see page 4
Fight for a living wage History of the living wage at the U of M
Independent Student Newspaper of the University of Memphis
DAILY HELMSMAN
The
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Tuesday 04.30.13
UM remodels Central Avenue
Vol. 80 No. 103
Fullservice Starbucks coming to campus By Austin Reynolds
news@dailyhelmsman.com
the safety of students and visitors,” Tony Poteet, assistant vice president of Campus Planning & Design, said. “To help ensure safe street crossing, the existing vehicular entrances in mid-block will be eliminated so that the vehicular movement and pedestrian movement will be at signalized sections.” The new renovations to Central
The University of Memphis has announced that students will be able to get their Starbucks fix at a new location on campus starting with the fall semester. The popular coffee chain’s new restaurant will be located inside the University of Memphis Official Campus Store. “We’re always looking for opportunities to enhance the shopping experience and our new Starbucks café will do just that,” Donna Collier, bookstore manager, said. The current bookstore café will close its doors at the conclusion of the spring semester so construction on the Starbucks can begin over the summer. As for the menu, customers to the current café will notice a clear difference when they come back to school this fall. The current menu includes breakfast items, coffees, teas, burgers, nachos and more, but following the renovation, Starbucks fans will find a familiar menu that falls in line with those of traditional, off-campus Starbucks. While many on-campus eater-
see CeNTRaL on page 7
see COFFee on page 3
photo By NathaNael packard | staff
after a car struck a student on Central avenue, the University has begun plans on the Central avenue Safety Project. The project will add a median down Central and fences forcing students to use the crosswalks.
By Samuel Prager
news@dailyhelmsman.com Recently, a car on Central Avenue struck Junior accounting major Daniel Stephenson, and after a handful of similar events over the years, the University of Memphis and the city plan to make Central a safer street for pedestrians and drivers alike. After years of proposals, the U of M plans to start work on
the Central Avenue Safety Project, which would add a median on the street along with an assortment of other renovations. “At this time, it’s one of the most important investments we can make to the perimeter of our campus due to the safety improvements that this will make for a long time,” David Cox, executive assistant to the president, said. “It’s basically about safety and aesthetics and in this case, they
The Daily Helmsman is a “designated public forum.” Students have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Daily Helmsman is pleased to make a maximum of 10 copies of each issue available to a reader for free. Additional copies are $1. Partial printing and distribution costs are provided by an allocation from the Student Activity Fee.
both go together. This is improving the existing infrastructure and the edge of campus.” Along with the median, the project will include landscaping, bike lanes in both directions, a four-way intersection at Zach Curlin Street and new parking lot entrances. “Obviously it’s a high traffic area, it needs to have a safer crossing. That’s what has driven the whole project: increasing
Advertising: (901) 678-2191 Newsroom: (901) 678-2193
index
Tiger Babble Campus Life
2 Opinion 3 Sports
6 7
2 Tuesday, April 30, 2013
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Daily Helmsman
TIGER BABBLE
Volume 80 Number 109
Editor-in-Chief Michelle Corbet
thoughts that give you paws
Managing Editor evan Lewis
“Working on my final film project about #UofM in a day.” @isaacpwilson
Design Editors amanda Mitchell Faith Roane Hannah Verret
“can we move these train tracks?!”
@shelbybounds
“‘Look at this apple. I’ve never seen anything so fresh come out of fresh foods!’ @aoife_11” @amdurkee
Sports Editor Bryan Heater General Manager Candy Justice
“With my Dining Dollars almost up, I’m left calculating how many milkshakes I can buy before I run out” @JoelBertt
Advertising Manager Bob willis
“Unless you’re okay with changing your views,ignoring basic grammar rules,dealing with personal attacks-don’t take Brad McAdon.” @Samanthaesgro
Administrative Sales Sharon whitaker Advertising Production Hailey Uhler Advertising Sales Robyn Nickell Christopher Darling Brittney Block
“I love hearing the Fresh Foods employees cussing super loudly while working. #sarcasm” @meganc00k
Contact Information news@dailyhelmsman.com
Tell us what gives you paws.
Advertising: (901) 6 78-2191 Newsroom: (901) 678-2193
Make sure that little bird in our ear is you.
The University of Memphis The Daily Helmsman 210 Meeman Journalism Building Memphis, TN 38152
Send us your thoughts @dailyhelmsman.
* • Medium 2-Topping Pizzas • 8 pc. Boneless Chicken • 8 pc. Wings • Pasta in a tin • Stuffed Cheesy Bread • Oven Baked Sandwich * 2 or more required
DOMINOʼS PIZZA 550 S. HIGHLAND 323-3030
Across 1 Eva or Juan of Argentina 6 “Taking you places” premium movie channel 11 Suffix for hero 14 ‘60s-’70s Twins great Tony 15 Nest on a cliffside 16 “Friends” actress Courteney 17 Many a coffee shop, vis-à-vis Internet access 19 Corner PC key 20 Subj. for immigrants 21 Synagogue 22 Cowpoke’s seat 24 Flightless South American bird 26 Scottish hillside 28 “... believe __ not!” 29 Hairstyling immortal Vidal 31 “Ship out” alternative 34 Humble home 35 1980s secretary of state Alexander 36 False show 37 “No need to hurry, is there?” 41 “__ ‘nuff!” 42 Move, in Realtor-speak 43 “In __ Shoes”: Cameron Diaz flick 44 Meddles (with) 46 “Pretty please ...” 50 GPS choices 51 Pinnacle 53 Geologic periods 54 Extensive property 57 Sorrowful cry 59 Slangy “OK” 60 “Wheel of Fortune” purchase 61 Gender-determining heredity unit 64 Mauna __: Hawaii’s highest peak 65 Harbor cities 66 ESPN analyst Garciaparra 67 Bachelor in personals, briefly 68 Early stage 69 Extends across Down 1 __ that be: authorities 2 Inventor Otis
OPEN TILL 2 A.M. FRIDAY & SATURDAY
Send us your thoughts on Twitter @dailyhelmsman or #tigerbabble. Or post on our Facebook wall at facebook.com/dailyhelmsman.
S u d o k u
Complete the grid so that each row, column and 3-by3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.
Solutions on page 6
3 Remington weapons 4 Egg: Pref. 5 Casual turndowns 6 Second-largest planet 7 Physicist Nikola 8 Dadaism founder 9 Spanish rivers 10 Greek letter that seems like it should be last 11 Summer refreshers 12 Hardly an amateur 13 Quote in a book review 18 “How frustrating!” 23 Chip go-with 25 Pale as a ghost 27 “La Bamba” co-star Morales 30 Very strange 32 Car headlight setting 33 Strike a bargain 35 “The Newsroom” channel 37 Request for the latest update
38 The Twins, at Minneapolis’s Target Field 39 “Born Free” lion 40 Press for 41 Windex targets 45 Free TV ad 46 Words before “Can you give me directions?” 47 Cellist who per-formed at Steve Jobs’s funeral 48 Like a single-performer show 49 Leads, as to a seat 52 Garçon’s handout 55 AutoCorrect target 56 Keynes’s sci. 58 Male heirs 62 Appt. book rows 63 Soak (up), as gravy
THE HELMSMAN’S
INTEGRITY IS
NOT
FOR SALE www . freethehelmsman . com
The University of Memphis
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 • 3
uuCoffee Continued from page 1 ies like Chick-Fil-A feature scaled down menus from their off-campus counterparts, the Starbucks Café will have the menu of a full-service Starbucks according to Sandy Barksdale, University of Memphis director of auxiliary services. Students won’t have to leave campus if they ever catch a craving for one of Starbucks’ dozens of espressos, Frappuccinos or coffees. In addition to the drinks, students will also be able to dig in to one of the many sandwiches the coffee shop has to offer. There are already Starbucks Frappuccinos available at the Cyber Café located inside the FedEx Institute of Technology, but Barksdale sees more than enough reason to open a full-service location on the other end of campus. “We wanted a destination and draw on this [south] side of campus,” Barksdale said. “The Starbucks brand is certainly that and is a good fit for a bookstore coffee shop.” Sophomore mechanical engineering major and coffee fan David Golding is excited about the idea of a full-service Starbucks on campus. “I would probably go,” Golding said. “I’ve never been in there [the bookstore café] otherwise.” The University of Memphis Official Campus Store Café is open from 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday. n
photo By Nathanael Packard | staff
By the beginning of next semester, the café located in the bookstore will be replaced with a Starbucks coffee shop.
Campus Life
New presidential tuition-service scholarships for graduate students expand possibilities By Samantha Esgro
news@dailyhelmsman.com The University of Memphis is offering a new scholarship to aid students interested in graduate school. This scholarship, according to a press release, will cover the costs of tuition and fees for six hours of graduate coursework per semester.
Students who are interested in applying for the scholarship must be fully admitted to the graduate program, make satisfactory progress toward degree completion, as well as uphold a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00. Students who are accepted will also be required to sign a contractual agreement to 75 hours of service work per semester. “The University of Memphis is
committed to investing in the future of our students,” said Karen WeddleWest, vice provost for Graduate Programs. The U of M is the home of more than 22,000 students and awards 4,000 degrees every year. Students who are chosen for this first come, first serve scholarship will be selected by a committee of faculty members in the respective
A Weekly Devotional For You God’s Invitations God is gracious. He gives gracious invitations to sinful human beings to come and find rest and comfort in Him. However, God is not a beggar. Some have the idea that God is wringing His hands and frustrated at the many who refuse His invitations. This however is not true. It is very interesting to see to whom God sends His invitations. He does not invite the self-sufficient and self-satisfied. Christ said in Mark 2:17 “ They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Those who are righteous in their own estimation have no call from God. Jesus also said in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” If you are burdened with a sense of your sinfulness you have an invitation. If you feel no need of being saved from your sinful condition, you have no invitation. Even though God is infinitely holy He has good news for those who realize their great need of Him. There is good news for them in Isaiah 57:15, “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”
Grace Chapel Primitive Baptist Church – Zack Guess, Pastor 828 Berclair Rd. • Memphis, TN, 38122 • 683-8014 • e-mail: zguess@juno.com
programs. Each program is responsible for deciding on their set of criteria and service projects. “For example, an English major might have to complete 75 hours in educational support for tutoring, or the University College recipients would have to work with adult student retention,” Weddle-West said. This scholarship will encourage students who were previously unable to enroll because of funding issues to continue in their education. “In this recession, the hardest hit groups are the professional and the graduate students because the kinds of funding that are traditionally available have been cut,” WeddleWest said. “I’d like to express my appreciation for Shirley Raines, David Rudd and Zettergren for making this available.” With fewer opportunities provided by
colleges across the country, West expects a great number of people to take advantage of this opportunity. “The need is so great that we got 30 applications before we even announced it,” she said. The application for this scholarship is available on the Graduate School website. “We look forward to being able to support high quality graduate students who can also complete services that benefit the entire U n i v e r s i t y,” We d d l e - We s t said. n
4 Tuesday, April 30, 2013
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Behind the Living Wage Campus workers, administration, students and faculty weigh in on the forces behind the campaign By Elizabeth Cooper
news@dailyhelmsman.com At age 56, Pam Ramos biked nearly 12 miles from her job as a housekeeper at the University of Memphis to her apartment near Macon Road and Whitten Road. She cleaned two nursing buildings by herself, one with 12 all-tile bathrooms. “Well, they were small,” she said. In the fall of 2010, she received a $1,000 bonus from the U of M, which allowed her to move closer to campus. She continued biking to and from her 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift regardless of the rain, heat or cold, until this February when her two daughters pooled together enough money to help her buy a car. While Ramos’s case may be exceptional, she is not alone. Two hundred and three fulltime University of Memphis campus employees make less than $11 per hour, which is 62 cents less than what U of M professor of economics David Ciscel found to be a living wage in the Memphis area in 2010. The wage accounts for rent and utilities, insurance premiums, transportation, necessities such as clothing and household goods, and taxes, but allows for no entertainment or pleasure. Of the 203 full-time employees, 175 are employed in service and maintenance, 26 in clerical or secretarial positions and two as “other.” Sixty-six and a half percent of the full-time service and maintenance department receives less than a living wage. “I love working at the University,” Ramos said. “I love
the students. I love seeing the seasons change. It’s a youthful backdrop that makes you feel still a little youthful. It’s just the living wage ... but the benefits are good.” She remembers a time when she could work a 40-hour week, pay her bills and have a little money left over for entertainment or a dinner out. Now, she makes $8.76 an hour. She calculated her budget to be $940 a month after taxes and insurance. She estimated her expenses to be $525 per month for rent, $150 to $200 for utilities, $55 for phone, $50 for cable, and the remaining $110 or $160 for food and household goods. “We do have these other benefits — longevity, annual and sick days, 401K, insurance — which is all good and you do need those things, but man, to have it to where you could be able to breathe after paying your bills,” she said. Of the lower-paid workers, 133 are female while 70 are male. Those who live alone and those with children are impacted the most. “It just takes something out of you. Being around my kids on birthdays and Christmas, and not being able to ... It takes a lot of pride out of you to know that you are struggling that hard and not even having money to go to the theater on the weekend to see a movie.” Workers like Ramos seek subsistence through government programs such as food stamps or through independent channels like Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association and food banks in months with high utilities or unexpected expenses. “I was just living off of beans, fried potatoes and onions. That
was what I had to live with,” she said. “And the food bank. I had to go to three different food banks, and that is so degrading. I don’t like going there because it is just myself and I feel like maybe I’m taking away from children. That’s one big thing that hurt me even being there. But that’s when I really knew I had to do something. I had to eat in order to work, so I would do that in order to have food in my cabinets on months when my light bill would be a little too high.” Other workers, like Jean Rimmer, have family members who live with them and help pay the bills or household chores. Regardless, Rimmer often works a second job making draperies after finishing her 3 to 11 a.m. shift cleaning buildings at the U of M to help with her expenses. Rimmer is vice president of the United Campus Workers union that formed at the U of M three years ago and has been pressuring the administration for a living wage. “I had never spoke out until I got in the union,” she said. “What motivated me to go in front of people is I had never seen so many people so afraid.” “When I first started out I figured all my co-workers and everyone would all be with me, but for about a whole year, I was just out there by myself on the speaking. Just running my mouth,” she said as she laughed. “I said if I get fired, I’ll get fired because I figured it was a cause. It was my human right to get out there and run my mouth and tell them what it is.” Rimmer said workers need a living wage.
She also said she hears people ask why workers are complaining about $8 an hour. “We are all adults with families and homes, trying to make it, trying to fend for our families. We want to have the best for them and take them out and do things with them, and we can’t do that because if we do we get thrown back into a hole. And our children are looking sad, feeling sad because they can’t get out to do what other kids are doing and that’s hard.” Some of her co-workers have been working at the University 10 or 15 years and still don’t make more than $9 an hour, she said. “We are living in the 21st century and we still got people retiring on minimum wage,” Rimmer said. Administration With a drop in state funding from $123.7 million in 2007 to $87.5 million in 2012, the administration faces challenges to keep up with the pace of fiscal cuts. “As a consequence, it’s put pressure on the University to generate dollars other ways through gifts and externalities, and obviously that begins to constrain how
much flexibility you have in any part of your wage structure,” said Dr. David Cox, executive assistant to President Shirley Raines and a scholar of public policy. He said the cuts are a result of a shift in the public’s opinion of higher education. At one point, higher education was viewed as a public good that benefited society as a whole by creating more productive and civic members. Now, higher education is increasingly viewed as a way to obtain a higher paying job. The result is less public funding and increases in tuition as it becomes valued as a private good, he said. He said the University has made it a priority under fiscal constraints to keep workers employed instead of implementing lay-offs or contracting work out to private companies, two decisions public agencies in Tennessee often make during budget season. “We’ve been raising the salaries at the lower levels every year so that’s been a pattern, an intentional pattern, over several years, and we are continuing to do that. That’s how you can deal
see wage on page 5
The Dwelling Place Church 561 S. Prescott at Southern www.dwellinginhim.org
Wednesday Worship Service Wednesdays @ 7 PM Campus Connect Student Ministry Sundays @ 6 PM Everyone Welcome! Todos son bienvenidos! Ken Toney, Pastor Prayer Line: (901) 406-7322
NEED EXTRA CASH? All donors are paid $30 for BLOOD DONATIONS $35 with this ad, full donation and student ID All new donors or donors who have not been in the center for more than 6 months must provide a Government issued ID(s) w/picture, legal name, SS#, signature, DOB, and proof of current address. Proof of address could be a phone bill or other bill with your address on it.
newly remodeled
the student donor center 3582 walker ave.| 323-1136 hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. monday-friday
source University of Memphis Office of Institutional Research
created by Elizabeth Cooper
Not valid with any other offers, ads or coupons.
The University of Memphis
uuWage Continued from page 4 with those issues with constrained resources,” Cox said. According to data gathered from the University of Memphis’ Office of Institutional Research, the number of campus workers receiving less than $11 per hour has decreased by 63 workers since 2008. However, it has not been a steady decrease. After dropping in 2009, it rose again in 2010 and 2011. While the number of secretarial and clerical positions has annually slimmed from 66 in 2008 to 26 in 2012, the number of service and maintenance workers has fluctuated with no discernible pattern. Supporters of the living wage criticize the administration for prioritizing athletics such as football and basketball, which cost the University millions annually. Cox said the athletics program provides 350 scholarships, increases diversity in the classroom by attracting students from other parts of the country and world, and strengthens the University’s image in a national market. As for new buildings and building improvements, the University has two budgets, one for long-term investments and one for annual expenses. The state provides the majority of capital investment funding while students’ tuition provides the majority of funding for campus workers’ hourly wages. Faculty and Students The Progressive Student
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 • 5 Alliance has been working alongside United Campus Workers for the past three years delivering thousands of postcards signed by faculty and students which petition Raines to enact a living wage. They have also held several rallies and attended lobby days at the Tennessee state capitol. At the most recent rally on April 17, more than 100 students, faculty and community members attended, including a dozen lower-paid campus employees, the most to date. Lee Harris, a University of Memphis associate professor of law, UCW member and Memphis city councilman, attended and spoke in support of increases in wage and quality of life for workers. “I think what we are asking for sounds modest, but it is a challenge none the less,” he said. “All we really want is the public sector to be geared toward the public. We want state government, we want city government, we want the University of Memphis to be geared toward the public. And I can tell you that’s a hard thing to do even though it sounds like a simple goal.” A coalition for the living wage consisting of students and community organizations, including the PSA, UCW, Worker’s Interfaith Network, Hispanic Student Association, College Democrats, and Empowered Men of Color, began its formation in February. Johnathan Moffet, a previous Student Government Association senator who works alongside the custodial staff as a building man-
ager in the University Center said he sees the mess that the workers have to clean on a regular basis. “The pay that they receive right now does not correspond to the work that they do,” he said. When Moffett was in elementary and middle school his mother worked a low-wage job and often had to choose between eating and feeding her children or paying her utility bill. “So I know exactly how it feels to live that way and that’s why I really want to do something about it,” he said. The newly appointed SGA President Ricky Kirby said while he is reticent to speak on behalf of a diverse SGA without discussing the issue with them first, he personally hopes to find a way to increase wages for campus workers who are “the lifeblood of our school.” He said state funding decreases complicate an already “huge issue,” and he understands the administration’s difficulty in choosing where to make budget cuts. However, he believes there is an answer. “We need to tackle it and see if we can’t find a solution. I don’t know anybody who’s not for it, but it’s just looking at the best options,” he said. “SGA will be looking at it in the fall and finding some answers to those questions and issues.” The faculty senate also formed a committee to study what is necessary for the University to do to enact a living wage at the U of M and the successes and failures of other campus’ campaigns. n
photo By Nathanael Packard | staff
Vanlyn Turner-Ramsay, co-chairman of the PSA, helps hand out flyers promoting the club’s upcoming rally for equal wages.
6 Tuesday, April 30, 2013
www.dailyhelmsman.com
Elevators Jason Collins’ coming out to have getting down little impact if he doesn’t play with upgrades Opinion
By Mac Engel MCT
By Alexandra Pusateri news@dailyhelmsman.com
Next semester, students may see some upgrades on the elevators around campus, part of the second phase in the Elevator Modernization Project. The Physical Plant is implementing the project, but the entire modernization project is facilitated through Campus Planning and Design department. Also included in the specifications for the project were requirements to upgrade the wet sprinkler system on campus, as well as the sleeves and sleeve seals for fire-suppression pipes. Pam Cash, manager of facilities projects at the Physical Plant, said the elevators that weren’t updated during phase one will be completed during the summer. “The primary focus of the project is to correct any mechanical issues and upgrade to tab lighting,” Cash said. “Some will be getting new jacks, others will be brought up to code and new standards.” According to Cash, the total cost of the project is $1,721,200, paid to the R.L. Campbell Contracting Co. “Some of the elevators were put in 30-plus years ago before [the Americans with Disabilities Act],” Cash said. “The height of the buttons needs to be updated.” Ralph Albanese, professor and chair of the Foreign Language department, said he filed the com-
plaint for the elevator in Jones Hall, which was squealing loudly enough to disrupt classes. “It did not sound comfortable,” Albanese said. “It was bothering a lot of people. It undermines education by distracting students.” Albanese said he wasn’t sure if Physical Plant deemed other projects more urgent, but issues with the elevator went on for weeks. “It was under construction for at least a few weeks before spring break,” he said. “We thought after spring break, it would be done.” However, the elevator continued to have issues until last week. Sherry Bryan, professor of architecture, said she and other professors were happy to see the elevator in Jones Hall fixed. “Most of our students and faculty are still taking the stairs,” she said. Bryan noted that while some changes were made to the Jones elevator, the modernization project hasn’t completely upgraded it. “[The lighted arrows] were replaced with LEDs,” Bryan said. “They replaced the ceiling, but they didn’t replace the floor.” While floors are not included in the elevator modernization plans, lighting is a major factor in the entire project. “It is working great now,” Bryan said. “But the bad thing is still the smell of it and that it’s very slow.” The project will officially begin May 13 and continue into the summer. n
There is just one small problem with NBA center Jason Collins becoming the first active professional sports team athlete to come out of the closet and admit he is gay. Collins needs a job. While NBA commissioner David Stern and the White House issued separate news releases praising Collins’ courage to admit he is gay and social media went bonkers with congratulatory statements, this great story is not quite all the way there. He needs to be playing for a team before this barrier is truly broken, and we can get on with our lives and simply rip the player for his lack of production rather than care about his lifestyle. Pro sports is all about ability and production, and if Jason Collins can play, who cares? If he is signed and plays with a team, then this door is finally open and others may follow suit without the fear that has existed for decades. What Collins did on Monday took a tremendous amount of courage, but he is no Jackie Robinson. Collins, 34, is just about at the end of his career and is currently an unrestricted free agent. He last played for the Washington Wizards, whose roster, given the state of that franchise, could be comprised of three-headed aliens and no one would notice. Even if he had not admitted he was gay the way he did in an article in Sports Illustrated on Monday, there is the issue that he simply may be done as a player. He averaged about one point and
one rebound in 38 games between time with the Hawks and Celtics. His averages over his 12-year career are 3.6 points and 2.5 rebounds. There was a good chance he was going to remain unsigned simply because of production. And now there is a good chance he gets another shot because of his announcement. There was some brilliance to his timing. We are potentially talking about the first gay athlete to play in one of the four major professional leagues in North America, which carries with it a certain amount of prestige. Both he and the team will be the first and will be recognized globally. There may be some “haters” at first, much like there were with Robinson’s Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. But eventually people got over their own ignorance and misplaced fears and the world did not end. Society appears to be just about ready to belatedly accept a gay ball player, which will allow us to proceed to the next dumb fear we can’t navigate. “I don’t know if I ever thought this would happen because sports is such a macho thing; there was so much fear in coming out,” said former Dallas Stars center Mike Modano. “If he can play, then I don’t think any off-the-(court/field/ ice) scenario matters.” The NBA is going to want Collins to make a roster, and don’t be surprised if the Dallas Mavericks give him a look. Few owners in sports have been as vocal in supporting equality as Mark Cuban. In an interview with TMZ earlier this month, Cuban said, “There
will be somebody who comes out. It’ll be a great moment for sports. ... I would be honored if he was on my team.” It is easy to envision the Mavs giving Collins a look simply to make a social statement. But this can’t be a Brittney Griner gimmick. Fortunately, the Mavs need centers. Yes, Dwight Howard is the better alternative, but Jason Collins can’t be any worse than Erick Dampier. At least he’s more interesting. From Collins’ standpoint, not only does he immediately become an icon in the gay community, but now he also has a chance to cash in. I don’t think Collins made this decision for financial reasons, but if he can make a few bucks while serving as a role model, good for him. I asked one NBA exec on Monday what he thought about Collins’ announcement, and it was met with a shrug. No big deal. He didn’t much care. He cared more about whether Jason Collins was any good. That is the ideal answer. Regardless of the praise and support Collins received after making his announcement, homophobia is still a part of the locker-room mentality. Being called gay or variations thereof are still punch lines. Probably much like a big-league locker room in 1947 when a few racial slurs were still OK. Jason Collins took an important step for a lot of people on Monday, but a crucial element is missing that he can’t do alone. A team needs to sign him for this announcement to make the type of impact it merits. n
Solutions
We buy for more! Now renting textbooks! Best Prices Guaranteed – Just Compare! Come See Us
TEXTBOOK BROKERS
3566 Walker Ave., #8 • 323-9999 • www.textbookbrokers.com
(next to Scooties One-Stop)
The University of Memphis
Tuesday, April 30, 2013 • 7
Sports
Women’ s tennis team Five Tigers given opportunities earns six individual out of free agency for NFL national awards By Bryan Heater
bheater@dailyhelmsman.com The 2013 NFL Draft came and went, and the University of Memphis football team had no players drafted in the seven rounds that spanned three days. Though it is always sweet to hear your name called, not all doors to the pro level shut for players who are not drafted. Many players have made a name for themselves in the league and never had their name called in the draft, including All-Pro athletes such as Antonio Gates, Tony Romo and Wes Welker. Over the past several days, five former Tigers have been given the opportunity to make their names known after being scooped up through free agency. Former Memphis players Akeem Davis, Jordan Devey, Marcus Rucker, Cannon Smith and Robert Steeples have each agreed to free agent terms with NFL teams. Devey (Baltimore Ravens), Davis (Seattle Seahawks), Rucker (Chicago Bears) and Steeples (St. Louis Rams) all agreed to terms after the conclusion of the draft on Saturday. Smith, who also agreed to terms with the St. Louis Rams, did so on Monday.
Davis was the inaugural winner of the Lee Roy Selmon Community Spirit Award on Jan. 19 in Tampa Bay, Fla. He racked up 162 tackles and 13 tackles for loss over his career for the Tigers. The linebacker also had nine pass breakups, seven fumble recoveries, five forced fumbles and three interceptions. Devey was a two-year starter for Memphis at left guard and received Second Team All-Conference USA honors this past season as a senior. He leapt onto NFL team’s radars after starting at left guard for the East side at the 2013 East-West Shrine game. His performance there earned him an invitation to the NFL Combine, and though he was not drafted, many teams and coaches offered high praise for the native from American Fork, Utah. He also received the DeAngelo Williams Most Valuable Player Award for the Tigers following his senior season. Rucker started in 26 games at wide receiver for the Tigers and played in a total of 44 games at Memphis, amassing 126 receptions, 1,655 yards and 14 trips to the end zone. He finished his career as a Tiger ranked fifth in yards, sixth in receptions and tied for seventh in
Have opinions? Care to share?
Comment on our website
dailyhelmsman.com
touchdowns. Smith started his career at Memphis under Larry Porter as a quarterback after transferring from Miami, Fla., making two starts before eventually switching to the defensive side of the ball. In the secondary, he made 21 starts over his final two years, totaling 101 tackles, eight pass breakups and a forced fumble to go along with two fumble recoveries. Steeples will have an opportunity to make the roster for his hometown Rams. He played one year for the Tigers after playing for and graduating early from the University of Missouri. In his only year at Memphis, Steeples made 42 stops with 22 solo tackles. His presence helped rejuvenate a Tiger defense that was at the bottom of the barrel in 2011 to the leading defensive unit in league games in 2012. Though a free agent deal is never a guarantee of making an NFL roster, it is an opportunity for players who went undrafted to showcase their skill sets and earn a spot on Sundays. Like others before them, Davis, Devey, Rucker, Smith and Steeples will have to show their respective teams that they can contribute and deserve a roster spot. n
By Corey Carmichael
sports@dailyhelmsman.com This year, the women’s tennis team is excited about its potential at-large bid to NCAA Tournament. Before the NCAA tournament’s field is set and seeding is determined though, the Conference USA awards were handed out on Monday. The Tigers earned a record six AllConference selections, tying the record set by Tulsa (2012 and 2011) and Tulane (2004). Head coach for the women’s team Lee Taylor Walker said even though the awards were for individual performance, they were a result of the team being strong. “I’m proud of the team for these individual awards,” Walker said. “These awards are a result of multiple players pushing and challenging each other to become better and better.” Freshman Skylar Kuykendall was named the C-USA Freshman of the Year, becoming the first Tiger to do so. She also made the All-Conference third team after finishing the regular season with a 27-8 record. Fellow freshman Caroline Wegner made the third team for individual, but also finished on the third team for doubles with junior Stefanie Mikesz. The pair is ranked No. 62 nationally. Senior Courtney Collins was no newcomer to the C-USA stage and made C-USA first team for the third straight year. She finished this season ranked No. 46 nationally, coming off a 2012 campaign when she became the first Tiger to advance in the Division
I Singles Championships. Graduate student Tiffany Welcher made her second straight C-USA second team and finished the year with a seven-match winning streak. Accompanying Welcher on the second team was teammate Alyssa Hibberd. The sophomore from Australia improved from her third team selection last year. Memphis has steadily improved under Walker, earning five selections for conference awards last year and has increased its win totals since his start five years ago. Two years ago, he tied the program record for most wins at 16. This year, the team finished 17-6, and five of those wins were against ranked opponents. Although the Tigers lost to Tulsa in the conference semifinals, the team is still expecting a higher seeding from the NCAA Championships selection committee. “This year is fairly strong for Conference USA,” Walker said. “There are a lot of good players and a lot of good teams. I think Rice is (ranked) at 20, Tulane is at 24, and we’re at 34.” Winning the individual awards represented how strong the team is as a whole. Walker said this year’s squad has a chance to do something special in the NCAA Tournament. “This is the deepest team we’ve ever had. One through eight we’re strong,” Walker said. ”If we play solid, we have pretty high expectations. I think we can get to the Sweet 16 and then have a shot at winning it all from there.” The Racquet Club of Memphis will have a watch show tonight for the selection of the teams into the tournament. The men’s show is at 4 p.m., followed by the women’s at 4:30. n
uuCentral Continued from page 1 Avenue will help assure the safety of student pedestrians along with enabling a more walking and biking-friendly community. “The project has been cut back out for bid, and it will take about year to complete once it’s under contract,” Poteet said. “It will be bid in June; it’s taken many years to put this project together because of the many different funding components.” With new sidewalks, street lights, wider bike lanes and more crosswalks, campus officials hope this will encourage students — drivers or pedestrians — to be more cautious when crossing the street. “It’s basically about safety and aesthetics and in this case, they both go together,” Cox said. n
8 Tuesday, April 30, 2013
www.dailyhelmsman.com
D.J. Stephens serves as a model for modesty By Mary Eckersley
Special to the Daily Helmsman Don’t call D.J. Stephens a superstar. When members of his church call him that, he tells them to stop. The 6-foot-5 Memphis senior says “I just feel like I’m a normal person just like everybody else. I just have a special talent, but in a way I use that special talent to lead people in the right direction.” If you follow him on Twitter, then you already know he’s always tweeting uplifting messages. He says, “The majority of stuff I go by is all positive. No matter what it is you can find the positive in any situation.” One of his go-to mottos when signing autographs lately is “The sky is the limit.” He says it’s partly because he jumps so high, but he also thinks people should live by it. Stephens explained that a lot of the younger generation looks up to athletes and rappers, and he wants to influence people in the right way. When asked what great players he admired, he replied Vince Carter. He says that, like himself, Carter is “freakishly athletic” and a great dunker, but Stephens also likes that no one hears “a lot of bad information” about the Dallas Mavericks player. He says
that from what he’s heard Michael Jordan is arrogant, and you can’t have a “down-to-earth” conversation with him: “Just because you’re this person doesn’t give you the audacity to treat people like they’re beneath you.” Stephens likes to sit down and give advice to anyone willing to listen. He frequently goes to schools in his spare time and speaks with kids to “instill things in them that they might not be hearing from others.” He knows the importance of getting encouragement to follow your dreams, whether from “Coach P” or his parents, and he wants to give that to future generations. He says he owes being the man he is now to his parents, and that his dad imparted a lot of things to him growing up that he still lives by today. He gave Stephens his first basketball when he was still in his crib and was always there to support him at games. With his own baby on the way, Stephens says he’ll be supportive of whatever sport his kid wants to play. “I feel your child should be able to pursue whatever they want to,” he says. “If they want to play six sports then I’ll be in the stands cheering them on.” While he says that starting a family so soon wasn’t part of the plan, he admits he’s “actually
Photo By David C. Minkin | special to the daily helmsman
D.J. Stephens may be famous for his incredible jumps on the court, but he’s infamous for his positive attitude off the court. ecstatic about it.” “It’s crazy how everything is happening back to back to back,” Stephens says. “It’s crazy how fast
life is happening for me.” While his life may be racing all around him he insists that he will remain as modest as ever:
“I’ve gotten where I am by being who I am — being this humble person. That’s a reason for me not to change.” n
COMING SOON We look forward to getting to know you over a great cup of coffee.
The Official Campus Store Café will be closing its doors on May 9 and reopening as a Starbucks late Summer. Don’t forget, you’ll still be able to use your Dining Dollars!
/umemphisbookstore 2013 © Starbucks Coffee Company. All rights reserved.