Vol 93 issue 18

ARKATECH THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1923

THE

ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY // THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017 • VOL. 93 NO. 18

Defunding diversity and inclusion, House Bill 1213

AMBER QUAID

Managing Editor

House Bill 1213 is creating a stir amongst the city of Russellville and across the state. The reason: defunding Arkansas Tech University’s Department of Diversity and Inclusion.

The views are split on the impact this will have for the Tech campus, as the bill has not yet passed. The reason the views are split are because this bill targets Tech specifically and no other campus.

The Special Language subcommittee is meeting to vote on Section 5, an amendment that was added on March 8: “Arkansas Tech University shall not budget, allocate, commit for

The English Language Institute is an intensive English language program that serves to prepare international students for the demands of college and equip with them with the language skills necessary to succeed in the local academic world.

The institute, which currently has 12 students, focuses on the academic basics of reading, writing, grammar, listening, speaking and note taking.

New students take an entry test and are placed in a corresponding level according to their score.

For undergraduate students there are five levels, and there is a sixth for

Decisions, Decisions – Learn how to make major decisions as a leader in a professional setting at 4 p.m. in Baz Tech 202.

2nd International Film Festival – Go to Ross Pendergraft Library, Room 300 North, at 7 p.m. to watch the final movie in the festival series, “Babel.”

SATURDAY, MARCH 18 – SUNDAY, MARCH 26 Spring break FACEBOOK.COM

Language institute teaches more than English Contributing Writer

THURSDAY, MARCH 17

OneLove Escalation Workshop – Learn about relationship violence and how to make a change from 4-6 p.m. in Brown Hall 254.

(HB 1213 page 4)

EVAN HANNA

News briefs

graduate students.

There are two terms each semester and the students can complete one level of the program per term, so the full program takes around a year to complete on average, Jill Balaster, an instructor at the ELI, said.

The program focuses on language acquisition and is the first step to learning English for many of the institute’s students, Brent Hogan, coordinator of the ELI, said.

Hogan said that there seem to be miscommunications about the program and its students.

“I think some people have a false idea of what we are,” Hogan said. “The students aren’t behind on anything. They are learning

“I think some people have a false idea of what we are” -Brent Hogan, coordinator of the ELI the language for the first time.”

The institute not only provides students with educational language skills, but also conversational and social language skills by doing things like going out to lunch, Hogan said.

“We want to make them feel at home,” Hogan said.

The program teaches more than just how to succeed in the classroom, it teaches the students more about how to live in our world in and out

of the classroom, Balaster said. The relationships that are built and the cultural exchange between the teachers and students is a key element to the success of the program.

“We know our students and our students know us,” Balaster said, “It’s fun to be able to teach them what different things mean in our culture.”

Hogan said he encourages other students and faculty to help the students adjust to the challenges of living in a new culture.

HOLDING ONTO THE PAST

MONDAY, MARCH 27

Early registration for summer and fall semesters (continues until May 2) Deadline for degree audit (transcript evaluation), summer 2018 graduates Holi Festival – Throw colored powder at each other and celebrate the Indian holiday from 4-6 p.m. at the campus recreation fields across from Tech.

TUESDAY, MARCH 28

LGBTQ Safe Zone Ally Training – Learn how to support and be a safe place for LGBTQ persons from 6-9 p.m. in Doc Bryan 242.

Tech’s Got Talent Preliminary – Watch the top 12 contestants show off their skills and see who will make it to the finals from 8-11 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 29

Tattooing/Piercing Care Table – Learn how to take care of piercings from 11-2 p.m. at the Bell Tower.

On-Campus and PartTime Job Fair – Looking for a job while still in school? Visit Young Ballroom from 1-4 p.m.

Brass Choir Concert – Listen to the Brass Choir perform their first concert of the semester at 7:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.

THURSDAY, MARCH 30

RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH ABOVE: Abigail Plumlee, communications major from Mountain Home, makes a Native MAerican bracelet to have a momento thats lasts the longest.

INSERT: Native American tools used in Arkansas were on display for the archeology day exhibit on March 9.

Graphic Design Senior Exhibition

Norman Hall Art Gallery

Opening Reception

april 12-may 1, 2017 monday-friday 8am-5pm

april 22, 2017 6:30pm - 8pm

SENIOR ART EXHIBITS - PAGE 3

HAVING THAT CONVERSATION - PAGE 5

Your Second Amendment Rights: A Conversation with Dr. Stan Lombardo – Dr. Lombardo, professor of English, will discuss Second Amendment rights from 6-8 p.m. in Rothwell 211.

Tech’s Got Talent Finals with Jessi Campbell – See who will win the title out of the Top 6 from 8-11 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.

SATURDAY, APRIL 1

Fine Art Senior Exhibit Reception – 6:30-8 p.m. at the Norman Hall Art Gallery Arkansas Symphony Orchestra – Watch the orchestra perform from 8-10 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium. Students who present their Tech ID will receive free admission.

MONDAY, APRIL 3

Donuts with the Dean – Celebrate graduation student appreciation week by stopping in for a donut with Graduate Dean Dr. Mary Gunter between 8-10 a.m. in Tomlinson 113.

Fine Art Senior Exhibit – View senior art majors’ work from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Norman Hall Art Gallery.

Trumpet Ensemble Concert – Listen to the Trumpet Ensemble perform at 7:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.

TUESDAY, APRIL 4

Fine Art Senior Exhibit – View senior art majors’ work from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Norman Hall Art Gallery.

Poverty Simulation – Experience poverty and the differences in our society with SAB from 4-7 p.m. in Young Ballroom

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 5

Fine Art Senior Exhibit – View senior art majors’ work from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. in the Norman Hall Art Gallery.

Graduate Research Symposium – Listen to current graduate student research and scholarly activities and view display posters from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in Young Ballroom.

Interdisciplinary Research Series – Listen to Dr. Jeff Woods, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities, speak about The Other Warriors in Vietnam at noon in Brown Hall 134.

Graduate Research Symposium – Graduate students will be presenting a condensed version of their research from 5-7 p.m. in McEver Hall.

'SEX ON THE LAWN' - PAGE 8

PAGE 2 | Opinion

Separation of holidays, MLK should stand alone WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Editorial: ed·i·to·ri·al

Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a day where Americans celebrate how far we have come with regards to civil rights and how we can continue to grow. We believe it is a fitting way to spend the day, considering the man the date is symbolizing.

However, for Arkansas, along with Alabama and Missouri, the day has been tethered to another holiday- Robert E. Lee Day. We at The Arka Tech believe that while Lee was an honorable man and worthy general, it is important to not forget the ideology that he was fighting for. An ideology that devalued and demoralized black citizens, and that promoted oppression and slavery.

To celebrate Robert E. Lee Day on the same day as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is abhorrent and inexcusable, especially considering that even Lee’s birth-state of Virginia made the decision to separate the two holidays 17 years ago, in 2000.

While we understand the signifi-

cance of Robert E. Lee to southern culture, with several of us being born and raised in former confederate states, we feel it is important to dedicate the entire day to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to commemorate the changes he made for the country and how he made the country better.

Last week, the Arkansas State Senate voted 24-0 on a plan to remove Robert E. Lee Day from January 19, separating the two holidays.

The proposal will now move to the Arkansas House of Representatives, where its fate will be decided. If approved, Robert E. Lee Day would be moved to the second Saturday in October as a state memorial day.

Also noted in the proposal is an expansion of what is taught in public schools regarding civil rights and the Civil War. Arkansas Governor, Asa Hutchison is in favor of the proposal, telling reporters during a news conference on January 6, “It’s important that that day be distinguished and separate and fo-

cused on that civil rights struggle and what he personally did in that effort, the great leader he was during that cause. They need to be distinguished and separate.”

This is not the first time that Arkansas has made a push to separate the two holidays. A similar proposal in 2015, that suggested moving Robert E. Lee Day to November as a state memorial day, was shot down by lawmakers.

One of the lawmakers who shot the law down was representative Jeff Wardlaw. Wardlaw told Reuters, “I’m the kind of guy who does what his constituents tell him they want, and last year they indicated they didn’t want a change.”

Wardlaw is the representative of District 8, which covers Bradley county, along with parts of Ashley, Drew, Cleveland, Dallas and Calhoun counties. For you and your family to indicate that you want the days separated, contact Wardlaw at 870-226-9501.

For those of you in Pope County, Ken Henderson serves as your representative and can be reached at 479-970-4850.

For a full list of Arkansas representatives and to find who represents you, visit www.arkansashouse.org.

Implore your representative to support the separation of the two holidays so that both men can be treated and remembered with the reverence that they deserve.

RYAN HARMON

pull any and all Prince content off of the internet. The only way to hear his music was to buy his albums or listen to the radio. And it didn’t end there.

A friend of mine who went by the YouTube username “Jeffery C Music” was known for doing bad karaoke as a way to raise awareness for child abuse. At one point, he did a Prince song, and his entire channel was shut down. It still didn’t end there.

I’m sure everyone is well aware of the video where Prince brought Kim Kardashian onstage to dance at one of his shows. After she refused to dance, he kicked her off the stage. This video didn’t have a single song in it, yet it was removed each time it was posted.

Prince even kept his official web presence to a minimum, creating a completely new website each time he released a new album, and taking it down once the project was done being promoted.

I would argue that he was the most inaccessible, yet majorly successful artist that the business has seen yet.

So, would Prince be OK with this if he were still alive? I think it’s obvious that his reaction would be exactly the opposite of OK. In my opinion,

he was too tough when it came to the internet, but to be fair, he created the music. He wanted to be the one who decided how that music would be made available. There’s nothing wrong with that.

Does it make fans and record

labels look bad when they rush to release all of this material after his death, knowing he wouldn’t want it that way? Only time will tell, but right now it doesn’t look good.

[ed-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] noun: An article that represents the official viewpoint of a newspaper on a topic of public interest.

Prince’s music available to stream - would he approve?

Entertainment Writer I really wanted to open this article with a bunch of puns that used lyrics from Prince songs. Fortunately, I decided against it, partly because the late pop legend probably wouldn’t have approved of it.

Another thing Prince definitely would not approve of is his music being available on popular streaming sites, like Spotify and YouTube.

Now before I get into my argument, just know that I was dreaming when I wrote this. Forgive me if it goes astray. I’m sorry. I had to.

As we approach the one-year anniversary of Prince’s death, there have been countless pieces of audio and video posted online, from live performances to television appearances. If you want to listen to Prince, all you have to do is visit YouTube.

His former record label, Warner Bros. Records, recently allowed music released by Prince during his Warner years to be made available on streaming services. But this was certainly not the case while he was still alive.

There was always a rumor that Prince had an entire team of people working for him, whose job was to

Survey doesn't offer a choice worth picking for breaks BRIANNA DAVIS

Staff Writer

On February 28, at 2:33 p.m., I received an email from the Faculty Senate asking me to fill out a survey.

The email was regarding the academic calendar, specifically the final exam schedule and how it will impact any changes to breaks. The question I wanted answered at that point is why would anybody want to change our breaks? I continued with the survey to see what could possibly affect our breaks, and I saw the worst.

The survey asked to rate my preference on 5 different choices regarding what our final schedule

could be changed to and what break would I rather have shorten. A break shortened.

None of the choices I was given was the right one.

Every choice seemed to either shorten one break over the other or make finals week different, and I happen to like finals week how it is. While taking this survey I was trying to figure out why they would want to change a system that I thought was solid.

Apparently, the reason for this survey is that the faculty here at Tech has concerns on how much time they have to grade final exams.

In the past years, including this one, faculty had 24 hours after the last day of exams to put in all grades into the system. I see why this can be inconvenient for faculty here at Tech, but what I don’t

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

understand is why they have to potentially cut out breaks to give them more time to put final grades in.

If they were to ask me what I think the solution should be, it would be an easy fix: give the faculty 48 hours to put grades in. Why does this have to be an issue that involves shortening breaks or changing our finals schedule?

Personally, I think this is an easy fix, and I don’t hear of any other universities potentially having to shorten Thanksgiving break or getting rid of reading day to give their faculty more time to put in grades.

If you have any questions about this survey or if you want to give the Faculty Senate your input on this issue, contact Dr. Michael Rogers at mrogers6@ atu.edu.

Campus | PAGE 3

MAN ON THE STREET “WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION POSSIBLY BEING DISBANDED? “I think it will not benefit Tech, it will make enrollment go down and that means tuition will go up so that’s a disadvantage for all the students.”

Abby Lawson Nursing Little Rock

“It’s a little upsetting for something to make the campus better possibly be taken away” Justin Lewis Public Relations Texarkana, TX

“I feel like those people pull different people together. I think they should get a warning”

Norman Hall Art Gallery to showcase senior exhibits

AMBER QUAID

Managing Editor

Norman Hall Art Gallery will have two senior art exhibitions during the month of April. Starting April 1 the Fine Arts Senior Exhibit will be open until April 12. Starting April 19, the Graphic design Exhibit will be open until May 3.

The fine art exhibition’s opening reception will be from 6:30-8 p.m. on April 1. The graphic design exhibition’s opening reception will be from 6:30-8 p.m. on April 22.

Both events will be held in the art gallery.

“There’s too many students for one exhibit,” Lyn Brands, associate professor of art graphic design, said. “It worked for the first year or two but then it just exploded.”

For the fine arts exhibit, 13 students will present, and for the graphic design exhibit, 14 students will present. Most students are at the junior or senior level. Four of the students are in both exhibitions.

The four students in both exhibitions “are taking the fine art show as an elective because they have a certain body of fine art work and they want to play both angles as they leave here career wise,” David Mudrinich, professor of art, drawing and painting, said.

There will be three awards given: one for the fine arts, one for graphic design and one for art education. The award, entitled “Department of Art Senior Recognition Award,” requires an application, a 3.5 GPA, a resume and the student must be a senior. Each award will be handed out during their corresponding exhibit’s opening reception except the art education, which will be awarded at

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

ABOVE: Zeke Mascuilli's digital painting for the exhibit RIGHT: Kimaly's poster for a local charity event.

BELOW: POST Products made by, need name, for the exhibit.

an alternate time.

The fine arts exhibition is a student’s collection of cohesive fine art works with an artist’s statement, according to Mudrinich and usually has works that are ready to move them into the next stage of their career.

The graphic design exhibition can be print, digital, animation, web design, art done for class or work they have done for clients, according to Brands and usually has works they have done within the last two years that they made better or added to.

The fine arts exhibition is entitled “(Dis)Enchantment,” show-

casing works that emphasis the dis portion of the enchantment or the enchantment itself. The graphic exhibition is entitled “Project 14” because there are 14 students presenting and they always have a project to work on, according to Brands and the works will vary.

“We love to have people who aren’t part of this department come and see the works,” Brands said.

“It gives them an idea of what we’re doing.”

The exhibitions offer the artists professional world experience because they learn how to run the

(ART page 4)

Susy Balderas Nursing DeQueen

“I think Mary Bentley is misusing a lot of her power.

I think that she needs to relax and stop worrying about what we are doing at Tech as adults learning about sexual education.”

Dalton Parker Social Studies Education Russellville

“I think it shouldn’t be disbanded. I feel like it should continue and it it is very effective around this university."

Victoria Wilson Management and Marketing Little Rock

“As a member of the African American Student Association, an organization that is under the umbrella of Diversity and Inclusion, I think it is absolutely heinous. I don’t understand why anyone would fathom it be okay to eradicate an entire department geared towards the furtherance of our school and inclusion of minority students."

ANSWERS FOR MARCH 9

Taylor L. Paulk Speech Communication Little Rock

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

PAGE 4 | News/Opinion

'Spring Broke' in the Natural State LAKYN KIDD

Contributing Writer Spring break in college could be a highlight during one’s college career. Many students hit the slopes or head to the beach but there are also students who stick around in Arkansas without any plans or much money. For spring break 2017, you can grab your fellow broke buddies and explore the Natural State.

Arkansas weather is unpredictable, but spring break usually brings warmer weather. For a place to cool off, save up your gas money to go cruise around the state to find water.

Find hidden water holes such as the Blue Hole near Langley and Falling Water in Pelsor.

“Falling Water is a sweet swimming area under a waterfall that me and my friends hit up every hot day,” said Derek Shultz, a mechanical engineering major from Spring Hill.

The mountain ranges in Arkansas can take up a full day and provide a full workout. Mount Nebo, Pinnacle Mountain and Devil’s Den each belong to Arkansas National Park (https://www.arkansasstateparks.com/).

Mt. Nebo State Park in Dardanelle has hiking trails, camping grounds and a waterfall along the shortest trail in the park.

Pinnacle Mountain State Park was the state’s first state park adjoining a metropolitan area in the west side of Little Rock. This park provides various biking or hiking trails and canoe tours.

Waterfalls, caves, hiking or biking trails, camp sites, horseback riding and caves can be found at Devil’s Den State Park in West Fork.

“The caves at Devil’s Den are my favorite place to explore,” said Kristina Asencio, a management and marketing

FLICKR.COM

Sunset at Mount Nebo, one of Arkansas's many state parks, is open during spring break. major from Springdale. “One time, some friends and I were going through a dark part of a cave called the ‘ice box’ and bats started flying out of nowhere. Besides the near heart attack, the view at the end of the cave was worth it.”

Aside from the scenery, Arkansas has other options that are not as outdoorsy. The Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville and Oaklawn Racing and Gaming in Hot Springs are major tourist sites.

The Clinton Presidential Center is home to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service, and the Little Rock offices of the Clinton Foundation. Admission prices vary from $6-$10 depending on age (https://www.clinton-

Change on campus ELEXIS HARPER

Staff Writer

OPINION PIECE

Arkansas Tech is a wonderful place to go to college. I, however, have a few things I’d like to see change.

First and foremost, the campus infrastructure. The sidewalks in some areas make sense, but in others, dead lengths of grass and bare dirt show the obvious paths that students take to minimize their walk, or perhaps walk in places that don’t even have a sidewalk. The path to the Energy Center has only one notable sidewalk and it’s not in a convenient direction from the cafeteria, Baz-Tech or the library.

Of course, there is the ever-present issue of the lack of parking. I have a hangtag that has only two available lots, both on the opposite side of campus from most of my classes. Unfortunately, this means I must walk 20 minutes just to get to class, which puts me at risk of being late if I leave at all later than intended.

I’d also like to see the inclusion of more hands-on style classes introduced

to Tech. I’ve never enjoyed the classroom setting and the traditional process of teaching, studying and taking a test. I have serious test anxiety, and the more relaxed process of learning and testing my skills with a practical application, such as writing a story or outlining a project, helps to teach me while also easing that anxiety.

To help ease the process of dealing with the intricacies of payments, schedules and transcripts, I think OneTech needs to be refined. The newest interface is decent, but it almost feels like the updates are released without student testing. If possible, I think releasing test versions for all students to browse and provide feedback would be highly beneficial.

For myself and others like me, I feel there are many things that could be changed to improve the experience of college. The master plan is in process and I hope they address issues such as these to help improve the campus from the student perspective. If you agree, let us know.

If you have any suggestions for things you’d like to see changed, email us at arkatech@atu.edu

HB1213

From Page 1

expenditure or expend any funding for the Department of Diversity and Inclusion or its successor.”

Section 5 is sponsored

by Arkansas State Representatives Mary Bentley, Trevor Drown and Marcus E. Richmond. Drown and Richmond are Tech alumni, both having received a bachelor’s degree from Tech.

The initial event to create the addition of Section 5 happened when SPECTRUM, a registered student organization devoted to the support and advocacy of the LGBTQ community and is sponsored by the DDI, posted an event they were hosting entitled “Sex on the Lawn.” This post from Spectrum caused Arkansas

ART

foundation.org/clinton-presidential-center).

Crystal Bridges Museum displays American Art that emphasizes the beauty of nature with general admission sponsored by Walmart (http://crystalbridges.org/). Oaklawn Racing and Gaming is the state’s only official horse racing facility. A day at the races can be enjoyed by people of all ages but for non-race days you must be 21 or older to enter.

Reserved grandstand seats are $2.50 each on weekdays and $4.50 each on Saturday and Sunday (http://www.oaklawn. com/).

Arkansas has a multitude of museums, natural sites and historic landmarks that most Arkansans have yet to experience. This spring break, take advantage of what Arkansas has to offer on a college student budget.

State Representative Mary Bentley to make a post of her own on March 6 via Facebook.

“This is a post from the Arkansas Tech Department of Diversity and Inclusion,” Bentley said in the Facebook post, which included a flyer for the event. “As State Legislators we hold the ‘Purse Strings’ of the states budget. Do you think this is an appropriate use of your tax dollars?”

Bentley’s fellow co-sponsors agreed with her statement and added that, that event was the last straw.

“The final straw, I guess you could say, was the Diversity and Inclusion Department, and there’s

been a few issues that it always seems it goes back there, but this one, the ‘Sex on the Lawn’ event that they were having,” Trevor Drown, Arkansas state representative, said. “I mean to put something like that out at an institution of higher education and then some of the pictures that were sent to us, it wasn’t just things dealing with sex education, it was different items, I’ll leave it at that, that you would not think would be appropriate to have at an institution of higher education. Maybe somewhere else, but not in the River Valley.”

For the rest of this article or for updates on this issue go online to arkatechnews.com or Facebook. com/arkatechnews.

something and start a collection.”

These exhibitions give the students an opportunity to sell their artwork.

Some of the artists will have their works for sale but buyers will have to

talk to the artist if a price is not displayed.

For more information go online to www.atu. edu/art/gallery.php or contact the art department by phone at (479) 968-0244.

From Page 3

exhibitions from start to finish, including setting up their own work and doing public relations to get the word out.

“Come with an open mind, read and look,” Mudrinich said. “Buy

The Arka Tech

GENERAL POLICY

Editor-in-Chief: CLAUDIA YOUNG

News stories printed in The Arka Tech must be accurate, fair and as unbiased as possible. Any mistakes in fact found in an issue of The Arka Tech will be corrected in the first possible issue. Opinions expressed in The Arka Tech are not necessarily the opinions of Arkansas Tech University or its students. Individual copies of The Arka Tech are free to members of the Tech community.

Contact the adviser for pricing of multiple copies.

Managing Editor/ Layout Editor: AMBER QUAID

CONTACT US

Entertainment Writer: RYAN HARMON

Office: Energy Center 138 General email: arkatech@atu.edu Ads email: arkatech.ads@atu.edu

Copy Editor: AMBER APPLEBY Sports Editor: MATTHEW EMERY Assistant Layout Editor/ Editorial Cartoonist: EZEKIEL MASCUILLI Online Editor: ELEXIS HARPER

SportsWriter: facebook.com/arkatechnews/ RICCI LOGAN

@arkatechnews

ARKATECH

@arkatechnews

THE

Staff Writers: BRIANNA DAVIS

GABBI CALABRESE

BRITTANY WALKER BAYLEE LINKER

facebook.com/arkatechnews/ facebook.com/arkatechnews/ @arkatechnews

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

Faculty Advisor: TOMMY MUMERT

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Features/Sports | PAGE 5

Tahmid Shantanu: 'Getting out of

that bubble to have that conversation' GABBI CALABRESE

Staff Writer

Tahmid Shantanu is a senior sociology major at Arkansas Tech who hails from Bangladesh in Southeast Asia.

He is involved in many aspects on campus, including International Student Organization (of which he is a founder) and the Department of Diversity and Inclusion.

He believes that the Department of Diversity and Inclusion provides a great opportunity for students to learn about other cultures.

“I have on multiple occasions talked about Islam to the Diversity and Inclusion department, and it’s been a very healthy conversation. And I think college is the place where you need to get out of that bubble and to have that conversation because if you’re from small-town Arkansas, chances are you probably have not met a guy from Bangladesh who’s Muslim,” he said.

When he first came to the U.S., Tahmid knew that being a Muslim, and from a different country, would present challenges, but he is proud of his faith and he doesn’t want to hide it.

“I think a lot of times students tend to have this fear, like let’s not discuss it because religion is scary. I actually took the opposite route, and I went ahead and told people,” he said.

Being so open about his life and his beliefs lead people to ask him questions, which in turn prompted him to become more informed about the different facets of his religion.

“I had to read up more on my religion than I did back home,” he said. “So I think in a way it was a good experience for me, because I actually had never asked those questions to myself.”

However, he was wary of the consequences that could come from being so open about his beliefs. While he has received backlash from people in the U.S., he has had a mostly positive experiences that have allowed him to inform people in the community and defy stereotypes.

Despite the positivity, Tahmid prefers not to pray on campus by himself because he doesn’t want people to be afraid, to get the idea that he is different or to accuse him of speaking the devil’s tongue. He likes to pray in his room, or he goes to the Islamic Center in Russellville, where there are people from about 27 different countries who practice Islam at the center.

Tahmid admits, though, that he has felt the pressure of President Trump’s recent travel ban (placed on six predominantly Muslim countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen), and that everyone else should feel the pressure too.

“At the end of the day, it’s not about Islam or Christianity or religion—it’s about people. These are people that are escaping through violence. These are not your average Joe, like, just wanting to come to the United States to have fun. These are people that just want to live,” he said.

He also felt like there was more violent language being used, targeting all minorities, not just Muslims. According to Tahmid, the Russellville Islamic center has received four threats recently, and they have had to put up a fence around their property because people have been trying to vandalize it.

“Sometimes there are children that are playing there too. So the Islamic Center is not necessarily a mosque.

PHOTOS BY CLAUDIA YOUNG/THE ARKA TECH ABOVE: Tahmid Shantanu shows a picture of him and his family. Tahmid's family is unable to visit for his graduation in May due to a travel warning on Bangladesh.

He also cannot go visit his family in fear of not being able to return to the United States.

RIGHT: Tahmid Shantanu is a senior sociology major at Arkansas Tech who hails from Bangladesh. He is involved in many aspects on campus, including International Student Organization (of which he is a founder) and the Department of Diversity and Inclusion.

It’s a place for people to take their kids...we have games.

Anyone can bring their kids and it doesn’t have to be Muslim,” he said.

The safety concerns are so drastic that the FBI had to speak to the leaders at the Center to warn those who frequent the Center that they need to be prepared for any attack.

While Tahmid is not from a country included in the president’s executive order, he does know of families being kept apart because of it. He even shared a story about a Muslim woman who cannot visit her husband being treated for cancer in the U.S. He also explained that there are underlying travel warnings being placed while the travel ban is in action.

Because of these warnings, Tahmid’s family will not be able to attend his graduation.

“A travel warning is essentially saying, ‘We’re not telling that you guys are bad, but we’re telling that you guys might be bad.’ And it’s also a warning for people in the United States. So, like, you guys cannot go to those countries either,” he explained.

Right now the travel warnings extend to Bangladesh, Pakistan, Afghanistan and certain parts of India. Even though Tahmid has a valid visa, if he were to leave the country right now, there is no guarantee he’d be allowed to return.

Since Tahmid has been in the U.S. he has gone back

to Bangladesh twice, and it has been about eight months since he last went home. Now, with the travel ban and warnings, Tahmid feels he cannot go home anytime soon.

“It’s not your parents telling you, like, don’t go home.

It’s like, don’t. You cannot. There’s one thing I can’t go home on my own and then there’s external pressure of not being able to do what I want to do,” he said.

Tahmid emphasizes the importance of simply communicating with people—everyone—and making connections, learning from them.

“We’re in 2017. The world is changing and our demographics are going to change. Staying in 1900s and 1800s is not going to help you, so pick up a book, start reading, and ask questions. International students love answering questions,” he said.

Forty-five innings of softball on history-making weekend MATTHEW EMERY

Sports Editor

After a busy and history making weekend of softball, the Golden Suns will return to the friendly confines of Chartwells to take on the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm in a four-game series, starting on Friday, March 17.

The Golden Suns are coming off a series against the Henderson State Reddies last weekend that saw the teams going into extra innings in three of the four games. The teams played a total of 45 innings, as opposed to the regulated 28.

The first game of the doubleheader on Sunday featured the longest game in Arkansas Tech history and Great American Conference history. The game is tied for the third longest game in Division II softball history.

Unfortunately, for the Golden Suns, it will go in the books as a loss, as a walk off solo home run in the 19 inning ended the game after over three and a half hours.

Jalissa Gum, from Red Rock, Oklahoma, was the tough luck loser, pitching the entire game for the Golden Suns,

logging 18.1 innings, allowing three runs, walking one and striking out 23.

Gum set the new Arkansas Tech record for most innings pitched in a game with 18.1, breaking her previous record, set at 11 in 2016.

Gum also set both the Arkansas Tech and Great American Conference record for most strikeouts in a single game.

For good keeping, Gum added a solo home run in the 11 inning, her fifth of the year.

Game two of the doubleheader was the only game to not go into extra innings in the series. Morgan Vaughan, from Bella Vista, threw a complete game, allowing two runs and three hits in the 5-2 win.

Megan Goodnight, from Cabot, had a 4-4 game at the plate, driving in four runs.

In game one of the doubleheader on Monday, Cara Tolar, from San Antonio, Texas, threw a complete game, going 9.1 innings, allowing one earned run, and going 2-3 from the other side of the plate.

A walk off RBI-single, the first earned run of the game surrendered

RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Ashton Sangster of Van Buren and the rest of the Golden Suns open a four-game home series on Friday.

by Tolar, pushed the Reddies over the Golden Suns with a final score of 2-1.

In the finale of the series, the Golden Suns were able to come out on top, winning 4-3 in nine innings.

Janie Knowles, from Celina, Texas, scored the winning run for the Gold-

en Suns in the top of the ninth, on an RBI-single, that scored Ashton Sangster, from Van Buren.

The eventful weekend leaves the Golden Suns placed at fourth place in the GAC with a conference record of 8-3.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

PAGE 6 | Entertainment

Rock and Roll never forgets Dirty Lindsey live in Dardanelle RYAN HARMON

Entertainment Writer Disclaimer: I’ve known these guys for a long time, so it might seem like there’s some sort of bias in my review, but I can assure you there’s not. I only review things that have really left an impression on me, regardless of if I know the band or not.

I’ve always loved going to shows, but in the past few years, I haven’t been able to see as many as I would’ve liked. So when I heard that local hard rock band, Dirty Lindsey, was coming to Front Street Grill in Dardanelle on a Saturday night, I made sure my schedule was clear.

Since the first time I saw the band open for Bret Michaels of Poison in 2007, I’ve been a big fan. Over the years, I would always try to go see them every chance I got, but it got to the point where I couldn’t go as often. Sometimes it was due to prior commitments, and many times it was simply because I wasn’t old enough to get into the venues they played at.

I’ve seen Dirty Lindsey play some great shows (sometimes with different lineups or different band names), but this show was probably the best I’ve seen yet. The band opened with Queen’s “Tie Your Mother Down,” and immediately I felt the same energy that I feel at arena rock shows.

It’s one thing to play cover songs well but to perform them well is totally different. Dirty Lindsey does both. One thing that’s always set the band apart from others is the fact that they

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play cover songs as if they’re Dirty Lindsey songs. They structure the song list to feel like an arena show, and the band’s showmanship is top-notch.

It also helps that the musicianship is that of an arena band.

Vocalist Danny Millsaps has an incredibly versatile vocal range that can easily transition from Alice In Chains to Led Zeppelin.

Guitarist Darrell Yates is one of the most criminally underrated players in rock music, giving legends, like Eddie Van Halen, a run for their money.

Bassist Matt Hays, aside from being a truly solid bass player, also provides crucial background vocals, like Michael Anthony of Van Halen or Jeff Pilson of Dokken.

Drummer Sharpe Dunaway

is the source of Dirty Lindsey’s powerful, driving rhythms, which were heavily-featured in the band’s version of “Run To The Hills” by Iron Maiden.

Whereas most bands would take a short break in the middle of the night, Dirty Lindsey played over three hours straight.

Occasionally, a member would need a short break, so the rest of the band would have some fun during their absence, whether it be a cover of “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses, featuring Dunaway on the whistling parts, or a heavy metal version of “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers.

You read that right.

When you watch Dirty Lindsey perform, it’s easy to tell that the band’s only goal is to have

fun. In a world where it seems like you can’t go to a show without hearing some sort of political agenda, it’s extremely refreshing to see a no nonsense, straight ahead rock show.

As the last notes faded off and my ears began to ring, I felt exactly the same way I felt when I was 15. Being a country/bluegrass musician now, I often look back on my early days when I was a long-haired rocker (please don’t look up those pictures), and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it. But as I was leaving the club, I was reminded of a line from a classic Bob Seger song: “You can come back, baby.

Rock and roll never forgets.”

For more information, visit www.dirtylindsey.info.

'The Impossible' offers more than meets the eye

GABBI CALABRESE separated and struggle to Staff Writer find their way to safety and their way back to each other.

Recently I’d been feeling It is impossible not to very underwhelmed with root for these characters. the all the movies I’d been Maria, the mother, is strong, watching. It had been weeks and she adores her family since I’d seen a movie that and helping others. Lucas, really moved me. That all the oldest son, is sassy and changed when I watched brave and has inherited a J.A. Bayona’s “The Imposlot of his mother’s goodsible.” To my great surprise ness. They are, by far, the and delight, “The Impostwo characters we get the sible” left me reeling in the most of, and the ones I best kind of way. felt the most connected to.

The film is based off of a I wouldn’t have minded terrible tsunami that wreaked getting a better feel for the havoc on Thailand in 2004. other three members of the It follows the Bennetts, a family, but the facets of their loving family of five whose personalities that I did get to cheerful Christmas vacation see were beautiful. gets abruptly washed away.

There are scenes One moment they’re throughout the film that lounging poolside, and made my stomach contort— the next moment they are horrifying but authentic. being thrown around by the This film unflinchingly tsunami. The Bennetts are displays the destruction that

one natural disaster left in its wake. On the other, though, there were some really poignant moments in this film as well. So many emotions washed over me while I was watching. I cried during the heartbreaking scenes and cried during the heartwarming scenes. What is incredible is that “The Impossible” manages to evoke all these feelings and reactions without being melodramatic or over-the-top simply for the sake of entertainment. It’s all painfully real.

“The Impossible” is the kind of movie that is difficult to talk about because I don’t want to give anything away—I just want people to experience it! Quite frankly, I thought this movie would be boring. I did not expect the suspense, the honesty, and the emotion. There was not

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a single second of this movie when I was unengaged. I sincerely believe that anyone

who takes the time to watch this movie will be affected by it.

Nicki Minaj releases three new singles BRITTANY WALKER

Staff Writer

Recently, Nicki Minaj has not been putting out much music for the Barbz (what she calls her fanbase). Now we have three new singles from her: “Changed It (feat. Lil Wayne),” “Regret In Your Tears” and “No Frauds (feat. Drake & Lil Wayne).” This is great for hip-hop and Cash Money fans because we have not heard any new material from the three amigos in a minute so it is exciting to hear something fresh.

In “Changed It,” Nicki tags Lil Wayne for a verse and to give us an auto tune induced chorus to start off in the beginning of the song. After Lil Wayne’s introduction, Nicki delivers a hot 16 that is clearly aimed at Remy Ma, a female rapper from New York, or any other rapper she feels has as much influence as her. The song is okay from what I keep hearing. There are many words so it will take a minute to learn all of the words but the beat is something you can nod your head to. This song gets a 5/10 from me.

Drake and Lil Wayne then join forces

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with Nicki Minaj to make a diss track directed at Remy Ma titled “No Frauds.” Although it is a diss track, the only one dissing Remy on the song is Nicki. She starts the song with the chorus and then goes into her first verse. Lyrically, this was her best verse since she crossed over to the pop land of music. It actually sounds like she is still hungry to be the best.

Drake comes in to rap the same thing but

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

from his perspective of what kind of frauds he’s been dealing with.

Lil Wayne’s verse comes after the chorus, and still manages to rap about the main subject of not wanting to be around any frauds and only the Young Money family, which is the label they are signed to. I am going to have to give this diss track a 6 out of 10 only because this song sounds like something that is going to be playing in the clubs for a minute. It is always a plus when your listeners can sing and dance along to your music, even if it is just rap.

Last but definitely not least, “Regret In Your Tears” is a mid-tempo groove track based on a lost love she once had and now has to let go. She talks about how he kept messing up in the relationship and now that she is gone, she has to erase some memories and move on. You can definitely dance to this song, which is why I like it. A good beat I can vibe to always gets me. Not only can you dance to it but also the song has a meaning behind it that many pop rap songs do not have. For that, I will rate this song at 7.5 out of 10.

You probably know Michael Crichton as the guy who wrote “Jurassic Park,” which spawned four movies with a fifth coming soon. However, long before he wrote about Dr. Hammond recreating dinosaurs, Crichton was writing about a much more plausible horror.

“The Andromeda Strain” answers the question, “What if there actually is life in space?”

But the answer isn’t necessarily one that the reader wants to hear.

The story begins in Piedmont, Arizona. The government has indications that a capsule they were forced to bring out of orbit has crashed near the town. Two men in a vehicle are sent to recover the capsule, but find nearly everyone in the town out in the streets, dead.

What makes this strange is that we only get a little over a chapter from these two men before they keel over dead too.

Cue the Wildfire initiative. Wildfire was started by a team of scientists who were afraid that not only would some spacecraft bring something back, but that whatever it brought back would not be an intelligent being but would more likely be a virus.

The four scientists race against time to figure out what has caused everyone in the town except for an old man and a baby to die, and what caused two perfectly healthy men to drop dead. Nothing on Earth kills that fast.

Like many of Crichton’s novels, he makes you think it’s real. He gives you this preface that is mired in facts and names that makes you really believe the story he’s telling you.

What is so amazing about Crichton, and this novel specifically, is that he takes something so normal and exciting, like space travel, and says, “But what if…”

And then he scares the bejesus out of you with his what if.

To be clear, there is no Andromeda Strain, there is no known case of any spacecraft bringing back anything remotely similar to it, there is no such thing as the Wildfire initiative and there is no hard evidence to support that this could actually happen.

But, what if?

If you would like to suggest a book for Amber to review email us at arkatech@atu.edu.

Sports | PAGE 7

Wonder Boys look to reclaim first against Southern Nazarene

NOAH DELASHAW

Contributing Writer

The Wonder Boys lost their first Great American Conference game last weekend, by way of the Henderson State Reddies. The Wonder Boys will travel to Bethany, Oklahoma, to face the Southern Nazarene Crimson Storm on Friday, March 17.

First pitch is at 2 p.m. from Feland Field.

The Wonder Boys, 14-9 and 10-2 in Great American Conference play, will take on the Crimson storm, 1-19 and 1-11 in GAC play. The Wonder Boys move down to second in the GAC after coming off of the weekend with one win in a close three-game series with the Reddies. The Crimson Strom, currently sitting at the bottom of the GAC standings, come into the weekend off of a three-game series against the Southern Arkansas Muleriders.

After a rain delay, the games against the Reddies scheduled for Friday and Saturday were moved to the following Sunday and Monday. This gave the team a little bit of extra time to prepare.

“They’re fast. They have got some good hitters that have been around for multiple years,” said Dave Dawson, head baseball coach. “They are a good quality baseball team that don’t make a lot of mistakes.”

The Wonder Boys dropped the first game 7-6.

A home run from Cody Wescott, from Phoenix, Arizona, gave the Wonder Boys an early lead in the second inning. Later in the second inning, Marcus Wilson, from Bryant, beat the pitch to steal home to bring the score to 3-0. Kyle Wilson, from Flagstaff, Arizona, pitched six innings, striking out seven and allowing only one run.

In game two, the Wonder Boys were able to

RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Chris McKeehan of Dennan, Texas pitched two innings against Delta Statelast week. come out on top, 1-0 against the Reddies. The Wonder Boys won the game in the 11 inning, after a walk-off single from Jackson Hollinshead, from Old Hickory, Tennessee, allowing Wescott to score the winning run.

“We need to get into our routine, get our guys confident,” said Dawson.

Trent Armstrong, from Waxahachie, Texas,

pitched nine innings, striking out eight and held the Reddies to no runs.

The final game the Wonder Boys slipped to the Reddies, 7-4. The Reddies took advantage of the third inning where the Wonder Boys committed 3 errors, allowing the Reddies to jump ahead. Geoffrey Birkemeier, from Papillion, Nebraska, pitched five innings, allowing seven hits.

Wonder Boys unable to answer Mustangs, lose in round one RICCI LOGAN

Staff Writer

The Wonder Boys’ season came to the end this past weekend. They were defeated by the South Minnesota State Mustangs in the first round of the NCAA Central Region Basketball Tournament, 9382.

Both teams found success from the three-point range in the first half. The Wonder Boys went 7-16 from the three-point line. The Mustangs went on 9-1 run to take their largest lead of the game, 24-13, with 12:04 before half.

Later in the half, the Wonder Boys scored seven straight points to cut the deficit 29-28.

The Mustangs would go back up by seven after a three

pointer, 37-30, at the 7:25 mark. The Wonder Boys battled back and were able to tie the game up at 46. A 10-2 run gave the Wonder Boys the lead at halftime, 48-46.

Coming out at halftime, the Wonder Boys took a four-point lead. The Mustangs came back to tie the game back up at 57-57, with 17 minutes remaining. The Mustangs went on a 9-0 run to take the lead 66-57.

The Wonder Boys trimmed the lead to seven points 78-71, with just under right minutes left. The Mustangs countered going a 4-0 run to make score 84-71 lead.

The Wonder Boys would be unable to overcome the Mustangs, closing their 2017 season.

Golden Suns season ends against Harding RICCI LOGAN

Staff Writer

The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns basketball season came to an end last weekend. The Golden Suns lost in the first round in the NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament to the Harding Lady Bisons, 59-46.

The Lady Bisons took the lead in the opening minutes of the game, going on a 13-3 run. The Golden Suns struggled to find momentum in the first half. Their struggles would continue the whole game as they went 1830 shooting from the floor.

The Lady Bisons had a 19-7 lead going into the second quarter. The Golden Suns cut the lead to nine points, 20-29, in the second quarter, with 1:16 left before halftime. The Lady Bisons went on a 4-0 run to make the score 33-20 at halftime.

The Golden Suns continued to struggle in the third quarter being outscored,14-6.

Calli White, from Springdale, scored all of her eight points in two minutes to cut the lead 54-40, with 4:53 left.

The Golden Suns however could not overcome the deficit as the Lady Bison came away with the win.

RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Justin Graham from San Antonio,Texas drives to the basket between two Harding defenders in the first half.

Player of the week (Combined Stats) • Set a new ATU record in single game innings pitched with 18.1.

• Set a new ATU/GAC record in single game strikeouts with 23 (Fifth most in Division II history) • Faced 70 batters, allowed one walk in game one on Sunday.

Jalissa

Gum

This week in Tech sports THURSDAY 3/16/17

WTEN vs Henderson State. Chartwells. 2 p.m.

FRIDAY 3/17/17

BB @ Southern Nazarene. Bethany, OK. 2 p.m.

SB vs Southern Nazarene. Chartwells. 3 p.m.

SB vs Southern Nazarene. Chartwells. 5 p.m.

SATURDAY 3/18/17

SB vs Southern Nazarene. Chartwells. Noon.

BB @ Southern Nazarene. Bethany,OK. Noon.

SB vs Southern Nazarene. Chartwells. 2 p.m.

BB @ Southern Nazarene. Bethany, OK. TBD.

MONDAY 3/20/17

WTEN vs SCAD-Atlanta. Orlando, Florida. 2 p.m.

TUESDAY 3/21/17

BB vs Arkansas-Monticello. Tech Field. 2 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 3/22/17

WTEN vs Southern Florida. Orlando, Florida. 3 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

PAGE 8 | Community

The third annual 'Sex on the Lawn', an all-inclusive sex education event whose goal is to provide knowledge about practicing safe sex for everyone.

Photos By Ricci Logan

ABOVE: Danny Harris, state outreach prevention co-ordinatorn from Little Rock, educates people about HIV. RIGHT: Many signs were on display during the 'Sex on the Lawn' event, this sign explains asexuality with information blubs and FAQs. BELOW LEFT:One of the signs on display explaining what are gender roles.

BELOW RIGHT: Loida Mundo from Russellville educates people about sex and disabilities.

Tech's Fishing Team

The ‘Cabela’s Big bass Bash presented by Berkley Fishing’ tournament was held in Paris, Tennesse on March 11 and was held by Cabela’s.

There were over 519 collegiate anglers from 84 schools competing in this collegiate tournament.

SUBMITTED BY CABELA'S

BAYLEE LINKER/THE ARKA TECH ABOVE: ATU fishing team members- Baylee Linker, Bennett Pierce, Justin Pierce and Ethan Stokes during a snow break which produced 3 inches of snow.

TOP RIGHT:Bennett Pierce, business management marketing major from Fort Smith, holds up his big catch of the day weighing in at 3.54 pounds.

MIDDLE RIGHT: Chase Arthur, parks and recreation major from Bryant, holds his big catch of the day which weighed in at 4.08 pounds.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Ethan Stokes, fisheries and wildlife major from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, showcases his big catch of the day weighing in at 3.82 pounds.

THURSDAY, MARCH 16, 2017

SUBMITTED BY CABELA'S

SUBMITTED BY CABELA'S