www.theprairienews.com
March 4, 2014 • Vol. 96, No. 21
Broken machines cause dorm dilemmas Jose Robledo Reporter
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or the past several weeks students living on campus have been dealing with problems with washing their clothes. The washing machines began breaking down one by one toward the end of the Fall 2013 semester. Students living on campus continue in their struggle to wash their clothes because of the lack of working washers. “In Cross Hall, there are about four washers working out of ten total,” senior Secondary English Education major Audrey Aguayo said. “I’m the current RA for the fourth floor, and many of my residents have been complaining about this taking so long.” Cross Hall residents are not the only ones who are dealing
NEWS
with these types of problems. “In Jones Hall, there are four washers working out of eight in the first floor. In the fifth floor, only one isn’t working out of eight,” Alexys Romero, a freshman Mechanical Engineering major, said. It has been inconvenient for most students living in the dorms. “Students are paying for this tuition and having the problem with washing clothes is ridiculous,” Jesus Beltran, an RA and junior Nursing Major, said. The ongoing problem with the washers has led students to arrange time where no one is doing their laundry to get their laundry done. Students agreed that the best time to do laundry is late at night or early in the morning. Another choice is doing laundry during the week
when everyone is in class. Several students have also been going to other dorms in order to wash their clothes during their most convenient time. “I do laundry after midnight
because of this problem,” sophomore Criminal Justice major Randy Favela said. “It takes time from my sleep and my studies. Residential Living should try and get this fixed very soon.” Whenever a washer breaks down, an RA will fill out a work order for the washer to be fixed. The hall coordinator is in charge of sending this to Residential Living to get it fixed. Residential Living then contacts the service provider who is in charge of getting this fixed. On Feb. 11, students living on JOSE ROBLEDO/ THE PRAIRIE campus received An out of order sign on one of the washing machines. an email from the
senior director of Residential Living, Jon Behrens, explaining why it has taken so long for washers to get fixed. “I have been in contact with Mac Gray, our service provider, since November related to the lack of maintenance on our machines,” Behrens said. “We received a new service man in the fall and was unable to provide the level of service we expect. There has been a temporary service man on site three days over the past two weeks who was able to repair a significant number of machines.”
WASHER DILEMMA CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
SPORTS
ENTERTAINMENT
FEATURE
OPINION
WTAMU’s cloned calves show natural progession.
Lady Buffs basketball cruise past ENMU Zias.
The Brock McGuire band entertains WTAMU.
International students discuss Venezuela crisis.
Ukraine crisis starting to reach a boiling point.
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NEWS
Jacy Good speaks as part of the Allyson Ford Project
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acy Good, national speaker with the Hang Up and Drive program has partnered with West Texas A&M University’s Allyson Ford Project. Good will speak Wednesday, March 5 in JBK Legacy Hall. She will share her story about distracted driving as part of the night’s events. Good and her parents were in a fatal car crash hours after her graduation. The crash claimed both of her parent’s lives and Good herself was only given a 10 percent chance of survival. Their car was hit head-on by a tractor trailer. The truck had swerved to avoid hitting a man turning left on a red light. The man who ran the red light was talking on his phone. Since the accident, Good has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, spoken at conferences and been in news pieces. Her goal is to encourage people to make safer choices, companies to develop and enforce cell phone policies and have laws in
STAFF EDITORS
Tyler Anderson Megan Moore
ASSISTANT EDITOR B.J. Brittain
ADVISOR
Dr. Butler Cain
Buff News Briefs
place to protect the public. WTAMU’s PULSE (Peer Educators) is hosting the Allyson Ford Project and Jacy Good lecture to raise awareness about distracted driving and its consequences. Ford was a freshman at WTAMU when she was driving home to Channing in September 2012. While driving on her way home, she checked her cell phone and lost control of her car. Ford died in the distracted driving accident. Ford’s family established the Allyson Ford Project to raise awareness. The winner of a $1,000 WTAMU scholarship from an area high school distracted driving poster contest will be announced at the lecture event as well. A WTAMU student also will be announced the winner of a $1,000 scholarship for a project focused on distracted driving. The winning project will be implemented into next year’s Allyson Ford Project event. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 806-651-2391.
DESIGN EDITOR Kati Waston
AD MANAGER Connor Woods
GRAPHIC DESIGNER Christopher Brockman
LAYOUT ASSISTANT Cheyenne Black
.PSD to host Quotations poster show
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he graphic design club, .PSD, will host a poster show to be displayed in the library. Quotations will feature works celebrating literature and aims showcases literature and graphic design coming together as one. Posters will include designs inspired by a favorite quotation. 20 posters total will be selected and displayed in the library on campus. Designs are required to be 24X36 inches in dimension and are due by midnight of March 12. The club requests that all submissions be in a .jpeg or .pdf form and emailed to wtamu. psd@gmail.com. Emails must include full name, full quote, book and author.
Former Olympian Joyner Kersee to speak at Legacy Hall on March 24
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s a part of the WTAMU Distinguished Lecture Series, Olympic Gold Medalist Jackie Joyner Ker-
REPORTERS
Abbey Spruill Alyssa Bonner Cheyenne Black Jacob Helker Jessica Malacara Jose Robledo Kyle Coulter Laci McGee Preston Thomas
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
see will speak at 7 p.m. at the Legacy Hall of the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on March 24. The event is free to the public, with a shuttle bus service from the First United Bank Center to Legacy Hall. Joyner Kersee has earned more than ten medals during her career in the heptathlon and the long jump. Joyner Kersee is a three-time gold medalist, a sixtime Olympic medalist and is a four-time world champion. She also holds national, world and Olympic records in the heptathlon and long jump that continue to the present day. She is also a world-class runner and was a decorated college basketball player at the University of California-Los Angeles. Along with her athletic accomplishments, Joyner Kersee is known for her work off of the field. She is an advocate of children’s education, health issues, racial equality, social reform and women’s rights. The charities that Joyner Kersee is a part of are the Jackie Joyner Kersee Foundation, Athletes for Hope, Youth for Amer-
ica and the Jeff Gordon Foundation. The Distinguished Lecture Series was established in 2007 and has brought in the likes of President Bill Clinton, Jared Diamond, Maya Angelou, Sally Ride and Robert Ballard.
Jose Robledo Tanner Sims Wyatt Miller
Jasmin Ruiz Natalia Molina Thomas Koeing
SPORTS REPORTERS
Garcia named President Elect of AACRAO
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an Garcia, the vice president for enrollment management at WTAMU, was elected president elect of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) in December. AACRAO is the largest and oldest organization for enrollment service professionals. Founded in 1910, its current membership includes close to 11,000 members and partners from more than 2,600 institutions, organizations and education-orientated companies located in the United States and around the world.
--All information taken from the WT website and Rana Mc-
PHOTOGRAPHERS
WEB ASSISTANT Georgia Romig
WEB SHOW ASSISTANT Haylie Ornelas
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. 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.
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
E-Cigs included in non-smoking rules Megan Moore Co-Editor
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lectronic cigarettes have drawn the scrutiny of campus officials at West Texas A&M University in recent weeks. On Feb. 18, University President Dr. Patrick O’Brien issued a change to the Supplements System Policy 34.05 and has extended the restriction of use of tobacco on campus to include electronic cigarettes and hookahs. Many institutions and universities have had to address the use of electronic cigarettes and put rules and regulations in place regarding them. “It’s my understanding that we started seeing students who were using the water vapor and the electronic cigarettes,” Dr. Wade Shaffer, Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs, said. “We know that smoking a traditional cigarette or chewing tobacco is not allowed on campus. What are we going to do about these new products that are out there and seem to be growing in popularity with the students? We need to be clear as to whether they’re allowed on campus or not.” Electronic cigarettes can be found at local smoke shops as well as gas stations and can be seen as an alternative to the traditional means of smoking. E-cig juice comes in both non-nicotine and nicotine
forms. “I think one of the biggest reasons people are so skeptical about them (ecigs) and feel they could pollute the air is that there is a big misconception now about what ingredients are in them,” CJ Carter, junior Music Education/Saxophone Performance major, said. “But any of the vape stores you buy juice at will tell you what is in them. They contain vegetable glycerin and propylene glycol, both ingredients used in food products and medical inhalers. They contain food flavorings; many stores even use all-natural flavors, and optional nicotine.” To make a change to any campus procedure regarding students, a person of authority would be notified and take the issue up with either an ad-hoc committee or an existing committee and make a recommendation to the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Donna Eddleman, who would then make a recommendation to the university president. “I think it’s fair that they follow the regular smoking rules because it is smoking,” Tori Stone, senior Mass Communication major, said. “[But] I would rather be around e-cigs any day over regular cigs.” The issue of electronic cigarettes is an internal one to WTAMU, which allows this sort of decision process. Students were notified of the change via WT student emails and can also find the change
WASHER DILEMMA FROM PAGE 1
For the trouble this has been causing, students living on campus will be able to use their Buff IDs to do laundry in any of the other halls on campus until this gets resolved. Going into Centennial or Founders Hall could be a temporary solution to wash clothes since these halls have not had a problem with this. “It used to take about two weeks for the washers to get fixed,” junior International Business major Christina Lehman said. “Now it has taken over two months
and the washers are still damaged.” Students who live in the halls have their own ideas on how the university should deal with this ongoing washing machine problem. “I think we just need new washers that can handle more loads,” Lehman said. “Several students have never washed their clothes on their own so they don’t know how much clothes to put in these washers.”
NEWS
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NEWS
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Cloned calves progressing naturally Cheyenne Black Reporter
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or the world of science, cloning has been one of the many things that has slowly started to become a hurdle that only the brave dare to jump. Ty Lawrence of the WTAMU agricultural department and Dr. Gregg Veneklasen of Randall County are leading the way. “The focus now is growing the cloned animals that we have [three of the heifers and one bull, Alpha]. They are all about
one to one and a half years old,” said Dr. David Lust, Assistant Professor for Agricultural Science. Last year, the Ag Department cloned one bull and two heifers whose DNA came from beef that was taken from commercial slaughterhouses around the country. “We are in a waiting phase now, while the heifers are growing,” Lawrence, Associate Professor for Agriculture Sciences, said. At the moment, WT is in the waiting stage while the heifers grow into puberty. Once
PHOTO COURTESY OF RIK ANDERSON Alpha, WTAMU cloned bull .
“It is going well, all of the cloned animals are healthy and are developing like normal cattle.” -Dr. David Lust the heifers reach puberty, they will be crossed with Alpha, the bull, to generate what is called an F1 cross. Meanwhile, the Ag Department is working to clone an additional heifer and bull carcasses. “We do not yet know what the outcome will be,” Lawrence said. Scientists have been cloning animals since 1996. The first cloning experiment happened successfully, with a sheep named Dolly in 2001. In 2008, the Food and Drug Administration approved animal cloning for food consumption. Now, WTAMU is the only university that is participating in this particular project that takes DNA from the carcass to produce a clone. “Problems we have had are just those typical of reproductive biology. Not every attempt results in a live cloned calf, but our results have been typical of other industry cloning projects. Newborn clones require careful neonatal care, which we have been able to provide,” Lust said. “We are interested in the growth and quality/yield grading characteristics of the progeny of the clones,” Lawrence said. Usually, a clone is produced by extracting DNA from a live specimen and inserting the DNA into a surrogate. The technique that WTAMU uses starts
on the opposite end of the spectrum, extracting the DNA from a Prime and Yield grade 1 carcass. “If we are successful in generating progeny that are a higher percentage of Prime and Yield grade 1 than the current cattle population, than those progeny might be desired by the marketplace,” Lawrence said. At the moment, the outcome is that WTAMU has four cloned cattle that are developing normally. “The objective is to produce a new line of cattle that have outstanding potential to be both Prime [meat with the highest grade for eating quality [flavor, juiciness, tender-
“We are trying to do something that has never been done before; this may work and this may not work... but we will never know if we do not try.” -Ty Lawrence
ness]) and to be Yield Grade 1 [the highest grade for muscle: fat ratio, more muscle and less fat]. We do not know how this will affect the market - since we only have four of these cattle we would not expect any immediate impact on the market,” Lust said. “The cattle have potential to be very efficient, producing meat very efficiently on less feed. If the potential develops, then the industry may be able
to produce very lean and high quality beef more easily, and more efficiently,” Lust said. At the moment, WTAMU and the Ag Department do not know of anyone that is opposed to the project, though other schools have shown interest. The process of cloning cattle has been done for more than 10 years and has been accepted in the beef industry. “Due to the fact that there have only been a few, the composition of food products from cattle, swine, and goat clones, or the offspring of any animal clones, is no different from that of conventionally bred animals,” states the FDA website. Genetically speaking, clones are no different than identical twins. Of course, there may be people that are suspicious of cloning. “Our project is unique in that we chose to clone animals that are rare in their ability to be in the top meat grades [Prime and Yield Grade 1],” Lust said. According to Lust, the process that is being used is no different from the cloning procedure that has been used for cattle previously. “The biggest problem thus far has been finding the carcass to clone,” Lawrence said. The carcasses that are being searched only occur at a rate of 0.03 percent, a standard that is exceedingly low. Not every attempt results in a live cloned calf, but our results have been typical of other industry cloning projects. Newborn clones require careful neonatal care, which WTAMU has been able to provide. “I am extremely pleased with the progress that our team has made toward this endeavor,” Lawrence said.
NEWS
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
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PPHM hosts monthly Toddler Tuesdays Alyssa Bonner Reporter
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he Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum started a program called Toddler Tuesdays, an educational program that targets children ages two to five. Toddler Tuesdays are held on the second Tuesday of each month and begin at 10:30 a.m. Toddler Tuesdays, which began this January, are a time where younger children get to explore part of the museum, learn about it and do an arts and crafts project related to the exhibit. “We were trying to think of new programs that we could do for families during the week to introduce them to the museum,” Amy Mitchell, PPHM Programs Coordinator, said. The toddlers who participate in the program will get to see a different exhibit each month, rather than exploring the entire
museum in one day. “For the little guys, their attentions are much shorter than adults, and this museum is very large, so it can be overwhelming,” Mitchell said. “So, we’re taking the museum bite by bite, spending time in different galleries each month.” Each Toddler Tuesday program lasts only 30 to 45 minutes in order to maintain the attention of the children. “It’s nice that it is only 30 to 45 minutes long, because honestly, no matter how cool it is, a toddler will only cooperate for so long,” Stephanie Willbanks, Canyon resident and mother of a three-year-old girl, said. For the February Toddler Tuesday, Dr. Elizabeth Clark, associate professor of History, took one of her classes to help teach the toddlers about Polish fairy tales. “The class told a legend to the children about Kinga, a real
The Station For Your Generation
princess who is said to have brought salt to Poland from her native Hungary,” Clark said. “She dropped her engagement ring down a mine shaft in Hungary and found it in Poland on the site of the Wieliczka salt mine, a working mine that has been in existence since the Middle Ages.” Clark’s class told the story and brought costumes and props, including a ring, dolls dressed in Polish wedding clothes and Polish scarves. Clark’s students showed the images from the story book to the children and played a role in pretend play. Mitchell had a salt dough craft prepared for the children. Clark took salt from the Wieliczka mine, which she found online at an import store. The children made the dough and pressed their hands into it for a takehome craft.
“Next month, we will look at art,” Mitchell said. “We’ll go up to one of the art galleries and let the kids look around and talk about some of the pieces that are on display. Then, we’ll go down to our classroom area and do an art activity down there.” The children will get to read the book “Little Blue and Little Yellow,” a book about mixing colors together to make new colors. The children will get to experiment with mixing colors by mixing tempera paints. “I would definitely take [my daughter] to something like that,” Willbanks said. “Especially since she is soaking up so much information right now, I think she could learn a lot from it.” The program is free with mu-
seum admission. Children ages four and under get in free. Admission is $5 for children ages four-to-12 and $10 for adults. While the Toddler Tuesday program is aimed at children ages two to five, any families with any aged children are welcome to attend. “I think having preschool activities at the museum is a great way to encourage families to come visit, and shows that the museum is engaged with the community,” Clark said. “Museums show us how people live and lived, and encourage us to explore our own lives and discover new things.” The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is located at 2503 4th Avenue in Canyon.
Save the Date!
We Fight Cancer Celebration and Dinner! Come help us honor our Survivors & Caregivers March 6, 2014 from 6 - 8 pm Cole Community Center, Palo Duro Room
For more
91.1 FM
information contact Jolenna Wright at 806-676-6593 Relay For Life is April 11-12, 2014 at WTAMU Buffalo Sports Park www.relayforlife.org/canyontx Find us on Facebook and Twitter
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SPORTS
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Slaughter’s Sports Talk Prairie Sports Columnist Nathan Slaughter weighs in on any and everything sports each week.
U
ndisputed boxing champion Floyd “Money” Mayweather took a unique approach to announcing his next opponent. Mayweather used his Shots iPhone App to announce that he would be selecting Marcos Maidana as his next opponent in the ring. The Shots app is a fun “hater free” feature that is similar to Instagram, but only contains “Selfie” photos. The App is only available for the iPhone and has some headline investors such as Mayweather and Justin Beiber. Mayweather posted a selfie with the caption “I will be fighting Marcos Maidana May 3 on pay-per-view Showtime/CBS.” Mayweather has been riding the social media trend lately. In
early February, he posted on his Twitter and Instagram account that he would be letting the fans decide his next opponent in a poll on his Mayweather Promotions website. The two opponents would be British boxer Amir Khan and the Argentinan Brawler, Marcos Maidana. There has been debate since the announcement if Mayweather really let the fans choose his next opponent. Khan claims in a statement after the decision that he won the poll by 57 percent and that Mayweather is taking the “easy option.” Khan defeated Maidana in 2010 and says Mayweather should “walk-through” the fight. Mayweather combated that by saying that he choose the
“better man” as Khan is 2-2 in his last four fights and Maidana has some impressive wins as of late. Maidana is coming off of his biggest win of his career against the former undefeated welterweight Adrien Broner. Maidana sent Adrien Broner to the canvas twice in his unanimous victory, claiming the World Boxing Association (WBA) Welterweight Title. Maidana boasts an impressive 82 percent knockout rate and holds a 35-3 record with 31 knockouts. Mayweather, on the other hand, who has been the hottest name in boxing for the last 17 years, touts a record of 45-0 with 26 knockouts.
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Mayweather, who was the highest paid athlete in 2013 with earnings around $90 million, is coming off the biggest fight in pay-per-view history against Canelo Alvarez. The fight generated $150 million in revenue in pay-per-view buys and had a sellout crowd at the MGM Las Vegas, generating more $20 million at the gate. The fight with Alvarez may be a tough feat to top, but anytime Mayweather fights, people watch. Mayweather is known for his arrogant tactics and flashy lifestyle. He prides himself with the nickname “Money” and has yet to touch the canvas in any of his fights. Money is a skilled swift fighter, and none of his previous opponents have been able to break his impregnable defense. He rarely gets hit and claims he is not into taking any punishment while he is in the ring. Mayweather proclaims himself as “TBE” - The Best Ever. Mayweather has yet to take a defeat, but the striking and knockout power of Maidana could pose a threat. Maidana’s latest win over Adrien Broner is what makes the Mayweather and Maidana fight all the more interesting. Broner is in many eyes the closest thing to Mayweather, to where they have similar styles in the ring. Mayweather has been a mentor to Broner and calls him his baby brother. Broner tries to imitate the famous Mayweather “shoulder roll” technique, in which thrown punches are impacted by the shoulder and rolled off, making opponents’ offense less effective.
Maidana dissected Broner’s use of this defensive strategy, sending him to the canvas twice for the first knockdowns of Broner’s professional career. Mayweather has also never been sent to the canvas. However, with him turning 37 last month, many wonder when his ability to evade punches will decrease. He hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down as many thought his last opponent, Canelo Alvarez, was thought to be the one to have the blueprint to defeating Mayweather. Alvarez is similar to Maidana with his 70 percent knockout rate and strong punching power. However, in his fight with Mayweather, Alvarez hardly managed to touch him and lost, after being dominated through the majority of the fight. As a fan of Mayweather, it is hard imagining him taking a loss. However, after watching the Broner-Maidana fight, the possibility is there. Maidana is a relentless competitor and will not quit, no matter how the fight pans outs. Many of his victories have come after being bullied through the majority of the fight. His impressive knockout power gives him a chance to win until the final bell rings. Nonetheless, Maidana will enter the fight as the underdog, as Floyd is undoubtedly the best fighter of his era. We will see who is the better man come fight night, because all it takes is one punch to make history. But if I were a betting man, I definitely favor the odds of Mayweather going home with the victory.
SPORTS
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Ladies defeat Zias Tanner Sims Sports Reporter
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n March 1, the West Texas A&M women’s basketball team defeated Eastern New Mexico University 86-58 in the regular season finale. The Lady Buffs finished the regular season strong with a 24-2 overall record and 15-1 in conference action. The Lady Buffs had all five starters in double figures, as well as having two double-doubles from senior forward Devin Griffin and junior forward/center Chontiquah White. White led the game with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Griffin had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Senior guard Casey Land had 16 points while senior guard Raven Gerald and senior guard Lacee Logan each added 10 points for the Lady Buffs. WTAMU shot 49.2 percent for the game while the Zias shot just 21 of 59 from the field for 32 percent. The Lady Buffs were 11 of 26 from beyond the arc, while Eastern New Mexico was 9 of 32. The Lady Buffs outrebounded the Zias,
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CALL FOR APPLICATIONS
44-30, and helped guide the Lady Buffs into a 42-32 lead going into halftime. Eastern New Mexico was able to get within four early in the second half, but was not able to keep up with WT’s quick paced offense. The Lady Buffs closed the game with a 14-0 run over the final 4:45 for an 86-58 victory. Coach Kellogg said he was glad to see his team finish up strong and now it was time to focus on the championship tournament. He also said that he was ready to get some practice in to prepare for the upcoming trip. As the Lady Buffs continued to stay hot throughout the season, Eastern New Mexico’s losing streak moves to 12 straight, dropping to a 4-12 tally in the LSC and a 6-20 overall record. The Zias are the only team to not qualify for the Lone Star Conference tournament. The Lady Buffs are the top seed in the Lone Star Conference tournament and will face No. 8-seed Cameron on March 5 at 6 p.m. in the Allen Events Center. Fans can purchase tickets through Ticketmaster or by calling the Allen Event Center box office.
become a PRESIDENT’S AMBASSADOR
The President’s Ambassadors are an elite group of student volunteers who are selected to serve as representatives of West Texas A&M University and the Office of the President by hosting special guests of the University and attending special events.
Upcoming Basketball Tournament Games
MEN
WOMEN
2) Midwestern vs. 7) TAMU-K. @2:30 p.m.
2) Tarleton vs. 7) TAMU-C @ Noon
1) Tarleton vs. 8) WTAMU @ 8:30 p.m.
1) WTAMU vs. 8) Cameron @ 6 p.m.
MARCH 5
MARCH 6
MARCH 5
MARCH 6
3) Angelo State vs. 6) Cameron @ 2:30 p.m.
3) Texas Woman’s vs. 6) TAMU-K @ Noon
4) TAMU-C vs. 5) ENMU @ 8:30 p.m.
4) Midwestern vs. 5) Angelo State @ 6 p.m.
Selection •
Ten to fifteen students are selected to serve for each academic year
Requirements • • • • • •
Currently enrolled, full-time undergraduate students with minimum 45 hours completed or part-time graduate-student status Minimum 2.75 (undergraduate) or 3.00 (graduate student) GPA Demonstrated campus involvement and leadership experience Commitment to the President’s Ambassador program Flexibility and willingness to meet attendance of event requirements Submit completed packet of application materials
Timeline • • • •
Application packets available in President’s Office (Old Main, Room 302), February 28 Completed packet of application materials due 5 p.m., March 17 Selections announced after interviews are completed, no later than April 16 2014-15 President’s Ambassadors recognized at University Honors Banquet, April 25 (attendance required) For more information, contact Tracee Post, executive assistant to the president, at tpost@wtamu.edu or call 806-651-2101.
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ENTERTAINMENT
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Brock McGuire band visits WT’s campus Preston Thompson Reporter
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n Feb. 24 the Brock McGuire band, four Irish musicians playing a mix of songs one part traditional Irish music and one part Appalachian Bluegrass music, performed in the Northen Recital Hall to a packed audience. The band was scheduled to perform at WT last year but had to cancel due to the weather. The show included works from the band’s past albums and their more recent release, Green Grass Blue Grass, as well as traditional Irish music with a unique spin on it. “This is music passed through the generations,” said Paul Brock while on stage. Mandolin, piano, two types of accordion, fiddle and banjo were all represented in a series of upbeat jigs and tunes, as well as slower and more mournful pieces. One piece’s history started in Ireland as a traditional folk tune before being carried to French Canada by a friend and colleague of Brock’s, later hopping back across the Atlantic to France and finally landing back in Ireland. Another song switched gears heavily. After two upbeat and cheery songs the band switched to a mournful ballad about a
homesick Irishman with Garry O’Meara providing the vocals. Both during a short intermission and after the show Paul Brock, Manus McGuire, Denis Carey and Garry O’Meara signed albums and posters, chatted with fans about their music, and posed for photographs with excited students. After the crowds had dispersed, they spoke withThe Prairie to answer a few questions. The Prairie: How long have you been playing together? O’Meara: “Paul and Manus have been together for about 20 years now, Dennis about the last ten years.” The Prairie: Why did you start mixing Bluegrass with traditional Irish music? Carey: “More and more people are getting interested in the style.” McGuire:“Especially after our last recording with Ricky Skaggs. O’Meara: “There are a lot of links between the two genres, a lot of tunes that match.” The Prairie: Do you see a difference in American audiences compared to Irish/European? O’Meara: “Oh definitely, huge difference.”
McGuire: “In America they want to hear the backstory.” The Prairie: Do you like playing in Texas? O’Meara: “Oh definitely. The people are really friendly and into the music. We also love all the mountains.” While there is no guarantee
Size: 2” x 3.5”
PRESTON THOMAS/THE PRAIRIE The band stops for a photo with student Shannon McKeown and Dr. Bob Hansen (right).
the band expressed interest in returning to WT in the future.
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New Customers get 5 days of tanning for only $5.00! OR Buy one month of tanning and get 2 weeks free! PRESTON THOMPSON/THE PRAIRIE The Brock McGuire band played last week in Northen Hall.
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GAMES
March 4, 2014 | 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
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10 FEATURE
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
WT students convey on Venezuela crisis Abbey Spruill Reporter
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n Feb. 12, protests in Venezuela garnered worldwide attention when three protestors in Caracas, Venezuela, were shot and killed by police. Since then three more people have died in the midst of protests and demonstrations and four others have died as the result of a spike in violent crime. The protests began with students demanding protected freedom of speech, easier access to basic goods such as food, gasoline and toilet paper and better security at universities after the attempted rape of a female student. The poor
economic affairs of Venezuela are also fueling the protests. The protestors, most of whom are college students, are now also calling for Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro’s resignation. The protests are being met with violence by police and military forces. For one West Texas A&M student, the protests and violence swirling within Venezuela hit a little too close to home. Jamie Bermudez, a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering, is an international student from Venezuela. “[There is] nervousness and anxiety every day because I have family and friends there,”
Bermudez said. “I know they are going to protests where anything can happen.” Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro, who replaced the late Hugo Chavez, was voted into office in April 2013 and won against Henrique Capriles by a narrow margin. Maduro currently holds the support of the Venezuelan police and military force. “[The government is] using political power and armed forces to silence any counter opinions or protests,” Bermudez said. “It is unconstitutional.” What began as a small group of university students protesting what they believed to be unfair
treatment by their government has erupted into a nationally spread cry for reform. “They are afraid that if they do not stop the government right now, it would get so powerful that it will be almost impossible to defeat it,” Bermudez added. Dr. Wade Shaffer is a professor in West Texas A&M’s History Department and Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs. He had an interesting take on the developments. “Student protests have often not led to significant or long-term reforms in the past,” Dr. Shaffer said. “There are exceptions, of course, and sometimes students are out front in protesting and the rest of the nation eventually catches up to them.” Students who are not from Venezuela or other South American countries have also taken notice of the violence in the country. “It’s interesting that it’s the young people that have started the movement,” Kathryn English,
a freshman Political Science major, said. “This definitely echoes what we’ve seen in the Middle East and Brazil.” As for how the rest of the world can intervene in the increasing tensions in Venezuela, Jamie Bermudez stressed the importance of prayer sent to the protesters and Venezuela as a whole. “My country needs international help to get out of this mess and by sharing the information of what is happening there, anybody can help this cause,” Bermudez said. Despite the protests, violence, and danger to his loved ones, Jamie Bermudez still admires the sacrifices the people of Venezuela are making for their freedom. “I am proud of what the people and the students are doing to help the country out, stepping up for a cause like that,” Bermudez said. “They are all real heroes.”
Pregnant?
OPINION 11
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Ukraine stuck between a rock and Putin
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f one reads or watches the news as of late, there is a worry surrounding Ukraine and Russia. Formerly a part of the Soviet Union, Ukraine is an area full of fertile grounds and as of a few years ago, is the third largest exporter of grain. The Ukraine also boasts the second largest military on the European continent, right below its neighbor to the east, Russia. For those who aren’t exactly paying the best attention to the crisis, the people of Ukraine had been rioting in Kiev for quite some time. The images of the rioting speak of the magnitude of how big the rioting has become. The main reason for this rioting was deposed president Vikor Yanukovych’s decision to abandon a movement toward European Union membership and lean toward Russian interests. Since being ousted by the Ukrainian Parliament and flee-
ing to Russia some time ago, relations between Russia and Ukraine have deteriorated toward a looming crisis between the two nations. From a Russian standpoint, the ousting of Yanukovych is a violation of the democratic process. In layman’s terms, the people elected the former leader of Ukraine and for the Ukrainian Parliament to kick him out of office and force Yanukovych to flee to Russia was a move by what Russian officials call an ultranationalist government. In response, Vladimir Putin requested that Russian troops move into Ukraine to protect Russia’s national interests. The Russian parliament accepted Putin’s request. This is due in part to Russia seeing this as trying to stabilize the area and protecting its interests. The most pronounced interestswas the location of the Black
Sea Fleet stationed in Crimea, in the extreme southern part of Ukraine. So far, neither Ukrainian nor Russian military forces have openly engaged in conflict against one another. Once it does, however, this situation will get really ugly, really quick. From a Western standpoint, Russian intervention in the Ukraine is seen as a direct violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty. These movements by Russia deters from Ukrainian self-determination. The United States and Great Britain have expressed displeasure in this situation and have threatened to not only disregard the upcoming G8 (Group of 8) summit in Sochi (where the Olympics were recently held as well as the upcoming Paralympics), but both nations also have mentioned kicking Russia out of the G8 and imposing heavy economic sanctions.
While outright intervention from the United States and the United Kingdom would only sour the situation, the European Union must acknowledge that one couldn’t look past the situation by shoving Russia back with threats of economic repercussions. Instead, NATO and the European Union must talk down the situation and keep it from getting worse. Sadly, the aggression shown by all sides makes for a problem that will raise tensions between Russia and the West for years to come. The scars from the Cold War are beginning to resurface once more, and the interim government of Ukraine is feeling it the most. Whether Crimea breaks away from Ukraine and creates its own country because of Russian influence remains to be seen. Finally, from the standpoint of Ukraine, it’s a divided nation. By looking at the population differences within the nation, the eastern and southern portions of Ukraine are heavily influenced by Russia. Also, there is a sizable portion of ethnic Russians living in these areas. Reports from these locations speak of cities in this region raising Russian flags. To these folks, according to numerous analysts, the Ukrainian-Russian division was artificial. What drew our interest to this part of the world is our former web editor and good friend Danie Fierro, who was studying abroad in the Ukraine when all of these activities started. At the time this editorial is published, Danie will be traveling back to the United States. Aided by her correspondence for The Prairie and interviews with local television stations,
she gave a massive amount of insight to what was going on over in Ukraine. As the problem escalated, we at The Prairie have wished for her safety, applauded her courage and kept her in our collective thoughts should Ukraine and Russia openly engage in military conflict. Thankfully, our dear friend is in the clear. However, this murky situation is something to keep a watchful eye on. History doesn’t repeat all of the time, but it does like to rhyme, especially when it comes to these “powder-keg” situations between powerful countries.
QUESTION OF THE WEEK “Do you think the USA should help Ukraine?” Reply to our Question of the Week on Facebook or use the hashtag #ThePrairieAsks on Twitter to respond. Student responses may be printed in the next edition of The Prairie.
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PHOTOS
March 4, 2014 | theprairienews.com
Photos from the Willson Lecture Series
JESSICA MALACARA/THE PRAIRIE Students lined up to ask questions at the Alumni Banquet Facility.
JESSICA MALACARA/THE PRAIRIE JESSICA MALACARA/THE PRAIRIE An audience member asks Dr. Nebeel Qureshi a question.
Dr. Nabeel Qureshi of the Ravi Zacharias International Ministries spoke at last week’s event.
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