President Bob Davies, his wife Cindy and daughter Katie made an $117,000 gift in support of student scholarships, academic enhancements and various student needs at the University.

“Cindy, Katie and I are very happy to support our students with this gift,” Davies said. “And I want to stress that this is a family gift. This is a major commitment from Cindy and Katie, too.”

Davies noted that his daughter and her interest in the equine industry was a big reason why they moved to Murray.

“This is truly a great University, full of excellent students, faculty and staff, along with alumni and friends who love this institution. As our Alma Mater states, this is the ‘finest place we know,’” Davies said in a press release.

Davies’ salary is approximately $300,000.

When Davies arrived to the University in July, he researched and found that Murray State’s founder, Rainey T. Wells, raised almost $117,000 to seed funds for the University in 1922.

Wells together with a campaign committee with James Glasgow, Robert Broach, O.T. Hale, Nat Ryan, Thomas Stokes and Ben Grogan raised nearly $117,000 from more than 1,100 donors in 1922.

Gifts ranged from $5 to $2,500 and secured the location and initial funds for the University, which at the time was considered a normal school.

This isn’t the first time Davies as donated a significant amount of money while being president of a university.

During his time at Eastern Oregon University, where he was previously president, Davies gave $120,000 for scholarships and faculty research.

Additionally, Davies secured more than $50 million in state funding for building renovations for his previous university.

“This is a wonderful gift from Bob, Cindy and Katie,” said Bob Jackson, president of the MSU Foundation in a press release. “This new enrollment will benefit students into perpetuity and establishes a wonderful legacy for President Davies and his family. Our University founders would be very pleased with this gift and what it symbolizes in advancing Murray State University.”

Other Kentucky university presidents have made donations to their universities that range in generosity and for different reasonings.

Western Kentucky University president Gary Ransdell donated $5,000 to his university this month, with his current salary being $427,824, according to the Bowling Green Daily News.

Kentucky State University Interim President Raymond Burse donated more than $90,000 of his salary for university workers earning minimum wage so their earnings can increase to $10.25 an hour.

Burse’s annual salary had been set at $349,869, according to the Lexington-Herald Leader.

University of Kentucky president Eli Capilouto gave a $250,000 donation to his university to establish a multi-disciplinary health research center. 

“This is a symbolic and generous gift and displays President Davies’ and his family’s support for our University and its students,” Harry Lee Waterfield, Murray State University Board of Regents chair said in a press release. “We are very grateful for this support and very pleased with the leadership that he is providing.”

Staff Report

As kids, we all played Chiefs and Indians at some point in time. I’m pretty sure we all had different rules or played a slightly varied game than others, but it was always met with high excitement and anticipation between the local neighborhood kids. If you think about it, this is sometimes a child’s first taste of leadership. As chief, you were in control of the game. It went at your pace and you called the shots. On the other hand, if you messed up as chief, things come back on you, and all the other neighborhood kids think you’re not that great of a chief. As we grow up, it turns into the line leader. You were the first person in line, you led the pace and the direction, and everyone who was a line follower gave you their utmost trust that you would get them where they needed to go, even if it was only to the playground.

Our whole lives we have small tastes and glimpses of leadership that help us understand the rudimentary principles of what being a leader consists of. We learn at an early age that being a leader is a great honor, but that honor comes at the cost of increased responsibility.

As kids, we never grasp the severity or the importance of being a leader because most of our experiences as leaders are in games or exercises in school. At what age does leadership change?

As we grow older, the stakes rise. It’s no longer juvenile games in the park, but real life challenges and responsibilities that fall on your shoulders as a leader. For lots of people, leadership changes too early. Especially in college, we see individuals who are barely considered adults becoming influential leaders and having a group of people who look up to them. It’s crazy to think about how much the word “leader” has changed since being the tetherball team leader on the middle school playground. As tetherball team leader, your main job was making sure you picked the best tetherballers with the strongest arms.

If you won, you were the greatest tetherball team leader in K-12. If you lost, you were picked last for the rest of the school year. There was always a sense of uneasiness in the back of your mind when picking the players that made you constantly question your actions and your confidence with your decisions, but you had to stay strong for the team and act like you had the strongest hand at the table.

The responsibilities of leadership have drastically changed since we were adolescents, but the way we go about leading has stayed pretty close to the same.

You have to be the one with the level head, who has all the answers and has the ability to inspire people toward a common goal. This seems easy in print, but it’s a lot more complicated than it looks.

Regardless of how confident you will be in a decision, you will always have someone question them. It gets frustrating, but you have to approach the situation with humility in order to get things right. If you are wrong in your assumptions or decision and someone says so, sometimes you need to admit you are wrong. Take that shot to your ego and realize that being a leader is not the same thing as being a dictator. You need to hear feedback and criticism, or you will stay stagnant and never progress.

On the opposite side, there will be times in which you will have to hold strong to an unpopular decision because you know it is the right call. This is one of the more challenging aspects, especially if people you consider close friends are upset by the decision. For instance, when your best bud gets upset you picked Johnny “Strong Arm” Jenkins over him for the tetherball team.

As leader of the team, you have to realize and explain to your bud that your decisions are for the good of the team and as a leader it is your responsibility to make sure the team is successful.

Middle school was tough. Being a leader is never easy, or everyone would do it. The world would be a collection of chiefs with no Indians to follow. It’s a risk. It’s increased liability for not only your actions but the actions of those you lead.

You will have days where you want to pull your hair out and just quit, but those are counteracted by successes that happened because of your leadership skills. Accomplishing a goal, winning a prize or leading your team to victory makes all of those sleepless nights and hair-pulling sessions seem worth it.

Leading is tough for the risk averse. Lots of people will live their whole lives being okay with being a follower. It never bothers them to have someone lead them, and they never have the desire to call the shots themselves. Don’t be those people. Take chances.

Make differences. If you know you have a gift for leadership, share that with the world. Let your actions and your successes ring louder as you lead your tetherball team to victory.  Whether you are an 8-year-old team manager making executive decisions on the tetherball court or a 50-year-old senior manager leading a marketing team toward a multimillion dollar deal, you’re still a chief. So I’ll end with this question for you: are you an Indian, or are you a chief?

Column by Zac Garrison, Senior from Franklin, Ky.

Jenny Rohl/The News
Freshman catcher Julia Liceaga squats behind home plate during the doubleheader against Truman State Sept. 28.

It was a tale of two teams Sept. 30 when the Murray State softball team split a doubleheader with Division II Truman State at Racer Field. The Racers came out flat in the first game and lost 6-5 but bounced back in the second game by trouncing the Bulldogs 8-0.

The first game looked promising for the Racers in the opening innings as they scored three runs in the second inning to gain an early three-run advantage. However, by the top of the sixth, Truman State had regained the lead at 5-4.

In the bottom of the sixth, Julia Liceaga stole home after a single from Alexa Becker. That tied the game at 5-5. The seventh inning proved to be Murray State’s undoing as the Bulldog’s Ally McReynolds sacrificed to score Alexis VanNostrad from third. The Racers couldn’t pull even in the bottom of the inning and the game ended at 6-5.

“I think in the first game we did well enough offensively to win,” said Head Coach Kara Amundson. “Defensively we came out really strong. We struck out the side which I think we’ve done in a lot of our first innings of our games. I don’t want to say that we went downhill from there, but we didn’t play well. We didn’t play solid defensively throughout the rest of the game.”

Amundson said that she isn’t used to seeing her Racer team play like they did in game one.

“We would score runs and then we would give up runs in the next half inning,” Amundson said. “It just isn’t indicative of what we have been doing or indicative of what we want to be doing defensively. I think it was good for us. I hate losing with a passion, but I think it was good for us in a way, to help us realize that we can’t settle for anything and that we have to stay focused.”

The Racers took the wake up call to heart as they came out in the second game with vengeance. Pitchers J.J. Francis and Mason Robinson combined to throw a no-hitter in the second game. Robinson struck out six batters with no walks in the first four innings, while Francis finished the game with just one walk. The Racers improved on defense and the offense showed potential as well in the second game by scoring eight runs on 12 hits. Sophomores Jessica Twaddle and Maggie Glass led the way for the Racers as both went 3-4 at bat while Glass finished with three runs, three RBIs and a homerun.

“We came out guns a blazing,” Amundson said. “We had a combined no hitter from Mason Robinson and J.J. Francis, which is a big deal. They did a great job, they attacked the zone, our defense executed, and I think the whole day offensively we did a good enough job to win both games. In game two, I was really proud of how our pitching staff came out and kind of led the charge. It was two very different Racer teams in that span of two games.”

The execution and consistency from the Racers in the second game was a welcomed sight to Amundson after the lackluster performance in the first game.

“The second game was a complete turnaround,” Amundson said. “The first game was kind of like a minor wake up call for us moving forward. Like I said, it was a good learning opportunity and it was good to take a few minutes in between the games and reflect and be able to refocus. Game one was definitely a good learning opportunity for us.”

Although the season is winding down, Amundson still sees opportunity for growth from her team.

“The biggest thing I want to see from us is a sense of urgency and getting better in every inning,” Amundson said. “That’s something I say to the pitching staff a lot. We need some sort of focus and refocus every inning because there is a substantial time period between one defensive inning and the next, it could be 10 or 20 minutes before you go out and play again. So really it’s just refocusing every inning we go out there. Those are the types of things that I’m really looking forward to see.”

The Racers will finish their fall season in one week as they take on Shawnee Community College at Racer Field on Oct. 17.

Story by Peter Northcutt, Staff writer

Murray State had four instances of dating violence on campus, one complaint of domestic violence and four reports of stalking on campus in 2013, according to the University’s annual safety report.

This is the first year the Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report outlined these crimes, thanks to a change in federal law, said Roy Dunaway, interim chief of Public Safety and emergency management.

The report, released on Oct. 1, includes statistics from 2011, 2012 and 2013.

It is required by the U.S. Department of Education.

Dunaway said additions come from Congress’ renew of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) last year.

It is a federal law under Title IX that provides funding for investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women.

The act requires for those found guilty to pay restitution to victims and allows for civil redress in cases prosecutors chose to leave unprosecuted, according to the White House’s website.

President Bob Davies said he believes Murray State is a safe campus overall.

“One of the key aspects of our University is to always make sure our campus community is safe,” he said. “However, bad things can and do happen, so it is important to promote education and know how to prepare and act in unsafe situations.”

The campus safety report also includes categories of rape, burglary and liquor and drug violations.

Dating violence statistics in 2013 were composed of four incidents reported on campus and two in a residential facilities. Domestic violence incidents reported included one in a residential facility.

Stalking was reported four times on campus and three times at a residential facility.

The number of reported incidents of rape in 2011 were two, one in 2012 and three in 2013.

These numbers are for on-campus and residential facilities.

There has been a slight decrease in burglary incidents from 20 in 2011 to  12 in 2013.

Dunaway said he believes this decline can be attributed to several different causes.

“Education and awareness programs conducted by Public Safety and Housing informing students about the importance of securing their property, increasing reporting of suspicious activity on campus and Murray State Police department’s presence in the residential colleges (have contributed to the decline),” he said.

Liquor violation arrests fluctuated, with 12 on-campus reports in 2011 and zero reports for residential colleges. There were 11 on-campus reports in 2012 and two for residential facilities. Numbers decreased in 2013, with four reports on campus and two for residential facilities.

Drug law violation arrests slightly increased. In 2011 there were 16 on-campus reports and five for residential facilities. In 2012, there were 17 reports on campus and nine for residential facilities.

The slight increase in 2013 was 21 reports for on-campus and 17 for residential facilities.

On-campus reports are classified as any building or property owned or controlled by Murray State and those within the same geographic area, used by the University or in direct support or related to the University’s educational purposes.

Dunaway said the main goal of the report is to provide transparency.

Statistic for the report are gathered from Public Safety, the Housing Office, Student Affairs and law enforcement agencies holding jurisdiction in the location of the regional campuses.

The report included statistics from Fort Campbell, Henderson, Hopkinsville and Breathitt Veterinary Center, Madisonville and Paducah regional campuses.

Dunaway said the Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report is not only for students’ awareness, but also for parents and prospective students.

“Murray State and all other universities in the U.S. have an obligation to inform the campus community of possible safety risks and incidents occurring on campus,” Dunaway said.

To the University, it is beneficial across the board.

“(The Campus Safety Report) serves as a way for us to monitor how we are doing as a University. It shows us what we are doing right, what we need to improve on and the areas we need to increase awareness to make sure our campus, students, faculty and staff are safe,” Davies said.

Story by Rebecca Walter, News Editor

A wise, chubby yellow bear with a love for fine honey once said something that makes sense of goodbyes.

“How lucky am I to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.”

This week, I say goodbye to The Murray State News and all of its people.

I’ve designed 44 front pages, 14 special sections and one 52-page annual magazine. I’ve held weekly meetings with three different Murray State presidents. I quit counting my bylines on TheNews.org after 40. I’ve covered Board of Regents meetings, Murray State volleyball, budget issues, smoking bans, track and field, football, a presidential search, a contract nonrenewal and that’s just skimming the surface.

I’ve spent full 24-hour periods in the newsroom. I’ve napped on my futon (which isn’t comfortable, by the way). I’ve been screamed and cussed at, and I’ve been hugged and thanked.

I’ve laid on the floor with Kayla MacAllister, our chief copy editor and one of my best friends, and I’ve cried out of stress, anger and laughter.

I’ve been told I wasn’t good enough. I’ve been told I didn’t know what I was doing. And I’ve been told I’m a great editor. Whatever the truth may be, I know this room with no windows and impressively stuffy indoor conditions has changed my life.

I’ve worked at The News since the end of my freshman year and I’m so thankful for the experience and the people who have passed through the glass doors on the first floor of Wilson Hall.

I want to take a little bit of space and ink to thank the people who have supported me the most.

Kyser Lough and Joe Hedges have guided me, listened to me complain and calmed me down on many occasions. Kyser, especially, has genuinely played the devil’s advocate when I needed it the most, and has provided life lessons I’ll always carry with me.

Orville Herndon is the most reliable and hard-working staff member I’ve worked with. He’s helped every time I’ve hugged our printer at 2 a.m., praying it will come to life or every time I’ve screamed from Quark crashing. I’ve never said thank you enough.

Austin Ramsey is more of a role model than he’ll ever know. As the editor-in-chief before me, he set the standards for excellence at The News. He knows the importance of strong writing, of community and of the people in the newsroom. He has more courage than most people I’ve met in my life.

Rebecca Walter is one of my best friends, and has been for many years. Since we were kids, running around the halls of St. Paul Lutheran Church, we’ve always been strong personalities. She’s been my roommate twice, listened to my rants after a long day at work and is a passionate, dedicated news editor.

I also have to thank Ricky Martin – (no, not “Living La Vida Loca”) – a former sports editor at The News and The Murray Ledger & Times. He is the first person I called when considering changing my major to journalism. He’s always been there to celebrate my victories and let me know when my ego was growing too large.  Of course I want to thank the rest of the staff who has been here since I have – none of what we do would be possible without you. From the laughter to the threats of quitting, I’ve appreciated every single one of you.

And the University staff – Don Robertson, Catherine Sivills, Dana Howard, Jay Morgan and so many others – you understand and appreciate the role of college media. Nothing is more important to us.

So, as I empty out my little office and hand my key over to incoming Editor-in-Chief Mary Bradley, I hope you all know how much this has meant. And I hope you give her a smooth ride.

I’ll miss The News and Murray State when I’m in Chicago this winter and wherever I go from there. But you will all be just fine without me.

Column by Lexy Gross, Editor in Chief

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Katie Wilborn/The News

As journalists, our job at The Murray State News is to inform students about events on campus in an effective and accurate way.

As students ourselves, we are writing for this publication to become better prepared as journalists in the professional world.

However, both of these expectations are being hindered by the lack of cooperation by some Murray State staff, and we feel it must be addressed.

When we try to contact staff for stories, we are often avoided, stood up or reduced to restricted modes of interviewing such as email instead of in person.  We sometimes wait weeks to hear back from sources, and we are not strangers to the feeling of losing out on a story because of this lapse in communication.

While it sounds like these restrictions only disadvantage reporters at The News, they affect everyone in the student body. We feel that as student-journalists, our primary objective is to make sure students are up-to-date on news that will affect their future at Murray State.

As people who pay thousands of dollars to study here, it is our right to inform and be informed. However, that cannot happen without the cooperation of staff.

There have been instances in which some staff are advised to avoid certain reporters, to not speak with the media in person and to only give answers that are approved by certain supervisors in the department. Student workers must have permission to speak to us.

  Because being involved in student media is our best practice for the world of professional journalism, we take our jobs here seriously. Barring us from public information, giving us the cold shoulder and leaving us uninformed hinders our ability to improve our skills. It also leaves us to wonder if there is more that we should be concerned about within the University. 

This lack of trust between staff and student media damages many aspects of student life. How can students be passionate or involved in campus affairs if they are not allowed to know what the affairs are in the first place?

Murray State stresses the value of strong relationships between faculty and staff with the student body. The University pushes personalism with small class sizes, get-togethers with the president and more for students to feel that they can connect with other people who work on campus.

By ignoring student media and treating it as an enemy, Murray State staff is directly in conflict with this idea of strong relationships with students. Staff must work with us to uphold the values of honesty, integrity and transparency within Murray State.

We are not mudslingers, we are not gossip columnists and we do not report rumors.

We seek the truth and provide it to those who deserve it most – the student body. To treat us as such is ultimately a disservice for the people who are trying to receive a higher education at Murray State.

Jenny Rohl/The News
Freshman forward Harriet Withers dribbles downfield at Cutchin Field Sept. 28 against Jacksonville State.

Wins and losses are coming in bunches for the Murray State women’s soccer team as they defeated Tennessee Tech and Jacksonville State to tie a school record for longest win streak before losing to SIU Edwardsville and Southeast Missouri last week.

Finding success after some early season struggles, the Racers came into OVC play against Tennessee Tech riding a three-game win streak. The momentum didn’t carry over into the first half as neither team could find the back of the net in the first period.

Senior forward Julie Mooney got things going for the Racers in the second half, however, as she scored her eighth goal of the season in the 52nd minute. As the Racers dominatined the pace, Harriet Withers and Lyssie Wright each tacked on a goal to win the game 3-0.

Goalkeeper Shelby Haworth saved all three shots on goal for her second shutout of the season.

The Racers increased their win streak to five, tying a school record, as they defeated Jacksonville State 3-0. The first half was scoreless until the final minute when Pavlina Nepokojova fired in a shot that ricocheted off a Jacksonville State player to score the first point of the game. After the break, Murray State continued its attack as Taylor Stevens got a foot on a corner kick in the 56th minute to score her first goal of the season and the Racers’ second goal of the afternoon. Stevens was not done, however, as she headed in the final goal off another corner kick to give the Racers the 3-0 victory.

“The first two conference games, we talked about going 2-0 and that’s exactly what we did,” said Head Coach Jeremy Groves. “I think we were coming off a lot of confidence from the previous three games. We played really well going forward, and we created a bunch of chances against both teams. Jacksonville State was a tough team, they beat the reigning champion 2-1 on Friday night so to beat them we kind of caused a few stirs within the league which was good.”

The five-game win streak was not lost on the players.

“We had five games in a row which is really nice,” said Junior defender Taylor Stevens. “They gave us confidence and let us know that what we were doing in practice was working and that we just needed to keep doing that to keep the wins.”

But five wins would be all they could string together as the streak was snapped Oct. 3 by SIU Edwardsville. The Cougars struck first but Murray State retaliated in the 69th minute of the game as Stevens scored her third goal of the season to tie the game at 1-1.

Although both teams had their chances to break the dead lock in regulation, neither could get the job done and sent the match in to overtime. The intense competition continued in the first overtime period as both teams struggled to find an advantage.

It took a second overtime period to decide the game when Emily Grahl scored off a corner kick to give SIU Edwardsville the 2-1 victory.

“This weekend we knew would be a big test for us because we went on the road,” Groves said. “We haven’t been great on the road this year so it was a huge test. On Friday night we gave a pretty decent account of ourselves. I think we did enough to get out of there with a tie with like four or five minutes left in the second overtime period, but we just gave up one on a set piece which is really disgruntling. And I think it hurt a lot going into Sunday.”

The loss came as a disappointment to the Racers. They were only one win away from breaking the school win streak record.

“It was really disappointing,” Stevens said. “And we went in to overtime, too, which was even more disappointing because we were really, really close to breaking it.”

The Racers continued their weekend road trip as they visited SEMO on Sunday and walked away with their second straight loss.

The Racers let their opponent score the first goal for the second straight game but pulled even at 1-1 off a penalty kick goal from Mooney in the 36th minute.

The Redhawks’ Natasha Minor scored the final goal as she found the back of the net in the 79th minute, propelling SEMO to the 2-1 victory.

“Sunday we gave a really good account of ourselves,” Groves said. “We outshot them and I thought we had the better chances but again a couple of mental errors and we lost the game and we’re back to 2-2 in the conference.”

Despite the setback, the Racers must regroup and bounce back this weekend as they take on Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky at Cutchin Field in Murray.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Stevens said. “We have Morehead on Friday so we are going to work really hard this week in practice, beat Morehead, and then we have another game on Sunday to try to get another streak going.”

Catch the Racers in action today as they kick off at 3 p.m. against Morehead State at Cutchin Field.

Story by Peter Northcutt, Staff writer

Photo illustration by Fumi Nakamura
Kade Cullop dresses in casual attire and business attire to represent the stigma still associated with tattoos in the workplace.

It is hard to find anything more permanent than ink in skin. Younger generations are accepting this form of self-expression more, but the career world is a step behind.

“USA Today” cited a study conducted by careerbuilder.com that showed 31 percent of human resource managers said visible tattoos could negatively influence impact on their decision to hire someone. Bad breath outweighed this percentage in the survey.

Some Murray State students who have tattoos or are considering getting a tattoo have been influenced by their career choice.

Rebekah Moss, junior from Edmonton, Ky., said that the placement of her tattoo was influenced by her future career.

“I would have loved to have them somewhere more visible,” Moss said. “To make sure that I could get any job that was offered to me, I had to make sure they were easily covered.”

Keenan Hall, freshman from Memphis, Tenn., said he does not have a tattoo yet but has taken his career choice into consideration.

“One time I was joking about a tattoo on fingers,” Hall said. “But that wouldn’t work out at a job.”

Some students believe although some industries tolerate tattoos in the workplace, others do not.

Lindsey Bullers, senior from Clarksville, Tenn., agreed that age can influence the tolerance of visible ink in the workplace.

After being told tattoos could harm chances of securing a job in  her career field, Bullers said she still believes that a person’s individuality should be accepted.

“The world is trying to become more accepting of different things and (tattoos) should be one of them,” Bullers said.  “I don’t think people should hide who they are.”

For some candidates with tattoos, being hired is a task of its own. Connor Moore, sophomore from Mount Vernon, Ill., debated on whether to get a tattoo. Moore said he has a friend with tattoos who recently searched for a job. His friend was not rejected but his prospective employer raised questions about them.

Moore also said certain jobs were more accepting than others. Art related careers, factory, labor jobs and blue collar jobs were a few that Moore highlighted.

“It all depends on your career,” Moore said. “I don’t want my accountant or banker to have one.”

Hall also agreed with Moore that the nature of the job matters in the tolerance of tattoos. He said tattoos that might be offensive should not be shown in the workplace but many tattoos are a form of expression.

“I don’t think (tattoos) are a bad thing,” Hall said.  “(Tattoos) shouldn’t affect the job field.”

Ross Meloan, director of career services, highlighted a study conducted by Be Hired Reach company showing that 89 percent of business currently report checking online social media accounts during the hiring process. Further data shows that one in three companies reject a candidate based on something they have found online.

Meloan said online presence should be monitored and although companies may not see a tattoo during an interview, social media accounts might make them visible.

His advice to students who are searching for jobs is to be cautious of your tattoos.

“If it is visible, and on a part of body that can cover with clothing, I would recommend doing that,” Meloan said. “Do what you can to cover (tattoos) with natural clothing.”

While most students believe tattoos are a form of self-expression,  people with more tattoos have reconsidered their options.

“USA Today” examined data from a Pew Research Center survey and found that of the 45 million U.S. residents with tattoos in 2013, about 17 percent regret getting them.

Meanwhile, tattoo removal has increased by 440 percent in the last decade, according to IBISWorld which is a market research firm.

Though tattoos are a form of self-expression and are becoming more socially acceptable, students should consider career paths in their overall decision.

Story by Tiffany Whitfill, Staff writer

Photo Illustration by Hannah Fowl/The News
A student reads brochures on how to take out loans, the different loans available, receiving scholarships and grants and how to pay for college.

(WITH VIDEO) – The college experience is arguably some of the best years of a person’s life, filled with friends, parties, networking and learning.

But following four years of fun, student loans bear down at around $20,000 an average estimate for a Murray State graduate.

For some students, a student loan of several thousand dollars a year is the only way to afford college and graduate with a degree. And the amount of student debts has only increased.

According to the Department of Education survey of 2008-09 graduates, nearly two-thirds of Bachelor’s recipients borrowed money, where as about 45 percent of 1992-93 graduates borrowed money.

American college students and graduates owe a collective one trillion dollars in outstanding federal loans. Only mortgages account for more personal debt in the U.S.

STUDENTS WITH LOANS

Joilyn Haught, freshman from Owensboro, Ky., has two student loans in order for her to attend college.

“I had to take out one loan for $1,000 and another for $1,750 because I applied for financial aid late and I couldn’t get enough money to use for my schooling,” Haught said.

She said the thought of the loans she has is overwhelming and while she has just begun her college career, she said it has added pressure to do better academically.

“I try not to think about it, but it’s always in the back of my mind that I will have to pay for it, and that’s not coming out of my head,” Haught said.

Haught is one of many at Murray State with loans, with 47 percent of Murray State graduates having average debt of $20,644, according to the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education.

Murray State ranks sixth on a list detailing the average debt of graduates of the eight public Kentucky universities, according to the report.

The highest average debt is Kentucky State University at $39,623 and the lowest is Northern Kentucky University at $13,432.

Brett Mayberry, junior from Mount Carmel, Ill., has student loans along with a Parent PLUS loan.

A Parent PLUS loan is used to cover additional costs beyond subsidized and unsubsidized loans.

A separate application is used to receive the Parent PLUS loan and requires good credit history, citizenship and other loans in good standing along with other general requirements.

Mayberry said the repaying of loans is different for each person post-graduation because salaries and employment vary.

He said the struggle some student face is choosing a well-paying career over a career they have a strong interest in.

“It depends really on what your major is,” he said. “If you get a job that pays very well, obviously you’re going to pay off your student loans pretty quick. But, if you’re majoring in something that doesn’t pay very well but it’s what you like to do, it’s going to be a while before you pay those off.”

He said he wasn’t surprised student loan debt is more than one trillion dollars, simply because college is just expensive to attend.

STUDENTS WITHOUT LOANS

Alexa Allen, sophomore from Scottsville, Ky., does not have student loans, but sympathizes with those who do because she sees the effect student loans and debts can have on others.

“I think (loans) prevent a lot of students from going to the school they want to go to,” Allen said. “Or, if they don’t get scholarships, they might not go to school at all.”

Allen said she can afford college through scholarships and the Kentucky Education Excellence Scholarship, or KEES, money.

She said she believes college has become increasingly popular and necessary, and student loans are essential for those who otherwise would not be able to afford higher education.

Jaclyn Whoberry, freshman from Louisville, Ky., said she has seen that situation play out with a friend.

She said her friend is attending a more affordable school to lessen the financial burden but is missing aspects of the university experience.

“A friend of mine is at a community college so she can pay for college and she’s kind of missed out on the college life because of it,” Whoberry said.

She thinks student loans can be difficult, but it is not unrealistic.

“You can always get help, you just have to want it that bad and then pay it off,” she said. “It’s definitely not ideal, but it’s necessary.”

HOW MURRAY STATE CAN HELP

Jay Morgan, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, said there are multiple ways the University can help students with loan debt.

Between classes, educational seminars and lowering credit hours, he said Murray State has been able to maintain fairly low student debt.

He said there are personal finance and financial management classes students can enroll in.

Also, the Financial Aid Office offers seminars to explain to students the difference between various loans, along with what they do and don’t have to pay back.

Morgan said an important aspect in student loans includes the amount of credit hours students take and how many years they stay at Murray State.

“One thing we’re working on at Murray is we’re trying to lower the credits to degree that students are taking,” Morgan said. “I don’t mean the 120. Students are graduating with an average of 142 credits, all students across the board. We’re trying to bring that down to 134 or 135 and have got it down to 139. Each time we get it down we’re going to save students money long term because students are getting out on, on average, quicker.”

However, with loans or not, Morgan said having a college degree is worth it.

“A college education is still a good investment even if you have to borrow money to get through school,” Morgan said. “There are a number of unsubsidized and subsidized loans that students can get to get through and it still far outweighs, for the most part, people who don’t get a college education.”

Story by Mary Bradley, Assistant News Editor, and Ben Manhanke, Staff writer. Video produced by Cameron Witte.

Kalli Bubb/The News
The Racers and Redhawks battle for a ball Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.

Play alternated between the Racers and the Redhawks for the duration of the quarter, with injuries on both sides causing two Southeast Missouri players and one Murray State player to be assisted off the field.

The second scoring play of the game came with less than two minutes to play in the quarter. Southeast Missouri’s Ryan McCrum kicked a 21-yard field goal, and the clock wound down with the Racers leading 7-3.

The Redhawks were the first on the board in the second quarter as quarterback Kyle Snyder found the hands of receiver Adrian Davis for a five-yard pass to put them above the Racers 10-7.

The Racers returned the favor less than a minute later when Humphries passed to receiver Janawski Davis for a 75-yard touchdown.

The Redhawks once again put 3 points on the board with a last minute field goal by McCrum. The half ended with the Racers up 14-13.

The Racers kept their pace going into the second half as Humphries and Griffin teamed up again to put a touchdown on the board less than a minute in, extending their lead to eight.

Redhawk quarterback Kyle Snyder rushed for a touchdown with just 2:07 left on the clock in the third quarter. Southeast Missouri’s two-point conversion tied the game at 21.

The Racers took the lead again shortly after off a five yard pass from Humphries to DeQavius Walker with just 28 seconds left in the quarter.

The fourth quarter did not provide such an easy start for the Racers, and Southeast Missouri scored two uncontested touchdowns to take the lead 35-28. They found their groove again as Humphries found Griffin once more with just 46 seconds left on the clock. They chose to take the extra point to tie the game 35-35, and head into overtime at the end of four quarters.

The Redhawks won the coin toss and opted to start on defense in overtime. Kicker Carson Greifenkamp hit a 20-yard field goal to put the Racers up 38-35 as Southeast Missouri takes over on offense.

St. Pierre Anilus sacked Snyder on third down and the game appeared to be over, but Redhawk kicker Ryan McCrum forced play to continue as he hit a 52-yard field goal to tie the game.

In second overtime, the Racers took over on defense first. McCrum kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the Redhawks on top.

The Racers took over on offense and a pass from Humphries to Davis put them ahead to end the game 44-41 after two overtime periods.

Kalli Bubb/The News
BOOK SIGNING: Richard Davies from the University of Nevada, Reno held a book signing with the department of history. The signing was Sept. 30, and four of his books were available for signing. Davies is the father of Murray State President Bob Davies. Read the full story at TheNews.org.

Richard Davies, the father of President Bob Davies, mingled with Murray State students at a book signing Sept. 30. The signing was hosted by the department of history.

Richard is the author of several works including “Main Street Blues” and “Sports in American Life.” He said he uses sports as a prism for American history.

Duane Bolin, professor of history, has taught a class titled “Sports in America” at Murray State since 1996.

“I took a ‘History of Sports’ class as a graduate student and it really sparked my interest,” Bolin said.

Bolin began using Richard’s textbook about five years ago. Bolin said he uses sports in his lectures as a mirror to reflect American history.

“Race, gender, economics and religion are all bound up in sports and can effectively be studied this way,” Bolin said.

Mallory Berry, senior from Mayfield, Ky., said she had the privilege to listen to Richard lecture in her “Sports History” class.

“He has amazing, in-depth knowledge about the evolution of sports,” she said.

Although Berry considered herself a sports fan, she said Richard’s books were approachable and enjoyable for all readers.

“He’s really down to earth is his books and makes things easy to understand,” Berry said.

Davies books were on sale at the reading, except for his newest book, “Rivals!: The Ten Greatest American Sports Rivalries of the 20th Century.”

Berry said she was looking forward to purchasing his newest book, which depicts rivalries such as the ones between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees, Duke and North Carolina universities and between Joe Frazier and Muhammad Ali.

Richard said he most regrets not including more than 10 rivalries in his book.

“Readers are often upset that I didn’t include their favorite rivalry,” Richard said.

Richard has emphasized sports history throughout his career, but his book “Main Street Blues,” is a case study of a small town in Ohio.

Richard is an urban historian, so ironically his book about small town U.S. is a product of studying big cities, Bolin said.

Academically speaking, “Main Street Blues” is his best work, Richard said.

He said it was a challenge to write because he mostly relied on old editions of a weekly newspaper that was published in the area, which started in 1880 and shut down in the 1990s.

Richard said he doesn’t plan on taking on any more major projects any time soon, but that he will keep busy by writing articles and teaching classes sporadically.

Story by Mari-Alice Jasper, Staff writer

A Murray State freshman was struck by a car Wednesday night.

At approximately 10:10 p.m. Raquell Verri, from Mayfield, Ky., crossed Chestnut Street in the crosswalk at Waldrop Drive when a car traveling east hit her.

The Murray Fire Department and Murray Police Department arrived at the scene of the accident.

An ambulance transported Verri to Murray Calloway-County Hospital.

Verri’s condition has not been released.

Staff report

In an email to the Board of Regents Oct. 6, President Bob Davies announced the death of a Murray State student.

Paige Porupski, senior from Pittsburgh, was found dead the morning of Oct. 5. Her body was found in the vacation home she and her friends had rented for Fall Break in Gatlinburg, Tenn.

An autopsy on Porupski’s body was performed Oct. 6, but the University has not received any news from the family determining a cause of death.

Story by Kate Russell, Staff writer

Public Safety and Emergency Management is investigating a third reported sexual assault of a Murray State student this fall, after an incident occurring Oct. 9 at 8:11 p.m. at Regents Residential College.

No arrests have been made as of Thursday, according to Roy Dunaway, interim chief of Public Safety. The victim knew the alleged assailant, according to a campuswide email.

The email, which was sent Oct. 10, is in compliance with the “Timely Notice” provisions of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act of 1998.   

In the first eight weeks of this semester, Public Safety received more reported sexual assaults than in all of 2011 or 2012 and the same amount as 2013.

Dunaway said he hopes the increase in numbers is because students feel comfortable with reporting these events.

On Sept. 3, a caller from Hester Residential College informed Public Safety of a Murray State student who was sexually assaulted off campus. The incident was investigated by the Mayfield Police Department.

On Sept. 12 at 11:57 a.m., a report of “unwanted sexual contact with an acquaintance” was reported to Public Safety. The incident occurred Aug. 29 at Regents.

A “Timely Warning” was not sent since the incident occurred 14 days before it was reported.

The case was closed since the victim declined prosecution.

Nationally, it is estimated that 60 percent of sexual assaults in the last year went unreported, according to the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network, which operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

Out of the 40 percent of assaults reported to police, 10 percent led to an arrest, 8 percent led to prosecution and 4 percent lead to a felony conviction. Just 3 percent of offenders will see jail time, according to the Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network.

Camisha Duffy, executive director of equal opportunity and Title IX coordinator, said nationwide few incidents are carried out to the point of conviction because of the amount of fear involved.

“The fear in this is monumental,” she said.

Duffy said sometimes there is a problem with having a clear understanding of what consent is.

“That was one of the purposes of the module on Canvas. We are an institution of higher education. We need to educate students on these important issues,” she said.

The Harassment Prevention Training course was available for students and faculty until Oct. 3. Participants had to score a 100 percent to pass.

Duffy said there was good participation, but exact numbers were hard to determine due to Canvas restrictions. 

President Bob Davies said a challenge regarding sexual assault on campuses is that many incidents go unreported.

“It’s important we have education and it’s important we have the environment that when assaults happen, the victim involved has the safety net to report – the safety net to come forward and feel that justice will move forward and that he or she will be protected through the process,” Davies said.

The email that Public Safety sent out after the most recent incident included tips for victims of a sexual assault. Tips included:

• Call the police, since a crime has been committed.

• Do not bathe, douche or change clothes. You may be destroying legal evidence, regardless of whether you pursue legal action or not.

• Go to a hospital emergency department for medical care. This can be done without police intervention, if that is your choice.

• Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstance of the assault and the identity of your assailant.

The email also suggested how to prevent becoming a victim of sexual assault.

Catherine Sivills, assistant vice president for University Communications, said it is still possible to become a victim of sexual assaults even if precautions are taken.

“You can do everything right and it can still happen; it can have absolutely nothing to do with choices that you personally make,” she said.

To report sexual assaults or suspicious activity, contact Public Safety at 270-809-2222.

WHERE TO TURN

Women’s Center

809-3140 – 103C Oakley Applied Science

University Counseling

809-6851 – 104C Oakley Applied Science

Health Services

809-3809 – 136 Wells Hall

Office of Institutional Diversity,

Equity and Access

809-3155 – 103 Wells Hall

Title IX Coordinator

809-3155 – 103 Wells Hall

Student Affairs Judicial Board

809-6832 – 425 Wells Hall

Murray Police Department

753-1621 – 407 Poplar St.

Calloway County Sheriff’s Office

753-3151 – 701 Olive St.

Purchase Area Sexual Assault Center

1-800-928-7273

National Domestic Violence hotline

1-800-799-7233

Story by Rebecca Walter, News Editor

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

Katie Wilborn/The News

In addition to tuition, Murray State relies on outside donations from alumni and former staff to keep its doors open.  Some alumni, new and old, receive calls asking for donations to the University, despite already owing thousands in student loans.

Because the burden of funding the University falls largely on us, we think it is gracious that President Bob Davies, his wife Cindy and daughter Katie made a $117,000 donation gift in support of student scholarships, academic enhancements and various student needs at the University.

Davies, whose salary at Murray State is approximately $300,000, sacrificed more than a third of his yearly paycheck to support a University that he has overseen for less than one semester. This donation speaks volumes when compared to presidents of other Kentucky universities that have held their positions for years.

Western Kentucky University President Gary Ransdell donated just $5,000 to his university, which seems meager when you take his his $427,824 salary into account. He graduated from Western Kentucky in 1973 and has remained  president since 1997. 

Kentucky State University Interim President Raymond Burse donated more than $90,000 of his salary to raise the university employee hourly wage to $10.25 an hour. His current salary is $349,869.

Although donating to their universities is commendable, there are many perks to being a university president. Some presidents are given free housing and transportation in their contracts. This, along with a six-figure salary, should influence the donation of presidents at competitive schools.

We should feel extremely lucky to have a president who, even though he has a smaller salary than presidents at competing Kentucky colleges, believes enough in the success of this University to put a large amount of his own money on the line.

His fiscal generosity is something the University has not seen in a president since 1922 when President Rainey T. Wells fundraised approximately $117,000 from 1,100 donors.

By donating toward scholarships, Davies is relieving the student debt that many of us face.

On average, Murray State students graduate with $20,644 worth of student loan debt. Most of us rely on financial aid assistance and taking out student loans to attend college, so more opportunities for scholarships are something we are eager to see.

With more scholarship incentives, we have more chances to escape growing student loan payments. Western Kentucky’s $5,000 gift will do little to assist students who average $26,110 in debt, which is the fourth highest average debt amount behind Kentucky State, Morehead State University and Eastern Kentucky University.

Besides his donation, students on campus are used to seeing Davies involved on campus. We often see him interacting with us on campus, inviting us to luncheons at Winslow Dining Hall and attending sporting events.  There was never a question that Davies strived to improve relations between himself and the student body, but his large donation is a display of his willingness to see both the University and its students succeed.

Breanna Sill/The News Bill Cosby sports a Murray State baseball cap and sweatshirt at the opening of his “Far From Finished” tour performance Saturday.

Historic funny man Bill Cosby brought his comedy tour, “Far From Finished,” to the CFSB Center Saturday night to provide a bit of comedic relief to round out the day’s Homecoming festivities.

Cosby took to the stage in a Murray State sweatshirt and baseball cap. Within minutes Cosby had students and community members doubled over in their seats laughing.

Cosby poked fun at everything from graduation and marijuana to women and religion.

“When even the school is tired of taking your money, you know your kids have been in school too long,” Cosby said of his daughter’s numerous major changes throughout her college years.

  Cosby also made crowd engagement a large part of his performace. If he heard a wrong answer to a question he asked, he would politely ask the audience member to stay in their seat after the show ended to be explained the correct answer by “a volunteer.”

Before the show began, Cosby did a meet and greet with a few lucky community members and President Bob Davies and his family.

However, this was not the first time the two men had met.

During Davies’ adolescent years he played competitive tennis in Reno, Nev., and Cosby, who loves tennis, would come to the court and watch his team play and occasionally join in.

“One time, during a celebrity tennis match, he was doing a fundraiser type of deal,” Davies said. “His celebrity partner didn’t show up at the last minute – I think it was a plane issue – and he remembered playing with me and so he just looked at me and said, ‘Let’s go!’”

Photo courtesy of the CFSB Center Zbynek Smetana surprised Bill Cosby Saturday night with artwork that was displayed on “The Cosby Show” that now resides in Murray State’s permanent art collection.

Davies was able to sit down with Cosby and remind him of the event and talk about their mutual friends and memories of playing tennis together backstage before the show.

For many people, Cosby may be most well-known for his time on his sitcom “The Cosby Show,” which was based on his own family.

During Cosby’s time on the popular sitcom, the fictional Huxtable family became a household name.

What some viewers of the television show may not know about is Cosby’s love of art. Throughout the show, the painting that was hung above the fireplace in the Huxtable home was different in every episode.

Three of the different pieces of art displayed during the show were photographs of paintings created by Ellis Wilson, an artist from Mayfield, Ky.

These paintings are now property of the Murray State art and design department’s permanent collection, after being donated to the Clara M. Eagle art gallery.

The paintings have not been shown on campus since 2000.

Zbynek Smetana, chair of the department of art and design, thought surprising Cosby before his show by pulling the paintings out of the permanent collection would be a nice gesture.

“At first, when I showed Mr. Cosby the paintings, he asked me if he could buy them,” Smetana said. “I told him he could not because they were property of the University, but we did shake hands and strike a deal.”

Smetana promised Cosby he would have the University’s photography department take high quality photographs of the paintings and have them sent to Cosby’s team for use in his upcoming NBC and Netflix specials.

“We will have the paintings photographed to look real,” Smetana said. “And Murray State will be credited during the specials.”

Story by Breanna Sill, Assistant Features Editor

Racers revel in Homecoming happiness, from the parade to the football game and everything in between.

Kalli Bubb/The News
The Murray State defense collaborates to tackle a Southeast Missouri State ball-carrier during the Homecoming game Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium.

It was deja vu all over again as the Racers headed into double overtime against Southeast Missouri State Saturday.

Last season, the Racers faced off against the Redhawks at SEMO on a rainy Saturday, and finished in triple overtime. This year, the weather was no different. A few differences this year included a home field advantage, a new Redhawks head coach and the fact that SEMO was ranked 23rd in the nation.

“It definitely crossed my mind – last year when we lost against them in OT – so we definitely owed them one,” said senior wide receiver Nevar Griffin after the game. “It felt good to get this W in OT this time.”

Long before there was even an inkling thought of a double overtime finish, the Racers wasted no time taking an early lead. Quarterback K.D. Humphries connected with Griffin for a touchdown less than five minutes into the first quarter. This was the first of three touchdowns the duo would tack on the scoreboard during the game, a career-high for Griffin.

“Really, all our receivers, any given day, any of us can have a big game,” Griffin said. “We all work so hard. We have constant film study together with K.D. We all talk to him, so we all work on our chemistry together. It was just today, I was just able to get open and make plays for the team.”

Injuries on both sides caused two SEMO players and one Murray State player to be assisted off the field during the first quarter.

The second scoring play of the game came with less than two minutes to play in the quarter. SEMO’s Ryan McCrum kicked a 21-yard field goal, and the clock wound down with the Racers leading 7-3.

The Redhawks were the first on the board in the second quarter as quarterback Kyle Snyder found the hands of receiver Adrian Davis for a five-yard pass to put them above the Racers 10-7.

The Racers returned the favor less than a minute later when Humphries passed to receiver Janawski Davis for a 75-yard touchdown.

The Redhawks once again put three points on the board with a last minute field goal by McCrum. The half ended with the Racers up 14-13.

The Racers kept their pace going into the second half as Humphries and Griffin teamed up again to put a touchdown on the board less than a minute in, extending their lead to eight.

Redhawk quarterback Kyle Snyder rushed for a touchdown with just 2:07 left on the clock in the third quarter. Southeast Missouri’s two-point conversion tied the game at 21.

The Racers took the lead again shortly after off a five-yard pass from Humphries to DeQavius Walker with just 28 seconds left in the quarter.

The fourth quarter did not provide such an easy start for the Racers, and SEMO scored two uncontested touchdowns to take the lead 35-28. The Racers found their groove again as Humphries found Griffin once more with 46 seconds left on the clock. They chose to take the extra point to tie the game 35-35, and head into overtime at the end of four quarters.

The Redhawks won the coin toss and opted to start on defense. Kicker Carson Greifenkamp kicked a 20-yard field goal to put the Racers up 38-35 as SEMO took over on offense.

St. Pierre Anilus sacked Snyder on third down and the game appeared to be over, but Redhawk kicker Ryan McCrum forced play to continue as he hit a 52-yard field goal to tie the game.

In second overtime, the Racers took over on defense first. McCrum kicked a 30-yard field goal to put the Redhawks on top.

The Racers took over on offense and a pass from Humphries to Davis put them ahead to end the game 44-41 after two overtime periods.

“I don’t know at the end of the game whether I was relieved or excited, or a little bit of both, but I’m really proud of our football team,” said Head Coach Chris Hatcher. “Great game. Played the 23rd ranked team in the country; go toe-to-toe with them.”

Story by Mallory Tucker, Sports Editor

Haley Hays/The News
A small hemp plant grows on a field among ready to harvest hemp. The field, located on one of Murray State’s farms, will be harvested next week.

Murray State’s engagement as hemp-growers for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is coming to an end following months of growing the crop and weeks of harvesting it for research purposes.

Wednesday, set to coincide with Murray State’s National Bioenergy Day presentation, the last of the University’s approximately one and a half acres of hemp will be harvested.

Tony Brannon, dean of the Hutson School of Agriculture, said the fate of this harvest, as well as that of Murray State’s future involvement with growing hemp for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, has yet to be determined.

Brannon said next week’s harvest represents only the end of the “public” part of the work with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture and that now the project will shift gears to conducting its research with the hemp and compiling data.

Data Murray State has collected so far, which primarily is the effect of row width and population rates of hemp and new research collected concerning hemp fiber, will be presented to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture in December.

At this time, other universities charged with conducting research, including the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville and both Western and Eastern Kentucky universities, will present their findings as well.

Murray State’s final report to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture will be presented in March.

“When you start at ground zero all you can do is learn,” Brannon said. “And we certainly learned a lot. We learned some things to do and we learned some things not to do, but that’s the value of research. That’s why the KDA, in their ultimate wisdom, started their coordination with the different departments of agriculture and started utilizing higher education institutions.”

He said besides the research aspect of growing hemp, growing the crop at the University has also given students in the Hutson School of Agriculture a chance to see, handle and in some cases work with the hemp.

“If it’s something worth studying and worth being involved in agriculturally, we’re going to be a leader in it,” Brannon said. “It’s important to be on the front end of these things and certainly we’ve been on the front end of this.”

The last of Murray State’s hemp will be harvested next week with a combination of manufacturing equipment, such as a special biomass header, but possibly by hand as well.

Jason Robertson, farm director, said the hemp, which is ground up by the machinery, will be used to demonstrate and test hemp’s use as a biomass during National Bioenergy Day and some will be used experimentally as equine bedding.

If the school decides to harvest any of the crops by hand they will be used in conjunction with the CannaVest Corporation for specialized purposes such as for oils, seeds and for use in certain products.

CannaVest is a California-based manufacturer of hemp products and the company who initially provided Murray State with its seeds to grow  hemp for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

CannaVest controls several hemp manufacturing companies including U.S. Hemp Oil and CBD Oil, which make hemp body care products, food and oil byproducts.   

Whether Murray State will be used in further hemp experimentation with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture is to be determined, although both Robertson and Brannon agree that the possibility is likely.

Already the Hutson School of Agriculture has expanded the plot of land it used to grow its hemp to an even two acres in preparation for hemp cultivating next year.

Brannon said the department would be interested in assisting the Kentucky Department of Agriculture again, if asked.

“We’ve had community members who are interested in looking at the hemp,” he said. “We’ve had other educational institutions wanting to look at it, TV stations that have come in and done live remotes at 5 o’ clock in the morning. We’ve had individuals as far away as Marshall, Mo., come and stay here three days just looking at the crop as they pass through town. It’s been a crop of interest.”

Story by Ben Manhanke, Staff writer

The Election Tab is a special publication of The Murray State News. Scroll down for more information about voting this year.

Below is a map of the Murray Voting precincts. Click here to download a PDF version of this map (please be patient; the map may load slowly).

To view the Calloway County Clerk’s precincts table, click here.

To find your voting precinct as well as driving directions to your precinct, click here.