02.27.14 8 IN THIS ISSUE:
#HRW2014 Daily schedule for next week’s events and sessions, p.2
Resume, please Career Services hosts annual Career Expo for students, p.3 Bekah Hall z The Signal Instructor Tiffany Eurich speaks to the ladies of Ouachita during last year’s “PJs and Pizza” breakout session at the Elrod Center during Healthy Relationships Week. Healthy Relationships Week 2014 will be March 2-8 with more breakout sessions and events for students.
Ms. Carolyn Everyone’s favorite Soxedo worker, p.4
Healthy Relationships Week returns March 2-8 By EMILY TERRY Editor-in-Chief
@emilymterry
Versatile Seating Many benefits of being a dedicated lawn chair owner, p. 5
Healthy Relationships Week returns to campus next week, March 2-8, with several breakout sessions and events focused on “Learning to relate well to others.” Healthy Relationships Week, formerly known as Marriage and the Family Week, then Dating, Engagement and Marriage Week,
is a program of the Elrod Center for Family and Community that is committed to helping students strengthen relationships. “Part of being a wellrounded person is knowing how to relate well to others,” said Judy Duvall, assistant director of the Elrod Center and coordinator for Healthy Relationships Week. “We don’t automatically know how to do this. We learn how to relate well to others from practice but it is also impor-
sions for the week will be led by individuals who have experienced joys and successes and disappointments and failures and through their life experience have learned how to love others well,” Duvall said. Many of the speakers for the week are Ouachita faculty and staff that students are already familiar with, but maybe don’t know well. Through these sessions and see WEEK z 2
Pulitzer winner to give lecture tonight
Jesus Journalism The connection between religion and journalism, p. 5
By TRENNIS HENDERSON News Bureau
700 Career Wins Getting to know Lady Tiger Coach Garry Crowder, p.6
S News 1 n S Features 4 n S Opinions 5 n S Sports 6 n
tant to learn from individuals who are a little farther down the road [and] have some life experience.” Because of this, the week will be full of events, breakout sessions and panels led by faculty, staff and other special guest speakers, many of whom are alumni who understand the specific relational pressures that Ouachita students experience. “These mentors are not perfect people. All of them have stories to tell. Our ses-
Nicole McPhate z The Signal Miss OBU 2012, MaryLacey Thomson, crowns Kiley Wright at last year’s Miss OBU pageant. Miss OBU 2014 willl be held in JPAC on Saturday, March 1, at 7:30 p.m.
Miss OBU 2014 to be crowned Saturday By ANNA MCCULLOCH Staff Writer
Ouachita will host the Miss Ouachita Baptist University Pageant Saturday in Jones Performing Arts Center at 7:30pm. The contestants will be judged on their private interview, onstage question, swimsuit, talent and evening gown. The pageant is hosted by Ouachita’s Student Senate and Office of Campus Activities and directed by Ouachita Alum Justin Harper. Former Miss OBU and Miss Arkansas
Kristen Glover will emcee the pageant. The 12 contests this year are senior history major Jessica Allen, sophomore mass communications and speech communications major Bethany Arrendondo, freshman mass communications major Abbey Little, sophomore pre-medicine major Kathryn Barfield, senior history major Kelsi Bodine, junior communication sciences and disorders major Morgan Brothers, senior vocal performance major Ashley Bundy, freshman pre-medicine major Mariah Gough, sesee PAGEANT z 3
Dr. Douglas Hofstadter, a noted physicist, mathematician and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, is making a return visit this week to Ouachita for a series of speaking engagements across campus. Hofstadter will deliver a lecture on “Worshipping the Message Whilst Walloping the Medium: This Is Called Translation?” on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. in Young Auditorium. He also will speak at a Faculty Colloquium on Friday, Feb. 28, at noon in McClellan 100 and speak in various classes during his two-day visit. Hofstadter, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his first book, Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid, is a fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Philosophical Society. He serves as Distinguished Professor of Cognitive Science at Indiana University and director of its Center for Research on Concepts and Cognition. Discussing his Thursday evening lecture, which is free and open to the public, Hofstadter said, “Of late, many translators into English have chosen to place ‘content’ on a sacred pedestal while throwing ‘form’ entirely out the window. But is there actually something objective called ‘content’ and something else called ‘form,’ and are they really cleanly separable?” Using a short poem written about 1,300 years ago in ancient Chinese by poet Wang Wei as an example, Hofstadter will compare and critique several contemporary English
translations of the poem. “I will point out what I consider the weak and strong points of these translations, and then I’ll show my own version, with its own weak and strong points,” Hofstadter explained. “Naturally, though, I’ll defend my own as being by far the best of all! “But don’t you worry,” he added. You don’t need to know a single word of Chinese (let alone ancient Chinese!) to enjoy Wang Wei’s poem, or to understand my lecture.” Dr. Johnny Wink, Ouachita’s Betty Burton Peck Professor of English, is among professors in the department of English and modern foreign languages, who will host Hofstadter during his visit. Recalling when he was first introduced to Hofstadter’s writings by one of his students, Wink said when he received the book, Le Ton beau de Marot: In Praise of the Music of Language, “I was charmed, fascinated and moved from the word go. I don’t expect ever to read a more profound meditation on the nature of language than I encountered in those pages. Nor do I expect ever to read a greater love story. Love and language, for a thousand pages! I go back and back to that book. I dote on it.” Wink and Hofstadter begin corresponding and developed a friendship that led to Hofstadter delivering a series of lectures at Ouachita in 2009. Wink described Hofstadter as a man who is “a physicist, a mathematician, a cognitive scientist, an essayist, a poet, a translator, a phenomenologist, a thoroughgoing student of at least a dozen languages” and much more. n
Thursday, February 27, 2014
www.obusignal.com
this weekzCALENDAR DOUG HOFSTADTER will give a lecture tonight at 7 p.m. in Young Auditorium. For more information, contact Anna Wakeling at wak48973@obu. edu. REFUGE is tonight at Second Baptist at 9:30 (after the basketball game). For more information, contact James Taylor at taylorja@obu.edu.
MISS OBU PAGEANT is Saturday from 7:30 - 9 p.m. in JPAC. For more information, contact Hillary Hill at hillh@ obu.edu. BETA BETA SERENADE will be Tuesday, March 4 from 10 11 p.m. For more information, contact Caleb Terry at ter55710@obu.edu.
INTERVIEW WORKSHOP will be tomorrow from noon-1 p.m. in the Alumni Room. For more information, contact Lauren Land at landl@obu.edu.
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TOP
Favorite things about Tuesday’s @TonightShowOBU
5 4 3 2 The Signal got a shoutout Everything about The OBU 1 Safety Band
John David Whitmore’s hidden rapping ability Beau Daggett’s Groban-esque accordion serenade They showed some love to our friend, The Ouachitonian
From Our
Favorite movie nominated for Sunday’s Oscars?
“Frozen”
Emily Terry Editor-in-Chief
“Captain Phillips” Anna Kumpuris News Editor
“Her”
Noah Hutchinson Opinions Editor
“Iron Man 3” Chelsea Byers Sports Editor
“Lone Survivor”
Dixon Land Assistant Sports Editor
WEEK
panel discussions, students will be able to see their profesz Continued from Page 1 sors and others in a new way. “One of the events we are very excited about offering this year are the women’s and men’s panels that will be held on two different nights. These sessions are called ‘Living the Life, 365: Learning to navigate every phase of life,’” Duvall said. “At these sessions and others offered throughout the week, our students will be able to hear from respected faculty and staff members and other individuals about relating well in different areas of life.” Duvall and the leadership team want to be sure students know that the week is for everyone, not just for those who are in dating, engagement or marriage relationships.They want to emphasize that relationships with people are second only to each person’s relationship with God. “I hope that Healthy Relationships Week will challenge us to improve our skills in order to improve the relationships God has given each of us – not only in romantic relationships but in relationships with friends, family and coworkers,” said Amy Campbell, a member of the leadership team for the week. Duvall believes that the week is an important one for students to take advantage of. “I’m just really excited about the week. We are going to spend a lot of time praying for our speakers and our students,” Duvall said. “This week is just really unique and students can really benefit from this. Even if they just come to two things, I think it could benefit them.” Vice President for Community and International Engagement, Ian Cosh, says the goal for the week is to make sure we remain lifelong learners in managing relationships. “The Elrod Center was established to highlight the importance of community and the need to be fully engaged in it,” he said. “At the heart of community are the relationships that people enjoy with each other. Those relationships can be the source of the greatest joy when they are healthy and the source of the deepest pain when they become dysfunctional.” During the week, follow @ElrodCenterOBU on Twitter for updates about the week and reminders about the 15 different events students can attend. For more information about the week or the Elrod Center for Family and Community, visit www.obu.edu/elrod or contact Judy Duvall at duvallj@obu.edu or (870) 245-5320. n
Honesty Project 2014
Dates to Remember: Deadline: Sunday, 3.16 @ Midnight Winners Announced: Friday, 4.4 @ Noon in the Student Center Essay Winner Printed in the Signal: Thursday, 4.10
Cash Prizes: Essay: 1st Place – $400
Video: 1st Place – $600
2nd Place – $200
2nd Place – $300
Poster: 1st Place – $400 2nd Place – $200
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
NEWS BRIEFS n Thirty second recaps of the biggest stories of the week. NATIONAL ― A federal judge in
WORLD ― Trouble flared at one
of the most important religious sites San Antonio overturned the Texas ban in the Old City of Jerusalem that is at on same-sex marriage, ruling that the the center of the Arab-Israeli conflict prohibition is unconstitutional and on Tuesday. Israeli police said around stigmatizes the relationship of gay 20 masked Palestinian youths were couples. The ruling by U.S. District throwing stones and firecrackers at Judge Orlando Garcia does not allow Israeli security forces. Police then same-sex couples to immediately entered the compound and made marry because he stayed the injuncthree arrests. The 35-acre site known tion pending any appeal. Garcia ruled as the Temple Mount by Jews and as that the state’s ban deprives same-sex Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) by couples of due process and equal proMuslims has long been a flashpoint tection treating them differently from because it is considered a holy site by opposite-sex couples. Texas Atty. Gen. both Muslims and Jews. The site is Greg Abbott, a Republican campaignof deep religious and political siging for governor, announced plans to nificance to Muslims and Palestinians appeal. The Dallas area couple that around the world because it houses filed the lawsuit were in San Antonio the golden Dome of the Rock where for the ruling and plan to speak at Muslims believe the prophet Mohaman afternoon briefing with the other mad ascended to heaven and the couple who filed the lawsuit, Nicole Al-Aqsa mosque. Jews believe it is the Dimetman, an entrepreneur and marsite of the First and Second Temples in keting consultant, and Cleopatra De ancient times. n Leon, a biostatistician. n Compiled by Sam Cushman, Associate Editor. Sources: usatoday.com, hngn.com, reuters.com, cdc.gov, abcnews.com.
PAGEANT
z Continued from Page 1 nior mass communications and political sciences major Bekah Hall, junior business administration and management major Abbey Lindsey, junior mass communications and speech communications major Gracie Lundstrum and freshman Christian studies and missions major Shelby Medders. The Court of Honor will perform throughout the pageant. This year’s Court of Honor includes Miss OBU 2013 Kiley Wright, Miss OBU 2012 MaryLacey Thomson, senior music education major Carli Sasser, senior musical theater major Nicole Matson and senior music major Molly Salmon. Stacy Hawking, a sophomore musical theater major, is the choreographer for the Court of Honor. The contestants spend months preparing for the pageant and each one prepares in different ways. Lundstrum says she watches the news in order to help prepare her for the interview portion of the competition. “My favorite part of the pageant is definitely the interview because I am the most comfortable,” she said. Lindsey also loves the interview process. However, she
prepares for her interview in a different way. “I meet with a few knowledgeable people that help me prepare for the interview competition,” Lindsey said. “It usually consists of discussing techniques and current events that may come up in the interview.” Lindsey says that this way of
“This pageant
is something I have looked forward to competing in ever since I was accepted into Ouachita”
– Abby Lindsey
preparing is also beneficial for the on-stage question. Competing in this pageant has been one of her most-anticipated moments at Ouachita.
SCIENCE ― Wednesday, scientists
confirmed the discovery of 715 new planets orbiting stars other than our own sun, nearly doubling the number of exoplanets on the books thus far. Researchers have trumpeted the discovery of large batches of unconfirmed candidate exoplanets but never before have so many genuine, verified exoplanets been reported at one time. Four of the new planets are in the habitable zone, the narrow band around a star where the temperature on a planet’s surface is likely to be warm enough for liquid water. All four are about twice as big in diameter as the Earth. The new group of planets, all found using data from NASA’s Kepler spacecraft, is notable not just for its size but also for what it tells us about the other planets beyond our own stellar neighborhood. Most of the newly discovered exoplanets, not just those in the habitable zone, are small. n
“This pageant is something I have looked forward to competing in ever since I was accepted into Ouachita” Lindsey said. “I look forward to getting back into the swing of competing in just a few days.” Miss OBU 2013 Kiley Wright said that during her time as Miss OBU she was awarded the honor of competing in Miss Arkansas where she received 3rd runner up. She also said that service is a large part of the Miss Arkansas System. “As Miss OBU I also got the opportunity to promote my platform, Animal Cruelty Awareness.” “My advice to the contestants competing this year is to enjoy yourself and allow God’s light to shine through you,” said Wright. “When your heart is in the right place, others can see that and you can make a difference in someone’s life without meeting them.” Wright will pass down her title to the new Miss OBU this year at the pageant. “Handing down my title will be bittersweet, but I am so excited for the new Miss OBU to embark on a journey that is not only fun, but challenging in all of the best ways possible. But of course I’ll be sad to no longer represent the best university around.” Tickets are available through the OBU box office at www. obu.edu/boxoffice. n
HEALTH ― Obesity among young
children has declined significantly in America over the last decade and appears to have “turned a corner” after rising relentlessly since the 1980s, according to a new national report. The proportion of abnormally fat two-tofive year olds has fallen by 43 percent since 2004 and US federal authorities are cautiously optimistic this is part of a healthy trend that is gaining momentum. Experts say the message is getting through to parents not to give sugary drinks, in particular, to young children, as well as to rely more on fresh foods and move away from junk food and fattening snacks. The research showed that public-health policies to encourage more breast-feeding for longer and more exercise for children were also getting through. It found that eight percent of children in the US aged between two and five were . n
Dr. Robert Kolt contributes articles to music dictionary By JESSICA STEWART News Bureau
Dr. Robert Kolt, associate professor of music at Ouachita, was recently published in The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd Edition. Kolt contributed 35 articles for this eight-volume resource that will be used in universities and libraries worldwide. “The Grove Dictionary of American Music is one of the leading sources for music researchers at the undergraduate, graduate and professional levels,” explained Dr. Gary Gerber, chair of Ouachita’s Division of Music. “To be asked to submit articles for this publication is quite an honor and shows a great deal of respect for Dr. Kolt as a leading musicologist in the nation.” “I am quite honored not only to be included among the authors, but to be asked to write so many articles,” Kolt said. “For a musicologist to be able to say that their work is included in any of the Grove music dictionaries is a very high honor in the field, and also quite humbling at the same time.”
Many of Kolt’s articles focus on American opera, his academic specialty, and he was initially approached by the editor-in-chief to only write a few articles. However, as the three-year project progressed, he eventually contributed 35 articles covering American opera, composers, performers and conductors. The Grove Dictionary of American Music, 2nd Edition is published by Oxford University Press, and the publication is available online in addition to its hard-copy format. “Ouachita is fortunate to have a great scholar as part of the music faculty,” Gerber added. “He brings not only a wealth of knowledge in musicology, but also a heart for research and scholarly work for both him and his students.” Kolt joined the Ouachita faculty in 2012 as associate professor of music and teaches a variety of music history courses. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland, his Master of Arts degree from Radford University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Mary Washington College. n
Professionals to visit campus for annual Career Expo By ANNA KUMPURIS News Editor
More than 60 different organizations will be represented in Walker Conference Center on Thursday, March 6, for the annual Career and Networking Expo hosted by the Career Services office. Employers and representatives from various companies, school districts, graduate schools and ministries will be present at this year’s expo. Students of all majors are encouraged to participate in the expo in order to meet recruiters, ask questions about job programs, expand their professional network and receive career tips. The expo will last from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. “Many students have found tangible job and internship leads or learned about graduate programs that are exactly the fit they were searching for by attending the Career Expo,” said Lauren Land, director of Career Services. “Everyone who attends will gain experience in networking—meeting new contacts, telling them about themselves and their career goals and asking good questions.” The expo is free and open to all students. No RSVP or signup is necessary to attend, but students are strongly encouraged to dress in profes-
sional business attire and to bring several copies of their most recent resume. The organizations represented at the expo are from all over the country, even as far away as San Francisco. Many of the organizations attending will have tangible jobs or internships to discuss, while others are there just to make contacts with students, talk about career planning, offer industry insight and answer questions. Regardless, Land believes that the expo will be very beneficial to all students, freshmen to seniors. “Of course, upperclassmen are a natural fit for this event because they are looking to make relevant connections as they really hone in on their job search,” Land said. “But this is also a fantastic opportunity for freshmen and sophomores who are making decisions about fields they want to explore for their future career and have questions to ask these industry represen-
tatives.” Even students who have not previously spent much time working on resumes, networking and career preparation, or students who are still uncertain about their career plans are encouraged to attend. “It’s never too early to start thinking about it,” Land said. “It will save so much stress and anxiety during senior year if students start thinking about their career goals early and gathering as much information as they can.” Though the Career Services office hosts many programs and events throughout the year to help students with career preparation, the Career and Networking Expo
is by far their largest event of the school year. “The office has worked tirelessly in preparing for this event,” said Hannah Pilcher, program coordinator for the Career Services office. “It takes a lot of preparation because we are dealing with so many people in the work force. This is not an event that can be thrown together in a few weeks.” The preparation for the expo takes months each year, but employees of Career Services find it worth it to present students with this networking experience. “This expo is a way for the Career Services office to really serve the students on this campus because we are help-
ing them by bringing all these people to them and giving them the opportunity to meet as many professionals as they can,” Pilcher said. “We want to show these recruiters how wonderful our students are and that we really are proud of them. We know they are receiving a great education and we are confident that these recruiters will see the abilities and skills that our students posses.” A complete list of the professional organizations that will attend the expo is available online at http://www. obu.edu/career/career-networking-expo/. For more information about the expo, contact Land at landl@obu. edu. n
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features
Thursday, February 27, 2014
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Kristen Barnard z The Signal Ms. Carolyn Green swipes one of many Ouachita student ID cards in the food court of Evans Student Center. Last year, Green was awarded the national “Spirit of Sodexo” award, recognizing her for going “above and beyond the call of duty to represent Sodexo in a positive way in the community.”
Sodexo’s biggest smile The story of Ms. Carolyn Green and her contagious spirit dexo. She decided to settle down in Arkadelphia after many years of working with differAssistant Sports Editor ent people in cosmetics. @dixoncland What makes Green so interesting is her abils the first chicken nuggets and waffle ity to connect with different people. fries are dropped into the deep fryer “My mother has scoliosis,” Green said. “I every morning, Ms. Carolyn Green ar- have to help her shop and she has to go to dirives for her daily shift in the Evans Student alysis three times a week. My life is so busy!” Center. As usual, she has a smile on her face, Yet, even with so much to stress over, Green stopping to talk to everyone that she knows. continually is happy about life and loves to But, her smile doesn’t just stop after the morn- share joy that with others. After working in ing is over. Even at 5:45 p.m. when she finishes cosmetics for years, Green says that her job her shift, she leaves with the same million-dol- with Sodexo is a rewarding way for her to lar grin she had when she arrived. work. For many on campus, Carolyn Green, or as “I love being around the college students,” many lovingly call her, “Ms. Carolyn,” has Green said. “They are so nice and really great been a positive impact on their lives. She’s people. I really enjoy each and every person been known to greet everyone with a smile, that comes through my line on a day-to-day and has been rumored to sing orders back to basis.” people. But what makes Green so special is Green talked extensively about how satisfyher unwavering joy and caring spirit. ing her job is. She said that the job gives her Green grew up like many others in a great an opportunity to hang out with all different home with a wonderful family. types of people and to develop some unique “I had a great childhood,” Green said. “It friendships. was my sister and I. We were a happy normal “You start to recognize people in the line family.” and you get to talk with them,” Green said. In ninth grade, Green moved from sunny “I can honestly say that some of them are truCalifornia to Arkadelphia when her father de- ly my friends and it brightens my day to see cided to open a new glass shop within the city them.” limits. And many students would say the same “My father decided to open up a new shop thing about her. In fact, most of the Ouachita here in Arkadelphia,” Green said. “Arkadel- campus can tell you a positive story about her, phia didn’t have a glass shop previous to that, including senior Ryan Strebeck. so he opened the first ever glass shop in Arka- “It’s impossible to be sad around her,” Stredelphia. When we moved here, I immediately beck said. “No matter what you are going fell in love with the place.” through or what stress you have, she’s always Green worked extensively in the cosmetic there with a smile or a joke to brighten your business for over 13 years before joining So- day.” By DIXON LAND
A
Every week, check out the Signal YouTube page for a new feature video on a Ouachita student. We will be randomly selecting students each week to interview and feature. Our campus is full of students with stories to tell, so we are giving students the opportunity to tell them in their own words. Check it out every Thursday at www.youtube.com/obusignal. Maybe you will be asked to share your unique story next, so get it ready.
Senior Buck Schroeder also discussed how much of a difference she makes on the campus by just having a smile. “She is always happy and cheerful and I’m always happy to see her when I go to Chick,” Schroeder said. “She’s one of those unique people that make Ouachita special.” In fact, last year Green was awarded the national “Spirit of Sodexo” award. The award, according to George Chavel, president and CEO of Sodexo North America, is “to recognize Sodexo employees who go above and beyond the call of duty to represent Sodexo in a positive way in the community.” And while she will never say it, most on Ouachita’s campus will agree that there aren’t many people in the country that deserve this award as much as Green did. “I was honored,” Green said. “It’s so humbling to have been nominated by Ouachita and to have such support from everyone here. I just love what I do so much.” For a girl that works behind the scenes with a smile on her face, Green says that she has been overwhelmed from the love and support she gets from everyone in the Ouachita family. Green is one of those people that really makes Ouachita special. Her endearing smile and love for every student that she serves through the cashier line in the student center sets her apart as one of the most genuine and loving people on this campus. "Ms. Carolyn is like a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day," said junior Dylan Haney. "She is always ready with a smile on her face and a compliment prepared to make sure you have an enjoyable lunch experience. Ouachita wouldn't be the same without her." n
Scan for this week’s video with Claudia Brizuela!
Ouachita youtube.com/ obusignal
Faces
opinions
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Thursday, February 27, 2014
Why you need a lawn chair By NOAH HUTCHINSON Opinions Editor @Hutch15 “Well,” I said, clasping my hands somberly, “I guess he’s finally dead.” The remains of our dear comrade lay there on the hot concrete, twisted and broken. It was like looking down on a rose bush that the Weed Eater had gotten just a little too close to. From the looks on our faces alone, it was obvious that something innocent and beautiful had been destroyed. “I guess we could just grab another one...” “Nah.” I cut my bro short. “Let’s go outside. Turn the Xbox off for a bit. Out of respect.” Red, my beloved lawn chair that I reserved for all my guests, had finally snapped under its burden. We knew a 5 lb. chair could only withstand being sat on by 230 lb. guys for so long before it met with an early grave, but we still couldn’t help but grow to love it. The way it folded up in the corner so conveniently at the end of the day, or how its poorly supported back formed perfectly to your body when you sat down in it. Or its girlish laugh. That chair was the co-pilot’s seat to all my split-screen video game endeavors and my go to companion for barbecues, fishing trips and Fourth of July firework shows. It was a true bro. So much so that I’d say anyone without at least five trustworthy lawn chairs is practically showing up to the movie of life five minutes late and without a ticket. It’s only a matter of time until they find themselves without a seat. The average college dorm room or starter apartment is more comparable to a submarine than a mansion. A young adult’s living quarters can be so cramped that
it’s not uncommon for anyone with a power drill and some courage to build an entire second level for seating in their living room just to conserve floor space. But that’s a problem of the past when you’re sitting in lawn chairs though. Watching a movie? Whip out the lawn chairs and comfortably seat as many people as you can cram in the room. Your roommate who gets winded walking up the stairs insists she can totally pull off that spin kick from that one fight scene in the movie after it’s over? Put the lawn chairs back in the corner and let the entertainment continue. With lawn chairs, you can go from improvised theater to completely bare floor space as fast as you can fold them up. Their space saving capabilities are also a dream when it comes to moving. At the end of spring semester, you’re going to have to take all your stuff home. If that consists of any kind of couches, recliners or rolling office chairs, I hope you’ve mastered the ol’ hook and slide maneuver. With lawn chairs, all you do is fold it up and walk right out the door. You don’t have to be that guy scrounging for a spot in a storage building or begging somebody with a truck to help you move either. You can fit an impressive amount of lawn chairs in the back of a mid-size sedan with a little creativity. On top of that, the low cost and generally sturdiness means you can do whatever you want with them. You can paint them, assemble two of them into an improvised love seat, replace worn out parts with random found hardware or use one as a ring-side weapon when your arch nemesis makes a run at your championship belt. I once built an 8x8 raft out of plywood and 55 gallon drums and seating was never a problem. In fact, the lawn chairs held up to the water and Texas summer heat better than anything else on the boat. If you own a lawn chair for no other reason, you
Little Bricks, Big Screen “Lego Movie” not just for kids, also speaks to young at heart
By ALEX NELSON
Guest Writer Most of us have had some kind of contact with the Lego franchise in our lives. Not all of us were the obsessive collectors depicted in the latest blockbuster hit, the Lego Movie, but if you’re anything like me, building tall towers just to send them crashing to the ground was one of my favorite past times… Especially if the tower belonged to my little sister. There was just something special and creative about turning that big pile of one 1 inch by 1 inch multicolored bricks into a misshapen castle, landscapes or Han Solo’s Millennium Falcon. Sometimes, it was fun just to dump them on the floor to make Mom and Dad mad. Those moments of spontaneous creativity were not lost on the creators of this hit. The story centers around ordinary Emmet, a construction worker in a world defined by instructions, order and an utter lack of creativity. This world is controlled by Lord Business, an overbearing control freak with a height complex. When Emmet finally breaks his everyday routine, he discovers a plot that will end the world as he knows it. Along the way, he discovers new friends, travels to exotic places and finds out that there is more to Lego, and himself, than following a set of instructions. The genius of this movie is that, despite appearing as a fun-filled kids movie, it falls into that rare category of being made for children, but finding a special place for those who are still young
– Alex Nelson
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Keeping the faith Assistant Sports Editor When people ask me what I want to do after college, I always hesitate in my answer. For some, the association between journalism and religion doesn’t always go hand-in-hand. I’m not really sure why either. For me, at the fundamental core of who I am, Jesus lives. But, how much of that should be expressed in the articles that I write and things that I cover? I’d like to take a moment and express the reasons why I believe journalism isn’t nearly as far away from my religious beliefs as the surface story may tell. A closer look between the lines will tell a story for itself. As journalists, we’re paid to get the story right. We tend to be gatekeepers of what dictates much of the social, political and spiritual realm of our society. We’re not necessarily people who command the opinion, but more like agenda-setters with what and how we write. We define, outline, contextualize and analyze what issues are to be discussed, but ultimately it’s the reader’s job to make an opinion on the facts given. According to Robert Case in an address to the World Journalism Institute on Christian journalism, the journalist is supposed to act as a sentinel. He even claims journalists as “the constitutional ‘fourth estate’ (after executive, legislative and judicial), making sure the interests of the people are safeguarded.” And while Case brings an interesting analogy to the traditional watchdog approach, he also makes a valid point: journalists are given a very rare opportunity that few others get—a chance to give a voice to the voiceless, power to the powerless and bringing genuine stories of compassion, corruption or heroism to the surface for all to see. Journalists aren’t required to tell the truth these days. The concept of yellow journalism has changed the landscape and scope of reporting. Today, it doesn’t take much effort to find an avenue to present libelous, uncensored
Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210
Emily Terry
Noah Hutchinson
Caroline Poole
Dr. Jeff Root
Sam Cushman
Chelsea Byers
Kristen Barnard
Dr. Deborah Root
Anna Kumpuris
Dixon Land
Rachel Gilmer
Ms. Tiffany Eurich
z EDITOR-IN-CHIEF z ASSOCIATE EDITOR z NEWS EDITOR
z OPINIONS EDITOR z SPORTS EDITOR
z ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
z COPY EDITOR
z PHOTO EDITOR
z VIDEO MANAGER
By Noah Hutchinson
By DIXON LAND
at heart. Memorable lines range from, “WIPING YER BUM WITH A HOOK FOR A HAND IS REALLY HARD!” to get kids laughing, to thoughtful lines bordering on social commentary that adults can appreciate. Some of you might be asking, “How could a company like Lego possibly get the rights to have characters from Batman and Superman, to Dumbledore and Chewbacca all onto the same screen?” The answer is nothing more than business savvy. For years, Lego has been creating and distributing special edition sets of Legos themed after whatever blockbuster hit was going strong, including (among a slew of others): Star Wars, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Mickey Mouse, Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean. Each time they made these sets, they were given rights to use the likeness of each of the characters that we know and love. All it took was a good bit of insight, a clever theme and a villain to unite them. And, with the help of a little scene of reality at the end, we can each leave the theater with the same feeling that we had as kids when we put the last brick on our Lego creation. My point is, if you haven’t seen it yet and are letting your predispositions about it being a kids movie stop you, get off the couch and go. Grab dinner on the way; you won’t miss anything at the caf, I promise. Gentlemen, take a date. Nothing tells you more about a girl than hearing her laugh at CGI violence and Batman puns. Either way, just trust me. It’s worth it. n
“We can each leave the theater with the same feeling that we had as kids when we put the last brick on our Lego creation.”
should for outdoor activities. Everyone should have at least two lawn chairs in the trunk of his or her car. You never know when something might happen that is just awesome enough to get you to go outside yet not quite awesome enough to warrant standing up the entire time. Like a volleyball tournament or the 105th annual Arkadelphia Marmalade Taste-off. a lawn chair can be the difference between having a fun time and having sore feet and a group of friends who have “gone to get more ice” because they’re tired of that stupid, grumpy look on your face. Your lawn chairs will be there for you until their dying breath, just like dear Red (who, for those grieving the supposed passing of such a brave hero, was rebuilt in a matter of days and still serves my household as faithfully as the day it was welcomed in). They’re basically the dogs of the dorm room furniture world. If you don’t own one, I question whether you can even call yourself a southerner. n
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z ONLINE ADVISER
information about an event, person or place in a public forum. Gossip magazines and websites do so constantly. The way of the truthful, hard-working journalist has gone by the wayside. The chauvinistic, character-driven, gentleman of the evening has turned into the lazy, easy afternoon date. That’s what our society has come to. But, truthful journalists that fact check material will tell you that true stories vehemently stand out on their own. Christian journalists have an obligation to tell the truthful story. The Bible talks about the importance of truth often. In Ephesians 4:25, Paul specifically says, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” We are compelled as Christians to speak the truth, even when it may not necessarily be the most popular thing for us to say or do—especially in journalism. We need to always be reminded that John 8:32 reassures us that truth will set us free. What I am not saying is that nonChristians always lie or that Christians always tell the truth; we’re far from that. But what needs to be said, is that journalists must hold dear to their Christian ethics by reporting true statements credited by factual realities. It’s important to note that being a truthful Christian journalist isn’t always easy. Being a Christian isn’t easy either. But for journalism, sometimes presenting a story without proper quotes or stretching truths to even the slightest extent make the story seem more appealing, plausible or understandable. In doing so, we compromise our religious values in the process. As a Christian, I find my role in journalism to be vital. Whether to present a feature story, a news story or even an obituary, the importance of getting the story right is crucial to surviving in media. It gives me great pleasure to bring out the stories that matter most— to shine a light on stories that need to be told and to publish the voices of the voiceless. Journalism gives me an avenue to do such and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity that God has provided me. n
The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Thursday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Hope Star.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via e-mail to signal@obu.edu.
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sports
Thursday, February 27, 2014
www.obusignal.com
New NCAA rule needs work By DIXON LAND
Assistant Sports Editor @DixonCLand
Dr. Wesley Kluck z Courtesy President Rex Horne congratualtes Coach Crowder on his 700th win. Crowder was honored at last Thursday’s game and was presented with an honorary game ball.
Coach Garry Crowder: Mr. 700 By BRANDON SMITH Staff Writer
Coming out of halftime with a 3029 lead, the Garry Crowder coached Lady Tigers were 20 minutes away from Ouachita’s first ever visit to the Elite Eight. Ouachita opened the second half of the NCAA Division II South Championship with hopes of defeating Delta State and playing for the National Quarterfinals the next week. As the game went deeper into the second half, the Lady Statesmen climbed back, and with less than one minute to play, the teams were tied at 48. Ouachita’s A’Laeshia Adams drew a foul on the next possession to go to the freethrow line with 38 seconds left. Adams was Ouachita’s hero three days earlier when she scored 26 points to lead the Lady Tigers to their first NCAA Division II tournament win in school history. In front of 1,350 people inside Walter Sillers Coliseum, Delta State’s home arena, Adams stepped to the stripe with a chance to give her Lady Tigers a twopoint lead. She made one of two and Delta State took over. With 13.8 seconds remaining, the Lady Statesmen took a timeout to set up their final chance at victory. After setting up the play, Delta State’s LaMeasha McAdory got the call. McAdory’s shot missed, but Courtney Wilson scored a put back with 7.2 seconds remaining, giving the Lady Statesmen the 50-49 lead. In desperation, Adams drove the length of the court for Ouachita, traveled along the baseline and heaved up a one-handed floater. The ball sailed long, however, and Delta State stole the victory and a chance at the Elite Eight. “It was a heartbreaking loss. I mean, we had the game won,” Crowder said. “We would have been in the Elite Eight, and we believe we would have won at least one of the games in the Elite Eight that year.” Fast-forward five years to Bethany, Okla. Crowder and his Lady Tigers are in Southern Nazarene’s Sawyer Center for a Great American Conference matchup. Despite trailing by five at halftime, the Lady Tigers outscore Southern Nazarene by 15 in the second half to grab the 71-61 win. The victory helps Ouachita as they try to claim a spot in the GAC Championship Tournament. The victory means much more than a playoff spot, however. For senior guard Nashia James, the game allows her to score her 1,000th point as a Lady Tiger. On top of that, OBU’s victory over Southern Nazarene on Feb. 8, was Crowder’s 700th win as a women’s basketball head coach. Now, rewind 35 years to the square mile of Taylor, Arkansas, otherwise known as the origin of Mr. 700. Crowder, the 1978 Henderson State graduate, began his coaching career at Taylor High School in 1979. “Taylor had really good girls basketball,” Crowder said. “They were needing a coach when I finished college. Dr.
Mickey O’Quinn, who was the head of the kinesiology department at Henderson, recommended me for that job.” At Taylor, Crowder posted a 65-36 record in three years, winning at least 20 games in all three seasons. During his tenure, Crowder’s record was 339-73, including 11 conference championships, nine district tournament titles and seven regional tournament championships. With a high school coaching record of 404109 and a winning percentage of 78.8, Crowder began searching for a coaching job at the collegiate level. “I had always had a desire to coach in college,” Crowder explained. “[Ouachita] felt that I was the best candidate, I guess, and, lucky for me, I got the job.” Crowder began at Ouachita in the 1995-96 season, and he set a school record with 18 wins in his very first year. Also during the year, Crowder’s squad defeated national powerhouse Arkansas Tech at home. “I remember Dr. Elrod coming down in the locker room with Coach Vining, and they, you know, did one of those Gatorade baths on me… Down in the locker room,” Crowder said. Building off his first season, Crowder established Ouachita as one of the best Division II women’s basketball programs in the region. In his 18 seasons, the Lady Tigers have participated in post-season play 11 times and have played in the NCAA Division II Championship Tournament twice. Crowder’s 700th win as a coach was his 296th at Ouachita, giving him a record of 296-221 as the Lady Tigers’ head coach. Despite so much success, Crowder insists the players are the reason for his decorated career. “There are two things if you have coached long enough to win 700 games. It means I am old, and I have coached a lot of good players. Players win games, and I have been blessed with a lot of good talent,” Crowder said. “Ouachita is wonderful place to work,” Crowder said as he explained what has kept him in Arkadelphia. “I’m around people that have the same value system that I have…this is where we have made home, and that is why I have stayed 19 years.” As the longest tenured collegiate women’s basketball coach in Arkansas, Crowder has no plans of retiring any time soon. “I have been able to coach a lot of really quality people, in addition to some outstanding basketball players,” Crowder said. “And that is more than the wins. It’s the relationships, the friends you make and the people you meet. And so I have no plans to retire any time in the next few years, and I will be 58 in March.” Crowder was honored for his 700th win after earning his 701st win at Bill Vining Arena on February 20. He is only three wins shy of his 300th win as the head coach of the Ouachita Lady Tigers. n
The NCAA Football Rules Committee has proposed a significant change to the rulebook for the upcoming season. Under this rule, offenses would not be able to snap the ball in the first 10 seconds of the play clock to allow defensive substitutions that need to be made. If the offense violates this rule, they will be charged a five-yard penalty for “delay of game.” I’m not an expert in NCAA rule making, but I do understand the game of football and to me, that seems a bit illogical. The NCAA is proposing that by trying to go faster, the offensive team is delaying the game. What? And while the point has been made that defensive athletes may be at a disadvantage when they are tired, this point is thoroughly invalid. Last time I checked, the defensive athletes play just as many downs as offensive athletes do. These athletes train throughout the summer in sweltering heat, running sprints with little to no rest in between. So they should be conditioned to withstand a 15-play drive in three to four minutes of football. Furthermore, defensive players and coaches should be happier about quicker drives. Before the hurry-up became a major part of the game, many analysts would say the reason a defense gave up so many points is due to their prolonged time on the field due to long, methodical drives that ate up yards in a rhythmic way as well as wearing the defense out by keeping them on the field for an extensive period of time even though they were able to substitute players after each play. There hasn’t been any statistical proof given. Instead advocates have simply predicted that more injuries will occur. I’m ok with this on one condition: we eliminate tackling from football. It’s only fair. I believe that an athlete in college football will be hurt this year from a tackle. So let’s eliminate it from the game because of perceived issues that could come from tackling. What bothers me most about this rule is the twominute exception. According to the proposed rule, the ten-second delay would be nullified. I’m assuming this is for teams trying to score late in the half or game. But, even for hurry-up teams, two minutes is a very short amount of time to score from any point on the field. Furthermore, fans can forget about those classic comebacks. By creating a ten-second run off, the game becomes shorter, making comebacks increasingly more difficult. But, most disturbing about the two-minute exception is the disregard for players’ safety. If we allow this rule to take place throughout the game, but not in the last two minutes of the second and fourth quarter, are we really doing this to protect players’ safety? For me, its easy to conclude that a player could get hurt, and may be more likely to get hurt from playing harder, in the last two minutes of the half and game. In opposition of the rule, Mike Leach expressed his concerns on WJOX in Birmingham. “They’re going to try and hide behind player safety in order to do it. And the absurdity of that is more layers deep than we have time to discuss on this radio show, and they do that without any documentation whatsoever that there is a player safety issue.” Along with Leach, many other coaches have since publically scrutinized the rule change including Mike Gundy, Rich Rodriquez and Hugh Freeze. I would conclude that the 10-second runoff isn’t at all about a player’s safety. The 10-second rule is a way for defensive minded coaches to even the playing field with offensive minded coaches in college football. While players’ safety is obviously of utmost importance, this rule isn’t designed for that at all. If it were, there wouldn’t be stipulations in it such as the two-minute clause. Coaches from both sides need to come up with a better solution to this problem if there is actually a concern to player safety. Otherwise, no rules should be implemented. n
New Episodes Debut Fridays at Noon Dr. Jack’s Coffeehouse
This Week: OBU Sports Update with Ben Cline and Jackson Carter; Coleson’s Corner with Coleson and Caleb Terry. Intramurals: Mitchell Kelly and Tyler Davis will cover Lob City and the Berry Bible Bullies. Watch online at www.obusignal.com