The Prairie Vol 96 number 2

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Q&A session: Dr. Donna Eddleman

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reporter

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Donna Eddleman joined the community at WTAMU in August as the new Vice President for Student Affairs. Dr. Eddleman, with a great amount of experience with college students, has many responsibilities in her new position. These include overseeing many programs and services on campus, such as recreation sports, residential living, educational services and medical services. Dr. Eddleman recently sat down for a Q & A session with The Prairie to help the student body get to know the newest member of school administration.

The Prairie: “Could you tell me a bit about your background, maybe where you grew up and past experiences?”

Dr. Eddleman: “I was born and raised in New York. Grew up about 90 miles North of New York City and I am one of four kids. I am actually a first generation college student, so

The PPHM hosts flashlight night.

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Sports

September 3, 2013 • Vol. 96, No. 2

www.theprairienews.com

B.J. Brittain

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I was the first one in my family to go to college. I started out at a community college near my hometown and then transferred to the State University of New York at Albany, where I got my undergraduate degree in Psychology. I was an RA my senior year because I needed the money, so I’m sure a lot of our RAs can relate to that. Then I kind of fell right into a job right out of college as Director of Residence Life at a small Catholic school in New York. I spent a couple years there and then I moved out to Colorado, in Rangeley, where I served as the Director of Student Life. Then I went to Utah and got my Master’s in Human Resource Management from Utah State University and then my husband and I moved to Michigan for a year where I was Director of First Year Experience. We then went to Virginia

Dr. Eddleman Page 4

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for ten years where I arrived as Director of Student Life and left as Dean of Students. Then we moved to Utah where I was Vice President for Student Services at Southern Utah University and then I finally came here. I’ve been around a bit.”

The Prairie:“What drew you here, to WT?” Dr. Eddleman: “Well part of it was professional timing. The President of Southern Utah had been offered a new position in Kentucky and he had been hired. Often times when a new president comes in they like to assemble their own team, so I just started looking because I thought, “What if?” There are a couple of other things too.

Number one my husband is from Stinnett and he has family in Canyon, like his cousin works on campus and his grandmother who raised him lives just half of a mile down the road, so that certainly was very appealing.

When I came to campus, the truth is, I really didn’t want to WEDNESDAY: Residence Hall Council Meetings Located at the Residence Halls Starting at 10 p.m.

like it. As soon as you start to like a place, your life can start to get complicated if you get an offer, but I came to campus and I loved it. The other thing that is appealing to me is, as a first generation college student, it’s a population I feel committed to and want to give back to and that’s just one piece. The other piece was that there are a lot of things that I learned about through my interviews, very specific to student retention and graduation rates. I am very concerned that it’s taking so many students so much longer than four years to graduate, and I think an institution that is really focused on creating conditions that matter, in terms of getting students though college quickly, is important. So that piece was really important. The truth is I got two other opportunities besides WT and I chose WT because all of those things in combination made it really appealing to me.”

THURSDAY: RHA Mud Pull Located at the Old Bonfire Site From 6-8 p.m.

Matt Watkins previews the upcoming football season

PAGE 7

feature

Dr. Donna Eddleman answers a few questions.

PAGE 4

Opinion

The Prairie weighs in on the Carthel situation.

PAGE 11 FRIDAY: Tie Dye Event Located on theTerill Lawn From 5-8 p.m.

@The_Prairie

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NEWS

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

WT iWeek aims to get students involved Tyler Anderson Assistant Editor

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tarting September 9th, iWeek is a three-day event at the JBK Legacy Hall, providing various organizations from West Texas A&M University and within the Canyon and Amarillo community ways to connect with WT students. These organizations seek to showcase opportunities, resources, and services to help students gather information and explore interests for their respective paths in both college and for life after graduation.

The Station For Your Generation

“On the Monday of iWeek, we have the iSucceed fair.” Meghan Williams, the Manager of the Student Success Center, said. “iSucceed is the student success fair which is aimed at current freshman and transfer students to educate them about all the student services WT has to offer, however all students are welcome.”

Appearing on Monday will be representatives from Advising Services, Career Services, Lead WT, the PanhandlePlains Historical Museum, and the Math Lab to a name a few.

Tuesday will play host to iBelong, the campus life fair. With over 130 campus

organizations participating, the JBK will be full of opportunities for students to be engaged with the fabric with WT. “The purpose (of iBelong) is to present a showcase of each organization to let students know what is available and learn how to become a member or attend a meeting. “ Stephanie Brackett, Assistant Director of Student Activities, said.

Lastly, Wednesday will present iCare, the Volunteer Fair. “There will be around 28 different volunteer organizations there to visit with students, faculty and staff about their volunteer opportuni-

ties.” Kim Coe, Administrative Assistant of Student Affairs, said. Organizations ranging from the Amarillo Zoo to Special Olympics will be present, as slideshows showcasing these causes will be shown on big screens complete with lights and music. iWeek will also offer free food and a chance to win a $500 Amazon.com Gift Card, only asking for students to attend each day to enter. Each fair will be up and running from 10am to 1pm on their respective days.

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STAFF

SPORTS EDITOR

Brooke Self

Matt Watkins

Editor-in-Chief ASSISTANT EDITOR Tyler Anderson

PHOTO EDITOR

WEB EDITOR Megan Moore

AD MANAGER Zivorad Filipovic

DESIGN EDITOR Kati Watson

Alex Montoya

ADVISER Dr. Butler Cain

iWeek flyer photo courtesy of Tyler Anderson

REPORTERS

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christopher Brockman

Alex Gonzalez Megan Moore

WEB ASSISTANT

Preston Thomas

Georgia Romig

Keltin Wiens

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BJ Britain Christopher Berryman

Katie Nichols

PHOTOGRAPHER Alex Montoya

The Prairie is a student-operated newspaper 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 staff.

The Prairie verifies the legitimacy of the advertising appearing in The Prairie, but cannot be held liable for any advertising claim made in this publication. The Prairie has a circulation of 1,500 and is printed by the Amarillo Globe-News.

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NEWS

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

Canyon discusses potential water park Georgie Romig Reporter

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or years, the city of Canyon has been wondering what to do about their old pool.

“We’ve known the pool was an issue that would have to be faced for at least the last ten years if not longer,” Randy Criswell, Canyon City Manager, said.

“Over the 19 years I’ve been at the City, the maintenance needs have increased a little every year and it has become more difficult to get the pool prepared for each upcoming season.”

However, they may have found a solution: replacing the pool with a miniature water park. Some people may wonder why they decided to build a water park instead of just installing a new pool. Mayor Quinn Alexander appointed a committee to study and make recommendations. So they went to various cities like Sunray, Dumas and Pampa and found that parks were becoming a trend.

“A water park is just one more of those amenities that people enjoy and want and it’s certainly the trend today to build a water park,” Criswell said. “Realistically,

a water park facility has the possibility of serving a much greater population, in my opinion.”

Some Canyonities even confessed to Andrew Neighbors, City Pool Manager, that they were visiting Sunray’s facilities instead of staying closer to home.

“And you think, ‘Wow, they’re leaving Canyon for Sunray, that’s kind of crazy,’” Neighbors said.

Last summer, the city surveyed poolgoers about a water park and 92% of respondents were in favor of it.

It will not be a generic park, because the City wants to go for a Western theme.

“I think a theme would really set us apart and it ties into the local culture,” Neighbors said.

“There’s a lot you can do with it,” Neighbors said. “You can have workers wearing cowboy hats, themed slides, a horse slide, a cow slide. I saw one that looked like a rattlesnake!”

Now, it won’t all be about aesthetics.

The proposed park will have a six lane competitive pool, according to a report from The Canyon News. This would also make the park an option for swim meets, which would attract audiences and athletes alike.

Of course, if it is approved, the construction is going to take some money.

According to both The Canyon and News Channel 10, the estimated cost is $5.2 million. KFDA notes that admission fees may offset the cost, though no one knows the potential rates yet.

“The City Commission sets the fees for Canyon, for everything, so I can’t predict that number,” Criswell said. “So we will just have to wait and see about admission fees.”

The pool currently charges $3 for adults and he expects the park admission will be a little more expensive.

As for the location, the City would like to keep the water park in an actual park.

Connor Park, to be precise, which is the old pool’s home.

“Everyone we’ve talked to thinks Connor Park is a good location,” Neighbors said. “It’s in the heart of the city and there would be plenty of room for parking.”

The potential park, of course, will be open to the entire Canyon community.

Criswell thinks the park will draw in even more people than the current pool and maybe even people from the surrounding area.

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“Little kids and the elderly, as well as those with physical problems, can enjoy a water park, as well as others of virtually all ages,” Criswell said. “I think a water park can service a much larger demographic than a big pool. Zero entry allows for the smallest children to play safely and as the attractions increase, the age range does as well.”

Neighbors is also optimistic that a park will bring in more people.

“We see about an average of 150 a day,” Neighbors said. “We could see about 500 - 1000 people come in because of the Water Park.”

Criswell said, in general, updating old facilities is part of a City’s responsibility to help its citizens have a better quality of life.

“Local government is the best form of government,” Criswell said. “ We provide things that make people’s lives both possible and enjoyable. Things like parks, libraries, athletic fields, golf courses and swimming facilities. All those little quality of life ‘fun’ things will make the city of Canyon a place where people want to live.”

A letter from the President Welcome back Buffs!

I trust you had a fun, relaxing and adventurous summer.

West Texas A&M University is a powerhouse campus filled with excitement, outgoing leaders and opportunities. Lots of planning and preparation has taken place to ensure your experience at WTAMU is both challenging and rewarding.

I encourage you to challenge yourself, hold yourself accountable, introduce yourself to those who surround you and continue to mold the person you are set out to be.

As you begin and/or continue this great chapter in life at WT, Discover the Buff in You! Get involved! Be a part of what makes West Texas A&M University great- YOU! Wishing you the best,

Georgia Romig/ The Prairie

Leif Knippers Student Body President JBK 102E (806) 651- 2386

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NEWS

DR. EDDLEMAN Q&A continued from page 1 The Prairie: “What are some of your short and long term goals for WT?” Dr. Eddleman: “Oh, well I have about six dozen, but short term it’s for me to understand programs and systems within student affairs. What we do, how we do it, why we do it, just so I can get the lay of the land. That’s not easy because there are just so many different things within the portfolio, so in the short term it’s for me to understand what we’re doing.

Then we need to evaluate what we are doing well, what is it we need to improve and what we

just need to stop doing because it is just not serving students, as it should. So within the division, that’s important to me. Another part of that is that I would like to build relationships across campus. I think too often on a college campus, operations are siloed with faculty over here in the classroom doing their thing and the student affairs things doing their thing. So it’s really about creating those relationships so that we are crossing lines. Another thing is I have heard that we need to work on is the reputation of Student Affairs. I think we are often viewed as the fluff of the campus while Academic Affairs is viewed as the stuff, but if you do it correctly, Student Affairs can bring to life the lessons learned in the classroom and in order for us to do that, number one we have to be viewed as stuff and number two, we have to be willing to partner and build relationships back up.”

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com The Prairie: “Are there any parts of campus life that have you really excited?”

Dr. Eddleman: “I can tell you one of the things that was really appealing to me and part of it is the message it sends, is the fact that we have the residency requirement, that students have to live on campus until they complete 60 credits post-high school and I know that decision is not without controversy, but if you are able to create a living and learning environment where students can find support they are more likely to persist to graduation and will get their degree quicker.”

The Prairie: “As I’m sure many of the students are wondering, are you a fan of the Texas Rangers?”

Dr. Eddleman: “I intend to become a fan of the Texas Rangers! I actually grew up a Mets fan in New York, you were either a fan of the Mets

or the Yankees, but I have been notified that I need to become a Rangers fan, so that is definitely in the plan.”

The Prairie: “Is there anything else that you would like to add for the readers?”

Dr. Eddleman: “The one thing that I will say is that if students have ideas that they would like to see happen on campus, or concerns that they have, I want them to see me as approachable. I have an open door and want them to come too. I got an email the other day about a student who was interested in a food pantry and I said, ‘Let’s talk about this.’

There are opportunities out there and if students have ideas that they want us to consider, please come and talk to us.”

To contact the Office of Student Affairs, call (806) 651-2050 or visit the JBK Student Center Room 102

NEWS

September 3, 2013| theprairienews.com

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New diversity and inclusion plan in effect Brooke Self Editor-in-Chief

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new position has been added to West Texas A&M’s staff this fall. The position, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer, was created with the goal to have someone representing those who may, at some times, be underrepresented. Dr. Rosemary Gray was selected for the position over the summer and said she is very excited about her new role.

“I have a passion for helping and assisting universities with diversity and inclusion,” Gray said.

With this position, Gray will create a diversity and inclusion plan that will aid in creating an inclusive environment for many different types of students.

Whether they identify with the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered, Hispanic, AfricanAmerican, Asian and all other diverse groups.

“My goal is to assist the uni-

versity with the diversity committee,” Gray said. “That would include making sure that our plans are lined up with the university’s plans, which is student centered.”

Gray said her goals include having a commitment and involvement to make a difference.

“I have always accepted change,” Gray said. “The university is a global community and the literature will indicate that it [diversity] is not just going to help us in the classroom, but beyond in life. [Diversity] helps us to address culture and have shared beliefs and is important for social and cultural reasons.”

According to a statement from Gray on the new Diversity and Inclusion page on WTAMU’s website, “Academic excellence is enhanced by accepting and recognizing the differences among and within many cultural and other groups of individuals.”

The statement also explains that, “Academic excellence

and personal growth can be improved within a respectful workplace and a welcoming student environment such as a public university. Public universities perform a critical role meeting the needs of not only our community but the needs within our state, region, and nation. We endorse the concept of diversity as inclusiveness that is reflected as an essential element expressed in our University core values.”

The new position is one that some students agree will help create a comfortable environment for students with a lack of a feeling of belonging.

“I think it’s a great thing, honestly, for somebody to be in that position to have incoming freshman who are different, not like what you would see in the Bible belt, have somebody to come talk to who specializes in diversity,” Korey Schroeder, president of Spectrum, said.

Spectrum is a club on campus that is “dedicated to fostering

museum.”

It was the first annual WT student’s night at the museum.

“This is the first year, but we are planning to continue it,” Stephanie Price, Marketing and Communication manager of PPHM, said. “It’s only for WT students. We open a night at the museum for the public but it’s a lot different.”

T-shirts were distributed to the first 150 students and a D.J. was set up for entertainment purposes. Five prizes were handed out which equaled $50 each. PPHM partnered with student affairs at WT to make the event possible.

“It’s a great way to introduce them (students) to the museum,” Price said. “If they aren’t going home, they have something to do.”

There were several different mediums used to promote the event and raise awareness to students.

“There were posters around campus and a display in front of the caf,” Stephanie Meadows, junior Music Education major, said.

Night at the PPHM Megan Moore Web Editor

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rmed with flashlights in one hand and paper and pencil in the other, WTAMU students searched for answers about exhibits in the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum Friday night. Venturing through the pitch black halls, students had to explore the museum using only a flashlight.

“I spend a lot of time in the museum but doing it in the dark is a whole new challenge,” Sean O’Rear, senior Communication major, said. “It makes you think.

It’s a good way of promoting the

diversity and equality across campus and the community and to raise awareness while fighting misinformation concerning gender and sexual orientation issues through education,” according to their Facebook page.

“I think it will help people in the future,” Schroeder said. “I know people who have dropped out just because they had to deal with taunting and bullying.

They didn’t get that advice that now these students can enjoy today with this new officer. At WT and most campuses it seems like they all have their own organizations except for the LGBT community and I’m looking forward to her maybe being able to help us let those people have a place to go.”

According to WT’s diversity and inclusion page, WTAMU is creating a University that is open to all individuals, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, age, genetic information, life style

or veteran status and they are working on a plan to put in place University-wide programs and activities that will encourage student interaction and make the campus more welcoming to students, staff and visitors.

Courtesy photo/West Texas A&M University Webpage

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Sports

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

Timing is everything in NCAA football Keltin Wiens @Prairie_Sports

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f you read last week’s column, I set down my disdain for the horrendous offseason that Texas A&M and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel had.

Most recently and notably, Manziel found himself mired in an autograph scandal that he had allegedly signed autographs for thousands of dollars in January. That accusation was enough to start an NCAA investigation into the matter.

The charges were serious enough to put Aggies head coach Kevin Sumlin in a serious bind: does he play the controversial but exciting sophomore Manziel or play the second string quarterback to save face? It was shaping up to be a tough decision. On one hand, if Manziel played, then Sumlin risked having to give up all the wins and stats if the NCAA ruled he would be ineligible but, if Manziel didn’t play, then he was resting the season squarely on inexperienced shoulders while a Heisman winner was on the sidelines.

The NCAA put that little baby to bed on Wednesday, announcing that Manziel would be suspended for the first half of the Aggies season-opener on Saturday against the traditional cupcake, Rice. The NCAA said it lacked evidence to implicate Manziel on the signing for money charge but rather suspended him for a secondary violation in relation to the autographs.

For me, first half suspensions are those handed down in junior high football when the principal finds you canoodling with a girl in the janitor’s closet, not for signing an extraordinary number of autographs. A half of football? Really? That’s 30 minutes. That’s the same amount of time that it takes me to eat a good meal. Does that even count as giving a rip on the part of the NCAA? For me, even with my dislike of Manziel, I find that Johnny Football, as he is commonly called, is an inadvertent victim of a terrible system of justice that we call the NCAA. It

seems to me that the non-profit governing body of collegiate athletics put all their possible punishments on a dartboard and is terrible at playing darts. In other words, standards of punishment in the NCAA are just as complicated and maddening as their absurd rulebook.

Following the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky scandal in 2012, the NCAA did not conduct his or her own investigation into the issue, but instead relied on a controversial report authored by a former FBI director. The NCAA issued sanctions on the university based on how the scandal affected the NCAA’s image, even though there were no actual violations on the part of Penn State. Similar sanctions were handed down to Southern California after their case involving the parents of Heisman winner running back Reggie Bush received during his time in Los Angeles.

The worst case of disparity in the punishment process for the NCAA is the case with the University of Miami in Florida. In the summer of 2011, it was revealed that Nevin Shapiro, who is serving a prison sentence for masterminding a South Florida Ponzi scheme, admitted to providing impermissible benefits to 72 players for eight years from 2002 to 2010, which included visits to strip clubs and

rides on Shapiro’s yacht. The Hurricanes (who our sports editor Matt Watkins is somehow a fan of) have since got a new coach but their recruiting has been in limbo ever since, due to lingering concerns of sanctions. That was in 2011 and the NCAA has yet to rule on the case even though the booster admitted to providing benefits.

Basically, when it comes to the NCAA, there are two things that one should know: they are parents who play favorites and they are not a bona fide court of law. The two go hand-in-hand, really.

When it comes to handing down punishments, the NCAA bases two factors on their punishment decisions: a healthy bottom line and the court of public opinion. Is it good for the non-profit’s pocketbook? Does it look good to the public? In the case of Penn State, there were no actual violations and it didn’t help the NCAA money situation. But, it does look good that the NCAA cares about the case, so they basically destroyed a once-great program to save face. Now, I’m not saying that the child sex abuse issues at Penn State aren’t horrendous, they just aren’t an NCAA issue.

In the case of Johnny Football, the NCAA again acted on these two factors. Johnny Manziel, in just one season, transformed

himself into one of the biggest celebrities and moneymakers in college football history.

Thus, because Manziel attracts television ratings, the NCAA couldn’t pull him off the air.

But it does look good that they care, even if the suspension is so small.

So, in my mind, the claim that the NCAA had “no evidence” to justify dropping the

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SPORTS

September 3, 2013| theprairienews.com

No. 3 Buffs football ready for new season Matt Watkins Sports Editor

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he No. 3 preseason ranked WTAMU Buffalo football is ready to pick up right where they left off in 2012. The 2012 Buffs finished the season 12-3 overall with a 7-1 mark in the Lone Star Conference, which was good enough to earn WT a share of the conference championship. The Buffs season ended with a 41-18 loss to then No. 2 Winston-Salem State University in the National Semifinals of the Division II playoffs.

Senior quarterback Dustin Vaughn figures to be the ire of opposing defenses all season.

Vaughn finished 2012 completing 359 passes out of 555 attempts for a 64.7 percentage. He was also a semifinalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which has been described as the Heisman of Division II Football.

“Dustin, as far as from a leadership aspect, is a real good vocal leader and a real good silent leader,” Interim Head Coach Mike Nesbitt said. “The way he carries himself is a very good example for the younger guys on the team.”

WT’s running game took a hit with last season’s starter Khiry Robinson leaving for the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints. The Buffs will mostly rely on sophomore Geremy Aldridge and

senior Aaron Harris in the backfield.

Aldridge rushed the ball 34 times for 225 yards and four touchdowns in 2012 and Harris ran it 18 times for 64 yards and one score.

“We’ve got a solid core of running backs,” Nesbitt said. “The cupboard is not empty but the running game with controlled by Dustin and how other team’s play us.”

Seniors Torrence Allen and Nathan Slaughter will return at wide out, giving Vaughn familiarity with his receivers. Allen caught 87 passes for 1430 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and Slaughter caught 67 passes for 827 yards and six touchdowns. Junior Anthony Johnson, a Northern Illinois transfer, also looks to

record in his previous four years at WT. Under Skoch, the Lady Buffs have made four NCAA Postseason appearances, two Elite Eight appearances and were National Runners-Up in his first season.

WT will be missing the presence of five graduated seniors from 2012, including three AllAmericans: Erin Dougherty, Lacy Hayes and Lauren Beville. They will return a pair of senior starters in middle blocker Laura Iwuchukwu and outside hitter Halie Harton.

The other three seniors are outside hitter Lee Golden, outside hitter/ libero Keia Strother and right side Morgan Woodruff.

The youth movement is in, and roster turnover has not seemed to be a problem for Skoch and company. The Lady Buffs will be depending on impact performances from junior outside hitter Lauren Bevan, sophomore middle blocker Lexi Davis, junior setter/right side Kameryn Hayes and junior middle blocker Jessica Johnson.

WT is hoping a few newcomers from their bevy of incoming freshmen will step in and contribute. The freshman class consists of right side Blaine Koester, outside hitter Marisa Ochoa, setter Kyli Schulz, setter Emma Eickhoff,

libero Lauren Britten, middle blocker Leah Mayer, libero Aspen Sanders, outside hitter Courtney Robledo, defensive specialist Autumn Arnold, setter Katelyn Stewart, middle blocker Cori Haley, right side Morgan Robledo, right side Lauren Waller and defensive specialist McKenzie Long.

“The one thing I know we do good [regarding roster turnover] is we make it exceptionally clear that we win because of the players,” Skoch said. “We tell the girls, ‘We’re going to give you that empowerment, but you better be accountable to what that means.

There are two sides to that coin.’

This year, I think we have the same expectations, if not more, because we’ve got good kids.

They’re working hard and that’s all we ask of them.”

The Lady Buffs kick the season off against the ThunderWolves of Colorado State-Pueblo at home on Sep. 5 at 7 p.m. They will open Lone Star Conference play against the Mustangs of Midwestern State on Sep. 17 at 7 p.m. in Wichita Falls.

Lady Buffs to defend title CJ Berryman Sports Reporter

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he WTAMU Lady Buffs volleyball team will enter the 2013 season ranked No. 10 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason Top-25 poll announced last month. The team is coming of a 2012 season that saw them grab their seventh consecutive Lone Star Conference Tournament championship and twelfth South Central Regional title in school history.

“We had a lot of personnel changes within the season,” said head coach Jason Skoch, “and a lot of the seniors didn’t really heed some of the stuff we were talking about, so they lost some. Unfortunately, it seems to be human nature, you have to suffer a little to have that wake-up call. To their credit, those girls just really turned it around, and it was amazing to see the turna-round that happened in one season. To know that we lost three starters [during the season] and still do what we did, to me it was an amazing year.”

Skoch looks to continue the success the program has had since he arrived, as he enters his fifth season with a 133-21 overall

provide some excitement in the passing game for Buff Nation.

The Buff’s defense is returning several players from the 2012 season including Defensive Player of the Year, senior Ethan Westbrooks and the teams leading tackler, senior Taylor McCuller.

Westbrooks piled up 60 tackles, including 28 tackles for a loss and 19.5 sacks, while McCuller accumulated 164 tackles and 11.5 tackles for a loss. Senior Kyle Voss returns after a 119-tackle season with 20.5 of them being for a loss of yardage.

“The big thing with our defense is tempo,” Nesbitt said. “We have a lot of guys returning and those veteran guys just need to stay

consistent and don’t let the little things get us.”

WT will open the season in Gunnison, Colorado against Western State on Sept. 7 at 2 p.m.

On Sept. 12, the Buffs will take on Chadron State as part of the Lone Star Football Festival at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas at 7 p.m. WT’s home opener will be Sept.

21 versus Texas A&M-Commerce at 6 p.m.

“The team has had a good fall camp and they’re ready to bring some excitement to the student body and fans this season,” Nesbitt said.

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SPORTS

September 3, 2013| theprairienews.com

Men’s soccer gets ready for new campaign BJ Brittain Reporter

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s the school year enters September, there is good news for Buffalo sports fans: soccer season is here. After months of waiting, WT soccer fans will be able to head to The Pitch and show their support for the Buffs, and the team is more than ready.

The squad finished last season with a record of 11-4-2, making 2012 their 20th consecutive winning season. With seven starters returning for the 2013 season, there are high hopes around campus.

Add to this the fact that the Buffs were in the National Championship conversation at the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and fans can get a feel for the expectations on the team this season. However, there are some challenges that the team will face this season in their quest for a title.

“This year has been a little bit different in terms of preseason practice because it’s shorter, so we have to work our way through this process a little bit,” Head Coach Butch Lauffer said. “We are trying to be careful to work the players hard, but not over-train them and break them down physically.”

Even with so many returning starters this year, and 18 total returning players, Coach Lauffer has been working hard this preseason to assess his squad to find the perfect winning combination.

“We’re still kind of trying to put the pieces together, certain players in certain positions, to try and figure out how it is all going to go together,” Coach Lauffer said.

This season will mark Coach Lauffer’s 23rd season in charge of Buff Soccer, a great legacy for the school. With so many years under his belt here, the Washington, D.C., native knows a thing or two about

the beautiful game, with a career record of 261-117-30 as head coach of Buff Soccer, which spans from 1991-present. After so long with the team, Coach Lauffer knows the importance of the season opener.

“I think it is really important that we try to get off to a good start and get a victory on the first night,” Coach Lauffer noted. “No matter how pretty it is, no matter how ugly it is, we just need a result to get the kids to build some confidence.”

Going into this season, the veteran players on the squad will be of vital importance to the success of the program. From back to front, there are many players that will play important roles and will act as leaders on field.

“We’re going to expect a lot out of Cooper Garrett in goal who had a great redshirt season last year,” Coach Lauffer said. “Chandler Elder is a senior, Mikey Williams who’s a junior, Conrad Goulbourne

in central midfield with Wayne Bruton, and we have a junior college transfer kid named Vito. He is a Brazilian kid and he is definitely worth watching. Up front right now we have George Beasley and Gabe Williamson. This will really be George’s first full season for us; he has his act together on and off the field so we are expecting big things from him.”

As always, the opposition for the Buffs will be tough, with so many talented teams from around the area playing well the last few years. There are some key games this season that fans will want to attend in order to show support for the squad. The first of these is of course the first game of the season, which is Thursday night at 8 p.m., following the Lady Buffs soccer match at the pitch.

“The first one is always key, as it helps set the tempo for the season,” Coach Lauffer added. “We have our

first six games at home, so it would be nice to start the season 6-0.

Then obviously the games against Midwestern are big, they are always a dogfight, and then also the games against Eastern who have done a good job of elevating their program.”

Over the first part of the season, WT soccer fans can enjoy multiple matches that will be played at home for the Buffs, and Coach Lauffer hopes to attract a large crowd.

“I hope the students will come out and watch us play,” Coach Lauffer said. “We’re a good value for money and we play at night so that’s a good situation. We have a tailgating area for them to tailgate and have fun before the games now, so hopefully they will come out and raise a little hell and show some enthusiasm.”

teams like Colorado Mines, who are ranked ninth, and Metro State, who are ranked tenth. However, this is a great way for the Lady Buffs to evaluate their competition early in the campaign, as well as get some early experience against some talented teams.

The Lady Buffs squad is quite a bit different than it has been in the past years, with quite a few new faces. Most of the strength in the squad will be found at the back, where a great amount of experience can be found. Senior Berklee Watson, who has played three seasons for WT, has started every game in her career. She will be a leader and voice for the Lady Buffs back line. The other returning senior for Coach Chad Webb is goalkeeper Yvette Bedoy. Bedoy has had a great career in goal for the Lady Buffs, and enjoyed her best season to date in 2012.

There are four juniors returning to the squad this year, Rhea Belgrave, Rachel Roth, Jessie Thomas

and Jasmine Shultz. Belgrave started 11 matches last year and was a LSC Honorable Mention. Roth had a great 2012 campaign, starting all but one of the matches for the Lady Buffs, and scoring the game winning goal against Abilene Christian.

Thomas and Shultz were also vital to the success of the program, combining for eight goals on the season.

A good group of second year players will also be of great importance to the squad this year. Among these are Haley Girard and Kassandra Thetford. Both of these young ladies had outstanding freshman seasons in 2012 and can be expected to have equally good or better seasons in 2013.

With so many players graduating last year, the Lady Buffs have a large group of newcomers this year.

Coach Webb has 12 freshman layers and two sophomore transfers to work with over the course of the season. It is impossible to tell who will have the greatest impact on the team early on, but all of the play-

ers will be key to the success of the squad this year.

Even with the pressure of being ranked number one in preseason, the Lady Buffs expect to have a successful and entertaining season this

year. The Lady Buffs open the season against Metro State at 6 p.m.

Thursday, the opening day of the Lady Buff Women’s Soccer Tournament.

Women’s soccer gears up for the new season BJ Brittain Reporter

T

he Lady Buffs, who are of course the reigning Lone Star Conference regular season and tournament champions, are ready to take the field and defend their title. The Lady Buffs had a fantastic season in 2012, with an astounding 13 wins and their ninth appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament. The team finished off the season in first position after becoming champions in 2012, and will begin the 2013 campaign ranked at the top as well.

The Lady Buffs are favorites to win the title again this year, after a great record of 13-7-1 in 2012. This is not to say that the squad will have an easy season. In fact, this season has one of the most challenging non-conference set of matches in school history. In fact, some of the best teams in the area will be coming to Canyon to compete in the Lady Buff Women’s Soccer Tournament this week, including ranked

Upcoming Home Games

Men: 9/5- 8PM vs. Colorado State-Pueblo 9/8- 3PM vs. Ouachita Baptist Women: 9/5- 6PM vs. Metro State 9/7- 2:30 PM vs. Colorado School of Mines

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September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

Can YOU finish first?

We are giving away $10 iTunes gift cards.

Finish the three puzzles with the correct answers and turn it in at FAC room 103.

Last Week’s Answers

9

10 ENTERTAINMENT

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

Conquer Earth in Europa Universalis IV Preston Thomas Reporter

S

aving the world is the task that noble goal gamers are often faced with, but every once in a while getting behind the reins of a powerful empire and conquering it can be just as fun.

Paradox Interactive’s latest title once again allows players to take charge of a nation and history itself with Europa Universalis 4. Released following the success of Crusader Kings 2, which put players at the head of a European dynasty in the high Middle Ages, EU4 spans a large time period from 1444 to 1820 in which the player can guide their chosen nation on many paths. Unlike games such as Civilization where players build their empire from scratch, in EU4 players are presented with a variety of historical starting scenarios mirroring the political situation of the world at that time. Players who pre-ordered the game receive a converter plu-

gin, which can take a game from Crusader Kings 2 into EU4, allowing the player to continue their path to world domination.

The character driven gameplay of CK2 is gone from EU4. Instead of worrying about lines of succession and whether a ruler will have bad or good traits, the gameplay now focuses on the diplomatic interactions of the world’s nations. Notice the emphasis on “the world’s nations,” here. Where CK2 was limited to Europe and parts of Africa and Arabia, EUIV opens up the entire rest of the world. While most aspects of the gameplay are carried over from previous EU titles, the trading and technology mechanics have been revamped.

Based on the stats of their nation’s ruler, players generate points in three categories: administration, diplomacy and military. These points are spent on various tasks such as increasing stability in the country, hiring generals, in random events and most importantly in re-

searching new technology. Players now can manipulate the flow of trade across nodes on a static map, directing the flow away from nodes in other nations towards their own nodes and protecting the trade routes with ships.

One mechanic that may trip up newer players is how wars are declared. A country can’t just declare war to beat up and conquer their neighbor. Well, they can, doing so will just breed distrust and hostility from other nations. To declare war without invoking penalties a nation must have what the game calls a Casus Belli, some claim or righteous cause for war that is just in the eyes of other nations. These vary from having claims on provinces held by another nation, exploiting a disputed succession in a monarchy, holy wars and conquering natives across the sea. The overexpansion penalty for holding provinces that aren’t considered a core part of your nation helps keep crazy conquering under control, but it is still perfectly

feasible to take over large swaths of the map through patience and careful decision making.

The game tries its best to emulate history, but the actions of the AI and player both will inevitably cause it to jump off the tracks. Britain may colonize North America and see the formation of an independent U.S., or perhaps they’ll crush the rebellion.

The U.S.A. might form from Swedish colonies, while England is busy being taken over by Scotland. The Ottomans might be fought back and ousted from Roman lands, seeing the rise of a new Byzantine Empire.

History is open for the player to follow or totally disregard.

The modding scene of EU4 is already looking to be a lively creature, with several popular EU3 mods on the table to be ported to the newest title. The game encourages modding with easy to alter files and a built-in system for handling multiple mods, which allows players to pick which mod files to place into play at the game’s startup. Mods can be simply

balance tweaks, add in new nations or historical scenarios, change the game’s existing mechanics and even add fantastic elements like the lost island of Atlantis or an invasion of the dragon-riding Targaryen family from Game of Thrones.

With a sweeping orchestral soundtrack, a core of solid grand strategy gameplay and mechanics and a great modding scene, Europa Universalis turns history into a wide-open sandbox for players to dig around in and build forts all over. While there is a bit of a learning curve, the in-game tutorial and hints system does a great deal to explain the many mechanics and community produced tutorials and Let’s Plays explore them in even more depth. After a little instruction, new players who found themselves up a creek without a paddle at first will soon be charging across the Atlantic to colonize some new territory in no time.

Preston Thomas Gameplay screenshot of Europa Universalis IV

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

Welcome to WTAMU W elcome to Canyon, America.

Freshmen, you’ll be hearing that a lot when you first come across the hometown of West Texas A&M University.

Despite its small town feel, Canyon and the larger, neighboring city of Amarillo offer plenty of restaurants, entertainment, and activities for you that are affordable to the typical college student. So let The Prairie be your friendly guide, as we aid your efforts to becoming familiar with WT and the surrounding areas.

Even though the Caf is open, perhaps you would want to expand your boundaries a little bit during lunch hour. While national chains such as Chick-Fil-A and Quizno’s are present in the JBK, there is also The Sushi Company, Home Zone (which sells a package of various comfort food), and Grille Works (a burger joint which makes turkey burgers and other assorted grilled items).

One can purchase these meals and bottled, canned, or fountain drinks with their Buff Gold Card, a credit/ debit card, or cash.

“Pippa’s (in the Cornette Library) is my go to place,” said math instructor Don Clewett, “For shameless self-plugging purposes, of course.”

However, there is a lot more than just the JBK. Canyon caters well to one’s pizza runs and midnight snacking with Domino’s, McDonalds, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s for example, right off of 23rd Street.

Should you want more so local flare, there is LaBella’s Pizza, Feldman’s Wrong Way Diner, Fat Boys, Pepito’s Mexican Restaurante, Asian Garden, Sayakomarn Restaurant, Rock N Roll Soda Shoppe, The Palace Coffee Company and many other establishments.

“I would go to Sonic because of its happy hour. Their junior burgers and fries are really good,” said

Emily Jones, a sophomore with a major in Agriculture Business and Economics.

As for entertainment, Canyon and Amarillo have many things to experience and enjoy.

“I go to Hollywood 16 Theater off of the Canyon E-Way quite frequently,” said senior Ed Packineau, a major in secondary education, “I’m a fan of comics and games as well, so I usually hang out at Table’s Edge off of Georgia Street and 45th Street (in Amarillo).”

Other than going to the movie theatres such as Canyon’s Varsity Theatre, Hollywood 16, and UA Amarillo Star 14, there are places to enjoy live music and dancing. There is the historic Golden Light Café off of 6th Street in Amarillo, known for its live music and the Midnight Rodeo off of 45th and Georgia for better-known musical acts and dancing.

opinion 11 Letters to the EDitor The Prairie accepts letters to the editor every week.

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Carthel chaos A s of late, all of the talk around campus has been the firing of Coach Don Carthel. Press conferences have been made, citing the NCAA by-law violations or lack thereof. The blame has been cast about and fingers have been pointed. There have been movements wanting to reinstate Carthel and the dismissal of both the Athletic Director and the President of the University. In spite of such a talented football team this year, this is murky territory for Buffalo Nation. It’s quite chaotic, but yet, it doesn’t need to be.

Let’s find ourselves a voice of reason here.

Obviously, Coach Mike Nesbitt has been given the reigns of the program. He’s a ‘Carthelite’ in a sense, meaning that he runs the practices just like the most successful coach in West Texas A&M Football history. He has a fair degree of pedigree, being the punter for Minnesota Vikings and New Orleans Saints before crafting offensive game plans for the likes of Stephen F. Austin and the University of Houston. Nesbitt has also had his own history with Buff Na-

tion, guiding the Buffs to strong offenses in 2009 and in 2010. He served as a mentor for recent Buffalo greats such as Taylor Harris and Charly Martin.

Obviously Nesbitt is not Don Carthel, but with his successes at WTAMU and everywhere else, he’s pretty close. The scrimmages recently have been lauded as great and the players have put this situation behind them. This team is hungry to do more than claim the Lone Star Conference as their own once more and return to the playoffs. They want a shot at the Division II National Championship.

Don’t get us wrong, Coach Carthel is a good person and we do wish that things would smooth over between him and WTAMU much sooner than later. We do have to accept what happened and realize that with or without Don Carthel, there will always be a WTAMU football program and despite the recent events surrounding this issue, we will be here to support the program, through high and low times. We hope Buff Nation would do the same.

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PHOTOS

September 3, 2013 | theprairienews.com

This week in photos: Labor day weekend fun Alex Montoya Photo Editor

Welcome back Buffs!

Students spending their holiday planning out the rest of the semester.

Sophmore Phaelen Stuart-Berg showing his school pride.

Student worker Yabing Wang working in the P.O.D during Monday’s holiday

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The new entrance of Charles K. and Barbara Kerr Vaughan Pedestrian Mall.

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