Sept. 4, 2013

Sept. 4, 2013 | Midwestern State University | thewichitan.com | Your Campus. Your News.

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Elisa Buster, junior in nursing and Jonathan Henderson, sophomore in history and philosophy introduce themselves to get to know each other at the SGA kick off meeting.

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Melody Coffey, Student Government Association president, passes out cards and asks students’ opinions about goals for SGA.

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Approximately 60 people attended the first Student Government Association meeting in Shawnee Theater, Sept. 3.

SGA KICK OFF

Elected officials get to know each other at first meeting MIRAE DUNCAN REPORTER

T

he Student Government Association executive officers and senators welcomed a new year, and new members with the SGA Kickoff Sept. 3 in the Clark Student Center. ”I’m glad we had such a great turn out and that a lot of people came. I feel like going forward we have a lot of goals and getting around is the big thing.” Melody Coffey, SGA president, said.

The meeting was filled with a variety of organizations and a few individual class representatives.

A majority of the senators that attended expressed concerns about campus involvement.

“I think that if we get a whole lot of spirit and pride about MSU that all the other problems will fix themselves, like involvement and knowing about events,” Clayton Brown, sophomore in mechanical engineering, said.

Coffey plans to gain more involvement by collaborating organizations, better advertisement and starting a new program called Talk to You Tuesdays.

“Talk to You Tuesdays will allow students to come out and voice their opinions that aren’t often heard,” Coffey said.

Enrollment Steady

pg. 3

Enrollment numbers remain flat as university welcomes onslaught of incoming freshmen.

“Meetings are open to all, so just show up on Tuesdays and your voice will be heard.” Tiernan Harris, junior in political science, said.

Leona Sandiford, SGA vice president, had senators get out of their comfort zones by talking to other senators and getting to know the people in their club. Other offices agreed this would help create unity within the group.

“It’s not easy for us organizations to go out and get the word out by ourselves. Together it is easier for us to accomplish more things,” Ktee Erwin, junior in social work, said.

To help make a difference on campus, executive officers urged the senators to inform other students to get involved by becoming senators and being a voice for student body.

“I definitely want to get more people involved.

You already paid tuition so why not get involved and make the best experience? What I plan to bring for my group is to create more awareness and get people involved,” Samuel Yahaya, senior in management info systems, said.

Many people are unaware of how Senators are elected.

There are two types of senators, organization sen-

Coming Home

Local takes the reigns as new color guard director.

ators and class senators. Senator positions are available to any student or organization on campus.

Organizations are allowed one senator, and they choose who they want to represent them. While each class (freshman through senior) is allowed two senator positions, a student must campaign and be elected for by his or her peers.

“As of right now we have a few open spots for class senators and we are hoping to get more people to fill in those spots,” Coffey said.

While SGA is working on recruiting members, they are also thinking of future plans.

“SGA and my sorority, Kappa Delta Chi, do things like academic workshops and community service.

We are representatives so that we can help the community,” Heather Vasquez, sophomore mechanical engineering, said.

While future plans and ideas are still in the making, SGA will hold another meeting Sept. 17 in Bolin 100 to begin making changes.

“I’m learning about new people in just the first meeting. Just coming to one meeting has allowed me to know about other things on campus that I didn’t know about. So I would encourage people to come,” Vasquez said.

pg. 5

An Original Rodeo

pg. 8

Art students get to know each other and faculty while expanding art skills at CAMP.

2 | Sept. 4, 2013 |

Coming out a process, not a choice

A

s the president of the Gender and Sexuality Diversity Association, I am fortunate enough to have a remarkable variety of friends. Even though members in this group Michael Winters have individual differences, it is our collective similarities that bind us tightly to each another in ways that are invisible to the naked eye.

The strongest of these shared traits is our pride. We have pride in our community. We have pride in our work. Most importantly, we have pride in ourselves.

Since many members of this group identify as gay or transgendered, such pride is valuable commodity, especially in conservative place like North Texas.

Coming out as LGBT is not an act, but a process — and a difficult one at that.

However, I can guarantee that taking a moment to look at the journey one takes to come out, the pride it inspires may in turn inspire some pride in you.

I knew I was gay when I was seven or eight, when my world consisted of superhero comics and professional wrestling.

When you see people wearing tight spandex on a daily basis, you figure what you like pretty quickly. Boy did I like the Wolverine.

At the time, I didn’t know there was a word for boys who liked other boys. It simply was that way to me, even though I had ‘girlfriends’ in elementary school with whom I traded meaningless Valentine’s cards and slow dances.

In my early teens, I was forced to come out to the small Texas town I lived in, after an incident at school caused me to drop the act in front of an unsympathetic audience.

My classmates told me that I was disgusting. My counselors told me I was misguided. My own mother initially told me I was stupid, but eventually she said all the things a good mother should say to her distraught teen in crisis.

Even so, in a period crucial to the building of my personal identity, I had the nerve to not lie to myself or to others, and I was faced with unfriendly peers, unhelpful guidance, and a failed support system.

This is where the famous “It Gets Better” campaign should kick in. You get out of high school, and all the bullying and unfair treatment is behind you. As I have grown older, though, I have found the opposite to be true: the unfair treatment gets closer to home.

In Texas, I could be legally fired for being gay, even if I never explicitly mention my sexual orientation at work – assuming, of course, I am not (legally) rejected from such employment in the first place.

In states that do not legally recognize same-sex marriages, my future partner and I must file our taxes separately, often resulting in higher tax bracket placements that could cost my future family thousands of dollars in undue payments.

This, of course, will result in uncertain financial aid for my future children, since such things are dependent on financial status of one or both parents.

If either my future partner or I were to die before the other, there is no guarantee that the property we have invested in will be transferred to their rightful owner.

I am often asked if I think being gay is choice. I can’t speak for everyone, but I chose to be myself, and it is that simple.

Even if I could choose my sexual orientation, I would change nothing.

In the face of such disproportionate hardship, I treasure the unique fearlessness and honesty that comes with living out of the closet. Being gay has been a blessing in disguise, because it has made me strong.

I am bolder than I would be if I were still hiding. I am more truthful than I would be if I were lying. I am more helpful than I would be if I were hindering myself.

I could not be any of these things without pride.

wichitan

Drivers: move over, and make room for cyclists As a community so proud of our annual cycling event, “home of the Hotter’N Hell Hundred,” known the world over for our hospitality during the HH100 weekend, it’s time Wichita Falls exCaden tends that same hospitalBurross ity to its own cyclists year round.

As classes began this semester, while driving to campus, I watched as a classmate fought her way across the traffic on Taft. Like a live action version of Frogger, she bobbed and weaved between cars while trying to make it onto campus.

I have been riding my bicycle in major urban areas for over ten years. Dallas, Austin, New York, San Francisco, and more, but never have I been as nervous as I am while riding my bike eight blocks to campus in Wichita Falls. So, instead of a short ride, I opt to waste my money on gas and drive.

Unlike myself and my more experienced mates on the cycling team, who ride an average of 20 to 30 hours a week, the average student CADEN BURROSS does not feel safe enough to ride their bikes through the busy streets to campus.

Awkward, uncomfortable, and dangerous would best describe the average bicycle commuter at Midwestern State University. That fear to commute via bicycle could be changed by something as simple as a bike lane initiative.

As gas prices sky rocket and clean air is becoming a commodity, cities across the nation are embracing bicycle culture.

Bike lanes are an affordable way for cities to reduce congestion, encourage healthy active living, and promote community safety.

Bicycle lanes say, “As a community, we care about our commuters and want them to be safe and sound while travel-

“It’s time we ask for more bike lanes through the city streets, not just around the city parks.”

the

Midwestern State University Fain Fine Arts Bldg., Room B103 3410 Taft Blvd. Box 14 Wichita Falls, Texas 76308 (940) 397-4704 • wichitan@mwsu.edu

BUSINESS MANAGER: Blake Muse

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.

THANKS: Orlando Flores, Jr.

ADVISER: Bradley Wilson

EDITOR: Ruth Black NEWS EDITOR: Ethan Metcalf STAFF: Courtney Betts, Caden Burross, Ahra Cho, Mirae Duncan, Ashley Gibbs, Jacqueline Gober, Camisha Johnson, Hanwool Lee, Bailey Pitzer, Lauren Roberts, Aleisha Solorio

ing. We want them to be healthy, fit, and capable of giving back.”

The average bike lane takes nothing more than an extra stripe of paint laid between two and four feet of the curb. The wide boulevard style roadways of Wichita Falls lend perfectly to the idea.

The slightly narrower roads, still plenty wide by city standards, would seem a reasonable exchange when you take into account the long term savings on roadwork.

Each cyclist on the road means one less car, one less 4,000 pound vehicle to do damage to the pavement, and one less engine polluting the environment.

Not only do bike lanes mean one less car on the road, they mean one less car in the parking lots.

We have all had that morning: running late, stuck in traffic, unable to find a parking spot. Now imagine zipping past traffic, riding right up to your building, locking up and heading inside with time to stop by the coffee bar for a drink before class.

Other colleges have it that easy. It’s time we demand that we have the same opportunity, the ability to choose an affordable and friendly way to get to school without risking our lives while doing so.

For the naysayers out there, those that scoff at the idea of riding a bike to college. Those who say, “it’s too hot,” “I can’t ride that far,” or “why waste money on bike lanes?” just look to every other major college city.

Bicycles are the preferred method of transportation for college campuses across the nation. It’s time for the student body to get on board and demand that Wichita Falls helps facilitate our health, well being, and freedom to commute in a safe manner.

The local bike path is a beautiful thing, but separate does not mean equal.

It’s time we ask for bike lanes through the city streets, not just around the city parks.

Commitment Innovation Teamwork Leadership Time Management

JOIN US!

| Sept. 4, 2013 | 3

Brittany Adams, sophomore in nursing, Ana Lopez, sophomore in exercise physiology, Maranda Rodriguez, freshman in kinesiology and Abigail Gonzalez, senior in exercise physiology run cross country.

“I joined college cross country because I wanted to improve my running,” Ana Lopez said.

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Mac Christensen, softball graduate assistant and Kristen Hawkins, Assistant softball coach wait for a long line at the bookstore. Hyungmo Yeon, sophomore in engineering said, “It seems to be forever to end this line. It was even worse the past few days.”

Enrollment remains flat despite recruitment MIRAE DUNCAN REPORTER

D

espite numerous recruitment efforts intended to increase enrollment, during the second week of classes, before official 12th-class-day figures are available, freshman and transfer enrollment is unofficially up 223 students from last fall, causing overall attendance to be relatively flat, slightly below the goal of 5,900 students.

“To stay flat at 5,900 we needed about 250 additional freshman over the amount we had last year," Keith Lamb, vice president of enrollment and student affairs, said. "We ended up with about 230 additional freshman which will level us out.”

University President Jesse Rogers said, "It looks like our freshman class this year is going to be about 200 larger than it was last year. This is the largest freshman class we’ve had since 1991.”

In general, officials have nearly accomplished short-term recruitment goals, he said.

“Our goal this year was 5,900 so a little bit, I think, less than last year. The thing is, we’ve had another huge graduating class. And what got our enrollment down is that we raised admission standards to get into Midwestern in 2006 and 2011, and that cut down on the size of the freshman class, but we succeeded in doing what we set out to do and that was increase the graduation rate. All of a sudden one year our graduation numbers go up by 350 to 400 students above the 10-year average for four years.”

Lamb agreed that the decrease in overall enrollment was partly due to high graduation rates in the last few years.

“We are graduating these large classes causing us to go from 6,400 to 5,900 students," Lamb said. ''We know we needed to be very aggressive this year. We knew we

needed a larger class to level off and that’s what we have done.”

Rogers said, “Just leveling out with last year shows that we’re doing the right thing, and I’m delighted in that because if we keep doing that, our enrollment will just go right back up. I think we understand the things that we have to do to get out and recruit and work like other schools work to bring students in. Good, college-prepared students are in demand and we want them here.”

While the revenue expected from the incoming students, approximately $1.3 million, will aid in future enrollment and campus innovations university officials said they still need to increase enrollment to meet budgetary demands.

Rogers said administrators are taking a hard look at retention numbers with freshman because retaining those numbers is vital. He said MSU keeps about 70 percent of its freshman class but ought to be keeping 80 to 85 percent of the freshman class.

Rogers said MSU actually got an increase of $340,000 in cash from the state for credit-hour production, money that will ease other decreases in the income.

“The previous two years we had $2.3 million cut each year, and then there were other cuts also,” he said. “With the enrollment coming down we’ve had a couple of very tight years, but we had reserves, and we had a lot of private gifts that were undesignated, so we’ve been able to tighten up and get through it.”

Lamb and his staff allocated $677,000 toward this year's recruitment efforts, about $500,000 to scholarships and $177,000 to consulting and direct marketing.

“In the end, the school ends up with more than we spent in recruiting," Lamb said. "If students continue all four years then we will have much more than that.”

PHOTO BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Kyle Davidson, sophomore in business, practices his forehand at tennis practice on Friday.

4 | Sept. 4, 2013 |

In The Grove

Nearly 100 students assigned to off-campus apartments said. "I've been living in Killingsworth since my first semester, so this is fantastic. There's a or Michael Mills, director of housing door to my room, a big closet, and I have my and dining services, accommodating own bathroom."

Nowell said she hasn't really gotten any the students in the on-campus residence halls came down to simple math. He complaints from freshmen residents and that said 771 new students requested universi- students seem generally happy.

"We are all getting to know each other," ty housing. Almost 600 returning students requested on-campus housing. With only she said. "But we are all neighbors, and we are 1,320 on-campus beds, he had to find room working to form a really close-knit group."

According to Nowell, the RAs conduct for nearly 100 students.

“We had 771 new students who requested their own programs at The Grove to help stuuniversity housing,” Mills said. “As you can dents feel more connected and take every adsee, when you add those up, we had more re- vantage of resources available to them at the quests for university housing than we physi- apartments to help student residents interact.

"We do movie nights. We just had a 'Walkcally had beds for.”

The solution: The Grove, an apartment ing Dead' party," Nowell said. "This month we are planning a pool party and a big barbecomplex about 1.5 miles away. cue. We also use the basketball “We responded by leascourts, and the pool is huge." ing as many completely open Ultimately, Mills said he three-bedroom, three-bath hopes students are finding apartments at The Grove, ways to stay involved with uniwhich totaled 31 units and 93 versity life and he hopes to get beds,” he said. them back to campus just as According to Mills, all of soon as physically possible. the students who lived in “It is our goal to have evuniversity housing last spring eryone back on campus by the had the opportunity to renew start of the spring semester,” their contracts back in April, he said. “However, I would ensome 590 students. Although MICHAEL MILLS some of them did not return to DIRECTOR OF DINING AND courage any student who feels disconnected to reach out to HOUSING SERVICES campus, he also had to accomeither their RA or the housing modate new students, some of which could not be processed since Aug. 29 office and we will do our best to help them.”

Mills said despite enrollment decreases was the last day to register for classes. Housing officials assigned students to housing in the last few years, university housing has based upon the date of their housing deposit, doubled its campus occupancy over the last 10 years, and housing officials are looking at which in essence is first-come, first-serve.

And Mills said they expected to receive a when it is time to build more residence halls.

“It is too soon to run out and build a new few complaints.

“We have tried to make the best of a bad residence hall until we have a better undersituation,” Mills said. “For instance, we have standing of the enrollment trends for the added a Mustang’s Shuttle bus stop at The next couple of years,” Mills said. “The last Grove, so that our students can ride the bus thing we want to do is build a new residence back and forth to class. We have also placed hall and it not have enough demand. That is two of university housing’s RAs in the com- why in the interim (until we have a few years plex to help with the connection to campus of enrollment trends) we will continue to and to assist the students with anything they look for alternative ways to house residents.”

University housing is built using rent need.”

Further, Mills said that housing staff mem- monies. Housing does not receive income bers have worked to connect those students from either tuition or student fees. So, to fund a new residence hall, the housing deliving in The Grove to the campus.

“We have done many things to try and partment would request for bonds to be isminimize that concern, most importantly, sued, which would be repaid over a period putting housing RAs in the The Grove,” he such as 30 years. Those payments, along said. “These RAs regularly meet with their with expenditures needed to run the facility, residents and conduct programs and events would come from the rents paid by the students who live in the building. for the residents at The Grove. “ “So we would have to make sure that if we Kimberly Nowell, a resident assistant at The Grove and senior in education, said some built a 400-bed residence hall and that we freshmen residents have mixed emotions had 400 students that need and want those about living away from the main campus, beds,” he said. “If we were to build a 400-bed but most of them do like it because the apart- residence hall and only have 50 percent occupancy, that would be a financial problem for ments have more privacy.

"I love it (living at The Grove)," Nowell the university.”

RUTH BLACK EDITOR

F

PHOTO BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Briana Frazier, freshman in accounting, Karina Perez, freshman in mass communication, Adanna Oparaji, freshman in nursing and Sierra Harper, sophomore in art, get their picture taken in the photo booth brought in for the block party Friday.

“We had more requests for university housing than we physically had beds for.”

PHOTO BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Aimee Cavazos, freshman in dental hygiene, squeezes out excess dye while making her tie-dye shirt at the block party Aug. 30 in the quad.

Gender, sexuality, diversity group meets to plan activities Sociology chair Beverly Stiles said she attends GSDA meetings as an advisor, but she he Gender and Sexuality Diversity As- has a personal reason for being there as well.

“Before I was ever a sociolsociation met on Labor ogy professor, I identified very Day at Fuzzy’s Tacos for closely with a cousin who is their first meeting of the fall gay,” Stiles said. “He and I are semester. like brother and sister, and I The meeting began with saw what he went through in GSDA president Michael Winterms of stigma and prejudice, ters relating an exchange he even within his own family.” shared with a custodian while Winters said GSDA is a safe he waited for class to start. space for all students regard“He asked me, ‘is it normal MICHAEL WINTERS less of major, grade, political to see two men kissing?’” WinGSDA PRESIDENT alignment or sexual preferters said. “Frankly, I wish I saw ence. it more.”

“If students want to be a part of this group, Winters said this is the very reason why we I’m not going to let them be hindered by anyneed a diversity group on campus.

“I’m aiming to see a more accepting, open thing,” Winters said, “by themselves, by the and diverse campus,” Winters said. “There’s people that they go to school with, anything nothing wrong or inappropriate or shame- like that.” ful about being gay, it’s just something about you.”

ETHAN METCALF NEWS EDITOR

T

“I’m aiming to see a more accepting, open and diverse campus.”

| Sept. 4, 2013 | 5

Single magazine adviser replaced with advisory board COURTNEY BETTS REPORTER

T

PHOTO BY LAUREN ROBERTS / WICHITAN

Jammal Cook Reyes, color guard director, goes through the rifle routine during band practice Tuesday, Sept. 3 on the football field.

Local hired as new color guard director cause that’s exactly what we are,” Reyes said. “My goal is for us to become an award-winning color hen it came to hiring a new coordinaguard.” tor for the color guard, Alan Black, the In addition improving the guard as performers, associate director of bands and only reReyes said he has specific goals in mind for helping turning full-time staff member, knew exactly who the entire music program. He says he wants to fohe wanted, a band member he recruited back in cus more on the girls’ technique, and working with 1995 when he was a student at nearby Hirschi High them as individuals to help them work as a team.

School — Jammal Cook Reyes.

He is also looking at the music department as a “He’s got a lot of new good ideas,” Black said. whole, and wants to do his part to help it grow.

“He’s been living in the Midwest and so he’s bring“I want to build the numbers,” Reyes said. “I ing in new ideas from want to attract more stugroups he’s worked dents to MSU and to the with, like some drum music department.” and bugle corps, things When the fall marchwe haven’t had in the ing season is over, the last few years. We hope color guard season ends he’ll want to stick and winter guard begins. around and continue MSU winter guard memto be involved with our bers have been actively groups.” competing in winter Reyes said he is exguard competition since cited about making his 1991. directorial debut.

Sam Locke, freshman JAMMAL COOK REYES “I have seven beauin audio engineering, COLOR GUARD COORDINATOR tiful girls who give me said she is excited about 100 percent every single being in the color guard practice,” Reyes, a 2001 graduate of the University and having Reyes as her director. of Wisconsin — Madison, said. “I’m excited to be a “The work is a lot harder than in high school. part of this team.”

My previous guard directors have been really reReyes said he has many goals for this year’s color laxed, but he [Reyes] is intense when he needs to guard. He hopes to add a little bit of “Midwest flair” be,” Locke said. to the performance, and he wants to help the girls The band and color guard will give their first get more comfortable with the show. halftime performance of the year Sept. 14 at Cow“I want us to look like a professional unit, beboys Stadium.

ALEISHA SOLORIO REPORTER

W

“I want us to look like a professional unit, because that’s exactly what we are.

My goal is for us to become an award-winning color guard”

hree English professors will make up an advisory board for the Voices Literary and Arts Magazine this year after former advisor Sue Henson stepped down to work on her dissertation.

“Professor Henson has done an amazing job volunteering her time and expertise with Voices in the past years,” Todd Giles, English assistant professor, said.

The three English faculty members who volunteered for the advisory board include Henson, Giles and Assistant Professor Kirsten Lodge.

“I will still be part of the Voices team, but will be less active so that I can complete my doctoral dissertation,” Henson said.

Giles and Lodge said they are enthusiastic about continuing to publish a high-quality literary and arts journal.

“This year we would like a publication with a wide range of work, both literary and artistic,” Lodge said. “We will definitely be soliciting less common works, such as comics.”

Students are able to make submissions for Voices at the beginning of the fall semester until late November.

“We have a group of very talented and enthusiastic students working on the journal this year, but some of them will be graduating,” Lodge said. “We also hope to recruit more students who are eager to learn about publishing and get them involved so they can carry on the tradition.”

Sophomore Talor Kindig will be starting her second year on staff as a new editor.

“It is a huge time commitment, and there is a lot of planning involved, but this is my dream job,” Kindig said. “I love working on Voices because it is exactly what I want to do in life and it is an honor to be editor-in-chief my sophomore year.”

During the fall the staff handles public relations and editing submissions. In the spring the editors produce the magazine and add in the artwork.

Along with the student staff, Lodge and Giles bring a diverse array of scholarly publication and editorial experience to the table.

“We each have unique backgrounds in publishing and editing, and with Henson’s continued guidance—and with the great group of student editors—I think we can continue to publish a high-quality literary and arts journal here at MSU,” Giles said.

New phone app connects students to designated driver ASHLEY GIBBS REPORTER

C

reated by the state Department of Transportation, students can now use a smartphone app to find a ride home after a night out drinking even though according to police officials MSU has not had a problem with drinking and driving.

The Person Appointed to Stay Sober application, paired with Facebook’s event-planning feature, allows attendees at an event to coordinate the designated driver. This app also provides incentives to volunteers.

“We hope to raise awareness of the PASS app through social media and through the informational speeches I’ve given at Spirit Days, handouts given on Monday move-in and through flyers around school,” Police Chief Dan Williams said.

The PASS app provides incentive for passengers to offer compensation for the driver’s time and gas money. The app enables users to create a “party group” and to keep track of who owes what to whom.

“It’s a great initiative and I hope to raise

volunteers,” Williams said.

However, despite attempts to increase awareness of the application getting students to use the application might be a challenge.

Christopher Phillips, theater major, said he wouldn’t utilize the app.

“I wouldn’t use it because I honestly think it’s a waste of time,” Phillips said. “Not everyone has a Facebook or access to the app. Most of the time at parties someone will be the DD (designated driver).”

Haley English, computer science major, agreed that the app is a good opportunity and would like to participate in volunteering.

“I would use the PASS App in the volunteering aspect,” she said. “I don’t usually attend parties or drink so I would just be doing it to help others out in the sense of keeping the roads safer.”

According to Williams, Midwestern is part of a pilot program with the University of North Texas and the University of Texas — Brownsville, schools selected because state officials were looking for campuses with varying demographics.

6 | Sept. 4, 2013 |

Committee to choose future speakers After spring controversy, students, faculty and staff to select graduation guest ETHAN METCALF NEWS EDITOR

A

selection committee is being formed to choose graduation speakers after controversial comments made by last May’s commencement speaker surgeon Ben Carson offended students and faculty, resulting in a silent protest and walkout. Now, graduation speakers will be chosen by a combination of faculty members and student representatives to prevent a similar occurrence in the future.

University President Jesse Rogers said he approved bringing Carson as commencement speaker because he thought Carson would be a good example for students.

“Dr. Carson is one of the best surgeons in the world and he’s a great example of coming from nowhere to get to his position,” Rogers said.

Rogers said he and his staff, mainly with the help of the Director of Board and Government Relations Debbie Barrow, were responsible for approving of Carson. This year, however, Rogers will have the additional help of a selection committee to choose a commencement speaker.

“I went to the faculty meeting because there were some people who objected to Carson and they spoke their mind,” Rogers said, “the senate took action and their recommendation was that I have some other people on the committee to select and approve a commencement speaker.”

Julie Wood, assistant professor of kinesiology, first proposed the idea of forming a selection committee when she met with Rogers to discuss how Carson’s negative comments on homosexuality were hurtful to a large population of students.

“We had no problem with [Carson] if it would have been part of the Artist Lecture

Physician Ben Carson delivered the commencement address May 11.

Series or if he was brought on campus for a special presentation,” Wood said. “All of those things people have an active choice in attending.”

Wood said the problem with having Carson speak at graduation is that faculty and graduating students must attend the ceremony, something she wanted to be sure Rogers was aware of in their meeting.

“For graduation, certain groups of individuals don’t have a choice and so this was just, to us, totally inappropriate,” Wood said.

However, Wood said she understood the university had already made a commitment to having Carson as commencement speaker.

“We had made a commitment and we needed to honor that commitment,” Wood

PHOTO BY SHELBY DAVIS / WICHITAN

said, “but during that, it was brought up that this is really the student’s graduation, it’s not the faculty’s graduation.”

That commitment came in the form of a donation to cover Carson’s speaker fee, which The Wichitan has confirmed came from Kathryn Dillard, a primary benefactor of the Dillard College of Business Administration.

Wood said she made a comment to Rogers during their meeting that students should have more involvement in choosing the speaker for graduation because graduation is about the students.

“During that meeting a number of things were said because faculty senate folks were pretty upset over things too,” Wood said.

Wood said in a faculty meeting last Thursday, Rogers put together a proposal for who would make up the selection committee which currently includes Rogers himself, Barrow, the chair of the faculty senate and the student body president, but the final details are still being worked out.

“I personally believe that that’s not enough student representation,” Wood said, “it would be impossible for that one person to represent the entire student body.”

The final decision for who will comprise the committee currently belongs to Rogers, but he said he welcomes more involvement from students.

“It’s just another way of involving students in the university and involving them in something that’s theirs, which is commencement, so I’m happy to do it,” Rogers said.

Michael Winters, psychology and sociology junior and president of the Gender and Sexuality Diversity Association, said he wanted to give Carson the benefit of the doubt when he heard of Carson’s comments on homosexuals, but he was ultimately let down.

“I was so sad to hear about all the misinformation and vote baiting that he really did at graduation,” Winters said. “That was really disappointing more than anything because I was willing to take that step forward and meet him halfway.”

Despite the backlash to Carson’s comments, Rogers said he thinks it resulted in a positive outcome by causing a selection committee to be formed.

“I certainly understood the position that Julie Wood took and I think that it did turn out positive,” Rogers said. “We’re dealing with something that is a great national debate today and that it’s such a personal thing that it’s going to be controversial.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT THEWICHITAN.COM

Feb. 15

April 10

May 1

May 2

May 7

May 11

Aug. 21

Carson appears on Hannity

Steps down as Johns Hopkins speaker

Curriculum meeting derailed by news of Carson

Wood attempts talk at Faculty Senate meeting

Faculty Senate holds special session to discuss protest

Silent protest at graduation ceremony

Faculty Senate discusses proposal

KOCKS KOCKS Liquor.Beer.Wine KOCKS Liquor.Beer.Wine

Happy Hour Happy Hour 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

10 a.m.-2 KOCKS Liquor.Beer.Winep.m.

10% Off

10% Off

Largest Liters of Liquor 10% Off &selection ALL Wines

Happy Hour

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

of liquor, Liters of beer, Liquor and wine in town

Liters of Liquor

& ALL Wines

& ALL Wines

Largest

Liquor.Beer.Wine

Largest Happy Hour

10 a.m.-2 p.m.

10% Off selection

Largest

selection

selection Liters of Liquor

& ALL Wines

of liquor, beer,

of liquor, beer,

and wine in town

and wine Winein&town Liquor Tasting of liquor, beer,

Saturdays 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

and wine in town

Wine & Liquor Tasting940.696.9229

Wine & Liquor Tasting

Saturdays 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

www.kocksliquor.com Like Us On Facebook

Fax 940.322.3872

Owners: Victor Kocks & John Kocks 4505 Kemp Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas

Saturdays 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.

940.696.9229

Wine & Liquor Tasting

www.kocksliquor.com

Like Us On Facebook

Fax 940.322.3872

Owners: Victor Kocks & John Kocks 4505 Kemp Blvd. Wichita Falls, Texas

www.kocksliquor.com

TAFT HAUS APARTMENTS CALL OR COME BY FOR DETAILS!

AMAZING MOVE-IN SPECIALS!

MONTHLY RENTS STARTING AT $415 PER APARTMENT 4611 Taft Blvd. | (940) 692-1731 tafthaus@wfbiz.rr.com M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

ALL BILLS PAID ON SELECT UNITS | WASHER AND DRYER CONNECTIONS IN SELECT FLOORPLANS | FLEXIBLE LEASING TERMS CONVENIENT LOCATION TO MSU | WALK-IN CLOSETS | 24-HOUR EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE | SWIMMING POOL | FREE WI-FI

| Sept. 4, 2013 | 7 P L A C E S T O E AT

PHOTO BY CADEN BURROSS / WICHITAN

RAISING CANE’S Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers is now hiring and will open on Sept. 26 in Wichita Falls. The restaurant was founded by Todd Graves in 1996 in Baton Rouge, La, and prides itself on its “one love,” quality chicken finger meals.

• Raising Cane’s was originally going to be Sockeye’s Chicken Finger before a friend of the founder convinced him to name it after his golden lab, Raising Cane.

• One of the special things about Raising Cane’s is its special sauce. The company itself said, “It’s tangy with a little bit of spice, made for our chicken fingers but it tastes great on everything.”

• The vision of Raising Cane’s is “To have restaurants all over the world and be the brand for quality chicken finger meals, a great crew, cool culture, and active community involvement.”

• Combo meals start at $5.99, and you can get a “Tailgate Box” with 100 chicken fingers for $88.99.

“I love chicken fingers. They have the best!” Laura Flores, sophomore in biology, said.

“I think most chicken restaurants are the same. The only difference is how they fry it.

No matter how you cook it chicken pretty much always tastes the same,” Zach Moss, sophomore, said.

Michael Grayson, senior in the computer science department, explains the inner workings of his groups EURECA project, a robot that is controlled by the mind, through the use of a wireless headset.

OPA’S SCHNITZEL HAUS Only a few blocks from campus, a family-owned restaurant, Opa’s Schnitzel is popular with its authentic German decor, atmosphere, and food. With great customer service and a very involved family Opa’s has become a staple of German food here in Wichita Falls.

• The restaurant is all about its schnitzel, a thin slice of pork, coated in breadcrumbs and fried. The restaurant also offers a variety of German sausages and authentic German dishes.

• The restaurant moved earlier this year to 2611 Plaza Parkway.

• The restaurant is family owned and operated. The family is originally from Pirmasens, Germany near Frankfurt.

• Sandwiches range from $6.95-$9.95 and platters range from $10.95-$14.95.

“If you want the authentic German experience, you must eat the German sausage plate with Bratwurst, Mettwurst, and Wissewurst and some sauerkraut! It is to die for. And don’t forget to thank Opa! You can get some of their sausage at United Marketstreet,” Clarke O’Connor, senior in engineering, said.

“Do it. The döner and schnitzel are amazing,” Ryan Tyler, graduate in history, said.

“Loved it. Great food, great beer!” Tyson Arnold, graduate in radiology, said.

“Awesome place. Order lunch from there once a week,” Xandy Gilmore, graduate in biology, said.

2731 Southwest Parkway Wichita Falls, TX 76308 Corner of Kemp & Southwest Parkway (940) 692-1002

Your Party Headquarters for: Domestic and Specialty Beers Liquor The largest selection of craft/imported Wine beers in town!

Kegs Cigars Catering for hospitality suites, holiday, Lottery

graduation and other large parties

ATM on site!

*Bud select, ziegenbock & keystone light 1/2 barrell kegs - $93 plus tax!*

Great selection, great prices, and best customer service in Wichita

12 projects chosen for EURECA program CADEN BURROSS REPORTER

T

o retain accreditation with the university’s national accrediting agency, university officials created an undergraduate research program, Enhancing Undergraduate Research Endeavors and Creative Activities, last spring. This fall, 12 research projects were selected as part of the program.

As part of the last steps of an accreditation process that began in 2006, the Quality Enhancement Plan laid out a strategy for identifying and correcting weaknesses — including lack of undergraduate research — identified by earlier committees.

In just five months EURECA has gone from a committee idea, brought on by the April Southern Association of Colleges and Schools visit, to a donor funded university backed program led by Magaly Rincón-Zachary, director of undergraduate research.

“Undergraduate research is one of those activities that enhances the learning and enriches the experience while they are here,” Rincón-Zachary said.

Rincón-Zachary knows undergraduate research well. As a professor of biology, she is essential to the summer UGROW program, a precursor to EURECA. “One of the main ideas is to enhance the collaboration between student and faculty,” Rincón-Zachary said. “Out of the 33 applications received, 12 projects were selected. Of those 12, only two were original ideas from students.”

Andrew Brinkman, senior in music education, is doing his research over the use and

development of the pentatonic scale through the works of Antonin Dvorak.

Bolin Distinguished Chair of Piano Ruth Morrow mentors Brinkman who is working alone on his research.

Brinkman said it was “awesome” when he found out the committee accepted his application.

“To be able to put this on my grad school resume is very nice,” Brinkman said.

Some projects have more than one student per teacher, some have two or three working with one professor as their mentor.

Michael Grayson, senior in computer science, is working with two other students under the guidance of Assistant Professor Tina Johnson.

Grayson and Johnson, along with their group, are working on the next step of an ongoing project in the computer science department. They are attempting to control an Eddie Platform robot, built in their department, with an Emotiv Insight EEG headset.

Research is no short-sited feat, though, and their research group is already thinking ahead.

For the fall, their goal is to control a TV with the headset. “Then we would like to reapply for an extension with EURECA. Whether we get it or not, were going to continue in the spring and hope to control the robot,” Johnson said.

“Even if we weren’t going through EURECA, we were going to do this project anyway,” Johnson said. “So EURECA just helped us out to get it going and further it”

8 | Sept. 4, 2013 | “By having a fun event, with barbecue and burgers at the end, and doing something that’s not graded, it’s just kind of a fun thing”

“It went more fluidly throughout the two days that we had it, and the end product was really awesome.”

SYDNEY KUEHLER SENIOR, SCULPTURE

GARY GOLDBERG PROFESSOR

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Andrea Dowling, junior in education, and Crystal Graham, junior in education, paint an original cactus to produce pieces situated around the theme: “original rodeo.”

AN ORIGINAL RODEO Art students work together in 2-day CAMP

RUTH BLACK EDITOR

The Art department held its annual Core Art Media Production last week to help retain and recruit art students as well as develop their skills as artists.

CAMP is a two-day event scheduled during the beginning of each fall semester. Art students work to produce pieces situated around a particular

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Brandon Coufal, senior in metals, creates a dinosaur as part of the two-day workshop for art students. In addition to creating individual artwork, students also participate in a group project to make one large piece of artwork.

theme, and for 2013 it was rodeo themed.

Students create individual pieces of artwork, and they also participate in a group project to make one large piece of artwork.

According to Gary Goldberg, art professor, it’s a beginning of the year group activity for all the art students, and this will be its eighth year.

“We try to come up with a theme each year,” Golberg said. “This one was based on Alexander

Calder’s ‘Circus,’ which was a piece that I think was done in the 1940s. So, it’s about 5 feet by 7 feet and the figures are about 4 inches tall. So we looked at that as kind of a fun interesting piece and thought well how can we transform that. We started talking and just thought it would be fun to do a rodeo and just take that idea and kind of transmute it.”

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Laura Erwin, senior in education, uses an X-Acto blade to cut foam board. All of the silhouette pieces, including everything from dinosaurs to horses, were cut from foam board.

F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N , V I S I T T H E W I C H I TA N . C O M

READ MORE ONLINE AT THEWICHITAN.COM

PHOTO BY HANWOOL LEE / WICHITAN

Nicole Kutzer, senior in art, prints a logo on a T-shirt. “The logo of the Juanita & Ralph Harvey School of Visual Art will be in the shirts,” she said.