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Friday, December 2, 2011
Tigers prepare for Govs
Pastner preaches rebounding, consistency as Tigers get set to face struggling Austin-Peay
Vol. 79 No. 53
Independent Student Newspaper of The University of Memphis
see page 8
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Inside the Budget Tiger footbll costs the University of Memphis millions each year BY CHELSEA BOOZER News Reporter For the past three years, The University of Memphis’ football team has lost more money than any other sport. In the 2010-2011 academic year, the football team accumulated about $4.6 million in losses. That same year, the basketball team earned about $1.3 million in excess of their expenses. “The cost of buying what it takes to practice football with and to outfit a football team drastically exceeds what it takes to outfit a golf team or men’s or women’s basketball team,” said William Lofton, associate athletic director of business and finance. In the 2009-2010 year, The University was buying out former head football coach Tommy West and his staff, topping total losses for the football team to over $7.5 million for that year. Now, in accordance with
his contract, recent head coach Larry Porter will be bought out as well, adding another $2.2 million of debt for the football team over the next three years for Porter alone. Lofton said a variety of factors play into the football team acquiring significant losses each year, but it is mostly due to the lack of revenue received from ticket sales. “We’ve recently seen a decline in season game ticket sales and individual game ticket sales,” Lofton said. “Also, we are in a conference that does not generate as much money through TV packages as other schools do.” Fred Stewart, manager of the Athletic Business Office, said it ‘s important to keep in mind that the football team hosts more players than any other sport by far, with about 90 athletes. Eighty-five of those students receive scholarships covering full tuition at The U of M, cour-
see
Budget, page 4
A Fresh Connection to Egypt
SGA concerned for UM campus safety
BY Timberly Moore News Reporter
BY CHRISTOPHER WHITTEN News Reporter
by Brian Wilson
The University of Memphis’ Fresh Connections class will be on display during “The Big Dig” Egyptian exhibit. The opening reception is from 5 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. tonight in the College of Communications and Fine Arts building, where the students will be curating the event. Lorelei Corcoran, director of the Institute of Egyptian Art and Archaeology, said the students orchestrated the entire exhibit. “This is the final project (of) the Fresh Connections class, which linked their world civilizations and biological anthropology and pre-history classes together,” she said. The students selected artifacts from The University’s permanent collection. The exhibit focuses on six aspects in Egypt’s society. The representation of the human body section will include an interactive piece. The other five divisions include Festivals in Ancient Egypt, Pyramids, The Book of the Dead, Gods as Animals, and Mummification, which includes a scarab with traces of gold on its back.
The Egyptian exhibit features relics such as these. The event is free and will take place in the CFA building. The only replica in the exhibit is the statue of Anubis embalming a man. Everything else is extremely old and had to be handled with care. Megan Valentine, U of M archaeology graduate student, said she helped prepare the relics to be put on display. “The Fresh Connections class took care of everything,” she said. “The only thing they didn’t do was handle pieces.” “The Big Dig” is continuing the 28-year tradition of Egyptian culture being highlighted on The U of M campus.
“Egypt is a part of a permanent collection that has been on exhibit since 1983,” Corcoran said. The exhibit is located in a small gallery in the back of the museum. Students utilized the space by filling it with items that connect Egypt with other ancient cultures, such as the Greek civilization. “It gives a very good idea of Egypt and its associations to other fields (of study),” Valentine said. “Even though it’s a small space it’s a pretty cool exhibit.” This exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on displaythrough Jan. 7, 2012.
in determining the safety ranking of colleges and universities. With violent crimes, however, The University of Memphis is The University of Memphis “ranked for campus safety on a Student Government scale that accounts for severity of a crime Association as well as held its weekly frequency Senate meete will ing Thursday of crime.” night with patrol the area as T h e University guest speaker staff on campus of Memphis Bruce Harber, ranks in the director of U permits.” 90th perof M Police Services, who centile for — Bruce Harber fielded quessafety. Director of UM Police Services In the tions from email from attendees on campus safety. Zettergren, students were urged U of M vice president of to “travel in groups at night and business and finance David walk in well-lit, heavily travZettergren sent all University of eled areas,” as well as become Memphis faculty, staff and stu- familiar “with the location of dents an email the same evening campus emergency telephones, announcing an increase in “uni- both indoor and outdoor.” formed officers both on campus “Lighting is the number one and on the streets immediately safety factor; the better lit an adjacent to our campus.” All crimes have equal weight see SGA, page 7
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2 • Friday, December 2, 2011
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Volume 79 Number 53
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“As the weather gets colder and colder, less and less people come to class. Coincidence? I think not.” — @JlsForJames “Can we get an additional line on our diploma that states I survived The University of Memphis?” — @megs_brianne “If Tiger Patrol can’t keep up with the demand of escorts they either need to hire more escorts or get a tram for the students!” — @Ebby_Cole “Another Tiger Text? Seriously? I feel like I get one every day. They might as well start including my horoscope.” — @ccerrito “If your car isn’t in a real parking space I don’t care if I ram into it while backing out.” — @TheParty420 “There used to be a stronger Tiger Patrol presence at U of M. What happened?” — @NicTheEditor
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5 Unending 6 End of a quip? 7 Big name in do-it-yourself furniture 8 Loud noises 9 “Even so ...” 10 Earl Grey alternative 11 *Lose it 12 Compose email 13 Fill totally 18 Prov. in the Gulf of St. Lawrence 22 Living room plug? 24 Where Flanders red ale is brewed: Abbr. 26 “Jaws” menace 27 Molokai neighbor 28 *Digress 29 CIA employees 30 Get from a shelter 31 Remaining 33 Check recipient
34 Hillside whizzers 36 Chits in a pot 38 Jocks’ channel 41 Square oldster 44 Melville adventure 46 Portuguese lady 49 “Amen!” 52 Exhibits in abundance, as confidence 53 Corgi’s cry 54 Budge 55 Strikeout king Nolan 56 “Hunting Cantata” composer 57 Besides 59 Prefix with phobia 60 “MADtv” segment 61 Summer’s column 62 Perimeter 65 Disney gift store purchase
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.
Solutions on page 7
The University of Memphis
Friday, December 2, 2011 • 3
Holy Hip Hop: a new expression BY mELODY ANDREWS Contributing Writer On a cool night in early November, around 200 students entered Second Presbyterian Church to fellowship with other Christian students from the University of Memphis. But this Bible study hosted by Campus Outreach was unique to some of the ministry’s attendees. Right in the midst of their service, integrated with “amens” and murmured praise, was hip-hop music. From its infancy in the 1970s, riddled with braggadocio-filled raps, community-center disc jockeys and nimble break dancers from the Bronx, hip-hop culture is often recognized for its content’s immorality. What many see as hip-hop’s inherent, sinful nature even led to rap music being blamed for the gradual collapse of American morality. The grungy and gritty environment that gave birth to the genre may make hip-hop and religion an unlikely pair. Yet while it lacks an immaculate conception, hip-hop contains religion in a larger capacity than its gold-encrusted Jesus pieces and infamous Illuminati rumors. “I am, I guess, what you would call a gospel rap artist,” said Terrance “June” Gray, a recent graduate of the University of Memphis, who performed during the Campus Outreach service. “When I began living in a Christian worldview, I wanted to tell people about it. Rapping about how I was living and how
I want to live,” said Gray, who conducted over the past seven ing the place of religion in terms was born and raised in Memphis. years by researchers at UCLA, of importance to young people.” Holy hip-hop, as the genre is found that only 25 percent of Some say that is where holy called, has allowed for religious college juniors frequently attend hip-hop can bridge the gap. groups to reach younger crowds religious services, in compariDuring his set at the Campus and has surpassed the boundar- son to the 44 percent of college Outreach session Gray peries of Christianity. There are freshmen who frequently attend formed a song from his latest mix Muslim, Jewish and even atheist religious services. tape called “My Portion,” feahip-hop artists who rap about “We think that we don’t have turing singer Khristian Thomas, their faith and who is also a beliefs. student at the “A lot of University of hen you look back at the people would Memphis. The come up to song discusses civil rights era in Memphis, the me and say, issues often church had a high influence on ‘What is that?’ faced by color ‘Rapping lege students, young people but now not as about God, such as idenmuch. Fewer and fewer of our that’s corny,’ tity crises and when I was materialism. youth and college students in just starting “More than this community are interested in enough/ Lord at 17, 18 years old and that enough participating in religion. More and you’re was discourfor the freshaging. In the more entertainment is taking place man in colchurch, I’ve ege/Who of religion in terms of importance ldon’t had a guy know come up to why he’s here/ to young people.” me and tell me But he’s scared that the music to be honest/ — Rashid Sharif I was makSo he study Imam of the Masjid Al-Mu’minun Muslim congregation ing was sinful real hard but and flat out it don’t mean wrong,” recalled Gray. enough time, because of this test nothin’/He thinking ‘bout drop“But for the most part, I’ve or that paper, but it’s really a pin’ out cause he tired of fronseen a lot of acceptance,” Gray matter of making time,” said tin’,” Gray rhymes in the song’s said. “It’s not seen as peculiar Venson Whitmore, a 22-year-old second verse. and odd as it was before. My student studying psychology, Gray, whose stage name music is for everyone; not just who also produces music for “June” originated from the date Christians. No one is required various local artists. when he became a Christian, to live up to a super-Christian “When you look back at the said his music narrates struggles persona to listen to my music. civil rights era in Memphis, the with education and crime, both It’s for everyday people.” church had a high influence on issues that young Memphians Though holy hip-hop may young people but now not as frequently grapple with. appear taboo to some, its pres- much,” said Rashid Sharif, Imam Since Memphis is a city ence may be right on time. of the Masjid Al-Mu’minun grounded in musical tradition, The Spirituality in Higher Muslim congregation in South Gray is not the only rapper of Education study, which has been Memphis. “Fewer and fewer of his kind in the city. Delmar our youth and college students Lawrence, also known as Mr. in this community are interested Del, is a popular holy hip-hop in participating in religion. More artist who has performed across and more entertainment is tak- the country. Lawrence is a for-
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mer member of the Academy Award-winning Memphis rap group Three 6 Mafia. “Music reaches people in a way that other creative outlets can’t quite touch. It can kind of transcend a lot of boundaries,” said student and music producer Whitmore. “It may be easier to be receptive of a message given in rap lyrics than in an equally moving sermon. Either way the message is the same so it should not matter how it is delivered.” Though holy hip-hop may still be in its early stages, there are indications that the trend is starting to spread. For instance, Yo-Natan, a Jewish hip-hop artist, founded HipHopShabbat, which is an educational and spiritual endeavor that combines hip-hop with traditional Jewish prayer and rhetoric. Muslim artists like rapper Amir Sulaiman, who has nearly 3,000 followers on Twitter, communicate regularly about their projects and faith with others through sites like Facebook and MuslimHipHop.com. “Religion can be intimidating when practitioners are so traditional,” said Micah Greenstein, senior rabbi at Temple Israel. “We must open up different avenues of religious expression so that young people do not feel hindered.” Gray says he sees himself as someone who is in the ideal position to reach young adults and get them interested in religion, Christianity specifically. “The church is full of traditions and traditional gospel music is still influential,” said Gray. “But when calling people to Christ, there’s an invisible wall up between the church and the secular world. I want to tear down those walls. The familiarity of hip-hop helps me do that.”
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Budget
from page 1 tesy of the athletic department. Over $2.8 million of the team’s slightly more than $11.5 million budget is designated for scholarship assistance for tuition, books, support for the scholarship board, or meals for the scholars. With a group so large, travel and eating out is more difficult, Lofton said. He said when the entire team flies, they have to do so with air charter services. Typically, the team will have banquet-style meals in hotels because it isn’t feasible to take them all to a local restaurant. More than $1 million of the team’s budget is dedicated to travel. That includes travel expenses for the team, recruits who are brought in and individual travel for the coach. “The men’s basketball team does not have near the expense that football has… .(Basketball games) practically sell out the FedExForum in season tickets. We are basically maximizing the total amount of revenue we can in seasonal basketball,” Lofton said. According to Lofton, the athletic department is working with a public relations firm to develop an overall marketing plan for the football team once a new coach is named. “We lost some customers over the past three years,” he said. “We are going to make every effort we can to start to get them back. I hope with change we will increase ticket sales – particularly season ticket buyers.”
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Campus Events
U of M’s ‘New Sounds’ BY mELISSA WRAY News Reporter
cal compositions. The New Sounds concert is what Baur describes as “a good way for people to find out Music lovers at The University of what’s going on in the music world.” Memphis will have an opportunity to Faculty memne thing I’ve observed bers in the music hear music perforin 35 years of teaching is department usually mances from U of M students during encourage students that student composers to look at other conthe annual New temporary composSounds concert these days are more work as sources at Harris Concert interesting. They bring more ers’ of inspiration. Hall. The concert, “One thing I’ve eclectic styles of music to which is Tuesday at observed in 35 years the table.” of teaching is that 7:30 p.m., is held at student composthe end of each year ers these days are as a prerequisite for more interesting,” students enrolled in — John Baur the music program. Baur said. “They Theory and music coordinator bring more eclectic It will feature music styles of music to students performing the works of their fellow being performed in front of a the table.” Baur’s advice to students student composers. lot of people,” he said. The concert is free and open Baur also said that the com- looking to pursue a career in to the public. posers get a chance to learn music is to “write as much John Baur, coordinator of about the performer’s chosen as possible and be ready to theory and music, said that the instrument and get advice on shift as far as musical style is concert tends to have a peda- how to write improved musi- concerned.”
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gogical effect on both student composers and performers. “It’s really important for composers to hear their work
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Friday, December 2, 2011 • 5
Environment
BY CRAIG WELCH The Seattle Times So many pine, fir and spruce trees in the Northwest are riddled with bugs and disease that major tree die-offs are expected to rip through a third of Eastern Washington forests—an area covering nearly 3 million acres—in the next 15 years, according to new state projections. Because Washington’s forests are deteriorating so quickly, the state commissioner of public lands last week said he’ll appoint an emergency panel of scientists and foresters to seek ways to stabilize or reverse the decline. The problem is largely centered on tree-killing scourges such as the mountain pine beetle, which is spreading rapidly and getting into ever higher-elevation trees such as the troubled whitebark pine. The number of acres of trees damaged in the past decade by diseases such as blister rust and invasions of western spruce budworm and bark beetles is more than twice what it was in the 1990s—and three times greater
than in the 1980s. That dramatic increase has state officials eager to avoid becoming the next Colorado or British Columbia, both of which have seen millions of acres of forest wiped out in recent years by insects. “If you don’t get started doing something soon, it will quickly overwhelm your capacity to respond,” said Aaron Everett, state forester with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). “I’m certainly not going to sit by and watch it happen here without doing anything.” Few ecologists are eager to just let nature take its course. That could expose the region to potentially catastrophic wildfires, upend wildlife migration corridors and alter forest hydrology, which determines when and how much water is available to allimportant river systems. But solutions may prove complex, expensive, politically difficult or elusive. That’s because the most significant weapon available to combat forest decay is logging. Each type of forest and mix
of trees responds differently to particular types of timber harvest. And experts disagree over whether cutting down and thinning out trees will always curb the spread of bugs in some of the hardest-hit forests. “I come from an agency with a strong conservation background, and through time I have come to the conclusion that thinning forests to increase resilience in the face of changing conditions is sometimes a necessity,” said Nate Stephenson, an ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey in California. “If you’ve got a forest that’s so crowded that the trees are so stressed, sometimes you can reduce the probability of an outbreak by thinning.” But University of Washington professor Jerry Franklin, the oldgrowth expert whose research helped end most federal-land clearcutting in the Northwest in the 1990s, said that was less true in the lodgepole pine stands most affected by bark beetles. “There’s not much evidence you can control an outbreak of beetles in lodgepole,” he said. “We need to be real honest about
MCT
Washington state fights massive tree die-offs Lower-elevation pine trees in the Sawtooth Ridge area that are above the Methow River are being wiped out by bark beetles. what we can do. You can cut in front of it, and take away the potential host, but that’s not going to help what you leave standing.” The situation has been decades in the making. Since land managers suppressed wildfires for so long, many trees in Eastern Washington’s dry forests are the same age, about a century old. That means they’re weak and susceptible to natural diseases and bug infestations— but there aren’t young, healthy trees around to stop or slow the annihilation. At the same time, federal biologists say, warming temperatures have allowed deadly bugs to reproduce faster, survive through
winters and reach trees at higher elevations. That’s how hundreds of thousands of whitebark pine trees, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently determined belong on the endangered species list, wound up infested by pine beetles. The potent combination helped drive the number of acres of damaged forest in Washington in 2009 to 1.9 million, the highest level in 40 years. “I’ve traveled quite a bit lately in Eastern Washington, and there’s hardly anywhere you can go where you don’t see problems,” said David Peterson, a biologist with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Research Station. “I think it’s going to continue.”
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6 • Friday, December 2, 2011
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Technology
Technology beckons classes, but some schools lag behind When even the most innovative classrooms lag behind what’s possible, it’s almost unfair asking the school tech guy: What’s next? Thirteen-year-olds at The Barstow School in Kansas City, Mo., had just shown off a blitz of Google Docs and Glogster creations on convertible laptop/tablets in eighth-grade writing class. They’d popped out photos and posters depicting 1950s suburbia and the Cold War in their Ryan Olson, 13, uses a computer as he leads a discussion own multimedia introductions during a writer’s workshop at The Barstow School in Kansas to Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit City, Mo., on Nov. 16, 2011. 451.” And then it was back to their baffles him. the concerns and frustrations that compositions, reacting to mar“What we can’t do in school, make such technological leaps gin notes sent by their teacher, these dirty capitalists are doing hard in so many classrooms. Kelly Finn, that would continue in games and getting rich,” Gee More than 75 percent of the in the days ahead even though said. “I’m not pushing games. teachers surveyed fear that stushe was leaving for a conference I’m pushing a new way of dents wired in class through in Chicago. learning.” phones or laptops will be too What’s next? Consider the folly of a school distracted. More than 60 percent Barstow’s tech guy, Scott year dominated by end-of-year believe that inequity between Daniel, has ideas. (Imagine stu- exams, says Cathy Davidson, who has access and who doesn’t dents surfing acaalso is a major demic social netproblem. works on tablets, A third of hat we can’t do in working through teachers fear they instructional prowouldn’t be able school, these dirty capitalgrams that react to control cheating. ists are doing in games and And nearly a quarto each student’s unique pace and getting rich. I’m not pushing ter said they don’t needs.) have the training But the truth is games. I’m pushing a new way to use technology that the possibiliin instruction or of learning.” ties in education have an appropriare bounding ahead ate curriculum. — James Gee daily. Administrators Professor of literary studies And here’s the worry about limmore alarming ited financial truth: American schools aren’t former vice provost for inter- resources and keeping children keeping up. disciplinary studies at Duke safe from bullying inside a Finn’s high-tech classroom University. It’s “outrageous,” school’s network and from inapis more the exception than the she said, that teachers essentially propriate contacts outside. rule. The costs of equipment and stop teaching in March “and preAdd in the intense itinertech support on top of the many pare for a test.” ary schools place on teachers demands already monopolizing Education technology, as in to cover all the academic bases teachers’ time keep most classes the gaming world, has the ability demanded under the test-heavy behind the digital curve. And to assess performance every step No Child Left Behind Act. And even Finn’s class is just wading of the way, comparing students then consider that schools shoulin the ocean of technology. to classmates across schools, dis- der the additional pressure to “We’re living in an extraor- tricts, states and the world, with transform without any authoritadinary time,” said Karen Cator, immediate feedback and direc- tive data that show that reshapdirector of education technol- tion. No final exam necessary. ing classrooms into collaborative ogy with the U.S. Department of “The hardest thing is taking gaming shops actually improves Education. Computer networks that first step,” said Linda Mohr, academic performance. and keystroke-sensitive algo- a Pembroke Hill School teachSchools need to adopt the rithms are capable of guiding er in Kansas City, Mo., whose same bravado they want from students as if hooked to a GPS personal foray into the new their students, said Katie Salen, a for learning, accessible to teach- world involves creating her own DePaul University professor and ers, parents and the students YouTube videos for her sixth- executive director of the nonthemselves, she said. grade math students. profit Institute of Play. “We can know where they With the help of Pembroke’s Schools are losing time if they are, and how to help them move technology specialist—schools “want proof something works forward,” she said. must have strong technology first ... when we have tremenYet school systems remain specialists backing their teach- dous proof that what’s going on mired in their past, said James ers, she said—Mohr is using the now is failing,” Salen said. Gee, professor of literacy studies school’s secure YouTube site to Curriculum writers and techat Arizona State University. They create lessons. Sometimes stu- nology specialists should be languish, beset by fears of tech- dents watch them at home and building school programs that nology, cyberbullying, distracted come to class ready to review will adapt and grow, she said, students and prohibitive costs. and practice. Sometimes she both inside and outside school. Meanwhile, Gee said, the uses them to split up her lessons, “You don’t build it and say, computer gaming industry is with some students watching the ‘Ta-da! Here it is!’.” Salen said. lapping the field, propelling chil- video while she teaches a differ- “You believe your product is dren and teenagers on missions ent lesson to a separate group. going to change over time. The that are harder than the work She doesn’t think of herself as evidence (that a revolutionized they’re doing in school. Alone a technology wizard, but she had classroom is working) comes in and in teams, children pursue support and she got started. the daily transformations going ascending layers of performance “I can be on YouTube,” she on. We should not be blockading marks with unrelenting zeal. said. “I can create my own- learning between 8 a.m. and 3 Why education hasn’t been National surveys by Project p.m. only between these brickquicker seizing this dynamic Tomorrow in Irvine, Calif., reveal and-mortar buildings.”
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MCT
BY JOE ROBERTSON McClatchy Newspapers
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National
As wars end, costs to exceed Vietnam By CHRIS ADAMS McClatchy Newspapers The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan may be winding down, but the long-term costs of caring for those wounded in battle is on path to rival the costs of the Vietnam War. While Vietnam extracted a far higher death toll—58,000 compared with 6,300 so far in the war on terror—the number of documented disabilities from recent veterans is approaching the size of that earlier conflict, according to a McClatchy Newspapers analysis of Department of Veterans Affairs data. The data, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act and detailing all disability payments to veterans of all wars, show that veterans leaving the military in recent years are filing for and receiving compensation for more injuries than did their fathers and grandfathers. At the same time, McClatchy found, the VA is losing ground in efforts to provide fast, efficient and accurate disability decisions. And the agency has yet to get control of a problem that has vexed it for years: The wide variation in disability payments by state and region, even for veterans with the same ailments. For soldiers now coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan, this ongoing variation in an alreadyclogged disability system means the size of monthly compensation checks might be a quirk of geography. Given the nature of today’s disabilities, it’s difficult to calculate how much it all might ultimately cost. “We’re in somewhat uncharted waters,” said Linda Bilmes, a Harvard University professor who has conducted an exhaustive study on the longterm costs of the wars.
Her most recent estimates, from 2010, indicate that providing disability payments to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans could range from $355 billion to $534 billion over the next 40 years; on top of that, costs to the VA’s medical system could range from $201 billion to $348 billion to treat veterans of the current wars. For the VA system, that means costs will grow for years to come—even as the country is entering a period of belt-tightening that could reduce the size of government and put a damper on the agency’s ability to find the money to pay these expenses. The fatalities in war are only a small part of its ultimate human cost. Soldiers back from the war in Afghanistan, which began in 2001, or the war in Iraq, which began in 2003, carry with them a lifetime of physical and mental reminders. According to VA and Department of Defense information compiled by the advocacy group Veterans for Common Sense, 2.2 million service members have deployed to one of the wars since Sept. 11, 2001; 942,000 have deployed two or more times. Of those, 6,300 service members have died, and 46,000 have suffered non-fatal wounds in action. But more than 600,000 veterans have filed for VA disability benefits, and more than 700,000 have been treated in the VA’s medical system. “Right now, VA is getting about 10,000 new Iraq and Afghanistan claims and patients per month,” said Paul Sullivan, executive director of the National Organization of Veterans’ Advocates, which helps veterans file their disability claims. “The numbers are devastating.”
SGA
from page 1 area is, the better people feel,” Harber said, addressing SGA. “We have some areas on this campus that are adequately lit but when you overlight one area, it makes the next area seem darker. You’re going to see this campus get lighter and lighter and lighter as we move forward.” SGA senators asked Harber about the possibility of increasing the number of blue light phones on campus. The U of M currently has 40 of the emergency-use phones, according to Harber. The Clery act requires the University to report all crimes within a quarter mile of campus and anything that happens on an adjacent street contiguous to campus. The U of M has a mutual assistance agreement with the Memphis Police Department to designate The University’s enforcement area. “We will patrol the area as staff on campus permits,” Harber said. “The last few weeks, however, we’ve had to pull back in.” Thirty-three officers stationed at The U of M’s main campus will likely receive more assistance from the Memphis Police Department as part of a pending re-zoning of the University District, Harber said. A minimum of four MPD officers are expected to begin patrolling the area, which Harber said will essentially make The University its own ward. Harber also announced that he has spoken to University officials about a shuttle program for students in the near future. “That’s probably going to be a reality if things go as planned in the next year or so,” he said. “At one point they targeted this spring. It may be the fall now before they get everything in place– that will add to safety.”
Solutions (3 days until classes end!)
8 • Friday, December 2, 2011
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Basketball
Tigers look to improve against stuggling Govs BY SCOTT HALL Sports Reporter After bouncing back from a slow start to defeat Jackson State on Monday, the No. 21/22 University of Memphis Tigers will try to continue to improve when they take on the Austin Peay Governors tomorrow night. The Tigers (3-2) needed a strong second-half push to take down Jackson State, outscoring their opponents 45-26 to pull away after halftime. Head coach Josh Pastner said rebounding is the most important thing his team needs to improve on after being outrebounded 29-28 on Monday, and giving up 12 offensive rebounds. “Our number one focus is rebounding,” he said. “It’s been our number one emphasis since day one. It’s been a big emphasis for me since I’ve been the head coach. I don’t know why we haven’t rebounded as well as we need to rebound. Rebounding’s not about size. Rebounding’s about anticipation, foot advantage, just getting after the ball.” The team sat down at Wednesday’s practice and watched tape of their rebounding performance against JSU, with Pastner stopping the tape and letting the players observe each and every chance they had to rebound during the game. “It’s an opportunity for them to see, and I think they have a better understanding,” Pastner said. “The more tape we watch, the more they’re going to understand what we’re talking about. I told the guys, ‘I don’t want to hear “my bad.” I want you to do the job. No one wants to hear “my bad”—just get the job done.’ We need production, bottom line. No gray area, just get the job done.” Rebounding was an issue when The U of M played the Governors last season, a game which required a double-digit comeback and overtime before the Tigers pulled off the win, 70-68. Austin Peay outrebounded Memphis 46-36, while snagging 19 offensive boards to Memphis’ six. “Last year we had 24 turnovers against them, and we gave up like 20 offensive rebounds,” Pastner said. “And we missed 15 free throws. I think we were like 15 of 30 from the free throw line. Those three things can’t happen. Can’t happen. We’ve got to be much better than that.” Austin Peay comes into Saturday’s game with an 0-8 record, including a 72-55 loss to then-No. 22 California on Nov. 15. They are led in scoring by senior guards TyShawn Edmondson (13.4 points per game) and Josh Terry (12.1 ppg). Edmondson torched the Tigers for 22 points and 10 rebounds last year. “Their record maybe doesn’t match up,” Pastner said. “They are better than the record. I’ve watched a lot of tape, I don’t know why they haven’t played as well but we know they’re going to be prepared for us.
They’re very well coached. We were very fortunate last year to get the W, and we know we’re going to have to play a great game. It can’t be about Austin Peay, it has to be about us.” The Tigers’ will have to contend with Austin Peay center John Fraley, who is averaging 10 rebounds per game, as well as forward Melvin Baker, who recorded a double-double against Memphis last season with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Pastner said that sophomore forward Tarik Black needs to play better if he wants to continue to get playing time. “Nothing to overanalyze, we’ve just got to get him going,” he said. “He’s too good to be having the numbers he’s hav-
ing. You’ve got to produce or you’ve got to sit. That’s how it is from this point forward. That’s why I took him out of the lineup, because he wasn’t producing. He knows for our team to be the best we need to be, we need him to be playing at the level we’ve set the standard for him to be at.” Sophomore guard Will Barton said he feels the Tigers are close to being the team they think they can be. “I think we’re right there,” he said. “I think once we start outrebounding teams by a good margin, I think that’s when we’ll take off and we’ll be the team everyone was expecting.” During the game against JSU, Pastner experimented with
playing sophomore guard Chris Crawford at point guard, a position he struggled with at times last year. However, Pastner said Crawford is much better at managing the team. “I thought Chris did a nice job at the point,” he said. “Both him and Joe had positive assist to turnover ratios. Chris was good; I thought Joe was good in some areas.” Barton agreed with his coach. “I think he has a great feel for the game. He’s a great passer, you know. He likes to get his teammates involved more than he likes to score,” Barton said. “He’s a good defender. He likes to push the ball, get it up-tempo. I think he’s a great fit at the point guard.”
Senior guard Charles Carmouche did not attend Monday’s game against JSU due to an “internal matter,” but will be rejoining the team for tomorrow’s game, Pastner said. “He and I had a good talk today and he will be back on the team today, so he will practice today and we’ll move forward from there. He’ll be at the game Saturday.” Barton said he expects a good game. “It’s going to be a good game so we’ve got to go out there focused, do the things we’re supposed to do and that we’ve been working on and we should come out fine,” he said. “But it’s definitely a big game so we’ve got to be ready for it.”
2011 University of Memphis Men’s Conference
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