ARKATECH THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1923
THE
ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY // THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017 • VOL. 93 NO. 16
#LikeAGirl: Women's week begins AMBER APPLEBY
Copy Editor
“Breaking the Mold” is the theme of Arkansas Tech’s annual Women’s Week, which will be from March 6-11. The topics that Women’s Week will cover include “professional development, women’s portrayal in the media, campus sexual assault, gender identity, leadership, relationships, and body image,” according to atu.edu. All week, students are encouraged to post “#LikeAGirl” on social media. “Inspired by the Always company, we want to take back the phrase ‘Like a Girl’ and change the perception of do-
ing something like a girl from a negative to a positive,” according to the Women’s Week flyer. Participants in the hashtag will be eligible to win a $25 Visa gift card. Women’s Week kicks off on Monday, March 6, with the Clothesline Project. According to the Women’s Week flyer, this project is designed for women who have been affected by violence to have an outlet for their emotions. To do this, the women will decorate shirts, and hang them on a clothesline for others to see “as a testimony to the problem of violence against women.” Also on Monday, there will be the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes/Sexual Assault Awareness Rally from 2-4 p.m. at
the Bell Tower. This event will focus on sexual assault awareness, education and on learning about different supportive resources on campus. This event is co-sponsored with SAB. The last event on Monday is the Women of Color: Jagged Justice event from 6-8 p.m. in Rothwell 138. “Jagged Justice is embedded in the limited choices or measures that we are forced to accept, which do not fully meet our needs, and leave ourselves, our families and our communities in pain and broken by the criminal, civil, and all other systems that claim to offer justice,” according to the Women’s Week flyer. This event is co-sponsored with the Department of
Diversity and Inclusion. On Tuesday, March 7, there is a Women’s Week open house art exhibit that features art created by Tech students. The art is each artist’s interpretation of the Women’s Week theme: “Breaking the Mold.” The exhibit will be from 6-7 p.m. in the Witherspoon Lobby. Following the art exhibit, there will be a game of “Masculinity Jeopardy” from 1-8 p.m. in Baz Tech. The game focuses on “men’s sexual health, masculinity, gender myths and gender identity,” according to the Women’s Week
(LIKEAGIRL page 4)
Reeder builds for homeless, News briefs offers a safer place to live THURSDAY
SAB Movie Night – Go to the Doc Bryan Lecture Hall at 6:30 or 9:30 p.m. to watch “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Popcorn, food and snacks will be provided, along with a chance to win a prize. 2nd International Film Festival – Go to Ross Pendergraft Library, Roon 300 North, at 7 p.m. to watch “Les intouchables,” a French movie with English subtitles.
TAYLOR BLEAKLEY
Contributing Writer
Tech professor builds microcabins with local nonprofit to provide shelter for homeless Billy Reeder, assistant professor of journalism, has been working with The Russ Bus, a nonprofit that serves the homeless, since 2013 to help restore hope and create transitional housing for the homeless population of Russellville. Fred Teague, founder of The Russ Bus, began working with Reeder to refine a design for temporary shelters that offer homeless individuals safety and protection from the hazards of living on the streets, such as dangerous weather and theft. “Billy has been one of my go-to guys,” Teague said. “If we’ve got a project, I’ll just call Billy and say ‘hey, this is what we need to do’ and we team up and work together.” During his free time, Reeder bought lumber and started designing a concept for what he calls microcabins, a 4-foot by 8-foot structure similar to a small house. He came up with the idea of building them in sections that can be transported and assembled at any location. “I like doing things where I’m useful,” said Reeder. “I’m just sort of The Russ Bus handyman.” After Reeder became a board member for The Russ Bus, he focused his efforts on construction, planning and social media to help transition individuals out of homelessness. Once The Russ Bus began building shelters, they started connecting with the city council and with people in other communities. “One of the things we deal with is work with people who are on the verge of becoming homeless, Reeder said. “We try to step up and do things to keep them in their apartment or from losing their house. Even automotive stuff, if their car is busted. Whatever it happens to be.” As for the future of microcabins, Reeder said there might be less of a need for them in the Russellville area, but he plans to keep making microcabins for the homeless all over the state to make sure people have a safe and secure place to sleep. “Situations like this really get to him and he dwells on it,” Paula Reeder, board member of The Russ Bus and wife of Billy Reeder, said. “He’s like ‘there shouldn’t be situations like this, and I have the means to do something. What can I do?’” Reeder encourages his students to be aware of what is going on in the community and to get involved with some-
FRIDAY
FACEBOOK / THE RUSS BUS
ABOVE: Fred Teague began working with Reeder (pictured) to refine a design for temporary shelters that offer homeless individuals safety and protection from the hazards of living on the streets. BELOW: Demo microcabins sit on the corners of intersections throughout Rusellville so the community can have a look.
MONDAY
(MICROCABINS page 4)
'Light the night' a cultural experience BRIANNA DAVIS
Staff Writer
The annual event that celebrates the diversity of the different cultures on campus, Light the Night, will be held March 8 at the Bell Tower starting from
6:30-9:30 p.m. Light the Night is an On Track event that allows students to volunteer to host their home country or culture through traditional foods, activity and decoration. “This event encourages
BASEBALL SITS ATOP A SWEEP- PAGE 7
Deadline for degree audit (transcript evaluation) for May 2018 graduates Works on Paper: David & Eve Mudrinich – Visit Norman Art Gallery from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to view exhibits with drawings and prints by both historic and contemporary artists. 44th Annual Meeting of the Arkansas Political Science Association – The 44th annual meeting of the Arkansas Political Science Association will meet at Tech this year from 1 p.m. Friday to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Lakepoint Conference Center. Interdisciplinary Research Series – There will be a panel discussion with the Interdisciplinary Research Center at 3:30 p.m. Brown Hall 134.
and gives our international students an opportunity to showcase their native country,” Sabrina Anwar, international student service specialist, said. “It creates a bridge between the international students and domestics students.”
Students are able to celebrate the different cultures with students that have direct ties to them. “I have noticed that many of the students and people from the community
(LIGHT page 4)
SOUL FOOD SUNDAY BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER- PAGE 8
Works on Paper: David & Eve Mudrinich – Visit Norman Art Gallery from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to view exhibits with drawings and prints by both historic and contemporary artist. Walk a Mile in Her Shoes – Join the Student Activities Board in a men’s march to stop rape, sexual assault and gender violence at 2 p.m. at the Bell Tower.
TUESDAY
Works on Paper: David & Eve Mudrinich – Visit Norman Art Gallery from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to view exhibits with drawings and prints by both historic and contemporary artist. Masculinity Jeopardy – Go to Baz Tech at 7 p.m. to play Jeopardy about men’s sexual health, masculinity, gender myths and gender identity. There will be pizza and prizes. 2nd International film festival – Go to the Ross Pendergraft Library, Room 300 North, at 7 p.m. to watch the Persian movie “Children of Heaven.” ATU Symphonic & Concert Band Concert – Listen to the Symphonic and Concert Bands perform at 7:30 p.m. in Witherspoon Auditorium.
WEDNESDAY
Works on Paper: David & Eve Mudrinich – Visit Norman Art Gallery from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. to view exhibits with drawings and prints by both historic and contemporary artist. A reception will be held at 2:30 p.m. Sun Exposure Information Table – Learn more about sun exposure from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. in Baz Tech or at the Bell Tower, depending on the weather. Self Defense Class – Learn how to escape from common holds and more at the Self Defense Class from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. in Young Ballroom. Light the Night – Go to the bell tower from 6:30-9:30 p.m. to learn about other cultures and eat food from around the world. 2nd International Film Festival - Go to the Ross Pendergraft Library, Room 300, North at 7 p.m. to watch the Japanese movie “Dreams.”
MUSSER DOES MORE THAN PHYSICS - PAGE 5
PAGE 2 | Opinion
Campus concealed carry EZEKIEL MASCUILLI/THE ARKA TECH
We at The Arka Tech are divided on our stance about House Bill 1249 that would allow people over the age of 25 to carry concealed weapons on campus with training. We are not, however, divided on the fact that we believe such decisions should be left up to each college. Not the government. The Arkansas House of Representatives introduced a similar bill in 2013. Act 226, or HB 1243, allows only faculty and staff with concealed carry licenses to carry their concealed weapons on public campuses, with the provision that the colleges could opt out of allowing their faculty and staff to do so. Structuring the bill in this way allowed public universities to make their own decisions about the governmental bill and left some semblance of local control. Since 2013, not a single college has opted to allow faculty and staff to carry concealed weapons. However, the Legislature is looking to force colleges to allow concealed carry on campus. HB 1249 would not only allow faculty and staff to carry concealed weapons, it would allow anyone over the age of 25 to carry a concealed weapon, with proper training, on
campus. Since no colleges seem willing to partake in the opportunities that the Legislature has put forth, why should they feel the need to give the colleges forced “opportunities?” We believe this is about control. The state of Arkansas is suddenly wanting to exert even more control over the universities in Arkansas, for no apparent reason other than that they can. Taking the control away from the college level and giving it to the state level would mean that the state would have a generic all encoumpasing view of every college in Arkansas. All colleges are not equal. Colleges aren’t equal in the number of students, staff and faculty. They aren’t equal in the economic status, gender, age or ethnicity of students, faculty and staff. Why does that matter, because a person who lives in the city, views and understand guns completely different than a person who grew up in the country; both would be allowed to carry. A person who is of economic means to pay for more instruction about a gun and how to properly handle and use the gun will view it differently
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. than a person who cannot afford the extra education; both would be allowed to carry. Having the control of this decision at the college level allows the college to assess their population accordingly and make a decision thats best for the campus and its surrounding community. By allowing the state to have this control they are putting every college and its community into a generic mold, and that’s when problems occur. We are not the only ones who oppose this shift. In an article by The Courier, Arkansas Tech University President, Dr. Robin Bowen, said, “Each May since the signing of Act 226 of the 89th Arkansas General Assembly in 2013, the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees has elected to prohibit the carrying of a concealed handgun by staff members in the build-
ings or on grounds owned or leased by Arkansas Tech University. As such, we advocate local control. Arkansas Tech University will continue to monitor the discussion surrounding House Bill 1249 and take the proper steps to ensure we are always in compliance with the law and providing a safe learning environment for our university community.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves, Madame President. We at The Arka Tech urge each of you to call Arkansas Governor, Asa Hutchinson, at 501-682-2345 to urge him to oppose this bill. Encourage him to oppose it because this is not about gun laws. This is not about guns at all. This is about control, and we all know that the government doesn’t need any extra control, least of all over places of higher learning.
Eric Church takes on the scalpers RYAN HARMON
Entertainment Writer It’s no secret that most artists have to tour to make a living, since albums aren’t selling like they used to. And even though touring can be hard on the artists, sometimes it’s even harder on the fans. Try to get a good, close seat for a concert from whatever the official ticketing outlet happens to be. Not only will it be hard to find one, but chances are you’ll find those seats on second hand ticketing sites. These websites allow tickets to be resold at whatever price the seller chooses, but sometimes the seller is a ticket scalper, who uses software to purchase large amounts of tickets, which are then resold at a higher price. Though legislation was passed last year to
ban these programs, it’s difficult to put a complete stop to the practice. Ticket scalping has been around since before the Internet, and those who make their money from it always find a way to do it. Sometimes this leaves fans with no choice but to either pay the price or stay home. This is where country star Eric Church draws the line. It was recently announced that Church had canceled over 25,000 tickets to various shows on his current “Holdin’ My Own Tour,” which had been sold on second hand sites. These tickets were then re-released through the authorized ticketing outlets at the original price, in hopes that nobody would have to pay the scalpers’ prices. Many artists have complained about ticket scalping, but Church
is the first one I can remember to actually do something about it. So now that he’s proven that there are ways to curb ticket scalping, will other artists follow his example or continue to let their fans be ripped off with higher prices? It’s not often that the artist even makes money from the ticket sales. Usually they’re paid a guaranteed amount, and then the promoter tries to make that money back from the ticket sales. Because of this, I don’t think some artists truly care about how the tickets are sold, just as long as they make their money. While that’s understandable, I still don’t think it’s wise. Many artists allow the best seats at their shows to be sold in special V.I.P. packages. These packages can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars per seat, and though
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
some people can afford it, Church said, in a recent interview with The Associated Press, “That’s not the people who have gotten me here.” You can call it a publicity move or a mon-
ey-hungry move if you want, but what it sounds like to me is an artist who hasn’t forgotten where he came
from and wants to take care of his fans.For more information on Eric Church’s current tour, visit www. ericchurch.com.
Campus | PAGE 3
MAN ON THE STREET DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE OVER 25 SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO HAVE CONCEALED CARRY GUNS ON CAMPUS?
“No, because I think it's better that less people have guns, the campus will be safer, the percentage of [shootings] will be lower.” Junbin Guo Emergency Management Xian, China
“No, because I'm from Texas and they already have this but I'm not a big gun person, I don't like guns, I feel like they cause more problems” Jocelyn Perez Business Celina, Texas
“Yes, as long as they pass the certification and know what they're doing.”
Self-defense class can offer more than safety ELEXIS HARPER
Staff Writer
The Department of Public Safety and the Student Government Association hosted a women’s self-defense class on Feb. 27 and will be hosting another from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on March 8. The event will be held in Young Ballroom. “One of the reasons we do the women’s only versus the men’s is because there’s been some studies released on self-defense, and women are more comfortable in a setting with other females,” Chief Joshua McMillian, head of the Department of Public Safety, said. “I think it’s good for it to be just women, because there are gonna be girls who might be interested in coming who may have gone through certain things,” Kenzie Nash, a rehabilitation science major from Sherwood, said. “I feel like if a woman did want to bring a man, though, he should be welcome to participate with that woman.” The event is designed with women in mind, and features demonstrations from Asia Pettit, a mixed martial artist and a full-time physical health and wellness major at Arkansas Tech University originally from Pueblo, Colorado. “Her role is, she’s kind of showing females the techniques and how they work and what to expect,” McMillian said. “She can talk from the female’s perspective when it comes to self-defense and provides a really good, downto-earth view as well.” When not doing physical demonstrations, Chief McMillian and Pettit will give short, verbal presentations over topics such as how to prevent being seen as a potential victim. “We’ll do a short introduction, introduce the instructors, talk a little bit about personal safety, go into some self-defense techniques, like what to
ELEXIS HARPER/THE ARKA TECH do if you’re standing, and we talk about strikes and techniques to work from a distance,” McMillian said. “Then we go into, from there, another short presentation on residential safety, vehicle safety, how not to be a victim, and then we go into how to break from holds.” They will then launch into a presentation about sexual assault and rape prevention, followed by another demonstration over how to break free if someone has pinned you to the ground. It’s in the final minutes of the program that students who attend may ask questions over specific situations and speak one-on-one with Pettit or McMillian. The end goal of this program is to increase self-confidence and to have the women who attend leave with valuable information and skills, McMillian said. Despite the serious nature of some of the topics discussed, McMillian wanted the women to feel comfortable, relaxed, and enjoy the session. “I had a great time. It was nice participating in an event that I felt like really helped me, but it was also really light, it wasn’t a very serious event,” Nash said.
ABOVE: Attendees stretch at the beginning of the self-defense class on Feb. 27. BELOW: Chief McMillian, head of the Department of Public Safety, and Asia Pettit, mixed martial artist and physical health and wellness major, demonstrate how to break a wrist grab.
Jessie Flores Mechanical Engineering Dover
“Yes, I think it's ok because if there is anything going on, and as long as they have their concealed carry permit, then they are able to take care of themself.” Stephanie Hummer Elementary education Hector
“No because FBI statistics have shown that civilians in shooting situations actually are more likely to cause causilties than stop anyone.” Chris Hilliard Geology Waco, Texas
“No, I don't think people should have guns because I think they're really dangerous and I don't like my life to be in danger.” Monique Morris Sociology and Rehab science Bastrop, Louisianna
ANSWERS FOR FEB. 9
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
PAGE 4 | News
Student newspaper takes home awards CLAUDIA YOUNG
Editor-in-Chief
The Arka Tech took home five awards at the 2017 Southeast Journalism Conference at the University of Mississippi in Oxford. At the SEJC Best of the South banquet, the staff earned the third-place award for best opinion-editorial writing. Amber Quaid, managing editor, earned sixth place in best news graphic designer and eighth place in best newspaper page layout designer. Karen Ricketts, staff writer, earned fourth place award in best special event reporter/editor. Twenty-nine universities and colleges submitted 469 entries for the Best of the South competition. Entries were submitted by Dec. 1 and were required to be published in 2016. The conference also held on-site competitions. Four staffers competed. Claudia Young, editor-in-chief, took home third
place in the news photography on-site competition. Students photographed the Thacker Mountain Radio Hour and Oxford Film Festival at The Lyric in downtown Oxford. Tommy Mumert, assistant professor of journalism and faculty advisor of The Arka Tech, said he is proud of the newspaper’s achievements this year. “We have a talented group of staffers on The Arka Tech this year and I think the awards won by the staffers at SEJC is certainly proof of that,” Mumert said. “In direct competition with about 30 other colleges and universities, including some Division I schools, we certainly held our own. I am extremely proud of this group and look forward to next year’s event.” SEJC also invited journalists from around the United States to speak. Those who attended the conferences heard from journalists from the New York Times, Miami Herald, Oxford Magazine, ESPN’s The Undefeated and more.
CLAUDIA YOUNG/THE ARKA TECH Staffers who attended were Amber Quaid, managing editor; Matthew Emery, sports editor; Claudia Young, editor-in-chief; Sam Hoisington, online editor; Tommy Mumert, adviser and Ricci Logan, sports writer.
Student support services offer academic advice BRIANNA DAVIS
Staff Writer
Arkansas Tech offers a program that allows students to have the opportunity to have academic advice, financial literacy, graduate school planning and more. Student Support Services is a federally funded trio program that assists students. Students must be US citizens or permanent residents, and need at least one of the following criteria: first-gener-
ation students of parents who don’t have a 4-year degree, low income to moderate income or a documented physical or learning disability. “Our staff consists of a director and two advisers, and we can all personally identify with our student population,” Lindsey Riedmueller, a student support services adviser, said. “We understand the challenges for this population, so we are passionate about helping students succeed.” The SSS program has tools
for students to succeed in an academic setting and offers students individualized support. “We give students the tools and resources so they can stay in school, do well and graduate with a Bachelor’s degree from Arkansas Tech University,” Lori Wineland, director of student support services, said. “Our goal is to help our students succeed at college and gain the necessary skills to either enter the work force or graduate school.”
LIGHT From Page 1 are unaware of the other countries in the world,” Anwar said. “This event will help students and the community learn about other cultures, and their traditions.” This year’s Light the Night will not only allow students to celebrate the different cultures, but also will be allowing students to help out the Russellville community. “We have decided to
Good Academic Standing and we had a 51% graduation rate.” Other services offered to SSS participants include: help choosing a major, assistance in completing the FAFSA, cultural enrichment trips and exclusive computer lab and study space use. For more information about this program, visit the Student Support Services website at www.atu.edu/sss, or visit their office in Suite 345 of Brown Hall.
LIKEAGIRL From Page 1 take a collection this year to donate back to our community,” Lindsey Ingmire, assistant director for programming and international student adviser, said. “We are encouraging those that attend to bring canned goods to be donated to a local non-profit called River Valley Food 4 Kids.” This year not only is International and Multicultural Student Services getting this event ready, but
they are collaborating with Dr. Siriporn McDowall’s Event Management class for the Hospitality department. “The students in her class are taking on this event as their class project,” Ingmire said. “I couldn’t be more excited to show them all that goes into the planning and execution of this event. I hope they’re able to learn something and enjoy it along the way.”
MICROCABINS From Page 1 thing that they are passionate about. “One of the things I tell people who aren’t necessarily keen about the idea is that if you put people in
Student Support Services is funded to serve 140 students. Students interested in this program must complete an application and interview process. “Admission to SSS is competitive, as we are only funded to serve 140 students. SSS helps connect students with resources and information they didn’t know they were missing,” Riedmueller said. “In the 2015-2016 school year, 95% of our population was retained, 99% maintained
desperate situations, they are going to do desperate things. So if you can do something to take away that desperation then everybody wins,” Reeder said.
More information about volunteering or donating to The Russ Bus can be found online at therussbus.org or by contacting Fred Teague at 479-970-0096.
flyer. There will also be some prizes and pizza. This event is co-sponsored with the Interfraternity Council. On Wednesday, March 8, there will be a salary negotiation workshop from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Doc Bryan Senate Room. This workshop will focus on learning “how to advocate for yourself and research comparable market salaries for a position in any industry,” according to the Women’s Week flyer. Also on Wednesday, there will be a self-defense course with Chief McMillian from 6-8 p.m. in Young Ballroom. This
event is co-sponsored with SAB. After a break on Thursday, Women’s Week events return on Friday, March 10, for a TEDTalk entitled “We Should All Be Feminists.” The talk is presented by Christina Julme, a multi-media journalism graduate student at Tech and a Haiti earthquake survivor. The TEDTalk will feature a “brief history on the origins of feminism,” and will discuss what being a feminist really means. Women’s Week concludes with the Women’s Leadership Conference from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, March 11, in
Rothwell. There will be sessions during this time dedicated to “women’s empowerment, gender inclusivity, professional growth, activism, equity and wellness,” according to the Women’s Week flyer. There will be a keynote speaker for the leadership conference. To attend the leadership conference, students must register on the Campus Life page on theLink. A $15 registration fee is due by Wednesday, March 9. For more information, visit atu.edu, or contact Campus Life at campuslife@atu.edu or 479968-0276.
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.
CONTACT US Office: Energy Center 138 General email: arkatech@atu.edu Ads email: arkatech.ads@atu.edu
Editor-in-Chief: CLAUDIA YOUNG Managing Editor/ Layout Editor: AMBER QUAID
Online Editor: SAM HOISINGTON Copy Editor: AMBER APPLEBY Sports Editor: MATTHEW EMERY Assistant Layout Editor/ Editorial Cartoonist: EZEKIEL MASCUILLI Assistant Online Editor: ELEXIS HARPER Entertainment Writer: RYAN HARMON SportsWriter: RICCI LOGAN Staff Writers:
BRIANNA DAVIS facebook.com/arkatechnews/ facebook.com/arkatechnews/
GABBI CALABRESE
@arkatechnews @arkatechnews
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
THE
BRITTANY WALKER
ARKATECH Faculty Advisor: TOMMY MUMERT
THE OFFICIAL OFFICIAL STUDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER NEWSPAPER SINCE SINCE 1923 1923 THE
THE
ARKATECH
Features/Sports | PAGE 5
More than physics for Musser GABBI CALABRESE
Staff Writer
Dr. Jim Musser has been head of the Department of Physical Sciences at Arkansas Tech for about five years. Even though the number of students on campus is growing and the department is having issues with the load on faculty, Musser strives to ensure that students in the department are receiving the best possible education. “We’ve worked a lot on trying to adapt to best practices in teaching,” he said. “We’re working on getting better at what we do.” Musser emphasizes the importance of quality educators, both in his field and in general. Musser’s first degree was in mathematics, and he worked as a high school math teacher, but, as he pursued his doctorate, learning under good science teachers helped him get where he is now. “Good teachers often inspire people, and that happened to me,” he said. “Specifically about our majors: we’re in areas that are high-need in the state, so physics and chemistry,” Musser said. “There’s a shortage—a national shortage—in teachers, so one of the things we want to grow is the program of teachers; we want to produce more science teachers for high school level.” His dedication to education runs deeper than merely wanting to produce more teachers, though. Musser is passionate about helping others and seeing them succeed. “You make somebody’s day better— you help them solve a problem—and as a faculty member, that’s mostly students,” Musser said. “As a department head, it’s students and faculty. But, at the end of the day, I’m still a teacher. I still really like to
help students.” Musser beamed as he recounted various success stories from his students, proud of the strides they’ve made. With a grin, he stated, “It’s still really nice when you make something work out and you see students go off and be successful, and that’s why we’re here. It really is fun.” Outside of his duties as department head, Musser has been heavily involved with Arkansas Department of Education. He was on a committee that helped write the science courses for the high schools, helped select the licensure exams for high school science teachers, did professional training for high school science teachers, and he is currently in a research project with thirteen states looking at science reform in high schools. He claimed that while some of those tasks are tied in with his research, some are also simply for the sake of service. As a physicist, Musser explained, there are a lot of opportunities available besides teaching, but his job makes him happy; it’s something that he wants to do. “Teaching is something where, I feel like, even now, but when I come to the end of my life I’m going to look back and say I did something that mattered, right? Help young people be successful and grow and develop and stuff,” he said. He also advocated for diversity and the younger generation in college right now, choosing to celebrate what the generation does well and learn from it. “Your generation is accepting in ways that previous generations haven’t been. You’re much more tolerant of differences and celebrating diversity, and that’s a big deal. That’s a really big, big exciting thing. So that’s one of the things I really brag about your generation about,” he said.
PHOTOS BY CLAUDIA YOUNG/THE ARKA TECH Dr. Jim Musser, head of the Department of Physical Sciences, strives to ensure that students in the department the best possible education, despite the fact that the amount of students on campus is growing and making it more difficult on faculty members.
Wonder Boys win streak ends, second seed in GAC tournament RICCI LOGAN
Sports Writer
Jalissa
Gum Player of the week (Combined Stats)
• 14 innings pitched • 0 earned runs allowed • 26 strikeouts • .471 batting average
The Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys will face the Southern Arkansas Muleriders in the opening of the Great American Conference Championship Tournament on Thursday, March 3, at 9 p.m. The Wonder Boys are the No. 3 seed going into the tournament. The Wonder Boys are coming off a three-point loss, 76-73, to the East Central Tigers last week, which put an end to their 11-game win streak. The Tigers scored the first four points, but the Wonder Boys quickly scored six points to take their first lead, 6-4. The Wonder Boys would go on a 6-2 run over the next 2:30 to take a four-point lead, 12-8. The Wonder Boys soon after went on a 10- 0 run, taking a 19-8 lead with 11:35 left to play before halftime. Grant Prusator, from Rochelle, Illinois, hit a three-pointer from the parking lot to extended the lead 22-10. Prusator struggled in the game, scoring only three points and going 1 for 5 from the floor and 1 for 4 from three-point range. The Tigers fought their way back, cutting the lead within four, 29-25 with 4:49 left before halftime. The Wonder Boys pushed their lead back to eight with two back to back baskets, but the Tigers made a layup on the next possession to go down by six, 33-27 with 3:37 remaining. Both teams would trade baskets the rest of the half, but Justin Graham,
RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Justin Graham from San Antonio, Texas pulls up for a jump shot in the first half against the harding Bison on Feb. 13. from San Antonio, Texas hit a jumper with four seconds left to take a 38-37 lead at halftime. Graham scored eight points going 2-8 shooting from the floor and 0-3 from the three-point line. In the first five minutes of the second half, Alex Brown, from Vernon, Florida, hit a three-pointer to give the Wonder Boys a seven-point lead. Brown went 2-4 from three-point line scoring eight points. Freddy Lee, from Clarksville, hit a three-pointer to give the Wonder Boys a double-digit lead, 62-51 with 11:40 left to play in the game. The Tigers came out of a media timeout, going on 6-0 run. After a Wonder Boys’ basket, the Tigers went on another run of 5-0 to go down by two, 64-62, with 9:10 remaining. The Tigers tied the game up at the 64-64 at the 7:27.
Trevin Woods, from Sugarland, Texas, hit a three-pointer to give him 20 points in the game and extended the Wonder Boys’ lead to 67-64 with 6:44 play. Woods scored 26 points on 8-17 shooting from the floor and grabbed seven rebounds. The Tigers answered quickly scoring five points to go down by one, 70-69 with 3:17 to play. Woods hit his eighth three pointer of the game to go up by 73-69 with 2:03 left in the game. The Tigers narrowed the deficit to two points, 73-71 with 1:10 left in the game. The Tigers tied the game up 73-73 with a second chance layup. The Tigers would take the lead for good on a dunk. The Wonder Boys would fall again to Southeastern Oklahoma 89-81 in their final regular season game.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
PAGE 6 | Entertainment
Long lost Kiss music, video lost for a reason RYAN HARMON
Entertainment Writer The idea was perfect: Kiss doing a concept album, like Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” or Alice Cooper’s “Welcome To My Nightmare.” The result was far from perfect. “Music From ‘The Elder’” was the ninth studio album from the legendary rock band, and though the band had big ambitions for the album, it wasn’t meant to be. The band’s label, Polygram Records, didn’t get behind the album, and all promotional plans were killed, including the music video for the song “I.” The video was finished but never released, until now. “Kiss My Boots,” a podcast devoted to Kiss audio and video bootlegs, recently purchased the video (though they did not disclose where they got it), and premiered it on a special episode. Although it was exciting to see a longlost Kiss music video, I can see why it was lost. The setting for the video is based on “The Fortress of Solitude,” from the “Superman” comic books, and it’s a perfect fit for the theme of the song and the album. Unfortunately, this is the only time
the word “perfect” will be used to describe the video. There are two main problems with this video, the first being the cringe worthy stage moves from front man Paul Stanley. Rather than sticking with some of his signature stage moves, Stanley seems to just be jogging in place while snapping his fingers, almost similar to “The Carlton” dance from “The Fresh Prince of BelAir.” An even bigger problem is the audience. Kiss has never been a band for the “hip crowd,” and early fans could tell you countless stories about how the popular kids never accepted Kiss. In this video, everyone in the audience looks like they’re at a Michael Jackson show. Nice watches and bright clothing don’t mix with the denim and leather that would usually be found in a Kiss audience. At one point, the band even sits on the shoulders of audience members, and that’s when it’s even more obvious that it’s like oil and water. The video will probably be taken down soon, due to copyright laws and the simple fact that the band never wanted it to be seen.
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One shift, 12 hours, the life of a nurse AMBER APPLEBY
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Some YouTube users have been uploading copies of the video, so even if the original gets removed, you might still be able to watch it. Search for “Kiss My Boots” on YouTube to find the show’s channel page. Many people have wondered why it wasn’t included in one of the “Kissology” sets, which included concerts, music videos and promotion-
al appearances from the band’s long career. To be honest, I don’t even understand why it wasn’t included. Regardless of how the band feels about it, it’s still an important part of its history. “The Elder,” despite its low popularity, was one of several albums where Kiss reinvented itself. Not to mention, it was the first album to feature the late, Eric Carr,
who replaced the original drummer, Peter Criss. Personally, I’m glad the new owners decided to publish the video. Fans have wanted to see it for a long time, and had it not been for this recent purchase, it may have never been seen. If you’re a fan of Kiss, it’s worth watching. It may not be the band’s brightest moment, but Kiss is still “the hottest band in the world.”
'Maximum Ride' – more mediocre than maximum GABBI CALABRESE
Staff Writer
As a largely analytical person, guilty pleasure films make me feel especially guilty. I get conflicted when I’m watching a movie, recognizing all the reasons I should not be enjoying it, but then loving it in spite of myself. This is the predicament I faced while watching “Maximum Ride,” directed by Jay Martin (based on the novel “Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment” by James Patterson, which I’m not particularly fond of). “Maximum Ride” follows a motley crew of six extraordinary children who have the ability to sprout wings and go for a joy ride in the sky. Living isolated and unsupervised, the kids are hiding from the scientists who want to find them and drag them back to the laboratory they grew up in for experimentation. That is, until the menacing lupine-like Erazers capture Angel, the youngest of the children, and the rest of the crew heads to the lab to rescue her. To say the special effects are shoddy would be an understatement. The fight scenes are wholly unconvincing. The acting, at times, is cringe-worthy. On top of all that, there are tired tropes coming out of the wazoo. I, for
one, have certainly seen enough of the “I want to be a normal teenager” take in film. And yet, I became much more engrossed in this film than I intended. Maybe it’s because I pushed play expecting to hate it, but I also think that it’s partially because some of the characters are likable, despite their ridiculous names. Max, the ringleader, is stubborn and sassy with a good heart, which is exactly how I like my female characters. Iggy doesn’t let his blindness stop him from saving the day, and Gazzy is interesting with his affinity for bomb-making. I couldn’t help but root for them as they used their unique skill sets to escape every scrape and Big Bad Villain they encountered. I’ll admit, though, I wish we were given a bit more from some of the other children, namely Nudge and Angel, because there was nothing to make me care all that much about them. Another thing I enjoyed about “Maximum Ride” is that, while there are hints of romance, it is nothing overpowering, which can be rare in teen movies. This movie focuses more on camaraderie and loyalty. When I reached the end of the film, I found myself hoping for a sequel because I wanted to know what happened next to this group. I would, by no means, classify this as a
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good movie, but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t keep my interest throughout. Sometimes, I guess, it only takes some mediocre form of entertainment to escape from reality, and that’s what “Maximum Ride” accomplished for me.
Lloyd dissappoints with only one enjoyable song BRITTANY WALKER
Staff Writer
Last spring, Atlanta’s own, Lloyd, released a five song EP entitled “Tru – EP.” Critics are calling Lloyd the R&B survivor because of his 2016 hit single from the EP “Tru”. The song gave an introspective look into his life. After years of not putting out any music, the lyrics reveal that he is showing a different approach to an old dream, a dream that he will never let go of and will stay true to. After taking the time to hear his new EP, I was a bit disappointed because the only song I actually enjoyed was “Tru,” which is the first song on the project. I thought the vibe for the rest of the EP would give me the same passionate feeling the first single. But it didn’t. The second song “Heavenly Body,” which features rapper Rick Ross in the chorus and third verse.
He’s basically singing about how he admires his girl’s poise. This track is beautiful because he doesn’t just say what he wants to do to his lover but tells her why he loves everything about her. Rick Ross’s verse puts the cherry on top. For those of you who don’t know, Lloyd is featured on Young Money and Lil Wayne’s rap collective (made up of Drake, Nicki Minaj and Tyga) hit back in 2009: “Bed Rock.” Lil Wayne and Lloyd teamed up for the third track called “Holding.” I love the instrumental because you can hear real instruments like guitars, drums and bass. Although this song is no “Bed Rock,” he talks about how he wants his girl to feel comfortable in his arms no matter what, which is about the same concept “Bed Rock” was on. Lil Wayne delivers an exciting verse; it’s great to see these two team up again to make another classic.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
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The next song “Excited” makes me want to dance as soon as the beat comes on. It gives me a 90s feel, and will probably give you the same feeling considering the beat is a sample from The S.O.S. Band’s “No One’s Gonna Love You.” I guess this song was either a throwaway or something to get loose to when you’re jamming with your friends. Overall, I have a feeling this
EP is just a little taste of Lloyd’s actual album that will be coming out real soon. Although I was a little disappointed by the fact that the rest of the project didn’t have the same aspects of “Tru” he still gave the listener a song for the ladies, something to dance to and a single that will make you love his lyrical talent, charming character and sensual delivery. I give this EP a solid 7 out of 10.
Nurses. I would say that we have all, at some point in our lives, been around a nurse, have known a nurse or have been treated by a nurse. Nurses are more than probably the backbone of the American medical system, and Theresa Brown shows this so very clearly in her book, “The Shift: One Nurse, Twelve Hours, Four Patients’ Lives.” I will readily admit it: I picked up this book because I have become slightly obsessed with “ER.” You probably know the show as the ground-breaking television series that pretty much all other doctor shows are based on (Yes, that includes “Grey’s Anatomy”). I am still enchanted by the life of Dr. John Carter and his relationships. I was hungry for a book about a hospital, and this one was recommended on Amazon. Brown received her PhD in English before undergoing a career change and becoming a nurse in a teaching hospital where she works in the Oncology/Hematology department as a registered nurse (oncology refers to cancer, and hematology refers to blood diseases). College professor to nurse is a jarring change, and it’s something that Brown discusses throughout her book. Her book fascinated me. As you’re reading, you can clearly see that she uses literary ideas to give the reader some level of knowledge about her day-to-day life and to perfectly shape her reality, which is often not a nice place. Brown’s book explores just one shift. Twelve hours. In that time, Brown deals with a patient on the brink of death, a patient whom everyone loves and a patient whom everyone really hates. On top of caring for patients, she has to navigate doctor-nurse relations, nurse-patient relations and, because this is a teaching hospital, nurse-intern relations, and she conquers all of this with the infallible enthusiasm of any great nurse. I would encourage you to read this book. It will make you think, it will make you appreciate nurses more and it will force you to realize just how short of a time span twelve hours is, especially if you’re juggling other people’s lives.
Sports | PAGE 7
Golden Suns ready for GAC tournament RICCI LOGAN
Sports Writer
The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns have been named the No. 2 seed in the Great American Conference championship tournament. The tournament will begin on Thursday, March 2, as the Golden Suns will face the No. 7 Ouachita Baptist Tigers. Tip off will be at noon. The Golden Suns will enter the tournament coming off a loss to the East Central Tigers, 67-55. The game started in a back and forth manner, as both teams traded baskets in the first quarter. The Golden Suns held a 13-11 lead, with 3:39 left in the first quarter. The Tigers hit 3-pointer to take the lead 1413 at the 2:34 mark, and soon after pushed their lead to three points 18-15. In the opening minutes of the second quarter, Taylor Ely, from Norman, Oklahoma, hit a three-pointer from the right wing to tie the game up at 18-
18. Ely scored eight points in this game going 2-3 from threepoint range. The action between both teams continued as traded baskets in the second quarter. The Tigers took their biggest lead of the game with a 3-pointer, 26-22, with 5:31 left before halftime. Anissa Pounds, from Kotka, Finland, ended a scoring drought for the Golden Suns hitting a three pointer, with 2:26 left to play in the second quarter. Pounds led the team in scoring with 14 points; she went 5-9 shooting from the floor and 4-6 from three-point range. Calli White, from Fort Smith, hit another three-pointer on the next possession to give the Golden Suns the lead, 28-26. White struggled to get it going in this game, going 1-6 shooting from the floor and 1-5 from three-point line. The Tigers quickly responded with a three-pointer of their own and another basket to take a 31-28 lead at halftime. Coming out at halftime, the
Tigers quickly went up nine, taking a 39-30 in the first three minutes. Danielle Franchiseur, from Wickes, made the Golden Suns’ first basket of the half at the 4:27 mark in the third quarter, making the score 39-32. As the game went on, turnovers would plague the Golden Suns. The Tigers forced 18 turnovers in this game, and scored 16 points off those turnovers. Going into the fourth quarter, the Tigers were up by eight points, 47-39. Cheyenne North, from Gallatin, Tennessee, made a lay-up to go down by nine, 54-45, with 6:49 left to play. The Golden Suns cut the lead to six points with a 3-pointer from Pounds. The Golden Suns would not overcome the deficit, losing this game. The Golden Suns woes continued when they suffered another loss to the Southeastern Oklahoma Savage Storm this past weekend, with a final of 71-63.
RICCI LOGAN/THE ARKA TECH Cheyenne North from Gallatin, Tennessee gets to the basket in the second half against the Harding Bison on Feb. 13.
Golden Suns return to form, Gum breaks career strikeout record MATTHEW EMERY
Sports Writer
The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns will open play at Chartwells this weekend against the Ouachita Baptist Tigers. The four-game series will begin on Friday at 3 p.m. After a back and forth start to the season, the Golden Suns started Great American Conference play last weekend against the Northwestern Oklahoma Rangers, where they enjoyed a 4-0 series sweep. Jalissa Gum, from Red Rock, Oklahoma, made Golden Suns history in the second game of the doubleheader on Friday, becoming the all-time leader in strikeouts for the Golden Suns. For her encore on Saturday, Gum threw a complete game shutout, while tying a career-high with 16 strikeouts, in a 5-0 win over the Rangers.
MATTHEW EMERY/THE ARKA TECH Sydnee Clark from Redfield started game two of the doubleheader on Saturday. Gum was backed up by fellow Oklahoman, Bailey Shaffer, from Guthrie,
Oklahoma, who went 2-4 on the day with 2 RBIs, both coming from a single in the
seventh inning which started a rally to extend the lead for the Golden Suns. The second game of the Saturday doubleheader was a much more offensive affair with the Golden Suns coming out on top with their highest score of the season, 12-5. Gum filled up the stat sheet again, this time offensively, going 3-5 with 2 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Megan Goodnight, from Cabot, had a successful day with the bat, going 3-4 with three runs scored. Morgan Vaughan, from Bella Vista, picked up her team leading fourth win of the season for the Golden Suns, going five innings, scattering seven hits and allowing no runs. The first weekend of GAC play leaves the Golden Suns tied for first in the conference, tied with the Southern Arkansas Muleriders, with conference records of 4-0.
Wonder Boys sit atop GAC after early season sweep NOAH DELASHAW
Contributing Writer
After finishing 3-0 last weekend against the Northwestern Oklahoma Rangers, the Wonder Boys will travel to Arkadelphia to take on the Ouachita Baptist Tigers in a three-game series starting Friday at 2 p.m. The Wonder Boys, 8-6 and 6-0 in Great American Conference play, will challenge the Tigers, 5-9 and 3-3 in Great American Conference play. The Wonder Boys are currently sitting on top of the GAC standings while the Tigers are ranked No. 4. The Tigers are also coming off a sweep going into the weekend. The Wonder Boys finished the weekend with a sweep of the Rangers. “Mentally, we’re focused,” said
Kadem Tharp, assistant head baseball coach. “They are in the right frame of mind.” The Wonder Boys won the first of three games 1-0, scoring only a single run in the third inning. In the low scoring game, Kyle Wilson, from Flagstaff, Arizona, pitched a complete game, with only four hits allowed and 11 strikeouts. “He came out and just filled the zone up,” said Korey Thompson, from Bryant. “He gave us a chance while we weren’t swinging that well.” Thompson had the single run for the night off a single from Marcus Wilson, from Bryant. In the two remaining games, the Wonder Boys won 9-3 and 9-2 against the Rangers. Dylan McDearmon, from Greenbrier, led the of-
fense in the second game of the weekend, batting 4-4 with two doubles and a home run. Trent Armstrong, from Waxahachie, Texas, pitched five innings, getting eight strikeouts in the 9-3 win. In the final game for the weekend, Geoffrey Birkemeier, from Papillion, Nebraska, pitched a no hitter through five innings. Jesse Harbin, from Jacksonville, came in the final inning to close with one strikeout. Mark Vaughn, from Salina, Kansas, and Zack Klockowski, from Tinley Park, Illinois, each had three RBIs. Klockowski hit a home run giving him six on the season. With the three RBIs, Klockowski sits at the top of the GAC with 19 runs batted in, and tied in home runs with six.
Golden Suns tennis opens season undefeated in singles, doubles RICCI LOGAN
Sports Writer
The Arkansas Tech Golden Suns will face the Dallas Baptist University Patriots on Saturd ay, March 4 at 9 a.m. at Chartwells Women’s Sports Complex. The Golden Suns are
off to a 6-0 start after defeating the John Brown University Eagles 9-0. Teresa Sanchez, from Tomball, Texas, and Annabel Rowlands, from Wigan, England, won No.1 Doubles match in straight sets, 8-0. Haleleigh Long, from Rogers, and Vandella Suico,
from The Woodlands, Texas, also had a great showing in doubles, going 8-2. Kami Ward, from Hot Springs, and Maria Vlaskina, from Moscow, Russia, also went 8-2 in doubles matches. Sanchez and Ward both picked up wins in single matches, winning in straight sets.
SINGLES COMPETITION Teresa Sanchez (TECH) def. Taylor Russell (JBU) 6-0, 6-0 Annabel Rowlands (TECH) def. Eva Berry (JBU) 6-1, 6-0 Kami Ward (TECH) def. Julia McNeill (JBU) 6-0, 6-0 Haeleigh Long (TECH)
def. Clare Holden (JBU) 6-0, 6-1 Vandella Suico (TECH) def. Grace Cusick (JBU) 6-1, 6-0 Maria Vlaskina (TECH) def. Claire Griffin (JBU) 6-1, 6-1 DOUBLES COMPETITION Teresa Sanchez/Anna-
bel Rowlands (TECH) def. Taylor Russell/Eva Berry (JBU) 8-0 Haeleigh Long/Vandella Suico (TECH) def. Caitlin King/Grace Cusick (JBU) 8-2 Kami Ward/Maria Vlaskina (TECH) def. Clare Holden/Julia McNeill (JBU) 8-2
This week in Tech sports THURSDAY 3/2/17
WBB vs Ouachita Baptist. Bartlesville, OK, Noon.
FRIDAY 3/3/17
BB @ Ouachita Baptist. Arkadelphia. 2 p.m. SB vs Ouachita Baptist. Chartwells. 3 p.m. SB vs Ouachita Baptist. Chartwells. 5 p.m. MBB vs Southern Arkansas. Bartlesville, OK. 8 p.m.
SATURDAY 3/4/17
WTEN vs Dallas Baptist. Chartwells. 9 a.m. SB vs Ouachita Baptist. Chartwells. Noon. BB @ Ouachita Baptist. Arkadelphia. Noon. SB vs Ouachita Bapists. Chartwells. 2 p.m.
WBB vs TBD. Bartlesville, Oklahoma. 2:15 p.m. MBB vs TBD. Bartlesville, Oklahoma, 8 p.m. BB @ Ouachita Baptist. Arkadelphia. TBD.
SUNDAY 3/5/17
MGOLF @ Las Vegas Desert Classic. Nipton, California. All day.
WBB vs TBD. Bartlesville, Oklahoma. 1 p.m. MBB vs TBD. Bartlesville, Oklahoma. TBD.
MONDAY 3/6/17
MGOLF @ Las Vegas Desert Classic. Nipton, California. All Day. WGOLF @ SNU Diffee Ford Lincoln Invitational. Edmond, Oklahoma. All Day.
TUESDAY 3/7/17
WGOLF @ SNU Diffee Ford Lincoln Invitational. Edmond, Oklahoma. All Day. WTEN @ Ouachita Baptist. Arkadelphia. 1 p.m. BB @ Delta State. Cleveland, Mississippi. 3 p.m.
WEDNESDAY 3/8/17
BB @ Delta State. Cleveland, Mississippi. 3 p.m.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017
PAGE 8 | Community
d o o F l u o y S a d n u S PHOTOS BY AMBER QUAID
TOP: A plate of food filled with some of the items offered during Soul Food Sunday, an event that shows that food can bring people together. ABOVE: Brenda Spencer, Tech alumnus, sings a solo with the United Voices of Praise during their performance at Soul Food Sunday. RIGHT: Bettye Williamson, with United Voices of Praise, serves food to Tech students, which includes items such as fried chicken, green beans and chicken spaghetti. BELOW: Students lined up to fill their plates to the brim with "home cooked food."
Numerous desserts such as ooey gooey cake and strawberry shortcake were served.
THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2017