December 3, 2014

THE UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL ARKANSAS’ STUDENT NEWSPAPER

SINGLE COPY PAID FOR BY STUDENT PUBLICATION FEE

WEDNESDAY

DECEMBER 3, 2014 Volume 107 — Issue 13

ucaecho.net 4 TODAY’S FORECAST CONWAY

Sports:

Volleyball: Conference

Voice:

Fall semester shows successful progression for university

championship reign ends with 3-0 loss to NSU 4 page 7

4 page 5

International week:

Events broaden students’ cultural horizons 4

page 3 GOVERNMENT

C A M P U S TA L K

Showers

55/42 4 THE ONLINE WIRE FROM UCAECHO.NET

Board of Trustees says goodbye to 2014, BOT member ‘Bunny’ Adcock

The UCA Board of Trustees will meet at 10 a.m. Dec. 12 in the Wingo Hall conference room. This meeting will close out Robert “Bunny” Adcock’s seven-year term on the BOT. Adcock has worked with UCA since 1974, serving as the head golf coach from 1999 to 2003 and as vice president of finance in 2008 through 2009. With the help of his wife Carol, he established the Adcock Scholarships for foreign language students.

Bear Facts Day brings future faces, busy dining Prospective students and their families will flood campus to meet with current UCA students and professors Dec. 5. The event will begin with registration at 8:30 a.m. in Reynolds Performance Hall and will end with lunch in the Christian Cafeteria around noon. Participants can attend various breakout sessions on academics and students groups and will receive campus tours. Advanced registration is required to attend.

Late night breakfast offers raffle prizes, music, bacon, pancakes

UCA’s Residential Housing Association will host its annual Late Night Breakfast from 1011 p.m. tonight at the Christian Cafeteria. The event will feature breakfast food, a live DJ and raffles for an Xbox One, Beats headphones and other prizes.

Students dressed in Disney character costumes will receive double entry into the raffle.

Library lengthens hours

The Torreyson Library will extend its hours for finals week from its standard 5 p.m. closure to 9 p.m. starting Dec. 5. The library will open at 8:30 a.m.

Saturday and close at 1 a.m. Sunday. Regular hours will ensue Sunday at 2 p.m.

Staff announced for The Echo’s spring semester

Junior Misti Hollenbaugh will be The Echo’s editor for spring 2015 and sophomore Laura Landers will serve as associate editor. Section editors will be senior Jared Holt (news), sophomore Morgan Embry (campus life), junior Joe Kramer (entertainment), senior Andy Robertson (sports) and junior Taylor Trevizo (opinion). Senior Makenzie Evans will serve as photography editor. Junior Austin Duvall will serve as online editor.

4 WHAT’S AHEAD IN OUR NEXT ISSUE Spring semester begins Thursday, Jan. 8. Expect our next issue Jan. 14, 2015.

Faculty seeks bigger checks, budget

Senate debates funding travel for intramural championship

by Morgan Embry and Peyton Olsen

Assistant News Editor, Staff Writer

by Joe Kramer Staff Writer

This semester’s second campus talk brought roughly 50 people, including teachers, faculty and students, to the College of Business Auditorium to discuss current projects and to ask President Tom Courtway questions about current campus issues Nov. 18.

Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Vice President junior Zach Carter opened the meeting with SGA’s plans for the upcoming semester and previewed the HPER Center opening.

“This is one of the most excited councils I’ve seen come through UCA, and we are rearing to get things done for this year,” Carter said.

Carter also covered plans for this semester’s finals. SGA intends to set up tables in the Student Center and serve breakfast to students during finals week.

Staff Senate President Chad Hearne discussed faculty volunteering at sporting events as basketball season begins.

Hearne also outlined the

photo courtesy of Max Calabotta

Supporters gather on the steps of Arkansas’ capitol building in downtown Little Rock for an hour-long vigil at 6 p.m. on Nov. 25. The event attracted almost 100 people, despite a lack of formal announcement and having been organized only hours before.

270 seconds of silence Students speak out on racial tension in Ferguson, Missouri

by Austin DuVall Editor

Assistant Professor of Philosophy Taine Duncan decided an immediate response was needed after a grand jury decided not to indict Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9. “[That night] I decided as soon as I saw the press conference streaming that the grand jury wouldn’t indict Wilson that I needed a way to express

See Faculty - page 2

my grief and wanted to do it in solidarity with others,” Duncan said.

An hour after St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCullough delivered the jury’s decision to a tense nation Nov. 24, Duncan posted on her Facebook page that she would observe a moment of silence the next morning on the steps of Ferguson Chapel and invited anyone who wished to join her to do so.

As the moment of silence began, only 10 people — eight students, Duncan and Honors College lecturer Cindy Lea —

Assistant News Editor

5 6 7

See Funding - page 2

Miss UCA: Chelsy Jones

by Carter Milligan

The HPER Center held a Grand Opening Ceremony Nov. 24 to commemorate the additions made over the last several months.

Though the opening was originally set for Nov. 22, it was delayed two days due to a water pipe burst.

A few studio rooms are not entirely complete, but are usable while being finished.

Approximately 200 students, faculty, staff and alumni met on the HPER Center basketball courts to hear speeches given by the center’s faculty, the board of trustees and Student Government Association’s (SGA) President senior Ashley Ross.

The HPER Center staff also gave out free HPER hats and towels to attendees. The project started four years ago as a proposal by SGA’s senior class project.

Though UCA’s Board of Trustees approved the expansion and sent a request for an architect in 2011, the expansion joined the Framework for the Future in 2013.

The framework was created with three primary goals to improve the campus in order to

4Opinion 4Entertainment 4Sports

A bill to fund UCA’s intramural flag football team’s travel costs for the regional championship tournament at the University of Southern Mississippi failed to reach the 67 percent approval that SGA requires with a vote of 23-14 at its last meeting of the fall semester Dec. 1.

The original bill, sponsored

by College of Business Sen. Zach Helms, would have granted $512 from SGA’s reserve account to the team to cover the $200 registration fee and $312 for two nights in two hotel rooms.

President senior Ashley Ross divided the bill in two parts. The bill to fund the $200 registration fee passed 36-1, but the remaining $312 sparked a 30-minute discussion.

Junior Class President Stephanie Daigle said it would be “a dangerous precedent” to pass funding for travel costs for a student group.

Though the funds were set to come from SGA’s reserve account, Student Activity Fee Allocation (SAFA) guidelines state that UCA will not cover travel costs.

Vice President of Finance junior Corey Parks said funding through SAFA would be “a flat out no,” but said SGA has helped with travel costs in the past, referencing the band’s 2009 trip to Hawaii.

“It’s not like we are just throwing this money away,” Parks said to the senate. “The intramural team is going out to represent [the] university, and I rise in support of

CROWNING

by Morgan Embry

Staff Writer

photo by Lauren Swaim

University officials announce the new and improved HPER Center is now open to UCA students and to the public. Students, faculty and staff gathered in the gymnasium to celebrate its grand opening Nov 24.

Contact Us: 3 3

See Silence - page 2

HPER grand re-opening debuts improved facilities

See HPER- page 2

2

showed up to grieve for Brown’s family. Four more students later joined the hour-long vigil as they walked by.

“I had no expectations for turnout; it was truly a personal decision, but I am very glad that the students, [graduate] students and another faculty member showed up,” Duncan said.

“I think expressing grief and mourning is itself a political act that demonstrates that the lives of young black men matter, but

FA C I L I T Y

Index: 4Police Beat 4Around Campus 4Campus Life

Campus Life:

Opinion:

Phone: 501-450-3446 E-mail: ucaechoeditor@gmail.com

Senior Chelsy Jones was crowned Miss University of Central Arkansas 2015 at the Miss UCA Scholarship Pageant on Nov. 21.

“To know that I have been chosen as Miss University of Central Arkansas, knowing the board of directors that is behind the girl that wins that crown, and knowing what they can do for that girl, I’m ecstatic,” Jones said.

Jones also took an award for the highest GPA, alpha talent winner, alpha interview winner, alpha evening gown winner and the Lauren Howell Evening Gown Award.

Jones said she hopes to raise attention for her platform.

“My platform is Operation Giveback, and as Miss UCA, I want to get the campus involved with my platform,” she said. “I have many partners within my platform, one being Operation Wounded Warrior Support. They get wounded warriors, most of them come from Fort Benning in

See Miss UCA- page 2

Inside:

Social:

Don’t be selfish @ucaecho

The Echo

ucaecho

© 2014 The Echo, Printed by the Log Cabin Democrat, Conway, Ark.

Young adults should not waste youth being careless, should become more responsible

page 5

2/December 3, 2014

NEWS ucaecho.net

Police Beat

The following reports and arrests are from the UCAPD docket. UCAPD reports any tickets issued as arrests, according to ucapd.com.

Previously banned nonstudent receives misdemeanor citation after giving fake name to police Nonstudent Nicole Narro, 21, of Conway, was cited for a misdemeanor criminal trespass violation after violating her ban from UCA’s campus at 10:39 a.m. Nov. 30.

Police found Narro trying to leave the Conway Hall dorm room of student Derrel Drayer, 20, of England, Arkansas. Narro told UCAPD she did not have a driver’s license when asked to provide identification.

She gave the name “Nicolette Calvert” and said she was from Chicago. When the name did not verify in the ACIC/NCIC databases, police asked Narro if she was telling the truth.

She told the officer she was and that she wanted to leave. Police issued a ban for Narro under the name of Calvert, and Narro walked away from campus.

UCAPD told the reporting officer Drayer had been contacted before and said the female who was with him named Narro had previously been banned from campus.

UCAPD caught up with Narro on South Boulevard just as her mother was arriving to pick her up. Police ran the license plate on the car and found that it traced back to Narro’s name.

After speaking with Narro and her parents about their financial situation and Narro’s 2-year-old child at home, the officer decided to give her a citation rather than arrest her.

Parents call police to hospital in attempt to hold their daughter’s alcohol providers accountable Student Michelle Smith, 18, of Benton, was cited for purchase and possession of alcohol by a minor after her parents called UCAPD around 1:30 a.m. Nov. 30 from Conway Regional Hospital to press charges against the people who brought Smith to the hospital for providing the alcohol.

Smith’s blood alcohol content was at .35.

Nonstudents Javier Jaquez, 18, of Menifee; Cesar Barrios, 20, of Conway; Karen Rosas, 19, of Morrilton; and Central Baptist College student Ricky Tate, 21, of Collierville, Tennessee, said Smith drank in her Bernard Hall dorm room before she asked Jaquez for a ride to Tate’s Edge apartment.

At the apartment, Smith fell to the bathroom floor.

Rosa told police that it appeared Smith was foaming at the mouth, so she called Smith’s parents and they all took her to the hospital.

Silence:

Students rally together to mourn, speak out about recent events in Ferguson, Missouri 4 Continued from page 1 even more, grief and mourning allow us to collectively share in our recognition of others’ humanity.”

Duncan also took the vigil as an opportunity to delve into her field of study.

“This idea of the importance of mourning and vulnerability is central to my own academic research, so this is professionally and personally important to me,” she said.

After saying a few words of welcome, Duncan invited everyone to observe a 4 1/2-minute moment of silence, symbolizing the 4 1/2 hours Brown, a black, unarmed teenager, lay in the street after Wilson, a white police officer, shot him. Brown’s parents asked the entire nation to participate in these few minutes of silence to honor their late son, regardless of the grand jury’s decision whether or not to indict Wilson on any of the charges brought against him.

The jurors, nine white and three black, met for 25 days and listened to over 70 hours of testimony from over 60 witnesses.

Duncan offered the participants to stay and talk about how they felt. Several students spoke up. The entire conversation took place in a tight circle in front of Ferguson Chapel, everyone trying to keep the wind away from his neighbor.

“We can’t wait for the police departments to do something,” graduate student Benjamin Garrett said. “Change needs to happen and it won’t come from police officers, politicians or our courts. Change comes from community.”

Senior Greer Williams said that, in light of the jury’s decision to deny Wilson a trial, she wasn’t worried about more Michael Browns, but more Darren Wilsons.

“More people are going to die,” she said. “That’s the best summation of this so far.”

Freshman Jacoby Ruth, a black male, said racist and insensitive remarks made on social media do not affect him.

“I’ll defend [the] right to say [these things], but it doesn’t make them right or wrong,” Ruth said.

Senior Carmen Thompson, another black student, had a much different take on the situation, citing a best friend who has recently learned she is pregnant with a son — a black son.

“My friend is pregnant and is already afraid and worried about how to tell her son he will be hated because he will grow up to be a black man,” Thompson said.

“I know there are people who despise my very existence, but they don’t make any attempt to hide it,” she said. “Why be a closeted racist? Why not just come out and be what you are?”

Thompson later said she was surprised how little other black people seemed to care after McCullough’s announcement.

She thought there should’ve been more of a reaction. Even her family declined to watch the previous night’s events unfold on TV. Senior Amber Kincade, the student who organized the “poster bomb” at UCA with antiracism fliers in late October, did not attend Duncan’s moment of grief and reflection, but has been adamantly outspoken about her feelings toward the

city of Ferguson, Missouri, police brutality and a “government built to keep black people at a disadvantage … to keep [them] in submission.”

At first glance, Kincade, a black woman, was not at all surprised

by Wilson’s non-indictment.

She said she expected it, despite following news about Brown and other black people for some time.

“I learn about a new dead black child ever day it seems, but a story that has particularly struck me is that of DeAndre Joshua, who was shot in his head and burned in his car the night of the non-indictment,” Kincade said.

Kincade said pictures of black bodies, charred beyond recognition, hanging from tree limbs in the ‘30s and ‘40s repulse viewers, but those same people cannot seem to put “two and two together” and see that the Ku Klux Klan is “written all over” 20-yearold Joshua’s death.

According to a St. Louis County Police Department press release, Joshua sustained severe burns across his body and the fire inside the car, which started by pouring accelerant on Joshua’s body, likely dissipated on its own.

Joshua’s death is being investigated as a homicide.

“Racism runs too deep in

disappointed. That’s what being surrounded by a bunch of racists will do to you, though … Dealing with racism everyday will turn you into a robot. That’s all [Obama] is.”

Though many students and faculty interviewed agreed with Duncan, Williams and Kincade on some level, there were some who did not.

A UCA staff member, who wished not to be named, said he believed the lesson to be learned by people of all ages and ethnicities from Michael Brown’s death should be not to attack a police officer.

“If I had children that age, the lesson I would teach them is that you don’t get in a police officer’s face and you don’t get aggressive with a police officer,” he said. “It’s just proper respect.”

The staff member couldn’t say if Wilson was justified in shooting Brown six times, his death resulting from gunshot wounds to the head and chest.

The St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s October autopsy report showed marijuana in Brown’s system at the time of his death, which confirmed the university employee’s suspicion that Brown was “on some drug” during his altercation with Wilson.

The staff member said that, from what he understood after hearing it from other people, Brown approached Wilson’s vehicle, reached in, punched him and attempted to grab the officer’s gun.

“If Brown hadn’t approached Wilson aggressively, then he probably wouldn’t have gotten shot,” he said, adding that he believed, based on Wilson’s official testimony, Wilson understandably thought his life was in danger at that moment. “I don’t know, considering how aggressive [Brown] was, if a gunshot to the leg would’ve stopped him.”

The UCA employee said during his life, he’s witnessed genuine police brutality and discrimination against innocent people. He firmly believes that “police brutality is not acceptable.” He acknowledges that these are pressing, modern issues that need to be addressed, but, at least in his experience, the “race card” is often dealt too quickly, usually by the very people the term is coined against.

“In my years of dealing with people of color in my personal life — blacks, specifically — if you have a problem and you try to solve the problem, but it doesn’t get solved to [people of color’s] satisfaction, then race is the problem,” he said. “I have found that race is a problem only when things don’t go the way they want it to go, ‘they’ being black people,” adding that he thought a large portion of the violence that tore Ferguson apart Nov. 24 was due to the residents not getting their way.

“Young blacks and young whites should be getting involved with their local communities and politics rather than trying to make change by force and rioting,” he said. “They should go to their local city council meetings and voice their concern.”

“You can’t legislate change or your thoughts about someone else. Change has to come from within,” he said.

Funding:

Student Government Association approves COSGA travel expenditures, hears RSO appeals regarding SAFA allocations.

4 Continued from page 1 it.”

Sen. Bryce Woods, of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, said it would be in SGA’s best interest to fund the trip, especially with the unanimous vote passed a few minutes earlier that provided $5,240 for registration and travel costs to the 2015 Conference on Student Government Association (COSGA) event.

Senior Class President Colby Qualls said the reserve account was in “dire straights” and recommended financing from the emergency SAFA account instead.

The SGA constitution states that emergency SAFA serves as a safety net for new registered student organizations (RSO) and lapses in RSO budgets but must follow the same guidelines as regular SAFA allocations.

Vice President of Operations senior Bryce Crabb sponsored the bill for SGA’s trip to COSGA. Crabb said the “returns [of

COSGA] are exponentially greater than the fiscal cost of getting people there.”

The bill will send seven members and their faculty adviser Richard Tarkka to the conference.

SGA held SAFA appeals for organizations that were dissatisfied at its previous meeting Nov. 17.

The Student Occupational Therapy Association received $988 and appealed to receive the full $1,000 they asked for in order to go to a conference for OT programs. They argued that because UCA has the only OT program in the state and they are planning fundraisers to provide their own money, SGA should give them the $12 difference.

All Greek Council appealed for an additional $795 in light of its original allocation of $1,317 to improve the sound system for the step show. The senate failed the appeal by a vote of 28-5.

UCA’s Minority Mentorship Program (MMP) appealed its

Faculty:

Sen. Ben Rowley says committee is working to better UCA’s online education progression 4 Continued from page 1 upcoming Winter Feast Event, which will start at 11:30 a.m.

Dec. 4 in the Student Center Ballroom. Proceeds will go toward UCA’s Angel-Bear Tree Project.

Jonathan Glenn, self-study steering committee chair, discussed the committee’s progress on forming criteria teams, which will focus on different aspects of the selfstudy program. The committee is working to help the program better accommodate students and faculty and to make UCA noteworthy among other universities around the country.

Courtway expressed his gratitude to all involved.

“I just want to thank everybody working on this and those of you who plan to volunteer to work on the program,” Courtway said. “This is a very important process to

the school and we want to make sure it is done right the first time.”

Associate Professor of Biology Ben Rowley discussed UCA’s enrollment status and online education progression.

Rowley said the committee is working hard to voice opinions on the matter so as to “keep this program from becoming a shell program like many others around the state with different universities.”

Rowley discussed pay for faculty and staff for this coming year. Rowley urged his colleagues to have realistic expectations regarding state and federal budgeting.

He said as soon as the courts make a decision in the spring about funding allocations, the administration will be able to better and more realistically discuss staff compensation and budgeting for the year.

“The staff compensations side of the house and the faculty side of the house brought proposals forward asking for a 2 percent [cost of living] increase, a pool for equity for merit and a spate pool on getting adjunct professors and part-time pay up,” Rowley said.

Many faculty and staff have asked for a tripled budget, but Courtway and Rowley hold the figure to realistic expectations and expect little-to-no change in compensation for this academic and fiscal year.

During the Q-and-A section of the meeting, Courtway answered questions about the HPER Center and about additions to the Lewis Science Center. Courtway explained while expansion is financially limited, vacancies are opening up to make UCA larger and more accommodating for students and faculty.

HPER:

Four-year project comes to an end, offers new, larger pool

“My friend is pregnant and is already afraid and worried about how to tell her son he will be hated because he will grow up to be a black man.” ­—- Senior Carmen Thompson American government for me to act like this isn’t about racism,” Kincade said.

Aside from the small number of supporters at Duncan’s gathering that morning, Kincade said she was unsure it had any affect on the student body as a whole.

“I can say that this issue — Michael Brown, institutionalized racism, etc. — has not really put a dent in our campus,” she said.

“People really think racism is no longer an issue and that’s a hump I’m trying to overcome right now.”

Though Kincade is “eternally grateful” for everything Duncan has accomplished, Kincade said the job is not even close to being finished.

“I believe UCA needs to make a public statement against what’s happening in Ferguson,” she said, acknowledging that the university has a problem with racism, but no more than any other outlying community.

“People who run schools have power, money and influence,” she said. “We as a nation need more state, city and public offices standing up and taking a stance instead of waiting idly for another [Martin Luther King Jr.].”

Kincade, like several students that morning, expressed honest “disgust” toward President Obama for how he responded, or didn’t respond, to the crisis in Ferguson.

“From what I gathered of my friend’s perspectives of what he said, he’s pulling the same old trash,” she said. “He is an empty man and I could not be more

allocated $1,461 for an additional $497 toward an executive retreat.

The senate failed the appeal by a vote of 31-4.

Tau Beta Sigma appealed for an additional $400 to help fund the fraternity. The Senate failed the appeal by a vote of 33-2.

UCA’s College of Liberal Arts appealed its allocation for an additional $480 to fund the Research Symposium. The appeal passed by a vote of 19-16.

The College of Liberal Arts also asked for SGA to allocate an additional $227 to host a speaker at the symposium. Senate failed the appeal by a vote of 19-16.

Students for the Propagation of Black Culture (SPBC) asked for an additional $3,000 to its original $14,276 to pay a speaker. The senate failed the appeal by a vote of 28-7.

The Latino Student Association and NAACP appealed for $6,850 to put on a play in support campus diversity. The Senate failed the motion 23-13.

4 Continued from page 1

photo by Jared Holt

Miss Arkansas 2014 Ashton Campbell crowns senior Chelsy Jones as Miss University of Central Arkansas 2015 on Nov. 21 at Reynolds Performance Hall.

Miss UCA:

Cook takes home Best Vocal; Collins wins UCA Bear Spirit award 4 Continued from page 1 Georgia, but obviously they can come from other places, they bring them down to Stuttgart, Arkansas for a duck hunt. It’s free of charge; they don’t have to bring any equipment.”

Contestants included senior Caitlyn Cook, senior Hannah Burrow, senior Sydney Sutterfield, junior Kristen Tyler, Jones, senior Reagan Ellis, sophomore Varoniquica Vafakos, sophomore Brittany Breeding, junior Mallori Hartsfield, sophomore Alexis Landers and sophomore Taylor Richard.

Starting with fourth runner up, Tyler, Ellis, Hartsfield, and Cook all placed.

Hartsfield also took home the Early Bird Award the People’s Choice Award, and the photogenic award.

Cook won both Best Vocal Performance and the Sarah Collins Interview Award, while Tyler won the UCA Bear Spirit

Award and was titled Miss Congeniality.

The Producers Award went to Vafakos, while the Best NonVocal Performance Award went to Ellis. Miss Arkansas 2009 Sarah Collins served as mistress of ceremonies.

Judges for the evening included Executive Director Marrietta Jerome, Co-Executive Director Jessica Ray, former Miss Arkansas contestant Fawnda White, dance artist C. Michael Tidwell, Executive Director Cheryl Shook and 1999 Miss Arkansas runner-up Roxie Hannah Browning.

Themed “The Glamorous Life,” the event included an onstage question segment, a talent competition, a swimsuit competition, and an evening wear competition. Choosing a platform that hits close to home, Jones will accompany her boyfriend, a wounded veteran, to the duck hunt.

retain and attract students.

“The HPER expansion has been a four-year project that SGA’s senior class started in 2010 and we couldn’t be more proud of what has been accomplished,” Ross said.

The expansion started as a request for a larger weight room. However, it turned into a complete overhaul and addition of several new accommodations.

A new pool, several studio rooms, a larger weight and cardio rooms, and Campus Outdoor Pursuits and Activities (COPA) are among some of the additions.

The pool, which features water volleyball and basketball, is used for both recreational and lane swimming.

Unlike the Farris Center pool, there are not delegated hours for lane and recreational swim, but rather simultaneous swimming on separate sides of the pool.

The pool’s hours are from 8 – 10 a.m. and from 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The center now offers larger studios and more classes, including a spin studio and beginner swim classes.

New cardio machines feature built-in TVs into them, and a row of treadmills that line the second-floor windows facing Farris Hall.

COPA offers kayaks, canoes, camping gear, bicycles and a bicycle repair shop to students free of charge. COPA also supplies car straps for canoes and kayaks.

In order to rent any gear, students will need to provide their student ID. Any damages made to the equipment will be charged to the student’s myUCA account at a predetermined price.

Failure to pay the fines will result in an academic hold.

Campus Life

3

December 3, 2014

Around Campus: BA/BFA Juried Senior Exhibition Original works from senior art students will be on exhibit until tomorrow in the Baum Gallery.

Festival of One-Act Plays The 2014 directing class will continue presenting one-act plays at 7:30 p.m. today and tomorrow in the Bridges/Larson Theatre in the Snow Fine Arts Center. “The Open Meeting”

by A.R. Gurney, “The Red Dress”

by Jacob Schmidt and “Lady Time” by Jake Whisenant will be presented tonight. “Return of the Salamander King” by Ian Galloway, “A Sye of the Eye” by Christopher Durang, “Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room” by Christopher Durang and “Hamletmachine” by Heiner Muller will be presented tomorrow. Admission is free.

Jazz Ensemble Concert The UCA Jazz Ensemble will perform its last show of the fall semester at 7:30 p.m. this evening in the Snow Fine Arts Center Recital Hall. Admission is free to students and the public.

Dead Day There will be no classes Dec. 5 in observance of finals week.

Honor Band Concert The Honor Band concert will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at Reynolds Performance Hall.

photos by Makenzie Evans and courtesy of the African Student Association

Conway Symphony Orchestra

(Left) Students discuss culture at the “World Fest-An International Engagement” fair during x-period Nov. 18. (Top right) Table decorations of traditional African pieces were at the ‘Taste of Africa’ event Friday Nov. 21 in the McCastlain Ballroom. (Bottom right) Students representing the Dominican Republic dance to the country’s native music at UCA’s World Fair on Nov. 18 at the Student Center amphitheater.

The Conway Symphony Orchestra will perform at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 6.

Tickets are available at Reynolds Box Office or at the Student Center Information Desk.

International Education week offers students multiple cultural opportunities, experiences

‘A Christmas Carol’ The Christmas classic “A Christmas Carol” will be presented at 3 p.m. Dec. 7 at Reynolds Performance Hall. Tickets will be $30-$40 for the public and $10 with a student ID.

by Peyton Olsen, Joe Kramer. Maddie Edmonds, Audrey Roberts Staff Writers

Finals week

Student organizations joined together to represent different world cultures during International Education week Nov. 17-22, helping the UCA community broaden its cultural knowledge.

Finals week begins Dec. 8 and ends Dec. 12. The exam schedule can be found online at uca.edu.

Submissions

World Fest Students could “travel the world” and experience different

Please submit events for Around Campus in 50 words or fewer to ucaechoeditor@gmail.com.

BLUES

cultures at UCA’s “World Fest— An International Engagement” on Nov. 18 on the Student Center lawn.

Braving the cold, culturally themed RSOs and international students set up tables displaying their culture’s key elements.

Food and activities from all over the world packed the lawn.

The India table offered henna tattoos, and the Malaysia table offered lychee juice.

Senior Denise Mallmann, an international student from Austria, set up a table with food

and answered questions about her home country.

“I’ve helped with World Fest every year I’ve been here,” Mallmann said. “I’ve been here for three years, and it gets bigger every year so it’s exciting.”

Students were offered a glimpse into worlds different from their own.

Junior Breanna Wilbanks got her hand painted with henna and sampled food from many booths.

Wilbanks said she learned about the cultures that exist

within UCA. “It’s an amazing cultural immersion experience,” Wilbanks said. “I think it’s cool that UCA allows diverse cultures on campus to express their cultural identity.”

Korean Festival The Korean Club Festival brought activities and presentations along with dance routines and acoustic guitar duos to the McCastlain Ball Room on Nov. 20.

The event had traditional

Korean food and games, along with displays and cardboard cutouts.

The crowd of roughly 100 people was mostly international students, along with some locals and faculty members.

The event kicked off with the night’s first competition, a spicy food challenge.

Freshman John Gilbreath V won second place in his bracket of the food-eating contest.

See Culture- page 4

SHOWCASE

Professor-filled band searches to reconnect music with roots

Theater program’s directing class presents three nights of student-driven productions

by Audrey Roberts

by Joe Kramer

Staff Writer

In a world of music constantly venturing away from its classic beginnings, a Conway band is bringing music back to its roots.

Slings and Arrows delivers a lineup as unique as its heavily blues-influenced sound: all the members are UCA professors.

Slings and Arrows began in 2011 when two students and two professors got together to jam.

Guitarist and associate professor of writing Garry Craig Powell said a lot of luck was involved in forming the band.

He and his son, a former UCA student, were the original band members.

When both of the students and other professor moved on to other pursuits, Powell was left to fill the open slots.

Powell said the current members didn’t initially know each other.

“But in each case, one person knew somebody else,” he said.

Though Slings and Arrows is built on a foundation of blues, all of the band members agree the type of music they play

doesn’t fit a specific genre.

English professor and bassist Carl Olds said the band plays a little bit of everything.

Blues, jazz, rock and folk predominantly make up their songs, all which Powell and history professor and guitarist Chris Craun write.

“I like to say that we are music for grownups of all ages,” Olds said.

As for the band’s image, Powell said Slings and Arrows is influenced by American roots music.

“There are bands like George Thorogood and the Destroyers that play what I think of as very drunken, fratboy blues,” Powell said. “It’s raucous, it’s loud, it’s often a little obscene, a little crude, and that’s not what we try to do. We try to do something a bit more sensitive than that, but still keep it gritty.”

The band’s self-produced album, titled “Outrageous Fortune,” was recorded and released in 2012.

With help from physics professor Jack Gaiser, Slings and Arrows used all analog

Staff Writer

UCA’s Festival of One-Act Plays, showcasing the 2014 senior directing class’s talent, kicked off Dec. 2 and continues through Dec. 4.

Tickets are not required and doors open at 7:30 p.m. on all three nights.

The one acts are thesis projects for theater majors, as the directing class is a capstone course for graduation.

Senior Austin Brown was in the directing class last year and said he is excited to be part of the festival again this year as an actor instead of a director.

“It’s really different since there are so many shows every night,” Brown said. “The audition process has been really hectic.

The callbacks are crazy; I think I went to six different callbacks within like three hours.”

Brown has been acting at UCA for a few years and said he still finds himself excited by the new plays the directing photo by Morgan Embry

See Band- page 4

See Theater- page 4

Sophomore Harrison Trigg, junior Emily Ray and graduate Adam Bennette run through the final scenes of their one-act “A Stye of the Eye” by Christopher Durang and directed by senior Jessica Allis.

ucaecho.net

CAMPUS LIFE

Culture:

International education week allows students opportunity to experience various cultures on campus 4 Continued from page 3 “The other contestants said [the food] was really hot, but I didn’t think it was too bad,” Gilbreath said.

Gilbreath said he liked seeing other cultures.

“The food was great, and the games were super fun,” Gilbreath said.

After the spicy food challenge there was a video tracing South Korea’s history for the last 50 years, outlining its hard times and its rise as a political and economic power among the rest of the world’s developed nations.

The video navigated through the culture changes as South Korea turned from a mostly isolated nation encircling the Yellow Sea to a globalized urban culture.

Senior Gyuhwan Park played the Korean National Anthem on piano and violin.

Nine dancers showed off Korean choreography in the “K-Pop Dance” as a tribute to Korea’s quick-to-rise night scene in the past few decades.

Seniors Miguel Antonio and Saeahm Lee played guitar and sang traditional Korean songs and American favorites.

The festival ended with the Korean Chicken Fight.

In this, contestants stood on one leg with the other leg pulled up to their waists and hopped around trying to knock other contestants off balance.

The last one to fall or keep from putting both feet on the ground was the victor.

Theater: directing students

December 3 ,2014 /4

Band:

Professor-filled band gains success through gigs, word of mouth, selfproduced album 4 Continued from page 3

It came down to two contestants after two rounds of fighting, leaving senior Sehoul Park as the chicken fight victor.

Hendrix College sophomore Matthew Tran said competing in the chicken fight was a oncein-a-lifetime experience.

“If you ever get a chance to go somewhere and learn something about someone’s culture that is different from your own, you have to take that chance,” Tran said. “Just get out there and do it no matter what.”

Taste of Africa The African Student Association (ASA) hosted “A Taste of Africa” to promote African culture among UCA students at 6 p.m. Nov. 21 in the McCastlain ballroom.

African countries such as Niger, Rwanda, Burkina Faso, Mali, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo were represented at the event.

The event showcased African food, dance and dress.

African music played throughout the hall as the event began.

Traditional African jewelry, musical instruments, toys and art were displayed, along with reading material on different African countries.

ASA members and their families provided a buffet from various African countries.

ASA members also performed a native African dance and invited several students to the stage to learn

the dance.

ASA, founded in September 2014, welcomes students from every country in Africa as well as students who are interested in learning more about the continent.

The ASA uses fundraising and events such as “A Taste of Africa” to teach students about Africa as a continent and to reach the Conway community.

Diwali Festival of Lights Around 100 people celebrated the Indian Festival of Lights known as Diwali with the Indian Student Association (ISA) on Nov. 22 in the McCastlain Ballroom.

The event revolved around traditional Indian food, dance and dress.

ISA members encouraged attendees to “get comfortable” and enjoy as much as food as they could eat.

Attendees were immediately directed to the buffet for snacks.

ISA served seasoned bread balls called pakoda and battered onions called bajji.

ISA members spoke about the significance of Diwali and gave the holiday’s historical background before inviting dancers on stage to perform traditional dances such as bharathanatryam, which is said to be the dance of Hindi gods.

The event continued with a curry dinner, a henna tattoo booth and a traditional dress fashion show.

ISA president graduate

student Chandika Gullipalli said she was surprised at the crowd that turned out for the celebration.

Gullipalli became involved with ISA a year ago when she came to UCA to complete her master’s in kinesiology.

She had just moved from India after finishing her undergraduate degree in physical therapy.

“Everything is different here,” Gullipalli said. “ISA helped me adjust and get through the culture shock.”

Gullipalli said ISA gave her a community she could count on while helping her work around the cultural barriers such as the style of an American university and her lack of transportation. “[ISA] became my home away from home,” Gullipalli said.

Occupational therapy student junior Foram Desai taught attendees the basic moves of dhandia, a partner dance performed with two wooden sticks.

Desai said ISA has filled a need for community in her life with its goal to promote crosscultural understanding and partnership with the Office of International Engagement’s World Fest.

In the spring semester, ISA hopes to further build community on campus with Bollywood movie nights and a large, colorful celebration for Holi festival.

Festival of One-Act Plays showcases talent, creativity from senior

4 Continued from page 3 class comes up with or chooses every year. Brown is acting in “Hamletmachine” by Heiner Muller and directed by Elizabeth Ulsperger.

“I haven’t seen any of the other plays yet,” Brown said.

“There are certain plays I can see because I do fight-choreography for them, but, for the most part, everyone is going into the show nights blind as to what is going on with the other directors.”

The shows are completely student-designed and studentdirected, and the actors are students.

There is little interference by directing class professor Kevin Thomas Brown, who said this is a process for students to get a feel for the real theater world.

Brown said the less he interferes, the more realistic and organic the plays often come

out, allowing students to learn much more kinesthetically.

Senior Keith Hudson is directing “The Red Dress,” which will debut Dec. 3.

He said he was nervous but feels confident in his play and the actors chosen for it.

“I’m at the point where the process has kicked into overdrive,” Hudson said. “We work on open scenes with the other directors where we work from duet scenes and then we work toward full one-act productions. So it is a lot of working with that class.”

Hudson said there is a lot that goes into the class.

“After all the work this semester, it is starting to come together since I have such good actors,” Hudson said. “The process has been hectic, but my actors and helpers really relieve

a lot of the stress that I would be feeling if I was alone. As director, you have to be a designer too, so you learn a ton of stuff all in one class, but, more importantly, in just a few weeks.”

Hudson said while it has been pretty intense, it has definitely been a learning experience.

“Now I feel as though I will be able to direct a full production somewhere in the future with not too much struggle,” Hudson said.

This year’s festival will include the following plays that will be performed in the Snow Fine Arts Hall’s Bridges/Larson Theater.

Dec. 2’s lineup included “Words, Words, Words” by David Ives and directed by Tyler Wallis, “Blind Date” by Horton Foote and directed by Katie Stogsdill,

“Haiku” by Katherine Snodgrass and directed by Samantha Weldon, and “Wanda’s Visit”

by Christopher Durang and directed by Madison Ledbetter.

Dec. 3’s lineup includes “The Open Meeting” by A.R. Gurney and directed by Bre Baker, “The Red Dress” by Jacob Schmidt and directed by Keith Hudson, and “Lady Time” by Jake Whisenant and directed by Indigo Anderson-Moore.

Dec. 4’s lineup includes “Return of the Salamander King”

by Ian Galloway and directed

by Sara Sharos, “A Stye of the Eye” by Christopher Durang and directed by Jessica Allis, “Business Lunch at the Russian Tea Room” by Christopher Durang and directed by Jordan Mears, and “Hamletmachine” by Heiner Muller and directed by Elizabeth Ulsperger.

audio recording equipment to produce a lo-fi album available for purchase at their live shows and downloadable on iTunes.

“We really went old school,” Olds said. “We lugged all of [Gaiser’s recording equipment] over to Garry’s house, and we tried to record as much of the album live, together, as we could. We really tried to get a nice, live feel to it.”

The album features 12 heavy tracks that Powell and Craun wrote.

Craun said their songs usually focus on love.

“I think songwriting is being able to take an experience that you actually had and then occasionally make it larger than life,” Craun said.

The band and album’s name are both nods to Shakespeare. “Slings and Arrows” and “Outrageous Fortune” are phrases from Hamlet’s soliloquy.

“It’s a bit of a Shakespearean joke, actually,” Powell said with a laugh. “A typical professor joke.”

Slings and Arrows has played at several gigs around central Arkansas, including the Bear’s Den, Kings and Creegan’s Pub in North Little Rock.

The band has also played at many private functions on campus and at charity events.

The band has done extensive work with the Children with Tumors Foundation and recently appeared on NPR’s “Tales from the South” as the opening musical guest.

Slings and Arrows played its last show with English professor and drummer Brian James on Nov. 1 at the Bear’s Den.

Craun said the change in lineup may inspire the band to change its sound.

The band is trying to decide whether it wants to find another drummer or go without and change to a softer, more acoustic sound.

“Either way, we’ll probably start working on some softer songs so we can just play, just the three of us,” Craun said. “And there’s some serious thought that we’d like to have a keyboard player.”

The band members had only wonderful things to say about working together.

Craun said playing with Slings and Arrows is a privilege.

“There’s a lot of sharing and camaraderie and expression that takes place in the band,” he said. “It’s nice to have that relationship. It’s special.”

For now, the band’s main concern is getting gigs and having fun.

Powell said making money is the furthest thing from any of the members’ minds.

“We want to be heard,” Powell said. “Obviously, at our age, we’re not hoping to make it big. [The band] is an outlet for creativity.”

Craun agreed.

“I’m in the band to express something that is greater than the sum of us than with three individuals,” he said.

Slings and Arrows can be found together jamming about once a week in preparation for upcoming gigs or separately in UCA classrooms.

They have no intention of slowing down anytime soon, which is great news for classic blues, jazz and rock lovers of central Arkansas.

STUDENTS SAY

“

How do you prepare for finals?

”

story by Samantha Smith photos by Jared Holt

DANCE-OFF Sophomore Isabella Ragni “To get ready for finals, I live in the library. My room isn’t an ideal place to study.

Even though there are quiet hours, it can still be loud.”

“I study weeks in advance and I’m in the library till 3 a.m. I can’t wait till last minute or I won’t remember so I like to start early.”

Freshman Tanner Betts

Junior Jacob Plunk

“Twelve hours of sleep, two cups of coffee and about three strips of bacon.” photos by Lauren Swaim

Ballroom dancers perform an electric show at “Ballroom with a Twist” on Nov. 22 in Reynolds Performance Hall.

Sophomore Bryanna Hill

“I start studying the week of finals. I go in the library and stay for as long as I can to make study guides.

Any time I have free time, I spend on studying.”

Opinion

ucaechoeditor@gmail.com

5

The Voice

December 3, 2014

Fall semester concludes with notable successes

Young adults deem twenties as selfish years, disregard growing up

The Echo Staff

Kyoko Escamilla once said, “Your 20s are your selfish years. Be selfish with your time, and all aspects of you.”

Social media has drilled this mantra into my head as the way to live. Scrolling through BuzzFeed, I find articles directed specifically at us in our 20s, discussing what we can get away with because of our youth.

It rubs me the wrong way to think that because we are young, it is OK to be selfish. We think it is OK to drink every night, to abandon morals and to let go of responsibility.

We have this backward.

I might sound like a square. Quite honestly, it pains me to write these words because I enjoy going out when I shouldn’t and not caring when I should.

I do plenty of things my parents would not approve of. When I find myself facing bills to pay, I turn to my parents for help, knowing I had the power to prevent my dilemma.

Acting recklessly is an easy way to ignore the harsh reality that growing up is not fun and that life sucks sometimes.

The thing is though, I do care, but I pretend not to because I am afraid.

I don’t think it is wrong to have fun, and I’m not saying to stop. I am, however, saying your actions are your choices, and you must own up to them.

I struggle with accepting that being young means you are allowed to be selfish because what you do affects others.

While I agree with Escamilla when she says be selfish with your time, I don’t agree with the reputation this quote has received. As a student, your early 20s is the time to build yourself up, productively.

Figure out what you’re good at, establish yourself in the business world and put yourself on the path to the right future.

On the side, have some fun and make less-than-wise choices, but do not let it take over your life.

It’s far too easy to get caught up in collegiate social life while ignoring the reason that you’re there.

Austin DuVall Editor

Misti Hollenbaugh Associate Editor

Marisa Hicks News Editor

Morgan Embry

Assistant News Editor

Julia Kramer

Campus Life Editor

Samantha Smith

Assistant Campus Life Editor

Andy Robertson Sports Editor

Mason Addison

Assistant Sports Editor

Laura Landers

Entertainment Editor

Taylor Trevizo Opinion Editor

Logan Miller Online Editor

Brittany Harris

Associate Online Editor

Jared Holt Photo Editor

Dylan McNiel

Editorial Cartoonist

College is here to discipline us, but we have to make the conscious effort to learn when to say no to an invitation to go to a party or social outing.

We need to keep in mind that we aren’t paying thousands of dollars to get drunk every night. If you are fortunate enough to have your parents pay for your education, then they definitely aren’t funding your schooling so you can slack off.

Being a selfless person goes further than UCA, though.

As an individual, you should care about how others perceive you. It can be a confidence booster to

by Taylor insist you don’t care what Trevizo others think about you, Opinion Editor and, to an extent, that’s awesome. You shouldn’t let others judge you for doing things that will not hurt anyone.

Realistically speaking, if you don’t care, then nobody else will either. Your future will go downhill because you won’t be taken seriously.

If you continue making choices that hurt others, you’re going to lose relationships. Sometimes, you’ll lose family ties.

I hate to sound like I am lecturing, but I speak from experience.

Within the past week, a lot has happened in my life that could have been prevented with communication, hard work and smarter decisions.

Even with the best intentions, I have made mistakes and, in turn, hurt and worried the people who care about me.

Being young is fun, and we can definitely get away with more now than when we are 30. But this doesn’t mean we should be reckless with our actions.

We shouldn’t ignore that what we do has the potential to drastically affect others, whether intentional or not.

We should never strive for selfishness.

Be selfless. Spread love. Think for something bigger than yourself.

When it comes down to it, we aren’t that great by ourselves.

Snapchat features partnership with money transfer service Square

Got Letters?

Comments or complaints about content of The Echo or in reference to anything on campus should be registered with the newspaper by letters or e-mail to the editors. All letters must be limited to 300 words and include the author’s name and phone number. All letters may be published unless they are marked private. Letters may be edited for style, clarity and length.

Editorials written in The Voice express the opinion of the newspaper and the editorial staff. Individual staff opinions are expressed in individual columns.

The Echo office is located in Stanley Russ Hall 124 Newsroom: 501-450-3446

ucaecho.net ucaechoonline@gmail.com ucaechoeditor@gmail.com David Keith, Adviser

Advertising Advertising: 499-9UCA (822) echonewspaperads@gmail.com Dallas Smith, Business Manager

With Snapchat’s reputation as a sexting app, its release of a new money-sending feature will only add to the problem, giving users a way to easily solicit nude photos for money.

Snapchat recently rolled out an update that allows people to use the app to send money to their friends directly from their bank accounts using the payment processing company Square.

While Snapchat is new to the money-sending business, Square isn’t.

There is a good chance you’ve seen or bought something using a Square card reader attached to someone’s smartphone.

The partnership between Square and Snapchat brings in new customers for Square and gives users another reason to use Snapchat.

In recent weeks, Snapchat has been in the spotlight after thousands of users’ photos were hacked.

While Snapchat blames users who have used unofficial third-party apps to save photos, users are still concerned about the security of their snaps.

Luckily for people using the new Snapcash feature, Square will handle and store data involved in the payment process.

All you have to do is register your debit card and Square keeps it safe, ensuring the protection of your financial information.

If you want to send money to a friend, open a conversation, type a dollar amount and press send. It’s that easy, too easy.

With this new feature, users can easily pay others for their snaps. The app’s auto-delete feature makes it a supposedly safer way to send those naughty photos.

Have an opinion?

Think of Snapchat as a condom for sexting: While it reduces the risk of your photos being saved and spread around, it does not provide you with 100 percent protection.

Thanks to “Mean Girls,” we know the best form of safe sex is abstinence.

While abstinence technically isn’t a form of sex, in this case, “Mean Girls” was right.

There are dozens of ways around Snapchat’s screenshot notification,

by Jacob meaning the safest way Watson to keep your nudes from Staff Writer hitting the Internet is simply not sending them in the first place.

Although my Snapchat score is a humble 22,000, I, Jwat1, consider myself an avid user, and I believe Snapchat has arguably changed the way our generation communicates.

My first thought when hearing about the new Snapcash feature was: Snapchat now makes it easy for people to bribe others to send nudes.

I can only imagine the conversation, “Hey, I’ll send you $15 if you send me a picture of you topless.”

With the relaxed college atmosphere and desensitization of sexual conversations, there is a lot of pressure to engage in sexting.

Now, there is one more way to convince people to send selfies of their sexy poses.

Though $15 won’t convince some people to send nude photos, people will certainly try.

While I’m sure many sexually aroused teens will jump at the opportunity to make a few bucks by sending someone a picture of their junk, I hope we as a generation can rise above bribing others with money in order to get them to exploit their bodies.

Everyone does.

Write a letter to the editor at ucaechoeditor@gmail.com Letters to the editor don’t just have to be about Echo content.

If you’ve noticed something on campus that’s positive or negative, we want to hear about it.

This semester, UCA has succeeded in its promise to be diverse through a wide range of achievements and campus events.

At the beginning of this semester, we were given a mandatory training course, Haven, to educate us about sexual misconduct.

Though many students felt the course was not the best way to capture attention, the subject of rape was brought up instead of being silenced.

This was an effective way to show that UCA is adamant about keeping its students and faculty safe.

With the HPER Center expansion complete, students can now utilize its new equipment.

The HPER gives students and faculty the opportunity to take exercising to another level.

With camping gear such as tents, sleeping bags, canoes, mountain bikes and kayaks available to be rented, UCA continues to grow as an active community.

Along with the newly renovated HPER, Donaghey Hall will be yet another project to expand our campus community within the city of Conway.

Donaghey Hall will introduce citylike features for students living on campus and will feature retail outlets available to the public.

The Lewis Science Center will expand approximately 50,000 square feet.

The construction designs will accommodate the existing structures, but also create efficiency by improving them, allowing modern equipment to be used in classrooms and laboratory rooms.

This semester has shown students more than blueprints for buildings, though.

The events and happenings around campus have shown that students respond to the issues that they value.

Negative connotations may arise when we hear the word controversy, but controversial subjects produce debate, which in turn, drives change.

Whether students were showing agreement or putting up a fight, UCA saw passion this semester.

When the Family Research Council visited campus, some students were offended that UCA seemingly endorsed a group that has publicly supported the death penalty for the LGBT community.

Students organized a peaceful protest to show their support for LGBT students, representing a population of students who otherwise could have felt disrespected and oppressed.

Students also took it upon themselves to tackle the issue of racism by posting anti-racism posters across campus.

By showing the reality of hate speech toward African Americans through blunt phrases such as “Thug is just another word for nigger,” students stood up for racial equality.

Prior to the November elections, students actively promoted their parties and voting views.

Though youth voter turnout was low, people were moved after elections to make the 2016 election better.

The election results provoked anger, disappointment and the urge to get fellow peers to show up and vote.

Politically speaking, this range of emotion is needed in people our age. As young adults getting ready to graduate and step into the world, we need to be aware of what our generation faces in the future.

As a university dedicated to diversity and integrity, UCA has done a great job at bringing in resources to get students talking, to voice their beliefs and, overall, to grow into adults.

The Echo is printed weekly at the Log Cabin Democrat in Conway, Ark. Decisions about content are made by the student editors.

The views published are not necessarily those of the University of Central Arkansas. All material is subject to respective copyrights.

Whether students were showing agreement or putting up a fight, UCA saw passion this semester.

Entertainment

6

Dec. 3, 2014

HARDCORE

‘Dear Youth’ strikes gold, entertains picky listeners

New This Week Movies

Dec. 5­-Wild (R), directed by Jean-Marc Valee, starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gabby Hoffmann

by Andy Roberson Sports Editor

Dec. 5 - Comet (R), directed by Sam Esmail, starring Emmy Rossum, Justin Long, Eric Winter, Lou Beatty Jr.

Music Dec. 2 - The London Sessions - Mary J. Blige Dec. 2 — Walk The Moon - Talking is Hard Dec. 2 — Unknown Memory - Yung Lean Dec. 2- Rock or Bust- AC/DC Dec. 2— It Is Time For You To ReturnJosef Van Wissem Dec. 2— Little Envy- Little Envy Dec. 2— Content Nausea - Parkay Quarts Dec. 2— A Better Tomorrow- Wu-tang Clan Dec. 9—36 Seasons - Ghostface Killah Dec. 9 — 2014 Forest Hill Drive - J. Cole Dec. 9—PRhyme - PRhyme Dec. 9— tētēma- Geocidal Dec. 15 — Brian Chippendale and Greg Saunier - Brian Chippendale and Greg Saunier

Books Dec. 9— Moriarty by Anthony Horowitz

Dec. 9 — La Vida Oculta De Fidel Castro by Juan Renaldo Sanchez Dec. 9—Hard Limit by Meredith Wild

Netflix Dec.1— A Knight’s Tale (2001), directed

by Brian Helgeland, starring Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Shannyn Sossamon

photo courtesy of IGN.com

Samuel, played by Noah Wiseman, and his mother Amelia, played by Essie Davis, are plagued by the titular terrifying beast in the new Australian movie “The Babadook.”

Foreign film brings nightmares to life

by Austin Duvall Editor When reviewing music or films for this newspaper, I have always strived to be objective in my delivery.

But I simply cannot write that way with this piece because my feelings about this film are incomparable to how I’ve felt toward the thousands of horror films I’ve watched during my almost 21 years.

I have always been a horroraddict. I live for it. It is my one true passion in life.

Sure, I wouldn’t change my journalism major for anything in the world, but it doesn’t come close to my love of horror — a yearning that has blossomed and matured since I acquired it at a morbidly young age.

I started reading on my own when I was young. I literally went from reading Dr. Suess to reading various collections of scary stories to tell in the dark.

Whenever I went to a bookstore with my parents, I would hound them mercilessly to purchase at least one of the dozen scary story collections I picked up around the store.

But while my obsession has seen its fair share of disturbing content (i.e Srdjan Spasojevic’s “A Serbian Film” or Pascal Laugier’s “Martyrs”), none of them have ever genuinely frightened me.

But then I watched budding director Jennifer Kent’s Australian horror film, “The Babadook.”

The movie film focuses on the tension between Amelia, a single mother, and her 7-year-old son, Samuel.

While I’ve always thought raising a child to be one of the more strenuous things a person could go through, I’ve never thought of having legitimate disdain and

resentment toward my own child, the way Amelia, played by Essie Davis, feels toward Sam, played by Noah Wiseman.

Amelia lost her husband to a devastating car accident the night her husband was rushing her to the hospital to deliver Sam. But after seven years, Amelia cannot let the memory of her late husband go.

Amelia looks after young Sam, a deeply troubled and deviant young boy who gets kicked out of school for bringing a makeshift crossbow and several darts.

The small family honors the tradition of checking Sam’s wardrobe and under his bed for monsters each night before bed, followed by reading a book of his choice.

One night, Sam picks up a book entitled “Mister Babadook,” a pop-up book featuring a catchy rhyme about this mysterious entity, illustrated by several charcoal-colored images that grow more sinister with every page.

Amelia becomes disturbed and urges Sam to put it away, but he insists she keeps reading. After finishing, Sam breaks down and is convinced the Babadook is in his room and out to get him.

This fantasy continues throughout the next few weeks, and his visions become more vivid and terrifying.

Sam’s night terrors begin to take a large psychological toll on Amelia, eventually making her wonder if the Babadook really does reside in their quaint, suburban home. She, too, begins to see visions of the entity around her room late at night.

Unlike most horror movies that focus on the supernatural, “The Babdook” does not blatantly show the audience that a ghost or entity actually exists and is terrorizing a family, but rather asks the question, “Does the Babadook

exist or has Amelia started to go crazy?”

Has the resentment Amelia holds toward her only child manifested itself into something tangible only to her, or is the Babadook an actual presence, hell-bent on torturing the mother and child to death through fear and paranoia?

This movie was so devastatingly disturbing to me because I believe its plot is plausible. I don’t mean the Babadook actually exists, but that a mother could understandably feel legitimate hatred toward her son — the son who, at least in Amelia’s mind, is partially responsible for her lover’s death.

Stories on the news about mothers harming or killing their children have always creeped me out more than other stories, and I think that played a part in my reaction to “The Babadook.”

Sure, the entity was presented astoundingly well in the film and the acting was superb for a cast of fairly low-key performers, but this movie was damn scary because you witness a mother look at her son with such hatred in her eyes that you can only expect the worst to come at the film’s end.

Does she kill her child like the Babadook tells her to? Does Sam kill his mother for going crazy and threatening his life? Does any of this happen?

These are the questions you’ll be asking yourself through the entire 90-minute film, but it’s 110 percent worth it.

“The Babadook” was initially released at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival in Utah early this year and has been through limited-releases in Australia, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

The film is now open online and in limited U.S. theaters as of Nov. 28 and is rated R for disturbing images, terror, violence, some sexual content and language.

D O C U M E N TA R Y Dec. 1 —American Beauty (1999), directed by Sam Mendes, starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch Dec. 3— Son of God (2014), directed

by Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Anjelica Huston, Raul Julia Dec. 5.— Bill Burr; I’m Sorry You Feel That Way (2014), directed by Mel Gibson, starring Mel Gibson Dec. 6 — Anchorman 2 (2013), directed by Adam McKay, starring Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner Dec. 6— Sharknado 2:The Second One (2014), directed by Anthony C. Ferrante starring Ian Ziering, Tara Ried, Vivica A. Fox

Top 5 Places to Sleep on Campus

List compiled by Jared Holt

Autobiographical documentary featuring late great pop star fails miserably on multiple fronts

by Ryan Tiller Staff Writer Lifetime Channel premiered one of the more highly discussed biographical films since 2012, “Aaliyah: Princess of R&B,” on Nov. 15.

Lifetime cast Nickelodeon star Alexandria Shipp to play Aaliyah and proceeded with the production of the film.

Once the film was nearly complete, talk show host Wendy Williams announced she would be the film’s executive producer.

It was at that point when I knew the film based on the life of one of my favorite entertainers would be pure trash.

1. Jewel E. Moore Nature

Reserve You can rent a tent and backpack from the HPER’s new outdoor recreation department and be on your way to unleashing your inner Bear Grylls. Since the reserve is on campus, you still get to rock the benefits of a cafeteria, library and electrical outlets.

With a river, plenty of tree cover and quick access to campus, the nature reserve makes itself a great low-profile way to simultaneously sleep in private on campus and earn outdoorsy hipster street credit.

As much as I tried to stand behind the fact that Wendy would produce a great film, I was immensely disappointed in several ways. As a well-informed fan about Aaliyah’s personal characteristics and critical life events, the film was completely rubbish and unentertaining. The film was rushed to the maximum degree.

The film starts with Aaliyah’s singing debut at the televised talent competition, Star Search, when she was 11 years old and moves through the singer’s life.

However, it fails epically at exemplifying the gradual incline of confidence, maturity and classy sex appeal that Aaliyah garnered

2. Digital Editing Rooms in Stanley Russ Hall These digital studios, located on the edge of campus, are available most hours of the day as a quiet, clean place to catch a few hours of sleep in between classes, tests and papers. Here you’ll find a carpeted floor, quick Internet access, iMacs and relatively low foot traffic. The low-toned hum of the disk drives on the desktops combined with the steady groans and grunts of digital film majors working on their finals provide a soothing white noise that’ll help you drift into a steady slumber.

over the course of her career.

The film also contains events of Aaliyah’s life that were untrue and had nearly none of her hit songs because of the lack of support from the family.

It was outraging to see what was a beautiful 22 years of life be turned into a mediocre film that doesn’t accurately tell the story.

The poor casting and despicable production shows that Lifetime should’ve allowed the Haughton family to make a film about their daughter and sister when they felt the time was right.

Then the film would’ve been done correctly and in a fashion Aaliyah deserves.

3. Middleton Honors Forum in McAlister Hall If you believe in learning by osmosis, this is the best place on campus to meet the sandman.

On the third floor of McAlister Hall, much of which is dedicated to UCA’s Honors College, lies a forum room with couches, pillows and a kitchen. In fact, there are so many couches that the forum could probably function as a small hostel if the university was ever in a financial pinch. This is the place to go for a comfortable crash pad with the benefits of higher learning. Hell, you may even gain a few IQ points.

The Ghost Inside’s new record “Dear Youth,” released through Epitaph Records on Nov. 17, is one of the best new things I’ve listened to in awhile.

For me to say I enjoy this record more than the Foo Fighters album “Sonic Highways,” which I reviewed last week, is a big statement.

I don’t know if it’s the way everything flows together on “Dear Youth” or if it’s because of the lyrics, but the energy on this record is incredible.

I stumbled upon the band The Ghost Inside a few years ago but never paid much attention to it.

I really like “Returners,” which was the first record I heard from The Ghost Inside, but I didn’t listen to “Get What You Give” apart from a few songs.

Like most records, “Dear Youth” has its weak spots, but it doesn’t take away from the record as a whole.

The hardcore genre seems cheesy sometimes because many lyrics have reoccurring themes.

The lyrics in this album almost serve as motivation for me to go out and do something worth doing, and the music drives me even more.

Vocalist Jonathan Vigil said the record is about getting in touch with his younger self and “remembering the feeling of having this world of opportunity in front of me.”

“Dear Youth” is track after

track of hard-hitting, motivational songs.

It starts at the top with the first track “Avalanche.”

The intro sounds a lot like “Suicide Season” by Bring Me the Horizon in several places, which has brought The Ghost Inside a lot of flak.

After so much music has been made, it’s hard not to take from something that sounds similar.

I’m sure The Ghost Inside members had no intentions of doing this, because they would not have made it so blatant.

One of the more different songs on the record is “Wide Eyed,” which features Jason Butler from letlive.

Butler adds clean vocals to the song, the first clean vocals on the record.

His voice reminds me of Michael Jackson at points. It’s definitely a cool guest spot.

The next song, “My Endnote,” is the heaviest song on the record.

The opening riff makes me feel like I could punch a hole through a brick wall and not have to worry about going to the hospital until the song ends.

It’s a heavy album and does what it needs to do for a hard-toplease music scene.

The Ghost Inside struck gold in making this record. If you’re a fan of the hardcore genre, I highly recommend checking out “Dear Youth.”

“Dear Youth” is available through the Google Play Store for $9.49 and iTunes for $9.99.

REVOLUTION

New installment displays stellar acting, ironic tones

photo courtesy of Teaser-trailer.com

Hunger Games winner Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, is captured by the Capitol in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.”

by Laura Landers Entertainment Editor “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” is to the Hunger Games trilogy as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1” is to the Harry Potter series – brilliantly made but grossly unnecessary.

Lionsgate Productions has gone with the popular trend of splitting a successful young adult film adaptation into two parts to increase ticket sales and prolong the inevitable end of a franchise.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the film’s exceptional cast and gut-wrenching scenes, this bureaucratic marketing scheme left a gaping hole in the production.

Audience members joined Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, and other rebel force members to bring down the Capitol and its dictator President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland.

Or rather, audience members watch key players in the rebellion such as Alma Coin, played by Julianne Moore, and Plutarch Heavensbee, played by the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman, fight for their freedom from tyranny

while using Katniss as a pawn at their disposal.

As a theater enthusiast, the most rewarding part of the movie was watching Jennifer Lawrence’s performance of a scarred Katniss.

After the horrific events of two hunger games, Katniss is left with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, which sends her into horrific flashbacks and panic attacks.

This reminds audience members that despite her mature persona, Katniss is still a young girl who has been forced into events no human should endure.

The only thing that keeps her going is the hope of fellow-gameplayer and sometimes-loveinterest Peeta, played by Josh Hutcherson, coming back safely.

I strongly support the Hunger Games trilogy and the message it brings to our generation.

However, I find it hypocritical that such a down-with-theman attitude film manipulates audience members with endless merchandise and two-part movies.

“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic material and some disturbing images and is playing at Conway’s Cinemark Theatre.

4. Christian Cafeteria Shelter, food, heat and water are the four minimum elements that humans and/or college students need to survive. Nothing feels closer to being at home than the warm meals and the friendly older women who work at the cafeteria. It is loud during rush hours, but in-between meals makes for a perfect time to curl up and rest your overworked noggin. Coffee and cereal are served even when the main lines shut down. It has all the essentials that a groggy college student could ask for until 9 p.m.

5. Between Aisles at Torreyson Library Passing out in the middle of the library isn’t just a thing to do after you down half a bottle of whiskey and remember that your paper is due the next day and that now you have no option but to take your drunk ass to the library in a sloppy attempt at academia, it’s also a practical solution to your study regiment.

You’re probably going to be there anyways so why not cut out commute time and catch a snore between your tests right next to your reference materials?

Sports

7

December 3, 2014

Week at a glance Volleyball awards

The Southland Conference released its All-Conference Teams and individual awards for the 2014 season. The honors are voted on by league coaches and sports information directors. UCA earned the second-most honors, placing three players on the All-SLC firstteam and with two players earning individual awards. Junior outside hitter Heather Schnars was the second consecutive Sugar Bear named SLC Player of the Year. She finished second in the conference in kills with 425 and averaged 4.21 per set in regular season play. She ranked in the top-10 in the SLC in hitting percentage (.300) and service aces per set (0.36). She ranked 32nd in the nation in points per set (4.79), 33rd in kills per set and 39th in total kills. She was named the SLC’s Offensive Player of the Week four times. This is the second consecutive year Schnars has earned All-SLC honors, after being named to the first team in 2013. Senior defensive specialist and libero Shelbee Berringer became the first Sugar Bear to earn the conference’s Libero of the Year award since 2009. This season, she ranked fifth in the SLC with 4.46 digs per set and totaled 450 digs.

She was named SLC Defensive Player of the Year once this season.

Sophomore outside hitter Evie Singleton was named to the AllSLC first-team. She ranked second in the conference, averaging 0.44 service aces per set, totaling 106, and eighth in conference with an average of 3.42 kills per set. She was named the SLC’s Offensive Player of the Week once this season.

Football honors Senior offensive lineman Cole Caruthers and junior defensive lineman Jonathan Woodard earned two of the Southland Conference’s seven postseason individual awards. Caruthers, a three-time All-SLC selection, was named the SLC Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Woodard earned SLC Defensive Player of the Year. Caruthers helped the Bears average 441 offensive yards and 41.5 points per game this season.

Woodard led the conference in sacks (10) and tackles for loss (18.5) and moved into second place in career sacks at UCA with 25, trailing UCA Sport Hall of Famer Mike Coffman by five as Woodard heads into his senior season.

Senior wide receiver Dezmin Lewis received invitations to two postseason All-Star games. The Bears had four first-team selections with Lewis and sophomore kick returner Jatavious Wilson joining Caruthers and Woodard. Senior offensive lineman C.J. Simon was a second-team selection. UCA had seven honorable mentions, including senior quarterback Ryan Howard, sophomore wide receiver Desmond Smith, junior offensive lineman Kyle Stouffer, senior linebacker Blake Childress, junior linebacker Ricky Wyatt, sophomore safety Bobby Watkins and junior punter Matt Spencer.

Upcoming games Men’s Basketball

Saturday at Troy University. 12 p.m.

Women’s Basketball

Thursday vs. Central Baptist College. 7 p.m.

Saturday vs. Southeast Missouri State University. 2 p.m.

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field

Friday at Birmingham— Southern College.

Sugar Bears championship reign ends with loss to NSU

by Andy Robertson Sports Editor

The UCA Sugar Bears volleyball team’s Southland Conference reign came to an end at the SLC tournament after losing to host the Northwestern State University Lady Demons in straight sets in Natchitoches, Louisiana.

The Sugar Bears (20-12, 13-3 SLC) won the previous two SLC championships, earning two NCAA Tournament berths for the first time in program history.

Sophomore middle blocker Fulani Petties said the team needed momentum heading into the tournament.

“We needed to keep our momentum going into the tournament,” she said.

No. 2 seed UCA beat the No. 7 seed Southeastern Louisiana University Lady Lions (11-18, 8-9 SLC) 3-1 in the opening round of the tournament.

The Sugar Bears won the first two sets 25-14 and 25-16 before dropping the third set 25-19. UCA closed out the match by winning the fourth set 25-13.

The Sugar Bears hit .195 percent for the game, compared to the Lady Lions’ .071 hitting percentage.

Junior outside hitter Heather Schnars led UCA in kills with 15.

She also had two aces and one block.

Junior setter Amy South had a match-high 41 assists, and senior defensive specialist and libero Shelbee Berringer contributed 15

photo courtesy of ucasports.com

(From left to right) Senior middle blocker and outside hitter Alicia Dittrich, senior defensive specialist and libero Shelbee Berringer and sophomore middle blocker Fulani Petties celebrate after UCA’s 3-0 win over the Texas A&M University — Corpus Christi Islanders on Nov. 22 in Natchitoches, Louisiana. digs.

SLU junior outside hitter Tiffany Thomas led the Lady Lions in kills with eight and had one ace and one block.

Junior setter Mikayla Shippy had 15 assists and junior defensive specialist and libero Morgan Todd had 15 digs.

In the second match of the tournament, the Sugar Bears beat the No. 3 seed Texas A&M University — Corpus Christi Islanders in straight sets.

UCA won the first two sets 26-24 before taking the final set 25-21.

The Sugar Bears finished the match with a .272 hitting percentage, while the Islanders

(19-15, 11-5 SLC) had a .163 hitting percentage.

Schnars led all players in kills with 16, while freshman middle blocker Brittany Gilpin led TAMUCC in kills with 11.

South had a match-high 43 assists and sophomore outside hitter Evie Singleton had a matchhigh in digs with 11.

Islanders freshman setter Kristyn Nicholson led TAMUCC in assists with 32 and freshman defensive specialist Kate Klepetka had 10 digs.

The Sugar Bears lost in the SLC Championship match for the first time in two years to the No. 5 seed Northwestern State University Lady Demons in straight sets.

Sophomore outside hitter Evie Singleton said that the teams dream and goal was to win the SLC tournament.

“We were determined to see that dream come to life,” she said.

The Lady Demons (16-16, 10-6 SLC) took the first set 25-23, the second set 25-18 and the final set 25-17.

NSU knocked out the SLC regular season champion the Stephen F. Austin State University Lady Jacks in the second round of the tournament in four sets.

The Lady Demons kept their momentum against the Sugar Bears.

NSU took an early 5-2 lead in the first set on three kills and two

FIELD GOAL

attack errors.

UCA fought back and took an 15-11 lead before the Lady Demons scored six unanswered points to take a 17-15 lead and force the Sugar Bears to call a timeout.

NSU didn’t surrender the lead for the rest of the set and won 25-23.

The Lady Demons didn’t let UCA take the lead in the second set.

After NSU went up 7-3, the Sugar Bears battled back, bringing the score to 7-6 before the Lady Demons increased their lead to eight and didn’t look back, winning the set 25-18.

The third set was much the same as the Lady Demons held a 23-16 lead before closing the set out with a pair of errors by Singleton to preserve the Lady Demons’ SLC Championship win.

Schnars had a match-high in kills with 12 and had one ace.

South had a match-high 32 assists and Berringer had 15 digs.

Senior right side hitter Mackenzie Neely led the Lady Demons in kills with nine. She had one ace and four blocks.

Senior setter and defensive specialist Emily Johnson had 17 assists and sophomore libero Bailey Martin finished with 13 digs.

NSU hit .221 percent for the match, while the Sugar Bears hit .117 percent.

UCA will host the 2015 SLC Tournament in the Farris Center next November.

DUNK

Football moves to offseason as it falls 38-31 Men’s basketball still looking against rival Sam Houston State University for first win under Pennell

by Andy Robertson

by Andy Robertson

Sports Editor

Sports Editor

The UCA Bears football team closed out its first season under Coach Steve Campbell with a 38-31 loss to the Sam Houston State University Bearkats on Nov. 22 in Huntsville, Texas.

The Bears (6-6, 5-3 Southland Conference) got on the board first with a 66-yard pass from senior quarterback Ryan Howard to sophomore wide receiver Jatavious Wilson, putting UCA up 7-0 with 10:24 left in the first quarter.

Howard completed three passes for 83 yards on the drive.

The Bearkats (9-4, 7-1 SLC) tied the game on the ensuing possession with a 1-yard rush by junior running back Donavan Williams.

Senior running back Keshawn Hill had three carries for 68 yards on the drive, with the longest carry on a 61-yard rush.

UCA gained a first down on a 10-yard pass from Howard to senior wide receiver Dezmin Lewis before being forced to punt.

After forcing the punt, SHSU took the lead on a 13-yard rush from Hill, bringing the score to 14-7 following an extra point with two minutes and 53 seconds left in the first quarter.

Hill set up the touchdown on three rushes for 31 yards and three completions from sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson for 47 yards.

The Bears started the second

The UCA men’s basketball team is still without a win after losing a pair of games on the road last week.

The Bears lost 80-67 against the Charleston Southern University Buccaneers (3-2) on Nov. 25 and lost 85-71 at the hands of the University of Arkansas – Little Rock Trojans (4-1) on Nov. 28 in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Freshman guard Thatch Unruh said the team struggled with defense in both games.

“We had too many turnovers against Charleston and just didn’t get enough defensive stops against both teams,” he said.

The Bears (0-6) fell to an early 6-0 hole against the Buccaneers off a jumper by CSU senior guard Saah Nimley and four free throws by senior forward Paul Gombwer.

UCA got its first points on the board two minutes into the game after a steal by freshman guard Mathieu Kamba and a jumper by freshman forward and center Albert Christensson.

Junior center Jake Zuilhof hit a free throw to cut the Buccaneers’ lead in half before CSU went on an 8-1 run, bringing the score to 14-4.

The Bears cut the lead in half once again after junior forward Mike Martin made a 3-pointer.

photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Senior wide receiver Dezmin Lewis reaches for the touchdown in UCA’s 38-31 loss to the Sam Houston State University Bearkats on Nov. 22 in Huntsville, Texas. quarter on a 17-play, 76-yard drive, but senior kicker Eddie Camara missed a 26-yard field goal from the SHSU 20-yard line.

On their next possession, the Bearkats drove down to the UCA 30-yard line and sophomore kicker Luc Swimberghe attempted a 47-yard field goal. Bears junior defensive end Jonathan Woodard blocked the field goal and freshman defensive back Artez Williams returned it 24 yards.

UCA took over at the SHSU 46yard line and Howard completed an 11-yard pass to Lewis for a first down.

One play later, Howard completed a pass to senior wide receiver Damien Watts for 10

yards.

Howard completed three more passes to sophomore wide receiver Desmond Smith and to Lewis for 22 yards.

Lewis’ 4-yard reception was Howard’s second passing touchdown of the game with three minutes and 47 seconds left in the first half, tying the game at 14.

On their next possession, Johnson threw an interception to Woodard at the Bearkats’ 21-yard line.

Howard threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Smith, bringing the score to 21-14 in

See Offseason - page 8

The Buccaneers continued to pour on the points, leading by 18 with three minutes and 38 seconds left in the first half.

UCA couldn’t close the gap, heading into halftime trailing by a score of 41-24.

The Bears shot 25.9 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from the 3-point range and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line in the first half.

Zuilhof and freshman forward Michael Boo Milligan led UCA in points in the first half with seven each.

The Bears had 10 turnovers compared to the Buccaneers’ five.

CSU shot 40 percent from the field, 29.4 percent from the 3-point range and 80 percent from the free-throw line in the first half.

CSU senior forward Will Saunders led all scorers with nine points.

The second half was much like the first, with the Buccaneers holding a 27-point lead with 13 minutes and 13 seconds left in the game.

The Bears cut the lead down to 13 points by the end of the game.

Freshman guard Jordan Howard came out in the second half with a hot hand, scoring 17 of

See First - page 8

DIG

Senior libero, defensive specialist inspires teammates with her drive, hunger for game

by Misti Hollenbaugh Associate Editor

Volleyball has always been an outlet for defensive specialist and libero senior Shelbee Berringer. “ I t ’ s just fun for me, mainly because I’ve been fortunate enough to play with some of my Shelbee Berringer very best friends,” she said. “On game day, we put on that jersey knowing that we’re playing for something bigger than ourselves.”

Berringer won the 2014 Southland Conference Libero of the Year award, which Berringer said was her biggest accomplishment.

“That was an exciting and humbling experience for me,” she

said. “Our biggest accomplishment as a team would have to be being back-to-back conference champions and qualifying for the NCAA tournament two years in a row.”

Berringer, a Dickinson, Texas native, has played volleyball for 12 years.

Berringer said she came to UCA because she fell in love with the campus, the coaches and the team.

“Leaving my home in Texas to go to school [here] was scary, but my Sugar Bear family made it an easier transition,” she said. “It’s nice being a part of a program with genuine people that care about me as more than a volleyball player.”

Berringer has helped lead the Sugar Bears to a 52-6 record in conference games since becoming UCA’s starting libero three seasons ago.

Berringer said she was proud of this year’s team.

“We didn’t reach all of our goals, but I think we did a lot

better than people expected us to,” she said. “We surprised a lot of people, especially after losing six seniors last year.”

Berringer said the team overcame a lot of adversity this season.

“We lost our starting outside [hitter senior] Scout Brooks and played over half the season without our starting setter [junior] Amy South,” Berringer said. “We worked hard, gave 100 percent and never lost sight of our goals. At the end of a season, that’s something to be proud of.”

Berringer said she has many amazing memories playing volleyball at UCA. “My favorite would have to be going to the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history,” she said. “That was one of the best feelings in the world.”

Berringer said Brooks has made an impact on her, not only on the court, but off the court as well.

Brooks didn’t play this year

because of an injury, but Berringer said she’s one of the hardestworking people she knows. “[Brooks] has an unquestionable passion for the game,” Berringer said. “It’s contagious when we’re out on the court. Even though she didn’t get the chance to play this year, she was at every practice, every game, and even traveled with us for away games. Every friend/team needs someone like [Brooks]. I’m blessed to have gotten to play three years with her.”

Brooks said Berringer has inspired her in their time together at UCA. “I have played volleyball on many different competitive teams, and I can honestly say [Berringer] is the best libero I have ever played with,” Brooks said. “She has a drive to be the best and a hunger for winning that is unmatched.”

Brooks said Berringer’s career and accomplishments would not be forgotten.

“[Berringer] is the epitome of what Sugar Bear volleyball is all about: fearless,” Brooks said. “She has left a lasting impact on this program that will go far beyond her short four years.”

Berringer, a nutrition major, plans on getting her masters’ at UCA after graduating and eventually moving back to Texas to find a “big girl job.”

This season, Berringer played in 31 matches, playing in 112 sets.

Berringer ranked fifth in the SLC with 4.46 digs per set and totaled 450 digs in regular season play.

She was named SLC Defensive Player of the Week once this season, averaging .41 assists, .23 points, .20 aces and .04 kills per set.

For the 2013 volleyball season, Berringer won All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention and won SLC Defensive Player of the Week twice.

8/ December 3, 2014 SPORTS REBOUND

ASSIST

Women split home trip, beat Lyon College 59-43, fall 63-54 to foe Jacksonville State

by Mason Addison

Assistant Sports Editor

photo courtesy of ucasports.com

Sophomore guard Kelsey McClure goes up for a layup in the Sugar Bears’ 63-54 loss to Jacksonville State University on Nov. 29 at home. McClure finished with 10 points. of 23 field goals.

Senior forward Terai Sadler was not impressed with the Sugar Bears’ play against Lyon or Jacksonville.

“I don’t think we played our best during the games against Lyon or Jacksonville,” she said.

The Sugar Bears lost 63-54 to the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks at 12 p.m. Nov. 29 at home.

UCA’s biggest hurdle to overcome was shooting 18.2 percent from 3-point range.

The Gamecocks shot 36.4 percent from 3-point range.

Free throws were also a low spot for the Sugar Bears, who shot 54.5 percent while JSU made 85 percent of their free throws.

In the first half UCA shot 16.7 percent from 3-point range while the Gamecocks shot 28.6 percent

JSU won the rebouding battle 26 to 21.

Both teams had four assists and committed seven personal fouls.

The Gamecocks shot 50 percent from 3-point range in the second half compared to the Sugar Bears 20 percent shooting.

JSU won the rebounding battle in the second half 20 to 16.

Sadler said the team is looking to improve every day.

“I think we let the game agasint Jacksonville slip,” she said. “It was a game we should have won, especially since we were playing at home.”

The Sugar Bears take the court again against the Central Baptist College Mustangs at 7 p.m. Dec. 4 and against the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks at 2 p.m. Dec. 6.

ACE

Junior outside hitter earns Southland honors, looks forward to next season

by Misti Hollenbaugh Associate Editor

Junior outside hitter Heather Schnars won the 2014 Southland Conference Player of the Year award, which she said was her biggest personal accomplishment.

Schnars said the team’s biggest accomplishment was going to the NCAA tournament in 2012 and 2013.

Schnars has been playing volleyball for 15 years.

S h e c a m e to UCA because Heather Schnars her former teammate, junior defensive specialist and libero Corri Hunt, who she played with when she was 12 years old, committed to UCA. “It was nice to go away to college knowing someone,” Schnars said. “I also thought the

campus was extremely beautiful and different from what I see back home in California.”

Schnars said the team did well this season despite its struggles.

“I feel this season has been a bit of a struggle, but, with all the injuries we faced this season, I feel we did well,” she said.

She said the team’s goal for next year is returning to the NCAA tournament, while her personal goal is becoming more of a leader and being more vocal on the court.

Schnars’ favorite volleyball memory was playing varsity volleyball with her sister.

“My favorite memory of playing volleyball was when I was a senior in high school and I got to play on the same team as my younger sister, Kimmy, who was a freshman at the time,” Schnars said.

Schnars, a Downey, California native, is a business economics major and sociology minor.

After graduation, she plans to go back to California with her dog, Kolby, and coach a volleyball

Offseason:

club.

Schnars said her high school coach, Andrea Sims, has made a huge impact on her life.

“I have known her since I was 5 years old, and she has been a big role model for me, both on and off the court, ever since,” Schnars said. “I would not be the player or person I am today if it wasn’t for her pushing me to break out of my comfort zone. I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done for me over the past 15 years.”

Schnars was named SLC Offensive Player of the Week four times this season, playing in 112 sets in 31 matches, starting in all 31 of them.

For the season, she finished second in the SLC in kills, tallying 425 and averaging 4.21 kills per set in regular season play.

She averaged 4.79 points with a .309 hitting percentage, 2.12 digs, .36 aces and .29 blocks per set.

Last season, she was named to the 2013 All-SLC First Team and received SLC Offensive Player of the Week honors three times.

After a 38-31 loss, Bears move closer to offseason,

signing day 4 Continued from page 7

UCA’s favor.

SHSU retaliated with a 52yard touchdown pass from Johnson to junior wide receiver LaDarius Brown, tying the game at 21.

Swimberghe hit a 32-yard field goal to put the Bearkats up 24-21, closing the half.

The SHSU defense forced the Bears to punt on their opening possession of the second half.

The Bearkats went up by 10 on a 15-yard rush by Hill with 12 minutes and four seconds.

SHSU scored it finals points in the game off a 7-yard touchdown rush by Don King III, bringing the score to 38-21.

The Bears closed the gap to 10 points after Howard completed a pass to senior fullback Joe Carmical, bringing the score to 38-28.

UCA scored the game’s final points on a 39-yard field goal by Camara, bringing the final score to 38-31.

The Bearkats had 529 yards of total offense compared to the Bears’ 450 yards.

Johnson completed 17 of 28 passes for 191 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Freshman guard sets sight on improving team to become premiere in conference

by Mason Addison

Assistant Sports Editor

The UCA women’s basketball team split the first two home games of the season.

The Sugar Bears beat the Lyon College Scouts 59-43 at 7 p.m.

Nov. 25 at home.

Junior guard Kendara Watts led UCA with 21 points, going 2-2 from the 3-point line.

Sophomore guard Brianna Mullins led the team with 4 asssists.

UCA led 33-20 at the end of the first half, going 11 of 30 from the field and 6 of 13 from 3-point range.

Both teams went 5 of 6 from the freethrow line.

The Scouts shot 14.3 percent from 3-point range in the first half, while the Sugar Bears shot 46.2 percent from 3-point range.

Sophomore guard Maggie Proffitt shot 2 of 4 from 3-point range in the first half.

Lyon College shot 12.5 percent from 3-point range in the second half, continuing its struggles from behind the arc.

The Sugar Bears made all five of their shots from the free-throw line.

The Scouts went 8 of 10 from free-throw range.

The Sugar Bears shot 3 of 10 from 3-point range in the second half.

Lyon College shot 28 percent from the field, making 7 of 28 field goals.

The Sugar Bears shot 39 percent from the field, making 9

ucaecho.net

38

UCA vs. Sam Houston Nov. 22, 2014 Bowers Stadium

31

6-6, 5-3 SLC 8-4, 7-1 SLC 450

Total Yards

343

Pass Yards

191

28-48

Comp-Att

17-28

4-0

TD-Int

1-2

107

Rush Yards

338

34

Attempts

61

0

Touchdowns

4

22

First Downs

29

5-17

3rd Down Conv.

8-20

2-3

4th Down Conv.

3-3

1

529

Turnovers

2

3-1

Fumbles-Fumbles Lost

0-0

0

Interceptions

2

Hill ran for 247 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.

Howard completed 26 of 44 passes for 324 yards and four interceptions.

Howard said he wanted to play his hardest in his final UCA game.

“I just wanted to leave

everything on the field, with it being my last game,” he said. “It helps when you have playmakers around you because they make my job easier.”

UCA will now focus on signing day, which will be Feb. 4.

UCA has almost an entirely new basketball roster, including freshman point guard Jordan Howard.

Howard lived in New Jersey until he was 6 years old, when his family moved to Arizona.

“I was born in Morristown, New Jersey, where I spent my young life until my family and I moved to Chandler, Arizona,” Howard said.

Howard has played basketball his whole life.

“I’ve played basketball for as long as I could remember,” he said. “My older brother and father had a great influence on me playing sports because they were both athletes.”

He played basketball, football and soccer growing up.

“From the seventh grade on, I decided to only focus on basketball and work on my game,” he said.

Howard said he enjoyed his experience at Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona.

Howard never thought he had known would attend college in Arkansas, but he Coach Russ Pennell since elementary school. “[Pennell] told me he would receive the job, and I told him I would be willing to make the move because I knew how good of a person and coach he was,” Howard said.

Howard said visiting the campus and meeting his future teammates convinced him to come to UCA. “I took my visit after my high school season and the campus sold me, along with meeting all of my future teammates,” he said. “I knew I would fit in perfectly.”

He considered other colleges his junior and senior year, but after meeting other coaches, he knew he wanted to go where Pennell went.

“After having injuries and talking to different coaches across the country, I knew none were as genuine and loyal as Coach Pennell,” Howard said.

Howard’s goal for this season is to become the best point guard

photoby Jared Holt

Freshman guard Jordan Howard brings the ball across halfcourt in UCA’s 91-71 win against the University of Ozarks the Eagles on Nov. 8 at home. Howard scored 20 points in the exhibition win. he can and for the team to start making the right steps toward becoming one of the premiere Southland Conference teams.

“My plan for this season is to grow and improve as a young team, but not only get better but to win,” he said. “We have all the tools and ability to be a great team and over time I believe we will become one of the premiere teams in our conference.”

He eventually wants to become one of the best point guards the Southland has ever seen and wants to bring championships to UCA. “For my college career, I want to become one of the best point guards this conference has ever seen, but not only as an individual, but as a teammate by winning and making my teammates better,” Howard said. “I want

to bring home championships and success for UCA and the supportive community.”

After college, he plans to become a professional athlete and to build his own film production company after college.

“I will work hard to make that dream a reality,” Howard said. “I also love film and production and hope to build my own production company shortly.”

While it may take a season or two for this team to catch steam, the floor general will work hard and do his best to make all of his teammates better to become a force in the Southland Conference.

The team is ineligible for post-season play this year, but looks foreward to the post season next year under the command of Howard.

First:

Bears fall to 0-6 on season after 85-71 loss to University of Arkansas — Little Rock 4 Continued from page 7 the Bears’ 43 second-half points.

He finished the game with 18 total points on six of 14 shooting.

Nimley led all scorers in the second half with 20 points on six of 11 shooting.

He finished the game with 27 points and led all scorers.

UCA out-rebounded the Buccaneers, grabbing 36 rebounds in the game compared to CSU’s 34.

However, the Bears ran into trouble with turnovers.

UCA finished the game with 19 turnovers, while the Buccaneers had 12.

The week’s second game came against Sun Belt Conference foe the UALR Trojans in the first of five meetings between the two programs over the next five years.

Howard said the team put together good stretches, but wasn’t consistent throughout the entire game.

“I thought our consistency and defense were what hurt us,” he said. “There were times where we had great runs and spans of good play. We just have to learn how to be more consistent with them over a 40-minute span.”

The Bears came out strong, holding a 25-23 lead with nine minutes and 30 seconds left in the first half before the Trojans took over the game.

UALR took the lead with nine minutes left in the first half after sophomore forward Maurius Hill made a layup off an assist from junior guard Josh Hagins.

The Trojans went on a 9-0 run in three minutes and six seconds before the Bears scored again on a layup by Christensson, bringing the score to 34-27.

UCA cut the Trojan lead down to five points with 54 seconds left in the first half before UALR scored five more points on a dunk by junior forward James White, followed by a 3-pointer by White

UCA vs. University of Arkansas - Little Rock November 28, 2014 Jack Stephens Center

4-1

0-6 71

Score

85

47.3

Field Goals %

54.5

44

3FG%

28.6

72.7

FT%

84

27

Rebounds

32

6

Offensive

7

21

Defensive

25

15

Turnovers

9

2

Blocks

3

5

Steals

9

Assists

15

14

as the buzzer went off, bringing the score to 47-37 at halftime.

The Bears shot 52 percent from the field, 55.6 percent from the 3-point range and 66.7 percent from the free-throw line in the first half.

Martin led UCA in scoring with 12 points, making five of six shots.

White led the way for the Trojans with 13 points, making five of six shots.

UALR shot 56.7 percent from the field, shot 50 percent from behind the 3-point line and was perfect from the free-throw line.

The Trojans went on a 10-4 run in the first three minutes and 27 seconds of the second half, bringing the score to 57-41.

UALR was up 17 points with nine minutes and 51 seconds left in the game before the Bears went on a 12-2 run in four minutes and 39 seconds, bringing the score to 73-66 in the Trojan’s favor.

UALR increased its lead to 14 points before the final buzzer sounded, giving the Trojans an 85-71 win over the Bears.

Howard led UCA in points in the second half with 14, giving him 20 for the game on eight of 14 shooting.

Martin scored nine points in the second half, bringing his total to 21 on eight of 11 shooting.

Hagins scored 12 off the bench in the second half, bringing him 19 for the game on five of eight shooting.

White led all scorers in the game with 23 points on 10 of 12 shooting.

The Trojans out-rebounded the Bears 32 to 27.

UCA had 15 turnovers compared to UALR’s nine.

Despite starting the season on a six-game losing streak, Howard said the team is starting to click and put things together.

“Every game we get better and better and [are] meshing as a team,” he said. “We have grown to know player tendencies and have grown closer together even through the losses.”

The Bears travel to Troy, Alabama to take on Sun Belt opponent the Troy University Trojans on Dec. 6.