COLLEGIAN THE CA M ERON U N I V ER SIT Y
Informing the Cameron Family Since 1926
Monday, September 28, 2009
Event
Volume 84 Issue 5
Aggie OneCard: F.A.Q. By Megan Carothers
Brown bag lunch lecture with Dr. Bulent Atalay in Shepler Ballroom 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday.
A&E
Photo by Jim Horinek
HigherOne ATM: Located in South Shepler, the HigherOne ATM offers students a fee free way to access their HigherOne Accounts. The HigherOne system is a streamlined refund system that eliminates issues like waiting in lines for checks .
refunds via the OneAccount direct deposit is seen in the Collegian Staff lack of people waiting in line for a check. Cameron University’s “That number is that many new Aggie OneCard and visits that people didn’t make OneAccount program, a debit to the Mastercard counter and free and have checking to get a account for check students, “We know those lines or cash has been were atrocious, people and wait proven in line,” successful would be waiting in Pinkston and line an hour. We didn’t said. “We efficient at have any lines like that know refunding those students’ this year.” lines were money atrocious, without the — Glen Pinkston people hassle of Vice-President of would be lines and Business and Finance waiting waiting in line for a paper an hour. check. We didn’t Aggie have any OneCard lines like that this year.” and OneAccount, which Another benefit of the started in May, have already program, Pinkston said, is that distributed over 3,000 refunds CU was able to get refunds to via the OneAccount direct deposit method, Vice President students faster. of Business and Finance Glen Pinkston said. See CARD Pinkston said that the Page 3 significance of that many
Convocation 2009 Hinder and Saving Abel come to Fort Sill. SEE PAGE 5
At Cameron, students are the focus. The mission of Cameron is to offer a student centered academic environment and to prepare them for professional success, responsible citizenship, life-long learning and meaningful contributions to a rapidly changing world. Convocation is a celebration of the students who come to Cameron to meet those goals. The ceremony honors Cameron’s outstanding scholars and gives recognition to those who help to make the CU mission a reality.
Sports The President: President Ross opens the ceremony and welcomes the attendees.
Class of ’10: Travis Tollett, Biology major, speaks of overcoming adversity.
Live music: The Cameron Band played several pieces including the Alma Mater.
Introducing: The Armchair Aggie Experiment.
Photos by Jim Horinek
SEE PAGE 6
Voices
Class of ’09: Melody Tyler, Education major, reflects on her time at Cameron.
Academia: The many teaching professionals turn out in full regalia for the ceremony.
Mr. President: SGA President Daniel Brown recognizes the numerous CU Honor students.
Success workshops offer students skills, information By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff The Cameron University faculty is going the extra mile to help students adapt to college better with the CU Succeed Workshops. “The faculty has really come up with some great ideas for this,” said Jennifer Holland, the
Healthcare debate brings out idiocy from both sides of the isle. SEE PAGE 4
Dean of Student Services. “The faculty and staff are the ones who have done all of the work to get it going.” There are 14 workshops scheduled throughout the fall semester at Cameron with an additional three scheduled at the Duncan campus. Additional workshops for the spring semester are being discussed, but no
decisions have been made as of yet. “Typically, we do more in the fall because that’s when we get the bulk of our new students,” Holland said. Each workshop covers a unique topic that is relevant to students but is different from what they can find in their regular classes. Holland said students might not
want to come to a workshop in addition to their classes, but the atmosphere is much more casual. “We want this to be casual and informal because we want students to come and learn but also have a good time.
See SUCCESS Page 2
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News
September 28, 2009
CUNA prepares to celebrate Dashain By Rashmi Thapaliya Collegian Staff With many activities happening on campus, Nepalese students at Cameron gather to prepare for the celebration of their biggest festival, Dashain. Dashain is the largest festival observed in the Himalayan country of Nepal, where the festival has already started. The festival falls during the month of Ashoj or Kartik (late Sept. and early Oct.) according to the Bikram Sambat calendar officially followed in Nepal. The 15 days of celebration occur during the bright lunar fortnight ending on the day of the full moon. Dashain commemorates a great victory of the gods over the wicked demons. One of the victory
stories told is the Ramayan, where the lord Ram after a big struggle slaughtered Ravana, the fiendish king of demons. It is said that lord Ram was successful in the battle only when goddess Durga was evoked. The main celebration glorifies the triumph of good over evil and is symbolized by goddess Durga slaying the terrible demon Mahisasur, who terrorized the earth in the guise of a brutal water buffalo. The first nine days signify the nine days of furious battle between goddess Durga and the demon Mahisasur. The tenth day is the
day when Mahisasur was slain, and the last five days Durga symbolize the celebration of the victory with the blessing of the goddess. The tenth day is considered the day of victory of good over the evil. On this day, family members gather together for the ceremony of Tika and Jamara. Tika is a symbol MCT Campus of blessings that are put by the elders on the foreheads of the younger ones. Tika is made of uncooked rice mixed with vermillion powder and water or yogurt to make it sticky. Jamara is the bright goldish green color of seedlings, which is put on the head as a blessing. Cameron University Nepalese Association (CUNA) will celebrate the Dashain festival at 5 p.m. on Oct. 3 at Cetes II Conference room. This is the third year the Nepalese are celebrating Dashain on campus. The main attractions of the program are cultural programs like dances, songs and tika along with the slideshow presentation on Dashain, Nepali food and others. CUNA President Samata Prawah said that it is a very exciting event for the Nepali students. “We feel at home to have an opportunity to celebrate the festival like this,” Prawah said. “Such celebration indeed allows us to share our culture among other groups on campus.” Anyone who wants to attend the program can buy a ticket at the office of International Coordinator Marcella Gustafson at $10 per person. “This is one of the important cultural events on campus,” Prawah said. “We invite all Cameron University students, faculty, staff and their friends and families to be a part of our celebration.”
SUCCESS continued from page 1 We provide students with supplies and refreshments and we do door prize drawings at each show,” she said. “The only thing we ask is for students to come on time because it’s a distraction. And make sure you’re prepared for interaction and to ask questions.” The CU Succeed workshops began three years ago when members of the administration discussed what ways Cameron could retain students. Holland said many students on campus don’t understand aspects of campus life outside of the classroom. The workshops are a great opportunity for students to learn about topics outside of their classes. “Part of the workshops are for students to know what they need to know outside of class,” Holland said. “That was the driving force behind getting these set up.” This year, the topics include test-taking skills and study strategies. Dr. Kurtis Koll is holding a lecture Friday on “I know Who I Am,” which Holland said will help students learn more about themselves. “Some of the topics are ones that we’ve done continuously each year,” Holland said. “A lot of these topics are out of the professors’ normal teaching area, which gives them a unique feel.” Each workshop at the Lawton Cameron campus will be held in the Shepler Center Centennial room. Three additional lectures will be held in different rooms at the Duncan campus. For more information on the CU Succeed workshops, call 581.2244. Holland has set up a Web site for the workshops at www.cameron.edu/cusucceed, which contains additional information on each workshop, as well as a schedule for the semester.
CU Succeed Workshop Series — Fall 2009 Note Taking Thursday, Oct. 1, 3 p.m. Mary Penick
I Know Who I Am Friday, Oct. 2, 1:30 p.m. Dr. Kurtis Koll
Study Strategies Monday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m. Jessica Hutchinson
Reading Comprehension & Essay Exams Tuesday, Oct. 6, 3 p.m. Dr. Lance Janda
See page 3 for solutions.
What Causes Happiness? Friday, Oct. 9, 2 p.m. Dr. Mary Dzindolet
Test Taking Thursday, Oct. 22, 2 p.m. Gabriele Wethern
The Basics of Communication Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2 p.m. Janet Williams
Test Taking Monday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m. Dr. Paul Crandon
All workshops will be held in the Shepler Center Centennial Room. Refreshments, door prizes and supplies will be provided.
News
September 28, 2009
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CARD continued from page 1 “We got refunds to people quicker,” Pinkston said. “Before, seniors and graduates would come in on a Monday, juniors on Tuesday, sophomores on Wednesday and so on, and now what happened was when we get the financial aid we sent it off, all of it, so we are not making students wait for their money.” Pinkston said that students have benefited all around from Aggie One. “Money has gotten to the students quicker, and it’s certainly gotten to them more efficiently,” Pinkston said. “We have wasted less of their time standing in line or waiting for their money if they are a freshman until Thursday or Friday.”
What can the OneCard do? • Free traditional checking that is FDIC insured. • An account with no monthly fees and no minimum balance requirements. • The ability to make deposits easily with electronic transfers. • Online banking available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. • Detailed online statements that make it easy to track deposits, checks and purchases.
Easy Refunds The Aggie OneCard provides you with choices when it comes to receiving your refunds - including the “Easy Refund” method. With an Easy Refund, your refund money is deposited directly into the OneAccount for use as soon as Cameron University releases it.
Benefits of the OneAccount • You can use your card to make purchases instead of writing checks • The card is safer and easier than carrying cash. • You may use your card to withdraw cash for free at any HigherOne ATM.
Public Service subject of upcoming lecture By Joshua Rouse
always interesting and entertaining. I think our students will enjoy his message.” Collegian Staff Dorman’s lecture is one of three events planned by Dr. Walton this Dr. Justin Walton begins his series of Faculty-in-Residence events semester. Each one touches on subjects that are both important and Tuesday with a lecture from Oklahoma Representative Joe Dorman. interesting to students. Dr. Walton said he wants to bring his own Dorman, a representative from Rush Springs, will speak to personal touch to the Faculty-in-Residence program, and that starts students about the value of civic service. Dr. Walton said the topic has with inviting Dorman to speak Tuesday. always been important to him and he felt his “My goal is to stimulate relevant, first Faculty-in-Residence event would be a interesting and real-world possibilities “I want to provide campus perfect venue for a discussion. related to citizenship education,” Dr. “One of my goals as Faculty-inWalton said. “Some of my other goals for programs that promote students Residence is to encourage responsible civic this program include fostering student to evaluate their own actions, engagement,” he said. “I want to provide development within our residential provide education about decision community and offering programs that campus programs that promote students to evaluate their own actions, provide strengthen academic preparation and making and give students the education about decision making and give promote interactive intellectual exchange.” tools and skills to improve their students the tools and skills to improve their Dr. Walton hopes students will choices in the future.” choices in the future. I really feel like this ultimately understand how important civic is an important issue, especially given the service is to not only them, but to their — Dr. Justin Walton community as a whole. It’s something that fact that civic engagement has declined over Faculty-in-Residence many people don’t think about on a daily the past 40 years. We need to find ways to encourage our students to get involved.” basis, but that’s the whole point of bringing Dorman will give a short lecture at 7 in a state representative to speak. p.m., which will be followed by a question“I’ve known Dorman for about 16 years. He has always had an and-answer segment and discussion with the audience. Dr. Walton interest in the political process. We’ve had some fun discussions and said attendees can expect to hear about gaining a better understanding debates over the years,” Dr. Walton said. “Personally, I feel that more of civil ideas and practices of citizens. is required of us than just voting and paying taxes. We need to have “[He] will discuss the importance of public service and political continued discussion on the topic, and I hope that this event will involvement in a democratic republic,” Dr. Walton said. “Dorman is trigger some of those conversations.”
Guest speaker: Representative Joe Dorman will be on campus on Tuesday to speak to students about the value of civic engagements.
100 attendees discussed Lincoln’s legacy at Constitution Day By Justin Cliburn Collegian Staff This year marks the Abraham Lincoln bicentennial and approximately 100 Cameron students, staff and faculty spent Constitution Day at a lunch panel discussing his Constitutional legacy at noon, Sept. 17 in the Shepler Ballroom. Constitution Day was established in 2004 as an amendment to the Omnibus Spending Bill by Sen. Robert
Byrd (D-WV) in order to coincide with the annual anniversary of the signing of the Constitution on Sept. 17, 1787. Federal law mandates that all schools and universities that receive any federal funding provide students education on the framing of the Constitution on the holiday. Cameron has honored the holiday by holding a panel every Sept. to discuss the Constitution from a different point of view, and last year’s panel focused on the Constitution from the Native American perspective. Dr. Jeffrey Metzger and Dr. Tony E. Wohlers of the History and Government department organized the panel this year and thought that the theme was fairly obvious to choose. “Well, this year is the Lincoln bicentennial, the 200th birthday of President Lincoln,” Dr. Metzger said. “So, we felt it was an appropriate time to examine
an important president and his view of the Constitution.” The theme for this year was “Abraham’s Lincoln’s America and the Constitution.” Although Lincoln is generally regarded as one of the great U.S. presidents, there is still much debate of his record by scholars of Political Science and History. While the Union was saved under Lincoln, he expanded the power of the federal government and rescinded Habeas Corpus. The panelists included Cameron’s own Dr. Mark Stegmaier, Dr. Aaron Mason
of Northwestern Oklahoma State University and Dr. Justin Wert of the University of Oklahoma. After the attendees had eaten the food provided, Dr. Mason, a Political Science professor, gave a 15-minute speech on Lincoln, civil liberties and the Constitution. His discussion focused on the restriction MCT Campus of civil liberties after Habeas Corpus was rescinded under Lincoln and how it should be viewed in the light of history. Dr. Mason concluded that Lincoln’s actions have been justified in the years and decades since. “What he did was the right thing for the time,” Dr. Mason said. “And I believe history has exonerated him.” For some historical clarity, Dr. Stegmaier discussed slavery and the Constitution, as well as the attitudes of Lincoln and the Republicans of the day regarding slavery. Because
the Constitution never specifically mentioned the word ‘slavery,’ both sides viewed it as endorsing their opinion of slavery. “The anti-slavery framers of the Constitution tried very hard to include language that appeased the Southern delegates while never actually using the word itself,” Dr. Stegmaier said. Nothing about Lincoln, Habeas Corpus and civil liberties during wartime is new, argued Dr. Wert, a Political Science professor, citing a number of recent examples of controversy regarding civil liberties during war. “The same exact arguments Lincoln made so long ago regarding Habeas Corpus were used to deny Habeas Corpus to detainees at Guantanamo,” Dr. Wert said. “No matter how you feel politically about the decision, the similarities are undeniable and nothing new.” The event lasted roughly 90 minutes with the panel closing by answering several questions from the audience. After reciting the American’s Creed, all attendees were treated to cake provided by the Lawton chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
4 Voices Whoever wins, we lose
September 28, 2009
Eternal debate of socialists and racists W
hen Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States last year, there was a resounding sigh of relief across the nation as, finally, we were rid of George W. Bush. Perhaps conspiracy theorists thought, somehow, someway, Bush would invoke some long-forgotten clause in some abandoned government document, or buried in the Patriot Act, to remain in office. Luckily, that wasn’t the case—and this is coming from a Bush supporter. But it’s going on a year later, and I just can’t tell how things are any better. I’m not necessarily talking from a political point of view. I’m talking about from a pure social point of view. Oh God, I said social, I await the inevitable cry from Republicans that I’m declaring America should become a socialist nation. I haven’t seen this much stupidity since Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The only problem is, it’s coming from both sides. What is going on with our country? It’s like we are devolving into Neanderthals without any of the benefits. Every time I hear a debate about healthcare, I feel like I’m losing brain cells just by being in the same vicinity. It’s like “Idiocracy” has come true. On one side, you have
Republicans, conservatives, or whatever you want to call them, yelling “socialist!” every time someone mentions health care. In what dimwitted world does a state-sponsored health care alternative equate to socialism? Besides, if it means cheaper healthcare, does it really matter where it comes from? If I can go to the doctor and have a normal checkup without spending hundreds of dollars, what’s so bad about that? Heaven forbid the government pay for it, because then we turn into socialists and that goes against everything this great country stands for. The idiocy of that whole line of thought is almost as mindnumbing as Dan Rather jumping the gun to attack Bush over his National Guard service. Then we have the other side. I was saddened and somewhat depressed, but not surprised, by Jimmy Carter’s comments recently. He said “I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man, that he’s African-American.” OK, so obviously, we cannot criticize Obama because he’s AfricanAmerican? OK, I understand that’s not what Carter was ultimately insinuating, but that’s what it comes off as. I’m sure there are some people out there who hate Obama simply because he’s black.
Joshua Rouse
Trying to group the majority of complaints against the president into a pool of racism is absurd and insulting. I’m not a racist, I voted for Obama and I have a lot of complaints about how he’s doing things. I think he’s handling the health care situation poorly, I think he’s skirting around the issue at almost every turn and I really don’t like seeing his constant national addresses at night. Obama hasn’t faced near the criticism that Bush has. Granted, Obama hasn’t sent us to war yet. But let’s be fair, criticism is part of being the president. When you have nearly 300 million constituents, you’re not going to please everyone. Around 55 percent of Americans approve of the job Obama is doing, according to the latest CNN Poll. That’s certainly much higher than the middling 30 percent area that Bush’s rating remained at through his final years in office. Does that mean the people who didn’t like Bush were racist? Race has always been a sore card for a lot of people, and it’s completely understandable. To treat an entire ethnic group like African-Americans were treated for so many years is repugnant. But I have to wonder when does the race card end? When Henry
Gates was arrested, that’s all I heard about for weeks. One side swore Sgt. James Crowley was a racist for arresting Gates, despite being harassed and heckled by Gates, who was uncooperative when Crowley asked for his information. The other side swore Gates was the racist for pulling the race card. I’m often ashamed to be in the company of the media, which sensationalizes things to such a degree that it makes me sick to turn on a television or open a newspaper. But as a person, I say we all need to just grow up. A black president can, and should, take as much criticism as any other president. Supporters should not hide behind the color of his skin as a defense. There are plenty of things he has done right to use as a foundation of support. On that same token, there are plenty of flaws in not only the healthcare plan, but Obama’s presidency in general. There’s no need to yell “socialist” like a raving loon while wearing a tinfoil hat. I was witness to a debate recently that made me a sad panda. The word socialism was thrown around like it was heresy. I don’t care if it’s socialism, communism, Marxism, or any other form of government, as long as I still retain my right to take my
Cameron football brings more headaches than fans Faculty, members of the community and students have been asking for a football program for years. The Student Government Association (SGA) has introduced legislation in the past regarding bringing back the once storied program. Students regularly complain about the lack of football in the halls of every building on campus, but would football be a viable program at Cameron? At this point the answer is, most assuredly, no. As much as I like football, it would add a heap of new problems that the casual fan probably has yet to consider. The creation of a football team has a lot of hidden costs to examine. Lets look at the players; it would require around 80 athletes to fill out a roster. That is 80 sets of pads and uniforms, both home and away. There are scholarships that need to be offered in order to entice talent to provide a competitive team every season. The average in Division II is 21 scholarships per team and, in order to be competitive, Cameron would need to offer the same. Not all of the scholarships would be full rides, but, still, offering 21 athletes an average of 75% off tuition and board would cost around $135,370 per year, which works out to $6,446 per athlete. On top of simple costs for attending Cameron, the university would need to invest in a new form of transportation for the team, staff and trainers. A new 44-passenger bus would cost in the ballpark of $240,000; a football program would require two. Then comes the need for a brand new staff and the fact that football is unlike any other athletics program at Cameron in that a head coach
and one assistant cannot run a team. Football requires a minimum of 10 coaches. The team would need to hire a head coach, two assistant coaches, an offensive coordinator, a defensive coordinator, a quarterback coach, a receivers coach, running back coach and offensive and defensive line coaches. While graduate assistants could be used for some of those positions, most would need to be paid competitive salaries. Coaches are not the only new staff that would need to be hired; there would need to be at least two new athletic trainers hired to assist with the day-to-day injuries and the NCAA medical regulations compliance for all of the new athletes. With the inf lux of new athletes, and NCAA regulations mandating athletes have access to up-to-date and competitive facilities and equipment, a new program would require new buildings on campus. First and foremost, the stadium fieldhouse would have to be completely renovated, if not completely torn down, to make way for a locker room large enough for two teams. The next major project would be to build a larger facility for athletic training. With 80 athletes, the room for pre-practice or game time stretching, icing and injury rehab would need to nearly double. Cameron, being an NCAA
Division II school, would have to adhere to all athletic regulations when it came to the formation of a new program. That becomes a bit more complex an issue regarding Title IX. While most people in the community are requesting that the Aggies field a football team once again, they fail to realize that NCAA Title IX states that men and women be given equal opportunity to participate in athletics. That means that, for every men’s athletics program Cameron supports, there must be an equal number of women’s teams. With the addition of football the university would have to either cut an existing men’s program or create a new women’s sport at CU. There are no logical men’s teams to cut. Cross Country has the shortest history as a Cameron sport, but the team is coming off a win and is regionally ranked. The administration would instead have to look to women’s cross country or soccer, as they are the only two Lone Star Conference sports the Aggies do not currently participate in and would not require any further building. Either way, that is yet another sport to fund, create scholarships for or supply a head coach’s salary. So when people are making a request for one sport, it really means they want two sports. At the end of the day, football costs money—a lot of money. It alone would triple the insurance the Athletic
Bennett Dewan
Department pays on studentathletes. But I also think that the Cameron administration could eventually raise the money in the Lawton community. Their track record for fundraising is superb, but, in the end, a football program comes down to support in the long run. There is one issue that needs to be addressed before football could ever take root again at Cameron University: attendance. Athletics, regardless of what sport it is, has poor attendance. There are far less people in the stands than there should be due to the level of competition the Aggies have attained. There is still another serious issue. The assumption is that Lawton does not have a big audience for the other sports but would support football. Lawton does have a large number of football fans; unfortunately, they are fans of OU and OSU. With people regularly traveling to Norman or Stillwater for home games or watching games on TV, what is the likelihood that Cameron could compete with those teams for fans every Saturday? The football team could not even move its schedule to try and compete, as Wednesdays through Fridays are out of the question due to Lawton Public Schools’ use of the field for high school football. Games could not be moved to Sundays due to conf licts with the NFL, especially now that there are afternoon and evening kickoffs. Maybe someday in the future all these issues can be addressed and a well-thought-out, longterm plan could be devised to ensure that football is a success at Cameron once again. But those days are at least 10 to 15 years down the road.
money where I want to go and get decent healthcare. But then again, I don’t want to be labeled a racist because I call Obama out for his lack of clarification on the healthcare plan and his constant rehearsed talking point summary speeches. There is plenty of ammunition on either side for a well-thought-out debate. I like debates; they’re entertaining and informative. But it’s hard to learn anything from one side yelling socialism and the other side yelling racism.
THE CAMERON UNIVERSITY
COLLEGIAN Founded in 1926 veritas sempiterna
Editorial Board Editor-in-Chief - Joshua Rouse News Editor - Jim Horinek A&E Editor - Rachel Engel Sports Editor - Bennett Dewan Copy Editor - Justin Cliburn Back Page Editor - Monica Garner Digital Editor - Kyle Luetters
Newsroom Staff Financial Officer - Susan Hill Staff Writers - Jeramy Edison, Saman Samii, Megan Carothers, Andrew Osbourne, Rashmi Thapaliya, Jacob Russell, Melissa Rogers.
Faculty Adviser Dr. Christopher Keller
Newswriting Students Brad Franks, Amanda Finch, Michael Faggett, Codye Watson, Rachel Engel, Amanda Phillips, Gabe Crawford, Alyssa Knerr, Nicole Grzecki, Anjana Prasain, Tammy Anderson, Hannah Muirhead, Tori Strecker, Taylor Thompson, Osanife, Anthony Foreman, Jessica Martinez, Jennifer Knapp, Tanesha Wilson, Stacy Hill, Aduke Adesida.
About Us The official student newspaper of Cameron University, The Cameron Collegian is available each Monday during the year. It is printed by the Times Record News in Wichita Falls, Texas.
Letters Policy Letters to the editor will be printed in the order in which they are received and on a space available basis. The Collegian reserves the right to edit all letters for content and length. Letters should be no more than 250 words. Letters from individual authors will be published only once every four weeks. All letters from students should include first and last names, classification and major. No nicknames will be used. Letters from people outside the Cameron community should include name, address and phone number for verification. Letters can be sent by regular mail or e-mail to collegian@cameron.edu, or they may be dropped off at our office - Nance Boyer 2060.
Our Views The opinions expressed in The Collegian pages or personal columns are those of the signed author. The unsigned editorial under the heading “Our Voice” represents the opinion of the majority of the editorial board. The opinions expressed in The Collegian do not necessarily represent those of Cameron University or the state of Oklahoma. Our student media are designated public forums, and free from censorship and advance approval of content. Because content and funding are unrelated, and because the role of adviser does not include advance review of content, student media are free to develop editorial policies and news coverage with the understanding that students and student organizations speak only for themselves. Administrators, faculty, staff or other agents shall not consider the student media’s content when making decisions regarding the media’s funding or faculty adviser.
A&E
September 28, 2009
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Student art chosen for national art exhibits By Rachel Engel Collegian Staff After having her first work of art accepted into the Oklahoma Centerfold exhibit last year, junior Art major Rebecca Taylor just had two new pieces of art accepted into national exhibits debuting in Texas. Taylor’s self-portrait painting titled “An Evening Dip” was on display at the 2009 National Juried Art Exhibition which was co-sponsored by the Navarro Council of the Arts and the Corsicana Arts League in Corsicana, Texas from Sept. 1-25. Her linoleum print titled
Brush stroke: “An Evening Dip” self-portrait painting by junior Rebecca Taylor was on display from Sept. 1-25 at the 2009 National Juried Art Exhibition co-sponsored with the Navarro Council of the Arts in Corsicana, Texas.
“My husband had just left for “Still Standing at 442” is being Iraq when I started it, and it showcased from Oct. 11-25 at represented the chaos that I the Thirteenth Annual Juried felt. Our house Rio Brazos Art number is ‘442’, Exhibition at “What I’ve learned so it meant Tarleton State that we were University has changed my still standing in Granbury, entire outlook; I feel despite the Texas. like now I can better chaos.” “I have Taylor is only entered understand where pursuing a three shows, artists are trying to Bachelor of and that is an go with their work.” Fine Arts in oddity to have Studio Arts, been accepted at all three,” — Rebecca Taylor which will be her second Taylor said. “It Art junior undergraduate is beginners degree. She luck; as an art also holds a student though, Bachelor of Science in Nursing it really builds your selffrom Austin Peay State confidence.” University in Tennessee and Both shows are nationally was a critical care nurse before juried, allowing artists across returning to school to study her the country to submit pieces true passion: art. for the exhibit, which are then “I have always loved art, chosen based on the merit of but life kept getting in the their work, Taylor said. way,” Taylor said. “I have “Even if Leonardo da Vinci really strong math and science was entering the exhibit, the judges would not know because skills and was urged by family members to go into something the names are not displayed that will make money.” with the artwork when the After relocating to Lawton, judges are deciding,” Taylor said. “If the juror that day does since her children would be in school during the day, Taylor’s not like it, it does not get in, so husband urged her to go back it is very subjective.” When deciding which pieces to school and study what she of art to submit to the exhibits, had originally wanted to study Taylor found that these specific but had long put off. Taylor prints appealed to her the most. said despite holding a previous B.S. which will cover the “I had just finished the general education requirements linoleum print and was really for Cameron University, the excited about it,” she said.
extensive nature of the curriculum will keep her here for longer than anticipated. “Studio classes count for three semester hours, but it is like taking nine semester hours,” Taylor said. “So I can really physically only handle two studio classes, and this semester I was suicidal and took three, as well as working Photos courtesy of Rebecca Taylor as an intern Artfully done: Junior Rebecca Taylor’s liat the Leslie noleum print titled “Still Standing at 442” will Powell Gallery, be on display at the Rio Brazos Art Exhibition which counts as in Granbury, Texas from Oct. 11-25. a class.” Taylor said that even though participate in CU’s art department because of the skill art is her first love, there are aspects of nursing that she does level of her professors. “Every single one of the miss, and because she relied on professors here has taught me facts and concrete evidence in something,” Taylor said. “What her first profession, tapping in I’ve learned has changed my to her creative side takes some entire outlook. I can’t look at work. art anymore and just enjoy it “Even though I have always for being art; now, I analyze loved art and loved doing it,” it, and wonder what makes it Taylor said, “I really have to work on the creative side and to work, what design element is in play. I feel like now I can better not think so black-and-white.” understand where artists are Taylor also feels she trying to go with their work.” is fortunate to be able to
Large turnout for Hinder, Saving Abel at Polo fields By Joshua Rouse Collegian Staff Several thousand civilians and soldiers fi lled the Fort Sill Polo Field recently to rock out when Saving Abel and Oklahoma’s own, Hinder, came to town. The concert kicked off around 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 20 when Saving Abel took the stage, playing singles off their self-titled debut album. Lead singer Jared Weeks paused a moment to thank the men and women serving in the military who came out to show their support. “I say this everywhere we go, but it’s good to be in America,” he told the crowd. “This song right here is for all the soldiers
here and abroad.” The band then performed their hit single, “18 Days,” as the crowd sang along to the chorus. It wouldn’t be a Saving Abel concert without their breakout hit “Addicted,” and Weeks and the boys didn’t disappoint. They used their most famous song to bring the crowd alive as the sun began to set behind them. “Now that we’ve had a great time out here, how about we bring out an Oklahoma band in style,” Weeks said. “Are you guys ready for Hinder?” The crowd roared and the band continued with another verse of “Addicted” before taking their leave and heading backstage. Many used the break to grab more food and drinks and find a good spot before the
Photos courtesy of Michael D. Pope of the Lawton-Constitution
Rock on: A large crowd gathered at the Fort Sill Polo Fields on Sept. 20 to see Saving Abel and Hinder perform.
second half of the concert. A large group of soldiers pushed as far as they could against the barrier in front of the stage. It was a scene that Maj. Gen. David Halverson welcomed for his men and women. “We had a big success with Tim McGraw and now Hinder and Saving Abel, and we appreciate all the support from the community,” the Fort Sill Commanding General said. “This is a great concert to bring an Oklahoma band back to our soldiers. We’re really proud of this stuff.” Halverson took time in between the acts to tour the VIP section and talk to those in attendance. He said people wouldn’t understand how much of a morale boost the concert could be for the soldiers in the audience. “This is a great thing for the soldiers to be able to come out, relax and have a good time,” he said. As the sun had finally set, Hinder lead singer Austin Winkler stormed onto the stage, doing his best impersonation of Aerosmith lead singer Stephen Tyler. Camera flashes sprinkled the band members as they electrified the crowd with several singles off their new album, “Take it to the Limit.” Several soldiers jumped on top of the mob and were carried across while Winkler jammed with his band members. A
number of concertgoers passed out due to the heat and tight confines of the polo field. Winkler took a few minutes to let the crowd relax and mentioned how Hinder began in Oklahoma City, though after performing for years in the state’s capital and touring across the country the band had never performed in Lawton. There was one thing he wanted to know. Up close: Saving Abel’s lead singer, Jared “I have to Weeks, gets focused during a performance on wonder what kind of women Sept. 20 at the Fort Sill Polo Fields. you have here in Lawton, Oklahoma,” Winkler lit and swaying with the breeze. asked the audience. Hinder played well into the When the crowd erupted in evening with a light show that one loud scream, Winkler said it could probably be seen from sounded like Lawton had plenty space. Everyone seemed pleased of screamers in the audience. with the concert, including Gen. Winkler calmed the rowdy Halverson who was satisfied crowd with one of their more with the consistent quality of notable titles, “Better than You.” talent brought in to play for Within 30 seconds of the song’s Lawton and Fort Sill. start, hundreds of lighters were
Theatre department to perform Steve Martin adaptation By Melissa Rogers Collegian Staff The Theatre Arts department will be performing Steve Martin’s “The Underpants,” adapted from the 1910 comedic play originally written by Carl Sternheim, Oct. 1-4 at the University Theatre. The classic play is set in Dusseldorf, Germany and tells the story of Theo and Louise Maske, whose quiet and conservative existence was compromised when Louise’s undergarments fall down during the king’s parade. While the
couple believes that the incident will only create difficulty in their lives, the opposite occurs. Th is public scandal actually attracts two men that want to rent the Maskes’ spare room; however, they both develop an amorous infatuation with the young wife. This witty and satirical play focuses on politics, sex and feminism and is the Theatre Arts department’s entry in this year’s Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. The production is directed by department chair Scott Richard Klein. Klein said that a former secretary initially introduced the idea of this
adaptation to him about three years ago. “I was drawn to this play because not only was it a comedic adaptation, but it was historical as well, creating a perfect balance for our season,” Klein said. “Steve Martin modernized it quite a bit with his various themes and it proved to be a great challenge for my students to portray.” Although the play is not vulgar, it does include some subtle adult humor. “I like to think of this play as a clean dirty joke,” Klein said. The cast includes Katherine Handy, Bryan West,
Christopher Jefferson, J. David Duncan, Brandi Goldsmith, Burneal Fick and Caleb Payne. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 1-3 and 2:00 p.m. Oct. 4. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for nonCameron students, military, senior citizens and faculty. Admission for Cameron students with an ID is free. For more information, call the University Theatre box office at 580.581.2478.
6
Sports
September 28, 2009
Introducing Armchair Aggie Experiment Writers take on all 10 Cameron sports
By Jacob Russell Collegian Staff Encarta defines an armchair quarterback as somebody who is certain that he or she could make better calls or plays than the players or coaches while watching a professional sport. Everyone knows this type of fan, the one who can’t watch a game without offering an opinion on what would have been successful or what they were capable of when they played the game. So what would happen if these fans were plucked from obscurity or, in this case, from behind the pen, to see what collegiate athletics are really about? The answer: Our “Armchair Aggies Experiment.” The “Armchair Aggies Experiment” will pit one or more of our sports writers against our very own Cameron athletes. However, the premise for these events did not come from trash talking or unmet expectations, but rather the scrutiny that Division II athletes face from uneducated fans. Senior Sports Editor Bennett Dewan has been covering Aggie athletics for a few years now and has seen the level of athletes and competition taken up a notch at Cameron University. “I overheard two CU students talking about an upcoming game, and said they weren’t going to attend because Division II is equivalent to high
school athletics,” explained Dewan. “That’s just crazy to me. The level of competition in the Lone Star Conference has risen, and I’m not sure if many people know the talent of the athletes we have in place to compete in every sport. They are all exceptional and gifted at what they do.” The idea was pitched to Sports Information Director Craig Martin, who had to check all the legal and insurance issues behind the idea, as well as discuss it with the coaching staffs about their willingness to allow players to be involved in competition not sanctioned by the NCAA. “They are all going for it. They jumped right on the band wagon,” Martin said. “They looked at it as another opportunity, much like the blogs, to allow Aggie fans to be a larger part of the expansion in our department. They want people to see the type of athletes that we have been able to recruit.” Each week, at least one member of the staff will attend the practices of one of our programs. The first day might be spent just watching, but the athletes, as well as the “Armchair Aggies,” will be ready for the showdown by Friday. The weeklong training and the actual competition will be filmed and posted by Craig Martin on the GoAggies website at goaggies.cameron. edu. In addition to the posting
on the webpage, a weekly editorial will be written for “The Collegian” by the staff member who was fortunate enough to survive the meetings with the real athletes. With the odds stacked against the “Armchair Aggies,” it would be easy to try to go out there and just soak in the opportunity; but that’s not how they are looking at it. “We don’t expect to come out on top,” Dewan said. “But we will go out there and try our best to compete on their terms in their sports.” For the first installment, Dewan, will be taking on our volleyball team, which is currently off to a very hot start in their fall season. Dewan knows that he lacks in training and experience but is excited about the opportunity. “I’m not built like any of the players on their team, but I do have a size advantage,” explained Dewan. “I will not give up; I am very competitive and just want to get out there and see what happens.” Beginning next week, be sure to check the video footage and interviews on the GoAggies webpage by searching goaggies. cameron.edu. Also, as you are thumbing through your weekly edition of “The Collegian” be sure to check and see if the “Armchair Aggies” were able to remain competitive as they begin an uphill battle to show the community just what level of athlete comes to Cameron.
Photos by Bennett Dewan
Being an Aggie is an attitude: Clockwise from the top left Juan Ruiz, Adrienne Lawson, Carrie Harvey and Thomas Peixoto represent the Aggies in their respective sports. Over the next semester sports writers will be competing against these athletes and others in each of the sports represented at CU.
Tennis greats lose luster at U.S. Open By Saman Samii Collegian Staff
MCT Campus
Shining a little less bright: Roger Federer and Serena Williams, two of the biggest names in professional tennis, play in matches earlier this season. Both superstars are currently mired in controversy following verbal tirades at the U.S. Open. Williams and Federer, pre-tournament favorites to win it all, went on vulgar rampages during their final matches. Federer went on to lose his match after his outburst while Williams was disqualified for her inflammatory statements.
This year’s U.S. Open was one for the history books. It was a tournament where emotions got the worst of the biggest stars, where displays of uncharacteristic action took place and where the rising stars stepped up and proved that the tennis circuit is getting broader. This year’s stars at the open were Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro and Belgian Kim Clijsters, who both proved to the world of tennis that they are here to stay. Tandil, a small city approximately a hundred miles away from Buenos Aires, has a new star. Del Potro, also known as the “Tower of Tandil”, had the tournament of his life. Not only did he win the U.S. Open title, but the way he did it was equally impressive. Del Potro became the first man to defeat both Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the same Grand Slam tournament, and he became the second man to ever beat Federer in a Grand Slam final. Nadal had been the only person to achieve that task before the big man from Argentina. In Federer’s six previous U.S. Open finals, he played six different opponents. The Swiss master was unable to clinch his sixth consecutive U.S. Open title, a task that has only been achieved once before by Bill Tilden back in the 1920s. The thought of beating Federer in New York has been described as nearly impossible, and it sure seemed that way after names like Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray all failed to defeat The King. Not this year, however. Del Potro put an end to Federer’s winning streak in New York and captured his first ever Grand Slam victory. Maybe now, people will realize how big this win really was. Del Potro won the final by the score of 3-6, 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2, where he proved his extremely impressive mental
skills on the court. After nearly losing the match and Federer being in control throughout the first couple of sets, nobody could have guessed that the “Tower of Tandil” was going to pull this one off. Proving many of us wrong, Del Potro now writes his name into the history books as one of Argentina’s Grand Slam winners. During the final, Federer was involved in an uncharacteristic confrontation with the umpire over the Hawk-Eye rulings. It is well known that Federer has never been a fan of the HawkEye video technology. Late in the fourth set, the Hawk-Eye system denied Federer a point after Del Potro challenged a call that was called wide. After review of the shot, the ruling went in Del Potro’s favor, and he later went on to take the set 7-6, which was crucial to the outcome of the match. Federer was unconvinced and protested the time it took for the Argentine to challenge the call, getting into an argument with umpire Jake Garner. “Don’t you have any rules for this? I wasn’t allowed to challenge after two seconds. The guy takes, like, 10. You can’t allow that stuff to happen,” Federer said to Garner who later told the Swiss to be quiet. Federer was incensed and replied, “Don’t tell me to be quiet, OK? When I want to talk, I talk. I don’t give a s---.” The confrontation was shocking to see, as the 15-time major champion normally never lets small things like that bother him. Not taking credit away from Del Potro’s level of tennis in the final match, but clearly this situation affected the outcome of the match for Federer. Maybe he is human after all? In the women’s tournament, Clijsters had a great comeback to her career as she claimed her second U.S. Open title. Clijsters took years off from the pro tour after she got married and became a mother. Just months before the start of the U.S. Open, she
decided to return to the pro tour. The talented Belgian could not have had a better comeback as she completely dominated the tournament and won the Open in decisive fashion. “This has been so exciting for me,” Clijsters said. “I can’t believe this happened. It still seems so surreal that in my third tournament back I won my second Grand Slam.” In her semifinal match against American star Serena Williams, Clijsters won the match in an odd way. Williams was clearly struggling with Clijsters’ level of tennis during the match and let her emotions get the worst of her as she had a complete meltdown at the end of the match. After losing the first set, frustration exloded within her and Williams smashed her racket into the ground, and the umpire gave her a warning. All Hell broke loose in the second set when Williams was called for foot-fault on a second serve at 6-5 down and 30 all. She immediately turned to the line judge and said, “I swear to God, I’m f------ going to take this f-----ball and shove it down your f----- throat, you hear that? I swear to God.” She received a point penalty at match point down and lost the match. She quickly shook hands with Clijsters, grabbed her bags and left the stadium. As a tennis fan, words cannot describe the disappointment you feel when you see a tennis star such as Williams cause drama in such a ridiculous way. As a role model for children and tennis fans throughout the world, emotions need to be controlled, especially when you are at a professional level. The 2009 U.S. Open will be in people’s minds for a long time. Not only for the uncharacteristic displays of negative emotions and profanity that took place, but also for the great stories that were taken from Del Potro’s and Clijsters’ amazing performances.
Sports
September 28, 2009
7
CU hosts tournament, tough competiton By Saman Samii Collegian Staff At 11-4, the Cameron Aggie volleyball team has had great success so far this season but all of it has been on the road. CU looked to change that up today by hosting the Aggie Fall Classic tournament in the Aggie Gym, alongside Oklahoma City University and Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Aggies finished the tournament 1-1, while OCU went 0-2 and UA-FS went 2-0. “Overall I think the tournament went well today and I was definitely pleased with the crowd,” Head Coach Brianne Smedley said. “Our fans were enthusiastic from start to finish. It was a long day of volleyball but none of the fans gave up on us.” The Aggies opened up the tournament by taking on the Stars of Oklahoma City University. After a few struggles early on, the CU girls were able to refocus and battle their way back into the match. The contest went the distance but Cameron proved to be the stronger team after the
deciding fifth set. better. The final score was 27-29, 25“Today we missed on 25 service errors, which is 16, 23-25, 25-19, 15-9. Although the Black and Gold won the basically an entire set,” Coach Smedley said. “Play like that is match, Coach Smedley said her team made too unacceptable. many errors. One positive from today “Today was Next Volleyball definitely a is I think we blocked well. rollercoaster day Matchup for us,” Coach We got a lot of Smedley said. good touches to Monday Sept. 28 slow down their “We made far too Vs many errors, and hits.” I think we got The Aggies Wayland Baptist lucky. Our errors currently stand didn’t get the best on a solid of us in the first 11-4 winning match, but they Aggie Gym, 7 p.m. record for the definitely did in season and lead all Lone Star the second.” After their five Conference set win over OCU, the Cameron teams with only one loss in conference play. ladies had to refocus and take on the Lady Lions of the University “What I hope the girls learn from today is that we can’t shoot of Arkansas-Forth Smith. The Lions came out on fire and ourselves in the foot,” Coach played well throughout the whole Smedley said. “We have to force match, defeating the Aggies in a team to beat us; we can’t give them easy errors and allow them three straight sets. The final score was 25-15, to win. If a team is going to beat 25-18, 25-19. Coach Smedley us, we need to make them take it said her team could have played from us.”
Photo by Bennett Dewan
Small but mighty: 5’3” Senior Defensive Stopper Lindsay Carroll makes a pass to the Setter. Carroll plays big as she regularly dives to make tough plays.
Forsythe chases dream far from home
Photo by Bennett Dewan
Greatest export since ‘Crocodile Dundee’: Jake Forsythe, from New South Wales, Australia, hits a double in his final game at McCord Field last season before suffering a season-ending broken arm from an errant pitch. Before that Forsythe was having a steller season batting .351.
By Alex Lyons Newswriting Student Jake Forsythe is a top tier Cameron University athlete. However, unlike many CU athletes, he is not from Oklahoma or even the United States; Jake came from the land down under: Australia. Last year, Forsythe helped the Cameron University baseball squad to its best season in school history, posting a 43-15 record and the Lone Star Conference regular season crown. Forsythe posted a .351 batting average accompanied by a .436 on-base percentage, ranking fifth and fourth, respectively, on the CU team. His talents do not stop outside the lines, majoring in biology and receiving high honors, Jake sports a 3.7 GPA. While his time at Cameron has been productive and rewarding on
and off the field, Forsythe’s journey to the states was a lifetime in the making. Born Feb. 2, 1988, in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia, Forsythe began his life playing sports. “I played cricket, baseball, and football (rugby in American terms) at a young age,” Forsythe said. “While I enjoyed all three, baseball was my first love.” In Australia, sports are structured differently than in the U.S.; high school and collegiate sports do not exist. All forms of sport are reserved for club and state competition only. Forsythe began playing organized baseball in high school for his club team, the Tamworth Warriors. After excelling throughout club competition, Forsythe was asked to Compete for his hometown state of New South Wales.
After three months of practice, his team was headed to the Australian National Tournament. What transpired there would change Forsythe’s life forever. After a first round game against Western Australia, Forsythe was approached by Matt Neugent, head coach for the Redlands Community College baseball team. Neugent liked the way Forsythe played and asked if he’d consider playing baseball in America, offering him a scholarship on the spot. “I was in awe,” Forsythe said. “I didn’t know what to say; I always wanted to play baseball in America because the opportunities for advancement in the United States greatly outweigh Australia.” After a few weeks of thought, Forsythe decided to pack his bags and head for the states. However, arriving in America was an obstacle in itself.
He boarded a plane from Tamworth to Sydney; from there he took a 12 hour flight to Los Angeles. His first steps on American soil were short-lived. From L.A. he flew three hours to Denver and then hopped on a connecting flight to Oklahoma City. All-in-all, his journey took over 30 hours, not to mention a 15hour time change. When Forsythe arrived in Oklahoma City it was 3 p.m. on Wednesday, back home his parents were crawling into bed at 12 a.m. on Tuesday. “It was an exhausting experience,” Forsythe said. “I had no idea it would be that strenuous.” His career at Redlands Community College was full of accolades. He earned first team allconference honors and gained high honor roll status in the classroom. In his sophomore season at Redlands, he was approached by Cameron University head baseball
coach Todd Holland. “I saw Jake play in a couple games,” Holland said. “I was immediately impressed with his athleticism, poise and desire to win. I knew right away that he should be an Aggie.” Holland invited Forsythe to visit Lawton and explore the campus; the rest is history. After a night out with fellow recruits, Forsythe decided that Cameron was his first choice in a long line of interested schools. After being an Aggie for over a year now, he is thrilled with his decision. “Cameron is an awesome place to be,” Forsythe said. “It’s a fun place to play with a great group of players. It’s the time of a lifetime experience playing baseball and obtaining a degree from a challenging university. My time here has truly been a dream come true.”
Aggies look to bounce back from loss By Jeramy Eidson Collegian Staff
Photo by Bennett Dewan
Defense first: Junior Kayla Ryan handles a spike attempt against AFS.
The Cameron Aggie volleyball team began their season 10-2. After being swept by Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions, The Aggies sit at 11-5, losing three of their last four. “The score was always tied at some point. Then we let a few points get away from us and they’d be in the lead,” Coach Brianne Smedley said. Then we’d play catch up the rest of the set and we could never close it out after that.” Smedley felt the team also committed too many errors in the loss to Arkansas-Fort Smith. “The way to fix that is for each girl to step up and not let the pressure of the situation get to them. Volleyball is a game of errors and usually the team that makes the least amount
of errors wins,” Smedley said. “Unfortunately in our past couple of games we’ve just committed far too many errors.” Due to some injuries, the Aggies have had to make some tweaks to their lineup that the girls are still getting accustomed to. “We’re having to work with new lineups due to some injuries on the team. We just haven’t quite found our sync yet,” Smedley said. Smedley looks at each player the same and feels they are all equal contributors to the team; however, two players stand out amongst the rest for their attitude or their role in the lineup. Freshman Kellie Dickerson has made an impact on the team through the enthusiasm that she brings. Smedley said she really appreciates her desire to win.
Senior Laura Ellerbrock plays a big role on the team as well. She is the setter, which Smedley feels is the most valuable position on the volleyball team. “Basically, the setter is the quarterback of the team. In football, they rely on their quarterback the most; well, we rely on our setter because she’s touching every single ball,” Smedley said. On Sept. 28, the Aggies will complete their last non-conference game of the season against Wayland Baptist on a three game home stand, having only played three conference games prior to the completion of non-conference play. With the non-conference games out of the way and many conference games scheduled in the near future, Smedley will rely more heavily on Ellerbrock and other seniors to set
the tone, as the next few weeks are the most important of the season. Oct. 8 through Nov. 7 CU will see nothing but conference opponents as they head into the Lone Star Conference tournament, which is scheduled to begin Nov. 12. The conference games will determine the seeding of the tournament. Smedley and her assistant Shawn Carroll-Darling will put together a game plan for each conference game by watching film, scouting and preparing the Aggies for practice to manipulate the weaknesses of their opponents. As Smedley and the girls get familiar with their new lineups, recover from injury and get in sync with each other, they will be facing their toughest, most important competition all season.
8
Variety
September 28, 2009
Review by Joshua Rouse “Halo 3: ODST” is the best Bungie Studios entry in the series since “Halo: Combat Evolved” in 2001. Simple and to the point: if you like “Halo,” you’ll love “ODST.” It seems that, after eight years, Bungie finally realized what worked so well in the first game and replicated it. What once began as a “three-to-five hour campaign expansion” has turned into a full-fledged retail title that could be considered one of the best games this year. “ODST” takes place between “Halo 2” and “Halo 3.” The Covenant have inadvertently found Earth and invaded the city of New Mombassa in East Africa. After the Master Chief, the hero of the original “Halo” trilogy, takes off after the Prophet of Regret, a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) is sent into the city to clean up the mess. The drop goes horribly wrong and the Rookie wakes up six hours later with no idea what’s going on. You spend the game as the Rookie travelling across the expansive city, searching out clues that uncover the mystery of what happened in the six hours since you dropped. “ODST” treads new ground for the series, since this is the first time in the Bungie series where you don’t play as the Master Chief. The ODSTs are tougher than ordinary marines, but they’re still normal humans. They can’t dual-wield weapons, they take damage when they fall and they die a lot easier when they run up against Brutes and other tough Covenant enemies. Instead of charging in head first, like you would traditionally do, “ODST” forces you to take a step back and approach combat in a different way. While there are subtle changes, this is still “Halo.” The run-andgun gameplay is still there; it’s just more difficult to go up against Brutes and Hunters without wetting yourself when they let out a loud scream. The campaign is split up into different flashback moments. The Rookie uses the New Mombassa A.I. to search out different clues across the city. When you come across one of these clues, a flashback occurs and the player takes control of one of the members of the ODST squad after the drop. Players who’ve completed the “Halo 3” campaign will recognize some of the vistas and environments later in the campaign. The Rookie is armed with a silenced SMG and a silenced magnum. Each one has a scope, which allows for precision aiming. You’ll need to be as accurate as possible while playing as the Rookie, because ammunition is hard to come by and enemies are aplenty. The campaign is well-paced and meticulously crafted. It may have originally began as a simple expansion, but it is actually longer than “Halo 3,” depending on how you play and how much you explore the hub world of New Mombassa as the Rookie. Bungie took a page out of Valve’s playbook and has a lot of environmental story elements scattered across the city. You’ll come across scrawlings of “Remember Reach” and other messages that harken back to different events in the “Halo” lore.
In-game screenshots taken by Joshua Rouse
Shotgun: Several flashback missions throughout the ‘Halo 3: ODST’ campaign feature actionpacked gameplay that reveal more about the story surrounding the events following the drop. The atmosphere is much improved map features two bases with a over the previous titles in the series. platform in the middle where When you’re done completing players can perch and pick off the campaign, you can play members of the other team, as long Firefight, a new game mode that as they’re careful. Longshore could Bungie added. Up to four players be described as a spiritual successor can team up to fight off waves of to the “Halo 2” map, Headlong. It’s Covenant enemies in a survival a large map set in a marina district mode. Firefight is similar to the area of New Mombassa. A ghost Horde mode from “Gears of War shakes things up a bit, keeping 2.” After each wave, players will players on their toes as they traverse have the ability to heal themselves the map to capture the flag or stalk and restock on ammunition. The the enemy. The final map, Citadel, is difference between Horde and somewhat similar to Midship. It’s a Firefight is the inclusion of vehicles little larger and features an elevated in the “ODST” version. Some of the 10 maps Outnumbered, offer vehicles outgunned: The largest that players can of the three new ‘Halo hop in to help 3’ multiplayer maps, mow down Longshore, features the grunts, jackals perfect battleground for and their Brute skirmishes with 12 or more commanders. players. Capture the flag and Firefight Assault are fun gametypes isn’t a mode that has a lot on this large industrial of longevity, map set against the New especially Mombassa docks. with only 10 maps. But it’s something that’s a welcome distraction and will bring you back to “ODST” after a while. Instead of stalking enemies in the campaign, you can hop right into some instant action. “ODST” comes with a second disc that contains the “Halo 3” multiplayer interface. It contains all 24 maps made for “Halo 3.” Every map from the Heroic, Legendary Prepare for battle: and Mythic Citadel, the last of the map packs are three new maps included included, as well with ‘Halo 3: ODST’ is as three new an arena-style map with maps: Heretic, plenty of long corridors for Longshore and ranged combat with battle Citadel. rifles and grenades. The “Halo 2” Forerunner architecture players will no adds a pleasing aesthetic to doubt recognize the map. Heretic as the remake of the arena-style Midship. The symmetrical
walkway around the perimeter. A rocket launcher in the middle can be devastating for the enemy team. It’s another arena-style map that will please Major League Gaming-style players. The only way to play the three new maps is to buy “ODST.” Luke Smith, a Bungie spokesperson, confirmed that Bungie has no plans to release the maps on the Xbox LIVE marketplace. The multiplayer maps aren’t that impressive. Longshore seems to be the most unique of the three,
featuring several avenues of attack in Assault and Capture the Flag games. It’s perfect for dynamic 12 to 16-player matches. Heretic and Midship will, no doubt, be favorites for MLG players, but everyone else will probably soon tire of the monotonous combat. But, for anyone who hasn’t picked up the “Halo 3” multiplayer map packs, it’s hard to go wrong with “ODST.” “ODST” goes back to the roots of the series with in-yourface intense combat and fun encounters. Playing as the Rookie, sneaking around New Mombassa and stealthily dispatching Covenant patrols, offers a stark contrast to the heavy-action flashbacks when you discover a clue. The two gameplay styles complement each other well. After an anti-climatic, and somewhat disappointing, finale with “Halo 3,” it’s great to see Bungie give the “Halo” trilogy a good sendoff. Don’t be fooled by the early details surrounding “Halo 3: ODST.” It might have been announced as an expansion, but it’s a complete title that blows away the campaigns of both “Halo 2” and “Halo 3.” The new gameplay is a welcome change for a series that was fast becoming stale. This is one game no “Halo” fan should miss.
An old friend returns: ‘Halo 2’ players will no doubt remember this classic arena map, filled with battle rifles, grenades and the infamous plasma sword. Not much has changed with Heretic, except a new coat of paint.