02 18 2004

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Say it ain’t so

The good life

Roosevelt Brown leads his life with energy/Sports/Page 10

Island in the sun

Mustang Island offers peaceful getaway/Trends/Page 6

Living in the dorms costs more than an apartment, but what’s new?/Opinions/Page 5

WEDNESDAY

VOLUME 93, ISSUE 54 www.universitystar.com

Provost candidate PRESERVING visits Texas State for future FEBRUARY 18, 2004

T E X A S S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y- S A N M A R C O S

NATURE generations

By Jennifer Wisnoski News Reporter

Nearly 60 faculty members questioned Kweku Bentil, a candidate for the provost position, Tuesday as part of the interview process. President Denise Trauth announced in March that Texas State needs a No. 2 administration official. The search formally began in September and has whittled down the applicant pool to five candidates. So far, Glen Hahn Cope of the University of Illinois-

Springfield; Perry Moore of Wright S t a t e University; and Neal Smatresk of t h e U n i v e r s i t y BENTIL Texasof Arlington have already visited Texas State. Zulma Toro-Ramos from the University of New Haven will visit with university staff and faculty today and Thursday.

Bentil, Indiana State University School of Graduate Studies dean, holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Florida where he also became an associate professor in 1985. He has also held positions at the University of Washington and Southern University-Baton Rouge. Bentil showed a slide show to faculty that highlighted some of the potential goals he’d like to achieve as provost. One major focus was to

Alterman discusses issues concerning the Middle East By Kassia Micek Assistant News Editor

T

By Ryan Coggin News Reporter hrough the efforts of San Marcos residents and city officials, a 502acre tract of land has been designated as city green space in an environmentally sensitive area. What originally began as the purchase of a nine-acre park in southern San

Marcos and a proposal to connect Wonder World Drive with Ranch Road 12 has turned into what many hope will become an escape and nature preservation for the city and its residents. The city acquired the property during the last five years, one-fifth of which was donated, in an effort to protect the sensitive recharge zone of the Edwards Aquifer g See PARK, page 4

Tony Ramos/Star Photo

The director of the Middle East Program for the Center for Strategic and International Studies spoke in a lecture titled “After Saddam, Then What? The Middle East in Troubled Times” Tuesday in Flowers Hall, Room 341. Jon Alterman said the United States is trying to democratize Iraq, but is going about it the wrong way. The United States should help Iraq do what they want to do and not lead them to what the United States wants them to do. “We need to keep in mind how little we can do,” Alterman said. The United States needs to embrace Iraqi reform without smothering it and encourage governmental liberalization.

ALTERMAN

g See PROVOST, page 4

“We have to show some respect,” he said. “We have to show we know how to listen. We’re going to have to be a little more interactive.” Alterman said that although Saddam Hussein was evil, he kept things running in Iraq. Now that the U.S. is in Iraq, things are not running

smoothly, he said. “ (Arab countries) don’t want the U.S. to leave a huge footprint in Iraq,” Alterman said. Surrounding states don’t want the United States interfering in everyday things. Current leaders in Arab countries are elderly g See ALTERMAN, page 4

Business forum aims to improve etiquette, networking skills By Jennifer Warner Senior Reporter Students searching for jobs may find it necessary to brush up on skills required in the business world, including negotiating, networking and business etiquette. Career Services has teamed with the College of Business Administration to help students do just that. They will be hosting their second annual Business Leadership Forum Thursday. “The whole day is to help our business students be better prepared to go into the work force,” said Roselyn Morris, College of Business assistant

I N S I D E

Classifieds........................9

Comics/Crossword........8 Film...................................7

News.............................2-4 Opinions...........................5

Sports..............................10 Trends............................6,7

Today’s Weather

High: 69 Lo w : 4 4

AM Sunny/PM Clear

Wind: From SE at 9 mph Precipitation: 0% Max. Humidity: 53% UV Index: 6 Moderate Thursday’s Forecast Partly cloudy 72/51

dean. “It gives (them) hands-on learning for what we’re doing in the classroom.” The forum will begin with the Business Organizational Fair at 3 p.m. in the LBJ Student Center Ballroom. The fair will be a way for business organizations around campus to get the word to students about their groups. “It’s to acquaint our business students with the business organizations,” Morris said. “It’s kind of an exchange of information.” Some groups attending include the Students in Free Enterprise Team, the Accounting Club and the American Marketing Association.

At 3:45 p.m. guest speaker and Texas State alumnus Jesse Luxton of the National Picture and Frame Company will discuss character, ethics and leadership in business. Immediately following the fair, a networking reception will take place from 5-6 p.m. in the hallway of the 3rd floor of the LBJSC. It is designed to teach students how to meet and network with business professionals in numerous settings. “Networking is all about establishing a relationship so you can call on them when you need to,” said LaTonya Croskey, career adviser. “It’s about working on skills of communication.”

The event is invitation-only, but an invitation can be obtained from the Business Dean’s office or from Career Services. The event is not just designed for business majors; anyone with an invitation can attend. At 6:30 p.m. a business etiquette dinner will be held in the Reed Parr Room on the 11th floor of the J.C. Kellam Administration Building International Business Protocol expert Margaret Martin will be the presenter at the reception and dinner. “Students never know what type of setting they will find themselves in during an interview,” Croskey said. Martin will lecture about etiquette at

a business dinner, such as what to eat, how much to eat and what to do if the food does not taste good, as not to offend the host. She will primarily focus on a buffet-style meal. Food will be served at the event including soup, salad and an entrée. Croskey said she believes the dinner to be a continuation of the networking that will take place earlier in the day. She said that it will help students learn how to small talk. “Being in a room full of strangers, whether you need a job or not, is sometimes intimidating,” Croskey said. g See FORUM, page 3

Design students put knowledge to use, helping restore San Marcos By J.J. McLaughlin News Reporter

Family and consumer sciences faculty and students are reviving an almost forgotten piece of San Marcos history by refurbishing dilapidated houses within the Dunbar Historical District. Richard Gachot, family and consumer sciences instructor, challenged his research and environmental design students to find a part of town within a particular environment and develop a program based on needs and issues that would impact the community. The students chose the Dunbar neighborhood, which was designated as a historic district by the San Marcos Historic Commission, and in their efforts are helping preserve some of the community’s historic buildings. The students developed proposals in the form of models, drawings and spatial designs for the renovation and creation of three museums and a community center. These proposals turn already existing buildings into a modified edu-

cational and contemporary interior that is best suited for each building. The 1884 Hays County Jail was transformed into the Calaboose AfricanAmerican Museum, which recently held a showcase of the Texas State interior design students’ works. Tami Becker, interior design senior, created a plan to renovate a nearby abandoned Baptist church, turning it into a theatre and performing arts center. Crystal Lazo, interior design senior, designed a plan to turn the church into a community center that includes a small theatre, mentoring programs, gathering rooms, classrooms, a kitchen and a computer lab. Lazo said she feels that the work of everyone involved in the project has greatly benefited the community. “I think that the community center can offer a lot for the neighborhood and the surrounding community,” Lazo said. “It’s beneficial to businesses and it can g See RESTORE, page 3

Brian Garcia/Star Photo Proposals are being made by Texas State interior design students to renovate the historic 1908 First Baptist Church. The church is located on the corner of Martin Luther King Drive and Comanche Street.


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