THE
NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN
Thursday | January 29, 2015
In Brief STAFF REPORTS
UPD investigating rape, prosecutor to review The Northwest Missouri State University Police Department is investigating an allegation of sexual assault that took place last Sunday. According to University Police Chief Clarence Green, the department received a report at approximately 2:26 a.m. Sunday morning from a young lady indicating a young male sexually assaulted her. “We are still in the investigative stage of gathering information and statements, talking with witnesses, as well as possible witnesses,” Green said. “We did locate the suspect that night, and gathered some information from him. We are still trying to confirm and validate all the information we have.” Once all the information has been gathered and evaluated, Green said the report will be sent to Nodaway County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Rice to decide whether or not charges will be filed.
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University responds to maintenance concerns
ANDY CAMPBELL
Chief Reporter | @SirAndyCampbell
Following last week’s articles regarding deferred maintenance, University officials have responded. After student concerns and questions, conditions reports and financial needs were uncovered, and the process of renovations and approving projects was explained. “We start with life safety,” said Vice President of Student Affairs Matt Baker. “If smoke detectors aren’t working or if sprinklers aren’t working, those are no-brainers.” The road to funding allocation has no road map. Baker said certain projects have to take priority over others because of long term effect. “What are the things that if we don’t fix they’re going to get worse? If we have a leaking roof and don’t fix the leaking roof, we’re going to compound the problem.” Baker said.
Over the years, these projects have continued to compound, resulting in a problem larger than most saw coming. An assessment of facilities condition conducted in 2011 revealed over $120 million in deferred maintenance needs. The study revealed electrical feeders more than 30 years old and transformers, including those at the high rise dorms reaching more than 40 years old. “We have funds that we set aside for capital improvements,” Northwest Vice President of Finance Stacy Carrick said. “Those funds are for equipment, new facilities and deferred maintenance or non-routine repairs.” Deferred maintenance is considered “non-routine” due to the nature of the project. Routine maintenance is funded through the University’s standard operating budget, but deferred maintenance usually consists of larger repairs.
In the past, capital funds have been provided by the state, but those appropriations have continued to dwindle over the years. This leaves the University with the task of coming up with that money to make the necessary repairs. “For capital appropriations, just in general, it’s been longer than ten years,” Carrick said. “So capital funds today come through the University setting aside dollars in the operating budget, and the students have a fee that they pay as well.” This fee students pay of $8.65 was increased this year following the approval of the Student Senate. It applies to the operating budget, which in turn will benefit auxiliary services. Auxiliary Services funds include housing, which makes students wonder how some dorms are experiencing maintenance trouble. “They’re experiencing the same problem as ENG. They have many
capital needs that exceeds the funds that are available,” Carrick said. While housing on campus has its own budget, the maintenance budget also includes dining and the J.W. Jones Student Union. With the Union included in that $120 million facilities conditions report, the University struggles to make funds available in every place needed. The facilities report, found $45 million of needed deferred maintenance was present in the interior shell of buildings, and $25 million in the exterior shell. This reveals over half the deferred maintenance needs on campus are within the infrastructure of the buildings. “If there was anything that was a concern of safety, that doesn’t become something we look at in five years,” Baker said.
SEE MAINTENANCE | A5
one step at a time
Royals Caravan to visit Maryville Hy-Vee Friday After nearly pulling off a Cinderella story and winning the American League pennant, the Kansas City Royals will travel around the Midwest to meet the loyal fan base. As part of the Blue Caravan, Royals outfielder Terrance Gore, catcher Erik Kratz, Royals Hall of Fame outfielder Willie Wilson and broadcaster Rex Hudler are scheduled to make a stop at the Maryville Hy-Vee Friday afternoon. The caravan is scheduled to show up at Hy-Vee Friday, Jan. 30 from 3:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m.
Northwest adjusting to online tech changes JAMES HENDERSON
Chief Reporter | @jendersoniii
After the University instituted changes to the Northwest Online program, mixed responses from faculty and students have surfaced. This 2014-2015 school year has already seen the shift in the University’s web-based learning management system from eCompanion to Northwest Online. This trimester’s addition of emailed notifications is just another of the many changes the program is going through, other than the name. CITE Director Darla Runyon says that the notifications are a new feature offered by Pearsons, the company that Northwest Online is run through. “It looked like it would be a good communication tool between professors and students,” Runyon said. “We are always looking for ways that are more up to date with the way students are communicating, and since it had the texting feature, we thought it would be helpful to students.” The notifications have received both positive and negative responses from students. Sophomore Ally Stewart said she is not a fan.
SEE ONLINE | A5
KELLY SHIPP | NW MISSOURIAN
Sophomore Tyson Higel lost his ankle and lower leg in a lawnmower accident when he was a child, but that hasn’t slowed him in his life’s endeavors.
Student shares overcoming obstacles after freak accident DARCIE BRADFORD Chief Reporter | @darcie_jeanne_7
Tyson Higel grew up in a small town outside of Lincoln, Nebraska. He went to a small high school where he was on the wrestling team and now he attends Northwest with the goal of becoming an orthopedic prosthetic practitioner. Looking at Tyson Higel, you would not see anything out of the ordinary, but looks can be deceiving. When Tyson Higel was young he suffered a “freak accident” resulting in his left ankle and foot being amputated. “I was four years old and I was riding on a lawn mower with my dad and I fell off. It was pretty much like an instantaneous thing. I fell off to the side with the blade and as soon as I fell it caught my left foot, my ankle and cut it pretty much straight off,” Tyson Higel said. “I remember (my father) carried me to the sidewalk and put a coat over it and tried to do a tourniquet. Then I was rushed to the hospital and from there they amputated the rest.” When it came time for Tyson Higel to start school, he was just as eager, curious and active as any other child. His mother Sylvia Higel described Tyson Higel as a normal kid who was quickly accepted by his peers. “Tyson has always been a social person and a leader in the classroom. He was, and still is, a determined individual. He did not let
having a prosthesis stop him from doing anything. Some things he just had to find a different method to do them or some things, like running, just took him a little longer,” she said. “All Tyson’s classmates have always accepted Tyson from day one. On his first day of kindergarten the teacher sat all the kids in a circle and had Tyson show them his prosthesis. That was all they needed, and never thought any different of him.” Even though Tyson Higel moved well with his prosthesis and sometimes others didn’t even notice it, as a mother Sylvia Higel had a different perspective. “The first couple years after his amputation were the hardest. We made many trips to the hospital for prosthesis fittings, a minor surgery and physical therapy appointments. We spent about a month in the hospital before we even went home after his accident, which meant we were not at work,” Sylvia Higel said. “I, as a mother, am always watching him when he walks, to see if I think he is having issues with his prosthesis. You always worry about how he is doing and if his prosthesis is fitting correctly.” Despite his mother’s concern, his prosthesis did not hinder him in the classroom. Tyson Higel said because only his ankle and foot had to be amputated he has good mobility. He has a prosthetic leg that his real leg fits into and with that he can walk, jog and even run for short periods of time. Tyson Higel remained involved in many school functions but as he grew older he became self-conscious about his prosthesis. He said he wanted to be like everyone else
it was when he started wrestling in high school helped him to overcome that selfconsciousness. “I was on the wrestling team my junior and senior year, but that was the only thing I did. I can sprint, run and jog and all that, but I can’t for extended periods of time,” Tyson Higel said. “I wrestled with it on but I didn’t too good, because kids kind of targeted it. So after my junior year I tried without it and that’s when it all changed for me. I started to be less self-conscious about it just because I was in a big gym with all these people and I was out there without my leg on. It was just something that usually I’m not open about, so that actually helped me a lot.” Tyson Higel’s mother said that seeing her son be comfortable with his stump made her very proud “Tyson had always been shy about exposing his stump to anyone except for close friends or family. Although, he would have his stump still covered with a liner, he would have to get out to the mat without the aid of his prosthesis, which meant hopping,” Sylvia Higel said. “That first match, he hopped out there like it was no big deal. It brought tears to my eyes, along with several of the wrestling moms that day. This helped Tyson mentally as he had overcome another obstacle in his life.” Everything from a supportive family and classmates, to helpful doctors and nurses has helped Tyson Higel get to where he with his prosthesis and his choice of career.
SEE TYSON | A5
INSIDE: The Missourian criticizes the changes and campus-wide use of Northwest Online. Page A4 Professor Jason Offutt discusses his first fiction novel. Page A7