TAYLOR UNIVERSITY Weekly Edition Spring fashion tips Page 6 Softball receiving votes Page 12 You are the voice. We are the Echo. Since 1913 1 Volume 101, Issue 21 Friday/Thursday, April 11 - April 17, 2014 TheEchoNews.com HEADLINES Spring into Giving In an effort to promote herself, others, and the spirit of giving, Tamee Shonk hosts the first Spring Fling Craft and Vendor Show in Fairmount, Ind. Page 3 Problems in our backyard The United States isn’t exempt when it comes to human rights violations, according to U.N. report. Page 4 Piracy and the future of the ent-arr-tainment industry. With piracy established as part of the Internet’s architecture, the question becomes one of impact. Page 5 Spring fashion files 2014 Does your wardrobe need a lift? Check out these tips for vibrant spring outfits. Page 6 An updated ‘Dido and Aeneas’ Taylor Opera Theatre’s retelling of the classic Baroque opera has scandal and social media. Page 8 The Unexpected Path Mary Komy discusses the unexpected paths which lead her to Christ, America, and Taylor University. Page 9 Equality, not objectification Women look to have equality not objec- tification all over the world. Page 10 Men’s golf fights weather conditions The TU men’s golf team has some firepower but Monday’s storms calmed the flames briefly in the NAIA Classic. Page 12 A combination of shifting demographics and rising costs makes A recent financial crunch has forced surplus, according to Stephen Olson, “Very quickly, we used up the half Taylor to tighten its belt a notch—and vice president for finance and chief fi- a million dollars, and that’s when we for a challenging higher ed market WEEKEND WEATHER take a look at strategies for the sus- nancial officer at Taylor. had to make cuts,” Olson said. “It’s very tainability of its liberal arts education. Higher financial aid awards imme- simple math from one perspective.” David Adams With tuition costs raised to satis- diately saw $1.2 to $1.3 million sub- University officials determined an Today Online Editor fy a demanding budget, the universi- tracted from the $1.8 million. With additional $1 million in savings was 66° ty was able to generate an extra $1.8 only $500,000 left to cover a pay raise needed to shore up finances. But even Kari Travis million for the 2014-15 year. But that for staff and a hike in health care after a task force scraped together 41° Co-Editor in Chief financial buffer soon gave way to -es costs, the university faced a financial $650,000 of the required savings, oth- calating costs that chewed away the dilemma. er cuts were necessary. Saturday Storm continued on page 2 73° 57° ‘I am just Sunday The Unspoken 67° 43° Jeffry’ Editor’s Note: This is the first article in a series that will explore issues often Kari Travis viewed as too sensitive for public FOLLOW US Co-Editor in Chief discussion. Our intent as a newspaper is not to provoke controversy, but rather Just over a year ago he sat in his to spur on authentic dialogue and @TheEcho_Taylor rusty Hyundai outside a McDonald’s positive vulnerability among Taylor’s @TheEcho_Sports in Marion. It was past midnight. He students. The story below tackles the was exhausted, but that didn’t matter. topic of what it is like to be a gay Because sleep couldn’t ease the student on our campus. It is written weariness of his heart. as a narrative feature for the sake of Facebook.com/ He turned off the car, the en- integrity and impact. TaylorUniversityEcho gine growl falling off into the silent screams of words he was trying to say. He’d lived in denial for years. He’d smothered the truth for months. But here it was—the painful fact— in all its raw confusion. CONTENTS It choked him. He swallowed it back several times. A breath burst from his News .........................Pg 1, Pg 2 constricted lungs. Then it came. Local....................................Pg 3 Jeffry Neuhouser told me he World & National ........Pg 4 was gay. Sci & Tech.........................Pg 5 The word was overwhelming, but the truth didn’t change our friend- Life & Times ........Pg 6, Pg 7 Photograph by Kari Travis ship. I told him so. We sat in silence Jeffry Neuhouser released an open letter to campus this week and doesn’t want students to think of him as “just gay.” A&E .....................................Pg 8 together, tears marking shiny trails Features.............................Pg 9 down our cheeks. way for others who share his strug- difficult plot points in the story so far the hardest things for me as some- Opinions .........................Pg 10 My next statement came after gle—and desire a chance to be vul- has been the moment he gave voice one who struggled with his sexuali- Sports ................... Pg 11, Pg 12 several minutes lapsed. It surprised nerable about their own experiences. to his secret. ty,” Jeffry said. “There was a lot of the us both. But Jeffry’s journey since that win- “There’s a lot of mental anguish, use of the word ‘gay’ as derogatory, “One day you will be a great en- ter night exposes the mental, emo- getting to that point of telling some- or as an insult. It just made it very TheEchoNews.Com couragement to others who share tional and spiritual complexity of one—your first person,” Jeffry said. hard to feel accepted, and part of the your story.” another picture. “That’s kind of one of the biggest floor community.” Despite my own declaration, I was moves you can m a ke .” Professor Kevin Diller, Jeffry’s men- shocked when Jeffry began prepara- As he worked to process through tor and advisor for Choros—a cam- tions a few months later to write an A picture of what it is to be a gay the mangled emotions that followed pus platform for conversations about NEWS STORIES, open confession—letter style—to his student at a Christian university. his confession, Jeffry also faced feel- sexuality—said false assumptions and PHOTOS AND Taylor University family. In many ways, it seems a lifetime ings of alienation within his immedi- overstatements about sexual identity VIDEO Yesterday, that letter appeared since that first conversation between ate community. are factors contributing to a “misfit” QR READER across campus. Those pages describe Jeffry and me. He says the road has “From my own experience, liv- mentality. Scan with QR reader Scan by QR Code City a life story Jeffry hopes will pave the been painful at times. One of the most ing in a dorm was probably one of Unspoken continued on page 9 High school students arrive to campus today to participate in Taylor’s annual Youth Conference, or YC. Youth Conference commences 2 TheEchoNews.com NEWS April 11, 2014 FRIDAY TOP FIVE NEWS EVENTS OF THE WEEK After Pennsylvania school stabbing, Man blamed for crash at Fla. CBS names Colbert as U.S. seizes cattle in rare fight over Aircraft Detects Possible authorities and community ask: ‘Why?’ Day Care surrenders Letterman replacement federal land use in Nevada Signal in Flight 370 Search www.cnn.com www.bigstory.ap.org www.usatoday.com www.reuters.com www.abcnews.go.com Storm continued from page 1 university looking for ways to bal- “It’s like the perfect storm in high- average student receives a 31 percent In order to make up for the remain- ance the budget while still maintain- er education,” Mosier said. “Expecta- discount on his or her tuition due to ing $350,000 deficit, Taylor decided ing quality. Peer universities within tions for careers, the escalating costs these scholarships, a metric known as to discontinue three full-time posi- the Council for Christian Colleges and of higher education, the services of a the discount rate. That’s a 9 percent ONLINE tions in the Educational Technology Universities (CCCU) are suffering sim- residential college—(all) are extreme- increase compared to 10 years ago. Center, Facility Services and Stu- ilar financial straits, according to uni- ly expensive as compared to a public Selling a liberal arts education like dent Development. A part-time job versity Provost Jeff Mosier. or commuter s c h o o l .” Taylor’s in a sluggish economy is also TEASERS within the Registrar’s Office was also Anderson University, a sister insti- an obstacle to overcome, Olson stat- Capturing Beauty, discontinued. tution near Taylor, suffered a 7 per- ed. A four-year degree from a rural, Conquering Fear Additional savings were made cent dip in enrollment over the past “Are we internally struc- private, Christian institution may not through the retirement of four indi- three years, an event that forced the tured, financially, to fulfill seem as valuable in light of the many viduals from Alumni and Parent Re- institution to seek $3 million in bud- the mission Taylor’s called to other educational options available. lations, the library, the provost’s office get cuts. Similarly, Houghton College, do? I would say right now “We have to articulate our own val- and Information Technology. Those a private Christian institution in New ue proposition,” Olson said. “What positions will not be replaced. York, cut 10-15 percent of its academ- yes, we are, but as you know, makes Taylor worth paying for?” “To the four people who are retir- ic budget for the 2014-15 school year. we have to take $1 million Convincing prospective 18-year- out of the budget next year ing, we are grateful for their faithful Other CCCU schools facing finan- olds that Taylor is worth their while— Capture Beauty Week this past week service,” said Taylor President Eugene cial issues include Calvin College in to remain so.” and their wallet—is the most difficult sought to empower women through Habecker.