Issuu

Oct. 2, 2013 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News. TO GET A LICENSE: must be at least 21 years old | must have a clean criminal record, including military background, nor be under a protective order | must not be chemically dependent | not be of unsound mind | must not be delinquent in paying fines or fees | must be eligible to purchase a handgun by completing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System | must complete the required training on handling and shooting.

Guns still not allowed on campus Texas legislation fails for third consecutive time AUSTIN QUINTERO REPORTER

n the parking lot behind Prothro-Yeager, an old grey Ford F-150 almost seems to speak its mind by displaying a small National Rifle Association sticker on the back windshield and a gun rack inside the cab. The NRA and other Americans have always taken pride in their gun laws, which makes the United States one of the only countries allowing its citizens to carry guns. In the legislative session ending this past May, Texas legislators failed to pass a bill that will allow students to carry concealed handguns in their vehicles on college campuses after Jan. 1, 2014 — although it was the third time they had tried. This spring, it received approval of the House, by 61 votes, but failed to receive Senate approval prior to the end of the session. “As a retired Houston Police officer, I know that officers cannot be everywhere at all times. Campus police cannot be in every classroom or academic building. That is why I strongly support the right of properly licensed citizens to

carry on college campuses,” Allen Fletcher (R-Tomball) said in a Feb. 5 press release. “The fact is that these are adults who are trained and licensed to carry a concealed weapon for protection. As we have learned in the past, ‘gun-free zones’ have not been absent of crime and have only been successful in disarming law-abiding citizens. We must afford citizens the right to protect themselves.” Further, in a letter to Gov. Rick Perry, Texas Land Commissioner and author of Texas’ “Right to Carry” law Jerry Patterson (R) said, “The bill isn’t talking about classrooms full of angry kids, but about a fundamental, God-given right that shouldn’t be taken away based on someone’s location.” Orig-

inally, the bill stated that students would be able to carry concealed handguns into campus buildings and classrooms. However, the bill was modified nine times, and the amended bill will allow students who have a concealed handgun license to carry their handguns only in their locked vehicles on campus grounds. “I have two major concerns,” Dan Williams, campus police chief, said. “One, is that if there is an active shooter on campus and multiple concealed handgun holders pull their weapons and shoot, then the police would have no clue who’s the bad guy. Second, I can envision a student living in the dorms who has a concealed handle license who has maybe been drinking a little. When someone asks to see the handgun, all of a sudden you have an accidental shooting where someone may or may not get hurt.” In a press release, Madison Welch, Texas Students for Concealed Carry legislative director, said, “This is the fifth special session, eighth session overall, since Gov. Rick Perry first voiced support for concealed carry on Texas college campuses. He has had the opportunity to add Campus Carry to any of the four previous special sessions, where it very likely would have passed, and has had supporters avidly calling out for him to do so. The only thing keeping it from passing in a special session is that Rick Perry hasn’t added it to one.” Even though the bill is intended to offer students a way to protect themselves in a situation like the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, some students feel like it could do just the opposite. “I don’t agree with it at all,” Janet Vargas, junior in business, said. “Instead of preventing violence it will do just the opposite. Even

Photo by Alexander Phillips

Devil’s Fingers

pg. 4

English professor pens 21st book of personal essays about his travels

continued on page 2

Bookstore Backup

pg. 5

Manager says students will find new advantages under Follett

Federal government shut down Oct. 1 KEANDRA DAVIS REPORTER

he government officially shut down Oct.1 after House Republicans and Senate Democrats could not reach an agreement on funding for the Affordable Care Act and other government funds, sending 800,000 workers home until lawmakers can come to a decision. “The House of Representatives are solely to blame,” Joseph Gomba, graduate assistant in the political science department, said. Last weekend, the House of Representatives passed a bill to delay the Affordable Care Act for one year, rescinding a tax on medical devices. The bill failed in the Senate. “The Republicans [in the House of Representatives] knew when they added the amendment to defund the Affordable Care Act, the democrats would say no, and as a result they [Republicans] purposely orchestrated a government shut down,” Gomba said. Because legislators could not agree, approximately 800,000 “non-essential” federal workers are on unpaid leave until the House and Senate can come to an agreement. These jobs include NASA, the CIA, and several others. “When a private company can’t deliver snacks or soda to places like Sheppard Air Force Base then it affects everyone,” Gomba said. “Those benefits go to the city of Wichita Falls which helps build schools and roads.” It is approximated that for each day the government remains shut down, the U.S. economy will lose $100 million. Congress expects the shutdown to cost the US economy $10 billion if it lasts for one week. “It is contradictory for Republicans to talk about fiscal responsibility, but then try to crash the American economy when it’s been growing steady,” Gomba said. “We don’t send members of Congress to D.C. to shut down the government, we send them to represent our interest.” Adam Lei, associate professor of finance, said the economy will continue to

continued on page 7

Rising Up

pg. 8

Football players eager to show improvement in first home game on Family Night

2 | Oct. 2, 2013 | C O M M E N TA R Y

continued from page 1

though they will just carry their guns in their car, there’s no stopping them from taking it into their dorms, apartments or just carry them in their backpacks. Suppose someone is having a bad day, or someone just snaps. What’s to stop them from doing something violent and using their weapon along with it?” However, other students feel that guns being allowed on campus will have little to no effect since only those who apply and receive a concealed handgun license will be able to carry them. “It’s not like just anyone can carry a concealed handgun,” Jason Miller, sophomore in business, said. “You have to be at least 21 to even have a handgun and even after that it is a long, tedious process to obtain a concealed handgun license.” It is unclear whether or not the benefits of having guns on campus outweigh the consequences, but while the bill gives students the right to carry, it won’t change their ability to obtain them. “I honestly have no problem with it as long as they are able to legally acquire it,” Chelsey McElroy, junior in social work, said. “It’s our second amendment right and I don’t think it would be much of a problem as long as they are qualified to carry it.” This university is home to international students from more than 51 different countries, and the perspective from foreign students stands apart from American students. Aldo Curiel, junior in exercise physiology and native of Mexico, said, “Well the law in Mexico is no guns, whatsoever. Absolutely no guns. Police officers, military, and people of authority are the only ones allowed to carry them. If you get caught with having a gun, getting arrested on the spot becomes entirely possible.” Having seen both the policies in his country and in the U.S., Curiel said he knows the difference that gun policies can make. However, guns being allowed nationally is completely different from guns being allowed on school campuses, he said. “On paper I think both the U.S. and Mexico’s policies on guns are good for protection,” Curiel said, “but there’s always loopholes and ways of manipulating the system. The new bill is the same, it will just be that much easier for someone to start shooting and cause the next mass-casualty event that shows up on the news.” While students may believe the gun laws in Texas have become strict enough to prevent firearm access to those who aren’t suited to carry them, handguns are still extremely dangerous and must be handled with care. Williams said the vast majority of citizens are illequipped to handle a shooting whereas police are specially trained for those very circumstances. “Therefore, security on campus should remain in the hands of trained police officers,” Williams said.

CORRECTIONS In the Sept. 25 print issue, Cody Samples was not listed as a contributor to the story “Fall enrollment ‘remains flat.’” In the Sept. 25 issue reporter Samantha Forester’s name was spelled incorrectly. In the Sept. 18 print edition, Lizca Bass was not credited in the photo captions for the “Caribfest 2013 Pageant contestants.” The Wichitan regrets the errors.

Government: chaos imposed on society G

overnment is chaos imposed on society. Gover nment, in conjunction with media and those segments Edgar of society that Shockley benefit from its continued presence, works to divide, control, suppress and rule us. The recent government shutdown is a perfect example of how this works: The media is focusing on what has shut down and exaggerating partisan differences between Republicans and Democrats, all the while ignoring the fact that the essential functions of government that will continue include such things as military operations, tax collection and the NSA surveillance program. A government, by which I mean something that people generally have to accept whether Instead of relying on government to extend rights to minorithey agreed to it or not, is a threat to humanity. ties, we just need to recognize the inherent value of all people. While people still debate the cause of wars, genocide and Instead of waiting for government programs to alleviate oppression, the fact of the matter is that all of these horrors poverty, we should organize ourselves and fight poverty in involve government. Without government, you cannot moour own communities. bilize for mass war, mass extermination or mass repression. Instead of looking for govFurthermore, I believe government to impose certain ernment makes us lazy. If you lifestyles or moral decisions, listen to the media, or to peowe should do our best to lead ple who work in government by example. Everything a govor on behalf of a political parernment does, with the excepty, you’d think the only way tion of warfare, can be done to improve society was to act by people with proper organithrough government. EDGAR SHOCKLEY zation and cooperation. The great social movements The shutdown is not perin our history – the abolitionmanent; it will be over before ists, the women’s suffrage too long and the federal government will go back to normal. movement and the civil rights movement of the 1960s – were But while it’s shut down, take a moment to look at the world all organized outside of government, and all were focused on around you. It continues, and will continue, without governremoving some kind of inequality that a government had enment. couraged and institutionalized. I want to suggest a world where we do things differently.

“Instead of looking for government to impose certain lifestyles or moral decisions, we should do our best to lead by example.”

the

wichitan

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room B103 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 • wichitan@mwsu.edu EDITOR: Ruth Black NEWS EDITOR: Ethan Metcalf STAFF: Courtney Betts, Johnny Blevins, Bruce Brown, Ahla Cho, Caitlyn Cremeens, Keandra Davis, Brent Deebs, Mirae Duncan, Hanwool Lee, Arron Mercer, Alexander Phillips, Austin Quintero, Lauren Roberts, Aleisha Solorio

BUSINESS MANAGER: Blake Muse ADVISER: Bradley Wilson Copyright © 2013. The Wichitan is a member of the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press. The Wichitan reserves the right to edit any material submitted for publication. Opinions expressed in The Wichitan do not necessarily reflect those of the students, staff, faculty, administration or Board of Regents of Midwestern State University. The Wichitan welcomes letters of opinion from students, faculty and staff submitted by the Friday before intended publication. Letters should be brief (250 words or fewer) and without abusive language or personal attacks. Letters must be typed and signed by the writer and include a telephone number and address. The editor retains the right to edit letters.

| Oct. 2, 2013 | 3

Overflow residence hall housing in The Grove BRENT DEEBS REPORTER

or the fall 2013 semester, the university had the largest freshman class since 1991, so an alternate housing program was needed to accommodate the overflow of students. The programs stirred false fears that university officials were taking a large financial loss by housing students in an off-campus apartment complex. Michael Mills, directer of housing and dining services, maintains that the program is efficient and will not cost the school money. There were 1,320 beds available for the incoming students. As of May, every one of those beds was reserved. The onslaught of freshmen newcomers had not ended though, and the university was forced to find an alternative place to house them. The Grove offers two big advantages that make living there similar to living in the residence halls: their apartments come fully furnished and the utilities are already set up. The going rate for three-bedroom apartments is $475 per month, but because of an in-house policy, students staying at The Grove pay the same rate as those living on campus. Mills said the price difference could eliminate the school's housing revenue, depending on how many students apply and how long they stay. “We started with 93 students at the

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Sydney Barton, senior in psychology, washes dishes in her kitchen at The Grove. Barton moved into the Grove this semester. She said, “I came here because the school offers the ‘roomie-match up program.’ It is really easy to pair me up with roommates. Also, it is cheaper and a lot bigger than living on campus.” Grove,”Mills said. “After no-shows were processed in on-campus housing, we offered

those spots to any students at The Grove that wanted them.”

Mills said 21 students took the offer to move on campus, leaving 72 at The Grove. “As far as what it costs, that depends on how long they stay at The Grove,” Mills said. “If they end up staying the whole semester at The Grove, then it will cost us a little bit more than what we are charging the students." If the students stay the full four months of the semester, the university will be paying $140 extra per person for all 72 students staying at The Grove, totaling a loss of $10,080. However, Mills said the money would be automatically covered by other housing rents. “Our fall budget is based upon total housing occupancy being about 95 percent,” Mills said. “Since we will actually be ahead of that budgeted occupancy percentage, any losses that result in full semester stays at The Grove should be offset by higher-than-budgeted revenues.” Mills said the school felt that despite the possibility of economic inefficiency, it was more beneficial to the university to offer alternate housing and ensure those students' enrollment. “Would these students have attended Midwestern State University if housing was not available?” Mills asked. “I am not sure if they would have attended or not, but as an institution we felt it was important to offer them housing (even in this case, off-campus), if it got them to enroll at Midwestern State University."

4 | Oct. 2, 2013 |

Professor publishes 21st book ‘The Devil’s Fingers & Other Personal Essays’ tells about travels ETHAN METCALF NEWS EDITOR

In celebration of the release of his 21st book, Perkins-Prothro Distinguished Professor of English Emeritus, James Hoggard read selected passages from The Devil’s Fingers & Other Personal Essays on Oct. 1 at the Wichita Falls Museum of Art. Students, faculty and community members gathered “around an imaginary campfire, telling stories” as Hoggard said he hoped they will. Hoggard said his newest book is a collection of short stories about his travels both at home and abroad. “They’re stories that I’ve written over the last several years, and they involve memory pieces,” Hoggard said, “things that happened in Iraq when I was there giving lectures a number of years ago, things around here and a number of bicycle stories.” Hoggard said he gave 15 lectures in 1990 at the University of Mosul in Iraq, but the corresponding story in The Devil’s Fingers explores the grief he experienced after being cut off from the friends he made while there. “I couldn’t contact them without putting them in jeopardy because mail was read over there, phone conversations were listened to,” Hoggard said. “It’s what you’d expect from a totalitarian country.” Hoggard said the title of his book refers to a tract of land in West Texas where he and some researchers were exploring canyons. “These four canyons—we discovered the fourth one when we were flying over it—but these canyons were informally called the devil’s fingers,” Hoggard said. “The land is so rough and there aren’t any real pathways down so you gotta be careful.” To make matters worse, Hoggard said he was suffering from a fractured femur that he wasn’t aware of because it didn’t show up on an X-ray. “It was already broken before I went down there, which made me certainly slower than everybody else,” Hoggard said. “One of the people with me said, you sure have guts but I can’t say anything about your level of sanity. It was obvious how much pain I was in.” Hoggard said he was captivated by the surprising amount of fertility in the canyons. “You had all sorts of different colors, and then you also had some plant life that you weren’t expecting, like maidenhair fern,” Hoggard said, “right in the middle of this desert area, and there’s this fertile wall of fern growing across the rock face.”

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE | WICHITAN

James Hoggard, professor of English, published his newest book, The Devil’s Fingers & Other Personal Essays. Hoggard said there were even encounters with wildlife in addition to the flora. “One of the people there in the group had pulled away and ran across a family of javelinas, and you could tell when he came back that he didn’t want to see those things again,” Hoggard said. “The young javelinas are little, and momma doesn’t want a bunch of strangers around her babies. It made you feel real careful.” Hoggard said he has been writing since he was 16 years old when he wrote his first poem. “I wrote a poem that I thought was wonderful, then I wrote a second poem, which I swear was the worst poem ever written in history,” Hoggard said. “It’s a matter of discipline. I mastered rhythm and sound and found different ways of telling stories.” Twenty-one books later, Hoggard said his writing process hasn’t changed much over the years. “It’s like getting up and going to work and finding time,” Hoggard said. “When you’re teaching school the way I’ve done for close to half a century, you don’t have a lot of time to do a lot of things you’d like to, so you make time.” Hoggard said it’s not about writing as many books as he can, but he is still proud of the amount of work he has been able to publish. “The numbers are symbolic of dedication and hard work that turned out to be something worthwhile,” Hoggard said. “It takes discipline, and it’s paid off. It feels good.” Hoggard said one of the biggest challenges in writing The Devil’s Fingers was choosing which stories to include and the

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order to present them. “Some of them were done pretty recently, some of them 10 years ago, and then I had to find a way to make them fit together so it wouldn’t just be a bunch of stuff from a grab bag,” Hoggard said, “It was a matter of finding shape for the whole work itself.” Hoggard said it took him several years to write the book and then decide an order for the stories, and being his own worst critic certainly didn’t speed things up. “I’m pretty severe on myself. I’ve been much easier on students than myself,” Hoggard said. “In the composition process and the editing process there’s this process of discovery. It’s as if you’re crawling along and all of a sudden you begin to realize you learned to walk again.” Hoggard said that although the stories in The Devil’s Fingers are non-fiction, he feels as though he is giving up ownership of the experiences by putting them on paper. “It’s almost like providing the reader ownership. That, I think, is due to the need to clarify things where you have to stand back and not just let your own perceptions gush forth,” Hoggard said. “You’ve got to have some sense of perspective and know that a detail, though it was actually said or observed, it just doesn’t really fit or help tell the story in an effective way.” Hoggard said deciding on an order to tell the stories last night was much like deciding which stories to include in the book itself. “It wasn’t murderous at all, but it was trying to give a shape to the evening, and that’s always what I’ve tried to do when I do a reading,” Hoggard said. “In many ways, we’re going to travel to a bunch of different places. All the way from a running tour I gave myself of Paris, to the early morning when I went into the Dairy Queen in Electra and there were all these khaki-outfitted guys who were there to get away from the women.” Hoggard said he hopes attendees of the reading will enjoy themselves and he hopes the stories will be well told. “Everybody knows what a well-told story feels like,” Hoggard said. “Some of the stories will be, one hopes, good entertainment causing some laughter. Others are going to be probably turning more and more reflective than others. When you give a reading there are always points of surprise.” Although he has published such a large number of books, Hoggard said he has another book, a collection of poems, due out in the spring. “I’ve got at least three books lined up already,” Hoggard said, “and there will be some more.”

| Oct. 2, 2013 | 5

‘Technical difficulties’ plague bookstore opening ings, more so than Barnes and Noble,” Denning said. Their website is one of the largest college t wasn’t exactly the welcome new students or the new management of the cam- online bookstore realtors. Denning menpus bookstore wanted. Long lines, books tioned that by purchasing eBooks, students not in stock and frustrated faculty members are able to buy three to six chapters at a time, which can be a huge money saver if students were just the start. “I'm not going to lie, I knew there was go- do not need the whole textbook. “Used books are 25 percent cheaper than ing to be things that fell through the cracks from us going from Barnes and Noble to Fol- the new books,” Denning said. “It is inevitalett," Jenny Denning, bookstore manager for ble that prices on some books will go up.” With Follett, students still have the op15 years, said. "I knew things weren’t going to tion to rent textbooks for a discounted price. be perfect.” Denning said the technical difficulties the Denning said if professors with custom-titled textbooks keep those books bookstore experienced were around for at least three secaused by transitioning from mesters, the bookstore can add one company to another, but that title to a list of books that she wants to open students can be purchased used. eyes to all of the benefits Fol“We have seen a big inlett has to offer. crease in renting textbooks go“We had some technical ing from Barnes and Noble to difficulties with our registers Follett this fall,“ Denning said. that the university is aware of “We still have the partnerand Follett is aware of," DenJENNY DENNING ship with Journey Ed where ning said. "It wasn’t just our BOOKSTORE MANAGER students can go online to our store, but they are working on bookstore website and to the that and we certainly don’t want to cross that bridge again in the spring.” link where they can purchase software.” Before last spring, students could also The main complaint students had was how long the lines were and the amount of shop for textbooks at the Neebo bookstore located off campus. Neebo has since closed, time it took to make it to check out. Lydia Croxson, sophomore in nursing, making the Follett on-campus bookstore the said. “When I walked into the bookstore, the only local distributor. Denning said if students needed a book line was to the back of the store and the line was moving really slow. I decided to order all that was not available, they could order online and a book from the Follett inventory my books through Chegg.com.” Denning also said the bookstore didn't would be sent to them. “We have adapted and discussed all the have enough registers. “We will have seven total registers for the issues, and there will be more books on the shelves for spring,” Denning said. “I think spring semester,” Denning said. Follett also offers online ordering through our team is aware of the need now that we are their company, allowing students to pick up the only college bookstore here in town, we their books at the campus location, some- are going to represent—and represent in a big thing some students may not have known way.” Barnes and Noble, who managed the when they headed to other online realtors. “I did not know about the online ordering, bookstore since 1986, was outed after a bid but it probably wouldn't be any cheaper so I process last spring. The Follett Corporation took over with a contract of five years with an am not sure if I would use it,” Croxson said. Denning said Follett has opportunities for option to renew. students to save on textbooks. “They do have a lot more options for savCAITLYN CREMEENS REPORTER

PHOTO BY JOSEPH GOMBA / WICHITAN

Brandon Taylor, sophomore in sociology and radiology and Amy Brister, senior in political science and history, visited the Capitol and participated in a leadership forum where they took part in workshops and mingled with government officials.

Forum teaches leadership skil s get some good advice on future graduate schools and internships,” Brister said. Gomba, political science teaching ass part of an ongoing effort to teach students leadership skills and give sistant and faculty sponsor for the trip last them a chance to network with state January and the trip this November, said he officials. On Nov. 7, students will have the and the students were not expecting to be opportunity to attend the Texas Leadership such a big voice on the Texas drought issue. “These two students were above and beForum in Austin, for the second time this yond our expectations, and they had such a year. Last winter, two students attended the good review from the officials there,” Gomconference at the encouragement of Joseph ba said. “I was very pleased with the way Gomba, a teaching assistant in political sci- they carried themselves and how they represented MSU. We couldn’t ence, to discuss everything have asked for two better stufrom the future of Texas wadents to represent us.” ter to starting a small busiThe forum’s objective ness. for the participants was to “I learned how to ‘meet teach them practical leadand greet’ and how to behave ership skills, train them in around business people,” individualized sessions and Brandon Taylor, a sophoput their training to the test more in radiology and sociolin small-group breakout sesogy, said. “I saw how they AMY BRISTER sions. acted and I got to interact SENIOR, POLITICAL SCIENCE Gomba said the best part with them.” of the forum was the ambiThe other student attendee, Amy Brister, a senior in political science ance of the event, where people with difand history, said, “I learned that you have ferent ideas and interests could discuss real to try to step out of your comfort zone and issues. He also said the forum is a great way work to promote who you are and what you for college students to learn how to confidently make decisions that will affect them can do.” “My professor asked the class if anyone for the rest of their lives. “If you stay quiet and unnoticed, you wanted to go to it, and I volunteered,” Taylor said. “I had to submit a resumé and I was will never be remembered and never get the opportunities that can change your future,” excited to go.” The forum, which lasted three days, con- Brister said. The next Texas Leadership Forum will sisted of various workshops and networking opportunities with state officials. The stu- be held on Nov. 7 in Austin and will cover dents were able to rub elbows with the likes a wide range of topics including energy, fiof economist Ray Perryman, Texas Railroad nance and technology. “I would definitely like to go to the next Commissioner David Porter, state Sen. Kel Seliger and state Rep. Tryon Lewis, among forum,” Taylor said. “I learned a lot about how to be a leader among society. It was a many others. “It sounded like a good opportunity great experience.” to meet current leaders, and I hoped to ALEISHA SOLORIO REPORTER

“If you stay quiet and go unnoticed, you will never be remembered….”

“I knew there were going to be things that fell through the cracks.”

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6 | Oct. 2, 2013 |

‘Choosing a Career and Major’ workshop ends series that results in a four-letter combination of the type of person they are. Each of the four letters stand for a type of he Counseling Center hosted a Choosing a Career and Major workshop in preference a person has in categories of attenSundance Court on Sept. 25, ending tion, acquiring knowledge and making decithe first month of the four-part series of sions. “I like the test because it gave me a better workshops. Licensed Professional Counselor Laurie understanding of my natural tendencies,” Christina Sudell, freshman Arnold, spoke of common secondary education major, misconceptions about majors said. and careers such as limited caArnold challenged stureer choices in a specific madents to get to know more jor and be unable to get a job about their major and possioutside of one’s major. bly explore other majors to “Choosing a major is a difsee where their skills and perficult decision because it feels sonality fit best. like you are making a perma“I’m going to use this nent life choice," Arnold said. knowledge I gained from to"I would encourage an undeday to get more information cided student to learn about about my major,” Osagie themselves and the world of Enodunmudenben, senior work.” in management information Students were advised to systems, said. do a self-analysis to find out LAURIE ARNOLD The next series of worktheir interests, personality, LICENSED PROFESSIONAL shops will be held each TuesCOUNSELOR skills and values. day, Oct. 1-22, from 3 p.m.-4 Students were also remindp.m. ed not to choose majors and a “In the next series, I hope to reach stucareer choice by just how much money they will make, but rather, by balancing their in- dents who were unable to attend the previous series and increase attendance.” terests and future goals. “I’m indecisive about my major in pre-medicine because I’m interested in social media and social networking,” Lakaylah Arthur, freshman in pre-medicine, said. Arthur, like many other students, said she really needed some kind of push to help her decide if she wanted to change majors. During the seminar, attendees were given a smallscale personality test, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, MIRAE DUNCAN REPORTER

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

DJ Singleton, Euelyn Hernandez, Minai Bradshow, Laura Holliday and Ashanti Craine, all juniors in social work, help organize donations, Oct. 1. The Department of Social Work takes part in a community fundraiser to benefit area nonprofit organizations that serve women and children in crisis.

Hope Connection helps struggling mothers by holding diaper drive CAITLYN CREMEENS REPORTER

ope Connection, a campus social work organization, is on a mission to help struggling mothers provide diapers for their children by holding a diaper drive until Oct. 12, and they are seeking student help. “I got the idea because I observed mothers who were desperate and social workers who were paying out of pocket to provide diapers,” said Leigh Ann Hope, social work visiting professor. “We have all heard of food drives, but not diaper drives.” Hope said their group aims to educate people on the need for diapers, Connect Child activists, develop fundraising activities, and most importantly, provide direct relief. Hope said the partnerships already made from this group have been wonderful and

continue to show great support. “I have talked to moms who were so desperate for diapers, they were donating plasma to have money for them,” Hope said. Chi Omega sorority, First Baptist Church, University United Methodist Church, the Girl Scouts and students have already donated a sizable amount of diapers. The diaper drive will benefit local charities such as Inheritance Adoption, Faith Refuge, First Step, Rainbow House and the Children’s Aid Society. “The community and university support has thrilled and blown us all away," Hope said. "Our hearts have been melting by the generosity.” Students can take diapers to Hope’s office in Martin Hall room 103 or to the Girl Scouts main office at 2106 Kemp Blvd.

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“Choosing a major is a difficult decision because it feels like you are making a permanent life choice.”

| Oct. 2, 2013 | 7 Scott said. “It’s petty to use an agenda like that to get what they want. Right now it’s suffer at the hands of lawmakers until mem- law, and we need to go along with it.” Scott said the blame should fall on the bers of the House and Senate can come to an lawmakers rather than the system itself beagreement. “Right now, volatility will go up in the cause Republicans are only trying to fulfill stock market given the uncertainty,” Lei said. their agenda of stopping the Affordable Care “There was a case like this in the past, and Act. “I wouldn’t say that it’s a flawed system, Congress finally agreed, but the market went I still think it’s the best system in the world, down the next day.” but until the tea party Lei said the shutdown is not good for Under the Constitution, Congress must pass and Democrats can get the economy in the laws to spend money. If Congress can’t along, we’ll have these long run because un- agree on a spending bill, the government problems,” Scott said. “I certainty always has a does not have the legal authority to spend get tired of Republicans saying Democrats won’t bad effect on the stock money compromise. I don’t market. agree with that because “Human nature is THINGS CLOSED part of finance,” Lei • National museums and parks, including Democrats don’t come the National Zoo and the Smithsonian with their own agenda.” said. “Do you like un• Internal Revenue Service audits Lei said the economy certainty? That’s why • CDC annual vaccination program won’t begin to stabilize we see market volatility • Some defense department employees until House Republiwhen government or cans can settle their Congress can’t agree.” THINGS NOT CLOSED differences with DemJustin Scott, gradu- • Congress ocrats in the Senate, ate student of finance, • United States Postal Service something that may said he thinks the gov- • Federal air traffic controllers not come easily when ernment shutdown will • Airport screeners • Federal inspectors each member has a peronly last for a few days. sonal agenda to fulfill. “There’s a lot of pres- • Social Security and Medicare benefits “Each member sure on Congress to get of Congress has their own agenda,” Lei things up and running,” Scott said. Scott said that Republicans are wrong to said,”that makes it hard for them to reach a cause a government shutdown over the Af- conclusion, at least in my opinion.” fordable Care Act, also known as ‘Obamacare.’ Additional reporting by Ethan Metcalf “The government shutdown doesn’t even affect ‘Obamacare’ at all. It’s already paid for, all of that money has been appropriated,”

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About 50 students attend movie, discussion on classified information Robert Kitchen, sophomore in psychology, said, “I’m not going to lie, I only came o facilitate discussion of the con- for the extra credit, but this movie gave me troversy surrounding Edward a new outlook on our government, now I Snowden’s leak of classified informa- kind of wonder what else they lied about.” While the Pentagon Papers may not tion, the Prof Edwards Night at the Movies directly affect most colseries began last night with lege-aged individuals, the “The Most Dangerous Man issues surrounding publicain America: Daniel Ellsberg tion of sensitive informaand the Pentagon Papers.” tion are as relevant today The movie tells the story as they were in 1971 when of a former Pentagon insider the legal precedent was set. who decides to challenge a And some professors were presidency that didn’t anreminded of the time when swer to Congress, the press the draft started. or the people of the country SusAnn Key, coordinator who wanted to end the Vietfor supplemental instrucnam War. ROBERT KITCHEN Hall Rollins, sophomore SOPHOMORE, PSYCHOLOGY tion, said, “We didn’t know what we should do. Should in biology, said, “All of the we protest the war? If my scandals are crazy especially all of the things that happened with Nix- husband gets drafted, should we leave the U.S. and go to Canada, or stay here and go on.” About 50 people attended the event to jail?” This series is intended to bring faculty Tuesday night which organizers said they hoped discussion around the movie would and students together on campus to disfocus on National Security Agency surveil- cuss a series of political issues in an informal setting. lance of American Citizens. BRUCE BROWN REPORTER

“I only came for the extra credit, but this movie gave me a new outlook on our government.”

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8 | Oct. 2, 2013 | SOCCER

FOOTBALL

WHO: Mustangs vs Texas A&M-Kingsville WHAT: MSU’s first home game, Family Day WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. WHERE: Memorial Stadium WHY: The Mustang’s first home game is important because another conference loss could prevent the team from making the playoffs. Losing this Saturday would also be MSU’s first regular season loss at home since 2008. PHOTO BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Mickey Brown, senior in art/graphic design, attempts to block a goal during the team’s 0-1 loss to Angelo State Sept. 26. The game was the team’s Lone Star Conference opener. After Tuesday’s game against Central Oklahoma, which the team won 3-1, their season record is 5-3. Their next game is Friday at 8 p.m. at the Texas Woman’s University soccer field.

TENNIS

PHOTOS BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Elijah Winston, senior in criminal justice, attempts to knock down a pass during practice Tuesday night. The team is preparing for the first home game Saturday against Texas A&M-Kingsville at 7 p.m at Memorial Stadium. Winston said,”This is another opportunity to show that we are getting better.” Statron Jones, freshman in business, runs with the football after making a reception during practice Tuesday.

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Lauren Pineda, freshman in nursing, returns a ball at the USTA/ITA Small College Regional, Sept. 27. The team’s next match is Oct. 5 at Texas Lutheran in Seguin.

WHO TO WATCH: Running back Keidrick Jackson, senior in criminal justice, has 351 rushing yards so far this season, putting him 412 yards away from the all-time rushing record with a total of 3,178 yards. The record is 3,590 yards. UPCOMING HOME GAMES: Oct. 12 vs. McMurry Oct. 19 vs. West Alabama (Homecoming)