ARKATECH THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1923
THE
A R K A N S A S T E C H U N I V E R S I T Y / / T H U R S D A Y, S E P T. 2 4 , 2 0 1 5 • V O L . 9 2 N O . 0 3
Enrollment at Arkansas Tech increases—again SIERRA MURPHY
News Writer
For the seventeenth consecutive year, Arkansas Tech University has broken its total enrollment record. This year, the university enrolled 12,007 students for the fall 2015 semester. “The fact that we have more than enough [students] is truly a blessing,” Shauna Donnell, director of admissions, said. “We have a proven track record.” That track record shows a sustained increase in growth for the Tech student population. According to the Office of Institutional Research, for the fall 2009 semester, Tech enrolled 8,814 students. From fall 2009 to fall 2010, the student count increased by 1,001 students, putting enrollment at 9,815 students. The upward trend continued. From fall 2010 to fall 2011,
enrollment increased from 9,815 students to 10,464 students; from fall 2011 to fall 2012, enrollment increased from 10,464 students to 10,950 students; from fall 2012 to fall 2013, enrollment increased from 10,950 students to 11,369 students; and from fall 2013 to fall 2014, enrollment increased from 11,369 students to 12,002. A recent press release from Tech’s News and Information website revealed enrollment was topped, yet again, earlier this semester. “Arkansas Tech reported a preliminary 11 day enrollment of 12,007 students for the fall 2015 semester on Thursday,” the news release reads. While the growth has been celebrated, the increase in enrollment also puts strain on certain departments. “We currently have 2,768 oncampus beds,” Aaron Hogan, associate dean for residence life, said. “However, Wilson Hall is
AMBER QUAID/THE ARKA TECH currently closed for renovation. If Wilson were open right now, we would have 2,932 beds. This total includes 280 beds that we currently lease from Vista Place apartments.” To accommodate students not housed on campus, Tech provides what’s called over-flow housing. Hogan said students are housed at local Russellville hotels and Tech’s Lake Point Conference Center
until an on-campus vacancy becomes available. While Residence Life looks into the future of housing for students, the student population could surpass its renovation and improvement efforts. “The number of on-campus beds we have is limited,” Hogan said. “Also, the number of overflow
(see TECH page 4)
First chief of staff in university history SAM HOISINGTON
Web Master
Dr. Jeff Mott joined the Arkansas Tech University President’s Office staff in August as the first chief of staff in university history. Mott brings with him years of experience in both the corporate environment and higher education, which will assist him as he becomes a part of the President’s executive counsel and helps President Robin Bowen manage her commitments. LIZ CHRISMAN/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
“People thought I was crazy, but if you’re following your passion, it’s not so crazy.”
Mott points to significant off-campus responsibilities as consuming a large portion of Bowen’s time. “I’ll be feet on the ground, so to speak,” he said. “I’ll help her on campus when she’s not on campus.” Off-campus commitments include maintaining
a significant presence in Little Rock through her work with the legislature, the Governor’s Office and the Arkansas Department of Higher Education as she lobbies to alter the state’s higher education funding formula to better benefit Tech.
“Right now, we’re a little disadvantaged with the way the [funding] formula operates,” Mott said. Mott is also helping with the strategic planning process that began this summer. Mott says the planning process is expected to take about a year. “It’s run by academic affairs, but it involves people all over campus: staff and faculty as well as people in the community.” Mott said. Mott joins Tech after serving as the director of the Leadership Institute at Washburn University
(see MOTT page 4)
SETA is taking a stand News briefs against animal cruelty ASHLEY PEARSON Staff Writer Students at Tech are taking a stand against animal cruelty as they team up with the organization peta2. Last spring, Faith Robinson, a senior psychology major from Maumelle, applied to be a campus representative for peta2. In 2002, the animal rights organization Peta expanded its movement by creating peta2, an organization created to bring awareness of animal cruelty to today’s youth. After Robinson applied to create Tech’s own animal rights organization, her proposal was accepted and the Students for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (SETA) was born.
“We want to inform others about animal rights and how their choices affect the welfare of animals, their health and the environment,” Robinson said. Robinson stressed that no one in the organization is out to change anyone’s lifestyle, but they instead want to share food options that don’t contain animal product. SETA has events planned for students throughout the semester and have already held one event. With funds from peta2, on September 8 the group served free coffee with dairy-free creamers. SETA will be at the bell tower from 9-10 a.m. on Friday for Hug a Vegan Day. Other events and information on the organization can be found on the organization’s Facebook page.
The Department of Emergency Management will hold its Stache Dash 5k from 6-9 p.m. on Thursday. The race will start at Doc Bryan. If you missed the deadline to register online, you can register at the event. It is $10 to enter. Campus Ministry Group, Chi Alpha, will meet from 7-10 p.m. on Thursday nights in Young Ballroom. Greek Family day will be from noon-1 p.m. on Saturday at Caraway Hall. The Wonder Boys will take on Southern Arkansas at Thone Stadium on Saturday after Family Day festivities. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. The behavioral science club will hold its weekly meeting to discuss business from 4-5 p.m. on Saturday in Witherspoon 368. Join SAB for a free night of bowling from 6-9 p.m. on Tuesday at Sportsworld.
PAGE 2 | Opinion
Editorial: ed·i·to·ri·al
[ed-i-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] noun: An article that represents the official viewpoint of a newspaper on a topic of public interest.
Senate divided on nuclear deal EDITORIAL
The Arka Tech
RYAN HARMON/THE ARKA TECH
For the record RYAN HARMON
Entertainment Writer Every day of your life, you hear music of some sort. It might be a CD you bought, or simply background music in a store. Have you ever thought about what it takes to make that music? In August, I released a five-song EP called "Rough Around The Edges." I've put out homemade demo CDs a couple of times through the years, but this was my first professionally made project. Allow me to answer some questions I get asked a lot: 1. Why don't you get a band to play for you? - Are you paying them? 2. Why don't you go to a big studio? - Are you paying for it? 3. Why don't you just give it away? - Are you paying for manufacturing costs? I know I might sound like a jerk, but those questions are asked far too often. If I was an artist with a large budget, those questions might be perfectly legitimate—to an extent. Let me give you the cold, hard truth. It's difficult to get good studio musicians who are well-versed in a wide variety of music, especially when you barely have a budget. Getting cheap musicians is not an option. The same goes for recording studios. Most studios charge by the hour, and you have no way of knowing how long it will take to get a record done. The owner/engineer can give you an estimate, but until you're working on it, you don't know how you'll work together. The answer, to me, was simple: I'd do it all myself. I don't play the drums, so my options were either to use software or a drum machine, the latter of which I opted for. Along with this, I also purchased a Tascam multitrack recording unit. For those who don't know what multitrack means, it means that multiple tracks can be recorded for one song. For instance, some tracks required multiple guitars or vocals. I recorded them all on separate tracks and mixed them together to complete the song. The bad thing about this is I had
to teach myself how to make a good mix. The good thing is I owned all the equipment, and I could use it whenever I wanted.
In my opinion, handling the record-making process yourself is the best route, especially if you're a solo artist like me. My motto has always been: Nobody knows how YOU want YOU to sound better than YOU. But of course all projects present challenges. A major one for me was design. After looking into several CD manufacturing companies, I decided to go with Disc Makers—probably the most reputable company in its field. My mother was kind enough to shoot the photography, and I used a free editing website called www. pixlr.com to produce the final artwork. While I was pleased with the outcome, the folks at Disc Makers were not. I was warned, before production began, that my artwork might not look too great once the jackets were printed. They said they would be extra careful and try to make it come out just right. Ten days later, the final product arrived. The artwork looked great, and the recordings were just as I had made them. Was it a headache at times? Yes. Was it more complicated than getting other people involved? Yes. But it was well worth it. I was able to take my time and have complete control over the project. I didn't have to answer to anybody. As Frank Sinatra famously sang, "I did it my way." And now for the question I've left unanswered: Why don't you just give it away? I'm an independent artist. Everything is up to me, including paying for every record I make. I put a great deal of time and effort into my craft and a good chunk of money too. I stand by the music I make. If you're a restaurant owner, and you put a lot of time, effort and money into your food, I don't expect you to give me a free meal. If you didn't think it was worth paying for, chances are you wouldn't think anything of it at all if it were suddenly free. Feel free to stop by my website www. ryanharmonmusic.weebly.com for more information.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Although the nuclear deal that will eventually lift sanctions on Iran was signed by the U.S. and other ally countries on July 14, the never-ending battle—fought on terms of partisanship rather than productivity—for and against amendments to the treaty still wages in the Senate. Republican Senate members must reject anything with Obama’s seal of approval, and Democrats must do the opposite. This is how you get elected to Congress and stay there. This is also why perpetual contention is a given in politics. The 60-day congressional review of the deal has already expired, but Republicans must stay aligned with party interests no matter how solidified the treaty may be. This means constant attempts, in vain, to thwart a deal already set in stone. So Republicans are rattling their cages, but with good reason. The hatred between Iran and our ally Israel goes back epochs. As a political figure in the U.S., if you are bolstered with finances and votes by a largely Christian Republican Party, you have to support Israel. Israel, of course, rejects the agreement because Iran has threatened violence and war on numerous occasions. Hence, a Republican senator failing to abjure this deal is tantamount to party betrayal. But as is the case with all issues that indubitably cause divisiveness, the Senate is focusing more on party lines rather than the efficacy of the deal. The agreement, signed by Russia, China and a host of other major
countries, makes it impossible to make any semblance of progress toward its nuclear programs for 10-15 years. Iran must turn over nearly all of its enriched uranium stockpiles, and it won’t get these potential weapons back. The country must also convert a nuclear site to a research facility and redesign a reactor to disable it from producing plutonium that could be used for weaponry. Close surveillance will be kept on Iran’s progress toward meeting the deal’s requirements, and if the proper steps aren’t taken, the deal goes away, and sanctions are back on. It’ll take about 6-12 months for the nuclear program’s de-escalation and an outside review. These moves, coupled with the heavy economic sanctions placed on Iran, make huge strides toward crippling the nation’s nuclear program. But in truth, if Iran wants to develop a nuclear weapon in the future, it will be fully capable to do so. This isn’t because our agreement is too lax. We could never pass any deal that completely removes Iran’s, or any other country’s, nuclear potential. Impoverished nations like North Korea boast its nuclear weapon program, and this is a place lightyears behind Iran. The agreement signed into place is the strongest piece of legislation Iran and the other signees could agree to, and it also provides the best chance at destabilizing the nuclear program all together. The other countries that have signed are satisfied with the terms because it’s the best option available. It’s time our senators realized this.
Opinion | PAGE 3
MAN ON THE STREET
Do you think it's true that people naturally seek out those of their own race for fear of getting out of their comfort zone?
"I believe so. To what extent, I'm not sure though because everyone's different." Brent Burden Freshman Undeclared Alma
CLAUDIA HALL/THE ARKA TECH
"I think it's true because if they don't go to people of their own race they have a fear of rejection." Precious Mosley Freshman Niursing Little Rock
"I feel like people are more comfortable around people who share not necessarily the same race, but the same attributes." Sam Files Junior Recreation and Parks Administration Sherwood
"Depending on how a person is raised or where they're from, they might be more inclined to seek out people like them."
Christina Williams Junior Secondary Education Cabot
"Of course. Simply because of the fact that it's human nature to seek out members of our own race because of comfort." Sawyer Renfro Senior Communication Russellville
No, I like being around all ethnicities. You can never learn something new by being around the same people all day." Kharmen Austin Sophomore Journalism Little Rock
The ins and outs of apartment living CLAUDIA HALL
Managing Editor
This year Arkansas Tech University is yet again at record enrollment. Returning students with housing contracts were given the option to void the contract to make more room for the incoming freshman. As a junior, I was already planning to move off campus. For those of you who decided to stay on campus but are contemplating the move in the coming semesters, I would love to fill you in on all the hidden costs. No one ever told me just how expensive apartment living is. Yes, it is cheaper than on campus housing in the long run. But a lot of things go into starting up an apartment.
1. Applying Before you do anything, you have to apply for the apartment. You are going to want to do this months in advance because apartments in college towns fill up fast.
move in.
I wouldn’t complain about this because when I moved in, the apartment truly looked brand new. When you set a date to move in, you have to also set up your electricity. Although you don’t have to pay on the spot, Entergy charges a $210 deposit with your first bill. You should never have to pay $100 for your electric monthly so don’t choose the Level Billing option. You will have a different price for electric every month, but it shouldn’t be more than $70 if you learn to turn off your lights and electronics and don’t keep your AC too low. When you move in, you pay first month’s rent. Mine was $475. If you choose Suddenlink as your internet provider, you’ll be paying around $50 a month. I was completely unaware of an installation fee. First month’s payment and the installation fee is due when they set it up, which cost me $150.
My application fee was $20. But because a lot of apartments in Russellville require you to have a guarantor if you don’t make three times the monthly rent, my dad had to apply for the apartment as well.
If you have a pet, apartments usually charge a $500 nonrefundable deposit. I don’t have a pet so this didn’t concern me.
This means that he also had an application fee of $20. It seems unnecessary if you think you can pay for the apartment, but the owner can’t take chances on not getting rent money.
3. Furniture
2. Deposits When you get the call that you’ve been approved, you’ll have the opportunity to put down a deposit on the apartment. Every apartment complex is different, but I paid $200. Half of that is a security deposit that you will get back when you move out, and the other hundred goes toward a thorough cleaning of the apartment before you
All of my deposits combined cost me $560. This does not include monthly costs.
If you’re lucky, your family and friends will have old furniture they don’t need. I was incredibly lucky to have a fully furnished apartment besides my bedroom. I found a bedroom set for $250 on Craigslist. If this isn’t the case for you, be prepared to spend up to $1,000.
4. Groceries and supplies If you’ve been living in a dorm your entire college career, you likely only have plates, bowls and maybe a microwave. I never knew that food was so expensive because I’ve survived on my
meal plan and late night runs to McDonald’s.
I bought a few pots and pans, more silverware, knives and two cutting boards. This alone cost around $100. I only bought the basics when I went to Walmart. This means cleaning supplies, soap, toilet paper, and enough food for a month. I paid $200.
5. Monthly costs What I never thought about is that my rent and utilities weren’t the only thing I had to pay for. On top of those, there are your other monthly things you already pay for. I pay for Spotify Premium, Adobe Creative Cloud, prescription medication and a phone bill. One of the most challenging things about living in an apartment is no one cooks for you, unless you get lucky and have a nice roommate. You have to make the choice of saving money and dining in or picking up dinner on your way back to your apartment. By buying in bulk, each of my meals costs less than $4. If you compare eating out and dining in every meal, you’ll be saving at least $60 a week. It’s a bit unrealistic to eat at home for every meal, but it’s ideal to save as much as you can. I budget $120 a month for groceries. I never truly had to budget until now. I’m used to paying around $60 monthly. I now pay $800. If you have a roommate, you will be paying around half that. In an apartment, you have to budget monthly instead of having the option to pay with a school loan, so I encourage you to think about this decision for a while before jumping into it like I did. In my first month, I spent a total of $1,700. In no way do I regret my decision, but I have lost a lot of savings as a consequence.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
PAGE 4 | News
SGA elects
SAM HOISINGTON
and Xintong Ren, secretary of diversity and inclusion.
Students at Arkansas Tech University elected three new executive board members and 21 new senators during fall 2015 Student Government Association elections Sept. 14-16.
The election of those three officers completes the SGA executive board for 2015-16. Previously elected officers are Saul Pennington, president; Bethany Skaggs, vice president; Zachary Schwartz, secretary of internal affairs; Cortnie Been, secretary of finance and administration; and Michael Mata, secretary of community outreach.
Web Master
Individuals elected to the executive board were Evan Gray, secretary of public relations; Maggie Hand, secretary of student development;
SGA senators chosen by their fellow students during fall 2015 elections, listed with the area they represent, are:
Getting information to students, faculty, staff ELON KIERRE
Contributing Writer The Arkansas Tech University Campus Emergency and Outreach Notification System was implemented by the university to provide important information to students, faculty and staff in a skillful and prompt manner. CEON is powered by Blackboard Connect and headed by Department of Public Safety Chief Josh McMillian along with Public Safety and the university’s Emergency Policy Group. CEON differentiates between two different types of notifications, emergency and outreach.
•
Katherine Nunez, College of Arts and Humanities
•
Chris Hoover, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
•
Haley Owen, College of Business
•
Melanie Norman, College of Natural and Health Sciences
•
Khalil Oumimoun, International Students
•
Haley Ashe, Senior Senator
•
Mitchell Mullen, Senior Senator
•
Thomas Avery, Junior Senator
•
Connor Eason, Junior Senator
•
Tylan Fowler, Junior Senator
•
Hannah Coffee, Sophomore Senator
•
Allison Holloway, Sophomore Senator
•
Becca Mosler, Sophomore Senator
•
Harrison Lester, Freshman Senator
•
Makenzie Martin, Freshman Senator
“The goal is to get information to the students, faculty and staff as fast as possible. With this system you’re able to, in a couple of minutes, reach everybody that’s out there,” said McMillian “I strongly encourage everyone to sign up for it.”
•
Jayson Simmons, Freshman Senator
When CEON is triggered it notifies
Emergency notifications include any natural disasters, or manmade event such as an active shooter. Outreach notifications are used to notify the campus of school functions, severe weather, and campus closings. McMillian said there are currently 13,218 contacts in the CEON system and 11,136 of those contacts received the test that was conducted earlier this month.
Jordan Barnes, Senator at Large
•
Jason Morris, Senator at Large
(MOTT from page 1 )
•
Monique Morris, Senator at Large
•
Thomas Rich, Senator at Large
•
KJ Thompson, Senator at Large
for five years. Before his directorial duties, he worked for Sprint for nine years and rose to the rank of vice president.
•
Kara Johnson, Graduate College
•
Luke Dooly, Senior Senator
•
Sidney Burgess, Senator at Large
•
Seth Mays, Senator at Large
•
Matthew Smith, Senator at Large
CEON is tested once a semester, near the beginning of the semester. Waiting a few days into the semester helps more people get signed up, McMillian said. Abbey Stokes, a senior mathematics major from Dardanelle, said, “The weather notifications are very helpful during the winter months for commuters like me. It’s a good idea and a good system.” McMillian has sent all notifications, but in an event where he is not able to a member of the Emergency Policy Group would send the notification.
LIZ CHRISMAN /UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
•
Senators previously elected to serve in SGA during the 2015-16 academic year are:
all Alertus systems on campus; which include the yellow boxes that are located throughout campus, all instructor modules in classrooms and all desktops in offices. It also calls, and sends email and text to everyone who is signed up. The website is also populated with the information that is sent out which then populates all social media feeds connected to the CEON system.
In between his time at Sprint and Washburn University, he spent four years pursuing a doctorate in management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “I made a decision to leave Sprint and went and got my doctorate full time even though I had kids at the time that were nine, six and three,” he said. "People thought I was
crazy, but if you’re following your passion, it’s not so crazy.” Mott said during his time working in other areas of the country, he did not hear much about Tech. It was his time spent with Bowen at Washburn University that caused him to become interested in applying. “I came down for a couple of visits and could really see how she described it [Tech], how the faculty and staff are very student centered,” he said.
(TECH from page 1 )
increasing growth at Tech.
beds we have is limited. At some point we would have to say we are full.” However, Hogan doesn’t fear the
“I think that you could say that this presents a positive problem that will only lead to a better and brighter future for Arkansas Tech,” he said.
The Arka Tech GENERAL POLICY
News stories printed in The Arka Tech must be accurate, fair and as unbiased as possible. Any mistakes in fact found in an issue of The Arka Tech will be corrected in the first possible issue. Opinions expressed in The Arka Tech are not necessarily the opinions of Arkansas Tech University or its students. Individual copies of The Arka Tech are free to members of the Tech community. Contact the adviser for pricing of multiple copies.
Editor-in-Chief: RYAN SMITH
Managing Editors: JENN TERRELL CLAUDIA HALL AMBER QUAID News Writer: SIERRA MURPHY Staff Writer: ASHLEY PEARSON Entertainment Writer: RYAN HARMON Web Master: SAM HOISINGTON
CONTACT US Office: Energy Center 138 General email: arkatech@atu.edu Ads email: arkatech.ads@atu.edu
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Sports Writer: MATTHEW EMERY Faculty Advisor: TOMMY MUMERT
THE
ARKATECH
Campus | PAGE 5
PHOTOS BY AMBER QUAID/THE ARKA TECH The full cast assembles for practice to begin fine tuning the production for opening
Broadway
on Techionery stage AMBER QUAID
Managing Editor
The Arkansas Tech theater department is bringing Broadway back to the Tech stage with the play “Crimes of the heart” by Beth Henley. This 1981 Pulitzer Prize winning play brings all the drama, comedy and feel of a small town southern community to the center stage. “I don’t consider this all that dark because we’re southern,” said Dr. Ardith Morris, professor of communication and theater and director of the play. “Southern people don’t lock up their crazies, they’re just Uncle Clyde.” The humorous touch this play puts on real life issues in a small town gives light to an otherwise dark situation. The theatrical production examines the plight of three young Mississippi sisters (the
Magrath’s) betrayed by their own passions.
The play consists of six actors (two male, four females) who must confront issues and escape their past to seize their future and the trials and tribulations that go along with it. “I read through the play to see how she [Meg] relates to other characters, and she’s a bitch,” said Christina Williams, a senior theater education student from Cabot who’s playing Meg Magrath. According to the dramatists play service, “Lenny, the oldest sister, is unmarried at thirty and facing diminishing marital prospects; Meg, the middle sister, who quickly outgrew Hazlehurst, is back after a failed singing career on the West Coast; while Babe, the youngest, is out on bail after having shot her husband in the
stomach. Their troubles, grave and yet somehow hilarious, are highlighted by their priggish cousin, Chick, and by the awkward young lawyer who tries to keep Babe out of jail while [he’s] helpless not to fall in love with her.” “The play offers something for everybody,” Williams said. “There’s humor, there’s a dramatic aspect, and there’s little, tiny love stories in between as well. The design work is absolutely amazing. It’s going to be a really awesome show all the way around and I think it will appeal to a lot of different types of people.”
Henley was born in Jackson, Mississippi, to an attorney and a community theatre actress. This southern heritage has played a large role in the setting and themes of her writing. Henley completed
“Crimes of the Heart” in 1978, and after several rejections the play was produced in 1979.
Morris said she felt she has the talent pool to get a good cast for the complexity of this play. “We’re putting in a lot of hard work and it’s a really interesting and funny play,” said Cheyenne Austin, a freshman psychology major from Clarksville who’s playing the understudy to the four women. The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs October 22-24 at the Techionery Theatre. Tickets are available at the door—$8 for general admission and $5 for those with a valid Arkansas Tech identification card. For more information go online to vatu.edu/cj/ or call (479) 9640890.
TOR LEFT: Meg, played by Christina Williams, irritates Chick by talking to her while smoking. TOR RIGHT: Meg confronts her sister Babe about shooting her husband. RIGHT: Barnette Lloyd, played by Dylan Butterfield, is a young lawyer defending Babe.
Ardith Morris, show director, teaches students how to improve the scene.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
PAGE 6 | Features
Genz breaks Tech tackle record
LIZ CHRISMAN/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS MATTHEW EMERY
Sports Writer During the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys 2015 season opener against Southern Nazarene, Logan Genz, a senior from West Fork, made university history only five minutes into the game. Genz’s 353rd career tackle broke the Tech record for most career tackles—a record previously set in 1993 by Mike Gurul when Genz was one-yearold. Genz’s story starts just a little bit after that, as he’s been playing football since the sixth grade. He played every sport and was fascinated with baseball, but Tech offered him the chance to play college football instead. “Once Tech made an offer to me, I was all in,” he said. Right out of the gate Genz was behind the eight ball, tearing his knee during a fall scrimmage his freshman year. Shortly after having minor knee surgery, he broke his foot, requiring two pins to be inserted. Genz began to doubt his football career. “At this point I’m thinking, ‘It’s not in the stars for me; I’m not cut out for this.’” Thankfully for the Wonder Boys and their fans, he decided to stick it out, but the injuries didn’t stop there.
"Never give up. I know it sounds cliche, but never give up. Out work everyone else and it'll be possible."
-Logan Genz
In his sophomore year, he tore a thumb ligament but managed to play the entire season until the final game, when he dislocated his shoulder. This led to his fourth surgery during his time as a Wonder Boy. Genz’s family has always been his biggest motivator and support system. His family has attended every game of his career—home and away—and are always there to talk with him after the games. Genz’s older brother, Taylor, has played a very special role in his career. “He’s always been bigger, stronger and faster,” he said. “Watching him play college ball really inspired me. He taught me that you have to love the game in its entirety. You have to love practicing, watching film, working out.” Heading into this season, Genz knew he was tied with the record. It kept him “humbled through the offseason,” he said. However, when he took to the field in the season opener, it fell to the back of his mind. “Once I got to the sideline, they told me I got my tackle,” Genz said. “I completely forgot about it.”
Genz has spent his career as a team player. “I never went into a game wanting to get so many tackles; I just wanted to help the team win,” he said. Genz shared a sentimental moment when discussing his record. “It hasn’t sank in yet,” he said. “This is my fifth year here at Tech. I’ve played lots of football. It’s all added up to this one moment, to have my name in the record books. It shows the hard work I’ve put in for this sport and university.” He also offered advice to not only football players, but anyone chasing a dream. “Never give up. I know it sounds cliche, but never give up. Outwork everyone else and it’ll be possible.” Genz’s story doesn’t end here. The Wonder Boys are off to a hot 3-0 start for the first time since 2007. Genz said he believes the current team is something special. “We’ve put in the work,” he said. “We have a true shot at winning a conference championship this season.”
Solutions to this week's puzzles will be featured in the next issue of The Arka Tech.
Thank You For Your Continued Support Of The Arka Tech
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
Sports | PAGE 7
Wonder Boys 3-0 record, first time since 2007 MATTHEW EMERY Sports Writer
The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys edged out a 24-17 victory against Arkansas-Monticello on Saturday to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2007. The Wonder Boys found themselves in a tougher matchup than in their first two blowout wins. The only score Tech got in the first half was a 67-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown by Logan Genz, a senior from West Fork. This is a far cry from the first two games of the season, during which they outscored opponents 112-21. Tech manufactured 17 more points in the second half, and the defense maintained the pressure it has been applying all season, holding UAM to only 34 rushing yards. Arsenio Favor, a senior from Montgomery, Alabama, didn’t have his best game but still scored both a rushing and passing touchdown. Genz led the defense with six tackles. Cua’ Rose, a freshman from McGehee, had five of his own. The Wonder Boys, who lead the Great American Conference in total defense, will have their work cut out for them next week when they return home to face Southern Arkansas. The Wonder Boys have kept opponents to an average of 13 points per game, while Southern Arkansas has scored an average of 40 points per game. LIZ CHRISMAN/UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
Kickoff is at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Thone Stadium.
Golden Suns drop pair of matches to ranked squads in crossover UNIVERSITY RELATIONS
The Arkansas Tech women's volleyball team gave undefeated Washburn and one-loss Central Missouri some of their toughest tests of the young season Friday on the opening day of the GAC/ MIAA Crossover. In the end, the Golden Suns fell 3-0 (25-12, 29-27, 25-18) to the No. 7 Ichabods and 3-1 (22-25, 28-26, 25-16, 25-22) to the No. 6 Jennies, but put up a fight in forcing the guests to play out each set. In the day's first match, Tech (6-5) picked up 26 digs from sophomore Madison Nagel — tying a season high — and 30 assists and 10 digs from freshman Sarita Stegall. Junior Kaylee Konsella led the team with nine kills while hitting .190, while sophomore Sara Stovall posted three kills on just nine swings to match a season high.
clip, while Eshnaur led the team with 13 kills. Huff added 10 kills and eight total blocks, including a career-high four solo, while Stegall dished out 35 assists for a total of 65 in seven sets on the day. The Jennies went up 4-0, 5-1 and 6-2 in the first set, but Haley Owen—who posted four of her six kills in Game 1—started a run of five straight Tech points for the hosts to take a 7-6 lead. Another Owen kill tied it back up at 8-8 and started another five-point run to go up 12-8, but UCM charged back to take a 19-15 lead.
errors tied it at 22-22, and a Wilkins kill made it 23all. Tech fought off game point three straight times before falling 28-26. The Suns dropped the third set as well, but didn't let that affect them in the fourth, twice coming back from big deficits. The Jennies led 13-7 and 1611, but Tech responded with four straight points from a 21-17 hole to tie it once again. They got as close as 23-22, but UCM closed out the set and the match with two straight points.
The Golden Suns started off slowly, and Washburn (10-0) compounded the problems by hitting .394 as a team in the first set, but they were able to reverse that trend in the second. The hosts started with a 2-0 lead, and responded to a four-point run by the Ichabods by getting back in front at 9-8. Tech again trailed, by as many as four, throughout the set, and faced a 22-18 deficit late. From there a pair of kills each from Konsella and McCall Wilkins — who combined for 11 kills in the set — pulled the Suns even at 24-24. Another kill by Konsella and one from Stovall gave the Suns the lead at 27-26, but three straight from the Ichabods ended the comeback attempt. Washburn jumped out to a 6-0 lead and was up 9-2 at one point in the third set before Tech ran off 10 of the next 13 points, highlighted by a pair of kills each from freshman Hunter Eshnaur and Huff, and big block from Eshnaur and Wilkins. That made it 13-12, and the Suns got to within one point three more times in the set, but couldn't hold off the guests. The momentum carried over for the Golden Suns into the evening match against UCM (11-1). Konsella posted nine kills while hitting at a .318
MATTHEW EMERY/SPORTS WRITER
Katie Huff moves into position as Sarita Stegall sets the ball during Friday's Golden Suns volleyball match. Kills by Owen and Konsella helped the cause, and a Nagel ace tied it back up at 20-all. An Owen kill, a block from Huff and Stegall, and kills from Huff and Eshnaur capped the 25-22 victory. The second set opened with the two sides going back-and-forth until UCM broke an 8-8 tie with seven consecutive points. The Jennies held at least a four-point lead through 20-16, when the Suns crept back into it with kills from Huff and Stegall to make it 20-19. A kill from Huff and two UCM
"We came out in the second match of the day and played really well," coach Kristy Bayer said. "We were competitive and played hard against a very good team in Central Missouri. Unfortunately, you have to capitalize on every opportunity against a team like that, but I thought we played well. Tomorrow is a must-win for us." Tech closes out the two-day event with a 3 p.m. matchup with Pittsburg State back at Tucker Coliseum.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015
PAGE 8 | Community
Food Review
photos by
Claudia Hall
Tarasco's 217 N Front St, Dardanelle, AR 72834
One of the many lunch menu items offered at Tarasco's.
The el primo burritto cut in half, topped with cheese dip.
El Primo Burrito $9 8/10 By: Claudia Hall
Tarascos is a quaint, locally owned Mexican restaurant located at 217 North Front Street in Dardanelle. Its orange exterior is hard to miss. The restaurant’s slogan is “A Real Mexican Taste,” so I was curious to see how it would fair compared to chains like La Huerta and Acambaro. I ordered the El Primo Burrito, which cost $8.99 excluding tax. Nine dollars for a burrito is a little pricey, but it did not disappoint. Its size could be compared to a Chipotle burrito. I have a fairly small stomach, so I could only eat close to half of it. The price was worth it to me because there were plenty of leftovers. A small order of cheese dip at Tarasco's.
Flag Enchiladas $9 7.5/10
By: Jenn Terrell
For this review we decided to venture a little outside of Russellville to the neighboring town of Dardanelle where Tarasco’s is located. The restaurant certainly has that small town, local business vibe I enjoy. It has brightly colored walls and décor with a clean and inviting atmosphere.
If you don’t want to spend nine dollars, there is a lunch menu that is between $5-6, but the price goes up $1 after 3 p.m. The El Primo Burrito consists of your choice of meat—I chose ground beef—lettuce, tomatoes, pico de gallo, sour cream and topped with queso. The pico de gallo gave it flavor, but it wasn’t too spicy. If you want more spice, an array of hot sauces and seasonings are available at each table. This burrito was great, but I didn’t see a big difference between it and what I could get at a chain restaurant. My only complaint is the service. As with most locally owned restaurants, it takes time to speed up the service. So I’m hopeful when I return, it will have improved.
The menu is quite lengthy with meals ranging in price from $6.99 to $12.99. After scanning the menu a few times and ordering an appetizer of cheese dip, I decided to get the flag enchiladas. The plate included three chicken enchiladas each with a different sauce: red sauce, green chili sauce and cheese sauce. The plate also came with rice and beans plus a side plate of sour cream, guacamole and pico de gallo. I have found that typically the side plate doesn’t come with enchiladas at Mexican restaurants, so it was a nice little addition. The cheese dip was worth noting. It was very creamy and some of the best cheese dip I’ve had in this area. The enchilada plate was good as well, but I’d like to go back and try some more authentic dishes such as a torta, which is like a Mexican sandwich. I have eaten at Tarasco’s a time or two in the past and was always happy with the quality of food. This trip upheld its past reputation for me.
ABOVE:The front of Tarasco's restaurant in downtown Dardanelle. BELOW: The flag enchilada plate at Tarasco's.
Thank You For Your Continued Support Of The Arka Tech Contact us:
arkatech@atu.edu
Find us online:
thearkatechnews .com
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2015