The concert features a mix of ballet, jazz, modern and tap, and has work choreographed by WKU dance faculty and other guest artists. 

WKU dance alumni have also become involved with the program. Associate professor of dance, Meghen McKinley shared how they were able to get alumni participation in the concert. 

“Through social media alumni information sharing, a video finale including alumni from across the globe, special pre-show reels featuring archival footage, and an Alumni Dance Dance that invited alumni and prospective students to samplings of classes from current faculty,” McKinley said. 

The concert is suitable for all ages and includes classical and pop music and light-hearted themes. 

Tickets are available through the Fine Arts Box Office. Regular tickets are $16, while student and senior tickets are $12. Shows Thursday through Saturday will begin at 7:30 p.m. while the Sunday showing will begin at 2:00 p.m..

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu  

The WKU Student Government Association met Thursday, March 28 for their weekly meeting where student speakers discussed SGA’s response to Kyle Rittenhouse speaking on campus and senators voted on 13 constitutional amendments for the SGA constitution. 

Avery Wells, joined by other members of the “For the People” student advocacy group, spoke in front of the SGA senate to express their feelings on SGA not making a statement when it was announced that the WKU Turning Point USA chapter would sponsor Kyle Rittenhouse to speak on campus. 

“Several student organizations released statements stating their opposition to his presence on campus with the exception of the Student Government Association,” Wells said. “We recently inquired and had a personal conversation with members of the Executive Board and the president of the Student Government Association, and we were met with pretty much a response that did not show that there was any intention to do anything, and that to me is completely unacceptable.”

Wells said they understand that registered student organizations have the right to bring controversial speakers to campus, however, they did not feel like SGA properly represented the student body during that time.

Wells went on to critique the lack of diversity in the SGA senate, and how 40% of the senate is comprised of members of Greek life and that does not properly represent the student body of WKU. 

“The Student Government Association has a profound disconnect with the cultural communities on this campus,” Wells said, “and we as individuals feel as if we have an obligation to come and ensure that number one, you’re informed of not only our disappointment and dissatisfaction with your lack of response to the situation, but how serious it is for our voices to be advocated for, for our voices to be amplified.”

Student Body President Sam Kurtz spoke on SGA’s position with Rittenhouse speaking on campus. Kurtz highlighted that SGA stands firmly on representing all students and the principles of free speech.

“As an apolitical organization, our role is to ensure that all voices on campus can be heard, regardless of how polarizing or controversial those voices may be,” Kurtz said. “Many students, including many members of SGA, personally find the speaker’s views reprehensible. A number of other members of the student body were interested in hearing what he had to say.”

Kurtz said it was never the intention of SGA to appear complacent or to ignore the voices of the student body. 

Kurtz also discussed the make-up of the SGA senate and how it is out of SGA’s control who is selected to represent the student body of WKU. Kurtz said that the election results from last year represented a significantly low minority population, however, he is not in control of who chooses to run for a seat. 

“It’s important to note that our elections are open to all students and we deeply encourage participation in every corner of our campus,” Kurtz said. “In other words, no one here is saying ‘don’t run.’ We want every student in every corner of this campus to run and it means a lot to us that you do that. But we, as a Student Government Association, don’t control that, that’s up to the student body.”

Kurtz encouraged anyone interested in running for SGA to do so to help increase the level of diversity within SGA. Elections are now open and can be found on the SGA website. Applications are due April 5 by 8:00 p.m.

“I hope that each and every one of you can get involved, because all of us here, we are not independent,” Kurtz said. “Our whole job is to represent your concerns, but if we don’t ever hear your concerns, if no one ever comes to our offices or emails, sometimes there are concerns that would better be represented as you were in the organization yourself.”

Chief Justice Isaac King, joined by other members of the senate, created a committee to impose amendments to the SGA constitution with elections opening. 

13 constitutional amendments were presented and voted on and include but are not limited to: renaming Executive Vice President to Student Body Vice President, renaming Administrative Vice President to Chief Financial Officer, renaming Director of Public Relations to Chief Communications Officer, combining the responsibilities of the Director of IT with the CFO, combining the responsibilities of the Director of Enrollment and Student Experience with the Student Body VP, raising the SGA senate GPA requirement to 2.5 and raising the SGA Executive Cabinet GPA recruitment to 2.75. Any member of the senate can now be removed from office if censured twice in the same academic year. 

Kurtz reminded everyone that SGA meetings are open to all students, and that concerns can be emailed to sga@wku.edu and can also be brought to the SGA office. SGA committee meetings are also open to all students and are not restrictive to only the members of the committee. 

If students have concerns they wish to share with members of the executive cabinet, all contact information can be located on the SGA website. 

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu 

The “We Stand With You” event gave a platform to students concerning recent events on campus, specifically, Kyle Rittenhouse speaking at Downing Student Union at the same time of the event. Free Kona Ice was also given to the first 300 attendees. 

The Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning had a separate event scheduled for Wednesday evening, “Getting the Scoops on Careers,” planned at DSU, where alumni were to be invited and ice cream provided. The event was later combined with PCAL to create a larger event. 

Cierra Waller, associate director for student success, elaborated on the choice to combine the two events. 

“Due to some unforeseen things, we decided to bring the students up the Hill,” Waller said. “It aligned with our goals of socialization and advocacy and professionalization for our first year students to mingle with great faculty members, staff, administrators and community people.”

The CITL First Generation Initiative aimed to provide space for first-gen students to create a higher sense of community during this time. 

April McCauley, specialist in the CITL first-gen department, said that a first-gen student can be other things besides a continuing generation student, including underrepresented minorities, parents and more. 

“We’re all here to do similar things, to trailblaze for our family or to just make more money when we get out of college or whatever the case may be,” McCauley said. “We just want to represent how welcome everyone is.”

The joint event acted in a way to provide students an opportunity to share ideas and engage in meaningful conversation. 

Audra Jennings, history department chair, spoke on how PCAL wanted to provide a space to uplift students. 

“We just really wanted to create a space to give students a platform to think critically about who we lift up and who we celebrate,” Jennings said. “We have opportunities to share who they would lift up and who they would give a platform to.”

Dean of PCAL Terrance Brown gave a speech on the inclusiveness and diversity that the college strives to achieve. 

Brown said how his home to WKU is not composed of the buildings that surround campus, but more of the individuals he has chosen to invest in and that create the environment of WKU.

“The people whose voices are not hidden in a place of complacency, of people who love deeply, of people who’ve chosen to provide safety,” Brown said. “People that have chosen to provide safety for Blacks, latinas, Bosnians, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender, lesbian, poor, rich, and if I have not called you yet just know that you are loved too.”

Students that attended the event fell under the intentions of the event and came out to find a place of safety and like-mindedness. 

Freshman family consumer sciences education major Anastacia Alvarez felt joined by her community and confident to share her own ideas. 

“I was a little worried about how violent some of the protests would get,” Alvarez said. “I feel like this is a lot more of a peaceful option, and it’s a way for the community to get together and just talk and share their ideas without having to worry about anybody being aggressive towards them.” 

Alvarez said how she hopes to see change in WKU policy to prohibit negative speech from coming to campus. 

“I feel like if the speakers who are coming to Western aren’t being positive and are spreading a lot of hate, then they probably shouldn’t be allowed to come,” Alvarez said. “I understand freedom of speech, but I don’t think it applies when it’s hate speech.”

Senior theatre major Leah Shink, joined by two friends, came to the event after the Alpha Phi Omega president made the event known.

“We were really interested in being apart of something positive,” Shink said. “It was nice getting together with people and seeing some of our professors out here supporting students and the fact that there is an option for us to talk about the things that are going on on campus and we don’t have to focus on the negative.”

Brown highlighted the initiative students are taking to make their voices known on campus through exercising their right to protest and how he engaged in conversations with students where many questioned what they could do to make the situation better.

“The battle that we fight is not a singular one, and I will say that I am proud to serve and lead a college that will speak before me in spaces where they feel that I can’t,” Brown said. “Thank you for believing.”

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu 

The event is, “a space for meaningful conversation,” as promoted on the WKU PCAL Instagram. 

Merrall Llewelyn Price, professor of english and senior associate dean for PCAL explained how PCAL makes a continued effort to stand on top of their values of protecting academic freedom and encouraging a diverse and inclusive student body, faculty and staff.

“Though the decision to bring an extremely controversial figure to campus was not made or endorsed by the university, we nevertheless felt an obligation to remind the campus community that the university is a place where difficult discussions are had,” Price said. “Where thinking through complicated issues helps us grow and develop.” 

The event offers a space for respective and constructive discussion and for students to engage in critical thinking. 

PCAL is hopeful that “some will choose an alternative to contentiousness and come together in the spirit of openness and constructive exchange,” Price said. 

The event will not be formally structured and gives students the opportunity to engage in respectful dialogue if they wish. 

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu

Fischer said he understands the range of emotions that have been shared on campus with a controversial figure coming to speak. 

“On one hand, allowing provocative speakers to share their message on a campus is perhaps the purest demonstration of a commitment to free speech in which a university can engage,” Fischer said. “On the other hand, many members of a campus community may find the viewpoints expressed at such events reprehensible.”

Fischer stated that WKU is committed to providing a campus experience that is inclusive of all viewpoints, even those difficult to accept or that some may disagree with. 

WKU is not legally permitted to cancel Wednesday’s event as a state-supported higher education institution. However, Fischer stated that legality aside, silencing controversial speakers on campus undermines the principle of academic freedom and is necessary for the advancement of knowledge. 

“Silencing such speakers may also unintentionally raise a speaker’s profile and increase media coverage for a voice that may otherwise have received less attention,” Fischer stated. 

“Universities should serve as bastions of intellectual inquiry, where scholars and students alike are free to explore a wide range of perspectives without fear of censorship or reprisal.”

Fischer stated that silencing controversial speakers sets a “dangerous precedent,” and would not uphold the free exchange of ideas.

Fischer encouraged faculty and staff to not act impulsive with anger or disruption, but instead to act in a civil and respectful manner. Fischer stated to use this event as an opportunity to educate students and become exposed to a multitude of ideas. 

“Our students are watching us, and whether we realize it or not, they are modeling their behavior after ours,” Fischer stated. “Whether to modify our own perspectives or to unmask and challenge unreasonable and hateful views, but always so that we can engage in discourse responsibly.”

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu 

“As guardians of free speech, universities have an obligation to establish an environment where a wide range of perspectives are exchanged, even if the ideas presented are different from our own, offensive or even contemptible,” Caboni wrote. 

Caboni said WKU is a public university and is compelled by law to provide space for students to practice free speech. The Campus Free Speech Protection Act, signed into Kentucky law in 2019, prohibits public universities from disinviting speakers to campus that have been invited by students, faculty or staff. 

Further, Caboni stated that the university will not condemn the event and will continue to uphold the ideas of institutional neutrality. WKU will continue to provide an environment for the “free exchange of ideas.”

“WKU does not take positions on local, national or international issues unrelated to higher education or the university directly – clarifying that students and faculty are the instruments of dissent and critique,” Caboni stated. 

Caboni encouraged students that disagree with the event to express their feelings in a multitude of ways. Students may choose to either attend or not attend the event, create a counter program of their own on campus in response to the event or peacefully protest. 

“This week provides us with an opportunity to demonstrate to the broader community that WKU is a place that defends the ideals of free speech, academic freedom and inquiry, even when challenging to do so,” Caboni stated. 

News reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu  

The event was co-hosted by Katie Lennard, associate professor of history, and professor Jess Folk of the English department. Both Lennard and Folk curated the questions for the event. 

“I was really excited to get the opportunity to show the ways that history and women’s studies work together,” Lennard said. “I think that history of gender, history of women and history of sexuality, all of those things are really central to the work that a lot of us are doing in history.”

The room was filled with various people who all joined teams in part of the event. They worked together to find an answer to the proposed question and submitted their answer as a team. Amongst a team of the history department and other adult-aged teams, there were many students in the room eager to learn more about women’s history. 

Freshman construction management major Talan Wills was originally brought out to the event for an extra credit opportunity, but when joined by his teammates he was glad to be involved in the event. 

“I am happy to be here and play a part of the game,” Wills said. “I just can’t do this without my team, without my team I don’t even think I could get half the answers right, they’re my people at this point and I’m looking forward to us winning.”

Fellow freshman Ariel Wolfe, an agriculture major, was looking forward to testing her knowledge about women’s history. 

“I feel like I’m a woman who doesn’t really know enough about women’s history,” Wolfe said. “I thought this would be a good learning opportunity to learn more about women’s history.” 

Lennard enjoyed the presence of the students and the dynamic they brought to the event. 

“We’re trying to get students to think about history classes in new and fun ways,” Lennard said. “I thought that the students brought a lot of excitement and I thought they had great answers and just had a lot of fun thinking about things that we knew that they wouldn’t know.”

Co-host Folk was pleased by the full room and the opportunity to share what it is like to be a woman. 

“It was really fun coming up with the questions and coming up with a wide range of experience of what it means to be a woman and what that has looked like throughout history,” Folk said. “There were so many questions we didn’t even include that we wanted to.”

Freshman Vivian Carlson, political science and public relations double major and gender and women’s studies minor attended the event to build her community within her minor. 

“I’ve been working a lot with Professor Zubel (English department) for more of a community within the Gender and Women’s Studies minor,” Carlson said. “The club is already very undervalued on campus so it’s nice to have events that actually attract people outside of it.”

The night was able to highlight accomplishments made by women as well as obstacles they have overcome over the years. 

The event finished with Wills’ team, named “The Team,” winning and were each awarded ribbons to recognize their success. 

“We’re going to go crazy after this,” Wills said. “We’re gonna load up on some Pepsi, and we’re just gonna go crazy.”

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu

Student Body President Sam Kurtz began his officer report by discussing the senate’s upcoming trip to Frankfort, Kentucky for the Rally for Higher Education this Thursday where they will meet with other SGA organizations from other higher education institutions in Kentucky and with several speakers. 

“We’ll meet with our House of Representatives representative, Kevin Jackson, who represents Bowling Green and Western Kentucky in particular,” Kurtz said. 

Kurtz encouraged current senators to run for reelection in the coming semester.

“I encourage anyone interested in doing SGA next year to please return,” Kurtz said. “You guys are the cream of the crop talent- wise. The only way this organization really continues to grow is by having returners because there is somewhat of a learning curve when people don’t come back.”

Chief of Staff Donte Reed introduced a new scholarship added to the SGA website in relation to the Uber voucher program sponsored by SGA. This scholarship is need-based and allows students in need of an Uber voucher the chance to be awarded four Uber vouchers by filling out the scholarship, which is due on March 29, no later than 5 p.m.

The SGA Community Builder Excellence Scholarship is due Friday, March 8 and is for incoming freshmen in the Bowling Green area. The application can be found via the SGA website.

Campus Improvements and Sustainability Committee head Rush Robinson announced the Earth Day celebration has been moved from April 22 to April 19 and there is a Bowling Green Cleanup tentatively scheduled for March 28. 

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Committee head Sophia Bryant announced that the WKU Counseling Center is planning a “What Were You Wearing?” exhibit in honor of Sexual Assault Prevention Month. The exhibit is completely anonymous and the Counseling Center is purchasing the clothing for the exhibit. 

Bryant introduced legislation to sponsor t-shirts from the WKU Counseling Center for sexualsexual assault awareness. The bill asked for SGA to be an official sponsor of the t-shirts and to include the SGA logo on the back. The bill passed. 

Junior Senator and Student Experience and Enrollment Committee head Ann-Marie Wright and Reed introduced legislation for SGA to offer more dental vouchers in the SGA office.

A similar piece of legislation was passed earlier this semester and the SGA office ran out of 30 dental vouchers in a week. 

Bill 33-23-S asked for an additional 30 dental vouchers to be available in the SGA office. The bill was passed and vouchers will soon be available to students.

News Reporter Maggie Phelps can be reached at margaret.phelps370@topper.wku.edu