The Cameron University Collegian: May 4, 2009

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

Monday, May 4, 2009

News

Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926

Volume 83 Issue 23

Swine Flu concern grows

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff

Summer Documentary class to cover dirt track racing.

SEE PAGE 3

A&E

A sampling of what summer entertainment has to offer.

SEE PAGE 13

The H1N1 virus, better known as swine flu, continues to spread across the globe with more than 100 confirmed cases and one death in the U.S. No cases of swine flu have been confirmed in Oklahoma yet, but the danger is still there.

C. Janette New, a Health Educator for the Comanche County Health Department, said this newest strain of the flu is actually very similar to other strains that are more common. The reason it is spreading rapidly is the lack of a vaccine.

“The flu virus changes every year and that’s why we have new vaccines,” New said. “This is a new strain that we don’t have a vaccine for. They’re working on one as we speak, but it’s not ready yet.”

Though there is no vaccine, New said there are precautions people can take to lower their chance of catching the virus.

“The best way to avoid getting the swine flu is to wash your hands and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth,” New said. “I cannot stress enough how important it is that you wash your hands on a regular basis. Also, the Center for Disease Control has issued a travel advisory, discouraging travel to Mexico. And try to stay away from anyone who’s recently traveled there.”

A fact sheet released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health says people should wash with liquid soap or a clean bar of soap for at least 15 to 20 seconds, and then rinse them well. Alcohol-based hand gels are also effective in reducing the number of germs, even when your hands don’t appear to be dirty. New said washing hands, eating healthy and getting plenty of sleep are simple steps that can help keep your immune system strong, which will help fight any invading virus.

“Also make sure not to sneeze or cough into your hands,” New said.

“You should sneeze into your arm or sleeve or into a tissue. It’s much safer that way.”

Even with these precautions, there is still a chance that you could catch the swine flu virus. Being in close proximity to someone with the virus could lead to contraction.

Sports

Quarantine: Quarantine officers prepare to conduct an onboard inspection of a plane that arrived at Narita Airport from Mexico on Wednesday morning, April 29.

See FLU Page 3

Cameron braces for impact of downturn

By Justin Cliburn Collegian Staff

1961: Cameron Football was ahead of its time.

SEE PAGE 17

Voices

Eskimo Joe’s = Offensive Joe’s SEE PAGE 9

MCT Campus

With the current state of the economy, it is entirely reasonable for CU students to wonder how Cameron University is going to be affected by the downturn.

Vice President of Business and Finance Administration Glenn Pinkston said that the CU administration is doing everything within its power to account for future revenue shortfalls without raising costs for students.

“President Ross had made it very clear that two things are very important to her,” Pinkston said. “Students will always come first. If we can pass a budget without raising tuition and fees,

we will. Secondly, having a well-compensated faculty and staff is very important for CU to remain competitive.”

Although recessions typically hit Oklahoma less significantly than other states, CU is remaining proactive in a number of ways, including preparing two separate budgets.

“We were told to come back with two budgets for the 2009-2010 school year,” Pinkston said.

“One with no decrease in funds, and one with a five percent decrease in funds.”

See DOWNTURN Page 7

Al Roker to deliver Commencement address Community Relations Al Roker, America’s favorite weatherman, will regale Cameron University’s Class of 2009 during the CU Centennial Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8. The ceremony, which will honor approximately 1,000 graduates, takes place at 7:30 p.m. at Cameron Stadium in Lawton. The public is invited to attend. For detailed information about CU’s Centennial Commencement, visit www. cameron.edu/commencement.

“We are delighted that Al Roker will be the featured speaker at the final event of Cameron’s year-long Centennial Celebration,” said CU President Cindy Ross. “I have no doubt that Mr. Roker’s address will be entertaining and poignant,

providing the Class of 2009 with a memorable commencement ceremony.”

As weatherman and a host of NBC’s “Today,” Al Roker greets more than 30 million viewers each week as America prepares for work. His daily encounters with visitors from across America on the sidewalks outside the Today studio are a highlight of the program. A 10-time Emmy Award winner, Roker conducts celebrity interviews, cooking segments, technology updates, and a continuing series called “Today’s Dad,” featuring

parenting tips for fathers.

The fan favorite has also presided over his own talk show on CNBC and hosted MSNBC’s information quiz show, “Remember This?” in addition to serving as host of the Macy’s Courtesy Photo Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Rose Bowl Parade, and the Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center, According to the New York Post, Roker “is the best-known and the best-loved weatherman in the world!”

Raised in Queens, NY, Roker earned a B.A. in communications

and was later awarded an honorary doctorate from the State University in Oswego. He began his broadcasting career while still in college by landing a job as a weekend weatherman at WTVH-TV in Syracuse, NY, in 1974. After graduation, he moved on to weathercasting jobs in Washington, DC, and Cleveland, OH, before becoming the weekend weathercaster at WNBC in New York in 1983.

He is a recipient of the American Meteorological Society’s prestigious Seal of Approval and has been a pioneer in the use of computer graphics for weather casting.

See ROKER Page 2

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News

May 4, 2009

Job hunting after college may be easier in Lawton

By Jorie Palmer Collegian Staff Graduation is fast approaching, and although Seniors may be excited for the future, many may be apprehensive about entering the real world.

People hear negative comments about the economy, and it is possible many graduates question their job prospects. According to statistics provided by CU Graduate Research Assistant Christian Budiman, students hoping to find a job in Lawton may have better luck than those looking to work in other cities.

One factor in the job search is competition. The more people applying for a job, the less the chance one

MCT Campus

has of obtaining it. An increase in population could also increase competition. Budiman said all the population totals of United States and the state of Oklahoma have been growing steadily over the years. However, he said Lawton is an exception, where its population fluctuated. There are two episodes of population increases in 2006 and 2007. In 2005 it decreased slightly to 111,860 and it dropped again to 111,772 in 2008.

Budiman said another important issue affecting the labor force is the unemployment rate. The labor force in Lawton increased in 2006 and 2007 but decreased in 2005 and 2008. The employment is similar with a minor variation in 2008 where the employment increased to 44,062. Budiman said Lawton’s unemployment rate alternated each year from an increase in 2005, to a decrease in 2006, and then it repeated in the following years. In 2008 the rate dropped to 3.8%. A lower unemployment rate could be a good sign for graduates.

Lawton does not always follow the same trends as the rest of the state or nation because it is a military town.

“Because of the military, Lawton’s economy and labor force are affected by any changes related to military activity such as the Base Realignment and Closure Commission,” Budiman said.

Although economic factors play a large role in determining job prospects, Real Estate Broker Lon

Parks said attitudinal differences in applicants can make or break a job interview.

“College is important, of course, but most of what you need to know to find a job cannot be learned from a text book,” Parks said.

Parks said networking is key when looking for a job. He said students should make a list of people they know and analyze ways to use their acquaintances during the search process.

“Both of my kids found their jobs through contacts with other people,” Parks said. “One way to meet people is to be more involved in your community. Civic projects open doors and can introduce students to future employers.”

Once a student obtains an interview, Parks said, attitude, personality and professionalism are sometimes more important than credentials. He said students should take a personal interest in the company.

“Applicants should realize the interview is not all about them,” Parks said. “Employers want to feel comfortable with their decision. Graduates should demonstrate how they can fit into the company.”

Finally, students might consider working for themselves by starting a business, becoming a realtor or other entrepreneual work. Parks said a good way to begin is to work as an apprentice.

“Find a mentor,” Parks said. “Ask that person how he/she became successful and offer to work as an assistant for awhile.”

Gamma Rho still going strong after 40 years

By Raven Wiess Collegian Staff The Gamma Rho chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

With this achievement under their belts, the members of Sigma Tau Gamma (STG) at Cameron University are continually striving for greatness.

STG has been a prominent

fraternity on the CU campus since it was founded in 1968.

STG proudly stands behind the fraternity’s principles of value, learning, excellence, leadership, integrity and benefit. The Gamma Rho chapter has

participated in many events to better their community and the bonds they share.

Books for Kids is a program for which STG is helping to raise funds. Books for Kids earned $3,059 as of April 20, and

STG has also helped with local organizations in Lawton, such as the Boys and Girls Club and Habitat for Humanity.

Eli Morlett, a Sophomore and member of STG, said that the fraternity has had a more prominent role in CU activities than in years past.

“STG is very active in Student Government and we hope that people will take notice,” Morlett said. “We are about bettering ourselves as men and the communities we live in.

We hope that when people enroll to attend Cameron that they will look into Greek Life and see that we are trying to take Greek Life to another level.”

Morlett said that SGT membership brings with it the chance to gain leadership experience.

“Our members have gone on to hold very major roles as leaders outside the fraternity,” Morlett said.

“Leadership is one of the many things we focus on.

We would like to see those who join our fraternity expect to grow as people and better themselves.”

Senior STG member Brad Franks

said that the Gamma Rho chapter has higher entry standards than most others, but is well worth the work.

“Gamma Rho has a nationally mandated New Member Education Program that focuses on academic achievements, leadership skills, team building, cohesiveness and character development,” Franks said. “Many other fraternities around the world don’t exactly have standards set in place like we do.”

STG has had a great interest in gaining new members recently, and James Billings said that he hopes the interest will continue to grow.

“We’ve had a lot of interest in students joining Sigma Tau Gamma, and we hope to increase that with the Gold Rush sessions this summer,” Billings said.

Sigma Tau Gamma has always tried to exceed the expectations of the general public, as well as themselves. Robert Sharp, Sigma Tau Gamma member, said that he hopes that the fraternity will become better known in Lawton and in the surrounding areas.

“Sigma Tau Gamma is a fraternity that is more about giving back to the public and our community rather than having raging parties,” Sharp said. “We like to have fun and enjoy our time as a brotherhood and as college students, but our main focus is doing what we can to better ourselves and to help those in need.”

SGT member Justin McConnell said that over this summer, in addition to the Gold Rush events, STG is looking forward to working on various projects with Habitat for Humanity.

“Habitat for Humanity has been a great part of the STG experience, we really enjoy being able to help them out whenever we can,” McConnell said. “We’re looking forward to seeing what’s in store for this summer and begin planning events for the next school year as well.”

ROKER continued from page 1

See page 3 for solutions.

A best-selling author, Roker’s first book, “Don’t Make Me Stop This Car: Adventures in Fatherhood,” spent weeks at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. His second book, “Al Roker’s Big Bad Book of Barbecue,” was a summer blockbuster and another New York Times bestseller. Roker released his third book, “Al Roker’s Hassle-Free Holiday Cookbook,” in 2003.

In addition to his network duties, Roker has carved out a successful career as an entrepreneur.

Al Roker Productions, Inc. is Roker’s multimedia company, involved in the development and production of network, cable, home video and public television projects. Two of the most successful projects include the critically acclaimed special on PBS about severe weather, “Savage Skies,” and a highly rated travel series called “Going Places.”

News

May 4, 2009

3

Documentary to spotlight dirt track racing

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff

Photos by Jim Horinek

Sprints in action: Car no. 14 kicks up dirt during a heat race. The Sprint racers are one of the main focuses of the documentary.

21D: USA Modified racer comes into a turn during a pace lap.

Making the shot: Kyle Luetters and Cecilio Ramirez frame up a shot.

Getting ready: Driver Joe Bob Lee checks his tire before a heat race.

Pacing the field: Aubrey Chevrolet Pace Truck gets the field ready for the green flag.

Cameron students will need to pull their belts tight one more time for the next summer documentary produced by the Communications Department.

As part of a summer class called “Producing the Documentary,” R/TV students Kyle Luetters and Cecilio Ramirez, along with around a dozen other students, will film, edit and premiere a documentary on dirt track racing.

“The name of the documentary is “One Dream: Dirt Track Racing.” It will feature NASCAR drivers, NASCAR footage, as well as World of Outlaws and some of their drivers and footage from Knoxville Speedway, Eldora Speedway and several other speedways throughout the Midwest,” said Luetters, the documentary’s producer. “The main goal of the documentary is to follow these drivers and show their trials and tribulations, the emotional ups and downs and what goes into running a race team week-in and week-out.”

Luetters said there is a stigma that surrounds racing. Many people see the sport as grown men getting in fast cars and driving in circles on a Saturday night.

But he said it is much more than that and he hopes the documentary will show people the human side of a machine-driven sport.

“This is not a documentary to show what racing is, it’s more to show the sacrifice, the pageantry and really what these people go through, the family sacrifice that goes into this,” Luetters said. “This is a family event and it takes a lot of sacrifice and time. I know some families have put second mortgages on their home to pay for it.

It’s a tremendous commitment and people don’t realize what people give up to keep racing.”

Ramirez, the documentary’s director, has worked on two previous summer productions, “Red Dirt” and “Unbreakable,” both which were extremely popular and won numerous accolades and awards.

Dr. Matt Jenkins, the executive producer and class professor, hopes “One Dream” will have the quality of “Unbreakable” and the popularity of “Red Dirt,” and he thinks Ramirez is the perfect person to make that happen.

“It’s interesting he’s worked on two documentaries that I cite most often as the most successful documentaries we’ve produced,” Dr. Jenkins said.

“What I want is this to be the combination of both of those. He brings me experience with working with both of those and I think we can do it.”

This is the first time Ramirez has worked as a documentary director. He said the task was a little daunting at first. Instead of just working on one aspect,

he has to coordinate everything. In one filming at the Lawton Speedway, Ramirez said he was worn out due to running back and forth trying to make sure shots were correct and everything was operating smoothly.

But he feels his previous experience will help make “One Dream” better in the end.

“With the mistakes we’ve made in the past, we know what to look for with this one,” Ramirez said. “When you show a documentary 500 times at 500 festivals, you begin to see things you did wrong and where you could improve.”

Dr. Jenkins isn’t sure about the final number of students who will work on the documentary.

Technically, the class doesn’t start until June, but production had to start sooner if the students wanted to get everything finished by the end of July.

“I hope to have around 12 students in the class and we’ll have four different groups for them to work on,” Dr. Jenkins said. “There will be a P.R. function, a filming function, an editing function and a Web function.”

For the first time in a Dr. Jenkins documentary, the students will keep an up-to-date Web site where anyone interested in the documentary can follow its production. Luetters said the production crew will keep blogs on the site and will update it with their ups and downs. Jenkins said Webisodes will be a big part of the documentary’s Web presence.

“The Webisodes will almost have a comedic feel,” he said. “Not only is it going to plot dirt track racing, but the production process. People will be able to keep track of what we’re doing.”

Luetters said the production schedule will be grueling with a filming scheduled for almost every weekend from now through July 18. But, in the end, he thinks everything will be worthwhile as long as everyone stays safe.

“We want this to be a professional experience, but we also don’t want to risk anyone getting hurt,” Luetters said. “This is chaos in motion. A lot of times, things are moving so fast you may not have the chance to react. We have to take safety into consideration. If a piece of video looks great, I don’t want to look at that knowing someone got hurt.”

For Ramirez, doing a documentary over dirt tracking racing harkens back to when he was a child and his father would take him to watch the races. He said it was a great experience for him as a child and he wants to share that with everyone else.

“If you don’t know what’s going on,” Ramirez said, “we’re going to teach you and introduce you to these people.”

“One Dream: Dirt Track Racing” will premiere at the end of July.

FLU continued from page 1 An infected person can infect other people up to a day before symptoms begin to manifest. The virus can survive for up to two hours on a surface, so anyone who touches a surface contaminated by the swine flu could also become infected.

“If symptoms do begin to manifest, you should call your doctor immediately to schedule an appointment so you don’t infect other people,” New said. “You can still infect people up to seven days after the symptoms first manifest.”

There are prescriptions available that can suppress the flu symptoms and shorten the time of infection. New said if a person isn’t certain whether he or she has the flu or not, doctors and hospitals have simple swab tests that can determine whether someone has the virus or has another ailment. With trees budding and flowers blooming, many people are experiencing allergy problems, which have similar symptoms.

But New said people can tell the difference.

“Typically, people with allergy problems have coughing and runny noses

and that sort of thing,” she said.

“People with the flu will have high fevers over 100 degrees, body aches, chills, fatigue and other symptoms of the standard flu.”

Many students traveled to Mexico over spring break in March. New said if they haven’t experienced any symptoms yet they did not contract the virus while vacationing. However, they could have been exposed at upon their return.

Children can contract the virus as well, but the CDC isn’t sure how it will affect them. A press release from the CDC states children experiencing trouble breathing, bluish or gray skin color, crying without ears, being irritable or not drinking enough fluids, they should be taken to a doctor immediately because they may be infected.

“The children’s signs are a little different,” New said. “But they can be affected by the virus as well.”

With a situation as serious as the swine flu outbreak, there are always misconceptions and questions.

One of the most predominate questions the CDC has fielded has been about the dangers of

eating pork. Both the CDC and New stressed the lack of danger from pork.

“The swine flu has not infected any pigs in the U.S.,” New said.

“You cannot get it from eating pork. You get it the same way you get the seasonal flu.”

With no confirmed cases in Oklahoma, New said there is always a chance swine flu could show up in the state or in the local area. The best precaution to take against contracting is to practice good hygiene. She said doing simple things like washing hands, eating healthy and getting plenty of rest will go a long way to fighting off any infection.

“We just want the public to take precautions,” New said.

“These are simple things you should do anyway and it will help protect you from the swine flu and other viruses.”

4

News

May 4, 2009

From Start to Finish Last remnants: Shortly before the ground breaking of the new Business Building, the last portions of the old structure are removed.

The old: The old Business Building was built in 1964 and functioned as the home of the Business Department from 1971 to 2006.

Making way: After the plans are completed for the new Business Building, its predecessor is demolished.

Sign of things to come: The only real evidence of what is to become the new building is a sign and a ceremony.

The ceremony: In preparation for the beginning of construction, ground is broken where the new building will eventually stand.

Skeleton: As construction continues, it becomes more and more obvious what the structure is to be.

High wire act: A lone construction worker perches atop the steel structure of the Business Building.

Walled in: After the framing of the building is completed, the exterior walls begin to appear.

Brick by brick: With the exterior walls completed, the structure takes on a layer of brick.

Photos by Jim Horinek

May 4, 2009

News

5

Business Building Evolution

Signs: As the bricking is completed, the structure on the sign and the structure itself begin to merge.

Twins: Exterior completion leads to an exact match between the plan and the outcome.

View from afar: The completed building is an impressive addition to the campus.

View from inside: This office window offers a view into what will soon be a lush garden.

The Atrium: When the building is opened, this upstairs alcove will offer comfortable seating and a welcoming place for students to study and interact.

Finishing touches: A construction worker lays one of the last sections of carpeting in a wing of the building.

Gathering hall: This large meeting area will function as a lecture hall and location for campus and community events

Wired: Contractors string networking cable through the ceiling as one of the last steps in the interior wiring.

Photos by Jim Horinek

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News

May 4, 2009

Geocaching offers real life treasure hunt

By Monica Garner Collegian Staff

such as the iPhone, which have direct access to the Internet and have a ready application connected to the geocaching Web site (www.geocaching.com).

On the Web site, each geocache description comes with log entries from previous geocachers who have already located the item. It also shows a difficulty level and type of terrain that the hunter will have to contend with in order to get to the geocache. The difficulty levels range from one to five, with five being the most difficult.

Those who hide a geocache then register it on the geocache Web site with several clues and its coordinates, so it can be tracked with GPS technology.

Geocaching sounds deceptively easy, but a GPS can only take its owner to the

Summer is quickly approaching and students will soon have more time on their hands. And with more idle time, there are more complaints of boredom. A new remedy for these complaints is the idea of geocaching, a hobby that is becoming more popular worldwide.

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting game where participants locate hidden containers, which are hidden outdoors, called geocaches.

Participants can then share their experiences online.

First thought of in 2000, geocaching has become more popular with those who own MCT Campus multimedia phones,

approximate location of coordinates.

Elizabeth Burris, an OU Law School graduate and experienced geocacher, came to Lawton to try her luck with the local geocaches.

“Even though you have a device telling you where the cache is, it’s a challenge to actually find it,” Burris said.

Geocaches can range from fi lm canisters, called “microcaches,” to five-gallon buckets and can contain anything from a log sheet with the names of those

who have found them to trinkets and gadgets that can be taken from the site. They usually have little or no monetary value.

The hiding places of geocaches range from being hidden in a rotted tree in a park to being hidden in a crevice on a 200-foot cliff.

“It’s not about what you find, it’s about what it takes to find it,” Burris said.

The only standing rule within the geocaching community is if something is taken from a geocache site, something of equal value should be left for the next person to find.

The popularity of geocaching is steadily growing. There are 786,748 logged geocaches worldwide. There are currently 4,942 geocaches in Oklahoma and 455 in the Lawton area alone. There are also several in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge.

While it is suggested that a GPS be used, it is possible to go

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geocaching without one.

“If you are experienced enough with a map and compass, you could find a cache just as easily,” Burris said.

Burris has been geocaching for several months and says it is her new favorite hobby.

“It’s a good way to spend an otherwise boring weekend,” Burris said. “If you have free time, why not go out and enjoy the nice weather?”

Membership is required to begin looking up geocaches in the area and logging the findings. Basic membership is free and premium membership is $30 per year. The premium membership includes a search on road trip routes to make any vacation more memorable.

To join the geocaching community, log on to the Web site, www.geocaching.com.

“Geocaching is about a day out having fun,” Burris said.

“You’ll feel like a pirate searching for buried treasure.”

News

May 4, 2009

7

Happy New Year Nepal Nepalese Association celebrates 2066 B.S. at CU

By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff The Cameron University Nepalese Association (CUNA) organized the Nepalese New Year Celebration on April 18 in the Shepler Ballroom.

The New Year’s celebration was flavored with Nepalese cultural dances, songs, poetry and a special Nepalese food: momo, or meat dumplings. The hosts for the program were Sadikshya Bhandari, a Sophomore with a major in Biology, and Jinesh Niroula, Vice

President of CUNA. This is the year 2066 B.S. (Bikram Sambat) in Nepal. In fact, the New Year was on April 14, the beginning of the first month ‘Baisakh’ according to the Nepalese calendar. The Nepalese calendar is a lunar calendar, which is about 57 years ahead of the calendar most of us are familiar with, the Gregorian Calendar. The current Nepalese Year is 2066. One interesting feature of the Nepalese calendar is that months may not have the same number of days every year, unlike its Gregorian counterpart.

Bhandari started the program with a welcome note and wished everyone a happy New Year.

Bhandari said that he regretted the celebration could not take place on the actual date of the Nepalese New Year.

“We are celebrating the New Year today because we could not gather and plan during the weekdays,” Bhandari said.

The guests and the members of the club were then invited to enjoy the Nepalese momo, which was prepared

by Nepalese students.

There were two varieties of momo: turkey and pork, which is enjoyed best with Nepalese achar (sauce).

There were also two varieties of Nepalese sauce: spicy and mild.

The dessert for the evening was “dudh bari” which is a Nepalese treat prepared in milk. A cultural program followed the reception.

The program started with the national anthem of Nepal.

After the national anthem, three boys and three girls performed a group dance. The dancers were Joshan Shrestha, Mamata Shrestha, Amit Sharma, Silica Shakya, Kundan Bhattarai and Samikshya Sharma.

After the dance performance, Jeewan Raj Bhattari and his friends performed the Nepalese national song, “Rato ra Chandra Surya.”

The song describes the meaning of Nepalese Flag and the history of the bravery of Nepalese soldiers who fought for the sovereignty of Nepalese against the British.

Hemraj Gurung was the next performer and sang a popular Nepalese pop song. Gurung played guitar by himself for the song.

Two Nepalese girls, Anjana Prasain and Rashmi Thapaliya, then performed a dance to a medley of songs.

Biswa Subedi, a Freshman at Cameron with a major in Criminal Justice, recited a poem after the dance. The poem was titled

“Mother,” and it described the story of a Nepalese mother who is waiting for her son with hope in her eyes. Her son is abroad and she misses her son very much during ‘Dashain,’ Nepal’s largest festival.

Mini Barr, the friendship family for four Nepalese boys, said that she really liked the poem as read by Subedi.

“My son is studying in Chicago, and this reminded me of my son and my husband who is fighting for the country in Baghdad,” Barr said.

The next attraction was the song ‘Gurasai Phulyo’ by Joshan Shrestha and Amit Sharma, who were accompanied by Avinash Lohni in guitar. The female singer for the evening was Anjana Prasain, a Freshman at Cameron who sang two Nepalese songs.

A solo dance performance to ‘Gairikhetko Siraihanyo,’ a classic film song, by Sophomore Samikshya Sharma recharged the mood of the audience. Shobakhar Adhikari then performed the song ‘Bideshjane Mayalu,’ which retells the tragic story of a lover whose beloved is married to a rich boy and is now in a foreign land.

Avinash Lohani, who is well known among his friends in Cameron as a very good singer, performed three songs back to back.

He performed two Nepalese songs and the English song “I’m Yours,” in which he was accompanied by

his friend Charlie. The audience encouraged him with a big round of applauses.

“I am very happy with the support of my friends today,” Lohani said. “I enjoyed the program very much and the cultural performances reminded me of my family and friends back home.”

The concluding performance was a medley of Nepalese songs sung by Joshan Shrestha and his friends.

Dr. Von Underwood, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts said that he enjoyed the performances by the students and the food.

“I think it is a great opportunity for the Nepalese students and for us to be able to come together and celebrate the Nepalese culture,” Dean Underwood said. “There is really a talented group here, and I liked the spicy Nepalese food.”

Teri McGrath, an Instructor in the English Department said that the she loved everything in the program.

“The group dance was great. It was beautiful,” McGrath said.

Marcella Gustafson, the International Coordinator, was also present in the New Year celebration and showed her support for the Nepalese students.

Jinesh Niroula, the CUNA Vice-President, said that he was thankful for everyone who came and supported the program.

Finals Schedule • 5:30 MW at Ft.Sill, 5:30 TR at Ft. Sill, and 11:40 MTWRF at Ft. Sill—Finals will be on the last scheduled day of class.

• Classes which meet on Tuesdays only for 16 weeks will have their finals during their regular class meeting times on Tuesday, May 5 • Classes which meet on Thursdays only for 16 weeks will have their finals during their regular class meeting times on Thursday, May 7.

• Classes that meet on Mondays only will have their finals during their regular class meeting times on Wednesday, May 6.

Monday, May 4 is a regular class meeting.

• 2nd 8 week Monday/Wednesday classes will have their final on Thursday, May 7. Wednesday, May 6 is a regular class meeting.

• Daily is defined to include classes meeting four days per week as well as those meeting five days per week.

• Distance education final exams will be taken at authorized testing centers.

Abbreviations for days of the week: Monday=M, Tuesday=T, Wednesday=W, Thursday=R, Friday=F, Saturday=S, Sunday=N

DOWNTURN continued from page 1 It is unclear how much the national economic downturn will affect Oklahoma’s colleges and universities, but CU will prepare for the worst while hoping for the best. In any event, CU students should not expect any decrease in service levels.

“It is our goal to become more efficient through this time with the Aggie OneCard and addressing every facet of our organization in order to be as efficient as possible,” Pinkston said. “We learned this week that there will $21 million in grants for Oklahoma colleges and universities to convert their buildings to become as energy-efficient as possible. It is unclear how much of that CU

be ways to offset them as well. can receive, but those are the types of things we are exploring “It’s a recession. There may be less discretionary money. in order to save money in the long run.”

It may be more difficult for While students to find jobs to CU “The stimulus bill students support their education,” will not see recently passed by an increase Pinkston said. in tuition or Congress may give “However, the Pell Grant fees, other CU some needed effects relief, but we are not maximum will be raised of the counting on it just economy by up to $819 may be per student.” yet.”

The unavoidable — Glen Pinkston as those Pell Grant Vice-President increase typical of any of Business and comes recession. thanks to Finance the stimulus Even so, bill passed there may

shortly after President Obama took office. It provides millions of dollars for higher education, but where those dollars will go remains unclear.

“The stimulus bill recently passed by Congress may give CU some needed relief, but we are not counting on it just yet,” Pinkston said.

One part of CU that will see no difference on account of a recession is the construction that has been going up all over campus. Coming from a separate capital budget, all construction currently being held is already paid for through private donations or capital bonds.

“Students will see no pause in construction. The Business

building will be completed in May or June of this year,” Pinkston said, “And the McMahon Centennial Complex and Bentley Gardens will be completed sometime in late 2009.”

In good times or bad, however, Cameron University will remain a great educational value, according to a recent national survey.

“One thing we are very proud of is that Cameron was named by ‘US News’ and ‘World Report’ as ranking number one in its class in least student loan debt for graduating students,” Pinkston said. “That will continue as we weather this storm and come out the other side.”

8

News

May 4, 2009

Ag student advances department technology

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff One Cameron student’s kind donation helped bring the technology in the university’s oldest department up to date.

Wilfred Flores, an Agriculture Senior, lost his son in Iraq two years ago. He was awarded a large insurance payment, which he decided to donate part of to the Agriculture Department to buy new equipment.

“Two of my classes had some old equipment, really old equipment. It would take about 20 minutes out of every period to become functional so guys could do their presentation,” Flores said. “It got to the point after six weeks after the end of the spring semester, I said we couldn’t do this anymore because I was using valuable time and information. I decided to use some proceeds from

my son’s insurance policy to buy some equipment.”

Flores did his research and sat down with the chair of the Ag Department, Dr. Leon Fischer, to determine what was needed. Flores had seen other departments use document cameras and thought one would be a welcome addition to Agriculture students along with new laptops. Fischer agreed.

“Everything that he bought us was put to use immediately,” Dr. Fischer said. “We have them up on our mobile carts and they’re in use in those classrooms.”

Flores donated a $5,000 cashier’s check to the university with the stipulation that it would go to the Agriculture Department. He also stipulated $3,000 would go to equipment, while the rest would go into a fund for scholarships for Ag students. Dr. Fischer welcomed the donations, which he said were surprising, to say the least.

“Wilfred approached me and wanted to know if we were interested in accepting a donation from him,” Dr. Fischer said. “I told him we’re always MCT Campus

wanting to accept gifts. It’s fairly unusual to get those from students. Usually, it’s a donor from the community that makes donations to a department. But to have a student come forward was a pretty unique situation.”

This wasn’t the first time Flores donated to the department. In 2007, he set up a scholarship fund under the name of his son, Willie Flores.

Today, the interest off that fund is put toward Ag scholarships each year. Fischer said Flores also donated money to another scholarship fund for an Ag student who died from cancer.

He said the department is always in need of donations for scholarships.

“Perhaps it’s this way across the entire university, but we fall short on scholarships.

We only have half a dozen departmental scholarships each year,” Fischer said. “It’s good that the university has progressed and expanded and we’ve grown other departments on the campus. We’ve become a full scale university. But we sometimes we feel like a small fish in the sea. But the current administration really appreciates the

role agriculture has had in this university.”

Flores still has to complete another three semesters before he can graduate. Thus far, he’s been able to see the fruits of his donations that bought the two new laptops and document camera. He said those donations make class much easier now.

“There is a remarkable difference,” Flores said. “I’ve had classes in both classrooms with the new equipment and there’s no waiting for any kind of presentation. The professors seemed really happy.”

Still, Flores said not only the Ag Ag Department, but also other departments on campus, could benefit from the

generosity of students. Even though times are tough, he said any donations from his fellow students would be appreciated by the university.

“I’ve noticed a lot of students have brand new laptop computers and I noticed they’ve sold them at the end of the year for a newer one,” Flores said.

“Perhaps they could donate them to the campus, which could eliminate the older computers they still use here. People don’t have to just donate money. There are other things they can do to help out their department.”

MCT Campus

Speech, debate team caps winning season

By Nicole Roames Collegian Staff The Cameron University Speech and Debate team had a successful season.

Dan Schabot, CU Director of Forensics, said the CU Speech and Debate team is an all-new squad this year. None of the members of the team had collegiate level speech or debate experience, but the team really

pulled together and made it a learning experience.

“They really learned from each other and finished the year strong,” Schabot said.

The team finished in 11th place at the national Pi Kappa Delta Biennial Tournament.

The Pi Kappa Delta Nationals rewards comprehensive teams that perform well in both individual events and in debate.

At the Pi Kappa Delta nationals, the CU team

competed against more experienced teams from larger schools with larger staffs.

“It is an amazing accomplishment for a small, rookie squad to finish that high,” Schabot said.

The team had another large victory at the OKIE Roundup, which serves as the state competition.

The two parliamentary debate teams from Cameron University finished in the top two spots. In the semi-final rounds, the debate team of Matt Penick and Lamod McFadden beat a team from Tulsa Community College, and the debate team of Pierre Liburd and Katie Duffy defeated a team from the University of Oklahoma.

The teams are co-champions for the state of Oklahoma in MCT Campus parliamentary

style debate.

In another victory at the OKIE Roundup, the team of Jordan Scribner, Tai Bowles and Bhupendra Acharya won the state championship in Reader’s Theatre.

In individual events, CU competitors combined for an overall third place finish. Scribner qualified to participate in the Interstate Oratorical Association National Tournament based on a third place finish in persuasive speaking. Only two competitors from each state qualify for the competition.

“It was so amazing to qualify for this as a freshman,” Scribner said.

CU ended up with 10 awards in individual events.

Another competition where Cameron Speech and Debate excelled was the Novice National Tournament. The team finished in fourth place overall.

The Novice National Tournament is restricted to students who have no prior collegiate experience. The entire CU team was able

to participate as only two of the twelve members had prior competitive speaking experience. and that experience was from high school.

The entire Speech and Debate team spoke highly of each other and of their coach.

The sentiments expressed by the team showed their closeness to each other and their love of competitive speaking.

CU sophomore Lamod McFadden summed it up best when he compared the team to a family.

“We may fight and have our differences, but that’s just like any other family,” McFadden said.

Senior Tai Bowles added that the competitions the team went to helped them develop their skills and grow closer.

“You meet a lot of different people who help you improve and make you value your teammates,” Bowles said.

The CU Speech and Debate Team will wrap up their season with an information session on April 28 at 3:30 p.m. Interested students can contact Schabot at 581.2555.

Campus construction keeps steady pace

Prep-work: A construction worker mixes mortar in preparation for bricking the northern exterior of the McMahon Centennial Complex.

Making way for greenery: The construction crew removes some of the last remaining debris from the demolition of what was the North Shepler parking lot.

Water work: A construction worker power washes the excess mortar from the recently bricked western exterior of the McMahon Centennial Complex.

Photos by Jim Horinek

Voices

May 4, 2009

9

Some racism to go with that burger Racism is a product that many Oklahomans seem to be buying without an after thought. Stitched into every baby doll t-shirt and hoodie is a reminder of America’s sordid and shameful oppression of the native inhabitants of this country.

Is this the description of some Internet prank in print, or a terribly offensive portrayal meant to be social satire?

No, unfortunately, that is the description of the ever-popular Stillwater-based clothing line, “Eskimo Joe’s.”

It should be hard to believe that so many people would prominently display images that they themselves felt were racially charged. The vast majority of the American populace should have enough sense to be aware of the things that offend others and steer clear, and those that do have prejudices typically do not like to openly flaunt their bigotry.

Yet this apparel continues to sell, which can only lead to the conclusion that the citizens of Oklahoma and the tourists that visit any one of the many Eskimo Joe’s stores throughout the state simply do not see the inherent racism in the caricatured stereotypical portrayal of an Alaskan Native and his sled-dog.

Maybe the disparity in the perception of the character comes from the distance between the offending franchise and the culture being represented, which is slightly more than 4,000 miles.

This can only be described as an “out of sight, out of mind” style of prejudice. If this logic were credible then it would

also be acceptable, and perhaps profitable, to open Mende Joe’s featuring a member of the tribe from Sierra Leone, Africa.

The logo could be a rather simian looking uncultured tribesman who carries around diamonds knowing not their worth and selling them for mere nickels.

If he carried a spear it could be used as a shish-kabob skewer to promote menu items.

Sierra Leone is approximately the same distance from Oklahoma as Northwestern Alaska, yet it seems so much worse to denigrate the people of indigenous African lineage.

Nevertheless, they are one in the same.

Or perhaps the argument for the Eskimo Joe’s smiling cartoon is that the caricature was created with the best of intentions and that to take offense is to take the mascot far too seriously. Racism can come in several different packages, but it doesn’t make it any less wrong.

The Eskimo Joe logo is, at it’s core, promoting a stereotype that promotes a belief that Alaska Natives (Inuit, Inupiat, Alutiiq, Yup’ik and others) are in some way lesser people through a disfigured physical profile. The swarthy-skinned “Eskimo” Joe comes complete with jet black

Bennett Dewan

hair, a turned up pugnose, tiny misshapen eyes with no pupils and a bucktoothed grin all wrapped up in a traditional skin-and-fur parka.

To make a mockery of a proud and rich culture is not a new concept in the tense and blemished history of racial relations in this nation.

In the early 1900s, Jim Crowe cartoons inundated the media and portrayed African-American Heavyweight Champion boxer Jack Johnson as a boorish brute, not unlike an animal. The other half of the picture would be used to rally support for a challenger that the newspaper hoped would reclaim the title from the hated fighter. The Johnson cartoons featured the same stereotypical characteristics: protruding lips, wide-set nose and sloping forehead, as were seen in artwork from the antebellum south used to promote the slave trade and the violent treatment needed to control the “beast-like” workers.

These portrayals of minority groups were used to dismiss the contributions of the marginalized and to dehumanize their subjects for the targeted audience. The first step in institutionalized racism is to render a skin tone or heritage as less civilized and therefore deserving of rampant inequalities.

In the 1870s yellowed, nonpupiled, squinty-eyed, bucktoothed and culturally garbed caricatures were created to promote the illegalization of opium dens and then were adopted to purge the practice of many cultural activities in San Francisco; the targets were Chinese immigrants who had traveled west for the gold rush and were exploited heavily to build the railroads.

A very similar cartoon popped up again in the 1950’s to try and undermine migrant farmers’ quest for activism, equity and equality.

The cartoons depicted tanned, hunch-backed, wide-grinned and shawled men doing farm work like a mule; the target this time was the Hispanic populace and Cesar Chavez’ unionization of labor.

With Oklahoma being the home to over 40 distinct tribes of American Indians, it is hard to believe that so many have chosen to stay mute over the outlandish portrayal of a fellow indigenous group.

Alaska Native groups have seen their land and culture decimated by trappers, explorers, aggressive missionaries, politicians and business interests since 1741. In modern times, these northwest coastal natives must face changing arctic climates and a change in the wildlife that they depend on for subsistence due to corporate fisheries and impeding oil exploration. These people face the bitter realities of trying to live by traditional practices and values under the constraints of a modern world in one of the worlds harshest natural environments. These Alaska Natives have suffered

Vampires vs. Zombies

Let the battle of the undead begin

Joshua Rouse Move over pirates and ninjas.

For years, these two entities have battled it out in the minds of bored fanboys with nothing more to do than debate who’s the better “Star Trek” captain or who’s the more powerful Jedi Knight. But over the past couple of years, a new battle has begun. Now, the question is: vampires or zombies?

I hate to admit it, but this was actually spurned by the deplorable, gut-wrenchingly awful “Twilight” book series and movies. To be fair though, I never heard of the books before that horrible movie came out.

Vampires sparkle? Wait, what?

They can go out in the day? Huh? , Dracula could go out in the day.

But the whole concept of a love story between a vampire and a teenage girl with rival teenage vampire clans and werewolf clans is just mind-bogglingly stupid. At least “Underworld” gave us Kate Beckinsale in a leather outfit with some cool fight scenes.

I will go on record as saying vampires are overplayed. Between the Ann Rice craze of the 90s, “Blade” and now “Twilight,” vampires just have lost their

majesty. Luckily, the other contender has arrived: zombies.

Honestly, what’s not to like about zombies? They’re possibly the most efficient species ever created. Any exposure to zombie bodily fluids turns someone into a zombie. There is no immunity to the virus. They’re very hard to kill.

Sure, a headshot might be easy on a video game, but I think it would be much harder to take aim and fire when you have thousands of zombies swarming at once. And besides, vampires have never

plotted to take over the world like zombies have. Vampires are content to just live in the shadows.

Zombies want to live life to its fullest, which is ironic considering they’re dead.

How many Hollywood actors have gone on record saying they fought a vampire in hand-tohand combat? Now, how many Hollywood actors have gone on record saying they fought a zombie in hand-to-hand combat?

Mickey Knox may be one crazy dude, but at least he’s prepared for

MCT Campus

the impending zombie apocalypse, even if he’s going at fighting them the wrong way. Tip: never fight a zombie in hand-to-hand combat, they bite. And no, contrary to the beliefs of a few people, a human bite will not cure a zombie. That’s almost as dumb as vampires sparkling in the daylight.

Zombies also have much more cooler video games than vampires, and even outdo pirates and ninjas. Though, I will admit, “Ninja Gaiden,” is one of the best series ever. But it doesn’t beat four people getting knocked around a hospital while trying to take down a tank in “Left 4 Dead.”

What was the last good vampire video game? I can’t even think of any. “Blood Rayne?”

Surely not, especially with that horrible Uwe Boll movie based off it. After a few minutes of looking, I can’t find a decent vampire game made in recent memory. Zombies, on the other hand, get great games: “Resident Evil,” “Left 4 Dead” and “Dead Rising” are only a few of great titles in zombie lore.

What can be better than beating a zombie with a mannequin’s leg, running hundreds over with a lawn mower or sticking a severed hand in their face? Beautiful stuff I tell you.

So while “Twilight” might have done its very best to completely ruin vampires, thankfully, George A. Romero, as great of a visionary as he is, can’t seem to do the same to zombies. He’s tried, but zombies will endure the test of the time whereas vampires will fall by the wayside and we’ll always have Stephenie Meyer to thank for that.

enough without the sambo-esque portrayal splashed on the side of tank tops and t-shirts for the amusement of the masses.

Eskimo Joe’s, through its use of a derivative and divisive mascot, has chosen to openly ridicule a culture that is not well represented in the Oklahoma ethnic landscape. This is the very definition of racism, a group using attacks based race to deface another ethnicity. Even worse, this franchise has made countless others supporters of their actions through the purchase of their apparel line that directly profits from the shameful history of inequality and unabashed bigotry of this nation.

THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY

COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna

Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Joshua Rouse News Editor - Jim Horinek A&E Editor - Bira Vidal Sports Editor - Bennett Dewan Copy Editor - John Robertson Digital Editor - Kyle Luetters Circulation Manager - Katie Batule

Newsroom Staff Ads Manager - Kerry Myers Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Raven Weiss, Monica Garner, Justin Cliburn, Jeramy Eidson, Megan Mefford, Cecilio Ramirez, Nicole Roames, Melissa Rogers, Jacob Russell, Saman Samii, Rashmi Thapaliya, Pamela Vaughan, Lauren Bennett, Solitaire Merrill and Jory Palmer.

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.

Voices

10

May 4, 2009

Cameron student says ‘When in Rome’

A

s we landed in Rome everyone burst into applause, which is hopefully a cultural thing and not because they were impressed by us arriving safely.

Now, for the next week, I must give a big thanks to Dr. Lubrano because I retained most of the Italian I learned last semester, which made getting around much easier.

That evening, we settled into our hostel, Casa Olmata, which I would highly recommend, and, luckily for us, we were on the fifth f loor of a very steep staircase. (On a side note: Europeans love stairs).

Leaving the hostel, we noticed many people were walking around wrapped in silver metallic blankets and wearing short shorts. It was the 15th Annual Rome Marathon.

There were 2,000 starters and over 80,000 in the Rome Fun Run, which is a noncompetitive race and set a record for the number of entrants.

One of the places the racers

went by was the Colosseum, which is where we were headed first. The Roman Coliseum was opened in 80 A.D. and could hold up to 70,000 spectators.

Now it stands with three-fifths of its outer brick missing, and walking through the entrance relays the enormity of the arena and the uniqueness of a modern city built amongst the ancient structures.

We also went to some of the other sites like the Forum, the Palatine Hill and the Pantheon. And most of the next day was spent at the smallest country in the world, Vatican City, waiting to see the Sistine Chapel. It’s definitely worth the wait.

Michelangelo painted the ceiling from 1509-1512, and jaws were not dropping just because everyone has crank their heads back to see it.

The artwork is beautiful to begin with, but seeing the original images that have been reproduced so many times is truly remarkable.

As the old saying goes, ‘Rome was not built in a

day,’ and it certainly cannot be toured in two.

But, alas, we had to venture on to Florence on the Italiarail.

It seemed a little slower paced than Rome and, from what I saw, was more focused on shopping because it had numerous outdoor markets selling mostly leather goods, like coats, shoes, purses and bracelets.

The markets were spread around the city and led us to the entrance of one of the biggest attractions, which happened to be on a smaller side road.

The Academy Gallery holds a number of items, but its most famous resident is Michelangelo’s “David.”

The statue is around 17 feet in height and was carved by the artist in 1501 when Michelangelo was just 25 years old.

In the gallery surrounding the “David,” there are several unfinished marble sculptures by Michelangelo. And it is an odd

juxtaposition: the marble blocks in which the subjects seem to be struggling to break free placed so near one of Michelangelo’s greatest works.

From Florence we went to Venice, and there really is no other word to describe the city other than: Venice. Of the cities we visited it had the least number of tourist attractions but the greatest f lavor, and it seemed impossible to take an unf lattering picture of the city.

The area to see is St. Mark’s Square, which has the Basilica of San Marco, the bell tower and right next to that, Doge’s Palace. Almost all visitors come here, and so do the pigeons.

The girls I was with fed the

By Solitaire Merrill

students. It is with mixed emotions that my adventure at Cameron University comes to an end. My journey started 14 years and several universities ago. Like many other graduates, I am a non-traditional college student.

I never anticipated that the road to my education would be so long and twisted. However, my

destination was always clear.

The pride in my accomplishment and benefit of hindsight has given me a new perspective. Allow me the opportunity to encourage those of you that also travel winding roads and to congratulate those of you that are crossing the finish line.

Life, most often, does not travel in straight lines. Detours come up, troubles arise, and at times, the road can seem closed or unbelievably blocked. According to the National Center for Education Statistics website, only 57 percent of all students entering a four year program graduate within six years.

Whether you entered straight from high school or decided to come later, college has its own languages and cultures and awkwardness to get used to, like forcing yourself to keep going to class, when graduation day seems so far away. Trust that there is a pay-off for this long struggle.

College is not intended to be an exclusively academic experience with a small scope of focus.

College is a time of growth and of change. For many traditional students, learning how to balance a hectic schedule in college prepares you for the busy life most people lead. Time management is an invaluable tool you will use throughout your life. Do not allow a chaotic schedule to dissuade you from finishing your degree. Life, for the vast majority, is not sedate.

It is full and frenetic. Talk to your professors and friends. There are tools and resources available to overwhelmed students to help them get organized and stay in school. Communicating your needs with your professors will clarify your circumstances and their expectations.

A good professor can change your life. I was lucky enough to have benefitted from several professors in my long student career that positively impacted my life in ways they could never know. It is my highest hope that completing my degree is reflective not only of my hard work, but of

Lauren Bennett

MCT Campus

pigeons and ended up having around eight each climbing on their arms, head and shoulders.

The f lying rats are not my favorite creatures, so I was just their photographer for the moment.

Venice is a strange city to wander in because it’s so relaxing and, more than likely, because of the very narrow unsystematic streets, one will get lost anyway, so enjoy.

Our f light was out of Milan and off we were back to London and Swansea.

Coming away from this trip, I learned that it is possible to survive at least eight days on nothing but pizze e gelati.

Non-traditional student looks back at college career Collegian Staff For many Cameron University Seniors, graduation day is the accumulation of years of hard work and sacrifice. The final result, a bachelor’s degree, has gone from being years away, to months away, and now, finally, weeks away. This Friday, graduates will don caps, gowns and tassels to take part in a tradition that many see as a rite of passage.

I am one of those

MCT Campus

their experience, insight, guidance and insistence of my continued best efforts. Without their encouragement, I never would have finished.

When you have trouble believing that you will one day be the on walking across the stage, think of Nola Ochs. Ochs is the world’s oldest college graduate at the age of 95. Ochs graduated with a bachelor’s degree in General Studies and History from Kansas’ Ft. Hayes State College in 2007. According to www.abcnews. go.com, Ochs started her degree in 1972. It took Ochs over 30 years to arrive at her goal. I would be hard pressed to find a better example of perseverance.

We all have our own stories, unique to the lives we lead and the choices we have made. There are circumstances some students deal with that others are immune to, and vice versa. I urge you to make the best choices you can to enable you to finish your degree.

I have first hand knowledge of the struggles so many of you face. Do not give up. Do not veer from your path. When you are struggling with a long paper or plowing through a statistics assignment, just for a moment, close your eyes and imagine your own graduation day. When family issues and work schedules make classes seem impossible, talk to your professors. When you drop one of the many things you are juggling, pick it up and keep going.

There is an end. There is a reward. You have a destination.

If you just keep going, your graduation day will come. For those of you yet to graduate, I foster a wish that you are given everything you need to continue your own journey, and the inspiration to finish.

On Friday, May 8th, I will finally graduate. I used to visualize this day in my head all the time.

Now it has arrived. Please accept my hearty congratulations all of the 2009 graduates. For all of you that have contributed to my college experience with your encouragement, support, humor, and mere presence, I thank you, and I take you with me on my walk across the stage.

A&E

May 4, 2009

11

Finals are this week and then it’s the summer vacation for most of us. For some, that means finding a job or deciding where to go on vacation without getting Swine Flu. For others, that means finding something to do for the next three months. For those people, summer is, thankfully, the prominent season for box office blockbuster movies and this year is no exception. With hit titles like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” already released and “Star Trek,” “Angels and Demons” and “Terminator Salvation” around the corner, this movie season is looking to be packed.

But let’s not forget gamers either. In a season usually reserved for catching up on the fall backlog, the 2009 summer features some heavy hitters like Capcom’s “Bionic Commando,” Eidos’ “Batman Arkham Asylum” and the Playstation 3 exclusive “inFAMOUS.” For more on these games and movies and other titles, check out the information below and have a great entertaining summer.

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff

Bionic Command (Xbox 360, Playstation 3) Wolverine (PG-13)

The sequel to the 80s NES classic puts you back in control of the the bionic commando, Nathan Spencer. You’ll use your grappling arm to swing around massive levels in an attempt to thwart a terrorist organization.

Logan’s mysterious past is finally explored in this violent revenge thriller featuring some favorite “X-Men” characters including Gambit and Sabretooth along with everyone’s favorite Merc with a Mouth.

Release Date: May 19

Release Date: Out Now

Star Trek (PG-13)

Ghostbusters(Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Wii)

Boldly go where no “Star Trek” has gone before with “Lost” creator J.J. Abrams’ reboot of Gene Roddenberry’s ground-breaking franchise. James Kirk, Mr. Spock and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise must stop a rogue Romulan from destroying Earth and the Federation.

They’re back and they still ain’t afraid of no ghost. Atari’s latest release reunites the entire ghost busting clan for another fight against the Stay Puft marshmallow man, Slimer and all the other favorites.

Release Date: May 8

Release Date: June 16

inFAMOUS (Playstation 3) One day, you’re a bike delivery boy. The next day, you’re endowed with the power to control lightning and do as you with. The world is yours for the taking, if you want it, in this open-world adventure from the developers of the “Sly Cooper” series.

Terminator: Salvation (PG-13) The war of the machines has begun and John Connor is humanity’s only home. But something new arrises that makes Connor question the possibility of winning the war.

Release Date: May 26 Release Date: May 21

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (PG-13)

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360, Playstation 3)

The Autobots have rolled out against a new enemy in the Fallen, one of the original Transformers who rebelled against the creator and sided with Unicron. Michael Bay promises more explosions, which will be hard to accomplish after the original.

Featuring voice actors from “Batman: The Animated Series” this Eidos brawler puts the caped crusader in Arkham Asylum and forces him to fight off the menions of the Joker. It could be the best “Batman” game made in years.

Release Date: June 24

Release Date: June 23

Red Faction Guerilla (Xbox 360, Playstation 3) The next generation has arrived with unparalelled destructibility. You play as Alex Mercer, a miner on Mars as he continues the Red Faction’s fight against the oppressive Earth Defense Force in this new third-person shooter from THQ. Release Date: June 9

A&E 12 Books offer prolonged entertainment for the summer May 4, 2009

By Bira Vidal Collegian Staff The summer is one of the longest times of the year for those who decide to take off from their routine errands and enjoy some time in the sun. Even though it might sounds like an excellent choice, you might be left in limbo if the entertainment for the summer is not chosen well.

Books have always been great companions for someone looking to spend some quality time alone.

They’re also an entertainment escape during this recession and can be recycled multiple times between friends, family members and the local library.

One of the best places to start book hunting is the library. That is the one single place where people can find a vast variety of books and borrow them for no cost.

To find newer releases, however, the library might not be the best option.

Any major bookstore in town will probably carry a wide variety of novels, and some bookstores will be

able to point you in the direction of books that are similar to ones you’ve already read and enjoyed.

There have been some great books lately, and while some of them may bring new insight into the lives of supernatural beings living on the south some wisk readers away to Vatican.

Followed by movie adaptations, the Harry Potter franchise showed fans that movies can complement books after all. “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” written by J.K. Rowling is no exception.

The book, to become a motion picture on July 17, shows Harry Potter enduring another year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Together with his friends, Potter needs to find out about the past of his nemesis, Lord Voldemort.

The book is fast-paced for the first few chapters, but it loses major momentum toward the middle. However, character

growth is markedly improved compared to earlier installments in the franchise.

Ultimately, the book becomes one of the best of the series with its twist ending, big character revelations and surprise decisions from the three protagonists.

“Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince” will start screening worldwide on July 17, so there is still time to catch up with the story.

Another book to become a major motion picture is “Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown.

His previous book, “The DaVinci Code,” received both critical acclaim and disapproval for its content.

“Angels and Demons” is similar to Brown’s first novel. A scientist is found dead with a suspicious symbol on his chest, but instead of the scientist being found at the Louvre Museum, this time the corpse is in Italy.

Professor Robert Langdon is then

summoned to help uncover the mysterious death and the symbol on the body.

The book has a fast plotline, and sucks the reader into a hectic ride across Italy. The book may seem inappropriate for some readers become of its religious subject matter, but it still demonstrates how well talented Dan Brown is. The movie adaptation comes to the movie theaters worldwide on May 15.

As for female readers, the book “Chasing Harry Winston,” written by Lauren Weisberger, the same author of “The Devil Wears Prada,” shows the lives of three best friends in New York City while they try to juggle careers, relationships and lifealtering changes at the same time.

Leigh, Adriana, and Emmy are the three friends, and have known each other for a long while. The novel describes the fast and furious lives of strong New York women searching for a

happily-ever-after that may never come.

Another strong woman is Sookie Stackhouse, the protagonist of the Sookie Stackhouse book franchise, which has inspired HBO to produce “True Blood.” The book series come alive through the talents of Charlaine Harris.

Unlike other mild vampire novels, “Dead Until Dark” brings Sookie as a mind-reading waitress in the middle of a vampire civil war in the southern Louisiana. The novel embraces the vampire genre and cherishes the interactions, both hostile and loving, between humans and vampires.

For those still in Oscar mode, another good option is Best Picture winner “Slumdog Millionaire.” The author of the book, Vikas Swarup, presents the same characters but empowers them with a deeper explanation of life opportunities.

Now, with some helpful advice for picking a book, you can spend the summer in pure entertainment bliss and enjoy a day in the sun with a book or two.

MCT Campus

Film Festival rewards unexpected participant

By Solitaire Merrill Collegian Staff Alex Harris is not your average 10-year-old boy. His imagination, combined with his love for film, has resulted in an extraordinary talent.

Harris won 1st place in the Cameron University Art Guild Film Festival with his short film entry, “The Pink Diamond”. Alex wrote, directed and starred in the movie.

“The Pink Diamond” is an Indiana Jones inspired adventure of a young boy with a treasure map on a quest for the pink diamond. The film is set to the iconic John Williams’ “Raiders March” music from the Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and carries the pace of the adventure well. Alex dons the distinctive Indiana Jones regalia complete with the fedora, bullwhip and Indy-style shoulder bag.

Interestingly, Harris chose to bring something very unIndiana Jones-like to the film:

a sort of innocence to the that Harris has written. Harris and the Indiana Jones series.

His works are inf luenced by character that makes a 10-year- will start filming that movie other Hollywood blockbusting within the next few weeks. old action star believable and producers as well. Recently, he For Harris, finding the very entertaining. named his three new hamsters inspiration for this short Our somewhat reluctant Harrison Ford, George Lucas hero encounters thick jungles, movie was easy. As long as he and Steven Spielberg. dangerous spiders, swordcan remember, he has been a Cultivating the talent to dedicated fan of Harrison Ford wielding bad guys and rickety achieve award-winning rope bridges. He handles status at such a young age all these challenges with is not something Harris his trusty bullwhip and could do alone. Harris athletic maneuvers. gets his love for film Harris arrives at his final from his parents, Jim and destination and after some Rhonda Harris. The serious digging, uncovers Harris’ have mentored his coveted treasure, the Alex and encouraged mysterious pink diamond. him in his pursuits, often Dr. Matt Jenkins, dedicating their time, a Cameron University resources and expertise.

Communications The Harris family Department Professor, owns a company called and one of the three judges Artistic Films, which for the competition, primarily focuses on acknowledged that creating weddingthere were several good day masterpieces. submissions to the festival.

Consequently, having “The Pink Diamond all that video equipment was technically a very wellmade production,” Dr. Courtesy Photo lying around nurtured an inherent curiosity in Jenkins said.

Looking at the stars: Alex Harris Alex.

“The Pink Diamond” takes a picture at his inspirational is a short dream sequence director’s star. from a two-hour movie

“Alex has shot well over 200 films already and is on his third camera,” Mr. Harris said.

“He wore the other two out.”

Harris wants to go to film school when he graduates high school. His long term ambition and goal is clear to him.

“I just want to do good stuff,” Harris said. For now, he enjoys being on both sides of the camera and is open to any possibilities that come his way.

Harris’ father said Alex loves the control of directing.

“He loves telling me what to do when we are filming,” Mr. Harris said. “What 10-year-old wouldn’t?”

As the first place winner, Harris won $100. It was no surprise to his family what he wanted to use the money for.

The newer, more authentic bullwhip he purchased with his winnings will surely make an appearance in future Alex Harris productions.

“The Pink Diamond” can be viewed at http://web.mac.com/ artisticfilms/Site/Alex.html.

A&E 13 Local restaurant preserves Italian culinary legacy May 4, 2009

Lawton area in late 1949 from Amsterdam, NY. John Bianco Collegian Staff was in the military here for a You may be very familiar with short time prior to 1949, and he loved the town so much that Bianco’s Italian Restaurant, a he wanted to stay and raise his staple in the history of Lawton, family and start a business. but many people have never Bianco’s Grand Opening was heard the story that made on Feb. 2, 1952. Their menu Bianco’s a successful, longconsisted of basic Italian dishes running business in Lawton for such as spaghetti and meatballs many years, and hopefully many and lasagna, much like it remains years to come. today. In fact, the menu has Bianco’s Italian Restaurant is only had minor changes made one of the oldest restaurants in Lawton, and is now 57 years old. to it since the day the restaurant opened. Bianco’s keeps a vintage The founders of Bianco’s, John copy of its menu to prove that and Rose Bianco, came to the point.

When Bianco’s first opened, business was slow, but Rose Bianco said business boomed quickly.

“We lost money. Until we got our pizza oven.”

Bianco said.

“We had to order it from Photos by Kerry Myers Vermont and it Homemade atmosphere: The local took months to restaurant brings to the Lawton community get here. After the flavors from Italy. that, people

By Kerry Myers

started coming in from all over just to try our pizza. We served the first pizza in Lawton.”

Bianco’s Italian Restaurant has a romantic setting and old world charm. Frequent visitors rave about the 53-year-old restaurant.

Nicole Hudson, a Bianco’s fan, said that restaurant is one of her favorite places to eat.

“I absolutely love their pizza, it is the best in town. I had my first pizza at Bianco’s.” Hudson said. “Nothing has changed here except for the waitresses, and Rose hasn’t changed a bit.”

Hudson visited the restaurant frequently as a child and has fond memories of eating there with her large family.

“I have a very large extended family, and they all love Bianco’s just as much as I do,” Hudson said.

Amanda Moran, a Junior at the University of Central Oklahoma said that Bianco’s has a few things that keeps her and her family coming back for more.

“I love the House dressing, its one of the main reasons that we (my family) eats there so often,” Moran said. “I have a great time every time. The food is reasonably priced and it is wonderful. I really enjoy getting to spend time with my

sister when I am in town, and Bianco’s is always our restaurant of choice.”

The garlic dressing that the restaurant serves is one of the main reasons that this Lawton business is still thriving after fifty-four years.

“We are working on a patent to get our salad dressing out of the restaurant and into the supermarkets,” Bianco said.

Bianco is currently waiting for the proper machinery to be built and then she hopes to sell the dressing in grocery stores all across America. Bianco gives all of the credit to her late husband for creating the dressing.

“I came up with a small batch, and he figured out how to make it in the larger batch for the restaurant,” Bianco said.

There has been much speculation around the community about whether or

not Bianco’s will be staying open for business after the Second Street Renovation Project. The current plan for the restaurant is to stay in its original location, and Bianco plans to rebuild in the same area.

It is very important to the owners and the family that the restaurant stays where it was when it was founded, and Bianco plans to carry on the ambient atmosphere that the restaurant already has.

Over the last 57 years, the Bianco’s menu has changed little, and Bianco believes that it is one of the reasons that she has so many returning customers. The customers know exactly what they are going to get every time, whether it has been 10 days or 10 years since their last visit. Bianco hopes that her restaurant will be a part of Lawton’s history for many generations to come.

CUTV ‘Pasion Universitaria’ combines intrigue, college drama

By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff For the past seven months, Cameron students have been glued to their YouTube accounts waiting to see the future exploits of Fernando in CUTV’s “Pasion Universitaria.”

The Spanish language telenovela began as the brainchild of Dr. Matt Jenkins. He proposed it to “Top of the Hour” and “In the Huddle Anchor” Cecilio Ramirez in October. Ramirez said he thought Jenkins was joking at first, but he churned out a treatment and began filming two weeks after the initial conversation.

“We were sitting on the set of ‘In the Huddle’ and Dr. Jenkins looked at me and said ‘why don’t you write a telenovela,’” Ramirez said. “I thought he was joking, but the next week he told me the same thing. So I went home, put something together and we started production.”

Four episodes have been filmed

lines in Spanish and some times with a fifth one on the way any time. Ramirez, a R/TV senior, said they have a hard time spitting them out.”

“Pasion Universitaria” is one of the Ramirez wasn’t sure how well most difficult productions he’s ever the production would go over with worked on. Each chapter is only Cameron students. Going into around 10 minutes long, but can it, he said the cast and crew had take weeks to produce. nothing to Part of lose. It would the difficulty “I’ve always been a fan of either be a comes from telenovelas and we just big success coordinating and it could everyone’s happened to have a nice continue, or time schedule sized group of Spanish it would be and making a flop and it sure the actors speaking students and I could quietly know their thought Cecilio would be disappear. lines, which up to it, and he was. It Thankfully, are in Spanish. surpassed my expectations Ramirez said, “The person most and it’s been a lot of fun to the reaction was more fluent in do.” akin to the Spanish on former of the the show is myself,” — Dr. Matt Jenkins two.

Ramirez said.

Communications Professor “We’re always getting “One of the things with all kinds of feedback from people on YouTube shooting that takes us so long as it does is because they have these long and Facebook,” Ramirez said. “I’ve

had my actors tell me that people come up to them and say they really liked it. Mainly it’s just people wanting to know when the next episode is going to be up.”

This is the first time Ramirez has been in front of the camera as an actor. He produces and directs the show, but also stars as one of the main characters, Fernando.

Ramirez calls his character sleazy.

But he says it’s not that hard to get into character when the shooting begins.

“When I started the casting, I knew I could do that sleazy role that Fernando needs to be,” Ramirez said. “I cast everyone in the roles that I thought they would do well in and they haven’t let me down yet.”

Dr. Jenkins has been impressed with the series. He said this was the first time CUTV has ever attempted a telenovela before.

He’s always had an interest in them and this year provided the perfect opportunity to start one at Cameron.

“We do a lot of news kind of

programming, so I’m always looking at other types of productions to do that aren’t news. One year we did a trivia show,” Jenkins said. “I’ve always been a fan of telenovelas and we just happened to have a nice sized group of Spanish speaking students and I thought Cecilio would be up to it, and he was. It surpassed my expectations and it’s been a lot of fun to do.”

Episodes 1 through 4 are available on YouTube at www. youtube.com/cuinternettv. Ramirez said many students will see familiar faces in the videos with cameo appearances by several Cameron professors and students. The fifth and final chapter will be available this week. Ramirez promised a grand finish.

“Since I’m graduating this year, this will be the last chapter that I do,” he said. “We have some big things happening and we left it open for a movie later. And if someone wants to pick it up next year or later on, there’s the opportunity for that as well.”

CU Concert Choir takes the stage for last presentation

By Nicole Roames Collegian Staff The Cameron University Music Department will hold their Spring Concert on April 30. The concert will take place at 8:00 p.m. in the University Theatre.

The Spring Concert will feature the Cameron University Concert Choir and Centennial Choir. The Cameron Centennial Choir is a new addition to the CU campus.

Dr. Earl Logan, Director of the Concert Choir, said the Centennial Choir will be a permanent addition to the music department.

“We are very pleased with the Centennial Choir. They’ve done a fantastic job,” Logan said.

The Centennial Choir is conducted by Doris Lambert and is made up of mostly Freshman and Sophomore students. The Concert Choir is conducted by Dr. Logan and has members from all classes.

The Concert Choir has five vocalists graduating this spring who are giving their last performance at CU. “Not only is it their last concert, it’s our last chance to work together,” Logan said.

The Cameron Concert Choir will perform three selections: “All Breathing Life” by J.S. Bach, “German Requiem” by Brahms and “Requiem” by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Yiuka Chan Spannagel will accompany the choir.

The Cameron Centennial

Choir will perform four selections: “Tournez, Tournez!” by Randall Stroope, “Shenandoah” arranged by John Purifoy, “Lambscapes” by Eric Barnes, and “Ave Maria” by Franz Biebl.

Accompanying the Centennial Choir will be percussionists Kimberly Garza, Grant Johnson and Jeremy Toombs.

Soloists for the event are Tiffany Smith, Casey Foster, Jeff rey Humphries, Jimmy

Jones, J.P.Phelps, Sabrina Harrell, Shaupani Hunter, Sonja Detweiler, Grant Johnson and Joel Paoli.

The concert is free to all Cameron University students, faculty and staff with a Cameron ID. Tickets for community members are $6 for adults and $4 for students, military and retirees.

More information about the event is available through the Cameron Music Department at 581.2440.

Courtesy Photo

The rhythm from within: The Cameron University Concert Choir and the Centennial Singers are set to perform at 8 p.m. on Apr. 30 at the University Theatre.

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Sports

May 4, 2009

CU baseball clinches LSC title

By Cecilio Ramirez Collegian Staff Have you ever heard the expression, “three strikes and you’re out?”

Cameron baseball is changing the well-known phrase to “three strikes and you’re in.”

The word strike does not necessarily mean missing pitches at the plate. Strikes can also be attacks. The baseball team has overcome many obstacles it has been struck with: injury, competition and purpose.

Fans worried about what kind of finish the team would have after the injury of starting Third Baseman Jake Forsythe.

The Aggies never went on a slump or even seemed to feel the absence of the young Australian ball player.

This injury really promoted initiative in the team, and made the team members decide that they were going to win every series they were capable of.

It became impossible to go to a home game on McCord Field without getting an

action-packed inning. The great hitting is all thanks to players like Nate Arevalo, Thomas Dicker, Clint Powell, Chris Caves and Josh Barnett.

All five players will be finishing the season with over ten homeruns and more than 40 RBIs each.

CU’s pitching staff has made it easy for some of these hitters to feel more relaxed in the lineup. Brad Bichel and James Maxwell have a combined record of 19-1. Maxwell has no losses and is averaging more than one strikeout per inning pitched.

Lone Star Conference Baseball has a number of tough teams including Abilene Christian, Angelo State, Southwestern and Southeastern Oklahoma State and Tarleton, and weeks ago, the Aggies set their sights on the Abilene Christian Wildcats.

Knowing that the Wildcats had the best record in the conference and that the teams were set to face off in a four game series, the Aggies focused their attention on taking the

number one spot. CU did just that, defeating ACU 3-1.

However, both squads now have the same conference record. Cameron still has two games against Southwestern and one versus USAO remaining on the schedule.

What was the purpose this season behind such a successful Aggie baseball team? The team’s purpose and motivation every day on the field led to the drive and determination to finish strong in the conference and the region. This team plays as a unit and as a family, allowing them to step up in big games and complement each other’s play whenever they need it.

At the beginning of the season, the team wanted to play hard and be a competitor in the Lone Star Conference.

As time went on and the team won more and more games, being number one was their motivation. After every game, the Aggies were able to set new goals and accomplish each one of them. Now, this team will go down in history for most wins in a season.

Risking life and limb: Senior Chris Caves (Above) takes a fastball to the ribcage. Caves and the Aggies did everything it took all season to end up on top of the LSC standings.

CU Softball team fights hard, falls in postseason

By Cecilio Ramirez Collegian Staff The Aggie Softball team had performed well all season long and had set their collective hearts on one goal: a Lone Star Conference Championship.

Unfortunately, after two tough losses in the postseason, the Aggies 2009 season has ended.

With a new head coach this season and the majority of games on the road, the softball team still showed the talent necessary to be competitive in the regular season and into the playoffs.

Offensively, CU finished the season with 433 hits, 237 RBI and 45 homeruns.

Two players finished with double figures in the homerun category: Outfielder Shareena Pulse with 12 and First Baseman Jenna Boren with 14.

Only one other player, Shortstop Megan Young, brought in over 30 runs. Young also had the team high in hits with 67.

Along with the superb batting that was already expected of this

Aggie team since the beginning of the season, the pitching staff was also a factor in the team’s success.

Most effective of the four pitchers of the team was Freshman Carrie Harvey.

“Our pitchers have done a good job and Carrie has been strong,” said Coach Beth Watson. “Offense isn’t our main concern, our pitching staff was where it needed to be.”

Carrie Harvey was nothing less than impressive at the end of the regular season, finishing up the season with a record of 19-6 with a 1.75 ERA. In her first year, Harvey achieved a milestone of 164 strikeouts in 183 innings.

For the third time this season, the Freshman Pitcher has been named the LSC Pitcher of the week. Aggie men’s tennis player, Daniel Pazos, is the only other Cameron athlete with three LSC Player of the Week awards in the 2008-2009 season.

Harvey has led the rally from the pitcher’s mound all season long, but the final games of the regular season for CU were not their greatest. Cameron played

rival UCO Bronchos at Edmond and split a series. The team then returned home the same week to split the second series on senior night. Three days later the Aggies faced the same Oklahoma City University team that had defeated them twice in the home opener.

Once again, OCU came out with the two game sweep.

CU finished the season at number three in the north division, winning the chance to play the second best team in the south division, Angelo State. The Aggies fell 11-3 to the Rambelles in a game where the teams usually hot bats were silenced by dominant pitching.

Pitching was the focus of what would prove to be the final game of the season for the Aggies in their contest with SOSU. Although CU led for most of the game the team could not close out the game when it counted, losing the game 6-3 in extra innings.

Regardless of the Aggies dismissal from the postseason, Coach Watson has proven that she has brought a winning formula to the Cameron Softball program.

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Bonds that cannot be broken: The CU Softball team says goodbye to its graduating teammates by decorating the clubhouse with well wishes for the final home game of the season. The Seniors are: Shareena Pulse, Jenna Boren, Chelsey Jordan, Megan Young and Giselle Guzman.

Sports

May 4, 2009

15

Alexander receives top coaching honors

By Jeramy Eidson Collegian Staff In his first year as head coach of the Men’s Basketball team at Cameron University, Wade Alexander has earned Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year honors.

Alexander led a team that has struggled in the past in the Lone Star Conference to records of 14-13 overall and 7-5 in the conference.

Alexander does not feel as if he earned the LSC Coach of the Year; he feels his players won the award.

“The award is a reflection of the players, not me,” Alexander said. “I didn’t score any points or grab any rebounds.”

Before this season’s end, Cameron had the first winning season in four years and a spot in the Lone Star Conference tournament for the first time in eleven seasons.

While the Aggies did make the

post-season, CU could not secure their first postseason win since 1993.

Cameron’s season came to a halt against the MSU Mustangs in the first round of the LSC tournament.

After winning six games last season, a loss in the opening round of the LSC is not a disappointment for the Aggies.

“This was a great season to start with,” Alexander said. “We will be able to take so much away from this year and this team, and we will only come back next year stronger and hungrier. The fans made this year a big success and I don’t think we could have done so well at home and made the tournament without their support.”

With the spectacular season that Alexander put together came many awards for his players.

Senior Guard Dave Smith was named to the Lone Star Conference First Team North Division. Smith

was recognized for excellence in shooting beyond the three-point line. Smith broke Aggie records for most three-pointers made in a season with 99. Added to the list of awards is LSC Honorable Mentions Senior Mekaile Reed and Junior Kallan Glasgow.

As the season ended Alexander said goodbye to six Seniors and began the the teams off-season workouts and recruiting.

Alexander, with his proven system in place and a stable of new, has high expectations for next season.

“Our goal next season is to make the conference playoffs,” Alexander said. “But I wouldn’t be shocked to make it past the conference tournament.”

Coming off a season of success the Aggies Men’s Basketball team and Aggie basketball fans have high hopes for the much-anticipated 2009-2010 season.

Photo by Bennett Dewan

Collecting hardware: CU head coaches Todd Holland (Left) and Wade Alexander (Right) recieve their trophies for being named co-Cameron coaches of the year. Alexander and Holland were also named LSC coaches of the year in their respective sports.

CU Tennis star set for big time

By Saman Samii Collegian Staff The Cameron Aggie men’s tennis team is having another great year. The team keeps winning match after match and many thanks go to Cameron tennis star Daniel Pazos.

Pazos was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela. He came to the United States in the fall of 2004 when he received a full scholarship to play tennis and to pursue his academic career at Laredo Community College (LCC) in Laredo, Texas. Not knowing too much about the United States, Pazos was apprehensive but remained optimistic for his own adventure.

“It was always one of my biggest dreams to come to the United States,” Pazos said. “To be able to combine school with tennis is a great opportunity for foreigners around the world. It is always hard to leave your family and

your country, but I do not regret coming here at all.”

The 6’5 Senior is finishing up his academic and tennis career in May. He transfered to Cameron University in the fall of 2007 from LCC where he played for two years. Before attending Cameron, Pazos won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National tournament twice with his team and was named an All-American for both years. In addition, Pazos won the national tournament back to back in doubles and once in singles.

Most noticeably, Pazos was ranked in the top five of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Junior/Community College National Rankings. CU men’s tennis Head Coach James Helvey said Pazos has been a phenomenal player for Cameron for the past two years.

“Daniel is a high class number one player,” Helvey said. “He is very talented and made a huge

impact on our team from the very first day he stepped out on the Cameron tennis courts.”

At Cameron, Pazos has taken the men’s tennis team to a whole new level. In the 2007 and 2008 seasons, he helped the team reach their highest ever national ranking: number six in the nation.

Pazos was also one of the major contributors when the team won their first ever Lone Star Conference Championship title.

This season, Pazos has been named the Lone Star Conference “player of the week” three times.

He is currently ranked #14 in singles in the nation. As a team, Cameron is ranked #11 in the nation. Without Pazos, this accomplishment would have been quite a task.

Pazos, who possesses a powerful serve and has a precise ground stroke, describes himself as an aggressive all around player.

“My serve is one of my biggest weapons,” Pazos said. “I like to set

up the points with my forehand and wait for my opportunity to finish the point aggressively. I give a hundred percent on the court at all times, and I like to go for it.”

Aside from playing tennis, Pazos strives for excellence academically. He is majoring in Business Management and plans to work in that field in the future.

Pazos feels he is not ready to put the racket down and wishes to play at a professional level.

“I would like to stay in the United States after my graduation,” Pazos said. “I plan to sign up for some professional tournaments this summer and to see how far I can get.”

Pazos’ tennis skill has matured over the past four years, and he said he appreciates these final moments of collegiate tennis.

With Pazos, the men’s tennis team is heading into postseason where the big goal is to make it to the sweet sixteen of the national tournament and to create some

serious damage there. Pazos said he has enjoyed his two years at Cameron.

“I have enjoyed my time here at Cameron and my fellow teammates,” Pazos said. “They have made Cameron a second home to me. I hope the CU tennis teams will continue their success past my time.”

Photos by Bennett Dewan

It’s real: Senior Daniel Pazos poses with the CU player of the year trophy.

Barnett leads Aggies into playoffs

By Jacob Russell Collegian Staff The Aggie baseball team has a line-up that is loaded with Seniors each providing their own type of leadership on and off the field. Every player embraces the responsibility and looks forward to helping the team grow to new levels.

One of those players is Senior Outfielder Josh Barnett.

Barnett is finishing up his second and final season here at Cameron University and embraces his role on the team.

“I would say I’m definitely in a leadership role,” Barnett said.

“We have a lot of older players here, 1st year JUCO transfers, so really I just try to keep the team up in the dugout and on the field. It is important to lead by example.”

Leading by example is exactly what Barnett has done ever since he transferred here from the University of TexasSan Antonio. Barnett has been

well traveled in his college career, with Cameron being the third stop during his tenure.

Barnett is currently 3rd on the team in batting average, doubles and home runs. Barnett also leads the team with five triples. He has roamed the outfield for the Aggies in every game this season while only committing two errors. Barnett was able to sum up his Senior year in one word.

“Exciting,” Barnett said. “I feel like we can compete with anybody that we go out there against.”

Although Barnett won’t be able to reach the goals that he set for himself before the season, the team’s success helps lessen that blow.

“Well, I wanted to finish my season batting over .400, but that’s really tough to do,” Barnett said. “My game is not where I’d like it to be, but I am not complaining; my numbers are higher than last year’s in other places. All that matters

is that the team keeps winning.”

Heading into the Lone Star Conference play-offs, the Aggies have continued their hot streak. They recently set the school record for regular season victories. Barnett has confidence in his teammates that they will be able to handle whoever they are scheduled to play as the post season begins.

“I feel really good about the play-offs,” Barnett said. “The bats have been consistent all year long, and the pitching gets better and better ever game.”

The Aggies continue their great season with a lot of promise as postseason play begins May 2 nd .

The Aggies took over the number one seed in the Lone Star Conference by winning three out of four over the #9 Abilene Christian Wildcats.

With these crucial late season wins, the Aggies have now secured the no. 1 spot throughout the LSC regional playoffs.

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May 4, 2009

Aggie Sports: a pictorial year in review V O L L E Y B A L L

T E N N I S

S O F T B A L L

B A S E B A L L

B A S K E T B A L L

Thank you student athletes, coaches and the athletic department staff for making the 2008-2009 season truly memorable.

G O L F

BASKETBALL C H E E R L E A D I N G

T E N N I S

R U N N I N G

G O L F

Photos by Bennett Dewan, Craig Martin

Sports

May 4, 2009

17

Cameron ‘61 football team’s greatest struggle Issues of race, shame and redemption

Photos courtesy Athletic Department

By Bennett Dewan Collegian Staff Meandering through the under-construction Cameron campus, alumnus and member of the Aggies 1961 Junior Rose Bowl championship football team Ulysses Kendall took in all that had changed since his time as a student.

Although the location of CU has not changed, the makeup of the grounds has considerably in the 48 years since Kendall and his fellow athletes were the toast of Lawton.

As the college’s first three-sport star in football, basketball and track, he stood out among the many students at Cameron State Agricultural College.

“I think Cameron, which when we started here was the largest junior college in Oklahoma, has come a long way,” Kendall said. “The school is starting to compete and even pass the big universities in certain academic fields, which is a real credit to Dr. Ross. The new buildings, the campus expansion, this is going to benefit not only Cameron, but Lawton and Oklahoma in general.”

Kendall spoke with a sense of delight as he pointed out where long-gone buildings once stood and reminisced about his days as an Aggie. With stories of youthful fun came tales of prejudicial treatment due to the color of his skin. Although bigoted laws largely marginalized him, Kendall found

acceptance on the football field from both coaches and teammates, but not before earning his way onto the field.

“When we showed up at Cameron there were 130-some guys going out for the football team,” Kendall said. “We thought we had scholarships, but we didn’t. I didn’t have enough money to buy a train ticket home so I had to make the team.”

Kendall knew that CU Coach Leroy Montgomery was taking heat in the Lawton community for allowing minority players to tryout for the team, but appreciated the opportunity to compete.

“Cameron had progressed itself because the years prior to ’61 Cameron might have one black player. Then it went to three in ‘60, then to six in ’61. Coach Montgomery was ahead of his time in going after these athletes.”

To call the transition from strangers to teammates easy would also be an oversight in the eyes of Kendall.

“Now we say diversity, but there was separatism,” Kendall said. They had to learn us as blacks and we had to learn them as whites, but Coach Montgomery was ahead of his time by giving us a shot.”

Being a part of the Aggies gave Kendall a place to belong in the volatile atmosphere of the racially divisive south. At the time, never having experienced segregation first hand, Kendall relied on the

Kendall-1961

experiences of other teammates for guidance.

“It was easier for the guys coming from Texas because they could see the segregation, they knew it,” Kendall said. “It was more difficult for me coming from Chicago where we didn’t experience it as much. It’s not like there wasn’t racism, sure there was racism, but it was different.”

Kendall sought out Sophomore Defensive End Jack Mars, a Texan, to help him adjust.

“I had to sit down and ask the guys what it was like to live here. I remember asking Jack what it was like to live in Tulia, Texas. He said you have to do these certain things to make it here and I listened,” Kendall said. “There were things that I had never seen before that I saw here.”

The ‘61 Aggies not only stood against prevailing culture but made Oklahoma history by being the first to integrate a crucial position often referred to as the field general.

“I’m sure Montgomery received a lot of flack by passing up a more experienced white quarterback and going with a young black quarterback because he was the best guy,” Kendall said.

Coach Montgomery had the foresight to look beyond the color of the players skin and to see the potential and raw talent in the Freshman.

“We had the first black quarterback, Bill Harper, who just mystified everyone with his skills,” Kendall said. Montgomery said that we wanted to win a national championship, this is how we are going to do it and this is who we are going to play.”

With six black players on the roster and the first black

quarterback leading the team Kendall knew the team would face many challenges besides their opponents. He had learned this the hard way in his Freshman year at Cameron when the team went to Texas to play Angelo State.

“We had three black players on the team that year and when we went to the hotel they wouldn’t let us stay there. We had to stay with a black family across town,” Kendall said.

Although already an eye opening experience for a young man new to the south, the humiliation of being turned away at a hotel was just a warmup for the game.

“There was a lot of racial slurs thrown at us,” Kendall said. People were throwing Coke bottles at us, they would actually throw their Coke bottles at us and use the N-word. I think that hurt me more than anything.”

Carrying the burden of the hurt and angst, Kendall planned his revenge, which he wanted to be carried out on the field.

“I couldn’t wait to play Angelo State again the next year, but the next year Angelo State dropped football. I was only 18-yearsold at the time and I had never experienced anything like that at the time,” Kendall said.

Racism was an unavoidable part of life for Kendall, yet his understanding of the importance of his actions in 1961 was well beyond his youth.

“I knew that I couldn’t change things at that particular time, but I thought that maybe my presence would make things easier for the next black coming in,” Kendall said.

“That was the attitude I wanted to take. I never used being black as a crutch. I could have quit and never come back, but I wouldn’t have helped the next guy.

A legacy is exactly what Kendall created at Cameron. Like the rest of the remaining players from ’61, Kendall traveled the distance from his home in Canton, Ohio to be a part of the honoring of the team with the dedication of a permanent bench directly outside of the Aggie Gym. To some it may only be a bench.

To others it is a permanent symbol of a great team.

What it should come to embody is the courage of young men like Ulysses Kendall, Bill Harper and the four others who found themselves in a tumultuous time in American history, chronologically wedged between Brown vs.

Board of Education and the Civil Rights Amendment, and their unwillingness to surrender to the prevailing thoughts of the time.

CU is now one of the most diverse schools in Oklahoma, hosting students from over 45 different countries and boasting a student body that is over 40 percent non-white. The roots of this rich history can be found somewhere inside one small, black bench sitting outside the Aggie Gym.

Kendall-2009

Say farewell to an NFL broadcasting legend

Boom!

Anyone who’s watched the NFL on television during the past 20 years has probably heard that famous saying at least once. No, I’m not talking about an NFL-themed Emeril Lagasse cooking show. I’m talking about the legendary, and I do mean legendary, John Madden.

I’ve watched football since I was three years-old and his voice and persona has alw,ays personified what I love about a Sunday afternoon. The games he commentated with Pat Summerall in the 90s were some of the most enjoyable games to not only watch, but to listen to. Madden was one of the reasons football was so entertaining. His mannerisms, funny sayings and even his ramblings about the local cuisine could distract you from even the most boring football game, and that’s not an easy task when you’re watching the Detroit Lions get stomped again on Thanksgiving Day. While this may make it sound like he’s dead, he isn’t. Madden has finally decided to retire and spend some time at home with his family, which is a great thing to do. I don’t think Madden could have accomplished anything else in his career. He won a Super Bowl with the Oakland Raiders, something that seems like an impossibility today. He headlined the most popular game series of all time and he introduced the six-legged turkey. The Galloping Gobbler may be an amusing distraction on Turkey Day, but it doesn’t beat the six-legged turkey that Madden would go crazy over.

But let’s face it, this is the end of a broadcasting era. There will be no more “booms,” no more “penetrations,” and no more random tangents about the local cuisine. Instead, we’re going to be stuck

with the ever-boring Chris Collinsworth. And I can speak for most football fans when I say I would rather watch paint dry than listen to him commentate. At least there can be some action in paint drying as you see it run down the wall and place bets on whether it will hit the ground before it dries.

Collinsworth commentates about as good as he played football, and he really wasn’t that good to begin with. I almost fell asleep in the last Carolina Panthers game on the NFL Network because Collinsworth’s commentating is so monotone and boring. It’s like there is a robot that is sitting in the booth coming up with stupid oneliners that don’t even hold a candle, or a braut, to Madden’s great moments.

Perhaps someone else will step into the seat eventually and take over the commentating king.

Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are decent on Fox and are about the only two decent commentators left in football. The guys on ESPN Monday Night Football talk more about the local celebrity and who’s dating who rather than the players on the field. The CBS commentating crews have always been horrible.

Let’s face it, we don’t watch football to listen to the commentating, at least not anymore.

But you know the one tragedy that will come out of this will be Frank Caliendo. He’s now going to have to find someone else to mock on a weekly basis. He was never funny to begin with, but a few of his Madden impersonations would result in a chuckle or two.

So I say this: hold a beer and a braut for Madden and throw some “tough-actin’ Tinactin on your feet next time you’re playing a game of Madden NFL 2009 for John Madden, the best commentator the NFL has ever seen.

Joshua Rouse

MCT Campus

Tough act to follow: John Madden, known for his spirited calling of football games, his video game franchise and his commercials for Tinactin, has stepped away from the announcer’s booth. After years of coaching the NFL’s Raiders, Madden truly became a household name-calling games.

18

Variety

May 4, 2009

The president has tackled simultaneous challenges during time of globalization, crisis

BY MARGARET TALEV McClatchy Newspapers

resident Barack Obama has crammed more into his first 100 days than most presidents, partly by design but mostly by necessity.

The economic crisis overshadowed much of the president’s campaign agenda. His new team had to hit the ground running in structuring and executing bailouts of banks and automakers, and working with Congress to decide how hundreds of billions of dollars will be spent on roads, schools and other projects meant to create short-term jobs while yielding long-term public benefit.

After campaigning on a promise to undo much of what President George W. Bush set in motion, Obama also has taken early actions on everything from the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the Iraq war; and U.S. relations with Muslim nation; to abortion, stem cell research and auto emissions policy.

Obama hasn’t grappled with any one challenge as severe as the Great Depression as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt did. But historians say Obama is juggling more overall at once, in an age of globalization and worldwide financial crisis and as the United States eases out of the war in Iraq and ramps up the one in Afghanistan.

Here’s a look at what Obama has accomplished so far: 2011. Pushing for a worldGuantanamo wide response to global Signed an executive order to close within a warming. year the controversial prison for terrorism detainees. The administration is studying which detainIraq ees to transfer to other countries, which to release Announced plans to pull a and who to hold for trial. majority of troops out of Iraq

Torture Signed an executive order formally banning torture by saying that all interrogation techniques must fall under what is permitted by the Army field manual.

Stimulus Got through Congress and signed a $787 billion package that he pitched as a way to save up to 4 million jobs. It expands spending on infrastructure, renewable energy, schools and health care for the unemployed. It also includes tax cuts of up to $400 for individuals or $800 for married couples.

Bank rescue plan Announced a public-private partnership to buy toxic assets so that banks can resume normal lending. The federal government would spend up to $100 billion to leverage purchases of up to $1 trillion in loans and securities.

Auto rescue plan Forced General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner out and encouraged the company to consider bankruptcy as part of a restructuring plan. Told Chrysler it must merge with a more viable automaker to survive. Promised enough aid to keep Chrysler going for 30 days and GM for 60 days.

Foreclosure plan Announced a $275 billion plan to halt home foreclosures and help an estimated 9 million homeowners.

Embryonic stem-cell research Lifted Bush administration restrictions on federal funding of new lines; supporters hope this could hasten treatments for various diseases.

ZBIGNIEW BZDAK/CHICAGO TRIBUNE

President Barack Obama signs an executive order on stem cell research in March.

Greenhouse gases Directed the Environmental Protection Agency to consider allowing California and other states to set stricter limits on auto emissions, a reversal of Bush policy. Announced plan to raise average fuel economy from 25.3 mpg to 27.3 mpg starting in

BY ADAM ZOLL AND DAVID INGOLD Chicago Tribune

pril 29 isn’t usually regarded as an important day on the political calendar, but this year it will be Barack Obama’s 100th day in office, traditionally a benchmark for assessing a new president’s job performance. It’s a standard that began with Franklin Roosevelt, who, upon taking office at the depth of the Great Depression, immediately pursued an aggressive legislative agenda to address the crisis. Since then, presidents have learned that the first few months in office can be a time to pursue long-held goals and deal with unforeseen events.

by August 2010 but leave as many as 50,000 there.

Afghanistan Authorized sending an additional 21,000 troops to Afghanistan this year as he focuses on going after the Taliban and al-Qaida. Obama may consider sending up to 10,000 more later this year or next year. While Pakistan poses the greater challenge, his plan for that country as of now involves more financial aid and trying to change public opinion there, not overt military operations.

Budget Submitted a $3.55 trillion budget plan to Congress, projected to further expand the deficit.

Health care Established White House Office of Health Reform, named a director and included in his budget proposal a $634 billion health care reserve fund — all to begin laying the groundwork for his plans to restructure the nation’s health care system and provide coverage for the uninsured.

Muslim relations Added Turkey to the itinerary for his April travel to the United Kingdom, France and Germany for G-20 and NATO meetings. Said in Turkey that the U.S. “is not and will never be at war with Islam.” Sent a video to Iran offering greetings for the Persian New Year and urged a new beginning between the nations.

Changing Washington culture Progress on this front has been limited. Obama set limits on lobbyists working for him, only to make exceptions to his own rules or to tap people who weren’t technically lobbyists but benefited from the same revolving-door politics he criticized on the campaign trail. Former Sen. Tom Daschle, a highly paid adviser for a lobbying firm, who withdrew as Obama’s Health and Human Services nominee because of a tax controversy, was one example. Obama’s overtures at bipartisanship, meanwhile, haven’t translated to votes as Democrats and Republicans in Congress have resisted compromise.

Internet Created a Web site where the public can track the stimulus spending, at recovery.gov.

Participated in an “online town hall” meeting from the White House. Expanded the White House Web site and shows video of the weekly presidential radio address on YouTube and the

White House Web site.

George W. Bush

Bill Clinton

George H.W. Bush

Ronald Reagan

Jimmy Carter

First 100 days events

First 100 days events

First 100 days events

First 100 days events

First 100 days events

Tax cut (Feb. 8): Bush unveils a $1.6 trillion tax-cut proposal that includes reducing income tax rates and eliminating the so-called marriage penalty and estate taxes.

Global warming (March 28): The Bush administration announces it will not implement the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, saying that to do so would harm the economy.

Gays in the military (Jan. 29): Fulfilling a campaign promise, Clinton replaces a long-standing ban with the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

Savingsand-loan crisis (Feb. 6): Bush proposes a multibilliondollar bailout of the troubled savings-and-loan industry.

Deficit reduction (Feb. 17): In a nationally televised address, Clinton announces a budgetbalancing plan to raise taxes on the wealthy and cut spending.

Tower nomination (March 9): The Senate rejects Bush’s nominee for secretary of defense, former Texas Sen. John Tower, following charges of alcohol abuse, womanizing and potential conflicts of interest. It’s the first time in three decades that the Senate has rejected a Cabinet nominee.

World Trade Center bombing (Feb. 26): A car bomb beneath the World Trade Center in Manhattan kills six people.

Reaganomics (Feb. 5): In an address to the nation, Reagan proposes broad budget and tax cuts in an attempt to alleviate what he calls “the worst economic mess since the Great Depression.” He also proposes widespread deregulation of industry.

Assassination attempt (March 30): Reagan is shot by John Hinckley Jr. while exiting the Washington, D.C., Hilton. One bullet punctures a lung. After 12 days in the hospital, Reagan returns to the White House.

Draft pardon (Jan. 21): In his first full day in office, Carter fulfills a campaign pledge and pardons Vietnam War-era draft evaders.

Reorganization Act (April 6): Carter signs a bill designed to streamline the federal government and make it more efficient.

SOURCES: WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA, “ FA C T S A B O U T T H E P R E S I D E N T S ” B Y J O S E P H N AT H A N K A N E , T H E A M E R I C A N P R E S I D E N C Y P R O J E C T, P R E S I D E N T I A L LIBRARIES, GALLUP POLL,U.S. HOUSE OF R E P R E S E N TAT I V E S , U . S . S E N AT E , 2 7 0 T O W IN.COM, NEWS REPORTS