Pg. 4 Getting Hired
Pg. 2 Construction Updates
Friday, Jan. 20, 2012
Vol. 78 No. 14 www.asurampage.com
UC basement ‘resurfaces’ after August flood Repairs: Staff
members move to renovated rooms Dana Choi Editor-in-Chief
Photo by Mark McDaniel
Students resume work in the Center for Student Involvement. The office is finally back in working order after being flooded by several feet of water in August.
Public art to be added to campus Committee: Addition of art complies with mandate
The Center for Student Involvement Tuesday will celebrate its relocation to its old home, the University Center basement, which was restored shortly before winter break. “The CSI Resurfaces” will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. at the garden level of the UC, where staff members will hold activities and show off the renovated basement
rooms. The CSI moved back to the Garden Level, or basement, Nov. 30 from the second floor of the University Center after its semesterlong repairs. “This wasn’t the best of situations, but it was the best under the situation,” said Nolen Mears, executive director of Student Life and Student Services. “We appreciate the support from the UC staff, making the rooms available and helping us out while we’ve been dislocated due to the flood.” He said the basement now has new furnishings
“ ” Our coaches emphasize to the team the importance of our defense, and how it is a team effort.
Over the winter break an advisory committee made up of university faculty, staff and students approved a new art project that will add two pieces of art to the ASU campus. A 20-foot tall stainless steel sculpture reminiscent of a double helix DNA structure will be placed near the University Mall close by Plaza Verde residence hall. Roger White Stoller of San Jose, Calif. will construct the sculpture. The total cost for the double helix piece is $375,000.
Sophomore Lauren Holt
Artwork
pg. 3
Photo by Pam Belcher
ASU considers trimester system Rallo: System would offer more indepth summer courses
Lisa Dees Managing Editor With summer 2013 the earliest ASU could look into a trimester system, President Joseph C. Rallo is encouraging the university to consider three full semesters. “The next two year funding cycle will be set in summer 2013, so we don’t want to jeopardize that by changing how we schedule classes,” Rallo said. “That’s why if we decide to do something differently with summer school it would not happen until after 2013.”
See Trimester pg. 3
Welcome , r start a e y back! Newfresh
See Staff pg. 3
‘Belles Roll Over Texas A&M Commerce 61-50
Dillon Brollier Staff Writer
See New
that he thinks will make the area more user-friendly and inviting to students. “We encourage everyone to come by and visit the students and staff down there and get involved with activities on campus,” he said. “I want people to come down and take a look at our setup and what we have to offer.” CSI office coordinator Michelle Adams said now that the staff members have their own offices again, they are able to talk to students
Senior Center Paige Weishuhn (No.30) Saturday, Jan. 14, goes up for the rebound against Texas A&M-Commerce.
Stephen Cogan
Basketball: Girls play tough on court
Sports Editor Defense is the name of the game that the Angelo State Rambelles (9-7) play. Head Coach Sally Brooks, the 12-year coach for the girls, preaches about defense to her players and how defense will win games at Angelo State. “Our coaches emphasize to the team the importance of our defense, and how it is a team effort,” sophomore center Lauren Holt said. “Our team takes pride in our defense, and understands how crucial it is to winning basketball
10 after averaging 8.5 rebounds per game over two wins for Angelo State that week. “I was surprised and excited to hear the news because defense is my favorite part of basketball,” said the 6’3 center that has 18 blocks and 10 steals throughout this season. Other defensive standouts include: senior center Paige Weishuhn, who leads the team with 23 blocks, junior forward Morgan Youngblood, who has 23 steals, and freshman Haylee Oliver, who has 11 blocks and 17 steals. The Belles have had 11 games where they held the opponent to less than 60 total points, and against Eastern New Mexico, they allowed just 31 points. The Belles’ last home game was against Texas A&M-Commerce, and the defense allowed 50 points, never relinquishing the lead the entire game. Lauren Holt quickly made an impact with an early 3-pointer and an assist to get five quick points on
games.” It is hard to disagree with See ‘Belles Coach Brooks when her team has pg. 6 missed the playoffs only once in 11 previous seasons and averages the scoreboard. 20 wins and 10 conference wins per year in the Lone Star Conference. The defensive philosophy also produces awards as Lauren Holt was chosen as the Lone Star Conference’s Photo by Pam Belcher Defensive Head Coach Sally Brooks meets with team during a timePlayer of the out. Week on Jan.
Staff Editorial: “Life Lessons Learned” pg. 5 Review: “The Devil Inside”
pg. 4
Songs of the Week
pg. 4
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
January 16, 2012
NEWS
Page 2
Friday, January 20, 2012
Project to improve lighting, safety progresses Checklist: About 60 lighting issues on campus partially addressed
Candis Johnston Contributor Dana Choi Editor-in-Chief The Facilities Maintenance continues the process of completing a list of lighting repairs and additions, which has been in progress since late October. Jay Halbert, director of Fa-
cilities Management Operations, said there were about 60 items on the list of lighting issues. “The first thing we did was complete the 25 to 30 minor ‘work order’ issues, such as changing light bulbs, trimming trees and simple repairs,” Halbert said. The other major issues, which could need up to half a million dollars of funding, will be prioritized and completed as the funding is provided, Halbert said. Since some issues have been addressed, students may
Events Calendar Jan. 20 Angelo State Athletic Hall of Honor Dinner and Induction Ceremony at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 SARL Running Series, Race 1 at 8 a.m. Spring Transitions Program at 10 a.m. Jan. 23 Staff Senate Meeting from 3 to 5 p.m. IM Basketball Officials Training from 5 to 7 p.m. Jan. 24 El Cafecito at 9 a.m.
have noticed some differences. “There used to be little to no light on the mall, but I have seen more lights added that have made me feel a tad bit safer walking around at night,” sophomore Elizabeth Fontenot said. Student opinions about feeling safe on campus after dark seem to be split. “I feel safe on campus at night,” senior Justin Dale said. “There are some parts of campus that could use extra lighting though, particularly behind the cafeteria.” Fontenot said, “On a scale
of one to ten, ten being the safest, I would say I feel about a four or five.” Jay Story said he thinks the parking lots could use more lights, especially considering the number of car break-ins every semester. “It gets pretty dark out there, and I want to be fully confident…that my vehicle is safe,” Story said. Facilities Maintenance is completing the projects as materials and funding become available, so there is no official deadline, Halbert said. “Some of these projects
Some construction projects complete, some ongoing Continuing: Replace rigging in auditorium, move pavilion
Dillon Brollier Staff Writer Some of ASU’s constructions projects made progress over the winter break. Construction on all residents’ buildings for Plaza Verde has been completed, Facilities Planning and Construction Director John Russell said. The workers have started to move furniture into the
clubhouse and the students will have use of this facility when they return for the spring, Russell said. The workers still have some work to do on the grounds. The workers have been hindered lately by the weather, but there is hope to complete that project by February, he said. “We have come in under budget for Plaza Verde,” Russell said. “The initial costs for Plaza Verde were around $35 million and we have completed the project a little under $32 million”. Russell said the comple-
Conversation Partners from 1 to 2 p.m. Trumpet Masterclass with Dr. Bryan Appleby-Wineberg from 2 to 3 p.m. IM Basketball Officials Training from 5 to 7 p.m. Basics of Bookkeeping from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Civil War Lecture Series: Gettysburg at 7 p.m. Itramural Basketball Registration Meeting and Basketball Sign Up from 7 to 8 p.m. Guest Recital: Dr. Appleby-Wineberg at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 25 IM Basketball Officials Training from 5 to 7 p.m. UCPC Monthly Movie Series: Real Steel at 6 p.m. Hiring and Retaining Good Employees from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Harlem Globetrotters at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 El Cafecito at 9 a.m. Marketing 101-Know Your Market from 6 to 8:30 p.m.
Submit request to post event to rampage@angelo.edu by 5 p.m. Tuesday for Friday publication
Photo Illustration by Pam Belcher
Photo by Mark McDaniel
Contractors wrap up constuction on Plaza Verde with only minor aesthetic landscape changes left.
tion of Plaza Verde will transition into the next construction on campus. About the time we finish with Plaza Verde we will move on to moving the pavilion closer to the Food Service Center in February, Russell said. “Moving the pavilion is actually part of the Plaza Verde project,” Russell said. By moving the pavilion from just in front of Plaza Verde to in front of the food service center we want to create some landscaping and to allow the Food Service Center and the University Center to greater utilize the pavilion and improve programs overall, Russell said. Moving the pavilion should also help open the end of Plaza Verde to the Campus Green. The Campus Green is the area across from where the pavilion is currently located to give students a place where they can enjoy being outdoors and to open up the campus. The pavilion relocation project will come in at an estimated $500,000, and will be completed by fall 2012, Russell said. The MCS exterior renovation project started last December. We are replacing the stucco face on the building, Russell said. Stucco is used as decorative coating for walls and is often used to cover visually
unappealing construction materials such as concrete and brick. “The weather has affected us significantly on this project,” Russell said. The original completion date was the end of February, but the actual completion date will be mid March because work cannot be done while it is freezing or raining outside, Russell said. There are a few minor construction projects that are in planning stages right now, Russell said. “Right now we are soliciting engineers and contractors for various things to take care of mainly this summer,” Russell said. Most of these projects are scheduled for the summer and costs are expected to be under the $5,000 mark per project, Russell said. “Our most notable project would be to replace the rigging in the auditorium so that they can again be used,” Russell said. The rigging system includes pulleys for the curtain, mounts for speakers and lights, and mechanisms needed to quickly change sets during performances. “The rigging system’s out of date and does not conform to code so we are accepting proposals to replace that rigging system and we hope to have that completed before the fall semester,” Russell
Committee to recommend ‘strong visionary leader’ Search: Staff
vost and vice president for academic affairs by the end of position to be filled May. Lisa Dees Dr. Martha Sleutel, FacManaging Editor ulty Senate President, is chair of the committee, which President Joseph C. Rallo includes faculty from each announced Jan. 6 the forma- academic college and reption of a 15-member search resentatives from each vice committee responsible for president’s division. Indirecommending a new pro- viduals from Athletics, Staff Senate, Student Government, the community, the Texas Tech University System Board of Regents and the TTUS Chancellor’s Office are also on the committee. The committee must build a job description for a provost, who serves as the chief academic officer for ASU and is second in command to the Applications available at president. The will Ram Page office, room B324 committee advertise the pothird floor of the sition nationally Porter Henderson Library in February and March. “The provost guides the For more information: direction of the rampage@angelo.edu quality of all aca942-2323 demic programs
The Ram Page is Hiring We are looking for: features editor staff writers circulation manager story contributors
and collaborates with other vice presidents on campus,” Sleutel said. “This is the most pivotal position on campus because of leadership and the direction of academics, which is what [ASU] stands for.” Sleutel said the potential provost should have vision, the ability to make decisions with solid judgment, and the skill of collaborating with other leaders on campus. The committee will develop a list of the top 10 candidates in April and conduct phone interviews with each applicant. Before spring commencement in May, the committee will invite the top three candidates to campus, with an offer being made to the best candidate. “This is an attractive position at a rewarding institution where we can do a lot,” Sleutel said. “We’re at a point where a strong visionary leader can take us to the top. Top quality leadership can bring out the best in ASU and bring us to a higher level.” Sleutel said the committee met for the first time last week to lay out the job description and to discuss how to best advertise the position. There are some leaders of the university in the committee, but it is heavily focused on faculty, Sleutel said.
“We want a lot of different voices and a lot of different candidates for the [position],” Rallo said. “At the end of the day hopefully we will have a great candidate.” Faculty appointees are Dr. Roberto M. Garza, College of Arts and Sciences; Dr. Jamal G. Husein, College of Business; Dr. Kimberly Livengood, College of Education; and Dr. Susan E. Keith, College of Health and Human Services. Representatives from the vice presidential divisions are Dr. John M. Wegner, Academic Affairs; Kimberly D. Adams, Development; Maggie Pepper, Finance and Administration; and Michelle Bennett, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. Kathleen Brasfield, Athletics; Patrick Dierschke, Staff Senate; and Hector Romo, Student Senate are also serving on the committee. Jean Ann LeGrand is serving as the community representative. Regent Nancy Neal will represent the TTUS Board of Regents, and Dr. Tim Hudson, TTUS vice chancellor, will serve as an ex-officio member of the committee. Since June, Dr. Brian J. May, ASU’s graduate dean, has been serving as interim provost and vice president for academic affairs.
NEWS
Friday, January 20, 2012
Staff comfortable in renovated basement
Trimester would offer students more flexibility Continued from Page 1 ASU has vacant buildings during the summer, he said. The school wants to use tax payer’s dollars as efficiently as possible. “We already have summer school, but can we do it better?” Rallo said. “Trimesters would allow more summer courses, but not necessarily following the same model or template as the fall and spring semesters.” Rallo said if ASU switched to a trimester system, it should only affect students positively. Trimesters would offer greater flexibility to college students, as well as high school graduates. College students could graduate earlier if they took advantage of the optional full summer semester, he said. High school graduates would have the option of beginning college in the summer instead of waiting until fall. “People could get twice as much done in the summer, and I think it’s better for those who want to graduate early,” freshman
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Continued from Page 1
Haleigh Arent said. Students could learn more with a full summer semester, whereas learning is more crammed with two short summer semester, she said. Sophomore Duncan Knox said he thought transitioning to a trimester system would positively affect ASU as long as the system didn’t negatively impact the fall and spring semesters. Rallo said he feels the pros outweigh the cons of moving towards a trimester system. Despite the flexibility and options that a trimester system offers, some drawbacks might include marketing and redesigning costs, realigning space usage and costs associated with more classes offered, he said. ASU needs to explore the trimester system to see if it makes the institution more responsive to student needs, Rallo said. If it allows student and faculty greater options, the system is something to think seriously about.
and not bother faculty and other staff members. “Working in the basement, we have more room to accommodate students,” she said. “We all have our own offices back so we have privacy again.” More than 20 people work in the renovated basement, she said. Junior Viviana Torres, vice president for UCPC marketing, said that, even though the second floor of the UC was crowded, staff members were able to bond with each other. “But we still wanted to move downstairs because that’s our home,” she said. “We’re more comfortable downstairs.” Torris said some students had trouble visiting the CSI throughout the fall semester because not everyone knew about its relocation. She said she saw students trying to get into the UC basement, not knowing that CSI was temporarily moved to the second floor. Mears said the UC staff had known from the beginning that the basement would not be usable for most of the semester because of the timing of the flood and what all had to be done afterward. The UC basement was flooded Aug. 13 with four to five inches of water.
It cost $400,000 to $450,000 to restore the basement, Mears said. That included the costs of the initial water extraction, the demolition and reinstallation of sheet rock, flooring and carpeting, new furniture, and elevator repairs. The elevator took about eight weeks to fix because it needed parts that had to be shipped in, Mears said. Elevator repairs finished in late October, about two months after the flood. The new furniture cost about $80,000, Mears said. “We obviously would’ve liked to be [back] there earlier, but this is what we expected,” he said. After the UC basement was restored to operational condition, staff members still had to orga-
nize everything. Coordinator for Student Organizations Heather Valle said it took about two months to unpack everything that had been moved upstairs, place new items and reorganize items that were in storage. She said they spent much of winter break getting everything ready. “We wanted to make sure everything was good to go on the first day of school,” Valle said. The CSI consists of University Center Program Council, Leadership Programs, Student Organizations, Greek Life and Community Service.
Photo by Mark McDaniel
Junior Viviana Torres works at her new desk in the CSI, which has been back at the UC Garden Level since December.
New artwork to reflect facilities’ goals The first one is the rams in front of the Junell Center that were donated to us, and the eagle that is along Johnson St. was also a donation,” Russell said The committee set design guidelines in their proposal for what they want the artwork to represent. “We want the artwork to reflect the goal of each facility, so to do that we gave the artists a list of probable locations for the artwork,” Russell said. The addition of the artwork is to comply with a mandate made by the Texas Tech Board of Regents. “When we joined the Texas Tech system, the Board of Regents mandated that 1 percent of our project costs of any project over a half of a million dollars be spent on public art,” Russell said. Student fees for the facility will cover the funds for the piece that will be placed by the CHP. Likewise, the fees charged for
Photo Courtesy of Texas Tech Public Art Committee
A model depicts “Evolving Helix”, which will be installed on the mall in January 2014.
Continued from Page 1 Joaquin Palencia of the Philippines will create a red ribbon of steel that symbolizes movement through its arching loops and swirls, according to a university released newsletter. The piece, “Kinesis,” will be
placed near the CHP. The total costs for, “Kinesis,” is $60,000 “These pieces have been commissioned specifically for ASU,” Facilities Planning and Construction Director John Russell said. “We have two other pieces of large public art.
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is scheduled for delivery in January of 2013, and the other piece is to be delivered one year later in January of 2014. There will be an advi-
sory committee meeting in Lubbock this weekend to discuss possible pieces of artwork to go near the Porter Henderson Library.
Photo Courtesy of Texas Tech Public Art Committee
“Kinesis” will be installed between walkways near the CHP in about a year.
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room and board will cover the piece that will go by Plaza Verde. The idea of adding artwork to the campus has sparked many different reactions. “The artwork is cool, but I think it’s a waste of money,” junior Connie Riddle said. “There are other things we can use that money for and if we want some artwork then let’s give our art students a chance to show off what they can do.” “As long as the work is aesthetically pleasing and relates to the school in some way I think it can be a good thing for ASU,” sophomore Sally Gore said. “I am all for it,” junior Jeff Barrett said. “We need a little something to make the campus not as dull.” The artwork will be constructed at the respective artists’ studios and will be transported to San Angelo, Russell said. The “Kinesis” piece
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Page 4
FEATURES
Getting Q&A Hired
with Career Development
To create more opportunities and open horizons, people aim to expand their education and build vocational skills. Going to school is not the only requirement, though, but a step in increasing one’s chances of obtaining a fulfilling career or job. For some students, graduating and looking for work may prove to be a challenge. The Getting Hired series will, hopefully, help introduce ASU’s resources such as Career Development to students to enable a smoother transition into the next chapter of their life. Dana Choi: What is the most commonly asked job search-related question?
Part 1: Getting Started
Julie Ruthenbeck: There is a wide variety of questions, but one common question students ask is when they should start their job search. Most students haven’t started their job search until they graduate. Students who start their job search before they graduate are in the best position. December graduates who haven’t started their job search run into the hiccup of holidays when employers aren’t thinking about hiring. May graduates who haven’t started searching have already missed the recruiting cycle. Either way, their timing is off. DC: What resources does ASU provide to help students to find work? JR: We offer various resources, including job search engines such as Monsters and Indeed, on our website. On the website, students can watch videos, which are only three to four minutes long and tailored specifically to help with job searches. We also have a system we purchased, called Jobs4Rams. Students register, create a profile, and upload their resume, which the Career Development staff views to make sure it meets criteria of employers. If the uploaded resume needs work, the staff can work with the student and offer tips on how to improve it. Once students have access, they can sign up for oncampus interviews and search postings for full-time, degree-required positions. ASU belongs to a consortium of a few colleges so, for example, if an ACU employer posts a job on the system, he can make it viewable and open to ASU students. We have more jobs coming in than some people think. DC: What kind of references do employers look for? JR: To some extent, it depends on the job. The vast majority of employers want to speak with somebody who can vouch for the potential employee’s work ethics and skills. If you’re going to be a teacher, I’d want to talk to somebody who has seen you teach and who can speak on your professionalism and your management of the classroom. As a potential employer, I’d want to speak to someone who can vouch for you in relevant work. Those are the references you want to primarily use. As a general rule of thumb, I tell students to have three to five references. It doesn’t hurt to give employers a couple of alternates just in case. Now, not everyone has directly relevant references. Some students can’t come up with three references because they don’t have a lot of work experience— they may have worked in the same place for many years. So it doesn’t hurt to have one of the references
Movie Review:
‘The Devil Inside’ Being a fan of documentary and “found footage” movies, The Devil Inside was something I was looking forward to. This movie, being filmed as a documentary, is intended to show the viewer just how difficult exorcisms are supposed to be. In the beginning, text apZach Daniel pears that makes it very clear Contributor to the viewer that The Vatican wanted nothing to do with this movie. You shouldn’t either. It appeared to me they were trying really hard to make a believer out of the average skeptic. Whether your beliefs are religious, paranormal or non-existent, The Devil Inside will certainly not alter your views. The exorcism and possession bit has been vastly overdone recently and this movie is no shining jewel amongst the rest. Aside from the irritating camera angles and simplistic dialogue, there is no real terror to be found. As far as the plot goes, it was very scattered, unorganized, and overall a train wreck. The abrupt ending will leave you so infuriated; you might actually become something of a demon yourself. Beginning the credits with an advertisement for a website with information about the “real story” turns this monstrosity into a 90 minute promotion campaign. Overall the movie was entertaining, though not in the way it was intended to be.
2/5 stars
Friday, January 20, 2012
be a character reference. Regardless, when you’re using references, you need to ask for their permission first. I usually tell students to make sure references are comfortable giving a positive recommendation. You don’t want any surprises later. DC: Should we list every single job or experience on a resume, or should we only list whatever is relevant to the job? JR: The thing with resumes is everybody’s story is different. Ideally, people graduate with a lot of relevant experience, but most students aren’t going to be in that situation. They might have some relevant experience, but it’s not going to fill the page. Plus, you want to account for the years some students had to work to pay for college. They need to be given kudos for that. It’s tough to juggle all of their responsibilities, so we encourage students to include all experience, but separate them into relevant experience and additional work experience. The additional work experience would go into a lot less detail. DC: How important is GPA to employers? Do student organizations and involvement on campus matter to them? JR: It really depends on your area. Of course, if you’re going into teaching you need a minimum GPA of 2.5 become a student teacher and you need to maintain a 2.5 to get certification. If you want to work for a Big-Five company, then a 2.5 is not going to cut it. The higher the GPA the better, obviously, but then there are also other things to factor in. Employers like to hire people who have a range of experience, whether it’s on or off campus. There’s an assumption, right or wrong, that if you’ve been involved on and/or off campus, you’ve probably improved your communication skills, your leadership skills, your organizational skills and so forth. These are transferrable skills every single employer’s looking for. If all you have is a fantastic GPA and you have zero work experience, employers are going to be a little cautious. There has to be a balance; employers want to hire the whole person. DC: How difficult is it for people with just bachelor’s degrees to find jobs? Is it worth it to pursue an even higher education? JR: There are certainly industries and professions where an advanced degree is not going to do much for your paycheck. Then there are other professions where you’d better pursue more education, otherwise you won’t have the credentials. If you want a higher-level accounting position, you’d better go after the five-year program, because that’s what employers are going to expect. Many people who want to become computer analysts will get their bachelors and do just fine. It just depends. I would encourage students to have their career goals in place and then determine whether the master’s is going to be worth the time, money, effort and sacrifices. Sometimes the answer will be “absolutely”. But with other career goals…maybe not. Julie Ruthenbeck is the director of Career Development. The Career Development office is in the University Center at Room 107, open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. www.angelo.edu/services/career
Music Review:
Slave Me Scorpions
Patrick McKeown Contributor Banapple Gas (Live from Majikat) Cat Stevens Originally from his album “Numbers”, Cat brings the extra amount of funk to the live version from Majikat. With the wispy swaying of the guitar and keyboard jingle, this track is guaranteed to become stuck in your head at some point. Banapple Gas is a wonderful drug that gets better every time you hear it, and is sure to make you laugh along with the Cat.
Did this song come out a year ago or did I hear it on my cassette? Bringing the hard and heavy back, the Scorpions have never lost their way. From the day they all rocked us like a hurricane until today’s raunchy guitar slam about women, these guys just keep it coming. Although this was their farewell album, they went out horns high. Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa Vampire Weekend It is hard to be in a bad mood after relaxing to this island tune. Vampire Weekend are legends. Years from now people will call this a classic, because it is. With simple drums and a guitar riff that has its own life, I cannot describe how majestic their sound is. Bands don’t make
music like this and they never will, for Vampire Weekend is miles ahead of any competitor. Coven Tree Blood Ceremony Heavy Metal has a new instrument, and it is a flute? That’s how Blood Ceremony rocks out. Sabbath riffs with the vocals of a young rising female who jams on the flute. Coven Tree pounds from their sophomore album and thus proving they are here to stay, so air guitar or air flute, to metal’s new queen. Satisfied Tom Waits “Satisfied” is a monster of a groove with Tom crawling all over it with his dusty, rusty cigar smoke-soaked vocals. With a swagger and style that couldn’t be matched by a country mile, it is easy to sing along with Waits and be satisfied.
OPINIONS
Friday, January 20, 2012
Page 5
Life Lessons Learned
Web
Straight from the www.asurampage.com
Staff Editorial
With the beginning of the spring semester, most students may feel much older and wiser than they did in August. For those students who are new this semester, or the students who slept through the first few months of school, the Ram Page staff would like to share what we personally learned, in hopes that it will save you some trouble in the new year. First of all, students should get a planner. In our opinion, an electronic planner won’t help unless an alarm is going off every time an assignment is due. Even for students who rarely miss important appointments, tiny slip-ups can cost you. We also know that keeping planners doesn’t necessarily mean things will get done on time. Procrastination is not the answer. With the exception of those students who thrive on 2 a.m. cram sessions for tests, dividing and conquering projects is usually the best way to get a satisfying grade while remaining as stress-free as possible. Additionally, distractions can be powerful inhibitors. Students should manage time wisely. If you want to spend an hour on a paper and then have a 10-minute break, devote your attention completely to the assignment. It’s best to stay away from social networking sites until your break.
Another bad habit students get into is not giving themselves time to get to class, whether they’re leaving a house, apartment or dorm. With ASU’s limited availability of parking spaces, most students will have to get to campus 10 to 15 minutes earlier than they normally would. With this time, they can either wait for a parking space patiently or park on the other side of campus and still have time to walk to class. No matter how long students have griped about parking, it doesn’t look like there will be any immediate solution. We’re simply going to have to wake up earlier and come to campus sooner. When students find parking spots, many do not want to leave to get food. Students who live off campus, but spend most of their day on campus, rarely think to brownbag it and end up paying for expensive fast-food, or unsatisfying food from the vending machine. This can hurt both resolutions to stay fit and save money. This next piece of advice has been drilled into most students since the time they had 8 o’clock bedtimes: Don’t stay up so late that you can’t function the next day. Students may be in subconscious rebellions against their parents, but at this point, the fight is futile.
Too many academic and health risks are involved in this undertaking to prove independence. Bow out of the fight and get to bed at a reasonable time. For those students who buy textbooks on campus, we encourage you to wait a few days before opening the packaging, to find out if you really need them. Within an allotted time, you can take them back to the bookstore for a full refund. This knowledge will hopefully alleviate some of the pain you feel when you sign that sales receipt the first weekend here. Keep hitting the books hard all the way through the semester. Just because you have an A doesn’t mean you can let up on the studying because your grades will suffer. You only get grades worth the effort you put in, and As are easier to lose than to gain.
We also believe that it is important to check your email multiple times a day. For the most part, if a professor sends you a message before class, whether it is an hour before or three days before, he or she expects it to be read. Missing messages can result in missed assignments, or even your showing up to a cancelled class. Try to stay active. If you normally walk to class, don’t start driving because you’re tired. If you work out every night, try to stay in that routine. In college, things can get crazy, but your personal health should always stay a priority. We hope that the things students learned in the fall will make for an easier spring semester. College classes aren’t the only things that prepare us for life, and we appreciate life’s little lessons.
Poll results 8%
Yes
15% No, I’m too busy 54% No, I don’t have business there 23% What do they do there?
This week’s poll Did you make some new semester resolutions? Yes Yes, but I’ve already broken them. No, it’s a waste of time.
?
Vote online at www.asurampage.com
What’s on your mind comment vote letter to the editor column
Sidewalk
Survey What do you think about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)?
“I think it is ridiculous. It takes away our basic freedom of speech.” Jillian Valle, freshman
Ram Page Staff
2011-2012 Angelo State University
“I don’t like it because it doesn’t seem fair.”
Joseph Elkins, freshman
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Ariel Blagg, freshman
“Who has the right to limit what we view? This could limit a lot of our rights.” Omar Davila, freshman
“I guess it is a good thing, because I don’t do anything wrong on the Internet. ” Kiana Wright, freshman
Stand up for your rights
Editor: Dana Choi Managing Editor: Lisa Dees Copy Editor: Victoria Lacy Photo Editor: Pamela Belcher Sports Editor: Stephen Cogan Staff Writer: Dillon Brollier Photographer: Mark McDaniel Advertising Manager: Sara Beth Terral Adviser: Dr. Cathy Johnson Ram Page ASU Station #10895 San Angelo, Texas76909-0895
“You can’t censor the Internet. The idea to try to stop piracy is good, but the implemention is bad.”
Mark McDaniel Photographer My thoughts on SOPA: The Great Awakening. As I am sure you are well aware, something has been quite amiss on the Internet lately. Profile pictures have been changed and dissenting social statuses loom on the pages, not to mention the blackouts. Google, Wikipedia, Imgur, Reddit and many other websites, “went black,” on Wednesday in protest of two congressional bills, SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (PROTECT IP Act). These online antipiracy bills are now making their way through the House and Senate respectively. As many people are beginning to realize, if these bills are passed, it could put the internet we have come to know and love in serious trouble.
The concept of this legislation is simple. If a website contains content that violates copyright laws, even if it contains links to such material, it can be shut down, no questions asked. If you look at websites like Google or Reddit, whose sole purpose is to provide or host links to other material on the Internet, this could prove fatal. This has the potential to be a direct threat to free speech on the Internet. In true American fashion, We the People have thrown a massive fit over the idea of someone taking away one of the many comforts we enjoy on a daily basis. After all, we believe it is our natural right to browse the Internet and express ourselves as we choose. I am very pleased to see that so many people are up in arms about something they care about. However, I think is a little too late to start screaming about our rights. Now, don't get me wrong, I believe that it is very important we stand up to Big Brother, and fight to maintain our freedom of expression through the Internet, but what truly concerns me is that widespread, pas-
sionate and well-targeted protests of this kind have not caught on sooner. For years, our government has been whittling away at our constitutional rights, but only recently has it come into focus as the danger it really is. If you take a look at the rights they have blatantly violated, it is quite disturbing: The Patriot Act, the individual mandate of ObamaCare, and the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act to name a few. If you don’t know how these pieces of legislation affect our rights, or even what they are, my point is proven. Our own government has duped us. They have fooled us into believing we are experiencing liberty at its greatest. As Americans, we value our rights and feel we have a duty to stand up for our freedoms, but if we are not aware they are being taken from us, how can we defend ourselves from tyranny? I think that as a result of these online protests, people are beginning to see that big government doesn’t work, and only serves to oppress the nation and cripple our already ailing economy. I think the recent outrage over SOPA and
PIPA is only the beginning of a great awakening. We the People are finally starting to open our eyes to the fact that our government is failing us, failing to protect our rights, and failing to uphold their oath to the Constitution that makes our nation great. According to CNN’s online guide entitled SOPA 101, “If the goal of these protests was to get people talking, that sure seems to have worked.” And people sure are talking. The blinders have been lifted from our eyes, and we have shown we are not willing to sit idly by as our government puts our constitutional rights in jeopardy. This is only the tip of the iceberg. If we do not act now, we will see just how far our government is willing to deviate from the Constitution and limit our rights as citizens. I challenge you to stand up, not only for the right to browse the Internet and to freely post the pictures of what you did this weekend, but to stand up for the rights that have been swept under the rug. Demand that our government should recognize not just one of our rights, but all of them.
SPORTS
Page 6
Friday, January 20, 2012
Rams snap losing streak with 87-67 win Basketball: Boys
earn first conference win Stephen Cogan Sports Editor
Photo by Pam Belcher
Senior LaDonn Huckaby (No, 5) Saturday takes a shot against the Texas A&M Commerce Lions
The Rams (7-11) ended their eight-game losing streak, and won their first conference game of the season with a commanding 87-67 win over the Texas A&M-Commerce Lions. “We’re excited. It’s good for us, our guys have been working hard,” Rike said. “We’ve lost a lot of close games and sometimes when you lose games like that back to back, in succession, guys have a tendency to get their heads down, and I was worried about our guys, but they kept fighting.” The Rams fight included several key 3-pointers througout the game Senior forward LaDonn Huckaby, who led the team in scoring with 17 points, had four 3-pointers. Freshman guard Justin Walling had three, junior guard Javae King-Gilchrist had two and senior guard Joey Lenox had three for a combined total of 12 3-pointers for the Rams. Lenox said he received extra motivation from an opposing taunt. “That kind of stuff always motivates me,”
Week at a Glance
Friday, Jan. 20 said Lenox. “It does get under TRACK my skin, but I @ Texas Tech Open (Lubbock) know I’m going -TBA to keep playing hard and go at it.” Saturday, Jan. 21 Texas A&M TRACK Commerce se@ Texas Tech Open (Lubbock) nior forward -TBA Desmond King stole the ball WOMEN’S BASKETBALL early in the first Abilene Christian 5:30 p.m. period from Lenox who was MEN’S BASKETBALL dribbling past Abilene Christian 7:30 p.m. the half court line and then decided to do Tuesday, Jan. 24 some high-step WOMEN’S BASKETBALL showboating Texas-Permian Basin 7 p.m. before finishing the layup. According Wednesday, Jan. 25 to Lenox, beWOMEN’S BASKETBALL fore the game, @ Texas 7 p.m. Coach Rike said they had King Kong on their back The schedule indicates with this eightgame losing that six of the seven home streak. Now it is over. games are conference Lenox said the team games, but these Rams will now focus on turn- are looking to make every ing this win into several contest go into the win with seven of their last 10 column. games at home where they Nine of the 10 remainare 5-2 at home, but win- ing games are conference less on the road with an games, so the team that 0-8 record and 2-1 on neu- has a 1-8 conference retral courts. cord could still make the “Seven of our last 10 playoffs with a possible 17conference games are at 11 record. home.” Rike said. “We’ll There is optimism and make the playoffs if we hope brewing in the Rams take care of home court. locker room at Junell CenYou get in the conference ter and if you’re a fan, you tournament; anything can should be smiling. happen.”
Angelo State to remain in NCAA Division II Sports: University will not change to Division I
Stephen Cogan Sports Editor Over the Christmas break, Angelo State University concluded six month’s worth of discussion and debate over a
possible move to NCAA Division I athletic level and have decided that ASU will stay in Division II. ASU thought of the idea after several major athletic conferences started realigning and ASU decided to assess its own direction and brought in Dr. Cedric Dempsey, president of
the NCAA from 1994 to 2003, to help evaluate ASU’s financial and competitive status. “As the landscape of intercollegiate athletics was rapidly changing, we feel like the process was a good exercise,” ASU President Joseph C. Rallo said. “We were able to identify both our strengths and some areas
of improvement and now have a better understanding of what it will take to better serve our studentathletes, and campus and area communities.” Rallo said that examinations of ASU’s finances revealed that the school’s budget is not enough to make a transition to Division I. ASU’s athletic budget is measured at
an estimate of $4.5 million while most schools in Division I Southland Conference have budgets in the range of $10 million which is more than double the amount of ASU’s. According to the release, the Southland Conference’s budgets were compared to ASU’s because it would take an invite from the confer-
ence in order for ASU to move to Division I. “The financial investment required for ASU to move up to Division I is daunting,” Dempsey said in the press release. ASU will stay in Division II’s Lone Star Conference where it has been since 1982 and compete there.
‘Belles defend home court Continued from Page 1 the scoreboard. The Rambelles had a 38-20 lead at the half, but let up on Commerce who attempted a comeback but fell short at the end. “We played a good first half, then we kind of let up when we got the big lead,” Brooks said. “But we held it together and won the game; played good defense for the most part and I’m pretty happy with our defensive effort.” Center Paige Weishuhn was 6-21 with
no 3-pointers and one free throw to lead the team with 13 points, but she is a much better player than that. “I felt like I was rushing a lot of my shots and a lot of my moves,” Weishuhn said. “Sometimes I was expecting backside help and they weren’t there so I’d go up too strong and what not. My shooting game wasn’t on tonight.” Weishuhn made up for missed shots with three blocks, two assists, and a steal to help out on defense. The Rambelles record now is 9-7.
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Photos by Pam Belcher
Freshman guard Devon Wilde (24) Saturday prepares to pass the ball against Texas A&M-Commerce
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Letter from the Sports Editor
Photo by Pam Belcher
Junior Stephen Cogan, sports editor
My name is Stephen Cogan. I am the new sports editor for Ram Page and I intend to continue the excellent success that my predecessor established. Sports is my life. I cannot go a day without thinking about sports or remembering a personal sports memory, so this is a dream come true for me. I want to make it clear to all athletes that the sports section has a new sheriff that has a strict
policy when it comes to reporting. I will not give preferential treatment to any program, whether it is football or baseball or women’s golf, just because it may be a more popular sport. Put simply, the teams that win will get their due credit--no exceptions. I look forward to meeting the athletes at ASU and I plan to have a lot of fun watching them compete and succeed here.
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