the
Prairie
Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011
The sTudenT newspaper of wesT Texas a&M universiTy
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Volume 94, Issue IV theprairiewt
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Engineering program finds new space on campus
KeLsey wriGhT
MCoM 3309 news ediTinG & reporTinG
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T’s Engineering program is renovating the old Ag/Nursing Building and moving on in. The estimated $4 million first phase will restore the building’s exterior and transform the first floor into a new state of the art facility. It is projected to be completed by the 2012 spring semester for classes to be held. The second phase
will closely follow the finishing of phase one. When the University started the Engineering program in the fall of 2003 there were only 18 students. Throughout the years enrollment has surpassed expectations and the current enrollment as of this fall is 434 students. “[The Engineering Program] is growing by leaps and bounds. We need this,” said Rhonda Dittfurth, outreach coordinator for the Department of Engineering and Computer Science, about the move into the new building.
The renovation of the 40,000 square foot facility will house classrooms, lab rooms and faculty offices which the department needs. “As of now we are at capacity,” Dittfurth said. The Engineering building was built in 1965 for the Industrial Technology Department. The lack of space has stopped the process of hiring new professors for the program because there is no room for new faculty offices. It has also affected the students. “The classrooms are pretty crammed
with stuff and students,” Rodney Morgan, an Engineering major at WT, said. The Nursing Program is splitting the already tight space with Engineering, as well. Dittfurth said there are only four classrooms the department is getting to work with that are located in the Engineering building, but there are classes being held in the Classroom Center and in the Chase Tower in Amarillo.
New space continued on p. 3
WTAMU football routs Incarnate Word Cardinals MaTT waTKins sTaff wriTer
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he No.21 WTAMU Buffalo football team avoided a letdown game on Sept. 24 as they defeated the University of the Incarnate Word Cardinals 52-7 in
phoTo CourTesy of eTernaL fLaMe. Sophomore wide reciever Lance Ratliff rushes donwn the field.
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Canyon. Sophomore quarterback Dustin Vaughn shined, throwing for 335 yards and five scores. After the Buffs forced a quick three-and-out on the Cardinals’ first drive, Vaughn hit sophomore Lance Ratliff for a 62-yard touchdown on WT’s second play from scrimmage. Vaughn struck again with 11 seconds left in the first quarter, connecting with sophomore Jeremy Watson for a 52-yard score to extend the Buffs’ lead to 14-0. WT’s young quarterback got his third touchdown of the first half when he hooked up with senior Brittan Golden for a 13-yard score with 7:39 left in the half. As the half expired, Cardinals quarterback Payden Lynch found Jacob Love to get UIW on the scoreboard at 24-7. The Buffs did not lose steam in the second half. Vaughn found Golden again for a 52-yard score, making the score 31-7 with 12:20 left in the third. WT’s defense created some excitement when senior Caleb Randolph ran a fumble for 97 yards to give the Buffs a 38-7 advantage. Vaughn’s fifth score of the night went to junior Khiry Robinson for a nine yard score, putting WT up 45-7 with three minutes to go in the third. Sophomore Curtis Slater finished the scoring by stripping UIW’s quarterback of the ball and taking it in from the eight. Vaughn had an outstanding night, going 19 of 25 passing for 335 yards. He threw for a career-high five touchdowns with one interception.
sporTs:
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Quarterback Dustin Vaughn shines in WT’s football game.
UPD releases campus security Find answers from last week’s crossword puzzle, Sudoku and Try report. Square. Page 7 Page 3
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phoTo CourTesy of eTernaL fLaMe. The Maroon Platoon celebrates a touchdown.
“I’ve got to give all the credit to my lineman and receivers,” Vaughn said. “It’s nice to have a bunch of weapons to use.” Watson led all receivers with four receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. Golden caught three passes for 70 yards and two scores. “I’m not the only weapon we’ve got. Our whole receiving core can go deep, we don’t just have one weapon,” Golden said. The Buffs return to action Oct. 1 as they travel to Stephenville to match up against the Tarleton State Texans. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
CaMpus Life:
feaTure:
Herdsmen Hearts held two-stepping dance event.
WT students enjoy the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo.
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Feature Prairie Tri-State Fair entertains Amarillo on College Day 2
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Ryan Schaap Staff WRiteR
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he Tri-State Fair and Rodeo held performances on Sept 22. Many competitors from across the nation competed in events such as bareback riding, steer wrestling, calf scramble, and many others, along with clowns and motorcycle stunts. After the rodeo, Hotel California hit the Budweiser stage and entertained its audience with songs from the Eagles. Lauren Graham, Ms. Rodeo Texas of 2011, carried the American flag during the national anthem while U.S. military solders and veterans were honored at the rodeo. Graham attends Texas A&M and studies Agriculture Communications and Journalism. Graham will have her title for a year and will be competing in the Rangler National Finals Rodeo for Ms. Rodeo in Las
Vegas this December. During the rodeo, several events including bull riding, “Mutton Bustin’”, barrel racing and team roping took place. “Mutton Bustin’” contestants are children around age five that ride sheep out of a mini chutes for the best recording time. “It is a ball to watch [“Mutton Bustin’”]. These little kids have no fear and most of the time the girls do better than the boys,” Graham said. Troy Lerwill, a rodeo clown called “The Wild Child” from Payson, Utah, entertained the audience by making fun jokes with the announcer, Mike Mathis. Lerwill turned out to be the stunt man for the afternoon. He jumped his trailer with his CRF450 motorcycle right after going “out of control”. “The funnest part is to catch the audience off guard,” Lerwill said. “That’s the best part, the element of surprise.”
Lerwill started off as a bull fighter but learned to love the entertainment side of the rodeo and has been doing his stunts for 15 years. “I like traveling around and have been here [in Amarillo] three times and really enjoy coming here,” said Lerwill. “Anytime you have a fair, carnival, and livestock; it makes it fun. It’s a huge celebration that I get to be a part of.” After the rodeo, Hotel California took the spotlight at the Budweiser Stage. Hotel California is an Eagles cover band. George Dickinson plays guitar, petal steel, mandolin, and keyboard for the band. “I had such a good time last time in Amarillo,” Dickinson said. “We have been [here] at least half a dozen times.” The band has been together for 25 years. “The demand for our show grew so fast, how do you say ‘no’ to that?” he asked.
Fair photos on p. 8
New technology to enhance learning at WTAMU SaRa Smith
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he Information Technology department is in the process of bringing a new web based video conferencing program to the WT campus called Webex. Webex will enhance the learning process by enabling professors to record lectures and post them online, allow students and professors to have face-to-face class discussions, share documents and have group meetings all by logging into WT Class. Webex also can be used in other areas of WT. Career Services can use the program to bring in prospective employees to conduct interviews with WT graduates. The Advising Center will now be able to have advising sessions with students through WT class. the
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“Webex is a building block that will be added to,” James Webb, chief information officer, said. “We have a lot of creative people on the WT campus. I’m sure it’s going to expand as we move forward.” Dr. De’Arno De’Armond, an assistant professor of Marketing and Finance, has already begun using Webex. “In class Monday night I had a guest speaker from Toronto in for a thirty minute Webex session in what I call ‘Ask the Expert.’ This allows the students to ask questions back and forth, which is something we wouldn’t get to do otherwise,” he said. The plan is to integrate Webex with the single signon system, which will take a couple of more weeks to accomplish. Once fully integrated into the WT system, Webex is projected to have a positive impact on the WT campus for both students and professors.
Webex offers high-quality video, which allows the user to view up to six video participants at one time, and has Active Speaker technology, which switches the audio focus to whoever is speaking. Webex can connect up to 1,000 people in the same meeting and can be used by almost any electronic device that can access the Internet. “Students can connect through an iPhone or an iPad. You can literally be anywhere in the world and join the meeting. It is secure, encrypted, and it requires a password,” Webb said. “I think it [Webex] will be really helpful to students and professors especially for the online and hybrid classes,” senior General Business major Morgan Grazier said. “Instead of just emailing, you can meet with your professor, which is so much better.”
Staff 2011-2012
Editor- Maria Molina Assistant Editor- Krystina Martinez Web Editor - Georgia Romig Layout- Kati Watson Ad Manager- Bryan Samuel Faculty Adviser- Butler Cain
Reporter- Jes Roskens Reporter- Melissa Bauer-Herzog Reporter- Ryan Schaap Reporter- Matt Watkins Reporter- Lisa Hellier
Reporter- Jordan Fry Reporter- Daniela Fierro Reporter- Monica Gambert Public Relations- Aurora Ortiz Photographer- Alex Montoya
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. - First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
The Prairie is a student-operated publication at West Texas A&M University. It functions to inform, educate, and entertain readers accurately and responsibly. It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty or students. The editorials that appear on these pages represent the opinion of the Prairie editorial board. The views expressed by other columinsts are the writers’ opinions and do not necessarily reflect the board’s views. Advertising rates are available upon request at (806) 337- 2090 or at theprairiewt@gmail.com. WTAMU Box 60754, Canyon, Texas 79016. The Prairie is distributed on Tuesdays during the semester and has a circulation of 1,500. It is printed by The Amarillo Globe-News.
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UPD releases annual WT crime report to public KRYSTINA MARTINEZ ASSISTANT EdIToR
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he WTAMU University Police Department released their annual Campus and Fire Safety Report. The report contains statistics of reported crimes on campus and in the surrounding area. “Canyon has one of the lowest crime rates for cities that size in the state of Texas,” Meri Lyn Odell, director of Police Administration, said. “It’s an advantage of WT [because] we don’t have large parks or major highways that can increase crime.” Compared to other universities in the Texas A&M System, WT currently has the lowest crime-to-population ratio. In 2009, there have been 54 major crimes reported among a student population of 7,535. “We’re in a great place compared to other schools,” Jon Behrens, director of Residential Living, said. “The quality of students we have makes a big difference.” However, reports of crime do not go unnoticed by administration. Liquor violations were the highest reported, with 25 arrests made in residence halls. “Media tells them that they’re supposed to do certain things in college,” Behrens said. “Our society has created some of those problems.” Theft is another issue in residence halls, with 20 incidences reported in 2010. Many incidences, according to Odell, are ‘crimes of opportunity.’ “There is that perception that when you move, you consider your hall your
New space continued from p. 1
“Our main thing is getting [the department] into the same building,” she said. “That is going to be best for [the students].” The innovation is split into two phases. Phase one will equip the first floor with five laboratories, one smart classroom, a shop and faculty offices. “The new engineering building is going to be so close to the science building, which is good because we use their facility too,” Morgan said. Currently the engineering program is located on the North side of Russell Long Boulevard. “I didn’t even know where the engineering building was,” Rebecca Peth, a Biology major at
bedroom but you need to consider it as your apartment,” she said. Some of the most common items stolen in dorms include laundry and textbooks during finals, said Behrens. “We continue to tell students to lock their doors,” he said. “[The culprit is usually] someone who has been in your room.” Although such crimes can be prevented by simple measures, students may overlook the possibility of theft occurring. “My roommate doesn’t always lock the door,” Jayla Lackey, a freshman Public Administration major, said. “[Theft is] not something I really think about, but you don’t want to wait for that to happen.” There were two forcible sexual offenses reported last year, however, “one is too many,” according to Behrens.
“With any of those assaults, both parties knew each other’s name,” he said. Despite the low number, Odell says that statistically, victims of sexual assault on college campuses do not report the crime to police. “It’s a very underreported criminal offense. I’m sure there are offenses that aren’t reported,” she said. According to the report, crime on campus has decreased since 2009, which can be attributed to a few factors. “As a police force, maybe we’re being more visible, [so there is] less opportunity for crime,” said Odell. “There are no gray areas,” Behrens said. “Our discipline system is well structured and it’s implemented quickly.” To view the entire crime report, visit the UPD page on the WT website.
Important Contacts:
Anonymous Crime Trips UPD Escort 806-651-2300 806-374-4400 Text WT Crime Tips 79516
WT, said. “I have never been over there, and we are both in the same College.” The second phase of the innovation is projected to be started in 2012 and will fully complete the project and provide the two story building with four design studios, seven smart classrooms and more faculty offices. The project is estimated at $8 million. Not only are faculty and students looking forward to the move, the University has already changed the campus map to locate the Engineering Building on the south side of campus in its new spot. With this move, it will provide the department with additional degree programs in the near future.
UPD Victim Assistance 806-651-2307
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SportS Prairie Lady Buffs beat WTAMU women’s soccer plays first home weekend of the season Abilene Christian 4
September 27, 2011
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MelISSA BAuer-Herzog STAff WrITer
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he Lady Buffs had mixed results during their first home weekend of the season when they beat Midwestern State on Sept. 23 in overtime before losing to Abilene Christian on the 25th. “I feel good about [the season]. We had a big win on Friday, then we had to lift the team and come play what’s now considered the best team in the region.,” head coach Chad Webb said. “If we didn’t give them two goals, we’d still be playing right now,” On Friday, WTAMU had to work hard from the very first minute as both teams attacked the ball. The Lady Mustangs made the first move, scoring a
PHoTo By MelISSA BAuer-Herzog Leslie Briggs (9) works on advancing the ball.
little over 17 minutes into the game. However, WT’s Jessie Thomas shot back to tie the game from the corner with 9:32 left in the first half. The second half was full of action, but it would take overtime to see another ball in a net. After
an uneventful first half of sudden death overtime, Melissa Carnero scored the game-winning goal only two minutes into the second half of OT. Sunday was a different story as the Lady Buffs faced off against the No. 8-ranked Abilene Chris-
tian. It took 20 minutes of hard play, but ACU found the Lady Buffs’ net for the first time 20 minutes into the game. The Lady Buffs never gave up, but once again the Wildcats found the net with a little more than six minutes left in the game, taking the score to 2-0. That would be the final goal of the game, keeping Abilene undefeated and dropping WT to 5-4 on the season. “[The game] didn’t go our way. We had shots, we just didn’t make opportunities,” midfielder Becky Peth said. The Lady Buffs return to action on Sept. 30 in San Angelo against Angelo State University. Their next home game is set for Oct. 14.
MATT WATKINS STAff WrITer
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he No.17-ranked WTAMU Lady Buff volleyball team traveled to Abilene to take on the Abilene Christian University Wildcats on Sept. 22. WT swept the match 26-24, 25-20 and 25-16, improving to 12-1 and 6-1 in the Lone Star Conference. The Lady Buffs came out slow in the first set, falling behind 6-12. WT pulled themselves together to rally for a 26-24 set win. “The girls deserve a lot of credit for fighting and not giving up, but we must also recognize that we did not have to earn a lot of the points we got,” Head Coach Jason Skoch said. The Lady Buffs began set two by building a 12-2 lead. The Wildcats answered by coming back to tie the game at 14 all. WT managed to quell the rally and finish off the set 25-20. The third set went back and forth until the Lady Buffs pulled away for the 25-16 victory. Sophomore Ashley Davis led WT with 11 kills. Sophomore Halie Harton and junior Stormi Lancaster had 7 kills each. Junior Lauren Beville registered 16 digs for the Lady Buffs, and junior Lacy Hayes dished out 31 assists.
WTAMU men’s soccer gets its first win of the season MelISSA BAuer-Herzog STAff WrITer
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he Buffaloes experienced the high and low points of soccer at The Pitch this weekend, winning their game on Sept. 23 and losing on the 25th. The first move of Friday’s game was made by Newman University when they scored 20 minutes into the first half. The game looked like it would be another disappointing one for WTAMU as they went scoreless until Michael Williams tied it up soon after the start of the second half. The Buffs weren’t done firing yet and Rodrigo Morin scored only minutes after Williams. Christopher Hutton sealed WT’s victory 82 minutes into the game when he scored the final goal of the game for a 3-1 win. The win was the first of the season for the Buffs and the team’s excitement
PHoTo By MelISSA BAuer-Herzog Sebastian Furness clears the ball from his net.
could be seen as the final buzzer went off. “We’ve been waiting for a win. It’s been hard but we’ve been training hard every week and finally we got the win,” Hutton said after Friday’s game. However, the Buffs experienced the lows of soccer again on Sunday when they took on the Northeastern State Riverhawks.
The Buffs came out hard with Rodrigo Morino scoring only seven minutes into the game to get the first tally on the scoreboard. However, a Riverhawks penalty kick 13 minutes into the second half changed the momentum and successfully tied the game. The Riverhawks’ winning goal was scored 10 minutes later. The final tally was 2-1 with NSU having eight shots compared to WT’s six. “We got a win, but we needed two. I think we’ve only played one bad game and I think it’s just something that we need to finish our opportunities and get shut outs,” team captain Colin Bjostad said. The weekend takes the Buffs’ stats to 1-5 for the season with 11 games remaining. But even with the success of Friday night, head coach Butch Lauffer said the team’s work is not done. “We’ve got a win and everything but we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re not very good right now,” Lauffer said.
The Buffs play in Austin against Saint Edward’s University on Sept. 30 at 4 p.m. Their next home game is Oct. 7 against University of Texas of the Permian Basin at 7 p.m. at The Pitch.
PHoTo By MelISSA BAuer-Herzog Conrad Grouldbourne (15) fights for the ball.
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Campus Life Prairie Herdsmen Hearts two-step onto WTAMU campus 5
LISA HELLIER StAff WRItER
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tudents gathered at the Pedestrian Mall on Sept. 23 for a two-stepping dance event held by the Herdsmen Hearts.
Photo by Lisa Hellier
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The dance lasted from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. and included music, dancing and socializing. Members of the Herdsmen and Herdsmen Hearts orchestrated the event and spent time interacting with other WT students. Along with the usual
Herdsmen Hearts teaches students how to western dance.
dancing and mingling, they showed students how to improve their two-stepping skills. At the end of the night, a dance competition was held and awards were given out for the most improved male and female dancers, as well as the most advanced. “It would be cool to join Herdsmen Hearts and I thought [tonight] was fun,” freshman Equine Industry and Business major Christina Chollett said. According to Herdsmen Hearts President Faith Hoelscher, the event offers students a fun night and gives the organization the chance to get their name out there. “Basically it’s an opportunity to give a lot of the students on campus a safe place to come,” Hoelscher said.
Ducks Unlimited joins WT MONICA GAMBERt StAff WRItER
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imitate the sound of a duck as a method to lure them closer. The group’s membership fee is $35 per year plus an additional charge of $10 per semester that goes directly to the chapter. The current members are trying to get as many WT students involved as possible. “It doesn’t matter whether you’re a member of a fraternity or a mass communications major. We’re just trying to raise awareness,” Brady Pedigo, promoter of Ducks Unlimited, said. “My favorite part [about our group] is knowing that you’re doing a good thing and that everyone has something in common.”
ucks Unlimited is a new nationally recognized, non-profit organization at WTAMU, dedicated to conserving, restoring and managing wetlands in North America. Duck Unlimited first started in 1937 and has since conserved more than 12 million acres across North America. ‘’Our chapter of Ducks Unlimited is a great way to promote waterfowl conservation while having fun and embracing the outdoor community,” Michael Villena, Ducks Unlimited president, said. Ducks Unlimited is all about give and take, they enjoy hunting but they also protect the wet fowls. “Ducks Unlimited is worldwide; if you join our chapter, you join nationally. Plus, it looks great on resumes,” Bryan Atkinson, member of Ducks Unlimited since 2000, said. Some of the activities they are planning for this year include fundraisers, games, ski tournaments and duck calling. Duck calling is the process of hunting using a tool, Photo by Monica Gambert The membership card states the mission of Ducks Unlimited. also known as a “duck call,” to
This is the second year that Herdsmen Hearts has put on the event. Spring 2011 was the first time that the dance was held. “[The two stepping dance] was our new thing in the spring, but I’m sure we’ll have a lot more [events] coming up soon when things get going,” Herdsmen Hearts Vice President
Kelsey Foreman said. According to Foreman, the Herdsmen Hearts group was formed in the Fall 2010 semester. It’s still a fairly new organization, but they are working on increasing their membership, broadening student involvement and adding more volunteer work to their agenda.
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Campus Life Prairie Political science faculty present paper in France 6
ASHLEY HENDRICK StAff WRItER
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housands of political scientists from all over the world gathered together for the eleventh biannual French Political Science Association (FPSA) Conference held in Strasbourg, France from Aug. 31 through Sept. 2. Among the participants were WTAMU’s Professor of Political Science Dr. David Rausch and his wife, Mary Rausch, head catalogue librarian of the Cornette Library. The FPSA was created in 1949 and is responsible for the promotion of French research and encouraging academic discussion between professors, researchers and others concerned with political science. The conference invited scholars to engage in the study and comparison of French, European, and U.S. legislatures. Dr. and Mrs. Rausch decided to focus their studies on the differences between European inter-groups and U.S. Congress caucuses. “Since we didn’t know anything about
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the French Parliament, we went for the European Parliament,” Dr. Rausch said. An inter-group is to Europe as caucuses are to the U.S. They are specialized groups of individuals who wish to influence certain areas of policy. “In Europe, there’s an inter-group on youth,” Dr. Rausch explained. “What should the young of Europe be doing? Well maybe the European parliament doesn’t talk enough about that, so [you can] create a group with members of European parliament that are going to study and advertise it.” Although Dr. and Mrs. Rausch have degrees in political science, their knowledge of European inter-groups was limited and so were their resources, making the process a little more stressful. “Some of the issues we had were the resources that are available here through WT,” Mrs. Rausch said. “We do have a lot of stuff, but not a whole lot on the European Parliament, inter-groups specifically.” As a librarian though, Mrs. Rausch
has access to many different documents and websites. Her knowledge of databases and research techniques helped ease the burden of some of those limitations. “He likes to write and I like to do the research so between the two of us, we make a pretty good team,” Mrs. Rausch said. Because the conference took place in France, language barriers offered another potential inconvenience for the couple’s presentation. But this was resolved thanks to the Rausch’s panel, who allowed the presentation to be in English. According to Mrs. Rausch, most people in Europe speak their international language in English rather than French, so the panel organizer adjusted accordingly. “The organizer decided that we may certainly present in French if we want to, but the other language will be English, so ‘deal with it, French people,’” he said. According to Dr. Rausch, this was
not a normal occurrence and some attendees were upset about the decision, but the Rausch’s were not alone in their English presentation. Despite a few language barriers and limited resources, the couple felt the experience was worth the time and effort. As for Dr. Rausch, he said he wants to use the opportunity not only for professional gain, but to help his students as well. “I often hear students saying, ‘I really wanted to go to the (University of Texas) but I didn’t have enough money…so I had to go to WT,’” he said. “But we have faculty members here at WT who study stuff in Strasbourg, France, so what’s wrong with that?”
Cook-Off Correction
The person interviewed in last week’s edition of The Prairie is Dr. Eddie Henderson and not Dr. Amy Andersen. The band playing during the event is Bledsoe band. The Prairie regrets the error.
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Prairie WTAMU hosts annual Buff-A-Rama for community 8
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ALEX MONTOYA
Staff Photographer
Amarillo College’s Dentistry program visits Buff-A-Rama.
Harmony the clown makes balloon animals.
Rebbeca Olvera, Carmen Jackson, Daniel Hill, and Leslie George.
Children and adults enjoy a limbo contest during Buff-A-Rama.
Brianna Moore, and Valarie Swope help serve hot dogs.
Fair photos from p. 2
Photo Courtesy of Kelsey Fort
Lauren Graham carries the American flag at the Rodeo.
Students and members of the community enjoy Buff-A-Rama.
Photo by Frankie Sanchez
The military offered a hands-on experience.
Photo Courtesy of Kelsey Fort
Photo by Frankie Sanchez