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DAWN OF A NEW ERA

THE SHORTHORN

COLLEGE PARK CENTER | FEBRUARY 2012

COLLEGE PARK CENTER A Whole New Ballgame Pg. 18B — The College Park Center has revitalized the campus and planted the seed to re-energize the city of Arlington.

A Bold Vision

OTHER FEATURES

Pg. 6B — President James Spaniolo made his vision for UTA a reality.

The Craftmaster Pg. 8B — David Skaggs customized the multi-use venue just for UTA.

Courting UTA The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

‘If you build it, we will come’

FEBRUARY

Two years ago, the east side of campus was a simple parking lot. Today, there’s an enormous events center with every state-of-the-art luxury a state college could ask for, an eco-conscious green space that exemplifies the sustainability effort UTA continues to push forward and a nearly completed retail district that’s expected to bring apartments and commerce to the university — all under the unified name College Park. But none of it would have happened without the center, which finally gives the basketball and volleyball teams a home court to be proud of — something they never truly had with Texas Hall. Men’s basketball coach Scott Cross told reporters if Texas Hall caught fire, he’d, “Call the fire department, but I wouldn’t help put it out.” And that’s from a die-hard Maverick. I didn’t grow up a UTA Mavericks fan like Cross did. Not by any means. As an avid sports enthusiast, I followed every team the local Dallas-Fort Worth media covered, but that hardly included UTA. It was rare to see anything about the Mavericks on the sports page or TV. The Mavericks weren’t just second fiddle, but nearly fifth. I wanted to go to UT-Austin because I grew up as part of Burnt Orange Nation. But after a military stint and a basic understanding that UT-Austin wasn’t realistic, I enrolled at UTA, my mother’s alma

2012 | 2B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

Pg. 28B — Meet the couple who gave $1 million to their alma mater.

Pg. 3B — The College Park District Pg. 4B — From the Ground Up Pg. 5B — College Park Center Compared

Pg. 10B-13B Inside The College Park Center A complete look at the inside of the center to provide total access throughout the arena.

Pg. 14B — Not A Bad Seat in the House Pg. 26B — Texas Hall: A Retrospective Pg. 31B — College Park Art

STAFF LIST Samuel L. Morton Editor-in-Chief editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Natalie Webster

mater, in fall 2009. I enjoyed being at a university that got me out of the community college rut, but I knew I was sacrificing the collegiate sports experience that I grew up wanting to be a part of. There wasn’t a football team to root for, and the basketball and volleyball teams played on a stage in an auditorium. I figured I’d never get to feel the intense spirit an NCAA program is supposed to have. Now, UTA finds itself with one of the premier basketball facilities in all of NCAA basketball at a perfect time to transition into a bigger conference for the first time in school history. The worst seat in the house has a perfect view of the game. We’re seeing more headlines with “UTA” in them than we have before, and it would be awfully embarrassing if nobody came to see the marvelous facility that has risen before our eyes in just two years. I have no doubt that it will be filled to capacity during Wednesday’s grand opening, and I hope people will start becoming true Mavericks fans. I’ve become one, and I sincerely hope people turn the College Park Center into one of the most feared places for opposing teams to play at in all of NCAA basketball. As a Maverick fan, I know we’re the key piece missing from our quest to become the “Gonzaga of the South.” They built it. It’s time for us to do our part. — Sam Morton

Managing Editor managing-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Shelly Williams

Edna Horton

News Editor news-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Assistant News Editor assistant-news.shorthorn@uta.edu

Johnathan Silver

Lindsey Juarez

reporter

Jose D. Enriquez III Design Editor design-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Olamilekan Mabayobe

Lorraine Frajkor page designer

page designer

Betty Rodriguez

Jacob Bloom

graphic designer

Bryan Bastible Copy Desk Chief copydesk-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Christina Miranda

Francisco Villarreal

copy editor

Josh Bowe Sports Editor sports-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Michael Eldridge

Randy McVay

reporter

Michael Minasi Photo Editor photo-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu Casey Holder

Erika Dupree

photographer

Ben Ohene photographer

Stephanie Goddard photographer

Bianca Montes Features Editor features-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Taylor Cammack

Steve McDermott

Online Editor online-editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

webmaster webmaster.editor.shorthorn@uta.edu

Daniel Kruzic

Bree Binder

Student Ad Manager admanager@shorthorn.uta.edu

Campus Ad Manager campusads@shorthorn.uta.edu

The Shorthorn News Front Desk: 817-272-3661 News after 5 p.m.: 817-272-3205 Advertising: 817-272-3188 Fax: 817-272-5009 UC Lower Level Box 19038 Arlington, TX 76019 www.theshorthorn.com The Shorthorn cover photo: Michael Minasi

FIRST COPY FREE ADDITIONAL COPIES 25 CENTS THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT ARLINGTON 93RD YEAR, © THE SHORTHORN 2012 All rights reserved. All content is the property of The Shorthorn and may not be reproduced, published or retransmitted in any form without written permission from UTA Student Publications. The Shorthorn is the student newspaper of the University of Texas at Arlington and is published in the UTA Office of Student Publications. Opinions expressed in The Shorthorn are not necessarily those of the university administration.

College Park District NORTH AND SOUTH PARKING GARAGE Students, faculty and staff can park in 1,100 new parking spaces in the north College Park garage at UTA Boulevard between Pecan and Center streets. The garage opened in August. First Baptist Church Arlington uses 150 spaces Monday through Saturday and 400 on Sundays. The church donated 1.5 acres of its land for UTA to use for the College Park District in exchange for parking garage use in a 30-year agreement. The south parking garage, which will add another 700 spaces, is expected to open this fall.

THE GREEN AT COLLEGE PARK

APARTMENTS, RESIDENTS AND RETAIL

COLLEGE PARK CENTER

The College Park District will be home to not only students but also nine retail spaces expected to open by August. There are 27,000 square feet of retail space, consisting of college-oriented shops. There are expected to be restaurants, salons, and other businesses that cater to a college environment, although the shops will be open to anyone. As of press time, no contracts have been signed to lease retail space. Residence halls above the retail spaces will house 600 students in an apartment complex located on the College Park District property.

The College Park Center is a $78 million special event facility designed by HKS Inc., the same architecture company that designed Cowboys Stadium. It can seat up to 7,000 people. Private donors have donated more than $8 million to help fund it. This is part of a $10 million philanthropic effort for the center by the university because only $68 million was paid in system bonds.

South of the College Park Center is the Green at College Park. The green is a lawn area for people to gather and attend outside concerts, block parties and other events. The area connects to the city’s Center Street Trail system and features a curved stone wall that offers seating, paving materials made from recycled bottles that will allow water to permeate, native grasses, adaptive plants and a dry creek bed that will help manage rainwater and storm-water runoff that drains into Johnson Creek.

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Park North

Park Central

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Lipscomb Hall

Vandergriff Hall

Moritz Plaza

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Lipscomb Hall Lot

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The Lofts

UTA Boulevard

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Pecan Street The Shorthorn: Jose D Enriquez III

WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

| 3B | FEBRUARY 2012

From the ground up

The Shorthorn: File Photo

EXCEL Campus Activities, among a few other student organizations, broke ground at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new special events center east of Arlington Hall on March 5, 2010.

On March 5, 2010, the first shovel dug into the grass between Center and Pecan Street to begin the process of constructing the College Park Center. Six hundred ninety-eight days and $78 million later, the monumental structure is finally open for business. The Shorthorn tracked the progress of the center’s construction over the 698-day period to give you a short timelapse of what was then, and what is now. The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

Jan. 25, 2012

March 5, 2010

UTA opened the College Park Center’s doors to the press on Jan. 25 for Media Day. David Skaggs, HKS vice president, and Pete Carlon, former UTA athletics director, led two tours of the facility as its official opening approaches.

March 1, 2011 The College Park Center was about

The Shorthorn: File Photo

The College Park Center, located between Pecan Street and Center Street, on Dec. 7, 2010.

Dec. 7, 2010

30 percent complete on March 1, 2011. The Shorthorn: File Photo

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FEBRUARY

2012 | 4B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

Congratulations, Mavericks! We are proud to have contributed to the success of College Park Center.

College Park Center Compared College Park Center

American Airlines Center

601 S. Pecan St. Arlington Seating capacity: 6,750 (concert), 7,000 (basketball) Opened: 2012 Cost: $78 million

2500 Victory Ave. Dallas Distance from UTA: 22 miles Seating capacity: 19,200 (basketball), 18,500 (hockey), 12,500 (concerts) Opened: 2001 Cost: $420 million

Courtesy: Stephanie Alexander

Daniel-Meyer Coliseum

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

Courtesy: TCU Athletics

2900 Stadium Drive Fort Worth Distance from UTA: 19.5 miles Seating capacity: 8,500 (concerts), 7,156 (basketball) Opened: 1961 Cost: $1.45 million

Dee Glen Smith Spectrum

Courtesy: Utah State University Athletics

FEBRUARY

900 N. 900 E. Logan, Utah Distance from UTA: 1,404 miles Seating capacity: 10,270 Opened: 1970 Cost: $3 million

2012 | 5B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

Spaniolo: We thought big and bold University president talks about the College Park Center and plans for the future purposes, and I thought that was one of the big pieces that was missing. One of the things it’s going to do is make us feel proud. That’s a good feeling. Do you think the College Park Center would be a reality if Cowboys Stadium wasn’t brought to Arlington? I think it would. I don’t think our progress is dependent on Cowboys Stadium being here, but I think Cowboys Stadium has helped accelerate our progress. It’s also served as a sort of inspiration to us. The one thing the Jones family did was think big and bold. As I look at College Park, I feel like we learned something from Cowboys Stadium. It encouraged us to think bigger than we might otherwise have thought.

The Shorthorn staff

When James Spaniolo took over as UTA president on Feb. 1, 2004, he made it a priority to bring a special events center to the campus. Eight years to the date, the College Park Center is a reality on the east side of the campus. Spaniolo sat down with The Shorthorn to discuss the College Park District and tell us more about the process.

THE SHORTHORN: UTA has added the Maverick Activities Center, the Engineering Research Building, Campus Edge apartments and now the College Park District. To what do you attribute all these things popping up in eight years? JAMES SPANIOLO: I just think it’s good timing. UTA was on the verge of taking a big step forward eight or nine years ago. The campus has changed tremendously in the last decade. What I saw when I came here about eight years ago was a university that didn’t realize how strong and outstanding it really was. There’s a tendency in the UT System to live in the shadow of UT-Austin. People tended to think, “Well, we’re just UT Arlington.” But we’ve come to the realization that UT Arlington is getting stronger every day. Some manifestation of that is physical on campus, some of it is in our faculty and some of it is in our students. You know, when I started here, it was rare to see students wearing UT Arlington clothing. It’s not rare today. That’s an indicator that there’s a lot more activity and lot more life on campus. It’s been all of us working together to help UT Arlington live up to its destiny. We’ve got a long way to go, but we’re making progress. For decades, people have talked about getting the basketball teams out of Texas Hall. How did you get it done in the short time you’ve been here? I know it’s been on people’s wishlists for some time. I talked to someone on pick-a-seat night we had at the College Park Center who had been here since FEBRUARY

The Shorthorn: Stephanie Goddard

President James D. Spaniolo stands in front of the College Park Center before it officially opens on Feb. 1. Spaniolo played a key role in bringing the center to life in the eight years he’s been here.

the ‘60s. They said they’ve been waiting for something like this since the ‘60s. We were just fortunate that the timing was good, and we had a good partnerships with the city and the community. It was just a confluence of events and circumstances that made this the right time.

Park Center. Then we thought about turning it into something bigger than that, which ended up being residential living, retail [and] a welcome center. So what we ended up doing was create a whole new dimension of the campus and helped be a catalyst for reviving downtown.

How does the College Park District design differ from your original vision? We’ve always talked about the special events center. We originally thought it would be in the South 40 parking lot. Then we thought about having it out by the [Arlington] Convention Center when Glory Park was on the agenda. That didn’t happen, but a lot of people said, “Why don’t you consider doing something right next to downtown?” That was good advice. In retrospect, I can’t think of a better place to have the College

How involved was UTA with the city of Arlington in order to make the development of downtown Arlington what it is today? Did you and Mayor Robert Cluck sit down and have a gameplan on what you wanted to do? We’re close partners, and we talk a fair amount. But we didn’t develop any great scheme other than I shared with him and other members of city council what our hopes and dreams are for College Park. We shared with them every step of the way what we were planning to do and they shared with us what

2012 | 6B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

the possibilities were in the city. It’s a broad base of community partnerships, not just the city. Mayor Cluck is a great partner, but it’s more than the mayor. It’s the city council, the chamber of commerce, First Baptist Church, Mission Arlington and Mission Metroplex because we’re all neighbors. The more we work together, the stronger the community we’ll have. Why was the College Park Center such a big initiative for you? I thought it would meet so many different needs on campus. It would promote and advance the athletic program. It would be a place where we could do commencements. It’s a place where you can do large gatherings and have concerts. I’ve been on other college campuses,and I’ve seen the role that convocation centers and arenas play. A modern arena serves so many

Is there any dialogue with the city about getting more sidewalks in the area around the College Park District and making it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists? We have to wait until we open. This is the beginning. There will be tweaks and there will be new features added. But right now we’re just trying to get this thing finished. I think the College Park Green is a very good pedestrian destination. Once we open, we’ll be talking with the city and be constantly looking for ways to make it more attractive with an eye on people’s safety and the security of the area. We’re going to have a police substation in College Park. But, you know, it all won’t work perfectly at first. We’ll see things that make us think, “Why didn’t we think of that?” and over the next year or two, think you’ll see fine-tuning take place. If you had to pick one detail about the College Park Center, what would you say is your favorite? The seating arrangement. For 7,000 people, it’s going to be an intimate environment for concerts, commencements, speakers. I have not been to game at Cameron [Indoor Stadium] at Duke [University], but it seats about 9,000 and it is electric in there for basketball. I think that on Feb. 1 — we expect to

continued from page 6B

have the College Park Center filled that night — you will be amazed at how electric and how loud it is. Once the College Park District is finished, what are the next plans for the university? We’re just going to take a collective deep breath for a while. Our planning is ongoing, but we don’t have any major projects in the works right now. We’re doing a lot of replacements and renovations. The projects we’re doing are smaller in scale right now. The next construction project we have planned over the next few months is the YWCA day care center we’re going to build over across from Midtown. That will start shortly. What do you see for the future of Texas Hall? Ideally, I’d like to see Texas Hall become a venue for the performing arts. We’d like to eventually do some renovations to Texas Hall, but just not having to schedule events

How does College Park District play into the goal of Tier One? To me, the facility is a metaphor for Tier One. Tier One institutions have facilities that look like what we’re doing with College Park. I believe College Park will help us recruit more and better students because it would be a more attractive destination for students. Our academic profile is improving each year, our freshman classes are getting stronger than the ones before. It also helps in recruiting and retaining our faculty, so we will have a complete campus in an area that is increasingly attractive in downtown Arlington. When I came to UTA, it seemed to me that what Arlington was missing was a college town. We feel like more of a college town than we did eight years ago. The College Park District is intended to help accelerate the transformation from being a university in a town to a college town.

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Designing a dream A collaborative effort makes the construction of College Park Center a reality, says architect David Skaggs The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn talked to David Skaggs, College Park Center architect and vice president of HKS Sports and Entertainment Group, about some of the building’s unique features and how it was pulled all together.

features a creek bed that always has a trickle of water from the air-conditioning system. During a rain, the stream flows through a series of landscape filters and into the retention pond in the park where it is, for the most part, absorbed back into the earth.

THE SHORTHORN: What Was it the architect’s was the inspiration idea to add these for the design? Other designs features, or was it D AVID S KAGGS : The by HKS the university’s? inspiration for the It was the vision Sports and project came from the of the university first visioning session Entertainment from the beginning that we had with the Group to strive for a LEED UTA administration, Silver certification where we determined for the building. • Cowboys Stadium that the project would Once that vision was • Lucas Oil Stadium aspire to be an instant cast, it was a total • Apogee Stadium, campus landmark that team effort from UNT would create a sense of the administration, • Amon G. Carter pride, environmental to the architect and Stadium, TCU leadership and comconsultant team, to • Rangers Ballpark munity for UTA while the contractor to • Pizza Hut Park creating a significant plan and execute connection to the City that path. of Arlington. On a more specific level, it was extremely important that Did they plan for crowd control the building have the right re- in the building design? Such as lationship to its site. We wanted moveable walls that can filter the design of the building to the crowds inside or outside the respond to its natural environ- building? Crowd and traffic control ment on the park side while maintaining the integrity of the are very important to the safety of the building occupants and campus grid on the other. for the overall fan experience. What green features and sus- Special attention was paid to tainable features does the build- the creation of outdoor function spaces along Second Street ing have? The most unique sustain- that allow free flow of spectaable feature, in my opinion, is tors from the surrounding areas the way that the landscaping to the arena. Once inside, the along the east side and into venue features a distinct lower the park absorbs and filters the and upper seating bowl, as well storm water on the site. The as generous concourse widths landscape essentially acts as a to facilitate the movement of porous sponge that soaks up pedestrian traffic around the rainwater rather than allowing building. it to run off into the sewer system. The landscape design also Were the seats made smaller to FEBRUARY

2012 | 8B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

David Skaggs, HKS Sports and Entertainment Group vice president, stands with the College Park Center in the background. Among the center, HKS also designed Cowboys Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., and Apogee Stadium in Denton.

accommodate more seats? The seats were not made smaller. The treads are deep for generous leg room and the minimum seat width is 20 inches wide for the general seating areas and up to 22 inches wide at the premium seating areas. This is consistent with newer arenas that cater to the spectators’ desire for increased comfort. Was it designed specifically to compete with other activity centers in the area? As a multi-use venue, it was designed to compete with other facilities of similar size in the region that host commencement ceremonies, concerts and a variety of other events. Is there any other sports arena that it can be compared to? Or where was inspiration drawn from? Not really. We feel like this unique venue will be far above the quality of other similarlysized collegiate arenas. Our goal from the beginning was to help UTA create a professional quality building and atmosphere in a 6,700 seat scaled building. Where do you start when planning a building like the College Park Center with all of its amenities? We started with a detailed

programming process involving the various stakeholders in the project. This group included university officials, the athletic department, the venue operator and other interested parties. The outcome of this process is a detailed document that outlines the university’s “hopes and dreams” for the project. From there, we begin the process of realizing those aspirations through a very collaborative design process that culminates in the final constructed building. We know this company also designed the Cowboys Stadium. How much of the design, if any, was inspired by Cowboys Stadium? There is very little, if any, of Cowboys that inspired the College Park Center. Cowboys Stadium is the unique and perfect expression of the Cowboys brand and the aspirations of the Jones family. What makes sense for the Cowboys does not fit all projects. We were also the architect for Lucas Oil Stadium for the Colts in Indianapolis, which is a very different architectural manifestation of a storied NFL franchise with its own unique identity and history. I guess the constant in our approach to these venues is that we want to truly understand the identity of our clients and leverage that into a uniquely designed and built environment

that constantly reinforces the message they are striving to communicate. What was the original completion date and was that date met? I believe the center is scheduled to open a couple of months ahead of the original schedule. This can be attributed to a healthy collaborative working environment between the UT System, UTA, the HKS team and Hunt Construction Company. Working as a team pulling the same rope in the same direction is the only way a project like this can be accomplished ahead of schedule. What was it like working with the different clients? What was working with Jerry Jones like and how does he compare to working with the staff at UTA? Jerry and the Jones family are a great client with a grand vision who were deeply involved with the entire Cowboys process and fostered an atmosphere that promoted great creativity ending in an iconic stadium venue. Like Jerry Jones, the UTA staff are passionate about the legacy they are helping to create at UTA through the College Park Center. This will be a landmark building that gives UTA athletics the high quality facility that they deserve and need to be competitive in attracting and developing topflight student athletes.

CONGRATS UTA ON THE OPENING OF

COLLEGE PARK CENTER

Enjoy a drink and a bite at J.R. Bentley’s after the celebration! 406 W. Abram • Arlington • 817-261-7351

CELEBR ATING the OPENING of the C OLLEGE PARK CENTER THE DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS | 02.01.12 | www.uta.edu/studentaffairs

DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS

WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

| 9B | FEBRUARY 2012

College Park Center Main Concourse Below is a diagram of the main concourse at the College Park Center. See page 11B for descriptions of highlighted areas.

B Main Entrance

$ Entrance

Elevator

Legend 1. Administrative offices 2. Box Office and Guest Services 3. Stairs 4. Open to view main level below 5. Upper level seating

Entrance

3 The Shorthorn: Betty Rodriguez

College Park Center: Upper Concourse

restroom

What does the stage area look like? Curious to see what the College Park Center staging area will look like? No worries, visit theshorthorn.com/collegepark or scan the QR code to the left to see its layout. The Shorthorn: Betty Rodriguez

FEBRUARY

2012 | 10B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

A closer look into the main level The College Park Center is much more than just a basketball arena — it’s a state-of-the-art facility featuring high-end equipment and seating arrangements. After walking through the main doors, the entire seating bowl and court is visible from the concourse. The main concourse will be the area in which fans will be able to see and take advantage of the amenities. For the first time for both UTA basketball and volleyball, the teams will be able to practice in one spot consistently, instead of bouncing around campus between other facilities. The hospitality suite is the first of its kind for a UTA venue, as well as the new Daktronic scoreboard. Texas Hall never had any sort of video board.

A: Hospitality Suite

C: Daktronic video board

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

The Hospitality Suite has 2,800 square feet of space to host small special events inside the center. It can be split into three sections. Fans who have courtside or club seats will also have access to the suite during games. There are also 72 luxury seats just outside the hospitality suite that sit right at center court (below.)

The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

This four-sided, $1.2 million Daktronic board features 11-by-19 feet high-definition screens that will show highlights during games or speakers and performers during other events.

D: Practice Courts (view from main level window)

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

B: Standing pavilions

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

No seat? No problem. When the arena runs out of seats to sell, fans can watch events from standing room areas all around the concourse. They also act as wheelchair-accessible vantage points to accommodate handicapped patrons.

Want to watch the Mavs practice? The center features two identical practice courts that the basketball and volleyball teams can finally call their own. They are observable from the main concourse. WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

| 11B | FEBRUARY 2012

College Park Center Event Concourse Below is a diagram of the event concourse of the College Park Center. See page 13B for descriptions of highlighted areas.

A D Court/Stage Floor

3 2

4 5

The Shorthorn: Jacob Bloom

What else the College Park Center features 1. Visiting team locker rooms 2. Spirit club locker rooms

3. Game officials locker room 4. Green room 5. Production room

218,000 overall square feet 12,000-square-foot arena floor 8,400 square feet for sports configurations Refurbished basketball court from the 2011 NCAA Women’s Tournament 101 LG televisions Two 120-foot electronic ribbon boards inside the arena bowl 31 monitors throughout the concourses for rotating advertising Four permanent concession stands Four portable kiosks for beverage service Four sets of public restrooms Two 200-amp and four 400-amp electrical services Full broadcast and video production capabilities Wireless Internet

FEBRUARY

2012 | 12B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

A look inside the lower level The main concourse is just the tip of the iceberg. Below that concourse lies a state-of-the-art facility specifically designed for UTA staff and student-athletes. The event concourse level features locker rooms for UTA indoor sports teams as well as officials, a green room for performers and speakers, a film room, weight room, training room and an academic center. For the first time, each indoor sport will have its own set of locker rooms along with a training room finally big enough for all UTA athletics. This area also features offices for coaches of UTA basketball and volleyball, along with UTA Athletics administration.

A: Follett Academic Center

D: Sports Medicine Center

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

This new academic center will be a place for all UTA athletes to get their studies in. It features dynamic classrooms with adjustable tables and chairs and computer stations.

B: Weight Room

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

The Sports Medicine Center inside the College Park Center dwarfs the old training rooms inside of Texas Hall. Athletes and trainers will now have more space and training tables to treat athletes along with a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy room with recovery pools for rehab sessions.

The new weight room features: • Five 9-foot half-racks with Olympic platforms that have an oak center with a custom UTA spirit logo and benches • An assortment of weights and machines, including dumbbells with custom engraved UTA spirit logo on them, such as: — Five Vertimax machines — Five adjustable step-up boxes • More than 2,700 pounds of Iron Grip Urethane plates with handles. As of press time, the weights have not arrived at the center • Five sets of Uesaka Olympic Training bumper plates and bars

E: Locker Rooms

C: Film Room

The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

The new film room will allow players for UTA basketball and volleyball to comfortably watch game film in preparation for upcoming games.

Nineteen wooden lockers with UTA emblems brand the locker rooms for both basketball teams and the volleyball team. Each locker room also has a lounge and a shower facility. WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

| 13B | FEBRUARY 2012

Section 102 — Center court Section 104 — Above the tunnel the Mavericks run out from

The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

Not a bad seat in the house When designing the College Park Center, university officials and designers made it a point to make it as intimate of an environment as possible. The arena seats up to 7,000 people for sporting events, 6,750 for concerts and nearly 7,500 for commencement ceremonies. There are 600 premium seats below the

hospitality suite and 51 courtside premium seats. All premium seat are available for purchase. Bleachers and Sections 111-114 are reserved for students for athletics events. Petsche Court is a refurbished removable maple wood court used during the 2011 NCAA Women’s Tournament West Regional in Spokane, Wash.

The Bleachers — Right behind the hoop

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The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

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The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

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| 17B | FEBRUARY 2012

The game changer City

BY LINDSEY JUAREZ The Shorthorn senior staff

START

The College Park Center has been called many things: a beautiful front door, a centerpiece, a top-of-the-line facility and a game changer. For many, the center will not just be a new arena for sports, concerts and speaker presentations. It will be the key to reviving downtown Arlington and creating a community between local businesses. As the centerpiece of a broader district, it’s expected to be an asset for the city of Arlington. The university’s vision has begun to improve the quality of life in the city, and the impact can be felt all around Arlington.

Robert Cluck Arlington’s mayor said it seems like it was just a short time ago when he and President James Spaniolo traveled to Austin to talk to the UT System Board of Regents for permission to build the College Park District. “It’s one of the best things that’s happened in downtown Arlington,” Mayor Robert Cluck said. Cluck said he was excited when Spaniolo, whom he calls a close friend and partner, came to talk to him about the project for the first time. Cluck said he offered to help in any way he could, including investing approximately $18 million from the city. He said the center

The College Park District signifies a new dawn in Arlington

will help Arlington and UTA. “UTA needs exactly what Arlington, Texas needs: a special events center,” Cluck said. “Our kids who graduate from high school have to go to Grand Prairie currently. And with this, they’ll be able to graduate right here in Arlington. It’s a big deal.” On top of that, he said he wants to see downtown Arlington thrive as a result of the center’s events by bringing in people who may not have otherwise come to the area. “It may be slow at the beginning, but it will pick up steam very quickly when people understand how big and beautiful it is,” he said. “Most people have not even seen the inside of any of those structures. I have several times, and I’m

so impressed with them. I know that others will be, too.” Randy Ford Randy Ford is all about UTA, and his menu proves it. As part of the regular J. Gilligan’s Bar and Grill menu, Ford has added a UTA Special with the choice of a burger or chicken strip sandwich and the Allan Saxe Veggie Burger, named for a UTA professor. As an alumnus for about 40 years and a business owner who celebrates his alma mater, Ford said he couldn’t be happier to see the College Park Center taking root on campus. “It’s a game changer,” he said. “It’s restoring the downtown area. I’m on the downtown board, and

there’s been a plan for remodelization for years and years. UTA is a huge player in that.” He said the university’s increased student population has brought more people to the downtown area and into the local businesses. After the last men’s basketball game in Texas Hall on Jan. 21, Ford said he counted more than 40 people who just came from the school. Now, the College Park Center will increase that number even more and create more synergy among the school and businesses. Ford said the center will also revitalize the university. “It’s always been known as a commuter school,” Ford said. “Now

OCTOBER 1965

NOVEMBER 1986

1999

NOV. 18, 2003

Texas Hall built

Football program canceled

Special events center first appears in a campus master plan near the South 40 parking lot

Spaniolo named UTA president by UT System Board of Regents

Privileged to help usher in a new era at UTA.. Go

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CHANGER continues on page 19B

2012 | 18B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

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Greg Gardner, the Grease Monkey Burger Shop and Social Club owner, poses in his bar off Mesquite Street in downtown Arlington. Gardner, a UTA alumnus, said he can’t wait for the College Park Center to open.

Changer continued from page 18B

with all the housing with College Park Center, it makes it more of a destination college. I just think UTA has had a wonderful, wonderful reputation in engineering and in history and in sciences. All across the board, it’s a great school. But making it more of a college town, all the student living just gives it more of a college experience.” Ford said he’s so excited about the College Park Center opening that he’s having his entire staff wear UTA shirts on Wednesday. Also, anyone who visits J. Gilligan’s on Wednesday wearing UTA merchandise will receive a discount on any menu item. Ford said he’s attending the center’s grand opening to see the arena he’s waited on since graduating in 1971. “It’s been a long, long time

coming,” he said. “It’s a beautiful facility. It makes me proud.” Greg Gardner Greg Gardner, The Grease Monkey Burger Shop and Social Club owner, remembers playing basketball in Texas Hall when he attended Lamar High School. He said playing on a stage was an odd experience, but he got used to it. “The holiday tournament they used to have there was one of the bigger ones in the area. It was kind of a big deal to get to go to UTA to play on the court,” he said. Gardner graduated from UTA in 1990 with a marketing degree. Growing up near the university, he said he’d heard about the plans to one day create a special events center. “I love the old Texas Hall, but I thought a new events center

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The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

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APRIL

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all dates, times and events are subject to change at any time. Please visit www.uta.edu/excel for updates. campus partners: the office of the president, COLLEGE PARK CENTER, bowling & billiards and A.R.L..

CHANGER continues on page 21B

FEB. 1, 2004

APRIL 2004

Spaniolo takes office as UTA president

Spaniolo proposes a special events center near Rangers Ballpark

The views and opinions expressed at these events do not necessarily represent the views of UT Arlington or EXCEL Campus Activities. If you need special accommodations to fully participate, please contact EXCEL at least five business days prior to the event. For more information please call 817-272-2963 or visit uta.edu/excel.

WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

| 19B | FEBRUARY 2012

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continued from page 19B

would help,” he said. “All the other events they could host there would help the college and get the name out.” Gardner said when he opened the Grease Monkey in downtown Arlington last year, he put into consideration the development of the College Park District and the foot traffic he sees it bringing to the city. “It’s just about people. It’s about getting people who normally don’t make their way into this area,” he said. He said the reaction from other people he’s talked to about the center has been extremely positive. He said he can’t wait for the center’s grand opening. “It’s just another thing to offer there for people who are looking for a place to go to school,” Gardner said. “It’s a win-win deal for everybody if

Wendell Nedderman As UTA’s president for 20 years, from 1972 to 1992, Wendell Nedderman saw the university grow from a four-year college to a school offering multiple graduate programs and expanding both in the number of buildings and student population. Nedderman said he and his wife, Betty, are ecstatic about the College Park District. “This 20-acre College Park is a huge lunge forward in this transformation of UTA for what we aspire for it to be,” he said. “It’s going to be a beautiful front door, which thousands of people in the year will want to come to for graduation ceremonies for high schools, cultural events. I think this special events center is going to change the ambiance of the entire campus tremendously. I think it’s going to allow us to develop NCAA quality

tournaments, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball.” Nedderman was there when the talks of a special events center first occurred in the ’70s. He said the plans to build a center were put on the back-burner, so the administrators could focus on building the university’s academic programs. However, he said he is happy with the way things turned out. “I think, at the time, I felt some disappointment,” he said. “You recognize that you can’t win them all, so you select what you got to put the emphasis on or give priority to.” Nedderman said he thinks students should be UTA’s No. 1 priority, and he thinks the College Park Center will enhance student life. “It’s hard to over-emphasize the importance of College Park,” he said. “The special events center is going to be a beehive of continuous activity. Maybe someday we can get the vice president of the United States

to come speak if we can get an audience of 6,000 or 7,000 people.” With time, the school will eventually reach Tier One status, he said. Scott Cross Scott Cross, men’s basketball head coach, has been waiting for the College Park Center since 1998 when he played for the UTA Mavericks. Students voted to have a new arena, but the project was still up in the air by the time he graduated. “You just kept waiting and kept waiting,” he said. “I always had a feeling that when President Spaniolo got here that it was going to happen, and it’s just a matter of when.” Cross became the head coach in 2006. When he was hired, talk of the center was still buzzing. “We were kind of hoping for it, but it really didn’t come to life until a year and a half ago when CHANGER continues on page 23B

The Shorthorn: Casey Holder

From left: LaMarcus Reed, head coach Scott Cross, Cameron Catlett stand center court at the College Park Center.

MARCH 21, 2008

FEBRUARY 2009

NOVEMBER 2009

MARCH 5, 2010

OCTOBER 2010

Scott Cross leads UTA to its first-ever NCAA Tournament

UT System Board of Regents approve current location

Center approved by UT System Board of Regents

Groundbreaking date

Events center renamed College Park Center

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| 21B | FEBRUARY 2012

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they actually broke ground,” he said. “Then you can look at it every day. I drive by it a couple times a week over the past year and a half just to watch it grow. It’s pretty amazing.” The College Park Center, which can hold 7,000 people for an athletics event, will be the new home for UTA basketball and volleyball. Cross said he thinks the facility is the nicest of its kind in the country, and he hopes it will raise school spirit. Along with athletics, he said the new center will help downtown Arlington by drawing in new businesses. “You can see the whole downtown Arlington area being revitalized with all the new restaurants,” Cross said. “It used to be just J. Gilligan’s. Now there’s Grease Monkey, Twisted Root, Mellow Mushroom, Babe’s Chicken [Dinner] House. There’s all these places that are popping up over there. I think it’s a centerpiece of the university.” While Cross said he hopes for his team to play in a soldout arena, he is most excited about the practice facilities and the chance for his players to practice in one location, rather than switching between the Physical Education Building and Texas Hall throughout the week. He said he hopes students will also get excited about the center and realize it is something they can be proud of. “For me, if I am a student and I look at that, I’d just want to go over there and just see whatever event is going on,” Cross said. “Who wouldn’t want to go see a basketball game or volleyball game or concert or anything that’s going on over there?”

new facility — top-of-the-line facility at that,” he said. “I’m just excited to have this opportunity. A lot of guys before me didn’t get this opportunity, even though we had talked about a gym before. So, I get the opportunity. I’m just grateful for that.” The two players have had Texas Hall as their home court for their entire career at UTA, and Catlett said he’s ready for the change. “Texas Hall did serve its purpose as a different home-court advantage to the teams who aren’t used to playing on a court like that, but I’m most definitely ready to play in a nice arena at College Park. It’s going to be nice,” he said. Catlett said College Park Center along with Cowboys Stadium and Rangers Ballpark is going to make Arlington a more “sportsy city.” He said he’s happy it worked out that he is able to play in the facility before he graduates. “I’m thankful that the timing is where I’m going to have a couple games this year and my whole senior year in that stadium,” he said.

Community

Dennis Wiles The senior pastor of First Baptist Church Arlington is not just a pastor. He said he’s also a big college basketball fan. When he found out about the plan to build a new arena, he said he and the congregation were thrilled. “We realize we’re in a downtown community, and we want that downtown community and central Arlington to thrive,” Dennis Wiles said. “We want it to be healthy. So when we first entered into dialogue with UTA and they told us that they wanted to build the events center that would include a pretty significant parking structure, we were excited.” Church and school officials talked about using some of the church’s LaMarcus Reed land to build some of the College and Cameron Catlett Park District in return for the conAfter the women’s basket- gregation to use one of the garages. ball team plays the first game on Wiles said the church agreed, and Petsche Court on Wednesday, the congregation benefitted from shooting guard LaMarcus Reed the deal. and point guard Cameron Catlett “We worked out something will join the rest of the men’s bas- that accommodates our needs, and ketball team for its first home game we hope it accommodates UTA’s in the College Park Center. needs,” he said. “If there was ever Reed said he’s honored to play a win-win between a church and the newinformation facility. city and a major university, this Forinmore about areaching “I get to play my last four home would be it.” games in the UTA uniform in the Wiles 3,400+ said the most important Arlington’s 33,000+ students and

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The Shorthorn: Erika Dupree

Senior pastor Dennis Wiles of First Baptist Church Arlington invited President James Spaniolo, men’s basketball head coach Scott Cross and the men’s basketball team to church service on Jan. 29. Wiles thanked them for the College Park Center and their commitment to the community.

aspect of the center is how it will help the community. He said he’s excited to see the facility used for highschool graduations, special events and church events.

“Just the energy of having a major university’s athletic program have a brand new venue, and for women’s basketball, I think that’s going to be helpful to the city,” he said. “It will

be attracting more people to come to the central Arlington district. I can see just all types of possibilities in the CHANGER continues on page 24B

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and men calling to each other can clearly be heard. The Center Street residents live with the noise almost every day, and some said they aren’t happy about it. “The first night they made that loud noise, I didn’t know what it was,” resident James Mills said. “They dropped something in one of these containers, one time that was empty. I thought it was a big old thunderstorm. I said, ‘I watched the weather, and it’s not supposed to rain.’ ” Some residents have learned to live with the construction. Alumna Shauna Davis moved into her house, just a couple houses away from James and Geraldine Mills, last fall. “When I moved in, on the porch, there was dirt everywhere,” she said. “We just have to accept the fact that we can’t sweep.” Davis, who lives with three current UTA students, said the construction has been noisy but not annoying. She said the College Park District shops will bring a little bit of downtown Arlington to the campus. “The construction has been in

continued from page 23B

future for events that can be held there. It just increases the vitality of this area.” With the new center finished right across UTA Boulevard from First Baptist Church Arlington, Wiles said he wants to be more involved with the school. One way he’s doing that is by canceling church Wednesday and inviting his congregation to go to the grand opening of College Park Center. “That was one of my New Year’s resolutions — to somehow be more connected with UTA. We’re just grateful to have UTA thriving in this day and age in our community,” he said. Shauna Davis, James and Geraldine Mills On the east side of Center Street, directly across from the construction of the parking garages and the College Park Center, hammers, trucks

The Shorthorn: Ben Ohene

Alumna Shauna Davis is excited about the College Park Center but is disappointed that it was not completed before her graduation.

the way, but I know you have to do that. I can tell it’s going to be really nice,” she said. “I’ve seen the sketch plans for it, and I’m really excited. I’m really curious to see what it looks like, and I’m disappointed that they’re doing all of this after I

graduated.” Geraldine Mills also said the facility will look nice once it’s finished. However, the parking garages in front of her house have made her miss one thing. “The only thing I dislike is not

having the sunset anymore,” she said, shading her eyes with her hand as she tried to look at the sun. “I have to go way over there to see it, because before I could stand here and watch the sun go down. I can’t anymore. So, it’s kind of taking that part of the beauty out of it.” Though she didn’t get tickets to go to the College Park Center grand opening ceremony, she said she plans to go see one of the basketball games this year. “I think it’s exciting, though it’s kind of inconvenient for us because we’re older and we’d like things to stay the way they are,” she said. “It’s exciting. If I were 25 or 30, I’d be wanting to live in an apartment around here.” Ultimately, James Mills said that he’d go check out the new center with his wife. “When they get through, it’ll be all right,” he said. “When they get through with all the construction work, get them out of here.” @LINDSEYJUAREZ lindsey.juarez@mavs.uta.edu

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UTA sports exit stage with success Texas Hall opened its doors to UTA athletics in 1965 with men’s basketball. Women’s basketball and volleyball were welcomed to the stage in 1972 and 1973, respectively. The venue tried to be a do-it-all building, housing concerts, speakers and graduations along with sporting events. Texas Hall was a detriment to the head coaches of the three indoor programs as the building aged. Regardless, the venue created a unique home court advantage for all three sports. Visiting teams weren’t used to the awkward viewing angles, and there was always the possibility of someone falling off the stage. Scott Cross, men’s basketball head coach, said the acoustics of the building allowed it to be very loud and noisy even when it wasn’t close to full capacity. Each program has had its own success in Texas Hall that will carry forward to the College Park Center.

— Josh Bowe

The Shorthorn: File Photo

The Mavs defeated Stephen F. Austin on Jan. 21 during the final men’s basketball game to take place in Texas Hall, their home since 1965. The team closed out the final game with a 63-54 win over the Lumberjacks.

MEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L: 570-818

Texas Hall record: 338-223 Southland Conference regular season titles: zero SLC Tournament titles: one NCAA Tournament appearances: one NCAA Tournament wins: zero Furthest reached in NCAA Tournament: First round (2008)

VOLLEYBALL

OVERALL W-L-T: 962-535-9

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL W-L: 563-565

Texas Hall record: N/A Southland Conference Regular Season titles: 12 SLC Tournament titles: 10 NCAA Tournament appearances: 15 NCAA Tournament wins: seven Furthest reached in NCAA Tournament: Final Four (1989) All-Americans: five SLC Players of the Year: eight SLC Coaches of the Year: 11

Texas Hall record: 286-162 Southland Conference Regular Season titles: three SLC Tournament titles: two NCAA Tournament appearances: two NCAA Tournament wins: zero Furthest reached in NCAA Tournament: First round (2005, 2007) All-Americans: zero SLC Players of the Year: two SLC Coaches of the Year: three

Past players: • Theresa Frederick In 1978, Frederick became the first UTA volleyball player to become an All-American and be on First Team. She was later inducted into the 1989 class of the Hall of Honor, UTA’s highest honor.

• Marquez Haynes Arguably UTA’s best player of all-time, Haynes rewrote the history books in his senior season at UTA. He set the single-season scoring record with 678 points while averaging 22.6 points per game. Haynes only played two seasons after transferring from Boston College and is the school’s only All-American — an honorable mention in 2010.

Past players: • Krystal Buchanan Buchanan rewrote the record books for assists during her fouryear career at UTA. Her 562 career assists shattered the previous school-record of 408. She also holds UTA all-time single season assist record with 167.

• Alicia Shaffer The most successful libero in UTA history, Shaffer holds the all-time school record in digs and was the SLC Libero of the Year in 2011 season. Shaffer’s fiery personality was well-known throughout the SLC and helped push UTA to an SLC Tournament win in 2010.

• Terra Wallace UTA’s all-time leading scorer with 1,751 points and her 218 threepointers broke the previous school-record of 193. Wallace is also second all-time at UTA in career assists and free throw percentage.

College Park Center players: • Shaquille White-Miller Sophomore guard Shaquille White-Miller doesn’t score much with only 5.1 points per game, but head coach Scott Cross said he’s just as valuable as anyone else on the team. The young starting point guard leads UTA in assists.

College Park Center players: • Shelby Dickson A transfer from Blinn College, Dickson will be counted on to help replace outside hitters Amanda Aguilera and Tara Frantz. She led Blinn to an NCAA Junior College championship and was the tournament MVP.

College Park Center Players: • Chauntandra Williams As a freshman, Williams leads the team in average with 7.9 points per game. She has quickness, the ability to hit shots on the outside, and her .394 shooting percentage is highest among guards on the Mavericks.

• Jordan Reves Junior forward Jordan Reves will lead the Mavericks in the first full season at the College Park Center in his senior year. The Kentucky native has improved his game every year. This season, he leads UTA with 6.8 rebounds and is the team’s man in the middle.

• Amanda Welsh Starting as a setter in her freshman year, Welsh averaged 9.68 assists per set while also leading the team in aces. UTA’s offense will build on the young foundation, since Welsh will play three more seasons in the College Park Center.

All-Americans: one SLC Players of the Year: two SLC Coaches of the Year: zero Past players: • Willie Brand UTA’s all-time leading scorer with 1,907 points, Brand was named First Team All-SLC in 1991 when he averaged 15 points per game. A consistent scorer, Brand averaged 16.3, 18.1, 18 and 15 points per game in his four years at UTA.

FEBRUARY

2012 | 26B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

• Rosalyn Thorpe Thorpe is a 6-foot, 3-inch post presence who leads the team with nine blocks, despite missing six games because of NCAA transfer regulations. She averages 5.5 points per game.

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Blazing a trail Alumni promote school spirit through donations BY JOHNATHAN SILVER The Shorthorn staff

Courtesy: UTA

The Moritz family, represented by John David Moritz (left), and Alan and Bonnie Petsche have made major philanthropic commitments toward College Park Center.

P OS T-

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Although they haven’t had a class at UTA since the 1980s, Alan Petsche and his wife, Bonnie Smith Petsche, still want to promote school spirit on campus. The alumni couple hopes their $1 million pledge toward the College Park Center construction helps advance that mission. To honor their donation, the university named the center’s basketball court Petsche Court. President James Spaniolo expressed appreciation for such support from donors that help fund the Center. “College Park Center and College Park District helps generate support, interest, and enthusiasm,” he said. “College Park Center is going to facilitate thousands and thousands of people visiting the campus who wouldn’t necessarily be here for events.” Along with a new venue comes new memories, which the Petsches already have a lot of, thanks to Texas

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Hall. “Nov. 19, 1975. The first time KISS came through Texas, they played Texas Hall,” Alan Petsche said. “I snuck in early, and saw them do their sound check without their makeup on.” Moments like this and the relationships the Petsches have built with the university in the last 30 years contribute to their love for the institution. In fact, UTA was where the two met. “I was monitoring a rush party,” Alan Petsche told The Shorthorn in September, shortly following the announcement of their gift to the university. “One of the members of the fraternity was walking up with his girlfriend and this other girl and stopped both of us and said, ‘Bonnie, here’s the guy I was telling you about.’ Somehow he knew her and he knew me, and he knew somehow we needed to be introduced,” Alan Petsche said. When the university ended the football program in 1985, Bonnie Smith Petsche was a senior. It helped her realize the importance of athletics in schools. “It was really sad, and I think that made a great impression on me,” she said. “It made me realize that we need more than academics.” Since then, basketball has been the premier sport. Texas Hall housed those games. With the College Park Center opening, it places an emphasis on the basketball program, which will benefit the UTA community, Alan Petsche said. “The basketball program will be a tremendous rallying point, not just for students but also for alumni,” he said. Bonnie Smith Petsche said she is grateful to UTA for being near and affordable. She was a member of the Alpha Chi Omega sorority. She has been connected ever since. “When I had young children, I called up one of the chapters to look for a baby sitter,” she said. Bonnie Smith Petsche said that is an example of why making connections when in college makes a difference. “Support comes from relationships,” she said. @JOHNATHANSILVER olu.silver@mavs.uta.edu

COLLEGE PARK CENTER COMMITMENTS* Academic Partnerships, LLC: $300,000 Franklyn and Jane Alexander: $100,000 Anonymous: $300,000 Willie Brand: $1,000 Kent Besley $ Schrickel, Rollins and Associates: $25,000 Emery R. Best: $200,000 Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc.: $5 million Amon G. Carter Foundation: $350,000 Tom and Diane Cravens and Mary Cravens Haney: $100,000 Brien Culver: $500 Dell, Inc.: $32,496 David Daniel: $10,000 J.T. Denton: $2,000 David R. Erickson: $1,000 Fletcher Income Tax Service: $100 Jo A. Gray: $10,000 Dan Griffin: $10,000 Jean Hartman: $50 Larry D. Kemp: $10,000 Martin Sprocket and Gear, Inc.: $100,000 Karin McCallum: $25,000 Barry McKeown: $25,000 Michael Moore: $10,000 Moritz Partners LLP: $600,000 The Mundy Family Foundation: $75,000 Alan and Bonnie Petsche: $1 million Regan L. Reddick: $50 Alan Smith: $800 Holly Smith: $400 Jill Spencer: $2,000 Megan Weber: $322.65 Ernest and Kathryn Wilemon: $4,300 Stephen Willey: $10,000 Trey and Shana Yelverton: $100,000

Grand total: $8,405,018.65 *As of Sept. 27, 2011

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Members of the Arlington community are invited to join the U N I V E R SI T Y OF T E X A S AT A R L I NG T ON

Friends of the Library — Featuring — • Monthly programs September – April

• Tours of local cultural and historical sites

• Annual bus trip with the Honors College students

• Scholarships for McNair Scholar award winners

Author book talks with receptions and book signings February 25 — LBJ Library in Austin and overnight in Fredericksburg

March 9 — BNSF Railway’s collection of western art

www.uta.edu/Library/Friends/about FEBRUARY

2012 | 30B | WWW.THESHORTHORN.COM

Art at College Park

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

The electronic ribbons run along the courts on both sides.

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

The Daktronic board hangs over the center of the court. High-definition screens highlight games, speakers or performers so everyone can look up close.

The Shorthorn: Michael Minasi

One entryway into the College Park Center gives a glimpse of grandeur.

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2 Housing Guide February 2012

THE STANDARD

Housing Guide February 2012

Table of Contents Living options...................................4 Are amenities necessary?.................6 Decorating your new place..............8 Organization can be simple.............9

Housing 2012 This is a publication of Missouri State

Furniture is an easy find..................10

University’s student-produced newspaper, The Standard. The university has not approved and is not responsible for its

Roommate cooperation...................12 Communication is key......................13

content, which is produced and edited by The Standard staff.

Cover design by Mat Wilken

The Standard Clay Hall 901 S. National Ave. Springfield, MO 65897 417-836-5272/Editorial 417-836-5524/Advertising Standard@MissouriState.edu www.the-standard.org On Facebook: The Standard On Twitter: TheStandard_MSU On YouTube: MSUStandard

THE STANDARD

4 Housing Guide February 2012

Housing for MSU students: the pros and cons Housing Type

Price per school year

Price per month

Room-style

$6,228-$6,394

$692-$710

$100 per semester or deferred

Meal plan included. On campus. Community bathrooms. If you do not have a Close community. All utilities, cable roommate chosen, you will have one assigned. and Internet are included. Community kitchen if you cook. Only fish as pets allowed.

RAs on every floor. Floor checks every night. Campus security driving around.

Suite-style

$6,578-$8,298

$730-$922

$100 per semester or deferred

Meal plan included. On campus. Own bathroom. All utilities, cable and Internet are included.

If you do not have a roommate chosen, you will receive one you may not know. No kitchen. Fish are the only pets allowed. Share a room.

RAs on every floor. Floor checks every night. Campus security driving around.

Apartment-style $3,658-$4,512

$406-$501

$100 per semester or deferred

More independence from regular dorms. All utilities, cable and Internet are included. Full kitchen.

If you do not have a roommate chosen, you will receive one you may not know. No kitchen. Fish are the only pets allowed. Share a room.

RAs and armed guards in buildings. Campus security.

Varies

Sororities: Chef. Free parking. Expensive depending on the house. Consider how Cleaning service. Fraternities: Free many people you will be living with. No pets. parking. Has a kitchen. Very close to campus.

Houses

Apartments

Greek housing

$3,000-$12,000 $333-$1333

Deposit amount

1 bedroom $3,600-$4,275

$400-$475

Same as rent

2 bedroom $4,950-$5,850

$550-$650

Same as rent

3 bedroom $6,975-$7,650

$775-$850

Same as rent

Pros

Security

Cons

Varies

Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Can call maintenance if something breaks. Apartment pays for upkeep.

Utilities might not be included. Cable and Internet might not be included. Must pay for groceries/food. Spend more on gas. Could be between 5-15 minutes off campus.

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Oncall maintenance if something breaks. Splitting bills with your roommate(s).

Utilities might not be included. Cable and Internet might not be included. Must pay for groceries. Spend more on gas. Could be between 5-15 minutes off campus.

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Oncall maintenance if something breaks. Apartment pays for upkeep. You pay less by splitting bills with your roommate(s).

Utilities might not be included. Cable and Internet might not be included. Must pay for groceries/food. Spend more on gas. Could be between 5-15 minutes off campus.

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

No neighbors above or below you. Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Utilities can be cheaper than an apartment.

Utilities (cable and Internet) might not be included. Must pay for groceries. Might have to repair problems within the house yourself or hire someone to fix them if the landlord is not responsible for maintenance. Gas money.

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

1 bedroom $3,600-$4,500

$400-$500

Same as rent

2 bedroom $5,400-$6,300

$600-$700

Same as rent

No neighbors above or below you. Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Utilities can be cheaper. You pay less by splitting bills with roommate(s).

Utilities (cable and Internet) might not be included. Must pay for groceries/food. Might have to repair problems within the house yourself or hire someone to fix them if the landlord is not responsible for maintenance. gas money.

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

3 bedroom $7200-$8100

$800-$900

Same as rent

No neighbors above or below you. Most places allow pets if you pay a deposit. Have your own room. Utilities can be cheaper. You pay less by splitting bills with roommate(s).

Varies. Some have security vehicles that patrol. Some have security on call from 5 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Sources: RHA website, Andrea Weber, Haselhorst Properties LTD and Brentwood Management

THE STANDARD

Housing Guide February 2012

6 Housing Guide February 2012

THE STANDARD

Are extra amenities necessary? Pools and other perks can be a bonus, but they could go unused By Brandon Corrigan The Standard

Expensive apartment amenities such as swimming pools and workout facilities, while certainly luxurious, may not necessarily serve as a top priority for students when searching for the perfect place to call their home away from home. In fact, the only amenity that senior graphic and design major Danny Logush can think of at his Colonial Court complex is a laundry room. While Colonial Court may not be the most opulent apartment complex in Springfield, it suits Logush well. Logush said that location was the most influential factor in his decision to live at Colonial Court.

“Sometimes, I wish it had more amenities but the rent is cheap for a one-person apartment and the location is great,” Logush said. “It’s a short walk to campus and a short bike ride to downtown.” Those students who do live in apartments with elaborate amenities don’t always have the time or availability to use them. Senior media production major Chad Thomas estimates he’s only used the swimming pool at his Town and Campus residence twice. “I like having a pool but I don’t stay in Springfield during the summer so I rarely get a chance to use it,” Thomas said. “It’s hardly open during the school year, plus with all my classes it’s hard to find spare time.” Junior art history major Becca Steiner, who’s lived in both Wilholt Plaza and Walnut Place, said that lavish items like pools and rec centers aren’t important to her as long as she’s in a safe and secure location. “I liked living in Walnut Place the best,” Steiner said. “The building is gated access Megg Roth/THE STANDARD only and residents have a punch-in key code. The landlords have also been very easy to Some apartment complexes that offer extra amenities, such as pools and clubhouses, may be a bit pricier than ones without them. deal with and quick to solve problems.”

THE STANDARD

Housing Guide February 2012

8 R Housing Guide R February 2012

The Standard

Think beyond the bottle collection when decorating your home By Megan Gates The Standard

The bottle collection. It’s the classic college decorating standby made of every empty bottle of drinkable liquid known to man proudly displayed above cabinets in the kitchen or on the bookshelf in the living room. But that still leaves a lot of wall space to be covered elsewhere in your new apartment. So here are a few tips to help you get started on making your new place feel like home without costing an arm and a leg.

1. Photo Collages

All of us have been to amazing places with great people so why not showcase that in your new place? Go through your Facebook albums with your roommates, pick 50 photos, put them on a CD, print them off at Walmart, pick up some sticky tack and go to town in your living room. Make a giant square on the wall, or a heart that shows off some of your great life moments. Just make sure to leave room to add to it the fun nights you’re sure to have in your new place.

2. The Rastorbator

If plain Jane photos aren’t your thing, try

using Rasterbator to spice things up a bit. The Rasterbator allows you to upload your own photos and then rastersizes them into posters as large or small as you would like to print them. It also happens to be completely free to use. Just go to http://the-rasterbator.en.softonic.com and follow the directions to get started!

As a Missouri State student you have access to free copies of USA TODAY, The New York Times, The Springfield NewsLeader and The Standard. When you pick up a copy to read, take notice of the photos in each issue and if there’s something you like, cut it out. You can take those newspaper photos and using Mod Podge, glue them to canvas or another mat-like substance to hang on your wall, instantly classing your place up.

3. Rugs

Standing at the sink doing dishes isn’t a fun time, especially if there isn’t a rug under your feet to cushion your stand. Invest in rugs for your kitchen, bathroom and a quality doormat at the door. It’ll bring the room together while also making your place cleaner and more comfortable.

4. Wall of Fame

Remember when you were in elementary school and you got a good grade on something and your mom put it on the fridge in a place of honor? Just because you’re in college now doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still celebrate your academic achievements. Invest in a pin board and some thumb tacks and when you get your final grade on your term paper, hang it up proudly to show off a little.

5. Newspaper collages

6. Lighting

Having the appropriate lighting to set the mood in your apartment is absolutely necessary. Consider investing in white Christmas lights to hang around the ceiling in your living room and kitchen to provide atmosphere during movie nights or parties. Also, look around for paper lanterns you can hang in your bedroom or dining room to provide soft, warm light for intimate evenings.

7. School Spirit

Photos by Megg Roth/THE STANDARD

To make a newspaper collage (1) take clippings, Mod Podge, a paintbrush and canvas; (2) lay clippings out; (3) Mod Podge clippings down and (4) put a layer of Mod Podge on top.

Walking around campus you can see things with MSU’s logo and bear heads everywhere. Show off your school spirit by picking up the free posters for MSU athletics, fliers for events on campus, ticket stubs from sporting events and hanging them up on a wall in your place.

Housing Guide R February 2012 R 9

Disorganization wastes your time By Dayle Duggins The Standard It is finally complete. You step back to take in your brand new living arrangement for the school year and only one word can describe it. Perfection, of course! After hours, maybe even days of work, your desk looks like it is straight out of an Office Max commercial, your bed -- without a wrinkle in sight— might as well have been made by Martha Stewart and your closet is arranged just right in a color-coordinated spectrum. A week filled with classes, schoolwork and socializing passes by and the scenery just isn’t quite the same. Clothes, both clean and dirty, are scattered throughout your room, your trash seems to have tripled over night, and your desk is definitely not suitable for homework of any sort. Whether you live in a dorm, apartment or a house, staying organized in college can often be as stressful as class itself. Not only do you want to keep your living space manageable, but coursework requires scheduling and organizing as well. Betsy Miller has been organizing spaces professionally for 15 years now, providing her talents to shows such as ABC’s “Extreme Home Makeover” and A&E’s “Hoarders.” Miller is the owner and founder of 2B Organized, a professional organizing firm in Springfield, and is also a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers. “I think when you’re organized, lots of different things happen,” Miller said. “Your productivity level increases, your time increases because you don’t waste time looking for things you’ve lost and misplaced. And, frankly, your finances are increased because you don’t end up buying duplicates or being late to work because you

can’t find your keys. So really, it’s important in all aspects of your life.” Realizing how difficult it can be to stay organized, Miller has found one word to be a major helper in keeping college students on track: “No.” “It’s about setting goals and setting priorities and sometimes you just have to say no,” Miller said. “It’s a hard thing to do but sometimes you can’t do it all. Learn to prioritize what is important and what’s going to get you to the level that you want to be at.” Also, setting outrageous expectations when organizing a space can ultimately lead to failure, the organizing expert said. Noticing that many of her clients overwhelm themselves with cleaning and organizing tasks, Miller suggests being realistic when tackling a major project. “Start small and give yourself small rewards,” Miller said. “Just do a drawer or set a time that’s 15 minutes and say ’15 minutes a day or every other day, I’m going to work on de-cluttering.’ It’s kind of like weight gain or weight loss, you just can’t do it overnight, it’s just not feasible.” Pulling out everything to be organized and then creating designated piles to donate, keep or throw away is a great way to start, Miller said. Investing in storage containers such as under-the-bed bins can be a great way to utilize limited space in college environments. Double-duty furniture, such as an ottoman that has a place to stow away food, can save valuable space and make your living arrangement much more appealing to the eye. For more great tips on organizing your college space, or to find your own professional organizer, check out the National Association of Professional Organizers’ website, http://www.napo.net/.

10 Housing Guide February 2012

THE STANDARD

Furniture is an easy find in Springfield By Kelsey Berry The Standard

Are you or a roommate searching for affordable furniture that isn’t falling apart or spotted with ominous stains? Many college students who are looking to furnish their living spaces are also searching for ways to stretch their dollar as far as possible. Here are five great places in Springfield to do just that.

DAV Thrift Store - 1711 N. Glenstone Ave.

at 68,000 square feet and was voted “Best in the Ozarks” for two years in a row by the Springfield News-Leader. Although the prices are slightly higher than the Salvation Army and the DAV Thrift Store, they are still excellent for the value of the furniture that is available for purchase and the selection is vastly greater. “Our furniture is all consignment furniture. It’s owned by our vendors and they take offers every day,” Vendor Representative Gary Camp said. “We get a lot of college students in here, especially during the fall when they move in.” While a smaller consignment shop might not have larger items such as washers and dryers, Vendor’s Mart has the space to showcase these bigger items and still sell them at low prices that college students can afford. This flea market is also unique because inside the store there is a telephone number listed that customers can call to have their furniture delivered to their home if it is needed. Price for delivery varies depending on the size of the piece and mileage. Vendor’s Mart is eight minutes from the MSU campus and is open seven days a week, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

There are several different locations around Springfield, but this thrift store has some great furniture for college students who are looking for a deal. Like any second hand store, bargain hunting takes some searching in order to find the higher quality pieces but students are bound to find what they are looking for at one of these locations. DAV Thrift Stores have a decent sized variety of dressers and computer desks priced from $10-$60, chairs, sofas and recliners anywhere from $39-$50, televisions of varying sizes $10-$50 and table lamps starting at just $3. Some of the smaller furnishing items such as couch pillows, picture frames and shelving can all be found for $10 or less. The Glenstone location is 10 minutes from the Mis- Springfield Flea Market and Gifts - 1325 E. souri State University campus and is open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Trafficway St. Monday-Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. If you are looking for more uniquely styled furniture to make your living space your own, then definitely go here. Salvation Army - 1737 S. Campbell Ave. This particular Salvation Army is clean, organized and This flea market has very distinctive furniture that you has a large selection of furniture to choose from. This is a would not be likely to find at another store for the same great place to find pieces such as sofas, end tables and low price. The market is very clean and organized with a wooden cabinets for as low as $20. Many of the pieces are great deal of accessory items such as candle holders, wall only lightly used, and when compared to prices at stores clocks, jewelry boxes, photo frames, floor mats and much such as Target or even Walmart, you may be paying half more. Springfield Flea Market and Gifts also provides lay(if not less) of the regular price and still walk away with a away options for any furniture that is priced over $100. The purchaser can then pay it off in thirds with up to three solid piece of furniture. Evangel University students junior Geneva Rockeman, months to repay the full amount. This unique market is senior Jonathan Faggart and recent Evangel grad Andrew only three minutes from the MSU campus and is open Miller said they recommend this Salvation Army for any seven days a week, 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday, fellow college students’ furnishing needs. The Campbell and 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday. location is a mere five minutes from the MSU campus and is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 5 Urban Market - 1315 E Trafficway St. Urban Market (formerly known as Charlies) is a great p.m. Saturday. find. It is a very large shop with clean, barely used, affordable furniture. This market has 20,000 square feet of furVendor’s Mart - 1933 N. Glenstone Ave. Vendor’s Mart is the largest flea market in Springfield niture, so lack of selection is not an issue. Different vendors sell various items ranging in price and are willing to

Josh Campbell/THE STANDARD

Flea markets, such as Vendor’s Mart, offer a variety of furniture at low prices that students can also have transported to their new home for a fee.

barter. “A lot of college students buy couches, chairs, tables, beds and bookcases from us,” Urban Market employee Kevin Blankenship said. This market also has a telephone number posted for buyers to call if they need assistance transporting any large items that they may purchase. Shipping charges are anywhere from $25-$40 depending on mileage. Urban Market is located three minutes from the MSU campus and is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

THE STANDARD

Housing Guide February 2012 11

12 Housing Guide

February 2012

THE STANDARD

Cooperation with roommates is crucial By Anna Thomas The Standard

Whether you are living with someone you do or do not know, issues can arise, but as Erin Sullivan says, communication is key. “If something is bothering you, the best thing to do is try and talk it out yourselves,” said Sullivan, a senior marketing management major and resident assistant. “It’s best to tell each other what you like to do and how you are from the beginning — like if you study with music or are really messy. That way you lay out the groundwork.” Stephen Hoffmeister, sophomore mathematics major, knows this all too well. Hoffmeister had hung a pair of muddy shorts up to dry but they became mildewy and stinky. “My roommate was very neat and tidy. I was not,” Hoffmeister said. “So he brought it up to me one day saying that he couldn’t stand them anymore. I didn’t even realize how bad they were until he pointed them out.” Hoffmeister describes that he hand-washed them every day, soaked them and his roommate even gave him suggestions to clean them. It all worked out OK because they were able to bring up the issue without getting upset. Laurie Lowther, a junior digital film production major, said being calm when trying to

bring up an issue in the room is very important. “Talking, not yelling, is a good way to handle it. When you yell, people get defensive,” Lowther said. “Also, actually listen when someone is talking that way they will listen to you too.” Erin McGrath, a freshman dietetics major, thinks that communication in the beginning is a simple way to avoid issues and steer away from awkward conversations. “Make sure to let your roommate know when you are coming home and where you are so that you can always get into your room and not worry about bothering them,” McGrath said. Thao Bui, a freshman finance major, agrees. She thinks that if you communicate well and be friends then problems won’t arise. “It’s helpful to build a good relationship with your roommate because it makes confrontations less awkward and uncomfortable,” Bui said. “It’s good to set some guidelines and rules that you both should follow.” However, if issues do elevate and students think they cannot handle a conversation on their own, resident assistants are there to help. “We’re trained on how to resolve issues and can be a mediator in a conversation between you and your roommate,” Sullivan said.

Photo Illustration by Steph Anderson/THE STANDARD

Communication and offering help to each other is a good way to make sure you get along well with your roommate. Erin Sullivan, a resident assistant at Missouri State, said RAs can be useful resources if you live in the dorms and are having problems with your roommate(s).

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Communication is key to ending fights Center for Dispute Resolution provides mediation services for Missouri State students By Kris Collins The Standard

Spring is around the corner and “For Rent” signs are popping up in front yards. Soon enough college students will be braving the unfavorable, sweat-demanding process of moving. Along with the arduous task comes the opportunity to live with new friends and meet new neighbors. Some of those new relationships will unfortunately result in conflict. The Center for Dispute Resolution (CDR) faculty and student volunteers work to make their resources readily available for anyone experiencing such problems. Heather Blades, associate director of the CDR, said that some conflict resolution is now part of the curriculum in freshmen introduction courses. The information given in the class is only a small portion of the help that CDR offers to students. If you ever find yourself slipping into a conflict, there are three simple steps to follow to resolve the problem: communicate, ask questions and remain calm. According to Blades, communication is paramount. The ability to clearly communicate is key in conflict resolution. The second tip is to ask questions in order to get to the core of the problem and get an understanding of the situation. The last step is to remain calm to address the problem. On top of offering quick suggestions for conflict res-

The Center for Dispute Resolution What is the CDR? “The CDR provides services and supports programs that help people take control of their lives. In a world where conflict often dictates distrust, stifles communication and leads to costly and contentious legal remedies, we support alternatives,” according to the CDR website. Services • Basic and advanced mediation training • Presentations, workshops and consultations • Facilitation services • Certificate programs in conflict and dispute resolution • Mediation referrals and services • Victim-Offender mediation programs • Education/research services • Community Programs

olution such as the aforementioned, the CDR also provides mediation and conflict coaching. The CDR works with students who volunteer to teach them about conflict resolution, mediation and conflict coaching. Denea Malone, a senior sociology student at Missouri State, said she has been volunteering at the CDR for about a year. Malone works as the coordinator for the Conflict Resolution for College Students Program and cofacilitator through the Girls Circle Program since September. Malone said she feels that students currently underutilize the CDR. “I think the services are underutilized for numerous

reasons including confusion about what the mediation process looks like, nervousness concerning formality and just lack of knowledge about the existence of the program,” Malone said. “Conflict resolution is a very creative process,” she said. “I think there are misconceptions about conflict coaching, mediation, and the mediation process, which often times concern formality or forced solutions.” The CDR program offers quick, private, successful and free options to help students manage conflicts. To seek help in conflict resolution, contact them at 417-836-8831 or via email at conflict@missouristate.edu.

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