The Cameron University Collegian: February 11, 2008

COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y

Monday, February 11, 2008

News

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

‘Plan 2013’ outlines future improvements

By John Robertson Collegian Staff Following the incredible success of “Plan 2008: Preparing for Cameron University’s Second Century,” Cameron University President Cindy Ross, The President’s Planning Committee, and the Board of Regents are setting into motion “Plan 2013: Choices for the Second Century.”

“Plan 2008,” which was outlined and put into action in 2003, has met with acclaimed success in revitalizing CU’s campus. “Plan 2008” saw the establishment of the Center for

Business School: Past present and future.

Volume 82 Issue 3

Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurial Studies, massive increases in financial aid available to students, the streamlining of CU’s revenue stream, a branch campus in Duncan, and a wildly successful fundraiser that exceeded the goal originally set. Two years into the fundraiser, CU had raised $8.9 million, or 106 percent of the intended goal. With a year still left on the clock, officials decided to raise the fundraising goal to $10 million. With five months now remaining and state fundraising records being set, it looks like that goal may be met as well.

President Ross, spokesperson for “Plan

2013,” said that while the successes of “Plan 2008” are admirable, there’s still a lot of work to be done, and a lot of information can be gleaned from “Plan 2013’s” predecessor.

“We didn’t just finish “Plan 2008” and forget about it,” President Ross said. “It’s a f luid document, and it’s guiding our actions straight into ‘Plan 2013.’”

See 2013 Page 2

Professor to publish book of poetry

SEE PAGE 4

By John Robertson Collegian Staff

A&E

Woo your love without breaking the bank.

SEE PAGE 8

Sports

Photo by John Robertson

Adding to his collection: Dr. John Morris, English Professor, steps back into the spotlight with his soon to be published work “Noise and Stories.” The book of poetry will be released sometime later this year.

Dr. John G. Morris, Professor of English in Cameron University’s Department of English and Foreign Languages, has announced that an independent publisher in Texas has picked up his book of poetry, “Noise and Stories,” for publication later this year.

Dr. Morris, Faculty Adviser to the Ebony Society and the Magic Lantern Film Society and former Sigma Tau Delta Professor of the Year, has been writing poetry since he was an undergraduate in 1975. Dr. Morris started with an interest in writing fiction until an instructor of the creative writing course he was taking sparked his desire to write poetry.

“At the time I began the class, I was more interested in trying to write prose fiction,” Dr. Morris said. “However, the instructor of the class, Bruce Taylor, who became my undergraduate adviser, is a poet. He writes fiction also, and for the first time he helped me to understand what poems really are, how they are written, and what sort of dedication is necessary to write them.”

Since then, Dr. Morris has continued to hone his art, and published bits of his own material through Red Rock Press, a small press that he inherited from a friend.

However, the road to a major publication was made harder due to the relative unpopularity of poetry. Publishers tend to avoid poetry publications because of a small target audience. When compared to normal fictive works, the profitability of poetry is meager.

“Outstanding sales for a book of poetry, usually those that have won prizes or for authors who have won the Nobel Prize for their life’s work, is $10,000. Puny and almost laughable in comparison with bestsellers in fiction and nonfiction,” Dr. Morris said.

For the poems in “Noise and Stories,” Dr. Morris based his material on real life situations and feelings, mixed with a bit of imagination that he hopes will reach his audience.

See MORRIS Page 2

Speech, debate team host Christmas tournament

By Kelley Burt

Senior Tiffany Williams approaches end of Aggie career.

SEE PAGE 6

Voices

The ins and outs of commuting.

SEE PAGE 5

Mary Stevens was one of the local volunteer Collegian Staff judges at the tournament.

Sixteen schools from “I’ve been judging for eight states converged several years now. I really on campus this past enjoy meeting students semester to participate from other places around in the 2007 Christmas the country,” she said.

Classic Speech and A typical tournament Debate Tournament. is comprised of three, Hosted by Cameron distinct areas of University’s competition and several Department of categories under each Communications. The branch. The prepared two-day, round-robin speaking portion requires series started Friday participants have their evening, Nov. 30, and speeches completed wrapped up with final before competition and rounds and the awards includes persuasion and presentation ceremony informative speaking Saturday night. rounds.

Jacob Pahcheka, The impromptu Communications category allows limited freshman said: “We preparation time by the Photo by Kelley Burt host the tournament two competitors facing one Ready: Mallory Roth, SBU, Biblical Studies and Communications, and Meredith Choate to allow other college other. Usually preparation Louisiana Tech University, Communications and pre-Law, face off at the CU Christmas Debate time is about 20 minutes teams the chance to Tournament. Roth and Choate were two on the many students who converged on Cameron compete in advocacy, for both the International during the tournament in December 2007. exchange ideas, Public Debate Association showcase and fine tune (IPDA) and National speaking skills and memory recall. The schools that “Host schools are generally not eligible for their Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA) compete are from all over the country so we are not tournament championships and they enter a limited rounds. The third branch of tournaments is the just limited to one type of view. It gives everyone a interpretive area, which includes prepared dramatic number of participants because their students help chance to take the best of the best and make it work administrate the events as a service to the forensics interpretation, prose and poetry. for them.” community.”

It is not typical for the schools that organize In addition to student volunteers, many staff tournaments to participate extensively in and community members shared their weekend See DEBATE competition. Dan Schabot, Assistant Professor assisting with judging, ballot counting and of Communications and forensics coach said, organization of the tournament processes.

Page 2

2

News

February 11, 2008

DEBATE continued from page 1 Though CU’s debate team participated in limited categories, three Cameron students were recognized for their achievement in events. Carles Kirby, Education sophomore, and Korynne Gonzales, Music freshman, took first place in the Novice Parliamentary Debate category, Kirby took third in Dramatic Interpretation and Pahcheka was a semi-finalist for the varsity public debate rounds.

The overall tournament sweepstakes winning school was Kansas Wesleyan University (KWU). Southwest Baptist University (SBU) was a close second and John Brown University (JBU) placed third. The debate tournament sweepstakes champion school was JBU and the overall individual speaking events sweepstakes champion school was KWU. Many visiting students were impressed with the competition. Mallory Roth, SBU Biblical Studies and Communication major, appreciated the holiday theme and convenience of having debate rounds in close proximity to each other.

“I really liked the incorporation of Christmas into this year’s tournament. It was a refreshing change. Also, the locations of the individual rounds were easy to access and the central location of all the buildings made finding our way around campus easy.”

2013 continued from page 1

Photo by Kelley Burt

Shock and awe: Members of debate teams from across the country take a break from the tournament outside North Shepler. These debaters competed in the Cameron University Christmas Classic 2007.

MORRIS continued from page 1 “I conceive of it as a series of voices, then, most of them in the first person, speaking about who they are, where they are, and why; there is also a movement from darker voices and moments to somewhat lighter ones,” Dr Morris explained.

“The poems are set in different places, and they are usually based on observations I’ve made, things I’ve thought, things I’ve read or learned or feelings I’ve felt. However, the epigraphs to the book assert that there is a strong fictive level to the stories the poems tell, too, artifice in other words, which sometimes means that I’ve invented details, changed things or altered what actually happened to me or what I have observed, and that such artifice is necessary to transform the observations into something I hope is worth reading.”

Due for a release later this year by Plain View Press, “Noises and Stories” is in the final stages of preparation for publication, with only Dr. Morris’ decisions for the cover to be made.

Until then, Dr. Morris hopes that not only will he find his audience, but also that they will take away just as much from his book as he put into writing it.

He wants it to connect with them based on similar shared experiences and the simple enjoyment of the art.

“I hope that readers of my book will find moments of pleasure and recognition in it,” Dr. Morris said. “I hope that they will think that I have not only managed to avoid damage to the language, but that I also have managed in a place or two to honor it.”

The list of goals set by “Plan 2013” is as ambitious as it is lengthy.

Among the goals are: the creation of a Student Wellness Center and student counseling, the expansion of Student Services including making all student services available online and the centralization of the academic advisement system, the completion of Bentley Gardens; a new Student Activities Complex; state-of-the-art technology such as increased wireless internet access on campus, increased living space for students on campus, and the repurposing of existing buildings, such as West Hall.

“We’d like to make West Hall a convergent journalism building to house “The Collegian,” KCCU, and Radio/TV courses,” President Ross said.

President Ross also outlined “Plan 2013’s” guidelines for increasing enrollment, student retention and graduation rates by utilizing new infrastructures and CU’s faculty.

“We need to provide the chance for people to come here and explore careers with a variety of student services and a helpful faculty,” President Ross said. “Not only do we have a top notch faculty, but they really go the extra mile for their students.”

“Plan 2013” also takes aim at the beautification of the CU campus, and even goes as far to implement on-campus recycling programs.

Aside from the direct CU links, “Plan 2013” intends to reach out to all of southwestern Oklahoma. Plans include an increased dialogue with other universities and local employers to get a feel for what the community needs, as well as the improvement of CU’s Duncan branch and various programs at Fort Sill.

Along with entirely new programs and accreditations, “Plan 2013” looks to not only ensure CU’s continued success in the future, but to expand CU’s new vision to both alumni and future students, creating a new sense of community that encompasses all of southwestern Oklahoma.

“We really want people to feel integrated with Cameron,” President Ross said. “We want our alumni to look back with fond memories of their time here, and we want people from the area to look to Cameron as a place to feel welcome. Cameron is vital to the growth of southwestern Oklahoma, and it’s a leadership position we welcome.”

February 11, 2008

News

3

News

4

February 11, 2008

School of business opens its doors this December

By Brandi O’Daniel Collegian Staff

Photo courtesy of Alumni Relations

Out with the old, in with the new: The old school of business building was demolished in 2006. The new building is under construction with an unveilling planned for December.

In December 2008, Cameron University’s Business Department is expected to unveil the completed projects and improvements to their new building that will benefit students and faculty who access and use the facility.

Tbe original bussiness building, called Smith Hall, was built in 1964.

It was originally designated as a women’s dormitory.

The building was renovated and leased to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in 1971. It

later became the School of Business in 1985, housing classrooms and offices for the Business Department.

According to Gregory Treadwell, Instructor of Accounting, the building needed many repairs and improvements to make it a better learning and teaching environment for students and faculty.

“There were a lot of improvements needed,” Treadwell said. “It needed elevators for students that were challenged, there were air conditioning and plumbing problems and the hallways were not wide enough for the flow of traffic.”

Dr. John Courington, Dean of the School of Business and Professor of Economics, added that the building was not constructed with a classroom setting in mind. It originally acted as a dormitory.

Dr. Courington said: “Since it was designed to be a dorm, it wasn’t very conducive to the classroom setting.

The classrooms had load-bearing vertical beams in them, and they were fairly big, which meant the students in the middle to the back of the room couldn’t see certain sections of the chalkboards. So, the professors had to be mindful when writing on the boards, that some of the students couldn’t see certain parts of the boards.”

With so many necessary structural modifications, Cameron administrators decided to tear the building down and make rebuilding the School of Business a priority.

University representatives began meeting with architects and designers to help create a building that would meet the needs of the department.

Students and faculty will see numerous features added to the department once the building is completed.

The new Business Building will feature improved classrooms, including auditorium size classrooms, computer labs and faculty offices, as well as interview and interaction areas.

Treadwell said, “There are plans for a trading room so students can

have a feel of being in the stock market and have that sense of excitement.”

While the building itself is undergoing major changes, the department has been making modifications as well.

Dr. Courington said: “Two of the biggest changes were the addition of the graduate programs and the change in faculty credentials, which help us achieve specialized business school accreditation. ” The department is also focused on improving the quality of the program, which takes a look at feedback from students to see what changes for the better can be made to the department.

Treadwell said, “We look at what we’re teaching and that pushes us to do more, so that we’re producing the type of student that will be useful in their profession and produce a greater pool of students in the future.”

Another change to the department will be to name the new Dean of the Business Department. The position is currently held by Dr. Courington, until which time a new dean is selected.

Dr. T.K. Bhattacharya, Professor of Finance said: “We are in the process of recruiting a new dean. We hope to get someone with vision, energy and the ability to motivate. We hope the new dean will take a leadership role in improving recruitment of students.”

With the soon-to-be completed School of Business and the changes made within the department, students and faculty will see a vast difference in the new learning environment.

Voices

February 11, 2008

5

Many skills make up a discipline When I first began

attending classes at Cameron, I came into my degree with the assumption that I would be refining my interests. Little did I know that my electives and even my required courses would help me to develop passions outside of my major.

It all began when I enrolled in a film class taught by Cameron English professor Dr. John Morris. Dr. Morris’s passion for film helped me to bring to surface my own movie interests. It was in Dr. Morris’s class where I first

learned about Director Darren Aronofsky, someone who has become in many ways a personal muse to me.

Before long, I found that my personal DVD collection had grown to ridiculous proportions.

Then I enrolled in a guitar class taught by professor Kirsten Underwood.

When I was in high school, I enrolled in music classes every year, but I didn’t really pursue those interests when I started attending college. Professor Underwood cured me of my musical neglect.

Last fall, I was required to attend some kind of design class as part of my current degree track. I decided to enroll in Drawing 1, just because I had always wanted to learn more about visual art in general.

I’ve never been that great at visual arts, but the drawing

professor, Kathy Leontas-Warren, helped me to appreciate drawing and painting as well as develop my own abilities.

What took me by surprise after having completed the film class, guitar class and drawing class was the level of connectivity that exists between the Theatre, Music and Art departments and my own field of study, Creative Writing.

I think that people often try to stress the differences between each of the fine arts in an effort to present each art form as a unique, important universe within itself.

It is my opinion that to develop a firm understanding of any given art form, it is best to embrace all forms of art and study the relationships that exist between them.

Having come into the film, music, and art classes with an intimate understanding of creative writing, I was much more equipped to appreciate the structure, agility (whether mental or physical) and skill it takes to understand and craft film, music, and art than I think I could have been if I came into each department completely oblivious

about what I was to learn.

Just to be clear, I’m not saying that I came away an expert in film, music and art after just one class in each department.

However, I think there exists a firmer and greater Truth in terms of my experience aside from that of pure and complete knowledge, and that Truth encompasses the ability of my professors to instill in me some small degree of artistic grace and passion.

I don’t have to tell Cameron students that their professors are knowledgeable. You all know that from attending classes day after day.

Teaching information is practical and important, but to teach passion is a whole different world. Teaching passion requires a certain degree of divine grace.

It’s not my purpose here to

brown nose or suck up. Lets face it, I’ve already received my grades in the afore-mentioned classes. At this point, I could pretty much say whatever I want to say about my experiences here at Cameron, whether they be good or bad, within reason.

My purpose is to encourage you, my fellow Cameron students to embrace other disciplines, pursue your interests and learn more about what interests you. My purpose is to encourage because I know how much I would regret it now had I not chosen to branch out and try new things.

David R. Bublitz

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Graphic by: David R. Bublitz

Commuting doesn’t have to drive you crazy Like many Cameron students, I commute to college. I’m from Duncan and it takes just under an hour to get from my driveway to my desk.

In between the two destinations, there is a lot to anticipate and much more to leave to the unexpected. The driver in font of me on the two-lane Duncan Bypass might be going 50 mph instead of 65 mph.

Or, my glasses are on my desk at home instead of on my face. This is usually remembered at an inconvenient but not irretraceable distance.

Actually, you could say commuting is pretty chaotic. It requires getting up earlier and going home later.

It also takes a lot of planning, especially for commuting students with evening classes or those on work-study programs at CU. You can’t just make a quick trip home for assignments or books.

Forgetting one’s purse or wallet can alter the plan for the entire day.

Gas money becomes an entity in itself.

Time has to be factored in to gather the day’s supplies and to make sure those supplies make it to the car. You learn how to brush your teeth while running.

In the five years that I have

been making the 30 plus mile trip to CU, I’ve discovered ways to make my commuting experience easier and even enjoyable.

There are things you need to keep in your car. This includes: an emergency jug of gasoline, jumper cables, tire changing kit, sealed bottles of water, a coat or blanket, f lashlight, ice scraper, and it’s not a bad idea to keep a few dollars and some change. So far, I’ve made it without a cell phone.

I highly recommend getting some form of auto club card that offers free tows and other roadside services. My beloved ‘91 Honda is getting on in her years, so I’ve been really glad to have an auto club card when I’m stuck on the long stretch between Duncan and Lawton.

Again, having no cell phone, I rely on good Samaritans and highway patrolmen. No, it isn’t very safe, but I never accept rides and try to exercise every possible caution.

Speaking of good Samaritans, I’m not one. I feel bad passing a car with hazard lights blinking, but it’s a scary world. I’m not sure I even recommentd pulling over to help other drivers. While I’ve appreciated those that have aided me, I don’t resent not being helped by my fellow citizens of the road.

I am actually more comfortable waiting for a police officer. Maybe I watch too many horror movies

Jessica Lane

and read too many trashy crime books. Maybe I watch too much news.

There are also a few things that you don’t necessarily need, but come in handy or make the journey easier. I highly recommend spending one of the between class hours in Goodwill or at the Salvation Army. Having a spare change of clothes seems paranoid until you really need them. Packing a long and short sleeve shirt can save you from an uncomfortable day in the unpredictable Oklahoma weather.

The drive from Duncan to Lawton is not the most scenic view, but there are a lot of ways to entertain yourself or to be entertained.

The most obvious is having a car stereo. If you don’t have one installed, there’s nothing wrong with seat-belting a boom box in the passenger’s side with a pillow underneath for shock absorbence.

The pillow can also be used as a tray while reading in your (parked) car or for an in-betweenclass nap. (If you can find a comfortable spot among all the stuff you need.)

For the more studious or procrastination-prone, you can recite your speech, notes, thoughts for an essay into a voice recorder, or imitate your professors. Talk to yourself; see what’s going on with you. It’s cheaper than therapy.

Practice a talk you need to have with someone later. We all do it.

About 80 percent of the talking the average person does in a day is self-talk. Commuting allows a private space of time to get these things done. Just watch where you’re going.

In short, commuting CU students, try to see the drive as something to look forward to.

Everyone needs a little alone time, commuting gives you a regular time-slot for solitude. Use it.

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Jessica Lane News Editor - Josh Rouse Assistant News Editor: Jim Horinek Copy Editor - Malinda Rust A&E Editor - Amanda Herrera Sports Editor - Kareem Guiste Variety Editor - Bira Vidal Assistant Editor - David R. Bublitz

Newsroom Staff Ads Manager - Kelley Burt Cartoonist - Thomas Pruitt Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - David L. Bublitz, Jessica Frazier, Kyle Weatherly, Kerry Meyers, Brandi O’Daniel, Jacob Russell, Ashley Wilkerson, Elizabeth Yocham, Laura Batule

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

Newswriting Students Chris Allison, Dewan Bennett, Henry Evans, Diana Harger, Erik Hurley, Tamra Mann, Valerie Pennington, Adrienne Reid, Lauren Roberts, John Robertson, Danielle Rogers, Clayton Wright

About Us The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Letters Policy Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length.

Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks.

All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification.

Letters can be sent by regular mail or e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.

MCT Campus

Our Views The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author.

The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board.

The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma.

Sports

6

Williams says goodbye

February 11, 2008

Aggie guard graduates with medical school dreams

By Alexis Del Ciello Collegian Staff Hard worker. Determined.

Dedicated. Sleep deprived. These are a few words that describe CU’s guard and forward for the Aggie basketball team, Tiffany Williams.

Williams, a senior majoring in Chemistry is looking forward to graduation in May, but before walking across the stage and hanging up her basketball shoes, she is looking back on her experiences at CU and the path that led her to the Land of the Aggies.

When forced to choose between a business class and chemistry her sophomore year, Williams took on the chemistry challenge, later realizing the opportunity to attend medical school after graduation.

“I chose the chemistry degree because I like to challenge myself,” Williams said. “I am taking this year to apply to medical schools in Oklahoma, South Carolina and Florida.”

Before chemistry labs and long hours of basketball practice, Williams had a spark ignite within her when, told by boys at recess, she could not play ball with them. Little did they know they had just challenged someone with a heart for competition.

“I have always been one to run with the boys playing basketball,” Williams said. “They told me I couldn’t play with them, so of course, knowing me, that didn’t work.”

The “no girls allowed” rule was short lived. Soon after her run in with the boys on the court, Williams was invited to play on a basketball team. The team was coached by the mom of one of the boy’s who had tried to run her off the court.

One of her funniest moments playing basketball occurred on the court while playing in the state quarterfinals with Eisenhower High School.

“I wore glasses before I got contacts. I was playing a game and I must have swung around or something,” Williams said.

“The girl knocked my glasses off and I thought she had them on the bottom of her shoe. So I was running down the court chasing after her and telling her to ‘stop.’

‘I think my glasses are underneath your foot.’ We found them and about two weeks later I got contacts.”

Williams described more memorable moments shared with the CU players, staff and fans.

“Every year I have been here I

have been surrounded by a bunch of great people, from the staff to the players to our fans,” Williams said. “Even during the past two years, when we haven’t had the best record, the overwhelming support from the fans was great.”

Many student athletes do not just shine on the courts and in the classroom, but also in the community, and Williams is no exception.

Williams serves as campus president of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (SAC), conference president and national conference representative.

“We get together at the conference level and share our concerns to try and improve the student athlete’s well being,” Williams said. “It allows athletes to make known their voice and opinions.”

Some of the issues addressed

by Williams as a member of SAC are: financial assistance for student athletes during summer semesters to allow on-time graduation and male players in female practices.

Williams said: “You get to acquire knowledge that most student athletes don’t know.

Then, when they come to you with a concern, you are excited because you get to help them out.

You get to let them know what they are entitled to as student athletes.”

Because being involved in student activities takes time out of a busy schedule, Williams said time management is the toughest part of being a student athlete and community volunteer. She strives to keep that balance between being a student and athlete.

Since playing professional basketball after college is not on her list of “things to do” after college, Williams continues to prepare for medical school.

“I am looking at working for Sea World as a bio chemist to accumulate a fraction of what is required for medical school,” Williams said, “and contemplating between a hospital setting and a private practice in radiology.”

“The overall experiences you are

2008 Aggie Women’s Basketball Home Schedule February 16 University of Central Oklahoma Aggie Gym 2:00pm 23 Northeastern State University Aggie Gym 2:00pm March 1 Southwestern Oklahoma State* Aggie Gym 2:00pm

supposed to get while you are in college, I think I have experienced.

I have no regrets. I enjoyed every aspect of being here at CU. It’s like a family. We try to help each other out whether it is with school work or personal issues. We try to come together,” Williams said. “We [athletes] spend the majority of our time together. It is one of the experiences you can’t buy…getting to know them [teammates] on a personal level.”

After learning so much from athletes, staff and fans, Williams ref lects on her experience at CU, not as an end, but as a step into the future.

Sports

February 11, 2008

7

Aggies start season 4-0 with sweep

Photo courtesy CU Online

And the swing: An aggie baseball player gets ready to swing at the pitch at home last weekend at the McCord Field. The went 4-0 in their opener for the new spring season, which featured many seniors.

By Craig Martin Sports Information Director The season couldn’t have started better for the Cameron Aggie baseball team (4-0) who last weekend swept all four games in their season-opening series versus Pittsburg State University (0-4).

The teams have matched up to start the season for the last few years, and this was the first time CU had won all four games. The four-game series had it all for the Aggies, from a complete game shutout, to a walk-off homerun, to even a near no-hitter.

“We had good defense and came up with some good timely hits,” Head Coach Todd Holland said.

“As a whole we played pretty good for an opening weekend. We found out a lot about our guys, we played as a team, and our guys showed what they could do. There will be more opportunities for the guys to show what they’ve got but overall I was really pleased.”

CU and PSU matched up for a double-header on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. On Saturday, the Aggies won the double-dip 7-4 and 4-0, and on Sunday CU won both games by the scores 6-1 and 7-4. Last season the teams split one double-header.

In the four games this weekend the Aggies hit a team batting average of .277 and hit 6 homeruns. They also recorded a total of 28 hits against PSU, who batted only .235 in the series.

Additionally, CU only recorded 4 errors and 17 strikeouts.

The Aggie pitching staff only gave up a single homerun all weekend and pitched a team earned run average of 2.57. They also struck out 14 batters and gave up just 24 hits. Additionally, CU pitchers forced the PSU Gorillas to hit into 7 double-plays.

“I thought the pitching staff did really well, and I think everybody else as a whole played alright,” Coach Holland said. We had good defense and timely hitting and that’s what it takes to win.

We were even down in a couple of games and still came back to win it.

That says a lot about the character of this team.”

Junior outfielder Chris Caves had a very solid weekend, hitting a team-high 3 homeruns with 2 coming in Saturday’s second game. He finished with a .545 batting average after going 6-11 with a walk and 6 runs. Caves also recorded 2 strikeouts and a teamhigh 5 RBI. Junior catcher Clint Powell was the game one hero as his 3-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning gave Cameron

their first victory of the season.

PSU had fought back to take the lead 4-3, and after Caves’ solo homerun tied the game at 4, Powell won the game with just one swing of his bat. Powell also finished the weekend with a .200 batting average after going 2-10 at the plate. He finished the weekend with a team-high 5 RBI. A pair of Aggie pitchers recorded complete game victories this weekend, as juniors Justin Kirkpatrick and Brad Bichel started their seasons 1-0.

Kirkpatrick went a strong 7 innings allowing no runs on a mere 3 hits. Bichel also went all 7 innings and gave up a single run on 5 hits. Additionally, Kirkpatrick threw 4 strikeouts and 4 walks, while Bichel struck out 5 and walked only 2.

Senior outfielder Tyson Moll had a good series offensively as he finished with a team-high .667 batting average. He knocked in 2 RBI and went 4-6 from the plate.

“Caves had a good weekend, as did a lot of our guys,” Coach Holland said. “Moll had a big hit in the second game; he played good all weekend.”

The Aggies stay home this week to host Central Missouri next Saturday in a two-game doubleheader. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm. CU hosts three teams before they hit the road for the first time in late February.

“I think next weekend will be a big test,” Coach Holland said. “It’s still early so we still need to find out where we stand. Overall I was very pleased. PSU is a pretty good team and we played very well.”

Playing their sixth and seventh games in four days, the Cameron Aggie softball team (4-3) today split their afternoon double-dip with the St. Edward’s University Hilltoppers (5-2). The Aggies played five games over the weekend at the St. Mary’s University Invitational, and stayed in the Lone Star State to take on a very tough St. Ed’s team today. This afternoon CU was shutout in the first game 6-0, but rebounded and came from behind to win the nightcap, 7-6.

“Today was a good test since we were playing at somebody’s home,” Head Coach Richie Nye said. “Over the weekend we played a bunch of neutral games but today was a real road test. There is nothing wrong with splitting on the road at somebody else’s house, especially when they are a really good team like St. Ed’s.”

In the first game, the Hilltoppers opened up a three-run lead in the third inning thanks to an error and a two-run homerun.

SEU padded their lead in the fi fth

inning courtesy of five hits that brought in three runs. CU was held to just 3 hits in the game.

Senior outfielder Sammi Adams and junior first-baseman both went 1-3 in the game with singles. Boren also struck out once in the game.

Whitney Richardson, another of CU’s senior outfielders, hit Cameron’s only extra-base hit of the game with a double in the sixth inning. She went 1-2 in the game.

Sophomore pitcher Ashton McBride started the game and was saddled with the loss after giving up 3 runs on 5 hits in her 4 innings. She faced 18 batters, striking out and walking three

apiece.

After getting their loss out of the way, the Aggies came out strong in the second game and built a 3-2 lead after just the first two innings. A solo shot by junior catcher Shareena Pulse got things going for CU as they looked on their way to their fourth victory of the season.

An inning later, SEU rebounded to tie the game at 3 after the third frame. The Hilltoppers built a 6-3 lead going into the final inning and seemed ready to sweep the Ags, but in the top of the seventh Cameron got their bats going again and scored 4 runs on 4 singles.

McBride shut SEU down in the bottom of the seventh, sending them back to the dugout after three straight at-bats.

“I think we grew up a lot today, especially in the second game,” Coach Nye said. “We were able to come from behind after giving up our early lead. To me, that showed a lot of character. I think we can grow from that; it’s the learning how to win that’s important.”

McBride pitched the complete game victory to move to 3-2 on the season. She went all 7 innings giving up 5 runs on 8 hits. She faced a total of 38 batters, striking out 4 and walking 7.

Junior third-baseman Chelsey Jordan had a great game for the Aggies, as she went 1-3, including the game-winning hit, with 2 RBI. She also walked once.

“Ashton stepped up and pitched out of some jams for us. She came out with the lead in the seventh and sealed the win for us. That showed a lot of maturity on her part,” Coach Nye said. “Chelsey had the game winning hit and had a great second game.”

Sophomores Courtney Clifford, an outfielder, and Callie Schlatter, a catcher, both went 2-3 in the game with an RBI. Pulse was the only other Aggie to record multiple hits as she went 2-4 with an RBI in the game.

“I’m pleased but I still think we have a lot of room for improvement,” Coach Nye said.

“We have had a lot of positive things happen so far, so we will try to build on those things and get stronger.” last week the Aggie softballers headed back out on the road to take part in the Abilene Christian University Invitational tournament, in Abilene, Texas.

A&E

8

February 11, 2008

Are you a romantic?

Students, faculty share stories of their most romantic Valentine’s Days

Jamaal Richardson English Junior “In high school, whenever Valentine’s Day came around, you could have special gifts delivered to classrooms.

I had a teddy bear and flowers delivered to my girlfriend with a ring attached to the bear. It was a gold band shaped like a heart with her initials engraved in it. I wasn’t in the class when it was delivered, but I knew about the anticipation and excitement when the people who delivered the stuff came into the rooms. It made me feel good to know I made her Valentine’s Day special.”

“When I came to work for Cameron I had to leave my husband in Austin until he could find a job up here. That was in August 2006. The separation was really difficult, but when Valentine’s Day came around, it was really special. He sent me a box of chocolates and flowers to my office.

The secretary left them on my desk so that when I came in I was very happily surprised to find them. I still have them in my office and when I figure out how to preserve them I will make a dried flower arrangement. It was a very special day.”

Nancy Heger, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences

Farouq Alattar Marketing Freshman “I came to this country from Jordan when I was 13 and couldn’t speak English at the time. It was about four months after I moved here that I noticed people carrying balloons and flowers in February. That first year I was here, there was a girl that I was kinda interested in, that I went to school with. Well, when I walked into class one day there was a box of chocolates, a card and a note for me. I knew she was interested in me but there was a language barrier. Anyway, we ended up going on a date that night and even though there were less than 10 words spoken between us, it was really romantic. “

“I had been dating my girlfriend for about two years. For Valentine’s Day, I bought her a dress and flowers and left them at the apartment we shared, with a note saying to be ready by seven o’clock. We were living in Norman at the time, so it wasn’t very far to drive to Bricktown. I had reserved the whole back room of a restaurant for us. I don’t remember the name of the restaurant, but the back room was called the Van Gough room. It was amazing, with lots of duplicates of his paintings on the walls. The best picture was the one on the back wall of ‘Starry Night.’ It was all illuminated and made the room really romantic.

I asked a friend of mine to be our chauffeur for the evening and it was really funny because I had to teach her how to drive my 2003 Mazda 5-speed standard before she could. So she dropped me off at the restaurant before she went back to get my girlfriend so I could get everything ready. I had candles and the table set before she got there. We had the most romantic dinner and she didn’t like to dance but we danced that night anyway. There was a whole spectrum of emotions and even though the room was beautiful, it wasn’t as beautiful as her face was when I saw her walk through the door. We’re not together anymore, but I still remember that night and think about what I can do for that next special someone in my life.”

Jonathon Herndon Political Science Freshman

Photos and stories compiled by Kelley Burt Collegian Staff

“My dad sends flowers to my mom all the time. In 2005, he was in Afganistan and sent flowers for Valentine’s Day like he always does.

That year was special because he sent eleven real roses and in the middle was a fake one.

The card said ‘I’ll love you until the last one dies.’That was really, really sweet because they’ve been together for fifteen years. It showed me that romance doesn’t always die with marriage and what I want to look for in a man. Parents can be great role models for showing you what you want out of a life partner. You see how well they work and you want that in your life.”

Lioret Reeves Marketing Junior

“Back in 1992, my son used to sing in a group called “The Gentries” at Eisenhower High School. The group of students was part of the music department and for Valentine’s Day they raised money for the group. They would go around to different departments and as far as Ft. Sill to present flowers and perform for loved ones. I was a graduate student at the time, working as a research assistant at the research center in the business department here at Cameron. I was just sitting there and these students I didn’t know walked in. Then my son came in, and then my wife. They started to sing to me and presented me with flowers and candy. I had no idea they were coming. It was very touching that my wife had planned the whole thing. “

Velton Flowers Business Counselor

Amanda Herrera Journalism Senior “My first Valentine’s Day with my boyfriend was four years ago. It was the most special so far. He invited me to his house that evening. When I got there, I saw he was on the porch grilling steaks. We went inside and he had a beautiful dinner prepared for me. It was gorgeous. He thought of everything, even a lovely dessert of fresh fruit. Afterward, we watched the “Notebook” together.

It was such a great night because I realized how much effort he had put into making my night special. He was so cute running around trying to make sure everything was perfect.”

How to woo your lover without breaking the bank

By Amanda Herrera Collegian Staff There are a lot of things red associated with Valentine’s Day, but your bank account balance doesn’t have to be one of them.

Let’s face it, there are many people out there who cringe when they hear the words, “Valentine’s Day.” They think they have to spend a fortune because somebody decided to invent a holiday to increase sales of boxed chocolates and stuffed bears — relax. There are ways to show your lover you care without breaking the bank. Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be a financial burden, so just put your wallet away and get creative.

Here are a few tips for those with a big heart and a not-so-big budget: Frame a photo collage of you and your significant other. Spend some time digging up pictures of your favorite times together.

Not only does the gift show you put effort and time into making something for him or her, the

two of you will have a good time strolling memory lane when you present the gift.

Burn a CD of your partners favorite tunes. Try sticking to a theme, or choose songs that bring back memories. The music can set the mood for a romantic evening at home.

Get in the kitchen. Cooking someone a meal is one of the nicest ways to show them you care. Especially if you don’t cook that often. Think about your date’s favorite foods and surf the net for some great recipes.

Remember, it’s the little touches that count, like a nice table setting, or arranging the plate garnish into the shape of a heart.

I know many guys hate “chick f licks,” so a man who is willing to sit down and watch one or two for the sake of making his girlfriend happy will score big points. Pop up a big bowl of popcorn and surprise your girl with an evening of tear-jerkers.

For the Valentine’s Day overachiever, do all of the above.

You can start now and blow your

honey away with a whirlwind of romantic gestures that will melt even the coldest of hearts.

Remember to keep the effort thoughtful and romantic. Most people don’t remember getting a box of chocolate years later, but the memory of a homemade gift can last forever.

A&E

February 11, 2008

9

A night for romance:

Dr. Morris to read poetry at local art gallery

By Kerry Myers Collegian Staff

Courtesy Photo

All the way to green: Dr. John Morris reads poetry at the Leslie Powell Gallery. This Valentine’s Day, he will be reading poems of love at the gallery’s 11th Annual Evening Poetry Reading.

If you’re trying to find that something special or out of the ordinary to do with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day — a poetry reading may be just the thing you’re looking for.

The Leslie Powell Gallery and Foundation is hosting its 11th Annual Evening Poetry Reading from 7 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Feb. 14.

Dr. John Graves Morris, Cameron University Professor of English, will be the reader for the event titled, “All the Way to Green: Poems of Love.” He will be reading his own writings.

Dr. Morris said he deeply enjoys performing readings at the Gallery.

“Every year it is so gratifying,” he said. “It has become tradition.”

Nancy Anderson, the Leslie Powell Gallery Director, said the gallery has great a great turnout

every year.

“We often have a full house,” she said.

The Leslie Powell Gallery and Foundation building is one of Lawton’s oldest buildings, erected in the 1920’s as part of the second wave of the Central Business District. The foundation first occupied the second floor of the Little Chapel of Lawton, where it held exhibits until 2000, according to the gallery’s website. It has since been renovated with an art deco look.

“One of the things that I am always proud to say is that the Gallery is a great place to be,” Dr. Morris said. “The people there are very generous and supportive. The Leslie Powell Foundation did a wonderful job of converting the building into what it is today.

It is a great place to read poetry,” he said.

The Gallery also holds noon “Lunch Bag Lectures” from 12:15 p.m. to 12:45 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month. The Lunch Bag Lectures are free to the public, and the time allotted gives visitors plenty of time to browse the Gallery. The Lunch Bag Crowd examines subjects that include many customs of other societies such as, arts, history, science, travel, music and mythology.

The most interesting people in Lawton gather here, Anderson said.

To view a calendar of gallery events, visit www.lpgallery.org.

MCT Campus

Oscar Corner

‘No Country’ snags eight nominations

By Chris Allison Collegian Staff Can you escape fate or does the inevitable, such as death, trap us on a preordained path in life?

This is the central question and theme of the Coen brothers’ new phenomenal movie “No Country for Old Men.” Based on a 1980 Cormac McCarthy novel set in west Texas, “No Country” tells the story of Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a down-on-his-luck Vietnam veteran who, while hunting, stumbles across the remains of a drug deal gone bad. He picks up a satchel with $2 million inside. After years of disappointment, he thinks his luck will improve for the better.

This theft instantly turns Moss into a hunted man. It is not enough he is chased by Mexican gangsters, but Moss has the horrible luck of also being hunted by one of the scariest killers ever to be portrayed on film.

The killer, a complex man named Anton Chigurh, (Javier Bardem) is hired by a criminal organization to track down the money. Chigurh rebels against his employers and hunts Moss in his strategic way.

One of Chigurh’s main goals is to

track down the money, but greed is not his motivation. This is a cat and mouse game to him and he will stop at nothing to recover the money and kill Moss.

The local sheriff, Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), is tracking Chigurh hoping to prevent further bloodshed and save Moss’ life. But Bell feels too old and overmatched by the violence and evils of the world represented by Chigurh.

Bell misses the old days, when some sheriffs did not even have a gun. As he contemplates his future usefulness, his uncle tells him that the violence he is witnessing in the world is not new and that there were no “good old days.” His uncle reminds him that evil and death are inevitable, and he who thinks he can stop them suffers from vanity.

This is perhaps the Coen brothers’ finest film. They have had hits and misses since “Fargo,” so this is a comeback for them. “No Country for Old Men” is easily their most suspenseful movie since their debut film, “Blood Simple.“ “Blood Simple” is also a chase movie set in Texas with Frances McDormand being hunted by M. Emmit Walsh. There is even a scene

that is in both films, where one character is waiting and listening to the approach of the assailant outside the door. Even though this is one of the Coens’ few straightforward and non-quirky films, it is still sprinkled with dark humor. The suspense is further increased by the fact that there is almost no musical score in “No Country.”

Movies are notorious for blaring a beautiful, but oftentimes loud and distracting score. In thrillers, viewers can tell when something bad is going to happen by the suspenseful music. Seeing Jason walk toward a victim with a bloody axe defeats the scare. “No Country” avoids this pitfall.

The cinematography in this movie is spectacular. The Texas countryside is captured beautifully and the use of light and shadow is very effective. The script is one of the major highlights of the film.

The cynical dialogue and one-liners make this perhaps the best written film of last year.

Josh Brolin gives another good performance. This was quite a year for him with his dark turns in “Grindhouse: Planet Terror” and “American Gangster” as well as this

wonderful film. Kelly McDonald gives a great performance as Llewelyn’s worried wife. Tommy Lee Jones proves once again how great an actor he is with his somber performance. Even though Brolin has the most screen time, Jones is symbolically the central character of the film.

The highlight of the film is Javier Bardem; whose deadpan delivery is so chilling it rivals Hannibal Lector.

Chigurl carries a compressed air gun and decides his victims’ fate with the flip of a coin. Some might think he is a senseless, homicidal maniac with no motive or morals.

But in actuality, like Chigurl, the most dangerous murderer is the one with intensely twisted morals that even he does not understand. He is unpredictable, sometimes even to himself. Bardem will definitely get the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

The film is nominated for eight Academy Awards including: Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture. To date, it has swept the award season.

I understand that quite a few people do not like the ending. To this I say that not every movie

Reporter rating: 4 out of 4

MCT Campus

made in Hollywood has to have a Hollywood ending. I admit I was a little disappointed, but upon a further viewing, I came to better appreciate and enjoy the ending.

In my opinion, “No Country for Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood,” are movies vying for the best film of 2007.

Variety

10

February 11, 2008

Miss Black CU adds charm to Black History Month 2008 Miss Black CU Taylor Thompson

First Runner up: Wandee Albert

Second Runner up: Ashley Virgil

Becoming a Cinderella: Contestants dance to Rhianna and Chris Brown’s hit “Cinderella.” This year’s Miss Black CU brought seven girls together for the pageant. Former 2007 Miss Black CU passed the crown and rights to Taylor Thompson.

Kerry Myers Collegian Staff The elegant nineteen year-old Taylor Thompson was crowned the 2008 Miss Black Cameron University on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the University Theatre.

During the introduction of Master and Mistress of Ceremonies, Pageant Director Rayla Willis announced that they made positive changes in the pageant this year, bringing back old traditions and creating new ones.

The girls started off with a show stopping performance dancing to Rhianna’s “Umbrella”.

The contestants later went on to perform in an ambassadorial performance portraying powerful black women from the past. The contestants portrayed people like Rosa Parks and Debbie Allen.

Taylor Thompson acted as Lena Horn with her rendition of “Stormy Weather.”

Phenomenal talent was showcased at this year’s competition. During the talent portion, Thompson delivered an electrically charged performance of Jennifer Hudson’s “I am Changing” that earned her a standing ovation. The other contestants displayed talents such as piano (by Shanice Biggins) and dancing (by Wandee Albert). The contestants went on to compete in eveningwear and a question and answer session.

Other award winners include: Shanice Biggins, Academic Award and Miss Congeniality; Ashley Virgil, Business Woman Award of 2008; and Wandee Albert, Community Service Award. First runner up of the pageant was Wandee Albert and second runner up was Ashley Virgil.

Thompson competed against six other contestants to earn her crown. Thompson is a sophomore

at Cameron University, majoring in human ecology. Her platform is D.R.E.A.M.: Dreams Realized through Extracurricular Activities and Mentorship.

The Y.M.C.A. of Lawton currently employs Thompson.

Thompson was asked what she would do to improve the community and raise awareness of her platform if she was crowned the 2008 Miss Black Cameron University. Thompson responded that she would continue to work with the Y.M.C.A. to reach out to the community’s young people by teaching them etiquette and public speaking skills. Thompson was also named this year’s Miss Black Fort Sill.

Six judges evaluated the contestants’ performances and charisma.

2008 Miss Black CU Taylor Thompson

Photos by Kerry Myers and Bira Vidal Photo Collage by Bira Vidal