the
Signal
www.obusignal.com
09.11.14 Volume 123 Issue 1
Ouachita Baptist University
IN THIS ISSUE:
Music Book Dr. Ryan Lewis publishes new Fine Art: Music textbook, p.2
Click, click Ouachita to debut online degree program, p.2
FORE Ouachita Ouachita hosts sixth annual FORE golf tournament, p.3
Dr. Wesley Kluck z Courtesy CLIFF HARRIS, former Ouachita Tiger and Dallas Cowboy, stands in front of the new Cliff Harris Stadium during early stages of construction. The stadium will officially debut this Saturday against Southern Nazarene University at 6 p.m., with a special ceremony honoring Harris to begin at 5:30 p.m.
Cliff Harris Stadium opens this Saturday By DIXON LAND Sports Editor
@dixoncland
How to OBU Some handy tips from a senior who’s been there, p.4 Tiger Spirit Dr. Motl on the path to OBU and never wanting to leave, p.5 Frazier Frenzy Kiehl Frazier looks forward to first season as a Tiger, p.6
S News 1 n S Opinions 4 n S Features 5 n S Stadium 6 n S Sports 8 n S TWIRP 12 n
The new Cliff Harris Stadium will open this Saturday to the general public for the Ouachita Baptist Tigers’ home opener against the Southern Nazarene Thunder Cats. While fans are excited for the new season to arrive, what may last on their minds longer is the new Cliff Harris Stadium. Announced Dec. 12 of last year at the monthly Ouachita Baptist University Board of Directors’ meeting, the Ouachita family learned of plans to construct a brand
new stadium for the football team. Soon after, it was announced that the stadium would be named after Ouachita football legend, Cliff Harris. Long before Harris became the President of Energy Transfer Group, a gas marketing company, he found himself as a backup quarterback at Hot Springs High School. For his senior season, Harris moved to Des Arc, where he would win the starting position and lead the Eagles to an 11-0 season and a state championship. After receiving no offers for scholarships from any school, Harris was contacted by Tiger Head Coach
Buddy Benson. Benson had been pursuaded to give Harris a look. As Benson began to watch Harris, he saw potential. Harris progressed at Ouachita and became a successful defensive back, playing multiple positions in the defensive secondary. He also returned kicks and punts for the Tigers. Twice named as an AllArkansas Intercollegiate Conference player, Harris was a key leader on the 1966 AIC Championship Team. Graduating from Ouachita, Harris received a degree in mathematics with a minor in physics. He was not drafted but the Dallas Cowboys
found him playing semipro football and he got an invitation to training camp. Harris beat out Charlie Waters, who was a two time All-Pro safety that was drafted the same year that Harris went to training camp, for the starting position his first season. During his rookie year, Harris played half the season, then left for military service. He returned at the end of that season to help the Cowboys defeat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VI. During his time as a Cowboy, Harris was selected to the Pro Bowl six times and was named a first-team Allsee STADIUM z 2
Moses-Provine to be completed by October By RACHEL WICKER Staff Writer
Over the summer, MosesProvine underwent much needed renovations to make it a safer, more efficient work environment for the visual arts and communication disorders departments at Ouachita. For the past 15 years, the visual arts department has occupied Moses-Provine, along with the communication disorders department. The addition of the art department brought a need for majorchange in the building, but the issues were only recently able to be resolved. “The most important thing from my perspective in terms of bringing this about was the self-study that all the departments have to do.” Donnie Copeland, professor and chair of the Department of Visual Arts, explained that part of that selfstudy involved interviewing alumni, current students and faculty, and eventually bringing in a consultant to convey fresh ideas and shed light on problems with the building. The consultant also spoke to the administration at Ouachita. “I think that’s what got us all on board for the vision that might happen here.” Another thing that occurred to help bring about the renovations that will hopefully be
completed October of this year was a donation from Rosemary Adams, a 1963 Ouachita graduate. In honor of Adams’ donation, the department has been renamed the Rosemary Adams Department of Visual Arts. “I think there was a will and a desire to improve things here, and there were little steps that were taken by as many people as possible, but the gift, of course, makes massive change possible,” Copeland said. “Without the gift, nothing happens, really.” Renovations to the classrooms were first on the list, as sinks and gadgets which were once appropriate for science classes could be utilized in a better way to allow for more needed work spaces for visual arts students. “We want spaces to teach students,” Copeland said. “That’s our primary goal.” Other classroom updates included putting in more storage space and air-handling units for keeping the air clean and healthy. Even more pressing than space issues was the issue of safety. The woodworking shop and ceramics kiln were once in the same space, but with the gift they were able to separate the two and provide proper ventilation and air processing tools for each. Other notable improve-
Tyler Rosenthal z The Signal MOSES-PROVINE got a new look this summer as crews worked to renovate the building, making it more functional for visual arts students. Construction is set to be completed in October.
ments to the building include an elevator and bathrooms upstairs. Perhaps the change that the campus as a whole will come to enjoy the most is the new gallery space in MosesProvine. Two new galleries have been placed at the front of the building, one on each floor, and will be used to display work of both students and professional artists. The window front to the building will hopefully attract the cam-
pus to visit the galleries and enjoy the many styles of art. Treslyn Shipley, a junior studio art major, was especially excited about this addition. “The gallery space is something we have all wanted for a while, and we are also excited about the greatly anticipated card swipes on the doors. It’s the small things, you know?” she said. “This renovation will bring much needed changes to our building. I think we are all anxious to see it finished.” n