The Daily Helmsman

The

Daily

Special Issue: Getting the Edge Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Helmsman Vol. 78 No. 060

Independent Student Newspaper of The University of Memphis

The Helmsman investigates shortcuts to success and the keys to moving forward see page 6 www.dailyhelmsman.com

Facial philanthropy

courtesy of Matt Tubinis

BY MIKE MUELLER News Reporter

Memphis alumnus Matt Tubinis first decided to grow a beard following his wedding in 2009. Eleven months later, he turned his shaving experience into financial gain.

Going Green

For nearly a year, University of Memphis graduate Matt Tubinis didn’t shave.

“It was ugly,” he said of his wispy, blond beard that extended down to his collarbone.

But in April, he turned his facefull of hair into a fistful of fundraising cash for his church youth group. Since then, he has sprouted new hairs for another beard-driven benefit in 2011.

Tubinis, who served as youth director at Lord of Life Lutheran Church at the time, raffled off the opportunity to shave his beard at

$1 per ticket and raised $150 for a summer mission trip.

Now employed at Hope Presbyterian Church as director of its senior high guys’ ministry, Tubinis said another follicle-based fundraiser is in the works, albeit in the early stages.

Tubinis, 24, grew his beard for 11 months prior to his fundraising event, the April 2010 Beard Shaving Bonanza, but said he hadn’t originally planned to raise money with his facial hair. His shave-free streak began after his wedding in May 2009, when he began growing it “for fun.”

“It started as not shaving on my honeymoon,” said Tubinis,

who graduated in 2007 from U of M’s University College. “I said, ‘I’m not shaving (while) I’m on vacation.’”

That weeklong vacation from his razor quickly turned into a month, which then turned into several months, he said.

“It was my first beard,” Tubinis said. “So I decided to test the waters.”

It wasn’t until nine months later that a parent from his church suggested that he could use his mandibular mane to raise money.

Tubinis said friends, family, his youth group and members of the

see

Beard, page 5

Seasonal

Making strides, UM students tighten belts for the holidays spoke by spoke

BY FELICIA PISARZ News Reporter Bicycles have traditionally been recreational toys in Memphis, but city and county governments are trying hard to turn bicycles into an effective mode of transportation.

Memphis is still not a very bike-friendly city, compared to some cities in other parts of the world — there are few bike lanes and few employers who provide bike parking and shower facilities for those who bike to work on hot Memphis days. But the city is taking positive steps forward when it comes to increasing bicycle use.

Greater Memphis Greenline, Inc., a collaboration between public and private donors and the local government, has begun developing the GMG and other unused railway right-of-ways and easements in Memphis and Shelby County into bike trails.

The new trails reflect a growing movement all across the country known as Rails-to-Trails.

Communities are gaining control over abandoned railways, pulling up the rails and timbers, paving new paths and constructing crosswalks, motor vehicle barri-

ers and bridges.

“In the 1970s, the government began deregulating railroads, and there were thousands of miles of unused railroads,” said Karl Wirsing, director of communications for Rails-to-Trails.

Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Its mission is to create a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines.

The organization began in 1986 and has converted more than 19,000 miles of former rail lines into recreational trails.

“In 1986, there were fewer than 200 known rail-trails,” Wirsing said. “Today, there are more than 1,600 individual pathways all over the country.”

Some American cities have recently taken an interest in making the cities more bike-friendly, but parts of Europe have been accommodating bikers for many years.

“Bike lanes are so common in Europe that you actually notice when there isn’t one,” said Wim Nouwen, a Memphis physical therapist from Holland.

In many countries in Europe,

see

Greenline, page 4

As the fall semester ends, holiday shopping begins. But recession-conscious spending and tight, collegiate budgets have some students at The University of Memphis scrimping to buy gifts for their family and friends.

Gwendolyn Barnes, art education freshman, is currently unemployed but said she is looking for a job for the holidays.

“I probably won’t be able to buy my friends and family Christmas presents, which is unfortunate, but at least they know I love them anyway,” she said.

Barnes said she plans to use her artistic abilities to provide gifts to her loved ones.

“I’ll probably paint a few people pictures,” she said. “There were a few people who told me they wanted some paintings of their favorite bands, but other than paintings, I don’t really have any ideas.”

Barnes said she plans to focus on “friendship and family rather than money and the hype of holidays.”

Though the National Retail Federation reported that the average shopper spent more during this year’s Black Friday than in 2009, increasing from $343 to $365 per shopper, U of M economics professor William

Smith said the economy is still changing how many people spend their holiday dollars.

“I think the economy is affecting everybody in a profound way,” he said. “We’ve been overspending for a long time, and it seems like people’s

buying habits are changing permanently.”

Nolan Smith, sophomore film major, said his family has recently suffered from unemployment and will focus more

see

Gifts, page 4

by Malcolm Regester

Memphis not cutting-edge city for bicyclists but making progress

BY CHRIS DANIELS News Reporter

University of Memphis students visiting the UC can feel the Christmas and Memphis spirit by the tree, festively ornamented in blue and silver.

2 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

The

Daily

www.dailyhelmsman.com

Outrage over SGA budget

AARON KARO’S

Helmsman Dear Daily Helmsman: Ruminations.com Volume 78 Number 060

Editor-in-Chief

Megan Harris Managing Editor Scott Carroll News Editors Brent Fisackerly Cole Epley Amber Crawford Sports Editor Joseph Russell Copy Editors Amy Barnette Christina Hessling General Manager Candy Justice Advertising Manager Bob Willis Admin. Sales Sharon Whitaker Adv. Production Rachelle Pavelko Rachel Rufenacht Adv. Sales Robyn Nickell CJ Kelman Michael Parker

I applaud you for your three-part series uncovering the SGA. I was amazed to find out that even though I have a hard enough time paying for school, I am actually paying for the officers’ tuition — and then some. It was disgusting, for me and for all of my peers, to know where our money is really going. I have no problem paying for activities that can benefit me or campus improvements, and I do believe SGA officers should get a scholarship, but when each officer gets parking, housing, tuition and a stipend, that just sickens me.

The biggest part of the article that made me upset was when the SGA argued that a normal, full-time student has time to get a job. What full-

time students are we talking about? The ones taking 12 credits? I take 17 credit hours, I play in two music ensembles, I’m vice president of a women’s music fraternity (SAI) and I twirl baton for the school.

Despite my 3.8 GPA, I only receive $1,000 a semester in scholarship money. Don’t you think I need a job, Hunter?

Do I really have time? Oh, but the SGA is so generous with its $500 scholarship, just a fraction of what each officer receives as a stipend. Thank you for uncovering this series.

It’s time for some accountability in our student government.

— Hillary Clemons sophomore, recording

Contact Information

Ads: News: (901) 6 78-2191 (901) 678-2193 Fax: Sports: (901) 678-4792 (901) 678-2192

dailyhelmsman@gmail.com The University of Memphis The Daily Helmsman 113 Meeman Journalism Building Memphis, TN 38152 The Daily Helmsman is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The Daily Helmsman is pleased to make a maximum of 10 copies from each issue available to a reader for free, after which $1 will be charged per copy.

Commended for investigation

Dear Daily Helmsman: I want to thank you for your hard work on the paper, Megan. I read your editorial, and I want to tell you that I agree with every word. Please consider more investigative

reporting of this type. We absolutely need it.

“Writing What You’re Thinking” “Nothing like a visit from an out-of-town friend to point out how little I actually know about the city I live in.”

— by EverythingSucks

“Despite all my education, I think the most important lesson I’ve learned is never to buy a bathroom cabinet with a mirror that opens ... because we all know when you close it, there is gonna be a super creepy weirdo/ psycho/monster behind you.”

— by lervis47 ‘The further I get in my education, fewer and fewer terms get defined by professors, and fewer and fewer textbooks have glossaries. Essentially, I attend the University of Wikipedia.”

— by srdubs “I judge the worth of my staff based on what they bring to the holiday luncheon. Lobster macaroni and cheese … give Jenny a raise. Store bought fruit tray … we don’t really need you here anymore, Betty.” ­— by fakepeterman “I’m going to bring littering back because people on probation need harder things to do for their community service.”

— by barryzuckerkorn

— Michael J. Gootzeit economics professor

“Yes, entirely brown bananas, I see you, but I’m not going to throw you out. I’ll keep you a little longer, just in case I learn how to make banana bread.”

— by tilzz

DOMINO’S PIZZA Across 1 Prepared for pie, as apples 6 Skirt fold 11 1,150, to Brutus 14 Speed skater __ Anton Ohno 15 Get-up-and-go 16 Author Levin 17 What cats and bats do 18 Procter & Gamble laundry product 20 Earl Grey et al.

21 “The loneliest number,” in a song 22 Nickel or cadmium 23 The works 24 Favorite 25 Simian 27 Keep America Beautiful concerns 30 Lawyers’ charges 31 Craft that can be rolled 32 “As ye sow, so shall ye __” 34 Country rtes.

35 New England storm 39 Bruin legend Bobby 42 Rank below marquis 43 Nutritious beans 47 Razz 49 Space particles 52 Asks to the party 54 King of France 55 9-Down adviser 56 Kentucky county named for a trailblazer 57 It follows Wed. 58 Stride 59 Beach Boys album with bees and flowers on the cover 62 Beyond the fringe 63 Columnist Buchwald 64 Alleviated 65 __ mix: hiker’s fare 66 Snake sound 67 Wipe out 68 Critter that can follow the ends of this puzzle’s five longest answers Down 1 NPR auto show

550 S. HIGHLAND

No Waiting!

323-3030

“I seriously doubt there’s anyone who actually knows what to do when the song says, ‘Now cha-cha, y’all.’”

— by mooskadams

Have opinions?

Care to share?

Send us a letter

dailyhelmsman@gmail.com

Solutions on page 12

2 Hamlet’s love 3 Writer’s payment 4 Shady bunch?

5 Anonymous John 6 Destination in a two-part route 7 “Many-splendored thing” of song 8 Comic Philips 9 30-day mo.

10 Herb in a bouquet garni 11 Toothpaste comparison word 12 Cried like a raven 13 Like anarchy 19 Note to __ 21 Across, in verse 24 “Orange” tea grade 25 A long time 26 130-minute H.S. exam 28 Beach lover’s goal 29 Eurasian range

33 Joe of “GoodFellas” 36 Senate contest 37 God with arrows 38 Staff associate?

39 Lake Superior natives 40 Some Impressionist paintings 41 Sickens 44 Mexican peninsula 45 Bayer product 46 Majestic 48 Melon exterior 50 Villainous literary alter ego 51 Promise to pay 53 Little laugh 57 Golfer’s pocketful 58 Spiritual guide 60 Stick in the lake?

61 Govt. hush-hush org.

62 Bettor’s hangout, briefly

S u d o k u

Complete the grid so that each row, column and 3—by—3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9.

The University of Memphis

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 • 3

4 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

www.dailyhelmsman.com

Greenline from page 1

The U of M Chess Club Invites You To come out & enjoy some fun And serious games of Chess Every Friday Night during Spring Semester Beginning January 14

7 - 11 p.m.

UC 342 (Shelby Room) Things to Bring: Chess set, Clock, Friends, Your brain (if you have one!)

Our Chess tournaments are USCF Rated For more information, please contact Rafi Chowdhury Email: rafi1406@yahoo.com Phone: (901)674-4629

Applications Are Now Available for

Student Government Court handles all student traffic appeals and some student misconduct cases.

Student Government Court Associate Justices Pick up applications at

SGA Office (UC 214) or in the Office of Judicial & Ethical Programs (UC 359)

Completed applications must be returned to UC 214

by Friday, Dec. 10 at 4:30 p.m.

specific rules are in place for bikes, and learning the bike safety rules is part of the driving test.

“Some countries, such as the Netherlands, have rules and signs just for bikers,” said Rick Steves, author of “Europe Through the Back Door.”

Steves explained that a bike in a blue circle indicates a bike route, and a bike in a red circle indicates bikes are not allowed.

Julie Nouwen, a Memphis native, has traveled to Europe with her husband, Wim, numerous times.

“Everyone rides bikes in Europe,” she said. “While we were visiting Amsterdam, we saw a parking garage, like a car parking garage in America, but it was for bikes.”

In Amsterdam, 40 percent of all traffic moves by bicycle. The bicycle parking garage is known as the Amsterdam Bike Ramp and holds more than 7,000 bikes for commuters.

In Europe, many people travel to their jobs by bike every day, but finding a bike-friendly city in America for safe travel to work is harder.

“I ride my bike to work whenever the weather is conducive,” said Jene C. Smith, a chaplain for Methodist University Hospital.

Smith’s commute is about 15 minutes, and he has been traveling that way for about 10 years.

“It’s hard in Memphis because the streets don’t have bike lanes, so I have to get on the sidewalk when the street is busy or narrow,” Smith said.

Although bike lanes have recently been painted on

Southern Avenue near The University of Memphis, the city is still far behind even many American cities in promoting bike safety and usage.

In Portland, Ore., the local government created a program called Portland’s Create-aCommuter, the first project in the United States that provides lowincome adults with commuter bicycles, as well as a session on commuter safety. The bikes come outfitted with lights, a lock, a helmet, a pump, tool kits, maps and rainwear.

Another cutting-edge American bicycling city is Boulder, Colo. Bike lanes or trails exist on 95 percent of its roads, and the city has spent, on average, 15 percent of its transportation budget on building and maintaining bicycle traffic lanes over the past five years.

San Francisco has 63 miles of bicycle lanes and paths throughout the city.

The City of Memphis plans to have 400 miles of easements throughout the city before the Greater Memphis Greenline is completed. It currently runs from Tilman in Binghamton to Shelby Farms. Another bike trail, called the Wolf River Greenway, runs down Humphreys Blvd. starting at Walnut Grove and continuing toward Germantown.

Collierville is also organizing a bike trail project.

These trails are expected to increase nearby property values.

Planners estimate a 37.5 percent increase in property value within a quarter of a mile on both sides of the Greater Memphis Greenline.

“The experiences of greenlines in other cities indicate that there will be an increase in tourism and an elevation of property values,”

Wirsing said.

Noise and air pollution also drop dramatically near greenlines. A National Park Service study found that greenlines can reduce noise levels by eight to 10 decibels.

Gifts from page 1 on spending time together this year than on presents.

“People won’t be long-shooting for the Sharper Image kind of stuff this year,” he said. “They’ll be focusing more on the important things, like having family there at the table with you and just being glad that everyone’s alive to say ‘Merry Christmas’ in the first place.”

Students who are working a budget but still want to give to their loved ones should plan for their expenditures, Smith recommended.

“When you go shopping, you should have a list of things you want to get ahead of time,” he said. “Go to the store and get only those things, not wander around and allow yourself to be enticed by other things.”

Rickey Jamison, freshman art major, said that though the Christmas trees of many families may have fewer presents under them this year, his family has fared well during the recession and plans to celebrate the holidays like it does every year. He has already purchased gifts for his sisters using money he received for his high school graduation.

“I never found a real use for (the money),” he said. “So I just plan on using it to buy my family some gifts.”

The University of Memphis

from page 1 church jumped at the opportunity to shave his beard.

“I think a lot of them were very excited because they hated my beard,” he said. “A majority of people were excited that beard was going away. It was pretty ugly.”

Two other men also volunteered their services for the shave-out. One member of Tubinis’ high school youth group offered his head, while his friend Sam Ward, a volunteer at the church, grew out his beard for two months to participate.

“It was an easy way to raise money for a good cause,” Ward said. “I got to be lazy with my hygiene and had a great excuse for it.”

Tubinis’ wife, Kristina, said she didn’t mind the beard but was glad to see it go.

“At first I liked it,” she said.

“Then he let it grow out at the end, and it got to the point when it was long and unruly there.”

As for the beard’s making a comeback, she said she’s OK with it — if it’s for the same reason.

“I thought it was a great idea he came up with, and the kids really supported it,” she said.

“I’d fully support him if he wanted to do it again.”

With 15 members in his junior and senior high youth groups at Lord of Life Church, Tubinis sold 150 tickets for his fundraising extravaganza. In his current position at Hope Church, he has more than 150 kids in his group, which could mean more money raised, he said.

Currently sporting a short beard, Tubinis said it will be “a while” before the second bonanza takes place. But Tubinis’ idea has grown a life of its own.

Brett Baddorf, a former employee of Hope Presbyterian who moved to Norfolk, Va., took the idea with him, now several months into his own bearded benefit.

Student Profiles

Foreign exchange students adapt to American customs

BY TANGO TAN Contributing Writer Activating a new cell phone is no problem for the typical University of Memphis student.

But if you’re one of 29 exchange students from seven foreign countries currently attending The U of M, similar tasks most would consider easy might be a major source of frustration, even tears.

“The first couple of days, I bought a mobile phone but had no idea how to activate it,” said Jinyu Li, 20, who uses the name Nicole Li in the U.S. Li said she called the activation number, but the operator had a heavy accent and could not understand her response.

“I said the word ‘activate’ like tens of hundreds of times, but she cannot get across my meaning — neither can I. Finally, I went crazy in my room and had been crying for nearly an hour, felt the bottom of the ocean and fifty inch of crashes above.”

Fortunately for Li, an American friend visited her apartment at Carpenter Complex and helped.

“I told her the whole matter,” Li said. “She helped me to solve this problem in only five minutes.

She is native, and she is familiar with this situation, while I am stranger here.”

But cell phones aren’t the only obstacles Li and other exchange students face as they adjust to American life.

“Things here are absolutely unlike from what I have in China — the food, the people, the public transportation and almost everything,” Li said. “I am trying to adapt life here, but still, as far as I am concerned, there is a long

Outrage over SGA budget

Dear Daily Helmsman: I am writing this in response to the article about the “perks” that are being received by several members of the SGA and SAC. I am deeply disturbed by the idea that part of the tuition that I borrow money for each year and must pay back is going to other students.

As an adult and non-traditional student, I work a full-time job. This is in addition to taking 20 hours of classes, maintaining a 3.35 GPA and raising a child.

I also hold a general parking permit and walk to my classes despite the weather.

I find it reprehensible that certain members of student groups are compensated for their “volunteer” work. It is even more disturbing that the student body apparently has no voice in this matter.

While I fully advocate the idea that everyone who wishes to pursue an education should have the opportunity, I do not

advocate the idea of my being forced to provide for another’s educational expenses seemingly against my will. I would greatly prefer having a choice in whose college career I am supplementing.

The most vital part of being an adult is learning to juggle responsibilities. That has been one of the most difficult parts of my transition back into college. I find myself awake at 3:00 a.m. many times working on things for class after coming from my job, which I must have to pay my bills and provide for my daughter. The pure desire to succeed in my educational endeavors is what makes it possible for me to get out of bed and go to class on two or three hours of sleep. No one has offered to pay me for my hard work while I go to school.

I am fortunate enough to have a scholarship, but it comes with stipulations, such as minimum

way to go.”

With the Chinese government’s one-child only policy in the 1980s, Li was reared in a family of three, and her parents had plenty of time to do things for their only child.

“I am a little princess in my Chinese home but a maid here because you can rely on nobody but yourself,” she said with a smile. “The first couple of days when I arrive in USA, I do not know that I should put detergent in the washing machine. I think it is automatic, including the washing powder. You know I seldom washing clothes home.”

Already, however, Li is feeling more confident in her adaptation of American ways.

“Only after a month, I know where to buy the cheapest vegetables and when to purchase the electronic products at the reasonable price,” she said. “Some American friends helped me a lot.”

Li, who came to Memphis after her sophomore year at HUBEI University in China, spoke highly of her experience so far at The U of M. She said she has found the professors helpful and her classmates creative, and she has enjoyed the freedom of discourse between students and professors in the classroom.

For Li, spending an exchange year at an American university is a dream come true, she said.

“When I was just a child, I dream of one day coming to the most powerful country in the world and receive the most advanced education there,” she said. “I did it, and this is the most fantastic scenery rooted in my memory.”

GPAs and service hours. I have not received a blank check to fund my education.

In making the decision to become involved in extracurricular activities, one must be aware of the sacrifices and weigh them against the rewards.

I was elected to Honors Student Council last spring. Although I was ecstatic to be elected, when I realized that I could not fulfill my commitment due to work and family obligations, I made the difficult decision to step down. This decision did not arise due to a lack of desire to be a member but out of making the adult decision regarding priorities.

This situation sets a precedent that can be taken to the absolute extreme. If SGA and SAC officers deserve these benefits, what is to say that members of sporting teams, band members and any other student group do not? The sports teams generate revenue for the school, and I am relatively sure that their obligations hinder their ability to work an outside job.

by Jonathon Williams

Beard

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 • 5

Nicole Li, one of 29 exchange students from several countries including her native China, is learning to cope with daily life away from her family and in a new country.

For another exchange student, Liv Hoglund from Sweden, coming to America was a bit of a homecoming. For two years as a child, the 29-year-old gender studies graduate student lived in San Diego, Calif., where she began learning English.

As a result, Hoglund is fluent in the language, and people some-

Do they deserve a monthly stipend? Should there be a blanket provision for all members of student groups to have a budget that covers their tuition and other expenses? Why should it be an issue only for the Student Activities Council? I would not recognize them if they were sitting behind me in class. I am unaware of their function, points of view or accomplishments during their term in office.

Perhaps, if they expect the student body to fund their tuition, parking and monthly expenses, they should make themselves more visible and seek the voice of their constituents. If not, perhaps they should join the “real world” like the majority of students and learn to juggle responsibilities with desire to succeed.

As a couple of side notes to my letter, I have recently discovered that the stipulations for the scholarship that I hold have changed. Instead of my three Honors classes’ counting as my 75 service hours, I must now

times assume she is Americanborn and bred.

Despite that, Hoglund said she went through a culture shock when she arrived in Memphis to study at The U of M. “I find that European countries are quite similar to the U.S.

see

Exchange, page 7

gain 150 service hours before the end of the spring semester.

These must be done in the ASA office, in addition to my outside obligations of a 40-hour-a-week job and 20 semester hours of classes. Do I expect anyone to pacify me and give me special considerations because that is “too much”? The answer is a resounding NO! I am simply seeking new and amazing ways to squeeze a few more minutes out of each day. Perhaps the members of these student organizations should try that on for size.

I would also like to commend Ms. Boozer for having the desire, drive and ambition to report this story. I am quite certain that it did not earn her many fans among certain factions of the student body. Reporting such as this is a vital part of our freedom, and it is often neglected in favor of more politically correct stories.

— Jackie Hicks sophomore, nursing/biology

6 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

www.dailyhelmsman.com

The U.S. Census Bureau deployed more than 600,000 part-time workers this summer to households that did not return the census form. Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the census affects community and state funding and, as the basis of congressional redistricting, can shake up the government.

POWER MONEY and

How the 2010 U.S. Census and a shifting population will change politics in America

BY MIKE MUELLER Staff Reporter When Mike Martin, 47, of Eads, Tenn., filled out his 2010 census form, he never considered that his answers could lead to the closing of elementary schools, the removal of congressmen from office or an increase in federal funding for his home state.

“I thought it was just a collection of numbers,” he said.

Those numbers, however, will shape the political and social landscape of the United States for the next decade.

“The census is about power and money,” said Bobbi Bowman, diversity consultant to the American Society of Newspaper Editors. “It’s in the Constitution. It states the House of Representatives is determined by population, and how many seats a state gets determines power. Federal aid is based on how many old people, poor people, young people, college students and (others) live in a state.”

Martin’s form and millions of others received by the United States Census Bureau will indirectly expand and diminish social services and shape the political boundaries of the country.

Tennessee, which has increased in population by nearly 607,000 since 2000, stands to receive more government funding and more local representation.

As unemployment rises and population dips in states like Michigan, which have seen little growth or even lost citizens, schools and other public facilities may close as funding and representation likely shrink on the local, state and national levels.

As required by the Constitution of the United States, the federal government conducts a national census every 10 years. The census counts and gathers demographic information about every resident and household in the country.

The 2010 census forms, which were mailed to every household in the country in March, posed 10 questions. All household residents answered seven questions — name, gender, race, ethnicity and whether they sometimes live somewhere else — and each head of the household answered how many people live in the residence and what type of residence it is (a house, apartment or mobile home), then provided a telephone

see

census, page 7

The University of Memphis

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 • 7

Special Issue: Getting the Edge

College in PJs may be a pipe dream For-profit schools give some students excessive debt and few job prospects

BY KATELYN WALKER Contributing Writer Suzanne Sheffield, a family and consumer science teacher at Central High School in Memphis, experienced firsthand the quality of education offered by many for-profit colleges when a student-teacher from the University of Phoenix’s online program was placed under her direction. “(The student-teacher) hadn’t learned anything that was remotely related to the area of teaching she was interested in,” Sheffield said. “She told me I would need to teach her how to sew so she could teach the class.”

Sheffield said the studentteacher knew she had been fooled through her education but wasn’t able to admit that she had wasted the time and money. Many other students find themselves in the same

position after attending a forprofit college.

A study reissued by the Government Accountability Office on Nov. 30, in which 15 for-profit colleges were investigated, showed that all 15 made deceptive claims to applicants to persuade them to enroll.

Four of these schools suggested that applicants make fraudulent statements in order to gain more financial aid.

These illegal practices go beyond the surface, as the schools were selected for investigation because 89 percent or more of their funding comes from federal student aid, as reported by the Department of Education.

With enrollment at for-profit colleges growing rapidly over the past decade — from 552,777 in 1998 to about 1.8 million in 2008 — and accusations of fraud increasing, the Department of Education has

asked that schools be punished for graduating students who are not suitable for the job market and are not able to pay off their loans. This would ensure

Hope or hopeless?

Scholars can graduate free of debt if they don’t lose it all

BY ROBERT WHEATLEY Contributing Writer In a time of escalating student loan debt nationwide, Tennessee students sometimes graduate debt-free, thanks to the Hope Scholarship. Others, however, find a college education elusive after losing the scholarship.

“I personally know many students and parents for whom this has been very important,” said Tom Nenon, vice provost for assessment, institutional research and reporting at The University of Memphis. “I don’t know how many would not otherwise have attempted college, but I do know that it helps the students finish more quickly and finish with much less debt.

That alone would more than justify the program.”

According to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office of The U of M, about 4,400 students received the scholarship for 2009-2010.

Senior Jerrica Reed, 23, is among those who depend on the state-funded scholarship.

“The Hope Scholarship really helped me get into school,” Reed said. “I’m not sure I would be going here if it wasn’t for me getting it.”

Started in 2004 as part of the Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship Program, the scholarship is meant to help college students in Tennessee attend a university within the state.

The program awards $4,000 to students who attend fouryear institutions and $2,000 to

students who attend two-year institutions.

In order to receive the scholarship, students must score at least a 21 on the ACT or a 980 on the SAT. Students who don’t achieve the minimum score on one of these tests can still be admitted to the program based on a final, cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Jonathan Williams, 21, a

dent who saw her scholarship slip through her fingers when her grades fell. She received the scholarship in 2005, when she was a freshman.

“My GPA had dropped too low, so I wasn’t able to keep the scholarship,” Taylor said.

According to the Tennessee government’s College Pays website, in order to keep the Hope Scholarship, the student must maintain a 2.75 GPA each time eligibility is reviewed, after attempting 24 credit hours and again after 48. After attempting 72 hours, the student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0, or if the cumulative GPA is at least a 2.75 but the semester GPA is a 3.0, the student can keep the scholarship. Students who lose their scholarships are able to regain them by following the required criteria.

The Hope Scholarship program is not without its critics.

Some say that students benefit from the program while colleges and universities serve them with no compensation from the Hope funds.

“There are some not-insignificant costs involved for the universities in administering the program,” Nenon said. “It would be good if those costs could be covered.”

But Nenon said colleges and universities nonetheless benefit from the Hope Scholarship.

“As long as they help students afford their tuition bills, then institutions that succeed in attracting those students will still continue to benefit from the program,” he said.

“The Hope Scholarship really helped me get into school. I’m not sure I would be going here without it.”

— Jerrica Reed

Senior U of M student junior at The U of M, saw the scholarship as an easy way to receive more money toward his college education and support himself in other ways.

“I got the Hope Scholarship because I had a 3.2 GPA coming out of high school,” Williams said. “If I (hadn’t), I still would’ve been able to come here because of the other academic scholarships and grants that I got. I used a lot of the money to buy my new car.”

Some students, however, get the scholarship for a year or more and then lose it. About 1,200 U of M students lost the scholarship during the 2009-‘10 school year, about a fourth of those who received the scholarship in the same year.

Former U of M student Krystal Taylor, 23, was one stu-

that the students — many of whom could pay as much as $14,000 for a certificate from a for-profit college while the same certificate costs $520 at a community college — receive a proper education, training and facilities.

Under the proposed changes, gainful employment regulations by the federal government, which would require schools to report the number of students able to repay their loans and the employment rate of their graduates, would be posted publicly for current and prospective students to view.

In the GAO investigation, several schools exaggerated the salary the applicant could expect to receive upon graduation. The figures required and posted through gainful employment regulations would not allow students to be misled by false promises. Those colleges in violation could lose their

census

from page 6 number at which census workers could reach them if any information was missing.

The national return rate for census forms was 72 percent this year, the same as it was 10 years ago. However, the U.S Census Bureau estimates that the country’s population has surpassed 311 million, an increase of more than 25.5 million since 2000, meaning many more people mailed back their questionnaires than 10 years ago.

But in the minds of many, returning the form every decade is more a formality than a political and social game-changer.

“I don’t consider it as important as voting,” Martin said. “It’s only every 10 years — I figured it can’t be that important.”

The Census Bureau deployed 635,000 workers across the coun-

exchanGe from page 5

in some ways, but in other ways it is very different,” Hoglund said.

She said religion is much more present in American culture than in Sweden and used the example of politicians from her home country, who never say “God bless Sweden” in speeches.

Hoglund also said the car culture is very strong in the U.S., contrasting with her hometown of Stockholm, which enjoys a strong public transportation system.

She said she’s found it difficult to get around Memphis without a car, but that’s not the case back home.

Hoglund has also had some problems adapting to American cuisine.

“Food is another puzzling thing,” she said. “Excessive

ability to dispense federal student financial aid, such as Pell Grants and loans.

This could also affect forprofit accreditation.

“Without being accredited, schools don’t qualify to receive federal money, and neither do the students,” said Pamela Cravey, coordinator of communications and external affairs for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools’ Commission on Colleges. In 2008 alone, 1.8 million students were enrolled at for-profit colleges and qualified for financial aid.

These issues affect not only the students but also their future employers. Sheffield said she felt bound to help the studentteacher even though she was not qualified.

“I was told to help her as much as I could,” Sheffield said. ”She received her degree, and the last I heard, she was teaching in another school.” try this summer to go door-todoor and gather information from the households that failed to return their forms.

“If you weren’t counted in the census, you worked to hide,” Bowman said.

Martin did mail in his form and acknowledged that it is important to determine with certainty where all the federal money goes. This census will determine how more than $4 trillion is distributed over the coming decade.

When the 2010 census data is delivered to the president on or before Dec. 31, as required by law, and released to the public shortly after, Americans will likely see congressional power and federal money shift toward the South.

This population shift has been a trend in the U.S. since World War II. As a result, many north

see

census, page 9

sugar and fat seem to be added in many products here. In Sweden, we eat fewer calories, more vegetables, less meat than they do (in the U.S).”

Though the cultural learning curve may have been longer than she expected, Hoglund said she’s enjoyed her stay in Memphis, particularly the chance to learn about the history of the South.

“I feel so lucky to be able to study the Civil Rights Movement here,” she said, “especially in the South, where so many important events took place.”

Hoglund ,who is only spending one semester as an exchange student at The U of M, said she’s looking forward to returning to Sweden but will miss the United States.

“I will only stay here for one semester,” she said with tears in her eyes. “That means I need to say goodbye to everything in Memphis, as well as America.”

8 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

photo illustration courtesy of Chelsea Memmolo

www.dailyhelmsman.com

Prescription medications like Adderall, an amphetamine often prescribed for attention deficit disorders, can become dangerous when not taken as prescribed. Chemically speaking, the Schedule II narcotic can work like speed for people without ADHD, so some students score the drug illegally.

Breakfast of Champions Adderall is the new, illegal cup of coffee for students

BY AMBER BLAIR Contributing Writer It is midnight, and Jessie is trying to cram for the two finals she’ll take tomorrow afternoon. She just finished working a double shift and also has to take care of her crying, 9-month-old son. At that moment, she just wants to sleep, but the vision of a bright future for her and her son plays out in her head.

So she decides to break into her hidden stash in her room and get some “instant energy” in the form of a little orange pill called Adderall. Within the hour, she feels energized and is able to focus on studying. In fact, she doesn’t sleep all night and passes both of her tests with flying colors.

Jessie, along with thousands of other college students, has turned to the use of Adderall in order to study, write papers, have energy for class and lose weight. Adderall is a prescription stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy. Jessie doesn’t have either of those conditions — or a prescription for the drug.

“I don’t know what I would do without Adderall,” said Jessie, who asked not to be identified by her real name.

“It’s the one thing that helps

me function and pass school, especially since I have to work and take care of a baby.”

While Adderall is widely prescribed for children and adults with ADHD, this medication is also used heavily and illegally by college students without a medical disorder as a brainenhancement drug to help them concentrate, retain information and get better grades.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated 6.4 percent of fulltime college students ages 18 to 22 used Adderall non-medically in the past year. The administration also reported that 89.5 percent of the college students who used Adderall non-medically reported binge drinking in the past month, and more than half were heavy alcohol users.

Non-medical use of Adderall is of special interest to policymakers because, as an amphetamine, Adderall is among the group of legally approved drugs classified as having the highest potential for dependence or abuse.

“Adderall is an extremely serious addiction,” said Lucas Catton, certified dependency counselor and author of “The New Face of Recovery: Unlabeling Addiction

as a Disease and Finding Treatments That Work.”

“Students may start off taking it to help them study, but over the course of time they could become addicted, and there are serious side effects,” he said.

The most common side effects of Adderall are headaches, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea, dry mouth and dizziness.

“I took Adderall one time to

ence loss of appetite while taking the drug. Many young girls take the drug as a way to lose weight and then become dependent on it to keep off the weight they lose.

Health care professionals say that using Adderall to lose weight is unhealthy and will not give lasting results. However, severely obese patients are now being prescribed Adderall for weight loss. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved drugs like Adderall for weight loss, but it’s legal and common for doctors to prescribe medications “off label,” meaning they prescribe the drug for something other than the accepted use.

“Sometimes the risk of severe obesity may outweigh the risk of taking a prescription to lose weight, so an educated decision would be best,” Catton said. “In most cases, drugs should be used as a last resort, since diet, exercise, specialized nutritional supplements and proper sleep can actually help relieve many physical problems and even many behavioral problems as well.”

Risks or not, many students continue to take Adderall and have no trouble finding it.

Especially on a college campus,

“Adderall use may

start off innocent, but for many people, it becomes a serious problem.”

— Lucas Catton

Dependency Counselor study for a major test, but I felt so nauseous and dizzy that I was unable to even study,” said Kate, who also asked not to be identified by her real name. “I would never take it again because the side effects are not worth it.”

A more serious side effect is that it can cause temporary slowing of growth in children, but children usually catch up within normal limits. Also, eating disorders sometimes develop because users can experi-

Adderall is readily available for those willing to pay.

“I found someone on campus with a prescription, and I was set for the rest of the semester,” Jessie said. “I usually pay five or six dollars for a pill, but during finals, the prices can go up.”

These students may love the benefits of Adderall, but there are serious consequences if caught by law officials.

Adderall is considered a Schedule II controlled substance under the United States Drug Enforcement Administration’s five-level list. Other drugs categorized as Schedule II include morphine, cocaine and methamphetamine. Those caught illegally selling Adderall face the same punishment as selling any other illegal drug in the amphetamine category.

It can be difficult for law enforcement to detect Adderall abuse because very few students report illegal use of the drug, and it can easily be concealed from family and friends.

“Adderall use may start off innocent, but for many people, it becomes a serious problem,” Catton said. “On our substance abuse website, we have roughly 2,000 people a month solely looking for information about finding help for Adderall addiction, if that gives you any clue how serious it really is.”

The University of Memphis

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 • 9

Helicopter parents hinder progress Experts say overly involved parents can hurt students’ chances of survival

BY MATTHEW CHENG Contributing Writer Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime, the saying goes. But how will he fare when you station an all-youcan-eat seafood buffet in front of him?

While much has been said about the problem of parents taking no interest in their children’s schoolwork or activities, experts are now recognizing that parents who are overly involved can have a negative impact on them as well.

In May, a study released at the Association of Psychological Science Convention in Boston found that children of so-called “helicopter parents” show signs of some undesirable character traits. The study found that incoming college freshmen were more dependent, less open and more neurotic as a result of having overprotective parents, affecting their schoolwork, relationships with authority figures, sports and other activities.

The idea of helicopter parents originally came about when college personnel found themselves subject to very aggressive parents during the admissions process. Since then, it has been used as an umbrella term for ineffective, yet aggressive, parenting styles. While some of these parents refuse to believe their methods can be detrimental to their children, Carl Gilleylen, director of the Center for Counseling,

Census

from page 7 ern and traditionally Democratic states, like New York, have been losing congressional clout to southern, traditionally Republican states for decades.

Based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the states that have seen the largest population increases from 2000 to 2009 are Texas, California and Florida, adding 3.9 million, 3 million and 2.5 million people respectively. Those that have seen the least growth include Michigan, which added only 31,235 people, and Iowa, which added 81,476.

The recent recession has severely curbed any population growth in several states, including Michigan, which the U.S. Census Bureau estimates actually lost more population from 2008 to 2009 (32,759 people) than its overall gain since 2000.

To make things worse for northern states, Bowman said, a wide range of people are moving south, from retirees moving to warmer conditions to “young people following the available jobs.”

“I have nothing against the North, but I wouldn’t waste my time looking for a job there,” said Thomas Dunlap, 22-year-old senior music business major at The University of Memphis.

Illegal immigrants and other non-citizens of the U.S. have also

Learning and Testing at The University of Memphis, said this problem occurs far more than it is recognized.

“We often have students who are quite stressed with the correlation of homework, a job and a family,” Gilleylen said. “Some of these students feel so pressured to make good grades and do well in their classes that it can actually turn into testing anxiety.”

He said it’s not just the pressure of schoolwork that has these students worked up but the pressure put on them by their parents that adds to the overall stresses of any young adult. The problem is that most parents don’t see anything wrong with being so closely involved in their children’s lives.

As these parents continue their aggressive nurturing style, the same study shows the number of helicopter parents is increasing and leads to negative ramifications for everyone involved.

One of those looking to change his own hovering style of parenting is Chris Barnes, football director for the Cordova Wolves. Barnes said he sees the problem of helicopter

parents far too often and has even been guilty of doing it to

played a role in the continuation of the population’s southern shift. Arizona and Texas, despite anti-immigration sentiment and legislation, ironically stand to gain funding and representation because of their large populations of illegal immigrants, who are included in the census.

The Constitution states that all U.S. residents, not just citizens, be included in the population count because of the Old South, Bowman said.

“The South, (before the first census) in 1790, insisted that we count people — not citizens — because what was most of the South’s population? Slaves,” she said.

According to a study done by Electronic Data Services, a political consulting firm specializing in congressional reapportionment and redistricting and the analysis and presentation of census and political data, the South will seize more congressional power from the North this decade.

Based on 2010 population estimates, the study projects that 12 congressional seats will change hands. Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey and Pennsylvania will each lose one seat, and New York and Ohio will lose two, according to the study.

Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and Washington will each gain a seat.

Florida will gain two, and Texas

will gain four, based on the estimates used in the study.

If the study’s projections are correct, they would cause a fairly significant shift in the political landscape of the country, said Kimball W. Brace, president of EDS. “It will move more electoral votes into states that are more (Republican),” he said. “It would switch seven or eight electoral votes from the Obama column to the McCain column from the last election.”

Brace said those votes wouldn’t have changed the outcome in the 2008 election but may play a major role in 2012, when congressional reapportionment goes into effect.

As more people from traditionally Democratic states move to Republican states, “Republican red will begin to turn more purple,” said Eric Groenendyk, assistant professor of political science at The University of Memphis.

Brace said a political color shift is unlikely at the state level but is already evident in small communities.

He cited happenings in Illinois as an example.

“People moving out from Chicago into the suburbs (have) changed many suburbs from traditional Republican red to Democrat blue,” he said.

Though the U.S. population has continued shifting south, Brace said he’s seen a decrease in

MCT

his own kids.

“I’m a parent, and I have two kids on the football team,” Barnes said. “Speaking from experience, I can say I was a little tough on my oldest because of his size and whatnot. Then as my youngest got involved, he hit it on all cylinders, and I realized each kid comes into their own at their own time.”

While having parents take responsibility for their hovering ways is a great start to minimizing the practice, according to the study, informing people of the consequences associated with this parenting style can also be a big deterrent.

The study, which was conducted by Neil Montgomery, a psychologist at Keene State College in New Hampshire, found that children of helicopter parents were associated with vulnerability, anxiousness and self-consciousness and were less open to new ideas, as opposed to their counterparts with more distant parents. While the study shows an association to these character traits and no

direct links, some believe the symptoms don’t end there.

Jacqueline De Fouw, health educator at The University of Memphis, said parents can have a big influence on the stress that students feel.

“We do have a lot of students that come into the health center with various physical problems, and the underlying cause is stress-related,” De Fouw said.

“It seems that the problem is the parents — they have high expectations, and then the students get overwhelmed living up to the parents’ expectations.”

De Fouw said one of the consequences of those expectations can be seen in the recent overmedication of young adults.

“Now to deal with the overwhelming stress, we have people who are taking other medications, energy drinks and energy pills just to try and stay awake,” De Fouw said. “It’s just not healthy for you.”

According to the Montgomery’s study, parents should take a coaching role in the area of finances but step aside for all other matters out of their control, allowing them to better handle their children’s disappointments and problems as they continue to grow.

Barnes said toning down the role you play in your children’s lives ultimately helps you understand them better.

“You have to realize your kid is who he is,” Barnes said.

“If he’s not performing up to your expectations, that’s not his fault.”

people leaving northern states for the South because of the recession and foreclosures.

“People were just not moving in the last few years,” he said.

“The people that were moving were leaving their house empty, not moving to another city for a job.”

He said if not for the decrease in movement, northern states might have lost more political power.

As the population decreases in the northern parts and increases in the southern parts of the U.S., so does federal funding.

The census determines how much money states receive for education, hospitals, roads, bridges and other public services. More than $400 billion in federal funding is distributed by the government each year, and its distribution relies heavily on demographic information.

“Retired people are moving south, and so are young people entering the workforce looking for jobs,” Bowman said. “If you’re going to have a lot of young people move in, that’s going to affect the dollars for the schools.”

Groenendyk noted that a population shift doesn’t necessarily require people moving from state to state and can start from within, more of a growth than a migration.

“It’s not necessarily people moving from New York to Texas,” he said. “It could be that people are reproducing more in Texas.”

If that were the case, Texas would likely receive more funding for education, Groenendyk said.

Tennessee State Rep. Curry Todd of Collierville recently commented on a growing segment of the population — children born to illegal immigrants. Todd expressed his disapproval of the children gaining U.S. citizenship because they were born in America, suggesting illegal immigrants will “multiply” like “rats” if pregnant mothers do not need to be citizens to receive state-funded health care. A public outcry followed Todd’s comments, which many people considered highly offensive.

Tennessee’s minority population has increased in the past decade and will, ironically, provide Todd and other legislators with more funds and power.

Matt Taylor, music teacher at Woodstock Elementary School and Woodstock Middle School in Memphis, said he hopes more federal money is injected into the school systems.

“More money for the schools could help keep school programs going,” he said. “They’re always going to have to fund for the normal stuff, but more money would keep stuff like the arts from being cut.”

The census affects everyone, Bowman said, which is why people should be interested in it.

“Most people are interested in power and money,” she added.

10 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

www.dailyhelmsman.com

The perfect holiday gifts for the gadget lover in your life

By Gregg Ellman

McClatchy-Tribune Information Services

The latest and greatest in the technology world exists for just a few days.

Capturing that elusive “must-have thing of the moment” for the tech geeks on your shopping list can be quite a challenge, and horror of horrors if you end up giving someone last year’s iPod. To help you in your tech quest, we’ve compiled a list of what’s out there for this holiday season. Happy shopping!

Headphones make a great gift and iFrogz has a few reasonably priced additions.

The DJ-style headphones, named the Ronin and Mogul headphones, are for anyone wanting comfortable over-the-ear fit without having to spend your entire holiday budget.

Both models work with any electronic gadget having a 3.5mm headphone jack.

They feature adjustable over-the-ear style cushioned speakers, good to wear over a long period of time, and both fold up for storage.

The Moguls ($69.99) feature AeroFoam cushions, which help keep out unwanted noise and give you great sound from speakers featuring 50mm drivers producing good sound with a good amount of bass.

They are available in black, magenta, sky blue and white.

The lesser-priced Ronins ($49.99) have standard cushioned padding and are available in black, blue, red and white. They have the 50mm drivers to deliver clear sound in comfort. http://ifrogz.com

iFrogz Moguls

iFrogz Ronins

Kensington PowerBack

One of the hottest items on the market continues to be Apple’s iPad, and there is no shortage of accessories for them.

Kensington has what I think is one of the best — the PowerBack ($129.99) battery case with kickstand and dock, which has gotten the official Apple stamp of approval.

With a portable device like the iPad, power is critical and portable power is often necessary. This case gives you both and more.

The iPads have great battery power, but often it’s not enough and the PowerBack is a great choice.

In addition to the added power, you get a hard-shell case for protection and a built-in kickstand for hands-free use.

The kickstand opens to a 65-degree angle, allowing for a separate keyboard (not included) and landscape or portrait viewing.

To attach, slide your iPad in; it snaps together in seconds to protect your expensive device from scratches and other environment hazards.

A micro-USB cable is included for charging the PowerBack 4200mAh battery, which should give your iPad about five addi-

Logitech’s Wireless Illuminated Keyboard K800 is a full-sized option for any Mac or PC user working day or night.

What makes it stand out from other keyboards is its ambient light and motion sensors.

The sensors detect how much light is in the room and the motion sensors work well to detect when your hands are on the keys, turning the backlighting on and off as needed. Thus the keys are backlit with the correct amount of light for viewing, regardless of how much light is in the room.

The rechargeable wireless keyboard can enjoy longer battery life because of this, up to 10 days before needed a charge.

Charging is done with a micro-USB connection, and it doesn’t matter if the keyboard is in use while recharging the built-in AA NiMH batteries.

Typing with the keyboard is very comfortable due to the Logitech PerfectStroke technology and key system. Users type, as Logitech describes it, in a “stroke comfortable, Logitech fluid and whisper-quiet” manner.

Wireless Illuminated The full-sized keyboard includes a number keypad on the right, the standard F1 Keyboard K800 through F12 keys, volume controls and more.

A connection to your computer is made with a small 2.4 GHz wireless USB connection, which can stay in the USB port and also will control a Logitech wireless mouse. www.logitech.com, $99.99

tional hours of life.

To find out how much power is left in the extra battery, an indicator has four lights to display with a push of a button.

If additional power isn’t needed, Kensington KeyFolio Bluetooth Keyboard and Case for iPad ($99.99) falls in the functional and well-built category.

The synthetic leather case stores your iPad and has wireless Bluetooth keyboard with rubberized keys built into the device.

The keyboard is also charged with a micro-USB connection and has rubber keys to ensure that they won’t scratch the device when not in use.

Both the PowerBack and the KeyFolio give users full access to the iPad when attached including the 30-pin connection for charging and syncing. http://us.kensington.com

Kensington KeyFolio

Joby Gorillatorch Switchback

Joby’s Gorillatorch Switchback is a new addition from the company known for the Gorillapod line of tripods for cameras and iPods or iPhones.

The light comes in a kit with the tripod to attach an LED lantern-headlamp in any environment where extra portable lighting is needed.

Six light modes are available along with an adjustable dimmer switch to control five powerful LEDs projected with a 92 percent ultra-efficient holographic lens.

How much it lights depends on your environment, but Joby states it is capable of illuminating an 8-person family tent or small cabin.

With the famous Gorillapod tripod included, attaching it to most anything is simple.

The flexible tripod legs can stand upright on any flat surface, attach to a pole, doorknob or most anything it can wrap around.

The versatility doesn’t end there; a woven headband is included to take the light off the tripod to wear while hiking, trolling around an attic or just trying to get more light anywhere it’s needed.

Using the headband, it will light up to 60 feet ahead.

In addition you get two white LEDs for flood lighting and two red LEDs to preserve night vision on headband. http://joby.com, $59.99

The University of Memphis

Tuesday, December 7, 2010 • 11

Men’s Basketball

Memphis faces first real test tonight against No. 4 Kansas For some of the younger players on The University of Memphis men’s basketball team — especially the squad’s seven freshmen — facing No. 4 Kansas at Madison Square Garden tonight may seem like one of the biggest games of their careers.

But during the last several days, second-year coach Josh Pastner has downplayed the importance of the situation, opting to view the The U of M’s opening contest of the Jimmy V Classic as “just another game.”

“This is a long season,” he said following Saturday’s victory over Western Kentucky.

“This Kansas game isn’t any bigger than this game today.

It’s not any bigger than our exhibition games. Our preparation will remain the same.”

Although NCAA Tournament seeding at the end of the season may place a larger importance on a win for the No. 14 Tigers (7-0), Pastner said it’s no different than a game against Centenary or Christian Brothers.

“If we play bad and take an ‘L’ against Arkansas State, that’s just as devastating as taking an ‘L’ against any other team,” he said. “Every game is important. In college basketball, unlike the NBA, every regular season game is so important.”

The U of M will continue to rely on leading scorer Wesley Witherspoon, as he leads the team with 13.7 points and five rebounds per game. The 6-foot9 junior forward also gets to the free-throw line nearly eight times a game, making 83.3 percent of his foul shots.

The Tigers are also getting double-digit scoring from a pair of freshmen guards, as Joe Jackson and Will Barton are averaging 12.1 and 11.9 points per contest, respective-

ly. Jackson will look to protect the ball against Kansas, however, as he averages nearly as many turnovers as assists at a 1:1.2 ratio.

The Jayhawks (7-0), meanwhile, have four players averaging double-digit scoring, led by junior forward Marcus Morris, with 18.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. His twin brother, fellow junior forward Markieff Morris, averages 11.9 points and a team-high 9.1 boards per contest.

Junior guard Tyshawn Taylor scores 10.4 points and dishes out a team-high 6.7 assists per game, while senior guard Tyrel Reed averages 10.1 points per matchup.

Regardless of the numbers, however, Pastner isn’t too concerned with what Kansas plans to do. His focus, he said, is on the Tigers.

Tiger Basketball Who: Kansas Jayhawks When: Tonight at 6 Where: Madison Square Garden, New York City TV: ESPN Radio: AM600 WREC “I think Kansas is a great team — they’re a great program and extremely well coached,” he said. “We can’t control the outcome. All we can control is our effort and that we play every possession like its our last possession.”

Last year, the two teams played to the last possession in the final game of the Hall of Fame Showcase in St. Louis,

see

tiGers, page 12

Memphis Lacrosse

Now Accepting New Players For the 2010-2011 Season Experience Encouraged but NOT Required For interest in Mens or Womens Lacrosse Contact Head Coach Ryan Pavlicek

at 484-7634 or memphislax@yahoo.com

You Are Invited to Attend Computing is increasingly so essential to our daily lives at home and work that Congress has designated the first full week of December Computer Science Education Week.

The Computer Science Department will join in the national celebration with a series of interactive demonstrations showcasing computing to the younger generations and the public at large. High school students, teachers and parents are especially invited to participate in this event:

Thursday, Dec. 9 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

FedExInstitute of Technology

by David C. Minkin

BY JOSEPH RUSSELL Sports Editor

Freshman guard Joe Jackson, seen here throwing down a dunk over WKU’s Juan Patillo, ranks second on the Tigers with 12.1 points per game. He also leads the team with 30 assists but has a team-worst 25 turnovers.

Applications Are Now Available For Student Government Association 2011 Election Commission Impartial and honorable students wanted to serve on the commission which helps ensure a fair and organized SGA election in March.

Requirements • 2.0 GPA • 6 completed credit hours at U of M • Course load of at least 6 hours in Spring 2011 • Available for occasional meetings from January thru April

Pick up & submit completed applications in the SGA office on the 2nd floor of the UC

by Wednesday, Dec. 8 Questions? Contact Anthony LaRocca at: alarocca@memphis.edu

A Weekly Devotional For You He is There and He is Not Silent!

This is the title of a book written by Christian philosopher Francis Schaeffer. God does exist. Every one of you intrinsically knows this is true. Some try to hide behind the facades of agnosticism or atheism, but they have to consciously and persistently deny the plain evidence, both external and internal.

Some try to deny the existence of God because they don’t want to live life on His terms. They want to be autonomous. However, God has not hidden Himself. He has not been silent. He has abundantly revealed His existence, in several ways. He has plainly revealed Himself in His creation. Even those who persistently deny Him, intrinsically know that a supremely wise and powerful Being lies behind the created universe. The attempts to deny this are irrational and ludicrous, and would be humorous if the ultimate destiny of eternal souls were not a sobering reality. Richard Dawkins wrote, “Biology is the study of complicated things that give the appearance of having been designed for a purpose.” Francis Crick wrote, “Biologists must constantly keep in mind that what they see was not designed, but rather evolved.” This is doubly amazing when we consider that Crick was one of the discoverers of the incredibly complex and intricately designed DNA. Sadly, men like these are described in Romans 1:20, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.”

Grace Chapel Primitive Baptist Church – Zack Guess, Pastor 828 Berclair Rd. • Memphis, TN, 38122 • 683-8014 • e-mail: zguess@juno.com

12 • Tuesday, December 7, 2010

www.dailyhelmsman.com

Men’s Basketball

BY JOHN MARTIN Sports Reporter D.J. Stephens wasn’t even supposed to start Saturday night. In fact, his number was called only when one of the regular starters was late to a film session last week.

Yet in a 77-61 victory over Western Kentucky University in front of 17,171 at FedExForum, it was the 6-foot-4 sophomore guard’s performance that was perhaps most important for the No. 14 Tigers.

Stephens established himself as an unlikely hero, finishing with career-highs of 13 points and 11 rebounds in 29 minutes.

“It was just a game where I came in and just gave a lot of effort,” Stephens said. “I was trying to help keep balls alive and just grab as many rebounds as I could, and if I had the open shot, I took it. Or if I had an open dunk, I would try to dunk everything.”

On the heels of a game in which U of M coach Josh Pastner simply couldn’t locate a big man who would act like one, the Tigers (7-0) found themselves outrebounded, 18-5, by the Hilltoppers (3-5) midway through the first half.

Tigers

from page 11 Mo., as Elliot Williams missed the potentially game-winning

A 14-4 run by the Tigers to close the first half pushed their lead to 16 points and narrowed the rebounding gap to a 25-18 margin.

“We were being soft,” said freshman guard Will Barton, who scored only two points on 1-of-7 shooting. “We were getting pushed in the back — the refs weren’t calling it — and we were complaining. We just weren’t being tough and holding our ground.”

While The U of M finished the game with only two fewer rebounds than WKU, the Tigers allowed 25 offensive boards, otherwise offsetting a defensive effort that limited the Hilltoppers to 31 percent shooting from the field and 22 percent from beyond the arc.

“In the second half, we talked about it, and we just said we were going to knuckle up, box out and rebound and not get pushed around in the paint,” Barton said.

For the second straight game, however, the Tigers established a double-digit lead before halftime and allowed the opposition to hang around in the second half. The Hilltoppers used a 14-2 run early in the second half to pull within eight points after junior forward Angel

Garcia was called for goaltending on a basket by Memphisnative Sergio Kerusch.

But unlike Wednesday night’s game against Arkansas State, the Tigers found a spark in Stephens, who provided some much-needed energy off the bench, and didn’t allow the Hilltoppers to get closer than eight points in the second half.

“Overall, I was proud of the guys,” Pastner said. “I thought everyone contributed. Even Angel Garcia came in and hit a big three. Everybody came in and contributed, played well and played hard.”

Freshman guard Joe Jackson, who has struggled early in the season with turnovers, finished with a team-high 16 points and six assists. With more than eight minutes in the first half, the explosive Jackson punctuated a fast break opportunity with a resounding dunk over 6-foot-6 Hilltoppers forward Juan Patillo in a sequence that re-energized fans in the Forum.

“I was just thinking, ‘They gave me a lane, so I’m going to go hard. I’m going to take the rim down with this one,’” Jackson said. “I haven’t had a lot of exciting plays at this level, but that’s probably my breakout dunk.”

3-pointer at the buzzer. The then-No. 1 Jayhawks walked away with a 57-55 victory.

Though the Jayhawks went on to an NCAA Tournament upset by Northern Iowa, and

the Tigers lost to Ole Miss in the NIT, Pastner said, it would be a mistake to put much stock into a game at such an early point in the season.

“We’ve got a lot of things

C

THE DAILY HELMSMAN

by David C. Minkin

Career game from Stephens lifts Tigers against WKU

Sophomore guard D.J. Stephens had a career-high 11 point and 13 rebounds in 29 minutes of The U of M’s 77-61 victory over Western Kentucky at FedExForum on Saturday.

The U of M’s offense, which ranks ninth in the nation with 85.3 points per game, piled up 17 assists on 28 baskets and shot a solid 48 percent from the field.

The differences in the Tigers’ last two games, Pastner said, started in practices.

“The last two days of prac-

tice, you couldn’t be faint of heart if you were going to be in those two practices,” he said. “It was physical; it was intense; it was smash mouth.

It was equivalent to a football practice. There were no fouls (called). It was just beating each other up. We needed that.”

we’ve got to get better on. I’m sure if you ask Coach Self at Kansas, he might say they’ve got some things they need to work on,” Pastner said. “It’s only our eighth game. We’re

both still in early stages — I’m sure they have things to work on, and we’ve got things to work on, but once the ball gets tipped, it’s up to the players to make plays.”

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