Discriminatory concepts is a tricky term. As noted in Students for Fair Admissions vs. Harvard, discriminatory practices do not happen in vacuum: preferential treatment cannot occur without prejudicial treatment occurring.  Kentucky’s public colleges have continued flipping the discriminatory token coin from “heads” to “tails” in an attempt to sanitize prejudicial sin and excuse unconstitutional preferential treatment as the foundation of creating “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” (DEI).

Despite that euphemistic misnomer, DEI initiatives in higher education are multimillion-dollar endeavors that have rebranded discriminatory concepts from our past as welcomed norms at our postsecondary institutions. DEI initiatives perpetuate discrimination by marginalizing equality, compelling inequality, censoring free thought, whitewashing the need for institutional accountability, and tokenizing diversity on campus.

DEI in Kentucky isn’t any academic course or resource center, both are exempt in SB6 as amended by the House. DEI in Kentucky employs a tale of discrimination and division based on the inexcusable perpetuation of marginalization based on race at these initiatives’ best. DEI, at these initiatives’ worst, is a marketable acronym that deceives the senses and acts as an institution’s quick reflex to ensnare diversity optically without engaging in accountability or substantive work to create an inclusive campus culture.    

Kentucky’s public postsecondary DEI initiatives are not the resource centers meeting student needs, Title IX offices, nor the equal opportunity offices charged initiatives to promote integration as recently opined in a joint editorial by student papers. DEI didn’t exist until after Kentucky was evaluated to have met racial integration by the US Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in 2009. 

On the contrary, per my open records request, the offices promoting accountability and meeting students’ needs are underfunded compared to the DEI offices, DEI offices costing the Commonwealth $13,974,798 at only two public institutions (UK and UofL) per year. 

Significantly, despite the ongoing and never-ending increase in tuition, Kentucky’s $13 million spent on DEI salaries pales compared to mere hundreds of thousands of dollars in endowments to fund scholarships for Kentucky’s most diverse college students. Discrimination is incentivized and valued over accountability. 

Examples of DEI gone wrong in Kentucky include a student conservative group denied on campus after not agreeing with “forced diversity pledges” and staff making fun of students in private messages; Students raising awareness about racism on campus being censored; Resident Advisors at UK rebranding segregation as ‘affirmative spaces’ and launching the University of Kentucky into an investigation; and it’s unconstitutional Bias Incident Response Teams weaponized by DEI employees to punish whatever is deemed offensive, chilling speech on campus and bypassing offices of discrimination.

Importantly, Kentucky’s decade of DEI initiatives has done nothing to minimize decade of decline in enrollment nor slow decreases in enrollment that go beyond national trends. According to the Kentucky Council For Postsecondary Education’s data center, Kentucky seen a -39.56% decline of in-state low-income students, -11.4% decline of in state low-income underrepresented minority students, -16.8% decline of adult ‘nontraditional’ students, -53.26% decline of low-income Native American students, -23.23% decline of in-state low-income black and biracial students, and -36.95% decline of Kentucky’s low-income black students.

Nonetheless, Kentucky’s DEI initiatives continued and evolved beyond their original intent without results. Despite the legal standing in SFFA vs. Harvard and Kentucky 4% Asian-American population, Asians are not included in Kentucky definition of underrepresented minority. Additionally, in-state underrepresented minority students are absorbing student loan debt at a higher rate than any demographic in Kentucky. 

Kentucky’s use of a discriminatory token coin shouldn’t be what heads the tale of Kentucky’s public postsecondary institutions’ future. The General Assembly should compel our public institutions to toss their discriminatory token coin into the well if we wish to give any hope to equality on campus. 

Kentucky cannot be flippant about equality or constitutional principles. It’s time equality prevailed at Kentucky’s public college campuses. Our State Senate must pass Senate Bill 6 as amended, and end the discriminatory practices that have perpetuated discrimination at Kentucky’s higher education institutions.

As indicated by the Kentucky Attorney General, Kentucky’s higher education authority and public universities are participating in unconstitutional and discriminatory practices. Just because the DEI legislation is dead doesn’t mean the battle is over. Either DEI will end either in legislation or litigation. Stay Tuned.

Michael Frazier is a Powell County native, a National Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award Recipient, Queer Equality Activist, Higher Education Policy Advisor and a Republican lobbyist in Frankfort.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

Growing up surrounded by cornfields in Southern Indiana, I remember some years were harder than others for the farmers due to harsh weather conditions or other factors. Although I didn’t grow up on a farm myself, my community was fueled by agriculture, and I learned to appreciate everything farmers do for our nation. 

Hundreds of miles away in Washington D.C., Congress passes a “Farm Bill” once every five years to support our agricultural industry. This bill should help everyday farmers, but time is running out for this iteration. If it does not get passed soon, farmers will not be able to access key funding. 

Programs like the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) help farmers nationwide to implement effective conservation practices that not only yield higher production but help keep the environment healthy. With the growing popularity of  EQIP and CSP, conservatives must support the funding in the Farm Bill. 

When it comes to the farmers, they know what works best for their land and farms, and they deserve the right to opt into programs like EQIP and CSP. These programs are essential and popular with farmers and they are also essential in making farming more sustainable. In fact, these programs are so popular that the current amount of funding can only support a fraction of applicants to these programs. 

It’s important to acknowledge that farmers are conservationists. Fortunately, many young people – namely young conservatives – know this. In a recent American Conservation Coalition poll, 78% of young conservatives said they were in favor of sustainable agriculture. The future of environmental action must include our nation’s farmers, and the Conservation Title of the Farm Bill is an excellent place to start.

Importantly, these programs directly benefit our nation’s farmers. Practices implemented through EQIP include reduced contamination from agricultural sources and improved soil health, which mitigates increasing weather volatility, improves drought resiliency, and helps farmers adapt to the effects of climate change. CSP can help farmers develop grazing plans, improving the forage base for their livestock. 

Climate change has made farmers’ livelihoods more uncertain than ever before. Allocating critical funding to our agricultural sector to improve production and protect our environment is crucial. 

As a resident of western Kentucky, I would urge my elected representatives to support American agriculture by preserving conservation funding in the Farm Bill. 

Jeb Veeck is a senior from Wadesville, Indiana, with a major in political science and a minor in sales. Veeck is the branch leader of the American Conservation Coalition Action’s WKU Branch.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu. 

In the preparation for my study abroad to Thailand, I considered many scenarios but never one which featured cowboy hats, a sea of Texas and Thai flags and the sweet aroma of homemade apple pie.

On February 7th, Chiang Mai and Austin, Texas officially linked to one another in promotion of trade, investment and mutual benefit. The celebration hosted several notable speakers including Robert F. Godec, the US Ambassador to Thailand, and Nirat Phongsittithaworn, the governor of Chiang Mai. Both Thai and Texan musicians and dancers performed at the event and some attendees indulged in their first taste of pulled pork BBQ sandwiches.

The mission of Sister Cities International is simple: “to promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation – one individual, one community at a time.”

President Dwight D Eisenhower founded the Sister Cities program in 1956 with the goal that cities from every corner of the earth share ideas, innovation, friendship and cultural understanding. Now, there are over 500 US cities fostering relationships with over 145 countries.

The Sister City partnership between Chiang Mai and Austin reflects the long friendship between Thailand and the United States. Thailand is the US’s oldest Asian ally. Their relationship is nearly two centuries old and has seen great developments in security, economy as well as Thailand’s transition into democracy.

Earlier the same day, Ambassador Godec visited Chiang Mai University for the official opening of its “American Corner.” This designated space serves as a celebration of culture and diversity and an avenue for American students to assimilate into the Thai collegiate student body.

Pongruk Sribanditmongkol, the President of Chiang Mai University, invited the other University Study Abroad Consortium (USAC) students and I to join the grand opening of

the American Corner. Here, Ambassador Godec spoke on the importance of cultural interconnection, the United State’s view on China on the global stage and the beauty of US Thai partnerships.

Challenged by the opinion of some that the US imposes its international will and denigrates the culture of others, Ambassador Godec likened American foreign policy to a tapestry. He explained that interweaving the threads of different customs, ideas, ideologies, and goods is necessary to create a strong, beautiful tapestry. Globalization does not dominate or destroy but compliment and fortify.

“Thai culture is strong. American culture is strong. We are better together by sharing our uniqueness” Ambassador Gorec said.

Following the ceremonial ribbon cutting, Ambassador Gorec and students painted traditional Thai fans and umbrellas, a historical symbol of Thailand and royalty.

Ambassador Gorec implored all students to approach new cultures with a perspective that prioritizes learning, listening and building bridges. He stressed how vital it is that the new generations investigate and protect the diversity of people around them.

While I believe there is no better way to follow the Ambassador’s instructions than studying abroad, you do not have to leave Bowling Green to receive international exposure. In fact, Bowling Green is sister cities with Kawanishi, Japan. Bowling Green also receives the largest amount of refugees per capita in the nation. Our city has a rich and vibrant international community that students ought to plug into. It is only by assuming this global mindset and growing one’s own intercultural competency that they can productively understand and participate in the world.

Students interested in finding a study abroad experience that fits their needs should contact the WKU Study Abroad and Global Learning Office at https://www.wku.edu/studyabroad/. Students interested in learning about or serving Bowling Green’s refugee community should contact the International Center at https://www.icofky.com/ or Refuge BG at https://www.refugebg.com/.

Sydney Windhorst is a third generation Hilltopper from Crestwood, Kentucky studying International Affairs, Journalism Writing and Political Science. She has spent two semesters studying abroad in Florence, Italy and Chiang Mai, Thailand. She is committed to national and international civil service and is a 2023-2024 intern for both US Central Command under the Department Of Defense and The Office of East Asian and Pacific Affairs under the Department of State. Sydney can be contacted at sydney.windhorst932@topper.wku.edu

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

 Critical thinking is also special. It’s what the Enlightenment was built on; it’s what science is based on; it’s what school, and particularly university, is supposed to teach. Combining the two incredibly potent forces of religion and critical thinking quite possibly may be, particularly at this moment in time, the only thing that can save the world. And the only place in the world where these two things are objectively and transparently combined is in a university classroom, most specifically in a Religious Studies course. You might get a glimpse of religion in high school, but not much, because many, if not most, parents would not allow it. Religion is a personal choice, after all, a matter of opinion. Which is true, until you kill or get killed for it, in which case it’s not.

My boss, and my boss’s boss, do not agree with the above two paragraphs. To them, “critical thinking” means being “data driven” and only data driven. I think being data driven is great, but I also think being only data driven is not great. There is quantity and there is quality. Quality is sometimes hard to quantify. But just because it is sometimes difficult, or perhaps even impossible, to quantify quality, that doesn’t mean that quality doesn’t exist. It just means that people who are only data driven cannot see it or understand it. Religion (or the lack of it) has to do with quality of life, not with the quantity of money you hope to make after graduation.

The WKU Religious Studies program is going away because my boss and my boss’s boss think religion is not special and should be evaluated in the same way that other academic departments are assessed: by the quantifiable number of majors it has. What they fail to see is that while a physics major can become a physicist, an engineering major can become an engineer, a business major can become a businessperson, a music major can become a musician and an art major can become an artist, a religion major cannot become a religionist, because there’s no such thing. Why, then, can’t the religious studies program be assessed solely on the number of students that take classes in Religion? Based on student credit hour production (SCHP), we four religion faculty more than pull our weight, financially speaking. Religion is special, then, not only because most humans say it is the most important thing in their lives, but also because taking a Religion course will not get you a job, but it just might help save the planet, not least from those who kill and rape, or even exclude and alienate, because of religion.

University used to be for job training and mind broadening. The latter is why Colonnade exists. Some students only want job training and think broadening their mind is a waste of time. Historically, such job training is what trade schools have been for, but now more and more Americans are seeing university as solely for job training (And maybe something called “the university experience”: dorm life, cafeterias, and Go Tops!). And if university students collectively decide that Shakespeare or Buddhism or Plato aren’t worth their time, then so be it: the people have spoken. But I don’t think they have decided that yet; I think a majority of students still do want to broaden their minds with Colonnade courses of their choosing.  

But these “data-driven” administrators do not care. They want university graduates to be skilled workers who get good jobs (which I agree with), but who do not think about why, for example, the Jan. 6 protesters/rioters, upon reaching the innermost room of the capitol building, took their hats off and bowed their heads in prayer; or why Samual Paty was beheaded by religious believers; or why Buddhists in Burma are killing Muslims. No, these WKU administrators say those are just matters of opinion, and not nearly as important as getting a job at Fruit of the Loom or learning how to engineer an electric car battery. But why not do both? 

If student enrollment declines, then it is only logical to cut some academic programs. I understand supply and demand, as well as the arithmetic of budgets. But whereas you can go to a technical college for engineering or business, or turn to a private tutor for music or art, there is nowhere but a university and no one but a professor to whom you can turn for an objective, critical-minded assessment of religion. My classes always fill and students enjoy thinking about the eternal problems that religion raises. If you want to preserve this opportunity—if you think religion is special and that learning about it objectively and with critical thinking merits special consideration in assessing the Religion program—consider talking to my boss, and my boss’s boss. Perhaps you will succeed where I have failed.

Paul Fischer teaches World Religions, The Meaning of Life, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism in the Religious Studies program; Intro to Asian Studies in the Asian Religions and Cultures program; and Traditional East Asia, and Chinese History and Historiography in the History program.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

As a community we have watched the events unfolding in Israel and Gaza with horror; such acts can never be justified. Right now, there are people in our campus and Bowling Green community who are clearly hurting, and they are our priority. As the conflict continues, additional innocent individuals are being injured or killed and we, as a community, are gravely concerned for Israelis and Palestinians who are suffering in that region. Though WKU is half a world away from the war, many of our community members have connections to the Middle East and will be carrying the weight of these atrocities in the days to come.

We are not able to affect the outcome of any war, but we can decide as a community to support and care for one another. WKU is committed to the belief that embracing our multicultural communities is part of our core values, and that empathy and compassion are our greatest strength.

Looking out for each other’s well-being is paramount, so please check on your friends and neighbors who may be impacted. If individuals in our community are struggling with how to process these events, please know the WKU Counseling Center and mental health services are here for all of us.

And at a time when we have all witnessed increased acts of antisemitism and anti-Muslim and anti-Arab violence worldwide, we can’t allow our politics, grief, or anger about the conflict to spill over into abusive behavior or harassment. It is important that our community finds ways to support the victims, and hope for a swift end to the violence and war.

We Are ONE WKU

Molly Kerby is WKU’s Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness and a professor of sociology.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

The news reports from England are filled with language detailing the strife now present between father, the long king-in-waiting and former Prince of Wales, Charles; and his two sons, William, now Prince of Wales and future king of England; and his brother, Harry, Duke of Sussex; and their respective families. One cannot log onto YouTube or any other media outlet without hearing a story or rumor regarding what is or thought to be, what might be, what should be and what will happen with these relationships. Within this contextual vortex, the question of the monarchy and its survival has received unprecedented coverage.  

While reporters appear to enjoy talking endlessly about real or imagined exploits of the royals, some “information’” has been force-fed in unnecessary detail to the public by its own members. 

Therein lies the crux of the problem: a family in crisis, one that is now publicly crying for help. 

Underlying all the headlines is a personal family story of despair, separation, depression and reflection. As one attempts to sift through reality and innuendo that has flooded the airwaves, it has become apparent that the death of Charles’ first wife, Princess Diana, beloved mother to William and Harry, continues to have a profound impact on the nation and those who were major players in both her personal and professional lives. No two have been more affected than her sons, who still carry the weight of her death, albeit in very different ways.  

The rise of Charles, now head of the Windsor family and occupant of the nation’s ultimate position of power as monarch, parallels the increasing importance of his role as father to these two young men. Charles has waited a lifetime to be king and now that moment has arrived. For the first time he is free from the constraints that he felt his entire life. There is no mother or father looking over his shoulder to give advice or criticism. There is a wife by his side who loves him and whom he loves. Now Charles can make his own decisions with near impunity. He is his own man.  

While the new King is basking in the expansive personal attention he is receiving, has he given thought to what kind of leader he wants to be? Has he weighed the important role he plays as family leader and father to his sons and balanced it with his role as monarch? Has he reflected on his personal contribution to the current family dilemma and considered how he might lead his family out of intrigue to a place of peace?  

There appears to be no ready rapprochement to the turmoil that currently exists within the royal family. Yet they must find a way to heal in order to not only bind their own wounds, but also to provide the nation with an example of how to deal with such family dysfunction.  

All this must be accomplished within a context of healing the hurts from Diana’s death and honoring the enduring legacy of love and kindness that still echoes in the hearts of those whose lives she touched. As the mother of William and Harry, as Britain’s undisputed Queen of Hearts, her influence remains as a strong force in their lives as well as within those who remember how her tenderness and mercy brought attention to the needs of neglected people around the world.

Can Charles act to heal the family? Yes, he could, but I doubt he will. But there is a way he can turn all the gossip-mongers on their heads and change the entire nature of the dialogue regarding his relationship with his sons. 

It would take a brave act, one conveying considerable integrity, but a very simple one. In a public forum, perhaps at the coronation concert if Harry attends, but definitely at a public venue for all to hear and see, Charles could rise and invite his sons to stand by his side, flanking him. Then he could publicly state these few words, with strength, directly facing the cameras: “These are my sons, whom I love unconditionally.” 

These simple words would say so much about the depth of a father’s love for his sons, regardless of the circumstances or faults. It would say what needs to be said without elaboration. It would convey forgiveness and grace. It would deter the speculation about who is valued and who is not. And it would communicate what is true. To those of us who read the Bible, it would echo the story of the prodigal son. 

Charles’ words could serve as an example to every family that experiences hardships in dealing with one another, and convey that no matter how great or intractable those problems may seem, they can be overcome. 

These words, spoken with conviction and tenderness, might provide a step stone to heal the rift between father and sons, brother and brother. Diana would approve.

While Charles may never be the King of Hearts to his people, he could at least demonstrate that he has one.

I hope he takes this idea and runs with it. After all that has been given to you, Charles, and for all who have loved you no matter what, show your compassion: Pass your love on. With the eyes of the world on you, this is the time.

Ronda Talley, PhD, MPH, is a former professor of psychology at Western Kentucky University. She served as the American Psychological Association Associate Director for Education from 1989-1996, executive director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregivers from 2000-2005, and Associate Executive Director for Policy and Advocacy and Health Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 2005-2010.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

Young adults and college students are attractive targets for scammers. Members of Generation Z (Gen Z) have a clean credit record and extensive online presence, which increases their exposure risk.

Despite growing up in a digital age, younger adults are more susceptible to losing money to scams than the elderly. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) annual report listing the top scams of 2022, out of 2.4 million fraud reports, data showed that young adults (ages 20-29) reported losing money more often than older adults (ages 70-79). Young adults also suffered higher rates of identity theft than people over 50, which can take a huge financial and emotional toll on victims just beginning their careers.

In general, the financial losses to scams are significant. In 2022, Kentuckians reported losing nearly $32 million to scams and identity theft, more than double the financial losses reported in 2021. But high dollar losses to scams isn’t specific to Kentucky; it has become a national trend. According to the FTC’s 2022 data, 2.4 million Americans reported losing $8.8 billion to fraud last year, which is a $2.6 billion increase compared to 2021.

What scams should Gen Z be on the lookout for? According to the FTC, the top 5 scams reported by Americans aged 20-29 include fraud related to online shopping, impersonating a business or government agency, investments, and employment.

No one wants to lose money to an online shopping scam but losing money on an outfit pales in comparison to the risks associated with an employment scam and the identity theft that follows. Employment scammers headhunt victims through blast emails and legitimate employment sites to offer flexibility and high pay. Be cautious and research employers – a job search can be risky.

Scammers most often contact young adults through social media, which provides an ideal platform for running online shopping and business imposter scams. In these schemes, scammers create duplicate accounts or take over pages to lure unsuspecting victims into fake investment opportunities – usually involving the conversion of funds to bitcoin. By the time the target realizes the opportunity is a scam, not a trusted friend, it’s too late. Unprotected social media pages also provide scammers with access to information, like name, birth date, college, and employment status, they need to commit identity theft.

Not surprisingly, the favored method of payment for this age group is cash apps. Young Americans are accustomed to splitting the cost of dinner with friends or paying for an Uber with handy cash apps. Scammers intentionally ask victims to make payments through cash apps, gift cards, bitcoin, and wire transfers because it is nearly impossible to recover.

The Attorney General’s Office has taken steps to warn Kentuckians about these common scams and shared tips to avoid this type of fraud. In 2022, the office launched a statewide media campaign called “Be a Fraud Fighter.” The campaign included radio advertisements and printed brochures which were distributed through banks and community partners. The Office of Senior Protection also regularly speaks to community groups, businesses, and libraries to raise awareness about scams. We’ve also collaborated with the Kentucky Retail Federation to remind consumers that the safest way to avoid scams is to remember that gift cards should only be purchased as gifts and not used to make payments.

While there are many types of scams and fraud, you can protect yourself from common scams by following these tips:

• Be wary of ordering from unknown websites, especially impulse buys from ads on social media. Always use a credit card when purchasing items online. Credit cards provide greater protection if you don’t receive the item.
• Never click on links within text messages or emails, even those which appear to be from trusted sources such as your bank or a known business, as these can install malware on your device to steal passwords or your identity.
• If anyone demands that you send money through a cash app, bitcoin, wire transfer, or gift card, especially if they claim to be law enforcement, a public utility, or another government agency, it’s a scam!
• Carefully research potential employers before providing personal information, social security, or bank account information. Scammers promise work-from-home jobs, high wages, and flexible opportunities. They even pose as headhunters on reputable employment websites and social media to lure you into fake employment scams.

It will take all of us working together to stop scammers from preying on Kentuckians, and we need your help. We need Kentuckians who encounter a suspected scam to report it to our office by completing our online scam complaint form at ag.ky.gov/scams. Reporting a scam quickly can prevent further financial harm and helps our office protect others from trending scams.

LaDonna Koebel is the Executive Director of the Attorney General’s Office of Senior Protection, which assists consumers of all ages with fraud, scams, and identity theft through education, awareness, and steps to recover from scams.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

Let’s be honest, most of us tend to put things off until later, or even the last minute.  Some call it being lazy, but I like to call it being strategic.  There is no sense in doing something now if it can be done later and I have other things that are due now.  I’m not saying it is okay to put things off.  I’m just saying everyone needs to find their own pace and style to get work done. 

But there are times when starting “early” makes a lot of sense.  Finals is a good example of a situation where most of us tend to wait until the last minute and then find out there isn’t enough time.  Preparing for most finals would be considered “re-learning;” you are going over the material covered during the semester to remind yourself and refresh your memory of what you learned once before. 

People tend to learn best by repeated practice or rehearsal.  Re-learning isn’t a waste of time; it is how most of us learn. So finals is more about reviewing all that has been covered previously in class so it makes sense you would need more than one night to prepare for an exam. I know this sounds odd but starting a few weeks out from finals will give you more time to review your material and stir up the memories that were first made earlier in the semester. 

Maybe think of it like weight lifting. You don’t wait until the night before a contest to start lifting.  You do it over a longer period of time to build up strength.  The human mind follows a similar process when learning academic material.  It has to hear it, see it, think it over and over again to become a usable part of your memory.  So yes, start finals “week” a few weeks early.

Make a plan, sketch it out on your desk, post it on your wall.  Assign time each day for each class and use that time to review the text, your notes, slides, videos, etc.  Even just skimming your text and only reading the section titles will help stir up and strengthen your memory. 

And for crying out loud, please give up the idea that ADHD medications and all-nighters will work for you. If you aced an exam using either, honestly, you probably could have aced it anyway. I’m not talking about pulling an all-nighter and then making a D on a final. 

And honestly, because I don’t want to sound like I am preaching, if you are content with your grades, don’t change how you study. I knew a football coach who used to drill his players on the importance of a nutritionally solid pre-game meal. And then he would say to them “unless you are winning, then keep eating whatever it is you eat before a game.” If it is working, don’t mess with it.  But if you want to make a change, try starting finals week a bit early.

Karl Laves is the associate director of the WKU Counseling Center. He holds a doctorate from the University of Missouri-Columbia.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

Let’s be real. Intimate partner violence happens—a lot. All genders experience intimate partner violence, and marginalized groups experience violence at even higher levels. According to the CDC, one in three individuals who identify as women and one in four individuals who identify as men report experiencing violence at the hands of a current or previous intimate partner at some time in their lives. That is tough, considering not all abuse is reported. We don’t always talk about “it”, but “it” is there, and “its” effects (injuries, PTSD, depression, and substance use, among others) can linger long after the relationship ends or the last bruise fades, so it is essential to know what options are available to those navigating “it.”

But what exactly is “it?” Intimate partner violence, or IPV, is a type of power-based violence occurring between members of a current or previous romantic or sexual relationship that uses power and control to maintain the relationship. This can include physical or sexual violence, psychological aggression and/or stalking. Shame, guilt, embarrassment and fear may keep people from talking about “it,” but that does not mean someone struggling with intimate partner violence must struggle alone. Sometimes the first step in breaking the cycle of violence may simply be speaking the experience aloud. Talking about “it” helps end the stigma around being a victim survivor, which is often true for being the target of any assault. We don’t have to avoid the tough stuff, so let’s get into “it.”

You’ve probably heard the term “red flags” on social media, and with good reason. Sharing red flags is crucial because it is essential to recognize unsafe behaviors that could signal more trouble in the future. What are some red flags to look for in a partner’s behavior? On the surface, “it” might sound cute to have a partner who wants to spend all of their time with you, texting and calling repeatedly (but freaking out if you don’t respond immediately), wanting to know where you are and who you are with all the time, and/or getting jealous of anyone else you spend time with. You might think they really like you. However, those possessive behaviors may worsen over time and may lead to your partner isolating you from your friends, family, and acquaintances so that you only have them to rely on. Another red flag behavior is failure or refusal to honor your boundaries. If you have asked them not to show up at your workplace, not to call you after 11 p.m., or not to touch you in a specific way and they ignore your requests, that is a huge RED FLAG. If your partner criticizes you, they could be just being playful, but over time, hearing how unattractive you are, how dumb your choices are and/or how you will never be enough can make you start to believe it. 

Conversely, they may love bomb you, too. This might look like them telling you repeatedly that you are the best thing that ever happened to them, how much they adore you, how perfect you are and how they will die if you ever leave them. These are also red flags. 

Finally, any sign of aggression toward you, other people, or animals is a red flag. If they shove, slap, punch or use any form of physical contact to hurt or control you without your consent, that indicates that violence may escalate, leading to more dangerous forms of contact, such as strangulation or weapon use in the future.

That is an extensive list of red flags that can lead to a survivor feeling isolated from family and friends, feeling guilty or intimidated for enforcing boundaries that make them feel safe, suffering from low self-esteem, doubting their confidence to exist without that partner and feeling guilty for even considering leaving because “they just love me so much they can’t control themselves.” Most of the time IPV perpetrators are very much in control. They do all of these things to make sure of.

It is best to avoid victim-blaming or asking, “why don’t you just leave?” Focusing on why a survivor chose to leave or stay instead of asking why the abuser abused often causes survivors to feel even more guilt and embarrassment surrounding the relationship and, while possibly well-intentioned, probably will not help the situation. 

Instead, if someone shares that their partner has made them feel unsafe in some way, offer to help them plan for their safety by perhaps having someone walk them to their car at night or helping them find alternative spots to hang out so they are less likely to run into their abuser. You can also help them choose a keyword so that, for example, if the person calls you to talk about their “pink hair tie,” you know they are in danger, and you should call 911 for them.

The WKU Police Department, Bowling Green Police Department, and Warren County Sheriff’s Office take IPV very seriously and can help someone out of immediate danger, as well as partner with other agencies such as Barren River Area Safe Space, Inc. for domestic violence advocacy or Hope Harbor for sexual assault advocacy. BRASS supports survivors through safety planning, emergency shelter, court advocacy, and housing assistance and can help through the protective order processes, providing potentially immediate safety options for survivors. Hope Harbor offers counseling, legal accompaniment, and emergency advocacy for survivors of sexual assault. Both agencies have a 24/7 crisis line staffed by trained advocates who can help people experiencing violence plan for their in-the-moment safety and for long-term healing and freedom from violence. All services provided by both agencies are free and confidential and are created to welcome and serve ALL survivors.  

Cindy Mace is a Certified Domestic Violence Advocate and Operations Manager at BRASS, Inc. 

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.

It has been 12 years since the Bowling Green Massacre occurred in 2011 during the Obama Administration. I was only 10 when it happened, but remember it like it was just yesterday. It was one of those life-changing events, you know? I’ll never forget where I was the day it happened or what I was doing. I remember my parents being frightened for days and talking in hushed whispers as they debated if they were even going to send me to school the rest of the week, and I can picture my teacher crying the day we came back. I’ll never forget how hard it was to recover when it went unnoticed and uncared for by the government and by big news stations across the country.

Of course, that all might be true in another universe where the Bowling Green Massacre actually happened and isn’t simply a fictitious incident brought up by Kellyanne Conway, then counselor to  President Donald Trump, in a 2017 interview.

The Bowling Green Massacre never occurred, but that didn’t stop the articles about it from spreading like wildfire after Conway mentioned the incident to an NBC reporter. Here is part of what she claimed:

“I bet, there was very little coverage — I bet it’s brand new information to people that President Obama had a six-month ban on the Iraqi refugee program after two Iraqis came here to this country, were radicalized — and they were the masterminds behind the Bowling Green massacre. I mean, most people don’t know that because it didn’t get covered.”

This particular story was immediately debunked and thankfully became an internet meme, rather than a myth that people bought into. The situation was helped by Conway recanting within days, though social media had already latched on to the error and called it out. But oftentimes, misinformation, intentional or not, doesn’t get caught so easily.

And that’s the problem, isn’t it? News is put out on a daily basis at an extraordinary rate, only rivaled by the articles put out pretending to be news. It’s hard to know what’s real and what isn’t, even for those who are putting in the work to verify their news. It is easy to slip into a rabbit hole on social media of fear-mongering, twisted facts and alarming headlines that turn real events into something else.

News and the right to know that news is a fundamental part of democracy. Free press is a First Amendment right, because it was so important that citizens remained informed so that they could make the decisions they needed to based on facts. It was meant to keep the government in check and protect our democracy.

Misinformation has been rife in both science and politics, causing confusion and clouding the legitimacy of our elections. Fake news is a threat to democracy. In fact, based on a survey done on WKU’s campus, 93% of students indicated that they believed misinformation was a threat to American democracy. It shrouds facts, fans the flames of propaganda and deepens partisan divides.

That’s why organizations like the News Literacy Project exist – to help stop the spread of misinformation and heal partisan divides. But their mission only works if we work together. That’s why my group, Know Your News WKU, is working with them as our senior project, trying to promote news literacy on WKU’s campus.

After Conway’s interview, #neverforgetBG trended on Twitter. And I do think it is important that we never forget. Because it’s only if we work together and practice news literacy in our daily lives that we can prevent another Bowling Green Massacre.

Rachel Taylor is a senior at Western Kentucky University, majoring in Public Relations. Taylor serves as president of the WKU chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.

If you would like to submit a reaction to a piece, Letter to the Editor or other submission, please send it to commentary editor Price Wilborn at herald.opinion@wku.edu or edwin.wilborn835@topper.wku.edu.