May 2, 2014

Baker University Student Media/Baldwin City, Kansas

vol. 121 [issue 8]

FINALLY

After nding his calling in studio art during his extended time at BU, senior Alex Coey will graduate May 18. The Department of Education says Coey is part of the 60 percent of U.S. students who graduate within six years of starting college. pg. 14

LAST LETTER

President Pat Long says her farewell to students. pg. 7

GRADUATION

448 students are set to cross the stage on graduation weekend. pg. 2

First copy free; additional copies 50 cents. The Baker Orange Copyright 2014

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NEWS

Long to give final commencement speech

Jenna Stanbrough
EDITOR

University President Pat Long will be the keynote speaker at the 2014 undergraduate commencement ceremony May 18. Long has spoken at two other commencement ceremonies, once for what she calls her freshman year, her first year as university president, and then again in December 2013. Because she is retiring after the current year, this can be considered her senior year speech, and although the content of the speech is intended to be a surprise, she said it is about being good. There are just simple things in life to be thinking about and sometimes outside of our careers, and thats what I want to talk about are those simple things, just going back to the advice we got when we were kids and how important it is on your life, Long said. But it has a twist on it -- a couple of surprises. Jill Mignacca, an administrative executive assistant, said she expects Collins Center to be at full capacity. I think this year will be particularly special being President Longs final ceremonies, Mignacca said. I think well have a packed house each day. There will be 115 School of Professional and Graduate Studies undergraduate participants; 178

School of Education, School of Professional and Graduate Studies graduate participants; and 155 College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Nursing undergraduate participants. Before each commencement ceremony, there will be a brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at the student dining hall. Graduates will receive a complimentary ticket, while the cost for friends and family is $7 per person. A baccalaureate ceremony will take place at 9:30 a.m. May 18 for graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, and School of Nursing undergraduate programs. After each commencement ceremony, graduates and guests can attend a reception on the lawn north of the Collins Center. Before the School of Education graduate degree ceremony, a celebratory toast and hooding rehearsal will take place at 3:30 p.m. in the lower level of the Clarice L. Osborne Chapel. Senior class president Nancy Delgado will be giving her speech to the graduates of the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Nursing programs. She said her speech will reflect on the graduating classs Baker experience. Im very humbled to be able to do it for my class, because I know there are numerous others involved in our entire class, Delgado said.

Commencement ceremonies:
1 p.m. May 10 School of Professional and Graduate Studies undergraduate degrees 4 p.m. May 10 School of Education, School of Professional and Graduate Studies graduate degrees 7:30 p.m. May 16 School of Nursing Pinning Ceremony 1 p.m. May 18 College of Arts and Sciences, School of Education, School of Nursing undergraduate degrees

Its a wonderful class that has great leaders and people who are going to do great things. We have people who have been accepted to law school,

medical school, graduate school, and have already got a job, so Im pretty proud of our senior class, and its achievements.

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A COMMON MISCONCEPTION
Despite stigma, mental health counseling for students can be normal and useful
Mykaela Cross
STAFF WRITER

The number of college students and young people seeking mental health counseling is on the rise. A recent article in the Cincinnati Enquirer noted that one in every 10 college students is seeking mental health counseling. With the economically challenging times putting pressure on students to succeed, more and more young adults are looking to find help. Tim Hodges, director of the health and counseling center, has been counseling college students for 30 years. Each year, Hodges said he counsels around 100 Baker student about various topics. I primarily see students struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, inability to focus and procrastination, Hodges said. In the five years that Hodges has counseled BU students, he finds that the numbers of students coming into the counseling center have only slightly increased, though he agrees that as a whole, more people are seeking help through therapy. I think theres less of a stigma associated with mental health, Hodges said. Kathryn Pieper, a clinical psychologist for young people struggling with eating disorders, anxiety and depression from Kansas City, Mo., has seen an increase in her patient numbers as well. Ive been doing this for about 22 years, Pieper said. Im now seeing patients that are younger, and the frequency of referrals is up. Pieper believes that more young people are seeking help due to the pressures they face. Children and teens have a lot of pressures on them right now, Pieper said. Its a very competitive academic environment and it takes its toll in anxiety and depression.

Both Hodges and Pieper believe that there are common misconceptions linked to therapy and counseling. I think that todays youth worries that people will think theyre crazy, Pieper said. Hodges concurs with Piepers statement. A big misconception is that counseling is for crazy people instead of seeing that its all normal and can be useful, Hodges said. Freshman Logan Pope has been on the flip side as a counseled young person. Because of her past experience with counseling, she believes theres good that can come from having someone to talk to. I know a lot of people that have been counseled, just as I have, Pope said. I think its really helpful. Getting things off of your chest can really help you through life. Pope understands why the number of counseled students has increased.

Its not uncommon anymore, Pope said. You get to know people and realize that nearly everyone has things that they need to talk about and need help getting through or over. Pope believes that although the number of students seeking counseling has increased, there are still many young people who do not get the help they need. Many people are afraid theyll be judged or that the counselor would not understand, when in reality, counselors talk to people with similar problems every day. Its what they do, Pope said. Hodges, Pieper and Pope all believe that therapy has great benefits and encourage students to be open-minded and consider counseling. Whether youre looking for advice or just need someone to talk to, counseling is a good way to get the help you need to make it through the school year, Pope said.

Union update aims to cultivate sense of BU community

Katie Thurbon
SENIOR REPORTER

As summer break approaches, so does the completion of the next phase of the Student Union renovations. Were right where we thought wed need to be at this time. Were on schedule, Jeremy Portlock director

of the physical plant, said. From this point on, its just finishes. The union is set to be fully open for Alumni Weekend on May 16-18, with a reception for the 50th anniversary alumni scheduled in the newly renovated space in the eastern part of the union on May 17. The renovated space will largely consist of a coffee bar and lounge

Jordan Ratterman/ Baker Orange The next phase of the Harter Union renovations is under construction and is set to be open for Alumni Weekend May 16-18. The renovated space will consist of a coffee bar and lounge area, along with one large and two small study rooms.

area along with one large and two small study rooms, with windows for walls, for students to convene in. Jeff McCollough, general manager of Sodexo at Baker University, envisions this space as being more than just a place to get coffee or study in. My push on this is I wanted to give students who are not on a meal plan a way to kind of sit and commune with the rest of the student body, McCollough said. So I think itll provide a better sense of community for us. McCollough said the coffee bar will be serving Starbucks and Jamba Juice products, along with to-go food options like sandwiches, wraps and yogurt parfaits. I think well focus on more of the healthier, lighter side of stuff for the coffee bar, McCollough said. Also, our intention is that this will be the late-night option for students so well plan to open at 7 in the morning and go until about 10 at night during the school year. For the summer, McCollough plans to have the coffee bar open for limited hours during the day to test out popularity and to help train employees for the beginning of the fall semester.

After the current renovations are finished, the focus will shift to turning the outside area to the south of the union into a patio with outdoor seating. Well probably start on the patio after graduation, Darla Prather, director of university budget and facilities, said. The good news is the fundraising is already complete for the area currently under renovation and nearly complete for the patio area thanks to the Mabee matching grant we received recently. Portlock, McCollough and Prather are all optimistic about the outcome of the current construction, comparing it to the transformations of the science building and dining hall. My favorite part of the dining hall phase is you can now walk in there and can see outside from three different directions from almost anywhere you stand, Portlock said. If you were to step into the caf lounge area, even now, you can see were doing the same thing. To open the spaces, to add the windows, to create that natural light, is probably one of my favorite aspects as far as aesthetics. The transformation from what it was to what it will be is just incredible.

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NEWS

Myra Glover
Taylor Shuck
MANAGING EDITOR

THE WOMAN BEHIND THE PRESIDENCY

hope she can stay another year or so, because Myra knows so much about this office, these people and knowing the different constituent groups. Glover came to Baker in 1995 to work in student services. When she was offered the job as an executive assistant, her response was, Well, I do like Pat, and shes been in the office ever since. The timing was perfect, Glover said. I was ready for a change, but I didnt want to leave Baker. Thats the beauty of BU. When you say its a family -- its a family. Although she graduated from Missouri Valley College, her husband Bill works for Baker and both of her children graduated from the institution. Glover said her position takes thick skin and flexibility. She is in charge of day-to-day operations such as Longs speaking arrangements, calendar, events at the Collins House and making sure Long is in the right place at the right time. She said the work is hard, but Glover loves her position. Working for someone like (Long,) who is so invested and dedicated, is a true blessing, and full of very action-packed days, nights and even weekends, Glover said. While Glover will miss Long, she thinks that Murray will fit into the community nicely. As a part of the presidential search committee, Glover said they could not have scripted a better scenario with a president. Its been emotional, Glover said. (Long) is family, so to have (Murray) coming in with the support from (Long) is making our lives so much easier with the transition. May 30 will be extremely tough, and June 1 will be exciting. Connor Bechard, executive office assistant, sees the hard work that Glover puts into her daily life. He said she is the supportive engine that makes Baker run. She is literally the driving force behind everything that people see, Bechard said. She plays a lot of different roles and is this phonebook of knowledge. But Bechard thinks she takes her job farther than just an office assistant. As a graduate assistant for the mens basketball team, Bechard balances a lot of tasks at once. But Glover makes sure he finds time for everything. Shes kind of a motherly figure for myself and others that are newer on this side, Bechard said. Her love for students is second to none, and her passion for the university is second for none. Shes not at every event, but she is the one making sure it all runs smoothly.

Everyone knows Baker University President Pat Long, but what about the woman behind the presidency? I cant imagine my time at Baker without her. Itd be impossible, Long said. She knows the rhythm of the year. Shes always three steps ahead of me. I would be lost without her, and I think a new president coming in would be equally lost. Executive Assistant Myra Glover started in the presidents office at the same time as Long. She serves as a gatekeeper for the information that actually gets to Longs desk, filtering and handling the tasks that can be done without the presidents stamp of approval. The most important thing that I bring to the table is that the president is never blind-sided, Glover said. I make sure that on any given day, I can anticipate what is going to come down the pike. You cant always do that, but if something does come up, I make sure its always a positive and productive scenario. The two are good friends, so close that when Long put in her letter of resignation, Glover announced hers as well. But after a few strong conversations with coworkers,

Khadijah Lane/ Baker Orange Executive Assistant Myra Glover will continue to serve as the assistant to incoming University President Lynne Murray when Pat Long retires in June.

Glover canceled the countdown on her phone and decided to stay through the transition of the incoming president, Lynne Murray. Long knows that the presidents office needs Glovers help. I feel really selfish about leaving, I feel selfish about saying Myra, you have to stay, when I made the decision to go, Long said. I do

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Minimum wage debate: what is fair pay?

Katie Thurbon
SENIOR REPORTER

ith many state governments around the country discussing increasing minimum wages, Kansas has been slow to join the conversation. For some working Kansans, this has been frustrating. To others, especially to business owners in small towns like Baldwin City, this is cause for a sigh of relief. Im not saying people dont deserve more than what theyre getting, but for a small business, if you raise minimum wage, then the cost of everything will have to go up, too, Chip Hornberger, owner of the Baldwin City Mr. Goodcents, said. The other factor of raising it is basically youre going to cut employees. I think its just a trickle eect downhill. With the U.S. Senate voting down a federal minimum wage hike on Wednesday, Kansas minimum wage still currently matches the federal requirements at $7.25 per hour. While

a higher minimum wage could hurt small businesses and result in higher prices, the benets could outweigh the costs for some students such as senior Dominique Vierya, who has been working at Mr. Goodcents since her freshman year at Baker University. For me, a higher minimum wage would have made quite a dierence in my time here at Baker because I just wouldnt have had to put in as many hours and would have had more free time to enjoy the college experience, Vierya said. Looking back on my four years now, I wouldnt change anything, but my grades arent exactly where I want them moving forward, so I maybe would have been able to focus more on school. Some state governments, like those of Hawaii and Minnesota, have already passed bills to increase minimum wage. Hawaiis House and Senate passed a bill Tuesday that will increase the minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $10.10 per hour by 2018. Washington state currently has

the highest minimum wage set at $9.32 per hour On April 10, Minnesota legislators approved increasing the states minimum-wage requirement for some businesses until it reaches $9.50 in 2016. Jan Hornberger, Chips wife and co-owner of the local Mr. Goodcents, thinks a minimum wage set that high in Kansas could be detrimental to small businesses. The only solution I could see is for the minimum wage to not aect small businesses, kind of like Obamacare doesnt aect businesses with 50 people or less, Jan said. So maybe they would look at small businesses as being exempt from that minimum wage requirement. Because were not the only ones, Im sure there are other stores that just cringe because they know they just cant aord it. Minnesota does in fact have a tiered minimum wage system like the one Jan described, but it applies to businesses that do not engage in interstate commerce and thus do not fall under the federal minimum-wage

regulations. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, enterprises deemed small employers are those with annual receipts less than $625,000 and only have to pay employees $5.25 per hour, but according to the new bill that would increase gradually to $7.75 by 2016. A system like this could potentially benet small-town businesses like the ones in Baldwin City, which often have a high turnover rate of businesses, especially restaurants. Since opening last summer, the Mexican restaurant El Patron has seemed to enjoy more success than previous Baldwin City restaurants. Restaurant manager Noel Ortiz sees a minimum-wage increase as a potential challenge but doesnt think it would put El Patron out of business. It would be more expensive for the restaurant, and if it was raised to around $10, I think it would hurt a lot of businesses, Ortiz said. I would maybe not cut my people but I would probably have to give them shorter hours.

Paycheck Fairness Act splits campus views

Katie Thurbon
SENIOR REPORTER

A recent bill aimed at erasing the line between genders has once again been rejected by the U.S. Senate, leaving politicians split along customary party lines. The Paycheck Fairness Act was libustered by Senate Republicans for a third time two weeks ago amid a wider campaign by the Obama administration for granting women equal pay across the country. Baker University students and faculty are also split on what this act would mean for gender equality. Susan Emel, professor of communication studies, thinks the passage of this bill would have been a step in the right direction. I think the second wave of the feminist movement was so visible and now so long ago that people think there is no inequality left, and yet the biggest impact on womens lives is their paychecks, Emel said. The commonly cited statistic that prompted lawmakers to draw up further legislation on equal pay for equal work is that on average, women only make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. While the act aims to provide

more eective remedies to victims of discrimination in the payment of wages on the basis of sex, Alan Grant, professor of business and economics, does not think the bill would remedy any gender inequalities. He said economists have shown a large amount of the pay gap is not due to discrimination but rather quantiable dierences. Take a woman and a man in the labor force of the same age and typically what you nd is that a woman will have less experience, less tenure on the job, more frequent exits from the labor force and more re-entry into the labor force, Grant said. So shes missing the sort of long period of sustained wage growth that a male might receive. Grant said that some of the disparity in salaries between men and women also arises from the types of jobs usually lled by each gender. If you factor in the overrepresentation of males in highly paid professions in things like computer science and engineering and the over-representation of females in lowpaid professions like social work and elementary education, that accounts for a lot of the pay gap, too, Grant said. Women are typically in less specialized work that gets rewarded less in the market place because theres

more people around that can do it. Grant gave one example: So you take the 20-odd cent pay gap and you account for the productivity related factors, and it turns out that youre in the neighborhood of a gap not of 20 cents but maybe of 2 or 3, possibly up to 5 cents, he said. With such contrasting statistics, it is hard for a common voter to know which numbers are more accurate. Emel suggests looking close to home in order to form an opinion. The only way I know to deal with it is to break it down into your current environment, Emel said. Where you work, what is the dierence and can you have access to that information? Thats no small matter. Baker releases average faculty salaries, broken down by rank and gender, each year as part of the fact book. Over the past ve years, men have been paid more on average each year than women of the same faculty rank. In 2012, male assistant professors were paid, on average, nearly 6 percent more than female assistant professors. Male associate professors were paid 8 percent more and male professors 9 percent more than their female counterparts. Senior Jasmyn Turner said she has not had to worry about salary

inequalities yet but probably will as she hopes to enter the workforce in a few years as a professor herself. Id like to be a professor in exercise science, and I guess there are still just the stereotypes that women have to ght against to prove that they can be equal, Turner said. Despite some of the statistics and common sentiments of inequality, many Republicans and Obama opponents have said the Paycheck Fairness Act is merely a political ploy to encourage more young female voters to participate in the upcoming midterm elections. Regardless of what the act really was intended to do, Grant doesnt think simply increasing pay for women will solve the gender inequalities. I think back to the talking Barbie from the 1990s that would say, Math is hard, Grant said. Theres some truth in the idea that more women go into elementary education and men go into engineering, not entirely based o individual choice or individual mental dierences, but maybe shaped some by cultural inuences and discrimination. And so that kind of cultural bias could be responsible for a good chunk of that pay gap. But you cant x that by jacking up pay. You have to x that by actually xing it.

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Equal pay legislation only half the issue

E DITORIAL
For the third time, the Paycheck Fairness Act was filibustered by Senate Republicans, which will put off the decision to allow equal pay for women across the country once again. As an all-female editorial board, this fact disappoints many of us. On average, women make only 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. However, they account for nearly half of American workers, 49.9 percent, and earn 60 percent of university degrees in America and Europe. How are women expected to feel confident in their job search when they know that after years of hard work, they will typically receive only a fraction of what men make? Some opponents of the bill believe that many of the equality issues arise from cultural beliefs rather than structural blockades, and this is an issue that needs to be addressed. If women believe that they wont succeed, they probably wont. According to Pew Social Trends, women are less likely to ask for raises or even aspire to top management positions in the workplace. The passage of this legislation may have helped raise the confidence of women and let them know that they, too, can reach their goals. That isnt to say that there havent been strides toward change. In fact, its been dramatic. Only a generation ago, casual sexism was prevalent in almost all aspects of life. Today, women are in charge of some of the worlds leading companies including PepsiCo, General Motors and IBM -- something that our grandparents never would have imagined. If women have been important in paving the current job market, why cant they be assured

A BBeY S S KeTCHPAD [A BBeY E LSBeRND ]

equal pay to men? One answer could be found in the statistic that women only hold 4.6 percent of Fortune 500 CEO positions. This might account for the problem because even though women now make up half the workforce and 60 percent of university graduates, they are typically graduating with degrees in lower-paying industries. Sectors like elementary education are flooded with women, while higher-paying jobs, like those centered around the sciences, are more commonly pursued by men. Perhaps legislation like this would be unnecessary if women at institutions like Baker more aggressively sought majors that led to higher paying jobs. As women, we have to take some responsibility and stop waiting for equality legislation. It takes a little effort on both ends to get us where we want, and need, to be.

College women: start husband hunting now

Susan Patton, better known as the Princeton Mom, submitted a letter to the editor for the Daily Princetonian last year. As an alumna of the university, she gave advice to the women who currently attend Princeton. Patton has had two sons attend her alma mater. Having no daughters, she took it upon herself to give advice publicly. Her advice, however, has generated a backlash as well as supporting arguments. The advice Patton gave her fellow Princtonian women: find your future spouse while in school. Her reason is simple. The pool of males that women can pick from is more populated and centrally located while they are in school. In her letter she stated, Heres what nobody is telling you: Find a husband on campus before you graduate. Yes, I went there. alone a boyfriend, after I graduate It probably was her bluntness from Baker University. I have that turned readers away, but hundreds of young men to choose honestly, you have from here -to get to the point some of whom I when it comes know and some to finding love. I have probably ICTORIA OSTIC never spoken to While some of her statements were before. Once I directly related graduate from only to the women this campus, of Princeton, the overall message my pool of available men will was universal, and I could not agree change, possibly becoming smaller more. She is not saying women or full of already committed men. If need to have a ring placed on their I go on to dental or graduate school, left hand by the time they graduate, my work load will become so heavy or that every minuscule detail of a that I cannot imagine how I would wedding needs to be planned now. be able to put in the effort to pursue She is saying that collegiate women a relationship. Dating websites should take into great consideration can only help me so much. At the their timing with finding a spouse. age of 20, I have already tried an If my life goes as planned, I will assortment of dating sites. have no time to find a husband, let After receiving their degree,

students typically choose a path to travel down next, whether it be graduate school, a full-time job or living with their parents in order to save some money. Once they are in the working world, graduates often focus on advancing their career, and the search for true love gets put on the back burner because there just is not enough time for both. Patton encourages young women to start their search sooner rather than later. What better way to go down future paths than with someone else alongside you? Celebrating an accomplishment or going out after a tough week is just not the same alone. Yes, I understand having a multitude of friends would be sufficient, but for me there is something special about having a mans perspective on a situation.

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Word Around

As an underclassman, how confident are you that you will have a job following graduation?

BAKER

I feel like on a scale of one to 10, I would be a solid seven, only because I think my path is very competitive. It will be hard to expect a job in my area coming straight out of college.

Jordan Brown, freshman

Last letter
When Editor Sara Bell asked me to write my senior send-off column I was a little overwhelmed. How do I encapsulate what have been some of the very best eight years of my life in just 500 short words? As you are reading this, the Baker Board of Trustees is convened on campus to discuss the future of our great university. We will talk about overhead construction costs of the new Student Union, review the finances and budget for fiscal year 14-15, and report on the progress of our strategic goals. But the most important part of the day and my favorite part will be the time we take to hear presentations from students like you who are doing amazing things. If I could leave the student body with anything, I want you to know how important you are to the first university in Kansas; in fact, you mean everything to us. On July 1, when my husband, Dennis, and I make the three-hour drive to our house outside Bolivar, Mo., the conference calls and key performance indicators will be a distant memory. Thoughts of Department of Education mandates and site visits from the Higher Learning Commission will be a thing of the past. Instead, we will relish the memories of you. We will think of your smiling faces when you saw the new dining hall for the first time. Or when we

Khadijah Lane /The Baker Orange Freshman football player Clarence Clark gives retiring University President Pat Long a signed T-shirt. Long received gifts from a representative from each of the Baker sports teams during her surprise pep rally on April 8.

Outgoing president shares final thoughts

I am 100 percent confident that I will have a job because Baker has put me in contact with the right people.

and I mean we stormed the field after Ottawas field goal attempt went wide. Im still smiling from that one. Celebrating your academic achievements will forever make me beam with pride. Every year the BU Scholars Symposium demonstrates the remarkable learning that happens in Baldwin City as a result of your talent combined with our outstanding faculty. The national recognition achieved by a school our size is awe-inspiring. The Collins House is going to be a difficult place to leave. Dennis and I have literally watched your Baker careers unfold from our living room. The reception area has played host to so many of my most cherished memories, from scholarship dinners to commencement brunches to donor gatherings. Living in that beautiful brick house on Eighth Street blessed me with the gift of proximity; I always felt close to you students. Close enough to hear the echo of your Greek Serenades but thankfully far enough away to sleep through late night parties or purported pilgrimages to the Salt Mine. It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve as your president. You are the reason that I do what I do. And when I think back to my time serving as the leader of the one great university in Kansas, it is your praises I will sing.

Clint Chapman, sophomore

Id say Im about 50 percent sure because the job market right now is really competitive, and I know Im not as involved as I should be.

Robert Hoeven, sophomore

Lyons: from BU to the NFL

On Jan. 6, I made my way past Arrowhead Stadium not knowing what to expect for the semester. Within the first hour as a photography intern with the Kansas City Chiefs, I was overwhelmed by how lucky I was to be a part of such an amazing organization. Everyone who knows me understands my love of the Denver Broncos, but with the end of the semester quickly approaching, I am realizing I know more about the Kansas City Chiefs than I do my favorite team. From the position, number and name of every player on the roster to the names of the people behind the scenes, it will be hard to cheer against the Chiefs next season. As a senior, I thought I understood exactly what I was getting myself into. With balancing classes, working as print editor, leading organizations and adding an internship to the mix -- I was wrong. It was difficult, with long hours and numerous weekends spent working events, but I can say it was worth it. In five months, I learned more than I could in any classroom. I wasnt an intern fetching coffee; I was covering events, posting galleries, working on retouching and color correction and organizing more than 50 years worth of photos. I have had the opportunity to work with technology that has never been available to me, and Ive learned the real world application of it all. Did I get to meet Andy Reid? Technically no, but I took his picture. There are very few interns I work with from the area. Most are from bigger schools from all around the United States, but coming from Baker University makes me proud of my school and the opportunities it has brought me. There was a part of me that thought I would never have a chance to live my dream of working in professional football, but if anything the size of our campus has benefitted me. ERA YONS Although I am graduating on May 18, I am still searching for my next job. I am optimistic about the search, though, based on the opportunities Baker provided me and through my internship experience. Through everything, I have learned that even coming from a small school like Baker, you dont have to limit yourself.

Sara Bell Tera Lyons Jenna Stanbrough Taylor Shuck Kayla Infanti Jordan Ratterman Callie Paquette Lauren Bechard Katie Thurbon Taylor Schley Dave Bostwick

EDITOR PRINT EDITOR NEWS EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR GRAPHICS EDITOR PHOTO EDITOR ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR SPORTS EDITOR SENIOR REPORTER GRAPHICS ASSISTANT ADVISER

E-MAIL orangeedit@gmail.com PHONE 785-594-4559

Mission Statement
The Baker Orange and KNBU-TV are produced by Baker University students with the goal of keeping the university community informed while providing an educational and practical experience to mass media students. Staff members will accomplish this goal by paying the highest attention to detail and consistency in reporting, by considering the variety of interest and perspectives of the Baker community and by producing well-planned content. Staff members will adhere to the highest level of journalistic ethics in their reporting as outlined by the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. All staff members will seek truth and ensure a fair, compassionate and independent rendering of the news for the Baker community. At all times, those responsible for the production of the Baker Orange will listen to audience viewpoints and criticisms and correct any mistakes in an appropriate and timely manner. The staff works independent of the trustees, administration, faculty and staff of Baker University.

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Male Athlete: Bryce Shoemaker

Although freshman Bryce Shoemaker is a newcomer on the BU wrestling squad this year, he earned the top male athlete spot for his outstanding performance on the mat. The freshman completed his debut season as the rst NAIA wrestling national champion in Baker University history. At nationals, Shoemaker battled his way to the top of the 133-pound weight bracket, where he took down senior Justin Brooks of Indiana Technical University by a 3-0 decision. Shoemaker earned All-America status along with the national title, and he nished the rst season of his collegiate career with a 34-7 record. Shoemaker also earned two consecutive Heart of America Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Week honors in December. The rst award came after he went 4-0, winning his weight class at the Bob Smith Open at Fort Hays State University. He earned the next award after his achievements led him to be ranked No. 7 in the nation. Shoemaker helped take his team to a No. 16 overall nish for the season.

Female Athlete: BriAnna Garza

Senior womens basketball player BriAnna Garza had a way with utilizing her teams strengths in transition play and quickness, and it showed in her leadership on the court. The 5-foot-8 point guard earned the Heart of America Athletic Conference Player of the Year award and an NAIA third-team All-America honor for her condent performance during her nal season as a Wildcat. Garza nished o her career at the NAIA National Championship Tournament, Bakers rst appearance in school history. BU made it to the Sweet 16 round, and Garza led her team oensively by scoring 24 points and 25 points, respectively, in the two games it played during the tournament. She was the overall scoring and steals leader on the season for the Cats as well, with an average of 15 points and 1.4 steals per game. Garza also racked up 150 assists during the season, good for a top 10 ranking in NAIA Division I.

Male Newcomer: Clarence Clark

Freshman Clarence Clark had a tremendous rst season for the Baker University football team. He received third-team All-America honors as a receiver, as well as rst team All-Conference honors as a kicker and receiver. He made 17 of his 26 eld goal attempts, more than anyone in the NAIA, and hit 43-46 point-after attempts. He also had four eld goals from 50+ yards, including a 59-yarder against Missouri Valley, and a 53-yard game winner in overtime of the same game. He excelled as a deep threat on the oensive end, catching 40 passes for 840 yards, 21 yards per catch. He led the team in receiving touchdowns with 10, with another touchdown coming on the ground. Clark had six receptions of 40 yards or more, as many as the rest of the team combined. Clark has already put his name in the record book, setting Wildcats records for longest reception, 98, and most points as a kicker, 94.

Female Newcomer: Hannah Bettge

As a freshman, setter Hannah Bettge made an immediate impact on the Baker University volleyball team. By jump-setting everything in front of the 10-foot line, Bettge helped the Wildcats run a faster oense, which proved to be successful through their 23-9 record. After leading the team with 9.4 assists per set and 25 service aces on the season, the newcomer was named the HAAC Freshman of the Year. Although she is known for her setting, Bettge also showed her versatility, averaging 1.7 kills per set and compiling 73 total blocks throughout the season. She also garnered four HAAC Setter of the Week awards and four Player of the Week honors, all of which were paired during the same weeks. Through her leadership and maturity, Bettge set up players like senior Crystal Simon and sophomore Danielle French, who led the Wildcats with 287 and 278 total kills, respectively.

Best of the Best

Mens Coach: Mike Grossner Womens Coach: Ben Lister
For the second year in a row, Ben Lister was unanimously selected the Baker Oranges Womens Coach of the Year. In just his third season at the helm of the womens basketball team, Lister led the Wildcats to their rst NAIA national ranking, their rst regular season conference title in 31 years and the programs rst national tournament appearance. Lister was also recognized as the Heart of America Athletic Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season after stringing together back-to-back 20-win seasons. Through his stas recruiting eorts, Lister has developed a deep and versatile team that featured two conference Player of the Year selections. In the NAIA Coaches Top 25 postseason poll, the Wildcats received their highest ranking, landing at No. 11.

Each year, the Baker Orange sports sta votes on two players, coaches, teams and newcomers of the year who the sta believes are the "Best of the Best." It was a dicult decision to narrow the eld, with many worthy candidates being considered. The winners found

success on the eld and were recognized throughout the conference and at the national level in their respective sports. The players led the way in several categories, the coaches took their teams to new heights, and the newcomers found early success in their programs.

Mens Team: Football

Prior to Bakers rst game of the season, the Wildcats were ranked No. 15 in the NAIA preseason poll and were picked to nish third in one of the countrys toughest conferences. BU exceeded these expectations, though, winning a share of the Heart of America Athletic Conference title and earning a top ve nod in the national postseason poll. During the season, the Wildcats snapped a 13-year losing streak to rival MidAmerica Nazarene University, went 8-1 in conference play and hosted two NAIA playo games. Three Wildcats were named to the Beyond Sports Network NAIA All-American Team. Freshman wide receiver Clarence Clark claimed the Wildcats top honor, making the third-team All-America squad. Sophomore oensive lineman Sheldon Jacks and senior quarterback Jake Morse received honorable mention following their successes on the eld.

Womens Team: Basketball

Heading into the season, the Baker University womens basketball team knew it had a talented group of athletes. What the Wildcats didnt realize, however, was the history they were about to make. A remarkable 17-1 record in conference play earned BU its rst regular season title since 1983. With the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship, the Wildcats also received their rst bid to the NAIA national tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet 16. Throughout the successful 2013-14 campaign, BU used its depth to average more than 73 points per game and hold its opponents to less than 63. Senior BriAnna Garza led the Wildcats oensively throughout the season, averaging 15 points and four steals per game. BU also relied on the oensive prowess of junior Kyrstie Ehm, who contributed more than 13 points per contest, and senior Shea Shoemaker, who averaged 10 points. HAAC Defensive Player of the Year Macy Wallisch anchored BU on the other side of the oor, with eight rebounds and three blocks per game.

Baker head football coach Mike Grossner led the Wildcats to their rst conference title since 1993. With an 11-2 record, Baker tied for its most wins ever. For his eorts, Grossner also received the HAAC Coach of the Year honor. A season-ending injury to All-American defensive end Andre Jolly led Grossner to give opportunities to freshmen Nick Becker and Adam Novak, who stepped up and anchored a defense that allowed just 13 points per game during their time as starters. The oense also performed at a high level, scoring an average of 35.5 points per game. Grossner also had to deal with multiple injuries to senior quarterback Jake Morse, who broke his right hand and sprained his right shoulder over the course of the season. The Wildcats went undefeated in the games featuring backup quarterbacks. Grossners most successful project came on special teams, developing freshman Clarence Clark into the Wildcats starting kicker, who was named rst-team all-conference.

Sports
May 2, 2014 www.thebakerorange.com
Jenna Stanbrough
NEWS EDITOR

GALLERY
Track teams sweep Wildcat Open

O NLINE
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Cats confident in team chemistry

Each day, head softball coach Jamie Stanclift expects her players to work harder and get better than the day before, but she also holds herself to those same standards. This may explain why the players say the team has such solid chemistry. The Wildcats hoped to use this confidence when they began the Heart of America Athletic conference tournament. BU was scheduled to play Benedictine College Thursday in Overland Park but results were not available at press time. Baker concluded its regular season April 23 with an overall record of 20-22 and a conference record of 11-8. The Cats split the series with Benedictine College on senior night, winning game one 4-3 before losing game two 10-0. Game two, the score definitely got away from us," Stanclift said. "It never really sits well with you to lose the game by 10 runs, but I really didnt think we played too terribly. Five seniors were honored before the games as they celebrated their last competition on Cavaness Field. The seniors were Tara Chumley, Renata Dill, Alyse Menghini, Brooke Plummer and Cami Williams. Williams hit a two-run home run right away in game one against Benedictine, giving Baker an early 2-0 lead. This was Williams second home run of her college career, the first being her freshman year at Baker. It was a great feeling to make that kind of statement on such a big day," Williams said. "Our last game on our home turf and I knew I had to go out there with confidence and make a statement early on, because it was a team thats equally ranked with us and just the feeling off of that was incredible. Stanclift said the seniors have led the team all season not only through their performance on the field, but also in terms of showing underclassmen that sometimes it takes sacrifice to be successful. Chumley tore her labrum in September and had the option of surgery or playing through the pain. While she opted to have the surgery after the season, she had to learn a new position in order to accommodate her pain. Rather than her usual position as catcher, she moved to first base. My leadership has had to change," Chumley said. "There have been games that Ive been a leader from the bench, and when Im not in the game, I really have to figure out how to lead in a different way than Im used to. And I think Ive really adapted to that and have done what I can to lead when Im not on the field." Dill leads the conference in stolen bases, and she leads the team in runs scored and hits. She is also errorless in center field. Stanclift said that Plummer, a pitcher, has stepped in during some tough situations and helped pull the Cats out of some innings. Although third baseman

Khadijah Lane/Baker Orange Senior Brooke Plummer runs to first base after hitting the ball against Benedictine College. BU ended its regular season at 20-22 overall and 11-8 in the Heart of America Athletic Conference.

Menghini is a junior academically, she will be student teaching next year and was recognized on senior night. Menghini leads the team in RBIs, home runs and doubles. She also frequently led the Wildcats in batting average throughout the season. As the seniors wrap up their final season, Stanclift wraps up her first season as head coach. "Ive learned a lot, and I think that just as I ask the girls to continue to get better and better every day and work harder and harder, I hold myself to the same," Stanclift said. "So Im looking forward to applying the things that I've learned this season to future seasons and continuing to get better and work harder and take this program to the top." Heading into the conference tournament, the Wildcats focused on just a few things in order to fine tune, including limiting walks and focusing on minimizing batters pressure. I really think that this team is going to make some noise at the tournament. Weve been fighting all year long, Stanclift said. Weve shown a lot of character and this is it. Weve earned our spot in conference tournament. Were going to be there, so we might as well win the thing, right? Williams remains optimistic as well. "I think overall, we have the confidence to beat every team in this conference," Williams said. "We almost have in the regular season and we should've had a couple of those games, but we understand that the four or five teams that are above us, theyre scared to play us. They know how much we want it and how good we can be, and that were a threat even though our record doesnt show it."

Mens golf takes second at HAAC tournament

Chad Mullen
STAFF WRITER

The mens golf team took second at the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship tournament Tuesday. The Wildcats had three golfers finish in the top 12 of the individual standings but fell to season-long foe Culver-Stockton College. Junior Kelley Thompson led the team with a 54-hole score of 229, just one stroke back from first-place finisher Tyler Barr of C-SC.

The Wildcats finished round one of the tournament one stroke ahead of Culver-Stockton, but fell behind Avila University, the eventual sixthplace team. C-SC took the lead after round two with a tournament-best score of 296. The Wildcats also had four athletes named to the HAAC All-Conference team, including Thompson, senior Alex Zuzelski, sophomore Grant Grego and senior Andy Kelley. The secondplace finish for the Wildcats came 12 days after winning their home

meet at Alvamar Country Club in Lawrence, finishing 62 strokes ahead of Haskell Indian Nations University and 64 strokes ahead of the closest HAAC opponent, Evangel University. The women took second place out of four teams in the Baker Spring Invitational, finishing just behind Rockhurst University. Baker once again finished ahead of the other HAAC competitors, keeping the streak of beating every HAAC team head-to-head since spring of 2012.

Sophomore Lindsey Mateer was the individual medalist, finishing the 36 holes with a score of 173, seven strokes ahead of the nearest competitor. Freshman Kaci Dillingham finished in fifth place, and junior Morgan Miller finished in the top 15. The womens conference tournament will be held in Maryville, Mo., Monday and Tuesday. The Wildcats last played the course March 29 in the Graceland Invite, where the team finished ahead of all HAAC teams.

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BU Scoreboard
The BU scoreboard recaps the Wildcats most recent sporting events and previews upcoming games.

Track: @ Atchison
The BU mens and womens track and field teams look to defend their spot as the HAAC champions this weekend in Atchison. The men are going for the fourth straight outdoor title, while the womens team is seeking its third.

softball: @ Overland Park

BU split with Benedictine College in its last games of the regular season at Cavaness Field. The Cats took on BC once again in the first round of the conference tournament on Thursday in Overland Park. Results were not available at press time.
Chris Ortiz/Baker Orange Members of the Baker University baseball team celebrate after a walk-off win against Peru State College on April 18 at Sauder Field. The Wildcats defeated Peru State, 2-1.

baseball: @ Joplin, Mo
In its last doubleheader of the regular season, Baker baseball split with Avila University. The team traveled to Joplin, Mo., on Wednesday for the conference tournament. Results of Thursdays first game were not available by press time.

Party like its 1999!

Baseball makes postseason tournament for first time in 15 years
Chad Mullen
STAFF WRITER

golf: @ Maryville, mo
The BU mens golf team finished in second place behind Culver-Stockton at the HAAC tournament. The women will compete in their own conference tournament at 9 a.m. on Monday in Maryville, Mo.

tennis: @ Joplin, Mo
On April 25 and 26, the Baker University mens and womens tennis teams competed in the NAIA Independent Groupings Championships in Joplin, Mo. The womens team fell to Evangel University, 6-3, in the first round, and the men came up short to Missouri Valley University, 8-1. Senior Caitlyn Metseff and freshman Lulu Ruding earned a spot on the HAAC second team all-conference as a doubles team. Ruding was also honored as a second-team all-conference individual player. The Wildcats will host their alumni match at noon on Saturday at the Laury tennis courts.

The baseball team finished the 2014 regular season with a winning record in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. It feels awesome, senior Josh Zach said. Its something weve never done while Ive been around, so to get it done my senior year is pretty cool. Bakers 14-12 conference record earned the team a spot in a postseason tournament for the first time since 1999. The Wildcats headed into the tournament as the No. 5 seed. BU began conference play with a 6-0 record, before losing nine of their next 12 games. But Baker finished strong, winning five of its last eight. BU was scheduled to play in its first game of the HAAC Championships Thursday, but results were not available at press time. The team opened the conference tournament against fourth-seeded CulverStockton College. Earlier in the season, the Wildcats took both games in the only series between the two teams. They have some guys who can swing the bat, but we have the best pitching staff in the conference, Zach said. I think Thomas (Hawkins) almost threw a no-hitter against them last time out. No one on the 2014 team had played in a conference tournament. As one of the senior leaders, Zach emphasized the importance of staying loose and playing like it is just another game. I told them that its important to go out and win, but its also important to go out and have fun, he said. If you let the pressure get to you, we wont have fun, so I just told them to have fun. The last time the team has won at least half of its conference games was in 2006, when the Wildcats went 15-15. In 2013, the Wildcats won just three games in conference play, creating a dramatic turnaround for this year. Last year was pretty rough, but this year,

having a chance to go to the conference tournament is pretty great, junior Kyle Pattrick said. The teams 21-27 record is a 15-win improvement over 2013. I feel like both our pitching staff and our hitters are a lot stronger than last year, Zach said. Baker finished the regular season with a four-game split against Avila University. On April 26, the Wildcats took the first game from the Eagles 3-1, then fell 3-2 in game two. After falling 1-0 in the third game, the Wildcats stormed back with a dominant 7-1 victory. It felt good to finish off the season with a good win, Zach said. Especially with a game that would have put us at .500 in the conference, it was important to finish above .500. Zach batted 2-3 with a walk during the contest, and also scored a run in his final regular season game. Zach led the team in nearly every offensive category this season, but he deferred the credit mostly to his teammates. I would say the team helped me get great at-bats, because they couldnt just walk me and go on to the next guy, because we all had a great chance of getting the hit this year, he said. I also played more within myself, not trying to hit a home run every time, seeing that sometimes a bunt was the best option. Another Wildcat who seized an opportunity this year was Pattrick, the teams closer. Six team wins all of last year didnt give Pattrick many save opportunities, but this year, he led the conference and ranked 11th in the NAIA in saves with nine. Last year when I would come in, there was really no chance for us to win, he said. Going in with anywhere from a one-tothree run advantage really helped me this year as far as pitching with confidence, and it has been really exciting.

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SPORTs

DOMINATION
Lauren Bechard
SPORTS EDITOR

The Baker outdoor track and field teams trampled over the competition at the Wildcat Open on Saturday.

Other than qualifying for nationals, sophomore Avery Parker said this years main focus for the Baker University mens and womens outdoor track and field teams is persevering through illness and injuries. We want to hit those national marks, but the biggest problem weve had all year is staying healthy, sophomore Avery Parker said. Health didnt seem to be an issue for the Wildcats on Saturday when each squad took first place on the comfort of its home track at Liston Stadium. Both teams beat out McPherson College for the top spots. The men won with a score of 121.5 and the women racked up a whopping 202 points throughout the day. The Wildcats had 16 individual first-place finishes, seven on the mens side and nine from the women. Parker leaped 14.42 meters to take first place in the triple jump, what he said is his favorite event. During indoor I was getting frustrated because I wasnt doing so good in the triple jump, Parker said. Its always good to defend my spot on my home field, though. Three women surpassed NAIA-A standards including junior Tyler Sloan, who swept the hurdles events and finished the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.53 seconds. Sophomore Billi Pipes flew past her competition in the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.59 seconds, while senior Stephanie Nelson took care of business on the field with a 41.68-meter javelin throw.

...we are going to end the season with a bang, enjoy ourselves, and bring home another HAAC championship.
- Tyler Sloan
Senior Megan Rosa agrees that injuries and illnesses have set the team back, but that wont stop her team from peaking at conference. The Wildcats are competing at the Heart of America Athletic Conference championship meet this weekend. The events began on Thursday and will continue until Saturday at Benedictine College in Atchison. Rosa said her team set a goal to score 400 points at the 2013 HAAC championships. The women missed it by just three points, so they will try again this year. We also want to win as many events as possible, Rosa said. Hopefully everybody can score at least once to add to the morale and allow everyone to feel like they are a part of winning the title. Parker said in order to win the conference title, everyone needs to support each other and just do what we usually do, dominate the HAAC. For (the men), it will be close, but I think we can come out on top, Parker said. Well have a lot of fight heading into the meet so we can defend the title, and that will make a lot of people want to do their best. The BU womens squad is looking to win the outdoor conference title for the third year in a row and Sloan suspects they will accomplish its goals with ease. We dont need a miracle. We have a really good chance of winning, Sloan said. We just need to do what we usually do and have fun...Its some peoples last meet, so we are going to end the season with a bang, enjoy ourselves, and bring home another HAAC championship.

Callie Paquette/ The Baker Orange (top) Freshman Ben Carpenter clears the bar during the mens pole vault at the Wildcat Open on Saturday at Liston Stadium. Carpenter cleared 4.5 meters, which was good enough for a first-place finish. Heading into the Heart of America Athletic Conference Championship, Carpenter is ranked third in the pole vault behind two Central Methodist University athletes. (middle) Freshman Josh Chalker, University of Central Missouris Jimmy Scott and sophomore Jessie Matthews prepare to run over the next hurdle during the mens 110-meter race on April 26. The BU mens track team placed first in the Wildcat Open with 121.5 points, which was 83 points more than runner-up McPherson College. (bottom) Senior Ashley Henry runs the womens 3,000-meter run on Saturday at Liston Stadium. The distance runner came in third in the event behind Missouri Valleys Amanda Buhr and teammate freshman Shelby Stephens. Henry and the Baker University womens team are favored to repeat as the Heart of America Athletic Conference outdoor championships for the third year in a row on Saturday in Atchison.

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CONFERENCE CHANGES
There are mixed emotions among the Baker University athletic programs as they prepare for future changes in the Heart of America Athletic Conference. NEW FACES, SAME CONFERENCE The HAAC will be adding two more schools to the mix for the 2015-2016 school year. The addition of Grandview and William Penn universities will expand the conference to 12 teams the most it has had in 43 years. BU Athletic Director Theresa Yetmar thinks that these schools are a good fit for our conference, and that each will be able to match the established intensity of HAAC athletics. I think the competition in our conference has always been strong, Yetmar said. I would make an argument that we are one of the best conferences in the nation, if not the best depending on what team youre talking about These teams have tradition of winning and they will jump right in and the bar of competition will stay high. Although Baker finished above Grandview, William Penn and all other HAAC institutions in the 2012-2013 Learfield Sports Directors Cup, which awards points for how universities finish in up to 12 sports, Grandview currently stands two spots ahead of BU at No. 10. William Penn is now ranked No. 57. Full results will be available when spring standings are released on May 29. Grandview is the defending national champion in football and wrestling, two sports in which Baker had post-season success. Head football coach Mike Grossner was uneasy about the proposed changes when he first heard about them. As a whole, in football, we werent for it, Grossner said. We have a strong enough conference and have enough teams to make it tough, and now well have to be crazy good to win this conference. While Grossner may feel a little uneasy about the new competition, Yetmar has faith in Baker athletics. I think we have a group of coaches and student-athletes that are very competitive and dont back down from a challenge, Yetmar said. Even if we bring in members that are winning national championships we will go, toe-to-toe with them. One of Grossners players, sophomore Clarence Clark, is ready to take any challenge. When you play against a team you know you are better than, a lot of the time youll play down to the level of your opponent, Clark said. Bringing in a team like Grandview to this conference, we are going to have to bring it just about every week. Sophomore volleyball player Kaysha Green will be a senior when the two schools join the conference, and she said there are ups and downs to the expansion. It makes me nervous about not being familiar or knowing the level of competition these schools have, Green said. But on the other hand, adding these two schools will increase the number of bids (volleyball) get for nationals and that makes me pleased to see the change. While William Penn volleyball finished its season with a losing record, Grandviews women are coming off their highest finish yet after winning five matches at the NAIA Volleyball National Tournament, including four upsets. Basketball will serve as the biggest change for both Grandview and William Penn. Both schools will be transferring to the NAIA Division I level. William Penns mens team played in the D-II national championship game last season and entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed. The conference will broaden its region into Iowa with the addition of Grandview and William Penn. Graceland is the only active HAAC member that is also housed in Iowa, while the others are located in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri. I was instructed over the last four to five years to expand the conference and its geographic footprint, said current conference commissioner Larry Lady in a HAAC press release. The addition of Grand View University and William Penn University are a great geographic addition and are both excellent institutions to join the HAAC, which we believe is one of the finest conferences in the NAIA. Yetmar agrees with Ladys description of the conference, and she looks forward to working with the Grandview and William Penn athletic directors in the future. The two schools we are adding will only continue to enhance our national presence and getting the word out about the HAAC, Yetmar said. I think they certainly match our reputation as a strong conference.

E X PA N S I O N , N E W L E A D E R S H I P F O R C E B U AT H L E T I C S T O P R E PA R E F O R U P C O M I N G

Lauren Bechard
SPORTS EDITOR

SAME FACE, NEW POSITION On July 1, Lori Thomas will become the first female commissioner in NAIA history. Lady is handing the reigns over after his 21 years as HAAC commissioner. Thomas has worked for the NAIA for 16 years and she currently holds the position as senior vice president for membership and character initiatives. I think (Thomas) is taking her position as commissioner at an interesting time, Yetmar said. We have seen growth in student-athlete membership and welfare. She has been on the inside of those conversationsand she will be able to hone those initiatives and put them into place for our conference. Yetmar speaks of Thomas in high regard, saying that the new commissioner is very dynamic and she is never one to back down from a challenge. She has no problem engaging in conflict - Theresa Yetmar and being a problem solver. BU Athletics Director A Kansas City native, Thomas played volleyball and basketball at Johnson County Community College and Idaho State University. She went on to play professional volleyball in Belgium before beginning her assistant volleyball coaching career at Missouri State University and the University of Tulsa, respectively. I have a great passion for character-driven intercollegiate athletics and look forward to working closer with the institutions administration, coaches and student-athletes, Thomas said in a press release. The HAAC, with 10 member schools, expanding to 12 beginning in 2015, has a great foundation both academically and competitively. I am honored and humbled to follow Larry Lady as commissioner. His immense efforts over these past two decades have helped build the HAAC into one of the best in the nation. Yetmar thinks that all of the HAAC changes will be for the betterment of the conference and its member schools. As a conference, we can be a trailblazer out front honing initiatives, Yetmar said. And we can continue to be a model conference that everyone else aspires to be. We are proud to be a member of the HAAC. We have a long standing tradition with the HAAC and look forward to being an active participant in its future.

...we can continue to be a model conference that everyone else aspires to be.

May 2, 2014

Entertainment
www.thebakerorange.com
Taylor Shuck
MANAGING EDITOR

Page 14

Senior ends extended time with exhibit

After six years at Baker University and a lifetime in Baldwin City, Alex Coffey will graduate in May
He has seen almost all the members of his freshman class graduate in the Collins Center. He has watched as everyone in his major slowly headed in other directions, toward more reliable fields. Hes a self-titled super, super senior. The Department of Education says that fewer than 40 percent of students who enter college each year graduate within four years, while almost 60 percent of students graduate in six years. This statistic rings true for senior Alex Coffey who will finally be graduating this May with a studio art degree after six years at Baker University. It was a little hard to come to terms with a fifth year at Baker, but then the sixth year came, and Im kind of fine with it now, Coffey said. Ive realized that even though Ive wasted two years, Ive at least gained experiences. He came to Baker not knowing what he wanted to do; he knew he loved art and the artistic process, but like most students, he wanted to explore his options. Unfortunately, he said that due to procrastination and his lack of a calling, he ended up having to stay at Baker a little bit longer than he hoped. As a Baldwin City native, his extra years at Baker have been harder than most. Being around what he calls townies is difficult, but he did realize through his time that he will miss the forced friendships that come with being in a small town and a part of an even smaller college. A lot of the friends Ive made here, Im going to miss, Coffey said. Ill probably keep in touch but it will never be the same. Being in this confined place, it forces you to be friends with so many people and when I get out there, Im going to miss that. His extra two years have allowed Coffey to explore more options than he would have been able to in his first few years. He was a member of the Baker University Gaming Society (BUGS) as well as Kappa Sigma fraternity, ran the recycling program and was a part of the Art Club for four years. He took all types of courses that interested him, but the further along he got in college, the more he realized what he wanted to do. Hes spread himself and took more classes than most students do and I think that always helps, Coffeys adviser, Professor of Art Inge Balch, said. And it helps also that he was able to learn so much about art. I know that contemporary art is really important, but I think they still need to know where it all came from so they dont keep reinventing the wheel. Balch knew that Coffey was going to be at Baker for a while once she realized that every

Pieces from senior Alex Coffeys art exhibit, Major Arcana. The exhibit is on display in the Holt-Russell Gallery in Parmenter Hall.

semester he would enroll three weeks late, which made it harder on him to complete his curriculum. Even though he lagged behind sometimes, something Coffey will openly admit to, Balch loved having him as a student. I was thinking for a while that he was going to be one of these forever students, but at least a pleasant person to have around, Balch said. He has his own ideas, he knew what he wanted to do, and he worked hard most of the time. But he was always helpful and always ready to pitch in. It was quite frustrating for Coffey when Baker completed plans for a new graphics design major during his last year as a student. Although he likes his studio art degree, he said that the graphics design path was more what he wanted. If I hadnt already been here so long I would stay an extra year so that I could get this degree, Coffey said. It just kinda sucks that they finally did that in my last year at Baker. The addition of this major isnt the only thing that Coffey has seen change during his

time at Baker. The Quest and Salon program were new when I got here, but the biggest change Ive seen is the change in the cafeteria and the LLC to the NLC, Coffey said, noting how strange it is to watch his environment change. I think Baker has become more modern. I think its trying to re-appeal itself to a new generation. I think the fact that we are getting the graphic design degree and dropping the political science one shows that. As an end to his extended time at Baker, Coffey is hosting Major Arcana, his senior art exhibit in the Holt-Russell Gallery in Parmenter Hall. The exhibits name refers to the 22 major trump cards in a traditional tarot deck. For his show, Coffey recreated these images in Adobe Photoshop. Im nervous but excited for people to see it because it was a lot of work, Coffey said. But I bet when anybodys stuff is about to be shown they have to be a little nervous. Coffeys friend, Baldwin High School graduate junior Zach McElmurry, believes that it was Coffeys extended experiences at Baker that inspired his work. His art exhibit was really about the human nature and that you have to take the good with the bad, McElmurry said. Having a full ride, tuition wise, he just didnt feel like he had to try as hard because there wasnt a monetary value at stake. So it really encompasses the whole idea of how the bad times have shaped his time here.

Senior Alex Coffeys senior art exhibit, on display in Parmenter Hall, features redesigns of the 22 trump cards of the tarot deck. Coffeys friend, junior Zach McElmurry, believes that the pieces, made solely in Photoshop, encompass Coffeys time at Baker.

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Final performances planned

The Baker University Music and Theater Department scheduled a variety of concerts and performances to end the spring semester. While a number of music students have already participated in jazz, string and percussion concerts, some musicians are still preparing for the Spring Sing concert and a symphonic winds performance. The choral division of BU will present Spring Sing at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Baldwin First United Methodist Church. Baker Concert Choir, Chamber Singers and University Community Choir will welcome guests from the Dundalk Institute of Technology in Ireland. Students and faculty from Dundalk will perform traditional Irish music and accompany the choir. In addition, jazz trombonist Harry Watters will be featured on two selections. Baker University choirs are directed by Cathy Crispino and accompanied by Nanette Kraus. On Sunday, BU will celebrate Ray James retirement after 48 years as a band director during the BU Symphonic Winds Guest Artist Concert, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. in Rice Auditorium. The concert will feature guest artists from DkIT. They will premiere Irish composer Eibhlis Farrells piece that was written for the symphonic winds. Following the concert, the Irish performers will provide the service music during the 6 p.m. mass at Annunciation Catholic Church. Theater students and faculty presented the fast-paced comedy What the Butler Saw April 24-27 in Rice Auditorium. One of the lead actors dropped out of the play, so Associate Professor of Theater Tom Heiman filled in as Dr. Prentice. When selecting the play, director Patti Heiman believed the cleverly dark humor of the farce would be a challenge for the students.

Callie Paquette/Baker Orange (top left) Junior Marshall Sumwalt and senior Erin Wilson perform during the String Chamber Music Concert on Tuesday in McKibbin Recital Hall. (top right) Sophomore Katie Masters, as Geraldine Barclay, pokes her head out from behind the curtain as she and the doctor, played by Associate Professor of Theater Tom Heiman, discuss their plan of action to fool Dr. Rance and the police during a rehearsal for What the Butler Saw.

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FLEX

Tera Lyons/ The Baker Orange A local cat wanders through the crime scene simulation set up for Associate Professor of Sociology Jacob Buchers criminology investigation Quest class. Freshmen worked their way through the scene taking photos and collecting evidence in order to figure out what happened to the victim.

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