The Cameron University Collegian: March 1, 2010

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

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

Monday, March 1, 2010

News

Volume 84 Issue 16

‘Outstanding Aggies of Tomorrow’ Four students recognized for achievements

By Tatiana Isis Collegian Staff

Foreign languages professor adds Yemeni Arabic to course offerings.

SEE PAGE 3

Four Cameron students were recently honored as being “Outstanding Aggies of Tomorrow.”

Ashley Del Ciello, Michael Faggett, Amanda Finch and Wyatt Kennedy were all awarded the “Outstanding Aggie of Tomorrow Award” during the university’s annual Aggie Friends and Family Awards Brunch on Feb. 20.

The award recognizes four outstanding junior and senior students a year who have excelled in their programs and extracurricular activities.

“I was definitely surprised,” said Ashley Del Ciello, a junior Public Relations major who is a twotime president of the Aggie Ambassadors.

“It takes quite a bit of hard work,” Del Ciello, who is considering getting a Master’s degree from the University of Arkansas, said. “It helps you to grow up and learn how to live life.”

Del Ciello is a recipient of the President’s Partner Scholarship and a volunteer member of the Programming Activities Council.

She has worked as a student teacher at

Cameron’s Introduction to University Life course and has served as an Aggie Escape student mentor.

Michael Faggett, a Radio and Television Broadcasting major and member of The Collegian staff, says winning the award put everything he’s done into perspective.

See AWARD Page 2 Ashley Del Ciello

A&E Michael Faggett

Thomas Labe to perform at CU Duncan.

SEE PAGE 5

Sports

Wyatt Kennedy

Cameron names three more Acclaimed Aggies

By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff Cameron University has selected CU alumni Leslie Blair, Dr. Keefe Carbone and Danny Garza as Acclaimed Aggies for the Spring 2010 semester. Posters highlighting each Aggie’s achievements will be displayed on campus. Recognition of Acclaimed Aggies was initiated in Fall 2005 to recognize the accomplishments of CU graduates.

“Acclaimed Aggies such as Leslie, Keefe and Danny inspire our current students and demonstrate that a Cameron

Big bats and clever pitchers deliver for the Aggies at home.

degree is an invaluable tool in the professional world,” CU President Cindy Ross said. “We are proud to recognize their outstanding accomplishments.”

About Leslie Blair, Class of 2005 A PLUS student, Leslie Blair was very active on campus during her CU years, participating in the Programming Activities Council and Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority as well as both the Phi Kappa Phi and Lambda Pi Eta honor societies. A member of the Student Government Association, she was named Outstanding Senator her senior year. She graduated cum

By Justin Cliburn

SEE PAGE 6

Voices

SEE PAGE 4

laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication.

After graduating from Cameron, Blair worked on congressional and statewide campaigns in Oklahoma and Mississippi before becoming Cabinet Secretary Liaison to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. She was responsible for writing speeches for the Secretary of Commerce and Tourism and also served as liaison to the Governor’s Office and other state agencies. Blair then became Public Information Officer for the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, where she served as a key adviser

on planning, development, implementation and control of public relations and public affairs policies and issues. Currently, she serves as Public Information Officer for the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, handling public information and legislative duties for the agency.

Blair said that she is honored to be recognized as an Acclaimed Aggie and is proud to be a Cameron graduate.

See AGGIES Page 2

Campus housing prices to climb in fall Because of the contracts that Village residents sign, it is important to give students as much notice as possible about At a Jan. 27 meeting, the board of regents price increases. Village residents must that governs Cameron University approved pay $350 per semester in advance for a student housing and food rates for the 2010- Convenience Dining Plan, which allows 2011 academic year. While the price of the them to purchase food at the cafeteria, new Shepler suites will remain unchanged, Aggie Grill or in the student union. The Shepler non-suites and Cameron Village contracts that are required for students residents can expect an increase of 2.5 to live in the Village are affected by the percent. All residents will see a 2.9 percent increase in food prices, as that $350 pays for increase in food services, according to a news slightly less food. Even so, the demand for release by the university. the Village continues to be high, Pinkston “Last year, we opened the Shepler suites said. and did not change the prices of the Village “There is a waiting list for the Village,” and non-suites,” Vice President of Business he said, “and the demand for housing on and Finance Glen Pinkston said. “The rates campus continues to grow.” for the other options have not been changed The housing increases are the first since for two years, so what we’re seeing is a 1.25 Aug. 2008 and mark the second time there percent increase per year, which is modest.” has been a rate increase in the Village.

With the increased popularity of the After opening in Aug. 2005, the Village Village and on-campus housing, CU set apartments will see monthly increases of prices in January in order to allow students to $10-$14, according to the university’s news budget for the fall semester, Pinkston said. release.

“The Village was filled by June of last year, so students need to know how much to budget for housing and food much earlier See HOUSING than August, when the university used to set those prices,” he said.

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Collegian Staff

Patriotism on the wane.

Amanda Finch

Photo by Jim Horinek

Campus Living: Students living in the Village and Shepler Center will see higher rent in the semester to come.

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News

March 1, 2010

AGGIES continued from page 1 “I graduated from Cameron with a major in Public Relations and a minor in Journalism, and also had the opportunity to do internship,” Blair said. “My experiences at Cameron both in the classes and in different activities helped me prepare for the real world.”

The Frederick native is a member of the Red Earth Advisory Board and served as chair of the 2009 Red Earth Buffalo Bash.

She is also vice president of the Oklahoma County 4-H Board of Directors, a member of the Cameron University Centennial Commission, the Junior League of Oklahoma City, Friends of Hackberry Flat and the Frederick Chamber of Commerce.

About Dr. Keefe Carbone, Class of 1996 After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1996, Keefe Carbone received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of

Oklahoma and is also a graduate of the prestigious Pankey Institute for Advanced Dental Education.

A native of Lawton and an Eisenhower High School graduate, Carbone returned to Southwest Oklahoma in 2000 and opened a private practice. Each year since 2003-04, the Consumer Research Council has selected him as one of America’s Top Dentists.

In addition to running a topnotch dental practice, Carbone volunteers his time in a variety of areas. He reviews articles for the Academy of General Dentistry’s national publication and is a preceptor for the OU College of Dentistry, helping mentor and prepare senior dental students for private practice. In addition, he is an active member of “Give Back a Smile,” an organization that unites victims of domestic violence with a volunteer dentist to restore smiles that have been altered by physical abuse.

Carbone said that it is a great

honor for him to be recognized as one of the Acclaimed Aggies, and he is proud to be a Cameron alumnus. He shared his memories at Cameron as the place that helped him lay a foundation for his future.

“CU prepared me well to go to dental school,” Carbone said. “I had a good relationship with the professors, who were ready to help me whenever I had a problem.”

Carbone is a member of the American Dental Association, Academy of General Dentistry, Oklahoma Dental Association, Comanche County Dental Society and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. He has been married to his wife, Kara, for 13 years and they have two sons, Parker (8) and Chase (2).

About Danny Garza, Classes of 1997 and 1998 Danny Garza was a pitcher on Cameron’s baseball team and was a member of the Dean’s Honor Roll.

He was one of five nominees for Outstanding Health and Physical

Education Majors in the spring of 1997. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health/Physical Education in 1997 and his Master of Arts degree in teaching the following year.

Garza has 12 years of teaching experience in the Lawton Public School system, working at Central Junior High, MacArthur Junior High and, since 2001, MacArthur High School.

He currently teaches math at MacArthur and is active in Highlander athletics, serving as head girls’ basketball coach since 2005 and head baseball coach since 2006. He has earned numerous area and regional coaching honors, including being named the Western Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association Coach of the Year in 2009. He has also been nominated for the Howie Bedell Coach of the Year Award.

Garza said that he was surprised to know that he has been honored by Cameron as an Acclaimed Aggie. He said that the way professors handled classes at Cameron helped him handle his own classrooms.

“My parents helped me to maintain a balance between studies

Courtesy of Public Affairs

and sports, as I had to have good grades to be able to play,” Garza said. “ I love teaching math and sports because this job gives me the feeling that I am making a difference in someone’s life in a positive way.”

Garza is a member of the Oklahoma Baseball Coaches Association and a Board Member of the Oklahoma Girls Basketball Coaches Association. He serves on the Region 4 high school selection committees for both baseball and girls basketball. He is also active with Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Southwest Oklahoma Officials Association and Antioch Baptist Church.

HOUSING continued from page 1 Shepler non-suite residents will see increases of $14-$24 per semester.

“A student staying in a single room in Shepler could still live on campus for slightly more than $2,000 a semester,” Pinkston said.

“When I was a freshman, I stayed in a dorm and ate in a cafeteria myself.”

The rate increases will take effect in August and end in May 2011, although there is no formal timetable to raise rates in the future, Pinkston said.

“Food and housing rates are raised whenever it is deemed necessary to meet the operating budget,” he said. “A few years ago, food prices were raised because of the rising costs of food transportation.”

The operating budget pays for facility maintenance and upgrades and faculty and staff salaries, among other things, and rate increases are necessary to balance the budget and maintain a sound academic environment for students, CU President Cindy Ross said.

“Cameron University strives to keep costs affordable for students.

Minimal increases in housing and board rates are unavoidable if we are to maintain and upgrade the facilities and provide quality meal programs,” President Ross said.

“Cameron University’s housing and board rates are still extremely competitive when compared to rates at other universities in the state.”

AWARD continued from page 1 “It was a humbling experience,” Faggett said. “It’s not about what you can do, but how long you can do it for.”

Faggett works as a producer and host of CUTV programs “In the Huddle” and “Top of the Hour” and says he hopes to work in television news after graduating.

Faggett is a member of the Ebony Society and a second year Resident Assistant. Faggett is also very active in his church as a tutor, volunteer musician and teacher.

“The key is balance,” Amanda Finch said. A Public Relations major who is set to graduate in May, Finch hopes to go on to get a Master’s degree at the University of Arkansas as well.

“I love everything I do,” Finch said. She said she encourages college students to explore things and “get involved” in order to get the best experience out of college.

Finch’s other honors include selection into Cameron’s Top 20 and Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges as well as being a PLUS scholar.

Finch is also a member of The Collegian staff and a CUTV host and producer. She is active in Beta Rho Epsilon and the Public Relations Student Society of America.

“If you have a goal, keep working towards it and don’t give up,” senior Accounting major Wyatt Kennedy said. In addition to his major, Kennedy minors in both Foreign Languages and Communications.

Kennedy is a member of the Delta Mu Delta, the Business Honor Society and hopes to go on to get his Master’s degree and work for the FBI. Kennedy, who was home-schooled all through high school, is also a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Elgin Fire Department. He works with his family on their dairy farm and was chosen under the federal government’s Student Career Experience Program for a full-time internship at Fort Sill.

All four students have made the Dean’s List or President’s List each semester and have shown the true meaning of being a Cameron Aggie.

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News

March 1, 2010

3

Yemen unrest offers educational opportunity

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff Foreign language students studying in Dr. George Stanley’s Arabic classes will have an upper-hand when they graduate.

When tensions mounted in the small Middle East country of Yemen, Dr. Stanley saw it as a way to introduce a new dialect in his Arabic classes.

It was a departure from his normal curriculum, but one he thinks will help serve the students in the long run.

“I got through a program on Egyptian Arabic, and about that time, there was trouble happening in Yemen,” he said. “I’ve always been fascinated by Yemen.

One of my research areas has been former British colonies and the linguistics of them. Yemen was a crown colony and it was fascinating.”, Dr. Stanley introduced Yemeni Arabic into his Arabic classes.

Traditionally, he teaches Modern Standard Arabic, which is the dialect most commonly spoken among educated Arabs in the Middle East. However, due to geographic features, and other ongoing circumstances, many dialects have formed in the Arab language over the past several hundred years.

“We do Modern Standard in the first year, and then in the second year, I start getting them used to the spoken varieties,” he said. “There are all kinds of spoken dialects. In the past, I’ve always introduced Egyptian Arabic, because in the Arab world, Egyptian movies, television, magazines and things like that are very popular.”

Adjusting to Egyptian Arabic can be difficult for students because Dr. Stanley describes it as a “shock to the system.” The difference between the dialects is much more pronounced than English dialects in America. In some instances, different

dialects of Arabic are almost their own spoken language.

“I liken it to the difference in dialects from common British English to what the queen speaks,” he said. “You can definitely tell it’s Arabic, but there are some very large differences.”

Yemeni Arabic is much more conservative compared to Egyptian Arabic. Most of the words and phrases are the same, with minor changes throughout the spoken language. It’s a much easier dialect to learn coming from a background in Modern Standard.

“I found an older textbook online, so we’re using that,” Dr. Stanley said. “I told them they’ve already done some Egyptian, which will look good on the resume. Now, we’re going to try some Yemeni Arabic in this text. There are some words here and there that are changed, and some sounds are dropped. But it’s much easier to pick up.”

Dr. Stanley is also introducing another spoken dialect, Eastern Arabic, which is used primarily in Syria, Iran and neighboring countries. Given the students a different assortment of dialects will go a long way in helping further their careers if they decide to enter a field that requires the language skills. The great thing about foreign

MCT Campus

languages, Dr. Stanley said, is they can be used in so many different aspects and careers.

“Yemeni Arabic will be good if a person is ever over in that area, whether they’re working as a relief worker, a businessperson or something else,” he said. “It’s fairly easy to learn with Modern Standard, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to grasp.”

With a region as diverse as the Middle East, Dr. Stanley said

knowing Arabic and the more common dialects has limitless value.

“There aren’t a lot of places around that teach Yemeni Arabic – we’re the only one in this area that teaches it,” he said. “It’s a great skill to have. I just want to make sure the students know as much as they can. We’re working our way toward dialects that have less in common with Modern Standard and everyone seems to enjoy it.”

New Ambassadors eager to fulfill vital role at Cameron

By Amanda Finch

Student Services Frank Myers and Admissions Counselors Blake Red Collegian Staff Elk, Kara Morris and Nate Todd.

A new group of 18 students Red Elk, a graduate of Cameron have been chosen to serve as Aggie University who served three Ambassadors for 2010. As Aggie years as an Aggie Ambassador Ambassadors, the students will act and one year as president, knows as representatives of the university. exactly what it takes to serve as an The Aggie ambassador.

Ambassadors’ “Students “As an Aggie Ambassador, primary who make I feel more involved in responsibility good school because I am able ambassadors is to plan, implement and to bring more students to have conduct the exceptional Cameron.” new student interpersonal orientations, skills,” Red — Jennifer Hofman Elk said. known as Gold Rush. They also Medical Technology major “They are conduct campus able to think tours for on their feet prospective students and visitors and not afraid to talk in front of and assist with a variety of official people.” university functions.

This year, the Admissions The group is led by office received 50 applications.

Coordinator of Prospective 30 students were chosen for

interviews, and 11 new students were selected.

“When we select applicants, we choose those students who interview conversationally and are genuinely excited about Cameron,” Red Elk said.

Freshman Public Relations major Lizzi Moini and Freshman Medical Technology major Jennifer Hofman are new Ambassadors who are enjoying the experience so far.

“My favorite part is meeting new people and telling them how great it is to come here and be an Aggie,” Moini said.

“As an Aggie Ambassador, I feel more involved in school because I am able to bring more students to Cameron,” Hoffman said.

The remaining seven students that were chosen are returners from last year. New Ambassadors are paired with returners who teach them how to give campus tours and help them succeed in the organization.

“I am most excited about seeing the returners become mentors to the new members,” Red Elk said.

Mitchel Massie, who has been a member of the organization for the past two years, will serve as president with Jessica Kirk serving as vice-president and Toye Oyewole serving as secretary. Both girls are entering their second year of service as Aggie Ambassadors.

Photo courtesy of Jenny Whitaker

NODA 2010: Aggie Ambassadors Jenny Whitaker, Lizzie Moini, Emillee Sides and Jessica Kirk take time out to have dinner between events and seminars at this year’s NODA Conference.

The Ambassadors were chosen at the beginning of the semester and have already been very active on campus. They recently attended the National Orientation Directors Association (NODA) regional conference for three days in Kansas City, Kansas. There, the students attended educational sessions where they learned how to network with other schools and share leadership experiences with students from a six state region.

“I had a lot of fun at NODA because our group had a chance to bond and take away ideas from other schools that we can implement at Cameron,” Kirk said.

Freshmen, Sophomores and

Juniors are eligible to apply to become Aggie Ambassadors and serve for one year terms. Once selected as an Aggie Ambassador, students receive their choice of a $500 tuition waiver or a housing waiver, and they must maintain a GPA of at least 2.5.

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Voices

March 1, 2010

Current contempt for United States unwarranted The Olympic season is always a time that brings about a great sense of national pride within me.

But, more and more, it seems that any sense of national allegiance and patriotism is fading in many American citizens.

Some of our Olympians didn’t even show enough respect for our flag and country to put their hand over their heart and remain attentive while our national anthem was being played.

However, I can’t say I am surprised.

When the values our nation was founded on — faith in God, self-reliance, individualism, devotion to family and hard work — are attacked with increasing frequency in virtually every outlet of our society, it is understandable how some may become discouraged and forget what it really means to be an American.

Much of the entertainment industry, as well as many of our government leaders, portray America as an oppressive and selfish nation that should apologize for all past, present and future actions. Unfortunately, many of our ill-informed and naïve citizens are all too eager to follow the demented tune of this pied piper without ever questioning why.

Sadly, our own president is among America’s naysayers. In April 2009, Barack Obama gave a speech in France in which he apologized for the U.S.’s past actions saying, “There have been times when America has shown

arrogance and been dismissive, even derisive.” Thanks for the props, Mr. President. We really appreciate it.

In Prague, Obama expressed disapproval of America’s nuclear power by saying “the United States has a moral responsibility to act” in ridding the world of nuclear weapons because America is “the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon.”

Maybe he should have followed that up with apologizing for the fact that America was the country that ended a war in which tens of millions had already died.

The apologies continued in Latin America when Obama said that the United States has “at times been disengaged, and, at times, we sought to dictate our terms.” Would he have others dictate their terms to us? Perhaps we could just adopt that sweet Pollyanna principle of “Why can’t we all just get along?” Somehow, doubt persists that China, Russia or Iran would espouse that same attitude.

Dissatisfaction with America must be an Obama family trait because the first lady has some complaints of her own. During the 2008 election, Michelle Obama stated, “For the first time in my adult lifetime, I’m really proud of my country.” She later proclaimed that America is just a “downright mean” country. Wow. Those of us who have always been proud Americans have apparently been played for patsies all this time.

These feelings of contempt the Obamas harbor toward our great nation are perplexing. The

Amanda Phillips

Obamas have had every advantage in life. They grew up in middle class families, attended Ivy League schools, started a family together and are in the top one percent of wage earners in the country. He is a former Senator and now, still in his 40s, is the President of the United States of America. These two are living the American dream, and their success is something that could only have been achieved in our great country. Their “embarrassment” of America is disrespectful to every single hardworking American and veteran who ever served our country.

America really is that “shining city on a hill” that Ronald Reagan spoke about. The U.S. offers so much to make her citizens proud, and not just once in a lifetime, but every day. America is the land of opportunity, the country of entrepreneurs. People come here from all over the world to realize their dreams. The U.S. provides

its citizens with more political and economic freedom than any country in the world, and it is able to do so because our forefathers recognized the value of these freedoms and knew they were worth fighting for. We have been fighting for them since our nation’s conception, and strong Americans will never give up. No, we are not perfect, because mankind is not perfect, but our foundation is strong, and we must never weaken our resolve to be a good nation with sound leadership.

The United States is the nation every other country looks to first, and, though we have long-been respected throughout the world, that respect is slowly being lost.

Our government is, instead, endeavoring to become well liked.

However, respect is far more important than congeniality. Ask any parent, and I am sure they would tell you that they would much rather have their child respect

the most difficult thing I have ever done. Through the process, my beliefs changed as I identified what was responsible for them, applied the knowledge I gained through my university education and reconciled the differences.

Obviously, the value base that I had upon entering college was not as solid as I thought it was if so much of it ended up changing as much as it has. One does not have to see a wholesale change in their values, however, for their worldview to evolve and prepare them for the proverbial “real world.”

I am reminded of these realities every time someone in one of my classes displays outrage, feigns offense or refuses to participate

Justin Cliburn

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Joshua Rouse News Editor - Jim Horinek A&E Editor - Rachel Engel Sports Editor - Bennett Dewan Copy Editor - Justin Cliburn Back Page Editor - Monica Garner Digital Editors - Kyle Luetters and Michael Faggett

Newsroom Staff Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Rashmi Thapaliya, Amanda Finch, Alyssa Knerr, Tori Strecker, Tatiana Isis and Amanda Phillips.

Circulation Manager - Matthew Penick

Courtesy Photo

College is meant to prepare for life, not shelter I was always told that college would be a time that would challenge ideas and make me grow as a person. It is not only meant to train students for a particular career field; its intention in many ways is to prepare students for life. In my time at Cameron, however, I have often been shocked at the lack of discourse welcomed by students and, as a result, by professors and administrators.

When universities are described as “challenging,” we think of how difficult the courses must be, but the greater challenge may be having one’s worldview questioned. Having to identify and defend the basis of my values is

them in a time of disagreement than like them — and when that child is China, Russia or Iran, that respect becomes even more important. Our leaders and countrymen must stop apologizing for, and proclaiming dissatisfaction with, the things that make this nation strong. If you show no selfrespect, you can never gain the respect of others. We must return to our American roots that make this nation exceptional.

The United States of America is the greatest country in the history of the world. It is truly a pitiable citizen who would believe otherwise. We should be humbled to be American citizens, and we should wear our patriotism with honor and pride.

in any discussion that is more controversial than chemistry.

In each instance, the student is robbing his or herself, as well his or her peers, of intellectual growth. Through these actions, fellow students are intimidated to a point of being fearful of discussing their own beliefs.

Administrators institute kneejerk reactions in order to placate student Pollyannas, and fellow students rarely have to question their ideas.

One of my first semesters at Cameron, I took an upper division Political Science course and saw first-hand how lively discussion and back and forth debate can be beneficial . . . and how excessive outrage can ruin a classroom.

As the class disagreed over the validity of the Iraq War, a woman started screaming and stormed out. The class discussion for the day never got back on track and some students never again spoke so candidly. Furthermore, the woman who stormed out

never returned to the class. Her intolerance and intellectual rigidity were detrimental to both the class and herself.

A professor relayed a story to me last semester about a student who was offended by a film the professor had been showing in another upper-division course. The movie was critically acclaimed and displayed all the concepts of the course. It was also rated ‘R.’ The student contacted the department chair and said that he or she was a Christian and was offended by the language in it. The chair highly suggested that the professor quit showing the film in class, and everyone suffered as a result of the stubborn selfishness of one selfrighteous student.

In both cases, the students’ intolerance of anyone who disagreed with them created a hostile academic environment that validated neither student’s viewpoint.

Cameron is a public university and is tasked with turning students into responsible citizens, not intolerant Puritans. The more the university avoids offending anyone, the less it prepares all of us for life. Life is rough; life is offensive. Those who navigate conflict best will transition smoothly through life’s pitfalls.

Conflict is a good thing and something we shouldn’t avoid at all costs. Those who elude it in the classroom are cowardly.

Oftentimes, those who appear to be strongest in their beliefs end up being the most intellectually weak, and those who entertain the most ideas during their college years often are the ones who can most effectively defend their beliefs and the values that lie beneath them.

If students simply wish to receive a degree for spending four years having their beliefs reinforced, then Cameron isn’t the place for them. Perhaps they would be more comfortable at a private school.

Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller

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.

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.

Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.

A&E

March 1, 2010

5

Visiting artist to give workshops

By Alyssa Knerr Collegian Staff Cameron University’s Art Department is hosting Juliette Aristides on campus for an open lecture and three workshops, which are arranged specifically for different classes. Department of Art Professor Katherine LiontasWarren said that once a year the Art Department tries to bring artists for the students to learn their techniques.

“She is the person who is a classically trained painter,” Liontas-Warren said. “Even though I have been teaching classical painting, I did not go to Florence and I did not study that. Even though I do draw realistically, I still do not have that experience by going to Florence and studying with these classical painters like she has.”

Liontas-Warren says students are trained at Cameron using classical heads or busts, which can be poets, musicians, philosophers or presidents. The students do studies of black and white busts using charcoal and keep refining their work until it is perfect, Liontas-Warren said.

“I teach a classical drawing class,” she said. “Our work is very representational; basically we try

to copy it. What it does is allow the students to really expand on their drawing skills and to develop perceptional skills so they can have a better understanding of drawing from direct observation.”

Having a classical artist come to Cameron allows students to learn a different way of representation through classical painting, Liontas-Warren said.

“The students will watch Juliette Aristides demonstrate for them,” she said. “A lot of her paintings are based off figures so we are going to do some figure based paintings. We are going to do a figure drawing workshop, and she will talk about the structure of the figure, the anatomy and also break it down into small parts so students have a better understanding of how to draw the figure.”

Aristides began her studies in 1988, has been published in many magazines throughout her art career and just recently published two books: “Classical Drawing Atelier” and “Classical Painting Atelier.”

“I have known about her work for about four years,” Liontas-Warren said. “I actually met her at Quartz Mountain in November, and I was her assistant. She was teaching

a workshop for high school teachers. I worked with her for four days, and I love it. She is soft-spoken, very intellectual. She explains things thoroughly, and she is just a fantastic teacher.”

There will be three workshops

beginning at 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, March 3 in the Art Department’s Art Gallery room starting with the Drawing II class. The beginning painters will attend her workshop from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. that

Courtesy Photo

Steady hand: Visiting lecturer Juliette Aristides specializes in classical painting and drawing.

afternoon. On Thursday, March 4, the Advanced Drawing and the Advanced Painting classes are invited for her workshops in the morning from 9:30 a.m. until noon. From 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Friday will be the watercolor class and other members of the community.

“We received a grant from the Lectures and Concerts Committee, so we are opening it up to several community members to get involved with Juliette as well,” Liontas-Warren said.

Students will be able to go to Aristides for help; however, during the workshops class size will be limited.

“We are trying to keep class participation to 20,” LiontasWarren said. “It is real hard to teach more than that.”

After the workshops are completed, Aristides will be on campus at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 5 in the McCutcheon Recital Hall to begin her lecture discussing her work, her classical atelier, her program and the methodology that she uses.

Aristides will hold a book signing after the lecture, followed by an exhibit at the Art Gallery showcasing student works created during her workshops.

Labé to perform piano recital at CU Duncan

By Alyssa Knerr Collegian Staff The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plains, but the Spanish music is entirely at CU Duncan.

Department of Music Professor Thomas Labé will perform a piano concert at CU Duncan using different collections of Spanish music in a program titled “An Evening in Spain.”

The first half of the program contains six Spanish dances and some selections from “Goyescas” by Granados.

After the intermission, the second half features “Book One of Iberia” by Albeniz.

“Like any program, you have to think through the logical order of pieces,” Labé said.

“The program has to make sense; you cannot just grab any pieces. You have to think of the progression of moods, keys and how it all fits together.”

Labé felt music was fit for his life.

“I liked music from a very really get a great satisfaction.” young age,” he said. “I listened There are a lot of Spanish to a lot elements of music, in the and then program “The universities are really I started like alive. There are lots of piano Spanish young people, and you really lessons dances, at age six which get a great satisfaction. just like Everyone will walk away with Labé anybody says are something different about else. probably After a the most the pieces.” few years, striking I really in the — Thomas Labé music. caught on.

I think by “I have Professor of Music the time I always was 12, I liked decided that I wanted to be a Spanish music,” Labé said. pianist.”

“In fact, the very first piano Labé graduated from recital I went to was a Spanish Indiana University School pianist, and that really struck of Music and has been at my attention.”

Cameron University ever since.

Instead of this performance At Cameron, he knows he is in being held in Lawton, a win-win situation, for he can Professor Labé will be having teach and play.

“An Evening in Spain” in “The universities are really Duncan. He is holding the alive,” Labé said. “There are performance there because he lots of young people, and you alternates where he performs

between Cameron and Duncan every year.

“I am actually going to play a very similar program here at Cameron University on June 18 outside in the Fine Arts Courtyard,” Labé said.

Before the concert gets underway, the 2010 Senior Art Exhibition will be on display at 6:30 p.m. at the Simmons Center in Duncan.

After the concert, there will be a reception for attendants and Art students to discuss the musical performance and the art displayed.

The music is an expression without words, Labé said.

“Everyone will walk away with something different about the pieces,” he said.

Concert tickets will be $6 for adults, $4 for senior

citizens. Cameron students get in free with a valid ID. Military and non-Cameron students should contact the Simmons Center at 580.252.2900 for more information on costs.

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MCT Campus

Fantasy fashion fundraiser features formal wear

By Rachel Engel Collegian Staff This isn’t your typical catwalk.

The Students of the Caribbean Alliance club, directed by and in collaboration with continuing education student Merita Mitchell, will be presenting a Fantasy Fashion Show at 7 p.m. on March 6 in the University Theatre as a fundraising event.

The show consists of seven sections, each showcasing a different theme, and in some cases will be paying tribute to victims of natural disasters or health issues.

“It will really be just to have fun, and to give people on campus a wonderful experience to see fashion at its best,” Mitchell said. “In the past I’ve done international fashion shows, where we have brought in things that are international in nature to Cameron, but I decided to go a different route this time.”

In the “Go Red” category,

models will be wearing red dresses to represent those who have battled or are battling heart disease, and each will be wearing pink bows on their dresses to represent cancer victims and survivors.

“We will have plaque cards with the names of heart disease victims or survivors that we know on one side, and inspirational words on the other,” Mitchell said. “Many of us are touched in some form by these diseases.”

The swimwear part of the competition will feature models representing deities of the earth, she said.

“There will be people depicting the Goddess of the Sea, the Goddess of Death and the Queen of the Nile,” Mitchell said. “It’s not just the models wearing swim suits, there will be a reason behind what they’re wearing.”

Irritated brides will make up the “White Dress” portion of the fashion show, portraying models annoyed at the fact that they are headed to a wedding.

“It’s pretty much that

everyone is going to a wedding that they don’t want to go to,” Mitchell said, “and they’re wearing white and doing all sorts of rebellious things.”

Other categories include “Disturbia,” featuring models dressed in black and sporting dramatic make-up, “Glow,” with models showing off dresses in hues of blue and a cocktail dress category.

The fashion show finale will showcase models in evening wear in the “Belle of the Ball” category and will pay tribute to the victims of the earthquake that devastated Haiti in January.

“We want everyone to realize that not everything in life is all good,” Mitchell said.

“There are some dark spots to it. The end is going to tie it all up, so you’ll understand how everything comes together.”

Mitchell began planning for the Fantasy Fashion Show a year in advance, purchasing clothing items as she came across them during the year.

“I have an eye for fashion, and I’m a bargain shopper,”

she said. “Pretty much all the dresses I have bought over the years, and they just came in handy. All the girls have to do is bring their own shoes.”

Tickets are $5 at the ticket booth in the University Theatre on the day of the fashion show, or contact Merita Mitchell at 355.1633.

Courtesy Photo

6

Sports

March 1, 2010

Baseball team balances big bats, solid defense

By Amanda Phillips Collegian Staff Cameron’s baseball team played their first home series of the season over the weekend of Feb. 19 and 20.

After battling through a duo of doubleheaders, the men split the series against the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico 2-2.

The Aggies fought hard, but lost the series opener 7-3.

Despite the loss, senior Keith Powell pitched a respectable game and has an ERA of 2.89 for the season. After dropping the first game of the day, the Aggies bounced back and took the second game 5-2. Cameron had an impressive win over the Greyhounds in the third game of the series as well, winning 8-1. However, Eastern New Mexico came back in the final game and defeated the Aggies 5-2.

Sophomore Logan Grimes dominated the third game from the mound. Not only did Grimes only give up one run, but he also leads the team in strikeouts thrown this season, with a total of 10. As a result of his performance, Grimes managed to cut his ERA for the season nearly in half.

Coach Todd Holland said he was pleased with the way his pitchers performed against Eastern New Mexico, but acknowledged that the Greyhounds’ tough offense put pressure on the pitchers.

“All we can do is just ask for a chance, and our pitchers did a really good job, but the guys on the other team were hitting better with two strikes on them than no strikes on them, so we had to just try to get them out early in the count,” Holland said.

Though the Aggies had a

respectable performance at the plate as well, the men’s batting efficiency did not match the hitting power they showed at Angelo State. However, clutch hitter Alex Lyons drove in three runs and scored three runs of his own in the series.

Holland also drew comparisons to the Angelo State series and said his team struggled to get the right hits at the right times in this match up.

“We had 22 hits in the first game, but they were so spread out you couldn’t tell,” Holland said. “We never got a hit when we needed one, unlike when we played Angelo, where we seemed to get the hit we needed every time we were at the plate.

We just left a lot of runners on base this series.”

In the field, the Aggies let too many errors creep in and did not play as cleanly as Holland would have liked.

“It just seemed like once one thing went wrong, another error would follow. We didn’t recover well,” Holland said.

“We just didn’t manage well enough.”

Holland acknowledged that there were areas in which the team needs to improve, and he said they will be working on those things in practice, even though the weather has once again forced their practices to move indoors.

“We’re going to do a lot of hitting, so maybe it’s a good thing we’re going back inside,” Holland said.

With the move inside, the men will have ample opportunity to work on their hitting at the batting cages.

Before Cameron had their impressive win over Angelo State in the previous series, the team had not been able to practice outside for more than

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Locked and loaded: Starting Pitcher Clay Vanderlaan throws an off-speed pitch against A-FS. Cameron’s hitters have already posted a batting average of .353 at the plate this season. two weeks, so it is possible that retreating back indoors might yield more wins for the Aggies.

Though the men’s coach is slightly disappointed to see the possibility of an undefeated season disappear, Holland’s

outlook for the year remains positive.

“We won’t go undefeated, but there’s no need to hit the panic button,” Holland said.

“We’re a game ahead of where we were last year, and we

haven’t lost a series in a year and a half.”

The team can be seen in action at Cameron’s McCord Field on March 5 and 6 when the Aggies take on Northeastern State.

Stewart leads youthful team with tenacity

By Michael Faggett Collegian Staff

Controlled Chaos: Junior Guard Josie Stewart weaves through traffic to put up a layup in the Aggie Gym. Stewart leads the Aggies with 18.2 points-per-game.

The 8-18 Women’s Basketball team ends the season with more positives than its record indicates.

Out of those positives, arguably none stand out more than the emergence of guard Josie Stewart as the team’s goto player this season.

Stewart, a 5-10 transfer from Glenrock, Wyo., entered the season as one of head coach Tom Webb’s 11 new players.

Stewart ends the season as one of the best players in the Lone Star Conference.

“Josie likes the gym and practices a lot,” Webb said in reference to Stewart’s work ethic.

Stewart’s practice shows on the court.

She leads the team in scoring at 18 points per contest, and she has led the team in scoring more than 20 times this season.

She also leads the team in rebounds (six per contest), field goals made and attempted, shooting percentage, three point shooting percentage, three pointers made and attempted, free throws made and attempted and minutes played per game.

According to Webb, the team grew to expect Stewart’s consistent productivity during the season.

“Sometimes we take advantage and expect Josie to lead us in those areas,” Webb said. “She really does a good job and shoots a good percentage.”

Stewart’s shooting makes her scoring appear more impressive. While averaging 18

points per game, Stewart only to lead the team,” Webb said. averages 12 shots per contest.

“She really leads more by She shoots 45 percent from the example and cares about her field, 39 percent from behind teammates’ feelings.” the arc and 80 percent at the Stewart has shown her free throw line. respect towards her teammates Those statistics, in in a number of ways this conjunction with the season. aforementioned rebounding Stewart earned the “Aggie and minutes played, put of the Week” award earlier Stewart in the same class this semester after leading the with the best players in the team in scoring 11 consecutive conference. times.

Stewart’s scoring average Stewart said in her is the second interview that best in the winning carries conference, “I wanted to take her more value and she ranks than a scoring to the emergency among the streak. conference “I guess it room,” Webb said leaders in really does referring to when rebounds, not matter free throws, 3 Stewart broke her until we win,” point shooting orbital bone. “She Stewart said and minutes in her “Aggie wanted to keep played per of the Week” playing. She is very game. interview.

Stewart Webb said tough and really loves played well Stewart’s the game.” despite attitude helps suffering a with current broken orbital — Tom Webb players as bone earlier CU Basketball Coach well as with in the season. recruits.

Webb said “Josie’s her efforts to attitude, along play with the with the team injury showed her toughness as a whole, shows recruits on the court. that they will be playing with “I wanted to take her to quality players,” Webb said. the emergency room,” Webb “That helps us recruit good said referring to when Stewart quality players.” broke her orbital bone. “She With more than 12 players wanted to keep playing. She is set to return next year and very tough and really loves the potential playoff hopes, Webb game.” said he looks for Stewart to Webb also said Stewart continue growing as a team emerged as a silent leader on leader. and off of the court for the “She has to continue to lead team. and put high expectations on “She has been in a new herself and her teammates,” situation where she has had Webb said.

Photos by Bennett Dewan

Perfect form: No. 15 Josie Stewart beats an ECU defender for an easy two. Stewart has been efficient with her shot selection all season with a fieldgoal percentage of .45.

Sports

March 1, 2010

7

CU broadcasting enters whole new era

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff Cameron’s all-access portal to Aggie athletics has undergone significant improvements over the past year, and its producers are already looking to the future.

“We started talking last fall about what we could do to make Aggie Sports and Go Aggies better,” said Kyle Luetters, Aggie Video Network producer. “The number one thing we kept coming up with was the utilization of the high definition backpacks that are in the Communication Department.”

Luetters joined with Cameron Sports Information Director Craig Martin to improve the Go Aggies sports portal, where anyone interested in Cameron athletics could

visit to find out the latest news. Working during an internship, Luetters assisted in helping Martin make Cameron University the only program in the Lone Star Conference that broadcasts live in high definition.

“High definition kept being brought up, so we now broadcast all our events, and Web site features in HD,” Luetters said. “’Aggie of the Week,’ ‘Aggie All Access Pass,’ as well as all the sports games are in HD.” The addition of high definition broadcasts has been welcome by both fans and coaches, who can now see the games in greater detail for review later in the week. Fans are now able to watch the games live on any computer with Windows Media Player.

“Before, coaches couldn’t see

who was who, or what number they had on their jersey,” Luetters said. “Now it’s much better for everyone. People can see Aggie Athletics like they’ve never seen it before.”

The pair has also introduced a podcast to the Aggie Sports network. The “Pickaxe Report with Kyle Luetters” debuted in January and has become one of the most popular additions to the Web site. The weekly broadcast covers a range of topics in relation to Cameron sports with interviews with coaches and the administration.

“The show is usually between 10 and 15 minutes,” Luetters said. “We’re thinking about expanding it because it’s become so popular. I came up with the music and we had Critter from Z94 voice the intro for us.”

Luetters described the podcast as something anyone interested in Cameron athletics can listen to while they’re in their office, driving down the road or studying for a test.

A lot of work has gone into making the podcast sound as professional as it does, but Martin and Luetters say there is room for improvement.

“We purchased a digital voice recorder and microphone,” Luetters said. “We want to expand on it and make the quality better. It’s good right now, but we want to make it great.”

Cameron is the only school in the Lone Star Conference to produce a weekly podcast on the university’s athletic department, which is something both Martin and Luetters are extremely proud of.

“In my opinion, we already give our fans more comprehensive coverage of our student athletes than any other school in the Lone Star Conference,” Martin said. “So this just sweetens everything.”

The podcasts are currently available on the Go Aggies portal at goaggies.cameron.edu, however Martin and Luetters have plans to add the podcasts to iTunes where people can download them automatically on a weekly basis. The pair wants to make sure the Cameron Athletic Department is on the cutting edge of technology.

“When I first started doing this in Fall 2008, we had Radio Shack equipment and we really didn’t know what we were doing,” Luetters. “As time has gone by, we’ve realized the potential here. We can prove

Images courtesy MCT Campus

we’re furthering what we’ve been doing in the Lone Star Conference and stay ahead of the curve.”

Martin said Luetters’ involvement has been crucial to upgrading Go Aggies.

“I’ve worked with Kyle on a variety of projects over the last few years, and I couldn’t be happier to have him interning in my office this year,” Martin said. “This is a great year for Cameron University, and it’s a great year for CU Sports Information. With Kyle’s help on video, Greg Boxell’s help with articles, Bennett Dewan’s help with photos, Michael Faggett’s help with broadcasts and the always vital assistance of Stacy Carden and Trevor Geiger on everything else, we have put together what I like to consider a ‘dream team.’”

Team trains hard for tough competitions

By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff The Cameron Cross Country team is preparing for the upcoming track meet scheduled to take place on March 27 at the University of Texas at Arlington.

Coach Matt Aguero said that spring is the offseason for Cross Country, and the team has not participated in any competition or marathon so far this semester.

“The upcoming track meet is the first event for the team this semester,” he said. “The boys on

Aguero has been serving as the team are working as hard as the coach of the Cross Country they were working in the fall.” team at CU for 5 years. In fact, There are 10 racers on the he is the one team now, and everyone is a long “It is required for who started the distance runner. a Cross Country team at Cameron University.

There are three runner to run “It is a great categories of 80-140 miles a experience to be runners: sprinters, the coach for the who run between week.” team and to see 100 miles to 400 — Matt Aguero it growing with miles; mid-distant Cross Country time,” Aguero runners who run between 800 miles Running Coach said. “The current team is to 3000 miles; the best team and long distance I have ever had, and a team runners who run 5,000 miles cannot be good without hard and up.

work.

On April 25, the team is participating in the Oklahoma City Marathon. There will be 4-5 athletes from CU participating in the 26.2 mile race.

Aguero said that being a Cross Country runner is very difficult, and one should be willing to give a lot of time to be one of the runners. He added that anyone can be a good runner if they are ready for the dedication.

“It is required for a Cross Country runner to run 80-140 miles a week,” Aguero said.

“Best way to find out if you can run is to go out and run.”

Bhupendra Aacharya is a senior Computer Science major and is in his second year on the team. He is one of the participants of the Oklahoma City Marathon and said that he is running 70-90 miles per week preparing for the marathon.

“I did a lot of practice for selection on the team because it is a tough job,” Aacharya said. “I would like to continue being a runner and want to participate on the international level in the future.”

NASCAR season not racing on all cylinders

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff If NASCAR is trying to bring back fans it has lost over the past several years, it’s certainly off to a rocky start.

President Mike Helton began this year with much hope and many promises stemming from a meeting he had with drivers before Speed Week.

Racing was going to go back to the basics, Helton said, where drivers could bump draft, be more aggressive and let their personalities shine through. In recent years, NASCAR has become too sterile and uninteresting, causing ticket sales and television ratings to drop tremendously.

The Daytona 500 was a step in the right direction with some aggressive racing and a whole lot of bumping.

The “big one” didn’t happen, for better or worse, but two green-white-checker finishes led to a dramatic finish where NASCAR’s favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., charged from 10th place to finish second in one lap. But NASCAR’s first trip to the west coast turned out to be more of the same-old-stuff.

There were no interesting storylines going into the Auto

Club 500 other than Jamie McMurray’s surprise win the previous week and whether Junior had finally turned the corner in what has become the biggest slump in auto racing.

Racing on the track was just as bland with more follow-theleader action that drove fans away from the track and from their televisions. According to Nielson, television ratings were down 6 percent from 2009, which was also down doubledigits from the year before that. There were barely 60,000 people in attendance, at a track that houses close to 100,000.

Perhaps the Southern California speedway just isn’t made for NASCAR action.

The races are always strung out with very little excitement as drivers stretch out several seconds ahead of the nearest car.

Very little passing happens, except during restarts when the rare caution actually f lies, usually because of rubber or debris on the track.

Fontana is not an exciting race to watch; it never has been.

But with NASCAR’s renewed dedication to breathe new life into a sport that thrives on speed and action, something more needs to be done.

The “Car of Tomorrow” was built for additional safety, which is never a bad thing

MCT Campus

for the drivers or the fans.

But the car itself looks like something ripped from “Fast and the Furious” with the large wing on the back. NASCAR has promised to remove it, and replace it with the more traditional spoiler from the older car. Will that be enough?

The action on the track is what needs the most improvement. The Daytona 500 was exciting because there was plenty of back and forth action. There were more lead changes in that race than in any other race at the track, which

has been open for more than 50 years. NASCAR doesn’t need “Days of Thunder” on the track, but a little closer action and a little less follow the leader might help ratings.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is always a welcome relief early in the year with similar racing to the Atlanta Motor Speedway, which is one of the most exciting tracks on the circuit.

NASCAR needs to prove it’s ready to go back to the basics and let drivers be themselves more on the track because

that’s why people watch. The sport is more than cars driving around in circles, but with the tight grip that Helton and the Frances have on the sport at the moment, it’s understandable why people have no interest.

The year started off with so much potential, and the Daytona 500 showed why NASCAR can be exciting, but so far, NASCAR has failed to capitalize on that momentum. The sport is still pulling caution laps around the racetrack hoping for something to happen again.

8

Variety

March 1, 2010

One day the professor tells the class that he or she is a fan of ʻ80s action films. That evening, the Brown-Noser is scouring eBay for a vintage “Terminator” T-shirt to wear to class the next day.

Brown-Nosers are chameleons, able to take on whatever characteristics they assume will get them recognized by their teachers.

Extreme cases may include elaborate costume changes between classes or the development of a fake British accent.

You know the Personal Storytellers. Their stories can apparently explain every concept in every class. You know this because they turn every class discussion into a story about how amazing they are. You start to realize they are the Personal Storyteller when they somehow turn a discussion of correlation coefficients into yet another story about their life.

Variations of the Storyteller include: the guy who was super cool in high school and wants you to know about it; the woman that can turn any discussion into a reminder that she competes in beauty pageants; and the guy who can prove any concept wrong with anecdotal story about his time in the military.

Hey, youʼre not James Bond. Everyone sees your cell phone hidden behind that leaning tower of books you constructed as a makeshift barricade.

Furthermore, the vibrate setting on your phone isnʼt silent. It sounds like an earthquake under your desk every 12.8 seconds.

Who are you texting anyway? Itʼs 9:30 in the morning. A failing grade is in your future, texter, unless clever acronyms and smiley faces made out of punctuation marks are on the midterm.

For women, the long and leering stare of the Awkward Gawker does two things. First, it elicits the kind of unnerving chill that only nails on a chalkboard can top, and, secondly, it distracts the class, as students marvel at the Awkward Gawkerʼs creepy dedication.

Eventually, everyone will begin wondering whatʼs so fascinating and whether theyʼre blocking his line of sight.

Hereʼs a hint for the compulsive gawker: If you continue this behavior, you will forever be known as the creeper and will be avoided at all costs.

“Hey dude.” Thatʼs all it takes for this guy to think heʼs found his new best friend. You thought you were just being friendly; he thought you were asking to get matching tattoos. He wants you to go out to lunch after every class; you just want him to go away.

The Know-It-All quite simply knows everything. Rather than coming to class to learn anything, Know-It-Alls apparently attend class solely to confirm or deny everything the professor has to say. Know-It-Alls come in two varieties, Confirmers and Contrarians, but they have one thing in common: their hand is up...not in a “responsible student” sort of way, but in a way that constantly interrupts class. If youʼre not sure which variation of Know-It-All sits next to you, look for the telltale signs after the professor finishes each sentence: “[Hand raised.] Youʼre totally right, because...” is undoubtedly a Confirmer. “[Hand raised.] Hmm, I donʼt think thatʼs right, because...” is a textbook Contrarian. Either way, theyʼre annoying.

When the Laptopper is in front of you in class, you try to pay attention to the lecture. You really do, but how can you when the person in front of you is Facebook-stalking his or her way through class? The ratio of Laptoppers who distract classmates with YouTube videos, status updates and TMZʼs breaking news to those who legitimately take notes appears to be about 100 to one.