Daily Helmsman The
Women’s soccer is No. 11
Wednesday, September 14, 2011 Vol. 79 No. 11
Independent Student Newspaper of The University of Memphis
Showing off on South Main
Coach Brooks Monaghan’s squad prepares to breach NSCAA Top 10 see page 8 www.dailyhelmsman.com
BY CHRIS SHAW News Reporter After curating four successful art shows featuring student art on South Main over summer break, art majors Chris Reed and Cody Dalrymple started to wonder why the school’s art department didn’t provide an off-campus art studio for students. Reed said that a permanent, off-campus studio would provide student artists outside criticism and chances to make connections with other local artists. “We need more criticism, better contacts and better feedback,” Reed said. “Mom and dad will tell you they love it even if it sucks, we need to see what the public thinks.” Reed and Dalrymple saw an average of 400 people come in and out of their student art show entitled “Some Art,” something Dalrymple said he felt was a good indication the public is interested in student art. Reed said the great attendance might have been due to the unique student art that was shown. “The main goal was to exhibit art for art’s sake,” Reed said. “A lot of people came in because the stuff we featured wasn’t as kitschy as some of the other galleries on South Main. We weren’t showing art where people say ‘Oh that will match my curtains’ — it was more about being controversial.” Art instructor Andrew James, whose work was shown in two of the exhibits over the summer, said although he likes the idea of having a
university-funded art studio, he also liked experiencing all the hard work that went into making the “Some Art” exhibitions happen. “On the one hand, I like the idea of it being funded for financial reasons, but on the other hand, I like the idea of knowing what expenses go into it — the lighting, the labels, the cost of the space in general,” James said. Art professor Greely Myatt said that an off campus gallery has been a topic discussed by faculty for years. “The problem with having an outside space has always been funding,” Myatt said. “Everybody desires it, but there’s not a good solution for it right now.” Myatt explained that first, The University would have to find an affordable space, pay for renovations and find a way to keep it open. While most people involved agreed that South Main would be the ideal space for a permanent University of Memphis studio, the main goal is to get a place away from campus. “I like the idea of having art studio on South Main, but its more important to get an art space off campus — no matter where its located,” Dalrymple said. Myatt said he would eventually like to see a gallery open on Highland Avenue in the old AAA security building, but there is no physical timeline on when a space will open or if it will happen at all. “Having a presence in the community would be a great thing for everyone involved but there are bigger issues right now, like not being able to hire faculty,” Myatt said.
by Brian Wilson
Pair of UM art majors gaining attention on and off campus creating, displaying “art for art’s sake.”
U of M art student Chris Reed is one of the proponents for increased local-area exposure for aspiring artists. Reed hopes to contribute directly to the opening of new studio spaces around the Midtown area in the coming months.
In tough times, class can’t always come first BY CHELSEA BOOZER News Reporter After six hours of sleep behind the wheel of his 2005 Ford Mustang, University of Memphis junior T.J. Jernigan changed into a set of wrinkled clothes, pulled out of the parking lot and drove to campus. He brushed his teeth, washed his face and fixed his hair in a University Center bathroom. He went to class — stressed, wondering where he would sleep the next night and thinking more about his bank account than his quiz next period. College obligations may seem less bearable for students like Jernigan, who have other pressing issues and wonder if taking time for college is more beneficial than getting a job. “It’s almost just like every semester you have to sit down with yourself and decide if it’s worth it. Especially for me, and being in this situation like this,” said Jernigan, who, despite coming from a middle-class family, experienced nearly two weeks of living out of his car this fall. Jernigan, 22, requested a higher loan amount to cover tuition and costs of board this year. He had been back in Memphis from his internship in Georgia for a week before his refund was processed. With no refund money to support him, he spent nights on friend’s couches or in his car until events turned for the better when he found a house and a roommate last week. Jernigan’s situation is not rare, said Shawn Levstek, staff psychologist with The University’s Career and
Psychological Services Center. His student clientele seeks guidance on all sorts of issues associated with managing college and personal life. A struggle he wasn’t familiar with giving advice on was one experienced by freshman computer engineering major Aaron Lovett. Lovett will likely have to postpone his time in college if he is deployed to Afghanistan. Lovett enrolled in the army as a second resort, “in case my first choice, college, doesn’t work out,” he said. “I know that it takes time to get in the career that I want, when I can just turn to the army and immediately start in a particular career,” he said. “It takes more time to go through college than signing up to be a soldier in the military.” Jacki Hicks, sophomore nursing major and mother of two, said time management is the hardest for her as well. In addition to being a full-time student, she works full time in Tunica and has two daughters, a two-yearold and seven-month-old, who she had during Spring Break. “There are many times when I wonder if college is worth it, and last semester – being pregnant – was the hardest yet,” she said. “The idea of the life that I want to be able to provide for my daughters is the thing that gets me up and moving when staying in bed is what I really want to do.” An aspect of what students like Hicks, Lovett and Jernigan face is others not being aware that they are balancing a personal issue and schoolwork. “Teachers don’t build their lesson plans around people who don’t have a home to go to,” Jernigan said.
Donald Franceschetti, professor in the Physics Department, said Jernigan’s concern is valid and that professors do “assume that students have a home and a place to go study.” “We are very middle class in that we expect people to have a place to stay and that they can commute from there to here with reasonable expense,” he said. “I’d advise that person to let their professor know. Professors tend to be lenient if for good reason.”
“It’s almost just like every semester you have to sit down with yourself and decide if it’s worth it.” — T.J. Jernigan Journalism junior Levstek said his advice to students experiencing similar situations is to focus on their personal issues and, if necessary, consider taking a semester away from college. “It’s one thing to overextend yourself and struggle to get by, but it’s another to say ‘I’m prepared to fully engage and do well in my courses’” he said.