THE BANNER
February 25, 2011
A California Baptist University Campus Publication
Volume 58 · Issue 10
Financial Clearance Process Changes BY MONICA MARTINEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Photo by Sarah Jane O’Keefe
Kayla Friend. Julie Ann Thomazin, Chelsea Rodgers and Sarah Sebaskey make up the The Taffetas which opens this weekend at California Baptist University’s Wallace Theater.
THE TAFFETAS: LIVE FROM WALLACE THEATER BY JENNIFER HATCHER is about four sisters from Muncie, InSTAFF WRITER
Excitement and adrenaline run through their veins. The stage is set and the microphones are waiting. The host comes out and it is time. The Taffeta girls are here, wearing colorful taffeta dresses, ready to sing their hearts out with songs of love, laughter and fun. This is California Baptist University’s first Spring 2011 production by the theatre arts’ program in the Wallace theater; allowing audiences to take a trip back to the 1950s with “The Taffetas.” Written by Rick Lewis, the story
diana during the 1950s. In the play, the girls have their television debut in “Spotlight on Music,” a fictitious music show on the Dumont Television Network. The cast includes Kayla Friend playing Kaye, Julie Ann Thomazin playing Cheryl, Chelsea Rodgers playing Donna and Sarah Sebaskey playing Peggy. The show features 36 songs from popular 1950s female groups such as The Fontane Sisters and The Chordettes, including songs such as “Mr. Sandman” and “The Three Bells.” “I hope there will be an older audience there who will appreciate
the music and I hope that we will do it justice because it is what they grew up with and they have so many memories attached to it,” Chelsea Rodgers said. “I really hope that we will be able to give it our all.” But the production can also offer a new experience for current CBU students. They will be exposed to music of the 1950s. Some might be able to remember songs their parents or grandparents enjoyed. The play premieres Feb. 25. There will be seven showings in all, two on Feb. 26, one on March 4 and two on March 5 plus two more matinees during school for local elementary students. The run
time of the show itself will be just under two hours. In the past, the tickets for school theater productions were sold through the Campus Activities Board. However, this semester is different. The tickets will be sold at the ticket window in front of the Wallace Theatre. The Theatre did a special sale this semester, selling the tickets for only seven dollars for the first 200 students then $12 for regular CBU students, faculty, seniors and matinee showings and $15 for general admission. “It is going to be really great. I am excited,” Rodgers said.
Starting in the summer semester, the Student Accounts office will implement new policies regarding the financial clearance deadlines and other office procedures. Financial clearance, according to Student Accounts, is a status that indicates a student has completed payment arrangements through an ‘approved payment option’ to cover all tuition and fee charges for the semester. A signed Tuition and Fee Agreement must also be on file. Director of Student Accounts, Heidi Pendleton, said the changes were pushed in an effort to be more efficient and to “simplify the process for both students and staff.” There are three main changes that consist of detailed account information, a new payment gateway and one financial clearance deadline per semester for all students. Previously, the Course and Fee statement was used by students to see their balance. However, this was only an estimation of tuition and fees charged to a student’s account. Students can now access their actual student account by clicking on “My Account Information” found under the Student Accounts tab under InsideCBU. Under this new feature, students can tell what their balance is, the actual amount along with all fees charged and aid added. “Students can see when their loans and scholarships were credited into their account,” Pendleton said. Along with the aid, students can see when charges were placed by the dates posted for each transaction. Some amounts will be in parentheses, indicating the amount was subtracted. “Everything is right there at
SEE CHANGES, PAGE A2
NEW MAJOR
SUPERSTITION
INTRAMURALS
ONLINE
Construction management, a new major led by Francis Jacobs, offer new opportunities. Page A2
Sports teams have superstitions but what does the Bible say about them? Page A7
Intramurals offer friends a chance to compete with one another. Page A7
Look for more stories at cbubanner. com .
NEWS CHANGES
February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
Cont. from Page A1
their fingertips,” Peggy Plavajka, student accounts counselor, said. Student information can also be retrieved through “Account Transaction History” in the CASHNet payment gateway. This new payment program does not require additional fees. Pendleton said that this new gateway is “not as cumbersome.” A students ID number will be validated automatically. Students can also create profiles for authorized parties, such as parents or grandparents, to view their account transaction history and to make payments to their student accounts. “There are fewer steps,” Pendleton said. “We have made it simpler. And there are no fees. ” Pendleton said the University would incur and pay those origination fees. The third major change is the one deadline for all students. Before, students’ clearance deadline could differ depending on program, admit status or time of registration. A letter that was recently mailed out to enrolled students said that “one deadline for all students is fair, reduces confusion and simplifies the financial clearance process.” The deadlines are expected to be May 3 for the summer 2011 semester, Aug. 16 for fall 2011 and Jan. 5, 2012 for spring 2012. In order to be financially cleared, students must have set up an approved payment option which can be one or a combination of a student account payment, an automatic monthly payment plan and financial aid. The letter also said that “beginning with the summer 2011 semester the university will allow students themselves to determine if they should remain enrolled or withdraw from the University due to financial constraints.” Students who cannot make arrangements with an approved payment option will no longer need to fill out a semester payment agreement. “Students will be financially responsible and understand what that involves. This change allows them to make the decision to withdraw or remain enrolled based on their personal financial circumstances,” Pendleton said. But since much of the previously filled time was used to answer balance inquiries, the Student Accounts staff wants to help families who are finding it difficult to make approved arrangements. “We hope to have more time to work with those families,” Pendleton said. “We don’t want to lose our personal touch.”
Photo by Michael Sampson
Announcements for the semester’s Urban Excursion are posted on the wall.
Building a new business BY MARK GOMEZ SENIOR WRITER
The School of Business shows signs of continuous expansion as it introduces its brand new Construction Management major. Headed by Assistant Professor Francois Jacobs, the program will begin in the fall. “It is here to help give the students a choice when they have a career in business,” Jacobs said. “There are a lot of areas where students can go with this degree.” With the new degree, students are able to pursue job positions like construction manager, superintendent, field engineer, purchasing agent, office manager and building inspector, to name a few.
“I have worked in the construction industry for 12 years. Even when I was in the industry I loved teaching,” Jacobs said. “I have gotten the position to pull this program from the ground up.” It provides a different angle in contrast to the other three degrees the School of Business offers. “Construction Management is a little bit more different from Business because it is more applied. It is an arm to Business because it is management,” Jacobs said. “So it would give students an option to pursue that as a career path if they choose to work in construction.” Many construction managers are able to be self-employed. It is a beneficial path for those that wish to follow an entrepreneurial path. However,
many must be willing to work for a company before heading out on their own. “When students get out of the program, they want to gain experience,” Jacobs said. “The best way to gain experience is to work for an organization or company. Then, eventually they can work for themselves.” According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a career in Construction Management is also very rewarding financially. The median annual salary of construction managers in May 2008 was $79,860 while the highest paid earned was $145,920. According to a 2009 salary survey, people who graduated from college with a Construction Management degree were able to get at least $53,000 annually. “Even with the economic downturn, student job placement is very high. Some of the schools with the degree have a 95 percent placement rate,” Jacobs said. Although it is a very rewarding degree, it requires 130 credits. Students can apply for an scholarship from the program. The scholarships go as high as $5,000 per year. Students are also able to look outside for different construction industry scholarships. “It is a vision of the university. We are very excited about this, and I want students to come and talk to me about this so they know what this is all about,” Jacobs said.
Riverside pushes for college representation BY BIANCA JOHNSON centage of them stay in Riverside to start
ASSISTANT HEALTH EDITOR The College Council of Riverside plans to make Riverside a true college city through unification and change. CCOR is comprised of selected students from California Baptist University, La Sierra University, Riverside Community College and University of California, Riverside. CBU students William Byers, Dawson Young and Sarah Trout are members of the council and representatives for CBU. CCOR was formed by the Mayor’s Office. Their mission is to promote Riverside as a community of colleges and universities, enhance student affinity and engagement, foster economic development through cross-campus collaboration and build on opportunities as knowledge capital, including the creation of a highly skilled workforce and creative community. Their biggest goal is to make Riverside a college city and make it a place where people will want to build their families, careers and lives. According to Trout, between August and May, there are 60,000 college students within Riverside that come every year and only a small per-
their careers and post-graduation work. “Our job is to find out what students want and what the city can do to keep students here,” Byers said. “Whether that is providing internships, more jobs, helping businesses connect with students and making it more safe and fun. The city wants to know the students’ voice and that is our job to find out.” Since this is the council’s first year of operation, a survey is in the works to be made. The survey will help them find out the students’ wants and needs before they can accomplish anything. Their hope is to conduct a trial run at CBU. “This is a chance for what they want to get done,” Byers said. “If you tell us, then it will get done. The survey will only take about a minute to fill out and it is simple. Just spending two minutes to fill it out can make a big difference.” Byers and Trout explained that there are things the city can do that colleges and universities cannot necessarily do due to funding. The city has a lot more resources and leverage when it comes to getting something done for things that are community driven. If the students want something and there is an overwhelming majority, then the city can make that happen. If the city sees that as a viable option to
keep students around, they have the resources to do so. “For example, there are internet hot spots throughout the city and you can get free internet,” Trout said. “That is something that they have done in order to aid college students because Riverside is a college town. If students see a need like that, we want to know what their opinions and ideas are because we have the ability to do that.” Their other goal is to increase cross-campus collaboration. “We also want to unite all of the colleges,” Trout said. “When La Sierra has an event, we want CBU students to be able to attend. If we have an event, we want RCC and UCR students to come. We want to connect the colleges within Riverside so that they are not doing community college work and then leaving. They are just being transferred right into a Riverside college. That is one of our biggest goals.” Currently, the council is developing a website and a Facebook page where students can find information about club meetings, how the council members are affecting change and events throughout the Riverside campuses.
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NEWS BRIEFS BY TAYLOR ROGERS NEWS EDITOR
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
The month of February is recognized as National Black History Month to commemorate the contributions that AfricanAmericans made to the United States. With a wide variety of ways to celebrate, California Baptist University as well as University of California, Riverside showed their appreciation. UCR held events during the month of February with guest lecturers such as Paul Green, an assistant professor of education at the Graduate School of Education at UCR and musical groups such as The Boys Choir of Harlem at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium.
SEEK WEEK SURVEY
With results from last semester’s post Seek Week survey, the Department of Spiritual Life discussed how to improve chapel experience as well as this semester’s version of Seek Week. The survey received responses from 455 students and the results were put online for students to view. “The primary purpose of the chapel survey was to assess the effectiveness of what we are doing,” John Montgomery, dean of spiritual life, said. “The second purpose was to evaluate if we were doing what we do well.” This semester’s theme is “Surrender” led by CBU graduates David Torna, who is the junior high pastor of Sandals Church and Daniel Bishop the high school pastor of The Grove. By Jon Beam
ZUMBA BENEFITAHON
The workout craze, Zumba, is coming to Riverside. A twohour Zumbathon will be held on March 2 at the Riverside Life Arts Center to benefit the American Heart Association’s Go Red Por Tu Corazon Movement. Tickets can be purchased in advance for $20 or at the door for $25 the date of the event. Seventy-five percent of the Zumbathon ticket fee and thirty percent of limited edition Party Hearty Zumbawear product sales benefit the American Heart Association’s. The limit is 200 people.
BUSINESS
February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
Kate McPhillips ponders how to fill out her FAFSA effectively.
Photo by Sarah Jane O’Keefe
HELPFUL HINTS FOR FILLING OUT THE FAFSA Information students should know before the March 2 deadline BY BRIANNA NELSON qualify for a Cal Grant, Pell Grant and STAFF WRITER
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the most important and most troublesome application for receiving financial aid. The FAFSA is what allows California residents to
the two different loans offered by the U.S. government. The FAFSA is also important because it allows California Baptist University to determine the correct amount of aid a student is eligible for from the government funds based
Students invest in preparedness BY DAYANA RAMIREZ them. STAFF WRITER
Some college students planned to save money as a New Year’s resolution but following through was difficult. The use of debit cards and credit cards gives everyone the opportunity to simply swipe their card and spend freely without noticing that saved money is decreasing. “We do not have a concept of money anymore,” Francois Jacobs, assistant professor of construction management, said. “Swiping the card is so easy.” This can be prevented, however, by acknowledging several factors the next time a student decides to spend money. Buy a used car versus a new one with zero miles While new cars are luxurious and may be affordable, it is recommended to purchase one that was already used, whether it be from a dealership or private owner. “Buy a two or three-year-old car rather than a brand new car,” Keanon Alderson, assistant professor of business, said. The reason for this is new cars depreciate in value the minute people ride out of the dealership and are not worth what they paid for them if they are looking to resell
“College students need cars but a brand-new car would be worth less than what they owe on it,” Alderson said. A used car will earn students at least what they bought it for and will provide them with the same satisfaction and service. The only disadvantage is the warranty and reliability. “Students can always sell it for what they bought it for,” Alderson said. Once students have a car, Alderson advises that they save money by paying cash at the gas station, as using a debit card requires a fee. Eat Healthy and Save Money Students who do not have a meal plan at the Alumni Dining Commons may find it harder to buy inexpensive and healthy meals that fill them up for long periods of time. For this reason it is much more convenient to buy food and cook it at home. “I believe in whole food intake. Buy healthy food and eat what you make yourself,” Jacobs said. Avoid changing phones and switching phone carriers Many students buy the updated version of the phone they have, which constantly adds to the
on the pertinent Estimated Family Contribution number, which the government believes is the amount a family can afford to pay annually. Here are some helpful hints when filling out the FAFSA: The first thing to do is visit the official FAFSA website, www.FAFSA.
amount of money they spend. Canceling contracts and switching to different phone carriers tends to be expensive and unnecessary. It is important to distinguish between what is necessary and what is simply desired. “Do not switch to the newer phone or break contracts and pay more,” Alderson said. Buy and sell textbooks online Textbooks are the most important yet expensive asset to a student’s education. That is why it is reasonable to be able to save when buying them and earn their money’s worth when selling them. “Maximize the value of textbooks when selling them back,” Alderson said. Not all textbooks are as important as others but those that are required for a major class should be conserved and kept for future references. Textbooks used in general education classes can be rented or bought online. Even purchasing the older versions of those textbooks will save a student money versus buying the new edition. It might be easy to spend money endlessly when college begins. As the years pass, however, students will realize that money is essential when they become independent because we are all responsible for our money and how we spend it.
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ed.gov. Any other website will take the information and charge the user anywhere from $40 to $100 to help fill out the application. In order to successfully fill out the FAFSA, you and your parent’s tax information is required as well as your current bank statements and any other records regarding current business and investments. For those who reside permanently in California, the FAFSA is due by March 2 to apply for the Cal Grant. A permanent resident is a student who is either under the age of 18 and has at least one parent living in California, the student has lived in California for two years with a responsible nonparent adult who has been a legal resident of California for one year or a parent is in the U.S. Armed Forces and stationed in California on active duty. A student 18 years or older is considered a California resident if he or she has lived in California for at least one year. Some families do not have their taxes filed by the preferred time to file a FAFSA. But the FAFSA can be submitted if applicants use the previous year’s tax return information to estimate the current year’s data while also selecting “will file” in regards to the 2010 tax return questions. Once the student and the parents
have filed their 2010 taxes, they must then go back to the FAFSA and amend it, changing the selection from “will file” to “already filed” and changing other related questions, such as the adjusted gross income for self and parents. In order to apply for the Cal Grant, the student must submit a GPA Verification Form. “If a student has less than 24 units, they must go back to their high school to get the form filled out,” Kelli Welzel, CBU Financial Aid advisor, said. “However, this is only required if the student is not currently a Cal Grant recipient.” Lastly, make sure to have your Personal Identification Number around in order to validate your FAFSA and electronically sign the form. The PIN will be the same four numbers that was used in the previous years. If you are new to the FAFSA, it can easily be created by filling out the form. If a PIN has been lost or forgotten, visit http://www.pin.ed.gov and a few questions will allow you to reset it. The FAFSA may seem like a daunting task but with the right preparation it can be a very smooth process that allows the applicant to continue their college education affordably.
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VISION 1.
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February 25, 2011 路 Volume 58 路 Issue 10
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VISION
February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
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1-Students at CBU’s Homecoming bonfire recorded the moment when the fireball hit the wood pile and they quickly posted images on social media sites.
Cayla Ames
Staff Photographer 2- Women’s Choir spend the week recording their new album.
Chris Hardy
Staff Photographer 3- Engineering students launch fireball to start the CBU Homecoming bonfire events.
Bryan Jarboe
Staff Photographer
4- The Summer of 1959 shows times of the past while celebrating the present.
Cayla Ames
Staff Photographer 5- Fire rages as students socialize during the Homecoming bonfire event.
Sarah Jane O’Keefe
Staff Photographer 6- Sunny days and clear skies come out after as weekend of rain.
Riley Hagel
Staff Photographer
EDITORIAL THE BANNER 10-11 Editor-In-Chief Monica Martinez Managing Editor/Design Editor Rachel Weinstein Assistant Designer Krista Goodman Assistant Designer Megan Paulos Photo Editor Mike Sampson Assistant Photo Editor Chris Hardy Copy Editors Kristin De La Cruz, Taylor Winchell, Jon Beam News Editor Taylor Rogers
February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
COMMITMENT: A LONG LOST ART FORM BY JON BEAM
BUSINESS EDITOR The simple utterance of the word commitment can send chills down people’s spines but it is for an important reason. Ask yourself these questions honestly: Why is the divorce rate so high? Why are more men living at home rather than finding their own place? Why do more people in this century believe co-habitating is harmless? Why are millions of unborn babies aborted and millions born out of wedlock? There is a common denominator with all of these – no commitment. Last week’s display of immaturity from Wisconsin’s state Senate was an example of how America reacts to conflict. On the day of an important vote regarding the balancing of Wisconsin’s monumental debt by eliminating collective bargaining, 14 senators fled to nearby Illinois.
This move prevented police officers and state troopers from retrieving them and left the legislature in a standstill. What I have a problem with is that elected officials are elected by voters. This is how it works. Politicians go without power unless they are elected into political office. If they disagree with a majority party’s stance on how to balance a budget, they need to stand by their principles and take whatever fate deals them. If they go against what voters want, they are voted out of office. If they flee the state, then what good came from being elected? The people of Wisconsin were taken advantage of and have nothing to show for it. Worse yet, unions have no support in the vote if the vote cannot take place. Gov. Scott Walker and Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch will have to scramble to balance the state budget within the next few weeks. In addition, children
will suffer because their teachers are protesting rather than teaching. What these state senators did was pathetic. Matthew 5:33-37 says, “And don’t say anything you don’t mean.” This counsel is embedded deep in our traditions. You only make things worse when you lay down a smoke screen of pious talk, saying, ’I’ll pray for you,’ and never doing it, or saying, ‘God be with you,’ and not meaning it. You don’t make your words true by embellishing them with religious lace. In making your speech sound more religious, it becomes less true. Just say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ When you manipulate words to get your own way, you go wrong.
Page A6 With power comes great responsibility. It is your job, no matter what field of labor you enter, to say what you mean and mean what you say. Commitment is everything, for without it, nothing would exist. God made a covenant with Abraham several millennia ago. Had it never occurred, Abraham would not have had a scapegoat for his son, Isaac, God would have never led the Israelites out of Egypt, God never would have sent His only son to die for our transgressions and Jesus Christ never would have ascended into heaven and promised to return for our benefit. If you are serious about finding success and living upright, keep your commitments and honor them with your life.
The views expressed in the Editorial section of The Banner do not necessarily represent the views of this publication or California Baptist University. Readers can send letters to the editor or contributions for consideration to: BannerMail@calbaptist.edu or Campus Box 1121
Business Editor Jon Beam Assistant Sports Editor Neil Morgan Features Editors Kristi Howell, Sharayah Le Leux Assistant Health Editor Bianca Johnson Assistant Culture Editor AJ Lacuesta Web Team Sharayah Le Leux, Brianna Nelson Web Master/Student Adviser Kenton Jacobsen Adviser Mary Ann Pearson Co-adviser Sandra Romo Staff Writers: Mark Gomez, Brennan Cackett, Kayla Greenwade, Riley Hagel, Nic Jessen, Alison Moore, Brianna Nelson, Sarah O’Keefe, Pilar Orellana, William Palmer, Dayana Ramirez, Meagan Nutt, Cassandra Wyatt, Josh Thompson, Caleb Smith, Mark Norton, Laura Standley, Nic Jessen, Adam Knechtel, Shayna Moreno, Megan Paulos, Jamal Togia, Brenna Young, Jessica Culbertson, Jennifer Hatcher, Jenny Miner, J.J. Steele Staff Photographers: Cayla Ames, Clint Heinze, Bryan Jarboe, Aaron Kim, Aaron Jones, Bonnie Koenn, Zachary Mullings,Lisette Nichols, Meagan Nutt,
The Banner is produced bi-weekly by the students of California Baptist University
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SPORTS
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February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
SUPERSTITIONS AT CBU BY NEIL MORGAN SPORTS EDITOR
Superstitions and rituals are a hot topic in sports and in Christianity. Most athletes have their specific game day rituals and superstitions. Each major sport even has its own set of sportspecific rituals. Here at California Baptist University there is an interesting mix between athletic beliefs and a Christian perspective. Looking at each major sport, there are a few superstitions that stand out. In the National Hockey League, you begin to see players on contending teams growing out their playoff beards once March and April roll around. Some call a ritual and others refer to it as a tradition. But where is the line between the two? According to Webster’s Dictionary,
tradition is defined as “an inherited, established or customary pattern of thought, action or behavior.” The same dictionary refers to superstition as “a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.” An example of superstition in professional sports would be the belief in the “Curse of the Bambino” and the “Curse of the Billy Goat,” by Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs fans. These teams and fans believed that their extended losing streaks and lack of championships were caused by supernatural curses. At CBU some athletes practice game day rituals, such as following a strict diet on game days or preparing with the same routine each game, but few follow any superstitions. It is the Christian belief that God
Lancer hall of fame
BY ADAM KNETCHEL the playing fields or, to those persons STAFF WRITER
In recent years, athletic programs flourished at California Baptist University. Outstanding individual and team performances in the field of athletics are not a new concept at CBU though, as the tradition of athletic achievement has been woven into the history of the CBU community for decades. In order to commemorate the prestigious CBU alumni who excelled in athletics on campus, the CBU Athletics Hall of Fame was created. The purpose of the CBU Athletics Hall of Fame is to pay tribute to those men and women who helped bring recognition and honor to the school on
who by their deeds made outstanding contributions to the athletics program. Currently there are 48 members in the CBU Hall of Fame including male and female inductees from basketball, baseball, softball, track and field, tennis, volleyball, soccer, cross country, swimming and water polo. The hall of fame also recognizes coaches, athletic directors and even a member inducted for his meritorious service. The very first inductee into the CBU Hall of Fame was Judson Dabney in 1983, he was inducted for his athletic contributions to both men’s basketball and baseball. Since his induction, there was at least one inductee each year except for 2009. There are no set limitation on how
WINNING ISN’T EVERYTHING BY ADAM KNECHTEL STAFF WRITER
Whoever said that winning is the only thing that matters in sports clearly never played recreational sports at California Baptist University. While it is difficult to find a championship team laden with frowns and grumpy attitudes, students at CBU have perfected the art of having fun with recreational sports and for them it has nothing to do with winning. Andrew Linder, a junior, knows all too well how to enjoy his sports without winning. In his freshman year, Linder, along with a handful of fellow engineering majors, decided to create an intramural basketball team despite the fact that none of them had ever played basketball competitively, at least not since middle school. Dubbing themselves the “Blue
Building Boys,” in respect to the blue colored School of Engineering building, Linder and his teammates set out to enjoy the intramural basketball season and hoped to grab a few wins along the way. As the season progressed they had no such luck. Linder’s makeshift team of engineers failed to win a single game in their first season together. After a disasterous 0-6 season, they suited up again the next year, hoping to experience a breakthrough and enjoy their first victory together. Again, no such luck. Two years into their intramural collegiate career, the Blue Building Boys still had nothing to show for it. Twelve games had come and gone, and not a single one of them ended in favor of the engineers. As their junior year rolled around the team decided to give it another shot.
knew and cared for us all before we were in the womb, and he has had his plans for our lives since then. One of the most oft quoted Bible verses regarding this topic is Proverbs 3:5; “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Reliance on ignorant superstitions goes against the word of the Bible and the most superstitious act likely to be seen at our private Christian school is the customary act of hopping over the foul line running onto the baseball diamond. Most superstitions in the sports world are all in good fun, however superstition also has ties to more serious topics, such as sorcery, witchcraft and other realms considered taboo to the Christian faith. The need for superstition dissipates when one adapts to the Christian belief system and realizes that God’s hands are active in their lives and that he will not let them fall.
Sports and superstition go hand in hand, but what does the Bible say?
Photo by Bryan Jarboe
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ’plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Traditions are encouraged and small rituals are accepted but large superstitions and faith in anything other than the power of God are unacceptable.
“See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form.” -Colossians 2:8-9
many or how few individuals may be inducted each year; however the CBU athletic department intends to ensure that the prestige and esteem of the CBU Hall of Fame is constantly upheld. In order to uphold the reputation of the CBU Hall of Fame, applicants must be judged by the selection committee, which is currently made up seven knowledgeable and influential members of the CBU family. This committee includes Director of Athletics, Micah Parker, along with Assistant Directors of Athletics Micah McDaniel and Mo Roberson, Faculty Athletic Representative David Pearson, Vice President for Student Services Kent Dacus, Christina Gordon from Institutional Advancement and current Hall of Fame member Steve Johnson. Together these seven individuals elect to induct applicants based off of the following criteria; the applicants’ athletic
achievements while attending CBU and the applicants’ moral and ethical character while involved with athletics at CBU. Possible inductees must also have a minimum of five years between their playing career and their induction. If the committee deems an individual worthy of such an honor, that individual is selected into the CBU Hall of Fame and is recognized at multiple events throughout the CBU community. The most recent inductees are Lyndsay Devaney, swimming, and Esteban Enriquez, baseball, who were just inducted this year. As is custom for the induction process, Devaney and Enriquez were recognized and honored several times during this year’s CBU Homecoming weekend. According to Parker, Devaney and Enriquez were first honored during a CBU Alumni Banquet earlier this school
year, then again during the pre-game parking lot celebration on Feb. 12 and once more during the half-time of the Homecoming basketball games. While no literal Hall of Fame structure exists today, Parker remains hopeful that someday soon, when a stadium is built for CBU athletics, a suitable tribute will be established to return the honor to the great athletes and individuals who have brought honor and recognition to CBU. Until then, the athletic department plans to continue to honor its Hall of Fame members as often and as boldly as they can. Their athletic efforts and accomplishments have helped build this university and athletics program into a prestigious institution. For more information on the Hall of Fame and past inductees visit www. cbulancers.com and click on the “Hall of Fame” tab.
The guys with a 0-12 record were determined to turn things around. After beginning their third season with two losses, the Blue Building Boys finally enjoyed their first win together in their third game, beating their opponent by more than 30 points. After two and a half long years, Linder and his band of faithful teammates enjoyed their first taste of success. One week later they enjoyed their success yet again as they won their second straight game, also by a lead of 30 points. So what was it that kept them together for so long despite the absence of victories? “We all just really had a fun time playing together,” said Linder. “We all got along extremely well as classmates and friends and even though we never won we enjoyed playing alongside one another, working hard, and having a good time. We were all athletic but no one had really played basketball before. We all had our other primary sports.”
This year, with the exception of one player, the Blue Building Boys roster is yet again made up of all engineering majors. From civil to structural engineering majors, this group of pals has enjoyed three seasons of intramural basketball together and, despite the gaping lack of success, they have thoroughly enjoyed their time with one another. This demonstration of loyalty amidst failure is evident across every intramural sport on campus. Whether it is intramural basketball, soccer, volleyball or flag football, there are always teams that make a habit, and a joyful hobby, out of not being very good. Another example of gracious losers are this year’s flag-football phenomena, “The Gentlemen.” The Gentlemen, most popularly known for their game day apparel of cutoff, button-up suit shirts, made a common practice of losing, and losing hard. Despite losing the majority of their games, The Gentlemen showed up to each and every one of their games
bright-eyed and smiling, and they did so with incredibly warm attitudes and surprisingly appreciable manners. Living up to their name was a major ambition for The Gentlemen, who inexplicitly made it their objective to be the nicest and most pleasantly polite team anyone had ever beaten. Regardless of their lack of success on the scoreboard, The Gentlemen and the Blue Building Boys were determined to enjoy their seasons, and whether their fame came from unorthodox uniforms and uncharacteristic football manners, or from their historically unimpressive losing streak, these teams thoroughly enjoyed their experience with intramural sports. These are just two examples of many teams who have had similar experiences in CBU recreational sports. However, there always remains a fun atmosphere because of the friendly and colorful personalities that make up these teams. It is proof that winning isn’t everything.
SPORTS
February 25, 2011 · Volume 58 · Issue 10
Page A8
Running to new heights BY MARK NORTON
STAFF WRITER
The track season at California Baptist University began with a bang as two runners qualified for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Indoor Championships. Their achievements brought optimism to the team as they look ahead to the rest of the season. The first part of the track season consists of Indoor Championship qualifying meets and the Indoor Championship which takes place March 3 – March 5. After this event, the team begins the outdoor section of their season. Indoor track poses extra challenges for the athletes because there is a short period of time between the beginning of the season and the championship event. “It is tough for indoor track because there are only eight weeks to prepare the athletes and really only six weeks to qualify,” Assistant
Coach, Sean Henning, said. At the Azusa Pacific Indoor All Comers meet on Feb. 12, Ashlee Cervantes and Chase Williams ran NAIA Championship qualifying times in the 1,000 meter event. Cervantes’ time of 2:59.91 set a school record for the event and is the 15th ranked time in the country. Williams, a sophomore with a double major in behavioral science and Christian studies, hopes to whittle his time of 2:31.29 down to 2:26.00. In addition to the indoor 1,000 meter, Williams also competes in the outdoor 800 meter where his goal time is 1:50.00. Williams’ season goal has shifted since his NAIA qualification but as for now he will focus more on his 1,000 meter event. Originally Williams was scheduled to run the 800 meter race at the indoor event but a last minute change forced him to run
the 1,000 meter at the meet. “In the Indoor I was planning and preparing to run the 800 meter, but they cancelled the 800 meter and I had to run the 1,000 meter instead,” Williams said. “That was the first time I have ever ran the 1,000 meter and did not really know how to run the two hundred meters of extra pain.” Head Coach Wade Watkins has high expectations for his team of runners this season. After coaching some of these same athletes in a successful cross country season in the fall, he has much optimism for the team’s chances. “Our goal is to bring eight to 12 people to the NAIA National Championships and I think we will achieve it. The light at the end of the tunnel is for us to qualify as many for these championships as possible,” he said. The indoor/outdoor track program is fairly new at CBU, as it was started in 2008. Watkins witnessed tremendous growth in his
Track athletes run to glorify God and reach championship.
athletes and his program. “The runners have without a doubt improved statistically since the beginning of the program,” he said. Watkins embeds in his team a strong desire to run not for themselves but for the glory of God. This has been evidenced in the team’s latest success story. “I have learned to use run-
EVERY POINT COUNTS Swim and Dive team eyes NAIA National Championship BY NEIL MORGAN the NAIA National Championships SPORTS EDITOR
Kari Carlson holds a pike as she rotates in the air at the CBU aquatic center.
SWEET SIXTEEN
Taylor Siemens pitched eight shutout innings against La Sierra University Feb. 15. He struck out 16 batters en route to his third win of the season.
Photo by Bryan Jarboe
The swimming and diving program at California Baptist University never finished lower than second place at the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics National Championships. They do not plan on anything less this season either. “Our goal every season is to get to Nationals with a full team and walk away with a national title,” Head Coach Rick Rowland said. The team is coming off a second place finish at this past weekend’s Pacific Collegiate Swim and Dive Conference championships. The University of California, San Diego won first place in both the men and women’s side at the four-day event. These second place finishes were an improvement over last year’s results as they finished third and fifth in the men and women’s categories. The team now turns its focus to
March 2-5. “We are taking a strong team of 39 athletes to Nationals this year,” Rowland said. Among these 39 athletes are five members of the CBU dive team. This is the highest representation at the National meet in the history of CBU diving. Among these representatives is last year’s National Champion in the 3-meter dive, Trevor Graifman and transfer student Jamie Flynn. “Our goal is to sweep all of the events,” Diving Coach Ben Wahlman said. Over the past two years the aquatics program shifted its focus to recruiting quality divers. This year’s team features 10 divers, which is the largest team in the history of the program. “A solid lineup of divers is what can put a team over the top at Nationals,” Rowland said. Wahlman and the previous diving coach Jeff Couto spent time recruiting
Photo by Michael Sampson
ning to glorify God and be a positive light on the team,” Williams said. Williams also described how running once was his identity and now his athleticism comes second to his intention to glorify the Lord. Lancers compete next at the Rossi Relays in Claremont, CA on Feb. 26.
junior college divers that helped develop the program. Flynn and Michelle Black are two of these transfers that impacted the program this year. Succeeding at the national championships is about more than just one aspect of the team though. It must be a complete team effort all the way down the line. “Every point counts,” Rowland said. “Yes, first place finishes are important but every finish makes a difference, even if it means finishing in 8th instead of 9th, that means an extra two points.” Rowland is confident his team will perform well at the finals because they work hard and are a team that is strong with their strokes. It is the team’s last season in the NAIA and they are looking to win their 9th and 10th championships. Mary Hanson won all three events that she competed in at the PCSC Championships and will look to do the same at the NAIA Championships. Trevor Graifman is also set to defend his title in the 3-meter dive and grab another title in the 1-meter dive. “They have worked hard for 5 and a half months,” Rowland said. “And we want to go out with a bang.”
GAME OF THE WEEK
UPCOMING EVENTS
Women’s Basketball vs. Fresno Pacific University Sat., Feb. 26. at 5:30 p.m.
Sat., Feb. 26- Baseball vs. Concordia University at 11 a.m. Sat., Feb. 26- Softball vs. California State University, San Marcos at 12p.m. Sat., Feb. 26- Men’s Basketball vs. Fresno Pacific University at 7:30 p.m.
The Lady Lancers ride a three game winning streak into a conference showdown against FPU. They are 22-7 going into this final game before the Golden State Athletic Conference tournament.