COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y
Monday, November 19, 2007
News
Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926
Volume 81 Issue 10
Program showcases student work By Laura Batule Collegian Staff
Johari and students catch flow. SEE PAGE 5
A&E
English Department hosts social.
A recent successful campaign to instill a sense of school pride can be seen around the campus. The Acclaimed Aggie Campaign highlights the accomplishments of Cameron Alumni who have gone on to achieve professional distinction in their chosen fields. Kyle Bolton and Daniela Krotzer want to take that campaign one step further. Two Cameron University students whose vision is to gather, compile and selectively showcase the academic achievements of students, by students, and for students, are creating “The Cameron Collection, ” in order to pass on works to those that follow. A visionary understands that unless that information is made accessible to all, at any given time, invaluable research, artistic talent and literary works may slip through the cracks and be lost to those who follow in their academic footsteps. “Danni and I were sitting in the language lab and Danni asked me why the works of students weren’t collected and made available for future students,” said Bolton, who is a junior majoring in International Languages. “We knew that other universities did this and wondered why we didn’t.” “We plan to have The Cameron Collection available for the centennial celebration to present as a gift to Cameron University,” Bolton said. “What better way to celebrate 100 years of academic achievement than to showcase the
Sports
Softball has high hopes for spring.
By Erik Hurley With all of the construction on campus, Cameron’s expansion is easy to see. However, the university is experiencing additional growth 35 miles east of Lawton in Duncan, where enrollment grew 12 percent this semester Nearly 500 students are now attending classes at CUDuncan, which is an all-time high for enrollment at the branch. Director of CU-Duncan, Susan Camp, said the causes of the increase are not easy to find. “I don’t see it [enrollment] specifically in one discipline or in one demographic group,” she said. “I think it could be broadly applied.” While 12 percent is a significant increase, it’s not the largest increase for the branch: Enrollment increased 40 percent in 2004 after the Higher Learning Center, which was opened
Collegian Staff
Writers Guild hits the picket lines. SEE PAGE 6
need the submissions to come directly from the students.” Bolton explained that professors cannot submit work without students’ permission. In order to legally protect students and keep their work safe, they must prompt students to submit to the collection.
See COLLECTION Page 2
still some room for CU-Duncan to grow. “We have all of our rooms in-use during peak hours, but as college students well know, there are times when classes aren’t as full,” she said. “So, we have room to add classes.” Camp said she embraces CU-Duncan’s growth and hopes to broaden the selection of classes in order to give students alternative options for graduation. “Every semester we try to increase the number of Photo courtesy of Community Relations offerings within a section to help complete degree programs in 1994, was re-named “CU-Duncan.” we have here,” Camp said. “Our hope is to “We saw the most marked increase in actually finalize those for a student to be able to enrollment when we officially became a branch complete certain degrees entirely at the Duncan campus,” Camp said. “When the sign out campus or with a combination of on-line and front says Cameron University-Duncan, then Duncan classes.” people really understand and realize what the opportunities are there.” In addition to increased enrollment, the See DUNCAN number of classes students can take at Duncan’s Page 2 campus has also increased. Camp said there is
SGA considers new Cameron football program
SEE PAGE 10 By Jessica Frazier
Voices
artwork, research papers, creative writings and scientific research of the great students who attend Cameron?” Bolton and Krotzer, who is a CU alumnus and Cameron student studying international languages and psychology, said that this vision will not be attained unless students embrace the idea and provide them with input. “There has been an enormous faculty response to this project, but teachers will not make this happen, the students will,” Bolton said. “We
CU-Duncan enrollment reaches all-time high Newswriting Student
SEE PAGE 11
Graphic by Jim Horinek
During a meeting two weeks ago, the Student Government Association passed a new resolution regarding bathroom facilities and began considering a movement about a new CU football program. Grace Choi, author of resolution 306013, told Student Government members during their regularly scheduled meeting that shelves must be installed in each bathroom stall on campus in order to comply with the Cameron University recommendation/policy on protecting textbooks and personal items. After being argued and amended, the resolution passed 43-2 with eight representatives abstaining. Choi highlighted the fact that restrooms currently have a public shelf on the wall, but students must leave their books temporarily unattended when they enter a stall. Also, Cameron serves over 100 disabled students who are unable to use the large wooden shelves because they are over five and a half feet from the ground.
She argued further that several germs and viruses cover the restroom floor. She called attention to the fact that if students want to comply with Cameron’s policy of not leaving your personal items and textbooks unattended, the only option is for students to put them in the floor of the bathroom stall. This legislation was amended after questions from other senators and representatives. Phi Sigma Iota representative, Jason Poudrier, suggested that the shelves be spring-loaded and to remove the size limitation of the shelves from the resolution. Originally, the resolution required six inch shelves. “In order to ensure that we get the springloaded shelves the author has suggested, we should add spring-loaded to the resolution,” Poudrier said. “We don’t want to end up with bulky wooden boards attached to the bathroom stalls.” The resolution also requires that hooks be added to all stalls. The next piece of legislation discussed was Resolution 306014, which calls for a poll to determine student and faculty interest in implementing a Cameron University Football
Program. The co-authors, Adam Gutierrez and Megan Mefford, explained the bill to the senators and representatives. The resolution is designed to quantify interest in reinstating a football program. According to the authors, the poll will educate the students and faculty about the potential costs associated with reinstating a football program. The bill states that all students and faculty will be given the opportunity to participate in the survey either online or at booths located across campus. Volunteers from SGA and/or PAC will operate the booths. After questions from the floor, the legislation was put on hold until the next meeting. In the next meeting there will be a second round of questioning, and if no amendments are made the representatives will vote on the legislation. Next, President Jeff Wozencraft opened the floor up for announcements from senators and representatives. After announcements, a motion was made to adjourn. “Without objection, objection, objection (a smack of the gavel) this meeting is adjourned,” he said.
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November 19, 2007
Rep. Cole aids Upward Bound High school program funded for four years with new grant By Chris Allison Collegian Staff With the help of U.S. Congressman Tom Cole, the Cameron University branch of Upward Bound received a grant to fund the next four years. This grant will provide Upward Bound with nearly $300,000 per year for four years. The funding comes at a time when, according to the Dean of Student Services at Cameron, Jennifer Holland, the program was almost shut down. “We were notified in May that our grant was not funded,” she
said. “It was not funded because we did not meet this certain priority that they set. So we went back and appealed with Tom Cole’s help saying ‘yes, we feel like we did meet that priority.’ The appeal worked, and we got our funding. There were four months this summer when we thought that we were not going to be funded.” Without funding, the services and programs of Upward Bound would have been no longer available according to Holland. She explained what Upward Bound is and its purpose.
Upward Bound is a federally funded program. Different institutions are awarded money based on a federal grant. It is a TRIO program. The purpose of Upward Bound is to help high school students prepare for college. For students to qualify for Upward Bound, they have to be low income and meet the federal income eligibility requirements. They also have to be ‘first generation,’ which means that their parents did not go to college. Cameron applied for the grant to work with four area high schools. “We work with Lawton High School, MacArthur High School, Eisenhower High School and Geronimo High School. Within the scope of our grant, those are the four schools that our Upward Bound program serves. Our program provides those students at those high schools workshops, trips and programs that are geared to help those students prepare for college.” One example of a program that helps students prepare for college is an ACT preparation workshop. Another example of a workshop is the time management workshop. Upward Bound helps students fill out the application for Oklahoma’s Higher Learning Access Program, which can help fund their eventual college years. Some high school students also attend a one-month summer residential program, living in the dorm while taking special classes.
High School seniors can attend college classes during the residential program. Tutoring is another service offered, since Upward Bound students often have special academic needs. Upward Bound also sponsors trips to other college campuses so that students can explore many possibilities for university attendance. Besides funding daily operations, workshops, travel and the summer residential program, the grant money is spent mostly on salaries for the two counselors, a director of the program, a technology specialist, and summer
tutors and counselors. Upward Bound is one of three Cameron TRIO programs that help provide educational opportunities to everyone regardless of race, ethnic background or economic circumstances. The other TRIO programs at Cameron are Student Support Services, which serves college students, and Open Doors (Educational Talent Search), which serves middle and high school students. Upward Bound successfully assists a population of students who statistically have problems transitioning into college life.
DUNCAN continued from page 1 Camp says community and business leaders have supported CUDuncan with the idea that better educated citizens are beneficial for the community. The branch has already increased the number of business classes offered to accommodate the student need. Other opportunities for CU-Duncan students include use of a resource center, a computer lab and tutoring for both math and English courses. Having the campus located in Duncan provides the opportunity for better time management to students living in counties east of Cameron’s main campus. Camp added that what is beneficial for the Duncan campus is beneficial for all of Cameron, “Cameron University and Administrators, including the President, would love see our (CUDuncan’s) growth,” she said.
COLLECTION continued from page 1 The works of all applicants who wish to contribute will undergo a thorough review to maintain the integrity, credibility and academic distinction of the collection. “When submissions are received, we will have other departments look them over for content and accuracy. We will upload those accepted and update and review them at least bi-annually. This collection will consist of quality undergraduate works. A student who has their work published in this collection should know that it will look great on a graduate school application,” Bolton said. How do students like Bolton and Krotzer take their vision and make it a reality? “Student participation is the key to the success of The Cameron Collection,” Bolton said. “We want to get the word out to students about this project and encourage their participation. Anyone interested in being a part of this project or who wish to offer an academic work for consideration can contact me. Eventually, we hope to have a link on the Cameron University Web site, but for now, I ask anyone interested to please contact me at cameroncollection@yahoo.com for more information about this exciting project.”
Photo by Laura Batule
Great minds think alike: Daniela Krotzer and Kyle Bolton callobrate for the “Cameron Collection.” The “Cameron Collection” is a compilation of note worthy ungraduate academic works.
November 19, 2007
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November 19, 2007
The ins and outs of buying a home By Lauren Roberts
how much one can afford is set. “Assets can be detrimental to Newswriting Student an approval or denial. The ability Cameron students know first to save money prior to the home hand how expensive room and loan application is extremely board can be. important,” said Strawderman. Many CU students choose to The idea of buying a home may live on campus or rent. However, be scary. However, if the student there may be a better solution for rents out the other rooms it’s a money spent on living cost. Buying way that he or she can cut cost. a house can be beneficial to CU Just make sure with or without students roommates as a way to the payments invest those can still be “Save, Save, Save. Buying a monthly rent made. home can be expensive.” payments. “Bancfirst Once a employees —Linda Stawderman complete a student has decided to VP of Bancfirst Mortgage minimum stop renting Lending 10 question and starting consultation owning he to help or she needs borrowers to obtain a mortgage pre-approval choose programs that are before shopping for a house. available,” Strawderman said. “I believe the number one item “Credit scores are very important to retrieve prior to requesting a in some, but not all. It is almost home loan is to obtain your credit imperative a customer knows his report from all three bureaus,” or her credit history going into the said Linda Strawderman, Vice process.” President of Banc First Mortgage Ask the mortgage lender to Lending. “Individuals may obtain recommend agents they work their credit reports from Experian, with to help the process of house Transunion and Equifax from hunting go smoothly. Make sure http://www.annualcreditreport. that the real estate agent selected comfree of charge once a year.” is a reputable professional who will This is where a budget is set and listen to the needs of the buyer and
give references of former clients to help pick the right agent for the right buyer. When the perfect home has been chosen it’s time to make an offer. The real estate agent will then present the seller the offer made. From there the seller can accept it, counter offer or reject it. When the price is settled then the buyer and seller sign a Purchase Agreement defining the terms of the sale. The Purchase Agreement lays out the odds and ends of the sell. Many include the day the buyer is able to move in, what is to be left on the property and how much Ernest money will be put down. Ernest money is the amount which the buyer puts down on the house and if something falls though the seller is not out some much. “Save, Save, Save. Buying a home can be expensive. Yes, we offer 100 percent or more financing. However, the closing cost, to include insurance premiums and inspections can be pricey. Also,
By David L. Bublitz
Thomas said. “But I worked with Jennifer Holland’s office and we will offer additional workshops in the future that will be open to everyone on the campus.” Of the vast array of services the program provides, academic advisement and tutoring are the two services that are utilized the most by Student Support Services members, according to Thomas. She said that membership in the Student Support Services program requires students to meet one of three criteria. “They must either be a firstgeneration student, meet the federal government’s definition of economic need—students who qualify for a Pell grant usually meet this requirement or must have a documented physical or learning disability,” she said. “After one of those three criteria is met, students also have to demonstrate an academic need.” The Student Support Services staff can define “academic need.” Some examples may include students who are required to attend remedial classes, students who have been away from the academic pipeline for five or more years, or ESL students. According to Thomas, a large majority of Cameron students qualify for membership, and there is space available for students who want to apply. “We still have some slots that are open,” she said. “We are funded to serve 235 students. We have grant aid available for a freshmen or a first semester
the moving and decorating expenses can add up,” Strawderman said. Then the process of buying a house begins. The house is inspected to provide an in-depth look at the basic systems of the house and to reveal any hazards so the buyer has time to reconsider his or her decision. The house also will get appraised. An appraisal is usually required by the mortgage lender. It’s a written estimate of the home’s current market value this verifies the buying prices is at a reasonable limit. A closing agent coordinates and distributes all the paperwork and funds.
“Bancfirst doesn’t have the first payment due until 45 days after closing to help absorb some of these costs,” Strawderman said. At this time, title insurance is obtained. This guarantees the lender that the property purchased is free of liens and confusion of ownership. Then the ownership of the property is transferred. For more information visit www. bancfirst.com.
Thomas takes position as Director of Support Services Collegian Staff The new director of one of Cameron University’s most significant student support programs is not new to helping students acquire their academic goals. Doreen Thomas was recently named the director of CU’s Student Support Services program after the retirement of long-time director Suzanne Aplan. Thomas has a deep connection to Cameron University’s Student Support Services program. Before her promotion to the program’s top spot, she worked as the Assistant Director for Student Support Services for 10 years. Beyond her career history with the program, Thomas represents a true example of promotion from within. “I was a member of Student Support Services as a student working on my bachelor’s degree here at Cameron,” she said. “During that time I worked in the Student Support Services writing lab as a tutor.” After receiving her degree, Thomas worked as the tutor coordinator for Student Support Services before her subsequent promotions to assistant director, and program director. According to Thomas, the Student Support Services program at Cameron has expanded the services they provide to their members. “When I started with the
program as a student, we only had the departmental labs across campus, the writing lab, the reading lab and the math lab,” she said. “The program did not have the supplemental grants or the tuition waivers that Student Support Services now gives to members. “Over the years, the staff has grown as well. The program began at Cameron with only one director, one counselor, and one program assistant with lab support from the math and English departments. The program now has three counselors, an assistant director, and a desk clerk as well as numerous paid student workers including additional tutors and a funded student mentoring program with peer counselors.” As Student Support Services director, Thomas intends to promote the program to the campus population in order to assist as many students as the program capacity will allow. “I would like to see the program a bit more active across campus and would like to increase the awareness of the program among students and faculty,” she said. “This semester was the first time that we did a workshop that was open to the whole campus community. We did that in conjunction with Student Services and we have been asked to do that again. “In the past, only members of the program were allowed to participate in the workshop,”
sophomore. Students will need to meet the criteria, come over to the main office where the front staff will have them complete an application and a couple of academic assessments to see if they are accepted into the program.” While Thomas is not a native of the Southwest community, her connection to Lawton results from a social demographic that is common in the Lawton/Ft. Sill community. “I am an Iowa farm girl,” she said. “The reason I am in Lawton is that I married a man who was in the military. We have two daughters. Our oldest daughter finished her BA at Cameron, and is now in the Masters program here. My youngest daughter is finishing her BA at UCO in Edmond. My husband, who is now retired from the military, and I live in the country on a miniranch where we raise horses.” As the roots of Thomas’ family deepen in southwest Oklahoma, so does her personal connection to Cameron University and Student Support Services.
Thomas’ endorsement of the Student Support Services program extends beyond a mere rendition of the services available. It is more personal. “The benefits of this program are invaluable,” Thomas said. “I do not think I could have gotten through my degree here at Cameron without the help of this program.” Cameron students wanting to apply for membership should visit the SSS front office in North Shepler 431. For more information, students can visit the SSS Web site through the CU home page, or call the SSS office at 581.2352.
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November 19, 2007
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Dr. Johari leads students to Anaheim technology conference By Jessica Frazier Collegian Staff Four Cameron University students have got the flow, according to Dr. Abbas Johari, Associate Professor of Instructional Technology/Mulitmedia Design. The group recently returned from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology’s annual conference in Anaheim, Cali. Derece Williams, Deborah Taylor, Mario Dominguez and Daniel Delgado were selected by Dr. Johari to attend the conference. The students were chosen because they are all members of a minority group and because of their academic excellence. Dr. Johari is a strong supporter of training women and minorities for leadership roles. “These are students who want to go into a doctoral program … they have what I call ‘flow,’” he said. Dr. Johari defined “flow” as a desire and motivation to succeed. He said he can tell the difference between a flat student with no desire and a student with flow. At the conference, the students attended multiple workshops, meetings, and sessions all dealing with educational technology. Taylor, a freshman, was most impressed by a session that discussed a banking program for people in foreign countries. For example,
the program provides loans to impoverished women to start businesses. “I was very impressed with the high return of the loans,” she said. “98 percent of their loans are paid off. That is a higher rate than in America.” According to Dr. Johari, the banking program taught the people how to use different software and technology for e-banking. Williams, a junior, said, “It was very interesting how they incorporated technology into helping the less fortunate.” Taylor said she would one day like to go to a country where she can help impoverished people become computer literate. While Williams, Taylor, Dominguez and Dr. Johari spent their time in the banking session, Delgado attended sessions that focused on utilizing gaming as a method of instruction. According to Dr. Johari, the idea of gaming instruction is to create a game that is fun and motivational, but also allows for the injection of education throughout the game. Though the students found the sessions very interesting and enlightening, all agreed that the best thing about attending the conference was the opportunity for networking. “If I do continue on this course, they will help me out later in life,”
Delgado said. “I just have to give them a call.” “It was definitely a professional atmosphere. It was an honor and a privilege to be there,” Williams said. Dominguez said, “It was a lifechanging experience. The knowledge I gained from the conference is like no other because you are surrounded by professionals from all over the States and all over the world.” Taylor said she came away with “a zeal to press forward.” “It gave me more drive than what I already have,” Williams said, “because I want to be in that professional environment.” All of these students have participated in various stages of research with Dr. Johari. Their research deals specifically with the use of instructional technology for minorities. They are currently working on a program called Captivate E-Learning: Instruction for ESL Learners.
Photo courtesy of Dr. Abbas Johari
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ON STRIKE: t
he modern day media junkie might rave about how much easier life has become due to advancements made in information distribution, but the recent Writer’s Guild Association (WGA) strike proves that internet video streaming and DVDs only complicate the formula. As of Monday, Nov. 5, 2007, writers for television shows and movies are refusing to produce any new shows or scripts. The pencils came down after a series of failed negotiations between producers of shows and those who develop them. The WGA are arguing that producers are making extra money from DVD sales and web streaming movies and TV shows without giving the writers proper
Writers refuse to entertain until properly compensated for DVD sales and streaming videos
compensation. Producers respond by claiming that these new forms of media are so young that it would be impossible to determine how much money they actually make from them, and that the WGA is raising “a number of red herrings and irrelevant financial information.” In the meantime, viewers are left with reruns and silence—not one word. Those striking, in my opinion, are completely justified. If you work to create a product and others profit from it, you should be paid for it whether it is aired at 8 p.m., sold in a DVD box set or streamed on the web. Production companies make billions of dollars off the work that writers produce, and,
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November 19, 2007
according to CNN.com, writers depend on residual checks from previous scripts while between jobs. Their previous contracts don’t include residual payment for DVD sales or new pod casts and internet streaming of their work, from which producers are making handsome profits. It shouldn’t matter how much more money they make or how “new” the practices are: Writers produced the work that makes revenue possible, and they should get their fair share. As if exploitation of creation isn’t enough, what angers me the most are the effect-focused reactions of news sources and columnists, which take away from the writers’ cause. Every story I have read regarding the strike stresses its impact on program schedules or whether “Dancing With the Stars” will survive. In his editorial appearing in “The LA Times,” Scott Collins asked “how will we get to sleep without David Letterman’s ‘Top 10 List?’” A Nov. 4 article about the strike, taken from CNN.com, included a box along side the text entitled “how
you’ll be affected.” It’s like some apocalyptic countdown depicting the chronological order in which shows will die off. Leno and Letterman will immediately go into reruns while daytime soap operas have only about a week of scripts stockpiled. I just don’t know what I’ll do without my mindless, convoluted and overacted garbage. While I love Conan and Colbert, I’m not going to be devastated by their absences. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Journalists write for their audiences, and today’s readers are hooked on TV. On Oct. 26-28, hundreds of fans of the hit TV show, “The Office” traveled to Scranton, Penn. (the city in which the show takes place) to attend an “Office Convention,” where viewers participated in various activities, including an office olympics. New York City tour guides offer “Sex and the City” fans a chance to visit actual restaurants and filming spots featured in the series. Not to mention the fact that I have been completely engrossed in watching “Rome” on DVD for the last week. It really isn’t terribly surprising that news
reports get straight to the point and inform viewers how they will be affected, because that’s what seems to matter most. On a lighter note, I think that viewers without their favorite television shows will turn to other forms of media for entertainment, which may further legitimize the WGA’s cause. I don’t have cable, so I watch entire seasons of shows on DVD, watch shows online or rent movies. This practice, which may become more frequent without fresh scripts, only proves that the content which writers create is what’s valuable, not the medium in which it is presented. I guess avid television watchers will be stuck with stale episodes until the WGA and production companies reach an agreement. It isn’t the end of the world, as some make it out to be: Life will go on without Leno and Letterman. If viewers are still yearning for some channel surfing, they may want to start with some web surfing, like to the WGA Web site to sign up to support the strike. Instead of focusing on how a blank boob tube affects them, fans should help writers get what they deserve—a bigger paycheck.
Malinda Rust
Intoxicating or nauseating?
Perfumes don’t smell sweet to those with fragrance sensitivity When do Lovely, Beautiful, Heiress and Allure result in nausea, migraine and sickness? When they are the oftentimes-overused names of perfumes, and the person exposed to those scents suffers a severe and debilitating allergic reaction, commonly referred to as “fragrance sensitivity.” How serious is my fragrance sensitivity? No amount of pre-emptive measures, such as antihistamines can minimize my violent allergy reactions. Within seconds of inhaling certain fragrances, I feel nauseated with an immediate constricting pain in my head. The pounding in my head and sickness in my stomach eventually subside only after I physically remove myself from the source. I have even had to change computer work stations in the library when a person wearing too much perfume sits next to me. My wedding invitations were printed with the phrase, “No perfume please,” in the lower left hand corner. If a guest wore too much perfume, I knew my day would be ruined. We had baby wipes in the rear of the church and gave the ushers the guidance that if anyone came to the church wearing perfume, he or she would be politely asked to wipe off the scent. Why do people wear so much perfume or
cologne? Perhaps they are trying to attract others, using a laboratory product to induce the chemical and behavioral reaction naturally caused by pheromones. Perhaps after years of wearing perfume or cologne they are desensitized to the scent. Perhaps they are substituting a pungent perfume for an overdue shower or trip to the laundromat. The Monster.com Web site has addressed the unpleasant issue of the malodorous workplace. There are extreme cases where employees who are diagnosed with severe fragrance sensitivity may seek resolution with guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, most workplaces find employees who are annoyed to distraction by a constant assault to their olfactory sense. A person with poor personal hygiene is an extremely sensitive subject. Guidelines for how often a person should bathe, brush their teeth and wash their clothes are made available through the Human Resources (HR) departments of many businesses. HR Web sites are quick to point out that a medical condition may be the cause of unpleasant body odor and employers should use discretion when counseling an employee. Oftentimes an employee will know they have a problem but not be aware that seeking medical
Laura Batule
treatment may be the only answer. Overuse of perfume or cologne is an awareness issue. I suffer from many allergies to include: pollen, animal dander, mold, dust and mildew, which are all treatable by over-the-counter medications. I take those medications as a preventative measure so I will not spend the day sneezing, coughing and making everyone within a 12-foot radius uncomfortable and aware of my airborne germs. I know that a fragrance-free environment is not a plausible one — everything has scent in it. However, moderation is the key to coexistence. If a person uses the same fragrance shampoo, body wash, deodorant, body spray, powder and perfume, the resulting effect can be overwhelming. And please don’t be fooled by those Axe commercials. If a throng of screaming women rush toward you, they’re probably going to hose you down and in a desperate attempt to make the world a more pleasant smelling place. On behalf of all those with fragrance sensitivity, please use perfume and cologne in moderation and soap and laundry detergent in excess.
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CU Career Services help students take the first step What do you want to be when you grow up? I have asked my children this question many times throughout their lives. Once, my 5-year-old daughter informed me that she wanted to be the President of the United States. She even told her brother that he could be vice president. That is, until he did something mean to her. After which, she proclaimed that she would still make him vice president ... so she could fire him. Although our children’s hopes and dreams evolve as they grow, the career
question looms unchanged. It insistently demands an answer from our children as they approach adulthood. With this in mind, it is amazing to me that many students in their third and even fourth year of college have no idea what career they want to pursue after they graduate. Upon graduation, these students walk across the stage straight into a brick wall. Even more amazing, parents and educational institutions seem to be
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okay with this. They must be, since many students continue to graduate with no tangible conception of the connection between education and career acquisition. Rather than viewing college as job training, many students perceive their post-secondary educational experience through a secondary educational lens; it’s just more school. Thus, many students and their parents spend a great deal of time, effort and expense without the benefit of a career that results from an academic investment. This equates to a gross lack of student mentorship. However, the lack of adequate educational/career mentorship programs for students is not the problem. Cameron University’s Student Development Office has numerous career and college major assistance programs that provide all the tools parents and students need to bridge the gap between students’ educational decisions and rewarding careers. The Career Services Office, as a part of CU’s Office of Student Development, provides the majors/career link for students through many programs. At Career Services, Cameron students
can access online job listings, construct their resume, even practice their job interview skills. However, these services mean little unless students know what careers they want to pursue. What do you want to be when you grow up? Career research that connects a student’s personal profile to a career field is the first step in answering the career question. CU’s Career Services can help students answer the career question as well. They provide students with access to a complete self-assessment program, called DISCCOVER, which assesses a student’s personal skills, aptitudes, needs, and interests, then connects this personal profile to an extensive list of career fields. The program then provides students with precise information about the career field. Students can learn what the job pays by state, employment outlook by state, even what a typical day in the job is like. Most importantly, the program lets students know what
college major satisfies the career requirements for each career they research. I often wonder why college administrations do not make career research a prerequisite for freshmen prior to enrollment. It is unreasonable to require a student to pick a major without a road map that connects their major to a career. One would think that Career Services would be among the first stops for new students at Cameron. If it were, the perpetual line of students that forms at graduation and ends at the unemployment line would be a lot shorter.
David L. Bublitz
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
The ambiguity of instincts and prejudice We are continually being conditioned in today’s society to be accepting and tolerant of others’ cultural and ethnic differences. We strive to be politically correct in our personal lives and in positions we hold in the workforce. Curriculums require classes like social studies in elementary school, sociology and psychology at a high school level and others to include ethics and communication that stress cultural differences in higher education. Activist groups are constantly fighting employee discrimination in companies and winning their cases in court. I consider myself open-minded to new ideas and accepting of
cultural differences in my daily life. A few days ago, however, I found myself questioning how tolerant and accepting I really am. The school day was over and I was heading out of the building. As I walked down the hallway, on the second floor of Nance Boyer, I noticed that two young men were walking about 10-15 feet in front of me. They were speaking to each other in Arabic. I knew it was Arabic because my brother-in-law is Chaldean and I have often attended their family gettogethers and cultural events. As we continued down the hall and started down the stairs, they
Kelley Burt
met two other Arabic-speaking young men in the stairwell. A series of elaborate handshakes and partial hugs took place as I got closer to the group. As I passed the four guys with ample room to walk by, I thoughtlessly pulled my purse tight under my arm and quickened my pace to the door. It wasn’t until I was outside the building that I realized what I had done. My adrenaline was pumping and I was scared though it was obvious I was in no immediate danger. This was embarrassing. I haven’t stopped analyzing why this situation or my reaction to it bothered me so much. Maybe it was because our government has been fighting a war in the Middle East where many negative stereotypes have been associated with people of that region? Or maybe it was because I saw four guys who seemed very chummy and looked like they
knew how to handle themselves in a fight? Would my reaction have been different if they had a different skin color, spoke Spanish or were female? Whatever the reason, I still can’t decide if my reaction was justified or appropriate. Many people argue that we don’t trust our instincts enough and if we’re uncomfortable in a situation we should probably get out of it as soon as we can. More often than not, when asked about being attacked or mugged, individuals say that they felt something wasn’t right or got a bad feeling about their surroundings just before it happened. I’m not prejudice or intolerant of cultural differences, but should we err on the side of caution when it comes to certain situations, even if that means we are committing a faux pas? I think it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Jessica Lane News Editor - Josh Rouse Assistant News Editor: Jim Horinek Copy Editor - Malinda Rust A&E Editor - Amanda Herrera Sports Editor - Kareem Guiste Variety Editor - Bira Vidal Assistant Editor - David R. Bublitz
Newsroom Staff Ads Manager - Kelley Burt Cartoonist - Thomas Pruitt Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - David L. Bublitz, Jessica Frazier, Kyle Weatherly, Kerry Meyers, Brandi O’Daniel, Jacob Russell, Ashley Wilkerson, Elizabeth Yocham, Laura Batule
Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller
Newswriting Students Chris Allison, Dewan Bennett, Henry Evans, Diana Harger, Erik Hurley, Tamra Mann, Valerie Pennington, Adrienne Reid, Lauren Roberts, John Robertson, Danielle Rogers, Clayton Wright
About Us The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.
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What do you think about school being open on Wednesday, due to Statehood Day?
“I would rather have Wednesday off. I am from Chicago and if I wanted to go home for Thanksgiving it would be easier.”
“I would rather be off on Wednesday so that we would have a long weekend.”
“I like having Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off for Thanksgiving. I don’t know why we didn’t have Statehood Day last year...what day is it...oh yeah. —John Helzer Chemistry sophomore
—Jesse Ellis Graduate Chemistry student
—Kate Wolverton Business freshman
“It is good to have the days off spread out. It will be more helpful to have two longer weekends instead of just one.” —Jiwan Ghimire Biology freshman
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.
Sports
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November 19, 2007
Cricket culture alive at CU By Malinda Rust Collegian Staff As winter approaches, the soft songs of crickets will disappear, but CU students can still hear the whack of cricket bats in the fields south of Cameron Village. According to the official Cricket World Cup’s Web site, the goal of the International Cricket Council (ICC) is “that cricket will capture and inspire people of every age, gender, background and ability while building bridges between continents, countries and communities.” Ashish Pathak, a Fulbright Scholar from India, and roughly 15 other international students are helping the ICC to achieve their goal by playing informal cricket matches on campus and providing an opportunity for students from all nations to learn and love the game. “There are not any American students who play with us,” Pathak said. “They are more attentive to games like basketball or volleyball, but Americans are growing to like cricket.” According to Wikipedia’s Web site, cricket was developed in the 13th century in England among children of the farming and metalworking communities. Since then, the game’s popularity has grown significantly in Asian and Caribbean countries and in Australia. ESPN’s cricket Web site, cricinfo.com, provides users with player stats, blogs, game information and even a fantasy cricket league. “In Asian countries it is more popular than other sports like hockey or volleyball,” Pathak said. “In India, everyone knows what cricket is. I have played since childhood. It is a very lucrative game, and one of the richest people in my country is a cricket player.” According to Pathak, Cameron’s cricket players hail from many
MCT Campus
At the stumps: Bowler Carl Ifill, left, winds up to deliver a ball during a cricket match in Lauderhill against two teams made up of players from the Barbados in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Cricket is enjoyed by many people around the world and it is now apart of CU. countries including India, Nepal, Pakistan and the Caribbean. Cricket is a bat-and-ball sport, usually played with two teams of 11 players. Batting teams attempt to score runs by hitting a ball that is “bowled” them on a 22-yard strip of flat ground, called the “cricket patch.” According to Wikipedia.com: “The batsman-if he or she does not get out- may run between the wickets, exchanging ends with a second batsman, who has been waiting near the bowler’s wicket. Each completed exchange of ends scored one run. Runs are also
scored if the batsman hits the ball to the boundary of the playing area.” The complicated rules of the game should not discourage students from attempting to play. Pathak has offered to teach the rules of the game to anyone interested in learning how to play. “If anyone is interested and knows the rules, we welcome them to play,” he said. “I am willing to teach also. The more people see it they will know that it is really a simple game.” Cricket is usually played with a hard leather ball and flat, paddle-
like bats, and players must wear protective gear to prevent injuries. However, the cricket players at Cameron offer a safer and homemade version of the game. “There is a lower risk because we play with a softer tennis ball,” Pathak said. “Someone bought a bat and used carpenter skills to make the bats. I broke one last Saturday, so if anyone knows where to buy official bats, please let me know.” The matches and teams are not formally organized, but students who wish to see live cricket action can usually watch a game every
Friday or Saturday night around 5:30 p.m. on the south side of Cameron Village. The CU cricket players also have scheduled matches against four other teams from Texas and Oklahoma, which will take place during the spring semester. “We were going to play the other teams over fall break, but we had to cancel,” Pathak said. “I was very disappointed: I practiced really hard.” For more information about upcoming cricket matches or the tournament in the spring contact Ashish Pathak at 581.5548.
Svajlen at the top for fall season By Kerry Shanks Collegian Staff Cameron Aggies Golf Coach Jerry Hrnciar explained earlier this week that the golf season is never really over. Even during the winter months, there is a continuous cycle of practices and upcoming tournaments to prepare for. The Cameron Aggie Men’s golf team recently finished up their fall season, and they are currently preparing for the spring. “Our goal this fall was to win the Fall Tournament and be ranked top 2 in the nation,” Hrnciar said. “We fell a little
short of that though. We have a young, strong team.” The starting team includes three sophomores: Robbe Trout, of Whitesboro, Texas, Michael Lee of Oklahoma City, and Brett Leavell from Elgin. Cane Shumaker, a senior from Miami, Okla., and Peter Svajlen, a junior from Bratislava, Slovakia are top players as well. In the fall 2007 statistics, Svajlen came out above the rest with a 74.38 average for the season. Sophomore Michael Lee was not far behind with an average of 74.63, and Robbe Trout finished with a 76.63 average. Coach Hrnciar said that
there is limited opportunity for development of younger players due to the 45/24-day rule, which means he gets less time to spend with the players practicing one on one. “This is the first time I can recall that we did not play at least one good tournament,” he said. “I feel like we have just as much talent as we did last year, and in the spring season we expect to display those talents. Since we fell below our expectations for the fall, I have been working on one on one skills during this off season, and really focus on the spring season.” The first tournament of the
spring season will be the St. Edwards Invitational in Austin, Texas. “This is an important tournament for us so that we can get to know the course,” Hrnciar said. “The regional tournament is played here, so it will give us an advantage later on by knowing what types of challenges we will be facing.” In March, the Aggie golf team will be facing another tournament at the East Central Invitational in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The last tournament that the Aggie golf team is playing in before the conference is the Argonaut Invitational in Pensacola, Fla. Being part of this tournament is a
huge honor because only the top 25 teams in the nation get invited to play. The final “Golf World”/NIKE Golf Division II Coaches’ Poll of the fall season was just released, combining the resources of “Golf World” magazine, NIKE Golf and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA). Cameron University is currently ranked twenty-second in the nation for the Coaches poll. The team is ranked thirty-ninth nationally and eighth regionally. Though the team did not do as well as planned this last season, they are optimistic about the upcoming season.
good first game. Give it to UCO though, they played extremely well. Our team has come a long way but we could have played better today.” In game one the Aggies and Bronchos were within three points for most of the game. It wasn’t until UCO went up 20-17 that they started to pull away with ten of the final eighteen points. Game two saw Cameron hold a few slim leads until Central Oklahoma took control and went up 28-16. The Bronchos started the third and final frame on an early 6-0 run and never looked back. Cameron won their quarterfinal match versus Midwestern State yesterday
before losing to UCO this evening. Cameron was the #6 seed entering the tournament while UCO was the #2 seed. The Aggies and Bronchos matched up twice already this season, with the two previous matches going down as 3-0 sweeps by UCO. “A few people could have stepped up a bit more but that’s how it goes,” Coach Haroun said. “There is a reason UCO is 31-5. They were the better team.” Senior outside hitter Fernanda Queiroz, playing in her final game as a Cameron Aggie, led the Aggies offensively with 11 kills. She attacked the net 39 times with 5 errors for a .154 attack percentage. Queiroz also had 8 defensive digs and 3 block-assists.
“Fey (Queiroz) played a great match,” Coach Haroun said. “Her passing and hitting was just on. She played with a lot passion.” Sophomore right-side hitter Lindsay Paziuk also had a solid game offensively as she recorded 8 kills on 18 attacks with just 3 errors for a team-high .278 attack percentage. Paziuk’s 9 defensive digs and single assist also contributed. Leading the Aggies defensively once again was junior libero Haley Hatch. Hatch recorded a team-high 18 defensive digs. She also had 1 assist. Middle blockers Whitney Long (junior) and Ruth Johnson (freshman) both finished the match with 7 kills. Long recorded
22 attacks with 4 errors for a .136 attack percentage while Johnson totaled 37 attacks with 9 errors for a -.054 attack percentage. Long also contributed 4 blockassists; Johnson also recorded an assist, a defensive dig, a blocksolo, and a block-assist. As mentioned previously, today’s semifinal loss effectively ended the 2007 Cameron Aggie volleyball season. The Aggies now enter the offseason portion of their schedule. “We definitely played best towards the end of the year,” Coach Haroun said. “Our defense really stepped up and we really matured. This is all part of the growing process.”
CU close season in semifinals By Craig Martin Sports information Director After a very impressive lateseason run, the Cameron Aggie volleyball team (14-16, 6-6 LSC) ended their season tonight after being knocked from the Lone Star Conference Championship tournament. CU’s playoff loss came courtesy of a 3-0 sweep at the hands of the Bronchos of the University of Central Oklahoma (31-5, 11-1 LSC). The match lasted under an hour and a half and was scored 30-25, 30-20, 30-25. “UCO played a very good match,” Head Coach John Haroun said. “We got frustrated and tired a bit, but we played a
November 19, 2007
Sports
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Photos by: Kareem Guiste and courtesy CU Online Collage and Graphics by: David R. Bublitz
A&E
November 19, 2007
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A break from studies
English Departments hosts ‘Get-Together for Majors’ By Jessica Frazier Collegian Staff Do you have your passport to the future? The students in the Department of English and Foreign Languages do. Several students and faculty in this department gathered from 3 until 5 p.m. on Nov. 8 in the Student Activities Building for a break from semester stresses. This is the second annual “GetTogether for Majors” hosted by the Department of English and Foreign languages. Sigma Tau Delta, Cameron’s chapter of the International English Honor Society, and Phi Sigma Iota, Cameron’s chapter of the International Foreign Language Society put together the event. Sigma Tau Delta VicePresident, Joan Gabelmann worked to make the party a success. “The party is an opportunity for our department to hang out and relax,” she said. “It’s also a great opportunity for everyone to get to know each other and to recruit new majors or minors.” Students and faculty enjoyed soda, snacks and speaking with each other.
In addition to food and drinks, every student who attended was eligible to win a door prize. Thanks to the diligence of a few students and the generosity of local businesses, there were over 25 prizes. Faculty members drew names roughly every 15 minutes. Some the prizes given away were: free blooming onions from Outback Steakhouse, a $15 dollar certificate to Luigi’s, several classic books from Waldenbooks, a T-shirt and window sticker from the Cameron Bookstore, and a Yankee candle from Scott’s House of Flowers. Dr. Teresa Lubrano, Foreign Language Professor, was the faculty sponsor in charge of organizing the party. Dr. Lubrano and the other students who organized the party repeatedly expressed their how grateful they were for the businesses’ donations. Marc Sanders, Phi Sigma Iota President, was one of the students who gathered the door prizes. “Most of the businesses I went to were very generous,” Sanders said. “Starbucks donated a bag of coffee beans and Ann’s German Quick Stop gave a $35 gift certificate.” “The party was fun. I enjoyed taking a break to hang out with
the other students and having the opportunity to talk with professors in a non-academic setting,” Jason Poudrier, Student Government Representative for Phi Sigma Iota said. Poudrier said he won two free fajitas from Rosa’s Café and Tortilla Factory. “It was really cool because I was looking forward to eating there when they opened anyway,” he said. “Plus, I love making fajitas, and I want to compare theirs to mine.” Dr. Margery Kingsley, Chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages, had the honor of cutting the cake. To represent the multitude of languages represented at the party, the cake was decorated with several flags from foreign countries. Dr. Kingsley joked as she served the cake that she divided France and then moved on to Germany. Dr. Lubrano said she was excited that the department was able to host another party this year. Sigma Tau Delta and Phi Sigma Iota are beginning to plan a Christmas party that will double as a food drive in December for students and faculty.
Photo by Jessica Frazier
A slice of fun: Dr. Margery Kingsley, Chair of the Department of English and Foreign Languages, cuts the cake at the second-annual ‘GetTogether for Majors.’
Kelly’s “Tales” fails to mesmorize viewers By Christopher Kelly MCT Campus A staggering, epic-length, soon-to-be-legendary mess, Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales” takes place in Los Angeles a few years after a terrorist nuclear attack on the U.S. There we meet a cast of characters so vast and befuddling that any attempt to describe them all will simply give you a headache. Suffice it to say that the movie stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson as an amnesiac actor; Justin Timberlake as a scarred Iraq war veteran; and Sarah Michelle Gellar as a porn star turned talk-show host. Suffice it to say, also, that none of the actors seem to have any idea what this movie is about or what point Kelly is trying to make. The plot, if that’s what you’d call it, seems to have something to do with a powerful alternative fuel source that a number of people are competing to claim as their own. But, really, “Southland Tales” doesn’t tell a story. Instead, it presents a series of bizarre, disjointed scenes in which the tone veers wildly from “Saturday
Night Live” style spoofery (watch out for “SNL” alums Cheri Oteri and Nora Dunn in supporting parts) to What the Bleep?-style mysticism (Seann William Scott plays a police officer who, if he meets his long lost twin, will cause the time-space continuum to collapse _ or something like that). After about 30 minutes, it’s clear that Kelly, who made a promising debut a few years ago with the timetravel fantasy “Donnie Darko,” is hopelessly in love with every one of his annoying, fanboy ideas. And yet, as often unwatchable as “Southland Tales” is, the writer-director deserves some points for ambition. With its swirl of cinematic references (chiefly to Robert Altman’s “Nashville” and David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive”) and its cautionary tale of a consumerist society run amok, the movie has a certain stream-of-consciousness flair. And for at least one five-minute sequence, an outof-left-field musical number in which Timberlake lipsyncs the Killers’ “All These Things That I’ve Done” in a bowling alley (as a group of Marilyn Monroe impersonators dance behind him), it’s flat-out dazzling.
package has great potential. Vince Vaughn can certainly bring a wry sense of humor to a role. Kevin Spacey usually elevates a film just by being in it. And Paul Giamatti has turned in memorable performances in “Sideways” and “Cinderella Man.” Toss in Kathy Bates, Amanda Richardson and Rachel Weisz and “Fred Claus” looks like a holiday treat. All of the pretty casting is wasted. The heart of this movie is a one-joke script that fills in the rest of the long passages with material that was done better in previous holiday films such as MCT Campus “Elf,” “The Santa Clause” and Ho ho ho: Vince Vaughn, center, stars as Fred Claus in Warner Bros. “Santa Claus.” Pictures comedy, ‘Fred Claus.’ The film opened Nov. 9. What passes as the plot has Fred Claus (Vaughn) living in the shadow of his famous brother, Santa Claus (Giamatti). The brothers have not been close. That changes when Fred tries to borrow some money to start his own off-track betting business. Santa will fork over the dough only if Fred helps out with the family business of making and delivering toys at Christmas. Fred doesn’t have the knack for business or the holiday. He makes the Grinch look like a poster boy for Dec. 25. And Fred’s failings could not have come at a magical. But once you opened it, By Rick Bentley worse time. An efficiency expert what you found inside was dull, MCT Campus (Spacey) has arrived at the North mundane and disappointing. Pole (that looks a lot like a mall You probably have gotten That’s what it is like to see courtyard). He represents some a holiday gift that was so “Fred Claus.” mysterious big conglomerate that beautifully wrapped you knew On the outside, this film oversees everything from Santa to that the contents just had to be
‘Fred Claus’ may be lump of coal for some viewers
MCT Campus
A diamond in the rough: Sarah Michelle Gellar arrives at the premier of Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales.” The epic postapocolyptic movie has been described as an “epic mess” by many critics. the Easter Bunny. Santa’s yearly one-night trek around the globe is no longer cost efficient. The whole business will be shut down if Santa doesn’t get things working better. This movie has all the tension of wet mistletoe when it comes to whether Fred can save the day. The movie does have a few glimmers of being the dark comedy it should have been. There’s a meeting of Siblings Anonymous that generates a few laughs. And Spacey turns in a super performance. You will have to see the movie to completely understand that reference. These are the exceptions and not the comedy rule. There really
isn’t anything funny about seeing Fred sleeping in a bed made for elves. And speaking of the elves, Santa’s Little Helper (Elizabeth Banks) is a full-size blond who has been stuffed into clothes meant for elves. It’s difficult to tell if Santa has been naughty or nice with that costume. Director David Dobkin has so little material to work with that he turns scenes that should be 15 seconds long into five-minute sequences. That means all life is beaten out of the material. Nobody has really been naughty enough to be subjected to this holiday mishap.
Things to do at CU Nov. 20 - Choir Concert: 7:30 p.m. at the University Theatre. For more information, call 581.2440. Nov. 20 - Tuesday Pursuits and pizza: 9 p.m. at Cameron Campus Ministries, 500 SW 27th. For more information, call 357.7226. To have a campus event printed in “Things to do at CU” e-mail information to collegian@cameron.edu or call 581.2260. Quote of the Week “Keep your eyes open to your mercies. The man who forgets to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.” -Robert Louis Stevenson-
A&E
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November 19, 2007
Music resonates throughout campus
Cameron Concert Choir prepares for fall show By Laura Batule Collegian Staff CU Associate Professor Dr. Earl Logan, the Cameron Concert Choir and the Cameron Singers invite the community to join them for a traditional choir concert at 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 in the University Theatre. This year, the Concert Choir and Cameron Singers will perform a traditional choir concert accompanied by students, Cameron faculty and the First Christian Church hand bell choir. “There have been various concert themes throughout the years, including anthems about peace, one major work or a composer theme, but this concert is more of a potpourri of music,” Dr. Logan said. “The students will perform certain basic pieces of choral works everyone majoring in music should know.” Dr. Logan, who has been making music at Cameron for 20 years, chose the fundamental choral selections for this concert to allow students to hone their natural talent and skills as they learn how the evolution of music has changed the world. “I’d say 98 percent of students performing in this concert are some sort of music majors; either vocal or instrumental,” Dr. Logan said. The choir will perform an intricate piece that calls for accomplished pianist and faculty
Photo by Laura Batule
A potpourri of music: CU Associate Professor Dr. Earl Logan, the Cameron Concert Choir and the Cameron Singers prepare for a traditional choir concert to be held Tuesday. member, Hyunsoon Whang, D.M. to accompany. Dr. Logan explained that “All Breathing Life” by Johan Sebastian Bach is vocally and instrumentally demanding, but that the CU choir is up for the challenge. Teamwork is a key element in the success of those studying and performing music at Cameron. The
combined effort of faculty, students and community creates a spirit of cooperation, which like the concept of fusion, derives energy, power and strength from the melding of musical and artistic talent. “Faculty members will also perform in the concert,” Dr. Logan said. “Jan Logan, my wife, conducts The Cameron Singers and Dr.
Greg Hoepfner is one of their accompanists. Dr. Dan Sheridan, the band director, will play a clarinet solo, and Dr. Ted Snyder, a tenor, is a member of the concert choir.” The concert provides a venue for Cameron students to showcase their vocal and instrumental talents. Solos allow those
exceptionally talented students an opportunity to shine. “Tryouts for solos are done in front of the choir,” Dr. Logan said. “Anyone can try out and the choir votes and determines who will sing the solo.” The traditional choir concert will be sung “a cappella,” an Italian term that means “church style or in the style of the chapel.” Centuries ago, most chapels did not use instruments to accompany those singing. That is not the case at Cameron University. Sophomores Jonathan Phelps, who is majoring in music, and Stephanie Cox, an art major, will provide accompaniment for the Concert Choir. Emily Amos, a freshman majoring in music and associate professor Dr. Greg Hoepfner, an associate professor at CU, are the accompanists for the Cameron Singers. In keeping with the spirit of community, The First Christian Church hand bell choir will also participate in the concert and provide accompaniment for the Cameron Singers. The concert is free to current Cameron University students with a valid ID card. Adult ticket prices are $6, and senior, military and students tickets are $4. Open seating tickets can be purchased at 6:30 p.m. at the University Theatre box office on the evening of the concert. For more information, please call the Department of Music at 581.2440.
OKC Philharmonic offers discounts to students during holiday By Laura Batule Collegian Staff The Oklahoma City Philharmonic is extending an invitation to high school and college students to help kick off the holiday season on Nov. 29 with A Very Merry Pops, a concert featuring music, dancing and holiday humor. Understanding that many high school and college students are on a
tight budget, the cost of each ticket is $5. The 2007-2008 concert schedule began in September and will culminate with the May 10, 2008 Classics Concerts Season Finale. The OKC Philharmonic performs about 20 times a season with featured guest artists in the classical and pop genres. There are five remaining Classics Concerts. The next concert, featuring renowned violinist Sarah Chang, is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2008. This performance will feature the works of Beethoven, Khachaturian,
Strauss and Brahms with Maestro Joel Levine conducting. If students are interested in more contemporary music, The Oklahoman Pops have five remaining concerts—A Very Merry Pops, which will run through Dec. 1, followed by a Jan. 18-19, 2008 performance entitled “Pink Martini.” Single priced tickets for these performances range from $12 to $75. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the $5 ticket offer. “Non-discounted tickets will be sold to anyone who is not a college student with a valid ID,” Jeremy Penisten, OKC Philharmonic intern said. “If a student brings a friend or family member who does not have a student ID card, the student ticket will cost $5 and the non-student ticket price will depend on the section available.”
MCT Campus
“Tickets must be purchased in person, at the box office, twenty minutes prior to any philharmonic concert,” Penisten said that tickets must be purchased in-person, at the box office, 20 minutes prior to any concert. The box office will accept Visa, Mastercard or cash.
Students interested in attending a performance are encouraged to call 405-TICKETS to ensure the show is not sold out, and that tickets are available. For more information visit the OKC Philharmonic Web site at www.okcphilharmonic.org.
A&E
November 19, 2007
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Wii are waiting Nintendo’s new console opens doors for new gamers, brings old ones back Wii want to play. Two years ago, that phrase would have created looks of astonishment and bewilderment. “We” want to play, what? Today, the phrase has become synonymous with some of the greatest video game legends of our time. Looking back at 2005, Microsoft had announced the Xbox 360 and was preparing to jump start the “next generation” of video game consoles. Sony was hot on its heels with the Playstation 3. Everyone had seemed to have forgotten former industry leader Nintendo, which had fallen from graces after two rough generations going head-to-head with Sony. Instead of fitting cutting-edge power into a box and selling it for $300-$600 like Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo looked to “revolutionize” the gaming industry. We know it as the “Nintendo Revolution:” a game system with a unique control scheme that would set itself apart from other systems. When the controller finally debuted at the Tokyo Game Show in 2005, the entire gaming industry fell on its back laughing. It looked like a remote control that comes packaged with your television. The hits just kept on coming after Nintendo changed the name of the Revolution to the “Wii”
(pronounced “we”) in 2006. Here was a system with relatively the same power as a Gamecube with a remote controller for a controller and it was named “Wii.” But the tired, the poor and the huddled masses, yearning to breathe free, lined up like sheep, ready to try this new contraption. And the rest, as they say, is history. Even with Microsoft’s one-year head-start, Nintendo has sold nearly as many Wiis as Microsoft has sold Xbox 360s. Don’t even bother to mention Sony, which is licking its wounds from its $600 monstrosity that was hit for massive damage. Nintendo has done what neither Microsoft nor Sony could achieve —tap the huddled masses of nongamers. Non-gamers, that’s a word that didn’t exist before the Wii was announced. You were either a gamer, or you weren’t. I cut my teeth on games like “Ms. Pac-Man,” “Super Mario Bros.,” “Spy-Hunter” and “Contra.” Today, those games have been replaced by names like “Halo,” “Metal Gear Solid,” “Grand Turismo” and “Call of Duty.” Some of us have adapted and changed with the times. I traded my Nintendo Entertainment System for an Xbox 360 headset. I traded “Super Mario Bros. 3” for “Halo 3.” But, it wasn’t until two weeks
ago that I realized what I had been missing. I was sitting in class and someone brought up a Nintendo Wii. Out of a class of probably more than 20 students, I heard voices chime about the Wii. These weren’t the voices I’ve grown accustomed to fighting online in “Halo 3” and “Call of Duty 4.” No, these were the voices of older people and women, who traditionally have been considered demographic groups within the non-gaming population. I laughed to myself at the time and then realized how out of the loop I really was. At the time, I owned both of the highdefinition consoles: the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Between the two consoles, I probably have owned more than 20 games and have traded or sold 50 over the past two years. And here I sit in class, and hear these non-gamers talk about how much fun they had with the one console that had evaded me—the Wii. The irony was simply astounding. I hunted for months to find a Wii only to be turned down every time I looked for one. Everywhere I looked, anytime I looked, they were sold out, and it wasn’t for a lack of stock either. According to the September NPD data, Nintendo sold an astounding 501,000 Wii consoles. I, as a hardcore gamer, had been outfoxed, outwitted and outplayed by soccer moms, For birthdays this week: You care a lot about your project this grandparents and baby year, but that doesn’t mean you have to fund it alone. Get others to pay their boomers who hadn’t picked own way and you’ll get better results. up a controller since the days To get the advantage, check the week’s rating: 10 is the easiest week, 0 of Pong and the Atari 2600. the most challenging. It was at that time I decided I had to find a Wii. Aries (March 21-April 19) This week is a 5. It’s not quite If for nothing else than time to launch new projects, don’t even worry about it. Do make a list of the dignity of saying that I your concerns, however. Some of them are valid. finally had one. I called every Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Circuit Taurus (April 20-May 20) This week is an 8. You love your City, Best Buy, Hastings and job, you love your friends, but there’s still a caution flag out. Be generous Target between Oklahoma with acknowledgements, and frugal with your cash. City and Wichita Falls. Thanks to a friend of mine, I Gemini (May 21-June 21) This week is a 6. The work is found ONE console at Toys interesting and there is room for advancement. The problem is that you’re ‘R Us in Wichita Falls. tempted to go through your earnings too fast. Exercise restraint.
Josh Rouse
Weekly Horoscopes
Cancer (June 22-July 22) This week is an 8. A workplace difficulty interferes with other plans. Can you do it all and still make the date? That’s the challenge. Better let the others know about new priorities. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This week is a 5. Start by taking care of a roommate’s pet peeve and complaint. You can afford to do that now. You can’t afford to buy new toys. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) This week is an 8. There’s something about your domestic scene that’s interfering with your relaxation. Put in the correction, don’t ignore it any longer. You know what it is. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) This week is a 7. The work is challenging but the rewards are potentially great. Move quickly, procrastination could cost you a lot of cash. The more you do, the more you get. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) This week is an 8. The confidence is there, but how will you fund this operation? Don’t offer to pay for it all by yourself. Find ways to generate more income. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This week is a 5. Breakdowns are not always bad, although they generally are inconvenient. This one is your excuse to solve the problem once and for all. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) This week is a 7. What you’re learning clashes with what you thought was true. Did they lie to you? Perhaps you misunderstood. Stranger things have happened. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This week is a 5. You can’t personally provide all the money that’s needed to help the others. So help the others find another way to get what they need. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) This week is an 8. Try to be a good teacher. Someone who’s being obnoxious simply doesn’t understand. If there’s any opening in that person’s mind at all, you may get through.
It was a 60-minute drive, and the manager promised to hold it for me for 90 minutes. Out the door and down the road I went. I got there, paid for it and made sure no one was going to take it away from me. When I got home, I hooked it up and was astounded by its brilliance. Here is a system that doesn’t rely on the complex amount of buttons found on the Xbox 360 and PS3 controllers. I knew what to expect, but I didn’t know the quality to expect. I played “Wii Sports” and found myself having more fun trying to hit home runs out of the park in baseball rather than popping headshots with a sniper rifle and covering my teammates in a game of “Halo 3.” My madness didn’t cease. On Nov. 13, the king of all gaming mascots, the Italian plumber who got sucked down a drain pipe after eating too many
mushrooms, Mario, rejoined the land of the living. My mouth was watering with anticipation to play the newest Mario game since the days of “Super Mario 64.” I bought “Super Mario Galaxy without blinking an eye, and I must say the game is pure fun. It’s like Nintendo took every fun part of gaming and crammed it onto a single disc. I hadn’t felt that way since I played games when I was a kid. Somewhere along the line, many of us gamers have turned it all into a competition. I rushed home at midnight on Sept. 25 to play “Halo 3.” I played a marathon through the campaign, mainly to finish the fight. But, I did laugh and get a sense of pride when friends asked me how I beat the game so fast. “Super Mario Galaxy” doesn’t
have that same effect. I can sit and play it for hours and never leave the same level but still have a lot of fun. The joy isn’t in beating the game, the joy is in playing it, which is what gaming is all about. I must say to Nintendo, “thank you” for bringing gaming back to its roots. The little white console and its strange remote control aren’t going to take me away from my “Halo 3” or “Call of Duty 4,” but the portly plumber and the sad goombas have, once again, found a place in my heart
14
Variety
Calling all gamers. Cameron’s Biology Club hosted the club’s first Game Night on Nov. 15, which featured the newest and most popular video games on the market. CU’s Biology Club started off the evening at 6 p.m. with a dinner followed by an evening of gaming that ran until almost midnight. The event took over the entire first floor of the Science Complex, offering a different video game in each of the Biology Department’s classrooms. Some of the games featured included “Halo 3,” “Guitar Hero,” “Dance Dance Revolution” (DDR) and “Mario Cart.” The concept of Game Night originated from instructor of Biology, Jessica Hutchison’s obsession with DDR and her students’ love of video games. “I first played Dance Dance Revolution two years ago at Christmas,” Hutchison said. “My entire family (parents included) got ‘hooked’ on the game and played it for hours. I have since bought another version of the game that I play at home regularly.” Hutchison said: “The idea originated during a conversation between my biology students and me in the interaction area in the Biology Department. We thought it would be a neat idea to have a Game Night. The Biology Club members really took the idea from there and were responsible for all the organizations.” While the event was geared towards video game enthusiasts, the club did not want to neglect the video game virgins that were not up-to-date with the newest technology. Aside from the five rooms dedicated to video games, there also was a room with board games and movies for students and faculty that were less willing to pick up a controller. Angelica Rodriguez, Biology Senior and Biology Club Secretary, said: “I’ve never been into the electronic games and don’t keep up with them. I’m a board gamer.” Game Night came just in time for students and faculty to relax from hectic class schedules and forget about upcoming finals for one night. They focused on
November 12, 2007
video game scores instead of grades and concentrated on winning rather than studying. “I think that social events are important for students,” Hutchison said. “It’s a good way to de-stress, interact with fellow students and get to know the professors as well. The students will definitely get to know my DDR skills.” Students and professors across campus were able to break down the teacher-student barrier to participate in the game marathon that gave them the chance to share a common interest—a love of video games. Hutchison said: “I think it is important for students and faculty to interact – in and out of the classroom. It is also easier for students to approach faculty for help with courses if they have been convinced that we are human too. I think this makes it easier for students to approach faculty with questions about courses or career choices.” The event was also a way to raise money for one of the Biology Club’s fundraisers. All those that attended were asked to make a donation of $2, which went towards the Salvation Army’s Adopt-a-Family program. The money will be used to buy a Thanksgiving meal for a family that would have otherwise gone without during the holiday season. “Because we’re doing this as a fundraiser, I predict that a lot of people will come,” Rodriguez said. “A lot of people are into games and I think that it will be a big success since it’s not a typical fundraiser.” The Biology Club was able to open their doors to the entire campus, offering food and games for everyone to enjoy. The success of Game Night may be a continuing tradition that the club carries out every year for the students, faculty, staff and their families. Rodriguez said, “I have a feeling it will be one of Biology Club’s newest traditions, giving them something to look forward to.” For more information on upcoming Biology Club activities contact Dr. Michael Dunn at 581.2287.
Story by Brandi O’Daniel Photos by Joshua Rouse and Jim Horinek Layout by Joshua Rouse