Business Manager Advertising Manager Faculty Adviser
The Muleskinner is a biweekly laboratory newspaper in the Department of Communication at the University of Central Missouri and operates in association with the digital media production program. All text, photography and other content are property of the Muleskinner and may not be reproduced without permission. The Muleskinner reserves the right to edit any submitted material and/or refuse to print such material. Letters to the editor must be signed and include class rank for students or title for faculty/staff, as well as hometown for community members. The advertisement of goods, products or services in the Muleskinner does not in any way constitute an endorsement by the Muleskinner, UCM or the Student Publications Board of the advertiser, the goods, the products or the services offered. The Muleskinner is a member of the Missouri College Media Association and the National Newspaper Association.
Jan. 31–Feb. 13
6
WED.
Breakers Spaghetti Dinner Fundraiser 4:30-7 p.m. | First Christian Church DIG Worship: Christian Campus House 7:30 p.m. | 211 S. Maguire St. Comedian: Kevin Bozeman 8 p.m. | Union 240
7
Union Cinema Movie 7 & 9:30 p.m. | Robin Hood Nav Night sponsored by the Navigators 8 p.m. | Alumni Memorial Chapel
8
Union Cinema Movie 4:30, 7 & 9:30 p.m. | Robin Hood MAD: Paint N’ Sip 8 p.m. | Union Chapel Undercroft
THURS.
FRI.
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