The Cameron University Collegian: February 14, 2005

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

Monday, February 14, 2005

News

The Collegian features Cameron couples and investigates the origins of Valentine’s Day. PLEASE SEE PAGES 4&5

A&E

Looking for a good Valentine’s Day chick flick? One reviewer rates The Notebook not very noteworthy.

PLEASE SEE PAGE 6

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

Chemistry makes poetry for CU couple

By Dawn Holt Staff Writer Was it a love shot from Cupid’s bow and arrow, or just fate, when Linda Beard, a junior nursing student and Jason Shelley, an English senior, met in Dr. Epperson’s general biology class?

Beard and Shelley met in the spring of 2003 when they took a seat beside each other in biology class. They were in the same English class and began to talk on a regular basis.

Shelley said after they completed an English assignment together at the library, they exchanged phone numbers just in case they had further questions. Later that week Beard called him to inquire if he had finished another assignment, resulting in hours of conversation.

“I found Jason to be very attractive and he had a great sense of humor,” Beard said.

“At first I thought he would make a good friend, but then I realized that he would be much more than that.”

They continued to chat and

meet together for a month before having more romantic, memorable dates.

“Our first date was a party at our friend’s house which was fun but not romantic,” Beard said. “The romantic one was when we went to Cincinnati and Memphis together. He met my family, and I met his best friend.”

According to the couple, they still love to travel together and be adventurous.

“We seem to take a lot of trips,” Shelley said. “We plan to go to Orlando this summer, where we’ll scuba dive and go to Universal Studios.”

Although there may be plans for the future, the couple is focused on the present.

Beard aspires to attend grad school and become a physical therapist, and Shelley is considering attending law school upon graduation.

As for the future of the relationship that became more than just poetry in English class, Beard said, “There are most likely plans for our future together, but we will cross that road when the time is right.”

Sports

CU softball team starts 2005 season against Texas Woman’s University.

PLEASE SEE PAGE 7

Voices

Courtesy Photo

Love at first ... lab? Nursing junior Linda Beard and English senior Jason Shelley enjoy traveling together. The two met in a CU biology class and soon began dating.

Office: Nance Boyer 2060 Phone: 580•581•2261 E-mail us at : collegian@cameron.edu First Copy Free - $.25 for each additional copy Contents © The Collegian 2004

Reigning royalty: Palestrina Roller-George and Blake Red Elk pose shortly after the Homecoming coronation Thursday evening. The two were among 21 competitors and were voted on by Cameron students Tuesday and Wednesday.

CU royalty crowned

By Anna Politano Managing Editor Following the tradition, Cameron University held its annual Homecoming Week from Feb. 7-11. The coronation of the CU Homecoming King and Queen took place on Thursday evening, during halftime of the Aggies basketball game.

The King and Queen for the 2005 Homecoming were Blake Red Elk, speech communications senior, and Palestrina Roller-George, criminal justice senior.

Twenty-one Cameron students competed for the crown. Red Elk represented the Aggie Ambassadors, while Palestrina represented the Criminal Justice Association.

Both winners were jubilant and surprised with the victories. Palestrina showed gratitude to all who supported her.

“I’m elated and speechless,” she said.

“I thank God. I also thank all those who voted for me, and I thank Mr. Harrison Watts who believed that I could be elected.”

Red Elk felt no different. The new CU

king was taken aback with the victory.

“It was a complete shock,” Red Elk said.

“I couldn’t be more surprised and more proud to represent the University.”

First runners-up were Kaci Michael, chemistry senior, and Carlo LaMonica, criminal justice senior. Second runnersup were Joseph Gomba, political science senior, and Shanda Thompson, psychology junior.

The selection process for candidates is based on nominations from student organizations and deans of schools, according to Courtney Hardin, director of student activities.

Hardin expressed appreciation for the Programming Activities Committee (PAC), and for the student organizations that made Homecoming Week a success.

“The PAC members have helped out and gotten lots of donations and prizes,“ Hardin said. “I am thankful to all the organizations that were involved in the Homecoming competitions and (they) have really shown their support for the Aggies.”

just over $6.1 million.

John Hays represented Southwest Oklahoma State University. This college’s A press conference held Feb. 4 in Camprojects total $10.7 million of which $7.7 eron University’s Student Union Reading million is to be funded by the bond isRoom announced the cooperative effort sue. Their major project is to renovate the of Oklahoma colleges and legislators in chemistry, pharmacy and physics building. support of the $500 million Higher EduOklahoma senators Randy Bass and cation Bond Issue recently proposed by Daisy Lawler stood along side the presiGovernor Brad Henry. dents in a show of support for these projThe presidents of Cameron and three ects. They also announced their intentions other schools from the Southwest Oklaof pushing for a speedy passing of this homa region presented their proposals capital bond during the First Session of for renovation, construction and maintethe 50th Oklahoma Legislature. nance projects to be funded by this bond According to Bass, college renovation Photo by Ian Mitchell issue. projects such as these are necessary for Representing Cameron was President schools in this region in order to provide Taking questions: John Hays of Southwest Oklahoma Cindy Ross. She outlined the university’s State University, President Ross and Senators Daisy Lawler and quality education. He also recognized that priorities for the $12 million share of the many Oklahoma colleges are in need of Randy Bass field questions during a press conference Tuesday. bond issue. At the top of the list is the rensuch upgrades. ovation and expansion of the antiquated ma State College. Their requested funds total $6 Lawler highlighted the economic benbusiness building. This three-story structure was million. The major project is the construction of efit of this bond issue in Oklahoma, citing initial built in 1964 as a women’s dormitory. the Cooperative Higher Education and Training estimates as falling in the hundreds of millions.

Other projects include upgrading the heating Center to house technology equipped classrooms “The estimated initial economic impact on the and air-conditioning for Shepler Center and the with faculty offices and equipment space. state economy is about $737 million,” she said.

Fitness Center, improving campus accessibility, John Feaver represented the University of Sci“This will have an immediate and long-lasting upgrading parking lots and access roads, general ence and Arts of Oklahoma. This school’s major impact on Oklahoma’s economy.” repair and maintenance of campus buildings and a project is the renovation of Canning Hall that gymnasium environmental improvement project. will house a premier program in deaf education.

Please see PROJECTS, page 3 Randy Cumby represented Western OklahoOther improvement projects bring the total to

Staff Writer

PLEASE SEE PAGE 2

Photo by Anna Politano

University presidents support capital bond projects at press conference

By Ian Mitchell

Columnist debates offensiveness of this year’s popular Super Bowl ads. Is the viewing public too sensitive?

Volume 78 Issue 17

Voices

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February 14, 2005

Our Voice Homecoming builds up CU school spirit If there is one certainty in college life, it is this: no one should spend four years in an institution without gaining school spirit. It works almost like patriotism. If there were no love or pride in attending a certain university, one would be like a citizen who is indifferent and apathetic toward one’s own nation.

Last week the Cameron student body had opportunities to participate in daily Homecoming Week events. Monday through Friday, Aggies of all types and all ages celebrated “Traditions” – the theme of the week.

It seemed as if the campus was all black and gold as Cameron colors were displayed in signs, posters, drawings on glass walls and in people’s clothing. The multitude of students and faculty who crowded the gym for the

pep rally on Thursday reflected CU school spirit.

As the restless audience waited for the results of the election of their new King and Queen, current Cameron students and alumni not only shared the same benches, but they also shared the same passion: the pride of being an Aggie.

The Cameron Collegian editorial board applauds and commends the Programming Activities Council (PAC) and the student activities personnel for their dedication and effort in encouraging school spirit. Our gratitude also goes to the Cameron administration for their leadership and support of Homecoming Week. We thank the Cameron University Alumni Association for sponsoring the Homecoming game and for supporting us with their presence and encouragement.

Increased student activities and participation in those activities improves school spirit. That strong school spirit promotes Cameron University as a desirable choice for prospective students looking at their college options. And so we thank the students and faculty who participated and advanced the Aggie spirit.

If you missed out on all the fun, whether because your schedule didn’t allow for it or because you felt your presence wasn’t necessary, know that the Homecoming Week embraces traditional and non-traditional students. Don’t wait until next spring. Be an Aggie now!

— The Editorial Board

Graphic by Leah Hicks

Offensive ads? Who says?

Even before last week’s Super Bowl aired, people were ready to complain about some of the advertising. Several ads were pulled before they could be aired, most of the time by the company they were made for, not by the networks.

The ads were deemed inappropriate for the Super Bowl, the Mecca for creative and bizarre advertising.

Now don’t get me wrong; I think sometimes advertisements can get a little out of hand and go overboard with content. Other times I just sit there and wonder what extra curricular substances Scott Pratt the ad designers were using while they worked on the ad that finally aired on TV. I do not, however, remember one single time that I was truly offended by an advertisement on TV. For some reason beyond my comprehension, Americans seem to be offended quite easily now, or they are just speaking up more than they did. I find myself wondering why I have noticed this quandary.

Aren’t we supposed to be a country that is accepting of different ideas, affording others the right to be who they want to be? I hope so.

Why do we as Americans take offense to what seems to be simple comedy most of the time, instead of just blowing it off as a joke? For example, there was an ad for Godaddy.com during the Super Bowl; an attractive blonde woman was giving testimony to a fake government panel, and her spaghetti strap tank top kept almost falling off.

The ad was aired once and then taken off because it was “bad.” The ad was not that funny, I must admit, but it was clearly made as a joke.

I realize that there have been ads or shows that poke fun at a group of people in a demeaning and distasteful way, and those should bring no laughter, but I want to know who was truly offended by the content of the Godaddy.com ad. I don’t want to know people who just didn’t like it, but who was really offended, and why. I personally would like to be offended sometime, because then at least the tables would be turned; all those people who are offended by stuff that doesn’t offend me would feel the way I do.

Scott is a PR junior from Lawton. He is also the photographer and a staff writer of The Collegian. Send comments to collegian@cameron.edu

Aggie Spirit

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?

Angel Frias Criminal justice freshman “I made reservations at a hotel and a restaurant in Dallas.”

Brandi Cottrell Medical tech. freshman “I plan on getting spoiled and getting flowers and candy.”

Matt Castillo Physical edu. junior “Hopefully make out.”

Photo by Scott Pratt

Go Aggies, go: Cameron students gather at the Aggie Gym on Thursday afternoon for the Homecoming pep rally. Students showed their support for the Aggies team and the candidates for Homecoming King and Queen.

Dawn Workman Criminal justice junior “Go out to dinner and a movie with my husband.”

Contact us at

collegian@cameron.edu Quote of the Week “A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue.”

—Proverbs 11:12

Stephen Brunner Criminal justice junior “I am going to make my wife breakfast in bed.”

Sarah Talamantez Criminal justice junior “I will be hanging out with a bunch of my single friends.”

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Editorial Board Managing Editor - Anna Politano News Editor - Lisa Snider Copy Editor - Kathleen Kelly A&E Editor - Angela Sanders Sports Editor - Joshua Rouse Features Editor - Angela Gradoz Graphic Artist - Leah Hicks Newsroom Staff Business Manager - Rosana Navas Cartoonists - Thomas Pruitt David Brandsetter Financial Officer - Susan Hill Photographer - Scott Pratt Webmaster - Ian Mitchell Faculty Adviser Christopher Keller

Staff Writers Laura Brady, Christina Frye, Jennifer Hardy, Dawn Holt, Kari Lewis, Justin Liszeski, Ian Mitchell, Petulah Olibert, Scott Pratt, Sonya Ray, Lauren Slate, Sarah Warren 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 via mail or e-mail/ collegian@cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.

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.

February 14, 2005

Campus Round-up Study abroad offered A series of information sessions have been scheduled for students interested in earning six hours of credit this summer in the British Studies Program. Sessions are from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and from 5:30 to 6:30 Feb. 17 and 24 in the Student Activities Building.

Black History Month presentations The film, “Partners of the Heart” will be shown at 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the Student Activities Building. The screening is being sponsored by Student Development.

News PROJECTS Continued from page 1 SGA President Jenny Jackson said SGA was in the process of passing a statement of support for the bond issue. According to Jackson, it is the position of student body representatives that this capital bond issue is a positive and necessary step toward improving the quality of education at Cameron. As a business major, she has personal experience with the lack of adequate facilities in the business building and agrees with the top priority being its renovation.

According to Bass, this long overdue bond issue is only the third in Oklahoma history. He said it is now being sought as a result of the passage of the Oklahoma Education Lottery, which is identified in the proposal as the source for paying off the bonds. The lottery is expected to produce revenues of $150 million of which $68 million will be allocated to higher education. Repayment of the bond is estimated to be at a rate of $30 million over the next 25 years.

3

SGA Notes There will be no SGA meeting today.

Meetings are normally held at 5:15 p.m. each Monday in the Sciences Complex, Room 100.

VOICE Month of Action begins Feb. 25.

Check the Feb. 21 SGA box for the SGA Special Election.

Response to the petition signature drive has been strong, with 449 signatures to date.

Oty named chair

By Christina Frye Staff Writer Cameron’s mathematical sciences department appointed Associate Professor Dr. Karla Oty as new chair of the department. The Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma, Cameron University and Rogers State University confirmed the appointment at a monthly meeting, which took place in Oklahoma City.

Oty began her mathematical expedition when she obtained a bachelor’s in mathematics at Trinity University in San Antonio. Shortly after, Oty moved to the University of Colorado at Boulder where she obtained her Doctorate of Mathematics. Oty then moved to Oklahoma and chaired the department of mathematics at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Oty is a member of the American Mathematical Society, the Association for Women in Mathematics, the Mathematical Association of America, the National Council of Mathematics, the Oklahoma Academy of Science and the Oklahoma Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Oty has over 11 years of mathematical experience, and she is an asset to the university, according to Vice President of Academic Affairs Gary Buckley.

“Dr. Oty has a wealth of experience in and out of the classroom,” he said. “She is an astute scholar with an established teaching and research career.”

Cameron as a whole will benefit from Oty’s expertise. Not only will Oty add to the math and computer sciences department, but she also plays the French horn in CU’s band.

Oty enjoyed being offered the opportunity to come to Oklahoma and teach at CU. She said she feels privileged to have been chosen to chair the department, and looks forward to the future.

“I am honored to have been selected to serve as chair of the mathematical sciences department,” she said. “I look forward to working with the faculty members, staff and administrators at Cameron.”

Although Oty maintains s a very busy schedule, she continues to find time to do research. Her research specialty is the study of a mathematical structure called groupoids, a subject that she finds intriguing.

“While working on a recent paper, I became interested in the various uses of groupoids in different fields and the order in which they appeared,” she said.

Oty’s immediate goal for the department is to hire more mathematical science professors.

“We need to hire instructors who specialize in elementary mathematics education since two professors will be retiring in the near future,” she said.

Oty also wants to hire more computer science professors, because of a new Networking Lab that will allow students more computer access.

In addition, Oty encourages more students to pursue math and computer science degrees.

“We would love to have more math and computer science students,” she said. “We need more students at CU to choose math and computer science as their majors, or even their minors.”

For more information on a mathematical or computer sciences degree, contact the department at 581.2481.

Photo by Christina Frye

Show me the way: Dr. Karla Oty assists Martin Goate, computer science senior, in the new Networking Lab with a computer programming question.

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Kellers find love studying together

The effects of kissing RESEARCHED AND COMPILED BY MEREDITH POLDRACK, LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER Krt Newswire

Smooch. Snog. Tongue hockey. Lip lock.

Whatever you call it, two lips touching with a bit of pressure and tongue-wiggling have inspired myriad songs, poems and, ahem, newspaper articles.

Most of us picked up the basics of kissing in junior high, but our knowledge of the mechanics of this most enjoyable activity hasnʼt moved beyond first base.

Weʼve provided a primer to get you up to speed on this amazing confluence of hormonal, circulatory and muscular activity.

EYES: A gaze from your lover can add to the excitement of a kiss by triggering memories and fantasies within the brain. Signals from the visual regions of the brain are transmitted to the hypothalamus, where they influence the start of sexual behavior. A quick peek at your partnerʼs peepers will let you know whether he or she is enjoying it: The pupils will dilate.

and norepinephrine from the adrenal glands cause the heart to beat faster and elevate the blood pressure. This allows more oxygen to be acquired.

Breathing may become deep and irregular. During a kiss, the heart can sometimes beat twice as fast as normal. Endorphins can also cause the pulse to race.

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM: Arteries and veins respond to the signals coming from your lips. Arteries convey blood into organs faster than the veins can carry it away. This can result in swelling, such as in the lips and genitalia.

SKIN: With the heart and lungs working hard, the skin can redden and become clammy. Sweating helps keep your system from overheating.

Chemical messages and increased touching can alter skin sensitivity, which can result in tingling and tickling.

NOSE: The nose senses pheromones from your partner, thus increasing or decreasing stimulation.

(Some people are never going to smell good to you despite what the ads in certain tabloids might claim!) Most pheromones are blends of chemicals that must be released in precise amounts to function, and they target only members of the same species. Sex-specific smells can possibly raise or lower activity levels of neurons in the hypothalamus.

ADRENAL GLANDS: The thrill of kissing (or any exciting activity) is a major stimulus for these glands, which sit one atop each kidney. Working off chemical cues streaming through the spinal cord, the adrenals start producing and secreting norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline).

Norepinephrine is found in the brain, especially the hypothalamus. Like Cupid with a couples quota, norepinephrine swishes around the brain, creating feelings of euphoria. Epinephrine increases heart rate and speeds breakdown of glycogen, the storage form of glucose, in the muscles and liver. You will need this energy if kissing leads to sex.

SEX ORGANS: By now, your body has realized that you arenʼt politely pecking Aunt Fanny.

This can cause a host of sex-prep activities: the vulva, clitoris, penis and nipples fill with blood and become erect; testes draw closer to the body; and glands in the vagina secrete lubricant.

Testosterone surges in men and in women. Some scientists suggest that testosterone contributes to feelings of well-being. In men and women, the hypothalamus monitors some aspects of testosterone production in the ovaries and testes.

STOMACH: Endorphins might make your brain happy, but they can also set loose big butterflies in your tummy. Digestion is slowed so the body can focus on, uh, more pressing activities.

PANCREAS: To keep your energy from fading, extra sugar is being pumped into the blood from the breakdown of glycogen in the muscles and liver. The pancreas keeps blood sugars in balance through secretion of the hormones insulin and glucagon.

IL L LUST R AT ION BY K RT CA M PUS

Be mine: A brief history of Valentine’s Day

By Lisa Snider News Editor Be mine.

Kiss me.

Love you.

Real love.

So says Necco’s Sweethearts candy conversation hearts, which have been around since 1866. This traditional Valentine treat has a very clear historical record.

What is not so clear is the Valentine’s Day history. Several stories continue to circulate regarding three different saints recognized by the Roman Catholic Church named Valentine or Valentinus, all martyred on Feb. 14.

According to americanantiquarian.org the preeminent theory is that during the third century, under the rule of Claudius II, there lived a Roman priest named Valentinus who was imprisoned for giving aid to Christian martyrs. It is said that on the eve of his beheading, Feb. 14, he penned the first valentine to the jailer’s daughter. The note was signed, “From your Valentine.”

Another version, the most popular according to howstuffworks.com and historychannel.com, is also about a 3rd-century Roman priest.

This priest, however, is remembered for performing secret marriage ceremonies, which had been forbidden by the aforementioned Emperor Claudius II. Claudius believed unmarried men made better soldiers. When it was discovered that he was marrying couples in secret, Valentine was ordered put to death. The mishmashing of legends also attributes a love letter to the jailer’s daughter as coming from this St. Valentine.

One point the sources largely agree on, is that the beginnings

By Ian Mitchell

HEART AND LUNGS: Epinephrine

of the holiday are rooted in the pagan festival of Lupercalia. But the details of that fall into what might have been two separate holidays. Howstuffworks. com, whose source was University of Notre Dame Professor Lawrence Cunningham, calls the Feast of Lupercalia a fertility celebration honoring Juno, queen of the Roman gods and goddesses. During this event, women wrote billets, or love letters, which were left in a large urn. The men drew the billets, like a lottery, and partnered with the woman who wrote the message. Americancatholic.org states that the man kept the woman as a sexual companion for a year. Also according to that Web site, the holiday of the same name, but on Feb. 15, was to honor the god, Lupercus.

Now, the priests of this time disapproved of the lottery and many other pagan customs. Efforts were made by the church to incorporate these festivals into the church calendar – to Christianize them. In fact, Claudius initially changed the lottery to a drawing by the men and the women as to which saint they would emlate for the year. This custom apparently did not catch on. Probably because the death of Valentine – or Valentinus, depending on which story one holds to – occurred at the time of year when the festival of Lupercalia was taking place, the two celebrations were associated and eventually evolved into Valentine’s Day, with men ardently pursuing women by giving out messages of affection invoking the name of Valentine.

The Roman Catholic Church dropped St. Valentine’s Day from the calendar of official feasts in 1969 because of the unclear history, but commercially, the holiday continues on in popularity, as evidenced by the array of Valentine cards and other sentimental gifts on store shelves from mid-January on.

Thus, companies like Necco update their offerings annually. Look for a sports theme in this year’s little pink box, which will include, among the old favorites, “#1 Fan,” “All-Star” and “Be My Hero.”

From lovers offering tokens of affection to children exchanging valentines during classroom parties, Valentine’s Day affords the opportunity to let others know how much they are cared about.

Staff Writer

BRAIN As a kiss grows in intensity, neural signals speed from the brain and along the spinal cord, spurring glands and organs into action. Inputs from the cerebral cortex, especially the section called the amygdala, very likely mediate other sensory influences on sexual arousal.

■ Hypothalamus: The hypothalamus receives inputs from the cerebral cortex, nose, genitalia and sex hormones in the blood and then sets the level of its neuronsʼ activity accordingly. These neurons then send signals back to areas of the brain that influence sexual behaviors and thoughts. During a kiss, the hypothalamus produces gonadotropin-releasing hormone into the pituitary gland.

■ Pituitary: The pituitary gland secretes hormones that influence all cells and virtually all physiologic processes. The pituitary is stimulated to secrete adrenocorticotropic hormone, which targets the cortex of the adrenal gland, as well as a follicle-stimulating hormone and a luteinizing hormone, both of which target the ovaries and testes.

■ Neurotransmitters: During pleasurable or exciting activities, the brain experiences a surge in dopamine, endorphins and phenylethylamine.

These neurotransmitters attach to pleasure receptors in the brain, and they create feelings of giddiness and euphoria.

■ Endorphins: These neurotransmitters are released when a stressful or painful situation arises. There are three major types of endorphins, but beta endorphins, found primarily in the hypothalamus, give the most euphoric effect to the brain and are the most effective. Besides behaving as a pain regulator, endorphins are thought to be connected to physiological processes including euphoric feelings, appetite modulation and the release of sex hormones.

■ Phenylethylamine: This chemical is also found in chocolate, which could explain why chocolate is so good as a pick-me-up.

■ Dopamine: When kissing, dopamine rushes around the brain. It is released by certain neurons in the brain when pleasure or desire is experienced.

It is not a common neurotransmitter: Less than 0.3 percent of the neurons in the brain produce it.

I remember the times spent with some of my best friends. We all played the same sports, went to the same places and laughed at the same jokes. Our connections are in fact so strong that even if we don’t see each other for years, when we finally meet again we simply continue where we left off.

One current faculty member at Cameron was even luckier than I. He had just that kind of friend, but this friend was a woman — and not just any woman. To him, she was funny, intelligent and beautiful. In fact, she excelled in those three areas so well, that he was willing to leap into the risky business of complicating his precious friendship with a more serious relationship.

In a 16th century British Literature course, Christopher Keller and Jennifer Calaway met after seeing each other around campus for some time.

The two English majors hit it off and became friends.

That semester, they went to Dallas on an honors trip with Professor Von Underwood. According to Keller, academics and culture were not his top priorities.

“I can’t remember exactly where we went because the whole time I was just paying attention to her,” he said.

Keller said in the weeks following the honors trip, he and Calaway began spending time together studying, writing papers and working on stories.

Their sessions would run for hours.

“We would study constantly and hang out,” he said. “We would go to Denny’s and have four- or five-hour study sessions.”

According to Keller, they continued being friends and study partners for quite a while. In fact, their romance did not begin to develop until they neared graduation.

“We only started dating two or three years after we met,” he said.

After graduation, Calaway began teaching at Lawton High School. Keller joined the CAMSTEP program because he was unsure as to what career path he wanted to follow. It was during this time, according to Keller, that they became engaged. Keller followed the traditional route and sought her parents’ blessings.

“I went to her parents to seek their permission,” he said.

“Then in their living room, I proposed to her.”

However, according to Keller, there was not too much of a risk of rejection.

“I went into it knowing what the answer would be,” he said.

According to Keller, one of the main reasons for wanting to marry Calaway was how much he enjoyed hanging out with her.

“She was just so cool to hang out with. Hanging out with her was as fun as hanging out with some of my best friends,” he said, “so she eventually just became my best friend. I thought to

Courtesy photo

myself, ‘How great is this: my best friend is smart and funny, and she’s hot,’” he said.

They were married in January of 1998 and have lived in Lawton ever since.

Keller said he appreciates their meeting when they were both experiencing intellectual expansion and exploration.

According to him, they were immersed in art, literature and emotion. He said they were also immersed in the whole excitement and energy of college and that this shared experience strengthens their bond.

“Now we have that memory of going to college together and working on this very meaningful degree,” he said.

“That’s common ground that we always look back on and share with one another.”

Keller said they also have that shared love for writing, poetry, fiction, art and literature in general. As a result, they have gone to Barnes and Noble in Oklahoma City every Christmas for about a decade now. At first they could not afford to buy more than one or two books, but now they go over to spend the day shopping for those significant pieces of literature. In fact, their Christmas presents to each other every year are bookstore gift cards.

According to Keller, the way their lives are going right now has led them to the decision of not having any children.

While they have considered adoption, they ultimately chose to remain a family of two.

Instead, they see their many students as sons and daughters they will never have. According to Keller, the lessons they would pass on to their own children are being used to impact the students who pass through the halls of their respective educational institutions.

ORAL CAVITY ■ Salivary glands: The pres-

ence of a foreign object, such as a partnerʼs tongue, increases the flow of saliva in themouth. Salivary glands produce saliva, which is used to moisten your mouth, initiate digestion and help protect your teeth from decay. Saliva secretion is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which monitors both the volume and type of saliva secreted. Parasympathetic stimulation from the brain, such as simply imagining a kiss, can result in heightened secretion, as well as increased blood flow to the salivary glands. There are three major pairs of salivary glands: the parotid, submandibular and sublingual.

Several minor salivary glands are in the lips, inner cheek and linings of the mouth and throat.

■ Mouth: The lips are loaded with nerve endings. Once stimulated, these nerves send signals to the brain and spinal cord. Five of the 12 cranial nerves that affect brain function are involved in a kiss. This aids in kissing, but ultimately this dedication makes possible the fine lip and tongue movements used in speech.

MUSCLES A kiss begins with only a few muscles engaged. As the kiss intensifies, chemical messages stimulate more into action. A simple pucker uses only two muscles, the upper and lower orbicularis oris, but a passionate kiss uses all 34 facial muscles. A serious make-out session engages every muscle and tendon in the body.

BUSS BITS ■ A passionate kiss burns 6.4 calories a minute. This compares to 11.2 calories a minute jogging on the treadmill.

■ Between 10 million and 1 billion colonies of bacteria are swapped with each kiss.

■ The science of kissing is called philematology.

■ Some anthropologists think that kissing began when cavemen and women licked each other on hot days to obtain salt to balance their electrolyte levels.

■ Kissing in a loving relationship boosts chemicals in the brain that protect against disease.

Opposites fall in love while on the run

By Lauren Slate Staff Writer For Todd Holland, head baseball coach, and Jennifer Holland, director of student development, Cameron University is not just the place where they established their careers.

Their friendship, culminating in their marriage in 2001, began while they were students at CU. The couple met at CU’s “back to school” dance during Jennifer Holland’s freshman year.

Todd Holland was a junior who had transferred schools to play baseball for CU. It was not long before the two became friends and began running together every night with Todd Holland’s roommate. Soon, the trio turned into two and, after about a year of friendship, they began dating in 1997. Jennifer said that she met Todd dressed to go for a run, as usual, but he was wearing a nice shirt and proposed that they go to a movie instead.

They dated for about four years before their 2001 wedding in Frederick, Jennifer’s hometown. Todd proposed to Jennifer while they were on a skiing trip in Colorado. He staged a fall into some fresh powder and called down to Jennifer to help him. Knowing that he had

hurt his knee skiing the day before, she took off her skis and climbed up to his rescue. Buried in snow, Todd reached one ungloved hand up for her to reveal the engagement ring on his pinkie.

Jennifer and Todd have been married for three and a half years, and had their first child, Rylie Elizabeth Holland, on Sept. 21, 2004. According to Jennifer, seeing her baby for the first time was true love at first sight.

“It’s a totally unconditional love, different from love with a husband,” she said. “You’re immediately in love with this baby; it’s amazing.”

The Holland’s have always been busy but now they do so much for Rylie it makes them wonder what they did with their time before.

“It’s the life of Rylie,” Todd Holland said.

According to Jennifer, a friendship has to be established first because it gets harder to maintain a relationship after graduation and with the demands of full time jobs. She said they make the routine things count.

“When you’re dating you need to figure out if you are compatible long-term,” she said.

The Holland’s realized when they were dating that they did not have a lot in common, but that they balance each other out. Jennifer said that Todd is extroverted while she is introverted.

“I was a little too focused, driven and worried about everything,” she said. “Todd is free spirited, but we balance each other out.”

Ruth Tahah, the department secretary in North Shepler, said the Holland’s are a unique couple, Courtesy photo as different as daylight and dark, but they offset each other in balance.

“With their contrasting personalities, they jive,” Tahah said.

A&E

6

‘Notebook’ not for most men

By Justin Liszeski Staff Writer One of the most recent DVDs released is “The Notebook”, a film bound to send guys running, either far from it or directly in its vicinity.

The story is rich with romance, the type that women tend to enjoy and men usually attempt to avoid unless a woman comes along.

Based on author Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name, the film brings viewers into the lives of lovers circa 1940, and interweaves the events that brought them together over seven

KRT Campus

I am hot: Ryan Gosling, Noah in “The Notebook,” poses on the red carpet at the release of the movie in the summer of 2004.

years. There are really no surprises since the director, Nick Cassavetes, ditches what would have been a lame mystery and lets the viewer enjoy a predictable love story. The actors are convincing, although James Garner and Gena Rowlands lose ground to Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling.

Gosling and McAdams do a spectacular job of portraying sweethearts. From careless children living a lackadaisical life, to angst-ridden teenagers and even as adults reunited as friends they represent a history that refuses to be forgotten despite the years.

The actors portray the characters well enough to make the audience care about them, and wonder what trials they will have to overcome.

Rowlands and Garner act well enough to be remembered, but because their roles lack importance and are so brief, they are overwhelmed early on. Still their performances contribute to the film, breaking the narrative melodrama.

While the enigma of what brings the lovers together and ultimately their fates is simple, it is nice to see a well done movie that consists of more than the best guy getting the pretty girl. The lovers’ story transitions to moments of their lives decades later, with Gosling sticking by McAdams even when he’s lost her. Truly the film is an excellent frame story, a tale within a tale.

With a PG-13 rating the movie is a bit deceptive, “some sexuality” is an understatement. Little is left to the imagination during the more intimate scenes, indeed a clueless child would learn a lot and probably become a great deal more curious.

The DVD’s special features includes commentary by the director, another version of the film with comments by the author and a dozen scenes which were either deleted or just not chosen because their alternates were favored. Many of the deleted scenes could actually be part of the final cut and contribute something to the film. For anyone inquisitive enough to wonder why they were dropped, there is commentary by the editor, which explains why he and the director dropped those scenes, or in the cases of the sex scenes why they had to cut much to maintain the PG-13 rating.

There are DVD-ROM features, including a copy of the script and various interactive tasks.

Whether or not everyone will enjoy “The Notebook” is difficult to say. Anyone interested in seeing a well-told story of lovers will find something of interest. It seems a sure bet most men won’t watch the film unless they are placed under unavoidable circumstances or given an ultimatum.

Overall Grade: B

February 14, 2005

The Color Orange

Courtesy Photo

“The Color Orange,” a performance that embraces cultural understanding and racial diversity, will come to Cameron University at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the Shepler Mezzanine.

The group performing “The Color Orange” consists of Mohammed Bilal and Josh “Boac” Goldstein. Bilal may be recognized from his participation on MTV’s “The Real World.” A rapper, poet, writer, Bilal, who holds a master’s in Diversity Studies, Bilal will soon reveal the finished product of his book discussing diversity. While Bilal was honing his writing talents, Goldstein toured with the Souls of Mischief and Del the Funkee Homosapien.

A musician in the style of hip-hop, Goldstein has been rapping for at least 14 years.

The two have been long-time friends and, with their musical and intellectual talents, formed the underground hip-hop group Orange Flash in 1997. For Bilal and Goldstein, the name Orange Flash epitomizes a moment of creativity or innovation. “The Color Orange,” their “light bulb” performance of innovation, follows that lead. The two combine theater with hip-hop to express components of cultural understanding and racial diversity. Using their friendship, they challenge our American ideas of labels and classifications.

“The Color Orange” takes race and racism and looks at them in a new way to lead all those who experience the performance to a path of communication and understanding. *Information compiled by Lauren Slate from www.speakoutnow.org

If you would like to place a classified ad in The Collegian, please call 581.2261 or stop by Nance Boyer Room 2260

A&E Briefs Opening Night “Sly Fox” will begin at 8 p.m. Friday in the Lawton Community Theater.

For information, call 355.1600.

Theatre presents play “Red, Hot and Cole,” presented by the Duncan Little Theatre, will begin Friday at the Simmons Center. For information, call 580.252.2900.

Lunch Bag Lecture Frank Zittle will hold a lunch bag lecture entitled “Bali and Beyond: A Feast for the Senses” at the Leslie Powell Gallery at 12:15 p.m. Thursday.

Faculty Recital Dr. Sheridan will present a clarinet recital at 8 p.m Thursday in the McCutcheon Recital Hall.

Sports

February 14, 2005

7

Aggie basketball triumphs at homecoming

By Christina Frye Staff Writer The CU men and women’s basketball teams showed their true colors at the Feb. 10, 2005 homecoming games against the Eastern Central University Tigers.

The women outscored ECU 58-50; the men’s final score against the Tigers was 74-68.

The Aggie Gym held a full house; the crowds watched the Aggies play CU-style, and win with CU-class.

The Aggies put smiles on every coach’s face after the two games. Great coaches will tell his/her team that games are won or lost by free throws. It is simple, if you make your free throws, you will win the game; if not, you won’t.

And the CU Aggies proved that to be a fact in their games against ECU; CU has been practicing their free throws, and it showed.

The women scored 18 points while the men scored 28 points from the free throw line against ECU. Brittany Cooksey was 7-8 from the line, and Eric Moore hit an amazing 13-13.

The men’s team sunk 28-35 of

Photo by Christina Frye

The ball is in play: Aggie guard Sean Ormsby looks for an open man in Thursday’s homecoming match against Eastern Central University.

The Aggies won the game 74-68, breaking their six game losing streak. their free throws, and ECU was only able to sink 17-30.

Also highlighted in the games were some nice shots from 3point range from Christina

Buben, Katie Stoll, Eric Moore and Sean Ormsby. Along with a team effort of rebounds, 43 for the women’s team and 42 for the men’s, the Aggies

Aggie, Lady Aggie basketball split Tarleton state competition at home

played an excellent game for an outstanding crowd.

With the men’s victory over Eastern Central, they will look to start a win streak of their own.

The Aggies will face Northeastern University at home on Feb 19. The women will play at 2 p.m., and the men will play at 4 p.m.

Let the party begin

CU Sports Information/Staff Cameron University’s men and women basketball teams traveled to Stephenville, Texas on Feb. 5, to battle it out with Tarleton State. The CU Men’s basketball team added their sixth straight loss in the Lone Star Conference North Division play.

The Texans owned the first half, leading by as much as 11 with 6:16 left to play, 21-10. The Aggies were still in the game, taking advantage of the Texans missed shots and turnovers. The Texans shot 33.3 percent from the field, while the Aggies shot a 34.8 percentage. The Aggies rallied with a 10-2 run that made it 23-20 with less than a minute left in the half. Eric Moore shot 4 of 7, contributing 10 points in the first half. The Aggies trailed by five at the end of the half, entering intermission at 25-20.

The game began to heat up in the second half. Mike Wallace contributed back-to-back free throws, pulling the Aggies within three of the Texans, 25-22.

Tarleton State went on shooting spree gathering a 12-point lead with less than 14:00 to play. The Texans David Stephens scored 19 points from the field goal and gathered eight rebounds. Cornell Jones came in with 11 points and Lashon Sheffield had eight points and three rebounds.

The Aggies responded with Marcus Girtmon providing a 3pointer within the final minutes of the game pulling the Aggies within five of the Texans, 54-49.

Three players scored in double figures: Eric Moore came in with 15 points, Marcus Girtmon and Mike Wallace both contributed with 11 points each.

The Aggies could not hold the Texans any longer. The Texans took advantage of their free throw opportunities within the last minute of the game. Tarleton State finished with a 58-51 win over the Cameron.

The Lady Aggies were able to successfully dominate the TexAnns in overtime, 60-57. The Lady Aggies kept in close contact with Tarleton State throughout the game. With 13:57 left in the first half, Tamisha McGinty makes a jumper that gives the TexAnns a 5-point lead over the

Photo by Scott Pratt

Cheering for a good cause: The Aggie cheerleaders celebrate with the rest of Cameron as homecoming activities commence in the Aggie Gym Thursday Feb. 10.

Lady Aggie Softball drops season opener to Texas Women’s University CU Sports Information

Photo by Rusty Riddle

Lay it up: Aggie Forward Marcus Girtman puts in another layup at Abilene Christian on Jan. 15. The Aggies won the game against Abilene Christina.

Lady Aggies, 15-10. The Lady Aggies continue to add pressure to the TexAnns and a 3-pointer

by Brittany Cooksey tied the score with less than one minute to play. Amanda Franklin added a 3-pointer for the TexAnns with two seconds left in the half; the teams entered the second half at 32-29. Amanda Franklin scored 11 points for the TexAnns and had 4 rebounds.

The second half Tarleton State started out strong, ranking up a 5-point lead with 15:05 left to play. A jumper by Melissa Steen gave Cameron the lead 3839.

The TexAnns continued to rally for the lead gaining it with a free-throw shot from McGinty, 40-39. A jumper by Jonetta Brown tied the score at 45-45

with 6:25 left. Tarleton State continued to tack onto the score, but Cameron was still in the vicinity. When it looked to be a TexAnns victory, Steen answered with a jumper at the 0:06 mark that tied the score 54-54 and threw the game into overtime.

While in overtime, the Lady Aggies obtained the lead quickly with a lay-up from Jonetta Brown. A 3-pointer by Katie Crawford brought the TexAnns within one of the Lady Aggies.

Cooksey answered by connecting on two free throw attempts, which gave CU the win. Steen finished with a game-high of 16 points, Cooksey contributed with 13 points and Christina Buben came in with 10 points and seven rebounds. With their win, the Aggies are now 3-3.

Coach Gladys Crawford’s Cameron softball team got its 2005 season off to a sluggish start Saturday.

The Lady Aggies managed just six hits and three total runs against Texas Woman’s University, dropping both ends of a doubleheader by scores of 4-0 and 11-3. Saturday’s second contest was shortened by run-rule in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Cameron will look to crack the win column on Wednesday, hosting Abilene Christian in a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.In their first action of the season, the Lady Aggies struggled offensively. Texas Woman’s pitcher Lindsy Russ-Keller took a no-hitter into the sixth inning of Saturday’s first contest and Cameron failed to produce a run until the second inning of the nightcap. The Pioneers, meanwhile, tagged Cameron pitchers for 20 hits and seven earned runs.

In Game 1, Yukon senior Nicole Fleming broke up RussKeller’s no-hit bid, taking a 2-2 pitch up the middle for a single.

But after a Vanessa Rodriguez bunt and a ground-out by Stephanie Bour, Fleming was left stranded on third when two straight Lady Aggie batters were retired.

Texas Woman’s jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second. Sarah White laced a two-run triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rhonda Sherman. The Pioneers made it 4-0 in the fourth on an RBI single

by Amanda Arnold.

The Lady Aggies appeared ready to forge a split in the season-opening series early in the second contest. Cameron jumped on TWU starter Amanda Chambless with a two-out rally in the second inning, scoring three runs on three hits to take a 3-0 lead. Kelly Holden’s twoout single was followed by walks to Melinda Farrow and Jessica Hutton. Rodriguez then doubled in a pair of runs and Farrow scored on an RBI single by Bour.

But the lead proved to be shortlived. Texas Woman’s answered with three runs in the bottom of the third to tie the game, then broke it open with a seven-run fourth. Cameron committed a pair of errors in each frame. All seven of the Pioneers’ runs in the fourth inning were unearned.

TWU ended the second game with a run in the bottom of the fifth. Rachel Townsend led off the frame with a double to center off Cameron reliever Lindsay Williams. Two batters later, Amanda Denesi’s RBI single up the middle ended the game by run rule.

The Back Page

8

February 14, 2005

Homecoming 2005 ‘Traditions’ February 7-11, 2005 Cameron University students, faculty, staff and alumni celebrated Homecoming Week in an effort to promote school spirit and the “traditions” of the University. Students were able to dress in old-fashioned clothing for antique photos as demonstrated by Courtney Hardin, director of student activities and Vanessa Arterberry, admissions counselor (above left). A pep rally was held on Thursday at the gym and the Aggie community enjoyed free hot dogs (below left) as the Cameron athletic teams were being introduced (below right). Ole Kim was revealed to be Frank Myers, psychology junior and vice-president of SGA (above right).

Photo by Anna Politano

Photo by Scott Pratt

Photo by Scott Pratt ACROSS 1 Flesh mark 5 IOUs 10 Pearl Harbor’s island 14 Seep 15 Hawaiian hello 16 QB VII” author 17 PC symbol 18 Jury 19 Nor’easter 20 1940 Jack Benny movie 23 Hemp for sacks 24 __ on your life!

25 Name on cakes 28 Prima donna’s problem 29 Pen partner?

32 Etching fluids 33 Imitate 34 Melancholy 35 1955 hit by Frank Sinatra 39 Periods 40 Spacewalk, to NASA 41 Baseball’s Doubleday 42 L. Michaels’ show 43 Loony 44 Bob Marley’s band 46 Little yelp 47 Cheap jewelry 48 1979 George Hamilton movie 55 Proper companion?

56 Peace goddess 57 Early garden 58 Contributed 59 __ on (mollycoddles) 60 Direct 61 Greenspan or King 62 Zounds!

63 Highland hats DOWN 1 Make dirty

2 Fashion designer Chanel 3 Black Sea arm 4 Turncoats 5 Writer du Maurier 6 Comic Boosler 7 Like the banks of Loch Lomond 8 Fare-__-well 9 “The Catcher in the Rye” author 10 Relative of should

11 12 13 21 22

Part of U.A.R. Hawaiian port Manipulator Oklahoma city Moo __ gai pan 25 Yard and garage events 26 Potential oak 27 Alternative beau

28 29 30 31

Eco-unit Leveling tool Boring tool Lascivious looks 33 Docs’ org.

34 Fundament alist region 36 Counterpart of spring 37 Movie on a PC

Photo by Scott Pratt

38 “I Can’t Make You Love Me” singer Bonnie 43 Mama __!

44 Alerted 45 Value 46 Oman neighbor 47 Pitiful piece of art?

48 Org. of Webb

and Sorenstam 49 Evangelist Roberts 50 “__ Zapata!”

51 Aquatic croaker 52 Brainstorm 53 Yoked group 54 Ceases