TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2018 WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
A4
OPINION
EDITORIAL
ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON EDWARDS • HERALD
SAVING FACE? BY HERALD EDITORIAL BOARD HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU
The issue: Last week, former Student Government Association President Andi Dahmer filed a federal lawsuit against WKU, President Timothy Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride for alleged harassment during her time as SGA president. In response, the university called the lawsuit’s claims “maliciously untrue” and referred to her case as “frivolous.” Our stance: A confusing chronology of rhetoric has developed in the time since Dahmer’s story first unfolded to the public. Caboni’s initial response was to form a committee and investigate the EEO, Student Conduct and Title IX processes. Now, the university has taken a firm stance against Dahmer, whose claims in the lawsuit are extensive and, if true, appalling.
Here’s a quick rundown of what has happened so far: In April, the Herald published a story about harassment allegations made by Dahmer against fellow SGA members. The same day the story broke, Caboni issued a statement saying he was “assembling a group of faculty, staff and a student to review the structure, processes and procedures surrounding EEO, Title IX and Student Conduct.” President Caboni told the Herald editorial board in August that the committee is expected to have a report about recommendations regarding these processes completed by early October. Dahmer’s lawsuit accuses WKU of multiple instances of negligence and violations of Title IX policies. So while WKU undertook formal steps to address potential weaknesses of key policies regarding student safety as a result of Dahmer’s situation, the university now seems to dismiss her claims. This is what Caboni said in April in forming the committee: “We expect members of the WKU community to maintain professionalism, collegial-
“No student – or employee – should feel threatened or unsafe on our campus.” That was the first sentence from a statement released by President Timothy Caboni in direct response to a story regarding harassment Andi Dahmer said she faced in 201718 as SGA president. But looking back nearly five months later, those aren’t the words from Caboni’s initial statement that stand out most. The words from his statement that jump off the page now are “respect,” “professionalism” and “collegiality” — three concepts WKU has apparently forgotten, judging by its most recent statement in response to a lawsuit Dahmer filed last week against WKU, Caboni, Assistant General Counsel Andrea Anderson and Director of Student Activities Charley Pride. Instead of being respectful to the situation and professional and collegial in its response, the university dismissed Dahmer’s case as “frivolous” and said her claims are “maliciously untrue.” The rhetoric just doesn’t add up.
ity and respect as they interact and engage with others.” As WKU now faces legal consequences as a result of Dahmer’s lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court and requires defense of its actions, that “collegiality” and any sympathy along with it appears to vanish. The statement released last week is harsh. It frames Dahmer as a vindictive liar rather than a student who believes she was failed by the system. Shouldn’t “professionalism, collegiality, and respect” apply to a student who called the administration out on shortcomings? Finally, the university’s statement last week undermines the integrity of its own efforts to ensure WKU gives adequate consideration to students who believe they have been a victim of misconduct under Title IX. The university’s strident language makes the Title IX committee assembled in April seem like a kneejerk reaction to a reputation under threat, and appears more like a PR initiative than a commitment to ensuring student safety.
LIGHTS CAMERON, ACTION!
‘The Nun’ largely disappoints with cheap scares BY CAMERON COYLE HERALD.OPINION@WKU.EDU
“The Nun,” the underwhelming fifth film in the “Conjuring” franchise, is another example of the law of diminishing returns on display in the horror genre. Father Burke (played by Demian Bichir), a priest who does special assignments for the Vatican, is sent to investigate the apparent suicide of a nun at a Romanian church in the 1950s. He is accompanied by Irene (Taissa Farmiga), a soon-to-be nun, and escorted by a French-Canadian immigrant (Jonas Bloquet) who simply goes by the name “Frenchie.” At this point, the “Conjuring” franchise lineage looks more like a web than a straight line. The series has spawned an
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original, a sequel, a spin-off to the original, a prequel to the spin-off, and now “The Nun,” a spin-off to the sequel. Saying this is not an essential addition to the franchise would just be too kind. The careful character development and patience in storytelling that separated the original two “Conjuring” films from many of its contemporaries in the genre is completely absent. Multiple moments in the film feel like an attempt to create a scene that would gain popularity outside of the theater and on social media rather than a genuine attempt to formulate a creative scare. “The Nun” relies on jump scares far too often, and it doesn’t have to. Throughout the film, the camera lingers as music swells only for it to be followed by an enigmatic loud noise—usually scaring only audience members who have never seen a horror
movie. Not every jump scare is a failure, however, as some are used effectively in quiet scenes where the empty space on the screen is soon filled by a frightening image. These moments, accompanied by the sheer number of jump scares, keep the pop-ups as a whole from being a bore. “The Nun” is obviously at its best when echoing “The Conjuring,” using creepy imagery—upside down crosses, dead bodies and things of this nature—to induce paranoia in the characters and build tension on screen. This is achieved multiple times, but it is never maintained, as another jump scare is likely around the corner. As Frenchie walks home from the church in one scene, he is attacked by a paranormal nun who appears from above him, falls on him, mounts him and then flees the area when he is at his most vulnerable. Less than
20 minutes later in the film, Father Burke is attacked by a demon taking the form of a child he failed to save in an exorcism. The demon produces a snake from its mouth, causing Father Burke to face his biggest regret while also fighting for his life. These two scenes are a prime example of the inconsistency in “The Nun.” Frenchie’s encounter is random and nonsensical, while Father Burke’s incident appears to have purpose—until there is no resolution to Burke’s story, exposing this as a ploy for scares rather than an element of the story. “The Nun” does not utterly fail, but its cheap thrills and poor writing disappoint and further dilute the quality of what is currently the biggest horror franchise in the world. Only extreme fans of the series should seek out this film. Grade: C-
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