Softball sweeps old rival SBU
Stoskopf easing into VPSA after year on the job, page 2 Beekeeper, educator comes to Truman, page 7 Tennis hosts Alumni Weekend, page 14
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Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2019
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Truman responds to controversial posters RYAN PIVONEY Managing Editor
Faculty, staff and students at Truman State University received an email Tuesday morning regarding posters promoting white supremacy posted around the Kirksville community. The email from the Institutional Compliance Office and the Department of Public Safety was intended to inform the Truman community that the University is aware of the presence of the posters, DPS is on heightened alert and students should be safe.
“Truman State University condemns hate and discrimination of any group regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender, and national origin,” the email read. “Behaviors that threaten or endanger the lives of our students or any member of our community, whether on or off-campus, will not be tolerated.” Lauri Millot, institutional compliance officer and Title IX coordinator, said information was brought to her attention, indicating students were concerned for their safety. She said she consulted with DPS Director Sara Holzmeier and they wanted to make sure students and staff
understand there is a safety escort service on campus. Before sending the email, Millot met with the directors of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion and five students from multiple campus organizations, including Student Government, to completely assess the issue. She said President Sue Thomas was also involved. Millot said the email came from Title IX and DPS primarily because they had expertise in the areas of safety and discriminatory conduct. “The content of the posters points to protected status, so the conclusion was
STATE OFFICIALS TALK GREENWOOD
Sara and I were the best source to address this because our responsibilities are most aligned to the response as well as the issues presented,” Millot said. She said the role of the University is ultimately to make sure students and staff are safe and feel safe. Carol Bennett, assistant dean of diversity and inclusion, said the email was what the Institutional Compliance Office could do to inform students that the University cares about their safety. She said while hate speech is present in every community, Truman should let students know their safety is a priority.
Assault reported on Truman’s campus RYAN PIVONEY Managing Editor
University President Sue Thomas spoke to state officials visiting Kirksville last week. One of the main topics of discussion was the Greenwood project. Submitted photo
Thomas met with state officials to advocate for progress on Greenwood Center RACHEL BECKER Staff Writer
Gov. Mike Parson, Missouri Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, and Missouri Reps. Danny Busick and Greg Sharpe came to Truman State University last Thursday to talk with University President Sue Thomas about Truman’s role in workforce development and the Greenwood project. Thomas said the Greenwood Center is an example of how Truman contributes to workforce development and meets the needs of Kirksville’s citizens. “We filled him in on where we were
[in the project, and] we had people who were supportive of us in the community come to be able to talk about the need for it,” Thomas said. “This project has been going on for a number of years.” It has been a roller coaster up and down in terms of getting support from the state, Thomas said. She said she explained the necessity of state support and how repurposing the Greenwood Center would allow the state to have a return on its investment. “Greenwood would make a huge difference in our part of the state where there are no comprehensive services for
individuals on the autism spectrum,” Thomas said. Thomas said it was a very positive meeting in terms of the governor understanding the importance of the Greenwood Center and why state support is so important, as well as the importance of what Truman does and how Truman contributes to the economic health of the state. However, Thomas said nothing concrete came out of the meeting. See GREENWOOD page 5
The Department of Public Safety is investigating a reported fourth degree assault occurring at Truman State University March 20. Public Safety Director Sara Holzmeier said DPS received a report of fourth degree assault last Wednesday afternoon. She said they responded by going to the Title IX office in Violette Hall and talking to the reporting party. After completing the investigation, Holzmeier said DPS will forward any charges with probable cause statements to the Adair County prosecuting attorney for consideration. The Title IX office on campus is also investigating the incident. Lauri Millot, institutional compliance officer and Title IX coordinator, said she is not at liberty to discuss the case while her office also conducts an investigation. If there is an allegation of discrimination based on sex that is also a criminal act, then DPS and Title IX can run concurrent but separate investigations. She said the two investigations can share information, but they are separate with different standards of evidence and different processes. “I’m not going to disclose anything because I have humans involved,” Millot said. “The last thing I want to do is talk about humans in a way that breaches confidentiality, whether they’re employees or they’re students.” Any time an investigation is conducted, it affects the complainant, the respondent, the workplace and the learning environment, but to what degree, she said, varies. Millot said unless some limitations have been put in place for safety, which are rarely shared publicly, everyone should be going about as usual.
See ASSAULT page 5
UGC chair leaving amid curricular changes JESSICA VENVERTLOH Staff Writer
Undergraduate Council chair Justin Jarvis announced he was leaving Truman State University at the end of the current academic year. The council is looking to fill his position for the upcoming year. Jarvis will start teaching at the University of Arizona in August 2019. He spent four years at Truman and one year as the council chair. The term of office for the Undergraduate Council chair is one year,
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but there is no term limit. He said the position is a time commitment and involves a lot of work. Jarvis said he has spoken with some people who have shown interest, but no one has come forward wanting to be an official candidate. He said he is unsure of what will happen if no one steps up to be chair by the time elections arrive at the council’s second May meeting. This meeting will consist of the new 2019-2020 Undergraduate Council members. See UGC page 2
Photo by Brently Snead